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Oneindia 26 Oct 2022

On Tuesday, former US Defence Secretary Ash Carter died at 68 after suffering a heart attack. Carter served as the Americas 25th..
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Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry of Papua New Guinea, Richard Maru, wants all issues on the Ox & Palm trade war to be cleared this month.He welcomes the response by Fijis Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister, Faiyaz Siddiq Koya, to send two officials from its Biosecurity Authority to PNG to meet with officials from the National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA).Minister Maru said the meet will urgently resolve pending issues regarding the opening of the biosecurity pathway between Fiji and PNG for Ox & Palm, Snax biscuits and Trukai Rice to be exported to Fiji without any more restrictions.In a letter to Fijis Industry, dated 5th September, Minister Maru thanked Minister Koya for his commitment to send Fijis BAF executive chair, Xavier Riyaz Khan, and Trade Commissioner Navitalai Tuivuniwai, to Port Moresby. They will meet with PNGs technical team, which includes officers from NAQIA, the Department of Trade, Commerce and Industry and PNG Manufacturers.Meanwhile, Koya is optimistic that the discussions between Fijis Biosecurity Authority and PNGs NAQIA will resolve the matter and open discussions on a range of other commodities of trade for both countries.Pacific Loop
Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia:

Singapore-based hedge fund manager Pangolin Investment Management has expressed frustration over ASEAN politicians who have let down their respective countries. Pangolin Director James Hay said that the potential for economic growth is so much greater than what is achieved in ASEAN countries because of politicians.

He said, "Corruption and cronyism play a large part, resulting in the economic cost of losing power being so much greater than elsewhere; and Asias retired politicians dont do the U.S. lecture circuit Singapore is a mature economy, but its exceptional political management will ensure that its growth rates remain superior to most. And Indonesia has the most potential but is still being constrained by low commodity prices."

Hay made the statement as his Pangolin Asia Fund slightly fell in August and was down 0.3% (+14.7% YTD), compared to its benchmarks as the MSCI ex-Japan gained 3.4% (+8.9% YTD) and MSCI-ASEAN fell -0.1% (+11.4% YTD) during the same period.

Absolutism props populism and protection

He explained that absolutism is propped up by populism and protection. In Malaysia, where the same government has ruled for 59 years, the voting system is skewed towards the rural population. And he said this is not because there are more people, but because the constituency seat sizes are significantly smaller. There is a big urban-rural wealth dichotomy ......................

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Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque Geneva:

Investors can no longer ignore climate change, says BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, and should incorporate it into their own investment process. That way, they can diminish climate risks, exploit opportunities and have a positive impact while boosting investment returns.

In a report called Adapting portfolios to climate change, BlackRock lists four channels of market risks and opportunities: Physical (weather events and rising temperature); Technological (better energy storage, renewable energy); Regulatory (climate awareness becoming good corporate governance); and Social (changing consumer preferences and advocacies).

In terms of time horizons, regulations could have an immediate influence, so short-term investors are more vulnerable to them. Medium-term investors can take advantage of economies transition to a lower-carbon world, often through new technologies. Longer-term investors, such as pension funds, are more exposed to physical risks, stranded assets and the impact of climate change on economic growth.

"We believe climate risk factors have been under-appreciated and underpriced because they are perceived to be distant," said Ewen Cameron Watt, senior director of the BlackRock Investment Institute. "However, perceptions are changing as governments and businesses are grappling with how best to combat climate risk. The pace of change and the contours of the transition to a low-carbon......................

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It seems that some who have the ears of U.S. elite decision-makers are at least shifting away from wishing to provoke wars with Russia and China.

In recent articles, Zbigniew Brzezinski and Thomas Graham, two architects of the U.S. cold war with Russia, have acknowledged that the era of uncontested U.S. global imperialism is coming to an end. Both analysts urge more cooperation with Russia and China to achieve traditional, still imperial, U.S. aims. Mr. Graham recommends a shifting mix of competition and cooperation, aiming toward a "confident management of ambiguity." Mr. Brzezinski calls for deputizing other countries, such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran to carry out the combined aims of the U.S., Russia and China so that this triumvirate could control other people's land and resources.

It's surely worthwhile to wonder what effect opinions such as Brzezinski's and Graham's might have upon how U.S. resources are allotted, whether to meet human needs or to further enlarge the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and further enrich the corporations that profit from U.S. investments in weapons technology.

If the U.S. might diminish offensive war preparations against Russia, when would DOD budget proposals begin to reflect this? As of April 15, 2016, the U.S. DOD was proposing that the U.S. Fiscal Year 2017 budget significantly increase funding for the "European Reassurance Initiative" (ERI) from $789.3 million the previous year to $3.4 billion. The document reads: "the expanded focus is a reflection of the United States' strong and balanced approach to Russia in the wake of its aggression in Eastern Europe." The requested funds will enable the U.S. "defense" establishment to expand purchases of ammunition, fuel, equipment, and combat vehicles. It will also enable the DOD to allocate money to airfields, training centers, and ranges, as well as finance at least "28 joint and multi-national exercises which annually train more than 18,000 U.S. personnel alongside 45,000 NATO Allies." This is good news for major "defense" contractors.

In the past year, the National Guard of my home state of Illinois has participated in the DOD reserve component. 22 U.S. states matched up with 21 European countries to practice maneuvers designed to build up the ERI. The IL National Guard and the Polish Air Force have acquired "Joint Terminal Attack Controller" systems that enable them to practice coordinating airstrikes with Poland in support of ground forces combatting enemies in the region. Members of the IL National Guard were part of NATO's July 2016 "Anakonda" exercises on the Russian border. As the state of Illinois spent an entire year without a budget for social services or higher education, millions of dollars were directed toward joint military maneuvers with Poland that ratcheted up tensions between the U.S. and Russia.

Many families in Illinois can relate to the impact of rising food prices in Russia while family income stays the same or decreases. People in both the U.S. and Russia would benefit from diversion of funds away from billion dollar weapons systems toward the creation of jobs and infrastructure that improve the lives of ordinary people.

But people are bombarded with war propaganda. Consider a recent piece of propaganda-lite, just under 5 minutes, which aired on ABC news, showing Martha Raddatz in the back seat of an F-15 U.S. fighter jet, flying over Estonia. "That was awesome," Raddatz coos, as she witnesses war-games from the F-15's open cockpit. She calls the American show of force a critical deterrent to Russian forces. The piece neglects to mention ordinary Russians on whose borders, in June 2016, 10 days of U.S. / NATO military exercises involving 31,000 troops took place.

In the high plateaus of Afghanistan, peasant women provide a striking example of risk-taking in order to literally plant new seeds. The New York Times recently reported on women in Afghanistan's Bamiyan province who have formed unions, risking ridicule and possible physical abuse to form cooperative groups. These women help one another acquire seeds for vegetables other than potatoes and also for new varieties of potatoes. They manage to feed their families and to pool resources so that they can spend less on delivering their crops to the market.

These women are acting with clarity and bravery, creating a new world within the shell of the old. We should be guided by such clarity as we insist that lasting peace can't be founded on military power.

The end of U.S. empire would be a welcome end. I hope that policy makers will let themselves be guided by sanity and the courage to clarify the U.S.' vast potential to make a positive difference in our world by asking themselves a simple, indispensable question: how can we learn to live together without killing one another? An indispensable follow-up is: When do we start?
Cannonball ND--How a Pipeline is Destroying the Stonehenge of the Midwest

U.S. District Judge Boasberg has granted in part and denied in part the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's request to temporarily stop work on a portion of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline. At issue is the Sioux Nation's attempt to protect ancient prayer and burial grounds.

Judge Boasberg said that work will temporarily stop between State Highway 1806 and 20 miles east of Lake Oahe, but that work will continue west of the highway. At issue is whether The United States Army Corps of Engineers has any jurisdiction on the private land.

This means that the site of mass grave and artifact desecration by contractors at the site of a violent confrontation between protestors and Energy Transfer Inc.'s security forces over the holiday weekend is not resolved. Women and children were maced, pepper sprayed, and attacked by security dogs, according to Tribal Leaders. Tribal Chairman David Archambault II said in a press release, "Sacred places containing ancient burial sites, places of prayer and other significant cultural artifacts of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe were destroyed Saturday by Energy Transfer Partners.

A mere 75 feet from the edge of the DAPL pipeline corridor lies Iyokaptan Tanka, the Big Dipper. Source: Case 1:16-cv-01534-JEB Document 29-1 Filed 09/02/16 Page 4 of 11



Big Dipper Stones

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This stone feature, which is a physical depiction of a constellation across a large area, is very rare to find within the Great Plains and within Oceti Sakowin homelands. This is only the third time I have seen one identified and recorded during my lifetime. I know how much importance the Elders and spiritual advisors place on this star constellation, this constellation was a measuring stick for leadership, who fasted or vision quested in the "cup" of the Big Dipper to make the ultimate commitment to the people. This is the last level to attain as a Chief and very few Chiefs made it to the seventh level in leadership, as I have been told. Only a Chief or Itancha can stand in the cup of the Dipper.

To find a grave attached to the cup means the leader was "was beyond reproach." This is one of the most significant archeological finds in North Dakota in many years.

In a letter to the Tribe in February 2015, the Army Corps of Engineers asked the Standing Rock tribe to participate in identification of historical and religious sites, but the USACE never followed up on subsequent tribal responses. This is the heart of the lawsuit currently in Federal District Court.

Our regulations define the extent of the federal action as the "permit area" (33 CFR Part 325, Appendix C). This definition requires some interpretation but generally for pipelines it includes waters of the U.S. and adjacent upland areas that are dependent on the location of the crossing. The project proponent is conducting Class 111 surveys for cultural resources along the route. Proper identification of all historic properties, including sites of religious and cultural significance, or traditional cultural properties (TCP}, in the permit area is an essential element of those surveys.

I have a question for the Judge. How could he allow construction to continue on private land, endangering a significant historical find, when the "rules" include "upland areas dependent on the location of the crossing?"

Is private land really protected? If private land IS protected from common sense laws protecting antiquities, how about the courts and landowners at least showing some respect to the ancestors, especially the Chief buried there in the cup of the Big Dipper.

You know, Judge, the man who was 'beyond reproach."

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Reprinted from Global Research

Sundus Saleh, an Iraqi woman, first filed her lawsuit against George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice and Paul Wolfowitz in September 2013. Alleging that the Iraq War constituted an illegal crime of aggression, Saleh filed the suit on behalf of herself and other Iraqis in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

The district court dismissed Saleh's lawsuit in December 2014, saying the defendants acted within the scope of their employment when they planned and carried out the Iraq War. Saleh then appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

In her appeal, Saleh is arguing that the Bush officials were acting from personally held convictions that the US should invade Iraq, regardless of any legitimate policy reasons, and that they knowingly lied to the public when they fraudulently tied Saddam Hussein to al-Qaeda and the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

Inder Comar, Saleh's lawyer, explained, "Nuremberg held that domestic immunity was not a defense to allegations of international aggression. Everything the Germans did was legal under the law. We are asking the Ninth Circuit to reject the application of domestic immunity in this case, in line with the holdings of Nuremberg."

On July 22, Saleh urged the Ninth Circuit to take judicial notice of portions of the Chilcot Report, which makes factual conclusions about the run-up to the Iraq War. A court can take judicial notice of a fact that is not subject to reasonable dispute and can be accurately and readily determined from sources whose accuracy cannot be reasonably questioned. That includes public records, such as reports issued by a commission of inquiry.

The report was published by the Iraq Inquiry Committee, an independent committee established by the British government, on July 6, 2016, after six years of investigation, research and drafting.

Here are four of the excerpts from the report that Saleh has submitted to the court for judicial notice:

24. President Bush decided at the end of 2001 to pursue a policy of regime change in Iraq. 68. On 26 February, 2002, Sir Richard Dearlove, the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, advised that the US Administration had concluded that containment would not work, was drawing up plans for a military campaign later in the year, and was considering presenting Saddam Hussein with an ultimatum for the return of inspectors while setting the bar "so high that Saddam Hussein would be unable to comply." 74. Mr. [UK Foreign Secretary Jack] Straw's advice of 25 March proposed that the US and UK should seek an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein to re-admit weapons inspectors. That would provide a route for the UK to align itself with the US without adopting the US objective regime change. This reflected advice that regime change would be unlawful. 89. Sir Richard Dearlove reported that he had been told that the US had already taken a decision on action -- "the question was only how and when;" and that he had been told it intended to set the threshold on weapons inspections so high that Iraq would not be able to hold up US policy.

The report includes copies of notes between Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in which they discussed the invasion of Iraq as early as October 2001.

Eight months before the invasion of Iraq, Blair wrote to Bush, saying "I will be with you, whatever." In July 2002, Blair had told Bush that removing Hussein from power would "free up the region" even though Iraqis might "feel ambivalent about being invaded."

The report concluded that Hussein posed no imminent threat on March 20, 2003, the date the US and the UK invaded Iraq. It also noted that a majority of the United Nations Security Council favored continuing UN monitoring and inspections.

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There are three main reasons to abstain on November 8th.

Firstly, neither of the main parties' candidates is fit to be president, as explained previously . Voting for Hillary Clinton is voting the disastrous policies of the last sixteen years. Voting for Donald Trump is voting for an ephemeral victory. He lashes at the system. But, no one man can win against a system. Lenin knew this better than anyone else. This is why he built a strong party. Trump is alone. He is a lonesome cowboy, the marshal in "High Noon". But, this is not Hollywood. This is Washington D.C., the world's center of raw power. Without an organization he doesn't have a chance to change the system.

Secondly, the United States is no longer a democracy. The United States is run by an oligarchy with total disregard for the will of the people. Witness the government's handling of the subprime crisis where so-called "to big to fail banks" were rescued by federal agencies while people were left holding the bag or the undeclared perpetual war fought on specious motives in spite of massive demonstrations against it in 2003. In the on-going presidential campaign, main stream media unashamedly takes position in favor of the Democratic candidate, demonizing her Republican opponent and totally ignoring the Green and Libertarian parties' candidates. The Democratic Party's "super-delegates" have no legitimacy. Blacks are discouraged to register in southern states. Some (all?) voting machines are rigged, leaving no paper trail. On a theoretical level, Caroll Quigley, Sheldon S. Wolin and Peter Dale Scott made abundantly clear who runs the country.

Thirdly, those advocating a vote for either Jill Stein or Gary Johnson should know that the arithmetic does not work. Jill is credited with 5 percent of the votes and Gary with 8 to 10. On a trend line starting in 1952 abstention should reach 50 percent in 2016 (the figure may be higher considering the Americans' discontent with the political elite). If instead of voting for either Jill Stein or Gary Johnson, they abstain, the percentage of abstention would reach or exceed 65 percent. Assuming a 60 percent abstention vote on November 8th, a presidential candidate securing 51 percent of the votes would be elected with only 20 percent of the voters approving his program. He would become president of the United States against the will of 80 percent of the people. Can one rule a country with 20 percent of the votes? An abstention vote is an extremely powerful statement -- a statement the system cannot ignore short of instituting an authoritarian regime. Jill Stein's and Gary Johnson's voters would send a stronger message by abstaining than by voting. The message would be unequivocally clear: the country is faced with a major political crisis. A Continental Congress, akin to the Philadelphia Congress of 1776, would be in order.

Abstention is the only rationale choice in a compromised political system. It is a soft yet effective form of civil disobedience.


protester being arrested

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Reprinted from Campaign for America's Future Blog

As this election season comes to full boil, we should remember the importance of civil disobedience to our history. It is one of the few tools ordinary people still have to organize for change. With corporations spending unlimited campaign cash, and states requiring photo ID at voting booths, it's through protest that we loudly proclaim that we won't be silenced.

Where would we be if the colonists hadn't staged the Boston Tea Party to protest their lack of representation? Where would we be without protestors sitting where they were told not to sit, marching across bridges and to our Nation's Capital, and standing in solidarity fully aware of the physical, legal and financial consequences awaiting them?

Speaking in Reno, Nevada, in late August, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton could have listened to some advisors and refused to take the hate-bait that floods daily from Republican candidate Donald Trump. But to her credit, she decided to speak up. As OurFuture.org's Terrance Heath wrote:

"In a scorching takedown of Donald Trump and his alt-right allies, Hillary Clinton reminded Americans that silence never defeats hatred, but that it must be called out and exposed for what it is."

Her choice was a clear reminder that we cannot defeat hate by being invisible -- it's up to each of us to stand up and step forward. We must all confront a challenger aiming to make racism mainstream. We are called at this moment to make sure that never happens. Decency will defeat hate, but we must speak up and speak publicly.

When I've confronted racism in my life, I didn't do so by complaining about it to my friends and going home. I organized and took action. One way I did this was through protest.

After finishing high school in Virginia, I went to college in Pennsylvania, where I was the only African American in my class. Coming from the state that prides itself as the home of the Confederacy, I didn't expect Pennsylvania would be the first place where I'd protest for racial equality, but that's what happened.

One evening, I went with a group of friends to celebrate a classmate's birthday at the local cafe'. We waited patiently to get served even after others were served. My white friends didn't know why service was so slow. I knew why.

"It's because of me," I said. But they didn't believe me because their experience of racism was limited to atrocities of hate groups. One of my friends approached the waitress, who told her the restaurant's owner wouldn't let her serve us.

We protested. We staged sit-ins and lobbied our student government, which voted to boycott the restaurant. Finally, the restaurant changed its practices.

More than 50 years later, one of the friends with me that evening recalled how painful it had been for her. Seeing the discrimination that I'd spent my young life steeling myself against opened her eyes to an experience she hadn't seen before.

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Manual and Mohammad-Kamal in happier days

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Al-Mouwasat Hospital, Damascus, Syria September 6, 2016

These beautiful children above, shown in happier days, are the younger siblings of Ghina and Nagham who were shot by a sniper in the surrounded and cutoff town of Madaya, Syria ("Syria: A Children's Story"). Ghina, Nagham and their mother Sahar Wadi were rescued by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARCS) from Madaya two weeks ago and taken to Al-Mouwasat Hospital, Damascus for urgent medical treatment of the children's explode-on-impact bullet wounds.

Their daring medical evacuation occurred as part of an Iran-UN agreement based on the "4 Towns Agreement" (itself unlawful under international law and which has both saved and cost some lives in this maelstrom civil war). The agreement signed in September 2015 stipulates parallel evacuations and aid deliveries for four encircled towns; two in Outer Damascus and two in Idlib province. Sunni Madaya and Zabadani are encircled by the regime fighters and Shia Fuaa and Kafariya are encircled by rebels based in northern Syria.

Ghina is still recovering from the militia sniper wounds. Both girls were shot while returning from Madaya's clinic, near their home, with medicine for their severely anemic mother Sahar. Ten year old Ghani's severely shattered and infected left leg and thigh were tentatively scheduled for amputation in Madaya two weeks ago. Fortunately the medical evacuation and the specialized medical care in Damascus saved Ghina's leg. And this week (9/5/2016), eight year old Nagham finally had her arm and hand stitches removed, personally by the medical director of the hospital, Nagham's mother told this observer proudly. Nagham wounds are now largely healed from the effects of last month's sniper attack. The psychological and emotional wounds of the children will take much longer.



Mother Sahra and recovering daughters Ghani and Nagham (author seated)

(Image by Franklin Lamb) Details DMCA



But Ghina and Nagham's younger sister and brother, Manal and Mohammad-Kamal are still under siege in Madaya. On 9/5/2016, Sahar, the four children's mother provided this observer a detailed account of her youngest children's current deteriorating health conditions as she begged for help from the Beirut-Paris-Washington DC based NGO, Meals for Syrian Refugee Children Lebanon (MSRCL) to rescue her babies. There are growing urgent fears, given just received alarming reports of an escalating outbreak of Meningitis in besieged Madaya.

Both children still trapped in Madaya are ill and have fevers. There are no medications available to them in the town. Both children are increasingly malnourished, with their only food boiled bulgur, lentils and a thin soup made from grass and wildflowers, the children's mother explained to this observer on 9/6/2016. They have no milk nor any fruits or vegetables, eggs, bread or meat of any kind. Psychologically, the 3 and four years old Manal and Mohamad are terrified, and desperate to be with their mother Sahar and sisters Ghina and Nagham.

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARCS), who heroically saved Ghina and Nagham last month, has been updated on this family's dire situation and are trying to put Manal and Mohammad-Kamal on a future evacuation list. But whether they can do it anytime soon, if ever, is unsure. These intensely politicized days are not easy when illegally besieging and starving civilians has become a widely employed form of tactical warfare.

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Reprinted from shadowproof.com by Kevin Gosztola

Whistleblowers, former diplomats, and intelligence agency employees have condemned the United States government for denying entry to former British ambassador Craig Murray.

Murray is currently scheduled to present the Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence to CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou at the end of September. He also is supposed to speak at a conference planned by World Beyond War around the same time. But the U.S. government has refused Murray "entry clearance."

Whistleblowers Bill Binney, Thomas Drake, Diane Roark, Kirk Wiebe, Coleen Rowley, Matthew Hoh, Peter Van Buren, and Kiriakou, along with individuals like former diplomat Ann Wright and former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, signed on to a statement put out by the Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence.

"News that former British Ambassador Craig Murray has been denied entry to the United States under the regular visa waiver program is both shocking and appalling," the statement declared. "We Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence (SAAII) had invited Craig to be Master of Ceremonies at our award ceremony honoring John Kiriakou, the CIA torture whistleblower (more details at samadamsaward.ch), this September as part of the 'No War 2016' conference."

"Now we're wondering which agency's long arms have reached out to disrupt our ceremony and to try to silence Craig."

Director of World Beyond War, David Swanson, reacted, "This attempt to prevent a truth-teller from speaking in support of nonviolence is absolutely shameful. This is not a policy created to represent any view of the U.S. public, and we are not going to stand for it."

Murray was the British ambassador to Uzbekistan from 2002 to 2004. He criticized Uzbekistan's repressive government, and when he was removed from his post, it occurred shortly after he told the Financial Times that MI6 was using intelligence Uzbek authorities obtained through torture.

Since his departure, Murray has become a defender of WikiLeaks and its editor-in-chief Julian Assange. He has harshly criticized the illegality and crimes surrounding the Iraq War. He has spoken out about British and U.S. intelligence dealings with the Uzbekistan security services and periodically calls attention to aspects of the U.S. relationship with Uzbekistan.

Murray shared in a post on his personal blog, "Like millions of British passport holders I have frequently visited the USA before and never been refused entry clearance under the visa waiver program."

He adds, "It is worth noting that despite the highly critical things I have published about Putin, about civil liberties in Russia and the annexation of the Crimea, I have never been refused entry to Russia. The only two countries that have ever refused me entry clearance are Uzbekistan and the USA. What does that tell you?"

Murray plans to apply for a visa, however, it is entirely possible his application will not be approved by the time he is supposed to travel.

Van Buren, a State Department whistleblower, wrote on his personal blog, "No one has told Murray why he cannot travel to the U.S., though he has been here numerous times over the past 38 years. Murray learned of his travel bar when applying for the online clearance the U.S. requires of all "visa free" travelers. Murray was electronically informed to contact the State Department to see if he might qualify otherwise."

"Ambassador Murray was stopped by what the State Department and Homeland Security calls 'a hit.'"

Van Buren described the process:

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Acaricides is a chemical agent or a class of pesticide that has ability to kill members of arachnids mainly mites and ticks. There are wide range of acaricides which includes arsenical, chlorinated hydrocarbons, organophosphates, carbamates, and synthetic pyrethroids. These wide varieties of acaricides are used for the effective control of ticks on livestock and agricultural pest & mites. Livestock keeping and agriculture are important economic activities worldwide. An increasing threat to these activities has been observed at a global level subsequently creating an increasing demand for acaricides to control mites/ticks and pests. The increasing infestation from mites/ticks and pests are causing health hazards to the worldwide population which is increasing the disease burden.Browse Sample Report @The application of the acaricides to host is an important factor. The chemical should kill the animal with no harm to the applicator and the host of application. Various methods are used to make this process easier and effective which includes dipping vat, spray, and others. The application of acaricides is increasing owing to its efficiency and ease in killing mites/ticks which helps in protecting the livestock and agricultural crops. Among the European countries, Spain consumed around 6.7 thousand tons of insecticide and acaricide in 2013. While around 1.3 thousand tons of insecticide and acaricide were sold to Poland in the same year. This increased demand and consumption scenario will propel the worldwide market for acaricides. Although there are various factors that support the acaricides market growth, there are certain parameters such as stringent regulations that may restrict the market growth.The report segments the acaricides market on the basis of type, application, mode of application, and geography. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into organophosphate acaricides, organochlorine acaricides, carbamates, synthetic pyrethroids. On the basis of application, the market is classified into the agriculture, animal husbandry, industrial, and others. The report further bifurcates the market on the basis of mode of action such as dipping vat, spray, hand dressing, and others. Geographic breakdown and deep analysis of each of the aforesaid segments is included for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.Visit Complete Report Broucher @Further aggressive research and development and product innovation will create revolution in the competitive landscape. Significant investments towards R&D, product innovation and business is fueling the growth of the market. Recently Adama, an agricultural solutions provider planned to invest around R$ 14.4 million for expanding the manufacturing capacity for acaricides and other products. Similarly, Simbiose Agrotecnologia Biologica announced launch of an acaricide Beauve control in the same year 2016. Such initiatives are propelling the growth of the worldwide acaricides market.Comprehensive competitive analysis and profiles of major market players such as BASF SE, Bayer AG, FMC Corporation, DuPont, Nissan Chemical Industries. Ltd., Syngenta, Merck & Co., Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, Chemtura Corporation, Arysta LifeScience Limited. (acquired by Platform Specialty Products Corporation), is also provided in this report.About Intense ResearchIntense Research is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. It is your only source that can fulfill all your market research requirements. We provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade our collection regularly to offer you direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive.Contact UsJoel 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. 1-855-465-4651Email: sales@intenseresearch.comWeb:
Artificial Lift Systems Market : Recent Industry Trends, Current and Projected Industry Size by 2014 - 2020

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Report DescriptionThe artificial lift systems market report by Transparency Market Research provides in-depth analysis of the global artificial lift systems industry. The report divides the market on the basis of product type and region. It also provides the forecast and estimates for each product and region. The report analyzes demand and supply characteristics of the market by providing detailed forecast and analysis of revenue for the period 2014 - 2020.The artificial lift systems market primarily includes six types of products: electrical submersible pumps, rod lift or sucker rod pump, progressive cavity pump, hydraulic pump, gas lift and plunger lift. Electrical submersible pump is expected to be the most dominant product segment in the global artificial lift systems market by 2020. The segment accounted for the largest share of the artificial lift systems market in 2013. Rod lift is one of the oldest methods used for lifting crude oil and natural gas. This is primarily attributed to its potential to lift heavy viscous crude oil at high temperatures. Additionally, matured reserves account for a significant percentage of crude oil production. In the present scenario, over 70.0% of the total crude oil production comes from matured reserves. Thus, matured reserves act as a key driver for the artificial lift systems market. The selection of artificial lift systems depends on various parameters such as operational cost, geographic location, flow rate, and well deviation.Read Complete Report @North America is projected to be the largest market for artificial lift systems by 2020. With the discovery of shale gas reserves and rise in number of drilling activities, especially in the U.S. and Canada, the market for artificial lift systems is likely to rise at a substantial rate in the region. Demand for artificial lift systems is also projected to rise at a significant rate owing to the vast discoveries of shale gas reserves in Poland, Spain and Denmark. Various types of artificial lift systems are used to extract large volumes of crude oil and natural gas in Europe. Numerous petroleum companies are installing artificial lift systems for extracting high volumes of crude oil and natural gas to maintain energy security in the respective countries.Demand for artificial lift systems is estimated to rise in RoW owing to the discoveries of offshore reserves in countries such as Tanzania, Mozambique and Egypt. Furthermore, increase in the number of exploration and production activities in Latin America and West Africa, especially in offshore reserves, has propelled the growth of the artificial lift systems. Currently, large volumes of crude oil and natural gas are being imported from countries in the Middle East. RoW countries such as Nigeria, Angola and Venezuela have large petroleum reserves. These reserves help maintain energy security and also to a certain extent bridge the prevailing energy demand-supply gap across the globe.Enquiry For This Report @The report includes geographical regions such as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and Rest of the World (RoW). Every region has been further bifurcated on the basis of the product segment. Revenue forecasts and estimates for each product segment have been provided for the period 2014  2020.The report also provides detailed analysis and revenue of companies such as Baker Hughes, Inc., Borets Company LLC, Dover Artificial Lift, Flotek Industries, Inc., Halliburton Company, Kudu Industries, Inc., National Oilwell Varco, Inc., Schlumberger Limited, Superior Energy Services, Inc., and Weatherford International Ltd. are expected to dominate the market for artificial lift systems in the near future.Request a Sample Copy of the Report @With the help of Porters Five Forces analysis, the report provides a detailed analysis of the various factors influencing the artificial lift systems industry. The analysis also helps to understand the degree of competition prevalent in the market. Furthermore, the report analyzes the value chain and various drivers and restraints of the artificial systems market.Artificial Lift Systems Market: Product Type AnalysisElectrical submersible pumpRod liftProgressive cavity pumpHydraulic pumpGas liftPlunger liftArtificial Lift Systems Market: Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificRest of the World (RoW)Table of ContentChapter 1 Preface1.1 Report Description1.2 Research Scope1.3 Market Segmentation1.4 Research MethodologyChapter 2 Executive SummaryChapter 3 Artificial Lift Systems Market  Industry Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Market DriversAbout MRRSEMRRSE stands for Market Research Reports Search Engine, the largest online catalog of latest market research reports based on industries, companies, and countries. MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies.Corporate Office State Tower 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207,United States
Intravenous Product Packaging Market - Global Industry analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trend and Forecast 2016 - 2024

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Global healthcare sector continues to develop at an impressive rate. As a result, packaging marketplace is undergoing huge changes with specialized focus on offering innovative packaging tools/products to pharmaceutical industry. One such core product that offers lucrative market opportunities for packaging companies is intravenous products. Intravenous product such as catheters and IV fluid bags are mainly used to prevent and treat various chronic illness such as cancer and ophthalmic diseases. Increased sales of intravenous products has boosted overall demand for innovative packaging products. As a result, many packaging companies are trying to capitalize on the intravenous product market. Most packaging companies have done everything from product innovation to that of streamlining their distribution networks to strengthen their market presence in healthcare sector.Intravenous Product Packaging: Market DynamicsGrowth in demand for intravenous product packaging is expected to remain strong for several reasons. First, chronic illness is proliferating rapidly owing to changing lifestyle and increased geriatrics population. As a result, demand for sterilized intravenous product has increased. This in turn is propelling overall sales of packaging material for intravenous products. Second, many packaging companies has set up direct distribution channel to facilitate easy flow of business and thereby minimize overall run cost. Rising investment in product innovation, rapidly evolving regulatory compliances, increasing medical supplies market, and focus on distribution network has altogether driven the intravenous product packaging market. Despite the momentum and growth intravenous product packaging industry has witnessed over the past few years, availability of alternative product is a major challenge to overall growth of the industry.Get Free Sample Report Copy :Intravenous Product Packaging Market: Regional outlookIntravenous product packaging market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Among these region, North America and Europe are expected to collectively dominate the market throughout the forecast period. However, many multinational packaging companies are ramping up their investments in Asia Pacific to tap the growing unmet needs of intravenous product manufacturers in the region and government support towards boosting manufacturing ecosystem. Furthermore, Asia Pacific rise in prominence has resulted in organizational changes  many new packaging entrants has emerged over the last few years and many leading companies has set up their manufacturing capabilities in the region. Asia Pacific is expected to be primarily driven by China, Japan and India. Latin America and Middle East & Africa are expected to witness slow and steady growth over the forecast period. In Latin America, Brazil and Mexico are expected to create market opportunities for companies involved in intravenous product packaging.Intravenous Product Packaging Market: Key playersSome of the key players in the global Intravenous Product Packaging market are Baxter, Renoilt, Nipro, Sippex, Wipax, Amcor, MRK Healthcare, etc. A majority of intravenous product packaging companies are largely headquartered in Europe and North America. However, there is growing influence of regional and China based players in the market especially in Asia Pacific region. Given their limited investment capabilities, most of their investments are focused on short term gains. Multinational players are either entering into partnership or into acquisition of these regional players to gain greater control over the market.About TMRTMR 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.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Philly Homes Value provide first-class service to home buyers and sellers in Philadelphia

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United States 07-09-2016. Philly Homes Value is the leader in helping people for buying and selling of homes, flats, condos and much more. Buying or selling a property may involve a lot of stress so it is highly recommended to find the home experts. They can help in locating the right property and to get the best deal if you are ready to invest in properties. On the other hand, the home owners or home sellers in Philadelphia who want to sell their property can easily find the right deal. Whole the process of buying and selling of properties is handled by fully skilled and trained RE/MAX home experts.With the help of professional and specialized real estate agents, buying and selling homes will be easy and simple. If you are looking for leading and trusted agency of home experts then Philly Homes Value is the best source. It is engaged in helping everyone in the process of buying and selling houses which are different in sizes. The good thing about these RE/MAX home experts is that they know how to locate the best deal that fit to your lifestyle, budget and preferences.For homes buyers in Washington Square, Philly Homes Value provides effective tips to let them find the right property. These tips will give you an idea how to select the right property from a list of properties available on website. So, if youre really willing to buy or sell your property anywhere in USA then Philly Homes Value can help. It has many years of combined experience so can help you better in buying and selling of homes, flats or condos. On the website, you can see largest listing of properties with different specifications will fit for the people with different needs.In order to get best deal on properties, if the homes buyers and home sellers in Philadelphia need assistance from RE/MAX home experts then they can prefer to Philly Homes Value.For more detail on home selling tips and tricks you can visit at:Philly Homes Value is the leading company engaged to provide full service support with buying and selling of homes. It aims to help home buyers and sellers in Philadelphia to get the right deal on properties.If you are looking for leading, dedicated or trusted agency of RE/MAX home experts then you can prefer to Philly Homes Value.530 S. 2ND Street Suite 109Philadelphia, PA 19147United States
Power Rental Market Worth $20.30 Billion by 2020

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Zion Market Research has published a new report titled Power Rental Market by End-User (Oil & Gas, Industrial, Construction and Others) For Peak Shaving, Base Load/ Continuous Power and Standby Power Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 - 2020 According to the report, The global power rental market was valued at approximately USD 10.02 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach approximately USD 20.30 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of over 13.0% between 2015 and 2020.Get a copy of free Sample Report @Power is generated by burning fossil fuels such coal, oil or gas to generate steam that drives large turbines that produce electricity. Power rental is referred as plant hire which provide flexibility, reliability, speed and cost-effectiveness. Power on rent can deliver complete operating power packages as well as provide scalable components within large power station installations to various industrial applications.The global power rental market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period on account of increasing demand for power across the globe. The increasing power consumption, development of power infrastructure, and increasing construction & development is anticipated to boost the demand for power rental in the coming years. Furthermore, increasing demand for power from oil & gas industry is also a major driving force of the power rental market. However, the presence of stringent regulations coupled with rising environmental awareness may hamper the market growth in the near future. Nonetheless, increasing demand for power in emerging economics is expected to open up new growth avenues for the power rental market in the years to come.Oil & gas, industrial, construction, and others are the key end-users of the power rental market. Industrial segment emerged as the leading application segment by accounting for over 22 % of the total revenue generated by the power rental market in 2014. Construction is another key outlet of power rental market and it held over 20% share of the overall market in 2014. This is mainly due to grow infrastructural development in the emerging economics. Oil & gas is also expected to exhibit substantial demand within the forecast period.Know more before buying this report @Based on application, the power rental market can be segmented into peak shaving, base load/continuous power and standby power. Base load/continuous accounted for 45.56% share of total revenue generated in 2014. Base load/continuous segment are expected to exhibit a significant rise in light of the increasing demand from various sectors such as oil & gas, mining and construction and others. Peak shaving is another leading application segment owing to rising awareness among energy-intensive industries in order to control the charged over high energy demand during peak hours.In terms of geography, Middle East & Africa dominated the global power rental market and accounted for 31.63% of total revenue in 2014. This growth is mainly attributed to growing construction and developmental activities in this region. North America was the second largest regional market with 21.32% share of total revenue generated in 2014. Asia Pacific holds immense potential for the industry growth over the forecast period. Recently, emerging economies including India, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia have been contributing significantly to the demand for power rental in industrial sector owing to rapid industrialization.Browse detail report with in-depth TOC @Some of the key players include in power rental market such as Atlas Copco, United Rental, Cummins Inc, APR Energy Inc, Caterpillar Inc and Power Electrics.This report segments the global power rental market as follows:Global Power Rental Market: End-Users Segment AnalysisOil & GasIndustrialConstructionOthersGlobal Power Rental Market: Application Segment AnalysisPeak shavingBase load/ Continuous powerStandby powerGlobal Power Rental Market: Regional Segment AnalysisAsk for a customize report @North AmericaU.S.EuropeGermanyFranceUKAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilThe Middle East and AfricaAbout Us:Zion 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. Zion Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading industry and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Tea tree oil Market Analysis, Production Value, Supply And Sales Overview 2016

Tea tree oil

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Market Research Store has announced a new report titled "Global Tea tree oil Market 2016" with key focus on the industry performance. This report contain details about Tea tree oil Market Size, Share, Analysis, import & export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins and the factors on which the companies compete in the market have been evaluated in the report.Get Free Sample @A key feature of this report is it focus on major industry players, providing an overview, product specification, product capacity, production price and contact information for Global Top 15 companies. This enables end users to gain a comprehensive insight into the structure of the international and Chinese Tea tree oil industry.For technical data and manufacturing plants analysis, the report analyzes Tea tree oil leading suppliers on capacity, commercial production date, manufacturing plants distribution, R&D Status, technology sources, and raw materials sources.Global Tea tree oil Market Research Report studies current as well as future aspects of the Tea tree oil Market, key trends and segmentation analysis. For worldwide market analysis, the report analyzes Tea tree oil markets in China and other countries or regions (such as US, Europe, Japan, etc) by presenting research on global products of different types.Do Inquiry Before Purchasing Report @The Tea tree oil report provides a detail overview of Tea tree oil industry including definitions, applications and industry chain structure. This report focus on global market analysis, competitive framework, history, trends and competitive landscape of the market. Tea tree oil Research Report also focuses on development policies and plans for the industry as well as a consideration of a cost structure analysis, Capacity production, market share analysis, price, production value and gross margins are discussed. This research report covers the growth prospects of the global market based on end-users, it also includes analysis of the leading vendors in this market.Historical data available in the report elaborates on the development of the Tea tree oil market on a national and international level. The report compares this data with the current state of the market and thus elaborates upon the trends that have brought the market shifts. In addition to this, the regulatory scenario of the market has been covered in the report from both the global and local perspective.Read More With Complete TOC @About Us:MarketResearchStore.com 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 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
VesDito enters the market in style

VesDito joins the saga of ecommerce with an exclusive line of specially designed trendy womens wear. Outfits to add elegance and

The latest European fashions now available in India. VesDito brings you designs straight from Paris and Milan the fashion hubs of the world. So ladies save yourself a shopping trip to Europe and spend your airfare picking up the latest outfits here at VesDito. Launching today with an awesome collection of ladies wear VesDito is all set to heat up the competition.Securely wedged in a niche of its own with ladies wear designed and manufactured in EuropeVesDito is all set to capture their share of the market. VesDito has top European designers who have contributed their masterpieces to this special collection. The styles are new and unique, fashionable yet practical and can make heads turn when you enter a room.VesDito joins the saga of ecommerce with an exclusive line of specially designed trendy womens wear. Outfits to add elegance and style to the Indian women who like to mingle with the high society. You can find sensational ladies attire, now selectively available in India only at VesDito. There is elegance with an underlying hint of sexual appeal that embraces each dress.Long dresses, short dresses, jump suits or palazzo pants each one has been styled in a way to accentuate a womans figure and bring out her inner beauty. This is a special art that top designers keep as a well-guarded secret. VesDito has brought you these special designs for the style conscious, modern Indian woman to indulge in.To maintain exclusivity there are only a few pieces available per outfit. So the probability of you ending up in a high profile gathering and finding someone else with a similar outfit is highly remote.VesDito stands for exclusivity and this is probably going to be the highlight that is going to make them in to a well-known brand.Ladies the next time you find yourself in a dilemma on where to shop just look for stylish ladies wear at VesDito. You will be in for a pleasant surprise.Among the few smart moves by VesDito that will help them make their mark in the competitive market is the affordable pricing. All the clothes are priced in a manner that it will make it tough for competitors to break into. The given advantage that all these clothes are styled by top European designers gives VesDito a huge leading advantage when it comes to customers choice. The tough competition in the ecommerce market will not affect the performance and profitability of VesDito. They have launched with a unique concept.VesDito as a brand manufactures and retails their own life of fashion wear for men and women. There are several outstanding reasons why VesDito is unique and different from other E commerce websites that cater to women and men fashion and apparel needs. As a shopping website VesDito has a lot more to offer consumers, in the way of variety, designs, quality, exclusivity and a lot more. This is one of the outstanding qualities of this exclusive website.U22/63 Pink Town House DLF Phase 3Gurgaon 122002 Haryana
Solar Cooker Market: Size, Share, Growth Rate and Forecast to 2015-2021

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The energy obtained due to the nuclear fusion of hydrogen and helium in the inner core of the sun is called as solar energy. The solar energy is considered to be safe, green and renewable energy. Solar cookers are the application of solar energy used to cook, bake, and fry food. Solar Cookers can also be used for pasteurization. Solar cooker converts the radiant energy to the heat energy which is used for cooking food.Get a copy of free Sample Report @Growing awareness for the use of renewable energy along with escalating prices of non renewable energy drives the solar cooker market. Government support and funding for the use of solar energy also stimulates the growth of solar cooker market. Also, development of new technologies utilizing solar energy along with introduction of cost efficient technologies compared to conventional energy sources foster the demand for the solar cooker market. However, lack of awareness among the developing countries and maturation of the solar cooker market in the developed countries may inhibit the growth of solar cooker market. Nevertheless, untapped opportunities from the emerging economies are likely to open new avenue in the near future.The report provides a comprehensive view on the solar cooker 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 solar cooker market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein type 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.Get in-depth TOC (Table of Contents) with Tables and Figures @Various types of solar cooker are designed according to the intensity of exposure to the sun and according to the type of food to be cooked in. Solar panel cooker, solar parabolic cooker and solar box cooker are the types of solar cooker. Solar box cooker is the most widely known and used cooker due to easy and safe operating with no regulation required. The solar panel cooker consists of vessel kept in the center of the reflective panel to concentrate the radiations on the vessel. The solar panel is highly efficient as compared to solar box cooker. For obtaining high temperatures for grilling and frying food solar parabolic cooker is utilized. The only drawback for using of parabolic cookers is, they need to be adjusted according to the sun rays frequently for achieving high temperature and efficiency.Asia Pacific and Latin America are the fastest growing market for the solar cooker market and is expected to accelerate the growth rate in the coming years. This is mainly attributed to the factors such as rising awareness along with accomplishment from the government for developing techniques for the use of solar energy. To meet the unmet demands for petroleum products such as use of LPG for cooking food from the escalating population, solar cooker are used on large scale. However, due to saturated market, North America and Europe are expected to exhibit steady growth during the forecast period. However, the U.S. is the largest producer for solar box cooker followed by China.Browse detail report @Solar Cookers International, Sunrise Global Solar Energy, Sun Fire Rudra Solar Energy, and Sun Oven are some of the key participants for the solar cooker market.The report segments of the solar cooker market into:Solar Cooker Market: Type Segment AnalysisSolar panel cookerSolar parabolic cookerSolar box cookerAsk for a customize report @Solar Cooker Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East & AfricaAbout Us:Zion 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. Zion Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading industry and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Non-Woven Adhesives Market 2016: by Application - Baby & Infant Care, Feminine Care, Adult Care

Non-Woven Adhesives Market

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Non-woven adhesives are high performance adhesive solutions used in various hygiene products such as baby care, training pants, feminine protection, adult incontinence, and others. The basic raw materials used in the manufacturing of non-woven adhesives are base polymers and tackifiers. These raw materials are procured from different suppliers. The value chain of the non-woven adhesives market starts with the sourcing of basic raw materials. The change in the hygiene products in terms of innovation for the betterment of absorption, greater fit & comfort creates demand for non-woven adhesives.Get Copy OF Sample Report @The market is driven by high demand from disposable hygiene products. Among all regions considered, Asia Pacific and LAMEA are expected to witness high growth rates in the coming years. The demand in these regions is supported by emerging markets such as China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Turkey. Growing demand in Asia Pacific is expected to be the major driver of the world non-woven adhesives market. China is among the leading consumer of non-woven adhesives, globally, due to the increase in demand for non-woven products in Chinese market.The report segments the non-woven market on the basis of type, application, and geography. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into styrenic block copolymers and amorphous poly alpha olefin. According to the application, the market is classified into the baby & infant care, feminine care, adult care and others. Geographic breakdown and deep analysis of each of the aforesaid segments is included for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.Go For Complete Report @Comprehensive competitive analysis and profiles of major market players such as Henkel AG, H.B. Fuller, Bostik SA, Beardow Adams Ltd., Lohmann Koester GmbH & Co. Kg, Adtek Malaysia SDN BHD, Moresco Corporation, Savar Specialty Adhesives are provided in this report.About Intense ResearchIntense Research is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. It is your only source that can fulfill all your market research requirements. We provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade our collection regularly to offer you direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive.Contact UsJoel 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. 1-855-465-4651Email: sales@intenseresearch.comWeb:
Bread and Baked Food Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2015-2021

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Bread is a fermented staple food and made using yeast, wheat flour, oils and water. Bread is extensively consumed food all over the world. Bread comes in various forms, shapes and flavors and can be prepared using several methods. Baking is the process in which the food is baked using prolonged heat with the radiation and convection technology. Baked food is the end product that uses several baking technique. Bread, cake base, cookies and many others are some of the most prominent products obtained from baking process.Get a copy of free Sample Report @Bread is widely consumed due to easy availability and cost effectiveness compared to other food products. Rapidly growing population along with increase in demand for food is the major driver for the bread and beaked product market. Increased hectic lifestyle with dual income spurs the demand for fast food market which in turn supports the growth of bread sand baked products market. Escalating food chain industry and increasing disposable income further fuels the growth of the market. However, limited shelf life of the baked products couple with health concern population may curb the growth of the market. Use of refined flour and high fats may impede the demand of the products in the market. Nevertheless, ongoing research and development for introduction of gluten free bread with high nutrition is likely to offer ample opportunities to the bread and baked product market. Moreover, rising demand from the emerging countries owing to increasing attraction for the fast and processed food prompt demand for the bread and baked products market in the forecast period.The report provides a comprehensive view on the bread and baked food 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 bread and baked food 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.Get in-depth TOC (Table of Contents) with Tables and Figures @The bread and baked product market can be segmented on the basis of type. The bread consists of two major types that are white bread, brown bread and others. White bread was considered to be the highly consumed bread across the globe. However, health conscious generation is preferring brown bread. This factor is expected to stimulate the growth of brown bread market in the coming years.There are numerous baked products available in the market among those the key products are pastries, cereals, pies, cakes, cookies, biscuits, scones and other types. Pastries are the dominating segment excluding the bread due to changing preference of food by the youngsters and children. Biscuits, cereals are the products growing with faster pace.North America followed by Europe dominated the market in 2015, owing to high consumption of bread, cereals, cookies and pastries. Reluctance from the working people for cooking on daily basis is the major factor growing demand in this region. Asia Pacific is considered to be the fastest growing market for the bread and baked products. This is mainly contributed to the rising disposable and dual income. Latin America is anticipated to experience sustainable growth for the market owing to increasing demand for fast food items. Middle East and Africa is projected to grow at decent rate due to abundant presence of raw materials and high population base.Browse detail report @Britannia Industries Ltd, BEMA, Grupo Bimbo, Nielsen, Nestle Chile, Baker Perkins, Rich Products Corporation and ACH Food Companies, Inc among others are some of the leading players in the bread and baked food market.The report segments of the bread and baked food market into:Bread and Baked Food Market: Type Segment AnalysisBreadWhite breadBrown breadOthersBaked FoodPastriesCerealsPiesCakesCookiesBiscuitsSconesOthersAsk for a customize report @Bread and Baked Food Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East & AfricaAbout Us:Zion 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. Zion Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading industry and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:
Master Data Management Market: Major Market Players are SAP AG, Orchestra Networks, Teradata Corporation, Oracle Corporation and Others

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/master-data-management-market

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/toc/master-data-management-market

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/master-data-management-market

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/76

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com

The master data is a data which is required to run the operations of a specific business or business unit. Running the business and analyzing results with accurate and consistent data is necessary to operate business efficiently and being successful. Master data may include customers, vendors, employees and products, but can differ by dissimilar industries and even different companies within the same industry. Master data management (MDM) is the set of tools and processes used by an organization to manage their non transactional data.Get a copy of free Sample Report @The growth of global master data management market has been attributed to increasing need for compliance and verification. Rising demands for operational excellence and data quality, increase in spending on IT infrastructure by enterprises, requirement for centrally managed data are the major factor favoring the master data management market. However, ongoing data ownership concerns are expected to have adverse impact on master data management market. Nonetheless, advent of technologies such as big data and BI business intelligence with the cloud is likely to open new growth opportunities for master data management market in near future.The report covers forecast and analysis for the master data management market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with a forecast from 2016 to 2021 based on revenue (USD million). Study also covers Porters Five Forces model, which offers an insights view and intensity of competition within the market. The report also analyzes several driving and restraining factors and their impact on the market during the forecast period. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein components, solutions and industry segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness.Get in-depth TOC (Table of Contents) with Tables and Figures @The study provides a decisive view of the master data management market on the basis of components, solutions and industry segments. In terms of component, the market segmented into software and services. Software further classified under on-premises and cloud while service segment further classified under consulting, system integration and operation & maintenance. On the basis of service segment the market categorized under product data solution, customer data solution and multi domain MDM solution. On the basis of industry, the market has been segmented into banking, finance & insurance, IT & telecommunication, energy & utility, healthcare, government, manufacturing, retail and others.Major regional segments analyzed in this study include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. The master data management market was dominated by North America & Europe. Asia Pacific is anticipated as a fastest growing region due to increase in spend on IT infrastructure by enterprises in this region.Browse detail report @Key players profiled in the report include SAP AG, Orchestra Networks, Teradata Corporation, Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation, Tibco Software, Inc., Informatica and SAS Institute, Inc.This report segments of the global master data management market as follows:Master Data Management Market: Components Segment AnalysisSoftwareOn-premisesCloudServicesConsultingSystem integrationOperation & maintenanceMaster Data Management Market: Solution Segment AnalysisProduct data solutionCustomer data solutionMulti domain MDM solutionAsk for a customize report @Master Data Management Market: Industry Segment AnalysisBanking, finance & insurance (BFSI)IT & telecommunicationEnergy & utilityHealthcareGovernmentManufacturingRetailOthersMaster Data Management Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaAbout Us:Zion 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. Zion Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading industry and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:
Structural Health Monitoring Market: Increasing Demand for Low-Cost Infrastructure Maintenance Globally to Drive Growth

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11180

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A new market research report by Transparency Market Research, titled Structural Health Monitoring Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2023, presents an accurate and updated evaluation on the structural health monitoring market. The report is compiled by conducting both secondary and primary research. The study encapsulates information on each facet related to the market for structural health monitoring systems. The key contributions of the leading players in the market have also been presented in the report. It employs primary analysis tools such as SWOT analysis and Porters five forces analysis to present a clear understanding of the overall market.The first part of the report talks about the importance of structural health monitoring systems. Structural health monitoring systems present accurate and real-time information about the conditions and performance of structures. This data further helps to design and plan the maintenance activities, hence decreasing the operating expenses, lowering uncertainty, and enhancing the overall safety of these structures.As stated in the report, the increasing demand for low-cost infrastructure maintenance has fuelled the development of the global structural health monitoring market. In addition, the growing concerns on unpredictable natural calamities including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc. have compelled governments to introduce numerous regulations in favor of structural health monitoring systems. This factor will also provide impetus to the development of the structural health monitoring market.Interpret a Competitive outlook Analysis Report with free PDF Brochure :On the other hand, the exorbitant prices of structural health monitoring systems are posing a negative impact on the development of the overall market. In addition, huge data management issues owing to shortage of experts for addressing operational and technical issues that may arise during system integration will inhibit the growth of this market.Structural health monitoring systems can be of two types such as continuous monitoring systems and portable testing systems. By technology, the report segments the structural health monitoring systems into wireless and wired structural health monitoring systems. Of these, the segment of wireless systems have a huge demand in comparison to the segment of wired structural health monitoring systems. This is owing the increased convenience and ease provided by wireless structural health monitoring systems.Geographically, the report categorizes the market into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World (RoW). Europe and North America offer immense opportunities for the growth of this market due to the increasing technological developments taking place in structural health monitoring systems in these two regions. On the other hand, the Asia Pacific structural health monitoring market is also poised to hold lucrative opportunities in the market owing to expansion in the construction sector of this region.As per the report, the prominent players in the market are Geokon Incorporated, Digitexx Data Systems Inc., COWI A/S, Advitam, Acellent Technologies Inc., CTLGroup, and Exponent Inc., among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
SciSerTec is Live on Kickstarter! Developing the CMS Version of vCongress for Academia and Non-Profit Organizations; Grab Your Reason to Contribute to The Cause!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/scisertec/conference-management-software-vcongress-by-sciser?ref=nav_search

www.scisertec.com

SciSerTec is a professional conference organizer originating from Hannover Medical School in Germany.SciSerTec is now live on kickstarter crowdfunding platform until the 8th of October 2016 only. SciSerTec wants to raise funds through Kickstarter to develop a Content Management Software (CMS) version of their beloved conference management software vCongress. This CMS Version can be customized online by the users themselves. This will save the users their time as well as money. Time because the users decide when to individualize their conferences and money because no other extra programming time by software engineers is needed anymore.SciSerTec originates from academia and would like to support academic research. The reason for using the Kickstarter is to additionally offer the new CMS version of the vCongress software for the conferences of academia and not-for-profit for free or at a very low budget. This enables the academic scientific community world-wide to be able to afford professional conference management software for their small and medium size congresses. SciSerTec has also put forward amazing range of attractive rewards as an appreciation for the public funding. The project is on air live until only the 8th of October, 2016.Just be the one to support academic research, support SciSerTec through the webpage:Through SciSerTecs vCongress software the hosts can independently manage their conferences fast and on their own. With the CMS version it is also possible to manage several conferences in parallel. vCongress is used globally for medicine and life science conferences already since 2006. Our servers are however, hosted in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to provide the best data protection world-wide.SciSerTec stands for Science, Service and Technologies and thus connects research, service and information technology. We offer our professional conference management software vCongress for the organization and management of medicine- and life sciences conferences and congresses. vCongress is a very user-friendly and individually-customisable online software.The company was founded in 2006 in Hannover, Germany and is located in the campus of Hannover Medical School, which is one of the largest teaching hospital and Research Center in Germany. vCongress is preferred internationally and is used by participants all over the world. Our customers and cooperation partners benefit from the highest German quality and the most stringent data protection laws in Germany as our servers are locally based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.SciSerTecDr. Daniel Breuer, CEOc/o Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH)Veranstaltungsmanagement OE 0060Carl-Neuberg-Strae 1D-30625 Hannover, GermanyPhone: +49(0)5 11 - 10 54 894Mobile: +49(0) 176 27 19 25 88Mail: team@scisertec.de
Deutsche Windtechnik launches in France

www.deutsche-windtechnik.com

Bremen/Osnabruck/Reims, 07.09.2016. With the establishment of a new French business unit and the conclusion of several service contracts for French wind farms, Deutsche Windtechnik has implemented its entry into the French wind market and thereby further extended its European range of services. Long-term full maintenance and basic contracts have been concluded with several operators for a total of 35 Nordex (N90), Senvion (NM92) and Fuhrlander (FL 2.500) wind turbines on five wind farms across the whole of France. The company was also able to win a tender for replacing large components.Deutsche Windtechnik SARL has its headquarters in Reims in northeastern France. While operational management is in the hands of the managing directors of Deutsche Windtechnik X-Service, Holger Hamel and Severin Mielimonka, Mohamed Metahri will be heading business development in France. Born and bred in France, Mohamed Metahris years of professional experience have given him an excellent knowledge of the wind market and the French market in particular.Coherent European service networkWith the establishment of the French company, Deutsche Windtechnik has not only opened up another future-oriented and exciting market for independent service, says Mohamed Metahri. Our European service network now has gained additional locations in the heart of Europe. Depending on need and technology, the existing service stations in neighbouring Germany, Spain or the Netherlands can work together interactively with France. This way we have greater flexibility and even more room to manoeuvre in our operational business, onshore and also offshore. This is underlined by Bjorn Mummenthey, director of project developer EuroCape New Energy, which has worked successfully in France for over one and half decades: France is one of the most stable and institutionally developed markets for wind power in Europe, and this is why EuroCape has been investing here very successfully since it was founded in 2003. We very much welcome the fact that with Deutsche Windtechnik there is now a high quality alternative to manufacturer service in France.EuroCape has worked as an independent operations management company for several operators for many years.Different service concepts for five wind farmsThe newly concluded service contracts for the Saint Pierre de Maille I and II wind farms with five FL 2.500 (Fuhrlander) each, the Chemin des Haguenets wind farm with 14 MM92 (Senvion) wind turbines and the Renardiere wind farm with six MM92 (Senvion) turbines cover the full range of services offered by Deutsche Windtechnik from the basic maintenance contract and service flat rate to all-round service as part of a full-maintenance contract. At the beginning of August the company carried out a contract that had been tendered for the Eparmonts wind farm. A defective main bearing in an MD-Series (Senvion) wind turbine meant that the drive train had to be taken apart, the defective bearing including main shaft replaced, the turbine reassembled and put back into operation - and all within five days. Since March 2015 Deutsche Windtechnik has been maintaining five N90 wind turbines at the Momerstroff wind farm as part of a full-maintenance contract.Strong growth  with cooperation as the keystoneDeutsche Windtechnik is expecting above average growth of its foreign business in the coming years. Matthias Brandt, chairman of Deutsche Windtechnik, is more specific: In the next three years we are expecting the foreign share of our business to more than double what it is this year. The share is currently 12 per cent, and we foresee this being 30 per cent in three years. The basis for this positive development is the excellent cooperation between our different business units, something we also practise in France. In principle, everything in Deutsche Windtechnik is going to France  all our expertise, such as remote data monitoring, machine service, QHSE, onshore/offshore and our spare parts management system, is now also available in France.Deutsche Windtechnik AG is based in Bremen, Germany, and is the leading provider of vendor-independent technical maintenance of wind turbines. The company provides the complete package of technical maintenance of wind turbines all from one source, both onshore and offshore. Deutsche Windtechnik maintains and services over 3,500 wind turbines across Europe, of which 2,700 are maintained on fixed maintenance contracts.Karola Kletzsch, Corporate CommunicationDeutsche Windtechnik AGStephanitorsbollwerk 1 (Haus LEE), 28217 BremenTel: + 49 (0)421  69 105 330, Mobile: + 49 (0)172- 263 77 89k.kletzsch@deutsche-windtechnik.com
Europe Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Market 2016 Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Supply Revenue and Forecast 2021

Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials

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http://goo.gl/tJZw0o

Europe Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Market 2016 Industry Size Share Growth Forecast Research and DevelopmentThe Europe Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Industry report gives a comprehensive account of the Europe Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials 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 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials market. The report features an up-to-date data on key companies product details, revenue figures, and sales. Furthermore, the details also gives the Europe Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials market revenue and its forecasts. The business model strategies of the key firms in the Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials 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 Europe Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials 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 Europe Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials 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 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials 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 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Industry Overview1.1 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Definition1.1.1 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Definition1.1.2 Product Specifications1.2 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Classification1.3 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Application Field1.4 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Industry Chain Structure1.5 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Industry Regional Overview1.6 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Industry Policy Analysis1.7 Hyaluronic Acid-based Biomaterials Industry Related Companies Contact InformationGet Sample Copy of Report @About Us:MarketResearchStore.com 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: +1-386-310-3803
United States Proton Exchange Membrane Market 2016 Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Supply Revenue and Forecast 2021

Proton Exchange Membrane

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http://goo.gl/vu8jna

United States Proton Exchange Membrane Market 2016 Industry Size Share Growth Forecast Research and DevelopmentThe United States Proton Exchange Membrane Industry report gives a comprehensive account of the United States Proton Exchange Membrane 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 Proton Exchange Membrane market. The report features an up-to-date data on key companies product details, revenue figures, and sales. Furthermore, the details also gives the United States Proton Exchange Membrane market revenue and its forecasts. The business model strategies of the key firms in the Proton Exchange Membrane 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 United States Proton Exchange Membrane 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 United States Proton Exchange Membrane 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 Proton Exchange Membrane 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 Proton Exchange Membrane Industry Overview1.1 Proton Exchange Membrane Definition1.1.1 Proton Exchange Membrane Definition1.1.2 Product Specifications1.2 Proton Exchange Membrane Classification1.3 Proton Exchange Membrane Application Field1.4 Proton Exchange Membrane Industry Chain Structure1.5 Proton Exchange Membrane Industry Regional Overview1.6 Proton Exchange Membrane Industry Policy Analysis1.7 Proton Exchange Membrane Industry Related Companies Contact InformationGet Sample Copy of Report @About Us:MarketResearchStore.com 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: +1-386-310-3803
Natural Fiber Composites Market by Supply & Demand Value Chain, 2016 - 2022

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/9971

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/9971

With the increasing concern due to the recyclability and biodegradability composites such as glass and carbon, natural fiber composites serves as perfect replacement. Attributing to added properties such as high durability, low density, lightweight and cost effectiveness, natural fiber composites have gained significant traction. Natural fiber composites are reinforced matrices structure formed using natural fibers. Natural fiber such as coir, jute, bagasse, cotton, bamboo, hemp are used to manufacture high strength and stiff composite structures that can be used for various application. The natural fibers can be used to reinforce both thermosetting and thermoplastic matrices. Natural fiber composites are relatively lighter and have more strength than conventional fibers and therefore find extensive application in automotive industry for interior and exterior application. In the construction industry natural fiber composites are used in applications such as railings, window frames and door panels. Similarly natural fiber composites are also used for packaging and electrical industry. Natural fiber composites are manufactured using two methodsinjection and compression moulding. Natural fiber composites are manufacture predominantly by compression moulding technique as compared to injection.Use For to: Download TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:The natural fiber composites market is expected to witness a significant growth over the forecasted years owing to the rising environmental concern over the production and utilization of non-biodegradable synthetic fibers. Stringent regulation regarding non-biodegradable composites in regions such as Europe and North America have opened new opportunities for natural fiber composites materials in these regions. With increasing demand for sustainable natural fibers composites in emerging economies for automotive, constructions and textile industry the outlook for natural fiber composites looks positive for the forecast years. Although the demand for natural fiber composites is increasing the market is restrained by the presence of semi synthetic fiber composites. Inherent properties of relatively high moisture absorption and limited chemical reactivity also hinder the growth of natural fiber composites market.Global natural fiber composites market can also be segmented on the basis of regions North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific. In terms of natural fiber composites demand, the largest market is Europe owing to extensive demand of natural fiber composites automotive application. Key market in Europe include UK and Germany. Followed by Europe, North America and Latin America are the key markets for natural fiber composites. High demand in infrastructure and constructions applications are attributed to the high demand in these regions. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the largest market for natural fiber composites for the forecasted years, with emerging market of India and China contributing significantly in the market dynamics. The escalating demands from regions such as Middle East & Africa are anticipated to influence the natural fiber composites market in the coming years due to the increasing demands from construction and electronics industry.Request Sample Report@Some of the key players identified in the global natural fiber composites are: Greengran B.V FlexForm Technologies LLC., FiberGran GmbH & Co. KG Tecnaro GmbH, Kafus Bio-Composites Inc. Stemergy, Procotex Corporation SA, and Bast Fiber LLCAbout 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
Beauty Drinks Market by Supply & Demand Value Chain, 2016 - 2022

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/9950

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/9950

Beauty drink market is expected to exhibit remarkable growth due to the rise in early aging. Other factors that promotes the beauty drinks market are increasing air pollution and busy lifestyle of the customers which leads to early ageing. Air pollutants includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) that ultimately results in accelerated ageing. Consumers seek healthy options which eventually supports the beauty drinks market across the globe.Use For to: Download TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Global beauty drinks market is expected to exhibit remarkable growth. Major factors that are expected to propel the demand for beauty drinks market globally are rising number of health conscious consumers across various countries coupled with increasing disposable income of consumers. Moreover, other factor that is expected to support the market growth of the beauty drinks across the globe is the easy availability of beauty drinks through online sales. Various other factors that are expected to fuel the overall market of beauty drinks market are increasing air pollution which eventually leads to early ageing and promotes the demand for beauty drinks market.The global beauty drinks market is anticipated to witness remarkable growth during the forecast period. Globally among all regions, Europe is expected to contribute maximum market share followed by North America. Demand for beauty drinks is maximum in Europe due to the more awareness among consumers in comparison to other regions through educational marketing campaigns. However Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market during the forecast period. In Asia Pacific, Japan is expected to contribute maximum revenue due to the high consumer willingness to attain healthy skin.Request Sample Report@Key players that operates in the global beauty drinks market are SIPA spa, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, Sappe Public Company Limited, Big Quark LLC, DyDo DRIN CO, INC. and Nestle S.A. Various companies operating in the global beauty drinks markets are continuously launching new types of beauty drinks used for different target customer and applications. For instance, Big Quark LLC launched beauty drink named BeautySleep that includes sleep and beauty inducing ingredients.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
Global High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Market Segments By 2015  2021

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6727

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6727

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a liquid sweetener utilizing a modified form of corn syrup which is also an alternative to sucrose used in foods and beverages industry. High fructose corn syrup is made from corn using a process called wet milling. It holds around nine percent of overall global sweeteners market. There is no as such difference in composition or metabolism from other fructose glucose sweeteners for instance sucrose, honey, and fruit juice concentrates. It generally contains either 42 percent or 55 percent fructose, the remaining sugars being primarily glucose and higher sugars. HFCS is has more stablility, particularly works well in acidic beverages, available in liquid form makes it easier to transport, handle, and mix better than granulated sucrose. Since, fructose is sweeter than glucose, the overall sweetness of the syrup increased resulting in more cost-effective use over sugar in food processing. Its caloric content is equivalent to sugar and thus it shares the same concerns from consumers and industry as that of sugar. Further, the human body metabolizes fructose differently than glucose and so high consumption of HFCS has also been attributed to increasing rates of obesity. HFCS has been widely adopted by U.S. food manufacturers because it offers advantages over granulated sucrose, for instance it is easy to supply, good for stability and ease of handling. Corn is an abundant and reliable crop grown widely across the U.S., while sucrose production is limited. This means most supplies must be imported into the U.S. from sugar-growing countries, which leaves the supply vulnerable to changes in the weather and political conditions in those countries. HFCS is also more stable, particularly in acidic beverages, and because of its liquid form, it is easier to transport, handle, and mix than granulated sucrose.On the basis of applications the high fructose corn syrup market is segmented into food and beverage and pharmaceutical industry. Food and beverage industry is sub-segmented into baking, canning, cereal product, dairy, carbonated soft drinks, condiments, confections, ice-cream and desserts.Download Sample @Geographically High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East & Africa. North America and Japan is one of the significant market place for high fructose corn syrup.High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) market is growing with the demand for sweetener in food and beverage industry. High fructose corn syrup 42 is a good alternative sweeteners of sugar and honey in food preparation to the consumers since consumers are trying to avoid sucrose for its harmful effects; HFCS 42 consists around 42 percent fructose where sugar consists around 50 percent and honey consists around 48 percent fructose which is driving the HFCS market. However, health consciousness and change in life style among consumers of emerging countries are restraining the market since rate of obesity and diabetes are increasing day by day. Hence, zero calorie sweeteners market is much popular among consumers, which is also growing at higher rate in terms of both value and volume. However, high fructose corn syrup is granted Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA). HFCS has been widely adopted by U.S. food manufacturers because it offers advantages over granulated sucrose, for instance it is easy to supply, good stability and ease of handling. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) market seeking high opportunity in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Latin America market.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Some the key players operating across the value chain of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill Inc., INGREDION INCORPORATED, Tate & Lyle.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Corn Based Ingredients Market: Facts, Figures and Analytical Insights 2016 - 2026

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/9944

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/9944

Corn is one of the mostly used ingredient of global coarse-grain which accounts for about three-quarters of total volume in recent years. Most of the corn that is used in applications such as feed and also in industrial and food uses. Corn products are available in the processed form which includes flour, corn meal, sweeteners.Use For to: Download TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Global corn based ingredients market is segmented on the basis of type, application, and region. On the basis of type Corn Based Ingredients are segmented into vitamin C, baking Powder and brown sugar. Among all the sub-segments vitamin C is the leading segment followed by other types of Corn Based Ingredients. Vitamin C is anticipated to have maximum market share over the forecast period owing to the health benefits associated with the consumption of vitamin C. Based on the application global corn based ingredients segmentation includes popcorn, corn chips, corn flakes and corn meal. Among all the segments of the global corn based ingredients market, corn meal is anticipated to be the dominating segment, in terms of revenue contribution followed by the popcorn segment. Based on the region global corn based ingredients market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Japan. Of which, North America is the expected to contribute maximum market share owing to the U.S. being the largest producer of the corn in the global corn ingredients market.The global corn based ingredients is expected to witness healthy growth over the forecast period owing to the health benefits associated with the consumption of corn based ingredients. Corn based ingredients contains various nutrients that are beneficial for the consumer health due to the presence of the protein, carbohydrates and also small amount of fat. Globally, among all regions, North America is expected to contribute highest market share due to the largest producer of corn is U.S., followed by Europe over the forecasted period owing the increasing demand for Corn Based Ingredients in the European countries. However, Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness highest growth.However Asia Pacific is expected to witness highest growth owing to the rising number of health conscious consumers in the region coupled with the growing awareness among consumers related to the health benefits associated with the consumption of corn based ingredients.Major factors that are expected to propel the market growth of the corn based ingredients are increasing population coupled with the rising consumer awareness regarding the health benefits of the consumption of the corn based ingredients. However, major restraining factor that hinders the market growth of the corn based ingredients is the rising prices of the corn based ingredients coupled with the emergence of the various cereal based ingredients.Request Sample Report@Key players operating in the corn based ingredients are Tate & Lyle PLC, Healthy Food Ingredients, LLC. Cargill Incorporated and SunOpta Inc.. Companies manufacture corn based ingredients used in cereal and baking applications. For example Sunopta manufacture corn based ingredients specifically for baking, cereal and snack applications. These corn based ingredients are Non-GMO certified and superior quality ingredients that caters to rising need of food manufactures for high quality food products. Cargill Incorporated manufactures corn based ingredients named Maizewise. This Maizewise are available in various flavors that includes toasted and neutral corn.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
Global Radio Frequency Components Market Estimates and Forecasts(2015 -2021)

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6700

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6700

Radio frequency components are the fundamental components required by any communication device for its proper functioning. The advancements in technology and miniaturization property (capability to fit in small size) of RF components are the factors driving this market forward. In addition, with advancements in universal mobile telecommunication network (3G and 4G), the market has seen high demand for tuners and switchers for offering precise functionality to other radio frequency devices such as demodulators, power amplifiers, etc. Although, the radio frequency components market is witnessing good growth, the production of radio frequency components requires significant investment from vendors, posing a challenge to the growth of radio frequency component market.Download Sample @The radio frequency components market is segmented on the basis of components, modules, applications, and geography. The radio frequency components market is segmented on the basis of its components into five major categories, namely- RF filter (RX/TX FILTERS), duplexers, power amplifiers, antenna switches, and demodulators. On the basis of applications, the radio frequency components market is segmented into four major categories, namely- cellular phones, tablets and note books, SMART TVs, and STB (Set Top Box). The global traction transformer market is further segmented on the basis of modules into six major categories, namely- TX module, RX module, antenna switch module, duplexer + PA module, multi duplexer module, and RX + duplexer module. The radio frequency components market is segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of World (ROW).Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Some of the leading players in the radio frequency components market include Triquint Semiconductors (U.S.), Murata Manufacturing (Japan), RDA Microelectronics (China), Skyworks Inc. (U.S.), RF Micro devices (U.S.), and AVAGO Technologies (U.S.). Other key players in the market include, ANADIGICS Inc., Vectron International, Tektronix, Inc., Epson Toyocom, WIN Semiconductors Corp., and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.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 Cloud Services Market Drivers and Restraints 2015  2021

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6667

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6667

Cloud services are those services that are offered to users via the Internet from the server of cloud computing service provider. Such services provide scalable and easy access to various resources and applications, and are entirely managed by the cloud service providers. The examples of cloud services include web-based e-mail services, online backup solutions and data storage, document collaboration services, technical support services, and database processing among others. Cloud service providers supply the necessary software and hardware required for cloud service, thereby eliminating the need for organizations to deploy their own resources for managing networked services. The other advantage of cloud services over the traditional methods of providing infrastructure is faster deployment of services and reduction in in-house maintenance costs.Download Sample @On the basis of mode of delivery, the cloud services market is segmented into Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Infrastructure as a service (IaaS). The SaaS mode of delivery is further segmented into SMB and mobile corporate SaaS cloud services, corporate SaaS cloud services, SMB SaaS cloud services and others. North America is the largest contributor to the cloud services market due to the high penetration of internet in this region. This region is followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW).Major benefits offered by cloud services are driving business organizations in implementing the use of cloud services. Cloud services maximize the effectiveness of shared resources and ensure the business organizations higher returns and faster paybacks. In addition, cloud services offer scalable solutions to growing business organizations at low cost of ownership. This drives business organizations to invest in such services that allow them to generate higher revenues by optimizing the available resources. However, the data security issues are the roadblocks that are adversely affecting the growth of this market. The increasing data hacking incidences using sophisticated tools result in loss of sensitive data, causing serious dents in the business revenues. Also, there are constant evolutions of new security threats that are affecting the quality of cloud services. Further, the small and medium businesses find it difficult to repeatedly invest in the customized solutions available for cloud services security. Due to such factors, the business organizations are reluctant in investing in the cloud services and prefer to carry on with conventional methods of network infrastructure.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Some of the major players in the market are improving their existing services by adding new and innovative features. This helps them in staying competitively ahead in the market. For instance, Akamai Technologies, Inc., one of the leading cloud services providers, recently added Zone Apex Mapping feature to its Ion network acceleration technology. This feature reduces DNS resolution time and avoids HTTP redirects. Other major players in the market include VMware, Inc., (U.S.), Taleo Corporation (Ireland), Oracle Corporation, (U.S.), NetSuite Inc., (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Joyent Inc., (U.S.), International Business Machines Corporation (U.S.), Hewlett-Packard (U.S.), Flexiant Limited (United Kingdom), ENKI Consulting (U.S.), Etelos Inc.,(U.S.), Citrix Systems Inc., (U.S.), Cisco Systems Inc., (U.S.), CA Technologies, Inc., (U.S.), and SAP AG (Germany).About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Aluminium Foil Packaging Market: Opportunities and Forecasts, 2016 - 2022

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/9803

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/9803

Aluminium foil provides various benefits to the food and packaging industries. The consumers can heat or freeze food items in the foil container directly. Aluminium foil packaging material is a part of the flexible packaging material and is generally formed using aluminium sheets. Aluminium foil can be utilized to wrap around any product for packaging functions. It is produced through the regular casting and cold calling. Aluminium foil packaging is a sort of packaging, which arranges a resistant barrier to safeguard food, beverage, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and helps in waste reduction. Aluminium packaging is extremely corrosion-resistant and chemically neutral. Moreover, it is hygienic and non-toxic in nature. The raw materials for aluminium foil packaging is produced utilizing aluminium sheets and it is a part of stretchable packaging material. The major users of aluminium foil packaging include pharmaceuticals, food and beverage industries. Aluminium foil wrap is produced through regular casting and cold rolling and thus it is favorable to be utilized to enclose around any product for packaging functions. The aluminium foil packaging market has showcased an upliftment in its revenue over the past few years and is likely to grow at a higher pace over the next few years till 2022.Use For to: Download TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Robust economic growth along with rising middle population with inclining personal disposable income is anticipated to intensify the growth of global aluminium foil packaging market during the forecast period. The change in life style which includes changed food habits has led to inclining demand for packaging. Besides this, robust demand for aluminium foil packaging in snacks and chocolate industry are also strengthening the growth of aluminium foil packaging market all across the globe. Some of the major opportunities in global aluminium foil packaging market includes technological development to enhance the product quality, reduction in plants lossess, inclination in the obtainability of foils in different forms for crucial mass consumption usages and progress in the exportability of aluminium foils. The global aluminium foil packaging market is foreseen to observe a robust CAGR during the projected period.The Geographically, the global aluminium foil packaging industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. American region captured the highest share in revenue terms in 2014. Followed by it, Europe and Asia-Pacific region grabbed the market. The North American aluminium foil packaging market is likely to be dominant during the forecast period. This is majorly due to change in technology in order to enhance the product quality by the manufacturers in the region. Apart from this, inclining demand for packaged food in Asian region is anticipated to incline the growth of Aluminium foil packaging market in Asia by 2022.Request Sample Report@Some of the key vendors identified across the value chain of aluminium foil packaging includes Ardagh Group, ACM Carcano, Tetra Pack, Zenith, Jasch Foils, Assan Aluminyum, Flexifoil, Amcor, and others. The aluminium foil packaging manufacturers are focusing on development of varieties of packaging in order to gain the competitive advantage in the global aluminium foil packaging 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 Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Global Automated Fare Collection (AFC) System Market Growth by 2015  2021

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6457

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6457

Automated fare collection (AFC) system is the automated version of manual fare collection. It allows public transportation authoritys such as metro, rail, and buses to implement fast and efficient ticketing system. The automated fare collection system allows tracing and managing the funds generated through sales and by use of transport fare media, thereby helping to thrust revenue of the companies. Contactless technology, smart card, and electronic payment reduce the cost associated with handling cash transaction. Smart cards technology is extensively used fare collection systems because it offers benefits such as reduced maintenance & operating cost, improve efficiency, and reduced frauds.The automated fare collection system market is segmented on the basis of technology, components and geography. Based on technology, the automatic fare collection system market can be categorized into smart cards, magnetic strips, near field communication (NFC), and optical character recognition (OCR). The adoption of NFC technology is expected to remain high owing to its benefits such as fault tolerance and high speed contactless transaction. These technologies reduce the cost associated with handling cash transactions and save time of travelers by eliminating the queue for obtaining tickets. On the basis of components, the automated fare collection system market can be segmented as hardware components and software components. Hardware components include vending machine, hand held terminals, and fare gates. Furthermore, on the basis of geography the automated fare collection system market can be categorized into five major regions including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. North America and Europe are anticipated to be the dominant regions over the forecast period owing to the increased government spending for improving transport infrastructure. Asia Pacific automatic fare collection systems market is also expected to witness significant growth owing to the development in countries such as India and China. China and India are focusing on building better commutation facilities such as high speed train, metro train and mono rail.Download Sample @Governments of various countries such as India, China, and U.S., among others are focusing on enhancing the transportation infrastructure and security systems, which in turn is fueling the growth of automated fare collection system market. New payment gateways such as account based payment systems using credit; debit and bank cards are driving the demand of automated fare collection systems.Development of monorail and metro in metropolitan cities is furthermore expected to stimulate the growth of automated fare collection system market, globally. Increasing adoption of NFC based mobile phones is anticipated to furthermore spur the demand of automated fare collection systems. NFC enabled devices allows travelers to perform safe transactions by holding it close to the electronic terminal. Rising need to enhance business process in an organization for increasing profit margins is one of the key factors triggering the demand for automated fare collection systems across the globe. Transit agencies are collaborating with the financial institution, payment gateway providers, and system integrators to reduce the overall cost and providing cost effective shared infrastructure.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Some of the key players in the automated fare collection system include Advanced Card Systems Ltd., Atos SE, Cubic Transportation Systems, Scheidt & Bachmann GmbH, NXP Semiconductors, Omron Corporation, ST Electronics, Thales Group, Trapeze Group and Vix Technology among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Jurawatt, the Bavarian solar power specialists, are about to fulfil an order of 600 DESERT solar panels for a customer in Jordan. The panels are scheduled to be shipped from Hamburg on 05.09.2016 and will arrive at their destination about a month later, marking a major milestone in the creation of a sustainable energy policy for the country. In 2015, 96% of Jordans electricity supply was still being generated from imported fossil fuels: the risks of such an energy policy in a politically volatile region were briefly highlighted in 2011 when Egypt temporarily shut off natural gas supplies during the Arab Spring uprisings.Now, Jordan is taking important steps to be more self-sufficient in energy production. In this region, with its bountiful sunshine, solar energy is an attractive solution. However, high temperatures have presented a problem for the expansion of solar power programmes in the past. Standard solar panels, designed for use on the roofs of houses in European countries, are less efficient in very hot climates and lose much of their capacity after just 10 years. Jurawatt have the solution for the sunniest parts of the world: their innovative DESERT technology 60-cell solar panels are designed to function in extreme temperatures and challenging environments.DESERT technology panels: functional in extreme conditionsThe advantages of DESERT technology solar panels include:- Sixty cells in each panel- A lifespan of up to 20 years, showing a greatly enhanced price to performance ratio- Functional in temperatures of up to 125C, where standard panels fail at temperatures of more than 80C- Resistant to harsh climatic conditions, such as sandstorms- Fully recyclable- Optimum output in higher temperaturesA promising outlook for solar energy in JordanThe potential for solar powered electricity generation in Jordan is vast, as the country enjoys more than 320 sunny days each year; average solar radiation ranges from between 5 and 7 KWh/m2, implying a potential of around 1000 GWh per annum. While the target is for a third of individual households to have water heated by solar power by 2020, the main focus of the countrys sustainable energy diversification strategy is to develop large CSP (concentrated solar power) projects in the Maan development zone. Jordan is rapidly developing the infrastructure needed to exploit the full potential of solar power: the development zone is set to produce 4% of the countrys energy needs, reducing Jordans reliance on imported fossil fuel and offering the potential to export surpluses to neighbouring countries.The future looks brightJurawatt have already announced further orders for Jordan: the state of the art DESERT technology looks set to reinforce the reputation of the company as a leading innovator in the field of solar energy.
SPOOKY, SCARY SPOOKY, SCARY  Neighborhoods in Orchard Park are more than ready for Halloween. In the top photo, at a house at the corner of Orchard Hill Drive and Briar Hill...

Bremer finds seven residential lots storing items on town property Thanks to a new property-line shot by the Engineering Department, Building Inspector Steve Bremer was able to identify seven residential lots near Highmark Stadium that were placing all sorts of...

Highway Department receiving number of calls on dying ash trees Highway Superintendent Andrew Slotman warned in the spring that the ash tree population in Orchard Park would soon dwindle to zero due to the presence of the emerald ash borer....
PenicillinPSAedit.jpg

Several common sexually-transmitted infections -- including gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia -- are quickly growing resistance to the antibiotics used to treat them.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Three of the most common sexually transmitted infections are quickly becoming untreatable, according to new guidelines released by the World Health Organization last week.

Gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia are all, through genetic mutation, developing resistance to the various antibiotics used to treat them, which could spell trouble for both those infected with the bacteria and those tasked with treating them.

"Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis are major public health problems worldwide, affecting millions of peoples' quality of life, causing serious illness and sometimes death," the WHO said in a press release. "The new WHO guidelines reinforce the need to treat these STIs with the right antibiotic, at the right dose, and the right time to reduce their spread and improve sexual and reproductive health."

Worldwide, an estimated 131 million people are infected with chlamydia, 78 million with gonorrhoea, and 5.6 million with syphilis each year, officials said.

A whole class of antibiotics, quinolones, are no longer recommended as treatments for gonorrhea after new resistant strains of the bacteria began popping up all over the world.

"Gonorrhea used to be susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline and doxycycline -- very commonly used drugs," Jonathan Zenilman, who studies infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins, told NPR. But because gonorrhea adapts so quickly to defend itself against antibiotics, each of them has been rendered ineffective.

"If this was a person, this person would be incredibly creative," Zenilman said. "The bug has an incredible ability to adapt and just develop new mechanisms of resisting the impact of these drugs."

The last effective drugs for treating gonorrhea may be obsolete within five years, Teodora Wi from WHO's Department of Reproductive Health and Research told the journal Science, but researchers are working to find alternatives.

In the meantime, all three infections can have particularly debilitating effects on women. Chlamydia can make it difficult to get pregnant, syphilis can be transmitted from mother to fetus and gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease.

The growing resistance to drugs could have a significant impact on Portland, too. In 2015, the metro area ranked fifth nationwide in the number of syphilis cases per capita, and the state of Oregon is eighth in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To see where your county stacks up, check out our ranking of Oregon counties based on rates of sexually-transmitted infection.

Anyone who thinks they may have contracted any of the infections was advised to contact a medical professional. Oregon has a host of clinics that offer services for free or at reduced rates.

-- Kale Williams

503-294-4048
A sheriff's deputy recalled in a Washington County courtroom the moment she was slammed against a wall and choked as her colleague demanded she continue their intimate relationship.

Cpl. Jon Christensen, the deputy said, was on duty, in uniform and carrying a gun that day last year when he insisted that she not end the affair. "Promise me (expletive)!" were the words he screamed, she said.

"I was struggling to breathe," the deputy said. "My brain was getting fuzzy."

She started to fade, but eventually promised.

The deputy described the moment while reading from a lengthy and emotional statement made Tuesday morning at Christensen's sentencing hearing in Washington County Circuit Court. Christensen's actions, the deputy told the court, wounded her "physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and financially."

"Every aspect of my life has been changed by this event," she said. "My professional life, my personal life, even my belief in myself."

Her experience, the deputy said, also has shaken her belief in the justice system. And she criticized the way her co-workers at the sheriff's office treated her after she made the allegations.

Christensen in July pleaded guilty to one count each of coercion, strangulation and official misconduct before Presiding Judge Charles Bailey. Following the conditions of a plea deal, Bailey on Tuesday sentenced Christensen to two years of probation, 80 hours of community service, and ordered him to pay $12,000 in restitution and to undergo anger management counseling.

The remaining fourth-degree assault and official misconduct charges were dismissed.

Sentencing for the felony coercion charge was set for July 2018, as part of a deferred sentencing agreement. If Christensen satisfies certain conditions of his probation -- completing the community service, paying restitution and receiving counseling -- the coercion charge will be dismissed before then.

The former corporal agreed to relinquish his police certification with the state's Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. He also agreed to not seek future employment in law enforcement.

Bailey said that he had concerns about the way the parties resolved Christensen's case. The judge noted that a reporter was in the courtroom and commented that sometimes it's better to say less because statements can be taken out of context to further political agendas.

Nevertheless, the judge still had much to say.

"I don't agree with the agreement that you all have," Bailey told attorneys for the state and defense.

The judge said he accepted the deal only because the victim had asked him to do so. The deputy, he said, didn't want to testify at trial because of the toll it would take.

"Your sentence should be a whole lot different than what this is," Bailey told the former corporal.

Christensen, who was fired from the sheriff's office in August 2015, was arrested in December after being indicted by a grand jury. The investigation into Christensen began after an anonymous writer sent a letter to the sheriff's office and The Oregonian/OregonLive alleging that some deputies were having sex on the job and engaging in other sexual misconduct. Christensen was named in the letter.

The sheriff's office asked Portland police to investigate the claims, and Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Chris Ramras prosecuted the case. On Tuesday, Ramras told the court that the plea deal reached with Christensen will hold the former cop accountable.

Christensen became the third former sheriff's office employee to be convicted of charges that stemmed from the broader misconduct investigation. Sgt. Pete Simpson, a Portland police spokesman, said the bureau's investigation remains active.

The deputy's allegations against Christensen were first made public in a restraining order she filed in April 2015. In court Tuesday, she expanded on what happened.

"Over time, Jon and I shared our feelings, thoughts, concerns and triumphs," she said. "We were close friends, or so I thought."

She had told Christensen she wanted to end their sexual relationship, but he wouldn't accept it, she said.

Then in March 2015, he pushed her against the wall, choked her and screamed, "Promise me (expletive)!" the deputy told the court.

In her statement, she recounted much of the scene in present tense.

"This can't be real," she remembered thinking. "This dear friend would never do this."

"Promise me (expletive)!" she repeated.

"I'm fading," she described.

"Don't pass out," she remembered telling herself. "Don't let yourself pass out."

"I have no air left," she described in her statement. "I can't get a breath."

"Promise me (expletive)!" she repeated again and again.

Christensen's attorney, Steven Myers, looked toward the deputy, who stood next to the prosecutor, as she spoke. Christensen, his hands clasped in front of him, looked down.

When the deputy wouldn't talk to Christensen, he'd pull her over, she recounted. Christensen would run the license plates on cars around her house, she said. He'd watch who was coming and going.

After the attack, the deputy said, she didn't know what to do because she was scared to report it. When an investigation did start, she said, Christensen told her to lie.

The deputy said that though she's repeatedly had to answer questions from investigators, testify in court and defend herself, Christensen hasn't answered questions from anyone.

"His actions warrant jail time," she said. "He should be in jail."

But, the deputy said, she did not want to testify again. Prolonging the case, she said, would harm her more.

She believes the justice system is broken, set up in a manner that victimizes victims over and over again.

Now, when she arrives at work, her heart races, she said. She has panic attacks that come with cold sweats and shakes.

"I am trapped in this good ol' boys club as a woman who finally spoke up, and I am shunned," she said.

"I am forced to walk into that environment daily, where I continue to be harassed and shunned," she said.

Her trust in others, she said, has been destroyed. She hopes her nightmares stop.

Myers, meanwhile, contends his client has suffered, too. He lost his job and gave up his police certification. His wife has filed for divorce. He lives with his mom.

Because of the publicity of the case -- and the greater sexual misconduct investigation at the sheriff's office -- his client has struggled to find work, Myers said. So he's unemployed.

Christensen's 16-year law enforcement career, Myers said, had been "unblemished."

Judge Bailey turned to Christensen. He asked if he wished to make a statement.

"No, your honor," Christensen said.

"I'm not surprised," the judge replied.

-- Rebecca Woolington

503-294-4049; @rwoolington
Is Measure 97 the right way to raise revenue for Oregon?: My vote is "no." Our Oregon Legislature cannot be trusted to invest funds where they are crucially needed. They need to provide plans which strictly specify how the tax money will be wisely and efficiently spent. Only then will I consider a "yes" vote.

Randolph Hite

Milwaukie

*

Is Measure 97 the right way to raise revenue for Oregon?: "Yes" is the only way to vote on Measure 97. Our schools are desperately underfunded, and no other means to a solution have appeared in the Legislature or elsewhere.

This tax on the largest, mostly out-of-state corporations, will affect less than 1 percent of Oregon businesses and will not raise consumer prices -- nor will it decrease income or employment opportunities. This is based on research in other states where this tax is already in place. Companies like Comcast, Walmart, Standard Insurance, Wells Fargo, Proctor & Gamble and Berkshire Hathaway pay lower taxes in Oregon than in any other state. It's simply time to even things out.

It's time for these companies to give back in exchange for the lenient tax scene they've enjoyed here for decades. It's time for Oregonians to stop subsidizing taxpayers in other states that tax these corporations their fair share. Millions are being spent to convince us otherwise. Don't be deceived.

Mary Hayden

Oregon City

*

Is Measure 97 the right way to raise revenue for Oregon?: I am a lifelong Oregon resident, and I have seen many tax proposals in Oregon over my 65 years here. First, this is a tax in sheep's clothing. Let's ask a few questions: How did the study on the Interstate 5 bridge go? Lots of money spent with no overall plan. How about the tram? A lot over budget. Portland Public Schools finds lead in the water, which they knew about, and still used the tax increases on other needs before something as basic as water for students. I could go on but will not. The point is: If it were an open discussion that it truly is a tax (we ultimately pay), that would be one thing. What is done with moneys raised is the issue.

Only Beaverton/Washington County has done a good fiscal job, and I have voted for those measures because they are responsible. Count me as a "no" on Measure 97. I am sure most Oregonians will also vote "no."

John Percich

Beaverton

*

Is Measure 97 the right way to raise revenue for Oregon?: Measure 97 reveals a great deal about the governor's administration -- mostly its shortcomings. Since Gov. Kate Brown has taken over, it seems to me the only advances made are those that increase the size of state government. For example, there was the new, high-level position added to help the Department of Education; the new gas tax for the new clean-air initiative; and now the corporate tax, which some are calling the largest tax increase in Oregon's history. There is now free community college. That money has to come from somewhere. Then there's the continual attempt to end the "kicker program," which equals higher taxes for citizens. And, finally, there's the minimum wage hike, which an analysis by this paper's editorial board found would not help workers and would hurt businesses.

All of this suggests that our political leaders cannot think of any other ways to make Oregon better except by raising taxes or increasing the roll of state government.

The problem with the government doing everything for us is that, as everyone knows, when it gets too big, it is very costly to keep afloat. Just ask the Californians!

Vincent O'Rourke

Hillsboro

*

Is Measure 97 the right way to raise revenue for Oregon?: Measure 97 is the right way to raise revenue for Oregon because it is not another tax on our small business community or on beleaguered taxpayers. Instead, it is a citizens' initiative to pass a tax on gross sales of over $25 million annually to Oregonians by huge in-state and out-of-state C corporations.

Historically, ballot initiatives have been the last resort of Oregonians to put forward needed laws that our lawmakers have been unable to pass. And for more than a generation, corporate lobbyists have obstructed all efforts by our lawmakers to pass substantive taxes on corporations. Instead, lawmakers have continued to pass more corporate tax breaks. For years, the result has been that Oregon schools, pre-K through higher education, as well as our vital social services, have been shortchanged.

Nevertheless, corporate lobbyists are now leading the charge that Measure 97 amounts to a sales tax that corporations can easily pass through to consumers. If that were really true, those lobbyists would be arguing in favor of Measure 97, because historically corporations have supported sales taxes -- taxes they don't have to pay.

Measure 97 will eliminate the budget deficit looming for next year, and -- though not comprehensive by itself -- will incentivize our lawmakers to follow through on this first step in more than a generation toward making our tax system fair and equitable.

Patrick Story

Southeast Portland

*

Is Measure 97 the right way to raise revenue for Oregon?: Oregon faces significant financial challenges in the years ahead and lacks a revenue source resilient to economic fluctuations. Besides individual and corporate income taxes, the property tax is the sole major revenue of the state. In recent years, special interest tax credits have increasingly eroded property tax revenue and shifted the tax burden to homeowners and individual taxpayers. The state faces an imminent and increasing pressure to invest in schools and basic road and bridge infrastructures.

Measure 97 addresses these short-term funding needs by creating a modest minimum tax on in-state revenues exceeding $25 million only. It is important to note that the proposal does not impact small businesses in Oregon, as companies falling under this law must be incorporated as so-called C-corps. Clearly, the proposal aims at large, primarily out-of-state, corporations doing business in Oregon while enjoying one of the lowest tax burdens nationwide.

Measure 97 is not the perfect solution to resolve all state funding problems. But critics of this measure must be honest: The current system of taxation in Oregon is not perfect, either, as it ultimately forces 570,000 K-12 students annually to suffer some of the highest class sizes, shortest school years and, accordingly, lowest graduation rates in the nation. Measure 97 is a solid compromise to create sizable revenue to address immediate and most urgent funding needs in our state while allowing time for the Legislature to address the long-term state funding issues on a bipartisan basis.

Juergen Kritschgau

Lake Oswego

*

Is Measure 97 the right way to raise revenue for Oregon?: Last week, I watched as our superintendent welcomed 300 new teachers to Salem. Administrators explained their plans to better educate our children. For the first time in several years, not a single classroom in my school (Englewood Elementary) has more than 30 students.

All that changes if Measure 97 fails to pass. I will miss the new kindergarten teacher who was hired at our school to bring class sizes down. Others will be gone when the superintendent submits a "cuts" budget. When the next recession hits, more of my colleagues will lose their jobs, and classes will grow even larger. I wonder what subjects will be thrown out altogether. We don't have a librarian now. Art is almost nonexistent.

The boom-or-bust way our state finances education is a travesty. Whatever progress we start to make in good times is erased when the economy takes a dip. That's what happens when most of your education funding comes from personal income taxes. Measure 97 is the best chance we've had to change this and erase the disinvestment that has occurred since the passage of Measure 5 in 1990. The stable, secure funding it will provide will keep class sizes low, keep programs in place and ease the devastating effects that a recession has on our children. I have seen children hurt during a recession. Their needs are profound at a time when the resources to meet them are cut. It makes me angry that we can't do better. Measure 97 will change that.

Tim McFarland

Salem

*

Is Measure 97 the right way to raise revenue for Oregon?: Remember the ad campaign in favor of Measure 66 and Measure 67? We were promised a bazillion times that our "yes" vote would mean that corporations and the rich would finally pay their fair share. Apparently, to public employee unions, "finally" is very loosely defined as "however much we need at any given time to fund our pensions and health care." Beyond that, all the coverage of the proposed Measure 97 tax increase addresses the impact in isolation. The ink is just barely dry on the new mandated sick leave law. And, it will be several years before we can judge the full impact on Oregonians' jobs and cost of living from the dramatic increase in minimum wages.

As keenly noted by Margaret Thatcher, the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.

Bruce Mackey

Eugene
MERKEL.JPG

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a budget debate at the German parliament Bundestag in Berlin, on Tuesday.

(AP Photo)

Leonid Bershidsky

German Chancellor Angela Merkel may have adjusted her policies after last year's refugee influx. But on Sunday, she was punished anyhow by voters in her own constituency of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. That's one sign that the EU migration crisis is far from resolved yet.

The mere possibility of being sent back to Turkey has reduced the daily number of Greek island arrivals to 111 in August from 6,360 in October, 2015. It's a psychological effect that is not mitigated by the obvious tension between Turkey and the EU, caused on the one hand by Europeans' unease about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's authoritarianism and on the other hand by the Turkish resentment of the EU's slowness in sending financial aid for refugees and abolishing short-term visas for Turks. Even an arrangement as shaky as this one introduces extra uncertainty into a fleeing Syrian's already high-risk plans.

Besides, countries along the migration route from Turkey have reinforced the route's negative publicity: Macedonia, for example, has all but closed its border with Greece. It's clear by now though that far from solving the problem, this kind of word-of-mouth deterrence has made alternative, longer and more dangerous routes of migration look comparatively more attractive.

On certain days, the number of refugee arrivals in Italy matches the high levels seen in the Greek islands last year. In August, the average number of arrivals reached 686 a day, up from 263 in October, 2015.

Most of these arrivals come through Libya, a country with which the EU is not able to make a deal similar to the Turkish one. The country's "government of national accord" has rejected the possibility because it doesn't want to commit to take any refugees back: The Libyan state has no money, no infrastructure and not enough authority to house refugees the way Turkey does for the 2.7 million Syrians it has temporarily settled in host communities and camps.

Since Europe can't send them back to Libya, that makes the route preferable to the Turkish one today, even though the chance of dying at sea is much higher on a Libya-Italy voyage than on a Greek-Turkey one. That explains why the number of migrants who die or go missing at sea hasn't gone down since last year: 3,169 of them have died or disappeared so far in 2016, compared with 3,777 for the whole of 2015, and the run rate is actually higher than last year. Most of the deaths occur on the so-called central Mediterranean route, the one to Italy and Malta.

Italy is wealthier and less bureaucratically inept than Greece, so it has served as a better barrier for migrants hoping to end up in northern Europe. In May, Austria even stopped the construction of an anti-migrant wall on the Italian border, reassured that the influx was under control. And yet Germany hasn't really noticed.

According to Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, more asylum petitions were filed in January through July, 2016 than in all of 2015 -- 479,620 compared with 476,649. The number of applications is actually increasing rather than dropping.

While the number of new arrivals has dropped because of the stricter policies, the migration service -- whose budget, staffing and efficiency have been boosted this year with the help of $10 million worth of McKinsey's consulting services -- has been processing a huge backlog. The steady influx of new applications means that more people are still arriving and that some who arrived before these attempts began in earnest are still undocumented. This means they haven't even begun to integrate into Germany society and the labor market, even if they plan eventually to do that.

The presence of hundreds of thousands of new arrivals in a bureaucratic limbo does nothing to fix Merkel's political problem. In Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, her party lost just 4 percentage points compared to its 2011 performance, and it will probably still be part of the ruling coalition headed by the Social Democrats, who won a plurality just like in 2011. And yet the CDU was overtaken by the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party, which, with 20.8 percent of the vote, is now the second strongest in the state.

That's not a tragedy, but the party's performance has been unprecedented for a German right-wing force, and it poses a danger for Merkel if she decides to run for chancellor again next year and for her center-right party if she steps aside. German domestic politics dictate the need for a less makeshift solution to the refugee crisis than the Turkey deal.

Other big European countries -- especially Italy as an increasingly important point of entry and France, where long-distance truckers are protesting against the increasingly unruly and dangerous migrant camp near Calais, known as the Jungle -- also need a more lasting solution, but their leaders cannot expose themselves to the kind of backlash that Merkel has been facing. Their positions are not as secure as hers was to start with. But if these countries can't take in more people, the options for a coordinated European solution are pretty much limited to sealing the union's external borders -- a costly proposition that would be difficult to execute, especially with elections looming in several big nations.

The crisis is far from over, and it won't be while the Syrian war and the anarchy in Libya continue. Europe can't be an impregnable fortress, so it needs to be a stronger force for peace.

(c) 2016, Bloomberg View

Leonid Bershidsky is a Bloomberg View columnist.
Before prospective jurors file into Courtroom 9A in the federal courthouse in downtown Portland Wednesday morning, the judge is expected to rule on whether the defendants in the Oregon standoff case who are in custody can wear neckties, belts and boots at trial as requested.

Ammon Bundy's lawyer J. Morgan Philpot argued that his client is innocent until proven guilty, and should be allowed to wear the civilian clothes that he chooses.

"We would prefer our clients not look like disheveled slackers in front of the jury,'' Philpot told the judge during Tuesday's last pretrial conference hearing.

Philpot added later in the day in a written motion, "These men are cowboys, and given that the jury will be assessing their authenticity and credibility, they should be able to present themselves to the jury in that manner.''

Ammon Bundy remarked in court that he's never even worn slip-on shoes or loafers before court on Tuesday.

On August 27, the U.S. Marshal's Service sent an email to defendants, alerting them that certain clothing items won't be permitted at trial: "Ties, Bows, Belts, Handkerchiefs, Cuff Links, Steel toe boots/shoes, Shoe laces, Shirt tie down straps, Safety pins, Shirt pocket pen protectors."

As a result, Ammon Bundy arranged to wear non-steel toe boots but was informed those aren't allowed either.

U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown Tuesday afternoon asked Barbara Alfono, the deputy U.S marshal in charge of the Bundy trial, about the dress code.

Alfono said the defendants who are in custody cannot wear ties, boots or belts as safety precautions.

Those accessories could be used as weapons against deputy marshals or the defendants themselves, she said. Further, the defendants will be wearing shackles around their ankles when they're taken to and from the courthouse, and boots would interfere with them. Those shackles, however, will be removed once the defendants are in the courtroom.

Philpot pressed further in court Tuesday, asking if he could provide boots for his client to change into once he's led into the courtroom, and before the jury is brought in.

The judge advised Philpot to file a motion by the end of the day Tuesday, and cite any prior court rulings on the matter.

Philpot, in his motion, said he and co-counsel Marcus Mumford were not able to find a U.S. Supreme Court or U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals case on point that declared a defendant's right to be tried in the clothes of his choosing.

Instead, they cited a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that found because of a defendant's presumption of innocence, "(n)o insinuations, indications or implications suggesting guilt should be displayed before the jury, other than admissible evidence and permissible argument."

Ammon Bundy and his brother Ryan Bundy both wore suit jackets to court Tuesday because the court took photos of them to place in a juror's book that will be handed out at trial. Ammon Bundy wore a gray suit jacket over a white dress shirt. His brother wore a dark suit jacket over a light blue dress shirt.

"He looks very presentable,'' the judge said of Ammon Bundy.

She described his clothing as "perfectly appropriate for court.''

But Philpot argued in his written motion that the judge's opinion was based on a view of Ammon Bundy seated. Yet at trial, he will stand and likely take the witness stand to testify in his own defense, his lawyer said.

"We must consider, when he does so, how will he look? And what are the spot assumptions and impressions will the jury have about him when they see him in the kind of white socks and loafers he was wearing today, with his beltless trousers, and dressed in a formal suit without a tie,'' Philpot wrote. "Just as significantly, how will the lack of belt, tie, or other apparel compare to others in the courtroom, as he and the other detained defendants are the only ones who will appear that way.''

The only other co-defendant on trial this month who remains in custody is David Fry. On Tuesday, he wore a blue sweater to court.

Co-defendant Jeff Banta wore a gray dress shirt with jeans. Co-defendant Shawna Cox wore a black blazer and long skirt, and defendants Neil Wampler and Kenneth Medenbach each wore plaid shirts with pants.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight urged the court to maintain the U.S. Marshals Service restrictions on the in-custody defendants' dress. He argued that no prejudice arises from the clothing restrictions.

The judge urged the Bundys' lawyers to bring ties and belts and boots to court for their clients Wednesday in case she overrules the U.S. marshals after considering the matter further.

In other action, Ryan Bundy Tuesday challenged the government's theory that he may have "aided and abetted'' in the theft of government property, specifically regarding his alleged stealing of government cameras in mid-January.

Ryan Bundy cited "basic Biblical principle,'' noting, "A man will be accountable for his own sins and not that of another.''

The judge quickly dismissed his argument.

"Mr. Bundy,'' she said, "the Biblical standards don't apply.''

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
On the eve of his trial, federal prosecutors in Oregon have dropped the conspiracy indictment against Peter Santilli, a self-described independent broadcaster who was present during the 41-day occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County.

Santilli, 51, was the lone person of eight defendants set for trial this month who never stayed overnight at the federal wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon, and his attorney argued that much of the material he broadcast on his YouTube channel was protected speech under the First Amendment.

In a motion filed late Tuesday afternoon, federal prosecutors urged the court to dismiss the indictment, citing U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown's ruling last week that limited the evidence they could present against Santelli.

For example, the judge ruled, prosecutors cannot present evidence of Santilli haranguing counter-protesters at the refuge or badgering traditional news media in an attempt to dispute Santilli's defense that he was simply acting as a member of the press documenting the refuge takeover.

"Based upon this Court's pretrial evidentiary rulings excluding evidence against Santilli, the government has decided that the interests of justice do not support further pursuit of these charges against Santilli,'' according to a motion signed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ethan Knight, Craig Gabriel and Geoffrey Barrow.

U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown

to dismiss the indictment.

Santilli, also facing indictment stemming from the April 2014 armed standoff with federal officers near Bunkerville, Nevada, will remain in custody but be transferred to Nevada to face charges in that case.

Santilli's court-appointed attorney Thomas Coan, said he got word late Tuesday afternoon that the U.S. Department of Justice had approved prosecutors' request to dismiss the federal indictment against his client. Coan, who was told the dismissal of the case was a possibility on Friday, shared the news with Santilli about 4 p.m., at the end of Tuesday's pretrial conference hearing.

"He was tearfully happy," Coan said. "He started crying. He feels vindicated. He's very, very happy and relieved."

Coan hugged Santilli's girlfriend, Deb Jordan, as both emerged from the pretrial conference Tuesday afternoon.

Several of the co-defendants only learned through the electronic filing of the government's motion after Tuesday's pretrial hearing that Santilli would not be joining them for jury selection Wednesday.

Prosecutors had argued up until Tuesday that Santilli had used his online show to issue a "call to action" to encourage more people to participate in the refuge takeover and to bring their firearms.

Coan had depicted Santilli, of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a "shock-jock" journalist whose words were taken out of context by the government and who did not intend to take over the refuge because he spent his nights at the Silver Spur Motel in Burns. Santilli isn't violent, the lawyer had argued, and is being punished for exercising his First Amendment right to free speech and his bravado.

Coan said he had been pushing for a dismissal of the case for weeks.

"Pete had an innocent, lawful intent when he was out there," Coan said. "I was able to persuade prosecutors of that by last week."

Coan said he had evidence that Santilli was surprised by the move to take over the refuge on Jan. 2 following a protest against the return to federal prison of Harney County ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steve Hammond. Coan also said he had evidence that Santilli didn't agree with the refuge takeover, and attempted an "intervention" at the Burns fairgrounds to persuade others not to participate.

At one point, Santilli noticed the security detail assigned to him for the Hammonds' protest on Jan. 2 suddenly left him, according to Coan. When Santilli inquired why, he learned from Idaho "3 Percenter'' Brandon Curtis of the refuge takeover plan. Curtis further advised Santilli not to go along with it, Coan said.

"He was mad about what happened. He felt like he was taken advantage of. He also didn't want to abandon these guys. He didn't want to leave the unfolding story either,'' Coan said of his client.

Ammon Bundy, in a statement from jail posted on the Bundy Ranch Facebook page late Tuesday, said he was pleased for Santilli. Ammon Bundy said the government's decision to dismiss the case against Santilli indicated their prayers are being answered.

Santilli faces more serious charges in Nevada, where he faces a 16-count indictment. He is accused of conspiring to assault federal officers, threatening officers, obstructing justice, extorting officers, and using and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence stemming from the armed standoff outside the Bundy ranch near Bunkerville.

The government alleges Santilli recruited gunmen to the ranch, helped lead an assault on U.S. Bureau of Land Management officers trying to roundup cattle on federal land, conducted reconnaissance of hotels where federal officers were staying and delivered an ultimatum to the land bureau's agent in charge to leave the impound site.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
7defendantsbundytrial.jpg

Jury selection begins Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in U.S. District Court in Portland for seven of the Oregon standoff defendants, including Ammon Bundy (clockwise from left), Ryan Bundy, Shawna Cox, Jeff Wayne Banta, Neil Wampler, David Lee Fry and Kenneth Medenbach. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.)

Prosecutors and defense attorneys in the federal conspiracy case against Ammon Bundy and six others will spend the next three days picking 12 Oregon residents to sit on a jury and eight alternates for a trial that could last two months or more.

The sheer number of defendants, the volume of evidence and the turbulent politics of public land ownership make the trial one of the highest-profile proceedings to land in a Portland courtroom in years.

The federal judge, in an acknowledgement of the complexities of trying so many people at once, has taken remarkable measures to try to manage a case that has riveted the West this winter and for much of this year: the 41-day occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon.

The court initially sent juror questionnaires to 1,500 people across Oregon. Of those, 350 responded. Lawyers whittled the jury pool last month to 263 based on prospective jurors' answers to everything from what they know about the case to their personal beliefs about the Second Amendment. About 60 people were eliminated for either bias or hardship.

On Wednesday, 30 people from the remaining pool will file into a reconfigured ninth-floor courtroom in the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in downtown Portland for more questions. The court has called another 120 to appear Thursday and Friday - 60 each day.

U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown said she's optimistic that she'll have a jury by the end of the week - with opening statements tentatively set for Tuesday.

"If we're fortunate,'' Brown said during a pretrial conference. "If not, we'll continue until we do.''

The potential jurors will be referred to by numbers in open court for their safety, though the lawyers in the case will have their names.

"Jury selection is something of a misnomer,'' said Jeffrey T. Frederick, director of jury research services for the National Legal Research Group. "It really is jury rejection.''

That's because the practice is meant as a filter, to keep unqualified people from sitting in judgment, he said.

Lawyers can request dismissal of prospective jurors for actual or implied bias if it's clear from their answers that they can't put aside their feelings and apply the law impartially.

The lawyers also can ask to excuse a potential juror with no reason given, what's called a peremptory challenge. It allows each side to dismiss jurors who may be qualified but appear likely to favor the other side. The peremptory challenges can't be used to exclude jurors because of their race or class.

Though federal criminal rules typically grant six peremptory challenges to the government and 10 to the defense, the judge in this case increased the number to account for the eight defendants. She gave the defense three peremptory challenges for each defendant, for a total of 21. Prosecutors will get about a dozen such challenges.

The judge will pose questions to the potential jurors - ones that prosecutors and defense teams forwarded to her in advance. Lawyers can recommend follow-up questions, but again, only the judge will ask them. Though it's not the traditional way of conducting voir dire, it's not unusual in cases with multiple defendants as a way to increase efficiency and avoid improper statements to those summoned.

Both sides probably have done background research on the prospective jurors, examined their online posts and likes on Facebook, for example. In court, lawyers will be taking notes on their answers to the judge's questions.

"They'll be listening very carefully to the answers each is giving, watching their demeanor and just trying to get a sense of the person," said Professor Andrew Chongseh Kim of Concordia University School of Law. "With a case as large as this, that's as politically charged as a case like this, both sides are going to be looking for some indication of potential jurors' political leanings or biases."

Prosecutors likely will be concerned about people who might identify with the defendants or seem sympathetic to their cause, while the defense team likely will try to eliminate jurors who are particularly receptive to the government or law enforcement, said Frederick, of the National Legal Research Group.

Potential jurors will almost certainly face questions on their opinions about federal control of public land, militias, law enforcement, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and whether they believe a person exercising their First or Second Amendment rights must observe lawful limitations on those rights.

Ammon Bundy, the leader of the refuge occupation, has said he and a group of supporters took over the outpost near Burns to protest federal management of the bird sanctuary and wanted to turn it over to locals to run for cattle grazing, mining and logging. Bundy, 41, who had recently moved to Idaho from Arizona, is the son of Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher famous for a 2014 standoff with federal authorities over grazing rights. The patriarch and his sons also face federal charges in Nevada.

The other Oregon defendants going to trial Wednesday include Bundy's older brother, Ryan Bundy, 43, of Cedar City, Utah; Shawna Cox, 60, of Kanab, Utah; David Lee Fry, 28, of Cincinnati, Ohio; Jeff Wayne Banta, 47, of Elko, Nevada; Neil Wampler, 68, of Los Osos, California; and Kenneth Medenbach, 63, of Crescent, Oregon.

Last month, defense lawyers successfully disqualified potential jurors who wrote that they already believe the Bundy brothers and other defendants are guilty, that the armed takeover was a "stupid and ineffective protest," or "have little sympathy for defendants in this case."

Prosecutors successfully disqualified a potential juror who wrote that while the takeover was occurring, he or she "considered joining them and/or a state or national militia group."

Defense lawyers tried to disqualify those who wrote that they're strong opponents of the Second Amendment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight argued that potential jurors' opinions of the Second Amendment should be viewed as a separate issue with more weight given to whether they can follow the law in this case

"We're not litigating, 'should the Second Amendment be abolished.' We're not litigating, 'should federal land management be changed,''' Judge Brown advised. "We are not going to solve the underlying policies in this trial.''

Once a jury is selected, the judge intends to provide jurors with a cheat sheet of sorts in a specially designed juror's book that shows each defendant's name beside their photos and definitions of court terms to help with the complex case. The court took defendants' photos Tuesday as appeared for a pretrial conference in trial attire.

"It sounds like the judge is taking special caution to ensure the jury knows who's who. They don't want the jurors to lump the defendants together, as the prosecution will be looking for separate guilty pleas for each defendant," Frederick said.

The judge also said she intends to question each juror on whether they were handed a flier outside court about jury nullification, and to instruct them that they must follow the law even if they disagree with it. Judge Brown said deputy U.S. marshals indicated there may be people outside court distributing such fliers.

Ryan Bundy and Ammon Bundy's lawyer Marcus Mumford objected to the judge's proposed instructions to prospective jurors. Ryan Bundy argued that they will "rob a juror" of the right to serve as a "check and balance'' on the federal government's power.

Mumford asked that the judge not suggest that any of the defendants were responsible for such fliers.

"A jury's place is to be able to use their common sense, their intellect, their conscience, whether the law is proper or not proper,'' Ryan Bundy argued.

Judge Brown dismissed his objection.

"It's overruled," she responded.

Jurors take oaths, the judge said, and she plans to advise them to "follow the law whether they agree with it or not."

"I'm not going to say they have the option,'' the judge said.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
Bundy trial

Jury selection begins Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in U.S. District Court in Portland for seven of the Oregon standoff defendants, including Ammon Bundy (clockwise from left), Ryan Bundy, Shawna Cox, Jeff Wayne Banta, Neil Wampler, David Lee Fry and Kenneth Medenbach.

(Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)

The Oregon standoff case stemmed from the 41-day occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, which lasted from Jan. 2 through Feb. 11.

Ammon Bundy is one of seven defendants who was on trial. The jury began deliberations on Thursday. Eleven other co-defendants have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge. Seven others are scheduled for trial on Feb. 14. On the eve of jury selection, prosecutors dismissed the federal conspiracy case against defendant Pete Santilli, a self-described independent broadcaster.



THE CHARGES

A federal grand jury had indicted 26 people on a charge of conspiring to impede federal officers from carrying out their work at the refuge through intimidation, threat or force.

All seven defendants on trial were prosecuted on the federal conspiracy charge.

Of the seven defendants, Ammon Bundy, Ryan Bundy, David Fry and Jeff Banta also are charged with possession of a firearm or dangerous weapon in a federal facility. Kenneth Medenbach is charged with theft of government property, accused of taking a 2012 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Ford F-350 truck off the refuge on Jan. 15. Ryan Bundy also faces a theft of government property, accused of stealing FBI surveillance cameras and other equipment.



THE DEFENDANTS



Ammon Bundy, 41, of Emmet, Idaho, the accused leader of the conspiracy, represented by Utah lawyers Marcus M. Mumford and J. Morgan Philpot



Ryan Bundy, 43, of Bunkerville, Nevada, Ammon Bundy's older brother and another alleged leader of conspiracy, representing himself with standby lawyer Lisa Ludwig and paralegal Roger Roots



Shawna Cox, 60, of Kanab, Utah, representing herself with hybrid counsel Tiffany Harris



David Lee Fry, 28, of Cincinnati, Ohio, the last to surrender at the refuge, represented by court-appointed lawyer Per C. Olson



Jeff Wayne Banta, 47, of Elko, Nevada, one of the last four holdouts at the refuge, represented by court-appointed lawyer Robert Salisbury



Kenneth Medenbach, 63, of Crescent, Oregon, representing himself with hybrid counsel Matthew Schindler



Neil Wampler, 68, of Los Osos, California, represented by court-appointed lawyer Lisa Maxfield





THE PROSECUTORS

The three prosecutors handling the case are all members of the Oregon U.S. Attorney's national security unit.



Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight has worked nine years with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Oregon

Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Barrow has worked 11 years with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Oregon, after spending three years as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia

Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel has worked nine years with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Oregon

THE JUDGE

U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown, a Portland native, has served on the federal bench 17 years. She was nominated to the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon by President Bill Clinton on April 22, 1999. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate six months later. She took the oath of office on Oct. 27, 1999.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced Tuesday that the state police will lead an investigation into the toppling of a popular sandstone pedestal at Cape Kiwanda.

Troopers will work in coordination with local prosecutors and state parks department officials to figure out "how to pursue possible violations of state park rules and Oregon laws," state parks spokesman Chris Havel said in a news release.

Those responsible could incur at least $435 in park citations, Havel previously told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

"Rules prohibit visitors from destroying natural features intentionally," he said.

A video shot by a beachgoer shows three people apparently pushing over the pedestal while another watches on. Havel said the rock formation was destroyed late last month.

The rock formation, known as the duckbill, stood in a roped-off, off-limits area of Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area in Pacific City that's known to be dangerous. Six people have died after falling from area cliffs since 2014.

What remains of the sandstone pedestal at Cape Kiwanda.

It's lawful for people to cross fences on the public property, Tillamook County Sheriff Andy Long said in March -- when officials, emergency workers and residents gathered to talk about safety and tour the area.

Megan Owens of Marysville, Washington, 17, fell off a cliff and into the ocean at the natural area the month before, prompting a search that was unsuccessful.

Instagram is flush with photos of people posing on the pedestal, which was about 7 feet tall and approximately 7 to 10 feet wide on top. It now amounts to a pile of sandstone rubble.

Officials ask anyone who has information about how the pedestal was destroyed to call state police dispatchers at 1-800-452-7888 or email osppio@state.or.us. The calls are confidential, Havel said.

-- Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Andrew Theen of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report
Three of Oregon's four most recent governors are urging voters to approve the $3 billion corporate tax measure on the November ballot, in a statement in the voter's pamphlet published online Tuesday.

Former Gov. Barbara Roberts and former Gov. Ted Kulongoski joined Gov. Kate Brown in signing a statement of support for the measure. Brown already endorsed the controversial tax initiative in early August. Absent from the list of supporters was former Gov. John Kitzhaber, who resigned in February 2015 amid allegations of influence peddling. Kitzhaber criticized Brown in June for not taking a position on the tax measure.

Under Measure 97, the state would charge certain C corporations a 2.5 percent tax on their gross annual sales in Oregon above $25 million. The group behind the measure, Our Oregon, is affiliated with the state's public employee unions. The measure calls for the state to spend the new tax money on early childhood and K-12 education, health care and senior services. But lawyers for the Legislature said lawmakers could spend most of the money as they please, with the exception of an estimated $250 million from taxes on fuel sales that must be spent on transportation under the state Constitution.

"The NO campaign wants to convince consumers that if Measure 97 passes, costs will be passed along to them," the governors wrote. "This is just a scare tactic. In fact, there wouldn't even be a vote NO campaign if big corporations could just pass along the costs to consumers."

Brown conceded in an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting last month that "Oregonians are smart enough to realize" consumers will bear some of those costs of the tax.

However, in the argument in favor of the measure published in the voter's pamphlet, the three governors pointed out that fewer than 1 percent of Oregon businesses would be subject to the tax and the state needs the new tax money to prevent a budget shortfall next year.

"If it fails, we will face the painful dilemma of declining budgets and increased need for funding of education and critical health care all across Oregon," the governors wrote. "Right now we have one of the shortest school years in the nation, and the third-largest class sizes. We have seen a 29% increase in the number of seniors living in poverty since 2008. More than 200,000 people struggle to get by without affordable health insurance."

-- Hillary Borrud

hborrud@oregonian.com

503-294-4034; @hborrud
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A driver hit a pedestrian Sept. 6, 2016, at Southeast 148th Avenue and Division Street.

(The Oregonian/File)

A pedestrian was rushed to a hospital with traumatic injuries after a driver hit him and left the scene Tuesday night in Southeast Portland, police said.

Responders were dispatched to Division Street and 148th Avenue around 8:45 p.m. Police don't know the pedestrian's condition and identified him in a news release only as a "male."

Police said early information indicates the driver left the scene, came back and aided the pedestrian. He left before police got there, and a woman showed up and drove away in his car, according to police.

Officers pursued her, police said, and she crashed at 150th Avenue and Main Street. She was taken into custody, and police are looking for the driver -- a man in his early 40s.

The city's transportation bureau has previously identified Southeast Division Street as a high-crash corridor. The street sees 50 percent more crashes involving pedestrians than the city average.

Tuesday's crash comes two days after a driver hit and killed a pedestrian on Division Street east of 122nd Avenue -- less than 1-1/2 miles away.

Clifford Eugene Perry Jr., 40, was allegedly intoxicated and speeding when he hit and killed Damon Burton, 61, according to police. Police said Perry kept driving until he hit a concrete block at a nearby gas station.

Burton was trying to cross Division Street from the south side of the wide thoroughfare when Perry hit him while speeding west, police said.

Perry was arraigned Tuesday on second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driving charges, court records show. He's being held in Multnomah County's Inverness Jail on $255,000 bail, according to jail records.

A driver also hit and killed an 84-year-old woman while she was crossing Division Street at 156th Avenue in mid-January. Francis Weaver was riding her motorized scooter in a crosswalk when Carolyn Bettin hit her, police said.

Investigators concluded that Bettin wasn't impaired. She stopped after the collision and was cooperative with investigators, police said.

Bettin pleaded no contest in May to a "careless driving/vulnerable user" violation, according to court records. She's ordered to attend a high risk driving course and perform 100 court-approved hours of community service, the records show.

If she does so by her November sentencing hearing, she will be sentenced to a $435 fine, according to the records. If she doesn't, she'll have her driver's license suspended for a year and be sentenced to a $12,500 fine.

Officers are investigating Tuesday's crash.

-- Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Andrew Theen of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report
animals.jpeg

Photos are representations of the lioness and leopard hides, not the actual items.

(Courtesy of the Portland Police Bureau)

Does this sound familiar? You steal a box off a porch, hoping for a pair of Nikes, but when you open the package, what you find is three animal hides: a lioness, a leopard and a steenbock. If this is you, the Portland Police are asking that you please return these hides.

"On August 26, 2016, an unknown suspect stole a UPS package from a porch in the area of Southeast 164th Avenue and Division Street," reads a bulletin from the Portland Police Bureau. "The package contained three animal hides worth a substantial amount of money. The hides were that of a lioness, a leopard and a steenbok (small antelope)."

Police said the victims of the theft are offering a substantial reward, but declined to comment on how much the hides are worth, how much the reward is for, where the hides came from or if they were purchased online.

Sgt. Pete Simpson of the Portland Police Bureau said over the phone that police aren't sure if the thieves meant to steal a package of valuable animal skins. "We do see quite a number of porch pirates," he said. "It's certainly feasible the person stealing them didn't know what they were."

When asked if the hides were obtained legally Simpson said, "There's no reason to believe they're not."

Sheila O'Connor, Resident Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Oregon, said over the phone that while she cannot comment on this case, it's illegal to buy and sell endangered or threatened species.

Without knowing more information, she said, it's impossible to say if the hides belong to endangered or threatened species or if they were obtained illegally. However, she said, "Leopards are listed."

"Asiatic lions are endangered throughout their historic range," she also said. "If it's an African lion, it's not listed as endangered."

But, she said, "Countries that have lions left -- they can set their own regulations." She added, "Wildlife is protected in other ways besides the Endangered Species Act."

O'Connor said the Portland Police are doing the right thing by looking for the thief, but that they may not have the training to recognize illegal animal hides. It's the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that would investigate a case like this, if there was concern about something illegal.

"I'm certainly not prepared to say that receiving these hides was a violation of federal wildlife laws," she emphasized.

Police realize this case could draw some negative attention. "Someone could turn on the victims here," said Simpson. But, he added, it's important to remember that they are the victims. "This was their property, and it was stolen."

If you have the hides, or have any information about them, you can leave a tip for the police here.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker
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It is estimated that 1,00,000 people flocked to Itaewon streets for the Halloween festivities.
Three volumes of Sweebe genealogy have been gathered relating the stories of a family whose lives have stretched from England to Canada to America and at last to Midland. Its the story of Sweebe pioneers who settled the Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma while living in a tent and cooking over a campfire.

Its the story of a young man born and raised in Midland who endured the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and lived to tell his story. Its the story of a woman who was widowed at the age of 27 and began working for Mrs. Herbert Henry Dow in Midland. Its the story of a young man who began his career with Alden B. Dow and ended up owning Helger Construction.

Its a story of deep love and much loss. Of defeat and perseverance. Of opposition and hardship. Its the story of Joseph and Sarah Jane Hock Sweebes descendants.

Joseph Sweeby, the progenitor of the Sweebe family of this story, was born in Stanground, England. His date of birth varies in the records. One says 1769. Another record says 1771. Joseph and Mary Sweeby became parents to a son they also named Joseph Sweeby, born in 1802 (1803) in Stanground, Huntingdon Shire, England. This Joseph Sweeby married Ann Paine. He was the groom taking care of the horses of a wealthy English landlord. Joseph and Ann had five children, naming the youngest one Jackson. This Jackson would be the ancestor of the Sweebe family who would eventually end up in Midland, Michigan.

Jackson Sweeby was born Dec. 21, 1831 in England. Marrying Sarah Andrews, they had five children before deciding to leave for the New World where they could own their own land. They sailed from Liverpool, England on the trading vessel The Rachel. After 35 days on the ocean, they reached New York. By 1865 they were living in Huron County, Ohio and had seven children, the youngest being Joseph Andrew born on July 31, 1862.

Jacksons two youngest children, Harriet and Joseph Andrew would leave their mark on the Sweebe family name. Harriet Ann Sweebe married William Jackson Carpenter on April 13, 1875 and Joseph Andrew Sweebe married Sarah Jane Hock on Sept.17, 1885.

Harriet Ann Sweebe, a sister to Joseph, was born in 1860 in Canada but before long her father Jackson would move his family to Wood County, Ohio. William Carpenter had been born in England and came to America in 1860. Harriet was fifteen years old when she married William Carpenter. When they moved to Wilson County, Kansas they had three children: Samuel Jackson, Joseph William and Mabel Sarah. Grace Gennette and Marie Elaine were born in Kansas. A baby boy named John Henry died in infancy.

Talk among settlers in Kansas said that the government was opening up more land to settlers in the state of Oklahoma. The first land rush into Oklahoma Territory had been April 22, 1889 with 50,000 settlers rushing to stake claims in the soon to be new state of Oklahoma. Now a second land rush was being talked about. This would take place Sept. 16, 1893.

Harriet and her husband William were part of the 100,000 expectant land owners waiting for the cannons boom signaling that the rush into the Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma was officially on. William was riding a black and white pony and his son Samuel Jackson now fourteen years old was in a buckboard filled with a water barrel, a plough and supplies. The line of expectant landowners was two miles long lined up on the Kansas border waiting for the signal to stake their claim in the Cherokee Strip. Men on foot, men on horses, people on bicycles, and a train pulling ten cars were filled with men anxious to stake a claim. Even the tops of the box cars were filled with men.

Harriet and William staked a claim and for a time lived in a tent, cooking over a campfire, and rinching out clothes and spreading them on bushes to dry until a decent house could be built.

Joseph Andrews Sweebe didnt follow the pioneers to new lands opening up. Instead he married a young woman named Sarah Jane Hock, made a home in Wood County, Ohio and fathered 12 children. In 1910 they made a decision to leave Ohio and settle in Midland where lumbering and farming were the main occupations.

Two children were left behind. A baby girl named Nellie was born April 25, 1892 and died Aug. 19, 1892 not quite four months old. A baby boy named Herman was born Oct. 16, 1895 and passed away November 24, 1896, one year and one month old. Both were buried in Rudolph, Ohio.

Once in Midland County, Joseph Andrew and Sarah Jane settled first in Homer Township before moving to the Poseyville area and the 1920 Midland County census had them living on Poseyville Road. Sarah Jane died April 12, 1938 and Joseph died March 3,1943. Both are buried in the Midland Cemetery.

The ten surviving children were William Andrew, George Clayton (Clayt), Emma Mae, Lura Edith (Doll), Verna Susan, Edna Fay (Fay), Edward Ray (Dick), Elmer Carlton, Golda Violet (Goldie) and Charles Homer (Homer). Each leaving their individual mark in Midlands history.

William Andrew (Will) was the first born son of Joseph Andrew and Sarah Jane Sweebe. On November 10, 1906 he married 18 year old Bertha Flickinger and when the Sweebe family moved to Michigan, Will and Bertha stayed in Ohio with their five children, not moving to Midland until 1925. Will, who had been a farmer in Ohio, worked at The Dow Chemical Company becoming a foreman in the Pipe Shop. He retired in October of 1950.

Will and Bertha lived in Midland until 1947 when they moved to North Bradley. In 1956 they moved to Averill, a small village about eight miles from Midland. Bertha died in Averill at the age of 75 old in 1959. Will lived until he was 79 years old. Both are buried in the Midland Cemetery.

George Clayton (Clayt) was born in Wood County, Ohio in 1887 and worked in the oil fields all his life. At 25 he met and married Dora Temple who was 24 at the time in Illinois. They married April 12, 1911. In 1930 at the age of 43 she died in Greendale Township but her body was shipped back to Charleston, Illinois where she was buried.

In 1939 Clayt married Lottie Elliott, a widow. Clayt continued working in the oil fields that were then prevalent in the Greendale Township and Mount Pleasant areas. Clayt died in 1963 in Mount Pleasant. Lottie lived to be 95 years old and died in 1991 in Mt. Pleasant. Both are buried there.

Emma, Joseph Andrew and Sarah Janes first daughter was born in 1889. She married Lawrence Irelan August 3, 1905. He was twenty-one. She was sixteen. They moved to Midland in 1909. He worked temporarily in the oil fields but after moving to Midland he began building houses in the Irelan Lane and Ashby Road area. He also worked 20 years at The Dow Chemical Co. Lawrence died in 1967 and Emma died in 1971. Both funerals were held at the Scott Wilson Memorial Chapel and both are buried in the Homer Township Cemetery.

This ends Part I of the Joseph Andrew and Sarah Jane Hock Sweebe story. Part II will appear in two weeks.
Lee Haddix still remembers his early days at Reliable Plumbing and Heating.

I was about 12 years old and started sweeping and mopping floors and cleaning the offices on the weekend, Haddix said. Mr. Otto Haddix, my dad, started the business in 1949. Weve worked at it all our lives.

Lee Haddix bought the Reliable Plumbing and Heating business from his parents in 1978.

The Midland-based business  which focuses on residential and commercial plumbing, heating and cooling  won the 2016 Midland Daily News Readers Choice award for best plumber.

In the plumbing, heating and cooling business, Haddix said response time is crucial.

Customers have a lot of different needs, and we pride ourselves in being able to respond right away, Haddix said. We dont put people off. We want to do the kind of work that wed like done in our own homes.

MORE WINNERS: 2016 Midland Daily News Readers' Choice Awards

When a natural disaster or unexpected situation occurs, Haddix said his employees often work day and night to help community members get their services fixed.

Midland has had some terrible floods, and our men worked night and day during those times, Haddix said. Gas line issues, power outages, water leaks, heating boilers quit. ... Or if there is a nursing home and, all of a sudden, that nursing home loses heat? You have to get that heat back on and respond quickly.

Haddix leads Reliable Plumbing and Heating with a Golden Rule mentality.

We want to do the kind of work that wed like done in our own homes, he said. Clean hands, clean work and treat people like we would want to be treated.

Haddix, who grew up in Midland and graduated from Midland High School, said he plans on keeping the business in the family.

My son (Christopher Haddix) will probably take over the business soon, Haddix said. So it will be a three-generation business.

Haddix said plumbing, heating and cooling are services that meet basic needs for all people.

Everybody needs us, Haddix said. It doesnt make any difference whether youre wealthy or your funds are limited. Everyone needs clean water and sanitation. Everybody in Michigan needs heating and cooling.

He said this need is one of the reasons that the plumbing, heating and cooling business is satisfying.

Its very satisfying because our services are very much appreciated by our customers, Haddix said. These (services) are necessities. These arent just conveniences. We take care of really basic necessities for people and that is always satisfying.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department.

Monday, Sept. 5

12:07 a.m.  A Saginaw man, 32, was arrested in Porter Township for driving while his license was suspended.

2:53 a.m.  Deputies responded to an Edenville Township home for a report of a loud party with underage drinking, and found teens being loud while playing a card game. They were not consuming alcohol.

4:23 a.m.  A Flint man, 29, was arrested in Lee Township for driving without a license after he was stopped for speeding. He was cited for driving without insurance.

5:50 a.m.  A caller initially reported being stuck on state land in Edenville Township but refused help after finding his way out. The subject had warrants for his arrest.

7 a.m.  Property was stolen from a vehicle parked in the 100 block of East Allen Street.

11:38 a.m.  Property in the 3600 block of Sweetbrier Terrace was damaged.

2:47 p.m.  Officers investigated a traffic offense at Hemlock and Beech streets.

3:28 p.m.  A motorist was arrested for drunken driving after a property damage accident at U.S. 10 and Ashman Street.

6:42 p.m.  A Burton man, 58, was arrested in Lee Township for driving on a suspended license and on a civil warrant.

7:35 p.m.  A Larkin Township woman, 62, reported a scam. She lost $1,200 in the incident.

8:35 p.m.  A deputy responded to Hope Township for a be-on-the-lookout report of a driver who drove away from a tow company as workers attempted to repossess her vehicle. The repossession was later completed at the womans home.

10:24 p.m.  Police assisted the sheriffs office with a tracking dog search at eastbound U.S. 10 and Meridian Road.

10:58 p.m.  A Mount Pleasant woman, 20, was arrested in Jasper Township for driving on a suspended license and giving false information to police after she was stopped for an equipment violation. Her passenger, an 18-year-old Mount Pleasant woman, was arrested on a warrant.

11:52 p.m.  A Waterford man, 32, was arrested in Lincoln Township for drug possession, driving on a suspended license and a probation violation. He was cited for driving an improperly registered vehicle.

Sunday, Sept. 4

12:04 a.m.  Deputies were sent to a report of a loud party in Mills Township.

1:34 a.m.  A Freeland man, 27, was arrested for drunken driving in Homer Township after a deputy responded to a be-on-the-lookout report of a motorcycle that was being driven erratically.

3 a.m.  A beer can was thrown at a newspaper delivery vehicle as the driver was making deliveries. The vehicle was not damaged and the suspect was not located.

3:29 a.m.  A Midland man, 22, was arrested in Lincoln Township for driving on a suspended license.

11:26 a.m.  A Mount Haley Township homes mailbox was damaged when it was struck by a vehicle. The replacement cost is $60.

12:14 p.m.  A Lee Township home that had been condemned was broken into. Nothing was stolen, and estimated damage is set at $5 to a latch that was used to secure the entry door. There are no suspects.

3:45 p.m.  A $50 trash bin was reported stolen from a Jerome Township home.

8:29 p.m.  A deputy was sent to Hope Township for a report of quads being driven on a roadway. The owner was spoken with about proper use of the vehicles.

8:35 p.m.  Police investigated a hit and run traffic accident in the 2000 block of North Saginaw Road.

8:45 p.m.  A deputy responded to an accident involving two watercraft in Jerome Township. There were no injuries.

9:09 p.m.  A deputy was sent to a report of a possibly dangerous fire in Hope Township, and found a Lincoln Township fireman had already visited the home and resolved the problem.

9:57 p.m.  Deputies were sent to a Homer Township residence for a loud party and possible illegal drug use. There was no drug use and a resident apologized for loud music and arguing.

10:57 p.m.  A motorist was arrested at Avalon Street and Swede Avenue for drunken driving.

Saturday, Sept. 3

4:43 a.m.  A St. Charles woman, 35, was arrested in Larkin Township for drunken driving after deputies responded to a report of a woman screaming for help. It was found the woman wouldnt leave a home she was not invited to, and she resisted deputies when she was placed under arrest.

12:37 p.m.  Deputies responded to an assault in Mills Township. The victim did not want to press charges.

1:06 p.m.  Deputies were sent to a missing person report in Lee Township, and found the 86-year-old man who normally walks one mile, a total of six times throughout the day, decided to walk all six miles at once without telling anyone. He was found safe and unharmed.

5:22 p.m.  Two females, ages 16 and 34, reported a vehicle drove too close to them as they were walking along an Edenville Township roadway. Contact was made with the driver and passenger, who denied the report.

6:41 p.m.  A Hope Township man, 54, was arrested for second-offense drunken driving and high blood alcohol content after a crash in Hope Township. A report requesting a charge of leaving the scene of a property damage accident is being sent to the prosecutor.

7:35 p.m.  Deputies were sent to a Mills Township home for a possible breaking and entering in progress, and found a male who was allowed into the home by the residents daughter. A report is being sent to the prosecutor for possible charges.

8:21 p.m.  A Mills Township man, 20, was arrested in Mills Township for driving on a suspended license after he was stopped for an expired plate. He was warned for the expired registration.

9:08 p.m.  A deputy checked a Midland County home for a vehicle involved in a hit and run crash in Mount Pleasant. The vehicle was not found.

10:28 p.m.  A deputy was sent to Lincoln Township for a car/deer accident, and found the deer had a fresh arrow in it. The DNR was advised of the poaching information.

Friday, Sept. 2

11:49 a.m.  A Homer Township man, 24, reported someone tried to pour sugar in the gas tank of his motorcycle. There are no suspects.

12:32 p.m.  A deputy investigated a sex offender registry violation in Edenville Township. A report was forwarded to the prosecutor.

1:31 p.m.  A Lee Township homes garage was broken into and tools, valued at a total of $900, were stolen. There are no suspects.

3:22 p.m.  An Edenville Township homes garage was struck by a tree that was cut down by neighbors. The garage sustained minor damage.

8:06 p.m.  A woman walking in Edenville Township reported finding someone living in a tent in the woods on state land. The DNR was notified.

9:18 p.m.  A Village of Sanford man, 52, was arrested there for driving on a suspended license.

9:59 p.m.  A deputy assisted an agency in Iowa by contacting a Larkin Township man, 24, who was making threats over an online game. No charges are being sought.

10:51 p.m.  A deputy was sent to a report of a 15-year-old Midland girl damaging the lawn of a Mills Township home by driving on it. The owner didnt want the girl in trouble, but wanted to prevent future incidents.
A Facebook post asking about school supplies for low income families led to the gifting of backpacks full of supplies to 15 Midland County Probate Court foster kids.

The kids were at the Midland Law Enforcement Center on Wednesday morning to meet with Sheriff Scott Stephenson and the Midland County Sheriffs Office Community Awareness Team, which used grant money to buy the snazzy Under Armour backpacks and filled them with folders, notebooks, pens, pencils and more.

Stephenson told the group of teens that the backpacks are to help get them started on a good school year. We have some great backpacks for you, he said.

Good luck guys. If it wasnt for this group of individuals, we wouldnt be here today, he said, after pointing to the community awareness team, led by President Amanda Oster.

Oster said she saw the Facebook post, made by a court official, and decided to help out. In addition to purchasing the backpacks, giving them to the students provided an opportunity for positive interaction with law enforcement.

Each teen was allowed to choose their own backpack from the grouping of all different colors, and they hung out for a few minutes looking inside, then smiling as they slung the packs on.

Diana LaRue, treatment supervisor for the Midland County Juvenile Care Centers Day Treatment Program, said the kids will be returning to public schools all over the county, from Coleman to Midland and H. H. Dow High, after attending day treatment.

I made them all set school goals before we came, she said. Later, she polled some of the kids on their goals  to stay off the homework board, to be on the All A honor roll, to earn nothing lower than a C+.

The mission of the team is to identify issues in the community that need awareness and support.

I feel fortunate that we live in a community that has organizations like the MCSO Community Awareness Team so we are able to give to those in need, Stephenson said.
The Horrific Hillary Clinton Presidency, As Imagined by Conservative Author Bryce Slattery

By Brian Byrd | Politics | September 7, 2016 |

The following passage is excerpted from Bryce Slatterys upcoming book This Woman Adores Treason: An Unfiltered Look at the Hillary Clinton Presidency published by Cuckfest Press. Slattery is the author of several No. 1 bestsellers, including These Coloreds are Literally Subhuman Trash: How Obama Has Ruined Race Relations in America. Reprinted with permission.

[INT: White House Situation Room]  President Hillary Clinton is surrounded by her cabinet of Clinton Foundation donors, a mix of middle-eastern dictators and grossly unqualified women who, like most women, only got the job because they have a vagina.The rooms numerous video screens show troops movements in North Korea and the South China Sea. An exhausted Clinton sits at the head of the table awaiting a briefing from the Joint Chiefs.]

Hillary: The top-secret classified email you sent to my Hotmail account indicated this was important, General. You pulled me out of a strategy session with ISIS leadership for this. We were about to close a deal to sell them nuclear weapons at below market value, and now I have to trust that Humas husband wont burst in at the last minute and stick his dick in Ahmeds ear. This better be important.

General McBuzzcut: It is, maam. The

Hillary: Maam? Fucking maam?! My gender isnt relevant here. Ive already put hundreds of thousands of white men in camps. Dont think I wont send you to Dudechau just because you work here.

General McBuzzcut: My apologies. President Clinton, as you can see on the screens, the North Koreans have mobilized troops all along the DMZ. Were talking serious quantities. At least 100,000. Also, the Chinese just launched two CV-17 aircraft carriers into the Yellow Sea, each outfitted with a full squadron of Shenyang J-15 fighters. To further complicate matters, two Russian Akula-class nuclear subs in the South China Sea recently changed course. Theyre headed to Busan, President Clinton. Our experts dont believe theyre posturing this time. Pyongyang is going into South Korea, and they have China and Russia in their corner.

Hillary: Understood, General. Lets run this through in order of importance. Chelsea: do any of the players here donate to the Clinton Foundation?

Chelsea: They do. Kim-Jong Un gave us half a million in 2015, and we have strong relationships with several Chinese business interests, including the ones we leak classified information to.

Hillary: Good girl. OK, so were gonna have to give China and the Koreans a pass here. What about Russia?

Chelsea: Nothing on the books. Itll take me months to sift through the unreported cash payments but I think were clear.

Navy Secretary Allison Hazlet: Maamuh, I mean President Clinton.

Hillary: No, its OK, Allison. You can call me maam. Youre a woman, and women get special treatment in my administration.

Navy Secretary Hazlet: Of course, maam. I was just going to ask if you really think this is the best course of action? China and the North Koreans have more than enough firepower to take out Seoul even with Russia off the board. The South Koreans are a critical, long-standing ally in Asia. Allowing them to be destroyed would be catastrophic.

Hillary: Let me make something crystal clear to everyone in this room: I gave the South Koreans ample opportunity to demonstrate their loyalty in the form of seven-figure donations to my foundation. And they didnt give a dime. Their tight-fisted decision forced me to use taxpayer dollars and tap my personal accounts  money I earned by secretly telling Goldman Sachs how to bring down the U.S. economy  to fund the Firearm Confiscation and Redistribution Squads. Yes, prying guns from the hands of old white men and giving them to Chicago gangbangers has proved remarkably successful. But it has not been cheap.

Navy Secretary Hazlet: Im sorry, maam, I meant no disrespect.

Hillary: Intentions are moot, Allison. I didnt intend to kill dozens of people to advance my career. But I did. You questioned me. And questioning is disrespectful. Because if you question me, youre sexist. Fellow woman or not, Allison, I will toss you in front of a train like I did to Vince Foster if you ever disrespect me like this again. Do I make myself clear?

Navy Secretary Hazlet: Absolutely.

Hillary: So, what are your thoughts on my plan?

Navy Secretary Hazlet: In my expert opinion, maam, we should concentrate our military efforts on the two Russian submarines.

Hillary: I agree. What are our options?

Navy Secretary Hazlet: The USS Retribution is in the South China Sea armed with a 24 torpedoes.

Air Force Commander Anderson T. Chestful: We can also scramble the F-17s from the USS George H.W. Bush, which is closer. Much higher chance for success.

Hillary: Im not using planes from a Republican aircraft carrier, you jackass. I hate the military and dont care who gets killed as a result of my reckless decisions just as long as a woman gets to make those decisions. Allison, were going with Retribution.

Navy Secretary Hazlet: Very good, maam. Ill need you to read your authorization code aloud before proceeding.

Hillary: Bravo, Wilco, Charlie, One, Niner, Echo, Delta, Seven, Ro

[Clinton coughs]

Hillary: Roger, Alph

[Clinton coughs again. The room freezes.]

Navy Secretary Hazlet: Maam, are you OK?

Hillary: Im fine. Just have a frog in my thro



[Clinton collapses into her chair, wheezing and hacking. Her body shakes violently to the rhythms of her spasming diaphragm.]

General McBuzzcut: Sweet Lord. Someone get the Surgeon General, NOW!

Aide: We cant! Hes in California organizing the mandatory third-trimester abortion camps.



General McBuzzcut: THE PRESIDENT IS ON HER DEATHBED! BRING HIM HOME, NOW!!

Clinton [weakly]: No! His work is too important. He needs to stay and finish the job. This is my legacy. He must prevail.

Navy Secretary Hazlet: Is there anyone else on staff we can call?!

Aide: Dr. Ricola is on standby, maam.

General McBuzzcut: GET HIM IN HERE, NOW!



[The aide rushes over to the wall and moves a picture to the side to reveal a hidden safe. He frantically punches in a code and the safe door releases with an audible click. The aide reaches in and retrieves a 15-foot horn. He places the horn to his lips and blows.]



RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[The Situation Room doors fly open. Dr. Ricola, winded, addresses the group.]

Dr. Ricola: Whats happening here?

General McBuzzcut: The president is dying. Youre her only hope.

Dr. Ricola: What are the symptoms?

General McBuzzcut: She coughed.

[Dr. Ricola turns pale and slumps against the wall, defeated.]

Dr. Ricola: Jesus Christ. Youre all in danger. How could you call me in here without warning me first? Everyone in here should be wearing a class 4 hazmat suit. Weve signed our own death warrants.

General McBuzzcut: Theres no hope?

Dr. Ricola: Perhaps. I need to ask her a very important question.



[Dr. Ricola carefully approaches the frail figure seated at the head of the table. Clinton has lost 15 pounds in mere minutes, although she is still frumpy and overweight].

Dr. Ricola: President Clinton, can you hear me? Its Dr. Ricola. I need you to answer a question for me. Think carefully, because all our lives may depend on it. Ready.

Hillary: Get on with it, you quack.

Dr. Ricola: Did you by chance go to sleep at any time in the last 24 hours?



[Clinton says nothing for a long time, thinking deeply]

Hillary: Yes. Yes I did. Last night. I slept last night.

[Dr. Ricola crumples to the floor, weeping.]

Dr. Ricola: Shes doomed. Its worse than I thought. She has maybe 12 hours. The rest of us, 24. Tops. Tell my family I love them, and that my sacrifice will allow AbortionLand to open on schedule and fully funded by taxpayers.

[The doctor reaches into his satchel.]



Dr. Ricola: Maam, its been an honor.

[The gunshot echoes through the situation room. Dr. Ricola lies dead on the floor, blood leaking from the back of his skull.]

 Crazy Woman Believes Netflix's Generous Parental Leave Policy is 'Unfair to the Babies' | You May Have Missed the Greatest Inside Joke in 'Scrubs' History 
BLOOMINGTON  About 200 Unit 5 teachers rallied outside of the Illinois Education Association office in Bloomington prior to a negotiating session between the unions negotiating team and school administration officials Tuesday night.

We have been in about 56 hours of negotiations in the past few months, so we hope this gets settled soon, said Karl Goeke, the president of the Unit 5 Education Association.

Goeke said the unions contract expired on the opening day of the school year and teachers plan to work while negotiations continue.

This is just a show of solidarity, he said of the union members. There are seven people on the negotiating team and its important for the union members to show that they stand behind them. Its important for the negotiating team and the school board to know that these are people, too. When we are bargaining in the room, its not about the seven people in there doing the negotiating. Its about the 912 people they represent.

Superintendent Mark Daniel was among those negotiating on behalf of the school district.

"The bargaining committee has been working hard since March to make sure we arrive at an agreement that is fair and affordable," the bargaining team said in a statement released Tuesday night.

Goeke said negotiations started in March, but declined to discuss specifics of the negotiations.

We want a fair contract that represents the needs of the students, the expectations of the community, and the will of the bargaining unit, he said. While we recognize the district has constraints, we have to operate the best we can and we are committed to negotiating a compromise.

Goeke also said they would like to see changes for students as well.

We would like to see less testing for the students, he said. They are tested almost continuously. We are hoping to have smaller class sizes or at least some recognition if the class sizes are high. That causes extra work for the 912 people in the bargaining unit. Our working conditions are the students' learning conditions.
NORMAL  It wont be long before Portillos many anxious fans in the Twin Cities will know where the restaurant will be located.

We are narrowing down our options and hope to sign a lease very soon, company spokesman Nick Scarpino said via email. While there is not an exact timetable, the company hopes to make a decision as quickly as possible, so we can start building a restaurant, he said.

The Oak Brook-based chain, known for its Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, announced nearly four months ago it would open its first downstate location in Normal.

The decision follows years of lobbying by Portillos groupies; a Bring Portillos to Bloomington-Normal Illinois Facebook page started in 2013 has nearly 6,000 likes.

Scarpino said the restaurants siting requirements are a bit unique and include needing two acres for an 8,000- to 10,000-square-foot building with a double drive-thru lane.

He said there are hundreds of factors that are assessed in choosing a location, including such things as traffic counts, site access, daytime/nighttime populations, proximity to homes and businesses, and availability of real estate.

He said the restaurant is looking in Normal rather than Bloomington, but not because it favors one community over the other. Its just that weve seen some sites we like in Normal, he said.

Normal City Manager Mark Peterson said via email hes heard the company is still looking in the area. He has not had any direct conversations with Portillos and has only spoken with a third party firm that is helping in the search.

The company currently has more than 40 locations in Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Arizona, California and Wisconsin. Portillos also is considering locations in Champaign, Peoria and Springfield.
Directed by G. William Zorn, the 50-year-old French comedy Boeing-Boeing, flies out of its time zone and into Community Players.

The story takes place in the Paris apartment of 1960s swinger Bernard (Dave Krostal). The set (Chris Terven) charmingly evokes the mod 60s style, with giant polka dots and plenty of Howard Johnson-style turquoise and orange.

There are also seven (count em) doors into the living room.

Bernard, an American living in Paris, is carrying on with three air hostesses (as they were called back then). They are Gabriella (Bridgette Richard), the Brit; Gloria (Terri Whisenhunt), the American; and Gretchen (Cristen Monson), the German.

Bernard is able to spend, uh, layovers with each of his mistresses thanks to his careful, geometric plotting of their flight schedules. (Remember, this is set in a time when flights often ran on time.)

Bernard gets help from his grumpy housekeeper Bertha (Jen Hilbish Schuetz), who has a lot of differing palates to keep in mind when fixing dinner.

Everything sails along without turbulence until, of course, it doesnt.

Bernards boyhood friend Robert (Josh McCauley) arrives unexpectedly and hes full of straight-outa-Wisconsin innocence. Robert witnesses and then tries in vain to prevent the unraveling of Bernards tidy love nest.

Boeing has just introduced a faster jet that causes Bernards careful scheduling to implode.

Its a pretty safe bet that in a comedy where seven doors open into one living room theres going to be a lot of split-second coming and going and a bunch of door slamming.

Its also a pretty safe bet that by the end everything will get resolved, but its a mystery just how that could happen.

Josh McCauley delivers a terrific and nuanced performance as Robert. He manages to go from total nerd to near-swinger and hes hilarious all the way.

Cristen Monson is wonderful as hearty, backslapping, hard-kissing Gretchen. She lights up the stage.

And Jen Hilbish Schuetz plays Bertha the French maid with a Long Island accent (go figure but it works) and has hilariously droll expressions, lines that drip with vinegar and some really funny physical comedy.
An Indiana school district has proposed doing away with choosing a valedictorian for graduation. The Greater Clark County School Board, which is based in Jefferson, Indiana, is looking into scrapping the system as it only fosters "unhealthy competition" among students in high school. Instead of honoring one student with the highest achievement as Class Valedictorian, the Greater Clark County school district might set a new system that will recognize more honor students.

Specifically, the proposal calls for honoring the top 10 percent of the graduating class. In some high schools with a big population of students, this could mean that 50 graduates will get their honorable recognition.

"We've got all of these great students that work very hard, and become very distinguished in their academic career and we want to be able to recognize more of those students at the end of a given year," said superintendent Andrew Melin via WHAS11. He stressed that the top 10 percent aren't usually recognized during graduations, when they deserve to be acknowledged for working hard on their grades during the four years of high school.

A valedictory system also promotes unhealthy competition because there are students who focus more on getting the top honors instead of feeding their interest. Some kids apparently pick out easy classes so they can earn high grades without sweating about it, and without actually learning anything valuable, Fox News reported.

Nonetheless, there are some who oppose the proposal, including Clinton Riggle who is vying for Valedictorian at his high school, reports The Blaze. Riggle justified that the valedictory system is supposed to encourage students to "set the bar" and he sees the recognition of the top 10 percent as a handout. WDRB reports that there are also parents who want to retain the tradition of naming a Class Valedictorian because of concerns that scrapping the system could send the wrong message to the students about working hard.

The Greater Clark County school district is still deliberating the matter. If approved, however, then the new system will be introduced to the incoming freshmen class who will graduate in 2020.

Parents, what can you say about this proposal? Would you want the same system for you children's school? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Marco Rubio is being criticized by a prominent abortion rights group for his anti-abortion views on women infected with the Zika virus. NARAL Pro-Choice America claimed that the senator from Florida is prioritizing his own agenda ahead of the health and safety of women and families.

Rubio said in August that it's "difficult" to decide whether women with Zika should be allowed to have an abortion but when it all comes down to it, the senator said that he would "err on the side of life," Politico reported. Rubio is anti-abortion in all instances even in incest and rape and has voted in 2015 for an abortion ban for women reaching the 20th week of their pregnancy.

Rubio stressed that he is "strongly pro-life" and that all human life "should be protected by our law, irrespective of the circumstances or condition of that life," Politico further reported. NARAL Pro-Choice America, a non-profit organization in the United States that opposes restrictions on abortion and expands women's access to it, is spending $175,000 for a TV ad that directly criticizes Rubio's anti-abortion stance.

Watch the ad below that is being aired in Orlando and West Palm Beach in Florida.

This is not the first time that NARAL attacked Rubio's anti-abortion views. They also released an ad targeting the senator's stance in June. Another NARAL ad accused anti-choice Republicans for inserting political play into the Zika funding issue.

Olivia Perez-Cubas, a spokeswoman for Rubio, said that the Republican senator has supported President Barack Obama's funding request to combat Zika and other Zika proposals that have reached the GOP-majority Senate. Despite this, the Senate hasn't approved new emergency spending to fight the Zika virus' spread.

Democrats in the Senate are trying to block a $1.1 billion measure that was already approved by the House, though it is lower than Obama's requested $1.9 billion. Rubio has voted for that bill that restricts women's health care funding. NARAL said Rubio voting for that bill is a sign that he is "putting his agenda ahead of the health and safety of women and families."

Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer blamed the Republicans in the Senate for the lack of a Zika funding bill. He warned that children born with the virus' complications such as microcephaly, hearing loss, eye damage, and developmental delays would incur a healthcare cost of around $10 million each, the Washington Examiner reported.

The Zika virus outbreak has already reached the U.S., with Florida currently having 577 people who got infected with Zika while traveling abroad, USA Today reported. There are 40 local Zika transmission cases over the past month as well.
Everyday, minorities are discriminated in schools; everyday, Muslim and Jewish students suffer from racism. While this has long been a problem, receiving a death threat is a different story altogether. In a high school at South Carolina, the safety of Jewish and Muslim students were threatened online and caught the attention of authorities.

In a series of Facebook posts, Jewish and Muslim students of Byrnes High School were threatened to be attacked on Tuesday this week. GoUpstate.com reports that the said Facebook posts used violent language with images of a person in a gas mask, Nazi medals and a knife with the swastika symbol.

For security measures, deputies patrolled district schools in South Carolina over the holiday weekend. They were also on guard come Tuesday to ensure the safety of all students including the Muslim and Jewish schoolgoers. No incidents, however, were reported.

The Spartanburg Country Sheriff Office is still unsure as to who made the threats. Initial leads point to a 24-year-old suspect who lives in Rapid City, S.D., but after the investigation, they have located that the Facebook posts came from someone living outside the United States, as per the ABC News.

Because of this, the issue has been turned over to the FBI's terrorism task force. Even then, Lt. Kevin Bobo of Spartanburg County suspects that the threats are not credible.

Byrnes High School is one of the largest South Carolina high schools. It caters to about 2,300 students (via ABC News).

According to The Wall Street Journal, law enforcement for people who make online threats remain murky and unsettled. Recently though, there has been an increase on such arrests after murders of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La, happened.

Do you find social media threats such as the Facebook posts described above as discriminatory or alarming? Why? Why not? Voice out your thoughts in the Comments section and follow the Parent Herald for more news and updates.


Pediatricians have laid down their final verdict on the FluMist nasal spray vaccine. Experts recommended against using the needle-free and child-friendly FluMist in children this year and advised the public to use the more effective flu shots instead.

Dr. Henry Bernstein from Cohen's Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, said that flu shots "provided significantly better protection" for children in recent flu seasons than the nasal spray vaccine, adding that flu shots are the "best preventative measure" against influenza, the NBC News reported. Bernstein is one of the doctors who penned a statement on the American Pharmacists' Association's recommendations for prevention and control of influenza in children for the 2016-17 flu season. Everyone six months or older should get vaccinated by October.

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, recommended against AstraZeneca's FluMist vaccine in June, with infectious disease specialist Dr. William Schaffner saying that the nasal spray performed poorly in protecting people against viruses, the Parent Herald previously recounted. The FluMist vaccine was also unsuccessful against the most common flu strains during the past three flu seasons.

Plenty of children would be disappointed over pediatricians' new verdict for vaccines. Receiving a spray in the nose is obviously less painful and traumatic than getting your arm pricked by a big needle.

Distribution companies are not anymore offering the FluMist vaccine to pharmacies or clinics. Clinics are not ordering the nasal spray as well or are canceling their orders. The FluMist nasal spray vaccine uses a live weakened influenza virus that stimulates the immune system.

Flu vaccines undergo reformulation and remake annually to catch up with the circulating flu viruses. According to Bernstein, the influenza virus is "totally unpredictable" and experts are unsure which of the multiple influenza virus strains will predominate "from one season to next" and which of those will be more prevalent in certain communities, the NBC News further relayed.

Flu vaccines usually contain three different influenza viruses, but that increased to four in recent years, according to the Chicago Tribune. It's likely that FluMist's four strains caused the vaccine to become ineffective, with the extra strain lowering the body's response to another strain, said Dr. Joseph Bresee, a flu expert at the CDC.

Dr. Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician in Atlanta, said doctors employ various tricks when administering flu shots to children terrified of them. Those tricks include cold packs, numbing creams, and toy distractions, while parents bribe their kids with sweets after the procedure. There are 3,300 to 49,000 fatalities annually due to the flu, according to the CDC.
Human Papilloma Virus vaccines have been around for nearly a decade, helping prevent different types of cancers in children. The number of parents, however, who refuse to have their kids vaccinated continues to increase at an alarming rate.

Human Papilloma Virus vaccines, or HPV vaccines, have helped prevent HPV caused cancers such as cervical, tongue, anal, and throat cancer from developing in young children. Despite the efforts of local health communities, though, parents are still ignoring vaccination for their young ones.

Even with the benefits of the said vaccine, a recent survey from the Pediatrics Journal has shown that the number of parents over the years who have refused vaccination has increased, due to their primary belief that immunization from HPV is unnecessary. This is in fact, a misconception, as abstinence from HPV vaccinations has been one of the leading causes for HPV triggered cancers in the US, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the CDC, HPV vaccination is strongly recommended for young children aged 11-12. Regardless of this, a low percentage of only 28 percent is shown for boys aged 13-17 who have been fully vaccinated. Only 50 percent have received one-time vaccination, in the vaccine's three-dose course.

The Human Papilloma Virus is the single most sexually transmitted virus in the United States, according to the CDC, and since it is only carried by humans, the problem can be eradicated if only people will get vaccinated, especially at an early age. Ian Frazer, the chief executive of the Translational Research Institute, says that if only people will get vaccinated, we would be able to fully eliminate the virus, since humans are the only hosts and can only be transmitted by humans as well.

Currently, Rhode Island has made it mandatory for children in the seventh grade to receive the HPV vaccinations, in an attempt to minimize the number of children at risk of getting the diseases caused by the virus.
JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers, "The Bachelorette" 2016 couple has reportedly called it quits just months after being engaged. A recent report suggests that Fletcher has finally discovered about her fiance's infidelity despite the fact that she trusted and believed him.

"The Bachelorette" 2016 JoJo Fletcher and Season 12 winner Jordan Rodgers are reportedly no longer engaged just months after accepting Rodgers' proposal at the final rose ceremony. According to Celeb Dirty Laundry, Fletcher finally learned that the cheating rumors about her fiance were true.

Even before "The Bachelorette" 2016 final rose ceremony aired, there were already many reports about Rodgers' infidelity. His ex-girlfriend even dissed him on social media and revealed that the former player cheated on her.

Back then, Fletcher dismissed the said rumors and had faith on "The Bachelorette" 2016 winner. As Hollywood Life notes, Fletcher decided to stand by her fiance despite the issues that are coming out about her partner.

However, it looks like Fletcher discovered something about Rodgers after being with him following "The Bachelorette" Season 12 finale. Fletcher allegedly felt betrayed that Rodgers lied to her about cheating on his ex-girlfriend only to discover later on that the cheating allegations were true.

Fletcher has reportedly had enough of the lies and decided to kick Rodgers out of their house. While Rodgers is still in Dallas, an insider told the aforementioned publication that he and Fletcher are no longer living under the same roof.

Rodgers is allegedly still trying to convince Fletcher that the rumors about him were not true. "The Bachelorette" 2016 winner is so keen on receiving forgiveness from his fiance that he tried to win her over with jewelry and dinner in posh restaurants.

Do you think JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers from "The Bachelorette" 2016 have broken up? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!


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I didnt really finish my entries from Norway, because I ran into both time constraints and, out in the countryside, limited internet access.

But I did want to record what always thrills me most about my trips to Norway, when I can get to it. (Ive now been there five times, I think.)

This was my fourth visit to the area of Jlster (or Jlstravatnet), where my grandmother grew up. She left at the age of eighteen for America, and never saw her parents again. The area is beautiful, and I love to see it for that reason alone. But it also affects me profoundly.

Theres a really quite good gift and souvenir shop in the village of Skei, and weve had remarkable experiences every time weve visited it.

This time, we got into a conversation with the shops owner, and he soon showed me a book of local history that mentioned my grandmother and all of her siblings, indicating those who had emigrated to the United States while the farm, Sgnesand, remained in the hands of her eldest brother. Then he introduced us to the man who owns the farm, Lunde, thats nearest to Sgnesand out on the Kjsnesfjord. We had a great conversation about farming and fishing on the lake. Family members of the man from Lunde had emigrated to the very same area in North Dakota, near Devils Lake, to which my grandmother eventually found her way.

Visiting Jlstravatnet, Kjsnesfjorden, and Sgnesand is a deeply spiritual experience for me. I barely remember my grandmother. She died when I was just five, but I think I can still hear her voice in my mind. When I visit the place in which she spent her first eighteen years, Im invariably moved more than I can express.
Nalanda: In a setback to the Janata Dal  U leaders and supporters, a court in Biharsharif allowed the bail of Excise Inspector Deepak Kumar who was arrested shortly after arresting a JD-U leader following recovery of 168 bottles of liquor from his home during a raid last week.

The court also granted bail to one Suvindra Kumar Singh who had tipped off the inspector of the JD-U leader in possession of large stock of alcohol in violation of the strict prohibition law earlier promulgated by the Nitish cabinet.

The bail appeal of JD-U leader Indrajeet Sen, however, was denied by the court.

Taking strong exception to the allegations leveled against the Excise Inspector that he somehow managed to sneak into the house of the JD-U leader in Harnaut without and planted several crates of liquor without being noticed or caught; Excise Chief Secretary K. K. Pathak said that he did not believe the report of the Nalanda District Magistrate on the basis of which Deepak Kumar was arrested.

Pathak, in a letter written to the Excise Superintendent of Nalanda, directed him to lead the investigation and let the case go to the court that would ultimately decide whether the JD-U leader was falsely implicated in the case or he got what he deserved.

The case is being seen as the first real test of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's signature policy that promised 'Talibani' treatment to anyone who was found flouting the new prohibition laws. Not only the administration failed to arrest any other adult members of the family as promised by the Chief Minister, now party spokespersons and leaders are crying foul claiming the JD-U leader was the victim of a conspiracy hatched by his political opponents in Nalanda district.

The Chief Minister, who is very vocal when it comes to defending and justifying his prohibition policy, has so far refused to make a public statement on the incident.
Iran's Zarif Accuses Saudi Authorities Of 'Bigoted Extremism'

09/07/16

Source: RFE/RL

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has accused Saudi authorities of "bigoted extremism" in a war of words over Iran's exclusion from this year's hajj pilgrimage. "Indeed, no resemblance between Islam of Iranians and most Muslims, and bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric and Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif tweeted late on September 6.



Indeed; no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach.  Javad Zarif (@JZarif) September 6, 2016

The comments came after Saudi Arabia's top cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, said Iranians -- who are predominantly Shi'a -- were "not Muslims."

The Saudi cleric was himself responding to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's criticism of the Sunni-ruled kingdom's management of the Islamic holy sites of Mecca and Medina.

Iran says it is not sending any pilgrims on this year's hajj beginning September 10 after talks with Saudi officials about security failed.

At least 2,297 pilgrims were killed in a stampede at the pilgrimage in 2015, with Iranians making up the bulk of the victims.

With reporting by AFP



Saudi Arabia's Top Cleric Says Iranians 'Not Muslims'

Source: RFE/RL

Saudi Arabia's top cleric said Iranians are "not Muslims" in response to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's criticism of the Saudis' handling of the hajj pilgrimage.



The Mission and the Kingdom: Wahhabi Power Behind the Saudi Throne

by David Commins - November 2016 (order from amazon)





Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh told the daily Makkah newspaper on September 6 that Iranians are descendants of Mujaws, a reference to Zoroastrians and others who worship fire.

He added that Iranians' "hostility towards Muslims," particularly Sunnis, "is an old" thing.

Iranians are predominantly Shi'a Muslim.

Sheikh's comments come one day after Khamenei said Saudi Arabia's management of the Islamic holy sites of Mecca and Medina should be challenged by the Muslim world.

The heated words between the two Mideast rivals come just a few days before the September 10 beginning of the hajj.

Khamenei wrote on his website that "Saudi rulers" had shown "oppressive behavior" toward hajj pilgrims and because of that should reconsider who manages Mecca and Medina.

Based on reporting by AFP and AP

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
Acid victim accuses producer of the film "Lanturi" of plagiarism

09/07/16

Source: Tehran Times

TEHRAN - Amaneh Bahrami, an Iranian woman who was disfigured in an acid attack by a man she refused to marry, has accused the producer of the acclaimed drama "Lanturi" of plagiarism. Bahrami has recently appeared in Tehran court and has filed a lawsuit against Reza Dormishian, the Persian daily Sharq announced in its Tuesday edition.



"Lanturi"



Bahrami has said, "I signed an agreement in 2010 with Hollywood to make a film on my life, but on the condition that I would not forgive the convict. I forgave him and this broke the agreement.

"Two years later a German company, which has requested anonymity, planned to make a film on my life, but later they claimed that 'Lanturi', screened at the Berlin Film Festival in 2016, had already portrayed part of my hard life, and as a result, they see no reason to make a film on my personal life," she added.

Dormishian denied Bahrami's claims in a letter published by the Persian service of ILNA on Tuesday.

"Following the recent remarks carried out by Amaneh Bahrami, I feel sympathy for her as one of the hundreds of the victims, and I am ready to attend any court and answer any questions in order to resolve the problems that led to these misunderstandings," Dormishian wrote.

"I made 'Lanturi', as I did my previous films, based on my social commitments and beliefs, and these kinds of accusations made against the movie are unfair," he added.

"Due to the great respect I feel toward Ms. Bahrami, who is one of the victims of acid attacks, I would prefer to remain silent and say no more," he concluded







The story of the victims of acid attacks in Iran are almost identical to one another, they are victims of jealousy or a madness which the convict calls love, the report says.

Bahrami is one of the victims who lost her eyes and her beauty, but she never gave up and struggled to continue her life with great efforts, the report added.

She is the only victim who could get financial support from different presidents of the country.

In addition, she is the first victim who won lex talionis - the law, applicable in Iran, of 'an eye for an eye', however she chose to forgive.

"Lanturi" is about a lower class young man who falls in love with a beautiful, upper class young woman. But after the woman refuses to marry the man, he pours acid over her in a vicious act of revenge.

Navid Mohammadzadeh, Baran Kowsari and Maryam Palizban star in the film.

Photo: Navid Mohammadzadeh (L) and Maryam Palizban act in a scene from "Lanturi".
T20 World Cup 2022 Points Table Update: New Zealand Consolidate Position at Top in Group 1 Standings

Virat Kohli's Innings Against Pakistan Legitimised T20 Cricket as an Art Form: Greg Chappell

T20 World Cup: 'It is People's Job to Talk, So They Will Talk' - Haris Rauf on Pakistan Team's Critics

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Highlights T20 World Cup 2022: Ton-up Phillips, Lightening Boult Guide NZ to 65-run Win
Iranian Minister Says Tehran Backs OPEC Moves Toward Stability

09/07/16

Source: RFE/RL

Iran's oil minister says Tehran would support any decision by OPEC that would add stability to the international oil market. Bijan Namdar Zangeneh made his comments on September 6 after talks in Tehran with OPEC head Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Iranian state TV reported.



Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh



Zangeneh said most members of OPEC want the price of crude oil to be between $50 and $60 per barrel.

"This price makes production of oil by OPEC members profitable, economical, and useful, while preventing the rivals from raising their output," he said.

Iran has thus far refused calls by some OPEC members and Russia for a freeze on oil production.

Iranian officials have said Tehran would take part in talks on a possible production freeze after it reaches a 4 million barrel per day output, which it expects to reach in April 2017.

Iran used to produce some 4.2 million barrels of oil per day in the late 2000s, before international sanctions over its controversial nuclear program were imposed.

Most of those oil-related sanctions were removed in January.

Iran currently products some 3.6 million barrels of oil per day.

Based on reporting by AP and ft.com



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
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August was a slow month for tech news, but Microsoft continued to update its Azure cloud platform with a variety of new features, including a new type of instance for high-performance computing. Heres the breakdown of all the features you need to know about:

A new instance type powered by Nvidia Tesla GPUs

Microsoft announced the private beta of a set of new compute instance types to power applications that need a lot of parallel processing. The new N-series virtual machines are powered by Nvidias Tesla GPUs and built for high-performance computing.

The VMs come in two types, called the NC and NV series.

The NC-series instances are built for compute-focused workloads using CUDA or OpenCL. Theyre powered by Nvidia Tesla K80 GPUs, with the most powerful instance getting 24 processor cores, 4 GPUs, 224GB of RAM and 1.44TB of solid-state storage.

NV-series instances are built for graphics-intensive visualization workloads like encoding and rendering. Theyre powered by Nvidia Tesla M60 GPUs.

All that power comes at a price. Even with a preview discount, the most powerful N-series VMs are the priciest instance type Microsoft offers in its South Central US region, which is the only one that has them available during the beta.

Azure Stacks 2nd tech preview starts rolling out

Microsoft announced that its starting to roll out the second technical preview of its Azure Stack private cloud software to a hand-picked set of users, with a public beta of that version of the software coming later this year. Its hot on the heels of the companys announcement in July that Azure Stack will only run on certain converged hardware, not a broad swath of servers.

The company also put out a video (embedded below) that explains some of the thinking behind that decision.

During Microsofts Ignite conference in Atlanta, the company will be showing off some of the new hardware that will run Azure Stack, which is being built by partners Lenovo, Dell and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

PowerShell goes open source, lands on Linux and Mac OS X

While this isnt strictly speaking Azure news, one of Microsofts biggest cloud-focused announcements in the past month was that its PowerShell scripting tool is going open source and cross-platform. That means PowerShell experts on Windows can take their skills to Linux, and Linux users have a new tool to manage computers or VMs that also works with Microsoft operating systems.

In the future, Microsoft plans to make it possible to remotely manage both Linux and Windows computers using PowerShell, meaning it would be possible to control a homogeneous fleet of cloud instances using Microsofts scripting language.

Azure Backup gets alerting and monitoring

Microsoft launched a public beta of a feature that lets users see a single dashboard of all the Azure Backup jobs they have from on-premises machines and Azure virtual machines. Users can filter jobs based on job type, what type of machine theyre coming from, the status of the job and the jobs start and end times.

Users can also get alerts from all the backup jobs they have set up. That means theyll be able to see when things are going wrong and get emails about incidents that they may need to worry about.

Its all aimed at making it easier for administrators to monitor the health and progress of the backups they oversee.

Thats a wrap for this month, folks, but stay tuned  Microsoft Ignite is just a few weeks away, and the company is sure to have a bunch of Azure news there.
The U.S. Department of Defense must pump up its cyber capabilities, including its offense, as part of a huge planned expansion of the military, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Wednesday.

Trump, repeatedly criticized in the IT community for a lack of a tech policy agenda, called for new investments in cybersecurity during a speech focused on military programs. The businessman didnt put a dollar figure on the new cybersecurity investments but mentioned them as part of a proposed multibillion-dollar expansion of the U.S. military.

Trump will ask military leaders and federal agencies to conduct a thorough review of United States cyber defenses and identify all vulnerabilities  in our power grid, our communications systems, and all vital infrastructure, he said during a speech in Philadelphia. We will invest heavily in offensive cyber capabilities to disrupt our enemies, including terrorists who rely heavily on internet communications.

Under Trump, the U.S. will make it a priority to develop both defensive and offensive cyber capabilities at U.S. Cyber Command, he said. U.S. cyber operations will recruit the best and brightest Americans, he added.

Trump also used the speech to repeat his criticism of rival Hillary Clintons decision to use a private email server while she served as secretary of state. Hillary Clinton has taught us all how vulnerable we are to cyber hacking, Trump said.

A recent FBI report said one email account on the Clinton server was hacked in 2013.

Investments in cybersecurity and in the military will create new jobs and the technologies of tomorrow, Trump said. America must be the worlds dominant technological powerhouse of the 21st century, and young Americans  including in our inner cities  should get these new jobs.

Trumps military plan includes spending money on more than 70 new ships and more than 70 new fighter aircraft, plus expanding the U.S. fighting force by 50,000 people, or about 10 percent. He didnt talk about how he would pay for that expansion.

While many members of the U.S. tech community have questioned Trumps tech policy plans, Clinton has released a detailed tech policy agenda.
Google is now providing more information to website owners whose online properties are temporarily blocked as unsafe by its Safe Browsing technology as a way to help them fix the identified problems faster.

Google Safe Browsing is a technology used by Googles search engine, the Google Chrome browser, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Android to steer users away from websites that host malicious or deceptive content.

On the back-end, Google uses robots to scan the web and build a list of websites that host malware, harmful downloads, or deceptive ads and pages. Software developers can then plug into an API to integrate this list into their own applications.

The problem is that many websites hosting malware or bad ads dont do so intentionally but were hacked by attackers. The owners of those websites can ask Google to rescan their properties and have them removed from the Safe Browsing blacklist once the security problems have been corrected.

Unfortunately, the review process is not always straightforward, because some website owners might not completely understand the issues affecting their websites and often fail to completely clean the malicious content.

To help reduce the number of such cases, Google has now updated the information available in its Search Console service to provide clearer explanations about six types of security issues that could be detected on a website, the Google Safe Browsing Team said in a blog post Tuesday.

These explanations give webmasters more context and detail about what Safe Browsing found, the team said, We also offer tailored recommendations for each type of issue, including sample URLs that webmasters can check to identify the source of the issue, as well as specific remediation actions webmasters can take to resolve the issue.

Webmasters are encouraged to proactively register their websites in the Search Console even if those websites have never been affected by a security issue. This will save them time when something does happen because Google will send notifications through the service as soon as Safe Browsing detects a problem

Google estimates that more than a billion users are protected by its Safe Browsing technology, and more than 60 million of them encounter Safe Browsing warnings on a weekly basis. As of May, webmasters took around 60 days on average to clean their websites once they were notified of a compromise, according to Googles data. This is an improvement from a 90-day average response time in May 2015.
Bare metal buyers beware: PC makers have no obligation to offer you a machine without an OS, the European Unions highest court has ruled.

The case dates back to PC prehistory, a time when Vaio was still a Sony brand and Vista was the latest version of Windows.

It all began on Dec. 27, 2008, when Frenchman Vincent Deroo-Blanquart bought a Sony Vaio laptop with Windows Vista Home Premium and various software applications installed. Deroo-Blanquart refused to accept the Vista end-user license agreement (EULA) when he first turned the PC on, and on Dec. 30, asked Sony to refund the part of the computers 549 (then US$740) purchase price corresponding to the cost of the software.

You might not fancy your chances of getting such a refund in your local store, but in France in 2008, it would have been a reasonable, if unlikely, demand: Consumer law there forbids something called vente liee, or unfairly making the purchase of one product conditional on the purchase of another.

Back then, consumer groups and open-source supporters were pushing the governments Directorate General for Competition, Consumption, and Repression of Fraud to enforce this law and recognize that PCs and their operating systems were two separate products that consumers should have the right to buy separately, if they wished. The DGCCRF took no action.

Sony turned down Deroo-Blanquarts request in January 2009, and in April offered only to refund the full cost of the PC and take it back.

Deroo-Blanquart declined, and in February 2011, filed suit against Sony in the District Court of Asnieres, France, seeking a 450 refund of the retail cost of the pre-installed software, and 2500 in damages. In September 2012, the court dismissed his claims.

He appealed, and in November 2013, the Court of Appeal in Versailles, France, upheld the original judgment, holding that the sale of the PC and OS did not constitute unfair commercial tying.

Once again, he appealed, taking the case this time to the Court of Cassation, Frances highest court.

The Court of Cassation noted that the relevant French law fell under the EUs 2005 Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, and referred three questions of law to the Court of Justice of the EU.

It asked the CJEU whether the bundling of a PC with a pre-installed OS constituted a misleading unfair commercial practice in three cases: if the retailer provided information about the software but did not specify the cost of each individual component; if the manufacturer left the consumer no choice but to accept the software or cancel the sale, or if the consumer is unable to obtain a computer from the manufacturer without the software.

The CJEU ruled that its legal to bundle PCs with software without indicating their prices separately, and that offering consumers no choice but to buy the PC with the software is also legal, unless such a practice is contrary to the requirements of professional diligence and materially distorts or is likely to materially distort the economic behavior of the average consumer with regard to the product, a matter which is for the national court to determine by taking account of the specific circumstances of the case in the main proceedings.

Average consumers would not want to install their own OS, the court found following an analysis of the market concerned. The sale by Sony of computers with pre-installed software meets the expectations  of a significant proportion of consumers who prefer to purchase a computer already equipped and ready for immediate use, rather than to purchase a computer and software separately, it said in a discussion of the ruling.

Its analysis of the 2005 directive determined that vendors were obliged only to indicate the total price of a bundle, which would influence the consumers ultimate decision to buy, and not the price of each component of it.

While its still up to the Court of Cassation to take the final decision in the case, the ruling would appear to be bad news for the people behind the Racketiciel (Racketware) campaign opposing the enforced bundling of software.

They had identified a number of small PC manufacturers who offered optional operating systems, and some PC manufacturers, notably Asustek Computer and Fujitsu, who would pay a fixed sum in compensation if bundled software was refused. Five agreed to pay compensation only if PCs were returned to them so they could verify the refusal of the software EULA: Acer, Packard Bell, MSI, Samsung Electronics, and Toshiba.

They found no PC manufacturer willing to refund the cost of the software, however, as none would break down the cost of their bundles different components.

It remains to be seen whether the PC vendors that have paid compensation in the past will continue to respond to future refund requests in the wake of the CJEUs ruling.
For a very long time, Google has focused on building its own productivity software to serve everyone from consumers to massive enterprises, and then locking people into its core experience. That all changed on Wednesday.

The company announced that its partnering with Box to let users of the enterprise cloud storage and content services platform edit documents with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, but keep them stored inside Box.

Its a vast departure from the companys previous direction, which required people to store files edited with Docs inside Google Drive. Google said that the company is working on turning its Docs productivity suite into an open platform, and is open to working with other storage providers in a similar way.

Google Drive will still remain the default storage system for Docs, Sheets and Slides, even as the company pushes its open platform strategy.

The move provides security advantages for shared users of Box and Google Docs. Administrators will be able to manage access to documents using the same Box management console that theyre used to, while still letting users work with the Docs suite.

Its also a boon for end users, who will be able to find documents from Googles productivity suite in the same cloud storage system where they keep other files.

In order to use Google Docs with Box, enterprise customers will need a paid Google Apps subscription. Consumers will be able to use Box as the storage service for Google Docs for free.

The move is emblematic of Googles heightened enterprise focus under the leadership of Diane Greene, the executive vice president of Google Cloud Enterprise. Greene has been instrumental in forging partnerships aimed at appealing to large businesses, something that Google hasnt always succeeded at.

Other recent moves have included an expanded partnership with Okta focused around providing enterprises with identity management services.

Google and Box will also work together on making Box content available in Google Springboard, an artificial intelligence-powered assistant thats aimed at giving employees the information they need from a variety of services, including Gmail, Google Calendar, and third-party services like Box.

The two companies havent said when the fruits of their partnership will actually appear. But the move means that both companies products could become more appealing  enterprises using Google Apps might be more likely to subscribe to Box, and vice versa.
As the Van Sant family of Menifee took a cruise to Hawaii last week, they had no way of knowing the missing Pomeranian they were fretting about was on an adventure of his own.

While the family sailed south, 7-year-old Brownie Bear headed north to Canada before making the journey back home.

Brian Van Sant and his daughter, Jackie, 12, were reunited with their pet Tuesday, Sept. 6, at the San Jacinto campus of Riverside County Animal Services.

They didnt know the extent of Brownie Bears adventure until they arrived at the shelter.

What a trip, Van Sant said. Im sure hell be excited to tell me about it.

Brownie Bear got out of the Van Sants yard at their Menifee Lakes home on Aug. 22, the day before the family left for their cruise.

I frantically put out fliers and sent out emails, Van Sant said. We thought somebody has got to find him.

Van Sant said he, Jackie and his wife Laverne would have rather stayed home looking for Brownie Bear, but the cruise was paid for and it was a bucket list trip for his ailing brother-in-law.

While we were on the cruise, my wife was hysterical, Van Sant said. She thought this member of the family was lost. Hes like family; hes such a good companion.

One of the fliers was seen by a construction worker, who remembered seeing the dog near the site at Newport and Menifee roads, a few blocks from Van Sants home, where a shopping center is being built.

By that time, Brownie Bear had been recovered by Joe Alcaraz, an animal control officer with Animal Friends of the Valleys, and brought to the San Jacinto shelter.

So the construction worker called the number on the flier, telling Van Sant to contact the animal shelter.

Still in Hawaii, Van Sant called Friday, Sept. 2, but Brownie Bears hold period had expired the day before and he had been adopted out to Big And Small Rescue Society, based out of Vancouver, Canada, and put on a transport north with other animals rescued from Southern California.

Candy Weil, the Riverside County Animal Services employee who took the call, contacted the rescue group, who sent the dog, who had been renamed Tomato, back home.

Animal services workers praised the efforts of Big And Small, who took legal possession of the dog.

They did not have to bring him back, said Joshua Sisler, manager of the San Jacinto campus.

During the reunion, Jackie couldnt stop hugging Brownie Bear.

It was scary, she said. We didnt know if he was OK. Im glad someone found him.

This is the best birthday present I could ask for, said Jackie, who turned 12 on Aug. 27.

Animal Services officials are using the reunion as a reminder to have pets microchipped. If Brownie Bear had a chip, he would not have been adopted out.

So besides leaving with a loving family, Brownie Bear left with a microchip Tuesday afternoon.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9086 or cshultz@scng.com
With wildfires breaking out all over Southern California this summer, and causing massive destruction in the Cajon Pass last month, there has to be something we can do about it.

Like crack down on arsonists, right?

Indeed, some blazes are intentionally set. And authorities Saturday arrested a registered arsonist in Devore who was sitting in a parked car packed with devices that could be used to light a fire, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department.

However, causes have yet to be determined for many of the recent fires, officials said. And overall, arson represents only a fraction of the problem.

Ninety-five percent of all fires are human caused, said Liz Brown, a spokeswoman for CalFire in San Bernardino, in a recent telephone interview.

But only about 5 percent of those blazes are deliberately set, Brown said. Most are started by accident.

In many accidental fires, a vehicle is involved. Heres how to avoid accidentally starting the next firestorm.

Q: What part of the car could start a fire?

A: By far, the No. 1 threat is the catalytic converter, said Vance Bloom, who teaches automotive technology at Hemet High School. Bloom, who also served as volunteer firefighter in Pine Cove for 19 years, said the problem is the heat. Temperatures can reach 1,400 degrees inside the catalytic converter, which lies under the car. Brown added that the entire exhaust system, including the muffler and exhaust pipe, can get really hot.

Q: Why is that a concern?

A: The catalytic converter and exhaust system are exposed. If a driver were to pull off the side of a highway into an area with grass or weeds, the converter could easily ignite dry vegetation. The solution? Avoid areas with vegetation. Never pull off in the grass, Bloom said. Youre just about guaranteed to light a fire if you do that.

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Q: Are there other points of concern on a car?

A: Yes. The exhaust pipe itself. A backfire could shoot a hot blast out the pipe that could spark a fire. The solution is to keep ones engine properly tuned, and tuneups generally run $200 to $500, Bloom said. He said backfires tend to be more of an issue with older cars, and not so much with newer models.

Q: What if the car itself catches on fire?

A: Car fires often trigger brush fires. One of the most common causes of a vehicle fire is an oil leak, Bloom said. Oil and transmission fluid are highly flammable. If it drips in your driveway, you should probably get it taken care of, he said. For your own safety as well as that of others.

Q: What about big trucks?

A: Very large vehicles such as big rigs and motorhomes can cause fires when their brakes overheat coming down long, steep hills  such as I-15 through the Cajon Pass. Brown said that, if drivers pull over because of the problem, the superheated brakes can set fire to dry vegetation. Or, if they are failing, hot pieces of disintegrating brakes can fall into and ignite brush. So keep brakes in good working order.

Q: What about vehicles towing trailers?

A: That is a big one, Brown said. People who tow boats or trailers carrying off-road vehicles sometimes do not secure towing chains properly, she said, leaving loose chains to bounce off concrete and shower sparks into brush. Make sure those chains are secured.

Q: And what about off-road vehicles?

A: They are a concern, too. Brown said dirt bikes and other off-highway vehicles have started wildfires when sparks flew out through the exhaust. The key is to equip vehicles with spark arresters, which are required by law.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9699 or ddowney@scng.com
Dozens of first-responders, victim advocates and other experts came together Tuesday to talk about the insights gathered from the Dec. 2 San Bernardino terror attack including how to take a more victim-centered approach to mass casualty incidents.

The day-long event was hosted by the U.S. Attorneys Office at the California Endowment Center at 1000 North Alameda St. in downtown Los Angeles.

Its the first of its kind in our district and possibly in the nation, said US Attorney Eileen Decker Tuesday morning.

As authorities dealt with the aftermath of the attack  the deadliest on American soil by Islamic extremists since Sept. 11, 2001  from an investigative and administrative standpoint, it was clear one of the major points that should not be left out is how victims are treated during and, sometimes more importantly, after such a devastating event, she said.

Victims need all the assistance that we can afford them, she said noting that some needed counseling, others needed help navigating through the countys workers compensation system.

Decker said she hopes the conference will help assistance agencies, including prosecutors, to take a victim-centered approach to these events.

Weve attended many conferences that were strictly focused on the attack and police response, San Bernardino Assistant Police Chief Eric McBride, who was also a speaker at the conference, said during a phone interview later in the day. But it was nice to be involved in a conference that focused solely on the victims and how to better serve them.

Along with first responders who were there the day of the attack, victim advocate groups scheduled to speak were FBI victim specialists Claire Balanay and Debbie Deem and Flerida Alarcon, chief of the San Bernardino County District Attorneys Office Victim Services.

They were among five experts on a panel addressing preparations needed to assist victims following a mass casualty incident.

Its my hope that todays conference better prepares all of us to respond quickly and effectively to a mass casualty incident, Decker said.

Other attendees of Tuesdays conference were San Bernardino firefighter and San Bernardino Police SWAT member Ryan Starling, who was among the first on scene, and Dr. Michael M. Neeki, an emergency room physician at Colton Arrowhead Regional Medical center as well as the first volunteer tactical physician for the Inland Valley SWAT team.

First responders and experts discussed lessons they learned from the response to the tragic San Bernardino incident. They were also going to explore how to better serve victims in the wake of similar attacks and how to coordinate among first responders, according to a release about the event.

Staff writer Doug Saunders contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: bvalenzuela@scng.com or @BeatrizVNews on Twitter
Despite lengthy investigations, those responsible for four shootings killed five people last year in Riverside remain at large.

But police believe there are people who witnessed the killings or have other information that could help solve the crimes, but have not come forward. They are taking to social media to seek help from the public, which they say is imperative to putting the cases to rest.

The families of these victims want justice for their loved ones and to bring closure to these tragic ordeals, Officer Ryan Railsback said.

One of the cases still under investigation is the April 25, 2015 death of 32-year-old Riverside resident Allen Dameron in the citys Eastside neighborhood.

Dameron, who was a hazardous materials engineer for a manufacturing company in the nearby industrial area, was walking to work at 1:30 a.m. in the 4300 block of Eucalyptus Avenue when he was shot several times.

In another unsolved Eastside homicide, 25-year-old Juan Carlos Ramirez was shot several times about 12:30 a.m. July 17 near the intersection of 12th Street and Kansas Avenue. Police, responding to multiple calls reporting gunshots, found Ramirez on the sidewalk. Paramedics were not able to resuscitate him. The shooter or shooters fled before police arrived.

The day after Ramirez was killed, Derrick Butler, 34, was shot to death about 1:50 a.m. following a large fight in the middle of the street in the 3500 block of Main Street.

The fourth unsolved homicide was reported at 9:36 p.m. Oct. 23. A sedan pulled up to the intersection of Seventh Street and Kansas Avenue, two men jumped out and opened fire, and the car fled before police arrived.

Guatemalan immigrants Juan Antonio Bartolo, 45, and Domingo Esteban, 26, who had been walking near their homes, were killed, and a third man was wounded  a bullet passed completely through his cheek.

Bartolo and Esteban were not affiliated with a gang; police believe they were targeted by African-American gang members only because they were Hispanic.

Cash rewards ranging from $10,000 to $75,000 were offered for information leading to arrests in the three Eastside shootings, but were not successful. The offers have since expired.

Police have not said that they believe any of the homicides are related.

Police are urging anyone with information on any of the homicides to contact the Riverside Police Departments Robbery-Homicide Unit at 951-353-7208 or rpdtips@riversideca.gov. Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous can call 1-800-782-7463.



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A Jurupa Valley man was found guilty Tuesday of attempted murder in a 2012 attack on the Louis Robidoux Nature Center caretaker, who was stabbed at least 47 times in his trailer and survived.

Jaime Sandoval Delgadillo, 28, faces a sentence of 12 years to life in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 28, John Hall, spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorneys Office, wrote in an email.

After a week-long trial, the jury also found allegations to be true that could lengthen Delgadillos prison sentence. Those include that he used a knife in the commission of a felony and inflicted great bodily injury.

Deputy District Attorney Kimberly Dittrich called a DNA expert during the trial who described how a knife found in a nearby dumpster had blood that matched Delgadillo as well as victim William Chartraw.

Hours after the stabbing, when a sheriffs deputy stopped Delgadillo, he had a bleeding wound on his hand. Dittrich showed the jury a photo of the scar on one of the defendants hands.

The prosecutor recounted the wounds on killer spots on the victims body, including 10 to his chest, two on his neck and more in his abdominal area. His wounds required multiple surgeries that kept him in the hospital for about two weeks.

What is he (Delgadillo) thinking? He is not thinking, Im going to scare him, she said. The wounds show the defendant had the intent to kill the victim, she said.

At the time of the incident, the victim had been a live-in caretaker and volunteer at the nature center since 1994. He no longer lives there.

Chartraw, 67 at the time, told sheriffs investigators two men knocked on the door of his trailer and asked for help around midnight May 29, 2012, then attacked him when he opened the door. The second attacker has not been arrested.

Delgadillos attorney Scott OMeara said the victim had not been able to pick out Delgadillo in a lineup of six mugshots after the incident.

The inside of Chartraws trailer was marred with blood splatters from the violent confrontation. OMeara suggested to jurors the physical evidence did not put his client at the scene inside the trailer because Delgadillo didnt have the victims blood spattered on him.

OMeara said when Delgadillo was stopped hours later near railroad tracks, deputies found him dirty and disheveled but with no other blood on him, other than his hand, which could have been cut another way.

Delgadillo gave an old address to deputies. He once lived with his mother near the nature center on Riverview Drive.
Just over a week before a Riverside County sheriffs employee was involved in a nearly 20-hour standoff with deputies at his French Valley home, he was investigated in a spousal abuse case and placed on a 72-hour mental health hold after he threatened suicide, according to court records.

Alcide Galley Jr., 49, described in court records as a deputy sheriff trainee, pleaded not guilty Tuesday, Sept. 6, to felony spousal abuse, assault likely to cause great bodily injury and false imprisonment charges, and a misdemeanor resisting arrest charge in Riverside County Superior Court in connection with the later Aug. 31 incident.

A sheriffs investigators declaration seeking an increase in bail from the standard $25,000 to $500,000, described how Galley was asked why he did not exit his Nightingale Street home despite being asked repeatedly by law enforcement to do so and he replied, Because I wanted to kill myself.'

Galley was taken into custody at about 6:30 a.m. Sept. 1 after a sheriffs SWAT team deployed tear gas into the home. Neighboring homes had been evacuated the night before as a precautionary measure.

The defendant remains in custody in lieu of posting the higher bail. A bail review hearing is scheduled Thursday, Sept. 8, at the Southwest Justice Center in French Valley.

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The sound of applause has scarcely died down in the Capitol after last weeks vote to significantly expand Californias requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Proponents who steered the groundbreaking legislation are still basking in the afterglow of an effort that  after seeming on the brink of defeat  deftly mustered unexpected support and reaffirmed the states international leadership on climate change.

But such is the unsentimentality of politics: Someone has to pop the pretty balloons and sweep up the confetti.

For all that was achieved by the passage of SB 32  extending the original 2006 law and setting a new target of reducing statewide emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030  the titanic legislative struggle could not fully mask some warning signs about the ultimate prospects of achieving the states lofty ambitions.

For starters, it went down to the wire, after appearing earlier in August as if the Legislature might retreat from Californias climate change goals. It did not resolve the lingering uncertainty surrounding the future of the states cap and trade program. And it exposed a profound disintegration of trust between the Legislature and the regulatory California Air Resources Board, as evidenced by the passage of a companion bill, AB 197, through which a wary Legislature demanded greater oversight of the agency.

Only hours after the key votes last week, Gov. Jerry Brown acknowledged as much, girding for the inevitable climate battles to come. Its a big day, there are big struggles ahead. It isnt finished at all, said Brown, who vowed to sign the legislation. Bring it on. Well have more battles and more victories. It takes months, sometimes years. It takes trying, failing, amending, trying again.

Much of Browns policy response to climate change relies on reductions that come from Californias cap and trade program, which sets a statewide greenhouse gas emissions ceiling on several industries. Businesses that come in under their compliance obligations receive allowances or permits, which they may sell at auction to other entities that exceed their emissions targets.

Last weeks bills were the necessary precondition for the Legislature and advocates to discuss cap and trade, said Adrienne Alvord, Western states director of the Union of Concerned Scientists. She was the staff environmental advisor to Democratic Sen. Fran Pavely of Agoura Hills, who wrote the landmark Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.

That cap and trade system is intended to provide flexibility to polluters: By setting a price on carbon, companies may choose to either reduce emissions by operating more efficiently, or they may prefer to offset their carbon footprint by buying allowances at auction.

Many large industry groups have been wishy-washy in their support of cap and trade, bridling at the regulatory mandates but embracing the market-based trading system.

Now is the time, Alvord said, for business interests to get off the fence, lest cap and trade be replaced by even more onerous requirements. Now we have the statutory authority to reduce emissions, if they want to get a better deal, they are going to have to come to the negotiating table, Alvord said. If the industry now wants to come back and talk about cap and trade its kind of up to them.

Facing a future with more command and control emissions rules and fewer business-based options, California companies may conclude that cap and trade is the devil they know.

Despite todays symbolic victory for some, we will continue to do the real work required to make the appropriate fixes to cap-and-trade that can send the market real certainty, said Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, in a statement after the vote. The reality remains that SB 32 fails to address fixes to cap-and-trade, which sends the wrong signals to the market. Todays miserable auction result reflects the markets lack of certainty.

The oil group has, at various times, been supportive and sharply critical of a cap and trade system. And, while its members met this week to consider the implications of the new climate bills, a spokesman was unable to make anyone available for an interview.

That lack of certainty is reflected in a legal battle brought by the California Chamber of Commerce over one key aspect of the cap and trade program: its state-run auctions. The suit argues that auction revenues amount to a tax, which to be levied would have required a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.

The recent political win notwithstanding, its no sure thing that the Legislature would ever produce such a supermajority for a cap and trade bill, complete with an auction.

Nonetheless, the governor maintains that the Air Resources Board has existing statutory authority to run the cap and trade program and the carbon auction. In fact, the board is in a rulemaking process that spells out how it intends to do that, and has produced a 349-page document that proposes to expand the carbon market to include the province of Ontario in Canada.

Still, uncertainty has roiled the carbon market. The state auctions have raised more than $4 billion, while some $1.4 billion remains in the fund  monies that must be used for projects that reduce emissions or assist low-income communities.

On the closing day of this legislative session, the governor and the Legislature agreed to allocate $900 million of cap and trade proceeds, addressing a longstanding gripe from lawmakers who complained that the funds were not being used.

The Air Board received the largest appropriation, $368 million, which includes $133 million to continue the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program. About $140 million was set aside for grants to low-income communities for energy upgrades and other work, and the state Transportation Agency is to receive $135 million for transit and rail projects.

Results from the last two auctions have been disappointing. Only 1 percent of the states allowances were sold in the August auction; 2 percent were sold in May. And the anticipated revenue has likewise been subpar. The most recent auction yielded $8 million, while nearly all previous sales of credits have generated more than $500 million per auction.

Some analysts suggest the auction results point to lack of certainty about the programs future.

An Air Board spokesman declined comment and referred questions to the governors office. The governors top aide, Nancy McFadden, issued a statement acknowledging that the latest auction results show that the markets need certainty. Shoring up the cap-and-trade program  either through the Legislature or by the voters  will provide that certainty and will continue billions in funding for vital programs, especially in disadvantaged communities with the dirtiest air.

The wrangling has highlighted a widening schism among California Democrats. Pro-business Democrats  many of whom receive campaign contributions from oil interests  frame the climate debate as pitting wealthy coastal communities against low-income districts, primarily in the Central Valley: Tesla-driving San Franciscans versus the oilfield workers of Bakersfield.

That plays into the Legislatures mounting annoyance with the Air Board, particularly as the myriad regulations impact small businesses and lower-income Californians.

Climate legislation passed only after the Assembly crafted companion bill AB 197, which bluntly signaled lawmakers frustration with the Air Board. Numerous board officials have worn a path to appear before various legislative committees, absorbing withering and relentless questions about whether cap and trade is working and asked to provide evidence that shows it.

AB 197 puts the Air Board on notice  requiring, for instance, two legislators join the board and calls for regular consultations with the Senate and Assembly. But even those caveats are insufficient for some legislators, who say they dont trust the board to self-report.

They make a mockery of the Legislature, they dont respond, they dont provide the information we are requesting. The result? Californians are hurting, said Assembly member Kristin Olsen, R-Riverbank. The former minority leader, she suggested the Legislature needs to assume oversight of the board, and that any regulations it develops should have to be ratified by the Legislature.

Its clear that Brown does not intend to let his climate change legacy fail. He said all options are available to enshrine cap and trade into law, including the possibility of a ballot measure  adding Im definitely engrossed in this task.

CALmatters is a nonprofit news outlet covering state policy and politics. For more stories, visit CALmatters.org
The First lady, Lordina Mahama, has called for equal opportunities to education for every child. She believes the location of a child should not deprive a child of education saying that there was nothing as important in a childs early life as education. Give a child education and change his or her future, she noted.



Mrs. Mahama, was addressing a large gathering of chiefs and queenmothers, both local and international and other dignitaries at a colourful durbar to mark the 7th Annual Convention of the Council of Brong Ahafo Associations of North America (COBAANA) at Worcerter, Massachusetts in the US.



She said the development of the country was not for the government alone, but a shared responsibility for all.



She was addressing a large gathering of chiefs and queenmothers, both local and international and other dignitaries at a colourful durbar to mark the 7th Annual Convention of the Council of Brong Ahafo Associations of North America (COBAANA) at Worcerter, Massachusetts in the US today.



The convention was under the theme Changing Lives Through Education.



The First Lady indicated that children have dreams to go to school, and to realize their full potential, but they need a helping hand to achieve those dreams and that was the reason for the gathering which aims to raise funds to put up a six classroom block at Ayaakomase, near Nsoatre in the BrongAhafo Region to supplement governments efforts.



She said there was nothing as important in a childs early life as education and added that give a child education and change his or her future. There is a direct link between poverty and lack of education. Education is a bridge out of poverty.



Mrs. Mahama said the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), report in the year 2015, indicated that sub-Saharan Africaremains the home to the largest out of school population of children in the world and although Ghana continue to face its our own challenges, it had achieved universal enrolment of children in primary school.



This, she said, had made Ghana a role model for many African countries in the provision of free education and free compulsory universal basic education and free community day Senior High Schools had increased access to education for many vulnerable groups.



The First Lady said the policy of progressively free secondary education was being extended to 120,000 boarding students this academic year and by the end of the MDGs in 2015, Ghana had attained over 97% primary school enrolment.



And according to UNICEF, the primary school net attendance rate in 2014,was over 70%,and is among the highest on the continent. Ghana has also remarkably attained gender parity in education, where the number of girls in school now matches the boys, and even higher than the boys in some areas of the country.



Government is also building and commissioning more Community Day Senior High schools, to increase access and to reduce imbalance in the provision of education across the country.This is the vision of the government; to transform Ghana into a leading education hub, for the West African Sub-region, and it was also building new universities, training colleges and vocational schools across the country.



She said the government, since assuming the reigns of governance in 2009, has increased the number of nursing and midwifery schools in Brong Ahafo from 5 to 19.



Mrs. Mahama indicated that her foundation continues to present working tools to designers, beauticians and artisans to help them start their businesses and only recently, it presented start-up tools to our brothers and sisters in Kenyasi, Kukuom and Sankore among others.



The First Lady, said her foundation had facilitated the construction of an Ultramodern Community Information Centre, for the Kintampo community and its environs at Ampoma, which would serve as an ICT Hub, for the community and afford schools in the area assess to ICT Lab as well as Internet facilities.



For his part, the Mayor of Worcester, Mr Joseph Petty in a goodwill message commended the association for working hard to provide a school building to enable the children in Ghana have access to quality education.



The Omanhene of the Dormaa Traditional area, Osagyefo Osadeayo Nana Agyemang, advised the people to give praise were it was due and stop unnecessary criticisms which does not help in the development of the nation.



He said currently President John Dramani Mahama if for nothing at all had brought water to the people of Ghana and the development projects he has done was there for everyone to see.



Ghana Ambassador to the United States, Lft. General Joseph Henry Smith (rtd) said COBAANA has come this far because of commitment and genuine interest to make significant impact on the lives of people and communities back home.



Present at the ceremony was the Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Eric Opoku, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Mr Adjei Agyekum, Nana Yaw Kagberese V, President of the Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount chief of the Yeji Traditional area.



Nana Ansah Adu-Baah, Omanhene of Yamfo Traditional Area; Odeneho Dr Afram Brempong III Omanhene of Suma Traditional Area; Obrempong Ameyaw Amponsem II, the chief of Anyima; Nana Kwabena Tetteh II, Nifahene of Nkoranza Traditional Area; and a number of queenmothers.





Source: The Herald









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 is to construct an Emergency and Accident Hospital at a cost of 89 million euros at Buipe in the Northern Region, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations Haruna Iddrisu has announced.



According to the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, the hospital will serve Kintampo, Damongo, Fufulso, Sawla-Kalba, and other communities.



He revealed this in an address to the Gonja Traditional Council at Damango in the Northern Region on Tuesday September 6.



What we need from the Buipewura is land and I am happy to announce this project to you, he added.



He said President Mahama has also requested for a financing model for the Damongo water project. Mr Iddrisu, therefore, urged the traditional authorities and the people of Ghana not to take the sincerity of President Mahama for granted as he is determined to fulfil every promise he has made to the people of Ghana.



He appealed to Ghanaians to renew President Mahamas mandate for another four years.

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 Ghanaian attitude to time and late attendance to programmes of national importance received a backlash from the Korean Ambassador and a team of Korean engineers at a workshop in Accra yesterday.



Lyeo Woon-Ki, the Ambassador, criticized the conduct of the officials of the Ministry of Transport after waiting for almost one hour at a workshop to solicit the inputs of stakeholders for a Master Plan project for Accra, in which the Korean government had provided a $1.5 million funding with technical expertise.



The project seeks to address the traffic congestion in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area by 2035.



The Minister of Transport was expected to attend, but he sent a representative who arrived 43 minutes late.



Mr. Woon-Ki said "Ghanaians should learn to respect time, because it is a valuable and precious resource."



Hyeokjo Kweon, General Manager of Hanmac Engineering, the consultancy firm that is providing technical expertise for the Master plan, also expressed his frustration.



"This is your time. The Ghanaian Times to the VIP waiting room where the Korean Ambassador and the representative of the Eximbank of China waited for their Ghanaian counterparts to arrive.



The Programme, was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m and the Korean delegation had to wait until after 43 minutes when Mr. A. Selby and Mr. Lawrence Kumi, Chief Director and Director in charge of Research and Statistics respectively, of the Ministry of Transport, arrived, offering an apology for their lateness.







Source: The Ghanaian Times









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The embattled founder of the International Gods Way Church Bishop Daniel Obinim has been granted bail, his lawyer has confirmed.



The miracle worker, who was not in court today, was granted bail with two sureties for each of the offences for which he was arrested. It is unclear the bail bond or the amount involved.



Bishop Obinim has been in Police custody since Tuesday when he was arrested for fraud.On Wednesday fanatics of the controversial preacher clashed with the Police as they demanded his release from custody. Meanwhile, his lawyer, Atta Akyea has said his client is being used by the Police to shift attention from the pardon granted to the Montie three by the President.





Background



The controversial miracle worker was detained at the Nima Police station on Tuesday and spent the night in Police cells after his arrest over a GHC11.6 million fraud.



Obinim was arrested in Tema and transferred to the Accra Police headquarters for questioning. He was later charged for defrauding under false pretense.



Public Relations Officer of the Police CID ASP Joseph Benefo Darkwa stated a complaint was lodged with the Police in Tema a few weeks ago by a businessman who said he gave an amount of GH780,000 to Okomfo Gyapata of Mampong Nkwanta near Koforidua in the Eastern region to do a spiritual ritual to bless the money obtained from a gold deal.



ASP Darkwa narrated that the complainant added after some time, he realised that the Okomfo was not able to help him neither was he able to return his money, so he went to Bishop Obinim to help him retrieve the money and do the rituals to bless the money for him.



ASP Darkwa said it was based on that, that Bishop Obinim asked the businessman to bring the rest of the gold money which amounted to GH11.6 million belonging to the family.



The complainant told the police since he gave the money to the Bishop in November last year, Obinim has not been able to do what he was expected to do neither has he given him back his money.

Source: starrfmonline.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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Audio Attachment: click to listen to Hon Ursula Owusu Ekuful

The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu Ekuful has asked Franklin Cudjoe and Kofi Amoabeng to apologise for denigrating women.



Franklin Cudjoe, CEO of IMANI Ghana is alleged to have posted a comment on facebook, describing some ladies as smelly and overused.



The founder of UT Holdings Kofi Amoabeng, on the otherhand said in an interview on Accra FM that you cannot even trust the people that have come out. I used to tell people that if you are a lady and come to apply for a job with a First Class and you are very beautiful, I suspect the [authenticity] of the First Class. So, we have to find a way to test whether it is genuine or not.



Reacting to these comments on Peace FM's News @6pm bulletin Tuesday, the Member of Parliament who doubles as a gender advocate condemned the two men and asked them to retract and apologise to women.



You dont know these ladies yet you claim they have been overused and smellyit is an evidence of how he (Franklin) sees womenI heard he was just joking but you cant use such foul language on women. He should come and apologise and make sure such words dont come from his mouth againUT Banks Kofi Amoabeng also made similar comments; saying beautiful ladies who come to UT looking for employment with first class, are investigated because maybe the lady used her body If that is what UT has been doing, they should stop otherwise we are going to take them on for discriminating against women. Kofi Amoabeng should come and apologise. What did women do to these menwhy should women be so insultedwe will no longer take such insults; enough is enough she fumed.

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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A Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa has described as shocking criticisms leveled against the Mahama-led administration by the immediate past Presbyterian Moderator, Rev. Professor Emmanuel Martey.



Rev. Martey at a press conference Tuesday said among other things that he will not allow what he described as babies with sharp teeth who are wasting the tax payers money to gag him since he contributes his quota to nation building by paying tax.



He alleged that some politicians have tried all means to muzzle him by attempting to bribe him with 100 thousand US dollars, a house and a V8 car.



His comment has nonetheless been met with mixed reactions as individuals, politicians and the church condemn his utterances.



Reacting to this, a Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, said the utterances by Rev. Martey is shocking, disclosing that Rev. Martey on a tour of the Presbyterian Secondary School in Accra in June this year spoke to him via Rev. Ebenezer Marquayes phone, applauding the Mahama-led administration for investing massively in education.



He added that the immediate past Moderator even invited him over for a lunch date, hence was surprised at the turn of events.



When Gold News contacted Rev. Ebenezer Marquaye who is the President of the Presby Old Boy Association, he confirmed that Rev. Martey indeed spoke to the Deputy Minister on his phone congratulating government for its numerous developmental works in the education sector.





Source: ghanapoliticsonline.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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Founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Akua Donkor says she is yet to choose from hundreds of applicants who have expressed interest to be her running mate for the December 7 presidential polls.



According to her  she has received a sizeable application from some prominent individuals who are eager to partner her.



The farmer cum politician says she is contemplating on who to pick as her running mate That is my headache now.



Speaking on NEAT FMs morning show 'Ghana Montie', the GFP leader said despite the ruling NDC and opposition NPP's delay to make public their manifestos, she will launch hers soon.



I will announce my running mate soon and together we will launch our manifesto. I will invite your station [NEAT FM]. The manifesto is already out but we will officially launch it in a grand style. My campaign will also start soon, she said.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









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President John Dramani Mahama has defended his remission of the four-month sentence handed the Montie FM trio, saying he acted in the interest of Ghana; and in accordance with the Constitution.



The trio, Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, Host of Montie FMs Pampaso political show, were sentenced after they were found guilty of contempt charges for scandalizing the Supreme Court.

President Mahama told Paul Adom-Otchere, on Metro TVs Good Evening Ghana show on Tuesday, that he also considered the four-month sentence as harsh for the crime committed especially when the contemnors had showed a lot of remorse for their condemnable actions.



I think that the overriding consideration must be that, all arms of government must act constitutionally and I swore an oath on the 7th of January 2013 to abide by the Constitution and so every action I take must be in consonant with the Constitutional provisions. The young men were called before the Supreme Court for scandalizing the court and even before they were called before the court, they had shown remorse; they had apologized for what they said and before the court they apologized again.



When they were sentenced in mitigation they asked for mercy; apologized and retracted everything they said. And even after they were sentenced and left the court and went to prison; they still in written and verbal form expressed absolute regret for what they did. I dont know what benefit it would have been to anybody the three extra months they would have served in prison; I dont know.

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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The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers(CODEO) has condemned political actors who use abusive and intemperate language in the heat of political campaigning ahead of the December polls.



CODEO insists such lack of restraint within the political arena cannot be entertained in any civilized democratic dispensation, thus called on those involved to put a stop to it.



Speaking at the Coalitions launch of its 2016 election calendar Tuesday, September 6, 2016, the Co-Chair of CODEO, Justice VCRAC Crabbe said the rising levels of abusive language creeping in the Ghanaian politics is not acceptable.



In the pre-election period, CODEO has observed the use of abusive language on campaign platforms by some politicians. For example, Hon. Kennedy Agyapongs recent remark about the EC Chair at a campaign rally in Kumasi. We also note of destruction of the electoral process and tearing into pieces of photo albums which was being used for a political parliamentary primary by a member of the party  Mr. Kofi Jumah has now subsequently been sanctioned by the court. CODEO condemns such comments and remarks as well as the behavior of politicians as these do not have a space in a civilized democratic space.



CODEO is the largest independent and non-partisan domestic election observation coalition in Ghana, comprising a network of civil society groups as well as religious and professional bodies.

Source: kasapafmonline









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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Ghanas Electoral Commission (EC) has warned that the current political environment is hostile, a situation which the election management body describes as a recipe for violence in this years presidential and parliamentary polls.



This admission is coming barely a month after an international delegation made up of representatives of the National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute revealed after an assessment that there is an increasingly polarised political environment and heightened tension ahead of the general elections in December.



Speaking at a colloquium on peaceful elections in Ghana on Wednesday September 7, chairperson of the EC, Mrs Charlotte Osei said the commission has identified some 81 flashpoints in the country prior to the elections and also blamed the media for allowing political communicators to set the agenda every day.



In Ghana, the history of six successful elections in the past 24 years should not become the basis for complacency because we seem to have an increasingly volatile political culture. Among the 25 registered political parties that we have in Ghana, we have two strong ones that seem to dominate our political landscape.  We are going into elections where one party believes it must win and the other believes it cannot lose. However, its a contest where there is going to be one winner and many losers so in spite of all the preparations and the experience we have, this election is beginning to look like a volatile event if we do not [manage the process better], she stated.



Mrs Osei added that: One of the key ways in ensuring peaceful democracy and a stable one is to have a strong independent media and Ghana is voted 26 out of the 180 countries in terms of press freedom. So although we have an independent and free media, the political discourse in the media especially in the local language is very [bad] and we have serial callers and political analysts, who set the agenda every day. Rather than creating the recipe for a stable democracy, even the strength of the media and their accessibility is beginning to create problems for our democratic culture.

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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In a homegrown case of Banged Up Abroad, a Melbourne DJ will serve two life sentences in a Thai jail after losing an appeal to have his sentence for drug possession reduced.

Jake Mastroianni, 26, and his mate Lance Whitmore, a 28-year-old former British soldier, were arrested in the beach city of Pattaya in 2014 carrying 61 and 200 pills respectively.

Mastroianni will spend at least the next six years in Bangkoks notorious Klong Prem Central Prison  where up to 30 prisoners share one cell in grubby conditions  before he can apply to be transferred to an Australian prison for the remainder of his sentence.

Whitmores sentence of 50 years is half as long as Mastroiannis because he plead guilty to the crime last year  something Mastroianni, who used to DJ under the name Badmouth, was previously advised against by now-scrapped legal counsel.

Jeffrey Stevens, a lawyer acting for both men, called the super-severe sentence a big disappointment.

Everyone was hoping the sentence would be reduced further, he said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has said its providing both men and their families with consular assistance.

A reminder: do *not* fuck with drugs in a foreign country. If you get caught, youre gonna do the time.

Source: SMH.

Photo: Soundcloud.
CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses sexual assault. If you would like to talk to a counsellor about rape, sexual assault or domestic violence, give the people over at 1800 RESPECT a call on 1800 737 732.

A college student from New York has created a powerful photo series inspired by the release of convicted rapist Brock Turner for sexual assault awareness media platform Current Solutions, which show common examples of sexual assault, with the subjects staring directly into the camera.

The series, by 20-year-old Yana Mazurkevich, is intended to show an array of situations, including sexual assault perpetrated by women against men, men against men, and women against women.

She told BuzzFeed News that the inspiration behind the series was an accumulation of personal experiences and experiences that my friends have been through.

The series has reached over 100,000 notes on Tumblr, and has received an extremely positive response from users there.

Obviously the photos come with a content warning for sexual assault.

You can check out the photographers other work HERE.

Source: BuzzFeed / Facebook.

Photos: Facebook / Yana Mazurkevich Photography.
CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses sexual assault. If you would like to talk to a counsellor about rape, sexual assault or domestic violence, give the people over at 1800 RESPECT a call on 1800 737 732.

As fun and life-affirming experiences as live gigs can be, they also tend to harbour a darker side to them.

The sad truth of the matter, one that not enough people realise, is that far too many women experience groping, unwanted touching, and outright sexual assault in the crowds at these shows, almost universally perpetrated by men who feel entitled to womens bodies.

In recent months, the members of the Australian music industry have begun fighting back against this insidious element of live music culture; either by taking strong stands against the idiot few who commit these horrendously brazen acts of personal violation, or by straight-up calling them out as they occur.

Notably, bands like Camp Cope, High Tension, and Luca Brasi have all made their voices and feelings on the matter abundantly clear in a series of widely-publicised and rightfully praised assertions.

Now Camp Cope, the all-female phenom from Melbourne, have banded together a swathe of bands and industry figures from both home and abroad to shine a massive light on the issue and push for a change in attitude to assure that live gigs are a safe, fun, and welcoming environment for everyone.

The three-piece indie-punk outfit has today launched the #ItTakesOne campaign, calling on musicians, venues, staff, and punters alike to take a stand against groping and sexual assault at gigs, highlighting the fact that it only takes one person to ruin things for everyone, but it also only takes one person to set the wheels of change in motion, as the band explained in a statement issued along with the campaign:

Sexual and physical assault is becoming an increasing problem in our live music scene. Inspired by ongoing conversations with other bands about this problem, about how live music was created as a safe space for music fans and artists alike  how as an artist you feel personally responsible if someone is assaulted at your show  they were feeling very defeated by it and decided to come together to channel this energy in a positive way. Every single person at a show is important, and every single person at a show can make a significant difference. It takes ONE person to fuck a show up for everyone, and likewise it takes ONE person to call out this behaviour and initiate change. It up to everyone  the artist, the audience, the venue  to look out for each other and stand up when they see or hear of someone trying to fuck the show up for everyone.

Enlisting pals and industry legends the likes of which include Dom Alessio of Triple J, Jay and The Doctor from Frenzal Rhomb, King Parrot, Luca Brasi, Totally Unicorn, The Bennies, Clowns, Jeff Rosenstock, the internets own angel boy Chris Farren, Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher, The Jezebels, Clowns, Hugh McDonald of the legendary Redgum and more, the trio, in conjunction with their record label Poison City Records, has put out a video that serves as a call-to-arms for the movement.

Camp Cope explains further:

Every single person at a show is important and can make a significant difference. Its up to the artists, the audience, the venue, everybody.. to make a show safe. We purposefully wanted a strong male presence in the video. Including all-male bands who tend to have a predominately male audience. This was done because we believe that women are usually the victims in these incidents so it shouldnt solely be the responsibility of women to fix the problem. We feel its important for men to speak to, and speak out against other mens behaviour and be positive role models to other men.

Now thats a bloody idea we can all fully get behind. Speak up, be bold, and help weed this absolute bullshit out of live music. It only takes one.

Bless your sweet hearts, Camp Cope.

Source: Camp Cope/Facebook.
The world of Instagram is so different now with the filtered, algorithmic feed. It feels like a strange, artificial place. Nothing is where it should be, up is down, and the grams no longer feel like the candid snaps you once knew.

That being the case, people are currently losing their minds over whether a certain vaguely weird account is run by a real human or some kind of hellish 3D humanoid given sentience by a mad scientist.

Allow me to explain. This is Miguela. She has 69,000 followers, and she posts memes and selfies. Her selfies, however, well:

Im bored tag somebody cute and Ill follow both of you ???? A photo posted by *~ MIQUELA ~* (@lilmiquela) on Aug 4, 2016 at 9:23pm PDT

?? A photo posted by *~ MIQUELA ~* (@lilmiquela) on Jul 28, 2016 at 8:33pm PDT

when the food arrives to the studio A photo posted by *~ MIQUELA ~* (@lilmiquela) on Jul 12, 2016 at 6:04pm PDT

And this one, which looks like a screenshot from a shithouse 1999 adventure game:

When ur girl says @leonardodicaprio is at the club so you dress for the man you want not the man you have. A photo posted by *~ MIQUELA ~* (@lilmiquela) on Jul 3, 2016 at 10:12pm PDT

Lets just get one thing straight: of course these photos are not real. Of course shes some weirdo 3D art project. That being said, if it were a real, Uncanny-Valley-ass human being, youd feel a bit shit about your selfies being flooded with comments like FAKE TBH and IS THIS REAL.

Her feed and bio are full of shit about stopping the construction of an oil pipeline on Native American land in North Dakota, but I doubt its a campaign about that due to the sheer off-the-wall content. Though I might be wrong!

Some have speculated shes just enhancing her looks with an image-editing program, but unless shes keen on looking like a animation students interpretation of a cyberpunk sex doll then I dont really know why thatd be the case.

Heres something thats definitely real: the internet is fucked and I loathe it.

Source: Instagram.
Minton_Hood.jpg

Carolyn Hood, Kenneth Hood, William Minton

A 79-year-old Montgomery, Ala., woman who authorities once described as an "invalid" was indicted by a Baldwin County grand jury Tuesday with assisting her son in the brutal murder of her late husband nearly two years ago.

Carolyn Hood is being held in the Baldwin County Corrections Center on $100,000 bail after she was indicted on a charge of aiding and abetting a capital murder.

Her son, 57-year-old William Minton, faces capital murder and abuse of corpse charges and is scheduled to go before a jury in December.

He is accused of the brutal slaying of 87-year-old Kenneth Hood inside a Foley home on Nov. 6, 2014.

According to testimony last year by a Baldwin County Sheriff's investigator, Minton struck Hood in the head with the corrugated side of a dumbbell bar handle during an argument, then dragged his lifeless body into garage. Within the next day, Minton used a reciprocal saw he had recently purchased to carve up Hood's body before discarding body parts into creeks south of Magnolia Springs.

The killing, according to District Attorney Hallie Dixon last year, occurred because of an argument over money that Kenneth Hood had been lending to the children and other family members of his wife.

Carolyn Hood, at the time, was described as protective of her adult children and Dixon had said she was not truthful with authorities when initially questioned about the murder.

But Hood has also been described as frail and someone who needed constant assistance, which was often provided by her husband.

William Minton had been living with his mom and Kenneth Hood since March 2013, after he was released from prison following a 20-year prison sentence for a child molestation and sodomy conviction in 1997.
trumpclinton.jpg

Controversial statements have been a routine part of Donald Trump's campaign, and his latest verbal swing is about Hillary Clinton's appearance.

"I just don't think she has a presidential look and you need a presidential look," Trump said about Clinton on ABC News Tuesday.

When interviewer David Muir asked what exactly Trump meant by that, the Republican presidential nominee changed the subject to his temperament.

"I'm talking about general, by the way, she says things about me that are horrible," Trump said. "As an example the single greatest asset I have, according to those that know me, is my temperament, but she came with this Madison Avenue line, 'Oh let's talk about his temperament.' It's the single greatest I have is my temperament."

Clinton supporters and campaign officials immediately responded that Trump's remarks were discriminatory.

"This isn't the first time Donald Trump has had a problem looking at someone different from himself..." Christina Reynolds, Hillary for America deputy communications director, said in a statement Tuesday.

"He questioned whether a distinguished judge could do his job because of his Mexican heritage," Reynolds said in the statement. "He looked at a mourning Gold Star mother and he made assumptions about her silence in grief. He looked at an accomplished anchor and suggested she was a 'bimbo.' And he looked at a sitting president and said he wasn't American. So it's not surprising that Donald Trump doesn't think Hillary Clinton looks presidential. This cycle, voters know all too well what's not presidential: Donald Trump and his narrow views and divisive rhetoric."

What do you think about this controversy? Tell us in the comments.
A former employee of the Bobby Rahal Automotive Group pleaded guilty Wednesday to running a $166,000 auction fraud against the West Shore car dealerships.

Hugh Jones

Hugh Jones, 63, of Bethany Beach, Del., backed up his plea with a $100,000 payment toward his restitution.



Jones has ample motivation to keep paying on that bill, Assistant District Attorney Erin Bloxham told Cumberland County Judge Albert H. Masland.



His plea deal calls for Jones to pay the rest of the restitution before he is sentenced in November, Bloxham said. If he does so, she said he will greatly reduce the length of his potential prison term, possibly paring it to 1 to 12 months.



Jones, formerly of Mechanicsburg, pleaded guilty to a theft by deception charge for running a five-year con during his time as an auction representative for Rahal. Investigators said he sold cars sent to auction by Rahal directly to other dealers at cut-rate prices instead of running them through the auction. Jones then took kickbacks from those dealers, Bloxham said.



Police said they determined that Jones sold 385 cars to six dealers while running the scam between January 2010 and February 2015. Some of the vehicles went to a dealership in which Jones had a financial interest.



Rahal officials contacted police in March 2015 after they became suspicious about Jones' activity. He was arrested this past April.
In December, the severed head of a pig was left at the entrance of the Al Aqsa Islamic Society mosque in Philadelphia just weeks after an anonymous caller left the voicemail: "I'd just like to state for the record that Allah is a piece of pork (expletive)."

This past Thanksgiving Day, a cab driver in Pittsburgh was wounded after he told his passenger that he was from Morocco. As he got out of the car, the passenger said he had to go inside his home to get his wallet. Instead, he returned with a rifle, which he fired at the car as it sped off. A bullet pierced the driver in the back.

In April, five Montoursville Area School Board members came under fire after they approved the appointment to the panel of a woman whom they knew had made anti-Muslim comments on social media. Karen Wright's Facebook posts included, "I have seen nothing good from the Muslims faith" and "we don't want them in America."

And just a few months ago, Spring Grove Area School District board member and delegate to the Republican National Convention left an anti-Muslim voicemail rant on the phone of a Dallastown pastor who had, in a message board outside his church, wished Muslims "a blessed Ramadan."

"It's unbelievable you would wish them a blessed Ramadan. Are you sick?" Matthew Jansen said in his message.

Such instances of anti-Muslim sentiments and hate crimes have become commonplace across the country, fueled by an increasingly divisive political rhetoric and religious intolerance.

In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, U.S. Muslims were targeted by a slew of hate crimes, some tragically resulting in loss of life.

But 15 years after the attacks, religious tolerance and assimilation into the fabric of the country continues to largely elude Muslims in America, whether they are from Middle Eastern or Asian countries, American-born and bred, white or black.

"It's worse now," says Kareema Taghi, a white American who just a few months before the 9/11 attacks, left the United Methodist Church to convert to Islam. Taghi, who is married to a Moroccan Muslim, wears a hijab.

Kareema Taghi says that in the 15 years since the 9/11 terror attacks in this country, hate towards Muslims has become more openly acceptable. Taghi gets a hug from her daugter Aisha Taghi.

"Maybe people were more closeted with their hate and now it's OK to be openly hateful. Sometimes it's a sideways glance or a death stare, but it seems more people are more openly hateful."

Across Pennsylvania - as well as the country - the incidences of anti-Muslim hate crimes, which soared in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, have over the years seen modest dips but have largely remained troubling.

In the past 15 years, the FBI has logged thousands of anti-Muslim hate crimes, nearly 500 of them alone in the immediate months following the 9/11 terror attacks.

More recently the number of incidents have spiked amid increasingly negative political rhetoric and an increasing negative public perception of Muslims. In fact, hate crimes in America have largely gone down in recent years, except against Muslims. Anti-Muslim crimes rose about 14 percent last year, FBI statistics show.

Across the country, Muslims have been kicked off flights after passengers, overhearing them speaking Arabic, have complained to airline representatives. Muslim girls and women wearing hijabs have been harassed; some have had their headscarves ripped off. Mosques have been defaced and vandalized, and Muslim businesses have been the target of arson.

"The first question a Muslim asks after an attack is was it a Muslim or not?" says SherAli K. Tareen, a Muslim and assistant professor of religious studies at Franklin & Marshall University in Lancaster.

"That is highly unfortunate for millions of Muslims. I think that is one of the biggest pressures and problematic especially for the young generation, the teenagers who grew up in the shadow of 9/11. They grew up with the sensibility that if something happens suddenly they are under the microscope."

Few incidents have underscored the paranoia and misconceptions that a wide section of America has about Muslims than the arrest last September of a 14-year-old Muslim boy in Dallas.

Ahmed Mohamed was arrested at his suburban Dallas high school after school officials called police because he had brought to class a homemade clock that allegedly looked like a bomb. Mohamed, who was suspended from MacArthur High School for three days, recently filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Irving and his school district.

"It is psychologically difficult to have as a community people pointing their fingers at you because of your religious identity," Tareen says.

Even when they are not the target of tangible hate crimes, Muslims say they still have to negotiate overt biases.

Atizaz Mansoor, a cardiologist with PinnacleHealth, says he is seldom the target of any overtly anti-Muslim treatment, but even the rare instances can rattle him.

Dr. Atizaz Mansoor, a cardiologist at PinncleHealth, says that inspite of random hate slurs, most people are tolerant and embracing of his Muslim faith. Mansoor, who was born and educated just outside Boston, lives near Harrisburg with his wife Tahmina and their three daughters.

"I was recently doing a heart catheterization and the patient said 'You look really suspicious,' so I said, 'Well, you are having heart attack and something to the fact that this wasn't the airport,' " says Mansoor, whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan in 1970.

"They kept telling me they wanted an American physician who was trained in America. I tried to convince them that my training was all American and included Ivy League schools, but they kept insisting. 'You don't understand,' they said, 'I want an American physician.' "

Mansoor - as well as his wife Tahmina - were born 25 miles outside Boston and raised and educated in Massachusetts. They moved to central Pennsylvania three years ago and live in Harrisburg with their three daughters.

"I can count on one hand the times I've had an adverse experience to my face," he says. "Now I think it's acute since the election cycle... all of the sudden there is this hyper focus. People go around saying, 'why are these people here? What are they doing?' You just psychologically adjust your behavior."

Tahmina Mansoor, who dresses in the traditional Muslim hijab, was recently given pause while at a Best Buy store. She had gone in to have her laptop serviced when a man, who like her was headed for the customer service desk, turned to her and asked sharply: "Do you have the habit of following people?"

"'No sir,' I said. 'I'm just going to same place you are,'" Tahmina answered him. Moments later, while waiting for her laptop at the service desk, she turned to find that the man had disappeared.

"Maybe he felt threatened by me," Tahmina says. "I don't know."

As troubling as the rate of anti-Muslim hate crimes may be, the reality is likely worse. Studies by the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics have shown that instances of hate crimes in the U.S. are under-reported. The numbers are far higher than noted by FBI numbers, those studies show. The Southern Poverty Law Center estimates that the real numbers are 40 higher, meaning that for 2014 the tally of anti-Muslim hate crimes was as high as 6,000 or more.

Central Pennsylvania alone in the past few months has seen anti-Muslim hate crimes that have gone unreported.

In March, a Muslim family was tied up and held at knifepoint at the Islamic Center of Greater Harrisburg in Steelton. After several hours, police were called out and the incident ruled a robbery. The following night, the same family was once again held at knifepoint and threatened, including a 10-year-old boy.

The same mosque has been defaced with graffiti several times and has had windows broken.

A few weeks ago, a Camp Hill woman was standing outside her home when she became the target of a frightening hate crime. A man who happened to pass by stopped, approached the woman and ripped off her hijab.

"My friend is really scared," said Mona Soweilam, a friend of the Camp Hill woman who was assaulted in her front yard.

Mona Soweilam says she is fearful of what the future holds for Muslims in this country. Soweilam is afraid of the hateful political rhetoric aimed at Muslims. Soweilam, shown here playing with her children Gamal El Sayed, left, and Ruwan El Sayed, is an American citizen. Alex Driehaus, PennLive

Soweilam, a 31-year-old Egyptian who has lived in the U.S. since 1999, says the current wave of Islamophobic rhetoric in this country has her on edge.

"Things are terrifying, really terrifying. I'm not feeling safe. I'm feeling like people are going to get shot down easily," says the 2004 Central Dauphin East graduate, who a few years ago became an American citizen.

Soweilam, a mother of two, says things are worse now than they were after 9/11. She blames the negative rhetoric at the center of Donald Trump's presidential election. The GOP presidential nominee has threatened to ban Muslims from entering the country and to force those who live here to register their names to a national registry for the purpose of government tracking.

"It's sad," says Soweilam, who lives in Camp Hill. "We're terrified. Everybody right now is thinking, 'where are we supposed to go?' This is my home, my country. I'm a normal person . . . I'm an American citizen . . . I've been living my life as an American. I work, come home and take care of my family."

A recent study out of Georgetown University, in fact, lays out in stark terms the rise of Islamophobia in this country since the onset of the presidential election cycle. According to the Bridge Initiative: there have been approximately 180 reported incidents of anti-Muslim violence, including: 12 murders; 34 physical assaults; 49 verbal assaults or threats against persons and institutions; 56 acts of vandalisms or destruction of property; 9 arsons; and 8 shootings or bombings, among other incidents.

But Tareen, the Franklin & Marshall Islam expert, cautions against drawing too stark a correlation between the Trump rhetoric and anti-Muslim sentiments and hate crimes.

"With all the focus on Trump and his rhetoric, we should not lose sight of ways in which this administration's foreign policy in the Middle East and South Asia, especially with regards to the loss of life in drone attacks, has also played a major part in the perpetuation of the cycle of violence that we find globally today," Tareen says.

Muslims, he adds, have come under the microscope in unprecedented ways, even in ostensibly well-meaning situations.

Trump may have come under fire last month when he criticized the Muslim parents of a slain American soldier who was killed in Iraq by a suicide bomber in 2004, but Tareen points out that Khizr and Ghazala Khan also were scrutinized.

Dr. Atizaz Mansoor, a cardiologist at PinncleHealth, says it is unfortunate that Muslim children as young as his daughters must negotiate discussions about their faith at school. Mansoor, an American by birth, said was never called upon to do that as a school student. He is pictured here with his daughters.

"He was embraced as a proper subject of this country only when his son made the ultimate sacrifice," Tareen says. "The implication is that this is what Muslims will have to do to prove their loyalty, to be counted as Americans and not be taken as suspicious. That is equally problematic."

Across the region, Muslims - especially women who wear the traditional hijab - say they have grown more sensitive to the sideway glances and reproaches from strangers.

Kareema Taghi, who lives in Mechanicsburg with her husband and 13-year-old daughter, says she remains on guard to always be on her best behavior, even when total strangers approach her with insulting remarks or behavior.

"I had one instance in the store where a lady was taking my food items and slamming them into the bag," she says. "Then she hit my daughter's arm with the little spinny thing where they put the bags and it hurt my daughter."

Taghi says her daughter, Aisha, recently lost a good friend when the mother of the girl became a Trump supporter. She says the girl, who had been her daughter's friend since they were 2 years old, one day suddenly stopped coming over the house.

"They used to talk every day on a daily basis," Taghi says. "It's better this way. I don't want the hidden hate, the hidden messages."

Indeed, almost to a person, Muslims say that the ugly and hateful acts, slurs and crimes represent only a small minority of people in this country.

"The majority of the people are really open, friendly and welcoming," Atizaz Mansoor says. "My neighbors are all outstanding. We go for walks and people talk to each other. I think it's a few bad seeds, but you get enough bad seeds and it does add to your paranoia."

Tareen points out a nuanced upside to the current rhetoric in this country: The level of bigotry has coincided with a rise in the public's knowledge of Islam.

Muslims, he adds, continue to hold positions of prominence in their communities, and even Congress. To date, two Muslims have been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives: Keith Maurice Ellison from Minnesota and Andre D. Carson from Indiana. Both are Democrats.

Certainly there have been some positive changes, Tareen says. But the dominant narrative for Muslims is that they still have to constantly prove their peacefulness and loyalty to the American nation. Thats true for many of those who were born here, or have been here for generations and those who have come as students or visitors. As long as that narrative does not shift, I dont see anything to have tectonically shifted.
File created image

Sept. 11, 2001 attacks

Fifteen years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans are reeling not only from the human loss on that day but also from the measures put in place to make us safer.

The identity of the United States changed forever after 9/11, just as it did 60 years earlier following the unprovoked bombing of Pearl Harbor. The changes have touched all aspects of our society  from security and transportation to immigration and religious tolerance.

Heres a slideshow showing how the attacks on 9/11 have changed the United States:

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A U.S. Marine cries during the memorial service for 31 U.S. servicemen killed in Iraq. The image was captured at Camp Korean Village in western Iraq, on Feb. 2, 2005.

Associated Press

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

After the terrorist attacks, the U.S. Congress voted to go to war with Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003. Hundreds of thousands of American men and women went to war.

Approximately 2,384 servicemen and women died during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and 4,424 died during Operation Iraqi Freedom. At least 970,000 veterans have some degree of officially recognized disability as a result of the wars.

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Associated Press

The USA PATRIOT Act

Passed six weeks after the attacks, the USA PATRIOT Act was created to strengthen domestic security and broaden the powers of law-enforcement agencies with regards to identifying and stopping terrorists.

The act gave the government unprecedented power to indefinitely access and detain immigrants while allowing law enforcement to search a home or business without the owner's consent and giving the FBI the freedom to search telephone, e-mail, and financial records without a court order.

Security experts have argued the Patriot Act has given the United States the ability to stop terrorist attacks by gaining information. Opponents argue that the legislation is a violation of the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable searches and seizures.

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President George W. Bush signs the Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2004 (PL 108-90) at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2003.

White House photo

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

President George Bush created the Department of Homeland Security in response to the 2001 terrorist attacks. The missions of the cabinet department involved antiterrorism, border security, immigration and customs, cybersecurity and disaster prevention and management.

The department has been criticized for ineffectiveness, lack of transparency and invasion of privacy.

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Associated Press

Creation of a surveillance state

Departments created and laws passed after Sept. 11, 2001, have meant to ramp up surveillance efforts in and outside of America.

Law enforcement now has access to records that once required a court order to obtain. Facial recognition is common at airports. And data on millions of Americans are being collected and stored.

The Department of Justice, National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigations have all expanded the kinds of information being collected in search of terrorist plots.

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John Luciew

Militarization of law enforcement

As fear of terrorist attacks developed around the United States, law enforcement began purchasing military-style weapons, vehicles and equipment.

The militarization of law enforcement has become a concern for people that feel police have gone from serving and protecting communities to occupying them.

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Associated Press

Tighter airport security

The biggest and most visible changes after 9/11 were to airport security.

Terrorists used lax security at airports and on airplanes to carry out their attacks. As a result, airport and airplane security went through significant changes.

Anyone flying out of an American airport is now used to the security measures  taking off your shoes during security checks, full body scans, removing your laptops from their bags and only being able to carry on a certain amount of liquids.

But there were a number of other changes implemented, such as new facial recognition technology, more cockpit security measures and additional air marshals.

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In this Thursday, July 28, 2016, file photo, Khizr Khan, father of fallen US Army Capt. Humayun S. M. Khan and his wife Ghazala speak during the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump broke a major American political and societal taboo over the weekend when he engaged in an emotionally-charged feud with Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the bereaved parents of a decorated Muslim Army captain killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq.

Associated Press

Anti-Muslim sentiment

The attacks of 9/11 by Islamic extremists has resulted in a distrust of Muslims around the United States.

Directly after the attacks, there were a number of assaults on Muslim men and women. However, additional terrorist attacks around the world and political rhetoric has contributed to a continued anti-Islamic attitude.

In 2014, the FBI reported that the number of hate crimes decreased nationally while the number of anti-Muslim crimes rose 14 percent over the previous year.

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Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen sits under a chart showing the U.S. national debt as she testifies in July 2016 on Capitol Hill.

Associated Press

Ever-increasing national debt

The national debt in the United States was $5.7 trillion on the day of the terrorist attacks.

Fifteen years and two war later, the national debt has ballooned to $19.4 trillion.

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Associated Press

Construction of the Freedom Tower

The terrorist attacks brought down the Twin Towers, but in their footprint rose the Freedom Tower. The 104-story building was designed by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind. The building opened in November 2014.

Also built on the site is the National September 11 Memorial  a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 men, women and children killed during the attacks.

Two reflecting pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers stood. The pools  which are nearly an acre each in size  feature the two largest man-made waterfalls in North America.

The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 World Trade Center attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the memorial pools.

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Associated Press

Osama bin Laden killed

As the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden became a wanted man by the United States.

Intelligence agencies sought information from all over the world in an attempt to find and kill the leader of Al-Qaeda. After nearly 10 years, bin Laden was located at a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

On May 2, 2011, SEAL Team Six conducted a raid on the compound and killed bin Laden.

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Families gather outside the church and display signs. Members of immigrant communities and their friends and loved ones gathered for a vigil at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Harrisburg in reaction to a recent Supreme Court decision relating to the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) program. Monday, June 27, 2016.

Daniel Zampogna, PennLive

Increased deportations

The Department of Homeland Security was given the task of overseeing a range of agencies, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

New rules were put in place that allowed law enforcement to check the immigration status of those arrested or stopped.

There were approximately 189,000 deportations in 2001 compared to more than 438,000 in 2013, according to the Pew Research Center.
FILE - In this July 26, 2016 file photo, Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks during a news conference in Cambridge, Mass. Carter is strongly criticizing Russia for what he says is Moscow's "clear ambition to erode the principled international order" through coercion and aggression. Carter used a speech Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, to students at Oxford University to blast what he calls Russia's "unprofessional behavior" in Ukraine, Syria and cyberspace. He's accusing Moscow of nuclear "saber rattling." (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
Pete Buttigieg visits Charlevoix to support Democratic candidates

In a show of support for the local slate of Democratic candidates, Pete Buttigieg made an appearance at the Charlevoix Public Library on Saturday.
Energy ministers of Saudi Arabia, Russia sign declaration, may limit output in future



Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak have agreed to set up a task force to stabilize the oil market.

HANGZHOU, China

Petroleumworld.com 09 07 2016

Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed on Monday to cooperate in world oil markets, saying they will not act immediately but could limit output in the future, sending prices higher on hopes the two top oil producers would work together to tackle a global glut.

The joint statement was signed by the country's energy ministers in China on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit and followed a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said the two countries were moving toward a strategic energy partnership and that a high level of trust would allow them to address global challenges. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the agreement would also encourage other producers to cooperate.

Oil prices LCOc1 soared almost 5 percent ahead of a news conference by the two ministers, but pared gains to trade up 2 percent by 6.30 a.m. ET as the agreement yielded no immediate action.

"There is no need now to freeze production ... We have time to take this kind of decision," Falih said.

"Freezing production is one of the preferred possibilities, but it does not have to happen specifically today."

Even if the Monday statement was short on action, it marks a significant development in the Russia-Saudi relationship. The two countries have been effectively fighting a proxy war in Syria and Moscow also sees itself as a big ally of Iran - Riyadh's arch-rival in the Middle East.

FREEZE TALKS

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will hold informal talks in Algeria later this month, and is next scheduled to meet officially in Vienna in November.

Several OPEC producers have called for an output freeze to rein in the glut, which arose as supplies from high-cost producers such as the United States soared.

The price collapse of the past two years has hit the budgets of major producers such as Russia and Saudi Arabia while leading to unrest and social tensions is smaller producing nations such as Venezuela and Nigeria.

OPEC's de facto leader Saudi Arabia has also signaled willingness to cooperate as it faces budget pressures and seeks to float a stake in state-owned producer Aramco.

Venezuela, which has consistently pushed for a deal to boost prices, hailed the agreement as "an important step in coordinating joint action between the biggest OPEC member and one of the biggest non-OPEC producers".

Venezuela has presented an "alternative proposal" to be considered at the upcoming Algeria meeting that would help "stabilize both the volume of supplies to markets and the fair price for producers," the Oil Ministry said in a statement.

The statement did not offer further details on the proposal.

Any deal between OPEC and non-OPEC producer Russia would be the first in 15 years since Moscow agreed to cut output in tandem with the cartel at the turn of the millennium, although Russia never followed through on that promise.

Novak said he was open to ideas on what cut-off period to use if producer countries decided to freeze output.

If production is frozen at early-2015 levels, it would effectively mean an output cut as most producers - including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq and Iran - have steeply boosted production since then.

Novak said outright oil production cuts may also be discussed.

CRUDE OVERHANG

In April, Russia was prepared to freeze output together with OPEC, but talks collapsed after Riyadh said it would agree to a deal only if Iran - OPEC's third-largest producer - participated.

Iran has argued that it needs to regain market share lost during years of Western sanctions, which were lifted in January.

Putin said last week that a new deal on oil output could involve some compromise on Iranian output.

"We believe that the oil market rebalancing has been rather delayed ... And certainly joint actions which were considered at the beginning of the year, including a freeze, could have drawn much nearer the date of rebalancing of the respective markets," Novak said on Monday.

"We are ready, if there is such a decision, to join" an oil output freeze, TASS news agency cited Novak as saying.

Oil prices collapsed to as low as $27 per barrel earlier this year from as high as $115 in mid-2014, but have since recovered to around $50.

"The market is getting better and we noticed that the prices reflect this (improvement)", said Falih. "A coordinated and appropriate, collective decision on production will help bring balance and reduce inventories in a more timely manner".








The global animal breeding company, Hendrix Genetics, has established a research agreement with the University of Edinburghs Roslin Institute to pursue improvements in the sustainability of animal production.

Hendrix and Roslin already have a strong research relationship concerning farm salmon disease genetics and see the new agreement as an opportunity to collaborate on breeding developments with other livestock species, including pigs and poultry.

The new partnership with Roslin is a unique opportunity to improve our breeding programmes through applied research projects, using the latest genomic technology, said Hendrix Genetics chief innovation and technology officer, Dr Johan van Arendonk.

Roslin Institutes deputy director, Professor Bruce Whitelaw, agreed, adding: We are excited about building on our long-term relationship with Landcatch (Hendrix-owned Scottish salmon breeder), working together across a number of other commercial species.

The existing collaboration on salmon, which has been running for several years, has already yielded the discovery of a gene that makes salmon more resilient to a viral disease. This has led, in turn, to the development of genetic tools that have improved the selective breeding of salmon with resistance to sea lice, which is a particularly significant problem for fish farmers.

The new agreement is designed to enable the two partners to strengthen and extend their relationship, specifically to explore precision breeding technology, not only in aquaculture, but also in pig, chicken and turkey breeding.

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What does Vietnam need: power from Laos or water from the Mekong?





While economists applaud the idea of importing electricity from Laos, environmentalists say that Vietnam should not encourage Laos to build hydropower plants on the Mekong River.



VietNamNet Bridge - While economists applaud the idea of importing electricity from Laos, environmentalists say that Vietnam should not encourage Laos to build hydropower plants on the Mekong River.Vietnam should not think of buying electricity from Laos. If we do, we will encourage them to build hydropower plants on thevMekong, said Vu Trong Hong, chair of the Vietnam Water Resources Association, and former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment.The Mekong is a means of subsistence for 70 million people in six countries and the source of food to 300 million in the region and world.For sustainable development of this river basin, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam established the Mekong River Committee (MRC).According to Dao Trong Tu, director of the Center for the Water Resource Sustainable Development, and former deputy secretary of Vietnam National Mekong Committee, big questions have been raised about the development of Mekongs upper course, especially hydropower plants in China and Laos on the Mekong mainstream.

In principle, economic development in every country in the Mekong River basin is determined by the country.



However, countries have to observe international laws when using water of international rivers like the Mekong, including the 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (the 1997 Convention).



The development and exploitation of international river water resources must be programmed thoroughly with consideration of benefits of all relevant nations.



The hydropower development on the Mekong mainstream is expected to bring big economic benefits to Laos, but to harm ecosystems, livelihoods and the environment of countries in the lower course, including Vietnam.



International organizations have repeatedly warned about the serious consequences the hydropower dams on the upper course would have on the lower course.



Vietnam would suffer the most from this: it would lack water to irrigate the countrys biggest rice granary, which would affect its food security.



Tu said that the import of electricity from Vietnam will be contrary to all its efforts to dissuade Laos from continuing hydropower plants.



Hong from the Water Resources Association said Vietnam must not exchange the environment for short-term economic goals.



Water security is an important issue, he said, adding that Vietnam should think of buying electricity from Laos.



An electricity expert, commenting that policy makers seem to exaggerate the electricity demand in Vietnam, said Vietnam did not need to import electricity.



The total electricity output in Vietnam is 33,000-34,000 MW.





Dat Viet
Riding to orbit

The OSIRIS-REx mission starts with a two-hour launch window that opens at 7:05 p.m. EDT (23:05 UTC) Thursday. Its Atlas V carrier rocket will require just one out of a maximum of five solid rocket boosters, giving it a lopsided look during the initial climb to orbit.

After 12 and a half minutes, the Atlas V will have shed its booster, core stage and payload fairing, and the upper stage and payload will begin a 21-minute coast phase. A second upper stage burn will last 7 minutes, followed by a 15-minute coast.

Then, OSIRIS-REx will be cut loose, pulling away from Earth's gravity well. The ride will be over in less than an hour.

A year later, OSIRIS-REx will swing past Earth again for a final slingshot on to Bennu. It will arrive in August 2018, survey the asteroid for two years and collect a sample weighing up to 2 kilograms as early as July 2020. It is expected to leave in March 2021, but the timeline has some wiggle room.

The return date does not. OSIRIS-REx's precious sample will land in Utah on September 24, 2023. The core spacecraft will sidestep Earth and continue onward into orbit around the sun. NASA could potentially repurpose the spacecraft for extended missions.

The science

Chock full of carbon and almost black in color, asteroid Bennu is a 4.5-billion-year-old time capsule dating back to the dawn of our solar system. It is hoped to contain pristine samples of organic compounds that could shed light on how life arose on Earth.

At Bennu, OSIRIS-REx will use a complex suite of instruments to survey the asteroid. Included on the spacecraft is a laser altimeter, an X-ray imager, a suite of cameras, and visual, infrared and thermal emission spectrometers.

Scientists will be able to create a detailed map of Bennu and characterize its surface composition and temperatures, before choosing a safe but scientifically interesting spot to collect a sample. The sampling arm, TAGSAM, will collect between 60 grams and 2 kilograms of material for return to Earth.

But only a fourth of that material will be analyzed in 2023. Like the Apollo moon rocks, a significant portion will be set aside for future generations to study using yet-to-be-developed techniques and instruments.
BSOP Millions Launches 2016 Tournament Schedule

September 07, 2016 PokerNews Staff

The Brazilian Series Of Poker has been held in Brazil since 2006. Today it's the largest poker event in Latin America, with a record of 3,457 participants in the last leg of the 2015 season. In fact, it's the world's largest poker tournament outside Las Vegas, according to the organizers.

The 2016 edition of the BSOP Millions, sponsored by PokerStars.net, will be held between Nov. 22 and Dec. 1 in the gigantic Golden Hall of the Sheraton WTC in Sao Paulo. In total, there will be 36 tournaments played in a lot of formats and buy-in levels, with special events for women and senior players.

Main Event

The highlight of the schedule, the Main Event, will keep the same structure as in recent years. The buy in will again be R$3,500 (approximately $1,100). The levels will once again be 60 minutes long for the first days and 90 minutes for Days 4 and 5. In addition, the Main Event champion will receive at least R$1,000,000 (approximately $300,000). Last year, Andre Andreis was the Main Event champion and walked away with a R$1,400,000 (approximately $433,000) paycheck!

Giant Field

The first tournament of the BSOP Millions is already guaranteed to have a staggering amount of entries. Last year the event had a guaranteed R$750,000 (about $232,000) prize pool and attracted 3,875 entries. This year, the guaranteed prize pool will be R$1 million! The tournament structure will remain the same, with the four initial days all having 30-minute levels and 45-minute levels from Day 2 onward. The buy in? Just R$600 (approximately $185).

Super High Rollers

The second event in BSOP Millions this year will be the glamorous Super High Rollers. This tournament will see the highest buy in of the festival; R$15,000 (about $4,700). With a starting stack of 100,000 chips, the SHR will feature two starting days and 60-minute levels.

Pot Limit Omaha

The four-card game gained prominence in this edition of the BSOP Millions. There will be several tournaments in various structures, including Knock Out tournaments and Turbo events. The highlight, however, is Tournament 7, a R$5,000 (almost $1547) buy-in, 6-max PLO event. This event will last three days, thanks to the 50,000 starting stack and 60-minute levels.

LAPT Brazil

PokerStars is replacing the Latin American Poker Tour brand in 2017. Before that happens, it will make one last stop in Brazil with the BSOP Millions. This time, the event will last three days with a R$8,000.00 (about $2,500) buy in.

Other highlights of the BSOP Millions 2016:

A Heads-Up tournament, with R$3,000 (almost $930) buy in and 64 players cap

The NLH Mix-Max event will return after success in other legs of the BSOP.

Event #19 is a NLH Turbo tournament with a R$500,000 (about $154,680) guaranteed prize pool.

Check out www.bsop.com.br for the entire structure. Online satellites for the BSOP Millions will be held at PokerStars starting this Sunday, Sept. 11.
Portland, Oregon: The Cancellation of Pokerlandia

September 06, 2016 Darrel Plant

Imagine a city where there was never any rake, a tournament started every couple of hours and you could get a seat in a $1/$2 cash game at multiple venues. That's been the situation in Portland, Oregon's poker clubs for the past several years.

Players have been honing their chops and building up bankrolls only to take off to play in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and elsewhere across the country. Lisa Meredith, a regular in one of the local pub games, came in third in this year's WSOP Millionaire Maker for $500,000.

One club had a weekly schedule of guaranteed tournaments that added up to a third of the Venetians weekly guarantees and three different clubs in town had $100,000 guarantee tournaments in the weeks leading up to the WSOP.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. In mid-July, a letter went out from the City of Portland reiterating the rules under which the clubs operated. An investigation by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) into a complaint lodged by a dealer who had worked at PDX Poker Club led to the letter.

Social gaming clubs are prohibited from making money on poker games under state and city laws. Under previous interpretations of the laws, the clubs could charge for entry into the club (between $5 and $15), but all money paid for tournament entries went into the prize pool. The words been spreading, even reaching the point where Carlos Welch - the notoriously nitty Twitch streamer - had been considering taking in the scene, mentioning Portland in an interview with Andrew Brokos in July.

@apokerplayer @NextLevelBurger Good to know. Portland is very likely my next stop. I hear they pay substitute teachers very well.  Carlos Welch (@HipHop101Trivia) July 16, 2016

David Long, a long-time poker player on the East Coast before moving back to Portland describes it like this: From a players perspective, [Portland] is the best value in poker anywhere. No rake. No juice. A single daily cover charge for a days worth of tournaments and cash games. However, this value largely exists at the expense of volunteer dealers who subsist on tips. Players never really questioned, or didnt realize, how this could be.

Dealers in Portland have been unpaid volunteers making moneymuch like dancers in Portlands many, many strip clubsfrom tips paid by players who cashed in the tournaments. Its an informal, backdoor form of rake. The cash games (known locally as shootouts) are ostensibly one-hour chip chop tournaments to get around rules prohibiting bets of more than $1 in value (tournament chips have no value!). At the heart of the BOLI complaint was the fact that the rigid scheduling and staffing requirements needed for dealers in large tournaments strain the pretense of a volunteer workforce.

The Portland poker scene has had two large clubs (and a dozen or so smaller ones) for several years: Encore (which changed its name to PDX Poker this spring) and Final Table. Encore regularly held tournaments that maxed out its 16 tables. Final Table can handle about 300 players. This spring, the Portland Meadows horse racing track opened up a new room with 26 tables. But two days after receiving the notice from the city in July, Encore shut its doors for good and posted a notice offering all of their tables, chairs and equipment for sale.

For the past month, the other clubs have operated more or less as usual. Two weeks after Encores closure, a regularly-scheduled monthly tournament drew 235 players nearly doubling the $20,000 guarantee, and the prize pool of a weekly $10,000 guarantee the next day went over $17,000. Players and club operators were waiting for the other shoe to drop. That shoe showed this past week and it was some clown-sized footwear.

On August 16, an article appeared in the Portland Tribune. The piece had been in the works for more than a week, and included quotes from a couple representatives for poker clubs, a lawyer representing a club, a lawyer who intends to file a class-action lawsuit against Encore on behalf of its former dealers (both lawyers are also players) and a representative of the city, as well as portions of the letter. The next day, a segment aired on Portland-based KGW-TVs evening news show. That articles title flatly asserted that the poker rooms were illegal (despite having been in open operation with city inspections for more than five years), an interpretation apparently based on the opinion of Tom Rask, a local attorney. It just so happens that Rask represents the operators of card rooms in La Center, Washingtonthirty miles to the north of Portlandthe nearest venues for poker until the opening of the Portland clubs.

Zach Elwood, the author of Reading Poker Tells and a regular player in the $2/$5 and $5/$10 shootout/cash games in Portland, said he wonders how much the Washington casinos and Spirit Mountain [At 75 miles from Portland; it's the nearest tribal casino] have to do with this recent crackdown."

"I've heard they've spent a lot of money trying to destroy Portland-area card rooms so it wouldn't surprise me if that's who was really behind this latest push to get rid of the rooms, Elwood said.

Washington state gambling statutes preclude no-limit hold em cash games; the number and variety of tournaments in Portland far outstripped anything that had been available before the card rooms opened. In addition to the challenge from the Portland rooms, the older venues are facing the imminent opening of the Ilani Casino Resort on the opposite side of Interstate 5 from La Center.

Poker players, being poker players, point fingers at who is to blame. A contentious series of posts on the NW Poker Facebook group blame the dealers who complained to BOLI for potentially bringing down the quasi-legal house of cards.

Chadd Baker, the owner of Portland Players Club since 2011, said that it may have been inevitable.

Even I felt uncomfortable when I brought in Gavin Smith and had $20,000-plus in my responsibility," Baker said. "I love poker but it really needs to be regulated on that level.

The latest twist in the story came August 30, when a post on the NW Poker Facebook forum announced that Zhenya John Ogai, the 38-year-old owner and operator of Encore Club for nearly six years, and arguably the most influential person in Oregon poker, had passed away the previous Thursday.

Chris Vetter, a friend of Ogais and the director of the Save Oregon Poker political action committee, was quoted in the Portland Tribune as saying Ogai was a brilliant entrepreneur, but that the lawsuit and issues with regulators had made him stressed out.

Lead image courtesy of Steve Morgan/Wikimedia Commons
Leaders can encourage one-on-one human interaction, which helps officers and the public see each other as real people, not stereotypes. . (Photo: iStockphoto.com)

In our modern, internet-enabled era of policing, proactive and creative leadership is much more critical than in days past. As the volume of police-detractors, anti-authoritarian movements, and overt cop-haters is maximally amplified by the internet, law enforcement leaders must be ever vigilant in preparing, equipping, and training their subordinates to face these new challenges.

How can leaders energize their troops with the online digital backdrop of vile, anti-police rhetoric clanging incessantly? Is it possible for modern front-line police leaders to maintain and even grow morale among their officers? How should police leaders determine when the threshold of therapeutic "venting" by their officers crosses the line into counterproductive whining? And, most importantly, can leaders believably and successfully lead by example in this challenging climate?

Unfortunately for the law enforcement community and our country in general, some front-line police leaders are succumbing to the negativity: projecting a self-preservative, cowardly, passive work ethic on to their officers. A few simple reminders of the power and efficacy of leaders who direct with intentionality and resolve may offer some insight, and a recalibrated plan for 21st century police leaders.

Confined Venting

First of all, leaders must never lose sight of the fact that our officers are merely humans, with normal human emotions, doubts, fears, and concerns. It is challenging and stressful for officers to repeatedly see their chosen profession demonized with vile, malicious metaphorical rhetoric every time they turn on the evening news or peruse social media. Particularly following the recent murders of the five Dallas Police Officers after a large anti-police demonstration, it can be a natural progression for in-house conversation among officers to turn negative and stay there.

Police culture, with its many quirks and eccentricities, has always left room for a healthy sum of internal "whining," which is generally quite therapeutic as officers are allowed to be heard and to share their complaints among the safe environment of their peers. It is advisable for first-line leaders to give their officers, deputies, agents, and troopers the freedom to espouse and discuss their negative and often counterproductive thoughts and emotions among one another. Often both the officer venting and those officers listening mutually benefit from these conversations inside the confines of police departments, realizing that they are not alone in their doubts and concerns.

However, leaders should be alert to the possibility of this venting becoming too contagious, negative, and addictive among their troops. Leaders must allow for the venting, but monitor it closely should it endanger team cohesion, unit morale, or mission success. The therapeutic in-house discussion, complaining, and venting must never leave the walls of the police station once it has served its purposes.

Sphere of Influence

Secondly, leaders should preach the notion of "sphere of influence" among their officers. This simple mental model posits that there are some things within our control, and other things which simply are not. For example, a rural deputy in North Carolina has no control over an emotionally charged officer-involved shooting in California, but she can always singularly control her individual duties, her shift, her attitude, and her beat.

Within the rock climbing community it is often referred to as having a "three-foot worldview," as climbers high on a rock wall have zero control over wind, weather, or tangled ropes, but can control their immediate reach and the next handholdthe three feet around them. Any mental energy spent by the climber worrying about the bad weather or tangled gear is actually a waste of focus.

Similarly, officers who choose to participate in heated, emotional online arguments spurred by the anti-police crowd are truly misusing their energy and their focus. This elementary idea can help young law enforcement officers survive the negative, anti-police onslaught of social media tripe, and condition them to focus on what they can individually influence. When officers train themselves to deemphasize or even completely ignore mass media's derisions, and focus wholly on the quality of their reports, or their next citizen contact, or their professional style of communication, both the individual officer, and the agency, will benefit.

Individual Ownership

Next, the importance of individual ownership is vital for leaders to instill in their officers. After adopting the "three-foot worldview" and realizing that many things are outside of their control, officers can then begin to "own" what is rightly theirs to exercise responsibility over. Once the negative, anti-police distractions of mass media are removed, officers are then free to evolve and refine their craft. Complete mental attention can then be paid to honing the professional police trade, to repeatedly sanding the edges of our calling, and to making good officers even better.

Leaders should push their officers to take full responsibility for anything that comes across their path, to examine the various challenges, and exercise creativity in overcoming such obstacles in moving toward solutions. The potency of each and every officer truly owning the good and the bad that will invariably come their way each work day, and then proactively working toward solutions, cannot be understated. It is powerful when officers are reinvigorated with the energy and potency that comes along with owning their trade. With this perspective, even the frustrating difficulties that arise can be seen through the lens of opportunity for change, or flexibility, or self-improvement. Satisfactory officers can then become extraordinary, and excellent officers can evolve even further along the professional scale.

Making Connections

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, in knitting these concepts together are the individual, professional connections that can then be fostered between officers and the public. In recent years, many young officers have shrunk back from personal, on-the-street conversations with the citizens as we often falsely attribute the online anti-police rubbish to the majority of citizens. It can become a precarious mental trap for officers to begin to pigeon-hole and project onto all citizens the same irrational, vile emotions of a small online minority of police detesters. It is an equally destructive mistake for officers to stereotype all of the public as "cop haters" as it is for citizens to stereotype all officers as "racist murderers."

Young officers are often overcome with disbelief when, in a public setting, they receive dozens of "thank you" wishes and other "atta-boys" from the underrepresented majority. The key to these quality interactions is the officers must be out and among their citizenry. Even among large, emotionally charged protests, I have personally experienced numerous sincere, honest, fulfilling conversations with protestors and demonstrators, only yards away from the mass demonstration, as people are all alike in wanting to be heard and spoken to. These types of one-on-one human interactions serve to break down the dual threat of negative projection and stereotyping, both for officers and for the public.

The internet and mass media have become amplified sounding boards for those who wish to spew vile negativities toward law enforcement in America, and the effect of that constant drip of venom can gravely impact law enforcement officers, if left unchecked. When creative and energetic police leaders take ownership of their officers, in caring for their thought-lives and refocusing on the positive impact law enforcement can have every day, we can better serve and protect. As leaders equip their officers to positively "vent" among themselves, internalize the "sphere of influence" mindset, and take powerful ownership of those things that we can control, officers will become more confident and intentional in engaging our citizens, leading to more healthy understanding on both sides of the badge.

Kory Flowers is a 17-year veteran sergeant with the Greensboro (NC) Police Department. He trains law enforcement officers nationwide on various subversive criminal groups ranging from white supremacists to sovereign citizens, and has written articles and conducted interviews and podcasts for publications including POLICE Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and National Public Radio.
Photo: El Paso County Sheriff's Office

A Colorado Springs, CO, felon once considered a person of interest in the 2013 slaying of Colorado's top prison official, Tom Clements, pleaded guilty Thursday to trying to kill a police officer while fleeing what authorities called a botched burglary, reports the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Thomas Guolee, 35, a reputed member of the 211 Crew white supremacist prison gang, was sentenced to 28 years in prison.

Prosecutors agreed to the penalty as part of a plea deal that tossed 18 of 19 counts against Guolee. He was on track for an Oct. 24 trial, court records show.

Guolee shot at least once in the direction of an officer when police responded to a report of a prowler in the 2400 block of Sierra Springs Drive. The faceoff led to a high-speed chase in which Guolee was shot in the leg after bailing out of a stolen vehicle.

One of two reputed gang members arrested in Colorado Springs in the wake of Clements' murder, Guolee denied involvement in the assassination during a jailhouse interview with The Denver Post in 2013. He was not charged in Clements' death.
There have been few presidential elections in U.S. history where both major party candidates were so disliked by much of the electorate as this year's contest between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. In a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll Trump had a 70% unfavorable rating and Clinton a 55% unfavorable rating. That means more than half the American people wish they had a better choice of candidates for 2016.

But these are the candidates we have. So to determine how working law enforcement officers are likely to vote in the November election, POLICE e-mailed a survey to 59,238 readers. A total of 3,652 working officers responded.

Out of that population of working officers who plan to vote in the November election, 84% say they support Donald Trump. Hillary was supported by 8%, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson received 5%, and "other" received 3%. Write-in choices on the right included: Texas senator Ted Cruz, Florida governor Jeb Bush, anybody but Trump candidate Evan McMullin, and Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke. On the left, write-ins included: Green Party candidate Jill Stein, climate change crusader and TV "science guy" Bill Nye, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. A number of respondents who selected other said "none of the above," and one may have summed up the feeling of many voters by simply stating, "Help, please."

Breaking Down the Vote

These numbers may seem to be good news for Trump, and they are to a degree. He has 7% more support from the POLICE audience than Mitt Romney received in 2012. But his support tends to be almost as much about respondents' dislike for Clinton as it is about their affection for Trump.

Asked why they were supporting Trump, the majority of pro-Trump respondents, 50%, said they liked his stands on the issues. But 37% said Trump was their man because "he is not Hillary Clinton," which shows that much of Trump's support among law enforcement officers is largely because of opposition to his opponent. Other reasons that Trump supporters gave for planning to cast their ballots for the New York tycoon included business experience, loyalty to the Republican Party, Trump's backing of law enforcement and the military, his defense of the Second Amendment, and a desire for change in Washington.

Because of the fact that so many Americans are dissatisfied with the choice between Clinton and Trump in this election, respondents who supported him were asked what their primary concerns are about the Republican candidate. The majority of respondents, 54%, expressed reservations about his temperament, followed by his lack of political experience at 24%. Trump's apparent failure to listen to advisors was another major concern at 21%. Only 1% of respondents cared about his refusal to release his tax information. Write-in responses to this question included "he doesn't choose his battles wisely," a lack of conservative principles, taking the bait from adversaries, his expressed admiration for certain dictators, and fear that he will lose to Hillary.

Hillary supporters were asked the same questions about their candidate. Overwhelmingly, the primary reason that respondents were supporting the former secretary of state, at 59%, was displeasure with Trump. Other reasons given for supporting Clinton included her political experience at 25%, her stands on the issues at 12%, and loyalty to the Democratic Party at 4%. Write-in responses from Hillary's supporters about why they support the Democratic candidate ranged from an enthusiastic statement about her professionalism, decency, and concern for people to an apathetic "she is the lesser of two evils."

But again Clinton's supporters have reservations about their candidate. By far the most pressing concern about Clinton among respondents who support her is her honesty at 46%. Other significant responses included: her support for Black Lives Matter at 28%, Second Amendment concerns at 17%, and the potential for more revelations about the Clinton Foundation and/or her e-mail server at 9%. Write-in responses to this question ranged from "no concerns" to "her arrogant selfishness."

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson scored 5% of respondents in the POLICE poll, but his support is largely a protest vote against the other candidates. Asked why they support the former New Mexico governor, the vast majority of respondents at 82% say the fact that he is not Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump made them choose Johnson. Other reasons respondents gave for supporting Johnson included: his stands on the issues at 15%, political experience at 2%, and loyalty to the Libertarian party at 1%. The most interesting write-in response from a Johnson supporter was, "I hate both Clinton and Trump, and I prefer smaller government."

Critical Issues

From the substantial response to the 2016 POLICE Presidential Election Survey, it's clear that many working law enforcement officers are passionate about the issues in this election.

Asked to choose the single most important issue in this election from a supplied list, respondents were almost equally split between control of the Supreme Court at 26% and terrorism and/or national security at 25%. Other responses included: the economy at 16%, support for law enforcement at 14%, Second Amendment concerns at 8%, illegal immigration at 5%, the national debt at 4%, and crime at 2%.

Write-in answers about the most critical issues overwhelmingly favored "all of the above." Other write-in concerns included: "building a spirit of compromise and collaboration on all issues," bridging the racial divide, ending Obamacare, reducing carbon emissions, and setting the future direction of the nation.

Who Will Win

Most American voters have had the experience of casting a vote for a candidate they know will lose. Some of the respondents in the POLICE poll believe this will happen to them this year. Although 84% of respondents support Trump, only 71% of respondents believe he will win in November. Hillary Clinton had only 8% support in the poll, but 28% of respondents believe she will be the next president. Only 1% of respondents believe Gary Johnson has a chance of moving into the Oval Office in January.

Write-in responses for this question were illustrative of voter attitudes toward this election. One officer wrote, "I fear it will be Clinton." Another wrote, "I wish it was none of these people." And another officer summed up the desperation that some voters feel this year with a simple prayer, "God help us."
As floodwaters steadily rose in his own neighborhood three weeks ago, Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Byron Daniels worked long hours riding shotgun on a high-water truck. Away from his displaced family, he focused on others in need, helping to lead hundreds through stinking water to dry land, reports The Advocate.

"We still have officers who were affected to the point they're worse off than I was," Daniels said. "And I lost everything."

Hundreds of Baton Rouge, LA, first responders  police officers, sheriff's deputies, firefighters, and soldiers  worked long hours during the days and weeks after the floodwaters began to rise around capital region three weeks ago, even as their own homes sank under the deluge and their families sought shelter.

About 170 Baton Rouge police officers  a quarter of the force  lost homes in the flood. At the Baton Rouge Fire Department, that tally is 190, roughly a third of firefighters. About that proportion of state troopers in the capital region lost homes as well, said a spokesman for the Louisiana State Police, which opened its training facilities to house the families of 425 displaced first responders.

In hard-hit communities in Livingston and Ascension parishes, some agencies fared even worse. The homes of about 40% of Denham Springs police officers flooded, said interim Chief Shannon Womack.

Nearly all of the hundreds of first responders who lost their homes continued reporting for duty, in some cases working for days without rest.

"If I got back to see my family, that's great. If it didn't work out that way, well, that's the job I was sworn to do," said Jerry Denton, a Denham Springs city marshal who drove his family to a relative's home in Baton Rouge before heading back for several days of boat rescues and door-to-door checks in his devastated community. "It's literally through hell or high water, and that's what we went through."

"Seeing how well the community and police can work together, it re-energized my belief that we can do this. We really got to see the best in people," said Daniels. "When you truly believe in being there for the community, there's no question."
Lieutenant Waldemar Rivera-Santiago of the Puerto Rico Police Department was killed Monday on his way to the station.

Lieutenant Waldemar Rivera-Santiago of the Puerto Rico Police Department was killed instantly Monday when his motorcycle collided with a truck on PR-2, near mile marker 159 in Mayaguez, while en route to the police headquarters.

Lieutenant Rivera-Santiago had served with the Puerto Rico Police Department for 30 years. He is survived by his wife and six children, ODMP.org reports.
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After a long summer vacation, the GOP-controlled Senate marked its return to Washington by failing to provide responsible legislation that would fund the fight against the deadly Zika virus.

Instead of doing the right thing and putting forward a clean bill to combat this serious problem, Republicans offered legislation that took aim at Planned Parenthood funding, ended pesticide regulation, and would have allowed the Confederate Flag to be flown at military cemeteries.

It was shameless political gamesmanship at its finest.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren slammed Senate Republicans as selfish in a tweet on Tuesday night:

#Zika funding isnt a place for your selfish, partisan games, @SenateGOP. Peoples lives are at risk. Bring a clean bill to a vote NOW.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 6, 2016

Nevada Sen. Harry Reid also chimed in, saying, Republicans were more interested in attacking Planned Parenthood and flying the confederate flag  than protecting women and babies from this awful virus.

According to TIME, the GOP measure bars Planned Parenthood clinics in Zika-suffering Puerto Rico from receiving new money to treat the disease and curb its spread.

Even Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri admitted that this attack on Planned Parenthood was likely standing in the way of the critical funding.

For this to get done, that language just may have to go away, Blunt said.

Like usual, Republicans are playing politics to appeal to their extremist base instead of doing the right thing and passing a clean funding bill to combat this deadly virus.

For years the GOP has been waging a war on Planned Parenthood, even though the organization provides health services to millions of Americans every year. Now they are using a squabble over this vital funding to once again push this agenda.

While babies and pregnant women affected by this virus wait for Congress to act, Republicans continue to play political games.
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*The following is an opinion column by R Muse*

It is true that elections are nasty affairs, at least in America, but one expects the media to do its due diligence and report all stories about all candidates accurately and fairly. But this is America and it is getting more difficult every day to find much in the mainstream media that comes close to being accurate or fair. Obviously, truth doesnt sell and if large media outlets were relegated solely to Internet posting, they would join an increasing number of websites being labeled clickbait sites. It must sell ad space to report lies from Republicans, because the media has spent no small amount of time parroting lies and fabrications from Donald Trumps campaign about Hillary Clinton. While the media assists Trumps mudslinging, it has ignored a world of highly unflattering stories about the Donald because bashing a powerful woman obviously sells ad space.

It should have been painfully apparent that when Donald J. Trump, WWE and reality television celebrity, hired Citizens United founder David Bossie as his campaign deputy manager, the level of mudslinging targeting Hillary Clinton would get seriously nasty. Remember, it was Citizens Uniteds long campaign ad disguised as a legitimate documentary defaming Hillary Clintons character, and the subsequent action stopping it, that prompted Citizens United and then-Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court. Its not as if Trump needed more aid in attacking Clintons character with lies and fabrications, he has made a mockery out of the campaign process by inventing issues and lying to sate his particularly ugly pathology.

One of the irritating, seriously irritating, aspects of Trumps dirty lies is this perpetual claim that Hillary Clinton is corrupt and as of late calling the Clinton Foundation corrupt and a scam; something the mainstream media refuses to stop reporting as if it is a legitimate claim. What the media also refuses to do is shine the same glaring light on real corruption in the form of Donald Trumps phony foundation, or report that Trump admitted guilt in using his foundation illegally, or that the illegality was also a bribe and an attempt to cover up the bribe, and that doesnt count using his foundation as a tax shelter disguised as a charity.

It was hardly mentioned anywhere, but Donald Trump was forced to pay the IRS a $2,500 penalty earlier this year after the Internal Revenue Service revealed that Trumps phony charitable foundation violated tax laws, and likely campaign finance laws as well. Although the violation, and subsequent admission of guilt by Trump, was over the foundation violating tax laws by giving a political contribution to a campaign group, it was also a political contribution that any reasonably intelligent human being would label a bribe to another Republican and high-ranking law enforcement official.

A few weeks ago this column noted that while Trump University was under investigation by several states attorneys general, the Florida attorney generals investigation into the fraudulent university came to a screeching halt. It ended immediately after Trump University owner Donald J. Trump illegally used his Donald J. Trump Foundation to hand over a $25,000 gift (bribe) to none other than Floridas Republican attorney general, Pam Bondi.

In typical Republican fashion, Bondi claims there was no impropriety on her part, but she is as big a liar as her sugar-daddy Donald Trump. Internal emails reveal that Bondi actually solicited the donation from Trump, accepted it, and then dropped the case. There is sufficient evidence that Bondi and her office were considering joining other states attorneys general in investigating the hundreds of fraud allegations made against Trumps phony university, but after being handed the $25,000 she asked for, Bondi did what Trump paid her to do and said there was nothing improper to investigate and the case, in Florida at least, was never pursued.

Trump said his charitable foundation illegally donating to a political campaign was just a silly little oversight and gladly forked over a measly $2,500 as a penalty, but even that is a lie. Not surprising, not only did the Donald J. Trump Foundation forget to list its pay-off to the pro-Bondi group And Justice for All, it lied in its Internal Revenue tax filing that year to cover up the illegal donation to dissuade Floridas top law enforcement official from investigating and prosecuting Trump and his fraudulent university.

The Trump Foundation charity actually did list a $25,000 donation to some group on its IRS filing, but it was a group unrelated to Bondi to cover up the illegal donations impropriety and purpose. The group based in Wichita Kansas, not Florida, is a non-profit called Justice for All, and they reported their non-profit never received a penny from the Trump Foundation. It lends credence to Trump being guilty of attempting to cover up a bribe, bribing a law enforcement official and violating the IRS rules governing his charitable, tax-exempt fraudulent foundation.

This is a story involving a presidential candidate that should be leading at least a couple of news cycles and warrant an investigation by the Department of Justice, Federal Elections Commission and Floridas legislature. However, mainstream media is not going to utter or print a word about Trumps corruption when there is a woman candidate seeking the same office as a man. It is telling, too, that the media is rabid to cover Trumps phony corruption accusations and fabricated Republican scandals against Hillary Clinton when they know damn well there is a veritable mountain of evidence detailing many Trump scandals and corruption.

Only dyed-in-the-wool fascists, racists, Aryans, Republicans and the mainstream media know Donald Trump is as corrupt as they come and still pretend he is an upstanding citizen. Donald Trump, like his phony foundation, his scam university, and his bought-and-paid-for attorney general Pam Bondi, is corrupt to the bone and if the media would spend even a fraction of the time reporting just a fraction of Trumps corruption, one might say American media is fair, accurate and balanced. But its not and in aiding Trumps campaign by reporting his lies that Clinton is corrupt while ignoring his scandals, one has to conclude that the mainstream media is as corrupt as Donald J. Trump and his fraudulent foundation.
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If you look at the list of speakers at this years Values Voter Summit, to be held September 9-11, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., you see a list of big names but not much evidence of actual values, unless dishonesty and hypocrisy are values.

Its quite a list: there are those who say God chose them to be president, like Michele Bachmann; those who leak classified information, like Lt. Gen. William Boykin; heads of hate groups, like Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council; guys who want to marry your 15-year-old daughters, like Phil Robertson; Islamophobes, like Laura Ingraham; anti-gay bigots like the Benham brothers, who lost their show on HGTV on account of their bigotry; and, of course, Donald Trump.

Trump, who claims to be a friend of LGBT Americans, is scheduled to speak Saturday. Preceding and following him to the stage will be a whole slate of anti-LGBT bigots. The organizer of the event itself is anti-gay, the Family Research Council. As Miranda Blue points out at Right Wing Watch,

In 2003, when the Supreme Court was considering the constitutionality of Texas ban on sodomy in the landmark Lawrence v. Texas case, the FRC filed an amicus brief on behalf of the state. When the court ruled against Texas in the case, the FRC called it a direct attack on the sanctity of marriage and the groups president, Tony Perkins, declared, Whats at stake here is the very foundation of our society, not only of America but all Western civilization.

Another event sponsor is the notorious American Family Association, which hosts Bryan Fischer, who has foamed at the mouth over gays, Muslims, atheists, and pretty much everyone else you care to name who isnt a White Christian American. So the hate here is not only deep, it is broad.

It is difficult to see how Trump, despite possibly being the most gay-friendly of the 16 Republican hopefuls to enter the race, plans to prove his gay-friendly bona fides amid such company at such an event. He can hardly stand up before such a crowd and say, as he has said in the past, ask the gays. The gays gave him plenty of unwelcome answers at the time.

Not only does Trump make money off countries with anti-gay laws, but the guy he picked as his VP is the guy who riled up most of the country when he tried to impose an anti-gay religious tyranny on Indiana with his Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA.

Trump depends on the support of the Religious Right. Outside of white supremacists, Evangelicals are the only demographic he can depend on. He has refused to alienate his white supremacist supporters, and Trump knows that for many Evangelicals, he is only the lesser of two evils. If he wants to keep their support, Trump is going to have to be at his anti-gay best at the Values Voter Conference.
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Neil Cavuto sat down with billionaire Mark Cuban to push some talking points on Fox Business, which is generally what passes for an interview on Fox. But Mark Cuban was having none of it, and verbally flayed Cavuto to within an inch of his cable news life.

Cuban began by point out that Trump has been leading the media around by their noses, and called him a master of headline porn.

Donald has done a great job of setting the agenda for the media. The guy is a master of headline porn. You know, you just want to deal with the headlines and not look whats underneath it.

This is precisely what the mainstream media has been guilty of doing.

And theres nobody better at it than him. But thats not what I look for when it comes to deciding who I want to vote for for president. At some point, somebody has to govern. At some point, he would have to understand policy. At some point he would have to get into details. And he just has not shown a talent for doing any of those things.

At this point, Cavuto decided it was time for a little push back, and began citing all the GOPs invented Hillary scandals:

Has Hillary Clinton though? And here he launched into a tirade about emails, flip-flops and stories.

Cuban gave him a verbal beat-down:

Look, all candidates flip-flop to a certain extent over the years and I dont even hold that so much against Donald. Look, Im happy to discuss the emails. The thing about Hillary Clinton, shes not good at communicating with the media. Donald is a master of it. The thing about the emails, people trust her judgment when it comes to classified information because shes never discussed what she actually did with classified information. The reality is, for 99.99% of the classified information she dealt with, she did it in hard copy, paper, secured transfer, everything was done by the book. She didnt even use the PC. For her email, she sent and received emails from a total of 13 people. Thats it, 13 people. And across those 13 people there were 68 classified threads

This was too much for Cavuto, who saw Fox News carefully created lies being destroyed on air, so he jumped in with a That we know of, and 15,000 more are out there

Cuban was having none of it, and again utterly destroyed the Fox host:

No, thats not the case Neil. Thats not the case, because the FBI went and interviewed everybody and anybody who connected with her email.

Losing there, Cavuto switched tacks, claiming it was odd for a Secretary of State to set up her own email server, but Cavuto shot him down again, stressing once more that he knows what he is talking about because Im a tech guy.

Of course, Cuban has already dealt with the emails during an appearance on CNN, explaining why he doesnt think Hillary Clinton did anything wrong. As with any thoroughly debunked Fox-created scandal, however, hes more than happy to run it up the flagpole to attract some attention.

Cuban admitted to being a behind-the-scenes supporter of Hillary Clinton and revealed he would be willing to help Clinton by portraying Donald Trump in mock debates, but says he hasnt been asked.

This should have been the moment Cavuto asked Cuban about the Trump Foundation. But after making Cuban defend his pro-Colin Kaepernick stance, Cavuto had more to dish out on Hillary Clinton and brought up former GE CEO Jack Welchs allegations that the Clinton Foundation is a pay for play scheme.

Cuban went after Welch in a series of tweets, saying You have money. Access. Give one example where you were able to buy pay for play from Clintons? Of course, Welch couldnt. Cuban followed this up with another broadside: You know what its like to be falsely accused. Shouldnt you back up accusations with facts?

Well, factsWelch is a Republican after all. What was Cuban thinking?

Cuban was more than happy to return to the subject and ripped into Cavutos lies about Clintons speaking fees.

Look. You have to ask yourself whats the market for a former president giving a speech, right?. So first of all, Ronald Reagan was paid more than a million dollars for speeches in 1989. He went to Japan and gave two speeches. Second of all, Bill Clinton made, I think it was $250K give or take, for a lot of speeches. Ive made $250K for a bunch of speeches. For the most part, he gets paid a little more than I do, but the point is he was right inside the market. He wasnt getting paid more or less than the market.

And he added  over Cavutos objections that it looks suspicious  that,

In order to determine if there is any quid pro quo, theres go to be some money destined for the trade-off. But Neil, theyve been investigated more than anybody.

Mark Cuban has had no problem going before the mainstream media and destroying Republican talking points about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The mainstream media should, in fact, be the ones doing this, but since they arent, its fortunate to have somebody like Cuban, who, because he is wealthier and more successful than Trump, has to be taken seriously. And he speaks from knowledge and with utter conviction.

This was a clinic given by Mark Cuban in how to beat-down fake Fox scandals, and he danced a jig on Neil Cavutos head without skipping a beat.
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On the same day as the candidates will face off in a Commander-in-Chief forum, during which the focus will be on national security, military affairs and veterans issues, national security expert Matt Olsen explained why Hillary Clinton was the clear choice for national security and warned that ISIS was rooting for Donald Trump.

In a Time Magzine article titled Why ISIS Supports Donald Trump, the former head of the National Counterterrorism Center Matt Olsen said Americans face perhaps the starkest contrast in generations this election, and he warned, Trumps statements and extreme policies arent just contrary to our valuesthey play right into the hands of ISIS.

Olsen laid it out, The bottom line is this: Trumps erratic and belligerent slogans are no substitute for policies based on facts and sound judgment.

The national security expert explained that ISIS is rooting for Donald Trump, Interviews with ISIS members and analysis of social media, including in a recent Foreign Affairs article, make it clear: ISIS is rooting for Donald Trump.

Explaining that ISIS uses social media to spread propaganda, he wrote, Now, some of them are using those channels to advocate for Trump. In August, one ISIS spokesman wrote: I ask Allah to deliver America to Trump. Another supporter declared: The facilitation of Trumps arrival in the White House must be a priority for jihadists at any cost!!! ISIS is working to drum up support for the candidate it has called the perfect enemy.

Olsen laid out three reasons why ISIS is supporting Trump and why Olsen is endorsing Clinton:

One: Trumps anti-Muslim proposals are likely to inspire and radicalize more violent jihadists in the U.S. and Europe.

Two: Trumps statements also serve to isolate and alienate the same Muslim Americans who must be our partners in this fight.

Three: Further, Trumps comments undermine our counterterrorism efforts around the world. By demonizing Muslims, he feeds ISISs narrative that the U.S. is at war with Islam.

The national security expert offered deep praise for Clintons pragmatic and detailed strategy to defeat ISIS writing additionally, Fundamentally, she recognizes that American values of freedom, tolerance and the rule of law are strengthsnot vulnerabilitiesin the fight against terrorism.

Before conservatives cry bias, Wikipedia lays out Olsens job history in which former President George W. Bush appointed him to be Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Departments National Security Division.

Olsens endorsement comes on the same day that 95 retired generals and admirals endorsed Hillary Clinton.

But while Clinton leads among registered voters in a new NBC/SurveryMonkey poll, Trump leads 55% to 36% among veterans and active-duty service members.

Clinton leads leads 44% to 24% among registered voters when it comes to who is better equipped to handle nuclear weapons, a point the Clinton campaign will surely use to their advantage in upcoming ads.

Donald Trump is the perfect enemy that would be a big win for ISIS. That I am writing this about a candidate for the highest office in the land is horrific beyond belief.

This isnt a matter of ideology; this is a matter of fitness. Donald Trump is a gift to terrorists and our enemies. The Republican is the Trojan Horse for ISIS and Putin.

Danger, danger.



The Commander-in-Chief town hall will air on NBC and MSNBC at 8PM EST and be moderated by TODAY co-anchor, Matt Lauer.
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It took former President Bill Clinton seconds to diagnose and devastate Donald Trump while campaigning for his wife in Orlando, FL.

Video:

.@billclinton: Trump always accuses Hillary Clinton "of what he's about to be zapped with," including "pay to play." https://t.co/hbBCZnyLqb  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 7, 2016

The former president said, Her opponent always figures out what he is about to be zapped with and accuses her of it. Its good. I mean, hes good at that. Hes made a lot of money on reality TV. Theyre going to accuse me of pay to play in Florida. I think Ill accuse her of it.

Bill Clinton made the audience laugh while driving home three messages that are key to the Hillary Clinton campaign in twenty seconds. Mr. Clinton hit Trump for his compulsive habit of projecting his own flaws onto his opponent. The former president reminded voters that Trump is unqualified for the office that he is seeking by using the phrase reality TV star, and he brought up Trumps corruption with the unfolding pay for play Trump scandal in Florida.

Bill Clinton is a master of political communication. His folksy tone and charm smoothly coat a rock solid political message. Donald Trump has created the myth that he is a great communicator, but Trump looks like a babbling child compared to Bill Clinton.

The Hillary Clinton campaign is going to be rolling a team of all-star surrogates that Trump cant match. Whether it is President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, former President Clinton, Vice President Biden, or Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Democrats will be crisscrossing the country with a team of surrogates speaking on behalf of the Clinton/Kaine ticket that is head and shoulders above anyone that will speak for Trump.

After listening to former President Clinton, its clear that Donald Trump could be in for a very rough couple of months.
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Donald Trumps two great loves are himself and money, in that order. When Trump parts with money, he expects something in return, especially when he donates to politicians. In fact, he often bragged about his use of money to buy political influence.

Ive got to give [campaign contributions] to them, because when I want something, I get it. When I call, they kiss my ass. Its true. They kiss my ass. Its true.

Then theres this exchange during a Republican primary debate.

Q: Youve also supported a host of other liberal policies, youve also donated to several Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton included, Nancy Pelosi. You explained away those donations saying you did that to get business related favors. And you said recently, quote, when you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do.



TRUMP: You better believe it I will tell you that our system is broken. I gave to many people. Before this, before two months ago, I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give. And you know what? When I need something from them, two years later, three years later, I call them. They are there for me. And thats a broken system.

Trump donated to the political campaigns of two state Attorney-Generals. Aside from his $35,000 donation to former Texas A-G Greg Abbotts gubernatorial campaign, Trump donated to Florida Attorney-General Pam Bondis campaign. Both of them were there for Trump in the form of not pursuing fraud charges against Trump University.

The first donation to Bondis campaign for $25,000 came from Trumps foundation, 3 days after the Orlando Sentinel ran a story saying that Floridas Attorney General was considering whether to file fraud charges against Trump University.

The donation was illegal and resulted in a $2500 fine.

Trumps attempt to dismiss that illegal donation as a series of clerical errors falls apart when taken with other facts beginning with an admission by a former employee of Trump University, that politics always play a role in how Trump University did business.

All we had to do is stroke a check to the committee to re-elect [the state attorney general], the individual said. And the problems went away.

Contrary to his claims to the Washington Post, Trump had spoken with Bondi.

I never spoke to her, first of all. Shes a fine person, beyond reproach. I never even spoke to her about it at all. Shes a fine person. Never spoken to her about it, never.

On Monday, a Bondi spokesperson admitted that Bondi personally spoke to her old friend Donald about a donation before she dropped the case against Trump University.

Trump rewarded Bondi through several other donations after she dropped the case.

He opened up Mar-a-Lago for a $3,000 per head fundraiser for Bondi at a much better discount than he is giving to his own campaign. Christine Wilkes of Huff Post, writes:

The use of Mar-a-Lago alone was a donation of some value. Space at the resort is expensive to rent, and Trump has charged his own presidential campaign roughly $140,000 per event for use of the mansion.



In contrast, the Republican Party of Florida paid only $4,855.65 for the Bondi fundraiser, cutting a check on March 25, 2014. It was a small event on the lawn  featuring snacks and refreshments, attended by about 50 people, a Bondi campaign staffer told The Huffington Post.

Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, donated $500 each to Bondis campaign the same year. Then Trump donated $25,000 to Floridas Republican Party, an important source of money for Pam Bondis campaign.

Pam Bondi was without doubt one of the Trump pay to playmates who made Trump Universitys problems go away.

Meanwhile, Trumps clumsy attempt to smear the Clinton Foundation with pay to play allegations isnt fooling anyone, except maybe his fans.

As Hrafnkell Haraldson, wrote this morning, Marc Cuban described Trumps multiple lies to smear Hillary Clinton as headline porn.

New Yorks Attorney-General gave a more blistering condemnation as MSNBCs Kyle Griffin reports:

Just in: Statement from NY AG's office slams Trump for Trump U. "scam", says Clinton Fdn is in compliance w/ NY law: pic.twitter.com/CFTGci5K2C  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 6, 2016

This, incidentally, is the difference between an Attorney-General with ethics and Trumps favorite pay to playmate.
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Congressional candidate Jim Moylan will not let truth or distortions stop him from saying anything to get elected. It is up to political analy Read morePolitical ploys at the last part of election?
I dont much keep up with the newest currents in contemporary psychology, so I have no idea whether Ivan Pavlovs famous stimulus-response hypothesis is still considered valid. But I thought it worth a test, and I can indeed report that it still works like a charm with leftistsespecially leftist readers of Power Line.

I was quite certain when I posted the item here two weeks ago announcing that I would be spending the next three years as an inmate at the University of California at Berkeley that an excitable leftist or two would blow a gasket. Stimulus-response! And I was not disappointed.

John Birke, a 1989 graduate of Berkeleys law school, sacrificed several billable hours to write indignantly to the interim dean of Berkeleys law school in protest, and also sent us a copy of his letter to our Feedback portal. I will spare you the whole of the three-page, single-spaced primal scream (though if anyone is a glutton, send us your email through our Feedback portal and Ill email it to you), but I cant resist a few highlights:

Dear Dean Murray: I read with shock and disgust last week (August 24, 2016) on the website Powerline that Steven Hayward  who is not an attorney  will be team teaching a seminar with John Yoo on executive power and administrative lawmaking. As someone who is familiar with is work, my reaction is neither hyperbolic nor unexpected. And I am prepared to support in any forum what I say here below, even under penalty of perjury. Hayward is and for about 12 years has been one of the principal contributors to Powerline, a right-wing extremist web blog. Hayward and Powerline receive substantial financial support and content from, and actively lobby other media outlets on behalf of, the Koch Brothers. Their connection to the Kochs is not even a secret.

Well, one reason this isnt a secret is that its completely untrue (though I have visited once with Charles Koch in Wichita, and David Koch in New York; but also George Soros, who actually invited me to lunch at his New York office once, which may well make Mr. Birkes head explode). The point is, Power Line receives no financial support from the Kochs, though Im tempted to ask for some, just to feed Mr. Birkes dyspepsia.

Its really very difficult to pick out my favorite part of Birkes letter, but if I had to settle on just one, I guess Ill go with this:

Hayward and his colleagues traffic in right-wing paranoia, albeit with a degree of affected refinement that superficially distances them from blogs such as The Drudge Report and Breitbart.

Actually thats one of the arguably more sane passages of the letter, but it had its desired effect by Mr. Birke, but also, surely to his chargin, by me, too. The Daily Californian jumped on his letter and did the predictable story last week:

Of course, the reporter jumped at my bait about offering students the option of writing a 25-page paper or being waterboarded, because what self-aware professor or student hasnt ever made jokes about being tortured by the workload or classroom lectures before? But I was fairly certain this would work in perfect Pavlovian fashion, and I was not disappointed:

When asked about his reference to waterboarding, Hayward said those offended need to get a sense humor. Berkeley Law declined to comment on the joke. Jesse Choper, former dean of Berkeley Law and professor emeritus at the school, supports the appointment of a conservative lecturer in what he believes is a left-leaning field, saying that its an advantage to have a wide array of ideological political views expressed. Its a joke, Choper said. Maybe it was a bad joke. I think youre better off avoiding bad jokes.

I actually have a lot of respect for Jesse Chopers large body of scholarship even though he leans to the left, and to be fair he was caught by the reporter wanting a comment with no preparation for the story, but I herewith promise anyway that from now on Ill only tell good jokes. But I guess I cant borrow them from Seinfeld, who has said he wont appear on college campuses any more for precisely this reason.

Another person who will be disappointed at my classes will be . . . Mr. Birke. For the record (and hopefully everyone will be able to check the classroom record next semester, as I hope to record my lectures and post them), my classroom method is strictly neutral. I never tell students about any of my books or articles, or about Power Line, or about any of my opinions on current subjects. And its quite amazing, in this age of the Internet, how many students dont bother to check me out. For it inevitably happens every semester, at every place Ive taught (Georgetown, Ashland, Pepperdine, and Colorado), that some time around the middle of the semester, two students (always two together, because they need to get their courage up) will come up to me after or outside of class and say, Prof. Haywardwe cant tell if you are a liberal or a conservative, a Republican or a Democrat.

This question always tells me two things: first, that the students before me are too lazy to have tried Google (where theyd find Power Lineand many students have), but second, that Im doing a reasonably decent job of presenting the issues and range of positions in a relatively fair and neutral fashion in the classroom, so the student can make up their own mind. By the way, when students tell ask me that question, I dont tell them the answer, but suggest they should be able to figure it out.

To be sure, conservatives who teach political science, and especially the Constitution, will ask questions many conventional and liberal professors dont any longer, or at least in a very different form. I have elsewhere (my forthcoming book actually), compared contemporary law school instruction in constitutional law to learning surgery without ever learning the Hippocratic Oath.

So, for example, I usually begin a multi-class segment of the course on the constitutional controversies of civil rights law with the following opening question:

Does the wrongness of racial discrimination depend on whether we source our soft drinks and cheese from another state? If the answer is No, [spoiler alert: thats the right answer] then why have we hung the constitutional legitimacy of so many aspects of civil rights law on the Commerce Clause?

I find this is a good way of starting from the beginning about the tangles of civil rights jurisprudence from the Civil War on. I submit that that question is not self-evidently a conservative set up, though I doubt many liberals approach the difficulties of civil rights law through this portal, having simply assumed that the decay of the Commerce Clause is simply not worth thinking about any longer, while resting comfortably in the warm embrace of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment as a primary backstop.

Mr. Birke thinks it important the fact that Im not a lawyer, though I note that the Preamble of the Constitution does not begin We the lawyers. . ., but We the people. But for what its worth, my principal instructor on this subject in graduate school was the Pulitzer-prize winning (and liberal) constitutional historian Leonard Levyalso not a lawyer. You can read my fond obituary of Levy here, where I take the New York Times to task for being ungenerous to him. Among other things I had to say about Levy:

His small seminars and one-on-one tutorials could be compared to military boot camp: they were painful, demanding, terrifying, exhausting [I suppose I could have said torturous?]and something that afterward you would never have wanted to miss. His loud, commanding voice, and his complete mastery of the subject, conveyed an air of authority that was never confused with dogmatism. In a Levy course, you werent just questioned; you were cross-examined. It was often not a pretty sight, but it made everyone better thinkers, writers, and scholars. . . His work and example will remain a model for thoughtful scholars so long as honesty still exists in the academy, and his many grateful students will never forget him.

Levy especially liked having conservative students in his classes, Ill add, though pass over for now why, that he came to favor his conservative students over his conventional liberal ones.

Mr. Birke is welcome to sit in on any of my classes if he wishes (space permittingthere is a likelihood that my courses will be oversubscribed, thanks to Mr. Birkes very helpful publicity assist). All that I ask is that he leave his spray bottle behind. From the Los Angeles Daily News:

Woodland Hills anti-smoking activist declared a nuisance, being evicted By Susan Abram, staff writer WOODLAND HILLS  A man who fought against secondhand smoke by spraying smokers with water as they lounged by a pool is being evicted from an apartment complex in Woodland Hills. A Van Nuys Superior Court jury agreed on Tuesday that John Birke, who has lived with his wife and daughter at the Oakwood Apartments for nearly 20 years, caused a nuisance when he wet smokers with water two years ago using a spray bottle. . . Birke, an attorney, said he will move from the complex, but he plans to appeal the decision.

I am, for what its worth, going to ban students from using laptops in my classes this year. I hope I dont have to ban water bottles, too.
Omri Ceren writes to update us on todays Wall Street Journal story by Jay Solomon and Carol Lee (accessible here via Google) that the $1.7 billion paid to the Islamic Republic of Iran was all cash. Omri writes with his usual footnotes:

In January the White House revealed it was transferring Iran $1.7 billion while Iran released some US hostages. Officials denied those were linked, but then the WSJ revealed the $400 million was sent as cash stacked on wooden pallets on an unmarked cargo plane and the transfer was a tightly scripted exchange specifically timed to the hostage release [a][b]. That forced the administration to admit the $400 million had in fact been used as leverage to get the hostages, but officials refused to clarify how the remaining $1.3 billion was transferred.

Overnight the Wall Street Journal published an article revealing the remaining $1.3 billion was transferred the same way: as cash shipped from Europe on Iranian planes to Iran, via two more installments made over the next 19 days. The payment flowed in the same manner as the original $400 million.

The news will deepen concerns the Obama administration transferred $1.7 billion in cash bundles to the Iranian military, and particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC):

(1) Todays WSJ article confirms the new shipments flowed in the same manner to Iran as the first $400 million, and it was already known the $400 million was loaded into an IRGC-linked plane  the first flight had been arranged by executives of Iran Air, which the Obama administration had sanctioned because IRGC officers occasionally take control over Iran Air flights carrying special IRGC-related cargo.

(2) Even if the IRGC did not have physical control over the cash when it touched down, the money was then allocated to the Iranian military at the behest of Supreme Leader Khamenei  over the summer Irans Guardian Council moved the $1.7 billion into the militarys budget [e]. The Obama administration downplayed the significance of that move, but two weeks ago it was locked into Irans budget after Khamenei approved the allocation, according to translations and analysis from FDD [f].

Heres todays WSJ on that part of the debate:

The Obama administration previously had refused to disclose the mechanics of the $1.7 billion settlement, despite repeated calls from U.S. lawmakers. The State Department announced the settlement on Jan. 17 but didnt brief Congress that the entire amount had been paid in cash. U.S. lawmakers have voiced concern that Irans military units, particularly the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, would use the cash to finance military allies in the Middle East, including the Assad regime in Syria, Houthi militias in Yemen, and the Lebanese militia, Hezbollah.

[a] http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-sent-cash-to-iran-as-americans-were-freed-1470181874

[b] http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-held-cash-until-iran-freed-prisoners-1471469256

[c] http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-held-cash-until-iran-freed-prisoners-1471469256

[d] https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1217.aspx

[e] http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/saeed-ghasseminejad-iran-doubles-down-on-its-military-budget/#sthash.aSajcFGZ.dpuf

[f] http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/saeed-ghasseminejad-iran-gives-green-light-to-direct-17-billion-from-us-to-military/
It is a remarkable fact that Israel has never held a public accounting for the utter disaster that was Oslo. Israels then Foreign Minister President Shimon Peres of course won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize (with Prime Minister Rabin and the terrorist butcher Yasser Arafat) for his involvement in the Oslo Accords that resulted in the return of Arafat from his Tunisian exile to rule over the Arabs on the West Bank and Gaza. I think this was a profound mistake deriving from idealism and cynicism, but you can be sure that Peres does not count it as such.

Indeed, as Israels president, Peres reaffirmed it in the supposed witticism I heard him utter in Jerusalem speaking at the 2012 Presidential Conference: In order to make peace, you have to close your eyes. You cannot make love or peace with open eyes. I am quite sure that this is a quote that will not bear comparison with: At the summit true politics and strategy are one.

The prominent Middle East historian Efraim Karsh is the incoming director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University. In The Oslo disaster, Professor Karsh indicts the Oslo diplomatic process as the starkest strategic blunder in Israels history and as one of the worst calamities ever to have afflicted Israelis and Palestinians. His study is posted in PDF at the link and as a full-size Google document PDF here. Highly recommended.
I suspect that quite a few #NeverTrumpers have been taken aback by recent polls that show Donald Trump pulling even with, or ahead of, Hillary Clinton. If you are a conservative/Republican, two distinct reasons have been advanced for opposing Trump. The first is that he is disqualified from the presidency on the merits, and is even more unacceptable than Hillary. The second is that he is destined to go down to a crushing defeat, so that other Republicans and their supporters should cut him loose, condemn him, and try to save themselves.

The first rationale still exists, although I do not agree with it. As I have said many times, Trump wasnt my first choice for the Republican nomination, nor was he in my top ten, but he won the nomination and I have little doubt that he would make a better president than Hillary Clinton, which I see as the only relevant standard. Therefore I support him.

The second rationale has, I think, disappeared. The pattern this year has been that when Trump avoids major mistakes (like spending days fighting with Khizr Khan), he pulls even in the polls. Then he makes another blunder and drops down again. If he can sustain message discipline, continue to give good speeches on the economy, immigration and race, and avoid the self-inflicted wounds that so often occur when he is riffing on the podium or tweeting thoughtlessly, I think he will win. In any event, he certainly may win, which is enough to demolish the Trump is leading the GOP to a devastating loss in 2016 theme.*

Why is this important? Because I think some Trump critics have tended to conflate the he cant win and he shouldnt win arguments. They thereby, in my view, shore up one bad argument with another bad argument. (See, e.g., Joe Scarborough, Tim Carney, Senator Jeff Flake and Politicos Republican insiders.)

If we accept that Trump has a reasonable chance, and there is no reason to expect that getting behind him will lead to a catastrophic defeat for the Republican Party, then the only issue is whether he deserves our support on the merits. As noted above, I believe that he does if we think he would be a better president than Mrs. Clinton. Others take a different approach by imposing a minimum standard which they think Trump fails to meet; they therefore support one of the other candidates, or do not plan to vote. Either way, the focus is on Trumps qualities as a potential president, not on the assumption that any comparison between him and Hillary is immaterial because he is destined to be clobbered in November.

I think that the more we focus on the meritsa fair comparison between Trump and Mrs. Clintonthe more tenuous the #NeverTrump position becomes.

PAUL ADDS: Except as it may apply to candidates for office, I dont understand the argument that conservatives should not support Trump because he is destined to go down to a crushing defeat. Trump is unlikely to be crushed if conservatives support him. And not voting in the presidential race wont help down-ballot candidates.

I agree with John, however, that theres a potential link between the question of whether Trump can win and the question of whether conservatives should vote for him. For conservatives who believe that Trump would make a better president than Hillary but that neither is acceptable, it will be easier to refuse to vote for Trump as the lesser of two evils if he has no chance of winning. Why do something as distasteful as voting for Trump if he cant win?

_________

* Of course, a particular Republican politician may choose to distance himself from the nominee for political reasons, based on his own districts propensities. But that is a separate question, and in my view, based on current polling and the issues swirling around Hillary Clinton, the number of GOP politicians who would be wise to do so is small.
PR-Inside.com: 2016-09-07 09:11:01

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(Vienna, September 6, 2016) Cardiac scintigraphy plays an important role in the evaluation of patients with a suspicion or known coronary artery disease (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction), but submitted patients to higher levels of radiations in comparison to other imaging techniques. New detection systems (CZT cameras) have become available that offer to reduce dramatically the level of radiations associated to cardiac scintigraphy. "Using these new systems, we can provide cardiologists with critical information on the status of the vessels supplying blood within the heart and expose patients to only minimal levels of radiations ," says Dr.FabienHyafil , expert of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM).Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the first cause of death in Europe with five million casualties every year. When the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) are narrowed or occluded, blood flow is impaired in the downstream cardiac regions of the heart causing angina pectoris or myocardial infarction. Cardiac scintigraphy is an imaging technique that allows for the assessment of the blood flow within the heart muscle during exercise and at rest. This procedure requires the injection of a small amount of a radiopharmaceutical in a vein that is then taken up by the cardiac muscle proportional to local blood flow. Hence, cardiac scintigraphy allows for the localization of areas in the heart with an insufficient blood supply. This information helps to identify patients at higher risk of presenting a myocardial infarction and who benefit the most from interventional procedures that restore normal blood flow to the heart (percutaneous coronary angioplasty or coronary by-pass interventions). Cardiac scintigraphy is a robust and accurate imaging technique for the evaluation of patients with coronary artery disease but exposes patients to higher level of radiations than other imaging techniques.Decreasing radiation exposure of patients from medical imagingMedical imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) or scintigraphy are based on the detection of X-rays passing through the body or gamma-rays emitted by radiopharmaceuticals accumulating in organs. These imaging techniques enable precise characterization of the heart anatomy and function but expose patients to radiations. Repeated exposure to radiations may damage living tissue by changing cell structure and altering DNA. The level of radiations associated with medical imaging is low and no significant increase in the risk of cancer in relation to medical imaging has been identified so far. Nevertheless, there is a raising concern that the levels of radiations received by patients throughout lifetime is growing, in particular as a consequence of repeated medical imaging procedures. In this context, efforts have been directed towards reducing the level of radiations associated with medical imaging.Lower radiopharmaceutical doses - preserved high diagnostic performancesNew detection systems called "CZT cameras" have recently become available for cardiac scintigraphy and are installed in an increasing number of nuclear medicine departments across Europe. In the detectors used for these cameras, the conventional cumbersome sodium-iodide crystals used for the detection of gamma rays have been replaced by cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) semi-conductor crystals, that are much thinner and more flexible. New cameras dedicated to cardiac imaging have been designed taking advantage of the favorable properties of CZT-based detectors that offer a larger surface for signal detection and focused on the heart region. The efficacy of these CZT cameras for signal detection is improved by 4- to 7-fold in comparison to conventional systems and, hence, enables to decrease significantly the dose of radiopharmaceutical injected to patients for cardiac scintigraphy and their exposure to radiations. A French team1 recently demonstrated that patient exposure to radiations in relation to cardiac scintigraphy can be divided by 3 using CZT cameras. "CZT cameras represent an important breakthrough for the reduction of radiation exposure induced by medical imaging. Using these new systems, patients are now exposed to only very low levels of radiations for cardiac scintigraphy with a preserved high diagnostic yield of the test," says Dr.FabienHyafil
Lets be sincere about this. No pretences. Under normal human circumstances, or practically, if a busy male executive has a bank marketer waiting for him, is he more likely to be willing to see a beautiful lady marketer or a man? Even if the executive were a woman, she is likely to be more comfortable with a female marketer.

There are strong reasons for the increasing use of beautiful women as marketers for bank deposits, as the above, and other reasons to be cited shortly, show. Same reason beautiful women are used as hostesses by airlines. The reason we complain is the abuse of this psychological fact by some banks that break the moral limits.

Stakeholders have continued to lament the use of women, especially pretty ones, as marketers by financial institutions to source for deposits. Some banks are known to engage female employees and set for them very high targets on deposit mobilization and other asset creation ventures, which put them under undue pressure to use whatever they have to get what their employers want.

There is an often-cited case of a married woman in Enugu who filed an N1billion sexual exploitation suit against her former employer  a deposit money bank.

According to the suit, the woman was asked by her boss to solicit for the account of a high-profile politician with any means necessary. When she was unable to get the account, she was demoted.

Her boss then asked her to market the banks products at a hotel where rich and influential people often visited. She stated in the suit that her boss asked her to wear pricey perfume and short skirts in order to flaunt her legs, and also suggested that she should not hesitate to take prospective depositors to the hotel if the occasion called for it.

According to the report, the woman said she filled the suit against the bank to highlight the plight of female banking staff who are forced to sell their soul to the devil by prostituting on behalf of the banks.

Many people have shared their experience with female marketers, who seem to be under pressure to do everything, almost, to get prospective male customers money in their banks.

And that is where stakeholders complain. Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele has added his voice to it. He says the practice goes against the grains of acceptable ethical conduct and corporate governance. He noted that the practice could induce negative moral implications.

According to him, forcing bank marketers, especially females to meet unrealistic deposit targets could influence their decision to engage in illegal and immoral acts.

Under normal circumstances firms use women for this role because of their psychological advantage over men. Women are known to have good people skill and are capable of building strong relationships with customers.

According to psychologists, women have natural social skills and acute emotional antennae, which make them ideal candidates for marketing success.

Women are adept in getting in the door faster Also, they are also more adept in getting in the door faster than men. Psychologists have also observed that pretty ladies tend to have their way easily with some men.

Studies by Harvard university researchers and also by the Department of Management Science and Engineering at Chinas Zhejiang University have shown that that beauty effectively overrides mens capacity to behave rationally.

To research the effect of beauty on the male mind, the Zhejiang University academics found that the prettier the woman, the more likely we are to throw caution to the wind, leap to a decision and not consider the potential consequences of our actions.

Scientifically, conceding to the demands of a beautiful woman is said to arouse [our] reward-related neural circuitries, according to the authors of the study. By making them happy, we make ourselves happy  even if this means sacrificing our ideals or integrity.

The Harvard researchers also observed that a beautiful womans face is like chocolate, cash or cocaine to a young mans brain.

Many other studies support this observation of the effect of women on men.

Men take undue risk to impress women: Australian researchers tested this idea when they observed groups of young men skateboarding. When there werent any girls around, the guys tended to play it safe and sane.

However, when the researchers asked pretty girls to show up and observe the skateboarders, they ended up taking more stupid risks and trying more impressive moves.

Further analyses suggest that this increase in risk taking is caused in part by elevated testosterone levels of men who performed in front of the attractive female.

The results suggest that men use physical risk taking as a sexual display strategy, and they provide suggestive evidence regarding possible hormonal and neural mechanisms.

Pretty women make men dumb: Men literally become dumb after they interact with a woman they find attractive. In a study, men scored less on cognitive tests after meeting women. In a version of the test, the men werent even looking at females. They were just told that females are going to be looking at them.

And this holds true for women, men dont really know very well, and also when men are texting on the phone with women, without even seeing their faces.

The 2009 study demonstrated that after a short interaction with an attractive woman, men experienced a decline in mental performance. A more recent study suggests that this cognitive impairment takes hold even when men simply anticipate interacting with a woman who they know very little about. Sanne Nauts and her colleagues at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands ran two experiments using men and women university students as participants.

In todays society, people frequently interact with each other over the phone or online, where the only way to infer somebodys gender is through their name or voice. Nauts research suggests that even with very limited interactions, men may experience cognitive impairment when faced with the opposite sex. The researchers think that the reason may have something to do with men being more strongly attuned to potential mating opportunities. Generally, it all looks like whenever we face situations where were particularly concerned about the impression that were making, we may literally have difficulty thinking clearly. In the case of men, thinking about interacting with a woman is enough to make their brains go a bit fuzzy

Women make men impatient: Researchers have observed that simply looking at a good-looking woman decreases a mans patience and willpower.

The study involved testing how likely participants were to discount the future after viewing pictures of attractive or unattractive members of the opposite sex. Discounting is choosing to receive a small sum of money tomorrow instead of a large one in the future.

The results of the study showed that men who looked at pictures of pretty women were more likely to choose the small sum of money. But men who looked at unattractive women primarily chose the larger sum.

Women also generally chose the larger sum regardless of whether or not the men they looked at were attractive.

Conclusion: Obviously, some banks are taking undue advantage of this psychological advantage of female marketers, turning it into some sort of corporate prostitution. They do this by encouraging or leaving female marketers with no option than to sleep with men for deposits to meet near impossible targets. The situation is complicated by the fact that some ladies are pushed by biting unemployment into accepting the terms of the banks, and to keep mum about it. However, although deposits are to banks what blood is to the human body, the hope is that business has conscience these days  not all about profit maximization.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, on Wednesday offered prospective investors in the Nigerian mining sector three years tax holidays, as part of federal governments incentives to serious investors.

The tax holiday, according to the Minister, would commence from the date the investor commences mining operations in the country.

Speaking at the opening session of the ongoing Africa Down Under Conference in Perth, Australia, Mr. Fayemi said the country was determined to return stronger to the global ore and mineral market and would drive the growth and development of the sector through the private sector.

The minister listed other incentives approved by the Federal Government for investors in the mineral and mining sector to include exemption from custom and import duties on mining equipment.

Other incentives available to the foreign investors is that companies could be wholly owned by such investors.

Mr. Fayemi also identified security as another major area the government was investing in, in order to ensure security of investment as well as life and properties.

Our government has a renewed commitment to the improvement of security across mine site, logistic related security and general terrorism.

The Minister who presented graphical details of incentives obtainable in several other major mining countries, including Australia, USA, South Africa and Chile, told the audience, which comprised investors, operators and other allied professionals that Nigeria was offering more generous incentives, including favourable tax regime and royalties.

He said Nigeria was determined to build a world class minerals and mining ecosystem designed to serve a targeted domestic and export market for minerals and metals. He added that part of the vision of the ministry is to contribute to job creation which.

We are focusing on rebuilding our minerals and mining sector in three phases: Phase 1, in the immediate term, we are achieving import substitution by winning over domestic users of industrial minerals.

Phase 2, our focus is on further expanding our domestic ore and mineral asset processing capacity. Phase 3, we will return stronger to the global ore and minerals markets at a market competitive price point, Mr. Fayemi added.

The African Down Under Conference is renowned as one of the leading fora for facilitating discussions on how to grow investments and participation in the African mining space. It attracts significant interests from organisations prospecting for business opportunities in the mining sector in Africa.

Nigeria is attracting a huge attention at the conference in view of the recent discovery of nickel in some parts of Kaduna State by an Australian mining company and the planned presentation of the countrys mining roadmap at the conference.
The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, on Wednesday sealed the office of Nokia-Alcatel located in Lekki, Lagos for operating without license.

The Head of Enforcement Unit of the NCC, Salisu Abdul, while speaking with journalists shortly after the sealing in Lagos, said that the company had been operating without license for years.

Mr. Abdul said that during one of the commissions monitoring activities, the team discovered that the company had not obtained the requisite authorisation to render services.

He said Nokia-Alcatel was involved in equipment manufacturing, supply and installation; therefore it should have obtained the Sale and Installation license.

According to him, the license, which barely cost N2 million will give Nokia the authority to operate wireless transmission, manufacturing and sale of equipment, among others.

He said that after notifying the company for the need to be licensed, it only applied for the license about three months ago, but did not complete the process.

As a matter of fairness and transparency, we decided to pay them a visit, and we however discovered that they only applied for license about three months back and are yet to complete the process for the license.

Basically, we have decided to seal off the premises of Nokia until it obtains the requisite authorisation.

The NCC is the sole regulator of the telecom sector in Nigeria and one of our functions is the issuance of telecom licenses.

It is criminal for any service provider to operate in the country without license. We have sealed the office until they comply, Mr. Abdul said.

He said Nokia-Alcatel had been operating in the country for some years now, and had failed to obtain license.

According to him, there may be attendant consequence for the infraction as the company may be fined before its office will be opened for business.

We have to charge them based on the number of years they have operated without license. We will use our discretion to charge them, he said.

(NAN)
At 24, Michael Christopher Onajierevbe Ibru took a bold step. He partnered with his friend and former colleague, Jimmy Large, to create Laibru, a trading company that later grew into a conglomerate of almost 25 companies, becoming one of the largest indigenous conglomerate in Africa.

Born into the family of Epete Ibru, a missionary worker who also worked as a nursing superintendent at Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital, Lagos, Mr. Ibru was the first of seven children. His mother, Janet Omotogor Ibru, sold fish in the creeks of Niger Delta to help with the familys upkeep.

At 18, Mr. Ibru enrolled at Igbobi College, Lagos, where he excelled in academics and extracurricular activities culminating in his appointment as the senior prefect in his last year in school. His academic abilities became evident in 1948 when he moved straight from Elementary School to Secondary Class 2. In his fourth year in a study that usually lasted six years, Mr. Ibru passed the Cambridge School Certificate Examination with Distinction.

The mortuary fish magnate

Mr. Ibru joined the United African Company (now UACN) in 1951, immediately after leaving Igbobi College, as manager-in-training  one of the few fresh school leavers to hold such position.

It was at UAC he met Mr. Large, a meeting that changed the course of his life forever. Laibru was founded.

In 1957, the company ventured into the frozen fish market, a lucrative enterprise that was difficult to penetrate. While their contemporaries, mostly expatriate firms, played safe by trading in imported fish, Laibru delved into production and marketing of frozen fish.

His competitors, including meat-sellers, labelled his products mortuary fish, but Laibrus sustained campaign that frozen fish was good eventually paid off. The company moved on to establish over 300 distribution depots across Nigeria.

Mr. Ibru later founded Ibru Sea Foods, an importing company that used rented cold-storage facilities at the Ijora Wharf, Apapa.

He used the facility at night and traded from the back of a Land Rover, before building his own storage facilities as 33 Creek Road, Apapa.

Before Mr. Ibrus foray into frozen fish, the market had gained a poor reputation in Nigeria.

In the early 1950s, the Commonwealth Development Corporation had attempted to establish a fishing venture in the Nigerian waters with cold storage facilities and a distribution operation through the West African Fisheries and Cold Stores.

They failed, largely due to insufficient fish stocks in the Port Harcourt waters and inappropriate boats, coupled with marketing and distribution challenges.

When Ibru fish was rolled out, it was the women from Urhobo, Mr. Ibrus tribe, who were the first Nigerians to embrace it, encouraging the greater population to follow suit.

By the mid-1960s, Mr. Ibru had become a millionaire from fish trading.

In the 1970s, Mr. Ibru was responsible for about 60 percent (150,000  200,000 tons) of the Nigerian frozen fish market, with turnover hitting over N90 million.

The making of a dynasty



In 1963, Mr. Ibru chartered his first fishing vessel from Taiyo Gyogo of Japan, and two years later, in partnership with a Japanese conglomerate, he founded Osadjere Fishing Company, one of the largest fishing companies in the world.

With Mr. Gyogo holding 30 percent equity and providing the management for deep sea trawlers and shrimpers, the company began operation with three long distance freezer trawlers.

But a harsh business environment forced the company to cease operations till 1974, when it reorganised its fleet of about 25 trawlers.

In 1965, Mr. Ibru established Aden Farm, a large palm oil plantation that also included citrus and pineapple, on an 800 hectares of land in the old Bendel State. He later acquired Mitchell Farm, in 1973, from its American owners, Alizar, who had established it a decade earlier. The farm grew to become the largest supplier of day old chicks and processed poultry in West Africa.

In 1969, Mr. Ibru founded Rutam, a transportation arm of his business that dealt in marketing and distribution of Mazda, Saviem, Tata, and Jeep brands of automobiles. Later, the federal government appointed Rutam the major distributor of Peugeot vehicles in Nigeria.

Another business enterprise, Nigerian Hardwoods, a logging, saw milling, and wood processing company was acquired in 1974. The company, owned by the Lathem Group, UK, was originally established in 1919 and exported logs of hard wood.

Decades later, Ibru had become a household name, expanding into petroleum oil and storage (Ibafon Oil Limited); aviation (Aero Contractors); banking (Oceanic Bank); agriculture (Mitchell Farms, Aden Farm); publishing (The Guardian); hospitality (Ikeja Hotels Plc  Lagos Sheraton and Federal Palace Hotels); insurance (Minet Nigeria Ltd); beer brewing (in his home town, Agbarha-Otor), among others.

Mr. Ibrus early success in business was attributed to the immense roles played by members of his immediate family: his younger brother, Felix, served as a part-time clerk for Laibru; his mothers familiarity with fish pricing and the Niger Delta creeks were invaluable; while his father, austere in nature, served as the companys bank.

These roles were to play a huge part in the inclusion of Mr. Ibrus siblings, wives, children, and associates in the management of his conglomerate.

Some of the awards bestowed on Mr. Ibru include the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 1981; Outstanding Businessman Award of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 1983; Honorary Doctor of Laws (Hon. LL.D.) of the University of Benin, 1978, and University of Ibadan, 1978; Doctor of Agriculture (Honoraries Causa), University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, 2004.

In 2003, Mr. Ibru won the Zik Prize in Leadership. Two years later, he received the prestigious Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Excellence in Enterprise Award.

In 2004, the Urhobo nation presented him with the Chief Mukoro Mowoe Service Award, for his peerless performance in pioneering commerce and industry; trusting and employing large numbers of Urhobos; supporting and participating in Urhobo causes and traditions; and generally uplifting the image and name of Urhobo.

Perhaps, one of Mr. Ibrus greatest legacies remains a college  Abraham College  he donated to his people.

The college is known today as Ibru College.

In a tribute to mark Mr. Ibrus 80th birthday six years ago, Peter Ekeh, chairman of the Urhobo Historical Society, said the business moguls genius lay in his uncanny ability to fathom the unmet needs of the Nigerian population and to find ways to meet those needs.

As illness compels Olorogun Michael Ibru to sojourn into the sunset of his life, his admirers can rest assured that his legacy is secure in Nigerias history of mercantile capitalism.

In the early hours of Tuesday, September 6, Mr. Ibru passed on peacefully at a medical facility in the United States, according to a statement by his family.

He was 86.
Gabonese re-elected president, Ali Bongo, has shrugged off international calls for a recount of last weeks disputed vote, saying it was a matter for the constitutional court to decide.

Bongo said on Wednesday during an interview in Libreville that what people should be asking for is the application of the law rather than vote recount.

I cannot violate the law. As far as a recount is concerned thats done at the level of the Constitutional Court, he said.

The European Union has questioned the validity of election which the opposition has dismissed as a sham.

France, the former colonial ruler of the central African oil producer, has also said a recount would be wise and good for the country.

Meanwhile, the opposition leader Jean Ping, who has said the election was stolen, has called for help from the international community.

He said the results are known globally and it is not hidden that Bongo is doing everything not to accept it.

Ping insisted that he has no faith in the constitutional court because it was tied to the Bongo family and that he wanted a recount done under international supervision before any appeal to that court.

I will be the president for all Gabonese, I will work with all my compatriots who want to join me in working for the development of the country.

He said that it is difficult to work with those who asked the Gabonese people to go into the streets and loot. (Reuters/NAN)
The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on Tuesday said there was no going back on the Federal Governments plan to concession the four major airports in the country.

Mr. Sirika made the remark while speaking at an interactive session with Aviation correspondents in Lagos.

The Federal Government had indicated interest to concession the Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt international airports, to improve their safety and capacity.

Mr. Sirika noted that the protest by some aviation unions against the governments plan was due to the misconception that the airports were going to be privatised and sold to private individuals.

According to him, the concessioning of the airports will ensure that they are properly managed, while the government will still retain their ownership.

The minister said that the current condition of airports in the country had made it extremely difficult for Nigeria to attract the desired number of passengers to transform the country into an aviation hub.

Nigeria has potential to do between 70 to 100 million passengers annually, within the next five years, if the right things are put in place.

The 15 million annual passengers which is the countrys current capacity can be improved upon if private investors are allowed to participate in the sector.

Government does not have money to put into these businesses and we dont want to sell these facilities either; so that is why we are concessioning them because it is the only way to go, he said.

The minister noted that aviation was a money spinner and could help the government to generate revenue which would be used to revitalize the Nigerian economy.

To this end, he said the government was committed to the establishment of a national carrier, a Repair, Maintenance and Overhaul (MRO) facility and an aviation leasing company which would all be privately funded.

The minister noted that their absence in the country had constituted a huge challenge to the growth of the aviation sector.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman, League of Aviation and Airports Correspondents, Chuks Iwelunmo, pledged that the group would continue to partner with the ministry to take aviation to greater heights.

(NAN)
The #BringBackOurGirls group on Wednesday said it would defy the ban on public protests by the Nigeria Police Force and carry on with its rally.

The group insists that the police have no power under the law to ban rallies.

#BringBackOurGirls has since 2014 been campaigning for the release of over 200 schoolgirls abducted by the extremist group, Boko Haram, from Government Secondary School, Chibok, in April that year.

The new round of protest march by the group began August 23 after Boko Haram released a video indicating the girls were alive.

After the release of the video, the group said it would march to the presidential villa every 72 hours, until the government makes clear the steps it was taking to recover the girls from the terrorists.

On Monday, the police announced the ban on public rallies and tried to stop the group from marching to the presidential villa on Tuesday.

But the group forced its way through police cordon and headed for the Three Arm Zone, its members were blocked by a group of pro-Buhari protesters angry with the #BBOG campaign.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone conversation on Wednesday, a spokesperson of the group, Aisha Yesufu, said the police have no right to ban public protests.

Of course the rally will continue. The constitutional duty of the police is to protect lives and properties. They are not the lawmakers or the court of law to issue such an order.

It happened before when the former Commissioner of Police tried to ban us from continuing our rally, but the Inspector-General of Police overruled the ban, she said.

A similar situation had played out in June 2014, when the then Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, countered a decision of the then Commissioner of Police in Abuja, Joseph Mbu.

Mr. Mbu had announced a ban on public rallies in Abuja shortly after the #BBOG began its rally to protest the abduction of the Chibok girls.

The group had reacted to the ban by approaching an Abuja High Court, which decided that Mr. Mbu or the Force had no right to prevent the #BBOG or any group from embarking on a peaceful protest, as such amounts to a breach of the right of citizens to free movement and freedom of expression.

Also speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, another member of the #BBOG group, Buky Sonibare, said the group had documents containing the judgment of the court, which declared such a ban by the police as illegal.

She added that the #BBOG would rely on those documents while embarking on public rallies.

As you know, this is not the first time such a thing has happened and we have the judgments of a court of law which we would rely on to continue our rally.

We however have seen that there are plans to deter us in various ways. If the attempts continue, we would think of the best approach within the ambits of law to ensure that our rights to such peaceful protests are not abused, said Mrs. Sonibare.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it would only react to a proposal by the Nigeria Police and the State Security Service calling for the postponement of the Edo governorship election after a meeting of its top officials in Benin.

Nick Dazang, a spokesperson for the commission said top officials of the electoral body were busy all day at a stakeholders meeting held in Benin, the Edo State capital, with major players in the election.

It was after we came out of the stakeholders meeting that we became aware of the proposal to move the election, Mr. Dazang said. So the commission simply went into the meeting immediately at the same venue where the stakeholders meeting held.

It is only after that meeting that we will react.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the National Chairman of the Commission, Mahmood Yakubu; National Commissioners Tayo Soyebi, Amina Bala-Zakari and Mohammed Lecky as well as some resident electoral commissioners are at the meeting holding at Sio Event Centre, GRA, Benin.

At the stakeholders meeting held earlier today, top police and SSS officials were in attendance and participants said they did not present any proposal for the postponement of the election.

The police and the SSS had in a joint statement on Wednesday afternoon advised INEC to move the election, saying credible intelligence available to it indicate plans by insurgent/extremist elements to attack vulnerable communities and soft targets with high population during the forthcoming Sallah celebrations between 12th and 13th September, 2016.

The agencies said Edo State is among states earmarked for the planned attacks.

It is in regard of these that we are appealing to INEC which has the legal duty to regulate elections in the country to consider the need for possible postponement of the date of the election in Edo State in order to enable security agencies deal decisively with the envisaged terrorist threats, the agencies said.
The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, says a total of 12, 077 road crashes were recorded across the country in 2015, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports.

The FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, disclosed this in Uyo on Wednesday while addressing a public enlightenment forum organised for transport stakeholders at old Akwa Transport Corporation (AKTC) park.

Mr. Oyeyemi was represented at the event by the Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of Policy, Research and Statistics, Michael Olagunju.

He said out of 12,077 road crashes recorded last year, 5,400 people representing 65 per cent of those involved in the crashes lost their lives.

Mr. Oyeyemi said the commission would not go back on the October1 deadline for the implementation of speed limiting device nationwide as approved President Muhammadu Buhari.

The corps marshal regretted that most of the crashes would have been avoided if appropriate safety measures were adopted by the motorists while plying the highways.

He described the statistics on road crashes as staggering and reiterated that the speed limiting device would save Nigerians the embarrassment on the highways.

Most of the road crashes are preventable, if we are able to bring down the speed, we will be saving a lot of lives on our highways, Mr. Oyeyemi said.

In his remarks, the State Transport Commissioner, Godwin Ntukude, expressed satisfaction with the introduction of the speed limiting device.

Mr. Ntukude called for a technical session with all stakeholders to enlighten them on the workability of the device.

There is no policy introduced by government that will not have a positive effect on lives of the people.

Let us have technical session with experts to ascertain whether it can be installed on an expired (Tokunbo) vehicle or not.

It is important for us to know this so that the good policy would not work otherwise negatively, Mr. Ntukude said.

Earlier, the FRSC Public Relations Officer, Godgift Uwen, said that the introduction of speed limiting device would make Nigeria join the league of nations like Japan, Australia and Sweden.

(NAN)
Michael Ibru, a renowned Nigerian businessman, is dead.

Mr. Ibru, the patriarch of the Ibru family and the Otota of Agbarha-Otor kingdom, Delta State, was said to have passed on peacefully at a medical facility in the United States in the early hours of Tuesday, September 6, according to a statement by the family.

He was 86.

The late Mr. Ibru, an Officer of the Federal Republic, was the head of the Ibru Organization, with flourishing business interest in fish trading, tourism, timber and poultry.

His wife, Cecilia Ibru, was the former managing director of the defunct Oceanic Bank.

The governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, in his condolence message to the family, said the late Mr. Ibru played a role in the creation of the state.

The Urhobo Nation and indeed Deltans have lost a great man who was indeed a pride to Deltans, Governor Okowa said in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu.

He will be sorely missed by all and sundry whose lives he affected in many several ways. I therefore urge all who mourn the demise of Olorogun Michael Ibru to take solace in the fact that his was a life of great accomplishments in which we give thanks to the Almighty God for the indelible footprints of his achievements in the sands of time, the statement added.
The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday arrested an 18-year-old pickpocket at Oshodi, Lagos.

Seun Jimoh was caught while removing N18,000 from a commuters pocket during a bus stampede.

The suspect, who was decked in brown jacket and trousers, and a hand bag like a business executive, before his arrest, had already stolen four mobile phones from unsuspecting commuters in an early morning rush in the area, the police said in a statement on Wednesday.

The police said unknown to Mr. Jimoh, two of his victims had been on the lookout for him after they suspected he was in custody of their missing phones.

While standing at Oshodi under Bridge, they spotted him removing money from the pocket of a passenger, Gbenga Odeniyi, the police said.

At that point, his earlier victims, Onuh Austine and Onesimus Paul, raised an alarm, which made Jimoh to promptly drop the money and take to his heels but RRS (Rapid Response Squad) operatives close to the scene chased and caught him.

The police said after listening to the victims accusations, they requested their phone numbers, dialled them, and found their phones ringing inside Mr. Jimohs handbag.

The police said the suspect confessed to stealing the two phones during a bus stampede.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I am always in Oshodi pickpocketing, the police quoted Mr. Jimoh as saying.

I (steal) an average of eight phones on Mondays and maybe like nine phones on Fridays. I dont really get more than five phones on Wednesdays.

Mr. Jimoh, an indigene of Ondo State, also told the police he was an orphan brought to Lagos by his uncle.

He enlisted me in an automobile workshop but I ran away from there to Mushin where I honed my skills in pickpocketing, he said.

All the phones that I stole, I sell them in Alaba Rago to some Hausas. They buy fairly used phones and materials from people. I have been in this business since 2013. I have never been caught or imprisoned before.

Nobody needs to train you on how to pickpocket. It is so easy and the idea came naturally to me. You can do it but you do the easy ones.

I get to Oshodi by 6:30 a.m. and I leave after operations around 9:00 a.m. I sell Nokia Microsoft N7, 000; Infinix Hot N8,000; Tecno Y series, N7,000  N9,000; and small Samsung phones N4, 000.

The RRS operatives said they later invited the owners of the two other phones found with Mr. Jimoh to collect them, adding that they are on the verge of arresting stolen phone buyers mentioned by the suspect.

Confirming the arrest, Dolapo Badmus, the State Police Public Relations Officer, reassured people of Lagos of maximum security in place in the state.

The suspect has given information that would help track down his colleagues in the same trade as well as stolen phone buyers, said Ms. Badmus, a Superintendent of Police.

The suspect has been transferred to the Lagos State Taskforce on Environment for prosecution, according to the police.
President Muhammadu Buhari has extended condolences to the family of Michael Ibru, who passed away on Tuesday, aged 85.

President Buhari equally commiserated with the government and people of Delta State and the Urhobos in particular on the passage of their illustrious son and patriarch of the Ibru family.

The President joins them in mourning an accomplished businessman whose edifying role in the corporate world and private sector in Nigeria would continue to inspire generations to come, a statement signed by presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said Wednesday.

President Buhari believes that Michael Ibru will be long remembered for his hardwork and dedication to entrepreneurship, which opened doors of opportunities to many Nigerians and associates who came in contact with his investments in the banking, aviation, tourism and manufacturing sectors.

The President urges members of his family and all who mourn Olorogun Ibru to honour his memory by constantly upholding the values of selfless-service, inter-ethnic harmony, knowledge and perseverance, which he passionately promoted through his successful career in the private sector.

The President prays that God Almighty will grant his soul eternal rest, the statement said.
This years conference of Academics Stand Against Poverty, an association of academics across the globe, tagged Corruption, Transparency and Accountability in Public and Private Sector Organizations will hold on September 6, at the University of Lagos.

Oby Ezekwesili, former education minister and #BringBackOurGirls campaigner; will join other speakers including Innocent Chukwuma, West African Representative, Ford Foundation; Cat Tully, former Adviser to former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair; and Musikilu Mojeed, Editor-in-Chief at PREMIUM TIMES newspaper, to discuss the rampaging corruption in Africa and how to curb it.

Waziri Adio, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) will deliver the keynote address.

Mrs. Ezekwesili will then speak on the Role of Civil Society, while Ms. Tully will talk on Corruption, Development and Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr. Mojeed will speak on The Media and Investigative Journalism.

The theme of this years conference reflects the near existential struggle in Africa, between pervasive official corruption and the mainstreaming of poverty on the continent, said Ismail Ibraheem, a Mass Communication lecturer at UNILAG and Co-Chair of the West Africa arm of ASAP.

The 2016 ASAP Conference is geared towards stimulating discussions and shared experience on corruption, transparency and accountability in public and private institutions.

Mr. Ibraheem said ASAP and its global affiliates had been at the forefront of the global effort to promote more transparency and accountability in private and public institutions.

In the last few years, our work, through one of our affiliates, Global Financial Integrity, led to the publication of the renowned report on Illicit Financial Flow, said Mr. Ibraheem, a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos.

The publication instigated the media investigations that led to the release of the globally acclaimed Panama Papers, as well as the publication of Global Tax Fairness by our President, Professor Thomas Pogge, Director of Global Justice Programme at Yale University.

For this years conference, ASAP West Africa expects participants from some key government agencies, the media, civil society groups, funding agencies and members of the academic community.

ASAP is an organization established in the United States by Thomas Pogge, a Professor of Philosophy at Yale University, to bring together academics from various institutions across the globe with the vision to fight poverty and aid development.

Last year, ahead of the general elections, the group held its inaugural symposium themed Political Campaigns and the Looming Tsunami of Poverty to address campaign funding in political parties and its link with corruption.
Emenike Iroegbu, a Nigerian blogger arrested by suspected State Security Service operatives on Tuesday, has been released, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

Three individuals suspected to be from the SSS picked Mr. Iroegbu from his home in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Tuesday afternoon. his wife, Ekaette, told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr. Iroegbu, who publishes Abia Facts Newspaper, was subsequently transferred to Umuahia field office of the SSS in Abia State where state agents grilled him on allegations bordering on defamation.

They confronted me with some documents and said they printed them out from my website, Mr. Iroegbu told PREMIUM TIMES shortly after his release Wednesday evening. I denied all the allegations.

Mr. Iroegbu said his website was cloned to make it appear as if he published libelous contents against Okezie Ikpeazu, the governor of Abia State.

They dont like the fact that were the only independent medium in Abia and Akwa Ibom States, Mr. Iroegbu said. But I thank God the SSS officials showed some understanding, released me and gave me all the items they seized from me without any conditions.

Enyinnaya Appolos, spokesman to Mr. Ikpeazu, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday that Mr. Iroegbu was being sought in Abia State for allegedly writing on his blog that a nine-year-old was buried inside the Government House in Umuahia for rituals.

Civil rights activist, led by Inibehe Effiong, Convener of Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, slammed the Nigerian government over what was described as the latest in a series of emerging capricious proclivities of political office holders to use security agencies to clamp down on Nigerians for exercising their constitutional liberties.
The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Olasupo Ayokunle, has denied ever accusing the United States of supporting the governing All Progressives Congress in the 2015 elections.

In a statement Wednesday by his media assistant, Adebayo Oladeji, the CAN leader said he had never been a politician and would remain apolitical.

He also said his doors remained open to all Christians irrespective of political affiliations.

Mr. Ayokunle said all through his service years, up till the time he emerged CAN President, he never associated himself with any political party in the country and would not do so now that he had been elected divinely to serve.

Mr. Oladeji quoted the cleric as making the clarification to correct some misrepresentations of facts in an interview he granted some newsmen recently on the visit of the American Secretary of State, John Kerry to Nigeria.

He said his comment about the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerrys visit to the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Saad Abubakar, was quoted out of context.

He claimed that a reporter he spoke with distorted part of his remarks, and that, out of mischief, he syndicated the distorted report and misled his colleagues to publish falsehood about him.

Part of the report the CAN President said he found offensive reads, The CAN President noted that the attitude and disposition of Kerry and the discrimination he adopted during the visit supports accusations that the President Barack Obamas administration, Kerry and other strategic US politicians in the Obamas government openly supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 general elections, which produced the current leadership of the country.

The cleric said, There was never a time I referred to the 2015 presidential poll and the so-called American support given to the APC by the Obama administration in the interview.

He added, I was outside the country when the reporter called me to speak on the visit of Mr John Kerry, but from what I read in the media, I was misquoted and misrepresented. I never linked Mr Kerrys visit to Nigeria with the last presidential election and the possible support of the United States for the APC. And my office immediately set the record straight.

There was never a time I referred to the 2015 presidential poll and the so-called American support given to the APC by the Obama administration in the interview.

Mr. Ayokunle said he later found that the reporter who falsified his position on Kerrys visit to Nigeria had no proof to back up his report, after he spoke with him.

The cleric said, I stand by everything I said in the interview except where I was misquoted and I urge our media practitioners to be more professional in their reportage.
The Federal Government has declared Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th September, 2016 as public holidays to mark Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Making the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, enjoined all Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to support, co-operate and join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari in his sustained efforts to diversify the economy and progressively accelerate the pace of economic recovery.

Mr. Dambazau, a retired Lieutenant General, stated that government is aware of the present economic challenges the nation is facing following the downturn in oil prices. He assured that appropriate steps are being taken to address them, especially through revitalizing the agricultural sector, the Youth Empowerment Scheme in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the Change Begins with Me, a value re-orientation programme, and other social intervention programmes, as well as massive capital release all aimed at stimulating the economy towards the path of growth and recovery.

The minister expressed optimism that the present economic difficulties will soon be over. He urged everyone to continue to support the government towards building a new formidable Nigeria where peace, unity, security and sustainable development are guaranteed.

He wished all Nigerians a happy Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
A trader, Margaret Agwu, on Wednesday told an Igando Customary Court, Lagos, that her husband, Onu, sometimes stripped her and beat her to pulp.

Margret, who made this known when she testified in a divorce proceedings against Onu, told the court that her husband had turned her into a punching bag

He once punched me in my stomach and I lost my first pregnancy after a fight. I have lived every minute of my life in fear but I cannot go back to my parents because of the bride price, she said.

Margaret, 45, had urged the court to annul her 33-year-old marriage citing husbands duplicity.

When I was 12 years old, my husband came to my village to ask for my hand in marriage with a promise to my parents that he would send me to school.

He also lied to my parents that he is a businessman that he owned a provision store and that he lived in a flat.

My parents told him that they cannot release me for marriage because I was too young and besides I was still schooling.

Onu told my parents that he will send me to school after the marriage, my parent agreed and he paid the bride price, she said.

Margaret said on getting to the city, she discovered that her husband was not what he made her and her parents believe he was.

When I got to his house, I discovered that he was staying in one-room apartment, selling popcorn at the roadside.

He also refused to fulfil his promise of sending me to school, she said.

The petitioner said that she would not have reminded herself of the husbands deceit but because he had turned out to be a brute, who beats her at the slightest provocation.

Margret also accused her husband of absconding with all their five children 16 years ago.

When I called him after he packed out, he just told me that he was no longer interested in the marriage and since then he refused to pick my calls.

His relations told me he relocated with the children to Port Harcourt. It is 16 years now that I have not seen nor heard from them.

I heard that my husband gave our first daughters hand in marriage without my knowledge and that she had given birth to a son, she said.

Margaret urged the court to help her to return the N600 bride price paid by her husband and dissolve the marriage, saying I am no longer in love and I want to move on with my life.

When an official of the court called Onu on telephone, he said that the petitioner was no longer his wife.

In his judgment, the President of the court, Adegboyega Omilola, said that it was obvious that the marriage had hit the rocks.

Throughout the duration of this case, the respondent refused to honour court summons, therefore, the court has no other choice than to dissolve the union.

The marriage between Margaret Agwu and Onu Agwu is hereby dissolved from today, both parties are no longer husband and wife.

Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation, he said.

(NAN)
Ahmad Salkida, the Nigerian journalist taken into custody on Monday, weeks after being declared wanted by the army, has been released, PREMIUM TIMES sources said late Tuesday.

The sources said Mr. Salkida was released on Tuesday evening by the State Security Service, more than a day after he was arrested at the airport in Abuja.

Mr. Salkida was declared wanted on August 14 alongside two others. The two turned themselves in the second day and were subsequently granted administrative bail.

Mr. Salkida was accused of aiding Boko Haram. Authorities also raised issues about the way he was sourcing video recordings from the sect.

He, however, denied the allegations when quizzed by SSS officials.

He was released without conditions, our sources said.

All documents and devices confiscated from him were returned.
Three elderly men have been arrested in a community in Yobe State where they confessed to be working as ranchers for Boko Haram terrorists.

Two of the men are brothers and one had earlier been declared wanted by the army.

The men were nabbed while trying to sell some livestock to raise money for the terrorist group. The money was to be used in purchasing foodstuff and other consumables ahead next weeks Sallah celebration.

One of the men, Muhammed Bulama, was identified as suspect number 105 on the photo album of most wanted Boko Haram kingpins published by the Nigeria Army directorate of public relations.

Mr. Bulama, his elder brother, Ardo Abba Muhammed and Muhammadu Kaigama confessed to the soldiers that their job schedule was keeping and taking care of all cows, sheep and horses stolen or seized by the group.

Mr. Bulama, according to a statement issued by the acting director army public relations, Sani Kukasheka Usman, had identified his own photograph on the Wanted List and confirmed being an active Boko Haram member.

Colonel Usmans statement reads:

The Boko Haram suspect on the wanted list number 105, Muhammed Bulama, has been arrested by troops on Tuesday 6th July 2016 in Yobe State.

Bulama was arrested along side with 2 other suspected Boko Haram terrorists; Ardo Abba Muhammed (elder brother to Bulama as claimed) and Muhammadu Kaigama, in Azare community, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, with the help of the local vigilantes in the town.

They were arrested riding on horseback and bicycle shepherding some sheep towards market.

During preliminary investigation, the suspected terrorist personally confirmed his photograph on the wanted list and further revealed that he specialized on rearing animals for the terrorist group.

He further confessed that they came to the village to sell the animals as they had ran out of cash in their hideout and would also get some food items back to for the upcoming Sallah festivity.
Residents of Edo State will on Saturday decide who governs them for the next four years, in an intensely contested governorship election.

The election will either reward the outgoing governor, Adams Oshiomhole, for his effort while in office, or punish him for the hardship many residents complain of.

The traditional ruler of Ogbeson community, Aduwa Ogiegbaen, for instance, said his community would vote for All Progressive Congress Godwin Obaseki as a show of gratitude to Mr. Oshiomhole for intervening and reclaiming the town from gully erosion which ravaged homes and rendered thousands homeless.

There was a church here where these people are standing now, he said, pointing to a spot in the area. That church went down. My uncles house was here. He was buried here. The house and the grave were swept away.

There are many communities offering support to the governors candidate on similar grounds.

However, there is also the widely reported pains of pensioners who have seized the election period to launch their protest over unpaid pension arrears. The pensioners said they lost seven of their members in the last seven months while waiting to be paid their retirement benefits.

In July, they defied heavy rain to protest and demand the payment of their pension arrears ranging from 10 to 42 months. The saga of unpaid salaries of local government employees occasioned by the present economic recession is also hanging over the government before the eyes of the critical electorate.

It is a straight fight between the ruling APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. Although it is Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the governorship candidate of the PDP who is officially squaring up against the businessman, Godwin Obaseki, of the APC, Governor Oshiomhole is the chief adversary of the PDP.

The contents of the campaigns have demonstrated it. Mr. Obaseki showcases the work done by the current administration. The PDPs Ize-Iyamu seeks to denigrate and reduce their value to people of the state.

The campaigns have gone beyond the competences of both candidates. Mr. Ize-Iyamu, a lawyer, pastor and politician, is a former chief of staff and secretary to the Edo State Government. A former APC member, he was an avowed supporter of the Oshiomhole government, having served as Mr. Oshiomholes campaign director for a second term. He had earlier served as national vice chairman, South-South Zone of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). After calling it quits with the APC, he joined the PDP and became the Edo coordinator of the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign for the 2015 presidential election.

The pastor is largely seen as a grassroots politician whose campaigns have struck hard at the weaknesses of the Edo government. He has successfully raised questions on the sincerity of the government in the execution of certain projects while the government has been on the defensive.

But many Edo people still consider him an offshoot of the inglorious regime of the Igbinedions. He also has a weak backing from the House of Assembly where the PDP only has three of 24 members. He has a simple agenda and displays the mien of an orator. His current following shows he is a candidate to beat in this race.

The APC candidate, Mr. Obaseki, is the pioneer chairman of the Edo State Economic and Strategy Team which was inaugurated by Governor Oshiomhole in March 2009. Mr. Obaseki holds an MBA in Finance and International Business from the Columbia University, USA. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers, Nigeria and an alumnus of the Lagos Business Schools chief executive programme. He is the proprietor of several finance institutions and sits on the board of several other companies.

Mr. Obasekis towering credentials no doubt meets a great challenge in the political experience of his PDP contender. His bearing as a technocrat and financial expert cuts him out as a preferred candidate in the current economic recession facing the country.

Edo people would obviously desire a messiah who would take them out of the economic woods without subjecting them to austerity. He rides on the grace of the Edo State government and the incumbent governor, Mr. Oshiomhole. His emergence as the APC candidate ahead of the deputy governor depicts the finality of the choice of the governor to have him become the next governor of Edo State.

Mr. Obaseki also enjoys the perception of the generality of the public that the incumbent governor had done well for the state compared to his predecessors.

Campaigns have been rigorous. Defeating an incumbent is not a tea party. The governor has made it a duty to harp on his infrastructural gains in the state capital and in major towns of the state to win the support of the people. The APC candidate speaks strongly by the voice of the governor. His manifesto is not unique. He makes the usual promises of job creation, agricultural revolution and improved education.

Both candidates are concerned about providing jobs for the teeming populace and alleviating poverty. They have made sundry promises, even going as far as signing pacts with certain communities who demanded such.

The choices of the two parties to pick their candidates from the southern senatorial district has greatly raised the stakes. Whoever wins the area may likely become the governor.

The state has about 1,925,105 registered voters from the 18 local government areas. Of this, Edo south, where both candidates come from has seven of the 18 local government areas and is home to about 57.4 percent of the population of the state.

To be declared governor, a candidate must win majority votes in most of the 18 local governments, and score 25 percent in at least 12 of the 18 local governments. This is in addition to polling the highest number of votes in the election.

Analysts say the APC will easily take Edo North, where Mr. Oshiomhole comes from, but could be defeated in the central district, a customary PDP stronghold where the likes of Tony Anenih; former works minister, Mike Onolememen, and other bigwigs of the PDP hails from.

The south is therefore the battleground. The target of each of the candidate is winning maximum votes from Egor, Oredo and Ikpoba/Okha local governments, which has a combined voter capacity of about 800,000. Whoever takes these local governments may be returned governor.

That permutation explains the concentration of campaigns within these lines, and the government is not relenting in squeezing the opposition and limiting its campaign space within the state capital. The PDP recently raised the alarm that the government denied it the use of public schools and other state infrastructures such as the stadiums for its campaign. The government has denied that allegation, saying the PDP failed to follow the rules in applying for the facilities.

The opposition has also cried out against alleged use of security agencies in harassing members of the party and supporters of its candidate at the instance of the state government. The APC had since replied, saying the PDP was only making excuses for its impending failing in the election.

The difficulty in predicting an easy victory for the ruling APC shows how the popularity of the APC has declined in a state where Mr. Oshiomhole had an easy ride even in the southern senatorial district at his reelection in 2012.
Suspected State Security Service operatives on Tuesday arrested a blogger in Akwa Ibom State, in what activists see as as the latest in a string of crackdowns against free speech online.

Emenike Iroegbu, who publishes Abia Facts Newspaper, was arrested in front of his family by men suspected to be attached to the SSS field office in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, his wife, Ekaette, told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mrs. Iroegbu said the officials arrived at about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday and carried out a search of their apartment.

They took my husbands laptops and phones and also seized my two phones as well, Mrs. Iroegbu said. They didnt even enter quietly.

Mrs. Iroegbu said the officials, numbering three, came in a black SUV which they used to whisk her husband away.

I was unable to mark down the number plate, Mrs. Iroegbu said. I was busy begging them to kindly release one of my phones so I could at least be able to stay in touch.

News of Mr. Iroegbus arrest lit up the social media on Wednesday morning, coming barely a month after Abubakar Usman, a pro-government blogger was arrested in Abuja in similar circumstances.

Although there was no official confirmation from the SSS on her husbands arrest, Mrs. Iroegbu said she had learnt he had been transferred to Abia State field office of the secret police in Umuahia on Wednesday morning.

They told me he was transferred to their station in Umuahia this morning, I pray nothing terrible happens to my husband, she said.

Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer who called media attention to Mr. Iroegbus arrest on Tuesday night, said the blogger was being sought over contents published on his website.

Mr. Effiong said some officials in Abia and Akwa Ibom States recently threatened Mr. Iroegbu after publishing some materials they deemed critical.

It is on record that the Abia State-born blogger has been constantly harassed by the agents and officials of the Abia State Government over his publications, Mr. Effiong said. It is also on record that some government officials in Akwa Ibom State have been uncomfortable with some of his publications online.

But Enyinnaya Appolos, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in Abia, said the state was not behind Mr. Iroegbus arrest, but confirmed he was wanted in the state on offences bordering on defamation.

He recently published an article saying the governor buried a 9-year-old in the Government House in Umuahia, Mr. Appolos told PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday afternoon. We are going to request that the SSS should transfer him to us after facing charges in Akwa Ibom.

Mr. Appolos sent PREMIUM TIMES a screen-grab of materials allegedly published by Abia Facts Newspaper about the Mr. Ikpeazu administration.

Some of the materials detailed how Mr. Ikpeazu allegedly aided the killing of pro-Biafran agitators in the state. The publication, quoting inside sources, also said Mr. Ikpeazu had intensified diabolical activities within the Government House during his political battle with Uche Ogah, after the latter was issued a certificate of return by INEC.

Were writing to the SSS to send him to Umuahia because we want him to come and prove all these things, Mr. Appolos said.

Mr. Appolos said he could not confirm if Mr. Iroegbu had been transferred to Umuahia.

The State Director of SSS in Akwa Ibom did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES calls and text messages seeking comments for this story.

Ekerete Udoh, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Emmanuel Udom, did not respond to inquiries from PREMIUM TIMES about the development.

But Mr. Effiong said Mr. Iroegbus arrest showed that the matter was being treated as a criminal case because of the status of the individuals involved.

I know he published some things on his website, but they should have sued for defamation of character and not arrest him based on that, Mr. Effiong said. The reason why theyre doing this is because it involved some governors or powerful people.

This criminal dimension that the authorities have taken the matter is clearly illegal.

Mr. Effiong said Mr. Iroegbus arrest marked the latest in an emerging capricious proclivities of political office holders to use security agencies to clamp down on Nigerians for exercising their constitutional liberties.

Within the past one year, Nigeria has witnessed an upsurge in arrests of citizens over their activities on the Internet.

In August 2015, three bloggers Demond Ike, Seun Oloketuyi and Chris Nwandu were arrested and charged for offences that allegedly contravened Cybercrime Act in Lagos.

Mr. Ike spent six months in custody, parts of which were in Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.

A month later, Emmanuel Ojo, was arrested in Abeokuta allegedly on the orders of Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, after posting some offensive materials on Facebook. The charges preferred against him remained stalled in the Abeokuta Division of the Federal High Court.

Mr. Ojo said he had since fled Nigeria to another West African country after threats from powerful people became unbearable.

On August 8, 2016, Abubakar Usman, a pro-government blogger, was also arrested and detained for nearly two days for apparently publishing a report critical of the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu.

Democracy is being threatened in Nigeria by the rising display of intolerance to free speech, Mr. Effiong said.
The father of a former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (also known as Tompolo), is dead, the Gbaramatu Voice, a community newspaper in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State, is reporting.

Thomas Osen Ekpemupolo, aged 84, died in the early hours of Wednesday at Lily Clinic, Deco Road, Warri.

The Ekpemupolo family would issue a statement shortly over their patriarchs demise, a source in the community told PREMIUM TIMES.

During a military siege to root out members of the Niger Delta Avengers in the community on May 28, the older Ekpemupolo was allegedly attacked by the army officers.

In an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari last month, the ex-militant leader said the rough treatment his father received in the hands of the soldiers led to the amputation of his lower limbs in July.

From the doctors report, it will be a thing of miracle if he survives this incident, said Tompolo, who had remained at large after he was declared wanted by the Nigerian government in February.

Is this 84 year old man also a member of the Niger Delta Avengers that they brutalized him to the point of death?
The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has condemned the call for the postponement of the Edo State governorship election by the State Security Services, SSS, and the police.

The two agencies cited intelligence report that suggests a plot to cause a breach of peace.

In a statement Wednesday, Mr. Fayose said the call was showed the APC was afraid to lose the polls.

It is obvious that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is challenged and afraid of losing the election and the party is using the federal government security agencies to cause a postponement of the election so as to be able to perfect its new rigging plans, the governor said.

Mr. Fayose said democracy is in danger under the APC government, said obviously, within two years of APC government, Nigeria is in both economic and political recession and this should worry all true lovers of the country.

Democracy in Nigeria has now graduated from inconclusive elections to postponement of elections in other to return APC candidates at all cost, he said.

The governor said: The questions Nigerians must ask the APC-led federal government are: what security threat can overcome over 50,000 security personnel in an election holding in just one out of the 36 States in Nigeria? If election must be postponed in just one State because of security threat, what will then happen in 2019 when elections will be conducted in the entire country?

Another question is; were they unaware of the security challenge when President Muhammadu Buhari went to Edo State to campaign for the APC yesterday?

No doubt, this is a game being played by the APC because it has become so imminent that the party cannot win the election if it is held on Saturday as scheduled.

The postponement is obviously meant to give room for the APC to perfect a new rigging strategy and lovers of democracy in Nigeria should begin to see how the APC aims at perpetuating itself in power beyond 2019 even now that the party has been rejected by Nigerians, he said.
The Nigeria police and the State Security Services, SSS, say their call for the postponement of Saturdays governorship election in Edo State is based on credible intelligence of a plot by Insurgent and extremist elements to disrupt the poll.

In a joint press statement issued Wednesday afternoon, the two agencies said the target of the planned attacks are vulnerable communities and soft targets with high population during the forthcoming Sallah celebrations between September 12 and 13.

Edo, the statement said, is among the states being targeted.

Garba Abdullahi signed the statement on behalf of the SSS, while the Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, signed for the police.

It is in regard of these that we are appealing to INEC which has the legal duty to regulate elections in the country to consider the need for possible postponement of the date of the election in Edo State in order to enable security agencies deal decisively with the envisaged terrorist threats, the statement said.

The public would recall that similar threats were issued during the May Labour Day and Democracy Day celebrations as well as the Ed-el-fitr holidays in July, 2016. However, the security agencies were able to decisively disrupt and thwart the insurgents plan.

While the Police/DSS remain mindful of the inconveniences this request may cause the various political stakeholders, it is our strong resolve that security agencies need not be distracted from ensuring a peaceful and secured Nigeria now and always.

Meanwhile, INEC says it was yet to get a formal report from the security agencies.

We havent gotten a formal notice on that yet, so we are just hearing it informally, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, INECs Director of Voters Education and Public Enlightenment, told PREMIUM TIMES on telephone from Benin, the capital of Edo.

When we get a formal report, we will consult the stakeholders.

The Peoples Democratic Party in the state sees the advice to postpone the election as a subtle plot by the ruling All Progressive Congress to postpone the evil day.

Ogbeide Ifaluyi-Isibor, the Coordinator, Dynamic PDP Vanguard in Edo, told PREMIUM TIMES that the PDP was ready for the election, and that APC was already afraid of losing.

We are aware that the governor (Adams Oshiomhole) is afraid of his defeat, so he is pushing for a postponement, Ifaluyi-Isibor said.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has expressed shock at a call made by security agencies for Saturdays governorship election in Edo State to be postponed.

The SSS and the police said on Wednesday that the advice was based on credible intelligence indicating a plot by hoodlums to disrupt the poll.

But PDP said the call was a false alarm.

The party said It is lamentable to hear from these same security agencies that the election cannot be held in a state where in less than 24 hours, the president and all the APC leaders and members had an uninterrupted rally.

Read the partys full statement:

Our attention has been drawn to the shocking breaking news of the advice by the DSS and the Police to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the Saturday, September 10, 2016 Gubernatorial Election in Edo State on excuse of insurgency alert.

We are taken aback on this advice coming a day after the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari was present at the Mega Rally of its Party, the APC in Benin City which was concluded without any hitch.

It is on record that INEC recently conducted a hitch free Senatorial By-Election in Borno State which is a high-point of insurgency in the Country but the Security Agencies saw no reason to call-off the Election. It is therefore lamentable to hear from these same security agencies that the Election cannot be held in a State where in less than 24 hours, the President and all the APC leaders and members had an uninterrupted Rally.

We are calling on the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to caution the security agencies and direct them to provide full security, and also to desist from doing anything that will jeopardize this forthcoming Gubernatorial Election in Edo State. We are equally counting on INEC not to succumb to this false alarm by acting independently and holding election as scheduled.

We hope that this advice from the security agencies are not in concert with the APC of having seen the indices of losing the Edo State Gubernatorial Election to the PDP.

Finally, the Party leadership led by Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, CON, calls on our members, teeming supporters, other Edo voters and the international community to remain law-abiding while staying alert on this calculated attempt at scuttling our hard earned democracy.

Signed:

Prince Dayo Adeyeye

PDP National Publicity Secretary
The Transition Monitoring Group on Wednesday said the decision by Nigerian security agencies to unilaterally suggest a postponement of the upcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State was unacceptable.

In a statement signed by its chairperson, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the TMG, a coalition of Nigerian civil society groups, said the decision was poorly timed, wrongly presented and capable of eroding the confidence of Nigerians in the electoral system.

The Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service had released a joint statement requesting the postponement of the election. They cited credible intelligence of a plot by insurgent and extremist elements to disrupt the poll slated for September 10.

Godwin Obaseki, the APC candidate, is slugging it out with Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the PDP in the race to replace incumbent Adams Oshiomhole whose two-term tenure expires this November.

President Buhari was in Benin City on Tuesday where he campaigned for Mr. Obaseki in their partys final push to sway the undecided.

As a result, the TMG said it was wrong for security agencies to publicly push for postponement without carrying INEC along at this stage in the campaign.

It is trite fact that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies have meeting forums and channels of communication.

It is astonishing that INEC appears not to have been taken into confidence before the security agencies came out in full glare of the public to announce its preference for a postponement, Ms. Akiyode-Afolabi said.

INEC had said it was not carried along by the security agencies prior to the announcement, saying it would embark on consultations to determine the next course of action.

Ms. Akiyode-Afolabi said the security agencies should understand that their announcement was capable of causing tensions that they intended to forestall in the first place.

TMG feels strongly that this tendency could undermine the confidence of voters and precipitate apathy and is capable of building tension in the electoral space, Ms. Akiyode-Afolabi said. This could lead to electoral violence, which the security agencies are supposedly trying to prevent.

Shortly after the announcement, Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, weighed in, alleging that the APC was behind the plot as it was desperate to win elections.

Democracy in Nigeria has now graduated from inconclusive elections to postponement of elections in other to return APC candidates at all cost, Mr. Fayose said.

In its reaction, the opposition PDP said in a statement that the decision was shocking, bizarre and confusing.

The TMG also echoed some Nigerians who slammed the move as a reminiscent of the postponement of the 2015 elections which may not necessarily work in favour of those orchestrated it in the end.

This clear interference in the electoral process by the security agencies, is a throwback to the 2015 general election, which was also postponed at the behest of the nations security chiefs, the group said.
There is no gain repeating the fact that Nigeria is indeed one of the most viable countries to do business in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a known fact that the country desires credible foreign investors to explore its great potential, of abundant human and natural resources.

What I also know however is that Nigeria and indeed the present government of change under President Muhammadu Buhari will not condone fraud under any guise. This statement of fact is necessary to lay the basis for my intervention on the bundle of lies being peddled in the media by a Chinese businessman, Dr. Jason Han,

Managing Director of Zhongfu International Investments (Nig.) FZE, whose management engagement was recently terminated by the Ogun State Government in regard of his involvement with the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone, Igbesa.

Based on my findings from Ogun Statement and investors in the Zone, I shall in this write-up attempt to defend the action taken by the State Government to protect the interest of Nigeria and ensure transparent business transactions, while providing factual details to counter the many lies of Mr Han in an attempt to confuse and mislead the Nigerian public and the Federal Government especially President Buhari.

After his first lie that foreign investors at the Zone have threatened to pull out following his disengagement, was roundly debunked by the same investors, Mr Han has now resorted to writing open letters to Mr President, this time appealing to emotion and sentiment, with threat as an addendum. Eventhough, he admitted that the Ogun State Government acted based on the request of the Chinese Government, he never provided the details that put a question mark on his credibility.

He failed to state that Zhongfu could not provide a single fire station or a mobile fire fighter machine in the zone for the past four years, even when this is mandatory according to NEPZA rules, while claiming to have spent $60m in the Zone. Where did the money go to? They unilaterally increased service charges and imposed different tariffs on investors without consulting the shareholders. This is beside using the name of Ogun State Government and other eminent Nigerians to intimidate foreign investors in the Zone, moving around with sirens and a retinue of heavily armed policemen meant to protect the people in the Zone, taking expensive gifts round to eminent Nigerians for lobby as if thats what the Nigerian economy requires this critical time.

It is equally appalling that at a time when Nigeria is battling to stabilize its economy, Zhongfu was demanding investors in the Zone to pay charges and tariffs in dollars or Chinese Yuan against our own local currency, thus further putting more pressure on dollar demand in Nigeria. It is equally disturbing that Zhongfu was using the Zone to secure personal international loan. Worse still, they failed to provide other basic amenities such as emergency medical facility/clinic, motorable access roads leading to the OGFTZ and within it, drainage system within the Zone, office and residential accommodation for government agencies (Customs, Immigration, DSS, Police, NEPZA) within the Zone, all of which are still using the containerized office and accommodation provided by previous managers of the Zone. It is also worthy of note that Zhongfu promised to make the provision of the above their immediate priority when they were being engaged as managers but such is not the story today.

Not one item on the above was ever done, leaving one to wonder where their so called $60 million was invested. They rather persisted in flouting every law and laid down rules including but not limited to: increasing tariffs paid by investors without the input and approval of the JVA (Joint Ventures Agreement) partners, forcing investors to pay tariffs in foreign exchange (US dollars and Chinese Yuan) without the input and approval of the JVA partners, refusing to provide audited accounts for the four years they operated in the OGFTZ inspite of repeated demands by the JVA partners, failing to compensate the indigenes of Igbesa for their land and crops on their farmlands.

Also pertinent is the fact that the Zhongfu executives were found of staying away from the country for upward of three months and delegating vital official functions to inexperienced and unqualified Chinese employees.

Its also worthy of mention here that Dr. Jason Han had worked for Zhongfu in China for over 20 years and was rewarded with shares in the company for his ability to deceive the Joint Venture partners in executing the JVA, hence his present desperation.

The recent happenings in the OGFTZ is simply a disagreement between two Chinese business entities and should be resolved by their Embassy without dragging other JVA partners in the mud with them. I can go on and on, on the many sins of the company which culminated in its disengagement by the Nigerian Government.

But let me suspend that for now and set the record straight by stating the following facts held back by Mr Han in his media statements.

By virtue of a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) executed on June 14, 2007, the Government of Ogun State (OGSG) and Guangdong Xin Guang International China Africa Investment Ltd. (also known as China Africa) entered into a public/private partnership (PPP) arrangement wherein OGSG partnered China Africa in establishing a Free Trade Zone within Ogun State for the purpose of improving commercial activities within the State, particularly, activities of developing the Zone into a multi-purpose industrial area. This led to the establishment of Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (also known as the Zone) in Igbesa Area of Ogun State. It should be noted that Guangdong Xin Guang International China Africa Investment Ltd. is a corporate body owned by the Government of the Province of Guangdong in the Peoples Republic of China;

By virtue of the Joint Venture, China Africa owned 60% equity in the Zone, and in accordance with the dictates of its equity contribution, China Africa funded the construction of the basic structures, infrastructural development and provision of basic amenities within the Zone.

As a result, on April 3, 2008, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) issued a licence in the name of Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone certifying same to be under the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority Act. China Africa, being the major stakeholder in the Zone, not only built the main structures and provided basic infrastructural development within the Zone but also ensured the proper management and smooth administration of the affairs of the Zone from inception till sometime in 2012 when its appointment as managers of the Zone was wrestled by Ogun State Government. It is important to state here that, that decision was largely due to the dangerous scheming of Mr Han who recruited people to cook lies against China Africa and scare them away.

China Africas 60% equity investment in the Zone, however, remained intact and unencumbered as this goes to the ownership of the zone rather than the management. This enabled China Africa to entrust its equity holding and management functions to Zhuhai Zhongfu Industrial Co. Ltd. and signed appropriate agreement in this respect. It is pertinent to note that Zhuhai Zhongfu Industrial Co. Ltd. is a company incorporated under the laws of the Peoples Republic of China and carried on business in the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the name and style of Zhongfu International Investment (Nig.) FZE.

As part of the term of the Entrustment Management Agreement, Zhongfu covenanted then: not to operate illegally; not to harm the interests of China Africa; not to dispose of the major assets of OGFTZ; to operate OGFTZ in accordance with the applicable laws, rules and regulations.

As a result of the agreement with Zhongfu International Investment Nigeria as the new manager/administrator of the Zone, the Ogun state Government equally endorsed the arrangement and then vested the management right in the company; while the 60% equity stake of China Africa in OGFTZ ownership remained intact and unaffected by the displacement of its managerial and administrative role.

It was however shocking , when China Africa discovered that rather than represent its interest in the Zone, Zhongfu presented a fraudulent position to Ogun State Government by concealing the management entrustment agreement with China Africa from Ogun State and presenting itself as being an independent replacement of China Africa, thereby, purporting to enter into a new Joint Venture with Ogun State Government. When the questionable activities of Zhongfu came to the attention of China Africa particularly with regard to embezzlement and failing to render accounts to both China Africa and Ogun State Government, the Government of the Peoples Republic of China, through her Consulate in Nigeria had to intervene in order to protect the symbiotic diplomatic relationship between China and Nigeria.

It was on this basis that the purported Joint Venture of Zhongfu in the Zone was duly terminated by Ogun state Government, a JVA obtained by fraud, including the Zhongfus management of the Zone. At this point, it is also necessary to state that by virtue of equity transfer through a public auction, Guangdong New South Group acquired 51% stake (controlling interest) in China Africa. Accordingly, the Guangdong Province State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission duly notified the Chinese Consulate in Nigeria of the transfer of shares from China Africa to New South Group; and by a Diplomatic Note dated March 11, 2016, the Economic and Commercial Section of the Consulate General of the Peoples Republic of China notified the Ogun State Government of Guangdong New South Groups acquisition of the controlling interest in China Africa and the need to formally confer management rights on Guangdong New South Group as the operators/manager of the Zone, being the representative of the controlling shareholder.

This also became necessary due to the several indiscretion of Zhongfu International including financial improprieties and poor management of the Zone. Accordingly, by a letter dated May 27, 2016, Ogun State Government terminated the appointment of Zhongfu as the manager of OGFTZ. Zhongfu was, by this letter, directed to hand over all Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone assets in its possession to the Coordinator, Zenith Global Merchant Limited.

It is also very important to state that, contrary to the falsehood being peddled by Mr Han, Zhongfu did not make any investment in the Zone. The physical structures erected therein and the amenities therein were put in place by China Africa. On the contrary, Zhongfu depleted the assets and infrastructure they met on ground and up till date, are yet to account for all revenues made during the period of management.

It is therefore no surprise that Zhongfu was only able to express its investment in vague terms in his open letter to the President. Since the termination of Zhongfus management of the Zone, the existing investors have registered several complaints on the inability of Zhongfu to address the needs of the investors within the Zone. In the same vein, due to the fact that most of the investors within the Zone are aware of the managerial pedigree of the New South Group, they have since expressed their support for the new management and readiness to work with the new management under New South Group.

It is also worthy to note that the Government of Guangdong Province in Peoples Republic of China is also looking into the activities of Zhongfu within the Zone and in its interface with Ogun State Government with a view to deal with them in accordance with the applicable Chinese law. This is because Guangdong Province still owns 49% equity in China Africa.

There is no doubt that both Guangdong New South Group and the Guangdong Province have the capacity to further develop the Zone to match standard of the most notable Free Trade Zones in the World. They remain committed to the course and have already begun works to achieve this, because they have a clear plan of achieving this and have the support of both the Government of the Peoples Republic of China and the Ogun State Government.

It is therefore surprising that rather than give accounts of how it ran the Zone for years, Zhongfu has been running from pillar to post, trying to discourage investors from coming to do business in Nigeria.

Before embarking on another fruitless campaign of calumny against the Government and people of Nigeria, Mr Han should please give account of the revenue generated from the Zone under his companys management, explain why he was collecting revenue into his companys account ( Zhongfu), instead of Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone, why he hid the Entrustment management agreement with China-Africa from the Ogun State Government for years until the Chinese Government exposed the deceit.

This is certainly not the way to do business in Nigeria under the Change dispensation!

* BOLU-OLU ESHO is an Abeokuta, Ogun State based journalist
A 28-year-old man, Alhassan Musa, on Wednesday appeared in a Magistrates Court sitting at Audu Bako Secretariat, Kano, for allegedly sexually abusing nine under-age boys.

Musa of Gwammaja Layin Jirgi, Kano, was charged with unnatural offence, contrary to Section 284 of the Penal Code.

The prosecutor, Suleiman Danladi, had told the court that parents of two of the abused minors, Ahmed Musbahu and Fatihu Hibbu, jointly reported the matter on July 24.

Mr. Danladi said that on July 18, the accused person lured the nine minors between the ages of 11 and 12 to defile them at separate times.

Your Worship, from our investigation, the accused lured the minor into his Shop at Gwammaja Layin Jirgi Quarters to have unlawful sex with each of them through their anus.

He had his way at different occasions to perform the unlawful carnal knowledge of the children by offering them N100.

NAN reports that the accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Chief Magistrate, Muhammad Jibril, however, remanded the accused in prison custody, and adjourned the case till Sept. 29 for mention. (NAN)
A Chinese firm, Zhongfu International Investment, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over an alleged termination of its contract with the Ogun State government over the latters Free Trade Zone.

The petition signed by Jason Han, the companys Managing Director, accused the state government of chasing away the company despite its investment in the zone situated in Igbesa town, and replacing it with another firm.

I write this letter with sorrow and despair, Mr. Han wrote in his petition.

In 2010 my firm, Zhongfu International Investments (Nig.) came to the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Ogun State as an investor.

The Zone was devoid of basic infrastructure for industry. We assisted the then manager China-Africa Investment Co. Ltd to stabilize the Zone by significant cash investment.

Mr. Han said the project handled by China-Africa Investment failed in 2012, resulting in the state government terminating its appointment with CAI.

At this stage there were only five operating tenants of which ZIIN was by far the most significant investor. In March 2012, we were called upon to rescue the project as interim managers.

In September 2013, we were granted a permanent arrangement when we entered into a joint venture agreement (JVA) with the OSG (Ogun State Government) and a Nigerian company.

Breach of agreement

Mr. Han said in pursuant to the JVA, the company agreed to develop and manage the Zone in return for a 60 percent equity participation, adding that JVA gave them the confidence to invest their monies as a long-term investment.

After investing over $60 million and the Zone is starting to generate a cashflow, the OSG is attempting to unilaterally terminate our contract, force us to abandon our investment and flee for our lives, said Mr. Han.

According to Mr. Han, his company embarked on an ambitious drive to get international capital markets to finance infrastructure upgrades in the Zone, seeking an initial estimated $250 million for expansion of roads, electricity, transportation, and housing improvements.

He added that his company also generated hundreds of millions of naira for the Nigerian government, as well as created over 5,000 jobs.

We felt proud when you (Mr. Buhari) visited China in April of this year and we signed an MOU with a prospective tenant for a USD 1 billion pharmaceutical park in the Zone.

However, instead of growing our business, our work has stopped, the contracts we had in the pipeline have been suspended, we live in fear of our lives and others have taken over facilities and assets that we invested our own funds in acquiring.

Mr. Han accused the Ogun government of using state instruments such as the police and the magistrate courts to harass and intimidate his staff.

The OSG has maintained that our JVA was terminated because they were following instructions in a letter from the Economic and Commercial Section of the Consulate-General of China in Nigeria (the Consulate Letter), he said.

The Chinese Government will not disrespect Nigerian law. The Consulate Letter has been misconstrued and overlooks the existence of our contract with the OSG.

We made every effort to resolve this matter amicably as a contractual dispute but in flagrant disregard of Nigerian law, a gentleman acting on behalf of the OSG went to the Zone with an armed policeman to scare us away and install new individuals as managers of the Zone.

They have taken over control of facilities that we built for our own exclusive use, appropriated our property and harassed our staff.

We have commenced proceedings in the Federal High Court in Abuja. However OSG and the individuals harbouring plans to appropriate our investment are seeking to frustrate our legal action by forcing the recognition of the impostors irrespective of the impending court hearing.

Ogun govt responds

In its reaction to Mr. Hans petition, the Ogun State government said there was no truth whatsoever to the claims of contractual termination.

Taiwo Adeoluwa, Secretary to the State Government, said the Chinese government had, through a Diplomatic Note 1601 dated March 11, 2016, notified the state that Guangdong New South Group, and not ZIIN were the ones authorized to manage the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone.

The Chinese Consulate stressed further that to continue to allow Zhongfu International Investments to manage the zone would amount to encouraging and abetting a private company to perpetuate fraud on the government of Guangdong Province, China (the original joint venture partners to Ogun State on the project) and its lawful successors in title, the Guangdong New South Group.

Mr. Adeoluwa said concerned about the weighty nature of issues raised in the Diplomatic Note, the state government called for explanations from both the New South Group and Zhongfu International Investments.

The New South Group provided evidence, corroborated by the Chinese Consulate, that they bought 51 per cent of the equity of China Africa Investment Limited, the official representative of the Guangdong Province of China on the Zone and with whom the Ogun State government originally signed a Memorandum of Understanding, he said.

By virtue of the lawful equity transfer, they succeeded to ownership and management rights of China Africa in the zone.

They further contended that the new agreement signed by Zhongfu International Investments with the Ogun State government in 2013, was procured by fraud and criminal misrepresentation for reasons that Zhongfu International Investments Limited, who was merely a tenant on the zone, deliberately concocted lies to mislead the Ogun State government into believing that it was the lawful successor to the equity ownership of China Africa Investment Limited.

Mr. Adeoluwa further stated that Mr. demonstrated a rather strange unwillingness to approach either the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in Nigeria or visit the Guangdong Province, China, to resolve the dispute.

One would have thought that the Embassy or Consulate, whose basic duty it is to protect the interest of Chinese nationals in Nigeria, is the quick, best and cheap forum to resolve this Chinese on Chinese dispute, he said.

But rather than do that, Zhongfu International has chosen the path of peddling lies and cheap blackmail.
The National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, said 18,511 electoral officials had been deployed to Edo ahead of Saturdays governorship election in the state.

Mr. Yakubu made the disclosure at a stakeholders forum on the election, organised by the commission in Benin on Wednesday.

He said that majority of the personnel were drawn from the pool of young Nigerians on national assignment through the National Youths Service Corps Scheme (NYSC).

Their service, complemented by other patriotic Nigerians, is essential to the electoral process and our democracy, he added.

Mr. Yakubu assured of the commissions continued neutrality in elections, saying that the Edo exercise would be free, fair and credible.

He disclosed that the electoral officials had been warned to operate strictly within the confines of the law and our guidelines.

All election duty personnel have sworn to an oath of neutrality and fairness to the process, and any infraction will attract severe sanctions from the commission.

He appealed to political parties and their supporters to eschew violence and intimidation of electoral officials and the desperate resort to ballot-snatching and falsification of results.

It is unfortunate that already, one smart card reader was snatched at one of the training centres recently.

It was a futile effort because the card reader had not been configured to any polling unit for the election. It was nevertheless a disturbing incident; security agencies are the trail of the snatchers, he said.

Mr. Yakubu also warned high profile personalities in the state to ensure that they complied with the law by avoiding acts of perambulation during the election.

According to him, like other ordinary citizens, they are expected to vote and then go home. If they must stay around, they must also maintain a reasonable distance from the polling centres.

Heads of the security agencies from our various inter-governmental agencies meetings have given their assurances that they will provide adequate security for the electorate, INEC and ad hoc staff and materials.

No orderly may accompany these high profile personalities to the polling centres, but where they escort them, they are not expected to display their arms, he stated.

The chairman appreciated the contributions of stakeholders to INECs preparations for the elections and reiterated the commissions commitment to conducting a credible and conclusive governorship election.

Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Sam Olumekun, said that no fewer than 1.9 million registered voters were expected to participate in the governorship poll.

Mr. Olumekun said that Edo had 1,925,105 registered voters, adding that accreditation and voting would be done simultaneously during the election.

He attributed the decision to the paradigm shift in the evolving electoral system, saying the polling procedure in this governorship election requires a prospective voter to cast his or her vote immediately after being accredited.

This procedure is less consuming and less wearisome for the voter, he said.

The REC expressed the commissions readiness to conduct a free, fair and credible governorship election on Saturday, saying that INEC had complied with all electoral Acts on the election.

He, however, urged the people to stop seeing election as a do-or-die affair, but as a healthy process on a level-playing field.

Mr. Olumekun said that as was the case in the 2015 general election, the commission would retain the use of permanent voter card and smart card reader for conduct of the Edo elections.

In his contribution, acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, assured the people of the state of adequate security, saying that the police had earlier deployed 25,000 personnel to complement those in Edo command.

Mr. Idris, who was represented by Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Joshak Habila, said that with the collaboration of other security agencies, effective policing logistics had been mobilized for adequate protection of voters, INEC staff and materials.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that candidates of the 19 political parties participating in the election attended the forum.

The briefing in Edo was being held at about the same time as the Police and the State Security service in Abuja were addressing a press conference in Abuja asking INEC to postpone the Edo elections for security reasons.

(NAN)
Ten Ijaw communities along the Escravos river in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have petitioned the Delta State government alleging that a massive crude oil spill is ravaging their environment from a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, facility.

Representatives of the communities in a save-our soul letter to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on Wednesday accused the state oil firm of negligence over the incident.

The representatives told journalists in Warri that the spill, which occurred on August 17, 2016, was traced to a crude oil trunk line from the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), the products marketing and distribution subsidiary of the NNPC.

They said the pipeline passes through the affected communities, namely Tebujor/Okpele-Ama, Ikpokpo, Okerenkoko-Gbene, Opuedebubor, Opuede, Opuendezion, Atanba, Oto-Gbene, Meke-Ama Communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, along the Escravos river in Warri South West Local Government Area of the state.

The communities accused the PPMC of not carrying out a proper joint investigation of the incident by a properly constituted team comprising representatives of the community, NNPC, Department of Petroleum Resources and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA.

Instead, PPMC brought in military men to chase away villagers without carrying out a proper joint investigation of the incident to identify and stop the source of the spill as well as carry out effective remediation and compensate to the affected communities and people, the communities said in a letter to Mr. Akowa.

The letter dated September 6, 2016, was signed by Yebrade Moses, Godwin Akori, Ebilowei Tortor and Braye Fredrick on behalf of the affected communities.

The communities lamented the NNPC and PPMCs failure to take steps to stop the spillage and the damage to fishing nets, properties of the people and the environment.

Villagers who rely on fishing along the river for survival can longer do so as a result of the effects of the oil spillage which has polluted the entire area, they said.

Similar incidents, they said, have occurred on the same PPMC trunk-line on three occasions this year: in January, April and May, due to equipment failure.

They appealed to the state governor to prevail on the PPMC to carry-out a proper investigation of the incident, stop further spill, take steps to remediate the environment and pay compensation to the affected people and communities.

They also asked for relief materials to be sent to the communities to cushion the immediate effect of the spillage on the people to save them from starvation.

But the NNPC spokesperson, Garba Deen Mohammed, said what happened was not an oil spill, but a leakage from one of the products tanks following a burst pipeline from the PPMC facility in the area.

Mr. Mohammed said immediately the incident occurred, the relevant personnel were mobilized to contain the leakage without any casualty and damage to the environment.

The incident was not as a result of an attack. It was a mechanical fault that resulted in a burst in one of the tanks, he said. Since the leakage has since been stopped, the incident has been reported to the relevant agencies, while a proper investigation is ongoing.
Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has sacked the 13 Local Government Council Caretaker Chairpersons he appointed a year ago.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Emmanuel Onwe.

The Caretaker Chairmen are directed to hand over to Heads of Personnel Management (HPMs) in their respective local government before the close of business on thursday 8th September 2013, the statement said.

The governor thanked the sacked officials for their services to the state and wished them well for the future.

The governor, according to the statement, also effected a minor reshuffling of his cabinet.

Elizabeth Nwogbaga, who was in charge of Ministry of Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, was moved to Culture and Tourism Ministry..

Francis Orji was transferred from the Ministry of Water Resources to Border Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Euphemia Nwali will leave the ministry of Culture and Tourism to take charge of the Water Resources Ministry.

It was a direct swap between Donatus Njoku of Solid Minerals and his Economic Empowerment and Job Creation counterpart, Sabinus Nwankwegu.

According to the statement, all hand over processes must be concluded by 12noon on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, apprehension has gripped cabinet members following reports of impending major cabinet reshuffle in which many of them are expected to be sacked.

Though, no official statement has been issued, sources close to the governor said the dismissals is planned for between October and December.

The governor wants to begin the new year with a new team as some of the commissioners have performed well below expectations, said the source who did not want his identity revealed.
President Andrzej Duda (photo by Jakub Szymczuk)

President Andrzej Duda has sent letters to Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols asking them to appeal to Britons to respect the fundamental rights of Poles living in the United Kingdom.

Poles living in the UK are "honest, hardworking people, and they make an important contribution to Great Britain's economic growth," President Duda said on Tuesday at a press conference following his a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In the letter published on the presidential website, Andrzej Duda appealed to the British church heads to make "constructive efforts" to "ease the negative consequences of intolerance and xenophobia that affect national minorities, including the Polish community".

President Duda expressed hope that such incidents as the ones in Harlow would never happen again since they could lead to "lasting divisions between the Polish and British communities" and cause "erosion of local communities".

"Only through mutual understanding and care for the fellow man can we rebuild a thriving and well-developing society," the president wrote.

The president praised Monday's visit in London by Polish foreign and interior ministers who had discussed the safety of the Polish community in the UK with their British counterparts.

The ministers' visit was an immediate reaction to a second attack on Poles on Sunday in Harlow, north-east of London, which occurred just a week after a similar incident in the town which left one Pole dead.

"It is good that the ministers who are directly responsible for the safety of Poles went to Great Britain, it is very good that they held talks there," President Duda said, stressing that the immediate reaction of the Polish side proved that the safety of Poles was very important for Polish authorities.

The president also expressed hope that the arrangements made in London would be implemented, the safety of Poles restored and the perpetrators apprehended and brought to justice. (PAP)
ATLANTIC CITY  A city councilman is being asked to resign by a police union official and business owner for a Facebook post they say is irresponsible in the wake of a police officer being shot in the line of duty Saturday.

Councilman Moisse Delgado posted the statement on his Facebook page after the shooting of Officer Joshlee Vadell on Saturday.

Dont think that just because suspects were apprehended that the POLICE are relaxing and hands are off their weapons, Delgado posted.

Atlantic City cop shot still hospitalized but talking ATLANTIC CITY  More than $80,000 has been raised as of Thursday for police Officer Joshlee 

Pat Colligan, president of the New Jersey State Policemens Benevolent Association, called for Delgados resignation Wednesday afternoon.

Colligan said that since hes been president of the state PBA, Delgados post has to be the most irresponsible statement he has heard from a politician.

As a hero officer still lays in the hospital recovering from a cowardly attack, this councilman spews that stupidity from the safety of his keyboard. He should step down and let a qualified candidate take his position, Colligan said.

Delgado told a Press reporter Wednesday aafternoon he made the post on his Facebook page and he called it a reflection.

I know those in my circle, everyone is in a heightened level of sensitivity, Delgado said. What happened this weekend with the shooting of the officer is serious, its very serious.

Police pack hearing in A.C. officer-shot case MAYS LANDING  Officers representing nearly every police department in Atlantic County watch

Vadell, 29, was shot near the Caesars parking garage about 2:40 a.m. Saturday when he and his partner, who has not been identified, were investigating a robbery, police said.

Delgado said the post was a reflection for anyone who is not a police officer that what they do can be interpreted the wrong way.

He said the post was not made to incite panic but to recognize that police and the public dont share the same viewpoints at all times.

We want to make sure in this present situation, because of the heightened sensitivity, because the police dont see everything the way the public does and the public doesnt see everything the way the police does, Delgado said.

Delgado said he tries to be a conduit or liaison between the public and anyone who is supposed to be in service of the public.

Im not inciting any kind of panic. Im not inciting a damn thing. You can make a comment about things going on in the community regardless of your position, he said.

Coby Frier, an Atlantic City business owner and resident who started a Go Fund Me account for Vadell and his family, said Delgados post seeks to further divide the community.

I think he should resign. Hes doing a disservice to the community with these comments. The last thing a councilman should be doing right now is dividing the community. Bring us together, Frier said.

Matt S. Rogers, president of the Atlantic City Police Officers Benevolent Association, released this statement:

To in any way find fault in the action or to use this as a spring board for a discussion on a larger issue is ignorant to fact. If anything, the proper response would be to wait for more information from a thorough investigation. This is yet another example proving the larger issue needs to be less of a conversation and more those with agendas to step back and let real healing begin. That healing is easier knowing that every night heroes patrol the streets of AC allowing our critics to sleep in peace.

Contact: 609-513-6686

Twitter @ACPressWeaver
Chris Donovan wasnt your average fashion design grad student.

At 55 years old, he had worked as a phone technician for 25 years. But he suddenly found himself standing in front of the gates of Polimoda International Institute of Fashion Design & Marketing in Florence, Italy  one of the worlds top fashion design schools  where he had been accepted to advance his lifelong passion: shoes.

Donovan, a plump and jolly, bearded New Englander, was so out of place at this prestigious fashion school that he was often mistaken for a janitor, instead of a student.

Artist turns framing into an art Initially a chemist, Amy Puccio moved on to photography, then graduated to stay-at-home mom 

But that was fine with him. He was literally living out his dream  one that he may not have had the courage to pursue had it not been for his diagnosis of prostate cancer.

It was my first brush with mortality, Donovan says of the disease. It made me think a lot. We (humans) have an expiration date.

I knew there had to be something more out there for me.

His fascination with shoes began in high school. Students wore uniforms, so to stand out, girls in particular would wear funky shoes.

It was the 70s, recalls Donovan of his high school days. A girl walked in wearing the highest platforms. I thought how amazing that was. So I started sketching shoes in notebooks.

I sketched for 40 years, but it never seemed to be an option for work. It seemed too far out of my reach that I never took it seriously.

After his bout with cancer, however, he did take it seriously. The first step was a two-day design class in New York City, where a teacher took him aside and planted the seed about going further with his studies  much further. Like Italy.

Donovans shoe prototypes as well as his sketches can be seen at the Ocean City Arts Center through Sept. 30, with an open-to-the-public meet-the-artist reception 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9. Call it Ocean Citys own version of A.C.s Show Us Your Shoes parade this weekend.

When Donovan arrived at Polimoda, he was, admittedly, a bit lost. He had never done a full-blown collection of shoes  one of the class requirements  and he didnt quite understand what that even meant. Additionally, he kind of got off on the wrong foot  no pun intended  creatively.

A teacher came to me and asked what I was doing ... that it (my work) was awful ... that I was trying to be like the other students there. I thought that was what she wanted, he explains. She asked me what I was (before enrolling there)  I told her a phone repairman. Oh, you were crude, she said. Do crude. As soon as I figured that out  that my base was what got me in there  I got it.

And I graduated at the top of my class.

Now, thanks to that crude base, Donovan isnt interested in creating shoes that are simply aesthetically pleasing.

Since I dont have a lot of design background, I take from things Ive known or done to get my ideers, he says in an adorable Boston-esque accent. Its not about making a pretty shoe, its about making a strong statement.

Items utilized for his creations can be anything from found tree branches to metal hip replacements  which, he hopes, are not recognizable at first glance.

I dont want you to know what it is right away. I want to surprise you.

Donovan received a surprise himself when he applied to an online contest for a chance to meet and have his work be critiqued by Tim Gunn of Bravo TVs Project Runway. The contest, aptly called Critique with Tim Gunn, was sponsored by AARP, the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that helps people 50 and older.

For once I thought it wont work against me being old, Donovan jokes.

He was not only a contest finalist, he was the winner.

For right now, Donovans shoes are just prototypes. Once they are eventually manufactured and distributed, Donovan already knows who his target consumer might be  and it runs the gamut.

Everyday woman, celebrities, drag queens  Ive been approached by all of them, he says. (But) any woman who wants to make a statement with her shoes is who Im going for.

Nashville North fetes All Creatures Great and Small Someone recently asked me if I had been to the funny farm  I said excuse me? laughs Jud

CHRIS DONOVAN

When: Now through Sept. 30. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, closed Sundays.

Where: Ocean City Arts Center, 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City

Opening reception: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9. It is free and open to the public.
Sometimes a little healthy competition is a good thing. Take the Atlantic City Seafood Fest for example. Sure, you could attend and simply head to the different restaurants, sampling the many fruits of the sea that are on offer from each, but you would still be left debating among your friends which spot actually had the best crab cake or lobster roll. For those who demand a more definite answer to these types of questions, there is good news. The Chowder Cook-Off returns to the festival this year. Thats right  for the small price of $5, hungry seafood fans can sample chowder after chowder, critiquing each and eventually casting their vote for their one true favorite.

The Seafood Fest ... at sea The A.C. Seafood Fest  with loads and loads of fresh fish caught straight from the ocean an

But what makes a great chowder? Ultimately that is up to the taster. Some say its the creaminess, others measure it solely on the number of clams that can be found within an individual sample, while others still say its the art of blending just the right spices.

Its all about the clams, says festival enthusiast and self-proclaimed chowderhead William Cooperman. Obviously it needs to taste great, but ultimately if you are calling it clam chowder, the clams need to be the star of the show. Same goes for any type of seafood chowder. The seafood needs to shine.

Loaded with clams or not, only one chowder will come out on top. And making this contest even tastier is the fact that all proceeds from the Chowder Cook-Off go to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. What better excuse is there to get a little gluttonous?

The A.C. Seafood Fest comes back bigger and better than ever On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11, the Atlantic City Seafood Festival heads back to Ba

Speaking of gluttony and competition, the folks at Phillips Seafood will hold a crab cake eating competition each day of the festival. Entrants will attempt to plow through as many of the ultra-filling cakes as they can in order to strut around Bader Field with the ultimate in bragging rights.

THE CHOWDER COOK OFF

When: Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11.

Where: The A.C. Seafood Fest, Bader Field, Atlantic City

How much: $5

PHILLIPS SEAFOODS CRAB CAKE EATING COMPETITION

When: 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11.

Where: The A.C. Seafood Fest, Bader Field, Atlantic City

How much: Free
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  Developers and local officials formally broke ground Wednesday on Oak Tree Plaza, a 250,000-square-foot shopping center to be anchored by a Wal-Mart on the Black Horse Pike east of Fire Road.

A Wal-Mart Supercenter is expected to occupy almost 190,000 square feet of the 35-acre plaza. Steve Wolfson, who heads the development company, said his Wolfson Group also hopes to attract a Chick-Fil-A, an Applebees Grill & Bar and a Petco to the center, among other occupants he didnt name.

We hope to open in the summer of 2017, Wolfson said.

At least 10 projects planned along Black Horse Pike A seven-mile stretch of the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor and Hamilton townships is running

Work at the site has been going on for almost three months, since work to demolish the former Atlantic City Electric corporate headquarters started June 10. The lead developer said at the ceremony that he started planning the shopping center about 13 years ago.

Wolfsons company is based in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, and has done projects in other parts of South Jersey. But the Wal-Mart center is its first in Atlantic County, he said.

Mayor Sonny McCullough called the new addition a plus-plus for the township because of the history of the parcel of land.

There are a lot of construction people out of work in the area, so the first benefit is going to be putting tradespeople to work, he said.

Wal-Mart got most of the attention in the long history of the project, which included the owners of local ShopRite supermarkets suing to block the development. But the mayor added that Wal-Mart wont be the only business at Oak Tree Plaza.

Theres also a bank, a fast-food place, a regular restaurant and some other retail stores, he said. I would assume there are going to be hundreds of employees, which is a good thing.

The mayor noted that the new shopping center is just one of many projects underway or recently finished on the pike, one of Atlantic Countys busiest roads. He added that hes talked to other retailers who are happy to see Wal-Mart coming to the area.

The Black Horse Pike is looking good, McCullough said. I hope (the new center) doesnt have a negative impact on other businesses in the area. I hope its a positive.

Contact: 609-272-7237

Twitter @PressBeach
School officials will no longer be able to suspend or expel children in kindergarten through second grade under a bill signed into law Tuesday.

But Gov. Chris Christie conditionally vetoed a bill that would set up a new Class III special law-enforcement officer category to work as school security, saying he would support the bill if the officers also are required to get specialized training as school resource officers.

Christie recognized the first day of school in most of New Jersey on Tuesday by going to the Grover Cleveland Middle School in Caldwell to sign into law six education bills approved by the state Legislature.

The suspension bill S-2081/A3790 extends a Department of Education policy that prohibits the suspension of students in public preschools. Schools would instead be expected to provide evaluation and counseling for the student.

Locally, an Atlantic City parent had filed a complaint with the state after her son, who was in kindergarten in the district, was suspended for more than a month for having a box cutter that the child said he had found in the classroom.

Other bills signed into law include:

 The Secure Schools for all Children Act, which will provide state aid for nonpublic schools to improve school security.

 A bill requiring substance abuse instruction for students to include the most recent evidence-based standards and practices.

 A bill requiring colleges to provide the state with graduation and transfer rates for students who receive state Tuition Aid Grants to pay for college. The information would be provided to the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, which already has begun compiling that information.

 A bill that allows colleges to make purchases through cooperative pricing systems.

 A bill that sets up a Response to Intervention initiative in the Department of Education to work with school districts on the RTI process of providing early identification of and services for students with special needs.

Contact: 609-272-7241

Twitter @ACPressDamico
For those in South Jersey who are still mourning the death of Gene Wilder last week, the actor can be seen on the big screen once again in one of his most iconic roles.

Mel Brooks will introduce his 1974 comedy Young Frankenstein in more than 500 theaters nationwide, including the Hamilton Commons 14 in Mays Landing.

On October 5, fans will be able to see Gene Wilder tap dance alongside Peter Boyle on the big screen for one night only, according to a release from Fathom Events.

Staff picks: Favorite Gene Wilder scenes Editor's note: To help memorialize Gene Wilder, some members of the Living staff pick their 

The event is sponsored by Fathom Events and Twentieth Century Fox. Mel Brooks will give a live introduction from Hollywood where the director will reminisce about the late star of the film, Gene Wilder.

The 1974 film was the third film where Wilder worked with Brooks, following The Producers in 1967 and Blazing Saddles in 1974.

Tickets for the event are on sale now, and a complete list of participating theaters can be found at the Fathom Events website.
ATLANTIC CITY -- The spotlight turned to the Miss America preliminary judges at Wednesday mornings judges press conference.

The preliminary judges, through competition on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, are tasked to narrow down the pool of 52 contestants to its top 15.

And they all agreed, this year would be a tough one to judge.

One of the judges, news anchor Nicole Lapin said she wished every contestant could win.

Well break off a piece of the crown like in Mean Girls, she joked, referencing the high school clique classic movie.

Miss America Chief Operating Officer Josh Randle introduced Miss America Executive Chairman Lynn Weidner as moderator of the conference (and his former crush).

Weidner led the discussion with Katherine Bailess, Rob Bowman, Nicole Lapin, Deborah Bryant Berge, Deanna Siller and David Zinczenko.

Brand Strategist and designer Deanna Siller said in the interview process and first night of the preliminaries, the judges were able to see the core of the contestants.

They have shared some of their stories. Some of them have been involved in domestic violence or had a friend commit suicide, she said. You see where their passion is. Theyve turned a negative into something positive.

Broadway musical director Rob Bowman said he was thrilled when asked to be a judge for the competition because watching Miss America was a big deal for his family when he was growing up.

It blew my mind. Its so thrilling, he said. I wish everyone had the opportunity to do this. Its very serious. Its going to change the life of every girl on that stage. When the girls talked about being bullied I thought, But look at how beautiful you are, he said.

Actress Katherine Bailess, known for her appearances on shows such as One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, and Hit the Floor, reminded the crowd that being a Miss America judge has its difficulties. She said the Miss America judges bible sent to her in the mail weighs more than the judges.

I spent days and hours on the questions, she said, It was a job and I loved it. Now I get to see and hear what theyre passionate about.

Weidner said, from experience, that the contestants will still go on to do great things, even if they don't win the crown on Sunday.

As a former proud Miss America loser myself, whether they make it to the finals or not, they will take this opportunity and run with it," she said. "The Miss America organization doesnt just focus on the crown, we focus on the life after the crown.
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP  For the last two years, Jeannie Garcia was living her dream.

After losing her job and making the decision to go back to college in 2014, she threw herself into life at Cumberland County College, serving on the Student Senate, acting as a student representative on the Presidential Search Committee and working part time at the college as a receptionist, then student mentor and tutor.

In May, the 29-year-old mother of three graduated with a 3.48 grade point average, membership in the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and an Economic Opportunity Fund Outstanding Academic Award. She was chosen as the alumna to serve on the colleges board of trustees this year.

Then, in August, the bottom fell out. Garcia got a short letter from the college saying it had run a criminal-background check on her that revealed a misdemeanor disorderly persons offense from 2005. On her 2014 job application Garcia had checked the box saying she had no criminal record. For that, she was fired.

I really thought, after 10 years, that charge didnt count anymore, she said. I had put that behind me and turned my life around. I made a mistake.

Garcia not only lost her job, but her cherished appointment as the alumni trustee, a role that included being featured in July on the college website in a story titled You can go back, again.

That hurt the most, because I worked hard for that. I earned it, she said.

Garcia said she tried to contact college officials for a meeting to explain herself, but with no success. People she thought were her mentors and friends at the college, and whom she listed on her resume as references, have either not returned her calls or said they cannot discuss the matter.

Her plight is tragic, but not uncommon. While background checks typically go back seven years, they can go back further, and long-buried offenses can resurface.

The Opportunity to Compete Act, which took effect in 2015, prohibits employers from asking for criminal background information on the first job application, though it can be requested later. The law is an effort to allow those with a record to at least get a better chance at jobs.

Recent laws also have it easier for people with misdemeanor disorderly persons charges to get their records expunged. Assemblyman Chris Brown, R-Atlantic, a sponsor of one bill, said it is for people like Garcia that his bill was intended. Having worked as a municipal prosecutor and judge, Brown said he had seen many cases of young people making one stupid mistake that trails them through their lives.

This is an exact example of the reason I pushed for that bill, he said by phone. This type of situation is exactly what I was trying to resolve.

Rosemarie Fiscus, executive director, Human Resources, Public Safety and Compliance at Cumberland County College said in an email they do not discuss individual cases but do have a board policy that states every employee is required to have a background screening.

Garcia doesnt deny the charge, though she wonders why it is just coming up two years after she began working there. She said she often spoke publicly on behalf of the college about how she had turned her life around as a high school dropout, and many at the college were aware of her struggles.

The incident on her record happened when she was 18 and staying with a family member who was a drug addict, so she rarely spent time at the house, she said. Three days before Christmas she and people she was with broke into a building to keep warm and were caught.

We didnt take anything, she said. We were just looking for somewhere to get out of the cold.

Garcia got her GED high school diploma and first enrolled at the college in 2010. But then a mother of two, and a victim of domestic violence, she struggled and dropped out to work to support her family. When she lost her factory job, she decided to return to college in 2014. She loved it there, appreciated the support she got, worked hard to succeed, and was happy to promote and help the college.

What changed about me from the person they chose for the honors and awards? she said. When I won something, we all won. But when I lost, I lost alone.

In the article about her on the college website, the colleges new president, Yves Salomon-Fernandez, is quoted as saying: One of the most remarkable attributes of Cumberland County College is that we never give up on our students. We are proud of Jeannies accomplishments and hope that others will read her story and be inspired to come back.

Garcia hopes others will now read her new story and realize how easily something good can also be taken away. She said she can be outspoken and questioning, an attribute that was once appreciated. Now she wonders if she angered someone at the college who was able to use her mistake against her.

Akil Roper, of Legal Services of New Jersey, said in an email that the best chance for employment is through open and honest communication about criminal background and qualifications for the job.

It might be harder to communicate to an employer if they feel a prospective employee lied on an application, even if it was an inadvertent omission, she said.

Garcia said she was denied unemployment benefits because she wasnt working enough hours at the college and is relying on a boyfriend, who has supported her college attendance, for help while she looks for another job. She hopes to attend Rowan University starting in January to complete a degree in law and justice studies. Shed like to be a lawyer.

But right now I have nothing, she said. I just wish they would have heard me out. I knew these people, and they never gave me a chance. It was just so cold.

Contact: 609-272-7241

Twitter @ACPressDamico
CAMDEN  A Cumberland County man appeared in federal court Wednesday to answer charges that he was part of an alleged dog-fighting ring that stretched to New Mexico.

Robert A. Elliott, 47, of Millville, is one of 10 suspects charged since June in the alleged ring that prosecutors say fought dogs to the death.

The investigation was called Operation Grand Champion. In dog-fighting circles, a grand champion is a dog that has won five fights.

Police rescued 66 dogs in the ring, including Hope, Ruby and Samantha, dogs Elliott allegedly said belonged to him.

Elliott appeared Wednesday in U.S. District Court, where he was charged with possessing dogs for the purpose of fighting in New Jersey.

The case is being brought in federal court because of the interstate nature of the alleged dog-fighting ring. The defendants live in four states, U.S. Attorney spokesman Matthew Reilly said.

The Humane Society took possession of the seized dogs.

Previously charged are Anthony Monte Gaines, 35; Lydell Harris, 30; and Tiffany Burt, 34, all of Vineland; and Frank Nichols, 39, of Millville.

Also charged are Mario Atkinson, 40, of Asbury Park; Dajwan Ware, 43, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Pedro Cuellar, 46, of Willow Springs, Illinois, and Robert Arellano, 62, of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Under the Animal Welfare Act, engaging in dog-fighting or possessing, training, selling, buying delivering, receiving or transporting dogs for the purpose of fighting them is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney, Elliott lived in a Millville home that was raided on June 1. Police seized 13 dogs, including seven that were kept on heavy chains in a wooded area behind the house.

The dogs were spaced so they could not reach one another. Three dogs were found in shipping crates in the basement. Another dog, also crated, was sick.

Several dogs on the property had scars and signs of injury such as a missing ear and broken or worn teeth and all had untreated medical conditions such as skin abrasions and eye discharges that required veterinary care, the U.S. Attorney said.

Police also found other signs that the dogs were part of a fighting ring:

Break sticks that are used to pry open a dogs mouth to release its hold of another animal.

A rack designed to immobilize an aggressive female dog for breeding and a photo of the rack in use.

A skin stapler, syringes, catheters, IV bags, tubing, sutures and veterinary wound powder and spray-wound treatment.

Dog-fighting books and magazines, including one issue dated Summer 2016.

Testosterone-boosting animal supplements, which are associated with dog-fighting and are used to increase muscle mass and aggression.

Dog pedigrees and printouts of dog-fighting registries, including the pedigrees of the dogs found at the home allegedly connecting their lineage to other fighting dogs.

Hanging scales used to weigh dogs before a fight.

The U.S. Attorney said Elliott claimed ownership of dog-fighting paraphernalia and 10 of the 13 dogs at the home.

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.

In court papers, Special Agent Anthony Ruffini of the Office of Inspector General, said dog-fighting typically involves pit-bull type dogs that are released in a confined area to fight. The fight ends when one dog withdraws, a handler forfeits the match or when one or both dogs die.

Because of the illicit nature of dog-fighting, the location of dog fights is often kept secret until immediately before a fight, he said.

Dogs used in animal fights often are kept away from other dogs and restrained with heavy chains designed to build up neck strength. The dogs typically are kept out of view of the public.

Handlers use treadmills to exercise dogs out of public view and use animal pelts and flirt poles to provoke the dogs to bite and build up jaw strength and aggression.

Dog fighters often mend their dogs injuries rather than seek veterinary care. They often keep detailed records of the purchase, sale, breeding and training of fighting dogs.

Contact: 609-463-6712

Twitter @ACPressMiller
MULLICA TOWNSHIP  Recurring water-quality problems at the Mullica Woods manufactured home park have residents concerned for their health, especially after they have been under a boil-water notice for two weeks.

In the latest problem, a well failure sent sand into the water-treatment system and knocked it out of commission late last month, according to owners Hometown America Communities of Chicago.

The system then had to be treated with high levels of chlorine, which meant residents could not use the water at all for about two days.

Tara Edmonds, the companys eastern regional manager, said Tuesday the boil-water alert and chlorine flush were required by the state as a result of that failure and loss of water pressure, not as a result of water quality.

About 30 residents met in the community clubhouse Tuesday to discuss the problem, which they said is only the most recent in a string of water and sewer issues.

I pay $8,000 a year to live here. This place should be beautiful, said Bob Maholland, a resident for 20 years.

Instead, he said there are constant problems.

While he believes Hometown America is trying to fix them, and is doing more than two other previous owners, he said the aggravation is taking its toll.

If its not the water, its the septic system. If not the septic system, its the electric. Its a constant problem in here, Maholland said.

The notices told them to boil their water for at least a minute before drinking or using for food preparation, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes, because of potential bacterial contamination.

Hometown America, based in Chicago, owns the 55-plus community and its water and sewer systems. Residents own their homes, but rent the land they sit on from the company.

The company also owns and runs Oaks of Weymouth, where residents have complained of poor drainage and standing water damaging their homes; and The Fairways at Mays Landing, which was recently named the Manufactured Housing Industrys Land-Leased Community of the Year for the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Region.

The company has provided each house with two cases of bottled water, residents said.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection gets involved every time a boil-water advisory is issued, spokesman Larry Hajna said.

He said the DEPs system has received verbal results that the total coliform samples are negative, but was waiting for the laboratory to certify the results prior to lifting the boil water advisory.

The DEP has also received an application from the park for changes in water treatment and to replace the storage tank, Hajna said.

Residents said the tank is the source of the rusty color and taste of their water.

Hajna said the original application was received on Dec. 18, 2015, and the DEP responded that there were deficiencies with the application. He said the companys response was just received on Sept. 1 and is under review.

Mullica Woods has had some monitoring and reporting violations  mostly due to the system submitting results late  and a CCR (Consumer Confidence Report) violation, Hajna said, but all of the violations are closed.

We have had ongoing problems with the water ever since we moved here, said Joyce Howell, a resident for 12 years.

Howell said she has always purchased bottled water because what comes out of her tap, even when not under a boil notice, has so much iron and a rotten egg smell.

Its not like youd want to cook in it or drink it, she said.

Contact: 609-272-7219

Twitter @MichelleBPost
A New York woman was sentenced to prison today after being arrested in Atlantic City and admitting to robbing a bank in New York and two banks in Connecticut.

Michelle Cantatore, 53, was sentenced to over 13 years in prison after she admitted that she changed a paintball gun to look like a real gun and used to rob the Glen Rock Savings Bank in 2015 in New York, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman. Cantatore entered the bank wearing a wig and sunglasses and, while holding the paintball gun, shouted to everyone in the bank Put your hands up. This is for real. This is a robbery. I have a gun.

Third man arrested in connection to 2015 Red Roof Inn shootings A third man charged with murder in connection to two shooting deaths at a Red Roof Inn in Ab

She then ran after taking money from the vault and a teller station. Police later tracked her to a hotel room in Atlantic City.

At her plea hearing, Cantatore also admitted robbing a Greenwich Bank and Trust in Riverside, Connecticut, and a JP Morgan Chase Bank in Darien, Connecticut, on Jan. 30, 2015 and Feb. 24, 2015, respectively. In both cases she used a paintball gun to threaten the victims.

Cantatore also admitted stealing $198,750 from an elderly man by taking his checks, writing them out to accounts she controlled, and cashing them without his knowledge.

In addition to going to prison, she was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $406,703.13.
MAYS LANDING  Officers representing nearly every police department in Atlantic County watched as two men who allegedly shot Atlantic City police Officer Joshlee Vadell made their first appearance Tuesday in Superior Court.

Martel D. Chisolm, 29, of Millville, and Demetris Cross, 28, of Bridgeton, were brought in one at a time in front of Judge Bernard E. DeLury. Each had his hands cuffed in front of him and wore Atlantic County jail orange pants and shirts.

Support for Vadell was strong inside the courtroom. At least three dozen police officers, some in uniform and others in plainclothes, packed the courtroom. They sat and watched each suspect as he was led into the courtroom.

Atlantic County at a loss to explain recent gun violence The shooting of an Atlantic City police officer by an alleged robber Saturday morning capped

Chisolm was brought in first. He turned around and looked behind him before he left, but his face didnt register that he saw anyone he knew. No one called out to him.

Cross had at least one female supporter, who blurted out, I love you, D, at the end of his court proceeding.

Cross was able to yell back, I love you, before he was escorted out of court.

Vadell was shot near the Caesars parking garage about 2:40 a.m. Saturday in Atlantic City when he and his partner, who has not been identified, were investigating a robbery, police said.

Police arrest two men wanted for assaults in Atlantic City Two men wanted in connection with separate aggravated assaults in Atlantic City were arreste

Vadells partner shot and killed one of the suspects, Jerome Damon, 25, of Camden. State Police arrested Chisholm and Cross on Saturday.

Chisolm and Cross are each charged with two counts of attempted murder, three counts of robbery and two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery.

They also were charged with two counts of possession of a weapon, a firearm, for an unlawful purpose, and two counts of conspiracy to commit possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose.

Chisolm wanted his charges read to him Tuesday. Cross did not.

Chisolm swayed a little bit forward and back standing before the judge. He told the judge he will hire an attorney. Before he left the courtroom, he brought his hands to his eyes and looked backward,

Showdown at the funeral for slain prison guard Fred Baker's father over color guard LOWER TOWNSHIP  A funeral for the father of a corrections officer murdered 19 years ago in 

After Chisolm left, Cross was brought in. He said he had received a copy of the charges he is facing.

Cross said he would need legal counsel, but it was unclear whether he would be paying for his own defense or whether he need a public defender assigned to him.

DeLury told Cross to fill out the application for representation by a public defender while he was at the jail.

The entire court proceeding took about 5 minutes for both men total. The courtroom was full of spectators, who spilled into the hallway outside Courtroom No. 5.

Matt S. Rogers, president of the Atlantic City Police Officers Benevolent Association, attended the court appearance. After court, he gave an update on how Vadell is doing. He remains in critical condition at the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus.

He is doing much better, much quicker than we thought. Every day is more good news. There is still a very long road to recovery He is still in bad shape, Rogers said. He has always been a strong kid, a fighter.

Both Chisolm and Cross have prior criminal records.

Chisolm was sentenced in 2008 on charges that included two counts of robbery, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest by eluding a police officer and third-degree drug distribution on or near school property, according to state records. He was placed into custody in 2008 and was released in August 2013.

Cross was sentenced in 2009 for burglary and was given two years probation. He also received four years probation in 2009 for fourth-degree cruelty and neglect of children.

Contact: 609-272-7202

Twitter @ACPressJackson
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ATLANTIC CITY  The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office charged a Somers Point man with murder in the fatal Sept. 1 shooting of a store manager at a mall crowded with shoppers.

Prosecutors say Luis A. Maisonet, 55, shot Christopher Romero, 26, of Absecon, multiple times at Zumiez, a store on Columbus Avenue at Tanger Outlets The Walk in the citys tourism district.

Maisonet then crossed the street and entered the store White House Black Market on Arkansas Avenue where he shot himself once in the chest. Maisonet survived the gunshot wound.

An off-duty Bellmawr police officer, Sgt. Christopher Cummings, wrested the gun away from Maisonet and secured the store until he could get the attention of Atlantic City police across the street.

Maisonet was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, where he was listed in critical condition.

On Wednesday, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton charged Maisonet with first-degree murder, aggravated assault and weapons charges. The aggravated assault charge stemmed from Maisonets allegedly pointing the handgun at another person at The Walk, prosecutors said.

Maisonet also was charged with possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a handgun without a permit to carry and possession of a firearm while prohibited from doing so because of a prior domestic-violence order.

State Superior Court Judge Donna Taylor set bail at $1 million cash. Maisonet remains hospitalized under armed guard by Atlantic City police.

He is scheduled to appear at the Atlantic County Courthouse at 1 p.m. Monday.
Solar installations abound today, providing clean renewable power for homes and businesses across the state. In 2006, the Atlantic County Utilities Authority installed a 500 kW solar system at its wastewater treatment facility. This was an excellent business decision for the ACUA and its sewer ratepayers. As a result of early participation in the N.J. Board of Public Utilities solar program, sewer ratepayers have saved $1,529,063 (net benefit from solar) in additional user fees (not taxes) over 10 years. That is an average of $152,906 per year direct benefit to the ACUA sewer ratepayers.

ACUA was one of many organizations that took advantage of the BPU solar program, whose goal was to increase the amount of solar electric throughout the state. The program has spurred the industry to the degree that the need for incentives has decreased.

Over the last 10 years, the cost of installing solar has decreased 70 percent. Though this is not entirely attributable to solar incentive programs in New Jersey and other states, the increases in production of solar equipment due to the incentives have driven down the cost of solar projects. Today, the BPU has discontinued the solar rebate program, as these incentives are no longer needed for solar projects to be viable. In the authority's opinion, if the goal of the various solar incentive programs was to spur development and reduce costs, the state program can be considered a success.

ACUA, acting as a financially prudent authority, took steps to return the value of these solar incentives back to the sewer ratepayers in Atlantic County.

ACUA's wastewater treatment process is extremely energy intensive, and energy costs make up a significant portion of the Authority's budget. To stabilize and reduce costs, ACUA applied for existing BPU grant programs to lower the direct cost of a solar project.

Had the ACUA not applied for these funds, the money would still have been collected from New Jersey electric ratepayers and gone to other solar projects. The total cost of the system was $3,250,000. Of that amount, $1,833,723 was paid from the BPU grant program, funded by statewide electric ratepayers, and ACUA paid the remaining $1,416,277, this coming from ACUA sewer service ratepayers.

The ACUA has also received $2,194,380 from the sale of solar renewable energy credits, or SRECs, which are purchased by entities that sell electricity in New Jersey to meet their state-required renewable energy portfolio goals. SREC values may ultimately be passed on by electric generation companies to ratepayers. However, in this case, the revenue ACUA receives from selling SRECs is sent back to its sewer ratepayers in the form of lower sewer rates.

In fact, SRECs represent a net benefit to sewer ratepayers in ACUA's service territory as all electric ratepayers statewide pay for the SRECs, whereas only ACUA sewer ratepayers see the benefit from rates that are lower as a result of the ACUA SREC revenue.

Some people may criticize ACUA's decision to take advantage of the available incentives, arguing that electric customers subsidize a portion of the cost of this renewable energy initiative. ACUA was wise to take a piece of the subsidy pie for its sewer ratepayers - if we didn't, someone else would have.

Richard Dovey is president of the Atlantic County Utilities Authority.
Until the 2000 presidential election, few people would have imagined that the system of taking and counting ballots could be tampered with in the United States.

After all, this is the world's best democracy. At least that's the image that we market to the rest of the world. But Florida, with its hanging chads, swinging chads and ballots disappearing altogether, proved that our great system of voting can be compromised.

Computers and the internet, which are supposed to make lives easier, more open, accountable and more convenient, also unlock and swing open broad doors of vulnerability to people worldwide who will do unscrupulous and nefarious things. The recently revealed hacking of voter registration systems in Illinois and Arizona should come as no surprise.

What is astonishing is that the FBI alerted Arizona officials in June that Russian hackers were thought to be responsible. But officials didn't go public with the information until last month. In Illinois, officials learned in July of a hack of the state voter registration system.

That breach led the Illinois state election board to shut down the voter registration system for a week. In Arizona, the secretary of state's office shut down part of its website after the FBI discovered a potential threat to the state voter registration system.

Shawn Kieffer, the Republican election director with the Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners, said Tuesday that the election system hacks were a hot topic at the Election Center Conference last month in Philadelphia. A lot of discussion was devoted to cybersecurity.

But the public also should have been alerted a lot sooner so other states could take the needed precautions to make their voting systems more secure. The FBI belatedly alerted states to be more vigilant of hacks of their computers governing elections.

Elections are a vital part of any democracy, but so are the results. Reporting the outcome in a timely fashion with an accurate, verifiable count ensures that people will trust the system and the winners in elections.

A free society banks on the election system being accountable and functioning properly. Any compromise casts doubt on the outcome, the leadership put in place and the government itself.

Our free society - grounded in constitutional ideals - suddenly becomes suspect, and the people's trust is shaken. Once it's lost, regaining that trust is a difficult process.

State and local election officials throughout the country are now trying to ensure that their systems are secure and not vulnerable to hackers - foreign or domestic.

The hacks follow Democratic Party organizations suffering breaches of their computer systems. U.S. authorities also have indicated that Russia may be responsible.

Tampering with the U.S. election system and political parties would far surpass any Cold War low between the two countries. Aside from going back to paper registrations and ballots, file cabinets and hand counting, state and local election offices need to redouble all efforts to ensure that their computer systems are secure.

It's the only way they can make sure people completely trust the outcome of the Nov. 8 election and those that will follow.

Email Lewis Diuguid, a columnist for the Kansas City Star, at ldiuguid@kcstar.com.
The city of Cape May has taken longer to file suit over its Convention Hall than it did to plan and build it.

The hall was built on ocean beach at just 8 feet above base flood elevation. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends 15 feet or more that near the ocean.

The building's a modest size for a convention center - 20,000 square feet and costing $10.5 million - so this isn't quite the colossal blunder it might seem at first. It may even turn out not to be a mistake at all.

The apparent error seems like it should have been easily avoided, though. That it wasn't suggests Cape May officials ignored fundamentals and history.

Cape May Convention Hall's site once was occupied by a 35,000-square-foot hall that was destroyed in the 1962 nor'easter. That should have made flood concerns primary.

Its replacement was a 12,240-square-foot box structure built, remarkably, by the city's public works staff. In 2010, officials proposed a modern two-story hall but settled on the current design after residents suggested its size and price were too big for the city.

Convention Hall opened Memorial Day weekend 2012 to much praise for its amenities and ability to host a wider range of events and uses. Five months later, Hurricane Sandy arrived and the attention turned to flood and storm risk.

The hall wasn't damaged by Sandy, in part because the city hastily constructed a sand dune to protect it before the storm made landfall. City officials said the hall was built to withstand a hurricane.

But a week after Sandy, they also said there was no flood insurance on the hall. Six days later they reversed, saying it was insured for $2.5 million in flood damage through the Atlantic County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund. (An eighth of the hall's cost had been paid by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.)

When the following year's city budget was proposed, residents noticed a new $120,000 line item for flood insurance for the hall.

In March 2013, five months after Sandy, the city notified the businesses involved in designing and building Convention Hall that it would seek "full reimbursement" from them for increased flood insurance costs as a result of the hall's insufficient elevation.

The next year, it added $395,000 in legal fees to its budget, in part for work on the Convention Hall situation, and then in 2015 another $350,000 solely for legal action regarding the hall.

Last month, four years after the hall opened, Cape May finally sued the private companies who helped it create the hall.

The project manager said city officials not only reviewed every aspect of construction but had the piling that determines the elevation in place even before signing contracts for its construction. He called the lawsuit a "shakedown."

The president of the architecture firm said he thinks the city has merely done a bad job filling out its FEMA flood insurance application, and that the building is "completely compliant" with FEMA guidelines. All of Convention Hall is above the recommended 15-foot elevation except for a room with a sump pump and fire-suppression equipment.

We're not lawyers, but since the entire hall-building process required city approvals and inspections, the city's attempt to hold others liable looks like a gamble. Legal costs already seem to be outrunning flood insurance costs.

Maybe the architect will turn out to be correct. Or maybe moving the fire suppression equipment into the main building would do.

City officials should take care that their effort to fix past mistakes doesn't lead to more.

Our view
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




WILMINGTON, Delaware, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

AndBeyond.Media, the world's leading global on-demand native marketplace, today announced the appointment of Dharika Merchant to serve as President of the company. In her role, Merchant - a specialist in business development and product strategy, will be focused on driving the execution of AndBeyond.Media's strategic plan for expanding the business' reach, and scale new heights with innovation.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160301/10141186 )



Dharika joins AndBeyond.Media from Affinity, where she handled a multitude of portfolios spanning across business development and media sales. A digital maven with deep-seeded skills in mobile marketing and media buying, she has successfully helped businesses achieve their ambitions, in addition to providing strategic insights and expertise to Affinity's line of solutions.

"As AndBeyond.Media forays into this new chapter of global expansion, I am confident that Dharika will effectively lead the business and help scale the company's growth to its fullest potential," said Karan Gupta, CEO at AndBeyond.Media. "Her extensive leadership experience makes her the right person to oversee AndBeyond.Media's future growth plans. Through the various positions she has held over the years, Dharika has proven to be an accomplished leader with a strong reputation for inspiring businesses to go beyond the ordinary. Her wealth of experience will serve as an asset as we continue to accelerate growth and attain new milestones."

Talking about her new role Dharika Merchant, President, AndBeyond.Media said, "I'm thrilled to join AndBeyond.Media during this exciting time. AndBeyond.Media's bespoke technology and solutions, I believe, are some of the finest innovative offerings in the programmatic advertising space. I look forward to working alongside the team to expand the reach of the business, drive greater value and challenge the limits of innovation."

"Dharika has built an impressive record of accomplishments through the years. Her proven ability to deliver results makes her the perfect choice to help execute our strategic ambitions and drive scalable, sustainable growth," added Pankil Mehta, CBO, AndBeyond.Media.

About AndBeyond.Media:

Founded in January 2015, AndBeyond.Media is a global on-demand native advertising marketplace serving exclusive ad experiences across various programmatic channels. AndBeyond.Media has offices across the USA and India. It aims at creating a niche space in the native advertising industry and is working with 500+ premium advertisers and publishers from around the world.

http://www.andbeyond.media

For Further Information Contact:

Neha Nair

Global Marketing & Communications Manager

AndBeyond.Media

neha.n@andbeyond.media



SOURCE AndBeyond.Media
ALBANY, New York, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific is led by a slew of global and local companies, such as Central Corporate Wellness, ComPsych Corporation, Optum, Inc., JLT Australia (Recovre Group), Truworth Wellness, SOL Wellness, Sodexo, ConneXions Asia, and Bupa Wellness Pty Ltd. Transparency Market Research has observed that the number of companies venturing into this avenue has been steadily rising owing to the growing presence of MNCs in several developing countries.

Interpret a Competitive outlook Analysis Report with free PDF Brochure: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=13988

The opportunity in the corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific was pegged at US$3.4 bn in 2015 and is expected to be worth US$7.4 bn by the end of 2024 at a strong CAGR of 9.0%. Geographical expansions, expansion of product portfolio, mergers and acquisitions, and investing in extensive wellness programs are some of the key growth strategies adopted by the leading players in the Asia Pacific. For instance, in March 2016, Sodexo signed a 10-year contract with Rio Tinto to expand its operations in Australia.

Increase of Non-communicable Diseases Driving Need for Health and Wellness Programs

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer has increased significantly in Asia Pacific in recent years. The report has found that these diseases account for at least 8.5 million deaths in Southeast Asia each year. "Employers are, as a result, driven to promote as well as maintain the health and well-being of their employees and offering corporate wellness programs and services has turned out to be the most effective method of doing so," the lead analyst states. These services not only boost productivity but also reduce overall medical costs.

The corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific is also fueled by government support and initiatives, the rising number of white-collar employees, the willingness of employers to invest in wellness programs, and growing health consciousness among the population.

High Cost of Implementation Restricting Widespread Adoption

"Implementing corporate wellness programs in organizations is a costly affair and companies need to utilize a certain portion of their budget from the revenue generated," the author of the study comments. Services such as fitness and health risk assessment need high investments and as a result, are cut down by the companies. This restricts the growth of the corporate wellness market.

In addition, the inefficient execution of corporate wellness services is a major restraint to the market and is likely to increase costs for the companies.

View exclusive Asia Pacific strategic Business report: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-pacific-corporate-wellness-market.html

China to Lead APAC Corporate Wellness Market throughout Forecast Period

By type of service, the fitness segment led the overall corporate wellness market, accounting for a 38.6% share in 2015, reaching US$2,793.5 mn by 2024. The smoking cessation segment, although the smallest in terms of revenue in 2015, is anticipated to register a strong CAGR of 9.6% during the forecast period. By country, China emerged as the leading revenue generator in 2015 and is projected to retain its position throughout the forecast period. India, on the other hand, is expected to expand at the fastest pace by 2024.

This review is based on the findings of a TMR report titled "Corporate Wellness Market - Asia Pacific Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024."

Browse Global Industry PR: http://www.europlat.org/asia-pacific-corporate-wellness-market.htm

Asia Pacific Corporate Wellness Market, by Service

Health Risk Assessment

Fitness

Smoking Cessation

Health Screening

Weight Management

Nutrition

Others (stress management, diabetes management, and vaccinations)

Asia Pacific Corporate Wellness Market, by Country

China

Japan

India

Australia

Singapore

Hong Kong

Malaysia

Thailand

Rest of Asia Pacific

Browse Other Latest Research Reports:

Global Corporate Wellness Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/corporate-wellness-market.html

Health and wellness Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/health-and-wellness-market.html

Fitness Equipment Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/fitness-equipment-market.html

About Us:

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S. based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMR's global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.

US Office Contact

Transparency Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700

Albany, NY 12207

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com



Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Blog: http://www.tmrblog.com/



SOURCE Transparency Market Research
AMSTERDAM, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Atradius was recently awarded a license by the Korean Financial Supervisory Service to operate in South Korea, which will enable Atradius Trade Insurance Brokerage to receive proposals for export and domestic cover and service existing and new Korean accounts. Atradius will issue these policies locally with the support of the Seoul Guarantee Insurance Company (SGIC). This development increases Atradius' Asian footprint, to 14 countries in total, which are serviced through the various Asian branches and satellite offices.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150513/743985 )



Matthew Cockerill, General Manager of the Hong Kong branch of Atradius Credit Insurance N.V. and also responsible for the Korean and Taiwan markets, commented, 'It has taken a long time for this development to come to fruition, but I am pleased that we now have a physical presence in this important Asian market. This will enable us to support both local and multinational companies who wish to partner with Atradius in Korea.

The issuance of the license highlights the increasing interest in trade credit insurance in Korea, and at a time of high regional and global uncertainty, further reflects the growing opportunities that will develop in South Korea over the coming years.

A recent visit to Korea by Atradius' Chief Market Officer, Andreas Tesch, underlines the importance of this part of the world for Atradius, the second largest credit insurer globally. Mr. Tesch, who recently met with potential partners and existing global clients and viewed the new premises points out that South Korea's economy is one of the most diversified and technologically advanced in the world and is showing solid growth prospects. "Atradius will support our clients by developing the Korean trade credit market. We are looking forward to a long standing cooperation with Seoul Guarantee and expect to contribute to the Korean economy during good and challenging economic times."

About Atradius

Atradius provides trade credit insurance, surety and collections services worldwide through a strategic presence in 50 countries. Atradius has access to credit information on 200 million companies worldwide. Its credit insurance, bonding and collections products help protect companies throughout the world from payment risks associated with selling products and services on trade credit. Atradius forms part of Grupo Catalana Occidente (GCO.MC), one of the leading insurers in Spain and worldwide in credit insurance.

http://www.atradius.com

SOURCE Atradius N.V.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New series of fun, yet informative video tutorials targeted at tourists wanting to learn about the best of Icelandic culture, etiquette and nature released by Inspired By Iceland

Online classes, hosted by charismatic local experts, offer insider advice and tips on the wonders of Icelandic food, how to capture the Northern Lights and how to pack for Iceland

Special Facebook Live cookery class to be hosted by chef and 'tutor' Ylfa Helgadottir, showcasing some of the secrets behind what makes Iceland one of the healthiest and longest living nations in the world

one of the healthiest and longest living nations in the world Videos released as part of ' Iceland Academy' , an Icelandic tourism campaign aimed at helping tourists experience the country like a local, whilst raising awareness about how to travel in a safe and responsible way

, an Icelandic tourism campaign aimed at helping tourists experience the country like a local, whilst raising awareness about how to travel in a safe and responsible way The playful, interactive online education tool encourages informed behaviour from visitors through inspirational video classes

Have you always wondered how Icelanders stay so cosy and stylish in sub zero temperatures or how to grab the best chance of witnessing firsthand, the beauty of the Northern Lights? Today, to celebrate the start of the Autumn school term, Inspired By Iceland has released the latest in its series of video tutorials offering insider advice and knowledge on some of the topics that tourists wonder about most.



(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404235 )





(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404236 )





(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404237 )



The latest informative video classes to be unveiled by global tourism initiative, form part of 'Iceland Academy', a fun, online educational tool for tourists wanting to experience a happy and meaningful experience in Iceland. Offering tips from local experts on how to pack, track down the beautiful Northern Lights and knowledge on the often misconcieved wonders of Icelandic Food, the classes are hosted by local 'tutors' including Ylfa Helgadottir, a 27 year old chef and member of the National Culinary Team, Baldur Kristjans, a photographer from Reykjavik who has been documenting the life of Icelanders for the past 10 years and Head of Iceland Academy and Guide Stina Bang, previously seen in Iceland Academy's 'Responsible Travelling' tutorial.

To celebrate the release of its 'Delights of Authentic Icelandic Food' tutorial, chef and 'tutor' Ylfa Helgadottir will host a Facebook Live cookery class later this month, showcasing some of the secrets behind what makes Iceland one of the healthiest and longest living nations in the world. Social media fans and followers of Inspired By Iceland will be asked to vote for the Icelandic delicacy they want to see cooked live and viewers will be invited to ask questions and interact with Ylfa live as she cooks the chosen dish.

Early this year, 'Iceland Academy' launched to help visitors understand the best of Icelandic culture, nature and etiquette and to ensure a happy and meaningful experience for tourists, whilst raising their awareness about how to travel in a safe and responsible way. Its 'How to Avoid Hot-Tub Awkwardness' video class captured the hearts of people the world over with its tongue-in-cheek approach to the sensitivities around pre hot-tub showering. Icelandic actor Bjorgvin Gunnarsson, star of Iceland Academy's 'How to Avoid Hot Tub Awkwardness' puts in another showstopping performance in the latest videos launched today.

Iceland Academy's classes are open to everyone via the Inspired By Iceland website and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). Users are invited to watch the new video tutorials and complete a short, fun quiz, testing their newly learned knowledge on everything from hot tub etiquette and local food sustainability, to glacier safety. On successful completion of the quiz, viewers will recieve a special Iceland Academy badge and be entered into a competition to win a once in a lifetime 'field trip' to Iceland where they can test out their new skills.

Additional classes including A Guide to Icelandic Festivals, A Guide to Safe Selfies, How To Travel Further in Iceland, Therapeutic Iceland and A Beginners Guide to Icelandic Horses and Sagas will be added later in the year.

For more information see http://inspired.visiticeland.com/academy/terms-and-conditions/.

Inspired By Iceland

Inspired by Iceland is a public private partnership between the Icelandic government, the Icelandic Travel Industry Association, Landsbankinn, Icelandair and other leading companies in Icelandic tourism. Promote Iceland is the developer and the executive body of the campaign.

For more information please visit:

Inspired By Iceland http://www.inspiredbyiceland.com

#IcelandAcademy

#Icelandsecret

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/inspiredbyiceland

Twitter - @icelandinspired

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/inspiredbyiceland

Instagram - Inspiredbyiceland

To plan your trip visit http://www.visiticeland.com/plan-your-trip

Promote Iceland http://www.promoteiceland.is

SOURCE Promote Iceland
The improvements allow Bloomfire to meet data residency laws that require hosted solutions to maintain the data of European customers. The infrastructure also provides Bloomfire's European customers with increases in speed.

"We've seen demand for the Bloomfire knowledge sharing platform increase dramatically across Europe over the past few years," Mark Hammer, COO of Bloomfire, said. "Establishing our technical infrastructure in Europe will allow us better meet the needs of our customers."

Internally, Bloomfire is adding sales staff to keep up with demand, as well. With several new staff members, the company is well equipped to accommodate the increasing global demand for knowledge sharing.

About Bloomfire

Bloomfire exists to organize knowledge and expertise, and make it accessible and shareable with the people that need it most. Bloomfire's easy-to-use, elegant knowledge sharing platform is used by thousands of employees at leading companies for sales enablement, customer support, and all employees. With Bloomfire, collaboration is easier, work gets done more efficiently, and employees and customers are more satisfied. Bloomfire is headquartered in downtown Austin, Texas. Request a demo today at http://www.bloomfire.com.

Related Links

http://www.bloomfire.com



SOURCE Bloomfire
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, September 07,2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) (the "Company"), announced today the commencement of offers to exchange its outstanding medium-term notes as set forth in the table below (collectively, the "Existing Notes") for a combination of a new issue of the Company's Medium-Term Notes, Series H due 2021 (the "New Notes") and cash (the "Exchange Offers").

The purpose of the Exchange Offers is to reduce the weighted average cost of debt for the Company by refinancing Existing Notes with New Notes at a lower coupon than the respective coupons applicable to all series of the Existing Notes and extend the maturity of the debt obligations associated with the Existing Notes during a time of favorable market conditions.

The Exchange Offers are being conducted by the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in a confidential offering memorandum, dated September 7, 2016 (the "Confidential Offering Memorandum"), and the related letter of transmittal (the "Letter of Transmittal").

The Exchange Offers are only being made to, and copies of the offering documents will only be made available to, a holder of Existing Notes that has certified its status as (1) a person in the United States who is a "qualified institutional buyer" as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or (2) a person outside the United States who is not a "U.S. person," as that term is defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act, and, in each case, if resident and/or located in any member state of which has implemented provisions of the EU Prospectus Directive (each, a "Relevant Member State"), who has also certified that it is a "qualified investor" as defined in Article 2(1)(e) of the EU Prospectus Directive (each, an "Eligible Holder"). "EU Prospectus Directive" means the European Union's Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, including pursuant to Directive 2010/73/EU) as implemented in the Relevant Member State. The Confidential Offering Memorandum is not a prospectus for the purposes of the EU Prospectus Directive, and the Exchange Offers will only be made pursuant to an exemption under the EU Prospectus Directive from the requirement to produce a prospectus in connection with offers of the New Notes.

The following table sets forth the Existing Notes that are subject to the Exchange Offers:

Fixed Principal Spread Early Reference CUSIP Title of Amount (basis Participation New Notes U.S. Treasury Number Security Outstanding points) Premium Component Security Medium-Term Notes, Series F, 5.85% Notes 0.625% due 14912L3K5 due 2017 $400,000,000 5 $30 in cash $800 August 31, 2017 Medium-Term Notes, Series F, 5.45% Notes 0.75% due August 14912L3U3 due 2018 $750,000,000 5 $30 in cash $1,000 31, 2018 Medium-Term Notes, Series F, 7.05% Notes 0.75% due August 14912L4D0 due 2018 $550,000,000 20 $30 in cash $950 31, 2018

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Exchange Offers set forth in the Confidential Offering Memorandum, the Company is making three separate exchange offers to Eligible Holders to exchange any and all of the Company's outstanding (1) Medium-Term Notes, Series F, 5.85% Notes due 2017, (2) Medium-Term Notes, Series F, 5.45% Notes due 2018 and (3) Medium-Term Notes, Series F, 7.05% Notes due 2018 for the New Notes and cash.

The total exchange price for the Existing Notes will be based on a fixed-spread pricing formula using the bid-side yield applicable on the applicable Reference U.S. Treasury Security set forth in the table above and the applicable fixed spread set forth in the table above, and will be calculated at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on September 21, 2016, unless the early participation date (as described below) is extended by more than two full business days, in which case a new date and time may be established with respect to the Exchange Offers, and will be paid in a combination of New Notes and cash in an aggregate principal amount determined as set forth in the Confidential Offering Memorandum. The total exchange price will include an early participation premium in an amount set forth on the cover of the Confidential Offering Memorandum payable in cash only to Eligible Holders who validly tender and who do not validly withdraw their Existing Notes prior to the early participation date of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 20, 2016, subject to any extension by the Company.

The New Notes will mature on October 1, 2021 and will bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (i) the bid-side yield on the 1.125% U.S. Treasury Security due August 31, 2021 ("5-Year Treasury") (based on the bid-side price indicated on the Bloomberg reference page PX 1 at such date and time) and (ii) .70/% (70 basis points). The New Notes constitute a part of a series of the Company's debt securities designated as Medium-Term Notes, Series H.

The Exchange Offers will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on October 4, 2016, unless extended by the Company. Tenders of Existing Notes in the Exchange Offers may be validly withdrawn at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 20, 2016, subject to extension by the Company, but not thereafter, except in certain limited circumstances where additional withdrawal rights are required by law.

The Exchange Offers are subject to certain conditions, including (i) the condition that the Company receives valid tenders that are not validly withdrawn of enough Existing Notes so that at least $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of New Notes will be issued in exchange for Existing Notes, (ii) the condition that the combination of the yield of the New Notes and the total exchange price or exchange price for the applicable series of Existing Notes would result in the New Notes and such Existing Notes not being treated as "substantially different" under the Accounting Standards Codification Subtopic 470-50 (Modifications and Extinguishments) and (iii) with respect to any Existing Notes validly tendered pursuant to any Exchange Offer that will be exchanged on the final settlement date, the condition that the Company determines that the New Notes to be issued on the final settlement date in such Exchange Offer will be treated as part of the same issue as the New Notes, if any, issued on the early settlement date for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to specified tests.

The New Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws. Therefore, the New Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. The Company will enter into a registration rights agreement with respect to the New Notes.

Documents relating to the Exchange Offers will only be distributed to holders of the Existing Notes that complete and return a letter of eligibility confirming that they are Eligible Holders. Holders of the Existing Notes that desire a copy of the eligibility letter may contact D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information agent for the Exchange Offers, by calling toll-free (888) 540-8597 or collect (232) 269-5550 (banks and brokerage firms) or e-mailing cat@dfking.com . Holders of the Existing Notes may also complete and submit a letter of eligibility online at http://www.dfking.com/cat .

This press release is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. The Exchange Offers are being made solely pursuant to the Confidential Offering Memorandum and related Letter of Transmittal and only to such persons and in such jurisdictions as is permitted under applicable law.

This press release contains certain statements that may be considered "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may relate to future events or the Company's future financial performance, which may involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievement to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events about the Company. You may identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate to historical or current facts and may use words such as "believes," "expects," "estimates," "anticipates," "will," "should," "plan," "project," "intend," "could" and similar words or phrases. These statements are only predictions.

About Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation

Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation is a wholly owned finance subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. The Company's primary business is to provide retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar Inc. products to customers and dealers around the world. Retail financing is primarily comprised of financing of Caterpillar Inc. equipment, machinery and engines. In addition, the Company also provides financing for vehicles, power generation facilities and marine vessels that, in most cases, incorporate Caterpillar Inc. products. The Company also provide wholesale financing to Caterpillar Inc. dealers and purchase short-term dealer receivables from Caterpillar Inc. The various financing plans that the Company offers are primarily designed to increase the opportunity for sales of Caterpillar Inc. products and generate financing income for the Company. A significant portion of the Company's activities is conducted in North America. However, the Company has additional offices and subsidiaries in Asia-Pacific, Europe and Latin America. The Company has more than 30 years of experience in providing financing for Caterpillar Inc. products, contributing to the Company's knowledge of asset values, industry trends, product structuring and customer needs.

CONTACT: Rachel Potts, Global Government & Corporate Affairs, 309-675-6892, Potts_Rachel_A@cat.com

This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire.

SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.
PEORIA, Illinois, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT/Euronext: CATR) informs its stockholders that today, in accordance with Section 16(a) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, 1 Form 4 (the report on Form 4 being a statement of beneficial ownership of its officers, directors and 10% owners) was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

Caterpillar files electronically with the SEC required reports on Form 8-K, Form 10-Q, Form 10-K and Form 11-K; proxy materials; ownership reports for insiders as required by Section 16(a) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and registration statements on Forms S-3 and S-8, as necessary; and other forms or reports, as required. All of the forms and reports filed electronically with the SEC are available on the SEC Internet site (www.sec.gov).

Caterpillar also maintains an Internet site (www.Caterpillar.com) and copies of its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to these reports filed or furnished with the SEC are available free of charge through Caterpillar's Internet site (www.Caterpillar.com/secfilings) as soon as reasonably practicable after the relevant document has been filed with the SEC.

CONTACT: Rachel Potts, Corporate Public Affairs, +1-309-675-6892

This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire.

SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.
MOSCOW, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New Spares Depot, Other Enhancements Planned for Russian Support Network

Dassault Aviation will highlight the growing success of its Falcon 7X and 8X large-cabin long range Falcon business jets at Jet Expo Moscow 2016, which opens on September 8 at the Vnukovo 3 business aviation complex.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404836 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120925/564526-a )



The exhibit will feature the top-of-the-line Falcon 7X and the long range Falcon 900LX trijets, and spotlight the forthcoming entry-into-service of the new, ultra-long range Falcon 8X. The 8X was certified in June and will start deliveries within a few weeks.

Dassault is one of the leading suppliers of high-end executive jets in the Russian and CIS region. More than 50 Falcons have been delivered to customers in the region over the last decade, most of them large cabin Falcon 7X and 900 trijets. Since the last Jet Expo in September of 2015, Dassault has handed over five new 7Xs to Russian customers, including four in the first half of 2016. Several other Russian 7X deliveries are scheduled this year.

"This year Russia has been a bright spot in global business aviation, contrasting with the softness of the global market," said Gilles Gautier, Vice President, Falcon Sales for Dassault Aviation. "There has been a lot of activity in the region and we are bullish about near and longer term prospects, especially once the economy gets going again."

Russia and the neighboring region are a perfect market for business aviation, with a vast network of small hard to reach airfields underserved by commercial airlines and a large pool of businessmen, professionals and high-wealth individuals who must travel great distances to support their domestic and international activities.

"Falcon Jets, with their large, quiet cabins and incomparable robustness and short-field capability, are ideal for serving this market," said Eric Trappier, Chairman & CEO of Dassault Aviation. "This is particularly true of our three engine models, which ensure added safety and shorter travel times over the vast often inhospitable confines of the Russian region. And no Falcon will be better suited to the exacting conditions of the market than the new Falcon 8X ultra-long range trijet."

Set to enter service in the coming weeks, the 6,450 nm/11,945 km 8X will offer the greatest range and the longest cabin of any Falcon while featuring the same low operating economics and remarkable operating flexibility as the Falcon 7X from which it is derived. It will be capable of flying from Moscow to Los Angeles, Cape Town, Darwin or Rio de Janeiro to Moscow non-stop and landing at restricted airports like Gstaad and Lugano, Switzerland that are typically inaccessible to large business jets.

The new Dassault flagship will also offer the widest choice of cabin configurations in business aviation, including a large entryway that can be used as a fourth section for a personal sky lounge, a super spacious aft cabin, and an optional shower installation. And it will be available with Dassault's revolutionary new FalconEye head up display, the first in the industry to combine synthetic and enhanced vision capabilities.

Russian operators have already placed several orders for the new Falcon 8X flagship, which will be handed over to its first Russian customer in 2017.

Russia is also expected to be a strong market for Dassault's brand new Falcon 5X ultra-large body twinjet, currently in development. The 5,200 nm/9,630 km 5X will offer the highest and widest cabin on the market, yet provide sufficient range to fly from Moscow to New York or Hong Kong in a single hop. First deliveries of the new twin are anticipated in 2020.

Reinforcing After-Market Support

Optimizing after-market support is a top priority at Dassault, as evidenced by recent surveys that have placed the company at the top of the industry in terms of aircraft reliability, quality and dependability of support services.

To ensure it can continue delivering top-notch support to Russian operators, Dassault has significantly reinforced and expanded its regional service network in recent years. In addition to its Dassault Falcon Service's satellite center at Vnukovo 3, which opened three years ago, the company is preparing to set up a new stock of spare parts at Vnukovo to further facilitate the distribution of spares within Russia. A new field service representative, to be based in Moscow, is also being assigned to the region.

For the last two years Russian customers have also been able to call on Falcon Response, Dassault's new comprehensive suite of AOG services. Several operators from the region have benefited from the dedicated Falcon 900 missions made available by Falcon Response to handle AOG situations and if necessary provide alternative lift - an industry first.

Notes for Editors

Dassault Falcon is the recognized global brand for Dassault business jets which are designed, manufactured and supported by Dassault Aviation and Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

About Dassault Aviation

Dassault Aviation is a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 90 countries across five continents. It produces the Rafale fighter jet as well as the complete line of Falcons. The company employs a workforce of over 11,000 and has assembly and production plants in both France and the United States and service facilities around the globe. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, over 2,400 Falcon jets have been delivered. Dassault offers a range of six business jets from the twin-engine 3,350 nm large-cabin Falcon 2000S to its new flagship, the tri-engine 6,450 nm ultra-long range

Falcon 8X.

About Dassault Falcon Jet

Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, France. Dassault Falcon Jet markets and supports the Falcon family of business jets throughout North and South America.

Press Contacts



Dassault Aviation (Saint-Cloud, France)

Vadim Feldzer Tel. +33 1 47 11 44 13 Marie-Alexandrine Fouillard Tel. +33 1 47 11 64 23

vadim.feldzer@dassault-aviation.com marie-alexandrine.fouillard@dassault-aviation.com



Dassault Falcon Jet (Teterboro Airport, USA)

Andrew Ponzoni Tel. +1 201 541 45 88 Grant Kielczewski Tel. +1 201 541 46 79

andrew.ponzoni@falconjet.com grant.kielczewski@falconjet.com





Follow us on Twitter: @DassaultFalcon



Photos

Copy and paste the link into your browser to access the high resolution photos: http://www.falconphotogallery.com



For more information about Dassault Falcon business jets, visit: http://www.dassaultfalcon.com

SOURCE Dassault Aviation
NEW DELHI and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Appoints Dharma Gunaseelan as Country Director

Denave, a global sales enablement company focused on driving revenue growth for customers, completes one year of its operations in Malaysia. The company has recently appointed Dharma Gunaseelan as Country Director. In this role, Dharma will be responsible for spearheading the growth and operations of Denave Delivery Center in Malaysia while contributing to strategic planning and future roadmap building of the brand in APAC.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404194LOGO )

Dharma brings to Denave over 20 years of experience and expertise in the telesales industry and has handled multi-faceted roles encompassing sales management, client relationship management, strategy planning, team management and sales consulting in his previous stints. Commenting on his appointment, Dharma Gunaseelan, Country Director, Denave Malaysia said, "I am excited to be a part of Denave at a point when there are numerous growth avenues opening up in the telesales industry. With its world-class telesales services and the focus on achieving sales excellence, the South East Asian turf seems very promising for Denave. I am definitely looking forward to leading Denave Malaysia in this accelerated growth journey."

Denave has been delivering services in the APAC region for over 10 years now and the Kuala Lumpur Telesales Delivery Center, which was established last year, is part of Denave's strategy to expand its footprint globally.

Expressing his views on this new appointment, Mr. Snehashish Bhattacharjee, Global CEO & Co-Founder, Denave said, "Dharma will play an important role in realizing the vision of converting the Malaysia Delivery Centre into a Partner Management Center of Excellence and build cloud selling as a core expertise in this entity. I'm optimistic that the team will write larger success stories under his guidance and direction."

About Denave:

Denave is a global sales enablement company focused on driving revenue growth for its customers through a gamut of service offerings. With reach spanning five continents, 23 countries and 500+ cities globally and a clientele that's rich with Fortune 500 and industry leading companies, Denave has traversed the evolution from an Indian to an Asian to now a global company. For more information, please visit http://www.denave.com.

For more information, please contact:

Abhilasha Sharma - Marketing Communication

Abhilasha.sharma@denave.com



Apurvaa Pandey - GolinOpinion

Apurvaa.pandey@golinopinion.in



SOURCE Denave
ALBANY, New York, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Transparency Market Research states that the global filter bag market will exhibit a healthy CAGR of 5.6% between 2016 and 2024. At this pace, the market, which had a valuation of US$1,811.7 mn in 2015, is expected to rise to US$2,950.1 mn by 2024. In terms of key product varieties available in the market, performance of the segment of air filter bags is expected to outpace that of liquid filter bags. The air filter bag segment is expected to exhibit a 6.2% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024. In terms of geography, Asia Pacific is presently the leading contributor to the global market's revenues and is also expected to be the region with the most promising growth prospects over the forecast period.

The global filter bag market features a large number of both large and small players. However, select leading players such as BWF Envirotech., Eaton Corporation, and Clarcor Inc., dominate the market presently, collectively accounting for close to two-third of the market's revenue share in 2015, observes Transparency Market Research in a recent report. Competition is intense in regional markets such as Asia Pacific, where domestic manufacturers outdo large international players with low cost products and strong partnerships with domestic OEMs across several application areas. An effective growth strategy for large players would be to strengthen existing sales channels and expand operations across regional markets with untapped growth opportunities.

Get Sample Report Copy or for further inquiries, click here: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=14336

Rising Focus of Industrial Sector on Reducing Emissions and Improving Work Environment for Employees to Drive Market

In the past few years, an increasing number of countries have implemented strict regulatory reforms as a part of their carbon emission control and environment protection plans. Several incentives have also been granted by government bodies to companies that promote green technologies and undertake proactive measures to reduce carbon footprint of their overall operations. These factors have sensitized companies towards the increased adoption of solutions such as filter bags, known to effectively control industry effluents and discharges. Reduction in costs and introduction of products with improved performance have also bolstered the growth prospects of the global filter bags market, augmenting their level of adoption across small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Along with these factors, the implementation of employee health reforms, which compel employers to improve the standard, quality, and overall efficiency of work environment so as to nurture personnel safety has also boosted the demand for filter bags in the industrial sector. This factor has especially bolstered the use of filter bags across industries such as cement, mining, cement, and power plants.

Browse the Press Release: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/filter-bags-market.htm

Emergence of Alternate Filtration Technologies and Narrowing Demand in Energy Sector to Restrain Growth Prospects

The emergence of alternate filtration technologies such as high-efficiency particulate air filters, filter cartridges, incinerators, and electrostatic precipitators as effective substitute to conventional filter bags is a key challenge faced by the global filtration bag market. Factors such as effective emission control and high performance as compared to filter bags are expected to work in favor of these substitutes and have a negative impact on the growth of the global filter bags market in the next few years.

Another key growth challenge faced by the global filter bags market is the declining demand across the energy sector. The burgeoning growth of green energy solutions, such as wind and hydro power, especially across developed regions such as Europe and North America, has led to a significant decline in coal-fired power plants and other relevant industries. This factor has curbed the demand for filter bags in energy sector and is expected to emerge as a notable challenge for the global filter bags market in the next few years.

Browse Regional PR: http://www.europlat.org/global-filter-bags-market.htm

This review of the market is based on a recent market research report by Transparency Market Research, titled "Filter Bags Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024."

For this study, the global filter bags market has been segmented as follows:

By Size

4" OD x 10" Long Filter Bag

4" OD x 17" Long Filter Bag

6" OD x 20" Long Filter Bag

7" OD x 17" Long Filter Bag

7" OD x 32" Long Filter Bag

Others

By Media

Woven

Non-woven

By Type

Liquid filter bag

Air filter bag

By Application

Oil and Gas

Cement

Mining

Power Plants

Automobiles

Aerospace, Defense and Marine

Water Treatment

Others

Recent Research Reports by Transparency Market Research:

Electronic Scrap Recycling Market:

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/electronic-scrap-recycling-market.html

Hydraulic Thermoplastic Hose and Couplings Market:

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hydraulic-thermoplastic-hose-couplings-market.html

Vacuum Pumps Market:

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/mea-vacuum-pumps-market.html

About Us

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.

Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR's syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.

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Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com

Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





SOURCE Transparency Market Research
PUNE, India, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The report "Gas Engines Market by Fuel (Natural Gas and Special Gas), Application (Power and Co-generation), End User (Utilities, Oil & Gas and Manufacturing), Power (0.5-1MW, 1 -2MW, 2-5MW, 5-10MW, and 10-20MW) & By Region - Global Forecast to 2021" published by MarketsandMarkets, The market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 3.22 Billion in 2016 to USD 4.54 Billion by 2021, registering a CAGR of 6.9% from 2016 to 2021.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 74 market data Tables and 54 Figures spread through 180 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Gas Engines Market - Global Forecast to 2021"



http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/gas-engine-market-54641802.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

The global market is witnessing significant growth on account of the decline in natural gas prices, increase in electricity demand, and low emission levels of the gas compared to other fossil fuels. Increasing investments in distributed power generation are also expected to drive the demand for gas engines across the globe.

Electricity generation segment is expected to hold the largest share in the Gas Engines Market, by application, during the forecast period

The electricity generation segment led the overall Gas Engines Market in 2015, owing to the increasing electricity demand across the globe. However, the co-generation application is expected to register a higher growth rate during the forecast period. Although the initial cost of gas engines used for co-generation applications is high, the efficiency of the power plant is nearly double that of gas engines used for electricity generation purposes.

Make an Enquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=54641802

Natural gas to be the dominant fuel type in the global Gas Engines Market

Natural gas-fired engines are expected to dominate the global Gas Engines Market during the forecast period, and are expected to constitute the fastest growing segment, by fuel type. The recent shale gas boom resulted in a fall in natural gas prices across the globe. The low cost and emissions of natural gas compared to other fossil fuels is a key driver of the natural gas-fired Gas Engines Market.

Europe: The leading market for gas engines

In this report, the Gas Engines Market has been analyzed with respect to five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. Europe is expected to dominate the global Gas Engines Market, given the growing environmental concerns and rigid emission regulations in the region. It is closely followed by North America.

To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes profiles of some of the leading players in the Gas Engines Market. These players include General Electric Company (U.S.), Wartsila Corporation (Finland), Caterpillar Inc. (U.S.), Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (U.K.), MAN SE (Germany), Cummins Inc. (U.S.), Deutz AG (Germany), Doosan Infracore (South Korea), and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Japan). Leading players are trying to penetrate developing economies and are adopting various strategies to increase their market share.

Browse Related Reports:

Generator Sales Market by Type (Diesel And Gas), by Power Rating (Below 100 kVA, 100-350 kVA, 350-1000 kVA, Above 1000 kVA), by Application (Standby, Prime Or Continuous Power, Peak Shaving), by End User (Industrial, Commercial, and Residential), & by Region - Global Forecast to 2020

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/generator-sales-market-47544335.html

Gas Turbines Market by Design Type (Heavy Duty & Aeroderivative), Rated Capacity (1-40 MW,40-120 MW,120-300 MW, & Above 300 MW), Application (Oil & Gas, Power & Other), Technology (Open Cycle & Combined Cycle), and Region - Forecast and Trends to 2020

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/gas-turbines-market-94641697.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide 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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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
The testing, which took place throughout July and August, involved both the turreted AJAX variant and the ARES variant. It focused on generating specific data and evidence to support manned firing trials planned for early next year.

The turreted AJAX firing trials were conducted by a joint General Dynamics Land SystemsUK and Lockheed Martin UK team, with support from CTA International. The trials were observed by the UK Ministry of Defence.

The AJAX testing included the firing of the CTA International 40mm cannon, the coaxially mounted 7.62mm machine gun and smoke grenades. The ARES variant tested the firing of the Kongsberg PROTECTOR Remote Weapon System, which included the firing of the General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), Heavy Machine Gun (HMG), Grenade Machine Gun (GMG) and smoke grenades.

Throughout the firing trials, General Dynamics Land SystemsUK completed a comprehensive set of more than 400 individual tests on both prototype combat vehicles.

Chief of Materiel (Land) at the MoD's Defence Equipment and Support organisation Lieutenant General Paul Jaques attended the live firing trials in August. He said: "The completion of these live firing trials marks an important milestone towards fulfilment of the AJAX programme, the British Army's largest single order for armoured vehicles for more than 30 years. This national project will equip our troops with a fleet of world-class armoured vehicles, which will form a central component of the UK's new Strike Brigades."

Kevin Connell, vice president of General Dynamics Land SystemsUK, said: "The AJAX trials programme continues to go from strength-to-strength in showcasing the capability this family of combat vehicles provides the British Army. Manned firing trials, planned for early next year, will again demonstrate the step-change in capability this vehicle provides, and marks a significant step towards the delivery of AJAX to our customer."

Other trials planned for AJAX prototypes in the coming months include automotive, cold chamber, power systems and Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities.

The range of AJAX variants will allow the British Army to conduct sustained, expeditionary, full-spectrum and network-enabled operations with a reduced logistics footprint. They will operate in combined-arms and multinational situations across a wide-range of future operating environments. The first British Army squadron will be equipped by mid-2019 to allow conversion to begin with a brigade ready to deploy from the end of 2020.

About General Dynamics UK

General Dynamics United Kingdom (General Dynamics UK) has two primary lines of business: Land Systems and Mission Systems. General Dynamics UK works in partnership with the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) providing the nation's primary land capabilities including, amongst others, Bowman, the British Armed Forces tactical communications programme, and AJAX, the replacement for the British Army's reconnaissance vehicle fleet. The company also delivers avionics equipment used in rotary and fixed wing platforms, highly integrated mission and video management systems, flexible stores management systems, data link processing and video and data recorders for UK and international customers.

General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia.

Related Links

http://www.generaldynamics.com



SOURCE General Dynamics Land Systems-UK
DUBLIN, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Biometrics Market By Type (Fingerprint Recognition, Facial Recognition, Hand/Palm Recognition, Iris Scanner, Voice Recognition, Vein Scanner & Others), By End Use Sector, By Region, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011-2021" report to their offering.

The global biometrics market is projected to cross US $ 24.8 billion by 2021. Fingerprint recognition biometric systems are the most preferred type of biometric systems used across the globe, owing to their ease of use, low cost, high speed and accurate results.



However, in terms of growth, vein scanner biometrics systems segment is anticipated to outpace fingerprint recognition biometrics systems over the next five years. In 2015, North America dominated the global biometrics market, and the region is anticipated to maintain its dominance over the next five years as well.



Global Biometrics Market 2011 - 2021 discusses:

Global Biometrics Market Size, Share & Forecast

Segmental Analysis - By Type (Fingerprint Recognition, Facial Recognition, Hand/Palm Recognition, Iris Scanner, Voice Recognition, Vein Scanner & Others), By End Use Sector (Banking & Finance, Consumer Electronics, Travel, Government, Defense, Healthcare, Commercial Security, Residential & Others)

Regional Analysis - North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , Middle East & Africa and South America

, , , & and Changing Market Trends & Emerging Opportunities

Competitive Landscape & Strategic Recommendations

Market Trends & Developments



Use of Multimodal Biometric Authentication Systems

Mobile Biometric Technology

Growing Adoption in Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI)

Rise in deployment of Biometrics in E-commerce market

Usage of Biometric Single Sign On

Growing Emergence of Heartbeat Biometrics

Deployment of Emerging Biometric Systems

Growing Acceptance of Healthcare Biometrics



Companies Mentioned



3M Cogent, Inc.

AOptix Technologies Inc.

Cross Match Technologies Inc.

Fingerprint Cards AB

Fujitsu Limited

HID Global Corporation

Hitachi, Ltd.

Ingersoll Rand

Iris ID Systems Inc.

IrisGuard Incorporated

LexisNexis Group Incorporated

Morpho (Safran)

NEC Corporation

Nuance Communications, Inc.

Precise Biometrics AB

RCG Holdings Ltd.

SecuGen Corporation.

Smartmatic International Corporation

Suprema HQ

ZK Technology LLC

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/phrq8m/global_biometrics



Related Topics: Biometrics

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



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SOURCE Research and Markets
Chairman Li said, "The global marketing campaign 'Beautiful China, More than Pandas' not only serves to show the quintessential wonders of China to more travelers worldwide, but also injects new energy into the tourism cooperation between China and Germany." Organizers designed a panda mascot called Panina, a combination of the words "panda" and "China," and pronounced similarly to the Chinese phrase "Pan Ni Lai," or "longing for you to come here," demonstrating the hospitality of Chinese people.

Promoting tourism in the giant panda's native province of Sichuan is the highlight of the campaign. Hao Kangli, director of the Sichuan Provincial Commission for Tourism Development, spoke about the natural attractions, culture and history, as well as the local cuisines and folk customs of the province, emphasizing the theme of "Sichuan, More than Pandas." Chengdu Municipal Tourism Administration director Duo Yang Na Mu gave a presentation on tourism in and around Chengdu, the capital of the province. The province's tour operators then followed up with a presentation on selected panda tourist routes as well as selected cuisines that are representative of the province's local fare. Travel agencies and tourism operators from Sichuan province and Germany inked mutual cooperation agreements to boost the exchange of tourists between the two regions.

SOURCE Sichuan Provincial Tourism Development Committee
LAGOS, Nigeria, September 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The construction sector in Nigeria is being revolutionarised with the introduction of an online store.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404676 )

The company behind this innovation, iCyrus Online Merchant announced that the "one-stop shop for home improvement" would make its quality products and services available through the online store, in addition to physical purchases which it had offered over the years.

According to Mrs Alero Imo, the company's Founder and Managing Director, the products and services of iCyrus Online Merchant touch every aspect of the furniture, joinery and construction industry. The online store is available on http://www.icyrus.com.ng

She further said: "We stock an extensive variety of products which include tools and safety equipment, furniture and joinery products, bathroom and laundry, adhesives and sealants as well as other affiliated products servicing the construction industry in Nigeria. With our increasing range, you will find anything you need to complete your home or building project at a competitive price."

Mrs Imo explained that given the rapid growth of iCyrus Online Merchant, it is not only committed to supplying customers with quality products and services but has also created a platform for Do It Yourself (DIY) supplies. "Here, everything you need to improve your home or complete your building project will be found," she said.

The Online Communication Manager, Ms Olaolu Beckley said that deliveries are within 72 hours, except for doors, kitchen cabinets and wardrobes which will be delivered within 14 days post-payment, depending on volume.

She said the company has the facility and network to deliver anywhere in Nigeria at no extra cost to the customer. "We will inform customers of their tracking ID through a confirmation email," she added.

ICyrus products include doors, wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, laundry and bathroom facilities, fasteners and fixings, shop-fitting facilities, tools and safety equipment, adhesives, chemicals and sealants, boards and other accessories.

SOURCE iCyrus Online Merchant
LONDON, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

To celebrate 1616 Shakespeare and 'Tang,' the Chinese Shakespeare's deaths.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/405103 )



The Kun Opera, from Suzhou, will be performing a traditional form of Chinese Drama, the 'Peony Pavilion' from 1598 at the Troxy Theatre, Limehouse Sept 28-30th.

The form of Chinese Classical Opera has endured through the Cultural Revolution and upheavals of the twentieth century to find a new lease of life under the celebrated director and author, Dr Pai (Hsieng-Yung).

In a culture swap with The Globe players, who are performing Shakespeare's Macbeth in Nanjing on the same dates, the Kun will be performing this most famous of Chinese operatic dramas in the UK.

Chinese Opera is a multi -sensory experience that incorporates drama, poetry, music, mime, acrobatics, dance and traditional costume. Designed to entertain the ladies of the Ming court in weekly instalments, 'The Peony Pavilion' can be seen as the original Soap opera. Its full ninety-nine-hour cycle has been distilled into a three act play over three hours by the celebrated Dr Pai.

A story is of high romance, a la Romeo and Juliet, a beautiful young heroine dreams of a mysterious stranger and falls in love. Who is the handsome "Romeo" of her dreams? When the young man is brought to life, together the lovers go on a perilous quest through war-torn country. The fates seem staked against them. Will their love triumph and conquer all?

Considered the Chinese Shakespeare of the Ming Dynasty, the author of 'The Peony Pavilion', Tang Xianzu died, like Shakespeare himself, in 1616.

As part of the continuing cultural exchange with China, students from Jiangsu province are set to take part in Shakespeare's Globe Youth Drama Festival in April, 2017.

Journalists are invited to the Press Launch: 26th September: The Globe, Swann, 9am- 11am.

And to the first night drinks reception, 28th Sept at The Troxy Theatre, Limehouse, 6pm - 7.15 start.

SOURCE Kun Opera ( via ACES)
- Adds highly complementary products and customers

- Creates significant manufacturing leverage across Europe utilizing Liqui-Box's Maverick brand of bag making equipment and innovative products to better serve customers

RICHMOND, Virginia, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Liqui-Box, a world leader in flexible liquid packaging solutions, announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement to acquire Conotainer, based in Madrid, Spain. Conotainer is a leading manufacturer of bag-in-box products specializing in the wine and beverage segments across mainland Europe.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151208/294263LOGO

Ken Swanson, President and CEO of Liqui-Box Corporation, said, "We are pleased to welcome the Conotainer team to Liqui-Box. This combination further extends our global reach and positions Liqui-Box perfectly to serve customers from multiple locations in Europe with best-in-class product and equipment technology."

Conotainer is a family-owned business, founded by Santos Ortega in 1994, and has developed strong relationships and a competitive offering across the European wine segment. "Conotainer is very excited to become part of this growing, global packaging company," said Miguel Sanchez, General Manager of Conotainer. "The Conotainer team has built a strong foundation with a great reputation in our markets, and we are thrilled to be joining Liqui-Box and looking forward to accelerating our growth."

"The acquisition of Conotainer supports Liqui-Box's strategic plan for growth and is an important addition to the Liqui-Box portfolio. The company is an ideal fit for Liqui-Box and will be an important contributor to future growth within continental Europe," commented Manu Bettegowda, Olympus Partners.

For more information on products and services from Liqui-Box please visit www.liquibox.com.

About Liqui-Box:

Liqui-Box is the leading innovator of sustainable packaging solutions for quick, fresh and cost efficient delivery of liquid and semi-liquid products. The company manufactures bag-in-box flexible packaging and pouches to serve a wide variety of global industries, including dairy, beverage, food and non-food markets. Liqui-Box also designs, manufactures and services state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment that supports the bag-in-box and stand-up pouch industries. Product applications include fountain beverage syrup, milkshake mix, coffee drinks, pumpable liquid foods such as concentrates and sauces, as well as non-food products like oils and paints. Liqui-Box offers the fastest filling equipment in the industry, best-in-class bag-making equipment, as well as consumable packaging, including film substrates, bags with fitments, and pouches. Liqui-Box is a portfolio company of Olympus Partners, a Stamford based middle market private equity firm with over 25 years of experience improving and growing packaging and other businesses.

Contact: Paul Kase

VP, Marketing & Strategy

804.433.3834

Related Links

http://www.liquibox.com



SOURCE Liqui-Box
SHANGHAI, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Members Can Earn Award Miles From Everyday Lifestyle Spendings

Miles & More, Europe's leading frequent flyer and award programme, and China's innovative mileage earning app Mileslife announced its new partnership. From now on, members of the programme may earn one award mile for each 1-4 RMB spent using the app during their daily lifestyle routine. Merchants who accept Mileslife range from mid to high end restaurants and leading spas through to boutique hotels, luxury resorts and recreation activities.



(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/402976 )



Mileslife, which is rooted in the frequent flyer industry, has greatly increased over the last year offering more than 1,000 handpicked miles earning opportunities by now. "We as Miles & More are pleased with the new partnership allowing our members new ways to earn miles through accelerated earning opportunities on a full range of lifestyle-based merchants", Joost Greve, Head of International Markets of Miles & More commented.

Earn and redeem miles in all areas of life

After downloading Mileslife from their app store, members personalise it by inserting their information and Miles & More service card number. From now on they may earn award miles by using Mileslife's app payment for everyday spendings. Members can redeem their earned award miles with numerous local partners in China and with 40 airline partners, including 28 members of the Star Alliance.

"Miles & More has more than 20 years of experience in successful customer loyalty. This expertise and its attractive offers inspire the development of loyalty programmes in China", explains Troy Liu, Founder and CEO of Mileslife. He continues: "We believe Mileslife will further broaden the earning channels for Miles & More members in China."

About Miles & More

With over 29 million members, Miles & More is the largest frequent flyer and award programme in Europe. More than 20 years of experience and collaboration with 300 partners worldwide make the Frankfurt-based operator, Miles & More GmbH, an expert in successful customer loyalty.

Miles & More members are not only able to earn and redeem miles when flying, but also with sophisticated brands in all areas of life, such as those offered by our partners in the areas of shopping and lifestyle, telecommunications and electronics, as well as hotels and car hire. They enjoy participation in an exclusive world of selected premium products as well as exclusive premium offers, for example in the Lufthansa WorldShop stores, popular flight awards and our secure Miles & More credit card portfolio. Particularly in its core markets - Germany, Austria and Switzerland - partner companies benefit from access to a sophisticated target group, and use award miles for customer retention.

Together with seven partners, the frequent flyer and award programme commenced in Germany on 1 January 1993. Since September 2014, Miles & More GmbH has been an independent company and full subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

More information at http://www.miles-and-more.com and in the Miles & More Newsroom

About Mileslife (http://www.mileslife.com)

Mileslife is the first App for customers to earn airline miles and points directly through their everyday lifestyle spending and help the local businesses to target potential high-caliber customers.

Launched in Nov. 2015, Mileslife quickly partnered with hundreds of mid-to-high end restaurants and leading spas through to quality B&Bs, boutique hotels and luxury resorts in China's major cities and hot destinations.

Along with the rise of Chinese middle class, Mileslife aspires to awaken the class's sense to realize the value and unleash the power of airline miles and fulfil their wishes to travel around the world.

Miles & More Press Office

Tel: +86-21-5179-8421

EMail: press@miles-and-more.com



Mileslife Press Office

Sea Xiao

Corporate Communications Manager, Mileslife

Email: sea@mileslife.com

Tel: +86-21-6044-0554



SOURCE Miles&More
DUBAI, UAE, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Focus on supporting digital transformation of enterprises and major infrastructure projects in the region

Orange Business Services has announced the appointment of Luc Serviant as Vice President for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT), based in the regional headquarters office in Dubai, UAE. Luc takes over the management of the region from Mickael Ghossein.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404456 )



Previously leading the SITA large and complex integration unit working with the air transport industry, based in Geneva, Luc has over 25 years of experience in marketing and implementing IT solutions within the enterprise sector, focusing on strategic planning and people management responsibilities.

Prior to joining SITA, Luc held various international business leadership roles with Equant and then Orange Business Services, including Head of Global Services Europe & Russia, Head of Professional Services APAC, and Head of Global Consulting.

Luc will provide leadership and develop business strategies in response to the wave of digital transformation that is changing the business landscape for enterprises, for government bodies and for service providers in the region. Through deployment of state-of-the-art ICT solutions from Orange Business Services, companies can harness the power of digital technologies to create new business models that capture new revenue streams and empower employees to achieve more. Luc will set out his vision of how these transformations can be delivered at the forthcoming Orange Business Services customer conference, Hello! World Dubai, to be held at the Fairmont at the Palm 24-25 October 2016. (#HelloWorldDubai)

Luc holds an Electrical Engineering Degree from the National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA) Lyon, France.

About Orange Business Services

Orange Business Services, the Orange branch dedicated to B2B services, is not only a telecom operator, but also an IT solutions integrator and applications developer in France and around the world. Its 20,000 employees support companies in all areas of their digital transformation: mobile and collaborative workspaces; IT/cloud infrastructure; fixed and mobile connectivity; private and hybrid networks; applications for Internet of Things, 360 customer experience and Big Data analytics; and cybersecurity thanks to dedicated experts and infrastructure to protect information systems. More than 3,000 multinational organizations and 2 million SOHOs, enterprises and local authorities in France rely on Orange Business Services as their trusted partner.

Learn more at http://www.orange-business.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and our blogs.

Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with annual sales of 40 billion euros in 2015 and has 154,000 employees worldwide at 30 June 2016. Orange is listed on the NYSE Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.

SOURCE Orange Business Services
NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced it is hosting with Edison, the Maxim Group and the Government of Israel Economic Mission to North America the inaugural Israel Day Conference on September 14 at Maxim Group corporate headquarters in New York.

The daylong program will include panel presentations, breakout sessions and a networking reception with over 14 Israeli companies representing Israel's distinguished healthcare and technology sectors. Edison and Maxim Group will also discuss today's sophisticated investor relations and investment research tools designed to meet the needs of Israeli companies and investors.

"We are proud to sponsor Israel Day and showcase the innovation of the region's robust roster of companies representing entrepreneurial, venture stage, established global leaders and start-ups," said Mr. Paltrowitz. "OTC Markets Group is committed to furthering our efforts in helping Israeli companies gain access to the U.S. public market without the pain, high cost and complexity associated with an exchange listing."

OTC Markets Group's OTCQX and OTCQB markets provide premier trading venues for Israeli companies seeking cost-effective access to U.S. investors and capital. There are currently 12 Israeli companies traded on OTCQX and OTCQB, many of which have joined in the past two years.

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, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We 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 we create 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.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110118/MM31963LOGO

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com



SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.
NEW YORK, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Increasing government focus & growing consumer awareness about energy efficient lighting is set to drive sales of LED lighting products in India.

Recently released report by TechSci Research, "India LED Lighting Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021", discusses about the LED lights market in India. The market is expected to witness tremendous growth on account of rising personal disposable income, increasing government initiatives which are focusing on the benefits of LED lights.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 )



Consumers are preferring the LED lights over traditional and CFL lights as LED lights are more environmental friendly compared to CFL and incandescent lamps. LED manufacturing companies are making such LED lights which consume less energy thereby reducing the carbon footprint on the environment. The growing green building construction which involves bounded use of light, energy and construction material has subsequently driven the demand and sales of energy efficient LED lighting in India. The growing number of green projects from government as well as private builders is further projected to increase the demand for LED lights over the next five years. Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) has planned to develop 7 smart cities in states like Gujrat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, which are expected to be completed in 3 phases within next 10 years wherein government will emphasize on energy efficient lighting products which is expected to boost the demand of LED lights in the country. Rising urban population of the country, which stood at 31%, of the total population of the country, in 2011 rose to over 33% by 2015 which is expected to emanate the demand for LED lights in India.

Philips & Surya Roshni are leading India LED lighting market with cumulative share of around 30%. However, the market is expected to witness major shift due to market entry of new players and planned launches of innovative products. Several initiatives are being taken by the companies in order to promote the usage of LED lighting products has also positively affected the LED market for instance, Philips, which is the market leader in LED lighting in India has tied up with Elcoma to create awareness amongst consumers about the advantage of LED lamps.

"India, is the second most populous country and 5th largest electricity consumer globally, however, soon there will be a visible gap in the supply and demand of electricity and in order to reduce the electricity consumption, the usage of LED lights should be increased. Moreover, the increasing government support and introduction of wide and innovative portfolio of LED lights results, reduction in prices and this provides customers more choices which enables them to choose the products according to their needs and price affordability. These factors coupled together makes India LED lighting market a lucrative market for companies operating in the industry.", said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm.

"India LED Lighting Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021" has evaluated the future growth potential of the India LED lighting market and provides statistics and information on market structure, size, share, forecast and future growth of the country's LED lighting market. The report is intended to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers to take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyses the emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities present in the India LED Lighting market.

Download full report on "India LED Lighting Market"

https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/india-led-lighting-market-by-type-led-bulbs-lamps-led-batten-lights-led-downlights-etc-by-application-outdoor-lighting-indoor-lighting-automotive-lighting-and-others-by-end-use-sector-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/674.html

About TechSci Research

TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends.



Contact

Mr. Ken Mathews

708 Third Avenue,

Manhattan, NY

New York - 10017

Tel: +1-646-360-1656

Email: sales@techsciresearch.com



Connect with us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/TechSciResearch

Connect with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/techsci-research

SOURCE TechSci Research
DUBLIN, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global All-Weather Landing System Market 2016-2020" report to their offering.

The global all-weather landing system market to grow at a CAGR of 5.41% during the period 2016-2020.

The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global all-weather landing system market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the application and average price of instrument landing system, ground-based augmentation system, and microwave landing system.

According to the report, emergence of autopilot landing system will be a key driver for market growth. Presently, there is a continuous growth in commercial aircraft movements as well as in passenger traffic. The skies are getting crowded with IATA projecting around 16 billion air passengers by 2050, compared with 3.3 billion in 2014. Moreover, there are approximately 40,000 aircraft lined to be delivered in the next 20 years, which would result in an increase in the demand for autopilot landing systems.



With the use of computers in a landing system, the heading, altitude, airspeed, and distance can be effectively monitored and measured by autopilot systems to ensure safe landing of an aircraft during adverse climatic conditions and low visibility. These systems are also used at airports that face dense snow, rain, or fog. The commercial autopilot landing systems market will likely grow from $51 million in 2015 to $69.4 million in 2020.



Further, the report states that stringent regulatory norms will be a challenge for the market. The aviation industry has not been able to keep pace with the growing technology in developing countries such as India and China. The major challenges that hamper the market are over-taxation, lack of infrastructure, regulatory constraints, delayed customs clearance, and a shortage of space at major airports. For example, the procurement of GBAS requires a number of licensing and certifications, which are more complex than that required for ILS.



Before an airport uses GBAS services, the system needs to be evaluated and approved by the FAA. In addition, to operate GBAS, an airport must achieve a Federal Communications Commission license and frequency test for the VDB (VHF data broadcast) transmitter. This process takes months and poses a significant challenge to the market's growth.

Key vendors



Honeywell International

NEC

Rockwell Collins

Thales

Universal Avionics

Other prominent vendors



Boeing

Saab Sensis

Northrop Grumman

Raytheon

Indira Navia



For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4cqc5s/global



Related Topics: Avionics

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716



Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com



SOURCE Research and Markets
SAN FRANCISCO, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The global savory ingredients market is expected to reach USD 12.75 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Savory ingredients are widely used as seasoning and flavoring agents in the food industry.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 )



Growing disposable income has increased the consumption of time-saving food product, which is projected to boost the market growth over the coming years. The growing usage of savory ingredients in the food service industry is also expected to propel market growth.

Savory ingredients are used in the animal feed & pet food industry to enhance food flavors. The growing demand for packaged pet food in Asia Pacific is anticipated to drive market demand over the coming years.

Companies such as DSM, Kerry Group, Givaudan, Diana, and Lesaffre have adopted acquisition strategies to enhance their product offerings and regional presence. This approach has helped companies acquire distribution centers and diversify their offerings across many end-use application markets.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Savory Ingredients Market Analysis By Product (Yeast Extracts, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Proteins (HVP), Hydrolyzed Animal Proteins (HAP), Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Nucleotides), By Application (Food, Pet Food) And Segment Forecasts To 2024" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/savory-ingredients-market

Further key findings from the report suggest:

The global savory ingredients market demand was 3,929.6 kilo tons in 2015 and is expected to reach 6,195.4 kilo tons by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2016 to 2024

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) was the leading product segment and accounted for over 80% of global demand in 2015. The use of Monosodium glutamate is extensively in the manufacture of processed food such as soups, meat, snacks, and other ready-to-go meals.

Hydrolyzed animal proteins (HAP) has gained wide acceptance in the animal feed and pet food industry

Food was the leading application segment and accounted for over 65% of total market volume in 2015. The segment is also expected to witness the highest growth of 5.4% over the forecast period on account of increasing savory ingredient demand in the convenience food and food service industry.

Major companies identified in the market include Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Angel Yeast Co., Ltd., Vedan International Holdings Ltd., DIANA Group, and Givaudan S.A. among others. Growing investment in new product development and R&D is expected to propel the market demand over the coming years.

Companies such as Sensient Technologies, Givaudan, DSM, Ajinomoto have invested in expanding production capabilities to cater to increasing market demand. HACCP, KOSHER, HALAL, ISO certifications help companies gain a competitive edge in the market.

Grand View Research has segmented the savory ingredients market on the basis of product, application, and region:

Global Savory Ingredients Product Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2024) Yeast extracts Hydrolyzed vegetable proteins (HVP) Hydrolyzed animal proteins (HAP) Monosodium glutamate (MSG) Nucleotides Others

Global Savory Ingredients Application Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2024) Food Pet food Others

Global Savory Ingredients Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2024) North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany Italy UK France Asia Pacific China India Japan Central & South America Brazil Middle East & Africa South Africa



Browse related reports by Grand View Research:

Flavonoids Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/flavonoids-market



Cereal Bar Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cereal-bar-market



L-Carnitine Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/l-carnitine-market



Chocolate Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/chocolate-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. The company 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 - legalworkshop.org , grandviewresearch.com/blogs/food-and-beverages

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

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
SHANGHAI, BUDAPEST, Hungary and LONDON, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Shanghai Newsummit Biopharma Group Co. Ltd and Indiso Ltd, a company specializing in treatments for unmet medical needs of pulmonary and chronic respiratory diseases announced today the signing of a collaboration agreement to design and carry out clinician trials in China utilizing Indiso's proprietary technology and treatment to deliver relief from chronic respiratory syndromes. The signing took place at the Wenzhou Biomedical Innovation Center Healthcare Forum held during the week of the China G20 Summit in the presence of Mr. Dai Tao, Deputy Director of the Development Center for Medical Science & Technology of the National Health & Family Planning Commission, and Mr. Zhang Geng, Mayor of Wenzhou.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404192LOGO )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160210/331945LOGO )

Respiratory diseases and allergies are significant and increasing healthcare problems both in China and the rest of the world. It is also understood that the increase in respiratory and allergic syndromes is also connected to climate change and industrial and environmental pollutions. China President Xi Jinping ratified the Climate Change Treaty at the G20 in Hanzhou, and in parallel healthcare related organizations are moving to provide solutions for these conditions.

Under the terms of the agreement, test sites will be established in leading Chinese hospitals to carry out clinical research using the Indiso Speleo Therapy. This China based trial program will be an expansion of the further clinician and patient trials that Indiso will be undertaking in UK NHS hospitals and other EU hospitals.

Dr. Ren Jun, CEO of Shanghai Newsummit Biopharma Group said: "We are very excited to trial the Indiso Speleo Therapy which through its natural product treatment has the capability to provide China-relevant solutions to respiratory conditions prevalent in all healthcare systems as well as offering potentially wider environmental applications."

Dr. Laszlo Urge, Board member at Indiso and at DBH Investment, the venture capital investor in Indiso, added: "We are very encouraged by this partnership. Newsummit is a professional organization with a proven track record of bringing healthcare innovation and solutions into practice and the Indiso Speleo Therapy will now be delivered for the greater benefit of Chinese patients. Importantly, the Indiso treatment can also generate substantial savings to healthcare administrations by reducing the need for in-hospital intensive care treatment and ultimately offering patient home care for respiratory conditions."

Contact: tamas.gabor@indiso.hu

SOURCE DBH Investment and Indiso Ltd
Joint customers can choose Showpad as their sales enablement platform

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Showpad, the world's most powerful content activation platform, announced today the beta release of its new Box Sync feature at the BoxWorks conference in San Francisco. Showpad's enhanced Box Sync allows marketers to deliver contextual content to sales reps in just a few clicks by connecting their Box account to Showpad.

Showpad joined Box's Assured Apps program last year, after an extensive and competitive review by Box. With the launch of its enhanced Box Sync feature, Showpad joins many other top SaaS companies in the Box ecosystem including Slack, Vimeo and DocuSign. To further accelerate its growth, Showpad recently received $50 million in Series C funding from Insight Venture Partners.

"More enterprise software companies are moving towards building transformative integrations instead of creating new enterprise applications from scratch. Box has created a tremendous platform to power integrated solutions that tackle specific business challenges and workflows," said Louis Jonckheere, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Showpad. "By combining efforts, we were able to create a streamlined content experience to manage and publish your content for sales enablement purposes."

"As a leading enterprise content platform, Box is transforming the way that people and organizations work," said Roger Murff, vice president of Business Development and Technology Partnerships at Box. "Collaborating with Showpad delivers a cross-platform sales and marketing solution and ultimately delivers more value to our joint customers around the world."

Showpad's Box Sync offers an integrated sales enablement solution that allows customers to:

Synchronize Box files, folders, tags and permissions with Showpad, saving time and ensuring compliance Create branded environments from Box folders to present and share with customers Integrate Box content with Gmail, Outlook, Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Gain insight into how and when content is being used and measure its impact on sales results

Showpad's Box Sync feature is currently available in beta and will roll out to all customers within the coming weeks.

About Showpad

Showpad delivers the world's most powerful content activation platform  one that makes your content incredibly easy to find, present, share and measure. Showpad empowers businesses to deliver their content to the right audience at the right time with the most intuitive and robust content platform. With Showpad, sales and marketing teams work better together to engage with audiences, advance conversations, inspire loyalty and accelerate your business. The Showpad platform can be deployed quickly and scales for any company.

Founded in 2011, Showpad activates the content of over 850 companies around the world, including Johnson & Johnson, Fujifilm, Audi, Intel, and Kimberly-Clark. Showpad has dual headquarters in San Francisco and in Ghent, Belgium plus offices in Portland, and in London. For more information on Showpad, visit www.showpad.com or follow us on Twitter: @showpad.

Related Links

http://www.showpad.com



SOURCE Showpad
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, September 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

TSX: SLW

NYSE: SLW

Silver Wheaton Corp. ("Silver Wheaton" or the "Company") (TSX:SLW) (NYSE:SLW) is pleased to announce that it will webcast its Analyst Day presentations on Thursday, September 29, 2016, starting at 9:00 am Eastern Time. Speakers will include Randy Smallwood, President and Chief Executive Officer as well as the Silver Wheaton Management team. In addition, technical presentations for certain assets will be made by representatives from Silver Wheaton's partners.

The webcast will be available to investors on Silver Wheaton's website at http://www.silverwheaton.com.

Patrick Drouin, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Silver Wheaton Corp., Tel: +1-844-288-9878, Email: info@silverwheaton.com, Website: http://www.silverwheaton.com

SOURCE Silver Wheaton Corp.
CASTLEFORD, England, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Survey of 1000 UK residents shows over 55s take personal responsibility for health, but less likely to use digital technologies to manage health

Survey comes on heels of UK government report highlighting risk of new healthcare technologies failing t o reach those with highest need

Teva UK - the 'Digital Zone' sponsor at NHS England's Health & Care Innovation Expo 2016 -calls for NHS-patient-industry collaboration in tackling healthcare generational "digital divide"

Teva UK Ltd. today released results of a UK survey showing that people over the age of 55 feel in high control of their health[1] and that over 55s are more likely than other age groups in the UK to feel it's their responsibility to influence their own health.[2] The research, involving 1000 participants in the UK, also indicated UK baby boomers believe it's important to take care of one's own health to avoid major health-related expenses in the future.[2]

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150824/260497LOGO )



But the study also revealed a generational "digital divide" in attitudes toward managing one's health. Research found that people over 55 in the UK are least likely of any age group to seek advice on how to take better control of their health.[3] They're also least likely to search for health information online, with only a third saying they find health information online dependable.[4] The UK survey also found that less than half of over 55s surveyed said they actively seek new information about their health[2] - despite over 80% saying it's their responsibility to influence their own health.[2]

Teva UK has published these findings to coincide with the start of NHS England's Health & Care Innovation Expo 2016, which opens today in Manchester. Teva is serving as NHS England's Digital Zone partner at this year's Expo, with the aim of sharing experiences, examining best practices, and understanding drivers and barriers to adopting digital technology in healthcare.

The Teva UK study also showed that over 55s are the least likely of any UK age group to agree that technology makes their life easier.[5] Research indicated UK baby boomers would be least likely to make use of health tests that - thanks partly to advances in digital technology - could predict or prevent certain health conditions: only 11% said they would seek out tests to predict or prevent conditions they might be prone to develop due to their genes or lifestyle.[4] Over 55s were also sceptical of the potential health impact of wearable technologies and similar innovations, with only 1 in 5 (22%) believing these technologies could revolutionise healthcare.[6] Baby boomers were also least likely to either own (4%) or consider owning (8%) a wearable tech device or health sensor.[7]

Teva believes a key to better health outcomes is patient-empowerment, backed by digital technologies that support a sustainable, whole-system approach to healthcare. In commenting on the study, Kate Smith, Director of NHS Strategy at Teva UK, said: "We've been working to address baby boomers' lower rates of engagement with digital technologies. It's fantastic to see in this new research how empowered baby boomers feel when it comes to their health. However, the survey shows we need to do more to educate an older generation of the potential benefit of new tests, technologies and information now becoming available thanks to advances in digital health."

News of this generational digital divide in healthcare comes just eight weeks after the UK government released its foresight report looking at the challenges and opportunities of an ageing society. In it, expert advisers warn "there is a risk that the potential of technologies to support health will not translate to those with highest need"[8] and underline that "technology can help to provide the solutions to challenges faced by the ageing population, and help to realise the benefits of longer lives."[9]

Reflecting on the government report, Ms. Smith added: "Our study also revealed some of the challenges highlighted in the UK government report. That's why we're excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with NHS England in taking a closer look at the role of digital in healthcare at this year's NHS Expo."

On day 2 of the conference, Teva UK along with NHS England, will co-host a panel discussion to explore how to digitally empower patients and clinicians to drive improved health outcomes. We asked Juliet Bauer, the newly appointed Director of Digital Experience at NHS England, who will participate in the panel discussion, how she feels digital technology can help deliver better health and care: "Simplicity for the patient is critical. The health and care system is complicated and confusing to navigate, and whilst we have some of the best healthcare in the world, the consumer journey of getting to care is often difficult. The adoption of digital technology presents us with a very real opportunity to guide people to the right place, support them to make the right decisions and transform that consumer experience. In everyday life we rely on high quality digital journeys to access services and information we need. In health and care we have some serious catching up to do. I know the task is significant but the commitment is clear. The investment in paperless 2020, the strong partnerships across health and care organisations, the department of health and industry, all combined with technology that is evolving. these are exciting times."

Teva's partnership with NHS England in the Digital Health Zone at the Health & Care Innovation Expo 2016 forms part of Teva's strategy of collaborating in digital health with industry, healthcare providers and patients. The partnership also builds on Teva's ongoing work in the UK to connect patients with their healthcare providers through Teva's Patient Support Programmes, which help patients manage their treatments more effectively by connecting them to nursing support via an online platform.

References:

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, "Locking in Audiences" Survey, July 2016 , Q 29 Ibid S 6 Ibid Q 20 Ibid Q 7 Ibid Q 8 Ibid Q 18 Ibid Q 5 Government Office for Science, Future of an Aging Population, 7 July 2016 , page 86, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/535187/gs-16-10-future-of-an-ageing-population.pdf [accessed 15/08/16] Ibid P 98

About Teva UK Limited

Teva UK Limited is one of the UK's top ten pharmaceutical manufacturers, with a presence in the generics, branded respiratory, CNS and hospitals markets. It has the widest range of any UK generic pharmaceutical company and markets solid and liquid dose, injectable and respiratory medicines to healthcare professionals. The company is part of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. For more information, visit http://www.tevauk.com.

About Teva:

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) is a leading global pharmaceutical company that delivers high-quality, patient-centric healthcare solutions to millions of patients every day. Headquartered in Israel, Teva is the world's largest generic medicines producer, leveraging its portfolio of more than 1,800 molecules to produce a wide range of generic products in nearly every therapeutic area. In specialty medicines, Teva has a world-leading position in innovative treatments for disorders of the central nervous system, including pain, as well as a strong portfolio of respiratory products. Teva integrates its generics and specialty capabilities in its global research and development division to create new ways of addressing unmet patient needs by combining drug development capabilities with devices, services and technologies. Teva's net revenues in 2015 amounted to $19.7 billion. For more information, visit http://www.tevapharm.com.

SOURCE Teva UK Limited
LEUVEN, Belgium, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR), a Belgium-based biopharmaceutical company developing novel medicines for back of the eye disease, with a focus on diabetic eye treatments, announces that the Company will be presenting a wide range of ophthalmic research at the upcoming EURETINA annual Congress held from September 8th - 11th 2016 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

EURETINA 2016 will see 15 communications delivering new scientific insights relevant to ThromboGenics development projects, by means of oral presentations, posters and instructional courses. Data will include preclinical and clinical research findings, as well as real-world clinical data, including further characterization of results from ocriplasmin studies such as OASIS and OVIID-I.

OASIS is the acronym for "Ocriplasmin for Treatment for Symptomatic Vitreomacular Adhesion including Macular Hole". It is a Phase IIIB, randomized, prospective, sham-controlled, double-masked, multicenter clinical study. The goal of the study is to further evaluate the long-term (24 months) efficacy and safety of a single injection of 0.125mg of ocriplasmin in patients with symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion (VMA) and vitreomacular traction (VMT), including macular hole (MH). The full details of the OASIS results have now been published in Ophthalmology, the Journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), and will be presented at EURETINA by Prof Dr Pravin U. Dugel.*

As concluded by the AAO Journal, "the OASIS trial demonstrates the long-term efficacy and safety of ocriplasmin, providing improved resolution of symptomatic VMA compared with previous phase 3 trials with no additional safety signals identified".

Please click here for a complete overview of all presentations and poster delivered at the 16th Euretina Congress including date and time.

Dr Patrik De Haes, CEO of ThromboGenics nv, comments, "We are pleased to have the opportunity to share our cutting-edge research in the field of diabetic eye disease as well as continue to deliver a vast amount of ocriplasmin data in support of the retina community at this year's EURETINA Congress. The research insights will further grow confidence when considering ocriplasmin as a treatment option in a changing standard of care for the treatment of symptomatic VMA."

- END -

* Retina Consultants of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ

USC Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

For further information please contact:

ThromboGenics Citigate Dewe Rogerson Wouter Piepers, David Dible/Sylvie Berrebi Global Head of Corporate Communications & IR Tel: +44 20 7282 9571 +32 16 75 13 10 / +32 478 33 56 32 david.dible@citigatedr.co.uk wouter.piepers@thrombogenics.com sylvie.berrebi@citigatedr.co.uk

About ThromboGenics

ThromboGenics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative treatments for diabetic eye disease.

The company's attractive pipeline of disease modifying drug candidates is targeting the key segments of the diabetic eye disease market, diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.

ThromboGenics is conducting a Phase II clinical trial to assess THR-409 (ocriplasmin) as a potential treatment for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. THR-317, a neutralizing PIGF mAb being developed for the treatment of diabetic macular edema is expected to enter the clinic by end of 2016.

In addition, THR-149, a plasma kallikrein inhibitor, which has resulted from research collaboration with Bicycle Therapeutics, and THR-687, lead compound from a library of integrin antagonists, in-licensed from Galapagos, are in late stage pre-clinical development.

ThromboGenics pioneered a new drug category of pharmacological vitreolysis with JETREA (ocriplasmin) which is now approved for the treatment of vitreomacular traction in 54 countries worldwide. ThromboGenics is commercializing JETREA via its subsidiary ThromboGenics, Inc. in the US. Alcon (Novartis) commercializes JETREA outside the United States.

ThromboGenics is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and is listed on the NYSE Euronext Brussels exchange under the symbol THR.

More information is available at http://www.thrombogenics.com

Important information about forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking". Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Company's Annual Report.

This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of ThromboGenics in any jurisdiction. No securities of ThromboGenics may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. state securities laws.

SOURCE ThromboGenics
ISTANBUL, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Seychelles becomes Turkish Airlines' third Island in the Vanilla Islands Group, with the addition of three weekly return flights to Mahe, Seychelles.

Already flying to 48 destinations in Africa, Turkish Airlines will increase its flight network by adding Seychelles as another destination in the continent. This brings the total number of destinations that Europe's best airline serves to 243 worldwide, and raise to 49 in Africa.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404287 )



Turkish Airlines, the airline that flies to more countries than any other airline by serving 117 countries -with the addition of Seychelles-, promises a great experience for users of the new route that includes 15 charming city-destinations around the world such as Paris, Dubai, Frankfurt, London, Milano, Bombay, Abu Dhabi, Vienna, Munich, Zurich, Rome, Moscow, Dusseldorf, Colombo and Hong Kong.

Three weekly flights will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and the passengers will depart from Istanbul at 01:05 on board TK748 arriving at 10:55, with a return service on TK749 departing from Seychelles at 12:25 to arrive in Istanbul at 18:10 on the same days.

More information about flight schedules;

Flight No. Start Days Departure Arrival TK 748 31 October 2016 Monday, Istanbul 01:05 Seychelles 10:55 Wednesday, Saturday TK 749 31 October 2016 Monday, Seychelles 12:25 Istanbul 18:10 Wednesday, Saturday

All times are in LMT.

To view the flight schedules please visit http://www.turkishairlines.com, contact the call center at +90 212 444 0849 or visit any Turkish Airlines sales office.

Turkish Airlines, Inc.

Media Relations

About Turkish Airlines:

Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines is a 4-star airline today with a fleet of 335 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to 291 destinations worldwide with 242 international and 49 domestic. According to the 2016 Skytrax survey, Turkish Airlines was chosen as "Europe's Best Airline" for the sixth and "Best Airline in Southern Europe" for the eighth consecutive time. Having won in 2010 the world's "Best Economy Catering Service", in 2013 and also in 2014 the world's "Best Business Catering Service", and "Best Business Class Lounge Dining", "Best Business Airline Lounge" awards in last year's survey, Turkish Airlines was awarded again the world's "Best Business Class Dining Lounge" and "Best Business Class On-Board Catering" prizes in this year's survey. More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on its official website http://www.turkishairlines.com or its social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About Star Alliance:

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Avianca Brazil, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,330 airports in 192 countries.

Turkish Airlines Inc.

Office of Media Relations

General Management Building

34149, Yesilkoy-Istanbul

Tel: +90-(212)-463-63-63 Ext. 11173-11153

Fax: +90-(212)-465-20-78

press@thy.com



SOURCE Turkish Airlines
ASCHHEIM, Germany, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Acquiring for central and eastern Europe ' s largest low-cost carrier

Payment settlement in nearly 20 currencies

From now on, Wirecard AG will handle payment services in the field of card acceptance (acquiring) for the largest low-cost carrier of Central and Eastern Europe, Wizz Air, the headquarters of which are located in Budapest, Hungary. Regardless of whether a customer hails from Barcelona, London or Warsaw, should they wish to book their flight online at wizzair.com, they have a choice between paying by Visa, MasterCard or Maestro. Wirecard supports payment settlement in nearly 20 currencies.

Over the past twelve years, Wizz Air has become the largest low cost carrier in Central and Eastern Europe. With a total of 19.2 million passengers in 2015, the listed airline increased its passenger volume by 22% year on year. Wizz Air currently offers more than 460 routes to 38 countries in Europe and beyond. With the help of its ever-growing route network, WIZZ is democratizing air travel by offering low fares paired with excellent on-board experience.

Andras Sebok, Head of Corporate Finance and Fleet Acquisition at Wizz Air said: "Wizz Air is focused on every controllable cost item of this business. For us, service and innovation are a priority and we work hard to ensure that our passengers have a smooth and hassle free experience throughout all stages of their journey. One of the crucial elements is to give our customers the opportunity to pay in their preferred currency. Wirecard's first-class global coverage and an optimum technical structure made the selection of our partner an easy choice for us."

Eckart Reiche, Head of Sales Airlines at Wirecard, adds: "The partnership with Wizz Air for Central and Eastern Europe is really positive news for us. We will not only now be able to further expand our global portfolio, but also to demonstrate the efficacy of our payment platform. The airline is an innovator and receptive to the idea of using the latest technology and services. In our role as technology providers, Wirecard therefore identifies great potential in this partnership."

The Wirecard Group supports all sales channels with credit card acceptance. Wirecard is a principal member of Visa and MasterCard, as well as having acquiring licence agreements with JCB, American Express, Discover/Diners, UnionPay and UATP.

About Wirecard

Wirecard AG is a global technology group that supports companies in accepting electronic payments from all sales channels. As a leading independent supplier, the Wirecard Group offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments. A global platform bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary fraud prevention solutions. With regard to issuing own payment instruments in the form of cards or mobile payment solutions, the Wirecard Group provides companies with an end-to-end infrastructure, including the requisite licences for card and account products. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI). For further information about Wirecard, please visit http://www.wirecard.com or follow us on Twitter @wirecard.

About Wizz Air:

Wizz Air is the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, operates a fleet of 72 Airbus A320 and Airbus A321 aircraft, and offers more than 450 routes from 25 bases, connecting 126 destinations across 38 countries. At Wizz Air, a team of approximately 2,800 aviation professionals delivers superior service and very low ticket prices making Wizz Air the preferred choice of 20 million passengers in the financial year ended 31 March 2016. Wizz Air is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker WIZZ and is included in the FTSE 250 and FTSE All-Share Indices. Wizz Air is registered under the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the global benchmark in airline safety recognition. The company was recently named 2016 Value Airline of the Year by the editors of Air Transport World, one of the leading airline trade magazines.

Wirecard media contact:

Wirecard AG

Jana Tilz

Tel.: +49-0-89-4424-1363

Email: jana.tilz@wirecard.com

Wizz Air media contact:

Wizz Air Group

Tamara Vallois

+36-1-777-9324

Email: communications@wizzair.com



SOURCE Wirecard AG
#BTS BTS' Jin premiers 'The Astronaut' with Coldplay in Argentina Jin of the K-pop megaband BTS made a guest appearance at Coldplay's concert in Buenos Aires on Friday (local time) for his first live performance of his solo debut single, "The Ast...

#football Daejeon earn promotion to top division in S. Korean football After eight years of toiling in the second division in South Korean football, Daejeon Hana Citizen FC will be playing with the big boys in 2023. Daejeon routed Gimcheon Sangmu F...
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ABI Research ranks Bosch as the leader among 20 Tier One connected car suppliers considered in its latest competitive analysis. Harman and Continental received second and third place, respectively. Bosch's explosive sales growth last year, significant capital expenditures to fund future development, cadre of strategic partnerships, and commitment to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) solutions place it in a strong position to pioneer the continuing evolution of the automotive industry.

The top five companies listed by rank include Bosch, Harman, Continental, Delphi, and Visteon. Bosch, Magna, Visteon, Harman, and Continental were the top five Tier One vendors for best implementation due to their portfolio breadth and strategic ecosystem partnerships. Meanwhile, Bosch, Harman, Delphi, Continental, and Hyundai Mobis were the top five for innovation thanks to their work in ADAS and autonomous features, HMI, infotainment, and telematics.

"Bosch tasked thousands of engineers to develop next-generation ADAS solutions like DualView display and NeoSense," says Susan Beardslee, Senior Analyst at ABI Research. "As Human Machine Interaction, or HMI, electrification, and predictive analytics further evolve, Bosch's investments, acquisitions, and partnerships, like its ones with Mercedes, Porsche, and TomTom, will continue to place it as a leading market share vendor."

Bosch is one of a few suppliers to extend its footprint into non-hardware services, such as mobility services, active parking lot management, and IoT software. Its in-vehicle electronics include hybrid powertrain and electrification, as well as the Bosch Body Computer Module. The company sits sixteen points ahead of Harman and more than twenty ahead of Continental in the competitive analysis. While Continental is an ADAS market leader, Harman pioneers in its development of virtual reality modeling that blends different camera images to generate a full surround view.

"The industry will see continued transformation through strategic acquisitions, partnerships, and disinvestments as suppliers converge and shift toward software, services, and security," concludes Beardslee. "Examples of this include Visteon's recent purchase of AllGo Embedded Systems and its decision to sell its automotive interiors facility, Valeo's announcement to provide low-cost, solid-state LiDAR with LeddarTech to support ADAS, and industry disruptor Gentex's decision to grow its connected electro-optical business by working with OEMs like GM and Nissan."

These findings are from ABI Research's Connected Automotive: Tier One Suppliers (https://www.abiresearch.com/market-research/product/1025160-connected-automotive-tier-one-suppliers/). This report is part of the company's Automotive, Smart Mobility, & Transportation sector (https://www.abiresearch.com/market-research/practice/autonomous-driving-location-tech/), which includes research, data, and analyst insights.

About ABI Research

ABI Research stands at the forefront of technology market research, providing business leaders with comprehensive research and consulting services to help them implement informed, transformative technology decisions. Founded more than 25 years ago, the company's global team of senior and long-tenured analysts delivers deep market data forecasts, analyses, and teardown services. ABI Research is an industry pioneer, proactively uncovering ground-breaking business cycles and publishing research 18 to 36 months in advance of other organizations. For more information, visit www.abiresearch.com.

Contact Info: Mackenzie Gavel Tel: +1.516.624.2542

[email protected]

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SOURCE ABI Research

Related Links

http://www.abiresearch.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Continuing Medical Education (CME) organizations can now explore participation in the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program (Portfolio Program) as part of a new, one-year pilot. The pilot allows these organizations to offer their physicians one-year access to Portfolio Program benefits without committing to becoming full participating sponsors.

"The Pre-sponsor Pilot is designed to enable CME providers that may not yet be prepared or able to become full Portfolio Program sponsors to 'test the waters' and experience the benefits that Portfolio Program sponsorship offers their physicians and their organization," explained David W. Price, MD, FAAFP, FACEHP, Executive Director of the Portfolio Program, which enables physicians from sponsor hospitals, health systems, and health care organizations who are Board Certified by one of the 21 (of 24) participating ABMS Member Boards to receive Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Improvement in Medical Practice (Part IV) credit for their engagement in quality improvement (QI) work.

Continuing Medical Education providers with Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) "Accreditation with Commendation" or "Accreditation" status that are not current applicants or Portfolio Program sponsors are eligible to participate in the pilot. "Pre-sponsors" will be able to submit individual QI activities to the Portfolio Program for review during a 12-month period on a discounted, per-project fee basis. Up to three activities may be approved during the pre-sponsor period. Physicians in pre-sponsor organizations who submit attestations of meaningful participation in QI activities, which are approved as meeting Portfolio Program standards, can earn MOC Part IV credit.

"The Pilot Program offers CME providers a chance to have their practice improvement activities accepted for MOC Part IV credit by 21 ABMS Member Boards" added Dr. Price. "We hope that organizations participating in the pilot choose to become full Portfolio Program sponsors at the end of their pilot year."

"The Portfolio Program enables health care organizations to support and engage physicians in system-wide practice improvement activities that are both directly related to a physician's specialty area of practice as well as the system's goals and objectives  all of which serve to help improve the quality of care for their patients and communities." said Lois Margaret Nora, MD, JD, MBA, ABMS President and Chief Executive Officer. "We look forward to learning from this pilot as ABMS increases its efforts to align MOC with the meaningful work that physicians are doing in their daily practice."

To date, the Portfolio Program has helped engage nearly 9,000 physicians in practice improvement initiatives at hospitals and health systems across the country, many showing improvement in care outcomes, and has recognized their participation with MOC-eligible credit. Since its inception, approximately 1,700 improvement efforts have been completed by Portfolio Program participants. For more information about the pilot or the Portfolio Program, please contact Teena Nelson, Portfolio Program Manager ([email protected]), or visit the program website at http://mocportfolioprogram.org/.

About ABMS

Established in 1933, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) continues to be the leading not-for-profit organization overseeing physician certification in the United States. ABMS establishes the standards its 24 Member Boards use to develop and implement educational and professional evaluation, assessment, and certification of physician specialists. More than 840,000 physicians are certified in one or more of the approved 37 specialties and 85 subspecialties offered by the ABMS Member Boards. For more information about ABMS, visit abms.org or call (312) 436-2600.

SOURCE American Board of Medical Specialties

Related Links

http://www.abms.org


"When Tom retires, he will leave with gratitude and best wishes. He has led the Company through a period of tremendous growth and has built an outstanding management team to support our continued success," said Richard Covert, Vice Chairman of the Adeptus Board. "During his tenure, Adeptus has transformed from a private company with 12 facilities just four years ago into the premier operator of freestanding emergency rooms in the United States. Today, we are operating 97 facilities and are on track to open an additional 13 new facilities by year-end 2016 and have established partnerships with leading healthcare systems in five states. We have also achieved significant growth in both revenues and earnings over this period, and are well positioned to continue our growth through new unit openings and new partnerships. As we look forward, we intend to identify a leader who will build on this momentum, creating enhanced value for Adeptus stockholders, our partners, employees, and the communities in which we operate."

"It has been an honor to serve as Chairman and CEO of Adeptus," said Mr. Hall. "Helping Adeptus and its team grow and flourish during my tenure has been one of the most rewarding professional experiences of my career. Today, the Company has a strong management team to carry us forward as well as a solid operating and financial foundation in place. It is the right time to transition to the next chapter. I am proud of all that we have accomplished together and equally confident in our team's ability to continue to grow Adeptus following my retirement and fulfill its mission of expanding access to the highest-quality emergency medical care."

The Adeptus Board has established a search committee to identify Mr. Hall's successor and intends to retain a leading executive search firm to assist in the process.

About Adeptus Health Inc.

Adeptus Health (NYSE: ADPT) is a leading patient-centered healthcare organization expanding access to the highest quality emergency medical care through its network of freestanding emergency rooms and partnerships with premier healthcare providers. Adeptus Health owns and operates First Choice Emergency Room, the nation's largest and oldest network of freestanding emergency rooms and owns and/or operates facilities in partnership with Texas Health Resources in Texas, UCHealth in Colorado, Dignity Health in Arizona, Ochsner Health System in Louisiana and Mount Carmel Health System in Ohio. All Adeptus Health freestanding facilities are fully equipped emergency rooms with a complete radiology suite of diagnostic technology, on-site laboratory, and staffed with board-certified physicians and emergency trained registered nurses. For the last three years, Adeptus Health has exceeded the 95th percentile in patent satisfaction according to patient feedback collected nationwide by Press Ganey Associates Inc. Adeptus Health also was named a 2016 Best Workplaces in Healthcare by Great Place to Work and Fortune Magazine. For more information please visit adhc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information herein may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our objectives, plans and strategies, and all statements (other than statements of historical facts) that address activities, events or developments that we intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future. Any forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this press release, and ADPT undertakes no duty to update or revise any such statements except as required by the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from forward-looking statements are described in ADPT's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") from time to time and which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, including in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.

Investor Relations Contacts:

Kevin Ellich

Vice President, Investor Relations

Tel: (972) 899-7062

Email: [email protected]

Media Contact:

Jackie Zupsic

Hill+Knowlton Strategies

Tel: (212) 885-0590

Email: [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/121364

SOURCE Adeptus Health Inc.

Related Links

http://www.adhc.com


CASTRO VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Supporting responders in the war on terrorism, Alluviam's HazMasterG3 decision support system Version 20 is now available. The system now includes critical new tools and major updates to key guidance when responding to chemical, biological, radiological or explosive threats. Enhanced sensor integration provides key insights into what is likely being made from a set of chemicals found in a clandestine lab.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404319

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404320

Building on the best practices taught by Tom Gersbeck in his book "Practical Military Ordnance Identification", HazMasterG3 now includes interactive tools and checklists to provide responders, certified public safety bomb technicians and explosive ordnance disposal teams with enhanced guidance when called upon to identify threats posed by military ordnance. Additionally, more than 10,000 fields within HazMasterG3, with a total database of over 167,000 chemical, biological, radiological and explosive threats have been updated, assuring that responders have the most up-to-date guidance available. Updated mixture algorithms provide enhanced insights when predicting chemical reactions, mixture outcomes or attempting to attribute a specific set of chemicals to a specific narcotic, chemical warfare agent or explosive formulation.

This release also includes free tools to let organizations leverage facility pre-plans, known as Tier2 plans, on their mobile devices directly within HazMasterG3 without depending on any internet access or third party services  key when responding to major incidents that may degrade remote communications.

About Alluviam LLC

Founded in 2002, Alluviam LLC challenges the status quo of what's expected from a decision support system by delivering unique actionable insights unavailable on any other mobile platform. Adopted by the US Military, NATO, coalition partners and other civilian, intelligence and military agencies, HazMasterG3 puts state-of-the-art decision support in the hands of those that need it most. Only HazMasterG3 provides full capabilities on MS-Windows, or as an app on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. HazMasterG3, our flagship product, and its associated patented technologies have earned certification and designation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as an approved product for homeland security as the only mobile anti-terrorism technology of its kind.

Contact Information:

Alluviam LLC

Greg Ouzounian

510 315-1974

Email

www.alluviam.com

SOURCE Alluviam LLC

Related Links

http://www.alluviam.com


MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ally Law is pleased to announce that Spiegel Sohmer, based in Montreal, Canada in the province of Quebec, has been admitted as its newest member. Spiegel Sohmer is a full-service business law firm providing practical solutions for clients in the areas of tax law, tax litigation, estate and succession planning, corporate and commercial law, M&A transactions, real estate, start-ups and commercial litigation.

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"Spiegel Sohmer's deep local knowledge combined with their international approach to client service will be an asset to the clients of Ally Law law firms," says Michael Herbst, Ally Law president. "We are pleased to admit this distinguished firm as the newest member of our expanding organization."

Founded in 1967, Spiegel Sohmer offers counsel to a diversified business clientele seeking pragmatic and innovative solutions. The firm has 50 attorneys and 15 paralegals who concentrate principally within three broad specialties: tax law, business law, and litigation. Including support staff, they have more than 130 employees located in the heart of Montreal.

Alexandre Dufresne, Spiegel Sohmer's managing partner, comments, "Our attorneys command a global perspective when servicing clients, and we are eager to be part of a group who shares this perspective. We are excited to draw upon the extensive international network of Ally Law to provide enhanced services to our clients who operate abroad."

For more information about Spiegel Sohmer, visit www.spiegelsohmer.com.

About Ally Law

Ally Law's 60+ independent law firms and over 2000 professionals provide comprehensive legal services to clients operating worldwide. Our firms are subject to rigorous vetting, an ongoing quality control monitoring process, and are highly ranked by Chambers, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers. Ally Law has its origins in the International Alliance of Law Firms, a prestigious global network founded more than 25 years ago.

For more information, contact:

Wendy Horn, Executive Director

Ally Law

+1 612 770 6046

Email

SOURCE Ally Law

Related Links

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ROSEVILLE, Calif., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, today announced that its Franklin franchise in Tennessee has been awarded to Steve and Francie Logan. The Tennessee franchise provides senior care in the Greater Nashville West area and surrounding communities, including Franklin, Clarksville and Chapel Hill. The Logans' purchased the territory, which was previously owned and operated by Doug Kidd.

Always Best Care is one of the nation's leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services and skilled home health care. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

"We are very pleased to welcome Steve and Francie Logan as our newest franchise owners," said Jake Brown, president of Always Best Care. "Steve brings extensive business expertise to the Always Best Care family and a deep passion for helping seniors, veterans and their families. We welcome them aboard and have no doubt they will serve as exemplary ambassadors for Always Best Care."

Steve has extensive experience as a business consultant and area director. In addition, he has previous business ownership experience which will allow him to transition into the position as owner of the Nashville West region. Francie is a doctor of audiology and works specifically with veterans and their families.

"Always Best Care is a leader in senior care and we are proud to be a part of the team," said Steve. We are very excited to have the opportunity to help seniors and their families in our community for many years to come."

By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors, and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a client's particular physical or social needs. The hallmark services of the Always Best Care include non-medical in-home care and assisted living finder and referral services, with skilled home health care now being phased in throughout the country.

Always Best Care of Franklin is located at 428 Lewisberg Avenue. For more information on services available through Always Best Care, or for a free evaluation, please call 615-678-0293 or visit ABC-NashWest.com.

As part of its national expansion plans, Always Best Care is seeking franchisees with business sales and management experience to join its growing senior care franchise system. Franchisee candidates should have a minimum net worth of $200,000 and liquid assets of at least $100,000. Franchisees can expect the total investment to be approximately $63,725  $114,400. The initial franchise fee is $44,900; however, reduced franchise fees apply for honorably discharged veterans.



To learn more about ownership opportunities with Always Best Care, please call 855-430-CARE (2273) or email [email protected], or visit franchisewithalwaysbestcare.com.

About Always Best Care

Founded in 1996, Always Best Care Senior Services is based on the belief that having the right people for the right level of care means peace of mind for the client and family. Always Best Care assists seniors with a wide range of illnesses and personal needs, and currently provides more than 4 million hours of care every year. Franchise opportunities are available to individuals interested in leveraging the company's clear strategy and proven track record for delivering affordable, dependable service to seniors in their local areas.

Always Best Care also offers an exclusive program called Always in Touch, a telephone reassurance program that provides a daily phone call to seniors and disabled adults who are living alone and have limited contact with the outside world. Always in Touch is the only absolutely free national telephone reassurance program of its kind anywhere in the USA and Canada. For more information on Always in Touch, or to request an application, visit www.Always-in-Touch.com.

CONTACT: Elayne Jacobs

Fish Consulting

202-588-8138

[email protected]

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SOURCE Always Best Care Senior Services

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MIAMI, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Antarctica Advisors LLC, the leading Seafood Industry-focused investment banking firm, acted as the M&A advisor to Sea Watch International Ltd. in the acquisition of Looks Gourmet Foods Holding Company Inc. (d.b.a. Bar Harbor Foods).

Maryland-based Sea Watch International, the largest integrated producer of clam products in the U.S., on Friday completed the acquisition of Bar Harbor Foods, a leading producer of branded quality seafood products for retail.

Bob Brennan, the CEO of Sea Watch International, commented: "The acquisition of Bar Harbor will strengthen Sea Watch's position and growth in the U.S. retail segment. Our integrated production capabilities and highest quality standards will further support the rapidly growing Bar Harbor brand to become the priority choice for our retail customers across the U.S. Sea Watch is excited to welcome Michael Cote and his team at Bar Harbor into the Sea Watch family."

Antarctica Advisors is an independent M&A advisory firm providing its corporate clients in the Seafood Industry with wide range of specialized investment banking services. Antarctica's Seafood Team maintains a widely recognized track record of deal origination and execution unique to the investment banking industry.

Ignacio Kleiman, Managing Partner of Antarctica, commented: "This is a highly strategic transaction for our client and for the future of the Bar Harbor brand. As the U.S. consumers are increasingly looking to buy sustainable seafood products, the management of Sea Watch recognized the need to offer its retail customers high quality products where Sea Watch maintains control of the production and quality process from the ocean to the plate. Our highly-specialized M&A Seafood Team played an important role in identifying the opportunity and execute the transaction for the benefit of our client"

About Antarctica Advisors

Antarctica Advisors LLC is an independent strategic and financial advisory firm formed by a group of seasoned investment banking professionals with expertise in M&A advisory and private equity and debt capital raising. Antarctica's team of experienced professionals provides corporate clients with knowledge-based, senior-level financial and strategic advice. Antarctica's offices are strategically located in Miami, FL, and Santiago, Chile, providing close connection to its corporate clients in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Antarctica Advisors LLC is a licensed broker-dealer, member of FINRA and SIPC

For further information on Antarctica Advisors LLC please go to www.AntarcticaLLC.com

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SOURCE Antarctica Advisors LLC

Related Links

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BOSTON, Mass., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC, one of the leading energy-focused private equity firms, announced today its affiliated portfolio company, Element Petroleum II, has agreed to sell its remaining oil and gas assets in the Permian Basin to a subsidiary of Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE). This follows Element II's sale of adjacent assets to affiliates of Blue Whale Energy in 2015 and to Diamondback Energy in 2013.

ArcLight partnered with the Element Petroleum management team to form Element II in 2011. Element II was ArcLight's second partnership with the Element team, which is led by Todd Gibson, its Chief Executive Officer. ArcLight recently made its third investment with Element in its most recent fund, committing $186 million to Element Petroleum III in September 2015 to acquire and develop additional oil and associated rich gas properties in the Permian Basin.

Over the past five years, Element II drilled 76 wells across a land position of 21,500 net acres in the Permian Basin, including the first successful horizontal Wolfcamp well in Howard County, Texas in May 2013.

"We could not be happier with Element II's success," said Dan Revers, ArcLight's Co-Founder and Managing Partner. "The Element team has been a tremendous partner and we congratulate them on this terrific outcome. We look forward to working with them on Element III."

Mr. Revers added, "While ArcLight is best known for power and midstream, our portfolio of select upstream assets has been an important contributor of our fund performance, providing key insights and portfolio diversification."

"We continue to see many opportunities in the Permian Basin and are excited to continue to have ArcLight's partnership and support in Element III," said Mr. Gibson.

About ArcLight Capital Partners

ArcLight is one of the leading private equity firms focused on energy infrastructure investments. Founded in 2001, we helped pioneer an asset-based private equity approach to investing in the dynamic energy sector. We have invested approximately $16.8 billion in 99 transactions since inception, generating strong realized returns for our limited partners from 62 exits across diverse market cycles. Based in Boston, our 29-person investment team targets midstream, power and production opportunities with substantial growth potential, significant current income and meaningful downside protection, typically on a proprietary basis. We employ a hands-on value creation strategy that utilizes our in-house technical, operational and commercial specialists as well as our 400-person asset management affiliate. More information about ArcLight, and a complete list of ArcLight's portfolio companies, can be found at www.arclightcapital.com.

About Element Petroleum

Element is an exploration, development, and production company based in Midland, Texas. We were an early entrant into the shale oil plays of the Permian Basin. Management dedicated its efforts to find and develop acreage prospective for vertical Wolfberry exploitation and, more recently, horizontal exploration and development of the Wolfcamp and Spraberry shales. To date, management has drilled approximately 400 wells across 120,000 acres in the Permian Basin, including the first successful horizontal Wolfcamp well in Howard County, Texas, in May 2013. As of September 2016, Element has successfully drilled and completed an additional 37 horizontal wells. Element III was formed in 2015 to find, develop, and acquire oil and gas reserves and production, primarily in the Permian Basin.

SOURCE ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC

Related Links

http://www.arclightcapital.com


ALBANY, New York, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific is led by a slew of global and local companies, such as Central Corporate Wellness, ComPsych Corporation, Optum, Inc., JLT Australia (Recovre Group), Truworth Wellness, SOL Wellness, Sodexo, ConneXions Asia, and Bupa Wellness Pty Ltd. Transparency Market Research has observed that the number of companies venturing into this avenue has been steadily rising owing to the growing presence of MNCs in several developing countries.

Interpret a Competitive outlook Analysis Report with free PDF Brochure: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=13988

The opportunity in the corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific was pegged at US$3.4 bn in 2015 and is expected to be worth US$7.4 bn by the end of 2024 at a strong CAGR of 9.0%. Geographical expansions, expansion of product portfolio, mergers and acquisitions, and investing in extensive wellness programs are some of the key growth strategies adopted by the leading players in the Asia Pacific. For instance, in March 2016, Sodexo signed a 10-year contract with Rio Tinto to expand its operations in Australia.

Increase of Non-communicable Diseases Driving Need for Health and Wellness Programs

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer has increased significantly in Asia Pacific in recent years. The report has found that these diseases account for at least 8.5 million deaths in Southeast Asia each year. "Employers are, as a result, driven to promote as well as maintain the health and well-being of their employees and offering corporate wellness programs and services has turned out to be the most effective method of doing so," the lead analyst states. These services not only boost productivity but also reduce overall medical costs.

The corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific is also fueled by government support and initiatives, the rising number of white-collar employees, the willingness of employers to invest in wellness programs, and growing health consciousness among the population.

High Cost of Implementation Restricting Widespread Adoption

"Implementing corporate wellness programs in organizations is a costly affair and companies need to utilize a certain portion of their budget from the revenue generated," the author of the study comments. Services such as fitness and health risk assessment need high investments and as a result, are cut down by the companies. This restricts the growth of the corporate wellness market.

In addition, the inefficient execution of corporate wellness services is a major restraint to the market and is likely to increase costs for the companies.

View exclusive Asia Pacific strategic Business report: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-pacific-corporate-wellness-market.html

China to Lead APAC Corporate Wellness Market throughout Forecast Period

By type of service, the fitness segment led the overall corporate wellness market, accounting for a 38.6% share in 2015, reaching US$2,793.5 mn by 2024. The smoking cessation segment, although the smallest in terms of revenue in 2015, is anticipated to register a strong CAGR of 9.6% during the forecast period. By country, China emerged as the leading revenue generator in 2015 and is projected to retain its position throughout the forecast period. India, on the other hand, is expected to expand at the fastest pace by 2024.

This review is based on the findings of a TMR report titled "Corporate Wellness Market - Asia Pacific Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024."

Browse Global Industry PR: http://www.europlat.org/asia-pacific-corporate-wellness-market.htm

Asia Pacific Corporate Wellness Market, by Service

Health Risk Assessment

Fitness

Smoking Cessation

Health Screening

Weight Management

Nutrition

Others (stress management, diabetes management, and vaccinations)

Asia Pacific Corporate Wellness Market, by Country

China

Japan

India

Australia

Singapore

Hong Kong

Malaysia

Thailand

Rest of Asia Pacific

Browse Other Latest Research Reports:

Global Corporate Wellness Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/corporate-wellness-market.html

Health and wellness Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/health-and-wellness-market.html

Fitness Equipment Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/fitness-equipment-market.html

About Us:

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S. based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMR's global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.

US Office Contact

Transparency Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700

Albany, NY 12207

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: [email protected]



Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Blog: http://www.tmrblog.com/



SOURCE Transparency Market Research
VIENNA, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

- PD01A was Safe and Well Tolerated: Primary Endpoint of Phase I "Boost" Study Met

- Immune Response was Seen in 86% of Patients, Resulting in an Increase of Responder Rate after Boost Immunization

- PD01A-induced Antibodies Preferentially Bind to Fibrilic Alpha-Synuclein (aSyn)

- Data will be Presented at the Poster Tour of Leading Abstracts at the 4th World Parkinson Congress in Portland, Oregon, USA on September 21

AFFiRiS AG announced today results of AFF008A, a Phase I clinical trial to assess boost immunizations with AFFITOPE PD01A, an active vaccine against Parkinson's disease (PD). The study was funded by a $1.04 million grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

The "boost" study AFF008A was designed to assess one boost immunization with AFFITOPE PD01A per patient with regard to safety/tolerability and immunological and clinical activity in those patients who had already received the vaccine (four "priming" vaccinations at four-week intervals) within the first-in-man clinical study AFF008. Six PD patients on best medical care, including standard symptomatic medication, served as a comparison group. In the "boost" study, two different doses of AFFITOPE PD01A (15 g and 75 g) were again safe and well tolerated, meeting the primary endpoint of the trial.

Patients belonging to the low-dose group of AFF008 were randomized in two equally distributed groups receiving either 15 g or 75 g AFFITOPE PD01A. The same was done with patients of the AFF008 high-dose group, in order to allow for evaluation of four different vaccination schedules.

Across all patients, no antibody concentration limiting toxicity was observed. Adverse events were similar across all five groups except injection site reactions, which only occurred in the active treatment groups, and psychiatric disorders, reported at a lower rate in the active groups. All of the 28 patients completed the study and received all planned vaccinations. Only one serious adverse event was reported, which was classified as being not related to AFFITOPE PD01A administration.

An immune response against AFFITOPE PD01A was seen in 19 of 22 (86%) of vaccinated patients and 12 of 19 (63%) of these responders generated aSyn-specific serum antibodies. The immune response sustained throughout the entire observation period of 24 weeks. Patients on low dose and then high dose had a clear immunological boost. This data supports that further dose and scheduling may significantly influence antibody titer/concentration and further studies need to be performed. Additionally, vaccine-induced antibodies were detectable in cerebrospinal fluid. This induction of antibodies against aSyn supports the concept of the principle of AFFiRiS' proprietary therapeutic vaccine.

Parallel laboratory experiments using recombinant aSyn protein to assess selectivity showed that AFFITOPE PD01A-induced antibodies preferentially bind to aSyn fibrils, which are believed to be the toxic form of the protein, as compared to the monomeric form.

Due to the limitations of the Phase I trial design (the study was not double-blind, and assignment to the comparison group was not randomized), it is not known whether effects seen in the active groups are indicative of treatment effects or due to confounding factors. Efficacy variables were evaluated in an explorative manner with regard to the small sample size. Preliminary observations showed that in eight of the 19 (42%) immunological responders, no increase of the concomitant dopaminergic PD medication was needed throughout the observational period (on average three years per subject). Among the same group, five of eight (63%) patients had stable UPDRS III scores at the end of the "boost" study.

Continuous efforts are undertaken to follow this patient cohort and to further characterize their immunological and clinical response to treatment with AFFITOPE PD01A. The next study, AFF008AA, is focusing primarily on the long-term safety and, in addition, on the assessment of the immunological and clinical effects of a second boost vaccination ("reboost"). That study is also funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, as was the AFF008 trial. Recruitment of patients for AFF008AA has been completed; results are expected in Q2 2017.

About AFFITOPE PD01A:

AFFITOPE PD01A targets the protein alpha-Synuclein, which plays a key role in the onset and progression of Parkinson's as well as multiple system atrophy (MSA), an orphan disease. During the first-in-man study AFF008, AFFITOPE PD01A was safe and well tolerated, meeting the primary endpoint of the trial. PD01A is one of two vaccine candidates currently being studied in three ongoing Phase 1 studies AFF008AA, AFF009 and AFF011 in which currently 92 Parkinson's and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) patients are receiving either PD01A or PD03A. During these phase I studies patients are being observed for up to 48 months with regard to long-term safety, immunological and clinical parameters. Results are expected for Q4 2017.

About AFFiRiS AG:



On the basis of its proprietary patented AFFITOME-technology, AFFiRiS develops preventative and therapeutic peptide vaccines against chronic diseases. Its clinical pipeline consists of four vaccine candidates against Parkinson's, MSA and Atherosclerosis prevention. Further vaccine candidates against diabetes, allergies as well as Huntington's disease are in preclinical development. AFFiRiS has been able to attract funding of approx.  130m to date, half of which comes from license income and government grants. Furthermore, AFFiRiS is part of collaborative projects receiving funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme under SYMPATH Grant Agreement No. 60299 (http://www.sympath-project.eu/) and MULTISYN Grant Agreement No. 602646 (http://www.multisyn.eu/). AFFiRiS currently employs 60 highly qualified staff at the Campus Vienna Biocenter in Vienna, Austria.

http://www.affiris.com

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research



As the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $600 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. Learn more at http://www.michaeljfox.org

Contact AFFiRiS AG:

Bettina Wessa

Karl-Farkas-Gasse 22

1030 Wien

T +43-(0)1-798-15-75-300

E [email protected]

W http://www.affiris.com



Distribution:

PR&D - Public Relations for Research & Education

Mariannengasse 8

1090 Vienna, Austria

T +43-(0)1-505-0-44

E [email protected]

W http://www.prd.at



SOURCE AFFiRiS AG
RA'ANANA, Israel, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Celeno Communications, a leading provider of smart managed Wi-Fi chipsets and software technology, today announced that it has closed a new investment round of $38 million to drive its rapid growth and expansion. The round was led by Red Dot Capital Partners, a capital fund focused on growth stage investments funded by Temasek, an investment company based in Singapore, through its enterprise development unit. Additional new investors are Poalim Capital Markets, the investment arm of Bank HaPoalim, the largest financial banking group in Israel, and OurCrowd. Existing investors including Liberty Global, Cisco, Pitango, 83North (formerly Greylock IL), Vintage and Miven also participated in the round. Zvika Naggan, Managing Partner at Red Dot has joined Celeno's Board of Directors.

Celeno will use the funds to support its accelerated growth following the remarkable success of its 802.11ac Wave 2 product line and disruptive software technologies, which have established Celeno as a significant industry player. The funds will enable Celeno to further increase its investment in new technology and R&D activities, as well as expand its global presence and increase its sales and marketing endeavours to support the growing demand for its solutions.

Celeno's solutions continue to gain market traction with tens of millions of its Wi-Fi chipsets being deployed by top tier service providers in home gateways, routers and set top boxes designed by leading global OEMs.

"Celeno has made the crucial transition from an innovative, disruptive start-up to a global player alongside some of the Wi-Fi semiconductor industry's largest players and the solution of choice for many of the most important global service providers," says Mr. Naggan. "The growth and worldwide market presence that Celeno has established over time is remarkable, and a testament to their approach and the quality of their products. Celeno's track record speaks for itself and Red Dot is excited to join the company as it grows and establishes itself as a formidable player in this space."

"With this significant new investment round, combined with the calibre of investors backing us, we are able to continue executing our strategy, building a world class global company that will bring value to investors and shape the industry as a market leader," says Gilad Rozen, CEO of Celeno. "With this new round we have taken Celeno to the next level and are able to further accelerate our growth and expansion in the market as well as focus on enhancing R&D efforts and further developing our disruptive solutions."

About Celeno Communications

Celeno is the leading provider of smart, managed Wi-Fi solutions. Celeno's extensive 802.11ac chip portfolio and ground-breaking software technologies are designed to excel in real life, highly-interfered dense network scenarios, delivering the level of management, performance, speed, coverage, reliability and superlative user experience demanded by Wi-Fi users. Celeno's field-proven chips and software technology have been successfully integrated into numerous OEM Wi-Fi devices and have been deployed in tens of millions of homes around the world by almost 100 leading service providers worldwide. Founded in 2005 and backed by blue chip investors, Celeno is a well-established company headquartered in Ra'anana, Israel, with a global presence and offices in the US, EMEA and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit http://www.celeno.com

Media Contact:

Aaron Kliner

Headline Media

[email protected]

+1-516-595-1843



SOURCE Celeno Communications
HOUSTON, Texas, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cimbria Capital announced today the appointment of Martin D. Beirne, III as Operating Partner. Mr. Beirne joined Cimbria Capital with the purpose of further strengthening the firm's industry relationships in the natural resource sectors. He serves as a direct advisor to Cimbria Capital's investment team and as a potential board member and executive officer for certain Cimbria portfolio companies.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404893

Cimbria Capital Announces Martin D. Beirne, III as Operating Partner

A skilled executive with more than fifteen years of operational leadership experience, Mr. Beirne joins Cimbria after his most recent role as President and CEO of Green Earth Fuels, a Riverstone Holdings and Goldman Sachs-backed alternative energy company operating large-scale processing assets situated within the Kinder Morgan Galena Park Terminal on the Houston Ship Channel.

"We are excited to welcome Martin D. Beirne, III as a member of our Texas-based team," said Brian Iversen and Henrik Rasmussen, co-founders of Cimbria Capital. "Mr. Beirne brings deep executive and commercial experience to benefit Cimbria Capital's portfolio companies. His background will be influential in advising portfolio companies on board and stakeholder communications, international subsidiary management, and complex regulatory and government affairs in agriculture and water."

"I look forward to contributing to the Cimbria team's distinct set of value-added capabilities and to engaging the stakeholders who are vital to sustained growth for rising businesses," said Mr. Beirne. "Cimbria understands that long-term growth requires proactive regulatory involvement, and I am keen to apply my experience in this process to produce positive outcomes for our portfolio companies."

In addition to his executive and commercial responsibilities within Green Earth, Mr. Beirne developed extensive experience in the operational compliance and legislative aspects of environmental regulations and sustainability regimes. Mr. Beirne represented both company and industry interests in federal, state and international forums.

"Mr. Beirne's ability to navigate the increasingly complex regulatory landscape will help our portfolio companies meet the governing benchmarks needed to succeed in water and agribusiness," said Mr. Iversen and Mr. Rasmussen. "Mr. Beirne's discipline, character, and collaborative business style make him an ideal fit for our principle-driven team as he consistently demonstrates the values of a corporate statesman."

About Cimbria Capital: Cimbria Capital is a private equity firm based in Illinois and Texas conducting early stage buyout and growth capital investments in the water technology and agribusiness sectors in North America and Europe.

For more information on Cimbria Capital, please visit our website at www.cimbriacapital.com, or contact Noah Sabich, Principal, at [email protected].

Related Links

Cimbria Capital

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Cimbria Capital

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HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Workers' Compensation industry is at an inflection point in its performance, according to a new study by Conning, Inc.

"In 2015 the Workers' Compensation industry posted exceptional results, including a reported loss ratio that was the lowest we have seen since 1995," said Jerry Theodorou, Vice President, Insurance Research at Conning. "Workers' Compensation premiums have been rising for the past six years as well, boosted by growth in payrolls from the expanding economy. However, these stellar results are not likely to continue, as 2016 rate filings indicate a softening market in the face of rising medical costs."

The Conning study, "Record Profitability in Workers' Compensation Insurance: Strategies for Continued Success" analyzes performance data over ten years for the national multilines, regionals, state funds, and specialist Workers' Compensation Insurers separately to identify the long term outperformers. The study also presents findings from Conning's 2016 Workers' Compensation Survey sent to a cross-section of the industry.

"Workers' Compensation insurers have seen substantial improvements in recent performance thanks to years-long focus on safety and loss prevention programs, medical loss containment and return-to work initiatives," said Steve Webersen, Head of Insurance Research at Conning. "While these have all benefited the industry, it is increasingly clear that workers' compensation insurers are now facing a turn in fortune. We see pressures in investment income, the rate environment and medical costs driving a significant deterioration in combined ratio performance over the next few years. Those workers' compensation insurers that will focus on protecting underwriting performance above growth will fare best in the coming years."

"Record Profitability in Workers' Compensation Insurance: Strategies for Continued Success" is available for purchase from Conning by calling (888) 707-1177 or by visiting www.conningresearch.com.

ABOUT CONNING

Conning (www.conning.com) is a leading global investment management firm with more than $105 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2016.* With a long history of serving the insurance industry, Conning supports institutional investors, including pension plans, with investment solutions and asset management offerings, award-winning risk modeling software, and industry research. Founded in 1912, Conning has offices in Boston, Cologne, Hartford, Hong Kong, London, New York, and Tokyo.

*Asset total includes Conning, Inc., Conning Asset Management Limited, Conning Asia Pacific Limited, Goodwin Capital Advisers, Inc., Conning Investment Products, Inc. and Octagon Credit Investors, LLC which are all direct or indirect subsidiaries of Conning Holdings Limited (collectively "Conning") which is one of the family of companies owned by Cathay Financial Holding Co., Ltd. a Taiwan-based company.

[C4919502]

SOURCE Conning

Related Links

http://www.conningresearch.com


Since 2006, Project Health has delivered more than $112 million worth of free health care services to nearly 872,000 people, many of whom are uninsured or underinsured, demonstrating the continuing need for these critical services.

"Despite the increased number of Americans who have become insured over the past five years, there are still barriers to quality care, such as cost and access, for many patients," said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health. "Project Health is part of CVS Health's commitment to improving access to quality care by identifying health concerns and risk factors for participants who may not have otherwise sought preventative care."

Project Health offers an array of free comprehensive health risk assessments, including blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), glucose and total cholesterol screenings. Once screened, CVS Pharmacy helps patients through on-site consultations with bilingual (English/Spanish) nurse practitioners or physician assistants who will analyze results and refer patients who require additional medical attention to no-cost or low-cost medical facilities nearby or to their primary care physician. CVS pharmacists are also available to conduct one-on-one medication reviews and answer any questions patients may have.

"The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) applauds CVS Health on their Project Health initiative," said Kevin Counihan, Director and Marketplace Chief Executive Officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. "We thank them for their continued commitment to providing free health screenings and educational materials ensuring better health for many Americans."

Over the past 10 years, high rates of certain treatable conditions among Project Health participants have been identified, including:

53 percent were found to be overweight or obese

38 percent had abnormal blood pressure readings

26 percent had abnormal glucose readings

37 percent were found to have abnormal cholesterol levels

Project Health events, held in markets with large multicultural populations, are open to all consumers regardless of race, gender or insurance status and do not require an appointment. Current locations include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Project Health events are also being held at select CVS Pharmacy stores in Puerto Rico through November on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m.  4 p.m.

U.S. Project Health events will be held from 2 p.m.  6 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at select CVS Pharmacy locations, with no appointment needed. For a full calendar of Project Health events, visit www.cvs.com/projecthealth (in Spanish: www.cvs.com/proyectosalud).

About CVS Health

CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,600 retail pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 80 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

Media Contact

Mary Alfieri

[email protected]

401-770-9811

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SOURCE CVS Health

Related Links

http://www.cvshealth.com


DALLAS, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Dallas-Fort Worth Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half shows 14 percent of Dallas-Fort Worth CFOs expect their company to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 69 percent plan to hire for open roles.

CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time, professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:

Dallas/Fort Worth CFO Hiring Predictions



Sept. 2016  Feb. 2017* March 2016  Aug. 2016 Expanding  adding new positions 14% 16% Maintaining  only filling vacated positions 69% 71% Freezing  not filling vacated positions or creating new ones 13% 10% Reducing  eliminating positions 3% 2% Don't know/no answer 0% 1%

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

View an infographic featuring the survey results.

Recruiting Challenges

Sixty percent of Dallas-Fort Worth CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today. This compares to 59 percent in the previous six months.

Dallas-Fort Worth executives (35 percent) also said finding skilled workers is their greatest staffing challenge.

"Finding the right person for the job can still be difficult, as the supply of skilled talent in Dallas remains sparse," said Mark Malone, senior regional vice president for Robert Half in Dallas. "Professionals who are in high demand are likely fielding multiple offers, so prolonging the hiring process could mean losing out on top talent. My advice to employers is to value the candidate's time as you would your own. And if you're ready to put an offer on the table, do it sooner rather than later."

Business Confidence

According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Dallas-Fort Worth CFOs are optimistic about their company's growth. Ninety-four percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their company's prospects in the next six months.

About the Professional Employment Forecast

The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology.

About Robert Half

Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company, based in Menlo Park, California, has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. Additional insights on the latest hiring trends also can be found in the company's just-released 2017 Salary Guides. For more career and management insights, visit roberthalf.com/dallas-ft-worth.

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SOURCE Robert Half

Related Links

http://www.roberthalf.com


JAKARTA, Indonesia, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Business & Charter Aviation Summit, Jakarta, September 7-8

Dassault Aviation will highlight the expanding popularity of its Falcon Jet business aircraft line among Southeast Asian operators at this year's Indonesian Business & Charter Aviation Summit, which begins on September 7.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/823024 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120925/564526-a )



Falcon Jets are tailor made for the demanding operating conditions of the region, in particular their great versatility, their airport performance and their unique long/short haul capability, which allows them to make a quick hop to a nearby destination with a full load of fuel before continuing on to a far off destination in Europe, Africa or the Americas.

This is particularly true of Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands spanning a distance greater than the continental U.S. for which aviation is the only feasible means of travel. Although commercial aviation is quite developed, many destinations are under served and hard to get to except by private jet.

There are already a large number of small to medium sized business aircraft serving the Indonesian market, but operators are more and more eager to move up to large cabin and longer range jets.

Indonesia is currently the fastest growing business aviation market in Southeast Asia, with a double-digit growth rate, and the second largest fleet in the region after Singapore.

"We see enormous potential for our new Falcon 8X in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, the region's largest economy," says Jean-Michel Jacob, president of the Dassault Aviation subsidiary for the Asia Pacific. "The Indonesian business community has substantial domestic and overseas travel requirements. Operating a business jet gives them more flexibility and allows them to make more efficient use of their time."

More than 100 Falcons are currently in service in Southeast Asia and the Asia/Pacific region, including all in-production models, from the very long range Falcon 7X to the Falcon 2000LXS/S widebody twins and the long range 900LX.

These aircraft will be joined soon by the Falcon 8X ultra long range trijet, which was awarded US and European Aviation Safety Agency certification last June and will enter service in the coming weeks. The 6,450 nm/11,945 km Falcon 8X will feature the same advanced technologies and exceptional short-field performance, operating economy and quietness as the revolutionary Falcon 7X from which it is derived. It will also offer the longest cabin of any Falcon and the largest selection of standard cabin configurations on any large business jet, including an optional shower capability.

The 8X will connect regional capitals like Jakarta and Singapore to most destinations in Europe non stop. Moreover, the aircraft's three engine design will permit it to fly more direct routes over water, meaning even greater time savings for business travelers.

Reinforcing After-Market Support

To ensure optimum support for its growing fleet, Dassault continues to reinforce its after sales support network in Southeast Asia. It recently expanded spares capacity at its Singapore warehouse, helping boost regional inventory to nearly $35 million, including the top 3,500 top demand parts for in production aircraft.

A Model to Fit Every Requirement

The Falcon fleet is designed to meet the full range of operator needs. In addition to its advanced systems, largely derived from military aircraft, the 5,950 nm/11,000 km Falcon 7X features an ultra-comfortable, roomy interior that allows passengers to disembark fresh and relaxed after a 13 hour flight.

The Falcon 2000LXS and S are Dassault's new short field champions. The 4,000nm/7,410km LXS can access more airports than any other aircraft in its category, while the 3,350 nm/6,205 km Falcon 2000S affords large cabin comfort and economics that were previously unheard of in the super mid-size segment.

The 4,750 nm/8,800 km Falcon 900LX trijet combines long range and low-speed landing capability with exceptional hot-and-high performance. It is the most efficient airplane in its class, with a fuel burn up to 40% lower than any comparable aircraft.

Notes for Editors

Dassault Falcon is the recognized global brand for Dassault business jets which are designed, manufactured and supported by Dassault Aviation and Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

About Dassault Aviation

Dassault Aviation is a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 90 countries across five continents. It produces the Rafale fighter jet as well as the complete line of Falcons. The company employs a workforce of over 11,000 and has assembly and production plants in both France and the United States and service facilities around the globe. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, over 2,400 Falcon jets have been delivered. Dassault offers a range of six business jets from the twin-engine 3,350 nm large-cabin Falcon 2000S to its new flagship, the tri-engine 6,450 nm ultra-long range Falcon 8X.

About Dassault Falcon Jet

Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, France. Dassault Falcon Jet markets and supports the Falcon family of business jets throughout North and South America.

Follow us on Twitter: @DassaultFalcon

Follow us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/MyFalconJet

Photos

Copy and paste the link into your browser to access the high resolution photos: http://www.falconphotogallery.com

For more information about Dassault Falcon business jets, visit:

http://www.dassaultfalcon.com

Press Contacts



Stephanie Desmas

Marketing, Communication & Events Manager Dassault Aviation Austral-Asia [email protected]

Mobile: (+86)152 1040 3964



Leithen Francis

Francis & Low (on behalf of Dassault Falcon)

[email protected]

Mobile: (+65) 9880 1482



SOURCE Dassault Aviation
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DataDirect Networks (DDN) today announced that the University of Queensland has deployed DDN high-performance storage solutions to improve data access between its main campus and its off-site data center. Leveraging DDN GRIDScaler parallel file system appliances integrated with IBM Spectrum Scale (built upon GPFS), the Australian research university has rolled out an innovative new data storage fabric that spans both the main campus and its off-site data center, known as MeDiCI (the metropolitan data caching infrastructure), and allows users to access data regardless of where it resides quickly and easily  no additional user involvement is required.

Known for its leading research in fields ranging from genetics and genomics to environmental engineering and water management, the University of Queensland facilitates collaborative partnerships and engagements with geographically dispersed researchers across its various locations to integrate research capacity and accelerate time to discovery. To support its research, the University uses QRIScloud, a high-capacity cloud storage node of the NCRIS national research infrastructure operated by QCIF. QRIScloud is located at the Polaris Data Center in Springfield, Australia about 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of the University's St Lucia Campus. QRIScloud and the University's data storage fabric are interconnected and designed to exchange stored data automatically. Before implementing the high-performance data storage fabric, exchanging data between QRIScloud and on-campus data centers was handled manually  a suboptimal use of busy researchers' time.

"The University's researchers are making landmark discoveries in fields spanning human heritable disease, cancer, agriculture and biofuels manufacture  and they depend on our IT team to provide them with the fastest, most efficient data storage and compute systems to support their data-heavy work," said Professor David Abramson, University of Queensland Research Computing Center director. "Our IBM, SGI (DMF) and DDN-based data fabric allows us to deliver ultra-fast multi-site data access without requiring any extra intervention from researchers and helps us to ensure our scientists can focus their time on potentially life-saving discoveries."

Tweet this: With @IBM and @DDN_Limitless high-performance #storage, @UQ speeds off-site data access http://bit.ly/2clJV6n #HPC

Since 2007, DDN has worked with IBM to drive a technology vision providing data intensive environments with the best solutions to cost-effectively manage their data while actively deriving value and business benefit from the storage content. Partnering with IBM, DDN's innovation is delivering best of class forward-thinking solutions for data analytics, chip design, bioinformatics and genomics; financial services risk calculations, computational fluid dynamics, computer aided design and seismic processing.

In data centers such as the University of Queensland and others across the globe, data analytics, cloud computing and open source software integration are taking center stage. Solutions from DDN and IBM provide the software-defined storage layer and high performance hardware necessary to keep pace with today's rapidly growing data demands.

DDN offers IBM Spectrum Scale as an integrated part of its GRIDScaler high-performance NAS solutions. DDN GRIDScaler solutions include a wide range of value-add features unique to DDN that expand on core IBM Spectrum Scale functionality, including in-storage processing that can reduce application latency by more than 50 percent and tiering to DDN WOS Object Storage.

DDN offers the deep technical knowledge to design, deploy and support the most optimized IBM Spectrum Scale solutions delivering best in class industry price/throughput, price/performance and price/capacity, while allowing users the benefit of their field architecture experience in deploying:

GRIDScaler/IBM Spectrum Scale production systems with 30+ PB in single namespace;

One of the largest IBM Spectrum Scale production clusters on the globe with 10,000+ nodes; and

Highly optimized appliances that deliver greater than 400 GB/s throughput to a single file system.

With the latest releases of GRIDScaler and IBM Spectrum Scale, DDN is now able to provide additional new features and capabilities including support for both Omni-Path and 100GigE, new archiving options that extend parallel file system storage to both local and remote object storage via DDN WOS and S3 targets, and new GUI options that simplify usability across a wide range of high performance storage systems.

About The University of Queensland

The University of Queensland is one of Australia's leading teaching and research universities, ranking in the world's top universities as measured by key independent rankings. UQ is one of only three Australian members of the global Universitas 21; a founding member of the Group of Eight (Go8) universities; a member of Universities Australia; and one of only two Australian charter members of the prestigious edX consortium, the world's leading not-for-profit consortium of massive open online courses (MOOCs). Our greatest assets are our 236,000 graduates, who include a Nobel Laureate, the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, an Academy Award winner, and leaders in government, law, science, public service, the arts and sport. Across our three campuses in South-East Queensland, more than 50,000 students study at UQ, including more than 13,800 postgraduates and approximately 12,600 international students from 140 countries. UQ has one of Australia's largest PhD enrolments and has graduated more than 12,350 PhDs. Through a strong focus on teaching excellence, UQ has won more Australian Awards for University Teaching than any other university in the country, and attracts the majority of Queensland's highest academic achievers as well as top interstate and overseas students. It has established nine research institutes, many with a multidisciplinary focus, and is a partner in the Translational Research Institute (TRI)  an Australian first that represents the future in biomedical research. For a breakdown of UQ's international rankings, please visit uq.edu.au/research/research-at-uq/world-rankings.

About DDN

DataDirect Networks (DDN) is the world's leading big data storage supplier to data-intensive, global organizations. For more than 15 years, DDN has designed, developed, deployed and optimized systems, software and storage solutions that enable enterprises, service providers, universities and government agencies to generate more value and to accelerate time to insight from their data and information, on premise and in the cloud. Organizations leverage the power of DDN storage technology and the deep technical expertise of its team to capture, store, process, analyze, collaborate and distribute data, information and content at largest scale in the most efficient, reliable and cost effective manner. DDN customers include many of the world's leading financial services firms and banks, healthcare and life science organizations, manufacturing and energy companies, government and research facilities, and web and cloud service providers. For more information, go to www.ddn.com or call 1-800-837-2298, and follow DDN via Blog, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Media Contacts:

DDN

Michael King

Sr. Director of Marketing

Email: [email protected]

Work: 408-419-2892

IGNITE Consulting, on behalf of DDN

Linda Dellett, 303-439-9398

Kathleen Sullivan, 303-439-9365

[email protected]

2016 All rights reserved. DDN Storage, DDN, GRIDScaler and WOS are trademarks owned by DataDirect Networks. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE DataDirect Networks (DDN)

Related Links

http://www.ddn.com


DENVER, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Denver Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half shows 12 percent of Denver CFOs expect their company to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 74 percent plan to hire for open roles.

CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time, professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:

Denver CFO Hiring Predictions



Sept. 2016  Feb. 2017* March 2016  Aug. 2016* Expanding  adding new positions 12% 14% Maintaining  only filling vacated positions 74% 76% Freezing  not filling vacated positions or creating new ones 11% 8% Reducing  eliminating positions 2% 1%

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

View an infographic featuring the survey results.

Recruiting Challenges

Sixty-three percent of Denver CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today.

Denver executives (33 percent) also cited maintaining employee morale and productivity as an additional challenge when hiring and managing staff.

"The Denver hiring market is robust, and as far as industry growth, it's really across the board," said Karen Policastro, senior regional vice president of Robert Half in Denver. "Companies are facing a shortage of skilled candidates and a very competitive market, which means they need to be ready to make an attractive offer, especially when hiring for positions that require specialized expertise."

Business Confidence

According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Denver CFOs are optimistic about their company's growth. Ninety-four percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their company's prospects in the next six months.

About the Professional Employment Forecast

The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Denver area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology.

About Robert Half

Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company, based in Menlo Park, California, has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. Additional insights on the latest hiring trends also can be found in the company's just-released 2017 Salary Guides. For more career and management insights, visit roberthalf.com/denver.

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SOURCE Robert Half

Related Links

http://www.roberthalf.com




Sept. 2016  Feb. 2017 March 2016  Aug. 2016* Expanding  adding new positions 15% 12% Maintaining  only filling vacated positions 69% 69% Freezing  not filling vacated positions or creating new ones 14% 15% Reducing  eliminating positions 2% 3%

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

View an infographic featuring the survey results.

Recruiting Challenges

Fifty-five percent of Des Moines CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today. This compares to 52 percent in the previous six months.

Des Moines executives (36 percent) also cited maintaining employee morale and productivity as an additional challenge when hiring and managing staff.

"Now more than ever, Des Moines employers realize the importance of streamlining the hiring process, updating compensation and modifying their benefits programs," said Mike Gremmer, regional vice president for Robert Half in Des Moines. "There's strong demand for professionals with internal audit, information technology audit and Sarbanes-Oxley audit skills, as well as those with exceptional communication and critical-thinking abilities. Many top candidates are receiving multiple offers and counteroffers, and, as a result, employers need to focus on speed to hire and the onboarding process."

Business Confidence

According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Des Moines CFOs are optimistic about their company's growth. Ninety-two percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their company's prospects in the next six months.

About the Professional Employment Forecast

The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Des Moines area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology.

About Robert Half

Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company, based in Menlo Park, California, has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. Additional insights on the latest hiring trends also can be found in the company's just-released 2017 Salary Guides. For more career and management insights, visit roberthalf.com/des-moines.

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SOURCE Robert Half

Related Links

http://www.roberthalf.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday afternoon, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will speak at the 11th annual Values Voter Summit, an event that draws thousands of grassroots activists to the nation's capital. The next day, Vice Presidential Candidate Mike Pence will address the Summit. This will be the first time a GOP presidential ticket has addressed the event. Both major party nominees have been invited to make their case to social conservative voters.

"As the 2016 presidential election approaches, there is a growing realization among voters that the future of our freedoms and even our identity as Americans hangs in the balance. I am certain that Donald Trump and Mike Pence will underscore not only the importance of this election, but the important role conservative Christian voters have in influencing the outcome of the November election. The fact that this is the first GOP presidential ticket to attend since the Summit's inception in 2006, demonstrates an understanding of the importance of values voters in the general election and a desire to work with them in addressing the critical issues facing our nation," said Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins.

Confirmed speakers also include Senators Tim Scott and James Lankford, along with Governor Matt Bevin, and U.S. Reps. John Fleming, Jim Jordan, Marsha Blackburn, and Louie Gohmert. Additionally, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, Dr. James Dobson, actor Jon Voight, actor Kirk Cameron, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Oliver North, Duck Dynasty's Al Robertson, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Allen West, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Lt. General (Ret.) Jerry Boykin, Sebastian Gorka, Philip Haney, and Zuhdi Jasser are among many other speakers to address attendees.

The 11th annual Values Voter Summit will be held from September 9-11 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. FRC Action's Values Voter Summit is co-sponsored by AFA Action, American Values, First Liberty Institute, The D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship, United in Purpose, 2nd Vote, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, and Family Research Council. An exhibit hall, book signings, radio row, media row, and much more will be packed into this three-day conference.

On Saturday evening, FRC will present the Vision and Leadership Award to Dr. Bill Bennett at the Faith, Family, and Freedom Gala dinner. Governor Doug Ducey, Senator Tom Cotton, and Fox News' Kimberly Guilfoyle will be speaking in honor of Dr. Bennett at the gala dinner.

For a schedule and more information on this year's Values Voter Summit, please visit: http://www.valuesvotersummit.org/

SOURCE Family Research Council Action
DOHA, Qatar, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A global expert in maritime security, Captain John J. Driscoll has been officially confirmed as a speaker at the 2016 Qatar Maritime Security - Coastal and Border Surveillance Conference (QMARSEC). Captain Driscoll's participation in this event reflects the confidence and support that this relatively young event is already enjoying from major militaries, notably the United States.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404579

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Captain John J Driscoll is Commodore  United States Coast Guard, Patrol Forces Southwest Asia. Previously, he completed a tour as Chief, Drug and Migrant Interdiction, Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

At sea, Captain Driscoll has commanded Coast Guard Cutters THETIS (WMEC 910), NANTUCKET (WPB 1316) and MATAGORDA (WPB 1303). Other afloat assignments include tours as Officer in Charge of a Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET); as Supply and then Operations Officer in USCGC MIDGETT (WHEC 726) highlighted by a 1999 deployment to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf as part of the USS CONSTELLATION Carrier Battle Group; and as Executive Officer aboard USCGC MOHAWK (WMEC 913) when the ship's major accomplishments included the response to the disaster caused by the earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti, and MOHAWK's deployment to Africa as part of the African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP).

Captain Driscoll holds a Bachelor's Degree in History from the Virginia Military Institute and a Master's Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College. Captain Driscoll is the first Coast Guard graduate of the United States Navy's Maritime Advanced Warfighting School.

QMARSEC 2016 is Qatar's Largest Maritime Security Conference and promises to be one of the highlights of the year, attracting delegates from all over the world to engage in discussions on the theme 'The Future of Automatic Identification System (AIS) Technologies and the Use of Unmanned Systems for Maritime Domain Awareness'.

"This conference is a magnificent opportunity for those of us involved in day-to-day maritime security operations to share our knowledge and experiences for our common benefit" said Captain Driscoll. "By learning from each other, we grow in understanding and catalyze great leaps forward  especially in terms of the technology we employ  to achieve our goals in a safer, more efficient manner."

The Conference host, Staff Brigadier (Pilot) Mohammed A. AL-Mannai  Director, Qatar National Security Shield Project  said: "I'm personally very excited to announce Captain Driscoll as one of our expert presenters for QMARSEC 2016." "His experience is second-to-none and I know that many of our delegates are very much looking forward to his unique insights".

Mr. Matthew Cochran, Chairman and CEO of Defense Services Marketing Council (DSMC) said, of the announcement: "Captain Driscoll is a global leader in maritime security and his participation is a huge personal vote of support for QMARSEC 2016, as well as a strong signal of support from the United States Military."

Delegates are now formally invited to register to attend QMARSEC 2016. Spaces for this prestigious conference are limited. Registration is available via the Conference website: http://www.qmarsec.com/

For more information, please visit the QMARSEC website at: http://www.qmarsec.com/

Press Contact:

Name: Ms. Barbara Figueroa

Email

Phone: +971505597883

Company: DSMC

DSMC is a marketing incubator organization that accelerates the growth of international Defense, Space & Security industry-related companies.

SOURCE Defense Services Marketing Council [DSMC]

Related Links

http://www.qmarsec.com


HUNTINGDON, England, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

IT solutions, cloud and managed services provider EACS has been awarded a place on the G-Cloud 8 framework, enabling the company to offer a range of services through the Government's Digital Marketplace. This is the first time the company has applied to a public procurement framework, although around 15 per cent of its clients are in the public sector. These range from government agencies and local councils to hospitals, emergency services and housing associations, including Coventry City Council, Essex Police and Circle Housing Group.

EACS services available through G-Cloud include infrastructure, systems management and end user computing, plus a range of training services.

Based in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, EACS is a 17 million turnover company with more than 100 staff and partnerships with many of the leading IT vendors. The company has a strong customer education ethos, running 'Optimise IT' conferences around the UK every year which attract several hundred attendees and include dedicated sessions on the challenges facing the public sector.

"We believe G-Cloud has now come of age, with a growing interest in cloud across the public sector, and as our range of cloud services and skills have also matured this was the right time to join the framework," said Mike Dearlove, EACS Managing Director. "We're large enough to have the in-depth experience public sector clients require, while being small enough to respond quickly to their needs, bringing the SME agility and creativity which the framework was designed to provide."

"75% of our clients have been with us for more than five years - not because we tie them into contracts, but because they like the way we work and believe we're the right people to help them achieve their aims while transferring skills to their in-house team."

About EACS

Founded in 1994, EACS is an award-winning provider of IT solutions and managed services, trusted by over 600 UK customers. It supplies businesses of all sizes with practical, innovative and cost-effective IT products and solutions including end-user computing, infrastructure, cloud computing and systems management. Services range from ad-hoc consultancy, support and training through to fully-managed or hosted IT systems.

www.eacs.com

SOURCE EACS
Edaville USA is partnering with Plymouth Country Sherriff Department, The New England Center for Children (NECC), WSBE Rhode Island PBS and other organizations to ensure families will have a fun-filled weekend. Activities will include a K9 Show and fingerprinting with the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department, giveaways from NECC and WBSE Rhode Island PBS, and more. All attendees will experience a quieter, yet fun, engaging visit at Edaville experiencing all of the park's three adventures in one: Edaville Proper , Thomas Land , Dino Land . Families will enjoy rides and attractions in Edaville Proper, Thomas Land, and Dino Land, from Harold's Lift-Off to "Big Eli" the Ferris Wheel to Pet Dinosaur Meet & Greet.

"As a mom of a son with special needs, I know that many families like ours shy away from amusement parks so I'm thrilled we are hosting Edaville USA's First Annual Autism Weekend," said Cherie Daly, Operations Manager & Special Needs Specialist of Edaville USA. "The special weekend will be fun for everyone, while showcasing the many unique accommodations for children with disabilities that set Edaville apart from most parks."

Edaville USA offers accommodations including a quiet room filled with blocks, books and toys for kids to unwind, safe areas for kids to run around, and a quiet train car on the Thomas the Tank Engine ride.

Visit www.Edaville.com for a full calendar of upcoming events and to purchase tickets in advance.

About Edaville USA

Edaville USA is home to three adventures in one park: Edaville Proper, Thomas Land (which opened in 2015), Dino Land (seasonal) and Christmas Festival of Lights (seasonal). The park has more than 90 rides and attractions after recent significant expansions. Edaville USA features a wide range of fun activities including its well-known old-fashioned train rides through scenic New England cranberry bogs, the new high-flying Winston's Skyline Express, 23 life size animatronic dinosaurs and much more. Edaville USA also has accommodations for children with special needs including quiet rooms, safe areas and a quiet car. Edaville USA is also offering guests a sneak-preview of the newest expansion, Dickens Village, which is expected to open Winter 2016. For more information and to purchase advance tickets, go to www.Edaville.com.

About Rhode Island PBS

WSBE Rhode Island PBS is operated by the Rhode Island PBS Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. WSBE Rhode Island PBS is a viewer-supported member of the PBS network of public broadcasting stations, and uses the power of noncommercial media to educate, engage, enrich, inspire, and entertain viewers of all ages in Rhode Island, southeastern Massachusetts, and eastern Connecticut since 1967. WSBE-TV delivers content on three channels: Rhode Island PBS (digital 36.1), Learn (digital 36.2), and Spanish-language content on Vme (36.3). For more information about programs and education services at WSBE, visit www.ripbs.org.

Media contact:

Melissa Garabedian

451 Marketing

[email protected]

617-986-6457

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SOURCE Edaville USA

Related Links

http://www.Edaville.com


TSX: ELD NYSE: EGO

VANCOUVER, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Eldorado Gold Corporation, ("Eldorado" or "the Company") is hosting an Analyst Day, where the plans for continued sustainable growth, comprehensive technical sessions, an exploration program review, and an outline of its 2020 financial and operational targets are to be presented. Eldorado remains focused on its four strategic pillars: quality assets, operational excellence, accountability, and capital discipline.

Highlights of the topics to be presented today include:

Turkey: Kisladag Expansion

Plans to proceed with the expansion to crush 20 million tonnes a year (from the current 12.5 million tonnes per year).

With completion forecasted in 2018, the Company expects to produce between 310,000  320,000 ounces of gold per year through 2020 at average cash costs of $490 per ounce.

per ounce. Remaining capital for the expansion is budgeted at $63 million , to be spent over a two year implementation period.

Greece: Olympias:

Parameters around Phase 2, targeting initial production in the first quarter 2017. Production during this Phase will average approximately 72,000 ounces of gold, with cash costs during the first full five years expected to range between $180 and $350 due to significant by-product credits.

targeting initial production in the first quarter 2017. Production during this Phase will average approximately 72,000 ounces of gold, with cash costs during the first full five years expected to range between due to significant by-product credits. The capital cost associated with the final stages of Phase 2 construction are estimated at $101 million .

. Parameters around Phase 3 are under development with the engineering ongoing.

Greece: Skouries

Decision to develop Skouries in a two phased approach .

. Phase 1 : a combination of open pit and underground mining over 9 years, producing a total of 1.4 million ounces of gold and 620 million pounds of copper (or 2.8 million gold equivalent ounces), at average cash costs of - $255 per ounce due to the copper by-product credits. Total development capital over the life of this phase is budgeted at $710 million and includes all mine development and process facilities.

: a combination of open pit and underground mining over 9 years, producing a total of 1.4 million ounces of gold and 620 million pounds of copper (or 2.8 million gold equivalent ounces), at average cash costs of - per ounce due to the copper by-product credits. Total development capital over the life of this phase is budgeted at and includes all mine development and process facilities. Phase 2: preliminary analysis shows underground mining over the next 15 year period once Phase 1 is complete. Total gold production during this phase is expected to be an additional 1.7 million ounces, at average cash costs of $165 per ounce due to the copper by-product credits. Total development capital over the life of this phase is expected to be approximately $460 million .

Brazil: Tocantinzhino

Average annual gold production is planned at approximately 170,000 ounces at cash costs of approximately $535 per ounce, with initial production planned for 2019. Total development capital costs are estimated at $464 million and conditional upon Eldorado Board of Directors approval, construction will commence in 2017.

Financial Outlook

The Company's financial flexibility is expected to grow, with over $1 billion in total liquidity expected for year-end 2016 post the close of the previously announced Chinese asset sale transactions. The Company's approach to capital investments remains prudent, and the funds are currently being allocated to the robust internal growth pipeline.

2017 Outlook

Mine Production (Au oz) Cash Costs

($/oz) Sustaining Capital

Expenditure ($M) Kisladag 240,000  265,000 $450  500 $50 - 60 Efemcukuru 95,000 - 105,000 $525  575 $15  20 Olympias 40,000 - 50,000 $425 - 475 $15  20 Total 375,000 - 420,000 $450 - 500 $80 - 100

2017 Capital Expenditure ($M) Kisladag Development $35 - 45 Skouries Development $240 - 260 Tocantinzhino Development $95 - 105 Olympias Development $30-40 Certej Development $10 - 15 Stratoni $10  15 Total Development $420-480 Total Capitalized Exploration $10 Total Sustaining $80-100 Total Capital Budget $500-580

2020 Targets

Gold production is expected to increase by 110% over 2017 totals (approximately 400,000 ounces of gold) to over 830,000 ounces in 2020.

All-in sustaining cash costs to decline to under $650 per ounce.

Assumptions

Long term outlook assumes $1,300 per ounces gold, $18.00 per ounce silver, $6,000 per tonne copper, $2,000 per tonne lead, $2,000 per tonne zinc.

per ounces gold, per ounce silver, per tonne copper, per tonne lead, per tonne zinc. Rates to the US$: 2.9 TRL ; 3.75 BRL ; 1.15 EU; 1.25 CAD .

Materials

All presentation materials are available for download at www.eldoradogold.com. Hardcopies may also be requested by contacting 1-888-353-8166.

About Eldorado Gold

Eldorado is a leading low cost gold producer with mining, development and exploration operations in Turkey, China, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Brazil. The Company's success to date is based on a low cost strategy, a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, safe and responsible operations, and long-term partnerships with the communities where it operates. Eldorado's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: ELD) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: EGO).

Qualified Person

Paul Skayman, Chief Operating Officer of Eldorado Gold Corporation, is the "Qualified Person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators who has reviewed, approved and verified the scientific and technical information herein.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made herein may contain forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "targets", "targeted", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information herein include, but are not limited to the proposed use of the funds anticipated from the sale of the Company's Chinese assets, information with respect to our strategy, plans, goals and outlook for our properties, including expansions and production, our future financial and operating performance and targets, and our proposed mine development and exploration and other events.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking statements and information, including assumptions about closing of both Chinese sale transactions, including liability and timing of meeting the closing conditions, the political and economic environment that we operate in, the future price of commodities, anticipated costs and expenses and impact of the disposition on the business. Even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the following: closing of the transactions not occurring or delayed, political, economic, environmental and permitting risks, gold price volatility, discrepancies between actual and estimated production, estimated mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries, mining operational and development risks, litigation risks, regulatory restrictions, including environmental and permitting regulatory restrictions and liabilities, internal and external approval risks, risks of sovereign investment, risks related to advancing the Chinese monetization process, currency fluctuations, speculative nature of gold exploration, global economic climate, dilution, share price volatility, competition, loss of key employees, additional funding requirements, and defective title to mineral claims or property, as well as those factors discussed in the sections entitled "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form & Form 40-F dated March 30, 2016.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward-looking statements and information continually as conditions change and you are referred to the full discussion of the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the U.S.

All forward-looking statements and information contained herein are qualified by this cautionary statement.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors:

Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources - The terms "mineral reserve", "proven mineral reserve" and "probable mineral reserve" referred to in the Company's disclosure are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council as amended from time to time by the CIM. These definitions differ from the definitions in the United States Securities & Exchange Commission ("SEC") Guide 7. Under SEC Guide 7 standards, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historic average price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority.

The terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource", "inferred mineral resource" used in the Company's disclosure are Canadian mining terms used in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the CIM Standards. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

While the terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource," "indicated mineral resource", and "inferred mineral resource" are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, they are not defined terms under standards in the United States and normally are not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. As such, information contained in the Company's disclosure concerning descriptions of mineralization and resources under Canadian standards may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S companies in SEC filings. With respect to "inferred mineral resource" there is a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and a great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves.

SOURCE Eldorado Gold Corporation
HOUSTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Emerus, the nation's first and largest operator of micro-hospitals, is the partner of choice to leading health systems across the nation. Its model of capital-efficient health care facilities combines patient empathy and operational efficiencies with clinical excellence to deliver health care innovations.

The fast-growing company has incorporated a new paradigm into patient care that has significantly improved access to health care for thousands of people, many of whom live in underserved areas where high quality, patient-centric, acute episodic and ambulatory clinical services are needed most.

"Our joint venture agreements allow us to provide a better patient experience by bringing together the brand and regional reputation of the nation's leading health systems with our proven expertise in managing costs and furthering the continuum of care," said Dr. Toby Hamilton, CEO of Emerus.

"We offer an industry-leading comprehensive, integrated health care delivery system by incorporating advances in medical technology with emergency medicine to help respond to emergency visits faster, and shorten inpatient stays," he said.

The company already has joint venture agreements in place with award-winning health systems such as Baptist Health System, Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican, BaylorScott&White, SCL Health, The Hospitals of Providence and Trinity Mother Frances, with more planned across the nation. Through these partnerships, Emerus designs and builds micro-hospitals closer to patients' homes to put more care and best-in-class provider services into the communities they serve.

The Emerus concept has created an escalating industry trend, as leading health systems choose to partner with Emerus, in part, because its micro-hospitals serve as ideal entry points into markets where demand would not support a full-scale hospital.

"As we talk with health systems across the country, we continue to hear of their need to fill access gaps and expand their network of branded clinical services into the communities they serve, while also being disciplined with the deployment of capital," said Scott Mackesy, co-head of health care industry investments for Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe  a leading health care investment firm that made a significant strategic investment in Emerus in 2015.

"We believe Emerus is a natural and experienced partner and solution for these systems  they are extremely strong operationally, clinically and financially," Mackesy said.

These 24/7, small-scale, fully licensed inpatient facilities range from 15,000 to 50,000 square feet. They house between eight and 10 inpatient beds for observation and short-stay use, a similar number of emergency treatment and triage rooms, along with primary and specialty care physicians and other outpatient clinical services co-located in the same building as the micro-hospital. Each facility is organized around the patient and family, serving a large portion of the health and wellness needs closer to home.

The Emerus concept includes a commitment to serving patients in the right way, at the right time and in the right place  the first time. This allows Emerus and its partners to work with patients across the care continuum, while they are healthy to keep them healthy, providing a level of compassionate care and support typically not found at larger hospitals or urgent care centers.

Among the features of Emerus micro-hospitals:

Integrated into the health system  allowing for care coordination, consultation and seamless transition across the care continuum, including activating cardiac and neuro teams from our local locations

Inpatient bed capacity  allowing patients to stay closer to home when admissions/recoveries are needed

Primary care physicians and other outpatient ambulatory clinical services on site  ensuring that patients get to the right place the first time

Accept all patients without regard to insurance or ability to pay, including Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare

Fully licensed as a hospital and subject to all hospital conditions of participation and regulatory requirements

In-network facilities

Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

"We are not only striving to improve access to health care, we are expanding to respond to the need for care in areas where health care services are lacking and where patients experience long wait times before receiving care," Hamilton said.

Emerus already operates 18 micro-hospitals across the nation, with more than 20 additional locations currently under development in new and existing markets to respond to the growing need.

"By partnering with leading health system brands, patients know they will receive premier medical care from doctors and staff they can trust, right in their own communities," Hamilton said.

ABOUT EMERUS

Emerus is the nation's first and largest operator of micro-hospitals. Emerus partners with leading health systems to provide excellence, empathy and innovation in health care delivery through a network of efficient, value-based micro-hospitals. The Emerus network brings high-quality, patient-centric acute episodic and ambulatory clinical services to communities across a given market. This helps patients by positioning best-in-class provider services in the communities where they work, live and play. Based in The Woodlands, Texas, Emerus' distinctive level of care earned the Guardian of Excellence Award for Superior Patient Experience in 2013, 2014 and 2015. More information is available at www.emerus.com.

CONTACT:

Richard Bonnin, 713-637-1261

[email protected]

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SOURCE Emerus

Related Links

http://htpp://www.emerus.com


CHEYENNE, Wyo., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FBEC Worldwide, Inc. (OTC-PINK: FBEC) a lifestyle brand company with a focus on Healthy Hemp & CBD infused consumer products, is pleased to announce that it has received a purchase order for 35,000 units of WolfShot from Four Link USA, Inc. for distribution within the Northeast USA. Four Link will be placing WolfShot within multiple convenience stores within the northeast including 7-11 & ShopRite.

CEO Jeff Greene stated "This is a great step forward for FBEC. The WolfShot brand will finally be getting the exposure it deserves. We are currently hard at work to get more purchase orders within other regions of the USA as we make a hard push for our WolfShot brand of Healthy Hemp Energy Shots. We will be putting out an 8k shortly to include the full details of this purchase order."

About FBEC Worldwide, Inc.

FBEC Worldwide, Inc. is a lifestyle Brand Company with a focus on Healthy Hemp & CBD infused consumer products, both domestic and abroad. We are committed to increasing our market size and scope through the optics of creative marketing and most importantly customer satisfaction. Our growth strategies focus on a number of major initiatives, including unique branding opportunities that will be targeted at key demographic groups and to develop strong community and distributor relationships.

FBEC Worldwide is currently developing and building Healthy Hemp & CBD infused consumer products, focused on strong rates of growth within key fundamental consumer groups. Our company is dedicated to becoming the lead developer of name brand hemp & CBD infused consumer products.

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements. While these statements are made to convey to the public the company's progress, business opportunities and growth prospects, readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements represent management's opinion. Whereas management believes such representations to be true and accurate based on information and data available to the company at this time, actual results may differ materially from those described. The Company's operations and business prospects are always subject to risk and uncertainties. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ are and will be set forth in the company's periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Relations Contact:

Joe Sirianni

MIDAM Ventures LLC

(305) 707-7018

[email protected]

www.MIDAMIr.com

SOURCE FBEC Worldwide, Inc.
ORANGEBURG, N.Y., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty (1547), a leading developer and operator of custom designed datacenters, announces commissioning of a new suite at its Orangeburg, NY datacenter facility. This 5,000 sq ft suite offers N+1 electrical and mechanical configuration. With up to 1 MW of power available and up to 15 kW density per cabinet this suite provides new colocation opportunity in Orangeburg for the New York metro area.

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1547's executive team worked diligently with the Rockland County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) to secure a sales tax abatement for all new hardware for datacenter and colocation customers. 1547 is implementing an IDA Fast Track program making it easier for customers to identify and implement the tax savings. This savings totals 8.35% of all qualified capital purchases, significantly reducing the cost for rack deployments in the facility.

"Orangeburg is an ideal location for companies looking for datacenter options outside of Manhattan," states Sumner Putnam, Senior Managing Director of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank. "The work 1547 has done with Rockland County to secure a number of tax savings, makes it an obvious choice for datacenter and colocation requirements."

"The addition of our new suite allows for customers to choose between multiple levels of redundancy under one roof, both 2N and N+1." states Robert DeVita, Chief Sales Officer at 1547. "1547 provides the only avenue for small and large customers to take advantage of our preapproved tax abatements, and our new datacenter suite ensures those customers will have additional capacity to grow their environments"

Located 22 miles outside of Manhattan, 1547's Orangeburg, NY datacenter is an optimal location for latency-sensitive applications, business continuity and disaster recovery facilities.

For more information on 1547, please visit www.1547realty.com.

About fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty

fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty (1547) is a leading developer and operator of custom-designed datacenters with over 500,000 sq ft of datacenter space under development in Orangeburg, NY, Chicago, IL, Cheyenne, WY and Kapolei, HI.

Central to the firm's strategy is the ability to uncover the true intrinsic value of properties, opportunistically developing world-class datacenter facilities with a focus on providing tenants with customized mission critical solutions from concept through completion.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Lauren Lemoi VP of Marketing

Email

214-960-5116

SOURCE fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty

Related Links

http://www.1547realty.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aerialink, Inc., a leading mobile communications company providing a powerful messaging platform today announced that The Pro Nails International Company selected Aerialink's Conversations Platform to centrally manage all of their B2B text conversations.

The cloud capabilities of Conversations Platform enable The Pro Nails to streamline management of its critical, real-time communications with thousands of merchants in the U.S. Another key benefit was the ability for The Pro Nails to get up and running in a matter of hours.

"Conversations was superior to every solution we evaluated in the market," said James Dang, founder of The Pro Nails. "The platform allows our team to collaboratively address significantly more inquiries than we could with other channels and in more efficient ways. Our staff travels between the U.S. and Vietnam and it doesn't matter where we are when we use the platform, it's a seamless experience. We also exchange picture messages with our merchants, which has proven to be indispensable. We expect to add over 100,000 merchants in our marketplace and will expand our texting in parallel due to high satisfaction among both our merchants and our support team."

"The Pro Nails marketplace makes it easy for nail salons to grow their customer base with online tools," said Chris Currie, CEO of Aerialink. "We are honored to fulfill a need that provides great value and efficiency in their operations."

About Aerialink, Inc.

Aerialink is a leading mobile communications company providing a powerful messaging and location services platform via cloud APIs and Applications to businesses worldwide. Aerialink's Conversations Platform centrally manages real-time text communications between a business and customer. A business can use their existing toll-free or landline number for texting. Aerialink is an aggregator for message delivery worldwide and is a licensed FCC and CLEC telecommunications carrier in the U.S. https://www.aerialink.com

About The Pro Nails International Company

The Pro Nails is one of the world's largest collaborative, online marketplaces for nail services. It allows registered merchants to post availability of their services on the Site. Consumers interested in these services may book appointments and pay for the service through the marketplace. The company also provides promotional and marketing services on behalf of merchants. https://thepronails.com

SOURCE Aerialink, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.aerialink.com


DRAPER, Utah, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc. (FLXT) today announced the company remains on a growth trajectory which has shown itself in recent quarters. Coming off a strong Q2 2016, the company remains focused on key markets: Toys, Automotive, Medical and Wearables, while continuing to identify and develop new markets for the Bend Sensor.

Toys: Flexpoint continues to receive recurring mass production PO's from a global supply chain outsourced manufacturer on behalf of a Fortune 100 toy manufacturer which has incorporated the Bend Sensor technology into an anticipated expanding line of toys.

Annualized volumes of sensors are on track to be above 750,000 sensors in 2nd half of 2016 and into early 2017. Other toy and gaming manufacturers are designing the Bend Sensor into their products which are earmarked for release in late 2016/early 2017; further contributing to revenue related to this very strategic market segment for the company.

Automotive: Working with a US-based global auto manufacturer, the company is fast approaching production readiness adoption of an advanced interiors application leveraging a truly unique Bend Sensor design. The company has been aligned with strategic tier one suppliers in preparation for mass adoption and production. In addition, other tier 1 suppliers continue to evaluate the technology having identified applications whereby the Bend Sensor will improve product performance and quality, lower costs and help "drive" innovation.

Medical: Next generation medical device and applications incorporating wearables are the end goal for Flexpoint in this market segment. Haemoband continues to move forward in their certification and commercialization efforts for the "scope" technology which features a truly unique Bend Sensor design. Multiple other companies globally are taking integrated hardware and software, glove-based applications to new heights as the Bend Sensor has clearly differentiated itself in these applications without peer. Commercialization efforts for these next generation technologies are well underway.

Wearables: From shoes to gloves to other wearables, Flexpoint is working with multiple firms which will soon unveil their creations to the markets they serve and in some case currently dominate.

The shoe based sensors have proven tremendous efficacy in health and fitness applications, as well as the ever growing IoT marketspace and the company plans to expand its presence in this arena in the remainder of 2016.

VR/AR applications for the Bend Sensor are increasingly presenting themselves such that it is anticipated that this will become a major contributor to Flexpoint's success in the short and long-term.

In the second half of 2016, Flexpoint is pleased to reveal it will be finalizing product development and launching some of its own new products. These products will reflect the strengths highlighted herein and also demonstrate the company's commitment to building channel sales and distribution relationships which will dramatically allow it to scale operations and revenues for years to come.

Please visit http://www.flexpoint.com/ for more information.

About Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc.

Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc. (FLXT) is an innovative technology firm specializing in developing products that feature the Company's patented Bend Sensor and related technology. The Bend Sensor is a groundbreaking sensing solution that is revolutionizing applications in the automotive, safety, medical and industrial industries. The Bend Sensor's single-layer, thin film construction cuts costs and mechanical bulk while introducing a range of functions and stylistic design possibilities that have never before been available in sensing technology. Flexpoint's technology and expertise have been recognized by the world's elite business and academic innovators for over 17 years. The company is setting a new standard for sensing solutions in the "smart" age of technology.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that certain statements in this release are "forward-looking statements" and involve both known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such uncertainties include, among others, certain risks associated with the operation of the company described above. The Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results.

Contact Information:

Flexpoint Sensor Systems

Clark Mower, President

801-568-5111

Brokers and Analysts

Chesapeake Group

410-825-3930

SOURCE Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.flexpoint.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Foresters Financial has announced the opening of two new branch offices in Orlando, Florida and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma as part of a larger corporate initiative to expand its branch network.

The Orlando branch opened July 11, and will be led by newly appointed Branch Manager David Boykin who has nearly 30 years of experience in the financial services industry; while the Oklahoma City branch opened July 18, and will be led by Branch Manager Mary Trotter who brings nearly 20 years of industry knowledge to her new role.

"At Foresters Financial Services, we believe that investors deserve more than a financial services providerthey deserve a partner that will help them prosper and improve their community," explained Larry Noyes, President of Foresters Financial Services, Inc. "The expansion of our retail footprint in Orlando and Oklahoma City and our goal of recruiting additional Financial Representatives to help investors reach their goals, protect their families and improve the places where they live, are stepping stones in meeting our corporate goals and community responsibilities."

Mr. Noyes went on to say, "We are excited that Mr. Boykin and Ms. Trotter have chosen Foresters and we are even more pleased as to why they did. They were both inspired by our story and purposeto do more for our clients, their families and communities, as well as the real opportunity that our growth represents. These values have defined us since our beginnings in 1874, and they continue to inspire us today."

Mr. Boykin said, "I was pleased to discover that Foresters believes, as I do, that life insurance and investment products are just a starting point for us and our clients. It's in working together through a true partnership to support neighborhood programs, charities and scholarships that we can accomplish even greater things. I am enthusiastically looking forward to leading the Orlando office."

Ms. Trotter said, "The values that Foresters has in working to make a difference really resonated with me. That difference should extend beyond an individual family's financial goals and into the communities where our clients live and are raising their families, which is exactly what Foresters does. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with the people of Oklahoma City to help with their financial futures and assist in their neighborhood efforts."

Foresters Financial Services is committed to achieving significant office growth and productivity, providing quality sales leadership and management training, as well as robust practice management for its Representatives.

"These are very exciting times for Foresters Financial as we continue to build momentum and look forward to a new decade of growth that will unlock the tremendous potential of our purpose as a global organization," said Mr. Noyes.

About Foresters Financial Holding Company, Inc. (formerly First Investors)

Foresters Financial Holding Company, Inc. consists of a group of diversified financial services companies that include a registered broker-dealer, two investment advisers, a life insurance company and a transfer agent. Foresters Financial Services, Inc., a broker-dealer, helps everyday families reach their financial goals by offering solutions and guidance through its network of financial representatives working in 44 branch offices across the United States. Foresters Investment Management Company, Inc. is the investment adviser to the First Investors family of funds, which had more than $11 billion in total assets under management as of June 30, 2016. Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company, Inc., a New York domiciled insurance company, offers a range of insurance and annuity products and maintains an "A" (Excellent) rating by A.M. Best1. For more information visit foresters.com.

About Foresters Financial

Foresters Financial is an international financial services provider with more than three million clients and members in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and total funds under management of $34 billion2. With a history of more than 140 years, we provide life insurance, savings, retirement and investment solutions that help families achieve their financial goals, protect their families and improve their communities.3 For more information, visit foresters.com.

Foresters Financial and Foresters are trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries.

1 An "A" (Excellent) rating is assigned to companies that have a strong ability to meet their ongoing obligations to policyholders and have, on balance, excellent balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile when compared to the standards established by A.M. Best Company. A.M. Best assigns ratings from A++ to F, A++ and A+ being superior ratings and A and A- being excellent ratings. In assigning the Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company (FLIAC) rating on July 1, 2015, A.M. Best stated that the rating outlook is "stable", which means it is unlikely to change in the near future. See ambest.com for our latest rating.

2 in Canadian dollars as of December 31, 2015

3 Products offered vary by country. Not all products are available for distribution in all jurisdictions. In the United States, products are offered by The Independent Order of Foresters and its subsidiaries, including Foresters Financial Services, Inc. a registered broker-dealer. Securities, life insurance and annuity products are offered through Foresters Financial Services, Inc. or independent producers. Insurance products are issued by Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company, New York, or The Independent Order of Foresters. Investment advisory products and services are offered through Foresters Advisory Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser.

SOURCE Foresters Financial

Related Links

www.foresters.com


SAN DIEGO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Forge Therapeutics, Inc., announced presentations on its lead program targeting LpxC with novel chemistry to combat Gram-negative 'superbugs'. Presentations details are as follows:

World Anti-Microbial Resistance Congress: The World Anti-Microbial Resistance Congress gathers decision makers from government, funding agencies, biopharma, academia, hospitals, labs, and payers to discuss the urgent need for new antibiotics.

When: September 8th and 9th

Title: Forge new chemistry, developing novel medicines combining bio-inorganic with medicinal chemistry to target metalloproteins

Where: Washington Court Hotel, Washington DC

Website: http://www.terrapinn.com/conference/antimicrobial-resistance-congress-usa/index.stm

Anti-Infectives Rx Conference: Anti-Infectives Rx is an off-the-record forum featuring discussion panels from industry CEOs, life science leaders, key academics and investors and focuses on issues facing the development of anti-infective therapies.

When: September 21st

Title: Advances against rare and resistant pathogens

Where: Harvard Medical School, Joseph B. Martin Conference Center, Boston, MA

Website: https://bbbiotechconference.com/conference-details.php?id=44

About LpxC

LpxC is conserved across Gram-negative bacteria and not found in Gram-positive bacteria or human cells. Other LpxC inhibitors have been evaluated by biopharma in the past but chemistry limitations (e.g. hydroxamic acid) have yielded ineffective compounds that suffer from poor drug-like properties. Thus, there are no approved therapeutics targeting LpxC. Forge, using its innovative chemistry platform, has developed novel non-hydroxamate inhibitors of LpxC that are safe and effective in an animal model of Gram-negative infection and are able to kill Gram-negative superbugs where other antibiotics are ineffective.

About Forge Therapeutics, Inc.

Forge Therapeutics, Inc. ("Forge") is a biotechnology start-up that leverages its novel chemistry platform to develop small molecule inhibitors to target metalloproteins. Metalloproteins are proteins that require metal ions for their biological function and make up over 1/3 of the proteins in the human body. Forge uses a proprietary approach comprised of molecular modeling for rational drug design along with fundamental knowledge and expertise in bioinorganic chemistry to target metalloproteins. The name Forge Therapeutics comes from two definitions for forge: to manipulate (inhibit) a metal object (metalloprotein) and to move forward steadily with a purpose (the Forge team). Forge Therapeutics, Inc., maintains its headquarters in San Diego, California. To learn more please visit www.ForgeTherapeutics.com.

Contact:

[email protected]

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SOURCE Forge Therapeutics, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.forgetherapeutics.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As a key role in manufacturing, CNC machine tools have been emphasized by developed countries. China's CNC machine tools occupied about 30% in 2015, which indicates a big gap with developed countries such as Japan, the United States, and Germany whose CNC rates go beyond70% each now, especially Japan achieves over 90%.

Affected by the Chinese economic slowdown as well as the restructuring of downstream industries including automotive, aerospace and rail transit, China's CNC machine tool output plunged by 13.1%year on year in 2015 and is expected to continue the downward trend with slower decline in 2016.



Nevertheless, China's CNC machine tool industry has seen a number of highlights since 2015. First, the fast-growing demand from mobile phone metal housing processing stimulates a surge in the demand for 3C-use CNC machine tools. Second, China achieves a breakthrough in aerospace-use five-axis linkage CNC machine tools, and even exports such products overseas. Third, Made in China 2025 catalogues high-end CNC machine tools as one of ten key strategic areas, and Industry 4.0 further boosts the development of the industry.



With the above incentives, Chinese CNC machine tools, especially high-end and intelligent ones, will usher in rapid development in future.

CNC systems are the key components of CNC machine tools. Currently, Chinese enterprises represented by Wuhan Huazhong Numerical Control, GSK, Shenyang Machine Tool, Dalian GONA and the like can produce economical and mid-range CNC systems, but they lose out in the high-end CNC system market to Fanuc, Siemens, Mitsubishi, DMG and other foreign counterparts. According to the plan, the localization rate of Chinese mid-range and high-end CNC systems will exceed 60% and 20% respectively by 2020.



At present, China's CNC machine tool industry has entered a critical period of transformation and upgrading, with the unsolved problems including excess capacity of medium and low-end CNC machine tools, long-term dependence on imports of high-end CNC machine tools and foreign monopoly on CNC systems and key components. In 2016, both host machines and parts manufacturers are actively seekingtransformation and upgrading.



Shenyang Machine Tool Co., Ltd. enforced "i5" strategy in 2014 to build a new model of intelligent factory. In 2015, despite the traditional metalworking machine tool market downturn, over 5,000 i5 intelligent machine tools were ordered, of which over 3,000 ones were delivered actually. The company plans to build 30 smart factories, and strives to produce and sell 20,000 i5 intelligent machine tools in the country in 2016.



Dalian Machine Tool Group Corporation has enhanced the supply of high-precision efficient products and expanded Russia, Pakistan and other overseas markets radically in recent years. At the same time, it has erected incubators in Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta, as well as overseas service centers in India, Russia, Mexico and other countries, in a bid to gradually improve global competitiveness. In the next five years (2016-2020), the company's goals will be global layout, intelligent products, diversified marketing, industry & academy combination and public management.



Qinchuan Machine Tool & Tool Group Co., Ltd. has proposed "three 1/3" strategic concepts (host machines, key components and modern manufacturing services) in recent years. In 2015, the company and Shanghai Bosch Rexroth Hydraulic & Automation Ltd. signed a strategic agreement on strengthening the cooperation in CNC systems, gear boxes and industrial robotics reducer.



Wuhan Huazhong Numerical Control Co., Ltd implements "one core and two subjects" strategy around Made in China 2025. The core is CNC system technologies, and the subjects refer to CNC machine tools and industrial robots. In 2015, the company acquired Jiangsu Jinming's expanding robots and system integration. In May 2016, the company invested RMB200 million in establishing Wuhan Intelligent Control Industrial Technology Institute Co., Ltd. with Wuhan Airport Economic Zone Construction Investment And Development Co., Ltd. jointly to intensify its supporting capacity in the field of new energy vehicles.

Global and China CNC Machine Tool Industry Report, 2016-2020 mainly deals with the following:

Market supply & demand, import & export, and competitive landscape of the global and China machine tool industry;

Global situation of CNC machine tools, and development of CNC machine tools in major countries;

Supply & demand, import & export, key enterprises and development trends of China machine tool industry;

Status quo and key enterprises of the core CNC machine tool component market (including CNC systems, servo systems and the like);

Automotive, aerospace, rail transit, electronic information and other downstream markets as well as their CNC machine tool applications;

Operation and business in China of 12 key global companies;

Operation, revenue structure and development strategies of 19 key Chinese enterprises.

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04126834-summary/view-report.html



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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CHENGDU, China, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With the aim of making the giant panda the face of China as a tourism destination and persuading tourists worldwide to include China as a part of their travel plans so they can see the cute and furry bear "up close," while letting the world become more familiar with a wider array of Chinese tourist attractions with local characteristics, "Beautiful China, More than Pandas," a global tourism marketing campaign hosted by the China National Tourism Administration and managed by the Sichuan Provincial Commission for Tourism Development, officially kicked off in Berlin, Germany on September 2. Approximately 150 executives from German airlines and travel businesses as well as members of the media attended the event. Li Jinzao, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, and Jochen Szech, president of the Alliance of Independent Travel Traders, added the finishing touches to the eyes of the ersatz panda serving as the mascot for the event, in a move to announce the opening of the first session.
The two-part selection process entails a customer satisfaction survey given to thousands of women across the country. This is intended to help customers identify the brands that are tried, tested and highly recommended by women. GoGo squeeZ received excellent survey scores as a 9 out of 10 Customer Recommended brand for Fruit Squeezers, in addition to the vast majority of customers rating their experience with and the overall quality of GoGo squeeZ as 'extremely satisfied.'

"The Women's Choice Award's mission is to identify which brands are most recommended by women," said Delia Passi, CEO and Founder. "By carrying the Women's Choice Award seal, brands like GoGo squeeZ signify their commitment to empower women to make smart buying choices."

"We are honored to receive the Women's Choice Award," said Philippe Harousseau, Chief Marketing Officer, Materne North America Corp. "The recognition of this award helps to further deliver on our mission of empowering women to promote healthier and happier lives for their kids and families."

Female consumers represent a driving economic powerhouse controlling 65%, or approximately $20 trillion annually, in global spending and more than 80% of US spending according to the Harvard Business Review and the Continuum's Women and Children Research Group. Coupling that with a recent Nielsen report on global trust in advertising, which stated that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know over any other form of advertising, reveals the significance of being an America's Most Recommended brand by women.

Passi commented on how the Women's Choice Award serves as a competitive differentiator in today's cluttered marketplace by explaining, "When a woman is willing to recommend a brand or service to others, it means that business has earned her loyalty. Those are the businesses we wish to recognize for their efforts and commitment to the number one consumer  women."

Since its launch in June 2008, GoGo squeeZ has been committed to providing families with all-natural on-the-go snacks. GoGo squeeZ has proven that it is possible for on-the-go snacks to be made with simple, natural ingredients that are nutritious and delicious, allowing kids to squeeZ more goodness into each day.

Earlier this year, GoGo squeeZ announced a multi-year partnership with Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) and Olympic Gold Medalist, three-time Olympian and child nutrition advocate, Dominique Dawes, as the brand's Goodness Ambassador. The partnership intends to help bring healthy nutrition habits and physical activity to schools across the country. In her role as the GoGo squeeZ Goodness Ambassador, Dawes will educate kids and families about the importance of eating right and adopting a healthy lifestyle at a young age.

"We are pleased to salute GoGo squeeZ for their focus on excellence, a commitment that is recognized by women consumers nationwide," said Passi.

ABOUT GOGO SQUEEZ

Since 1998, GoGo squeeZ has been the leading squeezable, all natural, 100 percent fruit applesauce in a pouch. With over 2 billion of our innovative pouches sold to on-the-go families around the world, our team of responsible farmers, growers and employees take care in the products we deliver to consumers and customers. GoGo squeeZ is the perfect on-the-go snacking solution, featuring more than 25 SKUs of squeezable applesauce and yogurt in a variety of flavors. Each GoGo squeeZ pouch is crafted with the highest quality natural ingredients sure to suit the needs of both kids and grownups. For more information on GoGo squeeZ and to purchase its product collections visit gogosqueez.com.

ABOUT THE WOMEN'S CHOICE AWARD

The Women's Choice Award sets the standard for helping women to make smarter purchasing choices. The company and its awards identify the brands, products and services that are most recommended and trusted by women. Additionally, they recognize those that deliver a recommendation-worthy customer experience. Awards are based on surveys of thousands of women, as well as research conducted in partnership with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. As the leading advocate for female consumers, WomenCertified Inc., home of the Women's Choice Award, created the first national award based on the ratings and preferences of women. Women can visit the official website at www.WomensChoiceAward.com to learn more.





MEDIA CONTACT:

Erica Guzman | WomenCertified Inc. Grace Lucas | GoGo squeeZ Marketing Manager Allison+Partners T: (954) 922-0846 [email protected] [email protected]



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SOURCE GoGo squeeZ

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ATLANTA, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Customers exposed to Hepatitis A in Tropical Smoothie cafes in multiple states should be notified of the dangers of the disease so they can be checked and treated, according to a lawsuit filed by customer Samantha Kiker in Atlanta last week.

The suit, filed on September 2nd, seeks relief nationally for all customers exposed to Hepatitis A in frozen strawberries served at Tropical Smoothie cafes. The company is headquartered in Fulton County, Georgia.

"There's been no effective notice to customers of the locations where they may have been exposed to the disease," says attorney Jim McDonough from Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC (HGD). HGD filed the suit for Kiker.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that customers in many states have contracted Hepatitis A (HAV) from exposure to the strawberries. The states include Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

"We ask the Court to order the company to report all cafe locations affected and notify all customers who may have been exposed," McDonough explains. "Why the company refuses to provide and post this information is unexplained and inexcusable."

After learning of the potential link to strawberries, Tropical Smoothie Cafe allegedly conducted a product withdrawal of the strawberries at issue. However, according to Kiker's suit, it has not notified customers at all the locations where the strawberries were consumed. Those locations remain a mystery, say the attorneys who filed the lawsuit.

"Customers need to know if they were exposed, so they can get checked and treated," according to McDonough. "If we succeed, Tropical Smoothie will have to post helpful information at all cafes where the contaminated strawberries were consumed."

Early treatment after exposure to HAV is vital to avoid being infected. The contagious disease is not curable but if treated with a vaccine within two weeks of the initial exposure, infection can be prevented.

HGD is reaching out to the public in hopes of notifying other Tropical Smoothie Cafe's customers of possible exposure to HAV.

Call now if you have been exposed: 855-228-1929

The suit is Samantha Kiker v. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Superior Court, Fulton County, Georgia. Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC, is a national law firm recognized as one of the nation's leading civil litigators.

SOURCE Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC

Related Links

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HICKORY, N.C., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Local glass installation company, All Glass, has officially been sold to a new owner through Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, a middle market M&A firm located in Charlotte, NC. Founded in 1994 by Ray Prewitt, All Glass provides a complete range of custom glass, glass for home and business, auto glass, and emergency services to clients in northwestern North Carolina.

After owning All Glass for 22 years, Ray Prewitt made the decision to sell his business and enlisted the help of Viking Mergers & Acquisitions intermediaries Trevor Crocker, Chris Donaldson and John Arrup to facilitate the deal. "I was searching for a buyer who shared my values and would take care of my team," says Ray Prewitt. "Viking Mergers did a fantastic job vetting buyers for my business and I could not be more thrilled with the outcome of this deal," Prewitt continues.

After only a few months on the market, Ted Karre, a local engineer looking to try his hand at entrepreneurship, came forward and made an offer on the business. "I wanted to pursue a new career in small business ownership and All Glass was exactly what I was looking for," says Ted Karre. Both buyer and seller are very pleased with the deal and look forward to the future of the business. Ted Karre plans to grow the business by expanding on product and service offerings.

About Viking Mergers & Acquisitions

Founded in 1996 by Brad and Jay Offerdahl, Viking Mergers & Acquisitions was established with the vision of providing customized exit strategies and M&A navigation to middle market business owners. Since their inception, Viking Mergers & Acquisitions has sold over 500 businesses across the Southeast. Their intermediaries have over 100 years of collective experience in business transactions and nearly 75% have owned a business of their own. Viking proudly boasts a closing rate that is 3x the national average and businesses that sell for 95+% of their asking price.

To learn more about Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, please contact their office today at (704) 676-0940, or visit their website to see active business listings or request a valuation for your business.

Media Contact:

Gabrielle Ullrich

Email

(704) 676-0940

SOURCE Viking Mergers & Acquisitions
FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Higginbotham and Davis Insurance Agency announced today the merger of their operations. Higginbotham is headquarted in Fort Worth and ranked by revenue as the largest Texas-based independent insurance broker, and Davis Insurance is an independent broker with a workforce of 26 in its Lufkin home office and Amarillo branch. The union adds East Texas and Panhandle offices to Higginbotham and grows it to 800 professionals and 26 locations statewide.

This is the fourth merger Higginbotham has completed this year as part of a growth initiative started in 2008. The firm is continually expanding across Texas by partnering with brokers that add capacity to serve more customers and widen its footprint. The merger with Davis Insurance marks Higginbotham's entrance into the Panhandle with the Amarillo office and expands its eastern presence with the Lufkin office.

Both firms offer personal and commercial insurance and employee benefits. Higginbotham has practice groups for industry specialization, and Davis Insurance has developed niche expertise in forest products insurance during 44 years of experience in the sector.

"Davis Insurance has a solid reputation in the forest products industry with companies involved in forest products and the carriers that insure them," said Higginbotham President/CEO Rusty Reid. "Partnering with them opens a door for Higginbotham to serve more logging companies and builds our name in different Texas regions. Both of these factors enhance our ability to be a single source solution, no matter the industry or location."

Davis Insurance Managing Director Mike Davis added, "We like to say that service is the most important value that we provide our customers, and that's a quality we saw in Higginbotham too. Joining the biggest broker in Texas increases the value we bring because now we can offer so many more services beyond insurance protection, like safety programs and HR support."

Ira and Vera Davis started Davis Insurance in 1949 from their home in Lufkin, Texas. Three generations of Davis men and women have led the firm's growth to more than 3,000 accounts. In 2009 it opened a second office in Amarillo, Texas, to fill customers' need for a local personal insurance broker.

Davis Insurance will continue operating under the leadership of Managing Directors Larry Davis and Mike Davis at 3110 South First Street in Lufkin and the Amarillo National Bank  Plaza Two in downtown Amarillo.

About Davis Insurance Agency

Davis Insurance Agency is an independent broker offering commercial and personal property/casualty coverage, group and individual health plans and life insurance. Opened in 1949, Davis Insurance primarily serves customers in east Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas from offices in Lufkin and Amarillo, Texas. It has a 44-year specialization in forestry industry insurance. Visit www.davisdifference.com for more information.

About Higginbotham

Higginbotham is a single source for insurance and financial services that brokers business insurance, employee benefits, retirement plans, executive benefits, life insurance and home/auto insurance from more than 250 regional and national carriers. It supplements coverage with in-house risk management and benefit plan administration services. The firm was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, with 25 additional offices statewide. Higginbotham ranks as the nation's 31st largest independent insurance brokerage firm based on revenue, making it the largest Texas-based broker (Business Insurance, July 2016). Visit www.higginbotham.net for more information.

SOURCE Higginbotham

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CLEVELAND, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hudec Dental is hosting their First Annual Smile & Dash 5K Run/ 1-Mile Walk on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Edgewater Park located off the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway. All proceeds for this event will go directly to The Salvation Army of Greater Cleveland. Hudec Dental invites you, family, friends, and colleagues to join them at this family-friendly event as they walk or run along Lake Erie.

The event will begin at 9 a.m. with registration at 7:45 a.m.

with registration at Early bird registration is $20 for adults and $10 for children.

for adults and for children. To register for the Smile & Dash Run/Walk visit: http://www.hermescleveland.com/roadracing/events/smileanddash.asp

This partnership between Hudec Dental and the Salvation Army stemmed from their shared purpose, "to improve the quality of life of those we serve." The goal of this race is to serve other Clevelanders in the community by raising money for The Salvation Army.

Why should you support this event? View this short, impactful video detailing the importance of The Salvation Army and how your donations can have a positive effect on one's life and potentially change a life forever. This is also an ideal race to involve your company to promote the community service element as well as promote health and wellness as an organization.

To improve the quality of life of those we serve has been Hudec Dental's purpose for 39 years. It is their goal at Hudec Dental to serve patients as well as others in the community.

Along with hosting the Smile & Dash race, Hudec Dental created the Relax. Smile. Serve Scholarship to continue their efforts of serving others in 2016. This scholarship was designed to financially assist college-bound students as they work towards their future endeavors. This academic achievement was awarded to 16 students in Northeast Ohio. The students were selected based on their grade point average (G.P.A) and a 500-word essay detailing how they improved the quality of life in their community. Office Managers attended the award ceremonies to personally recognize the students on behalf of Hudec Dental. Overall, Hudec Dental has donated over $38,000 to local charities and schools in 2016 as their #1 goal is to serve the community.

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SOURCE Hudec Dental

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CHICAGO and SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nationally recognized architecture and interior design firm Huntsman Architectural Group announces the opening of a new office in Chicago. Andrew Volckens, AIA, associate, will serve as director, joined by Karie Vagedes, IIDA, designer; both are long-term employees with the firm. Sascha Wagner, IIDA CID, Huntsman President and CEO made the announcement. "Chicago is a vibrant city with a dynamic business culture. It's also a place where architecture has always played a significant role," said Wagner. "With Huntsman's core focus on giving new life to existing structures, including building renovations, repositioning, and tenant improvements, the firm is ideally suited for expanding into the Chicago market," he added.

Volckens has over 15 years of experience as a designer and licensed architect working on a range of project types, including public sector, higher education, residential, mixed-use, restaurant, and retail. Volckens' project experience includes the Champaign Public Library in Champaign, IL and projects for Quantcast, Digital Insight, Vanbarton Group, and YouTube. Originally from Winnetka, IL, Volckens is a graduate of the University of Michigan and received his Masters in Architecture from UC Berkeley.

With over 13 years of experience in the field of architecture and interior design, Vagedes has collaborated with a wide variety of clients in the planning and design of office, retail, civic, and medical environments. She has successfully led projects for clients nationwide including Google for Entrepreneurs, Equity Office Properties, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, and Kaiser Permanente. Originally from West Milton, OH, Vagedes is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati Design, Art, Architecture and Planning.

About Huntsman Architectural Group

Founded in 1981, Huntsman Architectural Group is an award-winning 95-person architecture, interior design, and consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York and Chicago focused on designing meaningful places that connect, support, and inspire. The firm's recent work includes offices for Argonaut, a San Francisco-based advertising agency; Aquent, a Boston consulting company, and corporate offices for Moody's, ReD Associates, and Gordon Rees LLP in New York. Additionally, the firm provides building repositioning services for Shorenstein, Vornado, and the Vanbarton Group in locations across the U.S. For more information, visit www.huntsmanag.com. Chicago office: 111 West Illinois Street, Fifth Floor, Chicago, IL 60654.

Contact:

Huntsman Architectural Group

John van Duyl

T 510.541.9805

[email protected]

SOURCE Huntsman Architectural Group

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MADISON, Wis., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels (HHOW) and Madison-area Hyundai dealers will present Dr. Christian Capitini, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at the American Family Children's Hospital, with a $250,000 Scholar Grant to research allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (allo-HSCT) with a combination of immunotherapies to improve the efficacy of allo-HSCT for neuroblastoma. Allo-HSCT is a transfusion of stem cells from a healthy donor that will develop into a new immune system to a patient who has been treated with high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation. Allo-HSCT is typically used for children with leukemia or lymphoma but has limited success so far in children with neuroblastoma.

UW Kids Cancer Fund was one of 24 recipients across the country selected by a rigorous scientific review panel to receive this highly competitive Hyundai Scholar Grant.



The $250,000 Scholar Grant will be presented during a Handprint Ceremony tomorrow, Thursday, September 8, during which the handprints of local Madison-area brave young cancer patients will be captured on a white 2016 Hyundai Tucson  the Hyundai Hope On Wheels hero vehicle  to commemorate their fight against the disease. The ceremony will also feature:

Jeff Poltawsky , Senior Vice President, American Family Children's Hospital

Senior Vice President, American Family Children's Hospital Dr. Christian Capitini , Grant Recipient; MD, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology

Grant Recipient; MD, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Paul Lamb , Central Region General Manager, Hyundai Motor America

Central Region General Manager, Hyundai Motor America Tom Zimbrick , Hyundai Motor America Dealer, Zimbrick West and Zimbrick Eastside

"Our mission at Hyundai Hope On Wheels is clear: End Childhood Cancer," said Dave Zuchowski, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. "These individual awards to hospitals and organizations across the country are pivotal to ending childhood cancer. Although there remains a lot more work to be done, the innovation that comes from this research will ultimately help us find a cure. To all the kids, families and cancer researchers fighting this terrible disease  you are not alone and we remain committed to this important cause."

About the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Scholar Grants and Handprint Ceremonies

The Scholar Senior Research Grants will fund childhood research projects designed to improve the treatment and quality of life for children with cancer. The ultimate goal of the Scholar Senior Research Grant program is to find cures for childhood cancers once and for all. This year alone, HHOW will award more than $13 million in new pediatric cancer grants. Since 1998, the program has funded $115 million in research to Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions nationwide. The program also creates awareness about the importance of the disease, which is the leading cause of death by disease in children in the United States (source).

Attendees at the various ceremonies will include HHOW's two national youth ambassadors and pediatric cancer survivors, Hannah Adams and Ryan Darby, who will deliver a message of hope to children's cancer hospitals. Hannah, now 13 years old, was only five years old when she was diagnosed with a Stage 3 Wilms tumor that enveloped her kidney. Since her recovery, she has pursued her love of dancing and singing to help uplift and encourage other children and families through their fight. Thirteen-year-old Ryan was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia six years ago, and since his recovery, he has shared his story and words of encouragement with children and families across the country. Watch Hannah and Ryan's story at www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org

2016 National Call To Action: Give Hope A Hand

In addition to funding a multitude of research projects this September, HHOW is encouraging the public to contribute to the fight against childhood cancer in a personal way. The journey begins with one simple request: Give Hope A Hand. We invite visitors to the newly refreshed website at hyundaihopeonwheels.org, to tell how they will use their hands in the fight against pediatric cancer. Once there visitors can Learn + Care + Do + Give = Hope. There are a number of additional engaging, interactive ways the public can get involved and use their hands for good.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 830 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $115 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

To learn more about Hyundai Hope On Wheels, please visit www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org or follow us on social media at www.facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, www.twitter.com/hopeonwheels, and www.youtube.com/hopeonwheels.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide.

Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com and our blog at www.hyundailikesunday.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook



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SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Before Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump address military families and veterans at Wednesday night's forum hosted by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, here are 10 things about veterans' health care to keep in mind, as compiled by the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 220,000 federal employees throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs:

1. The VA tops the private sector in quality and service. The VA outperforms the private sector by more than 30% in delivering mental health care, and veterans get appointments with their primary care doctors three times faster than patients outside the VA.

2. More veterans are receiving care. Since 2014, the VA has hired nearly 14,000 additional health care workers and opened an additional 3.9 million square feet of clinical space  resulting in a 10% increase in direct patient care.

3. Wait times have been dramatically reduced. Last year, the VA completed 97% of appointments within 30 days of either the clinically indicated or veterans' preferred date  an increase of 1.4 million over fiscal 2014.

4. Most veterans support the current VA system. Two-thirds of veterans oppose privatizing VA hospital programs and services, and 80% want their health care to be fully paid for by the government  not through vouchers that may not cover all of their costs.

5. Hillary Clinton will strengthen the VA. The daughter of a veteran, Secretary Clinton understands that veterans have unique health care needs that can only be met by trained VA providers and has promised to strengthen the VA, not privatize it.

6. Donald Trump would dismantle the VA. Trump, who received five draft deferrals to avoid serving in the Vietnam War, has vowed to privatize the VA health care system  over the objections of nearly all veterans' advocates.

7. The Commission on Care's recommendations would dismantle the integrated VA health care system. Health care professionals and employee groups say dismantling the VA's integrated health care delivery system would erode veterans' health care and be financially unsustainable.

8. Commissioner Michael Blecker strongly condemned the group's report. A veteran himself, Blecker said the Commission's proposal would push veterans toward lower quality health care options and threaten the survival of the veteran-centered system that most veterans prefer.

9. Gutting employee rights won't improve veterans' health care. Proposed "accountability bills" by Rep. Jeff Miller and Sen. Marco Rubio would give managers more authority to fire frontline employees without following federal due process laws. These are the same managers who manipulated wait time reports in the first place, and the same frontline employees who blew the whistle on that activity. A bipartisan Veterans First Act, on the other hand, would ensure bad employees are held accountable without trampling on whistleblower protections and employee rights.

10. AFGE will be live tweeting the forum. Follow AFGE's Twitter feed and use the hashtag #IAVAForum for live reaction to the IAVA Commander-in-Chief town hall, and visit AFGE's veterans action center for the latest news and updates.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

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IWU  a nonprofit, regionally accredited institution  currently has about 10,000 adult students attending classes either online or at one of IWU's 16 education centers located in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. IWU's online students come from all over the United States as well as other countries. The university has more than 80 online and onsite degree programs available through its Adult Enrollment Services.

"We would like to welcome all ITT Tech students who are interested in completing their degrees to contact us in order to get their ITT Tech transcripts officially evaluated," said R. David Rose, vice president for enrollment and marketing for non-residential services.

ITT Technical Institute, based in Carmel, Ind., announced Tuesday that it was permanently closing its more than 130 academic campuses in 38 states, canceling the fall academic quarter, and eliminating the jobs of about 8,000 employees. ITT's website says that ITT credits are unlikely to transfer.

However, IWU may accept up to 62 credit hours earned at a grade of C or higher for adult and online programs. IWU has classes that start on a weekly basis, with affordable tuition rates that start at $283 a credit hour.

Students who are interested in learning more about IWU's online or onsite degree programs may begin their evaluation process by calling 1-866-498-4968, option 0, or going to www.indwes.edu/ITT.

About Indiana Wesleyan University

Indiana Wesleyan University is an evangelical Christian comprehensive university of The Wesleyan Church committed to global liberal arts and professional education. Nearly 3,000 students are enrolled in traditional programs on the main campus in Marion, Ind. More than 10,000 adult learners study online or at education centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. IWU has a sister institution in Sydney, Australia. More information is available at www.indwes.edu.

Indiana Wesleyan University Contact:

Jerry Shepherd, Associate Vice President

Adult Enrollment Services

765-677-2285

[email protected]

PR Contact:

Michele Lemmon

GREENCREST

614-885-7921

[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/405274

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SOURCE Indiana Wesleyan University

Related Links

http://www.indwes.edu


AUSTIN, Texas, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Advanced Discovery continues nationwide expansion with the addition of experienced account executive in New York

Industry Veteran Paul Kelley Joins Advanced Discovery as Vice President of Business Development (PRNewsFoto/Advanced Discovery)

Advanced Discovery announced today the hiring of industry veteran Paul Kelley as VP, Business Development, in New York. Paul has a background in Forensic Accounting from KPMG and Deloitte, as well as business development, sales management, and years of experience in eDiscovery.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160418/356399LOGO )



(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/405130 )

In his new role as VP, Business Development, Paul will focus on development in New York, as well as nationally and internationally, bringing his considerable experience as a consultant, an account executive, and a manager to the service of Advanced Discovery's clients. Paul's nearly two decades of experience in corporate litigation and data services will be especially valuable to corporate clients and make him a valuable addition to the Advanced Discovery team.

Paul expressed excitement about joining Advanced Discovery:

I am excited to be joining Advanced Discovery - particularly during this time of national and international growth for the company. I have seen the quality of the services and tools Advanced Discovery offers, and I look forward to helping bring those to clients in New York.

Paul can be contacted at: [email protected].

About Advanced Discovery

Advanced Discovery is an award-winning, end-to-end eDiscovery services and software provider, supporting law firms and corporations since 2002. Advanced Discovery and its global family of companies, Millnet, LPI and Ditto, offer project planning and budgeting, data preservation and forensic collection, early case assessment, hosted review, managed document review, and more, from numerous state-of-the-art facilities around the world. The company employs leading professionals in the industry, applies defensible workflows, and provides industry-proven technology across all phases of the eDiscovery lifecycle. This devotion to excellence has earned Advanced Discovery inclusion on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in the US five consecutive years and recognition as a top provider by Legal Times, Texas' Best and other publications. More information is available at http://www.advanceddiscovery.com.

SOURCE Advanced Discovery
"We are merging three accelerating markets: beer, spirits, and ready-to-mix," said Ms. Ngo. Based on consumer taste tests and market research, she notes "the market readiness and commercial viability of the beer cocktails category is here."

Based on recent Global Beer Market 2016-2020 reports and other market research:

Beer is the highest consumed alcoholic beverage and the third-most consumed beverage after water and tea.

Several breweries are adding innovative beer flavors.

The standard lager segment dominates the market and is expected to occupy more than 56% of the total market share by 2020.

Beer cocktails have been making their way to market; while craft beers have been around for decades. Cerveza Mixers is now introduced to set out on an alternative path. "We created a product with a broad range of quality driven ingredients so consumers can pour and mix with confidence. A multi-faceted mixer that complements lagers and ultimately, a product that provides value to a channel of customers (small restaurants, food trucks, outdoor venues, etc.), that want to serve a drink with the taste and essence of a cocktail; but limited by a license that permits selling only beer; yet adaptable for the inclusion of spirits such as Tequila, Mezcal, Bourbon, Whiskey/Whisky, or select Soju if the license and interests are there."

Liz Ngo enlisted experts that included mixologists, beverage consultants, and chefs. One notable chef is Chef George Morrone of San Francisco, California. "When I was asked to consult, the ingredient forward approach and thoughtfulness to flavor and quality consistency was compelling. Taking a classic and pivoting towards an emerging product category was an endeavor I was excited to be a part of."

Cerveza Mixers unveiled its mixer with the popular and growing San Francisco restaurant Tropisueno. ''When George introduced me to Liz and the product; which is essentially a mixer for Micheladas or Bloody Marias, I was intrigued as we already had our own in-house blend and I wanted to understand: what made it special?" said Michael Sopher, Co-Owner of Tropisueno, Ybl Restaurant Group LLC.

"After doing a side by side comparison, the difference was clear. The mixer could range with light, amber, or dark Mexican Lager; allowing for customer's beer preferences to stay in-tact. It was a base that provided a path to upsell with a spirit; giving it a richer dimension; while increasing drink pour margins. My team can deliver a consistent drink product and with added time savings, engage more with our customers."

Community advocacy is integral to Cerveza Mixers Inc. On September 8, 2016, the company will introduce their limited edition PRIDE product(s) during San Francisco's GLAAD Gala event with proportion of net profits going towards LBGTQ programs.

We care about community, civic rights, & awareness. The LBGTQ community is not any different than our own company: forging a new path to establish our own identity; while helping to provide the education and means for all others to do the same."

Cerveza Mixers will be available to purchase online for general availability later this month, and at select on premise locations nationwide.

About Cerveza Mixers Inc.:

Cerveza Mixers Inc. is 100% focused on beer cocktails. Launching with its El Hombre, a premium beer (Michelada) Mixer in 2016, the company will be growing with an expanding roster of beer cocktail mixes. Founded by former tech executive Liz Ngo, Cerveza Mixers carve a new space in the ever-growing global beer market with a product that is meant to heighten the flavor profiles offered by beer. Please find more information at www.cervezamixers.com.

Product Details

Cerveza Mixers' premium beer mixers are small batched crafted. The inaugural product El Hombre is best recommended paired with less-hoppy tasting lagers poured over ice and topping with a squeeze of lime; and a splash of spirit based on customers' preference.

We tested our products with lagers that embody the following characteristics: clear, pale-yellow in color, light bodied, mild in taste, with a crisp finish. In addition to darker lager beers that have it a rich caramel edge. Some of the lagers tested include (but not limited to): Asahi, Carta Blanca, Corona, Dos Equis, Estrella, Negra Modelo, Miller Lite, Modelo Especial, Pacifico, Sapporo, Sol, and Tecate.

Cerveza Mixers is not affiliated with any of the beer brands identified and this is not an endorsement from those brands. All the beer brand names and trademarks identified above are owned by the respective third party owners.

References:

Technavio Global Beer Market 2016-2020 Report, June 2, 2016

Gallup Poll, August 3, 2016

GLAAD GALA, San Francisco, September 8, 2016

Whole Foods Compliancy

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404649

SOURCE Cerveza Mixers Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cervezamixers.com


SANTA CLARA, California and BANGALORE, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Visit Booth #3232 To Gain Insights on How ALTEN Calsoft Labs Has Helped Organizations to Become Digital Enterprises

Oracle OpenWorld is one of the most prominent technology and business conferences for Oracle partners and customers. It is the perfect place where the top-notch industry experts discuss how technology can be utilized to resolve today's complex business challenges. ALTEN Calsoft Labs, an Oracle Gold Partner, is participating in the annual conference of Oracle this year at San Francisco, California from September 18 to 22, to brief organizations on how Oracle Technology can bring radical change to their business.

ALTEN Calsoft Labs is going to help organizations in optimizing their experience in various Oracle IT arenas like CX, ERP, HCM, SCM, SMB and many more. As an Oracle Gold Partner and Fusion Co-Development Partner, the company is dedicated in delivering innovative and leading-edge solutions based on Oracle Applications, including Fusion Platform & Applications, and Supporting Oracle in the market. Apart from DBA Services, ALTEN Calsoft Labs' service suite encompasses implementation, version upgrade, migration, integration and even testing.

ALTEN Calsoft Labs has extended their Oracle Practices across various industries like Education, Finance, Construction and many more leveraging expertise in modules like Oracle e-Business Suite (Financials, Contracts, Procurement, CRM, Manufacturing, Order Management, PLM, Learning Management, Customer Interaction Center, Asset Management), Oracle Fusion Apps (Oracle Fusion Human Capital Management, Oracle Fusion Financials, Oracle Fusion Governance, Risk and Compliance, Oracle Fusion Procurement, Oracle Fusion Project Portfolio Management, Oracle Fusion Supply Chain Management, Oracle Fusion Customer Relationship Management) and Oracle PeopleSoft (HCM, Financials, SCM, Campus Solutions, Asset Lifecycle Management, Enterprise Performance Management, Enterprise Portal, PeopleSoft Enterprise Tools & Technology).

With proven experience in Oracle practice, the company aims to help organizations gain insights on ways to enhance business outcomes exploiting Oracle technology in the coming Oracle OpenWorld Conference. Plan now to meet ALTEN Calsoft Labs' Oracle expert team headed by Mr. Somenath Nag, Director - ISV and Enterprise Solutions to discuss how they help organizations across the globe, transform their business through designing and implementation of Oracle IT solutions.

"With an Enterprise Solutions Group consisting of over 750 consultants, ALTEN Calsoft Labs enables customers develop competitive advantages through optimized business process and superior consumer experience. Our Oracle solutions certainly reflect end users' expectations at a reasonable cost and hence continues to be the client's first choice. We're excited to participate in Oracle OpenWorld 2016 as it is one of the largest platform to exhibit enterprise solution excellence," annotates Ramandeep Singh, CEO, ALTEN Calsoft Labs.

ALTEN Calsoft Labs invites organizations to join them at booth #3232 at Oracle OpenWorld 2016 in San Francisco. Click here to block a slot right now.

Follow the conversation on Twitter @ALTEN Calsoft Labs and find out OOW related updates using hashtag #ACLatOOW16.

To know more about ALTEN Calsoft Labs, visit http://www.altencalsoftlabs.com/

About ALTEN Calsoft Labs

ALTEN Calsoft Labs is a next gen digital transformation, enterprise IT and product engineering services provider. The company enables clients innovate, integrate, and transform their business by leveraging disruptive technologies like mobility, big data, analytics, cloud, IoT and software-defined networking (SDN/NFV). ALTEN Calsoft Labs provides concept to market offerings for industry verticals like education, healthcare, networking & telecom, hi- tech, ISV and retail. Headquartered in Bangalore, India, the company has offices in US, Europe and Singapore. ALTEN Calsoft Labs is a part of ALTEN group, a leader in technology consulting and engineering services.

Media Contacts:

Amit Gupta

Associate Director, ALTEN Calsoft Labs

+91-9632767347

[email protected]



SOURCE ALTEN Calsoft Labs
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC) announced it is leading robust regional support for Great Plains Energy Incorporated (NYSE: GXP), the parent company of KCP&L, in its acquisition of neighboring Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR). The $12.2 billion deal will add capacity and cost savings for residents and businesses in the 18-county, two state Kansas City region.

"Strong, locally-owned utilities are a cornerstone of healthy regional economies," said Tim Cowden, President and CEO, KCADC, the umbrella economic development organization for the Kansas City region. "The combination of KCP&L and Westar Energy will ensure good jobs stay here and will allow us to maintain our competitive electric rates, one of our region's distinct advantages and one of the most important considerations for site selection consultants and companies looking to relocate to our area."

Once the transaction is complete, the new utility will have more than 1.5 million customers in Kansas and Missouri, nearly 13,000 megawatts of generation capacity, almost 10,000 miles of transmission lines and more than 51,000 miles of distribution lines. In addition, more than 45 percent of the combined utility's retail customer demand can be met with emission-free energy.

"Bringing together the senior leadership of KCP&L and Westar Energy ensures that they will remain engaged in Kansas and Missouri," said Cowden. "Local leadership living, working and contributing in our community ensures our economic development efforts will continue to have their full attention. Their involvement and support of our efforts is critical to the future economic health of our region."

The transaction is on track and expected to close in the second quarter of 2017. The downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and downtown Topeka, Kansas, headquarters will remain after closing.

"We are extremely fortunate that Westar Energy found a neighboring buyer that understands and appreciates firsthand the regional needs of individual and corporate customers, especially with regard to business retention and attraction efforts in the heartland," said Matt Pivarnik, president and CEO, GO Topeka. "Both of these outstanding companies share a reputation for doing the right thing and going above and beyond with regard to their commitment to employees, safety, quality, the environment and corporate philanthropy."

KCP&L and Westar each have been serving customers in Kansas and Missouri for more than 100 years and currently jointly own and operate the Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station, as well as the La Cygne and Jeffrey power plants. With the addition of Westar's generation fleet, Great Plains Energy will have a more diverse and sustainable generation portfolio.

In addition, among investor-owned utilities in the United States, the combined company will have one of the largest portfolios of wind generation in the country. KCP&L and Westar each have made significant commitments to harvesting the general wind Kansas provides. KCP&L was the first utility in the country to own and operate a commercial-scale wind farm in the state of Kansas at its 148.5 megawatt Spearville Wind Generation Facility. Westar Energy's multiple wind farms will provide 32% of the utility's retail electricity by the end of 2016.

"A robust portfolio of renewable energy is increasingly important to companies when they are looking to locate facilities," said Cowden.

Great Plains Energy has an established track record of successful integration with adjacent electric utilities. In 2008, Great Plains Energy completed its acquisition of Aquila, an electric utility serving customers in adjacent areas of Missouri. That successful acquisition has delivered  and continues to deliver  significant savings for customers, which have exceeded initial expectations.

Several regional economic development agencies have joined KCADC in their support of KCP&L's acquisition of Westar Energy and in recognition of the enormous economic development benefits that this transaction will have for the region. Those organizations include:

Missouri

City of Belton

Cass County Corporation for Economic Development

Clinton Chamber of Commerce

of Commerce De Soto Economic Development Council

Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City

Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce Independence Council for Economic Development

Lee's Summit Economic Development Council

Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce

City of Raytown

Platte County Economic Development Council

St. Clair County Economic Development

St. Joseph Economic Development Partnership

Economic Development Sedalia -Pettis County Economic Development

Kansas

Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce Butler County Community Development

Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas ( Emporia )

) El Dorado Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce Emporia Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce City of Fort Scott Economic Development

Harvey County Economic Development Council

Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce Leavenworth County Development Corporation

City of Parsons Economic Development

Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce

of Commerce GO Topeka

Wyandotte Economic Development Council

About Greater Kansas City

Home to 2.5 million people, the Kansas City region offers the benefits of more than 50 unique communities and 18 counties in Kansas and Missouri. The area ranks as the number one rail center in the U.S., the country's third largest trucking center and one of the largest Foreign Trade Zones in the U.S. The Kansas City region is recognized as "America's Creative Crossroads" as a center for technology and artistry.

About KCADC

The Kansas City Area Development Council serves the 18-county, two-state Kansas City area by marketing the region's business and lifestyle assets to companies around the world. Working closely with its 50+ state, county and community partners and its more than 250 corporate partners across the region, KCADC has attracted companies pledging to create more than 60,000 new jobs over its 40-year history. Visit thinkkc.com for more information.

SOURCE Kansas City Area Development Council

Related Links

http://www.thinkkc.com


NORTHBROOK, Ill., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE: KS) (the "Company" or "KapStone") today announced it is making an investment in building a new state-of-the-art sheet plant in Ontario, California, as well as investing as a minority partner in a sheet feeder in Ontario, California. The new sheet plant is expected to be manufacturing boxes by January 2017 and is intended to primarily supply the Company's Victory Packaging operations in Southern California as well as other KapStone customers. This venture, as well as another minority investment in a sheet feeder announced today, are expected to increase KapStone's vertical integration by over 60,000 tons per year and will ramp up to that level over eighteen months. Collectively, these investments are expected to be approximately $25 million and will be largely funded before fiscal year end 2016.

Roger Stone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KapStone, said, "These investments are consistent with our strategy to increase the vertical integration of KapStone's mills, reducing exposure to non-integrated end markets, and are in addition to the 20,000 to 25,000 tons per year vertical integration from the Central Florida Box acquisition. The Ontario, California, sheet plant will further extend our geographic reach to better service KapStone's customers while internalizing the production of some of our Victory Packaging corrugated box demand."

About the Company

Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, the Company is the fifth largest producer of containerboard and corrugated packaging products and is the largest kraft paper producer in the United States. The Company has 4 paper mills, 22 wholly owned corrugated converting facilities including Ontario, California, 65 distribution centers, and approximately 6,300 employees.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this news release that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "will," "should," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "estimate," "potential," "outlook," "guidance," or "continue," the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These statements reflect management's current views and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond the Company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements.

Achieving the anticipated benefits from mill integration associated with the converting asset investments presents challenges to management. Any investment or acquisition may not achieve the same levels of profitability or revenues as our existing business or perform as expected and could require us to make unexpected capital contributions, expose us to additional liabilities or require a disproportionate amount management time and attention. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: (1) industry conditions; (2) market and economic factors; and (3) the ability to achieve and effectively manage growth Further information on these and other risks and uncertainties is provided under Item 1A "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and elsewhere in reports that the Company files with the SEC. These filings can be found on KapStone's Web site at http://www.kapstonepaper.com and the SEC's Web site at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements included herein speak only as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update such statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances.

SOURCE KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation
MEBANE, N.C., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Poised to take advantage of the momentum of its Asian expansion, mattress supplier Kingsdown, Inc. has opened three additional stores in China taking its total footprint in the country to 39 stores in 31 cities. The company will have 75 stores in 65 cities by the end of the year through its ongoing licensing agreement with Chinese bedding producer and retailer Roth Bedding Technology International Limited.

The two companies joined forces last year, and since then, the partnership has continued to flourish. The latest openings include two additional stores in Beijing, taking the city's total to three, and a first location in Shanghai. The move solidifies the companies' growth strategy to have 500 branded stores open throughout China by 2020.

Building on its partnership with Roth, Kingsdown is growing its branded store network to increase and strengthen its presence in China, taking advantage of the demand for an American brand with a history of luxurious style and handcraftsmanship. The branded stores sell Kingsdown's collections along with products designed and developed specifically for the Chinese marketplace, a growing market for mattresses with an annual growth rate of more than 25 percent in the last five years.

"The reception to the Kingsdown brand in Asia has been incredible with the region's consumers," said Frank Hood, president and CEO of Kingsdown. "Our partnership with Roth has allowed us to capture China's luxury mattress consumer. The strategic plan we have in place will solidify Kingsdown as the leading luxury brand in this growing consumer market. We couldn't be more pleased with the results in the last 12 months, and we look forward to continuing our expansion."

"The future is bright for Kingsdown in China," said Jie Du, Roth bedding general manager. "Kingsdown's focus on styling, quality and industry leading sleep research are key characteristics for the discriminating consumer here in China who shows a strong penchant for American-made, high-end products."

Kingsdown also has branded retail showrooms in Vietnam.

Roth Bedding Technology International Limited is based in Hong Kong. The company is a leader in distribution platforms and retail.

CONTACT: Sheila Long O'Mara

Steinreich Communications

(212) 491-1600

[email protected]

SOURCE Kingsdown
TEANECK, N.J., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kumon, the world's largest after-school education franchise, is expanding in Greater Atlanta with the opening of two new centers in Alpharetta and Sandy Springs. This will be the fourth Kumon Center in Alpharetta and second in Sandy Springs. There are 49 Kumon Math and Reading Centers in Greater Atlanta, including 18 in Fulton County.

The Atlanta metropolitan area is the most populous metro area in Georgia and the ninth largest metropolitan area in the United States. Fulton County is the largest county in Georgia and the only county to exceed one million people, making it the ideal location for Kumon's expansion.

"The Kumon Method has proven successful in enhancing the lives of children in Greater Atlanta for over 27 years and we are excited to bring the method to even more families in Alpharetta and Sandy Springs," said Larry Lambert, vice president of franchise recruitment at Kumon North America.

Kumon's Presence in Greater Atlanta:

8,194 subject enrollments at 49 centers

First center opened in 1989

58 percent increase in number of centers in last 10 years

107.2 percent increase in enrollment in last 10 years

The Kumon Method empowers children to become self-learners and is designed to advance children's math and reading skills while fostering a love for learning. Kumon sparks critical thinking, establishes a pattern of success and builds confidence that can lead to accelerated learning throughout life.

To learn more about the Kumon franchise opportunity, visit kumonfranchise.com.

About Kumon Math & Reading Centers:

Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program that unlocks the potential of children in preschool through high school, so they can achieve more on their own. The learning method uses an individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. Visit www.kumon.com to learn more.

About the Kumon Franchise Business

Kumon is an ideal small business for professionals. Kumon Franchisees must have a four-year college degree, be proficient in math and reading and have investment capital of $70,000 and a net worth of at least $150,000. Founded in 1958, Kumon has four million students enrolled in 26,000 learning centers in 49 countries and regions. Kumon North America is headquartered in Teaneck, NJ.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160113/321904LOGO

SOURCE Kumon

Related Links

https://www.kumonfranchise.com


TEANECK, N.J., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kumon, the world's largest after-school education franchise, opened a new center in Harrisburg, North Carolina. There are 29 Kumon Math and Reading Centers in the state of North Carolina, including 12 in Greater Charlotte. The Kumon Math and Reading Center of Harrisburg-Town Center will give hundreds of additional parents access to a nearby Kumon learning center for their pre-school to high school aged children.

Harrisburg is a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina, which is the third fastest growing major city in the United States. Charlotte's continued growth makes it an ideal region for Kumon's expansion.

"With Greater Charlotte's thriving growth, the demand for additional Kumon learning centers continues to be seen," said Larry Lambert, vice president of franchise recruitment at Kumon North America. "The Kumon Method has proven successful in enhancing the lives of children in Greater Charlotte for 12 years now and we are excited to bring the method to even more local families."

Kumon's Presence in Greater Charlotte:

3,706 subject enrollments at 12 centers

First center opened in 2004

20 percent increase in number of centers in last five years

77 percent increase in student enrollment in last five years

The Kumon Method empowers children to become self-learners and is designed to advance children's math and reading skills while fostering a love for learning. Kumon sparks critical thinking, establishes a pattern of success and builds confidence that can lead to accelerated learning throughout life.

To learn more about the Kumon franchise opportunity, visit kumonfranchise.com.

About Kumon Math & Reading Centers:

Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program that unlocks the potential of children in preschool through high school, so they can achieve more on their own. The learning method uses an individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. Visit www.kumon.com to learn more.

About the Kumon Franchise Business

Kumon is an ideal small business for professionals. Kumon Franchisees must have a four-year college degree, be proficient in math and reading and have investment capital of $70,000 and a net worth of at least $150,000. Founded in 1958, Kumon has four million students enrolled in 26,000 learning centers in 49 countries and regions. Kumon North America is headquartered in Teaneck, NJ.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160113/321904LOGO

SOURCE Kumon

Related Links

http://www.kumon.com


"Drains and sewer lines in homes are immensely important, removing a large volume of waste water from your property each day," says Eric Corbett, president and owner of Larry & Sons. "Weather like we've had this year puts an immense strain on these systems. Small problems can become big ones very quickly, and can even compromise the very foundation of a structure. We offer annual checkups on both sewer systems and septic systems, as well as comprehensive drain cleanings."

Plumbing systems supply both hot and cold water to various fixtures and faucets, and also remove waste water from your home. Drainpipes are particularly susceptible to clogs and other blockages because of how much use they get, as well as the various substances that go down them. Using the most advanced technologies, the experts at Larry and Sons can detect and repair any issues in your plumbing system. Hair, grease, hard water and root penetration may all, in their own ways, lead to blocked drains. And heavy rainfall only strains the system and speeds the process.

It helps to use hair and food stoppers throughout your home to reduce the amount of hair and food scraps that end up in your drainpipes. But sometimes, clogged drains are inevitable. Larry and Sons treats the problem quickly and professionally, so you can have your functional home back.

For more information, or to view the services that Larry & Sons offers, visit www.larryandsons.com .

About Larry & Sons, Inc.

Larry and Sons, Inc. has served Tri-State area homeowners since 1960. With experts for nearly any home service needed, Larry & Sons offers full-service plumbing for repair and installation of water heaters, sewer systems, drain services and water treatment systems. The company also has solutions for central heating and air conditioning, geothermal, or general indoor air quality control systems. The team at Larry and Sons, Inc. are licensed and trained to handle any job from leaky faucets and clogged drains to full remodels of bathrooms. For more information about Larry & Sons, Inc., visit http://www.larryandsons.com or call 301-733-5428.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Heather Ripley

Ripley PR

865-977-1973

[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404482

SOURCE Larry & Sons, Inc.
Mr. Van Voorhis has represented clients before United States federal antitrust agencies as well as competition agencies in the European Union, United Kingdom and other jurisdictions. He has extensive experience shepherding transactions through merger clearance and helping clients conduct business efficiently while mitigating the risk of violating antitrust and competition laws. In particular, he has advised clients on structuring business relationships and counseling their employees on a wide range of antitrust and competition issues.

"Lee is a great addition to the firm," said Jenner & Block Managing Partner Terrence J. Truax. "He provides a specific skill set that will help increase our antitrust and competition capabilities to better serve our clients. His experience in both litigation and transactional areas is a great fit with our platform."

Mr. Van Voorhis has successfully defended clients' transactions from government challenges as well as represented them in litigation and arbitration proceedings. He has particular experience representing organizations in the technology, retail and consumer products, healthcare and media sectors.

Mr. Van Voorhis is one of only a handful of lawyers who have litigated mergers in federal district court, federal circuit court and in FTC administrative proceedings. He led the team for Phoebe Putney Hospital System in defense of its acquisition of a rival hospital. Under his leadership, the team won at the District Court and again in the Eleventh Circuit. After the FTC won at the US Supreme Court (in which Mr. Van Voorhis did not represent Phoebe), he led the team in the FTC administrative litigation, ultimately securing a settlement allowing Phoebe to keep the target hospital.

"We are delighted to welcome Lee to the firm," said Ross Bricker, chair of the firm's Antitrust and Competition Law Practice. "His capabilities will add to our existing litigation strengths and help continue Jenner & Block's long history of handling significant antitrust matters in state and federal trial and appellate courts, and other tribunals throughout the country."

Added Joseph P. Gromacki, chair of the firmwide Corporate Practice, "Lee's deep transactional and counseling experience adds to our depth as we continue to grow the corporate practice. His counseling experience in the context of complex HSR and other antitrust and competition law issues will be invaluable to our clients, particularly in the context of strategic combinations."

Mr. Van Voorhis has represented numerous large institutions in multi-billion dollar combinations, including representing Reuters in its $17.2 billion combination with the Thompson Corporation. He represented Avaya in its acquisition of Nortel's enterprise solutions business for $900 million as well as achieved antitrust clearance for the transaction in multiple jurisdictions. In addition, he represented Getty Images Inc. in its $96 million acquisition of Jupiterimages Corporation and has provided counsel to a number of institutions including Virtual Radiologic in its acquisition of NightHawk Radiology Holdings and Keystone Foods in the $1.26 billion sale of Keystone to Marfrig Alimentos, the second largest producer of beef in South America.

"I am excited to be joining Jenner & Block and being part of its rich and historic tradition in the antitrust field. This is the right firm for my antitrust and competition skills and I look forward to adding to the firm's existing strengths in this area," said Mr. Van Voorhis.

Mr. Van Voorhis joins the firm from Baker & McKenzie, where he was head of the North American Antitrust & Competition Law Practice Group. He received his J.D. in 1996 from Cornell University and his B.A. from Yale University in 1989.

ABOUT JENNER & BLOCK'S ANTITRUST AND COMPETITION LAW PRACTICE

For more than 30 years, Jenner & Block's Antitrust and Competition Law Practice has had an exceptional record representing both defendants and plaintiffs in high-stakes civil antitrust and competition law matters as well as advising clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and other transactions. With new legislation and government involvement, the potential risks of non-compliance for antitrust matters can result in lengthy prison terms for individuals and multimillion dollar fines for companies as well as greater civil accountability for both. We use our knowledge and experience to achieve the best possible outcome for our clients facing antitrust exposure.

ABOUT JENNER & BLOCK

Jenner & Block (www.jenner.com) is a law firm with global reach, with more than 500 lawyers and offices in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC. The firm is known for its prominent and successful litigation practice and experience handling sophisticated and high-profile corporate transactions. Firm clients include Fortune 100 companies, large privately held corporations, financial services institutions, emerging companies and venture capital and private equity investors. In 2016, The American Lawyer named Jenner & Block to the A-List, which recognizes the top 20 US law firms. The American Lawyer also recognized the firm as the #1 pro bono firm in the United States six of the past nine years; the firm has been ranked among the top 10 in this category every year since 1990.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404793

SOURCE Jenner & Block

Related Links

http://www.jenner.com


SAN FRANCISCO and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leadspace and LeanData today announced a partnership to provide lead routing, matching and predictive enrichment of both individual and company contact data. Available immediately to customers of both companies, this pairing gives B2B marketers an unprecedented ability to increase conversion rates for demand generation and account-based marketing (ABM).

Inbound lead-to-account matching is crucial for B2B marketingespecially for ABM. But routing leads for prompt follow-up is a major challenge. CRM and marketing automation treat leads as independent entities. Marketing automation platforms don't match leads to existing accounts.

The combination of Leadspace and LeanData solves these problems automatically. Leads are enriched in real time with accurate data, matched to the right accounts and routed for immediate engagement.

"LeanData and Leadspace together is a game-changer," said LeanData Vice President of Product Hendrick Lee. "Leads are automatically routed in real-time to the best sales rep or account team with high-quality B2B lead and company data. This ensures the maximum value of every lead is realized, increasing sales velocity while minimizing wasted time and dollars."

"Our partnership gives marketers critical data and insight, with no additional burden on lead-generation teams," said Leadspace Vice President of Product Travis Kaufman. "The payoff is quick, effective ABM engagement and higher conversion."

About Leadspace

Leadspace is the B2B predictive analytics and data management solution chosen by seven of the 10 largest enterprise software companies. Leadspace helps marketers increase lead conversion and boost pipeline with net-new lead discovery, on-demand database enrichment and predictive lead scoring, on both the company and individual employee level. Leadspace is trusted by more than 120 leading B2B brands including Oracle, Microsoft, Autodesk, RingCentral and BloomReach. Based in San Francisco and Tel Aviv, Leadspace is backed by Battery Ventures, JVP and Vertex. www.leadspace.com

About LeanData, Inc.

LeanData simplifies the complexity of the B2B sales process through better lead management. LeanData makes sales teams more efficient by matching leads to accounts and automatically routing them to the correct owner. LeanData maximizes the value of every lead by providing richer insights into accounts so businesses can increase sales velocity to close more deals faster. For more information, visit www.leandatainc.com

SOURCE Leadspace

Related Links

http://www.leadspace.com


Wright lost their first Bellwether trial in late 2015 for over $1MM, however the company has appealed. The next Bellwether trial is set for California in October of 2016. Legal-Bay's sources close to the litigation believe that the litigation could see some sort of partial resolution by 2017; with ultimate payments not until 2018 for most plaintiffs. Although Wright continues to deny liability and fight the claims, the company has also admitted in SEC filings that it is trying to make progress to an ultimate resolution. Typically, Hip Cases with revisions have a base award of $200-$350K depending on damages.

Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay commented, "The Wright litigation seems to be moving along at a normal pace as we have seen in other litigations. We are one of the few companies in legal finance funding these Wright hip cases since they have not officially been recalled. Regardless, with today's announcement we will do so more aggressively. Unfortunately, plaintiffs that have been suffering will not get the lawsuit settlement oasis that they expect right away because it does take time to receive funds even when cases are settled. We are seeing that in the transvaginal mesh litigation as well."

If you are interested in receiving up to a $30K advance in pre-settlement funding today on your pending Wright hip litigation case, you may apply online right now at: http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com .

Legal-Bay specializes in all personal injury funding; car and truck accidents; work related incidents such as discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination; wrongful imprisonment; and police brutality. Additionally, the company has been a leader in mass tort or bad drug litigations such as: Xarelto and Pradaxa blood thinners, hip revision and recall cases, transvaginal mesh, Actos bladder cancer, Granuflo or Natural Laturalyte dialysis, IVC Filter cases and any civil lawsuit where the plaintiff has an attorney.

To learn more about the company's various funding programs and how the process works, go the company's website at: http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com . You may also speak to a live representative at: 877.571.0405.

Contact: Patty Kirby, COO

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Legal-Bay LLC

Related Links

http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Let's Move! Active Schools, part of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative, announced its 2016 National Award recipients. Five hundred and forty-four U.S. schools, representing 41 states plus the District of Columbia, were recognized for their outstanding efforts in creating an Active School environment.

The Let's Move! Active Schools National Award is the nation's top physical education and physical activity distinction for K-12 schools. The award celebrates a school's commitment to providing students with at least 60 minutes of physical activity before, during and after school each day.

"I applaud these schools for creating Active School environments that are inspiring students to be more engaged learners and ensuring that physical education and physical activity continue to be an important part of every child's educational experience," said First Lady Michelle Obama.

Studies show that Active Kids Do Better. Physical activity not only helps kids stay healthy and strong, but it can also contribute to higher test scores, improved attendance, better behavior in class, enhanced leadership skills and a lifetime of healthy habits.

Powered by a national collaborative of health, education and private sector organizations, Let's Move! Active Schools is dedicated to ensuring at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day is the norm in K-12 schools across the country. All partners work together through the collective impact framework to equip schools with physical education and physical activity resources, programs, professional development and activation grants that help create Active School environments.

To earn a Let's Move! Active Schools National Award, a school must have met significant benchmarks in five areas: physical education; physical activity before and after school; physical activity during school; staff involvement; and family and community engagement.

This year, honorees will receive a large display banner, certificate and congratulatory letter from the First Lady.

Check out the honorees: 2016 Let's Move! Active Schools National Award Recipients.

Since its February 2013 launch, more than 20,000 schools in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia have enrolled in Let's Move! Active Schools, reaching more than 11 million students. Find out more at www.letsmoveschools.org.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404365LOGO

SOURCE Let's Move! Active Schools

Related Links

http://www.letsmoveschools.org


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled the V20, the latest in its V series of smartphones, delivering the highest multimedia capabilities available in a mobile device. The V20 boasts new features including Steady Record 2.0, Hi-Fi Quad DAC, HD Audio Recorder and front and rear wide-angle lens cameras to deliver incredible performance. It is also the world's first smartphone to come preloaded with Android 7.0 Nougat OS and the new Google In Apps phone search function. Coming soon to consumers across the U.S., the all-new V20 will be available at AT&T, B&H, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon, select Best Buy stores and BestBuy.com.

LG Takes The Multimedia Mobile Experience To The Next Level With V20 LG Takes The Multimedia Mobile Experience To The Next Level With V20 LG Takes The Multimedia Mobile Experience To The Next Level With V20 LG Takes The Multimedia Mobile Experience To The Next Level With V20 LG Takes The Multimedia Mobile Experience To The Next Level With V20 LG Takes The Multimedia Mobile Experience To The Next Level With V20

The LG V series is a premium flagship smartphone line designed to provide users with a leading video and audio experience. In fact, the V20 was developed with "storytellers" in mind  for anyone who has something to say or anyone who has an experience to share.

Delivering Share-worthy, Crisp, Clear Videos

Steady Record 2.0

The LG V20, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with X12 LTE, introduces Steady Record 2.0, leveraging Qualcomm Technologies' electronic image stabilization (EIS) 3.0 to record smooth video footage and reduce shaky images. EIS shifts the image frame by frame to counter unintentional movement and determine a smooth path for the footage  allowing the user to record clearer videos, even when they're on the move.

Hi-Fi Video Recording

LG V20 owners can record Hi-Fi videos and manually control the settings to capture next level audio with their video recordings. While recording video, the V20 captures audio through three Acoustic Overload Point (AOP) mics using 24-bit / 48 kHz Linear Pulse Code Modulation (LPCM), a format used by professional movie producers. This results in share-worthy videos from concerts and live events  without having the audio sound blown out!

The Purest Audio Experience

Hi-Fi Quad DAC

The V20 is the world's first smartphone to feature a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, powered by ESS Technology, designers of high-performance audio products. Powered by ESS SABRE ES9218, the Quad DAC in the V20 delivers clearer sound by minimizing distortion and ambient noise. With support for lossless music formats including FLAC, DSD, AIFF and ALAC, the V20 delivers high-quality audio to any pair of wired earphones.

HD Audio Recorder

The HD Audio Recorder represents the next level of sound recording. This feature lets users capture studio quality audio with a wider dynamic frequency range using three high AOP microphones to record incredible sound that surpass audio recordings on conventional smartphones. With Studio Mode, users manually control sound with easy-to-use keys similar to ones found in video cameras and use Music Recorded to create high quality audio suitable for auditions by recording singing voices over existing music.

B&O Play H3

Those who purchase the V20, for a limited time, will also receive a pair of B&O Play H3 Lightweight Earphones. These earphones are perfect for those who have not yet invested in nicer headphones  but still want a high quality, wired mobile audio experience.

Capture It All and More

Front/Rear Wide Angle Lens

The wide angle capabilities of the front and rear cameras capture photos with an inclusive background, meaning users get more in the frame and leave nothing out. The 5MP front camera with a 120-degree lens expands the selfie experience to take bigger pictures with even more friends. The 8MP rear camera with its 135-degree lens is perfect for taking pictures in front of a gorgeous vista or inside a gigantic stadium. The large aperture standard angle lens captures sharp images at a maximum of 16MP with its 75-degree lens.

Auto Shot

The Auto Shot Function on the front camera produces perfect selfies with its face detection feature, which triggers the shot when the subject is ready and smiling. There is no need to press the shutter button, which can increase camera shake and the likelihood of a blurred shot.

Hybrid Auto Focus

The V20's Hybrid Auto Focus (HAF) helps the user zero in on that perfect shot with quick, accurate focus in nearly any setting. Fast and stable auto focus is delivered in any environment by integrating three AF mechanisms  Laser Detection AF, Phase Detection AF and Contrast AF  for both videos and photos. The V20 determines if LDAF or PDAF is best for a particular shot and then refines the focus with Contrast AF. Users can take full advantage of the V20 when capturing sharp images of friends or family in action, in various lighting conditions.

Gives You More of What You Love

Second Screen

The popular Second Screen feature that was first introduced on the V10 has improved visibility features. With nearly double the brightness and 50 percent larger font size compared to the V10, the smaller display located above the main display allows users to easily view notifications and alerts in outdoor situations at a glance.

With the new Expandable Notifications feature, users can tap the "expand" button on the Second Screen to enlarge notifications to check long messages at a glance and quickly send a reply or share information without leaving the app they were using.

LG UX 5.0+

The LG V20 comes with the mobile user interface LG UX 5.0+ to make it easier to use the multimedia functions tailored to customer needs. The LG UX 5.0+ is an upgraded version of the LG UX 5.0 first introduced on the LG G5. It is also the world's first smartphone interface to run on Android 7.0 Nougat.

The LG V20 also features Multi-window to display two apps at once in a split screen allowing users to drag text, images, and files from one app to another. The combination of these advancements together with the 5.7-inch main IPS Quantum Display offers the best in multitasking capabilities.

In Apps

The LG V20 is the world's first phone to showcase Google's In Apps. The new search mode featured in the Google app, helps users find content not only from built-in apps including contacts, emails, text messages and photos, but also from user-installed apps. It also enables users to discover recently accessed apps, people to get in touch with, messages to read or activity across apps without having to type a query.

Premium Design in a Durable Body

Premium Materials and Durability

To achieve both a sophisticated look and solid durability, LG uses lightweight aluminum, together with a new silicon-based material. AL6013 metal, found in aircraft, sailboats and mountain bikes, was selected to cover the back of the phone due to its sturdy but light properties. The top and bottom of the phone are protected from damage by Silicone Polycarbonate (Si-PC). This innovative material, found in helmets, can reduce shocks by more than 20 percent compared to conventional materials.

The LG V20 has also passed the MIL-STD 810G Transit Drop Test for durability conducted by an independent laboratory that conforms to U.S. military standards.

"The LG V20 is designed to offer customers a more dynamic experience by building on the most popular video and audio features of the V series," said Juno Cho, president of LG Electronics and Mobile Communications Company. "With the LG V20, we are giving our customers more of everything they love and less of anything they don't need to set a new standard for premium smartphones."

The LG V20 will be available in Korea starting this month followed by other regions. Information regarding other markets and launch dates will be announced locally in the weeks to come.

Key Specifications: 2

Chipset: Qualcomm  Snapdragon 820 Processor

Snapdragon 820 Processor Display: Main 5.7-inch QHD IPS Quantum Display (2560 x 1440 / 513ppi) / Secondary IPS Quantum Display (160 x 1040 / 513ppi)

Memory: 4GB LPDDR4 RAM / 64GB UFS ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)

Camera: Front 5MP with F1.9 Aperture (Wide Angle) / Rear 16MP with F1.8 Aperture OIS (Standard Angle) and 8MP with F2.4 Aperture (Wide Angle)

Battery: 3200mAh (removable)

Operating System: Android 7.0 Nougat

Size: 159.7 x 78.1 x 7.6mm

Weight: 174g

Network: LTE-A 3 Band CA

Connectivity: X12 LTE (up to 600 Mbps LTE Category 12 with 3x Carrier Aggregation) / Wi-Fi (802.11 a, b, g, n, ac) / USB Type-C / Bluetooth 4.2 BLE / NFC

Colors: Titan / Silver

Others: Hi-Fi Video Recording / Steady Record 2.0 / HD Audio Recorder / Studio Mode / High AOP Mic / Second Screen / 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC / In Apps / Finger Print Scanner / Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0

2 Specifications may vary depending on the particular market.

Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Quick Charge is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Qualcomm Snapdragon and Qualcomm Quick Charge are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

About LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc.

LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A. Inc. based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the U.S. sales subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc. a global innovator and trend leader in the global mobile communications industry. LG is driving the evolution of mobile forward with its highly competitive core technologies in the areas of display, battery and camera optics and strategic partnerships with noted industry leaders. LG's consumer-centric products -- including the flagship premium G Series models -- incorporate unique, ergonomic designs and intuitive UX features that enhance the user experience. The company remains committed to leading consumers into the era of convergence, maximizing inter-device connectivity between smartphones, tablets and a wide range of home and portable electronics products. For more information, please visit www.LG.com.

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SOURCE LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc.

Related Links

http://www.LG.com


LOS ANGELES, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Los Angeles Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half shows 19 percent of Los Angeles CFOs expect their company to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 65 percent plan to hire for open roles.

CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time, professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:

Los Angeles CFO Hiring Predictions



Sept. 2016  Feb. 2017* March 2016  Aug. 2016* Expanding  adding new positions 19% 22% Maintaining  only filling vacated positions 65% 62% Freezing  not filling vacated positions or creating new ones 14% 13% Reducing  eliminating positions 1% 4%

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

View an infographic featuring the survey results.

Recruiting Challenges

Fifty-nine percent of Los Angeles CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today, up from 51 percent six months ago.

Los Angeles executives (37 percent) also said finding skilled workers is their greatest staffing challenge.

"Employees are looking for new opportunities and are not hesitant to leave their current employers," said Brett Good, senior district president for Robert Half. "Couple this with CFOs citing increased challenges in finding individuals with in-demand attributes in a market favorable for skilled talent, and it should be no surprise that employers are turning their attention to staff retention and backfilling a higher number of open positions due to voluntary turnover."

Business Confidence

According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Los Angeles CFOs are optimistic about their company's growth. Ninety-five percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their company's prospects in the next six months.

About the Professional Employment Forecast

The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Los Angeles area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology.

About Robert Half

Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company, based in Menlo Park, California, has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. Additional insights on the latest hiring trends also can be found in the company's just-released 2017 Salary Guides. For more career and management insights, visit roberthalf.com/los-angeles.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404702-INFO

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SOURCE Robert Half

Related Links

https://www.roberthalf.com


SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- LRS Consulting Services announced today that Abigail Giffin has been hired as Account Executive for the firm's office in Des Moines, Iowa.

Chris Walters, Vice President of LRS Consulting Services, said he was thrilled to find someone with Giffin's enthusiasm for the Des Moines area. She has nearly two years of experience in recruiting for Collabera, Inc. and serves as Vice President of Marketing/Social Outreach for the Des Moines Jaycees.

"Abigail already knows the Des Moines area and has a track record of developing new business," Walters said. "That's extremely important to us as we continue to grow our business in Iowa."

Walters noted that LRS Consulting Services has been operating an office in Cedar Rapids for seven years and has recently expanded to Des Moines.

Giffin is a graduate of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She began working for Collabera as an Associate Technical Recruiter before her promotion to Account Manager.

"My strengths include truly understanding what clients want and matching their needs to the skills candidates offer," Giffin said. "I believe in building long-lasting and mutually benefitting relationships, which is why I'm excited to join LRS Consulting Services. This firm has a long history of strong relationships."

LRS Consulting Services is the IT and engineering staffing division of Levi, Ray & Shoup, Inc. (LRS), a privately-held U.S. company with corporate headquarters located in Springfield, IL. Remote offices are located throughout the United States and in key geographic regions around the world. More than half of the Fortune 500 and Fortune 500 Service companies rely on industry-leading LRS solutions, with products in use in over 30 countries. Industry analyst groups recognize LRS as a global IT leader. For more information, visit www.LRS.com.

 Levi, Ray & Shoup, Inc. All rights reserved. LRS is a registered trademark of Levi, Ray & Shoup, Inc.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Chris Walters

Vice President

LRS Consulting Services

314-748-7009, ext. 3380

[email protected]

SOURCE LRS Consulting Services

Related Links

http://www.LRS.com


LONDON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Manufacturing industries implement various planning systems such as ERP or equivalent to decide what products to be manufactured. After completion of the planning stage, the manufacturers determine resources that are currently available in stock for execution of the manufacturing plan. The primary function of MES is to facilitate communication between different divisions in industries and providing enterprise-wide records for improving operational performance. In addition, MES software application provides industries or manufacturing plants with scheduling and planning, tracking and analyzing, and control of manufacturing operations.

The major factor driving the growth of the market is attributed to the rising demand for industrial automation; primarily in growing economies such as China, India and Brazil. MES provides real-time information of the shop floor providing transparency and better visibility of manufacturing operations. Moreover, MES integrates information or data from the shop floor with business systems, enabling manufacturers with more competitive decision making. In addition, highly regulated industries such as medical device and equipment manufacturers, chemical, and food and beverages among others require intensive internal and external reporting to comply with the strict government regulations. Quality and uniformity is given the maximum importance in such highly regulated industries. MES have the ability to automate essential regulatory processes to ensure government regulations and meet the requirements of reporting in such industries. Increasing adoption of MES is driven by ability of MES for integrating quality management from the shop floor to the top floor offering accurate and flexible work instructions to highly regulated industries. These factors are expected to positively affect the growth of the global MES market during the forecast period.

Based on process industry, the global MES market is segmented into: oil and gas, chemical, food and beverages, pulp and paper, pharmaceutical, energy and power, water and wastewater treatment, and others. Others process industry segment includes textiles, and steel and aluminum. Continuous operation environment in process industries is of critical importance in process industries. MES facilitates process industries with automation, execution and management of manufacturing operations with advanced features such as tracking, scheduling, resource allocation and control, quality assurance, and plant maintenance among others.

The global manufacturing execution system (MES) market is categorized based on discrete industry into: automotive, aerospace and defense, electronics and electrical, medical devices, FMCG and others. Semiconductors, furniture and wood products, and printing and publishing are included in the others discrete industry segment. Demand for paperless operation, to assist efficient performance and flexibility in operations is contributing to the market growth during the forecast period.



This market research study analyzes the global manufacturing execution system (MES) market and provides estimates in terms of revenue (USD Million) from 2015 to 2023. It recognizes the drivers, restraints and opportunities affecting the industry and analyzes their impact over the forecast period.



By geography, market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). In addition, the report segments the market based on process industry, which include oil and gas, chemical, food and beverages, pulp and paper, pharmaceutical, energy and power, water and wastewater treatment, and others. It also segments the market on the basis of discrete industry into automotive, aerospace and defense, electronics and electrical, medical devices, FMCG and others. All these segments have also been estimated on the basis of geography.



For better understanding of the global manufacturing execution system (MES) market, key trend analysis and porter's five force analysis are also provided. Furthermore, the study comprises a market attractiveness analysis, where the manufacturing execution system (MES) by process industry and discrete industry are benchmarked based on their market scope, growth rate and general attractiveness.

The report provides company market share analysis of various industry participants. The key players have also been profiled on the basis of company overview, financial overview, business strategies, and the recent developments in the field of manufacturing execution system (MES). Major market participants profiled in this report include ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), Schneider Electric S.E. (France), Rockwell Automation, Inc. (U.S.), Emersion Electric Co. (U.S.), General Electric Co. (U.S.), and SAP SE (Germany) among others.



Global Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Market: By Process Industry



Oil and Gas

Chemical

Food and Beverages

Pulp and Paper

Pharmaceutical

Energy and Power

Water and Wastewater Treatment

Others

Global Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Market: By Discrete Industries



Automotive

Aerospace and Defense

Electronics and Electrical

Medical Devices

FMCG

Others

Global Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Market: By Geography



North America

U.S.

Canada

Mexico

Europe

U.K.

Germany

France

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

India

China

Japan

Rest of Asia-Pacific

Rest of the World (RoW)

Latin America

Middle East

Africa

The report provides a cross-sectional analysis of all the above segments with respect to the following regions:



North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Rest of the World (RoW)

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3999740/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

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RICHMOND, Va. and AUSTIN, Texas and HOUSTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- McCann Realty Partners, LLC ("McCann") announced it has started construction on the 303 unit Retreat at Wolf Ranch Apartments in Georgetown, Texas, a north Austin submarket. The 19-acre property is located just west of downtown Georgetown in the Wolf Ranch Master Planned Community adjacent to the 670,000 square foot Wolf Ranch Town Center. The luxury, Class A apartment project will include 2 story townhouse and 3 story walk-up buildings appointed with stone and stucco exteriors with views of the San Gabriel River and the Texas Hill Country. Amenities will include a fitness center, resort-style swimming pool, and a stand-alone clubhouse with a media center, cyber cafe and gourmet kitchen. Residents at Retreat at Wolf Ranch will have easy access to job centers along Interstate 35 in central Texas and in Austin, which consistently ranks among the leaders in the US for job growth. The project is scheduled to begin leasing in the third quarter of 2017 and will be managed by Pegasus Residential, LLC. McCann will act as general contractor on the project.

"We are excited to break ground on our second development project in the Austin area," said McCann's President, Matthew T. Akin. "We were drawn to this location because it is adjacent to Wolf Ranch Town Center and part of the Wolf Ranch Master Planned Community being developed by The Hillwood Company. Georgetown is really a great lifestyle choice for people looking to relocate." The most recent census estimates showed it is the fastest growing city in the nation with populations of 50,000 or more, with a growth rate of 7.8% for the 12- month period ending July 2015.

McCann is currently seeking new development opportunities and apartment acquisitions in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Southwest. For more information regarding McCann's search criteria in the Southwest, please contact Tre Banks, Managing Director, at (713) 239-1080. For other markets, contact Thomas Upson, VP of Acquisitions, at 804-290-8870.

About McCann Realty Partners



Headquartered in Richmond, VA with a regional office in Houston, TX, McCann Realty Partners is a real estate investment and operating company that specializes in acquisitions, development and management of multifamily communities in the Southeast, Southwest, Mid-Atlantic and adjacent regions. Since inception, McCann has acquired 28 apartment communities totaling more than 7,695 homes in transactions valued at approximately $740 million. McCann has also developed or has under development 10 communities totaling 2,991 homes with an estimated completed value of $400 million. For more information, visit www.mrpapts.com.

Contact: Fleet Wallace, McCann Realty (804) 290-8870

SOURCE McCann Realty Partners

Related Links

http://www.mrpapts.com


SAN FRANCISCO, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The global medical digital imaging systems market is expected to reach USD 37.9 billion by the year 2024, according to a new report published by Grand View Research, Inc. The growth of the market is expected to be at CAGR of around 4.5% during the years, 2014 - 2024.

Grand View Research Logo (PRNewsFoto/Grand View Research_ Inc_)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 )



With the availability of the digital display screens, the incorporation of diagnostic devices, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT) scanners, ultrasound, and x-ray, in the screening procedures have significantly risen. Availability of digital screens with higher resolution and three dimensional views are the factors expected to boost the growth of the market as these devices deliver higher image clarity and accuracy, which enables a faster decision making process for doctors.

Systems assuring high accuracy and improved patient convenience with automated workflows, are integral requirements of the modern diagnostic devices. The integration of digital screens with diagnostic devices have expanded their capabilities in meeting the demands of a rapidly developing diagnostic industry. A huge scope for further development of digital screens and the introduction of softwares that enable data digitalization are anticipated to spur innovation in this field, in the future.

Factors such as thecost prohibitive nature of these devices, excise tax duties levied in some regions including the U.S, and the limitations of the diagnostic procedures due to the risk of radiationexposure are impeding the growth of the overall market.

Key players contributing to the growth of this marketinclude but are not limited to GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Hitachi Medical Corporation, Carestream Health, Inc., Esaote, Hologic, Inc., and Shimadzu Corporation.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Medical Digital Imaging Systems Market Analysis by Product Type (X-ray Devices, Ultrasound, Computed Tomography (CT) Scanners, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Imaging), By Technology (2D (Black& White, Color), 3D/4D) Segment Forecasts to 2024" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/medical-digital-imaging-systems-market

Further key findings from the study suggest:

The x-ray imaging devicessegment captured the largest share of the vertical. The segment was valued around USD 6.9 billion in 2015. Large number of applications and high procedural volume are the factors contributing to the large market share of the segment.

in 2015. Large number of applications and high procedural volume are the factors contributing to the large market share of the segment. The nuclear imaging segment is anticipated to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period. Growing application of nuclear imaging in disease diagnostics, such as cancer, is primarily boosting the growth of the sector.

North America capturedthelargest market share in the year 2015. The dominance of this regionalverticalis expected to continue during the forecast period. The factors contributing to the growth of the sectorin North America include awell-established healthcare infrastructure and the high adoption rate of advanced diagnostic technology.

capturedthelargest market share in the year 2015. The dominance of this regionalverticalis expected to continue during the forecast period. The factors contributing to the growth of the sectorin include awell-established healthcare infrastructure and the high adoption rate of advanced diagnostic technology. AsiaPacificis anticipated to exhibitthe fastest growth during the forecast period.Countries in the region such as Japan and China are the major contributors to the significant sectorgrowth in this region. This is attributableto the rising awareness about the benefits of early disease diagnosis, increasing incidence of chronic diseases, development of new healthcare facilities, and the growing medical tourism.

Grand View Research has segmented the medical digital imaging systems market on the basis of product, technology, and geography.

Medical Digital Imaging Systems Market by Product X-ray Devices Ultrasound Systems Computed Tomography (CT)Scanners Magnetic Resonance Imaging Equipment Nuclear Imaging Equipment

Medical Digital Imaging Systems Market by Technology 2D Black & white Color 3D and 4D

Medical Digital Imaging Systems Market by Region North America U.S. medical digital imaging systems market by product type U.S. medical digital imaging systems market by technology type Canada medical digital imaging systems market by product type Canada medical digital imaging systems market by technology type Europe UK medical digital imaging systems market by product type UK medical digital imaging systems market by technology type Germany medical digital imaging systems market by product type Germany medical digital imaging systems market by technology type Asia Pacific China medical digital imaging systems market by product type China medical digital imaging systems market by technology type Japan medical digital imaging systems market by product type Japan medical digital imaging systems market by technology type Latin America Brazil medical digital imaging systems market by product type Brazil medical digital imaging systems market by technology type Mexico medical digital imaging systems market by product type Mexico medical digital imaging systems market by technology type MEA South Africa medical digital imaging systems market by product type South Africa medical digital imaging systems market by technology type



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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. The company 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.

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Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

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Email: [email protected]



Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Grand View Research Logo (PRNewsFoto/Grand View Research_ Inc_)

The global medical X-ray generator market is expected to reach USD 2.07 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The unprecedented shift in lifestyle associated habits coupled with increasing prevalence chronic diseases, is responsible for the rise in demand for accurate diagnostic tools, which is presumed to bolster the market growth. In addition, global geriatric population base that is highly susceptible toward developing these chronic diseases is anticipated to impel the demand for high resolution imaging systems. This high requirement is effectively addressed by use of the medical x-ray generators, thus presenting the market with high growth potential throughout the forecast period.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 )

In addition, these devices lead to better patient outcomes, which include faster detection of disease conditions, and improved patient safety profile. These associated benefits are expected to increase the overall adoption rate of these medical x-ray generators over the coming years

Furthermore, technological advancements such modification of the design of computer-controlled x-ray generator interface with imaging system results in better synchronization of the overall imaging system with x-ray generators. This has resulted in application of medical x-ray generators in fluoroscopy, radiography, and angiography, thus widening the potential for growth during the forecast period.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Medical X-ray Generator Market Analysis By Product (Stationary, Portable), By Application (Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Mammography, Orthopedics, Dental), And Segment Forecasts to 2024" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/medical-x-ray-generator-market

Further Key Findings from the Study Suggest:

Stationary medical x-ray generators held the largest share of over 68.0% in the product segment in 2015. The dominant share can be attributed to low costs, high stability, and durability associated with the device, which is responsible for the high adoption rate in hospital settings.

Cardiovascular segment held the substantial share of over 20.0% in the application segment in 2015. The aforementioned is primarily a consequence of increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, high demand for mono energetic x-ray generators for cardiovascular imaging, owing to its appropriate and safe intensity of energy projections, is presumed to provide growth potential to the Medical X-ray Generator Market.

In 2015, North America held a substantial share of the overall Medical X-ray Generator Market at over 30.0%. The presence of government regulatory authorities, consistently striving toward high patient safety is a significant factor that is presumed to be responsible for the largest market share of this region.

held a substantial share of the overall Medical X-ray Generator Market at over 30.0%. The presence of government regulatory authorities, consistently striving toward high patient safety is a significant factor that is presumed to be responsible for the largest market share of this region. Furthermore, frequent product launch by prominent market players in the U.S. is presumed to be responsible for its largest share. For instance, In June 2015 , Spellman High Voltage Electronics Corporation launched new range of radiography generators, Z series X-ray Generators. The product was launched at a relatively lower cost to cater to mid-tier medical radiography and veterinary imaging segments.

, Spellman High Voltage Electronics Corporation launched new range of radiography generators, Z series X-ray Generators. The product was launched at a relatively lower cost to cater to mid-tier medical radiography and veterinary imaging segments. Some key players are increasingly involved in entering into collaborations and product launches to garner a larger share. For instance, in April 2015 , Emd Technologies, Inc., launched a new range of EPS Unipolar High-Voltage Generators in the area of the mammography radiology segment. Moreover, in March 2015 , Spellman announced to expand x-ray source product portfolio, through the launch of Monoblock x-ray sources with the introduction of XRBC Monoblock series.

Grand View Research has segmented the Medical X-Ray Generators market on the basis of product, technology, and geography.

Global Medical X-Ray Generators Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, 000 units, 2013 - 2024) Stationary Portable

Global Medical X-Ray Generators Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, 000 units, 2013 - 2024) Cardiovascular Respiratory Mammography Orthopedics Dental

Medical X-Ray Generators Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, 000 units, 2013 - 2024) North America U.S. Canada Europe UK Germany Asia Pacific Japan China Latin America MEA



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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. The company 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.

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Contact:

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Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: [email protected]

Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com



SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
"This study was conducted to understand the duration of action for LILETTA," said lead author Mitchell Creinin, MD, Professor and Director of Family Planning in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of California, Davis.

The study evaluated the remaining hormone content in LILETTA systems that had been removed from women at various time points during the first five years of the ongoing seven-year ACCESS IUS (A Comprehensive Contraceptive Efficacy and Safety Study of an IUS) clinical trial, the largest ever IUS clinical trial conducted in the US. The remaining amount of levonorgestrel, the active hormone in LILETTA, was used to calculate the hormone release rate over five years.

"The study's findings," according to Dr. Creinin, "show that the amount of levonorgestrel remaining in the system and the amount still being released each year support the continued evaluation of LILETTA as a contraceptive for up to five years."

"In addition, the study results support our planned future FDA submission for a five-year duration of use for LILETTA," said Dr. Jessica Grossman, CEO of Medicines360.

About LILETTA

LILETTA is a hormone-releasing system placed in a woman's uterus to prevent pregnancy. It is greater than 99 percent effective for up to three years. LILETTA has been approved by the FDA for contraception in the U.S. for 3 years based on the initial results of the ACCESS IUS trial and has been approved in several European countries for contraception with additional indications for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding. LILETTA is not permanent, it is reversible; it can be removed at any time by a healthcare provider, offering the flexibility of use for either long- or short-term contraception.

Important Safety Information

(scroll to see additional Important Safety Information and full Prescribing Information link)

Who is not appropriate for LILETTA

Use of LILETTA is contraindicated in women with: known or suspected pregnancy and cannot be used for post-coital contraception; congenital or acquired uterine anomaly, including fibroids if they distort the uterine cavity; known or suspected breast cancer or other progestin-sensitive cancer, now or in the past; known or suspected uterine or cervical neoplasia; acute liver disease or liver tumors; untreated acute cervicitis or vaginitis, including lower genital tract infections (e.g., bacterial vaginosis) until infection is controlled; postpartum endometritis or infected abortion in the past 3 months; unexplained uterine bleeding; current IUS; acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or history of PID (except with later intrauterine pregnancy); conditions increasing susceptibility to pelvic infection; or hypersensitivity to any component of LILETTA.

Clinical considerations for use and removal of LILETTA

Use LILETTA with caution after careful assessment in patients with coagulopathy or taking anticoagulants; migraine, focal migraine with asymmetrical visual loss, or other symptoms indicating transient cerebral ischemia; exceptionally severe headache; marked increase of blood pressure; or severe arterial disease such as stroke or myocardial infarction. Consider removing the intrauterine system if these or the following arise during use: uterine or cervical malignancy or jaundice. Because irregular bleeding/spotting is common during the first months of LILETTA use, exclude endometrial pathology (polyps or cancer) prior to the insertion of LILETTA in women with persistent or uncharacteristic bleeding. If the threads are not visible or are significantly shortened, they may have broken or retracted into the cervical canal or uterus. If LILETTA is displaced (e.g., expelled or perforated the uterus), remove it.

Pregnancy related risks with LILETTA

If pregnancy should occur with LILETTA in place, remove the intrauterine system because leaving it in place may increase the risk of spontaneous abortion and preterm labor. Removal or manipulation may result in pregnancy loss. Evaluate women for ectopic pregnancy because the likelihood of a pregnancy being ectopic is increased with LILETTA. Tell women about the signs of ectopic pregnancy and associated risks, including loss of fertility. Women with a history of ectopic pregnancy, tubal surgery, or pelvic infection carry a higher risk of ectopic pregnancy.

Educate her about PID

Insertion of LILETTA is contraindicated in the presence of known or suspected PID or endometritis or a history of PID unless there has been a subsequent intrauterine pregnancy. IUSs have been associated with an increased risk of PID, most likely due to organisms being introduced into the uterus during insertion. About 1/3 of women diagnosed with PID developed the infection within a week of LILETTA insertion, while the remainder were diagnosed more than six months after insertion. Counsel women who receive LILETTA to notify a healthcare provider if they have complaints of lower abdominal or pelvic pain, odorous discharge, unexplained bleeding, fever, or genital lesions or sores. PID is often associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs); LILETTA does not protect against STIs, including HIV. PID or endometritis may be asymptomatic but still result in tubal damage and its sequelae. Inform women about the possibility of PID and that PID can cause tubal damage leading to ectopic pregnancy or infertility, or infrequently can necessitate hysterectomy, or cause death.

Expect changes in bleeding patterns with LILETTA

Spotting and irregular or heavy bleeding may occur during the first 3 to 6 months. Periods may become shorter and/or lighter thereafter. Cycles may remain irregular, become infrequent, or even cease. Consider pregnancy if menstruation does not occur within 6 weeks of the onset of previous menstruation.

If a significant change in bleeding develops during prolonged use, take appropriate diagnostic measures to rule out endometrial pathology.

Be aware of other serious complications and most common adverse reactions

Some serious complications with IUSs like LILETTA are sepsis, perforation, and expulsion. Severe infection or sepsis, including Group A streptococcal sepsis (GAS), have been reported following insertion of other LNG-releasing IUSs. Aseptic technique during insertion of LILETTA is essential in order to minimize serious infections such as GAS.

Perforation (total or partial, including penetration/embedment of LILETTA in the uterine wall or cervix) may occur, most often during insertion, although the perforation may not be detected until sometime later. Perforation may reduce contraceptive efficacy. If perforation occurs, locate and remove LILETTA. Surgery may be required. Delayed detection or removal of LILETTA in case of perforation may result in migration outside the uterine cavity, adhesions, peritonitis, intestinal perforations, intestinal obstruction, abscesses, and erosion of adjacent viscera. The risk of perforation is higher if inserted in lactating women and may be higher if inserted in women who are postpartum or when the uterus is fixed retroverted.

Partial or complete expulsion of LILETTA may occur, resulting in the loss of contraceptive protection.

Delay LILETTA insertion a minimum of 6 weeks or until uterine involution is complete following a delivery or a second trimester abortion. Remove a partially expelled LILETTA. If expulsion has occurred, a new LILETTA may be inserted within 7 days after the onset of a menstrual period after pregnancy has been ruled out.

Ovarian cysts may occur and are generally asymptomatic, but may be accompanied by pelvic pain or dyspareunia. Evaluate persistent ovarian cysts.

In the clinical trial of LILETTA the most common adverse reactions (5% users) were vaginal infections (13.6%), vulvovaginal infections (13.3%), acne (12.3%), headache or migraine (9.8%), nausea or vomiting (7.9%), dyspareunia (7.0%), abdominal pain or discomfort (6.8%), breast tenderness or pain (6.7%), pelvic discomfort or pain (6.1%), depression or depressed mood (5.4%), and mood changes (5.2%).

Teach patients to recognize and immediately report signs or symptoms of the aforementioned conditions. Evaluate patients 4 to 6 weeks after insertion of LILETTA and then yearly or more often if clinically indicated.

Please see the link to LILETTA Full Prescribing Information:

http://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/liletta_pi

About Allergan Women's Healthcare

Allergan is a leader in women's health care that is dedicated to developing and commercializing best-in-class pharmaceuticals to improve the health and wellness of women. Allergan takes a holistic and a best-in-class approach to women's healthcare as it prioritizes educational partnerships with OB/GYNs. The mission of Allergan Women's Healthcare extends beyond its pharmaceutical products to ensure that all women can make informed decisions about their health and have access to high-quality medications. Allergan is committed to investing in programs that support the education and well-being of all women.

About Medicines360

Medicines360, located in San Francisco, California, is a nonprofit global women's health pharmaceutical company with a mission to expand access to quality medicines for all women regardless of their socioeconomic status, insurance coverage or geographic location. Medicines360 is committed to working with healthcare providers, advocacy groups and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help women around the world have greater access to the medicines they need. For more information, visit www.medicines360.org.

About Allergan

Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is a bold, global pharmaceutical company and a leader in a new industry model  Growth Pharma. Allergan is focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing branded pharmaceuticals, devices and biologic products for patients around the world.

Allergan markets a portfolio of leading brands and best-in-class products for the central nervous system, eye care, medical aesthetics and dermatology, gastroenterology, women's health, urology and anti-infective therapeutic categories.

Allergan is an industry leader in Open Science, the Company's R&D model, which defines our approach to identifying and developing game-changing ideas and innovation for better patient care. This approach has led to Allergan building one of the broadest development pipelines in the pharmaceutical industry with 70+ mid-to-late stage pipeline programs in development.

Our Company's success is powered by our more than 16,000 global colleagues' commitment to being Bold for Life. Together, we build bridges, power ideas, act fast and drive results for our customers and patients around the world by always doing what is right.

With commercial operations in approximately 100 countries, Allergan is committed to working with physicians, healthcare providers and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help people around the world live longer, healthier lives.

For more information, visit Allergan's website at www.Allergan.com

Forward-Looking Statement

Statements contained in this press release that refer to future events or other non-historical facts are forward-looking statements that reflect Allergan's current perspective of existing trends and information as of the date of this release. Except as expressly required by law, Allergan disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from Allergan's current expectations depending upon a number of factors affecting Allergan's business. These factors include, among others, the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of FDA approvals or actions, if any; the impact of competitive products and pricing; market acceptance of and continued demand for Allergan's products; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Allergan's periodic public

filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Allergan's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 (such periodic public filings having been filed under the "Actavis plc" name). Except as expressly required by law, Allergan disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

CONTACTS:

Investors:

Lisa DeFrancesco

862.261.7152

Allergan Media:

Mark Marmur

862.261.7558

Lisa Kim

714.246.3843

Medicines360 Media:

Shannon Moore

415.486.3275

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404784

SOURCE Medicines360

Related Links

http://www.medicines360.org/


WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Compensation Center is the best known source in the United States for mesothelioma compensation for a person whose exposure to asbestos occurred at a public utility. From a potential financial compensation standpoint, a public utility worker could potentially be at the very top pay outs for people with this rare cancer.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404298

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404299

Public Utility Asbestos sign

As the Center would like to explain anytime at 866-714-6466, a public utility worker with mesothelioma or their family members will need to zero in on specialist mesothelioma attorneys if they expect or hope to receive the best settlement results. They will also need to hire a lawyer who has a demonstrated history of going above and beyond the call of duty for their clients when it comes to a mesothelioma compensation settlement. http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

When the Mesothelioma Compensation Center mentions public utility or public utility districts they are referring to:

Electrical services providers including power plants/power house

Water districts

Sewage treatment facilities

A natural gas provider for residential or commercial users

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "Public utility district workers can literally have similar levels of asbestos exposure to that of a US Navy Veteran or a shipyard worker. Unfortunately, you rarely hear about public utility workers with mesothelioma much like you're not very likely to know about construction workers with mesothelioma who built electrical substations, sewage treatment facilities, or laid pipe for a natural gas provider during the 1960s, 1970s, and or 1980s.

"If you are a public utility worker, or any worker who was involved in the building of public utility facilities and you now have mesothelioma, please call us anytime at 800-714-6466 to ensure you really do hire one of the nation's most skilled mesothelioma attorneys who specializes in assisting public utility workers get the best possible financial compensation. Please don't hire a lawyer/law firm before first talking to us." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center specializes in assisting specific types of people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. The Center's top priority is assisting US Navy Veterans, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, public-utility workers, chemical plant workers, manufacturing workers, power plant workers, plumbers, welders, electricians, machinists, nuclear power plant workers, hydro-electric workers or oil and gas production workers who have been diagnosed with this rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure. In most instances a diagnosed person with mesothelioma was exposed to asbestos in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's. http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon. However, a public utility or energy worker with mesothelioma could live in any state including California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska.

The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is about 72 years old. This year between 2500, and 3000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma. US Navy Veterans comprise about one third of all people who will be diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the United States.

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html

Contact:

Thomas Martin

866-714-6466

Email

SOURCE Mesothelioma Compensation Center

Related Links

http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com


TOKYO and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. (MKI) and DocuSign Inc. (DocuSign) announced a distributor agreement where MKI will resell DocuSign's Digital Transaction Management1 (DTM) cloud service and eSignature solution in Japan. MKI joined the DocuSign Global Trust Network as an investor in 2014 and has used DocuSign within its own business since 2015.

While various business processes have been digitized in recent years, paper contracts and physical stamps continue to be used for many agreements and internal approval processes, adding unnecessary handling costs and delaying speed to results. As business globalizes and partners and customers demand faster responses, MKI is keenly aware of the need to revolutionize the way business documents are managed in Japan. MKI is partnering with DocuSign to digitize and streamline processes to accelerate the pace of business in Japan.

DocuSign empowers anyone to send, sign and manage agreements anytime, anywhere, on any device with trust and confidence. DocuSign is used by more than 250,000 companies and 100 million users in 188 countries. In October 2014, MKI made a strategic investment in DocuSign together with Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. Before this distributor agreement, MKI had been using DocuSign for its own internal processes on a trial basis.

In a one-year trial period beginning in July 2015, MKI fully digitized contracts and management approval requests in branch offices in Osaka, Fukuoka, and Okinawa. During the trial, processes, which had traditionally taken up to two days including delivery time, were reduced to an average of two hours, and in some cases as short as 10 minutes. MKI and DocuSign are promoting the digitization of corporate agreements and the resulting efficiencies and cost reductions, leveraging the knowhow acquired during this trial. A number of companies are currently testing the service.

Looking ahead, MKI is targeting JPY 1 billion in sales over three years by contributing to the digitization of business processes through further sales partnerships with cloud-based Enterprise Content Management (ECM) service Box, the Sales/CRM application Salesforce Sales Cloud, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software SAP.

DocuSign continues to offer a broad spectrum of solutions for its business partners, including the DocuSign Administrator Certification Course, leveraging its expertise in supporting DocuSign's adoption across a range of sectors including finance, insurance, communications, and government.

Commenting on the agreement with DocuSign, MKI President and CEO Masaki Saito said, "Our trial implementation of DocuSign enabled us to complete an unprecedented 300 approval processes per person per month and firmly established the service as a critical part of our business. We look forward to contributing to the improved efficiency of Japanese companies through this distributor agreement with DocuSign as the global standard for Digital Transaction Management and eSignature."

DocuSign Japan President Hayato Koeda said, "MKI is one of Japan's leading providers of cloud services. We are delighted that they have experienced the benefits of Digital Transaction Management within their own business, and are honored to welcome them as a DocuSign distribution partner in Japan. We firmly believe that MKI's strength in systems integration and cloud deployments will bring about a digital transformation in Japanese business."

For more information on DocuSign, please visit www.docusign.com or www.docusign.jp.

Media Contacts

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Strategy Planning Dept.

Corporate Planning Div.

TEL: 03-6376-1008

E-mail: [email protected]

Ashton Consulting Limited (DocuSign PR contact)

Yoko Fukui / Yuko Miyazaki

TEL: 03-5425-7220

E-mail: [email protected]

Product & Services Contact

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Cloud Services Div.

IT Infrastructure Services Unit

TEL: 03-6376-1280

E-mail: [email protected]

DocuSign Japan K.K.

TEL: 03-6890-3040

E-mail: [email protected]

About MKI

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. specialized in providing services and products related to ICT (Information and Communication Technology). Partnering with various global ICT venders and supporting more than 1,500 companies, MKI offers best-in-class solutions to customers.

About DocuSign Japan

DocuSign is changing how business gets done by empowering anyone to send, sign and manage agreements anytime, anywhere, on any device with trust and confidence. DocuSign and Go to keep life and business moving forward. For more information, please visit DocuSign Japan's website, https://www.docusign.jp/

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.

1 Digital Transaction Management (DTM) is a category of cloud services that enables companies to manage their document-based transactions digitally, allowing for faster, easier, more secure processes. DTM solutions help consumers and businesses complete transactions faster by automating manual, paper-based workflows for capturing information, payments, and signatures, thus eliminating the hassles, costs, and lack of security in printing, faxing, scanning, and overnighting paper documents. Organizations who have implemented DTM solutions report substantial ROI, improved security and compliance, and increased satisfaction and loyalty through better end user experiences.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151102/283113LOGO

SOURCE DocuSign, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.docusign.com


BRONX, N.Y., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Montefiore's Department of Family and Social Medicine received a $2 million training grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to develop an Advanced Primary Care (APC) co-training program that will prepare Family Medicine residents and post-graduate primary care psychology fellows to address living conditions that negatively affect people's health, known as social determinants of health.

The program, which will focus on respiratory illnesses, aims to demonstrate that co-training family medicine residents and psychologists to practice APC and address patients' needs outside of the clinic can translate to better clinical outcomes. The five year goal is to reduce emergency department (ED) visits by 20 percent and hospitalizations by 15 percent for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diseases that cause 1.8 million ED visits and contribute to more than 14 million missed days of work every year, nationwide.

"This program will address the need for psychologists to be trained to work in primary care practices, something that now only happens after they have been hired to work in these environments," said Mary Duggan M.D., the program's project leader and program director of the Family Medicine residency program. "We believe that if we teach the next generation of medical doctors how to work with psychologists to positively impact health behaviors of the people in our neighborhoods, we can transform their quality of life."

Montefiore's Family Health Center and Williamsbridge Family Practice Center, located at One Fordham Plaza and 3011 Boston Road in the Bronx respectively, will be home to the first program that certifies residents and psychology trainees in APC with an emphasis on addressing the complex needs of underserved patients by integrating social determinants of health into their care plan. Both family medicine teaching clinics are Federally Qualified Health Centers, whose patients represent the most complex and vulnerable populations in the Bronx.

Residents and psychologists will pilot new models of APC delivery including:

Practicing risk stratified care management, a model of care in which patients are evaluated on complexity and multiple risk factors and resources are delegated appropriately to meet their needs, including mental health services, social work, health educators and community health worker support.

Emphasizing planned care with patients, such as group visits, where patients with similar conditions meet with a doctor at the same time. This method often allows patients greater scheduling options at a reduced cost.

Encouraging the use of services meant to prevent emergencies and maintain health through an enhanced interdisciplinary team-care approach that will include motivational interviewing, telephone management, smoking cessation programs and appointments with health educators.

Data driven population health management using electronic medical records to analyze ED visits, hospitalizations and quality of life scores.

The program will be evaluated by measuring clinical and patient care outcomes, a step forward in holding educational programs accountable for real world results.

About Montefiore Health System

Montefiore Health System is one of New York's premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and close to 200 outpatient care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its' medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its' preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information please visit www.montefiore.org. Follow us on Twitter and view us on Facebook and YouTube.

SOURCE Montefiore Health System

Related Links

http://www.montefiore.org


HERZOGENAURACH, Germany, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The rating agency Moody's has upgraded Schaeffler AG's long-term issuer rating to Baa3 (Investment Grade). The rating upgrade reflects the announced refinancing of IHO Holding and the intended reduction of indebtedness at Schaeffler AG in the amount of EUR 674 million.

Moody's also upgraded the issuance ratings for Schaeffler AG's and Schaeffler Finance B.V.'s senior secured debt from Ba2 to Baa3 and for the senior unsecured debt from Ba3 to Baa3. The outlook on all ratings is stable.

Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG, said: "We welcome the rating upgrade by Moody's. It is proof of the strong operating business of Schaeffler AG and the significant improvement of our capital structure."

Today's rating decision by Moody's is subject to the successful closing of the refinancing of the IHO Holding. The credit rating is a financial indicator for debt capital market investors to assess the repayment likelihood of liabilities.

About Schaeffler

The Schaeffler Group is a leading global integrated automotive and industrial supplier. The company stands for the highest quality, outstanding technology, and strong innovative ability. The Schaeffler Group makes a key contribution to "Mobility for tomorrow" with high-precision components and systems in engine, transmission, and chassis applications as well as rolling and plain bearing solutions for a large number of industrial applications. The technology company generated sales of approximately EUR 13.2 billion in 2015. With around 85,000 employees, Schaeffler is one of the world's largest family companies and, with approximately 170 locations in over 50 countries, has a worldwide network of manufacturing locations, research and development facilities, and sales companies.

SOURCE Schaeffler
FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Moritz Kia dealership in Fort Worth and Discount Motors, an Arlington dealer in pre owned vehicles, which is part of the Moritz corporate dealership group, allegedly disabled the airbag systems on a 2007 Kia Sedona minivan causing the deaths of a Fort Worth couple according to a lawsuit filed in Tarrant County District Court.

The lawsuit was brought by the victims' four daughters including three teenage girls who witnessed the deaths of their parents in a head-on-collision during a car trip to their family reunion on July 19, 2013. The family reunion was set to celebrated the 90th Birthday of their grandmother who was also killed in the accident.

Fifty-seven year old Mark Burns and his fifty-three year old wife Darla of Fort Worth were killed just three weeks after purchasing the 2007 Kia Sedona from Discount Motors in Arlington, Texas. The Burns were wearing their seatbelts, but the vehicle's airbags did not deploy. It is a crime in Texas for a dealer or a repair facility to disable an airbag system and it is a violation of federal law.

Moritz Kia had serviced the vehicle for airbag issues over three years in response to complaints by a prior owner who later traded it in to Moritz Kia. Moritz Kia then sold the troubled vehicle internally to its pre owned dealer, Discount Motors.

Discount Motors of Arlington turned a five thousand dollar profit by selling the Kia Sedona minivan with disabled airbags to Mr. and Mrs. Burns according to a lawsuit filed by Dallas Crashworthiness Attorney and auto safety expert, Todd Tracy.

"When dealerships put profit over safety, people die. Three of Mr. and Mrs. Burns' children riding in the back seat had to watch their parents horrifically die in what should have been a survivable auto accident. This is a prime example of what happens when a major Fort Worth car dealership puts its bottom line profits over concerns for consumer safety."

Todd Tracy of the Tracy Law Firm represents Elaina Brown, the oldest of the late victim's four daughters. Ms. Brown was not present in the accident which also killed her grandmother.

The lawsuit alleges that Moritz Kia and Discount Motors:

removed the fuse that controlled the airbag system;

disconnected the cable to the front airbag deployment sensor;

and fraudulently claimed to have replaced the passenger seat sensors in which Mrs. Burns was killed.

According to the lawsuit, Moritz Kia in Fort Worth had received numerous complaints from a prior owner of the KIA Sedona about its SRS/airbag warning light over a three year period before the fatal accident occurred. The airbag warning light continually illuminated indicating that the entire airbag system was deactivated.

In mid December of 2012, the minivan's prior owner returned to Moritz Kia for a second time with the SRS/airbag light on, along with a host of other electrical issues. Moritz Kia charged its customer more than one-thousand dollars to replace part of the passenger side seat airbag weight sensors. In fact, the lawsuit alleges the seat assembly was not replaced because it was no longer made by KIA according to the company's own internal service bulletin.

Attorney Todd Tracy says, "It was impossible for Moritz Kia to have replaced the front passenger seat that is still in the vehicle because that seat was no longer made. Moritz charged for expensive parts they didn't install. Not only was it fraudulent and deceptive, it was deadly."

Three weeks later, the prior owner of the minivan returned to Moritz KIA's Fort Worth service department because the airbag warning light was staying on again.

Despite these chronic airbag safety issues, Moritz Kia accepted the vehicle as a trade in late April of 2013. The airbag plagued KIA minivan was then sold internally to the Discount Motors dealership in Arlington because the minivan was not Moritz KIA lot worthy. Neither Moritz Kia nor Discount Motors ever inspected or evaluated the safety plagued vehicle for airbag safety issues after accepting the KIA Sedona minivan back on trade.

The lawsuit alleges that Moritz Kia had the motive to remove the airbag fuse and disconnect the front airbag sensor because they could not properly repair the vehicle and they simply wanted to get rid of a problem vehicle. The lawsuit further alleges that Discount Motors had the motive to remove the airbag fuse and disconnect the front airbag sensor because you cannot sell a vehicle with its airbag warning lights on.

One month after Discount Motors bought the plagued vehicle from Moritz KIA, Mr. and Mrs. Burns purchased the pre-owned KIA minivan from Discount Motors, but according to the lawsuit they were never told that the minivan:

had been involved in two accidents,

had been in the shop three times for SRS/airbag issues,

had been in the shop two times for electrical issues,

and that its airbag system had been deactivated.

Todd Tracy, "This tragic case should serve as a warning to consumers across the country. In my crashworthiness law practice we have found that turning off airbag systems in order to dump problem cars back on the public is an all too common problem. Moreover, this case exposes how CARFAX reports can not be trusted to tell the full history of a vehicle."

The lawsuit also accuses Moritz Kia of selectively choosing which service records to furnish to CARFAX. Records uncovered in the case indicate that Moritz failed to notify CARFAX that the vehicle had experienced repeated SRS/airbag and electrical issues or that the vehicle had been repaired by Moritz for an accident.

According to the accident investigation by state troopers, the Burns were killed when the driver of an approaching car suffering from fatigue and a diabetes medical condition crossed the center stripe and hit the Burn's KIA Sedona minivan head on at 70 miles per hour.

An analysis of the crash by automotive engineer Neil Hannemann found that had the airbag system not been disabled, the restraint system would have provided life-saving protection for the Burns. Hannemann concluded that Moritz and Discount Motors' negligence was the cause of the fatal injuries.

Case Reference: Cause No. 236-274469-14 -- 236th Judicial District, Tarrant County, Texas

Vehicle Reference: 2007 Kia Sedona Minivan -- VIN# KNDMB233X76111868

SOURCE Tracy Law Firm
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kenyattah Robinson, President and CEO of the Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District (MVT CID), has been recognized with two prestigious professional awards: the Wilbur Parker Distinguished Alumni Award for 2016 from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, and the President's Award from the African American Real Estate Professionals in Washington, DC (AAREP DC).

Kenyattah Robinson, President and CEO of the Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District (MVT CID), has been recognized with two prestigious professional awards: the Wilbur Parker Distinguished Alumni Award for 2016 from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, and the President's Award from the African American Real Estate Professionals in Washington, DC (AAREP DC).

"Earning these awards is tremendously humbling," said Robinson. "I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to help public sector organizations leverage public-private partnerships to fulfill their mission objectives in my prior work, and to now lead an organization as dynamic as the Mount Vernon Triangle CID. The Mount Vernon Triangle community  its residents, office workers, visitors, business leaders  exemplifies the type of collaborative leadership needed to build strong, authentic neighborhoods as Washington, DC continues on its trajectory as one of the world's greatest cities. It is a pleasure to work and live here, and to be honored by Johnson and AAREP DC for doing something that I enjoy is both rewarding and validating."

Mount Vernon Triangle CID Vice Chairman, Berk Shervin, President of The Wilkes Company, commented, "We are extremely proud to have as the President and CEO of the MVT CID as talented and perceptive a leader as Kenyattah. The energy, passion and intellect he brings to every facet of our mission, and his talent for finding productive solutions and uniting stakeholders, gives us tremendous confidence in the future of our community. We congratulate him on these well-deserved awards from two extremely distinguished organizations."

About the Wilbur Parker Distinguished Alumni Award

The Wilbur Parker Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes alumni who demonstrate outstanding professional achievement and commitment to their community, and who embody Johnson Graduate School's shared values of mutual respect, collaboration, integrity and trust, pride and accountability, professionalism and investment in self. Wilbur Parker, MBA '50, was Cornell's first African-American MBA graduate and inaugural recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award (which was subsequently named in his honor) from Johnson's Black Graduate Business Association. Parker spent his career working to make a difference combating racial injustice and helping others. A World War II veteran, he was one of the U.S. Army Air Force's famed Tuskegee Airmen. In 1954, he became the first black CPA in the State of New Jersey, and went on from there to break new ground in his hometown of Newark as the city's first African-American budget director in 1962, then the first African-American secretary of its Board of Education in 1970. Parker joined Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the legendary "March on Washington" in 1963.

Robinson (MBA '06) will become the 14th recipient of the Wilbur Parker Distinguished Alumni Award during the Johnson Diversity Symposium and Alumni Awards Dinner on Friday, October 21, 2016 in Ithaca, NY. Past recipients of the award include: John Bonhomme (MBA '07), Executive Director in Global Strategic Markets at J.P. Morgan and Founder of Thorobird Companies, which specializes in social impact real estate development; Jeffery J. Weaver ('86, MBA '90), Executive Vice President & Group Head  Portfolio Management at KeyCorp and Chairman of the International Association of Credit Portfolio Managers; Felix Rouse (MBA '03), former Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark, NJ; Angela Mwanza (MBA '00), Senior Vice President  Richards & Mwanza Group at UBS Private Wealth Management; Laura Wilkinson (MBA '85, JD '86), antitrust Partner in the Washington, DC law office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges; and John R. Clark Sr. (MBA '72), former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Resource Management in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

About the AAREP President's Award

The President's Award given each year by the Washington, DC Chapter of the African American Real Estate Professionals (AAREP) honors the recipient's outstanding achievements in business and commitment to leadership and service. For almost two decades, the AAREP DC Chapter has been a driving force in providing a supportive network for African Americans working in the commercial real estate industry. Founded as a small group in Washington, D.C. in 1995, this network has grown into a full-fledged professional association with approximately 200 members and an extended reach of more than 800 individuals. AAREP DC embraces representation from every major discipline in the industry  from site selection and acquisition to commercial leasing and property management. Prior President Award winners include Deryl McKissack of McKissack & McKissack, Dawn Marcus of Hines, former DC Council Chairman Charlene Drew Jarvis, and Michael Bush, executive director of the Real Estate Apprentice Program (Project REAP), which trains minorities for professional careers in the commercial real estate industry. Robinson will be honored with the President's Award at AAREP's Annual Awards Gala on Thursday, November 3, 2016  one day after his 40th birthday  at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building in Washington, DC. Details on the event will be available this fall at http://aarepdc.org/.

About Kenyattah Robinson

Kenyattah Robinson is President and CEO of the Mount Vernon Triangle CID, responsible for the enhancement and economic development of the vibrant community in downtown Washington, DC. With more than 18 combined years of real estate finance, policy, public affairs, and community, economic and workforce development experience, Robinson most recently served as a Senior Vice President and National Director on the DC-based Public Institutions team at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate services and investment management. Prior to joining JLL as an Associate in 2006, Robinson held positions in commercial asset acquisitions at AEW Capital Management, the Law & Policy group at Fannie Mae, the staff office of retired U.S. Sen. John Breaux (LA), and as a student aide to the Program Director at the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency.

Robinson has spoken at regional and national forums on topics related to the increased use of public-private partnerships and other alternate financing strategies to acquire or reposition Federal real property, and to leverage private capital to procure renewable energy assets and enhance building energy efficiency. He earned an MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell University, where he studied as a Roy H. Park Leadership Fellow and a Robert Toigo Foundation Fellow, and was a Pension Real Estate Association Award recipient.

He was awarded the Robert J. Swieringa Young Alumni Service Award in January 2014 and currently serves as a member of the Cornell University Council. A New Orleans native of the Marigny and Upper Ninth Ward neighborhoods and graduate of the "Blue Ribbon" Benjamin Franklin Senior High School, Robinson earned his BA in liberal arts with a minor in business administration from Louisiana State University (LSU), where he was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, was 1 of 25 members of the senior class chosen as a member of Leadership LSU, and supplemented his education with White House and Capitol Hill internships.

Robinson has served on the executive board of the African American Real Estate Professionals (AAREP) of DC; the Planning Committee for GovEnergy, a tradeshow and workshop designed to help Federal agencies meet energy management goals and mandates; and on the executive board for the Children of Kibera Foundationan international charitable and educational non-profit working to create opportunities for orphans and vulnerable children living in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. Robinson was recognized as a "40 Under 40" finance professional by the Robert Toigo Foundation in 2014, a "40 Under 40" real estate professional by Real Estate Forum in 2011 and received JLL's prestigious "Catalyst Award" in 2013. He proudly maintains his status as an Eagle Scout and lives in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood of Washington, DC with his wife, Marnique Heath Robinson, who is a Principal in the Washington, DC office of STUDIOS Architecture and serves as Chair of DC's Board of Zoning Adjustment.

About The Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District

The Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District is a private, nonprofit organization established to enhance the overall quality of life for all members of the community including residents, visitors, business owners, and property owners in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood in Downtown DC. The Mount Vernon Triangle is considered to be one of Washington DC's best examples of a mixed-use community, a vibrant neighborhood in the heart of the Cityboth geographically and culturally. Its boundaries include 17 blocks within the East End of downtown Washington, D.C., bordered by Seventh Street to the west, Massachusetts Avenue to the south, New York Avenue to the north and New Jersey Avenue to the east. The Mount Vernon Triangle is a welcoming, authentic, and centered neighborhood that mirrors the City's unique mix of historic and modern buildings, longtime and new residents, and diverse cultures, restaurants, and urban experiences. For more information, we invite you to explore our website at www.mvtcid.org or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MountVernonTriangleCID, Twitter @MVTCID, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mvtcid/ and Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/.

Media Contact: Karen Widmayer

[email protected]

301.661.1448

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404889

SOURCE The Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District

Related Links

http://www.mvtcid.org


BOSTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- September 25-28, 2016  Like every year, Orfit Industries will be present at the ASTRO Annual Meeting in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center known to be the world's most important meeting for the radiation oncology community, with more than 11,000 people attending each year. Orfit Industries invites customers, medical specialists and professionals to come to the Orfit booth (no. 2033) and try on the new generation of nano-based masks.

Compared to Efficast masks used for head and neck immobilization, immobilization masks made from nano-enhanced thermoplastic sheets provide the patient with more comfort through a lower degree of shrinkage and therefore reduced pressure on the face during radiation therapy. The issue of mask tightness is a very common one as medication received during the radiation treatment phase may result in an increase in the volume of the patient.

In its efforts to provide a higher degree of patient comfort, Orfit Industries developed a nano-based thermoplastic material that results in thinner masks with less shrinkage. Orfit engineers have interwoven a natural material (nano clay) in the inner layers of the thermoplastic material, which resulted in a substantial improvement of its mechanical properties. Thermoplastics will shrink when they cool on the patient during the mask making process and therefore have an impact on comfort, in particular when the volume of the patient tends to increase in the course of treatment. In this context, the reduction of shrinkage by means of NANOR is an important step forward as it provides the degree of comfort required to minimize patient movement during the delivery of the dose.

In a number of laboratory tests the Orfit research team compared two low melting temperature thermoplastic materials, known under their commercial names "NANOR" and "Efficast", both developed and manufactured by Orfit Industries. The results show a very important reduction of fixation force for NANOR making patient immobilization easier and contributing  again - to patient comfort and ultimately effectiveness of radiation therapy.

The Orfit tests revealed yet another important benefit: nano-reinforced thermoplastics have a higher so called bending modulus, i.e. the force for bending or deforming the material. The bending modulus of NANOR sheets is about two times higher than the bending modulus of Efficast sheets. Using NANOR allows for a reduction of the thickness of the immobilization masks to 1.2 and 1.6 mm instead of 2.0 and 3.2mm of Efficast, for identical mechanical properties of the immobilization mask. This in turn increases the patient's comfort as the material conforms better to the anatomy.

The stability and reproducibility of patient setup in radiation oncology is extremely important for precise cancer treatment. Targeting the tumor and preventing damage of surrounding healthy tissue requires patient positioning and immobilization that provides accuracy up to one millimeter or even less.

The company has received FDA clearance for its use of NANOR thermoplastic technology as of 2014.

Note to the editor

About Orfit Industries

Orfit Industries, a family-owned business headquartered in Antwerp (Belgium, Europe), is a market leader in the development and manufacturing of low temperature thermoplastics, hardware and accessories for patient immobilization and positioning in radiation oncology. With exports to 104 countries, the company also manufactures thermoplastic materials for the physical rehabilitation and technical orthopedics markets, such as splints and prosthetics. It has subsidiaries in the USA, Germany, France, The Netherlands and Hong Kong.

Follow Orfit online

www.orfit.com

blog.orfit.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/orfit.industries

Twitter - https://twitter.com/orfit

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/company/orfit-industries

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/OrfitIndustries/

SOURCE Orfit Industries

Related Links

http://www.orfit.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 2011, the global natural rubber market has been in a state of oversupply which reached 220,000 tons in 2011 and about 140,000 tons in 2015. Affected by the growing tapping area of natural rubber in main producing regions, the slowdown in the growth rate of the tire industry and other factors, there will still be a glut of natural rubber worldwide during 2016-2020 and the global glut will be 110,000 tons or so in 2020.



Due to the sluggish global economic growth and the excess supply of natural rubber, the price of natural rubber has been hovering at a low level. As of the end of 2015, China's natural rubber price had fallen to around USD1,140 / ton which was also the cost price. In 2016, the global average price of natural rubber fluctuates at USD1,200-1,500 / ton.



In 2015, China's natural rubber output dropped 5.5% year on year to 794,200 tons. Weather factors confine China's natural rubber planting areas to a limited scope; plus the rubber price lingering on the cost line, more and more farmers have abandoned rubber production. In 2016, China's output of natural rubber is expected to further decline by 5.3% to 752,100 tons.



As the world's largest consumer, China consumed 4.682 million tons of natural rubber in 2015, accounting for 38.5% of the global total. Amid the serious imbalance between supply and demand, China mostly imports natural rubber to meet the additional demand. The import volume rose 4.8% year on year to 2.736 million tons, while the average import price fell 24.5% year on year to USD1,431.6 / ton in 2015.

In the backdrop of the descending rubber price and the downsized rubber plantations, China's automobile industry has been expanding in ownership and new increment, conducing to the ascending rigid demand of the tire industry and the growing demand for natural rubber. In 2016-2020, the contradiction between natural rubber supply and demand in China will further intensify; by 2020, the gap between supply and demand will hit about 5.142 million tons, an increase of 32.3% over 2015.



Restricted by resource distribution, the natural rubber industry is highly centralized in Thailand, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations, represented by the key players such as Sri Trang Agro-Industry, Von Bundit, Southland Rubber, Thai Rubber Latex and Sinochem International.



Given the downturn of the natural rubber market, companies can speed up the development of resources and strategies, increase the planting area in major producing countries as well as enhance processing factory layout to improve production capacity in the next years; on the other hand, they can keep an eye on customization and high-end market applications of natural rubber, such as military rubber tires, to heighten the gross margin and competitiveness of products.



Global and China Natural Rubber Industry Report, 2016-2020 by ResearchInChina highlights:

Supply & demand, regional distribution, prices, competitive landscape and development trends of global natural rubber market;

Supply & demand, import & export, regional structure, competitive landscape, development trends of Chinese natural rubber market;

Tapping area and planting area of natural rubber in China and around the world;

Development of applications of natural rubber in China, such as tyre, rubber belt & hose;

Operation and development in China of 5 global natural rubber companies;

Operation and development strategies of 5 key Chinese natural rubber companies.

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04126832-summary/view-report.html



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



http://www.reportlinker.com





__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

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GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alberta, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In her 30-year-career as a clinical herbal therapist, Gudrun Penselin has helped thousands of people to become healthier physically, spiritually and mentally. And no matter what combination of therapy she has usedreflexology, herbal medicine, light and color therapy, iridology, sclerology, energy medicineshe has also employed the same Bach Flower remedies developed by Dr. Edward Bach. Bach, the iconic British herbologist who died 80 years ago, would be 130 on Sept. 24.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404865

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404864

Now Penselin hopes to reach even more people with the release of her new book "Healing Spirituality: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Working with Bach Flowers" (October 2016). A follow-up to "Bach Flowers Unfolding," a deck of cards for each of the 38 flower essences Bach developed, Penselin wrote the new book with Bach's spiritual help. She says, "I have created this work under Dr. Bach's spiritual guidance as well as through direct intuitive communication with the spirit of Bach Flowers."

Penselin can answer such questions as:

Why are Bach's remedies more important than ever?

What was his controversial relationship with the medical community?

Under what circumstances are Bach Flowers useful?

Which Bach Flower remedy has helped her the most?

What is Bach's greatest legacy?

Praise for "Healing Spirituality"

"Among all natural healing modalities, flower remedies often deserve more modern recognition for their gentle and sensuous qualities, as they provide a safe and effective treatment option that is largely free of hazardous side effects. Gudrun Penselin has created a comprehensive and insightful work on the inherent healing qualities of Bach Flowers." Steven K. H. Aung, M.D., Clinical Professor, University of Alberta

"'Healing Spirituality' is a loving exploration of the magnificent findings of Dr. Bach. Through decades of research, clinical practice, as well as intuitive guidance Gudrun has brought together a comprehensive handbook that is an inspiring blend of her contemporary approach, Dr. Bach's original work and accessible how-to use materials. This is no doubt the most significant compendium I have had the pleasure to read." Paula Marie Skalnek, Clinical Herbal Therapist

About the Author

Gudrun Penselin holds master's degrees in education and physical education. She is a clinical herbal therapist, certified reflexologist, Bach Flower practitioner, certified iridologist, and sclerologist. She maintains a successful clinical practice in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, facilitates workshops and is a featured guest on international radio shows.

For more information, contact Gudrun Penselin, 780.532.2464 or email her or visit www.rainbowhealing.ca

SOURCE Gudrun Penselin
The Women Human Rights DefendHer campaign highlights the critical work of these activists, as well as the threats that women human rights defenders face because of their work and gender. DefendHer demonstrates the bold steps toward justice being made by the grassroots women's and human rights groups that Global Fund for Women, JASS, and MADRE support and partner with.

"Women human rights defenders work tirelessly to advance human rights for all of us, often in the face of extreme danger and threats of violence," says Musimbi Kanyoro, President and CEO of Global Fund for Women. "Through DefendHer, we want to elevate the voices of bold women activists whose stories have not been told using the power of art to raise awareness."

"Each time these defenders come under attack is an assault on the bold and brave rights-based vision that they embody," says Yifat Susskind, Executive Director of MADRE. "These activists have faced down stigma, harassment, and violence, and they've stood up for women and communities in dangerand so we stand with them."

"Women human rights defenders play a critical but often invisible role in advancing justice and upending inequality," says Lisa VeneKlasen, Executive Director of JASS (Just Associates). "With growing political extremism and restrictions on civil society groups, they face systematic attacks intended to silence them. Through DefendHer, we're bringing their critical role and risks to light in hopes that we all stand up in supporting their safety and voice."

DefendHer calls on its audience to take action to support the activists featured in the campaign: donate to the Women Human Rights DefendHer campaign to support their work, send a #DearDefendHer message of solidarity, and sign onto petitions that support and strengthen individual defenders' work.

ABOUT GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN

Global Fund for Women is one of the world's leading foundations for gender equality, standing up for the human rights of women and girls. Since 1987, Global Fund for Women has invested in nearly 5,000 grassroots groups in 175 countries, helping to win rights for millions of women and girls.

ABOUT JASS (Just Associates)

As a global women-led human rights network of activists, popular educators, and scholars in 26 countries, JASS (Just Associates) equips women leaders with the confidence, information, and skills to be better organized, louder, and safer as they tackle some of the most critical issues of our time. Founded in 2002, JASS' feminist movement-building combines innovative learning, organizing, and action.

ABOUT MADRE

MADRE is an international women's human rights organization. Founded in 1983, the organization partners with grassroots women's groups worldwide facing war and disaster. It meets urgent needs in communities and builds lasting solutions to the crises women face. By combining these approaches, MADRE advances women's human rights and creates lasting social change.

Contact:

Anna Tenuta

[email protected] / 212.419.4467

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404566

SOURCE Global Fund for Women

Related Links

https://www.globalfundforwomen.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR) and PwC's Governance Insights Center today released their ProxyPulse report for the 2016 proxy season analyzing data from 4,200 U.S. public company annual shareholder meetings held between January 1 and June 30, 2016.

According to the report, companies have been seeking a greater understanding of their retail shareholder base, including key demographic attributes. Some of the findings from the report include:

People under the age of 40 years old represent 20 percent of U.S. shareholders compared to 31 percent of the U.S. population

22 percent of U.S. shareholders have a graduate degree, compared to 11 percent of the U.S. population

Sixty percent of U.S. shareholders are active investors compared to 30 percent of the U.S. population

38 percent of U.S. shareholders are Republican while 31 percent of U.S. shareholders are Democrats

The ProxyPulse analysis showed on average, institutions voted 91 percent of their shares, while retail investors voted only 28 percent, leaving 24 billion retail shares unvoted.

"A number of companies that have come under pressure over the past few months from large institutional investors or activist investors have looked to target an untapped segment for many  retail shareholders," said Paul DeNicola, managing director of PwC's Governance Insights Center. "This latest edition of the ProxyPulse report provides new data on the demographic makeup of retail shareholders as companies look to better understand their entire shareholder base."

Other highlights from the report include:

Of the 69 proxy access proposals that went to vote, 60 percent achieved majority support; retail shareholders cast 85 percent of their voted shares against proxy access

Institutional ownership of shares in street name increased to 70 percent from 68 percent for the same period last year

While average shareholder support for directors was 96 percent, 382 directors failed to obtain majority support this season

For say-on-pay, approximately 11 percent of companies did not surpass the 70 percent shareholder threshold this season

"Say-on-pay continues to foster discussion between companies and their shareholders, as there was more direct dialogue between directors and investors about executive compensation," said Chuck Callan, senior vice president, regulatory affairs, Broadridge. "Yet, the ProxyPulse report shows some public companies continue to fall short of important benchmarks for say-on pay-support, " he concluded.

About ProxyPulse

ProxyPulse is based in part on Broadridge' s processing of shares held in street name, which accounts for over 80 percent of all shares outstanding of U.S. publicly-listed companies. Shareholder voting trends during a proxy season represent a snapshot in time and may not be predictive of full-year results.

ProxyPulse is a collaboration between Broadridge, the leading provider of investor communications solutions and PwC's Governance Insights Center, a group that supports directors and investors with governance knowledge. Visit ProxyPulse.com to access the full report.

About Broadridge

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) is the leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions for broker-dealers, banks, mutual funds and other corporations. Broadridge' s investor and customer communications, securities processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With more than 50 years of experience, Broadridge' s infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 90% of public companies and mutual funds in North America and processes on average $5 trillion in equity and fixed income trades per day. Broadridge employs approximately 10,000 associates in 16 countries.

For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.

About PwC US

At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We're a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 208,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you, please visit: www.pwc.com.

PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.

About PwC's Governance Insights Center

PwC's Governance Insights Center supports directors and investors with governance knowledge to answer tough questions and tackle complex challenges. Learn from our network of subject-matter experts, business leaders, and experienced peers as they share their insights and the latest thinking on current issues. Beyond governance, we help directors and investors better understand new financial accounting standards so they can make better oversight and investment decisions. The center connects all the dots for a more complete perspective. For more information, please visit: http://www.pwc.com/us/en/governance-insights-center

Media Contacts:

Jenna J. Focarino

1-212-681-1700 ext.115

[email protected]

Stephanie C. Corzett

PwC US

1-617-530-4977

[email protected]

SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.broadridge.com




Sept. 2016  Feb. 2017* March 2016  Aug. 2016* Expanding  adding new positions 17% 15% Maintaining  only filling vacated positions 69% 74% Freezing  not filling vacated positions or creating new ones 9% 8% Reducing  eliminating positions 4% 2% *Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.



View an infographic featuring the survey results.

Recruiting Challenges

Sixty-two percent of New York City CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today. This compares to 54 percent in the previous six months.

New York City executives (42 percent) cited maintaining employee morale and productivity as the greatest challenge when hiring and managing staff.

"Job openings are growing faster than the pool of available talent in New York, especially for professionals in high demand, such as accountants and auditors," said Dawn Fay, district president for Robert Half in New York. "Companies that take too long to hire often lose out on top candidates. Offers should be prompt once a decision is made and include competitive compensation and benefits packages  crucial elements in attracting and retaining top talent."

Business Confidence

According to the Professional Employment Forecast, New York City CFOs are optimistic about their company's growth. Ninety percent of executives polled said they are somewhat or very confident in their company's prospects in the next six months.

About the Professional Employment Forecast

The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the New York City area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology.

About Robert Half

Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company, based in Menlo Park, California, has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. Additional insights on the latest hiring trends also can be found in the company's just-released 2017 Salary Guides. For more career and management insights, visit roberthalf.com/new-york.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404510-INFO

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160212/332877LOGO

SOURCE Robert Half

Related Links

http://www.roberthalf.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New York REIT, Inc. ("NYRT" or the "Company") (NYSE: NYRT) today announced that the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") will be issuing a Request For Proposals ("RFP") for all interested, qualified parties to serve as the external manager for New York REIT. The existing management contract between the Company and New York Recovery Advisors, LLC (which is managed by AR Global Investments, LLC; collectively referred to as "ARC" herein) is terminable by the Company on December 26, 2016 on 60 days prior written notice. The Company expects that any new management contract would take effect December 27, 2016. Under the terms of the existing contract with ARC, there is no termination payment or fees due to ARC upon termination of the contract in accordance with its existing terms.

Randolph C. Read, Chairman of the Board, commented: "In issuing the RFP for the management contract of NYRT, the Board is demonstrating its commitment to maximize the net distributable proceeds from the proposed Plan of Liquidation. Our Board is singularly focused on executing the plan in the most efficient and cost effective manner possible. The Board believes that putting the management contract out to bid, for all interested, qualified parties will help produce the most competitive terms from qualified providers for these services."

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, special counsel to the independent directors of the Board, will be assisting the independent directors of the Board in the RFP process. Interested qualified parties in the management contract are requested to contact Debevoise at the contact listed below.

About NYRT

NYRT is a publicly traded real estate investment trust listed on the NYSE that owns income-producing commercial real estate, including office and retail properties, located in New York City. Additional information about NYRT can be found on its website at www.nyrt.com . NYRT may disseminate important information regarding it and its operations, including financial information, through social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements NYRT makes. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding stockholder liquidity and investment value and returns.

The words "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "plans," "intends," "may," "will," "would," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the impact of current and future regulation; the impact of credit rating changes; the effects of competition; the ability to attract, develop and retain executives and other qualified employees; changes in general economic or market conditions; the Company's ability to complete asset sales, refinance its credit facility on favorable terms, if at all, and realize the results of its plan of liquidation; the timing of and the amount of proceeds of asset sales; and other factors, many of which are beyond NYRT's control, including other factors included in NYRT's reports filed with the SEC, particularly in the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of NYRT's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K for year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the SEC on February 26, 2016, the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016 filed with the SEC on August 9, 2016, and the Current Report on Form 8-K dated September [7], 2016, as such Risk Factors may be updated from time to time in subsequent reports. NYRT does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contacts













Jonathan Keehner Mahmoud Siddig Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher [email protected] [email protected] (212) 355-4449









Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

ATTN: William Regner 919 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 (212) 909-6000













SOURCE New York REIT, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nyrt.com


DALLAS, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dallas Neighborhood Homes, a nonprofit mortgage servicing provider, working in partnership with Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, is pleased to announce it will offer an Affordable Housing Loan Program to families in southern Dallas. The goal is to provide 100 or more loans a year over the next five years for low-income residents in specific zip codes in southern Dallas.

NexBank SSB ("NexBank"), a Dallas-based regional bank, is providing up to $50 million in loans to support the expansion of the program over the next five years. Dallas Neighborhood Homes will use the proceeds to lend to low-income homebuyers with limited access to mortgages and offer counseling to prepare the individuals for home ownership, through the financial counseling services provided by Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. In addition to providing mortgage-lending capital, NexBank will pay all title fees for closings completed through its affiliate plus up to $2,000 in closing costs per loan.

Mark Tribuna, Senior Vice President of Mortgage Operations at Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, said, "We're very grateful to NexBank for helping to make affordable home ownership a reality for so many people who need it. North Texas currently has one of the lowest ownership rates in the nation and the Affordable Housing Loan Program that Dallas Neighborhood Homes offers directly addresses the problem. By putting more families in their own homes, homeowners enhance the quality of their lives while improving their children's chances for a better future."

"We're proud to partner with Dallas Neighborhood Homes and Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity," said Matt Siekielski, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NexBank Capital, Inc. "Both organizations have a strong record of helping lower-income families secure affordable homes in the North Texas community."

About Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity

Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity is the largest nonprofit home builder in Dallas, constructing more than 50 homes per year. Over the last 30 years, Dallas Habitat has built 1600 homes in more than 24 neighborhoods in the Dallas community. Dallas Habitat transforms families, revitalizes neighborhoods and is working to build a better Dallas through strategically bringing together public and private funding, community leadership and vision and thousands of volunteers to break the cycle of poverty and transform our communities.

About Dallas Neighborhood Homes

Dallas Neighborhood Homes is a non-profit state licensed mortgage banker established by Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity to assist homebuyers with all aspects of securing a mortgage (www.dallasneighborhoodhomes.org). Dallas Neighborhood Homes mission is to lend in the gaps of traditional mortgage originators thereby facilitating homeownership that make loans affordable for every borrower. Their motto "Making the American Dream a reality, one home at a time" will ensure increased neighborhood diversity and low to moderate income buying power.

About NexBank SSB

NexBank SSB is a regional bank with assets of $3.5 billion and a charter that dates to 1922. The Bank provides commercial banking, mortgage banking and institutional services to meet the needs of its clients, which include institutional clients, financial institutions, and corporations nationwide. NexBank SSB is part of NexBank Capital, Inc., a financial services company. www.NexBank.com

NexBank SSB is a member of the FDIC.

Equal Housing Lender

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130214/DA60748LOGO

SOURCE NexBank

Related Links

http://www.NexBank.com


MILWAUKEE, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To show its support for the fight against childhood cancer, Northwestern Mutual, with its Foundation, will illuminate its downtown and Franklin campus in gold during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The illumination is one of several ways Northwestern Mutual's Childhood Cancer Program is seeking to increase awareness for the disease as well as raise much-needed research funds and support for patients and their families.

"Contributing to efforts related to childhood cancer awareness has and will continue to be an important element of our organization's community outreach," said Eric Christophersen, president, Northwestern Mutual Foundation. "We're constantly inspired by the children and families who are striving to overcome their diagnosis, and we're grateful for the opportunity to lend our support."

As part of its month-long efforts, Northwestern Mutual is encouraging its clients to set up an online account to manage their accounts. For every client who creates an online account the Foundation will make a donation to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for childhood cancer research, up to a maximum of $100,000.

The Foundation is also asking employees of its hometown Milwaukee office to join Northwestern Mutual's Alex's Million Mile team. Alex's Million Mile is an annual program hosted by ALSF during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. As part of the team, employees will log their mileage by biking, running and walking in September. If employees log 50,000 miles, the Foundation will donate an additional $25,000 to ALSF.

Additionally, Northwestern Mutual will provide a $275,000 grant to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin to support the role of a full-time recreational therapist for three years. The recreational therapist will develop and oversee an art, dance and cultural engagement program for inpatient, clinic and Northwestern Mutual Day Hospital patients.

Since 2012, Northwestern Mutual's Childhood Cancer Program with the help of its employees and financial representatives nationwide has raised more than $12 million, funding 130,000 hours of research. In addition to its national efforts dedicated to childhood cancer, Northwestern Mutual also works locally to make its hometown of Milwaukee a great place to live, work and play; improve education; and provide support to children and families in need within local Milwaukee neighborhoods.

About Northwestern Mutual Foundation

The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation is to improve the lives of children and families in need. The Foundation has given more than $300 million since its inception in 1992 and is designed to create lasting impact in the communities where the company's employees and financial representatives live and work. We accomplish this by combining financial support, volunteerism, thought leadership and convening community partners to deliver the best outcomes. Our efforts are focused nationally on curing childhood cancer, and locally on education, neighborhoods and making our hometown of Milwaukee a great destination.

About Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for nearly 160 years. Our financial representatives build relationships with clients through a distinctive planning approach that integrates risk management with wealth accumulation, preservation and distribution. With $238.5 billion in assets, $27.9 billion in revenues and more than $1.6 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.4 million people who rely on us for insurance and investment solutions, including life, disability income and long-term care insurance; annuities; trust services; mutual funds; and investment advisory products and services. Northwestern Mutual ranks 100 on the 2016 FORTUNE 500, and is recognized by FORTUNE as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2016.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a comprehensive approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, life insurance with long-term care benefits, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC).

SOURCE Northwestern Mutual

Related Links

http://www.northwesternmutual.com


BEIJING and SINGAPORE, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Novogene Corporation Ltd, a leading global next-generation sequencing (NGS) services and genetics diagnostic company, announced today a joint venture with AITbiotech Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based NGS products and services company, to establish a high-throughput (HTP) next-generation sequencing and R&D Centre in Singapore. The Singapore center, NovogeneAIT Genomics Singapore, will deliver NGS services using Illumina's latest HiSeq X Ten sequencing system.

NovogeneAIT Genomics Singapore, which will include a team of NGS professionals highly skilled in both wet-lab and bioinformatics, will provide cutting edge NGS and research services to the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) and South Asia region. Under the joint venture, Novogene will invest in research and development of next-generation genetic testing products and services, especially in oncology. NovogeneAIT Genomics Singapore will embark on research and development collaborations with leading research institutes in Singapore. It is presently in discussions with such institutes and expects to announce initial collaborations in the near future, including a couple of large projects with a research entity in Singapore for the sequencing of whole human genomes.

"I am very excited and pleased to announce this significant joint venture and the formation of NovogeneAIT Genomics Singapore," stated Dr. Ruiqiang Li, CEO of Novogene Corporation. "Our joint venture with AITbiotech represents a key milestone in Novogene's strategy to become a truly global high-throughput next-generation sequencing services provider. With the addition of this center, we will now have three HTP NGS centers around the world, including China and the U.S."

"We are extremely excited about the opportunity to work with a leading high-throughput next-generation sequencing services company like Novogene," said Alex Thian, AITbiotech CEO. "AITbiotech sees this joint venture as a model of collaboration between a global company and a smaller local enterprise to jointly penetrate the large, complex ASEAN and South Asian scientific services and diagnostics markets. Our locally based technical and business expertise, as well as our established relationships in the region, will help Novogene optimize its investment and expedite business development for NovogeneAIT Genomics Singapore. This investment will be an important addition to the genomics research infrastructure in Singapore. It will help to accelerate and increase the scope of genomics data generation by public research institutions in a very significant manner."

About AITbiotech

AITbiotech is a leading Genomic Services and MDx company based in Singapore. Founded by Alex Thian in 2008, it has a core molecular services and R&D laboratory in Singapore managed by a team of experienced biotechnologists. It provides a complete suite of Genomic Services including Capillary Sequencing, Next-generation Sequencing Services, Bioinformatics Services and customized molecular services to the research, healthcare and biomedical industries in Singapore and Asia. AITbiotech is also an ISO 13485 certified company which manufactures and distributes its own line of real-time PCR pathogen detection assays branded as abTESTM in the Asian and European markets. For more information, please visit our website: www.aitbiotech.com.

About Novogene Corporation

Novogene is a leading provider of genomic services and solutions with cutting edge NGS and bioinformatics expertise and one of the largest sequencing capacities in the world. Novogene utilizes scientific excellence, a commitment to customer service and unsurpassed data quality to help our clients realize their research goals in the rapidly evolving world of genomics. With nearly 1,000 employees, multiple locations around the world, 34 NGS related patents, and over 100 publications in top tier journal such as Nature and Science, the company has rapidly become a world-leader in NGS services. For more information, please visit our website: en.novogene.com.

Media contact:

Joyce Peng, Ph.D.

General Manager and Global Marketing Director

Novogene Corporation

+1-626-222-5584

[email protected]

en.novogene.com

Mr Alex Thian

AITbiotech

+65 6778 6822

[email protected]

www.aitbiotech.com

SOURCE Novogene Corporation

Related Links

http://en.novogene.com


PHOENIX, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Phoenix Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half shows 13 percent of Phoenix CFOs expect their company to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 72 percent plan to hire for open roles.

CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time, professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:

Phoenix CFO Hiring Predictions



Sept. 2016  Feb. 2017 March 2016  Aug. 2016* Expanding  adding new positions 13% 18% Maintaining  only filling vacated positions 72% 66% Freezing  not filling vacated positions or creating new ones 13% 13% Reducing  eliminating positions 2% 1% Don't know/no answer 0% 1%

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

View an infographic featuring the survey results.

Recruiting Challenges

Sixty-eight percent of Phoenix CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today. This compares to 63 percent in the previous six months.

Phoenix executives (39 percent) also said finding skilled workers is their greatest staffing challenge.



"The rising number of job openings in the Phoenix area has contributed to a competitive hiring environment for many employers," said Travis Laird, regional vice president of Robert Half in Phoenix. "It's a candidate-driven market and job seekers are being more discerning about salary, benefits and culture. Employers need to be prepared to offer competitive salaries, stress their unique benefits and expedite their hiring process, or risk losing talent to the competition or to counteroffers."

Business Confidence

According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Phoenix CFOs are optimistic about their company's growth. Eighty-nine percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their company's prospects in the next six months.

About the Professional Employment Forecast

The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Phoenix area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology.

About Robert Half

Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company, based in Menlo Park, California, has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. Additional insights on the latest hiring trends also can be found in the company's just-released 2017 Salary Guides. For additional career and management insights, visit roberthalf.com/phoenix.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404569-INFO

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160212/332877LOGO

SOURCE Robert Half

Related Links

http://www.roberthalf.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Polaris Consulting, a leading boutique government relations and legislative strategy firm based in Washington, D.C., announced today that Jon Gans has joined the firm as a principal.

Jon has over a decade of policy experience with the Senate Republican Leadership and in the Bush Administration at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). For the past five years, Jon has worked at a large public affairs and government relations firm in Washington, D.C. where he managed a number of clients representing a broad group of Fortune 100 companies and trade associations on issues including tax, financial services, appropriations, technology, telecommunications, transportation, immigration, and energy. Jon has a proven track record of success through a strong command of the policy, politics and parliamentary rules mastered during his years on Capitol Hill.

"Jon will provide tremendous benefit to Polaris" said Polaris co-founder Bryan Cunningham. "His relationships, policy depth and experience with the inner workings of Capitol Hill at the senior leadership level will give an advantage to our clients."

Polaris' Founder, Dan Gans, raised a more personal benefit to Jon Gans joining the firm: "This is a special day for me and our family, not only are we bringing one of the most capable and competent government relations professionals to Polaris, but he also happens to be my brother. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work together with Jon in a professional capacity with the shared goal of providing the best services possible to our clients."

Dan Gans further added, "I've always wanted to find a way to work together with my brother Jon and my current business partner, Bryan Cunningham. The time is finally right not just for us, but also for the clients we serve. The interests of all the parties affected have finally aligned in a way in which Jon, Polaris and our clients will all benefit greatly from Jon joining the firm."

Said Jon Gans: "I'm excited about the opportunity to join a top-notch boutique firm like Polaris, where every client is a top priority. I am equally excited to team up with two of the hardest working guys in town, my brother, Dan, and Bryan. I look forward to working hard for the firm's legacy clients, leveraging their talents for my existing clients and working together with my brother on new legislative and regulatory challenges."

Before moving into government relations, Jon Gans spent more than a decade working at the highest levels of our government, including stints in the Senate Republican Leadership and at the White House. In Jon's most recent government role as Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Director to then-Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl, he served as the Senator's lead policy and legislative strategist. During 2011, he was Kyl's chief policy advisor to the Biden deficit group, which led to the Budget Control Act and the subsequent Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction better known as the "Super Committee." Jon represented Senator Kyl in December 2010 negotiations that extended the current "Bush" tax policies that were originally enacted in 2001 and 2003.

Previously, Jon served as the Deputy Associate Director at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) within the Executive Office of the President for three OMB Directors, Josh Bolten, Rob Portman, and Jim Nussle. In that role, he served as the chief OMB liaison to the U.S. Senate for all OMB-related legislation, regulations, and nominees. Prior to working at OMB, Jon was the Budget Policy Counsel under Senator Kyl when the Senator was Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee. Jon also served as legislative counsel to Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen.

Jon earned his law degree from the University of Denver, College of Law and did his undergraduate work at the University of Colorado at Boulder. During law school Jon clerked for Judge John L. Kane, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Colorado. Jon is a member of the Colorado and District of Columbia Bars.

Dan Gans

202-368-9758

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404803LOGO

SOURCE Polaris Consulting
HELSINKI, Finland and STOCKHOLM, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Telia, the leading Swedish telco recently launched a new service for its small- and midsize business customers, the Personal Technician, which helps companies with their IT- and communications solutions and makes the technology work.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404324

Telia has teamed up with Bttn to engage businesses around the new service by sending them connected buttons. With a simple push of the button they can sign up to the service and get a Personal Technician.

"Collaborating with partners like Bttn to deliver new services that generate value for our customers is the new normal. Using the red-alarm-like connected button to hail a Personal Technician from Telia that can solve any IT or communications problem is a smart and funny way to engage small and medium sized businesses around Sweden," says Patrik Granstrom, head of Small and Midsize businesses at Telia Company in Sweden.

"Telia's new service is simple yet elegant example of how Bttn can transform the way services or even products can be offered in a more simple, easy and fun manner", says Juuso Pesola, CEO of the Bttn.

About Telia Company

We're Telia Company, the New Generation Telco. Our 21,000 talented colleagues serve millions of customers every day in one of the world's most connected regions. With a strong connectivity base, we're the hub in the digital ecosystem, empowering people, companies and societies to stay in touch with everything that matters 24/7/365 - on their terms. Headquartered in Stockholm, the heart of innovation and technology, we're set to change the industry and bring the world even closer for our customers. Read more at www.teliacompany.com.

About The Button Corporation

The Button Corporation / Bttn Inc. is the creator of the bttn, the Simplest internet user interface in the World. It brings the power of Internet-of-Everything to individuals, families, and businesses with its elegantly designed physical push buttons always connected to the net. The Button Corporation is privately funded and based in Helsinki, Finland and New York, U.S. Read more at www.bt.tn.

For further information, please contact:

Saku Everi, Communications,

Bttn

Tel. +358 40 717 7776

Email

Nicholas Rundbom, Director of Communications,

Telia Sweden

Email

SOURCE The Button Corporation

Related Links

http://www.bt.tn


LOS ANGELES, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Los Angeles based artist, Sonia Romero, known for her large-scale public art installations, opens a solo exhibition on September 10, 2016. The exhibition, opening at Avenue 50 Studio in Highland Park is titled Public Artist, The Works of Sonia Romero with photography by Rafael Cardenas.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404422

The Swimmer, by Sonia Romero Sonia Romero

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Romero's sold-out debut show at Avenue 50 Studio, the exhibition will take audiences behind the scenes to narrate the process behind her works. Selections from Romero's original designs will give an inside look at her process from concept and design to fabrication and installation for public displays around the region.

"People are familiar with my final large-scale installations in public spaces, but I am excited to share the research and artistic practice behind the process that can take me up to a year or more," explains Romero a third-generation artist and Los Angeles native.

Romero is heavily into craft, starting with a hand-crafted medium for her public art designs such as paper-cut, block printing, mono printing, and painting. The meticulous process begins with photographs of people and movement that become original handmade designs with linoleum cut printmaking and intricate papercut techniques. Designs are then fabricated into large scale installations seen around the region. These original, handmade works will be the feature of the exhibition. Romero is also creating a public art installation with a mural on the outer wall of the Avenue 50 Studio space.

Local photographer, Rafael Cardenas is creating a new photo series for the exhibition to capture how the public interacts with Romero's final pieces examining the role of public art in local communities. Cardenas has been collaborating with Romero since 2010, shooting models as references, capturing the fabrication and design process and cataloging final installed pieces.

Sonia Romero's debut solo show in 2006 was held at Avenue 50 Studio in Los Angeles where she then completed a seven-year residency. She won her first public art commission in 2007 to create a 13-panel porcelain tile mural at the Macarthur Park Westlake Metro Station. Romero has worked with the Los Angeles Metro, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the Community Redevelopment Agency among others. She has completed six total commissions around the region and is currently working on several new projects including a 1,000 square foot mural at Mariachi Plaza Metro Station in Boyle heights. Romero holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in printmaking. soniaromero.net

Rafael Cardenas, raised in East Los Angeles and based in Boyle Heights, is a self-taught photographer whose powerful black and white images explore his relationship with the streets of his beloved Los Angeles. His work shows a duality in both the subjects he captures and the art form he uses, straddling the edge of art and documentation, of photography and photojournalism. His newly released photography book, MAS ACA captures the often unseen faces and scenes around the City. Cardenas is one of five selected artists of the 2016 LA Metro Lightbox Project. He is currently working on capturing stories of Los Angeles backyard celebrations with his Summer 2016 project. Rafa.la

Located in Highland Park, California, Avenue 50 Studio is an arts presentation organization grounded in Latina/o culture, visual arts, and the Northeast Los Angeles Community, that seeks to bridge cultures through artistic expression, using content-driven art to educate and to stimulate intercultural understanding. avenue50studio.org

Media Contact:

Tanya Diaz, 510-984-4947

Email

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404421

SOURCE Sonia Romero

Related Links

http://soniaromero.net


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- David Roe, the author of Proposition 65, will give the Keynote Address at this year's Prop. 65 Conference to mark the 30th anniversary of this unique initiative. Panels will include legal and industry experts giving hands-on help in understanding how Prop. 65 affects your business and clients. Judith Praitis, a partner with Sidley & Austin, will be this year's Conference Chair. Panels will discuss what to expect from proposed changes to the Prop. 65 Warning Regulations and the Attorney General's Prop. 65 Regulations. Other panels will discuss the best way to use science in the court room, the new OEHHA chemical warnings website, new trends in litigation and significant recent cases.

The one-day forum will be held at the Julia Morgan Ballroom at the Merchant Exchange building in the San Francisco Financial District, followed by a networking cocktail reception.

The Prop. 65 Conference is held in conjunction with the Green Chemistry Conference held the following day.

The Prop. 65 Clearinghouse, a web-based publishing company, is in its eleventh year presenting the Annual Prop. 65 Conference. Over 150 people from businesses, trade associations, government and law firms attend the conference each year. Prop. 65 Clearinghouse was started in 2004 by its publisher, Lana Beckett, as a means to provide stakeholders with a source of independent, unbiased news.

Event Details

Who: Prop. 65 Clearinghouse What: Prop. 65 Conference Where: Julia Morgan Ballroom, Merchants Exchange Building, 465

California St., 15th Floor, San Francisco, CA When: Thursday 9/15/16 8:00am  6:00pm

General Public

Attendees can register at: http://www.prop65clearinghouse.com/conferences/home#register.

For more information, including the full Agenda for the event day: http://www.prop65clearinghouse.com/conferences/home

SOURCE Prop. 65 Clearinghouse

Related Links

http://www.prop65clearinghouse.com/conferences/home


MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Consulting magazine has named global consulting firm Protiviti a recipient of the publication's "Excellence in Social & Community Investment Award" for its CommUnity scholarship program. This is the third time that Protiviti has received the award, which this year recognizes 18 firms for their outstanding social and community investment and engagement.

Protiviti's CommUnity scholarship program was founded in 2005 in Chicago with the aim of supporting promising students in some of the city's most economically challenged neighborhoods. Every year, Protiviti Chicago employees undertake to raise enough money to select two outstanding students in need from local high schools for a renewable college scholarship as well as continue to support recipients going through their sophomore, junior and senior years of college. Since it started, Protiviti Chicago's scholarship program has seen 11 students graduate from college, with another nine currently in college. Several graduates have extended their educational pursuits, earning masters' degrees, and Protiviti's very first scholar graduated with a doctorate degree in 2015 and is now a professor. Inspired by their Chicago colleagues, Protiviti employees in Atlanta and Washington D.C. have now started a similar program.

The idea for the CommUnity scholarship program originated with Sharon Lindstrom, a Protiviti managing director who also serves on the board of Chicago-based non-profit organization Umoja Student Development, which is dedicated to helping young people succeed in high school and beyond. On learning of the award, Lindstrom said, "Our employees teamed together 11 years ago to support under-resourced high school students with the aptitude and dream of a college education. Since then, our people have raised over $400,000 and have been providing mentorship throughout the winning students' college years. We're immensely proud of the success of our students and look forward to supporting many more."

Protiviti President and CEO Joe Tarantino added, "We're proud to be recognized with this award, which acknowledges the grass roots efforts of our employees to improve the lives of those around them."

Protiviti will be honored along with other recipients at Consulting magazine's awards dinner on September 8, 2016 in New York City.

In 2015, Protiviti received an "Excellence in Social & Community Investment Award" award from Consulting magazine for its i on Hunger program, an initiative which has provided more than three million meals for those struggling with hunger across the globe. In 2014, the firm received the same award for its inaugural U.S. Intern Day of Service.

To find out more about Protiviti's charitable programs, please visit: http://www.protiviti.com/socialresponsibility.

About Protiviti

Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that helps companies solve problems in finance, technology, operations, governance, risk and internal audit, and has served more than 60 percent of Fortune 1000 and 35 percent of Fortune Global 500companies. Protiviti and its independently owned Member Firms serve clients through a network of more than 70 locations in over 20 countries. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies.

Named to the 2016 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index.

Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services.

Editor's note: Photos available on request.

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SOURCE Protiviti

Related Links

http://www.protiviti.com


SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After an unprecedented meeting with the California Alcoholic Beverage Control Department (ABC), public health advocates are cautiously optimistic about a new level of cooperation and respect for community interests.

"We will be watching to see how actions improve, but we're encouraged by what we've heard so far," said Thania Balcorta, co-chair of the California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA). "We don't know of another case in which ABC leaders have reached out to community representatives to solicit suggestions on how the agency can be more responsive."

Representatives of public health and community organizations from across the state met with new Chief Deputy Director, Helena Williams, General Counsel, Matthew Botting, Chief Counsel, Jacob Rambo, and Information Officer, John Carr, to share their concerns and requests for how the department could be more responsive to alcohol-related public health and safety problems in communities across the state.

While the stated mission of the ABC is to, "administer the provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act in a manner that fosters and protects the health, safety, welfare, and economic well being of the people of the State," public health and safety advocates and communities across California believe they have significantly strayed from this approach. Advocates cited regular granting of alcohol licenses against community protests, in areas of high crime and those well beyond the number of alcohol licenses allowed by state law.

"We believe this meeting is the first step in a new and positive working relationship between public health and safety advocates and the ABC," said Eric Collins, chair of the San Diego Alcohol Policy Panel.

Members of CAPA and others at the meeting shared their appreciation for many of the things ABC has done over the years --including the coordination of minor decoy and shoulder tap operations at retail alcohol stores and support for responsible beverage service training.

They also raised serious concerns regarding how they've seen the department routinely ignore community interests in favor of industry interests by granting most alcohol applications and failing to address repeated violations of operating standards at current licensees.

To this end, the group shared the following requests with ABC:

Continue shoulder tap and decoy enforcement programs related to on-premise alcohol retailers (such as liquor stores and markets).

Reinstate ABC Responsible Beverage Service training certification process to verify that RBS courses follow a set of standards based on the latest expert scientific research.

Re-establish the RBS Advisory Board to again ensure that the training adhere to best practices and is conducted by qualified instructors.

Conduct more ABC undercover operations to deter the over-service of alcohol at restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Follow-up on repeated violations of operating standards at neighborhood markets, liquor and convenience stores.

Establish a more user-friendly website for alcohol prevention providers and community members.

Rein in the out-of-control morphing of restaurants of Type 47 licenses into de facto bars across the state. Including an overdue drastic increase in the numbers of investigators of these licensees to ascertain if they are violating the conditions of their licenses.

Increase transparency and convene local stakeholder meetings of the public health and safety community  independent of license holders.

Provide ready public access to find and monitor conditions (including any imposed by ABC or any local agencies) on licenses including posting at the license site.

California public health and safety advocates are committed to working with the ABC and being more actively engaged in their practices going forward. Ten thousand lives are lost annually in the state from alcohol-related causes with total costs estimated at $22 billion.

The number of places serving alcohol has gone up significantly over the last decades (outlets nearly quadrupled in last 40 years while population hasn't even doubled). According to ABC annual reports, the number of licensees in CA has increased from 24,641 in 1974 (pop 21,170,000) to 87,112 in 2014 (population 38,800,000).

Nationally, nearly 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes each year, making it the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. In addition, alcohol is involved in approximately 40 percent of all violent crimes committed in the U.S. [https://ncadd.org/about-addiction/alcohol-drugs- and-crime] and problems related to the excessive use of alcohol cost the US $249 billion in 2010, according to the CDC. [http://www.cdc.gov/features/costsofdrinking/index.html]

Public health and safety participants in the meeting included:

For more information, please contact:

Michael Scippa, Director of Public Affairs, Alcohol Justice, (415) 257-2490

Jeffrey Tufenkian, Senior Media Advocacy Strategist, Institute for Public Strategies (619) 476-9100 x105

SOURCE California Alcohol Policy Alliance

Related Links

http://alcoholpolicyalliance.org


WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This November, voters in California, Colorado and North Dakota will have the opportunity to protect children from tobacco addiction and save lives by approving ballot initiatives that increase state tobacco taxes in a meaningful way. To do so, however, voters will need to reject multi-million dollar campaigns tobacco companies are waging to deceive them and defeat these measures.

The tobacco companies' opposition to these initiatives shows the industry hasn't changed and can't be taken seriously when they say they don't want kids to smoke. The companies are fighting these initiatives for one simple reason: They know that a significant increase in the tobacco tax is one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking, especially among kids. The huge sums they are spending against these initiatives represent an investment to preserve the pipeline of kids the industry needs to survive.

In California , tobacco companies, led by Altria/Philip Morris and Reynolds American/R.J. Reynolds , have already poured over $37 million to defeat an initiative (Prop 56) to raise the state cigarette tax by $2 per pack and no doubt will spend much more to wage their disinformation campaign.

, tobacco companies, led by Altria/Philip Morris and Reynolds American/R.J. , have already poured over to defeat an initiative (Prop 56) to raise the state cigarette tax by per pack and no doubt will spend much more to wage their disinformation campaign. In Colorado , the industry is preparing to spend millions to defeat a ballot measure to raise the tobacco tax by $1.75 per pack.

, the industry is preparing to spend millions to defeat a ballot measure to raise the tobacco tax by per pack. In North Dakota , Altria and Reynolds American/R.J. Reynolds have dumped more than $860,000 to fight the proposed $1.76 tobacco tax increase, dwarfing the amount raised by proponents.

Of course, the tobacco companies hide the real reason for their opposition behind front groups and deceptive arguments. In California, the companies are trying to mislead voters into thinking the Prop 56 opposition comprises a broad "Coalition of Taxpayers, Educators, Healthcare Professionals, Law Enforcement, Labor, and Small Businesses," as the group has dubbed its campaign. But, no, it's the top three tobacco companies, especially Altria and Reynolds, entirely funding the effort. One industry ad charges Prop 56 with "cheating" schools of funding, a claim that has been thoroughly debunked by PolitiFact California, The Sacramento Bee and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The industry even claims the California and Colorado initiatives do not dedicate enough money to programs that prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. These initiatives do provide robust funding for such programs, and it is laughable that tobacco companies would profess concern for funding programs to reduce tobacco use given everything they do to hook kids and keep smokers from quitting.

The industry's hypocrisy is underscored by the fact that Reynolds American is supporting a small and ineffective tobacco tax increase in Missouri that would provide far less for tobacco prevention and cessation programs. The tobacco companies don't care one bit about funding tobacco prevention efforts. What they do care about is defeating tobacco tax increases or limiting them to such small amounts that they won't reduce smoking, can be easily countered with the company's price discounts and don't hurt the companies' bottom line. That's why Reynolds is spending nearly $3 million to support the Missouri initiative  it increases the cigarette tax by just 15 cents a year for four years and heads off the possibility of a larger increase that actually reduces smoking. Missouri would still have one of the lowest cigarette taxes in the country.

By fighting the California, Colorado and North Dakota initiatives  while bankrolling the counterproductive Missouri measure  the tobacco companies once again are protecting their profits at the expense of kids and lives. Voters across the country should reject the industry's lies and support genuine efforts to protect children from tobacco addiction and save lives.

For more information on the California, Colorado and North Dakota initiatives, please visit:

CA: yeson56.org

CO: healthyco2016.com

ND: raiseitforhealthnd.com

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SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Related Links

http://www.tobaccofreekids.org


LOS ANGELES, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign from Feeding America  the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the country. In honor of Hunger Action Month, Ralphs Grocery Company is partnering with Feeding America to encourage its shoppers to support the "Great American Milk Drive" by donating nutrient-rich milk to families in need in their local communities.

Milk isn't just a drinkit's a nutrient powerhouse providing nine essential nutrients including eight grams of high-quality protein per serving. But it is missing at food banks in communities across the country because it is rarely donated. In fact, milk is one of the items most requested by Feeding America food bank clients each year.

On average, food banks are only able to provide the equivalent of less than one gallon of milk per person, per year. But in September, Ralphs customers have the ability to help change that in their communities by donating $1, $3 or $5 at check-out. Every donation will help deliver milk to a local family facing hunger. All donations collected go directly to Feeding America food banks that service the local community where the donation was made.

"Milk is the number one food item requested by our Southern California food banks," said Kendra Doyel, vice president of corporate affairs for Ralphs Grocery Company. "Through the 'Great American Milk Drive' program we are giving our customers, associates and company and easy way to support local California Feeding America food banks by offering them access to an important food  fresh and wholesome milk."

Southern California Feeding America food banks benefiting from the "Great American Milk Drive" at Ralphs include: Feeding America San Diego; FIND Food Bank (Indio); Food Bank of Santa Barbara County; Food Share (Oxnard); Los Angeles Regional Food Bank; Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County; and Second Harvest Food Bank Serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

What You Can Do Today

Now through September 28, Ralphs is inviting customers to support the "Great American Milk Drive" by donating $1, $3 or $5 at check-out to help local families get the nutrient-rich milk they're missing out on. Customers should check with their local Ralphs store for details.

About Ralphs Grocery Company

Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and currently operates 198 supermarkets from its headquarters in Los Angeles. Last year, Ralphs contributed more than $6 million to support education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the company's stores. Ralphs is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more about Ralphs, please visit our web site at www.ralphs.com.

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SOURCE Ralphs Grocery Company

Related Links

http://www.ralphs.com


DUBLIN, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Titanium Dioxide Nanomaterials Market 2016-2020" report to their offering.

The global titanium dioxide nanomaterials market to grow at a CAGR of 9.42% by volume during the period 2016-2020.

The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global titanium dioxide nanomaterials market for 2016-2020. In order to calculate the market size, we considered the revenue generated through sales of titanium dioxide nanoparticles for applications such as personal care products, paints and coatings, energy sector, paper and ink, and others (catalyst, production of self-cleaning ceramics, production of self-cleaning cement, and glass industry).

According to the report, increase in product offerings will be a key driver for market growth. Titanium dioxide nanomaterials have numerous commercial and industrial applications because of their unique UV-scattering, anti-bacterial, and water repelling characteristics. The global nanotechnology market is rife with innovations; most players in the nanotechnology market are rolling out new products for advanced industrial applications because of the cheap and simple process of producing titanium dioxide nanomaterials.

This has led to a rapid increase in the number of titanium dioxide nanomaterial-based products in the market in recent years. By February 2015, around 180 products were launched, resulting in the rapid expansion of the market in newer sectors such as automobile and pollution control. The US accounted for the highest number of new product releases in 2014 and was followed by China and Canada. Other major contributors included France, Spain, and Germany.

Key vendors

American Elements

EPRUI Nanomaterials and Microspheres

Reinste

Sigma-Aldrich

US Research Nanomaterials

Other prominent vendors

Meliorum Technologies

nanoComposix

Xuancheng Jingrui

Advanced Nano Products

Applied Nanotech Holdings

Key Topics Covered:

Part 01: Executive summary

Part 02: Scope of the report

Part 03: Market research methodology

Part 04: Introduction

Part 05: Market landscape

Part 06: Market segmentation by type

Part 07: Market segmentation by end-user

Part 08: Geographical segmentation

Part 09: Market drivers

Part 10: Impact of drivers

Part 11: Market challenges

Part 12: Impact of drivers and challenges

Part 13: Market trends

Part 14: Vendor landscape

Part 15: Key vendor analysis

Part 16: Appendix

For more information about this report visit

http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/mfkjsl/global_titanium

Related Topics: Chemicals, Nanotechnology, Electronic Chemicals, Nanomaterials

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- RUNA, a line of organic and non-GMO ready-to-drink teas and energy drinks, is pleased to announce the debut of a new flavor created in partnership with Olivia Wilde's Conscious Commerce initiative. Conscious Commerce is a creative company and incubator, founded by best friends Olivia Wilde and Barbara (Babs) Burchfield, whose mission is to integrate conscious consumerism into every market and retailer. The two helped to develop RUNA's newest flavor, Unsweetened Mint Honeysuckle Tea, made with real honeysuckle extract. The flavor will hit store shelves nationwide September 2016.

"Babs, Olivia and I met through mutual friends in late 2015 and quickly recognized our shared passions, first for sustainable business models and then for tea," RUNA CEO and co-founder Tyler Gage said. "We wanted to develop a unique, eye-catching flavor that would invite consumers to explore the tea's origin and inspire conscious engagement. Mint Honeysuckle reflects the creative touch and visionary lens behind Conscious Commerce and the rich fabric of heritage, ecology and mission that makes up RUNA's DNA."

The concept of the flavor came after Babs, Olivia and Tyler experimented with different flavor combinations with RUNA's main ingredient, guayusa tea leaves from the Ecuadorian Amazon. Recognizing that brewed guayusa has an inherently smooth and subtly sweet taste, they agreed upon an unsweetened tea. Babs gravitated to the bright, refreshing quality of mint to mirror the inspiring nature of the product. Tyler had a dream, literally, about honeysuckle, and the three chose to use the naturally sweet, floral flavor in the tea.

"The partnership between RUNA and Conscious Commerce has allowed us to further support our passion for ethical, eco-friendly and sustainable businesses," said Wilde. "I love that people can help change the lives of communities across the world by doing something as simple as purchasing a bottle of RUNA tea."

Mint Honeysuckle Tea proudly features the Conscious Commerce logo on the label. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of RUNA's Mint Honeysuckle Tea will go toward The RUNA Foundation, a U.S.-based public charity with a mission to search for new ways to create value in tropical forests that benefits local communities and forest ecosystems. The RUNA Foundation provides a reliable income stream for guayusa farmers, while respecting their deep-rooted cultural and traditional practices. The company is responsible for replanting more than one million trees in the Amazon rainforest.

RUNA's ready-to-drink teas, including the Mint Honeysuckle flavor, are available in retailers nationwide such as Whole Foods Market, Wegman's, Safeway and more, as well as amazon.com/runa for an MSRP of $1.99.

About RUNA

RUNA is line of organic teas and natural energy drinks made from the rare Amazon guayusa (gwhy-yu-sa) leaf. RUNA's products are non-GMO and Fair Trade certified, and the brand is committed to sustainability and social responsibility in all facets of its business. As a trade up from traditional coffee, teas and energy drinks, guayusa tea offers as much caffeine as coffee and boasts a rich profile of polyphenols, flavonoids, and l-theanine. The RUNA name translates to "fully alive" in the language of the Ecuadorian Amazon, whose indigenous peoples have consumed guayusa for thousands of years. As part of the brand's social responsibility commitment, RUNA supports over 3,000 of the indigenous farming families that grow guayusa through direct employment and other programs. RUNA is recognized as one of Inc. Magazine's 500 Fastest Growing Companies in the country. A-list investors include Leonardo DiCaprio, Channing Tatum and John Isner, among others. The company is based in Brooklyn, NY and is privately held. Visit http://www.runa.org/ for more information.

About Conscious Commerce

Conscious Commerce was created as a response to non-sustainable fundraising efforts for nonprofit organizations. Conscious Commerce creates dynamic campaigns and experiences that connect non-profit foundations to sustainable businesses. Additionally, CC works with global brands around the world to integrate social consciousness into current business models, exponentially increasing engagement and awareness. Recent partnering brands include Birchbox, Anthropologie and H&M, in which a portion of portion of profits went to directly to specific charitable projects.

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SOURCE RUNA

Related Links

http://www.runa.org


EDMONTON and TORONTO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - SCM Insurance Services, Canada's largest independent, privately-owned insurance services provider, today announced the appointment of Scott Goodreau as Chief Operating Officer-USA. Goodreau's appointment is SCM's first step towards taking its market-leading solutions to the United States.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404990LOGO)

Since its inception, SCM has strategically expanded its services through targeted acquisitions and complementary services to provide a breadth of insurance solutions in the Canadian market. With many of our clients conducting business on both sides of the border, this expansion meets our clients' needs while aligning to SCM's long-term strategy.

"SCM has a stellar reputation in the claims and risk management community and I am excited to be part of the team," said Mr. Goodreau. "The U.S. market and our cross-border clients will truly benefit from the extensive suite of services that SCM has to offer."

Mr. Goodreau is an experienced executive with 20 years' experience in the insurance industry, holding diverse leadership positions for distribution, carrier and technology companies. Most recently, he led Sales and Marketing for Hub International, a leading North American insurance broker with over 10,000 employees. Mr. Goodreau also held positions of Super Regional President and Chief Legal Officer while at Hub. His responsibilities at SCM will include providing key strategic leadership for growth by establishing and empowering a high performance team.

"We're thrilled to have Scott aboard," began Bob Fitzgerald, CEO of SCM. "He shares SCM's passion for client-centric culture and values. Initially, our focus will be primarily targeted on two fronts: third-party-administration and claims adjusting services. Scott's background positions him very well to lead this expansion into the U.S. insurance services market and beyond."

About SCM Insurance Services

SCM Insurance Services has been servicing the insurance and risk management community for the past 30 years with over 200 locations and 2,600 employees. As a privately owned provider of claims adjusting, third party adjusting (TPA), risk management, investigative, surveillance, risk mitigation, medical services, forensic engineering services, and risk intelligence, SCM has distinguished itself through innovative technology, expert staff and solid customer service. The SCM Insurance Services include ClaimsPro, International Programs Group (IPG). Xpera Risk Mitigation & Investigation, Cira Medical Services, Pario Engineering & Environmental Sciences, SCM Risk Management Services (RMS), and Opta Information Intelligence. Visit www.scm.ca for more information.

SOURCE SCM Insurance Services

Related Links

www.scm.ca


EASTON, Md., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Maryland US-Based Sea Watch International  the largest fully integrated producer of clams in the world has completed a major investment & partnership transaction into historic Look's Gourmet Food Company, Inc., dba Bar Harbor Foods, Whiting, Maine.

Look's, a nearly 100-year-old company is best known for its premium Bar Harbor and Atlantic brand products of all natural, sustainable shelf stable seafood & food products. Look's, originally a family business begun in 1917, had its assets purchased by Michael Cote in 2003. Look's Gourmet Food Company, Inc., doing business as Bar Harbor Foods, currently produces, from its Whiting, Maine production facility, all natural, shelf-stable seafood chowders, bisques, seafood juices and stocks, sauces, and fancy-packed seafood meats.

The match brings together years of collective experience in seafood harvesting, manufacturing and distribution. Sea Watch International, a high quality producer of clams and many other value added seafood products brings added production capabilities to Look's for it's Bar Harbor and Atlantic product portfolios. Sea Watch, operates 35 fishing vessels and four production facilities on the East Coast and is currently focused primarily on food service and co-packing manufacturing and distribution. Through their new partnership with Look's, Sea Watch immediately expands into all natural, sustainable seafood retail grocery distribution.

Bob Brennan, the CEO of Sea Watch International, commented: "The partnership with Bar Harbor will strengthen Sea Watch's position and growth in the U.S. retail segment. Our integrated production capabilities and highest quality standards will further support the rapidly growing Bar Harbor brand to become the priority choice for our retail customers across the U.S. Sea Watch is excited to welcome Michael Cote and his team at Bar Harbor into the Sea Watch family."

Michael Cote, CEO of Look's Gourmet Food Company and now Sea Watch partner in this transaction will remain in his current position and work closely with Sea Watch to integrate it's resources, capabilities and efficiencies. Cote commented: "These are exciting times for our company, employees and brands. A partnership with Sea Watch brings forth so many new and exciting opportunities to further develop and strengthen our mission for the brand's current and new products. The folks at Sea Watch are great people and will be able provide us the resources and opportunities that allow us to stay on our mission of bringing many new and innovative products to market in the natural, sustainable, wild caught space."

Contact:

Cynthia Fisher

Look's Gourmet Food Company / Bar Harbor Foods

207-263-5361

[email protected]

SOURCE Look's Gourmet Food Company
SEATTLE, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Seattle executives expect professional-level hiring to increase in the next six months, according to the just-released Seattle Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half. Eighteen percent of local CFOs anticipate their company will create new jobs, up 5 points from the previous six-month period. Another 67 percent plan to hire for open roles.

CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time, professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:

Seattle CFO Hiring Predictions



Sept. 2016  Feb. 2017 March 2016  Aug. 2016* Expanding  adding new positions 18% 13% Maintaining  only filling vacated positions 67% 72% Freezing  not filling vacated positions or creating new ones 11% 11% Reducing  eliminating positions 4% 4% Don't know/no answer 0% 1% *Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.



View an infographic featuring the survey results.

Recruiting Challenges

Sixty-five percent of Seattle CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today. This compares to 60 percent in our survey of the previous six months.

Seattle executives (47 percent) also cited maintaining employee morale and productivity as an additional challenge when hiring and managing staff.

"Hiring managers in Seattle continue to face a challenging hiring environment," said Josh Warborg, district president for Robert Half in the Pacific Northwest. "Organizations finding the most success have been increasing the compensation they offer to ensure they are competitive in the market. They are also including perks such as flextime or employee wellness programs that are attractive to candidates."

Business Confidence

According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Seattle CFOs are optimistic about their company's growth. Ninety-four percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their company's prospects for growth in the next six months, up one point from six months ago.

About the Professional Employment Forecast

The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Seattle area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology.

About Robert Half

Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company, based in Menlo Park, California, has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. Additional insights on the latest hiring trends also can be found in the company's just-released 2017 Salary Guides. For more career and management insights, visit roberthalf.com/seattle-tacoma.

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SOURCE Robert Half

Related Links

http://www.roberthalf.com


MONTREAL, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharegate, the Office 365 & SharePoint management software, known in information technology circles for its simplicity and user-friendliness, will be present at Microsoft Ignite, from September 26th to 30th 2016, as a Gold Sponsor.

Sharegate has been a loyal Ignite participant and sponsor since the beginning. Simon De Baene, Sharegate CEO, has this to say about the event: "Speaking directly with IT professionals not only gives them the chance to have all their questions answered in a one-on-one fashion, it gives us the opportunity to gain incredible insight into the industry. It helps us better understand what users want, so we can continue to consistently give them the tools they need to make their lives easier."

The team will be available to discuss SharePoint migration, management, security and reporting with attendees at the Sharegate booth (#1842) throughout the entire week.

Also on the schedule, Benjamin Niaulin, Sharegate Product Advisor, resident SharePoint expert, and Microsoft MVP, will be hosting and participating in several sessions throughout the event. Catch him with Microsoft Program Partners at one of his sessions, or at the "Microsoft MVP Discussion Panel on all things SharePoint".

Find out more about Sharegate's participation at Ignite and view Benjamin Niaulin's session schedule here: https://www.ignite.microsoft.com.

About Sharegate

Sharegate simplifies management tasks for SharePoint, Office 365, and OneDrive for Business for thousands of administrators and IT professionals around the world. A privately-held company based in Montreal, Sharegate is trusted by more than 10,000 organizations. As a leader in its industry, Sharegate lives by the motto: "innovate and keep things simple & fun." For more information, visit http://www.share-gate.com.

Gabrielle Lafontaine

Marketing Specialist

Sharegate

(514) 303-8203

[email protected]

This release was issued through WebWire(R). For more information visit http://www.webwire.com.

SOURCE Sharegate

Related Links

http://en.share-gate.com


The William Tell Vein is approximately parallel to the Las Chispas Vein and about 120 metres apart at its midpoint. The William Tell Vein's historical workings appear to advance on strike to a cross cutting fault and then terminate. This fault also cross cuts the Las Chispas Vein beyond which higher grades and continuity are found as previously reported (see news release dated August 2, 2016). The Company believes this fault bound corridor, in both the William Tell and Las Chispas Veins, may be a mineralizing control for a potential high grade zone in both of the vein systems. Four of the seven William Tell drill hole intersections located within the potential high grade corridor display grade continuity greater than 400 grams per tonne ("gpt") silver equivalent* ("AgEq") over estimated true widths of 0.8 to 1.5 metres. Applying a 50 metre radius influence to the four drill hole intercepts, the area covers approximately 300 metres of strike (see attached figure). No historical workings were intercepted in the seven William Tell Vein drill holes.

Two previously unmapped veins were intercepted in drill holes LC16-13 and LC16-16 at the William Tell Vein which reported grades of 888 gpt AgEq* and 723 gpt AgEq* over estimated true widths of 0.9 metres and 0.8 metres, respectively (see table below). These intercepts are new vein discoveries and are interpreted to be in the footwall and hanging wall, respectively.

Dunham Craig, P.Geo., Interim CEO commented, "While we suspected the William Tell Vein would extend to the south, we are very pleased to see this discovery in an area where we did not know what the vein mineralization, location or geometry would be. The high grade continuity in four of the drill holes within the potentially mineralized corridor is very encouraging and we are eager to begin a Phase 2 drilling program as soon as possible to further delineate the strike extension and depth. In addition, the discovery of two new vein intercepts grading above 700 gpt AgEq*, combined with all of the results received to date from drilling and underground channel sampling, reiterate a possible discovery of a district-wide area play. The crew in Mexico continues to gain further access within the estimated 11.5 kilometres of historic underground workings in both the Las Chispas area and Babicanora area for mapping, sampling and future drilling program design. We expect to report on further drill results and underground activities over the coming weeks. "

The most significant William Tell Vein core drilling results for this release are 1.5 metres wide grading 2.03 gpt gold ("Au") and 683 gpt silver ("Ag"), or 835 gpt AgEq* (see attached figure) including 0.75 metres grading 3.8 gpt Au and 1,102 gpt Ag or 1,388 gpt AgEq* in hole LC16-03. The following table summarizes the most significant drill assay results (uncut) for the William Tell vein and the previously unidentified veins;

William Tell Drill Hole Intercepts within Potentially High Grade Corridor > 150 gpt AgEq Hole No. From (m) To (m) Drilled Thickness (m) Est. True Thickness (m)** Au gpt Ag gpt AgEq* gpt LC16-03 172 176 4 1.5 2.03 683 835 includes 173 175 2 0.8 3.81 1,102 1,388 LC16-12 118 119 1 0.9 2.40 229 409 LC16-13 168 172 4 3.2 1.08 141 222 includes 168 169 1 0.8 3.58 249 517 Includes 171 172 1 0.8 0.23 249 266 LC16-15 197.5 199 1.5 1.3 1.94 352 497 New Identified Vein Intercepts adjacent to the William Tell Vein LC16-13 180 181 1 0.8 4.79 364 723 LC16-16 93 94 1 0.9 6.57 395 888 William Tell Drill Hole Intercepts < 150 gpt AgEq LC16-02 94 95 1 0.5 0.97 20 94 LC16-04 201 205 4 1.7 0.04 69 72 LC16-16 270 272 2 1.8 0.01 39 40







Note: all numbers are rounded.





*AgEq based on 75 (Ag):1 (Au) and 100% metallurgical recovery.





** All holes were drilled at angles to mineralization; true thickness is estimated based on geometry of the vein model.

All assays were completed by ALS Chemex with sample preparation in Hermosillo, Mexico and assayed in North Vancouver, BC. Gold grades are reported from fire assay, and silver grades >100 gpt are reported from aqua regia digestion with ICP-AES finish.

As previously announced, the Company has also drilled three holes (LV-16-01, LV-16-02 and LV-16-03) in the La Victoria area, a separate mineralized showing, located 800 metres southwest of the Babicanora vein. Results from these holes have shown mineralization but with relatively low values. Future drilling for the La Victoria area will be undertaken to define the zonation of grade closer to surface and at depth.

Based on the favorable results of the Phase I surface drill program, the Company is planning a Phase II surface and underground drill program for the fall of 2016.Timing of the underground drilling program depends on the receipt of the permit application. The program will focus on the delineation of a potential bulk sample and infill drilling in preparation for a maiden resource estimate at the Las Chispas project.

The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is James Barr, P.Geo, who is independent of SilverCrest and has approved its contents.

ABOUT SILVERCREST METALS INC.

SilverCrest is a Canadian precious metals exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, that is focused on new discoveries, value-added acquisitions and targeting production in Mexico's historic precious metal districts. The Company is led by a proven management team in all aspects of the precious metal mining sector, including the pioneering of a responsible "phased approach" business model taking projects through discovery, finance, on time and on budget construction, and production with subsequent increased value to shareholders.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. These include, without limitation, statements with respect to: the strategic plans, timing and expectations for the Company's exploration, rehabilitation and drilling programs of the Las Chispas Project, including initial extraction program for bulk sample testing and preparation of an initial resource estimate; information with respect to high grade areas and size of veins projected from underground sampling results and drilling results; and the accessibility of future mining at the Las Chispas Project. Such forwardlooking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: the conditions in general economic and financial markets; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of expenditures related to rehabilitation and drilling programs; and effects of regulation by governmental agencies. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of risk factors including: the timing and content of work programs; results of exploration activities; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; receipt, maintenance and security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; and general market and industry conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Dunham Craig, P.Geo,

Interim CEO

SilverCrest Metals Inc.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



SOURCE SilverCrest Metals Inc.

Related Links

www.silvercrestmetals.com


TEL AVIV, Israel, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

SimilarWeb, the global leader in digital market intelligence, has today announced the appointment of Carla Bourque as Chief Commercial Officer.

Bourque, who will be based in the company's San Francisco office, brings more than 20 years of enterprise SaaS experience across digital media, marketing tech, and analytics. She joins SimilarWeb's executive team, and will lead the company's global commercial operations. Bourque's responsibilities include: sales, customer success, marketing, and business development across the company's eight international offices.

Prior to joining SimilarWeb, Bourque served as Executive-in-Residence at XSeed Capital, a leading early-stage venture capital firm, with a portfolio in key enterprise SaaS sectors, including: media tech, Internet of Things (IoT), and mobile analytics.

Bourque began her career as a brand manager for PowerBar (acquired by Nestle), and has subsequently held senior positions at high growth companies specializing in innovation at the intersection of data and technology. She was previously General Manager and Senior Vice President of Sales at Buddy Media (acquired by Salesforce), Vice President of Sales and Business Development at BuzzMetrics/Nielsen Digital, and Director of Sales at AdRelevance (acquired by comScore). As CEO of Smartify, Bourque transformed the early stage marketing analytics company into a scalable SaaS business, securing fourfold revenue growth in less than two years.

Or Offer, SimilarWeb CEO and founder, said : "I am very excited to have Carla join our team. Carla has a proven track record in leading and scaling high growth tech companies globally. Her experience is strongly aligned with our clients' needs and SimilarWeb's business goals, and we know that she will provide the appropriate leadership, momentum, and direction as we enhance our sales, marketing, and business development focus across the world."

Bourque commented: "Early in my career, I fell in love with critical market data and the powerful business insights that could be provided -- but I also experienced the challenge that persists with marketers today regarding disparate data sets and lack of actionable intelligence. I have always been a passionate evangelist for emerging tech platforms that could solve this problem at scale, and love working with talented teams to build great things. This is what excites me most about SimilarWeb: the breadth, depth, and power of the platform across desktop, mobile and apps, to optimize the value-chain of analytics and insights. Several years of phenomenal growth and validated product market fit make it clear that SimilarWeb is building the next generation of market intelligence for brands, agencies, and partners around the world. I am very excited to be part of this passionate and innovative team."

About SimilarWeb

SimilarWeb is a global cross device market intelligence company used by hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide, including Google, eBay, L'Oreal and AirBnb, to discover, track and grow their digital market share. SimilarWeb (currently hiring) was selected by Wired Magazine as one of the hottest 100 start-ups in Europe, and was named by Business Insider as one of the 50 enterprise startups to bet your career on in 2016.

The recent appointment of Carla Bourque as Chief Commercial Officer to its Executive team, follows several milestones at the company -- including SimilarWeb's acquisition of Silicon Valley-based mobile intelligence company Quettra in December, its opening of a new office in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a strategic analytics and data partnership with ComScore.

SOURCE SimilarWeb
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra (SJMO), the band-in-residence of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, today announced its 26th season of "Jazz and Democracy" OctoberJune 2017. Led by conductor and artistic director, Charlie Young, the SJMO brings together the museum's extensive jazz collections, rich and current research and original instruments to make America's jazz legacy come alive in concert.

The 20162017 season will present a series of five concerts that will use and present the musical compositions, instruments and archives housed in the museum along a theme of "Jazz and Democracy," to showcase how jazz embodies democracy and is an expression of intrinsically American values. Through live music and presentation, the concert series will explore how jazz has influenced American civil rights, politics, identity and culture.

Concerts for the 201617 season will be held in the museum's two music venues: the Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza in the museum's Innovation Wing featuring unique cabaret-style seating, and the museum's newest performance space, the Hall of Music, on the third floor featuring an intimate concert setting with views of the Washington Monument.

A five-concert season pass for two seats to each concert will be available at a special discounted rate of $320 now until Oct. 8, guaranteeing pass holders the best seats in the house in both venues and two complimentary drinks. Season passes and individual tickets, ranging $25$40 per concert, are on sale now at the Smithsonian Jazz website: www.smithsonianjazz.org.

A list of the 201617 season follows:

Jazz, Blues and Civil Rights

Saturday, Oct. 8; 7:30 p.m.

Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza

Jazz and blues emerged out of a climate of struggle and oppression. Parallel in many ways to the modern civil rights movement, jazz and blues musicians had to find a safe means to voice opposition to Jim Crow practices and other restrictive racial prejudices. The answer that many found was in their music, using lyrical expression through rhythm and song, as well as coded language. The SJMO Big Band will explore the musicians, music and language from this important era in American history.

Jazz and Spirituality: From Ellington to Sun Ra and Beyond

Friday, Dec. 9; 7:30 p.m.

Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza

Throughout its existence, jazz has been closely entwined with spirituality, divinity and religion. The roots of the music itself are planted firmly in the religions of its creators. The SJMO and a special guest choir for an evening will highlight compositions by musicians inspired by spirituality, divinity or religion, all of whom helped shape the broad landscape of modern jazz history.

Democracy in the Jazz Age

Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017; 7:30 p.m.

Hall of Music

2017 marks the centennial year of the first ever jazz recording by the "Original Dixieland Jass Band" in early 1917. It is largely thanks to changing technology that jazz music has been documented for the majority of its lifetime, providing evidence of the styles, communication and nuance of early jazz. Unlike classical music, jazz was unique in those early years as it relied heavily on the creativity and improvisation of all its performers as well as their ability to listen to each other. The SJMO Ensemble will explore these forms of democratic conversation in music through the Jazz Age.

Women in Jazz: The Influence of Ella Fitzgerald, Mary Lou Williams and Lil Hardin

Friday, March 31, 2017; 7:30 p.m.

Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza

April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and as the home of JAM, the SJMO will spend the month celebrating the women of jazz just in time for Ella Fitzgerald's centennial. Oftentimes overlooked, women have been making vital contributions to jazz throughout its history. Beyond the traditional female vocalist, there are also female composers, arrangers, orchestrators and instrumentalists who made an impact. Join the SJMO Big Band for an evening showcase of big-band compositions by women and featuring women who have and continue to leave an indelible print on jazz.

International Influences in Jazz: Rhythm and Traditions

Saturday, June 10, 2017; 7:30 p.m.

Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza

The quintessential melting pot, American society and culture have always been greatly impacted and influenced by other cultures from around the world. A perfect embodiment of this relationship, jazz music has and continues to be influenced by the diversity and traditions of international communities. From the fox trot to the complex rhythmic and harmonic structures of modern jazz, the SJMO will explore jazz's compositional forms and stylistic elements and their origins.

"By exploring jazz as a form of pure democratic conversation and freedom of expression, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra promotes jazz as an American treasure," Young said.

The SJMO was founded in 1990 with an appropriation from the U.S. Congress in recognition of the importance of jazz in American culture and its status as a national treasure. At its largest, the 17-member SJMO Big Band, or as the smaller SJMO Ensemble, concerts feature transcribed works, new arrangements, commissioned works and programs that illuminate the work of jazz masters who contributed to the development of American jazz and defined the music's character.

"Through concerts that use the museum's world-class collections, scholarship and exhibitions, the SJMO is excited to explore the American democratic experience through jazz," said Ken Kimery, the orchestra's executive producer. "Smithsonian Jazz stewards jazz as a bridge between our national identity, our history and ourselves."

The orchestra has performed for audiences at the Smithsonian, Kennedy Center, the White House, U.S. Capitol, the Apollo Theater, the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the Ravinia Festival, the Monterey Jazz Festival and in Canada, Europe, Egypt, Russia, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Young has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, the U.S. Navy Band and the Count Basie Orchestra and has shared the concert stage with many icons, including Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones. He is the coordinator of instrumental jazz studies at Howard University and professor of saxophone. Kimery serves as the drummer for the SJMO and director of the museum's Smithsonian Jazz program featuring oral histories, Jazz Appreciation Month and more.

The museum is home to the world's largest museum collection of jazz historyartifacts from Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Tito Puente and many other creative giants. It established Jazz Appreciation Month in 2001, which is celebrated every April throughout the United States and in more than 30 countries.

The National Museum of American History explores the infinite richness and complexity of American history. For more information, visit http://americanhistory.si.edu. The museum is located on Constitution Avenue, between 12th and 14th streets N.W., and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.

SOURCE Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

Related Links

http://americanhistory.si.edu


MIAMI BEACH, Fla., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- It is with much excitement that the 4th annual South Beach Seafood Week is back kicking off Stone Crab Season in style! With three times the food, three times the experience, and only 1/3rd the wait, get ready for the ultimate seafood experience featuring luxury dining on the sands of South Beach. The main event, South Beach Seafood Festival, brought to you by Kendall Jackson, will hit the beach at 7th & Ocean Drive, Saturday, October 22, 2016 from 12-7PM, with an extension exclusive to VIP Hospitality Village guests until 11PM. This year's event will be presented by Jack Daniels, Breakthru Beverage, GOYA Foods, Land Rover N&S Dade, and Celebrity Cruises, and hosted by Coca-Cola.

The 2016 restaurants will pop up cafes for guests to enjoy 60+ of the best seafood menu items available in South Florida! The full list of restaurants include Joe's Stone Crabs, Naked Taco, Red, the Steakhouse, CJ's Crab Shack, Drunken Dragon, A Fish Called Avalon, Naiyara, Poseidon, Toro Toro, Trulucks, Papa's Raw Bar, Midtown Oyster Bar, Cafe Avanti, CIBO Wine Bar, Naked Crab, The Avenue, and Whole Foods Market. Festival ticket prices start at an affordable price of $35 and include complimentary bars throughout the festival grounds. Guests can listen to music at the various music stages, including the Jack Daniel's Beach Club, sip on refreshing wine or a few cocktails, enjoy chef and mixology demos in the Whole Foods Market, and spend the day trying all the delicious menu items from these luxury dining establishments, who keep their menu prices affordable between $5-$8, just for the Sobe Seafood day. Get ready for stone crabs, stone crabs, and more stone crabs, along with lobster tempura skewers, mahi sliders, scallop BLTs, oysters, shrimp tacos, lobster roll waffle cones, crab cakes in a shell, grilled octopus, shrimp parmesan, surf n' turf filet and lobster, and more. VIP tickets are $150 and include food vouchers, access to the VIP Hospitality Village, private samplings, and so much more. Event is open to the public, but must be 21+ to consume alcohol. South Beach Seafood Week benefits COMMUNITY INITIATIVES FOUNDATION and the annual EAT SMART program, fulfilling the perfect balance between youth nutrition and childhood development in Miami Beach.

Ahead of Saturday's festival, there's loads of fun for the culinary inclined:

Wednesday, October 19 , 6-10PM : GOYA's Cooking & Cocktails, hosted by Herradura and Meat Market , featuring a luxurious 6 course tapas style dining experience at Meat Market with cuisine by Chef Sean Brasel and Goya's Chef Fernando Desa paired with learning the art of the perfect garnish by the team at Herradura

, : hosted by , featuring a luxurious 6 course tapas style dining experience at Meat Market with cuisine by Chef and Goya's Chef paired with learning the art of the perfect garnish by the team at Herradura Thursday, October 20 , 6-10PM : An Evening at Joe's Stone Crab, presenting La Crema, featuring a 4-course private wine pairing dinner experience by Chef Andre Bienvenu and wine education from Jackson Family Winery's Master Sommeliers, Thomas Price and Larry O'Brien .

, : featuring a 4-course private wine pairing dinner experience by Chef and wine education from Jackson Family Winery's Master Sommeliers, and . Friday, October 21 , 7-11PM : CHEF SHOWDOWN, brought to you by Matanzas Creek Winery, and presented by GOYA, Herradura, Land Rover N&S Dade, and Celebrity Cruises. This is the ultimate battle of all battles showcasing the best in Miami's culinary scene at 9th & Ocean Drive in GOYA's Culinary Pavilion. 12 chefs get paired head to head creating 6 of the ultimate seafood battles. Chefs from each battle will take the showcase kitchen stage, where media guests will judge each showdown. The deciding factor are THE GUESTS as they visit each restaurant sampling station around the village and vote to decide the newest 6 CHAMPIONS of the CHEF SHOWDOWN. Reigning champions defending their titles are Chef Andre & Tyler Bienvenu of Joe's Stone Crab in Battle Lobster, Peter Vauthy of Red, the Steakhouse in Battle Surf 'N Turf, Chef Dustin Atoigue of Mondrian South Beach in Battle Shrimp, Chef Xavier Torres of Drunken Dragon in Battle Tuna, and Chef Bernie Matz of Bodega South Beach in Battle Taco. The newest battle will be Battle Fish along with an all new Herradura Cocktail Showdown, hosted inside Casa Herradura, featuring competing top bartenders in South Florida . The 2016 Battles will be announced in September on @sobeseafoodfest.

Tickets can be purchased at www.sobeseafoodfest.com with additional information found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @sobeseafoodfest. See you in October!

For More Information: Valerie Roy, [email protected], 786-683-6397

SOURCE South Beach Seafood Festival

Related Links

http://www.sobeseafoodfest.com


MADISON, N.J., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC has announced an alliance with Juwai.com that enables the luxury real estate brand to generate Chinese buyer interest on one of the world's most prominent real estate websites with over two million monthly visitors. As a truly international brand, Sotheby's International Realty now has the most global representation on Juwai.com, displaying luxury listings from 65 countries and territories.

Chinese Wealth

Because of its rapid economic growth, the number of Chinese dollar millionaires is expected to reach 2.3 million by 2020, a 74 percent increase compared to today.[i] Largely due to China, Asia was responsible for 70 percent of all new billionaire wealth in 2015.[ii]

Chinese Real Estate Buyers

China is already the second-largest source of visits to sothebysrealty.com, only after the United States, and accounts for one out of every 10 visitors.

Chinese investors favor real estate as an asset class. Chinese purchasers acquired at least US$350 billion of U.S. real estate between 2010 and 2015.[iii] 69 percent of Chinese purchase on an all-cash basis.[iv] Between 2009 and 2015, Chinese buyers went from accounting for 10 percent to 28 percent of all foreign residential real estate acquisitions in the U.S. In the same period, its annual investment level increased more than nine-fold.[v]

Looking forward, Chinese buyers are expected to continue their international real estate purchasing spree. The best estimate is that they will spend at least US$218 billion on existing U.S. real estate between 2016 and 2020[vi]  with investments in the rest of the world on a similar scale.

Details of the Alliance

The Sotheby's International Realty brand alliance with Juwai.com includes the following components:

Listing display: Sotheby's International Realty property listings will appear on Juwai.com and in its real estate search results.

property listings will appear on Juwai.com and in its real estate search results. First responders: Juwai.com's Chinese-language team is located in mainland China so they can respond to consumer inquiries in real time, translate the inquiries into English and forward them to the Sotheby's International Realty sales associate who has the listing.

so they can respond to consumer inquiries in real time, translate the inquiries into English and forward them to the sales associate who has the listing. Brand page: A Sotheby's International Realty brand overview page carries information about the brand, a contact form and the network's listings  all in one place.

brand overview page carries information about the brand, a contact form and the network's listings  all in one place. Banner advertising: Sotheby's International Realty banner ads will run on the Juwai.com homepage, promoting the company's new brand page and listings to Juwai.com's audience.

Quotes

"We are constantly looking for opportunities to expand globally by adding new distribution opportunities that showcase properties to affluent consumers in key growth markets. The alliance with Juwai.com achieves that by giving us better access to a market that is already one of our most important, and which promises great future growth."

"From now on, our listings will also be promoted on Juwai.com. Having Juwai.com's team respond to leads in timely fashion overcomes the cultural and time-zone challenges of working with overseas buyers. That's a huge competitive advantage to our affiliates and independent sales associates, and to their clients."

"One of Juwai.com's key advantages is that it is hosted on both sides of China's internet firewall, so its listings are visible online both within China and outside of China."

-- Wendy Purvey, chief marketing officer, Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC

About Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC

The Sotheby's International Realty network currently has more than 19,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in approximately 845 offices in 63 countries and territories worldwide. Founded in 1976 to provide independent brokerages with a powerful marketing and referral program for luxury listings, the Sotheby's International Realty network was designed to connect the finest independent real estate companies to the most prestigious clientele in the world. Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services. In February 2004, Realogy entered into a long-term strategic alliance with Sotheby's, the operator of the auction house. The agreement provided for the licensing of the Sotheby's International Realty name and the development of a full franchise system. Affiliations in the system are granted only to brokerages and individuals meeting strict qualifications. Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC supports its affiliates with a host of operational, marketing, recruiting, educational and business development resources. Franchise affiliates also benefit from an association with the venerable Sotheby's auction house, established in 1744.

CONTACT

Lindsey Scharf

Sr.Manager, Brand Content and Communications

Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC

175 Park Avenue

Madison, NJ 07940

(973) 407-5596

[email protected]

[i] Credit Suisse, Global Wealth Report 2015

[ii] Wealth-X, Billionaire Census Highlights 2015-16

[iii] Asia Society, Breaking Ground: Chinese Investment in U.S. Real Estate

[iv] National Association of Realtors (USA), 2015 Profile of Home Buying Activity of International Clients

[v] National Association of Realtors, International Buyer Report for years 2011 to 2016.

[vi] Asia Society, Breaking Ground: Chinese Investment in U.S. Real Estate

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140311/MM81288LOGO

SOURCE Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC

Related Links

http://www.sir.com


"You can have serious problems and not realize it until they become major," says Ted Puzio, owner of Southern Trust Home Services, southern Virginia's leading home services provider. "Weather like we're having puts an immense strain on plumbing and drainage systems. Small problems can become big ones very quickly, and can even compromise the very foundation of a structure. Our technicians use video drain inspections to take away the guesswork and see exactly what needs to be fixed. It could be a simple drain cleaning, or the problem could be extensive."

Tropical storms and hurricanes are just one potential emergency. While the Roanoke area doesn't see many of these, residents still need to be ready for these and other emergencies.

Knowing how you're going to react, having a plan, and implementing that plan are all key steps to mitigating the impact these emergencies can have on your home and your family.

Here are some ways you can help get your household and your workplace ready for emergencies:

Sign up for local alerts and warnings, download apps, and/or check access for wireless emergency alerts.

Create and test emergency communications plans for local hazards.

Assemble or update emergency supplies, including a hand-crank radio, water, food for three days, batteries and flashlights.

Collect and safeguard critical documents.

Document property and obtain appropriate insurance for relevant hazards.

Flooding can happen with little or no warning, so preparation needs to be constant. Make your home as watertight as possible before the rains come. Find out if your home or business is in a flood zone. Then check your insurance policy to see if you have or need flood insurance. If you have a basement, consider a sump pump.

When a significant storm is looming, keep an eye on a weather website so you don't get surprised. Prepare in advance if it looks like you might have to evacuate. Shutter windows, secure outdoor objects, seal any cracks in outdoor surfaces and remove dead or dangerous trees.

If you have questions about your home's plumbing, electrical or HVAC contact the Southern Trust experts at 540-685-0106 to schedule an appointment. Our team can also perform an electrical Home Safety Inspection of your Roanoke home for your peace of mind.

About Southern Trust Home Services

Founded in 1995 as Southern State Electric, Southern Trust Home Services provides 24/7 emergency services for 60 plus cities in southern Virginia. Specializing in residential plumbing, electrical and HVAC work, Southern Trust Home Services staffs dedicated, certified, licensed and insured, drug and criminal background checked technicians who provide timely, same-day services for a variety of home repairs, installations and maintenance. A Better Business Bureau accredited company since 2006, Southern Trust Home Services has financing available including 0 percent for 18 months, and Lifetime Repair Guarantee on stated repairs. To find out more, call 540-343-4348 or visit www.southerntrusthomeservices.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Heather Ripley

Ripley PR

865-977-1973

[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404288

SOURCE Southern Trust Home Services

Related Links

http://www.southerntrusthomeservices.com


DALLAS, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the "Company") today reported its August and year-to-date preliminary traffic statistics.

The Company flew 10.7 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in August 2016, an increase of 3.6 percent from the 10.3 billion RPMs flown in August 2015. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 4.6 percent to 12.7 billion in August 2016, as compared with August 2015 ASMs of 12.1 billion. The August 2016 load factor was 84.6 percent, as compared with 85.4 percent in August 2015. Based on these results and current trends, the Company continues to expect its third quarter 2016 operating revenue per ASM (RASM) to decline in the 3.5 to 4.5 percent range, as compared with third quarter 2015, with approximately 0.5 point of the decline resulting from the Company's July 2016 technology outage.

This release, as well as past news releases about Southwest Airlines Co., is available online at Southwest.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements related to the Company's financial outlook and projected results of operations. These statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them. Factors include, among others, (i) changes in demand for the Company's services and other changes in consumer behavior; (ii) the impact of economic conditions, fuel prices, actions of competitors, and other factors beyond the Company's control, on the Company's business; (iii) the Company's ability to timely and effectively maintain the necessary information technology systems and infrastructure to support its operations and initiatives; (iv) the impact of governmental regulations and other governmental actions related to the Company's operations; (v) the impact of labor matters on the Company's business; and (vi) other factors, as described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the detailed factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.

Southwest Airlines Co. Preliminary Comparative Traffic Statistics











AUGUST

2016

2015

Change Revenue passengers carried 10,507,186

10,095,376

4.1% Enplaned passengers 12,919,768

12,600,993

2.5% Revenue passenger miles (000s) 10,711,587

10,342,510

3.6% Available seat miles (000s) 12,665,121

12,105,854

4.6% Load factor 84.6%

85.4%

(0.8) pts. Average length of haul 1,019

1,024

(0.5)% Trips flown 112,266

108,817

3.2%













YEAR-TO-DATE

2016

2015

Change Revenue passengers carried 82,564,316

78,381,410

5.3% Enplaned passengers 100,657,455

95,998,728

4.9% Revenue passenger miles (000s) 83,493,201

78,564,952

6.3% Available seat miles (000s) 99,577,670

94,000,207

5.9% Load factor 83.8%

83.6%

0.2 pts. Average length of haul 1,011

1,002

0.9% Trips flown 875,874

846,713

3.4%

SW-T

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.

Related Links

http://www.southwest.com


NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Spectra Energy Corp ("Spectra" or the "Company") (NYSE: SE) to Enbridge Inc. (NYSE: ENB). Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Spectra will receive only 0.984 shares of the combined company for each share of Spectra that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company.

If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn ([email protected]) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857.

To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

206 Covington St.

Madisonville, LA 70447

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160819/399590LOGO

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Related Links

http://www.ksfcounsel.com


DENVER, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Spinnaker Support, the fastest growing provider of third-party support, managed services, and consulting for Oracle and SAP enterprise and database software applications, is reporting the availability of a new research note from Gartner in which they are covered. Per Gartner, third-party support has evolved into a mainstream alternative to Oracle's and SAP's application maintenance and support alternatives. Gartner has taken hundreds of inquiries from prospects on the topic of cancelling the vendor's maintenance agreement and switching to third-party support and recommends investigating third-party support in order to gain the financial means to invest in modernization.

"Gartner analysts Pat Phelan and Rob Wilkes have just delivered an in-depth and insightful third-party support research piece," stated Matt Stava, CEO at Spinnaker Support. "It guides SAP and Oracle licensees who are seeking a higher quality, lower cost support alternative to vendor support. Spinnaker Support stands out with a broader set of services, built-to-last financial profile, a sterling reputation for respecting and complying with the intellectual property rights of others, and an enduring commitment to customer satisfaction. Our focus is not diverted by ongoing lawsuits or the need for outside finance requirements, so we can invest in our customers to provide a risk-free support environment for them."

Gartner recommends that ERP leaders with an Oracle or SAP deployment should understand and evaluate the options provided by the two leading third-party providers to make a fact based decision about where to source ongoing enterprise application support. Gartner included Spinnaker Support and Rimini Street as the only global vendors whose primary or exclusive offerings are ERP support services for Oracle and SAP products.

Fast Growth and Client Engagement Success

"Spinnaker Support is the industry's fastest growing provider of third-party support, managed services, and consulting," continued Mr. Stava. "Rapidly expanding around the world, we have captured nearly 40% market share in the surging third-party support market - excluding PeopleSoft, which is an application we've chosen not to service."

"We have selected Spinnaker Support to provide ongoing support for our entire Oracle application landscape," stated Raz Bartov, acting CIO with Partner Communications Company, Ltd. "As the head-to-head evaluation with Rimini Street progressed, it became crystal clear that Spinnaker Support is the best choice for us. They provide an exceptionally high level of local support at an attractive price point and have quickly evolved into a natural extension of our own internal IT team. Spinnaker Support gives us great confidence going forward. They always do things the right way and consistently display in-depth Oracle application knowledge as pertains to our unique environment." Partner Communications Company, LTD is one of Israel's largest telecommunications companies.

Upcoming Gartner Conference Attendance

Spinnaker Support is sponsoring the upcoming Gartner IT Financial, Procurement & Asset Management Summits in both London on September 12-13 and Grapevine, TX on September 19-21. This Gartner event brings together the most qualified IT buyers anywhere in the world  high-level decision makers who are actively seeking solutions and services. Spinnaker Support will host a customer use case presentation at the London event on Tuesday, September 13 at 9.30 am.

About Spinnaker Support

Spinnaker Support is the world's fastest growing and most trusted provider of third-party support, managed services, and consulting for enterprises that run SAP and Oracle software in more than 90 countries.

Customers who switch to Spinnaker Support's ISO 9001:2008 third-party support model gain significantly better SAP and Oracle application support for a fraction of the price. Third-party support includes bug fixes (including all customizations), global tax and regulatory updates, and general inquiries and advisory support.

Tailored application and technical managed services delivering specialized system administration, performance tuning, and troubleshooting skills to dive deeper into a customer's operations and address a broader array of their issues.

Strategic consulting projects specifically targeting the continuous improvement and development of Oracle and SAP enterprise applications and surrounding technologies.

Spinnaker Support's blend of services from a single vendor span SAP, BusinessObjects, Oracle E-Business Suite, JD Edwards, Siebel, Oracle Database, Oracle Technology and Middleware products, Hyperion, Agile PLM, ATG/Endeca, and more.

Spinnaker Support Contact:

Michelle Wilkinson

+1 720-457-5442

[email protected]

SOURCE Spinnaker Support
TRUE BLUE, Grenada, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, St. George's University awarded over $1 million in Legacy of Excellence scholarships to 159 students in the School of Medicine's incoming class of 2020.

"St. George's is dedicated to making our unique international medical education accessible to the best and brightest students from all over the world -- regardless of circumstance," said Dr. G. Richard Olds, president of St. George's. "I congratulate these students on a job well done, and look forward to welcoming them in the upcoming academic year."

Sixty-nine students received the Chancellor's Circle of Legacy of Excellence scholarship this year. The CCLOE is an award to 50 incoming students who meet or exceed an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.7, a science GPA of 3.5, and an MCAT score of 506. The University has awarded CCLOE scholarships since 2009.

"I'm honored that we have such a qualified group of students accepting these awards," said Dr. Olds.

Ninety additional incoming students received the Legacy of Excellence Scholarship, a partial-tuition scholarship given to students whose academic histories and MCAT scores demonstrate excellent work ethic and a passion for learning. The University began the Legacy of Excellence Scholarship program over ten years ago.

"We created these awards not only to enable these students to attend medical school, but also in the hopes that they will help to fill vacancies in underserved areas that are in serious need of more doctors," said University Chancellor Charles Modica. "We at St. George's are very happy to support them so that they will serve others in the future."

The University offers a wide variety of institutional scholarships to recognize academic excellence. It has awarded over $100 million dollars in scholarships to more than 5,000 students over the years.

About St. George's University:

St. George's University is a center of international education, drawing students and faculty from 140 countries to the island of Grenada, in the West Indies, to its programs in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, science, and business. St. George's is affiliated with educational institutions worldwide, including in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Ireland. The University's over 17,000 graduates include physicians, veterinarians, scientists, and public health and business professionals across the world. The University programs are accredited and approved by many governing authorities and repeatedly recognized as the best in the region. For more information, visit www.sgu.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Miriam Cho

(202) 471-4228 ext. 101

Email

SOURCE St. George's University

Related Links

http://www.sgu.edu


Briciole Sul Mare tells the story of a fisherman living in the south of Italy whose regular fishing trip takes an unexpected turn when he falls asleep. During his slumber, he drifts south to the waters of beautiful, sunny Sicily. There, he meets many new people, including Salvo, a young man who finds himself in a whirlwind of romance, family drama and legal trouble  all of which could completely alter his future. The film is full of dramatic and comical waves that rise and fall so unexpectedly that any avid roller coaster rider would be envious.

The Platters will highlight music galas following the premiere screenings of Briciole Sul Mare, performing some of their classic hits (Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Only You, Great Pretender, My Prayer, etc.). In addition to performances by The Platters, Italian recording artist and Briciole film star Walter Nestola with Paola Gruppuso (from Italy's RAI-TV's The Voice) will perform their songs from the official motion picture soundtrack, and North America will get a taste of Italy's hottest new musical recording artists, including an introduction to rising star Amato Scarpellino.

Historically significant to the American soundtrack, The Platters  American Rock & Roll, Vocal Group and Grammy Halls of Fame inductees  have broken down numerous racial, gender and cultural barriers throughout the years. While Elvis was rocking here in the States, The Platters were over in Europe becoming the first African American music group to reach super-stardom abroad. Because of their rich history performing throughout Europe on their way to becoming cultural icons, it is only fitting that they return the hospitality and welcome some of Italy's top, young talent to the U.S. to join in the celebration at Rocambolesco-Spectaculare! An Evening Celebration of Joy, Family and Tradition!

"Heart, love and passion are the three ingredients that allow me to say that sometimes dreams come true. In fact, my dream is a beautiful reality that I'll also live overseas thanks to my friend Fred Balboni, who arranged a tour worthy of an Oscar for Briciole Sul Mare," said Nino Chirco, film producer and owner of Chirco Studio. "Moreover, I'm very happy to provide this opportunity to attend screenings of Briciole to Americans and Canadians, especially to those of Italian heritage, as the film deals with topics related to the need to migrate and bond with their land of origin and roots. Finally, Sicily and Salento have a leading role in the film, which I am sure will be a nice surprise and a pleasant souvenir for those who live far away from their homeland."

The 12-city tour will kick off Oct. 9 at Boston's historic Faneuil Hall and will run through Oct. 24. It also will visit the following cities:

Providence, Rhode Island (10/10)

(10/10) Hartford, Connecticut (10/11)

(10/11) New York City (10/12)

(10/12) Philadelphia (10/13)

(10/13) Pittsburgh (10/14)

(10/14) St. Louis (10/16)

(10/16) Chicago (10/18)

(10/18) Cleveland (10/20)

(10/20) Buffalo, New York (10/21)

(10/21) Toronto, Ontario, Canada (10/22)

(10/22) Montreal, Quebec, Canada (10/24)

Tickets to Rocambolesco-Spectaculare! An Evening Celebration of Joy, Family and Tradition! will be available at www.bsmpremiere.com, starting at 10 a.m. on Monday, September 12, 2016. Ticket options include:

Dante Alighieri VIP Tickets: $150.00  Includes meet and greet and photo with all artists, a special reception catered by rising Italian-American culinary TV personality Mike Fucci and premium seating.

 Includes meet and greet and photo with all artists, a special reception catered by rising Italian-American culinary TV personality and premium seating. Michelangelo Reserved Seating Tickets: $75.00  Includes reserved seating and after-concert reception catered by Dana Gallo Strayton (The Princess of Prince Street) of the Prince Street Cafe and Bakery in Bedford, Massachusetts , as featured on Buddy Valastro's Bakery Rescue series on the TLC Television Network.

 Includes reserved seating and after-concert reception catered by (The Princess of Prince Street) of the Prince Street Cafe and Bakery in , as featured on Bakery Rescue series on the TLC Television Network. Maria Montessori Special Student/Senior Tickets: $25.00  Includes same benefits as the Michelangelo Reserved Seating Tickets, but at a special price. (Student ID/Photo ID Required)

Proceeds will benefit, in part, Attivita Scolastiche Italiane (C.A.S.IT., Inc.)  a non-profit educational and professional organization, proposed by the Consulate General of Italy in Boston for the promotion of Italian language and culture in public and private schools throughout New England. They also will benefit the Infant Jesus Hospital in Rome and Gaslini Hospital in Genoa  both medical facilities dedicated to the care of critically ill children.

"As a proud Italian-American, I'm honored the Balboni Communications Group, LLC team of professionals has been appointed by my Italian counterpart Nino Chirco to produce and manage the 12-city U.S. and Canadian premiere of his critically acclaimed comedy-drama, Briciole Sul Mare!" said Frederick J. Balboni, Jr., president/CEO Balboni Communications Group, LLC. "It is very generous of Studio Chirco to donate a portion of all proceeds from these multicity events to support the Italian language and cultural learning through C.A.S.IT and to help critically ill children."

For more information, please contact:

Gina DeRossi

T: +1 518 786 6488

C: +1 518 332 4988

[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/405028

SOURCE Balboni Communications Group, LLC
MIAMI and NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Starwood Capital Group, a leading global private alternative investment firm, announced today that Dyal Capital Partners, a unit of Neuberger Berman Private Equity, has acquired a passive, non-voting minority interest in Starwood Capital Group. Proceeds from the investment will be used in part by Starwood Capital Group to fund its strategic growth initiatives worldwide, which now includes more than $53 billion in assets under management with a primary focus on global real estate, energy infrastructure and oil and gas. Starwood Capital Group will continue to be led by Chairman and CEO Barry Sternlicht.

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Evercore served as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis served as legal advisor to Starwood Capital Group in this transaction.

About Starwood Capital Group

Starwood Capital Group is a private alternative investment firm with a core focus on global real estate, energy infrastructure and oil and gas. Headquartered in Greenwich, CT, the Firm and its affiliates maintain 10 offices in four countries around the world, and currently has more than 2,100 employees. Starwood Capital Group has raised more than $33 billion of equity capital since its inception in 1991, and currently manages more than $53 billion in assets. The Firm has invested in virtually every category of real estate on a global basis, opportunistically shifting asset classes, geographies and positions in the capital stack as it perceives risk-reward dynamics to be evolving. Over the past 25 years, Starwood Capital Group and its affiliates have successfully executed an investment strategy that involves building enterprises around real estate, energy infrastructure and oil and gas portfolios, in both the private and public markets. Additional information can be found at starwoodcapital.com.

About Dyal Capital Partners

Dyal Capital Partners is a private equity program dedicated to acquiring minority equity stakes in institutional and highly-established alternative asset managers. Since 2011, the team has completed 17 transactions across three permanent capital funds with more than $6 billion in aggregate AUM. The Business Services Platform ("BSP") provides strategic support to Dyal's underlying partners across five pillars: Client Development & Marketing Support, Consultant Coverage, Talent Management, Product Development and Best Practices Advisory. Dyal's objective is to ultimately partner with exceptional alternative asset management firms with experienced management teams and successful track records. The Dyal team is located in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.dyalcapital.com.

SOURCE Starwood Capital Group

Related Links

http://www.starwoodcapital.com


LONDON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A senior broker at CharterWorld, Nicolas Benazeth, has organised the very first ever yacht charter aboard Feadship's prestigious brand new 70 metre superyacht JOY. The remarkable yacht charter holiday in the Western Mediterranean was tremendously successful in all respects.

CharterWorld's client is a very experienced charterer and a connoisseur of the world's very finest yachts. He found motor yacht JOY to be one of the best that he and his guests have ever cruised on, both in terms of the yacht's facilities, style and the quality of the build. The yacht's vastly experienced professional crew of 17, led by Captain Rory Hogan, brought all their talents to bear ensuring a very enjoyable time aboard.

Nicolas commented that, "I'm just really happy to be free to work exclusively and dedicatedly for each of my charter clients. CharterWorld has an enviable, yet quite unique, position where it can impartially advise on the very best yachts available in the world, both in terms of the price and the quality of yacht and crew. I think charterers are starting to understand this point of difference and it's why we receive such unrivalled loyalty from clients. The other reason is likely the extraordinary capability of our specialist brokers who receive heartening and humbling feedback from their clients."

JOY was launched and then delivered by Feadship to her owner in July 2016. Joy provides rare size, quality and outright prestige to the international yacht charter market. A superior superyacht in many ways she embodies a very successful collaboration of Bannenberg and Rowell Design and Feadship. While Bannenberg and Rowell penned her beautiful exterior lines, the famous Dutch yacht builder Feadship crafted her custom lines. A fresh approach to the yachts essential design shape has created rather inventive and innovative exterior styling.

JOY is certainly one of the premier new superyachts available on the charter market. She features a great wealth of exterior spaces which blur the traditional boundaries between inside and outside. The result is an astonishing yacht which has faithfully met the owner's brief to produce a boat that's 'completely different to every other yacht.'

'Firsts' Relating to Yacht Joy:

First superyacht exterior designed by Bannenberg & Rowell



The first Feadship with an interior by Studio Indigo



First luxury yacht built and owned by her owner



CharterWorld was the first to organise a charter on Joy

More About CharterWorld:

Now well established as the world's leading specialist luxury yacht charter company, CharterWorld focuses on the ultimate in client satisfaction. They achieve this in a number of ways, most notably through their impartial advice by a gifted team of talented & experienced professionals who regularly create the finest yacht charter vacations worldwide.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE CharterWorld

Related Links

http://www.charterworld.com


"We are thrilled to have Rick on our team," said Peter Provenzano, CEO of SupplyCore. "His extensive knowledge of the industry, paired with his passion for continuous process improvement, makes him a perfect fit for this role."

Alpaugh has more than 30 years of experience in Foreign Military Sales with proven success in program growth and relationship building that resulted in a broad network of senior officials both within the U.S. and foreign governments.

Prior to accepting the position with SupplyCore, Alpaugh had a long and successful career with the United States Government. He has also worked in private industry, spending a majority of that time in international sales of both material and services. As the Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics and Acquisition, he was responsible for the management and execution of more than $145B in international agreements related to the transfer of military goods and services to more than 150 foreign nations.

Throughout his career, Alpaugh advocated for constant improvement in the Army Security Assistance case execution process, working to implement initiatives such as the Army Case Evaluation Profile System; the automated Army Case Closure Program; the SDR Artificial Intelligence Module; Army Activity-Based Costing; and Customer Satisfaction Index programs.

Alpaugh attended Shippensburg State College and was an honor graduate of the Army Material Command Supply Intern program. His awards include both the Army Superior and Meritorious Civilian Service Awards and the Presidential Meritorious Executive Award. He has twice been nominated as Federal Executive of the Year for Central Pennsylvania.

About SupplyCore

In business for more than 25 years, SupplyCore is a supply chain and technology integrator providing key support to US and foreign agencies, domestically, and abroad including at-risk environments. Its supply chain expertise includes procurement, warehousing, logistics, and facility support. SupplyCore's mission is to best optimize the information, material, and financial flows of customer supply chains, and to improve the physical and human assets of the communities it serves.

Contact:

Karli Smith

[email protected]

815-977-5343

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/405072

SOURCE SupplyCore
BOULDER, Colorado and LOS ANGELES, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

- Director of Technology Stephen Keen to present on cultivation methods -

Surna Inc. (OTCQB: SRNA), a technology company that engineers state-of-the art equipment for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) with special expertise in cannabis cultivation, be represented by Director of Technology Stephen Keen at the Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition. On September 9th at 9:50 am pacific time, Mr. Keen, an expert in indoor cultivation who led the innovation of Surna's Hybrid Building, will co-present "Indoor, Outdoor, or Greenhouse? Choosing the Right Cultivation Method for You."

Surna's revolutionary Hybrid Building design is a turnkey solution for climate-controlled buildings as a mix of an indoor cultivation facility and greenhouse. Surna worked closely with the senior engineering team at the University of Colorado in designing a scale model that demonstrates the unique features of the building, including proprietary ceiling structure, which allows for sunlight to reach a plant canopy, and the sealed environment, which minimizes the negative effects of outside air contamination such as pests and pathogens. Management expects to formally launch this turnkey solution for climate controlled buildings at the Marijuana Business Daily Conference in November with the scale model on site.

Third Annual Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition

The Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo (CWCBExpo) will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 South Figueroa Street, West Hall B Los Angeles, CA 90015. Business-to-business events for the legalized cannabis industry, the Cannabis World Congress & Business Expositions are held twice per year in New York and Los Angeles. They are leading forums for dispensary owners, growers, suppliers, investors, medical professionals, government regulators, legal counsel, and entrepreneurs looking to achieve business success and identify new areas of growth in this dynamic industry.

About Surna

Surna Inc. ( http://www.surna.com) (OTCQB: SRNA) develops innovative technologies and products that monitor, control and address the energy and resource intensive nature of indoor cannabis cultivation. Currently, the company's revenue stream is based on its main product offerings - supplying industrial technology and products to commercial indoor cannabis grow facilities.

Headquartered in Boulder, CO, Surna's diverse engineering team is tasked with creating novel energy and resource efficient solutions, including the company's signature water-cooled climate control platform. Surna's engineers continuously seek to create technology that solve the highly specific demands of the cannabis industry for temperature, humidity, light and process control.

Surna's goal is to provide intelligent solutions to improve the quality, the control and the overall yield and efficiency of controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Though its clients do, the company neither produces nor sells cannabis.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company's future business expectations, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors including Surna's ability to monetize service components, Surna's support of premium prices for existing products, commercialization of research and development efforts and continued expansion of legal cannabis markets. Other risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks related to new products, services, and technologies, government regulation and taxation, and fraud. In addition, the current global economic climate amplifies many of these risks. More information about factors that potentially could affect Surna's financial results is included in Surna's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company disclaims any obligation subsequently to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Statement About Cannabis Markets

The use, possession, cultivation, and distribution of cannabis is prohibited by federal law. This includes medical and recreational cannabis. Although certain states have legalized medical and recreational cannabis, companies and individuals involved in the sector are still at risk of being prosecuted by federal authorities. Further, the landscape in the cannabis industry changes rapidly. What was the law last week is not the law today and what is the law today may not be the law next week. This means that at any time the city, county, or state where cannabis is permitted can change the current laws and/or the federal government can supersede those laws and take prosecutorial action. Given the uncertain legal nature of the cannabis industry, it is imperative that investors understand that the cannabis industry is a high-risk investment. A change in the current laws or enforcement policy can negatively affect the status and operation of our business, require additional fees, stricter operational guidelines and unanticipated shut-downs.

Katie O'Block, VP of Marketing, [email protected], 303-993-5271 ext. 101

Kirsten Chapman, LHA Investor Relations, (415) 433-3777, [email protected]



SOURCE Surna Inc.
A seasoned strategic management expert and technical assistance provider with over 12 years of experience in the nonprofit and community economic development sectors, Hunte will be essential to furthering UWNYC's success in the design and implementation of complex, multi-partner and collective impact initiatives. Along with developing synergy across internal UWNYC teams, Hunte will maintain and expand opportunities for strategic partners from the corporate, foundation, nonprofit, and government sectors to make high-impact and mutually beneficial contributions to UWNYC's strategic plan and work.

Hunte's appointment furthers UWNYC's expansion of its bold goal that defines its work for the next decade: To help 50,000 New Yorkers in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty make meaningful and measurable progress toward the pivotal milestone of self-sufficiency by 2025. UWNYC will leverage the successes of its programs to ultimately achieve citywide policy and system changes to reach all low-income New Yorkers.

"As an accomplished leader and longtime advisor to United Way of New York City, Suzette is uniquely qualified to fill this critical role. I am thrilled to welcome her to our team," said Sheena Wright, President & CEO of UWNYC. "Suzette's varied expertise in strategic management consulting, social impact program design and development make her an invaluable member to UWNYC and the ideal thought partner to drive our work forward."

Prior to joining the UWNYC Executive Leadership Team, Suzette served as a consulting Senior Advisor to the President, where she made significant contributions to the development of UWNYC initiatives, including the innovative ReadNYC program targeting grade-level reading. In 1997, Hunte founded Hunte Consulting, a non-and-for-profit management and community-based projects consulting firm, and served as the Director, Strategic Initiatives with the Abyssinian Development Corporation and the Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives/Special Projects at Seedco. Hunte is a graduate of Columbia Business School.

"I have long admired the efforts that United Way of New York City pioneers to make our City equitable for all who live here," said Suzette Hunte, SVP, Strategic Initiatives at UWNYC. "It is a privilege to be in a position to help shape and advance a body of work that I care so deeply about while being part of an organization whose values align with my own. I look forward to applying my abilities to help forward and amplify UWNYC's mission."

For inquiries, please contact Lesleigh Irish-Underwood at (212) 251-2461 or [email protected].

About United Way of New York City

United Way of New York City (UWNYC) has been a trusted partner to government, corporations, and community-based organizations for nearly 80 years. Serving low-income New Yorkers, UWNYC's collective impact approach enables the diagnosis of neighborhood challenges and the design of solutions to expand education, financial stability, and health opportunities. UWNYC then deploys resources and volunteers while also driving policy change that is guided by measured results. UWNYC envisions caring communities where all individuals and families have access to quality education and the opportunity to lead healthy and financially secure lives. Learn more at www.unitedwaynyc.org.

Media Contact:

Lesleigh Irish-Underwood

(212) 251-2461

[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404321

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141023/154035LOGO

SOURCE United Way of New York City

Related Links

http://www.unitedwaynyc.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Symbiont, the market-leading smart contracts platform for institutional uses of blockchain technology, will host a live WebEx demonstration of its platform for insurance industry participants on September 20, 2016 at 2 p.m. ET. Participants must pre-register. Only insurance industry executives, investors, brokers or consultants will be approved to participate.

During the demo, Symbiont will execute a live catastrophe swap contract between two hypothetical parties, which will be recorded on its distributed ledger. The demo will then follow the lifecycle of the swap, showing how Symbiont's proprietary smart contract technology handles various scenarios--including the trigger of a payment pursuant to the swap, and how the technology handles automatic updates when new industry loss estimates become available.

Participants in the demo will view a side-by-side depiction of the screens of both parties to the hypothetical swap. This format allows participants to track what each party sees at all times, and will show automatic updates to the ledger when events meet pre-defined triggers.

Symbiont is the only smart contracts platform currently capable of providing such service to the insurance industry. It provided a version of its technology for a pilot catastrophe swap in June 2016, which was executed by a top European insurance company.

Symbiont's smart contracts platform can automate many administrative functions currently performed by the insurance industry, thereby reducing costs and the potential for disputes. Symbiont also expects its technology to foster new business opportunities for insurers as the industry simplifies complex businesses processes.

To register, please send an email to [email protected]. Please include your name, company name, title and contact information. Symbiont will review all requests and send approved participants (from the insurance industry only) the instructions for joining the live WebEx demo.

About Symbiont

Symbiont is bridging the gap between the blockchain ecosystem and Wall Street. It has developed a platform that allows financial market participants to create programmable versions of traditional securities that take the form of Smart Securities: self-executing digital contracts that are stored in a distributed ledger called a "blockchain." The platform allows users to issue, manage, locate, and trade Smart Securities efficiently in a single, global, peer-to-peer financial network. www.symbiont.io

Media Contact

Patrick Sutton

Paragon Public Relations

[email protected]

+1.646.558.6277

SOURCE Symbiont

Related Links

http://www.symbiont.io


The solution will provide both P&C and L&A insurers the flexibility and agility required to respond to today's market demands and opportunities

TORONTO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Symcor Inc., a leading provider of business process outsourcing (BPO) services and solutions, today announced a strategic relationship with Majesco (NYSE MKT:MJCO), a global provider of core insurance software, consulting and services for insurance business transformation.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404362LOGO)

The strategic relationship adds Majesco's award-winning software to Symcor's cloud and outsourcing capabilities to provide an Insurance as a Service (IaaS) solution, enabling Symcor to expand its solution and service offerings to the Canadian Property and Casualty (P&C), Life and Annuity (L&A) and Group insurers.

Symcor's new offering will deliver expanded business process services including First Notice of Loss and Billing as a Service, augmenting Symcor's current market leading customer communication, document management, mailroom and lockbox services. The combined services diversify Symcor's portfolio and establish a Canadian focused Insurance as a Service solution.

"We are proud to partner with Majesco," said Connie Rose, Chief Strategy Officer of Symcor. "The strategic relationship allows Symcor to offer Canadian insurers a cloud-based end-to-end solution, addressing the entire insurance value chain. We strongly believe this platform uniquely positions Symcor to deliver a comprehensive offering that will enable our insurance clients to enhance the efficiency and improve the functionality of their operations. With the support of Majesco and its products, the Symcor Insurance as a Service offering will bring quantifiable value as well as strategic and operational agility to Canadian Insurers."

Symcor will now be able to provide an innovative business solution to Canadian insurers, delivering:

Improved operational efficiency and economies of scale

Customer-centricity across all lines of business

Distribution channel flexibility and expansion

Best practices to enhance business operations

With this new IaaS solution, insurers can reallocate capital to business growth versus technology and infrastructure. The Symcor cloud-based insurance platform is also uniquely positioned to enable small to mid-size insurers access to industry leading core insurance systems, enhancing the insurers' efficiency, operational integrity and business insights. Symcor believes there is a robust opportunity in Canada to target this market with hosted and outsourced solutions.

Majesco EVP for P&C Business, Prateek Kumar said, "We are enthused to work with Symcor, an established and trusted partner to the Canadian financial services market. We look forward to providing services, support and software to enable Symcor to deliver the Insurance as a Service solution for its customers."

Majesco's Property and Casualty (P&C) and Life & Annuity (L&A) software portfolio includes Majesco Policy for P&C, Majesco Billing, Majesco Claims, Majesco Distribution Management, Majesco Policy for L&A and Group, Majesco New Business & Underwriting, Majesco DigitalConnect, and Majesco Business Analytics.

"As companies rush to join the cloud revolution, it is growing in strategic importance," says Karlyn Carnahan, Research Director, Celent. "With an increasing emphasis on performance, business-level security and quality of service, cloud computing frees the business to pursue growth and innovation."

About Symcor Inc.

Symcor is one of Canada's leading providers of business processing and client communications management services, supporting major banks, insurance, retail, and telecommunications companies in Canada. Symcor's business is dedicated to providing outsourced services and is focused on being the best at what it does. Symcor helps its clients stay competitive by providing cost-effective outsourcing solutions for their business processing needs, allowing clients to invest in the growth of their core business. With strategic locations across Canada, Symcor believes in adding value to every customer relationship through best-in-class service and the latest technology solutions. For more details on Symcor, please visit www.symcor.com.

About Majesco

Insurance business transformation is a journey of change and revitalization, a renaissance of Insurance. Approximately 150 insurance companies worldwide in P&C, L&A and Group/Employee Benefits are transforming their businesses with Majesco's solutions. Our market leading software, consulting and services uniquely underpin the entire insurance value chain and are designed to empower insurers with the agility, innovation and speed needed to meet their transformation opportunities. Majesco's solutions include policy management, new business/underwriting, rating, billing, claims management, distribution management, BI/analytics, predictive modeling, digital platform with mobile and portal, testing services, cloud services, bureau and content services, transformation services, consulting services and more. For more details on Majesco, please visit www.majesco.com.

SOURCE Symcor Inc.

Related Links

http://www.symcor.com


BASEL, Switzerland, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- After a career at Syngenta and legacy companies spanning 32 years, John Ramsay has decided to retire from the company at the end of September in order to pursue other interests. John was instrumental in the foundation of Syngenta and has served with distinction as CFO since 2007 and CEO ad interim until June of this year. John will be succeeded as CFO and member of the Executive Committee by Mark Patrick, currently Head of Commercial Finance. In his 23 years with the company, Mark has held a variety of roles of increasing seniority within the Finance function.

Erik Fyrwald, CEO, said: "I should like to thank John for his many accomplishments at the company. He was instrumental in the creation of Syngenta and in the foundation of the Finance function. More recently, as CEO ad interim, he guided the company through a period of uncertainty with great skill and judgment and was central to the transaction agreement with ChemChina. I wish him every success in his future endeavors.

"I also welcome Mark to his new role as CFO. Mark brings tremendous capability, experience and energy to this critical role."

About Syngenta

Syngenta is a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources. Through world class science and innovative crop solutions, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Syngenta.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. We refer you to Syngenta's publicly available filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for information about these and other risks and uncertainties. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors. This document does not constitute, or form part of, any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer, to purchase or subscribe for any ordinary shares in Syngenta AG, or Syngenta ADSs, nor shall it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract therefor.

Syngenta International AG Media Office CH-4002 Basel Switzerland Tel: +41 61 323 2323 Fax: +41 61 323 2424 www.syngenta.com Media contacts: Leandro Conti Switzerland +41 61 323 2323 Paul Minehart USA +1 202 737 8913 Analyst/Investor contacts: Jennifer Gough Switzerland +41 61 323 5059 USA +1 202 737 6521 Bastien Musy Switzerland +41 61 323 1910 USA +1 202 737 6520

SOURCE Syngenta International AG

Related Links

http://www.syngenta.com


FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This Friday, Sept. 9 from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., The Center for Law and Intellectual Property at Texas A&M University School of Law will host Loot! Looted Art, Cultural Property, and Repatriation. The symposium will take place in the law school's conference center and is open to the public.

Featuring the nation's top lawyers, museums, auction houses and scholars, the event will focus on repatriation of art looted by the Nazis during World War II. Families worldwide are now seeking the return of Nazi-looted art; one case, addressing the return of five paintings by Gustav Klimt, made its way to the Supreme Court and then to Hollywood in the blockbuster film "Woman in Gold". At Texas A&M School of Law, top figures in this space will discuss complicated issues surrounding stolen art and repatriation. Participants include Don Burris, whose firm helped Marie Altmann recover the Klimt paintings.

"This is a unique opportunity for the community at large to participate in a discussion about one of the hottest topics in both art and law, said Megan Carpenter, Professor of Law and Co-Director of the law school's Center for Law and Intellectual Property. "We are honored that such an all-star cast has agreed to convene at Texas A&M School of Law to debate these issues."

Speakers include:

Don Burris, Senior Founding Partner, Burris & Schoenberg, LLP

Megan Carpenter, Co-Director, Center for Law and Intellectual Property

Monica Dugot, SVP, International Director of Restitution, Christie's

Simon Frankel, Chair of IP, Partner, Covington & Burling LLP

Deborah Gerhardt, Associate Professor of Law, University of North Carolina

Jennifer Kreder, Professor of Law, Northern Kentucky University

Marilyn Phelan, Paul Whitfield Horn Professor of Law Emeritus and former Professor of Museum Science, Texas Tech University

Lucille Roussin, Board of Directors, The Lawyers' Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation, and Director, Holocaust Restitution Claims Externship at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

To learn more and/or register, visit law.tamu.edu/loot

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SOURCE Texas A&M University School of Law

Related Links

http://law.tamu.edu


GLENDORA, Calif., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Redevelopment of the shopping center on the southwestern corner of Route 66 and Grand Ave. is diligently under way. The City of Glendora and the developer, Champion Real Estate Company, can now confirm that The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf will be joining Sprouts and Marshalls, and will occupy the drive thru pad along Grand Ave.

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL) originated in Southern California in 1963 and has grown to over 1,000 stores worldwide. It is the oldest and largest privately held specialty coffee and tea retailer in the United States, offering handcrafted beverages made to order and customized to each guest's preference.

"We are very excited to welcome CBTL to our project. CBTL will operate a flagship, full-sized drive thru restaurant in 2,000 square foot along with a 400 square foot outdoor patio. The building and patio will be CBTL branded. We expect the community to welcome an alternative to other national branded coffees presently located in Glendora," stated Chris Wilson, Executive Vice President and Retail Partner of Champion Real Estate Company.

There continues to be strong interest for the additional inline space and the building pad along Route 66. "We are pleased to see the progress Champion is making with the center and fully expect it to include additional tenants that will be well received by the community," added Valerie Escalante, Assistant to the City Manager. "The center is poised to be a be a vibrant destination where residents can shop, dine and unwind with a cup of tea."

"CBTL will be a key component in the environment we are striving to create  a grocery-anchored neighborhood center with a healthy lifestyle focus," remarked Wilson.

The center is scheduled to open in July 2017. For more information, please visit the City's web page found at www.CityofGlendora.org/CurrentProjects.

For further information contact

Champion Real Estate Company: Rebecca Binny, (310) 334-9942

SOURCE Champion Real Estate Company
LONDON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- M2M (Machine-to-Machine) refers to the flow of data between physical objects, without the need for human interaction. M2M connectivity has opened a multi-billion dollar revenue opportunity for mobile operators, MVNOs and service aggregators, addressing the application needs of several verticals markets. By enabling network connectivity among physical objects, M2M has also initiated the IoT (Internet of Things) vision - a global network of sensors, equipment, appliances, smart devices and applications that can communicate in real time.



SNS Research estimates that global spending on M2M and IoT technologies will reach nearly $250 Billion by 2020, driven by a host of vertical market applications including but not limited to connected car services, remote asset tracking, healthcare monitoring, smart metering, digital signage, home automation and intelligent buildings.



The "M2M & IoT Ecosystem: 2015  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals & Forecasts" report presents an in-depth assessment of the M2M and IoT ecosystem including enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, vertical market applications, deployment case studies, collaborative initiatives, regulatory landscape, standardization, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents market size forecasts from 2015 till 2030. The forecasts are segmented for 8 vertical markets, 7 access networking technologies, 6 regions and over 70 leading countries.



The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report.



Topics Covered

The report covers the following topics:

- M2M and IoT ecosystem

- Market drivers and barriers

- Enabling technologies and key trends

- Network architecture and mobile operator business models

- Assessment of cellular, satellite, LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), wireline and short range networking technologies

- Analysis of key trends in the ecosystem including but not limited to IoT platforms, traffic projections, multimedia applications, LTE adoption, roaming, cloud services and network security

- Vertical market applications, opportunities and deployment case studies

- Regulatory landscape, collaborative initiatives and standardization

- Industry roadmap and value chain

- Profiles and strategies of over 240 leading ecosystem players, including enabling technology providers, mobile operators, MVNOs, aggregators, IoT platform providers, system integrators and vertical market specialists

- Strategic recommendations for ecosystem players

- Market analysis and forecasts from 2015 till 2030



Historical Revenue and Forecast Segmentation

Connection and service revenue forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:



Vertical Markets

- Automotive & Transportation

- Asset Management & Logistics

- Consumer Electronics & Home Automation

- Energy & Utilities

- Healthcare

- Intelligent Buildings & Infrastructure

- Public Safety, Security & Surveillance

- Retail & Vending

- Others



Wide Area Networking Technologies

- 2G & 3G Cellular

- LTE & 5G Cellular

- Satellite

- LPWA

- Wireline

- Others



Short Range Networking Technologies

- WiFi

- Bluetooth & ZigBee

- Others



Application Categories

- Multimedia & Video

- Remote Monitoring, Maintenance & Control

- Metering

- Tracking & Tracing

- Security

- Payments

- Others



Revenue forecasts for the wider M2M and IoT market are provided for each of the following submarkets:

Submarkets

- M2M Application Services & Connectivity

- M2M Modules & Hardware

- M2M & IoT Security

- CDP (Connected Device Platforms)

- M2M & IoT Application Platforms

- Other M2M & IoT Software

- Network Integration & Professional Services



The following regional and country level markets are also covered:

Regional Markets

- Asia Pacific

- Eastern Europe

- Middle East & Africa

- Latin & Central America

- North America

- Western Europe



Country Markets

- Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Vietnam



Additional forecasts are provided for:

- Embedded M2M Cellular Module Shipments and Revenue

- Smart Meter Penetration

- M2M and IoT Traffic

- M2M and IoT Software Submarkets including OS & Software Stack, Middleware & Storage, Analytics Platforms and Business Process Applications



Key Questions Answered

The report provides answers to the following key questions:

- How big is the M2M and IoT opportunity?

- What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?

- How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region?

- What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?

- Which regions, countries and verticals will see the highest percentage of growth?

- Who are the key market players and what are their strategies?

- How will M2M and IoT services drive investments in cloud based IoT platforms, Big Data, analytics, network security and other technologies?

- What are the growth prospects of cellular, satellite, LPWA, wireline and short range networking technologies?

- How do government mandates and initiatives impact the adoption of embedded M2M connectivity?

- How will LTE drive the adoption of multimedia and video based IoT applications?

- Do LPWA IoT networks pose a threat to cellular network technologies?

- What strategies should enabling technology providers, mobile operators, MVNOs, aggregators, IoT platform providers and other ecosystem players adopt to remain competitive?



Key Findings

The report has the following key findings:

- SNS Research estimates that global spending on M2M and IoT technologies will reach nearly $250 Billion by 2020, driven by a host of vertical market applications including but not limited to connected car services, remote asset tracking, healthcare monitoring, smart metering, digital signage, home automation and intelligent buildings

- The installed base of M2M connections will grow at a CAGR of nearly 30% between 2015 and 2020, eventually accounting for over 10 Billion connections worldwide

- SNS Research estimates that multimedia and video applications will account for more than 20% of the revenue generated by M2M and IoT services by 2020, amid growing incorporation of LTE in M2M modules and gateways

- Besides optimizing their cellular networks for M2M services, mobile operators are increasingly investing in LPWA networks for low power, low bandwidth IoT applications

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3331688/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

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CHICAGO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Crowdsourcefunded.com, a leading Funding Portal, announces its launch as one of the first fully operating funding portals with live Private Company investment opportunities offered under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups ("JOBS") Act.

"This change in the law arguably represents the greatest wealth creation opportunity for individuals in a generation," said Tim Hogan, President of Crowdsourcefunded.com.

Throughout U.S. history, two factors have combined to make the United States the economic power that it is today: individual ingenuity and investment capital. To date, investment capital has been restricted, by law, to Venture Capitalists, Angel Investor Groups, Institutional Investors and Accredited Individual Investors.

"As required by the JOBS Act and our rule, a registered broker or funding portal serves as an important gatekeeper between those seeking capital and investors," Said Mary Jo White, Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

Every individual now has the legal right to invest in the financial success of the companies that shape our economic future. A Private Company's success and potential returns can be substantial and often described in terms of expected multiples of 1  10 times the original amount invested. However, Regulators want individuals to know that Private Company investing is risky and an individual could lose their entire investment. The new law has empowered individuals to participate and determine their own risk and return expectation for Private Company investments.

"Every individual should learn, understand and take full advantage of their legal right to make investments in Private Companies. As a gatekeeper Crowdsourcefunded.com helps with resources that will inform and educate individuals," Says Tim Hogan.

The free resources made available by Crowdsourcefunded.com will inform and educate you about Private Company Investing as well as the mechanism that the SEC chose for individuals to invest, specifically Crowdfunding. Individuals can obtain Background Information on Crowdfunding, sign up for a Crowdfunding 101 course administered by email and can register to gain access to Investor Education which the SEC requires Registered Funding Portals like Crowdsourcefunded.com to provide to individuals before they can invest in current Offerings.

About Crowdsourcefunded.com

Crowdsourcefunded.com offers Private Company investment opportunities to individuals under Title III of the JOBS Act. The Company is one of the first fully operating funding portals registered with the SEC and is a member of FINRA.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160904/404040LOGO

SOURCE Crowdsourcefunded.com

Related Links

http://www.crowdsourcefunded.com


PROVIDENCE, R.I., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A brand of peace since its founding in 1846, A.T. CROSS is thrilled to announce the continuation of its partnership with social good company Fonderie 47 through the launch of the Peerless Fonderie 47 Collector's-Edition Rollerball Pen.

Cross Peerless Fonderie 47 Collector's-Edition Rollerball Pen The Pen That Destroys an AK47

Fonderie 47 transforms AK47s from war torn regions of Africa into luxurious and beautiful accessories. Fonderie 47, which was founded by Cross "Mark Maker" Peter Thum, has been responsible for the removal of more than 55,000 assault rifles from circulation in Africa. This special-edition rollerball pen supports Fonderie 47's mission to stop gun violence in war-torn regions of Africa by reducing the supply of available assault rifles. With this aim, each Peerless Fonderie 47 Collector's-Edition Rollerball Pen purchased funds the destruction of one more assault rifle in Africa.

"In the last 20 years, wars on the African continent have resulted in the loss of millions of lives. The widespread availability of assault rifles has played a significant role in these ongoing tragedies," said Peter Thum, Founder and CEO, Fonderie 47. This fall we are happy to partner with CROSS again to help bring an end to violence with the release of the collector's edition of the Peerless Fonderie 47."

On the heels of a successful limited edition collaboration in 2015, CROSS and Fonderie 47 worked closely together to evolve the aesthetic of the pen to reflect design elements of the weapon itself. Each pen features black PVD plating with 23KT gold-plated appointments, a disk of blackened steel from a melted-down AK47 gun embedded in its cap and the unique serial number of the gun that was destroyed to create the writing instrument.

The Peerless Fonderie 47 Collector's-Edition Rollerball Pen funds the destruction of one more AK47. Carry, use, and display it as a symbol of hope and change.

The creation of these noble collector's pieces came as a result of the tireless efforts of the Fonderie 47 team, who spent a year and a half in conflict zones in Africa negotiating to safely and legally obtain confiscated assault weapons. Once secured, the guns were melted down by a local blacksmith and then the team transported them back to the US.

The next phase of the project took root in Brooklyn, NY, where they built a forge and engaged an American blacksmith to remake the gun steel into new ingots from which the signature Fonderie 47 pieces for the pens could be created.

The fine writing instrument craftsmen at CROSS used the blackened AK47 gunmetal to create the fine details of the recycled steel Fonderie 47 logo which is inset into the cap of this new edition to the Peerless collection, the finest writing instrument ever created by CROSS.

The CROSS Peerless Fonderie 47 Collector's-Edition Rollerball Pen, priced at $350, is available for purchase at select retailers and on www.Cross.com.

About CROSS

The story of the CROSS brand begins in 1846 when artisan Richard Cross, in partnership with his son Alonzo Townsend Cross, revolutionized fine writing instruments. Their early mark of entrepreneurial excellence included tools refined through more than 100 patents and accented by the spoils of the California gold rush. Still positioned to set the bar for what it means to symbolize achievement, human potential and usable luxury, CROSS seeks to provide those possessing extraordinary vision and a strong entrepreneurial spirit with the tools needed to make their mark.

About Fonderie 47

Fonderie 47 was founded in 2009 with the goal of stopping gun violence in Africa's most war-torn places by reducing the number of assault weapons in Africa. 'Fonderie' is French for foundry (the place for the melting and casting of metal), and '47' represents the year that the AK47 was introduced. Founder Peter Thum met boys armed with assault rifles, and the victims of these weapons, while developing clean water projects in east Africa and realized the enormous problem the availability of these weapons cause. Thum decided to transform these tools of devastation into things that were beautiful and opposite in nature that would inspire change and fund the destruction of weapons.

Inspired by this mission, Fonderie 47 has created high-end jewelry, limited edition mechanical Swiss watches, accessories and objects -- made from AK47 steel, precious metals and jewels -- with some of the world's best designers and jewelers. Each Fonderie 47 piece incorporates metal from a destroyed AK47 and bears the serial number of a destroyed gun. The purchase of every Fonderie 47 piece funds the destruction of a specific number of guns in Africa.

Working with the Nobel Prize winning NGO Mines Advisory Group, to date Fonderie 47 already has funded the destruction of over 55,000 assault rifles in war zones in Africa.

Media Contact:

Cynthia Patnode

MFA Ltd.

212-561-7492

[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404490

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SOURCE A.T. CROSS

Related Links

http://www.cross.com


"Today, I am incredibly proud that our Flying Eye Hospital can get to work on its first program," Bob Ranck, Orbis CEO and President, said. "It is a testament to the hundreds of volunteers, global corporate partners, governments and other individuals who have worked tirelessly to make this unique aircraft a reality, and we thank them one and all. Our mission at Orbis is to bring the world together to fight blindness, and the Flying Eye Hospital is an important tool for achieving this. It is an equal-parts teacher, envoy and advocate for the right to sight. We are excited to start this new chapter in Orbis history here in Shenyang, China."

Jointly sponsored by Alcon Foundation and FedEx, this is the first training program on our new, third-generation Flying Eye Hospital, the MD-10, which was donated by FedEx and officially launched in the United States this past June. This three-week high intensity training program has been developed with the support of the Health & Family Planning Commission of Shenyang Municipality and in partnership with the He University Eye Hospital (HUEH), and aims to strengthen HUEH's capacity to deliver subspecialized eye care services while creating well-functioning training models (i.e. train-the-trainers) for its residents.

Alcon has been a longtime global corporate partner of Orbis by donating its medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and supplies to the Flying Eye Hospital and hospital-based programs. "Alcon's partnership with Orbis of more than three decades is grounded in our shared vision of providing access to quality eye care around the world," said Melissa Thompson, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Alcon. "During the Shenyang program, five Alcon volunteers, including two biomedical engineers, are going to donate their time and expertise to support the wet lab training for local doctors at the HUEH, as well as equipment maintenance onboard the new Flying Eye Hospital."

In August 2011, FedEx donated an MD-10 aircraft to retrofit the third-generation Flying Eye Hospital. This year, FedEx extends its support of Orbis for another five years through May 2021 with a $5.375 million commitment, which contributed financial, logistical, and operational support to the new Flying Eye Hospital. As a global corporate partner for over 33 years, FedEx continues to support Orbis's mission to fight avoidable blindness worldwide. With enhanced technologies and capabilities, such as 3D filming and distance broadcasting, the third-generation Flying Eye Hospital will continue the legacy of its predecessors to provide better training experiences for local eye care professionals in China and around the world.

Orbis has a long history in China, and this Flying Eye Hospital visit marks the 40th program in the country since its inception in 1982. In fact, Orbis has a 12-year partnership of blindness prevention work in the Liaoning Province, and the Flying Eye Hospital program will support the ongoing "Shenyang Training for Prevention of Blindness" project implemented by Orbis North Asia and HUEH.

"There is an urgent need to increase the number of eye care service providers who are able to deliver high-quality primary eye care services in rural China," said Dr. He Wei, Founder and President, He University Eye Hospital. "Hands-on training is generally accepted to be the most effective and sustainable way to address the shortage of quality eye care service and personnel in China."

Nevertheless, China's ophthalmic residency programs usually provide limited hands-on surgical training for residents, and less than a third of trained junior ophthalmologists enjoy the opportunity to perform surgery regularly after graduation. The absence of standardized training programs is a major obstacle in this process because skills-transfer is not a priority for the practicing staff. Therefore, it is quite difficult to do high quality hands-on training for rural eye doctors or ophthalmology residents in China.

This is a major obstacle in the fight against blindness, given that China has the largest population with blindness and visual disabilities.1 There are more than 8 million blind people in the country, representing almost 21 percent of the world's blind population. Cataract is the primary cause of visual disability, accounting for 40 percent of all blindness in China.2 The second-leading cause is myopic retinopathy (16 percent) and the third is glaucoma (9.7 percent).3 China also has one of the highest myopia rates among children in the world, with over 90 percent of poor vision in children due to uncorrected refractive error. The quality of refractive services is often poor in the rural areas.4

Additionally, a major problem in blindness prevention in China is the lack of quality eye care service and personnel in the rural areas where they are most needed. For example, according to 2008 National Eye Care Resources survey, 44 percent of eye care institutes were located in eastern China, and 66 percent of ophthalmologists were based in big or medium cities. By the end of 2012, there were totally 326 eye hospitals in the country, 70 percent of which were located in cities.

The Shenyang Flying Eye Hospital program provides continuing medical education tailored for local ophthalmologists, nurses, anesthesiologists, biomedical engineers and technicians through lectures, discussion, observation, as well as the much needed wet-lab and hands-on training in seven subspecialties, including cataract, cornea, retina, glaucoma, pediatric, optometry and orthoptics. By leveraging the high-profile Flying Eye Hospital, the program also helps to advocate for the expansion of hands-on training models for county level ophthalmologists and residents in the province among key stakeholders, including the Chinese Ophthalmological Society and the national government.

The launch of the third-generation Flying Eye Hospital and the three-week Shenyang training program would not be possible without the tremendous support of our global corporate partners, i.e. Alcon Foundation, FedEx, Jebsen, L'Occitane and OMEGA, as well as our local program sponsors, including AccorHotels, Deutsche Bank, Nova Vision, SightLife and Sofitel Shenyang Lido.

About Orbis

Orbis is a leading global non-governmental organization that has been a pioneer in the prevention and treatment of blindness for over 30 years. Orbis transforms lives by delivering the skills, resources and knowledge needed to deliver accessible quality eye care. Working in collaboration with local partners including hospitals, universities, government agencies and ministries of health, Orbis provides hands-on ophthalmology training, strengthens healthcare infrastructure and advocates for the prioritization of eye health on public health agendas. Orbis operates the world's only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft. To learn more, please visit orbis.org.

About the Alcon Foundation

For more than 50 years, Alcon has been partnering with non-profit organizations that make a difference in advancing eye health, knowledge transfer, research and education, as well as enhancing access to quality eye care around the world. The Alcon Foundation awards grants to qualified, U.S.-based tax-exempt public 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that provide high-quality programs, trainings and community services with well-defined goals to enhance sight and enhance the lives of people who otherwise would not have access to proper eye care. For more information, visit www.alcon.com.

Alcon is on Facebook. Like us at www.facebook.com/AlconEyeCare

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $58 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 400,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

Media Contacts:

Silvana Vivas

Communications Associate

Orbis

[email protected]

Elle Communications

[email protected]

1 World Health Organization. Global Data on Visual Impairments 2010, Geneva: WHO 2012

2 Liang YB, et al. Prevalence and causes of blindness in rural China: the Handan Eye Study. Ophthalmology 2009.

3 Wang Ningli, et al. The Handan Eye Study: A Review. Journal of Capital Medical University.

4 Congdon NG, et al. Visual disability, visual function and myopia among rural Chinese secondary school children: the Yichang Pediatric Refractive Error Study (X-PRES) Report #1. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008;49:2888-94

SOURCE Orbis International
BOSTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Manion Gaynor & Manning LLP (MG+M) congratulates partners Harry L. Manion III, John B. Manning, and Max Swetman on their selection by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2017 Guide.

The 2017 edition of Best Lawyers in America lists MG+M lawyers based on an exhaustive national peer-review survey. Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

Harry L. Manion III was selected in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, and Mass Tort Litigation. Harry's 37-year record of results across a broad legal spectrum has placed him on the short list of go-to lawyers, locally, nationally, and globally. Within the last five years, Harry resolved the most significant legal challenges facing Koch Industries, Lukoil, Nike, and Sodexo (for whom he has been national litigation counsel since 1986).



During the same period, Harry and his Dutch co-counsel secured a $66 million judgment in Amsterdam District Court for a large Dutch pharmaceutical company's pension fund against its global financial advisor. Currently, Harry is Lead Trial Counsel in the Southern District of New York for a target defendant in the largest admiralty case in the U.S.

John B. Manning was selected for his extensive expertise in Mass Tort Litigation and Class Action Defense. Mr. Manning serves as the Chair of Manion Gaynor & Manning's Products Liability and Complex Tort Litigation Group, and concentrates his practice in products liability, toxic torts, asbestos defense, mass torts, litigation management, food liability, professional liability, pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, environmental litigation, class actions, commercial and insurance disputes. He represents dozens of corporations in litigation throughout the country and serves on several clients' National Trial Teams. In addition, as National Coordinating Counsel for multiple products manufacturers, he directs all aspects of the defense of more than 200,000 asbestos lawsuits pending in all 50 states.



John will also serve as Co-Chair for the eighth consecutive year at the upcoming Perrin Conferences' 2016 Asbestos Litigation Conference: A National Overview & Outlook, taking place September 12-14, at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, California.

Max Swetman was selected in the area of Product Liability Defense, as well as for Mass Tort Litigation and Class Action Defense. His litigation practice focuses on the defense of toxic tort, occupational disease and environmental claims alleging bodily injury and property damage. These include individual claims as well as mass torts. In addition to a law degree, Max holds a Master's Degree in Environmental Science and Policy and a Master's of Public Health Degree in Epidemiology. His extensive technical background allows him to bring together legal, medical and scientific teams to insure the best possible defense of these claims. He also frequently handles litigation and regulatory compliance counseling concerning a wide range of environmental laws on behalf of his clients.

Max will be a featured speaker at the Perrin Conferences' 2016 Asbestos Litigation Conference: A National Overview & Outlook, delivering a presentation entitled, Evaluating Industrial Hygiene Conclusions.

About Best Lawyers

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Over 52,000 leading attorneys cast more than 5.5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.

About Manion Gaynor & Manning LLP

Manion Gaynor & Manning LLP (MG+M) is a national litigation firm focused on Products Liability and Complex Tort, and Commercial and Business Litigation, with nine fully integrated offices across the country. Our focus on providing strategic, responsive legal counsel in each of our core practices has made us the law firm of choice for clients facing high-stakes litigation. Clients value our guidance on sophisticated matters ranging from complex commercial and business disputes, toxic tort and products liability, intellectual property, real estate, employment, to white collar and regulatory matters. For more information, visit www.mgmlaw.com.

Contact: C.R. McLeod

302.504.6851

[email protected]

SOURCE Manion Gaynor & Manning LLP

Related Links

http://www.mgmlaw.com/


NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Judith Price, President of The National Beauty Science Institute, and her prominent board of industry leaders from the international world of science and beauty will gather at a cocktail reception on September 26th at Rockefeller University from 6-8pm, to announce the launch of their groundbreaking educational initiative for the Science and Sustainability of Beauty. This is the first time industry leaders in beauty and science will collaborate to create educational opportunities focused on sustainability, authenticity, and green energy in the field of beauty. At this elite event, top beauty and science experts will discuss plans for initiatives promoting awareness of the composition and origin of ingredients, the impact of these products upon the integrity of the environment, and sustainable production practices. Price commented, "I'm honored that the most important leaders in science and beauty have gathered together to support this first educational initiative bridging beauty and science."

The Advisory Board includes industry leaders from global brands such as Johnson & Johnson, LVMH, Estee Lauder and Coty. These board members will collaborate to establish the curriculum of the first master class to be offered in spring 2017. Interested parties should contact [email protected] to reserve places in the first cohort.

Advisory Board

The Advisory Board is comprised of eight prominent doctors and scientists including: Dr. Holly Andersen, Attending Cardiologist and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center; Bruno Bavouzet, Ph.D. Executive Vice President, Research and Development, LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics; Sumit Bhasin, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Coty Luxury; Achim Daub, Global President, Scent & Care, Symrise AG; Elaine Fuchs, Ph.D., Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Rebecca C. Lancefield Professor Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, Rockefeller University; Josh Ghaim, Ph.D. Chief Technology Officer, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies; Kurt Schilling, Ph.D. Senior Vice President Basic Science Research and Advanced Technologies, Estee Lauder Companies; and Dr. Michele Verschoore, Medical Director, L'Oreal, and Attending Physician at Hopital Saint-Louis, Paris.

Mission Statement

The National Beauty Science Institute has been established, with the guidance of a distinguished international advisory board, to provide a better understanding through education of how the sciences support a growing interest in matters of sustainability, authenticity, and green energy in the field of beauty. University courses, available on campus and online, will engage leading doctors and executives of institutions and companies to address how science and technology contribute to the development, production, and sustainability of beauty brands.

To Attend Please Contact Meri Horn, [email protected], 212-541-9459

SOURCE The National Beauty Science Institute
ATLANTA, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Triad Advisors, Inc., the hybrid advisor-focused independent broker-dealer, today announced the launch of its 19th annual National Conference in Austin, Texas. The conference is taking place at the Hilton Austin Hotel from September 7th through September 10th.

This year's conference will focus in particular on helping advisors meet the challenges emerging as a result of recent changes across the financial advisory industry. More importantly, the event is aimed to help independent advisors identify opportunities that will enable them to succeed and thrive within this new environment. The conference is expected to draw a record attendance of more than 400 Triad-affiliated advisors and strategic partners from across the United States.

Jeff Rosenthal, President and CEO of Triad Advisors, said, "Independent advisors today are unquestionably experiencing a time of turmoil and uneasiness due to momentous changes  above all on the regulatory front  affecting our entire industry. These developments will alter the way advisors define and retool their businesses, and will influence the ways they structure accounts and invest client assets. Our purpose in this year's conference  which reinforces the objectives of our firm in general  is not only to help our advisors weather this period of uncertainty, but also to help them find and take advantage of new opportunities and ultimately to grow their businesses as a result of it."

Over the course of the conference, Triad will provide a broad array of opportunities to enable advisors to exchange best practices with their peers, deepen relationships with members of Triad's Home Office including its senior leadership team, and learn from industry experts about new practice management tools, investment solutions and other key topics that will enable advisors to build their businesses and achieve their growth goals. The program includes top keynote speakers, seminars, breakout sessions and opportunities for individual networking and business development.

"Triad Advisors is especially well-positioned to provide our advisors with invaluable assistance during this time of rapid change," Mr. Rosenthal continued. "Both within our firm and by leveraging the resources of our parent company, we possess the expertise to evaluate emerging challenges and the talent to create platforms and solutions that are both appropriate and yet flexible enough to satisfy the needs of our independent advisors' individually-distinctive business models. Moreover, because of our longstanding specific focus on the independent hybrid advisor, Triad is able to provide the personalized attention and knowledge that can help our advisors thrive in spite of increased complexities for the retail financial advice industry as a whole," he said.

This year's conference keynote speaker will be Captain Jerry Linenger, a retired US Navy flight surgeon and NASA astronaut, who spent nearly five months aboard the Russian space station Mir during one of the most dangerous and dramatic missions in space history. In addition to logging 50 million miles of space flight and being the first American to perform a spacewalk in a Russian spacesuit, Captain Linenger experienced numerous life-threatening events, including the repeated failure of critical life-support systems and the most severe fire ever aboard an orbiting spacecraft. In 2008, Linenger was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, NASA's highest honor.

As part of this year's conference, Triad Advisors will continue its longstanding tradition of supporting charitable organizations that serve and assist members of America's military in the communities where the conference is held. This year, Triad will encourage its advisors to donate to Operation FINALLY HOME, a national, non-profit organization with a unique network of experienced builders, suppliers, and supporters dedicated to building homes for wounded, ill or injured veterans, surviving spouses and their families. In addition to setting up a booth at the conference to help publicize the work of Operation FINALLY HOME and encourage donations, Triad will host a 5-kilometer run during the conference for attendees, staff and strategic partners to raise additional funds for the cause.

Mr. Rosenthal concluded, "We salute the work of Operation FINALLY HOME and are delighted to support its laudable efforts. By bringing together homebuilders, the military and communities to build custom, mortgage-free homes for America's military heroes and their widows and families, Operation FINALLY HOME provides a strong foundation to help these worthy Americans move forward with their lives. In sum, we look forward to a terrific National Conference, and to providing our advisors with a beneficial and truly memorable experience."

About Triad Advisors

Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Triad Advisors, Inc. is a national, independent broker-dealer and multi-custodial SEC-Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that is an early pioneer and continued leader in the Hybrid RIA marketplace. The company provides a comprehensive platform of products, trading and technology systems, as well as customized wealth management solutions. Recognized as one of the most successful and fastest-growing independent broker-dealers in the industry (including being named the leading broker-dealer for Hybrid RIAs seven years in a row by Investment Advisor Magazine), Triad Advisors is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE MKT: LTS). For more information, please visit www.triad-advisors.com.

Media Contact:

Joseph Kuo / Matthew Griffes

Haven Tower Group LLC

424 652 6520 ext. 101 / 424 652 6520 ext. 103

[email protected] or [email protected]

SOURCE Triad Advisors, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.triad-advisors.com


AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Revionics, Inc., a leading profit optimization company, and its customer Unicoop Tirreno, one of the largest retail consumer cooperatives in Italy, will co-present at the ECR Tag 2016 annual event on "Empowering Precision: Pricing in Category Business Planning." The ECR Tag event will be held 21-22 September 2016 at the Berlin Estrel Convention Center in Germany. Revionics will also be exhibiting at stand #20 in the GSI booth.

This session will be held 21 September at 14:4515:15 (CEST) featuring Cristiano Carpi, Head of Marketing for Unicoop Tirreno, Florian Strecker, Revionics' Regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe , Russian Federation , and Anastasia Laska , Revionics Vice President of Product Strategy and Solutions Marketing EMEA The presentation will feature a case study from Unicoop Tirreno and will cover how retailers are usually too focused on 200-300 of their Key Value Items (KVIs) with inadequate attention to the rest of their assortments and poor coordination between different categories. To achieve improved results and ROI, retailers need to focus on the full category management picture and ensure their category strategies include not only assortment building but also pricing strategies. End-to-End Merchandise Optimization solutions enable retailers to translate category strategies into operational pricing, ensuring each category follows competitive signals in a fast, focused and precise way while decreasing manual processes. Combined with mixing strategies across different categories allows retailers to maintain their competitiveness while focusing more holistically on their KVIs.



To schedule an appointment with Revionics, please contact [email protected].

Tweet this:

[email protected] to present #price mgmt strategies w @UnicoopTirreno at ECR Tag 2016. Join us Sept 21 in #Berlin! http://ow.ly/WzYi303QBy1

About Revionics

Revionics is a global leader in profit optimization services and solutions. Our unparalleled analytics and science serve as the backbone of omni-channel retailing to help performance-driven retailers execute profitable pricing, promotion, markdown, and space decisions with predictable business outcomes. The result: achieve speed to value and ROI, improve margins, drive top-line sales and respond faster with precision.

Revionics' SaaS-based model integrates analytics, technology and services to deliver an unmatched advantage for retailers  Competitive Insights, Price Suite, Promotion Suite, Markdown Suite, and Space and Assortment Suite  all from a predictive platform to drive long-term growth.

Trusted by some of the most profitable retail brands, Revionics optimizes more than 62,000 retail sites across 18+ million products, and more than 2.6+ billion item/store combinations are modeled weekly. Learn more at www.revionics.com.

Contact: Alison Raffalovich

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

Phone: +1 (512) 826-0538 (USA)

[email protected]



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SOURCE Revionics, Inc.

Related Links

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OREM, Utah, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- University Place today announced a week of events celebrating the scheduled grand opening of The Orchard, an outdoor green space with indoor and outdoor children's play areas. The grand opening will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony October 3 at 10 a.m., followed by a week of free family-friendly events.

The Orchard is a large outdoor green space located in the heart of University Place (formerly University Mall). It is accessible through the shops at University Place, and from the newly completed road Park Avenue that connects State Street and 800 East. The Orchard is a versatile community gathering space complete with choreographed water fountain shows throughout the day, shaded pavilions, seating and more.

At the north end of The Orchard is the outdoor Kid's Place play area, which connects to the indoor play area by set of hydraulic doors for a seamless playing experience. The indoor Kid's Place play area can be accessed through the north end of the shopping center. With design elements that reflect the natural beauty of the Wasatch Mountains, features of the play areas include wooden tree houses, a log climbing structure, monkey bars in the trees, a see-saw, a climbing wall, interactive water fountains, and more.

The public is invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 3 at The Orchard and will feature an address from Orem Mayor Richard Brunst as well as musical performances by the Orem High School Marching Band and Scera Park Elementary School Choir. To further celebrate, The Orchard will host a week of free family-friendly events and activities, including:

Monday

Immediately following the ribbon-cutting there will be family activities throughout the day such as a petting zoo, magic show, balloon animals, cotton candy, face painting, music, and a Build-A-Bear station.

Tuesday

Fitness activities such as a morning yoga class, a kids Zumba class, and a HIGH Fitness class led by one of the founders.

Wednesday

Breakfast with the Orem Police, a mini firefighting training course for kids, a pumpkin drop, and an outdoor movie.

Thursday

Spooky story telling presentation by local award-winning story teller, fall crafts, puppets in the park and Happy Valley Farmers Market and Native American Pow Wow.

Friday

Country line dancing instruction, a line dancing party, mechanical bull riding, and a performance by Orem's homegrown band Foreign Figures.

Saturday

Hip-hop dance instruction, party and competition, splatter paint art, various games and a performance by James the Mormon.

For more times and more details on the full schedule of activities, visit http://www.universityplaceorem.com/events/.

About University Place

Developed in the early 1970's in Orem, Utah, University Place (formerly University Mall) is a 112-acre development that initially only included retail, and recently began a $500 million revitalization project that is adding residential, office and green space to what has been Utah County's premiere shopping destination for over 40 years. University Place was first developed and is still owned and operated by Woodbury Corporation, a 4th-generation Utah family business, and one of the oldest and most respected full-service real estate development and management companies in the Intermountain West. For more information about University Place and updates on the project, visit http://www.universityplaceorem.com/. For more information about Woodbury Corporation, visit http://www.woodburycorp.com/.

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SOURCE University Place

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ahead of the Commission on Care's September 7th hearing before the House Veterans Affairs Committee, American Federation of Government Employees' National President J. David Cox Sr. released the following statement:

"The American Federation of Government Employees condemns in the strongest possible terms, the horrendous, anti-veteran proposal put forward by the Commission on Care. Their recommendations would essentially destroy the veterans' health care system, leaving millions of veterans without the integrated care they rely on. Veterans would suffer from a drastically reduced quality of care, higher costs, less access, and the system as a whole would become unaccountable to veterans and taxpayers. Instead it would place veterans' care in the hands of executives with corporate backgrounds, leaving veterans without a voice.

If the Commission's mission, as they state in their report, was to 'provide eligible veterans prompt access to quality health care,' they have achieved the opposite. The only result of these recommendations would be to fragment the most integrated health care approach in the nation, lower quality across the board by sending veterans to for-profit private providers, line the pockets of private hospital corporations, and hand over control of veterans' healthcare to an out-of-touch, corporate-style board.

Veterans have overwhelmingly said they want to get their healthcare at the VA. It is the only system equipped to offer the veteran-centric healing they earned through their sacrifice. That's why large and well-respected veterans service organizations like the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans oppose further privatization of the system, and why two of the Commissioners  Phillip Longman and Michael Blecker  have spoken out repeatedly against the Commission since the release of their final report.

The Commission was rigged from the beginning, and despite going on the record stating that the VA offered healthcare that was superior to what's offered in the private sector, they've recommended a plan that will lead to the downfall of the system millions of veterans rely on. We cannot let that happen, and we hope that the American public will see the Commission's report for what it truly is and instead listen to what our veterans want.

There are numerous studies and reports that prove time and again how the VA offers veterans the best health care option in the country. The RAND Corporation recently reported that the VA outperforms non-VA health care in preventative care, treatment, and outpatient care; and found that only 13 percent of mental health professionals in the private sector are even prepared to treat veterans. Additionally, the American Psychological Association found that "VA performance was superior to that of the private sector by more than 30 percent." The VA is succeeding, and to continue that success we must invest in it, not undermine it with costly, fragmented care.

Veterans want the VA. They need the VA. We cannot let private interests dismantle that system in the name of corporate greed."

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Related Links

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Brings deep technology and customer service expertise to build on Vertafore's long history of industry leadership

BOTHELL, Wash., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vertafore, the leader in modern insurance technology, today announced the appointment of Amy Zupon as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective October 3, 2016. She joins Vertafore from P2 Energy Solutions where she has served as Chief Executive Officer, and will succeed Jeff Hawn.

Zupon has a proven track record of driving customer-centered innovation, scaling operational excellence, and uniting teams. She has extensive leadership and product innovation experiences in cutting-edge vertically-focused technology companies, and she is passionate about both ensuring customer success and delivering a world-class experience for agencies, carriers, MGAs and MGUs. Zupon has led as a CEO, CTO and COO within the software industry and has depth in a variety of executive leadership capacities including product development and management, marketing, customer support, and professional services.

"It will be a privilege to work alongside the Vertafore team to support insurance professionals in this time of change," said Amy Zupon. "It's exciting to be a part of an organization working to deliver the technology, people, and processes that can impact the operational excellence and financial success of our customers. Vertafore is committed to helping insurance agencies, carriers, MGAs and MGUs grow their businesses, process claims more quickly and effectively, and assist the industry through digital transformation. I look forward to doing everything I can to help further that mission."

"Amy has the deep expertise for serving the needs of Vertafore's customers, and a passion for bringing out the best in employees in support of high quality service to customers and improved outcomes for the insurance industry," said Ian Loring, a Managing Director of Bain Capital Private Equity.

"We've worked with Amy over many years and across multiple organizations to deliver superior products and to build high performing businesses that are well-equipped for innovation and growth," said Brian Sheth, co-founder and President, Vista Equity Partners. "We are pleased to work with Amy again at Vertafore in her new role."

Zupon joins Vertafore as the company prepares to launch several new and enhanced product and service offerings to the market, such as Vertafore Analytics with persona-based dashboards, SalesTrack with new expanded lines of business, and ImageRight with OCR/OMR support.

The Board of Directors would like to thank Jeff Hawn for his contributions to the company's growth and success.

Funds advised by Bain Capital Private Equity and Vista Equity Partners acquired Vertafore in June 2016.

About Vertafore

Vertafore offers the broadest and most adaptable technology solutions to better prepare the insurance industry for digital disruption. The Vertafore product line is built on a platform, empowering customers and other solution providers to adapt and thrive as the market changes. Vertafore's platform features fast innovation, partnerships with the best technology companies, and customizable solutions to help companies remain independent during a time of industry disruption. As the leader in modern insurance technology with the largest customer base in the industry, Vertafore connects every point of the distribution channel, from agencies and carriers to MGAs, MGUs, and state governments. For more information about Vertafore, visit www.vertafore.com, read the company's blog, and follow the company on Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook.

About Bain Capital Private Equity

Bain Capital Private Equity has partnered closely with management teams to provide the strategic resources that build great companies and help them thrive since our founding in 1984. Our team of more than 400 investment professionals creates value for our portfolio companies through our global platform and depth of expertise in key vertical industries including consumer/retail, financial and business services, healthcare, industrials, and technology, media and telecommunications. In addition to private equity, Bain Capital invests across asset classes including credit, public equity and venture capital, and leverages the firm's shared platform to capture opportunities in strategic areas of focus. For more information visit www.baincapitalprivateequity.com.

About Vista Equity Partners

Vista, a U.S.-based private equity firm with offices in Austin, Chicago and San Francisco, with over $26 billion in cumulative capital commitments, currently invests in software, data and technology-based organizations led by world-class management teams with long-term perspective. Vista is a value-added investor, contributing professional expertise and multi-level support towards companies realizing their full potential. Vista's investment approach is anchored by a sizable long-term capital base, experience in structuring technology-oriented transactions, and proven management techniques that yield flexibility and opportunity in private equity investing. For more information, please visit www.vistaequitypartners.com.

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SOURCE Vertafore

Related Links

http://www.vertafore.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wanda , recognized for bringing new and proven technologies to home-centered care, today announced the appointment of Derek Newell as an outside director. Newell is currently CEO of Jiff, a provider of an enterprise health benefits platform.

"Derek pioneered the use of remote patient monitoring technologies and will be an invaluable addition to the Wanda board," said Steve Curd, Wanda's CEO. "As we continue to enhance the Wanda offering, I am confident that Derek will offer tremendous insights and provide us with a unique perspective as we continue to advance our technical, operational, and financial objectives."

Newell brings 20 years of experience as a leader of innovative health technology and service companies. Prior to joining Jiff as CEO, Newell was president and CEO of Robert Bosch Healthcare and worked with the management team to build Bosch into the world's largest remote patient monitoring company. Before Bosch he was CEO of remote patient monitoring company Health Hero Networks, which sold to Bosch in 2007. Health Hero Network was the first company to get an internet connected medical device approved by the FDA. Newell also served as chief marketing officer of LifeMasters, where he helped pioneer the first patient-centric disease management platform and built one of the largest disease management companies in the US. Derek holds graduate degrees in business and public health from UC Berkeley.

"I'm deeply committed to advancing the development of innovative technologies that reduce the cost chronic disease and enhance the lives of individuals with chronic conditions," said Newell. "I am impressed with the potential of the Wanda platform to solve some of healthcare's toughest challenges, based on how elegantly it converges proven machine-learning analytics and behavioral science. Wanda's ability to deliver ongoing risk analysis and decision support is better equipping individuals to care for themselves and allowing clinicians to more efficiently engage with consumers who are in most need of their assistance."

About Wanda

San Francisco-based Wanda is dedicated to advancing the effectiveness and efficiency of medicine by using machine learning in place of conventional technologies and by enabling clinicians to make more informed care decisions. Wanda recognizes that remote monitoring and algorithms cannot save lives or reduce hospitalizations unless the individual and their caregivers are promptly informed and highly engaged. Through the collaboration of data science and applied medical research, Wanda has proven that its inline analytics predict preventable events much better than conventional methods. Wanda serves as a diligent companion, providing encouragement and intelligent visual guidance that simplifies and improves lives, while simultaneously helping organizations reduce their care delivery costs. Wanda is a NetScientific portfolio company.

Media Contact: Wanda Contact: Michelle Noteboom Mark Heinemeyer Amendola Communications for Wanda Chief Collaboration Officer 512.426.2870 619.405.6500 [email protected] [email protected]

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SOURCE Wanda

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TORONTO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WilsonHCG, a global talent solutions leader, announced today that it has been named a finalist for the Canadian HR Awards' Employer Brand of the Year. This is the second year in a row that WilsonHCG has been named a finalist: Last year, it competed in the employee engagement category.

The nomination reflects the commitment WilsonHCG has made to building a strong, engaging employer brand that engages candidates and positions the company as an employer of choice in a challenging hiring environment. As a leader in HR services, WilsonHCG has developed best practices and methodologies around employer branding, and publishes the Fortune 500's Top 100 Employment Brand Report annually. This information is used to improve the company's employer brand, and to help clients improve their own.

"It is an honor to be recognized for our continued efforts and dedication to employer branding, " WilsonHCG Head of Canadian Engagement, Paul Dodd said. "We are now past the point where employer branding is optional-it is a business imperative. Organizations are realizing the profound impact a strategic employee value proposition and strong brand presence have on their businesses. We will continue to provide our clients with the best practices they need to surpass goals and maintain growth."

The annual Canadian HR awards brings together professionals from both large and small companies to celebrate excellence in HR performance and service in 19 organization and individual categories. The awards will be announced Sept. 15, 2016.

To reserve your copy of the 2016 Fortune 500 Top 100 Employment Brands report, register here: http://whcg.co/2cozYXb

ABOUT WILSONHCG

WilsonHCG is a global talent solutions leader that operates on the principle of providing true partnership to its clients. Delivering business-impacting talent solutions  including recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), talent consulting, contingent workforce solutions and executive search  WilsonHCG is transforming its clients' businesses through their talent. Founded in 2002, the company's global headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida. While optimizing clients' talent strategies is essential, WilsonHCG recognizes the relationships it develops lead to the results its clients realize.

Better People, Better Business.

Contact: Jessica Lang, 813-280-7746, [email protected]

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SOURCE WilsonHCG

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A surgical suite built by WomenStrong International to perform emergency deliveries in a remote, mountainous region of northern Haiti has begun delivering babies and saving lives. It is the first time C-sections have been available to expectant mothers in a commune of 80,000 people across a 100-mile area.

WomenStrong International is a consortium of non-profit organizations in five nations supporting women-driven solutions to extreme urban poverty. Its Consortium member in Haiti, H.O.P.E., has been working for 20 years in the northernmost commune of Borgne to meet community needs for healthcare, clean water, economic development and education. In partnership with Haiti's Ministry of Health and others, H.O.P.E. runs a healthcare system that includes a hospital and network of mobile clinics to care for people living in remote mountain villages accessible only by primitive footpaths.

WomenStrong's support enabled the creation of Mobile Women's Health Clinics and a maternal and neonatal wing at the Alyans Sante Borgne Hospital, and with private donations also enabled construction of the $100,000 operating and delivery suite equipment for the facility, the area's first blood bank and salaries to bring in an obstetrician/gynecologist, an anesthesiologist and a bloodbank expert, all Cuban-trained. The investment in the hospital prompted Haiti's Ministry of Health to join forces with H.O.P.E. to contribute equipment for the blood bank and training for Haitian technicians to run it, as well as support for a Haitian surgical resident assigned to the unit.

"Our relatively small investment, less than $1 per resident of the commune, encouraged partnerships that leveraged the funding and vastly improved what had been a deadly situation for pregnant women in northern Haiti," said Dr. Susan M. Blaustein, Founder and Executive Director of WomenStrong International. "This work demonstrates an efficient mobilization of resources that shortens the journey to care and increases safe childbirth and maternal survival."

The first woman to deliver in the new facility is typical of women in the region who come down from mountain villages to deliver in Borgne. Even in labor, they must travel on foot along steep, unpaved paths, sometimes for hours, to reach the hospital. Previously, those needing an emergency cesarean would then need to travel another two hours over rutted roads to reach the nearest operating theater.

Twenty-three-year old Lousena Thales arrived at the hospital in critical condition, requiring emergency care for a uterine rupture. Without urgent medical care, the rupture would have led to fatal hemorrhaging and the potential loss of her child. Instead, in the new facility, she delivered a healthy son and survived.

"Nothing is greater than what this mother feels and nothing is more precious than life," said Dr. Thony Michelet Voltaire, Medical Director for Alyans Sante Borgne Hospital and H.O.P.E.'s healthcare network. "The entire surgical team feels a sense of honor and pride at a job well done, and for the community this facility offers hope for the future."

The medical team on the first delivery included obstetrical surgeon Dr. Flora C. Rodriguez, surgeon Dr. Felix Rodriguez, nurse anesthesiologist Carlos Gonzalez, nurse Luciana Metelus, assisting surgeon Dr. Kendy Jean and blood bank technologist Clarisbel Brizuela.

The sterile surgical suite was constructed according to the highest standards, but also took into account the limited resources available in Borgne. WomenStrong is developing a special expertise in the creation of maternal and neonatal medical safety nets in low-resource areas, putting the mother at the center of newborn care. In Kumasi, Ghana, WomenStrong has supported the creation of two innovative neonatal centers for babies at risk that is now serving as a model for the development of similar centers throughout the country. In India, WomenStrong supports the screening and treatment of pregnant and adolescent women for anemia, to give mothers and newborns their best shot at survival. In Haiti, the role of the new mother is at the center of care in maternity ward, supplementing scarce medical staff and costly equipment.

"This new facility is a first for the rural north and a game changer for the region in terms of improving maternal and newborn health and survival," said Dr. Ernst Jasmin, Director of the Haitian Ministry of Health, Northern Department.

ABOUT WOMENSTRONG INTERNATIONAL

WomenStrong International is a consortium of non-profit organizations in five nations supporting women-driven solutions to extreme urban poverty. WSI emerged from a decade of work at Columbia University's Millennium Cities Initiative where we found the most successful programs were local and led by women. Through our Consortium members in Ghana, Kenya, Haiti, India, and Washington, D.C., we help thousands of women and girls meet their 6 Essential Needs for health, shelter, safety, education, economic empowerment and a functioning urban environment. These women, in turn, improve the lives of their children, families, communities and nations. WomenStrong believes the path out of poverty and toward a more just and prosperous world can be found by making women strong. For more information, visit www.womenstrong.org.

SOURCE WomenStrong International

Related Links

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DIDSBURY, Alberta, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Xfuels Inc. (OTC: XFLS) is pleased to report on joint venture progress.

Area 2 Energy completed swabbing its first test group of 7 wells and results were very encouraging. Swabbing is a method of removing water from the wells in order to allow the gas to flow better which translates into increased production. Prior to the swabbing the group of wells was producing an average of 68 GJ/day and post swabbing an immediate increase was recorded of 230 GJ/day giving a net increase of approximately 230%.

Mr. Michael McLaren states "The increase in natural gas production represents a group of some of our best producers and as we begin to clean out more wells we believe the results will be as impressive." He further stated "The test swabbing is proof that by implementing the full capital plan to increase the well production will dramatically increase profitability."

Area 2 will continue the swabbing program on 100 additional wells over the next few weeks as per the capital plan and will analyze the results. Area 2 currently owns and operates 350 wells on the Atlee property.

About XFuels, Inc.

XFuels The Clean Petroleum & Power Company is a publicly held energy company based in Portland, Oregon USA, established to design, build, and operate regionally-integrated, small-to-midcap electricity and petroleum production facilities. XFuels is a leader in carbon-neutral energy solutions, as well as providing water and food technologies specifically designed to improve the quality of life on our planet.

The company's (patented and patent-pending) IP delivers one of the highest energy yields (electricity at sub-5 cents per kWh, and diesel fuel profitable at $25 a barrel oil without government subsidies), from a broad range of carbon-bearing inputs (Gas. Coal, forestry, agricultural, and urban waste including municipal solid waste and plastics), with one of the lowest capital expenditures of any known energy production method. One of XFuels technologies literally converts garbage to gas.

XFuels offers a range of low cost attractive modular systems via its hydrocarbon bio refinery platform (the XRefinery), which produce low cost electricity and advanced petroleum-equivalent fuels and chemicals in partnership with select small to mid-size industrial energy users ([email protected]) in target markets.

XFuels Clean Petroleum chemicals and fuels have the same molecular composition as traditional petroleum, offer premium performance with NEAR-ZERO environmental footprint, and with easy integration to full market penetration in today's existing petroleum vehicle fleet and distribution infrastructure.

For more information on Xfuels Inc. please see http://www.xfuels.com

Also you can visit us at Investors Hangout: http://investorshangout.com/Xfuels-Inc-XFLS-88175/

Safe Harbor:

This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements appear in a number of places in this release and include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Xfuels Inc., its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) financing plans; (ii) trends affecting its financial condition or results of operations; (iii) growth strategy and operating strategy. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "can," "believe," "potential" and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Xfuels Inc.'s ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. More information about the potential factors that could affect the business and financial results is and will be included in Xfuels Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:

Bruce Haase

RedChip Companies

Tel: +1-407-644-4256

[email protected]



SOURCE Xfuels Inc.
Name : mediawiki

Product : Fedora 24

Version : 1.26.4

Release : 1.fc24

URL : http://www.mediawiki.org/

Summary : A wiki engine

Description :

MediaWiki is the software used for Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia

Foundation websites. Compared to other wikis, it has an excellent

range of features and support for high-traffic websites using multiple

servers



This package supports wiki farms. Read the instructions for creating wiki

instances under /usr/share/doc/mediawiki/README.RPM.

Remember to remove the config dir after completing the configuration.



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Update Information:



https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Release_notes/1.26#MediaWiki_1.26.4

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References:



[ 1 ] Bug #1369613 - CVE-2016-6331 CVE-2016-6332 CVE-2016-6333 CVE-2016-6334

CVE-2016-6335 CVE-2016-6336 mediawiki: multiple flaws fixed in 1.27.1, 1.26.4 and 1.23.15

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1369613

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This update can be installed with the "yum" update program. Use

su -c 'yum update mediawiki' at the command line.

For more information, refer to "Managing Software with yum",

available at https://docs.fedoraproject.org/yum/.



All packages are signed with the Fedora Project GPG key. More details on the

GPG keys used by the Fedora Project can be found at

https://fedoraproject.org/keys

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package-announce mailing list

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Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 5 : Kerala's former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan is peeved ever since he was sidelined by the CPI-M for the chief minister's position in the state and was succeeded by his arch rival Pinarayi Vijayan.

The 92-year-old veteran has not yet taken up the post of Chairperson of the 4th Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) that was cleared by the central leadership of the party and the state cabinet and offered to him in July.

The Kerala assembly last month in an amendment to the 1951 Legislators Act had given the status of a state cabinet minister's position to the post offered to Achuthanandan.

However, even 28 days after the formal appointment to it, the constitutional post remains vacant.

When asked by reporters on Monday, the veteran politician retorted with: "That you should ask those who (Vijayan) made the appointment. Let them say."

The former Chief Minister has been acting indifferent towards the position as even after leading his party to victory in the last election, he was given the status of 'Kerala's Fidel Castro', stunning many.

The order appointing him to the state ARC had stated that Achuthanandan could have 14 personal staff, an official residence and a car.

Incidentally, this is the fourth time that this Commission has been set up, the first was in 1957, when the legendary E.M.S. Nampoothirpad was the Chief Minister and also the ARC Chairman.

Then in 1965, when the state came under President's Rule, senior civil service officer M.K. Velodi headed it, and in 1997 when E.K.Nayanar was the Chief Minister, he headed it.

This is the first time that a legislator would be heading the commission.

With this all eyes are now on Vijayan as the veteran politician has put the ball in the Chief Minister's court.

Last week, Achuthanandan also refused to comment on Vijayan completing 100 days in office, and said that it was not yet time to evaluate the government.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Delhi Police is probing other cases of alleged "sexual assault" against sacked Delhi minister Sandeep Kumar after he disclosed that he has been involved in such acts with "many other women" in the past and also recorded them.

Kumar was arrested following a complaint by a woman who figured in a "sex video" clip with him.

Kumar was presented in Tis Hazari courts complex on Monday before Special Judge Poonam Chaudhary who remanded him to three-day police custody during in-camera proceedings.

Delhi Police told the court in its plea seeking custody of Kumar that he "has disclosed that he has committed sexual assault with the woman and recorded this act as well".

"He (Kumar) has disclosed that he has done such similar acts with many other girls, which needs further investigation," Delhi Police stated in the application seeking four day police custody of Kumar.

Delhi Police informed the court that the woman complainant approached Kumar around 8-10 months back for providing her a ration card, whereupon the minister asked her to visit him at his office-cum-residence in Sultanpuri.

Kumar told her that he will provide her a ration card and job to her sons and offered her a cold drink, after drinking which the woman felt dizzy, the police said.

Taking advantage of the woman's drowsiness Kumar committed "sexual assault" on her, Delhi Police said.

The police told the court that co-accused Parveen, who is Kumar's childhood friend, has been detained and the two men would be brought face-to-face to unearth the "hidden facts".

Kumar was not cooperating in the investigations and did not tell the Delhi Police the exact address of his friend Parveen in Bahadurgarh.

Delhi Police sought four-day custody remand of Kumar on the ground that it has to conduct sustained interrogation to find out various other facts about the women whose clips and pictures were telecast by news channels, to recover the case properties, to arrest other co-accused and find out the places of incident.

The proceeding, which was to take place before a magistrate court in Rohini courts, was changed to Tis Hazari after Delhi Police booked Kumar under section 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) of Prevention of Corruption Act, which can be tried by a special court dealing with corruption cases.

Kumar was produced before a duty magistrate in Rohini court on Sunday, which sent him to one-day police custody.

Delhi Police said that during the police custody remand, it has been able to recover mobile phones and hard disk of Kumar.

The former Social Welfare and Women and Child Development Minister was arrested on Saturday after the woman approached Sultanpuri police station in north Delhi with a complaint of sexual harassment against him.

A case was filed and Kumar booked under Sections 376 (punishment for rape) and 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, with intent to commit an offence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

He was also charged under the Information Technology Act's section 67A (punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act in electronic form).

The woman in her complaint alleged that she was sexually harassed by Kumar at his office-cum-residence in Sultanpuri area where she had gone to get her ration card made.

A Delhi Police team on Sunday visited the house where the woman was allegedly raped.

Kumar was sacked on Wednesday after the alleged "sex video" involving him went viral. On Thursday, Kumar defended himself, saying he had resigned on his own and alleged that he was being targeted for being a Dalit.

(Amiya Kumar Kushwaha can be reached at amiya.k@ians.in)
Deoria, Sep 6 : Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of bias towards the rich as he began a 2,500-km 'Kisan Yatra' in election-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a crowd at Rudrapur in Deoria district, Gandhi said the Prime Minister wanted to waive off loans of the rich but wasn't ready to do that in the case of farmers.

"Modiji must waive off loans taken by farmers in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere in the country," he said to applause.

"We have embarked on this Yatra to know the problems of the farmers and to help Modiji understand the situation too."

The Congress leader also urged the government slash the electricity tariff by 50 percent and hike the minimum support price given to farmers' produce.

The Gandhi scion was greeted by huge crowds.

While no one was allowed near the helipad or earlier when he landed with party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in Deoria, Gandhi later went to a Dalit settlement and interacted briefly with people there.

He offered prayers at a Shiva temple - Baba Dugdheshwarnath - and then started his Yatra in a specially designed bus.

Gandhi's office said the Yatra will cover 39 districts as well as 55 of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

"Door-to-door campaign begins from village Pachladi. Met farmers and collected Kisan Maang Patras outlining their demands," Gandhi's official twitter handle said.

"Arrived in Rudrapur to a warm welcome and great enthusiasm. Join @INCIndia on this Kisan Yatra as we fight for rights of farmers, labourers and the poor," Gandhi tweeted earlier.

On way, the entourage was welcomed by crowds and students who showered rose petals on the vehicles. Gandhi repeatedly waved at them.

He is scheduled to hold a "khaat chaupal" at the Satasi Inter College, after which he will go to Ramlakhan square from where he will drive to Deoria.

After a brief stop in the city, his entourage is set to drive to Rampur Karkhana, Tarkulwa and other places where he will address 'nukkad sabhas'.

He will spend the night at the Gorakhpur circuit house.

During the month-long campaign, there will also be roadshows in small and big towns but no large public meeting, Congress leaders said.

Uttar Pradesh will see assembly elections early next year.
Deoria (Uttar Pradesh), Sep 6 : Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday began a 2,500-km 'Kisan Yatra', accusing the Narendra Modi government of ignoring the plight of farmers.

Addressing a huge gathering at Rudrapur in Deoria district, Gandhi said Modi was ready to waive off loans of rich corporates but wasn't willing to do that in the case of farmers.

"Modiji is writing off loans of rich corporates. He should do the same for farmers in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere in the country," he said.

"We have embarked on this Yatra to know the problems of the farmers and to help Modiji understand the situation too."

Gandhi, whose Yatra will take him to 39 districts spread over 55 of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, declared that he and his party would always stand by the distressed farmers.

Addressing a rally at Banwari Tola in Siswa Mahant village, he said: "We will not allow an inch of their land to be taken forcibly for developmental or any other purposes.

"Your fight is mine," he told the gathering. He also accused Modi of stopping all welfare programmes started by the earlier Congress-led UPA government.

Gandhi suggested that the government could help the farmers in three ways.

One, by writing off loans taken by them. Second, by slashing electricity bills to half and third by increasing the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

"In the UPA government, we waived off farmers' loans worth Rs 70,000 crore. We also kept revising MSP, which this government is not doing," the Congress leader said.

Gandhi demanded to know why there was a huge gap between the market price of pulses and the price at which farmers sell them.

"Farmers sell pulses at Rs 40 per kilogram but its market price is around Rs 200. I ask Modiji, why is there such a huge difference?

"Where is the difference money going? It is being pocketed by middlemen."

He added: "Kisano ka dukh hamara dukh hai (We can feel farmers' pain as our own)."

Gandhi rued that a region once considered a sugar bowl was lying in a state of neglect with most sugar mills shut down. He blamed both the state and central governments for the crisis.

"Now most mills have shut down. Who is responsible for this? The state and central governments."

Earlier, Gandhi offered prayers at a Shiva temple - Baba Dugdheshwarnath - and then started his Yatra in a specially designed bus.

Dressed in a white starched kurta and a blue jeans, Gandhi had tea at a Dalit's home on way to Kushinagar, 15 km from Deoria city. He munched corn at a roadside halt.

Reminding farmers of MNREGA, which the Congress government initiated, Gandhi alleged that Modi had scrapped the scheme.

During Gandhi's month-long Yatra, he will be holding rallies and 'khat chaupals' to interact with farmers.

The first such event went awry on Tuesday when soon after the event ended with Gandhi speech, farmers jostled to grab some 2,000 string cots which were bought by the Congress.

The Congress leader was greeted by huge crowds as he reached Deoria. Crowds showered rose petals on the vehicles accompanying Gandhi, who waved at the people lining the streets.

He will spend the night at the Gorakhpur circuit house. Uttar Pradesh will see assembly elections early next year.
Vientiane, Sep 6 : US President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced doubling of the assistance to efforts to help remove millions of unexploded bombs and explosive ordnance (UXO) in Laos.

The announcement to increase funding to $90 million over three years to remove the danger of UXO was made in a speech delivered by Obama to an audience in Vientiane's National Culture Hall during his visit, the first by a US President to the southeast Asian country, Xinhua news agency reported.

Laos bore the brunt of US bombing raids in the so-called "Secret War" during the period from 1964-1973 which saw some 2.5 million tonnes of ordnance dropped during the military intervention in the landlocked country, Obama said.

Obama said the US had a moral obligation to assist in safely removing the threat of UXO, a "painful legacy of war" that continued to shatter lives in Laos.

"Many of the bombs that were dropped never exploded," Obama said.

He also expressed thanks to the government of Laos for its contribution to repatriate the remains of US service personnel declared missing in action over several years.
Stockholm, Sep 7 : Two judges were on Tuesday asked to leave a panel that picks the Nobel prize for medicine in a scandal surrounding an Italian transplant surgeon.

The decision to drop Harriet Wallberg and Anders Hamsten came after the Swedish government sacked the entire board of Sweden's prestigious Karolinska Institute, where the scientist worked, the BBC reported.

The two judges who lost their positions on the Nobel panel have both served as heads of the Karolinska Institute, and were among several individuals suspected of ignoring warnings about the Italian windpipe scientist.

Stem-cell surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, who denies any wrongdoing, faces numerous accusations of scientific fraud and misconduct resulting in the death of two patients and being investigated on suspicion of gross criminal negligence.

The case has come as a severe blow to the institute. In a report on the case on Monday, a former Swedish judge said he had "never seen such negative references" and questioned why the surgeon had been initially hired and then had his contract extended.

"Confidence in the two principals is so seriously damaged that it has been exhausted," panel's secretary Thomas Perlmann told Sweden's TT news agency.

"The damage is so great, and of such a character, that we will ask them to resign from the Nobel Assembly."

The 50-member Nobel panel is due to announce the winner of the annual prize in October.
Washington, Sep 7 : The US has reiterated that it wants accountability from Pakistan on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 166 lives.

"We've been very clear that we want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks, and as you noted, there were American citizens who lost their lives in that - those terrible attacks," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in Monday's daily press briefing in response to a question about Secretary of State John Kerry's mentioning about US' efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators behind the attacks in which six Americans were also killed.

Kerry was in New Delhi to attend the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue on August 30.

"We've long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation, and that includes the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan in that regard," Toner said.

"That continues; those efforts continue. As I said, we want to see full accountability for these terrible attacks."

The four-day attacks starting from November 26, 2008, were carried out by 10 terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit.

One of them, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and put to death under the Indian justice system while the other nine terrorists were killed by security forces.

On April 9, 2015, the foremost ringleader of the attacks, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, was granted bail in Pakistan against surety bonds of 200,000 ($2,000) Pakistan rupees.
New Delhi, Sep 7 : The World Trade Organization (WTO) has asked India to prepare a paper that would form the basis for initiating discussions and work on a Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in services, Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday.

"The WTO has asked us to prepare a paper to initiate discussions and work on a Trade Facilitation Agreement in services," Sitharaman said at a panel discussion on the Economist magazine's 'India Summit' here.

"At a meeting with WTO ministers in Paris, which I attended, we raised the point that while there is a TFA in goods, there is no TFA in services," the minister said.

Sitharaman said the issue was raised at an informal meeting with members of the WTO on the sidelines of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ministerial council meeting in Paris in June.

"I am glad that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has referred to this matter," she added in reference to his intervention in the matter at the G20 Summit in China on Monday.

"Knowledge- and innovation-driven economy requires free mobility. India's priority is to work towards Trade Facilitation Agreement for Services," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a tweet quoting the Prime Minister.

India is pushing for a TFA in services at the WTO as this sector has huge potential and contributes significantly to the country's economy.

"India has a strong services sector, which contributes over 55 per cent to our Gross Domestic Product," she said, adding that India was unable to leverage its strength in services to get the necessary benefits in the TFA in goods signed with the Asean group, for instance.
New Delhi, Sep 7 : DigiLocker -- the country's first secured cloud-based platform for the storage, issuance and verification of documents and certificates in a digital manner -- was launched here on Wednesday.

The innovative measure was jointly launched by Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Minister for Information and Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad at the Transport Ministry here.

The platform launched under the Digital India initiative, which the Indian government initiated to digitally empower society and knowledge economy, targets the idea of paperless governance.

According to the ministry, DigiLocker will eliminate the use of physical documents, help accessing them anytime, anywhere and able to share online, and avoid forgery.

The integration of driving licence and registration certificates with the DigiLocker will enable their access through mobile devices.

"It will help in bringing transparency. People will be happy that through it vehicle documents can be registered. This will help in people getting rid of corruption," Gadkari said on the occasion.

Currently, the transport ministry has a database of over 19 crore vehicle registration and over 10 crore driving licences, which will be integrated with the DigiLocker.

"DigiLocker has become a different and unique symbol of digitisation. Its usage will be speeded up in a great way in the next one year," Prasad said.

It reduces the administrative overhead of government departments by minimising the use of paper and makes it easier to validate the authenticity of documents as they are issued directly by the registered issuers, the ministry said.

Through the app, the self-loaded documents can be digitally signed using the eSign facility, which is similar to the process of self attestation.

According to the ministry, DigiLocker already has 21 lakh users.
Mumbai, Sep 7 : Veteran actor Anil Kapoor took Mumbai's famed local train, simply called 'Local', to avoid traffic and reach home quickly to spend some quality time with his family.

The 59-year-old went down the memory lane while travelling by train.

"Mumbai Central life as it passes. Childhood memories, travelling to Delhi to meet my grandparents," tweeted the "Nayak" star on Tuesday night.

He shared a photograph along with some police officers on the train and captioned the image: "Don't worry not arrested, just a happy selfie with our cops. Thank you for everything! Mumbai local. Dadar."

The actor, who will soon be seen sharing screen space with his nephew Arjun Kapoor in the upcoming film "Mubarakan", shared that it just took him 20 minutes to reach back home.

"What would have taken us two hours today took us 20 minutes...Life as we know it on time for Visarjan. Ganpati Bappa Morya," he tweeted.

"Avoiding the Visarjan traffic and earning brownie points for getting home on time with the wife! Ganpati Bappa Morya," Anil added.
Washington, Sep 7 : A retired army general on Wednesday slammed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for remarks that as President he will ask the US military to come up with a plan within one month to defeat the Islamic State militant group.

"I had to ask myself, what the hell does he think we've been trying to do for the last 14 years in terms of Al-Qaeda?" retired army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling said on Tuesday.

At a rally in North Carolina, Trump said that on day one of his presidency, he would convene his top generals and give a "simple instruction" to submit to the Oval Office "a plan for soundly and quickly defeating the IS" in 30 days, CNN reported.

Hertling, who served in the US Army for 37 years, called Trump's orders "simplistic" and insulting to those working to defeat the IS.

"It shows a complete lack of understanding of the threat and the ways to fight it," Hertling said.

"It's a sophomoric approach to elements of national security policy because if he's just calling in the military, he's missing the point that there are several other elements of national security that will help defeat the IS," Hertling said. He argued that the US has made some good advances against the group.

According to CNN, the Democrats have highlighted statements Trump has made about military leaders in the past, most notably criticising him for saying in November last year, "I know more about the IS than the generals do, believe me."

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton brought up the line in July, saying that "No, Donald, you don't."

The New York billionaire's comments came on the same day his campaign released a letter signed by 88 retired military leaders endorsing his presidential candidacy, including four four-star generals and 14 three-star flag officers.

The former military leaders wrote a letter backing Trump for President, which Hertling described as surprising.

"I didn't recognise many of those names as being there in the fight with me over the last 16 years," Hertling said. "There aren't a whole lot of names in the fight against Al-Qaeda or several other forces."

Hertling said that most of the names on the list were Navy admirals who were not on the ground during the war against terror.
New Delhi, Sep 7 : Chinese internet conglomerate LeEco's television brand LeTV has won the "Internet TV Solutions Gold Award" at the "IFA Product Technical Innovation Awards 2016" in Berlin, Germany.

LeTV stood out with its design and "ecosystem" innovation, the company said in a statement.

In addition to its high-end hardware specs and industrial design, LeTV is backed by an ecosystem of interconnected internet services and products, including content streaming, gaming, online shopping and cross-device control.

Last month, LeEco launch its content-integrated Super3 series TVs -- Super3 X55, Super3 X65 and Super3 Max65 -- in India.

Super3 X55-139.7 cm (55) is available for Rs 59,790, LeEco Super3 X65-163.9 cm (65) is priced at Rs 99,790 while Super3 Max65-163.9 cm (65) comes at a price of Rs 149,790.

In April this year, LeTV won the "Best Industrial Design Award" in China.
Amritsar, Sep 7 : Intelligence agencies have detained a Kashmiri man at the Attari border near here for carrying a badge of Pakistan-based terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen, security officials said on Wednesday.

The man, Hilal Ahmed, about 24 years old, was being questioned by intelligence agencies after officials of the customs department found the badge from his luggage during checking at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Attari, 30 km from here.

Ahmed, who had gone to Pakistan about 10 days ago through the Attari border, returned on Tuesday.

Security officials said further investigations were in progress.

The Hizbul Mujahideen is the oldest terrorist outfit spreading its separatist agenda in the Jammu and Kashmir state. The outfit operates from Pakistan.
Ghaziabad, Sep 7 : Police on Wednesday said they have arrested an eighth criminal wanted for an attack on BJP leader Brijpal Teotia last month.

Police officials in Lucknow said Manoj was nabbed near Manan Dhaam Duhai on the Delhi-Meerut Road.

He was reportedly under electronic surveillance since the August 11 attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh.

Manish, Raj Kumar, Nishant, Rahul Tyagi, Jitendra alias Pope, Gaurav, Abhishek and Babbal were arrested earlier.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) R.K. Pandey said about half a dozen other criminals were yet to be arrested.

Manoj told the police that he left for Jaipur after giving a final touch to the plan to attack Teotia.

Since then he had travelled to different areas. The police recovered a 32 calibre pistol and cartridges from his possession.
Gorakhpur, Sep 7 : Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit back at the rival parties that took dig at his 'khaat chaupal' in Deoria a day earlier and raked up the Vijay Mallya case to get even with the government.

"Agar hamare kisan bhai khaat le kar chale gaye to chor; Vijay Mallya jaise log hazaro karod le kar desh se bhaag gaye to vo defaulter (if farmers take away cots they are called thieves but if people like Vijay Mallya run away from the country with thousands of crores they are defaulters)," the Congress leader told a gathering at the Sugar Mill grounds in Khaleelabad.

He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of working for the industrialists and not fulfilling any promises made to the people in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Taking a dig at Modi's foreign trips, the Congress leader said Modi was enjoying life whereas the people in the country were facing difficulties.

Gandhi also demanded a loan waiver for farmers as was done by the previous United Progressive Alliance government led by the Congress.

The Modi government will not do so since it is busy pleasing its industrialist friends and offering them sops, the Congress leader said.

Gandhi said the Modi government had waived off loans of industrialists running into billions of rupees.

The Gorakhpur rally was part of his ongoing 'Kisan Mahayatra' kickstarted from Deoria on Tuesday.

It will conclude in Delhi after covering 223 of the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier in the day, he visited the Gorakhpur medical college and met patients suffering from Japanese Encephalitis.

In a brief interaction with the media, he charged the NDA government at the Centre of giving no funds for eastern UP to tackle Japanese Encephalitis.
Ankara, Sep 7 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday suggested Turkey and the US are ready to drive the Islamic State from its Syrian stronghold of al-Raqqa.

Erdogan said his US counterpart Barack Obama floated the idea of joint action against the militants when they met at the G20 summit in China. BBC reported, quoting Erdogan as saying, Turkey would have "no problem" with such action.

Last month Turkey launched an operation inside Syria, targeting both the IS and Kurdish rebels.

Turkish-backed militia drove IS from the border town of Jarablus, but Turkey has also been concerned with checking the advance of Kurdish forces whom it regards as terrorists.

Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said Turkish forces might push deeper into Syria after securing a stretch of land along the border.

Canikli also said 110 Islamic State and Kurdish militia fighters had been killed since the operation began.

Russia, which is allied to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said it was "deeply concerned" by the Turkish advance.

Erdogan's comments on Raqqa were published in Turkish media. There has been no confirmation from the US.

"Obama wants to do some things jointly concerning Raqqa," Erdogan said. "We said this would not be a problem from our perspective."

"I said: 'Our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done,'" Erdogan added.
Washington/Vientiane, Sep 7 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama will hold a bilateral meeting on Thursday in Vientiane, Laos, in perhaps one of their last such meetings before Obama demits office in November.

The White House made the announcement of the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in its official announcement of the President's schedule.

"In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India," the White House said.

On Wednesday night, the two leaders along with Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah clinked glasses at a dinner gala thrown by the Laos Prime Minister in Vientiane.

The two leaders met just days ago, on Sunday in Hangzhou, China, during the G20 Summit where Obama praised the passage of the Good and Services Tax bill by the Indian Parliament.
Bhopal, Sep 7 : Bhopal police said they have solved the kidnapping case of a college student and rescued her from a hotel in Ajmer. They have arrested one person and launched a search to nab the other accused.

Rachna Parmar, a B.A Second Year student of LLB Girls College, was reported to be missing from college campus on August 30. Her relatives received a ransom call for Rs 20 lakh from the abductors to release her.

SP Southern range Arvind Saxena told IANS said that Rachna was the daughter of Bhopal Parmar, a resident of Mandideep.

"Police after receiving a complaint registered a kidnapping case in Shyamla Hills police station and investigated the case. On receiving a tip off on Tuesday, police party raided a hotel in Ajmer and arrested Raja Miya. Rachna was kept in the same hotel," said Saxena.

His partner, Bablu, co-accused in the case, managed to flee from there. A manhunt is on to arrest him, the official said.
University of Mary Washington Goes Live with Ex Libris Alma and Primo

Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, is pleased to announce University of Mary Washington has selected the Ex Libris Alma library management service and Primo discovery and delivery solution.

CHICAGO, IL, September 7, 2016  Ex Libris Group, a world leader in the provision of library automation solutions, is pleased to announce that the University of Mary Washington (UMW) has gone live with the Ex Libris Alma library management service and Primo discovery and delivery solution.

In 2015, after using various VTLS library solutions, including Virtua, for more than 30 years, the University of Mary Washington Libraries embarked on a process to evaluate next-generation solutions. The Libraries main goal was to implement a robust, cloud-based system that would include workflows for handling the various material types, both print and electronic, and thus enable the UMW Libraries to optimally manage their collections and meet users expectations of a first-class library experience.

UMW libraries had opted to be ProQuest Intota development partners, and with the acquisition of Ex Libris by ProQuest, the UMW libraries decided that the best way forward would be to adopt both Alma and Primo. The implementation took place during the spring of 2016, and UMW is now live with the two solutions. UMW is the first of the Intota development partners to implement the Alma service for unified resource management.

With cloud-based solutions such as Alma and Primo, libraries can concentrate on more mission-critical tasks, especially in todays constantly changing user-experience landscape and with the growing importance of electronic resource management, commented University Librarian Rosemary Arneson. Through conversations with ProQuest and Ex Libris, we felt that moving to Alma and Primo would enable us to shift our focus appropriately, and to do so in a very short period of time.

Eric Hines, president of Ex Libris North America, noted that The University of Mary Washington Libraries are leading the way for other institutions that were Intota development partners. UMW is now realizing the benefits of the Ex Libris-ProQuest acquisition in our commitment to not only support our customer libraries but also contribute to their success by pursuing innovation and implementing features suggested by the Intota community.

About The University of Mary Washington

Founded in Virginia in 1908, the University of Mary Washington has a rich history of traditions and academic excellence, evolving from the State Normal and Industrial School for Women into one of the nations premier, selective public liberal arts and sciences universities today. From 1944 to 1972, UMW functioned as the womens college of the University of Virginia, after which the school was reorganized as an independent college. In 2004, it was renamed the University of Mary Washington, in honor of the mother of George Washington. Today UMW has three collegesArts and Sciences, Business, and Educationand offers its approximately 4,000 undergraduates and several hundred graduate students more than 60 majors and programs of study.

About Ex Libris

Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, is a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions for higher education. Offering SaaS solutions for the management and discovery of the full spectrum of library and scholarly materials, as well as mobile campus solutions driving student engagement and success, Ex Libris serves thousands of customers in 90 countries. For more information about Ex Libris, see our website, and join us on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About ProQuest (http://www.proquest.com)

ProQuest connects people with vetted, reliable information. Key to serious research, the companys products are a gateway to the worlds knowledge including dissertations, governmental and cultural archives, news, historical collections and ebooks. ProQuest technologies serve users across the critical points in research, helping them discover, access, share, create and manage information.

The companys cloud-based technologies offer flexible solutions for librarians, students and researchers through the ProQuest, Bowker, Coutts information services, Dialog, ebrary, EBL, and SIPX businesses  and notable research tools such as the Summon discovery service, the RefWorks citation and reference management platform, MyiLibrary ebook platform, the Pivot research development tool and Intota. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with offices around the world.
That Time the Literary Digest Poll Got the 1936 Election Wrong

Its not the size of the sample...

...Or How Not to Predict the Outcome of a Presidential Election

A forecaster should almost never ignore data, especially when she is studying rare events like recessions or presidential elections, about which there isnt very much data to begin with. Ignoring data is often a tip-off that the forecaster is overconfident, or is overfitting her modelthat she is interested in showing off rather than trying to be accurate.

 Nate Silver, The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-but Some Don't

Its not the size of the sample...

Results Today Point to Close November Race: This Year's May Be the Sharpest Battle Since 1916; 1936 Election Seen as Closest in Years, declared the Washington Post* in July 1936 regarding the battle between Republican Alf Landon and the incumbent Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt for the presidency.

The article summarized results from recent polls that showed American voters seemingly split or giving Landon a lead in the race.

One of the surveys that would come to this conclusion was conducted by the Literary Digest. Among the most esteemed magazines of the time, The Literary Digest had a history of accurately predicting the winners of presidential elections going back to 1920.

The mailing list for the publications 1936 straw vote poll was culled from automobile registrations and telephones books, resulting in about 10 million names. Approximately 2.4 million recipients returned the mock ballots. This is a HUMUNGOUS sample for such a survey  the Literary Digest poll remains one of the largest and most expensive polls ever conducted.

This massive sample size instilled a sense of confidence for the magazine and many of the American people in the accuracy of the results, which indicated Landon would get 57% of the vote and Roosevelt 43%.

An unprecedented and unexpected landslide

In the actual election, Roosevelt took 62% of the popular vote against 38% for Landon.

This was the highest popular-vote percentage won at the time and the second highest won in U.S. history  the highest percentage of the popular vote went to Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

In the greatest demonstration of public confidence and appreciation ever awarded a President, the voters of the United States of America swept Franklin Delano Roosevelt back into office by the startling total of a possible 523 electoral college votes to a meager 8 for Republican candidate, Alfred M. Landon, reported the Atlanta Daily World* two days after the remarkable election. The Democrats were amazed at the magnitude of their own victory.

Roosevelt took a record 98.5% of the electoral votes available, winning the race by the greatest electoral landslide since the beginning of the current two-party system in the 1850s. Roosevelt carried every state except Maine and Vermont.

The only candidate to surpass Roosevelts victory was Ronald Reagan in the 1984 election when there were 7 more electoral votes available to contest.

As a result of this election, some experts predicted the demise of the Republican Party, as many voters held them responsible for causing the Great Depression. However, Republicans would make a strong comeback in the 1938 congressional elections, although they were not able to win back the presidency until 1952.

Building a better polling method

The sampling error was 19% in the Literary Digest poll, the largest ever in a major public opinion poll.

Over the decades, scholars have speculated and hypothesized about where The Literary Digest went wrong. One problem many experts had with the survey was that it didnt actually sample the American public at all. It sampled only the car- and telephone-owning American public, a more well-to-do segment of the population that wasnt inclusive of lower income voters who might seem more likely to support Roosevelt.

(For insightful analysis of the factors that contributed to the disastrous Literary Digest poll, check out Peverill Squires article Why the 1936 Literary Digest Poll Failed, published in Public Opinion Quarterly and available on the ProQuest Central database.)

That same election year, George Gallup, an advertising executive who founded the American Institute of Public Opinion, initiated the scientific polling method that is still used today in the prediction of election results. The Daily Boston Globe* visited the offices of the American Institute of Public Opinion just after the 1936 election to report on this new methodology in the article How Gallup Got His Figures: Poll that Predicted Roosevelt Election is Based on Harvard Professors Formula for Sampling Voters.

Gallups poll not only predicted that Roosevelt would win the election  based on a sample of 50,000 people  he also predicted that the error in the Literary Digest results. The Gallup Poll would become an integral part of future presidential elections, and remains one of the most prominent election polling organizations.

*Available from ProQuest Historical Newspapers.

...Or How Not to Predict the Outcome of a Presidential Election

A forecaster should almost never ignore data, especially when she is studying rare events like recessions or presidential elections, about which there isnt very much data to begin with. Ignoring data is often a tip-off that the forecaster is overconfident, or is overfitting her modelthat she is interested in showing off rather than trying to be accurate.

 Nate Silver, The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-but Some Don't

Its not the size of the sample...

Results Today Point to Close November Race: This Year's May Be the Sharpest Battle Since 1916; 1936 Election Seen as Closest in Years, declared the Washington Post* in July 1936 regarding the battle between Republican Alf Landon and the incumbent Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt for the presidency.

The article summarized results from recent polls that showed American voters seemingly split or giving Landon a lead in the race.

One of the surveys that would come to this conclusion was conducted by the Literary Digest**. Among the most esteemed magazines of the time, the Literary Digest had a history of accurately predicting the winners of presidential elections going back to 1920.

The mailing list for the publications 1936 straw vote poll was culled from automobile registrations and telephones books, resulting in about 10 million names. Approximately 2.4 million recipients returned the mock ballots. This is a HUMUNGOUS sample for such a survey  the Literary Digest poll remains one of the largest and most expensive polls ever conducted.

This massive sample size instilled a sense of confidence for the magazine and many of the American people in the accuracy of the results, which indicated Landon would get 57% of the vote and Roosevelt 43%.

An unprecedented and unexpected landslide

In the actual election, Roosevelt took 62% of the popular vote against 38% for Landon.

This was the highest popular-vote percentage won at the time and the second highest won in U.S. history  the highest percentage of the popular vote went to Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

In the greatest demonstration of public confidence and appreciation ever awarded a President, the voters of the United States of America swept Franklin Delano Roosevelt back into office by the startling total of a possible 523 electoral college votes to a meager 8 for Republican candidate, Alfred M. Landon, reported the Atlanta Daily World* two days after the remarkable election. The Democrats were amazed at the magnitude of their own victory.

Roosevelt took a record 98.5% of the electoral votes available, winning the race by the greatest electoral landslide since the beginning of the current two-party system in the 1850s. Roosevelt carried every state except Maine and Vermont.

The only candidate to surpass Roosevelts victory was Ronald Reagan in the 1984 election when there were 7 more electoral votes available to contest.

As a result of this election, some experts predicted the demise of the Republican Party, as many voters held them responsible for causing the Great Depression. However, Republicans would make a strong comeback in the 1938 congressional elections, although they were not able to win back the presidency until 1952.

Building a better polling method

The sampling error was 19% in the Literary Digest poll, the largest ever in a major public opinion poll.

Over the decades, scholars have speculated and hypothesized about where the Literary Digest went wrong. One problem many experts had with the survey was that it didnt actually sample the American public at all. It sampled only the car- and telephone-owning American public, a more well-to-do segment of the population that wasnt inclusive of lower income voters who might seem more likely to support Roosevelt.

(For insightful analysis of the factors that contributed to the disastrous Literary Digest poll, check out Peverill Squires article Why the 1936 Literary Digest Poll Failed, published in Public Opinion Quarterly and available on the ProQuest Central database.)

That same election year, George Gallup, an advertising executive who founded the American Institute of Public Opinion, initiated the scientific polling method that is still used today in the prediction of election results. The Daily Boston Globe* visited the offices of the American Institute of Public Opinion just after the 1936 election to report on this new methodology in the article How Gallup Got His Figures: Poll that Predicted Roosevelt Election is Based on Harvard Professors Formula for Sampling Voters.

Gallups poll not only predicted that Roosevelt would win the election  based on a sample of 50,000 people  he also predicted that the error in the Literary Digest results. The Gallup Poll would become an integral part of future presidential elections, and remains one of the most prominent election polling organizations.

*Available from ProQuest Historical Newspapers

**Indexed in Periodicals Index Online
The International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) and IBM Security today announced that Bertina Ceccarelli, CEO of NPower, would keynote a town hall event addressing the underrepresentation of women and minorities in cybersecurity.

Sponsored by the ICMCP and IBM, and to be held on October 4th during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the town hall event will bring together thought-leaders from academia and the cybersecurity industry to deliberate on innovative approaches to overcome the diversity gap in cybersecurity.

NPower is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping youth from underserved communities and military veterans pursue careers in information technology. NPower recently launched its free 26- week cybersecurity curriculum in partnership with Symantec, graduating 46 students, all from underrepresented backgrounds

Ms. Ceccarelli began her career in the Management Information Services division at Proctor & Gamble. Prior to joining the nonprofit sector, Ceccarelli led creative and technical operations for NBC.com and ran the consumer business for GiftCertificates.com. In her transition to the nonprofit sector, she served as Senior VP, Institutional Advancement at United Way of New York City and as Executive VP, Wildlife Conservation Society.

While cybersecurity has been identified as one of todays most serious economic and national security challenges, the industry faces a significant shortage of skilled practitioners, expected to reach 1.5 million open and unfilled positions by 2020. This growing skills shortage is compounded by a lack of diversity within the cybersecurity workforce, with a significant underrepresentation of women, African Americans, and Hispanics.

Women currently represent only 10% of the cybersecurity workforce, despite an overall 48 percent workforce representation in the U.S. Further, African Americans, Asians and Hispanics represent less than 12 percent of information security analyst positions in the U.S.

In confirming her keynote, Ceccarelli remarked, I am thrilled to take part in this town hall event. The mission of the ICMCP is directly aligned with NPowers, which is to bridge the cybersecurity diversity gap by providing educational and financial opportunities to underrepresented and underserved communities, and to bring more talent to the field. I look forward to sharing my experience, learning from others, and helping to further this critical dialogue.

During the half-day IBM-hosted and sponsored New York City event, thought leaders will hold a series of expert panel and audience-driven discussions, and examine ways to further the inclusion of women and underrepresented minorities in cybersecurity.

This free event is aimed at Chief Information Security officers, security professionals, and educators, and will be held at IBMs office at 590 Madison Avenue, New York City, from 12:00 pm  6:30 pm EST, October 4. For more information and to RSVP, please visit https://icmcp.org/icmcpeast2016

About ICMCP

The International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It began official operations in September 2014 and is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, to provide members with educational/technical scholarships, mentoring opportunities, professional development and networking.

About IBM Security

IBM Security offers one of the most advanced and integrated portfolios of enterprise security products and services. The portfolio, supported by world-renowned IBM X-Force research, enables organizations to effectively manage risk and defend against emerging threats. IBM operates one of the worlds broadest security research, development and delivery organizations, monitors 20 billion security events per day in more than 130 countries, and holds more than 3,000 security patents. For more information, please visit http://www.ibm.com/security, follow @IBMSecurity on Twitter or visit the IBM Security Intelligence blog.

###

ICMCP Media Contact:

press(at)icmcp(dot)org

URL: http://icmcp.org/

IBM Media Contact:

Cassy Lalan

cllalan(at)us(dot)ibm(dot)com

319-230-2232
Sarah Barkley Raaymakers

The Pasco County lawyers network known as the West Pasco Bar Association (WPBA) honors its outgoing president, Sarah Barkley Raaymakers as she ended her term this past June. After one year of service to the organization, Raaymakers has led a number of contributions by her executive board that greatly affected the WPBA and its extended community of lawyers throughout the Tampa Bay area.

It was an honor to serve as Raaymakerss president elect this year, said Ryan Doddridge, 2015-2016 WPBA president-elect. The Association has experienced major growth under her leadership and I am excited to extend her legacy this year.

The WPBA has been in place in Pasco Country since 1966, with the mission to invite a network of lawyers to serve the legal profession and the community. Regular events educate and unite local lawyers, and its website enables an online community for members to collaborate on projects, and gain professional knowledge about the field of law and career development. In the year of Raaymakers's presidency, the association initiated the West Pasco Lawyer Referral Service and made the Association the most financially healthy it has been in years. Its most notable event this year was the annual Spring Continuing Legal Education event, which provided members a substantial amount of ethics training.

Raaymakers has been involved in the WPBA since 2010, moving through the ranks, beginning as director, treasurer, vice president and president. Raaymakers thanks her talented board of directors for their accomplishments and will fondly remember celebrating the WPBAs 50th anniversary this year at Crescent Oaks Country Club.

About Carlson, Meissner, Hart & Hayslett, P.A.

The law firm of Carlson, Meissner, Hart & Hayslett P.A. was founded in 1971 by attorneys Ed Carlson and Paul Meissner. For more than four decades, they have been committed to protecting the injured and defending the accused. Their attorneys have established a solid reputation of case success throughout Florida, providing strong legal representation, easy accessibility and a high level of dependability. A client-centered approach ensures clients know what is happening as their case progresses, and understand their options every step of the way. With a focus on personal injury, they help victims of auto accidents, slip and falls and wrongful death accidents. The firm is well-known for their innovative criminal defense and DUI work, defending both local and high-profile clients. Attorney and Partner Kevin Hayslett is widely recognized as The Attorney to the Stars, providing strong legal representation for notable celebrities and dignitaries throughout Florida. The firm also handles Social Security disability, workers' compensation, divorce, family law and immigration cases. They offer free initial consultations and have 5 convenient Tampa Bay Area locations, including Tampa, Spring Hill, Bradenton, New Port Richey and Clearwater. Attorneys are available 24/7 for emergencies. Count on the legal team of Carlson, Meissner, Hart & Hayslett, P.A. to be there, fighting for you, protecting your rights. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 877-728-9653 or visit their website at CarlsonMeissner.com
A UJUC community will observe Tashlich at the Hayakawa River in Japan. UJUC services will range from a Jazz High Holiday in New York City to an outdoor service in a hillside town near Mt. Fuji in Japan.

The four founding Union of Jewish Universalist Communities' Rabbis will deliver a path to spiritual renewal with innovative services for Rosh Hashanah on October 3 and Yom Kippur on October 12.

The High Holidays, in Hebrew Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, begin the Jewish New Year and last for 10 days ending with the Day of Atonement. They are a time of reflection and rejuvenation. The UJUC offerings create a vanguard space to honor tradition with creativity and ingenuity, pillars of Judaism.

Services range from a Jazz High Holiday service offered by Sim Shalom and its Founder Rabbi Steven Blane at the iconic Bitter End in New York City to an outdoor service in the hillside town of Hakune near Mt. Fuji in Japan led by Rabbi Ivan Browner. There will be heavenly sounds from Temple B'nai Israel in Florence, Alabama, led by Rabbi Nancy Tunick. "Congregants will lead a reading or prayer, and each solo voice will lead to the next, becoming one glorious song." In California, a synagogue without walls, led by Rabbi Eran Bar-Adon, will reflect by the Pacific Ocean with music, song and meditation.

Jewish Universalism is a new movement in Judaism established in 2014 to nurture participation in Jewish practice without barriers. It espouses love for all mankind and acceptance. The services celebrate plurality with song and worship.

According to Rabbi Blane, "The UJUC's mission is to strengthen the rich and diverse tapestry of Judaism with joy, wisdom, and inclusiveness. The diverse offerings of its Founding Rabbis illustrate the breadth of these communities."

The New York City Jazz services will meld traditional liturgy with the improvisation of jazz. Rabbi Blane and his jazz quartet will offer up Sim Shalom's services to a live local congregation and streamed around the globe.

In Japan, individuals searching to perform Tashlich, the Jewish ritual of symbolically casting away one's sins, can join Rabbi Browner at the Hayakawa River. Rabbi Browner serves locals curious about Judaism as well as the many Jewish visitors to Tokyo.

Congregants in the South can join Rabbi Tunick in Alabama and her services filled with music in a mix of traditional and original melodies. Her services are free and all are welcome.

The intimate service in California will be shared by families singing and eating foods like pomegranates and apples dipped in honey, symbolizing the sweetness of the New Year and paradise.

For more information about the UJUC and its Founders, click here. You can read more about the other UJUC Rabbis at the site.

About Sim Shalom

Sim Shalom is an interactive online Jewish Universalist synagogue which is liberal in thought and traditional in liturgy. Created in 2009 by Rabbi Steven Blane on Manhattan's Upper West Side, Sim Shalom offers a means of connecting the unconnected. Rabbi Blane leads accessible and short Kabbalt Shabbat services every Friday night using a virtual interface and, additionally, Sim Shalom provides online education programs, Jazz concerts, conversion and life-cycle ceremonies along with weeknight services at 7:00PM EST, led by Rabbis and students of this online community.

Rabbi Blane is also the founder and director of the Jewish Spiritual Leader's Institute, http://www.jsli.net, the online professional rabbinical program.

Sim Shalom, a non profit 501  (3) tax-exempt organization, nurtures a Jewish connection through its mission of innovative services, creative education and dynamic outreach to the global community. For more information, visit http://www.simshalom.com or call 201-338-0165
This recognition belongs to our employees and reflects the relentless contribution they make in building and growing our business every day." - Mazik President and CEO, Sid Siddiqui

Mazik Global, a software development and implementation company, has been named to the 2016 Presidents Club for Microsoft Dynamics. This achievement is a direct result of Mazik Globals outstanding dedication to customer satisfaction through the delivery of innovative business solutions.

Presidents Club honors high-performing partners for their commitment to customers, which is reflected in their business success and growth. This prestigious group represents the top 5 percent of Microsoft Dynamics partners worldwide. Membership is granted based on their continual, committed efforts aimed at offering solutions that meet the needs of their customers.

This recognition of Presidents Club for Microsoft Dynamics came during Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) 2016, the annual premier partner event, which took place July 10-14 in Toronto, Ontario. WPC provides the Microsoft partner community with the opportunity to learn about the companys road map for the upcoming year, establish connections, share best practices, experience the latest product innovations and learn new skills.

Each year we recognize and honor Microsoft Dynamics partners from around the world for exemplary performance, said Frank Holland, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Business Solutions Sales & Partners. The award-winning partners clearly demonstrate their dedication to their customers business success through their exceptional commitment and expertise. Microsoft is honored to recognize Mazik Global for their achievements this past year and for their dedication and support of Microsoft Dynamics applications.

Mazik Global is dedicated to supplying valuable solutions that help customers achieve a competitive advantage by working with them to identify the best solutions and services that accommodate their business needs while excelling in customer satisfaction. By collaborating with the teams at Microsoft, Mazik Global maintains a strong expertise of the Microsoft platform to provide innovative solutions, strong services and unparalleled value to their customers.

Mazik Global provides implementation, training, and consultation globally for small, midsize, and corporate businesses using business enterprise applications. Mazik Global specializes in Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the Azure cloud, in addition to the rest of the Microsoft suite of solutions, to develop and deploy solutions, in various industries including healthcare, manufacturing, education, and the internet of things, that help leading global companies get to market faster and achieve continued success. Sid Siddiqui, Mazik Globals President and CEO, celebrates this award, It is an extremely humbling experience to be recognized by Microsoft with this prestigious award. This recognition belongs to our employees and reflects the relentless contribution they make in building and growing our business every day, 365 days a year. I am very excited and look forward to leveraging this success in year 2017 and beyond as we continue to evolve in this ever changing technology market.

Mazik Global is a visionary, experienced, and time-proven global ERP solution development and implementation company. With 300+ expert resources serving our customers world-wide, Mazik Global is recognized as the most deeply experienced Microsoft Dynamics go-to partner globally. As one of the core development groups for Microsoft Dynamics AX, Mazik has deep expertise developing, implementing, and consulting on the complete Microsoft Stack including Windows 10 and the Azure cloud to improve the AX solution across a variety of industries including healthcare, manufacturing, higher education, and the internet of things. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Mazik offers a global delivery model with rapid and economical deployment methodologies.
Lesa Kretschmer and some of the many product available Our mission is to improve quality of life and independence with the right assistive technology.

Florida Vision Technology (formerly Florida Reading and Vision Technology), a leading provider of assistive technology for the visually impaired and blind, is celebrating their 13th anniversary. With over 23 years of experience, Lesa Kretschmer, founder and CEO, continues to champion efforts to enhance the quality of life for the visually impaired though community involvement and personal dedication.

Because of our growth, and the new technologies available today, I wanted to refresh our branding to reflect the companys evolution. Our new name is Florida Vision Technology, or abbreviated as FVT, adds Kretschmer.

Building the company from the ground up, Florida Vision Technology opened their flagship store in Fort Lauderdale in 2003 and formed an alliance with Lighthouse of Broward in 2008.

Connecting with our community is at the core of our business, states Kretschmer, and what better way to do that then to have a physical store where our consumers can come in, experience our products, and change their lives.

Our mission is to improve quality of life and independence with the right assistive technology, states Kretschmer. Florida Vision Technology is a provider of cutting-edge assistive technology, such as the world's 1st Google-certified Braille tablet, BrailleNote Touch, and OrCams MyEye device which reads text on-the-go and interprets objects in the wearers environment just by pointing. The MyEye device is making a big impression. The Huffington Post just featured a full article showcasing the new OrCam product.

Conveniently located at 650 N. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Lesa and the stores expert staff can assess the specific needs of the customer and provide hands-on, interactive demonstrations to ensure the right product match. From big button phones and keyboards to reading machines, magnifiers, talking watches and clocks, Florida Vision Technology offers over 500 products that help seniors and others who suffer from Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy and other retina diseases live more comfortable, convenient and independent lives.

Part of Florida Vision Technology's mission is also to keep customers up-to-date on the newest break-through products and special offers through emails, newsletters, and new products demonstrations in their store and at local and state-wide events. To connect with Lesa Kretschmer and Florida Vision Technology visit http://www.floridareading.com to sign up for their newsletter, or stop by the store at 650 N. Andrews Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33311. Like what they are doing? Visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaReading. To learn more about the company and its efforts, watch this video.

About Florida Vision Technology

According to the World Health Organization there are approximately 285 million people in the world who are visually impaired, of whom 39 million are blind. Lesa Kretschmer, founder and CEO, has worked in the blindness and low vision industry for more than 23 years. She is committed to placing the best adaptive technology and products available today within reach of blind and visually challenged people of all ages and walks of life.
USF FCU CEO, Richard Skaggs, and USF President Judy Genshaft Our mission is to improve the financial wellbeing of our members which I think we do. Were doing the right thing and with this new facility, were going to continue forward doing the right thing. - USF FCU Board Member, Dr. Scott Besley

On August 29, USF Federal Credit Union (USF FCU) hosted a special groundbreaking event to celebrate their New Tampa branch opening in mid-2017. The New Tampa branch will be USF FCUs first off-campus building that the credit union owns and features the latest in eco-friendly building techniques, a large community room, and state-of-the-art technology. Recently, USF FCU was named 2016 Credit Union of the Year by the League of Southeastern Credit Unions (LSCU) and their mission is to improve the financial wellbeing of their members. In the words of Richard Skaggs, President and CEO of USF FCU, Our members should leave in a better financial state; we did not do our job otherwise.

In attendance at the groundbreaking event was University of South Florida (USF) President, Judy Genshaft. Genshaft is the longest serving president at USF and her partnership with USF FCU has positioned them to reach over 50,000 students enrolled at USF. Thank you to USF Federal Credit Union for all that you do and for making us so proud, stated Genshaft. Following President Genshaft, Tampa City Council Chairman, Mike Suarez, talked about his relationship with USF FCU that started over 30 years ago when he was a student at USF. Suarez stated, USF Federal Credit Union has grown with me as an individual as they have grown with the community.

Two USF FCU Board Members, Dr. Rick Will (Vice Chair) and Dr. Scott Besley (Chair) also spoke at the groundbreaking event. Dr. Will, board member since 2008, recognized Skaggs, Genshaft and Suarez for their dedication and vision which has been instrumental to USF FCUs success. He concluded by saying, Sometimes doing the right thing requires courage, commitment and cooperation. I believe that this is a unique level of cooperation between the University of South Florida and its partner, USF Federal Credit Union. Dr. Besley, board member since 2002, expressed his excitement about this new, innovative venture for the credit union. He echoed some of the same sentiments as Dr. Will, Our mission is to improve the financial wellbeing of our members which I think we do. Were doing the right thing and with this new facility, were going to continue forward doing the right thing.

USF Federal Credit Union offers a full range of financial services to the faculty, staff, students, alumni association members, and their families worldwide in addition to the organizations with employees on the campuses of the University of South Florida. USF FCU recently expanded membership to include employees of Darden Restaurants, Inc., Red Lobster employees and numerous businesses across the Tampa Bay area. Founded in 1959, USF FCU has more than 52,000 members and more than $500 Million in assets. USF Federal Credit Union has six branch locations and participates in the Shared Services Network, which allows access to branch locations nationwide.

For more information about USF Federal Credit Union, contact them at 813-569-2000 or visit their website at http://www.usffcu.org.
We are extremely proud of this accomplishment and look forward to making this list again next year.

Prestige Employee Administrators, Inc. a world-class Human Resources outsourcing firm that offers support to small and medium sized businesses, is pleased to announce it has been named to the 2016 Inc. 5000 List. Prestige has been recognized as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in America for the seventh time.

Since debuting in 1991 with 100 of the fastest-growing private U.S. companies, then expanding the following year to the Inc. 500 and again in 2007 to the Inc. 5000, the list has served as evidence of the significant accomplishments of entrepreneurial companies. As an Inc. 5000 honoree, Prestige Employee Administrators is proud to share this prestigious pedigree with some of the most successful businesses in America. Our corporate vision is to surround our clients with the highest quality Human Resource Services, said Brian Lehmann, Prestiges COO. We are extremely proud of this accomplishment and look forward to making this list again next year.

About Prestige Employee Administrators, Inc.:

Prestige Employee Administrators, Inc. is a full service Human Resources outsourcing firm that offers strategic Human Resources support, payroll services, employment services and outstanding benefit programs to small and medium sized firms. As a PEO  Professional Employer Organization, Prestige combines the purchasing power of many smaller companies and can often deliver this expertise at little or no incremental cost to its clients. When you partner with Prestige, companies receive a comprehensive array of services to care for their staff and ease the burden that complex, time-consuming and costly employment related rules, regulations and filing requirements place on a firm.
2016 Healthcare Symposium - Irving, Texas We are very excited to host such an excellent lineup of speakers, inspire discussions around the topic of financial management and further connect with the Dallas healthcare community. - Linda Borek CEO, NTC Healthcare

Jeff Lin, Senior Vice President of Product Management at InstaMed, will deliver the opening keynote address at NTC Healthcares 2016 symposium titled, Increase Practice Revenue & Enhance Patient Experience. The symposium will take place October 19th at the Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas and will cover a variety of topics including trends in healthcare payments, giving patients price transparency and the benefits of patient friendly financing options.

Lins keynote will specifically address data derived from InstaMeds Sixth Annual Trends in Healthcare Payments Report. This report, released annually in an effort to objectively educate the market and promote awareness consists of quantitative data from the InstaMed Network and qualitative data from healthcare providers, payers and consumers surveyed nationwide.

The symposium agenda also includes a panel discussion on Giving Patients Price Transparency and Affordability led by Senior Vice President of NTC Healthcare, Ted Borek. This panel discussion will address the challenges practices face in providing price transparency and how updated technologies are providing practical solutions.

In closing, Gary Norris, President and CEO of NorthWind Companies, LLC will speak on the overwhelming benefits of choosing patient friendly financing options.

Healthcare revenue cycle management faces growing challenges as the industry adjusts to years of change and reform, said Linda Borek, President and CEO of NTC Healthcare. We are very excited to host such an excellent lineup of speakers, inspire discussions around the topic of financial management and further connect with the Dallas healthcare community.

The symposium will take place on October 19, 2016 at The Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas from 10:30am-2:00pm. The event will also feature local vendors and a full lunch will be provided at no cost to the attendees.

Anyone interested in registering for the event may do so by visiting this link http://www.paymentcare.eventbrite.com. For more information on individual sessions visit http://www.ntctexas.com/healthcare-symposium-dallas. Email us at info(at)ntctexas(dot)com with questions.

About NTC Healthcare

Established in 2004, NTC Healthcare, (a division of NTC Texas) located in Las Colinas, Texas is a merchant service provider representing Elavon Global Acquiring Solutions throughout the United States. Our payment processing and other merchant services help increase revenues and decrease costs for healthcare facilities. As a team, NTC Texas and Elavon deliver the most powerful transaction processing package in the industry with a proprietary network, fully redundant systems, 100% up time, and a broad spectrum of healthcare products.
We believe the Armune technology has the potential to significantly improve care and reduce the cost of care in the risk assessment of prostate cancer.

Armune BioScience, the developer of APIFINY, the only cancer specific, non-PSA blood test available to assess the risk for the presence of prostate cancer, today announced the closing of its $5 million Series A investment round.

We continue to see growing investor interest in the business as our team generates significant demand for APIFINY as the only cancer specific, non-PSA blood test available in the world, said David Esposito, President and Chief Executive Officer of Armune BioScience. We are thankful to the Grand Angels Venture Fund II investment for helping close out the round and for supporting our plans for growth.

Armune expects to use the funds from this round of financing to support the growth of its commercial operations and research and development initiatives geared towards new tests in prostate, lung, and breast cancers. Armune develops and commercializes autoantibody technology licensed from the University of Michigan that was developed under the direction of Arul Chinnaiyan, MD, PhD.

We are very pleased with the progress the Armune team has made in commercializing APIFINY, commented Paul DAmato, MBA, Managing Director, Grand Angels Venture Fund II. We believe the Armune technology has the potential to significantly improve care and reduce the cost of care in the risk assessment of prostate cancer and we look forward to supporting the teams growth plans.

Armune continues to expand its commercial operations in support of the rapid volume growth of APIFINY. Armune is in the process of raising a $25 million Series B round to fund a further expansion of its marketing efforts and the development of new products in prostate, lung, and breast cancer. Armune has retained Mavericks Capital to support the Series B round.

About Armune BioScience

Armune BioScience, Inc. is a medical diagnostics company that develops and commercializes unique proprietary technology exclusively licensed from the University of Michigan for diagnostic and prognostic tests for prostate, lung and breast cancers. Armune was incorporated as a Delaware Corporation in 2008 with corporate headquarters in Kalamazoo, MI and a research and commercial laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI. For more information, visit http://www.armune.com.

About Grand Angels

Grand Angels is one of Michigans most active and most consistent investment organizations, and we are the longest-serving regional investment group that offers robust mentoring paired with patient capital. We do more than invest, because Grand Angels objective is to build world-class companies and entrepreneurial talent. Our members are only successful if the people with whom we invest are successful. That means developing talent. Therefore, we are committed to utilizing our financial, intellectual and networking resources to help our portfolio achieve more. We do this from our base in West Michigan, and work to actively enhance the economic development of the region. For more information, visit http://www.grandangels.org.

About Mavericks Capital

Mavericks Capital LLC and its licensed broker dealer, Mavericks Capital Securities LLC, specializes in advising companies on M&A, capital raises and strategic partnerships across the healthcare sector. With a senior team having deep medical perspectives, core scientific knowledge and proprietary analytics, we help construct and facilitate innovative and lucrative solutions for our clients. Our practice areas include therapeutics, devices, diagnostics, services and digital health. For more information, visit http://www.maverickscap.com.
Cellular Sales' store in Coeur D'Alene will be the company's first in the state of Idaho. Were excited to be taking our business to the people of both Coeur DAlene and the state of Idaho.

Cellular Sales, the nations largest Verizon premium retailer, is set to open a new store in Coeur DAlene, marking the companys first store in Idaho.

The new store will be located at 2605 N. 4th St., at the corner of East Appleway Avenue and North 4th Street. The company plans to open the store on Oct. 10, and is looking to hire 20 people prior to opening.

Were excited to be taking our business to the people of both Coeur DAlene and the state of Idaho, Cellular Sales Regional Director Kris Cline said. Were looking forward to continuing to move into these new markets.

Cellular Sales places an emphasis on customer satisfaction, which has been the backbone to the companys success. Founded in 1993, the company has been named as one of the nations fastest-growing privately owned retailers by Inc. Magazine for eight of the past nine years. The company currently employs 4,500 people and operates 560 stores across 30 states.

The opening of the Coeur DAlene Cellular Sales store is a continuation of the companys expansion in the Western United States. In July, the company opened its first California store, and in October, its first stores in both Arizona and Idaho are scheduled to open.

This company has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade, said Regional Director Jim Martin. Were constantly looking for new markets to join, and this is a great place for our first Idaho store.

Recruiter Miranda Klahn is looking to hire applicants with a passion for excellent customer service. Anyone interested in jobs at the Coeur DAlene Cellular Sales store can email Klahn at Miranda.Klahn(at)CellularSales(dot)com or call (503) 983-4606.

About Cellular Sales

Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., Cellular Sales was founded in 1993 and has been named by Inc. Magazine as one of the nations fastest-growing privately owned retailers for eight of the past nine years. The company currently employs nearly 4,500 people and operates approximately 560 stores nationwide. Job seekers may visit jobs.cellularsales.com. For more information on the company, visit cellularsales.com.

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Draganflyer Controller with ADS-B Integration Thanks to the Draganfly team's tireless efforts, a turning point in drone-aviation safety can finally be realized.

Draganfly Innovations Inc. continues to lead the UAS industry by receiving permission to test an integrated command-and-control system that utilizes automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) avionics with their UAV. Draganfly is the first UAV manufacturer in Canada to receive this approval and will be testing in both Class G and Class D airspace with approval from governing authorities.

ADS-B is a surveillance technology that allows aircraft to determine positioning via satellite navigation, and simultaneously broadcasting that same position, enabling them to be tracked. This information can be received by air traffic control ground stations, similar to RADAR technology thats in use today. ADS-B addresses safety concerns relating to UAVs sharing airspace with traditional aircraft. The system is capable of real-time traffic and weather updates in 3D trajectories and can be customized based on specific missions and applications.

Ultimately this is a major step in incorporating sense and avoid capabilities, and will provide UAVs with the ability to detect and avoid manned and other unmanned aircraft. This will also move the technology closer to a place where UAVs have the ability to safely operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).

Draganfly is working with partners at uAvionix to incorporate their 1/2W Ping transceivers onto the Draganflyer Commander platform, and are excited to be involved in testing this leading edge technology.

We are excited to be working with the team at uAvionix and test ADS-B on our platforms, said Zenon Dragan, President of Draganfly, We expect that all UAVs will require an ADS-B transceiver in the future and were pleased to be the first in Canada to test it out.

It has been a long road for us Jeff Walker, uAvionix CTO, commented, and added We have had to constantly innovate around the regulations to bring this technology to market. Thanks to the Draganfly teams tireless efforts, a turning point in drone-aviation safety can be finally realized.

About Draganfly Innovations Inc.

Draganfly Innovations Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Trace Intelligent Systems, is a recognized technology and industry leader within the commercial UAV industry. Its devices have helped establish the commercial market and adoption of multi-rotor helicopters for aerial imaging and public safety.

Further information on Draganfly Innovations can be found at http://www.draganfly.com

About uAvionix

uAvionix develops the worlds smallest, lightest and most affordable family of ADS-B transponders, receivers and navigation tools. uAvionixs Ping network system combines hardware, software, and real time airspace mapping to enable safe operation of and collision avoidance for manned and unmanned aircraft in the National Airspace System. Founded in 2015, Palo Alto based uAvionix has gathered a cross-disciplinary team of experts in embedded RF engineering, aviation, sUAS operations and compliance, hardware, software, and cloud services.
Jack Uldrich speaking on Top Tech Trends We need to be able to have the flexibility and adaptability to both be prepared for whatever comes next and to help create innovative solutions that create the world that we all want to live in.

Blockchain, agricultural disruptions like super-wheat and real vegan cheese," wearable tech, battery storage, collaborative consumption and MOOCs are just a few of the topics futurist Jack Uldrich touches on when he speaks to his international clientele.

This September, Uldrich is confirmed to address five clients in the fields of agriculture, wealth management, higher education, rural broadband and human development. He will focus on the twelve tech trends that will transform the world and his concept of the "Big AHA."

The Big AHA is Uldrich's acronym for Awareness, Humility, and Action. Uldrich says, "The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself. Creation, however, requires action. Some of the activities industry leaders can take today to build a prosperous tomorrow are, among others: Taking a Think Week, conducting a premortem, hiring a chief white-space officer or a chief unlearning officer.

His confirmed to speak at the following events:

Sept. 08, 2016: CoBank  Denver, CO

Sept. 13, 2016: SunTrust  Charleston, SC

Sept. 15, 2016: World Presidents Organization "SoulFuel"  Sedona, AZ

Sept. 22, 2016: Genesee Community College Foundation  Batavia, NY

Sept. 26, 2016: NTCAThe Rural Broadband Association  Indianapolis, IN

Throughout this month and beyond, what Uldrich wants, for each of his very diverse audiences, is for them to consider how forgetting what they know can actually open them up to what he calls the predictably unpredictable future."

Uldrich has addressed Fortune 100 corporations, venture capital firms, associations, not-for-profit organizations and state and regional governments on five continents. His client list includes the National Association of Manufacturers, Emerson, Trane, Siemens, Eaton, PMMI, ABB/Thomas & Betts, among others.

Parties interested in learning more about this event, his books, his daily blog or his speaking availability are encouraged to visit his website.
RUM DNC is an innovative, in-depth and unique rum course in Europe

Sun, sea and sand are some key elements of a hot Mediterranean summer in Cyprus. Summer 2016 got an addition  an exquisitely crafted, smooth and aromatic cocktail with fragrant rum at its heart. Yes, Cyprus got a visit from mixology titans, Alex Kratena and Ian Burrell, who dropped some serious rum knowledge on the local bar scene. The duo delivered an exciting 3-hour workshop on rum at Limassols Alchemy Bartending School on 2 August, appropriately titled RUM DNC.

RUM DNC is an innovative, in-depth and unique rum course in Europe. It combines production, ageing and olfactory qualities of the famous spirit, covered by Ian Burrell, the Global Rum Ambassador and founder of UKs Rumfest. This portion of the course covers current distilling methods, issues of ageing processes and olfactory sensations. To keep students engaged until the tasting proper, Ian kept it fun with tales of Angels Tax and duppies (a.k.a. ghosts) and shared his favourite way to indulge in rum  Daiquiri, to be precise.

The second portion of RUM DNC covers the practical side of rum mixology and is presented by Alex Kratena, founder of P(OUR) educational foundation for the hospitality industry. Alex collected a wealth of knowledge during his illustrious career and is now sharing this know-how. The RUM DNC course is a response to the consumer-driven market, which wants transparency and craves experiences. Brands are finally allowing industry specialists to create unique presentations, such as RUM DNC, in response to the trend.

The travelling European course chooses you, not vice versa. And RUM DNC selects its destinations wisely in locations such as Athens, Amsterdam and Lisbon, among others. It was all the more exciting for Alchemy Bartending School in Limassol to get the call. Ian is a repeat visitor but Alex is a Cyprus novice. The RUM DNC course prepared some lucky local mixologists for a summer of tropical vibes, chilled glass in hand.

To see some highlights of the RUM DNC presentation in Alchemy Bartending School, Limassol, Cyprus visit here http://goo.gl/xowvlS
Catherine Jayasuriya using an Ambu Bag on Azmi Calvin Bin George an 18-year-old with Duchenne in Kota Kinabalu Through our Outreach Initiative we want to bring hope and the best Duchenne care to boys and young men in remote areas around the world

The 3rd Annual World Duchenne Awareness Day will take place on September 7, 2016. The 7th day of the 9th month represents the 79 exons in the dystrophin gene that is corrupted in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Duchenne affects one in 3,500 boys across all races and national boundaries. On World Duchenne Awareness Day, Duchenne charities around the world will raise awareness for children and young men with Duchenne. One such charity, Coalition Duchenne, based in Newport Beach, California, is launching its Outreach Initiative focused on helping pulmonary issues associated with Duchenne.

The Coalition Duchenne Outreach Initiative is aimed at reaching boys and young men with Duchenne in rural areas all over the world. Coalition Duchenne will be providing families and caregivers with a simple respiratory device called an Ambu Bag (Artificial Manual Breathing Unit) along with an instructional pamphlet. An Ambu bag can improve pulmonary function in Duchenne. Ambu bags can be used for breath stacking, an important exercise that helps maintain lung function and flexibility. Ambu bags can also be used to clear airways of congestion. Respiratory issues are one of the main reasons that those with Duchenne have a short life expectancy. Muscles throughout the body deteriorate, including the diaphragm which powers pulmonary function.

Coalition Duchenne has established collaborations in Malaysia, India, Ghana, Sudan, Thailand, and the Philippines. We chose the Malaysia State of Sabah on the island of Borneo to be the first region to receive Ambu bags under the initiative, said Catherine Jayasuriya, Coalition Duchennes founder and executive director. Coalition Duchenne will collect registry data from Duchenne patients. This will be useful for international researchers and will also allow communication of new drug and care options, as well as offer the potential for earlier diagnosis of Duchenne in remote communities. Early diagnosis is the focus of this years World Duchenne Awareness Day.

In Sabah, Coalition Duchenne is collaborating with Dr. Heng Hock Sin, a pediatric neurologist at Sabah Womens and Childrens Hospital in Sabahs capital Kota Kinabalu. Dr. Heng sees over a dozen boys with Duchenne, several of which are in remote rural areas. One family has three sons with Duchenne. We are excited to work with doctors from other countries who see Duchenne patients and who care so deeply like Dr. Heng, said Catherine.

Catherines award winning documentary "Dustys Trail: Summit of Borneo" (2013) highlights boys with Duchenne in rural Malaysia and contrasts their life with that of her son Dusty Brandom in California who also has Duchenne. This year, "Dustys Trail" featured as part of Rare Disease Week in Washington D.C. "Dustys Trail" has secured distribution by Cinema Libre Studios, broadening its message of hope in the face of adversity, and showing the global reach of Duchenne and the need for global solutions.

In the Internet age we are all so connected. Through our Outreach Initiative we want to bring hope and the best Duchenne care to boys and young men in remote areas around the world, said Catherine.

About Coalition Duchenne

Coalition Duchennes vision is to change the outcome for boys and young men with Duchenne, to rapidly move forward to a new reality of longer, fulfilled lives, by funding the best opportunities for research and creating awareness. The charitys most recent success has been the promising translation by California biotech Capricor Therapeutics of Coalition Duchenne funded cardiac stem cell research by Eduardo Marban at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Coalition Duchenne is also proud that a drug partly based on early research funded by the Dusty Brandom Fellowship at the University of Western Australia is close to approval in the United States. That drug is Sarepta Therapeutics eteplirsen. For more information about Coalition Duchenne, Catherine Jayasuriya and Dusty Brandom, visit coalitionduchenne.org and dustystrail.com.

About Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive muscle wasting disease. It is the most common fatal disease that affects children. Duchenne is caused by a defect in the gene that codes for the protein dystrophin. This is a vital protein that helps connect the muscle fiber to the cell membranes. Without dystrophin, the muscle cells become unstable, are weakened, and lose their functionality. Life expectancy ranges from the mid teenage years to the mid 20's. The minds of boys and young men with Duchenne are unaffected.
When you look at this years nominations, you see all sort of great examples of pushing the envelope and discovering creative ways to make government work better with tech.

GCN is pleased to announce the finalists of the 2016 GCN dig IT Awards.

For 28 years, the GCN Awards have showcased general excellence in government IT. This year, with the GCN dig IT Awards, we are sharpening the focus to showcase what matters most: transformative tech that is truly reinventing government. The 2016 awards will celebrate leadingedge technologies and the pioneering IT professionals who are driving them forward.

"From the Internet to GPS to drones, much of the most exciting and important technology today has been either invented or driven by government, GCN Editor-in-Chief Troy K. Schneider said. And when you look at this years nominations, you see all sort of great examples of pushing the envelope and discovering creative ways to make government work better with tech.

The 2016 GCN dig IT Award Finalists:

Big Data, Analytics and Visualization:



Auction Optimization Model

Federal Communications Commission

Homeland Security Information Network Exchange

Department of Homeland Security

National Accuracy Clearinghouse

Mississippi Department of Human Services

Georgia Department of Human Services

Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services

Alabama Department of Human Resources

Florida Department of Children and Families

U.S. Department of Agriculture

NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database

National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Institute of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Patient Movement Item Asset Tracking Project

Air Mobility Command, U.S. Air Force

Real-Time Automated Parole Data Replication

New Jersey State Parole Board

New Jersey State Police

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Cloud and Infrastructure:

Regional Emergency Number System Deployment

Ark-Tex Council of Governments

Analytics and Data Sharing Platform to Track Disease Transmission

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

IT Consolidation and Enterprise Architecture

Louisiana Department of Health

Louisiana Office of Technology Services

myServices

Department of State

Online Public Inspection Files

Federal Communications Commission

Workforce Integrated Performance System

Department of Labor

Cybersecurity:

Adversarial Tactics, Techniques and Common Knowledge

The MITRE Corporation

Personal Identity Validation and Single Sign On Enablement

Federal Emergency Management Agency

GrantSolutions Two Factor Authentication Implementation

Department of Health and Human Services

Hack the Pentagon

Department of Defense

Fortify for Forge

Defense Information Systems Agency

Integrated Security Operations Center for Situational Awareness and Collaborative Cybersecurity Defense

City of Los Angeles

Mobile:

Aero App Electronic Flight Bag

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Enterprise Mobile Provisioning Service

Social Security Administration

Fleet Management System 2 Go

General Services Administration

Gov2Go

Information Network of Arkansas

Eagle Directed Identification Environment Application

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Mobile App Software Assurance Research and Development Project

Department of Homeland Security

Robotics, Automation and UAS:

Automated Radio Testing

City of Los Angeles Information Technology Agency

FAA Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) Registration Website

Federal Aviation Administration

Process Robotics

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Deploying Drones for Bridge Inspections

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System Program

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

SkyTracker Drone Detection System

Federal Aviation Administration

Other - Open Data:

CitySDK

US Census Bureau

Commerce Data Usability Project

Commerce Data Service

Data Format Description Language (DFDL) and the open source Daffodil DFDL processor

Department of Defense

DHS Data Framework

Department of Homeland Security

Next-Gen IT Dashboard

Office of Management and Budget

Open Prince George's County

Prince George's County Office of Information Technology

The finalists will be profiled in the coming weeks in GCN and on GCN.com. They also will be honored in person at the GCN dig IT Awards Gala on October 13th, at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, VA. The overall winner in each category, as selected by our judging panel of top government IT innovators, will also be announced at the October 13th Gala.

For more information on GCN dig IT Awards sponsorship opportunities please visit https://gcn.com/digIT.

About GCN

GCN covers the technology, tools and tactics that make innovative IT possible in the public sector. Its editorial mission is to deliver technology assessments, recommendations and case studies to support the public sector IT managers who are responsible for the specification, evaluation and selection of technology solutions. GCN is the only media brand that serves the full scope of technology decision makers in the federal, state & local and education markets (FED/SLED). https://gcn.com

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With PowerSchool Special Education, we no longer have to duplicate work which allows us to increase instructional time with our students.

PowerSchool is extending its partnership with Pennsylvanias Warrior Run School District to provide families and staff with a comprehensive solution to manage Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for students requiring this service. PowerSchool Special Education will eliminate an inefficient paper trail process, allowing parents to electronically access documents to monitor student progress. The solution alerts teachers when a new IEP is created and offers educators an effective tool to proactively improve the academic achievement of students.

We had an online solution in place for managing student IEPs; however, using the system required an extensive amount of manual effort, said Julie Petrin, Special Education Supervisor at Warrior Run School District. With PowerSchool Special Education, we no longer have to duplicate work which allows us to increase instructional time with our students.

Nearly 13% of the student population at Warrior Run School District require special education services. PowerSchool Special Education is providing the district with effective case management tools to deliver individualized instruction to these students. State and federal reporting requirements are strictly regulated for special education programs.

Everything is monitored and sent to the stateevery field and every document, notes Petrin. There are thousands of fields that have to be correct for compliance purposes and launching PowerSchool Special Education gives us a system that self-monitors this process, ensuring required fields are correctly filled in.

PowerSchool Special Education augments the PowerSchool Student Information System, providing educators with access to grades, attendance, and now special education and behavior.

If we are writing an IEP, everything is right there and all we have to do is pull it over, whereas before, we were going to different databases to cut and paste data into an IEP, said Petrin. PowerSchool is helping us tie all of our applications together so that we can efficiently serve our school community.

About PowerSchool Group LLC

PowerSchool is the #1 leading education technology platform for K-12, serving more than 20 million students, 36 million parents, and 57 million users in over 70 countries around the world. We provide the industrys first Unified Classroom experience with best-in-class, secure, and compliant online solutions, including registration and school choice, student information systems, learning management and classroom collaboration, assessment, analytics, and special education management. We empower teachers and drive student growth through innovative digital classroom capabilities, and we engage families through real-time communications across any device. Visit http://www.powerschool.com to learn more.
The Job Fair will be held at The Westin Monache Resort.

Winter is approaching and the Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce (MLCC) wants to match potential employees with local Mammoth Lakes employers at the annual Mammoth Lakes Job Fair. The Fair will be held Saturday, October 1, 2016 from 1-4 p.m. at The Westin Monache Resort in Mammoth Lakes.

The Mammoth Lakes branch of the Mono County Libraries, in partnership with the Mammoth County Office of Education, will be conducting workshops to help potential employees make a career plan, update skills and improve communication effectiveness. Topics include Career Development, Interview Skills, Job Search, Resume Writing, and Professionalism. Workshops will be held the week prior to the Job Fair. Visit http://www.monocoe.org and click on Programs to see the schedule of classes available.

The Mammoth Lakes Job Fair, sponsored by the MLCC, The Westin Monache Resort, Sierra Wave Radio, and KMMT/KRHV, will be followed by a networking happy hour inside The Westins Whitebark Restaurant, beginning at 4 p.m.

Currently Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Black Tie Ski Rentals, The Westin Monache Resort, Mammoth Fun Shop, Mammoth Mountain Chalets, Stellar Brew, Sierra Employment Services, Mammoth Community Water District and the Town of Mammoth Lakes, among others, have all signed up for a booth at the Fair and all will be looking for employees. Another 15 employers are expected to attend.

If you are a business interested in participating in the Fair, the cost for a table is free for Chamber members and $30 for non-Chamber members. Employers are encouraged to bring some swag, as well as brochures and information about their businesses.

Making a special trip to Mammoth Lakes for the Job Fair? Both The Westin Monache Resort and the Sierra Nevada Resort (SNR) are offering special room rates for the weekend. The Westin Monache Resort is offering a rate of $159 plus tax for deluxe studio rooms with king beds and double pullout couches. Call 888.627.8154 and ask for the Job Fair rate. The Sierra Nevada Resort is offering a rate of $99 plus tax for a standard, two-queen room. Please call 800.824.5132 and ask for the job fair rate to book at SNR.

For more information about the Mammoth Lakes Job Fair, contact Jessica Kennedy at 760.934.2712, ext. 1220 or Jkennedy(at)visitmammoth(dot)com. You can also learn more about the event at http://www.Facebook.com/mammothlaskeschamber.

What: Mammoth Lakes Job Fair

When: October 1, 2016 from 1-4 p.m.

Where: The Westin Monache Resort, Mammoth Lakes

Who: Potential employees and businesses looking to hire

How: Sponsored by the Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce, The Westin Monache Resort, KMMT/KRHV and Sierra Wave Radio in partnership with the Sierra Nevada Resort, Mono County Office of Education, Mono County Free Library and Mammoth High School.

Why: To match employees and employers for the 2016-17 season
Our job is to bring together the brokers, consultants and carriers to deliver the best possible outcome for the customer.

Nick Christos announces the opening of a Southeast Regional Office of Independence Underwriting Partners (IUP) in Charlotte, NC on September 1st, 2016, less than a year after the opening of IUPs main office in November 2015. Headquartered in the Philadelphia area (Malvern, PA), Independence Underwriting Partners assists customers, consultants, brokers, carriers and third party administrators in creating and enhancing a full range of employee benefit programs with a specific focus on self funded plans.

We are excited to continue to expand our new and unique platform, said Christos, founder and CEO of Independence Underwriting Partners. Our job is to bring together the brokers, consultants and carriers to deliver the best possible outcome for the customer. IUP is an objective partner. We will always work to provide the best solution available.

Experienced in all areas of health insurance including medical stop loss, life, disability, and voluntary products, Independence Underwriting Partners maintains a superior carrier network to quickly identify the right resources in order to create and deliver the most comprehensive strategy for the client.

Nicks creative, forward-thinking approach to clients needs sets him apart, said Richard Fleder, CEO of ELMC Group, LLC. I am enthusiastic about being connected to his new venture.

If you are a broker, consultant or third party administrator interested in new strategies to retain and maximize client relationships and business, we have the resources and knowledge to formulate and improve healthcare benefit solutions, explained Christos. We offer the flexibility, objectivity and creativity to evaluate each opportunity to deliver the best solution while remaining vendor neutral. We are not owned by an insurance company, therefore we are not forced to sell one solution. We are independent and proud to remind you that we will always do what is best for you.

Serving employer groups from 50 to 5,000, Independence Underwriting Partners selects the most appropriate carrier to work with benefit managers and their representatives to meet their objectives.

With more than 20 years of sales and business development experience in the employee benefits marketplace, Christos possesses in depth knowledge in working with human resource managers, insurance brokers and agents providing employers with intelligent, cost-effective healthcare benefit solutions.

Nick is a successful producer who is well respected in the self funded insurance market, added William McKernan, President of NSM Insurance Group. We are excited about our strategic partnership with Independence Underwriting Partners and I look forward to providing IUPs self funded platform to our clients and prospects.

I am thrilled to continue to expand this new venture, added Christos. My career has always been focused on bringing people and companies together to create win-win situations.

For more information about Independence Underwriting Partners and its range of services, contact Nick Christos at 800-934-1339 or Nick(at)IUPLLC(dot)com or visit our website http://www.IUPLLC.com

About Independence Underwriting Partners

Independence Underwriting Partners specializes in helping corporate benefit managers, consultants, insurance brokers and third party administrators in their mission to deliver first class health care benefit programs, resolve ongoing service issues, as well as formulate new, cost effective solutions. IUP capitalizes on unrivaled carrier and client relationships. With our partners as our highest priority, Independence Underwriting Partners delivers innovative solutions that provide superior coverage and service at competitive costs. For more information, refer to http://www.IUPLLC.com.
Terryberry named one of Michigan's "Best and Brightest in Wellness".

Terryberry (http://www.terryberry.com), a 98-year-old global recognition provider, has received top honors as one of "Michigan's 2016 Best and Brightest in Wellness" for the company's numerous programs and efforts aimed at bolstering the health and wellness of its 240 employees.

The programs, noted below, have had a strong impact on a number of employees battling high-blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity. In fact, one of Terryberry's sales representatives in North Carolina recently dropped approximately 75 pounds since joining the company's employee-led wellness committee in May.

Among the company's many efforts to bolster wellness throughout Terryberry:



Offering Fitbits company-wide at a discounted rate and developing their own Fitbit Community.

Monthly health challenges, such as drinking additional water, eating more vegetables, etc. Employees are rewarded points through Terryberry's own 360 Recognition platform.

"Walking Wednesdays" in which Terryberry's global employees log steps together.

"It's about building a culture of wellness that transcends to all aspects of an individual's personal and professional life," said Mike Byam, fourth-generation managing partner of Terryberry. "We're honored to be recognized and will continue to make inroads in this important area of our company. It feels good to receive recognition."

Terryberry employs approximately 240 associates globally, with approximately 175 employees working from its main Grand Rapids, Michigan headquarters. The company will be honored at a special event in Detroit on Oct. 20.

About Terryberry: Founded by Herbert Terryberry in 1918, the company serves more than 25,000 clients throughout North America and Europe. Terryberry has been a major player in the innovation of employee recognition, including Give a WOW, the first-of-its-kind social media style employee recognition program launched anticipating the social media/business revolution in 2009, and the 360 Recognition Platform which continues to evolve as new tools emerge and the company forecasts business needs. The majority of its employees work at its world headquarters at 2033 Oak Industrial Dr. NE. in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information, please visit http://www.terryberry.com.
Intelex Technologies, a global leader in the development of environmental, health, safety and quality management (EHSQ) software, is presenting a webinar on Thursday, September 8, 2016 to help professionals from all industry verticals implement a Quality Management Software (QMS) and/or help transition from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015.

Peter Merrill, world-renowned Quality Management Expert and Innovation Advocate, will share his expert insights on how to proactively jump-start your transition. Topics covered will include:

-> Outline the structure of the new ISO 9001:2015 standard

-> Discuss new terminology and interpretations

-> Provide practical tips to help organizations transition and meet the new requirements of ISO 9001:2015

The transition to ISO 9001:2015 represents an opportunity to reassess current infrastructure and invest in a new QMS to help manage nonconformances, audits, quality inspections, document control, management reviews, supplier quality, and/or customer complaints.

WHAT: Intelex Webinar - ISO 9001:2015: An Implementation Perspective

WHEN: Thursday, September 8, 2016, 2:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. This is a live webinar followed by an interactive Q&A session. Participants will also be able to submit questions during the webinar.

WHERE: Free Online Webinar. To register, visit: http://ilx.media/2cirJe1

WHO: Presenter: Peter Merrill, President of Quest Management and former chair of the American Society of Quality-Toronto Chapter; Moderator: Peter-Elias Alouche, Market Manager at Intelex

Peter Merrill

Peter Merrill is one of North Americas foremost authorities on implementation of ISO 9001. He has over twenty years of experience in developing Quality Systems and was one of the first consultants to take a company to ISO 9001:2015. He has been chair of the Toronto section of the American Society of Quality and now chairs the ASQ Innovation Think Tank. Peter has authored the books Do It Right the Second Time, Innovation Generation and Innovation Never Stops. He is currently President of Quest Management Inc. and a member of the ISO communications team responsible for explaining ISO 9001:2015 to new users.

Peter-Elias Alouche

Peter-Elias Alouche is the Quality Practice Manager at Intelexs Market Strategy team focusing on Quality and Supply Chain management system solutions. Peter-Elias has over 12 years experience in manufacturing, design, quality management, process development, continuous improvement, and new product development. He also volunteers with the ASQ Toronto section as the Communications Co-Chair.

About Intelex Technologies

With more than 1,000 clients and 1 million users, Intelex Technologies Inc. is a global leader in environmental, health, safety and quality (EHSQ) management software. Since 1992 its scalable, web-based platform and applications have helped clients across all industries improve business performance, mitigate organization-wide risk, and ensure sustained compliance with internationally accepted standards (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001) and regulatory requirements. Intelex is one of Canadas fastest-growing tech companies and has been named one of the countrys Most Admired Corporate Cultures, Best Managed Companies, as well as one of the countrys top employers by Aon Hewitt and Canadas Top 100. For more information, visit http://www.intelex.com.

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We owe this honor to our partners, our consultants and our employeesall of whom played integral roles in helping us achieve record level growth.

J2 Solutions, a leading technology services firm, announced today that it was named to the Philadelphia Business Journal's inaugural 50 on Fire in Philly listan exclusive list of the fastest growing companies in the greater Philadelphia area.

Criteria for companies chosen was based on average percent revenue growth between 2013, 2014 and 2015. To qualify, companies were required to have had more than $750,000 in revenue in 2013 and more than $2 million in revenue in 2015, with consecutive year-over-year growth.

It is with great pride that we find ourselves placed on the 50 on Fire in Philly list in its inaugural year, said Vijay Khatnani, founder and managing partner, J2 Solutions. We owe this honor to our partners, our consultants and our employeesall of whom played integral roles in helping us achieve record level growth. We look forward to continuing on this growth trajectory as we maintain our focus on delivering technology solutions that facilitate the growth of our clients organizations, he added.

The 50 on Fire in Philly awards ceremony will take place on Sept. 22, 2016 at SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. A special awards supplement announcing the winners will appear in the Philadelphia Business Journal on Sept. 23, 2016.

About J2 Solutions

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, J2 Solutions is a technology consulting firm with a proven track record in managing large-scale technology projects, providing in-depth business analysis, and offering unparalleled IT staff optimization services. Our team of highly experienced project managers, business analysts and developers provide services in the following areas: Portfolio Management, Business Analysis, Application Development, Platform Implementation and Process Improvement. For more information, please visit: http://www.J2-Solutions.com, or follow J2 on Twitter @J2_Solutions
Bonfils patients will benefit from last month's blood drive in Breckenridge. BGV employee, Katie L'Estrange participated in the blood drive and stated, "BGV did a great job and the drive had a good turnout. It's amazing that my donation could save someone's life."

On Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016, Breckenridge Grand Vacations (BGV) and Beaver Run Resort partnered in hosting a blood drive to benefit the Bonfils Blood Center. The drive was coordinated by Deb Edwards, the Program Manager of Breckenridge Grand Vacations philanthropic program BGV Gives, and Jessica Stackhouse, the Conference Services Manager at Beaver Run Resort.

A total of 31 donors, 26 of which were BGV employees, participated in giving blood at the drive. It takes about one hour to complete the screening and have one pint of blood collected, which is a relatively small amount of time to sacrifice in support of saving lives. For every pint of blood collected, 3 patients will benefit from receiving red blood cells, platelets and/or plasma. That brings the number of patients who will be helped as a result of this blood drive to 93 people.

The Bonfils Blood Center team was very impressed with the success of the drive in yielding such a substantial number of collected pints. The team went on to note that 27 participants had never donated blood before this drive, which is a remarkably large amount of first-time donors.

Bonfils is headquartered in Denver at the Lowry Community Donor Center and frequently teams up with sponsors like BGV and Beaver Run Resort to run blood drives at locations across the state of Colorado. To learn more about the services offered by Bonfils Blood Center and how to get involved, click here.

About BGV Gives: Founded in 2016, the BGV Gives Program was established to facilitate and further extend Breckenridge Grand Vacations' philanthropic reach and impact in Summit County and the surrounding area. Inspired by the late BGV Owner/Developer, Rob Millisor, this charitable program honors his example of service to others by supporting the local nonprofit community. BGV is excited and humbled to continue Robs legacy of giving through fundraising, sponsorships, grants, volunteering and in-kind donations on behalf of those in need, with a primary focus on health, human services and education. With guidance from the BGV Gives Program Manager, Deb Edwards, this program is committed to growing BGVs local contributions and inspiring fellow community members to give more, by providing resources and opportunities to help others in need.
NPPGov, one of the nation's largest cooperative procurement organizations, announces the availability of the recent publicly awarded contract with AT&T. This new contract allows government agencies access to the latest smart solutions and wireless voice and data services for state and local agencies, without having to go through a bid process.

We are proud to work with a market leader like AT&T, says NPPGov President, Crosby Grindle. This is an important contract for our members because it provides solutions and services not available on other AT&T cooperative contracts

NPPGov helps thousands of government agencies save time and money through its portfolio of competitively bid and publicly awarded contracts available to its members. The AT&T contract is a significant addition to this portfolio, which allows member organizations access to savings on essential products and services from prominent industry companies.

NPPGovs process for AT&T is 10 times quicker and easier than other processes Ive endured in the past, says Lindsey Clark, Administrative Technician for the Amador Fire Protection District in Jackson, California.

To learn more about this new contract, visit the NPPGov website. If your organization is not already an NPPGov member, you can join at no cost and with no purchasing obligations. For more information visit: http://www.nppgov.com or 877.329.8847.
Michael J. Novogradac, CPA, managing partner of Novogradac & Company LLP and a pioneer in the modern affordable housing industry, is one of four 2016 inductees to the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame. The four newest members will be recognized Nov. 15-17 at the AHF Live: The Affordable Housing Developers Summit, in Chicago.

Mr. Novogradac is joined in the honor by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.; Tony Salazar of development firm McCormack Baron Salazar and longtime housing leader and philanthropist J. Ronald Terwilliger.

Michael Novogradac has helped shape not only how the business of affordable housing is conducted, but how the entire industry functions, said Rick Hutchins, a member of the Novogradac & Company LLPs executive team. He has contributed to the progress and growth in nearly every aspect, from assisting a range of clients to influencing legislation to educating the affordable housing community and policymakers.

In announcing his selection, Affordable Housing Finance lauded Mr. Novogradacs leadership in the industry and his firms role as a major industry resource through books, conferences, podcasts and advocacy efforts.

Mr. Novogradacs selection was applauded in the affordable housing industry.

Michael has been a spokesman and advocate for the low-income housing tax credit for decades, said Michael Costa, president and CEO of Highridge Costa Companies, a longtime client and colleague of Mr. Novogradac. This honor is overdue. Michael educates thousands of people every year. Hes an icon in the business.

David Sebastian, president of The Wentwood Companies, whose relationship with Mr. Novogradac began in the 1980s, echoed Costas praise.

From an industry perspective, Michael is one of our greatest technicians, said Sebastian. In addition, he has been a strong business developer and leader within the Novogradac platform. When you combine that with the fact that hes really done a tremendous service to our industry in terms of his legislative work in Washington D.C., in solidifying the position of the housing tax credit, the new markets tax credit and other tax-advantaged investments, he is truly unique. The industry should be grateful for what he does.

The four new selections bring the membership in the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame to 52, representing elected officials, members of the executive branch, major developers, industry leaders, state agency administrators and housing advocates.

Novogradac & Company LLP began operations in 1989 and has grown to more than 500 employees and partners with headquarters in San Francisco and offices in Walnut Creek and Long Beach, Calif.; Dover, Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Iselin and Toms River, N.J.; Austin and Dallas, Texas; St. Louis; Boston; New York; Chicago; Portland, Ore.; Naples, Fla., Raleigh, N.C.; and the greater metropolitan areas of Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; and Seattle. Novogradac was recently named the INSIDE Public Accountings (IPAs) list of the Best of the Best firms for the 14th time. It also grew to the 30th largest accounting firm in the nation, according to IPA.

Specialty practice areas include tax, audit and consulting services for tax-credit-assisted multifamily and affordable housing, community revitalization and rehabilitation of historic properties. Other areas of expertise include business valuation, preparation and analysis of market studies and appraisals of multifamily housing investments and renewable energy tax credits.
NovaBACKUP Network NovaBACKUP Network fulfills a crucial need in our product line. NovaStor now makes centrally backing up small networks a reality. The price-performance ratio of our new offering is simply unmatched in the industry.

With the new NovaBACKUP Network, international provider of award winning back up solutions, NovaStor now provides for the first time a truly networkable and centrally managed backup software for small Windows networks. NovaBACKUP Network software protects Windows Servers with support for granular recovery of Microsoft Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, and virtual environments (VMware, Hyper-V). With an eye on customers moving away from big budget backup solutions, NovaStors Network offering is poised to disrupt the market with the best cost to feature ratio on the market.

Centralized Network Backup: Easy

With a single interface for backup and restore as well as media management NovaBACKUP Network simplifies centralized backup for small Windows networks. The graphics user interface utilizes clear tables structures, and a streamlined design to reduce administrative workload and a minimized chance of human error.

Flexible: Back up, your way

NovaStor's new backup software opens up numerous possibilities to users. NovaBACKUP Network supports media of your choice whether its a NAS, RDX or individual tapes or even tape libraries. Businesses implement the backup strategy of their choice with the ability to use storage media from any manufacturer at any price point.

Central management makes the storage of media in multiple location simple, thus providing protection against data loss due to local threats such as vandalism, fire or flooding.

Fast: Beating the Backup Window Expectations

NovaBACKUP Network accelerates backup and recovery times regardless of medium though multi-streaming technologies. While some applications perform tasks chronologically, NovaBACKUP Network executes jobs in parallel, simultaneously managing up to 128 streams of data.

Vast amounts of data can be backed up with NovaBACKUP Network often greatly reducing the backup window requirements of businesses using pricier alternatives solutions.

White Glove Support and Upgrades Included

To meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises NovaStor has put together three convenient license packages. Interested parties have the choice of packages supporting two, three or up to four physical or virtual servers. With all-inclusive licensing and a starting price of $1535, NovaBACKUP Network fits perfectly in the budgets of small and medium size enterprises. Those with greater server requirements are urged to look closely at NovaStors DataCenter product offering.

NovaBACKUP Network includes a complete NovaCare support package for future upgrades and Premium Support based in the USA for one year, and is easily extended.

Free trial installation is offered on NovaStor's website at http://www.novabackup.com/network , so that users can see the difference for themselves.

Mike Andrews, Managing Director at NovaStor: "NovaBACKUP Network fulfills a crucial need in our product line. NovaStor's proven combination of superior customer service and industry-leading technology now makes backing up small networks centrally a reality. The price-performance ratio of our new offering is simply unmatched in the industry. "

NovaBACKUP Network Home Page

About NovaStor

NovaStor (http://www.novastor.com) is an international provider of powerful, affordable, all-inclusive data-protection solutions for physical and virtual environments. NovaStor provides backup & restore solutions to small and medium business (SMB) as well as heterogeneous environments to protect data on both sides of the cloud. NovaStors SMB solution NovaBACKUP is rated #1 for businesses requiring local and remote protection of Windows Servers, VMware, Hyper-V and NAS environments with advanced monitoring capability, detailed reporting, and administration from a centralized monitoring console. NovaStors network backup solution NovaBACKUP DataCenter brings F500 references, scalability, reliability and speed to heterogeneous environments; a single pane of glass designed to reduce administrative effort and lower TCO. NovaStor Setup Assistance is an industry first where experts relieve clients from the complexity of installation and support. NovaStor is management-owned with over 1,000 partners, and millions of seats distributed. With global headquarters located in Zug, Switzerland and offices in Germany (Hamburg) and the USA (Agoura Hills), NovaStor is also represented in numerous other countries through partnerships.
Forest Whitaker annouces the launch of the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative's Domestic Harmonizer program in partnership with CSU Dominguez Hills at a special assembly at Andrew Carnegie Midd This program is a trailblazing initiative in education, and it is exactly what is needed for the 21st century... Past News Releases RSS

Today at a school-wide assembly at Andrew Carnegie Middle School, artist and social activist Forest Whitakerthe Founder and CEO of the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliationofficially launched the Domestic Harmonizer Program with California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). Andrew Carnegie Middle School is in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and currently enrolls 915 6-8th grade students, all of whom will participate in the program.

The Domestic Harmonizer Program is an innovative initiative designed by WPDI and CSUDH specifically for middle schools, with the aim of nurturing a new generation of youth leaders committed to peaceful conflict resolution. This is a unique program as it integrates Conflict Resolution Education with Common Core State Standards in math, science, social studies, and English. Through this program, students and teachers will have an opportunity to practice conflict resolution skills every day, and thereby better tackle issues such as youth violence and bullying, and create a peaceable school climate. The Domestic Harmonizer Program will be implemented at Andrew Carnegie Middle School for the next three years, and will serve as a model for expansion to other schools in Los Angeles and potentially across the country.

This is a program that I have envisioned for years, said Forest Whitaker. To me, conflict resolution is an essential life skill that is best learned during the formative middle school years. Finding solutions to our problemshowever big or smallis something that isnt always taught in school as a part of the traditional curriculum, but it is one of the most important subjects. I am delighted to be piloting the Domestic Harmonizer Program at Andrew Carnegie Middle School with Cal State University Dominguez Hills.

The Domestic Harmonizer Program will focus on general conflict resolution skills in the 6th grade, peer mediation in the 7th grade, and restorative justice in the 8th grade. The curriculum for the Domestic Harmonizer Program was co-designed by WPDI and CSUDH, and will be implemented in classrooms by teachers from Andrew Carnegie Middle School. From August 8-10, 2016, teachers from the school attended a training provided by conflict resolution experts from WPDI and CSUDH to learn about the curriculum and practice conflict resolution techniques. Throughout the academic year, WPDI and CSUDH will provide technical assistance to teachers as they implement the program. The Domestic Harmonizer Program will be assessed by an independent evaluator from CSUDH.

This program is a trailblazing initiative in education, and it is exactly what is needed for the 21st century if we are to create a world where peace, tolerance, and understanding of differences take precedence over fear, hate, and ignorance, said CSUDH President Willie J. Hagan. We are honored to partner with the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative in this important endeavor to educate our youth and nurture them to become the leaders of tomorrow in peace and conflict resolution.

Andrew Carnegie Middle School was chosen to pilot this program due to its location in Carson and the schools strong leadership team and educators. In the past, the school had a peer mediation program, and the administration at Carnegie was eager to introduce a new program with similar goals to peacefully address conflicts on campus.

"We are extremely excited to be partnered with CSUDH and the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative to implement this one of a kind program. This innovative approach will teach our students the essential life skills of conflict resolution and peace building. Through this program, we hope that it will make a difference in our students' lives and one day, they will make a difference in this world, said Principal Cheryl Nakata.

ABOUT WHITAKER PEACE & DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) is a non-governmental organization with an international scope and reach, founded by Forest Whitaker in 2012. WPDI develops an array of peacebuilding programs, initiatives and campaigns to foster peace and reconciliation in disadvantaged and fragile communities in Africa, Latin America, and the United States. Our mission is to help societies impacted by destructive conflicts transform into safer and more-prosperous communities. Visit http://www.wpdi.org for more details.

Twitter: @connectWPDI

Facebook: Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative

Instagram: whitaker_peace

ABOUT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, DOMINGUEZ HILLS

California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) is a highly diverse, urban university with close to 15,000 students, located in Southern California. The universitys Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding (NCRP) programs provide students with a theoretical understanding of human conflict, while acquiring practical skills and techniques to resolve disputes in a wide variety of circumstances. This nationally recognized program offers Undergraduate studies as well as a Masters of Arts in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peace-building. For more information, visit: http://www.csudh.edu

ABOUT CARNEGIE MIDDLE SCHOOL / LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Andrew Carnegie Middle School is located in Carson, CA and serves over 900 students in grades 6-8. We have a honors and AVID program, music and art classes, and a wide variety of after-school programs. We are an innovative and progressive school that nurtures and prepares students for the rigors of high school and higher learning.
Stryker logo

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded on Sept. 2 the indication for Strykers Trevo Retriever as front-line treatment to reduce disability in patients experiencing acute ischemic stroke. Trevo is the first and only thrombectomy device to receive this expanded indication, which has the potential to help the hundreds of thousands of Americans who experience ischemic strokesor brain attackseach year.

People suffering from stroke commonly experience devastating disabilities and loss of independence due to impaired movement, paralysis, loss of speech and memory. Randomized clinical data using the Trevo retriever alongside IV t-PA shows that patients are almost twice as likely to be functionally independent at 90 days after a stroke compared to medical management alone.1 The strength of this data resulted in Trevo receiving the first and only FDA clearance for a thrombectomy device to significantly reduce disability in patients with ischemic stroke. This clearance for front-line use expands the treatment with Trevo to a broader group of patients.

This new and unique indication for Trevo, as initial therapy for acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusions, has the potential to help hundreds of thousands of stroke patients, said Amrou Sarraj, MD, assistant professor of Neurology and Vascular Neurology Fellowship Program Director at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. These patients now have a significantly better chance for an independent life without disability.

Mari, an elementary school teacher and mother of twin boys, suffered an ischemic stroke in June of 2015. She received treatment with the Trevo Retriever at the Stroke and Neurovascular Center of Central California in Santa Barbara, Calif., within hours of her symptoms starting. She recalls, I couldnt speak and I was quickly losing feeling on one side of my body. If there hadnt been a treatment option like Trevo, the blood clot might still be blocking the artery in my brain and I wouldnt be capable of living the active lifestyle I have today.

This expanded indication for Trevo is a significant milestone in the treatment of patients who are suffering from this catastrophic disease and is an example of the strength of evidence for the Trevo device coming from randomized clinical trials, said Mark H. Paul, president of Strykers Neurovascular division.

So many patients with major ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusions still go untreated today, largely ending up with a devastating long term disability, said Dr. Sarraj. The FDA clearance of the Trevo Retriever as a front-line treatment to reduce disability reinforces the importance that all caregivers in the stroke pathway  from EMS to emergency room physicians to Neurologists to interventionalists  continue to come together to deliver fast and efficient treatment of stroke.

Based on the depth of clinical evidence, the Trevo Retriever is also included in the recent American Heart Associations 2015 stroke care guideline update where stent retrievers are now recommended as the standard of care for stroke patients experiencing a large artery blockage.

About the FDA Indication

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm519042.htm

The Trevo Retriever is indicated for use to restore blood flow in the neurovasculature by removing thrombus for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke to reduce disability in patients with a persistent, proximal, anterior circulation, large vessel occlusion, and smaller core infarcts who have first received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA). Endovascular therapy with the device should start within 6 hours of symptom onset.

The Trevo Retriever is intended to restore blood flow in the neurovasculature by removing thrombus in patients experiencing ischemic stroke within eight hours of symptom onset. Patients who are ineligible for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) or who fail IV-tPA therapy are candidates for treatment.

About the Trevo Retriever

The Trevo Retriever is a tiny stent-shaped medical device that is attached to a thin wire. In a minimally invasive procedure that utilizes X-ray, the physician navigates the retriever from the femoral artery, which is located in the upper leg, to the blocked blood artery in the brain. The retriever is designed to ensnare the blood clot and remove it from the body. Originally cleared by the FDA in 2012 for the revascularization in patients experiencing ischemic stroke, the Trevo Retriever has been used in thousands of patients worldwide. An animation of Strykers Trevo Retriever is available here: https://youtu.be/PxcERzyI67I

About Ischemic Stroke

An ischemic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain becomes blocked by a blood clot or other substance such as plaque, a fatty material. Blood vessels carry blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and to the brain. When the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen, it fails to work properly. Depending on the severity of the stroke and the area of the brain affected, loss of brain function or death may occur. Ischemic stroke affects nearly 795,000 Americans annually and is the number five cause of death.3

About Stryker

Stryker is one of the world's leading medical technology companies and, together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. The Company offers a diverse array of innovative products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine that help improve patient and hospital outcomes. Stryker is active in over 100 countries around the world. Please contact us for more information at http://www.stryker.com.
Chris Ard, Gate Precast Sales and Marketing

Gate Precast Co. has named industry veteran Chris Ard to its Monroeville, AL, sales team. Ards territory includes Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

Ard has served in many roles during his 14 years at Gate, from estimating to project management. Most recently, he served as a project manager for eight years, where he gained extensive experience in the overall execution of precast projects. He began his career at Gate as a precast estimator.

Gate Precast Co.s Monroeville plant is among eight Gate manufacturing facilities that regularly engage in the design assist, engineering, fabrication, transportation and erection of architectural and structural precast concrete systems. The Alabama facilitys portfolio of current projects is impressive, and includes the following: Naval Federal Credit Union (Phases I and II), Pensacola, FL; U.S. Courthouse, Mobile, AL; Sandy Springs City Center, GA, and UM North Parking Deck, Oxford, MS.

In 2013, Gates Alabama facility initiated a diversification strategy which added structural precast components such as stadium risers and double tees to its product line which has expanded the company's overall manufacturing capacity in the Southeast.
"The software has made it so much easier... a week long endeavor, and now it's done in minutes."

Entourage Yearbooks has released their new yearbook design software, EDOnline 6.5, along with the updated Link mobile app that brings users into the future of yearbooks. The company hopes that yearbook designers will use these resources to create an interactive experience for their school communities.

EDOnline software developer Kristen Kelly is excited about this years people page update as users are now able to flow student portraits directly into their own custom templates. For Jerry Holm, yearbook advisor and teacher at Goddard High School in New Mexico, EDOnline has helped most in the arduous task of flowing portrait pages. "I used to do that manually," said Holm, who has seen his yearbook experience improve drastically since using Entourage. "The software has made it so much easier... a week long endeavor, and now it's done in minutes."

With the new version of EDOnline, the process has been further simplified by automatically updating student data throughout the book. Nicole Lipnitz, lead software developer, said that the upgrade to the people page builder is exciting because an entire book could need to be re-printed if the student data is wrong this takes one more step toward preventing mishaps. To make it even more interactive, the newest version of Entourages mobile app for iPhone is available (Android version available by the end of September) and allows yearbook staff to more easily interact. Editors can create polls to be published in their books, and can even message each other within the app itself. Aurasma, a free mobile app, is also compatible with the yearbooks to incorporate augmented reality in addition to the already-popular use of QR codes.

Advanced users of InDesign will benefit from EDOnline 6.5s updates as this new version is the first in the yearbook industry to allow the import of templates, photo files, and text styles directly from InDesign to a yearbook design platform. Teachers and yearbook advisors will find this InDesign conversion helpful because users will no longer need to edit templates directly in InDesign, but instead, within the collaborative and fully accessible online page designer.

Entourage hopes that EDOnline 6.5 will be an integral part of introducing the world to another generation of yearbooks. Please reach out to yearbooks(at)entourageyearbooks(dot)com or 888-926-6571, ext. 1, if you are interested in obtaining more information about the design software or working with Entourage Yearbooks.
The GRG is our way of creating community with and among our customers. Its also the ideal way for us to get feedback on our roadmap and planned enhancements to our solution offerings. As a relationship-driven company, this is the highlight of our year,

GAINSystems, a dynamic provider of advanced supply chain and inventory optimization solutions, today announced that customers including Lawson Products, Entrust Datacard and Textron Aviation will present at the upcoming GAINS Research Group (GRG). In addition, GAINSystems will showcase new and proposed functionality and usability advances to garner customer feedback. This highly interactive annual customer gathering will take place September 22-23 at the University of Chicagos Gleacher Center.

The GRG agenda includes a mix of sessions applicable to all customers and industry tracks to meet specific needs of GAINS customers. Customers presenting represent a range of industries: Lawson Products is an industrial products distributor; Entrust Datacard makes identity and secure transaction technologies; and Textron Aviation uses GAINS for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

A tremendously valuable aspect of the GRG is the opportunity for customers to meet one-on-one with GAINSystems experts to discuss their current usage of GAINS. These usage assessment reviews ensure each customer understands how to get the full benefits of leveraging this holistic approach to tame variability in their specific supply chain. Beyond the presentations and one-on-one sessions, the agenda includes opportunities to network with peers and GAINSystems team members.

The GRG is our way of creating community with and among our customers. Its also the ideal way for us to get feedback on our roadmap and planned enhancements to our solution offerings. As a relationship-driven company, this is the highlight of our year, said Bill Benton, CEO of GAINSystems.

This year for the first time, GAINSystems is inviting select members of the press and analyst community to enrich the conversations. After gaining significant recognition for its leadership in the supply chain market over the past two years, GAINSystems is opening the door to this exclusive event to help industry influencers understand how it builds such winning products and lifetime relationships with customers.

About GAINSystems

GAINSystems combines an innovative approach and comprehensive supply chain optimization solutions to think of everything -- delivering amazing results with very little risk. Our holistic approach considers comprehensive error and variability across supply, demand and operations producing inventory optimization that dynamically addresses every SKU by location across the enterprise. With our proven breakthrough methodology, companies such as the Australian Defense Forces, Benco Dental, Broan NuTone, Cessna / Hawker Beechcraft, Officeworks and Sonepar/Hagemeyer consistently see superior results including lower inventories, reduced operating costs, increased plan accuracy and higher service -- ultimately leading to higher EBITDA and/or mission readiness. To learn more, visit http://www.GAINSystems.com.
Gateway for Cancer Research Annual Meeting and Symposium For the last 25 years, weve pioneered the funding of more than 140 clinical trials that have enrolled and treated more than 3,000 patients at esteemed institutions worldwide...

Gateway for Cancer Research, a non-profit dedicated to funding transformational cancer research, will mark its 25-year anniversary of investing in patient-centric cancer research by hosting a commemorative scientific symposium showcasing its past and presently funded Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. The Gateway symposium, Lifting Up Patient Voice & Quality of Life: A Scientific Symposium Highlighting 25 Years of Gateways Achievements in Driving Transformational Cancer Treatment, will take place Friday, September 9 at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. It includes panels of researchers, including a patient who will give voice to her experience on a Gateway-funded trial.

Gateways Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, Sept. 8 at the Westin New York at Times Square. Gateway will announce the recipient of the Cancer Researcher of the Year Award, an annual recognition to honor and celebrate a current or previous Gateway grantee who has made significant contributions to the field of cancer research and improving the lives of todays cancer patients.

For the last 25 years, weve pioneered the funding of more than 140 clinical trials that have enrolled and treated more than 3,000 patients at esteemed institutions worldwide, many of which have advanced cancer research and led to innovative new treatments, said Teresa Hall Bartels, president, Gateway for Cancer Research. During the symposium, researchers will present new innovations and transformative discoveries, while attendees will learn the quantifiable impacts made in the industry, from clinical research advancements to patient-centric care.

The symposium will feature keynote speaker, Dr. Stephen Emerson from Columbia University. In addition, the symposium will showcase clinical trials by presenting panels consisting of Gateway grantees, as well as recognized leaders in cancer research such as Dr. Adam Resnick, whose work focuses on cell signaling cascades and their alterations in pediatric brain tumors along with big data and consortia building in pediatric oncology.

The commemorative symposium recognizes Gateways advances in cancer research over the past 25 years by illustrating the three key strategies that drive Gateways impact  patients have a voice, cancer patients feel better and live longer and patients contribute to overcoming cancer in the future. In the spirit of Gateways newly developed impact framework, a takeaway from the symposium will be increased awareness of the following treatment breakthroughs across various cancer types:

Metastatic Melanoma: Researchers developed a cell line that forms hybrids with patient-derived tumor cells so they are better tolerated after injected as a vaccine, and thus, improves quality of life (Gattoni-Celli, 2000)

Breast Cancer: Researchers created a DNA vaccine targeting a breast cancer antigen, which was demonstrated to be safe and to increase patients immune response. The study also concluded that once patients completed conventional therapies, the vaccine could possibly stimulate the immune system to target and attack remaining or new cancer cells (Gillanders, 2014)

Metastatic Lung Cancer: A Gateway funded researcher was one of the first to use inhalation therapy to deliver molecular therapy directly to metastatic lung cancer (Skubitz, 2000)

Ovarian Cancer: Researchers created an innovative direct delivery of gene therapy to the fluid that surrounds cancerous ovaries with tolerable side effects for patients, which was pioneering for its time and could affect future gene therapy research (Curiel, 2000)

Sarcoma: Researchers combined the dendritic cell vaccine with a specific radiation therapy to enhance the performance of immune system therapy for sarcoma patients. The findings showed a dramatic increase in T-cell levels within the tumors and 70 percent of patients were progression-free after one year (Gabrilovich, 2012)

These treatment breakthroughs are greater than a singular scientific discovery, as their impact leads to patients living longer. To date, Gateway trials have an approximately 50 percent survival rate among patients, with 17 percent experiencing a complete response or remission.

Patients like Michelle Ashby, a nurse and mother of two children, who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of inflammatory stage 4 breast cancer, was accepted into a breast cancer vaccine trial funded by Gateway and led by Dr. William Gillanders and Dr. Timothy Fleming. This led to her receiving a custom vaccine constructed from DNA that primed her immune system to recognize and destroy a protein on the surface of the tumor cells. Upon receiving three vaccines along with traditional treatments, she has now been cancer-free for more than four years.

Cancer continues to strip our communities of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and lifelong friends, said Ashby. Gateway has a full recognition of this injustice and is wholly committed to finding cures.

Admission is free for the commemorative symposium. Attendees can receive Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit, either 4.7 for ACCME and ANCC, respectively.

At the Annual Meeting, attendees will enjoy a cocktail reception and dinner. Gateway highlights from the year will be shown through commemorative photos, a patient video and during an award ceremony. The Annual Meeting keynote speaker will be Michael J. Pellini, MD, chief executive officer at Foundation Medicine, who brings a breadth of experience in life sciences and the clinical diagnostics and laboratory industries.

Our goal is for clinicians and others interested in the cancer research space to learn the key insights on advancing the development and use of patient-centric reported outcomes, said Bartels. Gateways patient-centric approach is deeply invested in improving lives, which is why we require all funded clinical trials to ensure that patients have a voice, patients feel better and live longer, and they contribute to overcoming cancer in the future.

Both events are free and open to the public, but attendees must register in advance. The Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, September 8 from 5:308:30 p.m. at the Westin New York at Times Square, Majestic Foyer/Ballroom, 5th Floor: 270 W. 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036. The Symposium is on Friday, September 9 from 8:30 a.m.  4 p.m. at Columbia University Medical Center in Bard Hall: 50 Haven Avenue, New York, NY 10032.

About Gateway for Cancer Research

Gateway for Cancer Research is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization committed to funding innovative cancer research that helps people with cancer to feel better, live longer and conquer cancer TODAY! Thanks to generous underwriting, 99 cents of every dollar Gateway receives directly funds Phase I and Phase II cancer clinical trials at leading research institutions across the country and abroad. Since 1991, Gateway has supported more than 140 clinical trials and funded millions in breakthrough research. Get involved today by visiting GatewayCR.org, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/demandcures and join the conversation on Twitter @DemandCures, #BeAGateway.
"The NorthAmericana Festival is a great event and a highlight of Revival Month in Harvard Square, with an impressive talent lineup and a terrific family-friendly program

On Saturday September 17, the NorthAmericana Festival hits the streets of Harvard Square for its first annual roots music celebration. The two day affair kicks off with a concert Friday September 16th at Club Passim and continues with an all day free show on Brattle Street on Saturday. The lineup will feature a dozen Americana acts ranging the spectrum from bluegrass to blues, with forays into country, folk, and good old fashioned rock and roll.

Highlights include new voices like the tender harmonies of bluegrass trio Lula Wiles and the soaring pipes of Julie Rhodes, whose debut albums Bound To Meet The Devil has been one of the regions biggest success stories. Alongside these newcomers, veteran artists join the bill including Chuck McDermott (MA Country Music Hall of Fame member) and local blues legend Peter Parcek (3x Boston Music Award nominee). Other performers include The Wolff Sisters, Comanchero, Citizen Slim (ft. Greg Klyma & Ryan Fitzsimmons), Tony Savarino & The Savtones, Patrick Coman, Miriam (ft. Amy Fairchild and Carla Ryder), and Providence, RIs The Silks will close out the night with their incendiary mix of blues, soul, and rock and roll.

The festival is presented in partnership with the Harvard Square Business Association as part of Revival Month, a month-long celebration of tradition and renewal that takes place in the Square each September.

We are so excited to have the NorthAmericana Festival in Harvard Square! It is a great event and a highlight of Revival Month, they have an impressive talent lineup and a terrific family-friendly program, says Denise Jilson, executive director of the Harvard Square Business Association.

The outdoor event is free thanks to the support of the grant program of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), a state agency, which awarded the Festival a grant through the Cambridge Arts Council. Additional consideration and support for the festival is provided by Fishman, the Massachusetts based manufacturer of pickups and amplifiers for stringed instruments. Food and refreshments provided by Fire + Ice in partnership with Lagunitas and Polar Seltzer.

NorthAmericana Festival Full Lineup:

September 16th  Kick off Concert 8pm at Club Passim ($15/18):

Jay Psaros

Chuck McDermott

TICKET LINK: http://clubpassim.org/club/north-americana-festival-featuring-chuck-mcdermott-and-jay-psaros

September 17th  Brattle Street Festival Stage 12-9pm:



Tony Savarino & The Savtones

Lula Wiles

Citizen Slim

The Wolff Sisters

Comanchero

Julie Rhodes

Patrick Coman

Peter Parcek

Miriam

The Silks

Media Contact:

Dino Cattaneo

(617) 800-5740

dino(at)northeamericana(dot)com
Realized, a technology-enabled financial services firm specializing in complex 1031 exchange transactions, today announced the full launch of an innovative real estate technology platform that streamlines the process of finding, evaluating, purchasing and managing 1031 exchange replacement properties. The virtual marketplace allows individual investors that are selling any size property to easily diversify their holdings into multi-million dollar real estate portfolios sponsored by the nations top real estate companies.

Considering its ability to defer capital gains taxes  which often amount to 30 to 40 percent of an investors profits  the 1031 exchange is a powerful vehicle for building long-term wealth, though it comes with its own set of stringent IRS requirements. The rules stipulate that a real estate investor must identify potential properties to reinvest in, just 45 days after selling a property.

The strict 45-day deadline and competitive real estate market leave investors with less than $2 million of 1031 equity in a dire position, choosing between reinvesting in small local properties that dont fit their lifestyle and investment objectives, or facing a significant tax bill, said David Wieland, Realized co-founder and CEO. This is precisely the problem that Realized solves.

The Realized platform simplifies the 1031 process, reducing the time, expense and risks inherent in re-investing in properties through a like-kind exchange. The secure online marketplace allows 1031 investors to pool their capital and co-invest in diversified portfolios of institutional-quality properties. Investors can conveniently compare investment opportunities across the U.S., consult with the companys expert team, co-invest in properties, and monitor their investment performance online, from anywhere. The platform uses algorithms designed to offer each investor high-quality educational resources and tools based on their unique needs, experience and objectives.

Our technology makes the process of finding, evaluating and reinvesting in institutional-quality replacement properties efficient, but its only part of the Realized solution, said Wieland. The real value for investors is the unlimited, free, one-on-one, offline investment support from our team of experts in real estate, tax and finance. Collectively, the Realized team has assisted more than one thousand individuals and families to co-invest some portion of their 1031 equity into high-quality, exchange-eligible investments."

For top real estate operators, Realized represents a new source of attractively priced, passive, long-term capital. Building on IRS data, the company projects that individual investors will execute 285,000 like-kind exchanges in 2016  a figure that represents $67 billion in 1031 equity from investors seeking lower-risk, stable cash flow properties. The Realized team has successfully structured, financed and syndicated nearly $1 billion in 1031-qualified investments using the Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) structure. Backed by 60 years and $5 billion of successful real capital markets experience, Realized understands real estate and the importance of alignment of interests, so both investors and operators share in the success.

Our platform connects investors to properties and sponsors, increasing transparency and reducing costs. All 1031 investors now have access to the expertise and tools to make smart exchange investments that can offer attractive returns and eliminate all landlord duties along the way, said Wieland. We believe this is the first step in making fractional 1031 investments through DSTs a mainstream financial product that will have wide-ranging benefits for the next generation of investors and retirees.

Realized sees strong potential for collaboration with other trusted professional services providers. Working with Realized, real estate brokers, accountants, attorneys and investment advisors can help their customers successfully navigate one of the most profitable and complex transactions at their disposal while creating new revenue opportunities and differentiation from competitors.

###

About Realized

Founded in 2014, Realized forms the missing link between 1031 exchange investors seeking long-term, passive income, and seasoned real estate operators seeking capital for high-quality investment properties. Realized is based in Austin, Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.realized1031.com.
The continued growth of our Executive Recruiting division and the launch of our IT practice have enabled us to attract great talent to our team like George.

After a successful launch of the healthcare IT recruiting practice, HealthTechS3 announces the addition of George Smith to the Executive Recruiting team. Mr. Smith brings over 10 years of IT recruiting experience to the team most recently with a large healthcare organization. He has a Masters degree in Human Resource Development from Webster University.

Expanding the healthcare IT recruitment practice is a result of the companys success in understanding how critical it is to hire the right person to meet each organizations IT goals. Led by Peter Goodspeed, the Executive Recruiting team has been successful in building high performance healthcare executive teams for facilities ranging from critical access hospitals to multi-billion dollar integrated health systems as well as their HIT vendor partners.

I am delighted to have George join our team, stated Peter Goodspeed. He brings the exact skill set we need in this rapidly growing area. Our clients will find him focused and very customer service oriented in finding the right person for their IT needs.

CEO Derek Morkel agreed, saying, The continued growth of our Executive Recruiting division and the launch of our IT practice have enabled us to attract great talent to our team like George. Information Technology is a huge opportunity and we look forward to working with our clients to find the right team for them.

HealthTechS3 is an award-winning healthcare consulting and hospital management firm headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee with clients across the U.S. We are dedicated to the goal of improving performance, achieving compliance, reducing costs and ultimately improving patient care. Leveraging consultants with deep healthcare industry expertise, HealthTechS3 provides actionable insights and guidance that supports informed decision making and drives efficiency in operational performance. HealthTechS3 Executive Recruiting is a division within the consulting and hospital management company that focuses on long-term and interim placements.

Contact:

Jennifer LeMieux

HealthTechS3

Jennifer(dot)lemieux(at)gaffeyhealth(dot)com

615.429.6310
Anthony Cazazian has been announced as Renters Warehouse's new Chief Investment Officer and President of Portfolio Services. Im thrilled to welcome Anthony to Renters Warehouse. This is a big win for our growing team. His extensive background and industry knowledge will allow us to scale our Portfolio Services Division faster and smarter than ever.

Renters Warehouse is taking its national roll-up strategy and new Portfolio Services Division to the next level with the addition of real estate executive, Anthony Cazazian, as Chief Investment Officer and President of Portfolio Services.

Cazazian, recognized in 2016 as a rising star in the housing industry by both HousingWire and Mortgage Professional America, is the latest addition to Renters Warehouses senior management team. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President and Head of Originations for B2R Finance, a subsidiary of private equity firm Blackstone (BX), where he helped build the company from its inception as one of its first hires in 2013. During his time at B2R, he led the Institutional Lending Program responsible for B2Rs largest clients, played an integral role in product and business development, worked in tandem with the capital markets team to securitize over $725 million of rental-home bonds including the industrys first ever multi-borrower SFR securitization, and personally led more than $550 million in bridge and term loan originations, financing approximately 7,000 properties across 30 states.

Prior to B2R, Cazazian spent over 8 years at Goldman Sachs in various departments including the Real Estate Investment Banking and Real Estate Financing groups, most recently as a Vice President. During that time, he executed over $5 billion of commercial real estate transactions with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity offerings, and CMBS financings.

He comes to Renters Warehouse, one of the largest and most awarded residential property management companies in the U.S., just as the company is beginning to further revolutionize property management through its Portfolio Services Division that uniquely serves larger, mid- to institutional-level real estate investors with both centralized services and local market expertise and staff.

Renters Warehouse is the largest national third-party property management firm focused on the single-family rental asset class. Its unique offering with corporate owned offices, centralized back-office operations, and local expertise on the ground allows it to offer clients standardized services and institutional level reporting nationwide in an industry that remains extremely fragmented with no consistent service level, Cazazian says.

Cazazian will office out of a new Renters Warehouse flagship location in New York City. His goals with Renters Warehouse include attracting institutional-level SFR owners to the companys Portfolio Services Division, acquiring and integrating property management companies nationwide, establishing strategic partnerships throughout the industry, and ultimately growing the company from its current 16,000+ homes under management to more than 200,000.

In fall 2015, growth equity investor Northern Pacific Group acquired a majority stake in Renters Warehouse. The Minnesota-based firm also invested growth capital into the company to fund further expansion and convert it from a franchise-based model to a corporate-owned model. Northern Pacific Groups Managing Partner, Scott Honour, who in 1999 was a founder of YapStone, a leading online rental property payment service provider, serves as Chairman. Northern Pacific Group team members Peter Offenhauser and Marcy Haymaker also sit on the Renters Warehouse Board of Directors, as well as Doug Bergeron who previously led the acquisition of VeriFone and then served as its CEO for 12 years, and is currently CEO of Opus Global, a financial technology platform focused on risk and compliance solutions.

Im thrilled to welcome Anthony to Renters Warehouse. This is a big win for our growing team. His extensive background and industry knowledge will allow us to scale our Portfolio Services Division faster and smarter than ever, said Kevin Ortner, CEO of Renters Warehouse. We are looking forward to having Anthony oversee the companys acquisition strategy and Portfolio Services Division. This role will draw well on his unique experience in investment banking, finance, and executive leadership in addition to the network of relationships he has built over the years to help Renters Warehouse dominate the SFR property management market.

Renters Warehouse exists to help homeowners and investors create wealth and financial freedom through Rent Estate. To learn more about Renters Warehouse or to find out how much your home will rent for, visit http://www.renterswarehouse.com today!

-30-

About Renters Warehouse

Renters Warehouse is one of the fastest-growing and highest-reviewed residential property management companies in America, and the largest in Minnesota. Backed by growth equity investor and majority stakeholder Northern Pacific Group, and under the leadership of President and CEO Kevin Ortner, Renters Warehouse now manages more than $3 billion in residential real estate, servicing 12,000+ investors across 16,000+ residential homes in 33 markets and 18 states. NPG Managing Partner Scott Honour, who in 1999 was a founder of YapStone, a leading online rental property payment service provider, serves as Chairman. Renters Warehouse expertly serves everyday single-property homeowners as well as real estate investors. In 2015, the company officially trademarked the term Rent Estate to redefine the entire SFR (Single Family Rental) industry as more traditional real estate gives way to this new lucrative asset. Through their dedicated Portfolio Services Division led by Chief Investment Officer and President Anthony Cazazian, the company also brings professional, scalable and efficient single property management solutions to investment portfolios with both centralized services and local market expertise and staff. Not only has Renters Warehouse received the prestigious honor of being included on the Inc. 500 | 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies in America seven consecutive years in a row, it was also named one of the Best Places to Work in Minnesota (where they are headquartered) by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016. The company was also honored as a best place to work in Arizona (a centralized corporate services center) by the Phoenix Business Journal in 2013 and 2014, and achieved a spot on the prestigious 2016 Top Companies to Work for in AZ list. Nationwide, Renters Warehouse has been honored as one of America's "Best Places to Work" in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016 by Outside Magazine. Recognized as pioneers in real estate, business management and innovation, Renters Warehouse has been awarded 18 Business Stevie Awards both internationally and stateside.

About Northern Pacific Group

About Northern Pacific Group Northern Pacific Group is a Minnesota-based growth equity investment firm focused on acquiring and investing in growing companies in the Midwest. Northern Pacific Group seeks to partner with ownership groups and management teams in order to add value beyond just providing capital. For additional information, please visit http://www.northernpacificgroup.com.
The American River in Northern California. Working together and using the latest science and data we can develop options that will help us achieve a sustainable water supply.

Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Estevan Lopez announced that Reclamation is launching a new basin study in the American River Basin in Northern California. This comprehensive water study will help inform water management in the Central Valley Project.

"Understanding the growing imbalances between water supply and demand in the West is important for Reclamation and its partners," Commissioner Lopez said. "Working together and using the latest science and data we can develop options that will help us achieve a sustainable water supply."

The American River Basin Study will include the development of detailed hydrologic analysis and models for the basin, which will include consideration of the impacts of climate change. It will also leverage existing stakeholder groups to identify and evaluate adaptation strategies specific to the American River Basin. To complete this study, Reclamation is partnering with the Placer County Water Agency, El Dorado County Water Agency, City of Sacramento, City of Roseville, City of Folsom and Regional Water Authority.

The basin encompasses 2,140 square miles in California from its headwaters in the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe to the city of Sacramento where it meets the Sacramento River. It is highly populated and the population is expected to grow 47 percent to nearly 3 million people by 2060. The basin supports salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act and provides water to support the Bay-Delta ecosystem.

Reclamation will also be collaborating with partners to update the St. Mary and Milk River Basins Study in Montana and Santa Fe Basin Study in New Mexico.

The St. Mary and Milk River Basins straddle the U.S./Canadian border. The basin study update will improve the modeling used in the initial basin study, which was completed in 2012. At that time, the basin study projected a 27 percent increase in irrigation depletion by 2050. Currently the basin is experiencing an annual shortage of 71,000 acre-feet, which represents 36 percent of the overall irrigation supply. The new modeling will support efforts to meet current and future water demands.

The Santa Fe Basin Study covers a 285 square mile sub-basin of the Rio Grande located in New Mexico. The original basin study completed in 2015 projected that shortages may reach up to 9,323 acre-feet by 2055, about 40 percent of projected demand within the basin. The update to the basin study will include an analysis to better understand the progression of shortages leading up to 2055. This update will assist the city in evaluating strategies to meet future water needs and evaluate strategies including water reuse, enhanced conservation, and grey water and rooftop catchment programs.

The Basin Study Program is part of WaterSMART. WaterSMART is the Department of the Interior's sustainable water initiative that uses the best available science to improve water conservation and help water resource managers identify strategies to narrow the gap between supply and demand. For more information on the WaterSMART program, visit http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART.

To learn more about the Basin Study Program or the projects announced today, please visit http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/bsp.
Blockchain technology is a strong candidate to become the fulcrum that healthcare needs to lift the entire industry.

Charles N. Charlie Martin Jr., chairman and founder of healthcare and technology-focused Martin Ventures, will join the Distributed: Health conference to share his perspective on the potential for blockchain technology to play a pivotal role in transforming the U.S. healthcare system into a true health system through new ways to provide, receive and pay for care.

Distributed: Health, opening October 3, 2016 at The Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, gathers healthcare and technology leaders from the United States and from other nations. Martin is widely regarded as one of the most successful serial Chief Executive Officers in hospital management.

Charlie joined Martin Ventures full-time in 2013 when Vanguard Health Systems, a hospital chain company he founded in 1997, was sold to Tenet Healthcare. Martin served as Vanguards Chairman and CEO for sixteen years. Under his leadership, the hospital chain grew to 28 hospitals with $6.5 billion in revenue. In 2013, Vanguard was acquired by Tenet Healthcare for $4.3 billion.

David Bailey, CEO of conference host BTC Media, said, "Charlie Martin has for some time sent an unambiguous and immensely credible signal to providers, payers and consumers, alike. He has not minced words in asserting that the U.S. healthcare system is experiencing "an existential crisis;" that is not likely to be remedied by merely incremental 'patches' of routine innovation processes.

"We share Charlie Martin's view that blockchain technology is a strong candidate to become the fulcrum that healthcare needs to lift the entire industry, by means of genuinely disruptive change. Now, more than ever, the industry needs a quantum leap in excellence, efficiency and experience, in behalf of all stakeholders," said Bailey.

In addition to a full days roster of speakers and panels on October 3, the Distributed: Health conference will be preceded by a 24-hour blockchain hackathon starting on October 1. More than $28,000 in prizes will be awarded at the competition, which, like the conference, will focus on blockchain applications for healthcare, insurance and interoperability.

For more information or to register, visit https://GoDistributed.com/health/.

Prior to Martin Ventures and Vanguard Health Systems, Charlie Martin was founder, chairman, president and CEO of OrNda HealthCorp. Both VHS and OrNda sold to Tenet Healthcare.

Earlier, he was president, director and chief operating officer of HealthTrust Inc., as well as executive vice president and a director of Hospital Corporation of America. Martin also served as General Care Corp's chief operating officer and as a director.

He serves and has served on a wide array of boards of directors, including those of a number of healthcare ventures in post-acute, healthIT and specialized care segments; and, with governing and overseeing bodies of both the University of Pennsylvania and its Law School, as well as RAND Corporation and RAND Health.

About Martin Ventures: The firm supports its portfolio companies with capital, mentoring and shared services, to enable them to contribute to reducing healthcare costs, improving care outcomes and enhancing the experience of healthcare. Its current portfolio is here.

http://martinventures.com/portfolio/current-investments/

About BTC Media: Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, BTC Media LLC is the publisher of Distributed, Bitcoin Magazine and yBitcoin, and is the foremost international provider of multimedia educational and informational resources within the digital currency and blockchain industries.

For more information, please contact:

Tyler Evans

CTO, BTC Media

(615) 454-4861

health(at)godistributed(dot)com
CCA Global Partners is proud to announce the election of two new members of its Board of Directors.

Gina Schaefer is CEO of Logan Hardware, which operates eleven Ace Hardware stores in greater Washington, DC. She owns two Budget Blinds franchises. Gina sits on the Boards of: Ace Hardware Corporation, a cooperative, which provides products and services to 4,700 Ace member-stores; House of Ruth, which provides services to women and children who are homeless or victims of domestic violence; Jubilee Jobs, a workforce development organization serving the poor; and Institute for Self-Reliance, which supports environmentally sound and equitable community development. Prior to entering retailing, Gina had work experience with several technology companies and the Childrens Defense Fund. She holds a B.A. from Wittenberg University.

Rick Wiebe is President of Carpet Colour Carpet One Floor & Home, Red Deer, Alberta. Rick purchased the business in 1987. He joined Carpet One in 1996. Rick served the Central Alberta Home Builders Association as board member and President, and he sat on the Alberta Provincial Apprenticeship Board. Rick is currently involved with a humanitarian NGO, A Better World, working as a project manager, teaching leadership workshops, and sits on the steering committee. At Crossroads Church, he served on the board, delivered youth programming for twelve years, and now is involved in pre-marriage and marriage training. Rick has served on several Carpet One Floor & Home committees.

Both Rick and Gina are exceptional choices to serve on CCAs board, said Rick Bennet, co-CEO of CCA Global Partners. Their combined experience in retail and cooperative businesses will help our board to continue to make sound business decisions that benefit our membership.

Schaefer and Wiebe were elected after the retirement of long-time Board members LaVone Pirner and Jan Soderstrom. LaVone and Jan have been great assets to our board over the years and we wish them the best with their future endeavors, said Howard Brodsky, Chairman and co-CEO of CCA Global Partners. We are excited about the experience and skills our two new board members will bring to the table.

Schaefer and Wiebe were elected to the Board by the membership at the annual stockholders meeting, July 14, 2016, Dallas, Texas, and their terms run through 2019. For more information on CCA Globals Board of Directors, please visit http://www.ccaglobalpartners.com/leadership

About CCA Global Partners

CCA Global Partners, Inc. is a privately held cooperative based in the United States with member businesses in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. For more than a quarter of a century, CCA Global has partnered with entrepreneurial businesspeople to create a cooperative powerhouse unmatched in the marketplace. With 13 independent business brands and more than 2,800 locations, CCA Global Partners is well positioned to positively impact the success of independent businesses. For more information on CCA Global Partners, go to http://www.ccaglobal.com.
alaska cruise A Primary Care CME Alaskan cruise has always been one of our top requests and we are excited to be able to provide this opportunity along with an excellent agenda and faculty lineup. -- Barbara Lyons, VP CEC

The 2nd Annual Internal Medicine in Primary Care Conference is designed to update primary care clinicians in rapidly changing therapeutic areas. The emphasis is on practical and useful information for clinical practice. This conference runs from May 26-June 2, 2017 on the Royal Caribbeans Explorer of the Seas while cruising Alaska and British Columbia.

As a result of this conference, participants will be able to assess and provide patients with an accurate diagnosis and optimal care for a broad range of disorders seen in primary care, utilize current guidelines in the diagnosis and management of commonly encountered therapeutic issues and formulate comprehensive evidence-based interventions and treatment strategies that will lead to the reduction of modifiable risk factors and improved long term outcomes.

Barbara Lyons, VP of Continuing Education Company says "A Primary Care CME Alaskan cruise has always been one of our top requests and we are excited to be able to provide this opportunity along with an excellent agenda and faculty lineup."

The agenda will include lectures by Roger Seheult, MD on pulmonology, David Plourd on women's health, Richard Usatine, MD on dermatology and Donald Dipette, MD on cardiology issues. All talks are tailored to help primary care, family medicine and internal medicine physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. All lectures will be while the ship is at sea and attendees can claim up to 20 credits, depending on how many hours they attend.

The cruise itinerary includes Alaska's Inside Passage, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm Fjord, and Victoria, BC (leaving from Seattle, WA).

An exact breakdown of lectures, days and hours can be found on the Continuing Education Company website http://www.cmemeeting.org.

Continuing Education Company has been developing and presenting continuing medical education programs for over 25 years. Their mission is to develop and provide educational opportunities to improve the skills and knowledge of medical and healthcare professionals. They accomplish this mission by offering American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), AMA PRA Category 1 Credits and ABIM MOC accredited live CME conferences and online courses.

The mission of Continuing Education Company, Inc. (CEC) is to improve public health by developing and providing educational opportunities to advance the skills and knowledge of physicians and other healthcare professionals. This mission is accomplished by assisting healthcare professionals in assessing their educational needs and providing them with evidence-based education which meet those needs.
Baicells Technologies, an emerging global provider of disruptive LTE solutions today announced that it has signed Ontario-based distributor Crossover Distribution as its first Canadian-based Authorized Baicells Partner (ABP). The agreement makes it easier for Canadian customers to access Baicells LTE solutions, while also assisting Baicells to market into the burgeoning Canadian small market. Crossover also maintains U.S. operations based out of New Jersey, so the agreement spans both the U.S.A. and Canada.

With its Wave 2 market trials nearing an end, Baicells Technologies commercial production has begun and its LTE products will hit distributor shelves by early September and Crossover will help Baicells to expand its market reach. Baicells Technologies produces LTE technology designed for services providers of all types to build out LTE to support wireless broadband deployments in challenging terrain, as well as allowing cities and enterprises to build private LTE networks instead of leasing capacity from mobile operators. Additionally, Baicells expects to be a major player in LTE small cells  lower power LTE technologies designed to densify LTE coverage for both fixed and mobile coverage. Crossover is a major solutions provider in this emerging LTE sector and will work with Baicells to jointly target the market.

The LTE space is a multi-dimensional industry, with both outdoor, indoor, macro and small cell, fixed and mobile aspects, commented Patrick Leary, Baicells Technologies North America president. Crossover is one of a tiny few value-added distributors who is knowledgeable of the totality of the LTE space. Combine this with their ability to help us win in the Canadian market, and it explains why we are so excited to partner with them.

Everyone knows LTE is now the dominant standard in mobile, but its also taking over fixed wireless and moving into the enterprise in small cells, shared Darin Gibbons, Vice-President of Crossover.

Baicells not only lets us play in every angle of the LTE market, added John Taylor, President of Crossover, but it is doing so with a price model thats genuinely disruptive. This is why we are taking Baicells on as our first full spectrum LTE vendor.

Baicells, an end-to-end LTE solution provider, has three main product sets: Light4g, BroFi, and WeLTE, targeting small cells, rural broadband, and private LTE networks, respectively. We also develop our own cloud core enhanced packet core (EPC) technologies, along with the supporting QAM management and billing software tools. Our solutions support unlicensed spectrum, as well as the newly-created U.S. CBRS band, and higher power 2.x and Canadian 3.x frequencies.

About Baicells

Baicells is a privately-held, high tech company dedicated in wireless broadband access solutions. Our main products and solutions cover indoor and outdoor small cells, CPEs, antennas, etc. With the vision to connect the unconnected, Baicells has introduced some real breakthrough technologies to the LTE system, like moving a complete LTE system to unlicensed spectrum and building it with an IT based architecture. With Baicells turnkey end-to-end solutions, it becomes much easier to provide wireless internet within everyone's reach at a very low cost.

Baicells' innovative solutions can be used by mobile operators, broadband access operators, cable operators, mobile virtual operators, governments and enterprise private networks. (http://www.Baicells.com/en/index.jsp)

About Crossover Corporation

Crossover Corporation is a value-added distributor of wireless broadband, in-building cellular and telecom technologies to the North American marketplace. These technologies are purchased by telephone companies, internet service providers, cable TV operators and a national network of integrators, certified dealers, value-added resellers and contractors.

They provide full service sales, engineering, technical support and logistics for their key vendor partners. With offices located in Toronto, Ontario and Sparta, New Jersey, they offer North American coverage and smooth order fulfillment.

For more information, please contact:

Darin Gibbons

Vice-President

Crossover Corporation

Phone: 905-593-1801

Email: dgibbons(at)crossoverdistribution(dot)com

URL: http://www.crossoverdistribution.com
Our clients continue to reaffirm us as the best commerce framework for building complex or highly customized solutions

Broadleaf Commerce, the eCommerce platform solution provider for enterprise commerce brands, including OReilly Auto Parts and The Container Store, has been listed as a vendor to consider in Gartners Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce report. (1)

As an enterprise open source eCommerce framework, Broadleaf provides merchandisers and marketers robust website management tools and IT teams a modern technology stack within a sought-after development environment - ensuring solutions remain current and secure.

Our clients continue to reaffirm us as the best commerce framework for building complex or highly customized solutions, stated Brian Polster, CEO of Broadleaf Commerce. We take this mention from Gartner as a confirmation of what were about and the direction were headed.

Broadleaf is full-featured, customizable, and easily integrated. From creating offers and promotions to managing the order lifecycle process, the solution supports multi-channel business practices and multi-tenant structures.

The system enables contract pricing, content targeting, and integrations to provide seamless corporate account management - ideal for B2B and B2C functionality. Designed to streamline business processes, Broadleaf provides a single admin interface for CRM, Catalog Management, Price Lists, Product Management, Content Targeting, Order Lifecycle Management, and more.

Broadleafs platform solution is trusted by Fortune 1000 retailers to support enterprise-level commerce needs. For more information about the enterprise eCommerce platform, contact Broadleaf directly at info@broadleafcommerce.com or visit http://www.broadleafcommerce.com.

1 Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce by Chris Fletcher, Penny Gillespie, Jason Daigler, Sandy Shen, Yanna Dharmasthira, Gene Alvarez, March 09, 2016.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Broadleaf Commerce, LLC

Broadleaf Commerce provides B2C and B2B eCommerce platform solutions to simplify the complexities of omni-channel commerce and digital experience management. As the market-leading choice for enterprise organizations requiring tailored, highly scalable commerce systems, Broadleaf is fully customizable and extensible. Trusted by Fortune 1000 corporations, yet priced for the mid-market, Broadleaf provides the framework for leading brands, including The Container Store, OReilly Auto Parts, Google, and Vology. For more information, visit: http://www.broadleafcommerce.com.
Al Capone bought his Miami Beach mansion in 1928

According to the real estate website TopTenRealEstateDeals.com, the Miami Beach mansion where Al Capone lived and died recently sold.

Al Capone's Miami Beach Compound

An historic Miami Beach compound that Al Capone bought in 1928, the home he used as an alibi for the Saint Valentines Day Massacre, and the place where he died in 1947 recently sold for $9 million.

In 1928, Miami Beach was reeling from the the collapse of the Florida land boom and a hurricane that had destroyed much of the resort city. Never one to miss an opportunity, Chicago crime-boss Al Capone bought one of Miami Beach's best estates on Biscayne Bay at the bargain price of $40,000 (about $550,000 in 2016 dollars). Capone spent another $70,000 in fortifying the property against intruders adding a guest/guard house at the entry gate and using rooms above the pool house at the bays edge to house his guards who were on 24/7 lookout. Safe and secure from his Chicago crime rivals, it was the home where Capone was vacationing when his gang pulled off the 1929 Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, lived full time after his release from prison in 1939 and where he died in 1947 surrounded by family and a few friends.

Many of Miami's community leaders, especially the Miami News and the Miami Women's Club, tried to persuade Capone to leave South Florida, but were unsuccessful. Although many crimes were likely orchestrated from his mansion, Capone was seen as a hero and philanthropist by much of the public, funding one of Chicago's largest soup kitchens during the Great Depression and free milk for school children. Law makers were never able to pin gangland events directly to Capone and he continued to live in his Palm Island residence in relative peace until the feds convicted and imprisoned him in 1931 for tax evasion. Capone returned to the residence in 1939 when his prison sentence was reduced due to his deteriorating physical and mental condition. He died peacefully at his Palm Island estate on January 25, 1947 surrounded by family and a few friends.

The Capone mansion is an iconic piece of modern American history, old world glamour and an ideal location. With each change in ownership, there have been improvements to the property with the most current owner completing a full restoration. At 36,000 square feet, it includes the seven-bedroom, seven-bath main home that is gated and walled, the two-story gatehouse and two-story pool house overlooking 100 feet of frontage on Biscayne Bay with views of Hibiscus Island and Miami Beach condos skyline lights.

According to its website, the home is one of the oldest and most notorious estates in Miami with 7-foot walls and secured 24 hours a day...surrounded by the Biscayne Bay on all sides. The property company managing the Capone estate is MB America in Miami, Florida.

Visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com for more celebrity homes and real estate news.
Curvy Girl Unapologetic This empowering event proves that sexy is not a size with 40 plus-size models rocking the catwalk and showing off lingerie in sizes 12-28.

Curvy Girl Lingerie's annual fashion show is coming up! Sponsored by SportSheets and Screaming O, Unapologetically Beautiful is designed specifically to make curvy girls feel sexy and proud. This empowering event proves that sexy is not a size with 40 plus-size models rocking the catwalk and showing off lingerie in sizes 12-28.

In addition to catered appetizers, featured desserts from Nothing Bundt Cakes and a cash bar, Jes Baker, well-known activist and the author of Things No One Will Tell a Fat Girl, will be in attendance all the way from her home base in Arizona, signing books and taking selfies with attendees. Also attending the fashion show will be Valerie Sagun, founder of Big Gal Yoga and leader of the rising movement, Yoga is for ALL Bodies. Both Jes and Valerie have been featured in recent J.C. Penny commercials for their new campaign, #HereIAm.

Curvy Girl, in San Jose, CA, is the first lingerie store in the U.S. for plus-size women. With a Sexy Isnt a Size motto, the store carries items in sizes 14-6x. Owner Chrystal Bougon created Curvy Girl because she believes that all women deserve a safe place to shop without judgment, where they can find sexy lingerie and panties that fit well and make them feel pretty and sexy.

WHEN: September 18, 2:00 p.m.  5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Villa Ragusa Ballroom, South 2nd Street, Campbell, CA 95008

COST: Tickets range $28-$55 (free admission for press, call 408-264-4227 for press pass)

A dollar from every ticket sold will be donated to the Billy De Frank LGBTQ Community Center in honor of the Orlando Massacre.

MORE INFO: For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.CurvyGirlInc.com/Unapologetic/.
Cuzzos Pasta, Pizza, Panini & More Our recipes are set to a tee, so nothing will ever taste different when you come to Cuzzos. Our recipes are set to a tee, so nothing will ever taste different when you come to Cuzzos. Past News Releases RSS

Cuzzos Pasta, Pizza, Panini & More, the 2013 recipient of the Best Pizza award by Grubhub, is celebrating its third anniversary. It has been a privilege to serve the best pasta, pizza, panini and more to the people of Oak Park and beyond for the past three years, said William Sasso, who opened the Italian eatery when he was 21, using his mother and grandmothers Sicilian recipes.

The name Cuzzos is derived from the term cousins, which suggests that everyone is family. Our goals go beyond providing exquisite food and quality customer service, as we promote togetherness in all that we do, added Sasso, who was born and raised in Marsala, Sicily, and came to the U.S. in 1998.

Today, Cuzzos is revered for its handcrafted cuisine made from the finest and freshest ingredients available; from classic Italian pizzas and pastas to its one-of-a-kind favorites, such as caprese prosciutto panini and arancini, rice balls filled with ground beef and parmigiano cheese breaded with homemade breadcrumbs and lightly fried. Other menu favorites include its meatball sandwich, Italian sausage, chicken pesto panini, minestrone soup, bruschetta and much more.

We strive to ensure the customer walks out with a smile on their face, concluded Sasso. Our recipes are set to a tee, so nothing will ever taste different when you come to Cuzzos.

About Cuzzos Pasta, Pizza, Panini & More

Cuzzos Pasta, Pizza, Panini & More is a traditional Italian pizzeria that offers authentic cuisine at an affordable price. Cuzzos is run by close friends and family, and prides itself on warm, welcoming and exceptional service. The restaurant also offers delivery and catering. For more information, please call (708) 386-8200, or visit http://www.cuzzosoakpark.com. Cuzzos is located at 330 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
Everyware promotes real relationships between businesses and customers. Everyware completely changes the way that businesses communicate with their customers. Our customer focus approach allows businesses to utilize our platform to engage customers at different touch points to improve the customer journey, says Larry Talley

Everywares innovation will take TechCrunch Disrupt 2016 by storm debuting their newest engagement platform September 12-14, at Pier 48 in San Francisco. Their game-changing technology promotes real interactive relationships between businesses and customers. What begins as a simple appointment or reminder, quickly becomes meaningful communication that drives customer service to a new level.

One platform with many solutions, businesses now have access to Everywares digital marketing suite of products. A simple dashboard delivers the latest powerful marketing tools to manage marketing, point-of-sale transactions, scheduling appointments, email and SMS campaigns.

For consumers, Everyware will be launching its next-gen mobile app that connects people to places with a unique twist. Powered by Google, the social app delivers personalized location-based content from all the best businesses including local bars, restaurants and everything in between.

Users can find, collect and share all their favorite places with friends, family and co-workers by creating and sharing personalized channels. Instead of consumers relying on Yelp or OpenTable for reviews, Everyware creates a peer-to-peer network of reviews from users own social network. The app allows businesses to streamline messaging via push notification with geo-fencing and iBeacon proximity targeting.

Everyware will join some of the countrys most notable disruptive technology companies at TechCrunch Disrupt.

About Everyware

Everyware is the leading provider of mobile technology that simplifies marketing and communication for businesses by creating a personalized mobile connection that drives loyalty and redefines customer service. Everyware promotes real relationships between businesses and customers using just a mobile number. Visit our website today at everyware.com to see how Everyware can change the way you do business.

About TechCrunch Disrupt

TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2016 is TechCrunchs tenth annual conference in San Francisco. The format combines top thought-leader discussions with new product and company launches. Morning executive discussions debate technology-driven disruptions in many industries, while the afternoons are reserved for the Startup Battlefield, where 20+ new companies will launch for the first time onstage, selected to present from numerous applications received from around the world. The winning company will receive a $50,000 grand prize and the Disrupt Cup at the conclusion of the conference. The conference is September 12-14, 2016 at Pier 48 in San Francisco.
Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP is sponsoring Jordan Aiken, through the 2016 Holly Skolnick Fellowship Foundation, in her work with Bet Tzedek, a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to providing free legal services to low-income individuals and families in Los Angeles. Aikens fellowship is part of a partnership with Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit organization that provides two-year fellowships to aspiring public interest lawyers.

Aiken is one of eight new fellows joining seven existing fellows, who are entering their final year of the two-year program, sponsored by Greenberg Traurig. Aiken, who earned her J.D. from University of California, Irvine School of Law, will be working with Bet Tzedek on housing and homelessness issues within the transgender community in in Los Angeles. The goal of the program is to alleviate the health challenges that low-income transgender individuals face by providing assistance with underlying legal issues through a medical-legal partnership.

Hearing many first-hand accounts of the negative impacts that housing and employment discrimination can have on mental and physical health inspired me to start this partnership in Los Angeles, said Aiken. I am very excited to work at Bet Tzedek because of the dynamic team of attorneys and advocates that will provide expertise in so many of the interconnected legal areas.

Greenberg Traurig has a longstanding history of supporting Bet Tzedek, said Jeff E. Scott, managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurigs Los Angeles office. We are thrilled to have a fellow work in an organization that plays such an important role in the Los Angeles community.

Since 1999, Greenberg Traurig has invested more than $9 million to fund 142 Equal Justice Works Fellows. These fellows, working on issues ranging from community development and disability rights to domestic violence and immigration, have delivered critically needed legal services in more than 40 cities across the United States through local nonprofit organizations.

Equal Justice Works has 62 fellows in the 2016 fellowship class. The 2016 Equal Justice Works fellowship application attracted nearly 350 applicants from law schools across the United States.

To view a complete list of the 2016 Equal Justice Works Fellows, their projects and their sponsors, please click here.

About Equal Justice Works

Equal Justice Works is the U.S. leader in creating public interest opportunities for law students and lawyers. Collaborating with the nations leading law schools, law firms, corporate legal departments, foundations, individuals, and nonprofit organizations, Equal Justice Works offers a continuum of opportunities that provide the training and skills that enable attorneys to provide effective representation to underserved communities and causes. Equal Justice Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For additional information about Equal Justice Works, please visit http://www.equaljusticeworks.org.

About Greenberg Traurigs Global Pro Bono Program

Greenberg Traurig lawyers across the firms offices provide pro bono legal services to the indigent and working poor, as well as to numerous civic and charitable organizations dedicated to assisting them. The firm focuses its resources on specialized and interrelated issues including special education, civil rights and affirmative action, anti-human trafficking, family law matters, criminal appeals, immigration and political asylum, housing and homelessness.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Greenberg Traurig, LLP is an international, multi-practice law firm with approximately 2,000 attorneys serving clients from 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm is No. 1 on the 2015 Law360 Most Charitable Firms list, second largest in the U.S. on the 2016 Law360 400, Top 20 on the 2015 Am Law Global 100, and among the 2015 BTI Brand Elite. More information at: http://www.gtlaw.com.
Helix Cuff: Fashion Wearable with Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Red Dot Award judges hailed Helix Cuff as A shapely symbiosis of technology and fashion." With the removal of the headphone jack for the iPhone 7, Helix Cuff wireless headphones come as the perfect solution just in time for 2016 Holiday gift.

Ashley Chloe Inc. (http://www.ashleychloe.com), the Fashion Tech company honored with a Red Dot Product Design award, announces the official launch of its flagship wearable, Helix Cuff, in time for the release of the iPhone 7. The Helix Cuff is a one of a kind design in the wearables space with Bluetooth technology that makes it a perfect solution for the iPhone 7s removal of the headphone jack. The fashion wearable wrist cuff with extractable smart wireless Bluetooth headphones is a fitting holiday gift for tech and style lovers of every kind. The device will be available for order now.

The Helix Cuff was created to be both fashionable and functional. It is the only design in the market that combines a wireless Bluetooth 4.1 headset with a wearable form factor. The Helix Cuff responds to voice commands and activates Siri in a smart, hands-free experience. The Helix Cuff features aptX technology to provide CD-like high-quality stereo audio, cVc technology to increase voice quality and reduce background noise, and smart multipoint connectivity to enable simultaneous connectivity to two devices and seamless switching between them. The Helix Cuff can be worn on-the-go thanks to its ingenious design that allows users to store their wireless earphones by wrapping them around a groove in the cuff.

With the iPhone 7s turn to Bluetooth headphones, users are looking for earbuds with high quality audio, superior technology, and design that seamlessly integrates with their personal style. The Helix Cuff was designed to combine performance with style and convenience, making it the perfect solution for the iPhone 7 and a fantastic holiday gift for those who value both fashion and function. Recently, Ashley Chloe won the Red Dot Award for Product Design. Red Dot Award judges hailed Helix Cuff as A shapely symbiosis of technology and fashion, addressing both women and men. The Red Dot Award is a world known quality seal. It stands for the globally leading design competition, for highest competence in design, and for excellent design. The Red Dot Award is the most prestigious design award in the world. The Helix Cuff has also been named a CES 2016 Innovation Awards Honoree in the wearable technologies category.

Angela Pan, Founder and CEO of Ashley Chloe, drives the fashion tech brand with her experience in dual roles as an ambitious female entrepreneur and former early-stage tech investor. Pan saw a huge gap between beautiful design and incredible functionality in the current wearable market. Noticing the pains of tangled, plugged in headphones that we all experience, she created a wearable, wireless solution with her experienced team of ID designers and engineers from Nokia, Google/Nest, and GoPro.

While the headphone and audio device market overflows, the Helix Cuff stands unique at the intersection between wearable technology and headphones. With superior sound quality and cordless technology, the earphones offer a one-of-a-kind listening experience. Pairing these features with an innovative cuff design and concept create a device above par value that appeals to a range of demographics from travelers to commuters and music lovers to fashionistas.

Customer Testimonials:

The Helix Cuff design is very slick. It's a great idea instead of having to fish the wired earphones from bags. The sound is superb, even better than my Bose headphones.

-- Lynn D., Early Adopter of Helix Cuff, Legal Industry, United Kingdom

Company Background:

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ashley Chloe is bridging the gap between fashion and function in wearable tech. Ashley Chloe confronts this challenge head-on with the stylishly innovative Helix Cuff, its flagship wearable tech accessory for seamlessly connecting your active modern lifestyle. With a team of worldclass product designers and engineers, The fashion-forward startup focuses on creating digital accessories that improve daily use cases. The Helix Cuff is the beginning of a line of innovative digital wearables that transform the way we interact with technology.

The Helix Cuff is the worlds first wearable with extractable Bluetooth headphones on your wrist. It solves the problem of dealing with tangled and easy to lose headphones in a fashion-forward way. The Helix Cuff was successfully funded on Kickstarter, was awarded Kickstarter Staff Pick and saw over 250% in funding. Nearly 2000 early adopters in more than 150 countries have received the Helix Cuff.
Criminal defense attorney Jacquelyn L. Ford, founder of Jacquelyn Ford Law, P.C., celebrates her tenth anniversary as a lawyer. Its been an honor to represent my clients in the criminal defense arena for the past decade, said Ford. As humans, we are all capable of making mistakes. Many criminal defenders ignore the human aspect of their clients matter. As for me, I listen to and support my clients, help them stay positive and remind them to breathe.

Ford attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law and graduated with distinction in 2006. She has received the Kelly Beardslee Criminal Defense Award for excellence in defending the accused pro bono. As an Oklahoma County Public Defender, Ford represented over 3,000 people accused of felony crimes in her five years of service. During this time Fords peers honored her with the Clarence Darrow Award for excellence in trial advocacy.

Ford opened her own law firm in 2011, and continues to be a leader and a teacher in the legal community. Additionally, she is adamant about furthering her own education, and in 2013 graduated from the esteemed Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College, and joined the faculty in June of 2016.

About Jacquelyn L. Ford, Jacquelyn Ford Law

Jacquelyn L. Ford focuses on criminal defense. Practice areas of Jacquelyn Ford Law include criminal law, civil rights, white collar crime, violent crimes, sex crimes, murder, drug charges, assault and battery, DUI/DWI as well as personal injury and medical malpractice. Jacquelyn is a board member of the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and the President of the Oklahoma Justice Society. For more information, please call (405) 604-3200, or visit http://www.fordlawokc.com. The law office is located at 1621 North Classen Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73106.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
Wisconsin DUI Attorney Andrew Mishlove Until Serious Science, there has not been an in-depth science course that focuses on how to communicate scientific concepts to the jury.

Registration is now open for Serious Science: Advanced Course in Blood Drug Analysis and Trial Advocacy, an innovative 5-day teaching seminar offered through The National College for DUI Defense and hosted at the beautiful Arlington Hilton in Arlington, Texas. The seminar will run from Dec. 9th to Dec. 14th.

Trailblazers in DUI forensic science will be joined by some of the nations leading trial advocates to bring dynamic workshops and hands-on training to life. It will be a week of in-depth learning and practice, with some of the best scientific experts and trial advocates in America linking forensic science with trial advocacy, explains attorney Andrew Mishlove, who developed the course. Until Serious Science, there has not been an in-depth science course that focuses on how to communicate scientific concepts to the jury, says Mishlove.

Forensic training classes will be held in the conference room and in the field at Shimadzu Laboratory on the Campus of the University of Texas-Arlington. The course features hands-on instruction by Kevin Schug, PhD, Analytic Chemistry. Dr. Schug is a Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry at The University of Texas at Arlington. He heads the Shimadzu Laboratory where his research focuses on separation science and mass spectrometry applications.

Also teaching on the science faculty are:

Dr. Andreas Stoltz, a physicist and metrology expert who will teach attendees about Quality Control issues in blood drug analysis and blood test evidence. Dr. Stoltz has been leading the way to bring science into court rooms in forensic analysis so that juries and judges are fully informed about what a measurement means. Stoltz testified in a hallmark Michigan DUI case as to the Measurement of Uncertainty and instrument limitations of state blood lab analyses.

Janine Arvizu, QCA, Laboratory Quality Control, Metrology. Janine Arvizu is a chemist and certified Quality Control Auditor of laboratories. She has extensive experience in the assessment of laboratory operations and has been a defense expert in high-profile homicide cases.

Steven Oakes, PhD, Pharmacology. Dr. Oakes is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the School of Pharmacy. He has taught numerous courses on pharmaceutical sciences and toxicology.

Anthony Palacios, Drug Recognition Evaluation. Mr. Palacios is a nationally renowned SFST/DRE expert with 18 years of experience investigating DUI cases. He was an Impaired Driving Instructor for the Georgia Police Academy.

Online registration for the course is available through the NCDD here, and is open through November 1st. Completion of all course sessions during the seminar counts toward DUI Law Specialist certification requirements, and most states will credit for CLE.

Trial skills and tactics will be taught by the following esteemed faculty:

Joshua Karton, Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College. Atty Joshua Karton is President of Communication Arts for the Professional; a California based firm specializing in bringing the personal communication techniques from theatre and performance arts to the art of trial advocacy. Mr. Karton co-created Applied Theatre Techniques Workshops, the popular program that has trained over 8,000 attorneys nationwide.

Betsy Greene, Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College. Betsy Greene is an accomplished civil litigator with over 28 years of advocacy under her belt. Her workshops put participants in competing roles to gain a deeper understanding of effective courtroom communication and strong advocacy.

Kimberly Benjamin, Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College, NCDD member. Kimberly Benjamin is a veteran trial lawyer practicing in the areas of criminal defense, personal injury and employment discrimination. She received the Atticus Finch Award from the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in 2015.

Andrew Mishlove, NCDD Regent, Course Director. Course Director Atty Andrew Mishlove will conduct exercises and teach classes on the importance of a narrative in opening and closing statements, listening skills and Voir Dire theory. He will also lead demonstrations on cross examination techniques such as the Control Cross and the One Word Cross.

All advocacy instructors are graduates of The Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College and will bring his battle-tested methodologies to the seminar.

Course curriculum is immersive and includes sessions on: Basic Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics; Key Measurement Concepts - Basic Metrology; Introduction to Blood Drug Analysis; Quality Control Issues in Blood Drug Analysis; Hands-On in the Laboratory; Trial of a Blood Drug Case; Finding the Narrative - "Discovering the Story"; Cross Examination; Direct Examination; Closing Arguments, and Putting It All Together: Weaving Forensic Science Into the Fabric of Your Story.

Attendees will have optional sessions to review forensic science lessons. A Dropbox file of all seminar materials is included with registration, as are lunches and breakfasts. Attorneys are invited to participate in the daily morning walks led by the course director.

As the countrys most advanced course integrating forensic blood testing and trial advocacy, Serious Science: Advanced Course in Blood Drug Analysis and Trial Advocacy will help attorneys develop successful approaches and strategies to bolster their DUI defense practice.

About Andrew Mishlove

Attorney Andrew Mishlove is a Board Certified DUI Defense Law Specialist who has devoted his practice to Wisconsin DUI / OWI defense since his career began over 35 years ago. To date, he has tried over 300 jury cases and has successfully litigated thousands of complex DUI matters. Mr. Mishlove is nationally recognized by peers and defense organizations as a top DUI defense attorney and a leading trial advocate.
Forsaken Earth illuminates the errant dominant cultural ideology that underlies the causes of the ongoing mass extinction of Earths nonhuman species.

Since his early youth, Paul Sequoia Rauch has been aware of the human impact upon the ecosystems of Earth. He eventually realized how critical and monumental the mass extinction of species has become, and how much it is being fundamentally ignored by people around the world. As a call to action, Rauch publishes Forsaken Earth (published by Lulu) to educate people about the Earth and its life.

Rauchs book is premised on the observation that life on Earth is currently suffering a planetary, mass extinction of non-human species caused by humans. Forsaken Earth illuminates the errant dominant cultural ideology that underlies the causes of the ongoing mass extinction of Earths nonhuman species.

We are destroying all ecosystems of our world but doing relatively nothing about it. If we dont wake up and make drastic, fundamental changes to prevent it now, the current extinction event will be a force in full and unstoppable motion, in our lifetimes, before most even know its happening, Rauch tells.

With 59 chapters, Forsaken Earth also explains the importance and plight of pollinators, tuna, primates, corals and many other species due to the effects of historic cultural indoctrination. Forsaken Earth also proposes more solutions to our problems than any other book, including a modern integration of indigenous ideology.

An excerpt from the book Forsaken Earth:

The gorgeous species of our Earth are being annihilated in only a few decades for what we erroneously seem to think is progress towards a better world. The full extent of species loss is expected to happen between 35-85 years. Without changing our ways, by the sixty-year average of this likelihood (2075), fifty percent (4.5 million) of our planets unique species will be gone from our world, from the Universe, from Creation, forever.

Forsaken Earth, the Ongoing Mass Extinction

By Paul Sequoia Rauch

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 372 pages | ISBN 9781483454498

E-Book | 372 pages | ISBN 9781483454481

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Paul Sequoia Rauch is the founder and president of The Foundation for the Survival of Species, which educates people about endangered species and the ongoing mass extinction. He is a life-long naturalist and spent over a decade of summers in his youth soloing in the virgin mountain wilderness areas of the Pacific Northwests ancient temperate rainforests, often off trail. He later earned a bachelors degree in nonfiction writing from The Evergreen State College. He currently works as a counselor in the outdoors of Northern Arizona, contributing to one of the top couples healing retreats in the U.S.

Lulu empowers people of all ages to explore and express their interests, passions and expertise through books, photography and art. Since introducing self-publishing in 2002, Lulu has empowered creators in more than 225 countries and territories to produce nearly two million publications. Lulu Jr. allows children to become published authors, encouraging creativity, strengthening literacy and building self-esteem. Picture.com offers professional photography of collegiate and professional sports, memorable and historic events, fine art and home decor. For more information, please visit lulu.com.
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Sales of print books took a beating at John Wiley in the first quarter ended July 31, 2016. The biggest decline was in the higher education segment, where sales of printed textbooks dropped 31% from the comparable period last year. Wiley said the decline reflects the continued weakness in overall textbook demand and further share gain in textbook rental.

Along with the decline in print textbooks, Wiley saw sales of digital textbooks fall 14% in the quarter. Revenue for the entire higher education group fell 14% in the quarter, to $73.8 million.

In Wileys professional development group sales of print books declined 13%, to $41.5 million. Nonetheless, the format represented 43% of all revenue for the group in the quarter. Sales of digital books rose 7% in the quarter. Total revenue in the group declined 2%, to $96.1 million, with growth in corporate learning (20%) and online test preparation (23%) offsetting most of the drop in print book sales.

In Wileys largest group, research, first quarter revenue rose 2%, to $234.4 million. Results were driven by 4% growth in journal revenue, offsetting a 12% decline in the books and reference revenue; sales of print books fell 17%, to $18.6 million, while sales of digital books were flat.

For the entire company, revenue in the quarter was down 4%, to $404.3 million, while net income fell 4%, to $31.0 million. Wiley said it still expects revenue for fiscal 2017 to be flat with fiscal 2016, and earnings per share to fall by mid-single digits.

Wiley reached an agreement to acquire Atypon, a publishing-software and service provider based in Santa Clara, Calif., for $120 million. The company develops software that enables scholarly societies and publishers to deliver, host, enhance, market, and manage their content on the web. It had revenue of over $31 million in 2015. The transaction is expected to close October 1, Wiley said.
Religion historian Leigh Eric Schmidt is the author of half a dozen books on religion, but it is the non-religious who have captured his attention in his latest book, Village Atheists: How America's Unbelievers Made Their Way in a Godly Nation (Princeton University Press, Oct.).

As a religion professor, why write about atheism?

Religion and irreligion are deeply interconnected. Whenever I study religion, I also regularly find myself studying religions fiercest critics. So, even before I began working on this book, I saw atheism and Christianity, belief and unbelief, as shadowing one another.

What is a Village atheist?

When the expression was first coined, it was wholly negative. Eventually, the idea of the village atheist started to take on more positive associations, a fearless contrarian who was willing to challenge the sanctimony and complacency of provincial churchgoers. The village atheist came to be seen as a necessary secularist critic of Americas dominant Protestant faith, a freethinking nonconformist in a country that demanded all too much public piety. The village atheist was scorned by many as a blaspheming subversive and admired by others as a courageous defender of intellectual independence and church-state separation.

What is an example from the book that surprised you the most about atheist social exclusion?

One of the most consistent was the exclusion of atheists as witnesses in court; the practice of making a sworn belief in God a condition of witness competency. That came up time and again, right into the twentieth century. Perhaps the most egregious case, though, was the lynch-mob attack on the Texas freethinker L. J. Russell in 1875. He had left himself open to community suspicion by organizing a local club of freethinking liberals in Bell County and hosting infidel lectures. A group of vigilantes kidnapped him at gun point and beat him savagely in order, they claimed, to prevent him from leading innocent souls to hell.

What do you hope readers will learn from Village Atheists?

I wanted to retell the history of secularism in the United States from the ground up with a focus squarely on the folks who proclaimed themselves atheists, infidels, unbelievers, and freethinkers. I wanted to reconsider these dissenters as an irreligious minority, not the bearers of a triumphant secularism that redefines the entire age, but a much tinier, more embattled group who had to fight long and hard for equal liberty and civic acceptance in American culture.
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LOS ANGELES (AP)  The bankruptcy of the Hanjin shipping line has thrown ports and retailers into confusion, with giant container ships marooned and merchants worrying whether tons of goods will reach their shelves.

The South Korean giant filed for bankruptcy protection Wednesday and stopped accepting new cargo. With its assets frozen, ships from China to Canada found themselves refused permission to offload or take on containers because there were no guarantees that tugboat pilots or stevedores would be paid.

"Hanjin called us and said: 'We're going bankrupt and we can't pay any bills  so don't bother asking,' " said J. Kip Louttit, executive director of the Marine Exchange of Southern California, which provides traffic control for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Hanjin, the world's seventh-largest container shipper, represents nearly 8 percent of the trans-Pacific trade volume for the U.S. market.

As of Friday, 27 ships had been refused entry to ports or terminals, Hanjin Shipping spokeswoman Park Min said. That left cargo headed to and from Asia in limbo, much to the distress of merchants looking to stock shelves with fall fashions or Christmas toys.

South Korea's maritime ministry issued a statement that Hanjin's troubles would affect cargo exports for two to three months, given that August-October is a high-demand season for deep-sea routes. It said 540,000 TEU of cargo already loaded on Hanjin vessels would face delays.

"Retailers' main concern is that there (are) millions of dollars' worth of merchandise that needs to be on store shelves that could be impacted by this," said Jonathan Gold, the group's vice president for supply chain and customs policy. "It is understandable that port terminal operators, railroads, trucking companies and others don't want to do work for Hanjin if they are concerned they won't get paid."

The confusion might sink some trucking firms that contract with Hanjin to deliver cargo containers carrying everything from electronics to car parts from ports to company loading bays.

"They've got bills to pay  they could literally close their doors over this," said Peter Schneider, Fresno-based vice president of T.G.S. Transportation Inc.

The price of shipping a 40-foot container from China to the U.S. jumped up to 50 percent in a single day, said Nerijus Poskus of Flexport, a licensed freight forwarder and customs broker based in San Francisco. The price from China to West Coast ports rose from $1,100 per container to as much as $1,700 Thursday, while the cost from China to the East Coast jumped from $1,700 to $2,400, he said.

Weaker trade and overcapacity have sent ocean shipping rates plunging in recent years. A few months ago, Poskus said, prices hit historic lows globally  down to as much as $600 per container from Shanghai to Los Angeles. That wouldn't even cover fuel costs for the ships, he said.
The State Journal-Register reports the Springfield Public Schools students were sent home Tuesday. Superintendent Jennifer Gill says most of those students are heading into sixth, ninth and 12th grades.

Gill says one factor is that 12th-graders must provide proof of two meningococcal vaccines if the first was received on or after their 16th birthdays.

She says the situation could be worse. Last week, 2,400 students in the district were not in compliance.

Springfield School Board member Mike Zimmers says parents of the 600 students "should be ashamed of themselves" for not ensuring their children met the medical requirements.

The district has about 15,000 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
Elgin, Ill.-based School District U-46 board member Jeanette Ward wrote that Tuesday marks the first day that transgender students will be able to use the locker room of their gender identity at the same time as other students.

Ward wrote that the district has opted not to inform parents or the community at large of this change. I am informing you. She ended her short post by encouraging anyone who had concerns to contact district administration.

Reached by phone Tuesday, Ward said she believed that the issue was too important for the community to be kept in the dark. She said though the change affects one middle school student, it may not end there.

Im concerned that this is being implemented without communication to the parents and the community at large, she said. This creates a precedent.

Tony Sanders, the districts chief executive officer, said U-46s diverse population has included transgender students for years, and school officials have worked successfully with those students and their families. Up until now, transgender students typically have asked to change in a nurses office or use a staff bathroom, he said.

This marks the first time a transgender student has requested access to a locker room matching the students gender identity, he said.

School officials worked with the transgender student on the request, which came after the school year started, to allow the student access to the locker room starting Tuesday. The student will use a private changing stall, and the locker room will be supervised by an adult, he said. Sanders said also that any student who doesnt feel safe in a locker room or bathroom should contact the principal of the school to address concerns and possibly find an alternative.

Were here to serve the needs of every individual student who comes through our doors, which by law were required to do, and its the right thing to do, said Sanders, who added the district was in compliance with federal guidelines from of the Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights.

In a separate post on Twitter, Ward wrote: This shouldve been brought to the board for deliberation before this kind of practice change was made.

Sanders said he called all board members to inform them of the development, but said he did not feel the need to bring it up for a board vote because the district already has a policy in place that states the district will not discriminate against students based on gender identity.

Sanders also posted two statements on Facebook. In the second post Tuesday, he said: Did we notify families? No, we did not. Why? Because it would be a violation of state and federal laws that protect students from the release of personal information. For the same reason, we do not tell parents if their child is in a locker room with a gay or lesbian student, or a student with autism, or a student with a bacterial infection.

He added in his online statement: I also must address several social media comments about how we are opening our doors to allow sexual predators to self-identify as transgender in order to gain access to students. Nothing could be further from the truth. We would not allow just anyone into a student locker room or restroom. To suggest otherwise is fear mongering.

In December, a district official told the Chicago Tribune that the district had not had problems related to transgender locker room and bathroom access.

Ward, who said she opposes locker room access for transgender students primarily for safety reasons, has made headlines before since she was elected to the board last year. An online petition that called for her resignation earlier this year criticized her views on minorities, the LGBTQ community, and public education. That appeal was met with a dueling petition that backed Wards right to free speech in expressing her beliefs and thoughts.

Ward also objected to expanding the districts dual language curriculum for Spanish-speaking students and voted against spending district money on textbooks and resources that she said were written from a pervasive politically left bias.

School districts nationwide continue to grapple with issues of transgender and privacy rights. Federal guidance by the Department of Education has conflicted with some court rulings, the most recent of which came down last month from a Texas judge who temporarily blocked transgender students from being allowed to use the school bathrooms and locker rooms of their choice. It remains unclear if or how that ruling will affect Illinois districts.

Palatine, Ill.-based Township High School District 211 granted a transgender student use of the girls locker room late last year after federal authorities found the district in violation of Title IX, the federal law that bans sex discrimination in schools. The district is now being sued by a group of students and parents who allege the district trampled students privacy rights.
CARBON CLIFF  Village trustees were addressed Tuesday by several residents concerning flooding, primarily on 1st Avenue area but also in the Orchard Court area.

The flooding in the 1st Avenue location has been ongoing for at least two years and is blamed on a creek, an inadequate culvert and a bridge that blocks the flow of runoff. The situation has escalated with the excess of rain this summer, residents said.

After sometimes heated discussion, the board told the residents addressing the flooding is a priority and, in fact, the board had an agenda item at this meeting to engage McClure Engineering to perform a study to advise the village on the best course of action.

To date, the villages ability to solve the issue has been limited by lack of funding; any solution of the several considered could cost from $500,000 to more than $1 million.

In other action, the board:

 Acknowledged and ratified President Bill Hintzs emergency expenditures to purchase a Hach Universal Controller from Heartland Controls of Frankfort, for $3,034, and the emergency hiring of Hoerr Construction, of Peoria, to jet, vacuum and televise the sewer lines on Ruth Road, end of Barstow Road and a portion of Illinois 5 and 92.

 Approved a motion to authorize Jack Kusek, of McClure Engineering, to find a company to install the Hach Universal Controller at the master metering pit on Ruth Road.

 Approved an ordinance to regulate the feeding of wild animals.

 Approved an ordinance authorizing execution of a proposal for professional engineering service to the 1st Avenue Bridge at Argillo Creek with McClure Engineering.
CORDOVA -- If a solution isn't found, December will be the point of no return for Exelon Generation's Quad Cities Generating Station near Cordova.

In June, Exelon announced plans to close the facility near Cordova in 2018 -- as well as another facility near Clinton, Ill., next year -- unless the state implements subsidies for nuclear power. Although a measure doing so could not get traction in the General Assembly earlier this year, work on similar legislation has continued.

But the window is closing.

"Things will have just too far gone (by December)," Tim Hanley, Exelon's senior vice president, said Tuesday.

December marks the point when Exelon will have to start interrupting routines at the plant to meet the final deadline for closure, Mr. Hanley said. One of the more important of those routines is buying two-year's worth of fuel for the plant. That purchase costs about $60 million or more.

Since the June closure announcement, Exelon has been taking steps to close the plants, including official notifications to the federal government and power grid operators.

Even if nuclear subsidies are created in Illinois, the plant may still close, Mr. Hanley said. It depends on what final form the subsidies take, and the long-term projection for the plant's success.

On Tuesday, state Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Rock Island, was joined by Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, and Sens. Sue Rezin, R-Peru, and Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, on a tour of the Cordova facility. The lawmakers said subsidies negotiations were ongoing and there are hopes that the General Assembly will have a bill to take action on during the veto session in November.

The lawmakers said they could not provide details on the negotiations.

Sen. Anderson said he organized the tour to show the plant to the people who could be working on the legislation. There are 800 good-paying jobs at the plant, he said.

"We want to see them stay here," Sen. Anderson said.

According to Exelon, the Cordova and Clinton facilities have a combined workforce of about 1,600 and annually create about $1.2 billion in economic activity. However, the two also have lost a combined $800 million in the past seven years, according to company officials.

Rock Island County records show that Exelon pays the most property taxes in the county -- $7.99 million in 2015 payable this year. The second-highest taxpayer in the county is Deere & Co., at $2.74 million.
Submitted press release

Latinos will have a strong voice in the 2016 election and it will be heard through the votes they cast.

LULAC of Iowa has created the Informed Voters Project to increase Latino voter registration and to provide information on the presidential and midterm elections.

During the next two months, LULAC of Iowa and local councils will host voter registration drives in places such as libraries, Mexican restaurants and grocery stores. In addition:

 LULAC of Iowa is actively seeking invitations from Latinos to attend private social events, such as wedding receptions, baptisms, quinceaneras and parties, where LULAC representatives will set up a table and provide information about voter registration and candidates running for office. The table will be placed in a location that does not distract from the event.

Any individual or family wanting to invite LULAC for voter registration purposes, or for more information, should contact deputy state director Maria Bribriesco at 563-359-8266 or state director Mike Reyes at 563-343-4108. With permission from the host, LULAC will take photographs and thank the host in the state-wide publication Hola Iowa.

 LULAC members throughout the state will host cafecitos (talks) in their homes to provide information to family, friends and neighbors about the political system and candidates running for office.

Anyone interested in hosting a cafecito should contact deputy state director Maria Bribriesco at 563-359-8266 or state director Mike Reyes at 563-343-4108.

 To educate voters, LULAC of Iowa has created scorecards that rank where candidates running for office stand on various issues, such as privatizing social security and private prisons. The scorecards will be available at voter registration and other events, or at the LULAC of Iowa website at lulaciowa.org.

 LULAC of Iowa will travel to voter registration drives and other events throughout the state in a van prominently displaying the LULAC logo and other messages encouraging people to vote and take a stand against hate and racism.

LULAC of Iowa is confident it will achieve significant voter outreach and will kick-off its 2016 Informed Voter Project on Sept. 10, during the VIVA! Quad Cities festival. The event celebrates the Hispanic culture and heritage. VIVA! runs from noon to 11 p.m. in the west parking lot of Isle Casino Hotel, 1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf.

LULAC of Iowa is a nonpartisan civil rights organization working to end hate and oppression. There 14 LULAC Councils and 500 members across Iowa. These volunteer members contribute and strengthen communities through scholarships, mentoring, support and events that share the Latino heritage. Current outreach efforts are focused on voter registration and education.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nations largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULACs programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.
ROCK ISLAND -- After five years and roughly $15 million of investment by the city to make the dream of a Wal-Mart Supercenter a reality, city officials learned Tuesday that the retail giant has pulled out of the 11th Street project.

A statement issued by Delia Garcia, Wal-Mart director of communications based in Arizona, said that, "after much deliberation and consideration of various business factors, we have decided not to pursue development of a new store in Rock Island" at this time.

"We commend the visionary leadership of Mayor (Dennis) Pauley and the city council and the work they have done to create a business friendly climate in Rock Island that encourages continued growth and investment in the city," Ms. Garcia's statement read. "We appreciate their support as we have worked through the conceptualization and complexities of a potential commercial development."

A stunned Mayor Pauley said Wal-Mart officials notified him of the decision at 3 p.m. Tuesday. In August, Wal-Mart had requested and received a 30-day extension for its review of the site.

"No, I'm not happy," he said. "We put a lot of work, a lot of time into this. We never heard a negative comment from Wal-Mart from Day 1."

Since 2012 -- when city officials announced an agreement to bring Wal-Mart to Rock Island -- the city has spent about $15 million for either purchases or lease buyouts for 21 properties in the area of the Watch Tower Plaza site along 11th Street. The city also has paid demolition, relocation and infrastructure costs to move businesses and provided business incentives.

In October 2015, the Rock Island City Council approved selling the former Watch Tower Plaza site -- consisting of about 20 acres -- for $4.5 million to Price Properties, Wal-Mart's development arm.

On Tuesday, Ms. Garcia said Wal-Mart never promised Rock Island anything in return for the expenditure made by the city.

"At no time did Wal-Mart request this expense be made on our behalf," she said. "The fact is the purchase agreement provides for either party to cancel the agreement for any reason prior to the end of the feasibility period."

Wal-Mart was facing a Thursday deadline -- an extension of a deadline set for Aug. 9 -- to complete its due diligence and sign off on the project. The Aug. 9 deadline was an extension on a deadline initially set for May 9 for a 180-day feasibility period.

"There were no soil problems. They (Wal-Mart) thought Rock Island was a very good business climate," Mayor Pauley said. "They were happy with me, the council. But they told me they evaluated several sites around the country and did not think the (Rock Island) site met their future viability."

Mayor Pauley said Wal-Mart spent more than $600,000 on the site related to its due diligence.

"We never gave Wal-Mart a penny," he said. He added that he and other city leaders should not be "punished" for Wal-Mart's decision.

The city was banking on the supercenter to provide 250 to 300 jobs and bring in millions of dollars of sales tax revenue. It's the second economic blow to the city this summer after Kmart, at 3840 46th Ave., closed its doors in July.

"The realities are we, as a city, cannot live on property tax," Mayor Pauley said. "We have to have sales tax, and we're trying to bring economic development to the city. It's unfortunate it didn't work out for us."

Ald. Joshua Schipp, 6th Ward, expressed disappointment but said he had been skeptical from when the project was first announced.

"This isn't the way the city should position itself because of the enormous amount of risk put forward," Ald. Schipp said. "What we have seen over the years on this project is part of the project has been for permanent city improvements for locating businesses -- such as Missman, Hill and Valley, the learning center for Black Hawk College, intersections and roadwork."

But, Ald. Schipp said, Mayor Pauley, other aldermen and city leadership in 2012 were not "forthright with the risk the project entailed." Ald. Schipp said there was, "a great deal of secrecy" about who was talking to whom and "a great deal of ambiguity" that corresponded with the supercenter proposal "delivered with such fanfare, such certainty.

"Every citizen in Rock Island has a right to be upset and wonder why it took place," Ald. Schipp said. "To me, it's a further call to stay involved with city hall and to know your aldermen and be engaged with what's happening. We (city) certainly can't afford any other issues like this."

Ald. Stephen Tollenaer, 4th Ward, said he felt "as bad about it as everybody else does." But he said the city will continue to push revitalization of 11th Street.

"It's not forgotten," he said. "Staff will be directed to march forward and try to locate another major retailer. At that location, we've turned it into a blank slate, a clean location. It's a great location."

Ald. Virgil Mayberry, 2nd Ward, said the city will have to work on getting someone else to come in there "as soon as possible.

"It's construction ready," he said. "We did everything we possibly could."

But Ald. Mayberry also said Wal-Mart's decision not to come to Rock Island likely delighted the city's critics.

"I'm sure people in the community, not necessarily in Rock Island, are celebrating," he said. "They're happy they're (Wal-Mart) not coming, because they did not want it here."

Ald. Chuck Austin, 7th Ward, said he was disappointed but deferred comments on the project to Mayor Pauley. Alds. Ivory Clark, 1st Ward, P.J. Foley, 3rd Ward, and Kate Hotle, 5th Ward, could not be reached for comment.
Almost 50 Illinois counties have filed lawsuits against Democratic Governor, JB Pritzker, and the ill crafted SAFE-T Act. Introduced in the General Assembly by the Illinois Black Caucus, the Act passed the Democratic-led General Assembly in the wee hours of Jan. 13, 2021. Amongst many of its weaknesses and deficiencies, the Act eliminates cash bail, emboldens criminals, and makes it even more difficult for law enforcement to keep offenders off our streets. Public Safety personnel and States Attorneys across our great State have decried the legislation, noting that it was drafted and written with very little constructive input from Public Safety leadership, from either party; potentially impacting every Illinois community with dangerous consequences. Allowing perpetrators to bail out of jail, based on their good word that they will be glad to return to court is laughable, at best, and both ludicrous and dangerous, at worst. Soon after the SAFE-T Act was passed at the State level, the Republican-led Henry County Board drafted a resolution, requesting that the General Assembly repeal and replace the SAFE-T Act with a new criminal justice bill, this time with input from professional law enforcement, States Attorneys from across the State, and other Public Safety officials. We unanimously passed our resolution on May 19, 2022, and encourage all County Boards in Illinois to follow our lead. Our Republican-led Board in Henry County believes we all, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, deserve effective and fair law enforcement in our communities.
CALDCs Halloween Celebration A Real Treat! The Central Astoria LDCs 7th annual Batty Over Halloween Celebration held on Sunday, October 23rd was a real treat for everyone who came out. Despite...

Meng Brings NASA Astronaut To Queens On October 17, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) brought NASA astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim to Queens where he met and spoke with students at Francis...

Celebrating Columbus The Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Queens (FIAO) held their annual Columbus Day parade in Astoria, on Saturday, October 8, during Italian Heritage Month. The...
G'day! It's Murray here. I've put together a little quiz to test your musical knowledge. Think you can score top marks in Murray's Magic Music Quiz? Give it a go now!
Victorias population is projected to reach 10.1 million by 2051 and the report argues that recent growth projections reveal that the population imbalance between Melbourne and regional areas will continue to grow, failing to meet the state governments own statutory and strategic planning objectives.

The report says while the regional network has seen significant investment in recent years, most recently the Regional Rail Link project, on many routes travel times have barely improved and there are continuing perceptions of unsatisfactory service reliability amongst most commuters.

Despite this, regional rail patronage has more than doubled in the last decade. Key factors include population growth, rising costs and congestion. Continued ridership growth is projected, but capacity gaps will limit the potential to offer additional services.

The report therefore calls for:

- faster, regular rail services linking major regional centres, with clear route patterns

- a new line to Melbourne Airport hub served by regional rail and a city centre - airport shuttle

- new fast lines on the Geelong, Bendigo and Seymour lines, fully segregated from the existing Melbourne suburban rail network

- removal of impediments to fast running through the Melbourne area for Ballarat and Gippsland services

- cross-country regional rail services linking regional cities, and

- much improved service reliability, through more robust infrastructure, new rolling stock, institutional changes and greater proficiency in operational and engineering management.

The reports authors envisage the improvements being carried out in two phases. The first phase would be completed by 2026 with a focus on delivering significant benefits in capacity, frequency, journey time and reliability. This will require institutional changes and relatively straightforward infrastructure and service improvements.

Longer-term enhancements proposed between 2026 and 2040 would require a step-change in capacity and improved journey times with faster trains and new lines fully segregated from the suburban network.

The report can be viewed in full on the Rail Futures Institute website.
Through the licensing agreement which is for an initial 10-year term, RCR plans to manufacture and distribute the Helix Dumper and unloading station throughout Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

The Helix Dumper is designed for rolling discharge and its unloading station is made up of a spiral structure which tips the wagons while the train moves forward, each wagon carrying up to 100 tonnes.

According to RCR, a Perth-based engineering and infrastructure company with approximately 3000 employees internationally, the new unloading technology is up to 3-4 times faster than existing methods.
Sensors in the head of the pantograph constantly monitor infrastructure and provide data which can be used to determine maintenance requirements for rolling stock and electrification equipment.

Brecknell Willis has developed a prototype of the pantograph in collaboration with City University London, with funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Approximately one month after billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman dumped all his shares in Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and walked away with an estimated $1.5 billion to pursue other ventures, he has resigned from CPs Board of Directors.

CP on Sept. 6, 2016 announced Ackmans resignation, effective immediately, and the appointment of two new directors, Jill Denham and William R. Fatt. Ackman initially had said that he would remain on the CP Board until the companys next annual shareholder meeting, but instead chose to exit right away, saying that he is confident that with CPs superb management and strong governance, it will extend its remarkable track record into the future.

Ackman led the successful effort to install new board members and new management at CP in 2012 when the company was the worst-performing Class I railroad in North America, CP said. Since that time, CP has generated more than $14 billion in shareholder value and its share price has outperformed the S&P/TSX Composite by 120% through the end of 2015. During Mr. Ackmans tenure on the board, CP transformed from railroadings biggest laggard to one of the industrys very best.

It was Ackman who enticed Hunter Harrison out of retirement in 2012 and, following a proxy battle, installed him as CPs CEO. The turnaround Harrison led at CP earned him Railway Ages 2015 Railroader of the Year Award.

Jill Denham joins the CP board after a career spent in senior roles in the financial services industry. She was Vice Chair Retail Markets at CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) from 2001 through 2005 and Managing Director/Head of Commercial Banking and E-Commerce at the bank from 1999 to 2001. Prior to that, Denham served CIBC overseas in London as Managing Director Head from 1995. She entered the financial services industry in 1983. Denham currently serves as Chair of the Board at Morneau Sheppell and at Munich Reinsurance Canada. She is also a board member at National Bank of Canada and Kinaxis Inc.

William R. Fatt joins the CP board after serving as Chairman and CEO of FRHI Hotels & Resorts from 1998 through July 2016. Prior to becoming CEO at FRHI, which was created from the merger of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Raffles Hotels & Resorts in 2006, Fatt was CFO at Canadian Pacific Ltd., parent company of Fairmont predecessor Canadian Pacific Hotels as well as CPs operating company, Canadian Pacific Railway Co. Fatt currently sits on the board of the Jim Pattison Group and the Bank of Nova Scotia. Previously, he had served on the boards of Cadillac Fairview Corp., EnCana Corp., SunLife Financial Inc. and Enbridge Inc.

The diverse experience and expertise these individuals bring to the CP board will have an immediate constructive impact, CP Board Chairman Andy Reardon said. They are committed to building on the successes and hard work of the past five years, which have positioned CP as an industry leader now and in the years to come.
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The Stern Review was commissioned by the UK government to provide an independent review of the Research Excellence Framework (REF), a method of assessing research from the UK's higher education institutions. The review's aim was threefold: to ensure that the REF was fit-for-purpose, effective and whether there were ways to simplify and reduce the administrative burden; to draw on evidence from the evaluation of REF 2014 and consider other models of research assessment; and to provide options for future iterations of the REF, which would focus on a simpler, light-touch method of research assessment.

The Stern Review's release at the end of July raised two pertinent questions about the REF. What purposes does the REF serve? And does it offer good value for money for the UK's higher education institutions?

There is a wide body of work that discusses the purpose of the REF, and its predecessor, the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). The RAE was conducted on a (near) quinquennial basis between 1986 and 2013 and assessed research excellence in universities by considering the quality of research publications (known as 'outputs'), and other measures of the research environment, such as number of postgraduate research students, research income and evidence of esteem. The 2014 REF also assessed research excellence, but based it on three main criteria: quality of research outputs, the wider impact of research and the vitality of the research environment.

One key purpose of the REF is to inform the allocation of research funding to UK universities in the amount of nearly 2 billion per year. However, the review is also instrumental in a range of other purposes, including providing an evidence base to inform strategic decisions about national priorities across the research base, a mechanism for accountability, a performance incentive, and a reputational benchmark.

The Stern Review places significant emphasis on concerns about the burden of the process overall...on higher education institutions.

One of the key differences between the 2014 REF and previous RAEs was the introduction of the 'impact' element, meaning that the UK's higher education institutions had to demonstrate the wider impacts and benefits of their research. This is especially important when the research investment comes from public money, making higher education institutions more accountable to the UK taxpayer on the basis of research impacts and not just published research. However, introducing the impact element to the REF has been criticised for making the cost of the assessment exercise too high. In fact, the Stern Review places significant emphasis on concerns about the burden of the process overall, including the impact element, on higher education institutions.

Even if focused solely on the funding allocation that the UK's higher education institutions receive, our cost estimates suggest that the burden of the REF process may not be disproportionate. These show a total cost of 246 million for the REF process, which combines RAND Europe's own estimates of 55 million to cover the impact component of the REF, with 191 million for the other elements. Compared to the likely annual allocation of UK research funding overall of 10 billionbased on the estimate in our report Assessing impact submissions for REF2014: An evaluation)the costs of the process are only around 2.5 percent of the funding allocated.

This percentage is similar to the administrative costs for the UK's research councils for 2015-16, which are around 1.5 to 4.5 percent of their total costs. Unlike our estimates for the REF, these figures do not take into account the costs of the submission process for universities, whichbased on our analysisare likely to make these costs even higher. In other words, our analysis shows that the transaction costs of assessing impact as part of the REF are less than the previously estimated costs of traditional peer reviews.

When making any assessment of costs and burdens, it is also important to look at benefits, both direct and indirect. Our work evaluating the impact element of the REF process (published in 2015 prior to the review) found that the REF provides the opportunity for academics and research users to build better links, and to improve research networks and communication between different groups of research stakeholders. Another RAND Europe study conducted in 2014 found that the REF was effective at deepening the understanding and strategic thinking around impact at the UK's higher education institutions. The REF also allowed academics in the UK to reaffirm their links and relationships with research users', or those in society who will benefit from the breadth and depth of research that occurs in UK universities.

While efficiency should be a goal in research funding, it is not clear whether the REF process is excessively burdensome. In fact, when taking into account the wider benefits of the REF, the process starts to look like good value for money.

Allocating research funding in a fair and balanced way based on evidence takes time, effort and a set of methodologies that match the purpose of the exercise. There are multiple ways to do this, but it is always important to situate the assessment in the wider national context. This is why it is important to ensure that the REF retains and develops the rigour and relevance of the data it collects to allow it to be used for the wide range of purposes.

Based on our analysis of the REF 2014, there are a number of points to consider that could help make the process more rigorous and effective. They include how to manage variations in the way the process is conducted, how to avoid the risk of unsubstantiated and false claims being made, and how to clarify the processes for assessing different kinds of research impact.

The UK has become an international leader in thinking about how to evaluate research and demonstrate its numerous benefits for society. It should continue to focus on these strengths and take pride in the successes of its research and innovation base, using the REF as the empirical evidence to support it.

Molly Morgan Jones is an associate research group director and Susan Guthrie is a senior analyst at RAND Europe.

Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Ground-based air defense forces, particularly surface-to-air missile (SAM) forces, play a crucial role in Chinese military thinking about the defense of the homeland. In Science of Military Strategy 2013 ( PDF ), Chinese strategists assume that a potential adversary is likely to initiate a conflict via air attacks that continue throughout the conflict and directly impact the success or failure of the overall attack. Looking beyond China's borders to recent wars abroad, other Chinese strategists have observed that, without a strong air defense capability, a country's national security and territorial integrity are held at risk and the country may lose operational superiority during wartime, leading to irreparable losses within its territory. A strong air defense capability can thus help China defeat enemy air assaults, win air defense battles, and deter potential adversaries.

PLAAF SAM units' operational readiness and capabilities may vary depending on their home unit location and the time of year. According to our latest research, which examined every SAM training activity discussed within a one-year time frame between 2013 and 2014 in the PLAAF's official newspaper, Kongjun Bao, SAM units based near the capital area and in the coastal regions appeared to be the most active. We also found that PLAAF SAM units followed a yearly training cycle that is based on the training cycle of two-year enlisted conscripts (which begins in late summer and early fall). This cycle impacts SAM units' levels of operational readiness throughout the year. For example, between October and February, we found no exercisesthe most sophisticated level of training activityand only a few basic training activities or drills reported. By April, there were higher levels of basic training activities and the highest number of drills, presumably in preparation for Red Sword, the PLAAF's flagship opposition-force exercise. Training peaked in July and high levels of activity were maintained during the summer and early fall.

PLAAF SAM units have been engaging in more realistic and challenging combat training in recent years. Mobility training was the most frequently mentioned in the 2013 to 2014 data set, the majority of which involved rapid maneuver, though some articles discussed traveling long distances to engage in live-fire training at one of two SAM training ranges in the Gobi Desert or Bohai Gulf or to train in unfamiliar environments. Opposition-force training was also frequently discussed, though only a fraction of this training was described as against actual aviation units as opposed to simulated opponents.

Compared to an earlier data set from 2004 to 2006, 2013 to 2014 data showed increases in the discussion of opposition-force and unscripted training in PLAAF SAM training activities. However, discussion of complex training content is still limited, with just over 10 percent of entries describing unscripted training, and even fewer involving combined arms training with other PLAAF branches or joint training with other services.

Opposition-force training has grown more frequent in recent years. For some SAM units, Kongjun Bao articles indicate that training with neighboring aviation units has become more common, with commanders and operators from both types of units sharing information about their combat methods and devising ways to overcome them. In live-unit opposition-force training, PLAAF SAM units also are increasingly challenging their opponents instead of merely supporting the other side's training. In their training against aviation forces, SAMs are now practicing to counter sophisticated air tactics, and SAM units are operating as part of blue force and red forces....

The remainder of this commentary is available on nationalinterest.org.

Cristina Garafola is a project associate at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation.

This commentary originally appeared on The National Interest on September 2, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
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Whats the secret to be a successful broadcaster today? Getting the balance of TV and OTT right. If you are a broadcaster, you need more than just TV presence to thrive in todays multiscreen world. To keep up with the ever-evolving viewer demands and make the most of your content libraries, you need to diversify your presence across OTT and CTV/Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST).
Renova Group's top manager detained in bribery case

MOSCOW, September 7 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko)  A court in Syktyvkar, the capital of Russias Komi Republic, has detained Chief Managing Director at Renova Group holding Evgeny Olkhovik in a bribery case for two months, RAPSI learnt in the court on Wednesday.

Olkhovik was earlier arrested with another suspect in the case, CEO of T Plus Company, a subsidiary of Renova Group holding, Boris Vainzikher.

According to Vladimir Markin, the Investigative Committees official spokesman, investigative authorities in Russias Republic of Komi have initiated a criminal case against some former and acting managers of Kompleksnye Energeticheskiye Sistemy (KES) company, of which T Plus is the legal successor, on suspicion of large-scale bribery.

Investigators believe that in 2007 through 2014 the suspects bribed the officials currently involved in the criminal case against the Republics ex-head Vyacheslav Gaizer with money and other assets.

The total amount of funds transferred as money reward made over 800 million rubles ($12.3 million), the Investigative Committees Markin said earlier.

Investigators claim that Olkhovik and Vainzikher have received 177 and 89 million rubles ($2.7 million and $1.4 million) in bribes respectively and transferred the money to the accounts of affiliated companies.

Last week, searches and interrogations of witnesses were carried out at Moscow offices of T Plus and related companies with support from the regional and central directorates of the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Russian priest accused of pedophilia to be extradited from Israel soon - investigators

MOSCOW, September 7 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul)  Russian investigators are carrying out extradition of Russian priest Gleb Grozovsky, who stands charged in absentia with sexual abuse of children, from Israel to Russia, a representative of the St. Petersburg Main Investigative Directorate told RAPSI on Tuesday.

A probe into the criminal case against Gleb Grozovsky, 37, accused in absentia of committing violent sex crimes is underway. At present the extradition of the charged offender from Israel to Moscow is being carried out; after he is brought to St. Petersburg, he will be subjected to appropriate investigative actions, the Directorates representative said.

According to Russian investigators, Grozovsky committed sex crimes against several minors in 2011 and 2013.

In 2013, he fled to Israel where he applied for citizenship. However, his application was dismissed.

In April 2014, Grozovsky was put on the international wanted list. Israeli police arrested him in September. In January 2015, a court in Jerusalem ruled that the priest should be extradited to Russia pursuant to the European Convention on Extradition.

The ruling was appealed, but rejected. In April, the Justice Minister signed an order on Grozovskys extradition. Nevertheless, according to defense, the charges against Grozovsky are politically motivated and the Convention provisions could not apply to him.
The Associated Press, August 26, 2016

By Lynne O'Donnell

KABUL, Afghanistan  As the United States prepared to invade Taliban-ruled Afghanistan 15 years ago, then-First Lady Laura Bush took over her husband's weekly radio address to tell the American people that part of the reason for going to war after the attacks of September 11, 2001, was to liberate Afghan women from the brutality that had been forced on them by the extremists' regime.

As the war against the Taliban grinds on, Afghan women are still largely treated as property and barely a week goes by without news emerging of a woman or girl being stoned to death, burned with gasoline, beaten or tortured by her in-laws, traded to repay a debt, jailed for running away from a violent husband, or sold into marriage as a child.



Feb. 24, 2008: 22-y old Fatima who has been abused and injured by her cruel husband in Herat - Western Afghanistan. Her toes were cut off by her husband, she was burnt by hot water, he hair were pulled, and according to a doctor of a local hospital in Herat: "The 22-y old woman claims to be beaten up by her husband around two months ago, according to our investigation, signs of beatings and injuries are seen all over the body. Now she is hospitalized in the women's ward." (Photo: RAWA.org) Feb. 24, 2008: 22-y old Fatima who has been abused and injured by her cruel husband in Herat - Western Afghanistan. Her toes were cut off by her husband, she was burnt by hot water, he hair were pulled, and according to a doctor of a local hospital in Herat: "The 22-y old woman claims to be beaten up by her husband around two months ago, according to our investigation, signs of beatings and injuries are seen all over the body. Now she is hospitalized in the women's ward." (Photo: RAWA.org)

Abuse of women in Afghanistan remains entrenched and endemic, despite constitutional guarantees of equality, protection from violence and age-old practices such as trading young women to pay debts.

Earlier this month, news emerged from remote central Ghor province of Zarah, a pregnant 14-year-old who was allegedly tortured and set on fire by her in-laws as they took revenge on her father over a failed deal to marry one of their relatives.

Mohammad Azam, 45, traveled to the capital, Kabul, to call for justice for the killing of his daughter. Yet he too had taken a young bride as payment for construction work.

The British government said in a report in early July that "documented cases of violence against women have risen" in the first half of 2016, with 5,132 cases reported to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, "including 241 murders."

Attending a small rally in western Kabul to support Azam's call for justice, women's rights activist Veeda Saghari said violence against women is largely ignored by Afghanistan's judicial sector.

"That is why all kinds of violence against women such as acid throwing, beating, stoning, informal community tribunal verdicts, burning, forced divorces, forced marriages, forced pregnancies, forced abortions have reached a peak," she said.

In fairness, much has improved for Afghan women since the Taliban were ejected from power. During five years of Taliban rule, women were not permitted to attend school or work, were largely confined to their homes, and subject to public beatings for violations of strict rules on what they could wear in public. When it came to their health, very few had access to doctors, and benchmarks such as maternal mortality were among the worst in the world.

Now millions of girls go to school, compared to practically none in 2001, and access to health care is widespread. The constitution protects women from the worst excesses they suffered before 2001. Figures published by the World Bank show a drop in maternal mortality, for instance, from 1,340 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 396 in 2015.

Many women work for the government and security services, run their own business, and are elected to parliament. Figures from President Ashraf Ghani's office show 33 percent of all teachers are women, and there are 240 women judges. He has nominated four women as Cabinet ministers, appointed seven as deputy ministers and four as ambassadors.

Yet for most Afghan women, the struggles of today are little different to those under the Taliban. Many working women are targeted and often killed by extremists. High-profile lawmaker Shukria Barakzai, who ran a secret school for girls during the Taliban era, survived a suicide bomb attack in 2014, and was appointed ambassador to Norway last year.

But in impoverished and rural areas, girls can often be of less value to their families than their animals. A burns unit in the western city of Herat has a ward dedicated to treating young women who set themselves on fire, as much a cry for help as a suicide attempt. Women's prisons in major cities, including Kabul, hold hundreds of women accused of adultery for having sex outside marriage, as well as young women who have run away from home to escape arranged marriages or abusive, often much older, husbands.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the executive director of U.N. Women, has found that government officials, judges, clerics and educators are often receptive to the concepts of women's rights, as enshrined in the Afghan constitution. But, she said, "When we are dealing with extremism there is pushback, every step of the way there is pushback."

Following the fall of the Taliban, the Western push for women's rights led some Afghans to feel that Western values were being forced on them, she said, and that had led to problems of acceptance of women's rights as homegrown.

The situation is complicated by almost 40 years of conflict.

"We have a generation that has only known war, and at the same time you also have a generation that has been educated, that knows about the lives that are lived by people in other parts of the world. There has to be some confusion as people try to deal with all these issues," Mlambo-Ngcuka said, adding: "So the glass is half full."

That doesn't mean Afghanistan should be given special treatment, she said. "Rape is rape, physical violence is physical violence. So in our quest not to be overbearing and not to overshadow local efforts, I don't think that we should also move away and not talk about the universality of rights," she said.

As a member of the United Nations and signatory to the "same charters as all the other member states, we have to hold them to the same standards because the nation has actually signed on to the same value system as the other nations," she said.

"What is good for a child in Europe in terms of protection, in terms of making sure that they have a right to education, not to be married early, that is good for a child in Europe and it is good for a child in Afghanistan."
IWPR, August 31, 2016

By Muhammad Ibrahim Spesalai

Zarlashta still dreams of graduating from school and going on to university, but she was forced to end her studies in the 11th grade.

Each day as she made her way to Kandarhars Malalay High School she had to run a gauntlet of abuse from men who taunted and sexually propositioned her along the way.

Once at school, Zarlashta would sit in her classes dreading the journey home and trying to figure out alternative routes.

She felt too ashamed to tell anyone about her plight.

Even old men were telling me to go with them, and that they would pick me up from school, she told IWPR. I kept quiet for a while, but when my father heard about it he stopped me going to school.

Zarlashta, now 18, misses her classmates, teachers and the whole educational environment, but knows returning to school is out of the question.

Schoolgirls in the conservative southern province of Kandahar say that verbal abuse on the way to school each day has become routine. Many are being forced to give up studying at an early age.

Women and girls access to education has improvised dramatically since the fall of the Taleban regime in 2001. In Kandahar, the education department said that 30 per cent of the children currently enrolled in schools were girls.



Afghan girls in school. (Photo: Reuters) Afghan girls in school. (Photo: Reuters)

However, although some 13,000 girls enroll at schools in Kandahar each year only a tiny proportion actually graduate.

The drop-out rate is exacerbated by conservative traditions including early marriage as well as wider issues of honour.

Figures for the last educational year showed that 2,735 boys finished school compared to only 528 girls.

Lailoma Noori, deputy head of Kandahars department of womens affairs, warned that street abuse was a huge problem.

Pupils complained to her about harassment every time she visited a girls school.

Many young women were either too intimidated to continue their education or were forced to withdraw from school by their families.

One young girl who was harassed on the street by people in the first district of Kandahar city was not allowed to return to school after her family heard about it, Noori continued.

Zubaida, deputy head of the childrens section of the regional branch of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), said that they had raised this issue in public awareness programs, but with no discernible effect.

She said that the harassment sometimes became so bad that feuds would start between families.

I myself go to schools and listen to the girls, and they say that it is a serious problem that affects their lessons and their entire life, she said. It is essential we solve this.

Former teacher Mohammad Dawood Bashari agreed that said that such harassment had a serious impact on the wider society too.

He called for security officials to institute a policy of zero tolerance and arrest anyone who pestered girls on their way to school.

It leads to psychological problems and no one can learn well in such a situation, he said. Although the girls might be sitting in class they will be thinking about the abuse they hear on the streets.

Nonetheless, street harassment has become such an everyday occurrence that many young women feel they have no choice but to keep quiet and endure it if they want to get an education.

Spozhmay is in the 12th grade at Aino High School and also helps teach 3rd grade at a private school.

I dont remember any week when I would not be told by various men, most of them teenagers, how good I looked and asked to give them my number and go with them, she said.

Spozhmay added that her mother knew, but that she could not tell her father because then he would forbid her to go school and 12 years of hard studying would have been wasted.

Civil activist Sola said that endemic abuse was such that girls even faced harassment from stationary sellers when they went to buy pens and notebooks for their schoolwork.

Sola recalled having to step in when she witnessed particularly severe cases.

I saw a girl one day who was walking fast and looking around in fear, she said. Then I saw that a youth was chasing her. I accompanied her all the way to her school.

One elderly caretaker in a girls school, who asked to remain anonymous, said that he had tried to stop young men chasing and bothering students but with no success.

The youths simply threatened him, and the harassment seemed to be accepted by officials as simply part and parcel of daily life.

I swear by Allah that everyone, including the school principle, the teachers and even the department of education know about this problem, but no one cares, he concluded.

It does not help that some officials deny that there is even a problem.

Nazar Mohammad Samimi, the spokesman of the provincial department of education, said that the problem of street harassment was negligible in Kandahar, especially compared to other provinces.

Samimi said that the security forces and the local police were coordinating with the education department to prevent any men hanging around girls schools to harass the students.

Any reports of abuse were baseless rumours, he continued, calling on any girls experiencing such issues to immediately tell their head teacher or the police.

I cant confirm that such acts take place in Kandahar, he said. If a sister nonetheless faces a problem, she should immediately call us so that we can solve the issue as soon as possible.

Islamic scholars have spoken out against such behavior. Mawlawi Habibullah Shams said that unwanted harassment was against all precepts of Sharia law.

No real Muslim would abuse another Muslim in this way, he said, adding that families needed to teach their sons not to tease girls.

Regardless, many men claim that the young girls bring this treatment upon themselves.

Sayed Mohammad, a shopkeeper in the Shekarpoor Darwaza neighbourhood of Kandahar city, said that he had often seen girls on their way to school dressed inappropriately and talking loudly on their phones.

Passers by could not help but stare or speak to them, he continued.

And issues of family honour mean that many Afghans feel that the solution is to withdraw girls from school rather than clamp down on those carrying out the campaign of harassment.

Saeeda said that her daughter had learned this the hard way.

My daughter is very intelligent, but she was teased by some unknown youths on the street and now has to stay home all day, Saeeda said.

When her daughter confided in her about the taunts she was subjected to each day en route to school, Saeeda advised her to ignore them and focus on her education.

But when Saeedas husband heard about the abuse, he said he could not tolerate the shame on the family.

Kandahar resident Akhtar Mohammad also said that his niece had also been forced to end her schooling due to harassment, which did not end even after her father took her to school himself each day.

Our family finally chose illiteracy over education, he continued, It is shameful in our society if a female relative is teased and her family does not defend her.

This report was produced under IWPRs Promoting Human Rights and Good Governance in Afghanistan initiative, funded by the European Union Delegation to Afghanistan.
As we see a surge in inflation globally, it is now critical that everyone is aware of the implications this will have along every step of the insurance and reinsurance value chain.
On November 8, Californians will have to decide how to vote on seventeen statewide ballot measures. And the topics covered are complex and hefty, to say the least, including price controls on pharmaceuticals, recreational marijuana legalization, gun control, and the death penalty. To learn more about many of the statewide propositions, check out the Hoover Institution's every-other-month California publication, Eureka.

One, measure, however, despite the best efforts of the California Democratic Party and their labor and environmental allies, is proving to be quite non-controversial. This one, Proposition 54 or the Legislature Transparency Act, just seems like common sense - and this is coming from someone who is skeptical of the passing policy via the initiative system. To best understand why Proposition 54 is a straightforward, common sense good governance reform, let's examine how the opponents' arguments (as taken from their No on Proposition 54 website) hold up under evaluation.

But first, what does Proposition 54 actually do? The measure has three components: 1) it requires the Legislature to publicly post all bills for at least 72 hours prior to a vote; 2) it requires the Legislature to record and then publicly post within 24 hours all public legislative committee and floor sessions; and 3) it permits any individual to record and then share public legislative meetings.

"Prop 54 will slow down the ability for legislators to develop bipartisan solutions..." It is true that requiring all legislation to be publicly available for at least 72 hours prior to a vote will slow down votes on bills for at least 72 hours, but to claim this is a) antithetical to the legislative process and b) a problem for coming to bipartisan compromises severely misunderstands the legislative process and politics. For one, the entire process - including bicameral houses, the myriad of legislative committees, multiple floor readings, concurrent voting, and the Governor's signature or veto - is specifically designed to slow down bills to ensure they receive a variety of input and considerations. Second, a "bipartisan solution" that can't hold up to review and critique isn't in fact bipartisan or a solution. True bipartisan solutions require time to build coalitions and reach compromises. True bipartisan solutions withstand the test of time.

The real issue for opponents is actually that this will end the backroom deals struck between the Democratic legislative leaders, their allied special interests, and the Governor. Far too often, substantial amendments are put in front of the Legislature for an up-or-down vote with mere hours until the end of the legislative session, such as this year's AB 1613. Even the most adept critical readers don't have the capacity to comprehend all of the nuances of such amendments in the amount of time they are given. It is a classic "you have to pass it to know what's in it." And that rarely (if at all) results in solution-focused (let alone, bipartisan) policies.

"Prop 54 will increase taxpayer costs..." It's true; Proposition 54 will cost money (note: nothing is truly free in life). But opponents' make the amount seem budget-busting and detrimental to basic services. In fact, it is neither. According to the measure, the "Legislature's costs complying with" the measure's requirements "shall be included as part of the total aggregate expenditures" of the Legislature. The state's constitution severely restricts the Legislature's budget and its annual growth. So, for one, the costs to comply with Proposition 54 will never be funds that otherwise could have been used for K-12 education, fixing roads, or protecting the environment. It is money that could have been spent on Legislative office supplies or Legislative staff salaries and benefits. Secondly, according to the Legislative Analyst's Office, the estimated costs are quite small - less than 1% of the Legislature's annual budget (which itself is less than 1% of the state's General Fund). So this measure will cost taxpayers less than 1% of less than 1% of the state's main operating budget - a small price to pay for some transparency in Sacramento.

"...will give powerful lobbyists and well-funded special interests time to launch campaigns to attack..." Sure, requiring a 72 hour wait period will allow people to actually read the bill to know what it does. And some people will not like it and try to fight it. But that's the legislative process. And that's why we elect representatives. The real problem opponents have, which include labor and environmental groups - the two most power special interests in Sacramento thanks to Democratic one-party rule - is that Proposition 54 opens the process up to give all interests, including individuals, the ability to voice their opinions before a vote occurs. Deals made behind closed doors are the status quo. A post-Proposition 54 will still have backroom deals, but those deals will have to withstand the critiques of transparency. So, while this statement probably is true, it's a good thing, not a bad one; not to mention a bit hypocritical as Proposition 54's opponents are funded by the most power and most well-funded of California's special interests.

The great irony, of course, is that this measure didn't have to be on the ballot. Assembly member Kristin Olsen introduced the 72 hour rule three times during her tenure in the State Assembly. Each time the bill died - and each without a publicly recorded vote because of a sly legislative trick to kill bills called the Suspense File. If this had passed via a legislative vote, legislators could have been amended in the future with a legislative vote. But if Proposition 54 passes, only another vote of the people can amend it.

It is often said that sunshine is the best disinfectant and Proposition 54 will shine a bit more light on Sacramento giving legislators the time to actually read the laws they pass. To most, that's just common sense.
Barbara Slavin is the Acting Director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the South Asia Center of the Atlantic Council and Washington correspondent for Al-Monitor. This article was created in collaboration with the Atlantic Council. The views expressed are solely those of the author.

Like a car that has lost its new car smell and has a few nicks on its bumpers, the nuclear agreement reached last year between Iran and six world powers is showing some wear just nine months after its full implementation.

But the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, as the Iran nuclear deal is known, has survived efforts to wreck it by opponents in both Iran and the United States, and the deal is likely to endure into the next U.S. administration.

The problems with the agreement relate more to underlying hostility between the United States and Iran, which have not had normal diplomatic relations since 1980.

Seeking to prove that the JCPOA does not mean appeasement of the Great Satan, Iranian hardliners have stepped up provocative actions including arresting dual nationals, testing ballistic missiles, and harassing U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly warned Iranian government officials not to negotiate with the United States on non-nuclear matters, even as senior diplomats continue to meet to review implementation of the nuclear agreement and to discuss a potential settlement to the war in Syria.

On the American side, Republicans and some Democratic hawks have been quick to pounce on any negative Iranian action as proof that the JCPOA has failed. Critics recently seized on a report by the Wall Street Journal claiming that the Obama administration paid $400 million in cash to Iran after four Iranian-Americans and a fifth American citizen were freed from custody on Implementation Day.

In fact, the payment was not ransom for the Americans but reimbursement to Iran for weapons that had been purchased before the revolution and never delivered. The Americans were swapped for seven Iranian nationals held in U.S. prisons for sanctions violations.

Some critics of the nuclear deal, such as David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security (the good ISIS), have also asserted that Iran is cheating around the edges of the JCPOA by holding onto quantities of sensitive materials, including low-enriched uranium, left in waste products at Iranian nuclear sites. The Obama administration has forcefully denied that any exemptions exist and defended the confidentiality of the Joint Commission set up to quickly address any mutual concerns.

On the Iranian side, meanwhile, there has been a steady stream of complaints that the United States has not fulfilled its part of the bargain on sanctions relief. U.S. officials say they have done everything required by lifting so-called secondary sanctions that threatened to penalize foreign companies doing business with Iran, pointing out that no one can force businesspeople -- especially bankers -- to return to a market that still holds considerable risk.

In fact, Irans economy is slowly regaining strength, and oil exports are almost back to what they were in 2011, before the full impact of nuclear sanctions took effect. Asian and European banks are beginning to handle transactions with Iran, but financing for some deals remains hampered by restrictions on the use of the U.S. dollar.

During the U.S. presidential campaign, Democrat Hillary Clinton has criticized Irans regional policies, such as support for the government of Syria, while staunchly defending the Iran nuclear agreement and bragging about her role in laying the diplomatic groundwork for it as secretary of state.

Recently, Clinton has supported the Democratic position calling for a clean renewal of the Iran Sanctions Act, which is due to expire at the end of this year. The legislation, a secondary sanctions measure targeting foreign investment in the Iranian oil and gas sector, is currently suspended by the JCPOA and would only come back into force if Iran violated the agreement in a significant way.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has not taken a position on the legislation. His threats to renegotiate the nuclear deal are hard to take seriously given that it is a multilateral accord, and a unilateral U.S. decision to renounce it would not be binding on Russia, China, or Americas European and Asian allies.

Trumps priority, judging from his recent campaign speeches, is rounding up and deporting illegal Mexican and other Latino immigrants, barring Muslim immigrants, and renegotiating what he regards as unfair trade treaties. He has scarcely mentioned Iran since the general election campaign began.

Confronting the Islamic State group, dealing with Russia, the ramifications of British exit from the European Union, and the challenges of climate change are likely to take precedence over Iran for both candidates.

Even Israels hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rarely mentions Iran these days; Israeli security experts privately praise the JCPOA for postponing an Iran nuclear crisis for at least another decade.

Of course, the Middle East has a tendency to insert itself into U.S. foreign policy debates in unpredictable ways. But Iran has been relatively stable in the face of the crises afflicting many of its neighbors. A President Clinton or Trump is more likely to have to deal with political turmoil in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, or Iraq.

As for the future of U.S.-Iran relations, much will depend on Tehran and whether the supreme leaders successor feels the same need to maintain animosity toward the United States as a prop to regime survival. Both countries citizens would benefit from restoring diplomatic relations and working toward common ground. But if real peace is not yet possible, at least the JCPOA has drastically reduced the chances for another Middle East war.
Singapore, China's Shandong province ink 11 agreements to enhance collaboration Updated: 2016-09-07 09:46 (Xinhua)

SINGAPORE - Singapore and China's Shandong province on Tuesday signed 11 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the 19th Singapore-Shandong Business Council (SSBC) meeting, said International Enterprises (IE) Singapore in a statement.

The agreements allow Singapore enterprises capture more opportunities in financial services, healthcare, logistics and tourism sectors in Shandong, a coastal province in East China.

IE Singapore said most of the signings were projects relating to modern services, across the education, healthcare and logistics and waste management sectors. SSBC has identified healthcare and logistics, including smart technologies, as key sectors that offer emerging opportunities for Singapore companies.

The meeting on Tuesday was co-chaired by Singapore's Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck, and Vice Governor of China's Shandong Province Xia Geng.

Teo said China's Shandong province has been experiencing steady growth, fueled by rising consumption, growing agricultural and manufacturing trade. Its aging population is also creating a strong demand for healthcare services.

Singapore is Shandong's third largest foreign investor, with actual investments into the province increased by 15.7 percent to reach $1.4 billion in 2015. IE Singapore said that trade between Singapore and China's Shandong province reached $3.14 billion last year.
realclearworld Newsletters: Europe Memo

PODGORICA  At less than 200,000 inhabitants, Montenegros biggest city does not have the feel of a capital. Its not only that its small -- bombed to bits by Allied powers in World War II, the city known for decades thereafter as Titograd seems to sleep. Lonesome markers of a lost past -- ivy-covered residential ruins, the call to prayer from a mosque in the Old Town -- sit amid platoons of Cold War Yugoslav hardscrabble. The train to Belgrade, the capital of neighboring Serbia, takes about half of an ordinary day. Sitting down to a meal at a restaurant tabbed for its mastery of the Montenegrin national cuisine, I notice that the people around me -- diplomats, EU functionaries? Wayward tourists? -- are speaking a smattering of Continental European languages. Only then am I reminded that this outpost is the nerve center of a 21st-century nation-state on the European peninsula. Its easy to forget.

Indeed, Montenegro itself is an oddity. NATOs latest incipient member, Montenegro is a country of 620,000 that juts peak by rugged peak from its stunning Adriatic coast toward Serbia and the heart of the South Slavic lands. Its modern independence was decided not in the Balkan violence of two decades ago, but finally in peacetime through a referendum in 2006 that saw the country split from a federation with Serbia. That vote was greeted as a footnote in recent European history, but it made this parcel of mountain and coast more accessible to enlargement-minded NATO and the EU -- and it left Serbia, the most important state in the Western Balkans, landlocked.

With Europes capitals in disarray, and Moscow competing with Washington and Brussels for footholds in the Continental liminal, capitals like Podgorica now face uncertain futures.

The smallest fish, the biggest pond

Montenegrins are a stubborn lot, with a history of fierce resistance to aggressive outsiders. But geopolitical realities are equally stubborn, and the countrys historical royal capital, the picturesque mountain town of Cetinje, is a model study of a small people seeking its place in a broader world -- its church and palace complexes are in-situ explorations of what its royals in the 18th and 19th centuries saw elsewhere in Europe, and the buildings that housed foreign embassies are still marked on the tourist trails, denoting the importance Cetinje gave to recognition by foreign powers.

Montenegros recent split from Serbia, in a referendum in 2006, was about more than a half-pint of sovereignty. There was no great surge of nationalism, no Brexit-style movement to repatriate decision-making powers shared with Belgrade. In fact a strong proportion of Montenegrins are ethnic Serbians. The act of leaving the federation was controversial and left open the risk of a backlash.

What Montenegro intended was to exploit a new geopolitical reality: After the devastation of Balkan war, Western tutelage had become the organizing principle for the region -- especially with Russia, a traditional power broker and patron, diminished and defanged.

Thus the vote wasnt about ditching Serbia -- it was about ditching Serbias problems. Podgorica outside the federation would not be saddled with the Serbian imperative, etched in that countrys historical DNA, to oppose independence for Kosovo. Nor would it be associated with the figures sought for prosecution by the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Sovereignty in the region smoothed a hopefully prosperous bow to the outside world. It was clever stewardship by a prime minister, Milo Djukanovic, viewed at the time as being one of the Balkans shrewder political operatives.

Days of hope

Montenegro as much as any state in the region has managed to keep problems with its neighbors to the realistic minimum, and that is in part thanks to such pragmatism. With Belgrades baggage now stopping at the border, accession to the European Union and NATO membership seemed a prize within reach. In 2002 Montenegro adopted the Euro, and in 2008 formally applied to join the EU. Accession will take a long time, however, and Montenegro has maintained close relations with Russia as an insurance policy.

In the process of formulating foreign policy, the new alignment helped create clarity of intent out of the muddle of the East-West balance. As described here by Edward P. Joseph and Janusz Bugajski:

If your country is Serbia, the largest state in the former Yugoslavia, you claim neutrality, refusing to join the sanctions regime crafted by Brussels and Washington, despite the fact that you have a pending application for membership in the European Union. On the other hand, if you are the leader of tiny Montenegro, you stand with the West and agree to impose the sanctions in the face of withering criticism from Moscow.

In 2015, the country was invited to join NATO. In 2016 it attended the military alliances summit in Warsaw to push forward its accession protocol. Montenegro, it would seem, has gained its foothold.

Of course that July summit followed the June 23 Brexit vote. Montenegros chosen patron is not well, and the Balkans are again subject to low-level geopolitical competition.

Geography rediscovered

As has been pointed out by now exhaustively, including in these pages, Europe is awakening from what it had mistakenly thought an end to history. Europe is also rediscovering its political geography. From the border at Calais to the River Tweed, to the East of Ukraine and the Russian exclave in Kaliningrad, Europeans are social topographers again, changing political realities with their views and their votes.

The old geography in the Western Balkans never did quite go away. It remains the map of former Yugoslavia, overlaid with a series of Greater idealized nations that stretch across state boundaries and have not lost their ability even in peacetime to hold back anything resembling a national interest.

Attitudes have changed enough to make overt conflict for now seem unlikely. The problem is that not much else has changed. Meanwhile, Europes stewardship is failing through neglect and mistaken assumptions. In Croatia -- now an EU country -- an election campaign touches on themes redolent of its nasty World War II past. In Serbia, a country also working through the chapters of EU accession, a prime minister formerly associated with the wartime nationalist party and rebranded as a progressive holds a vice-grip on power. Djukanovic does the same in Montenegro, which has elections coming up on Oct. 16. One thing that could derail his leadership is a simmering border dispute with neighboring Kosovo.

Djukanovic remains firmly The Wests Man, and Montenegro under his leadership remain stable, but deeply and chronically corrupt. This newest of NATO members-to-be has a long history of Russian ties and a reliance on Russian investment, and protests in Podgorica against NATO membership saw Serbian and Russian flags waving in the streets. Russia is not silent in the region as it was in the 90s, and its likely that Moscow views this rump of seafront in a way similar to how NATO sees slivers of land such as Transdniestria in Moldova or South Abkhazia in Georgia.

The geography that matters to each side is visible to any casual visitor of Montenegros idyllic stretch of Adriatic coast. Take a skiff from the bay to the sea and you can swim through coves of Maldivian blue, but also sail past Austro-Hungarian fortresses and a Tito-era submarine tunnel. The boat ride embodies the feeling a traveler gets throughout the Western Balkans: It could not possibly be more peaceful.
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/07/2016



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

's third season ended with a record-breaking three couples getting engaged during Tuesday night's finale episode on ABC, but Nick Viall and Jennifer Saviano split. Lace Morris and Grant Kemp Carly Waddell and Evan Bass , and Josh Murray and Amanda Stanton got engaged on the finale. However, Nick determined he wasn't in love with Jen at the final Rose Ceremony, breaking her heart and leaving the show alone.The broadcast began on the final day of Paradise. Carly woke up from her Fantasy Suite so in love with Evan, and she couldn't stop smiling. She trusted Evan more than she had ever trusted Kirk DeWindt , who broke her heart on Season 2 of last summer, but she acknowledged Evan was still unpredictable.Grant woke up "feeling weird in a bad way" the next morning. He felt there were more stones to turn over in terms of difficult conversations before they should get engaged. Lace cried because Grant suddenly expressed hesitancy in wanting to propose. Grant felt strongly about her but wondered if it was smart to pop the question and just "figure it all out later."Meanwhile, Jen woke up in love with Nick, and she fully trusted him. She could see a proposal at the end, and Nick told her that the night was better than he ever could have imagined, especially in the romance department. Nick said he could get used to looking at Jen every morning for the rest of his life and found getting engaged a real possibility.As for Josh and Amanda, she wanted to wake up next to him forever. She had never felt "so happy" or "more content" with anything in her life. Even though Josh hadn't met her two young daughters yet, she wasn't worried about it at all. Amanda was really nervous about the final day, but Josh was "so madly in love" and said his relationship with Amanda was "so real and genuine."However, since family is so important to Josh, he was mindful of the fact he hadn't met her two daughters yet in the real world. Josh knew his relationship with Amanda was moving very fast and didn't know what was going to happen. Josh never hesitated about wanting to spend the rest of his life with Amanda, but he was nervous.On his way to pick out an engagement ring, Evan said he was so in love with Carly, mainly because she accepted him for who he is -- flaws, quirks and everything. Grant wasn't shown picking out a ring, saying he was "scared and confused." Nick, however, met with Neil Lane and browsed through the rings. He could see long-term potential with Jen but couldn't propose unless he was 100% certain it was the right thing to do.Carly and Evan were the first couple to determine their fate in Paradise via the final Rose Ceremony. She couldn't picture her life without Evan in it, and then she walked toward him on the beach, where he was waiting for her with a smile on his face."[Our journey has been] full of twists and turns every day. It's funny that a hospital visit highlights a turning point in our relationship, and I think it just shows how special and unique we are. But since that moment, my love for you has only gotten stronger. What I feel for you is the most amazing, inexplicable, mind-blowing thing that I just, never in a million years, thought I would get," Evan told Carly as her eyes filled with tears."I feel like my heart beats to your soul. I want my kids to see a love like we have, and I want them to know what an amazing woman you are. Carly, I want to chase after fairy tales and go on adventures... and explore with you.""You make me want to be fearless... You were fearless in the pursuit of me, and I know I would die for you," Carly sweetly admitted to Evan in reply, making her love known."I want to leave here and I want to start a life with you," Evan continued. "And I want you to be my wife. Carly Waddell , will you freaking marry me!?" Evan asked.Carly said "yes" and they hugged and kissed. Evan made Carly feel like she could be any way, look any way and still be a "shining ball of light." He made her feel beautiful inside and outside. Carly asked Evan to accept her final rose, and he obviously accepted. She couldn't wait to make dinners, sit on his patio and meet his children."Happily Evan after," Carly said with a laugh.Lace and Grant's final day in Paradise together was up next, and she approached him extremely uneasy, fearing she may not even get a rose -- nevermind a proposal."If Grant doesn't propose, I am going to be heartbroken," Lace told the cameras. "I let my guard down, and here I am, super vulnerable... He has changed my view on love."When Lace approached Grant on the beach, she told him that he's "beyond handsome" and witty, and she realized she loved him when she wanted to stop running from him and having him chase her. She thanked him for every moment and said she was ready to move forward with him in life. Lace loved Grant but loved the idea of "Grace" even more, which is their couple name."The past 24 hours has been a whirlwind of emotions. I came here not knowing what to expect. I know that the conversation we had was about things that weren't answered, but sometimes, time is what you need to get those answers. When things first started with us, they were wild and crazy, but from the moment I met you, I knew that you were going to be in my life and my life wasn't going to be boring," Grant told Lace."I never met someone that complements me so well, and you make me feel like I can be myself... I love you when you're happy, I love you when you're stubborn, I love you when you're sad and I even love you when you're screaming at me. But mostly, I love you when you are Lace. I can't picture my life without you and I want a future with you, I want kids with you, I want to build a life with you, and I want that to start today. Lace, will you marry me?"Lace cried and said, "Yes!" The pair agreed they deserved each other and deserved to be happy.Jen then approached Nick on the beach. She found love with him "intoxicating" and "terrifying" and hoped her feelings were reciprocated. She had never felt more connected with someone, who also happens to be sweet, genuine and honest. Jen was ready to be a wife and a mother, and that's what she wanted with Nick.Upon meeting face to face, Jen told Nick they had instant, intense chemistry, and she knew right away he was something special. She enjoyed getting to know "the real Nick," saying he brought out a side of her that wanted to be open and vulnerable. Jen hoped Nick saw potential in what they had and admitted she had fallen in love with him, asking him to catch her. Nick broke down into tears listening to her speech."Before you got here, I was kind of ready to leave. But as soon as you came, like you said, I instantly knew there was a chance of something really special. And more than that, I know I'm a better person today than I was when I first showed up because of you," Nick began, crying the whole time."I felt like I wanted to say I was in love with you, but there was something in my heart that just said I can't. I feel like sometimes you wish you could tell your heart what to do, and if I could, I would tell it to choose you. I just feel like something is telling me to say goodbye. I'm so sorry. My biggest fear is that I'm going to regret it. I just feel like you deserve better than me."Jen hugged him and cried, but she was gracious and lovely about his decision. It was clear Jen didn't want to say goodbye, and Nick seemed to find walking away difficult as well."He just threw away something that could've been great. It makes no sense. I'm mad at him; I just don't get it," Jen told the cameras in her final words."I knew he had his wall up the majority of the time, but he was starting to let it down. I just feel like he's going to regret it. At some point, you're going to have to let go of the past and realize what's in front of you. What was just in front of him was something that could've been great. He just broke up with me and I still want to see him. I already miss him."Nick admitted on his way out of Paradise that Jen was the person he felt closest to in a long time."I just hope I didn't make a mistake. The only thing I knew for sure with [ Andi Dorfman ] and [ Kaitlyn Bristowe ] is that I had no regrets. I can't say that now. It's impossible to not have those insecurities and thoughts that maybe it's me. Maybe I have that wall up, or maybe I'm in my head too much," Nick vented."Hearing that she's in love with me made me want to say it back. The scariest part is feeling like I'm incapable of saying, 'I love you,' to anyone. That's, right now, the biggest hurdle that I have to get over. There are no guarantees, there are no assurances that anything will work out. Sometimes I just feel like my heart's in knots and I can't untie it. I'm just trying to figure out how I can do that again."Amanda and Josh's big moment was up next. She didn't have any questions about him despite having received so many warnings from friends. She hoped her journey in Paradise would have a happy ending for her. Likewise, there were so many emotions Josh was experiencing.Amanda told Josh that her idea of love exists, but only after meeting him. She could tell he was excited to be a part of her life and her daughters' lives, and she knew her children would adore him as much as she did. Amanda felt so lucky and couldn't wait to leave Paradise with him and "do real life." Thinking of their little family made her heart full, and she closed her speech with, "I love you.'"Amanda, coming into this journey, I was very optimistic on the outside, but on the inside, I was scared because I didn't want what happened in my past relationship to happen again, so I was worried," Josh told her, referencing his public split from Dorfman."I really, really was. You are the sweetest, kindest, most loving, generous, beautiful woman that I have ever met. I remember I walked down those steps that first day and I saw you and my life totally changed forever. I never really knew what true love was. I thought I did in the past but I didn't, until I met you, and this is true love."Amanda comforted Josh as he broke down into tears and attempted to compose himself again."I'm being a big baby up here right now. I'm sorry," Josh noted with a laugh. "You need to know I am so excited about meeting your two girls, and I promise that I will love them just as much as I love you. I love you more than anything in the world, and I would be so blessed to spend the rest of my life with you. So, Amanda, my love, will you marry me?""Yes! Oh my gosh! I was so nervous, I was shaking!" said Amanda, who then asked him to accept her final rose.Josh said there wasn't a more amazing woman in the world, and both he and Amanda agreed they had found the perfect partner.The final episode concluded with a brief update on all the couples. Carly is moving in with Evan in Nashville, TN, this December and has met his kids. She can't wait to be "the cool stepmom."Lace moved to San Francisco to live with Grant, and although they have yet to set a wedding date, they want to get married as soon as possible.Josh moved to Orange County to be with Amanda and the girls, and he apparently loves the little girls. And last but not least, Nick's future "looks bright," which clearly means he's going to be the next The Bachelor star.On : After Paradise, host Michelle Collins and co-host Sean Lowe welcomed Jen onto the set first. She said she has "mixed emotions" about Nick being the next Bachelor but has moved on and is doing well.Grant and Lace revealed they will soon be moving into a larger apartment together, because up until now, Grant had been occupying a bachelor pad.Evan said it was tough and difficult to watch Carly say mean things about him in the beginning of the Paradise season, but he thinks she's hilarious and their relationship is very strong right now. America voted for Evan and Carly's wedding to be the first that airs on television out of the three engaged couples.As for Josh and Amanda, they are both happy and in love to this day. Amanda said Josh was always sweet and genuine to her, and when Sean pointed out that Josh speaks in an aggressive tone sometimes, Josh admitted he's a passionate person and so he can often -- and unintentionally -- come across as intense.
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Legal vacuum stymies domestic workers Updated: 2016-09-07 07:47 By Hou Liqiang(China Daily)

Millions of women in China undertake household tasks for employers, but the hours are long and the use of informal contracts mean they are not protected by labor laws. Hou Liqiang reports.

In a windowless basement of a 30-story building, about a dozen female domestic workers were attending a meeting where they shared their employment experiences.

One of the attendees, a woman conducting market research for a local company, sparked a debate by asking the women if they had ever been subjected to verbal violence at work. The floodgates opened as the women related their experiences, while the researcher's attempts to change the subject were rebuffed.

Lying on the floor in a corner of the undecorated room was a blue-covered book called Let Destiny Go Away. There was no air conditioner in the 30-square meter room, and just one fan was working. Despite the stifling conditions, the complaints continued for more than an hour, interrupted only by the occasional sigh.

The scenario partly mirrored the situation of many domestic workers, who are depressed by their working conditions, even though they are relatively well paid.

In 2008, He Mingying, from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, became a domestic worker, lured by the decent salary and low entry qualifications. However, the 58-year-old former housewife said the family she worked for "deliberately made life difficult" and she regretted her decision.

"I made about 800 yuan ($120) a month, but sometimes I only had two days off. The family said they paid me 100 yuan more than another domestic worker they knew, so they expected me to do more work," she recalled. "Instead of using a mop to clean the floor, they asked me to clean it by hand with a cloth."

To make matters worse, the family's elderly mother had an unusual body clock, which meant she slept during the day instead of at night, and He had to cook and undertake other chores for her, despite having already completed a full day's work.

Even though China's labor laws limit the working day to eight hours and the working week to 44 hours, He found no relief, so she quit her job after just three months.

However, incomes have been rising for several years, and in Beijing live-in workers earn an average monthly wage of about 4,500 yuan. In 2014, domestic workers' wages rose 20 percent from the previous year. In the same year, the average monthly wage for yuesao - live-in postpartum care workers - in Shanghai rose to 10,532 yuan in December from 8,322 yuan in January, according to a report published in June last year by the Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services and the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation for the Ministry of Commerce.

Casual employment

"Instead of being in an employer-employee relationship, most domestic workers are in an agent-service provider relationship with domestic service companies. The contracts the two sides sign are not formal labor contracts and the clients are not legal entities so the two sides can't sign labor contracts. This leaves domestic workers unprotected by the labor laws," said Tang Binyao, an associate professor of social work at the University of Jinan in Shandong province.

Earlier this year, He sustained ankle injuries when she was hit by a taxi as she rode her electric bike to the home of her pregnant employer after helping her during a medical examination at the hospital. Her treatment cost 3,000 yuan, and He was forced to rest at home, which meant she couldn't earn. Instead, she received just 500 yuan as compensation from her employer.

The lack of legal protection means domestic workers are often troubled by wage disputes. Li Changze, a spokesman for Ayilaile, an agency that supplies domestic services, said wage disputes occur with about 2 percent of their clients. Although the workers usually turn to arbitration to resolve the problem, sometimes the amount is too small and it isn't worth it.

In one recent case, a client refused to pay 2,000 yuan to a domestic worker the company had dispatched, and repeatedly ignored their phone calls, despite the agency's size and renown - more than 70,000 domestic workers who serve more than 100,000 clients nationwide have registered with Ayilaile.

Tang said a small number of domestic services agencies are attempting to forge employer-employee relationships with their domestic workers. However, the cost can be high because the providers have to make social insurance payments for the workers, and many agencies are hesitant to adopt the model because of concerns about becoming embroiled in disputes about work-related injuries and damage to property.

In 2014, an estimated 20.34 million people were working in China's domestic services industry, a rise of 13 percent from the previous year, according to the ministry.

Chen Jiyan, a program officer for domestic workers at the Beijing Hongyan Social Work Service Center, said workers find it almost impossible to work for just eight hours a day, especially if they live at their clients' homes.

Sometimes the clients' habits can affect the workers in other ways, according to Chen: "Some seniors lead such frugal lives that they ask their domestic workers to cook very little, which results in the workers - usually women from the rural areas who are accustomed to large meals - going without sufficient food."

One woman who attended the experience-sharing meeting said a client asked her to wash all the clothing and bed linen by hand, even though the family owned a washing machine.

According to Chen, few domestic workers who live with their clients are given their own room. "Most have to sleep on temporary beds set up on balconies or in the living room."

"Some clients even ban their domestic workers from talking with the neighbors because they are afraid their privacy may be compromised," she said, adding that there is a widespread belief that the job is demeaning, which means many domestic workers keep their work a secret, even from their families.

Exceptional care

Although many employers treat their domestic help poorly, there are always exceptions. Jia Huifeng, from Shanxi province, was moved by her client's caring behavior.

Last year, when the 55-year-old needed emergency surgery after a heart attack, her employer of seven years not only changed her schedule to help Jia, but also hired a woman to assist her while she recovered. "My boss even canceled a business trip to Vietnam and came to the hospital to see me," she recalled.

Jia is like most of the women at the experience-sharing meeting, who were in their 40s and 50s. The organizer, Chen Jiyan, has met more than 1,000 domestic workers. "Only one of them was in her 20s, but there were several in their 30s," she said.

He Minying's daughter works 11 hours a day at a foot massage parlor, but makes far less than she would as a domestic worker. However, she won't be following in her mother's footsteps.

"She said she will never be a domestic worker because it's a job that many people look down on," her mother said.

Contact the writer at houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn

Domestic workers use edible oil to make soap during an activity to improve their household skills at a community in the Wangjing area of Beijing, on Sept 3. Wei Xiaohao / China Daily Zhang Aiai, a domestic worker from Gansu province, takes care of a 95-year-old woman at her home in downtown Beijing on Monday. Wei Xiaohao / China Daily

(China Daily 09/07/2016 page6)
First-time voters should be experiencing the excitement that comes with backing a candidate who shares the values and ideals they have for our country. Instead, when asked who they will vote for many students sigh, unprepared to argue which candidate they dislike less.
A stalled TPP bad news for liberalization Updated: 2016-09-07 07:40 By Amitendu Palit(China Daily)

Trade ministers of the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim countries attend a press conference after negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement in Atlanta, the United States, on Oct. 5, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

The prospects for the passage of the US-led 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement by the US Congress look bleak. Both US presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, are critical of the TPP. Although US President Barack Obama will try hard to get the TPP ratified before leaving office, the current anti-trade political sentiment in the United States makes the task extremely difficult for the Obama administration.

If the Congress does not pass the TPP during Obama's term, the next US president will have to take it to the Congress. And no matter who the next president is, he/she is likely to propose major revisions to the current TPP agreement. But revising and renegotiating the agreement will be very difficult. The other TPP members are unlikely to agree to renegotiation as they have already worked on achieving domestic political consensus before agreeing to the TPP. Further renegotiation on any issue prompted by shifts in US interests would create new political challenges for other TPP members. As a result, the TPP may get stalled indefinitely.

The failure of the TPP will have several implications. The agreement was widely promoted as a 21st century gold-standard trade agreement. It is probably the most exhaustive trade agreement drafted so far with more than 5,000 pages and 30 chapters. It includes many issues that are hardly discussed at the World Trade Organization and are absent from most bilateral and regional free trade agreements such as labor and environmental standards, government procurement rules, e-commerce and investor-state dispute settlement.

By making domestic regulations of member countries as identical as possible for ensuring free movement of goods, services, capital and people within the TPP group, the agreement is aimed at setting new standards for global trade governance. The failure to implement such an agreement would imply the lack of success of trade policymakers to convince all stakeholders about the benefits of a high-class trade agreement. It would also mean a global setback for free trade, because protectionist propagators opposing the TPP would succeed in their objective. This might result in similar protectionist views affecting other trade agreements being negotiated elsewhere in the world.

Along with the TPP, another major trade agreementthe Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership being negotiated by the US and the European Unionhas also run into problems. The TTIP talks appear to have failed with the US and EU being unable to agree on several issues. The failure of the TTIP and TPP, both led by the US, is a major blot on the US' ability to provide leadership to global trade. For several years, the US has been paying less attention to the WTO and devoting more energy to pushing trade liberalization through mega-trade agreements like the TPP and TTIP. It is not clear whether the lack of success with these agreements will prompt the US to return to the WTO with greater vigor for pushing an inclusive multilateral trade agenda.

The TPP would have significantly changed the regional economic architecture of the Asia-Pacific. Its failure might also affect the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. The 16-member RCEP, apart from large emerging markets like China, India and Indonesia, which are not in the TPP, has several members common to the TPP from the Asia-Pacific. The stalling of the TPP would make the RCEP members much more cautious about pushing trade liberalization given the political backlashes such attempts might produce. This might result in the RCEP settling for uncontroversial and minimal liberalization, which would hardly make the agreement more meaningful than the trade deals that already exist in the region. And the region as a whole might also step back from implementing an aggressive agenda for free trade till the political outlook for trade improves.

The author is a senior research fellow and research lead (Trade and Economic Policy) at the Institute of South Asian Studies in the National University of Singapore.
FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2013, file photo, Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan listens to a question during a news conference to promote his new film "Police Story 2013" in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Chan, film editor Anne V. Coates, casting director Lynn Stalmaster and documentarian Frederick Wiseman are getting Oscars. The film academy announced Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, that the four industry veterans will receive Oscar statuettes at the annual Governors Awards ceremony in November. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin, File)

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By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Actor Jackie Chan, film editor Anne V. Coates, casting director Lynn Stalmaster and documentarian Frederick Wiseman are getting honorary Academy Awards.

The film academy announced Thursday that the four industry veterans will receive Oscar statuettes at the annual Governors Awards ceremony in November.

Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs described the recipients as "true pioneers and legends in their crafts."

Chan has written, directed, produced and starred in dozens of films, dazzling with his stunts and martial arts. His most recent release is "Skiptrace" with Johnny Knoxville; past credits include the "Rush Hour" series with Chris Tucker, "The Karate Kid" reboot and voicing a monkey in the animated "Kung-Fu Panda" films. Chan has never been nominated for an Oscar and doesn't make the kind of movies that generally would be nominated.

Filmmaker Edgar Wright cheered the choice on Twitter.

"So pleased @TheAcademy are awarding Jackie Chan with an honorary Oscar this year. The man is a legend of action cinema & its truly deserved," Wright wrote.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has long presented honorary Oscars to recognize humanitarian work, lifetime achievement and exceptional contributions to film. Since 2009, the organization has presented those statuettes at a private, untelevised dinner dedicated solely to the recipients. The move has allowed for a broader range of honorees, including comedians (Steve Martin in 2013), stuntmen (Hal Needham in 2012) and this year's editor and casting director.

A film editor for more than 60 years, Coates won an Academy Award for her work on "Lawrence of Arabia." She received four other Oscar nominations during her career, working with such directors as Sidney Lumet, Richard Attenborough and Steven Soderbergh.

Stalmaster has been casting since the mid-1950s. His more than 200 credits include "The Graduate," ''Fiddler on the Roof," ''Harold and Maude," ''Tootsie" and "The Right Stuff."

Wiseman started making documentaries in 1967. His most recent was last year's "In Jackson Heights," about a community in Queens, New York, considered one of the most culturally diverse in the U.S.

The eighth annual Governors Awards will be presented Nov. 12 at the Hollywood & Highland Center. Recent recipients include Spike Lee, Debbie Reynolds and Gena Rowlands last year and Harry Belafonte, Jean-Claude Carriere, Maureen O'Hara and Hayao Miyazaki in 2014.
Jim Schultz/Record Searchlight John Wayne Noonkester, shown Tuesday in Tehama County Superior Court, is due to begin standing trial March 8.

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By Jim Schultz of the Redding Record Searchlight

A Tehama County man charged with murder in the shooting deaths of his ex-wife and her father last year was hustled out of Superior Court Tuesday after disrupting his proceedings with an angry outburst over the safety of his daughters.

John Wayne Noonkester, scheduled to begin standing trial March 8 and who still possibly faces the death penalty if convicted, was removed from court after interrupting the judge, demanding his right to speak and claiming his two children were in the care of a "pedophile-loving" member of his ex-wife's family.

Taken from court and shouting over his shoulder"they're still not safe," Noonkester could have returned to court to make his statements if he simmered down, Judge C. Todd Bottke said. But his defense attorney, Joe Gazzigli, said that would not be necessary.

As possible settlement negotiations continue, Noonkester, 33, was ordered in January to stand trial on two counts of first-degree murder and other charges in connection with a July 3, 2015, shooting rampage that left his ex-wife, Kimberlee Thomas, 29, and her father, Keith Thomas, 53, dead outside the Little Country Store in Lake California after an argument.

Noonkester's shooting rampage may have been partially sparked by his belief that his ex-wife was dating a child molester and that his young children were at risk, Gazzigli and District Attorney Gregg Cohen confirmed after Tuesday's hearing.

That man, a then-Weaverville resident, was convicted in the early 2000s of statutory rape for having sex with underage teenage girls but was not required to register as a sex offender, Gazzigli said.

Noonkester is "pretty much convinced his ex-wife was dating a pedophile," Gazzigli said.

Noonkester, distraught that his daughters might be in jeopardy, sought a restraining order before the shooting occurred against the man, Gazzigli said. When the restraining order was denied, Noonkester grew outraged and desperate, he said.

Gazzigli said the shooting occurred after Noonkester's ex-wife and father showed up at Lake California for a child exchange after a visit with him. But, he said, Noonkester's girlfriend had earlier dropped off the two children with Noonkester's mother at her home.

Sheriff's deputies have said the shooting erupted outside the store after Kimberlee Thomas called 911 from the store to report that her ex-husband had punched her father. Investigators have said Noonkester spat into Keith Thomas' face and shoved him before shooting him multiple times, including once to the head.

Noonkester fired at least 10 rounds, shooting Kimberlee Thomas twice, including once while she was lying on the ground. He also shot and wounded a bystander.

Noonkester made spontaneous statements to law enforcement after his arrest expressing remorse and disbelief about the shootings, sheriff's officials have said.

"I'm not proud of what I did," Noonkester reportedly said. "I can't believe I did it. I'm a piece of s---."

Cohen said after court that Noonkester continues to possibly face the death penalty, but a decision on whether to seek capital punishment won't be reached until after the November election. That's because California voters will be asked to decide an election measure that, if approved, would repeal the death penalty.

"We're just kind of waiting," Cohen said.

Noonkester remains in Tehama County Jail without bail and is due to return to Superior Court Jan. 9 for a status conference.
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Containment on the Gap Fire burning some 20 miles west of Yreka is now 65 percent, up from 50 percent Tuesday.

A public meeting will be held at the Scott Bar Community Hall at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The fire, now nearly 30,000 acres - about 47-square miles - in size, has also reportedly destroyed two buildings west of the Hamburg area, some 25 miles west of Yreka on Highway 96, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Crews on the ground have yet to confirm the destoryed buildings, the Forest Service said.

More than 2,100 people are fighting the fire.

Advisory evacuations are inplace for both sides of Highway 96 between Scott River Road, about 20 miles west of Yreka, and Walker Gulch, about 7.5 miles to the west. Residents on Ladd Road the north side of the Klamath River from Hick's Gulch, about 25 miles west of Yreka, to Walker Gulch.

Highway 96 is open but subject to closure at any time, the Forest Service said.

Firefighters on Wednesday will continue with structure defense and stregthening containment lines.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Forest Service asks anyone with information to call 841-4474.
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By Nathan Solis of the Redding Record Searchlight

Shasta County families have until the end of September to apply to get on a wait list for federal housing assistance.

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher wait list window opens periodically when vouchers become available. The Shasta County Housing Authority will randomly select 2,000 applications to be placed on the wait list.

The program picks up a portion of a family's rent.

Housing Director Richard Kuhns said he doesn't know say how many vouchers will be available in two months, when his office begins to notify applicants if they made it onto the list.

"That could be up to 43 (vouchers), maybe less. We won't know for sure until then," said Kuhns.

The local Housing Authority has about 900 vouchers each year to distribute to residents of the unincorporated areas of the county, including the cities of Anderson and Shasta Lake. Shasta County also distributes vouchers to residents of Modoc, Trinity and Siskiyou counties. By comparison, the Redding Housing authority issues around 1,470 vouchers for residents in the city.

The average time people receive vouchers is about six years, which makes for slow turnover.

The program has an annual budget of $5 million and serves about 2,500 low-income residents.

Shasta County adopted the random lottery selection to avoid the first-come-first-serve rush of previous years, when people lined up outside county buildings to get their name first on the list.

Those placed on the list can expect a wait time anywhere between six months to two years, according to the Housing Authority.

Low-income residents have until 4 p.m. Sept. 30 to turn in their application in Redding, either at the county's office or through the mail.

The last time the list was opened was Nov. 17, 2015 and 696 families applied.

Most of those receiving the vouchers are single-mothers, with some 77 percent recipients going to women as heads of household, according to the Housing Authority.

Kuhns said the Housing Authority, along with the Redding Housing Authority and other housing programs, participate in the fair housing workshop that informs tenants and landlords of rental laws and other programs.

Through this outreach, the county looks to secure rental space and inform landlords of other programs. While the county informs tenants of their obligations, Kuhns said the county lacks follow-up with those who do qualify for vouchers.

"You'd think when we send out a voucher there would be a 100 percent success rate for (housing)," said Kuhns, but that's not always the case.

Often tenants need help with paperwork or searching for an affordable unit and without a case worker to provide assistance, the onus is put on the tenant.

To apply

Drop off applications:

Until Sept. 30: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shasta County Housing and Community Action Programs, 1450 Court St. Room 108, Redding

On Sept. 13: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Yreka Community Resource Center, 201 S. Broadway St. Yreka

On Sept. 15: 3 to 5 p.m. SMART Business Resource Center, 790 Main St. Weaverville

To apply

Drop off applications:

Until Sept. 30: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shasta County Housing and Community Action Programs, 1450 Court St. Room 108, Redding

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shasta County Housing and Community Action Programs, 1450 Court St. Room 108, Redding On Sept. 13: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Yreka Community Resource Center, 201 S. Broadway St. Yreka

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Yreka Community Resource Center, 201 S. Broadway St. Yreka On Sept. 15: 3 to 5 p.m. SMART Business Resource Center, 790 Main St. Weaverville
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By Damon Arthur of the Redding Record Searchlight

An undercover sting operation netted five North State residents and Mendocino man who authorities say offered contracting services without a license.

The Contractors State License Board and Tehama County officials set up the sting at the abandoned Tehama Pub & Grill in Tehama. They advertised for contracting services on Craiglist for various projects, including a $1,500 parking lot grading job and a $12,000 exterior painting gig, according to a news release by the Contractors State License Board issued Tuesday.

All six people were cited for contracting without a license. Any contract job worth more than $500 requires a contractor's license, according to the state.

Those cited include Mike Fuhrmann of Shasta Lake for allegedly contracting without a license; Justin Lee Clark of Shasta Lake for allegedly contracting without a license, illegal advertising, possessing drug paraphernalia and possessing a controlled substance; Wilfred Corregidon of Redding for allegedly contracting without a license, illegal advertising and fraudulent use of a license number; Phillip Jacob Villas of Redding for allegedly contracting without a license and fraudulent use of a license number; John Wallace of Corning for allegedly contracting without a license, illegal advertising and not having worker's compensation insurance; and Chad Eric Garbe of Fort Bragg for allegedly contracting without a license and illegal advertising.

The Tehama County District Attorney's Office assisted in the investigation.

"Consumers who allow unlicensed workers into their homes or businesses clearly take unnecessary personal and financial risks," CSLB Registrar Cindi Christenson said in the news release. "In addition to passing trade and law business exams, state-licensed contractors are also required to pass a criminal background check."

Two of the men are brothers and were cited for fraudulent use of a license number by using their father's license number. Five of them were also cited on suspicion of failing to state in advertising that they did not have a contractor's license.

All of the men were ordered to appear in Tehama County Superior Court at 8 a.m. on Oct. 24.
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Economics was not one of my favorite subjects in college, so I avoided economic courses. But I do know a few things about human nature. If you tax income at too high a rate, corporations will look elsewhere for relief.

Take Ireland.

In 1991, Apple Corporation cut a deal with the Irish government so that only a certain bracket of its earnings would be taxed, giving it, writes Business Insider, " ... a dramatically lower tax rate than it would have to pay in the U.S." In return, Apple promised jobs, lots of jobs, which it provided. The company currently employs 4,000 at its Cork campus and announced in November that it will expand that number by 1,000 by 2017. It is estimated there are 18,000 Apple jobs across the country, including over 5,000 direct Apple employees.

The European Commission, which enforces E.U. law, now accuses Ireland of " ... providing illegal state aid" to Apple, and, according to The Guardian, has chosen to clamp down "on tax avoidance schemes employed by multinationals." The commission, having rejected Apple's tax deal, now says the company owes $14.5 billion in back taxes to Ireland. This brought an ominous response from Apple CEO Tim Cook, who basically told the commission that they can have taxes, or they can have jobs, but they can't have both.

The U.S. is one of two countries that taxes corporations at the highest rate. Japan is the other. Companies are in business to make money and when they do, most expand, making more money and hiring more people. Those additional employees pay taxes to the government. More jobs create a more stable economy. Even someone without a degree in economics can understand this.

The European Commission's attitude is that it is unfair and illegal in the minds of Brussels bureaucrats for Ireland to cut a tax deal with a corporation, even though the deal benefits that country and presumably lessens the need for more aid from the European Union. No wonder a majority of British voters, tired of being dictated to by Brussels, decided to exit the E.U. If legal appeals fail, Ireland could find itself in a similar position.

This is a rare instance in which the U.S. Treasury, which has been trying to crack down on tax avoidance schemes, has found itself on the same side of U.S. corporations. As The Wall Street Journal noted, "That is partly because the U.S., unlike most other industrialized nations, imposes a tax upon repatriation of foreign profits. Any tax that Apple pays to Ireland as a result of the EU's ruling could generate foreign tax credits that ultimately would reduce the U.S. tax the Treasury could collect." The Journal adds, "This could matter even if Apple never brings its profits home."

The way to fix this so that governments can still get tax revenue from corporations and create jobs with their accompanying benefits is to reduce the corporate tax rate. Problem solved.

The trouble is, asking government to accept less money from people who earn it is like asking Dracula to settle for less blood. Private businesses produce jobs and capital. Government does not create capital, but it can harm its accumulation and in so doing, harm itself.

That is the harmful path the E.U. has chosen to take with this ruling. Richard Bruton, the Irish government's enterprise minister, defended his country's relationship with Apple: "There were no special deals ever in the Irish tax code but there were different phases. There was a period when every sector exporting didn't pay tax on their profits, there was then a period when manufacturing companies had a 10pc rate and every other sector didn't. So there were phases when there were different sectoral approaches but always statute-based, and there were no special deals."

Ireland has struggled more than most European nations to come back from the recession. It would be worse than shameful if Apple pulled out and thousands of jobs were lost. What would E.U. bureaucrats say to those who lost their jobs? Or do they care?

Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com.
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It's been almost 40 years since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that universities could consider race in admissions as a way to enhance student diversity. Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) barred schools from giving an advantage to minority students if the purpose was to compensate for historic discrimination against them. The only constitutionally acceptable rationale for affirmative action was to improve the education of all students, who would learn more if they encountered people unlike themselves.

Today, however, Bakke's vision remains unfulfilled. The problem isn't just that certain groups continue to be underrepresented, especially at selective universities. Our elaborate rules and procedures for managing diversity are preventing us from realizing its true educational potential.

Recently, the University of Chicago sent a letter to incoming freshmen announcing that they would not receive "trigger warnings" about difficult topics or "safe spaces" to protect them from these subjects. But most of our institutions have embraced the idea that minority students, especially, need to be insulated from insulting ideas. Hundreds of schools have established speech codes barring racist or offensive remarks. They have also invested heavily in student diversity trainings and in multicultural or race-specific "centers," all aimed at improving the racial climate on campus.

But there's little indication that these reforms have worked. Most research on diversity trainings in the educational and business world has failed to demonstrate any lasting effect on participants' racial attitudes. And groups organized around race seem to make their members less comfortable around people of other races.

In a 2008 book examining 2,000 students at UCLA, psychologist Jim Sidanius noted that members of minority-themed campus organizations reported stronger feelings of ethnic identification and also greater levels of political engagement. But he also found that joining such a group increased students' sense of racial victimization.

So our universities are stuck in a kind of vicious circle. When tensions flare, as they did during the protests that swept campuses last fall, institutions commit resources to minority-related centers and diversity programming. These efforts enhance students' perception of racism, which in turn generates new demands for institutional action.

That includes speech codes, which have flourished despite court rulings declaring them unconstitutional. According to a 2012 survey of 392 colleges, two-thirds had rules restricting expression that is protected under the First Amendment. For example, Rhode Island College barred "actions or attitudes that threaten the welfare of any of its members." The University of Northern Colorado prohibited "inappropriate jokes," which would be funny if it wasn't so serious.

Or consider the concept of "microaggression," a centerpiece of many diversity efforts on campus. Its premise is that white people unknowingly offend minorities with remarks like "Where are you from?" or "When I look at you, I don't see color." The first comment allegedly highlights a person's racial difference, but the second one minimizes or ignores it.

So which is worse, or better? When is it OK to inquire about somebody's background, and when isn't it? Reasonable people can and do differ on these questions, which is precisely why universities should not be in the business of providing official answers to them. Nor should our universities teach students that their campuses are suffused with unconscious racism, which is  or should be  a debatable point as well.

It's time to scale back our efforts to manage student differences, even as we step up our attempts to recruit different students. Lower-income families need all the financial help we can give them in defraying tuition and avoiding debt, which has reached crisis levels in many parts of the country. What they don't need are another set of official instructions about race, which alternate between self-laceration and self-congratulation.

These exercises run counter to the spirit of Bakke, which warned our universities against establishing dogmas of any sort. Justice Lewis F. Powell's opinion in Bakke invoked Keyishian v. Board of Regents, the Supreme Court's 1967 decision striking down mandatory loyalty oaths for public school and university teachers. "The nation's future depends upon leaders trained through a wide exposure to that robust exchange of ideas which discovers truth 'out of a multitude of tongues, (rather) than through any kind of authoritative selection,'" Keyishian declared, in a passage Powell quoted.

On too many of our campuses, diversity itself has become a new kind of loyalty oath. The best thing that has happened at American universities over the last 40 years is the sharp increase in the racial diversity of our students. And the worst thing is the authoritative embrace of singular views about race, which inhibit the multitude of tongues that our differences should bring.

Jonathan Zimmerman teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania and author. Readers may send him email at jlzimm@aol.com
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Let's play a quick game of word association. When we say: "U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs," you say 

Many Americans would blurt: "scandal."

Not wrong. Egregious example: revelations in 2014 of dangerously long wait times for veterans in need of medical care, some of whom died while on ever-lengthening waitlists. VA officials lied about  and attempted to cover up  those lists. More than 120 medical centers and clinics were flagged for a more extensive investigation into patient access and scheduling practices.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki took the fall. But flash forward. Now, after major investigations and billions more spent, is the VA health system better? President Barack Obama says yes. "We've hired thousands more doctors, nurses, staff," he told a recent conference of the Disabled American Veterans. "When we really put our sweat and tears and put our shoulder to the wheel, we can make things better."

But for too many vets, Obama's "better" is no good. Serious problems persist at the Veterans Health Administration, the VA's medical wing. And they'll continue to persist until Congress and the White House feverishly commit to three goals:

n Allow more veterans to seek medical care with private doctors. The more flexibility in choosing providers, the better chance that veterans will get the excellent care they deserve.

n Streamline and downsize the rest of the system to focus on specialized care for battle-related injuries that private docs can't perform as well as VA staffers.

n Fire workers who resist change or don't perform.

A massive new report from the Commission on Care, created by Congress after the 2014 scandal, concludes: "Although VHA provides care that is in many ways comparable or better in clinical quality to that generally available in the private sector, it is inconsistent from facility to facility, and can be substantially compromised by problems with access, service, and poorly functioning operational systems and processes."

Among the commission's 18 recommendations for a sweeping overhaul: Create a more comprehensive and flexible "VHA care system." That's envisioned as a less rigid network of providers including doctors from the VA, military hospitals, other federally funded providers and facilities, and VA-credentialed private doctors and clinics.

The commission also suggests that the current Veterans Choice program be expanded so that all vets can consult private physicians. Good idea: It doesn't take a specialist in battlefield wounds to prescribe blood pressure meds. In 2014, Congress passed Veterans Choice, which already allows many vets to choose a private doc outside the system if they live more than 40 miles from a VA facility or have to wait more than 30 days for an appointment.

Yet that law has led to billions of dollars in expenses, millions of square feet of new medical space  and even longer wait times at many VA facilities. One reason: The law not only mandated a complex new health system, but ordered the VA to set it up in 90 days.

Predictable result: bureaucratic chaos.

Predictable congressional solution: Let's throw more money at the VA!

In the decade since 2006, the VA's budget has soared from $73 billion to $167 billion, with much of the growth in the health system. Staff, too, has ballooned. None of that has significantly dented the VA's entrenched culture that disdains accountability.

For instance: The 2014 law streamlined the process to fire VA executives who concealed the waiting-list scandal. Since then, however, only nine people have been fired for manipulating wait times, The New York Times reports. And some of them could still get their jobs back after appeals. Maddening.

"If you don't have accountability, and you know your job is safe whether you perform or not, it's hard to make any progress, " Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia tells the newspaper. "Right now, that is what we have at the VA."

The Care Commission recommends a new board of directors accountable to the president. That could sharpen oversight or just provide more political theater and VA blamesmanship. The bottom line:

No plan to revive the VA will succeed until superior performance is rewarded and poor performance is punished.

Until then, count on more VA scandals, more excuses  and more American veterans cheated of the care they deserve.

This editorial originally appeared in the Chicago Tribune.
Xi gives May clear message of understanding Updated: 2016-09-07 17:01 (China Daily UK)

So finally it's happened. Newly installed UK Prime Minister Theresa May went to the G20 Leaders Summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou and met with President Xi Jinping.

There were firm handshakes and what most commentators agree was a workmanlike and courteous bilateral meeting.

There has been much wringing of hands at China's supposed "fury" over May's decision to review the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant, a French-designed, 18 billion pounds ($24 billion) project in southwest England to be part-funded by China.

Anyone who honestly believed that Xi, a courteous man, would be breathing smoke and fire simply doesn't understand modern China or its leadership.

Instead of veiled threats, the British delegation received the clear message that Xi and his team understood perfectly that as a newly installed government, May and her ministers needed time to reflect on various current projects before reaching a considered position.

Indeed, Xi seems to have gone much further, making it clear that Britain and China should negotiate a comprehensive trade deal as soon as possible after the UK leaves the European Union.

Don't forget, after years of trying, China has failed to pin down the hugely bureaucratic and politically divided EU for a trade deal. It must be like trying to round up sheep without a sheep dog.

There have been sneering comments in some UK papers about May's use of the words "golden era" to describe UK-Sino relations, a phrase used by her predecessor, David Cameron, and his chancellor, George Osborne.

But that's how China thinks, and that's how things are viewed.

There is undeniably a huge surge in Chinese investment in the UK, whether it is in real estate, infrastructure or the financial markets.

I can remember a huge surge in US investment and influence in Britain, too, followed by that of the oil-rich Arab nations.

Have we suffered? No. Have we prospered? Yes.

Is there any reason why the same shouldn't happen with China? Of course not.

As officials from both countries have intimated, UK-Sino relations aren't just about Hinkley Point.

But it is an undeniable fact that it is there, problems have arisen since the original deal was put together, and the UK would be failing in its duty to its Chinese partners if these weren't addressed now rather than later.

First, this particular French technology is still not fully proven. An identical reactor at Flamanville in France has run way over budget and is beset by technical problems. A similar plant in Finland is also way behind schedule and way over budget.

Second, one member of the board of state-controlled EDF has quit and five others are taking legal action to try to halt the deal. They claim May had already told French President Francois Hollande she would delay approval pending a review before the EDF board ratified the deal, and they weren't told.

Third, the French trade unions, a powerful force in that country and not afraid to use their muscle, say they don't like it, because they fear EDF, which is already overstretched, will suffer a financial crisis.

And there was, to me, an air of desperation in the way. France tried to take advantage of May's brief time in the job by trying to railroad the deal through.

President Xi's advisers understand all this.

The author is managing editor, Europe for China Daily. Contact him on chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com
Andhra Pradesh has been demanding a Special Category State status from the Centre ever since the state's economic powerhouse Hyderabad, which housed several IT and pharmaceutical companies as well as PSUs, went to Telengana in the bifurcation

The Centre on Wednesday announced a financial package for Andhra Pradesh that includes full funding of Pollavaram irrigation project, tax concessions and a special assistance, but stopped short of giving the state a special category status.

Andhra Pradesh, which financially suffered because of creation of separate state of Telengana in June 2014, will get a railway zone as also all cost incurred on the irrigation part of Pollavaram project from the date it was declared a National Project on April 1, 2014 will be funded by the Centre.

The state government will, however, implement the project, said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a late night press conference hours before the Andhra Pradesh Assembly is to meet.

Citing constraints placed by the 14th Finance Commission in grant of special category status to Andhra Pradesh, he said an amount equivalent to what that categorication would have fetched, would be given to the state in form of a Special Assistance Measure for five years.

This will be in form of externally aided project, he said, adding the state would also get two tax concessions, details of which will be notified by the CBDT shortly.

Andhra Pradesh has been demanding a Special Category State (SCS) status from the Centre ever since the state's economic powerhouse Hyderabad, which housed several IT and pharmaceutical companies as well as PSUs, went to Telengana in the bifurcation.

Running a revenue deficit and no capital to boast of, a special status would have given the state preferential treatment in getting central funds assistance and tax breaks.

While the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act does not mention of SCS for the state, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had on the floor of Rajya Sabha on February 20, 2014 promised to grant the status to the state for five years.

Jaitley said the 14th Finance Commission has raised states' share of central taxes from 32 per cent (in 13th Finance Commission recommendations) to 42 per cent.

The commission had stated had in view of the increased devolution of central assistance, it does not make any sense to grant SCS.

"We have examined special category status demand of Andhra Pradesh.

"Since the advantage of what they get by virtue of the former Prime Minister's statement is the monetary advantage, we have decided to give special assistance measure for Andhra Pradesh wherein an amount equivalent to what they would have got if that statement could have been implemented would be compensated to the state by virtue of externally aided projects which otherwise state would have paid for," he said.

This package is valid for 5 years which ends in 2020, he said.

He did not give the details of the quantum of the monetary benefit that the state will get, saying these are being worked out.

The finance minister said that government has decided in principle that every commitment made in Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act would be honoured in letter and spirit by the central government.

"Already, we have released on account a sum of Rs 3,795 crore towards revenue deficit for year 2014-15. The balance amount will also be released in installment. We have given a support of Rs 2,500 crore state capital and Rs 1,500 crore as backward area grant," he said.

The funding of Pollavaram irrigation project which was declared a National Project on April 1, 2014, is to be met by the central government fully from that date onwards, he said.

As per the Finance Committee those category of state now ceases to exist, Jaitley said, adding, this is what the government has decided.

The concept of SCS was first introduced in 1969 when the 5th Finance Commission sought to provide certain disadvantaged states with preferential treatment in the form of central assistance and tax breaks.

To begin with, Assam, Nagaland and Jammu & Kashmir enjoyed the status but later eight states of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand were added.

A special status, which gives preferential treatment in getting central funds assistance, is given to a state if it is in a hilly and difficult terrain, strategic located along the borders of the country, has low population density, has economic and infrastructure inadequacies and financial unviabililty.

Besides Andhra Pradesh, other states including Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Odisha have also sought the Special Category State status.

Photograph: Jayanta Dey/Reuters
Design thinking refers to solving traditional tech problems using newer, different and innovative methods

Infosys has trained about one lakh employees on 'design thinking' as the country's second largest software services firm looks to ramp up revenues from new technology areas.

"We have just finished training about 100,000 of Infosys employees on design thinking. My sense is we are entering a time when everyone will be expected to innovate because increasingly the work that we do, that can be specified, that can be articulated, will be done by AI," Infosys CEO and MD Vishal Sikka said at Citi Global Technology Conference 2016.

He added that the "new frontier" in such a scenario then becomes problem finding and not just problem solving.

Design thinking refers to solving traditional tech problems using newer, different and innovative methods.

The Bengaluru-based company, which has set an aspirational goal of achieving $20 billion revenue by 2020, is betting on new services like design thinking, solutions in artificial intelligence (AI) and intellectual property-led businesses to contribute at least 10 per cent of Infosys' revenue by then.

According to Infosys 2015-16 annual report, six of its board members, including chairman R Seshasayee, former Cornell University professor Jeffrey S Lehman and Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, have gone through "immersion sessions" where they were trained on design thinking and industry/market and technology trends.

Sikka said if IT companies can work with clients on areas that they find most strategic and innovate, "margins and profits follow from there".

"...there is no shortage of higher margin kinds of offerings in new areas, digital areas, digitisation of existing physical artifacts and so forth," he added.

Taking a dig at competitors without naming them, Sikka said, "a lot of companies in our industry claim digital revenues and even implementation of salesforce.com or mobile websites and so forth is somehow digital revenue".

"I don't understand why it is digital. People often ask me how much of Infosys revenues are digital and I tell them 100 per cent of it is digital because we write software for digital computer," he quipped.

Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters
If variation is over 50 points, write to the bank and bureau immediately to correct the discrepancy

With four credit information bureaus functioning in the country, there are chances that you may end up getting different scores from them. Depending on the service that the lender is using, it can hamper your chance of getting a loan.

Gaurav Wadhwani, co-founder of credit advisory services company Credit Sudhaar, was surprised to see that one credit bureau gave him a score of 800 while another one calculated it at 530. Out of 100 clients that we get, around 20 of them face similar problems, he says.

However, the difference is not on account of credit bureaus looking at the data differently. While each bureau has its own way of looking at the data, the score doesnt vary widely, says Kalpana Pandey, CEO and managing director of CRIF High Mark Credit Information Services.

A bureau typically looks at five different parameters to arrive at a credit score - payment history, total credit, length of credit history, new credit and demographics. But, each may give different weightage to these parameters, resulting in a small variation of 5-10 per cent.

If the variation is higher, it can be because of credit errors that may occur due to account-related problems (late payment, credit card or loan doesnt belong to you, a closed account listed as unclosed, etc) or because of personal information errors (wrong name, incorrect account address, or inaccurate employer information, etc), says Mohan Jayaraman, managing director of Experian Credit Bureau, India.

Banks, too, have realised that discrepancies may occur and thats why many are now looking at reports from two credit bureaus. If a persons loan is rejected due to low credit score, banks would tell the customer that they cannot process the application because his credit bureau report doesnt meet the laid down criteria. The lender, however, might not reveal the name of the credit bureau it uses.

In such a case, experts say the person can download reports from the four agencies and compare the score. Individuals should make use of the recent Reserve Bank of Indias directive that has mandated all credit bureaus to give one free report to consumers every year. If the score varies more than 50 points, go through each credit card and loan data the bureaus have captured.

The variation in score also happens because one credit bureau may have more information on the individuals credit history than others, says Ranjit Punja, CEO and co-founder, CreditMantri.

Cibil, for example, was founded in 2000. So, there are chances that a persons Cibil report has older data compared to other credit bureaus, which were established between 2006 and 2010. Capturing of old data can impact credit score both ways  the score can be higher as you have a longer track record of repayment or it can be lower if there has been a default many years ago.

The individual will need to sort out the discrepancy on his own as a lender or card issuer will not consider other credit bureau reports except for the one that it follows, says Wadhwani.

In case of discrepancies in the credit report or a situation where a consumers identity has been stolen, they should intimate the bank immediately and report the same to the credit bureau. Every credit bureau provides consumers with the option of resolving disputes in their credit report. However, any change to the credit report can be done only after concurrence from the bank, says Jayaraman.

They should request the changes along with the relevant supporting documents. The bureau will work with the bank to work on the request and get the relevant information corrected, he adds. According to the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act 2005, the process of updating of the credit information should be done within 30 days after receiving the request.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Reuters
'I don't know how I managed to get home, but when my mother first saw me, she fainted.'

'Just because someone ruined your face doesn't mean you stop being beautiful.'

'Life goes on.'

IMAGE: Reshma Qureshi presented a creation from Indian designer Archana Kochhar's Spring/Summer 2017 collection during the New York Fashion Week. She was greeted with a loud cheer and applause.



Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

Seated in her tiny home in Kurla in north Mumbai, Reshma Qureshi has plenty of unanswered questions.

"How come it's easier to buy acid than get the right shade of lipstick?"

"Why can't people treat me normally, just like they would treat other girls my age?"

Reshma is just like any girl her age. She shares the same excitement of a 20 year old who will be visiting New York for the first time.

Ask her why she is headed to New York and she says, "I will be walking at the New York Fashion Week."

"Earlier I had never taken any interest in modeling," she adds, admitting that she still has to rehearse for the show.

Amidst the excitement Reshma is pretty clear about the message she wants to convey at NYFW: Stop the sale of acid in India.

Rediff.com's Anita Aikara talks to the braveheart and acid attack survivor about her transformation, life post the attack and her dream to help reinforce the ban on the sale of acid in India. In 2013 the Supreme Court banned the open sale of acid in India, but it is still freely available in most parts of the country.

IMAGE: Reshma Qureshi at her home.



All photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Are you excited to walk at the New York Fashion Week?

Yes! I'm very excited.

When I walk, people will see me in this state and yet accept me.

That will definitely boost my confidence and that of the many acid attack survivors who will be watching me.

There are many such survivors who are scared to step out of their homes for the fear of being mocked and judged.

Once they see me on the ramp, I hope it will give them the courage to confidently step out of their homes.

Look at me. Did I do something awfully wrong? Then why should I hide my face?

The opportunity to walk at NYFW came through thanks to Ria Sharma from the NGO Make Love Not Scars.

It's my first trip abroad and I'll be there for two weeks.

I don't know who I'm walking for. I also don't know what I will be wearing on the ramp, that shall be decided once I am in New York. But I am very excited.

At the fashion week, there will be several people taking interviews. I plan to spread awareness about acid attacks and talk about why acid should not be freely available.

IMAGE: Reshma looks on as her sister plays with her nephew, Ayaan.

It has been over two years since you were attacked...

I still remember that day: May 19, 2014. I was just 18 years old.

My sister and her husband were having some domestic issues around that time. He used to harass her and also beat her.

So my family decided to get her home. My sister had a four-year-old son and we put him in a school. But they took the child away and so we had to file a case against them. The day of the hearing, they attacked me.

I was with my sister and was going to write my exams. My brother-in-law was waiting for us with his cousins. They caught my sister's hand. She yelled and asked me to run. Scared, I started running when they caught me by my hair, threw me on the ground and doused my face with acid.

I yelled in pain. I cried for help, but people just turned a blind eye. They gathered around us and watched us in pain, but not a soul stepped forward to help.

Lying on the ground, I cried, hoping help would come soon.

IMAGE: Reshma, right, before the attack, at her sister's wedding.

I don't know how I managed to get home, but when my mother first saw me, she fainted.

I was taken to a small hospital nearby, but they refused to admit me. They wanted an FIR (First Information Report) filed. For the next 5, 6 hours I sat at the police station in pain.

You had to be present at the police station in that condition?

Yes, I had to sit there. No hospital was willing to admit me. After seven hours I was sent in an ambulance to a government hospital.

By that time, I was not able to see anything. I feared that I had lost my vision. My face was swelling up.

Then my father and brothers admitted me to a private hospital. I was there for four months.

During that time I could see with both eyes. But soon I stopped being able to see with my left eye. I think the hospital didn't act quickly and they ended up ruining the vision of my left eye.

My father, who is a taxi driver, sold his vehicle to pay my medical bills.

I was then brought to Mumbai and a surgery was done at a government hospital. I was admitted in the night and the next morning they did the surgery. The doctors feared that I would lose my sight completely and rushed ahead with the surgery.

I was discharged after 15 days.

Coming back home didn't feel the same. My life changed and I went into depression.

For nine months I ate less, spoke little and didn't step out of the house.

Almost nine months after the surgery I got to know of Ria Sharma through Facebook. She is the founder of Make Love Not Scars (it is dedicated to helping victims of acid attacks by offering them medical, legal, financial and psychological aid).

She spoke to me for three hours and counseled me. Getting funds was a challenge, but Ria helped me greatly with that.

When I met her, my face was in a really bad condition. She helped raise funds for the treatment.

IMAGE: "Wow," says Ayaan when you ask him how Reshma looks.

How did your family react to the attack?

My family was very upset after the attack. My parents were in shock.

I am the youngest among three sisters and two brothers.

My father was extremely affected by the attack. But I decided to take control of my life and they too started being strong for me.

When I'd step out, I would get a lot of curious stares from people, which I still do.

It became difficult to step out without being noticed and stared at.

I often wonder why people look at me that way. What's my fault?

People would tell my parents that my life is ruined. They would taunt me.

I often wondered why people don't support the victim?

Why do they taunt us and add to our grief?

I insist that people treat me normally, just like they would treat other girls my age. We are no different.

If people come forth and support the acid attack survivors, they will feel good. But that rarely happens. That's why most of these survivors stay inside their homes.

Today, when someone gives me a judgmental look, I just ignore them.

But there are many who welcome me with a smile.

Recently when I was travelling from Mumbai to Delhi, three people on the flight wrote messages telling me that I'm beautiful. That was so sweet and I was thrilled to read those messages.

I'm glad that there are some people who understand us too.

IMAGE: Reshma applying her favourite red lipstick.

Do you feel beautiful?

When I arrived in Mumbai and was on my way to Sion Hospital (a municipal hospital in north-central Mumbai), I looked at the mirror for the first time post the attack.

I was scared and looked away. My face before the attack kept coming to my mind, and I failed to have the courage to accept reality.

I was angry and got upset with my parents for no fault of theirs. But they never gave up on me. They kept saying that they will see me through this difficult phase.

Now I don't hesitate to look at the mirror. Today I believe that I am truly beautiful and my face is very special.

Were you interested in modeling ever?

No. Once my doctor had taken me for a fashion show in Mumbai (this was after the acid attack). I saw models walking down the ramp and felt happy seeing them.

Today I have got an opportunity to walk for NYFW and that makes me really happy.

I haven't practiced or rehearsed for it. I will just go with the flow.

IMAGE: Reshma at the entrance to her home.

Did you have any dream? What was it?

I had dreamed of becoming a teacher.

I was working towards it too. I had completed my 10 standard exams. I was in the 11th standard, when they threw acid on me.



After that I struggled to get on with life.

What happened about your dream? Would you want to still pursue it?

After the attack, I want to help other survivors come out of their trauma. I have gone through a lot of pain and would want to help these survivors.

Somewhere I left my dream behind after the attack. But maybe in the near future if I got a chance, I'd like to get back to studying and pursue my dream to become a teacher.

I find it difficult to read, but I know that I will manage.

IMAGE: She enjoys watching Hindi television serials, but doesn't have a keen interest in Bollywood music.

Is the court verdict out yet?

The last I heard was that it got delayed. I am not following it and don't know much about it.

My parents were in Allahabad for the hearing, but they will be returning to Mumbai, so that they could be around when I am leaving for the US.

In 2013 the Supreme Court had banned the sale of acid, yet it is sold freely. When we go to buy medicines, they insist on a prescription. But acid is available easily and is very cheap.

You are a video blogger, who is giving helpful online beauty tutorials. How does it feel being in front of the camera?

There was a time when I didn't apply any make-up on my face. But today I enjoy putting make-up. My favourite lip colour is red.

I made an online video (Beauty Tips by Reshma) on how to apply make-up and that did very well. Then I did three more videos. Thankfully those videos did well too.

When I shot the first video, I was extremely nervous. There were so many cameras and lights, I didn't know what to do.

When the video was out, I watched it and read the comments. There were many women who had such good things to say and they supported me. That made me feel really good and it boosted my confidence too.

Your videos do have a powerful message hidden in them...

Yes. I urge my viewers to help enforce the ban on acid. I have also mentioned in the video that lipstick is available easily in the market just like concentrated acid.

IMAGE: Reshma with her brother at the airport before boarding the flight to US.

What next?

A lot of people have supported me. I want to return the favour and support the many acid attack survivors who are out there.

Acid attack survivors should understand that they have done no wrong. The person who attacked us was wrong.



The survivors should just try to live life without fear and pursue their dreams.

Just because someone ruined your face doesn't mean you stop being beautiful. Life goes on.
IMAGE: Protests in Srinagar. Photograph: Umar Ganie

'As long as Pakistan exists, the situation will not stabilise and violence is bound to erupt from time to time.'

'Though not a final solution, a step that could help localise the abscess -- trifurcate Jammu and Kashmir state into three parts: Jammu, Ladakh and the valley, suggests Claude Arpi..

On August 15, in a speech from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Pakistan's human rights abuses in Balochistan as well as Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

Modi hinted that if Pakistan continues to instigate demonstrations and strikes in the Kashmir valley, India will be compelled to expose Islamabad elsewhere.

Let us be clear, as long as Pakistan exists, the situation will not stabilise and violence is bound to erupt from time to time.

In order to find a solution to the Kashmir issue, an all party delegation has just paid a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Of course, Ladakh was not on the programme.

Addressing the media in Srinagar, Home Minister Rajnath Singh remarked that all parties have agreed that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir should improve at the earliest. He also noted that the delegations talks with various sections in J&K have been fruitful.

The Press Information Bureau says that on the second day the delegation went to Jammu where 'the delegation met over 200 persons in about 18 different delegations from various sections of society.'

Various sections minus Ladakhis!

The neglect of Ladakh is not new.

Though not a final solution, a step that could help localise the abscess -- trifurcate Jammu and Kashmir state into three parts: Jammu, Ladakh and the valley.

It has been a long standing demand of the people of Ladakh (and Jammu as well) who do not want to have anything to do with the anti-India movement in the valley.

A resolution passed by the All Religious Joint Action Committee of Ladakh goes a long way in this direction.

ARJAC leaders -- Tsewang Thinles, president, Ladakh Buddhist Association, Ashraf Ali Barcha, president, Anjuman Imamia, and Sheikh Saif-ud-Din, president, Anjuman Moin-ul-Islam -- demanded at a press conference Union Territory status for Ladakh. They remarked that since Independence, the mountainous region has always kept a special strong bond with the Union of India.

In a memorandum to the prime minister, the ARJAC explained that Ladakh was once an independent Himalayan kingdom: 'The political history of Ladakh dates back to 930 AD when several small, sovereign principalities outlying the Western Himalayas were integrated and given a unified polity by Lha-Chen-Palgigon.'

'Ladakh as an independent kingdom gained political status during the 15th-16th century when the Namgyal dynasty came into power,' the memonrandum added.

This lasted until 1842 when General Zorawar Singh integrated Ladakh into the Dogra empire. In October 1947, Ladakh acceded to India after Maharaj Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession for his state.

Ladakh, the ARJAC further pointed out, has been linked to the Dogras (and Kashmir) for hardly 105 years: 'Ladakh is fundamentally different from Kashmir in all respects -- culturally, ethnically and linguistically. Over the years the successive governments of the state have adopted a policy of discrimination and subversion towards the region with the sole objective of stifling its people and marginalising its historical, religious and cultural identity.'

IMAGE: The snow-covered mountain peaks at Zojila taken along the mountainous Srinagar-Leh highway in Ladakh. Photograph: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters

In modern times,' the ARJAC noted with some bitterness, 'when the whole subcontinent has passed through the process of decolonisation to enjoy the fruits of national Independence, we, the people of Ladakh, and our land still continue to suffer under the old concept of colonial administrative structure, which suited the imperial interests and feudal rulers under the name of the pseudo-state of Jammu & Kashmir.'

'Nationalism remained a dominant ideological creed and became a rallying force among the Ladakhis to fight back the Pakistanis and the Chinese who made frequent bids of conquer our land in 1948, 1962, 1965, 1971 and 1999 wars,' the ARJAC affirmed. 'The jawans of Ladakh Scouts played an exemplary role in decisively foiling the enemy's misadventures.'

'Our humble submission is that we are neither the problem nor part of any problem involving the state. Rather we are the solution. We firmly believe that all of us live only if India lives. Our commitment to patriotism is firm and unequivocal. Our people and soldiers have never hesitated to make supreme sacrifices in the discharge of their duties towards the country. We shall never fail the nation.'

The bifurcation (or trifurcation) would have other advantages not mentioned in the memorandum.

Today the Ladakh region has two districts, Leh and Kargil and two Autonomous Hill Development Councils, Ladakh and Kargil.

Though Ladakh is India's largest district, with 'disputed' borders and two belligerent neighbours, it is administered by a junior officer.

The present District Commissioner Prasanna Ramaswamy is a young IAS officer from the 2010 batch. Without doubting his personal competence, such a border district with large numbers of army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel posted in the area makes it one of the most sensitive districts of the country.

Further, can only one officer visit the 19 blocks of Ladakh, some of the extremely remote? He can't.

Ladakh needs a special status; a joint-secretary rank officer or above should be posted in the district. The Indian Army's 14 Corps Commander responsible for Ladakh's defence is headed by an officer of lieutenant general rank, with nearly 40 years of experience in the army. He deals with someone (the DC) who would be ranked a captain, or a major at the most, in the army.

Incidentally, the DC is also the chief executive officer of the LAHDC, which makes the situation even more ridiculous.

The granting of Union Territory status would solve many of these anomalies: A lieutenant governor representing the Centre would sit in Leh (or Kargil) and a chief secretary would head the administration.

Further, the elected MLAs and ministers would not depend on the mood of Srinagar to develop the Union Territory.

Last but not least, it will probably force China to clarify its position vis-a-vis Ladakh.

Beijing has always been ambiguous on Kashmir and Ladakh.

In July, Beijing called for a 'proper settlement of Kashmir clashes.' Under the pretence of neutrality, China's position on Kashmir has indeed conveniently remained extremely hazy.

'Nothing could be further from the truth than this duplicitous and outrageous statement (about neutrality),' defence analyst Monika Chansoria recently pointed out. 'In fact, Beijing has shifted its position on Kashmir, gradually, yet firmly, with each passing decade. Recall China's response during the 1999 Kargil conflict with its commitment to a policy of neutrality, which compelled the Nawaz Sharif government, who was already under immense international pressure, to look for an honourable retreat from Kargil.'

IMAGE: Stone pelters and security forces in Srinagar during the recent spell of violence. Photograph: Umar Ganie

Remember the issue of stapled Chinese visas for J&K's state subjects?

Another issue is Beijing's refusal to reopen the Demchok-Tashigong road to Kailash-Manasarovar. It is the fastest and easiest route for pilgrims wanting to visit the holy mountain. Beijing does not want the route to be reopened, because it would not be 'neutral' anymore and would have to recognise the fact that Ladakh is part of India (by setting up a custom house at the border, for example).

Already back in 1954, when India and China were negotiating the Panchsheel Agreement, China adamantly refused to acknowledge, let alone reopen the Demchok route, simply because it considered and probably considers Ladakh 'disputed territory.'

The reopening of the ancient pilgrim route would be a great confidence building measure between India and China, but perhaps Beijing is not ready to give up the 'disputed territory' label for Ladakh.

Making Ladakh a Union Territory would (peacefully) kill many birds with one stone. It would help localise the so-called Kashmir issue in the valley; it would provide a better administration to the mountainous region, streamline the security of the area and force China to drop its 'neutrality' stance.

But where is the political will?

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Year after year, floods cause mayhem in Bihar but the government is not paying adequate attention to water management, reports Satyavrat Mishra.

IMAGE: A village inundated by flood water near Kunauli panchayat in Bihar's Supaul district. Photograph: PTI

Ganga Sav is sitting outside his house, or what is left of it.

The roof is completely damaged and there is silt everywhere. It has come from the river with which he shares his name. The septuagenarian says his mother named him after Ganga to express her gratitude for being blessed with a boy.

"Back then the river used to bring happiness and joy, not like today, when it brings death and destruction," says Sav, his eyes welling up.

His family is still in the relief camp from where he has just returned. He intends to stay on to guard whatever little is left of his property. "Yahan to bas saap-bichhoo hain abhi. Abhi yahan parivar ke liye theek nahin hai. Hum yahan ghar ko dekhenge (There are only snakes and scorpions here now. It is not safe for my family, but I will stay here to take care of the house)," he says.

Sav lives in the diara area, small islets that have come up in the Ganga. He, like most others, was not expecting the flood.

"The rains were scant this year. So when the officials came and told us to move to safer ground, we took their advice lightly," he says. "Here in the diara, the water rises every monsoon. Sometimes, it reaches up to your knees, but it also recedes in no time."

This time it didn't. "By the dawn of the next day, the water rose to waist level and it kept rising," says Sav, recounting the events of August 17.

The recent flash floods in the Ganga hit Bihar the hardest. At least 65 people died and nearly half a million had to be evacuated.

Despite a rain deficit of 18 per cent, the water reached unprecedented levels in a dozen districts.

The highest was in Patna, where it broke the earlier record of 1994 and breached the 50 metre mark on August 25.

The low-lying areas and the diaras were inundated and thousands of people were moved to relief camps. The National Disaster Relief Force and State Disaster Relief Force combed the waters for survivors.

At the Tilka Manjhi University in Bhagalpur, exams had to be cancelled because the campus was submerged. In Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Samastipur, Munger, Bhagalpur and Khagaria, crops on 350,000 hectares of land were completely destroyed.

Hundreds of kilometres of the state's highways and rural roads have also been damaged. The total loss is estimated to be worth Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150 billion).

The immediate reason for the flood was the large volume of water released into the Ganga from the Bansagar reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.

Data from the Madhya Pradesh water resources department shows that the water was discharged from the dam over a three day period, starting August 18.

Bihar officials say Madhya Pradesh had been hoarding the water for quite some time, despite sufficient rainfall in the catchment areas of the river Son.

The water was released only when the reservoir was 93 per cent full and couldn't hold more. Even so, officials say the destruction was unprecedented given the amount of water released.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar holds the Farakka Barrage in neighbouring West Bengal responsible for the tragedy. According to him, the barrage is the reason siltation in the Ganga is increasing.

'The current flood is not a result of the rains. This year monsoon has been deficient in Bihar,' Kumar said some days ago. 'The flood is a result of the heavy siltation of the Ganga as the Farakka Barrage doesn't allow silt to pass. This has made the river shallow, narrowed its stream and severely reduced its water retention capacity. As a result, even if a little water is released into the river, it spills over.'

IMAGE: People use a banana raft in flood-hit Hajipur, Bihar. Photograph: PTI

The chief minister, who holds a degree in engineering, complained that he had been raising this issue for the last 10 years at various fora, but without tangible results.

'At meetings I attended during the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) regime at the Centre, I saw people worrying only about the upstream (areas). I used to tell them to also think about downstream, but nobody listened.'

The Ganga is, indeed, one of the highest sediment load carrying rivers in the world. However, not everyone agrees with Kumar's argument.

Several engineers and hydrologists have criticised the government for not paying adequate attention to water management, which is essential for a flood-prone state like Bihar. "It's true that the Farakka Barrage has caused siltation, but to say that siltation is the only reason behind the flood is not correct," says hydrologist T Prasad, who holds a doctorate degree in water resources from the University of Illinois. He is also the founder director of the Centre for Water Resources Studies at Patna University.

"It (the barrage) acts along with several other factors, such as the velocity of the water and the embankment. To some extent, the Farakka Barrage did create some problem. But faulty planning and lack of a flood management policy complicated it," he says.

Santosh Kumar, consultant hydrologist, World Bank Project and former professor at the National Institute of Technology, Patna, blames it on the derelict condition of the infrastructure that is meant to control floods.

Poor maintenance of embankments and absence of a silt management policy for the Ganga and Kosi, he says, worsened the situation.

"It is totally wrong to solely blame the Farakka Barrage," he says. "The barrage is situated too far downstream to create such serious problems upstream. The backwater effect is limited to only some distance."

Siltation between the embankments, he says, is the prime reason for the rise in riverbeds.

"In Bihar, major rivers are jacketed, which means embankments have been constructed on their sides," he explains. This was done to protect the villages situated on the riverbanks.

However, this causes the riverbeds to rise as the silt cannot spread. That's why, he says, scientists and engineers installed sluice gates at the embankments to prevent flooding.

These not only release the pressure on the embankments, but also allow the sediment to be spread on to the flood plain.

"Unfortunately," he says, "none of the sluice gates at the embankments in Bihar is working."

At several places, the iron wheels of the sluice gates have been stolen. A lack of technical knowledge and bureaucratic indifference further aggravate the problem, he adds.

"In 1952, 25 lakh (2.5 million) hectares of present day Bihar used to be affected by floods," says Dinesh Mishra, one of the country's leading river experts. "Today, 73 lakh (7.3 million) hectares is affected," adds the former convener of Barh Mukti Andolan.

IMAGE: Vehicles on the submerged National Highway 31 near Fatuha in Patna district. Photograph: PTI

Doing away with the Farakka Barrage is not an option.

"It's an international issue. Bangladesh, which is only 15 to 20 km from the barrage, will never allow you to do so," says Mishra. "If the barrage is destroyed, the unchecked Ganga will wreak havoc there. Besides, there is a real possibility that the waters would then flow towards Kolkata and flood the city."

Nitesh Kumar, too, concedes that it might not be possible to dismantle the Farakka Barrage. He has demanded that the Centre should formulate a silt management policy.

The state, says Santosh Kumar, needs a two-pronged strategy. To begin with, it must employ silt excluder devices and dredgers. And it should rejuvenate the dead channels of the river, which can be activated in the time of flood.

The Kosi, adds Prasad, is the second highest silt-carrying river in the world and drains into the Ganga. "Kosi causes floods in Bihar, but the Centre and state governments have never shown any interest in solving this problem by constructing a multi-purpose high dam in Nepal," he rues.

And so, year after year, the river causes mayhem.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday held protest in Lucknow against Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan for his objectionable statement against Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, dubbing the Constitution-maker as someone who grabs land.

In his address at the inauguration of Haj House in Ghaziabad on Monday, Khan, without naming Ambedkar, had said, All across Uttar Pradesh, there are statues of a person whose finger seems to say that not only does it own the plot of land on which it is standing, but also the plot towards which it is pointing its finger.

"The BJP held protests in the state capital and the similar protests were also staged across the state," Uttar Pradesh BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya said.

A BJP delegation led by Maurya handed over a memorandum to Governor Ram Naik at Raj Bhawan, demanding Khan's dismissal from the cabinet for hurting sentiments by making 'derogatory remarks' against Dr Ambedkar.

"We request to make such an arrangement that those making such statements against great persons should be brought to book irrespective of their stature," he said.

Maurya also attacked the Opposition parties for being silent over the remarks.

He alleged that the BJP district president and other workers were injured in the lathi-charge by police on protestors in Lucknow.

BSP president Mayawati also demanded an apology from Khan for hurting the sentiments of Babasahebs followers.

We strongly condemn Azam Khan for his controversial remark on Babasaheb and hope that if he (Khan) cannot give proper respect to the great leader because of the casteist policies of his party, he should not also try to humiliate him by making false statements, she said.

It is one thing if Azam Khans statement is part of any electoral politics under the casteist policy of the Samajwadi Party, or else he should tender an apology for harming the sentiments of Babasaheb's followers by issuing such wrong and controversial statement, Mayawati said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena threatened to hold a mahapanchayat, which will be attended by people from 150 villages, on the issue if Khan does not tender an apology.

UPNS chief Amit Jani said if Khan does not apologise for the remarks against Ambedkar, a mahapanchayat will be called on September 25.
A crude bomb was hurled at a Bharatiya Janata Party office in the heart of the city in Thiruvananthapuram, with the party alleging that Communist Party of India-Marxist workers were behind the attack.

No one was injured in the incident, police said.

The incident occurred around on Tuesday night, shortly after BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan had left the office for Kozhikode, where preparations are on for the three-day national executive and council meeting from September 23 which is being attended by senior party leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party sources said.

At least four workers were on the top floor of the building, housing the office, when the bomb was hurled.

Though no one was injured, glass panes of the main entrance door were damaged in the incident, said Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner S Sparjan Kumar.

The incident comes close on the heels of a series of sporadic clashes between CPI-M and BJP workers in the past few months in northern Kannur district.

Rajasekharan alleged that the CPI-M, the lead partner of the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala, had taken law into its hands and police was a "mere spectator."

"Violence of the CPI-M is increasing each day. A BJP activist was hacked to death in Kannur recently and the CPI-M is behind it," he told reporters at Kozhikode.

"Despite so many incidents, CPI-M leaders and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also holding the home portfolio, have not condemned the series of attacks against the BJP and its workers," he said.

BJP leaders P K Krishnadas and M T Ramesh slammed the CPI-M, saying the bomb attack against the party office should not be seen as an "isolated" incident.

"This is a calculated and well planned attack against the BJP and CPI-M is behind it," they said. All flex boards in front of the office were also destroyed, Krishnadas said.

Television channels telecast a CCTV video footage showing a man riding a motorcycle minutes before the blast and police are on the lookout for him.

Meanwhile, the CPI-M said the BJP's allegations against it were "baseless" and it had no connection with the incident.

BJP's allegations are malafide, and people will reject them, the party said.

"The incident is highly condemnable. Anti-social elements connected with the incident should be immediately arrested", CPI-M Thiruvananthapuram district secretary, Anavoor Nagappan, said in a statement.

The probe into the incident should be led by top level police officers, he said.

Photograph: ANI/Twitter
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a dig at the present system saying while big industrialists like Vijay Mallya who fail to repay bank loans of crores of rupees are called defaulters, farmers taking away cots are dubbed as thieves.

Kisan Khatiya le jata hai to wo use chor kehte hain. Magar jab bade udyogpati, Mallyaji jaise, bhag jaate hain to use defaulter kehte hain. (If a farmer takes away a cot, he is called a thief but people like Vijay Mallya who run away with crores of rupees are called mere defaulters), he said.

The Congress vice president was addressing farmers after a road show Gorakhpur.

He had earlier accused the ruling dispensation of allowing Mallya to escape abroad even when he was facing charges of loan default in the country.

Rahul, who is undertaking about a month-long 2,500-km mahayatra from Deoria to Delhi that started on Tuesday, is highlighting the plight of farmers.

As part of the yatra, Khaat Sabha (cot meetings) are being organised for Rahul to interact with farmers.

At the inaugural Khaat Sabha on Tuesday, moments after Rahul left after having made a raft of promises like farm loan waiver, reduction of power tariff and higher minimum support price for agricultural produce, the venue plunged into utter chaos with men, women and children scampering in, lifting the charpoys and hurrying towards their homes.

Later, at a Khaat Sabha in Sant Kabirnagar district on Wednesday, Rahul referred to the incident of locals taking away the cots brought for the meeting, saying, Our opponents see farmers as poor persons but I always feel that farmers are the real power of Hindustan.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, people are facing problems but it has no effect on the prime minister.

On the state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh, he said that farmers were only getting bills but no electricity.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party lashed out at the Congress vice president after he raked up the Mallya issue and accused him of speaking lies and making baseless allegations to divert attention from the Samajwadi Party governments failures in Uttar Pradesh as he has struck a deal with it.

The party said Mallya had turned a defaulter during the United Progressive Alliance government but it had still asked the banks to give him more loans as the Congress, it alleged, received commission from him.

IMAGE: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in a road show in Gorakhpur, UP. Photograph: @OfficeofRG/Twitter
The all-party delegation, which visited Kashmir to find a solution for restoring peace in the Valley, will meet in New Delhi on Wednesday and will be chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Ahead of all party meeting, Singh held a crucial meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, which was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP President Amit Shah, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and Party General Secretary Ram Madhav.

The meeting came close on the heels of home minister's return from Jammu and Kashmir after wrapping up his two day visit to troubled Kashmir.

Talking to reporters after the meeting Ram Madhav said, the meeting deliberated on the Kashmir situation and that future course of action will be decided after the all party meeting to be held today.

On Tuesday, home minister briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in Kashmir and apprised him about the ground situation of the state assessed by the all-party delegation led by him.

Before winding up the visit in the Valley, the home minister sent out a clear message to separatists, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral part of India. He, however, said as far as talks are concerned, doors are open to everyone who wants peace and normalcy.

Divulging detail of the meeting in Jammu, the home minister said, "As many as 200 people comprising 18 delegations interacted with the all-party delegation.

They expressed their concerns over the situation in Kashmir and were of the opinion that the problems in the Valley should be resolved at the earliest. Besides, they also merited the attention of the all-party delegation towards the problems of the Jammu region."

However, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik met with the delegation. The delegation was in Srinagar on Sunday and had visited Jammu before returning to Delhi.
Chinese women find their way through the glass ceiling Updated: 2016-09-07 16:51 By SAMANTHA VADAS(China Daily UK)

Zhang Lei works as general manager of China Mobile International UK Ltd. [Photo/ CHINA DAILY]

Zhang Lei is no stranger to leadership. At 29, the Chinese businesswoman was appointed general manager of Infosto Group's Beijing office, a Finnish online platform for classified information exchanges.

Today, she leads a team of more than a dozen people as general manager of China Mobile International UK Ltd in London.

"I could have chosen to stay in China and have a stable life, but I wanted change and more responsibility," said Zhang.

She's one of a growing number of Chinese women breaking through the so-called glass ceilingthe invisible barrier between men and women in the workplace that prevents many from reaching top jobs.

Zhao Shuo, managing director of Fushi Group, was lured to Europe from her job in Shanghai.

"The driving force for me to go overseas was a colleague who had come from Australia to join our team and she made more money than us," Zhou said. "In 2001, Greenwich University gave me an offer to study for an MBA, and the motivation was to make money and go back to China."

Fast forward 11 years and Zhao now runs her own company in London, helping Chinese families to buy properties in the UK.

"Now, we have clients in Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East coming to invest in the UK," she said.

Despite women like Zhang and Zhao climbing the ladder, men still dominate corporate boards and CEO roles, according to the World Bank Group.

Statistics from Grant Thornton show only 24 percent of senior roles are held by women globally, while a third of businesses have no females in management positions.

"In the telecommunications industry, there are many males and few females," said Zhang. "I think it's still a man's world."

She arrived in London in 2007 and was one of five people to set up China Unicom's European office.

She was appointed head of China Mobile's UK office in 2013 and is now responsible for the company's UK operations, as well as the growth of businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"A lot of women don't want this because their families won't support them, or encourage them to leave," Zhang says, highlighting a cultural hurdle experienced by a number of Chinese women.

Her husband, who works in satellite telecommunications in China, did not follow her to London, despite having been supportive of her career.

"It's my choice and my husband's choice," she says. "We're both happy in our jobs."

Having now spent nine years in London, Zhang says her job overseas has changed her views on work in many ways.

"My working style, the way we respect each other and the fact that there is no difference between the manager and junior staff, whereas in China they care more about hierarchy," she said.

According to Zhao, who also says she has many Western values, manager roles in China aren't perceived in the same way as they are in the UK.

"Inactivities that you attend outside of work in China, you need to have guanxi (personal relationships) to socialize with people and you need to drink (wine, beer or white spirits)I don't think women can handle it."

Unlike Zhang, Zhao's family relocated to London from China.

The businesswoman, who has an 11-year-old daughter, says she likes the challenge of having to balance work and family life.

"Sometimes, you have to go to meetings and events after work and you will miss something, like homework, but it's not that significant," says Zhao.

Monique Villa, CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of the global news and information provider, says having a job and caring for family is very "doable", and men today are helping more than ever.

The French national, who has transformed the foundation through programs and training aimed at empowering people, particularly women, says the gender gap at work has narrowed considerably.

"For women like me who started working in the 70s as a journalist at Agence France-Presse, you had no women in responsible jobs," she says.

"One of the top leaders of one company came into my office and asked my deputy, who was a man, 'Is it difficult to work under a woman?'" she recalls. "It's a question you would never be able to ask today, but in the 90s it was a question you could ask without people being horrified."

Samantha Vadas is a freelance writer who contributed this to China Daily
India and Japan on Wednesday pledged to strengthen ties in the key areas of counter terrorism, civil nuclear cooperation, trade and investment as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Vientiane.

Prime Minister Modi, in his talks at the National Convention Centre in Vientiane, conveyed his condolences to Abe for the Japanese lives lost in the recent terror attack in Bangladesh in which 22 people were killed after Islamist terrorists stormed a cafe popular with foreigners.

Abe said Japan was not going to succumb to terrorism and expressed the desire to further strengthen cooperation with India in the area of counter-terrorism, External affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said of the nearly-45-minutes-long meeting.

Modi held talks with Abe after arriving in the Laotian capital to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-India and the East Asia summits that will take place on Thursday.

The two leaders discussed further strengthening and diversification of trade and investment ties.

Prime Minister Modi noted that Japan had technology and innovation while India had the power of youth and a huge market, Swarup said.

The India-Japan partnership could, therefore, produce global products and be a win-win partnership for both, Modi said in his meeting with Abe.

The two leaders discussed the upcoming Japanese industrial parks in India and the cooperation in the area of ship breaking.

They also reviewed the progress in the India-Japan Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement negotiations and the high-speed rail project, Swarup said.

Modi expressed appreciation for the consistent support rendered by Japan in India's infrastructure development, technology upgradation and skill building.

Premier Abe recalled that 2017 will mark the 60th anniversary of the Japan-India Cultural agreement. He hoped to see more Indian tourists visiting Japan.

The two leaders also discussed regional issues and international developments.

Abe said that he was looking forward to Modis visit to Japan for the annual summit and expressed hope that it would promote a new era of Indo-Japan co-operation.

Modi also expressed condolences for the recent typhoon that hit Japan. He is also scheduled to meet leaders from Myanmar and South Korea for bilaterals while officials said there could be some pull aside meetings too during his visit in Vientiane.

This is Modis second meeting with Abe in less than six months. They had met on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in April.

IMAGE: PM Modi with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Vientiane on Wednesday. Photograph: @narendramodi/Twitter
Days after rebuffing outreach attempt by a group of MPs, hardline Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani has said that talks with New Delhi are bound to fail till the "gravity and intensity" of the Kashmir issue is agreed upon.

"We have a clear and simple stand that unless the gravity and intensity of the Kashmir issue is not agreed upon, any negotiations or talks are bound to fail," Geelani said addressing gatherings at Dargah and Noorbagh here by telephone from his residence where he is under house arrest.

He said his 50 years of political experience and 150 rounds of talks between India and Pakistan stand testimony to it.

"People have met, had photo shoot, then a cup of tea for so many decades but our bloodshed did not stop," Geelani said.

His comments came three days after he literally shut the door of his residence to four MPs who wanted to meet him and have talks on how to end the ongoing unrest in Kashmir.

On Wednesday, the all-party delegation chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh urged the Centre to take steps to ensure that education institutions, government offices and commercial establishments in the strife-torn the Kashmir Valley starts functioning normally.

Expressing serious concerns over the prevailing situation in the Valley, the delegation members opined that there should be no place for violence in the civilised society and asked the people of Kashmir valley to shun the path of violence.

"The delegation has appealed to the people of the state to shun the path of violence and resolve all issues through dialogue or discussion. The members have also asked the state government to take steps to ensure that educational institutions, government offices and commercial establishments start functioning normally. The government should take effective steps to ensure the security of citizens and provide medical treatment to the citizens and security personnel injured in the agitation," said Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh.

Singh further stated that the Home Minister is open to discussions with all stakeholders, who have anything to offer or give inputs to restore normalcy in the Valley.

Congress member and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, said that the Centre should formulate short term and long term policies to immediately restore normalcy in the Valley.

"We also asked the government to include those groups who have significant political presence in the state because without holding discussions or without their suggestions, we cannot move forward," Kharge said.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury asked the government to adopt dual-track policy for a permanent solution to the unrest.

"The Central Government should approach dual-track policy; one track should be focused on instilling confidence in the people and implement confidence building measure to weed out separatism. They should give assurances on five issues. One, there should be ban on pellet guns, it seems that an alternative to that, PAVA, shells have arrived and every day a batch is being sent in the state to withdraw from pellet guns. Two, they should provide proper rehabilitation, compensation to the victims of pellet guns. Three, if there is any allegation of excess use of force being implemented, they should investigate. Four, we asked the government to remove AFSPA from civilian areas and also give assurances in the regard. And, despite announcing employment schemes there has been no implementation at all, so announce some avenues to provide employment for Kashmiri youth," said Yechury.

Photograph: PTI Photo
United States President Barack Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Vientiane, Laos, the White House said on Wednesday.

In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, the White House said in its daily guidance released to the press.

The two leaders are expected to make brief remarks at the top of the meeting.

This would be the eighth meeting between Modi and Obama in two years. They met for the first time at the White House in September 2014 when Modi travelled to Washington, DC at the invitation of Obama.

Prime Minister Modi exchanged views with Obama on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Chinas Hangzhou on Sunday, with the US president praising the bold policy move on goods and service tax reform in a difficult global economic scenario.

Obama is scheduled to address a news conference in Laos immediately after his meeting with Modi.

He would depart for the US via Yokota, Japan for fueling, soon after his news conference.
A recap of events that occurred in India in the past 24 hours.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi enjoying corn roast during his Kisan Yatra in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. Aiming to revive his party prospects in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the Congress vice-president hit the dusty trail, kicking off his month-long Kisan Yatra from the eastern UP district of Deoria. Photograph: PTI Photo/Twitter

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his wife Amruta Fadnavis celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at their residence in Mumbai. Photograph: PTI Photo

A police officer crosses at a water logged road after heavy rains in Patna on Tuesday. Widespread rains in Bihar caused the mercury to dip in Patna and other parts of Bihar though humidity level remained high. The downpour since morning created problem of water-logging in many areas of Patna. Photograph: PTI photo

Bollywood Actor John Abraham dances at an event announcing him as the Brand Ambassador of Arunachal Pradesh, in Mumbai on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh returning from 7 Race course, after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on Tuesday. The Home Minister, in an hour long meeting, apprised Modi about the ground situation of the state assessed by the all-party delegation which visited Srinagar and Jammu on September 4 and 5. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

A devotee carries an idol of Lord Ganesha, the deity of prosperity, into the Arabian Sea on the second day of Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Hundreds of cots were neatly spread across a field in Uttar Pradesh's Rudrapur for Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's first 'khat sabha' (charpoy meetings) but little did the party know that the very khats would overshadow the first day of his mega outreach programme in the state. Photograph: PTI Photo

A girl waves a flag as women shout slogans during a protest against the killing of civilians, in Srinagar on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Swimmer Shardha Shukla (jalpari) arrives in Varanasi on Tuesday after swimming for 570 km from Kanpur. However, her feat waded into a controversy with documentary filmmaker Vinod Kapdi alleging that the young swimmer is not swimming the whole length as claimed by her and also released videos to prove that she has been covering a lot of distance on a boat. Photograph: PTI Photo
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant protection from arrest to music composer Vishal Dadlani for allegedly making scathing remarks against Jain monk Tarun Sagar and asked him to move the high court.

A bench of Justices V Gopala Gowda and Adarsh Kumar Goel also declined Dadlani's prayer for quashing of FIR lodged against him in Haryana, saying he could approach the concerned high court.

Advocate Karuna Nundy, appearing for Dadlani, sought protection from arrest, saying if the FIR is not quashed, he could be arrested by the police.

The counsel also urged that protection from arrest could at least be granted to Dadlani till they moved the high court.

The bench, however, declined the prayers and asked him to move the high court for relief.

An FIR was lodged against Dadlani by the Ambala Cantt police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with his sarcastic tweet on the Jain monk.

The FIR also named Tahseen Poonawala, a Congress activist who too had tweeted on the Jain monk.

The case against Dadlani and Poonawala in Ambala was registered under several sections including 153A (promoting enmity between classes), 295A (maliciously insulting the religion or religious beliefs of any class) and 509 (uttering any word or making any gesture to insult the modesty of a woman etc) of the IPC, police had said.

The case was registered on a complaint filed by Punit Arora, a resident of Ambala Cantonment who is said to be a follower of the monk.

The complainant alleged that the accused had intentionally hurt religious sentiments with his sarcastic tweet on Sagar.

The Haryana government had invited the Jain monk, who appeared naked to deliver a lecture 'Kadve Vachan' in the state assembly on August 26.

Dadlani, a staunch Aam Aadmi Party supporter, came under sharp criticism from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other quarters for his "sarcastic" tweet on Sagar's address in the Haryana assembly.

After a barrage of criticism, Dadlani had tendered an apology for his tweet and deleted it.

He had also apologised to the Jain monk on Twitter.

Dadlani on August 29 had also announced quitting "all active political work" but maintained it was his own decision to quit the party.
'It was the first document he had seen that asked him about his past in such detail; it was the only interest this country (America) had shown in his origins, and it was most inconvenient. To get ahead, he had to find out where he had come from.'

Award-winning New York-based author of Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found, Suketu Mehta's latest short story is about Mahesh, who has a perfect NRI life in the USA -- so perfect that he can't remember a thing about his past in India, not even his mother's name.

An accidental trip to New York's Indian neighbourhood, Jackson Heights, brings back old memories.

Read on for a delightful, exclusive excerpt.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

When Mahesh stepped off the plane from India at JFK, his first experience of the new world was a powerful static shock from the carpeting. It was so powerful that he vibrated in place for a moment, and then sailed forth into New York, humming with energy. Goddamn New York! Fast cars! Zoom!

He ran past immigration, past baggage claim, past customs, and leapt into a taxi, which carried him at great speed to his university. Mahesh's subsequent career, at the university, in the business world, was marked most of all by this energy: He did everything slightly faster than others. Unfortunately, the static charge had also wiped out a small but vital part of his memory: His mother's name.

This in itself would not be such a disaster; he always referred to his mother and thought of her as 'Mummy,' but what was distressing was that, since forgetting his mother's name, he was gradually forgetting other things about his family too -- such as his father's occupation, where his grandparents lived, the correct term for his maternal uncle, his caste.

But as the years went by and Mahesh forgot more and more, he worried less and less about it -- after all, he was well settled in American society; he was in a part of the country where there were few Indians and nobody asked him more than a few cursory questions about his origins such as 'Where's your family?' 'In India.' 'Are you Hindu or Muslim?' 'Hindu.'

Gradually, this was all that was left in Mahesh's memory, that his family was in India, and that he was Hindu.

What was his family doing? Were they dead? Did they come to America and try to contact him? Did they write letters to his previous addresses, which were sent back? Were they angry with him, had they given him up for dead, had they also forgotten his name?

Mahesh did not know the answers because he had not even asked the questions.

And all that remained with Mahesh of the things he had brought over when he came was something he had found in his pocket, whose purpose or significance he could not explain: A hairpin, an ordinary, black, woman's hairpin.

* * *

Just after he turned 30, Mahesh found that he had to become a citizen of the United States of America. He had to do this because he had been given a promotion, a very big promotion, in his company. But to get this position, which involved matters of national security, he had to be a citizen.

On the application, he was asked, very clearly, to write his mother's name. He put down his father's name (because it was his middle name, written on his Green Card) but try as he might he could not remember his mother's name. And so many other things depended on his remembering his mother's name -- he guessed that if he knew it, he would also be able to fill in a lot of other details in the application, such as his place of birth and his past addresses.

It was the first document he had seen that asked him about his past in such detail; it was the only interest this country had shown in his origins, and it was most inconvenient. To get ahead, he had to find out where he had come from.

* * *

What Mahesh did remember was where exctly he had forgotten his mother's name -- at the JFK airport. He thought he would go back to JFK and walk around the place where he had lost his mother's name -- maybe he could find it again.

One day, Mahesh got up very early and drove to JFK. The International Arrivals Building. The morning Air India flight, during the holiday season known as 'the dada-dadi bus.' Bringing a vast army of grandparents come to remind their offspring about the values they had left behind: 'It is not this, it is not that.'

Mahesh could see from the glass window above the customs hall the old people explaining the strange contents of their luggage to the American customs officials. They pulled out sarees and kurtas, thick winter clothes made in Kashmir and bottles of perfumed hair oil.

But mostly -- for what else can a poor country offer the West? -- their luggage was a larder, a storehouse of strong-smelling food.

Spices: Asafoetida, turmeric, mustard seeds, wrinkled black pods with no name in any European language. Lentil wafers, sago cakes. Homemade brinjal pickles. Chachi's tea masala. Betel nut and rose water. And always, in the hot season, mangoes.

Mahesh could see the customs officers, sometimes with the help of dogs, anticipate the hoard of mangoes. "Sorry, ma'am, you can't bring this in."

"But it is for my grandchildren!" Such astonishment, such pain, on the faces of the old people! These were the best Alphonso mangoes they could find, two thousand rupees a kilo, never before in their lives had they bought mangoes at two thousand rupees a kilo!

Some would try the time-honoured ways. "Sir, you can take half. For your children," they would offer the customs officer. No, Mahesh shook his head, didn't they realise, they were in America now.

Excerpted from What Is Remembered by Suketu Mehta, with the permission of the publishers, Juggernaut. This book is exclusively available on the Juggernaut app.
Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Title Report submitted by Austria pursuant to Article 68, paragraph 1 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Baseline Report)

Publication Date 1 September 2016

Country Austria

Citation / Document Symbol GREVIO/Inf(2016)2

Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), Report submitted by Austria pursuant to Article 68, paragraph 1 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Baseline Report), 1 September 2016, GREVIO/Inf(2016)2, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d00ad34.html [accessed 30 October 2022]

Comments Received by GREVIO on 1 September 2016
More than 28 million children 'uprooted' by conflict and face further dangers  UNICEF report

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, More than 28 million children 'uprooted' by conflict and face further dangers  UNICEF report, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0122140c.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

6 September 2016 - Millions of children driven from their homes due to violence and conflict or in the hopes of finding a better and safer future face further dangers along the way  including the risk of drowning on sea crossings, malnourishment and dehydration, trafficking, kidnapping, rape and even murder  according to the new report from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Indelible images of individual children  Aylan Kurdi's small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneesh's stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed  have shocked the world, UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake, said today in a news release issued by the agency.

But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger  and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children, he added.

According to the news release, the report Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children presents a sobering picture of the lives and situations of millions of children and families affected by violent conflict and other crises that make it seem safer to risk everything on a perilous journey than to remain at home.

According to the report, nearly 50 million children, across the globe, have migrated across or within borders, or been forcibly displaced. More than half that number  28 million  are boys and girls who have fled violence and insecurity.

It further notes that more and more children are crossing borders on their own. In 2015, over 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries  triple the number in 2014. Unaccompanied children are among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse, including by smugglers and traffickers.

In terms of the geographic spread, the report notes that Turkey hosts the largest total number of recent refugees and very likely the largest number of child refugees in the world. Furthermore, relative to its population, Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees by an overwhelming margin: roughly 1 in 5 people in Lebanon is a refugee.

Migration also offers opportunities

Analysing the impact of migration, the report argues that where there are safe and legal routes, migration can offer opportunities for both the children who migrate and the communities they join.

For instance, it found that in high-income countries, migrants contributed more in taxes and social payments than they received; filled both high- and low-skilled gaps in the labour market; and contributed to economic growth and innovation in hosting countries.

But, crucially, UNICEF flagged in the news release, children who have left or are forcibly displaced from their homes often lose out on the potential benefits of migration, such as education  a major driving factor for many children and families who choose to migrate.

In addition, the UN agency noted that children of refugees and undocumented migrants are more likely to have their rights compromised than other children, including lack of access to health care and education, discrimination.

It further noted that a refugee child is five times more likely to be out of school than a non-refugee child, and when they are able to attend school at all, it is the place migrant and refugee children are most likely to encounter discrimination  including unfair treatment and bullying.

Outside the classroom, legal barriers prevent refugee and migrant children from receiving services on an equal basis with children who are native to a country. In the worst cases, xenophobia can escalate to direct attacks, it added.

Highlighting the price of failing to provide children with opportunities for education and a more normal childhood, the UNICEF's Executive Director asked in the news release: What price will we all pay if we fail to provide these young people with opportunities for education and a more normal childhood? How will they be able to contribute positively to their societies? If they can't, not only will their futures be blighted, but their societies will be diminished as well.

The UNICEF report points to six specific actions that will protect and help displaced, refugee and migrant children:
UN Security Council condemns latest DPRK missile launches, notes 'flagrant disregard' for previous statements

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN Security Council condemns latest DPRK missile launches, notes 'flagrant disregard' for previous statements, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d013aa40d.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

6 September 2016 - The United Nations Security Council today condemned the ballistic missile launches conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday, 5 September.

"The members of the Security Council deplore all Democratic People's Republic of Korea ballistic missile activities, including these launches, noting that such activities contribute to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and increase tension," the 15-member Council said in a press statement, which noted that the launches were in "grave violation" of the country's international obligations under various resolutions it has adopted.

In the statement, the Council members also expressed serious concern that the DPRK conducted the latest launches after a series of earlier ones - held intermittently on different occasions between 15 April and 22 August - in flagrant disregard of repeated Council statements.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea shall refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions," the Council noted.

In the statement, the Council members said they further regretted that the DPRK is diverting resources to the pursuit of ballistic missiles while it citizens have great unmet needs.

Ambassadors Samantha Power of the USA (centre), Koro Bessho of Japan (left), and Hahn Choong-hee of the Republic of Korea speak to the press. UN Photo/JC McIlwaine

The Council also called upon all UN Member States to redouble their efforts to implement fully the measures it had imposed on the DPRK, particularly the comprehensive measures contained in resolution 2270, which among other points, expands arms embargo and non-proliferation measures, including small arms and light weapons, and enforces new cargo inspection and maritime procedures, including mandatory inspection on cargo destined to and originating from the DPRK. The Council also called on UN Member States to report as soon as possible on concrete measures they have taken in order to implement effectively the provisions of resolution 2270.

The Council members stressed the importance of working to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula and beyond, and reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability there and in north-east Asia at large, while also expressing their commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation.
UNICEF deeply concerned about impact of unrest in southern Thai provinces on children

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UNICEF deeply concerned about impact of unrest in southern Thai provinces on children, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d013ff40c.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

6 September 2016 - The top United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) official in Thailand has expressed deep concerns over the continuing violence in the country's restive southernmost provinces and its impact on children, including an explosion that killed a four-year-old girl and her father today.

"[We are] shocked and saddened by this incident. Schools must be places of learning, discovery and recreation for children," UNICEF's Representative for Thailand, Thomas Davin, said in a statement.

"No children, nor any caretakers or education professionals should live or learn under fear of such attacks," he added. "All schools must become safe heavens."

According to media reports, a motorcycle bomb went off in front of an elementary school in Narathiwat province earlier on Tuesday, killing the young girl and her father, who had been dropping her off at the location. In addition to their deaths, the explosion injured at least 10 other people, including teachers, parents and police officers.

In the statement, Ms. Davin also called upon all parties "to do everything in their power to ensure that children are protected and no more children fall victim of violence."
New UN report finds that without obstacles Occupied Palestinian Territory's economy could easily double gross domestic product

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, New UN report finds that without obstacles Occupied Palestinian Territory's economy could easily double gross domestic product, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0146a40c.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

6 September 2016 - The economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory could easily produce twice the gross domestic product (GDP) it generates now, while unemployment and poverty could recede significantly, according a new United Nations report.

"Surveying a number of studies, the report reveals the channels through which occupation deprives the Palestinian people of their human right to development and hollows out the Palestinian economy," the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said in a news release on its 2016 report on its assistance to the Palestinian people.

"Chief among these are the confiscation of Palestinian land, water and other natural resources; loss of policy space; restrictions on the movement of people and goods; destruction of assets and the productive base; expansion of Israeli settlements; fragmentation of domestic markets; separation from international markets and forced dependence on the Israeli economy," it added.

According to the findings of the Report on UNCTAD assistance to the Palestinian people: Developments in the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in 2015, Israel withheld Palestinian fiscal revenue for four months, donor aid declined and Israeli settlements continued to expand into the Occupied Palestinian Territory, while poverty and unemployment remained high. It also notes that the Occupied Palestinian Territory continued to be a captive market for exports from Israel, while occupation neutralized the potential development impact of donor aid, and genuine reconstruction had yet to take off in the Gaza Strip despite $3.5 billion in donor pledges. As well, Gaza's socioeconomic conditions worsened and the infant mortality rate increased for the first time in 50 years.

In late June 2016, 19 Palestinians, including 12 children, lost their homes when Israeli forces demolished 5 structures in Susiya, south of Hebron, in the occupied Palestinian territory. Photo: OCHA

In its executive summary, the report goes on to note that occupation imposes a heavy cost on the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which might otherwise reach twice its current size. Yet, to date, attempts to estimate the economic cost of occupation remain partial and ad hoc. Also, there is a need to establish a systematic, comprehensive and sustainable framework within the United Nations system to report to the General Assembly, as it has requested in past resolutions.

"The report concludes that examination of these costs and of other obstacles to trade and development is essential to place the Palestinian economy on the path to sustainable development and to achieve a just settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as well as lasting peace in the Middle East," UNCTAD said, while also flagging that despite limited resources, it continues to deliver technical cooperation, training and advisory services to the Palestinian people.

Impact of de-agriculturalization and de-industrialization

The report's findings include that a continuous process of de-agriculturalization and de-industrialization has deformed the structure of the Palestinian economy. From 1975-2014, the share of the tradable goods sector made up of agriculture and industry in GDP dropped by half, from 37 per cent to 18 per cent, while its contribution to employment decreased from 47 per cent to 23 per cent.

Palestinian farmers harvest olives with an Israeli settlement in the background. Photo: UNRWA Archives/Alaa Ghosheh (file)

In January 2015 alone, 5,600 productive trees were vandalized, adding to the more than 2.5 million productive trees (including 800,000 olive trees) that have been uprooted since 1967, according to the UN agency. Furthermore, Palestinians are prohibited from maintaining or digging water wells, while Israel has been extracting much more water than the level stipulated by the 1995 Oslo Accords and confiscating 82 per cent of Palestinian groundwater. "The Palestinians are left with no choice but to import their own water from Israel to cover 50 per cent of their consumption," UNCTAD noted in the news release.

Slow reconstruction since the Israeli military operation in Gaza in 2014 has compounded the adverse trade and development impact of Israel's prolonged occupation of the Palestinian territory, according to the UNCTAD report.

"Following the economic decline of 2014, which was mainly the result of the Israeli military operation in Gaza, the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory grew by 3.5 per cent in 2015," UNCTAD said in the news release. "However, this was not sufficient to lift stagnant per capita income, which remains below its 2013 level."

"The report also attributes the economic weakness to a decline in foreign aid and Israel's withholding of Palestinian tax revenue during the first four months of 2015," it said.
As peace talks stall, violence soars once again in Syria  new UN report warns

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 6 September 2016 Related Document(s) Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic Cite as UN News Service, As peace talks stall, violence soars once again in Syria  new UN report warns, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d014ee412.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

6 September 2016 - Although February's ceasefire agreement created an all-too-brief respite in fighting, there has been a tragic increase in violence targeting Syrian civilians, crushing hopes of peace in the war-torn country, a group of United Nations experts warned today.

In its latest report, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria notes how recent indiscriminate attacks on civilians, blockades of humanitarian convoys and crimes committed by all parties to the conflict, have left Syrians in a state of despair.

"The relentless attacks and sieges against civilians shows no signs of abating giving people little, if any, hope, of a lasting peace in the country," said Commission Chair Paulo Pinheiro in a news release on the report.

The Commission has been mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate and record all violations of international law in Syria since March 2011.

The report notes violence has reached unprecedented levels in Aleppo, the country's second largest city, as parties wrestle for control its eastern part, and casualties have rapidly mounted at an alarming rate as civilians have been unable to flee from daily airstrikes.

While some perish in the attacks, others later die from lack of life-saving medical services, as a consequence of the pro-Government forces' bombardments that have destroyed over twenty hospitals and clinics in Aleppo governorate alone since the beginning of the year, the report says.

"Nearly 600,000 civilians in Damascus, Rif Damascus, Dayr Az-Zawr, Homs and Idlib governorates continue to suffer brutal conditions created by protracted sieges," the report states.

The report further notes that across the country, starvation through besiegement continues to be used as a tactic of war with devastating consequences, and that in Darayya, besieged by government security forces for almost four years, young children and elderly people are seen dying of starvation, with survivors subsisting on grass and unsafe drinking-water, a phenomenon also reported throughout other besieged areas.

"Recent developments in Darayya, including the forcible displacement of the civilian population as part of political negotiations, contravene well-established principles of international law," said Commissioner Vitit Muntarbhorn.

The Commission believes that the Syrian conflict and the on-going violations will only come to an end with a return of the parties to the negotiation table. "It is imperative that the key parties negotiate an end to this conflict, while bearing in mind that any peace agreement must necessarily provide justice for the victims," said Commissioner Carla Del Ponte.
Greek volunteers awarded top UN humanitarian honour for efforts with migrants and refugees

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Greek volunteers awarded top UN humanitarian honour for efforts with migrants and refugees, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0155340c.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

6 September 2016 - A Greek human rights activist and a Greek volunteer rescue team - Efi Latsoudi and the Hellenic Rescue Team (HRT) - have been jointly awarded this year's Nansen Refugee Award for their efforts to aid refugees arriving in Greece during 2015.

"Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflict and persecution last year made the desperate bid to reach Europe in search of safety, many risking their lives in unseaworthy boats and dinghies, in a journey which all too often proved insurmountable," the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said in a news release on the win.

"Both the Hellenic Rescue Team and Efi Latsoudi refused to stand by as they witnessed the dramatic humanitarian situation unfolding on their shores, and are fully deserving of the Nansen Refugee Award," Mr. Grandi added. "Their efforts characterize the massive public response to the refugee and migrant emergency in Greece and across Europe, in which thousands of people stood in solidarity with those forced to flee, and the humanity and generosity of communities around the world who open their hearts and homes to refugees."

According to a news release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), since 2007, Greece has been challenged by the arrival of a large number of refugees and migrants, but in 2015 sea arrivals escalated to an emergency. On the island of Lesvos alone, numbers topped 500,000 last year. In October 2015, arrivals peaked at more than 10,000 per day, as conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq continued to uproot people from their homes.

Efi Latsoudi stands at the entrance to "PIKPA village" on the Greek island of Lesvos. Photo: UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Konstantinos Mitragas of the Hellenic Rescue Team. Photo: UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Yanis, captain of a rescue boat of the Hellenic Rescue Team on Samos. Photo: UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Hellenic Rescue Teams on the Greek island of Samos conduct a training exercise. Photo: UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Seventeen-year-old Syrian refugee Mohammed fled Syria alone. He spent his first day in Europe at Moria, a closed facility on the Greek island of Lesvos. "I was scared because I was tired from the journey and I was alone." Photo: UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Volunteers from the Spanish group 'Proem-Aid' teach refugee children from "PIKPA village" how to swim. For many of the youngsters, who endured terrifying sea crossings from Turkey, it is a skill that will change their lives forever. Photo: UNHCR/Gordon Welters

 
Iraq: UN food relief agency's supplies reach Qayyarah's 30,000 people under 2-year siege

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Iraq: UN food relief agency's supplies reach Qayyarah's 30,000 people under 2-year siege, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0164b40e.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

6 September 2016 - The United Nations food relief agency has delivered urgently-needed aid to more than 30,000 people in and around the northern Iraqi town of Qayyarah in the past week, reaching an area that has been under siege and inaccessible for more than two years.

"The people of Qayyarah had been living under siege for two years and are suffering extreme hunger with scarce access to food supplies. Reaching them with life-saving food assistance is a very positive step forward," the UN World Food Programme (WFP)'s Country Director, Sally Haydock, said in a news release.

With military action turning towards retaking Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, from Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the UN Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had warned that displacement may worsen "dramatically," and announced preparations to ramp up operations and set up additional camps.

Last week, WFP and its humanitarian partners assessed the humanitarian situation in Qayyarah, 60 kilometres south of the city of Mosul, and found that all of the people remaining in the town were in urgent need of food and other forms of humanitarian assistance. All of its shops were either destroyed or closed and food stocks were running dangerously low, with people surviving only on wheat from the recent harvest.

According to WFP, black smoke rises from oil fields surrounding the town set ablaze during fighting in recent weeks. Safe drinking water, electricity and medical services remain nearly impossible to access.

Through its local partners Muslim Aid and Women Empowerment Organization, the UN agency distributed emergency food rations containing ready-to-eat foods such as dates, beans and canned foods, to meet families' immediate needs, as well as monthly food rations containing rice, lentils, wheat flour, bulgur wheat, beans and vegetable oil in the past week.

These rations will provide enough food for more than 30,000 people for a full month. WFP also distributed food to almost 2,000 displaced people living in camps and with host families in areas surrounding Qayyarah.

More than three million Iraqis have been displaced by conflict in Iraq since mid-June 2014. Over the last two years people from the Qayyarah area fled to camps in Erbil, Kirkuk and Salah al-Din, where they receive regular food assistance through WFP's partners.

WFP is scaling up its food assistance in Iraq to support newly displaced families from the Mosul area. To continue to assist displaced families in the country until the end of the year, WFP urgently requires $106 million.
UN human rights office 'deeply worried' about situation in Cambodia

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN human rights office 'deeply worried' about situation in Cambodia, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0167040d.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

6 September 2016 - Expressing concern over recent incidents of intimidation of opposition politicians and their supporters, civil society, and peaceful demonstrators in Cambodia, the United Nations human rights arm has called on the authorities to create an environment that is conducive the enjoyment of human rights.

An increase in rhetoric by high-level army officials, who have vowed to defend the ruling party against political opposition, is deeply worrying, Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said at a regular press briefing in Geneva today, referring to a strong show of force recently conducted by the country's armed forces at the headquarters of the main opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).

We remind the Government of its duty to take measures to ensure the safety of all Cambodians, particularly high profile political opponents, she added.

The UN Spokesperson also said that the Government has invoked concerns about public security to block peaceful protests and to arrest and charge demonstrators, and that, yesterday, the authorities set up roadblocks and mobilized troops in an attempt to block a CNRP event and arrested some 20 people in connection with two unrelated protests in the capital Phnom Penh.

We urge the Government to create an environment conducive to the enjoyment of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, which are particularly critical in a pre-electoral context, added Ms. Shamdasani, referring to the local and national elections to be held in 2017 and 2018.

Additionally, referring to a number of legal charges brought against CNRP's Acting President, Kem Sokha and 29 other members or supporters of the party, fourteen of them have been convicted and given heavy prison sentences, she urged the authorities to strictly adhere to international fair trial standards during the criminal proceedings, including ensuring transparency in the administration of justice.
Threats push Sierra Leonean community radio journalist into hiding

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 15 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Threats push Sierra Leonean community radio journalist into hiding, 15 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176227.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Sahr Amadu Komba, manager of the local radio station Eastern Radio 96.5 FM in the diamond mining town of Koidu, in Sierra Leone's eastern Kono District, went into hiding from July 27-31, 2016, out of fear of arrest on allegations of inciting the public to protest the government's response to floods that destroyed homes and cut off the road linking the town to the capital, Freetown, according to news reports.

Komba said he began receiving threatening phone calls from police and unidentified men threatening his life after his station aired a conversation with civil society activists on the devastation and cause of a July 27 heavy flood, according to news reports. The flooding provoked violent protests by angry residents, who blamed it on illegal mining in the area, news reports said.

According to news reports, Karamoh Kabba, the most senior government official in the region, defended the mining in the region in a in a July 27 interview with the government-owned Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation 90.2 FM, and likened Eastern Radio's broadcast to those of the Rwandan station Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines, which broadcast messages calling ethnic Tutsi Rwandans "cockroaches," and threatened to kill them ahead of the 1994 genocide of Tutsis. Human rights groups condemned Kabba's remarks and called for his resignation over his comments, according to news reports.

Kelvin Lewis, the president of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, told CPJ he contacted both Kabba and the police, who denied any intention to arrest Komba.

Komba told CPJ that he came out of hiding on July 31 following the intervention of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, but said he fears for his life and has limited his movement after receiving further threats. Most recently, he said, a man accosted him at a gas station on August 6 and told him, "We will handle you."

Komba told CPJ that on August 11 he handed over the recording of the station's July 27 broadcast to a team from the Independent Media Commission, the country's media regulator, which visited him to investigate allegations of incitement.

"Right now my spirit is dampened because instead of encouraging me to keep up doing my professional work which is in public interest, the IMC told me to step down on doing such sensitive reports," Komba told CPJ.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Turkish newspaper closed, journalists detained in police raid

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 16 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Turkish newspaper closed, journalists detained in police raid, 16 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d01763b.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 16, 2016  Turkish authorities should immediately drop all charges against the country's oldest pro-Kurdish daily newspaper, Ozgur Gundem, and its staff, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Following a court order shuttering the newspaper, police in Istanbul today raided Ozgur Gundem's office and detained at least 21 journalists, according to news reports.

Demonstrators in central Istanbul protest the detention of three people on charges arising from their participation in a show of solidarity with pro-Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Gundem, June 21, 2016. Police on August 16 raided the newspaper's offices and detained at least 21 journalists following a court order temporarily shuttering the newspaper. (AFP/Ozan Kose)

"Turkish authorities have subjected Ozgur Gundem's staff to relentless judicial harassment for years," CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "July's failed military coup in no way justifies closing this pro-Kurdish newspaper or detaining journalists for their work. We call on authorities to release all of the journalists taken into custody and allow the newspaper to publish freely."

According to the news channel IMC TV and the pro-Kurdish DIHA news agency, police detained at least 17 Ozgur Gundem journalists today: Gunay Aksoy, Kemal Bozkurt, Reyhan Hacoglu, Onder Elald, Ender Ondes, Sinan Balk, Davut Ucar, Frat Yesilcnar, Inan Kzlkaya, Zeki Erden, Elif Aydogmus, Bilir Kaya, Ersin Caksu, Sevdiye Ergurbuz, Amine Demirkran, Bayram Balc, and Burcu Ozkaya. Police also detained two DIHA reporters at the scene, Ozgur Paksoy and Mesut Kaynar, the news agency reported. Police also detained IMC TV journalist Gulfem Karatas and cameraman Gokhan Cetin, who were filming the raid, the station reported. The station's live broadcast showed what were apparently plainclothes police confiscating the news channel's camera.

According to a photograph purportedly showing the court order posted on Twitter by the volunteer journalist collective 140journos, Ozgur Gundem faces charges of propagandizing for a terrorist organization  the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which the Turkish government lists as a terrorist group  incitement to insurrection, and publishing articles that threaten the security and territorial integrity of the state. CPJ was not immediately able to verify the photograph's authenticity.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Nigerian military threatens journalist for not revealing sources

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 18 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Nigerian military threatens journalist for not revealing sources, 18 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176428.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Abuja, Nigeria, August 18, 2016  The Nigerian military should cease threatening freelance journalist Ahmad Salkida with prosecution for not acting as an informer, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The military has said the journalist could face terrorism charges if he does not provide it with information he gained in the course of his reporting on the militant group Boko Haram.

Esther Yakubu, left, mother of one of hundreds of kidnapped school girls, watches a video released by Boko Haram during a briefing in Abuja, Nigeria, on August 14, 2016. A military spokesman threatened journalist Ahmad Salkida with terrorism charges if he does not provide information he gained in the course of reporting on the militant group. (AP Photo/Olamikan Gbemiga)

In a statement carried by Nigerian news websites on August 14, military spokesman Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman declared Salkida and two civil-society workers  Aisha Wakil and Ahmed Bolori  "wanted for interrogation" regarding the location of over two hundred school girls Boko Haram abducted in April 2014. In the statement, Col. Usman invoked the 2011 Terrorism Prevention Act, under which "Nigerians could be punished for failure to disclose information about terrorists or terrorists' activities." He said, "We are also liaising with other security agencies for their arrest if they [fail] to turn up." Salkida has lived in the United Arab Emirates since August 2013.

"Journalists must sometimes rely on the trust of dangerous people. Coercing them to become informants risks putting all journalists under suspicion and in danger," CPJ West Africa Representative Peter Nkanga said. "Nigeria's military should not threaten Ahmad Salkida and instead ensure that he is free to work."

On August 16, Nigerian Director of Defence Information Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar said that the military was only inviting Salkida and the two civil-society workers for questioning. "We are only inviting them to shed light on pending issues that will support current military efforts, and not to arrest them," Abubakar said in remarks quoted by the broadcaster Channels Television.

Salkida wrote on his personal blog on August 15 that he would accept the military's invitation. The journalist told CPJ that he believed the military was trying to punish him for his persistent reporting on Boko Haram since 2006. He said that he had returned to Nigeria three times since May 2015 at the invitation of various federal government agencies.

Salkida told CPJ that he feared for his life, and that anonymous callers had threatened him about his articles and posts to social media websites and his contacts with Boko Haram. Salkida has received similar threats in the past, CPJ reported at the time.

Salkida has been covering Boko Haram since mid-2006. Police detained him in 2009 over his reports on the activities of the militant group when he was a reporter for the independent Daily Trust newspaper. He fled his home in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri in July 2011 after callers identifying themselves as Boko Haram members threatened him with death, following the publication of his profile of Boko Haram's first suicide bomber.

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for attacks that have killed thousands of people, including Nigerian television journalist Zakariya Isa, who the organization claimed was a spy for the government.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Ethiopian police detain journalists reporting on drought, escort them back to capital

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 17 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Ethiopian police detain journalists reporting on drought, escort them back to capital, 17 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d017644.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Ethiopian police on August 8, 2016, detained three journalists reporting on the effects of a severe drought in the country before escorting them back to Addis Ababa with a warning not to work outside the capital, the Foreign Correspondents' Association of Ethiopia said in a statement.

Fred de Sam Lazaro and Thomas Adair from the U.S. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and Africa News Agency (ANA) correspondent Hadra Ahmed, who was working as a fixer and translator, were told by the police to report to the Shashemene town police station, about 240km from the capital.

Police confiscated their passports and their equipment and offered no reason for their detention. The team was taken back to Addis Ababa the next day under police escort, interrogated for a further six hours and then released with a warning not to report outside the capital.

"Hadra and her colleagues' ordeal is the latest example in a long trend of the government preventing journalists from doing their work," William Davison, the FCAE's chairman, said in the statement. In March 16, police detained Davison and a translator in the eastern town of Awash, confiscated their equipment, and escorted them back to the capital, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported at the time.

Ethiopia is the third worst jailer of journalists on the African continent, with at least 10 behind bars on December 1, CPJ's 2015 prison census shows.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Thailand pressures two broadcast journalists off the air

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 18 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Thailand pressures two broadcast journalists off the air, 18 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176514.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Bangkok, August 18, 2016  Two television reporters in Thailand have been suspended for a 10-day period under pressure from military authorities and state media regulators over their critical news coverage, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Thailand's ruling military regime to cease its systematic harassment of the broadcast media and allow reporters to do their jobs without interference or fear of reprisal.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha arrives for a cabinet meeting in Bangkok on August 9, 2016. He has empowered a state media regulator to close news outlets without the right to appeal for reasons of national security. (AP/Sakchai Lalit)

Nattakorn Devakula and Atukkit Sawangsuk, both political program hosts with the privately run Voice TV news station, were removed from their regular programs for 10 days by company executives to avoid the imposition of penalties from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), a state-run media regulator, according to news reports. The reporters' suspension will run from August 15-24, the reports said.

The station proposed the suspensions to avoid harsher penalties imposed last weekend by the NBTC for news coverage deemed overly critical of the ruling military regime: a ban of one week for two Voice TV programs, "Wake Up News" and "Tonight Thailand," and a 50,000 baht ($1,440) fine, according to reports. Voice TV news director Prateep Kongsib wrote on Twitter that the station agreed to the temporary suspension of its reporters instead "in order to survive under these special circumstances," reports said.

"The censorship of Voice TV for reporting on a topic of national import shows just how dire the press freedom situation has become for Thailand's broadcast media," said Steven Butler, CPJ's Asia program coordinator, in New York. "If Thailand is truly on a path back to democracy, as Prime Minister Prayuth frequently claims, then it's time to stop this crude censorship and targeted harassment of individual journalists."

Last month, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha empowered the NBTC to shutter media outlets without the right to appeal for reasons of national security. The executive order, known as No. 41/2559, allows the media regulator to block any broadcast news or information deemed as "detrimental to the political system or may destabilize national stability or damage the moral values of the people," reports said.

Nattakorn told CPJ that his coverage and analysis of a national referendum held on August 7, where a military-backed regressive constitution was passed amid sharp curbs on free expression and vote "no" campaigning, was singled out by officials for violating orders against critical news. He said it was the third time the junta-controlled media regulator had pressured Voice TV to suspend his programs. Voice TV is owned by Panthongtae Shinawatra, the son of self-exiled, criminally convicted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in a separate 2006 coup.

The news website Khaosod cited Prateep, the Voice TV news director, as saying Atukkit was also singled out for criticism of the junta and that he had earned further disfavor among officials due to his work for other media, including columns for Khaosod.

Under military rule, the NBTC has enforced broad censorship directives, outlined in orders No. 97/2557 and No. 103/2557, against news reporting that could "create confusion, instigate unrest or deepen divisions among people," or be deemed as "malicious" or "misleading" about the ruling National Council for Peace and Order junta and its actions.

The broadcast media has been particularly hard hit, CPJ research shows. In November 2014, Thai Public Broadcasting reporter Nattaya Wawweerakup was suspended from hosting her program, "Voices of the People that Change Thailand," after soldiers raised objections with the station's managers about her interviews with local people who criticized junta rule. News reports at the time said junta officials threatened to suspend the program if she was not replaced as its host.

In May 2015, authorities revoked the operating license of Peace TV, a news station aligned with the elected government ousted in the 2014 coup. The NBTC's media monitoring committee banned Peace TV for airing news that "could stir up unrest," according to news reports. The regulator had earlier suspended the station for one week for the same reason, though it did not indicate which specific program or commentary caused the ban, the reports said.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Gunmen shoot at car carrying Mozambican journalists

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 19 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Gunmen shoot at car carrying Mozambican journalists, 19 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176614.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Gunmen shot at a car carrying three Mozambican reporters on assignment in Mozambique's western Manica province on August 12, 2016. One journalist was injured by shards of glass, according to a report from the country's official news agency.

The reporters from the public broadcaster Mozambique Television (TVM) and Radio Mozambique (RM) were traveling in two vehicles to cover a visit by President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi to Manica province, Mozambique's chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa said in a statement.

No one took responsibility for the attack, but press reports blamed the Mozambique Resistance Movement (Renamo). The group is active in the area where the attack took place. The cars were in a convoy with workers from the state electricity utility also carrying soldiers, according to one press report, but the journalists' cars were clearly marked as belonging to media organizations, Fernando Goncalves, the chairman of MISA-Mozambique told the Committee to Protect Journalists.

"If a car came by in the middle of military columns, I'm really sorry," Savana newspaper quoted Renamo leader Alfonso Dhaklama as saying. "But Renamo has not made any operation against journalists."

CPJ has recorded two murders of journalists in Mozambique since 1992, when the organization began keeping records, but has only been able to confirm one of the deaths as directly related to the journalist's work.

Carlos Cardoso, editor of the daily newsletter Metical was gunned down outside his office in Maputo on November 22, 2000, while investigating the 1996 embezzlement of US$14 million from the state-controlled Commercial Bank of Mozambique (BCM). In 2003, six men were convicted for the murder, according to a CPJ alert. The convictions were upheld by that country's Supreme Court in 2007.

Paulo Machava the publisher and founder of the news website Diario de Noticias was shot dead while jogging in Maputo on August 28, 2015, CPJ reported at the time. CPJ has not been able to establish whether the murder was directly related to his work.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This text has been updated to include remarks from Renamo's leader.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Mexican reporter wounded in Veracruz shooting

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 22 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Mexican reporter wounded in Veracruz shooting, 22 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176714.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Mexico City, August 22, 2016  Authorities in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz should credibly investigate a shooting attack against freelance journalist Lucia Lopez Castillo and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Lopez Castillo was shot last night in front of her home in Poza Rica, north of Veracruz's state capital, Xalapa.

A photographer sets his camera beside a plaque commemorating photojournalist Ruben Espinosa and four women murdered with him in Mexico City in 2015 on the anniversary of their deaths, July 31, 2016. Espinosa worked with the investigative magazine Proceso and other media in the state of Veracruz at the time of his murder. (AP/Marco Ugarte)

According to news reports and a friend of the victim, who spoke with CPJ on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, a single masked gunman approached Lopez Castillo yesterday evening at approximately 10.30 p.m. The reporter tried to enter her home, but her assailant, whose identity is unknown, grappled with her and shot her once in the torso before fleeing in a taxi parked nearby.

"Swiftly bringing Lucia Lopez Castillo's assailant to justice would send a strong message that journalists cannot be attacked with impunity," Carlos Lauria, CPJ's senior program coordinator for the Americas, said from New York.

Veracruz has become one of the most dangerous areas for journalists in Latin America. According to CPJ research, at least six reporters have been killed in direct retaliation for their work in Veracruz since governor Javier Duarte de Ochoa assumed office in 2010. CPJ is investigating another 10 murders of journalists to determine whether they were in relation to the victims' work. Most recently, reporter Pedro Tamayo was killed in Tierra Blanca, roughly 200 miles (230 kilometers) south of Xalapa. CPJ is still investigating to determine if his death was related to his work as a journalist.

"Javier Duarte's term as governor of Veracruz will come to an end on November 30, but he will leave behind a permanent shadow in the lives lost and journalists silenced during his six-year term," Lauria said.

Friends and co-workers told CPJ that Lopez Castillo is currently in stable, though serious condition. She was brought to a local clinic in Poza Rica and had one of her kidneys removed because of damage caused by the bullet, which also caused extensive damage to her intestines. Her condition is complicated by the fact that she suffers from diabetes.

The Veracruz State Commission for the Attention to and Protection of Journalists (CEAPP) has been in touch with the reporter. "She is currently conscious and stable, and we have initiated procedures to provide her with police protection," Executive Secretary Geiser Manuel Caso Molinari told CPJ in a telephone conversation.

Caso Molinari said that the motive for the attack is unclear at that the authorities would refrain from commenting further on the circumstances of the shooting until they have more information. "The health of the victim has priority right now," he told CPJ.

Lopez Castillo, 42, writes for Cara Politica, a bi-weekly magazine, and El Cuarto Poder, a local newspaper, both based in Poza Rica. She also contributes to Pulso Politico, a news website based Xalapa.

According to Gloria Mendoza, editor-in-chief of Cara Politica, Lopez Castillo writes mostly general-interest news reports about political events and local businesses. Mendoza said Lopez Castillo has steered clear of politically sensitive work and did not cover organized crime.

"We are at loss as to why she was attacked," Mendoza told CPJ in a telephone conversation. "She did not publish anything that could have angered anyone, and I am unaware of any threats she would have received."

Speaking to CPJ over WhatsApp after she had spoken directly with Lopez Castillo and with her family members, Mendoza said the attack may have been a botched robbery attempt.

Mendoza told CPJ that she herself had been the target of a threat two years ago, when an unknown individual threatened to kidnap her daughter, but said that to her knowledge, Cara Politica staff had otherwise not been threatened.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The 12th paragraph of this news alert was added after initial publication, in light of new information.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Turkish court arraigns newspaper editors, columnist on terrorism charges

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 23 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Turkish court arraigns newspaper editors, columnist on terrorism charges, 23 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176816.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 23, 2016  Turkish authorities should immediately drop all charges against two newspaper editors and a columnist jailed on terrorism charges and release them without delay, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Demonstrators in central Istanbul protest the detention of three people on charges arising from their participation in a show of solidarity with pro-Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Gundem, June 21, 2016. Police on August 16 raided the newspaper's offices and detained at least 21 journalists following a court order temporarily shuttering the newspaper. (AFP/Ozan Kose)

An Istanbul court last night arraigned Bilir Kaya and Inan Kzlkaya, editor and news editor of Ozgur Gundem, respectively, on charges of "being a member of a [terrorist] organization," the pro-Kurdish newspaper reported on its website. The two were sent to Istanbul's Metris Prison, pending trial. An Istanbul court on August 19 also arraigned columnist and board member Asl Erdogan on charges of "being a member of a [terrorist] organization" and "provoking the people to animosity and hatred," CPJ reported at the time. The journalists denied the charges, according to press reports.

"Bilir Kaya, Inan Kzlkaya, Asl Erdogan, and Ozgur Gundem's staff have stood firmly and courageously against a relentless crackdown on press freedom in Turkey," CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "These journalists are not terrorists; they are bulwarks of fearless journalism in the face of a terrifying arrest campaign, and they have no business being in prison."

Authorities have for years subjected Ozgur Gundem and its staff to persistent judicial harassment, accusing it of fomenting separatism and affiliation with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which the Turkish government classes as a terrorist group. After a court ordered the newspaper to stop publishing, police on August 16 raided and sealed its offices, detaining at least 17 of its staff and at least four other reporters who were there to cover the raid, CPJ reported at the time.

The newspaper has since continued to publish in cooperation with the socialist weekly Atlm, which has published daily special editions produced by Ozgur Gundem's staff under the banned daily's logo. A court ordered all copies of yesterday's special edition confiscated.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Iraqi media technician and journalist killed in separate attacks

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 24 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Iraqi media technician and journalist killed in separate attacks, 24 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176914.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 24, 2016  Media technician Ali Ghani was killed in an attack by mortar fire while reporting in Jaziret al-Khalideya, in Iraq's Anbar province on Saturday, August 20. Correspondent Hussein al-Fares was wounded in the same attack, according to Al-Ahad TV, which employed both men. Al-Ahad TV is affiliated with Asaib Ahl al-Haq, League of the Righteous, a Shiite militia currently fighting militants from the Islamic State group alongside government security forces.

A member of Iraq's counter-terrorism forces stands guard in front of graffiti left behind by fleeing members of the Islamic State group in Fallujah, June 27, 2016. (AP/Hadi Mizban)

Ghani and al-Fares, along with two cameramen, were reporting from an area in Jaziret al-Khalideya which government-allied forces had recently seized from Islamic State, Layth al-Adari, station manager at Al-Ahad TV, told CPJ. The attack took place at around 12:30 p.m., while the crew was setting up to do a live report for the channel's afternoon news show.

Jaziret al-Khalideya lies between the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, both of which have seen fierce fighting between Islamic State and government forces.

Ghani was hit by mortar fire shrapnel and died instantly, al-Adari said. Al-Fares was injured in his leg and torso, and is in stable condition in a Baghdad hospital. The crew had two cars with them, one of which was destroyed in the attack. The two cameramen survived without injuries, al-Adari said.

"Ali Ghani's death from mortar fire is a sad reminder that reporting on the violence in Iraq is potentially deadly for the press," CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Senior Research Associate Jason Stern said. "Iraqi journalists continue to show remarkable courage in the face of enormous risks to report the news."

In a separate development, cameraman Mustafa Said was killed on August 14 while covering clashes between Kurdish militias and fighters from the Islamic State group near Mosul, according to news reports. Correspondent Hayman Nanqli was also injured, AFP reported. Both journalists worked for Kurdistan TV, a TV channel owned by the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the de facto party of government in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous, predominantly ethnic-Kurdish region.

CPJ data show that Iraq is the most deadly country for journalists since CPJ began keeping records in 1992.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Newspaper journalist murdered in India

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 24 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Newspaper journalist murdered in India, 24 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176a103.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Bangkok, August 24, 2016  Authorities in the Indian state of Gujarat should credibly investigate the murder of journalist Kishore Dave and swiftly bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Dave, Junagadh bureau chief for the regional daily Jai Hind, was found dead in his office on August 22, according to press reports. Police told The Times of India that he had been stabbed repeatedly in the chest at around 9 p.m. Press reports said his news assistant informed police of the attack.

Dave's family members said Dave's coverage of a sexual harassment allegations involving a local politician, Ratilal Suraj, may have motivated the attack. Suraj, who has ties to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), denied the family's accusations, including allegations his son was the perpetrator of the attack, according to news reports.

A police official cited in local reports said that "personal enmity" may have motivated the attack. On Wednesday, police arrested three suspects identified as Firoz Kasambhai Hala, Sanjay Rama Rathod, and Arif Alam Saiyed for alleged involvement in Dave's murder, news reports said. Police Inspector M M Makwana said that Dave was involved in a transport business with the accused and that Dave was murdered in a dispute over money, the reports said.

Makwana, the police inspector, told reporters the three suspects were apprehended based on CCTV footage that captured them riding motorcycles near Dave's office around the time of the crime. Reports said there were no surveillance cameras in Dave's office. The broadcaster NDTV, citing senior police officer Nilesh Jajadiya, reported that the three had confessed to the crime, and that they had burnt Dave's blood-soaked clothes. Police also said they had recovered pieces of Dave's broken mobile phone from the accused. CPJ was unable to confirm that the suspects had confessed to the crime.

"While we are encouraged by the initial swift arrest of suspects in the murder of Kishore Dave, we encourage police to consider his journalistic work as a possible motive, and remind authorities that justice will not be served until all those involved are convicted," said Shawn Crispin, CPJ's senior Southeast Asia representative.

Few of those who attack or kill journalists in India are brought to justice, according to CPJ research. Of the 11 murders of journalists CPJ has confirmed as work-related in the last decade in India, all have been carried out with complete impunity.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Proposed cyber-security bill threatens media freedom in Bangladesh

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 24 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Proposed cyber-security bill threatens media freedom in Bangladesh, 24 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176b14.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Bangkok, August 24, 2016  The Committee to Protect Journalists called today on Bangladesh's legislature to scrap proposed cyber-security legislation that would impose severe penalties for disseminating online material deemed to be anti-state or a threat to national security or public order. The Digital Security Act 2016 was approved on August 22 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Cabinet and is pending in parliament, according to news reports.

If passed into law, the bill will enable the creation of a new agency charged with monitoring for violations, including the use of electronic media to "carry out propaganda," "hurt religious sentiments," or "create enmity and disturb law and order," news reports said. Maximum penalties would include life in prison for spreading false information about the country's 1971 war of liberation from Pakistan or about national founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; seven years for disturbing public order; and two years for defamation or harming religious sensitivities, the reports said. CPJ was unable to determine when parliament is scheduled to vote on the proposed bill.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shaiful Alam told reporters the bill would replace four sections of the 2013 Information and Communication Technology (amendment) Act to curb cyber terrorism and other cyber-crimes that cause financial and administrative damage to the country. He said the proposed law would impose a maximum 14-year prison sentence for crimes deemed as "cyber-terrorism." The law would also allow for two-year jail sentences for disseminating state secrets via computers, mobile phones, or other digital devices, reports said.

Cybercrime laws intended to extend penal codes to the online world can too easily be broadened to criminalize the standard practices of online journalists, CPJ has found. While publicly justified as a means of preventing terrorism or promoting stability, the laws are also used to restrict information critical of or embarrassing to authorities.

"Proposed cyber-crime legislation, if passed, would have a stifling effect on media freedom in Bangladesh," said Shawn Crispin, CPJ's senior Southeast Asia representative. "The draft law's language dangerously conflates cyber-crime with fair critical comment. We strongly urge parliament to reject the bill and ensure that any future version includes clearly defined press freedom and freedom of expression guarantees."

The restrictive legislation comes amid rising threats to Bangladeshi journalists, CPJ research shows. Three journalists with the local banglamail24 news website face a potential 14 years in prison for publishing a report that refuted rumors that Prime Minister Hasina's son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, had been killed in a plane crash. The charges, filed this month, stem from a provision in the Information and Communication Technology Act that criminalizes the publication of material online that is "fake and obscene" or threatens "law and order."

The legislation's penalties for covering religious issues threatens to worsen conditions for secular reporters in the country. Five journalists were murdered by apparent Islamic extremists in 2015, and Bangladesh ranks 12th on CPJ's Impunity Index, a global measure of countries where journalists are slain and the killers go free. The research found that Prime Minister Hasina and her nominally secular ruling Awami League party have "done little to speak out for justice in these crimes."

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Zambia suspends licenses of three broadcasters

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 24 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Zambia suspends licenses of three broadcasters, 24 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176c12.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 24, 2016  Zambian regulators should immediately reinstate the broadcasting licenses of three media outlets it revoked, and police should drop all charges against four media workers arrested when police sealed the offices of the country's largest privately owned television station, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Supporters of Edgar Lungu in Lusaka cheer Zambia's electoral commission's announcement that he had narrowly won August 11 presidential elections, August 15, 2016. (Reuters)

Zambia's Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) on August 22 suspended the licenses of Muvi TV, the country's largest privately owned television station, as well as Komboni Radio and Radio Itezhi Tezhi, which are also privately owned. It alleged in a statement that the three were guilty of professional misconduct and "posed a risk to national peace and stability" before and after the August 11 presidential election, according to media reports. It did not provide further details.

Milner Katolo, a lawyer for Muvi TV and Komboni Radio, told CPJ that police arrested four Muvi TV workers. They were arrested after the police and officials from the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) took control of the station's office in Lusaka on August 22. They were charged with "criminal trespassing," he said. Costa Mwansa, managing editor at Muvi TV, told CPJ that those arrested were John Nyendwa, Mubanga Katyeka, Joe Musakanya, and William Mwenge, that police released them today, but that they still face trespassing charges.

"Canceling the licenses of some of Zambia's leading broadcasters on such vague grounds as preserving 'national peace' smacks of censorship," CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal said from New York. "The arrest of four media workers on charges of trespassing on their own premises would be laughable were it not so outrageous. We call on Zambian regulators to return Muvi TV, Komboni Radio, and Radio Itezhi Tezhi to the airwaves immediately, and drop the spurious charges against John Nyendwa, Mubanga Katyeka, Joe Musakanya, and William Mwenge."

Katolo, the lawyer, told CPJ that the IBA gave his clients no justification for suspending their licenses. "We do not have sufficient particulars to respond to a charge of unprofessional conduct," he said.

The lawyer said the IBA Amendment Act, which details the regulator's procedures, requires the IBA to give broadcasters notice of a complaint and to give them an opportunity to respond before suspending their licenses. He said the IBA had told him that the broadcasters would be able to present their case on September 14.

Katolo said Muvi TV and Komboni Radio would appeal to the Ministry of Information based on the IBA Amendment Act, though no minister of information has been appointed, pending the resolution of a court case disputing the outcome of August 11 presidential election. Since his clients did not have "the luxury of time," he said, he was also preparing court papers.

IBA chairwoman Josephine Mapoma rejected allegations that the IBA's actions were politically motivated or that it had acted unlawfully.

She told CPJ that she could not disclose details of the violations until the broadcasters appeared before the IBA, as she did not want to be seen to prejudge the issue. Given the gravity of the alleged infractions, she said, the IBA had invoked Section 29(1) (j) of the IBA Amendment Act which allowed it to suspend licenses pending a hearing, she said.

Attempts to reach Radio Itezhi Tezhi were unsuccessful.

The decision to shut down the three broadcasters follows the June closure of the independent Zambian newspaper The Post, ostensibly because of a tax dispute, a move CPJ considers a politically motivated attempt to silence criticism ahead of the election, which was tainted by violence and allegations of voter intimidation.

The opposition United Party for National Development (UPND), has challenged the outcome of the election in court, alleging the country's electoral commission had manipulated the results. The court challenge has delayed the inauguration of president-elect Edgar Lungu who, according to the official results, won 50.4 percent of the vote against UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema's 47.6 percent.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
CPJ urges Egypt to release journalists ahead of Eid al-Adha holiday

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 25 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ urges Egypt to release journalists ahead of Eid al-Adha holiday, 25 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176dd.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 25, 2016  The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes Egyptian media reports that President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi might release a number of imprisoned journalists ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday, which this year falls on September 11. Award-winning photojournalist Mahmoud Abou Zeid, better known as Shawkan, is among those who might be released, according to reports citing Egypt's National Council for Human Rights.

Police arrested photojournalist Mahmoud Abou Zeid, better known as Shawkan, on August 14, 2013.

"This is an opportunity for President Sisi to right a terrible wrong," CPJ Deputy Executive Director Robert Mahoney said. "Being a photojournalist does not make Shawkan a criminal. He has not been convicted of a crime but has spent the past three years behind bars. We urge the President to release him and all Egyptian journalists jailed for nothing more than gathering news."

Shawkan, who has been jailed for more than three years, is the recipient of CPJ's 2016 International Press Freedom Award. CPJ is hosting an exhibition of Shawkan's photographs in New York City in September.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Pakistani law could enable sweeping internet censorship

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 26 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Pakistani law could enable sweeping internet censorship, 26 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176e29.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Bangkok, August 26, 2016  Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain should veto a bill that could allow for sweeping censorship of the internet and the prosecution of journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Pakistan's National Assembly approved the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill 2015 last week and sent it to Hussain to sign into law, according to press reports.

A man browses the internet at a cafe in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, in this September 18, 2013 file photo. (Reuters/Faisal Mahmood)

Ambiguous language in the bill, which the Pakistani Senate approved in July and the National Assembly approved on August 11, would give state regulators sweeping powers to censor the internet, including material posted to social media platforms, in the name of upholding stability, security, and "the glory of Islam," news reports said. Penalties under the law include three years in prison and fines for "spoofing," defined as creating a website or disseminating information online using a "counterfeit" identity with "dishonest" intent, a provision that could apply to satirical websites. Judges could also sentence those found guilty of publishing material deemed to "harm the reputation" of someone, reports said.

Section 34 of the bill would give the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority broad discretion to order the removal or censorship of information published online "in the interest of the glory of Islam, the integrity, security or defense of Pakistan, or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court or commission of or incitement of an offense." The law also allows for maximum seven year prison penalties for ill-defined "glorification" of crimes related to terrorism or their alleged perpetrators.

"Pakistan's cyber-security law includes many vague and over-broad provisions that authorities could easily abuse to censor critical speech and reporting and to threaten and target journalists," said Shawn Crispin, CPJ's senior Southeast Asia representative. "We strongly urge President Mamnoon Hussain to veto this bill, and we call on legislators to ensure that any future draft cyber-security legislation contains firm and explicit press freedom protections."

Information Technology Minister Anusha Rehman was quoted in local reports saying that criticism of the law was "baseless" because legislators had made 50 amendments to an earlier draft of the bill that threatened to limit online freedoms. She said civil-society groups that opposed the law had a "certain agenda," without clarifying the allegation, according to news reports. Government authorities have said the legislation is necessary to combat terrorist groups, curb online harassment, and prevent other crimes, reports said.

CPJ research shows that laws intended to extend penal codes to cover digital platforms are often broadened to criminalize the standard practices of online journalists, encouraging internet users to censor themselves. While publicly justified as a means of preventing terrorism or fighting crime on the internet, such laws are also frequently used to curb the flow of information that governments deem sensitive.

Pakistani courts have insisted that censorship of the internet be limited by due process and provisions of the constitution that guarantee free expression. In 2012, a group of six citizens, including a journalist, used those protections to successfully petition a court to put a stay against the government's mass blocking of websites, CPJ reported at the time. The court ruled that internet regulators could exercise power over communication networks only "in an open, equitable, non-discriminatory, and consistent manner." The ruling stopped government plans at the time to impose a "million-site" censorship blacklist.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Honduran reporter convicted of criminal defamation

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 25 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Honduran reporter convicted of criminal defamation, 25 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176eb.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Bogota, Colombia, August 25, 2016  Honduran prosecutors should cease pursuing criminal defamation charges against journalists, and lawmakers should swiftly repeal laws allowing for such prosecutions, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. If his recent conviction on defamation charges is upheld on appeal, TV reporter Ariel Armando D'Vicente faces three years in prison and a three-year ban on practicing journalism.

In this 2014 file photo, a policeman walks next to graffiti from the Mara Salvatrucha criminal gang. If his recent conviction on defamation charges is upheld on appeal, TV reporter Ariel Armando D'Vicente faces three years in prison and a three-year ban on practicing journalism in connection with reports alleging police took bribes from gangs involved in smuggling. (AP/Esteban Felix)

D'Vicente, the host and general manager of the independent Libertad TV Channel 21's news program "Prensa Libre" in the southern Honduran city of Choluteca, was sentenced by a local judge on July 26 but was informed of the decision only last week, the journalist's defense attorney, Leonardo Rodas Contreras, told CPJ.

The journalist's conviction sprang from a series of 2014 reports in which D'Vicente linked Lorgio Oqueli Mejia Tinoco, who was then police commander of the surrounding Choluteca department, to criminal gangs. D'Vicente told CPJ that he reported that Mejia and officers under his command took bribes from gangs involved in smuggling contraband cattle across Central America to Mexico.

Mejia denied D'Vicente's accusations and sued him for defamation. D'Vicente, 48, who often reports on government corruption in Choluteca and who reported receiving death threats in 2012, said he plans to appeal.

"We urge Honduran authorities to drop all criminal defamation charges against Ariel Armando D'Vicente and withdraw the ridiculous ban on his work as a journalist," said Carlos Lauria, CPJ's senior program coordinator for the Americas, in New York. "Honduras must decriminalize the country's archaic defamation laws, which are imposing serious restrictions on the media's ability to report on issues of public interest."

If the court's verdict is upheld, D'Vicente could still avoid prison by paying 10 lempiras, or about 45 U.S. cents, for each day of his sentence. But D'Vicente told CPJ that he would not be able to survive financially if he were unable to practice his profession for three years. The court also ordered the journalist to pay Mejia's legal fees.

Mejia, who is no longer Choluteca police commander but is still employed as a police officer, was investigated this year for unspecified reasons by an internal police disciplinary commission. The commission took no action against him, according to the daily newspaper El Heraldo.

Wendy Funes, who works for the Tegucigalpa-based press freedom group Committee for Free Expression, told CPJ that aside from convicting people under Honduras's defamation laws  which make libel and slander criminal, rather than civil, offenses  judges are increasingly resorting to another provision that allows them to bar those convicted of defamation from practicing journalism.

In 2014, for example, Julio Ernesto Alvarado of the Globo TV station was convicted of criminal defamation and banned from reporting for 16 months. Funes told CPJ that several other Honduran reporters currently face similar charges of defamation and, if convicted, could be temporarily banned from reporting the news.

"This creates a legal precedent that other judges may follow," she said.

Courts and lawmakers throughout the Americas have found that civil remedies provide adequate redress in cases of alleged libel and slander. CPJ research shows that some governments in the region continue to use criminal defamation laws to silence dissent.

For a comparative study of criminal defamation laws in the Americas, see CPJ's campaign, Critics Are Not Criminals.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Burundian intelligence service detains journalist one week without charge

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Burundian intelligence service detains journalist one week without charge, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0176f16.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Burundian authorities detained Gisa Steve Irakoze, a reporter for the independent Radio Buja FM on August 18, 2016, and released him without charge a week later, rights groups and the National Union of Journalists in Burundi reported.

Police arrested Irakoze in the town of Gatumba, some six miles (10 kilometres) outside the capital Bujumbura, held him overnight, and transferred him to the custody of the feared National Intelligence Service the following day, according to the chairman of the Burundi Union of Journalists, Alexandre Buja, who spoke with CPJ by telephone.

Eloge Willy Kaneza, a member of SOS-Media Burundi, a collective of journalists reporting from the country, told CPJ that security officials, who had earlier suspected Irakoze of "breaching internal state security," told the journalist they were releasing him unconditionally and would not press charges. He was freed on August 25.

Irakoze's arrest came on the heels of the disappearance of Iwacu reporter Jean Bigirimana. The journalist left his home in Bujumbura after receiving a phone call from the National Intelligence Service early in the afternoon of July 22, Iwacu reported. He has not been seen since and his family fears he is dead, CPJ reported at the time.

CPJ is aware of more than 100 journalists who have fled Burundi since Nkurunziza's April 2015 decision to seek a third term. At least one journalist has been killed since then: Christophe Nkezabahizi, a cameraman for the state-run broadcaster RTNB was fatally shot with his wife and two teenage children during an October 2015 police raid of his neighborhood, CPJ reported at the time.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Turkish police raid newspaper office, detain at least 23 employees

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Turkish police raid newspaper office, detain at least 23 employees, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0177014.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 29, 2016  Turkish authorities should immediately release 23 employees of the Kurdish-language daily newspaper Azadiya Welat detained yesterday in a police raid of the newspaper's office, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

In this October 2008 file photo, opposition lawmakers hold copies of Azadiya Welat newspaper during a meeting of the parliament to protest a month-long ban on the publication. (Umit Bektas/Reuters)

In addition to the 23 newspaper employees, who included journalists and distributors, police also detained four people, including a minor, who were visiting the daily's office in the southeastern city of Diyarbakr at the time of the raid, according to news reports.

"The detention of at least 23 employees of the newspaper Azadiya Welat is the latest escalation in Turkey's staggering campaign to silence critical voices," CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "Authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all those detained and cease trying to intimidate the press into compliance."

It was not immediately clear whether those detained were charged with a crime, but according to a report from the pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency (DIHA), police told Azadiya Welat staff that the reason for the raid was a tip from a caller who was suspicious of the number of people coming into and out of the newspaper's office and believed terrorists were meeting there.

Authorities have subjected Azadiya Welat to persistent judicial harassment since its founding in 1992 as the weekly Welat. It began publishing daily under its current name in 2006. In October 2014, two men on a motorcycle fatally shot Kadri Bagdu in Adana as he delivered the newspaper on his bicycle. No one was convicted of that crime. News editor Rohat Aktas died in early February 2016 after being trapped while reporting on the fighting between Kurdish separatists and Turkish soldiers in Cizre.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Head of public broadcaster attacked, threatened in Kosovo

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 30 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Head of public broadcaster attacked, threatened in Kosovo, 30 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0177114.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Comments All reference to Kosovo should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 30, 2016  The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned an attack late on August 28 on Mentor Shala, the director of Radio Television of Kosovo, or RTK, and calls on authorities to protect him in light of continuing threats to his life. A radical activist group claimed responsibility for the attack, in which an explosive device detonated in the backyard of Shala's home in the Pristina suburb of Matican, according to news reports. Shala and his family were all inside the house when the attack occurred, Agence France-Presse reported, but no one was injured.

This was the second attack in one week against RTK, Kosovo's public broadcaster. On August 22, a hand grenade exploded in the courtyard of RTK's premises causing no injuries, according to Balkan Insight, the independent news website of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.

A group calling itself Rugovasit claimed responsibility for the attack. In a message sent to RTK, Rugovasit threatened further violence if Shala did not resign his position. "The attack on Mentor Shala was only a warning," RTK quoted the message as saying. "If he does not resign immediately from RTK, his life is in danger."

The group said the attack was in retaliation for the broadcaster's coverage of a border demarcation deal on which Kosovo's parliament is to vote this week and in which, those opposing the deal claim, Kosovo would lose territory to Montenegro. The group called the broadcaster's coverage of the deal one-sided.

"We call on the government of Kosovo to swiftly and effectively investigate the attack and the continued threats against Mentor Shala and the RTK broadcaster; find and bring all those responsible to justice; and ensure Shala's personal safety and that of his staff," CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "If those who have threatened and tried to intimidate Shala get away with it, journalists will likely be faced with further violence."

Tensions have grown in recent months in Kosovo, a Balkan country of 2 million which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, over a border agreement with Montenegro which is one of the prerequisites for Kosovo's path to integration into the European Union. The deal has prompted violent rallies across Kosovo which culminated in a rocket-propelled grenade attack on parliament this month by suspected nationalists, according to news reports.

In their note to RTK yesterday, the Rugovasit group said the attack on Shala was because he had allegedly ignored opposition voices in the broadcaster's coverage. "We appeal to the government to take us seriously and not approve demarcation, otherwise there will be victims," RTK quoted the group as saying.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Turkish prosecutors issue 35 arrest warrants for journalists

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 30 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Turkish prosecutors issue 35 arrest warrants for journalists, 30 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d01772b.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 30, 2016  Turkish prosecutors should cancel orders for the detention of 35 journalists, and authorities should unconditionally release all journalists already jailed, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police today detained at least nine of the journalists on the list, according to press reports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves to supporters at an August 7, 2016, rally in Istanbul. (Ozan Kose/AFP)

"Turkey is detaining journalists and shutting down news outlets faster than any other country in the world," CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "It seems hell-bent on silencing every critical journalist left. We call on the government to reverse this disastrous course."

Today's detentions were the latest in a crackdown on the press that has accelerated since a failed military coup left more than 200 people dead on the night of July 15. Prosecutors accuse the journalists of affiliation with the Gulenist movement  or FETO, as the government calls it  which the government accuses of being a terrorist organization, maintaining a "parallel state structure," and orchestrating the failed coup. Turkish authorities have also redoubled their crackdown on pro-Kurdish media since July 15.

The government has closed more than 100 broadcasters, newspapers, magazines, publishers, and distribution companies and has detained more than 100 journalists and media workers over the space of a month.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Journalists attacked by protesters as curfew lifts in Kashmir

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Journalists attacked by protesters as curfew lifts in Kashmir, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d017732f.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New Delhi, August 31, 2016  Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir must take stronger measures to ensure the safety of journalists, and should investigate two separate attacks against staff at the Kashmir Observer on August 29, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

In an account that Farooq Shah, managing editor of the daily Kashmir Observer, and Muntazeer Yaseen, a copy editor and designer, gave in their paper, the journalists said they were driving to work separately on August 29 when protesters threw stones at their vehicles. Shah told the paper that when protesters in Srinagar saw the press decal in his car's windscreen, they began throwing stones which shattered the windows and hit his arm. Yaseen, whose car was also marked "Press," said he suffered minor injuries from broken glass after protesters used stones to smash the windscreen when he was driving in Pulwama.

Shah, who confirmed the details of the attacks to CPJ, said neither he nor Yaseen reported the incident to the police. He said, "[Police are] busy dealing with the protesters and are much more intensely targeted than us. So nothing would've happened."

The attacks happened on the day a curfew was lifted in parts of Srinagar and the town of Pulwama. The state had imposed a 51-day curfew after violence broke out when Burhan Wani, a commander with Hizbul Mujahideen, a pro-independence militant organization that advocates for Kashmir's independence from India, was killed during clashes with the Indian army on July 8, according to reports. Journalists working in the state during this period have reported being harassed and attacked by protesters and security forces.

"Kashmir's difficulties will only deepen if intimidation and attacks on the press prevent a free flow of information," said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler in Washington, D.C. "We call on authorities to take stronger measures to ensure the safety of journalists and to prosecute those responsible for the attacks."

At least two other journalists have been injured covering the unrest this month. On August 8, Muneeb ul Islam, a photojournalist with the independent daily Kashmir Reader, said he was manhandled by India's paramilitary troops while covering anti-government protests in Anantnag, according to reports. He said that the troops threatened to beat him and pushed him, and that he was hit by stones being thrown by protesters. On August 5, Mir Javed, a reporter for the local news agency Kashmir News Network, was injured in the eye by pellet gun shot in the border town of Kupwara, according to a report in in the Greater Kashmir newspaper and other local outlets. CPJ was not immediately able to contact Javed for further details.

Parvaiz Bukhari, a senior journalist in Kashmir, described in Scroll the hostility the press is facing in the region and said people would speak with him only after he assured them he didn't work for the "Indian media." He said, "When protesters see a 'Press' label they don't differentiate between local media and national media. They attack you just because you're a journalist."

Journalists have also reported facing challenges including the internet and cell phone services being shut down and hostility from security forces. Last month CPJ documented how several newspapers in the state were prevented from publishing for three days, and mobile internet services and cable television were blocked.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
International journalists denied entry to Venezuela before September 1 protest

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, International journalists denied entry to Venezuela before September 1 protest, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d017735.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 31, 2016  Authorities in Venezuela denied entry to at least six journalists, including CPJ Andes correspondent John Otis, who were traveling to the country to cover a protest tomorrow demanding a recall referendum on President Nicolas Maduro. Authorities said the journalists did not have the proper documentation to enter the country to work, Otis, who was on assignment for NPR, said.

"We urge Venezuelan authorities to allow journalists to cover events in Venezuela, in the midst of a deep economic and political crisis," said Carlos Lauria, CPJ's senior program coordinator for the Americas. "Authorities should expedite timely permission for journalists so the international press can report first-hand on these important events."

Marie-Eve Detoeuf, a correspondent with the French daily Le Monde, Cesar Moreno, who works for Caracol Radio in Colombia, Dora Glottman, of Caracol TV, and Otis were turned back today when they attempted to enter the country at Caracas airport, Otis said. Two Al-Jazeera journalists, Teresa Bo, a correspondent, and Lagmi Chavez, a producer, were denied entry yesterday on the same grounds, according to reports.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Newspaper offices shot at and vandalized in Venezuela

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Newspaper offices shot at and vandalized in Venezuela, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0177414.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

New York, August 31, 2016  Authorities should investigate incidents of vandalism of Venezuelan newspaper offices and do everything in their power to ensure that journalists can work without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

The damaged offices of El Nacional. Homemade explosives and excrement were thrown at the paper's Caracas offices this week. (El Nacional)

At around 2 a.m. yesterday, excrement and homemade explosives were thrown at the Caracas offices of the Venezuelan daily El Nacional. The attack comes less than a week after a separate incident in which unidentified assailants shot at the facade of Diario de los Andes, based in Valera, in the northwestern state of Trujillo.

In another incident in June, bags of animal excrement were thrown at the offices of Correo del Caroni, a daily newspaper in the eastern city of Puerto Ordaz. Security footage showed five men vandalizing the offices, according to local media reports.

Police are investigating the attack against Diario de los Andes, the paper's information director, Eylin Barrios, told CPJ. Miguel Otero, editor of El Nacional, also told CPJ that police were investigating the attacks against his paper. When CPJ called the Caracas police and the Public Ministry for comment, the calls went unanswered.

"The attacks against newspaper offices around the country is emblematic of the worsening environment for the press in Venezuela," said Carlos Lauria, CPJ's senior program coordinator for the Americas. "Venezuelan authorities must thoroughly investigate these attacks, bring all those responsible to justice, and ensure that journalists can do their work without fear of violence."

Citing witnesses, El Nacional reported that a group of men arrived at the offices in a white truck and threw homemade explosives and excrement at the premises. According to the report, the men shouted that the paper had betrayed Venezuela. In a similar attack in June El Nacional's offices were vandalized with spray paint and excrement, according to a report in the online news website RunRun.

In a separate incident, a security guard and another witness saw two men open fire on the offices of the daily Diario de los Andes on August 24, according to Barrios, the information director and a journalist at the newspaper. Barrios told CPJ that the newspaper's offices suffered significant damage, including broken windows and around 30 bullet holes. The newspaper was targeted on the day that it celebrated its 30th anniversary. Barrios told CPJ that she did not know the motive for the attack.

Both El Nacional and Correo del Caroni have faced harassment and legal persecution from authorities over their critical coverage, CPJ research shows.

Tensions are high in the country, which is in the midst of an economic crisis and political conflict over a proposed recall election to remove President Nicolas Maduro. Opposition leaders have scheduled a protest on September 1 to call on the National Electoral Council to schedule a recall referendum against the president.

The men who attacked El Nacional left a pamphlet titled "The march of 1S is the beginning of the end," referring to the September 1 march. According to El Nacional, the pamphlet was addressed to the editor of the newspaper. A translation of it read: "Miguel Henrique Otero: you openly expose your conspiratorial position against the people and the Bolivarian Revolution. Let it be clear to you that we are a free people, sovereign and patriotic. We will not allow unpatriotic people like you to govern again. Today we tell you that they will not return."

The pamphlet was signed "Chama Pueblo en Rebelion" (Chama-the people in rebellion), a pro-government group. The same phrase was spray painted on the front of El Nacional's offices in the attack in June, the paper reported.

In a report published on El Nacional's website yesterday, Otero said, "They have attacked the facade of El Nacional with excrement again. It seems like this is the only thing left in their brains and it shows their lack of argument. They accuse us of all kinds of things, but they don't respond with ideas and disputes from their media. They simply appeal to insults, threats, and physical attacks."

CPJ research shows that under President Maduro, press freedom has deteriorated and independent journalists are restricted in their reporting. Journalists covering protests in Venezuela have faced violence and detentions in recent years.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Tanzania bans two radio stations

Publisher Committee to Protect Journalists Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as Committee to Protect Journalists, Tanzania bans two radio stations, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d0177514.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Nairobi, August 31, 2016  Tanzanian authorities should immediately lift a ban on two privately owned radio stations and allow them to resume broadcasts without further harassment or censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Tanzanian Information Minister Nape Nnauye on August 29 told reporters at a press conference in Dar es Salaam that he had ordered the privately owned stations Radio Five and Magic FM to cease broadcasting immediately. The stations had broadcast "seditious" material that could incite the public and disturb the peace, Nnauye said in a written statement issued on August 29. The stations complied with the order, two Tanzanian journalists told CPJ.

The information minister alleged that Magic FM aired content that had the potential to cause a breakdown in law and order on its August 17 morning show, Morning Magic, and that Radio Five broadcast seditious content on its evening program, Matukio.

"It's difficult to see how a morning radio show could cause a breakdown in law and order, but it's crystal clear that the government is trying to stop the flow of information and commentary," said CPJ East Africa Representative Murithi Mutiga. "We call on the government to allow Radio Five and Magic FM to resume broadcasting immediately, and to stop attempting to silence critical voices."

Nnauye said he had asked the content committee of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority to summon the owners of the stations and to advise him on further steps, The Citizen, an independent daily newspaper, reported.

Neville Meena, secretary of the Tanzania Editors Forum, told CPJ that the stations generally aired music and light talk shows, but that sometimes hosts and callers would discuss political issues. The minister did not specify what statements he deemed as seditious or dangerous to law and order, Meena said.

"We are very concerned by this action," he said by telephone. "The minister presented no evidence, and did not elaborate on what content in the stations he found seditious. This just goes to show that the current government, which has not even been in office for a year, is too sensitive to criticism and is seeking to close the space media enjoyed in the past."

A journalist at one of the stations, who spoke with CPJ on condition of anonymity for fear of prejudicing negotiations with the government, also said he did not know what triggered the government's response, but that he suspected it was that many callers to a call-in show criticized a ban on political rallies imposed in June. Police briefly detained Edward Lowassa, President John Pombe Magufuli's main rival in the last election, on August 29 after he and other opposition leaders attempted to stage a demonstration to protest the ban, according to press reports.

Magufuli's government, which came into office in October 2015, has taken a series of steps to restrict Tanzania's media environment. In January 2016, it closed the weekly newspaper Mawio, after it reported on a political crisis in the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, where results of elections which the opposition claimed to have won were annulled, CPJ reported at the time.

In April, authorities halted live transmission of parliamentary debates, a vital platform that opposition parliamentarians use to communicate with the public. Another newspaper, Mseto, was closed for three years on August 11 after publishing an article quoting a former minister accusing Magufuli of corruption, according to press reports.

Dozens of newspapers have also been taken off the streets for what the government described as licensing violations, according to news accounts.

Tanzania government spokesman Hassan Abbas rejected claims that the Magufuli administration sought to muzzle the media.

"You have to look at each issue case by case," he told CPJ by telephone. "The minister followed the law in taking each decision and each of the papers and stations had committed a violation. Journalists need to understand that there are limits to media freedom. You can't just defame a president and get away with it."

Abbas said a decision on the two shuttered stations would be taken when the regulatory committee convened a meeting on the issue, but did not say when this might happen.

Copyright notice:  Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
Arson attack  latest escalation against Inter TV

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Arson attack  latest escalation against Inter TV, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d024904.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns an arson attack on the headquarters of Ukraine's Inter TV channel in Kiev following a protest against its editorial policies, regarded by the demonstrators as "pro-Russian."

As the protest ended on the afternoon of 4 September, around 20 individuals used blazing tyres to set fire to the Inter TV building, causing serious damage to the first and second floors. One journalist was injured as the building was being evacuated. Several others suffered smoke inhalation.

"It is unacceptable that criticism of a media outlet's editorial policies should give rise to such violence," said Johann Bihr, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.

"There can be no justification for the use of such methods. As there had been previous signs of hostility towards the TV channel, it is regrettable that the authorities were unable to prevent this attack. They now have a duty to do everything possible to shed light on this incident and prevent any recurrence."

Hostile demonstrations continued yesterday and today outside the Inter TV building, which is protected by a metal barrier. The protesters, who include many veterans of the fighting against separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, continue to accuse Inter TV of being pro-Russian.

The TV channel's headquarters was already the target of three violent protests in 2016 before the 4 September attack.

President Petro Poroshenko has condemned the attack on Inter TV, which is one of Ukraine's most popular TV channels, while the police have arrested six suspects. Ukraine is ranked 107th out of 180 countries

in RSF's Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns an arson attack on the headquarters of Ukraine's Inter TV channel in Kiev following a protest against its editorial policies, regarded by the demonstrators as "pro-Russian."

As the protest ended on the afternoon of 4 September, around 20 individuals used blazing tyres to set fire to the Inter TV building, causing serious damage to the first and second floors. One journalist was injured as the building was being evacuated. Several others suffered smoke inhalation.

"It is unacceptable that criticism of a media outlet's editorial policies should give rise to such violence," said Johann Bihr, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.

"There can be no justification for the use of such methods. As there had been previous signs of hostility towards the TV channel, it is regrettable that the authorities were unable to prevent this attack. They now have a duty to do everything possible to shed light on this incident and prevent any recurrence."

Hostile demonstrations continued yesterday and today outside the Inter TV building, which is protected by a metal barrier. The protesters, who include many veterans of the fighting against separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, continue to accuse Inter TV of being pro-Russian.

The TV channel's headquarters was already the target of three violent protests in 2016 before the 4 September attack.

President Petro Poroshenko has condemned the attack on Inter TV, which is one of Ukraine's most popular TV channels, while the police have arrested six suspects. Ukraine is ranked 107th out of 180 countries

in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index..
RSF demands release of five citizen journalists arrested during G20

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF demands release of five citizen journalists arrested during G20, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d025034.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Five women citizen journalists reporting for the independent news website 64Tianwang were kidnapped by Chinese police during the G20 summit in the southeastern city of Hangzhou, leaving their families without news of their loved-ones. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for their immediate release and the withdrawal of all charges against them.

The authorities carried out several waves of arrests of dissidents and human rights activists as the G20 leaders were meeting in Hangzhou. They also abducted citizen-journalists, including the five 64Tianwang reporters, who were providing direct or indirect coverage of the summit.

Other journalists such as Li Zhaoxiu and 64Tianwang founder and editor Huang Qi were forced to "take a holiday," an expression that designates the various methods used by the authorities to restrict movements, including arbitrary detention, temporary internal exile and house arrest.

Yang Xiuqiong, a citizen journalist who covered the arrest of ten "petitioners" (ordinary citizens campaigning about grievances) in a train on the evening of 2 September, has been reported missing by her family and colleagues. She also commented on these arrests for the Radio Free Asia websiteRadio Free Asia website.

The authorities also kidnapped Lin Xiurong (a citizen journalist who reported that Hangzhou's stadium had been turned into a detention centre for petitioners), Yuan Ying (who went to Beijing to observe a demonstration by some 2,000 petitioners outside the Communist Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection), Jiang Chenfen (who had reported being the victim of restrictions on her movements) and He Yazhen.

"We demand that the authorities release these five citizen journalists, who did nothing more than cover situations they observed at first hand, and we demand that they refrain from bringing any charges against them," said Benjamin Ismail, the head of RSF's Asia-Pacific desk.

"We also draw the attention of the Hangzhou summit's participants to these courageous citizen journalists, who do not hesitate to put their lives in danger to tell the world about the Chinese people's constant battles to defend their rights and fundamental freedoms.

"Whenever an international event is held in China - whether the Olympic Games, the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen or the G20 summit, the authorities violate the rights of thousands of people and arrest dozens of citizen journalists, bloggers and online information activists. Beijing must stop organizing these systemic information blackouts."

When reached by RSF, 64Tianwang editor Huang Qi said he feared for his detained reporters because "in 18 years of activity, no 64Tianwang journalist has ever agreed to sign a confession drafted by the authorities." In China, detainees are usually punished more severely if they refuse to sign confessions.

On the eve of the G20 summit, RSF urged the participating leaders to end their silence about the decline in justice in China, where forced confessions are increasingly used to justify jailing information activists and all those critical of President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party.

RSF previously condemned the Chinese government's systematic persecution of citizen journalists working for 64Tianwang when one of its women reporters, Yang Dongying, was arrested in the eastern province of Zhejiang on 24 June 2015.

RSF previously condemned the Chinese government's systematic persecution of citizen journalists working for 64Tianwang when one of its women reporters, Yang Dongying, was arrested in the eastern province of Zhejiang on 24 June 2015.

Regarded by the government as subversive, above all because of its coverage of human rights violations, 64Tianwang was the target of a series of cyber-attacks in September 2014. Huang, who was awarded RSF's Cyber-Freedom Prize in 2004, has served two jail terms, one for posting articles about the Tiananmen Square massacre and one on a charge "possessing state secrets" in connection with his coverage of the aftermath of the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan.

Ranked 176th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index, China is one of the world's biggest prisons for journalists and bloggers, with more than 100 detained.
Hamas targets Palestinian investigative reporter

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 7 September 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Hamas targets Palestinian investigative reporter, 7 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d025c14.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns Palestinian journalist Mohamed Othman's persecution by the Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip. Othman, whose investigative reporting is often critical of Hamas, was arrested by Hamas security officials on 1 September and was held for nearly 24 hours.

Aged 29 and a specialist in investigating corruption-related stories, Othman reports for the pan-Arab TV channel Al Araby Al Jadeed and the US news website Al Monitor. He is also the SKeyes Centre's Gaza correspondent.

The reason for his arrest by Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, were not specified but his interrogation focused on his journalistic work. He was released on 2 September on condition that he report to the Bureau for Internal Security on 11 September.

"We condemn the harassment of Mohammed Othman, whose investigative reporting in the Gaza Strip bothers the Hamas authorities," said Alexandra El Khazen, the head of RSF's Middle East desk.

"We urge Hamas to stop this intimidation at once. The Palestinian authorities must not step up their pressure on independent and critical journalists because of the approaching municipal elections, which are to be held in October."

The SKeyes Centre quoted Othman's wife as saying he was tortured during his interrogation although no direct accusation was made against him. According to the local media, he was arrested because of a document he posted on his Facebook page and used as the basis for a story about corruption within the Gaza Strip's Endowments ministry.

The source of this document was also arrested after being identified as a result of Othman's interrogation. Othman's computer and his and his wife's mobile phones, which had been confiscated, were returned after his release.

The Palestinian Territories are ranked 132nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press FreedomIndex.
RSF and 6 organizations find "obvious government interference" at Croatian public broadcaster

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 7 September 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF and 6 organizations find "obvious government interference" at Croatian public broadcaster, 7 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d026694.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Croatian public broadcaster HRT must provide balanced coverage of the campaign leading up to the country's September 11 parliamentary elections, a group of six prominent international media freedom organisations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), say, according to findings from June 2016 media freedom mission to Croatia.

The group made the call as it released a report highlighting government interference at HRT as a key challenge to media freedom and media independence in Croatia, pointing to mass staff restructuring and paradigmatic programming change as evidence of "an attempt by the outgoing government to assert control over HRT for its own means".

Croatia's Parliament, then led by a barely one-month-old coalition between the right-leaning HDZ and the centrist Most party, fired HRT's director-general in March 2016 and appointed an acting director who proceeded to demote or reassign approximately 70 journalists and editors as part of what critics have called an ideologically driven "purge". In July, the HDZ-Most government amended the law to allow the acting director to remain in office through the September election, a move today's report said was "suspicious" and lent support to charges of deliberate politicisation of the broadcaster.

The recent changes were made in line with a law, passed by the previous Social Democratic government, the report called "out-of-step with principles on promoting the independence of public broadcasters". That law should be changed as soon as possible, the report said.

The report summarises the findings of a three-day mission to Croatia in June 2016 led by the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) and including representatives from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the International Press Institute (IPI) and the Austrian section of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Among the report's most troubling findings is a rise in nationalistic and revisionist discourse within Croatia's public sphere that is also being used to intimidate critical media. Leading public figures, including former HDZ head Tomislav Karamarko, have openly expressed a desire to "get rid" of "leftist" media, while journalists and media houses that fail to demonstrate sufficient "patriotism" are routinely smeared by politicians and others as "traitors".

Members of the mission deplored Croatian leaders' failure to condemn a January 2016 protest against the country's electronic media regulator in which demonstrators shouted fascist salutes against the regulator's president, an ethnic Serb. "This silence speaks volumes," the report said.

Among other things, the report also:

 condemned a continued failure by Croatian authorities to fully investigate physical attacks and threats against journalists;

 applauded recent reforms to protect journalists from Croatia's criminal 'shaming' law, but continued to urge Parliament to repeal all forms of criminal defamation;

 called on the government reconsider moves to withdraw funding for minority-language media and non-profit media;

 noted "serious omissions" in monitoring and enforcement regarding legal provisions on transparency of media ownership; and

 underscored the need for solidarity among journalist organisations in the face of threats to media freedom and media independence.

The delegation previously welcomed comments by President Grabar-Kitarovic, made during the June 21-23 mission, in support of safeguarding HRT's independence as well as repealing the criminal 'shaming' provision.
Nigeria: When Aid Goes Missing

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Adam Alqali Publication Date 5 September 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Nigeria: When Aid Goes Missing, 5 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d028d64.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Yobe state continue to suffer appalling poverty, despite the enormous resources invested in relief efforts by the Nigerian government and international organisations.

The Boko Haram insurgency has forced more than two million people to flee their homes in northeastern Nigeria and claimed the lives of over 20,000 others.

Yobe has been the second worst state affected by the violence with nine IDP camps across the state housing more than 130,000 people.

Many IDPs have found shelter in informal camps, while others have taken refuge with friends and relatives within Nigeria and across the border in neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroun.

Government agencies have been accused of diverting aid meant for IDPs in the six states of Nigeria's northeastern region.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the federal government's aid distribution agency and its counterparts at state level, the State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), have all come under fire for graft and inefficiency.

Civil society groups complain that poor coordination and a lack of oversight means that traditional leaders, local politicians and officials from the relief agencies themselves have been allowed to divert aid.

CRUCIAL ITEMS STOLEN

In Geidam, a local government area in the north of Yobe, NEMA and FEMA officials have been accused of allowing aid to go astray.

Sani Babagana, a United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) IDP protection monitor in Geidam, recounted what happened after a shipment of relief materials including rice, milk and soap arrived at Geidam town last June.

"Surprisingly, after the materials were delivered and received by the authorities of the local council, only very few of the IDPs benefitted from the materials," Babagana said. "The NEMA officials bribed the local council officials by giving them a portion of the items while they carted away the bulk of the relief."

That same month, Babagana continued, a team of aid workers from Yobe SEMA came to Geidam to deliver another batch of relief materials that included rice, cooking oil, sugar, millet, spaghetti, soap, second-hand clothes and mosquito nets.

A corrupt local official stole much of this delivery, he continued.

"Unbelievably, as the delivery of the relief materials coincided with the holy Muslim month of Ramadan and was close to the Muslim Eid al Fitr festival, [a local official] distributed most of the items to politicians, associates and cronies in the area, with fewer than half of the items going to the IDPs.

"Later, many of the items were seen being sold openly at the local market in Geidam," Babagana said.

Geidam resident Grema Goni said that he knew of friends who were not IDPS who received aid items they were not entitled to.

Speaking on the allegations of aid diversion in Yobe, NEMA spokesman Sani Datti said his agency was never directly involved in aid distribution at state level. Instead, they liaised with the various SEMAs to reach the IDPs.

"NEMA works through SEMAs in the distribution of the aid materials, we have [a memorandum of understanding] with the states on distribution of aid to the IDPs in camps and host communities," he said. "So, it is the responsibility of the state governments to ensure judicious distribution of the aid."

Musa Idi Jidawa, the executive secretary of Yobe SEMA, said he was not authorised to speak to the media and referred all questions to Abubakar Ali, the chairman of Yobe's IDP committee who is also the deputy governor of the state.

However he could not be reached for comment, despite many attempts including a visit to his office in Government House, Damaturu.

Multiple efforts to reach the press secretary of the governor of Yobe state, Abdullahi Bego, were also unsuccessful.

LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES

Various international organisations deliver aid to the IDPs in northeastern Nigeria, including Yobe state. They include the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Action Against Hunger (ACF) and a number of United Nations (UN) agencies.

They also face logistical challenges.

For example, the ICRC operates a cash support scheme in Yobe, whereby bank accounts are opened in the name of the IDPs who are then issued with automated teller machine (ATM) cards so they can access funds.

Each month, the ICRC pays the sum of N40,000 to each of the IDPs.

However, logistical problems mean that many IDPs cannot access these funds.

Makinta Shettima, an elderly IDP living in the Malam Matari community of Damaturu, said that even though an account had been opened for him with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), he had never received an ATm card.

However, he had received notifications of cash withdrawals from his account, indicating that someone else had his card and was using it to withdraw money.

Buba Zabu is the secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in Yobe State, the organisation via which the ICRC is implementing the scheme.

He said that the UBA was to blame for the mix-up due to the naming system they had chosen for the cards.

"The Kanuris, an African ethnic group which is also found in Borno state, northeast Nigeria, have a culture of naming their children after prominent citizens including Islamic scholars and top government officials, which is why in a single community you may find over 100 persons bearing the same name," he explained.

"[That's why] we advised UBA, which doesn't understand the cultural dynamics of the Kanuri people, to use three names on the ATM cards of the IDPs so as to guard against mixing up their cards. Unfortunately they didn't."

The bank instead used only two names and in some cases abbreviated titles even further. This meant, Zabu continued, that "IDPs who bear similar names ended up taking each other's ATM cards, unintentionally".

Charles Aigbe, the head of corporate communications at UBA, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

A MATTER OF SURVIVAL

The vast majority of the IDPs outside the state system receive scant help from the government. They have to depend on their host families, who also have very little, and take any menial job available.

Many IDPs in Yobe spent months living rough in the bush after fleeing Boko Haram, which meant that they were already suffering from malnutrition and other related diseases.

Usman Lawan Kachalla, the community leader in Malam Matari, a suburb of the town of Damaturu, said the IDPs there faced serious difficulties accessing food and other basic needs.

The IDPs in Malam Matari come from across Yobe and Borno states, including the entire population of a rural community called Gunne in the Demboa local government area of Borno.

Gunne leader Grema Modu said that the villagers had been attacked by Boko Haram fighters one night and all forced to flee to Damaturu.

"When Boko Haram attacked our village one evening after maghrib [evening] prayers we all left with nothing but the clothes we were wearing," he said.

Modu said they were yet to receive any help from either the Yobe state government or the federal government.

"We don't get any support from the government, our people go to the bush to fetch firewood and sell. Others survive on tafasa [a wild vegetable] which we cook and add salt on to eat," said Modu.

Government forces have had a number of significant victories in their fight against Boko Haram. In such cases, people previously displaced by the violence have been able to return home, but they still face hardship.

That was the case with Buni Yadi, the headquarters of Gujiba local government area of Yobe, which was liberated from Boko Haram in May 2016.

People were forced to survive by eating tafasa and reptiles they caught and cooked, according to community leader Ya'u Abdulrazaq.

He was among the first people to return to their homes in Buni Yadi town and described the situation as "tragic".

"People are hungry, many have been rendered homeless, their homes having been destroyed," Abdulrazaq said. "You come across people who were once healthy and living a decent life now emaciated and dressed in rag-tag clothes. They have lost everything they had and could not even afford food or decent clothing. People are surviving on tafasa - people eat whatever they can lay their hands on just to survive."

Musa Umar, another Buni Yadi resident, said that such desperation had led to IDPs stealing aid from other people in their own situation.

"IDPs are snatching relief materials from fellow IDPs," he said. "Just yesterday an IDP was on his way home having collected relief materials when a group of young men stopped him and forcefully took the aid materials from him. People are desperately hungry and so will not mind doing anything to get food just to survive.

"In fact, the majority of us in Buni Yadi survive on grasses as only a few could afford food. We are now happy that the rainy season has arrive which means there will be enough grass for us to feed on," Umar said.

Three traditional rulers in Buni Yadi were recently suspended for diverting relief including rice and cooking oil meant for their communities.

Two of the men were the heads of the villages of Hausari and Gomari while the third was the leader of the local Fulani community.

Elsewhere in Buni Yadi, there were reports that aid distributed to widows on behalf of the Media Trust Limited, publishers of the Daily Trust newspaper, were forcibly collected by local vigilantes.

The culprits were later arrested.

LACK OF PREPARATION

Unlike the international organisations working in the state, NEMA and SEMA rarely carry out any kinds of needs assessment ahead of relief interventions.

Ali Gambo, an IDPs protection officer for the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, said he doesn't blame the IDPs for selling off the relief items arguing that the relief agencies decide for the IDPs what are their needs.

"The IDPs need money for their social needs, however, unlike in Borno state where there are various cash transfer schemes by the state and local governments as well as philanthropists none exist here in Yobe. The IDPs are confined to the camps which means they can't do anything to earn money and attend to their social needs," said Gambo

This means that IDPs frequently receive items they don't need and end up selling them for a pittance so as to buy essential goods.

"Needs assessment is the bedrock of all humanitarian interventions," said Aliyu Rambo, UNICEF's child protection specialist in Yobe.

"It affords humanitarian organisations the opportunity to determine what IDPs need at different periods of time, maybe food items first, then non-food items and finally economic recovery programmes."

Buba Zabu of the Nigerian Red Cross agreed.

"The Red Cross always carries out need assessment prior to interventions by sending volunteers to go to the communities where IDPs live and mingle with them freely, by so doing they will be able to know what are the challenges those IDPs are facing and based on which we prepare our interventions."

Assessing the actual volume of relief under the remit of the Yobe SEMA and how it is distributed to IDPs is extremely difficult due to the lack of transparency of the aid delivery system.

Dauda Gombe is the secretary of Yobe's Network for Civil Society Organisations, an NGO umbrella body.

He said that local NGOs were not part of the state's IDP resettlement committee and that this allowed a "tendency for diversion and corruption" to flourish.

Dauda Gombe, president of the Northeast Youth Initiative Forum, a civil society organisation in Damaturu, agreed.

"We are not involved in IDPs' issues," Gombe said. "There is a lack of understanding between civil society organisations and the Yobe state government - they see us as their opposition. If CSOs are not involved, the voice of the people is not there, who will watch them?"

Nigerian journalist Adam Alqali produced this report with support from PartnersGlobal and the Institute for War & Peace Reporting. It is one of a series of investigative reports produced under the Access Nigeria/Sierra Leone Programme funded by the United States Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.

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With Karimov Ailing, What Next for Uzbekistan?

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Publication Date 31 August 2016 Citation / Document Symbol RCA 795 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, With Karimov Ailing, What Next for Uzbekistan?, 31 August 2016, RCA 795, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d029624.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Speculation is growing about the health of Uzbek president Islam Karimov, hospitalised with a cerebral hemorrhage in the evening of August 27.

The country's 25th independence day celebrations were cancelled and Karimov's annual keynote speech replaced by an address from Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev.

Karimov, 78, who has ruled the Uzbek Soviet Socialistic Republic since 1989, is beleived to be in a hospital on the outskirts of Tashkent under 24-hour guard.

Moscow-based news agency Ferghana.ru was the first to announce that Karimov had been hospitalised, news subsequently confirmed by Tashkent.

Karimov's younger daughter Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva also announced on social media that her father had suffered a brain hemorrhage.

This in itself set a precedent, as officials have never before released such personal information about the president.

Rumours about the ageing leader's ailing health had been circulating for many years, fuelled by his prolonged public absences.

(See also Another Term for Uzbek Leader, and Then What? ).

In previous instances, Karimov would dispel suspicions by appearing at local or international events.

Last year, he met Kazak, Turkmen, Chinese and South Korean leaders either in Tashkent or in their own countries. Most recently, he made a two-day official visit to Moscow in late April.

Feghana.ru announced on August 29 that the president had in fact died, claimed quickly rebutted by by Uzbek authorities.

Russian news agency RIA Novosti also reported that Kariov was still alive, citing a source close to the presidential team.

On August 31 Karimova-Tillyaeva issued another message, thanking the Uzbek nation for their support while asking them to refrain from negative speculation and respect the family's privacy.

CHANGES AHEAD?

The Uzbek political system is extremely rigid.

Regionally, Uzbeks are divided into clans according to their places of origin, and this division is reflected among high-ranking officials.

The law enforcement agencies and the national security committee exert great power, and some believe that even the president's death will not lead to any great changes.

Aleksandr Knyazev, an Almaty-based researcher of Central Asian politics, told Reuters on August 30, "Karimov and his closest circle managed to build such a system of authority [that it] will continue functioning regardless of the head of state's life or death."

The Uzbek authorities share virtually no information with the outside world.

Central Asian analysts say it is nearly impossible to predict which political figure may emerge as the strongest should the president be incapacitated or die.

The most likely candidates include Mirziyoyev, a politically flexible figure who has managed to keep his position as premier since 2003.

Another is finance minister and deputy prime minister Rustam Azimov, part of Karimov's inner circle for two decades. Rumours that he had been put under house arrest were dispelled by finance ministry officials on August 30 who announced that he was in in his office as usual.

The other possible candidate was mooted as the head of the national security service, Rustam Inoyatov.

Officials in other Central Asian capitals refrained from making any public remarks about Karimov's state of health or a possible transition.

Rumours that Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were reinforcing security along their borders with Uzbekistan for fear of a possible migrant surge were quickly quashed by officials in both countries.

Mars Sariev, a political analyst in Bishkek, told IWPR that Uzbekistan had always kept a discreet geopolitical distance from major players such as the USA, China and Russia.

He said Tashkent was most likely to continue to try and maintain this balance of relationships.

"It will be easiest for Russia to find common language with the Uzbek political leadership," he said. "But for sure the Uzbek leadership won't be fully pro-Russian. It will keep balancing," Sariev concluded.

Saifullo Safarov, deputy head of the Centre for Strategic Studies in Dushanbe, also told IWPR that relations between regional powers were unlikely to alter much regardless of any change of leadership in Uzbekistan.

"All Central Asia states need to cooperate with Uzbekistan on transit and energetic issues," he continued.

In fact, he played down any chance of much change at all, even within the country.

"In Uzbekistan there is a tried-and-tested elite and they know how to govern their state," Safarov said.

"There will be a trend of continuing on the same course they previously had. A strong shift is not expected."

This publication was produced under IWPR project Strengthening Capacities, Bridging Divides in Central Asia, funded by the Foreign Ministry of Norway.

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Uzbek Officials Say Karimov ''Critical''

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Publication Date 2 September 2016 Citation / Document Symbol RCA 795 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Uzbek Officials Say Karimov ''Critical'', 2 September 2016, RCA 795, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d029a94.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Uzbek officials have reported a sharp decline in the condition of ailing president Islam Karimov, while news sources claim that the authorities are planning an imminent funeral.

The state-owned morning newspapers reported on September 2 that the 78-year-old was now in a critical condition.

(See also With Karimov Ailing, What Next for Uzbekistan?).

"As it has been reported before, head of our state Islam Abduganievich Karimov [full name with patronymic] was hospitalised last Saturday after having suffered a cerebral haemorrhage," read the statement released by the Uzbek cabinet of ministers, who had previously announced on August 28 that the president was in hospital.

"Dear compatriots, it is with a deep sore heart we inform you that in the past day condition of our President sharply declined, and according to doctors, is considered as critical."

The Moscow-based news agency Ferghana.ru continued to suggest the Uzbek leader had already died and that the latest official statement was intended to prepare citizens for the upcoming official announcement of his death.

Ferghana.ru also published pictures of scenes of construction and cleaning in the city of Samarkand, Karimov's birthplace, suggested that these were the preparations for a memorial for the head of state.

According to the news source, Karimov's funeral may be as soon as this upcoming Saturday.

Karimov's younger daughter Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva has been regularly updating her followers on social media in Uzbek, Russian and English.

But she has remained silent for the past two days.

The country's 25th independence day celebrations were cancelled this week and Karimov's annual keynote speech replaced by an address from Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev.

Nonetheless, the official media subsequently published Karimov's official independence day speech and reported that the state received some 25 messages of congratulations from international heads of state.

This publication was produced under IWPR project Strengthening Capacities, Bridging Divides in Central Asia, funded by the Foreign Ministry of Norway.

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Uzbekistan: 25 Years of Karimov's Rule

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Publication Date 5 September 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Uzbekistan: 25 Years of Karimov's Rule, 5 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d029de4.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Central Asia's most populous nation is marking the end of an era after its long-time leader Islam Karimov died.

In these three IWPR photo essays, we look back over some key moments of life in Uzbekistan during the quarter-century of his rule.

The Cost of Uzbek White Gold (Photos by Thomas Grabka) - IWPR journalists travelled to cotton fields across Uzbekistan in 2004 and spoke to people as they picked the crop, one of Uzbekistan's most important exports. Forced cotton-picking, where children, students and government employees are made to join the harvest, is an on-going practice.

Pictures Alleged to Libel Uzbek Nation (Photos by Umida Ahmedova) - Umida Ahmedova's pictures of rural life resulted in a legal case against her that won international attention. At the beginning of 2010 she was charged with slandering and insulting the Uzbek people for showing them as "backward" through her work. Ahmedova was never imprisoned, but has not taken part in any major film and photo projects since her trial.

Uzbekistan's Fragile Rural Idyll (Photos by Helen Stevenson) - IWPR's most recent photo essay depicts life in small towns and villages in the Tashkent region. The economy there remains largely agricultural, and younger Uzbeks say that better opportunities in life are hard to find.

This publication was produced under IWPR project Strengthening Capacities, Bridging Divides in Central Asia, funded by the Foreign Ministry of Norway.

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Uzbekistan: After the Patriarch

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Birgit Brauer Publication Date 6 September 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Uzbekistan: After the Patriarch, 6 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d02a404.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Uzbekistans President Islam Karimov, who died on September 2 at age 78 of a cerebral haemorrhage, was one of the world's most authoritarian and ruthless leaders. He had ruled his country with an iron fist for 27 years, since before Uzbekistan gained independence from the Soviet Union.

His regime was notorious for its atrocious human rights record and how it crushed all opposition, no matter how small. Karimov created a police state where thousands of people were imprisoned on politically-motivated and extremism-related charges. Torture in the criminal justice system was routine; during the cotton harvest, adults and children alike were made to do forced labour.

Unsurprisingly, Uzbekistan has been scraping at the bottom of almost every international ranking on human rights, freedom of the press and corruption for many years. Whether the country will now see any change for the better is open for speculation.

Karimovs overarching need for control was limited to the here and now, and not any future beyond his death. He failed to cultivate an heir, at least to the publics knowledge. Or perhaps he never thought the right moment had come to do so.

Like many dictators, he was probably well aware that naming a successor would have undermined his authority. It would have signaled readiness to cede power where there was none, and given unnecessary encouragement to eager contenders for the countrys top job.

Instead, he cemented his hold on power by routinely winning over 90 per cent of the vote in presidential elections, which have never been judged as free or fair by international observers. Karimov won his fourth consecutive term in March 2015.

A RETURN TO KREMLINOLOGY

Given the closed nature of Uzbekistans regime and the secrecy around the last days of the ailing Karimov, who fell ill on August 27, local and foreign analysts descended into old-school Kremlinology this past week.

Social media commentators were asking whether Uzbekistans TV and radio stations were already showing Tchaikovskys Swan Lake - in Soviet times an unmistakable sign of a death and change in leadership.

The presidents September 3 funeral in his hometown of Samarkand was a chance to catch a first glance of the post-Karimov inner circle of Uzbekistans political elite. But predicting who will take the reins in Central Asias most populous country based on attendance and who was standing where is likely to be imprecise. After all, Uzbekistan is in the process of its first transfer of power in over a quarter of a century.

It could at least be ascertained that Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Azimov, a possible contender who was rumoured to have been arrested, was present at the funeral, alive and well.

Many believe that long serving Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who was in charge of the funeral committee and greeted the foreign dignitaries, will likely be the future president. But if so, this may not lead to a change in style of government.

As provided for in the constitution, senate chairman Nigmatilla Yuldashev appears to have become the acting president upon Karimovs demise, although this was by no means self-evident.

If the law continues to be followed, presidential elections should be held within three months.

RULERS FOR LIFE?

How the power vacuum in Uzbekistan will be filled in the coming weeks or months will not only be closely watched by its own citizens but also by the ageing autocrats in the neighbouring Central Asian republics and in Azerbaijan. They have similar systems of government, although generally - with the exception of Turkmenistan - with less repression.

Karimovs relations with these Turkic countries as well as with Tajikistan were often touchy and at times downright tense. They were marked by personal competition, disagreement over regional water issues, border disputes and different approaches towards dealing with the growing radical Islamism in the region.

Yet they all share the dilemma of how to make their power last and how to pass it on.

Turkmenistan, whose regime is as secretive and brutal as Uzbekistans, underwent a change of leadership ten years ago when President Saparmurat Niyazov suddenly died. The formal constitutional succession scenario was blithely ignored.

The political elite, with the support of the State Security Council, came to an agreement through negotiations and moved on smoothly - for outside observers quite unexpectedly - to the next authoritarian regime under Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, until then health minister.

This is widely considered to be a model that could suit Uzbekistans elite.

Azerbaijan also has experience with the change of an authoritarian leader. President Ilham Aliyev took over from his father Heydar Aliyev after he fell ill. Ilham Aliyev was elected president in 2003 in a vote not considered free or fair.

A constitutional referendum now scheduled to be held in Azerbaijan on September 26 stands to enhance the post of the president and likely prolong the rule of the incumbent and his family.

In Uzbekistan, Karimovs two daughters will probably not play a role in the succession, despite previous speculation. His eldest daughter Gulnara Karimova, once viewed as a potential successor, is thought to have been under house arrest since 2014. She was not seen at her fathers funeral.

Kazakhstan could be next in line for a transition. President Nursultan Nazarbayev came to power in 1989 like Karimov and is only two years younger. Discussions about his health and who may succeed him have been ongoing for close to 20 years.

Nazarbayev has shown no intention of stepping down from the presidency any time soon and has not favoured anyone in particular as his successor. His eldest daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva, currently deputy prime minister, is often mentioned. The formal rules of succession may not be applied when the time comes.

Tajikistans president Emomali Rakhmon, in office since 1994, held a constitutional referendum in May which will allow him to run for an unlimited number of terms. His family members control major businesses and hold government jobs.

By contrast, Kyrgyzstan is the most liberal country in the region, where popular protest ousted two presidents from office in 2005 and 2010. A new constitution strengthened the role of parliament. But there are growing calls for tinkering with the document, including by President Almazbek Atambayev himself.

Karimovs shortcomings were many. He will particularly be remembered for the Andijan massacre in 2005, when government forces fired into a crowd of unarmed protesters killing several hundred. Western criticism and calls for an international investigation were rejected.

People in the region will also remember the landmines Karimov planted along the mountain borders with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan following reported incursions by Afghan-based Islamic militants in Uzbekistan in 1999. Dozens of Kyrgyz and Tajik civilians were killed as a result, many of them shepherds or women collecting firewood.

Nonetheless, in 2010, he allowed over 100,000 ethnic Uzbeks to flee from southern Kyrgyzstan into Uzbekistan to escape violent ethnic clashes.

And in spite of it all, he has also been valued in Uzbekistan and the Central Asian region for maintaining stability - although at a steep cost for the Uzbek people.

Birgit Brauer is IWPRs Caucasus Editor. She was previously the longtime Central Asia correspondent of The Economist.

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Azerbaijan Continues Anti-Gulen Campaign

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Afgan Mukhtarli Publication Date 2 September 2016 Citation / Document Symbol CRS 824 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Azerbaijan Continues Anti-Gulen Campaign, 2 September 2016, CRS 824, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57d02ac14.html [accessed 30 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Baku has continued to crack down on supporters of Fethulla Gulen, the US-based imam that Azerbaijan's close ally Turkey accuses of being behind a failed coup in July.

Previously an ally of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Gulen has been accused of masterminding the attempted takeover, a charge he has denied.

Ankara quickly moved to designate Gulen's movement as the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), and has been targeting its supporters both inside and outside of Turkey.

Azerbaijan, which shares cultural and linguistic ties with Turkey and is a close political and economic partner, has also been avidly pursuing institutions and people associated with Gulen.

Azeri interior minister Ramil Usubov vowed to take all necessary steps against Gulen supporters during a meeting with his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on August 31.

Actions will be taken "to prevent FETO from taking roots in Azerbaijan. This, at the same time, is a crime against Azerbaijan too. Well do whatever we can do to eliminate this problem," Usubov said, according to the Azerbaijan Press Agency (APA).

Five Gulen supporters  or Gulenists, as they are often referred to  have been arrested and 50 people dismissed from their teaching jobs.

On August 15, Azerbaijans prosecutor generals office said that a criminal case had been opened to identify and punish the "Gulenists" in the country.

Three days later, four employees of a mobile phone operator in the country  Shahin Israyilov, Fuad Ahmedli, Etibar Musayev and Vugar Gasimov  were arrested. One of them, Ahmedli, is also an activist with the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA).

They were accused of abuse of office, illegally collecting information about citizens and passing it on to "certain persons". All four have denied the charges.

During the search of Ahmedlis flat, books by Gulen were seized.

On August 29, after visiting Ahmedli in the prison of the State Security Service, his lawyer Asabali Mustafayev said his clients health had deteriorated.

"He underwent several surgeries earlier, and in the last days has felt the effects of the operations. His condition became significantly worse and doctors from the Central Clinical Hospital were called," Mustafayev said.

There have also been suggestions that Baku is using the anti-Gulenist push as another pretext for cracking down on its own internal opposition.

Faig Amirov, the financial director of the leading opposition newspaper Azadliq and an adviser to the PFPA chairman, was arrested on August 20.

During a search of his house and car, two books by Gulen and several discs of the imams sermons were seized.

Two days later, Amirov was charged with "inciting religious hatred" and "violating the rights of citizens under the pretext of conducting religious rites".

He was placed under arrest for three months and faces between two and five years in prison.

According to the indictment, Amirov is an imam in the Gulen movement in Azerbaijan.

Amirovs lawyer Agil Layij told IWPR that his client laughed when he heard the charges.

"The charges are so absurd that he is even refusing to comment on them," Layij said.

"Amirov believes that his arrest is a political order," he continued. "There is a witness who saw how two people opened the trunk of Amirovs car before the search and put something there. And he said that when he was detained, they took the car key from him and gave it back only one hour later. That is, the books and discs supposedly found in his car do not belong to him."

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned Amirovs arrest and called "for the withdrawal of the ludicrous charges brought against him".

"By borrowing Erdogan's 'hunt for Gulenists leitmotiv, the Azerbaijani authorities have found a great pretext for launching a new crackdown against their own critics, even if it is completely absurd," said Johann Bihr, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, in a statement.

Earlier this year, Baku ordered the release of a number of political prisoners. But Bihr said that this had been no more than a tactical concession.

"The international community must wake up and start pressing the government again to end the repression and restore pluralism  in other words, to just respect the undertakings it has given to its own citizens and to such bodies as the Council of Europe," he concluded.

ONGOING WITCHUNT?

The Gulen movement, which runs over 2,000 educational institutions worldwide, also developed a notable presence in Azerbaijan from the early days of independence. But in 2014, at Erdogan's request, all its schools in Azerbaijan were closed and the Gulen-affiliated Caucasus University in Baku was transferred to the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR).

(See also Senior Azeri Official Sacked in Spillover From Turkish Internal Strife).

Following the failed coup, Azerbaijan's independent television station ANS TV, which had planned to screen an interview with Gulen, was shut down.

(See Caucasus Faces Fallout from Turkeys Failed Coup).

Since then, the Caucasus University's license has been revoked. The university itself with all its technical facilities and staff was transferred to the Baku Higher Oil School on July 20.

Fifty Turkish academics working at the university were dismissed. They will have to leave the country by the end of the year.

On August 23, the prosecutor generals office, the interior ministry and the State Security Service issued a joint statement saying they had turned to law enforcement agencies in Turkey to request assistance in investigating the financial resources of members of the Hizmet movement - another name commonly used Gulenists - in Azerbaijan.

According to the statement, a growing number of people have been arrested on charges of collaborating with the movement.

Human rights activist and former political prisoner Intigam Aliyev called the joint statement by the law enforcement organs a "legal disgrace".

"There is no doubt that the emphasis on party affiliation  membership in the PFPA of the arrested  has the aim of blackening the party in the eyes of society," he wrote in an article published by Meydan TV, an online resource highly critical of the government.

"The charges against F Amirov and F Ahmedli are completely unfounded. The authorities are targeting the PFPA and other opponents in these fictitious criminal cases. Books and other media allegedly belonging to the activists are not banned literature," Aliyev wrote.

PFPA chairman Ali Karimli claimed that the arrests were part of a campaign directed against him personally.

"Why do you arrest and torment innocent members of the PFPA and my relatives?" he wrote on his Facebook page. "If am a problem for you, arrest me. Leave innocent people alone."

Yadigar Sadigov, deputy chairman of the Musavat Party and a former political prisoner, told IWPR that the government had many Gulen supporters within its own ranks.

"The Hizmet movement has acted legally in Azerbaijan, has held events, distributed books. You could not see any opposition at their events. Hizmet avoided opposition, as it was on excellent terms with the government," he said.

But Samed Seyidov, head of Azerbaijans delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said the arrests had been legitimate.

"I believe that the law enforcement agencies have had their say," he told the Azeri news agency APA.

"In Azerbaijan, it is against the law to make unfounded accusations. If someone is accused, then the law enforcement organs have assessed the situation and conducted the necessary work. I am sure of it The opposition must act within the law, the only way to win the sympathy of the people. But to act under the label of opposition against the state is categorically prohibited, prohibited in all countries."

Copyright notice:  Institute for War & Peace Reporting
What you need to know about Powerball and the $825 million jackpot
WEDNESDAY

Square dance workshop

TYE  The Wagon Wheel Squares will conduct a square dancing workshop at 6:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel.

Other ...

Overeaters Anonymous, 8 a.m., Hinds Square Building, Room 112, 100 Chestnut St.

Abilene Cactus Lions Club, 11:45 a.m., Cotton Patch Cafe, 3302 S. Clack St.

Abilene Wednesday Rotary Club, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway. $12 for lunch. Jo Ann Wilson, 325-677-6815.

Kiwanis Club of Abilene, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd.

Clearly Speaking Toastmaster Club, noon, Westgate Church of Christ, 402 S. Pioneer Drive. 325-795-5570.

Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 5:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St.

Veterans Peer Support Group, 6 p.m., 765 Orange St. 325-670-4818.

Mid-week Al-Anon Family Group, 6-7 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-698-4995.

Advanced Square Dancing, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wagon Wheel.

Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1501 N. Broadway, Ballinger. 817-689-2810 or 325-977-1007.

DivorceCare support group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. 325-691-4200.

THURSDAY

Women's luncheon

A Christian Women's Connection luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd. Beverly Dillon will be the guest speaker. Tickets are $16. For reservations, or for more information, contact 325-370-6567 or AbileneCWC@aol.com.

Class for iPhones and iPads

Tom Miller will present a free class for iPhone and iPad users at 1 p.m. at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1326 N. Mockingbird Lane. Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. Information: 325-692-1087.

United Way kickoff

The United Way of Abilene's will celebrate the start of its 2017 campaign at 4 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St. Admission is free. To RSVP, call 325-677-1841. For information on volunteering, visit www.unitedwayabilene.org.

ArtWalk

ArtWalk, a program of the Center for Contemporary Arts, will take place from 5-8 p.m. in downtown Abilene. The theme will be 'The Shape of Things to Come,' and will celebrate sculpture and architecture in Abilene. Art activities and walking tours of downtown sculptures and buildings will be presented.

West Texas Fair & Rodeo

The West Texas Fair & Rodeo will begin with a sneak-a-peek night from 5-11 p.m. at the Taylor County Expo Center. Gate admission will be free.

Square dance workshop

TYE  A-Team will conduct a square dancing workshop 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel.

Grace After Dark

Screenings of several short films will be presented during Grace After Dark at 9 p.m. on the roof of The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. Food trucks will open at 6:30 p.m., and a cash bar will be available. Admission will be free, but will be limited to 100 viewers. Participants must be 18 or older.

Other ...

Abilene Garden Club, 10 a.m., 300 Westwood St.

Chronic Pain and Depression Group, 11 a.m. to noon, Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St., 325-673-2300.

Abilene Founder Lions Club, 11:30 a.m., Al's Mesquite Grill, 4801 Buffalo Gap Road.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. 325-695-0092.

Mental Illness Open Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300.

Abilene 42 Club, 6 p.m., Rose Park Senior Center.

PEP (People Enjoying People) Club, 6 p.m., Wylie Baptist Church, 6097 Buffalo Gap Road 325-692-4909.

Teen Recovery Group, 6-7 p.m., Mission Abilene, 3001 N. Third St.

Free certified nurturing parent class (all ages), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 6:30 p.m. Brook Hollow Christian Church. Weigh-in begins at 5:30 p.m. 325-665-5052.

Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 6:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St.

Gambler's Anonymous, 6:30 p.m., Unity Spiritual Living Center, 2842 Barrow St. 325-338-2575.

West Texas Genealogical Society, 6:30 p.m., Rose Park Senior Citizen Center.

Round Dancing, 7 p.m., Wagon Wheel. 325-829-1517.

Tea Party Patriots of Eastland County, 7 p.m., Myrtle Wilks Community Center, Cisco.

South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave.

Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St.

Hendrick Hospice Care sponsors a 'Gone But Not Lost' support group the second Thursday of each month for any bereaved parent who has lost a child of any age. Information: 325-677-8516 or 1-800-622-8516.

FRIDAY

West Texas Fair & Rodeo

The West Texas Fair & Rodeo will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Taylor County Expo Center Admission will be free until 1 p.m. The midway will open at 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for students, and free for college students with I.D.

Dance

DESDEMONA  A dance will begin at 7 p.m. at the Desdemona Activity Center. Admission is $5. Concessions will open at 6 p.m.

'Bringing Up Baby'

As part of the Paramount Film Series, 'Bringing Up Baby' will be shown at 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St. Film historian Robert Holladay will give a lecture on the film at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, military and children. For more information, visit paramount-abilene.org.

Dance

OPLIN  A dance featuring Midnight Blue will be 7:30-10:30 p.m. at the Oplin Community Center. Admission is $5. Information: www.grandoleoplin.com.

Other ...

Blood drive, 9 a.m. to noon, Abilene Dermatology, 3190 Antilley Road.

Abilene Chinese Corner, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Abilene Christian University library. lld09a@acu.edu.

Disabled American Veterans and Auxiliary, 6 p.m., 2555 Grape St. 325-793-9699 or 325-480-6175.

Mid-City Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First Christian Church. 325-670-4304.

SATURDAY

West Texas Fair & Rodeo

The West Texas Fair & Rodeo will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Taylor County Expo Center. The midway will open at 1 p.m. Admission is $11 for adults and $4 for students. School day tickets will be accepted. The West Texas Fair & Rodeo Parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. downtown, starting at 300 Oak St.

Mudslinger 5K

The sixth annual Mudslinger 5K Fun Run will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Seabee Park. Regular registration is $40 for adults and $25 for children. For more information, go to bcmudslinger.com.

Driver safety course

An AARP Smart/Safe Driver Safety Course will be presented from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at VFW Post 6873. A breakfast will be served at 9 a.m. Registration is $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers. Space is limited. To register, or for more information, call 325-793-1490.

Movie at the library

A showing of a recent PG rated animated movie will begin at 11 a.m. at the South Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1401 S. Danville Drive. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. Admission is free.

Chautauqua

BUFFALO GAP  The Chautauqua Learning Series will continue with a presentation by Mary Adams, 'Thurber Brick: Paving Its Way Across Texas,' from 11 a.m. to noon at Buffalo Gap Historic Village, 133 N. William St. Admission is free.

Art meeting

BUFFALO GAP  Mary Haan will present a program on pencil portraits at a meeting of the Abilene Creative Arts Club from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Buffalo Gap Historic Village Rode Gallery, 133 N. William St.

'Bringing Up Baby'

As part of the Paramount Film Series, 'Bringing Up Baby' will be shown at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, military and children. For more information, visit paramount-abilene.org.

Other ...

Overeaters Anonymous, 10 a.m., Shades of Hope, 402A Mulberry St., Buffalo Gap. 800-588-4673.

Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, 10 a.m. to noon, 2043 N. Second St.

Celiac Support Group, 10 a.m. to noon, Abilene Regional Medical Center, Classroom 2. 325-721-5645 or 325-660-6834.

Abilene Creative Arts Club, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Buffalo Gap Historic Village, Rode Gallery. 325-514-0665.

Aglow International, 6 p.m., The Crossover, S. First and Poplar streets. 325-829-8826.
LEARN MORE ABOUT IPHONES, IPADS AND MACS

Mark your calendar for the iPhone/iPad classes to be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept., 19 and 22 at the North Mockingbird Library, 1214 N. Mockingbird Lane.

Tom Miller, Mac consultant, trainer and facilitator will continue to present new and sometimes repeated information on getting the best use with your devices. The public is invited and there are no dues or fees.

Sign-in begins at 12:30 p.m. Individual help is available before or after the class. Classes are not sponsored by the library.

Keynote slides are posted at tommillermachelp.com. Contact Tom Miller, tdmill@me.com or 325-518-6662, if you have questions; to receive email notices for future classes, from three to four a month, send your email address to abilenemacuser2@gmail.com or call Barbara Craig Kelly at 325-692-1087.

TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE

The Texas Cookbook Gala is around the corner, and there are still tickets available. This popular event begins at 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Abilene Country Club and features dishes from cookbook authors Melissa Guerra, Laura Meyn, Anthony Head and Jacqueline Cavender. Wines from Becker, McPherson and Lost Oak Vineyards will be paired with each course.

Tickets are $225 per person, or $1,800 for a table of eight. Contact Judith Phaneuf at 325-665-2424, or send checks made out to: Friends of the Abilene Public Library, Texas Cookbook Gala, 2409 Christopher Drive, 79602.

THE CELEBRATION BEGINS

The Abilene Cultural Affairs Council begins its 'The Year of Garth Williams' with a free showing of the 2006 live action movie 'Charlotte's Web' starring Dakota Fanning at the Paramount Theatre at 2 p.m. Sunday.

See costumed characters and shop the Storybook Store. Events throughout the year will take place at Abilene Public Library locations and other arts venues and at schools.

The year will culminate with the Garth Williams art exhibition opening at the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature on June 8 and the start of the 2017 Children's Art & Literacy Festival celebrating Williams.

Stop by the T&P Depot, 1101 N. 1st St., to pick up your free tickets. Seating is limited.

UP ON THE ROOF

The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St., is partnering with The Paramount Theatre to host a series of 4 FPS International Short Film Festival rooftop screenings. Another showing is set for Thursday.

Enjoy screenings of different award winning films from around the world. Food trucks will be on hand from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The rooftop opens at 7:30 p.m. and the film begins at 8:45. A cash bar will be available, as well as complimentary Paramount popcorn. Enter through the museum's Courtyard on North 1st Street and head up to the rooftop.

This event is free to the public, 18 and older for the first 100 people. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be canceled.

Mail information to Jan Woodward in care of 'Around Town,' Abilene Reporter-News, P.O. Box 30, Abilene, TX 79604. Email address is jan.woodward@reporternews.com or fax information to 325-670-5242. Deadline for submission is noon seven working days before publication.
Mayor Norm Archibald ardently believes that bringing a convention hotel to downtown Abilene will be the catalyst that spurs further development of the city's urban center, he said at City Hall on Tuesday.

The city issued a new request for proposals Aug. 26 for a partner interested in developing, financing, owning and operating a nationally branded hotel across the street from the Civic Center with at least 150 rooms.

This may sound familiar. The city issued a request for proposals for a similar downtown hotel in 2013, according to Reporter-News archives.

No one responded to the city's request, Archibald said.

So the city regrouped and brought in the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and the Abilene Industrial Foundation to help redevelop the request for proposals.

Archibald said part of the problem with the previous proposal was that it did not lay out the specifics of the incentives the city has to offer, and it did not provide enough information about the city to lure developers.

An incentive, Archibald said, is essential for anyone to come to a mid-sized city like Abilene and build a hotel that the city envisions. It's easier for big cities to attract large-scale hotels because they can almost guarantee good occupancy volume and healthy room rates, he said.

'That's what drives putting a hotel anywhere,' Archibald said.

While Abilene has plenty of hotels, it lacks full-service hotels with about 200 rooms, a restaurant and bar, and meeting spaces, the mayor said.

The 2016 version of the request is expansive, including a full-service hotel with a restaurant and bar in addition to a festival district that would be developed around the hotel and Civic Center.

The Gossman Group, a planning and design firm based in Cincinnati, put together the request for proposals, Archibald said. The firm also will help advertise the request.

The Abilene Industrial Foundation paid the Gossman Group for its services.

Doug Peters, president and CEO of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and president of the AIF, said the AIF board approved up to $50,000 for the company's work, but he said he believes it will be somewhere in the low 30s.

'The funds used are invested each year by the AIF's private sector members, largely through its annual private fund drive,' he said.

The Abilene Reporter-News is one of the members.

'The festival district is envisioned to become a major attraction to downtown by complementing the existing Convention Center with a new full-service, signature hotel, unique eateries and urban housing to serve as a catalyst for even more urban development to follow,' the request states. 'The district will become an 'anchor' for downtown and complement existing destinations, such as The Paramount Theatre, museums and recently developed local boutique restaurants, drinking establishments and retailers.'

The festival district is an opportunity to go beyond just the idea of developing a hotel and instead develop an entire destination, Archibald said.

The only Abilene hotel close in size would be the MCM Elegante Hotel, which has 173 rooms. The manager did not return a request for comment Tuesday.

The Courtyard by Marriott, which has two locations in Abilene, is smaller than the kind of hotel the city wants to see downtown with about 100 rooms.

Darla Yarbrough, general manager of both locations, said she thought the downtown hotel would make a great addition to Abilene if it attracts more business. Yarbrough serves on the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau board.

'It'll take rooms out of the market, but it should bring in conventions and that sort of thing,' she said. 'Maybe it'll grow the downtown area.'

That's the idea.

'Located immediately south of the Convention Center along Cypress Street in downtown Abilene, the festival district represents a public-private partnership development opportunity for real estate developers interested in creating a distinctive urban destination for West Central Texas,' the request says.

The city is willing to contribute land and parking for the Civic Center hotel, which will be changed to the Convention Center. Also, the city would consider creating a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone for the benefit of the hotel, partially exempting taxes on hotel construction, or entering into an agreement with the developer to rebate a portion of the local sales and use taxes generated by the new hotel, after its construction.

The deadline for proposals is Oct. 28, and the mayor is 'anxiously awaiting' positive responses.

Twitter: BrookeCrum_ARN
Entering a lovely child's white dress with rainbow-tinted bands in the West Texas Fair & Rodeo's yearly clothing competition, Heather Ratliff mused that for her  and for many  the occasion is something of a family affair.

The fair's yearly adult and child competitions include categories such as canned and baked goods, photographs, crafts, original artwork, woodworking, antiques, quilting and more.

Hopefuls thronged the fairgrounds' Modern Living Mall and Round Building Tuesday, bearing their prides and joys for entry into various creative arts contests.

Many food categories will bring in entries later. The fair itself starts Thursday with Sneak-a-Peek.

'I don't necessarily do something just for the fair. (But) if I've made something through the year, I pull it out and enter it,' said Ratliff, who has been entering items in the fair's competitions since she was in second grade.

But now, her daughters, Emily, 8, and Anna, 5, join her, competing in kids' categories such as artwork and perishable foods.

Anna's attempt at breadmaking this year will be her fair debut, her mother noted.

While she loves entering  and winning  the fair competitions herself, Ratliff said Emily, who has won some first place and best of show ribbons of her own, gets a real charge out of it.

'I think it's pride in her work,' she said. 'She's super excited to do something people recognize.'

Duane Bedgood brought in a painting by his daughter, Jennifer, 7, for consideration, a portrait of a black and white cat casually lounging in a sea of blue.

She had originally put the image down on paper, but Bedgood encouraged her to remake it, he said.

'I said why not get oil and canvas and we can paint it on there,' he said of Jennifer's first fair entry.

Bedgood said that he wanted people to see his daughter's work  and to teach her some life lessons along the way.

'It was more of a way for me to help her stop procrastinating on certain issues,' he said.

Tammie Moore, while bringing in some lovely Russian stacked dolls and a Slovakian doll made of corn husks, said all of her four children  Hailey Moore, 17; Toby, 16; Chloe, 10 and Sophie, 8  participate in the fair in categories such as fine arts and hobbies and crafts.

Moore, whose husband, Jamey Moore, is youth pastor at Abilene's Southside Baptist Church, said over the last five years the family has won 15 first places in different categories.

Coming to the fair  and counting up the wins  is something everyone looks forward to, she said.

'It's great to come see other entries, but also your own with a ribbon on it,' she said. 'We really as a family love it.'
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The media director for the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) Meach Sovannara was temporarily transferred from Prey Sar prison to the Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital for what is being described as a headache.

Ministry of Interior prison department spokesperson Nut Savna told RFAs Khmer Service that Meach Sovannara didnt stay long in the Phnom Penh hospital before returning to the prison, where he is serving a 20-year sentence for taking part in a 2014 protest in the countrys capital.

Though Meach Sovannara and 10 other activists were jailed on insurrection charges for clashing with police over the closure of a protest site in the capital. Human rights organizations view the charges as an attempt by Prime Minister Hun Sen to use the courts to sideline his opposition.

They reported that he seemed to have no real issue, just a headache, Nut Savna told RFA. Our officials sent him to the Russian Hospital. He did not stay in for long and they sent him back after the checkup, which means that his symptoms were not serious.

A post on Meach Sovannaras Facebook page said the warden sent him to the hospital for treatment because the prison lacks the ability to provide treatment after he got a severe headache due to an old wound.

Defense attorney Choung Chou Ngy told RFA that it is high time for the court to allow Meach Sovannara to receive proper and adequate treatment abroad.

In 2014 Meach Sovannara was seriously injured in an automobile accident while free on bail. He was treated in the U.S., but returned for his trial.

The driver of the car that rammed into the one driven by Meach Sovannara fled and was not identified, according to local news reports.

I have been in a dispute with the authorities over his health, Choung Chou Ngy said. They should allow him to go for treatment outside the country, but the court banned him from going abroad.

A case of politics

Am Sam Ath, a senior official with the human rights organization LICADHO, told RFA that he has little hope the court will allow Meach Sovannara to go abroad despite his ill health because the case is a political one.

In such a situation, it is not likely that he can go for treatment outside, he said. Thats impossible if we look at the current political situation.

While Meach Sovannara is in prison in Cambodia, he is also at the forefront of another legal battle in the U.S.

He is suing Hun Manet, the son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, and the country of Cambodia for the emotional and financial damage borne by Sovannarras family for, among other things, what the suit calls his wrongful imprisonment and torture.

Foreign governments and officials are generally protected by sovereignty from being brought to trial in the U.S., as they are in other countries. But Meach Sovannarras case is testing those exceptions.

The suit alleges that Hun Manets family connections and leadership role within Cambodias security forces make him liable for the emotional and financial damages borne by Sovannaras family.

Hun Manet heads the Cambodian militarys anti-terror unit, is deputy chairman of the joint staff of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and is deputy commander of the Prime Minister's Bodyguard Unit, an elite force that has often been at the center of complaints about rights abuses.

Hun Manet is widely viewed as the successor to his father, who has ruled the country for more than 30 years.

Though Meach Sovannara is faring poorly in Cambodian courts, his suit cleared its first legal hurdle in the U.S. this month when a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled that the case can go forward.

In that case, Judge George H. Wu of the Central District Court of California required both parties to submit status reports to the court by Sept. 7 that include detailed plans about how they want the jurisdictional discovery process to proceed and what it should be included.

Kem Sokha Trial Set for Friday

While the Meach Sovannara case moves forward in the U.S., another case with political overtones is also moving ahead in Cambodia.

This Friday the Phnom Penh Municipal Court is scheduled to hear opening arguments in the governments case against CNRP acting president Kem Sokha, who faces trial for failing to appear in court in a prostitution case tied to his alleged mistress.

Kem Sokha has been holed up in the CNRP headquarters since heavily armed police attempted to arrest him in May for ignoring court orders to appear as a witness in cases related to his alleged affair with Khom Chandaraty, who is also known as Srey Mom.

The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) criticized the trial on Tuesday for its procedural flaws and weak evidence.

The weak evidentiary basis of the charges and the accompanying procedural flaws raise serious concerns about the fairness of the proceedings," OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement.

We urge the authorities to adhere strictly to international fair trial standards during the criminal proceedings, including ensuring transparency in the administration of justice, she said.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the Cambodian government to drop its case against Kem Sokha on Tuesday, calling it politically motivated.

Politically motivated prosecution

The Kem Sokha case is but the latest politically motivated prosecution targeting Cambodias political opposition, human rights workers, social activists, and public intellectuals, HRW Asia Director Brad Adams wrote recently in a blog post.

After his partys poor showing in the last national elections, Prime Minister Hun Sen is using every trick in the book to neutralize the opposition before the 2018 elections, he said.

Council of Ministers spokesperson Phay Siphan dismissed HRWs appeal, telling RFA that the court is simply implementing Cambodian law.

The fact is that Cambodian law bans anyone from involvement in corruption, he said. The second issue is that one has to respond to the courts summons. That is the duty of the citizen. Do not turn this case into a political one.

Kem Sokhas defense attorney Sam Sokong told RFA that Sokha's defense team on Tuesday submitted a request to postpone court procedures until after the Cambodian Supreme Court Supreme issues a decision on a separate request to invalidate the proceedings.

It is purely a legal procedure, he said. We should wait for the Supreme Courts decision to avoid criticism.

The Cambodia Daily on Wednesday quoted Ly Sophana, a spokesman for the court, as saying the request would be denied.

Reported by Chandara Yang and Moniroth Morm for RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Yanny Hin. Written in English by Brooks Boliek.
Pro-Beijing candidate Junius Ho takes a selfie as he waits for the the legislative council election results in Hong Kong, Sept 4, 2016.

A candidate in recent elections to Hong Kong's legislature has said he abandoned his campaign after being threatened by "three men from Beijing," fueling further concerns over the erosion of the city's freedoms under Chinese rule.

Ken Chow, who had planned to run for a seat in the city's Legislative Council (LegCo) from the New Territories West electoral district for the moderate Liberal Party, said he was warned off with threats by people who appeared to know a lot about his family.

The meeting took place at a hotel across the internal immigration border in neighboring Shenzhen, where he was introduced to the three men by a "friend."

"If I did not comply with their request, then important people surrounding me would face serious consequences, and they [said] they will act immediately," Chow, who withdrew from the LegCo race ahead of last Sunday's poll, told a news conference on Wednesday.

He said the men had shown that they had extremely detailed information about the background, financial situation and daily activities of "all the people that are important to me."

Chow said he hadn't reported the incident to the Hong Kong authorities, because he believed the case was outside their jurisdiction.

"They have no power to arrest mainland officials, or people outside Hong Kong, and their behavior [took place] outside Hong Kong," he said.

Chow left Hong Kong for the United Kingdom, where he said he was also followed.

Pro-Beijing candidate Junius Ho went on to win the seat Chow had contested.

Chow said he had been approached by another unidentified man on three occasions and told not to continue to fight the seat, and by another unidentified person who offered him a large amount of money.

"I told them, if you say any more, you are violating the law," he told reporters in Hong Kong.

He said he had made a report to the city's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) after arriving back in the city on Monday.

Victory for pro-democracy parties

Sunday's LegCo elections saw pro-democracy parties increased their seats in LegCo to 30 out of 70, enough to veto constitutional change, including unpopular national security legislation.

They also saw Nathan Law, 23, former leader of the 2014 Occupy Central movement for universal suffrage become the city's youngest-ever lawmaker, and three candidates from "localist" groups who want more autonomy for the city elected alongside traditional pan-democrats.

Liberal Party chairwoman Selina Chow said Chow's claims sounded plausible, as did key figures among pan-democrats.

But Jasper Tsang, who heads the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), said he found Chow's story "strange."

"If somebody really tried to threaten Mr. Chow and make him give up his election campaign, if it was me, I would have asked them why, because it isn't very logical to force a candidate to give up his campaign when he commands next-to-nothing in terms of popular support," Tsang told reporters.

"Why didn't they spend more time on people who actually had a chance of winning ... who could win a lot of votes?"

Beijing has repeatedly warned that "separatist" ideas won't be tolerated in the former British colony, and election candidates were forced to sign a declaration rejecting independence.

Authorities in Hong Kong had earlier barred several candidates from taking part in the election, citing the candidates openly stated support for Hong Kongs independence.

The administration of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying reportedly acted on instructions from Beijing officials, who were unhappy that more candidates hadn't been disbarred, according to Reuters.

Leung has also ordered schools to punish any talk of independence among students, threatening teachers with deregistration if they are found encouraging it.

A recent opinion survey showed that almost 40 percent of young people in Hong Kong favor independence for the city in 2047, when existing arrangements with China expire.

The elections came amid grave warnings that Hong Kong's traditional freedoms of speech, publication and judicial independence are being eroded, following the cross-border detentions of five booksellers and an attempt by the Justice Department to influence sentences handed down to Occupy Central protesters by a magistrate.



Reported by Lam Kwok-lap for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
UPDATED at 07:40 EST on 2016-09-07

China on Monday evening slammed the results of a key election this weekend in Hong Kong that saw pro-democracy student activists seated in the former British colonys legislature, warning it will not tolerate talk by lawmakers of separating the semi-autonomous city from Beijings control.



We firmly oppose any activity relating to Hong Kong independence in any form, inside or outside the Legislative Council, a representative of Chinas office dealing with Hong Kong affairs said, according to an AP report on Tuesday.



Future moves supporting Hong Kongs independence would violate Chinas constitution and should be quickly punished by Hong Kong authorities under the law, the spokesman said.



Chinas state-owned China Daily meanwhile warned in its Hong Kong edition against the emergence of "separatist ideas" in Hong Kongs legislature.



Chinese actions in Hong Kong since its 1997 return from Britain under a one country, two systems agreement have raised concerns about what citizens there see as Beijings frequent meddling in the citys affairs.



Sundays election now sees Nathan Law, 23, a former leader of the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement, elected to the Legislative Council (LegCo) along with three young politicians from localist groups who want greater autonomy for Hong Kong.



This will ensure that pro-democracy parties, who now occupy 30 seats overall in the 70-seat council, will retain a crucial veto, as any changes to Hong Kongs political system must win the support of two-thirds of council members to pass.



Some candidates barred



Authorities in Hong Kong had earlier barred several candidates from taking part in this years LegCo election, citing the candidates openly stated support for Hong Kongs independence.



Speaking to RFAs Cantonese Service, newly elected lawmaker Baggio Leung, founder of the localist group Youngspiration, promised to uphold Hong Kongs Basic Law according to principles, but with no bottom line.



We will solve our problems, especially in issues involving bad laws, in a principled way, but there should be no bottom line limiting us in our methods, Leung said.



Sundays election results now foreshadow a more challenging relationship between Hong Kongs legislature and the citys widely unpopular chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, City University of Hong Kong lecturer James Sung Lap-kung told RFA.



The pan-democrats have successfully blocked some government bills, and now more localists will join them and demand that the chief executive step down, Sung said.



This will be difficult for the government, he added.



Reported and translated by RFAs Cantonese and Mandarin Service. Written in English by Richard Finney and Brooks Boliek.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect number of seats held by pro-democracy parties in Hong Kong's legislature.


UPDATED at 9:55 A.M. EST on 2016-09-08

U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday praised young Southeast Asian leaders participating in an American government education program during a town-hall meeting in Laos and introduced three new initiatives to benefit youth in the region.

Obama met with about 400 young people, including more than 100 from Laos, who are involved in the U.S. governments Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) program.

Founded in December 2013, the program aims to build the leadership abilities of youth in Southeast Asia, strengthen ties between the U.S. and the region, and promote cross-border cooperation to solve regional and global issues through educational and cultural exchanges, hands-on training, regional exchanges, and seed funding.

Operating under the auspices of the U.S. mission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the program focuses on critical issues identified by Southeast Asia youth, including civic engagement, environment and natural resources management, entrepreneurship, and economic development.

Our goal is to empower young people with skills and resources, and the networks that you need to turn your ideas into action, and to become the next generation of leaders in civil society and in business and in government, said Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia.

The young people at the meeting, who ranged from 18 to 35 years of age, hail from ASEANs 10 member countriesBrunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The town meeting was held during a YSEALI Summit they were attending at Souphanouvong University in the northern town of Luang Prabang.

[B]ecause your generation is the most educated, and because you are all connected through your phones, you have more power to shape the future than any generation that weve ever known, Obama said. Thats why Ive made connecting our young people a cornerstone of American foreign policy.

Network of 100,000

Obama said the program now has a network of 100,000 young people from all 10 ASEAN countries.

Approximately 65 percent of people who live in the ASEAN region are under the age of 35.

[I] know that closing the development gap in innovative and in impactful ways is what youre focused on at this YSEALI Summit in Laos, he said.

And thats wonderful, because whatever sector we work in, we all have a role to play when it comes to things like educating our people, lifting communities up from poverty, and protecting the environment for future generations, Obama said.

For those who live in a secretive, communist country such as Laos, participating in a town-hall meeting with a national leader and being able to ask him questions is an anomaly.

When one Laotian asked Obama about what kind of changes he would like to see in the region and how he could contribute to bringing about those changes, the president responded that the most important element for any country is its people.

So if theres one thing that I could help to bring about, it would be improving educational standards for young people throughout Laos and throughout ASEAN, and as I said before, making sure that that includes girls and not just boys.

A university student named Sounthorn, who attended the town-hall meeting, told RFAs Laos Service he was happy that Obama had visited an undeveloped country and called his speech inspirational.

President Obama said the most important factor in development is human resources, he said.

An English teacher at Souphanouvong University who was present during the town-hall meeting told RFAs Laos Service that one of the main messages coming from the YSEALI program was that young people must first develop themselves in order to contribute to the development of their country.

The content he brought up in his speech has many important points that can be used as lessons for all of us to learn from, he said. What he said can inspire us in our hearts. It can lead to the development and unity of all people.

U.S. President Barack Obama greets guests following a town-hall meeting at Souphanouvong University in Luang Prabang in northern Laos, Sept. 7, 2016. AFP Other new initiatives

Obama also announced the start of related initiatives, including a program called English for All which will deploy more language teachers in Southeast Asian countries and bring Southeast Asian educators to the United States for training.

[A]t a time when English is the language of business, science, and the networked world, its very important that young people have English language training, he said.

Operating under the State Departments Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the initiative will offer opportunities and resources to help anyone in the world learn English via the new website EnglishForAll.State.gov, he said.

Obama also said the U.S. government has expanded its Let Girls Learn program to include Laos and Nepal to ensure that every girl receives a quality education.

In too many countries now, women and girls are not getting the same educational opportunities as men and boys, he said. And research shows that when girls get an education, not only do they grow up healthier, but her children will grow up healthier also. Not only will she become more prosperous, but her community will become more prosperous.

The U.S. president also announced the start of the U.S.-ASEAN Womens Leadership Academy for YSEALI which will offer leadership training and mentoring for emerging women leaders from all 10 ASEAN countries on an annual basis.

And because weve partnered with several multinational companies to sponsor this academy, were going to be able to empower women to take their place in society for decades to come, he said.

Human rights issues

Obama, who is the first sitting U.S. president to visit Laos, is in the country to attend an ASEAN summit in the capital Vientiane.

On Tuesday, he said the U.S. has a moral obligation to clean up millions of unexploded bombs it dropped on Laos for nine years during the Vietnam War to stop supplies flowing to communist fighters.

To achieve this, the U.S. would double its spending on ordnance cleanup in Laos to roughly U.S. $90 million over the next three years, he said.

Rights groups have meanwhile called on Obama to address Laos dismal record on human rights and the unresolved disappearance of U.S.-educated development specialist Sombath Samphone who was taken away by security forces at a road checkpoint on Dec. 15, 2012, and hasnt been heard from since.

Lao authorities have made no arrests in the case, and there is little indication a serious investigation ever took place.

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes is scheduled to meet with Sombaths wife Shui Meng Ng on Thursday while Obama is still in the country.

President Obama and world leaders gathering in Laos need to demand answers and accountability from their Lao government hosts on the case of disappeared NGO leader Sombath Somphone, said Phil Robertson, the Bangkok-based deputy director of the Asia division at Human Rights Watch.

The message has to be clear that the cover up has to end, Sombath needs to be found, and that no other outcome is acceptable, he said.



Reported and translated by RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
More than 100 petitioners march in Hanoi to protest the seizure of their land by local authorities, Jan. 12, 2016.

About 300 Vietnamese police evicted farmers from their land in a village on the outskirts of the countrys capital Hanoi on Tuesday, though there have been no reports of detentions or injuries, a local resident said.

The officers arrived at around 6 a.m. with several police vans in Duong Noi village in the capitals Ha Dong district, resident Trinh Ba Phuong told RFAs Vietnamese Service.

The village is known for its longstanding land disputes.

Assisted by members of the local People's Committee, police forcibly removed hundreds of farm families from their homes, including those who regularly go to Hanoi to air their grievances outside government offices about a previous land grab, he said.

Their crops were destroyed, and they [police] erected a fence around the destroyed areas," he said. "Not many farmers came to the site because the police blocked them from entering it. The police were very aggressive, so the farmers decided to withdraw.

There have been no reports of clashes or detentions arising from the evictions, and the more than 300 families affected have vowed to remain and refuse any compensation from the government for forcibly removing them, Phuong said.

Not the first time

The government began taking land in Duong Noi, located about 14 kilometers (8.6 miles) southwest of Hanoi, several years ago after farmers there refused to transfer their land rights to the Nam Cuong Group, a Vietnamese company developing the area for a complex of residential and office buildings, hotels, and schools.

In 2011, local government authorities decided to hand over part of Duong Noi's farmland to the company supposedly to build roads, though villagers suspected that the firm intended to sell the land to housing developers, Phuong said.

The villagers refused the compensation they were offered because they believed the amounts were not enough for them to settle someplace else, he said.

They protested the land grab because they thought the process was illegal, Phuong said, adding, They sent their complaints to government agencies.

A government inspection concluded that the land grab in Duong Noi was illegal, but the villagers' demand for higher compensation has not been addressed, he said.

Some villagers, including farmer and land activist Can Thi Theu, were imprisoned for protesting, he said.

Theu and her husband Trinh Ba Khiem were arrested in April 2014 and beaten by police for recording videos of forced evictions during a land requisition in the village to make way for urban development projects.

About six months later, Theu and her husband were each sentenced to 15 months in prison for resisting officers on duty.



Detained again

After her release, Theu participated in a demonstration in January 2016 in Hanoi and was detained by authorities along with 29 others for protesting local government attempts to seize family farms. She later told RFA that officers interrogated her separately and failed to produce an arrest order at the station.

Theu is now in detention again for disrupting public order, Phuong said.

Local government officials in Vietnam and elsewhere in Southeast Asia often use their authority to confiscate land and sell it to developers.

In many cases, local villagers say they receive little compensation or amounts much less than what authorities have promised, and are forced to move to less-productive parcels of land far from their previous homes.

Vietnamese citizens frequently gather outside various government offices in an effort to talk to, or submit petitions to, officials about homes or farmland that local authorities have taken from them.



Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A photograph has appeared on social media that appears to show a senior Russian general using a fake quotation attributed to former U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney declaring Washington's intention to "destroy Russia."

Russian journalist Ostap Karmodi, who is a contributor to RFE/RL's Russian Service, posted a photograph showing General Sergei Kuralenko, who commanded Russia's military operation in Syria, giving a presentation in Moscow on September 7 with the quotation projected on a screen behind him.

The source of the photograph has asked not to be identified, but Karmodi told RFE/RL that "I got the photograph from a person that I trust completely."

Russian journalist Aleksei Kovalyov -- who runs the Noodle Remover website, which debunks Russian disinformation, and who wrote an article on the photograph -- told RFE/RL that he knew the image was taken by "a trusted source, a journalist who was present at the roundtable."

The slide, in Russian, says that Romney declared in 2012 that "our target is Russia."

"It is a wild country that threatens not just the United States. Russia presents a threat to all of humanity," the purported quote reads.

"Our goal is to force Russia to consume itself from within, bringing chaos and strife to its society. We will make Russia take up arms. We will set the Chechens, Tatars, Bashkirs, Daghestanis against one another. We must make them fight each other. We must intensify our efforts to discredit the Russian Orthodox Church," it continues.

"If none of this works, we will have no choice but to declare a swift and victorious war on Russia. We destroyed the U.S.S.R. and we will destroy Russia," it concludes.

There is no evidence in available sources that Romney ever said anything like this, although he did say repeatedly during the 2012 presidential campaign that Russia was the United States' "No. 1 geopolitical foe."

The fake quotation, however, has appeared on dubious Russian websites and blogs repeatedly over the last few years. The same quotation has also been attributed to former U.S. national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski.

Kuralenko was speaking at an academic forum, titled Army-2016, sponsored by the Russian Defense Ministry. The title of his roundtable was Russia In A Changing World: Challenges, Dangers, Threats.

The quotation is in the spirit of the so-called Dulles Plan, another conspiracy theory that has been used by Russian politicians in recent months as evidence of U.S. ill-will toward Russia.

The Dulles Plan, attributed to Eisenhower-era U.S. CIA chief Allen Dulles, is supposedly a secret plan to break up the Soviet Union by using fifth columnists to undermine the society's morals and heritage.

It originated in a 1971 Russian novel but has been repeatedly used as factual by top politicians and public figures, including Liberal Democratic Party of Russia head Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leftist presidential economy adviser Sergei Glaziyev, and filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov.

Samara Oblast Governor Nikolai Merkushkin cited the Dulles Plan last month in an election-campaign speech in which he criticized opposition politician and anticorruption activist Aleksei Navalny as "devoted to Uncle Sam."
The U.S. secretary of defense had some harsh words for Russia, accusing Moscow of "clear ambition to erode the principled international order."

Ash Carter made the comments on September 7 in a speech at Oxford University in England.

He told students Russia had engaged in "unprofessional behavior" in Ukraine, Syria, and cyberspace, and said Moscow was also guilty of nuclear "saber rattling."

"We don't seek an enemy in Russia. But make no mistake: we will defend our allies, the principled international order, and the positive future it affords all of us," Carter said.

"We will counter attempts to undermine our collective security. And we will not ignore attempts to interfere with our democratic processes," he said.

Carter said the United States and Russia made progress to cooperate after the Cold War, but he said now Russia "appears driven by misguided ambition and misplaced fear."

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has charged that his opponent, Hillary Clinton, would be unable to stand up to tough adversaries like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Hillary likes to play tough with Russia. Putin looks at her and he laughs," Trump said as he campaigned in Virginia on September 6.

Trump's shot at Clinton came one day after the Democrat accused him of encouraging Russia to interfere in the U.S. election through cyberattacks.

Clinton's vice presidential running mate, Timothy Kaine, said she already has proved she can stand "toe-to-toe" with Putin in "hard-nosed negotiations" when she was President Barack Obama's first secretary of state working on deals to reduce nuclear stockpiles and destroy Syrian chemical weapons.

Trump, by contrast, "seems to support Russian interests at the expense of American ones," Kaine said in a foreign policy speech in North Carolina.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the charges flying back and forth between the U.S. candidates over Russia are "just ridiculous."

"They have set our teeth on edge," Ryabkov told Interfax in an interview on September 6. He said that some politicians in Western Europe have openly endorsed one of the U.S. candidates, which, in contrast to Russia, was "truly interfering" in the U.S. election.

Dismissing Clinton's attacks, Trump repeated his vow to work with Putin to "solve the problem" posed by the Islamic State militant group in Iraq and Syria, while Clinton said she would do "whatever it takes" to defeat IS.

Seeking to burnish his foreign policy credentials, Trump released a letter of endorsement signed by 88 retired generals and admirals, which Clinton later dismissed.

The Democrat noted that several Republican national security figures have openly endorsed her because they consider Trump to be dangerous or unsuited for the nation's highest office.

Clinton also upbraided Trump for saying if he were treated like Obama was last week by Chinese authorities he would have stayed on his plane and left Beijing. Obama was forced to exit Air Force One from a rear door at the G20 summit.

"This is a very consequential relationship," Clinton said of Washington's ties with China. "You don't get in a snick and stay on the plane and go home because your security and their security are scuffling over what stairs are going to be put up."

With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and Interfax


Afghan officials say Taliban forces have fought their way to within 2 kilometers of Uruzgan Provinces capital, Tarin Kot.

Abdul Karim, the chief administrator of Tarin Kot, warned on September 7 that the provincial capital is likely to fall to Taliban militants unless the Afghan government provides air support and reinforcements for embattled security forces in the city.

The attacks in Uruzgan Province come as overstretched Afghan security forces and a U.S.-led military mission have been focused on confronting Taliban attacks in the nearby southern province of Helmand and the northern city of Kunduz.

Government forces also are battling Islamic State militants in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The Taliban on September 7 claimed that its fighters had overrun 15 government security posts near Tarin Kot, including a "strategic military base."

The Taliban said that "all the surrounding areas of the capital are under tight siege and attacks."

The group also said it would offer what it called "an amnesty" to any government forces or civilian government employees who join the militant group's efforts to capture Tarin Kot.

With reporting by Reuters
A noted Crimean Tatar activist has been released from a psychiatric hospital in Russia-occupied Crimea.

Ilmi Umerov, the former deputy chairman of the Crimean Tatars' self-governing body, the Mejlis, was charged with separatism in May after he made public statements opposing Moscow's forcible annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014.

In August, Umerov was forcibly admitted to a psychiatric clinic for a month of assessment tests.

Umerov's relatives and lawyers said he was released from the clinic on September 7.

The lawyers added that they will seek the transfer of their client, who suffers from heart problems, diabetes, and Parkinsons disease, to a cardiology clinic.

Human rights groups have urged the Russia-backed authorities in Crimea to drop the charges against Umerov and provide him with necessary medical treatment.

The Moscow-based Memorial Human Rights Center has called the case against Umerov "illegal and politically motivated."

Meanwhile, a court in southern Russia has jailed four Crimean Tatars on terrorism charges.

The North Caucasus District Military Court in the city of Rostov-on-Don found the four defendants guilty on September 7 of being members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir Islamic group and sentenced them to between five and seven years in prison.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is branded as a terrorist organization in Russia.

All four Crimean Tatars pleaded not guilty, claiming the case against them is politically motivated.

They entered the courtroom on September 7 wearing T-shirts with the inscriptions "Crimean Tatars" and "The Show Is Over" printed on them.

The four men were detained in Crimea between January and April and went on trial in June.

Russia has been heavily criticized by international rights groups and Western governments for its treatment of Crimea's indigenous Turkic-speaking people since Moscow forcibly annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014.

Arrests, disappearances, and killings of Crimean Tatars have been reported.

With reporting by Interfax and TASS
Hungarian prosecutors have filed charges against a camerawoman accused of kicking migrants near the southern border with Serbia last year.

Prosecutors said on September 7 that Petra Laszlo was charged with breach of the peace," adding that there was no evidence of a racially motivated hate crime.

The trial will be held in the southern city of Szeged.

Laszlo was fired from her job at N1TV after video footage spread online in September 2015 appearing to show her kicking a young girl and a young man and later tried to trip a man carrying a boy.

Laszlo said at the time that she panicked as migrants broke through police lines near her position and she felt under attack.

The camerawoman later told Russian newspaper Izvestia that her life was "ruined" and she was considering moving to Russia.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
Mohammad Nayeb-Zehi was among the hundreds of worshippers who gathered on September 30 at the Great Mosalla, a religious site in Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan, for Friday Prayers.

Just hours later, the 16-year-old's family learned he was dead.

Nayeb-Zehi was among the scores of people gunned down by security forces in a brutal crackdown following anti-government protests in Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan-Baluchistan Province, which is home to the country's Baluch minority.

"He was a simple laborer and not political," Nayeb-Zehi's brother, Ahmad, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda in a telephone interview from Zahedan, adding that his sibling had been shot in the heart. "We're in pain, and we cannot accept it."

The crackdown in Zahedan came amid weeks-long nationwide protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died on September 16, days after she was detained by Iran's morality police.

In Sistan-Baluchistan, public anger at the authorities escalated amid reports that a 15-year-old Baluch girl had been raped by a police official in the province's southern port city of Chabahar.

The violence erupted soon after protesters gathered outside a police station near the central mosque in Zahedan. Members of the crowd chanted anti-government slogans, and some threw rocks. Security forces responded with deadly force by firing on the crowd from the station, according to witnesses.

Security forces also raided the central mosque and the nearby Great Mosalla and opened fire on worshippers using live ammunition, rights groups said, adding that many were shot in the head, heart, neck, or torso, revealing a clear intent to kill or seriously wound.

At least 94 people were killed and 350 wounded on that day, referred to as "Bloody Friday," according to the U.S.-based Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. At least 13 minors were among those killed, including Nayeb-Zehi.

The victims were overwhelmingly Baluch -- a mostly Sunni ethnic group that has long faced disproportionate discrimination at the hands of the Iranian authorities.

"He was martyred inside the Mosalla while holding his prayer mat," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi.

Nayeb-Zehi's family first visited Zahedan's Khatam al-Anbia hospital, hoping he was among the wounded. They later found his body in a seminary at the Great Mosalla.

"We entered a room there and saw about 10 bodies," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi. "[Mohammad] was among them."

He said the authorities prevented the family from filming the scene. "I told them this has to be documented, it has to be published by international media," he said, adding that footage later emerged on social media showing the gruesome scene at the seminary.

The family refused to send Nayeb-Zehi's body to the morgue. Instead, his body lay in the living room for around 24 hours before he was buried.

"We said he was martyred and there was no need for an autopsy," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi.

The authorities accused Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni militant group, of attacking the police station. The group is recognized as a terrorist organization by both Iran and the United States and has previously claimed deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchistan targeting Iranian security forces.

But local and independent sources have rejected the authorities' claims.

The authorities have also reported a much lower number of fatalities, announcing that only 19 people, including several members of the security forces, were killed.

Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi said the authorities were "rubbing salt into the wounds of the people" by claiming "terrorists" were involved.

He said he witnessed a military helicopter shooting at civilians near the Great Mosalla. "I haven't even seen such scenes in Hollywood movies," he said. "A helicopter was shooting at people. A lady was shot in front of my eyes."

RFE/RL could not verify his account. But activists have accused security forces of shooting at protestors from helicopters.

"I don't know what the intention of this crime was," he said. "Our only demand from the establishment is for the murderers of our [family members] to be punished."

The killings have led to widespread anger in Sistan-Baluchistan, one of Iran's poorest provinces.

Anti-establishment protests have been reported in Zahedan since the crackdown, including on October 14 and October 21, when protesters took to the streets after Friday Prayers and chanted "Death to the dictator."

During his Friday Prayers sermon on October 21, influential Sunni cleric Molavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi said senior officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were "responsible" for the September 30 killings.

"We are surprised by the silence of the high-ranking officials," he said in his sermon, which was posted on his website.

"Scores were killed here without any reason. I don't have the exact number. Some have reported 90, some say less, some say more," Ismaeelzahi added.

He also said people will not be satisfied until "those who killed the people" are brought to justice.

The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center said the events of September 30 amounted to "a massacre of protesters by security forces."

"The government's total denial of responsibility for the massacring of citizens by its security apparatus is consistent with similar past denials and is evidence that internal calls for investigation of such crimes are insufficient," said the rights group, which documents human rights violations in Iran.
An escalating war of words is reaching fever pitch between bitter regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia ahead of this year's hajj pilgrimage, from which Iranians have been excluded for the first time in decades.

It is the most recent sign of soaring tensions between Riyadh and Tehran, which have historically vied to lead competing branches of Islam and more recently are on opposing sides of bloody conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. They have also sparred publicly over Saudi authorities' execution of a Shi'ite sheikh in January and a mob's storming of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran in response.

But tensions between predominantly Sunni Saudi Arabia and Iran, which boasts the world's largest population of Shi'ite Muslims, often come to a head during the hajj, which takes place in Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina in the Saudi kingdom.

Tehran and Riyadh have clashed sharply over the running of the biggest event in the Islamic calendar since an estimated 2,400 pilgrims were killed in a stampede during last year's event, including more than 400 Iranians.

The two sides have failed to agree on safety and logistical issues, ostensibly prompting Iran's exclusion from the pilgrimage on September 10, the first time in nearly three decades that Iranians have been barred from Islam's holiest sites in Saudi Arabia.

Unusually Harsh Exchanges

In a message published on September 5, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Saudi authorities of having "murdered" some of the pilgrims who died in last year's hajj stampede. "The hesitation and failure to rescue the half-dead and injured people...is also obvious and incontrovertible. They murdered them," Khamenei wrote on his website.

Khamenei described the Saudi royal family as "small and puny Satans who tremble for fear of jeopardizing the interests of the Great Satan," in reference to the United States.

Saudi Arabia's top religious authority, responding to a question by the Saudi newspaper Makkah, said he was not surprised by Khamenei's comments. "We have to understand that they are not Muslims," Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh was quoted as saying by the Arab News. "They are children of magi and their hostility toward Muslims is an old one."

Magi, or magus, refers to followers of Zoroastrianism, a monotheistic religion that was prevalent in Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia before the rise of Islam in the seventh century. It is sometimes used by Arabs as an insult against Iranians.

That in turn provoked a harsh response on Twitter from Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, usually known for his smooth diplomacy.

Saudi Arabia has been criticized for its failure to go after clerics in the kingdom that spread radical Wahhabism, and Tehran in the past has accused Riyadh of supporting extremist groups like Islamic State (IS).

Iranian President Hassan Rohani said on September 7 that Islamic countries should take "punitive" measures against Saudi Arabia. He added that "regional countries and the Islamic world should take coordinated measures to punish the government of Saudi Arabia in order to have a real hajj."

Tensions have escalated between Saudi Arabia and Iran in recent months -- particularly in January, when Iranian protesters ransacked the Saudi Embassy and set fires inside after Saudi authorities executed outspoken Shi'ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

History Of Violence

The history of animosity between Saudi Arabia and Iran has on several occasions spilled over to the hajj, leading to bloodshed.

At the pilgrimage in 1987, violence between Iranian Shi'ite pilgrims and Saudi security forces led to the deaths of more than 400 people, including 275 Iranians.

Beginning in the early 1980s, Iranian pilgrims held annual demonstrations against Israel and the United States at the hajj. But in 1987, Saudi police and national guards sealed part of the planned demonstration route, leading to a confrontation. This escalated into a violent clash, followed by a deadly stampede that killed hundreds and injured thousands more.

Following the incident, enraged Iranians attacked the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, while Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini called on ordinary Saudis to overthrow the ruling Saud family in revenge for the pilgrims' deaths. Iran officially boycotted the hajj for the next three years.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, severed its ties with Iran and reduced the number of Iranian pilgrims permitted to take part in the hajj to 45,000, down from 150,000 before the incident.

Events in 1989 further dented relations, as Saudi Arabia accused Iran in connection with two bombing incidents during the hajj, purportedly in retaliation for Saudi restrictions against Iranian pilgrims. The twin bombings killed one pilgrim and wounded a further 16. Saudi authorities eventually executed 16 Kuwaiti Shi'a for the bombings after originally blaming Iranian terrorists.

In the early 1990s, diplomatic relations were restored and an agreement was reached to allow Iranian pilgrims to perform the hajj. Demonstrations have since been permitted by the Saudi authorities only in a specific compound in Mecca, with few incidents reported thereafter.

The hajj, a religious duty for able Muslims and one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, routinely attracts more than 1.5 million Muslims from around the world.

Pilgrims converge on Mecca and perform a series of rituals over several days that include walking counterclockwise seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building that acts as the Muslim direction of prayer; visiting the plains of Arafat to hold vigil and seek divine mercy; and throwing pebbles in a ritual known as the Stoning of the Devil.

The rituals end with three days of celebrations around the world marking Eid al-Adha.
Kyrgyz authorities say they have arrested a Kazakh citizen suspected of being an active member of an international terrorist group.

Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said on September 7 that 38-year-old Shamo Mamedov was placed in pretrial detention on suspicion of organizing the transfer of Kyrgyz citizens to Syria, where they joined Islamic militants.

According to the UKMK, Mamedov was waiting for instructions from an unnamed international terrorist group to carry out additional activities.

Authorities in both Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan say hundreds of their citizens have joined militants of the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq in recent years.

Based on reporting by kabar.kg and Interfax
A private plane traveling to Kosovo from the north Italian city of Treviso crashed in a mountainous region of Macedonia, killing all six people onboard.

Macedonian authorities said that four Italian nationals and two from Kosovo were killed in the crash south of the capital, Skopje.

The pilot had requested to land at Skopje's airport to refuel but didn't report any emergency. Shortly afterward, the plane lost contact with the airport.

Authorities said they had no other details on the passengers.

They described it as a Piper Seneca light aircraft made by the U.S.-based Piper Aircraft Inc. and registered in Germany.

The plane was found shortly after nightfall, several hours after the pilot's last communication with the airport in Skopje.

The cause of the crash is being investigated.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and dpa


WASHINGTON -- The president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) met on September 6 with Armenias president and called for a rapid and transparent investigation of a July 29 attack on three RFE/RL correspondents in Yerevan.

Thomas Kent also expressed satisfaction that RFE/RLs Armenian Service is normally able to operate in Armenia with substantial journalistic freedom, covering local news and interviewing both government and opposition figures. The service is active on television, radio and the internet.

In an interview with the Armenian Service after the meeting, Kent said he told President Serzh Sarkisian that RFE/RLs freedom to operate in Armenia makes the July attack even more surprising.

RFE/RL staff members Karlen Aslanian, Hovannes Movsisian and Garik Harutiunian were attacked by men in plainclothes wielding sticks and metal bars. The reporters were providing reporting and live video of violent clashes between riot police and supporters of opposition gunmen who had seized a police compound.

The reporters were wearing press identification. More than a dozen other Armenian journalists were targeted in the attacks, which U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills called particularly troubling during a July 30 interview with RFE/RL.

I told the president, as I have said before, that RFE/RL expects there to be a full investigation into this case, said Kent. He told me that some people have been arrested already, and I said that we would be looking forward to the progress of that case.

At the meeting, Sarkisian also criticized RFE/RLs coverage of the two-week standoff between security forces and gunmen who seized the police station, killing a police officer. He said coverage was not neutral and objective enough.

I responded that RFE/RL always tries to be fair and objective in its coverage, Kent said in this regard. Clearly whenever we are criticized, we listen carefully to the criticism and if improvements in our coverage need to be made, they will be.
Colleagues of a journalist in Russia's troubled Chechnya region says a court has ordered him imprisoned for three years on drug charges.

The Shali district court sentenced Zhalaudi Geriyev on September 5 for alleged marijuana possession.

Geriyev was a contributor to the website Caucasus Knot, and known for his reporting on human rights in the region, which is tightly controlled by strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.

Geriyev had denied the charges and Human Rights Watch condemned his arrest and trial, saying he was "punished for his work as a journalist."

The rights groups also said that regional authorities were "tyrannizing critics" ahead of the national elections scheduled for September 18.

Chechnya was ravaged by two wars over the past 20 years, but in recent years, under Kadyrov , has settled into an uneasy calm, with the capital, Grozny, glimmering with high-rise skyscrapers, manicured boulevards, and Europe's largest mosque.

Activists have accused Kadyrov and his paramilitary forces of serious rights abuses, including widespread use of kidnapping, torture, and extrajudicial murders.

Based on reporting by AFP and Kavkaz-uzel.ru
Russian security forces say they have killed six militants in a special operation in the North Caucasus region of Daghestan.

The National Antiterrorism Committee (NAK) said on September 7 that the militants included Magomed Khalimbekov, who was described as a local gang leader.

According to the NAK, Khalimbekov and five other militants killed in the regional capital, Makhachkala, and Daghestan's eastern city of Izberbash were involved in a series of attacks against law-enforcement officials and civilians.

Daghestan has been at the epicenter of a wave of violence by armed criminal groups and by militants seeking to establish an Islamic caliphate in the North Caucasus.

Organized crime, business turf wars, political disputes, and clan rivalry also contribute to the bloodshed in the region.

Based on reporting by RIA Novosti and TASS
A Russian delegation will arrive in Egypt on September 7 to decide whether flights to the country should resume after a Russian passenger plane was blown up last October.

The delegation of experts will assess security and technical reforms taken by Egypt to improve safety, the Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry said on September 6.

The downed Airbus A321, operated by Metrojet, was carrying Russian vacationers from the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh to St. Petersburg when it broke up over the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people onboard.

The Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for bringing down the plane with a bomb smuggled inside a soft-drink can.

Russia and Western governments confirmed shortly afterward that a bomb brought the plane down and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi later said the cause was terrorism.

Russia suspended flights to Egypt as a result, devastating the Arab nation's important tourist sector.

Based on reporting by Reuters and TASS


A Russian court has sentenced a man to eight years in prison after ruling he was a member of a group in Syria that was once linked to Al-Qaeda.

The military court in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don on September 7 found Magomed Magomedov guilty of taking part in the activities of the Al-Nusra Front in September-November 2015.

Listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and Russia, the Al-Nusra Front is one of several groups that has been fighting against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

U.S. and Russian forces have been hitting the group with air strikes repeatedly over the past years.

The group recently renamed itself the Front of Fatah al-Sham and announced in July it had ended its relationship with Al-Qaeda.

Russian authorities have said that hundreds of Russian citizens have joined Islamic State militants fighting in Syria and Iraq in recent years.

That's raised fears that battle-hardened militants could seek to return to Russia to conduct terrorist attacks in the North Caucasus or elsewhere.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax
Environmental regulators say they have ordered an investigation into why a river in far northern Russia turned an alarming hue of red in recent days.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology said in a statement on September 6 that residents in districts near the industrial city of Norilsk had lodged formal complaints about the apparent pollution that fouled the Daldykan River.

"According to preliminary information, the possible reason for the river pollution may be a rupture in a slurry pipeline at a Norilsk Nickel plant," the ministry statement said.

Photos that circulated on Russian social media showed sections of the river that more resembled a stop light or a firetruck.

Norilsk Nickel, which is the world's largest producer of nickel and other major industrial metals, said it had seen the images but said there was no evidence of any leak.

The Norilsk region is one of the most polluted areas in the world. The country's statistics service classified the region as Russia's most polluted in 2010.

With reporting by RIA Novosti
Officials say Russian jets repeatedly intercepted U.S. naval reconnaissance planes over the Black Sea, and U.S. defense officials have complained a Russian pilot at one point flew within 3 meters of one of the planes.

The September 7 incident over the Black Sea was the latest in a series of near-miss encounters involving Russian planes and U.S. military ships and planes.

It also came as Russian ramped up large-scale military exercises involving thousands of personnel and equipment in its southern regions. Those drills, called Kavkaz 2016, include naval and land units based on Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Both Moscow and Washington issued conflicting accounts of the air incident, with details differing slightly between the two accounts.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said two U.S. P-8 Poseidon spy planes were involved and the Sukhoi Su-27 jets were scrambled from the Belbek air base on the Crimean Peninsula to respond.

He said in a post on the ministry's Facebook page that the planes were flying near Russia's Black Sea maritime borders with their transponders turned off.

He also said the U.S. planes sharply changed their course and flew away from the Russian maritime border each time the Russian jets approached them for visual identification.

"Russian pilots acted in strict accordance with international rules of conduct for air flights," Konenshenkov said in the statement.

Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said there were four intercepts in all, and during one, a Russian pilot flew within 3 meters of one of the U.S. planes.

He said the U.S. planes were flying what he said was routine operations in international airspace.

Russian jets have occasionally flown close to other U.S. aircraft and navy ships in the region. Earlier this year in the Baltic Sea, Russian jets buzzed the USS Donald Cook, coming within 10 meters of the warship.

With reporting by AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin says the world faces the most dangerous decade since World War II and predicted that the historical period of the West's "undivided dominance over world affairs" is coming to an end.

Speaking on October 27 at a conference of international policy experts in Moscow, Putin said the decade ahead is "probably the most dangerous, unpredictable and, at the same time, important...since the end of World War II."

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Putin laid the blame for the situation at the feet of Western countries, which he said have cast aside the norms of international affairs in order to maintain dominance and hold down countries they see as "second-class civilizations."

The Russian leader also said he had no regrets about sending troops into Ukraine and sought to explain the conflict as part of the efforts by Western countries to secure their global domination.

Putin claimed in his speech to the Valdai Discussion Club, a think tank, that the West had helped incite the conflict and also seeks to stoke a crisis over Taiwan in an attempt to enforce global dominance.

Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, triggering the biggest military conflict in Europe since World War II and driving relations with Western countries that back Ukraine and its drive to be part of the European Union and NATO to their lowest depths since the Cold War.

Putin cast the conflict in Ukraine as a battle between the West and Russia for the fate of the second-largest Eastern Slav country. It is partly a "civil war," he said, as Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Kyiv has flatly rejected both of those ideas.

The goal of what Russia refers to as a "special military operation" is to take the eastern Donbas region, Putin said, adding that in his view the region would "not have survived" on its own had Russia not intervened militarily in Ukraine.

WATCH: A local official told Russian conscripts "You are not cannon fodder" in a video published online recently. The men responded by angrily shouting that, actually, that's exactly what they are.

But the war has gone far beyond the Donbas region, with Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, and other nonmilitary structures, killing tens of thousands of Ukrainians across the country.

Putin used the speech largely to rail against the West, saying it has nothing to offer to the world "except its own domination," and the goal of globalization "is neocolonialism to dominate the world." He said Russia is only trying to defend its right to exist in the face these Western efforts.

Putin also asserted that more and more nations refuse to follow Washington's demands and Russia will never accept the West's attempts to dominate the world.

Citing gay pride parades and the acceptance of transgender people in Western countries, Putin also defended "traditional values" and said "nobody can dictate to our people how to develop and what society we should build."

He also said Russia has never considered the West an enemy and has many things in common with it but will continue to oppose the diktat of Western neoliberal elites.

U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Putin's speech presented no new ideas.

"We don't believe that Mr. Putin's strategic goals have changed here. He doesn't want Ukraine to exist as a sovereign, independent nation state," Kirby said.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Putin's speech can be described as "for Freud," referring to psychoanalysis founder Sigmund Freud.



"The person who invaded a foreign country, annexed its land, and committed genocide accuses others of violating international law and the sovereignty of other countries? One truth: The person who started a wind will get a storm. The storm is coming," he said on Twitter.

Answering questions from journalists after his speech, Putin reiterated the Kremlin's assertion that Ukraine plans to use a so-called dirty bomb on its own territory. The claim has been dismissed as false by Ukraine and its allies, who say Russia may have raised the matter because it plans to use such a bomb in Ukraine as a pretext for escalation.

"It was me who ordered [Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu to inform by phone all his colleagues about it," Putin said, adding that Russia does not need to use dirty bombs in Ukraine.

Putin also said he supported plans by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit Ukraine's nuclear power plants for inspections.

"It must be done as soon and as openly as possible because we know that Kyiv authorities are now working to cover up such [dirty-bomb attack] preparations," Putin said, without giving any exact information proving the claim.

Ukraine invited IAEA inspectors to visit its nuclear facilities after the Kremlin made its unsubstantiated claim about the preparation of a dirty bomb -- which would use the explosion of a conventional warhead to spread radioactive material or chemicals over a wide area.

Ukraine said it would welcome inspections because it had "nothing to hide."

According to Putin, Russia has never talked about the use of nuclear weapons in the war with Ukraine despite his own promise to defend Russian territory with any means at our disposal" and saying his words were "not a bluff."

"We see no need for [using nuclear weapons in Ukraine]," Putin told reporters. "There is no sense for that, neither political, nor military."
KYIV -- A popular Ukrainian TV channel has released what it says is security-camera footage of an arson attack on its Kyiv studios, an incident that increased concerns over violence against journalists and threats to media freedom in the politically volatile country.

The footage, published by the Inter channel late on September 6, appears to show a group of people entering the studios and setting them on fire while a violence-marred protest over what critics say is its pro-Russian stance took place outside the building on September 4.

It shows at least eight masked people in dark clothing and white helmets forcing their way in before moving from room to room, spraying fire retardant from an extinguisher in an apparent attempt to conceal their actions from the security cameras and cause confusion among employees, some of whom can be seen dashing to an exit.

Outside, camouflage-clad protesters carrying a yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flag are seen gathering on the steps in front of the building's entrance, suggesting they were in cahoots with the alleged attackers.

In the final seconds of the spliced footage taken by several cameras, the alleged perpetrators are seen fleeing the office as a fire ignites near the front desk.

Inter described the fire as an attack on freedom of speech, and U.S. and European officials have said any violence against the media is unacceptable.

But the release of the security-camera footage appears unlikely to resolve controversy in Ukraine over the incident, which follows attacks on reporters and mounting pressure from officials and nationalist activists against journalists who have challenged their narrative of the conflict with Russia-backed separatists in the eastern Donbas region.

Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, who has called Inter's programming "anti-Ukrainian," expressed doubt about the authenticity of the security footage, claiming it had been "corrupted."

In an interview with Channel 24, he said the servers hosting the video files had been "flooded with water" while the fire was being put out, according to the news agency Ukrinform. He also said that Inter had not turned over the CCTV footage in its entirety to authorities who have requested it, and suggested that the channel started the fire itself.

There was also a dispute over a claim by protesters that negotiations had yielded a promise from Inter that it would dismiss a senior editor who is a Russian citizen and adhere to a "pro-Ukrainian" policy. In a statement on September 6, Inter said it had held no negotiations with the protesters, and described the fire as a "terrorist attack and arson."

Inter said some of its staff had received treatment for smoke inhalation and one suffered a broken leg during the fire. Law enforcement officials detained nine people suspected of involvement in the blaze on September 4, but released them hours later, the Ukrayinska Pravda news site reported.

A metal fence covered with signs reading "Burn, Inter, burn!" and "Inter is a Kremlin agent!" erected after the fire remained in front of the TV offices on September 7.
UN investigators says aerial bombardments by the Syrian military and its ally, Russia, are causing increased numbers of casualties in the Syrian civil war.

The four-member UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria criticized all sides for an increase in "indiscriminate attacks on civilians" in the deadly civil war that has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced millions of others since it began in March 2011.

But Vitit Muntarbhorn, one of the UN investigators, told reporters on September 6 that aerial bombardments by "pro-government forces...cause the most civilian casualties and damage to the civilian infrastructure, particularly in Idlib and Aleppo."

Commission chief Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, when asked to define pro-government forces in Syria, said: "The forces that are in the air are Russian and Syrian forces."

In a new report issued on September 6, the commission said bombardments by pro-government forces were mostly to blame for the upsurge in violence and cited bombings that had destroyed more than 20 hospitals and clinics just in the Aleppo region since January.

The investigators also expressed deep concern for "at least 300,000 civilians" under siege in rebel-held eastern Aleppo.

Based on reporting by AFP
The Kremlin says expanded U.S. sanctions against Russia are not consistent with talks over possible cooperation between Russia and the United States.

"This is not consistent with talks over possible cooperation in sensitive areas that the two presidents discussed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on September 7.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China earlier this week.

Obama described the meeting as businesslike and said it touched upon ongoing negotiations between their top diplomats over Syria.

Putin said he and the U.S. president took another step forward on moving to resolve the crisis in Syria.

The United States announced on September 1 a new round of sanctions targeting 37 individuals and companies involved in Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

Peskov suggested that Moscow will respond in kind after analyzing the sanctions.

Earlier, he called them a "dead-end track" that fails to solve any problems.

Based on reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and TASS
Bill Ackman

Bill Ackman wants to shake things up at Chipotle.

In a regulatory filing on Tuesday, his hedge fund, Pershing Square, disclosed a 9.9% stake in the fast-casual chain and said it is seeking talks with the company.

Shares of Chipotle jumped following the news. Ackman's stake makes him the second largest shareholder in the company.

"The Reporting Persons (Pershing Square) believe that the Issuer's Common Stock is undervalued and is an attractive investment," the 13D filing stated.

A 13D filing is typically used when an investor takes an activist stance to demand changes. These can range from increased dividends or share buybacks to management shakeups.

Ackman intends to enter discussions with Chipotle's management on the company's business, operations, cost structure, assets, and other components, according to the filing.

Pershing Square has targeted companies including JC Penney and Canadian Pacific Railway. Ackman took an activist short position in Herbalife in 2012  betting the shares would decline while alleging that the company operated like a pyramid scheme.

Chipotle has fought to win customers back since outbreaks of E. coli and norovirus were linked to its restaurants late last year.

The company's shares jumped by as much as 8% in after-hours trading. They slid 42% in the year through Tuesday's market close, slammed by investors' concerns about food safety.

Chipotle reported its first quarterly loss ever in April and has used a loyalty program and free food to try to lure customers back.

"We welcome their investment, and appreciate the confidence they've expressed in our brand, differentiated offering, visionary leadership and strong growth opportunities," said Chris Arnold, Chipotle's spokesman, in a statement to Business Insider. The company learned of Pershing Square's investment on Tuesday, Arnold said.

Pershing Square declined to comment.

Screen Shot 2016 09 06 at 5.13.32 PM

(With assistance from Rachael Levy and Hayley Peterson)

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NOW WATCH: You can now get a burrito out of a vending machine  and it's surprisingly tasty





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As Uzbekistan mourned the death of President Islam Karimov, restaurants across the country offered free meals in keeping with a traditional remembrance feast called the "khudoyi."

But in the days following the September 2 announcement of the strongman leader's death, it appears the memorial comes at a cost for Uzbek citizens and businesses, who say they are footing the bill.

Several sources have told RFE/RL's Uzbek Service on condition of anonymity that state-backed entities and local authorities have ordered local businesses and ordinary civilians to pay for meals served to the public during Karimov's memorial services in Tashkent and Karimov's hometown, Samarkand.

"There are many private businessmen in Samarkand. The city governor has ordered them to raise money for the president's memorial service meal," said a teacher from Samarkand. "I heard this from a friend of mine who owns a furniture business."

The teacher also said that neighborhood committees had been pressuring locals to donate small amounts of money for the memorial service from local residents.

"The head of our neighborhood told us to donate as much as we can," he said. "Some people gave only 100 soms ($0.03), others paid 1,000 ($0.34)."

According to Uzbek tradition, the khudoyi meal mainly consists of plov, a rice and meat dish, along with salad, bread, and tea. The ceremony usually includes at least one religious figure reciting from the Koran and offering prayers for the dead.

Karimov's khudoyi was held in various locations across the country on September 5.

The independent news website Ferghana.ru published a video that shows a crowd of men lined up behind what appears to be a restaurant door trying to get in. The website claimed the men were queueing for a free khudoyi meal in a Tashkent restaurant on September 5.

"It was again public-sector employees that had to pay for the plov," said the manager of a Tashkent nursery. "This compulsory money collecting existed when the president was alive, and it's continuing after he is dead," she lamented.

Karimov's memorial services have not yet finished. According to local customs, further khudoyi meals are expected to be served to mark the seventh, 20th, and possibly the 40th day after his death.

Written by Farangis Najibullah with reporting by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service
POWHATAN  A Powhatan County jury recently recommended a local man convicted of sodomizing a 10-year-old girl receive three life sentences in prison.

Ryan Nicholas Smiley, 20, of Powhatan was convicted on Thursday, Aug. 25, in Powhatan County Circuit Court of three counts of forcible sodomy and three counts of aggravated sexual battery, said Tara Hatcher, Powhatan Countys assistant commonwealths attorney.

Each of the sodomy charges, based on the victims age being under 13, carried a mandatory minimum life sentence, she said. The jury also recommended that Circuit Court Judge Paul W. Cella sentence Smiley to 10 years and fine him $10,000 for each of the three counts of aggravated sexual battery on top of the three life terms.

The offense dates for the charges against Smiley were narrowed down to October and November 2015 in Powhatan County, when Smiley was 19 and the little girl was 10.

Only after the jury convicted the defendant and the members were considering sentencing did they learn that during that same time period, Smiley was out on bond awaiting the finalization of a plea agreement on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and assault of another minor victim, Hatcher said. That female victim was 15 years old at the time of the charges in January 2015.

While he was awaiting his plea agreement to be accepted on the old charges, he is out on bond and then this happens, Hatcher said. It was especially bothersome to get a report several days before we were set for a plea agreement on a different charge with the same defendant and another minor victim. That is why this case was prosecuted very aggressively by myself.

Andrew D. Meyer, Smileys defense attorney, said the trial was difficult for all involved.

While we are disappointed with the jurys verdict, we respect their decision. I assure you this was not an easy decision for the jury. At this time, we are focusing on the task at hand and are evaluating our options, he said.

During the course of investigating Ryan Smiley for the charges involving the 10-year-old, the little girl revealed that Smileys brother, William Alexander Smiley, who is now 18, had assaulted her three years earlier, Hatcher said.

William Smiley was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual battery against the same victim on Wednesday, Aug. 3, in Powhatan County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Hatcher said.

Both brothers are separately waiting for final sentencing this fall. It has yet to be determined whether William Smiley will be sentenced as an adult or juvenile, but his case was presented in open court because it is a felony charge, Hatcher said.

Victim comes forward

Hatcher said the 10-year-old victim and her family were staying in the same Powhatan home as Smiley and multiple others in 2015. On Nov. 20, 2015, the girl described acts of sodomy being done to her by Ryan Smiley to a school guidance counselor.

The little girl was sleeping on a sofa in a common area and told the counselor Smiley would come in the middle of the night and assault her.

Hatcher said the girl later informed investigators she had told a family member three years earlier about William Smileys actions and was punished for it, so she didnt feel she could tell anyone in her family.

Her testimony is that is why she was scared to tell anyone in her family. She didnt think they would do anything, Hatcher said. She finally told her guidance counselor, who, in my closing, I said was the true hero because she provided a stable environment for this little girl to feel safe enough to disclose what had been going on in that house.

However, that information would not be revealed until later. The initial information the girl shared with the guidance counselor about Ryan Smiley was passed on to the Powhatan County Sheriffs Office, and he was arrested on Nov. 23 for one count of aggravated sexual battery, Hatcher said.

He has been in custody ever since at Piedmont Regional Jail, according to court documents.

Hatcher said investigating the allegations was delayed a few days because of the Thanksgiving holiday, but after further interviewing the little girl, the decision was made to direct indict Smiley on the charges the sodomy and aggravated sexual battery and not pursue the initial charge, Hatcher said.

Smiley was originally indicted for one charge of sodomy and aggravated sexual battery for every month from June to November 2015. Hatcher said it was narrowed down by the trial to one offense date in October and two in November that she felt she could prove.

We knew it happened at least twice in November and at least once in October. It probably happened many more times than that, but we knew if we could make one count of sodomy, then it was a mandatory life sentence so it didnt become as important to try to pile them up quantitatively, Hatcher said.

Among the expert witnesses who testified for the commonwealths was the forensic nurse examiner who examined the 10-year-old girl on Nov. 27, 2015.

Although there was no physical evidence of the assault, the woman testified that was not uncommon, Hatcher said.

She also testified that 95 percent of child sex abuse cases have no physical evidence, and that is typically based on delayed reporting by the victims, she said. I took that one head-on and let her testify so the jury wasnt wondering why there wasnt physical evidence. They learned it is really more common than not that you are not going to have that in a case like this.

Ryan Smiley was convicted at the end of a two-day trial and the jury gave its recommendation to Cella, who ordered a presentencing report and set final sentencing for the October term date, Hatcher said.

The plea deal

The jury learned about Ryan Smileys 2015 plea agreement during sentencing, Hatcher said. He was charged with sodomy and attempted rape, both felonies, but as part of the plea deal, those charges were reduced to assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, both misdemeanors.

Those charges pertained to incidents in January 2015 and involved a 15-year-old girl who also was living in the same house as the defendant at the time, Hatcher said.

With the plea agreement, Smiley received 12 months, all suspended for five years, on both of the misdemeanor charges.

The plea agreement was being entered into circuit court on Sept. 10, 2015, when Smiley had a medical emergency and had to be transported by the Powhatan Rescue Squad.

Finalizing the agreement was moved back to Dec. 7, 2015, Hatcher said.

When Smiley turned out to be the suspect in another investigation during the wait for the plea agreement to be accepted in court, Hatcher said she made a motion to withdraw the agreement, but it ended up standing.
The river bacteria that contributed to the death of a Mechanicsville man last week has been identified as Vibrio vulnificus, a health official said.

Charlie Horner, 75, died after a cut from a catfish barb became infected with the bacteria Saturday at the Rappahannock River in Essex County. His leg was amputated Monday to stall the spread of the infection, but he died two days later.

Horners was the first death of 2015 reported in Virginia attributed to Vibrio vulnificus. There have been 17 cases so far this year, five of which were from wound infections, according to preliminary state data.

Human cases are rare, but health departments say residents can take steps to prevent infection.

The Virginia Department of Health receives a small number of reports of the bacteria each year, said Thomas Franck, the director of the Chickahominy Health District.

Vibrio vulnificus naturally occurs in brackish and salt water, especially during the warmer months, including in parts of the James River as it mixes with salt water from the Chesapeake Bay. Its prevalence peaks in July because the bacteria replicates faster in warmer water. It can enter the bloodstream through open wounds or cuts, or when a person eats contaminated shellfish.

Up to 11 cases of Vibrio vulnificus were confirmed by the Virginia Department of Health in 2014, and eight in each of the two years prior. Nationwide, there are about 95 cases, 85 hospitalizations and 35 deaths each year for Vibrio vulnificus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Adding in other types of Vibrio bacteria, there were an average of 34 cases of infection each year in Virginia from 2009 to 2013. An average of 12 per year were from wound infections and most of the others from ingesting shellfish with the bacteria. During the same five-year period, 10 people died of a Vibrio infection.

Infections from Vibrio vulnificus are fatal about 50 percent of the time, according to the CDC. Most cases occur in the Gulf Coast states.

Theres no way for someone to look at the water and tell theres Vibrio. We just have to assume its present in brackish or salt water, Franck said. If they have an open wound, they really need to stay out of the water.

Older age groups and those with chronic diseases are at a higher risk for death from vibriosis because of a decreased immune system, Franck said. Signs of infection include increased redness, swelling or pain in the wounded area. Fever and chills are also symptoms, along with pus coming from the wound.

Wearing swim shoes when wading in water and wearing gloves while handling fish can help prevent infection, Franck said. Health organizations also caution against eating raw or undercooked shellfish.

If a cut occurs while in brackish or salt water, the wound should be flushed with high-pressure sterile water or saline and bandaged before seeking medical attention.
Henrico County police are looking for suspects in robberies at a convenience store and a restaurant that happened over the holiday weekend.

Police say the robberies could be related.

In the first robbery, a man took an unspecified amount of money from a clerk at a convenience store in the 9500 block of Huron Avenue about 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

The suspect is described as a black male, 20 to 25 years old, between 5 foot 10 inches and 6 feet tall, with an average build.

He was wearing a black and red baseball cap, black T-shirt, black shorts and blue/gray gloves. He also had a white T-shirt covering his face.

In the second robbery, a man took money from an employee at a restaurant in the 9700 block of Gayton Road about 4:45 p.m. Monday.

The suspect is described as a black male, 30 to 35 years old, between 5 foot 10 inches and 6 feet tall, and weighing 180 to 200 pounds.

He was wearing a black and red baseball cap, black jacket and black shorts.

No weapons were used in either incident, police said. No one was hurt.

Anyone with information about either robbery is asked to contact Henrico police at (804) 501-5000 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. Citizens can also text Crime Stoppers at 274637, using the keyword iTip followed by the tip.
DailyFX.com -

Talking Points:

- BOE says that UK economy outperforming forecasters pessimistic expectations.

- BOE policymakers warn that more easing might be necessary in future.

- Balanced commentary leads to whippy price action in GBP/USD.

A slew of Bank of England policymakers were on the wires this morning, shedding light on their views of the UK economy in the post-Brexit vote world. News headlines over the past few weeks have been nothing but cheerful, if not smug, about the state of the UK since the June 24 vote. BOE Governor Carney, alongside policymakers Cunliffe, Forbes, and Vlieghe, all weighed in.

With respect to the unexpected outperformance in the UK data recently, it seems the BOE is more than happy to take some credit. After all, the UK money supply is expanding at an incredibly fast pace right rate now (as measured by the three-month annualized rate of growth in M4ex), +14.7% y/y in July). All four BOE policymakers made clear that the central bank is able and willing to do more to stimulate the economy if necessary before the end of the year.

Admittedly, as all of the BOE policymakers conceded, data has turned out better than expected. The rebound in the PMIs in August was anticipated, as the BOE noted, as the sobering fact remains that Brexit hasnt happened yet. The new UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, has yet to trigger Article 50, which would begin the process of negotiating the UKs new standing in Europe with the EU. Until then, everything else is just noise: swings in short-term sentiment that will ultimately have no bearing whatsoever on how the UK is performing once the framework of the EU ex-UK economy is finalized.

See the DailyFX economic calendar for Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Chart 1: GBP/USD 1-minute Chart (September 7, 2016 Intraday)

GBP/USD Volatility Rises as BOE Policymakers Speak on UK Post-Brexit Vote

Around the positive (the UK economy is doing better than we envisioned) and negative (we may still need to ease policy further this year) commentary, the British Pound was quite whippy this morning, testing both sides of its morning range versus the US Dollar. GBP/USD started the policymaker press conference around $1.3372, a tick below where it was at the time this report was written. Between then and now, GBP/USD traded between $1.3350 and $1.3397, levels in which it has traded since approximately 04:30 EDT/9:30 GMT today. With FX volatility edging higher again, its the right time to review risk management principles to protect your capital.

Story continues

Read more: US Dollar Dogged by Sinking Fed Hike Expectations

--- Written by Christopher Vecchio, Currency Strategist

To contact Christopher Vecchio, e-mail cvecchio@dailyfx.com

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ROTHERHAM MP Sarah Champion challenged the Government over its record of tackling the increasing problem of online child abuse.

The shadow minister for preventing abuse told Mondays (5) Commons debate on cybercrime the problem had reached an unprecedented level and was still rising.

Ms Champion said: The Internet Watch Foundation states that there has been a 417 per cent increase in reports of child sexual abuse images and video since 2013, with CEOP [the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre] stating 50,000 people in the UK downloaded or shared child abuse images in 2012.

However, children and parents are woefully underprepared to recognise or prevent abuse and exploitation online, despite the fact that 65 per cent of 12- to 15-year-olds own a smart-phone.

The MP asked security minister Ben Wallace about the plan to address and prevent online abuse.

He said: The obvious answer is that we need to continue to educate both parents and children, either in the school setting or at home, to make sure that they operate safely when they surf the net.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Home Office and the National Crime Agency have engaged in making sure that there are guides online for everyone of every age to follow. That is the first step.

Certainly, the National Cyber Crime Unit, which I went to visit at the NCA, is responsible for making sure that we catch people whether at home or abroad, through its network of overseas postings, to make sure that we bring people to justice whatever side of the channel they are on.
CHILD bus fares across South Yorkshire will rise by 10p later this month.

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) said fares will increase from 70p to 80p on Sunday, September 18.

The changes will also see fares rise on Supertram services in Sheffield.

A spokesman for SYPTE said the fare rise reflects the financial pressures across the local authorities that fund SYPTE.

Stephen Edwards, SYPTE executive director, said: Careful policy planning has helped us achieve the majority of savings internally, protecting most of the public services we provide.

However, we have not been able to avoid the impact of cuts completely, and regretfully this means single child fares will increase by 10p. While this is not a route we want to take, our reduced budget has forced difficult decisions.

For more information on the changes visit www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/childfares.
Diamcor more than doubles Q2 revenue Diamcor generated gross revenues of about $3 million from its operations in the interim period ended September 30, 2022, compared to $1,4 million for the same period in the previous year. The company is still conducting trial mining exercises at its...

IBJA commits to Declaration of Responsibility & Sustainability Principles The Indian gold industry has signed a Declaration of Responsibility and Sustainability Principles, convened by the LBMA and the World Gold Council, which expresses a commitment to operate responsibly and sustainably, based on a clear set of shared goals...

De Beers boosts Q3 output, maintains production guidance De Beers rough diamond production rose 4% to 9.6 million carats, mainly due to the treatment of higher grade ore at both Orapa in Botswana and South Africa as well as continued strong performance in Namibia, according to its parent company, Anglo...

Hong Kongs major jewellery fairs are set to return in 2023 An announcement from Informa Markets Jewellery indicates that the industrys two biggest B2B sourcing events will be back in action in Hong Kong in 2023 following a three-year forced pandemic break.
Metallica are about to set off on tour in support of their upcoming album. The new album, Hardwired . . . To Self-Destruct is due out on November 11. The band has only announced dates for the Latin America, but promises "more to come."

Metallica posted on their website, "As we put the finishing touches on Hardwired . . . To Self-Destruct we're also getting ready to hit the road for the first of many headlining shows around the world. To kick it all off we're returning to five cities we know will absolutely rock hard with all kinds of crazy Metalli-love and get this tour started right! First up we travel to Latin America with stops in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala and Costa Rica."

Metallica's last studio album was Death Magnetic, which was released in 2008. Since then they have done various side projects, including an album with the late Lou Reed, called Lulu.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Entertainment News
Cabinet office is set to release preliminary Japan leading economic indicators index data for July at 1:00 am ET Wednesday. The leading index is expected to show a score of 98.6, down from 99.2 in June.

Ahead of the data, the yen held steady against its major rivals.

As of 11:55 pm ET, the yen was trading at 114.11 against the euro, 135.99 against the pound, 104.66 the Swiss franc and 101.42 against the U.S. dollar.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Forex News
Hitachi Metals, Ltd. late Tuesday said it will introduce harness assembly lines for rolling stock wire and cables at its operation base in the Czech Republic. The company aims to strengthen its system for offering solutions in the rolling stockcable in Europe, with mass production planned to commence in October 2016.

Hitachi Metals will introduce harness assembly lines at Hitachi Cable Europe s.r.o. in the Czech Republic.

Based on the investment and its global growth strategy in the rolling stock cable business, Hitachi Metals' Cable Materials Business aims to achieve revenue of 14 billion yen in the rolling stock business by fiscal 2018.

Hitachi Metals will exhibit the Hitachi Metals Group products for rolling stock and railway networks at InnoTrans 2016 to be held at Messe Berlin in Germany from September 20 to September 23.

In Tokyo, Hitachi Metals shares were trading at 1,231 yen, down 3.30 percent.

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Business News
Ford Motor Co. (F) Wednesday reported that the company and its joint ventures in China sold 96,450 vehicles for the month of August, up 22 percent from last year, mainly driven by new Edge SUV and Focus and Escort.

Changan Ford Automobile sold 75,228 vehicles, up 26 percent, and Jiangling Motor Corporation sold 19,951 vehicles, up 16 percent.

Monthly sales for CAF, Ford's passenger car joint venture, totaled 75,228 vehicles, up 26 percent .

Sales of small vehicles helped lead Ford's strong performance in August, with sales of the new Ford Focus up 92 percent and sales of the Ford Escort up 49 percent compared to August 2015.

JMC, Ford's commercial vehicle investment in China also saw strong August sales, selling 19,951 vehicles, a 16-percent increase compared to August 2015.

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Business News
Barratt Developments Plc. (BDEV.L) reported that its profit before tax for the year ended 30 June 2016 rose 20.7% to 682.3 million pounds from 565.5 million pounds in the prior year.

Annual profit attributable to the owners of the Company grew to 550.3 million pounds from 449.4 million pounds in the previous year. Earnings per share from continuing operations improved to 54.3 pence from 44.6 pence in the prior year.

Revenue for the year grew to 4.24 billion pounds from last year's 3.76 billion pounds.

The company said its board proposed a final dividend of 12.3 pence per share (2015: 10.3 pence per share) resulting in a total ordinary dividend for the year up 21% to 18.3 pence per share (2015: 15.1 pence per share) and the second of its special dividends totalling 125 million pounds, equivalent to 12.4 pence per share, payable in November 2016. This reflects ordinary dividend policy of the dividend being covered three times by earnings, supplemented by the special dividends to November 2017 totalling 400 million pounds.

The company noted that it has delivered its highest completion volumes for eight years, increasing completions by 5.3% to 17,319 homes, a performance that highlights the reliability and delivery capability of housebuilding operations.

After eight years' service to the Board, Mark Rolfe will step down from his position as a Non-Executive Director of the Company with effect from the conclusion of the forthcoming AGM to be held in November 2016. Mark will also stand down as the Senior Independent Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee on the same date.

Richard Akers will replace Mark Rolfe as the Senior Independent Director with effect from the conclusion of the Group's AGM in November 2016. Richard has been a Non-Executive Director of the Group since 2012 and is also Chairman of the Remuneration Committee.

The Board is confident that the Executive Directors - David Thomas, Steven Boyes and Neil Cooper - supported by an experienced and talented Senior Management team, will continue to lead the Group effectively.

The company noted that it has started the new financial year in a good position, with 592.0m year end net cash, a healthy forward order position and an experienced management team in place. There remains an under-supply of new homes, strong government support including Help to Buy (Equity Loan), and a mortgage market willing to lend. As a result, it remains confident in the underlying fundamentals of both the housing sector and its .

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Austria's wholesale prices continued to decline in August, though at a slower pace than in the previous month, preliminary figures from Statistics Austria showed Wednesday.

Wholesale prices dropped 2.1 percent year-over-year in August, following a 3.3 percent decrease in July. The measure has been falling since June 2013.

Prices of old material and scraps plunged the most by 20.1 percent annually in August, followed by fertilizers and agrochemical products with 16.0 percent fall. At the same time, iron and steel prices rose 6.4 percent.

On a monthly basis, wholesale prices edged down 0.2 percent from July, when it slid by 0.9 percent. It was the second consecutive monthly decline.

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Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Canadian stocks look to keep a 3-day win streak going Wednesday, after grinding out modest gains in the previous session.

On Tuesday, the S&P/TSX Composite Index was up 17 points to 14,812.

Another decent advance would take the index to its highest levels this year.

Activist investor has Bill Ackman resigned from Canadian Pacific's (CP.TO) board of directors.

Sears Canada Inc. (SCC.TO, SRSC) reported Wednesday that its second-quarter net loss was C$91.6 million or 90 cents per share, compared to net earnings of C$13.5 million or 13 cents per share last year.

Hudson's Bay Company (HBC.TO) reported a net loss of $142 million in the second quarter.

WTI light sweet crude oil was up 55 cents at $45.38 a barrel, extending gains from the previous few sessions.

Russia and Saudi Arabia have unofficially agreed to act if oil prices head lower.

In economic news, the Toronto Real Estate Board said home sales were up 23.5 percent in August compared to the same month a year ago.

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Market Analysis
Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS-B, RDSB.L, RDSA.L,RDS-A) said that new natural gas discoveries were made earlier this month in Alam El-Shawish concession area in Egypt's western desert. The discovery is one of the largest in Egypt's western desert in recent years.

Aidan Murphy, chairman and CEO of Shell in Egypt, said that the initial estimates indicated about 500 billion cubic feet of natural gas was discovered, with more possible reserves yet to be uncovered. The CEO added that Shell used several new technologies to dig one of the deepest wells in the western desert region.

The discovery could produce between 10 percent and 15 percent of the total production of Badr el-Din Petroleum Co., which is a joint venture that acts on behalf of Shell and the state-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation or EGPC.

Shell owns the license of the entire area, which includes the well. The company gained the rights to explore the western desert for oil and gas in 2012. Badr el-Din is expected to manage the operations.

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Business News
CSX Corp. (CSX) said that it expects earnings per share for the third quarter to decline slightly from second quarter levels, based on high single digit volume reductions that are partially offset by improving efficiency benefits and strong pricing gains that reflect a service product that meets and exceeds customer expectations.

CSX Corporation Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Frank Lonegro updated investors and analysts at the Cowen and Company 9th Annual Global Transportation Conference in Boston about the company's third quarter expectations, full-year guidance and long-term strategy for managing a changing profile.

Lonegro also updated the company's expectations for total full-year coal volume, noting export coal is now expected to be around 25 million tons for 2016, as global market conditions have shown modest improvement recently. As a result, total full-year coal tonnage is now expected to decline between 20 percent and 25 percent year-over-year.

In addition, reflecting the ongoing momentum in efficiency initiatives across the CSX network, Lonegro conveyed the company's expectation that efficiency savings will now exceed $350 million for the full year.

Looking longer term, Lonegro further outlined the CSX of Tomorrow strategy that is designed to maximize opportunities in the company's evolving business mix to drive earnings growth and margin expansion.

The company plans to redeploy capital to extend sidings that drive longer, more efficient trains; for automation to further enhance efficiency; and in intermodal terminals and double-stack clearance projects to capture additional share of the estimated 9 million truckload market opportunity in the east. These initiatives are designed to further CSX's progress toward its target of a mid-60s operating ratio longer term.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Ireland's Prime Minister Enda Kenny stands alongside the Irish national flag, and the EU flag, as he speaks during a joint press conference with European Council President Donald Tusk outside government buildings in Dublin on September 7, 2016 (AFP Photo/Paulo Nunes dos Santos)

Dublin (AFP) - Ireland's parliament battled through an ill-tempered debate on Wednesday to vote in favour of appealing a European Commission ruling ordering the country to collect billions of euros in unpaid taxes from tech giant Apple.

Parliament voted 93-36 to support the appeal against the ruling that Ireland must collect 13 billion euros ($15 billion) from Apple.

The decision followed a heated debate in Dublin during which Prime Minister Enda Kenny asserted the EU ruling "could not be allowed to stand", insisting Ireland had "played by the rules" when it came to its tax treatment of Apple.

The Commission ruled last week that Apple had received favourable tax terms that amounted to state aid -- illegal under its rules.

Ireland's decision to challenge the ruling reflects fears that accepting the windfall could scare away international investment, undermining a reputation for business-friendliness that is a cornerstone of the country's economy.

Kenny has refused to distribute the 150-page European Commission report to lawmakers, citing "commercial sensitivities".

Gerry Adams, leader of opposition party Sinn Fein, spoke out against the appeal.

"We want companies like Apple in Ireland," he said. "But this doesn't mean one should turn a blind eye to tax evasion or avoidance."

The Commission's ruling against Apple was met with a warning from Washington that the move could damage hugely important transatlantic economic ties.

Ireland's two main parties, Kenny's Fine Gael and the opposition Fianna Fail, which supports the minority government, backed the appeal.

But Sinn Fein, which increased its support in elections earlier this year on an anti-austerity platform, vehemently argued that to do so meant "defending the indefensible".

The party's finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said Apple had operated "a sort of untaxed Bermuda Triangle" facilitated by Ireland.

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Opinion polls reflected the divisive nature of the ruling with many people arguing in favour of Apple paying the back taxes.

The government claims Apple has paid the full amount due to the Irish state from 2004 to 2014 and denies it gave it "selective treatment".

The European Commission meanwhile says Apple paid an effective corporate tax rate of just 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014 -- equivalent to just 50 euros for every million.

- 'Damage' to Ireland's reputation -

Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the ruling had fed into an "outdated caricature" of Ireland as a tax haven and must be appealed to defend its future ability to attract foreign investment.

"The government's position throughout this process has been that the full amount of tax was paid in this case and no state aid was provided," he told parliament.

"Ireland did not give favourable tax treatment to Apple: Ireland does not do deals with taxpayers."

Noonan also said other countries had indicated a willingness to support Ireland's appeal in the European courts.

Kenny said the ruling had done "great damage" to Ireland's international reputation.

"The picture of Ireland painted by the Commission in this decision as a country prepared to play fast and loose with the law to gain unfair advantage could not be more damaging or further from the truth," he said.

Apple has had a base in the southern city of Cork since 1980 and employs nearly 6,000 people in Ireland, through which it routes its international sales totalling billions.

The debate coincided with the much-hyped launch in San Francisco of Apple's latest-generation products, designed to cement its place as the world's most valuable company.

Among other innovations, the company unveiled two upgraded models of its flagship smartphone and improvements to its Series 2 watch.
Two Russian astronauts and an American astronaut have returned to Earth after their mission aboard the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams and his Russian crewmates Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, landed in their Soyuz TMA-20M at 9:13 p.m. EDT Tuesday (7:13 a.m. Wednesday, local time) southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan.

Having completed his fourth mission, Williams now has spent 534 days in space, making him first on the all-time NASA astronaut list. Skripochka now has 331 days in space on two flights, while Ovchinin spent 172 days in space on his first.

Williams was instrumental in preparing the station for the future arrival of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft.

During his time on the orbital complex, Williams ventured outside the confines of the space station for a second spacewalk with Rubins to retract a spare thermal control radiator and install two new high-definition cameras.

Together, the Expedition 48 crew members contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard humanity's only orbiting laboratory.

Expedition 49 continues operating the station with Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos in command. He, Rubins, and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will operate the station for more than two weeks until the arrival of three new crew members.

Shane Kimbrough of NASA and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch September 23 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

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Political News
Goldman Sachs has banned its partners from contributing to certain political campaigns, which includes the Donald Trump-Mike Pence presidential ticket.

The story was first reported by Politico.

"The policy change is meant to prevent inadvertently violating pay-to-play rules, particularly the look-back provision, when partners transition into roles covered by these rules," the memo said.

"The policy change is also meant to minimize potential reputational damage caused by any false perception that the firm is attempting to circumvent pay-to-play rules, particularly given partners' seniority and visibility," the memo added.

Securities and Exchange Commission limits contributions to politicians that have some control over pensions, such as state and local officials.

The Bank's partner can't contribute to Trump/Pence campaign because Pence is the governor of Indiana, giving him influence over state pensions. While, they can contribute for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as she currently doesn't hold office and her vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine also is not a state or local official.

In 2012, Goldmand Sachs had paid $12 million in fine to SEC to settle charges over contribution of funds to the campaign of a then Massachusetts state treasurer and governor candidate Timothy Cahill.

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Business News
A week after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's high-profile meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Luis Videgaray resigned as the country's Finance Minister on Wednesday.

Videgaray, who was reportedly seen as Pena Nieto's right-hand man, will be succeeded by former finance chief Jose Antonio Meade.

The move comes amid widespread criticism of Trump's meeting with Pena Nieto, with a columnist for Mexico City daily Reforma saying the country feels betrayed by its president.

Local media reports have said it was Videgaray's idea to invite Trump to Mexico City, although Pena Nieto has disputed that claim.

Pena Nieto told one interviewer that the decision to invite Trump had been his alone, although the Wall Street Journal noted the timing of Videgaray's departure suggests otherwise.

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Political News
Crude oil futures continued to rise Wednesday amid hopes that Russia and Saudi Arabia will curb supplies.

The world's two biggest producers intend to cooperate on supply quotas if oil prices fall below $40, according to analysts.

Iran is expected to go along with any plans that do not require it to slow production after years of sanctions.

Oct. WTI oil settled at $45.50/bbl on Nymex, up 67 cents, or 1.5%.

Traders will be paying attention later today when the American Petroleum Institute releases its weekly U.S. energy inventories data.

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Market Analysis
ITT Technical Institutes, one of the largest for-profit colleges in the U.S., shut down Tuesday, stranding about 45,000 students and 8,000 staffers just as fall classes start.

Parent company ITT Educational Services announced the move less than two weeks after the Department of Education shut off financial aid funding for new students enrolling at the troubled college, which offered career-focused certificate programs or associate degrees at 136 campuses and online in fields such as nursing and IT.

The shutdown has been a long-time coming. ITT, which has been in operation for 50 years, has been under scrutiny by federal and state regulators for fraud and abuse for several years and is the target of numerous lawsuits. Charges include that ITT misled students about job placement prospects and lied about student loan default rates. ITTs enrollment has dropped from about 85,000 six years ago.

ITT blamed the Department of Education for the shutdown. The actions of and sanctions from the U.S. Department of Education have forced us to cease operations of the ITT Technical Institutes, and we will not be offering our September quarter. We reached this decision only after having exhausted the exploration of alternatives, including transfer of the schools to a non-profit or public institution, according to a company statement.

Consumer advocates say the Department of Education acted appropriately. ITT Tech has a long record of making big promises to students, only to leave them deep in debt without delivering the kind of quality education they need to succeed, says Suzanne Martindale, staff attorney for Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports. We are pleased that the Department of Education has stepped up its oversight of ITT Tech and that students and taxpayers will no longer subsidize this failing institution."

Options for Current and Former Students

While critics of for-profit colleges applauded the shutdown, it leaves current students scrambling to figure out what to do. The Department of Education has set up a dedicated phone number, 800-4FEDAID, and a website for ITT students. There will also be a series of national webinars, starting Wednesday. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's student loan ombudsman also posted information on its site. Students who are currently enrolled or enrolled in the last 120 days essentially have two options, according to the Department of Education:

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Transfer their credits to a similar program at another school.

Apply for a federal student loan closed school discharge. Go through the Department of Education's dedicated ITT site or work with your loan servicer to apply for the cancellation. The discharge program doesnt cover Parent PLUS loans or private bank loans.

Transferring credits will be difficult, says Debbie Cochrane, vice president of the Institute for College Access & Success. While its up to a school to decide, ITT says on its own site that credits are unlikely to transfer.

Cochrane says even if some credits transfer, ITT students may be better off just starting over. If youre three years into a program and you find a school that will only accept a couple of credits, you are probably better off getting your loan debt wiped clean, says Cochrane. If you do transfer your credits to another college and continue your program of study, you can't have your loans discharged.

For graduates or those who withdrew from ITT a while back, it's a different story. If its been more than 120 days since you graduated or withdrew from ITT, you wont be eligible for the federal loan discharge program. But you could apply for cancellation of your loans under what is known as a borrowers defense to repayment case if you can prove the school defrauded you. Many nonprofits are providing free information and counseling to affected students at ITT already. You can find out more at the Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project site at the National Consumer Law Center.

Some community colleges are stepping up to help ITT students. For example, Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania will hold information sessions for prospective students who want to enroll.

Is Your School Next?

ITT isnt likely to be the last for-profit school in this situation. Dozens of for-profit schools have been targets of government investigations and lawsuits from students. Last year, Corinthian Colleges shut down. Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission announced a lawsuit against DeVry University for allegedly deceiving consumers about the likelihood that graduates would find jobs in their fields of study and would earn more than those graduating with bachelor's degrees from other colleges or universities.

This puts for-profit schools on notice that they need to focus on educational quality, not just enrollment numbers, says Martindale. The collapse of Corinthian, and now ITT, sends the message that no college is too big to fail and that the days of making grand promises to students about helping them get ahead in life can't be built on sand.

Not all for-profit schools are bad but if youre considering one, do your homework.

Look for regional accreditation. Accreditation is no guarantee of the quality of a school. National accreditation groups such as Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges and Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools have had their own problems and have not been successful in finding where students are being defrauded. Besides that, many of their board members are from for-profit schools, says Stephen Burd, senior policy analyst of the Education Policy Program at New America, a nonpartisan public-policy institute.



Regional agencies do a better job, says Burd. Check for credentials at the Department of Educations Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs. It's important to check whether a particular program has the accreditation you'd need, especially if the job you're training for requires a state license, says Martindale.

Understand the costs. Most for-profit schools charge higher tuition than comparable programs at community colleges and public universities yet their students carry significantly more debt. Comparison shop before you enroll and consider less expensive programs at community colleges and public schools.

Check for complaints. A simple Google search with the school name and complaint or lawsuit is a start. You can check for formal complaints with your local Better Business Bureau and through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus Paying for College site.

Beware a hard sell. School recruiters often pressure students into enrolling. If that happens, you should go elsewhere. "If a school is making a slick sales pitch, promising you a quick and easy path to a high-paying job, think twice," says Martindale.





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Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright  2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S.
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...
By SA Commercial Prop News

Artists impression of the revamped Buffalo City shopping centre.



Nedbank Corporate Property Finance recently approved R20 million development finance for the refurbishment and extension of the Balfour Park Shopping Centre on Balfour Road in Buffalo City, one of South Africas two new metropolitan cities

Previously known as East London, Buffalo City will become a metropolitan city after the local municipal elections. Along with Mangaung, previously known as Bloemfontein, which will also become a metro, the new Buffalo City Metro will bring the total number of metropolitan municipalities in South Africa to eight.

The other six metros are the City of Johannesburg, Tshwane (Pretoria), Ekurhuleni (East Rand), Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) and eThekwini (Durban).

Nedbank is proud to support the development of Buffalo City, which has been declared a metro due to the brisk urbanisation in the city, the significant movement of people and goods and the rapidly expanding industrial areas and development nodes, says Richard Thomas, regional executive Nedbank Corporate Property Finance, Cape.

All of these developments bode well for the local economy, as well as the local property sector in Buffalo City.

The Balfour Park Shopping Centre is currently located on two erven, and a third bordering erf was recently acquired, all fronting onto Balfour Road.

National brands that already occupy the main centre include Fruit & Veg City and Incredible Connection, which will soon be joined by Checkers as the anchor tenant. Other national tenants include Cash Crusaders, Sportz and Brands Furnishers.

The redevelopment of the centre by Sable Sand Trading 33 (Pty) Ltd, will be completed in two phases. The first phase will involve the refurbishment of the current Game premises for Shoprite Checkers.

During phase two, a new mall with 922m of line shops will be constructed, along with a concrete deck to allow for semi-basement parking.

This extension will ensure the long-term viability of the development. The extension will necessitate additional parking for which the third erf has been acquired. The beneficial occupation date is in June/July 2011 and the commencement date of the Checkers lease is scheduled for July 2011.

Our decision to finance the refurbishment and extension of the popular Balfour Park Shopping Centre on the busy Balfour Road is not only a well-considered investment, but also a significant contribution to the upliftment and improvement of this soon-to-be South African metro, adds Thomas.

As part of the proudly South African Nedbank group, Nedbank Corporate Property Finance is pleased to provide financial solutions that anticipate and fulfil the requirement for growth and expansion in future growth areas such as Buffalo City.

The second largest city in the Eastern Cape province, Buffalo City is home to around 400 000 residents, while the Buffalo City metropolitan area has 1.4 million residents.

The city is an attractive centre for import-export business and its strategic location makes it an important investment destination. Its low input costs and excellent infrastructure - including rail and road access to the rest of the country, an airport and a deepwater port - have seen Buffalo City become the location of choice for major international companies such as Mercedes-Benz SA, Nestle, Johnson & Johnson and Marley Flooring.
Racing sailors are well practiced at sail handling for fast transitions. Fast is usually not important or practical for short-handed cruisers, like our friend above. Efficient sail handling from a well setup boat, practice, and good crew communication reduces crew risks and equipment breakages.

Step one is setting up the boat to make sail handling easier. Cruising boats are usually reasonably well set up, but it takes time on the water to learn what works well and what needs improvement. Friction causes the most trouble. Friction makes you weak, and swear like a sailor. I installed a Harken furling system for cruising friends in Singapore. The next day they had words with me because furling was harder than ever. I went back to their boat and tested each furling line guide blocks. Only one of them actually turned, and the rest were easily fixed with fresh water and silicone spray.

Keep winches, blocks, and sheaves in good order. Watch for line chafe and metal fatigue. And give thought to unplanned sail handling events  they happen. When Totem was ghosting along the Pacific ITCZ, the heavy duty stainless steel pad eye securing the mainsheet to the boom sheared off. The part was less than a year old, and failed from slatting force. By chance, I had installed a webbing strop around the boom just in case such a thing happened. The mainsheet was reattached in just a couple minutes.

Step two of efficient sail handling is matching sails to the conditions. This may seem obvious, but its common to see people raise the anchor and hoist full sails; then outside of the protected anchorage, bigger wind hits and they scramble to reef the main. This is almost like sport in the eastern Caribbean this spring watching boats poke out from the lee and into the channel between islands. Start the day with a weather forecast and a few moments of observation before getting underway, and don't forget the impact of geography.

Once underway, reducing sail area is all about observation and timing. In 20 knots of true wind, I can reef our mainsail on my own in 2 minutes less if more motivated by approaching squall. In 30 knots it takes at least twice as long. Monitoring wind speed and watching for obvious changes (like squalls) and subtle changes (such as increasing gusts) gives you time to adjust sails when its still easy.

Approaching the South African coast last November, we expected landfall 6 to 12 hours ahead of forecasted bad weather. With 20 miles remaining of the 1,000 mile trip, we were sailing in gentle conditions with a perfect sunrise, and feeling good. Then I looked up. Above a thin layer of clouds going our way, clouds whipped along in the opposite direction. Bad news: the southerly buster came early! Engine on, we prepared for strong headwinds. At 7 miles to go, wind was 25 to 30 knots on the nose and against the strong Aghulas current. Waves piled up with no gap between them, and our speed dropped under two knots bashing into them. It was a tedious few hours getting in, but each additional hour out there would have been worse.

This post was contributed by Jamie, who shares his more technical sailing experience from time to time. It's really two legs on a three-legged stool, because routing is as important to efficient passagemaking as sail trim and sail handling...that post will have to come later.
Infantrymen disembark from a lorry on the site where a police helicopter participating in an operation to capture leaders of an unidentified criminal group was shot down on the eve, on September 7, 2016 in El Chauz, Michoacan State, Mexico (AFP Photo/Pedro Pardo)

El Chauz (Mexico) (AFP) - Troops and police hunted Wednesday for gang suspects who shot down a police helicopter in western Mexico, killing five aboard in a clash highlighting the government's struggle to quell violence in the region.

The suspects apparently used a high-powered, .50-caliber Barrett rifle to bring down the helicopter chasing them in Michoacan state on Tuesday, said National Security Commissioner Renato Sales.

"It was indeed shot down," Sales told Radio Formula, adding that authorities were "working to capture those responsible."

The pilot and three state police officers died at the site. The state prosecutor's office said a fourth agent succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday.

The helicopter's charred wreckage lay amid high grass and bushes, according to AFP journalists who visited the crash site on Wednesday.

It is the second time since 2015 that a gang has downed a helicopter. Last year, the powerful Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in neighboring Jalisco state used a rocket launcher to hit a military helicopter, killing seven soldiers and a policewoman.

A federal government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly, told AFP that there is "suspicion that this cartel" also downed the aircraft in Michoacan.

The deadly incident near the village of El Chauz happened amid a resurgence of violence in Michoacan, a state once dominated by New Generation's rivals, the pseudo-religious Knights Templar drug cartel.

- 'Hot Land' -

Michoacan Governor Silvano Aureoles said Tuesday the helicopter had backed an operation to capture leaders of an unidentified gang after the suspects tried to abduct a farmer in La Huacana.

The confrontation took place in Michoacan's Tierra Caliente (Hot Land), a region that has endured years of drug violence and vigilante justice.

The helicopter crashed in a mountainous area where local farmers grow lime and mango.

Story continues

Authorities manned checkpoints leading to the area of the incident, which was cordoned off with some 200 soldiers and police keeping guard.

The federal source said soldiers, marines and state police were hunting for suspects.

Aureoles said Tuesday's incident followed a series of operations to capture gang leaders in Tierra Caliente and Sierra Costa that, since August 30, had netted a dozen arrests and several weapons, including two rocket launchers.

The Knights Templar terrorized Tierra Caliente until lime growers formed vigilante forces in 2013 to fight back against the gang, which murdered, kidnapped and charged the population protection taxes.

The cartel was weakened as authorities deployed troops and arrested or killed its top leaders, but smaller criminal groups have since emerged.

The vigilantes have been ordered to disband or join official police forces but some of the militia members have been implicated in crimes.

- 'A mess' -

A former self-defense force member, who now works as a police officer, told AFP that remnants of the Knights Templar and groups known as the Viagras and Trojans operate in the region.

"It's a mess," he said on condition of anonymity.

Hipolito Mora, a former leader of the self-defense forces, told AFP that the violence stems from power struggles after the capture and death of the Knights Templar's top two leaders.

"It's a fight among them. They are divided, they are killing each other, they are still kidnapping, they are still extorting," Mora said, lamenting that "corrupt" vigilante leaders allowed cartel members to join self-defense forces.

Homicides are on the rise in the state, with 678 murders in the first seven months of the year compared with 777 in all of 2015, according to federal government figures. At least 150 people were killed in July alone, a twofold increase from the same month last year.

Michoacan's cardinal and Roman Catholic bishops have issued a letter denouncing the rise in violence and the persistent extortion of citizens by criminals.

The state has bedeviled the Mexican government for years. It was there that then-president Felipe Calderon deployed troops for the first time against drug cartels after he took office in December 2006.

President Enrique Pena Nieto has maintained his predecessor's militarized campaign against the gangs.
Young roster has high hopes for future. Only four seniors suited up.
The 11th Pacific Islands Surgeons Association three-day conference is being held this week at the Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi building.

The meeting sees different surgeons from all around the Pacific discussing issues that need to be addressed.

High on the agenda for each country will be gathering statistics of qualified medical personnel and planning, with the assistance of governments.

Samoas Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Leao Tuitama said the conference theme Pacific surgery  directions and indicators speaks volumes of the status of our surgical field in the Pacific and the fact that there is a need to develop, guide, direct and own direction in the next 50 years.

Understanding where gaps are in terms of data, equity, services and capacity therefore calls for common and minimum core indicators for regional comparison, said Tuitama.

It is about ensuring that the indicators chosen will help to answer key policy and implementation questions and enable forward planning for health and development.

In essence, that requires our measuring value, but not valuing measures.

President of the Pacific Islands Surgeons Association, Lord Viliami Tangi told the Samoa Observer yesterday that there will be many issues that will be discussed in the conference but the main issue that we will cover in this meeting will deal with where we are.

How the people of the Pacific access safe and affordable surgery when they need it, we need to look hard into that and plan in the pacific, he said.

How many qualified surgeons, anaesthetists and obstetricians that a country needs?

This is similar in other Pacific countries and most of the time we dont know, we just continue working and doing operations but critically we need that support of the politicians to work out the actual surgical plan for the country.

Lord Tangi went on to say that every Pacific country needs to have surgical plans not only health plans but in surgery which will cover the issues faced by surgeons.

What human resource workforce requires, what the hospital is setting up and we need people to feel that they can access a safe and affordable surgery, he said.

We will also cover trauma, humanitarian responses to emergencies and the workforce but the main issue that I as the president of the Surgeons Association would like to spend more time on, is how to educate our surgeons and co-workers.

We dont need to just look at the patients coming in and then plan operations and then send them home, but plan for the future.

We need to sustain delivery and good quality, surgical services.

This will be our main focus and its important for all the participants to concentrate on those things at our meeting.

From this three day conference the President said he would like to have young surgeons involved in the planning for the various Pacific islands.

Its for our young surgeons to be able to be involved in planning, that is our aim and that is the sort of thing that we dont just leave to the politician but surgeons must be involved in it, he said.

The P.I.S.A. conference is held every two years and the next conference will be held in Suva, Fiji.
The decision by the Attorney General, Herman P. Retzlaff, to hire independent prosecutors to defend the Police Commissioner and the Director of the National Prosecutions Office, against charges being made against them in court has somehow rekindled seemingly undying, sad memories we thought would never show up again.

In an announcement published in yesterdays Samoa Observer, Mr Rezlaff said the officers in question, who have since been suspended from office, were indeed entitled to certain forms of assistance that are supposed to be prescribed by law.

He wrote: Public interest dictates that where the heads of government departments that are to undertake law enforcement in Samoa, are involved in cases particularly where charges were brought by the two departments against each other at the same time, all steps must be taken in transparency and good governance to ensure that justice is not just done, but is also seen to be done.

Well like it or not, to gullible us that is, we are not sure what this is all about.

Whats wrong with abiding by the simple law called Unblemished Truth to determine who is right and who is wrong, so that right away its crystal clear that justice is not just done but it is also seen to be done?

Well, we said just now that this little fracas has rekindled sad memories we thought would never show up again, in connection with court trials where certain public officials had sued this newspaper for defamation and even criminal libel, so shall we talk a bit about one of them?

It is 9.30 Saturday morning. We are in court. The trial has resumed and old Jacobs Q.C. has started his cross-examination.

He goes straight to the Hansard.

Overnight you have had an opportunity to look at Hansard, havent you? he asks.

Yes.

Youve had a look, havent you, at both the English and the Samoan translations of Hansard, that is correct?

Yes.

Have you found any allegation anywhere by any Member of Parliament against the Prime Minister to the effect that the Prime Minister lied?

Yes your Honour.

Will you draw our attention to that please?

Several instances were shown to Mr Jacobs and the court. One of the allegations refers to the PM as the thieving Prime Minister.

I think it speaks for itself, Mr Jacobs says. It is the Prime Minister himself talking, is that right?

Yes your Honour.

Did you report the exact words in you newspaper?

I cant recall using the exact words. But I remember reporting about this issue.

I just asked you if you reported those words.

I cant remember.

Mr Jacobs is now indicating he wants evidence to show that the PM is lying with regards to the PC (Police Card) saga, and yet none could be found in the copies of the Hansard I had gone through the night before.

So I take it there is no allegation there that the Prime Minister had lied about the PC card or the previous convictions, is there?

There is your Honour. In Hansard 19 January 1993 on the bottom of page 219, the Leader of the Opposition is reported as saying: Mr Speaker, I rise with respect, the Prime Minister is a liar; he is a deliberate liar indeed.

Mr Jacobs response is instant.

That is our next one, he tells the court. I was coming to 19 January 1993, and that was in regard to the PC saga?

No your Honour.

What was that about?

It was about a speech in Parliament over a protest march.

So we dont, in your case, rely on the 19 January 1993 statement, that this is an instance where the Prime Minister is accused of lying in Parliament, concerning the PC saga.

No, I reply.

Then can we take the next publication  incidentally, did you print anything about this on 19 January 1993?

No your Honour.

So it would be correct to say that this publication of 19 January 1993 received no publicity in your newspaper?

No.

Now Mr Jacobs is saying: In regard to what happened in 1993 as impacting upon the Prime Ministers good name and reputation, do you say that this statement affected the Prime Ministers good name and reputation, that the Prime Minister is a liar, he is a deliberate liar indeed? Do you say that that affected his good name and his reputation?

Yes, I reply.

But of course, what we do know is that in the 1996 election he was returned with an increased majority, wasnt he?

Yes.

With one of the largest majorities ever given to any political party in this country?

Yes.

And that was in what month of 1996?

I cannot recall.

And it was in that election in 1996 that the opposition party lost a number of seats?

Yes.

And you still say that this allegation of 19 January 1993 impacted upon the Prime Ministers good name and reputation?

Yes. For the Prime Minister to be called a liar, that is not very good.

Jacobs asks: Can we now go to the last item where you say the Prime Minister was accused of lying in Parliament? Was that the June 1995 publication page 122, do you say?

Yes.

Do you have a copy of that for us? We would be grateful if we could use that.

He is given copies.

May I give one to his Honour? Mr Jacobs says. This has really got nothing whatever to do with the PC saga, has it?

No, I say.

So what is it about?

I was under the understating that I was to look for instances where the PM had been accused in Parliament of being a thief and a liar.

I understand what you were looking for, Mr Jacobs says. Where do you read in this statement that the Prime Minister was accused of lying?

On 5 March 1997, the PM accused another MP of his of having been jailed for stealing, I said. Then the accused MP stood up and refuted this saying: The reason I was jailed was that I had given the wrong information to the court, and you must be thankful to me since I have been made to pay the penalty for all your lying and your stealing.

Mr Jacobs says: What then happened, I just want to refresh your memory, was that there was a letter written and tabled in Parliament on 2 July 1997. I would like you to have a look at it. It is in Hansard on page 17.

Now addressing the defendant, Mr Jacobs is saying: On the assumption that his Honour will accept the evidence of Semi Lesa, you dont allege that was a cover up, where the Police were asked immediately the issue was raised to investigate the report, or do you think that was a cover up?

No your Honour.

Have you got any reason to doubt the integrity of Superintendent Semi Lesa?

No.

Would it be correct to say so far as you are concerned, he is an honorable police officer, as far as you are concerned?

Yes.

I take it that so far, on the facts that I have given you, you dont take any allegation that those facts constitute a cover up, do you?

No. But later when the file turned up I started to ask questions.

And it must have been clear to you that what the Prime Minister was thinking was that the allegation concerned if any ...

At this point Dr Harrison interjects saying: He cant possibly say what the Prime Minister was thinking.

His Honour intervenes: Yes.

Mr Jacobs: I will leave that. The next time this was raised in Parliament was after July 1997, in January of 1998, is that right?

I do not remember dates.

Have a look at page 38 of volume 3. When a government member put forward a motion that the Commissioner of Police and Prisons and the Secretary of Justice submit, as matter of urgency, all written documents and other matters providing allegations made against the leader of the government by the leader of the Opposition that he had committed these offences, namely theft, do you see that?

Yes your Honour.

My question to you is: You agree that that was the next time this matter was raised in Parliament subsequent to July of 1997?

I guess so.

And the matter was raised by the government itself asking for documents to be produced to parliament, is that right?

Yes.

I take it you dont for one moment suggest that Parliament asking for proof of the allegations against the Prime Minister is part of a cover up?

No.

And I take it from your knowledge of Hansard that the Prime Minister voted in favour of the resolution that the Police be instructed to bring forward any documents that, if produced, could blacken his name?

Yes.

Do you think that when the prime Minister voted in favor of that motion, that was part of a cover up?

No.

In fact, I am sure it must have occurred to you that it was the very opposite, that the Prime Minister was voting in favour of a full Police investigation into this matter. Isnt that so?

Yes.

You have told us yesterday that it occurred to you that was a cover up?

Later, when the file disappeared and then reappeared, that was when I thought that.

Well, you thought only after the file had been produced that this was a cover up, is that what you say?

Yes.

And without having any evidence to support it, it was your view that the Prime Minister was party to a cover up, is that right?

This is infuriating.

Now addressing the court, I say: Your Honour, I did not accuse him of being involved in a cover-up. Here is an important document that went missing and then after a while it reappeared. And since the prime minister of this country was involved, this was very much a matter of public interest so that any responsible journalist would naturally want to know what had happened to it. That was my opinion.

Jacobs: And you felt you were justified, without any facts to support it, to publish the article at page 32 of volume 7 which we went through yesterday.

I reply: Your Honour, the facts were there. The Prime Minister had a police file recording his convictions. Parliament requested the surrender of the file.

The Prime Minister told parliament he had been advised by a Senior Police officer the file was missing. After a while the file reappeared. These were the facts. I had them in my mind when I wrote that editorial.

Jacobs: Would it be correct to say that in your mind, those facts justified your writing the article in volume 7 page 32?

Yes sir, I reply. Absolutely.
Life can be tough when only a single member of the family is working, but for Fiaavae Lelevaga, aged 38 from the village of Utualii, it is still possible to make ends meet.

Right now my family isnt in need of anything; we are just waiting for my husband who will be returning this Sunday, Fiaavae tells the Village Voice.

He is a seasonal employee, he left for six months and this is his first time. We rely mostly on his wages from overseas to take care of the family.

He would send about $200 every week and its sometimes barely enough after everything.

Are you and your family facing any hardships?

There are too many village and church obligations which take a lot of our money, Fiaavae confesses.

Samoans are known to serve so I guess our obligations have to be met. I still manage to feed the family and put the children through school out of the $200 I am given.

It would be nice if some of the church leaders will look at the congregation with love and see if any of them need help.

When we get the money from my husband then the money is gone straight away to the different obligations we have.

What about poverty, is there any poverty in Samoa?

I reckon the only problem in regards to poverty is that the cost of living is a bit high, Fiaavae says.

When were broke we cut down everything to make food such as breadfruit and so on. The prices are just too high. We had tin fish that was only $2 before and now its over $3 and if I reach into my purse and its empty then yeah.

There is poverty in Samoa, sometimes. Sometimes we can afford the necessities and other times we cannot.

Do you have any requests for the Government of Samoa?

The price of chicken has been raised and it makes things a bit tougher, Fiaavae says.

My only request to the government is to please drop the price a little for essential food items here in Samoa. Other than that, everything is great..its balanced.

My family is living off of tin fish because its cheap. When my family want chicken then tough luck, we can only afford tin fish.

Other than what you have said, how is life for you and your family?

Life is great for us. says Fiaavae.
Although New Zealand born and raised in Australia, Miriama Latu Meafou was afforded the Samoan upbringing like any other normal Samoan child.

Aua le fia faalia mai ou uiga fia palagi lega a? (Dont you dare show me that European attitude.)

Ou ke kago ao loa ia oe e vaai ia. (Dont tempt me to slap you silly), the 21-year old Miss Samoa Australia said recalling the many scoldings from her strict Samoan upbringing by her mother, Mrs. Taliiletai Latu from Salelavalu Savaii.

Like any other Samoan girl, I also dreaded my fathers (Utupule Meafou from Aufaga, Lepa, Aleipata) belt whenever discipline came knocking.

And not surprisingly, Miriama speaks Samoan fluently without any accent.

It was my parents way of reminding us constantly never to be ashamed of our Samoan identity and heritage.

In fact, my sister and three brothers speak Samoan fluently, added the eldest of the family. She did not have the luxury of time to celebrate her educational achievements after graduating last July with a Degree in Human Resource Management & International Tourism and Hotel Management following close to four years of gruelling studies with the Brisbane based, Griffith University.

Straight after graduation, Miriama found herself as a contestant for the Miss Samoa Australia silverware.

But because there were less than three contestants, she claimed the crown. And here she is, as one of the eight contestants for the Blue Sky Miss Samoa Pageant 2016.

It was never my intention to become a beauty contestant, she recalls.

But after mentoring Pacific Island primary and secondary students many who have Samoan heritage, I realised the great influence I had on them through encouragement to realise their full potential at the University level.

It was a humble experience to witness the enthusiasm and determination shown by some of our students reaffirming what we as Samoans have known for years; nothing can match our unique Samoan ingenuity.

This, along with my strong Christian beliefs and upbringing convinced me that the Miss Samoa Pageant is the most effective platform to stand up as a role model to persuade young Samoan people never to give up on their educational dreams.

The world is our oyster, continued Miriama.

And in order to use the world, you need to open it up to create endless opportunities especially for the young people to explore and fulfil their education inspirations.

Education, in my book is the key to unlock the golden door to stability and prosperity.

And education is a fundamental right, and not a privilege.

This fundamental right is not exclusive to children with wealth, but a universal right for all including the children of Samoa.

Win or lose, Miriama plans to continue her journey and maintain her ties with Samoa.

The plan is to pursue my Masters in Education if Im unsuccessful with my Miss Samoa quest.

And upon completing my Masters, I plan to return home and work with the local education stakeholders in whatever role that would require my input to fulfil my obligations as an Education Advocator for Samoa.

Most importantly, it will fulfil my parents wishes for their children to never give up trying.
The past few days have been very busy for the eight beautiful contestants vying for the title of Miss Samoa 2016-2017.

Theyve been visiting different places since the beginning of the week as they prepare for the finale night tomorrow.

On Tuesday, they had the opportunity to visit the Home for the Elderly at Mapuifagalele.

They were accompanied by the current Miss Samoa, Arianna Taufao and the organizing committee for the Miss Samoa Pageant.

Their visit to Mapuifagalele was different from all the other places they visited.

It was a very touching and emotional visit for us all, Miss Lilas Floral, Abba Rose of Sharon Dinah told the Samoa Observer.

I think seeing the elders there reminded us of our own grandparents and elders that are here with us today and those who have joined our heavenly father.

We have so much respect for the work the Sisters do there and it reminded me especially that we need to respect and look after our elders as they had paved the way for us all. They have sacrificed things and worked hard so that we could have the lives we live today.

She went on to say that the visit was touching especially as she had lost her grandmother just recently.

She was a strong Samoan woman right until the end and today seeing the strength of the elders at Mapuifagalele reminded me of that.

She also wants to encourage young people to visit Mapuifagalele and volunteer their time to help out the Sisters who are looking after the aged people there.

Even if its just sitting and listening to their stories or singing with them. I'm sure they have many stories to share and ones we should continue to share with future generations.

Miss Samoa Australia, Miriama Latu Meafou couldnt agree more to that.

She says, My heart melted when we went to Mapuifagalele.

But I thank God for those who are responsible for taking care of them.

I pray that our Heavenly Father will continue to bless those who have offered their time to care and love the people at Mapuifagalele and for His blessings to be upon them all.
Connect, Communicate, Care is this years message going out to the world on Saturday 10 September, World Suicide Prevention Day.

Papalii Carol Paul Ah Chong, the C.E.O. of Faataua Le Ola (F.L.O.) said there have been a wide range of activities this week leading up to Saturday.

The whole week is focused on suicide awareness and suicide prevention, culminating in the global World Suicide Prevention Day (W.S.P.D.) as the finale which takes place on Saturday, said Papalii.

During the week, F.L.O. will be selling yellow/orange ribbons for a 2 tala gold coin to the public.

On Friday, the organization will be going out to schools, to read a message of hope and life in both English and Samoan.

The message is about valuing ones life and it specially targets to the young people since they are an endangered group, said Papalii

On Saturday, the W.S.P.D., all Lifeline International Members are coming together all over the world, to celebrate this day. Some media people will connect to the outside world and also show them what Samoa is doing about this sensitive and important topic.

At 7 a.m. everyone is invited to meet at the Fire Station compound.

There will then be a parade, led by the Saleilua School from Poutasi, down Beach Road to the Clock Tower then assembling in front of the Government Building.

We hope that people will wear those colours so the whole parade will be yellow and orange. Everyone is invited to join, she said

A committee will hit the streets with yellow/orange ribbons as well as yellow/orange balloons.

From 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. there will be a live broadcast on TV3. Many TV channels will link up with TV3, so there will be a switch from one country to the other, showing clips from the past with interviews of people who either lost somebody by suicide or people who attempted suicide.

In the evening at 6 p.m. the committee, staff and the volunteers will congregate at the beachfront for a candlelight service near the wharf.

Before it gets dark, people are invited to read a poem, write a love letter to someone who passed away because of suicide or read a message of hope.

So it will be a memory to those who lost their lives because of a suicide.

To everyone who will be at there, a candle will be given which will be lit and then put out in the water to let it float away.

This signifies hope and life and a message to everyone to light your candle and let your life shine so that everyone can see it.

It will be also a message of love and remembrance for those who have passed on.

This will be the culmination of a significant day for all of the world as well as for our society.

So the message is, come and join the World Suicide Prevention Day this Saturday, 10th of September, to demonstrate that life is worth living and full of hope, confidence and happiness.

The statistics confirm that we are on the right track with what we do, said Papalii, since the rate of suicide in Samoa has decreased markedly in the past years.
An airstrike near the site of a suspected gas attack in Syria killed at least 10 civilians Wednesday, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to meet this week for extended discussions on ending the 5-year-old civil war.

Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has been conducting airstrikes to bolster his forces for nearly a year. The United States supports rebels fighting to overthrow Assad and has called on him to step down.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to negotiate a settlement on the sidelines of the G-20 conference in China on Monday. Obama acknowledged "gaps of trust" between the rival powers following months of negotiations between their top diplomats.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Lavrov and Kerry would meet Thursday and Friday in Geneva to work out the remaining details of a possible deal, following a phone call between the two. But U.S. officials indicated the earliest the talks could happen is Friday.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in London that Kerry would not be making another attempt with Lavrov if there were no prospects for success, but he added: "We're a long way from getting there."

Moscow warned that Turkey's incursion into northern Syria was complicating peace efforts, underscoring that the operation has not been sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council or the Syrian government. Turkey's actions "could further complicate the military and political situation in Syria, which is dire as it is" and jeopardize international efforts to reach a peace deal, it added.

Turkey pushed into northern Syria two weeks ago to expel the Islamic State group from its border and halt a northward advance by Syrian Kurdish forces, which Ankara sees as an extension of an outlawed Kurdish separatist group inside its own borders.

Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said Turkey would like to create a no-fly zone over the area to repatriate Syrian refugees.

The airstrike Wednesday devastated the al-Sukkari neighborhood in the divided city of Aleppo. Video from the local branch of the Syrian Civil Defense search-and-rescue organization showed residents yelling for help as first responders dug victims out of the rubble. At least half a block appeared to be destroyed.

Medical workers said the opposition-controlled neighborhood was hit Tuesday with chlorine gas, though the report could not be independently verified. They said they treated at least 70 people for breathing difficulties. A 13-year-old girl and a 29-year-old man died from further complications Wednesday.

Mohammed Abu Jaafar, head of a forensic department in the rebel-held part of Aleppo, said the teenager had died of suffocation and respiratory burns.

Chlorine gas is a crude weapon that can be fatal in high concentrations. In lower doses, it can damage lungs or cause severe breathing difficulties and other symptoms, including vomiting and nausea. International inspectors determined in August that the Syrian government and Islamic State militants were responsible for chemical attacks in 2014 and 2015.

The Civil Defense put the casualty toll from Wednesday's airstrike at 20 dead and more than 40 wounded. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 10 civilians were killed, including a child. Conflicting casualty counts are common in the aftermath of airstrikes.

The long-suffering northern city is one of the chief battlegrounds of the grinding war, with rebels and pro-government forces trading indiscriminate fire across populated neighborhoods. The Russian and the Syrian air forces are the only two operating over Aleppo.

Meanwhile, the U.N.'s humanitarian agency said the fighting in central Hama province has displaced 100,000 people in eight days between late August and early September. Rebels last week advanced in Hama, prompting fierce clashes with government forces.

Rebels surprised government troops earlier this month, dislodging them from areas around the provincial capital, also called Hama, including a military base and towns and villages near the highway leading to Damascus.

The offensive, led by an ultraconservative Islamic group, Jund al-Aqsa, and also involving several factions from the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, drew an intense government bombing campaign that has killed dozens.

The fighting sent tens of thousands fleeing in the latest wave, part of a pattern that has displaced nearly half of Syria's population since the war began in 2011.

The U.N. agency, OCHA, said about half of the displaced from Hama have sought refuge in the province's government-controlled capital, while the rest fled to neighboring rebel-held Idlib province.

A shortage of shelter means many displaced families are sleeping outdoors in parks, the U.N. agency said.

Many of those fleeing feared a violent government response to the rebel advance, according to Ahmad al-Ahmad, an activist from Hama. "Wherever the regime is driven out of an area, it ends up destroying it," he said in a text to The Associated Press.

In at least one airstrike last week, government warplanes struck a van carrying displaced people fleeing Suran, a town north of the city of Hama, activists said. The government at the time said it targeted "terrorists."

An estimated 11 million Syrians have fled their homes since the war began in 2011. Of those, 4.8 million are refugees outside of Syria, with nearly 7 million displaced inside the country.

Syrian opposition leaders unveiled a plan in London for a political transition designed to end the war. It called for Assad's departure after six months and for elections to be held under the auspices of a transitional government after two years.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson backed the proposal by the High Negotiations Committee in a column Wednesday in The Times newspaper, saying Assad could have no part in a future government and bore "overwhelming responsibility" for the massive loss of life in Syria.

-AP
Country

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Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
Donald Trump

The Dallas Morning News released a scathing critique of Donald Trump on Tuesday.

In an editorial, the newspaper urged readers not to vote for Trump. The editorial board labeled the New York businessman as "not qualified" and someone who "does not deserve your vote."

The Morning News has not endorsed a Democrat for president in seven decades and has backed every GOP nominee since Richard Nixon in 1968.

Under the headline "Donald Trump is no Republican," the newspaper's editorial board ripped Trump's economic and military proposals while claiming that he was not for individual liberty.

"Donald Trump is no Republican and certainly no conservative," the board wrote, later adding, "We have no interest in a Republican nominee for whom all principles are negotiable, nor in a Republican Party that is willing to trade away principle for pursuit of electoral victory. Trump doesn't reflect Republican ideals of the past; we are certain he shouldn't reflect the GOP of the future."

Since securing the GOP nomination for president, Trump has had great difficulty uniting his party. A spate of self-inflicted controversies following the Republican National Convention in July instead further alienated his supporters.

NOW WATCH: NEW POLL: Trump jumps into the lead  trouncing Clinton in a key voter group





More From Business Insider


Kiev, Ukraine -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/07/2016 -- Ignite, an international outsourcing company, has reported the launch of free JavaScript courses for IT students and university graduates in Ukraine. The country has always been famous for its IT specialists, the amount of which keeps increasing with every passing year.



According to the recent data, Ukraine has the largest number of IT professionals in Central and Eastern Europe. As of today, this number constitutes around 90000 IT specialists and the IT engineering workforce is expected to double to over 200,000 by 2020. There are over 1000 IT service companies in the country, which provide the unsurpassed engineering capabilities.



Aviram Eisenberg, the founder and CEO of Ignite, believes that the country has all the chances to become a new "Startup Nation". Supporting the Ukrainian IT sector, Ignite has recently reported opening of free JavaScript courses for IT students and university graduates. The project, which is called "JS Competency Center", makes it possible for young IT specialists to study in one of the Ignite offices located in Kiev. The best and the most promising students will be offered to do practical training in real international projects of the company. The project will be supervised by the senior JavaScript developers working for Ignite.



About Ignite

Ignite is a leading global offshore development company, which focuses on game development, mobile app development, cloud and SAAS, Fintech etc. The head office of the company is located in Israel, but it also has one office in Germany and three 3 R&D offices in Ukraine. The founder of Ignite is Aviram Eisenberg, who lives and works in Ukraine as well. He believes that the IT sector is well-developed in the country, while its specialists rank among the best in the IT niche. Ignite uses the Agile software development approach.



Contact Info:

Aviram Eisenberg, CEO

Address Head Office: 8 Hamelacha St, POB 8261, 42505 Netanya, Israel

Tel: +972-72-2116605

Fax: +972-72-2116602

E-mail: info@igniteoutsourcing.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/igniteoutsourcing/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/igniteoffshore

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+IgniteOutsourcingSoftware

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/220786

Website: http://igniteoutsourcing.com/
Salem, NH -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/07/2016 -- ImageFIRST New Hampshire is much more than a provider of medical uniforms and scrubs in New England and NH. They keep their customers informed of all the latest news, changes and developments within the medical industry. To ensure that both current and potential customers continue to provide patient apparel that will help them retain their images as clean and trustworthy medical facilities, ImageFIRST New Hampshire has shed light on why the term "hygienically clean" is an imprecise descriptor for medical linen.



According to ImageFIRST New Hampshire, the term "hygienically clean," which many commercial laundry companies use to describe their linen, is imprecise because it lacks a universally agreed-upon definition. Healthcare facilities that partner with companies who tout the "hygienically clean" label have no way to guarantee that those items are suitable for their infection prevention plans.



On the other hand, ImageFIRST's linen undergoes a Triple BioShield Protection wash process so that each product customers receive is sanitized. Unlike "hygienically clean," sanitized is a precise term that indicates at least 99.9% of pathogens have been removed. Each item offered by ImageFIRST undergoes this sanitizing wash process and is treated with an anti-bacterial coating. Additionally, their products are always tightly wrapped in plastic for delivery to prevent re-contamination. All ImageFIRST products regularly undergo rigorous quality assurance testing performed by an independent laboratory.



This leading provider of scrubs and medical uniforms in New England and NH knows how vital a role patient apparel plays in the creation of a clean and trustworthy medical facility, and urges potential customers to reach out them immediately for cost-effective solutions that will improve patient satisfaction. Learn more at http://new-england-nh.imagefirst.com/.



About ImageFIRST New Hampshire

Founded in 1967, ImageFIRST is the largest and fastest growing national linen rental and laundry service specializing in the outpatient medical market. ImageFIRST's 36 locations nationwide serve over 5,500 medical offices every week, providing linen, patient gowns, scrubs and much more while partnering with facilities to better manage linen inventory. With a customer retention rate of over 95%, ImageFIRST is dedicated to improving patient satisfaction through quality linens and remarkable service: their Comfort Care gowns product line increases patients' favorable perception of a facility by more than 50%.



For more information about ImageFIRST New Hampshire, the cost-effective solution for greater patient satisfaction, please visit http://new-england-nh.imagefirst.com/.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/07/2016 -- This research study analyzes the industrial boilers market in terms of revenue (US$ Mn). The market has been segmented on the basis of capacity and geography. For the research, 2014 has been taken as the base year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2015 to 2023. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the regional and state level from 2015 to 2023. The report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the industrial boilers business. The report also includes the key market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities affecting the industrial boilers market. These market dynamics were analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report with the help of supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive industry analysis of industrial boilers with the help of Porter's Five Forces model. This analysis helps in understanding the five major forces that affect the market structure and profitability of the U.S industrial boilers market. The forces analyzed are bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and degree of competition.



Complete Report with TOC @ http://www.mrrse.com/us-industrial-boilers-market



The high-level analysis in the report provides detailed insights into the industrial boilers business in the U.S. There are currently numerous drivers of the market. One of the most prominent drivers is the stringent regulations for emission control. Market attractiveness analysis was carried out for the industrial boilers market on the basis of revenue realization and industrial growth. Market attractiveness was estimated on the basis of common parameters that directly impact the market in different regions.



The industrial boilers market was analyzed across eight regions: South Atlantic(Delaware, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia), West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas), West North Central(Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota), Pacific States(Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington), Mountain States (Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming), North East(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania), East North Central(Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin), and East South Central(Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee). These regions are further segmented by states and capacity of installed industrial boilers in the U.S. Capacity ranging from (0 to 300 BHP and 301- 600 BHP) has been provided for each states and region. Regional data has been provided for each sub-segment of the industrial boilers market. Key players in the industrial boilers market include Fulton Boiler Works, Inc., Hurst Boiler & Welding Company, Inc., Columbia Boiler Company, Superior Boiler Works, Inc., and Le Groupe Simoneau Inc. The report provides an overview of these companies, followed by their financial details, business strategies, and recent developments.



Request a Free Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.mrrse.com/sample/1645



About MRRSE

MRRSE stands for Market Research Reports Search Engine, the largest online catalog of latest market research reports based on industries, companies, and countries. MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies.
Lagos, Nigeria -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/07/2016 -- Jobomotive has increased efforts to fight a rise in unemployment stats in Nigeria. The site is advocating for the two ends of the employment spectrum, which is very important to reduce jobless stats as soon as possible.



The second quarter report of 2015 showed an increase of 1.3 million people in Nigeria who were unemployed. In fact, six million Nigerians were unemployed on that date. In an effort to diminish Nigerias unemployment stats, Jobomotive has been increasing its efforts.



Jobomotive is an education advancement and staffing advocate in Nigeria.



Companies Involved

Jumia, Deal Dey, and IrokoTV were responsible for the major layoffs in those days. Fisayo Adaobi of Jobomotive went on to say that the firm is working hard to help those who were hardest hit by the massive layoffs and that the company is also helping a lot of recent university graduates find jobs as soon as possible.



However, a lot of companies around the world are desperately seeking candidates to fill new, crucial positions right away.

Jobomotive is also trying to forge ahead to get the most out of this momentum in the job market, and the firm is also doing its job of connecting businesses with job seekers quickly and easily.



Varied Services

Jobomotive, a Amore Porta Group, serves the employment sectors in many ways including connecting businesses seeking disciplined members to fill key positions. Those who want to advance their careers just have to visit the firms website, as the company has a specials section to address this.



Jobomotive also covers health care, oil and gas, security, finance, education, and many other industries.

Jobomotive is also working to keep the firm ahead of the industry. There are also a lot of information about academic opportunities at Jobomotives website.



Jobomotive knows very well the industry the firm is serving. The company finds a wide array of candidates from new graduates to people with tons of years of experience in a particular field. Practical experience, education, training-based certifications, and track record of employment are just a few things that Jobomotive takes into consideration when the firm has to recommend a potential employee to any employer out there.



Jobomotive has a lot of confidence in the Nigerian job market, and this is the reason why the firm is working hard to get results for both employees and employers. In addition, Jobomotive deals with the specific requirements of employers, and this will allow the firm to get the right candidate for the right company at all times. The company also knows how to increase both the money and morale of the parts involved in the process.



About Jobomotive

Jobomotive.com is a company that is committed to reducing Nigerias unemployment rate. The firm specializes in finding the right candidates for the right companies.



The company does this by finding out a candidates experience in a particular industry, years of experience in the field, and academic qualifications. These are the things that employers need to know, and Jobomotive is here to help these employers find out what they are looking for in the job market these days quickly and easily. People who desired to enhance their quality of life can visit Jobomotive's website so they can get what they want in no time.
New Market Research Report: Nuclear Power in Japan, Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2016

Fast Market Research announces the availability of the new GlobalData report, "Nuclear Power in Japan, Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2016 - Capacity, Generation, Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles", on their comprehensive research portal
A new species of the butterflyfish genus Prognathodes has been described from several specimens collected at depths of 180-200 feet (55-61 m) off Pearl and Hermes Atoll, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Butterflyfish are the glamour fish of the coral reefs, said Dr. Richard Pyle of the Bishop Museum, one of the scientists who described the new species.

They are colorful, beautiful, and have been very well-studied worldwide. Finding a new species of butterflyfish is a rare event.

Dr. Pyle and his colleague, NOAA scientist Dr. Randall Kosaki, officially named the species Prognathodes basabei and gave it the common name Pete Basabes butteflyfish.

We take great pleasure in naming this species basabei, in honor of Peter K. Basabe, long-time diver, aquarium fish collector and resident of Kona, Hawaii, both for his role in the collection of the first specimen of this new species in 1998, and more generally for his extensive contributions and assistance to many researchers in the ichthyological community, the authors explained.

Prognathodes basabei was first observed in video taken from manned submersibles more than two decades ago, at depths as great as 600 feet (183 m).

At the time, Dr. Pyle and University of Hawaii marine biologist E.H. Deetsie Chave recognized this as a potential new species. However, because of the extreme depths, it was many years before technical divers using advanced electronic closed-circuit rebreathers were able to collect and preserve specimens in a way that would allow proper scientific documentation.

Discoveries such as this underscore how poorly explored and how little we know about our deep coral reefs. Virtually every deep dive we do takes place on a reef that no human being has ever seen, Dr. Kosaki said.

Prognathodes basabei is a member of the genus Prognathodes, a group generally inhabiting deeper habitats than most other butterflyfish species.

In addition to this new species, Prognathodes includes seven valid species from the Atlantic, two from the tropical eastern Pacific, and two from the Indian Ocean and western Pacific.

Adult Prognathodes basabei normally measure between 3.5 and 4 inches (9-10 cm) in length.

It is yellow dorsally fading to white ventrally, sometimes entirely white, with three black bands and narrow white margins on each side of the body.

The species was observed or collected at depths of 148-614 feet (45187 m) at several locations throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago, including both the main Hawaiian Islands (HawaiI, Oahu, Penguin Banks) and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

One particularly unusual characteristic of this species is the tendency for it to be found in groups of three individuals, the scientists said.

Another interesting aspect is the strikingly similar color pattern it shares with both the Palau species, and with P. guezei, in contrast to the deep genetic divergence that exists between the Hawaiian and Palauan specimens.

Research describing the new species is published online in the journal ZooKeys.

_____

Pyle R.L. & Kosaki R.K. 2016. Prognathodes basabei, a new species of butterflyfish (Perciformes, Chaetodontidae) from the Hawaiian Archipelago. ZooKeys 614: 137-152; doi: 10.3897/zookeys.614.10200
[HONOLULU] Tropical island nations should team up to ban coral-killing sunscreen products, following the example of Hawaii, a conference has heard.

Chemical compounds in sunscreen lotions cause irreparable damage to reefs, which are crucial to the livelihoods of 500 million people in the tropics, scientist and policymakers said at the IUCN World Conservation Congress on 3 September. Hawaii is leading a legistlative effort to ban the use of sunscreen that contains oxybenzone or similar harmful agents at its beaches.

It is a no-brainer  a compound is hurting our reefs, so the simple thing is to ban it, says Will Espero, the Hawaiian senator leading the legal challenge. We are working on some draft legislation, it is almost done. Once we are there, lets go international with it.

The chemical agents in many sunscreen brands have long-term harmful effects on corals, damaging their fertility and ability to absorb sunlight. They also cause baby corals to become grossly deformed, so they cannot colonise new spaces.

If you do not see young corals, three to five-year-old ones, then your reef is essentially dead, explains Bob Richmond, a marine conservation researcher at the University of Hawaii Manoa.

Furthermore, sunscreen pollution can travel from a single beach to a very far distance.

Hawaii experienced its first major coral bleaching case in 2014, and has seen coral reef die-off every year since then. Severe bleaching cases have also been observed in the Easter islands, Fiji, Tonga and several Caribbean nations  all of which have economies highly dependent on tourism.

Richmond adds that corals are assailed by a variety of stresses, including global warming and ocean acidification. But sunscreen pollution is an issue that can easily be resolved, he told SciDev.Net, adding that sunscreen lotions containing physical agents, such as zinc or titanium oxide, are safe.

Research presented at the summit showed that most tourists buy their sunscreen once they get to their holiday destination. The scientists present agreed that a sales ban on harmful sunscreen products on tropical islands would be the best way forward, as raising awareness among holiday makers is proving difficult.

Jeff Bagshaw, a conservationist at Mauis Ahihi Kinau reserve, leads local efforts to hand out information material to tourists snorkeling in the area. He admits that it is an uphill struggle, and supports a ban of harmful lotions.

We try to partner with dermatologists and retailers, but its difficult since no agency regulates what sunscreen bottles say on the front, he says. People might think they have bought reef-safe products, but its not true.

According to Bagshaws estimates, nearly 600 litres of harmful sunscreen used by tourists is washed out into Mauis reefs every day.
The world's first ever face transplant patient, Isabelle Dinoire has died due to undisclosed complications according to her French doctors.

Her face transplant procedure was performed in November 2005 which became ground-breaking news for the medical society. The same hospital, Amiens Hospital, where the transplant was performed released a statement after her death on April 22, 2016, saying it was caused by "a long illness."

Furthermore, the hospital clarified why there was a delay in announcing her death. "In accordance with the will of her relatives, no obituary was published in the press in order to protect their legitimate privacy at that painful time," as said in their official statement. However, the hospital failed to disclose any details on the cause of Dinoire's death. But French media reported that she suffered complications after her most recent operation.

It was reported in a prominent French newspaper that Dinoire had a rejection issue of the transplants last winter where she lost some movements of her lips. Le Figaro also reported that she had to endure heavy anti-rejection treatments to keep her transplants, which they believe have impacted greatly on the occurrence of two cancers. It was a sad story for Dinoire back when she was 38 years old and her dog mauled almost half of her face.

The operation received so much criticism during that time with a lot of practitioners questioning the need for a face transplant rather than opting for reconstructive surgery. But French surgeons in charge, Dr. Jean-Michel Dubernard and Dr. Bernard Devauchelle carried out the operation rather than settling for the traditional reconstructive surgery option. They used the nose, mouth, and chin of a brain-dead donor. And they used a lower part of the face from a woman who committed suicide.

A year after the operation, Dinoire was happy to say, "It may be someone else's face, but when I look in the mirror, I see me." Years after the success of Dinoire's transplant operation, many surgical operations similar to hers involving varying combinations of facial transplants have been conducted in six different countries.




Numerous corporations have been touting their support for US President Barack Obama and his environmental agenda. Companies like DuPont, Google, and PepsiCo, among others have donated to many lawmakers who refused to accept the scientific consensus of the role of humanity on climate change.

Reuters reviewed the donations made by these companies during the 2016 election cycle, and among the 30 biggest publicly traded companies that signed Obama's "American Business Action on Climate Change Pledge" DuPont and PepsiCo also donated half or more of their political spending to the campaigns of over 130 congressional lawmakers who were listed as "climate deniers." Google, AT&T, General Electric, Verizon, and Mondelez also gave more than a third of their political donations to mostly Republican candidates in the same list.

Among them are Republican Congressman Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, presidential candidate Donald Trump's energy advisor who said that the Earth was cooling, not warming, and Republican U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, who held up a snowball on the Senate floor last year as evidence global warming does not exist Obama recently slammed the Republican Party for being "the only major party that I can think of in the advanced world that effectively denies climate change," producing a schism between businesses and the political party.

However, a GE spokeswoman said in a statement that they back officials based on a wide range of issues, and that they have "consistently been outspoken about the need to address climate change and have invested over $17 billion in cleaner technology R&D over the last 11 years." The Huffington Post noted that last year, companies including Goldman Sachs, Starbucks, Johnson & Johnson, and Walmart committed to using 100 percent renewable energy in 10 years.

However, Lauren Compere, the managing director at Boston common Asset Management said that the consistency between policy and political giving is becoming increasingly important, adding that "No company should want to be perceived as espousing progressive climate policies on the one hand, while funding climate deniers on the other."
A new study has found that increased levels of thyroid hormone in blood stream can trigger a sudden cardiac death, even if the hormone level is at the higher end of normal range. It is when a person's heart ceases due to electrical system malfunction that the heart stops beating and results in sudden cardiac death.

According to the study, which has been published in the journal Circulation, people with thyroid hormone levels at the high end of the normal range are 2.5 times more likely to die from sudden cardiac death as compared to people at the lower end of the range. For the purpose of the study, the research team analyzed data of more than 10,000 patients obtained from the Rotterdam Study. The data included information on each person's thyroid and heart health, reported Eurekalert.

The researchers compared thyroxine levels in blood samples of people against the number of sudden cardiac deaths. It was found that higher levels of thyroxine was linked to an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, irrespective of other cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking or high cholesterol levels. As per the data, the risk of sudden cardiac death increased from 1 percent to 4 percent with higher thyroxine levels over a 10-year period.

Lead researcher Dr. Layal Chaker, who is a research fellow in endocrinology and epidemiology at Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam in the Netherlands, said that it is not only an overactive thyroid gland that leads to high thyroid levels, but, people with an underactive thyroid gland could also have high thyroid hormone levels if they are prescribed too much medication. She said that in such cases the thyroid hormone levels can be brought down by decreasing the dose of therapy, reported UPI.

Chaker added that further research is required to study the effect of possible treatment of high thyroid function in the prevention of sudden cardiac death.

Stay tuned to SWR for more health updates and latest news.
DARLINGTON, S.C.  Darlington City firefighters, police officers and South Carolina Electric and Gas personnel evacuated four homes Tuesday night after a natural gas leak was discovered near Avenue D in Darlington.

Darlington City Fire Chief Pat Cavanaugh said the 911 call came in around 9 p.m. when residents were concerned about a gas odor in the area.

SCE&G crews responded quickly and discovered a ruptured gas feeder line on Avenue D between S. Main and First Streets. Four homes were evacuated by firefighters and city police officers, Cavanaugh said.

The leak was repaired and residents were able to return to their homes at approximately 1 a.m., according to Cavanaugh. No one was injured during the incident.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Conyers OBryan, founding partner McLeod Regional Medical Centers Florence Diagnostic Associates, last week said his goodbyes to the practice hes called home for more than 50 years.

But he wont soon be forgotten by the people he worked with and for over the years.

Hes been my physician and my friend and my mentor and everything rolled into one, said Jane Woodberry, longtime office manager at Florence Diagnostic Associates. This city and this community  all the Pee Dee  were losing a fine doctor here.

Woodberry has worked with OBryan since 1975. And for her, Florence Diagnostics has become more of a family environment than a work place.

Weve been the Florence Diagnostic family all these years. When I started, it was Baroody, OBryan and Blackwell  and weve had numerous doctors then and Dr. OBryans just been at the helm of the ship for a long time, she said. He is our leader, and we hate to see our leader go.

OBryan, a Kingstree native, returned to the Pee Dee after attending the Medical University of South Carolina for medical school, serving as a medical officer in U.S. Marine Corps and returning to MUSC for his residency.

In Florence, he soon helped to establish the regions only cardiac care unit at McLeod and raised the bar for diagnostic and treatment of the heart in the Pee Dee.

When I first came here, cardiology (was) just beginning to really bloom out, almost like a dynamite explosion. And we were able to, with an awful lot of people helping, make this a regional heart center, OBryan said.

He ultimately advanced these services into a full cardiac program, which led to the first open heart surgery at McLeod in 1986 by Elwood Owens, a surgeon recruited by OBryan.

Owens remembers his first meeting with OBryan in a St. Louis, Missouri, airport. It's when he knew he wanted to come to Florence and work at McLeod.

Conyers is the premier cardiologist of the northeastern section of South Carolina. I mean, he is Mr. Cardiology. He was Adam. Hes equivalent to Adam. He was the first man here, Owens said.

Owens said OBryan built the foundation necessary for greatness, but OBryan is quick to note that he did not do it alone.

The success of the coronary care is the nurses. Its not the doctors, OBryan said.

Nurses, OBryan said, are there with the patients constantly and frequently are the ones who catch early rhythm disorders and resuscitate patients.

He can remember the time when medical schools first began teaching nurses primary recognition and treatment.

Its funny. When I was a cardiology fellow, they said, Were going to try this system of teaching nurses to do this. I said, Well, that wont work, OBryan recalls.

But when they offered to pay him an additional $15 a month  he made $125 a month at that time  OBryan couldnt resist giving it a shot.

So I got started, did that, and it revolutionized cardiology. It really did, he said.

From OBryan, Owens learned a lot about being a good cardiologist, including proper patient care, organization, precision and excellence. He also learned the importance of compassion.

In his retirement, OBryan has no plans to slow down. He will stay on the faculty and board of trustees at the Medical University of South Carolina

And Im dedicated to anything I can do to keep this as an outstanding regional center, he said.
DARLINGTON, S.C.  Area disc jockey and sales executive Dan E. Lockemy also has been Darlington Raceways public address announcer since 1994. The Morning News caught up with Lockemy this past weekend to learn more about him.

Q: How did that come about?

A: Actually, Russell Branham, who happened to be the PR director here at the time, who is now at Talladega, called me up, and they needed somebody to fill in, and he asked me to come over and help him with some track announcing. So, back when the track had the start-finish line on the other side, I came up, and me and Bill Hennessy  who also raced and is also a great mentor of mine in radio  we worked together, and it all started right there just when Russell Branham gave me a call.

Q: How old were you when you started broadcasting?

A: When I started broadcasting, it was practically straight out of college in 1978. I got my first job at a little AM station in Fairmont, North Carolina.

Q: Where did you go to college?

A: I went to the University of South Carolina. Im a Carolina Gamecock, through and through. And, my wife is a big Clemson fan, so you can imagine how that is in the fall. Anyhow, but yeah I started there and then of course I actually honed my skills in my hometown of Dillon when I started there at WDSE, which evolved into what is now: Eagle 92.9 WEGX.

Q: What do you like about announcing the races at Darlington to thousands of people?

A: It is fun to be amongst all this excitement. The pageantry over the years, meeting people I looked up to, like Cale Yarborugh. And to have seen him when I was in grammar school and then later on when I was coming here when I was in college to races and then to be able to come here as a media person and then become the track announcer and get to meet everybody from Rusty Wallace to Dale Earnhardt Sr. Back in the day, I also got to meet Jeff Gordon when he started, Dale Jr. and Chase Elliott now. Its been one heck of a fun ride to be a part of Darlington Raceway and being a local guy, too. Thats what makes it so much better for me, because I grew up in Dillon and came here as part of Boy Scouts to all the races here and then to finally one day say, Hey, Im one of the very few track announcers at Darlington Raceway is special. There hasnt been many, so I feel good to be a part of that fraternity.

Q: Whats your favorite race you announced?

A: The one in 2003 with Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch when they were battling for the last five laps or so for the win. I remember we shared duties with MRN. And when they went on break, we took over up in the booth. Of course back then it was me and Will Overton, one of the great legendary announcers. Anyhow, when that race was coming to an end, I remember asking this question, Whoevers running third ought to be able to win this race. And that happened to be Dave Blaney, and he still finished third.

Q: Whats your favorite food?

A: I like beef sticks.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: The Graduate in 1967 starring Dustin Hoffman.

Q: Favorite song?

A: Im known for Carolina Beach music, so itd have to be Carolina Girls by General Johnson and the Chairman of the Board. But overall, when it comes to across the board, The Taxi, by the late Harry Chapin is my favorite.

Q: Whats your favorite place youve been at for vacation?

A: Santee, to the lake. I enjoy that so much that my wife and I got a place there.

Q: Where would you like to go on vacation?

A: Id like to go to Paris, France.
DARLINGTON, S.C.  The Darlington County School District has announced the five finalists for the 2016-17 District Teacher of the Year award.

These peer-selected teachers serve on the districts Teacher Forum and Leadership Council, acting as teacher leaders and advisers for the district.

From these 23 teachers, five are chosen as finalists, or Honor Roll Teachers.

The five finalists:

>> Jessie Addison , first grade, St. Johns Elementary School, Darlington.

>> Kimberly Edgerton , kindergarten, Cain Elementary School, Darlington.

>> Hannah Hanlin , second grade, Pate Elementary School, Darlington.

>> Michelle Greene , Math, Lamar High School, Lamar.

>> Ellen Oldland , fourth grade, Thornwell School For The Arts, Hartsville.

The finalists will face a panel of judges composed of the current District Teacher of the Year, business leaders and district staff. The judges will interview the finalists and review videotapes of the teachers working with students in their classrooms.

The 2016-17 Darlington County School District Teacher of the Year will be named at the annual Teacher of the Year Banquet later this month.
HARTSVILLE, S.C.  Rachel Rhodes moved to Hartsville from Pennsylvania, where she was a member of a cookbook club. She misses the club and decided to host an organizational meeting Aug. 22 at the Hartsville Library to gauge the interest in starting a similar club in Hartsville. Nine people showed up.

We selected a cookbook for the next meeting and a date, she said.

Rhodes said she likes trying new recipes with like-minded people and then discussing the recipes and cookbooks.

Mostly I like to bake, Rhodes said. In the last three to five years, I started cooking; before then, it was mostly Hamburger Helper.

She said there are no dues or fees to join the Cookbook Club. Everyone just shows up, picks a recipe and brings it to the next meeting. The cookbook for the month will be on hold at the library so members can go in and find a recipe they would like to make.

Just make what the recipe calls for, no need to double, she said.

Rhodes said the club will operate with the same guidelines as the one she attended in Pennsylvania.

Rules of the Cookbook Club:

>> Select a recipe to make from the months chosen cookbook.

>> Cook the recipe and bring it to the monthly meeting, where it will be shared with others and discussed.

>> Everyone brings serving utensils as well as dinnerware (plate, silverware and napkin) and beverage.

If there is enough interest, there will be special events planned such as cheese making class, canning lessons, up-pick excursions and a cookie exchange at Christmas.

Rhodes grew up in Hartsville and left when she got married. She and her husband went to South Korea to teach English for two years, then to Pennsylvania.

She works for Bledsoe Law Firm and for the Governors School as student activities support staff in the Student Activities Center and helps plan weekend trips and dances. Her husband, Mike, is a resident life coordinator at the Governors School. They live at the school.

She said her dream is to open a bakery one day.

The next meeting is at 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Hartsville Memorial Library Meeting Room. The remaining dates for this year are Oct. 25, Nov. 29 (pending) and Dec. 14 (cookie exchange). All meetings are from 6 to 8 p.m.

For additional information contact Rhodes at hartsvillecooks@hotmail.com.
HARTSVILLE, S.C.  The TEACH Foundation (Teaching, Educating and Advancing Children in Hartsville) has announced that its PULSE (Partners for Unparalleled Local Scholastic Excellence) initiative has been selected as a finalist for The Riley Institute at Furman Universitys 2016 Dick and Tunky Riley WhatWorksSC Award for Excellence.

The WhatWorksSC award, first given in 2011, highlights outstanding evidence-based educational initiatives throughout South Carolina.

Finalists were chosen by a panel of judges from more than 100 entries in the Riley Institutes WhatWorksSC clearinghouse. As a finalist, PULSE will receive a small grant from the Riley Institute for enhancement of the program or consulting with other schools, districts and organizations interested in its replication.

PULSE is a one-of-a-kind public-private partnership formed to implement a comprehensive scholastic excellence program in Hartsville public schools that expanded curriculum opportunities and further improved student achievement through collaborative academic and social development initiatives.

Partners include the Darlington County School District, South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, Coker College and Sonoco. Sonoco funded the initiative through a $5 million grant over five years.

We believe it is our responsibility to build the community as we build our business, said Harris DeLoach, executive chairman of the board, Sonoco, and chairman of the board, TEACH Foundation. It is absolutely critical that every child, regardless of economic status, leaves the public school system with the skills needed to succeed in the workplace.

After PULSEs five-year implementation, here is a snapshot of results:

>> A key component of PULSE, the Comer School Development Program, focusing on academic achievement and personal development of elementary students, served more than 6,500 students at four area elementary schools. On average, students increased reading scores by 12 points and math scores by 14 points on Measures of Academic Progress testing.

>> Accelerated Learning Opportunities served more than 840 high school students in Hartsville with courses such as Mandarin Chinese, molecular biology, engineering design and development, circuitry and electronic inventions, applied piano, class voice and more. The program grew to 14 course offerings during the 2015-16 school year and celebrated three successive years of all students passing AP tests and earning college credits. Students participating in Accelerated Learning Opportunities have published scientific papers, earned prestigious scholarships and been selected for competitive internships at organizations like NASA.

>> The local Scoutreach component helped more than 350 male students in grades 5k-5 gain leadership skills.

>> The summer reading program (six weeks long) exceeded its goal of increasing reading proficiency  from four months to six months of reading growth.

Every accomplishment begins with action, and PULSE is no different, said Jack Sanders, president and CEO of Sonoco. The five-year program is a great example of coordinated action resulting in positive change. We must build on it.

The TEACH Foundation is much more than just an exciting and unique partnership, said Eddie Ingram, superintendent of the Darlington County School District. The Foundations leadership is forward-thinking in approach and execution. In addition to substantial fiscal support of the PULSE program, the TEACH Foundations also brings innovation and networking opportunities to the people of our district.

Finalists will be recognized, and the winner of the 2016 award will be announced at a luncheon on Oct. 14 in conjunction with South Carolina Future Minds annual Public Education Partners (PEP) conference at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

The public is invited to attend the full conference or the luncheon only. For more information or to register for the luncheon or conference, visit the Riley Institutes website or contact Jill Fuson at jill.fuson@furman.edu.
By Jeffrey Dastin

Sept 7 (Reuters) - Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA on Wednesday said it planned to start flights to Barcelona from four U.S. cities next summer, heightening competition with U.S. rivals to the popular tourist destination.

The announcement comes as Delta Air Lines Inc and others say Norwegian is adding flights that exceed traveler demand, pushing down fares and hurting airlines' revenue. As major U.S. carriers scale back their growth plans in Europe, Norwegian is taking up some of the slack.

"It's an opportunity, I would say," Norwegian's Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Ramdahl said in an interview, suggesting his airline can operate some routes more efficiently than U.S. carriers.

"A network carrier could pull out because it's more profitable for them to (connect) through a bigger city rather than having a direct flight," he said. "Looking at (our) flying point-to-point - it will boost the market, and it will also probably steal from the hubs" of major airlines.

The Barcelona flights underscore the ambitions of Europe's third-biggest budget carrier, which started New York-Paris flights in July, to rapidly expand its long-haul business from the United States.

Norwegian is taking advantage of an aviation agreement to liberalize travel between the United States and the European Union, updated in 2011, which allows airlines from non-E.U. states Norway and Iceland to fly anywhere between the two blocs.

The carrier has also relied on the fuel-efficient 787 jetliner from Boeing Co to keep costs low and cut fares on trans-Atlantic routes.

Some 20 percent of passengers on those flights likely are snatched from rivals, while the majority are choosing their European destinations in the first place because of Norwegian's low fares, Ramdahl said.

Flights to Barcelona from Los Angeles will start on June 5, followed by service from greater New York, greater San Francisco and greater Miami. Launch fares will be about half current New York-Barcelona fares booked in advance.

Story continues

The company is looking at starting trans-Atlantic service from Baltimore, Chicago and Seattle, Ramdahl said, as well as Cuba. Long-haul service to Rome is under consideration for 2018, he said.

"The pie will get bigger, but I would think that the (low-cost) long-haul part would take the majority of it," he said.

Norwegian's growth is not an exact replacement of flights U.S. airlines have cut. The routes in question are different, and Norwegian's capacity additions are incremental because flights often are not daily.

That has not stopped U.S. airlines and unions from taking issue with the company. They say service to the United States from Norwegian's Irish subsidiary would undermine wages and working standards - claims Norwegian has denied.

U.S. regulators have not finalized approval of flights operated by the Irish subsidiary - such as Boston-Cork, Ireland - for more than two years. In July, the European Commission said it was requesting arbitration because of the delay.

(Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Bill Rigby)
Telecommunications is one of the few industries to have undergone rapid technological improvement even during the recession. An era of digitization and technology has essentially been built on the very human need to remain connected. It is in this context that telecommunications comes to the fore as a necessary utility. The rising demand for technologically superior products has given a silver lining to the telecom industry in an otherwise tough environment.

Geographical Expansion

Cutting across barriers has become common among telecom players. The objective is to offer better service and customer convenience. In Feb 2015, AT&T Inc. (T) launched a service which allows its prepaid GoPhone customers, on $60 data plans, the benefit of unlimited calling from the U.S. to Mexico without any additional charge. The companys postpaid customers on World Connect Value plans can also avail unlimited calls to Mexico with a $5 add-on.

Meanwhile, T-Mobile US Inc. (TMUS) introduced an innovative Mobile Without Borders plan through which its subscribers will be able to make calls to Canada and Mexico without paying any roaming charges. America Movil S.A.B. (AMX) has also unveiled a pan-North American roaming charge free calling facility covering Mexico and the U.S. which will be extended further to Canada.

In Apr 2015, Sprint Corp.s (S) prepaid service division  Boost Mobile  launched an unlimited voice call and text message service plan to enhance connectivity between U.S. citizens and their friends and family in Cuba.

In Mar 2016, Verizon Partner Solutions, a division of U.S. telecom behemoth Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) entered into an agreement with Cubas state-run telecommunications company Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba (ETECSA) to offer direct roaming mobile interconnection services between the two countries. Notably, in Sep 2015, Verizon became the first U.S. telecom operator to offer roaming wireless services in Cuba.

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AT&T recently entered into an agreement with Cubas ETECSA to offer direct roaming mobile interconnection services between the two countries. With this agreement, AT&T customers will soon be able to connect through talk, text and data while in Cuba. The date of commencement and pricing of these services will be declared later on.

Strong Dividend Growth

Telecom companies offer one of the highest dividend yields in the U.S. economy. The dividend yield, measured as dividends paid by a company in the last 12 months relative to its share price, is currently around 5% for the telecom sector compared with a mere 2% (approximately) for the benchmark S&P 500 index.

Unlike other industries, U.S. telecom operators generate their revenues predominantly in the country. This makes these stocks less susceptible to volatility in the foreign exchange rate as well as macro-economic fluctuations plaguing the rest of the world. We believe the strong dividend yield momentum will continue as the U.S. economy slowly stabilizes.

Opportunities



The telecommunications industry as a whole offers a number of positives that are difficult to disregard from the standpoint of investors.

Immune to External Disturbances: A major characteristic of the telecommunications industry is that it is immune to any international geo-political disturbance even when it leads to economic fluctuations. Thus, the ongoing sovereign debt crisis in Europe, the slowdown in China or other non-U.S. economic volatility is not expected to have any immediate impact on the industry.

Barriers to Entry: The lack of public airwaves (spectrum) in the telecommunications industry creates a high barrier to entry. The U.S. telecom market is controlled by just four national players, as regional low-cost operators are not eligible to compete with large carriers. Furthermore, it is not easy for a new telecom carrier to establish itself in the market as it requires government approval to transmit voice, data, and video on public airwaves. Spectrum licenses are limited and are therefore quite expensive. Moreover, the deployment of network infrastructure requires significant capital expenditure, which very few entities can afford. Thus, this barrier protects the profits of incumbents in the telecom space.

Strong Demand: A recovering economy speeds up the demand for real-time voice, data, and video manifold. The escalation in demand has encouraged telecom service providers to undertake large network extensions while upgrading plans. Moreover, the FCC projects mobile data demand to grow 25-50 folds over the next five years.



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It what would appear to be the first new service to meet the needs of shippers left stranded by Hanjins receivership Maersk will be launching a new service connecting Busan and key China ports Los Angeles/Long Beach in just eight days time.

The new TP1 service will call Yantian, Shanghai, Busan, Los Angeles/Long Beach with the first sailing scheduled for 15 September as part of its 2M network with Maersks alliance with MSC.

We are responding to increased demand in the Transpacific. With supply chains disrupted, many customers are approaching us for transport solutions for their cargo, said Klaus Rud Sejling, head of Maersk Lines east-west network.

The TP1 service is a stable, long term solution to meet our customers needs.

A Maersk spokesman confirmed to Seatrade Maritime News that the supply chain disruption referred to the bankruptcy filing by Hanjin Shipping.

Hanjins bankruptcy has left hundreds of thousands containers stranded not just on Hanjins ships around the world, but also for export ahead of the Christmas season, particularly in Korea where it had 7% market share of containerised exports.

Interestingly Maersk is deploying six 4,000 teu, out of favour traditional panamax vessels on the service. The Maersk spokesman said its contribution to vessels in the service would come from a mix of charters and from its own fleet.

Traditional panamax vessels of 4,000 - 4,500 teu have seen all time low charter rates recently, and many are laid-up or idle in the wake of opening of the expanded Panama Canal in late June.
The Dubai-headquartered global terminal operator will provide advisory services to Azerbaijans Ministry of Economy and the Port of Baku to grow the Alyat Free Trade Zone.



DP World will initially advise on the free zones business plan, regulations governing special economic zones and a master plan for the first 4 sq km phase of the project which will eventually span 20 sq km.

Alyat Free Trade Zone is earmarked to become a key hub in a network of economic zones across Azerbaijan linked to the Eurasian trade corridor and the larger New Silk Road or One Belt, One Road (OBOR) alliance as it is more commonly referenced.

The Eurasian Economic Union opens up a combined market of 180m people and a total GDP of almost US$6trn. It stands at the critical Asia-Europe crossroads of the OBOR route, the worlds largest economic corridor with a combined population of 4.4bn and economic output of $21trn, representing 40% of global GDP.

Those eye popping numbers make projects in countries like Azerbaijan a key strategic play for DP World which seemly expands at an almost daily rate; it operates 77 marine and inland terminals, supported by over 50 related businesses, in 40 countries across six continents.



It is already embedded on the Caspian, providing advisory services at the new Khorgos Special Economic Zone and Inland Container Depot in neighbouring Kazakhstan along with a similar arrangement under a separate contract for the Port of Aktau, the countrys main cargo and bulk terminal on the Caspian Sea.

The Khorgos SEZ is strategically located on the border with China, the initiator of the bold OBOR alliance which is being developed around the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt and the ocean-going 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Group chairman and ceo Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said DP Worlds multi-modal transport, logistics and supply chain experience across its global portfolio made it particularly attractive to the governments of developing nations.



Our flagship Jebel Ali Freezone (Jafza) in Dubai is a prime example together with our logistics facility at Caucedo in the Dominican Republic and the brand new logistics park at our London Gateway terminal, the largest in Europe. They demonstrate our ability to connect ports and industrial zones to encourage trade, Sulayem said.

I believe this experience will help the Port of Baku and Alyat Free Trade Zone to become an important logistic and transport hub between China and Europe. We are delighted to be involved as the principal advisor in this major project.
The failure of Vietnam's government to reverse a longstanding ban on locals in casinos may be detrimental to foreign investment in the sector, analysts cautioned.

In its latest draft decree this week, the Ministry of Finance maintained that only foreigners and Vietnamese with foreign passports can access casinos, according to local media reports. Earlier this year, a request was submitted to revise the rule, sparking hopes that the newly installed government, led by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc , would loosen the strict regulations.

Local newspapers said the ruling was based on social concerns regarding gambling addictions, money laundering and other illicit activities.



"We were thinking the government would allow locals to play low-stakes games at least; this announcement is tighter than expectations," said Michael Kokalari, head of Vietnam research at CIMB.

Speculation was also rife that officials would implement an entry fee for locals, akin to Singapore's policy, or impose a minimum net worth requirement in order to deter low-income individuals from gambling.

"On the surface, this [Monday's news] is clearly bad news for international integrated resort (IR) developers who viewed Vietnam as one of the prized global greenfield opportunities," said Grant Govertsen, founding partner of Macau-based research firm Union Gaming Group, in a note.

"It kills any interest for large gaming companies to invest in IR projects," echoed Shaun McCamley, head of Asian operations at management consulting firm Global Market Advisors.

Home to a youthful and educated population, the Southeast Asian nation has long been touted as a bright spot in the global gaming market amid a downturn in Macau, the world's largest casino hub.

Nearly 60 percent of the Vietnam's population is under 35 and the number of university graduates has spiked 60 percent within the last decade, according to a May note by market research firm Nielsen. Moreover, Boston Consulting Group expects the middle and affluent class to more than double in size between 2014 and 2020, from 12 million to 33 million.

Story continues

"Vietnam was viewed as a potential great investment opportunity should the government allow locals. Las Vegas Sands has been the most visible and vocal major gaming developer who has an interest in Vietnam," pointed out Govertsen.





There are currently around seven licensed casinos in the country, all of whom bet on foreigners alone for growth. One of them is the Crown International Games Club in the coastal city of Danang, a hotbed for wealthy Chinese. Thanks to Chinese President Xi Jinping's crackdown on conspicuous spending and lavish lifestyles, VIP gamblers from the mainland are turning their backs on neighboring Macau in search of other shores.



The finance ministry also made no change to the current laws that weigh on foreign investors looking to run a casino in Vietnam.

A minimum $4 billion capital requirement is required, which Govertsen believed had been cut in half in previous iterations of the draft decree.

"No casino orientated group will invest that sort of sum where locals are not allowed to play," said McCamley.

Other conditions include a 10 percent value added tax, a 35 percent gross gaming revenue tax and a 20 percent corporate income tax.

"All of the above are positive for neighboring markets like Cambodia and Laos, which have more investment-friendly parameters," Govertsen noted. Still, he was hopeful that the regulations could loosen up in the future.

"We are taking this news with a grain of salt as not only is the draft decree up for further revisions, but that it could represent a trial balloon in order to get further input from the local community, or perhaps extract more concessions from developers."

McCamley meanwhile noted that the government's new draft decree was not final. "I was told by my Vietnam connections, that the law has not yet been changed, the draft denying locals access was submitted to the PM Office but no decision has yet been made."

However, CIMB's Kokalari was slightly more pessimistic.

He anticipates the taxation and investment environment to improve going forward, but warned that locals are unlikely to ever get free reign inside casinos.

"We have warned investors for years that their expectations about the likely ability of locals to gamble in Vietnam were unrealistic. The new government is even more conservative than the previous administration."

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The release of the report was announced at SMM 2016 in Hamburg on Wednesday.

ExxonMobil pointed out that cylinder lubrication is becoming an increasingly complex part of day-to-day vessel management, not to mention environmental regulations and a move to slow steaming have complicated engine operations.

Such developments have made it important for vessel operators to understand how the impacts on cylinder oil selection to help optimise engine performance and reduce costs, according to ExxonMobil.

The impending cut to the global marine fuel sulphur cap to 0.5% will pose a further challenge for the marine industry, and the need to switch fuels when entering and leaving emission control areas (ECAs) remains an operational complexity, said Iain White, global marketing manager, marine fuels and lubricants for ExxonMobil.

Add in the growing influence of the energy efficiency design index (EEDI) and NOx regulations and its clear that vessel operation has never been more complex, he said.

The report provides cylinder oil best practises, which can help minimise maintenance and optimise engine operation through the selection of the most appropriate lubricant. It also highlights the increased importance of initiating an effective monitoring programme, such as MobilGard Cylinder Condition Monitoring, in order to better understand how the changing marine fuels landscape is affecting engine and cylinder oil performance.

Choosing the most suitable cylinder oil is increasingly complicated  thats why weve collaborated on this report, said Alison Jarabo, managing director of Fathom Maritime Intelligence. By combining ExxonMobils lubricant expertise with our marine industry understanding we have been able to create a comprehensive document that can help vessel operators exploit our combined insights and knowhow.
The developer, manufacturer and supplier of maritime navigation, surveillance and security radar systems said the new commercial shipping radar will target the UK and European market for a start.

Richard Myers, global services manager, told Seatrade Maritime News that the 12kW X-band upmast magnetron radar features a compact and slick design, removing the need for cumbersome wirings with its easy installation.

The commercial shipping X-band series is designed to provide cost effective type approved radar in a lightweight package, meeting IMO requirements.

Myers added that the increased gain and narrow beam width of the antenna offers greater range and bearing resolution for improved performance and target separation.

The compact lightweight design is also easy to install with a single waterproof connector and includes an integral health monitor.
GulfNav md and group ceo Khamis Juma Buamim said he hoped the milestone would resuscitate investor confidence in the Dubai Financial Market (DFM)-listed company in tandem with its desire to reach fair settlements soon with its other major creditors.



The NAT announcement follows an earlier settlement of AED37.34m ($10.1m) by way of Mandatory Convertible Bonds (MCBs) announced in August 2015 and comes as Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC slowly navigates its way out of a particularly turbulent period.

Seatrade Maritime News revealed last month that GulfNav was considering the issuance of MCBs as it continued to pay down its debts. The groups net liabilities stood at AED587.9m ($160m) as of 30 June  down from AED 707m in June 2015 - while its accumulated losses were AED227.9m.



GulfNavs financial position has improved  it announced a net profit of AED 14.36m ($3.9m) for the first half of 2016, a 43% period-on-period hike  but it hasnt stopped a major shake-up of its board and senior management including the appointment of Buamim in April.

Chairman Dr Hazza Al Qahtani and six board members - Hakeem Al Otaibi, Nasser Al Kahtani, Captain Faisal Al Qahtani, Dr Sandeep Kadwe, Dr Majed Al Shamroukh and Abdulla Alharthy, departed en-masse in January, just a month after Captain Parag Jain was appointed ceo.



However, Jain ceased work with the company as of July 25, replaced by well-known Middle East maritime identity Omar Abu Omar who joined from UAE classification society Tasneef in the position of president, maritime and operations.

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Gulf Navigation confident of servicing $160m debt

Gulf Navigation announce $3.9m H1 profit, senior management shakeup

Gulf Navigation settles $10.1m with NAT; 'significant doubt' over future



Buamim said a now fully energized management was working to clear all historical liabilities and backlog in order to give GulfNav a new leash of life whereby new business opportunities could be explored on a more positive footing.

We are happy to have reached this important settlement with Nordic American Tankers and I thank them for their positive commitment during the negotiations, Buamim said.



This is an important milestone on the commitment we have made earlier to seek fair and amicable settlements with all our legacy debtors.

I once again would like to assure all concerned that past and legacy issues will be resolved and the company will be on a solid ground to navigate the future with full commitment to its shareholders, the market and the industry at large.

GulfNav would look beyond its chemical tanker DNA to other shipping segments to continue its revival, Buamim said.

The GulfNav fleet, according to its website, comprises eight chemical tankers and four crew boats operated in its Shipping Services business.



GulfNav is the only public listed maritime, offshore services and shipping company trading on the DFM. The companys shares closed at $1.17 on Tuesday, up from $1.06 on August 2, the day its H1 2016 results were unveiled.


A new statewide guide to entrepreneurial resources shows that Ann Arbor easily tops other Michigan cities when it comes to funding opportunities and other support for startups.

The

Ann Arbor is particularly rich in resources, with more than half of the state's 44 venture capital firms based here, as well as two angel groups and 17 entrepreneurial support organizations.

"Washtenaw County by far leads the charge in resources that are available for entrepreneurs," says Maureen Miller Brosnan, executive director of the MVCA.

The area is one of the fastest-growing entrepreneurial communities in the state, Brosnan says, thanks in part to work coming out of the University of Michigan in high-tech and life science industries.

Launched last year, the annual guide and companion

"The guide was designed to fill that hole we were seeing," she says. "This is the quickest way for startups to find partners."

Another key market for the guide is out-of-state investors, to whom Brosnan says Michigan presents a "vitality" of entrepreneurial activity not seen in other parts of the country.

"For every $1 invested in Michigan startups, $4.31 comes in from out-of-state investors," she says. "We are really good at leading the charge with deals and able to acquire partners from outside the state of Michigan."

The full guide can be downloaded as a PDF from the MVCA website. Printed versions of the guide will be available at MVCA events, including the organization's upcoming
From deployments in Nairobi to clinical trials in Detroit to a new home in Ann Arbor, startup

Warmilu's IncuBlanket is a non-electric, reusable heating wrap that acts instantly. First developed by University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University students as a way to keep newborns warm, the idea grew to include uses for the elderly and people dealing with pain or soreness.

In March, Warmilu team members traveled to Kenya, where they spent two and a half weeks working alongside Ann Arbor's

The Warmilu team brought 35 IncuBlankets with them to distribute and test at six different hospitals in Kenya. Grace Hsia, Warmilu's CEO and co-founder, calls the trip an "eye-opening" discovery mission.

"It really validated and helped us realize there was a challenge greater than we had anticipated and potential for acceptance larger than we had anticipated," Hsia says.

With letters of support from four hospitals on the way, Warmilu is finalizing a distribution deal that would allow the company to start processing purchase orders for about 20,000 blankets.

Closer to home in Detroit, the Warmilu team is working with Dr. Nitin Chouthai at the Children's Hospital of Michigan on planning and deploying clinical trials that could help make the IncuBlanket's case as a warming option for transferring critical-care and neonatal patients in emergencies.

Pending approval, the tests will last three to five months and rate the IncuBlanket for efficiency, effectiveness, and safety compared with current methods of transporting low-birthweight and premature infants.

With high hopes for new market opportunities, Warmilu also has another first on the way: its first home.

The company, which Hsia says was previously "nomadic," is moving into a new, 2,000-square-foot headquarters and production space on the west side of Ann Arbor. Hsia says the move will help the five-year-old business scale up while bringing all operations in-house, from administration to production to storing raw materials.

"It will allow us to produce the blanket volumes we're projecting for at least the next two to three years," she says.

Warmilu's team of six will expand soon too, as the company looks to bring on a quality and production manager and several sewers.
On a typical hot day in Metro Detroit, area lakes are full of beachgoers. People head for the cool water under a 90-degree sun in bikinis, boardshorts, burkinis and the occasional speedo. The scene is.wait, burkinis?

Yes, there are an increasing number of women wearing the burkini. It's a mashup term of the words burka (a full body modesty dress worn by some Muslim women) and bikini (the ubiquitous two-piece swimwear).

But why would a woman go to the beach in a head-to-toe swimsuit?

To enjoy a day at the lake like everyone else, explains E.H. (identified by her initials). The West Dearborn resident says she chooses to wear the burkini because it is comfortable, breathable, dries quickly and keeps her cool.

But she doesn't care for the name.

To be honest, I didn't know what they called it until what happened in France, she says.

E.H. is

The recent

The names burkini and burqini are trademarked by the original Australian-Lebanese designer and inventor Aheda Zanetti and her company Ahiida. Somewhat similar to a wetsuit, the burkini has a loose-fitting style with the top section draping like a skirt.

The most common version is made of 100 percent polyester, and it comes in a variety of brands and colors sold all over the world, including some department stores and online. Non-Muslim women have also been known to wear the burkini; Ahiida estimates that 40 percent of their recent sales are to non-Muslims.

Controversial in some places, the burkini's popularity is growing. Hiba Ismail, a salesperson at

And while women who have chosen to wear the burkini in France have experienced outright hostility, things are a little different in the U.S.

Haifa (preferring to be identified by her first name only), a Dearborn Heights resident, also doesnt care for the name.

I dont like the name since it sounds like the bikini," she says. "Id rather it be called

To Haifa, the name "burkini" causes confusion because it alludes to two extremes of dress. A burka is an uncommon form of

Most modest dress is somewhere in the middle, Haifa points out

The common response when asking several Muslim women if theyve received any backlash while wearing the swimwear in Metro Detroit is No, never.

Ismail has an insight as to why this is.

I think its because there is mutual respect," she says. "We respect others privacy and freedoms; they respect ours.

Apart from selling the increasingly popular burkini, Ismail says she's been wearing them herself for about three years.

Im not comfortable in regular clothes when at the beach," she says. "These are comfortable, and they dry fast. They are good for Muslim women to keep their modesty and

Haifa has not noticed any unwelcome reactions. She says she never thought about what people might think when they see her wearing it. "I was only considering my own comfort, she says.

Haifa considered style when purchasing her swimwear but ultimately chose her burkini because it was loose-fitting. She says the breathable quick-drying material keeps her cool despite the appearance that may suggest the contrary.

Before the burkini, she says, Muslim women had few options when going to the beach. Mostly they would wear everyday clothes that were as close to swimwear as possible, wanting to retain their modest dress but still be able to enjoy a day at the beach. In this situation, comfort was almost non-existent. Haifa says she used to burn in the sun before she began wearing the burkini.

My family is so happy that I finally decided to buy one," she says. "I am able to swim and spend more time with my kids when we go out to the lake.

mota hajib a, a Muslim woman who adheres to Islamic modesty standards. The dress code in Islam is not one-size fits all; modesty standards vary in the faith based on the school of thought one subscribes to. It can be anywhere from full body covering like the infamous burka to a simple head covering and loose fitting clothes. burkini ban in certain cities in France, including the August incident where police officers enforced the ban by making a woman partially disrobe in public, has brought the burkini into the global spotlight. But the garment has become commonplace attire across Metro Detroit's beaches and swimming holes for several years (it was invented in 2004). Aseals hijab in Dearborn, says her store has sold an estimated 30-40 this summer at with prices at $75 and $85 depending on the length and style.hijabi swimwear or just swimwear.hijab (modest dress) that became known to most people during the days of Taliban-led Afghanistan; therefore, it's a politically charged term. The bikini, of course, is on the other end of the spectrum. Fashioned in 1946, the bikini was also banned at times the burkini is as far from the burka as it is from the bikini.hijab.The garment allows for a measure of comfort and freedom that allows Muslim women to enjoy the sun like everyone else, says E.H. She says she loves the fact that she can now be with her family in the water without feeling uncomfortable.
Image: Burnt remains of SpaceX Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Credit: Matthew Travis for Discovery News. The first public look at SpaceX's damaged launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida shows a scorched-looking tower bent at the top and blackened by flames, pictures taken on Wednesday show. RELATED: SpaceX Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test A sudden, fast-moving fire enveloped a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as it was being fueled for a routine prelaunch test last Thursday. Video shows a huge outburst of flame within one-60th of a second from the rocket's upper-stage engine. The fire and subsequent explosions destroyed the $62 million rocket and an Israeli telecommunications satellite, worth $200 million, which had been part of Facebook's plan to spread Internet access to Africa. The cause of the accident, the second for Musk's space company in 14 months, is under investigation. SpaceX so far has not released any images of Launch Complex 40, which it leases from the Air Force, nor provided details about the extent of the damage. RELATED: Dramatic Video Shows Moment of SpaceX Explosion The company last week said it could shift Florida launches to an almost-finished second pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, located directly north of the Air Force base. GALLERY: Lesson of SpaceX Rocket Landing: Try, Try, Try Again

A repaired and upgraded Falcon 9 rocket not only put SpaceX back in the launch business on Monday, it stunningly demonstrated that with enough time, technical expertise and maybe a little luck, its possible to return a rocket booster to the launch site. Heres a look back at the highs and lows along the way to this historic moment. MORE: Falcon Returns: SpaceX Makes Historic Rocket Landing

SpaceX pulled off an historic first Monday night, launching a network of communications satellites into orbit, and then landing the rockets jettisoned main stage back near the launch site. SpaceX gave its customer, Orbcomm, a cut-rate $47 million, two-flight deal, a savings for more than $70 million. Orbcomm, which operates machine-to-machine communications systems, such as between shipping containers and retailers, was an early SpaceX adopter, booking rides on the companys now-decommissioned Falcon 1 launcher. SpaceX moved Orbcomm to its bigger Falcon 9 rockets for the same price. Landing the booster was the icing on the cake, an experiment conducted at SpaceXs expense. The touchdown, however, may lead to even better prices for Orbcomm and SpaceXs other customers in the future, with a new category of launch vehicle in the offing slightly used. PHOTOS: Before Falcon 9, SpaceX Learned From Falcon 1 Flops Photo: This is a striking timelapse image shows the bright streaks caused by the Falcon 9 launch and its returning first stage booster.

SpaceX founder and chief executive had a nasty surprise on his 44th birthday: a Falcon 9 rocket blasting off to deliver a load of cargo to the International Space Station broke apart about two minutes after liftoff from Florida on June 28. It was the first failure of the Falcon 9, which had flown 18 times previously. The accident, which was caused by a faulty strut in the rockets upper-stage liquid oxygen tank, kept the Falcon 9 fleet grounded for six months. MORE: Faulty Strut Likely Caused SpaceX Rocket Explosion Photo: This image is a snapshot of the dramatic NASA TV footage of the moment when the Falcon 9 rocket exploded moments after lift off on June 28.

Following a series of tests to control booster descent, SpaceX customized a pair of ocean platforms in hopes of bringing a Falcon 9 first-stage back intact, a key step in the companys quest to develop a reusable launcher, one that could fly for a fraction of todays going rate. Nailing the landing was like trying to balance a rubber broomstick on your hand in the middle of a windstorm, SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk said at the time. During the first attempt to land at sea, in January 2015, the booster hit the target, but landed too hard, primarily because the hydraulic system needed to operate stabilizing grid fins, ran out of fluid. The next attempt, in April, a stuck valve prevented the booster from reacting fast enough to maintain position after a successful touchdown. It toppled over and exploded. VIDEO: SpaceX Releases Amazing (and Explosive) Video of Rocket Landing Photo: During ocean landing tests, SpaceX proved they could return their Falcon 9 boosters to a precise target, but maintaining stability on touchdown has been a problem.

SpaceXs early attempts to develop rocket landing technologies included a suborbital testbed called Grasshopper, which was used for low-altitude, low-speed hover and landing tests beginning in September 2012. On its eighth and final flight in October 2013, Grasshopper flew to an altitude of 2,441 feet and landed. A follow-on program, the Falcon 9 Reusable Development Vehicle, or F9R, had a successful debut in April 2014, but crashed due to a faulty sensor four months later. PHOTOS: SpaceX Grasshopper Rocket Takes Giant Leap Photo: The experimental Grasshopper rocket hovers over its launch site during early tests.

One of the first to offer congratulations to Elon Musk and SpaceX for nailing a rocket landing was Jeff Bezos, fellow billionaire rocketeer who founded his own space company, Blue Origin, in 2000, a couple of years before Musk started SpaceX. Welcome to the club! Bezos posted on Twitter, a not-so-oblique reference to his company nailing a landing of its suborbital New Shepard rocket a month ago. After that feat, Musk took to Twitter to offer his own congratulations, also couched with comments about the relative difficulty of landing from orbital versus suborbital velocities. Rocket races, anyone? MORE: Blue Origin Nails Rocket Landing Photo: Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket achieves touchdown after a successful suborbital launch test.
A tour boat operator at Scotland's Loch Ness claims to have discovered the lake's deepest trench, fueling speculation that it may be home to its world-famous watery denizen Nessie.

As Gizmodo reports, "A sonar reading recently revealed a previously unseen trench ... located about nine miles east of Inverness, it looks just large enough for Nessie to hide in." It was recently found by retired fisherman Keith Stewart, and if the reading is confirmed the deepest point of the Loch is now 889 feet instead of 754 feet.

Is the Loch Ness Monster Dead?

Because of its reputed monster, Loch Ness has been repeatedly searched for over 70 years, using everything from miniature submarines to divers. In 2003 a team of researchers sponsored by the British Broadcasting Corporation undertook the largest and most comprehensive search of the loch ever conducted. Despite a multi-day search scouring the lake using 600 separate sonar beams and satellite navigation, they found nothing unusual.

Though the discovery of a previously unknown and unusually deep trench is intriguing, it doesn't really increase the likelihood of Nessie being real. While the headline "Undiscovered Crevice at the Bottom of Loch Ness is Big Enough to Hide a Monster" is technically true, the speculation that it may have hidden the monster from view during previous searches ignores the fact that there are countless places in the lake that the monster could have been lurking during any given sonar search.

After all, the lake is more than 20 miles long and about a mile wide for much of its length. Nessie's exact size is of course unknown but most reports suggest that the creature is between 10 and 40 feet long, ranging from about the size of a small car to somewhat shorter than a school bus. This is actually quite small, and there are already many known outcroppings, holes, shallow caves and other natural underwater geological features around the lake where an animal that size could have temporarily hidden during a sonar search. The newly discovered trench just adds one more.

Photos: Sea Monsters Real and Imagined

The question is not whether one specific animal of that size could have hidden itself in the deep trench every time a thorough search was conducted for it - assuming, of course, it somehow knew when it was being searched for, and wasn't in another part of the lake when the searches began. The question is instead how likely it is that the trench could realistically be used to hide the animal over the years.

Though people often speak of Nessie as a solitary (often female) animal, if it exists there must be more than one in the lake - at least dozens if not hundreds - to maintain a breeding population. This changes the equation and deepens the mystery, because with so many of them allegedly living in the lake they should be seen much more often. Sure, maybe one of them hides in the deep trench when searchers are above - but do all of them?

Plus, of course, we know for a fact that - assuming the Loch Ness monsters exist - they do not spend their time hiding in deep trenches. If the sightings, photos and other reports are what they are claimed to be then Nessie is in fact often at the surface of the lake, splashing, catching fish and posing for ambiguous photos.

Top 10 Animal Mysteries and Myths Explained

The theory that lake monsters use hidden caves and undiscovered passages to other lakes and oceans migrating and avoid detection is common. In Canada's Lake Okanagan, for example, the Ogopogo lake monster is said to have an underwater lair near the base of Rattlesnake Island, and across the border Champ, the Lake Champlain creature, is sometimes claimed to escape up to the St. Lawrence River when being sought.

If the new-found trench is in fact Nessie's lair, then the new discovery should yield spectacular results. It should be a simple task to place cameras and sonar devices around the mouth of the trench and wait to finally capture good-quality video evidence of the beast. On the other hand if it's just a new deepest trench with no connection to Nessie then we can expect that nothing more will come of this latest discovery.

Still, regardless of whether or not Nessie exists, it's fun to picture him (or her, or them) hanging out in the little man-cave trench at the bottom of Loch Ness, laughing at having baffled the public for nearly a century.
Nearly all native forest birds on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai are in decline and are headed towards extinction, finds a new survey and assessment. Climate change-induced warmer temperatures are increasing the spread of disease, especially avian malaria, and are the primary reason for the imminent collapse of the native forest bird community on Kauai (also spelled Kaua'i), according to the findings, which are published in the journal Science Advances. The affected birds are all different species of Hawaiian honeycreepers, which descended from small finches that reached the Hawaiian Islands 57 million years ago and arose to populate the islands in many forms and beautiful colors. Evolving in the once nearly disease-free paradise, they developed no natural defenses for malaria and other mosquito-borne infections. RELATED: Extinct Hawaiian Bat Joins Short List of Island Native Mammals "Hawaii's forest birds are unique, in that they are found nowhere else in the world, represent forms unlike any other bird species in the world, and from an evolutionary point of view, the adaptive radiation of the Hawaiian honeycreepers is one of the most famous examples of evolution in the world," Eben Paxton of the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, told Discovery News. "For the native Hawaiians," he continued, "the loss of these birds would greatly impact the forests, removing key components of the forest ecosystem like pollination, seed dispersal and insect control." Paxton and his team used long-term survey data on Kauai's native forest birds' current range to understand how the abundance and distribution of bird species on the island have changed over the last several decades. The researchers determined that six of seven such species are rapidly declining in abundance across their range. They are as follows: 'akeke'e, 'akikiki, 'anianiau, 'l'iwi, 'apapane, and Kaua'i 'amakihi.

The seventh, Kaua'i 'elepaio, does not seem to be impacted as much by disease. This bird, commonly known as a monarch flycatcher, comes from a lineage that colonized the Hawaiian Islands more recently than the Hawaiian honeycreepers did. Kauai's high elevation forests traditionally were too cool for self-sustaining populations of mosquitoes that could spread disease. "With global warming, the temperatures are increasing on the Hawaiian Islands, facilitating mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit to move into increasingly higher forest habitats," Paxton said. A 2014 study published in the journal Global Change Biology shows that increasing average air temperatures, declining precipitation and other climate changes have taken place over the past 20 years on Kauai and "are creating environmental conditions throughout major portions of the Alaka'i Plateau that support increased transmission of avian malaria," wrote lead author Carter Atkinson and his colleagues. The Alaka'i Plateau refers to the primary upland forest region of Kauai. WATCH VIDEO: Why Some Birds Don't Migrate

"What is happening on Kauai is truly tragic and does not bode well for other high elevation forest bird communities in the Hawaiian Islands that have been able to persist into this century," said Atkinson, also with the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center. The new study, he said, "really is the nail in the coffin, so to speak, and will hopefully be a wake up call about how little time we have to make critical decisions about saving remaining native species in the islands." Atkinson and his colleagues found that two birds in particular, 'akeke'e and 'akikiki, are experiencing dangerous population declines as a result of the changes. Paxton and his team now estimate that 'akeke'e could go extinct in the wild by the year 2028 and 'akikiki by about 2046. Scientists have been rushing to collect some eggs from these highly endangered birds to establish a captive breeding population. There are a number of steps that can be taken to save the colorful birds in their native habitat, but each comes with incredible challenges. First, Paxton said, the disease cycle for avian malaria -- parasite to mosquito to bird -- needs to be broken. The most promising approach is by reducing mosquito populations, but Kauai's mountains are remote, roadless, rugged, and many areas unreachable. As a result, larval habitat reduction and localized pesticide spraying are impractical. RELATED: Bisexual Bird Commune Found in Panama Other approaches being considered are irradiated sterile male mosquito releases, introduction of Wolbachia bacteria into wild populations of mosquitoes that can interfere with malaria infecting mosquitoes and consideration of genetically engineered mosquitoes. "All hold promise, but have technological, social and/or regulatory hurdles, and would require considerable money," Paxton said, adding that researchers are also studying Hawaiian honeycreeper genes, to see if they can naturally boost the birds' own immunity. There is also interest in controlling numbers of predatory rats near the birds' breeding areas, and in habitat restoration of Kauai's remote forests to "slow declines and to buy more time." The new research also serves as a warning for what is predicted to happen on other Hawaiian Islands, such as Maui and the big island of Hawaii. Paxton explained that Kauai's forest habitat is at lower elevations than on these other islands, and so Kauai's forest birds are more vulnerable to the climate change-fueled threats. "With continued warming, we expect mosquitoes and disease to make their way into those (other Hawaiian Island) forests, with the same devastating consequences for the bird communities of those islands," he said. PHOTOS OF KAUAI'S ENDANGERED FOREST BIRDS:

style="text-align: left;">The 'akeke'e (Loxops caeruleirostris) could go extinct in less than a decade from now, a new survey on forest birds native to the Hawaiian island of Kauai finds. style="text-align: left;">Photo: 'Akeke'e. Credit for all multimedia: Jim Denny, Flickr

style="text-align: left;">Kauai's forest birds, such as the 'l'iwi (Drepanis coccinea), are experiencing population declines largely due to climate change, which is helping to spread avian malaria via mosquitoes, according to a new study published in the journal Science Advances.

Critically endangered 'akikiki birds (Oreomystis bairdi -- a species also known as the Kaua'i creeper), experienced a population decline of 71% from 1981 to 2012, according to a new survey of forest birds native to the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

The 'anianiau (Magumma parva), along with other forest birds native to Kauai, has lost much of its original range over the past few decades. New research has determined that this bird is now limited to a small, remote area of the Alaka'i Plateau wilderness area.

The bright crimson feathers of the 'apapane (Himatione sanguinea) used to adorn the capes, helmets and leis of Hawaiian nobility. The birds have experienced steep population declines in recent years due to disease fueled by climate change, a new study reports.

If the current rate of population decline continues for the Kaua'i 'amakihi (Chlorodrepanis stejnegeri), this forest bird on the Hawaiian island of Kauai could be extinct in just over three decades, new estimates show.
Scientists have discovered an entirely new genus of bacteria living in hydraulic fracking wells, part of a thriving ecosystem of microorganisms that contains at least 31 different species.

Writing in the journal Nature Microbiology, researchers from Ohio State University describe finding nearly identical microbial communities in two fracking wells, despite the fact that the wells were located hundreds of miles from each other, and drilled by different energy companies using different techniques, into different types of shale that formed millions of years apart.

RELATED: Migraine?Stuffy Sinuses? Fracking May Be the Cause

At least part of the reason for that, they suspect, is that many of them were likely introduced via water from the ponds that were used to provide water to the wells, a suspicion reinforced by the fact that many of the microbes had been previously identified.

"We thought we might get some of the same types of bacteria, but the level of similarity was so high it was striking. That suggests that whatever's happening in these ecosystems is more influenced by the fracturing than the inherent differences in the shale," said Kelly Wrighton, assistant professor of microbiology and biophysics at Ohio State and one of the paper's authors, in a press release.

Among the discoveries were that one genus of bacterium, Halanaerobium (photographed above), dominated the communities in both wells; and the wells contain at least one species, which the scientists believe is a member of a previously-unclassified genus, that had not been seen before. They have initially dubbed this new microbe Candidatus frackibacter.

RELATED: Are Fracking Chemicals Causing Male Sterility?

Understanding the microbial ecosystems in fracking wells begins with understanding the fracking process itself, which involves pumping fluid at high pressure into shale to break up the rock and release oil or gas. Different companies generally use proprietary recipes for this fluid, but they all begin with water and add other chemicals. Once the fluid is inside a well, salt within the shale leaches into it, making it briny.

This salinity forces microorganisms to synthesize organic compounds called osmoprotectants to keep themselves from bursting. When the cells die, the osmoprotectants are released into the water, where other microbes can use them for protection themselves or eat them as food. In that way, salinity forced the microbes to generate a sustainable food source.

"We think that the microbes in each well may form a self-sustaining ecosystem where they provide their own food sources," Wrighton explained. "Drilling the well and pumping in fracturing fluid creates the ecosystem, but the microbes adapt to their new environment in a way to sustain the system over long periods."

RELATED: Fossils of Earliest Life on Earth Found

By examining the genomes of the different microbes, the researchers found that the osmoprotectants were being eaten by Halanaerobium and Candidatus Frackibacter. In turn, these bacteria provided food for other microbes called methanogens, which ultimately produced methane.

The scientists suspect that Frackibacter may have been living in the shale since long before fracking began, but research is ongoing.

WATCH VIDEO: How Much Bacteria Is In Your Drinking Water?
Archaeologists have unearthed the biggest cache of Roman sling bullets in Britain, possibly finding the site of the first battle in the Roman invasion of Scotland around 140 A.D. Consisting of more than 180 lead bullets, the stash was found at Burnswark Hill near Lockerbie, in southwestern Scotland. The site, rising to nearly 1,000 feet from the surrounding countryside, features on its flat-topped hill the remains of a 17-acre fort which experts believe originated in the Early Iron Age. Two Roman camps lie on the opposite sides of the fort. RELATED: Ancient Hand Grenade Found in Israel For decades archaeologists have debated whether the Roman remains represent a siege or a training post. The 1,800-year-old sling bullets may help provide an answer. "We have lemon-shaped sling bullets in the cache that are found in both Roman camps and on the hillfort," Andrew Nicholson, excavation director for the Burnswark Project, told Discovery News. "However the large cache includes bullets of a globular shape, a type not thought to be in use until over a century later," he added. Burnswark Hill in Britain has yielded a wide variety of Roman projectiles. Last year's dig revealed unusual lead bullets with circular holes drilled into them. It turned out they were meant to produce terrifying whistling noise in flight. WATCH VIDEO: Cat Bombs and Other Terrible Weapon Ideas

Although the large cache from the North Camp do not include any of such bullets, some more of those "terror weapons" were unearthed at the South Camp this year. "We can now definitely link the sling bullets from both Roman camps with those found on the native hillfort," Nicholson said. A lead or stone bullet could reach speeds of up to 100 mph when shot by expert slingers. The largest stones were the size of lemons, while the smallest were acorn-shaped and were slung in small groups of three or four as form of grapeshot. RELATED: King Tut's Blade Made of Meteorite Specialized units of auxiliary troops were recruited to fight alongside the Roman legions, with the most feared and expert slingers coming from the Balearic Islands. According to John Reid, of the Roman heritage group the Trimontium Trust, it is becoming increasingly clear the bullets were deposited in a single brief episode. "This greatly strengthens the suggestion of a Roman assault on the hill top which appears to have been occupied at that time," Reid told the BBC. Preliminary analysis indicates that archaeologists may be able to associate this event with the Roman conquest of Southern Scotland by the emperor Antoninus Pius around 140 A.D. "We now know it wasn't a siege or a battle but an assault. They attacked and massacred the native Celts, probably all done within five days," Nicholson explained to the Daily Record. "It is really exciting because this means the assault on Burnswark was the start of the Antonine campaign -- the invasion of Southern Scotland and the construction of the Antonine Wall," he added. PHOTOS: Top Archaeological Discoveries Expected in 2016

style="text-align: left;">Egypt will likely offer promising finds in 2016. King Tutankhamun's tomb will be under the spotlight as a recent investigation suggests the western and northern walls of the 3,300-year-old burial may hide two secret chambers. According to Egypt's Minister of Antiquity Mamdouh al-Damaty there is a 90 percent chance the tomb of King Tut contains such chambers. Damaty made the announcement last November at the end of a radar-based investigation. The non-invasive search followed a claim by Nicholas Reeves, a British Egyptologist at the University of Arizona, who first speculated the existence of the chambers, arguing that one contains the remains, and possibly the intact grave goods, from queen Nefertiti. She was the wife of the "heretic" monotheistic pharaoh Akhenaten, Tutankhamun's father. Will archaeologists try to access the hidden chambers? Their attempt may lead to what Damaty called "one of the most important finds of the century." RELATED: Radar Finds Secret Chamber in King Tut's Tomb

style="text-align: left;">The noninvasive technologies applied to King Tut's tomb will be widely used this year in another ambitious project. Called Scan Pyramid, the investigation is carried out by a team from Cairo University's Faculty of Engineering and the Paris-based organization Heritage, Innovation and Preservation under the authority of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. The project aims to scan the largest pyramids of Egypt in order to detect the presence of any unknown internal structures and cavities. The technique could lead to a better understanding of the pyramids' structure and how they were built. The project uses a mix of technologies such as infrared thermography, muon radiography, and 3D reconstruction to look at the inside of four pyramids, which are more than 4,500 years old. They include Khufu, or Cheops, Khafre or Chephren at Giza, the Bent pyramid and the Red pyramid at Dahshur. One particularly remarkable anomaly has been already detected on the eastern side of the Great Pyramid, also known as Khufu or Cheops, at the ground level. Much more is to come -- the first results are expected in the first months of the year. RELATED: Striking Anomaly Found in Great Pyramid

style="text-align: left;">Last year a study made an extraordinary and controversial claim: Stonehenge was basically a second-hand monument from Wales. It would have stood there hundreds of years before it was dismantled and transported to Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. The research indicates that two quarries in the Preseli Hills of Pembrokeshire, in southwest Wales, are the source of Stonehenge's bluestones. style="text-align: left;">Carbon dating revealed such stones were dug out at least 500 years before Stonehenge was built -- suggesting they were first used in a local monument that was later dismantled and dragged off to England. style="text-align: left;"> "Stonehenge was a Welsh monument from its very beginning. If we can find the original monument in Wales from which it was built, we will finally be able to solve the mystery," Mike Parker Pearson, director of the project and professor of British later prehistory at University College London said. Researchers have been using geophysical surveys, trial excavations and aerial photographic analysis to identify the ruins of a lost, dismantled monument. The results of such research promise to make the headlines this year. style="text-align: left;"> "We think we have the most likely spot. We may find something big in 2016," Kate Welham, of Bournemouth University, said. style="text-align: left;">RELATED: Stonehenge First Built in Wales, Study Claims

style="text-align: left;">In early December, the Colombian government announced they had found the holy grail of treasure shipwrecks -- an 18th-century Spanish galleon that went down off the country's coast with a treasure of gold, coins and precious stones now valued between $4 billion and $17 billion. The multibillion-dollar ship, called the San Jose, was found off the island of Baru, near Cartagena. The vessel was part of Spain's only royal convoy to bring colonial coins and bullion home to King Philip V during the War of Spanish Succession from 1701 to 1714. style="text-align: left;"> The San Jose was trying to outrun a fleet of British warships off the island of Baru on June 8, 1708, when an explosion sent it to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. She was reportedly carrying 600 people, chests of emeralds and tons of silver, gold and platinum. style="text-align: left;"> The shipwreck has been at a center of a decades-long search that also involved a legal battle with the Seattle-based Sea Search Armada, or SSA, a commercial salvage company that claims it first discovered the wreck's location in 1981. Moreover, Peru has argued that any treasure recovered from the San Jose should be considered a Peruvian national patrimony. As more legal fights will likely occur, new expeditions to the wreck in 2016 are expected to recover the much disputed treasure of gold and emeralds. style="text-align: left;">RELATED: Multibillion Dollar Shipwreck Found Off Colombia
Photo: The Daldykan River in Siberia has turned red, apparently from pollution. Credit: Association of Indigenous Peoples of Taimyr, via Facebook The Siberian industrial city of Norilsk, which has grown on the site of a Stalinist forced-labor prison camp, has a reputation for being one of the most polluted cities on the planet. A 2007 report by the Pure Earth Institute described it as home to a huge metal smelting sector that pumped vast quantities of sulfur dioxide and other contaminants into the atmosphere, resulting in a life expectancy for local factory workers that was 10 years below the national average. BBC News once reported that the region was the world's biggest producer of acid rain. Norilsk is so polluted, in fact, that the nearby Daldykan River apparently has turned a startling shade of crimson. RELATED: Blood Rain on Spanish Village Remains Mystery Sergey Donskoy, head of the Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources, said in a statement issued on Sept. 7 that the agency had received reports, including images, of the river, which he said had been polluted by an unidentified chemical. Donskoy said that preliminary reports suggested that the cause might be a break in a slurry pipeline at the nearby Nadezhinskogo metallurgical plant. He said that the company had denied that there had been a leak, "but is monitoring the state of the environment in the vicinity of the river." WATCH VIDEO: Why Did The Animas River Turn Orange?

He said the Russian government had told the company that it might be liable for the costs of the cleanup, and had instructed a company executive to"bring the situation under personal control." Siberian Times also reported that officials at the plant had "questioned" claims of a discharge, but said that they are in the process of investigating Russian social media users have been posting pictures of the red waterway. RELATED: Rhine is Turning into a River of Plastic "This stuff gets into the lake Pyasino, Pyasina river ... and falls into the Arctic Ocean," the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Taimyr, a human rights group, warned on its Facebook page "Once again, we write appeals to the environmental structure of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. As we know, the Arctic nature is fragile, but very common for industrial companies is just an obstacle in obtaining superprofits." Sadly, it isn't the first time that the river has turned red. A user on the Russian social media site VK.com posted similar pictures back in 2014. Photos: 5 Unexplained Earth Mysteries

style="text-align: left;"> Odd Noises style="text-align: left;"> There are several well-known mysterious sounds in the world. The most famous is New Mexico's Taos Hum, but another mysterious hum has plagued residents in Windsor, Ontario, since 2011. Not everyone hears it, and even those who do don't all describe it in the same way. Some say it's like a running refrigerator or an idling big truck. For years residents heard it -- and complained about it -- but local police couldn't help and no one was sure of its origin.

style="text-align: left;"> Several investigations were conducted including by the Canadian government. Finally in May a study confirmed for the first time that the hum is real (and not, for example, an auditory illusion), and conclusively identified the source of the sound: Michigan's Zug Island, across the Detroit River, the site of heavy manufacturing including a U.S. Steel plant. Though it's clear that the hum is mechanical in nature and coming from the island, scientists haven't been able to locate a specific building or piece of heavy machinery that's causing it. Though the infernal Windsor Hum remains, nearby residents can sleep a little easier knowing it's not all in their heads.



style="text-align: left;">Missing Jet style="text-align: left;">On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 veered off course after it left Kuala Lumpur and soon vanished. It seems impossible that with modern technology, the cooperation of several countries, and tens of millions spent on search costs, the plane would simply vanish, never to be found. Dozens of planes, submersibles and ships searched in vain for the Boeing 777, but not a trace has been found. Hopes for finding the flight mostly depended on locating the airplane's "black box," equipped with an electronic pinger that sends out a regular sound signature. style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, the batteries died after three months, and early pings detected by the U.S. Navy were later determined to be false alarms that wasted precious time. The search for the missing plane was plagued by problems from the beginning, with erroneous information sending teams from one search area to another and another. To this day many questions remain: Were the pilots on a suicide mission, and if so, why? Did a mechanical failure cause the plane to go down? The search continues and though it's likely that this mystery will be solved one day, it may take months or years longer.

style="text-align: left;">Strange Bolts style="text-align: left;">Ball lightning, according to the American Meteorological Society's Dr. Walter Lyons in his "The Handy Weather Answer Book," is "one of nature's most mysterious phenomena. Usually seen during violent thunderstorms, the spheres of glowing light are typically the size of bowling balls or basketballs. They can last from a few seconds to many minutes. The spheres can simply vanish into thin air, but can also pass through window glass and screens, leaving burn marks behind.... They usually do not cause much damage and can even seem playful." style="text-align: left;">A research team saw and recorded a ball lighting strike in northwest China in July 2012: "They were able to record a spectrum and high-speed video footage of the ball. The recorded glow was about 5 meters across -- the actual size of the ball was much smaller... The researchers found that the spectrum contained several emission lines from silicon, iron, and calcium."

style="text-align: left;">This suggests that the lightning may be created by some unknown interaction with the soil, and though the research offers some tantalizing clues about the origin and nature of ball lightning, the phenomenon remains elusive and largely unexplained.

style="text-align: left;">New World Mystery style="text-align: left;">Christopher Columbus wasn't the first European to set foot in the New World. The Vikings preceded him. And in 2013, we learned of the arrival of a mysterious group of European settlers to the "steps to the Americas" 300 to 500 years before the Vikings arrived in the New World. style="text-align: left;">Scientists had previously thought the Vikings were the first arrivals to the Faroes in the ninth century. Discovered at an archaeological site of A Sondum on the island of Sandoy, researchers found evidence of human settlement in patches of burnt peat ash. style="text-align: left;">Although investigators have yet to discover clear evidence of the group's identity, possibilities include religious hermits from Ireland, late-Iron Age colonists from Scotland or pre-Viking explorers from Scandinavia. style="text-align: left;">Photo: Durham University
Image: The launch of STS-115, which Elizabeth Howell never got to see (NASA) I was in mid-air when a huge bolt of lightning struck the space shuttle, dashing my hopes to see it launch quickly. It was late August 2006. I was a student who had spent all of her life's savings to see Space Shuttle Atlantis lift off with Canadian Steve MacLean on board for the STS-115 mission to the International Space Station. I'd somehow managed to convince Canadian radio station CBC to back my request to get to the launch site. I bought my plane tickets as late as I could. I looked at news reports daily on the Internet. I boarded in Ottawa, Canada for a direct flight to Orlando, with everything "nominal" (to use a NASA term). But by the time I'd gotten to my hotel room late in the night of Aug. 25, launch was a no-go. The most powerful lightning bolt ever had hit the space shuttle pad and naturally, the responsible thing for NASA to do was make sure there was no damage. Launch date to be determined. RELATED: Space Shuttle to Slip into History So I holed up in my hotel room and ate TV dinners in front of NASA Television. My credentials as a student showed: within hours of getting to Florida, I'd dropped and damaged my only lifeline to the Internet -- a cheap Averatec laptop computer. It refused to turn on. Panicking, and as I mentioned before, broke, I asked the motel if they had any leads on how to fix it. The manager (who seemed to like messing with repairs in his spare time) took it apart and wiggled things around. He managed to save it. I had little to do, but hey, it was Florida. I walked on the beach. I checked out Ron Jon Surf Shop. I briefly visited MacLean's family (who were in good spirits despite the delay) and watched the astronauts practice in T-33s along the coastline. RELATED: Towing, Flying and Hauling the Space Shuttle One hazy afternoon, I slapped on some sunscreen and walked by several Cocoa Beach stores, taking pictures of any street signs related to the space program. I found a hotel that the Mercury 7 astronauts reportedly invested in, now called La Quinta Inn. There was a big sign in the back with their names, complete with the misspelling "Walter Shirra."

For me, the living was easy. But my family was starting to panic. As a journalist I'm sensitive to the media exaggerating things. Somehow some Canadian TV stations were saying the whole state of Florida was under imminent threat from a hurricane, and showing vast numbers of people leaving for safety. In reality, the evacuations (so far) were in the far south of the state. I only saw one closed store while strolling in Cocoa Beach. But my family didn't know that. My dad was travelling (with our only car) and my mother was at the cottage with my teenage siblings. Remember this is before we all had smart phones, so nobody had constant Internet. So to find out if I was okay, my mother bundled everybody in a small boat and went to the opposite side of their cottage lake to find the town library. WATCH VIDEO: Why Rocket Launches Always Get Canceled

"How does it feel being under a state of emergency? This is unbelievable! The one week you get to go down there Florida starts calling in the army!!" my brother wrote. "Crisis? What crisis?" I responded. But we all knew my trip's hopes were dashed. Hurricane Ernesto was turning towards Orlando. My flight would get out in plenty of time, but it was game-over for the shuttle, which had to be brought back to shelter at the Vehicle Assembly Building. The rollout would take place the next day -- Aug. 29. Just when my plane was leaving. So I found a pier as close to Atlantis as I could get. Keeping with my Mercury 7 theme, I chose Space View Park, which has monuments to Mercury and other space programs. I stood on the dock and watched, from the other side of the Indian River, as the shuttle slowly creeped towards shelter.
FINEST KIND CLINIC AND FISHMARKET.... Discussing medicine, culture, and the joys of cooking Pansit.
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September 7, 2016 BSP CHARTER CHANGE, ADDITIONAL BUDGET TO STRENGTHEN BANKING SYSTEM In order to keep pace with the innovations of a modern globalized economy, Senator Chiz Escudero wants to strengthen the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) by amending the country's two-decade-old central bank law. Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies, said several proposals to change the BSP charter are being studied by his panel, all aiming to modernize the monetary authority's mandate. Senate Bill Nos. 16 (authored by Sen. Franklin Drilon), 859 (authored by Sen. Ralph Recto) and 1027 (authored by Escudero) all seek to amend the BSP charter by giving the central bank greater operation flexibility and more financial resources. SBN 1027 aims to strengthen BSP's monetary stability function and supplement the mechanisms in protecting savings of depositors and in ensuring the smooth flow of transactions in the financial system. The bill also seeks to increase its capitalization by P150 billion. BSP Governor Amando Tetangco, Jr. expressed his support for Senate Bill No. 1027, which Escudero put forward, during the committee hearing. According to Tetangco, since the restructuring of BSP in 1993, the country has undergone two financial crises: the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the global financial crisis in 2007. However, the BSP's capitalization has remained constant for the past 23 years. "The BSP needs to keep abreast with the changing times. As an example, the capital boost will enable them to monitor, supervise and examine the web of transactions in the banking system. The proliferation of computerized banking transactions necessitates technical development for BSP to fully discharge its mandate in the banking and financial systems," Escudero said. He added if the fund will be automatically appropriated, it will be considered as an off-budget item and will not have to pass through the scrutiny of Congress anymore. Escudero said the scope of the operations of financial institutions has evolved since the inception of BSP 23 years ago, and it must be given the monetary and financial stability, as well as corporate and financial viability to respond to contemporary challenges. "On your end I understand the concern, too. Matagal na kayong pinangakuan ng pondo, sinabi isa, dalawa, tatlong taon, hindi naman nabigay ng gobyerno sa loob ng isa, dalawa, tatlong taon, so you also want to be sure that indeed any increase in capitalization will be fully subscribed by government at a relatively more predictable time frame," Escudero said.
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September 7, 2016 SPEND NOT JUST ON REHAB CENTERS, BUT ON PSYCHOLOGISTS, GUIDANCE COUNSELORS TOO: GORDON TO GOV'T Senator Richard J. Gordon has called on the Duterte administration, not just to spend on the construction of rehabilitation centers, but also on psychologists or psychosocial support experts for local government units and guidance counselors for public schools. During a budget hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance, Gordon stressed that authorities should be more proactive to have a more effective and holistic approach in eradicating illegal drugs. "I heard you say that there are 60 rehabilitation centers that are going to be built this year, 500-bed rehab centers to accommodate drug users, with those who surrendered already reaching 600,000. I wonder if it would be appropriate for us, in as much as 1% of our population, namely the young, 3.7-million, are affected by drugs. One-million comes from the education sector, youth and out-of-school youth. If we put in money, should we not put it instead or put in money also, in having psychiatrists in every six towns perhaps or somebody like trained psychosocial support experts or guidance counselors?" he said. The senator pointed out that drug abuse will be nipped in the bud in the schools by having guidance counselors in schools who are well-trained to immediately spot such problems and the appropriate approach to take. "Shouldn't we also put in money in having psychiatrists, guidance counselors who would be able to spot children who are targets of people who push drugs? Children who are sometimes beaten up, sometimes bullied, or those who are just insecure,' he said. Gordon also proposed that the Parents-Teachers Associations in schools should actively join the campaign against illegal drug use. He also pressed the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to comply with the provision of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which mandates the PDEA to establish forensic laboratories in each PNP office in every province and city to facilitate action on seized or confiscated drugs, thereby hastening its destruction without delay. The PDEA reported that there are 17 crime laboratories being operated and maintained in the Philippine National Police regional offices. "The law calls for a forensic laboratory in the PNP office in every province and city. We must implement the law or else, it would just be another dead letter law. We are not trying to battle with you here, we're trying to save a war," Gordon said.
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September 7, 2016 Legarda Joins Celebration of Int'l Literacy Day, Calls For Greater Investment in Phl Education In celebration of the International Literacy Day (September 8), Senator Loren Legarda underscored the need for stronger government support for alternative learning systems that would allow all Filipinos to be literate. Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, said that while the Department of Education (DepEd) has the highest fund allocation in the government budget among all agencies, she hopes to see increased funding for alternative learning systems so that more Filipinos, including out-of-school youth, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and non-literate adults, will have access to education and literacy programs. "We should not only invest in formal education systems but also in alternative learning systems so that even adult citizens and those in marginalized communities who are unable to enter formal schooling may be given the chance to be literate. Literacy boosts a person's confidence and more confident citizens are able to participate in nation-building," said Legarda. According to the UN, 103 million youth worldwide lack basic literacy skills. Thus, under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on quality education, one of the aims is to ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy by the year 2030. Legarda said the Philippine government should make use of its advantage as home of UNESCO's Category Center 2 Southeast Asia Centre for Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development (SEA CLLSD). The aim of this facility is to develop and provide appropriate learning programs to benefit the marginalized, the disadvantaged, and the underserved members of the population, including indigenous peoples, out-of-school youth and non-literate adults, as it envisions an educational framework that works for sustainable development. Legarda, who sponsored the Senate's concurrence in the ratification of the Agreement to establish the SEA CLLSD in the country, said that while the Centre serves the Southeast Asian sub-region, the Philippines, being the facility's home, has greater opportunity for technical exchanges, collaboration and cooperation with immediate neighbors in the area of lifelong education for sustainability. The SEA-CLLSD develops and conducts high-level training and capacity-building programs for lifelong learning mentors, teachers and service-providers; pursues research, develops appropriate lifelong learning for sustainability materials, and improves the quality of its programs; and engages in advocacy and networking to raise public awareness and appreciation of lifelong learning possibilities for sustainable development across all ages and in a variety of settings and places. The International Literacy Day was first celebrated on September 8, 1966. It aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. The theme for its 50th Anniversary this year is "Reading the Past, Writing the Future."
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September 7, 2016 GRACE POE ON TUGADE'S 'TRAFFIC AS STATE OF MIND' POINT OF VIEW Our state of mind is such, because traffic is a deplorable reality. We should not be naive to the problem but we need to focus on solutions as well. As ordinary citizens, complying with traffic rules is a start. As a legislator, I will do what I can to pass measures that will help government implement projects asap to solve the problem. DOTr should make sure that they implement a well studied traffic plan and solution and follow through with it.
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September 7, 2016 Senate welcomes newly appointed PLLO Secretary Adelino Sitoy Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III welcomed former Cordova, Cebu Vice-Mayor Adelino Sitoy, who was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as the Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs and the head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO). Sitoy took his oath of office before Pimentel last Monday. Sitoy's appointment became effective last September 1, 2016. He will be holding office at Malacanang Palace. The municipality of Cordova is in the Province of Cebu. Pimentel said that under Sitoy, he expects the PLLO to be able to push President Duterte's legislative agenda more vigorously. "I have to push the administration's bills, and I have to establish good relations with the Senate and the House. My principal task is to coordinate with both Houses of Congress. I am also tasked to brief the President and the Cabinet on pending bills, and whatever events are happening in both chambers," Sitoy said. Besides being the liaison between the President and all senators and congressmen, Sitoy will be monitoring legislative measures being deliberated on in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, such as bills on anti-terrorism, emergency power, and the shift to federalism. "It is a matter of pushing through the President's agenda, and principal among the agenda is the move towards federalization. After the budget hearing, we can start moving towards federalization. We will do our best to achieve more than before," Sitoy said. Appointed together with Sitoy is PLLO Assistant Secretary Astravel Pimentel Naic, who took her oath of office in Malacanang last August 15, 2016. (Yvonne A. Almiranez)
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September 7, 2016 Traffic powers price tag: P1.15 trillion, minimum--Recto How much would the land-sea-air traffic improvement measures cost? P1.15 trillion. And that's just the minimum, according to Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto, as many proposed projects in the menu submitted by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to the Senate "are still without price tags." Because it is impossible to fund them all in one go, Recto is urging the DOTr to segregate the projects into levels of priority, "from the super urgent to the slightly urgent." The senator noted that the list submitted by Transportation secretary Artuto Tugade includes projects which can be put in the back burner," like the construction of a training room in one DOTr -supervised office and the purchase of non-essential computers. "Congress and Secretary Art have to work like air traffic controllers. Unahin maka-takeoff ang byaheng pinakaimportante. O ang mga proyekto na magbibigay ng agarang ginhawa. At yung mahalaga na kahit matagal matapos ay dapat nang maumpisahan," Recto said. According to Recto, the DOTr's list is clustered into four sectors: road, maritime, aviation and rail, with its budget of P1.07 trillion, hogging 93 percent of DOTr's P1.15 trillion wish list. With a tentative budget of P58.6 billion, road sector projects, by cost, is topbilled by the proposed P39.4 billion Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line 2, a 48.6 kilometer loop around EDSA, Ayala Avenue, NAIA and the Ortigas and Bonifacio Global City business districts. A second BRT line from the Manila City Hall to Quezon City Hall would need P4.8 billion. Two bus-related projects, an integrated terminal in Paranaque and Taguig, would cost P5.4 billion, Recto said. DOTr is also asking P3.3 billion to jumpstart the setting up and operations of the proposed Single Traffic Authority, plus P1.9 billion to end the shortage and regularize the supply of vehicle license plates and driver's license cards. Maritime-related activities would cost P3.9 billion, with P2.9 billion for the revival of the Pasig River ferry system. Recto said this would fund the purchase of 20 100-passenger boats, the repair of eight terminals and the dredging of the 15-kilometer ferry route. As for the trillion-peso proposed outlay for the rail sector, Recto said this will be dispersed among three major categories: improvement and construction of light rail lines in Metro Manila, Cavite and Bulacan; the Philippine National Railways (PNR) South and North Lines; and construction of regional networks in Mindanao and Cebu. LRT Line 1 will cost P24 billion plus P3 billion for the MRT-LRT Quezon City common station; Line 2, P21 billion; Line 3 which is the MRT, P8.4 billion; Line 4, P84 billion; and Line 5A, P15 billion. Line 5 will incur the biggest cost: P219 billion for a 14-kilometer subway that will snake through the Makati and Taguig business districts to Manila and the Pasay reclamation complex. Line 6 from Cavite to Dasmarinas will cost P68 billion while Line 7 from Quezon City to Bulacan will cost P95 billion. Funding eyed for PNR is P107 billion for its North line to Malolos, Bulacan and P150 billion for its South line to Binan, Laguna. A 55-kilometer track extending the North line to Clark will cost an additional P99 billion. Recto said the proposed Mindanao Rail will consist of a 20-kilometer line costing P79 billion in a yet to be named city while a 25-kilometer line in Cebu will cost P98 billion. Of the aviation sector's P18.2 billion share, P10.9 billion will be for NAIA, P2.4 billion of which is for a third runway and P7 billion for the relocation of informal settlers on its 96 hectares of property. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines' (CAAP) P4.4 billion allocation is for the repair and night-flying capability upgrade of the Roxas, Dipolog, Ozamis, Tuguegaro, Cauayan, Pagadian, Catarman, Masbate, Calbayog, Dumaguete and Naga airports. Also earmarked are P814.5 million worth of projects for Clark International Airport and P635.5 million to modernize the airport at Subic Bay. Recto said all these costings are tentative and preliminary. "The program of work will reveal the true cost. If you read the proposal of DOTr, there are many activities there whose costs have yet to be computed. Some initially do not have estimated budgets but for sure they will use taxpayer's money later." Recto said he is also proposing that the DOTr wish list "be clustered under one item in the 2017 national budget so that the budget cover needed to implement these will have the okay of Congress." "We should remember that the emergency powers being sought to address the transportation crisis can never include the power to appropriate funds. What it only allows is the fast procurement of projects for which funds have been appropriated," Recto said. So as not to disrupt the structure of the 2017 national budget, Recto is proposing that emergency powers activities which cannot be accommodated in the regular program be enumerated in the Unprogrammed Fund portion of the spending bill. Such a move does not require President Duterte to raise the P3.35 trillion ceiling of the 2017 appropriations bill--a power which Congress does not possess, Recto said. He explained that the Unprogrammed Fund is traditionally used as a parking lot of projects whose implementation depend on funding triggers like the perfection of a loan, a joint-venture project finalized or increase in revenue collections. "So ngayon ayusin natin ang mga proyekto na fundable for 2017. Then i-line up natin ang sa mga susunod na taon. Dapat nating tandaan na multi-year ang programa. Kung nakalista, alam natin ang funding horizon," Recto said. Recto said not all projects will be wholly funded by the government. "Many will be built under the PPP scheme. But just the same, we should indicate government counterpart and contingent liabilities for transparency's sake."
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September 7, 2016 'With barangay polls scrapped, how do you 'endo' barangay chairmen who are also drug captains?' Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto said it would be up to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other agencies to "legally prevent" barangay officials who coddle or are in cahoots with drug lords from enjoying a one-year extension in office. "Those who are not only barangay captains, but at same time are drug captains in their barangay must not have a free pass for another year," Recto said. But any move to charge barangay leaders for their crimes should be done in a "legal, constitutional, and proper way," he added. "It must be based on solid, verified evidence, supported by affidavits of witnesses, the side of those charged be heard, and the proper case filed," Recto said. Recto said the postponement of the October barangay polls would "rob barangay residents of the chance to boot out barangay officials who moonlight as drug traders or whose feeble leadership allowed the proliferation of narcotics in their areas." Recto said 13,661 out of 42,036 barangays in the country have been tagged by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as drug-affected. In Metro Manila, the prevalence is higher, with 92 percent of 1,706 barangays penetrated by drug lords according to PDEA. "Thus, many are saying that the high rate of drug infiltration in our barangays is the argument for--and not against--the scheduled holding of elections next month," Recto said. "Mas maraming barangay leaders pa rin ang matitino. Mas marami ang nagseserbisyo at nagsasakripisyo. Pero marami ring dapat nang palitan," Recto said "But instead of being served end of contracts, what they will get is the gift of term extension," Recto said. "Dapat ma-endo na ang mga 'yan. Ang mangyayari ay parang extended pa for one year." "That's the predicament of the people on the ground. With elections postponed, how can the terms of unpopular, nonperforming barangay leaders be cut short? That is where government should come in," Recto said. He said there are many discipline mechanisms under the Local Government Code (LGC) and other laws and regulations. "Those provisions must be invoked to provide relief for affected barangay residents." Section 60 of Republic Act 7160 or the LGC states the various offenses--from disloyalty to the Republic, to absenteeism, to commission of offenses punishable by a minimum jail time of six years and one day--which can be grounds to suspend or remove from office an elective barangay official. "If barangay residents cannot secure their liberation through the ballot, then government should be the one to free them," Recto said. Recto said that based on a DBM Local Budget Memorandum, leaders of the country's 41,889 barangays would appropriate and spend more than P96.08 billion in Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share of barangays for 2017. The IRA represents the 40 percent share of provinces, cities, towns, and barangays from national taxes collected three years before.
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September 7, 2016 Sponsorship Speech of Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri On Monday, September 12, the Philippines will be united as one country in the observance of one holy day in the Islamic calendar. We shall observe the Eid al-Adha, often called the greater holiday in Islam relative to Eidil FItr. Mr. President, Eid al-Adha is one of the 12 regular holidays and 3 special holidays observed nationwide. On those 15 days, we cast aside our differences and celebrate as one nation. Most of all, we render respect to the persons and events being commemorated on those special days. We Christians celebrate many different holidays - Christmas, All Saints' Day, and Holy Week - as regular holidays. Initially, there was only one regular holiday for Muslim Filipinos, the Eidil Fitr, under Republic Act No. 9177, which by the way was also authored by Sen. Legarda, and I believe, Sen. Gordon. Thus, in 2009, I authored and sponsored Republic Act No. 9849, which declared Eid al-Adha as a national holiday, in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters. It has been seven years since we started observing Eid al-Adha as a regular holiday nationwide, yet many are still not aware of the significance of this day for Islam. Eid al-Adha is one of the two most important days in Islam. It is a celebration of the end of Hajj, the sacred pilgrimage that Muslims must make to the holy city of Mecca at least once in his life. Eid al-Adha commemorates the story of Prophet Abraham, with whom many of us are familiar. Allah spoke to Abraham in a dream and instructed him to build a shrine in Mecca. At the time, Mecca was a desolate and barren desert, but Abraham heeded Allah's call with devotion and without complaint. In his most supreme act of obedience to Allah, Abraham was about to sacrifice the life of his only son, Ishmael. But Allah, seeing Abraham's complete devotion and his willingness to give up the life of his only son, spared Ishmael's life moments before the sacrifice and replaced him with a lamb.[1] Prophet Abraham's ultimate sacrifice is what our Muslim brothers and sisters celebrate on Eid al-Adha. I know this story is also in our Bible as Christians. As such, it is known as "the Feast of Sacrifice," which they traditionally commemorate by giving meat to friends, neighbors, relatives, and the needy.[2] Eid al-Adha falls on a different date every year because its timing is directed by the lunar cycle. The day of Eid is set when a new moon is sighted, so that Eid al-Adha falls on a different day depending on which sect, mosque or region one is in.[3] As such, I commend the President for issuing Proclamation No. 56, declaring September 12th as the exact day of commemorating the tenth day of Zhul Hijja - the twelfth month of the Islamic Calendar, as Eid al-Adha. Mr. President, I believe that awareness and recognition of our diversity is the first step in eliminating prejudice and bigotry, and it is necessary for us to learn about and be open to each other in order to foster mutual respect and unity among all of our people. To our Muslim brothers and sisters, I wish you a meaningful and blessed Eid Mubarak. And I ask my colleagues in the Senate, if we can make all members as author of this Resolution, I humbly submit, Mr. President. ________________________________________ [1] Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Independent.co.uk
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In its latest attempt to straighten out a long period of administrative and board upheaval, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) has hired a new chief financial officer.

Ed Prohaska, the longtime CFO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, will take over fiscal management of the city-owned museums, the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. Prohaska will replace Michele Gutierrez, who was demoted then terminated by FAMSF after filing a whistle-blower suit against board President Dede Wilsey for spending FAMSF funds without board approval.

Prohaska, 58, starts work Oct. 10 and is expected to face the immediate problem of a reported deficit of $2 million to $3 million incurred in fiscal 2015-16.

Gutierrez was replaced on an interim basis by Laura Hussey, who resigned in April after suggesting changes to the FAMSF financial structure that the board declined to act on.

I believe the organization is setting itself up for failure in the resolution of the current financial crisis it faces, she said in her letter of resignation.

Board members Bernard Osher, Louise Renne and Dan Johnson quit in protest of Wilseys handling of the Gutierrez matter.

In July, Gutierrez dropped her suit after settling for $2 million, according to published reports. She is no longer an employee. The museum money that Wilsey allegedly disbursed without authority, an estimated $450,000 to an ailing ex-employee, was said to have been reimbursed by board members.

At the same time the settlement was revealed, Wilsey announced she would step down as president, a position she had held since 1998. An investigation by the office of state Attorney General Kamala Harris had suggested elimination of a provision in FAMSF bylaws that allowed Wilsey to hold the position indefinitely.

She probably will be replaced by co-chairs Carl Pascarella and Jack Calhoun at the October meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Prohaska was identified after a five-month search by a headhunting firm in San Francisco, and newly installed FAMSF Director Max Hollein made the decision to hire him. At the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Prohaska oversaw an operating budget of $78 million and an investment portfolio of $190 million. The operating budget at FAMSF is just under $45 million.

Prohaska has a masters degree in business administration from the University of Texas in Austin and has served as the chair of the finance committee for the boards of both KQED in San Francisco and the California Association of Museums.

He was unavailable for comment Wednesday but released the following statement: The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are among the worlds best museums, with a proud history of collecting, scholarship and exhibitions. To fully achieve its promise, the institution must be top of class in every aspect of its operation and I am thrilled to join Max and his talented team to lead that effort on the finance front.

Ed has deep roots in the financial management of nonprofits and will be a valued partner, operationally and strategically, as we further develop our great institutions reputation, Hollein said in a statement.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Instagram:@sfchronicle_art
Its Take 2 at 30 Van Ness.

Nine months after the Board of Supervisors rejected a deal to sell its office building at 30 Van Ness Ave. for $80 million, the city on Wednesday again went to market with the parcel, a site that could accommodate a 550-foot office or residential tower.

The property will be listed without a price. Listing broker Kyle Kovac of Newmark Cornish & Carey said that the demand for high-rise building sites remains strong in the Mid-Market and Civic Center neighborhoods.

You are talking about one of the most substantial development opportunities on the West Coast, Kovac said. The intersection of Market and Van Ness is still highly desirable.

The offering comes at a time when City Hall is embroiled in a debate over how much affordable housing market-rate developers are able to build while still making enough profit to attract the lenders that make building possible. At 30 Van Ness, the previous would-be buyer, Related California, had agreed to make 15 percent of the apartments below market rate and then raise that figure to 20 percent through tax-exempt bond financing.

But at the time Supervisor Aaron Peskin said the city can and should negotiate a better deal. And Supervisor Jane Kim argued that the developer should be forced to make 33 percent of the project affordable, to adhere to a nonbinding ballot initiative voters passed last November on surplus public land.

Gabriel Metcalf, executive director of the urban think tank SPUR, said the reoffering of 30 Van Ness will be an interesting test of the progressives negotiating abilities.

They scuttled the last deal because they thought they could get a better deal for the city, he said. Now we will find out if they were right.

Department of Real Estate Director John Updike said developers now are being asked to assume the site will require at least 25 percent affordable housing.

The 30 Van Ness site is one of three city-owned properties San Francisco officials are hoping to sell to raise money for a new city office building on the northeast corner of Mission Street and South Van Ness Avenue. The others  1660 and 1680 Mission St.  represent 120,000 square feet of office space in the Civic Center area, which is home to Uber, Square, Twitter, Yammer and Dolby Labs.

The sales of the buildings on Mission Street could generate $60 million or more.

All three buildings are currently occupied by city departments, and whoever buys them would have to agree to lease them back to the city until the new building is constructed.

John Jensen of Colliers International, the broker marketing the Mission Street properties, said there are still several large tech tenants looking for space in the Mid-Market.

We are seeing large deals in the works all over that district, large users that bodes well for the project, Jensen said.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jkdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SFjkdineen
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Yosemite National Park added 400 acres of lush, mountain meadow to its western edge Wednesday, the parks largest expansion in 70 years.

The new terrain, which is near San Franciscos Camp Mather east of Groveland (Tuolumne County), was a donation from the Trust for Public Land, a conservation group that bought the private property earlier this year to ensure that it would remain undeveloped.

The land is dotted with pine trees and hosts the sprawling Ackerson Meadow, which feeds into the Tuolumne River and San Franciscos water system. At least two endangered species, the great gray owl and willow flycatcher, are found at the site.

Its a really important acquisition, said Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman. Youve got the critical habitat for the birds and reptiles, and youve got the wetlands.

Park officials say theyve been eyeing the land for three decades. The owners, Robin and Nancy Wainwright, sold the property to the Trust for Public Land for $2.3 million after the group came up with funding with help from the Yosemite Conservancy, National Park Trust and American Rivers.

The property, which houses a small wooden barn that can be seen from Evergreen Road between Highway 120 and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, is now used for cattle grazing. Under the terms of the purchase, ranching will cease on the property in two years and the land will be managed as wilderness. There are no plans to add trails through the site.

This meadow is a remarkable gift to the American people, coming at a historic time as we celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service, Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher said in a statement.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
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In a tribute to the life and work of Justin Chin, who died late last year at age 46, Jennifer Joseph of Manic D Press will release Justin Chin: Selected Works Thursday night, Sept. 8, with readings and reflections by some of the poets close friends and fellow writers.

Celebrated for what Joseph calls his ability to combine humor with hard-core truths, Chin published seven books: four of poetry, two essay collections and a novel. In 2007, he won the Thom Gunn Award for Gutted. Joseph, who published his first and last books, and all of the poetry collections, decided to edit Selected Works not in chronological order but as a sort of Justin Chin literary mixtape.

That approach allowed me to craft a book which forms its own narrative, she said, so you really get this amazing perspective on why this writer is important, and what the themes were.

Joseph met Chin in 1994. As host of the popular Paradise Lounge open mike events, she was asked to organize a poetry slam, the winner of which was to tour the country with the Lollapalooza festival. Fifty poets and 400 people packed Slims for that competition; Chin finished second with his poem Chinese Restaurant.

It was one of these moments when everybody looked at each other and thought, who is this person? Joseph said. Justin had that effect on people when he read his writing; it was just like, wait  who are you? What is this? Whats going on here?

This sentiment is echoed throughout the book, which includes reflections by Kevin Killian, Rabih Alameddine, Beth Lisick and Ali Liebegott, all paired with the writings they discuss. Through the eyes of his friends, lovers and literary comrades, and scattered throughout his own verses, we see Chin as a beginning writer, shocking the advanced creative writing workshop at the University of Hawaii; we watch him on tour for his first book; we see him, diagnosed with HIV in the mid-90s, as a beacon of light to gay people.

At a time when most of the writing that was supposed to reflect our lives was maudlin claptrap, writes Alameddine, Justins poetry polished the rust off my heart. The world we lived in was crazy; he reflected that, not some sentimentalized image of it.

The book release occurs on what would have been Chins 47th birthday. That was intentional, Joseph said. Because this is to his memory. She said she hopes Selected Works will spark peoples interest so that they seek out his full books.

A formidable cast of all-stars and Manic D authors will pay tribute: Killian, Alameddine, filmmaker Henry Machtay, Larry-Bob Roberts, Thea Hillman, Maw Shein Win, Alvin Orloff and Daphne Gottlieb.

Well all be reading poems from the book, Joseph said, and reading essays from the book, and not mourning Justins passing but celebrating his life.

Justin Chin: Selected Works: 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8. Free, City Lights, 261 Colombus Ave., 362-8193, www.citylights.com/info/?fa=event&event_id=2729.

Evan Karp is the creator of Quiet Lightning and Litseen.com. Twitter: @Litseen

Other book events

Anuradha Roy (The Folded Earth and An Atlas of Impossible Longing) is in town to celebrate the paperback release of Sleeping on Jupiter, which was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize (7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 . Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, Free). www. bookpassage.com/event/anuradha-roy-sleeping-jupiter-corte-madera

Studio One Reading Series teams up with Commune Editions to release its latest title, David Laus Still Dirty, with readings by Wendy Trevino (Brazilian Is Not a Race), Cheena Marie Lo (Un/Natural/Disasters) and Jasper Bernes (We Are Nothing and So Can You) (7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9. Studio One Art Center, 365 45th St., Oakland, Free). www. facebook.com/events/634453650048400/

Babylon Salon presents its fall reading, featuring Ramona Ausubel (Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty), J. Ryan Stradal (Kitchens of the Great Midwest), Tess Taylor (Work & Days), Frances Stroh (Beer Money) and John Jodzio (Knockout) (6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Armory Club, 1799 Mission St., S.F. Free). www. facebook.com/events/318574601808671

Writers With Drinks presents Anuradha Roy, Margaret Wappler (Neon Green), Hollie Hardy (How to Take a Bullet, and Other Survival Poems, Naamen Tilahun (The Root), Curtis Chen (Waypoint Kangaroo) and comedian Dominique Gelin (7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd St., S.F. $5-25). www. facebook.com/events/1238244289559995/
Volkswagen plans to take a 16.6 percent stake in Navistar International as part of a wide-ranging alliance that gives the manufacturer access to products and services of the German vehicle makers truck and bus business.

Navistar, with headquarters near Chicago, will receive a $256 million equity investment from VW, which will pay $15.76 per share, a 12 percent premium to Navistars closing stock price on Friday.

VWs bus and truck unit also will have the right to appoint two directors to the board of Navistar, which makes commercial and military trucks, diesel engines, and buses. Navistar is fond of saying that almost half of North American children who take a bus to school are riding in one of its buses.

Mergers

Pipeline firms

will combine

Canadas Enbridge is buying Spectra Energy of Houston for about $28 billion, creating North Americas largest energy infrastructure company.

Both companies operate pipelines that deliver oil and natural gas.

Under the terms of the deal announced Tuesday, Spectra Energy shareholders will receive 0.984 of a share of the combined company, about $40.33 for each Spectra Energy share they own.

When the deal closes, which is expected to happen in the in the first quarter of 2017, Enbridge shareholders will own about 57 percent of the combined company and Spectra Energy shareholders will own about 43 percent.

The combined company will be called Enbridge Inc. and keep its current headquarters in Calgary, Alberta.

Acquisitions

Bayer raises

Monsanto bid

German pharmaceutical giant Bayer sweetened its bid for Monsanto Tuesday, saying that its latest offer, now worth almost $56 billion reflects, constructive negotiations in its quest to build a global chemical and seed company.

Bayer is offering $127.50 per Monsanto share, up from $125 in July, a bid that the St. Louis seed company had called inadequate. The new bid values Monsanto at $55.8 billion, about $1 billion more than the previous offer.

Monsanto confirmed the bid, also calling its negotiations with Bayer constructive.

Bayer produces seeds as well as compounds to kill weeds, bugs and fungus. Monsanto produces seeds for fruits, vegetables and other crops and the weed-killer Roundup.

Payments

MasterCard,

PayPal in deal

PayPal and MasterCard have signed a deal designed to make it easier for PayPal users to pay with a MasterCard.

San Joses PayPal signed a similar deal with Visa in July.

MasterCard will be more prominently featured on PayPals app and website, and on its other payment service, Venmo. It will also allow PayPal users to select a MasterCard as a default payment option.

Under the deal, PayPal and Venmo users will also be able to transfer money to MasterCard debit cards instantly. Previously, it would take a couple of days for the funds to be available in bank accounts.

The changes are expected in the first half of next year.

Chronicle News Services
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A federal appeals court dealt a severe blow Wednesday to an attempt by 385,000 drivers for the ride-hailing company Uber in California and Massachusetts to sue for employment status. The ruling apparently requires virtually all of them to take their individual claims to private arbitrators rather than joining in a class-action lawsuit.

The court did not shield Uber from potentially huge penalties if its treatment of the drivers violated California labor laws. But the ruling appears to strengthen the companys hand in negotiations for a future settlement, after a previous agreement of between $84 million and $100 million was rejected by a federal judge as inadequate.

Ruling in a separate suit by drivers who challenged Ubers system of background checks, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said they were bound by arbitration agreements in contracts they signed with the company in order to keep working. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen of San Francisco had ruled that the arbitration clause was unclear and one-sided, but the appeals court said the contract language clearly and unmistakably entitled an arbitrator, rather than a judge, to decide whether the agreement was enforceable.

One who signs a contract is bound by its provisions, Judge Richard Clifton wrote in Wednesdays 3-0 ruling, quoting language from an earlier decision.

The ruling, if it stands, would also apply to the larger suit by drivers in California and Massachusetts who claim Uber misclassified them as independent contractors rather than employees, thus denying them minimum wages, overtime pay, meal and rest breaks, workers compensation and other employment benefits.

The company says all 385,000 drivers, except a few hundred who opted out, signed the agreements in 2013 and 2014 that required them to take all grievances to arbitration and prohibited collective action. Under Wednesdays ruling, only those who opted out, probably too few in number for a class-action suit, could proceed with their claims in court.

The ruling is not good for the class, said Shannon Liss-Riordan, lead attorney for the drivers. She said the court endorsed Ubers attempt to use its arbitration agreement to avoid a systemic challenge to its classification of drivers as employees.

"Arbitration is a fair, speedy and less costly alternative to class-action litigation, said Ubers attorney, Theodore Boutrous. Weve always believed our optional arbitration agreements should have applied in this case, and were pleased with the courts decision.

The ruling strengthens the argument for all employers that class-action waivers are still a viable argument in the Ninth Circuit, said Alden Parker, a management-side attorney in Sacramento who is not involved in the case.

One issue that a group of drivers could still pursue in court, however, is Ubers responsibility for complying with California labor laws, which impose financial penalties for violating employees rights.

Uber contends it has properly classified its drivers as contractors, noting that they drive their own cars and set their work schedules. But Chen, in past rulings, said the relationship also had some things in common with employment, such as Ubers detailed rules for the drivers interactions with passengers and its ability to fire them at any time.

If the drivers went to trial and proved their employment status, Chen said, the penalties under state law could amount to $1 billion or more, with 75 percent going to the state and the rest to the drivers. He cited the potential penalties in his decision Aug. 18 that rejected the $84 million-plus settlement that Liss-Riordan had negotiated with Uber.

The appeals court ruled Wednesday that drivers who had signed the 2013 agreement but left before the next contract in June 2014  about 8,000 drivers, according to court documents  could still seek the labor law penalties in court.

One driver would sue as a representative of the drivers and the state. Any penalties would be shared by all drivers in the case  including, Liss-Riordan said, the 385,000 who filed the original suit. She said she expects Uber to challenge that interpretation if the case gets that far.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
The debut of the latest iPhone was announced Wednesday at San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Changes include the headphone jack and dual cameras, among other features. Here were the live updates on the unveiling from our reporters at the scene:

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A 17-year-old Sunnyvale student was arrested after he allegedly sent threatening Instagram messages to at least two students, an act police have labeled a hate crime but refuse to specify what group was targeted.

Several media outlets reported the threatened students were Jewish.

The teen, who attends Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, was arrested Monday night and booked into juvenile hall in San Jose on suspicion of criminal threats and a hate crime, said Capt. Shawn Ahearn, a Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety spokesman.

The suspects name was not released because he is a minor.

Officers took him into custody at 11:30 p.m. after pinning down the origin of the IP address from the offenders computer, Ahearn said. He would not comment on the specifics of the incident, but said the student sent photos and messages considered violent in nature.

It was disturbing enough that a parent came and reported it to us, Ahearn said.

Police said they would not answer questions on the targeted students background to protect their privacy. So far, officers believed two students were the only ones threatened but were investigating if more students received messages, Ahearn said.

A parent reported the messages to police on Monday after their child received them. Ahearn said the sender was trying to intimidate a specific group of kids. Police increased patrols on campus Monday as a precautionary measure, authorities said.

The student victims attended both Fremont and Homestead High Schools, said Rachel Zlotziver, a Fremont Union School District spokeswoman.

I think its safe to say this is a pretty out of the ordinary situation, Zlotziver said. I would emphasize the student has been arrested... They dont see a continuing threat to the schools.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
Police throughout Northern California joined forces to identify and track down an alleged serial bank robber responsible for holdups from Sacramento to Lafayette.

Robert Keith Dennis, a 55-years-old resident of Oroville, was already in jail in Butte County on an unrelated felony drug arrest when police officers there recognized his photo taken from bank surveillance footage hanging on a bulletin board, officials said.

He is suspected in at least six robberies, including one on Aug. 23 at a US Bank at 3498 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette, the Lafayette Police Department said.

This individual is presumed and allegedly the subject of the entire series of robberies that have taken place in Northern California, said Gina Swankie, a spokeswoman for the FBI office in Sacramento.

Besides the Lafayette holdup, Dennis is suspected in bank robberies that recently occurred in Brentwood, Napa, Davis, Sacramento and Roseville, Swankie said.

Elizabeth Fay Morse, 47, also of Oroville, was also arrested in the string of robberies, suspected of being Dennis accomplice, officials said. She was arrested on Sept. 1.

Both Dennis and Morse are currently in custody at Butte County. Dennis is expected to be transferred to Contra Costa County to face federal charges stemming from the bank robberies.

Dennis allegedly entered banks and committed whats called a note job, said Prentice Danner, an FBI spokesman in San Francisco. The alleged robber handed notes to tellers demanding for money and threatened to shoot a teller at one of the banks if the teller did not comply, Danner added. However, authorities said they have found no evidence that Dennis actually showed a gun during any of the robberies.

Bank robberies were pretty surprising to me when I first started working on them, Danner said. You would think its a crime of the past, but its not really.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
CINCINNATI  Authorities suspect the Cincinnati area has been treated as a test tube by heroin dealers for use of a powerful animal tranquilizer, a county coroner said on Tuesday.

Tests have confirmed carfentanil in the bodies of eight recent overdose casualties, Hamilton Countys Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco said, and more cases are suspected. The drug, used to sedate elephants, can be thousands of times stronger than morphine.

Sammarco said the sudden surge in overdose cases raised concerns that dealers wanted to see what would happen in a community when they mixed carfentanil with heroin or sold it outright.

The very intense and focused spike brought up a lot of fears .... that our community was being used as a test tube, she said. What are they learning from it? Are they looking to see how many people its going to kill or how quickly our first responders can respond? And how many customers is that going to generate for them?

Authorities have said nearly 300 overdoses have been reported in the Cincinnati area since Aug. 19, with 174 reported in a six-day period. Communities in West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana also saw overdose spikes in recent weeks.

Carfentanil has been blamed in other overdose surges, such as in Akron this summer. Cincinnati area authorities warned publicly in July that carfentanil was beginning to show up locally.

Sammarco said the office of Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman reached out to the Cleveland Zoo and the Summit County coroners office to help her obtain carfentanil samples for testing. She said more overdose cases since July are being reviewed for carfentanil.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials have said they believe much of the carfentanil is being shipped from China to Mexico, where traffickers are mixing it with heroin and other drugs such as the painkiller fentanyl.

Cincinnati firefighters said they sometimes had to use multiple doses of the overdose-reversal drug naloxone to save users during the spike.

Newtown Police Chief Tom Synan, who heads the Hamilton County Drug Coalition task force, said he wants Ohio to declare an emergency and free up more resources to help local authorities cope.

Were bleeding profusely, and we need a tourniquet, Synan said.

A spokeswoman for Republican Gov. John Kasich, Emmalee Kalmbach, said the state is continuing to work with Cincinnati area officials to strengthen prevention, treatment and other resources.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump spoke to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi before his charity cut a 2013 check to support her re-election effort, but his campaign said Tuesday the two never discussed whether her office would join a lawsuit against Trump University.

Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks clarified details of the conversation one day after the Republican presidential candidate said he never spoke to Bondi about the issue, without providing specifics. Bondi, also a Republican, has endorsed Trumps White House bid.

I never spoke to her, first of all, shes a fine person beyond reproach, Trump said Monday. Never spoken to her about it. Never. Many of the AGs turned that case down because Ill win that case in court, many turned that down. ... I just have a lot of respect for her, and shes very popular.

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Bondis spokesman said in June that she personally solicited the $25,000 donation from Trump during a 2013 phone call. The Donald J. Trump Foundation check arrived just days after Bondis office told a newspaper it was deliberating whether to join a proposed multistate lawsuit against Trump University and Trump Institute, businesses that offered real estate seminars that scores of former students allege were get-rich-quick scams.

Florida didnt join the lawsuit filed by New Yorks attorney general.

Trump has said that he expects and receives favors from politicians to whom he gives money.

Bondi has said the timing of Trumps $25,000 donation was coincidental and said she wasnt personally aware of the numerous consumer complaints her office had received about the Trump-owned Trump University and the Trump Institute, a separate Florida business that licensed the Trump name and curriculum. Both had ceased operations by the time Bondi took office in early 2011.

Alan Garten, the in-house counsel for Trumps business interests, also denied there was any connection between the donation and the fact that Bondi didnt pursue claims on behalf of Florida residents then seeking refunds from Trump.
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The hunt for the suspect in the slaying an 18-year-old pregnant woman and her unborn infant in San Pablo ended Wednesday with a SWAT team dragging him off the roof of a Vallejo apartment complex, officials said.

Luis Javier Monje Morales Jr., 21, was apprehended at around 3:40 a.m. after he fled onto the roof of an apartment building on Valle Vista Avenue, two days after Ilaysia McCoy, who also went by Nicole and Lay Lay, was shot dead on a San Pablo street, said San Pablo Police Cmdr. Sid DeJesus.

Relatives said Morales was a friend of McCoy.

Theyre pretty sure its him, which makes it extra sad because the only reason he went over there was to protect her, McCoys family member said.

There was no indication that Morales intentionally shot McCoy, who was his friend.

A second person of interest in the case, 21-year-old Luciano Rogelio Duarte, who authorities said said might have driven Morales from the scene of the killing on 17th Street, turned himself in at the San Pablo Police Department at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday and was being questioned by detectives.

The horrific episode started as a fight at a San Pablo mini-mart on Monday evening and escalated into a violent confrontation seven blocks away that left McCoy, who was seven months pregnant, dead, family members and police officials said.

It is absolutely a horrible tragedy, DeJesus said. This whole incident started from a dispute that spilled over into this second location. Its just a very tragic set of circumstances all of which did not need to take place.

The night of the killings, McCoy was with her friend at a Bonfare Market on 23rd Street in San Pablo, across from Richmond High School.

The two encountered a woman at the market believed to be the new girlfriend of the father of McCoys expectant baby, the family member, who asked not to be named out of concern for her safety, said in an interview with The Chronicle on Wednesday.

A fight soon erupted between McCoys friend and the other woman, who later took off. But a few minutes later, shortly before 8 p.m., McCoy got a call from her former boyfriend at 17th and Sutter streets, the family member said.

McCoy was joined by six of her friends  including Morales and together they drove to the soon-to-be-fathers house, where the family member said they got into an altercation with another group of people.

DeJesus said one person discharged a firearm during the ensuing melee, and McCoy was struck in the upper chest and fell on her stomach in the middle of the street. Investigators interviewed several people at the scene and determined Morales was the alleged gunman.

Neighbors and friends described the chaotic scene that followed the shooting as residents ran outside, some crying and screaming when they saw the mortally wounded pregnant teen in the street. Paramedics airlifted McCoy to the trauma center at Highland Hospital in Oakland. Doctor were unable to save her or her unborn baby.

Witnesses reported seeing a car speed from the scene shortly after the shooting. Investigators believe Duarte may have been the man behind the wheel, DeJesus said.

Investigators worked throughout the day Monday and Tuesday and tracked Morales to the Vallejo apartment. Tactical officers from the San Pablo and Vallejo police departments surrounded the home and evacuated adjacent units before moving in, officials said.

Once inside, officers realized the suspect had made his way onto the roof, where police used a ladder from a fire truck to pull the man down without further incident.

At the end of Wednesday, we will be closer to where we need to be and bringing closure to the victims family, DeJesus said.

McCoy attended Richmond High School in May and was due to give birth in November. Her room is still decorated with Minnie Mouse for the baby, her family member said.

Friends and relatives, who were planning to hold a candlelight vigil in coming days, set up a crowd funding site online to help cover the cost of McCoys funeral.

Her baby shower was supposed to be next weekend, the family member said. Now, were planning a funeral instead.

Sarah Ravani and Evan Sernoffsky are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani @Evan Sernoffsky
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Hundreds in San Franciscos homeless population are living in horrendous conditions in tents on streets because we simply do not have enough shelter beds for them. Proposals to cite homeless individuals with two-day vacate notices attached to promise of housing are disingenuous because there is no housing. Our city desperately needs a humane, progressive game changer to house them until there is enough permanent housing.

Only when we can provide that housing on demand can we honestly say, No more living in street tents or sleeping in doorways, parks or under freeways.

My idea for a game changer is to immediately create a temporary Navigation Center operated by a nonprofit agency aboard a reconditioned Navy ship large enough to handle a large number of people.

For 35 years, the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu, a small aircraft carrier complete with sleeping quarters, kitchens, medical clinics, offices and recreation facilities, carried 2,200 Marines, 2,500 sailors and 262 officers, totaling almost 5,000 military personnel working and living aboard the ship for months at sea.

If docked at the Port of San Francisco, the Peleliu, mothballed at Pearl Harbor, or a ship like it with similar facilities, could temporarily house most, if not all, of San Franciscos homeless living in tents on the streets while permanent housing is built.

Pie in the sky?

Not really. This is exactly what we did in San Francisco to temporarily house homeless folks after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

While the San Franciscos Marina neighborhood had the most visible victims of the earthquake, more homeless victims living in badly damaged South of Market single-room occupancy hotels were temporarily housed in the Moscone Convention Center. To allow the convention center to get back to business, Admiral John Bitoff offered the Peleliu to temporarily house homeless individuals.

During the day, 300 homeless individuals kept their usual routines. At night, they came home to the ship. It was popular because it was a safe, civilized shelter with good food. The ship left after two weeks to resume its military mission.

The Peleliu worked beautifully as a temporary emergency earthquake homeless shelter, but we would need to test the idea on a long-term basis.

While this might be a game changer in San Francisco, our city would not be the first to try this approach:

 Auckland, New Zealand  A group of businessmen began looking into the purchase of an Italian cruise liner for use as a homeless shelter for their city, an expensive international housing market.

 Dortmund, Germany  The city has deployed two cruise ships on the Emscher River to temporarily house its overflow of refugees.

Galveston, Texas, and Mobile, Ala.  In 2005, the Federal Emergency Management Agency chartered three large cruise ships with a combined capacity of more than 4,400 beds to house Hurricane Katrina victims. Afterward, FEMA reported that the use of cruise ships was an innovative and successful program.

New York  In 2002, then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg explored the use of cruise ships for the homeless, but the cost of retrofitting was deemed to be too high at that time.

Would this game changer have challenges such as costs ... availability ... logistics ... federal cooperation for a pilot program here?

Certainly, but the same great champion we had in Washington in 1989, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, today is the House minority leader. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, as a former San Francisco mayor, certainly understands the problem. Both leaders are on excellent terms with President Obama and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.

Winter is coming. Maybe this game changer could be arranged to coincide with the beginning of San Franciscos famed Navy Fleet Week, whose mission is to honor the contributions of the men and women of the United States Armed Forces while advancing cooperation and knowledge among civilian- and military-based Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response personnel.

Now that would be a game changer.

Art Agnos is a former mayor of San Francisco.
In what perhaps started as a re-enactment of "Waiting to Exhale's" burn-it-all-down female empowerment moment, instead turned out to be a huge mistake.

Carmen Chamblee, 19, was arrested and charged with second-degree arson Saturday after she allegedly set fire to a white Honda Accord on Aug. 27 in Clearwater, Fla.

The incident was caught on surveillance video, starring a woman who police believe is Chamblee, who is seen stoking the flames of the car's trunk.

The car's owner, Thomas Jennings, was rightfully confused as to why someone would set his car on fire. He doesn't know Chamblee at all.

"I have no idea who she is; I've never seen her in my life," Jennings told local broadcast station WFTS.

His roommate first spotted the car on fire, and the two tried to put out the flames, but couldn't.

The Clearwater Police Department released the footage in hopes of finding the woman and wound up arresting Chamblee on Saturday.

When asked why she set the fire, Chamblee reportedly told the detectives that she thought the car belonged to her ex-boyfriend.

It wasn't. In (some) fairness, though, it's a popular car. But we digress.
Parents of students attending Indian Hills Elementary School in Riverside County, California are keeping their children home from school this week after receiving a note Friday informing them that two classmates may have leprosy.

Despite the concern, the school's administrators are insisting there is no risk to current students.
Bill Hutchinson / /

A man was shot dead Wednesday morning in the street in West Oakland, police said.

The victim, who was only identified as an adult male, was shot around 5:30 a.m. in a car on the 1100 block of Adeline Street, said Officer Johnna Watson, an Oakland police spokeswoman.
WASHINGTON It was time to purge the hacker from the U.S. governments computers.

After secretly monitoring the hackers online movements for months, officials worried he was getting too close to critical information, so they devised a plan, called the Big Bang, to expel him.

Trouble was, with all their attention focused in that case, they missed the other hacker entirely.

A congressional report provides previously undisclosed details and a behind-the-scenes chronology of one of the worst-ever cyberattacks on the United States. It lays out missed opportunities before the break-in at the Office of Personnel Management exposed security clearances, background checks and fingerprint records.

That attack was widely blamed on Chinas government. The intrusion compromised personal information of more than 21 million current, former and prospective federal employees; led to the resignation of the OPM director; and drew outrage over changing explanations about its severity.

The report by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform faulted the personnel agency for failing to secure sensitive data despite warnings for years that it was vulnerable to hackers. The report concluded that the hacking revealed last year could have been prevented if the agency had put in place basic, required security controls and recognized from an earlier break-in that it was actually dealing with a sophisticated, persistent enemy.

We have literally tens of millions of Americans whose data was stolen by a nefarious overseas actor, but it was entirely preventable, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the committee chairman, said in an interview.

With some basic hygiene, some good tools, an awareness and some talent, they really could have prevented this, said Chaffetz, R-Utah.

The agencys director, Beth Cobert, said in a statement that OPM disagrees with much of the report, which she said does not fully reflect where this agency stands today. She said the hack provided a catalyst for accelerated change within our organization, including hiring new cybersecurity experts and strengthening its security.

The committees top Democrat, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, said he could not support the report because of several key deficiencies. He said some of the criticism was unfair and that the report failed to properly address the role of contractors in cybersecurity.

The government discovered the first hacking in March 2014. A Homeland Security Department team noticed suspicious streams of data leaving its network between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m.  the online equivalent of moving trucks hauling away filing cabinets containing confidential papers in the middle of the night. The governments Einstein intrusion warning system detected the theft.

For two months, the personnel office worked with the FBI, National Security Agency and others to monitor the hacker to better understand his movements. Officials developed a plan to expel the hacker over a three-day weekend in May 2014.

The problem was far from solved.

Unknown to the experts, a second intruder posing as an employee of a federal contractor had infiltrated the system weeks before the Big Bang. That hacker used a contractors credentials to log into the system, install malicious software and create a backdoor to the network, according to the report.

Over the next several months, the hacker roamed unchecked through the system and stole sensitive security clearance background investigation files, personnel files and, ultimately, fingerprint data.

That breach was not detected until April 2015.
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With its dreamy sunset haze and mystery newlyweds embracing on a cliff overlooking Yosemite Valley, an Instagram photo managed to capture the attention of Internet sleuths.

What started as a search via social media ended Tuesday night, as the couple in question spoke with photographer Mike Karas via phone and came forward to the press.

Australian actors Catherine Mack and Rick Donald said they are the couple in the photo, NBC Chicago reported.

Mack has since shared the photo on her own Instagram account, writing in the caption, "This special moment was caught by Mike Karas who we don't know (at all), he was just taking a sunset shot and we happened to wander into it."

"Thanks for looking for us far and wide, you certainly caught our attention  you all know how to get the word out there," she added.

Mack and Donald were married in Yosemite before Karas' photo was taken, according to the New York Times. Karas had been searching for the couple in the photo since Thursday, with several news outlets picking up the story and strangers sharing the photo on Facebook and Instagram.

Karas spoke to Mack on Tuesday night and said, "She was laughing and happy about the photo; She didn't know how big exactly the story had become."

"We just thought it was quite funny," Mack told NBC Chicago. "It's a modern day love story with social media."

Karas posted a second photo of the couple with their permission on Wednesday and highlighted the couple's photographers, Taylor Mccutchan and Derek Copenhaver, who set up the wedding photoshoot for the couple.

"It's crazy how fast something can spread," Karas said of the situation. "Also, social media at times can be negative, but when leveraged in the right way, it can really be a great way to do something good."
We're getting closer to a world full of sex robots. According to certain experts, by the year 2050, sex robot tourism, marriage, and prostitution will be commonplace.

Robotics expert John Snell of Iowa's Kirkwood College suggests that sex robots, which are robots with which one can presumably have intercourse, will be better in the sack than humans. "'Because they would be programmable," Snell explained to Metro UK, "sexbots would meet each individual user's needs."

Concerned about the human condition, Snell notes a possible downside, saying, "Robotic sex may become addictive. Sexbots would always be available and could never say no, so addictions would be easy to feed."

Need more expert sexbot predictions? The University of Victoria Management School's Ian Yeoman and Michelle Mars wrote a paper entitled, "Robots, Men, and Sex Tourism" which suggested that sex robots would be used as high-end prostitutes by the year 2050. Yeoman, a scientist and Mars, a sexologist, envision a futuristic brothel staffed with sexbots.

In their report, Yeoman and Mars hypothesize that, "In 2050, Amsterdam's red light district will all be about android prostitutes who are clean of sexual transmitted infections (STIs), not smuggled in from Eastern Europe and forced into slavery, the city council will have direct control over android sex workers controlling prices, hours of operations and sexual services."

Prostitution is legal and unionized in Amsterdam, where over 1,000 human sex workers currently make their living.

Yeoman and Mars' paper claims that, "All androids are made of bacteria resistant fiber and are flushed for human fluids, therefore guaranteeing no Sexual Transmitted Diseases are transferred between consumers."

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence expert David Levy thinks that humans will be marrying robots within the 21st century. "My forecast is that around 2050, the state of Massachusetts will be the first jurisdiction to legalize marriages with robots," Levy told Live Science.

Massachusetts was the first state to legalize gay marriage (between humans) in the United States. "It may sound a little weird, but it isn't," Levy explained. "Love and sex with robots are inevitable."
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Daveed Diggs may have made his name as one of the stars of Hamilton  he won a 2016 supporting actor Tony Award for his roles as Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson  and is breaking out onscreen, including roles on Netflixs The Get Down and ABCs Blackish. But his theatrical roots go back to the Bay Area, especially with Youth Speaks and its Poetry Slam.

So its no small wonder that the Oakland native and Berkeley High School graduate-turned-celebrity will be on hand Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco for a full day of activities to help inspire local youth interested in the performing arts.
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from opening more than 1 million acres in Central California to oil drilling because the agency did not properly explore the potential dangers of fracking.

U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald sided with environmentalists who argued that the bureau should have addressed the possible impacts of hydraulic fracturing in an environmental impact statement issued as part of the formal process of opening public lands to drilling.

Instead, the 1,073-page impact statement mentioned fracking only three times and never discussed the controversial practice in depth, according to the judge.

He ordered the bureau to prepare a supplemental impact statement that includes fracking before the bureau moves forward on oil and gas development in the area, which includes federal properties in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties.

Environmentalists who consider fracking a threat to Californias strained groundwater supplies hailed the ruling.

The Obama administration must get the message and end this reckless rush to auction off our public land to oil companies, said Brendan Cummings, conservation director for the Center for Biological Diversity, one of two environmental groups that sued the bureau. As California struggles against drought and climate change, weve got to end fracking and leave this dirty oil in the ground.

A bureau spokeswoman could not be reached for comment.

Hydraulic fracturing uses a high-pressure blend of water, sand and chemicals to crack underground rocks, releasing oil or natural gas. Combined with horizontal drilling, fracking has created a boom in U.S. oil and gas production, one that has helped push down oil prices worldwide. But questions about its environmental effects have dogged the practice for years, even as the oil industry and its political supporters insist the practice is safe.

Fitzgerald noted in his decision that by the bureaus own estimate, fracking would probably be used in 25 percent of wells drilled in the area.

In addition, the bureau had commissioned a survey from the California Council on Science and Technology in 2014 about research on frackings potential dangers. And yet the bureaus environmental impact statement avoided discussing the topic in any detail, the judge wrote.

To be clear, the act of commissioning the CCST Report itself does not satisfy the Bureaus obligations to take a hard look at the potentially adverse effects of fracking, Fitzgerald wrote.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
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The vast majority of the worlds humpback whales, famous for putting on spectacular displays of leaping and splashing that this year have extended into San Francisco Bay, are being taken off the endangered species list in what one federal official called a true ecological success story.

But even as the government marks progress that has unfolded over more than four decades, scientists and conservationists said Tuesday that threats remain to humpbacks  including the leviathans that migrate along the California coast every year.

The decision by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to delist nine of the 14 subspecies of humpbacks under the Endangered Species Act was momentous, highlighting how worldwide protection of the blubbery giants has succeeded since whaling was banned in the United States, fisheries experts said.

However, problems persist with the Central American population, with a federal count of only 411 whales prompting the National Marine Fisheries Service to keep that population on the endangered list. Meanwhile, the Mexico population, with 3,200 animals, was downgraded from endangered to threatened after experts determined that a lot of the animals were still dying from entanglements in commercial fishing gear.

Both the Mexican and Central American populations migrate twice annually along the California coast past San Francisco on their way to and from their breeding grounds. The Central America population feeds off the West Coast, while the Mexico population feeds off the West Coast and Alaska.

Obviously its good news that some humpback populations are rebounding, but we are still very far from the number of whales that existed before the years of commercial exploitation, said Jackie Dragon, who works to protect whales for Greenpeace. Its definitely good to celebrate the successes that weve had, but we should remain vigilant.

The delisting of many humpbacks means, among other things, that federal agencies will no longer have to consult with NOAA when they take action that may affect those whale populations that are no longer on the endangered list. Nevertheless, all humpbacks remain protected in U.S. waters and on the high seas under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, said Angela Somma, chief of the NOAA Fisheries endangered species division.

The worldwide humpback population has been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1970 after the whales were nearly wiped out by commercial hunting. Before 1900, an estimated 15,000 humpbacks lived in the North Pacific. In the 20th century, their numbers dwindled to fewer than 1,000.

The International Whaling Commissions whaling ban, imposed in 1982, played a major role in the comeback. Between 75,000 and 80,000 humpbacks now live in the worlds oceans, and many of those survivors migrate through the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

Todays news is a true ecological success story, said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries. Whales, including the humpback, serve an important role in our marine environment.

The dynamic now is that some humpback populations are doing well and others are still struggling. Thats why the federal government decided to separate the whales into 14 subspecies based on where they breed and their migration patterns.

Dragon said whales are facing a new series of threats, including noise pollution, ocean acidification, ship strikes and climate change.

We hope that governments and business will remain vigilant about protecting these populations, Dragon said. I dont think whales have faced any more pressure any time in history than they do today.

Nowhere is the evidence of success  and the pressure from climate change and other environmental shifts  more apparent than along the California coast. This spring, large numbers of humpbacks were spotted feeding off San Francisco, far more than are normally seen at that time of year.

They were even seen cavorting near Fort Point in San Francisco Bay and under the Golden Gate Bridge. Researchers suspect the giant cetaceans have been feasting on the tiny shrimp-like creatures known as krill and unusual concentrations of anchovies near shore.

Experts, though, say the krill and anchovy populations have been fluctuating wildly in recent years, which may have played a part in the large numbers of dead whales that have been washing ashore.

So far this year, ocean temperatures off Northern California have been near normal, according to marine biologists. Thats a welcome change from last year, when temperatures reached 6 or more degrees above normal. Experts believe the high temperatures contributed to record deaths of seabirds and sea lions, a profusion of alien species and poison-spewing algae blooms.

Vessel collisions have become a major cause of death for whales. Its a chief threat outside the Golden Gate, where 7,300 large vessels pass every year.

Somma, of NOAA Fisheries, said all humpback populations will be studied for the next 10 years under a monitoring plan to look at the health of those populations. She acknowledged the difficulty of the task, with humpback migrations covering thousands of miles.

Humpbacks have had a special place in Bay Area hearts at least since Humphrey, a 40-ton humpback, caused pandemonium in 1985 when he swam through the Carquinez Strait, up the Sacramento River and into a creek near Rio Vista. The Solano County city became the focal point of a whale craze, attracting 10,000 people a day as experts tried desperately to turn around the lost animal  who went back to sea after 25 days.

Humpbacks are unique among whales, known for their complex vocalizations that sound like singing, and for their acrobatic breaching, an apparently playful activity in which they lift nearly their entire bodies out of the water before splashing.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
BEIRUT  An air strike near the site of a suspected gas attack in Syria killed at least 10 civilians Wednesday, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to meet this week for extended discussions on ending the 5-year-old civil war.

Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has been conducting air strikes to bolster his forces for nearly a year. The United States supports rebels fighting to overthrow Assad and has called on him to step down.

President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to negotiate a settlement on the sidelines of the G-20 conference in China on Monday. Obama acknowledged gaps of trust between the rival powers following months of negotiations between their top diplomats.

But the Russian Foreign Ministry said Lavrov and Kerry would meet Thursday and Friday in Geneva to work out the remaining details of a possible deal, following a phone call between the two.

Moscow warned that Turkeys incursion into northern Syria was complicating peace efforts, underscoring that the operation has not been sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council or the Syrian government. Turkeys actions could further complicate the military and political situation in Syria, which is dire as it is and jeopardize international efforts to reach a peace deal, it added.

Turkey pushed into northern Syria two weeks ago to expel the Islamic State from its border and halt a northward advance by Syrian Kurdish forces, which Ankara sees as an extension of an outlawed Kurdish separatist group inside its own borders.

The long-suffering northern city is one of the chief battlegrounds of the grinding war, with rebels and pro-government forces trading indiscriminate fire across populated neighborhoods. The Russian and the Syrian air forces are the only two operating over Aleppo.

Meanwhile, the U.N.'s humanitarian agency said the fighting in central Hama province has displaced 100,000 people in eight days between late August and early September. Rebels last week advanced in Hama, prompting fierce clashes with government forces.
When Patricia Mendez miscarried in March 2015, she says police and detectives were called into the hospital ward to watch as she writhed in pain and expelled the dead, 20-week fetus.

I was naked, with just the robe they give you, and I had all of them around as I miscarried, the 21-year-old recalled. I was in a lot of pain, but nobody did anything. They just said, Confess, you have committed the worst sin in the world.

Eighteen of Mexicos 32 states have passed so-called right-to-life measures that have drawn criticism from womens rights activists, all in response to a 2008 law legalizing abortion in Mexico City. The legislation ranges from constitutional changes that outline general principles on protecting life from inception to a law in Veracruz state, where Mendez miscarried, that calls for unspecified educational measures for women who abort.

Mendezs lawyers are using her case to try to get the Veracruz law overturned, with the Supreme Court set to consider it Wednesday. If successful, they hope it could open a debate about whether abortion should be decriminalized across Mexico.

That would face opposition from sectors that support the state constitutional amendments on the grounds they protect the unborn.

It is about the defense of something so valuable that we have, which is life. ... I ask for your prayers, Roman Catholic Archbishop Hipolito Reyes of the Veracruz city of Xalapa said in July.

Mendez, a 21-year-old university student, spoke in a recent interview in the central state of Guanajuato, where she fled to escape what she called persecution in Veracruz.

They treated me worse than an animal. I felt like I could have died there and nobody would have done anything, she said of her treatment as she miscarried.

She was made to sign some papers and then, she said, a nurse held the fetus to her face and said: Kiss him. You have killed him.

Then her ex-boyfriend's family held a funeral for the fetus, and she was forced to attend.

Mendez's experience is an extreme example of what activists say is harassment by some Mexican health workers, police and others who take matters into their own hands and try to impose their own punishment in such cases.

There is no way to be sure how often such treatment occurs. But activists say medical workers sometimes call police on patients who miscarry, regardless of the circumstances.
1 Gabon violence: Postelection violence in Gabon has killed between 50 and 100 people, the opposition presidential candidate said Tuesday, a toll much higher than the governments count of three in days of violent demonstrations against the presidents re-election. Jean Ping has declared he is the rightful winner of the Aug. 27 vote, though election commission results showed President Ali Bongo Ondimba won by 1.57 percentage points. Clashes quickly broke out in this oil-rich Central African country after the results were announced last week.

2 Missile tests: The U.N. Security Council strongly condemned North Koreas latest ballistic missile launches and threatened further significant measures if it refuses to stop its nuclear and missile tests.

3 Chemical attack: Syrian activists and rescue workers in the rebel-held part of the contested city of Aleppo said government warplanes have dropped suspected chlorine bombs on a crowded neighborhood, injuring dozens. Ibrahem Alhaj, a member of the Syria Civil Defense first responders team, says he arrived at the scene of the suspected attack shortly after a helicopter dropped barrels containing what he said were four chlorine cylinders. He said Tuesday that at least 80 civilians were transported to hospitals and treated for breathing difficulties.

4 Kabul firefight: Militants stormed a building housing the CARE International aid organization in Kabul, provoking an overnight firefight with security forces in which three gunmen were killed and six civilians were wounded, Afghan officials said Tuesday. The attack took place a day after twin bombings near the Afghan Defense Ministry killed at least 35 people and wounded more than 100 others. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his group had carried out the attack.

5 Contrite leader: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressed regret Tuesday over his son of a bitch remark while referring to President Obama, in a rare display of contrition by a politician whose wide arc of profanities has unabashedly targeted world figures including the pope and the U.N. chief. The flap over Dutertes remarks started when a reporter asked him how he intends to explain the extrajudicial killings of drug dealers to Obama. More than 2,000 suspected drug dealers and users have been killed since Duterte launched a war on drugs after taking office on June 30.

6 Myanmar protest: More than 1,000 Buddhists in a Myanmar state racked by religious and ethnic strife protested Tuesdays arrival of former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, saying the Ghanaian is meddling in the countrys affairs by leading a government-appointed commission to find solutions to the conflict. The Southeast Asian country set up the commission last month to help find solutions to protracted issues in western Rakhine state, where human rights groups have documented widespread abuses by majority Rakhine Buddhists against minority Rohingya Muslims.

7 Baghdad bombing: A car bombing claimed by the Islamic State struck a bustling commercial area of central Baghdad overnight, killing at least 12 civilians, Iraqi officials said on Tuesday. The explosives-laden pickup truck was left in a parking lot in the Shiite-dominated district of Karradah, near a hospital and shops, police said. Up to 28 people were wounded and at least 15 cars were damaged.

Chronicle News Services
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico Newton rapidly weakened as a tropical storm on Wednesday after slamming the resorts of Mexicos southern Baja as a hurricane and making landfall on the countrys mainland.

About 14,000 tourists were in Los Cabos during the storm, tourism officials said, and visitors began venturing out after Newton passed.

The Mexican government discontinued all tropical storm warnings Wednesday for the Baja California peninsula.

After passing over the resort area, Newton headed northward up the peninsulas sparsely populated interior and then went out over the gulf during the night.

Less intense remnants of Newton brought rain and cooler temperatures to the U.S. Southwest on Wednesday as the tropical storm crossed the border into southern Arizona.

The National Weather Service in Tucson reported light to moderate rainfall throughout the day. The area has seen about 0.9 inches of rain, meteorologist Emily French said.

There were no reports of injuries, and only one street under a freeway bridge was flooded.

Newton first came ashore near the Los Cabos resorts Tuesday morning as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 90 mph, pelting the area with torrential rain as residents sheltered at home and tourists huddled in hotels. The storm broke windows, downed trees and knocked out power, but the area was spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when it was walloped by a stronger storm.

The hurricanes death toll rose to four Wednesday after two more bodies were found near the coast of the Baja California peninsula., according to the Los Cabos municipal civil defense council. One crew member of a shrimp boat that capsized Tuesday near Cabo Pulmo, north of Los Cabos on the Gulf of California, remains missing. Two bodies had been recovered earlier near the site where the boat capsized in heavy seas caused by the passage of Netwon.

In 2014, Los Cabos suffered heavy damage to homes, shops and hotels when it was hammered by Hurricane Odile, which hit as a Category 3 storm.

You know, it could have been a lot worse, and I think we are very fortunate that it wasnt as bad as Odile, said Darlene Savord, a tourist from California. I think that we are very fortunate and blessed.
At home in his own equipment yard, Martin Urban steps down from a Peterbilt truck he and his employees use for hauling. He lives in Sile, New Mexico, a town so small it makes Pena Blanca, just across the Rio Grande, look like a metropolis. This is where he started his business more than 20 years ago, just doing backhoe work. Over the years, he took advantage of government programs meant to help minority-owned businesses and rural companies and built his business on government contracts. Today, he has about 30 employees, many of them from the nearby Pueblos of Cochiti and Santo Domingo.

Now, he stands to lose all that. The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is holding back tens of millions of dollars in federal money meant for disaster relief from Urban's company and others. After a wildfire, flood, or some other natural disaster, FEMA, or the Federal Emergency Management Agency, works with states to send money to where it's needed. The idea is that the state uses the cash to help communities recover from disasters.

But things aren't working the way they should.

After the Pacheco Fire raged in the Sangre de Cristos, the Pojoaque Valley Irrigation District needed to hire someone to deal with the mudslides and floods that were filling Nambe Reservoir with ash, mud, dead trees and boulders.



Edward Lucero, right, and Alfredo Roybal survey flood damage in Pojoaque. (Laura Paskus)

For about three months in early 2015, Urban's employees worked out at the reservoir. With loaders, excavators, backhoes and trucks, they built stone and wire walls to hold back mud and ash, dug trenches and hauled away debris. Dam tender Alfredo Pacheco points out that they even worked through bitter cold and terrible weather, wrapping the work up before irrigation season so it wouldn't disrupt water deliveries to farmers in Nambe, Pojoaque and El Rancho.

But that job may be the ruin of Urban.

"We've been told by our bonding company that because the state owes us over $2 million dollarsI believe it's 2.3," he pauses and looks over at his wife, Sandra, who nods; "we now are a liability to them and they will not be able to bond us anymore if we do not get paid in 30 days."

Bonding is like insurance, and over the past 24 years, Urban had built his up to bid on bigger and bigger jobs. "When you do work, especially for the government, they require a bond, which is insurance to make sure you finish the project," he says. "Without a bond you cannot solicit these projects through the government agencies, both state and federal."

Technically, it's not a check from the state that he's waiting on. Rather, it's federal money that the state holds onto, and should have passed along to the Pojoaque Valley Irrigation District, which then should have paid Urban within 120 days of finishing the job.

And it turns out that Urban isn't the only one waiting: The state owes money to subgrantees all over New Mexico. In early 2015, the same time crews were working out at Nambe, the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor sent a letter to M Jay Mitchell, secretary of the state's Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

At that time, the department had $40 million in open budgets related to disaster declarations in New Mexico. According to that letter, the audit couldn't identify "any valid reason" for maintaining those high balances.

"We've been investigating a litany of concerns at the department that go back several years," says New Mexico State Auditor Tim Keller.

The department hasn't completed its state-required audit for Fiscal Year 2015, which was due in December. It's also on the auditor's "at risk" list the only cabinet-level agency on the list. And though Keller's office gave them some time to try and fix things, he says that time is running out.

"We will probably be taking some significant action with respect to the agency in the fall if the problems aren't remedied in the next month or so," he says. "There have been several federal audits already and so we're trying to make sure those changes have been fixed. But there's also been lots and lots of turnover in the department, and that's why we're concerned about the short term viability of the department to even function as it should."

SFR reached out to FEMA's public information officer for the region about the issues, too. We asked, for instance, if other states have trouble passing the federal money through to its subgrantees. Or if this could affect New Mexico's ability to receive future disaster relief funding from FEMA. But the agency remained tight-lipped, saying FEMA doesn't compare states and all questions should be directed to New Mexico officials.

That didn't work either.

The state agency dodged repeated requests for interviews with Mitchell or other staff, and ignored requests for information. Its custodian of records tells SFR she doesn't have time to prepare records for inspection in compliance with New Mexico law because she's busy with other responsibilities, including the State Fair. And to try to shake the information loose, we've filed a complaint with the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General.

Everyone's heard the news of New Mexico's budget shortfall. But the failure of the state's department to pay out disaster money shouldn't be related to that.

When a governor declares an emergency, FEMA evaluates the situation, trying to figure out if it's really a disaster. If it is, it allocates funding to clean up the mess. Usually, there is cost-sharing involved. The state pays some of the money, and so might the local government.

The federal money is supposed to be held in a special state account. Then, once the work's been done, inspected, and approved the state pays out that federal money to subgrantees that include irrigation districts, municipal governments and tribes.

Exactly what is happening is difficult to say. Subgrantees and their contractors aren't receiving their funding. And the auditor's office can't get a clear picture of the department's finances.

This isn't the first time the department has held onto money meant for its subgrantees. Four years ago, the Pueblo of Santa Clara complained about the slow payouts after the village and its watershed kept getting whacked by post-Las Conchas Fire floods. Even though tribes are sovereign nations, the FEMA process treats them like local governments, requiring them to work through the state.

Then, in 2013, Santa Clara's leaders signed an agreement with FEMAthe first of its kind in the regionallowing the tribe to bypass the state and work directly with the federal government.

Everyone else, however, appears to be stuck wondering what's going on with their payments.

Edward Lucero, chair of the Pojoaque Valley Irrigation District, doesn't understand why the state still hasn't passed the disaster relief money to the irrigation district so that it can pay Urban for the work. "It doesn't affect our finances, but it does affect if we need people to come in later on, knowing the district has not made good on work already done," Lucero says. And he's worried about Urban: "It's really affected the people who did the work, completed the work over a year ago, just waiting to pay the bills."



Meanwhile, Urban's wrapping up a few other projects. Given the department's silence, it seems unlikely that he'll be paid for the Nambe job before he loses his bond rating.

He's getting ready to cut his employees and sell off most of his equipment. And he's still paying interest on the credit he took out for the reservoir job. He's at a loss to see his business go under when the money's sitting in account somewhere.

"What the state's doing is wrong," he says. "It affects small business. If they're here to help a small business, why aren't they by paying after a job is completed, especially a year and a half later?"







Santa Fe Reporter
These days, Fran Levine serves as the president for the Missouri Historical Society and the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, but up until 2014 she was the director of the New Mexico History Museum and played an instrumental role in the execution of the location on Lincoln Avenue. Levine returns to Collected Works Bookstore and Coffeehouse (6 pm, free, 202 Galisteo Ave., 988-4226) this Thursday to read and discuss her new book, Dona Teresa Confronts the Spanish Inquisition, a gripping historical account of a governor's wife from the late 1600s who was incarcerated and subjected to the terrifying Inquisition.



What are you up to out there in Missouri?

I'm working for the Historical Society and the History Museum. It's a wonderful, private museum at the other end of the Santa Fe Trail. In 2014, they were looking for a new president, and they were taking note of the work I'd done in New Mexico and, to me, it just feels totally logical to be here. I don't have to miss New Mexico. I still have a house there and I spend holidays there.

Why is this topic so fascinating?

It's based on the governor of New Mexico from 1659-1662 and his wife, and they both kind of ran afoul of the powers that be in New Mexico. They were both arrestedshe was arrested inside the Palace of the Governors. I knew about him, but not her ... I'm one of these people who reads footnotes and this came out of a footnote I read. One reason was that she was accused of being Jewish. She wasn't Jewish, but it was about the only way the church could get to her. Also, there were about 38 houses in Santa Fe at the time, and she talks about something like 70 people who may have wished her harm. It's about the power of church and state and a woman acting out of the norm. She was held and endured 20 months of the Inquisition. She really made me look at the Palace and Santa Fe and there was this intrigue after working at the Palace for 12 years.

Will the event be more like a reading or a lecture?

I'll read from the book, and then we'll talk about it. People can ask questions just like this. It's unusual to have the words of a 17th century woman in New Mexico, that's what's so unique about this book.



Santa Fe Reporter
Dairy product prices climbed at the Global Dairy Trade auction, adding to fresh signs of expectations that the worldwide glut is easing.

The GDT price index rose 7.7 percent to US$2,920, up from US$2,731 at the previous auction three weeks ago. Some 36,748 tonnes of product was sold, down from 37,766 tonnes at the previous auction.

This was a smaller overall lift than we saw at the last event, but is still an excellent result, AgriHQ dairy analyst Amy Van Ossenbruggen said in a note. While it may still be a little early to say dairy commodity prices are recovering, fundamentals are pointing towards a continued improvement in the sector.

Two weeks ago Auckland-based Fonterra Cooperative Group, the worlds No.1 dairy exporter, raised its forecast milk payout for the current season because of gains at the GDT auction on August 16.

At the latest GDT auction, whole milk powder increased 3.7 percent to US$2,793 a tonne.

WMP volume was mostly sold through the middle of the curveshipping November through January, according to Van Ossenbruggen. Much of the demand at this event came from China, followed by bidders from South East Asia and Oceania.

Anhydrous milk fat rallied 15.4 percent to US$4,769 a tonne, while butter jumped 14.9 percent to US$3,764 a tonne.

Milk fats were the stars of this auction, Van Ossenbruggen noted.

Skim milk powder climbed 10 percent to US$2,224 a tonne, while cheddar rose 9 percent to US$3,436 a tonne.

Butter milk powder advanced 6.8 percent to US$2,070 a tonne, while rennet casein added 6.7 percent to US$6,720 a tonne, and lactose rose 2 percent to US$787 a tonne.

The New Zealand dollar last traded at 74.13 US cents at about 1.09pm in New York, compared with 73.05 US cents at 5pm in Wellington the previous day.

There were 131 winning bidders out of 199 participating at the 14-round auction. The number of qualified bidders rose to 613, up from 606 at the previous auction.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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Metlifecare expects to buy at least one new site in the 2017 financial year to accelerate its development programme and make the most of growing demand in the retirement village sector.

In an investor update to the NZX this morning, chief executive Glen Sowry, who joined the company in April, said Metlifecare will deliver 229 new units and care beds in 2017, increasing to a minimum of 300 new units or beds by 2019.

"We serve New Zealands fastest-growing demographic, and we have a leading position in two of the countrys highest value-growth regions," Sowry said. "Our focus is on targeted growth and we have taken time to carefully consider where our offering currently fits in the market, as well as where it should fit in future.

Last month, the retirement village operator reported annual net profit of $228.7 million in 2016, including a $237.2 million increase in the fair value of the Auckland-based company's property portfolio. Underlying earnings, which strip out unrealised movements in the value of that property portfolio, rose 26 percent to $66.1 million, driven by a 16 percent increase in sales of occupation rights agreements to a record 568.

Metlifecare's property portfolio spans 24 villages with 4,025 units and 354 care beds and it has three more villages under construction, with a land bank that can cater to another 1,386 units and 387 care beds. That portfolio was valued at $2.52 billion as at June 30, up from $2.18 billion a year earlier.

Sowry said the company intends to buy at least one new site in 2017 to add to its development pipeline, as it targets building villages in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and Waikato, an area it has called the 'golden triangle', which it sees as having large and ageing populations in need of more retirement services. It's currently looking at six land opportunities with four strong contenders.

The retirement village operator will also look to make more from its developments having strengthened its design team, processes and supplier relationships, and expects its development margin to be at least 15 percent in 2017, Sowry said. Its realised development margin was $10.1 million in 2016, or 15.2 percent of underlying profit.

Within its annual earnings, Metlifecare's wage bill rose 16 percent to $4.6 million from a year earlier as part of a plan to lift investment in care services, which are a key component of a potential resident's decision.

Today, Sowry said Metlifecare was planning to more than double the amount of hospital-level care accommodation it offers and to "significantly raise the bar" on its food and dining offering.

The shares last traded at $6.24 and have gained 34 percent this year. According to Reuters data, it's rated an average 'hold' by five analysts, with a median target price of $6.60.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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New Zealand meat exports to Iran haven't resumed following the lifting of sanctions this year, because of Iranian restrictions for one of its vets and a mullah to be present at the time of processing.

Along with other Western countries, New Zealand lifted sanctions against Iran in February after the country agreed to roll back its nuclear ambitions. However New Zealand's meat trade to the Middle East's second-largest economy hasn't resumed despite the lifting of sanctions, with trade data from Statistics NZ showing the last shipment was over a decade ago.

Iran was an important sheepmeat market for New Zealand in the 1970s and 1980s when the country's sheep flock swelled on the back of agricultural subsidies, taking one in every four animals exported at the height of the trade, according to the Meat Industry Association. However at that time New Zealand had an abundance of product to process, and shipped carcasses to Iran which made it easier to comply with the requirements for a vet and mullah to be present. These days, animals are divided into a range of cuts for distribution to specific global markets and New Zealand has developed its own halal standards overseen by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

"To import product, they say they need to have an Iranian mullah and an Iranian vet to be on site at the time of processing," association chief executive Tim Ritchie told BusinessDesk. "That's the stumbling block. It's their insistence that they have their own people at that processing plant whenever product is processed or produced for export to Iran. They haven't accepted New Zealand's regulatory system."

New Zealand is unlikely to create a special regulatory framework for exports to Iran because it would undermine the country's existing standards which are recognised globally, although individual processors could choose to fund an Iranian mullah and vet to oversee their New Zealand production if they saw it as commercially viable, Ritchie said.

However, he suggested this was likely to be challenging given how animals are now processed, with chilled legs shipped to supermarkets in the UK, racks to North America, loins to Switzerland, shoulders to the Middle East and breasts, flaps and lower-value cuts to China.

"They are not producing carcasses for export, they are producing a whole range of cuts as every animal is broken down into all its various bits and that bit is exported to wherever in the world they can earn the most revenue, whereas if you go back to the earlier business with Iran in the 70s and 80s they were carcasses," Ritchie said. "Our business model has evolved into one of breaking the animal down into cuts, and exporting throughout the world, so it's unlikely that the companies would go back to providing carcasses because in effect they have other homes for various parts of that animal.

"The industry's model has a reasonably sophisticated production and exporting system in place and Iran would have to be willing to pay that world price for that particular part of the animal in order to attract the business."

Ritchie said the outlook for New Zealand meat exports to Iran was uncertain.

"It will come down to the need of Iran for our product and its ability to conclude a package with individual export processors to do a deal. I would suspect it's unlikely that there's going to be a whole New Zealand wide thing given Iranian insistence on vets and mullahs," he said.

"Clearly we would like to reopen that business, they are a massive country and have been a very important part of the industry in the past and it would be good to be part of it in the future."

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BENGALURU: After Apple, the tech giant Google, in collaboration with the Indian government is planning to make Indians more financially literate and sound to save and invest better with the new website called Bharat Saves. This is another big initiative from the Google after its Wi-Fi project with the Indian railways.

Google has expressed interests to work with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of financial inclusion by aligning with the Bharat Saves website to various schemes such as Jan Dhan Yojana. Reports suggest that the companys documents are in consideration and are being examined. The digital platform will provide financial literacy tools and information on financial products in the upcoming days.

A Google spokesperson told that "In line with the Prime Minister's vision to create greater financial inclusion-....various BFSI organizations and industry associations are coming together to launch a digital platform," reported the Economic Times.

The initial phase of Bharat Saves starts making people to complete financial literacy modules and take a test. Google also wants homemakers, employees, and retired persons to experience and make most of Bharat Saves.

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WASHINGTON: The U.S. is likely to make a positive decision on India's request for state-of-the art unarmed Guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean.

The move comes after India was designated a major defence partner of the US in June.

Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama, at the White House in early June, the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR) in February to Department of Defense towards purchase of 22 high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian UAVs.

This was the first major request of arms sale purchase by India after Obama designated New Delhi as a major Strategic Defence partner.

The US government has not made a formal decision on it yet, but is believed to have started an inter agency process on the Indian request.

According to sources, the administration believes that an approval of such a major military sale would help in "sealing Indian U.S. defence relationship", bring in "a new level of comfort" between the two militaries and would be considered as a lasting legacy not only for India but also for the Asia-Pacific pivot of the outgoing president.

Officials here believe the sale of predator Guardian UAVs would act as a force multiplier for India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region; which of late has become one of the key American objective in the Asia Pacific region.

Top governmental sources confirmed that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and U.S. DefenceSecretary Ashton Carter had detailed discussions on predator Guardian UAV to fulfil maritime surveillance requirements.

Parrikar was in the U.S. last week and held meetings with Carter at the Pentagon on August 29.

During the meeting, Carter is understood have assured Parrikar he would personally "champion" India's request "within the system," sources said.

At General Atomics which has announced to office in India this year, the effort is being spearheaded by Dr Vivek Lall who had been also instrumental in India's ability to procure advanced Boeing P8I aircraft for maritime domain awareness capability, they said.

Sources indicate along with the White House, the Pentagon and some influential members of the US are keen to complete the process as soon as possible before Obama leaves his presidency next January.

However, a section within the State Department have to be convinced that this is in the interest of the US national security as well. This maritime capability will be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy who has procured other advance technologies including Boeing P-8 aircraft.

The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not do not exist in the current Indian Navy arsenal.

Sources also said beyond the symbolism of this new title, this deal, estimated to be worth $2 billion, will give meat to the bone to this designation and could be considered as a milestone in India U.S. defence relationship. In addition, it would create several hundred jobs in the U.S.

However, insiders said that a strong Pakistani lobby is working overtime putting strong resistance to the Indian quest trying to "confuse" the decision and opinion makers with armed drones that could be used against it.

But those pushing for this major arms sales deal which would ultimately go through foreign military sale (FMS) route stress that this is simply unarmed drones to enhance India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean. It has nothing to do with Pakistan.

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NEW DELHI: India is planning to sign a film co-production agreement with Russiaand South Africa, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said as he stressed on the need for cinema to address issues likeTerrorismand help in spreading peace.



The Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, who was speaking at the closing ceremony of the first BRICS Film Festival, also proposed a special section for filmmakers from BRICS nations at India International Film Festival(IFFI).

"India is doing co-production with Brazil and China. We are considering signing a co-production agreement with Russia and South Africa. I propose for special a BRICS section to be a part of the India International Film Festival. I hope this will provide a great platform and forum for the filmmakers of BRICS countries to work together, come together and act together," he said.



He said Terrorism is a big challenge the world is facing right now and the emerging young talent in cinema should focus on highlighting this issue as well as other socially relevant topics.



"We have challenges like Terrorism which has no religion. Terrorisms the enemy of humanity. So, through cinema I hope that we convey the right message to people. The entire world should come together to condemn such heinous crime because the terror is becoming a big problem across the globe. Earlier it was limited to the sub continent but now it's spreading worldwide.



"With the knowledge, talent and technology one should think of ideas of improving the standard of cinema. Enlightenment of the people is major issue, be it family values, religion, culture, be it need of social harmony or be it for peace, cinema should always contain such elements...," he said.



He also invited the BRICS nations to come and explore the possibilities of student exchange.



Highlighting the cultural and natural heritage of India, Naidu said that the country can be an ideal location for shooting films.



"India offers varieties of locale for shooting films. In addition to this India is home to one of the biggest film industries. We have nature's beauty and also accountability in the people of India, who work together for the best results."



He also reminded the filmmaker about the single window clearance facility at the National Film Development Corporation, which can make their shooting experience in the country easy and memorable.



Naidu also asked delegates from BRICS nations to focus more on co-productions and raise the level of filmmaking.



The five-day-long BRICS film festival screened movies from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.



The festival that opened with the screening of "Veeram, had Chinese superstar Jackie Chan-starrer "Skip trace" as the closing film. China will host the next edition of the festival.

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BENGALURU: Once again, after years of silence in the communication sector, Reliance is all set to quake the 4G communication market with the new Reliance Jio. The Reliance telecom industry promises the cheapest tariff ever in the market with an introductory free package or the so-called Welcome Gift that offers calls and internet completely free. Users can enjoy unlimited HD voice & video calling, unlimited SMS, high-speed data and access to Jio apps as part of the introductory offers.

The welcome gift plans started on September 5, 2016 and will be available until 31st of December 2016. As part of supporting education, Reliance Jio will offer 25percent more data for students when valid ID proofs are submitted.

After December 2016, users will have to pay charges as per the tariff plan they select from the Jio monthly plans that starts at Rs 19 and ranges up to Rs 4,999.

Reliance with its stunning introductory offers has raised a challenge for other telecom service providers. The company also claims that it is India's first all IP network with a data-strong network built for 4G Internet offering along with 4G coverage across 18,000 cities, 2 lakh villages and the service is also said to be future Proof with 5G, 6G ready.

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WASHINGTON: Welcoming India's growing role in the Asia-Pacific region, the US has said it will continue to work with other countries in the region for "addressing political and security challenges."

"We've elevated our ties with India across the board, and we welcome India's growing role in the Asia-Pacific,' Obama said in a major policy speech on Asia-Pacific region in Laos yesterday.

This is for the first time that a US President has visited Laos.

Obama said to keep the peace and deter aggression, the US has deployed more of its most advanced military capabilities to the region, including ships and aircraft to Singapore.

"And by the end of the decade, a majority of our Navy and Air Force fleets will be based out of the Pacific. And our allies and partners are collaborating more with each other as well. So our alliances and defense capabilities in the Asia Pacific are as strong as they've ever been," he said.

"We've also forged deeper ties with emerging economies and emerging powers. With Indonesia and Malaysia, we're promoting entrepreneurship. We're opposing violent extremism, and we're addressing environmental degradation," he said.

"With my recent visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, we've shown our commitment to fully normalizing our relationship with Vietnam," Obama said.

"We've deepened our cooperation with regional institutions, especially here in Southeast Asia. And as part of our new strategic partnership with ASEAN, we've agreed to key principles, including that ASEAN will remain central to peace, prosperity and progress in the Asia Pacific," Obama said.

"The US is now part of the East Asia Summit, and together we've made it the leading forum in the region for addressing political and security challenges, including maritime security," he said.

Obama said the US has worked to build a constructive relationship with China.

"Our two governments continue to have serious differences in important areas. The US will remain unwavering in our support for universal human rights, but at the same time, we've shown that we can work together to advance mutual interests.

The US and China are engaged across more areas than ever before -- from preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, to our shared commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, to our historic leadership together on climate change," he said.

"So I will say it again: The United States welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful and stable and prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs, because we believe that will benefit all of us," he added.

"In other words, the US is more deeply engaged across the Asia Pacific than we have been in decades. Our position is stronger. And we've sent a clear message that, as a Pacific nation, we're here to stay. In good times and bad, you can count on the United States of America," Obama said.

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MUMBAI: Reliance Jio has set up a 5,000 crore venture capital fund to help young entrepreneurs in the country build their business.

Speaking at Reliance Industries' 42nd annual general meeting, chairman Mukesh Ambani said RelianceJio's aim is to build a platform for young Indians who want to create "businesses of the future".

"Reliance Jio Digital India Startup Fund sets aside 5,000 crore of venture capital to be invested over the next five years to encourage young entrepreneurs to build their businesses ground up in India," Ambani said.

He added the telecom unit plans to partner thousands of Indian entrepreneurs "whose digital ventures can bloom in the grounds that Jio is preparing".

"... We have created a Reliance Jio Digital India Startup Fund and are also working to create digital entrepreneurship hubs in key cities and towns in India. Our aim is to build a platform for young Indians who want to create businesses of the future," he said.

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(Editor's note: This story appeared in the Advance on Sept. 12, 2001.)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.

-- Fear for missing loved ones overwhelmed Staten Island and the city, as New Yorkers came to grips with the news that thousands of people, including hundreds of firefighters, police officers and rescue workers -- many of them from the Island -- were buried beneath mounds of rubble after yesterday's terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

Eleven members of Staten Island's Rescue Co. 5 were among the missing, as was Battalion Chief Charles Kasper of West Brighton.

A concrete death toll was unavailable, although a number of officials, including President Bush, estimated the numbers could reach into the thousands.

"Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror," Bush said in his speech to the nation.

A DESPERATE WAIT

Stories raced across Staten Island of families desperately waiting to hear from loved ones. Some families were devastated, and then overjoyed, when they received a simple telephone message: I'm

OK.

For one Todt Hill family, there is still devastation. A son, who worked on the 103rd floor of the Trade Center, left a phone mail message with his wife at 9 o'clock yesterday morning: I'm being evacuated, he said.

Not long after, the second plane rammed the tower, and then both towers collapsed. The young man still has not been heard from. Still missing is another Staten Island man, who worked for the same firm a floor below.

That story is being repeated countless times. Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen estimated that a couple of hundred firefighters were missing.

"Many of them are gone," he said.

'THEY WERE ALL TOP BRASS ON THE JOB'

Among those confirmed killed, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani said, were three top Fire Department officials: First Deputy Fire Commissioner William M. Feehan; Chief of Department Peter J. Ganci and Ray Downey, chief of the special operations command.

"They were all top brass on the job," said Battalion Chief James Heal in an interview at the department's Staten Island headquarters last night. "They were very well-liked and respected people."

Downey led a team of New York firefighters to Oklahoma City in 1995 to provide help after the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

Heal, who knew Feehan and Ganci personally, said Feehan was "a highly loved man" who was widely respected for his vast knowledge of firefighting techniques.

He also said Ganci was a "top-shelf guy."

Fire Department personnel confirmed as missing as of early this morning included Kasper, who was assigned to Manhattan Special Operations Command.

MISSING FROM RESCUE CO. 5

Other missing firefighters included the 11 members of Rescue Co. 5, a Concord-based specialty unit that was on the scene when the World Trade Center structures collapsed.

"We have entire companies that are just missing," said Mike Carter, vice president of the firefighters union. "We lost chiefs. . . . We're going to have to bury a lot of people."

Giuliani said it may take two days before a final figure of the dead and injured becomes known.

Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik said he was certain there were people still alive inside the demolished buildings, including two policemen. He declined to elaborate, but said rescue efforts would continue through the night.

Kerik, along with other officials, were told of calls made by trapped victims on cell phones.

THOUSANDS TREATED AT HOSPITALS

Giuliani said hospitals had treated 1,100 injured by last night. Another 2,000 less-seriously injured were taken to Liberty State Park in New Jersey, he said.

But apparently most of the victims remained buried, and ground zero was inaccessible for hours after the disaster due to fire, smoke, rubble and searing heat.

On Staten Island, most of the victims brought over by ferry -- one of the only ways into or out of Lower Manhattan -- had suffered minor injuries, such as shortness of breath, soot in their eyes or chest pains, officials said.

More than 100 were treated at both campuses of Staten Island University Hospital and St. Vincent's Medical Center, hospital spokespersons said early yesterday evening.

One victim later died in St. Vincent's.

WAITING AT ST. GEORGE

At the St. George Ferry Terminal, emergency personnel transformed the vehicle entrance on the bottom level into a triage center.

Medical supplies were strewn across car tops, gurneys were lined up at the entrances to the slips, stretchers were piled six-high, ambulances lined the rear of the terminal and hundreds of emergency medical technicians, firefighters, priests and doctors stood and waited.

But only a handful of patients were treated at the scene. Most of the ferryboats were loaded with able-bodied passengers just trying to flee the city and get home.

Earlier in the day, emergency workers were told boats of dead bodies would be shipped over. That, too, never transpired.

"We have a boat coming in and we have no idea what's on it," announced the firefighter coordinating the massive volunteer effort.

The staging area was also the only point of entry for National Guard trucks and bulldozers headed in to help clear the rubble.

LIKENING ATTACK TO PEARL HARBOR

Many officials called the attack the most serious on the United States since the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor 60 years ago.

"Everybody's devastated," Detective Lisa Guerrero, a Police Department spokeswoman, said outside

NYU

Downtown Hospital on Beekman Street, where scores of victims had been rushed. "You have no idea what co-workers were involved."

For Staten Islanders, the suicide mission at the World Trade Center hit especially close to home.

With Lower Manhattan a 25-minute ferry ride away, the financial district is practically an extension of the borough. Nearly everyone, it seems, knows someone who works in the area, if they aren't employed there themselves. And with debris piled four feet high in some places and communications lines down or clogged, many borough residents were still uncertain yesterday of loved ones' fates.

As of early yesterday afternoon, Joanne Meadors was awaiting word from her 61-year-old mother, Sylvia. Ms. Meadors, 37, a computer technician from West Brighton, had watched in horror from Broadway as the south Trade Center tower collapsed a few blocks from her office. But she didn't know what happened to her mother, who works for the Bank of New York on the opposite side of the twin buildings.

"I just headed for daylight," the Merrill Lynch worker said outside

NYU

Downtown Hospital. "My face and hair were covered with ash."

WAITING FOR WORD

Others had similar stories.

Frank Besignano, senior vice president of SI Bank & Trust, said his sister, Liz Nappi of New Dorp, had managed to evacuate the south tower via a stairwell, after one of the planes crashed into the building.

However, Ms. Nappi, he said, didn't know the fate of co-workers in her 80th-story office who had either tried to leave the building by elevator or remained behind.

"She's unsure," he said.

Dongan Hills resident John

O'B

rien, 37, said his sister, Kellie

O'B

rien of Brooklyn had also exited the south tower before the structure toppled, but it was unclear whether any of her friends or associates had been trapped inside.

"I haven't been able to get back in touch with her," O'Brien said yesterday afternoon.

LOOKING TOWARD THE SKYLINE

Scores of worried relatives and friends streamed down to Richmond Terrace to get a glimpse of the thick plumes of black and gray smoke billowed up from the rubble across the harbor.

David Scheffler of Westerleigh watched from the railing off St. Peter's Place shortly after 3 p.m. Five days ago, he had visited the 87th floor offices of his ex-employer, the May Davis Group, a brokerage firm at 1 World Trade Center.

Thirty of his former co-workers and friends had probably perished in the attack.

"It's scary," he said. "And with the phones down, you can't confirm anything."

About a quarter-mile down, Matt Guadagno of Great Kills shook his head. "I sat in my house as long as I could watch on TV and then I had to come down," he said. "Even if you don't know the people, you have to feel sorry for them."

For some, the Island had become a safe haven.

Ken Mitchell of Newburgh,

N.Y.,

found himself wandering along an unfamiliar Richmond Terrace wondering how he would ever get home. He was inside the World Financial Center when the planes hit the towers.

"I was just looking for any way to get out of there," he said. "Then I saw people running to the ferry."

REVEREND COVERED IN GRAY SOOT

The Rev. David Matthews, rector of Trinity Wall Street Church in Manhattan, stood on the corner of Nicholas Street, his shoes and the shoulders of his black jacket covered in gray soot.

Matthews, several associates, and teachers from the church's day care center, had trudged, with about 140 youngsters in tow, nearly a half-mile to the Staten Island Ferry to escape the acrid smoke and wreckage. Many teachers carried babies in their arms.

"It felt like something out of a movie," said Matthews. "They said to get on the ferry to get air you can breathe."

But many had become separated on the boat, and by mid-afternoon Matthews, who had been in phone contact with some of the teachers, was trying to track them down.

"They're fine," he said of the youngsters.

Less certain was the fate of some of the children's mothers and fathers.

"We don't know where all the parents work," he said.

Glen Mancuso, who owns the Allstate Insurance office on Bay Street, said he took in a group of 15 kids who were evacuated from a Downtown Manhattan elementary school early yesterday morning. A short time later, a woman rushed in to use his phone and collapsed in tears when she couldn't get through to her husband, a WorldTrade Center police officer.

INJURIES MOUNTING

Meanwhile, as injuries mounted, dozens of victims were transported to Island hospitals. Both campuses of Staten Island University Hospital and St. Vincent's Medical Center, West Brighton, were on high alert.

As of mid-afternoon, St. Vincent's had received 22 patients, with one fatality, according to a hospital spokesman. Most of the survivors were "non-emergency" patients.

By early evening, University Hospital had treated 84 patients -- 53 at its Ocean Breeze facility and 31 at its Prince's Bay building. Most were suffering from shock or disorientation and were treated and released, said Arleen Ryback, a hospital spokeswoman.

One patient was admitted. That person's status was not immediately available.

Each hospital reported that hundreds of Islanders had donated blood.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Prosecutors have over-reached in charging his client with attempted aggravated murder, contends the lawyer for Dante Martin, the Clifton man accused of trying to wrest away a cop's gun and shoot her during a struggle last week in Richmond University Medical Center.

During a court appearance Wednesday, attorney Michael Harding argued Martin shouldn't continue to be denied bail with regard to the Aug. 28 incident.

"I think this is an over-indictment. He didn't attempt to murder anyone," Harding said at Martin's arraignment in state Supreme Court, St. George. "He never got the gun. He never possessed a weapon. This is just creative writing by the district attorney attempting to play up to police officers."

Martin, 36, pleaded not guilty through Harding to a 19-count indictment accusing him of attempted aggravated murder, attempted first-degree murder, criminal weapon possession, attempted escape and other crimes.

Harding rejected an offer for his client to plead guilty in exchange for a sentence of 20 years to life.

Martin, who has two prior violent felony convictions dating to 1998, could be sentenced as a persistent felon, which carries a lifetime prison component.

Justice Stephen J. Rooney adjourned the case to Sept. 28.

"This defendant is a convicted felon who is alleged to have put the life of a police officer and, possibly, innocent bystanders in grave danger with his reckless and selfish attempt to escape custody," said District Attorney Michael E. McMahon in a statement. "His alleged actions nearly cost a brave cop her life, and now, after being indicted by a grand jury, my office will vigorously prosecute this case to ensure Mr. Martin is held accountable for his crimes."

Martin was initially arrested on Aug. 25 after cops responded to a 911 call of a man with a gun menacing a woman near 55 Holland Ave., Mariners Harbor, said prosecutors.

Martin bolted when cops approached him, dropping a loaded black .40-calbier Glock, authorities said.

After he was nabbed, Martin requested medical attention and was admitted to Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton, where he was placed under police guard.

The defendant said he needed treatment for a seizure condition, according to a law enforcement source.

The tussle with the cop over the gun occurred three days later on Aug. 28, said prosecutors.

Martin told the officer guarding him he needed to use the bathroom, and she removed his handcuffs.

The defendant attacked her, wrapped his arms around her and took her to the ground, said prosecutors. He got on top of the cop, punched her and grabbed the top part of her holster in a bid to remove her gun, prosecutors said.

The officer screamed for help, and hospital security and another patient, Rafael Muniz, responded.

Muniz, 42, told the Advance Martin was straddling the cop, and his hand was around the gun which was halfway out of the holster.

Muniz said he grabbed Martin's hand.

"I said, 'You don't have to do this. Just let it go, bro,'" Muniz said. "He looked at me and said, 'But my finger is on the trigger.'"

Then, according to Muniz, Martin had "a moment of clarity" and removed his finger from the trigger.

Other officers entered the room and arrested the defendant as he struggled with them, said prosecutors.

A bald, bearded man garbed in an orange Correction Department jumpsuit, Martin said nothing Wednesday beyond stating his name and confirming Harding is his lawyer.

The defendant has two prior convictions.

He was convicted of assault in 1998 after being accused of shooting a woman in the face, and was sentenced to seven and a half to 15 years in prison, according to Advance reports and online records of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

Martin was paroled in October 2007, and was convicted the following year of assault and attempted criminal weapon possession stemming from a January 2008 shooting in Mariners Harbor, the Advance reported.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - The storm known as Hermine danced with us for a couple of days over the Labor Day weekend, but when all was said and done posed no threat to Staten Island other than a little bit of wind.

Lucky for us.

Hermine pounded into Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, packing winds of 80 miles an hour, dumping a ton of rain and leaving tens of thousands of households without electricity.

In a slightly weakened form, the storm was then supposed to meander up the Eastern Seaboard and before stalling off our shores over the weekend. We were told to expect high winds and some rain. But the big problem was going to be a few days of higher-than-normal storm surges.

That was enough to cause worry in all the Island's low-lying and waterfront communities. Hurricane Sandy is only four years in the past. We all remember how badly Sandy's storm surge damaged the Island and all of New York City.

Even if Hermine was not predicted to be as bad, there was still plenty to be concerned about. Because we know that an ordinary thunderstorm can wreak havoc with Staten Island. How ready are we to battle a big storm?

Not very.

A big part of our coastal storm defense is a $579 million seawall that's set to be built on the East Shore. But as of early this year, construction had yet to begin, and some bureaucratic red tape was part of the stew.

Isn't it always?

The Army Corps of Engineers called for an internal "chief's review" to be conducted before the project could commence. It was only through the intervention of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) that the Army Corps agreed to perform a shorter "director's report" instead. That will shave months off the project.

Another key component of our storm resiliency is the Bluebelt project, which is a system of natural and man-made drainage areas, like ponds and streams, that collect the water from rain and major storms, keeping it away from low-lying areas.

The project had gotten stalled in its own version of bureaucratic purgatory, with the Army Corps and the U.S. Department of Agriculture bickering over the rights to an easement involving the Bluebelt and that seawall project.

Again, it took Schumer stepping in before this Gordian knot could be hacked through. Good thing "Staten Island's Chuck" is keeping an eye on our business down there in Washington. We're rarely had a more powerful, highly placed ally in the halls of Congress.

Another resiliency project that has faced delays is the berm at Wolfe's Pond Park in Prince's Bay. The berm was breached by Hurricane Irene in 2011, and sustained more damage from Sandy the following year.

The Irene damage was fully funded, but then the damage from Sandy had to be assessed. Then came another round of bureaucracy at its best: A new design had to be put out to account for the scope of the post-Sandy work. There had to be an extensive period of comment and review. Work permits had to be obtained.

It's finally on track, and we're glad. It's crucial to preserve this key part of Staten Island's environmental inventory.

And while Hermine wasn't supposed to be a rain event, there are plenty of storms, coastal and otherwise, that dump buckets on us. Our roads, whether they're in Midland Beach, Bay Terrace or Travis, can still flood at the drop of hat. Those situations need to be addressed too. That's part of our resiliency.

Like we said, it's a good thing that Hermine veered farther off shore and gave us a pass (even though those winds on Monday and Tuesday were still pretty strong). But we need to move more quickly with these big resiliency projects. Our luck can't hold out forever.
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A theme emerges from every Interbike. If the theme is sufficiently strong, most observers will exhibit a confluence of opinion and well all anoint the theme and hoist a glass to it.



But sometimes I take away something unique to me, probably because I brought an idea or a mood to the show and what I saw confirmed or conformed to it. For me, the hits of the show were the Italians.



As an American manufacturer, which I was (Im still an American but no longer a manufacturer), I had a chip on my shoulder about the Italians. It was us against them. But now I can afford to not have that chip, and so I saw something at this years Interbike that had always been there but I failed to acknowledge it. The Italians have class.

Its not just their bikes. Its them. They come to the show dressed to the nines, wearing shoes that cost more than any six pairs of mine. Italians may make expensive bikes, but they pay that same amount for what they wear to the show. How many American triathletes have shoes that cost as much as their race wheels, and suits that cost as much as their bike frames?



They not only bring better clothes to the show, they bring their own food. North American Neanderthals hover around the Italian pavilian hoping to get a pass to the catered room, where the food is better than that served at the Italian restaurants on the Venetians Canal Level.



The bikes I can sum up in three words: attention to detail. They may not always grasp all the macro themes that attend tri bike geometry, but nobody gets the details better.



My favorite road bikes at the show were the Kuotas. I know, this is better known as a tri bike company, right? Perhaps, but thats just because of the success theyve had in tri, singular among Italian bike makers. But they made the most impressive road bikes at the show too, for my money. And here is a little story about detail orientation. The company head, Mario Comalli, had angst at the presentation of his bikes. They were out of order. They should be presented in order of ride quality, he told me, starting from most comfortable and ending with those models we make with the best power transfer.



I exhibited at Interbike for 12 years, and I never thought of that.

Notwithstanding my appreciation of the Italians (Im still a die hard Campy fan though that company barely acknowledges my right to breathe oxygen), there were other good things at the show. My second favorite thing was the bike that only a dummy could ride. Its being tested at the wind tunnel as I write this, and Im bummed I cant attend. Its a Cervelo P3C with removable and changeable tube shapes. Its ridden by a Dave Zabriskie mannequin, though I do not know if, like Ken, its anatomically correct. I hope so for the sake of aerodynamic precision.



The favorite thing was the Dyson hand dryer in the exhibit hall bathrooms. Its by Dyson, you know, that guy who invented the new kind of vacuum cleaner? The one that vacuums differently? Well, heres a hand dryer that actually works! Nevertheless, I had to perform a test before I accepted this truism as fact because, as the engineers say, one test is worth a thousand expert opinions.



Happily, this was easily accomplished, because the Sands Convention Center obliged us by installing the Dyson hand dryer right next to, instead of in place of, the existing hand dryer that never worked worth a spit. So, I manned the stopwatch while Cervelos Gerard Vroomen and Steve Hed each tried their hand at drying themselves. Gerards partner Phil White took the photos for posterity.



I must tell you that Steve Hed dried his hands faster with the old style unit. So he switched places with Gerard and took the reins of the Dyson. Again, Heds technique prevailed. I suppose this just goes to show that however you switch the letters around  rider or drier  technique, training and talent trumps technology.

Let's keep that between us, though, shall we?
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said Tuesday that work will temporarily stop between North Dakota's State Highway 1806 and 20 miles east of Lake Oahe, but it will continue west of the highway because he believes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lacks jurisdiction on private land. It wasn't immediately clear how long work will stop. He also said he will rule by the end of Friday on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's challenge of federal regulators' decision to grant permits to the Texas-based operators of Dakota Access pipeline, which will cross North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr has hit out at the ACT's independent market regulator after it proposed a $500 hike in annual water charges over the decade from 2018.

The annual supply charge increase would be phased in over 10 years as the two-tier per kilolitre consumption charges were lowered and combined into a single price, the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission's draft 2016 tariff review recommended on Tuesday.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has criticised changes to the ACT's water tariff system. Credit:Rohan Thomson

Mr Barr on Wednesday said in a statement he believed it was an "unfair proposal" that would have a "disproportionate impact on low volume water users".

The commission had previously noted the likely negative effects of the price rises on residents who use less water, which led to it confirming a 10-year roll-out for the changes to minimise the financial impact.
New homes could soon be required to include safeguards to prevent children from being accidentally run over in internal garages.

The ACT government is considering changes to the building code to require new homes with internal garage doors to equip self-closing devices and automatic latches, and raise the handle 1.5 metres from the floor.

Emma and Peter Cockburn, pictured in 2012, have been campaigning for years for better safety measures to protect children.

The measures are designed to prevent children from being fatally struck or seriously injured by cars exiting or parking in the garage.

They are largely the result of campaigning from Peter and Emma Cockburn, who founded the Georgina Josephine Foundation after their daughter died in a tragic accident in 2011.
Australia could see steep declines in coal exports over the next two decades that would wipe billions of dollars off export income and slash government revenues as a result of global policies to limit climate change.

The impact on export income could be even greater if the price of thermal coal, which is used to generate electricity, falls as steeply as some forecasts suggest. The shift would also cause heavy job losses in areas such as the Hunter Valley.

Global policies aimed at cutting carbon emissions will slash Australia's coal exports and export income.

Policy moves to limit to 2 per cent the rise in temperatures could result in a 40 per cent slide in the trade of steaming coal, which is mostly used to generate electricity, according to a study by industry expert Wood Mackenzie.

Thanks to the higher quality of its coal, the impact on Australia's miners would be more muted, with an estimated 35 per cent cut to its exports of thermal coal, which is mostly mined in NSW and Queensland, but with a much greater impact on countries such as Indonesia, which produces lower quality coal.
Buyers are said to be running the ruler over the Edgecliff Centre in Sydney's inner east, which is being sold by a private Hong Kong investor with expectations the mixed-use property could fetch as much as $130 million.

On New South Head Road, the 10,845 square metre mall and six-storey office complex in Edgecliff has been privately held for the past two decades with the sale seen as a strategic opportunity, with significant value-add potential.

A private family is selling the Edgecliff Centre in Sydney's east, which has potential development opportunities. Credit:Mark Merton

JLL's Simon Rooney and James Aroney and Knight Frank's Dominic Ong, John Bowie Wilson and James Parry have been appointed to sell the landmark centre.

The agents said overseas and locally-based investors, a mix of private, super funds and sovereign funds, have all shown an interest in the site, with the expressions of interest closing on Thursday.
Two big corporate tenants looking for new office space could spark a flurry of commercial development in Melbourne.

Energy Australia has circulated a brief to combine four of its city offices into one 20,000-square-metre, A-grade central-city building.

An artist's impression of the scaled down version of Cbus Property's 447 Collins Street development.

The gas and electricity retailer is looking to consolidate its Melbourne staff sometime between 2017 and 2020, a period during which its existing leases expire.

At the same time media agency Dentsu Aegis Network has circulated a lease requirement for a similarly sized footprint in a single building.
The GPT Wholesale Shopping Centre Fund is looking to raise more than $300 million with the sale of its 50 per cent stake in the Westfield Woden Plaza mall in Canberra.

The fund, which paid $321.5 million for the interest in 2012, is taking advantage of the high demand for shopping centres, which are trading on stronger returns than other investment sectors, such as the sharemarket. Scentre Group owns the remaining 50 per cent.

GPT Wholesale Shopping Centre Fund is selling its 50 per cent stake in Westfield Woden Plaza Credit:Eddie Misic

Westfield Woden, which is 8.5 kilometres south of Canberra's Civic precinct, is ranked in the top 50 centres in Australia with regards to both gross lettable area at 74,400 square metres and specialty sales productivity at more than $9,000 per square metre.

The centre includes a David Jones, Big W, Coles, Woolworths, Hoyts and more than 230 specialty retailers.
No tenants have been announced yet for the huge project but Mr Elcheikh said a petrol station operator was lined up and there was strong interest in the project's childcare centre. Title deeds show JTX purchased the Humex land from VicRoads for $8.25 million in February.

JTX International chief executive Anthony Elcheikh said the project will include a 50,000 square metre showroom retail precinct, a 7000 square metre medical centre, a 56,000 square metre building materials display centre and a a 12-level 285-room hotel.

An artist's impression of Humex, a mixed use site developed by JTX International, in Craigieburn.

The 350,000 square metre Humex business park and homemaker centre is planned for a 32 hectare site at 650 Hume Highway.

Chinese-backed developer JTX International has launched a $1.7 billion mixed-use project on former VicRoads land in Craigieburn.

The Craigieburn project is funded by a mix of offshore and local money, he said. Shareholders in JTX International include Mr Elcheikh and his family company Prime Rise, as well as Ron Chen, Fang Na, Jingwei International and Xiaohong Xiang.

Mr Elcheikh said: "I've been flying under the radar. When everyone else left China after the global financial crisis, I stayed and made contacts."

He also operates a company called Global Significant Investment Visa Fund Australia which helps offshore investors attain permanent residency in Australia.

Savills director Keith Kooloos, who is marketing the project, said "We've had good inquiry on the supermarket. It's very early days but it's a good solid start."

Knight Frank's Tim Grant, who is also working on the deal, said the development will provide a venue for Chinese businesses to display their products.
But new research suggests that older women may need more support and protection from unconscious bias in favour of younger people entering the workforce. "I think the most important thing is having the confidence to ask what is expected of you in your role and how your peers are ranked and how you are ranked in relative terms," Ms Sutherland said. "Historically it's been hard to ask those questions. But here we are encouraging people to speak up and ask for information." An international study by Sarah Voitchovsky from the University of Melbourne and researchers from the London School of Economics and the Bocconi University in Milan shows that of the top 10 per cent of earners in Australia, only one in five to one in three are women. Of the top one per cent of earners, between 14 and 22 per cent are women. Older women who ask for wage rises as often as men are 25 per cent less likely than men to get a raise when they ask

The study Top incomes and the gender divide found the proportion of women in the top 10 per cent ranged from 21.5 per cent in Norway and 25.4 per cent in Australia to 32.6 per cent in Spain. "Differences across countries are stronger, but still relatively small, when we look at the proportion of women in the top 1 per cent of the income distribution: it lay between 14 per cent in Norway and 22 per cent in Australia, Canada and Spain," the researchers said. "The second striking feature  and one that we did expect  is the decline in the proportion of women as one rises higher on the income scale. "The share of women in the top 10 per cent is between 1.4 and 1.9 times the share of women in the top 1 per cent, except in Australia." Ms Voitchovsky said that "in the old days, the rich were those with property; they have been replaced by CEOs and entrepreneurs, among whom women are less well represented".

The proportion of women at the top has generally increased over time but less in the upper ranges. "In other words, women now make up more of the top 1 per cent, but they still are a distinct minority and they become rarer the higher one climbs," she said. "Earnings represent an important source of income for people at the top of the distribution and trends in the labour market are obviously part of the story. Another study by researchers at Cass Business School, the University of Warwick and the University of Wisconsin, shows that women ask for wage rises just as often as men, but men are 25 per cent more likely to get a raise when they ask. The study titled, Do Women Ask?, found no evidence for the assumption that women are less pushy than men or that they hold back to avoid upsetting their boss.

The researchers from the University of Warwick, the University of Wisconsin et al studied a randomly chosen group of 4,600 workers across more than 800 employers to test the assumption that women get paid less because they are not as pushy as men. Co-author Andrew Oswald, Professor of Economics and Behavioural Science at the University of Warwick said the study suggested "there is some element of pure discrimination against women". The research uses data gathered in the Australian Workplace Relations Survey which covers the period 2013-14 which is a representative sample of Australian employees and workplaces. The researchers said young Australian women are negotiating their pay and conditions more successfully than older females, "and perhaps that will continue as they become more senior". Marian Baird, Professor of Gender and Employment Relations from the University of Sydney said: "The results seem to support the conclusion that many of us have also suspected, that is, that there is outright pay discrimination against women in some instances".
Certainly the treatment at Barwon Prison of Raad and his co-accused in the so-called Melbourne terrorism trial was so dire that the trial judge, Justice Bernard Bongiorno, took the unusual step of threatening to adjourn the trial unless conditions improved.

A report noted that intelligence sources have indicated Raad, along with his brothers who also served jail time for terrorism offences, was "further radicalised" in prison.

Imprisoned since being arrested in late 2005, Raad was released in 2013 and instead of opting for a low-profile life with his family he went to Syria, where he was believed killed recently, and is now a propaganda weapon for Islamic State.

Back in 2008, after a lengthy trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria involving himself and 11 co-accused, a young electrician, Ezzit Raad, was convicted of offences under anti-terror laws.

Constant strip searching, long travel to and from court in cramped transport, limited time out of cells, and excessive handcuffing had led to the point where Justice Bongiorno concluded that the accused were "currently being subjected to an unfair trial because of the whole of the circumstances in which they are being incarcerated at HM Prison Barwon and the circumstances in which they are being transported to and from court".

The conditions that Raad and his co-accused endured for over two years before Justice Bongiorno intervened were described as posing "a risk to the psychiatric health of even the most psychologically robust individual".

When Raad was arrested and detained in late 2005 he and his co-accused were classified as high-risk prisoners. This led to their being subjected to the oppressive treatment that led to judicial intervention in March 2008. Such a classification seems to be the norm among those suspected of, or convicted of, terrorism offences. Only last month a group of prisoners convicted of terrorism offences and being detained in the notorious Goulburn jail SuperMax complained of inhumane treatment.

The Raad trajectory from prisoner to IS recruiter and fighter should have our prison authorities and their political masters reflecting on whether the mindset that treats terrorism offenders or suspects harshly as a matter of course is in fact counterproductive.

As a landmark 2010 report on prisons and terrorism offenders published by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence put it: "Often ignored by the public and policymakers, [prisons] are important vectors in the process of radicalisation, and they can be leveraged in the fight against it."
Bruce graduated from Melbourne High in 1981, the same year he met his teenage sweetheart Lynne Johnstone.

Bruce John Rogers was born in Queensland to Ila and Selwyn; he was the youngest of three boys. During his formative years, Selwyn's work as a bank manager led the Rogers family to live in many places before eventually settling in Melbourne.

This is a story about an extraordinary Australian.

Bruce graduated as a civil engineer at RMIT in 1987 and worked for a time for C.W.B. Vaughan & Associates, before embarking with Lynne on a two-year trip around Australia.

At this time the trajectory of a conventional career-path closed and an exciting new chapter began. Bruce redirected his professional horizons to his dream job: he would transfer much of his engineering training into the fine art of crafting didgeridoos.

But Bruce was not Aboriginal. Success would require him to break cultural barriers and build bridges.

Bruce genuinely connected with key indigenous people and became especially close with world-renowned players Alan Dargin and Mark Atkins.

He earned his initiation into the didgeridoo family and became one of the first non-indigenous didgeridoo experts to be acknowledged for his special knowledge.
On graduating he returned to Sydney and pursued his interest in photography, designed and built furniture and joined Amalgamated Wireless Australia (AWA), before travelling overseas to work for UK appliance companies.

He was born in Randwick, NSW, and a short time later the family moved to Melbourne, where Carl attended Scotch College. He enrolled in the Industrial Design Diploma at Melbourne Technical College (later RMIT University).

Returning to Australia, he opened the small office of Carl Nielsen & Associates (NDA) in 1962 in North Sydney, and claimed to be one of the first independent industrial design consultancies to operate in Sydney. By 1982 Nielsen Design Associates had developed into a highly regarded multi-disciplinary design practice, offering services in graphics, interior design and model-making, as well as industrial design.

Nielsen was one of the early members of the Society of Designers for Industry (later to become the Industrial Design Institute of Australia (IDIA). He was invited to become its second federal president. When the Commonwealth Government founded the Industrial Design Council of Australia (IDCA), he was invited to join it.

In the 1960s, he did some part-time teaching on the Industrial Design postgraduate diploma course at the University of NSW. In 1974, when the NSW Government conducted an inquiry into art and design education, Nielsen was on the investigating committee.

The Indesign Luminary Archive, in 2004, stated: "The final outcome of this investigation was the establishment of a new College of Advanced Education. This was the Sydney College of the Arts (SCA), founded in 1976."

Nielsen was asked to head up the Industrial Design Department, which he did for a year (while also running NDA), becoming principal lecturer on a fractional full-time, in effect part-time, basis. "I've never seen myself as an academic, [but] I was getting pretty involved in education and I saw in it an opportunity to really make some change in the system."
Aside from the inequity and declining academic standards that many researchers believe are associated with Australia's education funding model, this under-resourced and unfair system has created a competitive, scarcity mentality that is undermining the wellbeing of our kids and the efforts of our teachers.

One of the key indicators of a school's academic performance is its proportion of VCE subject scores of 40 or more. In one of the northern suburbs' best performing public schools last year, 12 per cent of subject scores were 40 or above. In one of the poorer performing public schools it was less than 1 per cent. At one of the district's private schools it was 20 per cent. This is the performance gap  correlating with socio-economic differences  that the Gonski Review found to be "unacceptable" and growing.

This is not just the hysteria of over-protective, aspirational parents. It's evidence that we don't have a universal system of education in Australia, despite school being compulsory until the age of 16. There are no guarantees that your children will get the education they need to enter a range of post-secondary school pathways - though being wealthy, tricky or blessed with a gifted child can help.

Year 6 children in Victoria have recently found out what secondary schools they will attend next year. In the northern suburbs where I live, as in many other parts of Melbourne, families swarm on the better-performing public schools, trying to secure places for their children through select entry, accelerated programs, renting or buying in school zones or seeking special consideration. Many families have been initially unsuccessful and are anxiously waiting for second, third or fourth round offers.

Earlier this year, two retired school principals (Chris Bonnor and Bernie Shepherd) released an analysis of My Schools data for the Centre for Policy Development Studies. They found that as a result of the "uneven" delivery of education, and the movement of students to sought-after schools, there was a growing disconnect between schools and communities. They measured trends that showed an increasing number of students attending schools outside their local communities and described a breaking down of relationships between schools and their surrounding neighbourhoods.

Communities are known to be a protective factor against mental illness. In a world of relentless academic and social pressure, supportive schools and authentic communities give kids much-needed real-world validation. It's the neighbour who says hello when they walk home from school, or the teacher who knows their family or taught their brother. These incidental exchanges create the safety net that gives young people the confidence to launch themselves out into the world. At present, one in four young Australians have experienced a mental health disorder in the past 12 months, according to Beyond Blue. They need the combined support of families, schools and communities, yet never have these been more fragmented.

One school in our area is now so oversubscribed that, reluctantly, it can no longer guarantee places for siblings of existing students if families are no longer living in its zone. For some families, this situation has occurred because a new school opened in the district two years ago, becoming their new closest school.

It's worth mentioning that the opening of this school followed a heroic effort by parents to force the government to act upon population growth that was outstripping school places. Resources allocated to the new school were limited: although state-of-the-art audiovisual facilities were installed, the school is without a library or cooking facilities. Still only in its second year of operation, teachers are working hard to attract more students.

The oversubscribed government school is also under-resourced, but it's well established, with good enough results to make it a school of choice. I have neighbours whose kids won't follow their older siblings to this school, despite desperately wanting to do so. It's a no-win situation: if schools can't accommodate families, it's hard for families to support schools. Which library fund do you donate to? Which school council do you join? Limited family resources are split. The prospect of covering parent-teacher interviews and curriculum days across two schools is tiring to think about. You can only hope that both schools use the same IT system (Mac or PC), so that at least your kids can share each other's power cords when they inevitably leave theirs somewhere.
If having a Chinese government-linked donor pay a $1600 debt for a politician isn't against the rules, it should be.

And NSW Labor Senator and powerbroker Sam Dastyari needs to do a lot more than he did this week to explain away other gifts - including a $40,000 legal bill and two bottles of Grange - provided by Chinese business interests.

Cancer centre operator Genesis Care (and the patient records it holds) has attracted the attention of Chinese state-owned company China Resources Holdings. Credit:Andrew Quilty

Those revelations - by themselves - give strong backing to the calls to overhaul our electoral donations to ensure transparency in who is donating, how much, and what their motivation might be.

But Dastyari's pickle also raises another issue that is becoming just as big in the minds of many voters - and that's the increasing spectre of Chinese involvement in Australia.
Conservative broadcaster Alan Jones has accused the Turnbull government of an "utter betrayal of public trust" and singled out Treasurer Scott Morrison for criticism over what he claims is the "whitewashing" of the foreign land ownership register.

A long-time critic of farms being sold to outside interests, Jones lost no time in ripping into the Turnbull government over the release of its long-awaited register detailing who owns what in regards to agricultural land, as the debate over Chinese investment in Australia shows no signs of slowing down.

Mr Morrison will release the report, which shows 13 per cent of the nation's agricultural land is owned by foreign investors, on Wednesday.

It lists Britain, the United States and the Netherlands as the three biggest foreign investors in farming land. China is fifth with just 1.46 million hectares, or 0.38 per cent of Australia's agricultural land.
Senior government figures are maintaining pressure on Bill Shorten following Labor senator Sam Dastyari's resignation from the shadow ministry, questioning the Opposition Leader's judgment for standing by the MP as damaging revelations kept coming.

Weathering the eight-day donations scandal triggered by his personal travel debt being paid by a Chinese-Australian donor and exacerbated by a pro-China stance he reportedly took on the South China Sea, contrary to Labor policy, Senator Dastyari stood down on Wednesday afternoon.

Treasurer Scott Morrison, a prominent critic in recent days, targeted Mr Shorten for continuing to defend the senator and said he "should have had this sorted days ago because the facts of this matter were uncontested".

"Who would have thought that Sam Dastyari had higher standards than Bill Shorten. I mean it is Sam Dastyari who has taken the decision," Mr Morrison told ABC's 7.30 program.
It is a masterful lesson in how to put your circles of influence to work. Invite a prominent politician you're on friendly terms with, who may even owe you a favour or two. Put him in front of journalists, too, from a media outlet you are particularly close with.

Snap your fingers and you have prolific political donor and legal benefactor Huang Xiangmo grinning next to Labor senator Sam Dastyari as he pledged to respect China's position on the South China Sea during an election campaign press conference in June. Those comments would ultimately cost Senator Dastyari his job.

The report was filed by Ma Xiaolong, the editor-in-chief of Sydney Today, an online Chinese-language news outlet of growing influence, which boasts more than 5 million page views a month on its website, and another 3 million via its presence on Chinese social media application WeChat.

Mr Huang, the chairman of the pro-Beijing Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, files regular columns for Sydney Today and across its syndicated network of other news sites across the country's major cities - including a running political commentary during the recent federal election campaign. As chairman of property developer Yuhu Group, he is also a lucrative source of advertising for the growing media group.
This means if you have a regular set of headphones, you'll need either a bluetooth wireless set or be prepared to use the AirPods ($229) that come with the new device. Or, you can buy the Apple adaptor to use your regular set connected to the lightning pin. Oh, and Beats is about to launch a range using Apple's chip technology used in the AirPods.

The new iPhones are about 10 to 15 per cent more expensive in Australia - even without GST and our weaker dollar.

Apple acquired headphone company Beats in 2014 for $3 billion. Back then everyone immediately suspected they would try and lock up the headphone market. That happened overnight with Apple announcing they would lose the analogue or traditional headphone jack on the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

Remarkably, Apple insisted its move to kill the headphone jack was out of "courage".

The new phone and watch will be waterproof, (catching up to Samsung's S7 Edge) and if you thought Pokemon Go was big this could be bigger - Super Mario is coming to iPhone. As Pokemon has showed, the power of revamped nostalgia games to be played on smartphone has the potential to be massive. [Tim Biggs/Fairfax]

I swapped to Samsung but I'd start stashing my old iPhone into my bag to play Super Mario on the run (or, gulp, consider converting back) if it didn't come to Android.

But in an event that overshadowed the entire launch, the official Apple Twitter account, which has never before tweeted, jumped the gun and posted a video of the new iPhone 7. [Tech Radar]

You had one job social media dude. One. Job!
Sometimes mass media coverage is a symptom of a bigger problem: here Senator Sam Dastyari talks after resigning as opposition consumer affairs spokesman after revelations he asked a company with links to the Chinese government to refund $1600 worth of travel expenses. Credit:Wolter Peeters Initially Dastyari thought the story wasn't that big a deal and wouldn't go far. He responded that night on Twitter by vowing to forward the same amount, $1600 to charity but the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation refused the money, not wanting to be tainted. One right-wing ally of Dastyari's wondered if the leader's office had set up the Senator in suggesting the rejected gimmick but the idea was Dastyari's. In truth, the leader's office had gone to pains to spell out to the senator just how serious the matter was. The next night, Dastyari was the butt of both leaders' jokes at the Canberra press gallery's annual midwinter ball. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wondered if the next Labor scare campaign would claim the Liberals were out to privatise the Senate  but wait, Dasher's beaten us to it! Opposition Leader Bill Shorten Credit:Jason South Shorten observed how great it was to see the senator (who was present) raising so much money for charity. Boom-tish!

Dastyari might well have survived given the government's lacklustre attack early on. It was left to Liberal senator Cory Bernardi to do the heavy lifting. Normally prone to attacking his own side, the South Australian turned his fire on Dastyari and didn't miss, using the cover of parliamentary privilege to observe the "stench of corruption" surrounding the personal donation. Bill Shorten in his seat of Maribyrnong with NSW senator Sam Dastyari in August. Credit:Penny Stephens On Friday, Turnbull belatedly decided to take on the issue and asked if Dastyari's comments supporting China's position on the South China Sea, in direct contravention of the Australian government and the Labor party's policy, were some form of "cash for comment". The Prime Minister flew to Hangzhou for the G20 where he used his Chinese backdrop to further press the matter and up the pressure on Bill Shorten. "I'm here in China standing up for Australia. I'm standing up for Australia. Back home, Bill Shorten is standing up for Sam Dastyari's right to take cash from a company, associated with a foreign government and then express a view on foreign policy that undermines the Australian government's foreign policy, which has had been supported by Mr Shorten himself," Turnbull said.

At least one prominent Labor figure was surprised to see the Prime Minister use his international stage to launch the devastating political attack. It was an indicator that the Liberals would raise the issue once more in Parliament when it resumes next week. Then came the narrative that Dastyari had gone into hiding. He pulled out of a Monday night event with Arthur Sinodinos  whose own relationship with political donations during his stint as treasurer of the NSW Liberal party forced his temporary resignation from the government frontbench in 2014. Dastyari's New South Wales colleague Ed Husic was forced to stand in at an Australian Chamber of Commerce event where he was heckled after announcing himself as Dastyari's replacement. On Tuesday, one week later, Dastyari had to front the media. Perhaps it was an insurmountable task but he had one goal  to shut down the story and for good. Instead, "talk about walking off a cliff, he just did," was how one Labor MP described the performance. "He left Bill with no choice." Dastyari knew that if his position wasn't untenable now it would be by the time Parliament resumed and he knew what he had to do by Tuesday night.

On Wednesday he and Bill Shorten spoke several times. In their last conversation Shorten charted where Dastyari's situation could go. There could be no positive unless he resigned, was the conclusion of both men. Dastyari offered his resignation. Shorten accepted. Within the hour Dastyari was before the cameras. He pointedly thanked Shorten for his "incredible support." Shorten had created two extra spaces on the Labor frontbench after the July election. One was for Canberran Andrew Leigh, the other was for Sam Dastyari. Some in Labor believed Shorten's "Captain's Pick" of Dastyari was to placate him, a hedge against the NSW Right throwing their support against Shorten's leadership rival and leader of the Left faction  Anthony Albanese. But this ignores Dastyari's obvious talents. He might be "fast and loose" but is "talented and well-liked" say Labor sources, who note his knack for getting front-page coverage for pet issues like multinationals not paying their fair share of tax and the financial scandals in the banking sector. A royal commission into the banks was a key value-defining issue in Labor's favour during the election. The campaign "Bill Bus" was Dastyari's creation. It's the fact that he makes it look effortless that attracts jealousy from his colleagues and internal competitors, observes one Labor source. There is also the matter that like any politician on the make, he is willing to say one thing and do another if it furthers his ambition. Promises are easily made but less frequently kept. This has cost him personal friendships, which are not only rare in politics, but also almost impossible to restore once broken. But enemies aside, aged 33, there is widespread confidence Dastyari will rise again. Indeed in his statement, Shorten made it clear Dastyari would be welcome back onto the frontbench. The NSW right is locked in behind the number cruncher. For now the cost to Shorten appears to be minimal. Dastyari is not expected to sit on the backbench idle, nor turn his attention to plotting Shorten's downfall, as Sinodinos did for Turnbull when deposed under Abbott.
If there is one thing we can rely on in this country, it's the fact that every time we get close to an anniversary of significance for a marginalised group, some politician or public figure will make a statement so outrageous that it ends up proving exactly why we still need to have these days as a moment of reflection on how far we will have to go.

Last month, it was the publishing of a racist cartoon by Bill Leak on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Day. This month, it's former Prime Minister John Howard stating on the eve of Equal Pay Day how it's unlikely it is women will make up 50 per cent of government due to the fact that they play a "caring" role in society.

Of course, there are people who have swiftly moved to align Howard's comments with similar ones Bill Shorten made during the election campaign this year. There is no comparison here. While Shorten was talking about the fact that women are still doing the heavy lifting on the home front, his party under him committed to achieving gender parity rates of representation. Howard, on the other hand, felt using terms like "chair" instead of "chairman" was too politically correct. His time as Prime Minister is one of the most regressive periods in Australia's history when it comes to social justice, and this includes the rights and advancement of women.

Far from starting a conversation about redressing the gendered division of care work, Howard simply used it as an excuse for his party's failure to improve female representation. His interest in correcting these inequalities so women are more likely to consider political careers while men start doing their share in the home is non-existent.
Former Kings Cross kingpin Bill Bayeh appeared before a Sydney court on Wednesday after he allegedly entered The Star casino despite being banned.

In August, police charged the 61-year-old with "excluded person enter casino" after he allegedly entered The Star on June 26, 2016.

Bill Bayeh leaves Downing Centre courts on Wednesday. Credit:Nick Moir

Outside of court Bayeh said a letter had been dropped off at his home explaining he was banned, but no reason was given.

The matter has been adjourned to October 5.
He said Brother Dominic had told him this the night before he had been due to front the Brisbane Catholic Education authorities the following morning, when he was reprimanded but not stood down. He said he had nothing about Brother Dominic putting a hand on the boy's thigh and rubbing him and kissing him on the top of his head. He said Brother Dominic might have agreed to a "hands off" approach after being disciplined by the Catholic Education Office but he could not recall it. He said he could recall a police investigation into Brother Dominic in 1996 and that he had subsequently learned the complaint had been withdrawn in early 1997. He agreed it would have been important of him, as provincial, to be aware of such issues and would have expected the Catholic Education Office to pass information on.

Asked if he would hope an accused brother would voluntarily report to him, he said: 'I think that would be a vain hope." "Offenders tend to minimise the reality of what has happened," Brother Michael said. He said he could not recall clearly what he said to Brother Dominic at the time but he would have "indicated that it was a gross violation of boundaries . . . and that it was quite inappropriate, particularly for a person in that position". Asked by Mr Free about evidence to the Royal Commission that a student code-named CNP had complained to Brother Dominic's school principal in 1972, he said: "I was not aware of that." He said he as not aware of the principal, Brother Christopher, receiving a complaint about Brother Dominic at any time.

He was also not aware that Brother Alexis  his predecessor as provincial and who gave evidence on Tuesday  had received a complaint about Brother Romuald from a parish priest at Casino in northern NSW, Father Hackett. He said Brother Alexis "sometimes" talked to him about complaints of inappropriate behaviour by Marist brothers. He said Brother Alexis "occasionally" asked him to investigate "complaints that had reached him", but not in relation to Brother Dominic. Brother Michael was asked about Brother Dominic's appointment in June 1996 as principal of St Francis Xavier at Hamilton, the school previously known as Marist Brothers Hamilton. He said Bishop Michael Malone was the first person to object to Brother Dominic's appointment, but nothing had been said before hand. He said Bishop Malone had received complaints from various people within hours of the appointment being announced.

Brother Michael said he withdrew Brother Dominic's commission as principal before Bishop Malone had finished speaking to him, but he could not recall any of the details. Mr Free: "What was the nature of the complaints?" Brother Michael: "I'm not aware  inappropriate behaviour but there were no more details than that." Mr Free: "Weren't you concerned to know?" Brother Michael: "Absolutely. The first thing was to deal with the immediate issue which was the appointment itself."

Soon afterwards, the minutes of a Marist Brothers provincial council meeting recorded: "Brother Dominic O'Sullivan is unable to go to Hamilton next year because of health reasons. Discussion on the possible replacement for Brother Dominic took place." Brother Michael said he would have told the members of the council about the complaints made by Bishop Malone but but he had "no specific memory of that particular discussion". "That certainly would have arisen, given what had happened," Brother Michael said. "I would have told the members of the provincial council about the details we have already discussed here, so why it is expressed that way I cannot give an explanation," Brother Michael said. When Mr Free said the minutes were completely wrong in referring to health reasons, Brother Michael said: "Yes. Well it is misleading, certainly."

The chairman of the commission, Justice Peter McClellan, said: "It looks like someone's trying to hide the truth?" "It certainly appears that way," Brother Michael said. He said that although he understood Bishop Malone had not wanted Brother Dominic as principal at Hamilton because of his "inappropriate conduct" he did not try to find out more about the complaints, saying: "Because I couldn't see any way of identifying the people concerned." The commission heard the Marist Brothers sent Brother Dominic to an American program, Wellsprings, in 1997, to address his problems with what Brother Michael called "boundary violations". While Brother Dominic was away, Brother Michael said he considered sending him to Fiji but he objected, and he didn't force the issue.

Marist records show the provincial council "considered the possibility of Brother Dominic going to Dundas or Ashgrove. However the principals at these two schools expressed some reservation about the appointment". Brother Michael said he "presumed" the positions at either school involved teaching, but he said he was "determined that Dominic was not going to be in a position of contact with minors". He said he told the provincial council members about Brother Dominic but could not remember when. Asked about the school at Dundas, in western Sydney near Parramatta, Brother Michael said he did not think Brother Dominic would have fitted into the culture there. Mr Free: "Is Dundas a rough school, is that what we were getting at?"

Brother Michael: "Yes, yes, in those days." He said he eventually appointed Brother Dominic to a secretarial role, partly because it avoided unsupervised contact with children, and partly because he was skilled at secretarial work. "The alarm bells were quite deafening at that stage," Brother Michael said. He said he finished as provincial in 2001 and that he "would have" told his successor about Brother Dominic but he did not "have a specific memory of the conversation". Mr Free then took Brother Michael to another brother, Brother Patrick, whose real name was Thomas Butler.

He said he knew nothing about a complaint against Brother Patrick at Marist Brothers Eastwood in the 1960s. He was aware of a complaint made against Brother Patrick in the 1970s that either came from his provincial, Brother Alexis, when he (Brother Michael) was deputy provincial, or from a document. The commission heard on Tuesday from a former student, CNQ, had punched Brother Patrick in the head after the brother had sat next to him and fondled his leg. Asked about this, Brother Michael said: "I think I would have remembered it and the answer is no." Mr Free: "You would have remembered it because it's a fairly . . . " Brother Michael: "Well, you don't often get up and punch a brother, yes."

Brother Michael said that when he took over as provincial, Brother Patrick was "tutoring" but no longer teaching. "My understanding was that he was assisting with the boarders' study in the presence of others  other supervisors, study supervisors," Brother Michel said. He said he had never heard until evidence on Tuesday about two boys being caught in the bush outside Ashgrove school in Brisbane, when the boys had said they did not want to go back to school because of the way that Brother Patrick had been touching them. He said Brother Alexis had not told him about that at the "handover" in 1995. Brother Michael: "Not necessarily that detail, no. I think that would have been unrealistic."

He agreed it reflected "pretty poorly" on the order's supervision and vigilance, but he said: "As I say, it would be unrealistic to cover every base . . . . in the handover ceremony, otherwise we would still be doing it." Brother Michael was then taken to a Marist Brothers document that listed members of the order who were the subject of "supervision arrangements or restrictions on duties as a consequence of a complaint or allegation of, or conviction for, child sexual abuse". In it, Brother Patrick is recorded as having supervision arrangements and restrictions of duties imposed on him in August 1992. Mr Free: "Do you know what they were?" Brother Michael: "I don't. Oh no, I don't"

He was not sure what supervision was imposed on Brother Patrick. Brother Michael agreed he was aware of multiple complaints about Brother Patrick by the time that he, Brother Michael, became provincial in 1995. Asked his attitude about it all, Brother Michael said: "Well certainly, he  by the time I took over, it was quite clear that he could not have unsupervised contact with children, right? That was abundantly clear." Brother Michael was taken again to correspondence between him and Bishop Malone in 1996, in which Brother Michael said he understood that the police had investigated complaints against Brother Patrick, but that his behaviour was "certainly injudicious and inappropriate but not criminal in nature". Justice McClellan then asked if Brother Michael understood the difference between the order's responsibilities for the conduct of the brothers, and what the police considered as sufficient evidence for a criminal conviction beyond reasonable doubt.
The Liberal Democratic Party is standing by one of its councillors for this weekend's local government elections despite his recent affiliations to the far-right Australia First party and telling Fairfax Media "Asian [Australians] probably wouldn't make good soldiers".

Despite the remarks, NSW cross-bench senator and de facto party leader David Leyonhjelm has declined to distance himself from the party's candidate, Tony Pettitt, for Hawkesbury Council in Saturday's elections.

Despite recently having been its president, Mr Pettitt, a truck driver, played down his role in the far-right Australia First party on Tuesday. But he made fresh remarks that will raise questions about how far he has moved from its ideology, at odds with the LDP's open-borders approach, and quoted past remarks that some migrants have "no concern for the rule of law".

Mr Pettitt said his first preference would have been to stand for Pauline Hanson's One Nation in the council poll but the option was not available.
A cockroach bomb has exploded in an apartment in Sydney's north-west, leaving a man in hospital with significant burns and blowing out the property's windows.

The blast occurred in the ground-floor apartment on Adelaide Street in West Ryde just after 8.30am on Wednesday, and caused the entire building to shake.

A Fire and Rescue NSW spokeswoman said initial investigations revealed that a cockroach bomb - a highly flammable aerosol used to treat insect infestations - had been placed next to a hot water system, which caused the aerosol can to ignite.

The blast blew out the kitchen's windows and damaged a car that was parked outside the apartment.
William "Bill" Spedding will fight to have allegations he sexually assaulted two children thrown out of court.

The mid-north coast whitegoods repairman submitted a bid for a stay on proceedings in the Campbelltown District Court late on Tuesday.

William Spedding (centre) with his wife Margaret Spedding (left) in Campbelltown. Credit:Kate Geraghty

The move to have the case dismissed was made as it emerged a police interview with Mr Spedding, in which he denied the allegations, had been lost.

The 65-year-old was charged last year over the alleged sexual assault of two children in the 1980's in a caravan in Campbelltown in Sydney's south-west.
Firefighters have extinguished an Auchenflower house fire.

Emergency services arrived to find the home ablaze but were able to bring it under control just before 3.30pm. Firefighters were then working to dampen down hot spots before the fire was fully extinguished just before 3.45pm.

Firefighters battle a house fire in Auchenflower. Credit:Ben Cho

It has been reported eight people escaped the home along with two cats.

One occupant was being treated for smoke inhalation before they were transported to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in a stable condition.
Queensland's fight for more money to upgrade the state's busiest highway ramps up on Wednesday with a mayor, a minister and interest groups flying south to meet with the federal government.

The Palaszczuk government claims it's been shortchanged by a federal refusal to fund more than half of a $430 million planned upgrade to widen a key section of the M1 from Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes and the Gateway merge.

In the wake of the federal election campaign, Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey called for the Turnbull government to stick to the 80:20 funding agreement usually agreed on for federal roads.

The Queensland government has committed $86 million to the two M1 projects.
Federal and Queensland public servants will call for expression of interests to get lower "real costs" for two large Pacific Highway road projects between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

The two projects are the Mudgeeraba-to-Varsity Lakes section of the M1 and the section of the M1 where it merges with the Gateway Motorway.

The federal government argues the Brisbane to Gold Coast section of the M1 is effectively an "urban agglomeration". Credit:Tony Moore

The complete budget for both projects at this stage remains about $430 million, with both federal and Queensland governments each contributing $215 million.

That was the effective outcome of a meeting on Wednesday between Queensland Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey, the federal government's Minister for Urban Infrastructure Paul Fletcher, Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate, the RACQ and Queensland's Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A sailor has been airlifted to safety after he spent more than 10 hours stranded on a remote Queensland island overnight.

James Swan, 68, activated his EPIRB about 10pm on Tuesday night after his 12-meter sailing boat nicknamed 'Banshe' slammed into rocks at Pine Islet, about 120 kilometres offshore from Mackay.

'Banshe' was destroyed during bad weather overnight. Credit:RACQ CQ Rescue

Mr Swan had been harboured at Percy Island for two days to do some maintenance on his boat when he encountered bad weather.

During the wet and windy conditions, his boat's main sail tore and became entangled in the boat's propellor as waves crashed the vessel onto rocks.
The speed limit on St Kilda Road should be dropped permanently to 40 kilometres an hour, an inner city council has told an inquiry into the proposed Metro rail tunnel.

And Port Phillip Council also believes there is an "embarrassing" number of bicycle parking spots to be included in the proposed Domain metro station.

The council's development manager Claire Ferres Miles on Wednesday morning told the hearing into the $11 billion rail tunnel's environmental effect that the speed limits on the road should be dropped permanently when the project is complete.

St Kilda Road is mostly 60kmh, although the section from the National Gallery of Victoria to Princes Bridge is 50kmh, and from the bridge to Flinders Street it is 40kmh.
Nakia reached breaking point in a class on Aboriginal history, when another student mumbled "the Europeans should have killed them all".

In her 12 years at the Melbourne Catholic school, the Indigenous student thought she had heard it all.

In her 12 years at a Melbourne Catholic school, Nakia was called an "Abo", and in the same breath, told she "too pretty" to be Aboriginal. Credit:Jason South

She was called an "Abo", and in the same breath, told she was "too pretty" to be Aboriginal.

There were relentless accusations that she was pregnant. She wasn't.
The so-called 'tinnie terror' group accused of plotting to take a boat to Indonesia in a bid to join Islamic State are expected to fight the charges against them.

One of the accused, Robert "Musa" Cerantonio, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where his lawyer asked for better access to the evidence compiled by the Crown.

The five men who were allegedly intending to head to Indonesia in a small boat. From left Musa Cerantonio, Paul Dacre, Shayden Thorne, Antonio Granata and Kadir Kaya.

The court heard that the case contains thousands of items of evidence, including phone transcripts and data intercepts. Over 100 witnesses are expected to be called.

Mr Cerantonio, along with Shayden Thorne, Paul Dacre, Antonio Granata, Murat Kaya and Kadir Kaya, were arrested in north Queensland in May after allegedly buying a boat which they planned to use to leave Australia and join Islamic State.
A lack of resources is being blamed for an almost threefold increase in cars being used as weapons to ram police.

There were 103 cases where police vehicles were driven at in the 2015/2016 financial year, up from 36 the year before.

Forensic police on the scene in Tullamarine after a cornered officer shot a man dead on Friday morning. Credit:Jason South

Officers injured in rammings rose from four to 14 in the same period.

These figures do not include the six cases in the past week, including the incident on Friday when a police officer shot and killed Guelah Ahokava, 20, who allegedly drove at him with a stolen car during a chase in Tullamarine.
A Crown Perth punter had the best Monday of us all after walking away with $2.7 million after landing a royal flush and betting on a bonus poker jackpot.

Perth man Nigel told 6iX's Good Morning Perth he was playing roulette when he decided to try his hand at something else.

"I was playing roulette and needed a break so I went and sat down and played this Texas Hold 'Em," he said.

"On the sixth hand I was playing I got a royal flush - $2.7 million."
Couchsurfing has traditionally been a service used by young backpackers - but now older Australians are signing up to give it a go and reinvigorate their lives.

Just in case you don't know, Couchsurfers.org is an international hospitality service where users can stay for free with a host, or have other travellers stay with them.

Denis building an outhouse for couch surfers near one of the shacks on his property. Credit:Tom de Souza

It began back in 1999 when a 25-year-old American computer programmer hacked a University of Iceland database, and randomly emailed 1,500 students asking for a place to stay.

These days the site has millions of users worldwide with 50,000 Australian members at an average age of 28-years-old.
Bangkok: An Australian DJ caught with 61 ecstasy pills in the Thai beach city of Pattaya has been sentenced to two life terms in jail after losing an appeal to have the sentence reduced.

Jake Mastroianni, 26, will be kept in Bangkok's notorious Klong Prem jail in Bangkok where up to 30 prisoners share cells in conditions described as harsh.

Two friends caught with ecstasy in Thailand have lost their appeals and will spend life in jail.

Mastroianni appeared shackled in a Bangkok court on Tuesday with a 28-year-old former British soldier, Lance Whitmore, who lost his appeal on a 50-year sentence.

Mastroianni was arrested in Pattaya in August 2014 with 61 ecstasy pills and Whitmore with 200. Pattaya, a city three hours drive from Bangkok, has dozens of late night clubs and is known as Thailand's "sin city".
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Minton could've easily gone to another hospital, but insisted on a hysterectomy at Catholic Mercy San Juan. Why? Isn't it obvious

To the left, Evan Minton is the latest face in the ongoing struggle for civil rights, against those who would deny a person gender transition rights anywhere, anytime.

When Catholic Mt. St. Charles Academy said early this year, that it would not accept nor enroll Transgender Students, the left declared war. The Rhode Island School placed itself in the center of a national debate over an LGBT nondiscrimination ordinance that would protect transgender people's access to public accommodations.

On March 9, 2016, having received a petition with 1700 signatures from Change.org, and more importantly, having pissed off at least one major alum who donated money, MSC Academy folded. They apologized for hurting anyone's feelings, and admitted Transgender students despite their previous statements that they did not have the physical facilities to accommodate them.

The Daily Beast's article on the subject was even titled "hateful rhetoric." http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/04/catholic-prep-school-no-transgender-students.html Needless to say, the Daily Beast never addressed the obvious question of why a transgender person would want to attend a religious conservative catholic school.

Today's headline is "Transgender Man Denied Hysterectomy at Mercy San Juan Hospital." The hospital, which is Catholic, refuses to allow a surgeon with operating privileges at Mercy, to carry out a scheduled hysterectomy on this determined, though confused, person. From the Sacramento Bee:

Tuesday was supposed to be a big day for Evan Michael Minton. The Fair Oaks resident packed his bags for the hospital, said a prayer and counted down the hours until he would undergo the hysterectomy that would take him one step further in his transition from female to male.

Instead he spent the day on the phone with doctors and lawyers after Mercy San Juan hospital in Carmichael abruptly canceled the procedure on religious grounds.

The surgery, part of Minton's transition to a fully male body, had been scheduled for three weeks but was called off Monday as hospital officials were preparing his admissions paperwork.

Both Minton and his surgeon, Dr. Lindsey Dawson, said they were caught unawares by the hospital's decision.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article98943597.html#storylink=cpy

In a statement, Dignity Health, which until 2012 was affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, declined to discuss Minton's case, citing patient privacy laws.

"In general, it is our practice not to provide sterilization services at Dignity Health's Catholic facilities," said spokeswoman Melissa Jue, in an emailed statement. Sterilization procedures, such as hysterectomies or tubal ligations, she said, are permitted by Catholic hospitals only to cure or alleviate a "serious pathology and (if) a simpler treatment is not available."

In Minton's case, there is a clear, medical need for a hysterectomy, according to his surgeon."Gender dysphoria is very clearly a pathology," said Dawson. "It's a recognized state of health," noting that national obstetrics groups recommend that transitioning transgender patients be put on hormones and provided with appropriate surgeries.

She said Minton is her first patient seeking a hysterectomy as a part of gender transition care. So in other words, she wants to open up Mercy San Juan to future transgender surgeries. In her religion, the right to transition between genders, anywhere any time, should be a right, not a privelege.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article98943597.html#storylink=cpy

Dignity Health Mercy San Juan Hospital was set up for national bad publicity by Even Minton and Dr. Dawson, as the culture wars continue

Personally, I doubt that they were "caught unawares" by the hospitals decision. Minton and Dr. Dawson knew full well that once the Catholic hospital figured out what was going down in their surgical theater, they would call a halt to it. Dr. Dawson in particular knew Mercy's ban on voluntary sterilizations.

To make sure they knew, Minton checked into the hospital insisting he be referred to as "he. Pronouns are very important to me. I told them to call me he or him, not she or her, which they started to call me after referring to my chart."

Yessir, Mr. Minton. When they saw you wanted a hysterectomy, the cat was out of the bag, and they knew you were born a girl.

Well, congrats on your 15 minutes of fame. And for standing up to say that anyone should be able to get a hysterectomy any time on demand, in any place. Because, you know, that's an important right. Despite the religious convictions of the folks who funded the hospital. Despite the fact that you could just go down the street to any other hospital in Sacramento.
His film, "The Settlers," is reportedly negative view of Israelis living in the West Bank

Indirect pressure on a faculty member at Syracuse University forced her to disinvite an Israeli filmmaker from a planned 2017 conference on religion in film, as reported by Legal Insurrection.

The Israeli filmmaker, Shimon Dotan, is a professor at New York University. His film, "The Settlers," is reportedly negative view of Israelis living in the West Bank. The Boycott-Divest-Sanction movement against Israel claims that it is Israeli occupation of the West Bank that is their concern and the reason for the actions they demand against Israel.

It is therefore the mere fact that Dotan is from Israel that apparently prompted one of the conference's organizers to rescind his invitation to the film festival. The subject of the film, critical of Israeli settlement in this territory, should have been welcome by anti-Israel faculty.

However, Syracuse professor Gail Hamner wrote in her email to Dotan declining his invitation,

"I now am embarrassed to share that my SU colleagues, on hearing about my attempt to secure your presentation, have warned me that the BDS faction on campus will make matters very unpleasant for you and for me if you come. In particular my film colleague in English who granted me affiliated faculty in the film and screen studies program and who supported my proposal to the Humanities Council for this conference told me point blank that if I have not myself seen your film and cannot myself vouch for it to the Council, I will lose credibility with a number of film and Women/Gender studies colleagues. Sadly, I have not had the chance to see your film and can only vouch for it through my friend and through published reviews."

The colleagues referenced by Hamner in the email who are BDS and who intended to make matters very unpleasant have not been identified. Nor is it clear why Women/Gender studies faculty should oppose Israel or Israelis, particularly when Israel is only country in the Middle East with equality and full legal rights for women.

BDS Mistakenly Disinvites Anti-Israel Filmmaker

Once Dotan went public with the reason for his film getting pulled from SU's conference, the university responded that this was an error in judgment and promised to show his film on campus through some mechanism other than the "Place of Religion in Film" conference. Perhaps they got the memo that his film is actually anti-Israel.

As Legal Insurrection notes in their article (at http://legalinsurrection.com/2016/09/demand-a-full-and-transparent-investigation-of-syracuse-u-disinvite-of-israeli-filmmaker/), while few formal academic groups have voted for an academic boycott of Israel, the informal, underlying pressure to discriminate against Israelis - meaning Israeli Jews- can be intimidating and distort the academic atmosphere. The relationship between anti-Zionist BDS and simple anti-Semitism is so close as to be indistinguishable.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren sends out a fundraising e mail crowing about the story.

The New York Times analysis of national and regional polls believes the Democrats are now "slight favorites" to take the US Senate back from the Republicans on November 8th. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/upshot/senate-election-forecast.html?_r=0

This is the first time in 2016, that the Democrats have been favored to take control of the Senate. One third of Senators are up for election each 2 year election cycle, and this year the Republicans have 22 seats potentially up for grabs. This makes them vulnerable to the Democrats.

The current Congress includes 54 Democrats, 44 Republicans, and 2 independents. Sen. Bernie Sanders is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. Angus King of Maine is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.

The Republicans won the Senate majority in the 2014 midterm elections when they gained nine seats and lost none. There are 24Republican seats and 10 Democratic seats up for re-election.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has sent out a fundraising e mail asking Movon.org Supporters to chip in $2.70 a month. She cites an article entitled "2016 Senate Election Forecast," The New York Times, accessed September 4, 2016 http://act.moveon.org/go/5411?t=57&akid=169102.19659920.Tm_3BC
No fan of Donald Trump, Assange really hates Hillary Clinton. Release may come on eve of 3d debate

Julian Assange Claims to have the goods on Hillary, and is planning an election surprise.

He lives in exile in an embassy in London and considers himself a journalist, while the Obama administration and many Americans consider him to be a traitor.

Appearing on Megyn Kelly's Fox News program, WikiLeaks founder and editor-in-chief Julian Assange said on Wednesday that he planned to release "significant" information linked to the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Asked if the data could be a game-changer in the election, he said "I think it's significant. You know, it depends on how it catches fire in the public and in the media."

WikiLeaks released files in July of audio recordings taken from the emails of the Democratic National Committee. These were obtained by hacking its servers. That release, during the Democratic National Convention where Clinton was officially named the party's presidential nominee, was the second batch in a series that deeply rattled the Democratic party, and ultimately forced DNC chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, to step down--which Assange seemed to brag about tonight.

Kelly speculated that the timing of the dump would be just before Clinton's third debate with Donald Trump. Everyone would be tuned in then and it would do the most damage to Clinton, she said, referring to the Obama administration's hunt for Assange. It was led by then Secretary of State Clinton.

On 4 July 2016, WikiLeaks tweeted a link to a trove of emails sent or received by then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton published on their website. The leak contained 1258 emails sent from Clinton's personal mail server which were selected in terms of their relevance to the Iraq War and were apparently timed to precede the release of the UK government's Iraq Inquiry report.

On 22 July 2016, WikiLeaks released approximately 20,000 emails and 8,000 files sent from or received by Democratic National Committee (DNC) personnel. Some of the emails contained personal information of donors, including home addresses and Social Security numbers. Other emails appeared to present ways to undercut Bernie Sanders and showed apparent favoritism towards Clinton.

WikiLeaks is an international non-profit group of journalists that publishes secret information, news leaks, and steals or appropriates classified media from anonymous sources.

Julian Assange Claims to have the goods on Hillary, and is planning an election surprise.

Its website, initiated in 2006 in Iceland by the organization Sunshine Press, claimed a database of more than 1.2 million documents within a year of its launch.

Julian Assange, an Australian Internet activist, is generally described as its founder, editor-in-chief, and director. Kristinn Hrafnsson, Joseph Farrell, and Sarah Harrison are the only other publicly known and acknowledged associates of Julian Assange. Hrafnsson is also a member of Sunshine Press Productions along with Assange, Ingi Ragnar Ingason, and Gavin MacFadyen.

The group has released a number of significant documents that have become front-page news items. Early releases included documentation of equipment expenditures and holdings in the Afghanistan war and a report informing a corruption investigation
Calian Re-Wins Two Multi-Year Contracts for Long-Term DND Customers With A Combined Potential Ceiling Value of $29 Million

OTTAWA, ONTARIO  (Marketwired)  09/06/16  (All amounts in this release are in Canadian Dollars)

Calian Group Ltd. (TSX: CGY) is pleased to report that it has re-won two long-term DND contracts for a combined ceiling value of $29 million with the Military Personnel Generation (MilPersGen) and the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) Schools.

The initial contract for the Military Personnel Generation contract is valued at $7 million over a period of 12 months with two one-year options, which if exercised, could increase the total contract value to $21 million. Since 2010, Calian has been providing training services to the MilPersGen (formerly Canadian Defence Academy), at schools such as the Canadian Armys Leadership and Recruit School, the Fire Fighter and CBRN Academy, the Chaplain School and the Logistics Training Centre. This new contract expands the scope of work to include additional schools such as the Canadian Forces Health Services Training Centre, School of Military Intelligence, School of Meteorology, Military Policy Academy, Language School and the Canadian Forces Naval Operations School.

The initial contract for RCEME is valued at $5 million over a period of 2.5 years with two one-year options, which if exercised, could increase the total contract value to over $8 million. The scope of the work has been expanded from the vehicle technician training that Calian has performed for the RCEME School since 2008 and now includes Weapons, Material and Electronic-Optronic technician training. The inclusion of these additional services means that the RCEME School now has even more flexibility to meet their increased training demands forecasted over the next three years.

We are extremely pleased to continue our long-term relationship with the MilPersGen and RCEME organizations. Our ability to re-win with the expanded scope of these contracts is a testament to the quality of the training professionals on the Calian team as well as the skills and dedication of our management staff, stated Jerry Johnston, Vice President, Training & Engineering Services.

Customer retention is the first pillar of Calians growth strategy. The re-win of these two contracts is yet another example of our long-standing relationship with the Canadian Army and we appreciate the continued trust in our ability to support their training needs, stated Kevin Ford, President and CEO.

About Calian Training

Calian provides a full-suite of specialized training services to both public and private sector organizations, including many elements of the Canadian Armed Forces. Services range from needs analysis through to courseware design, development and delivery, and include the development and execution of collective training exercises which allow customers in both emergency management and military domains to validate their plans and team performance.

About Calian

Calian employs over 2,500 people with offices and projects that span Canada, U.S. and international markets. The companys capabilities are diverse with services delivered through two divisions. The Business and Technology Services (BTS) Division is headquartered in Ottawa and includes the provision of business and technology services to industry, public and government in the health, training, engineering and IT services domains. Calians Systems Engineering Division (SED) located in Saskatoon plans, designs and implements complex communication systems for many of the worlds space agencies and leading satellite manufacturers and operators. SED also provides contract manufacturing services for both private sector and military customers in North America.

For further information, please visit our website at , or contact us at

DISCLAIMER

Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as intend, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect or similar statements. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price competition; scarce number of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, and including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Companys most recent annual report and other reports filed by Calian with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them.

Contacts:

Calian Group Ltd.

Kevin Ford

President and Chief Executive Officer

613-599-8600

Calian Group Ltd.

Jacqueline Gauthier

Chief Financial Officer

613-599-8600
Fourth Region Added To Nuvias EMEA Structure

Nuvias acquires value-added distribution business in Dubai

London, UK: 7/9/16: Specialist EMEA distributor, the Nuvias Group, announces it has added a fourth region, MEA, to its regional EMEA structure. The other three Nuvias Group regions are Northern, Central and Southern Europe.

Nuvias has acquired SCD, a distributor operating out of Dubai. The new office will now act as a hub for Nuvias MEA activities, covering all parts of the Gulf Co-operation Council[1] (GCC) area, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This is the latest development in the strong growth and development plans of Nuvias, which was established in July 2016. Nuvias is building an EMEA-wide, high-value, specialist distribution business, with a common proposition and consistent delivery. The strategy is to redefine value distribution to the channel, enabling the channel and vendor community to deliver exceptional business value to their customers and creating new standards of channel success.

Also being announced today is the setting up of the Nuvias Cyber Security Practice at the Dubai office, which includes vendors Unitrends (cloud empowered continuity solutions), Malwarebytes (advanced malware prevention and remediation), Black Duck (open source security and management) and Netskope (cloud data loss prevention).

Other recent vendor signings for Nuvias in the MEA region include JetNEXUS (load balancing), Lifesize (videoconferencing) and Tintri (VM-aware storage for virtualisation and the cloud).

Nuvias has already recruited several new staff for the MEA office bringing the current total up to 16. These include recent recruit Muneeb Anjum, the new sales director. Anjum has twelve years experience in the IT sector, with a proven track record in managing channel partners across the Middle East and extensive experience in successfully introducing new solutions to market.

Paul Eccleston, head of Nuvias Group, commented: We are delighted to be announcing today the opening of our Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, completing our regional coverage of EMEA. MEA is a very important part of the region and a significant opportunity for us, our vendor partners and our customers.

We have been working hard to bring the cyber security, advanced networking and unified comms capability of Wick Hill and Zycko to this region. With the acquisition of the business in Dubai, operating across the region, and the recruitment of Muneeb Anjum, which will be followed by further additions to the team very soon, this is an exciting development for Nuvias and we look forward to bringing more capability and vendors to the region quickly.

Alasdair Kilgour, regional VP MEA for Nuvias, commented: Its both exciting and a privilege to be part of the Nuvias team and I look forward to leading the growth of the business across MEA and beyond. We will do this firstly by enabling our vendor partners locally to experience the same high standard of value-added service they already receive from the Group across Europe; secondly by expanding our channel partner community through our solution distribution philosophy; and thirdly by geographic expansion. We are exhibiting at Gitex in October at the Dubai World Trade Centre, which will give us a great platform to show the industry what Nuvias in the MEA region can offer.

[1] Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC)

A regional, political organisation consisting of six middle eastern countries  Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain.
GoodData Among 50 Highest-Rated Private Cloud Companies to Work For

SAN FRANCISCO, CA  (Marketwired)  09/07/16  Global technology investment firm Battery Ventures recently partnered with Glassdoor, the jobs and recruiting marketplace, to Battery, who backs cloud companies but is not a GoodData investor, is interested in this data since employee satisfaction is one proxy for company health and the list highlights the

As a company, we invest heavily in creating a diverse, rewarding, inclusive and fulfilling environment where talented people can perform their best, said Divya Ghatak, Chief People Officer at GoodData. Our people are our greatest asset, and were thrilled that our team loves where they work enough for us to be ranked highly alongside such outstanding companies by Battery Ventures and Glassdoor.

Only privately held cloud business-to-business focused companies that received at least 30 company reviews on Glassdoor as of 8/2/16 were considered for the list. The report was based on employee satisfaction rating data from Glassdoor, and includes ratings on the companies overall, CEO Approval, and Positive Business Outlook. Employees at these highly rated companies frequently mention in their Glassdoor reviews that they enjoy working for mission-driven companies with strong and unique company cultures that embrace and promote transparency. They also prefer companies with experienced senior leadership teams who regularly and clearly communicate with their employees.

This list provides a window into which private, business-focused cloud companies are generating the most excitement among employees  one key proxy for company health, and part of the broader business trend we see today around transparency on the Internet, said Neeraj Agrawal, a general partner at Battery who specializes in cloud investing. We look forward to tracking these standouts as they mature and to watching smaller, up-and-coming cloud startups make the list in future years.

GoodData is excited to be included in this impressive list as it proves our focus on company culture, benefits, mission and core product focus is paying back in dividends.

GoodData accelerates the digital transformations of enterprises by turning their data into a profit center. It does this by enabling them to quickly create and distribute data products and Smart Business Applications to their B2B networks, including their clients, business units, suppliers, or partners.

Our clients include enterprises like Penton that need to deliver revenue-generating data products to their clients and software companies like Zendesk that market their own Smart Business Applications using GoodData.

GoodData is headquartered in San Francisco and is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst Partners, Intel Capital, TOTVS and others. For more information visit and follow GoodData on and .

2016, GoodData Corporation. All rights reserved. GoodData is a registered trademark of GoodData Corporation in the United States and other jurisdictions. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Amy Duryea
DIAGNOS Announces Operational Update for a Project with a Mexican Government Organization

BROSSARD, QUEBEC  (Marketwired)  09/07/16  Diagnos Inc. (DIAGNOS or the Corporation) (TSX VENTURE: ADK), a leader in healthcare technical services including screening, software and algorithm development, data analysis, and image processing, announces today an operational update related to a contract with a Mexican government organization valued at up to $1.7 million.

DIAGNOS has currently deployed 14 managed screening units in Mexico City. Each screening unit consists of a non-mydriatic fundus camera, access to DIAGNOS CARA telemedicine platform, and an optometrist responsible for taking images and collection of relevant patient information. Patient screening volume has reached 1,000 patients per day and is continuing to increase as more screening units are added and further education and marketing about the screening service spreads within each hospital site.

The MIDE program will strengthen the Health Insurance to which all ISSSTEs patients are entitled and will contribute to control one of the major public health problems our country faces: diabetes, said Mr. Jose Reyes Baeza, Director General of ISSSTE, in an interview last march 2016 (source: ).

After the start of operations in July with 9 screening units, the Director General of ISSSTE along with his counterpart of IMSS (the Mexican Institute of Social Security) and the Minister of Health, announced the coverage of at least 518,000 diabetics for retina screening by 2018 in order to increase the coverage of new health technologies. The prevalence of diabetes at ISSSTE is 12.8%, meaning that more than 800,000 patients live with this conditions, Mr. Jose Reyes Baeza, Director General of the Institution in charge of providing health services and social security to the Mexican government organizations employees and their families.

Family Clinics (45 clinics) with the MIDE program in the 4 regional offices of the State of Mexico (covering Mexico City and its Metropolitan Area), will have a tool for computerized retina analysis, which involves taking pictures of the retina with a fundus camera, with an automated interpretation in 1 minute through a specialized software. With this technology you can promptly detect retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness worldwide and is usually diagnosed in advanced stages. It is estimated that about four out of every 100 people with diabetes in Mexico develop it. Still another advantage for this type of analysis is that will unburden the specialists, to properly referred patients only to specific cases that merit attention from the ophthalmologist, finished Mr. Reyes Baeza (source: ).

We are excited to have had a successful installation and launch thus far. More than 13,000 diabetic patients to the MIDE program have been screened since the beginning of the program. We expect to have a total of 17 screening units running in hospitals within the few weeks. The program to date is successful and we are negotiating the second year agreement with the government right now, said Andre Larente, DIAGNOS President.

About DIAGNOS

Founded in 1998, DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation with a mission to commercialize technologies combining contextual imaging and traditional data mining thereby improving decision making processes. DIAGNOS offers products, services, and solutions to clients in a variety of fields including healthcare and natural resources.

About CARA

CARA is a tele-ophthalmology platform that integrates with existing equipment (hardware and software) and processes at the point of care (POC) and comprises: image upload, image enhancement automated pre-screening, grading by a specialist, and referral to a specialist. CARAs image enhancement algorithms make standard retinal images sharper, clearer, and easier to read. CARA is accessible securely over the internet, and is compatible with all recognized image formats and brands of fundus cameras, and is EMR compatible. CARA is a cost-effective tool for screening large numbers of patients, in real-time and has been approved by regulatory authorities including Health Canada, US Food and Drug Administration, and the European Union.

Forward-looking information

This document contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these

statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact DIAGNOS, visit our website at , or visit the SEDAR website at .

Contacts:

Andre Larente, President

(450) 678-8882, ext.: 224
DevOps Leader HashiCorp Announces $24 Million in Growth Funding

NAPA, CA  (Marketwired)  09/07/16  HashiCorp, the DevOps infrastructure company, today announced $24 million in Series B funding, bringing the total raised to date to $34 million. The round was led by GGV Capital with Mayfield, True Ventures, and new investor Redpoint also participating. HashiCorp plans to use the funding to accelerate its rapid growth and continue open source and enterprise product development to support its millions of users.

Also today HashiCorp announced Vault Enterprise, a complete solution for DevOps security: .

HashiCorp was founded by Mitchell Hashimoto and Armon Dadgar in 2012 with the goal of revolutionizing datacenter management across development, operations, and security. As organizations transform themselves to be successful in the software economy, they invest in DevOps infrastructure. HashiCorp DevOps infrastructure enables companies to align and empower developers, operators, and security teams to accelerate application delivery and increase their competitiveness in the software economy.

Armon and I founded HashiCorp to make development, operations, and security easier so organizations could focus on building the applications of the future. The rate of open source and commercial adoption of our technology has been tremendous, said Mitchell Hashimoto, co-founder of HashiCorp. The productivity of the HashiCorp team is inspiring and Im excited to continue the journey together to bring DevOps infrastructure to even more organizations.

This year:

HashiCorp had its first 7-figure revenue quarter after only nine months of enterprise sales. Customers include enterprises like Conde Nast, Cisco, and Mozilla.

Weekly open source downloads are up 125 percent in the first six months of this year, adding to the community of several million monthly active users. HashiCorps open source user base includes technology leaders such as Stripe, Uber, Twitch, OpenAI, Pinterest, and Capital One.

HashiCorps modular and open product design fostered a rich ecosystem of partners including AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, VMware, and GitHub.

HashiCorp was named a Cool Vendor in DevOps by Gartner and an MIT Sloan CIO Symposium Innovation Showcase finalist. Also this year, Mitchell Hashimoto and Armon Dadgar were named to Incs 30 Under 30 list.

HashiCorp hired its 50th employee, growing from six employees just two years ago.

Beyond these milestones, the next stage for HashiCorp is bringing its DevOps vision to more users across open source and enterprise communities. In the software economy companies win by bringing applications to market faster than their competitors. HashiCorps DevOps infrastructure accelerates application delivery by aligning developers, operators, and security. This holistic view and widespread adoption defines HashiCorp as a leader in DevOps with a clear trajectory ahead.

HashiCorp builds world-class tools for development, operations, and security teams to manage distributed applications and infrastructure. The adoption of these tools in global enterprises has been tremendous, said Glenn Solomon, Managing Partner at GGV Capital and a HashiCorp Board Member. We are extremely pleased to continue our partnership with them as they continue their mission to accelerate software application delivery.

HashiConf is HashiCorps annual user conference to bring together the community to define the future of infrastructure. Speakers this year include Home Depot, Target, Verizon, PayPal, and Microsoft, and sponsors include AWS, Google Cloud, GitHub, and Bridgewater Associates. HashiConf is taking place this year in Napa, California September 6-8. For more information, visit: or follow HashiConf on Twitter @hashiconf.

HashiCorp is the DevOps infrastructure company. HashiCorp technology aligns development, operations, and security to accelerate application delivery. The company manages seven open source tools (Vagrant, Packer, Terraform, Serf, Consul, Vault, and Nomad) that span runtime, infrastructure, security management. Enterprise versions of Terraform, Vault, Consul, and Nomad enhance the respective open source tools with enterprise features that promote collaboration, policy-validation, and intelligent automation. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by Mayfield, GGV Capital, Redpoint, and True Ventures. For more information, visit: , or follow HashiCorp on Twitter @hashicorp.

Amber Rowland

+1-650-814-4560
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Photo caption: Brampton City Hall officials ran into situations over the years where some ethnic media publishers linked the amount of City Hall coverage they were willing to publish to the amount of advertising the City purchased.Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons CC

Prof. April Lindgren of Ryerson University has made a name for herself studying ethnic media in Canada for many years. Late last year, she completed a study focused on Brampton, titled Municipal Communication Strategies and Ethnic Media: A Settlement Service in Disguise, which examined the kind of steps taken by the city to reach out to its immigrant population.

This research was a follow up to a 2007 study that found Brampton unresponsive to the needs of its immigrant community. New Canadian Media first reported on the latest study here  http://newcanadianmedia.ca/component/k2/33549-ethnic-media-demand-more-from-city-of-brampton.

Q. What was the goal of this study?

Research that was done about a decade ago found that Brampton was quite unresponsive to the needs of its increasingly diverse population. But in 2015 City Council approved an ethnic media pilot project that was probably the most pro-active in the country. This study investigates the reasons for the dramatic shift in approach.

Q. What were your main findings?

Over the years the City of Brampton did make some limited attempts to use ethnic media to reach out to its newest residents, the vast majority of whom are Punjabi-speaking immigrants. In 2007, for instance, it began including ethnic media outlets on its list of media the receive the municipalitys English-language press releases. Our research concluded that this approach didnt have much of an impact. When we looked at the content of the Brampton-based Punjabi Post daily newspaper over three weeks in 2011, only three of the 157 articles dealing with Brampton had anything to do with City Hall-related issues.

In 2013, the city made another attempt to get municipal news and information out to residents via ethnic media by hiring a specialty media coordinator who speaks and reads Punjabi. Then in 2015 things changed dramatically. Thats when City Councillors approved significant funding to translate Bramptons media releases into French as well as the three most commonly spoken languages after English  Punjabi, Urdu and Portuguese.

There were a number of reasons for this shift. First, there was growing evidence of tension between long-term residents and the citys rapidly expanding Punjabi-speaking population. This pointed to the need for better intercultural understanding. In terms of reaching out to immigrants, improving the availability of city news and information through ethnic media is one way to help people  particularly people who arent fluent in English  to better understand what is going on in the city as a whole. Its also a way to help people understand the values and priorities of their adopted place.

The election of a new mayor and many new Councillors during the 2014 municipal election was the second important reason for the shift in attitude. Unlike their predecessors, these municipal politicians thought the City did have an important role to play in reaching out to newcomers and making them feel part of the city.

The jury is still out on whether ethnic media will carry more City Hall related news now that the press releases are being translated. The pilot project is ongoing and the results will be of great interest to other municipalities. In the interim, though, I argue that the very act of reaching out to news outlets that cover ethnic communities is symbolically important for Bramptons multicultural population. It acknowledges the importance of those media outlets as community institutions and it recognizes the citys obligation to communicate decisions and policies to all citizens.

Q. Your study on Brampton specifically points to several limitations and drawbacks in the way ethnic media go about the profession of journalism. How do we as a multicultural society address this?

Brampton City officials ran into situations over the years where some ethnic media publishers linked the amount of City Hall coverage they were willing to publish to the amount of advertising the City purchased. This is obviously an ethical issue that compromises the integrity of news coverage. In some cases the problem is that publishers may not have a lot of background in journalism and therefore they dont realize how such practices potentially undermine confidence in their publications. This is a situation where education and professional training can probably make at least some difference. This education and training should make the point that the long-term survival of any news media outlet depends on public faith in the integrity of the news coverage.

Q. Your content analysis suggests that ethnic media have a different "news agenda" than the mainstream media. Can you elaborate on this?

Ethnic media often do have a different news agenda and rightly so. Their competitive advantage is in telling stories about people, places and events in their community that are not covered by mainstream news media. I would argue, though, that ethnic news outlets could and should cast a wider net, that is, they should be covering more general news in a way that is relevant and useful to their audiences. Is the city planning to increase property taxes? That affects new immigrant homeowners too. Why not talk to them about the planned increase and provide a forum for their voices to be heard? In this way, newcomers get to participate in the city-wide debate. Coverage of this sort will also increase the odds that local politicians pay attention. In this way immigrant/newcomer communities can influence municipal decisions that affect them.

Q. Based on this comprehensive study of ethnic media in an immigrant-rich market such as Brampton, how do you think ethnic media can better serve readers/viewers while still making a profit by keeping editorial costs down?

There is no silver bullet or single solution. One strategy would be to invite citizen experts from the ethnic community to write or talk about issues that affect people in that immigrant group. During tax season, for instance, why not ask a tax expert from the ethnic community you cover to do a newspaper Q and A or appear on a radio call-in show to talk about income tax filing? Ask a teacher from the community to write about why its important for parents to attend parent-teacher meetings and what happens at these meetings. Recruit a young, recent immigrant to recount what its like to navigate a Canadian high school or university. Highlighting community voices and providing useful, interesting information of this sort is a way to turn the media outlet into essential viewing, listening or reading  in other words it can build audience. And the bigger the audience the more attractive the media outlet is to advertisers.

This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media (newcanadianmedia.ca).

See http://newcanadianmedia.ca/item/37725-eye-on-brampton-ethnic-media-are-community-institutions-eye-on-brampton-ethnic-media-are-community-institutions
Noie: Of course Notre Dame was going to go away from home and do this

Notre Dame has played its best football far from South Bend this season. The Irish did it again Saturday in Central New York.
Sod the Scots (and Australian reporting of Brexit)

From an American Anglophile:Michael Davis28 June 2016The SpectatorApparently the Scottish are taking their cues from Sir Oswald Mosley these days. Following the destruction of fascism in World War II, the late British Union of Fascists Fuhrer set off on a new endeavor: the formation of a pan-European nationalist movement. His aim was to remove the competing interests of the Old Guard nationalist remnants still struggling for breath on the Continent and unite Europe in a highly centralized, authoritarian state.Pan-European nationalism is self-evidently absurd, if only for the fact that continent and nation are necessarily distinct categories. Say what you will about nationalism and Europeanism in themselves, but its simply impossible to predicate Europeanism on patriotic sentiment. The whole things not much less ridiculous than Bad Bishop Browns Christian Marxism. Mosley and Brown had this in common, if nothing else: they were intellectually lazy, self-aggrandizing spivs.So, too, are the Scots  or at least the ones who vote SNP. The nationalists are all up themselves because England and Wales voted Leave in the Brexit referendum, whereas Scotland voted overwhelmingly Remain. Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the SNP, is therefore threatening to call a second referendum on Scottish independence.Now, its one thing to wish your country belonged to the European Union, far and away the most bloated and authoritarian bureaucracy since the Great Ming. Its entirely another to say that you want to belong that same EU because the English razed your heather fields in the 14th century. Certainly theres a case for Scotland to be independent, and its altogether true that the English oppressed them a few dozen generations ago. But theres absolutely no sense in saying that William Wallace or Robert the Bruce wouldve led the Highland clans into battle under the banner of the European Union. Rebbie Burns would never have lent his pen to Jean-Claude Junckers cause. (Ye Rmanians by name, lend an ear, lend an ear!) In short, theres not a snowballs chance in Hell that any of the Scottish nationalist folk heroes wouldve traded an English tyrant for a Belgian one.Well, the Scots are silly buggers, you say. Fair enough. And Im not one to piss on a patriotic bonfire. (All the better if you throw the effigy of a papist saboteur on top.) But what about the poor English?Lets face facts: England would be much better off without the Scots. The devolved Scottish government is a cumbersome welfare state  and one propped up by English taxpayers to boot. The massive redistribution of wealth initiated by the SNP is only possible because the English are, for some reason, keen as beans to foot the bill. And how do the Scots repay them? Endless streams of vitriol about the English oppressors, culminating in a 15.8 million independence referendum  to which the English taxpayer contributed generously, no doubt. Recall that this all took place in 2015, when a post-EU Britain was only a twinkle in Nigel Farages eye. The real question posed by the referendum was, Do you want to stop receiving welfare checks from London? Put that way, its amazing that 45 percent of Scots voted Yes. Who turns down free money? Then, of course, the Scots turned around and elected Nationalists to 54 of 59 parliamentary seats. Further proof that the SNPs platform is, in fact, Give us more stuff, you Sassenach bastards.Maybe Im too American to appreciate the English peoples boundless generosity toward the Scots. Theyre financial leeches, shameless ingrates, and they play the victim card more than President Obama at an historically black college  yet none of that perturbs the limeys. So maybe they really are an infinitely stoic race. Or maybe theyve bought into the Scots Sippenhaft narrative. Or maybe Im just not Australian enough to see the overwhelming, undeniable evidence supporting the Remain camp. (Wait a second)Still, as an Anglomaniac, I cant help but plead with the mother country: if the Scots do secure a second referendum, call their bluff and cut them off. Pack up the North Sea oilfields, the GBP, and go home. You left the EU, at least in part, because you were tired of shoveling money into failed states. Well, Scotland is a failed state. And if theyre not grateful for your unfathomable benevolence, tell them to piss off. Let them try their luck begging handouts from Angela Merkel and see how quickly they come crawling back, tam o shanter in hand, haggis tucked between their legs.
WalMart must have pulled a few strings after their main container contactor denied entry into ports in US. As for Canadian ports...still a no go.Sept. 6, 2016 8:52 p.m. ETContainer ships operated by South Koreas Hanjin Shipping Co., now stranded at sea, soon should be able to dock in U.S. ports, but it remains unclear if the company can afford to pay the army of workers needed to unload the ships.After a hearing Tuesday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John Sherwood agreed to bring Hanjin under the umbrella of U.S. bankruptcy law, temporarily preventing creditors in the U.S. from seizing assets.But the judges order doesnt guarantee that the ships cargowhich includes childrens toys, tires, clothes and computerswill make it to shore and onto store shelves soon. Since the carrier filed for bankruptcy in Seoul last week, ports, cargo handlers, truckers and railways have refused to touch Hanjins containers, fearing they wont get paid.The logistical issues here are pretty substantial, Judge Sherwood said at Hanjins debut appearance in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Theres a lot of manpower, time and expense that goes into bringing a cargo ship into port and unloading it.
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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket performs a static fire test on the pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on Jan. 11. Note that the payload for this mission, the Jason-3 satellite, was not yet installed on the vehicle.

WASHINGTON  The explosion Sept. 1 that destroyed a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and its satellite payload took place not during a launch attempt but instead in a pre-launch test that is all but unique to SpaceX.

The explosion at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station occurred while the Falcon 9 was being filled with liquid oxygen and kerosene in preparation for a static-fire test, where the rocket's nine first stage engines are briefly ignited on the pad a few days before the scheduled launch.

The static-fire tests have been a standard part of pre-launch preparations for Falcon 9 launches throughout the vehicle's history. They are intended to serve as full dress rehearsals for launches and also verify the performance of the first stage engine.

They are, however, not used by other launch providers. While vehicle providers may perform acceptance testing of engines during development, they typically do not fire the engines once the vehicle is on the pad being prepared for launch. Moreover, such tests are impractical for solid-fueled vehicles, whose motors cannot be turned off once ignited.

Orbital ATK has done static fire tests of its Antares launch vehicle at Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, both before the inaugural launch of the vehicle in 2013 and again May 31, prior to the first launch of a new version of the rocket that has different first stage engines. However, those tests took place well in advance of the scheduled launches, and in the case of the May 31 test involved a different first stage from the one the company planned to use on its next launch, now planned for no earlier than the second half of September.

Other companies will do various types of dress rehearsals of launches, but even those can be limited. Several years ago, United Launch Alliance discontinued a pre-launch test known as a wet dress rehearsal for all Atlas 5 launches. In that test, the launch vehicle is fueled during a practice countdown, but the main engines are not ignited.

There are cases where ULA does perform a wet dress rehearsal, primarily for Atlas missions that have short launch windows, such as NASA planetary missions. ULA did a wet dress rehearsal last month in advance of the scheduled Sept. 8 launch of NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission.

Part of the reason for ending the practice of wet dress rehearsals for all Atlas missions was to save time and money. In 2012, when ULA stopped doing those rehearsals for all Atlas launches, the Aerospace Corporation found that skipping the rehearsal would save five days and about $500,000 during a launch campaign.

An effort to save time may have also contributed to the loss of the payload on this Falcon 9, the Amos-6 communications satellite. Falcon 9 static fire tests in the past have not always included the satellite payload, waiting instead to install the satellite after the test, but now payloads are more commonly installed on the rocket prior to the test. Doing so, industry sources say, cuts a day from launch processing schedules.

The pad explosion also raises questions of what constitutes a "launch failure." While both the rocket and payload were lost in the accident, the explosion took place during preparations for a test, rather than the launch itself, and before the main engines ignited. In a non-scientific poll of SpaceNews readers, nearly 55 percent believed the incident should be classified as a launch failure as of late Sept. 2.

That definition is more than just an intellectual curiosity. Because the explosion took place before the "intentional ignition" of the Falcon 9, the loss of the satellite is not covered by launch insurance. Spacecom, the satellite's owner, did have a separate insurance policy on the satellite to cover pre-launch activities.

Losses of launch vehicles in pre-launch activities are rare, but not unprecedented. In August 2003, a Brazilian VLS small launch vehicle exploded during pre-launch preparations at the Alcantara launch site when one of the rocket's solid-fuel motors inadvertently ignited. The explosion destroyed the launch pad and killed 21 workers there.

Originally published on SpaceNews.
The Dawn spacecraft used futuristic ion engines to fly between the asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. Ion drives are one of many "Star Trek" technologies NASA is pursuing.

"Star Trek" technologies are starting to become a reality in our everyday lives; just ask anyone who owns a cellphone or tries a virtual reality headset. But how real are these "Star Trek" technologies in space today, 50 years after the iconic science fiction series' TV debut? While the tech for warp drives and transporters remains elusive, NASA is using some technology in space that would be at home on the starship Enterprise.

Five-year mission planning

One key way NASA is emulating "Star Trek" is by finding ways for humans to spend years in space without requiring constant resupply missions from Earth, said Jason Crusan, NASA's director for advanced exploration systems. This means using the International Space Station as a test bed for technology that can extend an astronaut's stay in space and thus could be used one day on the long journey to Mars.

Space station astronauts already drink water mostly recovered from urine, but NASA wants to push its recovery rate (now in the 80 percent range) even further, Crusan said. [13 Things "Star Trek" Gets Right (and Wrong) About Space Tech]

"Humans have a lot of salt in our waste," Crusan told Space.com. So, in late June, NASA awarded Paragon Space Development Corp. a $5.1 million contract to create a Brine Processor Assembly for flight in 2018. This assembly is expected to remove brine and recover up to 94 percent of the water from urine, NASA officials said in a statement.

Ongoing technology developments also allow astronauts to manufacture their own tools using 3D printing and to use atmospheric monitors to check the air in the cabin environment for contaminants. Those monitors shrink huge gas chromatography mass spectrometry units, which identify different substances in test samples, to about the size of a toaster.

All of these are important considerations in sending a future crew to Mars in an Orion spacecraft, along with one to three other habitat modules attached to provide extra room, Crusan said. This "Orion plus" spacecraft would likely have solar electric propulsion capability  engines that ionize noble gases to give a small amount of thrust and run for long periods of time, Crusan said.

Where did all that superscience tech come from? (Image credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com Infographics Artist)

Moving around in space

One form of solar electric propulsion is an ion drive, which was used for the Dawn spacecraft now orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres. Ion drives were mentioned specifically in some "Star Trek" episodes, said David Allen Batchelor, a member of the radiation effects and analysis group at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. [Warp Drive & Transporters: How 'Star Trek' Technology Works (Infographic)]

Batchelor recently republished a list of "Star Trek" technologies used in real life; this list has been available in different versions on NASA's website since 1993, and he is asked to update it every once in a while, he told Space.com.

Indeed, there have been several recent additions to that list. Lasers have been used to send test communications to the moon. NASA is simulating its new space transportation system using supercomputers. "Super-telescopes," such as Kepler and the Hubble Space Telescope, are discovering and exploring strange new worlds from a distance. And there are even androids (of a sort) on Mars.

"Although they're not shaped like Mr. Data, the Curiosity rover and rovers like that are actually robotic," Batchelor said. "They are autonomous, and they do things according to a plan, without [immediate] human intervention."

Fire safety

The Mir space station, which operated from 1986 to 2001, experienced a serious fire late in its operational phase, so NASA and its Russian partners on the International Space Station are well aware of the danger that fire poses to human lives in space. But fire behaves much differently in microgravity, and of course, no one wants to conduct tests near astronauts. Understanding how to mitigate fire is one of the biggest ways to keep astronauts safe for long periods of time.

"Fire is really bad in space, obviously, and we also don't understand it," Crusan said. NASA's solution is to set a fire inside the Cygnus spacecraft after it undocks from the station, in a mission called the Spacecraft Fire Experiment (Saffire) series. The first experiment in the series ran in June on a single 16-by-37-inch (41 by 94 centimeters) fiberglass and cotton cloth, known as a SIBAL cloth. (SIBAL is short for "Solid Inflammability Boundary at Low Speed.")

Saffire-II will look at nine smaller segments, and Saffire-III will have a large sample again. By the fourth, fifth and sixth increments, NASA plans to bring a combustion product monitor along to monitor the experiment  it's an advanced version of a smoke detector, Crusan said. It uses lasers to look at the chemical compounds emitted even before humans are aware there is smoke.

NASA employees continue to see "Star Trek" as inspiration for more "Star Trek" space exploration technologies, Batchelor added. "There are certainly plenty of NASA employees that are 'Star Trek' fans," he said, adding, "People do try to make it happen."

Creating warp drive

During a "Trek Talk" panel discussion at "Star Trek": Mission New York on Sept. 4, 2016, Michelle Thaller, deputy director of science communications at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, discussed how the advanced technologies of "Star Trek" are being explored in modern physics labs today.

"You can't invent something if you haven't imagined it," Thaller said, in reference to warp drives and transporters used in "Star Trek."

The idea behind being able to change the nature of space-time to travel faster than the speed of light  the fundamental concept behind a warp drive  "may turn out to be the real foundation of the next phase of modern physics," Thaller said.

For example, scientists have had success with experiments involving quantum teleportation, which is the process of "teleporting" very small atoms or molecules from one location to another. These particles never travel; rather, they stop existing in one place and start existing in another, Thaller explained. (It's the quantum information about the object that goes from one place to another.)



"Quantum teleportation, we believe, probably works because every particle in the universe is connected to every other particle by a wormhole  by some sort of tie through space-time that we are only just becoming aware of now," Thaller said. "It is still theoretical at this point, but we believe that our experiments really require that to be true."

Now, scientists are exploring the separation between space and time, Thaller said. "There may be a very deep, underlying, physical connection that we can use to make a warp drive or teleporter. That [idea] is real; it is what is actually going on in modern physics right now."

Additional reporting by Samantha Mathewson, Space.com staff writer, from New York City. Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
The Soyuz TMA-20M space capsule is seen landing with NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin on the steppe of Kazakhstan, Sept. 6, 2016.

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams safely landed back on Earth on Tuesday night (Sept. 6), setting a new, potentially long-lasting record for the most time spent in space by an American.

Williams, along with Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin of Russia's space agency Roscosmos, departed from the International Space Station at 5:51 p.m. EDT (2151 GMT) and touched down three hours later on the steppe of Kazakhstan aboard Russia's Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft.

At the point of their landing, at 9:13 p.m. EDT (0113 GMT or 7:13 a.m. local time, Sept. 7), Williams added 172 days to his four-spaceflight career, bringing his total time off the planet to 534 days, 2 hours and 48 minutes. The previous record holder, Scott Kelly, logged a three-flight total of 520 days, 10 hours and 30 minutes in March. [The Most Extreme Human Spaceflight Records]

Landing about 90 miles (146 kilometers) southeast of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan, Williams, Skripochka and Ovchinin were met by Russian recovery team members, who helped the astronaut and two cosmonauts out of their capsule and into chairs to begin their readjustment to gravity.

The crew's trip home marked the official end of the space station's Expedition 48 and the start of Expedition 49.

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams (left) and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin on the steppe of Kazakhstan after landing safely on Sept. 6, 2016. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

"We've enjoyed a great stay up here over the last almost six months," stated Williams during a change of command ceremony on Monday (Sep. 5). "We especially enjoyed our stay with the entire crew of Expedition 48."

"I appreciate, Jeff, your efforts as the station's commander. You really did much to ensure success of the expedition," said Anatoly Ivanishin, commander of Expedition 49.

In addition to Ivanishin, remaining on the orbital laboratory are astronauts Kate Rubins of NASA and Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Three more Expedition 49 crewmates are scheduled to launch on Sept. 23. Cosmonauts Andrey Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov, together with NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough will arrive on board Soyuz MS-02, the second of Russia's new line of upgraded spacecraft.

Williams, Skripochka and Ovchinin arrived at the station on March 18. During their 172 days in orbit, the astronaut and two cosmonauts conducted hundreds of experiments and technology demonstrations, highlighted by the deployment of the first human-rated expandable habitat, the BEAM or Bigelow Expandable Activity Module.

They also helped with the arrival of several resupply ships, including SpaceX's Dragon capsule, Orbital ATK's Cygnus resupply freighter and Russian Progress capsules.

"This is a very significant time, in my opinion, in the life of the space station," remarked Williams. "Going into the full utilization mode  being that orbiting laboratory that we've always said it was going to be  and just broadening what is going on here on station in ways that I hoped for, and for a period of time, I have to confess, I wondered if we were going to see it to fruition."

"Now I am confident we are going to see the exploitation of the International Space Station and take full advantage of the opportunities that it gives for all humankind on Earth."

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams waves while resting in a chair shortly after he and Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka landed their Soyuz TMA-20M capsule in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Sept. 7, 2016 Kazakh time (Sept. 6 EDT). The trio spent 172 days in space living on the International Space Station. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

During his stay, Williams also performed two spacewalks, totaling almost 13 hours. Joined by Rubins for both extravehicular activities (EVA), Williams helped to install the first international docking adapter to support Boeing's CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX's Dragon commercial crew vehicles, as well as retracted a radiator that serves as a part of the station's cooling system.

This was Williams' fourth flight to the station and third long-duration stay. His first mission on the space shuttle Atlantis in 2000 preceded the space station's first expedition crew taking up residency.

"The International Space Station now spans, it occurred to me this week, generations," Williams said Monday. "We're in the second generation of crew and flight controllers and engineers and all the disciplines [that] it takes to make this work."

"And the outlook is good. We're looking forward to another generation, perhaps," Williams observed. "There is nothing in the history of spaceflight that comes close to that  the generational effort, especially in the international setting."

Williams now ranks 14th for time spent in space among all space explorers worldwide. That list is topped by Gennady Padalka, who has spent more than 878 days in Earth orbit on five spaceflights.

The only other NASA astronaut approaching Williams' U.S. record, Peggy Whitson, was expected to surpass his 534 days during her next expedition beginning in November. A recent change in landing dates however, will mean she will return to Earth in April 2017 three days shy of the title.

For Skripochka and Ovchinin, the landing marked the end of their second and first flights, respectively.

Williams, Skripochka and Ovchinin traveled a total of 72.8 million miles (117.2 million km) during 2,752 orbits.

The Soyuz TMA-20M crew will now part ways. Skripochka and Ovchinin will return home to Star City, Russia, located near Moscow. Williams will fly on a NASA jet to Houston.

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An artist's concept of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which will launch toward asteroid Bennu tomorrow (Sept. 8).

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  NASA's sending a probe to an asteroid, and when that new spacecraft reaches its destination, it will usher in a new era of understanding of the early solar system, a panel said.

The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft, launching tomorrow (Sept. 8), will explore the asteroid Bennu, searching for traces of the material that helped to build the sun and the early planets. Eventually, the spacecraft will return to Earth with a sample of the asteroid for scientists to analyze in exquisite depth.

"Sample return is really at the forefront of scientific exploration," OSIRIS-REx principal investigator Dante Lauretta said at a press conference yesterday (Sept. 6). OSIRIS-REx will arrive at Bennu in 2018 and begin an extensive mapping campaign that will culminate in the selection of a site to sample. The spacecraft will then drift in to deliver a slow-motion blast to the rock that will kick surface material up into the probe's collecting dish.

Once the collection process has been verified, OSIRIS-REX will return the collected grains to Earth, where they will be available for immediate examination and future study. [How NASA's OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Mission Works (Infographic)

"This is going to be a treasure trove of material for scientists yet to come," Lauretta said.

An artist's concept of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which will launch toward asteroid Bennu tomorrow (Sept. 8). (Image credit: NASA/Goddard)

"The gift that keeps on giving"

Not far from Earth, a dark stone orbits, potentially holding within it the secrets of the young solar system. Like its fellow asteroids, Bennu is thought to have formed soon after the sun, at around the same time as the solar system's planets. While the constant activity of volcanoes, earthquakes and erosion changed the chemistry of Earth's material since that time (as likely happened on other planets), Bennu remains virtually unmarred. A sample of the asteroid should therefore provide a time-capsule-like glimpse of the planets' youth, the researchers said.

"The crux of OSIRIS-REx is origins, the search of the origin of the solar system and of life itself," OSIRIS-REx project scientist Jason Dworkin said. "For that [search], it's all about the sample."

To complete its planned science objectives, OSIRIS-REx needs to collect a least a 2-ounce (60 grams) sample from Bennu. Once that material lands back on Earth, scientists will probe the sample with complex experiments that just aren't possible in space.

When NASA's Stardust mission returned particles of the Comet Wild-2 in 2006, scientists sliced off micron-sized pieces to study beneath sensitive equipment. Those instruments wouldn't have survived being launched into space, so the sample return allowed scientists to manipulate the particles in ways that would be impossible on board bulky spacecraft.

Scientists researching OSIRIS-Rex's sample will keep a keen eye out for organic-rich material, which asteroids are expected to host in varying degrees. Organic molecules  those made from carbon  and molecules like water are considered key ingredients for life to evolve. While Bennu today is too cold for life, scientists think that other asteroids could have delivered those ingredients to the early Earth through violent collisions.

Despite their devastating immediate effects, the energetic impacts could have deposited material on the hot young planet that allowed life to evolve. While traces of those collisions would have been erased by Earth's changing crust, Bennu provides a glimpse of what the deliveries might have looked like billions of years ago.

"This will be the largest sample-return mission since the Apollo era," said Christine Richey, OSIRIS-REx deputy program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The returned capsule will provide a bounty not only for today's scientists, but also for future generations, Richey said. Three-fourths of the sample will be archived for later study, allowing scientists to answer questions that haven't been thought of today, using instruments yet to be imagined.

"It's the gift that keeps on giving," Richey said. [Up Close with OSIRIS-REx: A Clean Room Tour]

Into the unknown

The sample that's brought back to Earth won't be the only science that comes from the mission. Before the probe swoops in to gently kiss the asteroid and gather a sample, OSIRIS-REx will spend somewhere between 18 months and two years extensively mapping the asteroid. Not only will researchers use the global map to determine the best site to collect from, but they will also measure the distribution of organic material across the surface.

"We will be able to see an object the size of a penny on the surface of Bennu," said Daniella DellaGiustina, OSIRIS-REX's lead imaging-processing scientist.

The detailed maps will help scientists understand more about the part of the asteroid that their sample comes from, she said.

"Once we have a sample of Bennu, the maps will also provide critical context for that sample," DellaGiustina said.

Detailed cartography will not only reveal how Bennu is put together, but will also provide insight into the composition of other asteroids. The 1,600-foot (492 meters) asteroid dances in a path around Earth, and the odds of this object colliding with the planet are well under 1 percent.But it's not the only space rock nearby, and understanding its structure and composition will help should a more threatening asteroid be found, the researchers said.

OSIRIS-REx will also study how the sun's light can shift the orbit of an asteroid. As energy from the sun hits rocks in space, that energy can provide a small thrust that can gradually shift asteroids' orbits, Lauretta said.

"Since we've been monitoring the asteroid in 1999, its orbit has changed by over 160 kilometers [100 miles]," Lauretta said.

While scientists think they understand this process, known as the Yarkovsky effect, they have yet to study it in action on a space-bound asteroid. Watching the sun's energy push Bennu ever so slightly will help improve models of other rocks in space, creating more accurate simulations for their future orbits, Lauretta said  and whether or not they could impact Earth.

"We're going out into the unknown. Bennu is an unexplored world," Lauretta said.

Although scientists have studied Bennu in depth using both ground- and space-based instruments, the space rock could still provide unexpected surprises, according to the researchers. With the help of OSIRIS-REx, many of the questions about Bennu can one day be answered.

"We're going to explore this world, and we're going to bring back a sample," Lauretta said. "We've got great science ahead of us."

Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
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A Ukrainian Joan of Arc

Upon landing in Kiev, she received a triumphant reception and was welcomed on the runway by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who had put her -- even as she was still in prison -- at the very top of the electoral list of her Fatherland party, thus granting her a seat in parliament. Then, in the presidential palace, Petro Poroshenko himself conferred upon her the gold star denoting a Hero of Ukraine, citing her "iron will, civil courage and self-sacrificing service to the Ukrainian people."

On that day, it looked as though the Ukrainians had found a symbol around whom they could rally amid an ongoing war and a ruined economy -- a kind of Ukrainian Joan of Arc. Savchenko had become a national hero, having restored her country's faith that it could emerge victorious against a far more powerful enemy.

Since then, she has spent her time traveling back and forth across Ukraine. She has visited steel workers and livestock breeders, warships in the Black Sea and soldiers on the front in Donetsk. And she has discovered a country in which she feels much is going wrong.

Sometimes, she gets up at 6 a.m. and only goes to bed again at 4 a.m. the next morning. And every day she receives around 200 letters. "Some of them are crazy," she says. "They say things like: I should come by to change a burned-out light bulb in the staircase. They prayed for me when I was in prison and now they want me to help them. They have transformed me into an icon. They need someone they can believe in. They want a miracle to take place in this country with my help."

To truly understand how Savchenko became a national hero, it is necessary to watch the videos of her first interrogation. They were made shortly after her arrest in June 2014 before later appearing on the Internet. Someone close to the separatists must have posted them to the web, though it is difficult to see why. After all, the images were enough to transform Savchenko into a martyr in the eyes of many Ukrainians.

'Not Afraid of Death'

Question from the interrogator: "You came here with a volunteer battalion? Didn't you have enough adrenalin?"

Savchenko: "I have enough adrenalin for my entire life."

"Why did you come then? Did you just want to make a bunch of money?"

"What? For money? I came here to defend my country."

"Defend? Against who?"

"Against the aggressor. Against Russia."

"Is it true that Poles and negroes are fighting for you?"

"What a load of crap."

Savchenko could not be cowed. "I'm not afraid of death," she said during one interrogation. "I consciously chose to go into battle. Perhaps I will die. But what happens to me isn't important."

On the day of her arrest, she was traveling together with fellow soldiers in a car when they stumbled into the battle in which the journalists died -- and then into the hands of the separatists. Later, she says, she was forcefully turned over to the Russians -- separatists claim that Savchenko fled to Russian territory herself. Savchenko also says that she didn't direct fire at the journalists -- that they died in mortar fire and that it was a tragic accident.

That was the beginning of her odyssey through Russian prisons. First, she was locked away in Voronezh, then in Moscow and then she was sent to a psychiatric clinic. Finally, she ended up in the province Rostov-on-Don.

It was there, in a small town, that she was put on trial, providing her closing statement in March 2016. "I accept neither guilt, nor the verdict, nor the Russian court," she said from her cage in the courtroom. "In Russia, there are no trials or investigations, only a farce played out by Kremlin puppets . Putin is a tyrant with imperial manners and a Napoleon and Hitler complex put together." When she was finished, she flipped off the bench.

During her imprisonment, Savchenko began a hunger strike which ultimately lasted three months and landed her in the hospital. But was she really prepared to die?

"I knew that I would get back to Ukraine at some point," Savchenko says. "It wasn't important to me whether it was dead or alive. I was going for broke." It sounds authentic. Nadiya Savchenko is a fearless woman.

A Disagreeable Rabble-Rouser

While in prison, she wrote her autobiography. She had always wanted to be a pilot, she writes, but first she trained as a fashion designer before joining the military as a radio operator, which was the only position available to women in the army at the time. She was nevertheless able to get accepted to the Kharkiv Air Force University. Twice, she was thrown out for being unqualified, but each time she fought her way back before ultimately becoming the first Ukrainian woman to qualify as an in-flight navigator on a combat helicopter.

In 2004, at the age of 23, she was the only woman among the Ukrainian peacekeeper contingent in Iraq. In her book, she claims she received two marriage propositions while there: A policeman allegedly offered two sheep for her hand in marriage and an Iraqi prince tried to buy her for $50,000.

The book is called "Nadiya: A Powerful Name" -- and the political elite in Kiev should have taken note. Had they done so, they would have been prepared for what is happening now. Savchenko writes of herself that she is an "uncompromising person" -- someone who relentlessly pursues her goals and doesn't let anyone knock her off course.

Now, three months after Savchenko's return, the country's political elite is in shock. They crowned a woman as a hero and she is now using the title for her own purposes. Nobody is talking anymore of "our Nadiya." Instead, they are calling her an out-of-control "torpedo," Putin's "Trojan horse" or a "traitor," with some saying she needs to be sent to a psychiatric hospital. She has gone from being a Ukrainian Joan of Arc to a kind of Ukrainian Donald Trump.

Savchenko herself isn't blameless. From the very beginning, she refused to adhere to unwritten rules -- by walking into parliament in bare feet, for example, or by not thanking the president during a reception held in her honor. And by giving interview after controversial interview, all of which have scandalized the political classes in Kiev.

'Lying, Deceit and Duplicity'

She had hardly returned before announcing that she would be happy to take on the post of president or defense minister should it be necessary. She accused fellow parliamentarians of "lying, deceit and duplicity," and said: "It disgusts me that I sit together with them in the Rada." Savchenko has criticized the fact that many members of the elite have continued to do business with Russia and that not a single chocolate factory has been converted into a munitions plant, a direct reference to Poroshenko, who owns Ukraine's largest chocolate empire. She likewise hasn't spared the "incompetent" military leadership, saying they are to blame for the army's defeats on the front. "These assholes will have to answer for it," she has said.

Savchenko also no longer limits her commentary to issues pertaining to the war in eastern Ukraine. She has commented on oligarchs, for example ("they are still in power"), and on the country's election system ("there are no fair elections in Ukraine").

But the biggest outcry came when she said that it was time to forgive those in Donbass who had rebelled against the government in Kiev, to end the blockade of the region and to initiate negotiations with the separatists -- proposals that are considered heresy in Ukraine. There will never be talks with these Kremlin puppets, wrote one of Shevchenko's fellow parliamentarians on Facebook -- nobody will negotiate with cockroaches. "You either exterminate them with gas or beat them to death with a shoe."

It has now become difficult to meet with anyone among Kiev's political elite who does not think she is a Russian spy. Denys Bohush, for example, believes that Nadiya Savchenko is a product of the Russian secret service agency FSB. A trained neurologist, Bohush was part of President Poroshenko's campaign team and says that FSB "reprogrammed" her when she was in prison, adding that Savchenko is a woman with no political education but with inflexible attitudes and that such people are easily manipulated.

Nadiya Savchenko merely laughs at the notion. "People shouldn't think that I am weak. Yes, they tried to convince me of their view of Ukraine when I was in jail. But I found their efforts absurd."

A Bull in a China Shop

One can assume that the FSB would want its agents to behave much more subtly than Savchenko does. She marches through the Ukrainian political landscape like a bull in a china shop. The question is: Does she do so out of ignorance and naivete? Or because she wants to be provocative?

She is well aware that she has become a disagreeable rabble-rouser in the eyes of many. "Had I returned to Ukraine and praised the leadership, had I said that everything is just fine and Russia alone is to blame for all of our problems -- then I would still be their hero today," she says. "They wanted to use me as their puppet."

Savchenko says she is working extremely hard because she "wants to learn, more than anything." On a recent Monday in August, she could be found sitting in an office located on the street leading to the presidential palace. The space belongs to the Open Dialogue Foundation, a Polish organization that supports the liberalization of post-Soviet states.

That morning, Savchenko had met with delegates from the United Nations and was scheduled to meet with people from the countryside that evening. After that, at 3 a.m., she intended to travel to a small town on the Polish border. The place was hosting a trial against 21 soldiers for desertion during the fighting in Donbass, charges that Savchenko found absurd. She was then to board a plane for her first-ever trip to the United States -- at the invitation of the Ukrainian diaspora in Sacramento.

On that August afternoon, though, she was focused on spending five hours learning as much as she could. The Poles had set up a flipchart and were using drawings and diagrams to explain the relationships that various European countries have with Ukraine. Savchenko was a bit tired and suffering from a cold, so she propped up her head in her hand and looked at times as though she wasn't even listening.

But she kept making observations and comments that made it clear that her mind was not wandering. She doesn't consider the discord between Ukraine's west and east to be a clash of cultures, she said for example, but a conflict between rich and poor. She also said that she was prepared to lay flowers at a cemetery for fallen Polish soldiers, which is not at all customary. "There are some things I don't understand," she admitted during a break between sessions. "But I comprehend everything intuitively."

Nebulous and Unpredictable

She doesn't have her own family, just her mother and a sister, nor does she have a large staff, though she does keep five assistants busy. She doesn't need a husband and children, she says, and spends her evenings sitting alone and writing down her thoughts. She drafted what she wanted to say at her first press conference over the course of two days and then gave the text to her assistants for a read-through. "They crossed out a couple of expletives and fixed a few orthographic mistakes, but that's it," Savchenko says.

She has even developed her vision for her country's future, calling it the "People's State of Ukraine." Currently, she says, the country is still an oligarchy, which means that the focus must be placed on building up state structures. She envisions a republic with far-reaching local autonomy and a president with only a ceremonial role. There would also be self-defense units allowed to carry their own weapons, not unlike in Switzerland. It all sounds a bit like the island of Utopia, about which Thomas Morus wrote 500 years ago.

So will Nadiya Savchenko be the one to finally get her country back on the right track? Few speak as openly about the problems facing the country as she does. But it is also true that hardly anyone else offers the kind of simplistic, populistic solutions that she does. There's something nebulous and unpredictable about her. But if she is successful in assembling a political movement with herself at its center, perhaps even supported by Poroshenko's opponents, then she could represent a serious threat to the ruling elite.

The head of state, who once received her so opulently, hasn't spoken of her again since then and neither has her political mentor Yulia Tymoshenko. Savchenko, after all, contradicts many positions that are considered sacred to Tymoshenko's Fatherland party -- despite the fact that she represents it in parliament.

As a consequence, more organized opposition to the Ukrainian hero has begun to take shape. "Calls for revolution are damaging to Ukraine," warned one representative from Poroshenko's governing party. From Tymoshenko's camp came an appeal to Savchenko to "take a small time-out."

'A Certain Aura'

"We have red lines," says Oleksiy Ryabshun. He too is a Fatherland party representative in parliament and frequently visited Savchenko during her imprisonment in Russia. "The party paid for her lawyer during her captivity and arranged for her current status as a member of parliament. There will be a talk with her: Either she adheres to the party's fundamental positions or we will go our separate ways."

Nadiya Savchenko's response is that she represents the people in parliament and not any political party. She also says that she still plans to meet with separatist leaders in September. The national uproar in Ukraine will be significant.

But she doesn't much care. "Anyone can by physically eliminated should it become necessary," she concedes. "To do so, you only need a truck that makes a wrong turn on the street. Were that to happen to me now, nobody would believe it was an accident. I am still surrounded by a certain aura."
Taking the leap of faith and becoming an entrepreneur is a difficult decision for the vast majority of people who decide to move their lives in that particular direction.

Now imagine being 23 years old and taking on a large-scale business operation.

Scary, right?

But that is precisely what April Ross, director of Fremont Childrens Academy, decided to do after eight years of working for the state of Nebraska as an independent Family Support Contractor.

Ross said that what prompted her to make the decision to pursue a new career path were her two children at the time, Max, now 14, and Ellie, now 12.

She now has two more children: Bentley, 6, and Alec, nearly two.

After struggling to find a good fit with babysitters and daycare providers, Ross continually grew more and more concerned about her familys well-being. So she starting thinking about what she should do, and most importantly, she said, she started actively praying for God to lead her in the right direction.

One day in 2004, she drove past the location of Fremont Childrens Academy, 2436 N. Colorado Ave.

She never really had any intention of opening a daycare facility, but the vacant building, although a bid dilapidated, got her mind churning.

With some prompting from her aunt, Ross worked for the next year preparing a start-up grant that needed approval through the State of Nebraska.

Those were long, stressful days for Ross, but with an end-game in mind she never gave up. With all the requirements by the state regarding licensing, sanitation, fire code and several other tedious details, it was a lot to take on for the 23-year-old, however, she found a way to make it work.

Each day, I would take one thing on the list and try to tackle it, Ross said via email. Within a years time, I got the grant written, sold half of what I owned to give the large down payment on the lease, ordered all items needed to operate and gotten the go-ahead for all the departments to open. My grant was approved for $9,997 out of the $10,000 I had requested.

So after opening doors on Aug. 8, 2005, Ross never looked back once. Now, she and her cohorts are celebrating 11 years of business in the Fremont Community.

Those first few years were difficult, as it is for the vast majority of businesses trying to keep on their feet.

Before I had an assistant director, I did everything by myself, Ross said during a Tuesday afternoon interview with the Tribune. I practically lived here. A lot of people think that owning a business is just a cake-walk, and its really not.

But what started with a group of 28 students the first day Ross opened doors has now turned into a large-scale daycare that can house upward of 88 children ages six-weeks through 12 years old.

Although capable of handling those numbers, Ross said that on most days, 65-75 children are present.

Those are the numbers that we really want to stay at, she said. Its a much more manageable number.

Since purchasing the daycare building in 2007, the entire facility has received a facelift, most notably in 2008 when extensive remodeling was completed.

Some of the work done included: Adding a gymnasium, re-vamping the lobby area and installing two new infant rooms.

Fremont Childrens Academy is a full-time only center, Ross said, which is a big difference compared to other daycare facilities in the area.

We do not offer part-time rates, we only have full-time rates, she said. Its weekly tuition, and that way you are reserving a spot for your child. We dont piece in whether a certain child is going to be here from 6 (a.m.) through 2 (p.m.)  we dont do that. You are reserving a spot on our roster from 6 a.m. through 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Anybody with enrollment inquiries is being asked to contact Fremont Childrens Academy at 402-727-4772.

While first and foremost the most important services Ross and her staff tend to are the health and well-being of the children they monitor, installing in youth the power of positivity is of the utmost importance to the business owner.

In fact, when hiring her staff, one of the key aspects Ross looks for is a vivacious, outgoing and positive personality.

Why? It rubs off on the children who spend hours with staff on a daily basis.

Its really the number one thing I look for, she said. The kiddos are stuck with us not out of their choice, but out of necessity while their parents are at work. So we want them to come in and enjoy their day, have it be fun, entertaining, welcoming and nurturing. That way they want to come back each day.

Ask most tenured business owners if they are surprised by their success and more times often than not they say yes, but not Ross.

For her, failure wasnt an option. And while sometimes the going gets rough and times get tough, she just keeps praying, and putting one foot in front of the other.

Its that will to succeed, and to continually push herself thats ultimately paying dividends.

Im pretty optimistic and very determined, Ross said. Im not necessarily competitive with other individuals or other businesses, but Im very competitive with myself. So if I set a goal, Im constantly trying to beat that goal and set the bar a little bit higher each time.
Ardent Hire Solutions is buying JCB Loadall telescopic handlers and rough terrain forklift trucks as the company seeks to invest in the most technologically advanced machines on the market. The machines are being supplied through Leicestershire-based JCB dealer Watling JCB.

Ardent Hire Solutions was established last year from the amalgamation of Fork Rent and One Call Hire. With its head office in Middlesex, the business trades from 12 depots nationwide and provides over 5,000 units for rent with an average age of less than two years and a fleet holding of approximately 150 million.

JCB UK and Ireland Sales Director Dan Thompstone said:

This investment continues a long-standing relationship between JCB, Fork Rent and One Call Hire. It is a massive deal and with the bulk of the order for JCB Loadall telehandlers, it represents the biggest deal this year for that product anywhere in the world. Ardent Hire Solutions is a key partner for us in the UK rental market and its continued investment in JCB equipment is testament to JCBs product innovation, reliability and unrivalled UK-wide dealer aftermarket and parts support.

Tom Gleeson, Ardent Hire Solutions Commercial Director said:

Ardent Hire Solutions is increasing its share of the UK hire market and we intend building on that position by investing in the best equipment on offer. Our purchase of JCB machines is our largest investment so far this year. We are committed to invest in the best, most technologically advanced machines for our customers offering far superior products then any of our competitors. The service excellence and quality of goods provided by both JCB and Watling JCB is one of the main factors we continue our strong partnership.
Australia currently has a quota to export just under 20,000 tonnes of sheep meat to the EU, which it fulfils every year. With an annual production of more than 700,000 tonnes, the country is very keen to open up more trade opportunities and is seizing on Brexit as an opportunity to renegotiate its EU quota. They also have their eye on a separate UK deal, seeing this country as a prime destination for its lamb and mutton products.

Phil Stocker, NSA Chief Executive, says:

NSA understands Australia has been pushing to increase its EU quota for many years now, so there is no doubt it would send larger amounts of sheep meat to Europe and the UK given the opportunity. The UK sheep sector is already suffering unacceptably high levels of imports of New Zealand lamb, much of which is sourced by retailers at times of the year when UK product is in plentiful supply. We would be keen to see an outcome of Brexit being tighter controls on New Zealand lamb being allowed into this country, and we certainly need to avoid making the situation worse by allowing Australian product to head our way too.

Recent figures from Meat and Livestock Australia show the country produced 516,366 tonnes of lamb and 196,040 tonnes of mutton in 2015/16, exporting 56% of total lamb production (worth $1.78 billion) and 91% of mutton production ($700 million). The main destinations were the Middle East, USA and China.
The Wales & Border Ram Sales Committee have a dedicated team of forty plus especially trained inspectors, headed by Painscastle farmer, Richard Price. Its their job to check teeth, testicles and to generally look out for any faults or health issues that mean a ram may fall below the high standard clients expect.

Official administrator, Richard Price, says each ring has at least two inspectors, with some of the bigger rings having four or five. The ratio has to be right to allow the physical handling of each ram in a relatively short period and to allow time for any follow up decision by the senior inspectors or by the vets.

He says:

We look at the teeth first to make sure they are not overshot and then at any lumps on the testicles and check that they are of the right size and are of equal size  its no good having one big and one very small.

We have a bit of hassle sometimes  the sheep are one thing but some of the vendors can be quite another! We try to keep a sense of humour all round and most people accept that the standards are there for everyones benefit.
Mr Fisher lifted the title with his first prize shearling ram and male champion, a first-rate home-bred that has excelled in the show arena all summer, becoming champion at both Otley and Ripley Shows, and also runner-up in its class at the Great Yorkshire.

The victor was sired by Maesafon Tornado, a proven ram acquired two years ago from leading Welsh breeders Jim and Sandra Thompson. He is out of Thistle Dragon, bred by Knaresboroughs Yvonne Mudd, and sold to Adrian Tattersall, of Hindley, near Wigan, for 350gns, top price in class.

The show judge, Leyburns Fred Lawson, described the champion as one of the best tups I have seen for years. He added: It was a good show of sheep. With new bloodlines coming through, its nice to see good skin back on Wensleydales these days.

Mr Fishers overall reserve champion was his first prize shearling ewe and female champion, who is by another Thompson family tup, Maesafon Leonard Lloyd. And it was the Thompsons themselves, of Lower House Farm, Deytheur in Powys, who bought the first time-shown runner-up for 250gns.

The days top price of 520gns fell to a ewe lamb from Scottish breeder Mary Smith, of Carston Farm, Drongan, Ayr, who expressed herself delighted with the outcome. Third in its show class, the lamb was by Mark Elliotts Providence Peter, out of a Nosterfield Olympian daughter bred in Scotland by Hilary Menzies. It found a new home with a buyer from North Yorkshire.
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Earlier this month, reports of a "Wolf of Wall Street"-style bash at a lux rental home in the Hamptons that hosted revelers who allegedly broke property rules and prompted threats of a $1-million lawsuit against the host flooded the internet.

Now, the host, Brett Barna, a 31-year-old hedge fund manager who ultimately lost his position at Louis Bacon's Moore Capital Management when allegations arose claiming he and his guests of the Sprayathon event "trashed" the $20 million Hamptons mansion, is offering his side of the story, according to The New York Times.

RELATED: Instagram reveals 'Wolf of Wall Street-style' party that 'trashed' $20-million Hamptons mansion

After the July 3 party, the disgruntled owner of the estate spoke to The New York Post's Page Six under conditions of anonymity. This week, Barna spoke with The New York Times to tell his side of the story  one that names the man as Omar Amanat, arrested for alleged fraud days after the party.

According to The New York Times follow up, transactions between the two men began on Friday, July 1. Recommended by a real estate contact, Barna worked out a deal to host Sprayathon at the home under a 5-day rental for $27,000. The owner asked for the money to be paid in cash, immediately, Barna told the Times.

The following day, he arrived to find the property had been double-booked for the weekend and a separate party was occupying the inside of the home, but Barna went forward with the deal, he said.

Before the party took place, Barna told the site he received "repeated texts and calls" from Amanat asking for an additional $13,000.

In his statement to Page Six, Amanat claimed costumed dwarfs and attendees left the home awash in champagne showers, collapsed the side of a pool, broke into the house and stole art. However, Barna told the Times he took precautionary measures including hiring a "former police chief and eight security guards to keep the crowd outside and maintain order, and had eight portable seats set up" from noon until 6 p.m.

RELATED: Lake Travis boat parties flood social media as 2016 summer revelers take over

He insisted none of his party entered the home and has photos to prove "no visible damage." Barna also said his event was "good clean fun" which raised $100,000 to benefit Last Chance Animal Rescue by 500 guests, not "a thousand of them" as originally purported by Amanat.

"We raised money for charity," Barna continued in his New York Times interview. "Nothing illegal happened, and no one complained."

On the other hand, Amanat has allegedly been participating in illegal fraudulent activity, according to The New York Times.

Amanat, a 43-year-old who "is a co-founding investor and partner in more than 36 different media, finance and technology companies" according to his website, was arrested on July 13 by Federal Bureau of Investigations agents in New Jersey under charges unrelated to the Hamptons party, the Times reported.

He faces four counts of fraud for conspiring to defraud investors of Kit Digital, a technology startup, Bloomberg reported. Former Chief Financial Officer Robin Smyth pleaded guilty to fraud in March and the former CEO Kaleil Isaza Tuzman is awaiting extradition to the U.S. in Columbia.

Amanat's arrest was also covered by Page Six in an additional article, which made no mention of his situation with Barna despite initial coverage of the "Wolf of Wall Street" style party. The July 14 piece reported "Amanat can't afford to make bail."

RELATED: The rich kids of Instagram take Spring Break 2016

According to the site, Prosecutor Andrea Griswold challenged Amanat's claims of having only $2,700 in the bank, saying he resides in a $4.75 million rental home. His bond was set at $2.5 million, requiring three signers and "secured by $250,000 in cash or property."

The court ordered Amanat to be released under home confinement and electronic monitoring, due to government arguments that he is a flight risk, according to Page Six.

Amanat, who the Times reported has a "long list of disputes," was released from custody on July 26 and has declined to comment.

The suspect transaction made sense to Barna following the arrest  he told The New York times he presumes Amanat was pressuring him for extra cash to pay the bail of his impending legal troubles and demands were not satisfied, the media investor took his story to Page Six.

RELATED: Outrageous Austin mansion party, #ATXSpillover, was not 'expected or allowed,' venue owners say

"Omar knew exactly what he was doing when he planted this story," Barna told the New York Times. "His goal was to cream me in the press to pressure him into giving him more money."

Barna shared text messages with the site from Amanat's phone number illustrating aforementioned threats.

"I'll keep my cool for another 24 hours, then I'll handle things another way," one message said, followed by another stating "When you least expect it one night, something so unspeakably bad is going to happen to you (maybe it's karmic law, maybe it's a friend of me who heard what you did to me). Personally I won't do a thing to you."

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
STAMFORD  The Stamford Symphonys longtime Music Director Eckart Preu will leave the orchestra at the end of the 2016-17 concert season.

Preu leaves Stamford to become the conductor of the Long Beach Symphony in California after directing the only fully-professional orchestra in southwest Connecticut for 11 years.

He led the Stamford Symphony through several milestones, including its Carnegie Hall premier and introductions of new music, contemporary composers and emerging young soloists.

We thank Eckart for his marvelous music making and we wish him great success at Long Beach. In his many years with us, he opened up musical opportunities every season Alan McIntyre, Board Chairman of the Stamford Symphony, said in a statement. His legacy is the most vibrant classical music organization in Fairfield County, including engaged audience members plus thousands of children who benefit from our music education program.

He regularly delivered pre-concert lectures and brought the Stamford Symphony to Stamford Public Schools.

These musicians are not only musicians of the highest caliber Preu said in a statement. They are delightful colleagues and a gift to the community of Stamford and Fairfield County.

Preus farewell season with the Stamford Symphony will be a Classical Escapes musical world tour. Each concert pays homage to different countries around the world, beginning with music of Russia in October. Subsequent concerts will navigate to Scotland, Vienna, Venice and Scandinavia.

The search for the Stamford Symphonys new Music Director is already under way, and the selected candidate will take over for the 2018-18 concert season.

The orchestra will use its regular practice of inviting guest conductors to audition new Music Directors in the 2017-18 concert season. As in the past, the audience and subscribers will be invited to participate and share feedback. The symphony intends to have a new music director named for the start of the 2018-2019 season.
The history of the United States includes open celebrations of religion, like revivals and retreats, or rallies and vacation Bible schools.

In Krakow during World Youth Day, we gathered together as 20,000 English-speaking young people in an arena the size of Century Link or Pinnacle Bank Arena. It was renamed the Mercy Centre that week. We were united as Americans, Canadians, and Australians; Ireland, Great Britain, New Zealand, and the Philippines were present as well.

Speakers gave influential talks encouraging living as missionary disciples of Jesus. Priests heard confessions. The cardinal archbishops of Boston, New York, and Manila led us at Mass. Religious Sisters and members of the U.S.-based Knights of Columbus provided the infrastructure and support necessary.

The music and energy seemingly blew the roof off the arena. Christian musicians Matt Maher, Audrey Assad, and Steve Angrisano had thousands of kids joyfully dancing in the aisles for Jesus.

The high point was Adoration of Jesus in a Eucharistic procession. Bishop Robert Barron gave a stirring talk, highlighting the ultimate witness of the French priest who was murdered while at the altar.

Jesus was real and alive to these 20,000 kids. Truly, God is not dead. The Mercy Centre in Krakow proved this.
When was the last time you met a technology CEO who knew how to deliver a baby? And, for that matter, when was the last time you met a doctor who knew how to code?

Related: How to Become a Healthcare Innovator

In higher education, as in life, health care and computer science are two separate and deeply immersive tracks. Perhaps this explains, in part, why the promise of technology to disrupt health care has not yet been realized.

Even as breakthroughs in DNA research, such as genome sequencing, allow a physician to peer into a patients biology at the deepest level, and even as consumer devices track our health in real time, the raw data gathered lacks the requisite interpretation -- the "processor," to use code-speak -- that's needed to make it actionable.

Data alone does not a healthy human make. And medical wisdom and medical data do not run together as a program. At least not yet.

When they do -- and I believe that it's now just a matter of time -- we'll see a revolution in health care. As a physician, I see astronomical opportunities for entrepreneurs and VCs in this space. They need to start seeing them, too.

As a for-instance, imagine a time when we can monitor our health trajectory, spotting -- and reversing -- our bodys decline long before disease expresses itself as symptoms. We will have truly moved from the "disease-care" model of today to true health care.

Some of us are doing this already with our patients, capturing genetic, epigenetic and hormonal data, together with bloodwork results and other biomarkers over time.

The idea is not just to quantify the individual in a single snapshot, but to interpret this data. It can then become a dataset over time that can deliver actionable guidance to change the health trajectory of each individual. At this point, however, that kind of thinking has not yet been baked into any kind of algorithm. If you liken this scenario to the need to build a bridge between health care and technology: We're still drawing up the plans.

Very early, and interestingly, intersections of technology and health care, however, are in motion and will become more important as multilayered data interpretation becomes de rigueur. It's intersections like these that should be of interest to venture capitalists and consumers alike.

Making the connections

Google, to throw in one big name here, is attempting to create such connections: Consider its new symptom checker, which it worked on with Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clinic to improve Google search results, based on symptoms typed into the search bar. Or, note the search giants contact lenses, which will monitor blood glucose levels for diabetics.

Related: These Startups Are Disrupting the Healthcare Industry With Targeted Cancer Treatments

Then there's Larry Smarr, an early pioneer of the modern internet. An astrophysicist and computer science professor, Smarr was among the first advocates to stockpile his personal medical data.

Smarr actually has tracked his own biomarkers for years, and saw inflammatory markers in his health readings long before he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Yet his physicians were quick to dismiss the data until the symptoms became evident. Little surprise there: Doctors are trained to limit testing, be discerning and avoid "fishing trips" when symptoms are not immediately evident.

But things are starting to change: A number of visionary scientists, academics and clinicians are leading the self quantifier revolution, using novel digital health tools to track biomarkers over time, with the goal to detect, predict and reverse disease at the cellular level.

Michael Snyder, a professor and chairman of the personalized medicine and genetics department at Stanford Universitys School of Medicine, detected his own Type 2 diabetes early -- data his conventional doctor had dismissed due to Snyder's thin physique. The Stanford researcher picked up on things by sequencing his genome, then tracking his bloodwork carefully at short intervals.

He caught the disease early, eliminated sugar, added running to his biking routine -- and reversed the course of the condition.

In fact, Snyder wears several devices to monitor his various biorhythms: One such wearable that showed a protein change allowed him to diagnose Lyme disease accurately before its symptoms appeared.

Given such stories and this research overall, the use of devices and testing offers great promise. But there are barriers. One is that in a healthcare economy where insurers are looking for cost savings -- and are loathe to pay for new testing -- these data-centric, personalized approaches may seem to be nonstarters until they are proven to reduce cost.

And, because, on average, insurers dont keep the same customers over the long term, they are not likely to be fans of methods that will improve individuals health decades out.

Despite this issue, many consumers are already taking ownership of their health. Consider the widespread use of new digital tools and devices, absent insurance coverage. Fitbit recently saw its stock rise due to strong margins and demand for its wristband health trackers.

I think [wearables] can improve our health care tremendously, Dr. Snyder recently told me, showing off a wrist bedecked with multiple health-tracker armbands. We were standing on the sidelines of an Understand Your Genome event we and Illumina were co-hosting in New York earlier this summer. Minimally, you will catch things early," Snyder said. "And we can make wearables do so much more than they presently do.

Consider what happened with a study Snyder led. It had been set up to track biomarkers of a group of individuals. One study subject, a man wearing a device to measure his blood pressure, found an arrhythmia he didnt know that he had. The discovery may have saved his life.

I dont know if [wearables] will lower costs; in principle they should, Snyder said. In instances where people are at risk for heart failure, it will save money.

More gaps between the medical sector and technology

Still, other gaps between the medical sector and technology persist and may take longer to bridge. For instance, the average doctor is not taught in medical school to read data from this long-view quantification perspective. Were you to bring your FitBit charts to your next physical, the likelihood is strong that your doctor would be stymied.

Doctors are not taught how to apply such longitudinal data sets to improve health.

In theory, digital health devices should allow doctors to review information about an individuals baseline healthy state and observe changes over time, in order to better identify irregularities and trends. This would require a complete shift in mindset, though, from the current model, where most doctors capture a limited snapshot of a patient's health picture and compare it to population averages only when that patient is already sick.

In a doctors office today, you really do get 15 seconds of measurements: bam, bam, bam, says Snyder, indicating that this snapshot is inadequate. Devices let you measure individuals continuously.

But there is hope for a change in mainstream medicine. Even as insurance companies keep an eye on costs, they are testing the value of this trend; for instance, Aetna has a program where it pays its own employees a cash bonus if they get enough sleep, as verified by a FitBit.

In fact, Aetnas program may point to a model of the future, when insurance companies will pay discounts for verification of health behaviors or will incentivize measurement and tracking for better health outcomes.

Related: How Fitbit Is Cashing in on the High-Tech Fitness Trend

Overall, the real proof of concept will come when we arrive at the point where an individuals data will feed into systems that produce interpretation and direction -- information that physicians and patients alike can use to truly improve long-term health outcomes.

Related:

Patient, Quantify Thyself

"If You Are An Innovator, You Have To Create Your Own Road"

These Startups Are Disrupting the Healthcare Industry With Targeted Cancer Treatments



Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Connecticuts House delegation is not only bracing for a reprimand from House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., for a Democratic sit-in on gun violence in June  its members would welcome it. Punishing lawmakers for the unprecedented protest, they say, would draw more attention to the inaction of Congress against the scourge of shootings across the nation since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in 2012.

To read more, click here or below.
LOUISVILLE  Louisville Public Schools will commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with a public ceremony at the high school.

The event will take place on Friday, Sept. 9, in the Louisville High School gym. It is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.

The ceremony will acknowledge and honor the memory of the victims of attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Event organizers will also remember passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 who stopped a fourth airplane from causing destruction on Sept. 11, 2001.

Master Sergeant Joshua D. Hammerling will deliver the keynote speech at the event. Visitors may also view artifacts from the World Trade Center at the school. The Irvington Fire Department is providing the artifacts for the ceremony
H SBC could face criminal charges in the US over the work of its foreign exchange bankers, sources claimed today.

The US Justice Department charged foreign exchange traders Mark Johnson and Stuart Scott at the London-headquartered bank in July, over allegations they made $8 million in profits and fees by front running a clients $3.5 billion foreign exchange trade. Johnson pleaded not guilty.

This came as the bank remains on effective probation by US prosecutors, who signed a deferred prosecution agreement with HSBC in 2012 as it paid almost $2 billion to settle allegations of anti-money-laundering failures.

A report compiled for US senators at the time revealed how HSBCs work had left the US exposed to Mexican drugs cartels, as subsidiaries cleared suspicious travellers cheques.

HSBC was allowed to strike a DPA. Now, however, lawmakers are considering whether the bank should face fresh disciplinary action over concerns that it has failed to follow through on demands for reform, according to Bloomberg.

HSBC declined to comment. One source dismissed the claims, proposing even if the banks forex traders are found guilty of criminal charges, HSBC had not been accused of a criminal act so the DPA would not be breached.
I nvestor Legal & General is to pump cash into Londons lucrative student digs market, signing a deal to fund new accommodation for 445 people in Stratford, the Evening Standard can reveal.

Legal & General Investment Management will invest 63 million and partner with Alumno Developments on the apartments.

The block, which will also feature a cafe, artist studios, gym and launderette, will replace a former Esso petrol station in Stratford High Street.

It will be let to post-graduates at Queen Mary University of London.

L&G joins a wave of investors wanting to capitalise on the shortage of student accommodation in the UK  particularly in the capital where developers face competition for land from housebuilders.

Companies including Empiric have recently forked out on buildings for freshers in Hampstead and Twickenham.

According to property agent JLL, purpose-built student digs across the UK in 2016-17 will only reach 555,000, up from 545,000 last year.

With more than 1.7 million full-time students expected this year, that is a ratio of students to available digs of 3:1.
PLATTSMOUTH  Members of the Plattsmouth Fire and Rescue Department raised more than $5,300 during the annual Fill the Boot campaign on Sept. 4 to help kids and adults with muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases that severely limit strength and mobility live longer and grow stronger.

For more than six decades, fire fighters have fueled MDA's mission to find treatments and cures for muscle-debilitating diseases, and this years Plattsmouth Fill the Boot results are perfect example of their dedication, said MDA Fundraising Coordinator Danielle Jelensperger We are extremely grateful to have the support of these truly selfless heroes, as well as the entire Plattsmouth community. It is with their generosity that we will be able to empower MDA families with life-enhancing resources and support that open new possibilities and maximize independence so they can experience the world without any limits.

MDAs spirited Fill the Boot campaign is an honored tradition in which thousands of dedicated fire fighters in hometowns across America hit the streets or storefronts asking pedestrians, motorists, customers and other passersby to make a donation to MDA, using their collective strength to help find treatments and cures for life-threatening neuromuscular diseases.

Funds raised help MDAs efforts to fund groundbreaking research and life-enhancing programs such as state-of-the-art support groups and Care Centers, including the MDA Care Center at both Nebraska Medicine and Neurology Associates in Omaha and Lincoln. They also help send more than 60 local kids to the best week of the year at MDA summer camp at no cost to their families at Camp Comeca in Cozad.

About MDA

MDA is leading the fight to free individuals  and the families who love them  from the harm of muscular dystrophy, ALS and related muscle-debilitating diseases that take away physical strength, independence and life. We use our collective strength to help kids and adults live longer and grow stronger by finding research breakthroughs across diseases; caring for individuals from day one; and empowering families with services and support in hometowns across America.

Learn how you can fund cures, find care and champion the cause at mda.org.
E ven by Nigerian standards, the alleged siphoning off of $1 billion (750 million) from a $1.3 billion international investment in a lucrative oil block through fees to a former oil ministers company and assorted middlemen has been shocking.

Jonathan Fisher QC called it grand corruption. High Court Judge Mr Justice Edis declared: Given the large sums of money involved that are effectively paid to a former minister to a bank account in the Middle East, the whole exercise is backed by murky instructions.

The saga of OPL245  a huge Nigerian oilfield containing an estimated nine billion barrels of crude  began in 1998 when the then petroleum minister, Dan Etete, awarded the licence to Malabu Oil & Gas, a Nigerian company with no assets and no employees, for $20 million, seemingly a tiny fraction of its real value.

Over the next decade, there were a number of legal wranglings between Shell and Malabu over ownership of the field.

Eventually, in 2011, the field was sold by the Nigerian government to Eni and Shell.

The two oil giants paid the government but $1.09 billion was subsequently sent to Malabu.

Shell and Eni insist they did not know this would happen. The arrangement  memorably described by a middlemen as a safe-sex transaction  was controversial enough.

But then it was claimed in High Court proceedings that the beneficial owner of Malabu was none other than Etete, the former oil minister who awarded the oil block to Malabu in the first place. Etete denied this, saying he was just a consultant.

So, the Nigerian state only retained $208 million  the signature bonus paid by Shell.

The remaining $1 billion-plus was channelled to bank accounts in London, Switzerland and offshore locations allegedly controlled by Malabu, Etete and five other Nigerian companies whose beneficial owners were not known.

Anti-corruption campaigner Global Witnesss Barnaby Pace says: The $1 billion that went missing was equivalent to 80% of Nigerias health budget but the money did not benefit the countrys citizens. The deal proves how critical it is that the public can find out who the real owners of companies are so that criminals cannot disguise their identities. ENI and Shell deny wrongdoing.

The case also highlights the dangers faced by oil corporations operating in Nigeria.

For Shell, the OPL 245 block is crucial because it could replenish its proven global oil reserves by a third. It is adamant it only paid the government and not Malabu or Etete. But investigations into the OPL245 affair continue in the UK, Italy and Nigeria.

Shell is co-operating with the authorities and is looking into the allegations, which it takes seriously, the company said. Shell attaches the greatest importance to business integrity.

For Italys ENI, the saga has taken a far more bizarre twist. According to reports in the Italian press, extraordinary allegations have now been circulating that ENI chief executive Claudio Descalzi and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi are linked to Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency.

Other claims have also been circulated in what Italian prosecutors regard as a conspiracy to topple the two men, with Renzi being targeted because of his support for Descalzi.

The reports claim prominent Nigerians who lost out in the OPL 245 sale are involved in the plot. They allegedly include former ministers, an attorney general and members of former Nigerian president Sani Abachas family.

In Nigeria, the OPL245 affair is a major challenge for President Muhammadu Buhari, who was elected last year on an anti-corruption ticket. We shall strongly battle another form of evil that is even worse than terrorism  the evil of corruption, he declared.

His track record so far is unimpressive. His Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) is said to be under-resourced and incompetent.

Multiple case files have been opened but are often incomplete or missing, it is claimed.

Sources say this is frustrating for investigators at Britains National Crime Agency, who are trying to probe the alleged laundering of OPL245 money through London banks and properties.

Last week, the two governments agreed criminal assets stolen in Nigeria and seized in Britain can be returned to the West African country, but such breakthroughs are rare.

Buharis governing style is also a source of frustration. Critics say he is slow in his decision-making, which allows the EFCC to wallow in indecision.

In the OPL245 case, a legal dispute over $85 million frozen in a NatWest bank account in London belonging to Etete is meandering through the UK courts, yet the Nigerian government has not even sent a proceeds-of-crime submission to the judge. The funds remain frozen and the case languishes.

Buharis critics say his approach means that much-needed funds from corruption cases are not bringing in revenue for an ailing economy ravaged by low oil prices, and the oil blocks themselves are not being developed.

Meanwhile, as the scandal drags on, other western firms can be forgiven for shying away from investing in Buharis Nigeria.
T o clarify Britains post-Brexit argument about immigration, we might turn to New Zealands outspoken leader John Key about how to put matters straightforwardly, if not diplomatically. Under pressure from centre-Left opponents about why immigration had reached a recent peak, he spelled out his lack of faith in chunks of the domestic workforce.

Go and ask the employers, and they will say some of these people wont pass a drug test and some wont turn up for work, some of these people will claim they have health issues later on, Key said. His country relied on incomers because too many of its population just cant muster what is required to actually work.

The striking thing, as we contemplate the impact of the immigration argument in Brexit, is how this summary, however tactless, points out a frequent flaw in reasoning about how to curtail immigration. At one end of the skills market it is assumed that clamping down on it will free up jobs for low-skilled British workers, who will leap into jobs they hitherto refused to compete with immigrants to do. Migration Watch, in a new paper, suggests that EU migrants should join a work-permit scheme with a limit of 25-30,000 people per year, adding: This would eliminate the low-skilled workers who comprise 80 per cent of those who have arrived here in the past 10 years.

Indeed it would, and with it would go a part of the workforce on whom many parts of the economy  especially in London and the South-East, the motor of national prosperity  rely, from farm workers and car-washers, to domestic helpers and junior health service staff. The number would also be considerably less than the 50,000 Huguenots fleeing France that we absorbed after go-ahead 1685. Some might see this is progress, but it is a funny way of showing it.

This week, Theresa May addressed another argument familiar in the Antipodes, namely the much-heralded points systems for migration. We should applaud May for getting to the point on points early in her tenure: it will save a lot of trouble and disappointment later on. Replacing a long queue of immigrants with a pool of pre-approved qualified ones does not work. Comparable countries that try this end up disappointed. In Australia, 13.5 per cent of immigrants who have arrived via the points system are unemployed (compared with a minuscule amount of those who arrived with an actual job offer).

I write as someone who was initially attracted to the points system as a halfway house between open-door immigration, which can seem to many people like a loss of control over who comes into their country, and a fortress unable to attract the people it needs. But May is right, and such a scheme is particularly unsuited to a city like London, which has fast-changing jobs and needs a churn of new talent, nimble workers and fresh ideas to maintain its edge and ambition.

An analysis of such arrangements by The Economist concludes that many countries who embrace the points system then end up fiddling with it to try to deal with inherent flaws. When people say it works, what they really mean is that it brought the numbers of immigrants down  which is not the same as saying that the resulting solution works well for the labour market or has benefited the economy.

It is extremely hard in todays fluid economies for employers to formulate a recipe for what they want in a newcomer and how to measure it. Points systems are too easily gamed to produce the right score, tenuously related to what an applicant can do in practice or what is useful to their host economy.

You could argue that someone prepared to go to all this bother must be a motivated jobseeker. Alas, it does not follow that employers in another country will find what they want in the pool of points-bearers. About a third fewer applicants find jobs in the first couple of years in Australia than when the system was introduced in the early 2000s, which makes businesses cooler on the idea and disappoints those who think it is a fast track to solid employment.

Todays migration systems have to pull off something very hard  attract the brightest and best, along with willing, motivated workers into humbler jobs many people would prefer not to do, while minimising resentment in the existing population. All attractive, developed countries struggle with this trilemma.

Mays Herculean challenge is to combine pragmatic insight into that with an adroit response to the unignorable message of Brexit. On this, I am with Vernon Bogdanor, the constitutional historian, who notes that the exam-passing classes do not have a monopoly say on how a country is run and its time that they stopped wound-licking and faced the fact. In democracies as in the rest of life you cannot, as The Rolling Stones once put it, always get what you want.

Both sides will have to give a bit. It is a glib narrative for aggrieved post-referendum wound-lickers to say that this was the preserve of xenophobes or ill-informed voters, but the demographics tell a different story  a very large number of professional midlifers shared a concern about the wider impact of immigration and it drove their vote. But Brexiteers cannot simply wish a self-sustaining fantasy economy into existence, either.

One way or another, immigration will be forced downwards as a response to the referendum outcome. A time-limited brake on overall numbers would be preferable to lumbering us with a points system, adding more bureaucracy to a sluggish visa system. The trade-off would be greater control on numbers, with highly valued workers, those transferring within companies and students at reputable institutions, exempted. We will still confront the conundrum the New Zealand leader outlined, of ill-prepared domestic workforces not leaping into low-paid jobs. Sooner or later, more exemptions will creep in for agricultural labourers and the like, but at least the principle that immigrants fill vital gaps will have been fully demonstrated.

There is, as May admits, no silver bullet on this one. The question is what sort of bullet she can find in her political armoury that will cause least harm to a post-Brexit Britain. Rather a lot depends on her finding it.

Anne McElvoy is senior editor at The Economist


A plane bound for Malaysia from Sydney ended up landing over 6,000km away in Melbourne because its pilot put the wrong coordinates in.

Passengers were left baffled as the AirAsia flight touched down seven hours earlier than expected in an airport just 722km from where they had taken off.

An air safety investigation has found that a combination of data entry errors, crew ignoring unexplained noises from the computer and bad weather are to blame.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report, published today, claims the issues arose after missing earmuffs prompted the captain and first officer to do each others usual pre-flight checks.

The captain apparently manually copied coordinates from a sign outside the cockpit window into the system, which the report states resulted in a data entry error.

It said: This resulted in a positional error in excess of 11,000km, which adversely affected the aircrafts navigation systems and some alerting systems.

The report stated that various message alerts and sounds were ignored by the crew. One, which blared Terrain! Terrain!, startled the pilots but was overruled as the path ahead was obviously clear.

However, when the plane engaged autopilot at 410ft, it began to track to the left and towards another runway.

As the navigation systems failed further, the pilots requested to make a visual landing at Sydney  a landing made without the use of navigation systems.

However, the bad weather and visibility led air traffic control to send the flight to Melbourne instead.

AirAsia said that all aircraft have now been equipped with upgraded flight management systems since the incident.

A spokesperson said: "AirAsia X would like to stress that we have in place robust management systems to monitor and prevent similar incidents from reoccurring.

"We also wish to reiterate that we have regularly passed safety and security audits conducted by various international regulators, including the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). We remain committed to ensuring our compliance to all safety and security regulations."
Review at a glance









I n October 2006, talks were held at St Andrews in Fife between the British and Irish governments and the Northern Irish parties  notably the Democratic Unionists, led by Ian Paisley, and Sinn Fein  about the formation of a new Northern Ireland Executive. They were successful and in 2007 the power-sharing body was created.

In December 2007, Martin McGuinness, who was Sinn Feins chief negotiator and became Deputy First Minister of the executive, told President George Bush: Up until the 26 March this year Ian Paisley and I never had a conversation about anything  not even about the weather  and now we have worked very closely together and theres been no angry words between us.

Indeed, they became nicknamed the Chuckle Brothers.

Notwithstanding McGuinnesss statement, director Nick Hamm and screenwriter Colin Bateman have here imagined a physical journey that Paisley and McGuinness took together during the 2006 St Andrews talks, sharing a car to Edinburgh for Paisley to fly back for his 50th wedding anniversary  and discovering they can respect each other and have much in common.

This trip is masterminded by MI5 agent Harry Patterson (John Hurt)  perhaps a bit of stand-in for Jonathan Powell  directing young MI5 driver Jack (Freddie Highmore) to take a roundabout route, while he continues to monitor the conversation. Back in St Andrews, Tony Blair, played as an oleaginous creep by Toby Stephens, flaps away.

McGuinness is nicely impersonated as an Irish charmer by Colm Meaney, full of chat, big-hearted  he even seems to save Paisleys life when he has a fit. Paisley, altogether more of a challenge, is another of Timothy Spalls Great British Grumps, to put alongside his Turner and his Churchill in The Kings Speech, all big teeth, stiff neck and intolerant rectitude. Never, never, never! Hes the main show this film has to offer.

What finally seems to bring these two very different men together is not political reconciliation but recognising they have a shared Irish taste for ending a sentence so it is, leading to the crucial handshake. So here, one of the great political transitions has been re-imagined as a concise road trip (both of them a journey, you see), in a pastiche of the sort of political play Peter Morgan (with whom Hamm has worked in the past) might have written as a two-hander for the smaller stage. As a film, it doesnt open out, so it doesnt.

Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout
A lex 26 Grains Hely-Hutchinson is Londons hottest food property. The champion of posh porridge started selling pre-soaked, slow-cooked, hot porridge pots two years ago from a pop-up stall in Old Street Tube station. Today shes celebrating the publication of her first cookery book and is about to open a smart new cafe/shop on enlarged premises opposite The Barbary in Neals Yard. Both book and shop are called simply 26 Grains.

The name refers not to her age, although she is 26, but to the number of ancient grains and pseudo-grains, as she refers to ingredients such as amaranth and buckwheat, that she cooks with. If you fancy the idea of cinnamon and banana quinoa porridge, barley porridge with salted pear compote, miso rice porridge with mango and hazelnuts or savoury kale porridge with fried eggs and a splash of sriracha hot sauce, shes your gal.

Its an exciting way to cook, she says. Barley has real bounce and taste. Quinoa is exciting for all its colours and different levels of nuttiness and there are endless varieties of rice.

Her love affair with oat cuisine began in Copenhagen, where she spent a year studying and learned just how much the Danes love their grains. While they tend to use them in innovative, exciting ways, the English love porridge because of its nostalgic connotations, she thinks. When I started, everyone would come up and say, When I was little I remember my dad giving me a silver spoon with cream and salty oats, and that influenced how I played with the recipes. It wasnt about being gimmicky, it was continuing something and improving it.

Make-up-free and wearing a perfectly crumpled cream linen romper suit, shes as natural and wholesome-looking as the organic oats she rolls and flakes herself to create that perfect juicy but soft texture.

Her signature recipes are emphatically not from the salt-and-water-only school. Theyre indulgent and include spices, salt flakes, homemade fruit compotes and blitzed nut butters topped with swirls of maple syrup or coconut palm sugar. A bowlful at 26 Grains costs 5.60-6.

She rejects the idea of excluding food groups apart from highly refined wheat and sugar. I want food to be simple and delicious. I havent got any food intolerances but Im a stickler for using the best ingredients in season. You dont need to beat yourself up because you havent had maca today  it can be a tomato with olive oil and salt, which is healthy and tastes good, she says. At first all I got asked was: Is this dairy-free?, Is this gluten-free?, Is this sugar-free? Gluten-free was definitely a trend but I think that was of its time and people ask fewer questions now.

26 Grains: spelt with parsley almond pesto, cherry tomatoes and parmesan / 26 Grains

Still, shes sympathetic to anyone with an allergy, like her friend Ella Mills. Theres a quote from Mills on the cover of the 26 Grains book calling the food absolutely delicious.

When I first met Ella she was very tired and had postural tachycardia syndrome. I hadnt realised what a proper allergy could be but seeing her so ill for so long made me see how you can use food to help you feel better.

Hely-Hutchinson also admires the way the Deliciously star, who is still only 25, has stayed true to her goals. Its easy to lose your values when youre so young and everyones telling you what you should do with your business.

Alex Hely-Hutchinson's love affair with oat cuisine began in Copenhagen / Matt Writtle

Her own publisher, Square Peg, part of Penguin Random House, tried to persuade her to include a juice recipe, even though I hardly drink juice and a lot of juice companies have gone out of business. She won.

Others advised her to turn her unctuous melt-in-the-mouth concoctions into profitable takeaway dry porridge pots. But it doesnt translate, she says. Inevitably there are some people whove spotted her potential and want her to grow, grow, grow. But, she insists, Im in the place I always wanted to get to.

2016 cookbooks 1 /14 2016 cookbooks Sirocco: Fabulous flavours from the East By Sabrina Ghayour The Palomar Cookbook Deliciously Ella Every Day By Ella Woodward Grillstock: The BBQ Book As the Romans Do: La Dolve Vita in a Cookbook by Eleonora Galasso Making waves Yasmine Larizadeh and Shirin Kouros are launching their debut cookbook of their restaurant The Good Life Eatery Toby Glanville Savour: Salads for all Seasons by Peter Gordon Hemsley and Hemsley Good + Simple By Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley Livia's Kitchen Is being published in 2016 by Olivia Wollenberg Tara Fisher River Cottage Gluten Free by Naomi Devlin

She owns her business, has never had outside investment and raised 15,000 on Kickstarter to pay the first three months deposit on her first shop. She pays herself a modest 1,000 a month. Educated at Benenden School in Kent before reading economics at Trinity Dublin, Hely-Hutchinson is the middle child of five siblings. Her father is an investment banker who makes his own bread while her mother teaches Montessori at a local school near the family home in East Sussex. Her family are a big support. My older sister did the photography for the book, my little sister works for me and my little brother has done the odd Saturday.

She lives in Hackney, off foodie-centric Chatsworth Road, with one of her brothers and loves to eat out with her web developer boyfriend Dom. Favourites spots include My Neighbours the Dumplings, Violet Cakes and Hoppers, although, I dont go to that many more than once, because theres not that much time or money.

While she was in Copenhagen, Hely-Hutchinson also cottoned on to hygge, the Danish concept of cosiness currently doing the rounds here  at least a dozen books with hygge in the title are being published this autumn.

Its not something you can strive towards, its something you realise with hindsight, when youve spent time with an old friend and didnt think about it until you got home and thought it was great. Mine is definitely about sharing food, coming together, hearing the familiar voices in the kitchen while Im cooking. For me, food is the ultimate hygge.

26 Grains, by Alex Hely-Hutchinson (Square Peg, 20) is available from September 8, 2016
A mazon has thrown down the gauntlet to restaurant takeaway websites such as Deliveroo and Just Eat with its own home delivery service for London.

The US giant launched its version, Amazon Restaurants, today in 19 postal districts after linking up with about 150 restaurant brands across the capital, including US diner Planet Hollywood, Scottish-inspired Boisdale and Soho Indian The Red Fort.

The service, which first launched in Seattle a year ago, is free for orders over 15 and guarantees delivery within an hour  but is available only through Amazons 79-a-year Prime Now app. It comes three months after the launch of grocery delivery service Amazon Fresh in the capital.

Al Wilkinson, head of Amazon Restaurants in the UK, said: Based on our own research into what is important to consumers in food delivery, our team have hand-picked a selection of the best quality local restaurants in London.

Were excited to be helping many of these small businesses start offering home delivery for the first time. Daniel Creedon, head chef at Fitzrovias world cuisine restaurant Archipelago, said: We believe with Amazons experience and success in the US and understanding of logistics in London they are perfectly placed to deliver a service that ensures our food reaches our customers as it should.

Amazon Restaurants is initially available only in the City, West End, Westminster, Pimlico and Victoria in central London; Whitechapel, Bethnal Green, Bow, Clapton, and Homerton in the east; Islington, Stoke Newington and Stamford Hill in the north; Kensington and Chelsea in the west; and Southwark, Lambeth, Vauxhall and Kennington in south London but will be rolled out around the capital if successful.

Other restaurants on the Amazon app include eastern European specialists Baltic, Michelin-starred Mayfair Indian Benares, Japanese restaurant Kiru and Italian chain Strada.

Fleets of mopeds sporting the Just Eat, UberEAT or Deliveroo logos have become a common sight on the capitals streets as Londoners increasingly turn to delivery services rather than eating out.

Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonPrynn
T oday marks one of the most important festivals in the Islamic calendar take place, not just in London, but across the world.

Muslims around the globe are expected to turn out to celebrate Eid al-Adha, which marks the end of Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.

The holy festival is distinct from Eid al-Fitr, the annual date that comes immediately after Ramadan, which was celebrated in July.

The Feast of Sacrifice commemorates what Muslims believe was Prophet Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his son in accordance with Gods will, though God provides him with a sheep to sacrifice instead.

Want to know more about the day of celebration and prayer? Heres everything you need to know.

When is Eid al-Adha?

Just like Easter, Eid al-Adha is based on the lunar cycle, meaning it falls on a different day each year.

The timing of the festival depends on when the new moon is seen at the beginning of the Islamic calendar month of Dhu al-Hijjah.

There are varying interpretations across the globe on the exact sighting of the moon, which means that Greater Eid can fall on a different day depending on what sect, mosque or region you are in.

However, Saudi Arabias Supreme Court announced on Friday it would celebrate the festival on the September 12.

The US, Canada and the Islamic Society of North America all follow the Saudi calendar, as does the European Council of Fatwa and Research - meaning it will be celebrated on the September 12 in London.

Asian countries, however, will celebrate the Greater Eid on September 13.

Why has the timing received so much attention this year?

For weeks before the announcement, when the date was still unclear, Muslims in the US were worried Eid would coincide with the 15th anniversary of 9/11.

Communities were concerned that the festivities would be interpreted as Muslims celebrating the atrocities.

Ibrahim Hooper from The Muslim council on American-Islamic Relations, told Reuters he was concerned it might allow Islam haters to falsely claim that Muslims were celebrating on 9/11.

Some mosques even prepared to step up security for the holy day, should it have fallen on September 11, while others were planning to move their celebrations indoors.

Eid in the Square, in pictures 1 /16 Eid in the Square, in pictures

How is it celebrated?

Eid usually starts with Muslims going to the Mosque for morning prayers to thank Allah for all the blessings they have received.

It is also a time when they visit family and friends as well as offering presents and exchanging cards.

At Eid it is obligatory to give money to charity to be used to help the poor so they can join in the celebrations.

Worshippers also slaughter an animal, such as a sheep or a goat. In Pakistan alone, nearly ten million animals are slaughtered on Eid.

This, however, is not common or legal in many parts of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States or many other countries.

In these countries, groups of people may purchase a whole carcass from a butcher or slaughterhouse and divide it amongst themselves or just buy generous portions of meat for a communal meal on Eid-al-Adha.

The festival is traditionally four days long, but public holidays vary depending on the country.

Follow us on Twitter: @eslifeandstyle
A former grammar school where novelist Lawrence Durrell was a pupil is to be turned into a 350-a-night luxury Indian hotel.

The new owners of the Grade II listed Victorian building on the South Bank near Tower Bridge say they plan to bring Indian hospitality to the capital for the first time.

The 50 million hotel, in the erstwhile St Olaves Grammar School, is the first overseas venture for family-owned Lalit hotel group and is due to open later this month.

Innovations will include an Indian bread bar  known as the Naanery  serving only breads from the subcontinent such as roti and kulcha matched with wines.

A hotel bedroom

The traditional English afternoon tea will be given an Indian twist with options such as Cutting Chai tea and samosas and kathi rolls.

A restaurant in the vaulted former Great Hall where pupils once ate school dinners will showcase dishes from around India.

The basement spa will offer traditional Indian ayurvedic therapies alongside yoga.

The dining room

All staff will give the traditional Hindu namaste welcome  a respectful small bow made with palms held together  to guests. Fixtures and fittings and decorations will use Indian materials such as mother of pearl and silk.

Managing director Dr Jyotsna Suri, widow of the anglophile founder of the company, Lalit Suri, said: There has never before been an Indian brand that has come to Britain and flown its own flag under its own brand.

The Clerks bar

She said the experience at the 70-room hotel would be as authentic as possible without being too jarring. We will not be offering anglicised Indian food, it will be genuine Indian food.

The building was designed by Edward Mountford, architect of the Old Bailey, and built between 1893 and 1896. After the school moved to Kent in the late Sixties it served as a home for Lambeth College but has been empty for a decade. The hotel owners have invited Old Olavians who attended the school to get in touch.

Cool hotels in London 1 /14 Cool hotels in London Midtown cool A bedroom at the Hoxton Holborn Cocktail hour Seymour's Place at the Zetter Marylebone Cosy living Artist's Residence in Pimlico Urban chic A bathroom at the Artist's Residence Light and bright A room at Shoreditch House Supper time Cambridge Cafe, the restaurant at Artist's Residence Eccentric style A deluxe room at the Zetter Townhouse in Marylebone Hotel with a view The Mondrian London Utilitarian vibe The Ace hotel in Shoreditch Plush A four poster room at the new Zetter Smart addition A room at the new Laslett hotel in Notting Hill

The Lalit family bought the site for 15 million in 2012 and have spent more than 30 million on restoration and conversion. The former Governors Room is being turned into a cocktail bar and the headmasters study into a suite.

Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonPrynn
A 17-year-old boy is seriously injured in hospital today after he was stabbed on a busy high street.

The teenager was knifed outside a charity shop just yards from a police station in Barkingside this morning.

Emergency services raced to the scene after the attack near to the junction with Horace Road at about 8.20am.

The boy was found lying in the street with stab wounds before he was rushed to hospital by paramedics.

Pictures from the scene after the attack shows several uniformed officers standing guard at a police cordon.

Londons Air Ambulance was also scrambled.

Lawrence Kaizer posted on Twitter: An air ambulance has landed in the Barkingside area and Im hearing lots of emergency vehicles.

The teenager was taken to an east London hospital where he remains with injuries described as serious but not life-threatening, police said.

A Met Police spokesman said: Next of kin have been informed. A crime scene is in place.

No arrests have been made and enquiries continue.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We sent an ambulance crew, a single responder in a car and an incident response officer to the scene. We also dispatched Londons Air Ambulance to the scene.

"We treated a man at the scene and took him as a priority to a hospital in east London."
A church new to Fremont has found a home in the stately building at 1041 N. Nye Ave.

Renovations are under way in the former First Christian Church building and Stonebridge-Fremont plans to have a grand opening there in February.

Stonebridge Christian Church in Omaha is north of 156th and Maple streets. The Millard campus of that church, near 138th Street and Millard Avenue, opened in January.

Fremont will be the third campus.

We have been exploring many options of where to have our next campus, but Fremont has been a long-term dream of our senior leadership, said Mitch Chitwood, multisite director. We love the location. We have a lot of members in our church, currently, who live in the Fremont area and surrounding towns.

People from these areas have been driving in for church.

Having a campus closer to them in Fremont will make it easier for them to invite family and friends to come to church with them, he said.

Stonebridge is a non-denominational, Bible-teaching church.

It bought the former First Christian Church building, which has more than 15,000 square feet, in July.

We think its a wonderful church property, Chitwood said. It has a lot of great architectural heritage and we are excited to use some of the original features like pews and the arched ceilings, while bringing some new renovations to give it new life.

The church is expanding the lobby space to provide a coffee bar for fellowship. Its adding new, large restrooms for adults.

We are renovating the childrens classrooms to provide a secure, fun space for them to learn, he said.

New audio-video and lighting equipment will be installed for contemporary worship.

The church will have its own worship team with live worship songs on site.

On Sunday mornings, sermons will be live-streamed over the Internet from the Omaha campus.

Most sermons will be given by the Rev. Mark Chitwood, senior pastor.

We will hire a campus pastor, said Mitch Chitwood, who is Marks son.

Mitch leads the campus pastors.

Besides the full-time campus pastor, the church will hire a part-time worship pastor and a part-time childrens pastor.

Those three positions will lead the ministry in Fremont, while being part of the larger Stonebridge staff team.

For that grand opening in February, the church hopes to bring 150 people, adults and children, from the Omaha campus. They hope to build a team of people, who live in Fremont.

We think through multiple service times the Stonebridge-Fremont can become a church of several hundred, he said. We hope to grow and reach out to people in Fremont and the surrounding towns that do not have a church home.

We offer a creative worship experience with practical Bible teaching, all while your children are in a dynamic kids ministry program, he said.

Plans are to launch with services at 9:30 and 11 a.m.

Chitwood said plans also include launching a mid-week Wednesday night childrens program that would be called Mission Possible for those pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

Children would learn to serve in this program. Projects might include baking cookies for the police department or to send to schoolteachers.

We try to be involved in the community through our kids service projects, he said.

Response to the new church has been positive.

We have heard from several former members of First Christian, who are excited that a church will be moving in and trying to reach people in Fremont for Christ, he said.

Mitch Chitwood is an Omaha native, who went to the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota and has a theology degree. He has been on the staff at Stonebridge for four years. He and his wife, Alyssa, live in Omaha.

His father has been senior pastor at Stonebridge for 20 years.

Hes had a long-term dream to start a church in Fremont, Chitwood said. We are very excited to be fulfilling that dream.
A depraved man has been found guilty of raping a woman in a west London park during a brutal two-hour attack in broad daylight.

Aqil Ali, 31, of Mornington Road, Greenford, dragged his victim, a woman in her late 40s, into a secluded spot when he asked her for a cigarette as she made her way to work on Saturday, March 5.

The woman was attacked for more than two hours after she told Ali she didnt smoke.

Following the brutal assault, Ali stole money and fled the scene. The distressed woman raised the alarm at a nearby shop despite suffering from injuries.

Guilty: Aqil Ali, 31, was convicted of ten offences after he subjected a woman to a two hour sex attack in March. / Met Police

Detectives launched an investigation and studied CCTV footage of Ali entering and leaving the park but his face was obscured by clothing.

Ali was arrested at his home two days later after DNA matched him to the crime. He was charged with multiple sex offences including rape, kidnapping, attempted rape and theft.

On Wednesday, he was found guilty at Isleworth Crown Court following a six-day trial. Sentencing will take place at the same court on Wednesday, October 12.

Detective Inspector Neil John of Sexual Offences Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, paid tribute to the victim for her bravery following the verdict.

"I must firstly express my thanks and admiration for the victim. Despite all that she has endured she has had the courage to give evidence that has seen her attacker brought to justice."

"Be in no doubt, this was a truly horrific crime. Ali was brutal and vicious, and carried out a sustained attack on a woman who was innocently making her way to work.

I am both pleased and relieved that he has been convicted and that he will now be made to face the consequences of his own cruelty and depravity."
L ondoners were today urged to look out for brothels on their street as a government watchdog called for the public to help rescue women held as slaves and forced to sell sex.

Kevin Hyland, the independent anti-slavery commissioner, said sex workers in the capital were being beaten, raped and sometimes starved by the men controlling them in a form of human slavery that was blighting the capital.

He praised the Met for stepping up its efforts to combat the problem but told the Standard: Its up to the public to come forward.

"People who live in a street where there is a brothel operating will see obvious signs of numerous women arriving, young women often, they may arrive escorted, they may be there late at night, there will be people regularly coming to the door.

Mr Hyland revealed the Met is on course to identify about 1,000 people held as slaves in London this year.

As well as in the sex industry, others are being used as domestic servants or as forced labour in factories, building sites, car washes or other locations.

He also urged ministers to eject foreign diplomats found to be keeping staff in slave conditions and to implement reforms intended to make it easier for victims to escape abusive employers.

But his strongest comments were on the need for the public to help the police uncover brothels and flats used for prostitution. He said: A lot of these premises set up on residential streets and people see these things and sometimes wonder what they should do.

"They should contact the police or, if they dont feel comfortable with that, contact the local authority or one of the non-government organisations or the modern slavery helpline.

Mr Hyland said brothel customers should also be alert to the risk that the prostitutes there were victims of slavery. He said criminal gangs were making millions of pounds from sexual exploitation, with networks stretching across Europe and beyond.

The cases of sexual exploitation are not reducing, he said.

If you look at the availability of women, the very many countries of origin, the intelligence from law enforcement agencies of other countries, there are organised criminal gangs who have established themselves well in the UK with markets for sexual exploitation and prostitution.

"Many would say its shocking and a horror that this goes on. It is but its a credit to the Met that they are identifying it and taking action.

"They are seeing that this is one of the most serious crimes in the capital.

Mr Hyland said more than 3,000 potential slavery victims had been identified nationwide last year and numbers were still rising.

The figures in the Met are significantly up  they are running at almost 500 cases in the first seven months so they are going to be close to 1,000 cases this year, he said.

Theresa May introduced a Modern Slavery Act last year in her previous role as Home Secretary.

There have been 189 slavery prosecutions since the legislation came into effect and a 40 per cent rise in victims referred for support.
T his was the scene after a cash machine was blown up by raiders at a petrol station in west London.

A loud explosion ripped open the ATM and left debris strewn across the forecourt in the early hours of this morning in Hounslow.

The suspects blew up the cashpoint and made off with the contents before police arrived at the scene.

Officers were alerted to the raid by shocked locals who were woken up by the explosion at about 2am.

The cashpoint was blown up leaving debris strewn across the petrol station forecourt / Darren Graham Photography

Detectives from the Met Polices Flying Squad have launched an investigation into the robbery at the BP petrol station in Staines Road, Bedfont.

The petrol station was cordoned off by police today as officers investigated.

It is one of a spate of recent cashpoint raids across London.

On Saturday, a cash machine in Heath Road, Twickenham, was blown up and robbed of its contents shortly before 2.45am, police said.

Officers are investigating and no arrests have been made.

While in mid-August, a gang led police on a dramatic chase through the streets of west London after a cashpoint ram raid in the lobby of a hotel, also in Hounslow.

A Met Police spokesman said: At 1.55am on Wednesday, 7 September, police were informed that suspects had exploded an ATM at a petrol station on Staines Road, stealing the contents before fleeing the scene prior to police attendance

There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

Any witnesses or anyone with any information is urged to contact the Flying Squad in Putney via 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
A London deputy headteacher with leukaemia today appealed for people to register as stem cell donors and save someones life.

Venessa Taylor, 48, was forced to give up her job at a primary school in Hackney after finding out she had cancer in February.

Suffering from extreme fatigue and back pain, doctors thought she had glandular fever but a blood test revealed the devastating truth and she was admitted to hospital the same day.

The mother of three now needs a transplant from someone with the same tissue-type to stay alive, but her brothers and sisters are only half matches so she needs an anonymous blood stem cell donor.

Her heritage is Afro-Caribbean and she is urging Londoners with a similar background to sign up. All they have to do is provide a saliva sample to join the Anthony Nolan register.

She said: There is a huge lack of awareness about stem cell donation within our community and I want to help change that.

If you have an opportunity to save someones life in such a simple way, why wouldnt you do it?

Please take the time to join the register as it could be one of the most important things you do.

About 2,000 people in the UK need a stem cell transplant from a stranger every year. Charities Anthony Nolan and DKMS are urging donors to sign up  especially those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Only around one in five BAME transplant recipients receive the best match. This compares with the average of three in five out of the total number of recipients.

Speaking during Organ Donation Week, Ms Taylor, who has taught in the borough and in Haringey for more than 20 years, added: Its been hard not to be able to work.

I tried to keep going and worked on a laptop from hospital. Unfortunately I cant be around the schoolchildren because my immune system is so low. My colleagues have been really supportive and visit regularly as well as booking me a surprise spa weekend.

Her main concern is her seven-year-old daughter Raia, who is being looked after by her family.

Ms Taylor, who also has two grown-up daughters Shenna and Mari, said: Im spending as much time with her [Raia] as I can, though I have to take one day at a time.

For further information, visit anthonynolan.org and dkms.org.uk
M ore than 70 firefighters are tackling a huge blaze that has broken out at a block of flats in Brixton.

Emergency services were called to Garland House in Hicken Road shortly before 7pm after the fire broke out.

A spokeswoman for London Ambulance Service said nobody was injured during the blaze.

Kathryn Jeffery, 30, was walking home when she saw the fire take hold.

She told the Standard: "I walk up Brixton Hill on my way home from work, and I was walking along next to Olive Morris House.

Blaze: The fire broke out at a block of flats in Brixton (@TomMcArthur ) / @TomMcArthur

"I heard this bang and looked round and there was smoke pouring out of a first floor flat, and flames as well.

"There were no fire engines around, I was looking in my phone for my bag to call the fire brigade, but another girl had her phone in her hand and she called them.

"We'd just seen it explode, it must have been going for a while to build up that heat, I think we heard the window exploding."

Miss Jeffery, a womenswear designer who lives in Brixton Hill, said the fire brigade arrived within about four minutes, but the flames had already taken hold.

"In the time we waited for the fire brigade to turn up it had spread onto the balcony, it spread really quickly.

Blaze: Police, fire and ambulance crews have been called to Hicken Road in Brixton

"Other people in the flats I don't think realised what was going on, people were coming to the balconies, and people were shouting 'get out, get out!'

"At least one who side of the block was on fire, it was horrific.

"The first floor was where it started and there were four or five storeys.

"By the time I left they'd managed to put most of it out, the firemen were in the flats."

Video taken from the scene shows the fire has spread across different floors with black smoke billowing from the building.

Journalist Reena Kumar, who lives in Brixton, captured footage of the burning building.

Huge blaze: smoke from the fire could be seen for miles around / Alex Dean

She told the Standard: "I think it's a five storey block of flats and it looked like it had started on the first floor.

"It had gone up all the way to the top of the building, it was pretty horrific.

"Massive plumes of smoke were pouring out, everyone was standing around in horror, window panes were falling from the windows.

"The whole thing was pretty much on fire, there were sirens going up and down, I just hope no-one was in there at the time, it was pretty scary."

Fire hydrant: Traffic was stopped on Brixton Hill as firefighters tackled the blaze / Himaya Quasem

Himaya Quasem was walking her son home from nursery when she saw the flames.

The 35-year-old journalist, who lives in Brixton Hill, told the Standard: "I just saw lots of black billowing clouds in contrast with the bright blue sky.

"There was lots and lots of smoke billowing as I was walking towards the scene, which is opposite where I live.

"They'd opened a hydrant on the corner of my street, and all the water was pouring out.

"The hose was cutting across Brixton Hill Road, and all the cars had to stop and turn back around."

Alex Dean, a 22-year-old journalist who also lives in Brixton Hill told the Evening Standard he got off the Tube in Brixton at about 6.30pm, and saw the fire as he started walking home.

"I started walking up and there was just this massive plume of smoke, like a cartoon or something, it just didn't look real.

"There was literally nothing else it could be but an enormous fire.

"I got within a hundred metres of the fire and all the air was really smokey - as I got closer and closer the air got smokier and smokier.

"There was just this big red fire and hoses coming at it from all angles."

A fire brigade spokesman said ten engines and 72 firefighters and officers were sent to tackle the blaze after LFB received reports that people were trapped inside the block of flats on Hicken Road in Brixton.

He said the fire had engulfed the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the seven-storey block of flats, and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were sent in to search the building.

The fire badly damaged a second floor flat before spreading externally to the balconies of the floors above, the Brigade said, adding that the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Station Manager Jason Jones said: "When firefighters arrived the fire was fully developed and very visible. The initial fire crews worked incredibly hard to fight the fire quickly and limit the damage internally. Thankfully there are no reports of any injuries."
A Chinese airline today caused outrage after an inflight magazine told passengers to the UK to avoid ethnic minority areas in London.

A passage in the current edition of Wings of China, the publication distributed on Air China, Asias third largest airline, warns London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people.

We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling.

The phrase is repeated in both Mandarin and English in the magazines feature on the capital.

The "racist" article shocked one Chinese journalist, Haze Fan, on a flight in China so much she tweeted a picture of it to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan asking him what he thought.

She said her Londoner fiancee felt its rather insulting.

An excerpt from the magazine's feature on visiting London

Now politicians are demanding an apology and that the phrase is removed from the publication by the airline, which flies twice daily between London and Beijing.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting, which has one of the largest Indian and Pakistani populations in London, said: My initial thoughts were that the comments were outrageous.

I think that it is offensive to Londoners and I would like to see it removed. I would also like to ask the airline why they thought these precautions needed to be taken.

Why they feel they needed to warn people of something that is not reflective of London at all?

Journalist Haze Fan sent this tweet to the Mayor asking for his view

I think it is offensive to all Londoners, not just the ethnic minorities mentioned.

We pride ourselves on having a wonderfully diverse community, and this may mean people come here with a different idea, it is worrying that some may arrive concerned.

I am going to be writing to the Chinese Ambassador to invite him to visit Tooting in London, where all races live side by side. Then they can see how we live and our wonderfully diverse community.

Lambeth and Southwark London assembly member Florence Eshalomi told the Standard that you couldnt make up these outdated and near-on racist views.

She said: I keep thinking, is this 2016?

We want people who embrace our diversity and different culture - that is the make-up of London.

If airlines have a problem with that then we dont want them in London.

We would love to offer Chinese tourists a tour of areas like Peckham, Brixton and Newham where they would be welcomed with open arms by our diverse communities.

A spokesman from civil rights campign group Hope Not Hate spokesman said: If true, these comments are crassly ill-informed and offensive, and simply peddle to outrageous stereotypes.

It beggars belief to understand how they could have been written in the first place.

They should be removed immediately. Londoners deserve an apology.

Air China failed to respond to requests for comment.
H is Royal Highness the Prince of Wales officially reopened Shadwell fire station today in celebration of the Brigades 150th anniversary.

As part of the celebratory event, Prince Charles also handed the keys of a de-commissioned fire engine over to the High Commissioner of Malta, who will be sending it to the island of Gozo for use by a team of volunteer firefighters who work for the Emergency Rescue Response Corps (ERRC) charity.

There has been a fire station on Cable Street, where the new station is situated, since 1937, although the history of firefighting in Shadwell dates back to the 1800s, when a parish pump was situated at St Pauls churchyard.

The Prince was given a tour of the new state-of-the-art station, which was built as part of a Private Finance Initiative, and met with the firefighters and officers who work there.

He also presented certificates of commendation to eight firefighters in recognition of their life-saving actions at the scene of a serious fire in Walthamstow in April 2015.

The crews quickly extinguished the fire, rescued a man from inside the flat, which was extremely difficult given the amount of smoke inside the property, and gave him first aid, which ultimately saved his life.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales said: Nothing could give me more pleasure than to open Shadwell Fire Station. My warmest congratulations to all of those who are involved on a day-to-day basis in helping to keep London safe.

"I think we are incredibly lucky to have people like yourselves who are prepared to carry out these very difficult tasks and rescues at appalling fires. Thank you for everything that you do in this city."

Fire safety: Prince Charles meets local school children and Mr Noisy the smoke alarm during his visit to Shadwell Fire Station / LFB

Fire investigator, Paul Osborne, met His Royal Highness, and introduced him to fire investigation dog, Sherlock.

He said: "It was very humbling to meet a member of Royalty, a real privilege and an honour.

"His Royal Highness was very interested in Sherlock's role and the fact that arson is still used as a weapon and that thanks to Sherlock, a number of custodial sentences have been brought about.

"Sherlock was very well behaved and didn't run around too much. Luckily he's a very placid dog, but I think he gave the Prince a lick."

London Fire Commissioner, Ron Dobson, added: Im thrilled that His Royal Highness is helping us to celebrate our 150th anniversary, which is momentous occasion for all at the Brigade.

There have been firefighters in London since the great fire of 1666, but it was only in 1866 that the London Fire Brigade was officially formed.

"That 150 years has seen vast improvements in how we tackle fires and the number of fires in London is now at an all time low. We look forward to welcoming further advancements and seeing the number of fires and associated injuries and deaths fall even lower.
L ondons most celebrated nightclub Fabric has been permanently shut down because of a culture of drug use leading to the deaths of two teens.

Islington Council ordered the club to close following a six-hour review that ended in the early hours of this morning.

The review was sparked by the deaths of 18-year-olds Ryan Browne and Jack Crossley who died after taking drugs at the club on June 26 and August 6.

The meeting heard both consumed MDMA in the nightclub and purchased drugs inside the venue.

Both men and their friends had been able to enter the club with drugs concealed on them.

During an undercover police operation in between the two deaths, officers witnessed open drug use and drugs being offered for sale.

The 2,500-capacity venue had survived an earlier review ordered by police in 2014 after four other deaths from drugs since 2011.

The world-famous club, which opened in 1999, had received support from leading musicians including BBC Radio presenters Annie Mac and Pete Tong, superstar DJs Carl Cox and Fatboy Slim, rapper Professor Green, and groups the Chemical Brothers and Groove Armada.

But Islington Councils licensing committee has now ordered its licence to be revoked permanently.

Chairman of the Night Time Industries Association speaking after the closing of Fabric (London Live)

The head of the committee councillor Flora Williamson said: A culture of drug use exists at the club which the existing management and security appears incapable of controlling.

Staff intervention and security was grossly inadequate in light of the overwhelming evidence that it was abundantly obvious that patrons in the club were on drugs and manifesting symptoms showing that they were. This included sweating, glazed red eyes and staring into space and people asking for help.

Councillor Williamson added: The problems that manifested themselves at the 2014 review have not been addressed adequately resulting in further tragedy and crime.

Director of the club Cameron Leslie had appealed to the committee to allow them to stay open.

He told the meeting: I cannot contest strongly enough the notion that Fabric is a safe haven for drugs.

My co-founder Keith Reilly stood-up to a significant organised crime organisation when we first opened who wanted to run drugs into this club.

"He had to move his family out of their home and had to wear a bullet-proof vest for a month. So we know very well the real life challenges that are involved in running a clean venue in London.

We take our responsibilities very seriously and the notion we somehow shield this activity is shameful and I would go as far to say libellous.

We wholeheartedly do not accept the police stance of endemic failure. We believe this has been a gross, unfair misrepresentation of the team and the evolving operation that has managed the 6.75 million people this past 17 years and is the equivalent of two Glastonbury festivals in central London each year.

We have the highest annual security bill and ratio of security guards to patrons of any venue in the UK.

Some 60 supporters, many who were staff at the club, filled the public gallery, many left in tears and gathered on the steps outside after the verdict.

Among them was Alex Proud, owner of rival nightclub Proud Camden, who told the Standard: This is a disaster for Londons clubbing scene and our nightlife. It hangs a great big closed sign to the world and makes London look horribly insular today. Fabric was a gold standard in how well-run it was.

Its a dangerous, disastrous decision for London nightlife.

Alan Miller of the Night Time Industries Association told the crowd: This is not the end of the story. This is just the beginning. We are going to call on people to contribute funds in a grassroots national movement to lobby their MP and councillors to say enough is enough.

If it wasnt for places like Fabric we would have none of our cultural assets - where we get inspired, where we fall in love. We are going to challenge this. It is unacceptable. We are going to put a crowdfunder statement out and we are going self-finance and support a fund to fight for fabric and everyone in the industry because when they come for you they come for all of us.

Electronic duo Chase and Status tweeted describing the decision as an absolute disgrace and called on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to overturn it.

They added: Our culture has been torn apart with the closing of @fabriclondon and every club with serious history and importance in London #FabricReview

Islington police should be ashamed of themselves for this vendetta against @fabriclondon

Left in the hands of these people with the power to revoke licences but who have no real understanding of the topic or culture, its archaic.

This s**t, its the early 90s garbage again - the law demonising clubs and raves with an archaic view on drugs and the youth. Disgusting.

A spokesman for the nightclub said: "Fabric is extremely disappointed with Islington Councils decision to revoke our license. This is an especially sad day for those who have supported us, particularly the 250 staff who will now lose their jobs. Closing fabric is not the answer to the drug-related problems clubs like ours are working to prevent, and sets a troubling precedent for the future of Londons night time economy.
S adiq Khan has said he is disappointed thousands of Londoners will lose out on nightlife after iconic club Fabric was permanently shut down.

The Mayor of London this morning reacted to Islington Councils controversial decision to revoke the superclubs licence because of a culture of drug use.

He said the concerns faced by Fabric part of a wider problem and the decline of Londons nightlife must stop.

The Farringdon nightclub was ordered to close following a six hour review by the council last night which ended in the early hours of the morning.

Chairman of the Night Time Industries Association speaking after the closing of Fabric (London Live)

The licence review was sparked after 18-year-olds Ryan Browne and Jack Crossley died after taking drugs at the club on June 26 and August 6.

In a statement posted this morning, Mr Khan expressed his disappointment that the club, council and police did not find a way to keep the club open and safe.

Over the last eight years London has lost 50 per cent of its nightclubs and 40 per cent of its live music and this decline must stop, Mr Khan said.

Londons iconic clubs are an essential part of our cultural landscape, he said.

Clubbing needs to be safe but Im disappointed that Fabric, Islington Council and the Metropolitan Police were unable to reach agreement on how to address concerns about public safety.

As a result of this decision, thousands of people who enjoyed going to Fabric as an essential part of London's nightlife will lose out.

The issues faced by Fabric point to a wider problem of how we protect Londons night-time economy, while ensuring it is safe and enjoyable for everyone.

Progress 1000: Sadiq Khan on being named an influential Londoner, night Tube and Fabric's closure

Last month Mr Khan announced he was hunting for a night czar, who would receive a 35,000 salary in exchange for work to boost the citys night time economy.

I am in the process of appointing a Night Czar who will bring together key stakeholders including club and venue owners, local authorities, the Metropolitan Police and members of the public," he said.

No single organisation or public body can solve these problems alone  we all need to work together to ensure London thrives as a 24-hour city, in a way that is safe and enjoyable for everyone.

'Exciting new chapter': Sadiq Khan rides the first service of the night tube as part of a bid to create a night time economy / Reuters

But some people have hit out at his statement on social media, calling them "cheap words" and saying they feel let down by the London mayor.

Helen Bosher said: I voted for you Mr Khan, on the basis of your policy to save London's nightlife.

Many, many people I know did the same. We feel bitterly let down that after the election you reveal you have no power to change the decision made by Islington Council and the police.

I feel my vote was based on lies and we have been betrayed. Fabric is an institution. Too little, too late from you.

Ashley Chipchase said: What good is a Night Czar if there are no venues left? All we are going to be left with is overpriced bars.

Others have asked whether the venue will be up for redevelopment.

But Jack Marshall defending Mr Khan: In a democracy a politician cant just do as they please, there are still checks and balances to go through.

The fact that a mayor would talk about protecting clubbing at all is quite revolutionary.

London DJs had launched a petition, signed by nearly 150,000 people, calling on the mayor and Islington Council to save the club.
T raders at Shepherds Bush Market were celebrating today after bitterly contested plans for a 150 million modernisation were scrapped.

The owners of the 102-year-old market, known for its fabric shops and stalls, have written to traders confirming that the proposed scheme is no longer being pursued.

The decision follows a defeat for developers Orion Land & Leisure in the Court of Appeal earlier this year over a compulsory purchase order it said was needed to make the redevelopment viable.

Orion had planned to build more than 200 flats next to the market in Goldhawk Road and use the profits to pay for an overhaul of the rundown site alongside a railway viaduct.

However, traders said the proposals  which secured planning consent from the former Conservative regime at Hammersmith and Fulham council in April 2014  did not provide adequate safeguards for their future.

Orion has now agreed to hand over day-to-day control of Shepherds Bush Market to its joint venture partners, property regeneration company U+I. A spokesman for the company said it would enter talks with traders and the now Labour-run council about a new vision for the market.

James Horada, chairman of the Shepherds Bush Market Tenants Association, said: Theres been a lot of wrongs caused over the past two and a half years. We are now looking to this company U+I to right all those wrongs.

The proposals were to the detriment of the tenants, thats the real crux of the matter. Hopefully sensible proposals can now be brought forward to help the existing businesses.

Ali Rehman, 19, who has worked on his fruit and veg stall for three years, said: We are right at the front of the market so the fact that the plans have been dropped is massively beneficial for us. We are very happy. This stall has been here for a total of 40 years and we can now keep going.

Raj Rotak, 57, who has worked as a clothing trader in Shepherds Bush for 23 years, said: I feel a lot better now I know it is not going ahead, all of us traders worked together for a long time  about four years  to make sure this didnt happen.

Everyone will be so pleased that we won. My family and I will continue to trade here for as long as we can.

But Paul Bardini, 62, who has worked on his linen stall since he was 17 years old, said: I myself was actually for the development  the market is in a state and it needs private investment a great deal.

A spokesman for the developers said: Orion have agreed to hand over the day to day management of the scheme to U+I.
Friday is a special day for elementary students in Arlington.

Its the first day of a new program designed to teach students about saving for their future

According to Arlington Future Business Leaders of America (AFBLA) advisor, Shawna Koger, this will get students to think about saving at a young age which is a skill they will use for a lifetime.

This project is a collaboration by the students and Two Rivers Bank and will be open for business after Fridays 8 a.m. ribbon cutting. Sept. 9.

Several years ago Two Rivers Bank and myself met to look into this program as a way to teach personal finance concepts at the elementary level, Koger said. Recently, the bank and school began finalizing the steps necessary to make this partnership a reality.

Kroger said signups are currently underway and will end one week prior to the banks opening.

According to Koger, students in grades K-12 may voluntarily enroll in the project.

The bank will be open each Friday morning from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. in the lunchroom, she said. Students who deposit on opening day, September 9, will receive a match up to $5 from Two Rivers Bank.

She also said that instead of traditional interest, students will earn interest in the form of prizes.

Prizes range from bouncy balls to Frisbees, with those accumulating $150 receiving a Bank in School t-shirt, she said. Students will deposit money until 6th grade graduation. At graduation, the students will receive a check from the bank with the amount accumulated.

The bank program will staffed by Future Business Leaders of America members.

They will serve as the bank tellers, Koger said. Each teller completed a job application, went through an interview with the bank, and will be conducting teller training tomorrow with the bank. Tellers will accept transactions on Friday morning with support from Two Rivers Bank Employees. They will then be responsible for balancing each account. They will also distribute prizes to students who meet certain milestones.

This program is a great way to promote savings and goal setting, she said. It is a great conversation starter for families regarding money. Programs such as these bring financial literacy awareness and give students the opportunity to put goal setting in action at a young age.
W e know Brexit means Brexit, but what does that mean? Government departments have begun arguing about the definition of the word  and are now to be joined by lexicographers. The Londoner learns that the inclusion of the word Brexit in the Oxford English Dictionary is imminent.

Brexit has not yet been published in the OED but we are preparing an entry, Fiona McPherson, senior editor at the OED told us yesterday. We are researching and preparing the text. With some 600,000 entries, the OED calls itself the definitive record of the English language, and updates quarterly the next due this month.

Brexit, fittingly, will slot in somewhere between brew and brie. But who decides the definition? Even the OED has its own internal Brexit committees. It is a group of people... there are various editorial checks, McPherson told us. Entries are based on evidence in texts. Would there be arguments? We are guided by what we find, says McPherson, gnomically. If there is some debate in the way people use that word, then the definition should reflect that debate.

Meanwhile, Lynda Mugglestone, Professor of the History of English at Oxford University, said it could be a long entry. Brexit is going to need lots of sub-senses to do it full justice, said Prof Mugglestone, an expert in dictionaries.

While Brexit Secretary David Davis gave an unenlightenting statement in the Commons on Monday, Mugglestone thinks the OED can do better. The one definition which wont appear in the OED is Brexit, since this breaks one of the cardinal rules of lexicography  you cant define a word by itself, she said. Take note, Theresa.

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The Londoner was saddened to miss the launch of Speaking Out, a memoir by Ed Balls, last night. Unfortunately, despite our early insistence (since June 2015!) that he should go on Strictly Come Dancing, our invitation must have got lost in the post. Evidently George Osborne received his. The former Chancellor was among the guests, who also included some of Ballss fellow Strictly celebrities. Is George planning his own foray onto the floor?

Simpson was second choice for the BBC

As a new year of freshers head off to university, those fearing for their future careers should rest easy with a recollection from war correspondent John Simpson, who joined the BBC after graduating.

My director of studies, a good friend, had written one of those supportive letters to the BBC, Simpson writes in BA High Life, which bore as little relationship to my abilities as such letters usually do  hed apparently said he expected me to get a good first.

He promptly earned a 2:2. But no one actually got round to asking me if Id got the promised first. Were sure the BBC has no regrets.

Tackling the tusk at hand

There was an elephant in the room last night, literally, as designer Nicholas Oakwell presented his new couture collection at Claridges yesterday, with Lady Alice Manners and Lady Kitty Spencer on hand and warming up for the forthcoming London Fashion Week.

Emma McQuiston, Viscountess of Weymouth, must have felt right at home with her tusked pal. She lives at Longleat House in Wiltshire with her husband Ceawlin Thynn, the Viscount Weymouth, with the grounds serving as a much-loved safari park housing giraffes, lions and one rescued circus elephant.

Tang and Gill have a food fight

A vital battle was fought last night, on slightly biased ground. The China Exchange, in Sohos Chinatown, hosted a debate that sought to decide which was superior: pasta or noodles.

With businessman Sir David Tang and Chinese chef Ken Hom in the noodle corner, and critic A A Gill and Italian foodie Giorgio Locatelli backing pasta, tensions were high. The difference is that pasta is eaten by happy smiley people having fun with people they love or fancy and are about to shag, Gill insisted. Noodles are eaten by people who have no friends.

Tang was livid. I have never heard so much horse manure in my life, he said. We dont eat noodles on our own. We slurp noodles round a table together all the time... We can eat noodles with two sticks  they need a fork with four prongs. So we must be twice as clever. Seems logical.

At one point it got more heated than a Pot Noodle. David, shut up, Gill remarked at one point. Youre making a fool of yourself. Shut up.

But rudeness didnt win out: noodles were crowned the winner with a show of hands, although Tangs wife Lucy betrayed David with a vote for pasta.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond voted with his fork: a Pimlico pal spotted him dining at delectable Italian Enoteca Turi last night.

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News reaches The Londoner of something of a manifesto, or at least a womanifesto. Catherine Mayer, co-founder of the Womens Equality Party, is to release a new book on gender inequality and the emergence of the political movement she co-founded with Sandi Toksvig. Nattily entitled Attack of the Fifty Foot Women, it will be released in the spring. Surely a giant success?

Shirley counts the cost

Congratulations to Shirley Conran, who received an honorary fellowship from UCL in maths yesteday. The author of Wonderwoman received the accolade for her campaign against female maths anxiety.

When Conran realised shed lost 2 million from the proceeds of her book Lace, which she had entrusted accountants and bankers to invest, she was spurred into action. Stockbrokers, accountants, banks  they all took their slice, she said  so she put a stop to it. I was brought up with the Victorian belief that ladies didnt handle money. I learnt the hard way. The former fashion editor launched Maths Action, a non-profit aimed at improving maths performance. Girls cannot spend like the Kardashians, she warned. We cant see the Kardashians agreeing.

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Initials of the day: Christians on the Left tweeted comments from JC last night, before clarifying: Were using JC for comments from Jeremy Corbyn, not Jesus Christ.
C heaper Australian wine could flood into Britain after Brexit, the countrys trade minister signalled today.

Steven Ciobo said the cost could fall after the UK quits the European Union if a free trade agreement is signed between the two countries.

Ending EU import duty on wine could slash between 10p to 15p off the cost of a litre of wine, according to government body Wine Australia.

Asked on BBC radio whether consumers could benefit from cheaper Australian wine, Mr Ciobo said: Look, absolutely. Cheap Australian wine I think is a good fringe benefit of a FTA (free trade agreement) if we are able to put one in place.

His comments are likely to spark concerns among French and other EU wine producers that their exports to Britain could be hit if their countries get embroiled in tariff wars with the UK.

Bromley and Chislehurst Conservative MP Bob Neill, secretary of the all-party parliamentary group on France, said: Im very happy to have the duty go down on Australian wine. But I would like to make sure that we get a deal that we dont have tariffs on French wine either.

He added that Mr Ciobos remarks highlighted the risks for France, Germany and other EU nations of seeking to clobber the City in Brexit arrangements which could spark retaliatory measures from the UK.

It exposes the dangers of tit-for-tat in those sort of things, he said.

Leading Brexiteers have argued that Berlin and Paris will seek to maintain free trade as far as possible with Britain to avoid damaging their industries.

But remainers fear that EU leaders and Brussels may seek to punish the UK so as not to encourage other countries to quit the union.

Wine Australia estimates the cost of EU import duty on Australian wine exports to the UK at more than 42 million Australian dollars (24 million) in 2015. If the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, these duties by default would no longer apply and, as such, level the playing field, it said.

Britain is Australias number one export destination by volume at 247 million litres last year, it added.

The two countries are to hold preliminary discussions about a post-Brexit deal, explained Mr Ciobo.

He believes that strong historical bonds mean talks could be completed quite quickly . The Australian wine industry is the worlds fourth largest exporter, with approximately 750 million litres a year sent to the international market.

The Chancellor today met members of the new European Financial Services Chairmens Advisory Committee ahead of the UKs Brexit talks.
C huka Umunna is to stand for election as chair of the home affairs select committee, it emerged today.

The former shadow business secretary and current committee member is putting his name forward to replace Keith Vaz, who stepped down yesterday after he was exposed allegedly paying male prostitutes for sex.

A Labour source said the Streatham MP was putting his name forward having received strong encouragement from both sides of the House.

He is said to have the support of fellow Labour MPs David Winnick and Naz Shah, who are both members of the influential Commons committee.

Sex claims: MP Keith Vaz / John Stillwell/PA Wire

Mr Vazs departure means there is currently no black or minority ethnic background select committee chair and Mr Umunna is said to believe that there should be at least one.

Tory MP Tim Loughton took over as acting chair of the committee when Mr Vaz resigned yesterday.

A Labour MP will take the permanent position because of rules governing the allocation of committee chairmanships.

Married father-of-two Mr Vaz quit his position after the Sunday Mirror reporter that he had paid for the services of two males escorts from eastern Europe at his flat in north-west London.

Keith Vaz quits Home Affairs Select Committee

The Leicester East MP is claimed to have asked one to bring party drug poppers and to have offered to pay for cocaine, while stating he did not want to use it himself.

He stood down stressing that the committees work, which includes carrying out an inquiry into prostitution, must continue without any distractions whatsoever.

Mr Umunna was a candidate in the 2015 Labour leadership election but dropped out of the race quickly blaming the pressure of media scrutiny.
A former health minister today criticised an NHS trust for re-employing its under-fire boss on a 240,000 salary a week after she quit saying her position was untenable.

Norman Lamb said it was deeply concerning that a new role had been created for Katrina Percy, who was in charge of Southern Health when it failed to investigate the deaths of hundreds of patients with mental illness or learning disabilities.

The BBC revealed today that the trust had given the job to Ms Percy without advertising it, and was paying her the same salary to provide strategic advice to local GP leaders.

She said she was delighted to be taking on an alternative role with the trust.

BBC South reveals Southern Health created new job for Katrina Percy

Liberal Democrat MP Mr Lamb said: Reports that she will move into another well-paid job advising GPs on strategy are deeply concerning, and will aggravate the sense of injustice felt by the families of those who lost their lives.

Southern, which runs community and mental health services in Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, has been under intense scrutiny since a report last December found it had failed to probe hundreds of deaths since 2011.

In June it admitted responsibility for the death of 18-year-old Connor Sparrowhawk, who drowned in a bath in one of its facilities in 2013 after suffering an epileptic fit.

In April, the Care Quality Commission warned that Southern was still failing to protect patients from risk of harm.

Dr Maureen Rickman, whose sister died while in Southerns care, said the reappointment of Ms Percy was completely outrageous.

She said: She should be axed from Southern Health altogether, end of. There shouldnt be a sideways move, that shouldnt be an option at all.

Mark Aspinall, who quit as a Southern governor, said: The idea that the role has been created purely to move Katrina Percy sideways seems very strange.

Southerns interim chairman Tim Smart, who left Kings College hospital NHS trust in London last year after it descended into financial crisis, admitted the job did not exist previously and that Ms Percy was the only candidate.

He denied it was a fix, saying: That is not the case. The case is that over the next few months the work that weve asked Katrina to do needed to be done in any event.
P hilippa Brown

Chief executive, Omnicom Media Group UK

An announcement in March that 80 per cent of Omnicoms UK management teams had met a 40 per cent target for women employees will have been music to the ears of the firms chief executive. Brown has proved to women in a tough sector that it is possible to reach the top and have a family. She once said that things never really got on top of her because she wouldnt let them. No wonder Omnicom has flourished under her cool-headed leadership.

Karen Blackett

Chairwoman, MediaCom UK

Promoted to chairwoman last December, Blackett remains a rare exception in the ad industrys white male-dominated upper echelons. In March she was appointed president of NABS, the non-profit organisation which supports well-being among advertising and media professionals. Blackett is a passionate believer in bringing fresh talent into the industry, in London and elsewhere in the UK.

Nick Theakstone

UK chief executive, GroupM

It is the people that make advertising a great industry to work in, says Theakstone, whose drive and passion for the sector is impossible to ignore. He is known as a tough negotiator and has led GroupMs British business to huge growth. A keen cyclist, Theakstone uses time in the saddle to clear his head and resolve challenges.

Amanda Morrissey

Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Media, UK

Publicis sprang something of a surprise when it made an external appointment to fill the role of UK chief executive in April. Not only that, Morrissey came from WPPs digital agency AKQA, rather than a traditional media agency  perhaps a sign of the times. She is said to inspire huge loyalty among employees for her look-em-in-the-eye, no-nonsense approach and ability to drive transformation for her clients.

Tracy De Groose

UK chief executive, Dentsu Aegis Network

Two years into the job and De Groose is shaking things up at Dentsu Aegis, having launched a standalone digital agency staffed primarily by people from disadvantaged backgrounds. De Groose argued it remained hard for such individuals to join existing agencies because they were too often seen as different. The launch of Fortysix was a bold attempt to level the playing field.

Paul Frampton

Chief executive, Havas Media Group UK & Ireland

Having unified management teams across Havas Media Group UK as managing director, Frampton was promoted to chief executive in February. Regarded as a visionary leader, he sees action over rhetoric as the key to resolving concerns about trust in the media. However much technology has changed the world, he maintains that creativity is still the key to developing meaningful brands.

Sir John Hegarty

Co-founder, Bartle Bogle Hegarty

He may have been disappointed by the outcome of the referendum, but Sir John has expressed optimism more broadly about the opportunities presented by the revolution in digital technology. This year he noted that advertising and communication lay at the forefront of that revolution and argued that human creativity  not big data  would continue to be the key to engaging audiences.

Johnny Hornby

Founder, chief executive and chairman, The&Partnership

It is a decade since Hornby realised that a full-service agency, rather than a pure ad agency, was what his clients really wanted. He says that marketing today is more fascinating than ever thanks to the advances in digital data and content. Clients want all-round solutions. The result is that maths men are as important as mad men in the ad and marketing business.

Roland Rudd

Founder and chairman, Finsbury

As treasurer of the Stronger In campaign, Rudd  whose sister Amber is now Home Secretary  played a key role during the EU referendum battle and will have been disappointed by the result. Still, life goes on and the master PR man, who celebrated his silver wedding in June, will continue to be in high demand. Finsbury advised Shell during its acquisition of BG Group  and the firm is only one of a host of top clients.

Ed Williams

UK chief executive, Edelman

Having served the BBC as director of communications, Williams was appointed UK chief executive at Edelman five years ago. He has overseen major changes at the worlds biggest PR agency, with the disbandment this year of the UK firms standalone digital team in favour of embedding digital specialists across the business. But Williams remains an advocate of the power of print, claiming that the rise of technology does not on its own lead to reduced attention spans.

Carl Fysh

Chief executive, Purple Entertainment

Purple Entertainment has an unbeatable roster of music stars, including Adele and Beyonce. It also works in fashion, property and the arts. Fysh was made chief executive this year, having perfected a modern approach to music PR. Before that, he was in Eighties boyband Brother Beyond.

Sir Alan Parker

Founder and chairman, Brunswick

Brunswick enjoyed a bumper pay day for advising BG Group during its acquisition by Shell. Its founder, Sir Alan, who will next year celebrate three decades at the helm, remains at the top of the tree when it comes to global, financial PR. Master of the big-event fundraiser, he is also chair of trustees at Save the Children International.

Bernard Doherty

Founder and chief executive, LD Communications

Doherty, Sir Mick Jaggers long-term publicist, is regarded as rocknroll royalty. Having worked with an extraordinary list of musical greats including Tina Turner and Sir Paul McCartney, the publicist has earned the respect of his contemporaries and friends in the media through his laid-back, straight-talking persona. Whether youre the doorman in a nightclub or a multi-millionaire rock star, Doherty treats everyone with the same affable charm that propelled him to the top of his industry.

James Henderson

Chief executive, Bell Pottinger

With a UK headcount of more than 200, Bell Pottinger has expanded to become, as Henderson puts it, a truly multi-disciplinary agency, offering as much in the consumer-facing arena as on the political advisory front. Notable clients this year included Johnston Press, which BP advised during its acquisition of the i newspaper.

Jenny Halpern Prince

Founder, Halpern

Having set up her own agency when she was in her early twenties, Halpern Prince has led the way for other budding PR entrepreneurs. She sold a majority stake in the business to Johnny Hornbys holding group in 2013. Beyond PR, Halpern Prince has set up the charity Access Aspiration, which organises work experience placements for young people in academies and non-selective schools.

Alan Edwards

Founder and chairman,Outside Organisation

Having got his big break representing the Rolling Stones, Edwards set up his Outside Organisation agency two decades ago. Last autumn he brought in former Sun editor Dominic Mohan as chief executive, moving himself upstairs to become chairman. It was a canny move, with the super-connected Mohan charged with expanding the PR firms client base.

Erica Bolton and Jane Quinn

Founders and directors, Bolton & Quinn

When Bolton & Quinn was established in 1981, arts and culture didnt really do PR. That has all changed but throughout the following 35 years the agency set up by Quinn and Bolton has continued to lead the field, with a client list to die for. Once dubbed organisational magicians, this pair are the ultimate arts development planners.

Carolyn Dailey

Founder and chief executive, The Dailey Partnership

Another who has sought to provide an all-round service to clients, without being limited by traditional delineations between marketing, communications, branding and advertising. Former Time Warner executive Dailey this year launched the Creative Entrepreneurs movement to offer inspiration to entrepreneurs in the creative sector.

Sally Osman

Director, Royal Communications

When leading royals decided to bring their separate communications teams under one umbrella, Osman took on an expanded role, having previously been head of comms for the Prince of Wales. The move has paid off, with the royal family better equipped to manage media relationships in a unified way. Osmans calm leadership has impressed, both inside the royal palaces and beyond.

Jason Knauf

Communications secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Being in charge of media messaging for the worlds most watched royals is no easy task: potential critics are waiting at every turn. But Knauf has shown in the past two years that he is a capable operator when it comes to striking a balance for the Cambridges between their public and private lives.

Kristina Kyriacou

Media adviser to Prince Charles

She started off as the secret weapon behind showbiz royalty, so its no wonder that Kyriacou moved on to actual royalty, becoming the formidable representative of the Prince of Wales in 2014. After two years as one of Clarence Houses most impressive communications secretaries, she stood down from the official post in the summer but continues to serve as an adviser.
R ebecca Birk

Rabbi, Finchley Progressive Synagogue

Birk led a campaign to persuade Barnet council to take in refugees. She was inspired after visiting Liverpool Street station on the 75th anniversary of Kindertransport; many members of her congregation owe the survival of relatives to people who offered them shelter. The Jewish imperative is very clear: it is about extending the hand, loving the stranger, she told the Evening Standard.

Justin Welby

Archbishop of Canterbury

I find who I am in Jesus Christ, not in genetics, was Welbys response to discovering his biological father was not the man he thought. Measured, sanguine, inspiring  it was exactly what weve come to expect from the senior bishop of the Church of England. Welby escaped from a difficult childhood marred by parental alcohol abuse

to go to Eton, then into the oil industry, before ditching Mammon for God when he felt a calling.

Vincent Nichols

Archbishop of Westminster

With the Francis factor helping re-fill empty pews, its a good time to be leading the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Cardinal Nichols has shown himself willing to wade into debates: hes spoken out against welfare cuts which he said left people facing hunger and destitution and hinted he wanted Britain to remain in the EU.

Ephraim Mirvis

Chief rabbi

South African-born Mirvis has long warned about rising anti-Semitism in the UK. This year, he called on Jeremy Corbyn to tackle the poisonous invective among some members of the Labour Party and said that universities are ignoring vilification of Jews. Sadiq Khans first engagement as mayor was with Mirvis, at a Holocaust memorial ceremony.

Lucy Winkett

Rector, St Jamess Piccadilly

Winkett was once described as the Sidney Poitier of women priests, being articulate, compassionate and

good-looking. A Cambridge graduate and a former professional soprano, she was the first female canon at St Pauls. She became rector of St Jamess Piccadilly in 2010 and is a regular contributor to Radio 4s Thought for the Day.

Harun Khan

Secretary-general, Muslim Council of Britain

The MCB was criticised last year for taking issue with an open letter from Eric Pickles, which called on imams to do more to turn young Muslims away from radicalisation. Khan, then deputy secretary-general, this year bagged the top job and has already made plain the importance of Muslims speaking out against extremists who inflict violence supposedly in the name of Islam.

Richard Chartres

Bishop of London

Famous for tying green issues to God, the father of four led the Church of Englands shrinking the footprint campaign and has a chauffeur-driven hybrid car. Chartres has announced he will retire next February, saying he has seen church life revive in London during his time in the diocese.
V ictoria Beckham

Designer

Renowned for her love of monochrome, Beckham got colourful this year with her new VVB line. She became a fashion heavyweight through graft and talent in equal measure and her presence in the capital, alongside husband David and their increasingly trendy Beckham brood, makes London a cooler place. And for as long as the world turns, rumours of a full Spice Girls reunion will never cease.

Adwoa Aboah

Model

One of fashions most exciting new faces, Aboah has starred in Alexa Chungs M&S campaign and shot for Italian Vogue with Steven Meisel. The feminist daughter of esteemed photographers agent Camilla Lowther, she is the founder of digital forum Gurls Talk and has spoken courageously about her struggle with mental illness.

Tim Blanks

Critic

Among the fashion worlds most influential critics, Blanks is editor-at-large of Business of Fashion and former editor-at-large of Style.com. Recognisable by his trademark printed shirts, New Zealand-born Blanks attends fashion weeks around the globe but resides in Maida Vale. A great review from Blanks is the holy grail for most designers.

Nick Knight

Photographer

London-born Knight is among the worlds most visionary photographers. Feted for his ground-breaking creative collaborations, Knight, founder of fashion website SHOWstudio, has shot campaigns for prestigious style titles and brands including Dior and Alexander McQueen. He has also created videos for Kanye West, Lady Gaga and Bjork.

Alexa Chung

Designer and model

Having already collaborated with denim brand AG and handbag label Longchamp, Chung became a household name this year with a collection for M&S, Archive by Alexa, which remade some of the retailers classic styles. Chung, who is also behind shopping app Villoid, has an eponymous fashion line in the pipeline.

Alexa Chung / Zackery Michael

Anita Barr

Group fashion buying director, Harvey Nichols

Born and raised in east London, Barr worked on her sisters market stall in Leather Lane. Having honed an interest in retail, she went on to the shop floor at Harrods and then to Selfridges, where she worked her way up to the senior buying team. Now a crucial member of Harvey Nicholss staff, Barr is bringing a host of new labels to the rapidly transforming store.

Frances Corner

Pro vice-chancellor and head, London College of Fashion

A champion of sustainability in fashion as well as fresh, raw talent, the professor knows what it takes to get the best out of her students. Before joining London College of Fashion, she taught at the University of Gloucestershire and at London Metropolitan University. Corners alumni include designer of the moment Jonathan Anderson.

Alison Loehnis

President,Yoox Net-A-Porter Group

Formerly Dame Natalie Massenets right-hand woman, Loehnis took over the hot seat at Net-A-Porter last year following a merger with Yoox.com and her bosss departure. Raised in New York but now a true Londoner, Loehnis got her big break at Saatchi & Saatchi before becoming a crucial figure in the rise of Net-A-Porter. She is the key player in the firms new incarnation.

Pat McGrath

Make-up artist

The brain behind a million pretty faces, McGrath has been the industrys go-to make-up artist since the early Nineties. She cut her teeth working alongside the esteemed stylist Edward Enninful. Since then she has worked with every designer worth their salt as well as the worlds most prestigious photographers. This year she launched a limited-edition collection of her own products.

Russell Marsh

Casting director

One of fashions great known unknowns, Marsh is among the most powerful casting directors in the world. He has a long-term contract with Prada, where he launched the careers of a host of supermodels including Daria Werbowy. Marsh has also collaborated with London designer Christopher Kane.

Lucinda Chambers

Fashion director, British Vogue

Revered for her masterful ability to tell stories with fashion and for her irreverent personal style, Vogues go-to stylist has worked with everyone from David Bailey to Mert & Marcus. Chambers, who lives in Shepherds Bush, made history this year when she styled the Duchess of Cambridge for the magazines June issue.

British Vogue's Lucinda Chambers / Matt Writtle

Charlie Clark

Founder and director, Supa Model Management

Clark is the man behind the most exciting modelling agency in London right now. His Supa Model Management specialises in male models and unique new faces and has grown with the success of Londons menswear industry. Clark worked at a host of other agencies before starting up on his own. His finds include Sol Goss.

Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo

Co-founders, Ralph & Russo

Creative director Ralph and chief executive Russo are the duo behind Britains only official haute couture label, Ralph & Russo. The brand has created dazzling creations for Beyonce and some of the wealthiest women in the world. In 2013, the label was given a rare invitation to stage its collections at Pariss couture week, where it continues to hold a biannual catwalk show.

Belinda Earl

Style director, Marks & Spencer

The former chief executive of Debenhams and Aquascutum was enlisted by the high-street stalwart to revive its struggling fashion offering. Keen to bring a youthful customer back to M&S, Earl enlisted millennial favourites Alexa Chung and Jourdan Dunn to work with them on collections.

Jonathan Anderson

Designer

Jonathan William Anderson splits his time between Dalston and Paris, simultaneously growing his own label J.W.Anderson here in the capital while updating luxury house Loewe. Revered for his ability to make his own path, Anderson is a digital pioneer too  he streamed his show on the app Grindr and has staged an online trunk show.

Anya Hindmarch

Handbag entrepreneur

An accessory designer with a sense of humour  Hindmarchs latest catwalk show was an homage to Pac-Man. She sold a majority share of her business to Qatari investors but remains chairman and creative director of the company, which has 50 stores worldwide.

Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou

Stylist

Londons own super stylist and the secret weapon of a host of fashion brands, Neophitou-Apostolou has an extensive client list and an action-packed schedule. She is the creative force behind the annual Victorias Secret show and works closely with designers Antonio Berardi, Elie Saab and Roland Mouret. She is also editor-in-chief of cult fashion bible 10 Magazine, president of the British Fashion Councils reputation pillar and chair of the BFC press committee.

George Northwood

Hair stylist

Celebrity hairstylist Northwood holds the secret to Alexa Chungs luscious locks and is the man every fashion editor in London calls on a bad hair day. Loved for his chair-side manner, Northwood worked at Daniel Hersheson and Josh Wood Atelier before joining forces with his sister Sally. This year he expanded his Wells Street headquarters to include a third floor.

Sarah Burton

Creative director, Alexander McQueen

Lee McQueens protegee Burton is credited with transforming the house of McQueen into a luxury fashion super force. A major player on the global fashion circuit, as well as in the wardrobe of the Duchess of Cambridge, the brand has blossomed to include a hugely successful menswear line, as well as accessories.

Betty Adewole

Model

Star of this summers For Every Victory activewear line by H&M, Adewole is a former track athlete herself  not to mention having been a keen skateboarder. Her elegant look is increasingly in demand and she has fronted numerous collections. As an East End girl, trainers and tracksuits remain staples beyond the catwalk.

Model Betty Adewole / Ivy Park

Christopher and Tammy Kane

Designers

Christopher Kane opened the doors to his first flagship store last year and remains London Fashion Weeks star attraction. His secret weapon is older sister Tammy, with whom he works closely on every collection. The duo are backed by luxury conglomerate Kering and celebrity fans include Anne Hathaway and Laura Carmichael.

Stella McCartney

Designer

This ethical fashion queen is the brains behind successful womenswear, sportswear, lingerie, childrenswear and skincare lines. Following her success during the London 2012 Olympics, McCartney designed the outfits for Team GB athletes who competed in Rio this year.

Stella McCartney (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Phoebe Philo

Creative director, Celine

Low-key designer Philo presents one of the hottest shows on the Paris Fashion Week schedule but is happiest away from the limelight. The creative director splits her time between London and the new Celine HQ in Paris. Her affection for white trainers sparked something of a style revolution among fashion diehards.

Ruth and Tom Chapman

Co-founders, Matchesfashion.com

Ruth and Tom Chapman began selling fashion from a tiny shop in Wimbledon in the late Eighties. Together, the couple now run five boutiques across London but recently rebranded them with .com in the title to reflect a global online presence. Pioneers when it comes to spotting the next big thing, the Chapmans were the first to bring hot French label Vetements to British consumers.

Alexandra Shulman

Editor-in-chief, British Vogue

It has been a huge year for Shulman who, two decades into her tenure, led British Vogues centenary celebrations, which included a popular exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery and a sell-out festival ending with a star-studded gala. She and her fashion title are also the subject of a BBC documentary. Shulman persuaded the Duchess of Cambridge to appear on the cover of the magazines June centenary issue.

Jourdan Dunn

Model

This hard-working model recently took a break from the catwalk to launch a childrenswear line with M&S. Dunn remains a favourite with a host of international houses including DKNY and Alexander Wang. West London born and bred, she became a charity ambassador for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America after her son Riley was diagnosed with the condition.

Jourdan Dunn / Andreas Rentz/Getty

Guido Palau

Hairstylist

Palau specialises in cutting-edge photoshoots and catwalk shows. He got his big break when he was invited to style the hair for George Michaels Freedom video. Among his most memorable works are a series of headdresses created for the blockbuster Savage Beauty exhibition at the V&A.

Dame Natalie Massenet

Entrepreneur and chairman, British Fashion Council

More than a decade after launching shopping site Net-A-Porter, Dame Natalie sold her stake and resigned from the business, taking with her an estimated 100 million. The west Londoner is the chairman of the British Fashion Council and is determined to support young home-grown designers.

British Fashion Council Chair Dame Natalie Massenet / Dave Benett

Caroline Rush

Chief executive, British Fashion Council

The former PR has made it her mission to turn London Fashion Week into a big hitter to rival Paris and Milan. The transformation of the British Fashion Awards into a glittering, internationally renowned event is among her most recent achievements. This year they will be held at the Royal Albert Hall.

Kate Moss

Model and designer

The supermodel remains hot property where luxury brands are concerned, enjoying lucrative contracts with the likes of Burberry and Matchless. A contributing editor at British Vogue, Moss has also launched a range with French shirt brand Equipment. This year she appeared on the cover of Italian Vogue alongside her daughter, Lila Grace.

Kate Moss / Mario Testino for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer

Craig Green

Designer

Green, who was trained at Central Saint Martins, is among the most exciting menswear designers in the capital. He hit the big time in 2014 with an innovative collection which moved critics to tears. His debut menswear show, which featured head pieces inspired by driftwood, received the ultimate compliment: criticism from the Daily Mail.

Katie Grand

Editor, LOVE and stylist

Grand styles campaigns for major brands across the globe and is a long-time collaborator with Marc Jacobs. The gap-toothed beauty has a strong affection for Prada coats. Grands day job is editing LOVE magazine for Conde Nast, after making her name with style title Pop.

Alasdair McLellan

Photographer

McLellan counts the worlds most prestigious magazines as his collaborators. Inspired by Corinne Day and David Sims, his work is firmly rooted in reality. The photographer, who still prefers to use film, regularly shoots advertising campaigns for labels including Louis Vuitton, Armani and Calvin Klein.

Dylan Jones

Editor, GQ and chairman, London Collections: Men

The godfather of British menswear, Jones is the chair of Londons mens fashion week and, along with a team of industry insiders, has proved pivotal in its growth into a global event. He has been at the helm of GQ for 17 years.

Naomi Campbell

Model

Streathams finest is a television star and supermodel. No stranger to confrontation, Campbell is outspoken on a range of current affairs and has been crucial in the fight against racism within the fashion industry.

Naomi Campbell / Dave Benett

Erdem Moralioglu

Designer

Canadian designer Moralioglu is a London Fashion Week heavyweight. Revered for his modern approach to femininity and an aptitude for red-carpet success, he counts Alexa Chung and Keira Knightley among his loyal ambassadors. His label Erdem, which is stocked in luxury stores across the world, opened its flagship store in Mayfair last year.

Alasdhair Willis

Creative director, Hunter

Brand guru Willis has transformed a Scottish welly boot label into a global phenomenon. The husband of Stella McCartney, Willis also consults for high-street brand Warehouse, which recently unveiled a new look. He came to the fashion world from publishing, having co-founded Wallpaper magazine and established brand consultancy Announcement Creative.

Emilia Wickstead

Designer

The daughter of a fashion designer, New Zealand-born Wickstead was raised in Milan and worked for Armani before decamping to London. Her brand, which began as a bespoke atelier, counts Samantha Cameron and the Duchess of Cambridge as key customers. She has a store on Sloane Street. Functional occasionwear for the modern woman is her labels USP.

Edie Campbell

Model

Known for her insouciant androgyny, Campbell is a favourite with Marc Jacobs, Burberry and Chanel and is one of the hardest-working models in British fashion. This year St Pauls-educated Campbell launched label Itchy Scratchy Patchy with best friend Christabel MacGreevy. A keen polo player, she also has a first in history of art from the Courtauld Institute of Art.
E leanor Tomlinson

Actress

Having starred in 2013s Death Comes to Pemberley, Tomlinson quickly became the nations favourite period-drama darling when she landed the role of flame-haired Demelza in romantic saga Poldark, playing a savage peasant turned upwardly mobile career girl and perfecting a regional Cornish accent. More recently, shes been rubbing shoulders with Prince Andrew at the races since becoming an official ambassador for the Investec Derby.

Tuppence Middleton

Actress

Back in 2010 Middleton (Tupps to her friends) picked up a nomination for emerging talent at the Evening Standard film awards  this year she was one of the presenters. She also stripped off as Helene Kuragina in the BBCs adaptation of War and Peace (dubbed Phwoar and Peace) and starred in another of the broadcasters literary projects, Dickensian, as Miss Havisham.

Maisie Williams

Actress

Baby-faced Williams rose to fame  and remains best known  as Arya Stark, the sword-fighting tomboy, in HBOs Game of Thrones. This year will be her biggest yet  she has landed leading film roles in X-Men: The New Mutants and iBoy, alongside Miranda Richardson. Shell also be rubbing shoulders with Elle Fanning, Tom Sturridge and Douglas Booth in A Storm in the Stars.

Maisie Williams / Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Harry and Jack Williams

Screenwriters

Writer and producer brothers Harry and Jack Williams deftly change tack from comedy to drama. Last years Tripped saw vaguely idiotic best friends Danny and Milo embark on a series of parallel-world adventures (think slaying zombies and bringing grandparents back from the dead) while, on the drama side, TV series The Missing told the compelling story of a childs disappearance on holiday and ended in a tense finale. Their highly anticipated TV film The Guardians is expected to air shortly.

Steven Moffat

Writer and producer

Moffat has shaped the lives of some of our favourite characters, including Sherlock Holmes, the Doctor and Tintin. He based TV series Coupling on his own relationship with producer Sue Vertue, with whom he has two teenage children. Known for his wry and dry commentary, Moffat likes to keep things in the family; Vertue produces Sherlock while his son Louis once starred on screen as the young detective.

Sir Tom Courtenay

Actor

Sir Tom began his on-screen career more than 50 years ago and starred in epic Sixties films Billy Liar and Doctor Zhivago. He was knighted in 2001. This year, he starred in a film remake of that icon of British television, Dads Army, as Lance Corporal Jones. For his role in ITVs Unforgotten he received a best supporting actor Bafta in May. There is no sign of Sir Toms powers waning.

Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith

Actresses

Two icons of British acting, great friends and frequent colleagues, Dame Maggie and Dame Judi remain at the forefront of the capitals cultural life. Dame Judi threw down the gauntlet for other octogenarians by getting a tattoo and is set to appear as Queen Victoria again in forthcoming BBC Films adaptation Victoria and Abdul. Dame Maggie received yet another Emmy nomination for Downtons final series, having picked up best actress for her role in The Lady in the Van at the Evening Standard film awards in February.

Claire Foy

Actress

Foy enraptured us as much as she did Damian Lewiss Henry VIII with her portrayal of the smart and savvy Anne Boleyn in BBC2 series Wolf Hall last year. Her star is on the rise with a calendar of pending releases: she plays the Queen in Netflix series The Crown, alongside Matt Smith as the Duke of Edinburgh and Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret, and next year she will take the lead with Andrew Garfield in Breathe.

Daniel Mays

Actor

Since graduating from Rada in 2000, Essex-born Mays has been constantly in demand. His list of credits  Made in Dagenham, Red Riding, Vera Drake, Shifty, Ashes to Ashes  flags him up as one of the very finest in this generation of character actors. His edgy intensity and laddish Essex vowels made him compelling viewing in Jed Mercurios Line of Duty.

Aidan Turner

Actor

Turner first came to international attention in Peter Jacksons The Hobbit, before galloping onto our screens as Poldark in the BBCs eponymous TV drama, becoming an overnight tabloid hunk when he single-handedly made scything sexy. Since then, he has appeared (topless, again) in a star-studded adaptation of Agatha Christies And Then There Were None. He will return as Poldark this autumn and has also been tipped to be the next Bond  but then who hasnt?

Jenna Coleman

Actress

She has been the assistant in Doctor Who, was noted for a long relationship with former Game of Thrones actor Richard Madden and recently had to quash rumours of a romance with Prince Harry, but Coleman is no ones sidekick. After leaving Doctor Who last year she is now playing Queen Victoria in ITVs extravagant period drama about the long-reigning monarch and her love affair with Prince Albert. She is already being spoken about as a star with Hollywood potential.

Jenna Coleman in Victoria / ITV

George Blagden

Actor

There is little doubt that the temperature of middle England was raised a notch or three when the BBCs Versailles hit our screens this year. Blagden, the shows star, made a fine Louis XIV in his first major TV role and told the Standard he hoped Versailles would break the mould when it came to sex on screen. He can rest assured it did. Hell be one to watch in the months ahead.

Hugh Laurie

Actor

Who knew Laurie could be so chilling? The Eton- and Cambridge-educated actor tickled our funny bones in Blackadder and A Bit of Fry & Laurie, before coming over all serious as a misanthropic medical genius in House. But it was his turn in The Night Manager, playing a corrupt, ridiculously wealthy arms dealer, which marked him out as one of the main players in TV today.

Vanessa Kirby

Actress

A string of dazzling stage performances  most recently her turn in Uncle Vanya at the Almeida Theatre  have marked the Wimbledon-born actress out as one of Londons most exciting talents. This year Kirby has gone stratospheric, with roles on the big screen in dystopian thriller Kill Command and as Zelda Fitzgerald in Michael Grandages Genius. Next up is TV  she is playing Princess Margaret in Netflixs royal drama The Crown.

Vanessa Kirby (Jane McLeish-Kelsey)

Alfie Allen

Actor

Allens performance as Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones has impressed the critics and propelled Lilys little brother to international fame. His next move? Not a Hollywood blockbuster but a winning turn alongside Jesse Eisenberg in The Spoils at Trafalgar Studios this summer. Allens a star to take seriously, on screen or stage.

Tom Hiddleston

Actor

Sunday nights arent the same without you. So said the Duchess of Cornwall on encountering Hiddleston at the BBC Radio 2 studios this summer. She wasnt wrong: his turn as the intelligence operative Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager was the TV performance of the year. The Eton-educated actor also starred in film blockbuster Crimson Peak and J G Ballard adaptation High-Rise, and has Kong: Skull Island on the horizon. The big question is, will Bond be next?

Tom Hiddleston / Jesse Grant / Stringer / Getty Images for AMC

Suranne Jones

Actress

Jones caught the publics imagination playing detective Rachel Bailey in Scott & Bailey, but her turn as the wronged wife in Mike Bartletts Doctor Foster made her a national treasure and led to Bafta success. Joness own life is rather happier  married to journalist Laurence Akers, she gave birth to her first child in March. Still, shell be back in her Doctor Foster persona soon enough, with series two hotly anticipated.

Clemence Poesy

Actress

Fluent in four languages, tres chic and super-talented  Poesy has it all. She turned Ron Weasley to jelly in the Harry Potter franchise a decade ago and is a darling of the fashion set, having modelled for Chloe. Since 2013 she has been proving her serious acting chops in gritty Sky Atlantic drama The Tunnel. She has impressed on the big screen too, winning plaudits for her performance in The Ones Below as one half of a couple caught in a chilling battle of wills with their neighbours. Splits her time between Paris and London.

Riz Ahmed

Actor

It was the controversial 2006 track Post 9/11 Blues that first put this part-time rapper in the spotlight. Since then, films such as Four Lions and Nightcrawler have proved its his acting that really deserves our attention. Ahmed is an Oxford PPE grad, like several former PMs, but none of them have bagged lead roles in a hit HBO drama (The Night Of) and a huge Hollywood franchise (Star Wars) and also had their burgeoning career as a rapper, under the name Riz MC, written up in the New Yorker.

Riz Ahmed in The Night Of / HBO

Sophie Turner

Actress

Like Kit Harington and Richard Madden before her, Turner is capitalising on the success of Game of Thrones to establish herself as one of the capitals most exciting talents. This year she swapped the ever-more-complex Sansa Stark for a superhero role, starring alongside Jennifer Lawrence as Jean Grey in X-Men: Apocalypse. One to watch.

Cillian Murphy

Actor

Murphys star has risen so high it is practically out of sight. On film he starred in The Dark Knight trilogy and Inception, while on TV his dead-eyed turn as antihero Thomas Shelby has helped the third series of Peaky Blinders go global. Fans are known to include Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. Not content with on-screen success, the show has also boosted the wider British economy: sales of flat caps are up by 83 per cent. Hats off to you, Cillian.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Actor

The great ticket scramble to see Cumberbatchs Hamlet at the Barbican last August saw seats go for hundreds of pounds, adoring Cumberbitches sprawl round the corner in the hope of re-sales and critics hail him as equal to the best modern Hamlets. And after returning as Sherlock Holmes in the BBCs Christmas special, he played a devilish Richard III in the Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses in May. The only trouble is, we always want more.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock and Watson (Todd Antony/Hartswood Films ) / Todd Antony/Hartswood Films

Martin Freeman

Actor

Freeman has come a long way since The Office. After The Hobbits Misty Mountains, he has turned his attentions to Hollywood, appearing as a government operative in Captain America: Civil War and as a foul-mouthed Scottish photographer in Tina Feys Whiskey Tango Foxtrot this year. Not content with collecting air-miles, he transcended time as Doctor Watson in last years Sherlock Christmas special, saving the holiday season and inevitably leaving us on tenterhooks for the next one.

Keeley Hawes

Actress

As long-suffering Louisa Durrell in ITVs outstanding The Durrells, Hawes was the mother wed always wanted, uprooting us to Corfu for six Sundays in a row and allowing us to drink wine at the weekends. But there was no room for sentiment in her electrifying return to the BBCs Line of Duty, as the disgraced detective Lindsay Denton out for revenge. She also appeared in The Missing and The Hollow Crown.

Daisy Waterstone

Actress

The break-out star from ITVs Sunday night sofa-watch The Durrells. Waterstones precocious Margo stole the hearts of the shows eight million viewers as she shocked Corfus monks by sunbathing in her knitted bathing costumes, swam after yachtfuls of young men and tore around the island as if she owned the place. The daughter of bookshop chain founder Tim Waterstone, she has the world at her feet.

Mike Bartlett

Playwright

Making theatre for the masses alongside some of last years most scintillating TV shouldnt be easy, but award- winning writer Bartlett can do it all. Not content with basking in the success of the critically acclaimed Doctor Foster, the man behind West End and Broadway hit King Charles III also brought his three-hander Wild, inspired by Edward Snowden, to Hampstead Theatre in the summer. Oh, and theres another series of the Doc on the way. Watch this space.

James Norton

Actor

With his brilliant turns as heart-throb Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in War and Peace and magnetic psychopath Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley, Norton has set pulses and viewing figures racing. Not content with two period dramas, he costumed up in Lady Chatterleys Lover and Life in Squares, before reappearing in Grantchester. Yet another contender for the title of next Mr Bond.

Vicky McClure

Actress

Wrestling with the weight of angst-ridden performances isnt easy, yet McClure book-ended her year with two: as the fragile, defiant Frances Lorraine Lol Jenkins in the final chapter of Shane Meadowss This is England, still buckling under the guilt of her fathers murder, then as the damaged, unflinchingly loyal DC Kate Fleming in the BBCs Line of Duty. At home, she says she loves nothing more than watching Bake Off in her pyjamas  a welcome break from the nerve-shredding drama for which she sets the bar.

Neil Morrissey

Actor

Back behaving badly in the BBCs gripping police drama Line of Duty, Morrissey remained thrillingly complex as DC Nigel Morton. Showing his flair for more grown-up roles, he also played grieving father Harding Redmond in ITV crime drama Grantchester and the dubious Harry Palfrey in John Le Carres The Night Manager.

Kit Harington

Actor

Harington turned in the performance of a lifetime between seasons five and six of Game of Thrones, trying to convince fans: Im dead. Im not coming back next season. Spoiler alert, he wasnt dead  or at least not for long. Since Jon Snows resurrection Harington has upped his game further as the rugged northern powerhouse determined to put the world to rights, often at the end of a sword. On the other end of the moral compass, he was an agile and energetic Dr Faustus in Jamie Lloyds staging of the Marlowe play at the Trafalgar Studios.

Kit Harrington as moody hearthrob Jon Snow / HBO

Paul Dano

Actor

If fans of 2006 indie cult classic Little Miss Sunshine remember Danos silent, sullen teen with warmth, his bravura performance as Pierre Bezukhov in the BBCs War and Peace was enough to see those fond embers catch fire. Starring alongside Lily James, Dano danced his way back into the forefront of our public consciousness. Who cares if hes been acting on Broadway for years and has a string of Hollywood hits behind him? Hands off America, hes ours.

Paul Dano, Lily James and James Norton in War and Peace / BBC/Mitch Jenkins

Sophie Turner Laing

Chief executive, Endemol Shine Group

A BBC veteran whose greatest hit was probably in the commercial sector, where she brought Game of Thrones to Sky. She is the perfect fit to sit at the top of the production company, which has shows stretching from Big Brother to Broadchurch, and which at the latest count had 733 productions in more than 50 languages airing on 256 channels around the world.

Polly Hill

Head of drama, ITV

With shows including Doctor Foster, War and Peace and The Night Manager all commissioned during her time as BBC drama boss, it is no surprise ITV poached her in an attempt to keep pace. The executive, whose career includes a stint script-editing on EastEnders, faces a big challenge in her new role, not least filling the hole in the schedules and the viewing figures left by the departure of Downton Abbey.

Damian Lewis

Actor

He starred in this years other big John le Carre adaptation, Our Kind of Traitor, on the big screen. But Lewis also continued his terrific run of US TV successes with the role of hedge fund kingpin Bobby Axelrod in Showtimes Billions. Switching back to a British accent can be difficult, says Lewis, but there is no doubting this is one Londoner who will never be far from the bosom of his homeland  he lives in Tufnell Park with actress wife Helen McCrory and their two children.

Gillian Anderson

Actress

On screen and on stage, Anderson is one of the most accomplished actresses around. In a stellar career, the past year has stood out: as well as playing socialite Anna Pavlovna Scherer in War and Peace, she reprised her career-defining turn as Agent Scully in a rebooted The X-Files  and theres a third series of The Fall due shortly. She is quite simply at the top of her game.

Gillian Anderson in in The Fall / BBC / Helen Sloan

Jamie Dornan

Actor

Is it ever okay to fancy a serial killer? This is the question Londoners have found themselves asking since Dornan was cast as the evil but compelling Paul Spector in The Fall. Since series one in 2013, he has cracked Hollywood, landing the role of Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades of Grey films. A third series of The Fall was filmed in February and will be upon us soon; Dornan mania shows no sign of dying down.
I ts over, apparently. The gender gap, that is. At least that was the conclusion drawn by those pointing to the arrival of a female PM, the continuing presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel (who, despite her CDU partys recent drubbing in regional elections, is still likely to win a fourth term next year) and the increasing likelihood that Hillary Clinton is the next US president.

These developments are welcome signals that women too have the chance to take on some of the worlds most powerful roles. But their presence alone is far from a game-changer, no more marking an end to gender inequality than the election of President Obama meant an end to racial inequality. On the contrary, it could mean higher expectations of progress.

The rise of a crop of high-profile female political and business leaders should not be allowed to provide a pretext for ignoring the persistent gap in womens economic attainment. This is true not only in the developing world, where educational attainment is lagging, but in advanced economies. As many studies have pointed out, maternity issues do not come close to explaining this gap.

Neither does culture  a recent report noted that for women in 17 Middle-Eastern and African countries more than 90 per cent felt that having a good job is either essential or very important. And, of course, much of womens work is unpaid, with Gallups World Poll highlighting that 28 per cent of women spent three to five hours a day on unpaid care work, compared to six per cent of men.

In a time of constrained global growth, maintaining barriers to entry for women into the labour force is becoming expensive, both for countries and employers. In a Citi GPS report I co-authored, Women and the Economy: Global Growth Generators, we highlighted that closing the gap in female labour force participation could add 12 per cent to OECD countries GDP; even a 50 per cent reduction would see a five per cent GDP bounce over 15 years.

Politicians seem to be seeing the light. Even Donald Trump has proposed making childcare tax deductible. The UK under the Tories has been a leader in promoting such policies as the gender pay transparency initiative.

A mix of fresh policy levers and renewed urgency is required, and in some cases quotas may be needed. On September 22 the UNs first high-level panel on womens economic empowerment, which I am proud to participate in alongside Education Secretary Justine Greening, IMF chief Christine Lagarde and others, will launch its first report at the UN General Assembly.

The panel intends to turbocharge plans to meet targets across seven of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Maintaining barriers to female labour force participation serves few and costs a great deal. But in an era when President Obama has been interviewed in Glamour magazine saying This is what a feminist looks like and heart-throb Canadian President Justin Trudeau explained the presence of his 50 per cent female cabinet with the slapdown because its 2016, perhaps the fact that it seems increasingly uncool for men to be old-school when it comes to support for economic prospects for women suggests attitudes will change.

Tina Fordham is chief global political analyst at Citi and a member of the UN high-level panel on womens economic empowerment.

The Progress 1000, in partnership with Citi, and supported by Berkeley Group, is the Evening Standards celebration of Londons most influential people. #progress1000
B ritish taxpayers will foot the bill for a 2 million, 13ft-high concrete wall at Calais to stop migrants crossing the Channel.

The huge barrier will stretch for nearly a mile along either side of the motorway in northern France in a bid to protect lorries passing through the port.

Migrants from the so-called Jungle camp in Calais have been seen throwing objects at traffic heading to the coast in a bid to slow the vehicles and get on board UK-bound lorries.

The huge barrier will replace fencing along the road which has so far failed to stop stowaways jumping aboard.

Britains immigration minister Robert Goodwill told the Commons Home Affairs Committee that work on the big new wall would start very soon.

He said: Weve done the fence, now we are doing a wall.

The announcement comes after local workers including lorry drivers, shopkeepers, farmers and police officers blockaded the main Calais motorway in protest at the migrant camp.

Demonstration: Protesters block the main road into the Port of Calais / Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The campaigners demanded the demolition of the Jungle migrant camp, which is home to 9,000 migrants living in tents and shelters.

The massive wall would be placed on either side of the main dual carriageway to the ferry port to stop migrants trying to climb aboard lorries.

Mr Goodwills announcement comes after figures released last month showed net long-term migration was 327,000.

The government hopes to reduce that number to tens of thousands. Currently, one migrant is caught trying to sneak into the UK every six minutes.

Mr Goodwill said the wall would stop the flow of migrants into the UK and keep drivers around Calais safe.

He said: The big challenge is our target which is to reduce immigration to sustainable levels. Sustainable levels means in the tens of thousands.

'The security that we are putting in at the port is being stepped up with better equipment. We are going to start building this big new wall very soon as part of the 17million package we are doing with the French.

"There is still more to do. We have also invested in space for 200 lorries at Calais so that they have somewhere safe to wait."

Upheld: A French judge has agreed to demolish part of the Jungle except for common areas such as schools and places of worship / REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

But Kate Gibbs of the Road Haulage Association called the wall a scandalous waste of taxpayers cash that would not solve the problem.

She said: 'Money would be much better spent on boosting security along the approach roads.

This is being called the Great Wall of Calais but what good will it do? We are telling our drivers not to stop within 150 miles of Calais so they are not targeted by migrants.

This will be a tiny concrete alleyway that will serve very little purpose and not provide any security.

The Channel Tunnel is a top destination for thousands of migrants, many of whom are fleeing humanitarian disasters.

Last month tourists were told to avoid Calais after drivers were targeted by groups of people with chainsaws and metal bars near the camp with some attacks reported.

The wall is expected to be finished by the end of the year.
The Fremont Public School District recently received a $10,000 community development grant from First National Bank Fremont enabling it to continue providing invaluable services to students at all seven elementary schools, Johnson Crossing Academic Center and Fremont Middle School through after-school programs and summer learning programs.

In 2013, the FPS District was the recipient of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, a five-year program providing students at Grant, Washington and Linden Elementary School, and students living within the geographic boundaries of the schools, viable, safe after-school and summer opportunities.

Currently, the district is in the fourth year of the program, and thanks to an additional $512,250 in 21st Century Community Learning Centers funds received in April, all seven elementary schools, JCAC and FMS can participate in the programs.

Leah Hladik, program director for Fremont expanded learning, explained Wednesday afternoon how the federal grant is broken down into two components.

The original grant received in 2013 still only covers funding for the original three schools, and the new funding  $512,250  covers expansion funds across the district for three years, Hladik said.

The monetary amount of the original grant alters yearly, and during the 2015-2016 school year the district received $274,500. This year, however, the funds lessened to $219,600.

Hladik said that the banks grant  which it came to the district proposing  pays dividends in terms of helping carry out the mission of expanding learning and emphasizing the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The $10,000 provided by First National Bank Fremont is going toward funding for Grant, Washington and Linden Elementary Schools.

One of the great things about this grant was that our funding went down this year, so now we are able to add a little back to that, Hladik said. And we are able to still serve the same amount of kids that we have been serving.

First National Bank, which has 102 branches spanning across seven states, gives out grants in three waves each year, said Terri Burchell, a member of First National Banks corporate marketing team.

All in all, around 28 grants are given yearly across the banks entire territory, she said.

In the first three years, students participating in the programs funded through the grant have shown significant improvement in reading, writing, math and science, surveys showing teacher ratings of student performances shows.

Contributing to programs that enhance student learning and benefit the Fremont community is of the utmost importance, said Barry Benson, president of First National Bank Fremont.

We at the bank believe in giving back and supporting our community, Benson said. We have seen a lot of success since this program was implemented three years ago at Washington, Grant and Linden. We just felt like this was a good partnership with the schools, and now more students than ever are being reached at the rest of the elementary schools, JCAC and the middle school  The early child mind is something that needs to be developed, so we want to help with these programs that have a direct impact on helping them be successful moving into the future.
C hildren were left screaming in agony after the government reportedly dropped chlorine on the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo.

Government forces have been accused of dropping chlorine bombs from helicopters onto a suburb of the city, choking around 80 people.

Many of those injured are reportedly children and some victims were said to be in a critical condition.

Volunteer emergency workers said the bombs were dropped on Sukkari on Tuesday and most people injured were civilians.

Under attack: A civil defense member making his way through debris. / Reuters

An inquiry by the UN last month found the Syrian government had used chlorine on at least two occasions.

But the government  and the opposition side - have always denied using chemical weapons.

Suffering: A video for the suspected aftermath of the attack was posted on social media. / Reuters

The news comes as Syrian opposition leaders prepare for a meeting in London today to launch a new plan to try and end the countrys five-year civil war.

Foreign ministers from the group of countries who have supported the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad will also attend.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told the BBC he still believed in a political solution to the conflict.

He said Mr Assad was not in a position of advantage or victory despite recent advances by government forces.

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He said: But if Bashar al-Assad continues to be obstinate and continues to drag his feet and continues to refuse to engage seriously, then obviously there will have to be a Plan B which will involve more stepped up military activity.
P olice have been called in to investigate a death threat made to a London-based filmmaker who had been working on a documentary about alleged corruption in the Maldives.

Security at broadcaster Al Jazeeras offices in The Shard has been stepped up after reporter Will Jordan received the threat via Twitter.

Mr Jordan, an investigative journalist for the network, had posted a message on Twitter saying he was excited about the release of his documentary, Stealing Paradise, on August 21.

A reply sent 10 days later from Dhivehi Lashkaru, a pro-state Twitter account, said: U will die soon. We have hired some gunmens to shot u. & we r not afraid of f***ing anyone or country. See the bullet.

The producers behind Stealing Paradise said the film investigates allegations of state corruption in the Indian Ocean archipelago, where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie went on honeymoon.

The threat made via Twitter from a pro-state account

The Maldives High Commission in London dismissed the allegations as unfounded speculation and said the tweet is wholly unconnected to the government.

It is understood the film also looks at the disappearance in 2014 of Maldivian journalist Ahmed Rilwan, who was investigating the murder of a leading doctor.

An insider close to the production said: The death threats are really crazy and the first we have got in 10 years in reporting. But this is something that is faced everyday by journalists who work in the Maldives and goes to show how important our media freedoms are in this country. Its concerning because we are just trying to do our job. Its such a small place but behind the honeymoons, the manicured beaches and the luxury resorts there is this dark side.

Clayton Swisher, Al Jazeeras director of investigative journalism, said: Al Jazeera treats threats against its staff with the utmost seriousness. We were made aware of a specific threat circulated on social media against one of our investigative reporters.

We immediately informed the Metropolitan Police, who visited our journalist and took a statement. We have full confidence the Met is treating the matter seriously. For the safety of our colleagues who assisted this project from London, Al Jazeera has briefed those responsible for the physical security of the Shard.

The Maldives gained independence from the British in 1965 and Mohamed Nasheed became its first democratically elected leader in 2008. He was ousted in an alleged coup in 2012 and succeeded by Mohammed Waheed Hassan, who lost an election the following year and was replaced by the current president, Abdulla Yameen.

A Met spokesman said: We can confirm police in Lambeth received an allegation of malicious communication made via social media. At this stage it is believed the message was sent from a suspect outside of the UK.
A n American college student was fatally shot in the face at a festival after telling a man to stop grinding against her, police said.

Tiarah Poyau, 22, was at New Yorks Jouvert Festival on Monday when she was accosted by a man in the early hours of the morning.

She told him get off me before a shot was fired, according to the New York Post. Her friends, who were walking ahead, turned to see her falling to the ground.

Police arrested a 20-year-old who was drunk-driving later that morning and immediately linked him to the festival killing.

According to NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce, Reginald Moise told friends before his arrest: I think I shot somebody on the parade route, and I didnt know the gun was loaded.

Police said the weapon used to shoot Ms Poyau was found at the apartment of Boises girlfriend.

He is said to have been driving on three wheels and with a Caribbean flag wrapped around his hand when he was detained.

Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce has paid tribute to Ms Poyau, saying: This young lady is just a stellar person, no issues in her life whatsoever, and none before either.

The Jouvert festival is a large street party held during the Caribbean carnival. It begins well before dawn and peaks just a few hours after sunrise.

Police are still investigating the death of 17-year-old Tyreke Borel, who was also fatally shot at the festival.
C alvin Harris hinted at his split from Taylor Swift as he picked up his GQ Award.

The Scottish DJ, who split from the pop star back in May, told the crowd at Tate Modern that hed been through a lot this year.

Just moments after it was revealed that his ex had ended her new romance with Tom Hiddleston, Harris told the crowd:

I'd like to dedicate this to my manager Mark Gillespie for being a fantastic man. We've been through a lot and discovered a lot this year on Tuesday night.

I feel at 32 I'm nearing the end. Just kidding.

This week ten years ago was when I left Marks and Spencer Simply food in Clapham South where I carried out such tasks as date-rotating sandwiches and moving the salmon."

Harris, who was named the worlds most successful DJ this year, was presented with the Patron Solo Artist Of The Year Award by friend Ellie Goulding on Tuesday night.

Others winners on the night included Poldarks Aidan Turner who was named Best Television Actor and Sir Michael Caine who picked up the Legend Award.

Taylor Swift And Calvin Harris Destroy Twitter In Celebrity Feud

Bella Hadid was on hand to collect the trophy for Model of the Year, while Billy Connolly was given the Inspiration Award.

Team GB were named Best Team for their sterling effort in the Rio Olympics while Amy Schumer was named Best Woman.

Swift and Hiddleston have gone their separate ways after just three months of dating, having gone public just weeks after the end of her romance with Harris.
M ichael Georgiou has become the latest Great British Bake Off contestant to leave the competition.

The 20 year-old Londoner was sent home by Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry in the BBC baking show after failing to impress in Bread Week.

The young hopeful created a Cypriot dove and olive branch plaited loaf for the showstopper round - but it wasnt enough to impress the judges.

It is a mess, said Hollywood. Olive, coriander and onion is the classic, but youve mixed it with other flours and diluted it. You need more coriander in that.

Berry agreed, saying: Theyre sort of folded over, but not properly plaited.

The bake I went on is a bake that meant a lot to me, so it is quite sad that I went based on that, Michael said after being knocked out of the show.

Im going to be letting my mum know first - shes been the one with me from the start. Shell still be proud of me and happy that I got this far.

Great British Bake Off 2016 - contestants in pictures 1 /17 Great British Bake Off 2016 - contestants in pictures Full tent The bakers taking part in the Great British Bake Off 2016 have been revealed BBC/Love Productions Rav Age: 28

From: Kent

Bio: After studying Criminology at university, Rav went on to support students at City University, London. Hes experimental with his baking and is inspired by vegan baking and eastern cuisine

Speciality: Flavour combinations BBC/Love Productions Andrew Age: 25

From: Derby

Bio: Northern Irish-born aerospace engineer Andrew was taught to bake by his mum and gran. Hes a straight-A student who went to Cambridge University

Speciality: Structurally ambitious bakes BBC/Love Productions Louise Age: 46

From: Cardiff

Bio: Hairdresser Louise progressed her skills by making cakes for charity sales at work. She adventurous in her designs and in her hobbies  having completed a trek around the Andes and various other mountains

Speciality: Elaborate cakes BBC/Love Productions Lee Age: 67

From: Bolton

Bio: Builder-turned-theologist-turned-Pastor Lee used baking as a way to fill his days in the Eighties when an injury stopped him from playing cricket.

Speciality: Traditional flavours, including cherry, hazelnut, vanilla and chocolate BBC/Love Productions Kate Age: 37

From: Norfolk

Bio: Qualified nurse Kate is a Brownie leader and uses seasonal fruits which she gathers with her kids in her baking

Speciality: Sugar craft BBC/Love Productions Val Age: 66

From: Yeovil

Bio: Semi-retired substitute teacher Val incorporates her baking into her teaching. She does aerobics in her kitchen  but she might not do so in the Bake Off tent

Speciality: Traditional classics BBC/Love Productions Benjamina Age: 23

From: South London

Bio: Teaching assistant Benjamina takes inspiration from the likes of Instagram and Pinterest for modern takes on classic bakes. She takes feedback from her family to improve her creations

Speciality: Fresh and modern versions of traditional cakes BBC/Love Productions Michael Age: 20

From: London

Bio: Currently studying Politics and Economics in Durham, Michael has Cypriot heritage grew up making Greek pastries with his nan

Speciality: Big grand cakes BBC/Love Productions Selasi Age: 30

From: London

Bio: Ghanaian-born Selasi works in finance, and his hobbies include motorbikes, basketball, and travelling. He recently ran a 10k, half marathon, and trekked through Malawi for charity

Speciality: Delicate cupcakes BBC/Love Productions Jane Age: 61

From: Beckenham

Bio: Garden designer Jane wakes up at 5am to bake her bread. Her grandfather owned a bakery, and she s passionate about the classics

Speciality: Classic cakes, biscuits and pastry BBC/Love Productions Tom Age: 26

From: London

Bio: Rochdale-born Tom works for the Royal Society of Arts and is creative with his flavours and ingredients. He lost 30 kilos, and has a have your cake and eat it mentality

Speciality: Surprising twists BBC/Love Productions Candice Age: 31

From: Bedfordshire

Bio: Secondary school PE teacher Candice was taught to bake by her nan, and loves everything vintage. She lives with her boyfriend Liam and pug Dennis

Speciality: Baking the classics like her nan BBC/Love Productions

Tom Gilliford was crowned star baker for his showstopper creation, which was themed around Thors mythical hammer Mjolnir.

Meanwhile, Val attempted to out-do last years bread lion by creating an entire Noahs Ark of bread creatures - though her final bake wasnt the most successful.

Are these the best Great British Bake Off innuendos ever?

Its not a mess, said Mary Berry of Vals creation, its informal.

Candice also suffered in the challenges, and resolved to improve her performance in the next episode.

The next round of Bake Off will bring the first ever Batter Week to the show - with the contestants attempting Yorkshire puddings and pancakes.

BBC One, 8pm
I ts been two years since Our Girl last graced UK screens  but the war drama is back for more.

The BBC series is returning with a new cast and setting for Series 2  meaning that new viewers can hop right in.

Heres what you need to know.

1) Michelle Keegan is the new lead

With original star Lacey Turner unable to shoot another series of Our Girl due to her filming on EastEnders, the new five-part series is shifting focus.

Enter Georgie Lane, played by Michelle Keegan.

Georgies quite a feisty character, she explains. She knows what she wants, shes very hard-working, shes one of the lads. Shes got a softer side as well.

It seems the actress got stuck into the combat side of her latest role.

I learned how to shoot a gun, I learned how to put up with ten lads around me, and I learned how to take orders.

2) Its set in Kenya

As well as a new leading role, theres a fresh setting for Series 2  Kenya.

The plot sees Georgie join the 2 Section team at a refugee camp near the Somalian border, where she sets out to recover a kidnapped aid worker.

BBC's Our Girl - series 2 trailer

3) Ben Aldrige is back

The connecting tissue between the two series is Ben Aldridge as Captain Charles James  who struck up a relationship with Molly from the first series.

After recovering from his injuries, hes stationed out in Kenya with his platoon, working alongside Georgie and 2 Section.

4) Theres a love triangle in it

As well as the social and political matters that Georgie is facing, theres her personal life too  and shes torn between two men.

Theres two love stories running through it, its like a love triangle, says Keegan.

One option is Elvis Hart, played by Skins actor Luke Pasqualino, who is Georgies first love.

Hes a bit of a bad boy, a bit of a geezer, says Pasqualino. Hes the loveable rogue.

Best TV dramas 2016 1 /38 Best TV dramas 2016 The Missing The addictive and twisty second series of the BBC's crime anthology series BBC/New Pictures/Robert Viglasky Dark Angel Joanne Froggatt stared as Victorian mass murderer Mary Ann Cotton in this ITV drama ITV Close to the Enemy Stephen Poliakoff's post-war drama thriller BBC/Little Island Pictures Ordinary Lies The BBC anthology drama returns with more twisted tales BBC/Red Productions/Adrian Rogers The Night Of Riz Ahmed stars in HBO's critically acclaimed crime mini-series HBO Cold Feet The classic ITV comedy-drama returns - and it's just as good as it ever was ITV Victoria ITV have given Poldark some stiff competition with this period drama about a young Queen Victoria ITV Poldark The BBC's hit drama returns with more brooding, and less naked scything BBC/Robert Viglasky One of Us The BBC kept everyone guessing with this claustrophobic four-part whodunit Ripper Street The fan-favourite Victorian police drama returned for Series 4 BBC/Tiger Aspect 2016/Bernard Walsh The Secret Agent Toby Jones led the cast in the BBC's Joseph Conrad adaptation BBC/World Productions/Mark Mainz/Matt Burlem The Living and the Dead The BBC's gothic romance debuted in full on iPlayer BBC Preacher AMC's adaptation of Garth Ennis' cult comic book is available week-by-week on Amazon Prime Amazon / AMC Versailles A raunchy royal romp around the court of King Louis XIV, spicing up Wednesdays on BBC Two Canal +/ BBC Locked Up The Spanish prison drama came to the UK thanks to Channel 4's Walter Presents series Channel 4 / Global Series Peaky Blinders The Birmingham-set gangster thriller was more popular than ever in its third series BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Tiger Aspect/Robert Viglasky The A Word The BBC gave us a nuanced and emotional take on autism BBC/Fifty Fathoms Marcella Anna Friel stars in ITV's British take on the Scandi-noir thriller ITV Grantchester James Norton is back as the crime-solving vicar ITV / Lovely Day Stag The comedy-thriller from the team behind The Wrong Mans is both hilarious and chilling BBC/Des Willie/Hal Shinnie/Matt Burlem Vinyl Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger present a glossy drama about the Seventies music industry HBO American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson Cuba Gooding Jr leads an all-star cast in a dramatic re-telling of the 'trial of century' BBC/Fox Happy Valley Sarah Lancashire returned as Sgt Catherine Cawood for a second series of the gritty crime thriller BBC/Red Productions/Ben Blackall The X Files Mulder and Scully return for a brand new set of mysteries War and Peace The BBC's epic adaptation of the Russian literary classic BBC/Mitch Jenkins Call the Midwife The BBC period drama moved into the Sixties for Series 5 BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian Dickensian Charles Dickens' most famous characters collide in this historical soap BBC Jericho ITV's British western set in the wilds of Yorkshire Silent Witness The hugely popular detective drama returns for a 19th series

Then theres Dr Jamie Cole, a paediatrician who actor Royce Pierreson describes as traditional.

Georgies, I think, the complete opposite of that, he says. Its a real case of opposites attract. They have to work through that in the series  it comes to blows.

He wants the suburban house, he wants the 2.5 children, he wants that sort of life. He wants to take her away from all of the army stuff.

5) Keegan wants women to be inspired by it

War stories often end up having a male focus, but Our Girls female lead sets the show apart.

What Id like people to take away is, there are strong females out there, and I think Georgie Lane is a great role model for young girls to aspire to and look up to, says Keegan.

Just go out, be themselves, do whatever they want to do as a career, and make the right decisions in life.

BBC One, 9pm
T he Collection, Amazon Prime Videos latest original commission, is a fashion series thats about much more than clothes.

Set in a Dior-like atelier in post-war Paris, it also takes in the terrible compromises of life under Nazi occupation, fraternal rivalry in a family business and the transcendent power of glamour.

So its fitting that Poppy Corby-Tuech, the actress whose exquisite form currently adorns The Collections London bus adverts, also conceals hidden depths under a beautiful surface.

She plays Dominique, the top model at the House of Sabine and, like Dominique, Corby-Tuech has herself turned genetic good fortune into a source of income and esteem. While studying journalism at London College of Fashion she began appearing in photoshoots as a favour to photographer friends before eventually formally signing with a modelling agency, but her fondest memories are of a stint working in-house for Vidal Sassoon.

We were like this weird clan of aliens  all mental looking! We all had every colour of hair and asymmetric cut imaginable.

She describes the vibe there as sisterly, in contrast to the backstabbing and bitchery at House of Sabine, yet still she ultimately decided on a different career path. Having a job thats solely based on what you look like is not that gratifying and actually quite infuriating. It goes against morals and common sense a lot of the time.

Poppy Corby-Tuech as Dominique in The Collection / Nick Briggs

Instead, Corby-Tuech used modelling as a springboard to get into screen acting, securing roles in Silent Witness, This Is England 90 and the E! channels fabulously OTT trash TV spectacular, The Royals, which is famous for pairing Liz Hurley and Joan Collins as warring members of a fictitious British royal family.

Corby-Tuech played Prudence, a meek maid who is coerced into a sexual relationship by the villainous King Cyrus, an experience shes still struggling to describe, two years on. Its really hard when you start a show to know exactly how its gonna end up, she says, weighing the words carefully. It was always fun, obviously, but I didnt expect it to be quite so high camp I spent a lot of my time in a French maids uniform in this, like, quite exploitative storyline and I never quite knew how to handle that. I didnt know if it was something I wanted to do, quite honestly. Something didnt sit quite right with me.

More purely enjoyable was her time in the achingly hip post-punk band White Rose Movement. They were like: You play piano, do you want to come play keyboards? and I was like: Oh, Ive never even touched a synth before! But yeah, OK, why not?

The Collection - Launch Trailer

Together they toured the world, playing gigs to tens of thousands of people in Russia and the Far East. I dont think anyone really knew who we were, but they just loved having British bands, especially London bands, come over.

Eventually fashions changed, interests waned and Corby-Tuech decided her efforts would be better focused on acting. I think, a bit unfairly, wed been lumbered with this fashion tag and we were probably more known for what we looked like than the music.

This has been something of a career theme. Five minutes into a conversation with Corby-Tuech reveals that shes much more than a gorgeous face, but that doesnt make the face any easier to overlook. Like her double-barrelled surname (pronounced Too-esh), her looks are an exotic combination of English and French-Algerian, with a sprinkling of Alsace German. She was raised speaking French in Fontainebleau, just outside Paris, for the first nine years of her life before the death of her father occasioned a move to Norfolk. My mum also lost her mum in the same week and really wanted to be back in England, to be close to her sisters.

Best TV dramas 2016 1 /38 Best TV dramas 2016 The Missing The addictive and twisty second series of the BBC's crime anthology series BBC/New Pictures/Robert Viglasky Dark Angel Joanne Froggatt stared as Victorian mass murderer Mary Ann Cotton in this ITV drama ITV Close to the Enemy Stephen Poliakoff's post-war drama thriller BBC/Little Island Pictures Ordinary Lies The BBC anthology drama returns with more twisted tales BBC/Red Productions/Adrian Rogers The Night Of Riz Ahmed stars in HBO's critically acclaimed crime mini-series HBO Cold Feet The classic ITV comedy-drama returns - and it's just as good as it ever was ITV Victoria ITV have given Poldark some stiff competition with this period drama about a young Queen Victoria ITV Poldark The BBC's hit drama returns with more brooding, and less naked scything BBC/Robert Viglasky One of Us The BBC kept everyone guessing with this claustrophobic four-part whodunit Ripper Street The fan-favourite Victorian police drama returned for Series 4 BBC/Tiger Aspect 2016/Bernard Walsh The Secret Agent Toby Jones led the cast in the BBC's Joseph Conrad adaptation BBC/World Productions/Mark Mainz/Matt Burlem The Living and the Dead The BBC's gothic romance debuted in full on iPlayer BBC Preacher AMC's adaptation of Garth Ennis' cult comic book is available week-by-week on Amazon Prime Amazon / AMC Versailles A raunchy royal romp around the court of King Louis XIV, spicing up Wednesdays on BBC Two Canal +/ BBC Locked Up The Spanish prison drama came to the UK thanks to Channel 4's Walter Presents series Channel 4 / Global Series Peaky Blinders The Birmingham-set gangster thriller was more popular than ever in its third series BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Tiger Aspect/Robert Viglasky The A Word The BBC gave us a nuanced and emotional take on autism BBC/Fifty Fathoms Marcella Anna Friel stars in ITV's British take on the Scandi-noir thriller ITV Grantchester James Norton is back as the crime-solving vicar ITV / Lovely Day Stag The comedy-thriller from the team behind The Wrong Mans is both hilarious and chilling BBC/Des Willie/Hal Shinnie/Matt Burlem Vinyl Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger present a glossy drama about the Seventies music industry HBO American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson Cuba Gooding Jr leads an all-star cast in a dramatic re-telling of the 'trial of century' BBC/Fox Happy Valley Sarah Lancashire returned as Sgt Catherine Cawood for a second series of the gritty crime thriller BBC/Red Productions/Ben Blackall The X Files Mulder and Scully return for a brand new set of mysteries War and Peace The BBC's epic adaptation of the Russian literary classic BBC/Mitch Jenkins Call the Midwife The BBC period drama moved into the Sixties for Series 5 BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian Dickensian Charles Dickens' most famous characters collide in this historical soap BBC Jericho ITV's British western set in the wilds of Yorkshire Silent Witness The hugely popular detective drama returns for a 19th series

These days Corby-Tuech retains a French passport, a close relationship with her paternal grandparents and some other continental habits. I like black coffee, I always count in French, I dream in French a lot. Im learning to drive at the moment and road rage sounds pretty damn good in French. Im picking that up from my grandmother.

Being a feminist is about being a woman and being on an equal par with men, and that doesnt mean taking away things that make us feel good

She has that Bardot-esque je ne sais quoi, too, of course, but there is also something in the Corby-Tuech pout that recalls a young Angelina Jolie. Yeah, I do get that a lot, she sighs. Also, someone from Game of Thrones? Is it Cersei? And Cillian Murphy I dont mind that one actually.

These lookalike comparisons hold less weight, however, since she worked alongside Jolies father, the actor Jon Voight, in 2013s Dracula: The Dark Prince and he didnt appear to notice any similarity. They got along well, all the same. I dont know what he was doing in our film at all. But he was just so up for it! He was throwing himself on the ground, going, More fake blood! and buying cups of tea for all of us.

On the set of Paolo Sorrentinos film, Youth, she got the chance to observe two more industry veterans at work, Harvey Keitel (just such a dude) and Jane Fonda (super-cool). Both proved down-to-earth and generous with their expertise. They must meet silly little actresses on a daily basis but they were wonderful, she laughs.

Poppy Corby-Tuec / Nick Briggs

In fact, it would be hard to dismiss the articulate, self-possessed Corby-Tuech as a silly little anything. Lately her bedside book pile has included a Dan Cruikshank history of the Georgian sex trade, Lena Dunhams Not That Kind of Girl and I Love Dick, the memoir by artist and academic Chris Kraus, which has also recently had the Amazon TV pilot treatment.

Its this latter book which she credits with really getting me interested in the female psyche and feminism, and then playing Dominique opened up another historical perspective. I was reading something yesterday about make-up rations during the Second World War and how even the military and politicians looked at make-up as a morale-booster. Theres nothing wrong with that. Being a feminist is about being a woman and being on an equal par with men, and that doesnt mean taking away things that make us feel good because we look good.

Thus speaks a voice of experience on the matter. Though still in her twenties, Corby-Tuechs textured life story already includes modelling as a teenager, a bilingual family life, some uncomfortable professional compromises and a period of rock n roll rebellion  in retrospect, doesnt it seem as though it was all leading towards this breakthrough role in The Collection? Poppy smiles at the serendipity. When I read it, I was like: I can play her! Because I know this! Which doesnt always happen. Sometimes I get, like: American soldier girl, shes in the marines, battling aliens and Im, like: Errr

Follow Ellen E Jones on Twitter: @MsEllenEJones

A new episode of The Collection is available to watch every Friday on Amazon Prime Video
The Fremont Public School District is nearing the final phase of completing its budget process for the 2016-2017 school year.

By Sept. 20, the Board must finalize a projected budget and property tax request that will be filed with the county and state, said Brad Dahl, executive director of student services and business affairs.

Proposed expenditures for the 2016-2017 school year are $50,619,942, a 2.24 percent increase from the 2015-2016 school year, information released by the district says. However, the percent increase net of state and federal programs with offsetting revenues and increases due to the Affordable Care Act is 1.41 percent.

In terms of the property tax request, Dahl said that its being recommended to the Board of Education that the general  operating  fund levy be decreased from $1.0744 to $1.0577, which is a total decrease of 1.6 cents.

By doing this, a transfer of $750,000 will no longer be made from the general fund to the bond fund.

Slow valuation growth didnt allow us to generate enough money in the bond fund to make the payments, so we had to move money out of the general fund, Dahl said. So we are proposing that we dont do that any longer. To accomplish this we are proposing that we lower that general fund levy.

In response to the general fund levy being lowered, Dahl said its being proposed to the Board that the bond fund levy be increased by four cents  from $1.2388 during the 2015-2016 school year to $1.2622 during the 2016-2017 school year.

This means an overall net increase of 2.3 cents.

Overall, we want to do this so that the bond fund stands alone, Dahl said. We want it to be able to make its own payment. And in all reality, that bond fund should really float based on what the economy is doing. If assessed values are increasing at a greater rate than what the assumed rate would be  which was 2.5 percent  after a year or two we should probably float that down. If it doesnt keep pace with what the assumed growth would be, we probably need to float that up. So thats what were correcting right now.

So what is the real impact for a home owner living in taxed districts?

With a property tax levy shifting from $1.23939 to $1.26222 per $100 of assessed valuation, a home owner whose house is valued at approximately $150,000 would spend $1,893.33 this year opposed to $1,859.08 during the 2015-2016 school year, resulting in a 1.84 percent annual increase  $35 give or take.

The majority of funds raised through property taxes go toward the districts operational budget, with additional funds going toward paying principal and interest bonds.

Forty-three percent of the general fund comes directly from property taxes and 36 percent comes from state aid, which decreased by $880,867 this year.

Fremont Public Schools will spend approximately 84 percent of its operating budget on instruction. This includes money for teachers, counselors, media specialists, nurses, para-educators, supplies and equipment.

The rest of the budget is for business affairs, human resources and the administrative support/Board of Education areas, released information says.

In terms of fiscal responsibility, the FPS district does as good of a job as nearly any school district in Nebraska, data from the Nebraska Department of Education illustrates.

Data shows:

The FPS District ranks 232nd out of 245 school districts in Nebraska in per-pupil spending  only 13 districts spend less per pupil.

FPS currently spends $10,442 per-pupil compared to the state average of $11,619.

Additionally, the FPS District spends less than the state average by $5.34 million.

Superintendent Mark Shepard said that this years budget should be efficient and effective.

The bottom line is that its a budget that meets our needs and takes into account the restrictions of our local taxpayers, Shepard said.
The American Red Cross and 9/11 Day have partnered to encourage people across the country to give blood as their way to remember and pay tribute to the victims and heroes on the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.

The American Red Cross will conduct a bloodmobile in conjunction with FirstFest at First Lutheran Church, 3200 E. Military Ave., Fremont on Sunday. The bloodmobile will be from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Mission Center.

There is a continuing shortage of blood, especially with the flooding in the south. Each day, 38,000 units of blood are needed across the nation.

To donate to the general blood supply, one must be at least 17 years old or 16 years old with parental/guardian consent. There is no upper age limit for blood donation as long as you are well with no restrictions or limitations to your activities.

One can donate blood every 56 days or double red cells every 112 days. Your donation card and drivers license or two other forms of identification are needed when you present to donate.

For an appointment, register online at www.redcrossblood.org or call Lucy at 402-478-5406, Judi at 402-727-1405, or Colleen at 402-721-0463.
Today Newcomers Coffee, 9:30 a.m., Nye Square Wellness Center, Fremont. Visitors are welcome.

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer office hours, 10-11 a.m., Keene Memorial Library, Fremont. Tiffany Settles, Fischers constituent services representative and outreach coordinator, will offer help with casework and other issues at the federal level.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer office hours, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Blair Public Library, and 2:30-3:30 p.m., Tekamah Public Library.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Pork tenderloin dinner, 5:30-7 p.m., Fremont Eagles Club. Dinners are $8 plus tax. Half dinners are $4.50 plus tax. Everyone is welcome.

Fresh Hope Support Group, 7 p.m., Trinity Lutheran School, 16th Street and Luther Road, Fremont. The support group offers faith-based help for those with mood disorders and for loved ones trying to understand. For more information, call David and Wray Lynn Trost at 402-480-1777.

Narcotics Anonymous Library Group, 7 p.m., Keene Memorial Library East Building, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Thursday

Alcoholics Anonymous big book study, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Storytime, 10-10:30 a.m., Keene Memorial Library auditorium, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Fremont Kiwanis Club, noon, Fremont Golf Club.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous It Works Group, 6:30 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church East Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

Bingo, 7 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8223, 742 N. Main St., North Bend. Everyone is welcome.

Civil Air Patrol, 7 p.m., 1201 W. 23rd St., in yellow hangar at Fremont Airport.

Compassionate Friends, 7 p.m., Fremont Healths Health Park Plaza, third floor, Room 5. This offers grief support after the death of a child.

Storytime, 7-7:30 p.m., Keene Memorial Library auditorium, Fremont.

Tally Ho Toastmasters, 7-8 p.m., Midland Universitys Anderson Building, Ninth and Clarkson streets, Fremont. Everyone is welcome to learn skills in communication, self-confidence and leadership. For more information, call Jan at 402-720-5526.

Alcoholics Anonymous big book study, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous open meeting, 8 p.m., First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 N. Davis Ave., Oakland.

Friday

Cosmopolitan 100 Service Club, 7 a.m., USA Steak Buffet, 830 E. 23rd St., Fremont.

Al-Anon meeting, 9:30 a.m., Chapter 5 Club front room, Fremont.

Community Closet, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Uniquely Yours Stability Support, 240 N. Main St., Fremont. The cost is $5 to fill a bag. There is no limit of how many bags you can buy. For more information, call 402-727-8977.

HomeStore, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity.

Storytime, 10-10:30 a.m., Keene Memorial Library, Fremont.

Baby and toddler time, 11 a.m. to noon, Keene Memorial Library auditorium.
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Wednesday, 07 September 2016 16:29:40 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

Australia 's Antidumping Commission has announced its final dumping margins in the antidumping (AD) duty investigation regarding imports of certain chromium-plated circular solid steel bars (chrome bars) imported from Romania.

The final dumping margins stand at 22.4 percent for Romanian exporter Cromsteel, 35.3 percent for Nimet and 66.9 percent for all the other exporters in Romania.

The investigation was launched in November 10, 2015, regarding imports of the mentioned products from Romania and Italy. In August this year, the commission terminated the investigation into the goods exported from Italy as the volume of dumped goods in question was negligible.

The products in question currently fall under Customs Tariff Statistics Position Numbers 7215.90.00, 7215.50.90, 7228.30.10, 7228.50.00, 7228.60.10 and 7228.60.90.
Wednesday, 07 September 2016 17:36:41 (GMT+3) | Shanghai

Heilongjiang-based Chinese company Baotailong New Material Co., Ltd has announced that it has signed an equity transfer agreement with Hebei-based Chinese steelmaker Tangshan Jianlong Special Steel Co., Ltd and Jilin-based company Jilin Henglian Precision Casing Technology Co., Ltd.

Accordingly, Baotailong New Material will transfer its 10 percent stake in Liaoning-based Chinese steelmaker Fushun New Steel Co., Ltd for an overall price of RMB 100 million ($14.97 million) to Jianlong Special Steel and Jilin Henglian Precision Casing Technology, with the stake in question to be divided equally between the latter two companies.

In the first quarter of the current year, Fushun New Steel registered a net loss of RMB 44.9629 million ($6.73 million).
Wednesday, 07 September 2016 23:10:16 (GMT+3) |

Mexico s steel association, Canacero, demanded more duties on imported steel, which comes mainly from China, as a way to protect the local steel industry and boost production.

In the opening of the 5th Mexican Steel Congress, Canaceros president, Guillermo Vogel, said Mexican steel imports declined 12 percent in H1, year-on-year, to 4.8 million mt, thanks mainly to AD measures applied by the Mexican government on foreign steel.

While Mexican imports diminished, domestic steel output rose 8 percent in the same period, year-on-year, according to media reports citing Canaceros data.

Apparent steel consumption in the Jan-July period reportedly grew 1 percent to 15.7 million mt, according to Vogel.

Vogel said that despite the government help, Mexico needs to keep existing duties and include other products that were left out. Not doing so would mean Mexico could lose much of what it has earned so far, Vogel said.




According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the first seven months of this year France 's basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of 4.82 billion, falling by 13.6 percent year on year.

During the period in question, France exported 890.1 million of steel pipes and tubes - down 31.6 percent, 323.67 million of cold rolled steel strip - up 8.15 percent, 209.8 million of cold drawn wire - down by 8.5 percent, 196.07 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 2.4 percent, and 409.29 million of metal structures and parts - down by 11.2 percent, all compared to the same period of 2015.
According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the January-July period of the current year France 's basic steel product and ferroalloy imports amounted to a value of 4.34 billion, decreasing by 10.6 percent year on year.

During the period in question, France imported 919.87 million of steel pipes and tubes - down 23.3 percent, 303.54 million of cold rolled steel strip - falling by 6.6 percent, 215.05 million of cold drawn wire - dropping by 1.6 percent, 205.58 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 13.5 percent, and 869.18 million of metal structures and parts - increasing by 4.2 percent, all compared to the January-July period of 2015.
Wednesday, 07 September 2016 14:24:57 (GMT+3) | Kolkata

India s Ministry of Steel is likely to set up an experts panel to reconcile the conflict between producers and users of stainless steel over the recently published stainless steel quality control order, a ministry official said on Wednesday, September 7.

The official said that both producers as well as representatives of end-users from capital goods manufacturers and large consumers of stainless steel have been communicating with the ministry, taking completely opposite stances on the quality control order.

Citing an example, the ministry official said that the Process Plant and Machinery Manufacturers Association of India (PPMAI) submitted that the stainless steel quality control order making certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mandatory for use of all stainless steel products was erroneous since the very standardization process adopted by the BIS was in error.

According to the submission from the PPMAI, no domestic stainless steel producers produce as per the specifications of the BIS and so it would be futile for user industries to seek certification for the stainless steel used in capital goods, the official said.

On the other hand, representing stainless steel producers the Indian Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA) in support of the quality control order submitted that users arguments were not justified as the BIS was fully equipped to certify the quality of steel to be used in line with well developed standards.
Wednesday, 07 September 2016 15:17:34 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

According to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), in July this year Turkey's wire rod exports increased by 49 percent year on year to 65,714 metric tons, down 40.6 percent compared to the previous month. The revenue from these exports amounted to $27.6 million, down 46.4 percent month on month and rising by 40 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.

In the January-July period of this year, Turkey's wire rod exports amounted to 551,378 mt, rising by 18 percent, while the value of these exports decreased by 1.21 percent to $217.6 million, both year on year.



In the given period, Turkey's largest wire rod export destination was Israel which received 127,208 metric tons. Israel was followed by Egypt with 86,016 metric tons and the US with 61,213 metric tons.



Turkey's main wire rod export destinations in January-July:

Country Amount (mt) Jan-Jul 2016 Jan-Jul 2015 Y-o-y change (%) July 2016 July 2015 Y-o-y change (%) Israel 127,208 126,856 0.28 8,642 4,090 111.30 Egypt 86,016 22,443 283.26 3,687 3,490 5.64 USA 61,213 119,948 -48.97 5,557 13,253 -58.07 Netherlands 24,856 - - 7,050 - - Morocco 22,566 17,117 31.83 - 49 - Libya 21,518 23,706 -9.23 - 1,426 - Chile 20,966 317 - 5,500 - - Spain 19,776 11,064 78.74 7,173 6,564 9.28 Jordan 18,600 1,168 - - - -

Turkey's main wire rod export destinations on country basis in the first seven months of the current year are presented in the chart below:
By MARK EVANS mevans@stegenherald.com Bloomsdale will probably host a major fireworks display. The pyrotechnics will not take place until 2024, however. During the Oct. 12 board of aldermen meeting, Kevin Wehner and city officials again discussed the possibility of a July 4 fireworks display at the youth soccer fields on land leased by the city
Dragos Tudorache was sworn in on Wednesday afternoon as minister of the Interior, in front of president Klaus Iohannis. The ceremony at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace was attended by Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, alongside members of the Government, counselors of president Iohannis.

Dragos Tudorache thus replaces Petre Toba who has resigned on 1 September, after the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) charged him with aiding and abetting a perpetrator in the file of the former heads of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Department (DIPI).

Agerpres
President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday told the new Interior Minister, Dragos Tudorache that it is paramount for the parliamentary elections to unfold safely, so "we have the certainty that the outcome is not altered whatsoever."

The president addressed the new minister at the Cotroceni presidential Palace, after the latter was sworn in.

Read also: iohannis-tells-russian-ambassador-that-romania-is-open-to-bilateral-dialogue-trust-rebuilding-needed_1150652.html" target="_blank">Iohannis tells Russian ambassador that Romania is open to bilateral dialogue,trust rebuilding needed

Iohannis assured Tudorache that his tenure, even if 'pretty short' won't be 'simple', since the minister is taking over one of the main portfolios in a difficult stage and yet with very good opportunities to strengthen this ministry that has suffered several changes.

The head of state reminded that the Interior Ministry has had an important part in this June local elections and that it behaved impeccably.

The president concluded that it is vital to Romania that the parliamentary elections due on 11 December should unfold in perfect order, safely and that we'll have the certainty that their outcome will not be altered at all, according to Agerpres.
President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday told the new ambassador of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, Valeri Kuzmin, on a visit to the Cotroceni Presidential Palace to present his letters of credence, that in order to develop the bilateral relationship in a pragmatic, predictable way - a goal shared by the Russian ambassador, too - it is necessary, besides the respect for the international law, to rebuild trust, the Presidential Administration informs.

According to the source, Iohannis said that Romania is open to the bilateral dialogue with Russia, since potential and common interests in various fields exist, such as the economic, cultural cooperation. Likewise, upon welcoming the ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the head of state approached the issue of the bilateral relations' stage and their perspectives. As regards the recent ballistic tests, president Iohannis emphasized the importance of a fully observance of the international law and of the relevant international obligations.

Upon receiving the ambassador of Switzerland, Klaus Iohannis voiced "the appreciation of the Romanian side for the decision made by the federal authorities to lift work restrictions for the Romanian citizens, this contributing to the strengthening of the bilateral relations, in particular the economic ones," says the source. "Talking with the Canadian ambassador, president Klaus Iohannis thanked for the participation of the Canadian military within the NATO reassuring measures for Romania, as well as at the Black Sea and invited the Canadian side to continue this presence, in the context of the implementation of the decisions made in July's NATO Summit," says the source. As regards the visa issue, the head of state said it is necessary that this file is resolved sooner, in a positive manner for the Romanian citizens.

Agerpres
The for-profit college chain ITT Technical Institute is shutting down all 130 of its U.S. campuses, including two in the St. Louis area, saying Tuesday it cant survive recent sanctions by the U.S. Department of Education.

In a letter to more than 35,000 students, its Indiana-based parent company ITT Educational Services announced that campuses wont open for the fall term that was scheduled to begin Sept. 12  leaving students scrambling for last-minute options because many U.S. colleges already have started fall classes. ITT also cut more than 8,000 jobs immediately.

The doors were locked Tuesday afternoon at the ITT Tech location in Earth City, where a distraught employee, who asked not to be identified because of a possible nondisclosure policy, said workers were informed by email in the morning of the sudden closing.

A spokesperson for ITT Educational Services, the chains parent company, declined to say how many St. Louis area employees are affected. ITT Tech had about 700 students at its four Missouri campuses  Earth City, Arnold, Kansas City and Springfield  according to an official at the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

The chain was barred Aug. 25 from enrolling new students who used federal financial aid, because, Education Department officials said, the company had become a risk to students and taxpayers. The department also ordered the company to pay $152 million within 30 days to help cover student refunds and other liabilities if the chain closed.

Days before those sanctions were announced, ITTs accreditor reported the chain had failed to meet several basic standards and was unlikely to comply in the future. It had also been investigated by state and federal authorities who accused ITT of pushing students into risky loans and of misleading students about the quality of programs.

ITT Educational Services CEO Kevin Modany told reporters on a conference call Tuesday that ITT was the victim of a regulatory assault and never had the chance to defend itself. For what appears to be political reasons, there seemed to be an outcome in mind that was going to be forced here, Modany said.

Other education companies had made overtures to buy the chains schools over the past year, Modany added, and ITT had offered to wind down its operations gradually if federal officials eased some of the sanctions against it, but he said federal officials rejected those options.

Department Undersecretary Ted Mitchell, however, said ITT never made a formal proposal, and that the departments informal conversations with potential buyers had failed. We just didnt see that there was a path forward providing a quality education to the students of ITT Tech, Mitchell said.

One of the biggest for-profit chains in the nation, ITT had been closely monitored by federal officials since 2014, when the chain was late to submit an annual report of its finances to the government.

About 200 ITT employees will help students obtain grade transcripts and apply to other schools, and the chain said it is seeking agreements with other schools that would help students transfer class credits. Education Department leaders are also urging community colleges to contact ITT students and welcome qualified students.

Ashley Jost of the Post-Dispatch and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
RICHMOND, Va.  Josiah Cooper-Pope, born 15 weeks premature, did fine in the neonatal intensive care unit for the first 10 days of his life.

Then, suddenly, his tiny body started to swell. Overnight, he grew so distended that his skin split.

His mother, Shala Bowser, said nurses at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond, Va., told her that Josiah had an infection and that she should prepare for the worst. On Sept. 2, 2010, she was allowed to hold him for the first and last time as he took his final breath. He was 17 days old.

What no one at the hospital told Bowser was that her newborn was the fourth baby in the neonatal unit to catch the same infection, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better-known as MRSA. It would sicken eight more, records show  nearly every baby in the unit  before the outbreak had run its course.

The shock of her sons death came back to her when, after being contacted by Reuters earlier this year about the outbreak, Bowser went to Virginias Division of Vital Records to get a copy of Josiahs death certificate. The cause of death: Sepsis due to (or as a consequence of): Prematurity. Sepsis is a complication of infection, but there was no mention of MRSA.

My heart hurts, Bowser said, sobbing. I saw what this did to him. And then they just threw a bunch of words on the death certificate.

According to their death certificates, Emma Grace Breaux died at age 3 from complications of the flu; Joshua Nahum died at age 27 from complications related to a skydiving accident; and Dan Greulich succumbed to cardiac arrhythmia at age 64 after a combined kidney and liver transplant.

In each case  and in others Reuters found  death resulted from a drug-resistant bacterial infection contracted while the patients were receiving hospital care, medical records show. Their death certificates omit any mention of the infections.

Fifteen years after the U.S. government declared antibiotic-resistant infections to be a grave threat to public health, a Reuters investigation has found that infection-related deaths are going uncounted, hindering the nations ability to fight a scourge that exacts a significant human and financial toll.

'You need to know'

Even when recorded, tens of thousands of deaths from drug-resistant infections  as well as many more infections that sicken but dont kill people  go uncounted because federal and state agencies are doing a poor job of tracking them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the go-to national public health monitor, and state health departments lack the political, legal and financial wherewithal to impose rigorous surveillance.

As a result, they miss people like Natalie Silva of El Paso, Texas, who contracted a MRSA (pronounced MER-suh) infection after giving birth. She died from infection-related complications nearly a year later, at age 23.

Silvas sisters fought a successful battle to get the hospital to cite MRSA on her death certificate. Still, her death went uncounted: The Texas health department doesnt track deaths like hers from antibiotic-resistant infections, and neither does the CDC.

As America learned in the battle against HIV/AIDS, beating back a dangerous infectious disease requires an accurate count that shows where and when infections and deaths are occurring and who is most at risk. Doing so allows public health agencies to quickly allocate money and manpower where they are needed. But the United States hasnt taken the basic steps needed to track drug-resistant infections.

You need to know how many people are dying of a disease, said Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, a Washington-based health policy research organization. For better or worse, thats an indicator of how serious it is.

Drug-resistant infections are left off death certificates for several reasons. Doctors and other clinicians get little training in how to fill out the forms. Some dont want to wait the several days it can take for laboratory confirmation of an infection. And an infections role in a patients death may be obscured by other serious medical conditions.

Theres also a powerful incentive not to mention a hospital-acquired infection: Counting deaths is tantamount to documenting your own failures. By acknowledging such infections, hospitals and medical professionals risk potentially costly legal liability, loss of insurance reimbursements and public-relations damage.

Doctors and other clinicians also may simply not understand the importance of recording the infections. Sandy Tarant, the doctor who signed Josiah Cooper-Popes death certificate, told Reuters that he thought it didnt matter whether he cited a MRSA infection.

Legally, hes right. Most states dont require doctors to specify whether MRSA was a factor in a death. Washington and Illinois are exceptions.

State laws govern how death certificates are filled out. Most use a model law that mandates financial penalties for anyone who deliberately makes a false statement on the document, said Patricia Potrzebowski, director of the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems. The penalties are often small and rarely enforced, she said.

'An Impressionist painting'

Not even the CDC has a good handle on the extent of the problem. The agency estimates that about 23,000 people die each year from 17 types of antibiotic-resistant infections and that an additional 15,000 die from Clostridium difficile, a pathogen linked to long-term antibiotic use.

The numbers are regularly cited in news reports and scholarly papers, but they are mostly guesswork. Reuters analyzed the agencys math and found that the estimates are based on few actual reported deaths from a drug-resistant infection.

The agency leaned heavily on small samplings of infections and deaths collected from no more than 10 states in a single year, 2011. Most didnt include populous areas such as Florida, Texas, New York City and Southern California.

From those small samples, the CDC then extrapolated most of its national estimates, introducing so much statistical uncertainty into the numbers as to render them useless for the purposes of fighting a persistent public health crisis.

Describing the estimates to Reuters, even CDC officials used words like jerry-rig, ballpark figure and a searchlight in the dark attempt.

Michael Craig, the CDCs senior adviser for antibiotic resistance coordination and strategy, said the agency, pressured by Congress and the media to produce the big number, settled on an impressionist painting rather than something that is much more technical.

In a statement emailed to Reuters, CDC officials said they released the 2013 estimates report despite its limitations because of our profound concern about the seriousness of the threat. The agency said it is working on improving its estimates.

The numbers of uncounted deaths from drug-resistant infections speak to what can happen when we dont allocate the necessary resources to bolster  our public health safety network, said Senator Sherrod Brown. When we see discrepancies in reporting, are unable to finance a workforce to monitor infections, and cant even soundly estimate the number of Americans that die from [antibiotic-resistant infections] each year, we know we have a problem.

The Ohio Democrat recently introduced a bill that would require the CDC to collect more and better data on superbug infections and death rates.

In the absence of a unified national surveillance system, the onus of monitoring drug-resistant infections and related deaths falls on the states. A Reuters survey of the health departments of all 50 states and the District of Columbia found wide variations in how they track seven leading superbug infections  if they do so at all.

Only 17 states require notification of C. difficile infections, for example, while just 26 states and Washington, D.C., do the same for MRSA. Fewer than half require notification of infections by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), a family of pathogens that the CDC has deemed an urgent threat. CRE gained notoriety when more than 200 people were sickened through contaminated medical scopes in hospitals from 2012 to 2015.

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia  an area comprising 3 of every 5 Americans  said they do not regularly track deaths due to antibiotic-resistant infections. In contrast, all 50 states require reporting of deaths from AIDS. Deaths from hepatitis C and tuberculosis are also closely tracked.

'Grossly under-reported'

States that said they do track deaths generally do so for only a few types of drug-resistant infections and not consistently. In the survey, they reported a combined total of about 3,300 deaths from 2003 to 2014.

Thats a tiny fraction of the actual toll: A Reuters analysis of death certificates found that nationwide, drug-resistant infections were mentioned as contributing to or causing the deaths of more than 180,000 people during the same period. To conduct the analysis, Reuters worked with the CDCs National Center for Health Statistics Division of Vital Statistics to search text descriptions on death certificates to identify relevant deaths.

Among the states that dont require reporting of superbug deaths is California, the nations most populous state. The Reuters analysis identified more than 20,000 deaths linked to drug-resistant infections during the 12-year period, the most of any state. A health department spokeswoman said the state legislature authorized the department to be notified of infections, but not deaths.

Tennessee doesnt require notification of deaths, either. The Reuters analysis found more than 5,500 deaths linked to superbugs there, more than half of them MRSA-related.

We know we have a problem with MRSA in Tennessee, said Marion Kainer, the states director of antimicrobial resistance programs. Requiring hospitals to report deaths is more than the department can take on right now, she said. We have a significant problem getting clinicians to report just the disease, she said. Its grossly under-reported.

The totals from the Reuters analysis also indicate that the problem is getting worse nationwide, as the number of deaths from drug-resistant infections more than doubled from 8,600 in 2003 to about 16,700 in 2014. (Some of that increase could be the result of clinicians increased awareness of the infections.)

Death certificates arent a perfect measure. They can be wrong: Cause of death often is a judgment call by clinicians, who may blame a drug-resistant infection in error. More likely, they undercount drug-resistant deaths, as cases like that of Josiah Cooper-Pope show. Just how far under is impossible to know.

But there are clues: Connecticut, with a grant from the CDC, is the only state that closely monitors MRSA deaths. It logged 2,084 deaths from drug-resistant infections from 2003 to 2014, all but 10 from MRSA. Thats nearly twice the number of deaths from MRSA in the state that Reuters found in its death certificate analysis.

One reason for the disparity is that the states count includes anyone who died with MRSA, even if it wasnt the cause of death, said Dr Matthew L. Cartter, Connecticuts epidemiologist. He also said death certificates may undercount MRSA deaths because the physician may cite a general infection-related condition  death due to sepsis, for example  without mentioning the actual bacteria involved, or merely describe the mechanics of death, such as organ failure or cardiac arrest.

For many victims relatives interviewed by Reuters, the death certificate held special significance. They had watched an infection squeeze the life out of a loved one, often over several months and in gruesome ways. To find no official record of that on the death certificate came as a shock. It was as if the killer got away.

Misleading death certificates

Dan Greulichs medical records show that, after his transplant operation, he spent five months battling drug-resistant infections that left him so debilitated he asked to be taken off of life support. He died in June 2012. By the time of his death  due to cardiac arrhythmia, according to the death certificate  the cost of his care at UCLA Medical Center amounted to more than $5 million.

When the doctor wouldnt count him as one of the people who die from hospital-acquired infections, I was outraged, said Rae Greulich, his widow. She considered suing the hospital but never did.

UCLA Medical Center declined to comment.

Joshua Nahums recovery from a skydiving accident on Sept. 2, 2006, was going so well at Longmont United Hospital in Colorado that he was transferred to Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital a month later in preparation for going home.

Within days, his temperature spiked, his condition deteriorated, and he was transferred back to Longmont. There, he was diagnosed with meningitis from Enterobacter aerogenes, a virulent drug-resistant pathogen spread almost exclusively in healthcare settings.

By the time he died on Oct. 22, the swelling in his brain had made him a quadriplegic, said his father, Armando Nahum. The infection was the most immediate cause of his death, his neurosurgeon, Dr E. Lee Nelson, told Reuters.

His death certificate said he died of Delayed Complications of Craniocerebral Injuries from the accident. I remember being dumbfounded. Are you serious? Nahum said. All I asked was that they write the truth  that Josh died of an infection.

Hospital records obtained by the family show he also contracted meningitis from a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis infection while at Longmont. Similar to MRSA, it is a potentially lethal drug-resistant bug.

In an email statement, Nancy Driscoll, chief nursing officer at Longmont United, said an independent review concluded that Nahums care was appropriate. She did not respond to questions about how he contracted the infections. Northern Colorado Chief Executive Officer Beth Bullard declined to discuss the case.

Because Nahum died nearly two months after the accident, the cause of death was certified by the Boulder County coroners office. Dr John E. Meyer, deputy coroner at the time, signed the death certificate. He told Reuters that he did not recall the case but would not have thought to specify that the complication was an infection.

Theres certainly no rule that I know of, he said.

Patient safety groups petitioned the CDC in 2011 to add a question about hospital-acquired infections to its standard death certificate, which is used by many states.

CDC Director Dr Thomas Frieden wrote that he would consider including patient advocates in discussions the next time the agency revises its death certificate, but there were no plans to make any changes in the near future.

In a statement emailed to Reuters, Frieden said: While death certificates provide helpful information, the unfortunate reality is that they don't provide in-depth clinical information.

Protective secrecy

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been around nearly as long as antibiotics. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first modern antibiotic, in 1928, saving millions of lives from infections that just a few years earlier would have been fatal. By 1940, researchers were reporting that bacteria had already developed resistance to the drug.

Modern science became locked in a war of one-upmanship with the microbial world. Researchers would develop a class of drugs to replace those that were becoming ineffective, and soon enough, bacteria would begin showing resistance to the new drugs  a problem worsened by widespread overprescription of antibiotics and their overuse in farm animals.

By the 1990s, drug-resistant infections had reached crisis proportions. Advances in medicine have been, paradoxically, a big reason for the worsening epidemic.

More people than ever are living with weak immunity: premature infants, the elderly, and people with cancer, HIV and other illnesses that were once fatal but are now often chronic conditions. Thats also why superbugs most often occur in hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities  places where susceptible populations are concentrated.

In 2001, a task force led by the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health declared antibiotic-resistant infections to be a grave public health threat and issued an action plan to tame the problem. The groups recommendations included creating a national surveillance plan and speeding development of new antibiotics.

Yet not a single new class of antibiotics has been approved for medical use since 1987. Despite years of efforts to educate healthcare workers about infection control, multiple studies show that many still routinely flout even basic preventive measures, like hand-washing.

While the types of bacteria showing drug resistance have multiplied, the federal government requires hospitals to report infections for only two of them, MRSA bacteremia, or blood infection, and C. difficile. It requires limited reports on the others and relies on the states to fill in the gaps.

In 2014, the administration of President Barack Obama issued a new national action plan to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Congress followed last year with a $160 million increase in the CDCs budget to bolster research, drug development and surveillance of superbugs by the states.

But as Reuters found, surveillance carried out by the states can come up against strong institutional resistance and laws that shield the healthcare industry.

Under Virginia law, Chippenham Hospital should have reported its 2010 MRSA outbreak to the state Department of Health when the third baby in the neonatal intensive care unit tested positive for the bug, health department officials said. That was four days before newborn Josiah Cooper-Pope fell ill.

Instead, according to Virginia Health Department records and interviews with department officials, the hospital didnt notify public health officials until nearly every baby in the unit had been infected  and then only by mail.

By that time, Josiah had been dead two weeks and another baby was in critical condition with a MRSA infection.

After persuading the hospital to temporarily close the unit and bringing the outbreak under control, Health Department investigators found that Chippenham hadnt taken basic steps to prevent MRSAs spread, such as training staff, scrubbing furniture and computers, and testing all infants in the nursery when the infection first surfaced.

Jennifer Stanley, a spokesperson for Hospital Corp of America, which owns Chippenham, said that since the outbreak, the hospital has put in place aggressive infection prevention measures and intensive education and training.

Virginia took no action against the hospital for the lethal outbreak.

'How the sausage is made'

The state can fine hospitals for violating regulations, but this is not the approach [the Department of Health] typically follows, said Maribeth Brewster, department spokesperson. Officials prefer working closely with hospitals to correct patient safety problems, she said, and a follow-up inspection at Chippenham Hospital found no regulatory violations, so no action was warranted.

In response to a Reuters public records request on the outbreak, the Health Department sent a copy of its investigation report in which the name and address of the hospital were blacked out.

The same was true for 22 more superbug outbreaks in Virginia healthcare facilities since 2007 that involved more than 130 patients, including 15 who died. State law prohibits the agency from identifying the location of outbreaks. At least 27 other states have similar laws or policies in place.

Disclosing the names of healthcare providers would serve as a significant disincentive to the timely reporting of disease outbreaks, said Brewster, the Virginia Health Department spokesperson.

Tarant, the doctor who signed Josiahs death certificate, put it this way: Things like this, if dealt with appropriately, are best if kept internally. I dont think people want to see how the sausage is made.

At a conference last year, hospital infection-control specialists told CDC officials that medical staff and internal review boards sometimes blocked them from reporting infections as required by state law or by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which reduces payments to hospitals for preventable infections and high infection rates.

The specialists said medical staff sometimes were discouraged from testing patients with clear signs of infection  one of several tactics they said staff used to get around reporting rules.

Those complaints were detailed in a notice the CDC and CMS sent late last year to hospitals nationwide, warning them that offenders could be fined and cut off from federal funds for covering up infections they are legally required to disclose.

Officials said that due to database limitations, they did not know whether any facilities had been cited for underreporting infections since the notice was issued.

Acknowledging any infection caught in a hospital or other healthcare setting carries another risk: The paper trail can support a subsequent lawsuit.

Emma Grace Breaux and her twin brother, Talon, fell ill from infections shortly after they were born 12 weeks premature at Lafayette General Medical Center in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 2005. Talon died at 15 days old after becoming infected by a virulent strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a ubiquitous bacteria that easily contaminates hospital equipment.

The day we buried him, we found out about Emmas infection, said Kelly Breaux, their mother.

Emma had a MRSA infection. She survived, but with permanent damage to her heart, lungs and one leg.

Three and a half years later, Emma was in Florida to have her leg repaired when she came down with swine flu. It was too much for her heart and lungs. After a six-week battle, she died at Miami Childrens Hospital just shy of her fourth birthday. Her death certificate blamed flu-related pneumonia. Including MRSA as a cause of death was not considered, said Dr Sharon Skaletzky, who was at Miami Childrens at the time and signed the death certificate.

Talons case was clear-cut; his death certificate cited septic shock due to his hospital-acquired Pseudomonas infection as the cause of death.

Emmas was more complicated. Her medical expenses alone eventually exceeded $4 million for repeated hospitalizations due to complications from her MRSA infection. The family sold their home, truck and other possessions to stay afloat while she underwent multiple operations.

A Louisiana appeals court ultimately ruled that MRSA was responsible for her death and in 2013 upheld a jury award of more than $6 million in damages and medical expenses for the twins.

Lafayette General Medical Center spokesperson Daryl Cetnar said no one with knowledge of the case was available.

National priorities

Lack of a unified national surveillance system makes it next to impossible to count the number of drug-resistant infections, fatal or otherwise. Theoretically, deaths could be counted through the nations vital statistics.

Those numbers, compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), include births, marriages, divorces and, using data culled from death certificates, information on what is killing whom. The numbers are critical in determining how money is distributed for research and public health campaigns.

As examples in this article show, superbug infections are often omitted from death certificates. But even when they are recorded, NCHS cant feed that information into vital statistics: The World Health Organization (WHO) classification system the agency uses lacks mortality codes for most drug-resistant infections, though it has codes for more than 8,000 other possible causes of death.

The CDC added codes for use in the United States for terrorism-related deaths a year after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. It could do the same for deaths from drug-resistant infections. Officials told Reuters the CDC is instead working to incorporate the codes into the WHOs next revision of the international classification system. The revised system is expected to be completed in 2018 but not fully in use until the 2020s.

There are other ways to count deaths, such as searching the text of death certificates as Reuters did in its analysis with help from the NCHS. CDC officials told Reuters they now are exploring how we might be able use literal text capture to get additional information on resistant infection deaths which could be useful for annual tracking.

As it stands, the CDC has the National Healthcare Safety Network. Under this surveillance program, about 5,000 hospitals and in-patient rehabilitation facilities file quarterly reports on several types of healthcare-related infections as a condition of receiving Medicare and Medicaid payments.

But only two superbug infections are on the reportable list, MRSA bacteremia and C. difficile. The others are reported under only limited circumstances, such as when related to a hysterectomy or a catheter-associated urinary tract infection.

The reports are typically five to seven months old by the time they are logged, and thus arent useful for real-time surveillance. And the CDC doesnt require facilities to report deaths. Determining cause of death is difficult and would entail extra training for hospital staff who fill out the forms and oversight, which the agency cant afford, according to Dr Daniel Pollock, surveillance branch chief for the CDCs Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion.

CDC Director Frieden, noting that there is no simple way to code for drug-resistant infections on death certificates, said the CDC is supporting states efforts to respond to antibiotic resistance and help protect Americans from this threat.

Just 16 state health departments told Reuters that they tally deaths from reportable antibiotic-resistant infections. Eight others track deaths only when they are part of an outbreak. (Pennsylvania and Georgia declined to answer the survey questions.)

Among states that dont track deaths is Texas, where Natalie Silva contracted MRSA in November 2012 at Hospital Corp of Americas Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso. Two days after giving birth to a healthy boy by cesarean section, her incision began gushing blood, said her sister, Crystal Silva. Back at the hospital, Natalie Silva tested positive for MRSA.

Hospital staff assured Silva it was safe to continue holding and breastfeeding her week-old son, according to Crystal Silva and her other sister, Stephanie Hall. One month later, her son was in the neonatal intensive care unit battling his own MRSA infection, they said.

He survived. For Silva, the next few months brought a cascade of medical complications, records show. Multiple infections led to multiple surgeries that left her paralyzed. Hall recalled spending a Friday night in September 2013 at her sisters bedside, painting Silvas fingernails metallic blue and her toenails metallic purple, optimistic that her sister would return home.

Three days later, Silva died.

Silvas doctors wanted to blame cardiac arrest on the death certificate, Silvas sisters said.

Del Sol Medical Center declined to comment.

Silvas family paid $3,000 for an autopsy that confirmed that the MRSA infection contributed to her death. Her death certificate lists cardiopulmonary arrest as the immediate cause of death, due to complications from a MRSA infection.

She was 23 years old and healthy. We knew that MRSA played a huge role, said Crystal Silva. We had to fight for them to include it.

In September last year, Hall filed a medical malpractice and wrongful death lawsuit against Del Sol in El Paso County District Court, alleging that the hospital was responsible for Silvas MRSA infection and the fatal complications that followed. The lawsuit is seeking payment to Silvas two children for the loss of their mother, loss of her wages while she was sick, medical costs and funeral expenses.

Christine Mann, spokeswoman for the Texas health department, said counting superbug deaths would require a formal statute or rule change in the state. We prioritize our resources and attention toward taking public health action where it is most needed, she said.

Natalie Silvas was among about 10,000 deaths linked to antibiotic-resistant infections in Texas from 2003 to 2014, according to the Reuters analysis. Though her sisters succeeded in getting an honest reckoning on Silvas death certificate, her death by superbug was never counted.
EDWARDSVILLE  A court hearing for a man accused of making a terrorist threat was delayed Wednesday when the defendant decided he wanted an attorney after all.

Keaun Cook, 18, of Godfrey, was charged Sept. 1 under Illinois law with one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of material support for terrorism. Some details in the case were expected Wednesday but werent disclosed after Cook changed his mind about defending himself in court and decided he wouldnt represent himself.

He appeared before Associate Court Judge Jennifer Hightower Wednesday shackled at his waist and ankles and sat alone at the defendants table. In a barely audible voice, Cook said he didnt want a lawyer.

I am doing okay, maam, he said.

Cook also said he wanted to discuss the situation, without elaborating.

There has been a situation going on... I feel all the questions should be asked here, Cook said. I think the wrong picture has been painted and we should get to the bottom of it.

Hightower reminded Cook that the hearing was to increase or deny his bail, currently at $150,000. After she asked him several times about having a lawyer, Cook decided to accept representation by Madison County Public Defender John Rekowski.

Rekowski already was in the courtroom at the judges request and walked over to sit with Cook. Rekowski said he hadnt seen the court file yet and requested a two-day delay.

Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons did not object. Gibbons had planned to lay out details of the case against Cook to argue for denying bail but said after the hearing he would wait until the next hearing at 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Gibbons did say the case was based upon a recording that an unidentified person gave to investigators. He said federal authorities are aware of the matter and may seek to pursue their own case as well.

Gibbons filed the charges based upon a statute the Illinois Legislature adopted after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

No one from Cooks family was present at the hearing in the Madison County Criminal Court Building. They have said that he is mentally ill and they have been trying to get him help.

Madison County sheriffs deputies went to Cooks home in the 1300 block of Sir Galahad Lane in Godfrey on Aug. 24 after getting a tip, according to authorities. After meeting with Cook and his family members, the officers developed evidence linking Cook to potential regional terrorist threats, prosecutors say.

Cook allegedly had been in contact with people he believed would be capable of committing a mass casualty terrorist attack. He contacted them through social media and other digital means of communication, Gibbons said when Cook was charged.

Cook and the group were targeting at least three locations in the Madison County area, Gibbons said. Both of the charges are felonies. Cook faces up to 70 years in prison.

Cook is being held at the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville, where Hightower said he would stay at least until after the hearing Friday.
ST. LOUIS  A federal jury rejected on Wednesday a mans claims that he had been falsely arrested and that city police had planted drugs on him.

In 2013, a police dashboard camera video of the arrest caused a St. Louis judge to toss out the evidence from the arrest of Jeremey Eden. It wasnt clear if the judge believed Edens claims of planted evidence or thought the video simply contradicted the police account. Prosecutors then dropped the underlying charges.

Edens first name is spelled Jeremy in some court records. His attorney, Samuel Henderson, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Jurors found in favor of police officers Ronald Vaughan and Kyle Chandlers. They had denied Edens claims.

He sued in St. Louis Circuit Court in 2014, and the case was later moved to federal court.

Eden, 24, told jurors Tuesday that he was going to visit a girlfriend on Dec. 6, 2011, when he was pulled over by Vaughn and Chandlers. During the search by Vaughan, Eden said that he saw something drop from the officers hand. He asked, Hey, whats going on? Whats that? before tapping his foot in surprise. He then repeatedly complained of being falsely charged.

Eden, a Ladue Horton-Watkins High School grad who said he was currently homeless, denied trying to threaten or head-butt police and said that he had been pepper-sprayed by officers.

Under questioning by Robert Isaacson of the Missouri Attorney Generals office, which represented the officers, Eden said inconsistencies in his various versions of the arrest were due to faded memory of an event that happened years ago.

Isaacson said in his opening statement Tuesday that the bag had actually come from Edens pocket and that he had tried to step on the drugs to hide them. He said that Eden had been treated with kid gloves during the encounter.

At the time the evidence in Edens criminal case was tossed out, public defender Mary Fox said it showed that police sometimes planted evidence. Prosecutors stood behind the officers, and the police union said the case showed that a video could distort the truth.
ST. LOUIS  The two people who died in a triple shooting early Saturday in the city's Academy neighborhood have been identified as Shawndreaka Lakes and Antoine Bronner.

Police say Bronner, 27, died at the scene of the shooting just before 2 a.m. Saturday in the 5000 block of Maple Avenue, near North Kingshighway. Lakes, 20, died later at a hospital.

A third victim  a 17-year-old female  survived the shooting but was hospitalized in critical condition.

Police gave the following account:

At 1:53 a.m. Saturday, police went to Maple and found three people shot. Lakes, of the 5800 block of Roosevelt Place, was found in the street. She had been shot multiple times.

Bronner, of the 3800 block of Avondale Avenue, was dead in a nearby gangway. He had been shot multiple times.

The teenage female who survived had been shot in the face and legs.

Police say they had been shot during an argument in front of the residence.

Police had no suspect information.
MADISON COUNTY  Two Arizona women have been charged with money laundering after they were allegedly found driving with more than $500,000 in cash hidden in the car Sunday by Illinois State Police.

Francisca B. Encinas, 43, and Yesenia A. Guillen, 38, both of Tucson, Ariz., were each charged with two counts of money laundering Tuesday in Madison County.

Encinas and Guillen were southbound on Interstate 55 in Illinois when they were pulled over by an Illinois State Police trooper for alleged speeding and license plate obstruction, according to the Madison County State Attorney's office.

The trooper "developed evidence that the vehicle could contain evidence of narcotics trafficking," during the stop, prosecutors say. A search found more than $500,000 in cash stored inside several hidden compartments throughout the vehicle.

Guillen and Encinas are being held at the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville without bail.
EDWARDSVILLE  A group representing about 400 tenure-track faculty at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has filed paperwork to form a union.

The SIUE Faculty Association attributes the effort to the states failure to support Illinois higher education, campaign spokesman and English professor Charles Berger said in a statement.

The start of the school year followed months of anxiety over the states budget, which has been the source of gridlock among the states leaders. It wasnt until July, one month before the semester began, before a partial, emergency spending plan for higher education, among other things, was passed. It was too late for some institutions, which had to lay off employees before the Band-Aid funding fix.

Regardless of who the leaders are at SIUE or at the state level, we must have a voice at all levels  with an augmented role in decision-making on campus, and beyond the university where, frankly, up to this point we have had no direct unified voice for state lawmakers and the governor to hear, Berger said in a statement.

SIUEs new chancellor, Randy Pembrook, started Aug. 1. He has already expressed concerns about the budget crisis, and is talking about ways to seek and find funding outside of the state.

Still, faculty want a stronger voice in the states Capitol. If they are able to secure bargaining rights, faculty would be represented by the Illinois Education Association, which is part of the National Education Association.

The universitys non-tenure-track faculty have union representation by the same association.

State and university leaders come and go, but many faculty are here to stay, SIUE music professor Kim Archer said in a statement. Archer is a co-chair of the budding unionizing effort. Collective bargaining will allow us to enforce faculty-created operating papers, add neutral third-party arbitration to our grievance procedure, and give faculty a legally binding say in determining salaries, benefits and working conditions on campus.

In a statement, SIUEs chancellor said he supports and trusts faculty to make prudent decisions.

Within the spirit of shared governance that has played a major role in SIUEs growth and success, we look forward as an administration to further conversations with our faculty in order to continuously enhance the student academic experience and to maximize the working environment for everyone, Pembrook said.
JEFFERSON CITY  Attorney General Chris Koster filed a motion Wednesday asking for a new hearing after a recent Missouri Supreme Court ruling has the states public defenders trying to get their clients felony stealing charges knocked down to misdemeanors.

In a case where a woman was convicted of stealing firearms, jewelry and other items, the court ruled last month that two of her felony stealing charges were really misdemeanors, citing contradictory language in Missouris criminal code after a change the Legislature made in 2002.

The motion filed Wednesday gave a sense as to just how far that decision could reach, saying that at the time of filing, based on information and belief, that the Missouri Department of Corrections is supervising approximately 1,448 individuals with felony stealing convictions.

There are undoubtedly many others who are being privately supervised or supervised by the courts, the motion says.

At issue is the language of the statutes that defines stealing and enhances the crime to felony charge. In Missouri, stealing is defined as appropriat[ing] property or services of another with the purpose to deprive him or her thereof, either without his consent or by means of deceit or coercion.

A statute that allows the state to enhance stealing of items or services of a certain value to a felony charge is applied to any offense in which the value of property or services is an element.

The court ruled that because the law that defines stealing doesnt include the value of property stolen as an element of the offense, prosecutors couldnt charge the woman in the case with felony stealing.

Kosters motion asks the court to evaluate the Legislatures intent beyond its initial plain language analysis, arguing that the judges should have looked beyond the purported plain language of the statute in order to avoid an absurd or illogical result.

The result is absurd, according to the motion, because the Missouri Legislature has continued to amend the felony stealing law to include other charges, including the theft of certain chemicals, historical documents and explosive weapons.

But if the Courts analysis in this case is followed to its logical conclusion, then the theft of such property was merely a misdemeanor, and the General Assembly was merely making meaningless additions to the list of specific types of property that constitute class C felony stealing, the motion says.

The Missouri State Public Defenders Office has already taken the ruling as precedent to defend anyone with felony stealing charges. The attorney generals motion confirms that appeals were filed within days of the Courts opinion in this case.

Ellen Flottman, the district defender of the Central Appellate Office of Missouri State Public Defender System, could not be immediately reached for comment regarding the new filing, but previously told the Post-Dispatch that the broad decision made many appeals potentially possible.

Stealing is not an offense in which value is an element, she said. That language has no business being in there. I dont know why the Legislature put it in there. I dont think they intended it to have this effect, certainly.
JEFFERSON CITY  The Missouri Legislatures lone independent member is facing a legal challenge that could doom his quest for another term in office.

A lawsuit filed Sept. 3 by the Democratic nominee for the 68th House District seat claims state Rep. Keith English is ineligible to run for seat because he no longer lives in the district.

The lawsuit, filed by Jermond Jay Mosley of Florissant, claims that English lives in Jefferson City, not at a rental house he lists as his voting address in Florissant.

English, contacted Tuesday night, called the lawsuit an unwarranted "hit piece."

Weve been waiting for this, he told the Post-Dispatch. There have been some questions and people have wondered whats been going on.

English signaled last year that he wouldnt run again for the office he has held since 2012. But, he reversed course last month and filed petitions to get on the general election ballot for another two-year term.

English was elected as Democrat, but became an independent in 2015.

In August, voters in the north St. Louis County district picked Mosley, a Democrat, over former Rep. Bert Atkins by a 56 percent to 43 percent margin.

As it stands, Mosley would face English on Nov. 8.

Mosley's attorney is former Rep. Elbert Walton, father of current state Rep. Rochelle Walton-Gray. Mosley is married to Walton's daughter.

Elbert Walton declined to comment further on the lawsuit , which alleges English is living in Jefferson City, rather than at the address he lists in Florissant.

Walton is the father-in-law of Mosley. Walton-Gray's husband, Alan, is also running to replace her in Jefferson City.

A Post-Dispatch review of Englishs housing arrangement in June and July found he filed a statement with the Missouri Ethics Commission saying he lived at 470 S. Castello Street in Florissant. Records filed in 2014 note he lived at 755 Pelican Lane in the same city. He filed his paperwork with the Missouri Secretary of States office on last month listing his address as 745 Pelican Lane. He said he has rented an apartment there since February.

The lawsuit claims he doesnt reside at the apartment.

English said he and his wife, Kelly Sullens, are in the process of purchasing a historic home in Florissant. Records show Sullens has a house in Jefferson City where she works for the state.

The Missouri Constitution requires members of the House and Senate to live in their districts.

On Tuesday, English said he was wasnt surprised to be facing a lawsuit and acknowledged his housing situation had raised questions but said he was spending time every week in his district.

He said he and his wife have a house in Florissant under contract to purchase and that his current housing arrangement is temporary. He dismissed the allegations.

I dont think it will get that far," English said.
GRANITE CITY  The Granite City Council rejected a hike in the salaries of the mayor, treasurer and city clerk.

None of the positions has not received an increase in salary since 2013. If the $2,000 proposed increases had been approved, they would have gone into effect in May.

As it stands, the current $62,500 annual salary of both the treasurer and city clerk, and the $69,500 mayors salary will stand pat for the next four years.

Aldermen questioned Comptroller Scott Oney as to whether the city could afford the raises. He said he couldn't recommend the pay boosts, citing a dismal budget forecast.

Mayor Ed Hagnauer wasnt surprised by the restraint of the council. He said the officials voted in a fiscally responsible manner. With rising health insurance and pension costs and expected unpredictable negotiations with various departments, he said the council demonstrated leadership.
UPDATED at 6:06 p.m. with autopsy results and the victim's identification

COLLINSVILLE  Police have identified the body of a Collinsville man found dead Wednesday morning in the grass of a vacant lot south of downtown.

Police say Zachary S. Schellenberg, 27, probably had been dead less than 24 hours before his body was found at 9:50 a.m. in the 800 block of South Morrison Avenue, about a block from the landmark catsup bottle.

Police say they don't suspect foul play in Schellenberg's death.

A preliminary autopsy report released Wednesday afternoon found no signs of physical trauma on Schellenberg's body that would indicate a cause of death. Police say they are waiting for results from a toxicology test.

The lot was the site of a commercial building that had been demolished several years ago, a spokesman said.
ST. CHARLES  Organizers of pub crawls in St. Charles will now have to meet a list of regulations after a City Council vote Tuesday night.

The newly passed bill was proposed to address some business owners concerns about alcohol-related rowdiness, noise and illegal drinking in the Main Street historic district.

Pub crawl organizers will have to register with police at least 60 days in advance, give police an estimate of expected and maximum numbers of participants and come up with a plan to prevent underage drinking. The newly passed law also prohibits organizers from offering unlimited drinks for a set price. Organizers must state on advertising materials that nobody under the age of 21 can participate, and they must also come up with a designated driver plan.

The city can now also penalize bars that allow patrons to leave with open containers of alcoholic drinks.

Police Chief Randy McKinley helped craft the bill and has said it will help him to assign officers to Main Street in anticipation of such events.

No one from the public spoke out on the measure Tuesday night and there was no discussion among the council members before it was approved.
CLAYTON  St. Louis County joined on Tuesday 190 other U.S. communities that have chosen to ban the sale of tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery systems to anyone under the age of 21.

The County Council enacted the ordinance in a 5-1 vote. West County Republican Mark Harder dissented.

Tobacco 21 (or T21) will become law on Dec. 1 and be in force countywide.

Second District Councilman Sam Page, the bills sponsor, called the vote a big win for the young people of St. Louis County. It will dramatically decrease smoking habits, and we will save kids lives.

Page, a physician, fast-tracked the legislation, introduced just two weeks ago, over a last-gasp attempt to stop the bill by an unaligned coalition of area business owners and residents who claim e-cigarettes function as smoking cessation mechanisms.

Vape shop owners, employees and longtime smokers pleaded with the council over the past two weeks to exclude vaping products from the T21 legislation.

Vaping is saving peoples lives, resident Julie Roark told council members Tuesday, echoing a sentiment heard frequently over the past two weeks.

E-cigarette proponents repeatedly cited a British study by the Royal College of Physicians as proof that vaping is an effective tool for cutting into nicotine addiction.

Page dismissed the analysis as a position paper that gives vague legitimacy to the health benefits of vaping.

The councilman, physicians and nonprofit health organizations advocating for T21 instead pointed to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration study equating tobacco and vaping, to support their position.

We know vaping products are tobacco products, the FDA told us that, Page told reporters. (Vaping) is not a legitimate cessation product.

Corey Noles, the editor of Vape magazine, voiced disappointment at the council decision.

There is no one more opposed to tobacco products than this group of people, Noles said, adding that e-cigarette backers would have knocked on doors on behalf of T21 had it been limited to tobacco products.

Pro-vaping forces have not discussed mounting a legal challenge to T21.

Noles said the nonaligned vaping coalition would next make its case to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay indicated on Twitter two weeks ago that he would pursue legislation for the city to follow the countys lead on T21.

Harder said he disagreed with the structure of a bill that was almost unenforceable.

The legislation, he added, also raised a fundamental question. Eighteen-year-olds can do everything but drink, Harder said. But were going to take away their right to purchase a pack of cigarettes?

The council managed Tuesday to move on from one piece of controversial legislation.

But another matter that has drawn angry constituents to Clayton was shelved until another day.

Because of a zoning technicality, developer JHB Properties withdrew late last week its petition to put up a 232-unit apartment complex in south St. Louis County at the intersection of Bauer and Tesson Ferry roads.

The council referred the process back to the county planning commission on Tuesday.

Residents of nearby subdivisions who oppose the project  which they say will exacerbate traffic congestion, cause crowding in the Mehlville schools and bring transients into neighborhoods of single-family houses  expect the issue to return to council before the end of the year.
WASHINGTON  Support for the Black Lives Matter movement has increased among young white adults, according to a poll that suggests a majority of white, black, Asian and Hispanic young adults now support the movement calling for accountability for police in the deaths of African-Americans.

Fifty-one percent of white adults between the ages of 18 and 30 say in a GenForward poll they now strongly or somewhat support Black Lives Matter, a 10-point increase since June, while 42 percent said they do not support the movement.

But most young whites also think the movements rhetoric encourages violence against the police, while the vast majority of young blacks say it does not. And young whites are more likely to consider violence against police a serious problem than say the same about the killings of African-Americans by police.

Black, Hispanic and Asian youth already had expressed strong majority support for the Black Lives Matter movement in the June poll. Eighty-five percent of African-American young adults now say they support the protesters. Sixty-seven percent of Asian and 62 percent of Hispanic young adults agreed with that sentiment.

The GenForward survey of adults age 18 to 30 is conducted 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 a new generation.

Sean Bradley, 26, of Clearwater, Fla., said watching several encounters between police and black suspects online helped cement his support for Black Lives Matter. As a white male, he said, he also has had run-ins with the police and witnessed officers trying to cover for what he considered illegal conduct by other officers.

The fact is that the police target blacks and they discriminate against blacks, Bradley said. Because of how theyve treated blacks over the years, of course they (blacks) dont trust them (police) and I know for a fact that some of the things the police do are illegal. I would be upset as well.

The Black Lives Matter movement emerged in 2012 after Florida neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman was acquitted in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin. It gathered strength after deaths of other black men by police in New York, Missouri, South Carolina, Baltimore and elsewhere.

The August GenForward poll came after police in Baton Rouge, La., fatally shot Alton Sterling after pinning him to the ground, and after Philando Castile was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop in a suburb of Minneapolis.

Asked specifically about recent killings of black people by the police, 72 percent of African-American young people, 61 percent of Asian-Americans, 51 percent of Latinos and 40 percent of whites said they consider those killings part of a larger pattern, rather than isolated.

But young blacks are much more likely than young whites to call killings of black people by the police a very or extremely serious problem, 91 percent to 43 percent. Sixty-three percent of young whites think that violence against police is a serious problem, similar to the 60 percent of young African-Americans who say so.

Young whites also are more likely to say they trust Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump more than Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton to handle attacks against the police, 45 percent to 28 percent, though they prefer Clinton for handling police violence against African-Americans, 44 percent to 20 percent.

Majorities of young African-Americans trust Clinton more to handle violence. Young Asian-Americans and Hispanics are also more likely to trust Clinton.

And 66 percent of whites said that they believe that Black Lives Matters rhetoric encourages violence against police, compared with 43 percent of Asian-Americans, 42 percent of Hispanics, and 19 percent of African-Americans who said so.

Samuel Martin, 27, of Conway, S.C., is a white supporter of the movement, and said hes supported its goals from the beginning. He disagreed that Black Lives Matters rhetoric encourages violence against police. The only thing that would encourage violence against police would be thinking that black lives do not matter, he said.
The top line on state Auditor Nicole Galloways recent report on public higher education funding and affordability is important: Missouris 13 public colleges and universities offset a freeze on tuition increases imposed in 2007 by cranking up required fees by 138 percent.

But the broader implications contained in Galloways 36-page audit are even more important: Because of higher fees, reduced state aid and less scholarship assistance, public higher education is slipping further out of reach for many students. This at a time when study after study shows ever more employers demanding college degrees and recent high school graduates earning only about 60 percent of what recent college graduates earn. The gap only widens; over a 40-year working career, the average college graduate will earn $830,000 more than a high school graduate.

Investing in education is a far better economic development strategy than cutting taxes and subsidizing private job creation. But for decades, Missouri has been trying to cut its way to prosperity, to no real effect. Higher education has fared better than some parts of the state budget, but that doesnt mean it has fared well.

State appropriations for Missouris four-year public institutions decreased 9 percent from 2009 to 2015, even as enrollment has grown by 12 percent, Galloway reported. Missouri ranked 43rd nationally in state higher education funding per $1,000 of personal income for the 2014-2015 school year, and state appropriations per full time equivalent student declined a total of almost 28 percent from 2008 to 2014.

Schools have left vacant jobs unfilled, frozen wages, increased class sizes and gotten rid of some departments and programs. And theyve raised fees.

In 2007, the Legislature said tuition couldnt rise any higher than the consumer price index. Galloway said schools responded by gradually hiking fees, both across the board and in some tech-heavy, equipment-intensive courses.

On average, net tuition and fees per (full-time) student increased by 3.8 percent per year from fiscal year 2009 to 2015, while the CPI (Consumer Price Index) increased by an average of 1.8 percent during the same time frame, the auditor found.

Gov. Jay Nixon likes to brag that Missouri leads the nation in holding down tuition increases, but if you combine tuition and fees, theres less to brag about. Net tuition and fees per (full-time) student increased from $6,932 in fiscal year 2009 to $8,638 in fiscal year 2015, or by approximately 25 percent, Galloway found.

At the same time, Missouri also has cut scholarship help by 17 percent to an average of $380 per full-time student, 46 percent less than the national average.

Missouri has many unmet needs and a Legislature that believes that tax-cut prosperity is just around the corner. Young people trying to educate themselves are paying the price. So are the rest of us.
Somethings conspicuously absent from A Vision for Black Lives, the recent policy platform issued by The Movement for Black Lives, an umbrella group incorporating Black Lives Matter. Though comprehensive in its attention to police brutality, economic inequality, clean energy, campaign finance reform, voter registration, net neutrality and reparations, the plan fails to mention racial integration even once.

Initially a policy pillar of the civil rights movement, integration has now, apparently, fallen from view. And not because segregation is a thing of the past. As recent studies have shown, racial segregation continues in America, both in urban and suburban areas, a point dramatized locally by the 2014 documentary about North County, Spanish Lake.

But is it a problem? According to most scholars, yes: Persistent racial segregation exacts a toll on black communities, particularly poor communities, contributing to unemployment, underfunded schools, racial tension and municipal tax shortfalls, including the kind of shortfalls that contributed to the very same aggressive revenue-getting police tactics that plagued North St. Louis County in the years leading up to Michael Browns death in 2014.

So why not address it?

The occlusion may be strategic. Attitudes toward racial integration hardened considerably in the 1970s as cities stoked white flight by embracing aggressive efforts to achieve racial balance like busing, sometimes leaving black communities even more segregated, isolated and abandoned than before. Further, implicit in the federal governments push for racial integration itself was a set of assumptions that many African-Americans found disturbing.

As black intellectuals like James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison and Zora Neale Hurston all noted, the federal governments push for integration rested on the troubling presumption that the answer to Americas racial dilemma was the full integration of African-Americans into mainstream white society, even if that meant the destruction of historically black institutions, traditions and culture, all things that liberal experts felt were pathological and counterproductive to black advancement.

This position, articulated most clearly by Swedish sociologist Gunnar Myrdal in a report titled The American Dilemma in 1944, was cited by the Supreme Court in 1954 to order the desegregation of southern schools, a point it made in its iconic decision Brown v. Board of Education, the apex of integrationist thinking in the United States.

So was the reasoning behind Brown wrong? Perhaps; the Movement for Black Lives certainly seems to think so, raising the question whether policies aimed at reducing racial inequality without erasing racial identity might provide a new way of thinking about reform. And maybe this is where the Vision for Black Lives becomes important, a blueprint for change that skirts the problem of integration, opting instead for the protection and increased funding for black institutions: including historically black colleges and universities, black media, and cultural, political and social formations, as well as black-led or black-supported networks and organizations aimed at fostering trade across and in black communities globally.

While many of the details of these proposals remain to be hashed out, maybe A Vision for Black Lives is more politically savvy, and more culturally sensitive, than continued allegiance to Brown. Maybe its integrations epitaph.

Anders Walker is on the law and history faculties of St. Louis University. He is the author of The Ghost of Jim Crow: How Southern Moderates Used Brown v. Board of Education to Stall Civil Rights.
Free-standing chain-link fencing can be put up in a very short amount of time at very little cost, and we all should commit to this solution until the killings in our schools stop.
The Two Noble Kinsmen is at The Swan Theatre until February 2017

STRATFORD MP Nadhim Zahawi has ceased to be the Downing Street apprenticeships adviser.

He was appointed to the role by David Cameron in November 2015 to help him achieve the governments goal of three million apprenticeship starts by 2020.

A spokesman for Mr Zahawi told the Herald: As Nadhim was appointed by David Cameron as his personal adviser on the subject, the role stopped when he ceased to be Prime Minister in July.

Mr Zahawi hosted the 2015 National Apprenticeship Awards in January and launched the Primary Futures Apprenticeship scheme, which aims to help pupils make a connection between what they learn in the classroom and how it relates to the world of work.

In an interview with the trade journal FE Week in March Mr Zahawi spoke of his aspirations for a much-improved apprenticeship system.

He said: I want to get to a place where, when Im long gone from here, when were all long gone, the system just works  where I dont meet you people who say to me, Oh, I fell upon it [an apprenticeship] by accident.

The options are there for young people. Its not just the traditional route of going to university. There is another route here which is aspirational, and can led to a great career.
Streamroot Extends Compatibility to Support Brightcove OVP Solutions

The leading provider of peer-accelerated streaming solutions now offers a plug-and-play integration into the Brightcove HTML5 video player and online video platform.

New York, NY( )

Streamroot, the leading provider of next-generation video delivery optimization technologies, just announced technical compatibility with the new Brightcove HTML5 video player, Perform, as well as its end-to-end online video platform, Video Cloud.

With this extended compatibility, Brightcove users can now enjoy Streamroots innovative hybrid content delivery solutions. These benefits include unprecedented worldwide coverage, improved quality of service and a means to scale their delivery profitably over the long run.

Our patented delivery acceleration technologies are a perfect complement to the powerful suite of OVP solutions offered by Brightcove. We are thrilled to be able to offer Brightcove customers a seamless, plug-and-play Streamroot integration that can be done in just a few clicks, says Streamroot CEO Pierre-Louis Theron. This compatibility strengthens our already strong ties with the Brightcove team and demonstrates our commitment to supporting the most trusted video player solutions on the market.

Streamroot is compatible with a large range proprietary and open-source video players on the market including JW Player, Clappr, video.js and now Brightcove. The company looks forward to announcing more Streamroot compatible products in the near future.

Streamroot will be exhibiting at IBC in Amsterdam from 9-13 September 2016 at booth 14.D02. For a demo of Streamroots integration with the Brightcove HTML5 player, schedule a meeting.

ABOUT STREAMROOT

Streamroot is a leading provider of innovative OTT video optimization technologies for content publishers, network service providers and enterprise customers. Its robust, reliable and lightweight stream acceleration solutions offer improved quality of service, global reach and unique fixed-fee economics. They are based on open standards such as WebRTC, Media Source Extensions and HTML5, and are widely adopted by broadcasters around the world. Founded in 2013 in France, the company today benefits from VC funding and serves premier media groups from its Paris and New York offices.
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Apache Corporation (NYSE: APA) announced that after more than two years of extensive geologic and geophysical work, methodical acreage accumulation, and strategic testing and delineation drilling, the company can confirm the discovery of a significant new resource play, the "Alpine High." Apache's Alpine High acreage lies in the southern portion of the Delaware Basin, primarily in Reeves County, Texas. The company estimates hydrocarbons in place on its acreage position are 75 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of rich gas (more than 1,300 British Thermal Units) and 3 billion barrels of oil in the Barnett and Woodford formations alone. Apache also sees significant oil potential in the shallower Pennsylvanian, Bone Springs and Wolfcamp formations.

Key highlights of the discovery:

Apache has secured 307,000 contiguous net acres (352,000 gross acres) at an attractive average cost of approximately $1,300 per acre.

Alpine High has 4,000 to 5,000 feet of stacked pay in up to five distinct formations including the Bone Springs, Wolfcamp, Pennsylvanian, Barnett and Woodford.

2,000 to more than 3,000 future drilling locations have been identified in the Woodford and Barnett formations alone. These formations are in the wet gas window and are expected to deliver a combination of rich gas and oil. Initial estimates for the Woodford and Barnett zones indicate a pretax, net present value (NPV) range of $4 million to $20 million per well, at benchmark oil and natural gas prices of $50 per barrel and $3 per million cubic feet (Mcf), respectively. Expected well costs in development mode for a 4,100 foot lateral are estimated to be approximately $4 million per well in normally pressured settings and $6 million per well in over-pressured settings.

Apache has drilled 19 wells in the play, with nine currently producing in limited quantities due to infrastructure constraints. This includes six wells in the Woodford, one well in the Barnett and one well each in the shallower Wolfcamp and Bone Springs oil formations.

"Today's announcement is the culmination of more than two years of hard work by the Apache team. While other companies have focused on acquisitions during the downturn, we took a contrarian approach and focused on organic growth opportunities. These efforts have resulted in the identification of an immense resource that we believe will deliver significant value for our shareholders for many years," said John J. Christmann IV, Apache's chief executive officer and president. "We are incredibly excited about the Alpine High play and its large inventory of repeatable, high-value drilling opportunities. We have thousands of low-risk locations in the Woodford and Barnett formations alone, and we are looking forward to further delineating what we believe will be a significant number of oil-prone locations in the Pennsylvanian, Wolfcamp and Bone Springs."

In addition to providing details on Apache's Alpine High discovery, the company is also providing an update today on its Midland Basin and other Delaware Basin assets, including strong comparative well results and future drilling locations. This update can be found in the slide deck associated with today's Barclay's 2016 CEO Energy-Power Conference presentation, which is posted on the company's website at www.apachecorp.com and investor.apachecorp.com.

"Our announcement today represents a significant addition to our already deep and highly economic Permian Basin position. With the contribution of Alpine High to our global portfolio of world-class international and North American assets, Apache clearly has more profitable-growth opportunities than at any other time in the company's 60-year history," Christmann concluded.

2016 capital guidance update

To accelerate the delineation and development of the Alpine High play, Apache is increasing its 2016 capital spending by approximately $200 million for the year and raising its full-year capital guidance to approximately $2 billion. Capital spending on the Alpine High play in 2016 will represent more than 25 percent of Apache's total capital spending program.

Barclay's presentation

Apache CEO and President John J. Christmann IV will present today, Sept. 7, 2016, at 6:45 a.m. Central time at the Barclay's 2016 CEO Energy-Power Conference. The presentation and live webcast will be available on Apache's website at www.apachecorp.com and investor.apachecorp.com, and the webcast replay will be archived there as well.
TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) announced it intends to spin-off Cars.com from TEGNA, creating two independent publicly traded companies: TEGNA, the largest independent broadcast station group among major network affiliates in the top 25 markets, and Cars.com, a top online destination in the digital automotive marketplace. TEGNA also announced that it is evaluating strategic alternatives for CareerBuilder, a global leader in human capital solutions.

Additionally, TEGNA announced that Gracia C. Martore, president, chief executive officer and a member of the Board of Directors of TEGNA, will retire upon the closing of the spin-off, which is expected to take place in the first half of 2017.

Spin-off Transaction

As a result of the planned spin-off, which is expected to be tax-free to TEGNA shareholders, TEGNA and Cars.com will be positioned to take advantage of differentiated opportunities in the rapidly evolving broadcast and digital landscapes. Both will have balance sheets and capital return policies tailored to their specific business characteristics, which are expected to result in increased growth opportunities and appropriate market valuations. The spin-off of Cars.com from TEGNA is also expected to improve management fit and focus at both companies.

Gracia Martore, TEGNA president and chief executive officer, said, Over the last four and a half years, weve taken a series of important strategic steps to increase the value of our businesses, including the acquisition of broadcast stations from Belo Corp. and London Broadcasting, the acquisition of full ownership of Cars.com, and the spin-off of the Gannett publishing business. The spin-off we are announcing today is the next logical step in our ongoing transformation to best position our market-leading businesses and continues our strong track record of creating value for shareholders.

Martore continued, Spinning off Cars.com from TEGNA will establish two strong, industry-leading companies that are well positioned to compete and to continue to profitably grow in their targeted markets. Each business will have increased strategic, operating, and financial flexibility at a time when the broadcast and digital sectors are both rapidly evolving  presenting both companies with a wealth of opportunities. Cars.com will have the flexibility to invest in further organic growth and to participate in the active digital automotive M&A market, and TEGNA will have a strong balance sheet and cash flow to continue to pursue investment in organic growth and opportunistic acquisitions and to provide an optimal mix of capital returns to shareholders. We are fortunate to have strong CEOs for both companies, and we believe this is the right time to separate in order to unlock potential shareholder value both in the near term and over time as they develop independently as two separate pure-play companies. Additionally, while our 53% majority interest in CareerBuilder will remain with TEGNA, we, along with our partners Tribune Media and McClatchy, believe it also makes sense to evaluate strategic alternatives for this business given its recent evolution.

Marge Magner, chairman of the Board, said, We have created this opportunity by executing on a strategy to build scaled TEGNA businesses, and we are in an excellent position to take the next steps to maximize value for our shareholders. We believe that by providing these two strong companies, Cars.com and TEGNA, with a greater ability as separate companies to focus on their unique characteristics and opportunities, both companies will be poised to accelerate their growth strategies, allowing us to continue our value-enhancing evolution.

TEGNAs management team will develop detailed separation plans for consideration by the Board of Directors over the coming months. Completion of the spin-off will be subject to certain conditions, including receipt of final Board approval, receipt of an opinion from tax counsel regarding the tax-free nature of the distribution, and the effectiveness of a Form 10 registration statement, which is expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission later today. The distribution to TEGNA shareholders of shares of a new entity holding the Cars.com business is expected to be completed in the first half of 2017. TEGNA will temporarily suspend its share repurchase program pending completion of the spin-off. There can be no assurance regarding the ultimate timing of the proposed transaction or that it will be completed.

Cars.com

Following the spin-off, Cars.com will remain headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and will trade under the ticker symbol CARS.

The automotive sector is the single largest and most important vertical for local advertising revenue, and Cars.com is one of the few proven and established digital solutions of scale in this market. TEGNA anticipates that the planned spin-off would result in a trading multiple for Cars.com that is commensurate with other pure-play digital companies, greater flexibility to pursue merger and acquisition opportunities, and benefits associated with aligning capital structure and allocation with specific business needs and opportunities. As an independent company, Cars.com will be able to focus more sharply on its key strategic priorities, including rapid innovation within a growing marketplace and active evaluation and pursuit of acquisitions to open up new, adjacent opportunities.

TEGNA

TEGNA will remain headquartered in McLean, Virginia, and will continue to trade on the NYSE under the symbol TGNA.

As an independent, leading broadcast company, TEGNA will benefit from dedicated focus on opportunities specific to broadcasting, including further innovation around programming and content, investments in adjacent businesses and acquisitions. It will also continue to be well positioned to manage and benefit over time from ongoing developments in connection with sector-specific issues, such as spectrum, retransmission fees and over-the-top opportunities. The Companys current debt will remain with TEGNA. TEGNA expects to receive from Cars.com a one-time cash dividend immediately prior to the spin-off that will be used to maintain TEGNAs sound credit rating. Following the spin-off, TEGNA expects to continue to pay shareholders a strong regular dividend, with the initial rate to be determined prior to the completion of the spin-off.

The Broadcasting business, which includes 46 television stations owned or serviced by TEGNA, is the largest independent station group of major network affiliates in the top 25 markets. Its stations reach approximately one-third of all television households nationwide and constitute the #1 NBC affiliate group, #1 CBS affiliate group and #4 ABC affiliate group (excluding owner-operators). G/O Digital, which provides a suite of scalable, localized digital marketing solutions to small and medium-sized businesses, as well as franchises and businesses with multiple locations, will remain with TEGNA following completion of the spin-off.

CareerBuilder Strategic Review

In connection with the planned spin-off of Cars.com, TEGNA will evaluate strategic alternatives for CareerBuilder, including a possible sale. CareerBuilder is a global leader in human capital solutions that provides services ranging from labor market intelligence to talent management software and other recruitment solutions. It is the largest online job site in the U.S., measured both by traffic and revenue, with a presence in more than 60 markets worldwide.

TEGNA owns a 53% controlling interest in CareerBuilder; minority owners are Tribune Media and The McClatchy Company. At this time, there can be no guarantee that any of the options under review will result in a transaction.

Martore Retirement and Leadership of TEGNA and Cars.com

After more than 31 years of service to TEGNA and its predecessor Gannett Co., Inc., Gracia Martore plans to retire as president, chief executive officer and a member of the Board of Directors upon the closing of the spin-off. Upon Martores retirement, Dave Lougee will assume the role of chief executive officer and president of TEGNA and Alex Vetter will serve as chief executive officer and president of Cars.com. Lougee and Vetter will also serve on the Boards of TEGNA and Cars.com, respectively.

Dave Lougee currently serves as president of TEGNA Media, overseeing the 46 television stations the company owns or services. Lougee was named president of Gannett Broadcasting in July 2007 and previously served as executive vice president, media operations for Belo Corp. At Belo, he also served as senior vice president; president and general manager of TV and cable operations in Seattle/Tacoma; and news director at KING-TV in Seattle/Tacoma. Before that, Lougee was vice president, news at WRC-TV, the NBC station in Washington DC and vice president, news director at KUSA-TV in Denver. In 2015, Lougee was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, and in 2014, was awarded the First Amendment Leadership Award by RTDNF and the Broadcaster of the Year Award by Broadcasting & Cable. He serves on several industry boards: he is the joint board chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB); serves as vice chair of the NBC Affiliates Board; is a member of the BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) Board of Directors, the Broadcasters Foundation of America; and is a past chair of the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) Board of Directors.

As one of the original members of Cars.com management, Alex Vetter has helped shape the company from its initial concept into a leading online automotive destination, steering the organization's growth strategy while serving in a variety of executive roles. Vetter was named chief executive officer and president of Cars.com in November 2014. Under Vetter's leadership, Cars.com has grown to approximately 1,300 employees, and the company serves every local market in the U.S. In his years with Cars.com, he has operated in nearly every capacity, spanning product development, customer service, training, operations and sales. Vetter has helped establish a vibrant local marketplace for cars, enabling e-commerce activities with approximately 20,000 retailers and every manufacturer, all of whom connect with site users on a daily basis. Vetter serves on the boards of several digital technology companies, including RepairPal.com, a leading marketplace for service and repair.

Commenting on her planned retirement, Martore said, I am incredibly grateful to have spent more than 30 years serving this outstanding organization and deeply honored to have had the opportunity to lead TEGNA during its inaugural year. TEGNA has a real impact on the day-to-day lives of millions of Americans, and I am so proud to have been a part of this team. I have had the pleasure of working with many incredibly talented people, and together we have generated significant shareholder value and reinvented our business to ensure we will remain highly relevant well into the future. It has been an amazing ride, and both TEGNA and Gannett will always hold a special place in my heart.

Marge Magner, chairman of TEGNAs Board of Directors, said, Gracia has had an immeasurable impact on this company. She has led a profound transformation of Gannett that included last years separation into two focused public companies, both of which are well positioned for growth and innovation. I have greatly enjoyed working closely with her over the last decade and, on behalf of the entire Board and leadership team, wish her much happiness in her well-deserved retirement.

Martore joined Gannett in 1985 as assistant treasurer. She became a vice president in the treasury group in 1993 and added investor relations duties in 1995. She was named treasurer and vice president, investor relations in 1998. She was promoted to senior vice president of finance in addition to her treasurers responsibilities in 2001. In 2003, Martore became senior vice president and chief financial officer and was appointed to Gannetts Management Committee. In 2005, she became executive vice president and CFO. In October 2011, she was named president and chief executive officer. Prior to joining Gannett, she worked for 12 years in the banking industry.

Martore serves on the Boards of Directors of The Associated Press, FM Global and WestRock Company. In October 2014, she was elected to the board of trustees of The Paley Center for Media. Martore is a graduate of Wellesley College where she was a Wellesley Scholar. She is also a member of Wellesley Colleges Board of Trustees.

Investor Call

TEGNA will hold an investor conference call to discuss this announcement today at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). To access the call, please use one of the following dial-in numbers: 1 (855) 631-5368 or 1 (330) 863-3283 for international callers and provide the passcode: 74772374.

A live webcast will be accessible through TEGNA's website, www.TEGNA.com. Allow at least 10 minutes to access TEGNA's home page and complete the links before the webcast begins. An investor presentation regarding the announcement can be found on the Investor Relations section of TEGNAs website.

A telephone replay of the call will be available until September 21, 2016. The replay may be accessed by dialing 1 (855) 859-2056 or 1 (404) 537-3406 for international callers and providing the passcode: 74772374. In addition, the webcast will be archived on TEGNA's website in the Investor Relations section.

Advisors

Greenhill & Co. is acting as financial advisor on the spin-off and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is acting as legal advisor.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) September weekly call option implied volatility is at 88, September call option implied volatility is at 52, October is at 38; compared to its 52-week range of 28 to 53 into the expected release of Q3 results on September 7.
Rochester, NY (PRWEB) September 07, 2016

Dr. Robert G. Andosca announced his resignation from microGen Systems, Inc. as President and CEO to pursue new 'Internet of Things' (IoT) technology interests both academically and via starting other new companies.

Newly appointed CEO, Mr. Michael Perrotta, said: "Robert has made significant inroads and brought this technology and company to be the leading provider of piezo-MEMS based vibrational energy harvesters in the world."

Dr. Andosca commented: "As I have completed the work to introduce this disruptive technology and associated products to the IoT market, it is now clear to me that being on the forefront of technology is where my passion lies. The company is in good hands and should have a very prosperous future."

Mr. Perrotta added: "Fortunately, Robert remains a trusted Advisor to the company, and we look forward to making microGen successful in the market place and in tune with Robert's vision for the company."

Mr. Perrotta is a 7-year veteran at microGen, having served as Interim CEO in 2011 and 2012. While in the CFO/COO position he has been deeply engaged in business development and product commercialization. After a 25-year career with 2-Fortune 50 companies domestically and internationally, Mr. Perrotta has either founded, or played roles as CEO, CFO and COO at multiple startups on the east and west coasts, always working in business development.

Dr. Andosca founded microGen in February 2007 and built the Company while finishing his Ph.D. research on piezoelectric MicroElectroMechanical Systems (piezo-MEMS) vibration energy harvesters (VEH) prototyping at the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility (http://www.cnf.cornell.edu) in Ithaca, NY, and performing the fundamental theoretical work with his co-Founder, Professor Dr. Junru Wu in the Physics Department at The University of Vermont (http://www.uvm.edu) in Burlington, VT. The wafer-level packaged piezo-MEMS VEH power source devices that scavenge ambient mechanical vibration from the environment are now in 200mm high volume silicon substrate production at X-FAB MEMS Foundry Itzehoe (http://www.xfab.com) in Itzehoe, Germany. In addition, numerous energy harvesting products have been or are in the process of being released for IoT applications.

About microGen Systems, Inc.

microGen Systems, Inc., is now the leading supplier of MEMS based piezoelectric vibrational energy harvesting power generators and systems. The Company was founded in 2007 and the technology was conceived at The University of Vermont, and subsequently productized at X-Fab, a MEMS foundry in Germany. The resultant power generators provide perpetual power essential to the growth of the 'Internet of things' (IoT).

We think of ourselves as engineers aiding other engineers in the IoT ecosystem as we engage with partners across the value chain of applications, working collaboratively to deliver the innovative solutions required by companies in all market segments. microGen has a strong foundation in R&D, prototyping, product development, systems design and application commercialization.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/09/prweb13660797.htm
(PRWEB) September 07, 2016

Mr. Sagar of Executive Touch Worldwide is preparing to fly out to South Africa on September 14th. The business owner is making the journey to South Africa as the Vice President of the sales and marketing industry in South Africa has invited him specifically. James Sagar has been asked to speak to the country's sales and marketing business owners at an incredibly important event.

About Executive Touch Worldwide: http://executivetouchinc.com/about/

Executive Touch Worldwide's James Sagar shared how he feels this invitation is a great honor and revealed that he is looking forward to sharing his knowledge with fellow business owners in the industry. The CEO will take to the stage at a prestigious event in order to share his expertise, offer advice based on his own experiences and mentor individuals.

The business owner has expressed his excitement towards the trip and has revealed why this will also be a huge learning curve for himself. Executive Touch Worldwide believe that there is a lot that a person can learn from traveling, especially to new countries. Mr. Sagar has shared how his trip to South Africa will be an amazing opportunity to network with industry professionals, not only sharing his own skills but also learning new techniques himself. James Sagar is confident that he will return from South Africa with a new set of skills under his belt and will feel inspired and motivated having connected with so many new faces within the industry.

Executive Touch Worldwide is an outsourced sales and marketing firm with headquarters based in New York and market reach spreading across the U.S. The firm works closely with their clients to create personalized direct marketing campaigns which they then roll out directly to consumers. Executive Touch Worldwide connects with consumers on a face-to-face basis as they believe this is the best way to establish long-lasting and personal business relationships between brand and consumer. The firm reveal that, in turn, this personalized service leads to increased customer acquisition, brand awareness and brand loyalty for their clients.

James Sagar, CEO of Executive Touch Worldwide has been allowing a lot of time to travel and connect with new business owners in order to share his expertise and offer one-on-one mentoring. As an experienced business owner Mr. Sagar has the skills to offer these business owners and believes that it is crucial in order to keep the industry thriving that he shares as much of this information as he can.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/executive-touch-worldwide/travel-to-South-Africa/prweb13661364.htm
Iowa pheasant population similar to 2015, quail highest in 27 years

State officials covered more than 6,000 miles of county roads counting upland game during the first two weeks of August and after all the species were counted, data compiled and numbers crunched, what can Iowa pheasant hunters expect to find this fall?

A repeat of last year.

The good news is pheasant hunters had their best season in five years last year and they should expect to have pretty good hunting again this year, said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) who coordinates the August roadside survey, in a news release.

The survey found an average of 21 pheasants per 30 mile route statewide, with higher counts coming from counties crossing the state diagonally from northwest to southeast. The statewide average in 2015 was 24 pheasants per route.

To put it in perspective, our population is similar to 2007 when we harvested 630,000 roosters. Last year we harvested 270,000 roosters. The difference is, we had twice the hunters in 07, Bogenschutz said. If we had 100,000 hunters last year we would have doubled the harvest. The birds are here, we need hunters to return.

Population patterns tracked the weather. Parts of northwest Iowa had declines due to heavy snowfall which likely reducing pheasant survival. Parts of southwest Iowa had declines due to heavy spring rains likely reducing nesting success. Other regions had more favorable weather and saw similar or slightly higher numbers.

Hunters can expect bird numbers similar to last year statewide, where the right habitat exists, Bogenschutz said. We need hunters to come back if we are going to see the harvest increase. If nothing else, they should come back for the quail.

Iowas quail population index has been increasing recently and is now at its highest since 1989 after experiencing increases again across south central and southwest Iowa this year.

To put it in perspective, in 1989, we had 80,000 hunters harvest 400,000 quail. With todays modern agriculture and landscapes, this is likely the best quail numbers we can hope for, Bogenschutz said.

In 2014, 6,500 hunters shot 10,000 quail. In 2015, 10,000 hunters shot 28,000 quail.

This is the best opportunity weve had to hunt quail in 27 years, he said. For anyone who has ever had an interest in quail or who hasnt hunted quail recently, this is the year to go.

Surveyors also record the numbers of cottontail rabbits and Hungarian partridge.

Rabbit numbers were down some from their record level of the past two years but remain above their ten year average, with better numbers in southern and eastern Iowa. Partridge were unchanged with their best numbers in northern Iowa, he said.

The August roadside survey is available at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey

Season dates: pheasant, Oct. 29-Jan. 10, 2017; quail, Oct. 29-Jan. 31, 2017; rabbit, Sept. 3-Feb. 28, 2017; partridge, Oct. 8-Jan. 31, 2017.

Iowas bur oaks suffering from bur oak blight

Bur oaks are native to all 99 counties in Iowa and are arguably one of Iowas toughest native trees. However, this year, many of these trees are showing signs of bur oak blight.

Bur oak blight is a leaf fungus that causes severe defoliation. While the effects of the blight have been recognized more recently, the fungus that causes the disease has been around for a long time. Shifts in the amount of precipitation, changes in temperatures and increased humidity levels seem to have elevated the effects of the fungi from harmless to fatal.

Although the fungal infection occurs in May, the browning leaves do not show up until late July, said Tivon Feeley, DNR forest health program leader, in a news release. The leaves on the lower branches are the first to turn brown and after several years of repeated infection the whole canopy.

Symptoms of bur oak blight include browning leaves during late summer, black fungal structures grown along the leafs veins in August, and sickly looking leaves that remain on the tree during winter months.

According to Feeley, the DNR is beginning to receive calls about bur oak blight damage, and he expects the calls will increase as the damage will become more apparent through September.

There is no way to prevent bur oak blight. Some bur oaks are more tolerant of the blight and do not show any symptoms at all.

We have had some success controlling bur oak blight with a chemical called propiconazole , said Feeley.

Feeley suggests contacting the Iowa State University Plant Diagnostic Clinic to make sure the tree has bur oak blight. For information on submitting a sample visit http://www.ent.iastate.edu/pidc/

If it has bur oak blight, said Feeley, be sure to contact a qualified arborist to inject the chemical into the tree in the spring.

For more information about bur oak blight, contact a DNR district forester in your area. A list of DNR staff by county is available at www.iowadnr.gov/contact. More information is available under forest health at www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/

Fall fishing in Iowa rivers

Enjoy Iowas natural landscapes fishing Iowas rivers and streams this fall. A unique angling challenge is hidden around every bend.

You are never far from one of Iowas many rivers, said Greg Gelwicks, Iowa DNR interior rivers research biologist, in a news release. Fall is a great time to give them a try.

Fish start to become more active as the stream temperature drops. Look for actively feeding fish where riffles enter pools or rocky areas, Gelwicks said. They can sit there out of the current and wait for food to come by.

Many predatory fish species such as catfish, walleye, sauger and bass can be found close to natural or manmade habitat features such as riffles, log-jams or rock. Smaller fish including shiners and minnows are attracted to hiding and resting spaces found within habitat features and predators feed around these features.

Check conditions before you go with the weekly Iowa Fishing Report (www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Fishing-Reports).

State parks udpate

Alerts and closures at Iowas state parks can be found at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks-Rec-Areas/Closure-Information. State park visitors are encouraged to check this page before traveling to a park. Rains can quickly impact trails and campgrounds in certain areas.

To check out campsite and cabin availability or to make reservations visit http://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank is calling for a reform of SWIFT, the global financial messaging system which has faced criticism since February's $81 million heist at Bangladesh Bank.

Germany's flagship lender - which the International Monetary Fund has branded as the world's systemically most risky bank for its numerous links to other lenders - is one of the biggest users of SWIFT. It is one of the first large banks to publicly urge changes.

SWIFT is only as strong as its weakest member, Deutsche Bank's Chief Information Security Officer Hinrich Voelcker said on Wednesday, adding the bank was in discussions with SWIFT about the consequences of the Bangladesh heist.

"If trust in this system breaks down we all have a problem," he said, without saying which specific reforms he believes are needed.

SWIFT is a member-owned cooperative, dominated by large Western banks, including lenders such as Citi (NYSE: C), JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM) and BNP Paribas , which built the network decades ago.

It now connects more than 10,000 different financial firms and industry experts have said all of its users should have to meet a minimum security standard to continue accessing it.

Since the 1990s, many smaller banks in emerging markets have joined SWIFT, which stands for Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

Current and former board members of SWIFT have told Reuters that for years the organization suspected there were weaknesses in the way smaller banks used its messaging terminals.

In the Bangladesh heist, hackers broke into a computer interface called Alliance Access, a piece of software sold by SWIFT for accessing its central network. It is still unclear exactly how the thieves gained entry.

Bank Bangladesh, the country's central bank, has alleged a botched upgrade of its system left vulnerabilities in it. SWIFT has rejected any responsibility for the way Bangladesh Bank upgraded its systems.

Since the Bangladesh incident many banks have added security features, Deutsche Bank's Voelcker said, adding rapid alert systems helped banks exchange information on hack attempts and patterns.

(Reporting by Andreas Kroner; Writing by Arno Schuetze; Editing by Mark Potter)
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt will host an international conference in March to coordinate humanitarian aid for Yemen, which has been devastated by a civil war, a minister in Yemen's Saudi-backed government said on Tuesday.

The United Nations said last week that at least 10,000 people had been killed in the past 18 months. It said some 14 million of Yemen's 26 million population needed food aid and 7 million were suffering from food insecurity.

"We are now preparing for a conference ... to be held here in the city of Sharm al-Sheikh ... We are preparing for this conference fully so we can go to the aid organizations and civil society organizations and many donors," Abdel Raqeeb Fateh, minister of local administration, told a news conference in Cairo.

The conflict pits the Iran-allied Houthis and supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh against President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who is supported by an alliance of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign in Yemen in March last year with the aim of preventing Houthi rebels and Saleh supporters from taking control of the country.

The Houthis and Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC), hold most of Yemen's northern half, while forces loyal to Hadi share control of the rest of the country with local tribes.

Egypt, which supports the Saudi-backed government, has yet to comment about the conference and its aims.

U.N.-sponsored peace talks ended in August without agreement, and the collapse in negotiations was followed by stepped-up fighting across the Arabian Peninsula country.

In the news conference held at the Yemeni embassy in Cairo, ministers from the Saudi-backed government said the conflict had taken a heavy toll.

(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Lin Noueihed; Editing by Alison Williams)
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday said he would travel to Ukraine with his French counterpart next week to discuss if, and when, a new round of talks involving Russia could be arranged on the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia would continue to support fresh talks among the four leaders aimed at ending the fighting.

Russia-backed fighters took up arms against Ukrainian government forces in the east of Ukraine in April, 2014, after Russia annexed Crimea in response to the downfall of a Moscow-backed president. More than 9,500 people have been killed in the conflict.

Steinmeier told reporters in Oslo, Norway on Sunday that he hoped the sides would soon reach agreement on a measure aimed at maintaining a fragile "back to school" ceasefire in eastern Ukraine as part of an initiative by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The parties have been talking for weeks about measures to disentangle Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists along the so-called "line of confrontation."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin will meet Steinmeier in Berlin on Thursday. They will then meet again in Ukraine next week along with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

The OSCE's special monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine reported a higher number of ceasefire violations in its daily report on Wednesday than in the previous period, but officials say the agreement is still holding "by and large."

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Madeline Chambers and Richard Balmforth)
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors said on Tuesday they were investigating former leftist Prime Minister Victor Ponta on suspicion of abuse of power and complicity in tax evasion.

Ponta is already on trial in a separate case on charges of forgery, money-laundering and being an accessory to tax evasion, which he has denied. He resigned late last year after a deadly nightclub fire set off massive street protests.

Prosecutors have prohibited him from publicly discussing the latest case, but he said on Facebook he would prove his innocence once he can comment.

Prosecutors said Ponta used his position the time, as prime minister and head of the Social Democrats, to put businessman Sebastian Ghita on the party's list of candidates for the 2012 parliamentary election in exchange for his paying 220,000 euros ($247,000) to bring an international celebrity to Romania.

"The purpose was to publicize some meetings with the celebrity so that Victor Ponta gain electoral capital," prosecutors said in a statement. "The 220,000 euros were obtained through intermediaries from Sebastian Ghita."

Ghita won a parliament seat in the 2012 election. Prosecutors said he was also under investigation in the case as an accessory to tax evasion. He has denied wrongdoing.

"Over the recent period in Romanian politics, it has become a habit for financially powerful people to easily gain elected public posts through being promoted by party leaders with the purpose ... of illegally funding parties' campaigns," the prosecutors' statement said.

Prosecutors did not name the celebrity.

Anti-corruption prosecutors have mounted a crackdown on corruption that has been praised by the European Commission, which keeps Romania's justice system under special monitoring.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Alison Williams)
By Denis Dumo and Michelle Nichols

JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan still needs to agree the number and nationality of United Nations peacekeepers for a protection force, a government minister said on Tuesday, a day after President Salva Kiir approved the deployment in a bid to avoid a U.N. arms embargo.

Kiir publicly consented to the protection force, authorized by the U.N. Security Council last month, after meeting with council envoys, led by U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power, on Sunday in Juba. However, a joint statement after the meeting noted that the details of the troop deployment still needed to worked out.

Government spokesperson Michael Makuei said on Monday the country also needed to "agree on the armament, we need to agree on the deployment, we need to agree on the time frame."

In the wake of deadly violence in Juba in mid-July between Kiir's troops and soldiers loyal to opposition leader Riek Machar, the Security Council authorized a 4,000-strong regional protection force as part of the 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission already on the ground, known as UNMISS.

The council has mandated the force until Dec. 15.

"If we don't accept it, if we don't agree with that, nobody will enter South Sudan. Anybody who enters without our consent is 'an invader'," Makuei told reporters.

The council threatened to consider an arms embargo if U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reported in mid-September that Kiir's government was not cooperating on the protection force and was still obstructing peacekeepers already on the ground.

"We're going to want to see a significant acceleration in operational discussions about the deployment of the force," Power told Reuters, warning the South Sudanese government not to go back to "first principles or challenging consent."

"There are very conflicting signals because there are some who, if they had a choice, would expel UNMISS tomorrow," Power said. "So the real question is: is there going to be united and consistent follow-through on the direction that the president gave last night by making that commitment?"

East African regional bloc IGAD pushed for a protection force and has pledged to provide troops. South Sudan Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Elia Lomoro said on Sunday that the government had no objection to who contributes soldiers.

However, some Security Council diplomats said South Sudan had concerns about some neighboring countries, like Ethiopia, sending troops.

"We have heard some names of the countries which can substitute regional neighboring countries - Zambia, Zimbabwe were mentioned," said Deputy Russian U.N. Ambassador Petr Iliichev, after the council envoys met with the African Union Peace and Security Council in Addis Ababa on Monday.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but slid into civil war in 2013 after Kiir sacked Machar as his vice president. The pair signed a peace deal a year ago but fighting has continued and Machar has now fled to neighboring Sudan.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by James Dalgleish)
By Dahlia Nehme

MECCA (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's top religious authority said Iran's leaders were not Muslims, drawing a rebuke from Tehran in an unusually harsh exchange between the regional rivals over the running of the annual haj pilgrimage.

The war of words on the eve of the mass pilgrimage will deepen a long-running rift between the Sunni kingdom and the Shi'ite revolutionary power. They back opposing sides in Syria's civil war and a list of other conflicts across the Middle East.

Tensions between them have been rising since Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in January following the storming of its embassy in Tehran, itself a response to the Saudi execution of a dissident Shi'ite cleric.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message published on Monday, criticized Saudi Arabia over how it runs the haj after a crush last year killed hundreds of pilgrims. He said Saudi authorities had "murdered" some of them, describing Saudi rulers as godless and irreligious.

Responding to a question by Saudi newspaper Makkah, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said he was not surprised at Khamenei's comments.

"We have to understand that they are not Muslims. ... Their main enemies are the followers of Sunnah (Sunnis)," Al al-Sheikh was quoted as saying in remarks republished by the Arab News.

He described Iranian leaders as sons of "magus", a reference to Zoroastrianism, the dominant belief in Persia until the Muslim Arab invasion of the region that is now Iran 13 centuries ago.

This year pilgrims from Iran will be unable to attend the haj, which officially starts on Sept. 11, after talks between the two nations on arrangements broke down in May.

Khamenei met families of Iranians killed in last year's disaster on Wednesday and called for a fact-finding committee to investigate the cause of the crush.

"The evil family tree of the Saudi dynasty does not have the competence to manage the holy shrines," Khamenei said.

"BIGOTRY"

Al al-Sheikh's remarks drew an acerbic retort from Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said they were evidence of bigotry among Saudi leaders.

"Indeed; no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account.

Saudi authorities normally seek to avoid public discussion of whether Shi'ites are Muslims, but implicitly recognize them as such by welcoming them to the haj, and by accepting Iranian visits to the Saudi-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department said the harsh words would only worsen tensions in the Middle East, where Saudi Arabia and Iran are vying for influence in countries such as Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon.

"By no means do we want to see this kind of rhetoric that weve seen in the last couple of days that will only escalate tensions," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.

Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Saleh bin Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said Saudi Arabia was "destined" to watch over Islam's holy sites, accusing Iran of trying to stir up sectarian discord as some 1.3 million Muslims convened in Mecca this week.

"The Iranian regime is now isolated from the Islamic world. They are trying to hijack people from all over to bring dishonor, but in fact all Islamic countries are with Saudi Arabia as it carries out its duties and responsibilities," said the minister, in comments carried by Okaz newspaper.

Speaking near Mecca's Great Mosque and clad in the traditional white robe of a pilgrim, Moussa Abdi, a member of Algeria's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said the region must work to repair its ideological and political rifts.

"We are not alone in this world, and we face other political conflicts. We have to unite. ... We have to get over these differences which aim at creating rifts within the Islamic world," Moussa told Reuters.

Custodian of Islam's most revered places in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on organizing haj, one of the five pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to is obliged to undertake at least once.

Riyadh said 769 pilgrims were killed in the 2015 disaster, the highest haj death toll since a crush in 1990. Counts of fatalities by countries who repatriated bodies showed that more than 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians. Iran blamed the 2015 disaster on organizers' incompetence.

(Reporting by William Maclean, Sami Aboudi, Noah Browning, Katie Paul and Babak Dehghanpisheh; additional reporting by Ruthy Munoz and Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Jonathan Oatis)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States voiced concern on Tuesday about the detention of leading Bahraini democracy campaigner Nabeel Rajab and called on the Manama government to release him immediately.

The call by the U.S. State Department came just two days after The New York Times published a letter by Rajab that said he was facing prosecution for his work exposing human rights abuses in Bahrain and criticizing the war in Yemen.

Prosecutors in Bahrain filed new charges on Monday against an unidentified man, believed by rights activists to be Rajab, for "publishing a column in a foreign newspaper in which he deliberately broadcast news, statements and false rumors that undermine the kingdom's prestige and stature."

Asked about the new charges, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the United States was "very concerned" about Rajab's "ongoing detention and the new charges filed against him."

"We call on the government of Bahrain to release him immediately," Toner said. "We have concerns about the state of human rights in general in Bahrain and we're engaging with the government ... on all these issues."

Rajab said in his letter to the Times that he had been detained, mostly in isolation, in Bahrain since the beginning of the summer. He said Bahrain had some 4,000 political prisoners and the highest prison population per capita in the Middle East.

"This is a country that has subjected its people to imprisonment, torture and even death for daring to desire democracy," Rajab wrote. He said he also was accused of "insulting a neighboring country," Saudi Arabia, by sending notes on Twitter calling for an end to the war in Yemen.

Rajab, who met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry earlier this year, was critical of the United States for selling billions of dollars worth of arms to Saudi Arabia for the Yemen conflict.

Rajab said recent strong U.S. statements on Bahrain's human rights problems were good "but unless the United States is willing to use its leverage, fine words have little effect." He urged U.S. President Barack Obama to use American influence to resolve the Yemen conflict.

Opposition political groups in Bahrain staged large protests during the Arab Spring of 2011, when demonstrators across the Arab world took to the streets calling for greater democracy. The protests in Bahrain were put down when neighboring Saudi Arabia sent troops to restore order.

Political tensions have continued since then in Bahrain, which is home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

(Reporting by David Alexander and Arshad Mohammed)
TASHKENT (Reuters) - Uzbekistan wants to maintain a stable relationship with the United States as it goes through its first leadership change since independence, a senior U.S. diplomat said on Tuesday after meeting the Uzbek foreign minister in Tashkent.

Moscow, Washington and Beijing are all vying for influence in the ex-Soviet Central Asia region which sits on vast mineral reserves and is strategically located north of Afghanistan, on the ancient Silk Road trade route between China and Europe.

Daniel Rosenblum, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State, met Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Komilov late on Monday.

It was the first visit by a U.S. diplomat since the death of veteran president Islam Karimov last week. Karimov, 78, died on Friday after suffering a stroke and left behind a power vacuum in Central Asia's most populous nation.

"I am here in Tashkent these few days representing the U.S. government so that I can express condolences on the death of President Karimov and also to show our continued commitment to our partnership with Uzbekistan," Rosenblum told reporters.

"We know very well that the change of leadership is always difficult for any country. We also know that these transitions provide opportunity to define ways to adapt and also to grow stronger.

Rosenblum did not mention meeting any of the most senior officials who are viewed as potential successors to Karimov, such as Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev or his deputy, Rustam Azimov.

During my meeting with Komilov he expressed strong desire for stability in the bilateral relationship so I took it as an important message as well, he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday he would also visit Uzbekistan on Tuesday to honor Karimov.

(Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Nick Macfie)
FORM 6-K

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549 REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 dated September 7, 2016 Commission File Number 1-15148 BRF S.A.

(Exact Name as Specified in its Charter) N/A

(Translation of Registrants Name) 1400 R. Hungria, 5th Floor

Jardim Europa-01455000-Sao Paulo  SP, Brazil

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code) Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F. Form 20-F x Form 40-F o Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T

Rule 101(b)(1): Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T

Rule 101(b)(7): Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes o No x If Yes is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): Not applicable.

* * * This material includes certain forward-looking statements that are based principally on current expectations and on projections of future events and financial trends that currently affect or might affect the Companys business, and are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements are based on managements expectations, which involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are beyond the Companys control and any of which could cause actual financial condition and results of operations to differ materially fom those set out in the Companys forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements in this Report on Form 6-K include those described under Exhibit 1 hereto, as well as under the captions Forward-Looking Statements and Item 3. Key Information  D. Risk Factors in the Companys annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2015.

SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. Date: September 7, 2016. BRF S.A. By: /s/ Jose Alexandre Carneiro Borges Name: Jose Alexandre Carneiro Borges Title: Chief Financial Officer and Investor Relations Officer

BRF S.A. A Publicly Traded Company

CNPJ n 01.838.723/0001-27 ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE MARKET BRF S.A. ANNOUNCES COMMENCEMENT BY BFF INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

AND BRF S.A. OF CASH TENDER OFFERS FOR ANY AND ALL OUTSTANDING

7.250% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2020 ISSUED BY BFF INTERNATIONAL LIMITED,

UNCONDITIONALLY AND IRREVOCABLY GUARANTEED BY BRF S.A., AND

5.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2022 ISSUED BY BRF S.A. Sao Paulo, September 7, 2016  BRF S.A. ( BRF ) and its subsidiary BFF INTERNATIONAL LIMITED ( BFF ) today announced the commencement of (i) an offer by BFF to purchase for cash (the  2020 Notes Tender Offer ) any and all outstanding 7.250% Senior Notes due 2020 (the 2020 Notes ) issued by BFF, and (ii) an offer by BRF to purchase for cash (the  2022 Notes Tender Offer  and together with the 2020 Notes Tender Offer, the  Tender Offers ) any and all outstanding 5.875% Senior Notes due 2022 (together with the 2020 Notes, the  Notes ) issued by BRF. The Tender Offers are being made pursuant to the offer to purchase dated September 7, 2016 (the  Offer to Purchase ) and the related letter of transmittal and notice of guaranteed delivery (together with the Offer to Purchase, the  Offer Documents  ). The table below summarizes certain payment terms for each series of Notes: Notes CUSIP Number(s) ISIN

Number(s) Principal Amount Outstanding Applicable Purchase Price(1) 7.250% Senior Notes due 2020 05540KAA9/

G3400TAA7 US05540KAA97/

USG3400TAA72 U.S.$118,283,000 U.S.$1,127.50 5.875% Senior Notes due 2022 10552TAA5/

P1905CAA8 US10552TAA51/

USP1905CAA82 U.S.$172,870,000 U.S.$1,105.00 _______________ (1) Per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of applicable Notes, validly tendered and accepted for purchase, plus any accrued and unpaid interest. The Tender Offers will expire at 12:00 p.m. New York City time, on September 14, 2016, unless extended, terminated early or withdrawn (such date and time, including as extended or earlier terminated, the  Expiration Time ). Holders of Notes must validly tender and not validly withdraw their Notes at or prior to the Expiration Time in order to be eligible to receive the applicable Purchase Price (as defined below) for such Notes. Tendered Notes may be validly withdrawn at any time at or prior to the Expiration Time but not thereafter.
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant [X]

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ]

Check the appropriate box:

[X] Preliminary Proxy Statement [ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) [ ] Definitive Proxy Statement [ ] Definitive Additional Materials [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to  240.14a-12

Seaniemac International, Ltd. (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

[X] No fee required [ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: (5) Total fee paid:

[ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. [ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

(1) Amount Previously Paid: (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: (3) Filing Party: (4) Date Filed:

Seaniemac International, Ltd.

780 New York Avenue, Suite A, Huntington, New York, 11743

+353 (87) 222-4166

NOTICE OF CONSENT SOLICITATION

To Our Stockholders:

You are being asked to consider and provide your written consent with regard to an amendment to our articles of incorporation, as amended (the Articles), to increase our authorized capital stock from 2,010,000,000 shares to 4,010,000,000 shares, of which 4,000,000,000 shares will be common stock and 10,000,000 will be preferred stock (the Amendment).

This matter is more fully described in the Consent Solicitation Statement accompanying this notice. The approval of this matter is required to approve adoption of the amendment of our Articles. Therefore, no amendment to our Articles will become effective unless stockholders approve the above matter.

Our board of directors unanimously recommends that you provide your written consent for approval of the matter as set forth above.

Our board of directors has fixed September 2, 2016 as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to submit written consents (the Record Date). Only stockholders of record as of the Record Date will be entitled to submit their written consents with regard to the above matter. The Consent Solicitation Statement and the accompanying Written Consent were first sent to stockholders on or about September _____, 2016.

A complete list of each stockholder entitled to submit his or her written consent regarding the above matter will be available for examination by stockholders during ordinary business hours at the offices of our counsel, Legal & Compliance, LLC, at 330 Clematis Street, Suite 217, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

By Order of the Board of Directors, /s/ Barry M. Brookstein Barry M. Brookstein Chief Executive Officer

September ___, 2016

PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THE ACCOMPANYING WRITTEN CONSENT IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE.

Seaniemac International, Ltd.

780 New York Avenue, Suite A, Huntington, New York, 11743

CONSENT SOLICITATION STATEMENT

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Consent Solicitation Materials

The Consent Solicitation Statement and annual report to stockholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 are available at www.seaniemacinternantional.com .

GENERAL

This Consent Solicitation Statement is being furnished to the holders of shares of capital stock of Seaniemac International, Ltd., a Nevada corporation, in connection with the solicitation of written consents from the holders of a majority of the voting power of our shares of stock to approve the Proposal described in this Consent Solicitation Statement. In this Consent Solicitation Statement, all references to the Company, Seaniemac, we, us or our refer to Seaniemac International, Ltd. We are mailing this Consent Solicitation Statement to our stockholders of record as of September 2, 2016 (the Record Date) on or about September ___, 2016.

The entire cost of furnishing this Consent Solicitation Statement will be borne by us. We will request brokerage houses, nominees, custodians, fiduciaries and other like parties to forward this Consent Solicitation Statement to the beneficial owners of our common stock held of record by them and will reimburse such persons for their reasonable charges and expenses in connection therewith.

This Consent Solicitation Statement is furnished to the holders of shares of our stock on the Record Date with regard to the following proposal (the Proposal):

An amendment to our articles of incorporation, as amended (the Articles), to increase our authorized capital stock from 2,010,000,000 shares to 4,010,000,000 shares, of which 4,000,000,000 shares will be common stock and 10,000,000 will be preferred stock (the Amendment)

The approval of the above Proposal is required to approve adoption of our Articles. Therefore, no amendment to our Articles will become effective unless stockholders approve the above matter. The approval of the Proposal shall constitute the requisite approval of the adoption of the amendment to the Articles as required by Nevada law.

On September 2, 2016, our board of directors unanimously adopted resolutions approving the proposed amendment to our Articles.

As of the Record Date, our authorized securities consist of 2,000,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share, of which there are authorized the following series authorized: (i) Series A Senior Convertible Voting Non-Redeemable Preferred Stock (the Series A Preferred) - 2,500,000 shares authorized; (ii) Series B Senior Subordinated Convertible Voting Redeemable Preferred Stock (the Series B Preferred) - 1,500,000 shares authorized; (iii) Series C Senior Subordinated Convertible Voting Redeemable Preferred Stock (the Series C Preferred) - 2,000,000 shares authorized; and (iv) Series D Senior Convertible Voting Redeemable Preferred Stock (the Series D Preferred) - 100,000 shares authorized.

As of the Record Date, there were 1,794,331,772 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, held by 90 holders of record, and (i) 2,293,750 shares of Series A Preferred issued and outstanding; (ii) 1,250,000 shares of Series B Preferred issued and outstanding; (iii) 1,828,569 shares of Series C Preferred issued and outstanding; and (iv) 100,000 shares of Series D Preferred issued and outstanding.

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share. Holders of Series A Preferred, Series B Preferred and Series C Preferred are entitled to 100 votes per share, and holders of Series D Preferred are entitled to 10,000 votes per share.

Our board of directors has decided to seek written consent, rather than call a special meeting of stockholders, in order to eliminate the costs and management time involved in holding a special meeting. Written consents with respect to the Proposal are being solicited from our stockholders of record on the Record Date pursuant to Section 78.320(2) of the Nevada Revised Statutes, as amended (the NRS).

If the Proposal is approved by at least a majority of our voting power, but less than all of our stockholders, we intend to announce the final results of this consent solicitation on a Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) by us. This Consent Solicitation Statement and the Form 8-K shall constitute notice of approval of the Proposal without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent.

Other than as discussed herein, we have made no arrangements and we have no understanding with any other person regarding the solicitation of consents hereunder, and no person has been authorized by us to give any information or to make any representation in connection with the solicitation of consents, other than those contained herein and, if given or made, such other information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by us. In addition to solicitations by mail, consents may be solicited by directors, officers and other employees of our company who will receive no additional compensation therefor.

Members of our management beneficially own shares of our common stock and preferred stock, and intend to submit their consents in favor of the Proposal. As a result, we expect that we will receive consents in favor of the Proposal with respect to (i) 367,937 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, representing 0.01%% of the total voting power of the shareholders; (ii) 200,000 shares of Series A Preferred issued and outstanding, representing 0.6% of the total voting power of the shareholders; (iii) 1,250,000 shares of Series B Preferred issued and outstanding, representing 3.75% of the total voting power of the shareholders; (iv) 857,593 shares of Series C Preferred issued and outstanding, representing 2.57% of the total voting power of the shareholders; and (v) 100,000 shares of Series D Preferred issued and outstanding, representing 30.02% of the total voting power of the shareholders, in each case as of the Record Date, held, directly and/or beneficially, as of the Record Date by our officers and board of directors.

IMPORTANTPLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY

If your shares of stock are registered in your name, please submit your consent to us today by following the instructions on the Written Consent attached hereto as Appendix B.

If you hold your shares in street name with a bank, broker firm, dealer, trust company or other nominee, only they can exercise your right to consent with respect to your shares of stock, and only upon receipt of your specific instructions. Accordingly, it is critical that you promptly give instructions to consent to the Proposal to your bank, broker firm, dealer, trust company or other nominee. Please follow the instructions to consent provided on the enclosed Written Consent. If your bank, broker firm, dealer, trust company or other nominee provides for consent instructions to be delivered to them by telephone or Internet, instructions will be included on the Written Consent.

Execution and delivery of a consent by a record stockholder will be presumed to be a consent with respect to all shares held by such record stockholder unless the consent specifies otherwise.

Only holders of record of shares of our stock as of the close of business on the Record Date will be entitled to consent to the Proposal. If you are a stockholder of record as of the close of business on the Record Date, you will retain your right to consent even if you sell your shares of stock after the Record Date.

IF YOU TAKE NO ACTION, YOU WILL, IN EFFECT, BE REJECTING THE PROPOSAL. ABSTENTIONS, FAILURES TO CONSENT AND BROKER NON-VOTES WILL HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS WITHHOLDING CONSENT.

If you have any questions about executing or delivering your Written Consent or require assistance, please call Shane ODriscoll at +353 (87) 222-4166.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THIS CONSENT SOLICITATION

The following section provides answers to frequently asked questions about the consent solicitation. This section, however, only provides summary information. These questions and answers may not address all issues that may be important to you as a stockholder. For a more complete response to these questions and for additional information, please refer to the cross-referenced pages below. You should carefully read this entire Consent Solicitation Statement, including the proposed amendment to the Articles set forth in Appendix A-1. Appendix A-1 contains the full text of the proposed amendment and Appendix A-2 contains the proposed amendment with additions underlined and deletions in strikethrough.

Q: Why am I receiving this Consent Solicitation Statement?

A: You are receiving this Consent Solicitation Statement because you have been identified as a stockholder of our company as of the Record Date, and thus you are entitled to consent to the Proposal described herein. This document serves as a Consent Solicitation Statement used to solicit consents with respect to the Proposal. This document contains important information about the Proposal and the consent solicitation, and you should read it carefully.

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Q: What am I being asked to consent to?

A: We are asking you to consent to approval of a proposal to amend our Articles to increase our authorized capital stock from 2,010,000,000 shares to 4,010,000,000 shares, of which 4,000,000,000 shares will be common stock and 10,000,000 will be preferred stock (the Amendment).

Please see the sections titled, Proposal: Approval of Amendment of Articles for additional information regarding the Proposal, and Appendix A-1 hereto for the full text of the proposed amendment. Appendix A-1 contains the full text of the proposed Amendment and Appendix A-2 contains the proposed Amendment with additions underlined and deletions in strikethrough.

Q: Does our board of directors recommend that stockholders consent to approval of the Proposal?

A: After careful consideration, our board of directors unanimously recommends that stockholders consent to approve the Proposal so that we may amend our Articles.

Q: If my shares are held in street name by my broker, will my broker provide consent for me?

A: Your broker will not be able to consent on your behalf without specific instructions from you. You should instruct your broker to consent to the Proposal with respect to shares held beneficially by you, following the procedure provided by your broker.

Broker non-votes occur when a beneficial owner of shares held by a broker or other nominee does not give instructions as to how to vote on, or provide consent with regard to, matters deemed non-routine. If you are the beneficial owner of the shares you are generally entitled to give instructions to the broker or nominee holding the shares. If the beneficial owner does not provide instructions, the broker or nominee can only vote the shares with respect to matters that are considered to be routine. Your broker will not be able to consent to the Proposal with respect to your shares without specific instructions from you. In order to consent to the Proposal, you must instruct your broker to consent to the Proposal with respect to your shares by following the procedure provided by your broker.

Q: May I revoke my consent after I have submitted a consent or provided consent instructions?

A: If you are a record stockholder, you have the right to revoke your consent at any time prior to the expiration or prior termination of the consent solicitation. A notice of revocation must specify the record stockholders name and the number and class of shares being withdrawn. Revocations may be submitted by the same methods as written consents may be submitted, as set forth on the accompanying Written Consent. If you hold your shares in street name, you must follow directions received from your broker to change those instructions.

Q: Who is soliciting my consent?

A: Our board of directors and our management are soliciting your consent.

Q: Who is paying for the consent solicitation?

A: The entire cost of furnishing this Consent Solicitation Statement will be borne by us. We will request brokerage houses, nominees, custodians, fiduciaries and other like parties to forward this Consent Solicitation Statement to the beneficial owners of our stock held of record by them and will reimburse such persons for their reasonable charges and expenses in connection therewith.

Q: Who can consent to the Proposal?

A: If you are a record owner of shares of stock as of the close of business on the Record Date (September 2, 2016), you have the right to consent to the Proposal. You also have the right to consent to the Proposal with respect to any shares of which you are the beneficial owner as of the Record Date (September 2, 2016), but which are registered in the name of a bank, broker firm, dealer, trust company or other nominee. As of the Record Date, there were 1,794,331,772 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, held by 90 holders of record, and (i) 2,293,750 shares of Series A Preferred issued and outstanding; 1,250,000 shares of Series B Preferred issued and outstanding; (iii) 1,828,569 shares of Series C Preferred issued and outstanding; and (iv) 100,000 shares of Series D Preferred issued and outstanding.

Q: When is the deadline for submitting consents?

A: For the Proposal to be approved, properly completed and unrevoked written consents must be delivered to us, in accordance with the instructions set forth on the accompanying Written Consent, within 60 days of the earliest dated written consent is delivered to us. We expect to receive consents dated as early as September ___, 2016. Consequently, we expect that stockholders will need to deliver properly completed and unrevoked written consents to the above Proposal from the holders of record of a majority of the voting power of our shares outstanding as of the Record Date no later than November ___, 2016. Nevertheless, we intend to set October ____, 2016 as the goal for submission of written consents. Effectively, this means that you have until November___, 2016 to consent to the Proposal. WE URGE YOU TO ACT PROMPTLY TO ENSURE THAT YOUR CONSENT WILL COUNT. We reserve the right to terminate this consent solicitation at any time within 60 days of the earliest dated written consent delivered to us. See Consent Procedures for additional information regarding such procedures.

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Q: How many consents must be granted in favor of the Proposal?

A: In order for the Proposal to become effective, properly completed, unrevoked consents signed by the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of our shares of stock outstanding as of the close of business on the Record Date must be received by us within 60 days of the earliest dated written consent delivered to us.

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share. Holders of Series A Preferred, Series B Preferred and Series C Preferred are entitled to 100 votes per share, and holders of our Series D preferred stock are entitled to 10,000 votes per share.

IF YOU TAKE NO ACTION, YOU WILL, IN EFFECT, BE REJECTING THE PROPOSAL. ABSTENTIONS, FAILURES TO CONSENT AND BROKER NON-VOTES WILL HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS WITHHOLDING CONSENT.

Q: What do I need to do now?

A: You are urged to read this Consent Solicitation Statement carefully, including the proposed amendment to the Articles set forth in Appendices A-1 and A-2 hereto, and to consider the Proposal. Appendix A-1 hereto for the full text of the proposed amendment. Appendix A-1 contains the full text of the proposed amendment and Appendix A-2 contains the proposed amendment with additions underlined and deletions in strikethrough. If your shares are registered directly in your name, you may complete, date and sign the Written Consent and return it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. If your shares are held in street name by your broker, bank or other nominee, you must instruct the broker, bank or nominee how to vote your shares following instructions that are provided to you.

Q: What happens if I do not return a Written Consent or otherwise provide consent instructions?

A: The failure to return your Written Consent or otherwise provide consent instructions will have the same effect as rejecting the Proposal. If your shares are held in street name, your bank, broker firm, dealer, trust company or other nominee cannot consent with respect to your shares unless you provide specific instructions. If you hold your shares in street name, please follow your banks, broker firms, dealers, trust companys or other nominees instructions on the Written Consent.

Q: Who can provide me with additional information and help answer my questions?

A: If you have questions about the Proposal and the proposed amendment to our Articles, including the procedure for submitting your consent, you should contact Shane ODriscoll at +353 (87) 222-4166.

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of September 2, 2016 by the following persons:

 Each person who is known to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock,  Each of our named executive officers (as defined in Item 402 of Regulation S-K) and directors, and  All of our directors and executive officers as a group.

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. The number of shares and the percentage beneficially owned by each individual listed above include shares that are subject to options held by that individual that are immediately exercisable or exercisable within 60 days from September 2, 2016, and the number of shares and the percentage beneficially owned by all officers and directors as a group includes shares subject to options held by all officers and directors as a group that are immediately exercisable or exercisable within 60 days from September 2, 2016.

The information provided herein is based upon a list of our shareholders and our records with respect to the ownership of warrants and options to purchase securities in our company. The percentages in the table have been calculated on the basis of treating as outstanding for a particular person, all shares of our common stock outstanding on that date and all shares of our common stock issuable to that holder in the event of exercise of outstanding options, warrants, rights or conversion privileges owned by that person at that date which are exercisable within 60 days of that date. Except as otherwise indicated, the persons listed below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of our common stock owned by them, except to the extent that power may be shared with a spouse.

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Series A Senior Convertible Voting Non-Redeemable Preferred Stock

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner Amount and

Nature of

Beneficial

Ownership Percent of Class Barry Brookstein (1) 200,000 8.7 % All executive officers and directors as a group (1 person) 200,000 8.7 %

(1) Mr. Brookstein is a Director and our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary.

Series B Senior Subordinated Convertible Voting Redeemable Preferred Stock

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner Amount and Nature of

Beneficial Ownership Percent of Class Barry Brookstein (1) 1,250,000 (2) 100 % All executive officers and directors as a group (1 person) 1,250,000 (2) 100 % Spirits Management Inc. (3) 750,000 60 %

(1) Mr. Brookstein is a Director and our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary. (2) Includes 750,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock owned by Spirits Management, Inc. a corporation in which Mr. Brookstein serves as an executive officer and director and is the sole stockholder (Spirits). (3) Spirits is a corporation in which Mr. Brookstein, our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary, serves as an executive officer and director and is the sole stockholder. Spirits address is 780 New York Avenue, Huntington, New York 11743.

Series C Senior Subordinated Convertible Voting Redeemable Preferred Stock

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner Amount and Nature of

Beneficial Ownership Percent of Class Barry Brookstein (1) 857,593 (2) 46.9 % All executive officers and directors as a group (1 person) 857,593 (2) 46.9 % Spirits Management Inc. (3) 450,601 24.6 % Phone Tel New Corp. (4) 202,491 11.1 % Tele-Serv Inc. (4) 141,345 7.7 % Telmax Co. Inc. (4) 160,390 8.8 % Agile Opportunity Fund, LLC (5) 466,750 25.5 %

(1) Mr. Brookstein is a Director and our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary. (2) Includes (a) 450,601 shares of Series C Preferred Stock owned by Spirits, a corporation in which Mr. Brookstein serves as an executive officer and director and is the sole stockholder. (3) Spirits is a corporation in which Mr. Brookstein, our Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary, serves as an executive officer and director and is the sole stockholder. Spirits address is 780 New York Avenue, Huntington, New York 11743. (4) The address for Phone Tel New Corp., Tele-Serv Inc., and Telmax Co. Inc. is 153 Symphony Court, Eastport, New York 11941. (5) The address for Agile Opportunity Fund, LLC is 1175 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, New York 11747.

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Series D Senior Convertible Voting Redeemable Preferred Stock

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner Amount and Nature of

Beneficial Ownership Percent of Class Barry Brookstein (1) 100,000 100 % All executive officers and directors as a group (4 persons) 100,000 100 %

(1) Mr. Brookstein is a Director and our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary.

Common Stock

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner Amount and Nature of

Beneficial Ownership Percent of Class (1) Barry Brookstein (2) 726,775 (3) * All executive officers and directors as a group (4 persons) 726,775 (3) *

* Represents less than 1.0%.

(1) Based on an aggregate of 915,036,663 common shares outstanding as of September 2, 2016. (2) Mr. Brookstein is a Director and our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary. (3) Represents (a) 367,905 shares of Common Stock held directly, (b) 32 shares of Common Stock held by Mr. Brookstein as custodian under the California Uniform Transfers to Minors Act, (c) 26,245 shares of Common Stock owned by Spirits, (d) 20,111 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the 200,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock owned by Mr. Brookstein, (e) 50,277 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the 500,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock owned by Mr. Brookstein, (f) 75,416 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the 750,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock owned by Spirits, (g) 40,925 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the 406,992 shares of Series C Preferred Stock owned by Mr. Brookstein, (h) 45,310 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the 450,601 shares of Series C Preferred Stock owned by Spirits, and (i) 100,554 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the 100,000 shares of Series D Preferred Stock owned by Mr. Brookstein.

Changes in Control

We are unaware of any contract or other arrangement the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in a change of control of our Company.

INTEREST OF CERTAIN PERSONS IN MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON

No director, named executive officer, associate of any director or associate of any named executive officer, or any other person, has any substantial interest, direct or indirect, in the approval of Proposal that is not shared by all other stockholders.

PROPOSAL: AMENDMENT OF OUR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO increase our authorized capital stock from 2,010,000,000 shares to 4,010,000,000 shares, of which 4,000,000,000 shares will be common stock and 10,000,000 will be preferred stock .

On September 2, 2016, our board of directors approved, subject to stockholder approval, the proposed amendment to our Articles to increase our authorized capital stock from 2,010,000,000 shares to 4,010,000,000 shares, of which 4,000,000,000 shares will be common stock and 10,000,000 will be preferred stock. Please review the proposed amendment in Appendices A-1 and A-2. Appendix A-1 hereto for the full text of the proposed amendment, and Appendix A-2 contains the proposed amendment with additions underlined and deletions in strikethrough.

If the Proposal is approved by stockholders and the amendment is adopted, our authorized capital stock shall be increased from 2,010,000,000 shares to 4,010,000,000 shares, of which 4,000,000,000 shares will be common stock and 10,000,000 will be preferred stock. The amendment increases the authorized shares of common stock from 2,000,000,000 to 4,000,000,000 but does not increase the number of authorized shares of preferred stock.

The voting and other rights of our stockholders will not be affected by the amendment, other than the fact that there will be additional shares of common stock authorized.

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Purposes of the Increase in Authorized Shares

Having an increased number of authorized but unissued shares of our capital stock would allow us to take prompt action with respect to corporate opportunities that develop, without the delay and expense of convening a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of approving an increase in our capitalization. As a result of the increase in authorized shares, additional shares of common stock and preferred stock would be available for issuance from time to time as determined by our board of directors for any proper corporate purpose. Such purposes might include, without limitation, issuance in public or private sales for cash as a means of obtaining additional capital for use in our business and operations, and issuance as part or all of the consideration required to be paid by us for acquisitions of other businesses or assets. The additional capital stock can provide flexibility in structuring the terms of any future agreements, as well as any future financing and recapitalization efforts. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we have no obligation to issue such shares and there are no plans, proposals or arrangements currently contemplated by us that would involve the issuance of common stock and/or preferred stock to acquire another company or its assets, or for any other corporate purpose stated.

Potential Anti-Takeover Effects of the Increase in Capital Stock

Any additional issuance of common or preferred stock could, under certain circumstances, have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of our company by increasing the number of outstanding shares entitled to vote and by increasing the number of votes required to approve a change in control. Shares of common or preferred stock could be issued, or rights to purchase such shares could be issued, to render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of our company by means of a tender offer, proxy contest, merger or otherwise. The ability of our board of directors to issue such additional shares of common stock and/or to designate one or more series or classes of preferred stock for issuance could discourage an attempt by a party to acquire control of our company by tender offer or other means. Such issuances could therefore deprive stockholders of benefits that could result from such an attempt, such as the realization of a premium over the market price that such an attempt could cause. Moreover, the issuance of such additional shares of common or preferred stock to persons whose interests are aligned with that of our board of directors could make it more difficult to remove incumbent officers and directors from office, even if such change were to be favorable to stockholders generally.

Although the increased proportion of unissued authorized shares to issued shares could, under certain circumstances, have an anti-takeover effect (for example, by permitting issuances that would dilute the stock ownership of a person seeking to effect a change in the composition of our board or contemplating a tender offer or other transaction for the combination of our company with another company), the Amendment was not proposed in response to any effort of which we are aware to accumulate shares of common stock or obtain control of us, nor is it part of a plan by management to recommend a series of similar actions having an anti-takeover effect to the board and our stockholders.

While the existence of preferred stock may have anti-takeover ramifications, our board of directors believes that the financial flexibility offered by the Amendment outweighs any disadvantages. To the extent that the increase in the number of authorized shares may have anti-takeover effects, the Amendment, when effected, may encourage persons seeking to acquire us to negotiate directly with our board of directors, enabling our board to consider a proposed transaction in a manner that best serves our stockholders interests.

Our board believes that it is advisable and in the best interests of our Company to have available shares of preferred stock in an amount adequate to provide for our future needs. The designation of one or more classes or series of preferred stock will be available for issuance from time to time as may be deemed advisable or required for various purposes, including the issuance of shares in connection with financing or acquisition transactions. We have no present plans or commitments for the issuance or use of the proposed shares of preferred stock in connection with any financing.

Procedure for Effecting the Amendment

Approval by our stockholders of the Proposal is required to approve adoption of the Amendment to our Articles. Therefore, no amendment to our Articles will become effective unless stockholders approve the Proposal. If stockholders consent to the Proposal, the amendment to our Articles will become effective when it is filed with the Secretary of State of Nevada. We expect to file the amendment to the Articles with the Secretary of State of Nevada effective on or about November ___, 2016.

Accounting Matters

Neither approval of the Proposal nor adoption of the amendment to our Articles will affect the par value of our stock.

Periodic Reporting Obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

We are subject, and will continue to be subject, to the periodic reporting and other requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). Neither approval of the Proposal nor adoption of the amendment to our Articles will affect the registration of our common stock under the Exchange Act.

Preemptive Rights

Holders of shares do not have any preemptive rights under our certificate of incorporation, as amended, applicable state law or otherwise.

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Dissenters Rights of Appraisal

Under Nevada law, stockholders are not entitled to dissenters rights of appraisal with respect to approval of the Proposal or adoption of the amendment to our Articles.

Persons Interested in the Transaction

Except as disclosed elsewhere herein, none of the following persons has any substantial interest, direct or indirect, by security holdings or otherwise in any matter to be acted upon:

 Any director or officer of our Company,  Any proposed nominee for election as a director of our Company, and  Any associate or affiliate of any of the foregoing persons.

CONSENT PROCEDURES

Section 78.320(2) of the Nevada Revised Statutes, as amended (the NRS) provides that, absent a contrary provision in a Nevada corporations articles of incorporation or bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting if, before or after the action, a written consent thereto is signed by stockholders holding at least a majority of the voting power, except that if a different proportion of voting power is required for such an action at a meeting, then that proportion of written consents is required.

The approval of the Proposal is required to approve adoption of the amendment to our Articles. Therefore, no amendment to our Articles will become effective unless stockholders approve the Proposal. For the Proposal to become effective, properly completed and unrevoked written consents must be delivered to us within 60 days of the earliest dated written consent is delivered to us. We expect to receive consents dated as early as September ___, 2016. Consequently, we expect that we will need to receive completed and unrevoked written consents to the Proposal from the holders of record of a majority of the voting power of our shares outstanding as of the close of business on the Record Date no later than November ____, 2016. Nevertheless, we intend to set November ___, 2016 as the goal for receipt of written consents. Effectively, this means that you have until November ____, 2016 to consent to the Proposal. WE URGE YOU TO ACT PROMPTLY TO ENSURE THAT YOUR CONSENT WILL COUNT. We reserve the right to terminate this consent solicitation at any time within 60 days of the earliest dated written consent delivered to us.

We intend to announce the final results of this consent solicitation on a Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC by us. This Consent Solicitation Statement and the Form 8-K shall constitute notice of approval of the Proposal without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Where You May Find Additional Information

We are subject to the informational requirements of Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, we file annual, quarterly and other reports and information with the SEC. Our filings with the SEC are available to the public on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Those filings will also be available to the public on, or accessible through, our corporate website at www.seaniemacinternational.com . You may also read and copy, at SEC prescribed rates, any document we file with the SEC at the SECs Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street, NE., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 to obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. You may also request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing to us at 780 New York Avenue, Suite A, Huntington, New York, 11743 or by telephoning us at (386) 409-0200.

Householding

The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries, such as brokers, to satisfy the delivery requirements for information statements with respect to two or more securityholders sharing the same address by delivering a single information statement addressed to those securityholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as householding provides potentially extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for companies.

For this Consent Solicitation Statement, a number of brokers with account holders who are stockholders of ours will be householding our Consent Solicitation Statement and the documents incorporated by reference that we are furnishing with the Consent Solicitation Statement. A single Consent Solicitation Statement will be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected stockholders. Once you have received notice from your broker or from our company that either of them will be householding communications to your address, householding will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. We will deliver promptly, upon written or oral request. a separate copy of this Consent Solicitation Statement to a security holder at a shared address to which a single copy of the documents was delivered.

If at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and would prefer to receive a separate Consent Solicitation Statement, or if you currently receive multiple copies of the Consent Solicitation Statement at your address and would like to request householding of our communications, please notify your broker if your shares are not held directly in your name. If you own your shares directly rather than through a brokerage account, you should contact us in writing at 780 New York Avenue, Suite A, Huntington, New York, 11743 or by telephoning us at (386) 409-0200.

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MISCELLANEOUS

Additional copies of this Consent Solicitation Statement may be obtained at no charge by writing to us at 780 New York Avenue, Suite A, Huntington, New York, 11743 or by telephoning Shane ODriscoll at +353 (87) 222-4166.

September __, 2016 By Order of the Board of Directors, /s/ Barry M. Brookstein Barry M. Brookstein Chief Executive Officer

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APPENDIX A-1

AMENDEDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

SEANIEMAC INTERNATIONAL, LTD.

Section (a) of the FOURTH article is amended in its entirety to provide as follows:

The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is FOUR BILLION, TEN MILLION (4,010,000,000) of which (i) FOUR BILLION (4,000,000,000) shares shall be common stock with a par value of $.001 per share (the Common Stock) and (ii) TEN MILLION (10,000,000) shares shall be preferred stock with a par value of $.001 per share (the Serial Preferred Stock).

A-1-1

APPENDIX A-2

AMENDEDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

SEANIEMAC INTERNATIONAL, LTD.

The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is TWO FOUR BILLION, TEN MILLION (2,010,000,000) (4,010,000,000) of which (i) TWO FOUR BILLION (2,000,000,000) (4,000,000,000) shares shall be common stock with a par value of $.001 per share (the Common Stock) and (ii) TEN MILLION (10,000,000) shares shall be preferred stock with a par value of $.001 per share (the Serial Preferred Stock).

A-2-1

Appendix B

WRITTEN CONSENT OF STOCKHOLDERS OF

SEANIEMAC INTERNATIONAL, LTD.

The undersigned stockholder of Seaniemac International, Ltd. (the Company) hereby acknowledges receipt of the Notice of Consent Solicitation and accompanying Consent Solicitation Statement, each dated September ___, 2016. The undersigned hereby consents (by checking the FOR box) or declines to consent (by checking the AGAINST box or the ABSTAIN box) to the adoption of the following recitals and resolutions:

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors (the Board) of the Company has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders for the stockholders to approve an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Company to increase the authorized capital stock of the Company from 2,010,000,000 shares to 4,010,000,000 shares, of which 4,000,000,000 shares will be common stock and 10,000,000 will be preferred stock, as more fully described in the Consent Solicitation Statement (the Amendment);

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED, that the stockholders of the Company hereby approve the Amendment:

IF YOU OWN COMMON STOCK: [ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN IF YOU OWN SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK: [ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN IF YOU OWN SERIES B PREFERRED STOCK: [ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN IF YOU OWN SERIES C PREFERRED STOCK: [ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN IF YOU OWN SERIES D PREFERRED STOCK: [ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN

This Written Consent action may be executed in counterparts. Failure of any particular stockholder(s) to execute and deliver counterparts is immaterial so long as the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of the Company do execute and deliver counterparts.

This Written Consent is solicited by the Companys Board of Directors.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Written Consent on ______________________, 2016.

Print name(s) exactly as shown on Stock Certificate(s)

Signature (and Title, if any) Signature (if held jointly)

Sign exactly as name(s) appear(s) on stock certificate(s). If stock is held jointly, each holder must sign. If signing is by attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, give full title as such. A corporation or partnership must sign by an authorized officer or general partner, respectively.

Please sign, date and mail this consent to the following address or send the consent through facsimile or the e-mail address listed below:

Seaniemac International, Ltd.

780 New York Avenue, Suite A

Huntington, New York, 11743.

You may also submit your consent by facsimile to ________________ or scan and email to ________________.

The Consent Solicitation Statement is available on the Companys website at www.seaniemacinternational.com .
LE CLAIRE  If you cant visit the State Historical Museum in Des Moines, why not let it come to you?

Thats the idea behind Iowa History 101, a new multimedia and artifact-based traveling exhibit housed in a Winnebago RV that will visit all 99 Iowa counties beginning next spring.

Museum Director Susan Kloewer announced the new exhibit recently at Antique Archaeology in Le Claire, where she was joined by American Pickers creator and star Mike Wolfe and EMC Insurance Companies President and Chief Executive Officer Bruce Kelley.

The State Historical Museum engages Iowans with fun and exciting stories about our states history, and this exhibit is no exception, Kloewer said in a news release. Iowa History 101 will unpack some of the most fundamental and fascinating stories of who we are as Iowans, how we got here and who weve become. We are grateful that Mike Wolfe and EMC Insurance Group share our commitment to history and community and we thank them for their generous support.

As an exhibit partner, Wolfe will provide voice and video talent for the exhibits multi-media components while EMC Insurance Group is the exhibits presenting sponsor, marking the second time the company has supported a traveling exhibit from the State Historical Museum.

Im so proud of Iowas record of historic preservation and of the real interest we Iowans have in our history, said Wolfe, who also is a partner for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in a news release. So its an honor for me to be involved with the Iowa History 101 exhibit, rolling across the state next year to celebrate our 160th birthday and sharing our stories in all 99 counties.

In 2011, EMC Insurance Companies sponsored a traveling exhibit to commemorate the sacrifices Iowans made during the Civil War and to recognize our companys 100-year history, Kelley said. When the museum folks approached us again to support this traveling exhibit, the answer was yes. There is no better way to connect Iowans across the state than by sharing the stories that make us who we are.

During the announcement, Kloewer shared a few key artifacts that will be included in the exhibit, including the 1917 prototype of Iowas state flag designed by Dixie Cornell Gebhardt of Knoxville and a 1928 record of the song Sugar by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra featuring Davenports Leon Bix Beiderbecke.

In addition, Deputy State Preservation Officer Steve King previewed the upcoming Preserve Iowa Summit scheduled for Sept.15-17 in neighboring Davenport, a city with more listings on the National Register of Historic Places than any other in Iowa.

Breakout sessions at the summit will address a wide range of topics, including early 20th century homes sold by Sears, Roebuck and Co.; the National Register of Historic Places nomination process; nuisance properties and preservation; and even the intricacies of historic wallpaper.

Speakers will also discuss technical issues, including historic preservation tax credits, Community Development Block Grants, and how to address mortar, windows and roofs as part of historic preservation projects.

Attendees will also discuss The African American Experience in Iowa and visit several local venues on foot or a guided bike tour, including the German-American Heritage Center and the Figge Art Museum, plus Credit Island, the Rock Island Arsenal, the Palmer School of Chiropractic and the historic Oakdale Cemetery.

Detailed information about the summit, sessions, speakers, programs and registration is available at www.preserveiowasummit.org.

The State Historical Museum of Iowa and the State Historic Preservation Office are overseen by the State Historical Society of Iowa, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. More information is available at www.iowaculture.gov or 515-281-5111.
Air Force Day is being observed today (Wednesday) with traditional zeal and dignity across the country to commemorate the heroics of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in the war of 1965 against India.

Pakistan Air Force celebrates September 7 as the PAF Day in commemoration of the PAFs role in defending the country and remembering its martyrs of the 1965 war.

Air shows and other programmes will mark the Pakistan Air Forces role in defending the nation in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
CEDAR RAPIDS  That didnt take long.

Members of Congress returned to Washington Tuesday after their summer work session, and before the day was over both parties were accusing the other of playing politics.

It was an agreed-upon issue between the House and Senate and, unfortunately, the Senate Democrats blocked it, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said Wednesday about the minority party refusing Tuesday to go along with a $1.1 billion plan to fight the Zika virus.

Senate Democrats played politics, she said on WMT AM 600. They just want to make it a political stance, which is very unfortunate.

Even though Iowa may seem a fairly safer place, Ernst said theres an urgent need for congressional action because Iowans are going into areas where Zika has been found and certainly if they are pregnant or thinking of being becoming pregnant we dont want them to be exposed to Zika.

She echoed charges fellow Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley, made Tuesday after Democrats refused to put up enough votes to bring the Zika funding bill to a vote. The vote was 54 to 46, six short of the 60 votes necessary for a floor vote on legislation.

It seems that the Senate Democrats want a political issue, not a solution, Grassley said.

A solution, Grassley added, would be for the Obama administration to redirect billions of dollars of available funds to the Zika response.

Democrats, he said, want to overlook the fact a majority of both chambers of Congress have agreed on significant Zika funding.

Instead, they want a blank check, knowing that wont happen, so they can pretend fiscal conservatives dont care about women and children, Grassley said. It doesnt make sense except as a political stunt.

Republicans are performing their own political stunts, according to Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Andy McGuire.

Grassley and Ernst supported a bill that would shortchange Zika research and treatment because it would prohibit any of the funding to be used by Planned Parenthood.

It is disappointing to watch Iowas GOP senators vote for a bill that would only partially fund the fight against the Zika virus and would punish women in Zika-affected areas by limiting their access to health services, she said. It is not the time to play political games and attach partisan amendments to a bill that could literally save lives.

There was more at stake than the Zika response and Planned Parenthood funding, Ernst said.

The bill also contained funding for military construction, the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

If you think about Veterans Affairs, think about things going on in the VA, the improvements we need to make, making sure that we are caring for our veterans and providing them the health care they need, that was blocked as well, she said.

Unfortunately, rather than work across the aisle on these important measures, Senate Democrats continue to play politics at the expense of public health as well as the health and safety of veterans and our troops, said Ernst, who sits on both the Armed Services and Homeland Security committees.

Florida announced seven new Zika cases Tuesday, bringing the total there to 56, according to the state Department of Health. In Iowa, McGuire said, there have been 15 reported Zika cases.

Because of the Senate standoff, the Zika funding likely will be included in a fiscal year-end stop-gap measure intended to keep the federal government operating until Congress returns after the Nov. 8 election or longer.
DES MOINES  A group of 54 Iowans who are veterans of military service have announced their support for Democrat Hillary Clintons presidential campaign.

They will serve on a new Iowa Veterans and Military Families for Hillary leadership council that was unveiled Wednesday.

Council members include former Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell of Davis City, retired U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin of Cumming, at least nine current and former state legislators and the 2016 Democratic candidate in Iowas 3rd congressional district.

The Hillary for Iowa organization announced the list on the day Clinton and Republican rival Donald Trump participated in a commander-in-chief forum on NBC and MSNBC focusing on national security, military and veterans issues. An NBC News/SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll showed Trump leads Clinton by 19 points  55 percent to 36 percent  among voters who are currently serving or have previously served in the U.S. military.

Both candidates have contended the other is unfit to be the nations commander in chief during campaign speeches in recent weeks.

On the campaign trail Wednesday, Trump laid out several proposals designed to update and upgrade Americas military, including asking top U.S. generals to present a plan to defeat and destroy ISIS within 30 days after he takes office.

Other ideas included asking Congress to eliminate the defense sequester and submitting a federal budget with money to rebuild the U.S. military, developing a state-of-the art missile defense system, modernizing naval cruisers and conducting a thorough review of U.S. cyber defenses to identify vulnerabilities

In announcing the Iowa group Wednesday, Hillary for Iowa officials said Clinton has fought for veterans and military families throughout her career as a former secretary of state, U.S. senator and first lady, and has put forth a comprehensive plan to support veteran and military families as president.

She knows that we are stronger when we work with our allies around the world to keep us safe, and has put forward real plans to deal with the threat of ISIS and broader terror threats, according to the Hillary for Iowa statement.

Boswell, who spent 12 years in the U.S. House, 12 years in the Iowa Senate and more than 20 years in the U.S. Army  including two tours of duty in Vietnam and two tours of duty on NATO assignments in Europe  said Americas greatness requires diplomatic and military leadership within the complex world we live in.

He said he is backing Clinton and believes the nation and the world will be best served by her experience and steady hand to make the tough calls from the moment she takes office. She never backs down, she never gives up, and shes a fighter who knows how to win the tough fights, Boswell said.

In advance of the focus on security and military issues, Trump issued a letter Tuesday signed by 88 retired generals and admirals who support his candidacy. Clintons campaign countered by announcing the endorsements of 95 retired generals and admirals who back her presidential bid and pointed to Trumps criticism of a Gold Star family and war veteran Sen. John McCain.

Included in the Hillary for Iowa news release was a statement from Marc Wallace of Des Moines, a U.S. Army Intelligence Corps and Iowa National Guard veteran who is serving on Clintons leadership council, contrasting Clintons readiness as commander in chief versus Trumps qualifications.

Trump is erratic, vindictive and thin-skinned, Wallace said in the Hillary for Iowa statement. He praises dictators, trash talks America and threatens to abandon our allies. His dangerous rhetoric and dangerous policy proposals play into the hands of terrorists. Its not a choice between a Democrat and a Republican, but between a responsible leader like Hillary Clinton who will keep us safe, and a volatile man like Donald Trump who threatens our security.

Locals included in the list of Iowa Veterans and Military Families for Hillary were Tim Hejhal, Osage, Iowa National Guard; Laura Hubka, Riceville, U.S. Navy; Stan Klein, Lu Verne, U.S. Army, Vietnam; and Todd Prichard, Charles City, Iowa National Guard, Operation Enduring Iraqi Freedom.
DES MOINES  Iowa television viewers may have noticed the states U.S. Senate election has made its way into their homes.

The campaigns for that races candidates, Republican incumbent Chuck Grassley and Democratic challenger Patty Judge, spent part of Wednesday addressing the content of those ads  touting their own and denying the claims made in their opponents.

Grassleys newest campaign ad  which began running Wednesday in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, and will later run in other state media markets, the campaign said  plays up his work for the wind energy industry.

Grassley shepherded the 1992 legislation that created the wind energy production tax credit that industry officials say is largely responsible for the industrys success in Iowa, which now draws more than 30 percent of its electricity from wind.

The wind energy industry features more than 6,000 jobs in Iowa and roughly $10 billion in capital investments have been made in wind farms and manufacturing facilities, according to the Iowa Wind Energy Association.

Virtually none of that would be possible without Sen. Grassleys support for wind energy, particularly through the production tax credit, John DiDonato, vice president for wind development at Next Era Energy Resources, told reporters on a conference call hosted by the Grassley campaign.

Grassley campaign manager, Robert Haus, also pushed back at the Judge campaigns assertion that Grassley has not been a productive member of the U.S. Senate, and that he in fact has obstructed legislation as chairman of the chambers Judiciary Committee.

The committee has passed 27 bills, 20 of which passed the full Senate with bipartisan support and 12 of which have been signed into law by the president, according to the Grassley campaign. Haus said Grassley also has worked on issues like human trafficking, opioid addiction and police safety.

This is a man that starts work at 4:10 or 4:30 in the morning and doesnt stop until after dark, Haus said. His work ethic is unmatched, and his productivity is unmatched, period.

Judges campaign said according to its research Grassleys productivity is not altogether impressive, pointing to the committees legislative production prior to Grassleys leadership.

This is the kind of behavior that Iowans are sick and tired of, Judge told reporters on her own conference call. Chuck Grassley is no longer doing his job.

In 2015 and 2016, with Grassley as chairman, the Senate Judiciary Committee has produced 26 bills eligible for consideration by the full Senate, according to data on the Library of Congress website.

The committee has produced an average of 22 such bills in the three two-year sessions since 2011, two of which were under Democratic leadership. In the previous five sessions going back to 2001, the committee produced an average of 44 bills.

Judge also defended herself against a Grassley campaign ad that criticizes Judge for not volunteering to reduce her pay as lieutenant governor from 2007 to 2011 while the state felt the effects of the recession.

Judge returned the criticism to Grassley, saying criticizing his statement that he took a pay cut in the form of rejecting a cost-of-living increase.

Only somebody who has been in Washington, (D.C.), way too long would make that kind of argument, Judge said.

U.S. Senate salaries have not increased since 2009, when they were raised to $174,000.

Most polls on the race in Iowa have showed Grassley leading Judge by between 7 and 10 percentage points. A new poll published Wednesday by the liberal-leaning Public Policy Polling showed Grassley leading Judge, 49 percent to 43 percent.

That poll was commissioned by We Need Nine, an advocacy group pushing for the Senate to hold confirmation hearings on President Barack Obamas nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. Grassley has joined fellow Republican leaders in the Senate in refusing to consider nominees until a new president takes office next year.

The poll surveyed 827 likely Iowa voters on August 30 and 31, and has a 3.4 percent margin of error.
Police are appealing for information about the whereabouts of William Edward Harding.

Harding, in his 70s, has a warrant for his arrest for failing to appear in Wanganui District Court.
The tomato industry has become the ninth industry partner to join the Government Industry Agreement (GIA) biosecurity partnership, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced today.

Its very pleasing to have Tomatoes New Zealand Incorporated on-board, working with the Ministry for Primary Industries and other industry partners, says Mr Guy.

It means we can work together on managing and responding to the most important biosecurity risks.

Biosecurity is my number one priority as Minister and as the recent Biosecurity 2025 document points out, it is a shared responsibility requiring everyones input and expertise.

TomatoesNZ represents the commercial fresh tomato sector which produces fruit worth approximately $100 million annually, including an estimated $8-9 million in exports.

TomatoesNZ joins Kiwifruit Vine Health, Pipfruit New Zealand, New Zealand Pork, New Zealand Equine Health Association, Onions New Zealand, the Forestry Owners Association, The New Zealand Avocado Growers Association, New Zealand Citrus Growers Incorporated and the Ministry for Primary Industries under GIA.

Source: Office of Nathan Guy.
A campaign to help ensure bees can safety pollinate food crops has been launched by Agcarm and Apiculture New Zealand.

The campaign highlights the need for farmers and beekeepers to work together to manage the use of agrichemicals near hives.
Mark is one of over 20 bosses and community leaders from around the Bay of Plenty who threw themselves backward off a six-storey building around noon today.

Its ironic that an accountant was jumping off the IRD building, eh?

Taurangas Regional House  better known as the IRD building  was the drop-site for the provocatively-named Drop Your Boss fundraiser event, organised by the Graeme Dingle Foundation.

The dropping leaders raise money through their businesses to support kids in GDFs Kiwi Can, Stars, and Project K programmes, and help the young Kiwis reach their full potential.



Mark Robinson goes bananas for charity.

GDF regional manager Dan Allen-Gordon hovers at the edge of every crowd, offering refreshments, volunteering information, and slipping away to satisfy the next cluster of inquiring minds.

We wouldnt have been able to start the Foundation without the support of these people, Dan says, as Sanford Limited factory manager Russell Cuddihy rappels off the roof.

Next up was Bethlehem Birthing Centres Nicky Campbell, followed by Samuel Wright, son of Wright Family Foundation founders Wayne and Chloe Wright.

The Wright Family Foundation has pledged $300,000 to the Tauranga branch of GDF, over the course of three years. These funds comprise the largest donation from any private supporter, and are enabling GDF to establish the Stars programme in Tauranga, says Samuel.

The Wright Family Foundation supports individuals to achieve their full potential through education, health and environmental initiatives. [The GDF Stars programme] supports those goals, and were delighted to be part of it.

The programme helps younger students build positive relationships, integrity and resilience for the world ahead, while the seniors develop their leadership, time management, planning and communication skills  a win-win for both youth and mentor.



Samuel Wright in mid-flight.

Wayne Wright says Samuels interest in the fundraiser, and eager acquiescence to leap off a sixth storey ledge, are true to form for his adrenaline-loving son.

Hes always been a very adventurous boy; he likes machines, he likes speed, he likes those sorts of adventurous things. I think this is just a natural extension of that.

Its a challenge  he likes challenges, and anything he can do to help other people.

Hes that sort of boy. And so this doesnt surprise me at all.
Paengaroa based natural products exporter Comvita is buying into its China distributor in a 51:49 joint venture.

The heads of agreement between Comvita and Shenzhen Comvita Natural Food Co Limited, Comvitas long term distribution partner in China, was signed early this week.
MESERVEY  First Security will close two North Iowa banking branches later this year.

The Charles City-based bank announced Wednesday morning that its Meservey and Swaledale offices will close Dec. 7.

More customers are choosing other methods for banking services, such as mobile and online banking, because the access and non-traditional hours are more convenient for them, First Security President/CEO Kurt Herbrechtsmeyer said in a statement. Over the next few months, well be working hard to make sure all of our customers banking needs are addressed, and to show how recent banking innovations can best work for them.

The bank says it will contact customers to assist with the transition.

Todays banking environment makes it increasingly difficult to support smaller offices, Herbrechtsmeyer said. The expense of doing business continues to grow due to compliance and regulatory requirements. This, as well as the expense of providing a safe banking environment for our customers and employees, increases the cost for each banking office we maintain.

First Security is owned by Cedar Valley Bankshares.
Syracuse, NY -- A 12-year-old boy accused of starting a fire that killed two of his siblings came into court today shaking with emotion.

The boy, who has not been publicly identified, whispered, "Hi. I love you," to one of his young sisters in the small courtroom filled with family.

He sat down, still visibly shaken, next to his lawyer, Kerilyn Micale.

"Take a deep breath, blow it out," Family Court Judge Julie Cecile told the boy. "We're going to try to figure this out with your family."

The boy wore a blue button-down shirt and dress pants. He answered the judge with "Yes ma'am" and had a frightened look on his face.

Cecile gave the boy 10 minutes to reunite with his loved ones with the county lawyer and judge outside. (Court security remained.) The boy has been held in Hillbrook Detention Center since the fire early Thursday.

The boy was accused by Syracuse police of intentionally setting a fire shortly after midnight Thursday at the family's Pacific Avenue home in Syracuse. The fire killed two younger siblings, police said. He's not accused of trying to harm anyone. Because of his age, the boy was not charged with a crime, but sent to Family Court instead.

Had he been an adult, the boy would have been charged with felony arson and manslaughter. But given his age, he was sent to a court that seeks to rehabilitate -- not punish -- children.

The harshest sentence he could face is 18 months in juvenile detention. He will not have a criminal record.

The judge allowed Syracuse.com to observe today's proceedings with the understanding that no identifying information in court about the boy could be reported.

Syracuse authorities have previously identified the parents as Vinroy and Kiya Baddal. They had five children, ages 4 to 12. The two children who died in the fire were Vinroy Baddal Jr., 8, and Chyna Baddal, 4, authorities said at a news conference last week.

After letting the family reunite today, Cecile called court to order.

The judge began by asking the boy if he understood what was going on and what would happen if he disobeyed the judge's orders.

Cecile went over terms like "trial" (You've seen them on TV, right? she asked) and "warrant" (If you don't come to court, the police can come get you, she told him).

"Yes, ma'am," he told her.

At one point, the boy said he didn't know how it worked: "I haven't been in this kind of trouble before," he said.

The judge said she understood and explained it again.

Cecile asked the family about funeral arrangements -- they'll be at a local church and are still being finalized. She also offered her condolences for the tragedy.

Before Cecile was elected judge, she was executive director of the McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center, which handles investigations of abused children.

Today, Cecile's biggest decision was this: should the 12-year-old be released from secure detention at Hillbrook?

The family said they wanted the boy released. The county attorney, Kara LaSorsa -- who acts as a prosecutor in Family Court -- said she didn't have a strong stance either way.

But it took awhile for Cecile to make a decision.

"My concern is community safety, first and foremost," the judge said.

Micale, the boy's lawyer, said the family had a lot of community support. His parents would make sure he attended counseling, continuing on help he'd gotten before the fire. He had support at his school: teachers had sent him a card and they were prepared to supervise him, she said.

The family has been living in a local hotel after their home was destroyed. But the children had been going to school this week.

Cecile said she was concerned that other kids could be "cruel" and pick on the boy, causing him to retaliate and get in more trouble.

The judge did what she could to make sure the boy understood the severity of his situation. "This is pretty serious stuff," she told him. He nodded.

She asked how the boy had been doing at Hillbrook. "Not good," he said. "Crying a lot."

Eventually, Cecile said she would release him to his family.

"Thank you!" the boy said, his head collapsing into his hands in a prayer.

"You have got to behave," Cecile told him.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied.

"You're all going to be grieving," Cecile continued, talking to the family. "It's not going to be easy."

The judge ordered the boy to go to school and come home right away each day. She imposed a 6 p.m. curfew and said he had to remain basically "home-bound." She ordered authorities to check on him twice a day.

"Everybody's got to work though this," she said. "Go to school, come home. That's for your own safety and everyone else's safety."

"It's not going to help if you don't behave," she added.

The boy asked if he could participate in sports. That would be up to his parents, the judge said.

"I sound like a broken record," Cecile said. "I want him to be supervised and I want him to be safe."

She forbade him from any family vacations or from leaving Onondaga County.

On his way out of court, the boy grabbed and hugged his dad for a long time.

His court case proceeds later this month, when the court will begin addressing the facts of the fire.
Jason Kopp 3 cropped.JPG

Jason Kopp in 2007.

(Chrissie Cowan | The Post-Standard)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Liverpool child pornographer molested a newborn baby and sexually exploited or abused seven other children, according to a federal prosecutor.

The total of eight victims is six more than Jason Kopp admitted to sexually exploiting when he pleaded guilty in May, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Fletcher wrote in court papers.

The victims ranged in age from 6 days to 17 years old, Fletcher said in a sentencing memorandum.

Kopp, 40, of Liverpool, is scheduled to be sentenced next week in federal court.

He pleaded guilty in May to to taking sexually explicit photos of two children with help from an aide at All Saints Elementary School in Syracuse. Neither of those victims was a student at the school.

Oberst is accused of exploiting those two victims, plus a third who was a student at the school, photographed naked in a bathroom, sources have told Syracuse.com.

Fletcher asked U.S. District Judge Glenn Suddaby to sentence Kopp to 550 years in prison. She cited a pre-sentence report from probation officers that listed the five new victims. None of those victims was a student at All Saints.

Fletcher cited text messages the FBI found on Kopp's phone about the two victims he admitted sexually exploiting. The texts were sent to his co-defendant, Emily Oberst, who was an aide at All Saints.

One of the victims was 6 days old when Kopp first abused her, Fletcher wrote.

"Always dreamed about molesting baby's and keep doing it as they grow and become older," Kopp wrote in a text after he molested the baby. "I can't wait for it to happen again... ty for making my dreams come true."

Kopp, in his texts, referred to the baby girl as his "sex toy" and in other vulgar terms, Fletcher wrote.

Two of the new victims were ages 1 and 2 when Kopp got access to them in 2006 by offering to babysit them overnight for their mother, who was a friend of his, the memorandum said. He sexually abused them, took sexually explicit pictures of them and kept the photos on his computer for the past 10 years, Fletcher wrote.

The texts Kopp sent to Oberst show he "lacks a conscience, or any moral compass, and poses a real and certain danger to children," Fletcher wrote.

"While it is hard to imagine what would lead a person to sexually abuse any child, it is inconceivable that a person could be so inherently evil as to prey upon infants," she wrote. "Jason Kopp, however, is the personification of that very evil."

Kopp's lawyer, Assistant Federal Public Defender Randi Bianco, said in her sentencing memorandum that he should get the mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, partly because of his troubled upbringing.

He was sexually abused when he was 10 by a teenage boy, Bianco wrote. And his father repeatedly tried to kill himself, leaving notes for Kopp to find, she said. Kopp suffered from a psychological impairment and tried to kill himself six years ago, she wrote.

"After having experienced sexual abuse as a child, Jason had to endure his father's suicide attempt as an adult," Bianco wrote. "These experiences were the perfect storm to create Jason's altered mental state and, in turn, led to the instant offense."

Kopp is "extremely remorseful for his crimes," Bianco wrote.

"Jason feels horrible about what he has done to the victims and what they will have to endure," she said.

Contact John O'Brien anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-2187
Emerson Green_2.JPG

Emerson Green, formerly of Savannah, New York, died Tuesday Sept. 6, 2016, when he was fatally shot in South Daytona, Florida.

(Daytona Beach News Journal)

SOUTH DAYTONA, FLORIDA-- A former Central New York man died Tuesday morning when he was shot to death on a South Daytona, Fla., street, police said.

Police identified the victim as Emerson Green, 25. He was shot at about 3:30 or 4 a.m. at the intersection of Orange Blossom Drive and Jones Street.

Records show that Green had lived in Savannah, Wayne County, at least through November. Voter registration records show that he voted there in the November election. On his Facebook page Green said that he had gone to Finger Lakes Community College in Geneva and was a certified nursing assistant at the Newark Manor Nursing Home.

His Facebook page is filled with friends congratulating him on his recent engagement to Nikki Gutierrez.

Police told the Daytona Beach News Journal that he had left the couple's home with two or three other people when the group was confronted by someone on the street. Words were exchanged between the victim, his friends and the suspect who approached them, then shots rang out, police said.

"We do have two or three witnesses at the police department as this point. They're interviewing them, they are very uncooperative, we're getting conflicting stories and we're just trying to resolve what obviously happened," said Lt. Mark Cheatham told WESH.


CLEAR LAKE | A man jailed on suspicion of breaking into a Mason City bar is now also accused of burglarizing businesses in Clear Lake and Ventura.

Johnny Baugh, 52, of Mason City, was charged with five counts of felony third-degree burglary and one count of felony ongoing criminal conduct.

Investigators say on Aug. 12 he broke into Country Landscapes in Clear Lake, Dairy Queen in Clear Lake and Authentic Mexican Food & Breakfast in Ventura, according to court documents.

On July 27, he allegedly stole cash during a break-in at District 619 restaurant in Clear Lake.

He was arrested Friday after a break-in at Tailgaters Bar, 627 S. Federal Ave., Mason City.

Mason City Police Lt. Rich Jensen said Baugh entered Tailgaters through a back door. Nothing was taken.

-- Molly Montag
DeRuyer Bank Robbery 2.JPG

State police said Tuesday that they had arrested the man who robbed the Citizen's Bank, at 750 Utica St., in the village of DeRuyter, in August. At the time of the robbery, they released this security photo.

(New York State Police)

DERUYTER, N.Y. -- A man is accused of robbing a Madison County bank in August while wearing a strange mask, the New York State Police said.

Michael J. Butler

Michael J. Butler, 39, of LaFayette, was charged with second-degree robbery, a felony.

Just before 11 a.m. on Aug. 26, a man walked into the Citizens Bank, at 750 Utica St., in the village of DeRuyter. The man, who was wearing a mask, demanded money. State police did not say if the man actually got any money.

The man left the bank and was last seen headed north on state Route 13.

On Sunday troopers arrested Butler. State police did not say what led them to Butler, but said that the bank's employees were "instrumental in bringing about a quick and successful resolution." The FBI and the Madison County Sheriff's Office helped with the investigation.

State police did not provide information about Butler's arraignment.
SCRIBA, N.Y. -- An Oswego County man is accused of choking and threatening a person during a domestic incident, the Oswego County Sheriff's Office said.

Daniel J. Trout

Daniel J. Trout, 36, of 327 O'Connor Road, Scriba, was charged with third-degree menacing, criminal obstruction of breathing, fourth-degree criminal mischief, and endangering the welfare of a child.

Trout was arrested Monday. The sheriff's office said he was arrested after a domestic incident in the town of Scriba.

He is accused of threatening a victim while holding a hammer. The sheriff's office said Trout also put his hands around the victim's neck. Authorities did not say what caused the domestic incident or why Trout was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Trout was arraigned in Scriba Town Court. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Thursday.
Javier V. Sanchez, 23, Plymouth, Minnesota, received that sentence after pleading guilty in June in Cerro Gordo County District Court to a felony charge of lascivious acts with a child in connection with an incident involving a 13-year-old.

He was put on probation for five years and will be under lifetime supervision by the Iowa Department of Corrections after that. He also must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
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Final scores: Week 10's high school football games on the Treasure Coast

Football teams hit field Thursday and Friday for Week 10 with SSAC playoffs beginning and District 12-4S title game between Treasure Coast and Vero.
MASON CITY  In 2014, Julie and Dennis Reidel built their home at 1430 N. Kentucky Ave. in Mason City.

The couple decided to design their home to have a craftsman feel with some prairie-style elements. Mike Momberg Construction took on the project.

From their front porch, they enjoy seeing wildlife like deer, turkeys and eagles. Their home opens up from the front door into a great room with the living, dining and kitchen in one space. The room features white oak cabinets with a walnut stain, hardwood birch floor and a gas fireplace with Motawi art tiles around it.

The main floor includes the master suite, guest room, piano room and more. The lower level includes a large family room, the kids bedrooms and sewing room.

The home is the first of three the Globe Gazette will feature as part of the Mason City Womans Club annual Tour of Homes set for 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13.

Club membership is required and is open to all women. Memberships are $20 and may be purchased at the homes the day of the tour.

Tea will follow the tour from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 551 S. Taft Ave.
MASON CITY  Two Mason City women, including one facing felony drug charges, were arrested during a traffic stop around 11 p.m. Friday near the intersection of Highways 18 and 65.

The Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office said in a statement a deputy found a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine in a vehicle driven by Brendy B. Reuter, 52. She was arrested on felony charges of possession of meth with intent to distribute and failure to affix a drug tax stamp.

The Sheriffs Office did not disclose the exact amount of how much suspected meth was found.

Reuter also is facing misdemeanor charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, operating while under the influence, open container and improper brake light.

During the traffic stop, a passenger, Tasha L. Coty, 39, attempted to hide in the rear of the vehicle, according to the Sheriffs Office.

She was arrested on a warrant for allegedly violating her probation on a felony conviction of manufacturing, delivering or possessing with intent to manufacture or deliver meth.

Coty received a 10-year suspended prison sentence and probation in April after pleading guilty to the meth charge.

Both women were booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail, where Reuter is being held on $100,000 bond and Coty is being held on $10,100 bond.
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President Obama on Monday urged de-escalation of a potential arms race involving cyberweapons. The presidents remarks followed his meeting with world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China.

The U.S. has more offensive and defensive capability than any other country on Earth, Obama noted.

Citing a new era of significant cyberwarfare capabilities, the president urged moving into a space where leaders begin to institute some norms to prevent global escalation from spinning out of control.

Were going to have enough problems in the cyberspace with non-state actors who are engaging in theft and using the Internet for all kinds of illicit practices, and protecting our critical infrastructure, and making sure our financial systems are sound, Obama said, and what we cannot do is have a situation where this becomes the Wild, Wild West, where countries that have significant cybercapacity start engaging in competition  unhealthy competition or conflict through these means when, I think wisely, weve put in place some norms when it comes to using other weapons.

Russia Tense

Tensions recently have been building in U.S. relations with Russia, which is suspected of involvement in a recent series of cyberattacks against the Democratic National Committee, the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, and agencies of the U.S. government.

Several of those attacks resulted in leaks to the Wikileaks, which published stolen information online. The Clinton campaign has suggested that Russia may be trying to undermine the presidential election, possibly to benefit Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Growing Evidence

New evidence implicating Russia in attempts to undermine the U.S. election has come to light, wrote Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in a letter to FBI Director James Comey, late last month.

FBI officials previously confirmed they were investigating cyberattacks of several party and government organizations.

The concerns about foreign entities influencing the U.S. presidential election grew with recent reports that hackers breached voting systems in Illinois and Arizona. Personal information of thousands of Illinois voters was compromised.

A known Russian hacker is suspected of using malware to compromise credentials of a county user in order to access the statewide voting registration system, Matt Roberts, a spokesperson for the Arizona Secretary of States office confirmed last week.

Officials at the Russian Embassy to the United States did not respond to new inquiries, but they previously dismissed allegations that the Kremlin had any link to cyberattacks on the DNC or U.S. government agencies.

An escalation in cyberwarfare is a far different dynamic than an actual arms race, because in a cyberscenario there is no way to really know the full capabilities of an adversary, cautioned Martin Libicki, an adjunct management scientist at RAND and distinguished visiting professor at the U.S. Naval Academy.

To some extent, countries keep their best stuff under wraps against the day when they might have to use it, he told TechNewsWorld. Conversely, the whole point of having a nuclear deterrent is to scare people  and people cannot be scared by what they dont know about.

In terms of the potential for Russia influencing the U.S. election, which is a growing fear, the threat is relatively limited, Libicki added, as different states have different methods of voting, and fully electronic voting is the exception rather than the rule.
MASON CITY  Having a loved one with Alzheimers or dementia can be a difficult journey.

You hate it because they arent that person you used to know, said Julie Wiebenga of Clear Lake, whose 92-year-old mother, Lena Peyton, has dementia.

However, You just go with the flow, Wiebenga said.

Peyton, who has been at Homestead Assisted Living in Mason City since March, is as talkative as she ever was, but confuses details during conversations.

Her daughter said she tries to keep her spirits up because those with dementia can get depressed.

Wiebenga said its important to plan special things for them that they will be excited for.

Its also good for them to have responsibilities, no matter how small, according to Wiebenga.

Most older people are used to being busy, she said.

Her mother is no exception.

Ive been a long ways and done a lot, Peyton said.

Peyton, who is proud of her Italian heritage, grew up on Lehigh Row, which was built in 1910 to house immigrant workers for the Lehigh Portland Cement plant in Mason City.

Wiebenga said her mom was a city girl who had to make a big adjustment when she married a farmer, but she ended up helping out with the animals and most other aspects of the farm.

Peyton now has a job at Homestead. She folds the place mats and napkins after they are taken out of the dryer.

She takes it very seriously, her daughter said.

Although it was a struggle for Wiebenga to find the right facility for her mother once her dementia got to the point where she could no longer live independently, she is now happily settled in at Homestead.

Its a good place, Peyton said.

Jenna Crooks, a LPN at the IOOF Home in Mason City, said placing a loved one with dementia in a care facility is difficult for families because it is hard for them to let go.

This is true both in cases where it was a recent dementia diagnosis and they are not used to things such as having the loved one not recognize them, and cases where family members have been caring for the patient for a long time, according to Crooks.

However, placing their parent or spouse in a care facility can allow family members to have a normal relationship with him or her again because some of their worries  such as deciding when the patient needs to see the doctor  are being taken off their hands, she said.

Family members can help ease the transition for their loved one because they can tell staff the activities he or she enjoys and the details of their daily routine, such as liking to eat popcorn every night, she said.

Brenda Schmitt of Rudd was the caregiver for her father, Harold Wohlford, for a year before he was placed in a memory care unit in Evansdale, Indiana, in January.

Wohlford was an engineer who worked with computers back when they took up an entire room, according to Schmitt.

It was difficult for him when he was the one who needed help rather than the one people came to for answers, she said.

Wohlford would question his daughter about his finances.

How come I dont know how much money I have? he would ask.

Schmitt said at first it hurt her feelings when he didnt trust her and thought she was hiding things from him.

She found the best way to deal with it was suggesting, Why dont we look through the (financial) statements tomorrow?

Schmitt said that would satisfy him and when the next day came, he wouldnt remember.

After her father moved in with her, he would be coherent some days so she felt she could go to work and not worry about him. However, on other days, I didnt feel like I could leave him, she said.

Schmitt said moving him into the memory care unit was difficult. She wondered if she was doing the best thing for her father or if it was just for her own convenience.

However, she said once he settled in she realized he truly needed to be there.

That was a conscience-reliever for me, she said.

Schmitt has driven to Indiana several times to see her father. She also calls him on the phone and writes short letters to him with pictures enclosed of things that have strong memories for him, such as his grandchildren.

Schmitt said he can no longer read, but enjoys having the letters read to him. Getting mail also makes him feel important.

That makes his day, she said.
Sony is hosting a media event tomorrow (September 7) in which the company is expected to showcase two new versions of its popular PlayStation 4 console. In addition to the more powerful PlayStation Neo which Sony has already confirmed does exist, most believe we'll also see a slimmed-down variant of the original PS4.

Despite Sony's best efforts to keep the PS4 Slim a secret, it would seem that the console is very much real. In fact, YouTube user Links-Tech has already acquired and published a 20-minute-long teardown video ahead of tomorrow's big reveal. Unfortunately, there's no commentary to go along with the teardown but beggars can't be choosers.

Your guess is as good as mine as to whether or not Sony's legal department will try to have the video taken down although given the proximity to tomorrow's unveiling, I suspect they may not even bother trying to mask it.

Microsoft, if you recall, revealed a slim version of its Xbox One console back in June at E3 before bringing it to market last month. Like Sony, Microsoft confirmed that a more powerful Xbox One console (codenamed Project Scorpio) is in development although it won't arrive until the 2017 holiday season.

It's unclear if Sony plans to launch Neo in the near future or if we'll simply get a teaser to hold us over until sometime next year. With its PlayStation VR headset set to arrive on October 13, my guess would be that we'll see it go on sale in the coming weeks.
If you're in the market for a high-end, professional-grade desktop monitor for the home or office, one good place to start your search is with Dell's UltraSharp line.

The Dell UltraSharp 30 monitor with PremierColor (model UP3017) builds on its same-sized predecessor (U3014). According to Dell's Davis Lee, the new panel offers 99 percent coverage across four professional color spaces: Adobe RGB, sRGB, REC 709 and DCI-P3.

To further cater to creative professionals, the UP3017 affords the ability to rotate the monitor clockwise or counter-clockwise for use in portrait orientation. It also offers greater height adjustability range and wider forward and backward tilting angles compared to the original 30-inch model.

Of note is the fact that the UP3017 operates at a maximum resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 at 60Hz - in other words, it doesn't do 4K. Whether or not that's a deal-breaker given its size will be for you to decide.

The UltraSharp 34 (U3417W), meanwhile, is a curved, widescreen monitor that's focused on productivity. It features a more aggressive curvature while minimizing reflection to offer near-uniform visual focus and includes other amenities like ComfortView which reduces blue light emissions.

Dell's UltraSharp UP3017 with PremierColor carries a list price of $1,249.99 on Dell's website while the UltraSharp 34 U3417W curved monitor commands $1,199.99. Both are shipping as of this week.

While on the subject, don't forget to enter our Dell XPS / UltraSharp 4K bundle giveaway in which one lucky reader will win a Dell XPS 13 laptop and a 32-inch UltraSharp 4K monitor (worth nearly $4,000) that was featured in our recent portable workstation article. The giveaway runs until September 25 so if you haven't already done so, be sure to get your entry in ASAP.
The unlocked versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge have started getting the latest Android security patch, as the September update is rolling out now.

Monthly security patches are designed to ensure that Android devices stay up to date and protected against potentially harmful software that could compromise their security. Google decided to release monthly patches after the Stagefright fiasco, which threatened millions of Android devices.

It's not just up to Google, however, to keep the devices up to date. Unlike iOS devices that are made solely by Apple, Android devices are made by various manufacturers, which have to distribute the updates to their devices.

Samsung seems to be making efforts toward keeping its devices updated, and the latest September security patch is now reaching the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. The firmware version is XXU1BPHJ and is rolling out in Europe, boosting security and bundling the enhanced Gallery app found on the Galaxy Note 7.

The September security update also adds support for Samsung Cloud, another neat feature that made its debut on the Galaxy Note 7.

As Samsung-centric publication SamMobile points out, this is the first time that Samsung rolls out a Security Maintenance Release (SMR) without posting full changelog details on its blog. Consequently, it remains a bit unclear for now just what exactly this September security patch brings to the table in addition to the Gallery refinements and the Samsung Cloud compatibility.

Nevertheless, the update should bring plenty of improvements and enhance the security of the devices. Those of you who have an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge and are in Europe should now be able to grab the latest update by accessing Settings > About device > Software update.

Considering that the September security patch is already rolling out in Europe, it should not take too long for the update to start hitting unlocked devices in the United States as well. The August security patch reached the U.S. Galaxy S7 and S7 edge in the last week of August, so the September patch could follow in a couple of weeks.

If you already downloaded and installed the update on an unlocked Galaxy S7 or S7 edge in Europe, drop by our comment section below and tell us of any noteworthy features that may have gone under the radar because of the lack of a changelog. If you've yet to receive it, fret not - it's on its way.

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The Nobel Assembly has dismissed Karolinska Institute's Harriet Wallberg and Anders Hamsten following their roles in the medical scandal involving the work of Paolo Macchiarini, an Italian surgeon.

Talking to TT, a Swedish news agency, panel secretary Thomas Perlmann said Wallberg and Hamsten will be asked to leave the 50-member group that awards the Nobel Prize for medicine.

"Confidence in the two presidents ... is so extremely damaged that it has been exhausted. The damage is so great and of such a nature that we invite them to resign from the Nobel Assembly," he said.

The Nobel Assembly doesn't have a formal way of removing members but a call to resign has the same effect.

According to Perlmann, the two are expected to resign but whether or not they choose to do so, they will not be allowed to participate in any kind of Nobel work ever again.

Where the Nobel Assembly is tasked with choosing the recipient for the Nobel Prize in medicine, the Nobel Committee is in charge of putting forth nominations.

Wallberg was the Karolinska Institute's president when Macchiarini was hired. Hamsten, on the other hand, was the president when the scandal involving the Italian surgeon broke out.

According to Reuters, however, the entire Karolinska Institute board will be replaced. Those who have not quit when a new panel has been recruited will be replaced by the Swedish government.

"Scandal is the right word. People have been harmed because of the acting of the Karolinska Institute and also the Karolinska University Hospital," said Helene Hellmark Knutsson, Sweden's Minister for Higher Education and Research.

Macchiarini was fired in March for falsifying information on his CV and demonstrating scientific negligence. He performed three surgeries where artificial trachea coated in stem cells were transplanted onto patients when the procedure has not been sufficiently studied. The operations were also not deemed to be life-saving to warrant expediency. Two of Macchiarini's patients have died while one remains in the hospital.

The Karolinska Institute canceled Macchiarini's contract as a surgeon in 2013 but kept him around as a basic regenerative medicine researcher. It was in 2014 when allegations of his misconduct started to come to light.

Authorities have launched an investigation into Macchiarini's work, citing involuntary manslaughter. The Italian surgeon, however, disputes all charges.

The recipient (or recipients) of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Medicine is set to be announced on Oct. 3 at the earliest. Bo Risberg, former ethics committee head of the Karolinska Institute, said the award should be put on hold for two years, with the prize money instead used to compensate the families of the patients Macchiarini performed surgery on.

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A new device developed by researchers in India and Canada makes it possible to test food and bodies of water for bacterial contamination and produce conclusive results within minutes.

In a study featured in the journal Optics Letters, scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) and the University of Quebec described how they were able to create a sensor capable of detecting bacterial pathogens, such as E. coli, in food and water sources.

What makes the new technology revolutionary is that it allows researchers to confirm potential contamination within 15 to 20 minutes, which is much faster compared to the 24 hours or longer that it usually takes using other forms of diagnostics.

"Using currently available technologies, which are mostly based on amplification of the sample, it takes several hours to days to detect the presence of bacteria," study co-author Saurabh Mani Tripathi said. "A fast and accurate detection alternative is, therefore, preferable over the existing technology."

Faster Bacterial Contamination Testing

The new device makes use of viruses called bacteriophages that are known to latch onto certain forms of bacteria and kill them. The researchers bonded these microorganisms to the surface of optical fibers located at the center of the sensor.

If the bacteriophages happen to grab any bacteria from a sample, the light on the optical fibers will change to signify that it is indeed contaminated.

According to the researchers, they had to overcome limitations in using optical fibers to detect bacterial contamination. Such components are particularly vulnerable to changes in temperatures, which could make it difficult to get a concrete reading.

To remedy this, the developers added an extra optical component to the sensor that would cancel out any potential shifts caused by temperature changes. This allows the device to be used in outdoor settings such as in testing water reservoirs on site.

Researchers can adjust the new sensor in order to detect other bacterial strains aside from E. coli by simply changing the bacteriophages on the device.

Tripathi and his colleagues are now working with Canadian company Security and Protection International to produce the device for commercial use. They hope to produce portable versions that will only cost a few thousand dollars.

Bacterial contaminations continue to be one major public health concern. In 2015, several diners at Chipotle restaurants were sickened after eating food contaminated with E. coli.

Cases of listeria and salmonella contaminations have also led to mass recalls of food and other products from retail stores and supermarkets.

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Explosive news, as Samsung recently recalled about 2.5 million smartphones after 35 of its Galaxy Note 7 spontaneously burst into flames.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering banning passengers from taking the device on planes, but the regulator is still pondering on that decision. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and big United States airlines are still in discussion about the possibility of restricting the presence of the Samsung device on flights.

If the regulator and commercial airlines decide to label the Galaxy Note 7 as a hazardous product, passengers will be prohibited from carrying one on board of upcoming flights.

"The FAA and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are working on guidance related to this issue," the FAA explains.

The authority goes on to add that if the manufacturer recalls the device, neither passengers, nor airline crew will be permitted to take "recalled batteries or electronics that contain recalled batteries in the cabin of an aircraft." What is more, such devices will be banned from checked and carry-on baggage, as well.

If you find this a tad confusing, you are not the only one.

Despite Samsung recalling the Note 7, the procedure in the U.S. for such a measure is a bit convoluted. To make the recall official, the OEM had to get the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on board since the beginning of the process. Samsung didn't do that, causing federal agencies such as the FAA to figure it out on their own.

Samsung registered about 1 million sold Galaxy Note 7 devices globally since it released its latest flagship in August. In the wake of the device's battery bursting into flames, the OEM has voluntarily recalled about 2.5 million handsets.

According to the South Korean company, consumers will receive both refunds or a replacement product in the following few weeks.

However, as the official recall involving the CPSC was not launched, a number of vendors around the U.S. are still selling the device.

Gizmodo contacted a number of important U.S.-based airlines and asked them if they plan to ban the devices. Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines confirmed that no plan to restrict the Galaxy Note 7's presence on flights exists at this point.

Should the FAA come to a decision to forbid the presence of the Note 7 on flights, this should impact the airlines' policy.

Keep in mind that precedents of products getting banned exist. At the end of 2015, the FAA banned so-called hoverboards, as the self-balancing scooters were notorious for their propensity to overheat and spontaneously go in flames. Since then, passengers can no longer carry hoverboards on any U.S. flights. At the beginning of 2016, the CPSC declared all hoverboards as unsafe.

If a flight ban will strike the Galaxy Note 7, it remains to be seen how it will be put into practice. The simplest procedure could be that TSA agents will scrutinize phones when you pass through the security gates. It should work out pretty easily, in the same way TSA personnel rejects 3.6-ounce tubes of toothpaste.

Until the FAA or major U.S. airlines decide otherwise, the potentially explosive Galaxy Note 7 can sit comfortably in the cabin of domestic and international flights.

Have a safe trip!

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China objects to the decision of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to take out giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) from the endangered species list. The IUCN Red List is considered the most comprehensive inventory of plants and animals at the global level.

In the new update, the IUCN has reclassified giant pandas' status in the Red List from "endangered" to "vulnerable." The latest report of IUCN noted that there were 1,864 giant pandas in the wild, compared to 1,600, which was the population in 2004. That shows a 17 percent growth in the giant panda numbers in the wild.

The Switzerland-based body then commended China's efforts at conservation and in contributing to the eventual increase of the panda population. It made special mention of China's measures such as tight regulations against poaching and adding new forest reserves for housing giant pandas.

Despite the praises, China was not amused and criticized the IUCN reclassification as a setback and asserted that the black-and-white pandas continue to be "endangered."

"If we downgrade their conservation status, or neglect or relax our conservation work, the population and habitats of giant pandas could still suffer irreversible loss and our achievements could be quickly lost," China's State Forestry Administration said.

The official Xinhua news agency said IUCN move was a hasty step and quoted Zhang Hemin, of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

"A severely fragmented natural habitat still threatens the lives of pandas; genetic transfer between different populations will improve, but is still not satisfactory," Zhang said.

He expressed fear that by lowering the guard on conservation efforts, protection work will suffer and the panda population as well as their habitat will face "irreversible losses."

China's reasoning is that the wild giant pandas are facing the threat of diminishing genetic diversity. They are split into 33 isolated groups and some group had only fewer than 10 members. According to Zhang, as many as 18 sub-populations are facing "a high risk of collapse."

China's assessment is that the giant panda species could be called less endangered only when the wild population grows steadily without adding captive-bred pandas.

Marc Brody, senior adviser for conservation at the China's Wolong reserve also expressed doubts over the wisdom of IUCN's review of the pandas' status.

"It is too early to conclude that pandas are actually increasing in the wild," Brody said at the World Conservation Congress in Hawaii. He added that no justifiable reason is in sight to downgrade the listing from endangered to "threatened."

Meanwhile, the ABC from Australia said the good news for pandas may not last as a warming planet from excessive fossil fuel burning may wipe out one-third of the pandas' bamboo habitat in the coming decades.

"The concern now is that although the population has slowly increased  and it is still very small  several models predict a reduction of the extent of bamboo forests in China in the coming decades due to climate change," Carlo Rondinini, a mammal assessment coordinator at the Sapienza University of Rome, told reporters.

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One of the many concerns expectant mothers have is whether or not certain medical tests, like MRIs, are safe for their baby. While many pregnant women believe they should refrain from these scans to ensure that no harm is done to the fetus and its development in the first trimester, a new study found that there are no increased risks of birth defects from standard MRIs that are taken early in pregnancy.

Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Canada conducted a study to determine the safety of both mother and fetus when MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) are taken.

MRIs are assumed to be safe for the baby during the second and third trimesters, with many doctors prescribing them when necessary throughout a woman's pregnancy. However, there have been no studies that confirm the safety of these tests when it comes to a growing fetus early on.

Led by Joel G. Ray, M.D., the researchers analyzed data from over one million pregnancies where the mother delivered the baby at 39 weeks on average between April 2003 and March 2015.

The researchers studied the data from women who had MRIs in their first trimesters as well as those who did not, and followed their children up to the age of four.

Published in the journal JAMA, the study concluded that it is in fact safe for pregnant women to undergo an MRI without a contrast agent. The standard MRI test was not linked to increases of any birth detect, having a stillbirth, death or other problems in early childhood, such as cancer or hearing loss.

However, the researchers also looked at the effects of gadolinium-enhanced MRIs during pregnancy and found that this was not the case.

Gadolinium is an intravenous contrast agent used in some MRIs that make it easier to see internal structures like organs, tissues and blood vessels.

The researchers compared the health risk of those who had an MRI with gadolinium at any point during their pregnancy compared with those who did not have any MRIs. In this study, they found there was a higher risk of stillbirth and death.

Even so, the risk was only slightly higher, with the risk of stillbirth being one in 50. However, the researchers did find that gadolinium MRIs were linked to a higher increase of a skin or rheumatological condition among babies in the study.

The researchers were also able to identify just how many women are ordered MRI testing when pregnant. One in every 250 pregnant women in Ontario was found to go for the scan at some point in her pregnancy, with one in every 1,200 having one done in the first trimester.

More studies about MRIs and pregnancy need to be conducted to get a clear picture of the safety risks, but for now, expecting mothers who are required the scans should make sure they are given without contrast.



Source: St. Michael's Hospital

Photo: freestocks.org | Flickr

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Leland Dude Calkins

MASON CITY  Leland Dude Calkins, 96, retired from the Mason City Water Department, died on Aug. 21, 2016, while receiving hospice care at the Manly Specialty Care.

A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd St. N.E., Mason City, with Reverend Jim Roth officiating.

Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorials can be sent to the VFW in Mason City.

Dude was born Oct. 13, 1919, the twin son of Charles and Mabel (Anderson) Calkins in Swaledale, IA. Dude was united in marriage to Janiece (Bigelow) Wenzel at the Rudd United Methodist Church on Jan. 2, 1981. She preceded him in death on their 35 wedding anniversary Jan. 2, 2016, from double lung cancer and broken pelvis.

Dude completed an 8th grade education attending various schools before working as a farm hand at age 14 near Northwood, IA. He was working at Deckers Meat Packing plant as a sausage stuffer when he received his draft notice. He received a deferment for 3 months to finish an important government order.

He was drafted into the Army and served in Italy and occupied Germany. His orders to go to Japan were rescinded after the atomic bomb was dropped. While serving in Germany he played a borrowed accordion in a village causing the entire town to dance in the street. It was the first music they had heard in years. After WWII he had various jobs. During retirement he worked at Hoovers Hatchery of Rudd, IA. Dude was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Dude played fast pitch softball as a pitcher and was inducted into the River City Softball Hall of Fame in 1984. He belonged to up to 3 bowling leagues at a time. He was awarded a ring for bowling a perfect 300 game. Dude also played tournament level horse shoes.

Dude and his brothers were accomplished self taught musicians. He played button accordion, mandolin, guitar, violin, 6 string banjo, and harmonica. Dude and Janiece traveled to Blue Grass Fests in Iowa and Minnesota in his van to listen to music. He taught Janiece to strum a guitar so they could play together.

Dude is survived by his son Leon of Tucson, AZ; grandson Chad Reece of Vero Beach, FL; niece Sherry Sharon Swanson of Huntley, IL; nephew Cecil (Peggy) Calkins of Granger, IA; five great-nieces, Trudy (David) and Chandler Capitani of Northwood, IA, Lee Anne Fox of Fonita Springs, FL and Jody and Vaughn Harrington of St Charles, IL; three great-nephews, Mark Calkins of Des Moines, Weston Harrington of St Charles, IL, and Spencer Capitani of Northwood, IA.

He was preceded in death by his parents; spouse; and his three brothers, Francis, Forrest, and his twin Leonard.

Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd St. NE, Mason City, IA, 641-423-2372, ColonialChapels.com.
On the debate, two pollsters who conducted studies, agreed on Saturday that former president Lula defeated Bolsonaro. | Read More
MASON CITY  Stebens Childrens Theatre opens the 2016-17 season with its traveling show, Smoke on the Mountain.

Performances will be 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, on the SCT stage.

Smoke on the Mountain, which was first produced in a regional theater in 1988, is now a staple of outdoor dramas, according to Tom Ballmer, executive director at SCT.

Ballmer has an acting role in this one, playing the Rev. Mervin Oglethorpe.

The comical musical revue takes place in 1938 in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina, where Oglethorpe has invited the Sanders Family to provide an evening of singing and witnessing.

I always think of it as a spoof on religion, Ballmer said, though he admits that its not. Its such a loving portrayal of being Southern and Baptist.

Theyre flawed Christians who love each other, and thats what I love about it, Ballmer said.

Although individuals, theyre part of a family, and that brings a challenge to the cast.

Its really interesting being in a family, said Sophia Ciavarelli, who plays June. Weve never really played a whole family  trying to be loving.

Theres a lot more history you have to play when interacting, said Lydia Ouverson. A family has an awful lot of history and memories that make them who they are.

There are other challenges as well.

Amelia Ouverson said a lot of them are playing roles theyve never played before.

I personally have never played a character that Denise is, she said.

My favorite part  I play father to a family of six, said Ben Siglin, who plays Burl. Ive never played a father before. Marcus, who is one of the brightest people I know, plays one of the dimmest characters Ive seen.

Marcus Buttweiler plays Dennis.

He said his challenge is, What is my character thinking? Lucky for me, my character is not thinking any time.

Hannah Harting, who plays Sally Mae and is also stage manager, said her character was added, so she had to figure it out for herself.

Ive never played a young child, Harting said. Its really cool seeing everyone developing their own character.

Lydia Ouverson plays Vera, but shes also assistant musical director, choreographer and pianist.

Its been a while since weve done a show that requires live accompaniment, she said. It makes the show 10 times more believable.

The revue features more than a dozen vintage pop hymns, and everyone plays an instrument. Theres guitar, ukulele, fiddle, percussion  including cowbell  and a washtub bass, played by Henry Klatt.

It had an interesting learning curve, said Klatt, who plays Stanley. Its weird.

Ciavarelli has a surprise instrument that she invented herself, Ballmer said. People have to come see it.

And of course, the cast members sing.

They are just a dream to work with, said Rachel Everist, who is musical director. Theyre all soloists in their own right. Theyre just so flexible. During Whispering Hope I get chills every single time.

Siglin said he thinks people will enjoy the story, even if they dont have a religious background.

Its a heartwarming show about family and coming together, no matter their flaws.
COLWELL  The Beaver Creek watershed project has created a habitat for wildlife and is a dream come true for Doug Bohlen and his family.

There are bullfrogs, water fowl, hundreds of doves, pheasants and more, Bohlen said.

The project, which includes areas of Floyd and Chickasaw counties, is meant to examine an entire watershed to find the best places to create wetlands and natural areas to reduce flooding.

These areas have benefits beyond flood control including increased water quality and creating wildlife habitats.

Bohlens father, Randy, owns the land on 130th Street in Colwell for Site 1 of the project, a 460-acre watershed.

There is a pond and a weir with a grouted riprap. To create the wildlife area, theyve added trees and seeded the earthen structure around the pond.

We use the area for recreation, Bohlen said. Were a hunting family.

Bohlen and his sons are building a hunting cabin on the property. They hope to have the building enclosed before winter.

Its always been a dream of mine to have a place like this, Bohlen said.

Though they enjoy the recreation, the top reason for participating in the program was improved water quality, Bohlen said.

While the work is complete, the areas are still in the early stages with trees and plant growth.

In five years it will be a special spot, Bohlen said.

Bohlen said it was a great decision for his family, especially looking to his grandchildren.

There are six shallow water/flow-control earthen structures built in the Colwell area.

The flood center hosted a bus tour Tuesday evening to visit properties where the structures and wetlands have been constructed. Bohlen took the tour with specialists, property owners and supervisors from several counties.

I was impressed to learn how these ponds work, Bohlen said.

Engineer Robert Larget from Short Elliot Hendrickson Inc. and others explained how the structures were built.

The Iowa Flood Center was awarded federal grant money which in turn was used for the Beaver Creek watershed project.

The IFC, established by the state at the University of Iowa after flooding in 2008, received $97 million in federal funds to replicate watershed projects around the state.
Vietnamese airlines plan to order 40 Airbus jets in deals worth an estimated $6.5 billion, the European planemaker said on Tuesday, as they expand their fleets for a small but fast-growing market.

Strong economic growth and a burgeoning middle class has increased demand for travel both domestically and abroad, spurring carriers to increase routes.

In deals announced at the start of a two-day visit to the Southeast Asian nation by French President Francois Hollande, Vietnam Airlines, the countrys flagship carrier, reached a preliminary agreement for 10 A350 planes worth $3.1 billion.

The widebody aircraft will allow the airline to expand its long-haul network, beginning with services between Ho Chi Minh City and Los Angeles

Budget airline Jetstar Pacific  controlled by Vietnam Airlines and 30 percent owned by Australias Qantas Airways  finalised its order for 10 A320 single-aisle planes valued at about $1 billion.

VietJet, the countrys only private airline, placed a firm order for 20 A321s  worth $2.4 billion.

via Vietnamese airlines order 40 Airbus jets worth $6.5 billion  Business | Thanh Nien Daily
Japan has pledged ODA loans worth 11 billion yen (US$106 million) to Vietnam to fund its socio-economic development.

An agreement to the effect was signed Tuesday by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Van Trung and Japans ambassador to Vietnam, Hiroshi Fukada.

Trung said the loan would be used to implement programs to support economic management and improve the countrys competitive advantages that under a five-year socio-economic development plan.

Vietnam is committed to using the ODA loan properly for [agreed] purposes and with the highest effectiveness.

Japan has provided official development assistance worth 2.8 trillion yen (US$27.6 billion) since 1992, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The money will fund a five-year

Source: Japan pledges $106 mln aids for Vietnam
China is eating up a larger chunk of the worlds shrinking trade pie.

Brushing off rising wages, a shrinking workforce and intensifying competition from lower cost nations from Vietnam to Mexico, Chinas global export share climbed to 14.6 percent last year from 12.9 percent a year earlier. Thats the highest proportion of world exports ever in International Monetary Fund data going back to 1980.

Yet even as its export share climbs globally, manufacturings slice of Chinas economy is waning as services and consumption emerge as the new growth drivers. For the global economy, a slide in Chinas exports this year isnt proving any respite as an even sharper slump in its imports erodes a pillar of demand.

Those trends are likely to be replicated in August data due Thursday. Exports are estimated to fall 4 percent from a year earlier and imports are seen dropping 5.4 percent, leaving a trade surplus of $58.85 billion, according to a survey of economists by Bloomberg News as of late Tuesday.

While Chinas advantage in low-end manufacturing has been seized upon by Donald Trumps populist campaign for the U.S. presidency, the shift into higher value-added products from robots to computers is also pitting China against developed-market competitors from South Korea to Germany. A weaker yuan risks exacerbating global trade tensions, which became a hot button issue at the G-20 meeting in Hangzhou over cheap steel shipments.

"All the talk we have heard over the last few years about China losing its global competitive advantage is nonsense," said Shane Oliver, head of investment strategy at AMP Capital Investors in Sydney. "This will all further fuel increasing trade tensions as already evident in the U.K. with the Brexit vote and in the U.S. with the support for Trumps populist protectionist platform."

China is also facing opposition to its global shopping spree and calls from bodies such as the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China for improved market access.

A key driver of Chinas export share gains is its move toward more sophisticated assembly, especially in electronics, which eliminates the need to source components from a vast supply chain across Asia, said Frederic Neumann, co-head of Asian economic research at HSBC Holdings Plc in Hong Kong. Thats hurting companies and economies from Singapore to Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan and South Korea, said Neumann.

The government is subsidizing higher technology industries including new advanced information technology, robotics, and new energy vehicles under its "Made in China 2025" plan. More is to come as President Xi Jinpings blueprint envisions global competitiveness within a decade in 10 industries from machine tools and robots to advanced railway equipment and medical devices.

China increasingly is turning into an economic rival as it pushes to produce higher-value exports, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel on a trip to the nation in June. Those stern words from the leader of Chinas fifth biggest trade partner pale in comparison with the rhetoric from Trump, who has accused China of raping the U.S. in "the greatest theft in the history of the world."

"Political support for open trade and investment is evaporating globally and no one has more to lose than China," said David Loevinger, a former China specialist at the U.S. Treasury who is now an analyst at fund manager TCW Group Inc. in Los Angeles. "China has become the bogey man for opponents of globalization."

Trade backlash

At the G-20 meeting in Hangzhou "China took a drubbing behind the scenes over its steel exports, which have flooded global markets and become a symbol of trade imbalances that have fed resentment across nations," said Pauline Loong, managing director at research firm Asia-analytica in Hong Kong. "Protectionism is Chinas biggest worry."

The latest IMF data for the first quarter of this year shows Chinas market share edged down in January and February -- notoriously volatile months because of a week-long Lunar New Year holiday -- and bounced back again in March, indicating the nations manufacturers are set to at least hold on to previous gains. Last year, the U.S. also increased its share while Russia was the biggest decliner among the top 15 exporters as oil prices fell.

Brand restraint

But its not all upside for China. While its successfully transitioning into medium-end technologies, it has yet to make the leap into high-value-added exports, says Andrew Polk, Beijing-based head of China research at Medley Global Advisors, which advises hedge funds and other institutional investors.

"Maybe they can, but it remains an open question," he said. "The highest value-add is in intangible items like branding. Right now, there is not really a globally branded Chinese company that stands for high quality."

Yet even without its own Coca-Cola, Nike or Apple equivalent on the world stage, Chinas export juggernaut is winning by default as other major exporters fall behind.

"After having come this far I see no reason why Chinas march up the value-chain would suddenly stop," said James Laurenceson, deputy director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology in Sydney. "Chinese companies are competing outside their home base against the best in the world, and winning. This points to a hyper-competitive manufacturing sector, not one losing its shine."
Japanese ambassador to Vietnam Hiroshi Fukada and Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Van Trung signed the agreement on September 6.

Japan has pledged ODA loans worth 11 billion yen (US$106 million) to Vietnam to fund its socio-economic development.

An agreement to the effect was signed Tuesday by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Van Trung and Japans ambassador to Vietnam, Hiroshi Fukada.

Trung said the loan would be used to implement programs to support economic management and improve the countrys competitive advantages that under a five-year socio-economic development plan.

Vietnam is committed to using the ODA loan properly for [agreed] purposes and with the highest effectiveness.

Japan has provided official development assistance worth 2.8 trillion yen (US$27.6 billion) since 1992, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
Visiting French President Francois Hollande has suggested Hanoi authorities step up the conservation of the Old Quarter for future generations.

Taking a stroll from Ma May street to Hang Bac street in the Old Quarter on September 6, the French leader received warm welcome from Hanoians and tourists.

He was introduced to the history of the Old Quarter, which was associated with the formation and development of Hanoi, with traditional handicraft and trade guilds as unique features.

Hanoi's Old Quarter, boasting a total area of 81 hectares, is located on ten wards of Hoan Kiem district: Hang Bac, Hang Buom, Hang Bo, Hang Bong, Hang Ma, Cua Dong, Ly Thai To, Dong Xuan, Hang Gai, and Hang Dao.

According to the management board of the Old Quarter, the high population density here - up to 84,000 people per square kilometer, has been a great challenge to the conservation.

Hanoi has cooperated with Toulouse, a French city, in upgrading an ancient house in Ma May street and other facilities in the quarter, the board officials said.

President Hollande also visited Kim Ngan temple, which serves as a place to observe local cultural and spiritual activities.

French President Francois Hollande visits Kim Ngan temple. Photo: Phan Hau Local specialty treat for the French president in Cong Cafe in Hanoi: milk coffee, moon cake, mung bean cakes, and young rice cakes. Photo: Phan Hau Earlier, he met with Vietnamese students who studied in France.

He met with Vietnamese leaders to seek to step up the ties between the two countries during his visit to Vietnam from September 5-7.
Long Bien Bridge, which is part of Hanoi's first urban railway system. The project was hit by a corruption scandal in 2014, which forced Japan to reduce its ODA pledges to Vietnam to a record low of 100 billion yen. Photo: Thai Son Japanese government will lend 95 billion yen (US$811.53 million) in official development loans (ODA) for three transport infrastructure projects and one climate change response plan in Vietnam, the government website has reported.

The loans, whose agreements were signed in Hanoi on Friday, were part of a package of over 300 billion yen ($2.56 billion) Japan pledged for Vietnam in its fiscal year 2015, it said.

Japanese ambassador to Vietnam Hiroshi Fukada was quoted as saying at the signing ceremony that the countries expect to sign loans agreements for another three transport projects by the end of the fiscal year which will be this March 31.

Bui Quang Vinh, Minister of Planning and Investment, said it was "remarkable" that Japan raised its ODA pledges to Vietnam this fiscal year three folds from the previous year.

In the fiscal year 2014, Japan's ODA loans to Vietnam hit a record low of around 100 billion yen, following a graft case linked to Hanoi's first urban railway system funded by Japan, Vinh was quoted as saying.

Six Vietnamese railway officials was found having received VND11 billion in bribes from Japan Transportation Consultants Inc., a technical consultant for the project.

The Vietnamese officials, including three people who were chiefs of Vietnam Railways' project management unit between 2009 and 2014, received sentences ranging from five and half years to 12 years for "abuse of power" at a hearing in October last year.

As Vietnam's biggest sponsor, Japan has pledged 2.6 trillion yen ($22.21 billion) in ODA to the country since 1992, according to official figures.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Laos

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte said he might visit Vietnam "between the end of the year or maybe early next year," his spokesperson has said.

He had "responded very positively" to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc's invitation for him to visit Vietnam during their bilateral meeting on Tuesday in Laos, local media quoted Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella as saying.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit currently being held in Vientiane.

According to Abella, during a very positive exchange the two leaders agreed that there must be freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

They agreed that navigation "should not just be confined to a particular areait should be shared as it has always been shared, Abella was quoted as saying said.

PM Phuc also encouraged Philippine businesses to "invest more, have more trade" in Vietnam, as well as "made a long-term commitment to provide rice for the Philippines, Abella said.
Many children from Ha Tinh know that the chance of their getting back to school is low. Photo: Duc Hung/VnExpress

Summer is over but nearly 1,000 children from Ky Ha, a fishing community in the central province of Ha Tinh, cannot return to school just yet.

Still reeling from the effects of an unprecedented toxic spill linked to Taiwans Formosa, many families along the central coast are now waiting for government assistance to be able to think about education again.

Nguyen Thi Huong, a mother, said locals have deserted their salt fields and boats since tons of dead fish washed ashore along the coast in Ha Tinh and nearby provinces in April, creating a seafood scare across the country and taking away the livelihood of various fishing communities.

Four of my kids should be in school but in tough times like these, they just have to stay at home, she said, as cited by VnExpress.

Huong said she has asked the authorities to waive the school fees. Then I can send them back to school.

The mass fish deaths are believed to be Vietnams worst environment disaster ever. More than 200,000 people, including 41,000 fishermen, have been directly affected.

Although the central government last month announced that the sea is now "safe," a Ha Tinh local said fish and salt from the province are still "very hard to sell."

Formosa, which has been held responsible for the disaster, last month completed a transfer of US$500 million as compensation to the Vietnamese government. The latter is working on a list of affected people, before it can begin doling out the fund.

Some of the children who have to stay home, ranging from kindergarten to secondary school ages, said they are excited about going back to school.

But even they know that the chance is low.

My parents have not been able to go fishing for months, one of them told VnExpress.

Local officials said they have agreed to reduce the tuition fees for children from affected families by a third. They said there might be meetings to discuss further support later this month.

In the meantime, the wait for these families continues.
Nguyen Quang Ha (L) and Duong Kim Ngan at the police station. Photo credit: CAND

The Hanoi traffic police Tuesday arrested two people for allegedly transporting nearly 5kg of methamphetamine after pulling over their car in Long Bien District.

The passenger has been identified as Duong Kim Ngan, 35, of Hanoi and the driver as Nguyen Quang Ha, 39, of Lang Son Province.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Chieu of the traffic police, officers inspected their SUV near the Ngoc Lam and Nguyen Van Cu crossroads and found the drug in five packages.

They also seized more than VND10 million (US$450) in cash.

It is unclear if the police had discovered the drugs accidentally or been tracking the duo.

At a police station, Ngan said a man had hired her to transport the drug from Lang Son to Hanoi for VND20 million. She had hired Ha to drive her and the drugs to Hanoi.

The duo had repeatedly changed the cars license plates to avoid detection.

The police are investigating if more people are involved in the ring.

If convicted, the duo could get death sentences under Vietnam's tough drug laws which stipulate capital punishment for possessing, transporting or trading more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
The overall health of retirees has improved and so retirement ages should be raised, Deputy Minister of Labor, Ward Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Trong Dam has said.

The retirement age may be raised differently for men and women and in various sectors, he said at the opening of a three-day conference that opened in Hanoi Tuesday to discuss the issue.

Those engaged in heavy and hazardous jobs would continue to retire at the current ages of 60 for men and 55 for women, he added.

NGO HelpAge Asia Pacifics biennial conference, titled The Economic Implications of Ageing, has attracted more than 300 officials and experts from 35 countries and territories.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, chairman of the Vietnam National Committee on Ageing, said the average lifespan in Vietnam has increased to 76.6 from 66 in 1990.

The number of older people is increasing and will equal that of young people. So the government will discuss solutions to overcome challenges and promote the role of older people.

According to HelpAge Asia Pacific, the ageing population will lower economic growth in coming decades, partly because of a shrinking and less productive workforce.

Civil society and the private sector need to anticipate changes by adapting policies, services and programs affecting areas such as healthcare, the labor market, pensions, savings and consumption, it said in a statement.

Economic growth should be shared equitably and that growth reduces poverty and vulnerability among ageing societies, it said.

Governments should take key steps to maintain manageable budget trends while honoring a commitment to improve the welfare of older citizens as their numbers increase, it added.
The U.S. State Department and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Tuesday stressed the need for ties with the Philippines to be based on mutual respect, after Manila's new leader raised worries about the future of the key alliance by calling President Barack Obama a "son of a bitch."

Despite U.S. dismay over Duterte's remarks, though, current and former U.S. officials played down the impact, saying they did not expect any serious damage to ties at a time of high tensions over China's extensive territorial claims in Asia.

The State Department said a planned first meeting between Obama and his counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on the sidelines of a regional summit in Laos on Tuesday was canceled because the tone of the Philippine leader's rhetoric raised questions about the chances of productive talks.

"Words matter, and we want to see an atmosphere that is cordial and open to strong cooperation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a regular news briefing in Washington.

Clinton, who as secretary of state was an architect of Obama's policy of emphasizing the importance of the Asia Pacific to U.S. interests in the face of a rising China, said Obama was right to cancel the meeting.

"When the president of the Philippines insulted our president, it was appropriate and a very low-key way to say: sorry, no meeting," she told reporters on her campaign plane.

"We have a lot of ties between the United States and the Philippines. And I think it's very important that we have a relationship, but there has to be a certain level of respect that is expected on both sides," Clinton said.

Duterte made the remark about Obama while explaining that he would not be lectured over extrajudicial killings in the war against drugs he has launched since taking two months ago and which has killed about 2,400 people.

He has previously called the pope a "son of a whore" and the U.S. ambassador a "gay son of whore."

The Philippines voiced regret for Duterte's comments after Obama canceled a formal bilateral meeting. The White House then said Obama might speak with Duterte informally.

"Feeling his way"

Duterte's volatile nature threatens to complicate Washington's ties with its closest ally in Southeast Asia as it tries to forge a united front in the region in response to China's extensive claims in the strategic South China Sea.

The Philippines has been central in this effort due to an international court case it brought and won against Beijing.

In March, the United States and the Philippines agreed on five locations for U.S. military facilities in the country under a new security deal. The deal grants Washington increased military presence in its former colony through rotation of ships and planes for humanitarian and maritime security operations.

Asked about Duterte's comments, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said the defense relationship with the Philippines was a "strong" and "longstanding" one.

Speaking to reporters, Carter also described the Philippines' new defense minister, Delfin Lorenzana, as someone who was "very knowledgeable about all the things that we do together."

An official of the U.S. State Department said "government to government" relations with Manila remained strong.

"The areas that we believe we have robust, strong cooperation with them, we are not going to just simply throw that aside.

The official noted that Duterte was new to national leadership having served as a city mayor.

"He is maybe feeling his way into the new job," the official said.

Former U.S. officials said China would be pleased by the U.S.-Philippines friction.

Time will tell whether President Duterte steps back from this episode and realizes he needs to recalibrate his choice of words in engaging U.S. leaders, said Amy Searight, a former senior Pentagon official now at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

Evan Medeiros, Obamas former top Asia adviser and now a senior analyst at the Eurasia Group, saw the row as a speed bump, not a road block in U.S.-Philippines ties.

It's unfortunate, but doesnt fundamentally derail the relationship, he said.
South Koreas cash-strapped Hanjin Shipping Co. is adrift at sea -- and in more ways than one.

Hanjin is one of the worlds biggest shipping lines and filed for bankruptcy protection last week in Seoul. Thats created a bizarre situation on the high seas for 85 Hanjin ships that have been effectively marooned offshore as ports in the U.S., Asia and Europe have turned the companys ships away. The worry is that Hanjin ships wont be able to pay port fees or their contents might be seized by creditors, which would disrupt port operations.

The South Korean shipping company operates 97 container ships, the giant workhorses of global trade that deliver everything from cars and clothing to televisions and toys. The global shipping disruption comes just as companies are shipping merchandise to fill shelves and warehouses for the end-of-year holiday season.

"Our ships can become ghost ships, said Kim Ho Kyung, a manager at Hanjin Shippings labor union. "Food and water are running down in those ships floating in international waters.

On Tuesday, South Korean authorities rushed to piece together a capital injection. Hanjin Group will provide 100 billion won ($90 million), including 40 billion won from Chairman Cho Yang Ho, to help contain disruptions in the supply chain, the group said in an e-mailed statement. At the same time, South Koreas ruling Saenuri Party asked the government to offer about 100 billion won in low-interest loans to the shipping line if Hanjin Group provides collateral, Saenuri lawmaker Kim Gwang Lim said in a statement.

Turned away

South Koreas Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries estimates Hanjin Shipping needs more than 600 billion won to cover unpaid costs like fuel, including about 100 billion won immediately for payments such as to port operators to unload cargo from stranded ships, Kim said in the statement.

The company, meanwhile, has started providing food, water and daily necessities to crews on six Hanjin ships anchored at ports including Rotterdam and Singapore. About 70 container movers and 15 bulk ships are stranded at 50 ports in 26 countries, according to Hanjin.

One Hanjin captain operating a ship in international waters near Japan said his vessel has been given permission to enter a Japanese port Wednesday to unload cargo, but will be required to head back out soon after.

No to food

A request for food and water was rejected, said the captain via a satellite phone and who declined to use his name citing company policy. There should be measures to secure the safety of sailors, he said, adding they dont know how long they should wait at sea.

While Hanjins lawyers try to arrange legal cover in 43 countries against ports taking over vessels, some captains are heading for Singapore, Hamburg or Busan in South Korea, where the company hopes the ships wont be impounded and will be able to unload so that clients can arrange alternative transport.

The map below shows the locations of Hanjins container ships.

Hanjin container vessels carry as many as 24 crew each and pack enough food, fresh water and other essentials for several weeks. A journey across the Pacific from Busan to Los Angeles takes up to 10 days, while a trip via the Suez Canal to Rotterdam could take a month.

Typically, a vessel that can carry 8,000, 20-foot containers costs about $8,376 to operate per day, according to Drewry Maritime Services Pvt., an independent ship consultancy. That ship going at a speed of 17 knots would consume 80 to 85 tons of fuel oil a day.

Samsung Electronics Co. said in court filings it had about $38 million of goods on board two Hanjin vessels off the port of Long Beach, California, waiting to be unloaded. Hanjin Shipping won temporary protection against U.S. creditors from a U.S. court Tuesday.

Leaky finances

Lenders to South Koreas largest container-shipping company last week rejected a restructuring proposal saying it was insufficient to tide over a cash shortage. The firm may still need as much as 1.3 trillion won in cash to roll over debt in the wake of losses in four of the last five years, according to its main creditor Korea Development Bank.

Hanjins woes show the container-shipping industry is in bad health, limping from one exigency to another since the 2008 global financial crisis brought trading to its knees.

Helped by cheap loans, container lines have hung on even as freight rates to move sneakers to Barbie dolls from Asia to Europe and the U.S. plunged on sluggish demand. From A.P. Moeller-Maersk A/S to Hapag-Lloyd AG and Frances CMA CGM SA, companies have tried everything -- mergers, acquisitions and cost cuts -- while a revival in demand remains elusive.

The global shipping industry has been operating at a loss since the end of 2015, and its set to lose about $5 billion this year amid an oversupply of vessels, according Drewry Maritime Research.

The financial woes have made terminal operators and marine service suppliers wary of working with Hanjins vessels. Typically, port fees for a ship that can carry 8,000 boxes would be about $35,000 per call.

Getting ships arrested or stranded would minimize debt exposure for vendors, but it will also get the court to quickly take steps to normalize the company and start making payments, said Rahul Kapoor, a Singapore-based director at ship consultancy Drewry.
Footage taken aboard the USS Nitze of Islamic Revolutionary Guard vessels. via REUTERS TV

A U.S. Navy coastal patrol ship changed course after a fast-attack craft from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps came within 100 yards (91 meters) of it in the central Gulf on Sunday, U.S. Defense Department officials said on Tuesday.

It was at least the fourth such incident in less than a month. U.S. officials are concerned that these actions by Iran could lead to mistakes.

Years of mutual animosity eased when Washington lifted sanctions on Tehran in January after a deal to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. But serious differences still remain over Iran's ballistic missile program, and over conflicts in Syria and Iraq.

Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the Iranian vessel sailed directly in front of the USS Firebolt, forcing the 174-foot (53-metre) U.S. ship to change course.

The incident began when seven Iranian ships "harassed" the Firebolt, Davis said.

A U.S. Defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the interaction was "unsafe and unprofessional due to lack of communications and the close-range harassing maneuvering," adding that uncovered and manned weapons were seen on the Iranian vessel.

The U.S. ship tried to communicate with the Iranian ship by radio three times but received no response.

The U.S. official said there have been 31 similar interactions with Iranian ships this year, almost double the amount from the same period last year.

"We don't see this type of unsafe and unprofessional activity from any other nation," the defense official added.

In late August, a U.S. Navy patrol craft fired warning shots toward an Iranian fast-attack vessel that approached two U.S. ships.

At the time, Iran's defense minister said Iranian vessels were just doing their job.

Last week, the head of U.S. Central Command, General Joseph Votel, said unsafe maneuvers in the Gulf were part of the Iranian regime trying to exert its influence in the region.

Kenneth Pollack, a former top CIA and White House official, said that one or two incidents could have been explained as being the work of an over-zealous commander within Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

But the number of such incidents in recent weeks make it very hard for me to believe these are not sanctioned by higher authority within Iran, said Pollack, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

If that is the case, Iranian authorities may be using the incidents to stir up popular anger against the United States, he said.
MIAMI, Sept. 06, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Punta Mona Center for Regenerative Design and Botanical Studies, a family-owned environmental education center located in Punta Mona, Costa Rica, is excited to be hosting another year of Jungle Camp, a transformational summer camp for adults, from September 26-October 1! Jungle Camp aims to connect its campers with nature by disconnecting them from devices and embarking on a journey full of workshops, yoga, music, uninhabited beaches, and gourmet jungle cuisine. With an international array of talented teachers and facilitators, each experience is bound to expand your perspective of the world.



At Punta Mona, our campers are immersed in an energy-conscious, off-the-grid experience focused on healthy food systems, freedom of expression and re-learning inherent life skills, explains Stephen Brooks, founder of Punta Mona Center. From jungle hikes, kayaking, and snorkeling to chocolate making, mud-bathing, and dolphin watching, Jungle Camp is designed to connect each and every participant to an authentic way of living.

With only 200 available spots, Jungle Camp is able to offer adults a unique, individualized camp experience with the opportunity to make new friends who share the same desire to celebrate freedom on Costa Ricas Caribbean Coast. Jungle Camp offers adult campers three different packages:

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includes organic jungle gourmet meals, activities & workshops. With this option you supply your own tent and bedding. Round-trip boat to and from Punta Mona from Manzanilo is included! $799 - includes organic jungle gourmet meals, activities & workshops. With this option you are provided with a Glamping tent and bedding that sleeps two.



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Want to learn more about the Punta Mona Center for Regenerative Design & Botanical Studies and their Jungle Camp? Visit http://puntamona.org
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Prosecutors dismissed a fraud charge Tuesday against a former Baton Rouge police officer who repaid the $1,400-plus in gasoline purchases he rang up on his department-issued fuel card after resigning from the force.

Christopher Guerra, 31, of Denham Springs, was accused of using the card about 50 times over a five-month span after his August 2015 resignation. He was hired in 2013.

Guerra apologized outside state District Judge Beau Higginbotham's courtroom after East Baton Rouge Parish prosecutors dismissed the access device fraud charge against him. Prosecutors had offered to dismiss the charge if he paid back the $1,454 worth of gas he bought for his personal truck.

"I'm sorry. All I was trying to do in the beginning is support my family," he said, adding that in hindsight he could have done things much differently. "I was desperate. I learned a lot from this."

Guerra noted that he lost his Denham Springs home, vehicle and possessions in last month's record flooding.

Guerra's fraud was discovered during an audit, Baton Rouge police have said.

Under a new police department policy, the Fleet Division is immediately notified in writing and by email of all employee terminations so the fuel cards for those workers can be canceled, according to an independent audit report released in June by the state Legislative Auditor's Office.

Guerra did not turn in his fuel card after he resigned from the department. The card was attached to his marked police unit, and he was given a driver identification number which served as the PIN for the gas card account, according to an arrest warrant.

Guerra used the card after his resignation at sites not approved by the police department for card use. Videos and photographs that police obtained from the sites showed Guerra pumping gas into his Ford F-150 pickup, each time using the fuel card.

He was booked in February and charged by prosecutors in March.

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III said his office handled Guerra's case "like we would have any other person charged with the same offense and who made restitution."
Inmates found incompetent to stand trial will now be admitted promptly to a mental hospital for treatment under an agreement between the state health agency and several advocacy groups, the groups announced Tuesday.

The settlement, which is awaiting U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick's approval, will end the long waiting list for the admission of prisoners with mental illness to the state mental hospital, the Advocacy Center of Louisiana and the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center in New Orleans said in a news release.

A civil rights lawsuit filed by the groups in Baton Rouge federal court in November alleged that mentally ill people found incompetent to stand trial are languishing in parish jails instead of receiving timely state treatment to restore their competency.

New federal lawsuit: Louisiana too slow getting inmates ruled mentally incompetent out parish jails Louisiana is once again failing to provide timely inpatient treatment for people accused of 

The Louisiana Department of Health, under the settlement terms announced Tuesday, will expand its bed capacity over the next eight months so mentally ill inmates committed to the department's care will be admitted to the state hospital in Jackson within 15 days.

"We're pleased that the Louisiana Department of Health has agreed to take steps to quickly move people with mental illness out of the parish jail and into the therapeutic environments where they can receive appropriate treatment," Advocacy Center attorney Ronald Lospennato said.

Samantha Faulkner, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health, said the department had nothing to add to what the advocacy groups released.

Lospennato noted that the number of jailed men and women with severe mental illness has grown tremendously in recent years due to state funding cuts for mental health services.

"It is inhumane and discriminatory to jail people because of their mental disabilities," he added.

Under the settlement agreement, all inmates ordered to the health department's custody for competency restoration or care after being found not guilty by reason of insanity will be screened to determine if they are in acute or emergency need of mental health care. If found to be in need of such care, they will be admitted to the hospital within two days.

The agreement also calls for the department to consult with the advocacy groups to develop a plan to provide more community placement options, such as group homes in major cities, for people whose mental health has improved with treatment so that they are not dangerous.

State asks federal judge to dismiss lawsuit that claims inmates not moved to mental hospital fast enough Louisianas health agency is urging a Baton Rouge federal judge to throw out a recently file

MacArthur Justice Center attorney Eric Foley, who said the agreement will be in place for at least four years, said additional community placement options will allow those people "eventually to be reintegrated into their communities and have increased contact with family and loved ones."

Foley said he could not comment on how the cash-strapped state will fund the changes contained in the agreement.

"The agreement contains robust monitoring and enforcement measures to ensure compliance," he said. "We believe the state is entering into this agreement in good faith and with the aim of resolving this long-standing problem."

A similar lawsuit filed in 2010 in New Orleans federal court led to a consent decree aimed at getting people declared incompetent to stand trial moved more quickly to the state mental hospital in hopes of having their competency restored.

The health department, under the decree's terms, was required to ensure that an incompetent person's wait time for admission to the state hospital was no more than 45 days following the order for inpatient treatment.

A New Orleans federal judge, Sarah Vance, dismissed the 2010 suit in late 2014. The decree had been in effect from mid-2011 until mid-2014.

The settlement now before Dick, of Baton Rouge, involves a 2014 lawsuit filed on behalf of those found not guilty of a crime by reason of insanity, and the November suit that dealt with those found not competent to stand trial.
WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 06, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Andrews & Springer LLC, a boutique securities class action law firm focused on representing shareholders nationwide, announces that a breach of fiduciary duty and fraud lawsuit has been filed by another law firm on behalf of Superior Energy Services, Inc. (NYSE:SPN) (Superior Energy or the Company) for possible corporate misconduct. The lawsuit was filed in the District Court of Harris County, Texas on April 19, 2016, Case No. 2016-24818.



A copy of the complaint is available here. If you currently own shares of Superior Energy and want to receive additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit us at http://www.andrewsspringer.com/cases-investigations/superior-energy-services-class-action or contact Craig J. Springer, Esq. at cspringer@andrewsspringer.com, or call toll free at 1-800-423-6013. You may also follow us on LinkedIn  www.linkedin.com/company/andrews-&-springer-llc, Twitter  www.twitter.com/AndrewsSpringer or Facebook - www.facebook.com/AndrewsSpringer for future updates.

According to the lawsuit, Christopher Russo (Russo), Martin LeBlanc (LeBlanc) and Scott Kerstetter (Kerstetter), former executives of Stabil Drill, a subsidiary of Superior Energy, participated in a scheme to divert millions from Superior Energy to their own companies.

The 42-page complaint alleges that Russo, LeBlanc and Kerstetter, established a complicated web of sham corporations. The complaint accuses the men of creating purchase orders, and sharing trade secrets with their sham companies to facilitate the connections.

An internal investigation conducted by Superior Energy revealed that the former executives set up certain entities so that the former executives could divert corporate opportunities and profits away from Superior Energy and to their own companies, and so that they could overbill Stabil Drill for goods and services. The complaint alleges that the former executives diverted more than $65 million from Superior Energy.

If you currently own shares of Superior Energy and want to receive additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit us at http://www.andrewsspringer.com/cases-investigations/superior-energy-services-class-action or contact Craig J. Springer, Esq. at cspringer@andrewsspringer.com, or call toll free at 1-800-423-6013. You may also follow us on LinkedIn  www.linkedin.com/company/andrews-&-springer-llc, Twitter  www.twitter.com/AndrewsSpringer or Facebook - www.facebook.com/AndrewsSpringer for future updates.

Andrews & Springer is a boutique securities class action law firm representing shareholders nationwide who are victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty or corporate misconduct. Having formerly defended some of the largest financial institutions in the world, our founding members use their valuable knowledge, experience, and superior skill for the sole purpose of achieving positive results for investors. These traits are the hallmarks of our innovative approach to each case our Firm decides to prosecute. For more information please visit our website at www.andrewsspringer.com. This notice may constitute Attorney Advertising.
Videos: Flood looters made off with more than $34K in jewelry, electronics from Baton Rouge Walmart, sheriff says
More than 1,000 students who attended Louisiana's two branches of the for-profit college ITT Technical Institute are left displaced with Tuesday's announcement that the national chain would be shutting down its campuses.

But Louisiana's community and technical college system leader said the schools will work closely with the suddenly displaced students to transition them into their two year programs if they want to continue their education.

"We will do everything we can to accommodate those students," said Monty Sullivan, president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. "This is an unfortunate and difficult set of circumstances."

Louisiana has both a Baton Rouge campus, with 630 students, and a St. Rose campus, with 400 students, of ITT Tech.

Indiana-based ITT Tech announced Tuesday it would shut down all 130 of its campuses, effective immediately, citing recent sanctions by the U.S. Department of Education.

The schools were banned late last month from enrolling new students who use federal financial aid, after federal officials said the company had become a risk to students and taxpayers.

On Tuesday, the ITT Tech on Airline Highway in Baton Rouge was ghost town. But there was no sign the school's operations were disrupted except for a couple fliers on the doors from a local competitor trying to scoop up potential new students.

Hershel Thach, with Virginia College, was taping up the signs on the door inviting students to tour their campus later this month. He said the school had already taken several calls from laid off instructors and displaced students.

"We've gotten a ton of calls," he said. "No one knew until today."

Sullivan said the state's two-year system has been in discussions for months with the U.S. Department of Education about providing fall back opportunities for the ITT Tech students. He said the state's community and technical colleges offer a variety of programs that mirror the degrees being sought by ITT Tech students.

And even under regular circumstances, students at for-profit colleges could often transfer their credits to the LCTCS schools, if they came from an accredited program.

"ITT Tech is an institution that holds accreditation from a regional accrediting body, so we try to work with the programs," Sullivan said. "In this circumstance, we'll try to do at least that much and give students as much credit as possible."

The U.S. Department of Education ordered ITT Tech to pay $152 million to cover student refunds and other liabilities if the schools were to be shut down.

And students who have been enrolled at the school within the last 120 days can apply to have their federal student loans forgiven.

But Chris Turner, who graduated from St. Rose's ITT Tech five years ago, is still paying $51,000 in loans for the associate's degree.

He got the degree in computer technology, but he said it's done nothing to further his career or improve his earnings.

Now he's paying for a lifetime of loans for what he considers a meaningless degree.

"I'm paying for a degree where the school doesn't exist anymore," Turner said. "No one is going to recognize that degree, even more than than they already didn't."

In recent years, for-profit schools have been under increased scrutiny for their high tuition, and high levels of student debt and default rates.

ITT Tech, which is one of the nation's largest for-profit college companies, had been investigated by authorities who accused the company of pushing students into risky loans and misleading students about the quality of the programs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is refusing to approve a contract Gov. John Bel Edwards signed with his chief fundraiser to lead a team of attorneys representing the state in lawsuits against the oil and gas industry over coastal land loss.

In a letter to Edwards executive counsel Tuesday, Landrys top aide said the Attorney Generals Office found the contract between the Governors Office and Taylor Townsend, who runs Edwards' super PAC and was a leading fundraiser for his 2015 campaign, "unacceptable on multiple grounds.

Landrys gambit is the latest flareup in an increasingly bitter dispute between the two statewide officials  Edwards, a Democrat, and Landry, a Republican who many see as a potential challenger to Edwards in 2019.

It may also signal a widening gulf between the two men over how to hold oil and gas companies accountable for contributing to the destruction of Louisiana's coast. Several dozen lawsuits filed by four coastal parishes claim that canals and pipelines dug by the industry are at least partially responsible for the loss of land.

The Attorney Generals Office intervened in the suits in March, a couple of months after Landry was sworn in. The governor, through the Department of Natural Resources, intervened a few weeks later, and initially, at least, Edwards and Landry appeared to be on the same page. But the harmony didnt last.

The Advocate and WWL-TV reported last week on the contract Edwards signed Aug. 5 with Townsend, a lawyer from Natchitoches who once served as a state representative. Townsend, a personal injury and criminal defense lawyer, hired six other lawyers as subcontractors, some of whom have experience in coastal litigation.

The story noted that the seven lawyers had been enrolled in one of the several dozen pending coastal lawsuits, but that the governor had agreed to remove them from the cases because the attorney general had not yet agreed to their appointment. State law gives the attorney general the authority to approve the appointment of all lawyers who represent the state.

Matthew Block, Edwards executive counsel, made clear in an interview at the time that he regarded the removal of the lawyers as a procedural hiccup and that he expected to have them enrolled in all of the coastal suits in the near future.

Block said the lawyers were enrolled in a hurry after a judge threw out the first case, which had been brought by Jefferson Parish.

The judge ruled that the plaintiffs  including the state Department of Natural Resources  hadnt exhausted all other available legal remedies. Landrys office issued a news release saying the attorney general agreed with the judge. The governor wanted to challenge the ruling, with the help of the team of lawyers led by Townsend.

Now, its not clear where things are headed.

Among other issues, Tuesdays letter from Chief Deputy Attorney General Wilbur Stiles III to Block said the contracts scope is entirely too vague and overly broad because it does not seem to limit Townsends representation to the matter at hand.

The letter also said the method of paying the lawyers laid out in the contract appears to be in direct violation of statutory law, which the letter said requires that lawyers be paid hourly rather than based on some sort of contingency or percentage basis.

State law prohibits private lawyers from being paid on a contingency-fee basis unless expressly approved by the Legislature.

Former Attorney General Buddy Caldwell got around that prohibition by paying outside attorneys using so-called fee-shifting provisions in specific statutes, allowing those lawyers to collect legal fees from the defendants after a settlement or judgment, above and beyond what the state recovered.

However, in a series of reports by WWL-TV in 2013 and 2014, Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino argued that arrangement violated the state ethics code, which does not allow third parties to pay for work done on behalf of the state.

Landry has adopted that position, calling the payment proposed in the Townsend contract unconstitutional.

The attorney general's letter also suggests that some of the lawyers involved may have conflicts of interest because they already are contracted to represent local governmental bodies in coastal lawsuits. It says they cannot represent the state at the same time.

In an interview last week, Block expressed annoyance at what he viewed as the attorney generals intransigence with regard to appointment of lawyers by the governor, calling it a tremendous waste of time and resources.

Louisiana law is vague on how deeply involved the attorney general should be in vetting the governors selections of legal counsel. But Block said the AGs role should be minimal.

Once minimum qualifications are met, its not for the attorney general to decide who represents the Department of Natural Resources or any other board or commission, Block said. He added that Landry is not doing what has been done by previous attorneys general.

Timmy Teepell, who was chief of staff for Gov. Bobby Jindal, said his practice was always to consult with the attorney general before making legal appointments to make sure the AG was on board.

"From our eight years there, and the conversations I had with people in the (Mike) Foster administration, it was, 'Hey, make sure you work out your business with the attorney general beforehand or youre gonna get sideways with them,' " Teepell said. "We always had those conversations ahead of time."

But author John Barry, who was formerly a member of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East and helped orchestrate that board's sweeping lawsuit against scores of oil and gas companies, agreed with Block's view that the AG's role in selection of outside counsel by other agencies is meant to be "ministerial," not substantive.

"That was certainly the view of (former Attorney General) Caldwell, who could hardly have been called a supporter of our lawsuit," Barry said. "If you look at the letter that accompanied the approval of the hiring of the attorneys (by the Flood Protection Authority), he made it absolutely crystal-clear that he was in no way in support of the suit ... just that he had no recourse  that the attorneys were qualified, and he had to do it."

Block said last week that he believes litigation may eventually be necessary to clarify the scope of the attorney generals role in appointing counsel.

If it comes to that, were going to have to have somebody pursue some sort of action to have a decision as to what role the attorney general should have or should not have in the appointment of counsel, Block said.

Late Tuesday, Block sent a statement saying that "we stand by our previous comments: The attorney general simply does not have the authority to pick who represents the state or to decide whether to approve a contract for legal services. Instead, the attorney general should follow his own rules which establish the qualifications for the appointment of legal counsel. We are reviewing our options at this time and will respond shortly."

Editor's note: This story was changed Sept. 6 to include Matthew Block's response and to correct the date of the next gubernatorial election.
The panel of experts who have been tasked with coming up with recommendations for how Louisiana might fix its long-standing budget issues is entering the final stretch.

By the end of the month, the Task Force on Structural Changes in Budget and Tax Policy will have a final report to hand off to state lawmakers, who then will have about six months to mull the proposals before the 2017 legislative session kicks off.

The report, due by Sept. 30 after a 30-day extension, is expected to offer up recommendations that would overhaul Louisiana's sales tax, as well as the state's individual and corporate income tax policies.

A few things they are planning to zero in on specifically include broadening the state sales tax base by removing some exemptions and possibly applying it to some services, capping the state's federal income tax deduction and reducing some tax credits for businesses.

The ideas aren't new. Economists and other experts have been making the same recommendations for years.

But leaders say they hope this time will be different.

"Louisiana's broken. We all know it. Everybody's sort of putting their eggs in this basket," said Rep. John Schroder, a Covington Republican who doesn't serve on the panel but set the task force into motion with legislation in the first of two special sessions earlier this year to address immediate budget needs.

Economist Jim Richardson, who serves as co-chairman of the task force, said one thing he is hoping for is patience.

"Everything we suggest, somebody's going to have some pain," Richardson said.

The task force has been meeting regularly since February  long meetings that have been deep dives into the state's tax history and reports on outcomes.

"The devil's in the details, but it's important for us to impress upon the Legislature that this is an issue they need to deal with and only they can deal with," Richardson said.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, Gov. John Bel Edwards' chief budget architect, said he thinks one of the panel's priorities should be coming up with a way for the state to eliminate the 1-cent sales tax hike approved earlier this year to shore up the state's finances.

"It has to look at how much do we need to generate to hold ourselves harmless by removing that fifth penny," he said.

The Legislature agreed to a temporary sales tax hike  from 4 percent to 5 percent  earlier this year to plug the nearly $2 billion hole in the state budget. But it's set to expire in 2018, leaving an estimated $1.5 billion gap.

"Every one of these suggestions will be sensitive," Richardson said. "It's not going to be easy."
State Superintendent of Education John White said Wednesday public forums will be held statewide on how Louisiana plans to comply with a new federal education law called the Every Student Succeeds Act.
GONZALES  Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa issued an emergency order Tuesday suspending a parish rule that would have required the owners of some damaged homes and businesses to elevate their properties one foot above the record high water last month.

The executive order does not relieve property owners of all parish elevation requirements that they may face, but parish officials expect it will set the target elevation lower in some cases and could allow some property owners to avoid having to raise their homes altogether.

I do not want to place any additional burdens on those who are substantially damaged and wishing to rebuild, Matassa said in a statement.

Whether to leave elevation requirements in place or change them in response to the August floods is a question parish and city officials are confronting across the Baton Rouge region. The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council is expected to discuss easing a similar post-flood elevation requirement and other rules 5 p.m. Wednesday in room 905 of the council chambers, 222 St. Louis St., Baton Rouge.

East Baton Rouge Councilman Trae Welch has said he would like to exempt the recent floods from a city-parish ordinance that currently requires new buildings and substantially damaged ones to be built or elevated one foot above the record inundation.

Even with Matassa's action to halt elevation to the new record flood, Ascension residents with the worst damaged homes and businesses in the lowest areas will still have to ensure their properties are one foot above the base flood elevation if they rebuild or significantly renovate, parish officials have said. That could require raising homes anyway.

The base flood elevation is the height that inundation waters are expected to reach in a 100-year flood, which means a flood that has a 1 percent chance of happening in any given year.

Not all owners of flooded property would have to elevate. Whether a house or business needs to be raised is also determined by how significantly it was damaged -- in Ascension the elevation requirement kicks in if the damage would require repairs costing 50 percent or more of the property's market value.

The elevation height required by Ascension's now-suspended record inundation rule would have pushed elevation requirements even higher than the base flood for owners of damaged properties, Ascension Parish Councilman Randy Clouatre said.

Flooding that tore through the Baton Rouge region was prompted by severe storms the state climate officials have said exceed a 1,000-year rainfall in many areas across the northern parts of East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes, though not in Ascension.

But, a 1,000-year rain doesn't necessarily mean there will be an equivalent 1,000-year flood.

While U.S. Geological Survey officials have not yet determined the magnitude of the regional flooding that resulted from this immense rainfall, those officials have said high water likely exceeded a 100-year flood.

That could mean flooding heights seen across the region were also above those expected for a 100-year event, which is the standard for base flood elevations in the parish.

Flood damage estimates in Ascension have ranged from 10,000 to 19,000 homes and businesses, but a solid count of how many flooded homes were inside the 100-year flood plain, the most flood-prone parts of the parish, is as yet undetermined.

Still, many of the hardest hit areas according to anecdotal accounts, such as St. Amant, Sorrento and Galvez, are largely in the 100-year flood plain.

Lavern Bourgeois, parish building official, said he believes most of the flooded homes were in the 100-year flood plain, though some homes outside the flood plain certainly received damage as well.

Matassa's order, which he announced late last week and signed Tuesday, says parish officials are still trying to determine the record inundation and residents want to return and rebuild now.

The emergency order is only in effect for 30 days, but Clouatre, chairman of the Parish Council, said the council is expected to consider making the change permanent in the coming weeks.

One quandary for local officials is that the record inundation requirement and other rules in place in Baton Rouge and Ascension are tougher than the Federal Emergency Management Agency's minimum needed for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, but they also earn ratepayers breaks on their premiums.

Matassa, the Ascension Parish president, told the Parish Council Thursday night in Donaldsonville when he announced his planned order that he and other parish officials have met with FEMA and staffers in U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy's office about suspending the elevation rule tied to the record inundation.

Matassa said he was assured by FEMA officials that suspending it would not affect the parish's ability to continue to be part of the federal flood insurance program as long as the parish retained the requirement to be one foot above the base flood elevation.

"Now they verbally told us that it would not (be a problem), as long as we gave a permit of a foot above the BFE," he said. "Now, they're going to give it (that assurance) to us in writing."

Clouatre said that keeping the requirement to stay one foot above the base flood elevation, which is tougher than the FEMA minimum standard, will also preserve discounts on flood insurance premiums.

"The thing is you want to help people, but you don't want to hurt them in the long run," he said.

The minimum standard under the federal insurance program requires that new construction or substantially damaged homes in the special flood hazard area that are undergoing repairs elevate at least to the base flood elevation.

Both Ascension elevation rules, the suspended one and the one still in effect, apply parishwide as written, regardless of flood zone. But O'Neil Parenton Jr., parish attorney, said the elevation rule tied to the base flood elevation only effectively matters in the flood-prone special flood hazard areas. Those are the areas affected by the 100-year flood and are where BFE's have been determined by FEMA. Areas outside the special flood hazard area are above the level of the base flood.

Both elevation rules in Ascension, the suspended one and the one still in effect, could have a major effect on what the owners of homes and businesses that are deemed as "substantially damaged" would have had to do to restore their properties.

Ascension sets the substantial damage standard at more than 50 percent of the property's market value, the minimum FEMA standard.

In East Baton Rouge, the standard has been set at 40 percent, a tougher standard than FEMA's minimum, but City-Parish Councilman Welch has proposed loosening to the 50 percent threshold.
TAYLORVILLE, Ill., Sept. 7, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Watson recognized Hunger Action Month by donating $2,000 to the Taylorville Food Pantry to support their efforts in feeding those in need. September is Hunger Action Month, and Watson has committed to supporting the fight against hunger through donations, advocacy, and promoting awareness. In addition to the donation of $2,000, Watson team members will be wearing orange to help promote awareness of hunger. Orange is the official color of Hunger Action Month, and the company has provided orange T-shirts to employees who would like to participate in raising awareness. All month long, team members will take photos in their orange shirts and post the photos on social media. The company will also be posting to their social media pages. Watson's Taylorville location has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WatsonTaylorville/. The company has even turned their Facebook profile picture orange to promote Hunger Awareness Month.



Employees will also be posting pictures of themselves balancing spoons on their noses for #Spoontember, in support of Feeding America's social media campaign for hunger awareness.



In addition to #Spoontember and Hunger Awareness Month, Watson supports the Taylorville Food Pantry during the year by providing toothpaste, toothbrushes, Thanksgiving dinner boxes, and turkey gift cards, as well as through food drives. Watson also donated $2000 toward the Taylorville Food Pantry Building Fund, which was matched by the Taylorville Sertoma Club.



This donation will kick off the start of Watson's 'Hunger Action Month' program, but activities will continue throughout the month of September, and will be posted on Facebook with the hashtags #HungerActionMonth and #HungerAction.



About Watson:



Watson was founded in 1939 in New York. Today, the headquarters is located in West Haven, CT. In 1982, Watson purchased the enrichment business of Stauffer Chemical Co., and Nopa Laboratories, a small pharmaceutical firm in Pana, Illinois. In 1992, Watson purchased Dufar's nutritional premix division for the food industry and for US AID emergency relief programs. That same year, Watson moved its Illinois production facility from Pana, IL, to a 66,000 square foot building in Taylorville, IL. For more information on Watson Inc., see www.watson-inc.com.



Contacts:

Watson Inc.

Moira Watson, V.P. Marketing & Communications

moira.watson@watson-inc.com

800-388-3481 or (203) 932-3000



Company info:

Watson Inc.

Corporate headquarters: 301 Heffernan Drive, West Haven CT 06516

CEO: James T. Watson

Website: www.watson-inc.com

Employees: 300
There are now five people who are living in FEMA's manufactured home units, and 40 more that are awaiting utility hook-ups, FEMA officials said Wednesday.

But Tito Hernandez, FEMA's federal coordinating officer, continued to stress that the manufactured housing units, which cost about $60,000 to produce, are still a housing option of last resort for flood victims.

Hernandez said 566 families currently qualify for the mobile homes. That number could go up, but because FEMA has touched base with the majority of flood victims already Hernandez said he doesn't expect the number to shoot up dramatically.

Last week, FEMA had only one mobile home set up, which set off local legislators who complained about the slow pace of getting the assistance to displaced homeowners.

+5 Two big reasons why just 1 FEMA trailer in place after Louisiana flooding Six days after the new FEMA trailers were unveiled to offer temporary living for flood victi

Hernandez said FEMA workers are hitting a stride and should be able to begin installation on about 40 mobile home units a day. However, the full installation can take about a week.

One of the main obstacles for people seeking mobile homes is lot size. The units are almost 1,000 square feet.

Hernandez said if the unit doesn't fit in their lot, people are being referred to the nearest commercial site, which is typically an already existing trailer park. He said many people are declining that option, opting not to leave their neighborhoods.

But he said that if a person is eligible for a mobile home and their lot is too small, FEMA would allow them to place the unit on a willing family or friend's larger property.

FEMA is still actively working with local governments to consider group sites, where multiple mobile homes could be placed. But Hernandez said it's not clear if there will be a need yet.

"With 566 houses eligible all spread out, I just don't see the need yet," he said.

Hernandez also said having flood insurance, or temporarily living with a friend or family member are not reasons that would automatically exclude one's eligibility for a mobile home unit.

FEMA officials are fielding many questions about mobile homes, but they say the preferred option is other forms of rental and lodging assistance or the Shelter at Home program, which provides smaller scale construction projects to make homes livable while the rest of the rebuild continues.

Hernandez said the biggest lesson they learned from Hurricane Sandy was the value of the Shelter at Home program, over mobile units, which gets people into their homes as soon as possible.

The temporary housing is available to people with damage exceeding $17,000 and who have registered with FEMA. There is no income requirement for the program. The manufactured housing option comes into play when nearby rentals are unavailable. Temporary housing, generally, is available for up to 18 months while repairs are being made to the pre-disaster primary residence or until the occupants find a new home.
Student enrolments in Canberra public schools continue to grow, according to the August snapshot of the 2016 ACT School Census.

The report showed 44,917 students were enrolled in the ACT's 87 public schools, an increase of 1401, or 3.2 per cent, from August 2015.

The August snapshot of the ACT School Census shows public school enrolments are increasing. Credit:Glen McCurtayne

The growth in public school enrolments was higher than the recent growth in school-age population of 1.4 per cent a year, according to Minister for Education Shane Rattenbury.

"I am pleased to see the sustained growth in enrolments across our public primary, high and college sectors since 2012," Mr Rattenbury said.
An inmate who escaped from Canberra's jail on the weekend is still at large, ACT Policing has confirmed.

Jacob MacDonald, 21, and Patrick McCurley, 28, were on the run after breaking out of the Alexander Maconochie Centre in Hume on Friday night.

Prisoners Jacob McDonald andA Patrick McCurley

McHurley was recaptured on Sunday night after a reported car chase throughout the city, but MacDonald is yet to be found.

While details of their alleged jail break are scant, it is the first successful escape from the AMC since it began taking prisoners in March 2009.
The Australian National University will forge ahead with plans to knock down the old Bruce Hall resident campus and replace it with two new buildings, despite criticism from former residents.

Only the furnishings and the Flugelman sculpture out the front will remain of the historic residential hall when the site is developed into two new accommodation towers, the university revealed on Wednesday.

Derek Wrigley, former ANU architect who helped to design Bruce Hall, is disappointed plans to demolish Bruce Hall will go ahead. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

Demolition of the existing hall is scheduled for early next year, with more than 800 students to move into the new sister towers from 2019.

ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt said in a statement the new residential blocks would pay "homage" to the old Bruce Hall.
NASSAU, Bahamas, Sept. 7, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Director General in the Ministry of Tourism Joy Jibrilu said that The Bahamas remains "relatively speaking, a safe zone where all stops have been pulled out to curtail the spread of the Zika virus."



Jibrilu spoke to industry stakeholders during a Zika Informational Session for Tourism Stakeholders at the British Colonial Hilton on September 5, 2016. The forum allowed officials from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Environment Health to give updates on the virus and the measures taken to prevent its spread in the country.



The Tourism Director General gave an overview on Zikia and the impact on Tourism. Dr. Merciana Moxey, Senior Medical officer of the Department Public Health Services Surveillance Unit made a presentation "What is Zika," and Assistant Director of Environmental Health Services Andrew Thompson gave an in-depth presentation on all of the preventative measures being taken.



"We have a complete picture of what we're up against from a tourism standpoint. It is important that we stay focused and keep fear at bay. We have a plan that we implemented prior to the very first case of Zika in The Bahamas," Jibrilu told a crowded room.



"It is no doubt due to the early implementation of that plan that today we have so few cases of Zika, even though one case of Zika is too many. But today, relatively speaking, The Bahamas remains a safe zone where all stops have been pulled out to curtail the spread of the Zika virus."



So far there are eight confirmed cases of the virus on the island of New Providence. Assistant Director in the Department of Environmental Health Services Andrew Thompson said his department has been doing a number of things since January in preparation for Zika, including surveillance, vector control and public education campaigns.



Thompson noted that while fogging is one way to reduce the mosquito population it is only one measure and encouraged attendees to inspect their properties for containers and plants that can collect water and become breeding sites.



Thompson said officials have also conducted inspections at all of the official ports of entry in the country for potential breeding sites and has encouraged officials to monitor the areas.



Health officials pointed out that the eggs laid by an Aedeis aegypti can survive for up to a year without water. The Zika virus is transmitted primarily through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. However, the virus is also spread from mother to baby during pregnancy and during sexual intercourse.



Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health Dr. Glenn Beneby said health officials are hard at work educating the public on Zika prevention methods. "This is not a singular act, it is a continual process," he said.



Jibrilu said that the fight to curtail Zika "requires all hands on deck. We hope that when you leave here this morning, we would have brought a heightened awareness of the situation and what our collective role is in preventing the further spread of the virus," she said.



She added, "From the moment the World Health Organization declared the Zika virus a global health emergency back in February of this year, The Bahamas mounted a united campaign of Zika prevention encompassing all related government ministries and private sector entities.



"There has been a magnificent collaboration among all of our entities to accomplish one mission: to prevent the spread of Zika and to eradicate the Aedes aegypti mosquito."



Health officials advise anyone travelling to The Bahamas who feel they may have symptoms of the virus to contact the National Disease Surveillance Unit at 502-4776, 502-4790, 376-3809 or 376-4705.



Visitors to The Bahamas receive educational pamphlets about the virus at all ports of entry. The pamphlet includes symptoms, prevention tips and contact information for the Ministry of Health. Hotels and guest properties throughout The Islands of The Bahamas are also continuing their proactive measures.

Photos accompanying this release are available at:



http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=41342



http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=41343
In March, ACT Policing changed the protocols around pursuits to mean police could begin pursuits on Canberra's roads only when there is a serious risk to public safety, or if there is a major crime planned or under way involving serious injury or death. But Australian Federal Police Association president Angela Smith said the policy put both police officers and the public at risk. "What is happening is the criminals are now goading and taunting police into pursuits. Criminals are driving at my members and they are having to take evasive action and firearms are now being pulled to basically discourage them from driving at my members," she said. "They have driven within inches of them while they're standing on the road trying to direct people to stop and it's becoming so incredible dangerous, I've had members say to me this is one of the most dangerous times they've ever been a police officer." She said an officer had a narrow escape from injury on Monday, when police pulled over a stolen car.

"The driver put the officer's life at great risk by driving away when the police officer was trying to remove the driver from the car," Ms Smith said. In another recent incident, an officer was forced to draw their gun on an offender to stop them from hitting the officer with their car. "The stolen car swerved and very narrowly missed the other police officer who was trying to deploy stop sticks," Ms Smith said. An ACT Policing spokesman said both incidents were currently under investigation. But chief police officer Rudi Lammers hit back at the union's claims, saying "the community has overwhelmingly supported the move to a limited police pursuits".
Canberra venues and events could be forced to sell healthier food and drink if they don't voluntarily do more to help fight the city's obesity epidemic.

The ACT government will announce on Thursday it will review the costs and benefits of promoting healthy food by sporting clubs, businesses and venues with a view to introduce "mandatory requirements".

One in four ACT children is overweight or obese. Credit:

The audit will be backed by some of the extra $755,000 the government will inject into the Healthy Weight Initiative, in response to the junk food and drink marketing consultation it ran last year, ACT assistant health minister Meegan Fitzharris said.

"I'd like to be clear that our approach is to work with the community and industry on taking serious steps towards promoting healthy food, drinks and lifestyles," she said.
The Australian National University will establish an international research program to improve ways to store renewable energy under a new $8 million partnership with the ACT Government.

ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt thanked the ACT Government for contributing up to $5 million to support the program, which would help to establish Australian research leadership in the integration of battery material technology with electricity network storage.

A solar photovoltaic lab at the Australian National University. Credit:Stuart Hay, ANU Photography

"I want to congratulate the ACT Government on its commitment to renewable energy and innovative energy solutions," Professor Schmidt said.

"The funding will enable the ANU Energy Change Institute, which will coordinate the research program, to build a critical mass of research in the area and focus on commercialisation of new technologies."
Australia should follow the United States and ban some antibacterial chemicals from everyday soaps because they don't work and could be causing serious health problems, scientists say.

The US Food and Drug Administration last week ruled that 19 ingredients could no longer be used in domestic antibacterial soaps and washes because manufacturers had failed to show they were safe for long-term use or any better at stopping illness and the spread of infections than regular soap and water.

The banned chemicals are in about 40 per cent of soaps and liquid washes sold in US and are in some domestic products sold in Australian supermarkets and chemists.

Palmolive Antibacterial Liquid Handwash and Dettol bar soap, for example, contain triclocarban, one of the most commonly used antibacterials.
British department store Debenhams says it's bringing affordable, designer fashion back to Australia and is confident it can convert fans of David Jones and Myer's private label lines into Designers at Debenhams devotees.

The opening of Debenhams' first Australian store, in Melbourne next September, will showcase the chain's exclusive collection of designer collaborations.

An artist impression of the front of the Melbourne store.

It could also fill the gap left by Target's decision to focus on everyday apparel and fashion basics rather than big-name fashion collaborations.

Harris Scarfe owner Pepkor South East Asia struck a deal last year to open as many as 10 Debenhams stores in Australia.
Given the ACT government's response to the Mr Fluffy disaster will involve an overall spend of about $1 billion, of which a bit more than half is probably recoverable, there is a compelling argument for an independent review to determine if taxpayers' money has been managed appropriately.

Such a review could take the form of a royal commission which, among other things, would examine the history of the debacle that led to the contamination and make a determination on how much responsibility, moral and legal, remains vested in the federal government.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr says he will step in to save Art not Apart if re-elected. Credit:Rohan Thomson

Because the installation of the loose fill asbestos was permitted before self government, and the first attempts at rectification also occurred before that date, federal parliamentarians and bureaucrats originally had carriage of this issue.

The ease and rapidity with which the federal government sidestepped any accountability for the disaster, which has resulted in the forced relocation of more than 1000 Canberra families and the ongoing demolition of their homes, has been criticised by ACT politicians in the past.
For a brief moment last week, it looked like Donald Trump was committing himself to the long-promised, seldom-seen presidential pivot. Standing next to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, the least popular president in Mexican history, the Republican candidate subtly reminded viewers that even deeply unpopular people can be chosen to run large nations. His stilted but restrained speech following their meeting signalled that the New Trump had finally arrived. The pivot lasted the length of an afternoon. Before nightfall in Arizona, Trump was delivering one of the darkest, fieriest speeches of his campaign, a speech that harkened back to his campaign launch in June last year and his nomination speech this July. Those speeches, taken together, make clear that Trump's promise to "make America great again" is less about looking to the past than looking to the east: to Europe and the right-wing nationalists whose politics and rhetoric he emulates. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump believes the answers to America's problems lie in Europe's far-right parties. Credit:AP The Europeanisation of the GOP is a stunning development, given how devoted the party has been to American exceptionalism during the past 35 years. Trump, for better or worse, rejects the idea of America as an exceptional nation. He doesn't even think it's a particularly good nation at the moment. "Essentially we're saying [to other nations]: 'We're more outstanding than you. By the way, you've been eating our lunch for the last 20 years, but we're more exceptional than you'," Trump said when explaining his rejection of American exceptionalism. "I don't like the term. I never liked it." Wherever one falls on the validity of American exceptionalism as an idea, this is a remarkable line for a Republican politician to toe.

But Trump doesn't just reject American exceptionalism. He believes that the answers to America's problems lie not in the nation's history or its ideas, but rather in Europe's far-right parties. Immigration policy is where this "make America European" idea comes through most clearly. In his recent speech, Trump called for a mix of restriction, extreme vetting and ideological testing for immigrants coming into the United States. Such ideological testing is a rarity in American history. True, in the 20th century, particularly during the cold war, anarchists, communists, and others considered "subversive" were barred from immigrating to the US. But while the policy made a big statement, it had little effect. During the 1950s, a decade when cold war tensions were at their peak, about 100 immigrants a year were turned away for being subversives. During the 1960s, that number dropped to 10. Trump is not looking back to the cold war for his immigration policies; he's looking to Europe. Ideological restrictions are far more commonly found in far-right parties like France's National Front and the Austrian Freedom Party. Leaders of these parties share the concern with cultural and national identity that runs through Trump's speeches, a sense that some groups cannot be assimilated and therefore should not be admitted. Trump's proposed Muslim ban, so alien to American immigration policies since the end of Chinese exclusion in 1943, has decidedly European origins. His anti-immigration policies aren't the only thing Trump has imported from the European right. The alt-right, a fringe political group that has gone mainstream with the Trump campaign, traces its origins to European nationalists as well. A group that promotes anti-Semitism and white supremacy under the guise of opposition to politically correct culture, the alt-right was born in the pages of Taki's Magazine. Founded in 2007 by Greek writer Taki Theodoracopulos, the magazine soon came under the editorship of Richard Spencer, a well-known American white supremacist. It has since spread across the rankest parts of the internet.
Before considering the future of foreign political donations in our political system, some extra reflection on what is involved is called for. Foreign donations to political parties may be only the tip of the iceberg. Political causes and interests are so entangled across the globe that money comes into Australia for all sorts of purposes. Any move towards regulation should consider whether it should apply to pressure groups, movements and lobbyists as well as to parties.

Some interventions come from business interests via multinational corporations and through influential business friends, whether they be British lords or American tycoons. Political commentary comes from foreign-owned media. The trade union movement has an international organisation, at present headed by an Australian, Sharan Burrow. Right back during the Great Strikes of the 1890s considerable international financial support flowed in on both sides to employers and unionists.

Foreign governments duchess Australian politicians in various ways, through their involvement in international study tours for future leaders and cross-party friendship groups for all MPs. From their point of view it is all about educating Australian parliamentarians in their country's history, society and culture. The Cold War was fought out in Australia in this way in the 1940s and '50s by the United States and the Soviet Union. There are similar foreign-government financed programs for travel, research and study by academics.

Nation-states lobby the Australian Parliament directly too. The first lobbying register, from 1983 to 1996, included a special Foreign section to recognise there was something special about it. Any big tender competition, such as the recent one to build Australia's submarine fleet, may be conducted between private corporations but these foreign governments, whether German, Swedish or Japanese, take a keen interest and engage in diplomatic lobbying in support of their own corporations.

All social policies also have an international dimension. This applies to a matter like same-sex marriage, which may be the subject of a plebiscite next February. Both sides in this debate, whether they are churches or secular organisations, are part of broad international movements and associations within which there is a free flow of money and personnel. It would not surprise if the plebiscite campaign had an international flavour as international speakers have already played a part in Australian debates.
Thirty years ago today I started as a cadet journalist at The Sydney Morning Herald. September 8, 1986. It was the year Lindy Chamberlain was released from prison, a nurse called Anita Cobby was murdered in western Sydney and two Australians, Barlow and Chambers, were executed in Malaysia for drug trafficking. The old "new" Parramatta Stadium had just opened and the issue occupying the front page was transport: namely the then controversial construction of the monorail (now dismantled). The upcoming Bicentennial was big and the Barangaroo back then  the building Sydneysiders loved to hate  was Darling Harbour's Convention Centre (also now dismantled and like the Eels' stadium being rebuilt.) Our records show the median Sydney house price was $109,752; (read that and weep). No one much cared about real estate  trust me, I was a cadet on the property page, singular. It wasn't until the next year that property prices became hot news, with the 1987 real estate boom which dove-tailed with the stockmarket crash.

The Herald's photos were black and white and the broadsheet was read all over town. I was young and in love with newspapers and felt there was nowhere quite as exciting to work as our news room; a smoke-filled cacophony of characters and constantly ringing telephones (with pre-mobile seven-digit numbers with no nines in front of them.)

Staff cadet journalist intake on September 8, 1986. Pictured are Mary Boson, Jenny Chater, Danielle Cook, Damon Frith, Helen Pitt and Wilson Da Silva. Credit:Roy Brown

It is still a fun place to work, though I am no longer young. When I come to work I sometimes feel a bit like the man in the 1970s commercial for milk who walks into a bar and asks a young girl; "where have you been all my life?" "For the first half of it I wasn't even born," she replies. Which must be how some of my colleagues feel about me. Many weren't even born when I began as a cub reporter.

While I began work here three decades ago, the bulk of my career has been spent outside of the Herald, overseas and at other publications. But like Brylcream, I came back. So my ancient history of the city is perhaps better than my modern. I have a big blindspot from 1999-2009, when I lived in California. After a decade away, I found myself asking embarrassing questions like: "who are Kath and Kim?" "what's a 'ranga?" and "when did Bernard King die?" No wonder one of my younger co-workers had to rush to Google to find out what I was talking about when I called ABC Radio 702 by its old name 2BL.
It's been three magical years since that wonderful night when the dysfunctional, deeply divided Labor party were kicked out of power by the people of Australia and the nation was ushered into the stable, cool-headed leadership of the Coalition under Tony Abbott.

And what a spectacular decision that turned out to be!

"Everything is going great! I'm going to be here forever!" Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Yes, this time three years ago the Coalition government won in a landslide electoral victory, welcoming in an era of, in the words of its leader, "A government that says what it means and means what it says. A government of no surprises and no excuses. And a government that accepts that it will be judged more by its deeds than by its mere words."

And that stirring speech heralded literally weeks of triumph for the Abbott government.
RAPID CITY, Sept. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Breakthrough, Rapid Citys fastest growing marketing firm, is living up to its name as their client list continues to grow. The premier marketing firm represents ten of the biggest brands in the nation, including the #15 company on Forbes Fortune 100 list.

Breakthroughs Director of Operations takes pride in their record setting productivity over the last eight months. The company has reached new heights this year by earning the trust of their national clients and reaping the benefits.

The national spotlight continues to shine bright on Breakthrough as offers to expand their clients national footprint pour in. This year, the management staff at Breakthrough aided in the expansion of an associate, Adam Bennett. Adam expanded the clients territory into the Fort Collins, Colorado area on July 7, 2016. Whispers of another expansion in Colorado have been heard, but the organization remains tight-lipped on their next move.

The growth Breakthrough is experiencing doesn't solely revolve around crossing state lines. The company is expected to unveil another client on Labor Day, 2016 as a test phase begins. One Executive at Breakthrough says, Our clients were able to negotiate a cobranding agreement which tripled the opportunity for future growth and productivity. Our company needs to find and train the future of this industry, which lead us to open our doors for the hiring process beginning immediately.

The company is willing to provide an unparalleled training course, which allows them to hire and develop confident, team-oriented individuals to executive level leaders within mere months. We pride ourselves on providing an incredible opportunity to Rapid City residents. The best part about what we do is offering career growth opportunities to our neighbors, explains Breakthroughs Director of Operations. The company is seeking individuals with talent and new perspective to join their team immediately.

For more information on career opportunities offered by Breakthrough, visit www.BreakthroughRapidCity.com.
Finally, Sam Dastyari has accepted that he must pay the price for an appalling judgement and his totally inadequate attempt to explain it away.

Not a moment too soon, he has ensured that the focus returns to where it needs to be: on the case for comprehensive reform of rules governing political donations and gifts to individual politicians.

Dastyari says what he did, in getting a company to pay a debt incurred for travel by his office to the Department of Finance, was within the rules - but wrong.

Could there be a stronger, more compelling argument for changing those rules?
Former prime minister John Howard has criticised suggested reforms to the political donations system, saying it is "fundamentally an attack on freedom of political activity and expression".

Mr Howard supported the idea of real-time disclosure of donations but said anything beyond that would stymie the ability of parties to run campaigns and lead to "massive increases in public funding".

"I don't believe that if a company is carrying on a lawful activity, it should be prohibited from making a political donation. I don't think every developer in this country is a crook any more than I believe that people who aren't developers are all virtuous. I don't agree with

that, and I certainly don't agree with the suggestions that we should further limit the amount that people contribute or companies contribute," Mr Howard told the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.

"I think fundamentally it is an attack on freedom of political activity and expression. If you limit donations to a small amount per head, that will inevitably result in massive increases in public funding. And political parties cannot run campaigns on nothing."
A plebiscite on same-sex marriage could be "self-executing", without the need for a subsequent parliamentary conscience vote, under a compromise proposal to win Labor's backing.

Fairfax Media understands Labor has a number of demands, chief among them that a successful plebiscite would automatically lead to marriage equality becoming law, rather than depending on another vote in the Parliament.

Labor also wants zero public funding to be given to the "yes" and "no" campaigns, and for voting in the plebiscite to be mandatory.

Pressure is mounting on Attorney-General George Brandis and Special Minister of State Scott Ryan to walk a narrow tightrope by drafting a plebiscite that can win Labor's support and secure the backing of conservatives in the Coalition party room.
Embattled Labor senator Sam Dastyari has fallen on his sword, resigning from his frontbench roles as the donation scandal that engulfed him over the past week reached a crescendo.

The 33-year-old NSW senator quit as manager of opposition business in the Senate and shadow spokesman for consumer affairs, hours after Fairfax Media revealed he may have broken Labor Party rules on political donations by allowing Chinese donors to make payments on his behalf for travel and legal bills.

His resignation comes just 24 hours after the senator held an 'ask me anything' press conference, where he said that while he'd been "admonished" by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, he had not been asked to resign or offered his resignation.

The furore was first triggered last week after Fairfax Media revealed Senator Dastyari had a business with links to the Chinese government pay a personal bill. It escalated when it emerged he appeared to take a pro-China line that contradicted Labor policy on the South China Sea and came to a head with new questions on Wednesday.
And Australians with close overseas connections or who are dual citizens could continue donating. Minshen Zhu, the businessman who paid Senator Dastyari's debt, is a Chinese-Australian with reportedly has strong connections with the Chinese government. 2) Ban corporate donations This is the favoured policy of the Greens. Under their approach, for-profit companies would be banned from making donations while individuals and non-profit entities could keep donating. The problem: banning donations from corporations but not unions would never fly with the Liberals. Doing so would fly against the party's free market instincts and hand its political opponents a massive fund-raising advantage. If you want your reform model to have a shot at bipartisan support, this isn't it. 3) Limit donations to individuals on the electoral roll

This proposal is the most radical on offer as it would wipe out donations from both businesses and unions. Only individuals would be allowed to donate. The major parties would lose up to 90 per cent of their donations revenue under this scenario, with increased public funding used to fill the hole. The idea has particularly strong support from the conservative side of politics - from Malcolm Turnbull to Pyne to former Liberal Party treasurer Michael Yabsley. There's no doubt this move would go a long way to restoring faith in the integrity of the system, but there are some big problems. Firstly, the realpolitik: Labor is unlikely to support cutting ties so dramatically with the industrial wing of the party. More importantly, it could well be found unconstitutional. When the NSW O'Farrell government tried to limit donations to individuals in 2013 the High Court shot it down on the basis it infringed the Constitution's implied right to political communication.

4) Cap donations To overcome these constitutional risks, legal experts have suggested capping donations instead of banning them. Corporations and individuals can currently donate as much as they want to political parties. A 2014 report led by respected executive Kerry Schott found: "Caps are a measured and appropriate way of targeting large donations which clearly pose the greatest risk in terms of corruption and undue influence." Proposals for capped donation amounts differ. The NSW government, for example, has backed a $5,800 limit for donations to political parties. Former prime minister John Howard argued against such restrictions on Wednesday. Limiting donations, he argued, amounts to "an attack on freedom of political activity and expression". He also warned that cutting off donations could create an even more "monstrous" scenario than we have now: the growth of US-style Super PAC organisations. These groups raise millions of dollars for political campaign but operate with little regulation and transparency. 5) Improve disclosure requirements

There is a significant lag in Australia's political donation reporting requirements. The federal election was held in July but we won't discover until next February who was donating what to whom. How much did the big banks give to the Coalition, which was fighting calls for a royal commission? How much did the construction unions give Labor, which opposed the restoration of an industry watchdog. You'll have to wait to find out. That's why there is widespread support for real time donations disclosure or, at the very least, much more frequent updates of the register. Then there are the disclosure thresholds. In 2006 John Howard lifted the disclosure threshold from $1000 to $10,000 plus indexation (the threshold is now $13,500). Labor supports disclosure at $1000 and already does so voluntarily. Many of the above ideas may sound like common sense. But don't underestimate how hard it is to get anything done. In the Rudd era, John Faulkner got a package of reforms - including a ban on foreign donations and reducing the disclosure threshold to $1000 - through cabinet and the House of Representatives. But, without Coalition support, it never made it to the Senate. In the Gillard era, Tony Abbott agreed to then backed out of a deal to impose a $5000 disclosure threshold. It will take sustained public pressure - and a rare burst of political co-operation - to ensure dreams of reform don't crash into the rocks once again.
The longer the politics over the reforms to the superannuation tax breaks continues, the worse it will be for the growing proportion of the workforce working part-time and casually.

The low-income super contribution was brought in by Labor in 2012 to compensate low-paid workers who pay less than 15 per cent on their overall income, yet have the 15 per cent super contributions tax come out of their compulsory super.

Lower earners need all the help they can get to build their super. Illustration: Karl Hilzinger Credit: Karl Hilzinger

It's a payment of up to $500 through the Tax Office on the basis of tax returns that goes directly into the individual's super account.

The scheme was due to be axed by the Abbott government after June 30, 2017.
An Australian kitesurfer who died after being bitten by a shark in New Caledonia was on a 10-day organised catamaran expedition, seeking out remote surfing locations in the region, when the tragedy occurred.

Staff at Cabrinha Quest expedition were "in total shock" after the 50-year-old man from Fremantle, south of Perth, died on Tuesday after he was bitten on the thigh by an unknown species of shark while kitesurfing in the large reef at Koumac, in the north of New Caledonia.

The man was a guest on the Cabrinha Quest catamaran Discovery, which had embarked on the 10-day Northern Reef Adventures expedition on Monday, the day before his death.

The New Caledonian Marine Rescue Coordination Centre said in a statement that the man was kitesurfing when he fell and a shark bit him on the right thigh just before 3.50pm on Tuesday.
A seemingly innocuous motion to support multiculturalism in the Brisbane City Council chamber this week turned into a political bunfight, with allegations of internal party divisions souring a rare moment of bipartisanship.

The motion, moved on Tuesday night in the council chamber at City Hall, was that: "This council reaffirms our support for multicultural diversity across Brisbane.

Brisane City Council has reaffirmed its commitment to multiculturalism. Credit:Michelle Smith

"In doing so we recognise that this diversity increases cultural awareness and understanding.

"We acknowledge the contribution that multicultural communities make to the economic, social and cultural life of the city and we confirm our commitment to the values of harmony within our community and respect for one another regardless of cultural background or religious belief."
The commute to Brisbane from the north is being described as a "free carpark" with lengthy delays back more than 25 kilometres to Narangba, all thanks to a breakdown.

The breakdown in Nudgee was causing lengthy delays back to Boundary Road about 6.20am, according to Australian Traffic Network traffic reporter Olympia Kwitowski.

Major delays on the Bruce Highway and Gateway Motorway thanks to a breakdown. Credit:Olympia Kwitowski/Twitter

It was also sending delays back along the Deagon Deviation, toward Redcliffe.

The breakdown had been cleared by 6.45am but was causing major delays, with heavy delays still back to Bald Hills at 7.30am.
VANCOUVER, Washington, Sept. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB:CYDY), a biotechnology company focused on the development of new monoclonal antibody therapies for combating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, announces that Nader Z. Pourhassan, Ph.D., President and CEO, will present at the Rodman & Renshaw 18th Annual Global Investment Conference on Monday, September 12, at 10:50 a.m. Eastern Time (7:50 a.m. Pacific Time). The conference is being held at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in New York City.



A live webcast of the Rodman & Renshaw Conference presentation will be available at http://wsw.com/webcast/rrshq26/cydy or on the Companys website at www.cytodyn.com. An archived presentation will also be available for 90 days. Web participants are encouraged to go to the website 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download and install any necessary software.

About CytoDyn

CytoDyn is a biotechnology company focused on the clinical development and potential commercialization of humanized monoclonal antibodies for the treatment and prevention of HIV infection. The Company has one of the leading monoclonal antibodies under development for HIV infection, PRO 140, which has completed Phase 2 clinical trials with demonstrated antiviral activity in man and is currently in Phase 3. PRO 140 blocks the HIV co-receptor CCR5 on T cells, which prevents viral entry. Clinical trial results thus far indicate that PRO 140 does not negatively affect the normal immune functions that are mediated by CCR5. Results from seven Phase 1 and Phase 2 human clinical trials have shown that PRO 140 can significantly reduce viral burden in people infected with HIV. A recent Phase 2b clinical trial demonstrated that PRO 140 can prevent viral escape in patients during several months of interruption from conventional drug therapy. CytoDyn intends to continue to develop PRO 140 as a therapeutic anti-viral agent in persons infected with HIV and to pursue non-HIV indications where CCR5 and its ligand CCL5 may be involved. For more information on the Company, please visit www.cytodyn.com.

About PRO 140

PRO 140 belongs to a new class of HIV/AIDS therapeutics  viral-entry inhibitors  that are intended to protect healthy cells from viral infection. PRO 140 is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody directed against CCR5, a molecular portal that HIV uses to enter T-cells. PRO 140 blocks the predominant HIV (R5) subtype entry into T-cells by masking this required co-receptor, CCR5. Importantly, PRO 140 does not appear to interfere with the normal function of CCR5 in mediating immune responses. PRO 140 does not have agonist activity toward CCR5 but does have antagonist activity to CCL5, which is a central mediator in inflammatory diseases. PRO 140 has been the subject of seven clinical trials, each demonstrating efficacy by significantly reducing or controlling HIV viral load in human test subjects. PRO 140 has been designated a fast track product candidate by the FDA. The PRO 140 antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent leading to potentially fewer side effects and less frequent dosing requirements as compared to daily drug therapies currently in use.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of United States securities laws, including statements regarding CytoDyns current and proposed trials and studies and their results and completion. These statements and information represent CytoDyns intentions, plans, expectations, and beliefs and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many beyond CytoDyns control. These factors could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements or information. The words believe, estimate, expect, intend, attempt, anticipate, foresee, plan, and similar expressions and variations thereof identify certain of such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, which speak only as of the date on which they are made.

CytoDyn disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. While it is impossible to identify or predict all such matters, these differences may result from, among other things, the inherent uncertainty of the timing and success of and expense associated with research, development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of CytoDyns products and product candidates, including the risks that clinical trials will not commence or proceed as planned; products appearing promising in early trials will not demonstrate efficacy or safety in larger-scale trials; future clinical trial data on CytoDyns products and product candidates will be unfavorable; funding for additional clinical trials may not be available; CytoDyns products may not receive marketing approval from regulators or, if approved, may fail to gain sufficient market acceptance to justify development and commercialization costs; competing products currently on the market or in development may reduce the commercial potential of CytoDyns products; CytoDyn, its collaborators or others may identify side effects after the product is on the market; or efficacy or safety concerns regarding marketed products, whether or not scientifically justified, may lead to product recalls, withdrawals of marketing approval, reformulation of the product, additional pre-clinical testing or clinical trials, changes in labeling of the product, the need for additional marketing applications, or other adverse events.

CytoDyn is also subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with the actions of its corporate, academic, and other collaborators and government regulatory agencies; risks from market forces and trends; potential product liability; intellectual property litigation; environmental and other risks; and risks that current and pending patent protection for its products may be invalid, unenforceable, or challenged or fail to provide adequate market exclusivity. There are also substantial risks arising out of CytoDyns need to raise additional capital to develop its products and satisfy its financial obligations; the highly regulated nature of its business, including government cost-containment initiatives and restrictions on third-party payments for its products; the highly competitive nature of its industry; and other factors set forth in CytoDyns Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016 and other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Corrective Service Minister Bill Byrne, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath announce changes to youth detention in Queensland. Credit:Cameron Atfield Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath conceded the new legislation would be of little help to those detainees. "You cannot pick up 48, as it is today, 48 17-year-olds and put them into the two youth detention centres today without going over capacity and, ourselves, being in breach of the number of young people held in any particular facility," she said. "Also, it's important to understand that it's not just the 48 that are in our adult prison system, there is another 200 on community orders that are overseen by Queensland Corrective Services. "As soon as this law comes into effect, all of those 17-year-olds who are being overseen by the Corrective Services officers will transfer over to Youth Justice and I need to make sure I've got the Youth Justice workers on the ground, who will then case manage all of those 200 offenders though the youth justice system."

Corrective Services Minister Bill Byrne bristled at the suggestion the policy could be interpreted as the Palaszczuk government being soft on crime. "I'm fully prepared for that sort of criticism and I think it is completely ill-informed and unfounded," he said. " It's an ill-informed and partisan position that is not going to be helpful to the longer term well-being of our communities." There was no such soft-on-crime criticism coming from Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls on Wednesday, although he did decry the government's "dictatorial and knee-jerk" approach. Mr Nicholls said shadow attorney-general Ian Walker had written to Ms D'Ath on August 18 seeking input into the process, a letter he said was ignored.

"The opposition has a very important role to play in the outcome of this legislation," he said. "We haven't seen it, we don't know what's going to happen and that's simply because the government is arrogantly making the decisions without consultation." Mr Nicholls said it was a complex issue and several questions needed to be resolved. "Firstly, by the time 17-year-olds are in detention, or are in prison, they have been through a very stringent process. "They've been convicted; they've not just taken a car around the block for a joy ride.

"This isn't the first time that they're there. So, we've got to be very careful about moving sometimes violent offenders who are 17 into youth detention centres with kids as young as 10. "How is that going to be handled?" But those mechanics were secondary to those who had campaigned for years on the issue. Sisters Inside chief executive Debbie Kilroy said it was a "historical and exciting" development. "I'm quite overwhelmed with emotion, because I was one of those 17-year-olds locked up at Boggo Road many, many decades ago," she said.

Ms Kilroy said being incarcerated as a 17-year-old was a deeply traumatising experience that led many to a slippery slope towards a life of crime and imprisonment. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service Queensland chief executive Shane Duffy said he felt "overwhelmed" at the decision. "It's taken some 20 or so years to make a decision about moving 17-year-olds out of adult correctional facilities," he said. While she welcomed the "exciting" move, Youth Advocacy Centre director Janet Wight said she had some sympathy for those who were already in custody and would not see the benefits of legislative change. "That is a bit of a problem by the fact that we've got a time period we need to work through," she said.
A former Victorian police officer who admitted trafficking the drug ice is expected to give evidence against other members of an alleged crime syndicate.

David Cameron Lister, 37, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to six charges, including trafficking methamphetamine, cultivating cannabis and professional misconduct.

David Lister leaves court in May. He admitted to trafficking ice between January 6 and April 3 this year. Credit:Luis Ascui

Two other charges against the former senior constable were dropped, including allegations that he trafficked a commercial quantity of methamphetamine.

The court previously heard that Lister was arrested at Townsville airport in April caught with half a kilogram of ice in a backpack.
Want to buy a luxury apartment with a chequered past and an uncertain future?

Parkville's EVO apartments, sold off the plan as offering a luxury lifestyle with views, were all acquired by the state government after it was revealed that the tower would be surrounded by roads as part of the East West Link.

The EVO apartments in Parkville.

When Daniel Andrews scrapped that controversial road plan, the government suggested the tower could be used to accommodate the homeless.

But that is not to be. The EVO apartments will soon be sold on the private market.
Fewer trains will stop at the existing South Yarra railway station if a Metro Tunnel project bypasses the area, the Andrews government's own documents show.

And there will initially be longer waiting times for passengers at South Yarra if the government does not build a new station there as part of the $11 billion tunnel, a hearing into the project's effects has heard.

As the map below shows, the rail tunnel will not stop at South Yarra  diving below the surface just metres from the existing station and re-emerging in South Kensington.

Trains on Melbourne's busiest lines, Cranbourne and Pakenham, will use the new rail tunnel. It means that, once the tunnel opens in 2026, Cranbourne and Pakenham line trains will skip South Yarra and instead stop at the new Domain station on St Kilda Road.
For those of us who use them regularly, Perth's roads can be many things - infuriating, frustrating and tedious, especially when there's merging.

But for someone who's never driven on the city's tarmac, the roads can be confusing, even intimidating.

Chloe Richardson, 17, found herself in the eye of a social media storm over her driving.

So when 17-year-old Bunbury high school student Chloe Richardson was driving on the freeway in Perth for the very first time on Father's Day she was pretty nervous - so nervous that she forgot to check her blind spot properly before she changed lanes.

"I went to change lanes and I will admit I didn't check it right - and when I moved over I saw there was a car right behind me so I pulled back in my lane, no harm done," she said.
There is insufficient evidence to prove a sailor who confessed to killing three people is responsible for the death of a woman he met at a bar in Western Australia almost 20 years ago, a coroner has found.

Sara-Lee Davey, 21, went missing in January 1997 after going to the Broome Wharf with 19-year-old Richard Dorrough, who was a Royal Australian Navy sailor on shore leave from HMAS Geelong.

Serial Killer Richard Dorrough. Credit:The West Australian

Police interviewed Dorrough but never charged him over Ms Davey's disappearance.

He was later charged, following a cold case review, with the 1998 murder of 29 -year-old prostitute Rachael Campbell in Sydney, but was acquitted at trial in 2010.
A WA miner has survived being dangled up to 10 metres above the ground by a helicopter after his leg became tangled in a rope being used by the chopper to lift and relocate a drill rig.

The incident, being investigated by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, occurred at a salt lake mine at Lake Disappointment - 300 kilometres east of Newman in the Pilbara region.

The helicopter involved in the mid-air incident. Credit:Google Plus / Heliwest

According to a Department of Mines and Petroleum safety report, the driller offsider involved in the incident managed to free his leg from the rope while mid-air.

He then clung to the rope with his arms, at a height equivalent to more than three storeys, until the helicopter pilot realised the situation and began to bring the chopper down.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has appealed for European Union backing in pushing back at China's land grab in the South China Sea, amid new reports that China is about to build on a disputed shoal.

Ms Bishop cited Australia's support for sanctions against Russia after its annexation of Crimea as a reason for the EU to support the Philippines against Chinese expansion.

The Philippines said on Wednesday it was "gravely concerned" that Chinese boats were preparing to build structures at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, despite a ruling by an international tribunal in The Hague in July that China had no right to the waterway.

The Philippines released photos that it said showed Chinese ships, including a dredger, near the chain of reefs and rocks.
Israeli Researchers Transform Pond Slime Into Hydrogen Making Machine







SEE ALSO: Hydrogen Powered Vehicle Archive

Special To The Auto Channel

From Jerusalem Post

TEL AVIV - September 7, 2016; Iftach Yacoby and his team at Tel Aviv University genetically altered single-celled algae, which naturally emit hydrogen throughout the day, allowing the organism to increase its efficiency to five times its natural ability.

Hydrogen fuel cells are already being introduced into vehicles, and the new discovery could mean algae becomes a key player in the push for green energies.

In the ground-breaking research, the scientists disproved the theory that micro-algae only produce hydrogen for a few minutes at dawn, producing only a minimal amount of hydrogen. Yacoby's team discovered not only that this was not the case, and that algae continue to emit hydrogen throughout the day, but that through genetic engineering they could radically improve the pond life's work rate.

The discovery means that in the future it will be possible to grow micro-algae with conventional farming methods so that all the necessary energy can be produced on a larger scale.

Hydrogen is an energy source with huge advantages, says Yacoby. First, it has a tremendous energy content. The travel range of a hydrogen-powered car is more than 500 kilometers per five kilos of hydrogen, and an electric bicycle over 100 kilometers per 30 grams of the bicycle fuel. Secondly, hydrogen does not pollute at all. The process of using of electric fuel cell generates only water vapor, and exhaust emitted by a hydrogen-powered car contains only clean water that can even be suitable for drinking.

Yacoby noted that it is not a dream of the future, as the revolution of hydrogen motors is already taking place.

In 2015, Toyota and Hyundai launched the production of Mirai (meaning future in Japanese) and Tucson cars powered by hydrogen gas. At the same time, electric bicycles are also being converted to run on hydrogen. Refueling stations using the gas are currently being built in Japan, Scandinavia, Germany and California, and scientists worldwide are looking for effective methods to produce hydrogen and create access to large volumes.

Yacoby said that already in 1942, scientists had discovered that micro-algae  single-celled algae with a green color found in any pool of stagnant water  release hydrogen during photosynthesis. However, conventional wisdom until now held that very little hydrogen is emitted, so useful amounts of energy could not be provided.

Hydrogen is produced by algae with the help of an enzyme called hydrogenase that breaks down in the presence of oxygen, explained Yacoby. At night, no oxygen is produced, and when the amount of oxygen decreases, the cell creates a large amount of hydrogenase. The assumption so far has been that for a few moments around sunrise, with exposure to sunlight, the algae produce both hydrogen and oxygen. But very quickly, the oxygen accumulates and paralyzes the hydrogenase, and hydrogen production stops. We decided to test this assumption.

To their surprise, the researchers found that even in the daylight, when the photosynthesis process occurs, the algae produce large amounts of oxygen and also emit a tiny amount of hydrogen. From this, they concluded that in the algae are areas with no oxygen that make it possible for hydrogenase to function. Later we found in the algae three effective mechanisms that work tirelessly to remove the oxygen from the cell, allowing hydrogenase to produce hydrogen continuously throughout the daylight hours, Yacoby said. This makes it clear that algae have a huge underutilized potential for the production of hydrogen fuel.

In the next stage, the researchers used the familiar technology of genetic engineering to intervene in the photosynthesis of micro-algae. Their aim was to cause the cell to produce a greater amount of hydrogenase at the expense of other processes, such as production of sugar, thereby increasing the production of hydrogen. In this way, they were able to engineer laboratory micro-algae that produce 400% more than the original micro-algae.

Twenty thousand years ago, the agricultural revolution took place. Man ceased being a hunter-gatherer. He domesticated plant species from nature and began to grow his own food, concluded Yacoby. But when it comes to energy, we are still collecting from what nature gives us  so far mainly polluting fossil fuels, whose supplies are dwindling rapidly.

He predicted that his teams discoveries are an important step in a new agricultural revolution that could power industry.
SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) announced today that it has priced a public offering of $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.400% senior notes due 2026. The offering is expected to close on September 12, 2016, subject to customary closing conditions. Valero intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including the funding of the redemption of $750 million aggregate principal amount of its 6.125% Senior Notes due 2017 and $200 million aggregate principal amount of its 7.2% Senior Notes due 2017.



Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Mizuho Securities USA Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as joint book-running managers for the notes.

Copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at 1-800-831-9146; Barclays Capital Inc. at 1-888-603-5847; Mizuho Securities USA Inc. at 1-866-271-7403; and RBC Capital Markets, LLC at 1-866-375-6829, and online at www.sec.gov.

About Valero

Valero Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries, is an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels, other petrochemical products and power. Valero subsidiaries employ approximately 10,000 people, and its assets include 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.0 million barrels per day, 11 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 1.4 billion gallons per year, a 50-megawatt wind farm, and renewable diesel production from a joint venture. Through subsidiaries, Valero owns the general partner of Valero Energy Partners LP (NYSE:VLP), a midstream master limited partnership. Approximately 7,500 outlets carry the Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, and Beacon brands in the United States and the Caribbean; Ultramar in Canada; and Texaco in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Valero is a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio.

The notes were offered and sold pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Valero Contacts

Investors:

John Locke, Vice President  Investor Relations, 1-210-345-3077

Karen Ngo, Manager  Investor Relations, 1-210-345-4574

Media:

Lillian Riojas, Director  Media Relations and Communications, 1-210-345-5002
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CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 7, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Since May, C-Era Property Management & Realty, an Associa company, has been named managing agent for a commercial facility and seven condominium corporations throughout Calgary and surrounding areas. C-Era provides full services, including financial, maintenance, communications and administrative services to each of these premiere properties:



Brentwood on the Park consists of 20 townhome units within University City located at 20 Brentwood Common NW in Calgary, Alberta. Management began May 1, 2016.



Mahogany North Island is a 22 home luxury community located on Mahogany Island in Calgary, Alberta. Management began May 1, 2016



West Parallel is made up of 61 townhomes and 78 condominium units at 2461 Baysprings Link SW in Airdrie, Alberta. Management began May 1, 2016.



Bridgeland Crossings  Building II located at 46  9th Street NE in Calgary, Alberta consists of 143 condos adjacent to Building I also managed by C-Era. Management began July 1, 2016.



Inglewood ID is a newly developed condominium community consisting of 19 units and located at

1526  9th Avenue SE in Calgary, Alberta. Management began August 1, 2016.



Bridgeland Hill is a new development consisting of 101 condominium units located at 510 Edmonton Trail NE in Calgary, Alberta. Management began August 1, 2016.



Copperfield Chalet 33 is a new community including 146 townhomes at 299 Copperstone Park SE

in Calgary, Alberta. Management began September 1, 2016



Fairmore Business Centre is a new business development made up of 40 commercial units located at 7005 Fairmount Drive SE in Calgary, Alberta. Management began September 1, 2016.



"Our success this summer can be attributed to our versatility in being able to accommodate clients of all shapes and sizes," says C-Era Director of Business Development Jessica Bakken. "From townhomes to condos, single family neighbourhoods to downtown high-rises and even corporate space, our unsurpassed service encompasses the needs of any community."



Building and managing successful communities for more than 37 years, Associa is the worldwide leader in community management with over 10,000 employees operating more than 180 branch offices in the United States, Mexico, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. Based in Dallas, Texas, our industry expertise, financial strength and innovation meet the unique needs of clients across the world with customized services and solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more about Associa and its charitable organization, Associa Cares, go to www.associaonline.com or www.associacares.com.



Stay Connected:



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/associa

Twitter: https://twitter.com/associa

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/associa

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/associa/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/associamarketing

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Associaonline/

A photo accompanying this release is available at:

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=41350
Trumps top brass is kind of tarnished.

Among the 88 generals and admirals who endorsed Donald Trump on Tuesday was a commander who once reportedly demanded President Obama produce his birth certificate, an Air Force general who was reprimanded for his role in a deadly 1996 crash, four commanders who were present at one of the biggest scandals in Navy history, and a special forces general known for spilling secrets and trying to turn military campaigns into religious crusades.

To be sure, scores of the signatories had exemplary military records and continue to work in public service. There are Vietnam veterans, three four-star generals and an admiral, as well as key commanders in the U.S. war in Iraq.

It is a great honor to have such amazing support from so many distinguished retired military leaders, Trump said in a statement.

But many of the general and flag officers who announced their support for Trump on Tuesday are considered in military circles to be anything but the best and brightest.

Many, in fact, have had brushes with scandals. Four were at the 35th Annual Tailhook Association Symposium in Las Vegas when scores of Navy officers sexually assaulted 83 women and seven men. None of the signatories were charged. One however, was a Navy lawyer in the case.

In 2003, then Lt. Gen. William Boykin, a former head of U.S. Army Special Forces who once was part of the search for Osama bin Laden and perhaps the most recognized name on Trumps list, sparked an international controversy when during a speech about searching for a Somali warlord, he said: I knew that my God was a real God, and his was an idol.

And at the height of the war, he also said that Were a Christian nation, because our foundation and roots are Judeo-Christian and the enemy is a guy named Satan. Many saw Boykins conservative views seeping into his military service. Years later, he received a letter of reprimand for releasing classified information.

Ret. Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Cliver, another signatory, received a letter of reprimand for the 1996 crash of an Air Force aircraft that killed Commerce Secretary Ronald Brown, for failing to ensure that Air Force units in Europe complied with directives concerning inspection of airports, according to reports at the time.

And Ret. Lt. Gen. Thomas G. McInerney, who was once the number three commander of the Air Force, has long been a reliably conservative commentator on Fox Newsso reliable that the Pentagon used him to publicly sell its position on the Iraq war. That earned him a spot on the place in the so-called Pentagon pundits scandal, which was the subject of a Pulitzer-prize winning New York Times expose.

On Tuesday, McInerney defended his decision to sign the Trump letter.

I feel I have an obligation to the American people to be a part of the discourse and discuss these important national security issues because they are complex, especially on radical Islam. As a nation we have not had it. We have a president that has suppressed it, McInerney told The Daily Beast.

I have an obligation because I swore an oath to the Constitution to uphold and defend the nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic, he added.

In the letter, the generals and admirals argued that the military is weaker because of budget cuts, which they attributed to the Obama administration. They suggested that Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton was responsible for the hollowing of the force. Its an odd proposition, given that Clinton ran the State Department, not the Pentagon.

For the past eight years, Americas armed forces have been subjected to a series of ill considered and debilitating budget cuts, policy choices and combat operations that have left the superb men and women in uniform less capable of performing their vital missions in the future than we require them to be.

But the military budget grew during the first five years of the administration, only stopping with the Budget Control Act of 2011. In real terms, the base defense budget, that is not including war funding, has dropped by roughly 8 percent since fiscal year 2012. And even Gen. David Petraeus last month argued that such cuts have not hurt military readiness.

McInerney disagreed, saying todays force has aging planes and ships and few troops since World War II and that Trumps economic plan will grow GDP, which would allow us to grow and defend ourselves.

They also said that change could not happen with a president that deeply involved with, and substantially responsible for, the hollowing out of our military. McInerney said Clinton may not have weakened the military but did help sow chaos in the Middle East.

Trumps list came just a day before NBC holds a commander-in-chief presidential forum, in which both Clinton and Trump will separately answer questions about national security, military affairs, and veterans issues.

Twenty-six of Americas 44 presidents have served in the military, including Gens. George Washington, Ulysses Grant, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. But only in the last 20 years has military endorsement become a staple of the American election cycle. And that has made many still in uniform increasingly uncomfortable, as they believe the military must be prepared to serve any commander in chief, whatever his or her party affiliation.

Several of the officers endorsing Trump on Tuesday have appeared in political discourse before. For example, Ret. Navy Rear Adm. William L. Schachte Jr., who signed Tuesdays letter, first appeared on the political scene 12 years ago, when he challenged Kerrys version of how he received the Purple Heart in 1968. At least five of the officers backing Trump signed an August 2015 letter rejecting the Iran deal. Two appear to be foreign policy advisers to the Trump campaign. And in 2012, 25 of Tuesdays signatories signed a letter endorsing then Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The collapse of the wall between the military and the campaign has arguably made such signatories open to the kind the of scrutiny private figures receive when they endorse a candidate. Former Afghanistan commander Ret. Gen. John Allen appeared at the Democratic National Convention stage this summer, for example, drawing an unprecedented level of criticism as a recently retired general.

Around the Pentagon, only a handful of the names that appeared on the list were readily recognizable, like Boykin and McInerney. More than anything, there was profound frustration that former commanders keep appearing on the campaign trail, particularly as troops currently serving routinely receive emails that they are not to talk politics.

Damn it, what the hell is he thinking? one officer responded when he saw his former commander on the list.

His frustration was not partisan. They all need to shut up.

Updated 9:09 am 9/7/16 to clarify that the forum will be held on NBC, not CNN as previously stated.
An elderly Alabama widow described as an invalid is facing charges in the 2014 murder and dismemberment of her husband.

Police arrested Carolyn Hood, 79, at a Montgomery nursing home on Tuesday after a grand jury indicted her on a charge of aiding and abetting the capital murder of her late spouse, 87-year-old Kenneth Hood.

Her son William Alvin Minton, 57, was arrested shortly after the brutal slaying in November 2014. Minton, a felon who served prison time for child molestation and sodomy, is scheduled for trial in December.

On Tuesday, an ambulance transported Carolyn Hood to the Baldwin County jail, where she spent the night. She wore a hospital gown in her mugshot.

Honestly, it boggles my mind that a 79-year-old woman is being charged as complicit in a capital murder case almost two years later, said Jeremiah Giles, Hoods attorney.

Giles told The Daily Beast prosecutors are likely targeting his client because they cant prove Minton had any pecuniary gain in the killinga factor thats necessary for the state to pursue the death penalty.

My client is the only person who would have seen any money, Giles added. I think shes being used as a pawn so the state can charge [Minton] with a capital offense.

Hood is unable to care for herself in any way, the lawyer said. Hes also unsure the frail murder suspect fully understands whats happening to her.

Giles told The Daily Beast he and his co-counsel, Wayne Doerr, will seek a mental evaluation for Hood.

But prosecutors say Hood was complicit in the death of her hubby, a retired corrections officer with the Bureau of Prisons.

Just because you arent necessarily the one with the weapon doesnt mean you dont have an active role in it, assistant district attorney Tara Ratz told WKRG in Mobile. She was complicit in it. That is what our office believed and the grand jury believed as well.

Regardless of gender or age or things like that, if youve done a horrific act like this you will be prosecuted for it, Ratz added.

The widow was headed back to her assisted-living facility Wednesday afternoon following her arraignment. She pleaded not guilty, and was pushed out of the courtroom in a wheelchair, released on a $100,000 bond, AL.com reported.

At the court appearance, Baldwin County district attorney Hallie Dixon said she would not seek the death penalty for Hood because of her age and physical condition.

Hood will remain at the nursing home until her trial in December, authorities said.

Police caught onto Kenneth Hoods murder on Nov. 9, 2014, when a dog named Roofus discovered a severed arm and hand. The Rhodesian Shepherd mix happened to belong to Clark Stewart, president of an AM radio station in Foley.

Hes come up with fish and all kinds of things before, Stewart told AL.com after the grisly discovery. I thought it was an animal carcass of some kind.

The pooch brought the appendage to a flower bed beneath his kitchen window. My wife saw it first. I was going outside to discard it. As I reached down to pick it up, I noticed it had fingers on it and a ring, Stewart said at the time.

Days later, the dog fetched a severed foot to Stewarts yard. Authorities said the canine retrieved the body parts from the nearby Magnolia River.

Cops swept the area and found a decapitated head and other remains in Nolte Creek, just south of Magnolia Springs, AL.com reported. Investigators also discovered a human torso beneath the Weeks Creek Bridge.

Minton, Kenneth Hoods stepson, was arrested Nov. 11, 2014 after police linked a pacemaker found in the torso to Hood, according to AL.com. His bond was set at $1 million.

The stepson allegedly killed Hood five days earlier by striking his head with a 12-inch dumbbell bar handle at the familys rural home.

According to police testimony, Minton dragged Hoods body into the garage and hacked it apart with a Kobalt reciprocating saw before dumping the remains into creeks more than six miles from the familys Foley residence.

Minton allegedly told cops Hood always wanted to be buried at sea and thats why he deserted the body parts in the Weeks and Nolte creeks, a January 2015 preliminary hearing in Baldwin County revealed.

Back then, District Attorney Hallie Dixon said Minton killed his stepfather because of an argument over money; Hood had been lending money to his wife Carolyns children and family members, AL.com reported.

Essentially what we have is an 87-year-old man who was supporting his wife and, for the most part, her ne'er-do-well children, Dixon said, according to AL.com.

One of those children who [Hood] allowed to move into his home, who had just gotten out of prison, struck him multiple times with what appeared to be dumbbell bar and then cut him up. It was obviously horrific, she added.

Authorities said Minton rented a carpet cleaner around the time of the murder, purchased the saw at a hardware store and used Hoods credit card to get a haircut and to dye his hair, according to AL.com.

The fiendish stepson also bought a new mattress with Hoods credit card, allegedly to replace a blood-splattered bed inside the home, while receipts for the purchases were found inside a van Minton drove, investigators said.

Carolyn Hood was inside the family home during her husbands murder, police say. Cops questioned Hood but she wasnt charged at the time. Investigators described the widow as an invalid.

After the gruesome killing, Hood fled with her son to Millbrook, where they have family, according to Baldwin County Sheriff Huey Hoss Mack.

Officers cuffed Minton at his brothers home. It was family relations that took them to Millbrook, Mack said at the time.

Mrs. Hood is a convalescent, Mack said, according to a report by AL.com. Not much interaction there. Not much interaction in the community. We do not believe these people were very active in the community.

Still, the widow was protective of her adult children, and police believed she was not truthful in her statements to investigators, Dixon said at the preliminary hearing.

Kenneth and Carolyn Hood were married for 27 years but had an on-again, off-again relationship, the prosecutor continued.

They had issues. It was always the same thing: Her children were in trouble and stealing from (Kenneth Hood). It had been an issue for a large portion of their marriage, Dixon said.

During the hearing, Mintons attorney Jim Sweet said his client didnt commit murder but instead was trying to protect his mother.

Saying that you killed someone doesnt mean you killed them intentionally, Sweet said, according to AL.com. Every death is not a homicide or a murder. Thats kind of what we have here.

Minton, who was in and out of prison since 1980, had been living with the Hoods since his release in March 2013. He had just served 20 years for a child molestation and sodomy conviction in Georgia. His victim was a 14-year-old girl, records show.

Under the circumstances, (Minton) was doing what he thought he needed to do, Sweet told the judge, adding that Kenneth Hood had a history of domestic violence and was arrested for slapping his step-granddaughter. (Jail records show Hood was arrested in March 2014 on third-degree domestic violence.)

The complaint against Hood was dismissed when his step-granddaughter failed to appear for a court date, AL.com reported.

Anthony Lowery, assistant chief deputy for the Baldwin County sheriffs office, claimed Kenneth Hoods death stemmed from domestic violence inside the household.

Its unfortunate but it holds true that in a case of an unsolved homicide, you must often look at a family member, Lowery told The Daily Beast on Wednesday, and in this case it proved to be accurate.

There were some horrible things happened after the fact. Dismemberment separates it out in the minds of other people, but at the core, its a domestic violence homicide.

After Hoods remains were identified, a neighbor told AL.com that Hood was not happy with his wifes family.

He was upset that her family wanted them to pay for their college and school and was asking for $50,000, neighbor Jody Morgan told the publication, adding that Carolyn Hoods kin also picked her up and took her to North Alabama without him knowing about it.

The couple mostly kept to themselves, Morgan said. Prosecutors said they had few friends in the area.

Morgan was upset news outlets used a mugshot of Hood in their reports. It portrays him like a mean old man. He wasnt. He was a good, outstanding man who served our society as a prison guard his whole entire life, she said.

The Hood family home, valued at $140,000 and situated in a new Foley subdivision, remains vacant.
Whoever at MSNBC came up with the title of Brian Williamss new show, which premiered on the Comcast-owned cable outlet Tuesday night, either lacks self-awareness or possesses a roguish sense of humor.

The 11th Hour, as the previously disgraced and currently redeemed anchormans 11 p.m. program is called, is a zanily precise description of where the 57-year-old Williams career was, metaphorically speaking, during the early months of last year.

In other words, or so it seemed, BriWi was in the final stages professional extinction.

In February 2015, he was punished with a six-month suspension without pay from the NBC Nightly Newswhere he had reigned as the top-rated network anchor for a decadeafter he was caught telling tall tales and otherwise fibbing about his Iraqi warzone, Hurricane Katrina and other exaggerated journalistic adventures.

Williams was never given the chance to reclaim his iron throne, which is now persuasively occupied by Lester Holt.

It wasnt until last September, after a gently orchestrated televised grilling by his NBC News colleague Matt Lauer on the Today show, designed to let Williams confess to his sins, apologize to the viewing public and restore some semblance of his credibility, that NBC News Chairman Andy Lack, a longtime pal and former NBC News president who had left for greener pastures in 2001, permitted Williams back on the air.

Williamss return to television, sporadically anchoring breaking news events on cable and, more recently, primary night pundit panels and convention coverage, has gone well enough that Lack, who championed Williamss career during his first stint running the news division 20 years ago, decided it was time to give his friend his own weeknight platform, albeit a temporary one.

As Williams informed his audience during the debut Tuesday night, We will be here at this hour from now until election day, when we will cancel ourselves.

So this impermanent pop-up offering, as Williams described itwhose title is actually a tad misleading, since it airs for only half the 11th hourcan be thought of as his tryout for complete rehabilitation. If he doesnt mess up and achieves respectable ratings, he will likely be rewarded with his very own branded production, maybe even with his name in the title.

But considering that MSNBC has already been airing wall-to-wall political coverage for many months, well before the 2016 presidential campaign entered its final 62 daysfrom Morning Joe to MTP Daily through Hardball with Chris Matthews, The Rachel Maddow Show and The Last Word with Lawrence ODonnell (The 11th Hours lead-in)its difficult to conceive of any reason to put this new show on the air other than BriWis resurrection.

The inaugural installmentfeaturing NBC News/MSNBC political correspondents Hallie Jackson and Kasie Hunt, and usual suspects like Washington Post writers Robert Costa and Eugene Robinson, and former Republican operatives Nicolle Wallace and Steve Schmidt, reciting many of the same insights theyd been sharing on MSNBC for much of the dayoffered little that was fresh, although Hunt teased some juicy gossip that Hillary Clintons debate prep will feature somebody playing Donald Trump, she just didnt know yet who that will be.

But the premiere did highlight BriWis anchor-manic delivery and his amazingly furrowed eyebrows, which are dramatically asymmetricalhis right one slightly more elevated than the leftand evoke gigantic, twisted brackets [as in the punctuation marks] that have toppled over onto their sides.

Especially when raised in a display of piercing skepticism, those eyebrows are fascinating.

Wearing a dark suit, a boldly striped tie and a very serious expression as he fiddled throughout with a felt-tipped pen, Williams looked authoritative while prompting his panelists to repeat their talking points. An endless array of American flags, visible on a backdrop of big screens, plus snare drum-punctuated theme music between segments, signaled the gravity of the occasion.

Williams plugged Wednesday nights scheduled NBC/MSNBC-hosted national security Commander in Chief forum featuring Clinton and Donald Trump, drew out Jackson and Hunt on Trumps teleprompter finesse at rallies and Clintons airborne press gaggles on the new campaign plane, and did a segment on the latest confusing public opinion pollsall subjects that had been covered by the previously broadcast shows.

Williamss pre-taped interview with Ohios #NeverTrump Republican Gov. John Kasich, an also-ran presidential candidate, revealed nothing that Kasich hasnt already said on MSNBC and elsewhere for many weeks, even if it was fun to read the on-screen chyron during the segment, KASICH: I HAVE NO REGRETS AT ALL something Williams no doubt wishes he could say for himself.

In the final segment of The 11th Hour, Williams performed one of his patented tone poems on, well, a bunch of things: the meaning of the phrase come back, as when Clinton comes back on her plane to chat with the traveling press, Clintons recurring cough, the fact that campaign reporters no longer aisle-surf on snack trays during takeoffs and landings but still roll oranges with goofy questions written on them to the staff area up front, and some other stuff I cant remember.

Anyway, by this time I had already started to fixate on the headline crawl at the bottom of the screen: FOX CONFIRMS IT HAS SETTLED A SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT BROUGHT AGAISNT ROGER AILES BROCK TURNER, THE FORMER STANFORD SWIMMER CONVICTED OF ASSAULTING AN UNCONSCIOUS WOMAN, REGISTERS AS A SEX OFFENDER PHYLLIS SHLAFLY DEAD CHEVY CHASE CHECKS INTO REHAB FACILITY FOR WHAT HIS PUBLICIST CALLS A TUNEUP

Brian Williamss tuneup proceeded apace.
A developer in Parker, Colorado has been excavating land--while a whole colony of prairie dogs is still living on it, protesters say.

What were seeing now is an active destruction of a prairie dog colony, Deanna Meyer, an activist with Prairie Protection Colorado, told KMGH. Most developers would at least try to remove the prairie dogs from the land prior to commencing with development This is a rare thing.

More than 50 of the furry critters live on the excavation site, although some have already been killed, Meyer said. This week, she and other protesters have been trying to save the remaining ones by calling attention to the problem, standing alongside the site with signs reading Wildlife Massacre and Kill Zone.

One construction worker offered a sarcastic explanation of how he and his colleagues handled the creatures.

See, what we did is, we put out mailers, and we put them in their holes, and we asked them all to leave, and they all moved out, the worker can be seen telling Meyer in a video she posted to YouTube.

A more serious answer has not yet emerged, as the developer did not respond to a question from KMGH. The City of Parker, however, told the outlet there are no regulations for how to deal with prairie dogs on a construction site.
In the early days of his flirtation with the GOP base, Donald Trump fired up conservative supporters to rally them to free former Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi from a Mexican jail.

It was one of the Republican nominees biggest causes back in 2014, and one that seems all-too-familiar now: a populist, off-the-hip messaging campaign, using forceful rhetoric to pressure Mexico. Trump hammered the point home on social media, and further capitalized on goodwill when Tahmooressi was freed by cutting a $25,000 check to his family.

But Trumps bombastic efforts actually made it harder to free the jailed Marine, say two individuals who worked closely on the effort to free Tahmooreesi.

The wave of anti-Mexico populism that sprung up on the U.S. side of the border over this case was very much not helpful. Whether it actually prolonged his confinement is unknowable, said Jonathan Franks, who worked as the Tahmooressi family spokesman during the ordeal. Getting people fired up for the sake of it isnt strategically effectiveone needs to get people fired up around a message that furthers the goalthose finer points of strategic communications seem utterly lost on Trump.

It is an real-life illustration of the damaging effects of Trump's Twitter diplomacyand a warning of how future negotiations might be undermined by a theoretical Trump White House.

The former Marine Corps sergeant served two tours in Afghanistan before returning home to the United States, diagnosed with PTSD. In the incident that would spark an ordeal lasting more than 200 days, he drove across the border from the United States to Mexico with three loaded guns in his car. While Tahmooressi insisted he had made a mistake, and had never intended to drive into Mexico, he was accused of violating Mexican law and jailed while awaiting the cases disposition.

His case became a cause celebre among the right in 2014, with Fox News Greta van Susteren leading the charge on cable news. On Twitter, Trump was building up his bona fides among the right in anticipation of what would become his presidential campaign in 2015.

Over the course of Tahmooressis imprisonment and release, Trump tweeted about the issue more than 20 times , berating the Obama administration for failing to secure the Marines freedom and supporting a boycott of Mexico.

Other celebrities were also working to untangle Tahmooressi from the Mexican legal system. Talk show host Montel Williams, himself a former Marine, became closely involved with the effort. Franks, his spokesman, became the spokesman for the Tahmooressi family during the ordeal.

The problem was that Andrews case got conflated, by Trump and others, with other border-related issues like immigration, and that didnt help because it was irrelevant, and only served to box in the Mexican government, who didnt want to look like it was caving on its sovereign right to enforce its laws to please the Americans, Franks told The Daily Beast. (He emphasized he was speaking only regarding his personal opinions, and not those of the Tahmooressi family.)

Republicans who were trying to free the former Marine advised their allies to not attack Mexico, and instead focus on the need for him to recover from PTSD and his lack of intent in breaking Mexican law.

If you go to Mexico, youll see their flags are huge. They are very patriotic people who care about their sovereignty. We knew when this issue came up was that if we wanted to make any progress in getting him out we had to appeal to the Mexicans as professionals appeal to them, said a Republican strategist who worked intimately on the issue of Tahmooressis release. Not be condescending, be deferentialits their country, their laws. That was our approach.

The last thing those fighting for Tahmooressis release wanted to do was to polarize the issue and make it partisan; or antagonize Mexico, which held the key to the prison they were trying to release the former sergeant from.

Trump did the opposite, politicizing the issue by slamming the president; and arguing that the White House would grant amnesty to millions of illegals but had not lifted a finger for Tahmooressi.

He only wants illegals to cross our border, Trump sneered in one tweet. In another, he wrote, Obama will let Ebola fly into US and drugrunners cross our border daily. But he wont pressure Mexico on Sgt. Tahmooressi. Trump indicated support for a boycott of Mexico, retweeting a supported who had posted a No Marine? No Modelo image.

Calls for boycotts were ill-advised and foolish, Franks said. The fact remains that the Mexicans held the key to his jail cell, and they knew full well that calls for a boycott were puffery.

Ultimately the Mexican Attorney Generals office withdrew the charges and the trial judge issued an acquittal, freeing Tahmooressi after 214 days in Mexican prison. It was Tahmooressis PTSD that swayed the judges final decision, Fox News reported at the timemeaning that it was the Mexican judges belief in the essential humanitarian nature of the release that won Tahmooressi his freedom.

What mattered here was that Andrew was a veteran, diagnosed with PTSD several days prior, who got confused and never intended to enter Mexico at all, much less armed. That message was digestible in Mexico because their legal system heavily values rehabilitation, Franks said.

The Tahmooressi family declined to comment for this story. The former Marine was recently jailed for for possessing marijuana , and the family, aside from confirming it had received $25,000 from Trump, wants to avoid any public controversy.

The Trump campaign declined to comment on this criticism, but the Tahmooressi case matters because it shows the Republican nominees instincts on foreign policywhich from the GOP standpoint are the complete opposite of President Obamas.

You have the current [Obama] administration: deferential, apologetic and leading from behind[Trump] would represent a complete pendulum shift to the other side Bluster for the sake of domestic politics and not thinking about how that can have consequences for what youre trying to accomplish, said a Republican strategist who had worked on Tahmooressis release. It would represent the opposite extreme neither of which is good.
Two children at the Indian Hills Elementary School in Riverside, California may have leprosy, according to reports from the Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD) Superintendent and the Riverside County Health Department.

Last Friday, parents received a letter from JUSD Superintendent Elliott Duchon, informing them of an unconfirmed report that two studentshave been diagnosed with Hansens disease (leprosy). The letter included information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding the symptoms, treatment, and contractibility of the infection.

The chronic bacterial disease, which primarily affects the eyes, skin, upper airway, and sensory and motor nerves, is not highly infectious, nor does it cause disability or disfigurement if diagnosed and treated early. Caused by the slowly multiplying bacteria M. leprae, the transmission rate is relatively low. The National Hansens (Leprosy) Disease Program estimates that 95 percent of people have immunity to the bacteria and are not susceptible to the disease.

Superintendent Duchon told The Daily Beast that close to 90 students were absent from school Tuesday morning. Normally we have about 30 kids out on any given day at that particular school, and we had about 90 out, he said. The school has over 600 kids, so to our best estimation, an additional 10 percent of students were out of school.

Parents and caregivers also noticed these absences. Adolph Flores, a grandparent of an Indian Hills student, told ABC News, Normally this place would be packed with kids. We walk around and the sidewalk [is] full of kids, [but there are] hardly any [today]. He said he was worried about the suspected leprosy cases but was willing to follow the schools recommendations. Were concerned, but what can we do? They say its okay, so its okay.

Other parents were not as pacified by the schools reassurances. I dont know exactly what [leprosy] is, Karen Sunderland, an Indian Hills parent told ABC News reporters. I just know its scary.

Shortly after the letter was sent to parents Friday, it was posted to JUSDs Facebook page. Parents from Indian Hills Elementary and other district schools quickly began posting comments and reactions. Many were concerned that the letter had only been given to Indian Hills parents and that a more public announcement had not been made. Some asked why the letter wasnt sent to staff and parents throughout the district.

According to Barbara Cole, a registered nurse and branch chief of the Riverside County Health Department, notifying other parents or teachers wasnt necessary because transmission or spread to others is very unlikely.

Cole told The Daily Beast that she doesnt consider it to be a public health riskeven if cases are confirmed. Even if confirmed, Hansens disease is difficult to transfer to other children, she said. The school setting does not hold considerable risk.

Although Duchon told The Daily Beast that the children who have suspected cases of leprosy are out of school and will not be admitted without a doctors note that they are not contagious, Cole said that her team did not exclude the children from attending school.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) backed Coles assertion that the children need not be removed from the school. If the case is not confirmed, Tom Skinner, Senior Press Officer for the CDC, told The Daily Beast, [there is] no reason for the child to stay away from school.

The label of no risk is always tricky, Skinner said, but if a child is a confirmed case, school contact is still very low riska few days of antibiotics and the child is not contagious and could go to school.

Skinner added that the Indian Hills Elementary school case had not been reported to the CDC. He also said that there is no test for asymptomatic people, and that without a full risk assessment, travel [history], family history, clinical history, and a biopsy of a lesion to confirm, the CDC would not recommend taking the child out of the school.

Superintendent Duchon said that in addition to removing the children from the school, the classrooms involved were disinfectedadding that it was a precautionary measure, not recommended by the Riverside County Health Department.

We did it to make sure people knew we were doing everything we could. We were not sure whether it was necessary, but we felt like it certainly couldnt hurt, he told The Daily Beast.

In his letter to parents, Duchon expressed that most of the measures taken were contingencies, conducted with an abundance of caution. By emphasizing the treatable nature of leprosy and dispelling information as soon as possible, Duchon hoped that the letter would reduce rumors and misinformation being spread.

While we occasionally have incidents of students with either active or inactive TB [tuberculosis] and or staph, I dont think its got the [same] stigma, he told The Daily Beast. Its not as catchy as when people hear the term leprosy.

He has a point: most of the hullabaloo about the case comes from lack of education about leprosy and the treatments that have made progress since the Middle Ages, when it was highly prevalent in Europe.

As a result of the skin lesions that can appear on the skin of afflicted patients, leprosy was a highly feared and stigmatized illness for much of human history. Individuals suffering from Hansens disease were often ostracized and forced to live in leper colonies due to false beliefs about the infectious nature of the disease.

But now we know that leprosy is transmitted via droplets from the nose and mouth, during close and frequent contact with untreated cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It is fairly difficult to become infected by those outside of ones direct household.

The infection is also easily curable with multidrug therapy (MDT), according to the World Health Organization (WHO). According to The National Hansens Disease (Leprosy) Program, patients become noninfectious after taking only a few doses of the medication and need not be isolated from family and friends.

Dr. David Scollard, Director of the National Hansens Disease Program, told The Daily Beast that he agrees with the Riverside County Health Departments recommendations one hundred percent.

We see people react with hysterical, uninformed responses because theyre shocked. They think that the disease doesnt exist, that its only in the Bible, Dr. Scollard said. The uniformed responses [are] detrimental to everybody.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hansens disease is considered little more than a minor skin disease, since permanent nerve damage is extremely rare. Compiled statistics indicate that there are currently around 6,500 cases of leprosy in the United States, with only about half requiring active medical management. Only 175 new cases were reported in the U.S. in 2014; 73 percent of those were reported in Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, New York, and Texas.

The link between Hansens disease and the southern U.S. is due to wild armadillos to and their ability to transmit M. leprae to humans. According to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, native-born Americans with no history of foreign exposure may be infected thanks to armadillos, which serve as a large natural reservoir for the bacteria.

Neither Cole nor Duchon would release information regarding whether the children with suspected Hansens disease had traveled to another country or had contact with individuals with leprosy, citing HIPAA and student privacy rights. Cole did mention, however, that she had been conferring with the Indian Hills Elementary School nurse.

Duchon said that there would be a joint meeting between the Riverside County Health Department and the school district Wednesday night for parents and teachers to attend.

When asked if the school had any additional plans or policies it would implement going forward, Duchon deferred to the recommendations of Cole and her team of public health specialists. Weve relied 100 percent on the county health department, he said. Theyre the experts.
Donald Trump has a plan to make America broke again.

The Republican presidential nominee rolled out a series of billion-dollar military proposals in Philadelphia Wednesdaybut his costly plans to balloon the size of the Defense Department seem to ignore the $19 trillion debt he rails about in his stump speeches.

Trump even found himself at odds with his first major national security address in April, when he lamented that our resources are totally over extendedand blamed President Obamas administration for making the United States weaker through wasteful spending and massive debt.

But it wasnt a contradiction Trump was eager to alleviate now. Like a foreign policy hawks Santa Claus, Trump handed out billion-dollar presents to the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps like trivial candy canes.

And as for how he would pay for it? Who knows.

For Trumps multi-billion-dollar military expansion to happen, the Budget Control Act of 2011, which, in part, cut $487 billion from defense spending over the next 10 years, would have to disappear, something that Congressional gridlock makes utterly unlikely.

Most importantly, Trump never indicated what threat his burgeoning military would answer. And for military planners, that perhaps is the least appealing prospect of all. Will the bigger military go after ISIS? Does a bigger force portend of more ground wars? And if there is no plan to use the bigger military, will the expansion eventually be cut?

We have the greatest people in the world. We have to give them the greatest equipment. Under Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton, defense spending is on track to fall to its lowest level as a share of the economy since the end of World War II, Trump said Wednesday.

Trump complained that the Navy is smaller than any time since 1917 and the Army is smaller than any time since the 1940s, an issue that was visited in the 2012 presidential campaign by Mitt Romney.

But the size of the force is an imperfect measure: the United States has far more advanced technology now than ever beforethe military can accomplish more things with a small number of assets.

The last Defense Department review, in which the Pentagon spells out threats the military should be prepared for every four years, said the United States should be agile for several kinds of threats around the world but no longer calls for a military ready to fight two simultaneous ground forces. The only time Trump talked about expanded warfare was when he proposed the U.S. conduct more aggressive offensive cyber campaigns. And cyberwarfare doesnt need more boots on the ground.

And while, on the face of it, the U.S. military should be thrilled at the prospect of more ships, personnel, and aircraft, many top officials fear expanding to a force no one can afford.

At a June speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, for example, Gen. Mark Milley, the Armys most senior officer, said that spending beyond Americas means could have even more disastrous effects than having a slightly smaller Army.

I dont have a problem with more troops. Id welcome more troops. I think that would be a good thing, if, and only if, there was sufficient money to maintain those troops readiness. Therein lies the tension, Milley said. To do otherwise would actually decrease readiness and begin to hollow out the force. And that is not a direction we want to go.

The last time the U.S. Army was at Trumps proposed 540,000 figure was in 2008, when the U.S. had roughly 150,000 troops in Iraq and 30,000 in Afghanistan. The United States paid for its wars through supplemental budgetswhich have been criticized by deficit hawks ever since.

To be sure, Trump is right when he points out that the Air Force and Navy, in particular, are comprised of aging fleets, creating costs like planes and ships that spend more time getting repaired and less time in service. But, expanding the size of the Navy and Air Forces fleet would likely be even more costly and, if not paid for in the defense budget, cut into other areas of the force, officials said.

Ultimately, Trump has laid out a gold-plated military proposalbut without identifying exactly why it would be necessary or how the United States would be able to afford it.

"We will make America strong again, we will make America safe again, and we will make America great againgreater than ever before," Trump bragged, as he finished his speech in Wednesday.

How he'll pay for itwell, that will have to wait for another speech.
The movement for womens rights traces its origin to the first half of the nineteenth century. The Seneca Falls Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York in July of 1848, is commonly regarded as the beginning of the women's rights movement in the United States. This conference was preceded by a series of ground-breaking events that made possible this seminal milestone in the history of American women.



The idea for the convention emerged during the 1840 World Anti-Slavery Convention in London, a conference that precluded its female delegates from participation in discussions. Lucretia Mott, a famous womens rights activist, wrote in her diary that calling the 1840 convention a world convention "was a mere poetical license." She had accompanied her husband to London but had to sit behind a partition with other women activists, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who later became one of the main forces behind the Seneca Falls Convention.



During the early 1840s, Elizabeth Cady Stanton composed the Declaration of Sentiments, a document modeled after the Declaration of Independence, declaring the rights of women. At the time of its composition, the Declaration of Sentiments was so bold that when Elizabeth Stanton showed the draft to her husband, he stated that if she read it at the Seneca Falls Convention, he would have to leave town. The Declaration contained several new resolutions. It proclaimed that all men and women are born equal and stated that no man could withhold a woman's rights, take her property, or preclude her from the right to vote. This Declaration also became the foundation for the Seneca Falls Convention.



On July 19-20, 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention brought together 240 delegates between ages 22 and 60, including forty men, who spent the two days at the conference debating, refining and voting on the Declaration of Sentiments. Most of the declarations resolutions received unanimous support and were officially endorsed. Later in 1848, the Seneca Falls convention was followed by an even larger meeting in Rochester, New York. Thereafter, national women's conventions were held annually, contributing to the growing momentum in the movement for women's rights.



Show Spoiler E

1. Which of the following best describes the main purpose of the passage above?



A. To compare the origin of the womens rights movement with the current-day situation.

B. To support further expansion of womens rights in the United States.

C. To criticize the nineteenth-century restrictions on womens rights.

D. To explain the reasons for the opposition to the Seneca Falls Convention.

E. To discuss the origin of the womens rights movement.





Show Spoiler B

2. The passage provides information about each of the following, EXCEPT



A. the days on which the Seneca Falls Convention was held

B. the month in which the convention in Rochester was held

C. the year in which the World Anti-Slavery Convention was held

D. the number of candidates participating in the Seneca Falls Convention

E. the location of the World Anti-Slavery Convention





Show Spoiler D

3. The second paragraph of the passage plays which of the following roles?



A. Provides details about the Declaration of Sentiments.

B. Discusses the events leading to the World Anti-Slavery Convention.

C. Describes the position of Lucretia Motts husband towards her attendance of the World Anti-Slavery Convention.

D. Demonstrates how the World Anti-Slavery Convention may have contributed to the momentum behind the movement for womens rights.

E. Explains the reasons for the limited participation of women in the World Anti-Slavery Convention.





Show Spoiler C

4. Which of the following can be most reasonably inferred from the passage?



A. Most of the delegates of the Seneca Falls Convention subsequently attended the 1848 convention in Rochester, New York.

B. The Declaration of Sentiments stated that women must not be confined to housekeeping occupations.

C. The Seneca Falls Convention gathered more than 190 women, none of whom were younger than 20 years old.

D. The husband of Elizabeth Cady Stanton left town after she read the Declaration of Sentiments at the Seneca Falls Convention.

E. Most delegates at the 1840 World Anti-Slavery Convention were men. A. To compare the origin of the womens rights movement with the current-day situation.B. To support further expansion of womens rights in the United States.C. To criticize the nineteenth-century restrictions on womens rights.D. To explain the reasons for the opposition to the Seneca Falls Convention.E. To discuss the origin of the womens rights movement.A. the days on which the Seneca Falls Convention was heldB. the month in which the convention in Rochester was heldC. the year in which the World Anti-Slavery Convention was heldD. the number of candidates participating in the Seneca Falls ConventionE. the location of the World Anti-Slavery ConventionA. Provides details about the Declaration of Sentiments.B. Discusses the events leading to the World Anti-Slavery Convention.C. Describes the position of Lucretia Motts husband towards her attendance of the World Anti-Slavery Convention.D. Demonstrates how the World Anti-Slavery Convention may have contributed to the momentum behind the movement for womens rights.E. Explains the reasons for the limited participation of women in the World Anti-Slavery Convention.A. Most of the delegates of the Seneca Falls Convention subsequently attended the 1848 convention in Rochester, New York.B. The Declaration of Sentiments stated that women must not be confined to housekeeping occupations.C. The Seneca Falls Convention gathered more than 190 women, none of whom were younger than 20 years old.D. The husband of Elizabeth Cady Stanton left town after she read the Declaration of Sentiments at the Seneca Falls Convention.E. Most delegates at the 1840 World Anti-Slavery Convention were men.
What was the first drink you ever had? I literally turned 21 a week before I got my first newspaper job right out of college. I was already married at that point and had a three-year-old kid, so it wasnt like I was a big partier. Ill never forget, in the newsroom, the guys said, We got to take the new guy out to have a drink. Youre going to think this is nuts, but I had never had a mixed drink before in my life. I didnt know anything about alcohol. So they took me across the street to the newspaper bar in this small Florida town. Somebody ordered me a Tom Collins, which was fantastic because, as usual, it was about 90 degrees and all those kinds of drinks taste good. I think that was my first adult beverage besides beer.

Wow! That is amazing. I will tell you a funny story. My dad died when I was pretty young and he was an attorney. He liked his Jack Daniels. I never acquired a taste for it. But when he died, I saw the will and hed written into it that he wanted to be cremated and have his ashes put in a Jack Daniels bottle [to be] left on a chair in his law office. And if there was no Jack Daniels bottle around, he said just use a Pabst Blue Ribbon beer can. I thought that was fantastic. My mom didnt go for it. We didnt end up doing that. But I think thats what he would have loved.

As a newspaperman for more of your life than not, what do you think is a quintessential newsroom drink? I go back to when the newsrooms were just what you would see on television. I was lucky enough to be at the Miami Herald when all that was happening. I was working on the investigations team there. We had pretty late deadlines then. You could work late on a story and get it done and go out with everybody and have a drink. I have one drink, its Tanqueray & Tonic, and thats it. Id have one and whoever else was at the table would have whatever they wanted, some would be drinking bourbon, some of them would be drinking vodka. There wasnt one thing.

Have things changed today? I dont mean to be nostalgic, but those days are kind of gone. Newsrooms have changed so much. First of all, theyve shrunk dramatically. Theyre more like insurance offices than like the old newsrooms. It was kind of a golden time, sitting around in smoky darkness just talking about editors and how they screwed up the headline on your story. It was a great thing. You had a drink or two and then youd go home. The mass exodus from the newsroom to the barI doubt if it exists much anymore because there are no masses to exodus. Newsrooms are so small.

Do you ever have a drink while you write? No. If I had one beer, I couldnt write a postcard afterward. I dont know how these guys used to do it, Hemingway and Faulkner. I dont know, honestly, how they functioned. Im such a wimp. If I work all day, my wife and I go out and I love to have a Tanqueray & Tonic and it feels great. But if I had it in the morning or the afternoon or any kind of alcohol, Im telling you the words dont look the same on paper. Nothing that my brain is spitting out is going to be as sharp or as good if I have any. It requires every ounce of sobriety just for me to get a paragraph right.

Do you have any tips for making a Gin & Tonic? I always like the bottles of tonic water instead of [out of a soda gun]. I think the carbonation is better and its usually sharper. Once in a while Ill have Hendricks. Hendricks is good gin, too. But there are also some brands of gin out there that will take the chrome off a trailer hitch and they taste like it. I dont drink them. Im a pretty boring drinker. On most days in Florida nothing tastes better than a Gin & Tonic. The silly thing is, Im going off on this book tour and Ill be in Toronto in a couple of weeks and Boston and it might be 60 degrees out and Ill still order one of those.

Do you ever drink wine? Ive tried to drink some wine. Once in a while Ill have a glass of red wine with my wife because thats what she drinks. Its fine, but I cant get into the whole wine thing. I cant be a student of wine and spend a lot of time thinking about it. I write all day. I just want a drink that is friendly and familiar and makes me feel good. I dont want to have to study a label to figure out what year or where it came from. Thats too much work. Im too fricking lazy to do that.

How about beer? I confess I havent gotten into the craft beer trend. Im sure its great. I have sat down with guys, you could name ten craft beers and they could tell you the precise alcohol content of each one. They like to study it. Im thinking, who has the energy to do that? I dont want to have to take out a calculator to figure out how much alcohol is in a drink. Its just too much work. At the end of the day its just beer. I havent been able to throw myself into that culture. Im sure its generational. Im sure Im just an old fart.

Is it important to you what a character drinks in your novels? It is important. In Yancys case in Razor Girl, he likes Barbancourt Rum. That is a good rum. Ive been to Haiti many, many years ago and had Barbancourt down there. But Yancy has one precious little bottle of it in his house. Hes not a guy that makes a lot of money. Hes restaurant inspector for gods sake. Hes on roach patrol. But thats his thing. Its his sunset drink. Everybodys got one in Florida and Barbancourt is his.

Will you try everything a character orders in one of your books? I will never have them drink something that I havent tasted.

Carl Hiaasen is the author of dozens of books, including the brand-new Razor Girl: A Novel, and has been writing a column for the Miami Herald since 1985.

Find the Drinking Rules of other famous tipplers.

Interview has been condensed and edited.
An Iranian rumor has conned the internet into believing that ISIS banned the burqa at security checkpoints in Mosul, Iraq after attacks on militants by veiled women.

The claim proliferated everywhere from the International Business Times to Britains Daily Mail to the U.S. News and World Report and even Foreign Policy over the last few days, seldom mentioning the source of the speculation and often combined with a sputtering caveat that the terrorist group still requires mesh over eyes and gloves to keep hands covered.

Enshrining a strict dress code for women was one of the first things ISIS did after taking over cities. Women were instructed to wear loose-fitting black abayas over their bodies, gloves to hide their hands, and niqabs with an extra layer of mesh to obscure their eyes, or risk getting dragged in by the morality police.

But theres no hard proof that the terrorist group has backtracked even somewhat on its mandate for extreme coverage for women. And the burqaa sack-like garment with a mesh eye covering common in Afghanistanhas never been pushed by ISIS or popular in Iraq, despite the pale blue-clad Afghan women accompanying some articles. In fact, it seems that the entire tale originated with Iranian state media, in an attempt to make ISIS look weak, less pious, or to capitalize on the burqini panic sweeping Europe.

Iran Front Page reported on September 4 that a source from Nineveh, Iraq told the Iranian-owned Arabic-language Al Alam News Network that the militant group banned niqab and burqa-clad women from security centers. It noted that the change came after "some fully veiled women killed a number of ISIS commanders and members in the past months." Iran's Western-focused propaganda outfit, PressTV, followed up with a similar story on September 5. It noted the hypocrisy of the terrorist group having killed insufficiently-veiled women before. Both articles mentioned that the alleged ban comes amid the controversy over the burqini in France.

Rumors of the ban all track back to an Iranian sources and subsequent articles brought little skepticism. (IraqiNews.com mentioned that a veiled woman killed two fighters in Sharqat, but just said the terrorist group asked fighters to be more alert.) Some even refer to the all-female Al Khansaa morality police force in Raqqa as ISISs female fighterstheyre notrather than a group that performs functions that men, for modesty reasons, cannot.

Rasha Al Aqeedi, a Mosul native and research fellow at the Al Mesbar Studies and Research Center in Dubai, said the Tehran connection immediately raised a red flag.

Im thinking, why would anyone in Mosul contact an Iranian agency, she told The Daily Beast.

Still, claims about ISIS-held territories are understandably hard to fact-check. Citizen journalists and activists can face death for communicating with the outside world, let alone with rejectors like Shia Muslims in Tehran. The difficulty is doubled in Mosul, where ISIS cut off internet access this summer and where all online communications must take place in internet cafes.

Al Aqeedi checked in with a friend in Mosul, operating under strict precautions to avoid attracting ISIS scrutiny.

We have to be very very careful about how we communicate, she said. Its a coded language kind of thing.

The friend told her the ban was bullshit.

She said, I see you through a very tiny plate, Al Aqeedi said, the metaphor referring to the mesh netting ISIS requires women to wear over their eyes. Its an all-women cafe, and still she has to have it [the niqab] on.

No one in Mosul wears the garment properly termed as the burqa, Al Aqeedi said. Even the niqab, a full-face covering that leaves a slit for the womans eyes, had only recently gained a limited popularity, she said. (It has increasingly supplanted traditional head coverings in Muslim communities worldwide thanks in part to Saudi Arabias export of Wahhabi Islam.

The Afghani thing, no one ever wore that, Al Aqeedi said.

There have been periodic rumors of men dressed in niqabs attacking militants, she added, though they have never been confirmed. An ISIS attacker, however, used the same tactic to attack a Shia mosque in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, dressing as a woman and killing two men who confronted him outside the mosque.

The Iranian rumor said the change was in response to attacks on militants, but in ISISs twisted apocalyptic theology, death on the front lines of the Islamic State is something to be welcomed, despite widespread internet rumors that the militants believe those killed by women dont go to heaven. "They love death more than your love of life," the group reminded the West in its new magazine, Rumiyah, or Rome, released this weekend.
Michael Alig reached out from jail to punk impresario Malcolm McLaren in 2011.

The end of Aligs long stretch in the New York penal system for the killing of a drug dealer, Angel Melendez, was in sight and he was thinking about future projects.

I had just read Malcolms autobiography. And it was very much revealing him as a Barnum & Bailey type, a fixer, Alig told me when we met recently.

Michael Alig is the kid from South Bend, Indiana, who had come to New York in the 80s, dropped out of the Fashion Institute of Technology to become a busboy at Danceteria, and gone on to invent the Club Kids, that nonstop adventure in outrageous misbehavior that pumped life into Manhattans Nightworld of the late 80s and early 90s.

What he saw in the man who put together the Sex Pistols was another socio-cultural engineer. A lot of people really seemed to hate him, Alig told me. And that was one of the things that endeared him to me. Because a lot of people hate me too. And theyve always hated me. And I think for all of the same reasons. (Important qualifier: McLaren never, as far as we know, helped kill anyone.)

Because my job has always been what I call a massifier, Alig continued. I would take an idea I would see happening somewhere and I would say, Ohmigosh! I have to tell everyone about that. I would promote that idea, whether ecstasy or acid house or whatever. And the people I call the fabulous fundamentalists dont like that. They like to keep the ideas for a small group of elitists. And I like to spread them out. They consider me a sellout, I guess.

Did McLaren make the prison visit?

No. We talked for a while. I told him some of my ideas. He liked the idea of getting together and doing something scandalous. And getting people to hate us more.

Gurgle. Alig has a remarkable laugh, a venting of pressure, like a cooker in a lab.

And then he just died all of a sudden, Alig added of McLaren.

Alig and I met in a coffee house on Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side. The Michael Alig I met in the 80s would have been near uncontrollably buoyant. Now 50, he is friendly, open, and lower-key.

Melendezs murder was a horror that could have been scripted by the darkest of dark playwrights. (Indeed, his story was made into a 2003 movie starring Macaulay Culkin as Alig, Party Monster, which was based on James St. Jamess book, Disco Bloodbath.)

On May 17, 1996, Aligwho was in an apartment paid for by his boss, the club lord Peter Gatienand his friend Robert Freeze Riggs got into a squabble with Angel Melendez over drug money they owed.

It ended with Melendez dead in a bath sloppy with Drano and fancy fragrances, then an amateurish dismemberment and a dump into the Hudson, a clubland thrumming with rumors about Angels disappearance, and with Alig blabbing about it all to skeptics like Arthur Weinstein, creator of such oases of the after-hours culture as the Jefferson and the Continental, in the VIP bar of Limelight.

The torso was found, there were arrests, and the charges were pulled down to manslaughter because there were elements of self-defense. Alig was convicted on May 17, 1996, and did close to 17 years. Did that change him? I sort of realized who I really was, he said. Before I was whoever I said I was. He emerged to what?

Involvement in an exceedingly dark scenario can affect the protagonists very differently. I spent time with O.J. Simpson while working on a magazine feature a few years back, and I was struck that when we were in public spaces The Event was a palpable presence. Its hard to imagine Anthony Weiner sinking into the undergrowth.

But Alig is interacting with the rest of the world mostly untouched. Why? He isnt surrounded with groupies, greedy for any sort of fame. Its more that what happened seems unimaginable, hard to connect with the individual you meet in the here and now, as if it was kind of a freak storm.

Even I cant believe it sometimes, Alig said. Its unfathomable, I was a different person then. I was using drugs every day, five different kinds of drug a day. And it does something to your brain. We werent living in a reality.

First of all, the clubs were making so much money that we could do basically anything we wanted. And Im not putting the blame anywhere else. Its just it would be easier for people to understand how we could get to that spot where you feel you can do anything.

And its not real! Its all make-believe, because youre always high, youre always in an alternate reality we could break any law in the world, really, and as long as the clubs were making money, nobody would say anything to us.

And again, its not their responsibility. I was an an adult and I should have noticed myself that it was spiraling out of control, and I think that at some level I did realize that. But I felt that it was going to be like that forever, we would just get away with everything and we were going be young forever.

And the crime itself?

I just remember flashes. Like a movie.

Alig had been in jail for years. Has he changed?

Back then I used to be whoever I said I was. Now I know who I am.

I told Alig he has been blamed for not showing enough contrition.

Of course, Im sorry, he said. But that sounds trite. No words can make any difference anymore. Its actions. Theres a charity element to every one of my projects.

But, he added surprisingly, I have been having trouble finding a nonprofit that will accept my money.

One such, he said, was the Hetrick-Martin Institute, set up for LGBT youth. Another is Green Chimneys, which deals with kids with emotional, social, and behavioral problems. (I reached out to both organizations for comment, and will add their responses if they supply them.)

They wouldnt accept it. They wouldnt even accept it anonymously. I think its because they dont want the publicity. And they also dont want to be seen as money laundering, like they are being used to lighten my image. Because they would be complicit, sort of. In the crime. So I have started my own.

It is called Skroddle Squad, he said. He and a professional market researcher have been putting it together, and it is already online.

Skroddle?

Skroddle is a lifestyle. Its the club kid kind of lifestyle of be your own person, love who you are, and that kind of thing. Thats what the Club Kids were. We were misfits in our own towns, and we came to New York and we created our own family. And thats what this is, except now its worldwide and its on the internet, we have representatives in Brazil and in the U.K. and Norway, in France and America.

Each city has their kind of club kid representative. And then you go onto the website and you click on the city you want to go to. And it will connect you immediately to all the cool people in that city. Its a network and its a family.

And the emails that Im getting from kids they are 15 or 16 years old their parents have kicked them out or they dont have any friends or they are being bullied in school or whatever they find comfort in having this international family of like-minded weirdos and misfits and theres safety in numbers. And theres security in numbers. The emails Im getting, they make you cry, they break your heart.

Aligs own infamy precedes him. As well as McLaren, he had also reached out from prison to Maurizio Cattelan not long before that jokester-artists retrospective at the Guggenheim, during which his works were hung from the ceiling by ropes.

His assistant wrote back and said, Ohmigod, Maurizio is so happy that you wrote to him, he would love to do something with you. Let him know when you are out.

Alig also sent a Christmas card to John Waters, who mentioned the card later in a profile in Interview magazine.

Alig has been in and out of the public eye since his return home. Last week he pinned up some of his famously inventive invitations from the disco days in the Rumpus Room on Eldridge, and a few evenings later I saw him being filmed in the same venue with Michael Musto for Vamp Bikers Tres, a zombie movie in which Alig plays God.

Since last fall he and the market researcher have been going through what the market guy described as the thousands of handwritten project notes that Alig made inside, including screenplays, TV treatments, plans for a clothing line, and for an illustrated book about the history of the club kids.

The market researcher is working pro bonoits time to change the conversation, he told mebut did not wish to be named, being understandably nervous about his corporate clients.

Celebrity crime is a terrain thick with moral booby-traps. I asked Alig whether some wouldnt claim that this continued drawing power derives from the doing-in of Angel Melendez.

People do say that, Alig agreed. And I understand where they are coming from. But those people are the people that only knew of me since the crime. Anybody that knew me before the crime knows that I was doing this before. Its all that I know how to do.

While he was inside had he thought of finding something to do that would keep him clear of Nightworld?

Yes, I did. But I didnt know what to do. I couldnt think of anything. It was kind of a fantasy.

He added: Its second nature to me to come up with ideas and projects. I dont know how else to earn a living.

What was the best part of getting out of the joint and coming home? I asked.

The best thing is having people to talk to that I can connect with.

And the worst thing?

I thought that coming home would solve all my problems, and I would be happy. But I came home, and I wasnt. I came home and I realized that it doesnt really matter if Im here or Im there. Im just the same person!

One of the Skroddle Squad online apparitions, incidentally, is headlined MICHAEL ALIG ARTIST WRITER CRIMINAL. He said he is thinking it may be time to take criminal down.
For years, Democratic elected officials in Washington have been wary of going after Wall Street excesses too hard, lest the deep-pocketed financial industry throw all its resources to Republicans.

This has been especially true of one of the most notorious targets for financial reform: the favorable tax treatment of the outsize compensation earned by partners in private equity firms. Democrats have long spoken out against this so-called carried-interest loophole, yet have often not pushed as hard as they could to change the law, which saves some of the wealthiest people in finance billions of dollars in taxes each year.

All of this explains why the scenario presented by the 2016 election is so surreal. The Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, has vowed to close the loophole, saying its unfair that the highly compensated money managers who benefit from it pay lower tax rates than nurses or truckers. Clinton recently went even further than President Obama on the issue, saying she would close the loophole through executive action if Congress continued to resist a legislative fix, a step that Obama has shied away from taking.

One might reasonably expect Clintons campaign contributions from private equity to suffer as a result of her stance, and for the money to flow overwhelmingly to the Republicans, as it did in the last presidential election.

That hasnt happened. In fact, Clinton is receiving all of the industrys support.

As of the end of July, the executives and employees of the four biggest private equity firmsthe Blackstone Group, Carlyle Group, KKR, and Apollo Global Managementhad given her campaign a combined $182,295 in direct contributions, according to the database compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Their combined contributions to her opponents campaign? Zero. Not a cent.

The reason for this swing, of course, is that Clintons opponent is not just any Republican, but Donald J. Trump. Trump broke with the Republican mold on the carried-interest issue early in his campaign when he announced that he, too, was in favor of closing the loophole (though as tax experts have noted, other aspects of his tax plan would likely save those who benefit from the loophole even more on their taxes than keeping the loophole does). Trumps selection of Mike Pence, Indianas sitting governor, as his running mate has further dissuaded Wall Street firms from giving to the campaign out of fear of violating pay to play rules that bar firms from giving to state officials with oversight over the pension funds that invest with the firms.

But the private equity industrys abandonment of Trump, which predates his selection of Pence, arises mostly from anxiety in the higher echelons of Wall Street over what a Trump victory would mean for the country and financial markets.

The day after the election of Donald Trump the market will go down massively as people jump out of stock and bonds and buy gold, said Robert Shrum, a longtime Democratic political consultant now on the faculty of the University of Southern California. Saving on your taxes on your profits doesnt do you any good if you dont have any profits.

The top four private equity firms, which declined to comment for this article, arent donating to Clinton at the level they backed 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, who had spent years working in the industry. Executives and employees of those firms gave Romney a combined $591,600, while giving only $147,031 to Obama, who had attacked the loophole as a senator and a presidential candidate. But Clintons take has already surpassed Obamas.

The private-equity industrys giving this year is mirrored by a mismatch in other sectors of Wall Street (though a few hedge fund managers have taken prominent roles as Trump fundraisers and advisers) and helps explain Clintons financial advantage heading into the campaigns home stretch. But it also raises an obvious question for Clinton: Would she as president really follow through with a campaign proposal that will raise billions of dollars in revenue from the very industry that has favored her so completely over her opponent?

Two economic advisers to Clinton, speaking on condition that they not be identified per campaign policy, insisted that her proposals on the issue should be taken at face value. The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

Barney Frank, the former Democratic congressman from Massachusetts who co-authored the Dodd-Frank financial reform law of 2010 and was sharply critical of the loophole while in office, said in an interview that Clinton should be taken at her word on the issue, regardless of the industrys campaign contributions. She genuinely believes [in closing the loophole], and they have given her all that money assuming thats what she believes, he said.

The fact remains, though, that the carried-interest loophole has survived for years despite many previous avowals of intent to close it. The loophole is often referred to as the hedge-fund loophole, but it applies far more to private equity, as well as venture capital and real estate investment firms. Private-equity firms use the money of wealthy individuals and pension funds to buy private companies or take publicly held companies private, then try to increase the companies bottom line before reselling them for a profit.

Typically, private-equity partners are paid a 2 percent fee on the assets under their management, plus a 20 percent cut of any profits, which is known as carried interest. The fees are taxed as ordinary income, but the carried interest is taxed at the lower capital gains tax rate, even though it is compensation for laborthe partners handling of others moneyrather than a return on the partners own investment. Currently, that means being taxed at 23.8 percent rather than the 39.6 percent top rate for ordinary income; for much of the past 15 years, it was an even bigger difference, 35 percent vs. 15 percent.

This tax treatment has roots in the oil and gas industry of the early 20th century, when partners doing the actual work of oil exploration using other partners investments had their share of profits taxed at the capital gains rate, which has for much of the past century been lower than the rate for ordinary income in order to incentivize risk-taking and entrepreneurship. The logic was that these partners sweat equity had also entailed risk, since they only got a payout if their exploration panned out. But the treatment has become harder to justify in the context of todays private-equity industry, since there is much less risk-taking at work: Partners collect their 2 percent fee no matter what and are generally investing in existing companies, not starting new ones, making their work harder to distinguish from other finance professionals who pay taxes at ordinary income rates on their compensation.

Estimates of the loopholes total tax benefit for private-equity partners (roughly 20 of whom are now worth more than $2 billion each, according to the Forbes 400 list) range from about $2 billion per year to seven or eight times as much as that. For nearly a decade, assorted congressional Democrats have sought to close the loophole, with occasional support from the odd Republican, but these efforts have repeatedly come to naught, with the last major push coming up a few votes short of a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate in June 2010.

There has been no concerted effort since late 2010, when Republicans became the majority in the House. Speaker Paul Ryan opposes closing the loophole outright, instead saying the matter will be taken up as part of comprehensive tax reform in the years ahead. But comprehensive tax reform has not been undertaken in Washington since 1986. In 2014, when then-Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, a Michigan Republican, offered a comprehensive reform plan that included closing the carried-interest loophole, it went nowhere with his Republican colleagues.

Many Democrats have also moved with something less than alacrity to close the loophole. In 2007, then-Senator Clinton declined to join Senator Obama in co-sponsoring legislation to close it, though she did come out in favor of doing so on the presidential campaign trail that year. Her fellow New York senator, Charles Schumer, who is in line to be leader of the Senate Democrats, repeatedly insisted that any reform of carried interest also apply to real estate and venture capital, not just private equity, which served to increase opposition to the measure. And Obama has resisted the arguments of tax experts such as Victor Fleischer, a leading critic of the loophole, that it could be closed by administrative fiat. (Fleischer is leaving academia to become Democratic tax counsel on the Senate Finance Committee.)

Democratic foot-dragging on the issue can be attributed partly to the fact that the cities where private equity and venture capital are clusteredNew York, Boston, and San Franciscoare Democratic power centers. Private equity firms and the industrys trade group (recently renamed the American Investment Council, dropping the term private equity) have hired many former Democratic lawmakers and staffers to lobby on the issue. And several top private equity partners have built strong ties of their own with Democrats.

One is David Rubenstein, the co-founder of Carlyle. Rubenstein, who worked in the Carter White House, has long sworn off making campaign contributions, helping him maintain good relations with elected officials of both political parties. As a ProPublica article co-published with The New Yorker in March described, Rubenstein capitalized on his credibility with congressional Democrats, which he has buttressed with his considerable philanthropic giving to civic causes in Washington, to make the case on the Hill against closing the loophole when efforts to do so came close in 2007 and 2010.

In interviews since the article appeared, Rubenstein has downplayed his influence on the issue. I havent talked to a member of Congress about this in five yearsits just not one of my main concerns, he told The New York Times Andrew Ross Sorkin. He told the public-radio show Marketplace, I havent been active in it. I dont think Ive talked to a member of Congress about it in five years or so. Its not my major focus. Of the 1,000 things Ive worried about, its not even in the top 1,000. Left unsaid in both interviews was that Rubenstein hasnt had to lobby Congress on the loophole in the past five years because it hasnt been under serious threat in that time span.

Rubenstein even got ribbing for his effective defense of the loophole from Larry Summers, a former Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration and Harvard University president, at a conference in Las Vegas in May. Rarely has a policy existed so long with such weak arguments in its favor, Summers said in a session with Rubenstein and Robert Rubin, the former Goldman Sachs and Citigroup executive who preceded Summers as Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration. Its the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, and carried interest, right?

Not necessarily in that order, joked Rubin.

According to Business Insider, Rubenstein countered that if Summers and Rubin found the tax treatment of carried interest so unfounded, they could have used executive action to eliminate it when they ran the Treasury Department. This was a notable remark, in that it seemed to undercut the industrys position that the tax treatment can only be changed legislatively.

In this election, Rubenstein has maintained his policy of not making campaign contributions. But his Carlyle colleagues have made a striking shift, giving Clinton more than double what they gave Obama in 2012, with several months left to go in the campaign. Most eye-catching, though, is the shift at Blackstone, whose executives and employees gave Romney nearly $250,000 in 2012. Among those giving to Romney was Blackstone co-founder Stephen Schwarzman, who in 2010 had compared closing the carried-interest loophole to the Nazi invasion of Poland (he later apologized).

This year, Schwarzman has given to neither presidential candidate, while giving more than $200,000 to a long list of Republican Senate and House candidates and party committees (plus to Schumer, the only Senate Democrat to get a check from Schwarzman). Instead, the most prominent Blackstone executive on the presidential campaign scene has been its president and chief operating officer, Hamilton Tony James, who hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton late last year, with Warren Buffett, and hosted a reception at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia. James is mentioned as a possible candidate for Treasury secretary in a Clinton administration.

The Philadelphia reception, at the Barnes Foundation, was attended by a whos who of Wall Street executives and Democratic luminaries with Clinton roots, including Summers, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and former economic adviser Gene Sperling. In a brief speech, James avoided any mention of the carried-interest issue. Instead, he cast Clinton as a savior against darkness.

Every election, people say this one really matters. But I think this one really matters. We can raise our sights, we can elevate the country or we can take the path down, the path down to fanning fears social divisions, James said. There are two reasons we have to win this election. First of all we have a great leader and candidate. Secondly, we have a nightmare alternative.

Related stories: Read about how David Rubenstein helped save the billionaires tax break, the story behind the Great Republican Crackup of 2016, and more of ProPublicas coverage of politics and lobbying in our ongoing series, The Breakdown.
Ive grown accustomed to a great divide between what people believe and what I know to be real, offers Jacqueline Kennedy, cradling a lit cigarette. That shes sharing this with a reporter is not lost on him, her, or us, and its this fascination gap that is probed in Pablo Larrains Jackie, a potent historical drama depicting the former first ladys struggles in the days following her husbands assassination, and a film anchored by an achingly vulnerable turn from Natalie Portman as the titular presidential widow.

Strident orchestral strings signal the opening of the film, followed by Portmans face, in close-up. She is a paragon of graceful agony. It is a week after her husband, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas, and Jackie is laying low at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. She has consented to an interview with Theodore H. White of Life magazine (Billy Crudup)one of three narrative framing devices employed by the gifted Chilean filmmaker Larrain, along with her confession to a priest (John Hurt, excellent), and footage of her much-ballyhooed tour of the White House with CBS News.

We witness different sides to Jackie in each of these interactions: her public persona, flashing that irresistible smile to the TV news cameras; her semi-public persona, exuding strength, cutting wit, and strategy in painting a fairy tale picture of the Kennedy White House as Camelot to Life; and her private grief at the loss of her husband, confessing to the elderly priest that she often wishes she could join him in the great beyond. The result is a finely etched, layered interpretation of Jacqueline Kennedyand one that will surely draw comparisons to Stephen Frearss The Queen.

Few actresses portray inner torment quite like Portman, whose youthful visage exudes childlike terror, and with it, pathos. It is what made her Oscar-winning turn as a ballerina in Black Swan so transfixing; a frightened and desperate little girl trapped in the body of a grown woman striving for acceptance. She instills similar qualities in Jackie, who copes with her impossible circumstances by wandering the halls of the White House like Danny Torrance in The Shining, popping pills, and occasionally lashing out at her brother-in-law, Bobby Kennedy (Peter Sarsgaard), who seems more concerned with optics and the state of the Kennedy legacy than the state of his brothers wife and children.

There was blood everywhere there were so many pieces I had to hold his head together, Jackie tells Whitebefore warning him that theres no way in hell hes printing it. The film then flashes back to the moments immediately after the Kennedy assassination, as the shell-shocked first lady escorts her dying husband to Parkland Hospital, and later joins Lyndon B. Johnson for his swearing-in as president onboard Air Force One, all the while refusing to remove her bloodstained clothes. In one devastating sequenceone of several Oscar moments delivered by Portman in the filmwe see Jackie scrubbing her husband off her face in the mirror, her tears mixing with his blood.

In order to, it seems, save herself from confronting her misery head-on, she not only paints that heavenly picture of Camelot to White, but also channels it into the funeral arrangements for her husband, vacillating between a grand procession like Lincoln and something decidedly less awe-inspiring. She locks horns with Jack Valenti (Max Casella), Johnsons political consultant, over the security risks posed by her husbands eight-block procession through the streets of Washington, as well as Bobby, who she feels sees her as nothing more than a fashionable debutante.

It is the quiet moments with John Hurts gentle priest, however, that grant us the biggest glimpse into Jackies soul. She wrestles with her faith, saying, I think God is evil, and later alludes to her husbands wandering eye, confessing that, Jack and I hardly ever spent the night together. She worries about mens perception of her, asking, When men see me, what do you think they feel? later lamenting how I used to make them smile. And Portman handles these scenes with a delicateness and quiet dignity that proves nothing short of mesmerizing. There is much to like about Jackie, from the pitch-perfect period detail to Noah Oppenheims inspired script, but its Portmans portrait of grief that will linger long after the credits roll.
Godsgift Moses, Promise Owei, Thankgod Harold, Success Jumbo, Savior Samuel, and 30 more Nigerian students came to America hoping it would be the promised land.

Its only fitting that Opportunity is here is the motto of Alabama State University, listed as one of Americas 100 Historic Black Colleges and Universities, and where they got full scholarships from a Nigerian government fund for four years of education. Instead of getting opportunity, they say the school took their countrys millions and used the money to discriminate against them.

In a lawsuit filed last week in federal court, 41 Nigerian nationalsmany of whom are now Alabama State University alumniallege the school overcharged them for books and meals, enrolled them in classes they never took, and more, all because they were black foreigners.

They called us cash cows, said Jimmy Iwezu, an ASU alum who claims the university intentionally mismanaged millions from a scholarship fund set up by the Nigerian government that was paid in advance for every exchange student. Im a black man and Im proud to be black, but I felt discriminated against.

The 37-year-old social work grad cites the schools self-proclaimed autonomy to do whatever it wished with the seven-figure sum Nigeria prepaid back in 2013 for some 41 students to go to the school.

Attorney Julian McPhillips, who brought the lawsuit to court for the second timethe first attempt, back in April, accused the school of breaching its contract with Nigeria and was dismissedsuggests ASU violated Title VI civil rights.

The students allege they were shorted their deserved monies by ASU because of their Nigerian national origin, according to the lawsuit.

McPhillips contends ASU hammered the students with exorbitant billing and they werent being treated like other students when the school allegedly inflated the costs of staples like books and room and board, and repurposed the funds to pay for the schools bond issues and to help front costs for a new stadium, and, ironically, a center for civil rights awareness.

The school acted in a really disingenuous and self-serving way, McPhillips told The Daily Beast.

While most college students are permitted to bargain shop for textbooks wherever they wish or dine at different establishments beyond the school cafeterias, the Nigerian nationals at ASU, according to the federal complaint, were boxed in.

The lawsuit claims they were not allowed by ASU to spend this money, but instead the money was credited towards certain expenses the students incurred, or towards other expenses ASU incurred that were unrelated to the students.

The school compelled us to buy books from the book store and eat only at the cafeteria, Iwezu said. I tried to make them understand, Hey, we dont want to live in the dorms anymore, and we dont want to eat our entire meals at the dorms.

He said greed trumped reason.

They want our money, he said, adding that the surcharge to live on campus was raised specifically for him and his Nigerian counterparts. They make us pay $3,000 [a semester] to live in the dorms, and that is more than a mortgage on homes in this area.

Enough is enough.

Back in 2013, Dr. David Iyegha, a geography professor at ASU for almost three decades, made a pilgrimage to Lagos, serving as the schools ambassador to recruit fellow Nigerians with a mandate to attract its best and brightest to relocate to Montgomery, Alabama, for their higher education.

I went to Nigeria with one other faculty member and recruited these students to be sponsored by the Nigerian federal government, Iyegha told The Daily Beast.

Today he is withered in regret.

I feel very, very bad because I was the one who was instrumental in bringing these students to the campus, he said.

Iyegha, whose son is currently on a Ph.D. track at ASU, feels like he let down so many promising prospects.

[Nigeria] paid for everything, including their books, and all of the money is supposed to be given to the students so they can buy this or that.

But the college refused to release any of that money at all for the past three years.

While the money was prepaid and guaranteed by the Nigerian government, that didnt grant the school carte blanche on how it was supposed to be spent, he said.

I asked them, Why are you treating these kids like this? Why are you depriving them? and after talking to them at length, they told me they spent all the money and there is no money left.

An ASU spokesman told The Daily Beast that since its pending litigation against our university, Alabama State University has no comment.

Meanwhile, the retired 67-year-old academic says he is stunned the school he faithfully served and recruited for shorted these Nigerian nationals.

Iyegha said Nigeria allocated approximately $30,000-$35,000 annually for each student to attend fall, spring, and summer semesters. Those funds would also go toward books, room and board, and incidentals.

Nigeria paid in full the entire cost for the 2014-15 year, but ASU hoarded the money instead of depositing any excess sponsorship monies into the students accounts, the lawsuit claims.

The students were suspicious of the allegedly questionable accounting practices and decided to raise cain with their consulate.

In a May 2015 letter addressed to ASUs president Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd, a special adviser to the former president Goodluck Jonathan named Kingsley Kuku blasted the college for its discriminatory practices and for breaching its fiduciary duties.

The dignitary empaneled a delegation to head to Montgomery to deal with the financial fracas and demanded that all credit balances for tuition be carried over for each student and be used as initial deposit for the next semester fees and that ASU refund each student for all other line items.

After months of inaction, the students attorney McPhillips shot back in November, demanding ASU quit the stonewall or continuing silence and instead treat them justly from an economic perspective and refund portions of tuition, books, room and board, especially for the summer semesters of 2015 and 2016, and all personal expenses not used.

He pointed to Nigerian student Success Jumbo, who had married and was living off-campus and deserved a refund because his government paid for nearly two years of dormitory expenses on his behalf, even though he has not needed said expense.

In a terse response two months later, Kenneth Thomas, ASUs general counsel, wrote back stating that the oral agreement between Nigeria and ASU supersedes McPhillipss clients claims. There is no financial agreement between the University and the individual Nigerian students, Thomas wrote.

That meant the Nigerians gripes were frivolous and that if there were any refunds to be had, they would inure to the Nigerian Government and not to the individual students.

Thus, the schools counsel wrote, Alabama State University denies your claim.

While the legal process was underway, the Nigerian students refused to be treated like naive foreigners.

They started to school themselves and enterprisingly even traded notes with other students at neighboring schools like Troy State and Alabama University.

We looked at what happens with other students when they are given refunds and compared it to our student accounts, Kehinde Batife told The Daily Beast. We would see a refund, but before we could do anything about it, the refund was taken out.

The now 28-year-old criminal justice graduate says he was charged for summer school he never attended, after he had already graduated.

They had me as if I was going to school this summer, the puzzled graduate said. I asked them, I graduated in May, so where is the scholarship money my government gives to you?

And when he called the administration out, he says school administrators quickly denounced him.

They tell me, Youre a resident of the scholarship. So they think they can do whatever they want with the money [Nigeria] gives them Im not going to let them treat us like animals.

Batife, who is hoping to afford law school to one day, remains irate about ASUs alleged underhanded tactics.

Ive been here three years and Im a super intelligent person, he said. Im not nosy, but I ask questions, and this school thought we dont know anything and they could do whatever they want to us.

I cannot forget about this and Im ready to fight the school, even if it means 10 years from now Im still fighting to get justice.

The fight isnt about riches either.

A victory for Iwezu would be for ASU to pay restitution that can then bankroll future Nigerian students higher education in the U.S.

I want justice to prevail, and the remaining money should go to [Nigerias] Treasury and make a better life for other Nigerians.

Editors Note: The story has been updated to reflect that ASU a Historical Black College and University (HBCU).
Donald Trumps phony prayer for the black vote at an African-American church in Detroit should not distract us from the truth. Ever since Barack Obama was elected as our first black president in 2008, the GOP-controlled state legislatures have been passing laws to block black and brown voters from voting.

Its clear from their platform and voter suppression legislation that Republican National Committee and Republican Party dont want black and brown people to vote. Not for Trump. Not for anyone. Youve heard of Rock the Vote? The GOP campaign is Block the Vote.

The GOPs voter suppression honchos must be tearing their hair out because the federal courts are finally on to them. In recent months, federal courts across the country have issued a series of decisions striking down or requiring changes to GOPs racist voting laws.

The GOP-controlled North Carolina legislature got caught red-handed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit when it ruled on July 29 that North Carolinas 2013 restrictive voting law was enacted with discriminatory intent that used almost surgical precision to stop blacks from voting.

The evidence was clear to the Fourth Circuit: the legislature enacted one of the largest restrictions of the [black voter] franchise in modern North Carolina history and even admitted in a smoking gun argument that the voting restrictions were necessary due to concern that African Americans, who had overwhelmingly voted for Democrats, had too much access to the franchise.

Message from the GOP to black voters in North Carolina: you are voting too much, so we need to curb those black votes with a voter suppression law!

The GOP pushed through the voter suppression law after realizing that black voter registration in North Carolina jumped by 51 percent between 2000 and 2012, and black voter turnout surged up to 42 percent in 2000, 72 percent in 2008 and a whopping 69 percent in 2012.

The Fourth Circuit is not the only court to call out these discriminatory voting laws in the last several weeks.

In Michigan, where Trump spoke at the black church, a new GOP law banning Michigans straight-party ballot option was blocked on July 21 optional link: by a federal judge who ruled that the ban disproportionately hurts black voters and therefore violates the Voting Rights Act.

Until the GOP ban, Michigan offered voters a bubble on their ballots allowing a straight-party vote without checking off all the individual candidates, which is favored by many black voters. Without that one-and-done option, black voters would take longer to vote and create long lines in precincts already plagued by long lines. Michigans GOP attorney general has challenged the ruling in a September 2 emergency filing with the Supreme Court by Michigans Republican attorney general.

Then down in New Orleans, the full United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the most conservative federal appeals court in the country, shocked everyone on July 20 when it ruled that the new Texas voter ID law violates the Voting Rights Act. The court held that 600,000 Texan voters who are disproportionately black, Latino and poor lack the ID required by the new lawincluding a drivers license, military ID, passport or weapons permitand most would be unable to obtain such an ID. The court did not strike down the law but ordered a lower court to fix it before the November 8 election.

The GOP must be panicking now that the federal court judges who once backed voter-ID laws are getting wise to the GOP shenanigans. Judge Richard Posner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh District says his vote upholding the Indiana law was wrong; he realizes that photo-ID laws are now widely regarded as a means of voter suppression rather than of fraud prevention. Boom!

These voter suppression laws were made possible by the conservative block of five justices of the Supreme Court who voted to gut the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder.

When Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in his majority opinion that Voter turnout and registration rates for black and white voters were nearly equal in the South, the GOP saw this as an endorsement of their fears that black and brown voters were gaining too much voting power.

Since 2008, Republican legislatures in 17 states have adopted new restrictive voting laws. Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin imposed strict voter ID requirements. North Carolina and other states eliminated the early voting days favored by guess whoblacks and Latinosalong with a variety of other provisions that can disproportionately keep voters of color from the polls.

The GOP is waging a panicky fight to save its voter suppression laws in the weeks before the election. North Carolinas GOP governor filed an emergency application asking the Supreme Court to reinstate that states restrictive voting law found to be discriminatory by the Fourth Circuit. But the Court got tangled up with a 4-4 tie vote and could not reinstate the discriminatory voting rules.

The GOP has a sinister Plan B in North Carolina. A leaked email from North Carolina Republican Party leader Dallas Woodhouse reveals that the GOP is urging local voting officials in North Carolina to eliminate Sunday voting favored by blacks, which could circumvent the Fourth Circuit decision. Republicans can and should make party line changes to early voting, Woodhouse wrote to local voting officials, according to The News & Observer.

Its crazy that the modern Republican Party calls itself the Party of Lincoln and Trump has called the Democratic Party is the Party of Slavery.

Dont be fooled by this historical amnesia. The two parties switched sides for good when Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson rammed the Civil Right Act and Voting Rights Act through Congress. The Republican Party is now the Party of the New Jim Crow Voter Suppression.

Trump argues that black voters have nothing to lose by voting for him. Wrong. Black and brown voters will continue to lose their right to votewhich is a constitutional right and not a privilege like a drivers licenseif they chose Trump and other Republican candidates.

Susan E. Seager is a First Amendment lawyer who teaches media law at the University of Southern California and was a volunteer poll observer for the Barack Obama presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012. She tweets at @seagreen55.
MOSCOW  Vladimir Zhirinovsky recently boasted of taking a DNA test to prove that hes related to Donald Trump. The 70-year-old Russian right-wing nationalist and populist who founded the (not very) Liberal Democratic Party often is compared to the 70-year-old American populist now slightly ahead in the contest to win presidency of the United States. Zhirinovsky is called a Russian Trump and Trump, at least in Russia, is labeled an American Zhirinovsky.

What similarities do Russians see in them? It could be their brash, fiery rhetoric, the roughness of their style, the way their faces distort with anger, or, as one Russian pointed out, the way that spittle tends to build on the corners of their mouths.

Certainly they share an ability to feed the public with fury, and change their message as they find convenient. Depending on what tune he needed at any given moment in the political arena, Zhirnovsky can act as the Kremlins clown or as a calm, even cold, opposition leader.

Now he is in this second mode.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Beast, Zhirinovsky described his plan to fight organized crime in Russia. He describes it as a web thats penetrated all law enforcement agencies and regional administrations, reaching all the way to the highest echelons of the Kremlins leadership.

The organized mafia is directly connected with state corruption, Zhirinovsky told The Daily Beast on the way to a meeting with voters outside the Kremlins wall. So we need to get rid of it, as we did in Smolensk, where the governor is our LDPR member and all his deputies are from parties other than United Russia, which is the party of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

If everybody, from a steam bath director to the president and police general have no ties with organized crime, there will no corruption, Zhirinovsky said. The veteran member of the Duma, who was twice elected its deputy speaker, says he has a plan to fight corruption at the level of prosecutors, police and the FSB (the security service that succeeded the KGB).

But wait a minute. If Zhirinovsky is sincere about fighting organized crime, how can he be such a fan of Donald Trump, who has done business with men reportedly linked to the Russian mafia, notably Felix Sater and Tevfik Arif?

Zhirinovsky sighed at the question, paused, and then answered. There is an objective side of it: he did not know anybody in business, a foreigner looking for connections, so they introduced him to bad guys, Zhirinovsky said. I might also get introduced to mafia. Recently I met with my voters in Bratsk and somebody sent a coded message to Moscow that Zhirinovsky was meeting with local criminal mob, with local bandits.

When it comes to geopolitics, Zhirinovksky likes to threaten Washington. In 2014 he gave listeners an imaginative description of a Russian attack on the United States. One day Americans will wake up, and there will be no White Housesnow will cover all of America.

But when it comes to Trump, all that anti-Americanism seems to dissipate. The head of the State Dumas LDPR faction seems pleased to hear about any parallels between him and the U.S. Republican Partys presidential candidate.

Trump is a person whos close to me somehow, Zhirinovsky told The Daily Beast. I liked him the first time we had a short meeting in New York in 2002he was normal, neither prim, nor prejudiced, Zhirinovsky recalled as he looked back on the meeting arranged by Russian diplomat Alexander Grachev.

To say something ultimately crazy and watch the reaction, to enjoy the unpunished freedom of insanity as if gauging how far they can go, is the common strategy of both men.

Trump and Zhirinovsky are twin brothers, representing the new popular trend of nationalist leaders including [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, [Frances] Marine Le Pen, [and Hungarys] Viktor Orban, beloved by white middle class voters, who were not interested in politics before and now have been awakened by the radical far-right, says Dmitry Oreshkin, an independent Moscow-based political scientist.

Trump has suggested, famously, banning Muslims from entering the U.S. and building a wall on the border with Mexico. Zhirinovsky, who had been in big politics long before Trumphe ran for the Russian presidency in 1991has made much more aggressive ultranationalist statements.

In 2013 he hissed, Block off the North Caucasus with barbed wire. In response, Chechen politicians called him a bearer of fascist ideology. Nobody arrested Zhirinovsky for his statement and he went further, making a fuss about Caucasus mothers having large families of 7, 10 or 15 children: For as long as there is no birth control, for as long as they have more than two children per family, terrorism cannot be defeated, Zhirinovsky said.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov called on Moscow to investigate Zhirinovsky for extremism and hate speech, but the popular nationalist politician got away with it, as usual.

Passengers arriving from Europe in recent days could read promises by Zhirinovskys party to restore the borders with USSR on every advertising screen at Sheremetyevo Airport.

Less than two weeks before Duma elections the LDPRs popularity is on the rise once again, but Zhirinovsky once again, is doing his angry thing: Our actual popularity is much higher, the elections get rigged, voting falsified, fake bulletins get thrown in, elections work by the same corrupt methods, Zhirinovsky tells The Daily Beast.

In person, it should be said, the politician sounds calm and stable, as if he has two distinct personaities.

He is a an actor on Kremlins payroll, a multi-millionaire defending the poor, but he plays an important role and the Kremlin adores him for that: Zhirinovsky collects all the radical social layer under his wing criticizing Putin, then comes to Putin for the paycheck, Oreshkin told The Daily Beast.

Radicalism, threats, contempt for opponentsyes, theres all that in common. And then theres the womanizing, or at least the pretense of it. Last year the septuagenarian Zhirinovsky presented a book, The ABC of Sex, at a strip club.

Today, the leader of the LDPR is running a campaign for parliamentary elections, enjoying the growth of his popularity: polls show that out of all Russians planning to vote on September 18, up to 15 percent prefer Zhirinovskys far-right party to Vladimir Putins United Russia.

Zhirinovsky clearly hopes that if Trump wins in November, the new U.S. president awill feel he has a kindred soul in the Russian Duma.

But not, it would appear, actual kin. The blood test stunt reportedly came back negativethe Russian nationalist leader is not related to Trumpnot by blood anyway.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange got a warm welcome, via satellite, on Fox News last night. Sean Hannity, who has been highly critical of Assange in the past, now couldnt help but praise his harsh words for both Hillary Clinton and the mainstream media.

Part of me, in the beginning, was conflicted about you, Hannity said at the top of his interview with Assange on Tuesday night. This was a massive understatement.

Six years ago on his show, Hannity accused Assange of waging war against the U.S. by publishing secret diplomatic cables that he said put American lives in jeopardy and danger around the world. Hannity asked why the Obama administration hadnt arrested Assange, wondering, why we can stop pirating a music and Hollywood movies, but we can't stop this guy from stealing highly classified documents that puts people's lives at risk?

On Tuesday, Hannity said his initial disagreement with Assange stemmed from the fact that he believes in privacy, including the importance of keeping emails private, which carried extra irony considered where the conversation was going. On the other hand, you have done a lot of good in what you have exposed about how corrupt, dishonest and phony our government is and I applaud that, the host said.

In late July, WikiLeaks released hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee that were believed to be obtained first through Russian intelligence services. Assange has not revealed any information about the source of the DNC hack or other potential Hillary Clinton-related material and Hannity, who has been informally advising Donald Trump, did not attempt to press him on the issue.

Before Assange made his opposition to Hillary Clinton known, Hannity viewed his organizations work as stealing highly classified documents. Now that the two men are on the same political team, Hannity has suddenly become a true believer in WikiLeaks philosophy of radical transparency.

Later in the interview, Hannity helped Assange tease his promised revelations about Hillary Clinton, but he could not get his guest to elaborate on what those batches will contain and when we can expect to see them. He ended the segment by telling Assange, I do hope you get free one day and wish you the best.

So back when Assange was free, Hannity wanted him arrested. Now that he has been holed up at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for the past several years in order to avoid being charged for sexual assault by Swedish authorities, Hannity wants to see him exonerated.
Two weeks ago, The Daily Shows Trevor Noah was blasting Donald Trump for making his pitch to African-American voters at a rally in nearly all-white town of West Bend, Wisconsin. This past weekend, Trump finally ventured into a black church in Detroit, but Noah was not about to give the candidate credit for what many view as a too little, too late outreach effort.

As Noah saw it, Trump had three choices for a visit to the black community: barbershops, Tyler Perry movies, or black churches. Because the Republican nominee wouldnt want anyone touching his hair and Madea is a 2, his only option was to go to church .

After showing footage of Trump swaying to the music at Great Faith Ministries in Detroit, Noah shouted, No! Im sorry, but Ive got to call out the media on this one. Donald Trump was not swaying to the music. He was swaying, and there happened to be music playing at the same time.

Now, the speech that Trump delivered at this church was from the heart, Noah said. And you could feel that it was from the heart because Donald Trump told us. He also suggested that the speech he wrote himself would be better understand by his audience than it was by him. What does that even mean? Noah asked. As someone who claims they wrote the speech, he seems genuinely surprised at the information contained in his speech.

Noah also remarked that Trump seemed confused when he was presented with a prayer cloth. You guys put it on the shoulders? he said, imitating Trump. My other friends put the white sheet over their head. But, I mean, to each their own, folks. We all do it differently.
A summertime Shakespeare performance in a New York City park is nothing we haven't seen before, but putting on a nude production of The Tempest is a new twist. Following a successful run in Central Park, which was called ""brave and beautiful," the mostly-nude show is moving to Prospect Park for free performances today through Saturday.

The Brooklyn production is produced by the Torn Out Theater; consulting director Alice Mottola had previously explained the reasoning behind getting rid of the traditional garb thus: "The Tempest is one of Shakespeares best-known and best-loved plays, but we want the audience to see it through fresh eyes, as something rich and strange, the way an audience four hundred years ago would have."

We recently asked Mottola and director Pitr Strait about their production, the reaction they're getting, and the oglers that are likely drawn to this type of performances.

There's been a lot of attention about your Central Park shows earlier this yearhow has that felt? It's been exciting! Our initial run received more attention than we had expected, which was thrilling, but also a lot to take in at once. This time around, we've been more prepared not only for the quantity of news pieces that have been published about the show, but also the variety. Some publications are interested in discussing the artistic nature of the piece, while others jump to saying "parents are outraged!" even though we've never heard any complaints from parents. After all of the internet commentary that sprang up around the show, we've produced a video of the cast reading some of the best (and worst) comments that are out there:

So, for what must be the umpteenth time: Why nude? And why female only? The aim of this project is to be a small step in a much larger process of normalizing the female body in a non-sexual context. To do that, we had to use nudity as an integral storytelling tool. Using Shakespeare's text, we've built a world where nudity makes sense; the inhabitants of the island live far from society, free from danger, and have no need for clothing. Conversely, the castaways who wash up on shore must make the discovery on their own that their ornate, restrictive clothing is utterly out of place in this weird, wild world. Full nudity is allowed in New York State if it's part of an artistic exhibition, so the only permit we need is a permit to perform a play. One of the issues we're interested in is the odd fact that we are allowed to be naked as long as we're reciting verse within certain permitted hours, but as soon as our play ends, our bodies become criminalized again.

As for why it's an all-female cast: although body positivity is an important issue for everyone, it affects different genders in different ways. We wanted our production to convey a clear and specific message, so we chose to focus on female nudity for The Tempest. We want to demonstrate that women don't choose between having their bodies be hidden or be sexualized, that bodies can simply tell a story. We hope to explore issues surrounding body image for all genders in future productions.



Kara Lynn, left, as Ferdinand, and Marisa Roper, as Miranda (Kathy Willens / AP)

Do you think Shakespeare would have supported nude performances in his time?

Well, the censors in those days wouldn't have allowed either nudity or women actors, so even if Shakespeare would have supported our performance, it would never have been allowed to be staged in public. And that's one of the reasons we're so thrilled that we can do this play today, and that we have the freedom of expression to make an artistic statement that we believe in without fear of censorship.

How have audiences reacted? We've had very positive reactions from audiences so far. Many reported that a few minutes into the show, the nudity didn't feel strange or shocking anymore, and they were able to watch the show for the story in a way they didn't necessarily expect to. One of our favorite audience reactions was: "I only came for the nudity, but that was really good!"

Are you getting oglers? We've certainly had people stop and watch for a minute or two when we've been rehearsing in the parkbut that happens with most outdoor rehearsals. Theater is pretty eye-catching in any form! At the Central Park production, we had a few people trying to sneak in photos, but they were pretty good about putting their cameras away when we asked.

I read your FAQ for parentswhat do you think the biggest misconception people might be have about your production? People might think this is just a gimmick to get attention, or that naked women are just a way to get butts in seats. Aside from the fact that all performances are trying to get attention (performing usually doesn't work without an audience, after all), this isn't just exhibitionism. The way we tell stories should match the story we're telling, and our Tempest is a story of freedom, transformation, and acceptance. People might be shocked at first, but we hope our audience will be transformed as well, no longer seeing nudity as distracting or shocking by the end of the play, and maybe even becoming more comfortable with the concept of nudity in general.

We've also run into the misconception that what we're doing is illegal, and that we're risking getting arrested, but in fact, full nudity is legal in New York State if it's part of a play or other exhibition. We talked to the local police precinct and the Parks Department about the nudity in our production, and they've been friendly and supportive of the show.

Are you ready for Prospect Park? Definitely! It's been a great challenge to re-stage the play in a new location, especially because our production makes lots of use of the natural park setting. It's been worth it, though; Prospect Park has such a magical, untamed feeling to it, and it's been a thrill to embrace that energy as we build the wild world of Prospero's island. Plus, we're excited to be in a new borough, and bringing the play to a whole new audience.

Are you considering any new nude interpretations of works in the future? This production marks the launch of a new theater company, Torn Out Theater, and for our next show we plan to do something very different from naked Shakespeare. We do have a secret dream I'll let you in on, though: someday, we want to look at contemporary male sexuality through a nude production of that most brutal of 17th Century tragedies, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore. We have a million ideas for that show, but only time will tell if it ever actually comes to pass!

Torn Out Theater's The Tempest has free performances at 5:30 p.m., September 7-10, at the Music Pagoda in Prospect Park
There are plenty of ways to describe WikiLeaks role as a potential spoiler in the presidential race. Watching Julian Assange beam in to talk with Sean Hannity and tease election surprises to come, you might call it sinister, radically transparent, or damning but still compromised depending on your politics.

Whatever happens in October, just dont call it a surprise.

Since 2012 Assange, WikiLeaks founder and leader, has been confined to the Ecuadorian embassy in London fighting extradition to Sweden on sexual-assault charges. The inner workings of WikiLeakseffectively a one-man operation even before its leaders isolationcan be opaque. In some matters Assange has maintained WikiLeaks secrets but he has also made certain positions perfectly clear over the years: his loathing for Hillary Clinton, his increasing alignment with the Russian governments positions, and his interest in electoral politics.

Assanges antipathy for Clinton is well established and seems to be a hatred he came to honestly. Its a view hardly unique to Assange that sees the former Secretary of State as uniquely corrupt and bellicose even among her peers.

Back in 2010 Assange suggested Clinton should resign after his organization leaked diplomatic cables that showed her sanctioning spying on foreign diplomats.

Assange wasnt the only one to call for Clinton to step down in the wake of cablegate, some respected American journalists did as well, but his assertion that at WikiLeaks we dont have targets made in the same interview where he called for her resignation just doesnt hold up. Clinton has been a repeated target of both WikiLeaks and Assange himself. In his book When Google Met WikiLeaks, Assange detailed the Clinton State Departments questionable collusion with Google. And there are clear signs that WikiLeaks dump of nearly 20,000 hacked emails taken from the Democratic National Committee was timed to do maximum damage to Hillary Clintons presidential campaign. Additionally, both U.S. officials and private cybersecurity experts have pointed to the Russian governments likely involvement in hacking the DNC emails.

In a statement posted to WikiLeaks Twitter account and in interviews, Assange has responded to the charge of Russian co-option. Clinton, according to Assange, palled up with the neocons responsible for the Iraq War and shes grabbed on to this sort of neo-McCarthyist hysteria about Russia, and is using that to demonize the Trump campaign.

Even given WikiLeaks apparent Russian connections, and the Clinton campaigns attempts to amplify them, the emails raise serious questions about Clintons staff granting political favors to donors and the DNCs efforts to sabotage Bernie Sanderss campaign. DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned in the ensuing scandal and, more than a month later, the leaks are still generating negative press for Clinton and keeping a spotlight on WikiLeaks.

As Assange and his allies now tease WikiLeaks next leak, its worth noting just how long he has been building up to this October surprise.

The first public mention of WikiLeaks plans for Clinton White House ambitions appears to have come from an unlikely source. The 6-foot-7 Kim Dotcom was born Kim Schmitz in West Germany.

By 2005, he had been arrested multiple times when he legally changed his surname to Dotcom. The new name was an  homage to the technology that made him a millionaire, The Wall Street Journal reported in 2012 in a story on his arrest in New Zealand. Dotcom remains in New Zealand today where hes fighting extradition to the U.S. on charges related to alleged copyright infringement, racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering by his the file-sharing service Megaupload.

Dotcom and Assange cemented a political alliance in 2014 when the two of them plus journalist Glenn Greenwald and famed leaker Edward Snowden formed the all-stars of the internet freedom movement, as The Daily Beasts Lennox Samuels dubbed them at the time. Greenwald flew to Australia while Assange and Snowden were beamed in on behalf of Dotcoms Internet Mana Party. Their big revelation in the race was a leak from the Snowden archives related to New Zealands surveillance program, released just in time for that countrys national elections.

Greenwald maintained that he favored no party in the elections and had only come to New Zealand to testify as a surveillance expert. For Assange the connection with Dotcom was not just about the shared ideology of two digital natives. Information was not the only thing the two of them were trying to free. We share the same prosecutor, so I understand what is going on there, Assange said, explaining his connection to Dotcom. America, he added, is trying to apply U.S. law in as many countries as possible, applying their law in New Zealand to coerce and pluck out people to other states.

While Dotcoms extradition hearing is happening now (hes been promoting its livestream on Google-owned YouTube), Assange has remained inside the Ecuadorian embassy for fear of being criminally charged in the United States for various leaks of American secrets, including many cables from Hillary Clintons State Department. That leak, in hindsight, foreshadowed many of the concerns playing out in this election about email hacks, exposed secrets and even Clintons use of private email servers while she was Secretary of State.

Assanges foray into New Zealands election received little attention at the time and, to no ones great surprise, Dotcoms party lost its bid. In retrospect it was a significant development, and another entry into electoral politics after losing a remote run in 2013 for a seat in Australias Senate under his own WikiLeaks party.

Fast-forward to December 2014. The race hadnt quite begun but the presidential campaigns of established candidates like Hillary Clinton were already rolling and gathering force when Dotcom tweeted that he would be Clintons worst nightmare.

The tweet didnt cause much stir but came up again in May 2015 when a Bloomberg News interviewer asked about it. Well, I have to say its probably more Julian but Im aware of some of the things that are going to be roadblocks for her, Dotcom said, adding when pressed that Assange has information.

In a political campaign there are always more secrets than public attention and Dotcom with his legal troubles and his strong resemblance to a Bond villain from central casting was largely ignored at the time. It wasnt until June of this year, a month before the Democratic primaries, when Assange told an ITV interviewer, We have upcoming leaks in relation to Hillary Clinton, and Dotcoms tweet suddenly looked less like a wish than an insiders tip.

All of which led to the first round of leaks, the ones were still talking about now, which came out just days before the Democratic Convention in July, and which Assange suggests may have been only the lead-up to his grand finale.

Shortly after resigning from Donald Trumps presidential campaign, while continuing to advise Trump himself, longtime Republican operative and self-described political hitman Roger Stone said that he had been in touch with WikiLeaks. I actually have communicated with Assange, Stone told a Republican organization. I believe the next tranche of his documents pertain to the Clinton Foundation, but theres no telling what the October surprise may be.

Assange still presents himself as above the fray, more interested in liberating secrets and destroying the barriers to information than in grubby power exchanges of partisan politics. But at this point, even confined to a diplomatic building in London, he has considerable experience in influencing elections abroad and a documented political record.

If he insists that the choice between Clinton and Trump amounts to asking, Do I prefer cholera or gonorrhea? its not because he is too pure to have made his choice.
Julia Roberts Says MLK Jr. Paid Hospital Bill For Her Birth

YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT

The actress said her parents were friends with King and his wife, and the couple helped out when they couldn't afford the bill.
The 60-foot long mural and a second replacement mural by artist Kenny Scharf have been stolen from an East Harlem parkand now police have video of a suspect in the second theft.

The banner, called NEVERENDINGOGO, was commissioned specifically for the East River Park by the Friends of the East River Esplanade, and placed at East 116th Street. According to the NYPD, at about 8 p.m. on August 20, "the suspect took a banner with artwork on it from off a fence, placed it in a small sport utility vehicle and fled northbound on the FDR Drive."

The male suspect is described as being 25-35 years old and was last seen wearing a multi-colored T-shirt (it looks like a tie-dye), black shorts and black sandals. He was accompanied with a female with blond hair who was not captured on video.

Police say their car was a black or gray Honda Element.

The first mural was installed on June 22, but was stolen a few days later. Jennifer Ratner of Friends of the East River Esplanade told Page Six, It was attached by steel ties by a professional installer." She believed the thieves "had to come with wire cutters and, Im assuming, a ladder. There were dozens of ties."

The replacement muralat the cost of $2,000 (which makes this a grand larceny)was made and installed in July, apparently with more "security" in consideration. But after this one was stolen, Ratner admitted to Patch, "We tried really hard, but I can't say we will do it again."

Scharf also painted faces on a brick column near the banner; the column is presumably too heavy to move.

We're so excited to announce that @kennyscharf has unveiled a new piece of public art along the East River Esplanade! Make sure to check it out as you enjoy summertime on the Esplanade! #eastriver #nycsummer #publicart #EastHarlem #kennyscharf A photo posted by EsplanadeFriends (@esplanadefriend) on Jun 20, 2016 at 8:34am PDT

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
Edinburgh whisky distillery gets green light

Single malt whisky distilling is a step closer to returning to Scotlands capital after a 90-year absence. The City of Edinburgh Council has approved an application to develop the Engine Shed building and site on St Leonards Lane into a single malt whisky distillery and visitor centre.

The Holyrood Park Distillery is a joint development by David Robertson, former master distiller for The Macallan, and Rob and Kelly Carpenter, founders of the Canadian branch of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. It will be Edinburghs first single malt whisky distillery since Glen Sciennes closed in the 1920s. Work will start on site in the coming months and the business aims to start distilling and open its doors to the public in 2018. As a small-scale operation, it will initially produce only 53,000 litres of alcohol per year, resulting in around 140,000 bottles of mature single malt in 8 to 12 years time.

The Holyrood Park Distillery will employ approximately 25 staff at varying levels, from trainees, visitor hosts, experienced distillery operators and production managers.

Following the City of Edinburgh Councils decision in August last year to enter into a lease with The Holyrood Park Distillery, the team behind the development has held consultations with local residents and businesses to shape plans, and has taken neighbours feedback on board in the approved proposals.

David Robertson, project lead of The Holyrood Park Distillery, says: After years of hard work, our teams dream of bringing single malt whisky distilling back to Edinburgh is set to become a reality.

We worked closely with local residents and businesses to build a proposal that will benefit the local community as well as Edinburgh as a whole.

Work will start later this year and throughout 2017 and by 2018 we hope to be producing beautiful, hand-crafted spirits at our world-class distillery and visitor experience in the heart of Edinburgh.

The distillery will also host an educational facility to be used as a community and school resource for learning about distilling and the rich history of the site. Visitors will be able to enjoy a range of spirits as part of the tour experience and ambitions stretch to establishing a weekend market for local crafts and products in the courtyard.

Edinburgh has a long and proud history of whisky production. Back in the late 1700s there were eight licensed distilleries and it is estimated that there may have been as many as 400 illegal stills. Urban production fell out of fashion but is currently enjoying a boom, with distilleries popping up in some of the worlds iconic cities including New York, London, Dublin, Glasgow, Portland, Nashville, New Orleans, LA, Detroit, San Francisco and Austin.

Glen Sciennes was the last single malt whisky distillery to operate in Edinburgh, and was also located in the St. Leonards area. The distillerys maltings were sited near the Engine Shed before its closure in 1925 and later demolition.

7 September 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor
In January 2019, the MTA will suspend all L train service between Brooklyn and Manhattan, and halt L service within Manhattan, severing a vital transportation artery used by an estimated 225,000 commuters each day and sending shockwaves across the city. During the shutdown, which is expected to last 18 months, the MTA will repair the Canarsie Tunnel, which carries the L under the East River and suffered extensive damage when it flooded during Hurricane Sandy.

Gothamist has been covering the impending L-mageddon (L-pocalypse, if you prefer) since we broke the news that the MTA was considering closing the tunnel for repairs. As weve documented, New Yorkers have gone through the five stages of grief about the coming shutdown. First there was denial, then anger, then bargaining. At the moment, the city is somewhere in between depression and weary acceptance.

But theres hope yet! Today, were announcing a contest that will give New Yorkers the chance to become masters of their own destiny.

L-ternative Visions: Reimagining 14th Street and Beyond is a collaboration between Gothamist and Transportation Alternatives that seeks to harness the talents of urban planners, architects, techies, and transportation wizards like you to create practical solutions to the L train shutdown.

The Goal : Reimagine 14th Street as a people-first transit corridor that can meet the demands of an L-less Manhattan; create new public transit options for L riders commuting from Brooklyn; and offer a blueprint for high- capacity, environmentally sustainable, and human-scale city streets.

The Rules : Participants in L-ternative Visions can submit to one of two tracks:

Competitive: Submissions to the competitive track will offer a comprehensive redesign plan for 14th Street that mitigates the impact of the L train shutdown and transforms the street for future generations of New Yorkers. The best submissions will involve measures to restrict automobile traffic along and around 14th Street, prioritize high-capacity modes of transportation, improve pedestrian access, and strive to accommodate the needs of New Yorkers with disabilities. If youre an architect, a designer, or an urban planning student looking for a worthy semester project, this tracks for you.

Readers Choice: The shutdown of the L will be felt all across the city, but the denizens of northern and eastern Brooklyn will be most heavily impacted. Submissions to the Readers Choice track will offer focused solutions for areas beyond 14th Street. The best Readers Choice submissions will offer a solution to a specific challenge, such as getting commuters to the Williamsburg Bridge from Brooklyn or connecting them from Delancey Street up to 14th. We expect a wide range of ideasadded bike lanes, new bus routes, restrictions on car or truck access to affected areas, and so on. If youre an amateur urban planner, a BRT junkie, a worried L rider, or a concerned citizen with a clever idea, this is the track for you.



Intersection of 14th and 2nd. Photo courtesy of Transportation Alternatives.

Jury : Competitive track winners will be selected by a panel of transit advocates, elected officials, urban planners, and other key stakeholders.

The winners of the Readers Choice track will be chosen by our readers. At the end of the contest, Gothamist and Transportation Alternatives, in consultation with the jury, will select our five favorite submissions, which we will put to a public vote.

Prizes: The top three entries to the Competitive track and the winner of the Readers Choice track will all receive prizes. Prizes will include cash, free bicycles, annual MetroCards, and more. Prizewinners will also have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to top city and state brass.

Winning submissions will be featured on Gothamist.com and winners will, of course, receive all the public adoration befitting true urban visionaries.

Dates : The full rules of the competition, as well as a range of helpful resources, will be available when L-ternative Visions officially launches on September 21. All submissions will be due by 11:59 PM on January 8, 2017.

Contest winners will be announced in early February.

Let the games (almost) begin!


WASHINGTON  The U.S. Congress returns to Washington Tuesday to take a stab at four weeks of legislating before lawmakers hustle home for the final campaign stretch before the November election.

Expect modest results. At first blush, the only must-pass task is the budget, as a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the continued operations of the federal government looms over Capitol Hill.

But a handful of other issues could play out in the coming weeks, ranging from funding programs to combat the Zika virus to judicial appointments. Given the Texas delegations size and power, there will almost always be a Texan or two at the center of the action.

Keeping the lights on

Congress must settle on a budget to keep the government running at least through the election. A shutdown so close to November is unfathomable on Capitol Hill, but its also unlikely Congress and the president will settle on a long-term funding plan for the next full fiscal year. The betting money holds that a short-term funding resolution will pass that keeps the government open through the election.

Since this is the single most important issue to address, some speculate that members will split for home as soon as a deal is secured, regardless of what else is pending.

Key Texas players: Members of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee  U.S. Reps. John Carter, R-Round Rock, Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, John Culberson, R-Houston and Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth.

Plugged in House staffers say the appropriators will be at the center of the budget fight early on. But Congressional insiders anticipate that the 2017 budget will be crafted much like the 2016 version  a monster bill negotiated between the top leadership of the House and Senate.

Timing: Gotta happen by Sept. 30.

Viral partisanship

The federal government will run out of money for programs combatting the Zika virus at the end of the month. The issue has taken on since mosquitos were recently detected carrying the virus in Florida.

The two chambers couldnt forge a funding compromise earlier in the summer, and the public health urgency of the issue has led many to express frustration over the polarization and lack of productivity in Washington.

Key Texas players: Again, the appropriators will be pivotal, though many in Washington expect Zika funding to be folded into a larger budget resolution.

Timing: The Senate is expected to vote again Tuesday on funding. There are no assurances a bill will pass, thanks to a Democratic filibuster threat. Either way, the Zika funding deadline is Sept. 30.

Federal bench press

Texas is becoming increasingly notorious for federal bench vacancies, and the shortage of judges is causing a backlog of case work. But thanks to rare efforts of goodwill between President Obamas administration and Texas two Republican senators there may be help on the way.

Key Texas players: U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz.

Cornyn and Cruz have a unique set up to expedite judicial nominations. Upon a judicial vacancy, they solicit suggestions from a bipartisan panel of Texas attorneys. The two senators then send recommendations on to the White House.

The White House followed through by nominating five of those would-be federal judges in March: Walter David Counts, III for the Western District of Texas, E. Scott Frost for the Northern District of Texas, James Wesley Hendrix for the Northern District of Texas, Irma Carrillo Ramirez for the Northern District of Texas and Karen Gren Scholer for the Eastern District of Texas.

Timing: Cornyn will convene the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings for all five on Wednesday. Some hope they will be confirmed by the full Senate either in September or later in the year.

Even more Clinton hearings

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee will hold its annual oversight hearing with FBI Director James Comey, and the topic of hearings to further investigate former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clintons use of a private email server is expected to be a key line of questioning.

While the Justice Department declined to press charges against Clinton  in line with the FBIs recommendation  the bureau released a report Friday on Clintons email practices that only further inflamed the issue.

Key Texas players: Members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee: U.S. Reps. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Houston and John Ratcliffe, R-Heath.

This is the last chance Congressional Republicans have to poke around more on Clintons email troubles before the November elections. Two of Texas most bombastic delegation members  Gohmert and Jackson-Lee  could make their marks on opposing sides of the conversation.

Timing: The hearings have not been scheduled yet.

What will not be on the agenda? It is unlikely that the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the largest proposed trade deal in history, will move significantly forward in September. The Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland is similarly stalled, with few indicators that it will be addressed this fall, if at all during the Obama administration.
Warning: Some readers may find these photographs disturbing.

In the early morning of September 11, 2001, photographer David Monderer stood on the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge and peered through the viewfinder of his camera. For weeks, Monderer had been waiting for the perfect morning to photograph the skyline. He'd arisen that morning and, seeing that the weather forecast was sunny, decided this was the day. One of his first pictures, taken at approximately 8:30 a.m., captures the skyline just as Monderer had hoped: fully illuminated by the sun behind him, no shadows cast across it. He kept taking pictures and, soon after 1 World Trade Center was struck by a plane at 8:46 a.m., he took more.

This slideshow begins with Monderer's first photograph from that morning. The series also includes later photographs of the Manhattan skyline.

You can see more photos from Monderer's series here.
Disclaimer: The Flavor Bender is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. There are links on this site that can be defined as affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (at no cost to you) that will help support this website.

Hatch chiles have a very short season every year in late summer. Instead of paying more to buy roasted hatch chile from your local grocery store, use this super easy guide to roast hatch chile in the oven and then store them in the fridge or freezer to enjoy in the months to come!

Spicy is my jam. And hot and spicy is my PB and J. I grew up eating chile peppers of all kind  serrano, jalapeno, banana pepper, anaheim pepper, poblano peppers, and even some without distinct names, red and green ones that simply grew in our backyard or someone elses. I love em all. Theres a long list of different varieties of chile peppers but they all have that one thing in common  capsaicin; the active ingredient that produces the heat.

But for a very brief period every August and September, another type of chile pepper makes an appearance in grocery stores across North America  Hatch chile! Also called New Mexico chile, hatch chiles are simply one of several varieties of chile peppers grown in New Mexico. Originating from the Hatch valley region of New Mexico, these chile peppers are grown in a fairly unique habitat that contributes to their somewhat distinct flavor.

So when hatch chile season rolled around this year, I made sure to stock up on them while they were still around and on sale. Hatch chiles are planted around April and then harvested in late summer, and then they are gone for another year. So the best way to make sure you can enjoy them throughout the year is to roast hatch chile and peel them and then store in the fridge/freezer. Hatch chiles were on sale at our local grocery store a couple of weeks ago at 98c per pound which was a pretty good deal that I didnt want to pass up on. But when I saw that roasted hatch chiles were being sold for a whole dollar more per pound, I knew that wasnt right.

So I decided to roast hatch chile on my own at home and then store in the freezer for whenever and whatever I wanted them for. Its super easy, works really well, and the flavors are amazing! You can roast hatch chile over an open flame for that nice charred flavor too.

A few tips for roasting hatch chile 

Pat dry the chile peppers before roasting.

If youre using an open flame to roast, do NOT coat the chile peppers with oil. You can ditch the oil even if youre roasting them in the oven, but I prefer to lightly coat them with some oil when I roast them in the oven.

The roasted hatch chiles should be covered (with foil, plastic wrap or a plate) while hot, this is to let them steam which makes peeling a lot easier.

If youre using the roasted hatch chile right away, then peel them. If you want to store them for later however, its better to pack them away WITH the skin. This protects the chile pepper and they last longer that way too.

You can also can them, or vacuum pack them to make them last even longer. I usually store 4-5 roasted hatch chiles in one pack and then freeze them. This way, I can thaw out a pack at a time when needed. If you stored them in the freezer, simply thaw in the fridge overnight. The pepper skin will be easy to peel once defrosted.

If you dont have access to hatch chiles  use Anaheim peppers instead for similar roasting and storage purposes. However, there will be a difference in flavor if chile pepper is the main ingredient in your dish.

Hatch chile can be very spicy, medium spicy or not spicy at all. This depends largely on the growers. The ones I have access to arent very spicy, so I like to add some jalapeno peppers when I cook with them.

Tune in for a couple of fantastic recipes that I made with hatch chiles, which Ill be sharing on the blog very soon like this delicious spiced pork stuffed hatch chile! 

Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram. 5 from 19 votes How to Roast Hatch Chile in the Oven Author: Dini K. Cuisine: American, North American Hatch chiles are in season for a very short time in late summer. Instead of paying more to buy roasted hatch chile from your local grocery store, use this super easy guide to roast hatch chile in the oven, and then store in the fridge or freezer to enjoy in the months to come! EASY - Very easy to make! You do not need special equipment to roast your hatch chile. Prep: 35 minutes Steaming: 20 minutes Cook: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes Servings: 5 servings



Print Ingredients:  450 g Hatch chile peppers 1 lb (approximately 10 - you can use as many peppers as you like). Washed and dried

 Any neutral oil you can also use olive oil or avocado oil

 Salt Instructions: Preheat the broiler to 425F. Line a baking tray with foil.

Lightly coat the Hatch chile peppers with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, and place them on the baking tray in a single layer. DO NOT overcrowd the pan. 450 g Hatch chile peppers, Any neutral oil, Salt

Place the baking tray in the upper third of your oven, and roast for about 10 minutes, until the chile peppers start to blister and blacken.

Using tongs, turn the chile peppers over to roast on the other side for another 10 - 15 minutes.

When the chile pepper skins have blistered and blackened, remove from the oven.

Place the roasted Hatch chile peppers in a bowl (while hot), and cover with foil or plastic wrap and let the chile steam.

If you're using the chile right away, go ahead and peel them (when they're cool enough to handle), and use right away.

If storing, place the cooled chiles in vacuum bags and vacuum seal them. I store about 3 - 4 chile peppers in one bag to batch freeze them. Store in the freezer until needed. Thaw out in the fridge overnight when you're ready to use them. Nutrition Information: Calories: 68 kcal (3%) Carbohydrates: 4 g (1%) Protein: 1 g (2%) Fat: 6 g (9%) Saturated Fat: 1 g (6%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g Trans Fat: 1 g Sodium: 3 mg Potassium: 158 mg (5%) Fiber: 2 g (8%) Sugar: 2 g (2%) Vitamin A: 333 IU (7%) Vitamin C: 72 mg (87%) Calcium: 9 mg (1%) Iron: 1 mg (6%) This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
It's a hard truth to swallow, but we must face the facts: over 65 million people have been forced to flee their homes worldwide. Due to conflict, disease epidemics, food and economic insecurity, and natural disasters, these people's homes are no longer safe places to live and their governments no longer provide them with protection.

In this free event you'll learn more about the global refugee crisis and be taken on a guided tour through the exhibition by an experienced aid worker. See the challenges that the world's displaced people face and how Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) delivers vital medical and humanitarian aid. The event will feature 360-degree video, virtual reality documentaries, and materials gathered from refugee camps, rescue missions, and emergency medical projects.



Spaces are limited, so register today for a free hour-long tour of Forced From Home in Queens or Battery Park City.

Also, don't miss these upcoming panel discussions:

What We See: Stories from the Global Refugee Crisis

On Tuesday September 13th join MSF for a panel discussion to mark the launch of Forced From Home. You'll hear about why MSF must speak out now and learn about the experiences of some of their aid workers.

Hosted by The New School

Tishman Auditorium

63 Fifth Ave, NYC

7:30 PM

RSVP Recommended

The Global Refugee Crisis: Humanitarian Needs and International Policy

Wednesday September 21st, Journalist Ann Curry moderates a panel of experts discussing the solutions being offered for resolving the global refugee crisis and the challenges displaced people face.

Hosted by Cooper Union Office of Continuing Education and Public Programs.

Wednesday, Sept 21

Great Hall at Cooper Union

7 E 7th St, NYC

7:30 PM

RSVP Recommended



This post is brought to you by Doctors Without Borders.
Back in 2003 when there was talk everywhere in the county about tearing down the old Rocky Mount power dam on Pigg River and building a whitewater park, I was in seventh heaven.

I vividly recall how I studied the architects drawings about how the park would be designed, according to Scott Martin, former recreation director. After going through the man-made rapids, the river turned right and curled around Rocky Mounts waste water treatment plant in the design. It continued around and along a path to the point where it would reconnect above the rapids. Thus, a paddler could spend a day on the river without leaving the area.

Also added to the plans was a building that would have to be put on town property. It could be used to sell equipment and food when needed and as a space to hold meetings.

Then President Obama froze all federal money, meaning no new projects or additional spending.

I stood on the sidelines as Bill Tanger, founder of Friends of the Roanoke River, got involved and his organization was able to get the tiny amount of land holding each end of the 200-foot-long, 25-foot-tall dam completed by R.L. Fisher of Callaway in 1915.

That fact I know because a couple of years ago I was standing on a block of concrete where the dams water release gate was located and happened to look down. There, scratched with apparently a stick, were Fishers name and the year on the block in front of me. Its still there and will be as long as the 30-foot-long piece of structure left standing at each end of the dam remains in place.

I understand it will remain to preserve part of the towns history. The dam produced the electricity to serve Rocky Mount citizens and Bald Knob Furniture factory.

After getting wind of the fact there was again a possibility of the dam being removed, I got back in touch with Bill. He confirmed what I had heard but explained how information could not be released at the time because all the agencies involved had not signed off on the paper work.

Finally, last Monday it happened. Bill called with the best news Ive heard recently saying the equipment was in place and the digging would be beginning as soon as some rip-rap was put into place in front of the dam.

I was history to the office in a couple of minutes. With Mr. Victor beside me, I headed past Lee M. Waid Elementary on Power Dam Road. I couldnt believe my eyes or my ears as I came in sight of work in progress.

With new batteries in the camera, I went to work taking photos from every possible angle along the bridge.

As the concrete came down, the river began to drastically change. The top of the dam was lowered 8 and one-half feet to keep all of the debris that has accumulated over the years from going down river. That part of the project is expected to take a considerable amount of time as well.

What happens after that is known only to God. We know theres a 22-foot drop in the river bed leading to the rock ledge where the dam was constructed.

I will be taking an untold number of photos along the way as I watch the concrete filled with various sizes of field and river rock give way to the man-made power drill mounted on a large track hoe.

I have yet to meet the operator(s) but I will say one thing: They know what they are doing. I only wish Paul Shively could have done the project locally rather than an out-of-town company. All thats important now is that the job is completed ASAP!

The late Raymond Pepper Martin, long-time APCo employee sat down one day and told me about the dam, which the company purchased from Fisher.

He said construction had started on another dam at a different location on the Pigg River, but what was there got washed down the river by a large flood. He wasnt exactly sure of that location but thought it was upstream from the one being demolished.

In fact, Ive never heard that story before nor do I know when work started on the present one and how long it took to complete construction. That would be very interesting to know since there wasnt a lot of equipment around for heavy-duty construction. Of course, Linda Stanley at the Historical Society may have it buried away somewhere.

We are seeing a piece of history disappearing before our eyes with this project. And if you havent already, drive by and take a look. It is changing and disappearing every few hours!

Raccoons -- Ill have to bring another animal into this little tale to make it complete. I can now proudly say I wasnt skunked.

After trailing 3-0 in my little game expedition to capture a live raccoon during the past few months, I finally caged it last Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

On the other hand, Charles Red Huff, late wife Hazels son-in-law whos married to Debra, has a record of 4-0, including three bandits and one possum. He used only three honey buns and I lost count of the ones the raccoons ate due to my inexperience in trapping wild life.

It was a rather expensive expedition as I did not keep a record of all the money spent on those blocks of suet that now come in berry and apple flavors in addition to peanut.

One block of the grease-based product will last a flock of birds a week or so, depending on whos dropping in for food.

Right now, I dont know if I have eliminated the problem or not. The barn across the road may be an apartment house for raccoons in disguise. One thing for sure, a new block of suet hanging in my locust tree will sure let me know in a day or so.
What do Love, Pokemon Go and Snapchat have in common?

If you said, the third annual Franklin County Agricultural Fair, then you get a blue ribbon.

The Virginia Tourism Corporation will bring an oversized LOVE artwork to the Franklin County Recreation Park, the site of the 2016 fair, on Sept. 14 as part of a state and local partnership to promote tourism.

The artwork, which is 16 feet long and more than six feet high, is part of the Virginia is for Lovers campaign and designed to promote family-friendly vacation experiences in Virginia.

Visitors can see the LOVE when the fair opens at 5 p.m. on Sept. 14. The LOVE will be on display until the fair closes for the year on Sept. 17 at 11 p.m.

Visitors are encouraged to take a picture in front of the artwork and share it on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/VirginiaisforLovers or on Instagram and Twitter, using the special hashtags #LOVEVA and #FCAgFair.

"Our iconic Virginia is for Lovers brand is about love - pure and simple, and has been for more than 45 years," said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation. "We are excited to share the LOVE at locations throughout the commonwealth, where so many people can enjoy being a part of it. It reminds us that Virginia is an ideal destination for families looking to completely connect on a Virginia vacation."

As an added feature to the line-up of non-traditional fair attractions, a Pokemon Stop also occupies the LOVE artwork location, offering fairgoers the unique opportunity to catch Pokemon and share the Love.

The lineup of fun continues with the introduction of a Snapchat geo-filter zone. The entire fairgrounds will be contained within a geo-filter zone  an area where a smart phone will have a special filter for those that use the Snapchat social media platform. The filter, which is unique to the event, will only be available while the fair is being held.

We are delighted to have been approved by the state to host the traveling LOVE artwork as part of our county Ag fair, said David Rotenizer, tourism development manager for Franklin County. Im amazed at the excitement and smiles generated by the mere mention of it. Destined to become selfie-central during the event, you don't want to miss your opportunity to share the love that will shine in Franklin County. The special Snapchat filter and presence of a Pokemon Stop all add unique value to our event. Franklin County is a special place.

To learn more about the 2016 Franklin County Agricultural Fair, visit FCAgFair.com and follow on Facebook at FCAgFair.

For questions, call (540) 483-3030 or e-mail Info@FCAgFair.com.
A check for $3,500 has been presented to the United Way of Franklin County by representatives from American National Bank to kick off the 2017 fundraising campaign.

The check presentation took place at the recent Franklin County Healthy Glow 5K Run and Health Walk, sponsored by RE/MAX Mountain to Lake Realty.

Race participants took the starters gun at 8 p.m. at the Waid Park Cindertrail on Saturday, Aug. 27.

The race was an overall success, said Pamela Chitwood, executive director of the United Way of Franklin County. People came out to support a great cause and got healthier in the process. When youre promoting the health of the county through an event and giving businesses and non-profit partners the chance to show their encouragement of our community, all is well.

Runners wore lighted headwear and apparel, and glow-in-the-dark t-shirts were given to each participant.

At the start of the race, Rocky Mount Police Chief Ken Kriner presented United Way with a notification of 100 percent participation from town officers.

They (Rocky Mount officers) have each turned in forms pledging to donate to the United Way in the upcoming year, Chitwood said. Participation of 100 percent in any company or organization is a hard goal to meet, and they were proud to say they succeeded.

Co-sponsors for the racing event included United Way of Franklin County, Franklin County Family YMCA, Franklin County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Rocky Mount Police Department.

Other agencies participating and supporting the event included STEP Inc., Franklin County Family YMCA, Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center, Franklin County Perinatal Education Center and the Friends of the Franklin County Family Resource Center.

Rocky Mount Walmart provided a nutrition station for runners and lights for the trails.

Were so grateful to all the businesses and agencies that participated and showed community support, Chitwood said. Our county has many great community supporters.

Top five race finishers included Julie Kingery, 31, of Rocky Mount (32:42); Caroline McConnell, 16, of Rocky Mount (36:36); Elijah Peatross, 11, of Axton (38:12); Angela Werner, 49, of Rocky Mount (38:16); and Kimoni Draper, 13, of Axton (43:26).
Spencer Petras had one of his best games at Iowa

Iowa Football
NORWALK  After Spotlight: What has Changed? will be the topic when Voice of the Faithful in the Diocese of Bridgeport meets on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Congregational Church on the Green in Norwalk. Speaking on the topic will be Gail Howard from SNAP CT and Dan Tepfer from the Connecticut Post. Visit votfbpt.org for more information and directions. All are welcome.
Lets start with an important question. Who do you think has the most intimate knowledge of your brand culture and business? Your employees are without a doubt one of the most untapped, organic sources of promotion and content within your organization, and yet few companies know how or when to use that resource and why it works.

There are numerous rewards for cultivating a high level of internal buy in before any new product or service is introduced to the market. This article will share information on where brands should be looking for their internal employee advocates and provide some structural campaign ideas that will boost your brand image and improve the collaborative culture of your organization.

Related: 6 Steps to Building a Strong Company Culture

Finding your hidden brand advocates.

Not every member of your team is going to be authentically emphatic about your company. You would like them to feel that way, but staff will have varying degrees of engagement and evangelism, depending on their age, business function, department and work experience within the organization. If you have agreed to pursue the opportunity of using employee brand advocates in your marketing strategy, the first step is finding them.

Launching a campaign that asks employees to share their favorite proprietary products or services is a great start. Not only will you score points for valuing staff opinion, but the exercise will give you content that can be used for print, video or blogging and social media. A questionnaire or voluntary online survey will help you expose the staff members who are most passionate about your brand, and the survey model will help them speak freely and comfortably about your products or services.

International brands like Starbucks, Walmart and IBM have been cultivating employee buy-in before launching a product to the public for this reason -- it works better to launch a product that your entire organization is talking about. That level of information and the buzz that is generated through each employees personal network is rocket fuel for emerging new products or services.

Once you have received the survey responses, a qualitative review will connect you to the staff members who are activated and ready to share positive things about your corporate culture. Engage those who provided the most energetic responses in the campaign planning. One important aspect about sharing your culture and brand from the inside out, is to make sure that you are involving staff from various departments, and not just sales or marketing. Then what you produce will be an authentic, non-fabricated expression of who you are as a business and why your products or services are outstanding.

Related: Your Employee Advocacy Program: Measuring the Right KPIs

Campaign strategies and ideas.

A consumer can use your products for decades and never know how that product is made or the kind of talent that is involved in delivering your product through production and distribution channels, right into your customers home. Did you know that one of the most endearing exercises that brands can engage in is transparency?

We are not suggesting that you give away your secret recipe or proprietary information, but giving consumers a glimpse behind the scenes can include:

Video tour of a production facility

Meet and greet introduction to staff, from executive leadership to shipping and receiving

Meeting the talent or creative team behind favorite commercials, products or services

Celebrating long-term employees who achieve benchmark anniversaries with the company

Holiday or fun corporate events that punctuate your brands mission and how that carries through to cultivating an enriched social and team environment

Consumers love brands who love their employees. And they also favor organizations that are proud of achieving a positive corporate culture -- one that is punctuated by employees who seem happy to be part of the team and proud of their contribution to the product.

From a marketing perspective, once you have made staff the center point of a couple of campaigns, you will find employees more eager to share the promotion on social media and with friends and family. From a human resource perspective, you have provided something more valuable than salary or perks -- youve given staff recognition for being an important part of the success of your organization.

Related: 3 Compelling Reasons to Adapt the Workplace Culture for Social Media

Set KPIs and guidelines.

Every successful campaign starts with a plan and a set of rules that are designed to protect your brand image, while optimizing your promotional opportunity. Introduce the campaign to your employees and document your expectations and standards for sharing appropriately on social channels when referencing the brand. This may involve some training and support about social media best practice for employees who many not be used to sharing in an official capacity.

Make it fun! Create an incentive, contest or reward for staff who contribute to any advocacy campaign. It will help keep them excited about their involvement and inspire them to share more often.

Related:



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Mr. Medicos letter published on Sept. 2 resonated with me. Although I disagree with the majority of Mr. Medicos comments, I fully support his right to voice his opinions. My father, like Mr. Medico, was a World War II veteran. I am eternally grateful to all veterans for protecting our freedoms, which include those represented in the First Amendment. I know my father would, and I hope Mr. Medico will, appreciate my comments as they reaffirm my freedom of speech.

There is one area that I do agree with Mr. Medico  too often Americans are fast asleep or too lazy to think for themselves. This trait was no more obvious than in 2003, when we invaded Iraq on the pretext that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction and that he actively supported Al-Qaeda's 9/11 act of war. Our political leaders had sold us this grand fantasy that we alone could rid the Middle East of dictators, eradicate terrorism, defend human rights, and give the Muslim world our vision of freedom and democracy.
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NORWALK  The fatal shooting of a New York man, whose body was found in the hallway of a Norwalk housing complex more than 20 years ago, is the latest unsolved case which the Norwalk Police Departments Cold Case Unit hopes to solve.

On Sunday, Oct. 16, 1994 at 9:38 p.m., Norwalk police received multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in Carlton Court. Witnesses identified the shooters as occupants of a white Jeep Cherokee with a Connecticut registration plate with the first three digits of 502. Two witnesses reported that the passengers of the Jeep exited the vehicle and began firing handguns and ran toward building No. 8. The witnesses observed that the Jeep then drive around the interior of Carlton Court and then over toward Nos. 1 and 3.

Responding patrol units located a white Jeep Cherokee with Connecticut registration 502-HXH operated by Gary Peterson at the top of the rear driveway of Carlton Court. Peterson was detained and searched for weapons but none were found. Peterson stated that he had just dropped off some girls and did not hear any gunshots. He was later released. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate any victims, complainants or witnesses.

At 11:02 p.m., the police received a report of a man down in the center hallway at building No. 4 at Carlton Court. Responding officers found Rahssan Dykes-Harrell, 20, lying on the first floor landing. Paramedics announced Dykes-Harrell deceased at the scene and estimated that he had been dead for a few hours. He was found to have a gunshot wound to the torso.

Detectives assumed the investigation and found that Dykes-Harrell had come up to Norwalk on Friday, Oct. 14, to visit a cousin in building No. 4 and stay with her and the father of her baby. They reported that Dykes-Harrell was just hanging around with no disputes.

During the interview, another witness arrived at the apartment and began to state what happened. At that point, the witness was interrupted by a family member and was told that the detectives were present and not to tell them anything because it would be used against them. The witness then refused to provide any further information.

Police said that anonymous information was received that a group of men who resided in Carlton Court demanded respect and that Dykes-Harrell did not show them the proper amount of respect. Multiple suspect names were received that were said to be involved in the shooting but no witnesses have provided statements that would support probable cause for an arrest warrant. The case remains unsolved.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Lt. Art Weisgerber at 203-854-3028 or aweisgerber@norwalkct.org

Anonymous internet tips can be sent through the Norwalk police website at norwalkpd.com.

Anonymous text tips can be submitted by typing NPD into the text field, followed by the message and sending it to CRIMES (274637).
A bit of history: Mathew Marvin Sr.

Another founding East Norwalk settler was Matthew Marvin Sr. who was born March 26, 1600. He served as a deputy of the General Court of the Colony of Connecticut from Norwalk in the May 1654 session. He served as a magistrate in 1659.

Marvin was the son of Edward and Margaret Mervyn of Great Bentley  a village in the Tendring district of North Essex, England, located seven miles east of Colchester. He is mentioned in the will of his father, receiving the mansion named Edons alias Dreybrockes and land called Hartles and Brocken Heddes with the condition that he pay his mother yearly for the rest of her life. He most likely lived with her until her death in May 1633. Matthew was a member of the parish of Great Bentley in 1621, became overseer in 1627, and senior warden in 1628.

He first arrived in Hartford with his wife and children from England in 1635 aboard the ship Increase. Marvin was one of the first 12 settlers of Hartford, who formed a company known as the Adventurers. He resided at the corner of Village and Front Streets. Marvin was a surveyor of highways from 1639 to 1647. In 1648, he was given a cash reward for killing a wolf. He owned land at Farmington and may have lived there a short time.

Marvin went to Norwalk as one of its original settlers in 1650. His home in Norwalk was next to the meeting house. He was a wheelwright. Marvin served as Deputy for Norwalk to the Connecticut General Court in 1654. Marvin died on Dec. 20, 1678

In 1902, the East Norwalk school district named Marvin Elementary School after him.

He is listed on the Founders Stone bearing the names of the founders of Hartford in the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, and he is also listed on the Founders Stone bearing the names of the founders of Norwalk in the East Norwalk Historical Cemetery, at the junction of East Avenue and Van Zant Street.

ENBA Walk Bridge Rally

The East Norwalk Business Association (ENBA) is holding a rally in support of families and businesses that are being considered for displacement by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) on Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 10 a.m. at 10 Goldstein Place in East Norwalk

In addition to the general public, rally invitations were tendered to the press and elected officials.

The matter concerning the Walk Bridge impact on residents and businesses in the designated construction staging areas has seen a great deal of press mention including: The Hour  East Norwalk merchants blast Walk Bridge Plan and Property owner wants DOT to rethink Walk Bridge.

For more information regarding ENBA, and the Walk Bridge concerns in particular, contact judith@eastnorwalkbusiness.org or call 203-854-5722.

Ongoing  Free books for children

As an extension of the Norwalk Reads twice-a-year free book distribution for the children of Norwalk, the East Norwalk Association Library has an ongoing year-round program. Children can sign up for the program, receive a Free Books card, and receive three free books each month.

To date more than 280 children have joined the program  many returning regularly each month for more books.

Norwalk Reads, founded in 2003, has been active in supporting the literary needs of the children of Norwalk. Since the beginning of the program, Norwalk Reads has distributed more than 60,000 free books to more than 20,000 children. Norwalk Reads seeks to promote the opportunity and encouragement to read though the distribution of free books and supporting literacy programs to all children in Norwalk with a focus on those at risk.

Each year Norwalk Reads holds various citywide free Book Distributions  The East Norwalk Library, the Norwalk Public Library (including the South Norwalk Branch Library), and the Norwalk Housing Authority. Special book distributions are held periodically. The next citywide distribution is scheduled for October, with details to be announced.

The free book distributions enable children to receive four books each from thousands of titles which are either purchased by Norwalk Reads or have been contributed by various sources.

The children are encouraged to read the books they choose through various incentives provided at each distribution. Dates, times, and places of the Norwalk Reads free book distributions are widely publicized through local media, school fliers, emails, and posters placed within the weeks preceding the events.

Business Spotlight: Ricks Main Roofing

Ricks Main Roofing Company, at 26 Fitch St. in East Norwalk, is a leading full service roofing businesses. The company holds a Master Elite residential and a Master Commercial certification from GAF, Americas largest roofing manufacturer. This, in addition to certifications with The Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau (Installing Member); RPI Rubberguard EPDM systems; Velux Skylights and Roof Windows; Pacific Polymers decking and waterproofing systems; ABR wood and building restoration systems.

Through these programs and on-the-job training, Ricks Main Roofing mechanics and service staff have generations of experience and continue up-to-date training to deal with the details and issues that can arise with any roof installation or repair

For Ricks Main Roofing, its more than nailing shingles on a house roof. Generally, a home is the biggest investment most people will make. The roof keeps families and property secure from the outside elements and reflects our own personalities and taste. That goes for commercial buildings as well, with 24-hour emergency services as may be necessary.

Although Rick Tavella himself doesnt go up ladders these days carrying roofing shingles, he carries on the family tradition. In 1975 Tavella started working with his father, who started Main Roofing in 1948.

Contact Ricks Main Roofing: Phone: 203-838-5858. Website: www.ricksmainroofing.com

A bit about your third taxing district

As an East Norwalk (ZIP Code 06855) resident or business owner, you know that your electric power needs are provided by the Third Taxing District Electrical Department. Who? TTD, for short. As their website (www.ttd.gov) explains:

TTD has been part of East Norwalk for over 100 years and are proud of its reputation for delivering reliable service, low rates and top-quality customer assistance to its residential and business customers. TTD also gives back to the East Norwalk community by supporting key local landmarks and funding popular concerts at Calf Pasture Beach.

In addition to supporting the East Norwalk Fire Department and the East Norwalk Association Library, TTD maintains the East Norwalk Historical Cemetery and hosts the annual tree lighting in Governor Fitch Park at Rogers Square. Each year, the TTD food and toy drive at the lighting helps to support local Norwalk families and children.

Like East Norwalk Association Library on Facebook

Log onto Facebook and search for East Norwalk Library  like the library and youll be privy to happenings and other bits of information regarding the East Norwalk Library and the community it serves. See us on the web  www.eastnorwalklibrary.org.

East Norwalk Association Library hours are Monday through Friday, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed Sunday and holidays.

If theres some East Norwalk happening or other East Norwalk news or features you would like to share with the readers, email: stan@eastnorwalklibrary.org, or call 203-249-6293.
Thinking about attending law school? If so, you may want to consider returning to southwest Connecticut to put your education to use. The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk metropolitan area is among the best places for lawyers, according to data website Goodcall.
Bizarre World Series opener ends with Phillies stunning Verlander's Astros

Justin Verlander's World Series struggles continued as the Astros blew a 5-0 lead, losing Game 1 in extra innings to the Phillies.
Faculty members at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville are one step closer to forming a union.

The SIUE Faculty Association - IEA/NEA (Illinois Education Association/National Education Association) recently filed with the state labor board papers necessary to create the states newest faculty union.

Faculty Association spokesperson Charles Berger said organizing the union was a result of the states failure to support higher education.

This effort is not aimed at our administrators and new chancellor, with whom we look forward to addressing common concerns, Berger said. We share the common values which underscore our belief that SIUE is a great place to work and its students deserve a high quality education.

Berger, who is an English professor, said the formation of the union will give the faculty members a voice.

Regardless of who the leaders are at SIUE or at the state level, we must have a voice at all levels - with an augmented role in decision-making on campus, and beyond the university where, frankly, up to this point we have had no direct unified voice for state lawmakers and the governor to hear."

According to a Faculty Association - IEA/NEA release, the newly formed union will represent in collective bargaining approximately 400 tenure-line professors, who were the largest group on the SIUE campus not represented by a union.

A Faculty Association press release said the majority interest petition filed with the state was supported by a majority of the SIUE professors.

State labor law enables employees to secure collective bargaining rights when more than 50 percent of those to be represented sign a form authorizing collective bargaining rights. When a majority of those proposed to be represented sign these forms, no election on the questions of representation is necessary.

Berger said the faculty is committed to shared governance at SIUE.

While we have structures in place for collaboration with administrators on a number of matters, the fact is, at the end of the day, faculty input has always been considered advisory.

Interim Faculty Administration Co-Chair Kim Archer said the union gives the faculty a voice.

Faculty now have a stronger voice in the future of SIUE by bolstering political pressure in Springfield, and locally through the binding provisions of a union contract, she said.

SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook said unionization is a faculty decision and the university fully supports and trusts the ability of the faculty to make prudent decisions.

Within the spirit of shared governance that has played a major role in SIUEs growth and success, we look forward as an administration to further conversations with our faculty in order to continuously enhance the student academic experience and to maximize the working environment for everyone, Pembrook said.

Michael McDermott, director of the IEA Higher Education, said the states failure to support higher education made the creation of the union necessary.

The states failure to support higher education with the necessary funding is forcing campus administrators to take measures that negatively impact SIUE faculty, staff and its students, he said.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will honor seven remarkable graduates at the 2016 SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame ceremony A Night Among the Stars on Friday, Sept. 30 in the Morris University Center. These alumni have achieved exploits in their respective fields, are role models and are testaments to SIUEs educational excellence.

A cocktail reception in the MUC gallery will begin at 6:30 p.m. Dinner and an awards presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the MUC Conference Center.

Those selected for the Alumni Hall of Fame represent the best of SIUE, said Alan, Kehrer, SIUE Alumni Association president. It is our honor to induct these outstanding individuals.

The 2016 honorees listed by their college or school:

School of Business: Raj Kumar, MBA 84

Raj Kumar began his career at Nestle Purina as a design engineer in February 1982 in the corporate engineering department. He eventually progressed to his role as director of operations performance in product supply at the St. Louis corporate headquarters. He has provided technical and management support to 18 dry pet food and canning pet food production plants throughout Nestle Purina PetCare North America. He is responsible for the energy and water conservation and reduction of waste in Purina businesses. He is a certified energy manager with the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). Due to his exemplary work in resource conservation and environmental sustainability, AEE gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award by declaring him a Legend in Energy in North America.

College of Arts & Sciences: Fred Irby III, MM Music Education 74

Fred Irby III has been a professor of music at Howard University in Washington, D.C. since 1974. He is the coordinator of instrumental music, trumpet instructor, and founder and director of the internationally acclaimed Howard University Jazz Ensemble (HUJE). In 2008, Irby received an Achievement Award in Jazz Education and was inducted into the Grambling State University Alumni Hall of Fame. At the 2009 MENC Teaching Music Awards ceremony, he received the Disney Performing Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching Jazz. He was designated a Lowell Mason Fellow at a ceremony during the MENC 2010 Music Education Week. Irby travels internationally giving lectures and charity concerts for disadvantaged children and families.

David Williams, BS Sociology 71

David Williams serves as a distinguished professor at the School of Policy, Government and International Affairs at George Mason University (GMU) in Arlington, Va. He is also the director of GMUs Center for Organizational Performance and Integrity (COPI). Before joining the faculty at GMU, Williams served as the Inspector General (IG) for the U.S. Postal Service. Williams has served as IG for the following five federal agencies: the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Social Security Administration, the Department of the Treasury, the Tax Administration of the Department of Treasury, and the acting IG for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Williams served in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence and began his civilian career as a special agent with the U.S. Secret Service.

SIU School of Dental Medicine: Dr. Darryl Pendleton, DMD 86

Dr. Darryl Pendleton joined the faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry (UIC COD) in November 2002. He currently serves as the associate dean for student affairs and diversity affairs and clinical associate professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry. In addition, he serves as the director of the colleges Urban Health Program. Previously, Pendleton served as the director of multicultural affairs at the Marquette University School of Dentistry from 1994-2002. He also served as executive director of the Milwaukee Area Health Education Center from 1992 -2003. Pendleton will accept this award at the School of Dental Medicine Deans Scholarship Gala on Oct. 15.

School of Education, Health and Human Behavior: Thelma Mothershed Wair, MSEd Counselor Education 72, PMC Educational Administration 78

Thelma Jean Mothershed Wair made history as a member of the Little Rock Nine, the African-American students involved in the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School in 1957. This followed the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education decision in which it was determined that state-sanctioned segregation of public schools was a violation of the 14th Amendment and was therefore unconstitutional. She has spent her life championing diversity efforts. Wair has been the distinguished recipient of numerous awards. Her honors include the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Spingarn Medal in 1958, the Pere Marquette Discovery Award and the Congressional Gold Medal  the highest civilian award. She received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from SIUE in May 2016.

School of Engineering: Thomas Niederhofer, BS Civil Engineering 80

Thomas Niederhofers 30-plus year career at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began in St. Louis. He is a member of the small group of volunteer Rescue Engineers across the country that supports the National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System. In August of 2002, he was asked to help manage the San Francisco based headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers US&R Program for four months during a transition office restructuring and ultimately never left that position. The US&R provides technical and operational support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) US&R program and other state, local and International Urban Search and Rescue Programs.

School of Nursing: Dr. Nelma Shearer, MS Nursing 88

Dr. Nelma Shearer is a highly acclaimed and accomplished leader and innovator who is making an outstanding difference in nursing education, research and practice. Throughout her career she has been a passionate advocate for advancing the health and well being of older adults, and for advancing nursing education. Her work has made a sustained impact on the nursing care of older adults through her work on health empowerment theory. She is a prolific and internationally, renown author, who has co-authored three editions of a widely used graduate level nursing theory text, Perspectives on Nursing Theory and another nursing theory text, Nursing Knowledge and Theory Innovation. She recently served as associate professor at Arizona State University and the director of its Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence.

Graduate School: Bill Luan, BS Electrical Engineering 84, MS Electrical Engineering 85

Bill Luan is a senior program manager and regional lead in developer relations team at Google. He is responsible for running Google developer outreach programs in the Greater China Region, helping business partners adopting Google technologies and platforms for their business service innovations and new product development. He is an experienced manager in high-tech product development, information system design, business strategies and process planning, industry partnership building and technology training. During the past decade, he organized many technology conferences and built a large community of developers for web and mobile innovations with applications being used by millions of users around the world.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online at siue.edu/homecoming/alumni. Free parking will be available in Lot B. For more information, call (618) 650-5176.
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Linkedin Tim Buckley (The Jakarta Post) Sydney  Wed, September 7, 2016

For coal-exporting countries such as Indonesia and Australia the past few years have been little more than an endless stream of bad news. Coal prices have hit record lows, exports have plummeted and financially leveraged mining giants have watched their balance sheets slide precipitously from black to red.



No surprise then that for coal producers the sudden uplift in global coal prices in June and July felt like awakening from a nightmare.



But it is a false dawn. And ignoring reality, however unpalatable, will only result in longer-term economic pain.



The driver of the structural decline of seaborne thermal coal is a global energy transition away from polluting power toward renewable energy, combined with energy efficiency. Coal is being overtaken by a better technology, like your smartphone replacing a phone box.



As countries shift, inevitably, the first casualty will be expensive imported resources such as coal and gas. These seismic changes can be witnessed acutely in China and India, which are the primary importers of Indonesian coal.



Indian Energy Minister Piyush Goyal has made it repeatedly clear that Indias reliance on coal imports is not sustainable. In May 2015, the minister stated: We are confident that in the next year or two, we will be able to stop imports of thermal coal.



Many in the international community greeted these claims with skepticism, but it is impossible to ignore the data. Indias coal imports declined 6 percent year on year in 2015/2016 to 200 million tons (Mt). Minister Goyal forecast this month that imports will fall another 20 percent to 160 tons in 2016/2017. India is also firmly on track to develop 100 GW of solar power by 2021-2022. Billions of dollars in private corporate capital has poured into India over the last two years from major global players and as consequence of the growth, solar power is now cheaper than new imported coal-fired power generation.



The impact on imports is the predictable decline.



The story in China is similar. Aiming to cut pollution and emissions, and compounded by a decline in demand for energy due to the shift to less resource intensive development in the country, Chinas coal usage peaked in 2013 and has dropped steadily ever since. In the first six months of 2016 alone, China installed a record 20GW of solar.



Which leads us to the reason coal prices have risen in June and July.



The drive for cleaner energy has had a devastating effect on the domestic Chinese coal industry, which is in the process of shedding 1.2 million mining jobs, leaving the sector in a financially parlous state that is putting systemic pressures on the Chinese banking system. In order to slow the coal crash and implement a more measured phase out, the Chinese government in April 2016 stepped in to reduce the number of days mines can produce coal from 330 to 276 in a year.



As a consequence, China has found itself in a short-term situation where the decline in coal production is outstripping the decline in demand and hence imported coal has been required to make up the shortfall. As a result, thermal coal imports in July 2016 rose 31 percent year-on-year to 9.3 million tons, the first increase in 30 months.



Coal will remain the dominant source of power in China for decades to come. But as the Chinese Government prioritizes its struggling domestic suppliers, we will quickly see this temporary imbalance rectified and the demand for seaborne thermal coal will once again drop.



The worst case scenario for Indonesia would be to now increase domestic production, which in itself would serve to once again depress prices. The best approach, as with all things, is to take a clear-eyed view of the forces at play. The days of a profitable seaborne thermal coal sector are over. But for those who take on the challenge, such as India, the investment opportunities from the global transition to renewable energy and energy efficiency are there for all to see.



Instead, the Indonesian coal mining industry is hoping for a massive increase in domestic consumption to boost its waning fortunes. If President Joko Jokowi Widodos 35 GW program is completed, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources estimates that thermal coal demand will grow from 82.6 million tons to 179.4 million tons by 2020. Yet the likelihood of all these coal plants attracting the necessary foreign financing and resolving the myriad land and permitting issues in the next few years is low.



In addition, the implication of this approach is that Indonesians would be saddled with worsening air and water pollution and increasing carbon emissions in order to prop up a sunset industry that is on its way out in most parts of the world. Is this really worth the sacrifice?



The sooner Indonesia too embraces this shift away from coal, the sooner it can transform its energy system and economy.

***

The writer is IEEFAs director of Energy Finance Studies, Australasia.

---------------

We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. For more information click here.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

On ASEANs 49th anniversary, its leaders seem to continuously be optimistic about the future of the ASEAN integration project. The ASEAN Community Vision 2025, adopted by ASEAN leaders in Kuala Lumpur last year, declared that they were resolved to consolidate our community, building upon and deepening the integration process.

This optimism seems out of place, especially in a world where waves of backlash against globalization are evident everywhere. Today, the world is marked by the emergence of the Islamic State (IS) movement, the rise of right-wing leaders like Geert Wilders, Le Pen and Donald Trump, the growing tension in the Asia-Pacific and the stagnation of the European integration project.

To keep this optimism alive, ASEAN needs to learn from EUs experience of integration overstretch.

A specter is haunting Europe  the specter of anti-EU sentiment. While observers call the Brexit the biggest political event in Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it might not be the last one. Far-right political parties in the Netherlands, Denmark and France are calling for referendums over exiting the EU.

While it is premature to write a eulogy for European integration, the challenge against it is humungous, but where did this anti-EU sentiment come from?

The first factor is the economy. European regionalism that goes hand in hand with globalization and the promotion of free trade is discredited with the latest series of crises.

In his recent article, Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz argued that globalizations opponents in the emerging markets and developing countries have been joined by tens of millions in the advanced countries (Stiglitz, 2006).

Referring to Branko Milanovic (2016), he pointed out that those at the bottom and the middle and working class in the advanced countries are among the biggest losers of globalization in terms of income from 1988 to 2008.

Large chunks of Europeans are experiencing stagnating or even declining living standards. Many of them see that the EU is one of the reasons why this is happening.

Another factor is politics. Europes integration project was started an initiative for post-World War peace-building. For the pioneers of European integration, often called federalists, nation-states and the conflictual nature of their relations are the sources of conflict and war. Thus, nation-states must go.

There should be a new form of political governance that can transcend the state. While this is not the only idea driving European integration today, the formation of the EU effectively transfers parts of states sovereignty to the regional entity.

This partial transfer of sovereignty, according to critics, is

alienating the people from influencing policies that can affect their lives. More and more policies are decided by Brussels, while public participation is only optimal at the national level.

The stagnation or even decline of living standards and the feeling of being unable to change this situation through the political system within EU governance has led to dissatisfaction among large portions of the European people.

The EU is feeling the symptoms of an integration overstretch. A rush toward deep regional integration without properly managing the real and perceived impacts of such a process created the backlash that we see today.

To counter these forces of disintegration, Philippe Legrain says, the EU must do less and do it better. The former advisor to the president of the European Commission argued that the EUs plan for new institutions can wait and the priority should be on how to raise the living standards of all. While it is clear that ASEAN and the EU is different, I do believe that this advice also fits for ASEAN.

Rather than pushing for more binding measures for liberalization that could outpace the capacity of member states to manage the impact of it, ASEAN must focus on refining the existing mechanisms with the orientation to ensure better welfare for its people.

Growth is not enough to show that integration and liberalization are working.

The emphasis for a people-centered ASEAN in the 2025 Vision is a step to the right direction. However, this must be accompanied by real initiatives to involve more diverse people in the formulation of ASEAN plans and policies.

So far, civil society (and even a selected version of it) is only confined to the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. The formulations of policies for economic integration remains relatively technocratic, reserved for government officials and think-tanks.

This must change because changes in regional economic governance will, of course, affect everybody in the region. People that will be affected negatively by any regional integrations creative destruction must be represented and heard.

Another important lesson is that ASEAN must continue to recognize that the state remains the highest political authority. One of the most important triggers for anti-EU sentiment is the feeling that the people are losing the ability to make their government follow them because their governments are forced to follow Brussels elites.

ASEAN member states jealousy to keep sovereignty as the fundamental principle of ASEAN is often mocked as a hindrance for regional integration. I believe that this view is incorrect. The EUs case shows that rushing a transfer of sovereignty from the state to a regional organization will create a backlash against regionalism.

Putting the state and national interest at the center of ASEAN regionalism will help to synchronize the pace of regional integration with the capacity of the state to protect and promote the interests of its own people.

____________________________

The author is a lecturer at the Department of International Relations, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Indonesia.
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Linkedin Ika Krismantari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Once upon a time, there was a woman who met her girlfriend in a coffee shop. Suddenly, the girlfriend collapsed onto the floor after drinking an iced coffee ordered by the first woman. Seconds later, she was dead.

Then a police investigation ensued. The police found a deadly dose of cyanide in the friends body and the woman was named the suspect in the case.

This murder saga is currently running on our local TV stations, turning a courtroom into a play stage.

Spoiler alert: The Murder Case, Live from the Courtroom show is real  the case, the victim, the suspect, the judges and the lawyers. It might have been a new version of a reality show with lower costs, as no expenses are required for cast, location, or script writing.

Aware of this new show model, TV station owners do not seem to want to miss an opportunity. They broadcast the court proceedings for five to six hours a day, taking advantage of the publics curiosity about the case and at the same time profiting from commercials.

A top executive of one of the TV stations has admitted that the live report has doubled the ratings of their news programs from an average of 7 percent to 15 percent.

The TV channels claim the show is a live news report, but in the end the public not only gets news updates, but also the drama. How could we possibly not? In the trials episodes, people see and hear everything: the tears, the confessions and the affairs, as well as opinions from unrelated parties that only add to the drama.

As if the live report is not enough, TV stations have also created discussion panels featuring so-called legal experts to comment and scrutinize the case after each court session.

Despite the clear exploitation of the case, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) does not seem to mind, saying it has not found any ethical violations committed during the broadcasts.

The commission may have a point, as Indonesia does not regulate news coverage in courtrooms. The absence of such rules may have been the fruit of press freedom that is still being celebrated after more than three decades of oppression under the New Order.

But freedom requires some limitations to ensure a greater benefit.

Despite their press freedom, some countries, including Australia, have enforced limitations on the press during court proceedings to ensure fair trials for defendants. Under the restrictions, journalists are not allowed to publish certain details, including past convictions, over fears that it may form public opinions that may influence judges decisions. Defying this regulation, the journalists face fines and imprisonment for contempt of court.

Learning from Australia, the KPI should order TV stations to stop the Murder Case, Live from the Courtroom show because it may put the chance of a fair trial at risk. Non-stop coverage from the courtroom, not to mention airing comments about the court hearings, is prone to create public opinions as well as speculation that may jeopardize court proceedings. Worse, this increases the risk of a trial by the public, as has exactly happened in this murder case.

The Australian example also shows that the KPIs claim that the show commits no ethical violation is not valid. On the contrary, it violates the right of a defendant to a fair trial. Like it or not, the defendant must be considered innocent unless proven guilty by the court. To uphold a fair trial, the KPI should stop this live court reporting and provide a clear guideline for news coverage in court.

A fair trial in a murder case is imperative because the defendants life is at stake. He or she may face the death penalty if proven guilty of premeditated murder.

The public has a justification to demand an end to the courtroom reality show simply because it violates their right to get decent content from TV stations. The 2002 Broadcasting Law states that TV stations are required to provide the public with good content in return for the use of the public domain.

The big question then is what good can come from non-stop six-hour live reporting of a trial of a murder case that allegedly involves a personal grudge? The audience deserves better shows that relate more to the publics interest.

Broadcasters may defend the show on the grounds that they are airing it for the public good and promoting transparency.

Yet, with the broadcasters running the show with low risk for high gain, we may question their intentions. Are those TV stations really broadcasting Murder Case, Live from the Courtroom for the publics good? They have admitted that the live broadcasts ratings have climbed, prompting them to create follow-up shows to generate more profits because in the TV industry the higher the ratings, the more the advertisements. Thus, the public interest claim is questionable because in the end it is all about huge money.

For better or worse, the KPI must stop the phenomenon of non-stop live broadcasts from a courtroom, as well as their complementary shows. Otherwise, it will lead Jessica, Mirna and each of us far away from a fair trial, let alone a happy ending.
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Linkedin Dato Sri Tahir (The Jakarta Post) Geneva  Wed, September 7, 2016

To succeed in business, its important to anticipate trends. As an entrepreneur, I love being ahead of the curve. Of course, good ideas attract imitators  any innovative product or practice that fills a gap in the market or improves efficiency will quickly become the standard to beat. I have seen it happen time and again in the private sector and now I am hoping the same is true of philanthropy.

Bill Gates brought an entrepreneurial spirit to tackling major global health challenges. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is in the vanguard of philanthropy, backing game-changing endeavors like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Gates and his foundation have both set the standard and laid down the challenge to other would-be philanthropists.

The Tahir Foundation committed US$65 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Indonesia. This amount was matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for a total of $130 million in new funding to help end the three epidemics in my country.

Perhaps sensing the trend, several of my fellow entrepreneurs stepped up to launch the Indonesia Health Fund, and we are eager to welcome new members to the growing club of Indonesian philanthropists.

Giving back is not a difficult decision; there is no downside. Its nothing to be particularly proud of  after all, I am not on the front lines of disease eradication.

I am simply supporting the scientists, health workers and volunteers who do the hard work.

Bill Gates shares this philosophy  he says hes not motivated by how he will be remembered,

but rather by being able one day to forget about diseases like malaria and polio.

The ability to give is something I have earned in Indonesia, and it is an honor to contribute to my countrys development.

In business, we must invest carefully for a high return, and the same is true in society.

This is one reason I have chosen to support the Global Fund, which directs 100 percent of my contribution to projects that are saving lives and building more resilient and sustainable systems for health.

Because while Indonesias economic growth has improved quality of life for millions of my fellow citizens, there is still great disparity in access to quality health services. We are among the top five countries for TB cases, and have one of the highest burdens in the world of drug-resistant TB. Around 152 million people live in malaria transmission areas.

My contribution to tackle these issues adds to more than $676 million invested by the Global Fund since 2003, providing access to lifesaving treatment for more than 50,000 people with HIV, testing and treating more than 1.7 million people for TB and providing 15.6 million mosquito nets to protect against malaria.

Putting aside any moral arguments, such investments in the health of our current and future employees and customers makes good business sense. It is rational philanthropy.

By taking a disciplined, strategic approach, we can set targets and timetables to meet big goals like ending the epidemics of AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030.

This will help unleash the economic potential of millions of people around the world and reduce the cost of treating these preventable diseases.

In September, donors will gather in Canada to replenish the Global Fund, allowing it to continue its work around the world to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, and to build resilient and sustainable systems for health.

The Global Fund is seeking $13 billion for the three-year period starting in 2017  an investment that is expected to help save 8 million lives.

Such Replenishment Conferences are held every three years, and its a testament to the demonstrated dividends that the global community continues to renew its investment.

I am very encouraged to see my peers in Indonesia and around the region taking note and shaping the future of philanthropy. I hope others will join us to make this trend a movement.

Together we are showing how entrepreneurs can bring business acumen to the cause of ending the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria for good.

_______________________________________

The writer is founder of The Tahir Foundation, a partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
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Linkedin Andjarsari Paramaditha (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Indonesia was recently visited by Dutch Queen Maxima in her capacity as the UN secretary-general special advocate for Financial Inclusion. As for the purpose, financial inclusion has been a pressing global issue in the past decade, where Indonesia is not exempt.

With only around 36 percent of Indonesians connected to formal financial institutions, the inclusiveness of our financial sector needs to be improved to create a sound and strong financial sector.

Looking at the countrys geographical landscape, accessibility becomes important, especially for people in remote areas and on small islands, and also for the poor and vulnerable. One of the means to bridge this is by using financial technology (fintech) to help the unbanked population become bankable with branchless-banking and digital financial services.

Although the history of financial provision dates back more than 100 years ago, the unbanked population in Indonesia is still large. With 203 million or 81.5 percent of the countrys population living at the bottom of the economic pyramid, those who are living in poverty need access to financial services in order to find opportunities to improve their lives and their communities.

But looking at the countrys current demographic, geographic and social-economic condition, there are still several boundaries that make Indonesians reluctant to go to the bank. Geography has also caused unequal branch distribution across the region.

On top of that, one of the fastest and most efficient ways to bridge the challenging physical infrastructure gap is by developing metadata infrastructure and innovations that can help accelerate achieving this goal.

The government sees that branchless banking and digital financial service schemes with mobile-based agents need to be developed.

On the regulatory side, both Bank Indonesia and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) have issued a regulation on electronic money through a digital financial service (LKD) and branchless banking (Laku Pandai), which provides legal certainty and consumer protection.

The mobile-based banking agent model can solve infrastructure problems as well as social demographic problems. The poor and vulnerable, for instance, need assistance from somebody who understands the system and the products. This group also needs to talk to a person that they trust for cashing-in money to the system.

The type of agents can also be tailored or placed to fit the needs based on the demographic and/or economic behaviors (e.g. students, farmer, fisherman, housewives). It also allows the government-to-people (G2P) social welfare distribution program to be disbursed in non-cash form more efficiently.

Non-cash G2P disbursement will also help increase financial inclusion as it incentivizes G2P recipients to save part of their money as savings or e-money as a part of the strategy, provide financial access to G2P recipients who most likely come from the unbanked demographic and reduce queuing because G2P recipients can withdraw their money anytime.

The governments e-commerce road map that was launched earlier this year will also further boost this initiative. The road map involves key issues, such as logistics, communication infrastructure, cyber security, consumer protection and investment funding. It is broken down into a series of more than 30 initiatives to encourage the development of e-commerce and digital businesses.

To promote the national digital economy, the government also has provided opportunities through investing and observing the digital ecosystem that, in turn, can also help fintech to grow.

However, several issues concerning the programs foundations need to be sorted out.

The benefit of financial inclusion should be socialized and financial literacy or education is essential to understanding how the products work, especially because the financially disadvantaged and vulnerable mostly have a lower educational background.

Easy-to-adapt products need to be developed to meet societys need, without overlooking further product developments in the future. Banking agents also need to be prepared to handle different kinds of basic transactions, yet remain reachable to the beneficiaries.

Infrastructure, especially utilized by the telecommunications industry, must adapt to these changes fast as the system needs reliable communication services and SIM card availability as a basic need.

The government has recently encouraged a decrease in interconnection fees with the aim to provide efficiency and sustainability of the telecommunications sector.

In terms of customer services, the government hopes to cut interconnection costs so as to lower collection rates for services between providers without reducing the quality of service. This will benefit the fintech industry and consumers on a larger scale.

The country also needs to adapt to new technologies that encourage all layers of society to have savings accounts, faster transaction payments, access to credit, insurance and investment tools, as well as remittances for our migrant workers.

As banks and telecom operators play the two most important roles in developing the electronic money business, both parties need to see the advantages in combining their strengths to create and deliver mobile financial services that are most appropriate for their respective customers.

With so many stakeholders involved in the fintech business, collaboration is a must although this might mean giving up part of each partys bargaining power. However, good political will is also needed, as one of the end goals of developing fintech is to rapidly increase the countrys financial inclusion rate.

-----------------

The writer is a researcher at the Mandiri Institute, an independent research think tank of Bank Mandiri that focuses on the financial and banking sector and public policy.
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Linkedin Julia Suryakusuma (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Xenophobia is the fear or contempt of anything foreign, right? Its something that lately Indonesia has displayed plenty of, despite the fact that so much of our cultural, political and religious identity is not indigenous to the archipelago. Yes, including Islam, which came in the 13th century through Sufi traders from Gujarat, India.

Well, on top of xenophobia, now we also have zina-phobia. Zina? Is that a girls name? Nope, you are thinking of Xena, the warrior princess. This is zina (or zinah in Indonesian), which is Arabic for adultery or fornication, whether it be extramarital sex, premarital sex, casual sex and naturally, same-sex sex.

Islam  like any other religion  bans marriage between a man and a man, and a woman and a woman. Automatically, zinaphobia includes homophobia. In Islam, zina is considered haram, i.e. a criminal act, according to religious law.

So how does religious law creep into the Constitutional Court (MK)? Many of the justices want to have casual sex  any sex outside of marriage  outlawed. According to Patrialis Akbar, one of the courts nine justices for the 2013 to 2018 term: Our freedom is limited by moralistic values as well as religious values. This is what the declaration of human rights doesnt have. Its totally different [from our concept of human rights] because were not a secular country; this country acknowledges religion, he said (see MK justices want casual sex outlawed, The Jakarta Post, Aug. 24).

Oh yeah? There are 95 other countries in the world that do acknowledge religion, but still consider themselves secular, for example the US, France and Turkey  before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan turned first president Mustafa Kemal Ataturks staunch secularism into an Islamist authoritarian regime, that is.

According to Ahmet T. Kuru from Diego State University, there are four types of states: religious states (e.g. Iran, Saudi Arabia, the Vatican), states with one official religion (e.g. England, Greece, Denmark), secular states and antireligion states (e.g. China, North Korea, Cuba). Kuru places Indonesia firmly in the secular category, which aligns with the decision made by our founding fathers to protect Indonesias Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).

Among secular states, there are two kinds of secularism: passive secularism, like in the US, which allows public visibility of religious symbols, and active secularism, like in France (and previously Turkey), which prohibits religious symbols, hence the controversy over the burkini ban.

Indonesia actually adopts passive secularism, like the US. But as many of our politicians and leaders are so fond of saying, Indonesia is not secular, nor is it religious.

This prompted the late Abdurrahman Gus Dur Wahid, Indonesias fourth president, to say Indonesia is a negara bukan-bukan (neither-this-nor-that state).

In Indonesian, bukan means not, but bukan-bukan means absurd! Hey, maybe its better to have an absurd state than an Islamist authoritarian regime that the likes of Patrialis seem to want to impose, stripping people of their rights.

Incidentally, Patrialis, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is precisely about moral principles or norms that describe universal, common standards of human behavior and safeguard them by law. Youd know that, if you just Googled it. And you call yourself a lawyer? What a disgrace!

To think he was law and human rights minister from 2009 to 2011. His performance as minister was deemed poor and, in 2013, as a result of a lawsuit by legal activists, the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) stripped Patrialis of his position in the Constitutional Court. His appointment was considered to be lacking an accountable and transparent selection process.

However, in 2014 then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono nominated him again via the House of Representatives, as Patrialis is from the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the then chair was Hatta Rajasa, Yudhoyonos in-law. Nepotistic politics as ever.

Why are conservatives so hung up about sex anyway? Patrialis thinks adultery is the root of societys evils. Well yeah, adultery involves rooting, but I could think of so many greater evils: violence, greed, hypocrisy and corruption, which incidentally, Akil Mochtar, the former head of the Constitutional Court, was indicted for, as was Suryadarma Ali, former religious affairs minister.

So much for Indonesia being a negara hukum (rule-of-law state). Maybe so, but it does not prevent legal institutions from being incompetent and corrupt. In fact, the reason they resort to moralistic exhortations is to cover up their gross failings. Talk about overcompensation.

Lets look at what the law and the Constitution are supposed to do: protect citizens. All citizens, including minorities. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is a minority group whose rights are unprotected. If the law banning casual sex is passed, they would be criminalized just by the mere fact that they exist.

As in many other countries, the LGBT community in Indonesia is under constant siege. Sexuality has become a battleground for the confrontation between advocates of democracy and human rights on the one hand, and antidemocracy forces, which include conservative religious groups.

The most ferocious adherents of zinaphobia that have emerged recently come from the so-called Family Love Alliance (AILA), who appear to be more mainstream but are just as dangerous as the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), who use violence in their moral crusade.

Upholding LGBT rights means upholding democratic principles. Increasingly, the LGBT community has made successful alliances with other progressive forces, championing their cause as part of a wider struggle for human rights, freedom and dignity. This is happening worldwide, even in the conservative Middle East.

Fine, but its against Islam! Not really. Apparently there are no clear-cut verses in the Quran that unambiguously condemn homosexuality. Some even doubt the authenticity of hadith that denounce LGBT people. Currently the Rumah Kita Bersama (KitaB) Foundation, established in 2010, an Islamic think tank supported by activists from 30 pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) across Indonesia, is conducting a study of classical Quranic texts on the theme of LGBT. They plan to publish the results in a book in the middle of next year. Should be interesting  not to mention controversial!

The vision of the Rumah KitaB is the realization of independent, intelligent, civilized and dignified social order that upholds justice and humanity, equality and [] diversity. Sounds like a democratic vision to me, because in fact, democracy and Islam are totally in sync.

This means Patrialis, AILA and their ilk are not only undemocratic, but also un-Islamic!

___________________________

The writer is the author of Julias Jihad.
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Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Following a decision by Samsung headquarters in South Korea to recall the Galaxy Note7, Samsung Electronics Indonesia said it would give full refunds to Indonesian customers who pre-ordered the phone.

Regretfully, we are unable to reveal the exact date of Galaxy Note7s availability in Indonesia, PT Samsung Electronics Indonesia's public relations manager, Shinta Wardiastuti, told The Jakarta Post via email Wednesday.

(Read also: Report: Samsung to recall phones after explosion claims)

As part of our responsibility, we will give full refunds to Indonesian customers who have placed pre-orders and we will also give compensation as a form of appreciation for our loyal customers, she said, adding that the company would give further details personally to affected customers.

Earlier this week, Yonhap news agency reported that Samsung would conduct a global recall of its Galaxy Note7 as soon as this weekend following issues regarding its battery.

The smartphone is the latest device in Samsungs Note series, which is also its most expensive. It boasts features like an iris scanner that allows users to unlock the phone using their eye pattern. It was being offered at a pre-order price of Rp 10.77 million (US$821) in Indonesia starting Aug. 5. (kes)
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Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong and Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Pekanbaru  Tue, September 6 2016

Following an incident in Riau where officials from the Environment and Forestry Ministry were taken hostage and threatened with death while investigating a forest fire, the ministry has called on the National Police to provide protection for its investigators.

The ministrys law enforcement director general, Rasio Ridho Sani, said protection from the police would be crucial for future investigations into the practice employed by companies of illegally clearing land by burning it. Rasio noted that this was the first time its law enforcement personnel had been met with such a serious kind of threat.

In the past, we often faced resistance from companies, but they were mild, such as being told to wait for a long time, being shown the wrong direction and so on. This is the first time a company deployed a huge mob with threats and intimidation, he told The Jakarta Post.

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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

The Indonesian government is analyzing the regulation gap to identify laws and regulations that are not in accordance with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), hinting at the government's intention to join the Pacific Rim trade pact.

However, Abdulkadir Jailani, the director of international treaties at the Foreign Ministry, acknowledged that this will not be an easy task because many regulations and laws have to be adjusted to meet TPP provisions.

"Almost every single aspect of our lives is in there. This is a very big project," Abdulkadir told The Jakarta Post after a discussion about the TPP in Jakarta on Wednesday.

During his US visit last year, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo expressed his intention to join the group. The President established a team to calculate the advantages and disadvantages of joining the Pacific grouping.

Laws that need to be adjusted include the Investment Law, particularly the articles related to dispute settlement, the Mining Law, the Horticulture Law, the Water Resources Law and the State-Owned Enterprises Law, said Abdulkadir.

"With only two years of deliberation, it's a big job, but if we really intend to join I think we will make it through," Abdulkadir added.

He said that in the team, the Foreign Ministry gave consideration to aspects of international law, legal institutions and provisions and dispute settlements and also discussed investment, the environment, intellectual property rights, competition and regulatory coherence.

"The regulatory coherence chapter is to ensure that national legislation is in accordance with the TPP," he explained, adding that the study will soon be submitted to the President. (bbn)
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Linkedin Andjarsari Paramaditha (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7 2016

Indonesia was recently visited by Dutch Queen Maxima in her capacity as the UN secretary-general special advocate for Financial Inclusion. As for the purpose, financial inclusion has been a pressing global issue in the past decade, where Indonesia is not exempt.



With only around 36 percent of Indonesians connected to formal financial institutions, the inclusiveness of our financial sector needs to be improved to create a sound and strong financial sector.



Looking at the countrys geographical landscape, accessibility becomes important, especially for people in remote areas and on small islands, and also for the poor and vulnerable. One of the means to bridge this is by using financial technology (fintech) to help the unbanked population become bankable with branchless-banking and digital financial services.



Although the history of financial provision dates back more than 100 years ago, the unbanked population in Indonesia is still large. With 203 million or 81.5 percent of the countrys population living at the bottom of the economic pyramid, those who are living in poverty need access to financial services in order to find opportunities to improve their lives and their communities.



But looking at the countrys current demographic, geographic and social-economic condition, there are still several boundaries that make Indonesians reluctant to go to the bank. Geography has also caused unequal branch distribution across the region.



On top of that, one of the fastest and most efficient ways to bridge the challenging physical infrastructure gap is by developing metadata infrastructure and innovations that can help accelerate achieving this goal.



The government sees that branchless banking and digital financial service schemes with mobile-based agents need to be developed.



On the regulatory side, both Bank Indonesia and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) have issued a regulation on electronic money through a digital financial service (LKD) and branchless banking (Laku Pandai), which provides legal certainty and consumer protection.



The mobile-based banking agent model can solve infrastructure problems as well as social demographic problems. The poor and vulnerable, for instance, need assistance from somebody who understands the system and the products. This group also needs to talk to a person that they trust for cashing-in money to the system.



The type of agents can also be tailored or placed to fit the needs based on the demographic and/or economic behaviors (e.g. students, farmer, fisherman, housewives). It also allows the government-to-people (G2P) social welfare distribution program to be disbursed in non-cash form more efficiently.



Non-cash G2P disbursement will also help increase financial inclusion as it incentivizes G2P recipients to save part of their money as savings or e-money as a part of the strategy, provide financial access to G2P recipients who most likely come from the unbanked demographic and reduce queuing because G2P recipients can withdraw their money anytime.



The governments e-commerce road map that was launched earlier this year will also further boost this initiative. The road map involves key issues, such as logistics, communication infrastructure, cyber security, consumer protection and investment funding. It is broken down into a series of more than 30 initiatives to encourage the development of e-commerce and digital businesses.



To promote the national digital economy, the government also has provided opportunities through investing and observing the digital ecosystem that, in turn, can also help fintech to grow.



However, several issues concerning the programs foundations need to be sorted out.



The benefit of financial inclusion should be socialized and financial literacy or education is essential to understanding how the products work, especially because the financially disadvantaged and vulnerable mostly have a lower educational background.



Easy-to-adapt products need to be developed to meet societys need, without overlooking further product developments in the future. Banking agents also need to be prepared to handle different kinds of basic transactions, yet remain reachable to the beneficiaries.



Infrastructure, especially utilized by the telecommunications industry, must adapt to these changes fast as the system needs reliable communication services and SIM card availability as a basic need.



The government has recently encouraged a decrease in interconnection fees with the aim to provide efficiency and sustainability of the telecommunications sector.



In terms of customer services, the government hopes to cut interconnection costs so as to lower collection rates for services between providers without reducing the quality of service. This will benefit the fintech industry and consumers on a larger scale.



The country also needs to adapt to new technologies that encourage all layers of society to have savings accounts, faster transaction payments, access to credit, insurance and investment tools, as well as remittances for our migrant workers.



As banks and telecom operators play the two most important roles in developing the electronic money business, both parties need to see the advantages in combining their strengths to create and deliver mobile financial services that are most appropriate for their respective customers.



With so many stakeholders involved in the fintech business, collaboration is a must although this might mean giving up part of each partys bargaining power. However, good political will is also needed, as one of the end goals of developing fintech is to rapidly increase the countrys financial inclusion rate.

____________



The writer is a researcher at the Mandiri Institute, an independent research think tank of Bank Mandiri that focuses on the financial and banking sector and public policy.

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Linkedin Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7 2016

On ASEANs 49th anniversary, its leaders seem to continuously be optimistic about the future of the ASEAN integration project. The ASEAN Community Vision 2025, adopted by ASEAN leaders in Kuala Lumpur last year, declared that they were resolved to consolidate our community, building upon and deepening the integration process.

This optimism seems out of place, especially in a world where waves of backlash against globalization are evident everywhere. Today, the world is marked by the emergence of the Islamic State (IS) movement, the rise of right-wing leaders like Geert Wilders, Le Pen and Donald Trump, the growing tension in the Asia-Pacific and the stagnation of the European integration project.

To keep this optimism alive, ASEAN needs to learn from EUs experience of integration overstretch.

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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto has said with the current form of terror threats, which include foreign terrorists, cross-border terrorism, use of internet in spreading radicalism, as well as an increase of terrorist financing cases in neighboring countries, ASEAN member states should build up cybersecurity to better track and counter such threats.

"Cybersecurity has become a new challenge in our regional security. Due to its complex and sophisticated nature, ASEAN should give more concern to the matter as well as involve other relevant stakeholders [to improve defense]," Wiranto said at an ASEAN Political-Security Community Council meeting on Tuesday.

The minister highlighted a call made during the 28th and 29th ASEAN summits, taking place in Vientiane, Lao, on Sept.6 to 8, in which Southeast Asian leaders were urged to step up regional cooperation in countering terrorism, especially to enhance technological defense to improve cybersecurity to tackle such terror and other threats made through the internet.

Wiranto further said Southeast Asian leaders should better maximize the implementation of the ASEAN Convention on Counterterrorism.

In Tuesdays meeting, Wiranto presented reports from the International Meeting on Counterterrorism (IMCT) and Counterterrorism Financing (CTF) Summit, held in Bali last month, which emphasized the importance of international intelligence cooperation as part of counterterrorism measures, particularly to adopt effective measures to prevent terrorism financing.

He also asserted the importance of broadening and intensifying regional cooperation to enhance deradicalization and counterradicalism programs, as well as to find and tackle the root causes of terrorism. (ebf)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

The Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) has urged the House of Representatives to scrap the primary healthcare physicians (DLP) classification stipulated in the 2013 Medical Education Law, claiming it has the potential to cause conflicts among general practitioners.

IDI secretary-general M. Adib Khumaidi criticized the program, saying it had created a new class in the general practitioners field.

Currently, the medical practice law classifies doctors as general practitioners, specialist doctors, dentists or specialized dentists. With the Medical Education Law, DLP will be deemed equal to specialist doctors.

(Read also: House, IDI to find solutions to primary health care program)

Existing doctors who want to be classified as DPL need to take additional classes.

"With the DLP system, there are three types of doctors who practice in general fields, namely general practitioners, family doctors and DLP. What will make DLP different to general practitioners then? This new classification will create conflict among doctors," Adib told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The IDI regretted that although a government regulation related to the law had not been issued, the Health Ministry had started disseminating the program. In some regions, the ministry has also conducted training for educators in the DLP program.

"Now, general practitioners are worried if they don't join the DLP medical program they will not be able to cooperate with Healthcare and Social Security Agency and national health insurance program," he said.

Adib said the government should not underestimate the quality of existing general practitioners by conducting the DLP program, which will require billions of rupiah from the state budget. (bbn)
This journal serves a community of small businesses worldwide. Here John Wiley Spiers addresses topics on business start-up and expansion and reports relevant daily headlines.John Wiley Spiers is a small business international trader, author of HOW SMALL BUSINESS TRADES WORLDWIDE , and lecturer at various colleges.



For those interested in becoming members of this community, contact John at john@johnspiers.com.
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

National Narcotics Agency (BNN) head Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso has shrugged off criticism that the nation's war against drugs disregards human rights principles, saying that drug dealers' lives should not be respected since they commit "mass murders".

Those who circulate narcotics in such a big amount and have been involved in the illegal drug network for years, have committed serious crimes since they have killed or caused people to suffer, Budi said. Harsh punishments such as the death penalty, therefore, are comparable to the crime, he went on saying.

"Let's say [the drug dealer] has killed 100 people. Which one is more serious: a human rights violation that the BNN commits by executing one drug dealer, or killing 100 people? It's definitely the latter, so it's not a problem," he said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

However, Budi asserted that such harsh punishment would only be handed down after the BNN and law enforcement agencies had verified and found evidence that proved the suspect was indeed a drug lord. If the verified suspect shows hostility during arrest, he might be shot on site, Budi said.

Even though not to the extent of the Philippines move for a bloody crackdown on the illegal drug trade, Budi asserted that Indonesia should indeed impose strict punishment against those who had committed drugs abuse and trafficking, in order to save the country's younger generation. (ags)
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan has passed screening by House of Representatives Commission I overseeing security and foreign affairs, putting him one step closer to taking the helm of the state spy agency.

All 10 political party factions approved the sole candidate for National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief in a hearing on Wednesday.

"Commission I decides that Budi Gunawan has the competence and is a fitting candidate to replace Sutiyoso as the head of BIN," commission I chairman Abdul Kharis Almasyhari said, referring to the current BIN chief, Sutiyoso.

Meanwhile, Commission I deputy chairman TB Hasanuddin said Budi's plan for BIN as stated during his confirmation hearing was comprehensive. Commission members said they expected Budi to fulfill his vows to improve the performance of BIN.

The commission further hoped that Budi could improve the spy agency to step up measures to protect Indonesia and its people from transnational threats, especially terrorism, Hasanuddin said.

Commission I will forward the result of the hearing to House leaders, after which lawmakers will decide on Budi's nomination during a plenary meeting scheduled for Thursday. If the plenary endorses Budi as the new BIN chief, the result will be forwarded to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who will inaugurate him. (rin)
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7 2016

US oil and gas company ExxonMobil Indonesias proposal to increase its oil lifting (ready-to-sell production) at the Cepu block in East Java may soon be approved as the government raises next years national lifting target.



On Tuesday, the House of Representatives Commission VII overseeing energy affairs decided on an oil lifting target of 815,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) in 2017, higher than an initial target of 780,000 barrels, despite the governments apprehension.



Commission VII argued that a higher target should be set based on ExxonMobils confidence in raising its lifting abilities at Indonesias newest wells in the Cepu block to 200,000 bopd next year from 185,000 barrels now.



Interim Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Luhut Pandjaitan accepted the higher target but emphasized that it would be difficult to achieve.



So it has been decided and we will be loyal to the final decision. It will be difficult, but we will try to reach 815,000 bopd. What can you do? It has already been decided, he said during the hearing.



Alongside Cepu, the second-largest source of oil in the country that began operations at the beginning of this year, the Banyu Urip block is the backbone of national oil output.



ExxonMobil Indonesias subsidiary, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited (EMCL), will submit a proposal to the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) to increase oil production next year.



The proposal, however, is not a new one. Earlier in the year ExxonMobil had requested to boost its production, but was rejected by SKKMigas despite the countrys alarming declining production rates.



SKKMigas head Amien Sunaryadi explained that the Cepu block should maintain a maximum production rate of 165,000 bopd as it would help keep the field active for 33 months instead of the mere five months it would last with a production rate of 205,000 bopd. EMCLs proposal, Amien said, was too optimistic as it had not considered the vuggies and fractures in the field.



Furthermore, the government could reap more profits with the lower rate because of the sliding scale split scheme implemented on the block.



With a maximum production of 165,000 bopd, the government will obtain US$82 million in revenues, at the present value, more than if the peak production was set at 205,000 bopd, Amien said during a hearing at the Houses Commission VII.



Furthermore, increasing production to 205,000 bopd, Amien argued, would increase EMCLs profits from the domestic market obligation (DMO) holiday, causing the government to lose $32.4 million, more than if it was maintained at 165,000 bopd.



Meanwhile, ExxonMobil Indonesia president director Daniel Wieczynski denied that the company had not considered the fields geological characteristics when setting the ambitious target.



Moreover, he made assurances that EMCL had already received approval to propose the higher number from its partners, including PT Pertamina EP Cepu (PEPC), a subsidiary of state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina.



Well, we submitted all our details to SKKMigas, so we have all our technical justifications, so we tested all the facilities, so we know that were ready, Wieczynski told The Jakarta Post.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7 2016

The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University, also of Singapore, still top Asias higher education institutions, while Tsinghua University is top fifth among Chinas rising institutions in Asia, the latest QS World University Rankings reported on Tuesday.

The University of Indonesia (UI), ranked 358th, is still higher than the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), ranked 431st in the world. Both increased their positions from last years Asia list  UI ranks 67th this year compared to 79th last year and ITB ranks 86th this year compared to 122nd last year.

Indonesian institutions fared much worse than neighbors in Malaysia and Thailand.

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Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7 2016

Indonesias target of cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 29 percent by 2030 appears ever-more unrealistic as the government continues to push the use of coal for the foreseeable future to meet skyrocketing electricity demand.

In the past five years, the energy supply mix for power plants has been dominated by coal, followed by natural gas and oil. This supply-mix development has significantly increased GHG emissions from energy producers and industry.

The countrys increasing dependence on coal is shown by the use of coal in electricity generation, which has more than doubled since 2012, increasing by 81 percent since 2002, reaching 195.9 TWh.

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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Indonesian Listed Companies Association (AEI) chairman Fransiscus Welirang has said association members welcome the waiver provided by the Financial Service Authority (OJK), which eases the process for tax amnesty participants to invest their repatriated funds to a publicly listed company.

The OJK has set a rule for publicly listed companies to open a tender when a new investment in the company changes the share ownership structure significantly, such as a change in controlling shareholders.

For example, when a taxpayer repatriates funds and puts the money into a publicly listed company or declares special purpose vehicle (SPV) in the company and changes the share ownership from the SPV to their own name, the company has to announce a tender to the public to give an opportunity for the public to buy shares.

In the stock market act, if an entity wants to be a new controlling shareholder (ownership more than or equal to 51 percent) it should go through a tender and be announced to the public.

"With the waiver from the OJK, when a new controlling shareholder name arises but they are a participant of the tax amnesty program, then the company does not have to hold a tender," Welirang said at the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) building on Tuesday.

OJK chairman Muliaman Hadad said the company could take advantage of the waiver as long as the change in ownership structure did not dilute public shares to lower than 7.5 percent. (evi)
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Linkedin Prima Wirayani and Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Govt comes to PLNs rescue with new rule

The government has come to the rescue of PLN with the issuance of a new regulation that gives a guarantee to the companys projects, including those under the grand 35,000-megawatt (MW) electricity program.

The regulation came in the form of a finance ministers regulation, that was issued on Aug. 24.

It gives two government guarantees for several projects, namely the 35,000 MW program, the construction of 46,000 kilometers of transmission lines and other supporting infrastructure.

The first guarantee is a loan guarantee, to be given to financial institutions that provide financing to the state-owned PLN as a loan repayment assurance.

The second guarantee is a business feasibility guarantee, to be given to independent power producers (IPPs) that partner with PLN. It is to provide an assurance that PLN has the financial capacity to purchase the power produced by the IPPs according to their agreed contracts.

Robert Pakpahan, director general of financing and risk management at the Finance Ministry, said the government hoped to smooth PLNs electricity generation journey by providing the guarantees because some of the projects assigned to the company might not be economically feasible. This is part of our support, he said on Tuesday.

The 35,000 MW program is one of President Joko Jokowi Widodos signature projects that the government and PLN hope to complete by the end of Jokowis tenure in 2019. However, only 195 MW is already in operation, representing a tiny 0.5 percent of the target.

The company has been facing mounting problems since the programs early days that include a lack of potential partners, financing difficulties and land acquisition obstacles.

Despite the bumpy road, PLN recently said it was moving forward with the project. As of Aug. 4, it wrapped up development contracts for power plants with a combined capacity of 16,515 MW.

It hopes to complete the signing of contracts for power plants to generate the remaining 18,485 MW by year-end, 63 percent of which will be signed under a power purchase agreement (PPA) scheme.

The remaining 37 percent, meanwhile, will be under PLNs engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts.

The company is also optimistic that financial closure will be reached for projects amounting to 8,705 MW by the end of 2016.

PLN president director Sofyan Basir said that the new regulation would exponentially help expedite the development of the 35,000 MW program.

[The PMK] covers wider ground and allows for a government guarantee for the private sector. Previously, we could only get such a guarantee for bank loans and offshore borrowings, he told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a hearing at the House of Representatives.

He claimed the guarantee would help PLN secure loans for other large projects as well, such as the Rp 30 trillion (US$2.28 billion) 2 x 1,000 MW Jawa 5 coal-fueled power plant and the 2,000 MW Jawa 7 power plant projects in Banten.

All of our projects are ginormous in size. So when we try to find funds [for the projects], they will all be government guaranteed, he said.

Meanwhile, data from the Finance Ministry show that the government allocated $3.96 billion and Rp 35.7 trillion worth of

guarantees for coal power plants to produce 10,000 MW under its fast track program (FTP 1) and $5.08 billion for renewable energy, coal and gas power plants to produce 10,000 MW under its fast track program 2 (FTP 2).

The total amount of guarantees that the government already provided for various projects reached Rp 213.6 trillion as of June 16, 1.69 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). The government can provide guarantees up to Rp 357.4 trillion by 2017, 2.57 percent of the GDP.
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Former energy and mineral resources minister Arcandra Tahar has officially had his Indonesian citizenship reinstated, following controversy over his dual nationality last month, Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly has confirmed.

The reinstatement was declared through a ministerial decree issued by the Law and Human Rights Ministry on Sept. 1, which said that based on verification of Arcandra's renouncement of his US citizenship on Aug. 15, the maximum protection principle and the 2006 Citizenship Law that forbade anyone to be stateless, the government declared that Arcandra was an Indonesian citizen.

"He is not a foreign citizen anymore and by adjective law he was not an Indonesian citizen. Thus we only needed to reinstate his citizenship through a ministerial decree," Yasonna said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Arcandra gained US citizenship in 2012. Under Indonesian law, Arcandra automatically lost his Indonesian citizenship, which should have been followed by a ministerial decree to officially annul his citizenship.

The decree had yet to be issued, Yasonna said, adding that Arcandra renounced his US citizenship shortly after being offered the position of energy and mineral resources minister.

Issuing a decree to revoke Arcandra's Indonesian citizenship once the issue became known in August, which led to his dismissal, would have made him stateless. "If I had issued a decree [annulling Arcandra's Indonesian citizenship] I could have faced three years' imprisonment for deliberately causing someone to be stateless," Yasonna explained. (ags)
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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

The government will continue to enhance supporting regulations of its tax amnesty program, in which its first implementation period imposing the greatest penalties will come to a close at the end of September, a senior tax official has said.

The Finance Ministrys taxation director general, Ken Dwijugiasteadi, said Directorate General of Taxation Regulation No.12/PJ/2016 on gateway reporting procedures was the latest government regulation issued to optimize the implementation of its tax amnesty program.

Under the regulation, he said, tax amnesty gateways must present a report to the director general of taxation on the flow of funds or investment they received. If they do not comply, their gateway licenses will be revoked, he went on.

"Sanctions will be imposed in form of either a warning letter or revocation of gateway license. These sanctions will be announced to the public and submitted to the relevant authorities," Ken said on Tuesday.

As reported earlier, the government has appointed 18 banks, 18 investment management firms and 19 securities companies as gateways for trillions of rupiah in repatriated assets expected to flow into Indonesia through the tax amnesty program.

Ken further said under the regulation, all gateways must submit a report on the opening of a special account and funds transferred into the account. They also must submit a report on investments of taxpayers every month and on all funds or investment transfers carried out between gateways, he added.

"This obligation will be effective within three months since funds of those tax payers are transferred to the special account," Ken said. (ebf)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7 2016

The Jakarta administration will strengthen its cooperation with Australia in the livestock and fishery sectors, an official said on Tuesday.

We [the Jakarta administration] will be invited to the Australian Embassy in Jakarta to further discuss the cooperation next week, said Jakarta Maritime Affairs, Agriculture and Food Security Agency head Darjamuni as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

The discussion would be focused on beef cooperation to meet the Citys demand, which amounted to 165 tons per day, he said.

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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

The House of Representatives and the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) will meet to discuss opposing views regarding a primary health care physicians (DLP) program that has been proposed by the House, legislators have said.

The association is opposing the program over license and certification issues.

"There are still different perspectives about the DLP between the House and the IDI which we are trying to harmonize. The DLP is actually regulated to improve physicians preparedness in providing medical services to patients," Ferdiansyah told The Jakarta Post.

Another House member, Dadang Supriatna, highlighted the importance of the program.

Unlike existing general practitioners who focus on curing patients, the program will also include health care campaigns and illness prevention. The DLP will train primary health care physicians in family medicine, community medicine and public health sciences, making them considered equal with specialist physicians.

(Read also: Association urges House to drop new doctor classification)

"According to the research, countries that run the program have lower infant mortality rates than those that dont run it. The program has been international best practice," Dadang said.

In the future, new physicians and general practitioners must follow the program. A regulation about the program is currently being prepared by the Health Ministry.

According to Dadang, the program will be implemented in two or three years. (dmr)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

The Religious Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday that the government would welcome an expanded haj quota to end waits for the pilgrimage that last up to 39 years.

The haj quota is the domain of Saudi Arabian government. Alhamdulillah (thank God), if it is willing to provide a bigger quota to us, Ahda Barori, the ministrys director of the haj domestic service, told The Jakarta Post.

Ahda made the statement following President Joko Jokowi Widodo's request to Saudi Arabian Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman during a bilateral meeting in Hangzhou, China, to consider the possibility of Indonesia getting the unused portions of haj quotas from other countries or obtaining a larger haj quota.

The ministry's attempt to persuade the Saudi government to increase its haj quota was also a response to the arrest of 177 Indonesians in Manila for trying to use places left empty in the Philippines underused quota.

Ahda added the longest waiting time for pilgrims was in the Sidrap regency in South Sulawesi at 39 years, while the shortest was in Seluma regency, Bengkulu, at seven years. (wnd/dan)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

The judge in Jessica Kumala Wongso's murder trial adjourned proceedings at the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday as the hearing descended into chaos following a quarrel between prosecutors and defense lawyers over forensic pathologist Djaja Surya Atmadja's testimony.

The quarrel began when prosecutor Sugih Carvalho rejected Djaja's statement that someone who was poisoned by cyanide would have their lips turn red, and not blue. Sugih said such a statement favored Jessica because murder victim Wayan Mirna Salihins lips were bluish.

"How could you say that Mirna's lips were red? According to doctors' report her lips were blue," Sugih said.

Djaja who asked the prosecutor to respect him explained that Sugih misinterpreted his statement. He only stated a symptom of cyanide poisoning according to science, and it was not a refutation of the medical report.

Another prosecutor, Hari Wibowo, questioned Djaja's competency. Although Djaja insisted he was an expert in forensic pathology and forensic toxicology, the prosecutor kept raising questions about his background.

The quarrel reached a climax as prosecutor Sandhy Handika complained to the judge about the little time provided to examine Djaja. Sandhy then pushed him to reveal documents he had received from Jessicas lawyer Otto Hasibuan.

Djaja's silence, refusing to answer the question, inflamed Sandhy's anger. "Do you understand what you analyzed?" the prosecutor asked angrily.

Hearing that, Otto shouted at prosecutors to respect the witness. Sandhy shot back demanding the lawyer respect the prosecutors. The shouting between the two camps continued until the judge banged the gavel suspending the trial. (ags)
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Members of House of Representatives Commission I overseeing defense and foreign affairs are set to interview Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, the sole candidate for the role of National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief, who was proposed by President Joko Jokowi Widodo.

"[I will deliver] my vision and mission, as well as programs that will strengthen and optimize BINs performance to function as a coordinating institution for the countrys intelligence affairs," Budi told journalists at the House on Wednesday.

Amid concerns that BIN was dominated by personnel with military backgrounds and that the agency was traditionally led by a military official, Budi, currently National Police deputy chief, did not see a problem and said he would synergize all elements within the agency so that all personnel could perform their duty.

Commission I deputy chairman TB Hasanuddin said the interview would focus on Budi's competence in intelligence affairs and how he planned to make BIN function optimally in serving the country.

Jokowi nominated Budi as the sole candidate to replace outgoing BIN chief Sutiyoso last Friday. (bbn)
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Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Only 99 Rohingya refugee seekers remain in East Acehs refugee camp out of the 409 that arrived on shore last year, an official has confirmed.

"We have received reports that the immigrants flee by deceiving the guards on ground. There are some who leave at night by crossing the river behind the refugee camp," Aceh legislative councilor Iskandar Usman Al-Farlaky said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com

Iskandar visited the refugee camp in Bayeun, in the district of Rantau Selamat. He suspected that the refugee seekers had run away to Malaysia. He expressed his worry they may fall victim to human trafficking.

Iskandar called on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization Migration (IOM) to decide the final destination country for the Rohingya refugee seekers.

"There needs to be certainty," he said, adding that he did not meet any representatives of the UNHCR or IOM during his visit to the camp. He stressed the urgency to ensure a third country for the refugee seekers.

Indonesia has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention. But the country has voluntary resettled and repatriated boat people from Myanmar and other countries. Indonesia is considered a transit country for refugees en route to destination countries such as Australia. (liz/bbn)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Australian forensic pathologist Beng Beng Ong, who testified for murder defendant Jessica Kumala Wongso in the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday, was deported from Indonesia on Tuesday for a visa violation.

Besides deporting Ong, the Law and Human Rights Ministrys immigration office also banned him from reentering Indonesia for six months, Central Jakarta Immigration Office head Tato Juliadin Hidayawan said.



Ong came to the country on a free visa for a short visit but he appeared as an expert witness in court. His activity was not accommodated in the visa he held. If he had planned to testify as a witness in the court, Ong should have applied for a limited stay visa," he said on Tuesday.

The senior lecturer at Queensland University's School of Medicine was deported to Australia via Singapore on Wednesday.

The immigration office decided to question Ong after monitoring Jessica's trial, which has been broadcast live on several television channels. On Monday night, the foreigner monitoring team visited the court to observe Ong and the next day the Immigration Office confiscated his passport for investigation. The passport was returned upon his deportation.

Meanwhile, immigration office spokesman Heru Santoso Ananta Yudha said the deportation was due to administrative misconduct, not criminal conduct.



"According to our investigation, Ong has violated his immigration permit," Heru said.

The Central Jakarta District Court has begun presenting witnesses from Jessica's camp in the notorious cyanide coffee murder of Wayan Mirna Salihin. Jessica is the sole suspect in the case. (rin)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry has absorbed 45 percent of its budget allocation on a year-to-date basis, higher than in the same period last year, which stood at 31.28 percent.

The higher absorption was due to quicker tenders of infrastructure projects. The tenders for 2016 contracts had started in the second half of 2015, said Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.

"However, compared to the prognosis [initial plan], we should have achieved 52.89 percent absorption by early September. Thus, there is a 7.87 percent deviation," he said during a meeting with the House of Representatives' Commission V in Jakarta on Tuesday.

By the end of the year, the ministry is expecting 93.66 percent budget absorption of the Rp 97.07 trillion cash allocated for its 2016 budget. This has taken into account the Rp 6.98 trillion (US$531.61 million) budget cuts.

"Related to the budget cuts, we are considering halting some projects, both multi-year and single year," Basuki said, explaining that the ministry's Bina Marga directorate general, which oversaw road construction, had suffered the biggest cut, with Rp 2.96 trillion, or 42.41 percent of the total cut.

The second biggest cut had hit the water resources directorate general, with Rp 2 trillion (28.65 percent of the total cut), followed by Cipta Karya directorate general, which oversaw housing development, with Rp 1.5 trillion (21.49 percent of the total cut). (ags)
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Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Riau  Wed, September 7, 2016

A government team from the Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG) that recently made an impromptu visit to check on alleged peatland conversion by PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) was denied entry to the site by security guards.

BRG head Nazir Foead, accompanied by BRG official Haris Gunawan, forest rangers, Forestry and Environment Ministry officials and villagers, said RAPP guards at the plantation in Meranti Islands regency asked to see a permit letter.

It was an impromptu visit. Of course we did not carry any letter, he said on Tuesday. I just wanted to check and talk, he said.

One of the forest rangers asked a security guard to call his superior, but he later told them the boss could not be reached by phone.

They did not throw us out, there was no physical altercation, but they hampered us all the same. The company was not cooperating, and I suspect something fishy. We could not take pictures, could not check the coordinates, Nazir said.

Locals said the company had converted about 50 hectares of peatland to plant acacia in the past two months.

Nazir said his office had summoned RAPP and they had met in Jakarta on Aug. 2, with RAPP saying all its activities were legal.

In a written statement, RAPP said it regretted the lack of coordination among our security guards that hampered the BRG visit on Sept. 5.

We will discuss the results of field verification with the BRG this week, the company stated on Tuesday. (evi)
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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Vientiane  Wed, September 7 2016

Indonesia is likely to be the fourth Southeast Asian nation to ratify a regional convention on human trafficking after government officials announced that due process had begun.

I am pleased to report that Indonesia is in the process of ratifying the ASEAN Convention on Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children [ACTIP], Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto said in a statement made in Vientiane on Tuesday.

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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Vientiane  Wed, September 7 2016

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has called on all ASEAN leaders to unite against power projections in the region by emphasizing ASEAN centrality and unity in keeping the region free from conflict.



One of ASEANs main sources of pride is its ability to maintain lasting regional peace and stability, something Jokowi is well aware of.



But with recent turbulence over outstanding disputes and the dynamic landscape of Asian geopolitics, Jokowi has grown increasingly concerned about regional stability, especially in regard to attempts by external parties to project their interests onto the region.



He said ASEAN member states should try to resolve tensions arising from regional dynamics and he urged ASEAN leaders to maintain a spirit of camaraderie in protecting our home.



We cannot turn a blind eye to the instability that is emerging in our region. We cannot let powerful countries dictate to us and determine the fate of regional security and stability, Jokowi said during the 28th ASEAN Summit plenary meeting in Vientiane on Tuesday.



Approaching its 50th anniversary in 2017, the wider world hopes ASEAN will successfully serve its 600-million strong population, Jokowi said. With total GDP growth of 4.7 percent over two years  surpassing the US and the EU  Jokowi said he was convinced the bloc could meet expectations.



Without ASEAN unity and centrality, I am certain that ASEANs ability to maintain regional peace and stability will erode, he said.



The year of 2016 has proved to be a challenging year for ASEAN, and as the current chairman of the organization, Laos is expected to take on the unenviable task of weathering a gathering storm.



Besides border disputes that have been left unresolved for decades, tensions have escalated as a result of reclamation efforts on the part of the Chinese in the South China Sea (SCS) and missile launches initiated by North Korea in waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula.



Furthermore, an international arbitration ruling almost drove a wedge between the 10 ASEAN member states, with countries dependent on Chinese finance blocking any attempt to issue a joint communique criticizing Chinas behavior in the region.



Conversely, the US has jumped at the opportunity to knock back Beijings influence in the region by evoking freedom of navigation and overflight in the SCS.



In addition to addressing the political-security pillar of ASEAN, Jokowis message also called for improvements to the organizations economic pillar to ensure that the benefits of economic cooperation between ASEAN nations could be enjoyed equally by all member states, including the CLMV bloc comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.



Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi told reporters after the plenary meeting that the President had also emphasized the importance of empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through technological and digital innovation, as well as through market and financial facilitation.



And although discussion on the Chinese-approved and ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is still in its early phase, Retno revealed there were plans for ASEAN to issue separate declarations on the partnership agreement on Wednesday.



We will continue to push for the RCEP, she said, adding that negotiations could be pushed back until next year if deliberations were not concluded this year.



Retno said the President had also suggested to ASEAN leaders that they develop together an instrument to promote and protect the rights of migrant workers in the region, a necessary development for a people-centered ASEAN.



Also on Tuesday, Jokowi and nine other heads of governments signed the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One Bloc in the Region and Outside the Region.

____________________________

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

The government has set up a team to ensure the safety of Indonesian pilgrims ahead of the annual jumrah (stoning the devil) ritual as part of the haj.

Last year, a tragedy referred to as the Mina stampede left almost 2,500 pilgrims dead, including 129 Indonesians.

The team, set up by the Indonesian Haj Committee (PPIH), will mobilize 3,250 available human resources to safeguard the obligatory ritual on Sept. 12, committee head Ahmad Dumyathi Bashori told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

He added that stronger security measures had been introduced, including the setting up of an evacuation team to provide assistance in times of emergency.

We have also prepared some guides to lead the jumrah ritual. They are trained individuals as they have been involved in simulations, he said.

He said that following the deadly 2015 tragedy, the Muassasah Foundation, a body established by the Saudi Arabian government to oversee pilgrims from Southeast Asia, had intensified efforts to ensure that all pilgrims followed strict jumrah ritual schedules.

Ahmad said that as of Monday, all 154,441 pilgrims from 387 embarkation points had arrived on Middle Eastern soil for the haj, the fifth pillar of Islam.

Each embarkation leader was required to sign an agreement stating that they would follow all instructions given by authorities, including during the stoning ritual, he added.

The ritual is the last major practice and is often regarded as the most dangerous part of the haj, as it involves large crowds, confined spaces and tight scheduling.

Last years stampede took place at a crossroads on Street 204, one of the two main roads cutting through the camp at Mina and heading toward Jamarat, the site where pilgrims ritually stone the devil by hurling pebbles at three large pillars.

Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, who arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday with 10 Amirul haj [government-appointed leaders of the haj] to guide and give sermons to pilgrims, said measures had been taken to avoid a similar tragedy.

Preparations and coordination have been done, not only internally but also involving representatives from the Muassasah [Foundation] and the maktab [shelters], because they are the ones responsible for providing the necessary equipment. I hope there will be no strong winds like last year, he told reporters in Jeddah.

The minister said he would use the opportunity to hold talks with Saudi government officials about Indonesias proposal to increase its haj quota.

Muslims in Indonesia, which has the worlds largest Muslim population, have to wait decades after registering because of the overwhelming numbers wanting to go on the haj.

The number of registered haj pilgrims in South Sulawesi, for example, has reached more than 169,000, creating a lengthy wait of 17 to 40 years, the longest among other regions in the country.

One hundred and seventy-seven Indonesians who did not want to wait were accused of falsifying Philippine documents to go on the haj. They mostly registered to go on the pilgrimage through non-designated haj travel agents, but were not aware of the agents status.

The existing system of giving one per 10,000 population is no longer relevant and should be revised. Some countries quotas are not used while others have to wait decades for their turn. It has to be proportionally arranged, the minister said. (fac)
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Linkedin Farik Zolkepli and Rashvinjeet S. Bedi (The Star/ANN) KUALA LUMPUR  Wed, September 7, 2016

An Indonesian terrorist is pumping money into militant cell networks in Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia to facilitate attacks in these three countries.

Bahrun Naim, who has been identified as the key militant, is believed to be the commander of Katibah Nusantara, a group of Indonesian and Malaysian Islamic State fighters formed in late 2014.

Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division head Deputy Comm Datuk Ayob Khan said they had detected Bahrun contacting Malaysian IS members and instigating them to target certain western interests, the government and its security forces.

He also channelled funds and issued similar orders to militants in Indonesia and the Philippines, he said in his keynote address at the IACSP Asean Security Symposium here yesterday.

Bahrun had also secured a lot of funds, said DCP Ayob.

When you have funds, you can launch large scale attacks. If you look at al-Qaeda previously, the money that came from Afghanistan was used to finance the Bali bombings.

That is what we are worried about. We have to cut their channels, he said, adding that two other influential Indonesian militants were Bahrum Shah and Abu Jandal.

Current developments in a neighbouring country, where former Jemaah Islamiyah members were being released in stages, was also a major concern, added DCP Ayob.

These detainees possess the expertise to launch large scale attacks and they have established networking groups operating both at regional and global stages, he said.

DCP Ayob also called on law enforcement agencies and religious experts to adopt a comprehensive, holistic and integrated approach in explaining the deviant ways of the ideology to the global Muslim community. Since February 2013, 239 suspected militants, including 30 foreigners, have been detained by the Counter Terrorism Division.

DCP Ayob added that 90 Malaysians were also identified to have enlisted with IS.

Twenty-four have been killed, including seven as suicide bombers.

The three latest deaths are Hasan Zakaria, 25, a militant known only as Abu Salim and Muhammad Izzul Imam Mohd Isa.
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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Only one day after visiting China, which has sparked a territorial dispute in the South China Sea, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has iterated the importance of maritime cooperation between ASEAN countries to maintain peace and stability in the region.

During a retreat meeting on the sidelines of the 29th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Wednesday, Jokowi stressed that ASEAN should immediately implement a maritime cooperation agreement that had been signed at the 2015 East Asia Summit (EAS).

"The maritime cooperation should also seriously resolve conflicts at sea, such as illegal fishing, territorial disputes, kidnappings and piracy [] Dont let criminal acts at sea become a new norm. I urge that we improve maritime security cooperation," he said.

Jokowi said the EAS and other existing mechanisms, such as ASEAN Plus Three and the ASEAN Regional Forum, had yet to fully ensure peace in the region. On the other hand, a number of activities in the Southeast Asian region have increased tension that could lead to conflict, he said.

"We need a regional security architecture that is robust and comprehensive, that promotes ASEAN centrality and contributes more effectively to security and stability in the region," he continued.

The President voiced expectation that the ASEAN region achieve the ultimate goal listed in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and the East Asia Summit Bali Principles. (ags)
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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Vientiane  Wed, September 7, 2016

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has called on all ASEAN leaders to unite against power projections in the region by emphasizing ASEAN centrality and unity in keeping the region free from conflict.

One of ASEANs main sources of pride is its ability to maintain lasting regional peace and stability, something Jokowi is well aware of.

But with recent turbulence over outstanding disputes and the dynamic landscape of Asian geopolitics, Jokowi has grown increasingly concerned about regional stability, especially in regard to attempts by external parties to project their interests onto the region.

He said ASEAN member states should try to resolve tensions arising from regional dynamics and he urged ASEAN leaders to maintain a spirit of camaraderie in protecting our home.

We cannot turn a blind eye to the instability that is emerging in our region. We cannot let powerful countries dictate to us and determine the fate of regional security and stability, Jokowi said during the 28th ASEAN Summit plenary meeting in Vientiane on Tuesday.

Approaching its 50th anniversary in 2017, the wider world hopes ASEAN will successfully serve its 600-million strong population, Jokowi said. With total GDP growth of 4.7 percent over two years  surpassing the US and the EU  Jokowi said he was convinced the bloc could meet expectations.

Without ASEAN unity and centrality, I am certain that ASEANs ability to maintain regional peace and stability will erode, he said.

The year of 2016 has proved to be a challenging year for ASEAN, and as the current chairman of the organization, Laos is expected to take on the unenviable task of weathering a gathering storm.

Besides border disputes that have been left unresolved for decades, tensions have escalated as a result of reclamation efforts on the part of the Chinese in the South China Sea (SCS) and missile launches initiated by North Korea in waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

Furthermore, an international arbitration ruling almost drove a wedge between the 10 ASEAN member states, with countries dependent on Chinese finance blocking any attempt to issue a joint communique criticizing Chinas behavior in the region.

Conversely, the US has jumped at the opportunity to knock back Beijings influence in the region by evoking freedom of navigation and overflight in the SCS.

In addition to addressing the political-security pillar of ASEAN, Jokowis message also called for improvements to the organizations economic pillar to ensure that the benefits of economic cooperation between ASEAN nations could be enjoyed equally by all member states, including the CLMV bloc comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi told reporters after the plenary meeting that the President had also emphasized the importance of empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through technological and digital innovation, as well as through market and financial facilitation.

And although discussion on the Chinese-approved and ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is still in its early phase, Retno revealed there were plans for ASEAN to issue separate declarations on the partnership agreement on Wednesday.

We will continue to push for the RCEP, she said, adding that negotiations could be pushed back until next year if deliberations were not concluded this year.

Retno said the President had also suggested to ASEAN leaders that they develop together an instrument to promote and protect the rights of migrant workers in the region, a necessary development for a people-centered ASEAN.

Also on Tuesday, Jokowi and nine other heads of governments signed the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One Bloc in the Region and Outside the Region.
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Linkedin Lim Yan Liang (The Straits Times/ANN) Vientiane  Wed, September 7, 2016

The Zika virus may have entrenched itself in Southeast Asia, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Tuesday as he called on his counterparts to join hands and tackle it so that regional trade does not take a hit.

Speaking at the 28th ASEAN Summit, Lee said the region had to prepare for a prolonged fight against Zika.

"The Aedes mosquito is endemic in our region and Zika may also be endemic in our region, just like dengue," he said, noting that the virus has spread to 72 countries and territories since 2007.

"We should prepare ourselves for a possibly extended campaign against Zika while ensuring that the region remains open and connected for business and trade."

Lee also affirmed Singapore's willingness to work with ASEAN countries to combat Zika. Cases have been reported in Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

And while Zika was the latest threat that the region faced, Lee also reminded the grouping that old problems - like the haze - also had to be tackled together.

It was crucial, for example, to put into operation the ASEAN Haze Monitoring System adopted three years ago, he said. This would send a strong signal to the errant companies that have been causing the haze pollution, said Lee.

He noted that all 10 member states have ratified the agreement on haze pollution and adopted a road map aiming for a haze-free ASEAN by 2020. By tackling such issues "I believe we can overcome our challenges and prosper together," he said.

At their meeting on Tuesday, ASEAN leaders launched a masterplan to boost regional connectivity by 2025 and signed a declaration to respond jointly to disasters both within and outside the region.

The message that ASEAN will best thrive if countries in the grouping become more tightly knit was a central theme in the day's events and a common refrain made by many of the leaders, including PM Lee.

The region's importance for global stability was also underscored when United States President Barack Obama promised that his country's engagement with Asia will endure beyond his term.

Obama, who is the first sitting US president to visit Laos, vowed to push Congress to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) before he leaves office. "America's interest in the Asia-Pacific is not new. It's not a passing fad. It reflects fundamental national interests," he said.

Laos President Bounnhang Vorachith noted that the grouping faces multifaceted problems, such as terrorism, natural disasters, migration crises and territorial disputes, while the global economic climate remains uncertain.

"There is a need for us to closely follow these developments and continue to enhance ASEAN cooperation and collaboration with the international community... to respond to and address challenges in a timely manner," he said.
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Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Macau  Wed, September 7, 2016

Home to a unique combination of Cantonese-Portuguese elements, Macau's vibrant cultural heritage often falls in the shadows of its blinding city lights and glittering chandeliers inside its grand hotel hallways.

The Chinese special administrative area, which is infused with European roots across its 30-square-kilometer land, is located a short hour-long ferry ride from Hong Kong.

Its preserved history still evident in the nooks and crannies across the city, while clusters of lavish hotel complexes, most of which host extensive casino grounds and luxurious shopping malls, greet guests upon arrival.

While gambling areas are open 24 hours, big spenders only have half that time to exchange their hard-earned cash for coveted items that are free from sales tax, as most shops open from 10 a.m until 10 p.m.

The view from Studio City's Golden Reel, the world's highest figure-8 Ferris at 130 meters where visitors can enjoy the Macau view from the top. (JP/Liza Yosephine)

Stepping inside an edifice will transport visitors to another world of its own. I suddenly felt like a shrunken Alice in Wonderland on my first night in Macau as I entered inside the magical lobby of the MGM.

Past the foyer and inside the main hall, a giant floor-to-ceiling aquarium stands in the middle of an enormous room as rainbow-colored butterfly sculptures hung all across the ceiling. The facade of fairy tale-like castles complete the dream land fantasy, as a set of a double staircase are placed at one end of the room lead up to the balcony for which the kingdom can be looked over.

The man-made canals inside The Venetian where visitor can enjoy a gondola ride while being serenaded by a gondolier.(JP/Liza Yosephine)

The next day I found myself in Venice, Italywell at least a version of its interpretationas I walked into The Venetian. The interior of the hotel's shopping mall takes on the European city's architecture as inspiration, while renaissance-inspired paintings decorate some of its ceilings. Walking around, I saw several visitors enjoy a ride on a gondola along the man-made canals while serenaded by a black-and-white-striped-uniformed gondolieras you would in Venice. It's daylight non-stop inside as the ceiling above the canals are painted that of blue skies, complete with neatly scattered white-fluffy clouds.

A short drive to Studio City and visitors can enjoy the buzz of New York City's Time Square. The hotel, which takes its inspiration from the US film industry, is also home to the highest figure-8 Ferris wheel, situated at a height of 130 meters. Head on over to the 23rd floor just before dusk and get ready to be left breathless, as I was, watching the sun set over the glittering sky line.

(Read also: Macau ranks No. 1 in economic performance among world cities)

Part of the UNESCO Historic Center of Macau World Heritage Site, this public square is always crowded with shoppers and visitors alike.(JP/Liza Yosephine)

A view I also got to enjoy at 360 degrees was from Macau Tower's observation desk. Those with a wild streak can dare themselves to bungee-jump off the 61st floor of the tower, where words on its windows read: "Everyday do something that reminds you you're still alive." But if you're not ready for that yet still crave an adrenaline rush, outside on the same floor, visitors can enjoy a skywalk on the edge of the balcony, while being fastened to a safety harness attached to the building.

With so many things to do and so much ground to cover across the glitz and glamorous city centers, it's easy to forget that Macau has also preserved its enchanting cultural heritage side-by-side with its modern trajectory. Indeed, this was one of the main ideas pushed by Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes at this year's annual tourism industry expo.

"What we want to let people know is that Macau is much more than what they see normally," de Senna Fernandes told reporters recently on the sidelines of the 4th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo.

The quaint Coloane Village is a quiet coastal escape from the crowded tourist attractions and a world away from the bustling casino complexes.(JP/Liza Yosephine)

She pointed to the historic sites as some of her favorite spots to visit. The heritage-listed landmark of St Paul's ruins, located in the heart of the Macao Peninsula is arguably one of the most recognized icons, representing the other face of the coin. Built in the 17th century, the church burned down in 1835, but its facade was preserved and eventually has been included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 as part of the Historic Center of Macau.

Rain started to fall as I walked down the steps of the church complex, but our tour group continued the journey onto Senado Square, located just a stone's throw away and was also heritage-listed. The contrast between the European nuances found in the cobble-stoned walkways combined with the Chinese writings and cuisines on display enriched the distinct atmosphere.

A vibrant street in Taipa Village filled with vendors selling authentic Macaunese culinary and merchandise.(JP/Liza Yosephine)

A quieter retreat of similar ambiance can also be found in the traditional villages of Coloane and Taipa. These neighborhoods are filled with eateries of traditional Macaunese culinary, including the famed Lord Stowe's bakery in Coloane Village that sells the signature Portuguese egg tart.

Despite its growing number of attractions, Indonesian tourism to Macau has been declining over the past few years, where it is also viewed as a stop over to neighboring Hong Kong rather than making it a main destination. The government of Macau has re-appointed its tourism representative in Jakarta in August to face the challenge. The new office is seeking to revitalize its strategies in the hopes to bring in more tourist and for them to stay longer.

"Macao is more than just a day tour and you need to actually spend more time here to take in all the different sites and different events," de Senna Fernandes said. (kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 7, 2016

Two students from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta have been awarded with the Best Abstract Award in the 35th International Geological Congress held in Cape Town, South Africa, between Aug. 27 and Sept. 4.

The duo, namely Putra Herianto and Ichsan Ramadan, orally presented a paper titled Geoheritage and Geotourism Potential of the Baginda Hill, Belitung Island, Indonesia.

Held every four years since 1878, this year's congress hosted more than 3,000 participants doing oral presentations and more than 1,700 poster presentations.

(Read also: Indonesian student wins gold medal in biology olympiad)

In addition to the award, Putra told tempo.co that he had also gained experience and new perspectives and built networks. "Hopefully we'll soon have intensive assistance and be able to publish the paper in relevant journals," he said.

During the event, the UGM delegation also competed in Student GeoQuiz held by the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers, in which participants include post-doctoral and PhD students from different countries. In this competition, Putra and his team managed to grab fourth place out of 24 teams. (kha/kes)
A Great Falls woman who told police by cellphone she had been abducted and put in the trunk of a car north of Helena was found dead Wednesday in Spokane, Washington.

Rita Maze, 47, told an officer a man had kidnapped her at a rest stop on Interstate 15 near Wolf Creek around 11 a.m. Tuesday after striking her on the head and forcing her into the trunk, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said.

Maze spoke with her husband and Helena police by cellphone before she died later that night, Dutton said. Her body was found in the trunk of her car around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The cause of her death has not yet been released, but Dutton called it an "apparent homicide."

Nobody has been taken into custody in connection with the case.

Authorities were looking at surveillance video from a convenience store, and they plan to release a photograph of a person of interest, Dutton said. Information about that person had not been released as of Wednesday evening.

Maze's husband reported her as missing Tuesday night. Authorities believe she was driving back to Great Falls after visiting relatives in Helena.

Her black Pontiac Grand Prix was found by a license-plate reader in Post Falls, Idaho. Helena police told Spokane authorities she might be in the area, and investigators traced her cellphone to the vehicle near Spokane International Airport.

Dutton said he was unsure whether this was a random attack.

"It's too early to tell," he said. "We would suspect now it's thought to be random."

Dutton said Spokane officials would complete a search warrant on the woman's car. Local investigators on Wednesday morning closed off the rest area where Maze was apparently abducted, along with another rest stop just north of there.

The FBI is leading the investigation alongside officials from the Helena area and Spokane County. An FBI spokesperson confirmed the agency's role in the case but did not release any further information Wednesday afternoon.

Maze was a longtime cook at Morningside Elementary School in Great Falls.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the Maze family at www.gofundme.com/wu3fw5rg.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Six Democrats running to replace Sheldon Silver are distancing themselves from the former Lower East Side power broker. [Wall Street Journal]

A review of documents from the mayors office shows, unsurprisingly, that lobbyist James Capalinos reach is wide-ranging. Hes been tied to the Rivington House mess. He also represented MDG Design & Construction, which was accused of cheating workers out of wages at a large reconstruction project at the Grand Street Guild apartments. [Politico New York]

Local activists rally in support of Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Doris Ling-Cohan, who has been deemed unqualified for re-election by a screening panel. [New York Law Journal]

Local history  Tong Wars: The Untold Story of Vice, Money, and Murder in New Yorks Chinatown by Scott Seligman offers a detailed accounting of one of the neighborhoods bloodiest eras. [Business Insider]

[Giuseppe] Gonzalez dreamed for years of having a place of his own, and Suffolk Arms is a wood-paneled expression of his many opinions: about cocktails, politics, what constitutes good service and the city he loves. [New York Times]

A preview of Vinyl, the giant new bar in the old Nevada Smiths space. [Wall Street Journal]
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest will install barriers at multiple campsites in the Little Blackfoot River drainage in an effort to mitigate impacts from motorized travel in riparian areas and near waterways.

The Forest Service on Aug. 18 signed the Little Blackfoot Dispersed Site Mitigation and Restoration Project, which comes under the Divide Travel Plan signed in March.

The mitigation and restoration project calls for mitigation measures at nearly 30 sites, including the installation of rock barriers to restrict motorized use, setting designated boundaries for some sites and restoring unauthorized motorized routes and sites impacting the watershed.

Ten sites will be closed to motorized use while 19 sites will be delineated using boulders, logs and revegetation. An additional 27 campsites are not affected.

The Forest Service will also expand parking at the Blackfoot Meadows Trailhead and construct a stock bridge at the river crossing at Larabee Gulch with goals of improving access and safety.

In order to keep the dispersed sites available to the public and remain in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, it is necessary for us to address the resource issues associated with them considering their proximity to the river, Helena District Ranger Heather DeGeest wrote in an email.

Motorized travel for dispersed camping cannot traverse riparian areas or come within 30 feet of a stream or waterbody, she said. Rock barriers will be used to define parking areas more than 30 feet from water, but only motorized travel and not camping is restricted, she added.

This is a mitigation measure to keep vehicles from traveling to and damaging the river bank and wet areas adjacent to it, DeGeest said. We are required to manage travel in a way that minimizes impacts to natural resources in order to allow these sites to continue to be available to the public.

The Divide Travel Plan was a years-long, often contentious process as motorized advocates fought efforts to restrict motorized travel.

Some wildlife advocates also opposed the plan, but from the perspective that it did not go far enough in protecting threatened species.

The plan saw support from several quiet user groups that believed it is a good balance of motorized and non-motorized access.
Lower East Side developer Samy Mahfar has withdrawn a controversial application to rezone a two-and-a-half block stretch of East Houston Street. The City Councils subcommittee on zoning and franchises was scheduled to vote on the proposal today.

Mahfar is demolishing a former preschool building at 255 East Houston St. and putting up a 13-story residential complex on a parcel that borders both East Houston and Suffolk streets. The City Planning Commission approved an application July 13 that would have mapped a C2-5 commercial overlay in the residential (R8) district. The change would have allowed Mahfar to install a restaurant or bar in the new buildings ground floor commercial space. As it stands, zoning only permits community facilities in this area.

In a letter dated Sept. 6 (yesterday), Mahfar told City Planning Director Carl Weisbrod that he was withdrawing the application. He did not give a reason. We have contacted Mahfar for additional information and will update this story if we hear back.

During a public hearing earlier this month, City Council member Rosie Mendez opposed the application, saying that it contradicted the community-driven rezoning of the Lower East Side in 2008. Community Board 3 and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer also opposed the application.

You can read our earlier coverage coverage here and here.

UPDATE 1:30 p.m. Heres a statement from Samy Mahfar:

Although City Planning approved our rezoning application, we were unable to reach an agreement with the Council Member despite best efforts on both sides. We will continue to work towards creating a space on the ground floor of the new development that benefits both the neighborhood and the project.

Shows what advocacy can do. Thanks to all who wrote in! And @RosieMendez office on this issue. To more successes. https://t.co/gxD42IQU8G  GVSHP (@GVSHP) September 7, 2016

UPDATED 9/9/2016 Heres a statement we received from City Council member Rosie Mendez:
Although Kermit Eastman was acknowledged for staying on the USS Mullany destroyer and continuing to fire after it was struck in a kamikaze attack, he admits it was partly because communications were down and he didn't get the order to abandon ship.

"We joked that had we gotten the word, we would've gone earlier," Eastman, 89, said.

After the plane struck the destroyer on April 6, 1945, Eastman and his cohorts took down at least two more planes before someone banged on the door to the gun mount telling them to leave.

"The ship seemed to drop a couple of feet," Eastman recalled of when the kamikaze struck. Of the crew aboard, 21 died and nine went missing.

"I just had a job to do."

Eastman was in Helena on Tuesday for a reunion of crews from the USS Mullany, which was used by the U.S. from 1943 to 1971. After a memorial service for those members who have passed away, the group visited the Montana Military Museum on Fort Harrison.

The crews have gathered each year at different locales across the country beginning in 1992. They met in Montana once previously in Billings in 2005.

Eastman was the only shipmate from that battle at this annual event. About 40 crew members and their wives traveled to Helena for the gathering, which will continue over the next few days.

"It's been great," he said. "It's kind of sad not to see any of the World War II guys here."

Bob Hollister, who lives in the Helena area, is serving as host. He was on the destroyer from 1961 to 1963.

"It's a big family. We've gone all over the country," Hollister said. "It's great showing everyone your place."

The group is ever-growing. A marquee at their hotel, Comfort Suites, noted the reunion. A local man who served on the USS Mullany happened to drive by and see the sign. He inquired about the gathering, and Hollister was informed.

"I got a call and it kind of knocked me out of my seat at the dinner table," Hollister said.

"Hopefully, we'll maybe find another vet of the Mullany reading this in the IR," he added.
Its something weve all dreaded for a while, and now its confirmed: Fabric is to close its doors after having its licence revoked.

Last month the Met Police applied to Islington Council for the licence to be reviewed, due to what it described as concerns about serious crime associated with the nightclub in Farringdon. They particularly highlighted worries about drugs.

Fabric was temporarily closed after the deaths of two teenagers from suspected drug overdoses earlier this year.

This comes as a blow to all who love the club: in the run-up to the councils decision (which was announced early on Wednesday), a petition to save the nightspot received almost 150,000 signatures.

Unfortunately, the #savefabric campaign wasnt enough to rescue the London institution.

DJ Jacob Husley, who has worked at the clubs Sunday night party for the past eight years, said he was surprised by the decision.

He said: We are in shock. I am feeling a mixture of disbelief and anger and sadness.

Asked what the closure of the club would mean, he said: It would be a devastating blow for London and culture, and clubs across the UK. It sets a precedent.

While Husley is not sure whether the clubs owners will appeal, he hopes we are not finished with this.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan had previously said he was determined to do more to protect Londons iconic clubs but that City Hall did not have the power to intervene in licensing cases such as this.

Police felt the need to act due to concerns about the safety of those attending the club due to the supply of class A drugs in the venue and the recent deaths of two young men linked to the club, a spokeswoman for the Met said.

London has a world-renowned night-time economy and people should be able to enjoy it safely, without concerns of serious crime. The Met is committed to working in partnership with those responsible for this sector to ensure that this happens.

While the disappointing news has only just been announced, music industry heavyweights are already expressing their shock and sadness.

Pure sadness about Fabric. London is being ruined right now.  Four Tet (@FourTet) September 7, 2016



Fabric closing is a real blow for the youth of London. An institution!  nick grimshaw (@grimmers) September 7, 2016



really bummed I'll never have the chance to set foot in Fabric. UK Dance music and culture is what got me into this in the first place  JAUZ (@Jauzofficial) September 7, 2016



Fabric .  Novelist (@Novelist) September 7, 2016


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Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks lifted fishing restrictions Tuesday on three southwest Montana rivers due to improved conditions.

The Madison, Gallatin and East Gallatin rivers are now fully open to fishing.

Meanwhile, the three following sections of the Big Hole River remain closed to all fishing until further notice:

 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Maiden Rock FAS to Notch Bottom FAS;

 Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence of the North Fork Big Hole River and Big Hole River;

 Notch Bottom FAS to confluence with the Beaverhead River.

The entire Jefferson also remains closed.

Although flows have improved on the Big Hole and the Jefferson, the criteria for reopening listed in drought management plans for these rivers have not yet been met.
Its unfortunate that the AFL-CIOs Al Ekblad is spending the Labor Day weekend spreading false information and cheap partisan attacks -- instead of standing up for working families.

Weve lost 700 timber jobs in the last year and a half. Weve seen layoffs across the state. Another 7,100 jobs are threatened due to Obamas power plan. Yet, by supporting Steve Bullock for governor, Ekblad has aligned himself with environmental extremists like the MEIC and the Sierra Club, the same groups that sued to shut down Colstrip 1&2. The same groups whose board members, like Ekblad, are funding Bullocks campaign.

Most absurd, Ekblad touts the clean power plan advisory committee put together by Steve Bullock. Al conveniently forgets to point out that Bullock disbanded that committee even though the threat remains.

Is Ekblad simply siding with public unions over trades unions? Maybe. But if we lose Colstrip, well lose a higher number of public employee jobs than we will coal jobs. Plus, I dont recall Ekblad standing up to defend longtime school teacher and MEA-MFT member Angela McLean when she was forced out of office by Bullock.

Greg Gianforte has reached out to labor union members and leaders as he has held listening sessions in all 56 counties. Ekblad falsely claimed that Greg Gianforte has refused to meet with him and other unions. I can personally show you the email extending an offer to meet. When I reached out to Ekblad, he refused to even speak with me.

Lets just say, Ive dealt with village leaders in Iraq and Afghanistan who had more courtesy than Al Ekblad. Were in the midst of a war on coal. Unfortunately, most Montanans question which side of that war Al Ekblad is even on.

Greg Gianforte not only will fight for workers, he already has been.

Aaron Flint is a campaign spokesman for Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte.
PCC come out strong in Outrigger T20 season opener

CRICKET: Last Sunday (Sep 4) saw the start of the long-awaited Outrigger T20 season at the Alan Cooke Cricket Ground. Patong Cricket Club (PCC) took on Thalang Cricket Team (TCT) and both teams were vying to get on the front foot for the start of the season



By The Phuket News

Wednesday 7 September 2016, 10:52AM

Henno Jordaan (PCC) threw accurately to end Craig Murphys innings for Thalang. Photo: Michael Way

After winning the toss TCT elected to field hoping to put some pressure on with opening bowlers Iqbal Malik (1-29) and Garry Lane (3-23). It was Lane who struck first in the 2nd over bowling PCC Captain Seemant Raju for just one run. Other opener Simon Wetherall looked to be settling in with a couple of boundaries, but Lane was soon on target again, bowling him out in the 4th over for 14.

Henno Jordaan then fell victim to Malik, being given LBW in the next over on his 1st ball. At 21-3 from five overs TCTs plan looked to be working.

With Paddy Ledeboer and Hico McDonald at the crease, both ex-TCT players, and the rain falling, the stage was set for something special and the crowds were not to be disappointed.

With some tight bowling at one end from Craig Murphy (1-30), Ledeboer set his sights on leg spinner Martin Hill (0-46), and with some big hitting soon reached his half century just before drinks.

Roly Cooper (0-10) was brought on for one over, only to see one of his deliveries land on the pavilion roof.

The pair continued to score freely until Mudisir Rehman (1-29) ended the 100 run partnership getting Ledeboer caught by newcomer Jarad Spindel on 77.

Paddy Morton came to the crease with the score now at 121-4. With runs now hard to come by due to the damp conditions, Mortons straight shots found little reward, and he was soon caught out for 10.

Into the last over, McDonald was sitting on 44 and went for glory clearing the boundary to bring up his fifty, only to be caught the next ball. That left Neil Quail and Anthony Van Blerk to see out the over both not out on three and one runs respectively, and PCC 169 for 6.

With a run rate of 8.5 required, openers Lane and Cooper took 11 from the first in what only can be described as a loose over from Alex Runhaar (0-29) with Shivam Bhattacharya (1-11) bowling from the other end.

Lane and Cooper were rotating the strike nicely until Cooper was caught for nine runs by Quail running in from the deep, giving Bhattacharya a rare wicket maiden.

With Malik at the crease, another newcomer Aron Simmons was brought into the attack only to be warned on the first ball about bouncers. Malik made his intentions clear, playing some nice shots and clearing the fence on one occasion.

Just before drinks Lane was clean bowled for 18 by an accurate Jordaan (1-10). At drinks TCT were 58-2.

Hill, now out in the middle, was caught short trying to up the run rate, and run out by Simmons for one run. Malik was eventually bowled for 32 by Quail (1-11) in the 13th over. Murphy was also caught trying to hurry things along when a direct hit from Jordaan saw him go for a single run.

Morton (1-5) was now given the chance to turn his arm over and claimed the wicket of Spindel, stumped by Wetherall for four.

With the score at 80-6 after 14.4 overs TCT decided to declare, handing a much deserved victory to PCC.

The Phuket News and Live89.5 are proud media sponsors of the Outrigger T20.

Written by Paddy Ledeboer.
Phuket Police move to end deadly accidents at Chalong black spot

PHUKET: The islands top-ranking police commander has ordered Chalong Police to take action over the deadly intersection of Soi Thanuthep and Chao Fa East Rd in Chalong, where one foreign man died on Monday night and a woman remains in critical condition after colliding with a car at the intersection yesterday morning.

transportaccidentsdeathpolice

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Wednesday 7 September 2016, 11:42AM

A foreign man was killed in a collision at the deadly intersection on Monday night (Sept 5). Video image: Chalong Municipality

A woman is in critical condition after a collision at the deadly intersection yesterday morning (Sept 6). Video image: Chalong Municipality

Chalong Police held a special meeting yesterday (Sept 6) to determine what action to take after receiving the urgent order from Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Teerapol Thipjaroen.

The move to prevent further deadly accidents at the site follows Chalong Mayor Samran Jindaphol yesterday posting videos of the accidents on social media, both which quickly went viral.

The first video shows the collision between a motorbike ridden by a foreign man wearing a helmet colliding into a white sedan exiting Soi Thanuthep by turning right onto Chao Fa East Rd at 10:35pm on Monday (Sept 5).

The second video shows a woman, also wearing a white helmet, colliding with another white sedan, this one a Toyota Vios, at 8.30am on Tuesday. The Vios was performing exactly the same manoeuvre that caused the fatal accident the night before: exiting Soi Thanuthep by turning right onto Chao Fa East Rd.

In response Chalong Police held a joint meeting yesterday with Chalong Municipality councillors and representatives from the Phuket Highways Office.

We are considering having traffic lights installed at the intersection, Chalong Traffic Police Chief Lt Col Suchat Singha told The Phuket News today.

But before we confirm to do that, we will have a No Right Turn sign posted at the exit of Soi Thanuthep as soon as possible and have Traffic Police officers will be posted there to ensure dirvers observe the sign.

Any drivers found turning right onto Chao Fa East Rd at that intersection will face a fine of up to B1,000, he said.

People exiting Soi Thanuthep and wanting to head south on Chao Fa East RD must turn left and head north first and make a U-turn at Soi Koktanode. It is safer, Col Suchat said.

If further action is needed, police will consider having speed bumps installed on Chao Fa East Rd to slow vehicles down before the intersection, he added.
Police move quickly to trial over Krabi sex attack on American teacher

PHUKET: Police are moving quickly to bring to trial charges against the man who sexually attacked an American teacher on holiday who suffered a broken spine while fleeing his advances in Krabi last Thursday (Sept 1).

crimepolicesextourism

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 7 September 2016, 01:30PM

American Hannah Gavios is recovering well from her spinal surgery, say doctors, as police move quickly to bring her attacker to trial. Photo: Facebook

Hannah Gavois, a 23-year-old from Queens, New York, is recovering at Bangkok Hospital Phuket after surgery on her spine after she fell 45 metres down a mountain at Railay, in Krabi, while fleeing a sexual attack Apai Raingworchai, 28, who she had hired as a local guide to lead over over the mountain. (See story here.)

Ao Nang Deputy Police Chief Lt Col Winai Poonsawas told The Phuket News this morning that officers already have taken an incident report from Ms Gavois.

She has given us her statement, and it is similar to what Mr Apai had told us. He did sexually attack her, but did not rape her.

In her chilling recollection of her ordeal, Ms Gavois told the Daily Mail, It was pitch black and before I knew it, I was in mid air falling off a cliff. I was honestly thinking I wouldnt survive, she said.

I hit my head a few times and landed with a big bump. I was screaming in pain. It was the most painful thing ever. I felt like a total vegetable. I felt completely vulnerable. I couldnt move anything.

Apai soon caught up with her as she lay helpless. He heard me screaming and moaning and he came down and climbed down the mountain and starting crying and praying, she said, adding that Apai was oddly remorseful about the attack.

He was feeling very guilty. I was begging him to call for help. He got on the phone and started calling and I thought somebody was coming, but nobody came, Ms Gavois told The Daily Mail. (See story here.)

Then her situation took a sick twist as Apai allegedly decided he wasnt through with Ms Gavios.

He got on top of me. He took of his pants and masturbated on me, she recalled. He didnt rape me but he did everything else. I really thought I was going to die, she said.

Ms Gavios said she tried to remain calm and avoid screaming to prevent him from choking her.

As soon as it got lighter I started calling for help. He kept saying, No police! No police! she said.

Col Winai of the Ao Nang Police believes the court will be commensurate in handing down its punishment.

The suspect is facing assault causing serious injury and charges of sexual assault. He is now being held at a cell at the Krabi Provincial Court, Col Winai told The Phuket News.

There is no question what he did was wrong and unacceptable, and his fate is up to the court to decide. I am sure his punishment will be severe, he added.

Col Winai confirmed that Apai is not a a registered tour guide, though he was hired to lead Ms Gavois over the mountain at Railay, a popular rock-climbing locale with spectacular views over Phang Nga Bay.

He is a homeless man living at Ao Railay. Locals give him food and drink to get by, and sometimes people pay him to help move or carry things at the beach, Col Winai said.

He is mentally stable, Col Winai added, in response to reports that Apai suffers a mental disability.

We also gave him a drug and alcohol test after the incident, and the test results came back negative, Col Winai said.

Col Winai hopes to have Ms Gavois give her testimony to the court as early as next week, but doctors say she needs at least 10 more days recovery in hospital.

Dr Manop Trinarong at Bangkok Hospital Phuket said that Ms Gavois is recovering well from her spinal surgery.

She is recovering but needs to stay in hospital at least one more week. She can move her hands well, but her legs are still a bit of a problem. She can move her legs, but she cannot move them very much, he said.

Ms Gavois arrived in Thailand on holiday, taking a break from teaching English in Vietnam.

Her parents arrived in Krabi last Saturday (Sept 3) to provide support during her recovery.
Lets be clear about the access zealots Terry Anderson is talking about in his recent column The insatiable thirst for access.

Hes talking about the father taking his son fishing. Hes talking about a mother taking her children to her favorite swimming hole. Hes talking about the college student learning how to fly fish after a long day of class. A tourist who has traveled across the world to fly fish in Montana, and the guide who is making his living by showing that tourist the best fishing of their life. Grandparents and grandchildren. Cousins. Old friends. Basically, any person who enjoys recreating on Montanas rivers but cannot afford a million-dollar home on the river.

In Terry Andersons world, you should be able to own the river itself. But not in Montana.

We cherish our public access to the places that make our state so special. These places are open to everybody regardless of your origin or bank account. This spirit is at the heart of our stream access law. It is part of who we are as Montanans.

We are so fortunate to live in a state and a country that set aside vast tracts of wild places where every man, woman and child is welcome to explore, to escape, to camp, hunt, fish, and hike in places that have not been overdeveloped or privatized. But there is a concerted effort to wrest these places from public hands, to privatize our rivers, our fishing and our wildlife.

In the big picture, Anderson is vilifying every one of the millions of Americans who cherish our public access to land and water to enjoy the activities that keep us grounded in an increasingly busy world. These are the last wild places in our country, places that are uniquely American, places that keep us human. Without access to these places, we will lose something that makes us both fundamentally human and American.

There is no real argument for infringing on our rights to access these places, so people like Anderson vilify and oversimplify in an effort to get their way. They use divisive, wildly vague and inaccurate terms like true sportsmen in a self-righteous attempt to sway opinion. They insult our intelligence and ethics by claiming the public ruin these places, that only wealthy people care for the land and water. The truth is, they loathe the very idea of public access, that the common man and woman can still have access to world class recreation.

They are wrong, and they are the minority. But they are powerful, and we need to be vigilant in opposing their efforts. I encourage every Montanan who enjoys public access to our states amazing land and water to stand up against people like Anderson and any candidate for public office who does not support public access. And yes, someone who has filed suit to block public access in the past probably wont support public access in the future.

I will agree with Anderson on one point: many of us do have an insatiable thirst for access. We live to be outside, and no one is going to take that away from us.

If Terry Anderson is so fed up with Montanas spirit of access, I would encourage him to heed the words of the Montana Office of Tourism: Get lost.

For the rest of us, keep getting outside. Keep exploring. Keep it public.

David Nolt is a proud public land owner living in Butte.
Police seek Phuket land chief cell footage

PHUKET: Police have asked the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to submit images from a security camera next to the detention cell occupied by recently-deceased former Phuket land office chief and land fraud suspect Tawatchai Anukul.

crimecorruptionlanddeathpolice

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 7 September 2016, 08:55AM

Director-General of the DSI Col Paisit Wongmuang examines the door of the lockup cell where the DSI says Mr Tawatchai tried successfully to strangle himself using his socks. Photo: Tawatchai Kemgumnerd

Investigators think the images might shed light on the cause of his mysterious death while in DSI custody.

Col Komsak Sumungkaset, deputy commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2, said yesterday (Sept 6) that investigators submitted a letter to the DSI asking it to send images taken from a security camera outside the room where Mr Tawatchai was kept while in official custody.

Police believe the camera footage may have captured events that could shed light on whether Mr Tawatchai committed suicide or was the victim of foul play.

The DSI officials questioned by police over the death of Mr Tawatchai insisted that no surveillance cameras are installed in cells where inmates are detained, Col Komsak said.

He said that installing cameras in the rooms would be a violation of suspects rights.

Mr Tawatchai, 66, died mysteriously last week while in DSI custody, leading to speculation about his death.

The Institute of Forensic Medicine earlier said in its initial autopsy report that Mr Tawatchai died of abdominal haemorrhaging and a ruptured liver from being hit with a solid, blunt object together with asphyxiation from hanging That contrasts with the current DSI claim that Mr Tawatchai committed suicide by hanging himself on his cell door with his own socks.

Mr Tawatchai was a key suspect in several land fraud cases and was allegedly involved in unlawfully issuing land deeds to wealthy people.

He was arrested in Nonthaburi province on Aug 29 after having been on the run for almost a decade for his alleged role in numerous land fraud cases in Phuket and Phang Nga.

It was too early to determine what led to Mr Tawatchais death, Col Komsak said, and that further investigation is needed.

Read original story here.
11AAA semis will be awesome and more from HS football quarterfinals
Last of a four-part series

MISSOULA -- Ball cap turned backward and holding a pipette in his gloved hand, Colbi Kipp hunched over a tray of tiny vials that might help doctors better treat Native Americans or prevent illnesses they contract at higher rates.

A nearby cooler held hundreds of saliva and blood samples collected on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation by Blackfeet Community College students like Kipp, 29. The senior researcher at the campus biomarker lab is hopeful about the answers that might be found in those vials.

The big goal in this is always the intervention, right? he said. We find out what the problem is. We find out whats giving our people high stress. What is it in our environment that we can relate to these biomarkers? And thats going to show what it is exactly that is leading to high levels of cancers and depression, high levels of suicides and substance abuse. Thats what this is about. Were going to do whatever we can by whatever means we can to stop that.

The research project is one of many ways that Montana tribes leverage resources and sovereignty to improve the health of their communities. Leaders says they cant wait for U.S. Congress to reform the Indian Health Service or for federal officials to meet goals to enroll more Native Americans in subsidized insurance plans.

The cost of delays is too high. Native Americans live 20 years less than other Montanans because of health disparities, according to a state analysis.

Were losing generations, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Health Director Kevin Howlett said.

Clinics of their own

Tribes have created clinics of their own and launched hybrid health and social service programs. Tribal health directors have banded together to demand better access to state services. And a $20 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will soon fund first-of-its-kind medical research on best practices for treating Native Americans, a 5-year program that includes building upon emergent research facilities at state and tribal colleges.

Tribes have operated targeted health programs for decades, but interest has grown in recent years. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act, a rider on the Affordable Care Act, permanently authorized the IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program, in which tribes contract to take over IHS operations like diabetes management or ambulance service. The program was created in 1988 as an extension of a federal self-determination law that came out of the frustrations of the 1970s American Indian Movement. More tribes than ever now participate and self-governance has been the buzz of recent Native American health conferences.

In the past, tribes had been hesitant, in part, wondering whether Congress would maintain or scrap the program. Some waited for other tribes to develop clear models for success. Others have been bound by community uncertainties about whether tribal politics would interfere with smooth, fair operations.

People talk about whats wrong with the health care system but dont want to do the work, said Howlett, who helped form the Confederated Salish and Kootenai health department in 1977 as its first director.

In 1993, the tribe in northwest Montana was one of the first in the nation to take over programs under the self-governance program. After serving on council and in other leadership roles, Howlett returned in 2002 as the tribe began to provide direct health services through clinics it managed itself, adding 70 new clinical positions.

In 1977, I hoped wed be able to, by political will, be able to make a difference, he said. Its been enormous change and I think a lot of people take it for granted. We still have difficult decisions to make, but were on the right track.

The challenges have been numerous, but in the end he said, We have more control over our lives, more access, more facilities, more programs, more professional opportunities.

Similar optimism can be found on reservations across Montana even as tribes face entrenched poverty, health disparities and a meth epidemic.

In Browning last week, Blackfeet Tribal Health Director Rosemary Cree Medicine rattled off a list of nearly 20 health-related programs, including several expansions completed this summer.

Positive changes

The shelter now hosts a weekly needle exchange. The tribe is in the planning phases of renovating an old bingo hall into a gathering place. A new centralized billing system was launched to maximize insurance collections, in part, so the tribe can save up for construction of a multipurpose community center. The summer street dances saw hundreds turn out for fun, free of drugs or alcohol. The tribe is planning to convert buildings on an old ranch into the home of a youth substance abuse treatment program. And a recently approved self-governance contract has allowed the tribe to launch a school-based health program and a walk-in clinic.

So weve been very, very busy, Cree Medicine said, chuckling.

Taking their cues from a similar effort on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, the Blackfeet renovated a building near Napi Elementary that will serve as the base for a nurse practitioner and social worker who will provide health services in the schools. Children will receive a screening, and basic care will be provided on-site for the convenience of parents but also so students miss less school.

We screened about 1,000 kids last year and we identified about 300 who likely have pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, said Nurse Practitioner Tony Underwood, who works at the tribes new health center. Well also see them for primary care. A cold, a runny nose, whatever is going on.

The staff also will teach programs at the schools on other topics, such as nutrition, exercise or depression. The social worker will work with kids who have turbulent home lives or recently experienced trauma, such as a death.

We just finally got the building and now were going to start hiring folks, Cree Medicine said. Theyre going to work together with the health center.

Since that new clinic opened just down the hill from the IHS Blackfeet Community Hospital, Underwood said he and the nurses have seen about 35 patients a day, many of whom say they havent seen a doctor in two or three years.

Nursing Coordinator Cathy Mountain Chief said the hospital just doesnt have the capacity to serve everyone who needs care in a timely manner.

I lived in Heart Butte, so in order to get a same-day appointment, I had to come in at like five in the morning, and thats not even assured that you get one, she said. Its not anybodys fault. Thats just the way it is. Were not taking over, were just giving people a second option. Just like most towns have more than one clinic.

Increased coordination

Tribal health directors also have increased their coordination.

Last month, the group met for the first time as a new organization, American Indian Health Leaders of Montana, an advocacy and technical advisory group supported by the Montana Healthcare Foundation. The effort grew out of a push for better collaboration with the state.

In 2014, a state health department report listed core strategies for targeting leading causes of death. The list was not tailored to serve Native Americans, on or off reservations, even though the report itself noted their mortality rates are statistically significantly higher than white mortality rates. At the end of 2015, directors met with the governor and his staff, leading to the creation of the Office of American Indian Health this spring.

Mary Lynne Billy-Old Coyote, the former Rocky Boy health director, sees the focus of her new job as sparking collaborations that better bring state services to Native Americans and sharing tribal success stories with other rural Montana communities who sometimes face similar challenges accessing health care. Since starting in April, she said she has primarily been seeking input and ideas, but her first initiative is to try to build a program to provide training for the staffs of ambulance services.

We have a complex problem. Its certainly not going to be solved easily, she said. Certainly, clinical care is the core of it, health care and dental care, but social determinants are a piece of it, too.

Howlett agreed.

If we dont address violence, if we dont address sexual assault, if we dont address incarceration, if we dont address addiction, if we dont address education, if we dont address homelessness, our gains will be minimal, he said.

Research funding

How exactly social, behavioral and historical factors influence health and the effectiveness of various treatment strategies will be a focus of research conducted over five years under a $20 million National Institutes of Health grant awarded last month to Dr. Allen Harmsen of Montana State University and Dr. Bert Boyer from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, along with partners at the University of Montana and Blackfeet Community College. Most of the funding will go to research projects. The first round of proposals will be reviewed later this year. The rest of the funding will provide training for the teams selected, most of whom likely will work in health or social services but not as doctors.

Were really doing research that directly asks questions about how to improve the health of Native people, Harmsen said. Many times an intervention, even though it might be evidence-based already, has been effective in other populations but hasnt shown to be effective in Native populations.

Treatments and drugs prescribed by doctors often have been studied and developed using populations that were largely white. That research sometimes misses genetic, environmental or cultural factors that limit the effectiveness of those treatments for other groups. The end result is that doctors sometimes just dont know how best to help their patients, nor do public health officials know the best ways to prevent diseases.

Doing medical research to find those answers can be a testy subject in many Native American communities.

In some cases, researchers have parachuted in to collect blood, saliva or hair then never returned to present their results, sometimes using the samples again and again for inquiries that participants say they did not know about. Other times, the results were presented without cultural context or actively sought to discredit oral histories. Or, as was the case at some IHS facilities decades ago, patients did not even know they were subjects. Sometimes for cultural reasons, but often just as a matter of basic respect, those incidents fueled distrust.

That huge distrust of the outside, it really creates a barrier to a lot of progress, Kipp said. Thats holding us back.

Today, most tribal governments run their own independent review board for researchers wanting to do studies on their land. Just like the panels at universities, the boards review and approve the methods of study on human subjects.

Tribal partners

Having tribal partners can help give researchers a solid footing. Having them actively involved in the work itself is even better, Harmsen said.

Because of its status as an emerging research college -- its unusual for any two-year campus to do tests on human subjects -- Blackfeet Community College will be a key partner in the NIH grant. Since it's a tribal institution, Native communities might be more likely to trust its labs to handle sensitive samples.

What we can do here, and not anybody else can do, is we, as Blackfeet students, can say, Look, were the same. You can trust us. This is our data. Our study. Our saliva, said Kipp, who is Blackfeet. The samples are here, on our land, and you can trust us. Because were you.

Fellow student and junior researcher Dannette Spotted Horse said another unique advantage of researching in their own community is that they can start to understand how cultural practices work technically. She said it could empower the tribe to embrace traditions the healing power of which the outside world sometimes discredits as hooey.

They cant argue it once its in black and white, said the 26-year-old member of Crow Nation who is adopted into a Blackfeet family.

Kipp agreed.

Thats something were actually working on today. This is the post test of the salivary cortisol of a sweat lodge right here, he said, gesturing to a clear plastic ELISA plate filled with vials from a pilot project looking at the effects of a sweat on people with post-traumatic stress disorder. That can never be done anywhere else. Thered never be the trust for it. Never the right for it.

The biomarker research is only in its second year and the students are not sure what theyll find. Whatever causes of disease or successful treatments they do discover will not just give them pride because of the papers theyll publish or the presentations theyll make at research conferences. The stakes are personal.

In a three-week span this summer, Kipp said 27 people on the reservation attempted and 8 completed suicide. Of the eleven people who made up the first class of student researchers with Kipp last year, just two remain in the lab. Two of those people died from substance abuse.

The reality is here, Kipp said. Were a part of the community. Were doing the best we can.

Thats the opportunity we have, Spotted Horse said. That little tiny seed of hope that we will find something that will lead to programs and infrastructure to help future generations.
DECATUR  A recently opened facility in Decatur is at the center of keeping natural gas operations for Ameren Illinois running in a safe and efficient manner.

The newly constructed $5.3 million gas control center at 2425 N. Woodford St. provides real-time monitoring of the utility's natural gas delivery system.

It is a major piece of our natural gas operations, Ameren Illinois President Richard Mark said Wednesday while attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the center. We oversee gas flow in Illinois and Missouri.

Mark said Ameren has more than 800,000 natural gas customers in Illinois and 125,000 in Missouri.

Ground was broken for the facility in November, and it was up and running in August, ensuring it will be in operation by the time natural gas usage begins to increase as more people begin to turn the furnaces in their homes on, said Ron Pate, senior vice president of operations and technical services.

This is a proud moment for us, Pate said. We want to ensure our gas system remains one of the safest and most reliable in the country.

The 12,100-square-foot building is built to withstand severe weather, and redundant systems are in place elsewhere to ensure the system can be monitored no matter what happens, Pate said. It operates around the clock every day of the year, he said.

Mark said Ameren has a similar monitoring and control system set up for its electrical delivery operations.

The facility is among the first newly constructed buildings that Ameren has built in the past 20 years, said Gussie Reed, a regional division director for the company. A regional electric and gas distribution services operating center opened last month in Macomb, she said.

Mark said constructing the new facility in Decatur is part of its commitment to the community. Mark said the new facility is just part of the investment Ameren is planning to make in Decatur through 2017.

In that time, Mark said the company is planning to spend an additional $24.5 million for gas and electric infrastructure projects in Decatur.

Decatur is one of our largest operational centers in the state of Illinois, Mark said. We're glad to be here.

About 20 people work at the facility, which makes up part of the company's 600-employee workforce in Decatur, Reed said. The jobs at the center include gas control specialists, technical specialists and support personnel.

The center includes a control room, conference room, training room, office space and server room.

The project adds to the economic growth in Decatur, Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said.

This is another great example of how we can grow our economy through the established business base, Moore Wolfe said. It's refreshing to see Ameren Illinois continue to create jobs and invest in the community.

The jobs are part of the economic development that is crucial to the community, said Mirinda Rothrock, Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce president. Rothrock presented Mark with a plaque for the facility to recognize Ameren's dedication, service and commitment to the community.

State Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, sees similar efforts underway across the area.

This is a great place to do business and great place to grow, Scherer said. It seems like big things happen here often. We have a proven workforce that companies need to grow and thrive.

The investment shows the type of infrastructure Decatur has to offer that a community needs to support its businesses, said Ryan McCrady, Economic Development Corporation of Decatur and Macon County.

I deal with communities every day that don't have a significant investment in infrastructure, McCrady said. Ameren is a critical economic development partner.

McCrady said Ameren will have the community's support as it continues to provide development in the future.
WASHINGTON (AP)  An election-year bill to fulfill a 70-year-old government promise and protect health-care and pension benefits for retired miners is dividing coal-state Republicans, pitting endangered incumbents against GOP leaders wary of bailing out union workers.

Retirement and health-care funds currently support about 120,000 former miners and their families nationwide. But account balances have dwindled amid continued layoffs and bankruptcy filings as the coal industry struggles against competition from cheaper natural gas and tightening environmental regulations.

The bill would ensure that retired miners receive hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits now at risk amid the industry's steep decline. Without congressional intervention, some of the funds could run out of cash by next year, according to the United Mine Workers of America.

"These folks spent their whole lives going underground and mining the coal that made this country what it is today. They energized this nation for decades and through today," said Phil Smith, a spokesman for the UMW, which has pushed for the bill.

In 1946, President Harry S. Truman brokered an agreement to guarantee miners' lifetime health and retirement benefits, a move that averted a lengthy strike.

Thousands of retired miners and their supporters are expected to gather at the Capitol Thursday to push for the bill, which they describe as a life-saving measure that honors the pact made by the federal government. The bill would affect more than 30,000 retired miners in West Virginia, and tens of thousands more in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia and Alabama.

Republican Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio and Mark Kirk of Illinois  both in tough re-elections in two months  back the legislation, but face resistance from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. McConnell, a staunch defender of his home state's coal industry, blocked the pension measure last year and says he's not going to fast-track a plan that some Republicans warn amounts to a bailout.

"There are hundreds of private-sector pension plans in critical, endangered or declining status throughout America today," Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said earlier this year. "So I'm not sure how Congress would help the United Mine Workers and not the others. Where do we draw the line?"

Wyoming is the nation's top coal producer  mainly from non-union plants  and Enzi said the bill would "do absolutely nothing for miners who are not members" of the UMW. Nearly 11,000 coal workers have lost jobs in the last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the pension bill "wouldn't help put those folks back to work," Enzi said.

Portman calls the bill a matter of fairness.

"These are people who not just power our country but power their communities," said Portman, who has been endorsed by the mine workers union as he faces a challenge from former Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland.

In Pennsylvania, Sen. Pat Toomey, another endangered Republican, declined to comment, although his Democratic challenger, Katie McGinty, supports the bill.

"Our nation owes every single coal miner a debt of gratitude for staring down risks and helping meet our energy needs," McGinty said. She called on Congress to ensure "America's coal miners get the dignified, secure retirement they deserve."

A spokesman for McConnell said the senator "has been and remains committed to helping ensure the retirement security of our nation's retirees, including coal miners."

McConnell "continues to believe this issue deserves an open, transparent debate through regular order," spokesman Robert Steurer said, noting that the Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote on the bill later this month.

At least nine Senate Republicans, including Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch of Utah, support the bill, along with nearly all Senate Democrats.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said McConnell has blocked the bill "because he doesn't like the United Mine Workers union," which endorsed McConnell's Democratic opponent, Alison Grimes, in the 2014 election.

Don Stewart, another McConnell spokesman, denied that and said McConnell met with the union earlier this year and laid out criteria for the bill to be considered, including a hearing and vote by the Finance panel.

"There are a lot of different opinions. We'll see what kind of bill comes out of the committee," Stewart said.

Portman, who has lobbied McConnell on the issue, said he was pleased backers secured a vote in the Finance panel.

"We think it actually is going to save money over time," Portman told reporters. "Because if we don't provide for these coal miners now with some sort of an immediate stop-gap measure it's very possible you could see ... taxpayers generally having to step in and do some kind of a bailout" to prevent a collapse of the pension fund.

The pension measure is paid for in part through a fund used to clean up abandoned mines.
Soap makers now have to get their junk out because plain soap works just as well and without risk. Manufacturers were ordered by the FDA to pull out 19 different chemicals from their body wash, hand soap, dish soap and other soaps. Hallelujah, these chemicals are pesticides which go down the drain and into our ecosystem.

We kind of got all bug phobic when soap makers started adding antibacterials like triclosan and fluorosan into soap. Fluorosan has a fluorinated and brominated backbone, and fluorine and bromine compounds are known to interfere with thyroid hormone production. Triclosan may reduce testosterone, behave like estrogen (raising it), impact your ability to conceive and disrupts many human hormones.

Millions of you slathered on bizarre chemicals or all over the kids with the misguided notion that antibacterial was better. Triclosan is in 93 percent of antibacterial soap products, as well as cutting boards, dishsoap, deodorants, yoga mats and even lip stains!

The problem is that triclosan and other antiseptics and pesticides go right through your skin, and show up later in your urine and breast milk.

Soap makers have to clean up their act now and they have one year. I dont feel sorry for them. These companies spent billions of advertising dollars to brainwash you that their chemicals are necessary in order to kill germs, fend off the flu or get you really clean. Please. Like I was dirtier before you put the triclosan, hexachlorophene and methylbenzethonium chloride in there?! Does anyone feel dirtier with that stuff on them or is it just me?

I never bought it though. And I told you years ago not to buy it either. I remember spending hours one night scouring the Internet just trying to find a foaming soap that was free of potentially harmful chemicals. Soap, I just wanted soap thats it.

What was wrong with plain soap? Nothing. I knew all along that this was just clever marketing, what is termed product diversification and the addition of these chemicals were synthetic, unproven and just put in there to make the label prettier for show.

The theory behind triclosan is that its there to crack open the cell walls of bacteria, which renders them inactive, however, it doesnt work fast, it takes hours to do accomplish the killing task. Triclosan doesnt kill viral proteins either. These added ingredient(s) make for an awesome label, with the implied message that germs will be killed instantly on your hand, before they can get inside you and make you sick or spread infection.

So the FDA is putting their foot down. Better late than never. I mean they started their investigation in 1978! Cmon people, go a littler faster next time would you? Can you focus on glyphosate next please? To their end, the FDA is actually planning a full-on review of hand sanitizers and and germ-killing chemicals used in hospitals.

Their final decision, made last week isnt based on one study, there have been many. The lastest comes from South Korea where scientists tested antibacterial soap on 20 different strains of bacteria. Plain soap performed just as well.
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An American flag flies over Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, as lawmakers return from a 7-week break. Election-year politics will rule the congressional calendar when lawmakers return from a seven-week recess. Congress will have a little more than four weeks in session beginning Tuesday before the November election, or around 20 days. Lawmakers are scheduled to leave town again in early October to return home and campaign. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Demonstrators walks near a Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump campaign stop at The Union League of Philadelphia, in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
DECATUR -- HSHS St. Marys Hospital doesnt have a dentist, but when it conducted its last community needs assessment, it found affordable dental care for adults to be an area of need in Macon County.

The result is a new program about to be launched by HSHS in conjunction with Decatur Catholic Charities called the Dental Voucher Program. Adults who qualify will receive financial help in paying for emergency dental and oral surgery services.

Kim Luz, HSHS Central Illinois Division Director of Community Outreach, said HSHS St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital ran a similar program with success, and St. Marys program is based off that one.

St. Marys partnered with the Macon County Dental Task force, which is part of the Macon County Health Department, then reached out to area dentists. Seven signed up and will begin accepting the voucher when the program launches Sept. 19.

Not a lot of private practices accept Medicaid, and the places that do have incredibly long waiting lists, Luz said. But its a working class issue, too. A lot of people can get dental insurance as an add-on, but at a greater cost, and many simply cant afford it. The result is that many low-income people and those in the working population have seen their dental benefits disappear. Theres a great need.

Any Macon County resident 18 years and older who is underinsured or uninsured for dental care with an emergency need for tooth extraction is eligible. Coverage is provided for two dental exams with X-ray, one extraction and up to three fillings per year.

A patient can referred to from a physician, dentist, social service agency, but can also check their eligibility by meeting with Catholic Charities. Call (217) 428-3458 to find out more about the program or set up an appointment.

Weve already been receiving phone calls about it, Luz said. Weve already had 15 people call about setting up appointments.

Once the patient's eligibility is established, Catholic Charities will contact a participating dental office and provide the patient with a dental voucher. The patient will make an appointment with the dentist for an initial exam and X-ray, then present the voucher at the appointment.
Trick or Treat: Why do we do it? According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween is the countrys second largest commercial holiday, boasting an estimated $3.1 billion in candy sales. The roots of the holiday stem from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain in which people gathered during the Middle Ages, dressed and performed as ghosts and demons...

Covering the gap The lump shows up at a routine mammogram. The thyroid has enlarged. Theres blood in the stool. The EKG reading is abnormal. Every one of these indicators are symptoms of potentially life-threatening conditions or disease. These conditions are often identified through preventive screenings at the local health department, and additional...

KICK OFF EVENT The BCHF welcomes Tim Tebow on Thursday, November 10. The Heisman trophy winner will speak at the Burke County High School J.D. Smith Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Tickets sales benefit the foundation and its mission to serve our communitys underprivileged. For tickets, call 706-55-3456.

Breast Cancer; Burke Health asks if you are at risk Convenient appointments using state-of-the-art 3D technology can be performed right here in Waynesboro at the new Burke Imaging building at the Burke Health campus. Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, accounting for 30% of all diagnosed cancers. In addition, early onset breast...
Organisation: TheSchoolMS

Developer Team

Duty Station: Kampala and

Entebbe, Uganda

About Us:

TheSchoolMS Developer Team is a new IT solutions company that have

majored in developing technological information management solutions for

schools and institutions at all levels.



Responsibilities: Key Duties andResponsibilities:



The Sales Representative will be locating

secondary schools that would be interested in the companys management

solutions.



Selling the companys products to schools.



Answering any question that the stakeholders

would have about the Companys products.



Maintaining a well balanced receipt book for

sales that have been made.



Creating accounts for schools on the Company

website and teaching the different stakeholders how to use the Companys

products.



Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience:



The applicant should at least hold a Uganda

Certificate Of Education or its equivalent



The candidate should be a quick learner and

quick to adjust.



Ability to confidently express themselves in

English, and at least one local language.



Skilled with a good marketing language.

How to Apply:



applications to

or Call +256756920104 for more information. All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send theirapplications to info@theschoolms.com or Call +256756920104 for more information.

th

September 2016 Deadline: 15September 2016



find us on our facebook page

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com orfind us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline






Organisation: Uganda

Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About US:

Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) is responsible

for bulk purchase of electricity from the generating companies and selling the

electricity in bulk to the distribution companies throughout Uganda. UETCL is

also responsible for all exports and imports of electricity to Uganda. UETCL

envisions: To become a leading strategic business partner in the transmission

and Single Buyer Business and to support sustainable energy development in

Uganda.



Program: About ESI Graduate TraineeProgram:

ESI Graduate Skills Development Programme Uganda Electricity

Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) has received funding from the Electricity

Regulatory Authority (ERA) to facilitate a Graduate Trainee development

programme for a period of three (3) years. The Electricity Supply Industry

(ESI) is knowledge intensive and requires highly skilled personnel who can only

be nurtured through industrial attachment of fresh graduates to enable

effective mentorship to create a platform for graduates to begin and build a

successful career.

Job Summary: The Trainee

Electrical Engineer will initially join on a one-year intensive on-the-job

training during which period he or she will rotate in relevant departments of

the Company to get acquainted with the functioning of the Company.



Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience:

The applicants for the Graduate Trainee

jobs should hold honours University Degrees in Electrical Engineering.

Computer literacy skills

Highly motivated

High innovative

Good team player

NB: The applicant should

have graduated in the last two years

How to Apply:

All candidates are strongly encouraged to send their applications

enclosing photocopies of academic qualification certificates and testimonials

along with their curriculum vitae indicating contact postal address, daytime

contact telephone, fax or e-mail and giving three (3) referees to:

The Manager,

Human Resource and Administration

Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited

P.O. Box 7625

Kampala. Uganda

Deadline: 7th July 2017
SPRINGFIELD  When former Gov. Pat Quinn held a news conference last week to announce his new plan for legislative redistricting reform, it raised some questions.

First, is his idea, which would put the Illinois Supreme Court in charge of appointing an 11-member commission once a decade to draw new district boundaries; is it constitutional? Second, is he wading into one of the most contentious issues in Illinois politics at the moment as a step toward a comeback bid in 2018?

Quinns announcement came just days after the high court blocked from the Nov. 8 ballot a referendum on amending the Illinois Constitution to take the General Assembly out of the redistricting process. In a 4-3 decision that split on party lines, the four justices elected as Democrats ruled that the proposal goes beyond whats allowed for petition-driven initiatives, which are limited to making structural and procedural changes to portion of the state constitution dealing with the Legislature.

Quinn said he believes his proposal would be found constitutional because  unlike the plan from the group Independent Maps, which included the state auditor general in its setup  his plan only involves the Supreme Court, which has a role under the current process.

In response to skeptics, Quinn points to his bona fides as the only person to have led a voter initiative that succeeded in changing the Illinois Constitution: the 1980 cutback amendment that reduced the size of the General Assembly.

I think people ought to pay attention to what Ive got to say, Quinn said in a telephone interview late last week. This is an area of law I know something about.

As for his future plans, the former Democratic governor wouldnt say definitively whether hes ruled out attempting a rematch with first-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Ive already run for office, Quinn said, adding that hes focused on the redistricting proposal and another referendum on term limits for the mayor of Chicago. Ill let the future take care of itself.

Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, said its clear Quinn doesnt intend to continue keeping a low profile as he did during his first year out of office.

If he wanted to not be in the public eye, he could easily do that, Mooney said. This is an extension of his long career as sort of Illinois political outsider slash gadfly, tilting at  windmills of various types and sometimes finding one that he takes down.

However, Mooney added: If the question is, Does he want to run for governor again? I have no idea. But clearly he wants to be involved; he wants to have an impact. This is his lifes work.  Hes not going to go away and write his memoir, apparently.

Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield, agreed that Quinn is clearly trying to remain in the spotlight.

Now, to what end? Redfield said, offering two possible scenarios: an attempt to rebuild an organization to push for political reform or an effort to lay the groundwork for a future bid for public office.

If its the latter, it seems doubtful that fellow Democrats would rally behind Quinn, Redfield said.

I dont know that a lot of down-ballot Democrats would view him as an asset in terms of being at the top of the Democratic ticket, he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged Tata Motors to forget about problem in one place without naming Singur, and asked them to invest in West Bengal. She, however, made the appeal to the company at a business conclave in Germanys Munich.

Her statement put expert on the spot as they could never imagine that the chief minister would chose an international business forum to make an appeal to Tata. It came at a time when the West Bengal government is chalking out strategy to demolish the Singur factory according to her instruction following a Supreme Court verdict which had termed the land acquisition in Singur for Nano car plant illegal.

This is quite impractical. On one hand, she said she would never involve the government in land acquisition for industries, but on the other, she is inviting business groups to invest. How would they deal with farmers? They would have to deal with mafias. I am not talking specifically about Tata, but no business group will invest in Bengal if the chief minister does not change her policy, said economist Amal Mukherjee.

Mamata sought to reduce the fear in the mind of international groups when she described the incident at one place (without naming Singur) as a separate issue. She also invited German auto giant BMW to open their shops in West Bengal.

However, the chief minister stuck to her point that the land would be given from the land bank of the state government. She said West Bengal is logistically a better place in India than any other state.

The land bank was initiated long back during the left rule. But almost 90 per cent of the land of that land bank is in faraway place where the industrialist would not like to go due to lack of opportunity and communication, said Mukherjee.

Meanwhile, power minister Sovona Deb Chattaopadhya admitted that a section of unwilling farmers of Singur had changed their mind and wanted industrialisation in their area.

We have learnt their change of mind. Let the chief minister come back and I will discuss the issue with her, said the minister.
Amid protests, Karnataka has started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu complying with the Supreme Court directive asking it to release 15,000cusecs per day to the neighbouring state for ten days.

"Karnataka has started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu to obey the Supreme Court directive asking the state government to release 15,000cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for ten days," a state water resources ministry official told PTI here.

He said the state started releasing water from Tuesday midnight.

Meanwhile, protesters have intensified their agitation in Mandya and other parts of the state blocking several roads and forcing schools and colleges to shut down.

Complying with the Supreme Court direction, the state government on Tuesday decided to release water despite "severe hardships.

The court order directed an immediate backlash with agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits blocking the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway.

Mandya district, the nucleus of Cauvery politics, saw a bandh on Tuesday with protesters holding road blockades and dharnas at several places, as hundreds of security personnelincluding central forces were deployed in the Cauvery belt to maintain law and order.

"Despite severe hardships faced by the government of Karnataka, the state will release water as directed by the Supreme Court," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had told reporters after nearly a three-hour long all-party meeting convened by him in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Siddaramaiah had also said government would approach the Supreme Court with a modification petition, explaining its difficulties in implementing its order.

Noting that the 'samba' crops in Tamil Nadu would be adversely affected, an apex court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and U.U. Lalit directed Karnataka to ensure supply of water to Tamil Nadu.
After 'Suit Boot ki Sarkar' and 'Fair and Lovely Scheme', Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has come up with a new jibe for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On the second day of his 'Kisan Yatra' in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul on Wednesday attacked Modi with a new line'Modiji Mast, Kisan Trast'.

Launching an attack on Modi, Rahul, who has embarked on a 2,500 kilometre 'Kisan Yatra' from Deoria to Delhi, in the run up to the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, said the prime minister has helped big industrialists, but has no time for the problems of the farmers.

"In the last two years, Narendra Modiji has waived loans worth Rs 1.10 lakh crore, not of the small farmer but big industrialists. Our demand is that you should not run a 'Suit Boot ki Sarkar'. Your government should be for the poor," the Congress leader said.

The attack was in line with his efforts to project Modi as being pro-rich and anti-poor, taking off from the 'Suit Boot ki Sarkar' jibe and now evolving to 'Modiji Mast, Kisan Trast'. "If you are waiving the loan of the big industrialists, you should also waive the loan of the small farmer," he said.

Rahul said the Yatra is meant to learn about the problems of the farmers and take their issues to Modi. "Yesterday, we had a Khat Sabha. The farmers told us that the government should remove the burden of debt from their shoulders. We are not in government, so we cannot help them directly. But we can agitate and lend our voice to their problems," he said.

During a door-to-door campaign in Sahjanwa in eastern UP, Rahul made it clear that he was unfazed by the bad publicity that his 'Khat Sabha' in Deoria received after the 'Khats' or cots, placed by the Congress for his meeting, were taken away by the local residents. He said that if a farmer takes away a 'Khat', he is called a thief, but an industrialist runs away with Rs 9,000 crore, and he is called a defaulter, in an obvious reference to industrialist Vijay Mallya.
A diplomatic row between India and Pakistan escalated dramatically on Wednesday after New Delhi summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over the alleged discourtesy shown to India's envoy in Karachi.

Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry, Sujata Mehta summoned Basit and lodged India's strong protest over the incident, said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup.

Basit was conveyed India's hope that its accredited diplomats in Pakistan would be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance, Swarup said.

The move came after Karachi Chamber of Commerce cancelled an event of Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale at the last minute on Tuesday apparently over his remarks on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir. Bambawale was scheduled to speak at the event, invite for which was received and accepted by him a couple of weeks ago.

According to reports, Bambawale was informed about the cancellation just half an hour before the event.

Bambawale had taken a swipe at Pakistan over its interference in Kashmir, saying people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.
Vijay Mallya may soon be declared an absconding offender in the money laundering case. The liquor baron and boss of now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines had previously been declared a proclaimed offender by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002.

Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines owes thousands of crores to multiple banks including the SBI. Over the past few months, the ED had been systematically attaching assets of Mallya in a bid to tighten the screws on the businessman-turned-former MP. Till date, the ED has attached assets worth over Rs 7,000 crore belonging to Mallya.

Well placed sources told THE WEEK that Mallya so far had completely disregarded and pooh-poohed the probe into his misdemeanour by Indian agencies like CBI and the ED. He remained totally inaccessible and shunned the processes of law in India.

"Mallya used a good number of dummy paper companies to divert and move funds which were ultimately launder," said a senior ED official, requesting anonymity.

The ED had filed ECIR/03/MBZO/2016 against Mallya on January 25 this year and began investigating him. The ED held that during its probe it could be established that as chairman of Kingfisher Mallya, "appears to have committed gross irregularities in utilising banks loans and is suspected to have been primarily instrumental in diversion and laundering of funds against avowed purpose....

"We are moving to declare Mallya an absconding accused soon. This is since he had failed to appear before the designated courts in India, despite being given a specific notice period. Already, a good number of his assets like offices and residential buildings are being attached by the ED," prosecution lawyer representing ED, Hiten Venegavkar, told THE WEEK.

During the first few phases of the controversy, the Indian government had revoked his diplomatic passport, which Mallya possessed by virtue of being a member of the parliament. However, it has been reported that Mallya's name appeared on UK's electoral rolls and that he has a mansion at Hertfordshire on the outskirts of London.

The businessman also has certain investments in the UK and is believed to be having "influential connections" in that country. The UK authorities had once turned down the request to extradite Mallya.
On the last working day of Madhya Pradesh Governor Ramnaresh Yadav, a young NCP leader set himself on fire demanding the former's arrest in the Vyapam scam case.

The ailing leader was leaving Rajbhawan in Bhopal to airport in an ambulance to fly back to his native place in Lucknow when NCP leader Manoj Tripathi poured kerosene and immolated himself. However, he was rescued by vigilant police who quickly tore off his clothes and doused the flames with extinguisher. Tripathi was partially burnt.

Yadav is an accused in the massive admission and recruitment scam. His OSD Dhanraj Yadav was sent to jail in the same case while his son Shailesh Yadav committed suicide when police summoned him for interrogation.

Yadav was, however, spared from being arrested by the high court as he was holding a constitutional post. It was anticipated that the CBI, which is currently investigating the case under the instructions of Supreme Court, would arrest Yadav, the day he demits office.

Congress state president Arun Yadav has also demanded the arrest of the Governor.

After one year of the vyapam case probe, CBI has made no headway in the case while most of the accused has got bail. Former BJP minister Laxmikant Sharma is also an accused in the case.

Congress has alleged that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his wife are involved in the recruitment scam which has cheated millions of unemployed youth in the state.

The tenure of Yadav ended on Wednesday, while Gujarat Governor O.P. Kohli arrived to take charge as MP Governor.
US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday in Tampa that the campaign of her Republican rival, Donald Trump, is "one long insult to all those who have worn the uniform".

At a campaign rally at the University of South Florida, Clinton also harshly criticised Trump's recent trip to Mexico, characterising it as an "embarrassing international incident" that ended with a "Twitter war with the President of Mexico", EFE news reported. "He is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be President of the United States," she said.

In the final two-month stretch of the presidential campaign, culminating in the November 8 election, Clinton is fighting to garner more voter support in key states such as Florida, a central element in both parties' strategies to win the White House.

On Tuesday, the former Secretary of State warned that, in terms of fighting terrorism, Trump is placing the United States in even greater danger than it already is in with a "secret" plan to destroy the Islamic State, saying the secret is that he doesn't actually have a plan. "He called the military a disaster," Clinton said. "He said, 'I know more about ISIS than the generals do.' His words are an insult to our people in uniform."

She then promised to help the military by giving it the proper tools to "dismantle terror networks", saying, "We will do everything it takes to end the Islamic State's reign of terror and bring them to justice".

Clinton said in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, sheas a New York senator"Worked to make our country safer and to rebuild New York and the Pentagon. But I always, always was determined to do anything I could to bring (Al Qaeda leader Osama) Bin Laden to justice".

She emphasised her role in helping to kill Bin Laden, noting that she was on hand with President Barack Obama and top intelligence officials on the night a SEAL team tracked down and killed the terrorist chief in Pakistan.

Recently, the former Secretary of State has focused on criticising Trump's off-the-cuff and unpredictable foreign policy statements to attempt to show he is unfit to be commander-in-chief, EFE news added.

She made an effort in her Tampa remarks to gain the support of so-called "millennials", voters born between 1980 and 2000, promising to fight for an economy that works for all Americans, not just for the ones on top, pushing for renewable and clean energy sources, including solar power, and making young people a part of that process.

Clinton also referred to her commitment to fight climate change, global warming and sea level rise, issues, she said, in which Trump does not "believe".
MOUNT ZION -- While there is plenty to be upset about when one follows Illinois politics, state Sen. Chapin Rose said there is plenty to be proud of as well.

That point was among those Rose, R-Mahomet, emphasized as nearly two dozen people came in to the Fletcher Park Recreation Center to listen, chat and even debate Rose as he hosted a town hall on the state budget situation.

Some of the discussion focused on the "stopgap budget" that lawmakers passed earlier this summer, the first budget passed in over a year, that will get the state through to the end of the year but fund schools through next spring. Rose also highlighted several ways he saw that could help the state pay off its billions in unpaid bills and the more than $100 billion in unpaid pensions. Those ideas include property tax relief and workers compensation reform, which have been pushed hard by Gov. Bruce Rauner and state Republicans.

But while the conversations could turn somewhat dour when discussing the states financial situation and the uncertain future of the Clinton Power Plant; Rose made it a point to state that there are some real positives going on locally and in Illinois.

Some of the positives includes Tuesdays announcement that the state is investing $26 million in the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Lab, which will complement the production and transportation capacity of Decatur and the surrounding area's corn and soybean production.

The ideas of regionalism in the area are outdated, as Rose said Central Illinois needs to view itself as an place that can put together all its resources into something like the lab that will benefit all.

No other place in the world will have a chance to take advantage of this like Central Illinois, he said. When we realize our interests are shared, we are that much stronger.

Among those in attendance were Tom Davey, a retired dentist from Mount Zion. As an avid follower of politics, Davey said he enjoys opportunities to chat with lawmakers like Rose.

I think hes a good man, and its good to hear his thoughts on whats going on, Davey said.
[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

The German Foreign Minister met last week with the Rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin, Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal. During this meeting Steinmeier congratulated Rabbi Teichtal, who also functions as the Chabad Shaliach in Berlin; on reaching 20 years of rabbinical public service in the capital Berlin and wished him much success in his future endeavors.

The current meeting between the foreign minister and the rabbi took place alongside the summer events of Hamburg, in the capital Berlin. The meeting was arranged by Steinmeiers party friends, The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), the second largest party in Germany, after the CDU party which is led by the Chancellor Angela Merkel, and was joined by many politicians and government members from Hamburg and Berlin. The meeting held by these two received much attention in the German media as there was much media presence at the event. Additional to Steinmeier and Rabbi Teichtal presence during the meeting was Rabbi Shlomo Bistritzky, the Rabbi of the Jewish community in Hamburg.

Alongside to the meeting with Steinmeier, the two Rabbis met with the Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Manuela Schwesig, and with the Mayor of Hamburg, Olaf Scholz. The meeting held between Rabbi Teichtal and Steinmeier was not the first as the two have kept a close relationship over the past decade and make sure to meet each other from time to time in order to update each other about the Jewish community and discuss further ways the government can assist the community. Steinmeier was also the guest of honor during the launching of the Jewish community center of Rabbi Teichtal which took place seven years ago.

Photos: FM Steinmeier with the Chief Rabbi.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Berlin Jewish Community Center)
Police late Monday night the eve of 3 Elul, were summoned to a shul in Har Shmuel, near the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem, informed an assault was taking place.

A Jewish man in his thirties allegedly assaulted a 65-year-old man with a chair, injuring the victim seriously. The injured man was transported by MDA to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. Officials in the hospitals trauma unit describe his condition a serious/stable. His injuries are primarily to his face, head and neck region.

The attacker was taken into custody and arraigned on Tuesday. The motive for the assault is being probed by police.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Over 50 Members of Knesset signed a petition calling for a special Knesset session during summer recess, a session to address growing Chilul Shabbos around Israel.

In line with the request obtaining the required number of signatures, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein announced the special session will be held on Monday, 9 Elul, at 11:00AM.

The summer recess, which began before Tisha BAv, continues through the Tishrei Yomim Tovim.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Archeologists from the Jerusalem-based Har Habayis Sifting Project are confident that they have successfully restored a unique architectural element of the Bayis Sheni. Namely, a series of regally decorated floor tiles that adorned the porticos atop Har Habayis, and which likely featured prominently in the courtyards of the Bayis Sheni during the period that King Herod ruled (37 to 4 BCE) in Jerusalem.

It enables us to get an idea of the Temples incredible splendor, stated Dr. Gabriel Barkay, co-founder and director of the Temple Mount Sifting Project. The restored tiles will be presented to the general public on September 8th, at the 17th Annual City of David Archaeological Conference. This represents the first time that archeologists have been able to successfully restore an element from the Herodian Second Temple complex, stated Zachi Dvira, co-founder and director of the Temple Mount Sifting Project.

The Temple Mount Sifting Project was established in response to the illegal removal of tons of antiquities-rich earth from Har Habayis by the Islamic Waqf in 1999. It is located in the Tzurim Valley National Park, and is supported by the City of David Foundation and the Israel Archaeology Foundation. The initiative is run under the auspices of Bar-Ilan University and the Israel Parks & Nature Authority.

Frankie Snyder, a member of the Temple Mount Sifting Projects team of researchers and an expert in the study of ancient Herodian style flooring, succeeded in restoring the ornate tile patterns using geometric principles, and through similarities found in tile design used by Herod at other sites, said Snyder, who has an academic background in mathematics and Judaic Studies. This type of flooring, called opus sectile, Latin for cut work, is very expensive and was considered to be far more prestigious than mosaic tiled floors.

So far, we have succeeded in restoring seven potential designs of the majestic flooring that decorated the buildings of the Temple Mount, said Snyder, explaining that there were no opus sectile floors in Israel prior to the time of King Herod. The tile segments were perfectly inlaid such that one could not even insert a sharp blade between them.

To date, approximately 600 colored stone floor tile segments have been uncovered, with more than 100 of them definitively dated to the Herodian Second Temple period. This style of flooring is consistent with those found in Herods palaces at Masada, Herodian, and Jericho among others, as well as in majestic palaces and villas in Italy, also attributed to the time of Herod. The tile segments, mostly imported from Rome, Asia Minor, Tunisia and Egypt, were created from polished multicolored stones cut in a variety of geometric shapes. A key characteristic of the Herodian tiles is their size, which corresponds to the Roman foot, approximately 29.6 cm.

The possibility that large expanses of Har Habayis during the Bayis Sheni were covered with opus sectile flooring was first raised by archaeologist Assaf Avraham in 2007, director of the Jerusalem Walls National Park with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

Avrahams theory was based on a description given by the Romano-Jewish historian Josephus (1st Century CE) who wrote,  the uncovered [Temple Mount courtyard] was completely paved with stones of various types and colors (The Jewish War 5:2) Additionally, Talmudic literature records the magnificent construction of the Temple Mount, describing rows of marble in different colors  green, blue and white.

Now, as a result of Frankie Snyders mathematical skills, we have succeeded in recreating the actual tile patterns. This represents the first time that we can see with our own eyes the splendor of the flooring that decorated the Second Temple and its annexes 2,000 years ago, stated Dr. Gabriel Barkay, co-founder and director of the Temple Mount Sifting Project. Referring to the Temple that Herod built, the Talmud says that Whoever has not seen Herods building has not seen a beautiful building in his life. Though we have not merited seeing the Temple in its glory, with the discovery and restoration of these unique floor tiles, we are now able to have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Second Temple, even through this one distinctive characteristic.

Since the Temple Mount Sifting Projects inception in 2004, more than 200,000 volunteers from around the world have taken part in the sifting, representing an unprecedented phenomenon in the realm of archaeological research.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday 2 Rosh Chodesh Elul met with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and told her at the start of their meeting, I just want to greet you and say that your friendship is terrific  Australia, the governments and yours personally. And we appreciate our friends.

Australian Foreign Minister Bishop invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to visit Australia: I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm our absolute enduring commitment to the State of Israel and our friendship, and invite you to come to Australia. And were thinking theres a little window of opportunity early next year maybe? And the Australian public would warmly embrace you, welcome you and we would look forward to the first visit of an Israeli prime minister ever to Australia.

Prime Minister Netanyahu accepted the invitation and this will mark the first time that a sitting Israeli Prime Minister will visit Australia on an official visit.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Amos Ben-Gershom, GPO)
HaGaon HaRav Meir Mazuz Shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Kisei Rachamim has spoken out in the strongest terms about the Ashkenazi minhag of a yichud room following a chupah, a minhag not practiced by Sephardim. Rabbi Mazuz explains the practice of Sephardim is the correct way, as the yichud is at home following the chasenah.

The main points of his criticism include that it is incorrect by rabbonim who seek to compel Sephardim to agree to a yichud room for this is not correct for them. He laments that this practice at times becomes pritzus as people are hanging outside the room timing how long the couple remains inside, most despicable and unacceptable. The rav further explains that the yichud compels the kallah to cover her hair, which many do not, hence a problem that was created as a result of the minhag.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
New York State Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D  Far Rockaway) and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz have enthusiastically endorsed Adrienne Adams as the clear choice to restore honesty and integrity to the 10th District of the New York State Senate which includes parts of Far Rockaway and Bayswater.

We need more women like Adrienne Adams up in Albany to be a voice for Queens families and fight for stronger futures and brighter communities in the 10th District, said Borough President Melinda Katz. I have worked closely with Adrienne in her position as Community Board 12 Chair and I have seen firsthand her unwavering dedication to public service and desire to bring real positive change to the community. I am proud to endorse Adrienne Adams for State Senate and I look forward to working with her on the issues that matter most to Queens families.

I know what it takes to be successful in Albany and the community and I am proud to endorse my good friend Adrienne Adams to be our next State Senator, said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. Adrienne is hard working, enthusiastic and has dedicated her life to public service. She will bring integrity and passion to serving the families of Far Rockaway and Bayswater and I urge everyone to support her in the upcoming primary on September 13th.

With the endorsement of Assemblyman Goldfeder and Borough President Katz, Adams picks up major support in her bid to be the next State Senator for the 10th District in southern Queens and Rockaway. This gives Adams the backing of two of the boroughs leaders the recovery efforts from Sandy, which devastated the district in 2012. The Borough Presidents monthly Sandy Task Force meetings have been instrumental in cutting government red tape delaying families efforts to rebuild. Goldfeder, for his part, has been a consistent presence in recovery efforts and a leading voice in the work to reform federal flood insurance policies.

Adams continues to gain momentum as the candidate of integrity. She comes to the race with years of community service in Queens. Adams is currently the Chair of Community Board 12, where she has overseen the efforts to revitalize downtown Jamaica and fight to improve education opportunities in the community. Adams has pledged to apply these experiences to similar plans to revitalize downtown Far Rockaway, as well as the ongoing Sandy recovery efforts, now in their fifth year.

(YWN Desk  NYC)
Hailing it as a historic milestone in ensuring the safety of all New Jersey school students, the TeachNJS a project of the Orthodox Union applauded today the New Jersey Legislature and Governor Chris Christie for passing and signing into law the Secure Schools for All Children Act, which will allocate vital funds to the states non-public schools in order to bolster student safety and security.

The bill, signed this morning by Gov. Christie, provides non-public schools with up to $75 per student in aid to be used for security. This amount is the highest per non-public school student security funding in State history and will help protect the lives of more than 150,000 children who attend Jewish, Catholic, private and other non-public schools.

This legislation spearheaded by Assemblyman Gary Schaer represents a historic milestone for our non-public schools and will be integral to providing for the safety of our children, declared Nathan J. Lindenbaum, Co-Chair of TeachNJS, which convened and spearheaded the coalition of organizations that has been advocating for its passage. As parents, we all want to know that our children are safe as they head off to school each morning and that every effort has been made to create a secure learning environment. The funding allocated by this legislation will go a long way toward ensuring that our schools provide this safe environment our children need to learn and thrive.

Added Josh Pruzansky, New Jersey Regional Director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center: Establishing a new law that will require the state to provide funding on an annual basis, protecting the lives of more than 150,000 non-public school students is a step in the right direction and a impressive response by the Governor and Legislative Leadership to our message that all students should be treated equally in the provision of health care and safety.

TeachNJS was formed a short time ago to advocate for additional funding for non-public schools, achieving record success in a little more than a year.

TeachNJS would like to specifically thank Assemblyman Gary Schaer for his leadership in the successful passage of this bill and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto for agreeing to sign on as a primary sponsor. We would also like to thank Senator James Beach, Senator Paul Sarlo, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and Senate President Stephen Sweeney for their work in shepherding the bill through the Senate. Governor Chris Christie also deserves our sincere gratitude for recognizing that non-public school students deserve the same considerations as their public school counterparts and agreeing to sign this bill into law.

The importance of providing adequate security for all of our school children cannot be overstated and the passage of the Secure Schools for All Children Act will help the Non Public Schools achieve that goal, said Assemblyman Gary Schaer, who spearheaded this historic legislation. I must acknowledge the leadership and intense work of TeachNJS, which was instrumental to our success.

This was truly a group effort from both houses of the legislature as well as from the governor and we would like to thank all of our states elected officials for helping to provide the kind of safe learning environment our students need to succeed, said Maury Litwack, Director of State Political Affairs of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center.

The new funding will go into effect beginning with the 2016-2017 school year.

The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center and TeachNJS look forward to a bright future for our students and the rest of the more than 150,000 non-public school children who will benefit from this historic legislation.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday strongly condemned North Koreas latest ballistic missile launches and threatened further significant measures if it refuses to stop its nuclear and missile tests.

The U.N.s most powerful body agreed to the statement hours after a closed-door emergency meeting called by the United States, Japan and South Korea in response to North Koreas firing of three missiles Monday that traveled about 620 miles and landed near Japan.

The council gave no indication of what further significant measures it might take if North Korea continues conducting tests and trying to enhance its nuclear capabilities.

The U.S., Japan and South Korea made clear after the council meeting that they want further action, but also didnt specify what.

The press statement urged all U.N. member states to redouble their efforts to implement sanctions against Pyongyang, including the toughest measures in two decades imposed by the council in March. Those sanctions reflected growing anger at Pyongyangs nuclear test in January and a subsequent rocket launch.

The council expressed serious concern that North Korea carried out the latest launches in flagrant disregard of its demands.

North Korea has repeatedly flouted Security Council resolutions demanding an end to its nuclear and ballistic missile activities and has continued to launch missiles, escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

It already has a variety of land-based missiles that can hit South Korea and Japan, including U.S. military bases in those countries. Last month, it successfully tested a submarine-launched missile and development of those missiles would add a weapon that is harder to detect before launch.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters after Tuesdays meeting that the Security Council must remain unequivocal and united in condemnation of these tests and we must take action to enforce the words we put on paper  to enforce our resolutions.

North Korea launched the missiles while China was hosting the Group of 20 economic summit, she said.

This once again showed the Norths blatant disregard for U.N. sanctions and its international obligations and its willingness to provoke and to threaten the international community with impunity, Power said.

She said North Korea has carried out 22 missile launches so far this year, and the latest hit within 300 kilometers of Japans coast.

With each test, she said, the North demonstrates further advancement of its ballistic missile program whose aim according to the countrys leader Kim Jong Un is to arm the systems with nuclear weapons.

Japans U.N. Ambassador Koro Bessho said he was encouraged that in Tuesdays council meeting there was much stronger show of unity than in past discussions, and all members condemned the launches in very strong terms.

The tests not only threaten Japans national security but the region and beyond, he said, stressing that the missiles were launched without any prior notification and could have hit planes or ships.

Bessho said Japan wants the council to consider further actions it can take in unanimity, in unity, in bringing about change in North Koreas behavior.

South Koreas deputy U.N. ambassador Hahn Choong Hee said the international community should be united in sending a clear and unequivocal message to North Korea that if they continue to provoke and violate their international commitments and sanctions, they will face much stronger and insurmountable and significant counter-measures from the international community.

What action the council takes remains to be seen and a lot depends on China, the Norths neighbor and only major ally, though ties have frayed over the nuclear and missile tests and what many outsiders see as other provocations in recent years.

Chinas U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi, apparently annoyed that the latest missiles were fired during the G20, told reporters as he left the meeting that the council would work on a press statement. But he didnt mention any further council action.

Power said there were very strong and numerous voices in the room for doing more than another condemnation.

So without getting ahead of the council we were also interested in increasing the consequences after this pattern of using these launches to advance the capabilities of the program, she said.

(AP)
Some 300 IDF rescue workers are still operating on the scene of the collapsed underground parking lot construction site in the Ramat HaChaiyal area of Tel Aviv. Now in day three, most feel the rescue operation has become a recovery mission as some people are still believed trapped under the concrete slabs. That said, rescuers have not given up hope of finding people alive. The death toll stands at four as the efforts continue.

The four-story underground parking structure collapsed on Monday, 2 Elul, apparently an accident that is the result human error/negligence. The police investigation into the incident continues.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Police spokesman unit)
Most Israelis polled express support for IDF Sgt. Elor Azariya, who is currently on trial for manslaughter as a result of his actions. Azariya shot a wounded Arab terrorist on Purim, in Hebron and is charged with manslaughter by the military prosecutor as a result.

According to the survey released by Tel Aviv Universitys Peace Index and the Israel Democracy Institute on Wednesday, 4 Elul, half of the respondents believe that every Palestinian who attacks Jews should be killed, even if neutralized.

65% of respondents back Azariya, that he fired in self-defense as opposed 25% who do not believe him, stating the firing of his weapon was unnecessary.

The young soldiers biggest support comes from the chareidim, with 95% backing him. Among the dati leumi community that number drops to 79% and among right-wingers, 81%. Support among young Jews (18-24-years-old) is 84%.

47% of Jewish respondents support firing at every terrorist who attacked Jews, even after he is neutralized. 45% disagree and feel the terrorist should be handed over to security officials. The largest support base for firing at the terrorist even after neutralized comes from young Jews, registering 69%.

Respondents were asked to rate their trust in government agencies. Ranking highest is the IDF with 87%, followed by courts (54%) and the Knesset (26%).

What do you think about statements from former PM Ehud Barak, that PM Netanyahu is causing security damage due to his poor judgement?

 10% believe Barak and that his intentions are honorable

 68% feel Barak simply wants to lash out at Netanyahu

 42% of the left-wing who voted Machane Tzioni also believe Baraks comments are politically motivated and not out of concern for state security.

Arab Sector Belief in Baraks Statements

 27% believe Barak is genuinely concerned for national security

 42% believe Baraks statements are politically motivated

General Numbers

 65% believe it would be good for the nation is Barak returned to the political arena

 72% of the right-wing oppose Baraks return

 54% of the centrists oppose Baraks return

 59.5% of the left-wing oppose Baraks return

 52.5% of the Arab sector backs Baraks return

US Presidential Elections

 62% of the Jewish and Arab residents believe former US Secretary of State Clinton will become the next president

 Fewer than 25% believe Donald Trump will emerge the victor

 The remainder does not know

 38.5% of the Jews believe Trump is better for Israel

 33% feel Clinton is better for Israel

Who would you like to see win the US presidential elections?

 43% Clinton

 34% Trump

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

On Tuesday 6th Sep 2016 members of Shomrim in North and East London were delighted to welcome the most senior police officer in the UK  Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe. During his visit the Commissioner handed over a letter of support, recognising the great work that Shomrim volunteers do on a daily basis. He personally participated in a joint foot patrol with Shomrim, during which he also visited Synagogues in Stamford Hill.

Shomrim is a Proactive Neighbourhood Watch whose objective is to assist the Police in reducing crime and enhance the safety of local citizens. Shomrim serves and acts as an extension to the Polices eyes and ears, resulting in an additional 150-200 arrests of suspected criminals each year as well as helping safely locate 30- 40 vulnerable missing persons yearly. The cross community work of Shomrim in North East London has also previously been recognised and praised by a wide spectrum of major national and international figures.

In the letter handed over to the President of Shomrim  Rabbi Herschel Gluck OBE  the Commissioner writes I acknowledge the work of the Shomrim in the North East of London and success of its role as a well established voluntary organisation which acts in the interests of the community and neighbourhoods within Hackney and Haringey. Their efforts compliment the role of local officers and undoubtedly help the local residents interact with the Police and their assistance in terms of neighbourhood watch has been demonstrated. He continues The Shomrim continue to provide reassurance as a proactive neighbourhood watch and can often act as the link between the community and the police especially with the Jewish culture.

The Police Chief was particularly impressed with the quality of reports that Police receive from Shomrim, and the willingness of Shomrim volunteers to provide witness evidence, which leads to many arrests and convictions, the Commissioner wrote I am particularly impressed with the amount of times the Shomrim call us which leads to arrests being made and the fact that they are always willing to be witnesses.

The Commissioner thanked Shomrim for their work with other faith and community groups, by adding Shomrim have achieved a lot in the last 12 months and I thank them for their support both in terms of the work that their members perform locally but also in terms of their assistance in working with other faith and community groups in London.

President of Shomrim in North and East London  Rabbi Herschel Gluck OBE  said: Shomrim, and all those associated with the organisation, feel very honoured and privileged that Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has endorsed in such a personal and active manner the ethos and programme of Shomrim and all what it stands for.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Councilman David G. Greenfield congratulated New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on signing into law a bill that will provide security guards for students at private schools throughout the state. The bill Christie signed was modeled on Greenfields historic legislation in the NYC City Council, which beginning this academic year will provide security guards at private schools throughout New York City.

I worked hard to ensure that all of New York Citys schoolchildren could be safe in their places of learning, and Im delighted that Governor Christie has decided to follow the example we set here in New York, Greenfield said. Private and religious school students have the same right to safety as anyone else.

The Secure Schools for All Children Act, which was unanimously passed by both houses of the New Jersey state legislature, will provide $75 per pupil to non-public schools to help pay for security measures. That amount will be increased each school year by the consumer price index. Oftentimes we have seen significant acts of intolerance and violence that have happened at our religious schools, Christie said at a press conference Tuesday discussing his approval of the bill. One of the reasons the legislature decided to move forward on this is were operating in different times now, unfortunately, he added, pointing to increased risk of terrorism and anti-religious violence as reasons for signing the bill.

Greenfields legislation, which is more generous than the New Jersey law, takes effect this academic year and is already a major success, with dozens of private and religious schools of all stripes taking advantage of the opportunity to be fully reimbursed for private security guards. Applications for the 2016-17 school year will continue to be accepted until November 1, 2016. Schools interested in applying are encouraged to do so through the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, or call Councilman Greenfields office for more information at (718) 853-2704.

(YWN Desk  NYC)
John Lewiss 1.5m-a-year managing director Andy Street will reportedly stand for the Conservatives as Mayor for West Midlands.

His candidacy will be a boon for Theresa May.

Right for the job? Birmingham-born Andy Street, a cadaverous, but spritely sort of fellow, is permanently fizzing with ideas

Birmingham-born Street, 53, a cadaverous, but spritely sort of fellow, is permanently fizzing with ideas. Will his long-standing friend, luxuriantly-haired Staffordshire MP Michael Fabricant, be joining him on the stump?

The pair own a holiday home together in Snowdonia, where they enjoy bracing walks in the Welsh mountains.

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Former Bank of England advisor and anti-Brexit economist Danny Blanchflower, 64, remains determined the UK is heading for recession.

He attacks Michael Gove for his recent denouncement of so-called experts for predicting post-Brexit gloom, tweeting: July manufacturing output falls by 0.9 per cent  Gove has egg on his face again poor fool.

Poor Danny. Hes a bit like a Japanese soldier still wandering the jungle, unaware that the wars over.

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Sports Directs scruffy, pot-bellied boss Mike Ashley attended his firms AGM yesterday, as usual sporting his Newcastle United necktie.

Despite his 2.5bn fortune, one suspects it must be the only tie in his collection. At least it was fastened properly in a neat, half-Windsor knot.

Former Harrods boss Mohamed Fayed always wore naff clip-ons, which acolytes assumed was in case a disgruntled employee might try and strangle him. Would anyone begrudge unloved Ashley, 51, from taking similar precautions?

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Businessman Robin Birley, 58, who owns a string of popular City-based sandwich bars, claims membership at his fashionable Mayfair club 5 Hertford Street is 85 per cent City workers and self-made business types.

He says of todays modern financiers: They spend less time at lunch and they dont drink. They work hard. Overall behaviour is much better. A depressing thought.

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan says he will appoint a night tsar after half of the capitals nightclubs have shut down over the past eight years.

He wants the candidate to improve relations between the public, local authorities and the police.
Thousands of BHS customers have had their personal details sold to a company in Qatar, the Mail can reveal.

Al Mana Group, a giant conglomerate run by Wissam Al Mana, who is married to popstar Janet Jackson, bought the records of customers who had used the website or had given their details in store promotions at the chain which collapsed last month.

The sale was part of a deal by the Qataris to buy the BHS International brand, its website and some foreign stores from the administrators, wrapping up retailer's assets.

Betrayed: Thousands of BHS customers have had their personal details sold to a company in Qatar

Yesterday, customers told how they had received an email from BHS saying that any personal information they had given the store was now owned by a firm called BHS International Limited.

This was only founded after the collapse of BHS and is owned by the Al Mana Group.

One told the Mail: 'I had no idea I'd given my personal information to BHS and I can't believe it's been sold to a company that I've never heard and is based in Qatar.'

BHS was sold by tycoon Sir Philip Green for 1 in 2015 to thrice-bankrupt former racing driver Dominic Chappell, who had no retail experience.

TAXMAN CHASES CHAPPELL Former BHS boss Dominic Chappell (left) is being chased by the taxman for unpaid bills. HM Revenue & Customs filed a petition with the high court to wind up Swiss Rock Limited, Chappell's personal business that was paid at least 1.6million by BHS as part of his controversial acquisition of the retailer. A creditors' meeting was due to be held on Monday at the London offices of insolvency experts David Rubin & Partners. Chappell said he would not comment on the case. An HMRC spokesman said it 'does not comment on identifiable cases'.

Bad trading drove the High Street retailer into administration this year, costing 11,000 jobs and threatening the income of 20,000 pensioners.

Regulators are currently involved in talks with Green over how much he will pay to fund the BHS pension scheme.

Meanwhile, administrators Duff & Phelps have been tasked with finding buyers for BHS's assets. Al Mana Group came forward in June to buy a share for an undisclosed sum. It already ran some of BHS's overseas shops under a franchise agreement and agreed in June to buy more than 70 international shops as well as its website.

At the time, Al Mana said it was committed to developing the online presence of the brand, and expanding into new territories.

The new company  BHS International UK Limited  lists two former BHS chiefs as directors  David Anderson, former international director at BHS, and Harry Carver, former head of tax and treasury at BHS. It plans to relaunch BHS's website. A message on it currently says it has been bought by new investors.

At the time of the sale, the Al Mana Group said: 'On June 30, 2016 the BHS brand including worldwide IP, the international franchising business and all domain names have been purchased by the Qatari based conglomerate Al Mana. The group's vast expertise, global reach and experience in retail will benefit this new acquisition into a steady and profitable operation.'

However, selling customer details has proved controversial, with consumers wary of receiving unwanted mail and concerns over who has access to their data. These customers included in the BHS list are likely to be anyone who has ever shopped online at BHS, or signed up to promotional emails.

Those on the list can be contacted by post, email, text messages, telephone with 'products or services' which the new company feels 'may interest' customers, yesterday's email said.
German chemicals giant Bayer has made a fresh swoop for American seed firm Monsanto in a bid to snap it up for 49billion.

The deal would be the largest all-cash takeover in corporate history and would create a global conglomerate making pesticides, pharmaceuticals and health products.

It is the third time Bayer has raised its offer. The company initially proposed $122 per share, later increasing this to $125.

A deal between Bayer and Monsato would be the largest all-cash takeover in corporate history

Monsanto rejected its advances while keeping the door open for further talks.

An agreement on price is thought to be close, with Bayer yesterday increasing its bid to $127.50.

Monsanto said it had engaged in 'constructive' negotiations with Bayer and was also considering proposals from other bidders.

Sources said that an increased offer of $130 a share might be necessary to clinch the deal.

And although an agreement on price is believed to be close, the pair have yet to agree how to steer a tie-up through challenges posed by regulators.

The pair both have controversial histories with Monsanto long been targeted by activists over its sale of genetically modified crops.
Lloyds boss Inga Beale spoke about the UN 'He For She campaign at the City dinner

Lloyds of London's annual City dinner, attended by 200-odd financial grand fromages, was rounded off with a speech by the firm's estimable boss Inga Beale.

While previous speakers waffled on in a self-congratulatory tones, feisty Inga, 53, preferred to talk about something called the 'He For She' campaign, a UN initiative aimed at fighting gender inequality.

I fear the grandees perched at the top table, their peony cheeks nourished from vintage Sauternes, were left glancing around in wide-eyed befuddlement.

Halfords boss Jill McDonald is celebrating an 11 per cent hike in bike sales, thanks in no small part to the success of Team GB cyclists at the Rio Olympics.

Not that you'll find blonde, mother-of-two McDonald, 52, cranking up the hills. She prefers tootling about on one of those electronically-assisted cycles.

Perhaps that's not too surprising. Last time I checked, 'Fag Ash Jill' was partial to the odd cigarette or ten.

Liberty Media's grizzled, 5.5billion head John Malone, who's on the verge of snapping up Formula 1 racing for 6.4billion, comes with something of a reputation.

Former US Vice-President Al Gore dubbed him Darth Vader, after the nefarious Star Wars baddie. Other nicknames accrued down the years include The Godfather, Genghis Khan and the Swamp Alligator.

I'm guessing Malone, 72, isn't frothing with the milk of human kindness.

The boyish-looking new head of Barclays investment bank, Sydney-born Tim Throsby, 50  yet another of boss Jes Staley's hires from his ex-employer JP Morgan  is no slack-jawed bogan (Aussie speak for chav).

Two years ago, he paid 2.3million for Throsby Park, a 400-acre colonial estate in New South Wales which once belonged to one of his ancestors. He's described as 'posh Australian  though the bar isn't set too high'.

Samsung's recall of its Galaxy Note 7 mobile phone, due to exploding batteries, is expected to cost the South Korean technology giant $1billion.
EURO CRISIS The struggling eurozone economy managed growth of just 0.3 per cent in the second quarter of the year  half the 0.6 per cent rate of expansion in the UK.

Eurostat figures showed there was no growth at all in France and Italy as the single currency bloc's two biggest economies behind Germany struggled.

PLANE ORDER Plane maker Airbus has won a major order from Vietnam Airlines.

The carrier, which employs thousands of UK workers making wings for all its aircraft at Broughton in North Wales, has signed a deal for ten A350-900 aircraft which will be on non-stop flights to America, beginning with services between Ho Chi Minh City and Los Angeles.

PROPERTY DEAL Property group MartinCo has snapped up 90 sites under a deal with a smaller rival.

The AIM listed franchise group has bought EweMove Sales and Lettings for 15million.

Ian Wilson, chief executive of MartinCo, said: 'This acquisition provides the group with a strategically important foothold in the rapidly developing market for online estate agency and letting services.'

GREEK THREAT The Greek debt crisis could explode again this month after its government was criticised for being too slow to implement swingeing cuts.

Athens agreed a last-ditch rescue in 2015 but Brussels is now claiming the country has so far pushed through only two of the 15 reforms they demanded.

CLEAN UP Johnson Service Group has seen profits and revenue rise.

The cleaning firm, which has contracts with the likes of Waitrose and Premier Inn, saw profits rise from 1.2million to 10.4million in the first half of the year. Revenue rose 26 per cent to 137.6million.

BAD DEBTS Nearly a third of the public money lent to would-be entrepreneurs to start their own businesses has become bad debt.

The Government-backed Start Up Loans scheme has seen 72.4million worth of loans written off or fall into default since the programme was launched in September 2012.

M&A WOE Corporate deal-making slumped amid uncertainty in the run-up to the Brexit vote, according to figures.

The Office for National Statistics said there was a 54 per cent slump in successful 1million or more mergers and acquisitions between April and June.

EXPANSION PLANS John Lewis has opened two distribution centres in Milton Keynes, creating 500 jobs, in a bid to keep up with online sales and delivery demands.
Redrow chairman Steve Morgan saw the value of his 40% stake rise by 51million

Two of Britain's richest housebuilders are millions of pounds richer after shares in the companies they run bounced back.

Redrow chairman Steve Morgan saw the value of his 40 per cent stake in the builder rise by 51million to 625million as the stock rose 8.9 per cent or 34.2p to 418.5p.

He is set for a further 14.9million after the company said it would pay a 10p a share dividend for the 12 months to the end of June.

Rival builder Tony Pidgley, chairman of Berkeley Homes, saw his 4.7 per cent stake in Berkeley rise by 6million to 180million as its shares gained 3.5 per cent or 93p to 2783p.

But nearly 13 per cent of shareholders voted against the company's pay plans amid a backlash over excess in the boardroom.

The share price rally came as investors welcomed bullish updates from both firms. Morgan said it was business as usual after the EU referendum in June with sales of newly built homes 8 per cent higher in the last ten weeks than in the same period last year.

Asked about the impact of Brexit, he said: 'We have not seen any blip whatsoever. It is just carrying on as normal.

'I think the economy is in good shape. I think there is a lot of overreaction to Brexit. We never saw any reaction to Brexit whatsoever.

'All our show homes are busy. Business is normal.'

It came as Redrow reported a 20 per cent rise in annual revenues to 1.38billion and a 23 per cent rise in profits to a record 250million.

Sales of new homes rose 17 per cent last year to 4,716 and average prices were up 7 per cent to 288,600.

Redrow raised its dividend from 6p to 10p a share  pushing the stock to the top of the FTSE 250 leaderboard.

Berkeley Group was the biggest riser on the FTSE 100 ahead of its relegation into the mid-cap index later this month.

Berkeley warned that reservations were 20 per cent lower in August than in the same month last year as stamp duty rises on expensive homes and landlords hit the London market.
City grandees are heading into crunch talks with Chancellor Philip Hammond this morning as the finance industry fights to keep London as the global centre for world trade.

For the first time since the Brexit vote, the bosses from international banks, top asset managers and insurance giants will get the chance to have a better understanding of Britain's plans during a meeting at the Treasury.

Headed by Santander chairman and former business minister Shriti Vadera, the taskforce has spent months discussing how the historic referendum result will affect different industries.

Brexit questions: City grandees are heading into crunch talks with Chancellor Philip Hammond this morning

Members are now offering themselves up to the Government as a sounding board for ideas, and as a partner in the difficult talks ahead.

This crucial talks begin as an influential Conservative think-tank said the City would thrive outside the European Union and fears of a mass exodus by bankers were overblown.

Sources stressed that the group of business leaders  who also include HSBC chairman Douglas Flint; Sir Gerry Grimstone, who chairs Standard Life; and Barclays chairman John McFarlane  would not be taking a confrontational stance, although many members backed the Remain campaign.

Their so-called European Financial Services Chairman's Advisory Committee was instead said to be looking to work constructively with government ministers.

Many bosses are concerned about the uncertainty over the outcome of negotiations with the EU, fearing their access to the single market could be lost.

But Prime Minister Theresa May has so far kept her cards close to her chest, promising only that Britain will leave the EU and that there will be some controls on immigration.

She is thought to be reluctant about making her negotiating strategy public as this could hand the advantage to Brussels. The committee could become a back-channel for discussing confidential details with movers and shakers before they are circulated more widely.

Its membership is understood to include representatives from foreign companies with a major presence in London as well as British firms.

Theresa May and Philip Hammond visit the Jaguar Land Rover factory last week

Passionate Remainer Xavier Rolet, the French boss of the London Stock Exchange who is masterminding its sale to German firm Deutsche Boerse, is also involved.

Although the City's decision to engage has been largely welcomed by supporters of Brexit, the group was warned against seeking to undermine the vote to leave.

Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, a member of the Treasury Select Committee, said: 'I'm sure the Chancellor will recognise that these aren't impartial sources of advice, they're active players.'

The Treasury said today's meeting would be the first in a string of meetings with businesses involved in everything from virtual reality to food.

'We want to ensure the continued investment that creates jobs and supports wage growth throughout this period of uncertainty ahead of the UK formally leaving the EU,' Hammond said.

'That means listening to businesses and organisations who represent working people all over the country, and taking the necessary steps to maintain economic stability.'

Meanwhile, the Centre for Policy Studies  a think-tank set up by former prime minister Margaret Thatcher  said British finance could benefit from Brexit.

It published a report pointing out that London was the most competitive city in the world for financial services, with its closest EU rivals lagging far behind in 15th and 19th place.

The organisation said this position was based on British law, the UK's time zone and the English language.

'There is little prospect of London being dislodged as Europe's leading international financial centre,' the CPS said.

'The inherent advantages and large network of financial and professional services are hard to replicate elsewhere in Europe.'

Bosses in the finance industry are most concerned about the possible loss of so-called passporting rights, which allow banks based in London to sell services anywhere in the trading bloc.

The CPS report acknowledged this could mean that some international firms leave London, although it said this was unlikely.

It said the UK could establish 'third party' status in areas such as asset management, allowing firms to sell on the Continent because Britain's regulatory regime is similar to the EU's.

And the study pointed out that the single market was not perfect, with services making up 70 per cent of Europe's economy but just 20 per cent of its internal trade.
Banks are unfairly rejecting tens of thousands of complaints about mis-sold payment protection insurance.

Some are throwing out nine in ten legitimate customer complaints, only for the independent Financial Ombudsman Service to later overturn the decision.

In the first half of 2016 the Ombudsman received 91,381 complaints about PPI, which was routinely sold alongside loans and credit cards.

Clydesdale Bank was ranked the worst offenders for rejecting PPI claim

Of the major High Street names, Clydesdale Bank was ranked the worst. Customers won their case in 90 per cent of cases referred.

Lloyds Bank followed on a rate of 78 per cent, with NatWest at 69 per cent, Royal Bank of Scotland at 66 per cent, and Barclays and HSBC both at 61 per cent.

James Daley, managing director of consumer group Fairer Finance, says: 'It's astonishing the PPI problem has been going on for so long, yet firms are still getting so many complaints wrong.'

Banks say they are working to make improvements and correct their mistakes.

The figures also show the number of complaints about payday loans more than tripled to 4,186 in the first six months of the year.

It is thought the rise is due to customers being more aware of their rights following a crackdown on the industry by the City watchdog.
Tens of thousands of students heading to university for the first time are at risk of being rejected for current accounts and overdrafts because they are from the wrong part of the country.

An estimated 20,000 teenagers are set to be turned down for accounts that offer interest-free overdrafts for students.

And as many as 40,000 could find they will not be able to get the overdraft level being offered by banks.

Experts warned that those from poorer areas were among those at highest risk of having their applications rejected.

Penalised: As many as 40,000 students could find they will not be able to get the overdraft level being offered by banks

As banks have little information about the student on which to base their decision, they examine other factors instead. These can include where someone lives.

Some bank computer programs that decide which students get the best deals will judge these teenagers as more likely to miss repayments than those from richer backgrounds  even if they have never missed a bill payment in their life, or even had credit before.

Justin Basini, founder of ClearScore, a firm which gives customers free access to credit reports, says: 'People often believe they start off with a perfect credit score if they have never held credit before, but that's wrong. One factor that goes into deciding whether to give you credit is your postcode.

'Lenders can take the attitude that birds of a feather tend to flock together, so if you live in an area where people tend to have poor credit scores, you will also be affected by this.

'It may mean you are more likely to be turned down because the bank has no other information about you.

'Conversely if you grew up in wealthy area where people pay their bills on time, you are more likely to be accepted.'

According to a map compiled by ClearScore and based on postcode information used by credit reference firms, areas such as Kingston-upon-Thames, Exeter, Bath and Aberdeen have the best credit rating.

By contrast, parts of East London, such as Hackney and Tower Hamlets, as well as Toxteth in Liverpool and Ardwick in Manchester, have some of the worst scores in the country.

Every year, banks embark on a marketing campaign to tempt teenagers heading to university to sign up for student current accounts.

Penalised: According to a map compiled by ClearScore Tower Hamlets in East London has one of the lowest credit scores in Britain

It's because they know that if they can convince you to sign up as a student, they often have a customer for life.

Banks offer perks, such as a young person's railcard and vouchers  but crucially, they also hand out interest-free overdrafts.

This 0 per cent borrowing can be a lifeline for students, helping them get through the very expensive first few months away from home.

For instance, HSBC offers students a generous 3,000 interest-free overdraft, while Santander offers up to 1,500 interest-free. But these advertised amounts are sometimes not all they seem.

As many as one in 20 applications for a student current account is refused  often without a straight answer from the bank to explain why

The headline deal is what students can theoretically get, not what they'll actually be offered once their application has been assessed.

The size of any overdraft will depend on their credit score.

This is set by a computer program, and for most people is based on how they manage their bank account, credit cards and other loans.

Experts say as many as one in 20 applications for a student current account is refused  often without a straight answer from the bank to explain why.

In roughly one in ten cases, they are refused the full advertised overdraft.

Felicity Binns, who is 18 and from Bradford, has been left worrying that she won't be able to get a student account with an interest-free overdraft after she was rejected for Santander's student account.

Felicity, who has a place to study journalism at Liverpool University, has never had any debt.

Lifeline: Banks offer perks, such as a young person's railcard and vouchers  but crucially, they also hand out interest-free overdrafts

The only payments she makes are for her monthly gym membership and online film streaming service Netflix  and she's never been late with either.

Santander was unable to say why Felicity's application had been declined. She is now rushing to apply for an account elsewhere so it is ready for her student loan to be paid in three weeks' time.

She says: 'What's most frustrating is having to go through this rigmarole again and not been told why I've been rejected.'

Many teenagers applying for university have never borrowed before. They may not even have needed to manage payments for their own mobile phone, as it could have been paid for by their parents.

Instead, some banks use general data about how people in different areas tend to repay their debts.

They will note where the student has grown up with their parents and look at the borrowing habits of others in that area.

Shelly Asquith, vice president of welfare at the National Union of Students, says: 'If banks are discriminating on the basis of class and neighbourhood when administering current accounts, it's a shocking example of inequality.

'Students should not be punished for an inevitable lack of credit history, nor for their parents' income.'

A senior figure at one of Britain's biggest banks, says: 'The area where someone grew up wouldn't be the only reason we would reject them.

'But if there is little or no information about someone, we would look at information such as where you live.

'Generally, if you come from a well-to-do area you would be much more likely to receive credit.'

Experts say teenagers who expect to be heading to university can improve their chances of getting a student account by getting on the electoral roll as soon as possible. Although you cannot vote until 18, you can sign up at 17.

Banks like to see you on the electoral roll as it makes you appear more accountable.

Holding a current account designed for teenagers for a year or two can also reassure banks of your identity, and they will also look at how teenagers have handled credit agreements, such as mobile phone contracts.

Just one late or missed payment can affect a score. But if someone has managed their account well, it's a plus.
Iran is planning to purchases 114 aircraft from Airbus the plane maker based in Europe by as soon as this March. Iran is also looking for other aircraft deals, said two senior officials from the government on Sunday, as the country is finally emerging from international isolation and sanctions.

The Islamic Republic might need up to 500 new aircraft over the upcoming three years, said one lawmaker at the first major Tehran post sanctions gathering of businessmen from around the world.

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The Republics Transport minister told journalists that Tehran would talk in more detail next week with Airbus and was interested in negotiating with Boeing the plane maker in the U.S. about aircraft.

The Iranian government had said for quite some time it would have to revamp its aging fleet that was hit by shortages of parts due to bans in trading imposed by Western powers including the U.S. and the European Union.

Its fleet of aircraft suffered many fatal crashes over recent years said officials and the country could place at least one order over the next couple of months confirming the plans that were announced earlier in January ahead of the deal to lift the sanctions.

Iranian officials urged investors from around the world and airlines to move quickly into the country after the sanctions were lifted.

They said bring proposals. We would love to have many new contract with serve them as soon as possible to make up for losses suffered over the past.

Iran has just emerged from many years of strict economic isolation when last week leaders of the world lifted their crippling sanctions imposed against the republic in exchange for Tehran complying in curbing its controversial nuclear ambitions.

The new deal also has released frozen assets of Iran worth billions of dollars while opening the door for international companies that were previously barred from doing any business to return or to enter Iran for the first time.
Southwest Airlines appears to have won access to the capacity controlled Long Beach Airport, located just outside of Los Angeles.

On Wednesday, the carrier announced both an interest and its application to add service from Long Beach, which would give the airline a fifth airport in the greater Los Angeles area and No. 10 in California.

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The development has come as reports from local media say city officials in Long Beach are expanding the access for commercial passenger aircraft at the airport, opening up 9 new slots pairs to airlines interested.

A slot pair allows the carrier to add a single round-trip flight departing the airport.

A local daily in Long Beach reported that Southwest received four out of the nine that were available with JetBlue getting three and two going to Delta.

JetBlue and Southwest each applied for the complete 9 pairs, while Delta had only requested two from the start, said officials.

The news was confirmed as well from another local newspaper saying it had obtained a city memo from Long Beach that detailed the slotting process.

Long Beach will now notify the airlines which will need to accept or to decline the slots that were awarded them.

City Manager of Long Beach Patrick West said the city was in the process of drafting its letter for allocation award to each of three airlines and anticipates they will be distributed soon.

Southwest was the first airline that issued a statement to the public about the slots in Long Beach, indicating the carrier would need to exercise as much acquired rights to take off from the airport.

Gary Kelly the CEO at Southwest said in a prepared statement that Long Beach would be giving the airline another service point to help us fulfill the promise to connect customers in California not only to what is important but to where is important for planning vacation, business or personal travel.

The airline did not announce to where it might fly from Long Beach, which is 25 miles to the southeast of Los Angeles International Airport or LAX.


By AGGREY MUTAMBO

Wednesday, September 07, 2016

Meru Governor Peter Munya who has been accused by the Somali government of being the reason behind the ban on miraa. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP



The Somali government has said it imposed a ban on miraa imports from Kenya because Meru Governor Peter Munya had "used the business to campaign for the breakup of the country."

On Tuesday evening, Somali Ambassador to Kenya Gamal Hassan said Mr Munya's visit to Hargeisa in July had caused political pressure back in Somalia to have the trade stopped.

"He linked the territorial integrity of the country to the Miraa trade and interfered in the internal affairs of the country," he told the Nation.coke.

"This has created a lot of unbearable pressure on the government. We have suspended the trade to have these matters addressed," he added.

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In July, Mr Munya had travelled to Hargeisa, the capital of Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland to lobby for easier trade rules for miraa exporters in Kenya in exchange for some form of recognition for Somaliland.

While there, he met with Deputy President of Somaliland Abdurrahman Ishmael, the foreign affairs minister and finance minister.

But Mogadishu said Mr Munya's reported comments on the probable independence of Somaliland angered officials and politicians keen to have one united Somalia.

Mr Hassan told the Nation his government is discussing the issue with the relevant Kenyan authorities to find an amicable solution.

Kenya sends about 540 planeloads of miraa to Somalia every month.
Orange S.A. provides various fixed telephony and mobile telecommunications, data transmission, and other value-added services to customers, businesses, and other telecommunications operators in France and internationally. It operates through France; Spain and Other European Countries; The Africa and Middle East; Enterprise; International Carriers & Shared Services; and Mobile Financial Services segments. The company offers mobile services, such as voice, SMS, and data; fixed broadband and narrowband services, as well as fixed network business solutions, including voice and data; and convergence packages. It also sells mobile handsets, mobile terminals, broadband equipment, connected devices, and accessories. In addition, the company provides IT and integration services comprising unified communication and collaboration services, such as LAN and telephony, consultancy, integration, and project management; hosting and infrastructure services, including cloud computing; customer relations management and other applications services; security services; and video conferencing, as well as sells related equipment. Further, it offers national and international roaming services; online advertising services; and mobile virtual network operators, network sharing, and mobile financial services, as well as sells equipment to external distributors and brokers. Orange S.A. markets its products and services under the Orange brand. The company was formerly known as France Telecom and changed its name to Orange S.A. in July 2013. Orange S.A. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.
EMIS Group plc, through its subsidiaries, provides connected healthcare software and systems for healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom. It operates in two segments, EMIS Health and EMIS Enterprise. The EMIS Health segment supplies integrated care technology to national health service markets, including primary, community, acute, and social care. The EMIS Enterprise segment focuses on the B2B technology sector in the healthcare market, such as management of medicines, partner businesses, life sciences, and patient-facing services. The company offers clinical software to healthcare organizations under the EMIS brand; patient-centric medical and wellbeing information and digital front door services under the Patient brand name; GP appraisals and training services; and service management solutions to the community pharmacy market under the Pinnacle brand, as well as business intelligence tools for GP practices, federations, and commissioners. It also operates Patient.info, an online health platform that provides personalized online patient-facing services and healthcare content; Patient Access and EMIS Web, which enables patients to order repeat medication online and track progress from order to home delivery; and ProScript and ProScript Connect, which enable pharmacies to manage the dispensing process and handle tasks, such as labeling and endorsing, patient records, ordering, and stock control. In addition, the company provides non-clinical ICT solutions for healthcare professionals and other public and private sector organizations; and supplies ICT infrastructure and hosting services. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Leeds, the United Kingdom.
GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, and health-related consumer products in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare. The company offers pharmaceutical products comprising medicines in the therapeutic areas, such as respiratory, HIV, immuno-inflammation, oncology, anti-viral, central nervous system, cardiovascular and urogenital, metabolic, anti-bacterial, and dermatology. It also provides consumer healthcare products in wellness, oral health, nutrition, and skin health categories. The company offers its consumer healthcare products in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, syrups, lozenges, gum and trans-dermal patches, caplets, infant syrup drops, liquid filled suspension, wipes, gels, effervescents, toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes, denture adhesives and cleansers, topical creams and non-medicated patches, lip balm, gummies, and soft chews. It has collaboration agreements with 23andMe; Lyell Immunopharma, Inc.; Novartis; Sanofi SA; Surface Oncology; Progentec Diagnostics, Inc.; Alector, Inc.; and CureVac AG., as well as strategic partnership with IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. The company was formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline plc and changed its name to GSK plc in May 2022. GSK plc was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Brentford, the United Kingdom.
I am person who is uncompromisingly black and unapologetically gay. Deal with it.

I am person who is uncompromisingly black and unapologetically gay. Deal with it. Alvin McEwen

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The following companies are subsidiares of Quanta Services: (De) Lazy Q Ranch LLC, 1 Diamond LLC, 1Diamond AS, 618232 Alberta Ltd., 8246408 Canada Inc., Advanced Electric Systems, Advanced Electric Systems LLC, Advanced Utility Testing & Maintenance LLC, Alexander Publications LLC, Allteck GP Ltd., Allteck Limited Partnership, Apprenticeship Programs Inc., Arby Construction, Arcanum Chemicals LLC, Arnett & Burgess Oil Field Construction Limited, Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners (Rockies) LLC, Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners Ltd., B&N Clearing and Environmental LLC, Banister Pipelines Constructors Corp., Banister Pipelines Constructors GP Ltd., Banister Pipelines Limited Partnership, Brent Woodward Inc., Brink Constructors Inc., Brink Constructors Inc. A Corporation Of South Dakota, Brown Engineering and Testing, CAT SPEC Ltd., CAT-SPEC Limited Partnership, CAT-SPEC Limited Partnership (Regd Name) CAT SPEC Ltd., CAT-Spec Limited Partnership, Canadian Utility Construction Corp., Cat Spec Limited LP, Cat Spec Ltd, Cat Spec Ltd. L.P., Cat Spec Ltd. LP, Cat Spec. Ltd. LP, Cat-Spec Ltd (A Domestic limited Partnership), Cat-Spec Ltd LP, Cat-Spec Ltd., Cat-Spec Ltd. L.P., Cat-Spec Ltd. LP, Cat-Spec Ltd. Limited Partnership, Catalyst Changers Inc., Chatham Electric, Citadel Industrial Services L.P., Citadel Industrial Services Ltd., Citadel Industrial Services Ltd. L.P., Citadel Industrial Services Ltd. Limited Partnership, Coe Drilling Pty Ltd., Computapole, Conam Construction Co., Consolidated Power Projects Australia Pty Ltd, Conti Communications Inc., Crux Subsurface Canada Ltd., Crux Subsurface Inc., Cutting Technology - 1 Diamond LLC, DB Utilities Inc., DE Lazy Q Ranch LLC, DNR Pressure Welding Ltd., Dacon Corporation, Dashiell (DE) Corporation (Dashiell Corporation), Dashiell Corporation, Dashiell Corporation DBA Dashiell (DE) Corporation, De Mears Group, De Mears Group Inc., Delaware Quanta Technology LLC, Delaware Underground Construction Co., Didado Utility Company Inc., Digco Utility Construction L.P. Digco Utility Construction Limited Partnership, Dorado Specialty Services L.P., Dorado Specialty Services Ltd., Dorado Specialty Services Ltd. L.P., Dorado Specialty Services Ltd. Limited Partnership, Dorado Specialty Services. Ltd. L.P., Driftwood Electrical Contractors, EHV Power ULC, ELITE PIPING & CIVIL L.P., ELITE TURNAROUND SPECIALISTS LTD, Elite Fabrication Ltd. Elite Fabrication LP, Elite Piping & Civil Limited Partnership, Elite Piping & Civil Limited Partnership, Elite Piping & Civil Lp, Elite Piping & Civil Ltd L.P., Elite Piping & Civil Ltd., Elite Piping & Civil Ltd. L.P., Elite Piping & Civil Ltd. Limited Partnership, Elite Piping and Civil L.P., Elite Turnaround Specialists L.p., Elite Turnaround Specialists Limited Lp, Elite Turnaround Specialists Limited Partnership, Elite Turnaround Specialists Limited Partnership, Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd Lp, Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd., Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd. L.P., Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd. LP, Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd. Limited Partnership, Energy Consulting Group LLC, Enscope, Enscope Pty Ltd, FIC GP LLC, Field Personnel Services LLC, First Infrastructure Capital Advisors LLC, First Infrastructure Capital GP L.P., Five Points Construction Co., G-Tek, G-Vac, GEM Engineering Co., Grand Electric Inc., Great Lakes Line Builders, Grid Creative Inc., Grid Manufacturing Corporation, Grid Training Corporation, H.L. Chapman Pipeline Construction Inc., Haverfield Aviation, Haverfield Aviation Inc., Haverfield International Incorporated, Heritage Midstream LLC, IM Electric Inc., IUC ILLINOIS LLC, IUC Nebraska LLC, InfraSource Construction LLC, InfraSource Field Services LLC, InfraSource Services LLC, InfraSources Construction LLC, Infraestructura ETP de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V, Infrasource Engineering Company PC, Infrasource Iowa Underground LLC, Infrasource Of Pa LLC, Integracion Tecnologica del Peru SAC, Intermountain Electric Inc., Intermountain Electric Inc. A Corporation of Colorado, IonEarth LLC, Irby Construction Company, Irby Construction Company Inc., Iron Mountain M.J. Electric LLC, Island Mechanical Corporation, J.C.R. Construction Co. Inc., J.C.R. Utility Construction Co., J.W. Didado Electric Inc., J.W. Didado Electric LLC, J.w. Didado Electric, JBT Electric LLC, Kingston Contracting Inc., Lazy Q Ranch LLC, Lazy Q Training Center LLC The Lazy Q Lineman School, Legend Foundation Services, Lex Engineering Ltd., Lindsey Electric L.P., Logical Link, Longfellow Drilling, M. G. Dyess Inc., M. J. ELECTRIC LLC IRON MOUNTAIN, M. J. Electric LLC, M. J. Electric LLC - Iron Mountain, M. J. Electric LLC DBA M. J. Electric Iron Mountain LLC, M.J. Electric LLC DBA M.J. Electric Iron Mountain, M.J. Electric LLC Iron Mountain, MTS Field Services, MTS Field Services (Richmond Co), MTS Quanta LLC, Manuel Bros. Inc., Marathon Construction Services, Mears Canada Corp., Mears Equipment Services LLC, Mears Group Inc., Mears Group Pty Ltd, Mears Installation LLC, Mearsmex S. de R.L. de C.V., Mejia Personnel Services LLC, Mercer Technical Services, Microline Technology Corporation, Mid America Energy Services Inc., NACAP Niugini Ltd., NC Northstar Energy Services Inc, NGI Construction, NGI Construction Inc., NGI Construction Inc. (FN), NLC CA. Inc., NLC FL. Inc. Northwest Lineman Center, NLC ID. Inc. Northwest Lineman College, NLC TX. Inc., NPC Energy Services LLC, Nacap Australia, Nacap PNG Limited, Network Communication Services, North Houston Pole Line L.P., North Houston Pole Line Limited Partnership, North Sky Communications, NorthStar Energy Services Inc., Northern Powerline Constructors Inc., Northstar Energy Solutions LLC, Northwest Lineman Center, Northwest Lineman College, Northwest Lineman Training Center, Northwest Lineman Training Center Inc., Nova Constructors LLC, Nova Constructors LTD, Nova Equipment Leasing LLC, Nova Group Inc, Nova Group Inc (CA), Nova Group Inc., Nova Group Inc. DBA NGI Construction, Nova NextGen Solutions LLC, O. J. Pipelines Canada Corporation, O. J. Pipelines Canada Limited Partnership, O.J. Industrial Maintenance, O.J. Pipelines Canada, One Call Locators Canada Ltd., P.D.G. Electric, PAR Electrical Contractors Inc., PDG Electric Co., Par Internacional S. de R.L. de C.V., Performance Energy Services Guyana Ltd., Performance Energy Services L.L.C., Phasor Engineering Inc., Phoenix North Constructors Inc., Phoenix Power Group Inc., Potelco Inc., Potelco Incorporated, Power Delivery Program Inc., Price Gregory International Inc., Price Gregory Services LLC, Probst Construction Inc., Probst Electric Inc., QEPC, QEPC Power Solutions LLC, QES GP LLC, QP Energy Services LLC, QPS Engineering LLC, QPS Engineering LTD., QPS Engineering PLLC, QPS Environmental, QPS Flint Construction, QPS Flint Tank Services, QPS Global, QPS Global Services, QPS Global Services (Richmond Ci), QPS Professional Services, QPSE, QS Mats, QSI Engineering Inc., QSI Finance (Australia) Pty Ltd., QSI Finance (Cayman) Pvt. Ltd., QSI Finance Canada ULC, QSI Finance GP (US) LLC, QSI Finance I (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., QSI Finance I (US) LP, QSI Finance II (Australia) Pty Ltd., QSI Finance II (Lux) S.a r.l, QSI Finance II (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., QSI Finance III (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance III (Lux) SARL, QSI Finance IV (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance IX (Canada) Limited Partnership, QSI Finance V (US) L.P., QSI Finance VI (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance VII (Canada) Limited Partnership, QSI Finance VIII (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance X (Canada) ULC, QSI Inc., QSN Lux Holdings I SCSp, QSN Lux Holdings II SCSp, QSN Lux Holdings III SCSp, QSN Lux Holdings IV SCSp, QTSL LLC, QUANTA FOUNDATION SERVICES, Quanta APL GP II Ltd., Quanta Asset Management LLC, Quanta Associates L.P., Quanta Aviation Services LLC, Quanta Canada GP ULC, Quanta Canada Holdings III Limited Partnership, Quanta Canada Holdings LP, Quanta Canada III GP Ltd., Quanta Capital GP LLC, Quanta Capital LP L.P., Quanta Capital Solutions Inc., Quanta Cares, Quanta EPC Services, Quanta Electric Power Construction LLC, Quanta Electric Power Construction Management Inc., Quanta Electric Power Services LLC, Quanta Electric Power Services West LLC, Quanta Energized Innovations Ltd., Quanta Energized Services U.S. LLC, Quanta Energized Services of Canada Ltd., Quanta Energy Services LLC, Quanta Environmental Solutions, Quanta Equipment Company LLC, Quanta Government Solutions Inc., Quanta Holdings I (Netherlands) B.V., Quanta Holdings II (Netherlands) B.V., Quanta Infraestructura de Chile SpA, Quanta Infrastructure Services LLC, Quanta Infrastructure Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Quanta Inline Devices LLC, Quanta Inspection Services, Quanta Insurance Company Inc., Quanta International Holdings (US) LLC, Quanta International Holdings II Ltd., Quanta International Holdings Ltd., Quanta International Limited, Quanta Kingsvale LP Ltd., Quanta Lines Pty Ltd., Quanta Maine Services LLC, Quanta Middle East LLC, Quanta Pipeline Services Inc., Quanta Power Australia Pty Ltd, Quanta Power Generation Inc., Quanta Power Inc., Quanta Power Solutions India Private Limited, Quanta Resource Development, Quanta Services Africa (PTY) Ltd., Quanta Services Australia Pty Ltd., Quanta Services Chile SpA, Quanta Services Colombia S.A.S., Quanta Services Costa Rica Ltda., Quanta Services Guatemala Ltda., Quanta Services International Holdings II LP, Quanta Services International Holdings LP, Quanta Services Management Partnership L.P., Quanta Services Netherlands B.V., Quanta Services Panama S. de R.L., Quanta Services Peru S.A.C., Quanta Services Puerto Rico LLC, Quanta Services of Canada Ltd., Quanta Subsurface Canada Ltd., Quanta Subsurface LLC, Quanta Tank Services, Quanta Technology Canada ULC, Quanta Technology LLC, Quanta Technology UK Ltd., Quanta Tecnologia do Brasil Ltda., Quanta Telecom, Quanta Telecom Services, Quanta Telecommunication Services, Quanta Telecommunication Services LLC, Quanta Telecommunications Services LLC, Quanta Underground Services, Quanta Underground Services (Culpeper Co), Quanta Underground Services (Spotsylvania Co), Quanta Underground Services Inc., Quanta Utility Engineering Services Inc., Quanta Utility Installation Company Inc., Quanta Utility Operation LLC, Quanta West LLC, Quantecua Cia. Ltda., R. R. Cassidy Inc., RMS Holdings LLC, RMS Holdings LLC (Delaware), RMS Welding Systems, RMS Welding Systems LLC, Ranger Directional, Realtime Engineers Inc., Realtime Utility Engineers Inc., Redes Andinas de Comunicaciones S.R.L., Riggin & Diggin Line Construction, Rms Welding LLC, Rms Welding Systems LLC, Road Bore Corporation, Ryan Company Inc. The, Ryan Company Inc. of Massachusetts, Ryan Company Inc.(The), Seaward, Seaward Corp, Seaward Corporation, Service EC (DE) Inc., Service Electric Company (DE), Service Electric Company Inc., Service Electric Company of Delaware, Servicios Par Electric S. de R.L. de C.V., Servicios de Infraestructura del Peru S.A.C., Southwest Trenching Company Inc., Specialty Tank Services L.P., Specialty Tank Services LP, Specialty Tank Services Limited Partnership, Specialty Tank Services Limited Partnership, Specialty Tank Services Ltd., Specialty Tank Services Ltd. (LP), Specialty Tank Services Ltd. L.P., Specialty Tank Services Ltd. LP, Specialty Tank Services Ltd. LP, Specialty Tank Services Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold General LLC, Stronghold Holdings (BVI) Limited, Stronghold Inspection L.P., Stronghold Inspection Limited Partnership, Stronghold Inspection Limited Partnership, Stronghold Inspection Lp, Stronghold Inspection Ltd L.P., Stronghold Inspection Ltd., Stronghold Inspection Ltd. L.P., Stronghold Inspection Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold Limited Partnership, Stronghold Ltd., Stronghold Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold Management Holdings LP, Stronghold Specialty General LLC, Stronghold Specialty Ltd., Stronghold Specialty Ltd., Stronghold Specialty Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold Tower Group LP, Stronghold Tower Group Ltd LP, Stronghold Tower Group Ltd., Stronghold Tower Group Ltd. LP, Stronghold VI LLC, Subterra Damage Prevention Specialists Ltd., Summit Line Construction, Sumter Utilities Inc., T. G. Mercer Consulting Services Inc., TA Construction, TC Infrastructure Services Ltd., Taylor Built, Texas Specialty Tank Services Ltd. LP, The Aspen Utility Company LLC, The ComTran Group Inc., The Hallen Construction Co. Inc., The Massachusetts Ryan Company Inc., The Ryan Company Inc Of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company Inc., The Ryan Company Inc. (Massachusetts), The Ryan Company Inc. of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company Incorporated of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company Of Massachusetts Inc., The Ryan Company of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company of Massachusetts (FN), Tom Allen Construction Company Inc., Tom Allen Construction Company of Delaware, Trans Tech Electric, TurnKey Automation Limited Partnership, TurnKey Automation Limited Partnership, TurnKey Automation Ltd., TurnKey Automation Ltd. Limited Partnership, TurnKey Automation Ltd. Limited Partnership, TurnKey I&E Ltd., Turnkey Automation Ltd. L.P., Turnkey Automation Ltd. LP., UCC Underground Construction Co. Inc., Ucc - Underground Construction Co., Underground Construction Co. Inc., Underground Construction Co. Inc. (Delaware), Underground Electric Construction Company LLC, Utilco Inc., Utility Fleet Services, Utility Line Management Services Inc., Utility Testing & Maintenance LLC, Utility Training Services Corporation, VALARD Polska sp. Z o.o., Valard, Valard, Valard Construction (Ontario) Ltd., Valard Construction (Quebec) Inc., Valard Construction 2008 Ltd., Valard Construction Australia Pty Ltd, Valard Construction LLC, Valard Equipment (AB) Ltd., Valard Equipment GP Ltd., Valard Equipment Limited Partnership, Valard Geomatics (Ontario) Ltd., Valard Geomatics BC Ltd., Valard Geomatics Ltd., Valard Mechanical Ltd., Valard Norway AS, Valard Sweden AB, Valard Zagreb d. o. o., Wade D. Taylor Inc., West Coast Communications, Winco Helicopters, Winco Inc., Winco Inc. an Oregon Based Corporation, Winco Powerline Services, Winco Powerline Services Inc., Winco Powerline Services Inc., Winco Services Inc., World Fiber Inc., and mmit Line Construction Inc..

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Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to monitor and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors, which control, transmit, and contain fluid; control solutions for extreme corrosion resistance, temperatures, pressures, and precise flow; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and distributors who serve the replacement markets in manufacturing, packaging, processing, transportation, construction, refrigeration and air conditioning, agricultural, and military machinery and equipment industries. The Aerospace Systems segment offers products for use in commercial and military airframe and engine programs, such as control actuation systems and components, engine build-up ducting, engine exhaust nozzles and assemblies, engine systems and components, fluid conveyance systems and components, fuel systems and components, fuel tank inerting systems, hydraulic systems and components, lubrication components, pilot controls, pneumatic control components, thermal management products, and wheels and brakes, as well as fluid metering, delivery, and atomization devices. This segment markets its products directly to OEMs and end users. The company markets its products through direct-sales employees, independent distributors, and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. The company offers general purpose servers for multi-workload computing and workload-optimized servers; HPE ProLiant rack and tower servers; HPE BladeSystem and HPE Synergy; and solutions for secondary workloads and traditional tape, storage networking, and disk products, such as HPE Modular Storage Arrays and HPE XP. It also offers HPE Apollo and Cray products; and HPE Superdome Flex, HPE Nonstop, HPE Integrity, and HPE Edgeline products. In addition, the company provides HPE Aruba product portfolio that includes wired and wireless local area network hardware products, such as Wi-Fi access points, switches, routers, and sensors; HPE Aruba software and services comprising cloud-based management, network management, network access control, analytics and assurance, and location; and professional and support services, as well as as-a-service and consumption models for the intelligent edge portfolio of products. Further, it offers various leasing, financing, IT consumption, and utility programs and asset management services for customers to facilitate technology deployment models and the acquisition of complete IT solutions, including hardware, software, and services from Hewlett Packard Enterprise and others. Additionally, the company invests in communications and media solutions. It has a partnership with Striim, Inc. to offer high performance and mission-critical solutions with real-time analytics. It serves commercial and large enterprise groups, such as business and public sector enterprises; and through various partners comprising resellers, distribution partners, original equipment manufacturers, independent software vendors, systems integrators, and advisory firms. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Duke Energys Renewables business produces renewable energy for sale primarily to other utilities and commercial customers. The business began as a start-up in 2009 and has grown into one of the countrys biggest players in renewable energy. Duke Energy controls wind turbines and solar panels from coast to coast.

Duke Energy is currently the largest power company in the United States, supplying electricity to more than 7 million customers across the Southeast and Midwest. The entire company currently books more than $25 billion in overall annual revenues.

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Duke Energy Renewables has now grown to 350 employees and has invested roughly $4 billion in solar and wind facilities. According to Greg Wolf, president of Duke Energy Renewables, investments in both wind and solar will continue. The company currently has four major solar projects underway and several more in the planning stages.

Dukes renewable energy business is growing about 20 percent annually. Its nearly 50 renewable energy sites now generate about 2 gigawatts of electricity annually. The renewable energy business is expected to contribute more than $100 million to Dukes overall profits next year.

North Carolina is fourth in the nation in solar power and Duke Energy is a big part of the reason why. According to North Carolina state law, Duke Energy must produce at least 12.5 percent of its energy through renewable sources by 2021. Duke Energy is building more solar capacity in the Carolinas to power local homes and businesses

Critics say Duke is making a minimal investment in renewable energy. The company is still facing criticism that it remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. Regulators have forced utilities to provide a mix of alternative energy, including wind and solar, in response to environmental concerns. Reports from Duke show that solar makes up about 2 percent of the energy it currently produces in North Carolina.
BP has ordered more than 230 staff to leave the Valhall field in Norwegian waters and has shut down production in the area as a precaution. At the nearby Ekofisk field, ConocoPhillips halted output and evacuated workers by helicopter. During a severe storm, a huge barge broke its moorings and threatened to crash into the platforms in the area.

The decision to halt output from the fields reduced the likelihood of any explosion or spill if the barge hit any of the platforms. The barge that broke free is owned by Norways Eide Marine. Later in the day, it was reported that the barge had safely drifted past Valhall. The vessel missed the BP platform by two kilometers. according to a spokeswoman for the Rescue Coordination Centre for southern Norway. There are reportedly no other installations between the barge and the coast of Norway.

The company said that some of the workers were taken to nearby platforms so that they can get production back up quickly when the situation improves. It is expected to take around 24 hours to get oil production back up and running. The North Sea drilling platforms produce around 50,000 barrels of oil a day. It is too early to say whether the halted output from Valhall and Ekofisk would have an impact on oil prices.

The storm also caused one death and multiple injuries on the Troll field off the coast of Norway, which is managed by Statoil. The man died after a 60ft wave hit the accommodation block on a platform in the Troll field. Three people were airlifted ashore by Norwegian rescuers, but one, said to be a Norwegian man in his fifties, died from his injuries.
West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin recently approved a tax break bill on February 29.

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On Monday, the Democratic governor signed the bill that drops 56 cents/ton of severance surtaxes for coal and 4.7 cents/thousand cubic feet of natural gas.

The Republican-led legislature of West Virginia passed said bill.

Tomblin initially proposed that the bill be applied by July 1 or earlier at his discretion. The money is said to help cover the states budget gap of $384 million for this year. In 2015, they were able to generate $64 million to help pay off the workers compensation debt.

In January, chief executive of one of US largest coal producers Robert Murray raised concerns about catching the attention of politicians regarding their platitudes and lip service. He requests state leaders to drop the severance tax on coal from 5% to 2%, as the industry has shed thousands of jobs recently while many producers have gone bankrupt.

These government officials can no longer say that they support coal people in this state, said Murray at the West Virginia Coal Mining Symposium earlier this year.

The chief executive suggests raising taxes on tobacco, alcohol and even natural gas production to make up for the tax break on coal. Murray added, Natural gas is replacing coal generation. Should not their tax rate be examined?

Despite the unstable price of oil and gas worldwide, extraction of natural gas continues to happen, especially in the Middle East.

In fact, different organizations and companies have teamed up to expand their oil and gas solutions in Iraq, which includes workforce aid. Some companies are able to actively engage more than 1,100 people at their extraction sites, where 75% of their workers are locals.

Their continued engineering and construction projects are a sign that the extraction of natural gas shows no signs of slowing down, despite news that there is an oversupply of oil and gas worldwide.

It has been reported that since February 12, the stockpiles of natural gas are already above the five-year average (26%) for the year 2016. The demand is also projected to slip further by spring, as temperatures continue to turn much colder, lowering the demand for oil and gas.

The demand landscape is troubling, said Aaron Calder, analyst at energy-advisory firm Gelber & Associates, noted.

The average price of crude has dropped by 5% in the United States over the past two weeks, down to $1.77/gallon. The price is 56 cents/gallon cheaper than last year, according to Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg. Currently, the average gasoline price is at $2.07/gallon.

Tomblins bill is expected to lower coal revenue by $51.5 million, and $58.1 million revenue for natural gas set for 2017s budget.

During the day the bill was approved, a Senate panel already gave their approval to drop the severance tax on coal from 5% to 4% by July 2018, and 3% by July 2019.
DONG Energy shares jumped by up to 10% Thursday after the utility and wind farm developer based in Denmark scored the largest initial public offering thus far in 2016.

The company has built over 25% of the offshore wind farms in the world. It sold shares for 235 Danish crowns each, which was the top half price of between 200 and 235 crowns guidance and the valuing of its business at over 98 billion crowns equal to $15 billion.

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In early trading on Thursday, the stock was up to as high as 258.7 crowns and had touched at one time as much as 260 crowns.

The IPO raised 17 million crowns for the government of Denmark and a consortium of different investors in which Goldman Sachs is the lead.

The valuation means that Goldman Sachs has doubled its original investment of 8 billion crowns made only two and a half years ago, which fuelled criticism across Denmark that the prior government sold a stake of 18% to Goldmans consortium at a very cheap price.

The listing by DONG gives investors an opportunity to buy into its rapidly growing wind sector located offshore. The company has huge projects in German and Britain, including the 1.2 gigawatt plant Hornsea 1 that will become the largest wind farm offshore in the world and it just recently opened new offices in Taiwan and the United States.

However, wind power offshore is one of the industrys most expensive renewable energy sources and some industry analysts are worried about the reliance of the sector on subsidies from governments.

DONG in 2015 generated 62% of its revenue from offshore operating wind farms from subsidies and other support such as Green Certificate from Britain.

A price of approximately 260 crowns is what one analyst said was a fair value for a share of the stock for DONG.

No new shares were issued by DONG, while the Goldman consortium and the government sold together approximately a 17.5% stake in the business.

The Danish government will keep more than 50% of the company, while the consortium led by Goldmans will have a 13.4% staked following this flotation.

Gross proceeds could increase to over 19.7 billion crowns if those selling, exercise an overallotment option to further offload stock.

DONG has posed net losses in each of the past four years, due mainly to impairment charges on its business in the oil industry.
Royal Dutch Shell has posted a disappointing quarterly drop in profit of more than 72%, which it blamed on costs that were related to its BG Group takeover for $54 billion and weak prices of oil.

Shell missed estimates of analysts for the current cost for the second quarter of supplies, its own definition for net income, by over $1.1 billion due mainly because they expected better performance from their upstream division, which posted a loss of $1.3 billion in comparison to a loss one year ago of $469 million.

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CEO Ben van Beurden said that lower prices of oil continue to create significant challenge to the business, particularly in its upstream sector.

Shell spent more than it expected on its corporate expenses with over $150 million for restructuring and termination charges following the deal for BG.

The oil giant is in the process of laying off over 12,500 workers that began last year and is running through this year.

Shares of Shell experienced their worst trading day in the past two months and by 10:00 were already down 2.7%.

Rivals of Shell such as Statoil also posted results for the second quarter that were worse than had been expected earlier this week due to expectations of analysts on cost reductions being too optimistic.

Despite a poor performance, Shell left is targets for disposal and capital investment the same as it did with its dividend.

Cash flow from its operating activities for the 2016 second quarter ended at $2.3 billion in comparison to $6.1 billion for the same three-month period in 2015. That means it was not sufficient enough to cover the dividend for the quarter of $3.7 billion.

The oil behemoths ratio of debt to equity rose to over 28.1% versus a rate of 12.7% for the same period one year ago, meaning its debt pile was growing rapidly.

CFO Simon Henry announced that at the current prices of oil of between $43 and $43.50 per barrel, the company could not make sufficient money unless it was able to raise cash from the disposal of assets.

Shell is amidst a program of asset divestment worth $30 billion and is expecting to sell in 2015 between $6 and $8 billion. It completed or is close to completing $3 billion already and is having discussions to sell 17 additional assets at the current time.

The company said it was on track to reach its reduced capital investment program for the year of more than $29 billion.
Abercrombie & Fitch reported a drop in sales for its most recent quarter as well as releasing a cautious outlook for the rest of the year, as the retailer of apparel struggled to entice shoppers into its locations in malls.

Abercrombie shares, which rose by over 20% the past year, dropped 11% in premarket trading on Tuesday.

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Sales at its locations open a minimum of 13 months will remain challenging during the second six months of the year, said a statement released by the company.

In May, Abercrombie expected results to be better after making assortment changes as well as other investments.

Arthur Martinez the Executive Chairman cited headwinds at malls in the U.S. that have reduced store traffic and a substantial drop in tourism. Martinez added that the company does not see the headwinds changing during the upcoming few months.

The company said its sales at stores that have been opened a minimum of one year were down by 4% during its second quarter that ended on July 30, which matched the drop during the first quarter and the results from the same period one year ago. Analysts were expecting a drop of 4.2%.

The Hollister brand of the company, which has been its bright spot over the last few quarters, also lost its momentum. Sales of Hollister at stores that were opened 13 months or more fell by 2%, while that same metric was down 7% for Abercrombie.

The namesake brand of the company released a new line over the past few months, reflecting a new look from its prior sexualized image. The clothing still includes denim and other basic, which is a market that has other competitors that are ailing as well.

Total revenue was down 4% to just over $783.2 million during the quarter. The net loss for the company reached $13.1 million equal to 19 cents per share, in comparison to $800,000 equal to 1 penny for the same period one year ago.

Analysts were expecting 20 cents per share loss with revenue reaching $783 million.

One improvement for the company was its performance online. Sales direct to consumers increased to 23% of its total sales for the company, in comparison to 21% in 2015. The increase was due to progress the company made on the design of its website and its omni-channel initiatives.

The company recently broadened its reach on the web through a wholesale agreement with online fashion retailer Zalando SE, which is European based.
Roche based in Switzerland, beat expectations of the market for its net income during the first half of the year with help from sales of a cancer drug along with a big one-off gain in its pension plan.

Core earnings a share, adjusted for special items, rose by 7% to over 7.74 Swiss francs or $7.86, while analysts were expecting an average of 7.53 francs.

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The company made an accounting adjustment that was one-off to its long-term pension plan, which helped to increase earnings by over 426 million francs.

However, that will be offset in time as it expects pensioners to have longer lives and the returns on investments for the pension to stay depressed due to low rates of interest.

An analyst with Deutsche Bank said that by eliminating the pension effect, the results were in line with most expectations.

Roche shares fell 0.2%, which was just better than a decline of 0.5% in the Stoxx Europe 600 Healthcare Index.

Swiss-based Roche is the biggest maker in the world of cancer drugs. It confirmed its target for sales growth that is currency adjusted of the low to mid single digit range percentage wise for 2016.

In addition, it expects its per share core earnings to be ahead of growth of sales.

Novartis, a big rival of Roche announced on Tuesday that its profit could decline in 2016 due to ramping up its spending in marketing for Entresto its new drug for heart failure following a slower than expected start for the medication.

Sales of three major, well established medicines for cancer from Roche  Avastin, Rituxan and Herceptin with annual sale of each of over 6 billion francs continue to increase but Roche must push another promising drug as its sales of the ageing bestsellers are thought to have hit their plateau and expected to decline during the upcoming years.

Roche CEO Severin Schwan said the company during a period of 12 months would be launching five new medications, which is an unprecedented number for new launches in the history of the company for such a short frame of time.

The CEO said in June that he was becoming more confident that the pharmaceutical giant would continue to increase its sales and its profit even as copies at cut rate prices of the older cancer drugs of the company start to take away business beginning in 2017.
South Korea based Samsung Electronics has seen a revival in its mobile sector of late, but all of that was thrown into great doubt as the tech titan stopped all shipments in South Korea of its new smartphone the Galaxy Note 7.

Investors dragged down the market capitalization of the company by $4 billion on Thursday after the company confirmed late on Wednesday the delay in shipping of its waterproof, larger-screen Galaxy Note 7, which was not been in the market for even two weeks.

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A spokesperson for Samsung said he could not say if the delay also applied to outside South Korea. He would not elaborate why the smartphone was delayed other than saying they were doing additional testing.

Yonhap the national news agency earlier reported about five claims worldwide of the new smartphone Galaxy Note 7 catching fire or exploding while it was charging.

Certain social media sites showed videos and photos of the scorched smartphones, although none were verified. No comment was made by Samsung about those videos or photos.

Carriers in South Korea including SK Telecom and KT Corp confirmed that shipments they were expecting were delayed.

On Thursday, a government watchdog for consumer safety in Korean requested additional information from the electronics giants on the incidents. An official from the agency said that Samsung had not yet responded to their request.

The biggest maker of smartphones in the world by number of shipments has relied on its line of new Galaxy products to driver its recovery in its mobile handset business, which had been struggling for over two years amidst stronger competition from its biggest rival Apple and a number of rivals in China.

The Galaxy Note 7 with a large screen, which has received numerous positive reviews appeared on sale for the first time on August 19 in South Korea, prior to the planned unveiling in early September of the next-generation iPhone from Apple.

The smaller Galaxy S7 flagship smartphone has had strong sales that helped make its June ending quarter the most profitable at Samsung in close to two years.

The profit margin of 16% in the mobile business was its highest in two years as well.

On Thursday, shares of Samsung ended down 2% for the full day and were off 3.2% from last months record high.

Other shares of the Samsung Group also were down. Samsung SDI, a supplier of batteries for smartphones made by Samsung, was down over 6%. The company announced it was investigating the reported incidents with Samsung Electronics.
People online across Asia could be enjoying faster access to some services on Internet starting today as news was released that Google switched on its latest high-speed undersea cable, bringing faster connectivity to its services within the region.

In 2014, a consortium of six companies that included Google, China Telecom Global, China Mobile International, KDDI, Singtel and Global Transit unveiled their plans to create an undersea, transpacific cable system 9,000 kms in length.

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The cable spans from the U.S. state of Oregon on the west coast to Japan. A few months ago the cable, which was designed to allow speeds of 60 terabits a second or Tbps of bandwidth, was opened after nearly two years of set up.

Now, the faster system has extended from Japan into Taiwan, which is home to the largest data center for Google in Asia.

With more of the population, accessing the Internet each day across Asia, hard work was put into developing an infrastructure that was needed to make online access equal for all who live within the region, said a spokesperson for Google.

The good thing about this for Google users is its services such as YouTube and Gmail should work faster in theory, for millions of people on the continent.

The cable is not as quick as one that extends from the U.S. over to Japan, as the new extension has only promised speeds of as much as 26 Tbps.

However, within a region that is prone to tsunamis and earthquakes, Google said it took precautionary measures through laying the cable outside such zones in order to lower the chances of downtime in the network during any natural disasters.

Technology companies relying on customers being connected are getting involved more and more in setting up infrastructure that enables important regions to be connected.

Earlier in 2016, Telefonica, Microsoft and Facebook announced plans for a submarine cable that will cross the Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, Facebook is investing its own satellite technology that will beam access to Internet to large areas of Africa.

Google has become active on the same front as well, as it supported the transpacific system known as Unity, that became connected in 2010 and the pan-Asia SJC cable system that became live during 2013.

At home, Google is working on a superfast broadband Fiber service it has rolled out on a gradual basis in the U.S.
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By Patrick Donachie

The Jamaica Transportation Center Station Plaza in downtown Jamaica will benefit from $7.65 million in state funding to improve the area, according to state Sen. James Sanders (D-Rochdale Village).

Sanders made the announcement at a news conference at the Sutphin Boulevard/Archer Avenue train station Tuesday. The money was allocated in the 2016 state budget as a part of a multi-year transportation plan.

I am proud to have helped facilitate this funding, which will make the busy downtown Jamaica area safer and more accessible to both pedestrians and motorists, Sanders said. Hopefully, we will see job growth and an increase in the amount of people enjoying the many goods and services available in this community.

According to Sanders, Archer Avenue could potentially be widened for new bus lanes and bus stop areas. The money would pay for a new traffic signal at Archer Avenue and 146th Street in order to safely accommodate pedestrians trying to reach the Jamaica Long Island Rail Road station. The money would also go to widening sidewalks for commuters and the construction of two new stairwells that would act as additional subway entrances.

Sanders said better transportation options could serve as an additional economic stimulus in the area, showing businesses that the area is a prime location for new opportunities. Developers for new hotels in the area hope to capitalize on the proximity of the Air Train that travels from downtown Jamaica to John F. Kennedy International Airport. Sanders acknowledged that staying in Jamaica would be a cheaper way of visiting New York City and said it was important to make sure the transit resources in the area matched increased traffic.

Right now this area has a gritty feeling, Sander said. It almost looks like an urban backdrop that would be used in the movies. We want it to be more upscale.

He said there was no time line as of yet for when the funds will be put to use, though he said he had been in contact with the state Department of Transportation.
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By Patrick Donachie

Roy Paul foresees a groundswell of support that may help him emerge victorious in the upcoming Democratic primary election Sept. 13 to fill the seat vacated by the late Assemblywoman Barbara Clark.

Paul hopes to represent Queens 33rd District, which includes parts of Queens Village, Hollis, Bellerose, Cambria Heights and St. Albans.

People are hopeful and optimistic about people who are willing to do the work, he said during an interview. Were actually helping people become proactive, engaged citizens. Were helping people become sustainable.

Pauls career spans the worlds of elected office, journalism and community service. He was elected to the Orange County school board at 19 years old, becoming the youngest African-American to ever be elected to office in New York state. Even after he left public office to pursue journalism work, he missed the personal engagement with the voter that came with holding office.

I never told anybody it wasnt my problem, he said about his time on the school board, saying he has made efforts to be enthusiastically accessible to constituents in and out of the 33rd District. Theyre not used to that kind of personal engagement they should never be amazed that people who are trying to serve the public are giving out their personal information or trying to respond to their requests.

Paul cited issues with education funding, senior care, the lack of transit options and quality-of-life concerns as foundational issues during the campaign. He noted that the principal of Public School 360 contacted him several years earlier about continued requests for the city to put computers in the school. Paul coordinated a fund-raising campaign that concluded with enough money to purchase computers for the students.

He expressed support for a uni-card that could help transit riders who were commuting to Manhattan from Queens to make a transfer between the subway and the Long Island Rail Road at a reduced rate.

I think its a brilliant idea, he said. We have to find ways to reduce the fares. We cant reduce options.

Paul said the support unions and the Democratic Party machine had given Clyde Vanel, another competitor in the race, did not match the support he was hearing when speaking to voters. He said his campaign had steadily gained support since he had announced his candidacy, and he continued to build backing through visiting several churches each Sunday to speak to parishioners.

You can get a personalized sense of who you are and what youre about, Paul said about the church visits, where he said he was galvanizing support for his candidacy. I really believe people who attend church are passionate about the future.
Hopewell Community Park remains a 'labor of love' for local community

The lush green park is a product of the combined efforts of the Hopewell Township community and a symbol of decades of conservation efforts in Beaver County.
San Diego's Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits will debut six beers in Wichita Falls Wednesday evening at four local restaurants and bars.

A well-known West Coast brewerys beers are now being distributed in the Wichita Falls area, and it is formally introducing itself this evening at four local bars and restaurants.

The San Diego-based Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits will start its tour of Wichita Falls at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Back Porch Draft House, then make its way to Brick Town Taphouse & Kitchen, Pelicans and P2 throughout the evening.

The brewery is known for its emphasis on quality, consistent flavors, flag shipped by the well-regarded Sculpin India Pale Ale (IPA), an IPA hopped at five stages with hints of apricot, peach, mango and lemon.

Its one of the best-rated IPAs in the country, with a 97 rating on BeerAdvocate.com and a 100 rating on RateBeer.com.

Mike Stokes, general manager of Falls Distributing, said Back Porch Draft House will offer the widest range of Ballast Points deep portfolio by serving its Mango Even Keel Session IPA, Longfin Lager, Watermelon Dorado Double IPA and the well-renowned Sculpin IPA on draft.

Brick Town Taphouse & Kitchen will have a pint night exclusive with the brewerys fall seasonal  Pumpkin Down Scottish Ale, and Pelicans will serve a Pineapple-infused version of the Sculpin IPA. P2 will also serve the Mango Even Keel Session IPA this evening.

We think Ballast Point has several different, great selections and styles, and to be able to take advantage of their portfolio in this market, we need to be able to spread the wealth, Stokes said on the decision to sample different offerings at each location. As far as Ballast Point fitting the Falls Distributing Market, we like the addition. It gives us a second west coast big brewery that has national appeal  and were happy to have them on board. Were expecting big things from them.

Megan Canto, the North Texas district manager for Ballast Point, said the brewerys move into the Wichita Falls market has been a positive experience, and the brewery is excited to bring its product to both new and familiar craft beer enthusiasts. Canto said Ballast Point has been in Texas for the past five years, mostly serving the Dallas, Austin and Houston areas.

Last year, Ballast Point began expanding to Texas smaller communities following a buyout from Constellation Brands, a beer producer and marketer known for beers such as Corona Extra, Modelo Especial and Pacifico. Canto said Ballast Point is already serving areas such as Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Weatherford, Fredericksburg and Waco, and the brewery recently launched in Amarillo and Lubbock.

The next stop, after Wichita Falls, is Abilene, which Canto said she hopes will launch by the end of the month.

It was a big shake up (when Constellation bought Ballast Point), Canto said. But Constellation came in, and were their only craft brewery, which is pretty exciting for both ends. Were learning from them, and theyre learning from us.

While some in the craft beer community are leery about Constellations acquisition of Ballast Point, as well as the departure of founders Jack White and Yuseff Cherney in the last year, Canto said not much will change with the beers quality and consistency.

The biggest part to stand behind (the buyout) is we still have the same brewers working for us. We have such a strong brewing team, and thats where all the uniqueness comes from, she said. The quality of the beer, the creativity of the beer is going to stay the same. With a buyout like this, youre able to open up new markets quicker, and thats what were doing. Were hoping to be in all 50 states by the end of the year  fingers crossed.
TRN archives Lydia Rodriguez (left) and cook Cruz Armendarez (right) serve lunch to some of the 24 youngsters cared for at the Mexican Day Nursery in 1963.

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By Bridget Knight of the Times Record News

Formal and cultural segregation weren't limited to just blacks and whites in Wichita Falls, even into the 1960s. In 1963, even preschools tended to segregate youngsters along racial lines, as was the case at the Mexican Day Nursery at 101 Sixth St., which was proudly showing off its remodeling that year with an open house.

The nursery was still operating in a building constructed as an Optimist Club service project in 1940, and opened as a donation-funded child care center in 1949 after the Altrusa Club funded work to convert shower rooms into a kitchen. Other service clubs added a refrigerator and plastic dishes in the 1950s, and the Community Chest partially funded operating expenses and the cost of food for the children.

By the time of the open house, supervisor Lydia Rodriguez and cook Cruz Armendarez were tending to 24 children each day, with the help of occasional volunteers. United Electric had donated an air conditioner, the first in the center's history.

The specific fate of the Mexican Day Nursery is unclear, although by 1968, United Way funding had moved to other facilities that promised to serve all children of lower-income parents.
Contributed photo Members of the Red River Square Dance Association's Solos group will partner with the Wichita Falls Recreation Department to offer square dance classes starting Sept. 8.

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Paul Reyes and Gonzalo Robles, of the Zavala Hispanic Cultural Initiative, will speak to at a League of Women Voters meeting at noon Sept. 7 at Luby's Cafeteria, 1801 Ninth St.

LWV will partner with ZHCI for two voter registration drives this fall, at Vernon College Sept. 24 and during the downtown Calle Ocho cultural festival on Oct. 1.

Reyes is president of the ZHCI. Robles was a founding leader in the University of Texas' Cafe con Leche initiative, which encourages Latino parents to learn more about college application procedures and financial aid.

The meeting will also include a discussion of voter identification requirements that will be in effect during the November elections.

Members and guests are invited to arrive early to go through the lunch line. For information, email lwvofwftx@gmail.com.

Solos to help with square dance class

The Wichita Falls Solos Square Dance Club will assist with square dance lessons starting Sept. 8 at the Wichita Falls Recreation Center's ballroom, on the second floor of the Wichita Falls Public Library, 600 11th St.

The class will meet 7:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays for 14 weeks. The class is free for members of the 50-Plus Zone. The fee is $15 per month for all others. Dee Roy will be the instructor.

Dance attire is casual with comfortable shoes. Students do not need a partner to attend.

Information: 761-7490.

Sikes Lake Cleanup set for Saturday

Hundreds of volunteers will descend on the shores of Sikes Lake Sept. 10 for the annual Sikes Lake Cleanup, sponsored by the Rolling Plains Master Naturalists, American National Bank and Trust, and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

Bags, trash grabbers and gloves will be provided. The cleanup will start at 9 a.m. on the east side of the lake and run until about noon. Hot dogs will be served to all volunteers after the event.

Electra cemeteries work day planned

A work day at Electra cemeteries has been set for 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 10.

The Electra Cemetery Committee members will provide bottled water for workers throughout the morning, and volunteers will offer free hamburgers and hot dogs at noon. Additional trash containers will be available on site, but participants should bring their own yard tools and trash bags. Families unable to participate on Sept. 10 are encouraged to tend their plots in advance of the scheduled morning.

Information: Jannis Hayers, 940-733-3620.

DRT to assist with genealogy seminar

The Rebecca Jane Fisher Chapter Daughters of the Republic of Texas will meet with the North Texas Genealogical Association at 9 a.m. Sept. 10 during the NTGA genealogy seminar at First United Methodist Church, 10th and Travis.

Lisa Louise Cooke, owner of Genealogy Gems, will present information on techniques used in genealogy research.

DRT members will be available to assist participants with researching their Texas ancestors.

Information: Sue Ramser, 940-767-0388.

Police chief to talk to Democratic group

Wichita Falls Police Chief Manuel Borrego will speak about how citizens can participate in the Back the Blue program at noon Sept. 12 when he addresses the Texas Democratic Women at Luby's Cafeteria.

Lunch will be served starting at 11:30 a.m. No reservations are needed.

Information: Terry Gilleland, 940-692-6450.

Operation Kidsafe to offer free kits

Jimmy Cleveland Nissan of Wichita Falls will present Operation Kidsafe Regional Child Safety Days Sept. 12-17 at the dealership, 4000 Kell Blvd.

The free event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 12-16 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 17.

Digital imagery equipment will be on site to capture digital fingerprint and photo images of children for a free child safety kit. The kit will include a quality 8x11-inch printout that can be presented by parents to law enforcement anywhere to aid in an investigation. Parents will also receive safety tips to help them set up a family safety action plan. All aspects of the kit are free and private.

Kids' grief program to build bridges

Hospice of Wichita Falls will begin a new session of Building Bridges Sept. 13 to help school-age children and their families experiencing grief over the loss of a loved one.

The program will run 6:30-7:30 p.m. each Tuesday through Nov. 1 at University United Methodist Church, 3405 Taft Blvd. The purpose is to offer emotional support to grieving children, teens and their families who have experienced the loss of someone significant.

Building Bridges is not limited to families who have a relationship with hospice, nor does the death have to be recent or the child be experiencing difficulties.

Information: 940-691-0982 or hospiceofwf.org.

School retirees will gather Sept. 14

The Wichita Falls Area Association of Retired School Personnel will meet at 9 a.m. Sept. 14 at Region 9 Education Service Center, 301 Loop 11.

Members should use Entrance A. Breakfast will be provided by the Wichita Falls Teachers Federal Credit Union. Reservations are required for the breakfast and should be sent by Sept. 8 to Tom McGough, 940-962-1610 or Tmcgou2@sw.rr.com.

Angela Clark, the president of the WFTFCU, and Michael S. Kuhrt, Wichita Falls ISD superintendent, will be the speakers.

Hospice to begin volunteer training

Hospice of Wichita Falls will begin a new session of volunteer training Sept. 15.

Classes will run from 6 to 8:30 p.m. each Thursday through Oct. 13 in the volunteer wing of the hospice facility, 4909 Johnson Road.

Information: Cindy or Darbi, 940-691-0982, or hospiceofwf.org.

National Night Out events organized

Neighborhoods and community groups planning to participate in National Night Out on Oct. 4 are asked to register their events with Wichita Falls organizers by Sept. 20.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live.

Events can be registered at http://bit.ly/2aAncSh.
SHARE Contributed photo A dog enjoys a puppy parfait on the sidewalk outside of Frank and Joe's Coffee shop. The establishment is pushing for an ordinance change to allow pets on their patio area.

By Claire Kowalick of the Times Record News

The votes went to the dogs Tuesday morning as the Wichita Falls City Council voted to allow dogs on restaurant patios  within certain parameters.

Lou Kreidler, Wichita Falls/Wichita County Health District Director, presented the item stating that it allows for a repealer clause on an establishment's food permit. The dog patio permit will be an additional $125 annual fee. Restaurants that have already paid their annual permit can add the dog patio permit at a prorated cost if they choose.

Kreidler said the permit is for dogs only, animal waste must be removed immediately, and the patio areas are to be cleaned daily.

The ordinance was voted in 3-2, as two councilors were absent from the meeting (Tim Ingle and Brian Hooker), and two voted against the ordinance, Tom Quintero and DeAndra Chenault.

Councilor Quintero expressed worry as to who might be liable if there was a dog bite or injury to a person or another dog. City Attorney Kinley Hegglund said the city would not be liable; the liability would be shared by the dog owner and the establishment. Chenault asked if all dog breeds would be allowed on the patios under this permit and Kreidler replied that it does allow all breeds.

Carol Murray and Jessica Edwards, owners of Frank and Joe's Coffee shop, the establishment that pushed this ordinance, thanked the council and staff for their work in fine tuning the code. They offered to address any other concerns or questions from council, but no council members asked any further questions.

Edwards said after the meeting it was a little unsettling to not have the complete support from city council for the patio ordinance. Nevertheless, the business will start preparations immediately to make the patio ready to meet the requirements set forth by the health department. She is not sure when the process will be complete, but said they will inform customers as soon as they are ready to allow dogs on the patio.

Currently, dogs are not allowed in any food establishment or patio of a food establishment. Frank and Joe's is the first such eatery to approach the city to allow people to bring their furry friends to the coffee shop's patio. Each business that wishes to allow dogs on their patio must apply for a dog patio permit and pass a specific health inspection. Edwards said like all businesses, two percent of the sales tax goes back to the city, so anything that could boost revenue is good for the city as well.

The council passed a total of seven ordinances and five resolutions. All matters of business, other than the dog patio ordinance, were voted in unanimously.

Other matters of business include:

-Two public hearing were held, one on the proposed property tax rate and the other on the 2016 transit grant for capital expenses.

-An ordinance passed appropriating about $1.5 million in federal and state funds for the transit system. This sum includes about $300,000 toward the Sheppard Main Gate project. Requests for proposal for design and planning of this project will begin in the next couple months.

-An ordinance passed to authorize the city manager to sign a contract with Global Spectrum L.P, doing business as Spectra Venue Management, for management of the MPEC and Memorial Auditorium facilities for five years. New general manager for the venues, Brian Hoffman, was introduced at the meeting. Hoffman just relocated from Pueblo, Colo. He has more than 17 years of venue management experience and said he is excited to begin work in the city.

-An ordinance passed defining parameters under which the city would gain ownership of an impounded animal.

-An ordinance passed to accept a $34,849 grant to be shared between the Wichita falls Police Department and the Wichita county Sheriff's Office.

-An ordinance passed to apply for and accept $1 million in Federal Aviation Administration grants for debt services at the Wichita Falls Regional Airport.

-An ordinance passed to apply for and accept $50,000 state-level funds for projects at Kickapoo Downtown Airport.

-An ordinance passed to apply for and accept $50,000 state-level funds for projects at Wichita Falls Regional Airport.

-A resolution passed to approve $30,000 expenditure by the 4B Sales Tax Corporation Board for a fire suppression system at a future business, Half Pint III, LLC, at 817 Ohio.

-A resolution passed to allow three city-owned properties to be sold for less than the total amount of judgements against them.

-A resolution passed to award a bid and contract to Bowles Construction Company for $280,000 for lift station rehabilitation projects.

-A resolution passed for an advanced funding agreement with TxDOT for pedestrian walkway improvements along Kemp from Midwestern Parkway to Southwest Parkway.

-A resolution passed under the consent agenda to approve a change order and final cost for the water budget utility improvement project.

-A resolution passed under the consent agenda awarding a $96,024.15 bid from Falls Concrete LLC for an alley rehabilitation project.

-A resolution passed under the consent agenda authorizing transfer of ownership of two city-owned properties to Habitat for Humanity.
Claire Kowalick/Times Record News Steve Garner, second from left, shows an example of memorial bricks that can be purchased and will line the plaza area near the boat ramps off Kemp Boulevard. The lake was awarded $500,000 toward the $1.3 million boat ramp/plaza portion of the lake revitalization.

SHARE Claire Kowalick/Times Record News A rendering of a stone monument that will be placed near the boat ramp area off Kemp Boulevard. The marker will honor donors in six categories of donations to the project. All funds for the Lake Wichita revitalization are gathered from donations and grants. Claire Kowalick/Times Record News A view of the boat ramp area off Kemp Boulevard that will be revitalized with a $1.3 million project, $500,000 of which was awarded from a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant. Claire Kowalick/Times Record News A view of a rendering of an improved boat ramp area off Kemp Boulevard that will be revitalized with a $1.3 million project, $500,000 of which was awarded from a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant.

By Claire Kowalick of the Times Record News

City of Wichita Falls staff, Lake Wichita Committee members and other public figures celebrated a milestone in the history of the lake's restoration.

On Wednesday morning, about 100 people gathered to see two new design renderings of lake features and Mayor Glenn Barham announced the city was awarded a nearly $500,000 grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Division for the project.

Work on both renderings was completed by Gary, Baker and Associates. The stone monument will be donated at-cost by Chancellor Monument. The tribute will honor donors in all six levels of giving from $999 and under to $250,000 and above. The marker will be placed in the new plaza area at the boat ramp off Kemp Boulevard.

The second rendering is a four-ramp boat area, plaza, stage, benches, restrooms, landscaping and connectors to the Circle Trail. The city of Wichita Falls applied for the grant from the TPWD Boating Infrastructure Grant, part of the Sport Fishing Restoration Program. The lake was one of only three chosen in the state for these funds. The other two projects awarded funds were Sam Rayburn and Lake Ray Roberts. The $500,000 was the maximum amount allotted and the funds will go toward the $1.3 million boat ramp/plaza project.

Committee Chairman Steve Garner also showed an example of the memorial bricks that will be available for purchase and can be engraved with names or a company logo. The next big fundraising effort will be on Texoma Gives Day. Lake Wichita and many other local non-profit groups will be out around the city to collect donations for various programs. The Lake Wichita group will have a pop-up Krispy Kreme Donut Shop in the parking lot of Planet Fitness, 3915 E Kell Blvd. One dozen fresh donuts are available for $10. The group will hand deliver orders of 10 dozen or more and pre-orders can be placed at the Lake Wichita website: www.supportlakewichita.org.

Garner said the lake project has the potential to change the face of recreation in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. The group will be sending off the application for the Army Corps of Engineers 404 permit in the next few weeks. Garner said they hope to have the application in-hand by the beginning of 2017.

Funding for the huge undertaking is still in its infant stage, but Garner said they have received astonishing support from the public, state, national and worldwide recognition for the restoration effort. During their kickoff in 2014, the group only gathered about $5,000. In the year and a half since, they now have a whopping $1.63 million toward the project in grants and donations.
SHARE Landavazo O&B

Lauren Theresia Landavazo, 13, of Wichita Falls, passed away Friday, September 2, 2016.

Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, September 8, 2016 in the Worship Center at First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls. Arrangements are under the direction of Owens & Brumley Funeral Home of Wichita Falls.

Lauren was born on October 14, 2002 in Wichita Falls, Texas to Vernon Wayne and Bianka Theresia (Jangula) Landavazo. Lauren touched the lives of so many people who not help but feel the love and joy for life she had when they were around her. Her compassion and love for other people made her the most beautiful person inside and out. It was hard to stay sad around Lauren, she simply wouldn't allow it. She was the lovely, lively heart and soul of our family, our most precious Pooh Bear.

She is survived by her parents, Vern and Bianka Landavazo of Wichita Falls; her brothers, Jordan Landavazo of Tucson, Arizona and Tim Landavazo of Arvada, Colorado; her sister-in-law, Christian Landavazo of Wichita Falls; grandparents, Don and Faye Landavazo of Price, Utah, Pete and Barbara Serrano of Las Vegas, Nevada, Jerry and Sue Dodd of Artesia, New Mexico, and Jerry Jangula of Las Vegas, Nevada; numerous aunts, uncles, great-aunts and great-uncles, cousins and her beloved niece, Dani Landavazo of Arvada, Colorado; her love, Donovan Cheek and his family of Wichita Falls; and last, but certainly not least, the many wonderful friends and neighbors who have watched her grow into the beautiful young lady she was.

The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at Owens & Brumley Funeral Home of Wichita Falls.

The family has asked that those wishing to donate, thank you so much, but you've already done more than we could ever thank you for and to please consider donating to the charity of your choice in her name. Lauren loved helping others and we want that spirit to live on. She truly loved all animals, especially cats, and she would appreciate donations to any animal rescue efforts as well.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.owensandbrumley.com
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Jim Mills, Wichita Falls

Seven years ago, while summering in Colorado, my vacant rent house became occupied by squatters. I was unaware of this for four months when I returned to check on my property. It seems Jorge, Selena and two small children decided to upgrade their residence from a property further south. Young Jorge soon took a job at Jim Bob's nursery for only $8 per hour. Norm, the 54-year-old man with a family of his own, was laid off, primarily because he was making $15 per hour.

Jim Bob picked up a younger worker and lowered his overhead in one fell swoop. Unable to get another job, Norm lost his home to foreclosure and had to go on welfare and food stamps. Then he moved into government subsidized housing in order to feed his family.

Meanwhile, Jorge, after having his fourth child, also applied for government assistance because he now qualified for low income subsidies too.

I was unable to displace Jorge and family due to squatters rights as determined by the Justice Department  I lost my rent property to Jorge, who still lives in "my" property  while Uncle Sam provides his family with free education, school lunches, free cellphones, welfare and food stamps. I had to go back to work and take out a reverse mortgage on my home in order to increase my now insufficient retirement income.

Norm was recently admitted to a mental health facility after his wife left him. The question is, do illegal immigrants have an adverse financial effect on Americans? You be the judge: is Trump on the money or not?
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Just Imagine. Just imagine that if everyone who lived, played and worked in Texoma came together for a day of giving. Mark your calendars for this amazing and powerful event. The Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation is hosting an entire day of giving for 145 nonprofits on Sept. 15 from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. This is an investment in the future of North Texas and allows your money to follow your heart and support your passions. Help shape the region's future in a single day.

I am Sara Shelton, Director of the Wichita Adult Literacy Council, Inc., and I can't wait for this day. Just as all of the organizations involve, WALC is always in need of resources for our clients because we serve over 500 clients each year with one-on-one tutoring, English Language Learners classes, Financial Literacy and Health Literacy classes along with GED and College preparation. Are you aware that one in four adults in our community struggles with literacy issues of some kind? We are the only adult literacy council between DFW and OKC. And we are only reaching a small percentage of the folks who need our help. Please consider donating on Sept. 15 to the Wichita Adult Literacy Council and other organizations in need. I am proud to be a part of this event and am excited to see the love flow from our community.

This is the first year for this event, and we are all in hopes that this will be a yearly September event. Other communities have done this and have shown how this event will bring a community together. For 16 hours of extreme generosity through giving, we can make a huge difference. Businesses, kick in your budgeted dollars and give. Young people, show your community that it means something to you and give. Kids, bust open your piggy banks and give. With everyone in the community giving whatever they can, we could raise millions for our community nonprofits. This event shows that we are all working together toward the future of a place we love and call home. This event will help us continue to thrive for generations. We can make this happen by working together.

Every donation made  big or small  gives your favorite organizations the chance to win in more ways than one. Prizes will be given out throughout the 16 hours from the most given at one time to the unique giving. This event creates a focus for our nonprofits from generating awareness to securing additional contributions. For all of our organizations, this event reduces printing and mailing costs, shows the community how our nonprofits can work together to improve the lives of individuals in our community and brings the community together to support the hard work done by all of these wonderful organizations. Participating nonprofits and the services they provide are listed and allows the donor to make their decision on giving focused on their interests. The prize categories are also listed. You can also mail checks before the event for your favorite organization. Together, we can make a real impact. Sponsor, donate, support and spread awareness!

Together we are all shaping the future by giving Sept. 15. Together, we are working to create an exceptionally caring community. And together we are a truly extraordinary place to live, play and work. Don't forget Sept. 15 from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. Let your love flow. https://texomagives.org/.
House Speaker Paul Ryan was joined by House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana when he met with reporters last November in Washington and called for a "pause" in Syrian refugees coming to the United States. Ryan has now partnered with Scalise, who has drawn criticism for giving a presentation years ago at a white supremacist event, to form a joint fundraising committe. PHOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Albany

New paint and carpet for Coca-Cola's headquarters evolved into something much larger  a global transformation of the company's workplaces that helped the Atlanta-based company achieve its ambitious business goals.

Later this month, the woman who led the transformation, Julie C. Seitz, will talk about her unconventional career path as she delivers the fourth annual William Randolph Hearst Lecture at The College of Saint Rose in Albany.

Seitz' topic is "Navigating the Winding Road to Change," and will be presented at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 22 in the Carl E. Touhey Forum, Thelma P. Lally School of Education, 1009 Madison Ave., in Albany.

The event, free and open to the public, is presented by Saint Rose, Hearst, the Times Union and Women@Work.

Seitz, now global director responsible for planning, designing, building and operating Coca-Cola workplaces worldwide, will focus on women's leadership during her talk.

Seitz's efforts in Atlanta resulted in a workplace with bright, open common spaces that encouraged an exchange of ideas.

Other companies and organizations have since used it as a model for their own redesign.

After her talk, Seitz will discuss innovative leadership with a panel of women leaders, including:

Eve Burton, senior vice president and general counsel, Hearst.

Ellen Levine, editorial director, Hearst Magazines.

Carolyn J. Stefanco, president, The College of Saint Rose.

Publisher and CEO of the Times Union George R. Hearst III. a Saint Rose trustee, will introduce the panelists, and Times Union Editor Rex Smith will moderate.

Burton heads the Office of General Counsel, which provides legal services for all of Hearst's businesses worldwide.

In 1994, Levine became the first woman to be named editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping, which dates from 1885. She became the first editorial director of Hearst Magazines in July 2006.

Stefanco, the 11th president of The College of Saint Rose, previously was vice president for academic affairs at Agnes Scott College and was a founding dean at California State University, Stanislaus.
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Financial

Ballston Spa National Bank

Michael Kelly joined as a personal banker. Kelly previously held several retail management positions.

Health Care

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center

Patti L. Miller joined the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Medical Group as a hospitalist. Miller is board-certified in internal medicine.

Media

Altice USA

Lisa Rosenblum was promoted to vice chair. Rosenblum previously served as executive vice president and general counsel.

David Connolly joined as executive vice president and general counsel. Connolly was previously a partner at Shearman & Sterling LLP.

Nonprofits

The Salvation Army

Steven Lopes and Valerie Lopes joined as commanding officers and ministers. Steven Lopes will serve as chief executive officer for the Capital Region and Valerie Lopes will be the director of operations for Albany County.

New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association

Mark Dorr was promoted to president. Dorr previously served as vice president and communications manager.

Professions

Tully Rinckey PLLC

Derrick T. Hogan was promoted to senior associate, overseeing the criminal defense practice in Albany. Hogan joined as a law clerk in 2009.

Morgan Smith joined as recruitment manager. Smith has more than 14 years of staffing and recruitment experience and previously worked in recruitment at Clifford Chance US LLP.

Sherry M. Conaway joined as an associate, defending the rights of federal employees in harassment, disability retirement, retaliation, disciplinary matters, discrimination and adverse action. Conaway previously worked in the executive legal department in an investment management firm in Anchorage, Alaska.

Frank J. Howard joined as a senior associate, primarily practicing family and matrimonial law. Howard previously worked in private practice representing clients in family court, divorce and separation.

Melissa A. Mummery joined the Labor and Employment Law Practice Group as an associate and will represent state and federal employees facing legal issues like harassment, disability retirement, retaliation, disciplinary and adverse action matters, and discrimination. Mummery was previously a pro bono attorney at a local nonprofit.

Colden Corp.

Michele Noble Shepard joined as vice president in the Albany office, overseeing operations for environmental, health and safety management and auditing projects. Shepard has more than 20 years of experience.

kW Mission Critical Engineering

John Crawford joined the Troy office. Crawford has seven years of industry experience and will work on designing electrical systems for large-scale colocation data centers across the country.

Wojeski & Co. CPAs PC

Dominique Adornato joined as a staff accountant on the audit team. Adornato is responsible for attestation engagement including audits, reviews and compilations.

Mazzotta, Sherwood & Vagianelis PC

John F. Hayko joined as of counsel.

3tarchitects

Kyle Tomisman joined as an architectural designer. Tomisman previously served as an intern with McKinney MacDonald Architects, which recently merged with the firm.

Real Estate

WEICHERT REALTORS  Fontaine & Associates

Edith Knisell joined the Athens office as a Realtor. Knisell will assist home buyers and sellers in Columbia and Greene counties and surrounding areas.

 Jennifer Patterson
Albany

A 19-year-old white supremacist from Washington County who bragged about developing a "hit squad" to murder black and Jewish people  and wanted to use maple syrup as currency to buy weapons  was sentenced to three years and a month in federal prison.

Shane Robert Smith of Whitehall, who pleaded guilty to having a machine gun after being caught in an undercover sting, also received three years of supervised release from U.S. District Court Judge Mae D'Agostino on Tuesday.

Smith was arrested Aug. 6, 2015 after meeting with an undercover agent in Whitehall. Smith planned to pay for weaponry with jewelry, books, future payments and the maple syrup. He showed up, took possession of the items and was arrested, prosecutors said.

He was forming a group called the "SRA," which stood for "Silent Resistance Army," they said.

"The defendant committed a serious criminal firearms offense and did so for the stated goal of starting a militant terrorist group and executing people based on their race and religion," stated Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean O'Dowd and Solomon Shinerock in a pre-sentencing memo to the judge.

Smith's attorney, William E. Montgomery III, wrote the judge: "The entire course of events, concluding with the defendant Shane Smith walking along Main Street in the rural village of Whitehall, NY carrying costume jewelry, books and maple syrup as payment for two machine guns, a pistol, silencer and ammunition, belies believability."

In 2014, Smith joined a Russian social media network called VK  similar to Facebook  and listed his interests as "guns, gunsmithing, building bombs, knives, guerilla warfare, preserving my race and folk, and destroying the government," prosecutors said.

Smith emailed a Switzerland-based Bitmessage account to ordered an M4 carbine assault rifle. In January 2015, he sent another email to the recipient asking to "trade my goods for some of yours" and that he could offer "military-issue body armor ... gas masks, filters, ballistic vests and Kevlar helmets and more."

Washington County probation officers visited Smith's home two weeks later in response to social media posts seeking ammunition.

In April 2015, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force used a former law officer as an undercover operative to communicate with Smith online. Smith told the person he wanted a "simple MAC-10, nothing fancy" so he could execute Jewish and black people.

Smith ordered books on MAC-10 weapons and how to make them automatic guns. Smith wanted to acquire an M16A2 machine gun, hundreds of rounds of jacketed hollow point ammunition, "green tip" ammunition designed to pierce body armor and "boomers," his term for "explosiveness in C4 or grenades."

"You building your own army?" the operative asked Smith.

"Well, like a hit squad," Smith responded.

rgavin@timesunion.com  518-434-2403  @RobertGavinTU
Wisconsin Dells-area credit and debit card users, beware: Identity thieves are among us.

That fact was brought home to Lake Delton police late last month, when an illegal credit card information skimmer was discovered at a Lake Delton gas stations fueling pump.

The electronic device, designed to intercept information from credit and debit cards being used at the pump, was discovered Aug. 25 at the Dino Stop at 1280 South Wisconsin Dells Parkway, by an investigator for Wisconsins Bureau of Weights and Measures.

The investigator found the skimmer as part of a spot-check review of pumps throughout the region, and he turned the confiscated device over to the Lake Delton Police Department. The department is working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine whether credit card information is contained on the device, according to Lake Delton Police Chief Daniel Hardman.

The question is, do we have any victims? We dont know, Hardman said late last week.

Whether anyones skimmed information actually made it to the would-be thieves will depend on whether the device is equipped with Bluetooth and was transmitted to the waiting perpetrators, or if the investigator found the device before the thieves could return to the pump and retrieve it.

If it wasnt a Bluetooth device, then there are no victims, Hardman said.

Whatever the case, anyone who uses a credit or debit card should keep a close eye on their card statements and credit reports, said both Hardman and a representative from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Potential victims should keep an eye on their credit and debit card statements. They should also watch their credit reports, said Jared Albracht, spokesman for the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATC).

A state Bureau of Consumer Protection fact sheet provides a variety of information-protection tips, and a DATC web page offers similar recommendations for business owners.

Identity theft from credit and debit cards is a universal problem, Hardman said  especially in commercial areas near interstate highways. The same investigation that uncovered the skimmer in Lake Delton turned up eight others in the Madison area. The devices are even more common around metropolitan areas like Milwaukee and Chicago.

Be very attentive, watch your statements, and if you see any improprieties call your credit card company and your local police, Hardman said.

The skimmer found in Lake Delton was inside the pump and thus undetectable by anyone using it, but sometimes such devices are affixed to gas pump exteriors, as well as ATM machines, Hardman said. When in doubt, contact the gas station, bank and local police, and dont use the machine in question.

If you go to the ATM at a bank and it looks like something is attached or it doesnt look normal to you, dont use it and notify the bank, he said.

Keeping a close eye on your wallet, cell phone and any other personal electronic devices when in public also are strongly recommended, especially in an area with thousands of visitors a day in the busier summer months.
Albany

A 32-year-old Pennsylvania man was detained Friday after being accused of allegedly attempting to coerce and entice a child into sex, authorities said.

He was allegedly caught weeks ago by an undercover Colonie police investigator who was posing as a 14-year-old boy.

Eric S. Mann of Howard, Pennsylvania, allegedly used various digital platforms from May 10 to August 25 to entice someone he thought was a 14-year-old boy to meet at a truck stop in Milesburg, Pa., for a sexual encounter.

Mann was arrested Aug. 25 in Milesburg and ordered detained Friday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel until a future appearance in an Albany court.

The detainment was announced by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Albany Division.

If convicted, Mann faces at least 10 years to life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $250,000, supervised release and mandatory registration as a sex offender.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.

emasters@timesunion.com  518-454-5467  @emilysmasters
Hoosick Falls

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday declared that contaminated areas in the village of Hoosick Falls are being proposed as a federal Superfund site.

The declaration would allow federal resources to be used to help clean up areas in the village contaminated with a man-made chemical that polluted public and private water supplies. The Superfund designation also means the federal government will simultaneously seek reimbursement and assistance from any companies found responsible for the pollution.

The federal Superfund listing  a precursor to being named a Superfund site  comes after New York officials earlier this year said the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plant in the village of Hoosick Falls would become a state Superfund site. That designation allowed the state to list perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA, a toxic chemical that has been found in elevated levels in the village's water supply, as a hazardous substance.

"The people of Hoosick Falls need all hands on deck  and especially the EPA's Superfund status  to hold accountable the corporations who created this PFOA mess and force them to clean up the pollution," said U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York. "I am glad that EPA has heeded our call to add this site to the National Priority List right away, because it gives the EPA leverage to make the polluters pay and to set a protocol for investigation and clean-up."

The EPA said groundwater that supplies the village's water treatment plant is contaminated with PFOA and also Vinyl Chloride and Dichloroethylene. "PFOA does not break down easily and therefore is very persistent in the environment," the agency said in an announcement saying it had added Hoosick Falls to its list of the nation's most contaminated sites. "Its toxicity and persistence in the environment can pose adverse effects to human health and the environment."

Superfund authority allows the state to investigate the extent of any contamination, and to begin remediation immediately. But the federal Superfund declaration elevates the government response to the situation, including the weight of a federal cleanup program that has been in place for more than 30 years and led to cleanups of severely polluted sites around the country, including dredging PCBs from the Hudson River.

Elevated levels of PFOA were discovered in the village's water system in 2014 by Michael Hickey, a former village trustee whose father died of cancer. Hickey sent water samples to a Canadian lab that reported levels of PFOA that the EPA later said are not safe for human consumption.

The EPA in 2009 established a guideline that a level of 400 parts per trillion is safe for "short-term" consumption of the water. But the EPA this summer set a long-term exposure level of 70 ppt for the chemical. PFOA was detected in drinking water in the Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh areas at levels above 500 ppt.

The man-made chemical was used to make non-stick and other household and commercial products that are heat-resistant and repel grease and water. Under a deal with the EPA, major PFOA makers began phasing out its use in 2006. PFOA exposure has been linked to increased health effects, including testicular and kidney cancer and thyroid disease.

"The EPA made the right decision by formally proposing the Saint-Gobain facility in Hoosick Falls as a federal Superfund site," said U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a statement Wednesday commending the EPA for "finally acting" on the request to add the site to the federal National Priorities List of polluted sites. The state said it formally asked for the federal designation in January.

Dr. Marcus E. Martinez, who runs a family medical practice in Hoosick Falls, told the Times Union last year that he and his father, who opened the practice in 1956, have noted rare and aggressive forms of cancer in patients, as well as thyroid disease and other health problems. In December, the Times Union reported many residents in the village and town believe their community has been afflicted by rare and aggressive forms of cancer and thyroid disease.

State officials previously said their Superfund designation "exists to enable the DEC to go out and spend money against the state Superfund remedial work. We then go after the polluter to recover those monies."

Although the source of the Hoosick Falls contamination has not been identified, officials have focused on the Saint-Gobain plant, which is near several wells that supply Hoosick Falls' water treatment plant. The small factory, which Saint-Gobain bought in 1999, used the chemical for decades and is the village's largest employer with about 125 workers. It owns a second plant in the village with about 75 workers.

Saint-Gobain used PFOA at its plants until December 2014, when it stopped using the chemical. Its own water tests, done as a result of Hickey's discovery, included results that showed levels of PFOA at 18,000 ppt in the groundwater under its McCaffrey Street plant  several hundred yards from the village's well fields.

blyons@timesunion.com  518-454-5547  @brendan_lyonstu
Saratoga Springs

After two months of outcry from residents and local elected officials, the state Department of Transportation reversed its decision on the fate of the Nelson Avenue Extension Bridge.

This quiet span over the Northway, which gets little traffic and leads to a remote area of the city, will remain open.

In July, DOT said it would demolish the bridge, which is in need of replacement, because it was too costly to fix  an estimated $5.5 million  and only carries about 440 cars a day. This sparked residents to launch a petition and a phone calling campaign to save it. DOT Commissioner Matthew Driscoll relented, saying Wednesday the state will keep the span open and will continue to maintain it.

In a statement, Driscoll said that DOT is committed to assuring "that all state bridges provide safe, reliable service to the traveling public." Part of that commitment, he added, includes "carefully weighing public sentiment."

Saratoga Springs Mayor Joanne Yepsen thanked Driscoll and Gov. Andrew Cuomo for taking the concerns seriously and reversing their decision. "Concerned residents worked closely with my staff and me to convey to Sam Zhou, Region 1 Director of NYS DOT, the environmental and economic benefits of the bridge to our community," Yepsen.

But not everyone is completely satisfied. Marie Balet, owner of Balet Flowers and Design, who spearheaded the community protest, said the bridge must be replaced.

"Our efforts now will be to concentrate on finding funds to replace the bridge," Ballet said. "We plan to work closely with our elected and DOT officials in the hopes that money can be appropriated and a timeline can be set for this bridge replacement."

The Nelson Avenue Extension Bridge over the Northway is touted as a vital link for daily access to employment, Saratoga Springs Hospital, schools, fire and ambulance services and businesses. The bridge is also a critical connection in a popular route for bicyclists, runners, and walkers, supporters said.

The state agency considered closing Nelson Avenue after it compared traffic patterns with the Crescent Avenue Bridge, which is just north of Nelson Avenue. It found the Crescent span carried 2,250 cars a day. Closing Nelson Avenue would force traffic along an alternate route over Crescent Avenue and then down the narrow, windy Kaydeross Avenue.

Residents argued that the country road was difficult to navigate for large or emergency vehicles.

While the agency has no plans to replace Nelson Avenue bridge, it will move forward with plans to replace two other bridges, the busier Crescent Avenue and East High Street over the Northway in Malta.

wliberatore@timesunion.com  518-454-5445  @wendyliberatore
From June to August , these were the most interesting happenings in the Capital Region for summer 2016. Whether they created community buzz or racked up social media likes, comments and retweets, these local events and online stories had everyone talking.

Most popular SEEN galleries of the summer
A New Lisbon man faces strangulation and suffocation charges and a count of child abuse, among other charges, after an incident on Aug. 25.

According to a criminal complaint, Chad S. Brest, 35, turned physical after getting into an argument with a child. Brest had been fishing and returned home. A female acquaintance said she could smell alcohol on Brests breath.

He began arguing with a boy at the residence, squeezing his arms until the boy began crying and begged him to stop. The female stepped in to stop Brest and the two began shoving and pushing each other. According to the report, Brest pushed her onto a couch and placed his arm across her throat for about 30 seconds, making it hard for her to breathe. She became dizzy and her voice grew hoarse.

Fearing for her life, the alleged victim tried to push Brest off, but it wasnt working. According to the complaint, Brest yelled at her, calling her derogatory names. The boy came out of his room and screamed at Brest to stop. Brest allegedly left the female and ran after the boy. He grabbed him and threw him to the floor. The woman again tried to stop Brest and he attempted to choke her with his forearm, but she avoided him and Brest stopped fighting.

Brest packed a few items in a bag and left the residence. A deputy from the Juneau County Sheriffs Office spoke to the woman after the incident. She said Brest began arguing with the boy over the length of time he wears his clothes without changing them.

As a result of the alleged incident, the boy suffered an eye injury and the woman had injuries to her neck and chest. Brest also made a mess in the home before leaving. The woman invoked the 72-hour no contact provision, but Brest attempted to return to the home shortly after the incident. Brest was arrested and transported to the Juneau County Jail.

Brest will be at the Juneau County Justice Center for an initial appearance on Sept. 14. Brest is also facing a count of misdemeanor batter and disorderly conduct, domestic abuse.
Amneal is aiming to open its high tech manufacturing plant on the Cahir road in Cashel in early 2018, the Tipperary Star has learned.

The state-of-the-art facility left over from Alza/Cordis is currently being re-fitted with all the equipment necessary to manufacture inhalers by the New Jersey based firm.

A spokesperson for the company said: Our intention is to host an official opening ceremony once we are in full commercial production; at this time we are targeting the first half of 2018.

We would hope to have in excess of 250 people once we are at full production capacity. While the company cannot disclose the financial scale of the investment, the spokesperson did say that this facility will be dedicated to the production of meter dosed inhalers and dry powder inhalers.

We are also going to focus on developing and producing biosimilars  approved biological products that are comparable to originator biologics, in terms of safety and effectiveness.

These are all high-end specialty medications for the treatment of life-threatening diseases such as cancer, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), which will be distributed across Europe and the United States. These medicines will be produced on very sophisticated manufacturing lines equipped with high levels of automation and quality control systems.

Company chiefs are pleased with the response in terms of recruiting highly-skilled staff in Ireland. We are delighted with the talent we have hired to-date and the overall talent available in the region.

Amneal chose Cashel due to the availability of existing manufacturing infrastructure, as well as the quality of its local workforce, the enthusiastic support of government leaders and a positive business environment were important factors in our decision to build our operations in Cashel.

The spokesperson said they foresee a close and warm relationship with the local community.

We are already involved in many community initiatives. In particular, we are developing a strong link with our near neighbours, Scoil Aonghusa, who specialise in education for children with special needs. A number of our employees have visited the school to view first-hand the great work carried out there.

Now that the summer break is coming to an end, we look forward to continuing our support in the coming academic year, added the spokesperson.

Launched in 2002 in New Jersey by brothers Chirag Patel and Chintu Patel, Amneal has rapidly grown its production of generic prescription products, eventually launching their own label in June of 2007. Today, Amneal is one of the fastest-growing companies in the pharmaceutical industry and has expanded beyond the United States with offices on the Australian, European and Asian continents.
A Pleasantville Borough Council meeting held on Tuesday evening brought some answers to the table for residents of the borough who were worrie
[September 06, 2016] Agile Networks Announces Agreement for Asset License in Indiana

Agile (News - Alert) Networks (Agile) announced today, along with Governor Mike Pence, that negotiations have been finalized on an agreement that will license the state of Indiana's communications infrastructure to Agile. This includes hundreds of traditional and non-traditional vertical assets, fiber optic cables, and streamlined right-of-way access. The Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) board approved the agreement this morning, pending review by the state's legislative budget committee. "Indiana is a national leader in partnerships that deliver sound financial returns and long-term benefits to Hoosiers," said Governor Pence. Agile echoes the enthusiasm that this agreement will put underused assets throughout the state into full play and enhance Indiana's communication capabilities. Agile is providing an innovative approach that will empower telecom participants to utilize assets previously inaccessible. By making an investment to unify Indiana's existing infrastructure and assets, Agile will establish a statewide network that will transform broadband access throughout Indiana, including rural areas. "We're looking forward to seeing the state's communication infrastructure fully utilized, and Agile has demonstrated through the proposal process that it has the experience and expertise to do that," said Dan Huge, Director of the Indiana Finance Authority. "With a qualified firm driving the management, operation, and marketing of the state's communiction infrastructure, Indiana stands to gain significantly upfront and in the long-term for our rural communities and economic-development efforts."



Agile has a history of success in working with the public and private sectors to significantly increase broadband availability. The Agile Network is a hybrid network that, in partnership with asset owners, brings together wireless and fiber technologies to enhance asset value through investment and innovation, and provide an integrated "Pipe Power Tower" solution. This expansion will allow telecommunications and infrastructure providers to take advantage of Agile's open access model, making it easy for wireless and other providers to enter new urban and rural markets in Indiana. "This expansion will enhance broadband service as Agile Networks' open access model will give wireless carriers and providers the ability to easily enter new urban and rural markets," said Micah Vincent, Director of the Indiana Office of Management and Budget. "The impact of significantly increasing broadband availability in underserved areas will facilitate economic development, increase educational learning and telemedicine opportunities, increase growth for rural businesses, advance agricultural technologies, and provide reliable broadband for residents."

"Agile Networks is looking forward to working with Indiana to make telecom assets within the Hoosier state fully accessible and ready for use by the public and private sectors," says Kyle Quillen, founder and CTO of Agile Networks. "This will accelerate the advancement of Indiana's infrastructure and position the state as a telecom policy leader." Agile will be announcing specifics of the expansion soon. About Agile Networks Agile Networks is the premier provider of mission critical telecommunications infrastructure that brings together fiber and wireless assets to provide connectivity to empower individuals and transform organizations. Through creating statewide networks, Agile Networks brings value to underutilized assets to serve public safety, government, carriers, enterprises, and residents. For more information, visit www.agilenetworks.com/indiana. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160906006550/en/

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[September 07, 2016] Apple Pay Coming to Japan with iPhone 7

Apple today announced that iPhone (News - Alert) 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2 will bring customers in Japan the ability to use Apple Pay, an easy, fast and secure way to pay for everything in their daily routines, beginning in October. Users can commute and pay for everyday items with Suica from JR East, and make convenient and private credit and prepaid card purchases in stores, apps and on the web with a single touch. Apple (News - Alert) is also introducing support for transit in Japan with Maps in iOS 10, so commuters can easily find ride details, including fare breakdowns that automatically show Suica pricing right on their device, making their commute more seamless and simpler than ever. Apple Pay is accepted anywhere Suica is available, so users can make quick everyday purchases and buy or reload a Suica card or commuter pass, all with their iPhone. Japan's major financial brands will also support Apple Pay, so shoppers can make purchases in many of the country's largest stores, at neighborhood shops and restaurants, and from their favorite online merchants. "We are incredibly excited to bring iPhone 7 to customers in Japan so they can experience the magic of Apple Pay," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Apple Pay will transform your daily routine, from making your commute easier and more convenient than ever with Suica right on your iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2, to using your favorite cards to make secure and private purchases with a single touch." "As the world's largest transit operator, JR East is committed to innovating so we can provide our customers across Japan the best service possible," said Tetsuro Tomita, president and CEO of East Japan Railway. "For iPhone 7, we redesigned an entirely new experience from the ground up so our customers can enjoy the ease and security of using Apple Pay while commuting, in our app and in stores with Suica." iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2 sold in Japan will support FeliCa Type-F NFC contactless technology, which is used every day for more than 160 million transactions across Japan. When Maps launches support for transit in Japan with iOS 10 in October, Apple Pay users can map out and pay for their entire commute, including major train, subway, ferry and national bus lines, on their iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Appe Watch Series 2, based on updated fare and schedule information. If you have a Suica card added to Apple Pay and are planning a route that exceeds its balance, an alert will show it's time to reload, and you can do so instantly, right on your device. Commuters can also follow carefully curated navigation instructions so it's easy to get around Japan's extensive underground tunnel networks.



Apple Pay will support many of the most popular Japanese credit and prepaid cards issued by AEON, Credit Saison, JCB, Mitsubishi (News - Alert) UFJ Nicos, Orient Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Card, Toyota Finance, UC Cards and View Card, and carriers KDDI, NTT Docomo and Softbank, representing more than three-quarters of all credit card spending in Japan, with major global and domestic networks like American Express (News - Alert), Mastercard, JCB, iD and QUICPay. Users will continue to receive all of the rewards and benefits offered by their cards. Beginning in October, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2 users will be able to make purchases in stores anywhere Suica, iD or QUICPay is accepted, encompassing nearly two-thirds of all transactions at Japan's largest merchants. In addition to Apple Stores in Japan, leading retailers that will accept Apple Pay include convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Circle K, Family Mart, Lawson, Ministop and Sunkus, supermarkets such as AEON, APITA and PIAGO, gas stations including ENEOS and Esso Mobil General, retailers like BicCamera, Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Uniqlo, and favorite local brands such as JapanTaxi and Sukiya.

Online shopping in apps and on websites accepting Apple Pay is as simple as the touch of a finger with Touch ID, so there's no need to manually fill out lengthy account forms or repeatedly type in shipping and billing information. Your card number is kept private and not shared with the merchant. Online brands that will accept Apple Pay in Japan include BASE, Demae-Can, giftee, Jalan.net, JapanTaxi, minne and Toho Cinema. When paying for goods and services on the go within apps or Safari, Apple Pay works with iPhone 6 and later, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, and iPad mini 3 and later. You can also use Apple Pay in Safari on any Mac introduced in or after 2012 running macOS Sierra, and confirm the payment with iPhone 6 or later or Apple Watch. Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. If your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch is ever lost, you can use Find My iPhone to put your device in Lost Mode to suspend Apple Pay, or you can wipe your device clean completely. You can also stop the ability to make payments with Apple Pay on iCloud.com. If you lose your device, your Suica balance is recoverable. When you use a credit or prepaid card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device. Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple's four software platforms - iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS - provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple's 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it. NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple's PR website (www.apple.com/pr), or call Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.  2016 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple Pay, Touch ID, Safari, iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple. iPhone is used in Japan under license from Aiphone Corporation. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907006688/en/

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Hub International Acquires the Assets of Alaska-Based Patterson Insurance Brokers

Hub International Limited (Hub), a leading global insurance brokerage, announced today that it has acquired the assets of Patterson Insurance Brokers (Patterson). Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Based in Anchorage, Alaska, Patterson specializes in providing commercial lines and employee benefit insurance solutions. Kent Patterson, Patterson's President, will join Hub Northwest as Vice President Alaska.

Anchorage-based Patterson will serve as a central point for HUB Northwest's Alaskan operations. Hub currently has four locations in Alaska including offices in Palmer, Anchorage, Kenai and Soldotna.







"The addition of Patterson Insurance Brokers is strategic for our operational plans for Alaska. Kent and his team provide a presence in Anchorage that will allow us to expand in the state's largest city, as well as provide a center of operations for our expanding presence throughout Alaska," said Andy Prill, CEO, Hub Northwest. "I'm looking forward to working with Kent as we continue to grow in Alaska."

"Joining Hub is a great next step for Patterson Insurance Brokers and its staff as we expand our presence in Anchorage and the state. The broad scope of services and insurance solutions that Hub brings are invaluable for our clients and prospects. I am thrilled to be joining a great team and to have the opportunity to contribute to its success," said Patterson.

About Hub's M&A Activities

Hub International Limited is committed to growing organically and through acquisitions to expand its geographic footprint and strengthen industry and product expertise. For more information on the Hub M&A experience, visit WeAreHub.com.

About Hub International

Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Hub International Limited is a leading global insurance brokerage that provides property and casualty, life and health, employee benefits, investment and risk management products and services from offices located throughout North America. For more information, please visit hubinternational.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005359/en/
[September 07, 2016] InVivo Therapeutics to Present at 55th International Spinal Cord Society Annual Scientific Meeting

InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV) today announced that Kristin Neff, Vice President of Clinical Operations & Project Management, is scheduled to present at the 55th International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) Annual Scientific Meeting to be held September 14-16, 2016 in Vienna, Austria. Ms. Neff was invited to present along with several other leaders in the field of spinal cord injury clinical research on September 14 during the symposium titled "Clinical Trials Update for 2016." The symposium, organized by the Spinal Cord Outcomes Partnership Endeavor (SCOPE), is intended to provide an update on current clinical research to foster communication between researchers and clinicians on advancements and challenges in clinical research. "I am excited to share our encouraging progress to date and partake in the discussion on the challenges of conducting clinical studies in the spinal cord injury patient population," Ms. Neff said. For more information regarding the meeting, visit: https://www.iscosmeetings.org/



About the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold Implant Following acute spinal cord injury, surgical implantation of the biodegradable Neuro-Spinal Scaffold within the decompressed and debrided injury epicenter is intended to support appositional healing, thereby reducing post-traumatic cavity formation, sparing white matter, and allowing neural regeneration across the healed wound epicenter. The Neuro-Spinal Scaffold, an investigational device, has received a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD) designation and currently is being evaluated in the INSPIRE pivotal probable benefit study for the treatment of patients with complete (AIS A) traumatic acute spinal cord injury.

About InVivo Therapeutics InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. is a research and clinical-stage biomaterials and biotechnology company with a focus on treatment of spinal cord injuries. The company was founded in 2005 with proprietary technology co-invented by Robert Langer, Sc.D., Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Joseph P. Vacanti, M.D., who then was at Boston Children's Hospital and who now is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2011, the company earned the David S. Apple (News - Alert) Award from the American Spinal Injury Association for its outstanding contribution to spinal cord injury medicine. In 2015, the company's investigational Neuro-Spinal Scaffold received the 2015 Becker's Healthcare Spine Device Award. The publicly-traded company is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more details, visit www.invivotherapeutics.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005101/en/

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[September 07, 2016] MDA to provide RADARSAT-2 information to Orbital Insight

RICHMOND, BC, Sept. 7, 2016 /CNW/ - MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. ("MDA" or the "Company") (TSX:MDA), a global communications and information company, today announced that it has signed a contract with Orbital Insight, Inc., a geospatial big data company that provides advanced information solutions obtained by analyzing millions of satellite images at a time. MDA will provide RADARSAT-2 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) information for integration into Orbital Insight's business intelligence services and products to enhance their analytics. MDA's RADARSAT-2 provides valuable change detection information to enhance pattern-of-life analysis over areas of high activity. In combination with Orbital Insight's data analytics capabilities, the RADARSAT-2 information will be used to monitor a variety of economic and industrial activity around the world. The RADARSAT-2 satellite has global high-resolution surveillance capabilities that include a large collection capacity and high accuracy data acquisition. The satellite acquires data regardless of light or weather condition, and provides frequent re-visit imaging options. The information provided is ideally suited to markets that require either broad-area monitoring or targeted surveillance, such as defence and security, land use management, agriculture, disaster management, and natural resources. David Belton, MDA's manager responsible for this business said, "MDA has over 20 years of experience providing cost effective, accurate SAR information to many industries. We are excited to see what Orbital Insight's deep learning and data analytics models will discover and what newapplications and markets will be unlocked for RADARSAT-2."



"SAR imagery has the potential to unearth a wealth of new insight that optical imagery cannot," said James Crawford, CEO of Orbital Insight. "This deal with MDA marks the first time deep learning convolutional neural networks will be applied to SAR, opening up the market for commercial SAR applications, which is expected to provide global opportunities for future growth over the next five years." About MDA

MDA is a global communications and information company providing operational solutions to commercial and government organizations worldwide. MDA's business is focused on markets and customers with strong repeat business potential, primarily in the Communications sector and the Surveillance and Intelligence sector. In addition, the Company conducts a significant amount of advanced technology development. MDA's established global customer base is served by more than 4,800 employees operating from 13 locations in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The Company's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MDA." Related Websites www.mdacorporation.com Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements and information, which reflect the current view of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. ("MDA" or the "Company") with respect to future events and financial performance. The forward-looking statements in this regard include statements regarding the award of a contract. Any such forward-looking statements are based on MDA's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends. The factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements in this release include contracts not being terminated. Any such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. MDA cautions readers that should certain risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. The risks that could cause actual results to differ from current expectations include, but are not limited to: risks associated with operating a satellite including in-orbit failures or impaired satellite performance; failure of third parties and subcontractors; failure of systems to meet performance requirements; and failure to anticipate changes in technology, technical standards and offerings or compliance with the requisite standards. For additional information with respect to certain of these risks or factors, plus additional risks or factors, reference should be made to the Company's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with Canadian securities regulatory authorities, which are available online under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com or on the Company's website at www.mdacorporation.com. The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the form or content of this release. SOURCE MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.

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[September 07, 2016] Molina Healthcare Announces Support for HHS' Efforts to Improve the Marketplace Benefit and Payment Parameters

Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH) today announced support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) recently released Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters, which seeks to improve the risk adjustment program by providing policy and technical guidance related to the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. The goal of the HHS risk adjustment program is to compensate health insurance plans for differences in enrollee health mix so that plan premiums reflect differences in scope of coverage and other plan factors, but not differences in health status. This allows fairer competition in the market and equalizes risk so that health plans can focus on competing on benefit design, quality efficiency and value rather than solely on price. "We welcome the opportunity to work closely with HHS to ensure the risk adjustment program is as accurate and equitable as possible," said J. Mario Molina, MD, President and CEO of Molina Healthcare. "We encourage HHS to make these and other improvements sooner rather than later to ensure a viable marketplace for the future, and we look forward to seeing the positive outcomes that will result from these actions." The proposed rule by HHS introduces seeral significant changes to make the risk adjustment program more effective at pooling risks. One recommendation is to incorporate prescription drugs in the risk adjustment model, which would lead to a more comprehensive picture of the severity of an illness and fill in gaps where diagnoses data may be missing from medical claims. Another change would be the consideration of better estimate techniques. These techniques would more accurately reflect the predicted risk of low-cost enrollees, which are under-accounted for in the current model. Lastly, the removal of administrative and other non-medical related costs from the risk transfer formula would eliminate the transfer of risk adjustment dollars that are unrelated to enrollee's health.



Molina currently serves nearly 600,000 Marketplace members across nine states in which the company already offers other government-sponsored programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare. These states include California, Florida, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. About Molina Healthcare, Inc.

Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, provides managed health care services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. Through our locally operated health plans in 12 states across the nation and in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Molina serves approximately 4.3 million members. Dr. C. David Molina founded our company in 1980 as a provider organization serving low-income families in Southern California. Today, we continue his mission of providing high quality and cost-effective health care to those who need it most. For more information about Molina Healthcare, please visit our website at molinahealthcare.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907006873/en/

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MADISON / BRIDGMAN, Mich. - John Robert Gilsdorf, age 81, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully, with his wife by his side, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016. He was born on June 29, 1935, the son of John "Jack" and Ermina (Pratsch) Gilsdorf in Green Bay.

John graduated from East DePere High School in 1953. He continued his studies until enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1955. John was stationed at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, where he met and married Helen Potterf on Oct. 6, 1956. Following his honorable discharge in 1957, John continued his education at Stout State College, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree, with distinction in Industrial Education in 1960, his Master of Science in Industrial Education in 1962 and in 1971, received his Specialist in Education degree all from Stout State University. John worked for Hamilton Manufacturing in Two Rivers, then Gisholt Machine Corp. before beginning his career as a professor at Madison Area Technical College from 1964-1993.

John was well known for his bow ties and jovial sense of humor and in 1971, was selected as Outstanding Educator of America. Always keeping busy, John enjoyed driving charter bus for various private companies, including many trips to Lambeau Field and Camp Randall. Even in retirement, he drove shuttles and was a private chauffeur for local retirement homes. John served on the Board of MATC Credit Union, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers for 25 years, and the Board of Trustees at Lake Edge United Church of Christ, where John and Helen were lifelong members until moving to Michigan, where they joined Zion United Church of Christ in Baroda, Mich. He was always helping people who needed help from a local disaster or a homeless shelter, or church work/mission trips around the United States. John always had a power tool in his hand when not teaching, and up until 2012, he was remodeling and creating beautiful wood crafts. He and Helen started their own craft business taking special orders and selling at various craft malls. He was also a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan as well as a stock holder and season ticket owner. John loved and supported the efforts of the American Red Cross nationally and locally. He held the record for the most gallons of blood donated for many years.

In 2010, after being lifelong Wisconsin residents, John and Helen sold their family home in Madison and moved to Michigan to be near their daughter. In 2013, they moved to Woodland Terrace Senior Living Community in Bridgman, Mich., where John peacefully fell into an eternal sleep, while sitting next to his beloved bride of nearly 60 years.

He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him, including his wife, Helen of 60 years; daughters, Janet (Rick) Mankowski of Bridgman, Mich., Karen (Mike) Bitter of Madison and Linda Gilsdorf of Madison; grandsons, Jonathan (Amber) Mankowski of Stevensville, Mich., Jerimiah (Sarah) Mankowski of Sun Prairie, Steven (Katie) Bitter of Jacksonville, N.C., Jack Bitter of Sun Prairie and Nicholas (Ashley) Bitter of Marshall; great-grandchildren, Bryce McConnell, Lauren Mankowski, Emma Bitter and Nolan Bitter; sister, JoAnne Lanz of Ukiah, Calf.; sister-in-law, Linda (GB) Ogle of Dayton, Ohio; and his loving and faithful companion, Benji. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A Celebration of Life will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, with the Rev. Julie Overman presiding. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park with military honors being conducted. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 12 noon until the time of the service on Friday.

John's family asks that you continue to support The American Red Cross in his memory.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
[September 06, 2016] Ohio Drug Price Ballot Measure: Secretary of State Husted Certifies Backers' 10-day Petition; Resubmits Proposed Law to General Assembly

After several attempts over the past year to thwart a ballot measure known as the Ohio Drug Price Relief Act from ever getting on the ballot and placed before voters, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted today certified a 10-day petition submitted by the measure's backers certifying an additional 12,476 valid voter signatures on behalf of the measure. Secretary Husted also resubmitted the language of the proposed statute to the Ohio General Assembly for its evaluation and consideration. On August 15th, the Supreme Court of Ohio issued a ruling in a case brought by PhRMA that sought to invalidate voter signatures on the Ohio Drug Price Relief Act, a ballot measure that would lower drug prices for state programs in Ohio. In that ruling, the Court directed backers of the measure to collect an additional 5,044 voter signatures in support of the measure in ten days by August 25th. Earlier today, Secretary Husted certified the 10-day petition, and in a letter sent to Donald J. McTigue, Esq., the attorney representing the proponents of the ballot measure, wrote, "The Petition the Committee filed with this office on August 25, 2016 pursuant to the Court's ruling contains a total of 12,476 valid signatures on behalf of the initiated statute. The Ohio Supreme Court's requirements are thereby satisfied." Secretary Husted also then resubmitted the proposed statute to the General Assembly. If the Assembly fails to act on the measure, backers may then collect an additional 91,677 valid voter signatures in order to place the initiative on the ballot, which backers hope to get on the November 2017 ballot.



"We were confident that we had more than enough additional signatures in the ten-day petition to meet the requirements set forth by the Supreme Court of Ohio and we are pleased that the Secretary of State promptly carried out the Supreme Court's instructions," said Don McTigue, attorney at law with the firm McTigue & Colombo. "This ballot measure will compel Ohio officials to pay no more for drugs for state programs than what the Department of Veterans Affairs pays," said Tracy Jones, Midwest Regional Director & National Director of Advocacy Campaigns and a proponent of the Drug Price Relief Act. "The General Assembly now has language of the measure for its consideration, the next step in the process of bringing this important issue before voters next year, should the Assembly fail to act on it."

The Ohio Drug Price Relief Act will amend Ohio law to require state programs to pay the same or less for prescription medications as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs1. Backers intended to have the initiative appear on Ohio's November 2016 presidential election ballot, but obstructionist-and backers believe, illegal-moves by Secretary of State Husted have forced the ballot measure proponents to aim for the November 2017 Ohio ballot instead. AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 600,000 individuals in 36 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook (News - Alert): www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert): @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare 1 V.A. pricing is generally believed to be 20% to 24% lower than for almost any other government program. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160906006682/en/

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[September 07, 2016] Schindler to Provide Elevators for Park Tower at Transbay in San Francisco

Schindler Elevator Corporation has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract with developer, The John Buck Company, to supply and install 20 elevators at Park Tower at Transbay, 18 of which will run on Schindler's award winning PORT destination-dispatch technology. These elevators will supply Occupant Evacuation Operation (OEO) using enhanced integration with the fire-safety system for passenger egress during a fire scenario. The 43-story structure, adjacent to San Francisco's Transbay Transit Center, will feature a unique design that incorporates multiple sky decks and 751,500 square feet of Class A++ office and high-end retail space. Once complete, the 605-foot tower will be the newest landmark on the San Francisco skyline offering breathtaking panoramic views of the city and the San Francisco bay. Occupant Evacuation Operation Enhances Building Safety Park Tower at Transbay, located in the core of San Francisco's most desirable submarket, will be the first to incorporate Schindler's OEO solution by more closely interfacing with the building's fire-safety system. Occupant Evacuation Operation is a non-mandatory code released in the United States that describes the use of elevators for passenger evacuation during a fire scenario. The use of these OEO elevators provides a means for a quicker evacuation process in the case of an emergency. Intuitive Technology Provides Personalized Mobility Moving occupants more efficietly throughout the tower will be the energy-efficient Schindler 7000 custom high-rise passenger elevators equipped with Schindler's PORT Technology destination-dispatch system. The system has a two-way communication interface between occupants and the building's environment. It optimizes traffic flow while offering predictive call entry and personalized service. The PORT Technology's patented access control uses RFID technology to play a significant role in managing and controlling access within the building.



Energy Efficient Design Schindler 7000 can improve building efficiency by:

Using permanent magnet motors and Power Factor 1 drives which reduce energy consumption by up to 35% and produce less heat than traditional drives

Re-generating energy back into the building's electrical system

Using recovered energy to power other building demands such as lighting, air conditioning or other equipment. "Park Tower at Transbay is a prime example of the integrated, sustainable urban environments that Schindler is so proud to support," says Bill Fiacco, Senior Vice President, New Installations for Schindler. "We were excited to offer them our PORT Technology and integrated OEO solutions in order to provide this landmark building with the most reliable elevator technology and the utmost safety." About Schindler Elevator Corporation Schindler Elevator Corporation is the North American operation of the Switzerland-based Schindler Group, a leading global mobility provider with over 57,000 employees operating in more than 100 countries. Schindler supports sustainable urban development with safe, reliable and ecologically sound mobility solutions and its equipment moves more than one billion people every day all over the world. For additional information about Schindler Elevator Corporation, visit the company's Web site at www.us.schindler.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005258/en/

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[September 07, 2016] State of Alaska Saves Millions of Dollars with Neustar Fraud Detection

Neustar, Inc. (NYSE: NSR), a trusted, neutral provider of real-time information services, today published a case study with the State of Alaska, highlighting a fraud detection use case that saves the state more than a million dollars a year by leveraging Neustar's GeoPoint IP Intelligence solution to identify fraudulent claims online. "Neustar has saved the State of Alaska millions of dollars with its fraud detection service," said Anne Weske, Operations Manager, Permanent Fund Dividend Division, State of Alaska. "Not only are we seeing a positive return on investment, we are seeing fewer fraudulent applications simply because we have these resources at our fingertips." The State of Alaska manages a Permanent Dividend Fund that returns more than $1B of oil and gas profits to its residents each year. Unfortunately, this benefit to residents is rife with fraudulent claims. Prior to Neustar, the audit and review process relied entirely on fraud tips from individuals who were suspicious of an applicant's eligibility to receive a dividend. However, the widespread adoption of an online application enabled the State of Alaska to implement a modern fraud detection service from Neustar. Neustar GeoPoint IP Intelligence solution enhances the method by which the State of Alaska monitors online transactions to detect and prevent fraud. The GeoPoint IP Intelligence service is a central repository for geographic and network connection attributes that tracks and maps close to four illion IP addresses worldwide, enabling its users to build criteria to reject or flag suspicious transaction for further review or denial.



"IP intelligence has become the modern equivalent of a physical address or phone number-an important indicator for fraud detection, marketing services and regulatory compliance," said Andrew Onufer, vice president, product management, Neustar. "These attributes are what enable organizations such as the State of Alaska to make informed decisions and effectively reduce fraud." After the State of Alaska implemented Neustar, its audit and review process identified more than 700 fraudulent applications, based on out-of-state IP addresses. The immediate impact resulted in eight indictments in state or federal court, 36 civil actions and the recovery or non-release of approximately $2.6M.

"We immediately saw the value of Neustar and continue to see the benefits today," said Weske. "Each year we audit thousands of applications and deny hundreds of returns. We are saving millions of dollars thanks to the data provided by Neustar." To read the State of Alaska case study, please visit https://ns-cdn.neustar.biz/creative_services/biz/neustar/www/clients/client-story-state-of-alaska.pdf For more information about Neustar GeoPoint IP Intelligence Data, please visit https://www.neustar.biz/services/fraud-detection About Neustar Every day, the world generates roughly 2.5 quadrillion bits of data. Neustar (NYSE: NSR) isolates certain elements and analyzes, simplifies and edits them to make precise and valuable decisions that drive results. As one of the few companies capable of knowing with certainty who is on the other end of every interaction, we're trusted by the world's great brands to make critical decisions some 20 billion times a day. We help marketers send timely and relevant messages to the right people. Because we can authoritatively tell a client exactly who is calling or connecting with them, we make critical real-time responses possible. And the same comprehensive information that enables our clients to direct and manage orders also stops attackers. We know when someone isn't who they claim to be, which helps stop fraud and denial of service before they're a problem. Because we're also an experienced manager of some of the world's most complex databases, we help clients control their online identity, registering and protecting their domain name, and routing traffic to the correct network address. By linking the most essential information with the people who depend on it, we provide more than 12,000 clients worldwide with decisions-not just data. More information is available at http://www.neustar.biz View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005407/en/

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[September 07, 2016] Wells Fargo Mobilizes to Help Louisiana Customers Impacted by Floods

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced the company will deploy its Mobile Response Unit to provide housing recovery assistance to Baton Rouge-area customers impacted by the recent flooding disaster. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005155/en/ In response to severe flooding in Louisiana, Wells Fargo (News - Alert) deployed its Mobile Response Unit to Denham Springs, LA at 1020 South Range Ave. Customers can receive in-person assistance from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday through September 16. Wells Fargo mortgage customers can also receive disaster assistance services at the company's mortgage offices located in Baton Rouge and Lafayette or call 888-818-9147. (Photo: Business Wire) The Wells Fargo Mobile Response Unit is located at 1020 South Range Ave. in Denham Springs, LA. Customers can receive in-person assistance from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday through September 16. Wells Fargo mortgage customers can also receive disaster assistance services at the company's mortgage offices located in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. "Our thoughts are with the communities impacted by the flooding in Louisiana and Mississippi," said Hugh Rowden, Wells Fargo's Government and Community Relations Director in the Southeast region. "We care and are concerned about our custmers living in these communities, and our Mobile Response Unit is another way we can help them recover as quickly as possible."



Wells Fargo's Mobile Response Unit is a 75-foot, heavy-duty commercial "office on wheels" designed to bring valuable information after a disaster directly to Wells Fargo customers. The Mobile Response Unit has private offices and is equipped with computers, cellular data feed with satellite backup and is powered by self-contained generators. Specialized team members on board are prepared to provide in-person mortgage assistance, insurance claim check processing, and tips to start the repair and recovery process in the event the customer was impacted by the flood. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage customers faced with payment challenges will also have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with the company's disaster assistance specialists to explore available options. Last year, Wells Fargo deployed its Mobile Response Unit to Houston after floods damaged thousands of homes in Texas.

Wells Fargo's deployment of its Mobile Response Unit to the Baton Rouge-area follows the company making a $50,000 donation to support relief and recovery efforts by the American Red Cross-Louisiana Region. Mortgage customer assistance Wells Fargo Home Mortgage customers in Louisiana who were affected by the floods should contact Wells Fargo Disaster Assistance Team at 888-818-9147 as soon as they can to discuss payment arrangements or for assistance with property insurance loss claims. The team is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST to help, offer guidance and information about loans and assistance programs. All other customers impacted by the floods who need assistance can contact Wells Fargo 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-TO-WELLS (1-800-869-3557). Visit Wells Fargo's Get Help with Disaster Recovery web page for additional details. About Wells Fargo (Twitter (News - Alert) @WellsFargo) Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,600 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 36 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 268,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 27 on Fortune's 2016 rankings of America's largest corporations. Wells Fargo's vision is to satisfy our customers' financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005155/en/

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[September 07, 2016] Wipro Awarded 3-Year Strategic IT Contract by Norway's Largest Railway Company - NSB

Wipro Ltd. (News - Alert) (NYSE:WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has won an IT contract from NSB Group, one of Norway's largest transportation groups. Headquartered in Oslo, NSB has extensive passenger transportation operations by way of the rail and bus, freight by rail, property management and development and train maintenance segments. As part of the three-year agreement, Wipro will implement its Boundaryless Datacenter (BLDC) and LiVE Workspace solutions and utilize its next-generation delivery framework ServiceNXT to deliver services which will help NSB variablise their IT operations. The proposed government-backed reforms in the Norwegian railway sector are expected to provide a fillip to the efficiency of the railways. The Wipro-enabled back-bone of IT infrastructure services will enable NSB to achieve greater flexibility, scalability, cost efficiency and offer an enhanced end-user experience. It will also help the company become more future-ready and competitive, in keeping with the spirit of the reforms. Trude stby Dahl, CIO, NSB Group, said, "This engagement is strategic to our business continuity operations and we believe that Wipro is the best partner for us. With our Data Center and End User Support enabled by Wipro, we can drive cost reduction and efficiencies, and most importantly, bring about joint innovations to serve our customers better." Carl-Henrik Hallstrom, Head of the Nordic Region, Wipro Limited, said, "In order to keep pace with changes on the market, rising customer expectations and emerging technologies, enterprises must reinvent their traditional IT infrastructure and data center service capabilities. We are confident that Wipro's ServiceNXT framework offering will enable NSB to optimize, automate and manage its IT in an agile manner. Furthermore, this engagement reiterates our continued focus and investments in Norway and the Nordic region." "We are delighted to partner with NSB in an engagement that will have a significant positive impact on the Norwegian transportation sector and the customer experience of millions of passengers. This is a prestigious engagement for us and we look forward to leveraging our transportation sector domain expertise, coupled with our deep infrastructure services capability and technology know-how," said Srini Pallia, President - Consumer Business, Wipro Limited. About NSB NSB Group is a Nordic transportation group. Passenger transport by bus and rail and freight traffic by rail, property development and train maintenance are the main activities. Bus: The bus operations in NSB Group are prformed by fully owned subsidiary Nettbuss.





Passenger train: Passenger operations in NSB Group consist of NSB AS, with subsidiaries NSB Gjvikbanen AS and Tagkompaniet AB.

Freight: Freight operations in NSB are performed by CargoNet.

Real estate: ROM Eiendom AS develops, operates and maintains property.

Maintenance: Mantena AS operates the maintenance of rolling stock in Norway and Sweden

Tourism: The NSB Group is establishing a new business area: Tourism. The business will be based on the current tourism products Bergen Railway and Flam Railway. NSB has an ambition to take a leading position in the tourism market in the fjord segment in Norway. About Wipro Limited

Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company that delivers solutions to enable its clients to do business better. Wipro delivers winning business outcomes through its deep industry experience and a 360 degree view of "Business through Technology." By combining digital strategy, customer centric design, advanced analytics and product engineering approach, Wipro helps its clients create successful and adaptive businesses. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, Wipro has a dedicated workforce of over 170,000, serving clients across 6 continents. For more information, please visit www.wipro.com. Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005882/en/

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[September 06, 2016] sharedserviceslink Enters the Technology Market with the Launch of Social Networking Site: sharespace

LONDON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- sharedserviceslink has announced the launch of the social networking site, sharespace, which connects shared services professionals globally, to leverage knowledge and experience, and fast-track organisations' maturity and success. "The shared services industry is continuously looking to improve. We have built sharespace so professionals from the 30,000 shared services centers around the world can connect with each other, discuss concerns and developments, and share ideas, materials, templates and benchmarks. We see sharespace as a tool that will plug a professional directly into the collective intelligence of the shared services industry. It's a hugely powerful proposition," said Susie West, Founder and CEO of sharedserviceslink. sharespace is made up of four "spaces": socialspace: This space enables users to join groups representing their interest areas. A user may want to: join a group of other users deployng a technology or outsourcer they are looking at or implementing; join a group of other shared services professionals in their industry, or; join a group talking about issues and solutions in, for example, change management or robotics. Private groups allow shared services teams within one company to connect in a single group. strategyspace: strategyspace provides users with accessible benchmarking. Users can compare their performance in key shared services processes with the KPIs of other users, to see if they are over- or under-performing. The tool allows you to filter by industry, size, and maturity. subjectspace: This space brings together the industry's most useful content. subjectspace presents much-needed reports and articles, and templates, presentations and guidelines uploaded by other sharespace users. supplierspace: With the most current information on the solutions market, supplierspace ensures that end users consider only the right solution providers for tender.



Visit sharespace today and ensure world-class performance in your shared services operations.

About sharedserviceslink Established in 2007, sharedserviceslink is a community for leaders in shared services, GBS, and outsourcing. With 40,000 members, sharedserviceslink offers best practice through events, webinars, reports, and now through sharespace. Follow sharedserviceslink on Twitter (@sslink_HQ). Visit http://www.sharedserviceslink.com for more details or contact: Andre Pons

Sales Manager

sharedserviceslink

[email protected]

+44(0)20-3751-2331

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[September 06, 2016] MKI and DocuSign Announce Japan Distributor Agreement for Digital Transaction Service

TOKYO and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. (MKI) and DocuSign Inc. (DocuSign) announced a distributor agreement where MKI will resell DocuSign's Digital Transaction Management1 (DTM) cloud service and eSignature solution in Japan. MKI joined the DocuSign Global Trust Network as an investor in 2014 and has used DocuSign within its own business since 2015. While various business processes have been digitized in recent years, paper contracts and physical stamps continue to be used for many agreements and internal approval processes, adding unnecessary handling costs and delaying speed to results. As business globalizes and partners and customers demand faster responses, MKI is keenly aware of the need to revolutionize the way business documents are managed in Japan. MKI is partnering with DocuSign to digitize and streamline processes to accelerate the pace of business in Japan. DocuSign empowers anyone to send, sign and manage agreements anytime, anywhere, on any device with trust and confidence. DocuSign is used by more than 250,000 companies and 100 million users in 188 countries. In October 2014, MKI made a strategic investment in DocuSign together with Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. Before this distributor agreement, MKI had been using DocuSign for its own internal processes on a trial basis. In a one-year trial period beginning in July 2015, MKI fully digitized contracts and management approval requests in branch offices in Osaka, Fukuoka, and Okinawa. During the trial, processes, which had traditionally taken up to two days including delivery time, were reduced to an average of two hours, and in some cases as short as 10 minutes. MKI and DocuSign are promoting the digitization of corporate agreements and the resulting efficiencies and cost reductions, leveraging the knowhow acquired during this trial. A number of companies are currently testing the service. Looking ahead, MKI is targeting JPY 1 billion in sales over three years by contribting to the digitization of business processes through further sales partnerships with cloud-based Enterprise Content Management (ECM) service Box, the Sales/CRM application Salesforce Sales Cloud, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software SAP.



DocuSign continues to offer a broad spectrum of solutions for its business partners, including the DocuSign Administrator Certification Course, leveraging its expertise in supporting DocuSign's adoption across a range of sectors including finance, insurance, communications, and government. Commenting on the agreement with DocuSign, MKI President and CEO Masaki Saito said, "Our trial implementation of DocuSign enabled us to complete an unprecedented 300 approval processes per person per month and firmly established the service as a critical part of our business. We look forward to contributing to the improved efficiency of Japanese companies through this distributor agreement with DocuSign as the global standard for Digital Transaction Management and eSignature."

DocuSign Japan President Hayato Koeda said, "MKI is one of Japan's leading providers of cloud services. We are delighted that they have experienced the benefits of Digital Transaction Management within their own business, and are honored to welcome them as a DocuSign distribution partner in Japan. We firmly believe that MKI's strength in systems integration and cloud deployments will bring about a digital transformation in Japanese business." For more information on DocuSign, please visit www.docusign.com or www.docusign.jp. Media Contacts

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Strategy Planning Dept.

Corporate Planning Div.

TEL: 03-6376-1008

E-mail: [email protected] Ashton Consulting Limited (DocuSign PR contact)

Yoko Fukui / Yuko Miyazaki

TEL: 03-5425-7220

E-mail: [email protected] Product & Services Contact

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Cloud Services Div.

IT Infrastructure Services Unit

TEL: 03-6376-1280

E-mail: [email protected] DocuSign Japan K.K.

TEL: 03-6890-3040

E-mail: [email protected] About MKI

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. specialized in providing services and products related to ICT (Information and Communication Technology). Partnering with various global ICT venders and supporting more than 1,500 companies, MKI offers best-in-class solutions to customers. About DocuSign Japan

DocuSign is changing how business gets done by empowering anyone to send, sign and manage agreements anytime, anywhere, on any device with trust and confidence. DocuSign and Go to keep life and business moving forward. For more information, please visit DocuSign Japan's website, https://www.docusign.jp/ 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. 1 Digital Transaction Management (DTM) is a category of cloud services that enables companies to manage their document-based transactions digitally, allowing for faster, easier, more secure processes. DTM solutions help consumers and businesses complete transactions faster by automating manual, paper-based workflows for capturing information, payments, and signatures, thus eliminating the hassles, costs, and lack of security in printing, faxing, scanning, and overnighting paper documents. Organizations who have implemented DTM solutions report substantial ROI, improved security and compliance, and increased satisfaction and loyalty through better end user experiences. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151102/283113LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mki-and-docusign-announce-japan-distributor-agreement-for-digital-transaction-service-300323424.html SOURCE DocuSign, Inc.

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[September 06, 2016] OutSystems Expands Across Asia Pacific to Meet the Region's Growing Demand for Low-Code Application Development

ATLANTA, SINGAPORE and BANGKOK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- OutSystems, provider of the number one platform for low-code application development, has appointed Mark Weaser as the new Vice President for Asia Pacific. The appointment comes at a time of dramatic growth as the company expands its roster of partners and customers across the region. Since 2013, OutSystems has picked up more than 75 new customers in Asia Pacific, including companies such as Atos and REST Industry Super in Australia, HaelthTech and Transnational Diversified Group in the Philippines, and Ricoh and NCS in Singapore. Year to date, the company has added new customers in each of these countries as well as in Japan and Hong Kong, and formed new partnerships in India, Thailand, and Indonesia. Today, OutSystems is actively marketing itself across Asia, including in new markets such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It projects headcount growth of 50 percent over the course of 2016. "OutSystems has seen remarkable growth in Asia Pacific over th last three years," said Paulo Rosado, CEO of OutSystems. "As we continue to execute on our global expansion plans, we're building out our leadership team with experienced executives with deep experience in the region."



With his proven track record in scaling fast-growing software companies across multiple geographies in Asia Pacific, Weaser will play a critical role in building upon OutSystems success in the region. He will be focused on increasing adoption of the company's low-code application development platform among leading companies across Asia Pacific. "Mark has tremendous experience building successful businesses in Asia Pacific," Rosado continued. "He's got the strong regional understanding and business acumen necessary to help us fuel additional growth."

Weaser brings more than 25 years of senior management and business development experience to OutSystems. He has held top leadership positions in prominent organizations across a variety of industries including enterprise technology and logistics, where he drove revenue growth for companies such as Qumu, Manugistics, Manhattan Associates, and EXE Technologies. "Asia Pacific has emerged as the largest potential growth market for the adoption of mobile devices," commented Weaser in reference to his new role. "Many leading companies now realize that digital transformation offers major opportunities for growth." "I'm thrilled to join OutSystems, an industry leader with best-in-class offerings," Weaser continued. "I'm also looking forward to working closely with the team in Asia Pacific to capitalize on these opportunities." About OutSystems: OutSystems provides the most trusted enterprise Rapid Application Development (RAD) platform to accelerate digital transformation. OutSystems Platform is the fastest and most comprehensive way to create, deploy, change, and manage custom mobile and web applications - delivered seamlessly across all devices. Available as a cloud or on-premises solution with deep integration to all existing systems and an open architecture, OutSystems manages the complete application lifecycle of large portfolios at over 600 enterprise organizations in 33 countries across 22 industries. Visit us at www.outsystems.com, or follow us on Twitter @OutSystems or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/outsystems. Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160902/8521605564LOGO

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[September 07, 2016] Thousands of Auto Companies and Professionals to Gather at Asia's Largest Auto Technology Show AUTOMOTIVE WORLD in Tokyo next January

TOKYO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Automotive World will come back on a largest-ever scale from Jan. 18 to 20, 2017. Thanks to the overwhelming success of the past shows, both the number of exhibitors and visitors of Automotive World are growing fast. Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd., the host of the event, will welcome a record number of 1,020 exhibitors and 35,000 engineers of major automakers and Tier 1s from all across the world to Tokyo Big Sight next year. With a new exhibition "SMART FACTORY Expo" launched, AUTOMOTIVE WORLD 2017 will cover car electronics, technologies for EV/HEV, connected cars, lightweight, component processing and smart factory solutions. The followings are excerpts of exhibit companies at the 2017 show. CAR-ELE JAPAN STMICROELECTRONICS

XILINX

TDK

LINEAR TECHNOLOGY

NIHON CYPRESS

Neusoft

QUALCOMM

VISHAY

Melexis

HDBaseT Alliance/VALENS

MURATA MANUFACTURING

AAHI KASEI

TAIYO YUDEN

ON SEMICONDUCTOR

BOSCH

RUBYCON

NIPPON SEIKI

Henkel

and others.



EV JAPAN UNIPULSE CORP.

TOKYO R&D

R&D QUALTEC

NITTOKU ENGINEERING

TOYOTA INDUSTRIES

MEIDENSHA

NICHICON

FUJI ELECTRIC ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

Daicel

LORD

NIPPON CHEMI-CON

MITSUI HIGH-TEC

MITSUBA

SEVCON JAPAN

and others. Connected Car JAPAN

INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES JAPAN

ROHM

DPT

FORUM8

SDTECH

HI

GLOBAL MOBILITY SERVICE

TIETECH

Nihon Denkei

EYE SIGHT TECHNOLOGIES

Mitsui Bussan Electronics

Konica Minolta

AISAN TECHNOLOGY

and others. Automotive Lightweight Technology Expo ARRK

JX NIPPON OIL&ENERGY

TOYOBO

IGUS

DAICEL-EVONIK

KANEKA

ZEON

ADEKA

DAI NIPPON PRINTING

OILES CORP.

DAICEL-EVONIK

IHI

GSI Creos

IWASAKI ELECTRIC

DAIDO KOGYO

and others. CAR-MECHA JAPAN Taiwan Pavilion

Korea Pavilion

RICOH

AICHI PREFECTURE NISHIO CITY

AIR WATER NV

SEAVAC

and others. SMART FACTORY Expo RICOH

Daihen

ADVANTECH

EPLAN Software & Service

Balluff

PEPPERL+FUCHS

FESTO

FANUC

Hitachi Solutions

HARTING

SUMITOMO DENSETSU

LINX

AIOI SYSTEMS

Allied Telesis

PHOENIX CONTACT

CONTACT NS Solutions CORP.

and others. Exhibition ticket is free. Register now online at www.automotiveworld.jp/en/inv. *The numbers of exhibitors and visitors are forecast as of July 31. CONTACT: Itsuki Imamura, +81-3-3349-8519, [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160907/0861609152

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[September 07, 2016] Back to School with Iceland Academy: Inspired By Iceland Invites Tourists to Learn from the Locals with Tips on How to Capture the Northern Lights and More

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New series of fun, yet informative video tutorials targeted at tourists wanting to learn about the best of Icelandic culture, etiquette and nature released by Inspired By Iceland

Online classes, hosted by charismatic local experts, offer insider advice and tips on the wonders of Icelandic food, how to capture the Northern Lights and how to pack for Iceland

Special Facebook Live cookery class to be hosted by chef and 'tutor' Ylfa Helgadottir, showcasing some of the secrets behind what makes Iceland one of the healthiest and longest living nations in the world

one of the healthiest and longest living nations in the world Videos released as part of ' Iceland Academy' , an Icelandic tourism campaign aimed at helping tourists experience the country like a local, whilst raising awareness about how to travel in a safe and responsible way

, an Icelandic tourism campaign aimed at helping tourists experience the country like a local, whilst raising awareness about how to travel in a safe and responsible way The playful, interactive online education tool encourages informed behaviour from visitors through inspirational video classes Have you always wondered how Icelanders stay so cosy and stylish in sub zero temperatures or how to grab the best chance of witnessing firsthand, the beauty of the Northern Lights? Today, to celebrate the start of the Autumn school term, Inspired By Iceland has released the latest in its series of video tutorials offering insider advice and knowledge on some of the topics that tourists wonder about most.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404235 )



(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404236 )



(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404237 )

The latest informative video classes to be unveiled by global tourism initiative, form part of 'Iceland Academy', a fun, online educational tool for tourists wanting to experience a happy and meaningful experience in Iceland. Offering tips from local experts on how to pack, track down the beautiful Northern Lights and knowledge on the often misconcieved wonders of Icelandic Food, the classes are hosted by local 'tutors' including Ylfa Helgadottir, a 27 year old chef and member of the National Culinary Team, Baldur Kristjans, a photographer from Reykjavik who has been documenting the life of Icelanders for the past 10 years and Head of Iceland Academy and Guide Stina Bang, previously seen in Iceland Academy's 'Responsible Travelling' tutorial.



To celebrate the release of its 'Delights of Authentic Icelandic Food' tutorial, chef and 'tutor' Ylfa Helgadottir will host a Facebook Live cookery class later this month, showcasing some of the secrets behind what makes Iceland one of the healthiest and longest living nations in the world. Social media fans and followers of Inspired By Iceland will be asked to vote for the Icelandic delicacy they want to see cooked live and viewers will be invited to ask questions and interact with Ylfa live as she cooks the chosen dish. Early this year, 'Iceland Academy' launched to help visitors understand the best of Icelandic culture, nature and etiquette and to ensure a happy and meaningful experience for tourists, whilst raising their awareness about how to travel in a safe and responsible way. Its 'How to Avoid Hot-Tub Awkwardness' video class captured the hearts of people the world over with its tongue-in-cheek approach to the sensitivities around pre hot-tub showering. Icelandic actor Bjorgvin Gunnarsson, star of Iceland Academy's 'How to Avoid Hot Tub Awkwardness' puts in another showstopping performance in the latest videos launched today.

Iceland Academy's classes are open to everyone via the Inspired By Iceland website and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). Users are invited to watch the new video tutorials and complete a short, fun quiz, testing their newly learned knowledge on everything from hot tub etiquette and local food sustainability, to glacier safety. On successful completion of the quiz, viewers will recieve a special Iceland Academy badge and be entered into a competition to win a once in a lifetime 'field trip' to Iceland where they can test out their new skills. Additional classes including A Guide to Icelandic Festivals, A Guide to Safe Selfies, How To Travel Further in Iceland, Therapeutic Iceland and A Beginners Guide to Icelandic Horses and Sagas will be added later in the year. For more information see http://inspired.visiticeland.com/academy/terms-and-conditions/. Inspired By Iceland Inspired by Iceland is a public private partnership between the Icelandic government, the Icelandic Travel Industry Association, Landsbankinn, Icelandair and other leading companies in Icelandic tourism. Promote Iceland is the developer and the executive body of the campaign. For more information please visit: Inspired By Iceland http://www.inspiredbyiceland.com #IcelandAcademy #Icelandsecret Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/inspiredbyiceland Twitter - @icelandinspired Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/inspiredbyiceland Instagram - Inspiredbyiceland To plan your trip visit http://www.visiticeland.com/plan-your-trip Promote Iceland http://www.promoteiceland.is

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In the four months since Old National Bank of Evansville, Indiana, bought Madison-based AnchorBank, a transition has been going on behind the scenes.

This weekend, the shift in ownership will become apparent to all, when Anchor signs are removed from all but one of the banks 46 locations throughout Wisconsin and replaced with Old National signs, eliminating the visible presence of the 97-year-old Madison bank. (The Sherman Avenue branch will be changed at a later date.)

Our branches will close at 4 oclock on Friday afternoon. On Monday morning, the doors will open as Old National with everybody ready to go, said Len Devaisher, Old Nationals Wisconsin region CEO.

During the downtime, Old Nationals computer system will be installed, replacing Anchors. Customers will be able to use their Anchor debit cards and ATM cards until Monday but mobile and online banking and bill-paying will not be available this weekend.

Bank clients have been notified about the transition timetable through phone calls, emails, and notices at all of the branches, Devaisher said.

Old National plans to have employees posted outside the local branches on Friday evening and Saturday morning, during the banks normal business hours.

Were going to have greeters at all of our branches. Im going to do it and a lot of our colleagues  just to remind folks what will be happening, Devaisher said.

The company also is sending nearly 200 people from other Old National locations to help at the Wisconsin branches for the next couple of weeks, just to support our Wisconsin bankers, Devaisher said.

Along with the changeover, 115 AnchorBank jobs  of a total 570 will be eliminated. Thats 25 fewer job losses than the 140 that Old National had projected. All but 10 of the jobs will end Sept. 30; the others will disappear in 2017.

Most of the cuts will be at the banks 2335 City View Drive offices, on the Far East Side, where functions such as accounting and information technology are housed. A few employees at the Downtown offices where Anchor was headquartered, 25 W. Main St., and at 4702 East Towne Blvd., will also lose their jobs. No branches will close.

About half a dozen top Anchor executives will be among those departing. CEO Chris Bauer will stay on, though.

Old National, with 160 locations in four states and nearly $12 billion in assets, purchased Anchor on May 1 in a $462.6 million cash and stock transaction.

Were pleased with how folks have been receptive to Old National products and services, Devaisher said. He said the Indiana bank will expand small business loan services, and add agricultural lending, wealth management and private banking to Wisconsin.

As part of the transition, Old National donated 150 computers to the Connect Madison program, announced Tuesday, that will bring low-cost internet service and refurbished computers to four low-income neighborhoods.

Dan Nord, information technology asset manager, said Old National has donated more than 3,400 pieces of electronic equipment within the states it serves  Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Michigan  since 2013.
[September 07, 2016] Vision Talks Executive Roundtable Series Explores Open Source Innovation in Atlanta on Monday, September 12

BEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The international Vision Talks executive roundtable series is coming to Atlanta on September 12, 2016 with the support of IBM and EnterpriseDB (EDB). The series, under the theme of Achieving Digital Transformation: The Promise, Challenge, and Opportunity of Open Source Software in Data Management, explores how open source software is helping organizations meet today's data-driven demands. IBM and EDB are co-sponsoring this free event to provide a forum for c-level executives and data industry leaders to share how they have transformed their data infrastructure with open source and the benefits realized.







DATE: Monday, September 12, 2016 TIME: 6:00-8:00 p.m. EDT LOCATION: SweetWater Brewing Company, 195 Ottley Drive NE, Atlanta REGISTER: Click here

Kathleen Kennedy, President of MIT Technology Review, will moderate the discussion at the Vision Talks executive roundtable in Atlanta. The Vision Talks panelists include: Mitch Pirtle , Director of Software Engineering, Technology Fellows Program, Capital One;

, Director of Software Engineering, Technology Fellows Program, Capital One; Lenley Hensarling , Executive Vice President, Strategy and Product Management, EDB;

, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Product Management, EDB; Srinivas Pothuganti , Senior Director/Business Leader at MasterCard; and

, Senior Director/Business Leader at MasterCard; and Lindon B. Ward, Jr. , Distinguished Engineer, IBM Power Systems, OpenPower Solutions. The Vision Talks series culminates with Postgres Vision 2016, the preeminent event for thought leadership, collaboration, and networking with the best and brightest companies defining the future of enterprise Postgres and open source data management. This unique event includes insights from technology and business luminaries, Fortune 500 use cases, a look at the Postgres ecosystem, and long-range outlooks from press and analysts such as Gartner and IDC. Featured sponsors include Amazon Web Services (AWS), IBM, Infor, Pivotal, Google, Red Hat, Carahsoft, Avnet, Ashnik, Nexxodata, and Shadow-Soft. For more information and to register for Postgres Vision, click here. About EnterpriseDB (EDB) Corporation

EDB is the leading worldwide provider of PostgreSQL software and services that enable enterprises to reduce their reliance on costly traditional solutions and slash their database spend by up to 80% or more. With powerful performance and security enhancements for PostgreSQL, sophisticated management tools for global deployments and database compatibility with Oracle, EDB software supports mission-critical enterprise applications. More than 3,600 enterprises, governments and other organizations worldwide use EDB software, support, training and professional services to integrate PostgreSQL into their existing data infrastructures. EDB is based in Bedford, Massachusetts. EnterpriseDB is a registered trademark of EnterpriseDB Corporation. EDB and EDB Postgres are trademarks of EnterpriseDB Corporation. All other names are trademarks of their respective owners. Media Contacts for EDB:

Nancy Scott Cairbre Sugrue EnterpriseDB Sugrue Communications +1 781.357.3090 +44 (0)1932 429 779 [email protected] [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160106/319928LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vision-talks-executive-roundtable-series-explores-open-source-innovation-in-atlanta-on-monday-september-12-300323585.html SOURCE EnterpriseDB

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[September 07, 2016] JumpStart's NEXT Fund Invests $5 Million in Eight Ohio Companies

CLEVELAND, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cleveland-based venture development organization, JumpStart Inc. has announced the first eight investments from its recently closed NEXT Fund. Collectively, these Ohio companies received $5 million from the $20 million fund through a combination of equity and convertible debt. "This roster of portfolio companies represents some of the most exciting high-potential startups in Ohio," said JumpStart CEO Ray Leach. "The companies also range across a variety of sectors, from software and healthcare IT to medical device manufacturing and business services." JumpStart's for-profit NEXT Fund is designed to make Series A investments of anywhere between $500k and $1.5 million. Companies that have received investment so far include: 7signal Solutions  An Akron-based wireless network management platform that optimizes wireless network performance for mission critical applications in a range of industries.

Neuros Medical  A Cleveland -based medical device company developing an implantable nerve blocking therapy focused on the elimination of chronic pain in a variety of conditions.

-based medical device company developing an implantable nerve blocking therapy focused on the elimination of chronic pain in a variety of conditions. Vox Mobile  A Cleveland -based provider of complete enterprise mobility and IoT services for domestic and international organizations.

-based provider of complete enterprise mobility and IoT services for domestic and international organizations. GenomOncology  A Cleveland -based healthcare IT company developing software to analyze genomic data and identify known gene mutations, enabling clinicians to optimize the treatment of patients.

-based healthcare IT company developing software to analyze genomic data and identify known gene mutations, enabling clinicians to optimize the treatment of patients. Checkpoint Surgical  A Cleveland -based developer of handheld intraoperative nerve and muscle stimulators that help surgeons locate, identify and evaluate nerve and muscle function during surgical procedures.

-based developer of handheld intraoperative nerve and muscle stimulators that help surgeons locate, identify and evaluate nerve and muscle function during surgical procedures. Complion  A Cleveland -based software company providing document management and workflow tools for clinical research sites.

-based software company providing document management and workflow tools for clinical research sites. LISNR  A Cincinnati -based firm developing an ultra-high frequency audio-tone communication protocol for a range of proximity-based applications, including a range of consumer/audience messaging applications, access & security, broadcast & second screen communications and payments & transactions.

-based firm developing an ultra-high frequency audio-tone communication protocol for a range of proximity-based applications, including a range of consumer/audience messaging applications, access & security, broadcast & second screen communications and payments & transactions. enosiX  A Cincinnati -based software company with a disruptive, "no-middleware" approach to integration between SAP and front end systems like Salesforce and native mobility apps.



$10 million , as well as the Focus Fund, another $10 million fund designed to invest exclusively in female and minority-owned ventures located in Ohio , or willing to relocate. Together, these three funds will pump millions into Ohio -based tech startups over the next three years. To learn more about JumpStart's various investment vehicles, visit www.jumpstartinc.org/funding/investments.

JUMPSTART INC. unlocks the full potential of diverse and ambitious entrepreneurs to economically transform entire communities. For more information, visit www.jumpstartinc.org and follow @JumpStartInc on Twitter. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jumpstarts-next-fund-invests-5-million-in-eight-ohio-companies-300323717.html SOURCE JumpStart Inc.

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[September 07, 2016] Lockheed Martin Signs Letter of Intent With Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa

KIELCE, Poland, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Global aerospace and security company Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has signed a wide ranging Letter of Intent (LoI) with Poland's state owned defence company Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) which could lead to Poland's involvement in some of the world's most innovative defence and security programmes. The agreement was signed today at the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Kielce by Jonathan Hoyle, Lockheed Martin Vice President Europe and Latin America and Arkadiusz Siwko, President, PGZ. It paves the way for PGZ member companies to be directly involved in the manufacture of satellite systems, aircraft, helicopters, weapons and combat systems, training devices and simulators. Both Polish domestic and export customers are set to benefit from the agreement. The LoI builds on an agreement inked by PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company, and PGZ at the Farnborough International Air Show, in late July. It includes involvement in the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), which is NATO's air and missile defence system of choice. In addition, there is a commitment to the evaluation of a regional BLACK HAWK helicopter upgrade, maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Poland and greater involvement of PGZ member companies in the supply of weapons, components and assemblies for products manufactured in Mielec. "This is a very significant step towards tightening the cooperation between Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and Lockheed Martin which is a very important partner for us. We hope this cooperation will result in strengthening our long-term partneship and our involvement in many successful projects, to the benefit of both American and Polish industry," said Arkadiusz Siwko, President, Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa.



"Lockheed Martin has customers in more than 70 countries worldwide and is pursuing a strategy of international business growth which presents significant opportunities for PGZ," added Jonathan Hoyle. "Through PZL Mielec, which sustains employment for more than 1,500 workers directly and thousands more across the Polish supply chain, we are already an integral part of Poland's defence industrial sector. We believe this agreement will lead to an even deeper partnership with Poland, supporting hundreds more jobs within PGZ member companies and boosting the contribution the defence industry makes to the national economy."

The new letter of intent underpins Lockeed Martin's position as a trusted partner for Poland's national defence. With an office in central Warsaw for nearly 20 years, the company partners with the Polish Ministry of Defence on a variety of programmes including Air Sovereignty Operation Centres; F-16, which is a cornerstone of the Polish Air Force; Sniper advanced targeting pods; C-130 and Aegis Ashore. Through Lockheed Martin's acquisition of Sikorsky in December 2015, the company directly employs more than 1,500 people in Poland and helps sustains thousands of additional high-value engineering and manufacturing jobs in the national supply chain. About Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa

Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) is a leader of the Polish industry and one of the largest armaments holdings in Europe. It unites over 60 companies (from the following industries: defence, shipbuilding, new technologies) and generates an annual revenue of PLN 5bn. Thanks to the utilisation of the potential for nationalising technology, close cooperation with Polish scientific circles, and pressure on the research and development process, PGZ is offering innovative and security-improving products. PGZ's offer comprises, among other things, a very short range air defence system with the POPRAD system and the SOLA radar; a portable anti-air GROM system; the E-310 unmanned air vehicle system; the ROSOMAK armoured personnel carrier; an artillery system with the KRAB self-tracked howitzer; and individual personnel equipment with BERYL assault rifles. Additionally, PGZ possesses competence in the field of designing, constructing, and equipping military ships. Moreover, PGZ has been modernising and maintaining vehicles, airplanes, helicopters, and military ships (including but not limited to the equipment produced in former USSR). In the nearest future, PGZ will be developing space and satellite technologies as well as cybertechnologies. About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140402/PH96591LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lockheed-martin-signs-letter-of-intent-with-polska-grupa-zbrojeniowa-300323831.html SOURCE Lockheed Martin

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[September 07, 2016] Workiva Unveils Evolution of Data Platform at Wdesk Annual User Conference

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Workiva Inc. (NYSE:WK), a leading provider of enterprise cloud solutions for improving productivity, accountability and insight in business data, today announced at its annual user conference, The Exchange Community, that the evolution of its data platform has significantly enhanced Wdesk spreadsheets as well as its solutions for Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and internal controls management. "We are constantly innovating so our customers can do more, see more and know more with Wdesk," said Matt Rizai, Chairman and CEO of Workiva, during the conference's opening general session, which was attended by finance, risk, audit and compliance professionals from nearly 1,000 companies. Rizai provided more details about how the Wdesk data platform powers one of the largest and fastest spreadsheet applications in the cloud. The platform also adds data relationships to its SOX and internal controls solution that complement Wdesk linking  along with advanced, dynamic dashboards, reports and workflows. "We give our customers the ability to create custom dashboards on the fly  meaning that they can choose exactly what they need to see when they need to see it," said Mike Sellberg, Chief Product Officer of Workiva. "It's just one more thing that sets Wdesk apart." "Wdesk makes static, isolated data and documents a thing of the past," said Rizai. "Inside Wdesk, not only is the data linked together, but users can now link data relationships as well. This is a powerful capability because it allows our customers to ascribe meaning and context to their data, which significantly increases the value of thir data and the quality of their decisions."



Rizai told the audience that over 2,600 customers have now linked more than two billion data values among Wdesk documents to ensure data accuracy. "No other platform in the world links data like Wdesk does," said Rizai. Sellberg also revealed a new Wdesk mobile application for iOS. Users can now access the app with touch ID, search Wdesk documents, binders and workbooks and add Wdesk tasks and comments on their iPhone mobile digital device.

The opening keynote also featured speeches by John Van Decker, Vice President, Corporate Performance Management and Financial Management Systems at Gartner Inc.; Wdesk customers Bel Fuse Inc. and Wintrust Financial Corporation among others; and Workiva executives. The Exchange Community runs in San Diego from today through September 9, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. The conference will also host a summit on SOX and internal controls on September 7, and a quarterly meeting of the SEC Professionals Group on September 8, 2016 at the same location. About The Exchange Community The Exchange Community is the annual Wdesk user conference that brings together Wdesk customers and industry leaders for three days of networking, learning and sharing best practices. Conference attendees can earn up to 15 CPE credits. For more information, click here or visit tec.workiva.com. About Workiva Workiva (NYSE:WK) created Wdesk, a cloud-based productivity platform for enterprises to collect, link, report and analyze business data with control and accountability. Thousands of organizations, including over 65 percent of the Fortune 500, use Wdesk. The platform's proprietary word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications are integrated and built upon a data management engine, offering synchronized data, controlled collaboration, granular permissions and a full audit trail. Wdesk helps mitigate enterprise risk, improve productivity and give users confidence to make decisions with real-time data. Workiva employs more than 1,200 people with offices in 16 cities. The company is headquartered in Ames, Iowa. For more information, visit workiva.com. Claim not confirmed by FORTUNE or Time Inc. FORTUNE 500 is a registered trademark of Time Inc. and is used under license. FORTUNE and Time Inc. are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, Workiva Inc. Contact:

Kevin McCarthy

Workiva Inc.

(515) 663-4471

[email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150213/175372LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/workiva-unveils-evolution-of-data-platform-at-wdesk-annual-user-conference-300323961.html SOURCE Workiva Inc.

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[September 07, 2016] RECO launches Be Home Smart campaign to help consumers keep a cool head in a hot real estate market

To view more media materials please visit: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7919051-gaborgroup-reco-be-home-smart TORONTO, Sept. 7, 2016 /CNW/ - How much would you go over budget to win a bidding war for your dream home? A new study of recent Ontario home buyers and home sellers, commissioned by the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), found that 47% of those polled would consider paying up to 10% over their budget and 31% would consider offering 10 to 20% more to outbid the competition. In the Greater Toronto Area, where bidding wars are more likely to occur, 57% of respondents would consider offering up to 10% over budget and 38% would consider going over their budget by between 10 to 20%. To help consumers overcome the challenges of a hot market, today RECO launched the Be Home Smart Tour, a community outreach campaign that will travel to 13 locations across Ontario this fall and into 2017. The campaign includes an interactive display booth targeting those in the buying and/or selling stage of their lives  engaged/newly married couples, new parents and downsizing boomers. "Our research findings make it clear that too many Ontarians may be struggling to keep a cool head in the hot and highly-competitive real estate markets that are becoming the norm," said Joe Richer, Registrar of RECO. "Buying o selling a home can be a rollercoaster of emotions. People tend to let their heart rule their heads, especially first-time buyers," he added.



In fact, the survey found that 35% of recent homebuyers said they let their emotions influence them more than they should have the last time they purchased a home. Among millennials 18 to 34 years of age, the number jumped to 42%. The RECO Be Home Smart Tour makes its first tour stop at Canada's Bridal Show in Toronto at the Metro Convention Centre from September 9 to 11. At the interactive display booth, consumers will take a fun quiz to test their Real Estate IQ and have their photo taken with an image of their 'dream home.' They'll receive the photo printed on the cover of RECOnnect, RECO's magazine and electronically for sharing on social media.

"Real estate transactions can happen at lightning speed, especially in markets where there is a shortage of listings. The best way to make quick decisions in the heat of the moment is to prepare in advance," Mr. Richer said. Other upcoming stops in the RECO Be Home Smart Tour include the London Baby Expo at the Metroland Media Agriplex on October 1 and 2; the Zoomer Show in Toronto at the Enercare Centre on October 29 and 30; and the BabyTime Show in Toronto at the Metro Convention Centre from November 11 to 13. More shows around the province will be added in 2017. Check the RECO website for complete details. About RECO:

RECO regulates the real estate profession in Ontario. RECO is responsible for administering the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 (REBBA 2002) and associated regulations on behalf of the provincial government. In order to trade in real estate in Ontario, brokers and salespersons must be registered under REBBA 2002. RECO's mission is excellence in the delivery of regulatory services that protect the public interest and enhance consumer confidence in the real estate profession. RECO is part of Consumer Protection Ontario (CPO), an awareness program from Ontario's Ministry of Government and Consumer Services. CPO helps Ontarians learn about the right questions to ask before making important purchasing decisions. For more information, visit www.reco.on.ca. Methodology:

From August 25th to August 29th, 2016 an online survey was conducted among 505 randomly selected Ontario adults who purchased or sold their home within the past 5 years and are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error  which measures sampling variability  would be +/-4.3%, 19 times out of 20 on a probability sample of this size. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. SOURCE Real Estate Council of Ontario

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When investors try to get a head start on the next big technology wave, the first markets they normally turn to are the traditional powers and the trendy emerging markets; Brazil, China, India, and so on.

However, as we get deeper into 2016, the markets investors should draw closer to are actually the true emerging markets, or what APTelecom refers to as MAVIN markets: Mexico, Angola, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Nigeria.

Here are five trends coming out of the MAVIN markets, and how they are paving the way to make a transformational impact across the technology sector.

Storage and Network Criticality

Storage is becoming more and more important. Cloud solutions and local caching mean moving things to the edge of the network closer to the eyeballs. Given that, investors should keep a close eye on Angola. Why? In Angola, Angola Cables Internet Exchange has seen an 80 percent increase in traffic in the last year alone and is carrying more than 4Gig of local traffic to service West Africa. Large colocation providers are seeking M&A opportunities to break into these markets or partnering to support growth for their own international needs and domestic core requirements.

MAVIN Equals Mobile

Mobile devices remain the dominant tool to access the internet, and thats not going away anytime soon. Exponential growth will only continue in the MAVIN markets relative to traditional markets. Inexpensive Chinese smartphones are starting to flood the market, aiding the growth of internet penetration in MAVIN markets that previously were underserved as a result of cost prohibition. For example, Indonesia has seen an increase in smartphone penetration of 15 percent in the past year alone. This is largely driven by the affordability of less expensive options in the handset market. Along with adoption comes innovation, so keep a close eye on MAVIN when it comes to mobile.

Investing in Fiber

Fiber remains essential to supporting user growth. Submarine cable capacity and terrestrial capacity are critical for accessing content. Cloud solutions, IoT needs, and expansion of existing infrastructure all require continued capital expenditure to maintain and support the growth in teledensity and broadband access. Unlike Western Europe and the U.S., where submarine cable capacity have been largely neglected over the past few years, MAVIN markets are investing and seeing a positive increase in user experience  and the resulting reduced latency and lower pricing are having a direct impact on economic growth and GDP in these countries. According to our latest predictions, more than a half billion dollars in submarine cable capacity will be built in the next 24 months from a handful of our providers alone in the MAVIN markets. Fiber will be key toward driving growth and innovation, and these markets already have a head start.

MAVIN is Electric

Access to power remains a challenge in certain developing markets and is a barrier to growth in the context of internet access. Rates of power and availability are a challenge. Local infrastructure needs to catch up to support the digital divide, making the jump to the connected world. If theres no power, theres no service. While this issue has long plagued MAVIN markets and created barriers for investors, tremendous strides have been made over the past few years, and access to power in MAVIN markets is no longer an insurmountable hurdle. This sets the stage perfectly for new technology innovation and investment in next-generation companies that wouldnt have previously succeeded.

MAVIN is Local

Many users in markets such as Africa, Brazil, and Southeast Asia prefer to use local apps such as WeiChat instead of WhatsApp, as regional developers offer different security needs and cater to local tastes and preferences of consumers in non-traditional emerging markets. And theres no better place to turn to than the MAVIN market when it comes to adoption and innovation in the local app space. For example, mobile money apps in Africa dominate local payment processing and will undoubtedly cause a threat to the traditional banking structure as we know it. Its coming sooner rather than later, and investors should take notice.

Eric Handa is Co-Founder and CEO of APTelecom, a telecom and fiber consulting company.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
Docker has taken the networking world by storm, having played a starring role in the popularization of containers.

The companys CEO provided an update this summer on the strong uptake of Docker technology by the developer community and others. And the company at its annual customer gathering in Seattle aimed to address some of Dockers perceived gaps in the areas of orchestration and security.

However, in mid July there were reports that Docker Cloud was down due to what appeared to be a DNS outage caused by a distributed denial of service attack.

The Uptake

Thirty to 70 percent of all enterprises are using Docker in some shape or form, Docker CEO Ben Golub noted in his speech at the recent DockerCon 2016 event. Sixty percent of those using Docker are using it in production, he added, and 25 percent of them already have their apps containerized.

Docker users come in all sizes and from a variety of verticals. Goldman Sachs is among the more high profile Docker converts, Golub indicated. The company expects to be running a quarter of its apps over Docker this year, with plans to ultimately have 90 percent of them on Docker.

There are 460,000 Dockerized apps, reflecting 3,000 percent growth in 2 years, and 4.1 billion image pulls. And there are more than 95,000 Docker projects on GitHub, Golub said.

More than 2,900 people have made Docker contributions. In the month leading up to DockerCon, on Engine alone, 986 people interacted with the repository, he said. Two-thirds of engine contributions are external, he noted.

Engagement by the developer community around Docker was evident at the Seattle event, where more than 4,000 attendees congregated and the exhibitor hall and general sessions were filled with an enthusiastic crowd.

Golub indicated the company is in good shape financially. He said the $180 million it raised last year hasnt yet been used, and that company revenues are growing much faster than expenses.

Docker solutions, he added, are sold by the companys 30-person sales force. The company also works with Accenture (News - Alert), Booz Allen, and major cloud providers, he said. Docker commercial Engine will be shipping with every HP server, he added. Docker also has a relationship with HP to sell its Docker Datacenter (through all HP sales people and the HP sales channel), he said, and Docker has a similar relationship with IBM (News - Alert).

Container Orchestration

After having seen more than 450 companies join its ecosystem, and millions of developers use Docker technology to write 460,000 apps, the company indicated it was time to take steps so these implementations can scale more efficiently across the entire enterprise. With that goal in mind, and no doubt in a move to grab a bigger piece of the valuable orchestration pie, Docker at its event announced the integration of its Swarm orchestration solution with Docker Engine.

At the end of the day the individual container doesnt matter. What matters is the entire system, said Solomon Hykes, Docker founder and CTO, in his DockerCon keynote speech.

But managing an entire system requires orchestration. And, to date, organizations needing orchestration have two options, according to Hykes: They can either hire an army of experts or hand things over to a single vendor, which can result in vendor lock in. But customers wanted another option, he said, so Docker has made orchestration usable by non experts by embedding orchestration into Docker 1.12.

This integration will make things easier from an operational standpoint for businesses implementing Docker, explained David Messina (News - Alert), the companys senior vice president of marketing. Container orchestration, he added, involves an automated set of capabilities that define distributed applications and manage them at operational scale, which is akin to a hypervisor in VMware parlance. So Docker is following the same trend line system administrators are used to  leveraging an integrated solution for more simplicity and uniformity so its easier to ensure apps are running as intended.

Going forward, Swarm will be available as an optional feature set of the Docker Engine, for which users can still elect to employ the orchestration solution of their choice.

Swarm mode is something you have to turn on, said Messina. Its a command.

Docker has been in the marketplace with its Swarm orchestration solution for a while now. But its Kubernetes, which was created by Google (News - Alert), that is considered the leader in container orchestration. Mesos is generally considered the third big player in container orchestration. But there are plenty of players in container orchestration. So by integrating Swarm in with Docker Engine the company has moved to strengthen its play in the important container orchestration arena.

Security Enhancements

Although Docker is the typically the first name that comes up with people talk containers, there has been widespread discussion about the companys shortcoming in the area of security.

In a recent email interview with me, Docker said that the Docker platform is the most secure container runtime available today (see chart below). Current versions of Docker (1.11 and later) support AppArmor, cryptographic image signing, end-to-end cryptographic signature validation, granular control through the use of cgroups, SELinux (mandatory access control), seccomp (syscall restrictions), and user namespaces (root in the container without privileges on the host).

At DockerCon 2016 this summer, Docker introduced Cryptographic Node Identity. With it, each node (machine) in a cluster has a unique identity, allowing for workload segregation. That means that payment card workloads could be dispatched to only certain machines that have undergone a rigorous auditing process, as one use case example. Docker at the Seattle event also introduced a cluster management system that enables end-to-end encryption by default, mutual TLS authentication (to prevent against man-in-the-middle attacks), and certificate rotation (to recover from compromised credentials).

Criticisms of Docker security typically refer to very old versions of the Docker Engine (1H 2015), the company added. Docker has been focused over the last year on addressing the three key areas of container security: secure access, secure content, and secure platform. The isolation and containment features are not only built into the Docker Engine but also enabled out of the box. These features allow you to have trust over the origin of your content, reduce the attack surface area of the Linux kernel, improve the containment capabilities of the Docker Engine, and ultimately help you build, ship and run safer applications.

The Takedown

Despite these security enhancements, Docker Cloud ran into problems, and its users were down or experienced intermittent outages as a result, in mid July.

The Register on July 19 was among the media outlets that reported the news, saying the websites running on Docker Cloud were down and that the companys customers were complaining about that and were also frustrated with Dockers limited response to the problem.

Website Magazine on July 21 reported that Docker notified users on its system status page that an unusual high load on its DNS servers was causing some lookups to fail and there was a corresponding thread about the issue in its forum. That wasn't enough however for some Docker users and they weren't shy about sharing their discontent with others.

And Avi Freedman, co-founder and CEO of Kentik, and his public relations team were approaching media outlets with commentary on the Docker outage, and provided this quote to INTERNET TELEPHONY: "DDoS is an equal opportunity disrupter of IT value chains. Today there are plenty of private and public clouds that are hosting Docker and other containers, and as distributed applications and microservices architectures grow in popularity, container deployments will grow as well. Anytime there is a dependence on internet traffic flows to deliver applications or services to internal or external users, there is potential vulnerability. 

He added that CIOs need to develop a (digital supply-chain) game plan. This requires developing a map of all digital trading dependencies, from end users to API calls.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
Gartner (News - Alert) APM Study Ranks Dynatrace No. 1

Dynatrace this year again captured the lead position in Gartner Inc.s report about application performance monitoring. The APM (News - Alert) vendor has more than 8,000 customers and reports double-digit growth. Meanwhile, the worldwide APM market as a whole grew 10.6 percent in 2015, reaching $2.7 billion.

Platform9 Offers Kubernetes Orchestration as a Managed Service

Platform9 over the summer unveiled a container management platform called Platform9 Managed Kubernetes. Its delivered as a managed service, so businesses can offload the management, troubleshooting, and upgrades involved with running an orchestration solution. This solution, which was in beta in June, builds on the popular Kubernetes container orchestration solution by making it simpler to manage and providing service-level guarantees. Platform9 Managed Kubernetes is also noteworthy in that it supports both containers and virtual machines, said Madhura Maskasky, co-founder and vice president of product at Platform9, which she founded in 2013 with other former VMware engineers.

NetApp SolidFire Announces Docker Volume Plug-In

NetApp SolidFire at DockerCon in June unveiled the NetApp Docker Volume Plug-In, a universal driver for Docker that allows customers to save data across containers so that data continues to be available (even if the container with which it was associated isnt) for other services that might need it, and for compliance purposes. The plug-in is now available on GitHub. The number of use cases for persistent storage alongside containers is ever growing, says NetApp SolidFire. Our development work around Docker volume plug-ins makes deploying and managing storage more simple and intuitive. NetApps participation in several technology partner programs, including Dockers Ecosystem Technology Partner program and Mesospheres Open DC/OS program, showcase our commitment to the broader container ecosystem.

Survey Shows Need for Persistent Storage in Container Environments

Container adoption is real, and the problem of persistent storage is one of the key problems related to it that needs to be solved, according to Mohit Bhatnagar, vice president of product at ClusterHQ, which recently did a survey on this topic. ClusterHQ sells an open source container data volume manager for Dockerized applications. Its called Flocker, and it enables ops teams to run containerized stateful services like databases in production.

Theres been a nearly 100 percent increase in container usage in production since last year, said Bhatnagar, pointing out that of the 297 individuals who weighed in on this survey topic, 79 percent of them are running container technologies, and 76 percent of them are running container technologies in production. It clearly shows containers are becoming part of an organizations mission-critical architectures, he added.

JFrog Introduces Pre-Production Software Visibility Tool

Seven-year-old JFrog has a new solution called Xray. Containers and other binaries and images need tools to be used and managed, and Xray provides the security piece of the puzzle to allow users to understand what impact new software will have on their environments before that software goes into production. Its not just a container scanner, Xray also leverages information JFrog gets from security databases and other sources to get the job done. Xray sits between the developers and development operations engineers at organizations. It can present license information, flag out-of-date component information, and point out security vulnerabilities, and it optimizes user environments before they are pushed to production. By providing a view of vulnerabilities before software goes into production, it saves organizations money by saving them time. It saves them time by automating quality assurance and release verification processes.

Rancher Labs Gets New Funding

Rancher Labs recently raised $20 million in Series B funding led by new investor GRC SinoGreen. Existing investors Mayfield and Nexus Venture Partners also participated in this new round. We are seeing a lot of attention and demand for our Rancher platform and feel it is due to our unique approach to container management, Sheng Liang, CEO of Rancher Labs, said in announcing the funding. Containerization has enabled organizations to do amazing things to improve application performance, availability, and cost. The next pieces of this puzzle, which will really help to perfect container technologies, are the tools around the management of containers. Rancher Labs provides an open source management platform that some of the largest companies in the world use to manage their container clusters; 10 percent of all the containers in production in the world leverage Rancher Labs technology.

Midokura Reveals Red Hat (News - Alert), Mirantis News

Midokura Enterprise MidoNet network virtualization technology is now certified with Red Hat OpenStack Platform 8. Midokura also recently announced its integration with Mirantis OpenStack 8.0 and Fuel, its open source deployment and control plane for OpenStack. Thats expected to help expedite the creation of Fuel and OpenStack 8.0 deployments.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
A man was mugged in Downtown Madison early Sunday morning while out getting some late night food.

The mugging happened at about 3:10 a.m. in the 500 block of West Johnson Street, Madison police said.

The 28-year-old victim from Warner-Robbins, Georgia, told police he struck up a casual conversation with two men in the State Street area while getting food.

"They were all walking together when one of the men suddenly punched the victim in the face," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain.

The two suspects then pushed the victim up against a wall, demanded money, got the money then smashed the victim's cellphone on the ground.

The first suspect is white, 6 feet, 1 inch tall, 190 pounds, sandy blonde hair, a tattoo on his arm, wearing a regular style T-shirt.

The second suspect is b lack, 6 feet, 3 inches to 6 feet, 4 inches tall, 205 pounds, dreadlocks, wearing a white sleeveless shirt.
A Merrill man has been charged with second-degree reckless injury for allegedly stabbing a 20-year-old man in Markesan on Tuesday.

Evan Delonay, 21, had charges filed against him in Green Lake County Circuit Court on Thursday. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Monday.

Deloney is accused of stabbing Ian Hinderman, 20, during a fight at 120 N. Bridge St. in Markesan Tuesday morning.

Green Lake County 911 was called at about 7:45 a.m. Tuesday when Hinderman was found bleeding from the head near the intersection of Bridge and John streets.

"The subject was stabbed or cut several times in the face region and possibly in the arm area," said Markesan Police Chief Will Pflum.

Two residents with medical training helped officers give aid to the victim before paramedics arrived. He was taken to a local hospital, then flown to Theda Care in Neenah by Flight for Life.

The victim told police he was stabbed or cut numerous times during a fight with the suspect.

The Green Lake County Sheriff's Office and the State Patrol arrived on scene to help in the investigation, with the suspect found a short time later.

A condition report on Hinderman was not available Friday.
A woman killed Aug. 31 in a three-vehicle crash in Janesville has been identified as Marian Schroeder, 89, of Milton.

Schroeder was a passenger in a car that was struck by a truck on the passenger side of the car, at East Racine Street and Midland Road in Janesville, police said.

The Dane County Medical Examiner's Office conducted a forensic autopsy, with preliminary results confirming she died of injuries sustained in the crash. She had been taken to a local hospital and died a short time after arrival.

According to police:

Roberta Kerr was westbound on East Racine Street and made a left turn in front of a truck that was eastbound on East Racine Street, with the truck hitting the car, then both vehicles going off the street and hitting a third car at the St. Mary's Hospital exit.

The truck driver and Kerr suffered non-life-threatening injuries while the driver of the second car was treated and released.

Kerr was cited for failing to yield the right of way while making a left turn, resulting in the death of another.
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Loving live music isnt just about attending music festivals and seeing an international artists massive arena show.

Even the biggest of big-name headliners started in the trenches, on the sticky carpets and bandrooms of your local bars and pubs  which is exactly where you should be if you want to discover your new favourite band or venue.

Here are our picks for this weeks best local gigs from Aussie talent  from Perth to the East Coast  and all for the price of a good meal.

Note: Considering Brisbane is flooded with amazing gigs this week thanks to BIGSOUND, well stick to other cities this time around  for live music from Brissy, you can read up on some of the parties to catch this week, and the artists to check out while theyre in town.

Basenji

Where: Wollongong/Adelaide universities

When: September 8/9

Why: Basenji is playing a host of free parties at unis across the country, kicking off this week with shows at Wollongong and Adelaide on the 8th and 9th respectively, and will be continuing across more campuses throughout the month. Beats DJ JAFFY on the decks for a uni party, thats for sure!

Tickets & Info: Free, more info here.

The Do Yo Thangs

Where: The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne VIC

When: 7:30pm  11:30pm, Thursday Sep 8

Why: Emerging soul talent hit up The Gaso to launch their anticipated debut EP One Plus One, a collection of sensual slow jams and bumping future soul dominated by rich, four-voice harmonies. Theyll be accompained by WILSN, dxHEAVEN, and The Harpoons DJ Big Rig bringing the bangers.

Tickets & Info: $14.8, more info here.

Rainbow Chan & PON CHO

Where: Oxford Art Factory, Sydney NSW

When: Friday September 9

Why: Two of Sydneys best, including one of the countrys brightest pop talents in Rainbow Chan, and PON CHOs blend of R&B and trap stylings, as well as Flumes mate of Insane fame, Moon Holiday  all for a tenner. Yes please.

Tickets & Info: $10 before midnight, Oxford Art Factory, Sydney NSWFriday September 9Two of Sydneys best, including one of the countrys brightest pop talents in Rainbow Chan, and PON CHOs blend of R&B and trap stylings, as well as Flumes mate of Insane fame, Moon Holiday  all for a tenner. Yes please.: $10 before midnight, more info here

Alithia

Where: Cherry Bar, Melbourne VIC

When: 7:30pm  1am, Saturday Sep 3

Why: Melbourne astral space core wizards Alithia will be taking to the stage at Cherry Bar this Friday, bringing with them a swag of new tracks from their upcoming album, before heading off to Europe to record the thing. Supported by Phoenix Day and Tux, who are both launching new tracks, thisll be the last chance to catch Alithia on our soil for a long time.

Tickets & Info: $13, more info here.

Kilter

Where: Jack Rabbit Slims, Perth WA

When: 8pm  11pm, Sunday Sep 11

Why: Electronic champ Kilter will be heading to Perth for a delightful Sunday set this weekend, and his bag of massive remixes and summer vibes is an ideal way to reset after the weekend, especially as hes bringing Polographia with him for support.

Hideous Sun Demon
Were past the halfway point of 2016 now and it looks like were in for a repeat of last year, with Australian artists absolutely killing it all over the world.

Acts like Courtney Barnett, Tame Impala, Hermitude, and Vance Joy dominated 2015, but it looks like this year belongs to homegrown EDM golden boy Flume.

As The Music Network recently reported, the producers collaboration with Kai, Never Be Like You, has gone quadruple platinum in Australia and platinum in the US.

Its sold one million units in the States, where it sits within the Top 10 on radio, and has surpassed 200 million plays on Spotify.

Meanwhile, Flumes 70-date world tour in support of new album Skin has sold more than 290,000 tickets. Like Vance Joy, hes managed to sell out ever single one of his North American shows so far.

Whilst were on the subject of Australias electronic talent, dont sleep on RUFUS, or RUFUS DU SOL as theyre known Stateside, where they recently announced a fall tour.

The trio unveiled the tour dates via a mind-blowing video of their performance at the picturesque Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and you should just see the reception they got from the crowd.

In fact, its not unlike the reception Melbourne psychedelic collective King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have been receiving on their latest trek around Europe.

As we noted, the boys recently hit up the Paredes de Coura Festival where they were greeted by tens of thousands of screaming fans, who immediately proceeded to lose it over the band.

Back to North America, Violent Soho are selling out shows left and right before they return home for a tour with The Bronx, warming up the Stateside audiences for DZ Deathrays and Dune Rats, who will be rocking their socks as part of a joint world tour soon.
CHECK EXCLUSIVE COURTHOUSE INSIDER PERSPECTIVE ON JACKSON COUNTY LEGISLATORS OUTMANEUVERING EXEC FRANK WHITE AND DEMANDING AN AUDIT!!!

"Recently, Frank White is learning that being County Exec is not as easy as it once looked from the free suites at Arrowhead and Kauffman. This afternoon, the Jackson County legislature voted unanimously (yes, 9-0) to completely ignore Team Frank and hire their own independent outside auditor to look into the ongoing jail fiasco that is quickly spinning completely out of control. Let's be clear, this was an historic event.

A sitting County Exec has not lost a substantive vote 9-0 in the over 45 years that they have been a charter from of government. Sure, they've lost the rare vote before, but a loss of 9-0 clearly indicates that Frank is a politician without any allies when it counts. All of this is made the more troubling for Frank by the fact that he spent the entire afternoon lobbying the legislature to simply "wait one week" before voting for their own independent auditor.

Even that apparently reasonable request was abruptly shot down by Tarwater and the others. Look for team Frank to downplay this historic and decisive loss, and continue to do anything they can to point to others to blame for a mess that is more and more solely of their own making."

After recent controversy and. . . The legislators were forced into action this afternoon.To wit . . .It seems the newbie Exec has begun an adversarial relationship with this legislative body he excluded from initial decisions . . .Here's the word . . .Developing . . .
"As the mainstream media ignores Native Americans and environmental activists braving attack dogs, mace, and mercenaries to stop the Dakota Access oil pipeline from being dug under the Missouri River and then run underground from North Dakota to Illinois, I ask myself, "What could go wrong?" After all, the company's website makes the claim that up to 575,000 barrels of "light sweet crude oil" can be transported every day in a safe and environmentally friendly fashion. So what could go wrong? Living close to the Missouri River, I think it's an important question to ask."

Underplayed in the local media . . . This post from our pal Leigh Ann offers a glimpse at why locals are concerned about Native American rights and the recent uprising . . .Intro:You decide . . .
More than 800 million euros in deposits have returned to Greek banks after the latest relaxing of capital controls, almost a month ago.

According to exclusive information obtained by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) from domestic banking sources, this money was cash being held by households. They attributed the return of 800 million euros to the banks to a decision taken by Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, which eliminated a 420-euro per week limit on withdrawals for new deposits, since they were new money and not subject to any limitation. Bank IT systems automatically recognise the new deposits. The same decision allowed depositors to withdraw up to 840 euros in cash every two weeks, or make an early (partial or whole) repayment of a loan.

Domestic banking sources said that the return of more than 800 million euros in deposits to Greek banks - the Bank of Greece is expected to release official figures soon - was a boosting injection which combined with a resolution of non-performing loans, would allow the funding of the real economy and enterprises. Repayment of state arrears to the private sector is also expected to boost liquidity in the market. Finance ministry sources told ANA that from the 2.8-bln-euro sub-tranche, a sum of around 1.7 billion earmarked for the repayment of state arrears to the private sector was expected to be disbursed regardless of the implementation of the 15 milestones of the first review of the Greek programme.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
A Madison woman was mugged early Saturday morning by four teens who stole a coin purse and sent the woman to the hospital.

The mugging happened at about 12:30 a.m. on East Springs Drive, Madison police said.

The 25-year-old victim said one male and three females attacked her as she was walking along the street.

"The females tried to take her purse while the male delivered blows to her head," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. "She was able to maintain control of her purse but the criminals were able to steal a separate coin purse she had concealed in an undergarment."

The victim didn't call police, but police were notified of the crime when she was being treated for her injuries at a local hospital Saturday afternoon.

The only description of the suspects was the male was black with a light complexion and had dreadlocks with blonde tips.
The challenges and prospects facing Cyprus tourist industry were discussed in a meeting of a Parliamentary Committee

The challenges and prospects facing Cyprus tourist industry were discussed in a meeting of Parliamentary Committee of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism as tourist arrivals are close to breaking a new record in 2016.

Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, Minister of the Interior Socrates Hasikos and Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Marios Demetriades attended the meeting.

Speaking to the committee, Lakkotrypis reiterated that 2016 will be exceptionally good in terms of tourist arrivals and tourist revenue.

This will be a record season in the history of Cyprus as tourist arrivals will increase by half a million compared to 2015.

The issue is to repeat this performance in years to follow and to create the conditions for sustainable growth in this sector, which is the pacesetter of the Cyprus economy, he stressed.

Tourist arrivals

As he noted, the last estimate for the 2016 tourist arrivals is 3.1 million compared with 2.65 million in 2015 and 2.7 million in 2001 which was the last record year.

Lakkotrypis said that according to the latest figures, the contribution of tourism to Cyprus GDP amounts to 12 per cent.

I expect the contribution will be bigger this year, he said.

The Minister noted however that this performance shows our limits in issues concerning infrastructure, pointing out that problems emerged in the airports, and specifically in passport control, infrastructure, beaches and telecommunications.

This year will be a landmark to address these problems and move to the next level, he stressed.

Non-licensed accommodation

On his part Hasikos referred to the problems of the many non-licensed tourist accommodation, noting that the majority of these problems are owner-related.

According to data submitted in the meeting, 52 per cent of the total tourist accommodation units operate without a license by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation.

Demetriades referred to the issue of air connectivity with Cyprus, highlighting the significant increase in flights to and from Cyprus since January 2015.

He said that airport traffic increased by 3.6% in 2015 and by 15% so far, noting that all gaps that emerged following the liquidation of Cyprus Airways, Cyprus national air carrier, have been covered.

Angelos Votsis, the Committee Chairman called on the authorities to maintain the momentum in the tourist arrivals for the coming years.

If we manage to make these tourist act as ambassadors of Cyprus abroad this would be a great achievement that would assist the effort, he concluded.

Source: CNA

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Recently inaugurated Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is expressing regret for his comments at a fiery press conference, in which he called President Obama a son of a whore

Recently inaugurated Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is expressing regret for his comments at a fiery press conference, in which he called President Obama a son of a whore and threatened to swear at him in a planned bilateral meeting.

Duterte, said in a statement through his spokesman that he regretted it came across as a personal attack on the US President.

We look forward to ironing out differences arising out of national priorities and perceptions, the statement released on Tuesday said.

The White House officials said earlier that Obama would confront Duterte about his countrys handling of drug dealers, including extrajudicial killings, which are government executions without the benefit of judicial proceedings.

Who does he think he is? I am no American puppet. I am the president of a sovereign country and I am not answerable to anyone except the Filipino people, Duterte scoffed in a speech Monday. Son of a bitch, I will swear at you.

Monday afternoon, the White House cancelled the planned bilateral talks between the two leaders, who had been set to meet in Laos, where Obama is attending a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders.

The statement from Dutertes spokesman said the meeting has been mutually agreed upon to be moved to a later date.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: King Rodriguez License: CC-BY-SA
Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci is advocating an international conference be held in October on the Cyprus issue

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci is advocating an international conference be held in October on the Cyprus issue, noting that there have been convergences during his meetings with President Nicos Anastasiades.

In statements made in the occupied areas, after the sixth intensified meeting on Wednesday, Akinci has said that the Greek Cypriot side has said submitted a non-paper proposal on the guarantees issue, which has not satisfied the Turkish Cypriot side.

The Turkish Cypriot leader added that at his meetings with Anastasiades details are not being discussed, and that they are brainstorming sessions to start on the security and guarantees issue.

Akinci mentioned that Turkey has not agreed with some of the values being expressed.

However, the Turkish Cypriot leader added that the conditions in 1960  when the treaty of guarantee was put into effect  do not exist.

Akinci has said that the Turkish Cypriot side will be ready to discuss the guarantees system when the time comes, but for now the issue will remain in the brainstorming phase.

The Greek Cypriot position, he added, has not ended the Turkish Cypriot concerns, as the Turkish Cypriot people feel safe with the guarantees of Turkey, which means they cannot see a system in which Ankara is not present.

He added that Turkey and Greece need to work on the issue, something which will be continued in New York, while the details will be discussed at an international conference on the matter.

Convergences exist

On the ongoing intensified meetings, Akinci has said that there are convergences.

He mentioned they may not be as many as they hoped for, but at least there are some.

Akinci has also expressed his hope that there is a positive joint press statement on September 14, adding that he was concerned to hear that the date they would be meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon was revealed by the Greek Cypriot side, as it was set to be announced during the joint press statement.

The Turkish Cypriot leader added that the goal of achieving a solution before the end of 2016 in jointly supported, saying that in order for a solution to be achieved, the negotiations must continue in New York after the meeting with Ban, and a meeting with all involved in October.

On his trip to New York, Akinci said that he would possibly be heading there on September 20 or earlier.

Akinci mentioned that the attempts to find a solution will be intensified in Cyprus and New York, with a goal of creating a bizonal, bicommunal, federation, with political equality in both states, allowing both communities to live in peace.

After the meeting President Anastasiades had said that a recent document leak could be damaging to the process.

Source: CNA

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Schon Properties, one of the leading property developers in the UAE, said it has been conferred with the prestigious Top Real-Estate Companies in the Arab World 2016 award by the Forbes Middle East.



The ceremony, held at Waldorf Astoria, Dubai Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, UAE, ranked the Arab worlds top 100 real estate companies and consultants and celebrated business leaders and the vision of top enterprises and their contribution to the economic development of the region.



Having delivered approximately 1.65 million sq ft in the UAE alone, and with successful projects running in other countries as well, Schon Properties has 8 million sq ft under development in the UAE valued at Dh7 billion ($1.9 billion).



Commenting on the award, Noorul Asif, COO of Schon Properties said: "This is certainly a proud moment for Schon Properties which has withstood a lot in the past one decade and has emerged successful."



With Dubai gearing up for Expo 2020, Schon, he stated, will be instrumental in plugging in the shortage of hotel apartments for the event and near the Al Maktoum International Airport area.



The developer plans to cover 2,600 keys for four-star hotel rooms in Dubai for the Expo 2020 and Al Maktoum International Airports growing tourist traffic.



As per news reports, Dubai is expecting around 25 million visitors from around the world during the six months of the event and there have been concerns over shortage of hotels close to the Expo 2020 site, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Mott MacDonald, a leading engineering, management and development consultancy, said it has won a major contract from Bahrain's Ministry of Housing to supervise the construction of infrastructure works on the Al Madina Al Shamaliya (Northern Town) Islands 10, 11 and 12.



The scope of the works includes site grading, highways, stormwater drainage, electrical, potable water, sewage and irrigation networks, telecommunication ducting and roadside landscaping, said a statement from the company.



Two vehicular bridges connecting Islands 9 and 10 will also be built, as well as one vehicular bridge and one pedestrian bridge connecting Islands 11 and 12, it added.



On the contract win, Simon Crossdale, the project manager, said this commission builds on Mott MacDonald's existing excellent relationship with the Ministry of Housing.



"We also have teams established and working on other major projects in the country, including the Bahrain Affordable Housing public-private partnership project at Al Luwzi and Al Madina Al Shamaliya Islands 13 and 14 (East) and the Al Madina Al Shamaliya Island 14 (West) housing packages supervision," he noted.



The company will supervise the infrastructure and utilities contractor, as well as the bridges contractor, during both the construction and defects liability periods, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Top officials from Iran and Afghanistan recently held a meeting to discuss the development of the Chabahar Port in the south-eastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchestan, said a report.



The meeting was held between Iran's top presidential aide, Akbar Torkan and Afghan Minister of Trade and Industry Homayoun Rasa, added the Iran Daily News report, citing Irna.



During the meeting, Torkan who is also the secretary of the Supreme Council of Iran's Free Trade, Industrial and Special Economic Zones said that development of Makran coastal area is important for Iran.



He added that development of Chabahar Port will facilitate Afghanistan's trade with Iran and the region.



Torkan further noted that the construction of Chabahar-Zahedan-Mashad railway will provide Chabahar Port with access to railroad network.



He also said that Tehran is ready to launch production lines for manufacturing Iranian commodities in Afghanistan.



The Iranian official stated that the country is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan on a joint venture for the use of the country's mines, added the report.
Dubai Design Weeks popular exhibition Abwab will return to this years programme, showcasing entirely new work from designers and studios from Algeria, Bahrain, India, Iraq, Palestine and the UAE, festival organisers said.



Rawan Kashkoush, creative director of Abwab said: The Abwab pavilions are a microcosm of diversity each year, showcasing design in a format that brings the region closer together. Sat side by side, the ideas of each of the countries are emphasised. The exhibitions tell of their origins more clearly when we are able to read them all at once."



Abwab is part of Dubai Design Week, running from October 24 to 29, held in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3). It is also supported by Dubai Culture, Dubai Design & Fashion Council, and Audi.



Located within the walkways of d3, Abwab will be housed in a pavilion cluster designed by architects Meitha Al Mazrooi, Hatem Hatem and Fortune Penniman of UAE-based architectural practice A Hypothetical Office.



Integrated within the d3 site, the pavilions will be made from a re-appropriated greenhouse structure to form a housh or courtyard, a playful nod to Arab neighbourhood nostalgia that is both enclosed and permeable. Paths of filtered light and shady, canopied public spaces allow for access and pockets to converse in  the negative space acts as a harbour and gathering space for visitors.



Hatem Hatem from A Hypothetical Office said: The structural language of the Abwab pavilions will be composed of faceted surfaces that provide intimate enclosures, lit by lighting specialists Acdc. The surface material is a form of woven plastic mesh that allows for light and transparency, enclosed between a field of columns and delimited by reclaimed rubber flooring donated by Beeah.



Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, chief operations officer of d3, said: One of our ambitions at d3 is to fully enable creative potential and our flexible spaces here at d3 allow us to offer a platform for artists and designers to showcase their work within a suitable infrastructure. In working with Downtown Design and Hypothetical, we are proud to establish the Abwab series and help champion some of the best examples of design from the Menasa region.  TradeArabia News Service
Bahrains His Majesty King Hamad during his visitto the military exhibition

Bahrain and Russia yesterday (September 6) signed agreements to further strengthen their co-operation in defence, oil and gas, trade and cultural sectors, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.



To read further, please visit GDNonline.






Dane County has chosen Catholic Charities Madison to run a long-sought and highly-anticipated day resource center for the homeless.

The center, to be located six blocks from the state Capitol, is expected to open next summer and be more comprehensive than anything previously offered in the community.

Catholic Charities Madison was one of two entities that applied to run the center through a request for proposals (RFP) submission process. The other was Dane County Development Group.

In announcing the choice of Catholic Charities, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi praised the nonprofit agency for its decades of strong work.

We want to do this right, and we want to do it right the first time, he said at a Wednesday press conference. We want to help people in need and partner with people who can bring the most to the table experience-wise.

The press conference was held at Holy Name Heights, the new name for the former Bishop OConnor Center. Both the Madison Catholic Diocese and Catholic Charities Madison  the outreach arm of the church  are headquartered there.

As Jackson Fonder, president & CEO of Catholic Charities Madison, spoke, more than 30 people representing most of the prominent organizations, churches and grassroots groups that work to solve homelessness stood behind him  entities such as Porchlight, United Way of Dane County, the YWCA, The Road Home Dane County, the Urban League of Greater Madison and Journey Mental Health Center.

Fonder said there are too many to list by name, but that they all work tirelessly to make a difference in the community.

Were going to become one of those and work side by side with them, he said, adding that Catholic Charities Madison is committed to raising $150,000 a year to help run the center.

He said the day center will be a unique collaboration bringing together the sectors of faith, business, nonprofits, government and neighborhoods.

The day center is planned for 615 E. Washington Ave., currently home to the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce.

The Dane County Board approved the purchase of the building in July for $1.75 million. The Chamber is to vacate the site by Nov. 1.

After renovations, the two-story building is expected to have laundry facilities, showers, storage space, a self-serve kitchenette, a computer room, and separate day rooms for single adults and families with children.

There also will be private offices and meeting rooms so that people who are homeless can connect with community services, health care and addiction treatment.

It will be an environment not just for services, but an environment that allows people to feel warm, welcome, safe and respected, Fonder said. We feel thats very, very important in this center.

The cost of the renovations is estimated by the county at $1 million. The center is to operate year-round, seven days a week.

Parisi said the county is negotiating a contract with Catholic Charities that will need Dane County Board approval. Until the contract negotiations are complete, Parisi said the county would not be releasing copies of the RFPs submitted by Catholic Charities and Dane County Development Group.

The lack of transparency has concerned some community members. The county previously had declined an open records request by the Wisconsin State Journal for the RFPs and did so again Wednesday.

Fonder said the desire on the part of Catholic Charities to become involved more deeply in the homelessness issue began almost a year ago when Madison Bishop Robert Morlino brought a few people together to urge them to zealously make a difference in the lives of the homeless.

Morlino, who spoke at Wednesdays press conference, said his faith is a simple one and that one tenet of it is, If you can do something that would make Pope Francis happy, then lets do it. The crowd laughed appreciatively.

Morlino said the pope encouraged all bishops to go out of their way in some visible fashion to celebrate the Year of Mercy, a special period in the Catholic Church during which the pope is encouraging all Catholics to be profound witnesses to mercy. It runs through Nov. 20.

Morlino said he wants our real care and love and respect for the homeless present in the Diocese of Madison in Dane County.

In his comments at the press conference, Fonder noted an ongoing series about homelessness by the State Journal, saying the stories have been heart-wrenching and shocking and that some of them really bit down on reality.

Thats why were excited to be a part of this project, because we think this day resource center is going to make a significant difference in the community, Fonder said.

Dane County has led the effort to open the center but has struggled to find a site.

Last year, it purchased the vacant former Messner property at 1326 E. Washington Ave. for the day center, but switched gears after the lone proposal to run it came in over budget. Also, some neighbors had objected to the site.

The Chamber of Commerce building is considered a better option because it is closer to Downtown and across from the Salvation Army of Dane County, which operates a homeless shelter for families and women on the 600 block of East Washington Avenue.

Also, Parisi has said the chamber building is a better deal for taxpayers, costing at least $500,000 less in purchase and renovation costs.

The current 2017 budget proposal for the countys Department of Human Services shows funding of $330,000 for the day resource center, which assumes contributions of $100,000 each from the city of Madison and United Way, as well as the countys contribution of $130,000.

County supervisors have signaled a desire to add more to that amount by redirecting money already being spent on other initiatives that aid the homeless.

Because the comprehensive day center wont open until next summer, Catholic Charities announced last month that it will partner with Bethel Lutheran Church to operate a temporary day center for the homeless during the harsh winter months.

The temporary center will operate from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday from Nov. 1 through March 31 at Bethel, 312 Wisconsin Ave.

Since 1946, Catholic Charities Madison has served people in the 11-county area of south-central Wisconsin that makes up the Madison Catholic Diocese. It is a private, nonprofit social services agency employing nearly 400 people. It is supported by more than 1,000 volunteers.

Its services include mental health counseling, drug and alcohol abuse treatment, food pantries, case management, and day centers that assist seniors and people with developmental disabilities.

According to its website, it serves and employs people regardless of sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnicity or race.

Catholic Charities said it plans to hold neighborhood information meetings for input on the center and is working with other providers to collaborate on services.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) France has issued a new report titled 15 Signals: Evidence the Energy Transition is Underway which highlights important signs that an unstoppable global energy transition is in place.



These signals can be seen in the growth of renewables, the rise of city-level climate actions, the stagnation of CO2 emissions and in companies who are committing to science based targets as the foundation of their climate actions, to name just a few.



As global leaders get set to meet at the next UN climate talks in Marrakech. Morocco on November 7, governments and other stakeholders need to recognise that energy is evolving and action is required to maintain momentum and accelerate the transition.



WWF-France CEO, Pascal Canfin said: Despite the evidence of the energy transition, there is still a wide gap between what leaders are agreeing to in global deals and their actions. We need to accelerate the transition and scale it up to have a chance of keeping global temperature rise to below 2C, trying for 1.5C, as countries committed to in the Paris Agreement just eight months ago, he said.



Tanzeed Alam, director of Climate Change and Energy, EWS-WWF said: Hot on the heels of the US and China, the UAE ratified the Paris Agreement on September 4th and became the first oil producer and country from the Mena region to do so.



The early ratification of the Paris Agreement by the US and China highlights that the energy transition has begun, and that the rest of the world needs to follow suit. By becoming one of the early adopters, the UAE is sending a strong signal to regional leaders and investors. In line with The UAE Vision 2021, the agreement supports the governments ambition to scale up the use of clean energy.



In fact, the country is in a unique position to increase its own ambition levels for domestic climate change action, especially on increased targets for solar power something that has huge potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, grow the economy and support an organic transition away from oil, Alam added.



As 2016 heads into the record books as likely the hottest year ever recorded in history, it is a reminder that there is little time left to act to keep global temperatures well below 1.5C, Alam said.  TradeArabia News Service
As a part of the kingdoms Eid Al Adha celebrations, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) will host a fun-filled Eid Surprise event in the heart of Bab Al Bahrain.



The event, aimed at providing a series of activities in the old Manama souq, will take place between September 12 and 14 from 4:00pm to 10:00pm. Activities include various cultural shows and art-related activities such as graffiti and calligraphy. Visitors will also get the opportunity to participate in a nationalistic-flavored competition called Discover Your Country and win valuable prizes.



Commenting on the Eid celebration, Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, the chief executive of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority said: We aim to host a series of events and activities across the kingdom during the Eid holiday in order to celebrate this joyous occasion. This event is held as a part of our commitment to revive the Manama Souq by launching ongoing events and activities that will increase footfall to the area.



The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority will also host two of the most popular live television shows at City Centre Bahrain between the September 8 and 12. Both events are being held as a part of the Manama Gulf Capital of Tourism 2016 calendar of events that contributes towards the economic vision 2030. - TradeArabia News Service
Oman Air has named Al Obaidani International as its official supplier of uniforms following a rigorous tender process.



The agreement for the supply of uniforms was signed at a ceremony in Muscat recently, following which the new Uniform Distribution Centre was opened.



Al Obaidani International was founded in 2002 and has since become a leading supplier of uniforms for official government entities in Oman and supplier of uniform related items and accessories to airlines within the region. The Muscat-based company is 100 per cent Omani-owned and is a subsidiary of the Al Obaidani Group, the textiles and tailoring business which was established in the 1960s.



This new facility will help to ensure easy accessibility and distribution of uniforms to its flying and ground staff. The new facility will help to ensure that the uniforms will continue to reflect the high standards set by the company.



Dr. Abdulrazaq AlRaisi, executive vice president Corporate Services and Business Development and the chairman of the Uniform Committee for Oman Air, said:

Oman Air is pleased to appoint Al Obaidani International as its official supplier of uniforms. The company has an outstanding record, shares Oman Airs unwavering commitment to quality and operates using state of the art equipment and fully integrated manufacturing units.



Further, we are proud to be supporting a leading Omani company which is establishing a growing reputation on the international stage. This builds on Oman Airs long-standing practice of supporting Omani businesses and entrepreneurs, and the wider Omani community, at all times. Indeed, Oman Air has contracted with a range of Omani SMEs and played a major role in the recent Oman SME Summit, which was held in Muscat.



We are also pleased to announce the opening of our new uniform distribution centre at our Muscat headquarters. This will not only help us to maintain the smart and stylish image for which our staff are renowned, but will also increase the speed and efficiency with which our uniforms are issued.



As Oman Air continues its current programme of major expansion and takes on more staff, we are issuing growing numbers of flight crew and cabin crew uniforms. We look forward to the centre delivering a highly effective new service, and to developing a strong partnership with Al Obaidani International.



Jamal Al Obaidani, chief executive officer of Al Obaidani International, added: As an Omani business, we are immensely proud to have been named as the official supplier of uniforms to our national airline, Oman Air. Our long experience, both in Oman and internationally, and our total commitment to the highest quality standards will ensure that our service supports Oman Air in its continued growth and success.



On behalf of our managing director, Rahila Al Busaidi, and all our staff, we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership.



Oman Airs current uniforms were unveiled in 2009 and have since been recognised as one of the most stylish in the airline sector.



Al Obaidani International operates state of the art equipment and fully integrated manufacturing units, and has opened multiple tailoring locations throughout Oman. It is the preferred supplier of uniforms and accessories to military and civilian organisations in Oman, including the Royal Flight and the Royal Air Force of Oman. The company works with globally renowned designers, sources fabrics from the best mills both locally and overseas and also represents a range of global accessory brands in Oman. - TradeArabia News Service
Marriott International continues to pursue an ambitious growth strategy across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, with 11 new properties set to open across the region by the end of this year.



This will include Al Forsan Marriott Hotel in Abu Dhabi, Fes Marriott Hotel in Morocco, Accra Marriott Hotel in Ghana, La Ville Hotel & Suites City Walk, Dubai, Autograph Collection; Lapita Hotel Dubai, Autograph Collection; Courtyard by Marriott Riyadh Olaya in Saudi Arabia, and Renaissance Lagos Ikeja Hotel in Nigeria.



The hospitality giant has also announced 14 new property signings so far in 2016, which will add to Marriott Internationals current operating portfolio of 147 hotels in 20 countries across the Middle East and Africa.



The latest collection of signings will see Marriott International expand its Middle East footprint by eight properties across the UAE, Egypt, Qatar and Kuwait, encompassing the Marriott Hotels, Courtyard by Marriott, Marriott Executive Apartments, Residence Inn by Marriott and Protea Hotels by Marriott brands. The company has also announced further growth to its African pipeline with the signing of six new properties under the JW Marriott Hotels, Autograph Collection and Protea Hotels by Marriott brands.



Our 2016 property signings further illustrate the scale of our ambition to expand as a leading travel company within the Middle East and Africa as well as internationally, said Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa of Marriott International. This is driven by a clear objective to increase representation in all major gateway cities, commercial centers and established resort destinations while catering to a wide variety of market segments. Each of Marriott Internationals brands, including those hotels in our pipeline, target a specific segment and support the increased inflow of travelers into the hotels location.



Within the Middle East, Marriott International currently operates a total of 40 properties spanning eight brands. Todays announcement will add a further five properties to Marriott Internationals UAE presence as well as one property each in Egypt, Qatar and Kuwait.



In Africa, Marriott Internationals acquisition of Protea Hospitality Holding in 2014 is continuing to yield positive returns as the company signs a further six hotels in 2016 adding 1,040 rooms to its Africa pipeline. That pipeline will include two properties in Uganda and one property each in Nairobi, Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. Amongst the signed properties is a JW Marriott brand hotel in Nairobi and an Autograph Collection hotel in South Africa.



Today Africa is particularly important to Marriott Internationals expansion strategy because of the continents rapid economic growth, widening middle class and youth population, as well as the increase of international flights into the continent, added Alex Kyriakidis. With over 850 million people in sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are enormous opportunities there.



By 2020, Marriott International plans to add a further 74 properties and approximately 16,169 rooms within the Middle East and Africa region bolstering its total regional footprint to 221 properties and 40,816 rooms. - TradeArabia News Service
Movenpick Hotel Bahrain has welcomed Iain Joyce as the property's new executive chef.



Joyce brings 20 years of experience and is set to win over the palates of Bahraini residents. He had spent nine years with Kempinski properties in Djibouti, Jordan and China, where he served as executive chef.



Joyce began his career in his hometown of Bournemouth, England before moving onto bigger roles in New Zealand, Bermuda and the Middle East. He holds a vast knowledge in the industry, specialising in hospitality with a special focus on culinary arts.



Chef Iain possesses a unique and exciting mixture of culinary backgrounds, which Im positive our guests will appreciate. His set of skills and foresight will add great value to our already popular food and beverage offerings, said hotel general manager Daniel Kaan.



Commenting on his new appointment, Joyce said: Bahrain is very welcoming and has an innovative dining scene. I am very pleased in joining a property that has a strong and renowned reputation.



Just a two-minute walk from Bahrain International Airport, Movenpick Hotel Bahrain is a five-star property, housing five outlets with different themes, inspired by Europe and East Asia. The propertys outlets have won numerous awards throughout the years, celebrating its popularity amongst the islands residents and tourists. - TradeArabia News Service
Oman Air's Junior Sindbad Flyer campaign, which was launched in July this year, recently welcomed its 250th member.



The programme, which invites passengers between four and 12 years of age to participate in a campaign and collect a free flight, has been exceptionally well received and is making air travel even more exciting for young customers. Every Junior Sindbad Flyer receives their own Oman Air passport which is stamped and signed by the captain on every flight they take. Once they have collected 10 stamps and signatures, they will be able to claim a free flight to any destination within the Oman Air network.



Aws Moawiya Alrawas was the 250th member to join Oman Airs Junior Sindbad Flyer Campaign and was presented with his Oman Air passport.



Paul Gregorowitsch, CEO of Oman Air, said: At Oman Air we are delighted to welcome young passengers on board; we believe that just like adult flyers, there are rewards to be had for children too. Junior Sindbad Flyer passports have been distributed throughout our international network and we are thrilled with the way the programme has been received by our customers.



We have just welcomed our 250th member into the programme and we expect to see numbers continue to grow. We are very much looking forward to seeing the first Junior Sindbad Flyer to collect 10 stamps and receive a complimentary flight.



Sindbad is Oman Airs frequent flyer programme, which has thousands of members throughout the airlines international network. Every member enjoys access to a wide range of benefits, special offers and tailor-made services. The launch of Junior Sindbad Flyer now enables younger passengers to enjoy some of the privileges offered to Oman Airs most loyal and valued customers. - TradeArabia News Service
MSC Cruises revealed last Friday the name of its second STX France-built Meraviglia-generation ultramodern mega cruise ship. She will be called MSC Bellissima and will come into service in the Spring 2019.

MSC Cruises revealed last Friday the name of its second STX France-built Meraviglia-generation ultramodern mega cruise ship. She will be called MSC Bellissima and will come into service in the Spring 2019.

"MSC Bellissima is a name that embodies the beauty and the magnificence of this entire next generation of MSC Cruises ultramodern mega-ships, so rich with new features and amenities for guests of all ages and interests," said Gianni Onorato, chief executive officer of MSC Cruises. "We are so pleased to be able to make this announcement on the very day that her sister ship MSC Meraviglia is touched for the first time by water, a moment that symbolizes the real 'birth' of a ship."

The announcement was made earlier today at STX France's shipyard in Saint Nazaire, as the Company celebrated the float out of MSC Cruises' first next-generation ultramodern mega-ship, MSC Meraviglia, due to come into service in June 2017. The ceremony was attended by, amongst others, esteemed MSC Cruises and STX France guests, Senator of Pays de la Loire Region, Bruno Retailleau, General Council President of Loire Atlantique, Philippe Grosvalet and the Mayor of Saint-Nazaire, David Samzun.

"Since we opened sales last year for MSC Meraviglia's inaugural season in the Western Mediterranean, from the very beginning demand has been extremely encouraging," said Onorato. "This make us believe that this is a generation of ships with a bright future ahead, that has already caught the attention of vacationers from all markets."

"We are extremely proud to design and build MSC Cruises' next generations of cruise ships," said Laurent Castaing, president of STX France. "We are aware and thankful for the trust this amazing company has in our innovation ability. It's been more than 12 years that our industrial partnership has started, and we are always excited by the challenges of fulfilling MSC ambitions."

The float out is a key milestone in the construction of a ship: the dry dock is flooded, the ship is moved to a wet dock, where she then enters the final phase of her construction. Today's event presented a unique opportunity to showcase guests and global media alike the cutting edge design that makes the Meraviglia generation of MSC Cruises ultramodern mega-ships uniquely innovative, and a true destination in itself. This includes, amongst her many on-board features, the specially designed Carousel Lounge where Cirque du Soleil artists will perform shows created exclusively for MSC Cruises guests; a 315 foot long Mediterranean-style promenade with a 262 foot LED sky that runs through the center of the ship; and an enhanced MSC Yacht Club, MSC Cruises' exclusive ship within a ship luxury concept, with its own private facilities spanning three decks.



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With Election Day approaching, state Assembly Republicans previewed their plans for 2017, calling for laptops or tablets to be issued to all high school freshmen, signaling a possible end to the University of Wisconsin System tuition freeze and saying its imperative to solidify state road funding  potentially with tax or fee increases or highway tolls.

Assembly Republicans Forward Agenda was released Wednesday in a state Capitol news conference by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, and other lawmakers.

The GOP lawmakers called for enhanced collection of taxes on Airbnb accommodations, classificationh of certain crimes against police officers as hate crimes, new steps to combat opioid addiction and creation of pre-tax savings accounts for workers to take leave to care for loved ones.

The news conference came as Gov. Scott Walker announced he will propose a Back to School sales tax holiday in the next state budget.

The proposed two-day holiday would start on the first Saturday of August 2017 and include school supplies, computers costing less than $750, and clothing items costing less than $75 each, according to Walkers office.

Vos told reporters Wednesday that Assembly Republicans would support the measure.

But Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said in a statement that it is not clear at this time whether it will garner sufficient momentum needed to pass next session.

The comments Wednesday show lawmakers and Walker looking ahead to 2017 even as the fall election nears. All Assembly and half the state Senate seats will be on the Nov. 8 ballot. Republicans hope to protect their current 63-36 advantage in the Assembly, their largest majority since 1957, and a 19-14 edge in the Senate.

Wednesdays developments also showed Republicans who control state government are at odds on a few key issues  the largest of which may be transportation funding.

Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca of Kenosha teed off Wednesday on the proposal from his Republican counterparts, saying it doesnt address issues such as creating jobs, improving education or alleviating student loan debt.

Today the people of Wisconsin have been offered only empty platitudes from the same legislators that have failed to deliver for the last five years, Barca said in a statement.

Assembly Republicans reiterated Wednesday that theyre open to all options, including tax or fee increases or tolls, to erase a projected $1 billion deficit in funding for road projects. The deficit figure is based on an analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau and assumes no borrowing for roads  a big shift from the most recent budget, which lawmakers and Walker balanced by delaying road projects and increasing borrowing to stave off further delays.

Vos said taxes, fees or tolls should be considered only after cost-saving measures have been exhausted.

If in the end, revenues are required, it is not cheaper to borrow the money or delay the projects than it is to pay for it upfront, Vos said.

That sets up a potential clash with Walker, who has held firm to a stance of not increasing taxes or fees without a corresponding decrease elsewhere in the budget. Some Senate Republicans also have said they oppose tax or fee increases to pay for roads.

Walkers administration next week will lay out its spending blueprint for the next two years when the Department of Transportation releases its 2017-19 budget request.

Vos noted the state Department of Transportation is studying the feasibility of toll roads in Wisconsin. Vos, who repeatedly has voiced support for toll roads, said Wednesday that he thinks they could help finance large highway projects in southeast Wisconsin.

Toll roads would be new for Wisconsin, which traditionally has taken a different path than neighboring states such as Illinois that use tolls to pay for road maintenance and upgrades. Wisconsin primarily has relied on fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees to finance its roads. Implementing toll roads on U.S. interstates requires approval from federal officials as well as state leaders.

Vos said the proposal to issue laptops or mobile devices to all high school freshmen would be universal and not contingent on the incomes of students families.

Every single student should have the opportunity to have that same access to technology, be they someone whos poor in the inner city or wealthy in the suburbs, Vos said. He did not explain how the proposal would be financed  a potential challenge, given projections that show lawmakers and the governor may need to erase another deficit in the next budget.

A projection released last year by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau showed a $210 million structural deficit looming for the 2017-19 budget.

There are nearly 70,000 high school freshmen in Wisconsin, according to the state Department of Public Instruction. Vos noted that some districts already provide all students with laptops or tablets.

Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said Wednesday that the governor is interested in more details on the computer proposal.Walker, asked about the cost of the proposal, told reporters in Milwaukee that Assembly Republicans havent run the numbers through us.

UW

funding,

tuition freeze

Also Wednesday, Vos said Assembly Republicans hope to extend the current UW tuition freeze, which has been in place since 2013, for the duration of the next two-year budget, which runs from July 2017 to June 2019. But Vos said he would consider supporting a small increase in tuition in the second year of the budget.

Walker also said last month that hes open to lifting the UW tuition freeze in the second year of the budget.

Vos and other Assembly Republicans declined to say Wednesday if theyd support another cut in state funding for the UW System. State aid for the System was slashed by $250 million in the current budget.

Meanwhile, Rep. Rob Swearingen, R-Rhinelander, said Assembly Republicans want to make sure tourism and lodging taxes are being uniformly collected for all types of accommodations. He singled out Airbnb, the popular short-term lodging website.

Companies like Airbnb, we look forward to working with them to make sure theyre paying their fair share of revenue, Swearingen said.

Collection of room taxes from Airbnb has been an issue in Madison, where Mayor Paul Soglin has discussed hiring a city employee to oversee those collections.
Law enforcement training videos featuring Attorney General Brad Schimel arent subject to release under the open records law and doing so could tell pedophiles how to evade capture, Wisconsins solicitor general told the state Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The court is considering whether the states open records law requires the 2009 and 2013 recordings to be made public. The tapes were requested by the state Democratic Party in 2014, just weeks before Schimel was elected attorney general, and have been the subject of a few court rulings. The high court will release an opinion in the coming months.

Justices peppered attorneys Tuesday with questions about whether the open records law requires the tapes to be released and whether doing so would harm victims or reveal too much information about law enforcement techniques.

Theres really no good that would come from releasing these two tapes, Solicitor General Misha Tseytlin said. But there would be a lot of bad.

The DOJ also has argued that the videos would undermine the states ability to train prosecutors and police officers in the future.

Schimel, who has sought to position himself as a strong advocate of transparency and regularly holds training sessions for government officials on the open meetings and records laws, did not attend Tuesdays arguments. The tapes were made when Schimel was Waukesha County district attorney.

Democrats say the videos show Schimel making questionable remarks at State Prosecutors Education and Training seminars, which were sponsored by DOJ. The lawsuit offered no evidence supporting the allegation, which Schimel has denied, and a lower court judge who reviewed the videos said he did not appear to say anything inappropriate.

Attorney Michael Bauer, representing the Democratic Party, argued Tuesday that theres no information on the tapes that isnt already readily available on the internet or that is outdated.

You come away with Whats so novel to be protected here? Bauer said. It really is basic, well-known techniques to law enforcement.

The 2009 video was made during a presentation about internet sexual predator cases, and the 2013 presentation centered on interacting with victims of sensitive crimes.

In the 2013 video, Schimel details a well-known sexual assault case in which a high school student in Waukesha County posed as a female online, obtained graphic pictures from his male classmates and used them to extort sexual acts.

But Chief Justice Pat Roggensack questioned whether releasing it could re-victimize the men, who arent named in the video, because of how many details are discussed. Bauer said he would not object to redacting the one detail that hasnt been made public, and DOJ attorneys also have said they would be open to releasing the tapes with portions edited out.

A state appeals court ruled last year that the videos must be made public under the state open records law, saying there was no compelling reason to keep them secret. The ruling affirmed one made in 2014 by a Dane County circuit judge. Both lower courts said the content of the tapes was routine and there was no danger that law enforcement tactics or victims privacy would be compromised in releasing them.
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WASHINGTON  Donald Trump just renewed his vow of opacity.

Asked by ABC Newss David Muir on Monday afternoon whether hed be releasing his income tax returns, as every other major-party presidential nominee has done for 40 years, Trump brushed off the inquiry.

I think people dont care, the GOP nominee declared.

No? A Quinnipiac University poll two weeks ago found that 74 percent of likely voters, including 62 percent of Republicans, think Trump should release his tax returns.

And for those Americans who dont care, theres more evidence every day that they should. As Trump was again dismissing the tax return matter, The Washington Post that afternoon published an extensive report by Dana Priest, Ellen Nakashima and Tom Hamburger laying out what U.S. intelligence officials believe is a broad covert Russian operation in the United States to sow public distrust in the upcoming presidential election and in U.S. political institutions.

If Vladimir Putins government  widely believed to be behind cyberattacks on the Democratic National Committee and state election operations  has this ambitious plan to influence the election, it stands to reason that Putin would also like to influence the candidates.

Trump and his advisers have taken a strikingly pro-Putin line, and Trump and his advisers also have had extensive financial ties to Russia. One sure way to know how beholden Trump is to Putins regime is for him to release his tax returns.

This doesnt mean Trump is some sort of Manchurian Candidate in cahoots with Putin. But its bad enough if a President Trump were to feel pressure to tilt in Russias favor because he was indebted to Putin-allied investors. Trump dismisses the possibility as nonsense  so why wont he come clean with his taxes?

The potential for such conflict is a big reason its routine for nominees to release their returns. Hillary Clinton has released almost 40 years worth, Tim Kaine has released 10, and Mike Pence said hell release his this week.

When Trump says nobody cares about the release of his tax returns, hes forgetting a long list of Republicans who have called for Trump to disclose. Mitt Romney, the last Republican nominee, called Trumps refusal disqualifying and speculated that the returns could contain a bombshell.

Much has been made of Clintons allergy to transparency, and I dont excuse her obsessive secrecy over her emails and her nearly 280 days without a news conference. Clinton and Trump should both release more medical information.

But when it comes to transparency, Trump is by far the biggest offender. Hes still banning The Post and other news organizations he doesnt like. Clinton released the names of her top money-raising bundlers; Trump refuses. Clinton has said the Clinton Foundation would stop taking foreign and corporate contributions if she were elected (she should go further, by severing all family ties with the foundation) while Trump has no plans to minimize such conflicts of interest  or even to disclose them.

Trumps excuse, that hes waiting for audits to end, has no legal justification. His own accountants have said his audits from 2002 to 2008 have been closed, yet his returns from those years remain unreleased.

Do the unreleased returns illustrate shady connections? The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Trumps real estate investments brought the GOP nominee into regular contact with people who had ties to organized crime. Do they show (as earlier returns did) that he paid little or nothing in taxes? Do they confirm reporting by The Washington Posts David A. Fahrenthold that Trump has been stingy with charities?

Very likely, they would show Trump has a great deal of debt owned by foreign interests that dont necessarily share his America First views. The New York Times reported recently that companies directly owned by Trump hold at least $650 million in debt  twice the amount that could be found from his campaign disclosures  and much of Trumps wealth is in three investments that owe an additional $2 billion.

Wealthy candidates seeking high office typically promise to put their investments in a blind trust so they can avoid conflicts of interest by not controlling, or even knowing about, their financial interests. But Trump has no plan to do that. He says his children will run the business while he runs the country.

By refusing to disclose his financial obligations, and by declining to remove any potential conflicts of interest he has with Putin and other foreign entities, Trump has come up with a different notion of blind trust: He wants us to trust him, blindly.
I have learned the hard way not to put my personal life on the Internet. But suffice it to say that, God willing, things should be pretty much back to norm...

2 weeks ago
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 7

Members of the Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Association had to face wrath of the police as they marched towards the residence of Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia to submit a memorandum in support of their demands here today.

A journalist from Makhu was injured as he was hit with cane on his head by a policeman. Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bal Krishan Singla said few journalists entered into a scuffle with policemen during which people from both the parties were injured.

He claimed that he, too, sustained an injury on his hand. Singla said journalists had also misbehaved with policewomen present on the occasion. The Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Association president, Jasbir Singh Patti, demanded an action against police officials, who manhandled mediapersons without any provocation. He claimed that journalists were marching peacefully. He said the association would organise a protest against the Commissioner of Police on September 10 if he failed to take action against erring police officials.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president, Capt Amarinder Singh, condemned the police lathicharge on journalists here today.

In a statement here today, Captain said, This government is totally frustrated. It is trying to vent its annoyance on everyone, including journalists.

The former Chief Minister demanded an inquiry in the incident and strong action against guilty policemen. He said Majithia must tender an unconditional apology to journalists for manner in which the policemen behaved with them.
G Parthasarathy

SPEAKING in the Lok Sabha on April 21, 2003, about his just-concluded visit to J&K, PM Vajpayee spelt out his perspective on the way ahead to deal with the complex issues concerning the State. He spoke of major economic projects in areas like the development of road and rail infrastructure and promoting employment for the youth. Referring to relations with Pakistan, he said: We have extended our hand of friendship to Pakistan. Let us see how Pakistan responds. Stopping cross-border infiltration and destruction of terrorist infrastructure can open the door for talks. Talks can take place on all issues including that of Jammu and Kashmir. He asserted: The gun can solve no problems. Issues can be guided by the three principles of insaniyat (humanism), jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat.

Mr Vajpayees words came after the military faceoff with Pakistan after the Parliament attack had ended, in October 2002. Back channel talks were under way with Pakistan, which resulted in a ceasefire across the LoC in November 2003. In January 2004, India agreed to resume talks with Pakistan, following an assurance from President Musharraf that territory under Pakistans control would not be used for terrorism against India. Dialogue with Pakistan was resumed only after this categorical assurance. While Pakistan broadly abided by this assurance, till Musharraf was President, terrorism resumed in 2008, with an attack on our embassy in Kabul, followed by the 26/11 strike. We ignored Mr Vajpayees preconditions for dialogue and paid a heavy price.

We have now asserted that dialogue with Pakistan and terrorism cannot proceed side by side. This has come when we are witnessing violence in the Valley following the killing of Burhan Wani, a Facebook poster boy, given to carrying an ISI-supplied AK-47. Efforts are under way for a dialogue with Kashmiris. But this dialogue has to be inclusive. It is not meant just to accommodate the aspirations the people of the Valley, who constitute some 52 per cent of the population, while residing in around 16 per cent of the territory of J&K. Those representing the people of Jammu, Kargil and Ladakh, including from communities like the Gujjars and Bakarwals, have to be included in any comprehensive dialogue. While the security situation has to be managed with firmness, it is time to frankly state that the essence of Kashmiriyat is tolerance and respect for pluralism. Those calling for establishing Nizam-e-Mustafa while hiding behind stone-pelting children and lobbing grenades at security forces are not believers in Kashmiriyat. They are cowards and have to be dealt with accordingly.

Should New Delhi talk to the separatist Hurriyat Conference? It has to be remembered that terrorists linked to the ISI assassinated the two tallest leaders in the Hurriyat  Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone. Those now in the Hurriyat are either Islamist extremists like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who is ideologically Pakistani, or those like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is not likely to oppose Pakistani fiats, for fear of meeting the fate of his assassinated father. In any case, the Hurriyat leaders are known to be in continuous touch with security agencies on both sides of the LoC! While the security situation has to be managed judiciously, but firmly, it is also time to assert that the essence of Kashmiriyat is respect for pluralism. It is imperative to continue efforts to develop a broad consensus between major political parties in both New Delhi and Srinagar on measures to move ahead.

With Pakistan launching a worldwide campaign against India, the time has also come to turn the screws diplomatically on Pakistan, which has been the main stumbling block in promoting cooperation in South Asia on issues of connectivity, economic integration and terrorism. India has been bypassing Pakistani objections by working with its eastern SAARC neighbours  Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh  to promote road and rail connectivity, and even energy corridors, by interlinking energy grids. We should work with these neighbours to promote a sub-regional economic union, excluding Pakistan, given its disinclination to even abide by the provisions of SAFTA in its trade with India. Bangladesh has expressed its interest in moving towards an economic union, while lamenting Pakistans negativism on issues of regional integration, which SAARC heads of government agreed to at the Kathmandu Summit in 2003.

Pakistans negativism was also evident in its categorical rejection of Indias offer of orbiting a SAARC satellite for the benefit of all SAARC countries. India is, nevertheless, going ahead with this proposal. Bangladesh and Afghanistan downgraded their presence at recent meetings of SAARC Home and Finance Ministers in Islamabad. India joined Bangladesh and Afghanistan, downgrading its participation at the August meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers. Pakistan is now regarded as a state sponsor of terrorism by three SAARC countries  Bangladesh, India and Afghanistan. It would only be appropriate if the three countries held close consultations on issues like participation at the highest level in the Islamabad SAARC Summit. What better way to globally expose Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism? We should, meanwhile, continue functional cooperation across the entire spectrum of SAARC activities by maintaining contacts at the official level, while participating selectively in SAARC ministerial meetings, as long as Pakistan holds the chairmanship of SAARC. There are other forums like BIMSTEC, which should be utilised more vigorously for strengthening South Asian Economic Cooperation, given Pakistans role as a spoiler in SAARC.

The time has also now come for India to review its unquestioning acceptance of the Durand Line, imposed on Afghanistan by an expansionist British Empire in 1893. No Afghan ruler, including Mullah Omar, has accepted the Durand Line as the international border with Pakistan. Pashtuns have traditionally held that their homeland extends to Attock, on the banks of the Indus. There have recently been clashes along the Durand Line, when Afghans resisted Pakistani moves to give the Durand Line the trappings of being an international border. Is any Indian interest served by continuing to show the Durand Line as the border in Indias official maps? Is it not time to internationally acknowledge that India regards the Durand Line as a disputed border? We would be respecting the memory of one of our greatest freedom fighters, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, by doing so.
Punjab and Haryana politicians can draw lessons from the century-old Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. When the monsoon is normal the Cauvery river satisfies the needs of farmers in both states. Disputes and litigation happen when the rains are deficient. This year too Tamil Nadu moved the Supreme Court for more water. The Supreme Court advised Karnataka to live and let live and urged both states to maintain harmony as it ordered the release of15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 10 days, twice of what it was sharing. Angry Karnataka farmers blocked an inter-state highway but Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called an all-party meeting and announced: As a state, we cannot defy the Supreme Courts orders. Despite severe hardships, we will release water.

The Punjab-Haryana water dispute is pending in the Supreme Court. It is here that both sides can present their claims. Not to be seen as losers, politicians, however, tend to arouse passions. Provocatively, in March this year the Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed a Bill to return the land acquired for the SYL Canal. The aim was to nullify the Supreme Courts 2004 decree which required construction of the SYL Canal for supplying water to Haryana. For electoral gains Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh engaged in an unseemly credit war until the Supreme Court intervened and told Punjab to maintain the status quo. In election rallies Badal has urged people to be prepared for making sacrifices, disregarding the law that makes incitement to violence an offence. Not to be left behind, Capt Amarinder Singh said in July that if the apex court verdict went against Punjab he would resign as an MP (he has to, to contest the assembly elections) and all Congress MLAs too would quit (their term is about to end).

An inter-state water dispute can be settled either through dialogue involving all stakeholders under the aegis of the Centre or through court arbitration. Politicians here neither display maturity in finding a mutually acceptable solution nor are ready to gracefully accept an adverse court verdict. Low-level politics has cost Punjab heavily.
Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 7

Within a week of levelling a series of allegations against Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu, Congress MLA Karan Singh Dalal on Wednesday accused him of misusing his position to further his business interests in Haryana and other BJP-ruled states and demanded his dismissal from the government.

The minister, however, denied allegations saying Dalal was in the habit of levelling unsubstantiated charges.

Addressing a press conference at MLA Hostels here, Dalal said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with details of the ministers misdemeanours.

Dalal alleged that transmission works running into crores had been allotted to M/s Shyam Indus, a company owned by the ministers family, in violation of the rules.

Most of the works, he said, were earlier awarded to another company, M/s Get Power Pvt Ltd, as turnkey contractors, but the work was later given to the company owned by the ministers family.

Dalal distributed copies of documents pertaining to the contract to mediapersons. Dalal alleged that the BJP government in Haryana had deliberately delayed starting of the Dadam Stone Mines spread on over 55.5 hectares by manipulations to ensure that another mine allotted in the name of Sainik Mining and Allied Services and owned by Abhimanyus family could continue making huge profits.

He alleged that the governments action had already resulted in a revenue loss of Rs 1,000 crore to the government besides resulting in loss of employment to hundreds of youths.

Dalal also supplied a list of 97 companies and asked Abhimanyu to explain what his familys interests in these firms were.

The minister, however, dismissed Dalals allegations as false, baseless and mischievous and alleged that shoot and scoot was Dalals favourite pastime.

Anyone can do business in this country. As far as I am concerned, I have always followed high principles of morality in public life. The mining contract Dalal is talking of was allotted to Sainik Mining and Allied Services during the Congress regime. If he has any evidence, he is free to approach courts instead of levelling baseless allegations in the media, Abhimanyu said.
Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 7

Combined counselling for MBBS and BDS courses has begun, but the Haryana Government is yet to fix fees for private unaided medical and dental colleges in the state.

This is so because the government has not decided on a proposal for increase in fees.

As per the Department of Medical Education and Researchs schedule, the counselling for government colleges is slated for September 12 and 13 and for private colleges, September 14 and 15. For NRI quota, counselling is on September 15.

Those selected will have to deposit fees on the day of counselling.

A fee fixation committee had last month proposed 40 per cent increase (10 per cent for each of four years) in fees. With this, fees for MBBS will be increased from Rs 7 lakh per annum to Rs 9.8 lakh and for BDS, from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.8 lakh.

The department had invited objections from the public and colleges on the proposal. Colleges were asked to submit audited accounts for five years so as to ascertain fees they deserved.

A private college has sought its fees to be fixed at Rs 20 lakh per annum. Some students have requested the department to fix affordable fees so that they can pursue their studies unhindered.

Sources said representations of colleges are voluminous.

With three days left (Saturday and Sunday being holidays) for counselling, sources said it seemed unlikely that the department would get time to study the representations, let alone decide on the proposal.

Dusmant Kumar Bahera, Director, Department of Medical Education and Research, said the revision of fee was being considered. Students will pay unrevised fees if a decision is not taken by then.

A notice has been sent to SGT Medical College, Gurgaon, for mentioning its annual fees as Rs 18 lakh against Rs 7 lakh fixed by the government. Explanation has also sought from Maharishi Markandeshwar Medical College, Mullana, for not mentioning fees on its website, he added.
Shiv Kumar Sharma

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, September 7

Students of Guru Nanak Khalsa College and Mukand Lal National College here belonging to the SC/BC categories today filed a complaint at the CM Window against the installation of biometric machines for their attendance. There are reports that a machine has been installed in one more college of the district. They said the practice should be withdrawn, as it was anti-Dalit and would revive caste-based discrimination.

Separate attendance for the SC/BC students to avail the post-matric scholarship is a sign of caste discrimination, said a student. He said the attendance of the general category students was marked by teachers in classrooms. He claimed students made fun of them when they stood in lines to mark their attendance on the biometric machine.

Separate biometric attendance machines were installed by some of the colleges of the district after the Director, Higher Education, issued guidelines/instructions to colleges of the state for sanctioning post-matric scholarship to SC and BC students on April 6. This will be in the interest of the students to attend the classes and reduce fraud, the letter reads. Rahul, a BCom-III student of a college, said each college had installed a single biometric attendance machine on its premises, forcing the students to stand in queues for long.

Besides facing discrimination from general category students, most of the SC/BC students have to miss their classes in the morning and buses in the evening, as they have to stand in queues for long to mark their attendance.

In some colleges, the strength of the SC/BC students is about 700-800, said Rahul. Saurabh, a BA-I student, said the biometric attendance might prove a good system if implemented for every student. But, its selective implementation should be stopped, he said.

Dr Mandeep Singh, principal, Guru Nanak Khalsa College, said they had installed a machine following state governments order.

Dr Shailesh Kapoor, principal, Mukand Lal National College, said, As per the government directions, biometric attendance is must for the students of the SC/ST categories. However, we mark attendance of all students, including SC/ST, in classrooms also, said Shailesh.
Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 7

As many as 72 primary health centres (PHC) catering to the needs of over 300 villages in the state do not have doctors.

Besides, theres an overall shortage of doctors across the state, as 2,000 doctors are working against the sanctioned strength of 3,200. Worst, there are only 559 specialists in the state, putting the lives of hundreds of patients at risk.

The acute shortage of specialists has compelled the authorities to direct non-specialists like me to conduct post-mortem, said a government doctor posted in Rohtak.

As per details, there are only 33 ENT, five forensic, 46 medicine, 14 chest and TB, 72 gynaecology, 51 orthopaedic, 15 skin and 12 radiologists specialists in the state.

Because the salary structure is not attractive, doctors are not joining the state health services, alleged Dr Rajesh Sheokand, general secretary of the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA) today in Chandigarh.

Sheokand said in the last eight years, 23 rounds of recruitment were conducted, but the state did not get the required number of doctors.

Some IAS officers are creating hurdles in the working of the government. Even after the recommendations and clearance of Health Minister Anil Vij and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, they are not clearing the files pertaining to the increase of age limit and other issues of doctors, alleged Jasbir Singh Panwar, president, HCMSA.

Vij said they were trying to find a suitable solution to the problem of doctor shortage.

We have repeatedly taken initiatives to recruit doctors. We are also taking steps to fulfil the long pending demands of the fraternity, said Vij.
Our Correspondent

KULLU, SEPTEMBER 7

Former state BJP president and Kullu MLA Maheshwar Singh made a courtesy call on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi today and apprised him of the urgency of having an extradition treaty with Nepal.

After his comeback to the BJP last month, Maheshwar was on a tour to Delhi to thank senior BJP leaders. Maheshwar said as the incidents of Nepalese being involved in various crimes were on the rise, it was necessary to have an extradition treaty with the neighbouring country.

He alleged that there was surge in the cases of idol thefts in Himachal and it was found that generally the Nepalese were involved in smuggling of such artifacts. He said criminals flee to Nepal after committing crime in India and the police could not bring them back as India had no extradition treaty with Nepal.

Maheshwar stated that he had raised the issue in the Vidhan Sabha.

Kullu district experiences influx of Nepalese nationals during the fruit and tourist season, while a large number of Nepalese are engaged in construction works of hydel projects and other development activities being carried out in this district. Besides, many others were working as domestic helps.

A Nepalese national Nar Prasad Jaisi was arrested in Nepal on Januray, 2015, for stealing priceless idols from Raghunath temple at Kullu in December 2014. The accused could not be brought back to India in view of the absence of extradition treaty.

While the extradition treaty is in force with many other countries, India does not have an existing extradition treaty with Nepal. An extradition treaty will help to curtail the criminal activities along the borders and develop and maintain healthy mutual relations with Nepal.

Maheshwar stated that he apprised the minister of deteriorating law and order situation in Himachal and urged the Union Minister to provide the latest equipment to the state police. Maheshwar said that the Home Minister assured him that assistance would be providedto the state upon the request of the state government.
Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 7

The wildlife wing of the Forest Department will finally release cheer pheasants bred under captivity at Chail from November-end to December.

A wildlife expert, Dr Rahul Kaul, from the Wildlife Trust of India, recently held a meeting with wildlife officials to work out the nitty-gritty of releasing the birds. As many as 71 birds have been bred at Chail under the worlds lone captive breeding programme.

A memorandum of understanding will also be signed with Dr Rahul Kaul to engage him in the project.

Dr Satish Gupta said two sites lying in the precincts of Chail at Neen and Bhaila had been identified for releasing two family groups comprising parents and two or more chicks. A founder parent along with chicks from the F-2 and F-3 groups would be released at each site, Gupta said. Since cheer pheasants have been historically cited at these two places, they stand better chances of survival here. Earlier, the officials had visited several sites at Rajgarh and various parts of Solan and Shimla districts for releasing the newly bred birds into the wild.

Gupta said they would visit the two sites and conduct a survey on various aspects like the presence of probable predators and would also create awareness among local communities about the release of these birds. The birds would also be trained on how to deal with the predators and issues like poaching which was a key cause of dwindling bird population would also be studied before releasing the birds at the two sites. More birds would be released once the initial trail is successful, he said.

Acclimatisation of the birds will also be undertaken before their release to ensure that they manage to survive in the wild. This will include giving them wild feed as this will ensure their survival in the wild, the official said.

The Central Zoo Authority of India had sanctioned the project worth Rs 3.24 crore to the state Wildlife Department in 2008 and the birds were supposed to be released to supplement their population. Their release plan has been delayed for more than a year now.

The officials had achieved a rare feat by breeding 71 cheer pheasants. This is the lone facility in the nation where a systematic breeding programme for cheer pheasants has been successfully achieved and even members of the World Pheasantry Association have visited the site.
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 7

Armed with chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate against LIC agent Anand Chauhan in a money laundering case against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, the state BJP today upped the ante against the Chief Minister and demanded his removal.

The central leadership of the Congress should immediately sack the Chief Minister, facing serious charges or otherwise it will be construed that the party high command has connived with him, chief spokesman of the BJP, Dr Rajiv Bindal, said.

Addressing mediapersons, Bindal said that the ED had filed the chargesheet against Chauhan and maintained that additional evidence could also be added.

Chauhan was only the commission agent while Virbhadra Singh and his wife are the main accused in the case and the charges against them are even more serious, but the Chief Minister has refused to resign on moral grounds, Bindal said, adding that, It proves political bankruptcy of the party.

The Congress high command should come clean on the issue. He said if there was a corruption or criminal case against any government officer or employee, he was suspended to facilitate free and fair investigations but in this case the party had taken a different stand.
Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 7

Abdul Gani Bhat, former chief of the separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference, on Wednesday said he was upset over shutting doors on members of the parliamentary delegation that had visited the state this week.

Bhat, who is an executive member of a faction of the Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said separatists should have been graceful in receiving the members of the parliamentary panel who had visited their residences.

The all-party delegation had visited the Kashmir valley on Sunday and attempted to reach out to several separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and Bhat. However, while few met them, Geelani refused to open the door to the three parliamentarians who had visited his residence.

We should have been graceful, no two opinions about it, he told The Tribune. I am sad about it (shutting doors), I am upset about it. It shouldnt have happened, he said.

Bhat, who is a moderate in the separatist camp and an advocate of dialogue, said the separatists should not allow themselves to be caught in darkness.

Now that it has happened, we should not allow ourselves to be caught in darkness. We must come out of it and move towards light. Mornings are much better than dark evenings, he said, suggesting a more moderate approach should be taken.

Bhat said few parliamentarians from the delegation had visited him at his office and he received them respectfully and they left gracefully. We exchanged little pleasantries amongst ourselves and, more importantly, discussed nothing, he said.

Bhat said the separatists, India and Pakistan would have to rise above yesterday, hostility and subcontinental irony to find a solution to the K-issue. This talking about within the ambit of Constitution is an expression without any reference to anything we will have to behave as mature, seasoned politicians to contribute towards peace and prosperity of the entire region, he said.

In reply to a question to New Delhis hardening stand against separatists, Bhat said there was a need to be imaginative, pragmatic, realistic and open. We will reach nowhere if hardened attitudes are assumed, he added. Given the political environment and economic developments around, we cannot afford to assume a harder attitude. We have to be flexible and introduce an element of flexibility in our talks, he said.

Bhat said if flexibility was introduced, we will be able to work out a solution for the disputed Jammu and Kashmir which will not only be honourable but also acceptable to parties as well.
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 7

Seeking tough measures against separatists and their supporters in Jammu and Kashmir, nearly 1,500 civil society members, students and entrepreneurs today took out a Tiranga rally in support of the Army and paramilitary forces under attack by mobs in Kashmir for the past two months.

Saluting their role against Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in the state amid slogans of Indian Army zindabad, participants riding cars and two-wheelers took out the rally to express their support to security forces.

The rally started from MA Stadium, passed through various parts of the city and concluded at Balidan Stambh, erected by the Army in memory of those martyred in conflict with Pakistan and China in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Jammu Citizens Forum submitted a memorandum for Chief of Army Staff Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag to the Divisional Commissioner extending support to the armed forces in their fight against militancy.

Civil society feels honoured and privileged for the sterling contribution of valiant officers and jawans of the Army since Independence in preserving and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, said Zorawar Singh, chairman of Team Jammu.

The participants of the rally said the Army had been fighting a proxy war which needed the total support of the people of the country and nationalist population in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Army and patriotic people have a very strong bonding. The determination and courage with which the Army drove off invading hordes from Pakistan in 1947 and different wars will always remain etched in golden letters in the history of India, said Rakesh Gupta, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

I am an Indian first and then comes my religion. No anti-national ideology from any forum should be accepted. Stern action should be taken against separatists. Let them go to Pakistan and be its citizens, said Rafiq Hussain, a participant.
Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 6

On his return from Jammu and Kashmir after leading an all-party delegation to the state, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him on the ground situation in the Kashmir Valley. There are strong indications that the Centre may toughen its approach towards separatist leaders, making their foreign sojourns difficult and scaling down their security cover.

The Home Minister, in an hour-long meeting, apprised Modi on the assessment of the all-party delegation that visited Srinagar and Jammu on September 4 and 5.

Briefed the Prime Minister on all-party delegations visit to J&K and also apprised him of the situation in the state, Rajnath tweeted. Miffed at the Hurriyat leaders snubbing the visiting MPs plea for a dialogue, the Centre has decided on a carrot and stick policy. National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, say sources, firmly believes in this policy. the Centre is considering curbs on the separatist leaders foreign trips by taking back their passports and in some cases denying them travel documents.

Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA ) said bank accounts of separatist leaders may be scrutinised and pending investigations against them hastened. The intention is to send across the message that those provoking the youths in the Kashmir Valley to create disturbance will not be spared.

The MHAs tough stand has come apparently after the Prime Ministers nod. There is a feeling in the government that lack of governance in Jammu and Kashmir needs to be addressed and that the state government has been treating the separatists with kid gloves. The final decision, however, will be taken after the all-party delegation meets here tomorrow.

Pellets kill another youth

Srinagar: A 20-year-old youth was killed and over 100 were injured on Tuesday as security forces fired pellets to quell protesters, who were agitating against overnight police raids in south Kashmirs Anantnag district. Restrictions and separatist-backed shutdown continued on 60th day in Kashmir as death toll climbed to 75. Educational institutions, shops and business establishments remained closed.

Pak violates truce in Poonch

Jammu: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi indirectly accused Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism in the region, the Pakistani army violated the ceasefire agreement at the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector. The firing started around late on Monday night and stopped at 9:45 am on Tuesday. This was the second ceasefire violation by the Pakistani army within a week.

Elite to blame for discontent: Ex-Home Secy

New Delhi: Former Union Home Secretary GK Pillai on Tuesday said that absence of effective local self- governance in Jammu & Kashmir had led to concentration of power in the hands of a few families, resulting in disconnect and discontent. The 73rd Amendment pertaining to Panchayati Raj Institutions and the 74th Amendment with regard to urban local bodies are not applicable to the state. This has resulted in concentration of power with the elite. TNS
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 7

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has welcomed the resolution adopted at the all-party meeting in New Delhi today. She said engagement and reconciliation was the only way forward to end the stalemate and make peace, stability and prosperity a reality in the state and the region.

Mehbooba said unfortunately the separatist leadership had missed the recent opportunity of engaging with the parliamentarians during their visit to the state to find a solution to the problem. There is no alternative to dialogue and somebody has to engage with somebody to find a way out and it stands true for J&K as well, she said.

The Chief Minister said that by shying away from the talks, the separatist leadership was in a danger of being squarely blamed for holding up the resolution process when an opportunity was there to address the issue through political and democratic means.

She said now that the resolution adopted at the all-party meeting in New Delhi had reiterated the urgency of engagement and dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir, we hope a fresh and productive effort would be made by the countrys political leadership to reach out to all stakeholders in the state to address the issue through inclusive and comprehensive engagement.

The Chief Minister said the people of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of their age, gender, status or political affiliation, had been suffering the disastrous consequences of the turmoil and unrest and had to be retrieved from this blood-spattered quagmire, sooner the better. The onus lies not only on the government but also on the separatist leadership to give the peace and resolution process a chance by coming forward with a concrete road map, she said.

Mehbooba said despite the challenges and impediments, the prevailing painful situation in Kashmir necessitated once again reaching out to all shades of political opinion in the state and initiating substantive political and economic measures to revive and consolidate the peace and resolution process which had worked so well between 2002 and 2005.

Violence in any form only brings miseries to the people and is not a means to seek resolution of the problem, Mehbooba said. She said holding public life to ransom would not yield peace but only aggravate the miseries of the people.

Our children are getting killed and maimed, our social fabric is slipping into disorder, economy is in a shambles, educational sector has suffered immensely, tourism inflow is zero, shopkeepers are not able to do business, transport industry is suffering massive losses, industrial units are shut, development process has come to a halt and people are feeling suffocated. We shall have to ponder over how long we are going to allow this self-destruction to continue? she asked.

All of us, cutting across the political divide, shall have to reinforce our resolve to work through peaceful means and public participation towards resolution of the problem and restoration of peace in the state so that our future generations can at least live in a peaceful environment, the Chief Minister added.
I am Kerry Burgess. This is what I think.
Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 6

In a radical shift in the Kashmir policy, the Centre may put on hold the rehabilitation packages initiated by successive governments for displaced Pandits.

The situation in the Valley has deteriorated, The radicals and separatists have taken hostage 10 districts of the state. The rehabilitation policy is likely to be reviewed, said a senior BJP leader.

The rehabilitation of Pandit migrants, announced in 2005, 2008 and 2014, was initiated on the understanding that separatists would prevail upon the radicals and ensure the Pandits return to the state. But this has not happened.

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With rampaging mobs targeting transit camps, the confidence of the migrants in the governments ability to ensure their safety has been shattered, said Surinder Amberdar, member, Legislative Council.

Meanwhile, the National Conference has criticised the state government and termed Chief Minister Mehbooba Muftis silence on the continued excesses by forces as criminal. The party, in a statement, said it was outraged over the continued excesses by forces. The ruling PDP, on the other hand, accused the Opposition of trying to give political colour to protests.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 7

In a second attack in less than a month, three soldiers were injured when militants ambushed an Army convoy in north Kashmirs Kupwara district on Wednesday morning.

The attack took place around 7.30 am at Wadipora Kralgund, Handwara, over 70 km from Srinagar, when the Army convoy was on way to Baramulla.

The armed militants fired indiscriminately on the convoy, injuring three Army jawans, an official said. The fire was retaliated by the soldiers, but militants apparently managed to escape.

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The Army and police immediately launched a search operation in the area to nab the militants.

No militant group has owned the responsibility for the attack.

This is the second attack on an Army convoy in north Kashmir in the past one month. On August 17, two Army men and a policeman were killed in the wee hours ambush on the outskirts of Baramulla town on the strategic Srinagar-Uri highway.

Following the Kashmir unrest, the Army was moving its convoys in the night for essential supplies and routine movements to avoid any confrontation with the protesters. However, after the August 17 attack, the Army decided to move convoys during the day after getting proper security clearance from Armys Road Opening Parties on all the designated convoy routes.
Manpriya Singh

It was only a matter of getting the word out. Designer Vaishali Shadangule set off to introduce Indias honest loom fabrics to the world. And New York Fashion Week happened. I have been doing few international exhibitions and art shows in New York and London in the past few months and met many people who appreciated my work. But I never knew that something like NYFW will happen so surprisingly. I was fortunate enough that they liked my work a lot and gave me a direct entry based on the previous collections I have showcased so far, shares the designer from New York, as she recuperates from the pleasant shock and also gets ready to showcase her labels (Vaishali S) Spring Summer 17 collection on September 8.

The winning collection

And Quiet Flows The Threadthe name for the collection happened during one of the umpteen visits to the villages by the Mumbai-based designer. I have always observed that the traditional weavers are surrounded by the purity of nature and how its an important reason behind the beautiful fabrics they manage to weave. Their connection with the nature is such that it evidently translates into their work. That motivated me to tell the story of the thread which passes through the flow at every stage. She adds, The collection is an attempt to find a balance through knots and threads depicting the flow of life. This flow is carried through the garments. The knots culminate at a point which holds the entire garment together.

Off-white, beige, shades of blue, grey and black (in fabrics such as silk khadi and jamdani) subtly complement the progression of the flow, while the textures range from knots and cords to loose, freely hanging threads, giving life to the concept of flow and form.

Lip service to Indian craft & textiles

I will not say that enough has been done but yes, few steps have been taken and I think we have just realised the worth of Indian woven textiles in the past few years and the mission has just begun. The entire fashion fraternity and government needs to come together to really make the woven textile revolution happen.

The beauty of the weave

I feel amazed by the every aspect of woven textile. Also, the concept behind every textile is so culturally, socially, environmentally and economically conceived that one wonders how much efforts must have gone behind inventing such textile and then how can we let it die because of ignorance and lack of will.

Meanwhile, at New York

Having debuted at Lakme Fashion Week 2011 and having showcased as many as 16 collections at several events, an international platform feels different. A heady feeling with big names like Tom Ford, Vera Wang, Micheal Costello, Anna Sui and Alexandra Wang thrown in. The experience is amazing. The good thing is that you get to see the work of designers all around the world and also get an opportunity to show your work. So, I think there will be lot of learning and praising through the week, she is gung-ho.
Bengaluru, September 7

Amid protests, Karnataka has started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu complying with the Supreme Court directive asking it to release 15,000 cusecs per day to the neighbouring state for 10 days.

"Karnataka has started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu to obey the Supreme Court directive asking the state government to release 15,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 10 days," a state water resources ministry official told PTI here.

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He said the state started releasing water from midnight yesterday.

Meanwhile, protesters have intensified their agitation in Mandya and other parts of the state blocking several roads and forcing schools and colleges to shut down.

Complying with the Supreme Court direction, the state government yesterday decided to release water despite "severe hardships."

The court order directed an immediated backlash with agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits blocking the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway.

Mandya district, the nucleus of Cauvery politics, saw a bandh yesterday with protesters holding road blockades and dharnas at several places, as hundreds of security personnel -- including central forces -- were deployed in the Cauvery belt to maintain law and order.

"Despite severe hardships faced by the government of Karnataka, the state will release water as directed by the Supreme Court," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had told reporters after nearly a three-hour long all-party meeting convened by him here, yesterday.

Siddaramaiah had also said government would approach the Supreme Court with a modification petition, explaining its difficulties in implementing its order.

Noting that the 'samba' crops in Tamil Nadu would be adversely affected, an apex court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit directed Karnataka to ensure supply of water to Tamil Nadu. PTI
New Delhi, September 7

Sacking of a defiant Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa seems imminent after a meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh had with President Pranab Mukherjee today.

During the 20-minute meeting, Singh is believed to have conveyed to the President that Rajkhowas continuance on the post has become untenable.

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He is learnt to have told the President that the Centre has lost confidence in Rajkhowa and the only option left to remove him is to withdraw the pleasure of the President.

Rajkhowa has refused to step down despite a nudge to put in his papers after the Supreme Court passed serious strictures against him over the dismissal of the Congress government last year.

Sources said Rajkhowas dismissal may come as early as next evening when the session of the Arunachal House to ratify the GST gets over.  PTI
New Delhi: The CBI has charged Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasing Tawde with criminal conspiracy and murder in connection with the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in 2013. The samiti is allegedly linked with Sanatan Sanstha, which had come under the scanner for the murder of another rationalist, Govind Pansare, in February 2015. Sources in the CBI said the chargesheet was filed under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of IPC among other charges. The Bombay High Court in May 2014 had handed over the matter to the CBI to probe the murder of Dabholkar, an anti-superstition activist, in broad daylight on August 20, 2013. The agency had arrested Tawde in June this year. An alleged follower of Sanatan Sanstha activist Sarang Akolkar, against whom a Red Corner Notice was issued by Interpol in July 2012 in connection with the 2009 Goa blast case on NIA request, is also under the scanner of the agency, they said. PTI
New Delhi, September 7

The Central Bureau of Investigation has charged Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasing Tawde with murdering rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in 2013.

The Samiti is allegedly linked with Sanatan Sanstha, whose role in the murder of another rationalist Govind Pansare in February 2015 was investigated.

CBI sources said the charge sheet was filed against Tawde under the sections of 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of IPC among other charges.

The Bombay High Court in May 2014 handed over Dabholkars case to the CBI.

Dalbholkar , an anti-superstition crusader, was murdered in broad daylight on August 20, 2013.

The agency arrested Tawde in June this year.

Sarang Akolkar, an alleged follower of the Sanstha against whom a Red Corner Notice was issued by Interpol in July 2012 in connection with the 2009 Goa blast case on NIAs request, is also being investigated.  PTI
Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 6

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will visit India later this month and Afghanistans request seeking military equipment from India will be on the top of the agenda.

Diplomatic sources today confirmed that Ghani would be on a brief visit to India and defence cooperation would be the main talking point.

For Pakistan, this is likely to create a new source of tension as it has tried its best to keep not just India out of the regional politics but also to ensure that Indias role in Afghanistan is limited to the process of reconstruction. Even India, till now, was reluctant to get into the military side of the cooperation.

Things started to change with a nudge from the US when its Commander General John Nicholson, in charge of the Afghan operations, publicly stated last month that India needed to provide more military equipment to the war-torn state. The US favours Indias military support to Afghanistan, the General said.

I cannot speak for the Afghan government. But I know that they have requested more and would like more and I think there is an immediate need for more as these aircraft can immediately get into the fight, General Nicholson said.
New Delhi, September 7

Finance Minister Minster Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday that there would be no privatsation of banks for now except for IDBI.

"We are trying to consolidate some of the banks that may otherwise find it difficult in a competitive environment... in one case we are thinking of reducing the government stake to 49 per cent in IDBI Bank," the minister said here at the Economist India Summit, claiming that the banks would continue to function as they do now even after consolidation.

He said India was not yet ready to privatise its public sector banks.

"In order to reach a particular level of reform you have to evolve into that stage of public opinion... in funding large part of social sector in India, public sector banks, despite competition had a far larger contribution," he said, although he said the central government would make public sector banks its highest priority.

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"Some selective reforms do take place, for instance, we have announced a policy that government holdings (in banks) to be brought down to 52 per cent," Jaitley said.

The central government had taken several steps to reduce the large non-performing assets of public sector banks, he said.

"There is not a single sector that we have left out in terms of resolving issues... if you were to ask me after the passage and may be possible implementation of GST, while that process is on what would be my priority at the moment, it is certainly the health of public sector banks," he said, indicating that the central government was willing to provide an additional capital over the Rs 25,000-crore announced in this years Budget.

"This is over and above whatever assistance from the Budget we are giving towards the capitalisation of banks," he said.

The finance minister said the GST was a major reform in indirect taxation that had been waiting for long and that it would go a long way in stabilising the country's various levies and bring them down in the long run.

The development comes more than a month after bank employees protested possible reforms to the public sector banks, prominent among them is consolidation of State Bank associates with the State Bank of India and the privatisation of the IDBI.  Agencies
Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 7

The tension between India and Pakistan got further escalated today with the former summoning Abdul Basit, the Pakistan High Commissioner, to protest and convey Indias concern over the discourtesy extended to Gautam Bambawale, the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad.

The diplomatic war of words started yesterday when Pakistani authorities informed Bambawale at the last minute that an event in which he had to participate had been cancelled. He was to speak at the Karachi Chambers of Commerce and had apparently received and accepted the invitation a few weeks in advance. Hence, the sudden cancellation caught everyone by surprise.

The main reason behind Pakistans actions seem to have been Bambawales comments made at an earlier event where he indulged in some plain speak and hit out at Pakistan for its efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue.

Speaking at the event, Bambawale had said, People living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others... there are problems in both India and Pakistan and you (Pakistan) should focus on resolving your problems before looking into the problems of other countries.

Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujata Mehta today summoned Basit in the absence of Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, who is in Laos with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ASEAN Summit.

MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, He (Basit) was also conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance.




Bethany Lutheran Videos at Each Live Worship Service

Such is the contrast between the Bible of the old and the Bible of the new theologies. That there are compromise systems between the twoor at any rate attempts at a compromise  is certainly true; but it is impossible to effect a compromise between systems fundamentally and essentially at variance. This is a case of either  or, Delitzsch was right when he maintained that a deep chasm existed between the old and the new theology, and this chasm exists because there is a chasm between the Bible of the old and the Bible of the new theologies. In one word, the Scriptures of the one is the Bible without God; the Scriptures of the other is the Bible of and with God.

The Bible Of The Old And The Bible Of The New Theology. By Rev. Professor George H. Schodde, Ph. D., Columbus, O. in Loy, ed. The Columbus Theological Magazine. Vol. 18, 1898. LutheranLibrary.org
New Delhi, September 7

India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to protest "discourtesy" recently shown to India's envoy to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale.

"Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned today to the Ministry of External Affairs and conveyed the concern of Government of India by Secretary (West) (Sujata Mehta) on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

India lodged its protest after the Karachi Chamber of Commerce cancelled Bambawales event at the last minute on Tuesday. Bambawale, who took over the position in January this year, was told about the cancellation half an hour before the event at which he was invited to speak weeks ago. He was not immediately told why the event was cancelled, but Indian officials suspected that his speech on Monday in which he told Pakistan to not interfere in the ongoing Kashmir crisis "rattled the Pakistani authorities, prompting a cancellation".

During an interactive session organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Bambawale told Pakistan Kashmir was Indias internal subject and people living in glass houses should not throw stones at others.  PTI
Tehran, September 7

A bitter war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia erupted today ahead of the annual Haj pilgrimage from which Iranians have been excluded for the first time in decades.

Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blasted the incompetence of the Saudi royal family as he met families of victims of a deadly stampede during last years Haj. This incident proves once again that this cursed, evil family does not deserve to be in charge of the holy sites, Khamenei said.

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Ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia were already at rock bottom before the regional rivals started trading caustic remarks ahead of the annual pilgrimage to Islams holiest places in Saudi Arabia. Talks on safety and logistics fell apart in May after which Iranians were blocked from the event.

If the problem with the Saudi Government was merely the issue of Haj, may be it would have been possible to find a way to resolve it. Unfortunately, this government by committing crimes in the region and supporting terrorism shed the blood of Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said at a cabinet meeting.

The week began with a furious rebuke from Khamenei, published on his website, in which he accused the Saudi royals of murder over the death of nearly 2,300 pilgrims, including hundreds of Iranians, in last years stampede. Saudi Arabia, that claims the death toll was 769, has refused to release the details of its investigation into the disaster. The head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council hit back today, calling Khameneis remarks inappropriate and offensive... and a desperate attempt to politicise Haj.

Saudi Arabias most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, told the media on Monday: We must understand they are not Muslims, they are children of Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one.

Magi is a reference to the Zoroastrian religion prevalent in Iran before the advent of Islam. Custodian of Islams most revered places in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on organising Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to is obliged to undertake at least once.

The war of words on the eve of the mass pilgrimage will deepen a long-running rift between the Sunni kingdom and the Shi'ite revolutionary power. They back opposing sides in Syria's civil war and a list of other conflicts across the Middle East.  Agencies
Vientiane (Laos), September 7

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday arrived on a two-day visit to Vientiane to attend the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit.

Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted, Greetings Vientiane! PM @narendramodi arrives in Laos for a packed 2 days of diplomacy PM reaches Lao PDR to join ASEAN-India Summit & East Asia Summit, tweeted Prime Ministers Office (PMO).

Besides attending the two Summits, Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of Japan, South Korea, Lao PDR and Myanmar.

In his pre-departure message, the Prime Minister said that ASEAN is a key partner for Indias Act East Policy, which is vital for the economic development of countrys north-eastern region.

In a Facebook post, he said strategic partnership with ASEAN is also important for safeguarding and promoting Indias security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region.

Talking about the East Asia Summit, the Prime Minister said it is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region.

He also said Indias ties with the countries of South East Asia are truly historic, adding the countrys engagement and approach can be best encapsulated in just one word - connectivity.

India wants to enhance physical and digital connectivity in the region, enhance people to people links and also strengthen institutional linkages and leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit of the people in the region, he said.

The Prime Minister will attend the 11th East Asia Summit on Thursday.

Indias engagement with ASEAN and the wider Asia Pacific Region has acquired further momentum following the enunciation of the Act East Policy by the Prime Minister.

Indian Ambassador to ASEAN, Suresh Kumar Reddy, told the media earlier that the ASEAN Summit is expected to set the agenda for further strengthening the ties which will help India to achieve its objectives for socio-economic growth.

Reddy further said the summit will provide valuable partners to India who can bring technology, resources and who can support Indian industries, adding the areas in which further cooperation between India and ASEAN countries are required are agriculture, climate change, non-traditional security areas, and cyber crimes and strengthening connectivity.

During the Summit, the world leaders will review the progress of implementation of the ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025.  ANI
Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 7

Even as members of the all-party delegation, who met here today on their return from Jammu and Kashmir to discuss the next course of action, pitched for a dialogue with all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat, the Union Government said it was ready for talks with all, making no reference to the separatist Hurriyat Conference.

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The meeting was chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The MPs suggested that the India-Pakistan dialogue be resumed and confidence-building measures (CBMs) initiated for bringing peace to the Kashmir Valley.

Rajnath made it clear there would be no compromise on the nations sovereignty.

A resolution adopted at the meeting stated: The delegation has appealed to the people of the state to shun the path of violence and resolve all issues through dialogue or discussion. The members have also asked the state government to take steps to ensure that educational institutions, government offices and commercial establishments start functioning normally. The government should take effective steps to ensure the security of citizens and provide medical treatment to the injured citizens and security personnel.

The Left parties wanted talks with Pakistan resumed and measures, such as withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in certain areas of the Valley, initiated.

Without any reference to the separatists, the resolution asked the Centre and the state governments to take steps for a dialogue with all stakeholders.

Sitaram Yechury (CPM) said there was no discussion on the performance of the Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir Government, but AIMIMs Asaduddin Owaisi said the PDP-BJP government had failed to handle the situation.
Washington, September 7

US President Barack Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, the White House said on Wednesday.

"In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India," the White House said in its daily guidance released to the press.

The two leaders are expected to make brief remarks at the top of the meeting.

This would be the eighth meeting between Modi and Obama in two years. They met for the first time at the White House in September 2014 when Modi travelled to Washington DC at the invitation of Obama.

Prime Minister Modi exchanged views with Obama on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China's Hangzhou on Sunday, with the US president praising the "bold policy" move on GST reform in a "difficult" global economic scenario.

Obama is scheduled to address a news conference in Laos immediately after his meeting with Modi.

He would depart for the US via Yokota, Japan for fueling, soon after his news conference.  PTI
R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 7

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain Bollywood music director Vishal Dadlani's plea for quashing the FIRs against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by his remarks against Jain muni Tarun Sagar's address to Haryana MLAs on the Assembly premises.

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A Bench comprising Justices Gopala Gowda and AK Goel also rejected his plea for protection against arrest at least for five days.

The Bench advised his counsel Karuna Nandhi to approach the high court and exhaust all legal options before coming to Supreme Court.

She pleaded that much was sought to be made out of a 140-character tweet on political grounds.

Vishal had already apologised for his remarks.

Unconvinced, the Bench said it would not be proper for it to entertain criminal writ petitions on such issues, bypassing high courts.
Melbourne, September 7

Describing the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with India as complicated, Australian Trade Minister Steve Ciobo on Wednesday indicated that the deal was now not a top priority for his government in the short term.

On India, this is a complicated negotiation. Although the original aspiration was to knock it over in 12 months, that hasnt been possible, Ciobo told a TV channel here.

Were now in the process of stocktaking about where negotiations are at, he said, adding, so Ill keep pursuing India, but thats not our key priority.

The minister said the key priority in the short term for the Australian government was to sign a FTA deal with Indonesia and in this term was to focus on what Australia could do with Indonesia.

Ciobos comments came two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China.

The talks for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) or FTA between the two sides started in 2011 in a bid to boost bilateral trade and investment.

Both sides were expecting to conclude negotiations by December 2015; however, there were differences in areas like duty cut on dairy products and wines.

Several rounds of negotiations have been completed for liberalising trade and services regime, besides removing non-tariff barriers and encouraging investments. PTI
R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 7

The Supreme Court today directed the police across the country to upload all FIRs on official websites within 24 hours of registering them to protect the interests of the accused and their families. The order would be effective from November 15.

A Bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan clarified that FIRs in cases pertaining to terror, insurgency and sexual offences need not be uploaded. States with poor Internet connectivity such as those in the northeast, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand could take a maximum of 72 hours for the purpose.

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The accused would not per se be allowed to take advantage of the police failure to upload the FIRs to seek any relief from the judiciary, the SC clarified.

The list of exempted offences was only illustrative, not exhaustive, the Bench clarified. In case the FIR was not uploaded in time in any case, the aggrieved person could immediately approach the area police officer in the rank of Superintendent (SP) and the SP would have to appoint a committee of three senior officers to redress the grievance within three days.

The order came on a PIL by the Youth Bar Association of India, represented by president Sanpreet Singh Ajmani. The directives were on the lines of an order by the Delhi High Court in a suo motu case. An HC Bench comprising the then Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Manmohan had delivered

the judgment on December 6, 2010. Today, the apex court made it valid for all states and Union Territories with some modifications and directed the court registry to send the order to all state police chiefs.

The Bench said it had passed the order as Section 207 of the CrPC merely stated that the accused persons were entitled to get FIR copies without delay, instead of specifying a deadline and this was causing hardship to them and their family members.
R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 7

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the police in all states to upload FIRs on official websites within 24 hours to protect the interests of the accused people and their families.

A Bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan clarified that FIRs for terror, insurgency and sexual offences need not be uploaded.

States with poor Internet connectivity such as those in the northeast, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand could take a maximum of 72 hours for the purpose.

The failure on the part of the police to upload FIRs would not per se be taken advantage of by the accused to seek any relief, the SC clarified.

The order would come into effect from November 15.

The list of exempted offences was only illustrative, not exhaustive, the Bench clarified.

Wednesdays SC order is on the lines of the 2010 Delhi HC directive.
Sarbjit Dhaliwal & Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh,September 6

Akali leadership and their lackeys are trying to make it a Delhi versus Punjab, topiwalas versus Punjabis, insiders versus outsiders issue. But this propaganda is not cutting ice with the electorate, claims AAPs national organisational head Durgesh Pathak, accused by party rebels and rivals of sidelining local Punjabi leaders and conspiring to remove Sucha Singh Chhotepur as state convener.

I meet about 300 APP volunteers daily. They have never treated me as a Delhiwala or topiwala. The day a volunteer tells meI am an outsider, I will leave Punjab within minutes, he says, adding that they had been assigned the task to win Punjab and when this was accomplished, Sanjay and I will move to another state to build the party structure there. Pathak, whose hero is Argentine Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara, says: Following in the footsteps of martyr Bhagat Singh, we are trying to change the countrys political system. We have no doubt that the Punjabis have the courage to lead this battle.

Pathak, a post-graduate in English from Allahabad University, is seen as the partys main strategist.  If voted to power, leaders who have looted Punjab will not be spared. They will be jailed. He is sure the Akalis will do likewise, if they win the poll. He says AAP will announce the CM-candidate two months ahead of the elections. Asked about Gurpreet Ghuggis appointment as state convener, he says: His calm and quiet approach to work will be beneficial for the party.
GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 7

The two consignments from Pakistan of over 500 old coins that were seized some time ago by the land Customs Department at Attari had have turned out to be priceless antiques of various eras.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) confirmed the originality of these priceless coins belonging to the Indo-Greek era and times of Sher Shah Suri and Akbar. Eight of those are 2,000 years old.

Customs Commissioner Capt Sanjay Gahlot said that a total of 539 ancient coins were seized in two separate instances at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) and railway station, Attari. One consignment of 239 coins was seized from an Indian who entered India via the ICP on October 11, 2015.

A similar detection of 300 coins was made from a Pakistani national on January 16 who came through Samjhauta Express.

It is the first time in the history of the land Customs department that such seizures were made. The exact value of these coins is yet to be ascertained, he said.

The ASI testified that eight of these coins having lion and elephant figures belong to the 2nd century BCE-1st century CE. Thirty-two coins known as Taxila coins have been embossed with animal images (bull, lion, elephant, horse) on one side and Greek deities on the other.

As many as 140 coins are of Indo-Greek and Indo-Scythian times; 100 are from the Sultanate and Mughal periods; 20 are from the reigns of Sher Shah and Akbar; 193 are of the Kushana era, etc.

Both persons from whom the seizures were made will now be made part of the probe. Their commercial motive cannot be ruled out. As the passengers failed to produce bonafide certificate, the Customs staff detained the coins only under Section 110 of the Customs Act 1962. The persons particulars are on the records. Now, they will be made part of the investigation to know the source of the acquisition, Gahlot said.
Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, September 6

Sucha Singh Chhotepur on Tuesday put his political rivals on notice by holding an impressive Parivartan Yatra rally in his home district of Gurdaspur.

Braving the searing heat, hundreds of workers, including scores of women, packed the venue, a hall, while an equal number stood outside in what was seen as a tribute to Chhotepurs crowd-pulling abilities.

I am not the one to take things lying down. I am a born fighter and everybody, including Kejriwal, knows this. I have done nothing wrong. All I ask is to make public the clip purportedly showing me taking money. Let the people decide then, said Chhotepur.

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In the last Parliamentary elections, Chhotepur  a two-time MLA from this district  contested on the AAP ticket and bagged 1.78 lakh votes from the Gurdaspur Parliamentary constituency. The party had polled a significant number of votes from each of the nine Vidhan Sabha segments of the Parliamentary constituency.

Today, parallels were drawn with the rally presided over by AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on July 4 when a decent crowd had gathered at the same venue.

Insiders claim that a majority of the crowd at Kejriwals rally was brought by Chhotepur. Nearly 90 per cent of the workers who had gathered today were present when the Delhi CM addressed a gathering in July. Todays proceedings are indeed a big setback for AAP in this district which is a known Chhotepurs stronghold. Even before he joined AAP, just ahead of the 2014 Parliamentary polls, Chhotepur remained busy working with the masses. This paid off today and will pay off in the next few days too, said Amandeep Gill, former AAP Gurdaspur zonal in-charge.

Although Chhotepur did not make any public announcement to float a new political outfit, his loyalist claimed a decision to this effect had already been taken.

The new party may be announced on the last day of the Parivartan Yatra rally. In all likelihood it will be named AAP-Punjab. Symbolically and otherwise, too, the name in itself points towards a direct confrontation between AAPs Delhi leaders and Punjab leaders some of who have branched off from the main party. Discussions have already been held among top leaders who have joined hands with Chhotepur or are likely to support him in the future. Only the formal rituals need to be completed, said a senior leader.

The sympathy factor working in favour of Chhotepur was much in evidence at todays gathering as workers had come from as far as Batala and Pathankot.

During the proceedings, speakers repeatedly asked the audience to spell out the next course of action Chhotepur should take. Whenever this question was put to them, the workers would raise their hands in unison and say Chhotepur hum tumhare sath hain (Chhotepur, we all are with you).
Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 7

More than a year after the Punjab Police found itself in dock for allegedly helping an accused in the drug case get concession of default bail, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police to explain why till date criminal action has not been initiated in spite of administrative indictment of the officers.

The direction by Justice Fateh Deep Singh came after the High Court was told that punishment orders had been passed against four police personnel. An Inspector, Jagbir Singh, has also been identified as guilty official before being nominated as an accused in a pending FIR.

The police had found itself in trouble in August last after it corroborated the alibi set up by the alleged smuggler that he was with cops in a hotel near Chandigarh. On the other hand, it recorded the statement of a cop claiming that the accused fled from Tarn Taran after being intercepted by a police party.

Justice Rajan Gupta had then asked the Director-General of Police to look into the matter. The developments took place on a petition by Dharminder Singh for pre-arrest bail in a case under the NDPS Act registered on June 19, 2014, in Amritsar district.

The court was told that the FIR was registered on secret information that the accused were carrying smuggled heroin through international border with Pakistan.

The police intercepted a vehicle coming from the Attari border on June 19, 2014. While one Balkar Singh was apprehended, three accused - Davinder Singh, Swaran Singh and Dharminder Singh - succeeded in fleeing. As the police failed to submit a challan within the prescribed period, Balkar Singh was granted bail.

An affidavit was filed in the court stating that departmental inquiry was ordered against officials responsible for late presentation of challan. Besides, the petitioners alibi was accepted that on the day of occurrence he was in a hotel on the Zirakpur-Shimla highway along with Inspector Jagbir Singh, Inspector Bhupinder Singh and DSP Tejinder Singh Virk.

Justice Gupta had asserted: This court finds stand of the investigating agency totally contradictory.
Tribune News Service

Bathinda/Mansa, September 7

The police today detained hundreds of farmers from various districts, including Mansa, Patiala, Moga and Ferozepur, as they were trying to move towards Chandigarh to launch their indefinite protest.

However, farmers in Bathinda gathered at Dhoorkot Lehra village of Bathinda and blocked the Bathinda-Barnala highway. Later, they gathered in the village gurdwara, where the police kept a vigil over their activities.

On Tuesday, farmers had gathered in Jethuke, Tungwali and Dhipali villages of Bathinda to leave in tractor-trolleys and jeeps, but the police cordoned off the area and did not allow the farmers to move towards the union territory.

Bathinda SSP Swapan Sharma, said, No farmer in Bathinda has been detained. They blocked the road for an hour and later gathered in the gurdwara and left that too.

Over 200 detained in Mansa

In Mansa too the police detained at least 200 farmers to prevent them to march towards Chandigarh. They were detained from Khyala Kalan village of Mansa.

Mansa SSP Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar said, We have detained 124 farmers and sent them to the Bathinda jail under preventive custody. No one was cane-charged.

BKU Ugraha Bathinda president Shingara Singh Mann said, We are dedicated towards our announcement and we will continue the fight for our demands. The police or the administration cannot stop us to march towards Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, the Moga police swooped down on the protesting farmers at Kishanpura village and arrested at least 105 farmers. Similarly, 35 farmers were taken into custody at Daroli Bhai village in the district. They all were sent to the Faridkot jail for two weeks in the evening following the order of the SDM of the Nihalsinghwala subdivision.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 7

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today made it clear to Punjab that the Bench wanted the investigating agencies to go into the source of drugs.

A Division Bench of the High Court also called for details of the drug source and the record of FIRs registered during the past year in all districts of the state. The court was told that the proposed curriculum for colleges on the issue of perils of taking drugs too had been prepared.

The High Court, on the previous date of hearing, had come down heavily on Punjab for not including the chapter on the issue in the school syllabus, despite lapse of almost a year since the Bench underscored the necessity for it.

The Bench also dismissed the regular bail plea of Maninder Singh Aulakh alias Bittoo. He was seeking bail in a case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, registered at a Patiala police station in March last year.

The developments, before the Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Sudip Ahluwalia, took place during the hearing of suo motu or court in its own motion case on drug menace in Punjab.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, advocate Navkiran Singh told the Bench that the narcotics control bureau had traced the source of drugs to a factory in Uttar Pradesh while probing a case at Amritsar.

He added the Punjab Police, most of the time, was content with the seizure of narcotics and often did not go beyond it to track down the source of drugs. Taking a note of the assertions, the Bench called for the details. The Bench also made it clear that only trustworthy policemen with proven track record should form a part of the investigating team.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 7

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived in Laos to attend the ASEAN-India and the East Asia Summits in a push to the governments Look East Policy. Modi has made improving ties with the South East Asian nations a priority and during the two-day Summit, the PM is also expected to have a number of bilateral with various world leaders.

Hanging in the backdrop of the regional meeting is the South China Sea issue and Chinas increasingly aggressive behaviour in the SCS. United States President Barack Obama is also in Laos for the Summit and the recent clash between China and the Philippines is a major flashpoint for the regional forum. China claims nearly all of the SCS through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes each year. An international tribunal in July rejected Chinas claims but China has just ignored the verdict.

Modi today met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Laos and the two leaders discussed a host of issues. He is expected to hold bilateral with the leaders of South Korea and Myanmar also.

At his meeting with Abe today that lasted for about 45 minutes, both leaders discussed the issue of terrorism and Abe informed the PM that Japan was not going to succumb to terrorism and wanted to further strengthen cooperation with India in the area of counter terrorism.

The two leaders also discussed trade and investment ties and Modi told Abe that Japan has technology and innovation while India has the power of youth and a huge market. Both leaders also discussed the upcoming Japanese Industrial parks in India as well as areas of cooperation in the area of ship breaking. They reviewed the progress in the India-Japan Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement negotiations and the high speed rail project, according to the ministry of external affairs.

Prior to his departure, the PM said: India wants to enhance physical and digital connectivity in the region, enhance people to people links and also strengthen institutional linkages and leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit of the people in the region.

The India-Asean Summit on Thursday will be attended by leaders of 10 South East Asian nations - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. The East Asia Summit the same day will be attended by leaders of the ten Asean nations and those of India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Russia.
Washington/Tampa, September 7

WASHINGTON: The US State Department and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Tuesday stressed the need for ties with the Philippines to be based on mutual respect, after Manilas new leader raised worries about the future of the key alliance by calling President Barack Obama a son of a bitch.

Despite US dismay over Dutertes remarks, current and former US officials played down the impact, saying they did not expect any serious damage to ties at a time of high tensions over Chinas extensive territorial claims in Asia.

The State Department said a planned first meeting between Obama and his counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on the sidelines of a regional summit in Laos on Tuesday was canceled because the tone of the Philippine leaders rhetoric raised questions about the chances of productive talks.

Words matter, and we want to see an atmosphere that is cordial and open to strong cooperation, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a regular news briefing in Washington.

Clinton, who as secretary of state was an architect of Obamas policy of emphasizing the importance of the Asia Pacific to US interests in the face of a rising China, said Obama was right to cancel the meeting.

When the president of the Philippines insulted our president, it was appropriate in a very low-key way to say: sorry, no meeting, she told reporters on her campaign plane.

We have a lot of ties between the United States and the Philippines. And I think its very important that we have a relationship, but there has to be a certain level of respect that is expected on both sides, Clinton said.

Duterte made the remark about Obama while explaining that he would not be lectured over extrajudicial killings in the war against drugs he has launched since taking over two months ago and which has killed about 2,400 people.

He has previously called the pope a son of a whore and the U.S. ambassador a gay son of whore.

The Philippines voiced regret for Dutertes comments after Obama canceled a formal bilateral meeting. The White House then said Obama might speak with Duterte informally.

Feeling his way

Dutertes volatile nature threatens to complicate Washingtons ties with its closest ally in Southeast Asia as it tries to forge a united front in the region in response to Chinas extensive claims in the strategic South China Sea.

The Philippines has been central in this effort due to an international court case it brought and won against Beijing.

In March, the United States and the Philippines agreed on five locations for US military facilities in the country under a new security deal. The deal grants Washington increased military presence in its former colony through rotation of ships and planes for humanitarian and maritime security operations.

Asked about Dutertes comments, US Secretary of Defence Ash Carter said the defense relationship with the Philippines was a strong and longstanding one.

Speaking to reporters, Carter also described the Philippines new defense minister, Delfin Lorenzana, as someone who was very knowledgeable about all the things that we do together.

An official of the US State Department said government to government relations with Manila remained strong.

The areas that we believe we have robust, strong cooperation with them, we are not going to just simply throw that aside.

The official noted that Duterte was new to national leadership having served as a city Mayor.

He is maybe feeling his way into the new job, the official said.

Former US officials said China would be pleased by the US-Philippines friction.

Time will tell whether President Duterte steps back from this episode and realises he needs to recalibrate his choice of words in engaging US leaders, said Amy Searight, a former senior Pentagon official now at Washingtons Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

Evan Medeiros, Obamas former top Asia adviser and now a senior analyst at the Eurasia Group, saw the row as a speed bump, not a road block in US-Philippines ties.

Its unfortunate, but doesnt fundamentally derail the relationship, he said.  Reuters
Morelia, September 7

A gang brought down a helicopter during a police operation in Mexico's troubled western state of Michoacan, killing the pilot and three officers, the governor said.

The aircraft was backing an operation to arrest leaders of criminal groups when the "official helicopter was downed" in an area yesterday with rough terrain, Governor Silvano Aureoles wrote on Twitter.

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Another officer was injured in the crash.

Aureoles did not say how the helicopter was shot down in the region of Apatzingan, a city located in Tierra Caliente (Hot Land), a region that has been beset by drug violence and vigilante justice for years.

"In accordance to the responsibility to protect citizens, the state and federation won't give up in the frontal fight against crime," the governor wrote.

It is the second time since 2015 that a gang downs a helicopter in Mexico. Last year, the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in neighboring Jalisco state used a rocket launcher to hit a military helicopter, killing seven soldiers and policewoman aboard.

In Michoacan, the pseudo-religious Knights Templar drug cartel held sway in Tierra Caliente until lime growers formed vigilante forces in 2013 to fight back against the gang.

The cartel was weakened as authorities arrested or killed its top leaders, but smaller criminal groups have since emerged.

Homicides are on the rise in the state, with 678 murders in the first seven months of the year compared to 777 in 2015.

Yesterday's clash followed a series of shootouts over the weekend that left no casualties but led to the seizure of weapons that included the discovery of an anti-tank missile, according to a report by the state prosecutor's office.

Federal forces exchanged fire with armed civilians who eventually escaped on Friday in the port of Lazaro Cardenas.

On Saturday, agents were attacked in the town of La Concepcion but the gunmen fled, leaving behind a vehicle that contained 8.3 kilograms of methamphetamines.

It was on Sunday in the town of Mugica, in Tierra Caliente, that the missile was found after soldiers clashed with gunmen, who fled the scene. The suspects also left behind five pickup trucks and two rifles.

Michoacan state government secretary general Adrian Lopez Solis told AFP on Monday that "incidents of insecurity still persist" in the region.

Michoacan has bedeviled the Mexican government for years.

It was there that then president Felipe Calderon deployed troops for the first time against drug cartels after he took office in December 2006. AFP
Hong Kong, September 7

US intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden sought shelter among Hong Kong refugees after he leaked a huge trove of secret documents in the southern Chinese city, reports said today.

The former intelligence contractor had quit his job with the National Security Agency and travelled to Hong Kong in May 2013 where he initiated one of the largest data leaks in US history, fuelling a firestorm over the issue of mass surveillance.

Although Snowden stayed in an upscale hotel before the leak, little was known of his situation afterwards.

But a report today revealed he had been given shelter by the city's 11,000 asylum-seekers. Many of Hong Kong's refugees are forced to live in slum-like conditions, the last place anyone would look for one of the highest-profile US fugitives.

The 33-year-old stayed with at least four refugees, according to a New York Times report. It added they were all clients of lawyer Robert Tibbo, who helped hide Snowden.

"It was clear that if Mr. Snowden was placed with a refugee family, this was the last place the government and the majority of Hong Kong society would expect him to be," Tibbo told the Times.

One Filipino woman with whom Snowden stayed, Vanessa Mae Bondalian Rodel, described him as "scared and very worried".

After she saw his story in local media, she described her shock. "Oh my God, the most wanted man in the world is in my house."

Other refugees from Sri Lanka said they were not worried about hosting Snowden, and felt he was taking a greater risk than they were.

One family told how he left money for them under a pillow before he left.

Media were clambering to find the whistleblower from the time he checked out of his five-star hotel on June 10 to the day he left the city for Moscow on June 23, escaping the clutches of US justice.

His high-stakes journey is the topic of "Snowden", a thriller directed by Oliver Stone which hits cinemas around the world in September and comes to Hong Kong in October.  AFP
Washington, September 7

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said if elected in the November General Election, it would be a busy first day for him at the White House as he will be undoing the policies of the previous government.

At an election rally in North Carolina yesterday, Trump said that he would spend the first day in the Oval Office in undoing the alleged dangerous policies of the current President Barack Obama.

This would range from suspending Syrian refugee resettlement, abolishing Obamacare, ordering renegotiation of NAFTA, eliminate Obamas executive orders and begin implementation of construction of wall.

Its going to be a very busy first day, Trump said at an election rally in North Carolina. The change will begin my first day in office. First, we are going to eliminate every unconstitutional executive order and restore the rule of law to our land. Then, we are going to begin implementing plans for construction of a wall along our southern border. This will keep out the violent cartels and gangs, as well as their drugs that are poisoning our youth, he said.

But thats just the beginning, he said adding that he will ask Congress to send him a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.

He will also instruct the Department of State to immediately suspend the Syrian refugee resettlement program and develop plans for the construction of a safe zone in the region, he said.

I am also going to notify all countries that refuse to take back dangerous illegal immigrants who have committed crimes in this country that they will lose access to our visa programs if they continue to do so. This is the measure that is called for under current law, and I will enforce it, Trump said.

Furthermore, I will direct every agency in government to begin identifying all wasteful job-killing regulations and they are going to be removed  this will include lifting the restrictions on American energy, he said.

I will also notify our NAFTA partners of my intention to renegotiate the deal, and will withdraw from the TPP before it can be ratified. We are going to bring these jobs back to North Carolina, Trump said alleging that Hillary Clinton supported NAFTA, she supported Chinas entry into the World Trade Organization, and she supported the TPP.

In a Trump Administration, we will negotiate trade deals on behalf of American workers  not on behalf of global corporations. We will work to ensure farmers in North Carolina have the tools they need to thrive at home and compete on a level playing field in foreign markets  and that means negotiating fair trade deals that put America First, he said.

Trump said he will convene his top generals and give them a simple instruction: they will have 30 days to submit to the Oval Office a plan for defeating Islamic State (ISIS).

Any nation who shares in this goal will be our friend in this mission, he said.

For years, we have been caught up in endless wars and conflicts under the leadership of failed politicians and a failed foreign policy establishment in Washington DC. The same people who made every wrong decision in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Egypt, China and Russia are the same people who are advising Hillary Clinton, Trump said.

On Tuesday, 88 retired US generals and admirals signed a letter of endorsement for Trump.

Trump said he believes in a foreign policy based on national interests that focuses on American security and regional stability  instead of using the military to create Democracies in countries with no Democratic history.

We will work to form partnerships overseas based on a long-term strategy of defeating Radical Islamic Terrorism, he said.

Trump said as part of his plan to avoid and prevent foreign conflicts, he will rebuild the depleted military.

This is the ultimate deterrent. I will ask Congress to eliminate the sequester and immediately re-invest in our military. Right now, we have the smallest air force since 1947, the smallest army since 1939, and one of the smallest Navys since 1917, he said.  PTI
Melbourne, September 7

A 70-million-dollar unfinished mega mansion dubbed Taj Mahal on-the-Swan owned by controversial Indian billionaire businessman Pankaj Oswal in Perth is set to be torn down by the city council, amid allegations of unpaid taxes and violation of building code.

Pankaj and his wife Radhika Oswal had planned to build the Indian-style mansion in Perth, where the Swan river meets the southwest coast. Had it been finished, the palace would have included seven domes, a temple, gym, a swimming pool and parking for 17 cars.

The residence was said to emerge as Perths most expensive home on the 6,600 square metre block of land in the luxurious riverside suburb of Peppermint Grove for which the couple had already paid more than 22 million dollars.

Its construction stopped in 2010 when the Oswals fertiliser empire collapsed and they left Australia amid allegations of unpaid taxes. They are now locked in a legal battle against the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group for allegedly undervaluing shares of their company Burrup fertilisers to recoup millions of dollars in loans.  PTI
Washington, September 7

The US is likely to respond positively to India's request for 22 unarmed high-tech multi- mission Predator Guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean, sources here have said.

The move comes after India was designated a 'major defence partner' of the US in June.

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Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama at the White House in early June, the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR) in February to Department of Defense towards purchase of 22 high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian UAVs.

Also read:India seeks maritime patrol drones from US

This was the first major request of arms sale purchase by India after Obama designated New Delhi as a major 'strategic defence partner'.

The US Government has not made a formal decision on it yet, but is believed to have started an inter agency process on the Indian request.

According to sources, the administration believes that an approval of such a major military sale would help in "sealing Indian US defence relationship", bring in "a new level of comfort" between the two militaries and would be considered as a lasting legacy not only for India but also for the Asia-Pacific pivot of the outgoing president.

Officials here believe the sale of predator Guardian UAVs would act as a force multiplier for India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region; which of late has become one of the key American objective in the Asia Pacific region.

Top governmental sources confirmed that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had detailed discussions on predator Guardian UAV to fulfill maritime surveillance requirements.

Parrikar was in the US last week and held meetings with Carter at the Pentagon on August 29.

During the meeting, Carter is understood to have assured Parrikar that he would personally "champion" India's request "within the system," sources said.

Sources indicate along with the White House, the Pentagon and some influential members of the US are keen to complete the process as soon as possible before Obama leaves his presidency next January.

However, a section within the State Department has to be convinced that this is in the interest of the US national security as well. This maritime capability will be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy who has procured other advance technologies, including Boeing P-8 aircraft.

The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not exist in the current Indian Navy arsenal. PTI
The Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft capsule carrying International Space Station crew lands near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday; and (right) the International Space Station crew members (L to R) Jeff Williams of the US, Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka of Russia rest after landing.

A US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts wrapped up a 172-day mission aboard the International Space Station with a parachute descent and landing at dawn on the steppes of Kazakhstan. A replacement crew is due to launch on September 23 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Reuters

Astronaut sets US record for most time in space

NASAs Jeff Williams, 58, returns to Earth with a career total of 534 days in orbit, more time than any other astronaut in US history and 14th in the world

The retired Army colonel beat the previous US record set by astronaut Scott Kelly. Kelly has 520 days in space over his career

However, the Russians remain champions of long-duration spaceflight, with cosmonaut Gennady Padalka currently the world record-holder with the most cumulative days in space at 879
Photo: Jim Park

The Arizona Department of Transportation has begun a year-long pilot program allowing heavier trucks to use one of the states key transportation corridors to test the effect on commercial transportation efficiency.

The program, which started on Sept. 1, allows trucks carrying up to 83,000 pounds to travel on interstate 10 between mileposts 232 and 279 in Tucson and Marana, on Interstate 19 between Tucson and Nogales, and on Business 19 in Nogales.

These roadways are key commerce corridors that contribute significantly to Arizonas economy, said John Halikowski, ADOT director. Operating at the speed of business means that ADOT looks for ways to make freight travel as friction-free as possible while safeguarding Arizonas investment in our highways.

The main reason for the weight increase is that freight containers passing through the Port of Tucson are allowed by railway permits to weigh a maximum of 53,000 pounds while the trucks that haul them usually weigh about 30,000 pounds, according to ADOT. By raising the weight limit by a small amount, there is no longer a need to offload some of each containers contents before it goes on a truck. This can help commerce move more freely.

The pilot program will allow ADOT to study whether the higher weight limit has an impact on the condition of highways. The Port of Tucson is a full-service facility located off Interstate 10 near Kolb Road that serves both the trucking and railroad industries.

Increasing cargo capacities on interstates 10 and 19 will make southern Arizona more competitive, help attract new commerce, and retain the companies and jobs we have, said Sharon Bronson, chair of the Pima County board of supervisors. The ADOT Interstate 19 Heavier Truck Pilot Program is a great step in reducing logistics costs for our regions businesses. The program will also help to clarify the infrastructure impact of trucks carrying fully loaded containers.
Ross Mackenzie arrived in Manchester in 1988 to go to university, leaving after his second year to set up his first club night Most Excellent with Justin Robertson in 1990. He has been involved in the club, bar and hospitality business ever since, including the original launch of Sankeys in 1994 and his first solo venture, One Central Street, in 2002.

He now has six successful venues in his portfolio: Black Dog Ballroom (Northern Quarter and New Wakefield Street), Dog Bowl, The Liars Club, Cane & Grain and Crazy Pedros Part-Time Pizza Parlour. With partners Jobe Ferguson and Lyndon Higginson, Ross is working on a second Crazy Pedros in the Northern Quarter. The ambitious trio are also chasing sites further afield in the North.

What got you started in your field of work?

It was the Manchester music and club scene that attracted me to the city when choosing a university. Immersed in the Hacienda and nightlife, I set up Most Excellent to promote some of the DJs here. Ive been involved in the bar, club and restaurant scene ever since; for the love of a good night out and the thrill of opening and filling new venues.

Who have been the biggest influences on your work?

My original hero, and later best mate, Tony Wilson, became my mentor. Teaching me a lot of things in how to run, and how not to run a venue in Manchester.

What is your proudest achievement so far?

I always love the excitement of opening new venues, but Im most proud of the fact Ive learnt to be a better businessman and we now employ nearly 200 people. Hopefully I inspire them to do a better job and make a difference.

What does your typical day involve?

There is no such thing. I try and get to the gym every morning, and then go in to the office where I catch up with my team and whats happening that week in each venue. I visit each site at least once over the week, and Im currently managing the new build of our next bar. Im always looking for new sites. Im lucky in that my job lets me travel and this is often the inspiration behind lots of ideas.

And how do you relax on your days off?

After more than 25 years living in the Northern Quarter, Ive recently moved out to Saddleworth Moor, where Im enjoying the change of pace. Lots of walking, and renovating my new home. I also like going to gigs and the theatre.

What is the best advice you have been given, or can give?

Tony Wilson said to me whatever you do, do it to make Manchester a better place.

If things hadnt worked out, what else could you have seen yourself doing?

I wanted to be an architect, but didnt have the patience to study for seven years. I only made it through two. Other than that, I would like to have designed cars, I love cars!

Tell us one thing about yourself people might be surprised to hear!

Most of my mates know me as a bit of a party animal, so they were surprised to hear I am trekking across the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia next month to raise money for Action Against Hunger.

Red or Blue?

Red. After a few years in Manchester, especially my time at Reform restaurant where I met a lot of the players and starting getting invited to matches.

Name your three favourite places in Manchester.

Old Trafford, Im hoping to see the magic return this season and bring the spotlight back to United. The Northern Quarter, where I lived for many years and where I now own businesses. And The Royal Exchange Theatre, the fantastic way it has converted an important part of Manchesters history into this cutting edge space that also puts on some great productions.

If you could change one thing about Manchester, what would it be?

Nothing, its my favourite city in the world!

And finally, what do you love most about Manchester?

The people, their friendliness and their warmth, and the creativity. Being just a small part of this world changing city that continues to lead in many fields makes me happy and proud.

Ross, and a host of other big names on the Manchester foodie scene, are aiming to raise 100k for Action Against Hunger this October. Donations can be made online here.

www.blackdogballroom.co.uk

www.theliarsclub.co.uk
CUSHING  The estate of a man who died in a September 2015 fight at Cimarron Correctional Facility filed suit Tuesday against the prisons managing company and an unidentified inmate.

The lawsuit alleges that staff at the Cushing prison were complicit in allowing contraband to collect in inmates cells and encouraged competition in drug trafficking that added to tension in an already volatile unit.

The estate of one of four inmates who died, Kyle Tiffee, 23, filed the petition in Payne County District Court seeking damages for negligence on the part of Corrections Corp. of America, a Nashville, Tennessee-based company that manages Cimarron and Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville.

The document provides new details on the Sept. 12 fight between members of the Irish Mob Group and the United Aryan Brotherhood in Cimarrons Charlie North unit that left Tiffee, Anthony Fulwider, Michael Mayden Jr. and Christopher Tignor dead and seven others injured.

The men who live in Cimarrons Charlie North unit began grouping, which is indicative that an incident is imminent, about an hour before the fight began, according to the petition. It says the Irish Mob members went downstairs in the unit that afternoon, where they were met by members of the United Aryan Brotherhood. Both groups then attacked each other using weapons made from light fixtures in their cells, the document states.

A nurse ran to the scene during the melee  a fight that lasted about two minutes, records show  to render aid to a dying inmate, while the correctional officer supervising the unit reportedly stayed on the upper run. That officer, identified as Terrance Lockett, was the only officer on the unit the afternoon of the fight and, according to the petition, made little effort to intervene.

Lockett was dismissed from Cimarron in February after being caught hiding marijuana in his crotch area on facility grounds, according to a probable cause affidavit in his pending felony case in Payne County. He is set for a Sept. 27 preliminary hearing.

Knowing that (Lockett) called (CCA supervisors) for a response that wasnt coming, the lone guard on Charlie North did not lock down the unit, utilize officer presence or command presence, attempt to intervene or even use his (pepper) spray, the lawsuit states. He remained on the upper run and became nothing more than a spectator to the deadliest incident in Oklahoma prison history.

The unit where the fight occurred has a disproportionately high number of serious incident reports and is a hub for drug trafficking that is enabled by underpaid or undertrained staff, the petition states. Tiffees estate goes on to say that the prevalence of contraband at Cimarron compared to Department of Corrections-run facilities suggests a much higher tolerance for criminal activity, unprofessional behavior, inadequate staffing, poor training and staff corruption.

The DOC also released an updated copy of the facilitys report on the fight to the Tulsa World on Tuesday afternoon. It paints a different picture of Locketts actions that day, stating the then-officer took action after he noticed white inmates separating into groups. The incident report does not classify the altercation as being racially motivated despite the documented involvement of two white gangs.

The groups began fighting with and without weapons, the report states. Officer Lockett began giving loud verbal directives to the offenders to stop fighting. At approximately (4:41 p.m.), Officer Lockett called for an emergency response team to assist with the incident.

The officers used multiple types of restraint devices and a combined 21.85 ounces of pepper spray to end the fight, and found nearly two dozen weapons and a cellphone in a subsequent search of the housing unit, the DOC says.

A Tulsa World investigation in February found that the fight last September was one of many serious incidents reported at Cimarron in 2015. Other incidents included large-scale inmate-on-inmate assaults, seizures of homemade weapons, three arrests of staff who were caught smuggling contraband inside the facility and allegations of sexual assault perpetrated by staff against inmates.

Tulsa attorney J. Spencer Bryan, who represents Tiffees estate, told the World the DOC has denied his request for a video of the September fight. When the World made the same request, DOC spokesman Alex Gerszewski said the agency would not release the video for security reasons, as the Inspector Generals Office is not yet finished with its investigation.

Payne County District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas said Tuesday no charges have been filed in connection with the homicides, and said the DOC has not yet provided her office with a final incident report. A CCA spokesman did not respond to a call and email seeking comment on the lawsuit as of Tuesday evening.

I do know they interviewed 122 inmates, all of which saw nothing, Thomas said of the Inspector Generals investigation. I know I have reviewed lots of video, but you cant see a thing. You can see injuries, but you cant see anyone hurting another person. I think its because their camera system is so poor that Im quite sure all the inmates knew when the cameras were panning to what areas. You cannot see anyone until after (the fights) over with.

The lawsuit also targets the inmate who caused the injuries that killed Tiffee, although that persons identity is unknown.
OKLAHOMA CITY  Supporters of an effort to legalize medical marijuana in Oklahoma on Tuesday filed a legal challenge to Attorney General Scott Pruitts rewriting of their ballot title.

The challenge to Pruitts description of State Question 788 was filed with the Oklahoma Supreme Court by Oklahomans for Health, the organization that circulated the initiative petition to get the measure on the ballot.

Supporters gathered 67,761 signatures. They needed 65,987.

The measure will not appear on the Nov. 8 ballot due to deadlines, but could appear on a special election ballot or on the 2018 primary or general election ballot.

David Slane, an Oklahoma City attorney representing Oklahomans for Health, said Pruitts revision is an effort to elicit a negative vote on the measure.

In addition, Pruitts revision is incorrect because it implies the measure would legalize the general use of marijuana, Slane said. The petition seeks to legalize it for medical purposes under a doctors care, Slane said.

Pruitts version says, This measure legalizes the licensed use, sale, and growth of marijuana in Oklahoma. There are no qualifying medical conditions identified.

Pruitt said he rewrote the original ballot title after he found it was deficient.

The original version submitted by supporters stated, A yes vote legalizes the licensed use, sale, and growth of marijuana in Oklahoma for medicinal purposes. A license is required for use and possession of marijuana for medicinal purposes and must be approved by an Oklahoma Board Certified physician.

Slane said Pruitt showed bias in his revision of the ballot title, which is a description for voters about what the measure does. Slane said the revision will confuse voters.

The Attorney Generals office received the lawsuit late Tuesday afternoon and will begin the process of reviewing the challenge, said Lincoln Ferguson, a Pruitt spokesman.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court in August said Pruitts ballot titles for two criminal justice reform measures were misleading and partial.

The court rewrote the ballot titles after supporters of the measures lodged a challenge against the Pruitt versions.

Scott Pruitt needs to stop playing politics with the peoples right to change the law, Slane said. Nobody has the right to do that and he needs to stop doing that.

The challenge by Oklahomans for Health seeks to have the original ballot language restored.

Pruitt should not be involved in the issues because his office filed a lawsuit after Colorado legalized marijuana, Slane said.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear it. Pruitt then joined another lawsuit before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.
Reports of a threatening message posted on social media involving Union Public Schools have not been substantiated, according to the school district.

School officials became "aware of a rumor that a threatening message" was sent via the social media app Snapchat on Tuesday evening, according to a statement on the district's website.

Administration and security began investigating but "found no evidence to support the rumor."

Tulsa police also were alerted and were unable to find a legitimate threat, agency spokesman Leland Ashley said.

Officers spoke to a parent whose child apparently had seen a vague shooting threat directed at the Union Sixth and Seventh Grade Center.

"Our intelligence unit has not found anything that would say any of this information is credible," Ashley said.

The incident did not affect school operations Wednesday. Ashley said campus security was directed to contact police about any suspicious activity.

In a phone message to parents, Sixth and Seventh Grade Center Principal Scott Pennington called the rumor of a threat circulating via social media baseless.

He said that after the school's first "intruder on campus" drill Tuesday, the administration had received an email from a parent whose child had heard from another student that a threatening post had been made on Snapchat.

"We thoroughly investigated and found no evidence to support the online rumor that has rapidly spread," Pennington said in the phone message. "We ask for your assistance in having a conversation with your child about the importance of being responsible while on social media."

The district asks that anyone with concerns or information call its Safe School number, 918-505-9802, which is available 24 hours a day.
The CEO of Ramps Logistics says he is "really really disappointed" with the Guyana Revenue A
George Soros gave Ivanka's husband's business a $250 million credit line in 2015 per WSJ. Soros is also an investor in Jared's business.
Foxtel is hosting a Star Wars pop-up channel featuring all seven movies from Friday, September 30  Monday, October 3.

Available to Foxtel Movies and Foxtel Platinum subscribers, all seven films will run back-to-back, on Channel 400 starting with Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

 Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999)  Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine after rescuing young Queen Amidala from the impending invasion of Naboo, Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn discover nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker, a young slave unusually strong in the Force. Anakin wins a thrilling Podrace and with it his freedom as he leaves his home to be trained as a Jedi. The heroes return to Naboo where Anakin and the Queen face massive invasion forces while the two Jedi contend with a deadly foe named Darth Maul. Only then do they realize the invasion is merely the first step in a sinister scheme by the re-emergent forces of darkness known as the Sith.

 Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002)  Ten years after the invasion of Naboo, the galaxy is on the brink of civil war. Under the leadership of a renegade Jedi named Count Dooku, thousands of solar systems threaten to break away from the Galactic Republic. When an assassination attempt is made on Senator Padme Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo, twenty-year-old Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker is assigned to protect her. In the course of his mission, Anakin discovers his love for Padme as well as his own darker side. Soon, Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan Kenobi are drawn into the heart of the Separatist movement and the beginning of the Clone Wars.

 Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)  The Clone Wars rage through the galaxy. Asked to spy for both the Jedi and for traitorous Chancellor Palpatine, young Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker finds himself caught in the middle of the intrigue. Seduced by the dark side, he pledges himself to the evil Darth Sidious and becomes Darth Vader. Together, the Sith Lords set in motion a plot of revenge against the Jedi, even while Obi-Wan Kenobi tries to save Anakin. The former allies come face-to-face in a climactic lightsaber battle that will decide the fate of the galaxy.

 Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)  Set 30 years after Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the fourth episode of the saga returns to the desert planet of Tatooine. A young Luke Skywalker begins to discover his destiny, when, searching for a lost droid, he is saved by reclusive Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. A civil war rages in the galaxy, and Rebel forces struggle against the evil Galactic Empire. Luke and Obi-Wan enlist the aid of hotshot pilot Han Solo. Joined by quirky droid duo R2-D2 and C-3PO, the unlikely team sets out to rescue rebel leader Princess Leia and make use of the stolen plans to destroy the Empires ultimate weapon. In a legendary confrontation, the rogue group mounts an attack against the Death Star for a climactic battle with the evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.

 Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)  The battle for the galaxy intensifies in this thrilling fifth episode of the unfolding saga. As imperial forces launch an all-out attack on the Rebel Alliance, Han Solo and Princess Leia flee to Cloud City where they are captured by Darth Vader. Luke Skywalker journeys to the mysterious, marshy planet of Dagobah, where the wise Jedi master Yoda teaches the young hero the ways of the Force. Little does Luke know his training will be called upon so soon. A stunning revelation and a seeming life-or-death dual with Darth Vader await.

 Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)  In the spectacular climatic sixth episode of the Star Wars saga, Darth Vader readies the second Death Star to unleash the final blow to the Rebel Alliance. Luke Skywalker joins his droid allies R2-D2 and C-3PO, along with Princess Leia, to free his comrade Han Solo, imprisoned by the vile crime lord, Jabba the Hutt. Reunited, the rebels race to the moon of the planet Endor where they launch a desperate attack upon the entire Imperial Fleet. But the ultimate battle is between father and son, as Luke faces Darth Vader one last time, for the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance.

 Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)  As Kylo Ren and the sinister First Order rise from the ashes of the Empire, Luke Skywalker is missing when the galaxy needs him most. Its up to Rey, a desert scavenger, and Finn, a defecting storm trooper, to join forces with Han Solo and Chewbacca in a desperate search for the one hope of restoring peace to the galaxy.

The Foxtel Movies Star Wars pop-up channel will be available in HD* to Foxtel Platinum and Foxtel Movies subscribers with the HD pack on channel 400.
As noted in another News post, Sunday Night will see Mike Willesee interview Adam Whittington this weekend, which is surely the interview of the week.

Seven is claiming no money has changed hands for this. maybe Nine could spill more on that as this merry-go-round continues.

Sevens Sunday Night will this week air an exclusive interview with Adam Whittington, the head of Child Abduction Recovery International (CARI), who has returned to Australia.

Mr Whittington was released from prison in Beirut at the end of July after nearly four months behind bars over his involvement in the plotting and failed abduction of Brisbane mother Sally Faulkners two children from Lebanon, with an Australian television crew.

The interview with Sunday Nights Mike Willesee, Mr Whittingtons first on the failed child snatch, airs on Sunday at 8pm on Seven.

Sunday Night made no payment to Mr Whittington, his family or any other party for the interview. The fact that he wasnt paid will be disclosed in the program.

8pm Sunday on Seven.
Swaziland National Day Message

Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the people of the Kingdom of Swaziland on your 48th Independence Day.

"I commend the Government of Swaziland for its commitment to the health of its citizens. Health is an issue that touches every citizen of Swaziland, and we are pleased to have a long partnership with the Swazi Government on multiple critical health initiatives, including our shared goal of achieving an AIDS-free generation.

"On this special occasion, I offer my best wishes to you and my sincere hopes for a healthy, peaceful, and prosperous future for Swaziland."
The situation in ATO area in eastern Ukraine remains controlled and is generally characterized by the observance of ceasefire.

This is reported by the ATO Headquarters press centre.

Russian-backed militants launched 21 attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine over the past day," the statement reads.

In Mariupol direction, the tense situation was observed in the area of Shyrokyne  Talakovka, where the terrorists fired from 120 mm and 82mm mortars.

In Donetsk direction, the Russian-occupation forces launched provocative attacks near Avdiyivka (18km north of Donetsk), using machine guns, small arms, and grenade launchers.

In Luhansk direction, the militants used small arms to fire at Popasna (90 km north-west of Luhansk).

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The United States of America has decided to expand the list of Russian companies subject to sanctions in connection with Russia's involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.

The relevant statement was published on the Federal Register journal of U.S. government. The decision shall enter into force on September 7.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding eighty-one entities under eighty-six entries to the Entity List. The eighty-one entities who are added to the Entity List have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. BIS is taking this action to ensure the 2 efficacy of existing sanctions on the Russian Federation (Russia) for violating international law and fueling the conflict in eastern Ukraine. These entities will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of the Crimea region of Ukraine, Hong Kong, India, and Russia, reads the statement.

The new U.S. sanctions were imposed on several dozens of companies, 50 of which are controlled by the Russias Gazprom gas monopoly.

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Ukraine and the Czech Republic have agreed to resume the work of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Industrial, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

The agreement was reached during the meeting of Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman with his Czech counterpart Bohuslav Sobotka in Poland, the Government portal reports.

"I think the intergovernmental commission will be a good tool to improve our cooperation," Groysman said.

Groysman noted Ukraine's interest in enhancing cooperation with the Czech Republic, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, business activities and defense.

The Ukrainian Prime Minister also said that the government had decided to raise the level of co-chairs of the commission, so the Ukrainian part would be headed by Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze.

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Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman has held a meeting with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban in the city of Krynica Zdroj on September 7, the governments official website reports.

The sides discussed directions of enhancing cooperation between the two countries and agreed to elaborate a medium-term plan of cooperation in the sphere of infrastructure, energy and agrarian sector.

Participants in the meeting also agreed to raise to a new level the Ukrainian-Hungarian Interdepartmental commission on trade and economic cooperation. From the Ukrainian side, it will be headed by Vice-Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze,while from the Hungarian side, an official representative will be elected in the near future.

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Both parties to the Minsk agreements were required to show progress in their implementation during the G20 Summit in China.

This was stated by Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State Mark Toner, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He noted that the United States had raised the issue of Ukraine in China twice: during the bilateral meeting of Secretary of State John Kerry with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and during the talks between the leaders of the U.S., France and Germany.

"And essentially, what was conveyed in both meetings was the need for all sides to move forward in implementing Minsk and that that offers the best way to quell the violence and to bring stability and peace back to the region," Toner said.

He added that the US was "working close" with France and Germany as well as Russia and Ukraine in the implementation of these agreements.

"The priority going forward is how quickly we can move on implementing the remaining Minsk commitments on both sides. And were working close with, as I said, France and Germany  part of the Normandy Group  but also with  directly with the Russians as well and, obviously, with Ukraine," the Spokesperson noted.

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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin will pay a visit to Berlin on Thursday, September 8, to hold talks on visa-free regime and bilateral relations.

Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany Andriy Melnyk said this in a commentary to an Ukrinform correspondent in Berlin.

"Minister Klimkin will hold talks with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere on visa liberalization. There also will be a meeting with President of the Bundestag Norbert Lammert and a large group of MPs from CDU/CSU," Melnyk said.

In particular, he noted that the meeting with the MPs would focus on Germanys support for Ukraine, the "Normandy format", and other issues.

According to the Ambassador, the issue of settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine will also be raised during the visit of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister.

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The international scientific conference "Kazimir Malevich: Kyiv Aspect" will be held in the capital of Ukraine on October 6-9, 2016.

This was announced by conference organizer Tetiana Filevska, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We will talk not only about the later period of 1928-1930 years, because many things link Malevich with Kyiv. I primarily mean the very fact of his birth here, childhood, family ties, studying at Murashko school. These topics will be discussed at a four-day conference in Kyiv on October 6-9," she said.

According to her, the event organizers are very happy with response to their invitation from famous French explorers of avant-garde art Jean-Claude Markade and Andre Nakov. "Having analyzed the works of Malevich and others, they realized that the avant-garde art was not Russian, but mainly Ukrainian due to the fact of origin of the artists,", Filevska added.

The experts from Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Belarus, Israel, Russia and Canada are expected to participate in the conference.

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UNDP is UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in some 170 countries and territories, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

The UNDP Seoul Policy Centre is part of the United Nations global development and policy network. The Policy Centre is central to supporting effective development cooperation, South-South and Triangular Cooperation and higher quality programming and action through cutting edge development research, policy dialogue and knowledge sharing on key development issues.

Learn more
Marking the anniversary of the UKs decision to expand the resettlement programme for Syrian refugees (Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme  VPRS) announced in September 2015, UNHCR Representative to the United Kingdom Gonzalo Vargas Llosa said:

The UKs move to substantially expand its resettlement programme for vulnerable Syrian refugees last September was a landmark decision, a clear show of solidarity with Syrian refugees and the neighbouring countries hosting them. It opens another chapter in the UKs long and proud tradition of offering sanctuary to those fleeing conflict and persecution. It also reflects the groundswell of support for refugees on the part of the British public.

Much has been achieved over the past year and it is important to recognise that. Working in support of meeting the UK governments commitment to resettle 20,000 Syrians by 2020, UNHCR has submitted to the government more than 7,800 vulnerable Syrian refugees to date: 5,143 in 2016, 2,409 in 2015 and 283 in 2014, when the VPRS began. Before the end of this year UNHCR plans to submit another 2,230 Syrian refugees for resettlement.

By the end of June, more than 2,800 Syrian refugees arrived in the UK. There have been further arrivals in July and August. Local authorities across the UK have pledged 20,000 places for Syrian refugees and the new community sponsorship aspect of the UKs Syrian resettlement programme has also been recently launched. The government also announced earlier this week additional resources for English language classes to help refugees to integrate  a move which we welcome.

Resettlement is a life-saving, durable solution and a legal pathway for refugees to access safety.

As we witness unprecedented levels of forced displacement around the world, a focus on solutions for the most vulnerable refugees has never been more important  particularly in a crisis such as Syria where conflict rages on and peace remains elusive.

UNHCR estimates that at least 10 per cent of the 4.8 million Syrian refugees in countries neighbouring Syria will need resettling or other secure pathways to safely move elsewhere before the end of 2018. This includes people considered acutely vulnerable, such as survivors of torture, refugees with serious medical conditions or women left alone with several children to care for and without family support.

Keeping the focus on the integration of Syrian refugees in the UK will be vital for the success and sustainability of the UKs resettlement scheme for Syrian refugees. Their reception, orientation, language classes, job opportunities and family reunification will be essential for Syrian refugees to integrate successfully. Refugees may arrive in their new countries with only a few belongings but they also bring with them their most valuable assets  their skills and the desire to give back to the communities that welcome them.

ENDS
Two years ago, a small, mastless Egyptian fishing boat with peeling blue paint pushed off from the Tunisian coast with 76 people on board. Eighteen miles southwest of Sicily, on August 29 2014, it was found by the Italian coastguard and towed to land.

Today the Hadir and another vessel ply the more tranquil waters of Amsterdams canals, taking residents and tourists on tours of the citys history as seen through the eyes of the refugees and migrants  famous, infamous and unknown  that helped shape the Netherlands largest city.

At its helm on the weekly tours  for which Amsterdam city authorities have limited numbers to 12  are a varied group of skippers with one thing in common: they are all refugees who have reached Amsterdam in similar circumstances to the boats they sail.

It took some convincing to get me back on a boat, said one, Mohammed al-Masri, a 24-year-old Syrian refugee who reached Amsterdam in 2015.

Mohammed Al Masri, 24, gives a guided tour of Amsterdam's canal network. A refugee from Syria, he crossed to Greece from Turkey in a small boat.  UNHCR/Chris de Bode

Mohammed Al Masri gives a guided tour of Amsterdam's canal network, explaining the city's long history of welcoming migrants and refugees like himself.  UNHCR/Chris de Bode

"Of course it felt strange to be back on a boat after my experience crossing from Turkey to Greece. But I feel comfortable now," says Mohammed Al Masri.  UNHCR/Chris de Bode

He left Syria in 2012 with his parents, two sisters and a younger brother. They went first to Lebanon and then Jordan. There he found himself unable to care for his family.

Being asked to skipper Hadir, however, brought back memories of a journey on which he was smuggled across Turkey before being bundled on to a dinghy with dozens of others, including 11 children and one blind man, that took them to Greece. It was a frightening experience.

The opportunity to tell his story on the Hadir tours proved too tempting.

The Hadir and its sister vessel, both previously used to smuggle people across the Mediterranean. As well as the tours, they offer on-board dinners at which passengers are invited to meet and talk to refugees and immigrants, and shuttle transport to some of the citys many festivals.

I hope travelling with our crew will challenge these preconceptions.

The project, which is partly funded by the Dutch government, is the brainchild of Teun Castelein, a Dutch artist who in 2012 was disturbed by the way the media covered the plight of refugees and migrants who drowned making the hazardous crossing to Europe from North Africa.

He continues to be driven by a sense that public misconceptions about refugees and migrants need to be challenged, particularly the mischaracterization of refugees as either a potential threat or victims. I think they are both misconceptions and I hope travelling with our crew will challenge these preconceptions.

The project employs 10 people. All are refugees or migrants - some of them second generation  drawing on the citys long history of welcoming immigrants and refugees through the ages.

Eritrean Sami Tsegaye, 22, is one of the tour boat skippers. He reached the Netherlands after crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Libya on vessel similar to the one he now operates. "The first time on this boat was a bit scary. After sailing so many times I'm much more relaxed now. I learned to swim. I love it."  UNHCR/Chris de Bode

Amsterdam became a Protestant city in 1578, but made a point of tolerating people of all faiths  an openness vital to its prosperity.

It subsequently became a magnet for persecuted minorities from throughout Europe over the next century: Protestant bankers from Belgium, wealthy Jews escaping the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal, poorer Jews from Eastern Europe, Huguenots from France. By the middle of the 17th century it was the continents most important commercial hub.

Today, the city is home to people of 180 different nationalities. About 45 per cent of the greater metropolitan population of 1.6 million are from an ethnic minority.

They are humans just like you, they have minds, they can think, they can fill some spaces and improve some things.

The tour highlights the experience of refugees and migrants through history. There was the executed Danish girl, Elsje Christians, garrotted for murder and her body exhibited as a warning to others. Her remains were drawn by Rembrandt while they were on public display.

Rederij Lampedusa owns two boats. A small one named "Hedir" (Stormy Weather) and a bigger one named "Al Hadj Juma" (Mister Friday).  UNHCR/Chris de Bode

There were the philosopher Baruch Spinoza, whose family fled the Inquisition, diarist Anne Frank, whose family fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s, outspoken Somali refugee Ayyan Hirsi Ali who sought asylum in 1992. There were Italian chimney sweeps and Chinese doctors.

Masri says his role on the tour complements that history.

I am a real fact, he said. I am a fresh story. I hope it raises awareness that newcomers are not just here to steal your money or corrupt your country. They are humans just like you, they have minds, they can think, they can fill some spaces and improve some things.

Passenger Piet van den Boog, sailing on the Hadir for the first time, said the opportunity to meet refugees was important because direct contact between people was always the most effective.

Besides, the 64-year-old painter added, the boat tells its own story.
Lebanese mother Diana, 25, checks up on her baby at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Tripoli governmental hospital in northern Lebanon. The mother and baby are among beneficiaries of improved primary healthcare in Lebanon through funding from UNHCR. 

TRIPOLI, Lebanon  Since the day she was married at 13 years of age, Ola,* a Lebanese woman, has never known safety. An abusive husband, a miscarriage and a series of psychological misdiagnoses left her on the edge of despair.

But following an unexpected turn of events, Ola, now 50, is finally receiving the expert mental healthcare treatment that she urgently needs. I used to feel overwhelmed with fear, she told UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Fear of everything and anything.

She is among thousands of vulnerable Lebanese who have gained access to a full range of public primary healthcare services  from psychiatric help to neonatal and pediatric care - since the crisis in Syria next door led to a massive influx of vulnerable refugees.

After war broke out in Syria in early 2011, over one million refugees have sought safety in Lebanon. They are registered in country with UNHCR, which is working closely with the Ministry of Public Health to meet their needs.

With generous funding from donors, Lebanon has been able to integrate a range of much-needed services within primary healthcare centres (PHCs), benefiting both Syrians and poor Lebanese.

Prior to the crisis, the Hopital Psychiatrique De La Croix  a charitable organization on the outskirts of the capital, Beirut  was the only accessible provider of mental healthcare services in the whole country, making support for those outside the capital, like Ola, especially hard.

" A closer look at the impact of the refugee crisis reveals a lesser-known reality."

Tonina Frangieh, a senior mental health and psycho-social support officer with the International Medical Corps in northern Lebanon, said mental healthcare was previously unheard of in the north of the country.

In the past, mental health patients were dismissed as crazy or thought to be possessed; she added, they used to be beaten, locked up and sometimes even chained.

Now, psychological help is among the many services that are more widely available with the gradual improvement of healthcare provision since the Syria crisis began.

With the arrival of refugees, healthcare needs skyrocketed, said Randa Hamadeh, head of the primary healthcare department at Lebanons Public Health Ministry. With generous support from the European Union, we worked with UNHCR and integrated mental health, malnutrition treatment, and reinforced reproductive healthcare services within the primary healthcare system nationwide.

As a result, Lebanese and Syrian patients now have access to completely free-of-charge vaccinations with support from UNICEF and WHO. Even the vaccine-related consultation fee that used to apply prior to the crisis has been waived.

From the outset, primary healthcare centre staff have received training in effective vaccine management, and other key services such as the diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition and the clinical management of rape, having a positive impact on Syrians and Lebanese alike.

Lebanese mother Sally did not understand why her daughter was underweight. But after nutritional care was integrated within primary healthcare in Lebanon with funding from UNHCR, the three-year-old was successfully treated.  UNHCR/Dalia Atallah

In addition, a total of 84 new specialized staff have been deployed by UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration to primary healthcare centers nationwide to accommodate increased demand for services.

Two years into the crisis, centres across Lebanon received post-exposure prophylaxis - special kits to help prevent HIV infection after a possible recent exposure. The counseling and treatment of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) has been institutionalized, and now includes psychological support and thorough case follow-ups.

Expanding care has also allowed medical teams to refer women and girls who survived SGBV to safe houses operated by specialized organizations such as UNHCRs partner, the ABAAD-Resource Centre for Gender Equality.

Rola Hajj, director of nursing at the Tripoli Governmental Hospital, remembers a 17-year-old Lebanese girl rushing to the emergency room bruised from head to toe. Her parents had beaten her badly. They had forbidden her from leaving the house, even to attend school.

That night she was received in one of the women and girls safe spaces and has remained there since, Rola said. Before its cooperation with non-profits like ABAAD, the Tripoli Governmental Hospital used to contact the police station when confronted with similar cases, having no recourse to specialized services.

In spite of these notable developments, Lebanons already fragile medical infrastructure has suffered with the arrival of a refugee population a quarter of its populations size. Its highly privatized and expensive healthcare system continues to struggle with limited capacity that has been further eroded by the spike in needs.

Hospitals and PHCs have been reeling under the weight of an additional million individuals who require urgent quality care. But a closer look at the impact of the refugee crisis reveals a lesser-known reality, said Mireille Girard, UNHCRs representative in Lebanon.

People have more faith in public healthcare now. We hope to keep building on that.

Not only do Lebanese families have improved access to primary healthcare in a number of specialties, but many tell us they can now seek quality hospital care within their areas thanks to the introduction of much-needed equipment such as scanners, resuscitation equipment and incubators in hospitals across the country.

The lack of modern equipment previously meant that Lebanese had to commute from remote areas to Beirut to access emergency hospital care.

People have more faith in public healthcare now, said Hamadeh. We hope to keep building on that, she added, noting that, with UNHCR, the Ministry has upgraded its information management system.

The new, computerized database allows for the storage of each and every medical file and the tracking of individual cases in nearly half of the PHC network, she said.

Another concrete example of progress: there are now 230 PHCs across Lebanon, an increase from 180 prior to the Syrian war.

Still, Hamadeh stresses the need for much more support. And she also worries about the sustainability of the new services. We desperately need more funding, she said. We have come a long way, but gaps remain and we cant be left alone at this point.

* Names have been changed for protection reasons.
After Sarah Alsabsabis family fled from Aleppo to Turkey in 2013, her fathers health started deteriorating. He journeyed on to Germany where he learned that he had kidney cancer. Now, Sarah and her family are desperately trying to reunite with their father, but after finally crossing the Aegean Sea, they have found themselves stranded once again.



ATHENS, Greece, 6 September 2016  Word finally came after months of anxious waiting from her father, Kasem Alsabsabi, in Bebra, Hessen, Germany  he had arrived, had an operation, was on radiotherapy treatment, had found a place to live and was now ready and desperately keen for his beloved family to join him.

In February 2016, Sarah, 12, set off excitedly from Izmir, Turkey, with her mother and her seven brothers and sisters. The family escaped Aleppo in 2013 and spent nearly three years in Altinozu, Antakya, Turkey, not far from the Syrian border.

Her father used to repair airplanes in Aleppo, but had not been able to work in Turkey. On top of that, his health had continued to decline. It was only once he arrived in Germany last summer that he found out he had kidney cancer. This news made the family all the more anxious and determined to join him and they started to borrow money from friends and family.

Like any child on the move, Sarah could only take a few light but prized possessions in her little backpack. For her it was the digital tablet that she had won for coming first in class as a refugee pupil in Turkey. And, being a young tweenager of style, she could not resist packing her chunky white pearl necklace, her sequined handbag, trendy T-shirts and lots of brightly coloured ribbons. After all, they werent going to weigh her down and they mattered, to her.

Germany seemed so far away, so foreign  another language, another culture. But for this family from the besieged city of Aleppo it was a paradise where they could build a new life together. Her father could already say Wie geht es, danke schon [How are you, thank you]. Sarah was up for it and her sister Sham, who loves languages, had already started showing off.

It was not the first or even the second time that the family attempted to cross one of the most dangerous sea routes on earth. And to make matters worse, it was winter.
UNICEF/UN020011/Gilbertson VII Photo

NEW YORK, 7 September 2016  Across the globe, nearly 50 million children have been uprooted  28 million of them driven from their homes by conflicts not of their making, and millions more migrating in the hope of finding a better, safer life. Often traumatized by the conflicts and violence they are fleeing, they face further dangers along the way, including the risk of drowning on sea crossings, malnourishment and dehydration, trafficking, kidnapping, rape and even murder. In countries they travel through and at their destinations, they often face xenophobia and discrimination.

A new report released today by UNICEF, Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children, presents new data that paint a sobering picture of the lives and situations of millions of children and families affected by violent conflict and other crises that make it seem safer to risk everything on a perilous journey than remain at home.



Indelible images of individual children  Aylan Kurdis small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneeshs stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed  have shocked the world, said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger  and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children.



Uprooted shows that:



 Children represent a disproportionate and growing proportion of those who have sought refuge outside their countries of birth: they make up about a third of the global population but about half of all refugees. In 2015 around 45 per cent of all child refugees under UNHCRs protection came from Syria and Afghanistan.

 28 million children have been driven from their homes by violence and conflict within and across borders, including 10 million child refugees; 1 million asylum-seekers whose refugee status has not yet been determined; and an estimated 17 million children displaced within their own countries  children in dire need of humanitarian assistance and access to critical services.

 More and more children are crossing borders on their own. In 2015, over 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries  triple the number in 2014. Unaccompanied children are among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse, including by smugglers and traffickers.

 About 20 million other international child migrants have left their homes for a variety of reasons including extreme poverty or gang violence. Many are at particular risk of abuse and detention because they have no documentation, have uncertain legal status, and there is no systematic tracking and monitoring of their well-being  children falling through the cracks.



According to Uprooted, Turkey hosts the largest total number of recent refugees, and very likely the largest number of child refugees in the world. Relative to its population, Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees by an overwhelming margin: Roughly 1 in 5 people in Lebanon is a refugee. By comparison, there is roughly 1 refugee for every 530 people in the United Kingdom; and 1 for every 1,200 in the United States. When considering refugee-host countries by income level, however, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Pakistan host the highest concentration of refugees.



The report argues that where there are safe and legal routes, migration can offer opportunities for both the children who migrate and the communities they join. An analysis of the impact of migration in high-income countries found that migrants contributed more in taxes and social payments than they received; filled both high- and low-skilled gaps in the labour market; and contributed to economic growth and innovation in hosting countries.



But, crucially, children who have left or are forcibly displaced from their homes often lose out on the potential benefits of migration, such as education  a major driving factor for many children and families who choose to migrate. A refugee child is five times more likely to be out of school than a non-refugee child. When they are able to attend school at all, it is the place migrant and refugee children are most likely to encounter discrimination  including unfair treatment and bullying.



Outside the classroom, legal barriers prevent refugee and migrant children from receiving services on an equal basis with children who are native to a country. In the worst cases, xenophobia can escalate to direct attacks. In Germany alone, authorities tracked 850 attacks against refugee shelters in 2015.



What price will we all pay if we fail to provide these young people with opportunities for education and a more normal childhood? How will they be able to contribute positively to their societies? If they cant, not only will their futures be blighted, but their societies will be diminished as well, Lake said.



The report points to six specific actions that will protect and help displaced, refugee and migrant children:

 Protecting child refugees and migrants, particularly unaccompanied children, from exploitation and violence.

 Ending the detention of children seeking refugee status or migrating by introducing a range of practical alternatives.

 Keeping families together as the best way to protect children and give children legal status.

 Keeping all refugee and migrant children learning and giving them access to health and other quality services.

 Pressing for action on the underlying causes of large-scale movements of refugees and migrants.

 Promoting measures to combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization.

###



Download a PDF of the report and multimedia content at: http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFQP5K8
Cornell University welcomes their first ever 12-year old freshman this autumn. Jeremy Shuler, a 12-year old genius is officially enrolled and is going to college this school opening.

From Grand Prairie, Texas and a son of parents both aeronautics engineers, Jeremy took the SAT and Advanced Placement test in Math and Science and made a remarkable elite-level result. These figures showed that even at the age of 10 he was intellectually ready for college.

He earned his high school diploma in an online educational program from Texas Tech University Independent School District.

Cornell University is no new to the young genius as Andy Shuler, Jeremy's father took his doctorate degree on the said university. Jeremy's grandfather also has direct connections with Cornell working as a professor, The US Magazine reported.

Harrey Shuler, Jeremy's mother revealed the boy wonder's early manifestation of hid extraordinary gifts. She said that Jeremy was so much into letters and numbers as early as three months. He can recognize the whole alphabet at the age of 15 month.

Jeremy began reading on his own at the age of 21 months. The first books he read were written in his mother's native language, the Korean and English. He finished reading novels like "Journey Through Genius: The Great Theorems of Mathematics" and "Lord of the Rings" at the very early age of five years old.

The young genius expressed his excitement although admitting that he first felt nervous on going to college wherein he will be dealing with classmates that are a lot older than him. He said that he is used to having older friends as long they have the main factor in common, they like math.

Having older classmates has become a norm to the young genius as he did not have to go through the regular process along his journey to education. His parents did not find him enjoying his peers in Kindergarten that made them decide to bring him to Math camp where he found friends with similar interests, The ABC News reported.

Watch this video for more of the story.


California State University Los Angeles (CSLA) recently joined the ranks of colleges that have established "black-only" co-ed housing. The institution recently rolled out segregated housing for Black students as response to the set of demands from the university's Black Student Union.

According to The College Fix, members of the Black Student Union were complaining about racist attacks on campus like racially insensitive remarks or microaggressions from their professors and fellow students. They asked the school to provide them with a "CSLA housing space delegated for Black students."

The group's demand letter, which was sent last November, asserted that this "would provide a cheaper alternative housing solution for Black students." It is also expected to become "a safe place for Black CSLA students to congregate, connect, and learn from each other."

Other demands by the organization included an allocation of $20,000 per quarter for the Black Student Union as well as a CSLA Anti-discrimination policy. The group also asked for a $30 million endowment as financial support for Black students.

The school's spokesperson, Robert Lopez, told the publication via email that the newly-launched Halisi Scholars Black Living-Learning Community "focuses on academic excellence and learning experiences that are inclusive and non-discriminatory." The housing is "designed to enhance the residential experience for students who are a part of or interested in issues of concern to the black community living on campus by offering the opportunity to connect with faculty and peers, and engage in programs that focus on academic success, cultural awareness, and civic engagement."

The university is no longer accepting applications for housing for the fall 2016 semester. CSLA admitted that they have a long wait list already.

California State University Los Angeles joins the University of Connecticut, the University of California Davis and Berkeley with the segregated housing option. This is technically still open to all students but is reserved for Black students. The move has gained backlash from several people especially since these universities may be unintentionally creating an atmosphere where Black students are set apart, Fox News reported.
U.S. schools nabbed the top spots in the world's best universities list for 2016 by QS. This is the first list for global university rankings.

In the list, U.S. colleges occupied the top three spots. Massachusetts Institute of Technology got first place, followed by Stanford University and Harvard University in second and third, respectively.

According to Forbes, this is the first time that American schools got the first three places since the compilation of rankings began in 2004. California Institute of Technology nabbed the fifth place in the list.

U.K.'s University of Cambridge got fourth place while the University of Oxford settled for the sixth spot. They are followed by University College London (UCL) which placed seventh.

Completing the top 10 are ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Imperial College London and University of Chicago in the eighth, ninth and tenth spots, respectively. Princeton, Yale, Cornell, Johns Hopkins and the University of Pennsylvania were included in the top 20 list.

Forbes added that, aside from the United States' good performance in the rankings, the list also shed light on the growing challenge from Asia. The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) were able to get the twelfth and thirteenth places, respectively.

For the first time, China also has three universities in the top 50. Moreover, out of the 74 Asian universities in the top 400, 68 percent have risen in the list.

Meanwhile, the Irish Times reported that Ireland's universities are now suffering from a decade of cutbacks in the nation's higher education budget. Trinity College Dublin is the only Irish university that was able to make its way to the top 100.

"This year's rankings imply that levels of investment are determining who progresses and who regresses," Ben Sowter, head of research at the QS Intelligence Unit, said. "Institutions in countries that provide high levels of targeted funding, whether from endowments or from the public purse, are rising."
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A new wayfinding system has been installed notifying customers of availability Glasgow Fort is situated off the M8 in Easterhouse


Published: September 07, 2016

UT Honors Program Fall Symposia Series Kicks Off Sept. 8

The University of Tampas Fall 2016 Honors Program symposia series will kick off Thursday, Sept. 8, with a presentation by Kenneth Knapp, associate professor of information and technology management, titled A by-product of the Sexual Revolution? Is it true that one out of four college students has an STD/STI? Knapps talk begins at 4 p.m. in Reeves Theater in the Vaughn Center on the UT campus.



Throughout the series, resident scholars and researchers at the University will present their areas of specialization.



Guest speakers in the series include a panel from Black Lives Matter-Tampa Bay; Jonathan Beecher Field, associate professor of American literature at Clemson University; Deborah Cragun, assistant professor of education at the University of South Florida; Keith Campbell, professor of psychology at the University of Georgia; Hanna Harchakova and Ihar Kisialou, wheelchair ballroom dance European and world champions, and Hai Cohen and Tali Wertheim, mixed ability dancers; Scott Keeter, former director of survey research at the Pew Research Center; Adriana Ocampo, NASA planetary geologist; Jason Vuic, author and historian; and Jason Morash, Seamus Heaney professor of Irish writing at Trinity College, Dublin.



All lectures are free, open to the public and held on the UT campus. See below for the full schedule:

Thursday, Sept. 8: A by-product of the Sexual Revolution? Is it true that one out of four college students has an STD/STI?, Kenneth Knapp, UT associate professor of information and technology management, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 4 p.m.

A by-product of the Sexual Revolution? Is it true that one out of four college students has an STD/STI?, Kenneth Knapp, UT associate professor of information and technology management, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13: Panel discussion with representatives from Black Lives Matter-Tampa, including Jae Passmore, Donna Davis, Cory Weckerle, Kelly Benjamin and John Alvarez, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 6 p.m.

Panel discussion with representatives from Black Lives Matter-Tampa, including Jae Passmore, Donna Davis, Cory Weckerle, Kelly Benjamin and John Alvarez, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15: The Governors Two Bodies: Polity and Monstrosity in Winthrops Boston, Jonathan Beecher Field, associate professor of American literature at Clemson University, Vaughn Center, Crescent Club, 5 p.m.

The Governors Two Bodies: Polity and Monstrosity in Winthrops Boston, Jonathan Beecher Field, associate professor of American literature at Clemson University, Vaughn Center, Crescent Club, 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22: Be Part of the Revolution: Graduate Students as Learners in Social Media Outlets, Enilda Romero-Hall, UT assistant professor of education, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 4 p.m.

Be Part of the Revolution: Graduate Students as Learners in Social Media Outlets, Enilda Romero-Hall, UT assistant professor of education, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27: Zika on our Doorstep, Deborah Cragun, assistant professor of public health at USF, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, Noon

Zika on our Doorstep, Deborah Cragun, assistant professor of public health at USF, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, Noon Wednesday, Oct. 5: Black Womens Activism and the Politics of Benevolent Paternalism in Tampa, 19031930, Charles McGraw, UT associate professor of history, Vaughn Center, ninth floor, Trustees Board Room, 4 p.m.

Black Womens Activism and the Politics of Benevolent Paternalism in Tampa, 19031930, Charles McGraw, UT associate professor of history, Vaughn Center, ninth floor, Trustees Board Room, 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13: Revolutionary Milestones in Astronomy: Discoveries that Changed Our Understanding of the Universe, Simon Schuler, UT assistant professor of physics, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 4 p.m.

Revolutionary Milestones in Astronomy: Discoveries that Changed Our Understanding of the Universe, Simon Schuler, UT assistant professor of physics, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18: Is it cool to be a narcissist? Educational, Relationship and Business Perspectives, Keith Campbell, professor of psychology at the University of Georgia, Vaughn Center, ninth floor, Trustees Board Room, 5:30 p.m.

Is it cool to be a narcissist? Educational, Relationship and Business Perspectives, Keith Campbell, professor of psychology at the University of Georgia, Vaughn Center, ninth floor, Trustees Board Room, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19: Dance and Disabilities in the International Ballroom Community, Hanna Harchakova and Ihar Kisialou, wheelchair ballroom dance European and world champions, and Hai Cohen and Tali Wertheim, mixed ability dancers, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 5 p.m.

Dance and Disabilities in the International Ballroom Community, Hanna Harchakova and Ihar Kisialou, wheelchair ballroom dance European and world champions, and Hai Cohen and Tali Wertheim, mixed ability dancers, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21: Cosmic Collisions and Dinosaurs, Adriana Ocampo, NASA Planetary Geologist, Vaughn Center, ninth floor, 5:30 p.m.

Cosmic Collisions and Dinosaurs, Adriana Ocampo, NASA Planetary Geologist, Vaughn Center, ninth floor, 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24: The Origins and Future of Trumpism in American Politics, Scott Keeter, former director of survey research at the Pew Research Center, Vaughn Center, ninth floor, Trustees Board Room, 4 p.m.

The Origins and Future of Trumpism in American Politics, Scott Keeter, former director of survey research at the Pew Research Center, Vaughn Center, ninth floor, Trustees Board Room, 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9: The Quest for an NFL Franchise: How Tiny Tampa Landed the Bucs, Jason Vuic, Ph.D., author and historian, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 6 p.m.

The Quest for an NFL Franchise: How Tiny Tampa Landed the Bucs, Jason Vuic, Ph.D., author and historian, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater, 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10: After the End of Irishness? Jason Morash, Seamus Heaney professor of Irish writing at Trinity College, Dublin, Plant Hall, Fletcher Lounge, 6:30 p.m.

After the End of Irishness? Jason Morash, Seamus Heaney professor of Irish writing at Trinity College, Dublin, Plant Hall, Fletcher Lounge, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30: Revenge Porn: Legal, Social and Academic Consequences, Carly Hilinski-Rosick, UT assistant professor of criminology, Plant Hall, Music Room, 4 p.m.

Please note that dates and locations are subject to change. For more information, contact the Honors Program at (813) 257-3545 or honors@ut.edu.
UTSA partners with Siemens and OMNETRIC Group on innovative renewable energy project

(Sept. 7, 2016) -- Siemens and OMNETRIC Group have installed and tested new renewable software technology at Duke Energy to support the U.S. Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratorys (NREL) Project INTEGRATE, an initiative developed to resolve the current limitations utilities face when integrating renewable energy sources into the grid. First successfully verified at NREL, the grid technology is being demonstrated in a test bed using live microgrid conditions.

As part of this Project INTEGRATE milestone, OMNETRIC Group has verified the technical feasibility of a new interoperability reference architecture, called the Open Field Message Bus (OpenFMB) framework. This solution is integrated with Siemens Microgrid Management Software to allow Duke Energy to forecast weather and load behavior. This in turn enables the OpenFMB distributed applications on the microgrid test site to locally optimize renewable energy resources and battery storage.

A lack of common standards and the variable nature of renewable sources has traditionally lead to difficulties in the communication and interoperation of renewables within the complex, multi-vendor operating systems used by todays utilities. Project INTEGRATE and the Siemens and OMNETRIC Group technologies will allow utilities to integrate these disparate systems more successfully than ever before. The success of the field testing promises a future of increased renewable energy use across the world, as integration with legacy systems becomes easier, thus faster and more manageable.

At OMNETRIC Group, we specialize in bridging the gap between operations and information technology systems. Our work on this world-first project has shown us first-hand the opportunity for utilities to become greener and more diverse, said Shailendra Grover, Senior Manager, Grid Operations at OMNETRIC Group. The potential implications this project has for the wider utilities industry shouldnt be underestimated.

We are pleased to see how industry partners are leveraging the Open Field Message Bus framework to prove that local grid-edge intelligence when harmonized with a centralized control system can enhance microgrid operation. said Stuart Laval, Manager, Technology Development, Duke Energy. Duke Energy was delighted to have worked on this project and remains committed to the advancement of renewable integration to the grid by breaking down proprietary and operational siloes.

Today, most field devices arent standardized and operate with different protocols, making it difficult for utilities and power providers to effectively monitor and manage renewable generation, said Mike Carlson, President of Siemens Digital Grid. Were excited to see our microgrid software, working alongside the new OMNETRIC Group platform, in a live grid scenario providing an unprecedented level of insight into renewable operations across a utilitys grid system.

OMNETRIC Group, in partnership with Siemens, is one of five suppliers to receive funding from NREL as part of its Integrated Network Testbed for Energy Grid Research and Technology Experimentation (INTEGRATE) project.

In addition to the live testing at Duke Energy, the teams will also partner with CPS Energy to deploy a new microgrid solution at the Joint Base San Antonio Fort Sam Houston military base and The University of Texas at San Antonio to incorporate UTSAs renewable power forecasting into the NREL projects microgrid management system.

Siemens Digital Grid partners with leading utilities worldwide to provide expertise and innovative technologies. In North America, Digital Grid has worked with more than 1,000 leading utilities to deliver proven solutions and services that improve operational efficiencies, enhance reliability and resiliency, and empower consumers to better manage their energy use.

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Nichols Named Distinguished Alum at South Dakota State University

UW President Laurie Nichols

University of Wyoming President Laurie Nichols has been named a distinguished alumna of South Dakota State University (SDSU).

Nichols, who became UWs president May 16, spent 22 years in educational administration at SDSU, serving as dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences from 1994-2009 and provost from 2009-2016.

SDSU announced its class of 2016 distinguished alumni today. Nichols and five others will be honored at a banquet Oct. 21 in Brookings, S.D.

A media release from SDSU says Nichols accomplishments included developing a five-year, $10.2 million classroom enhancement initiative to improve 99 classrooms in 23 buildings; chairing a 20-member leadership council that produced SDSUs current five-year strategic plan; and revamping the campus curriculum process while adding three doctoral and five masters degree programs.

In addition, Nichols focused energy and resources on student success, retention and opportunities for American Indian and low-income students to attend and succeed in college.

Since coming to UW, Nichols has led efforts to reduce the universitys budget at the request of Gov. Matt Mead; traveled throughout the state to meet with constituent groups; met with individual campus units to fully acquaint herself with the institution; and launched a process to create a five-year strategic plan.

Nichols was born and raised in South Dakota. A first-generation college graduate, she received a bachelors degree in education from SDSU in 1978. She then earned a masters degree in vocational and adult education from Colorado State University in 1984 and a Ph.D. in family and consumer sciences education from Ohio State University in 1988.

She began her career in higher education as a member of the faculty of the University of Idaho from 1988 to 1994. From August 2008 through mid-June 2009, Nichols served as interim president of Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D.
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Ever since leaving the WWE, Cody Rhodes has been proving he has several targets that he has his eyes set on. Rhodes has been impressive in the way he has handled himself on social media and the bookings he has been taking have been smart on his behalf, seeing him gain great praise from his wrestling peers and fans.

However, a talent of Rhodes' stature was only going to move around the Independent scene for so long and it appears that one of the hottest free agents in the market has been snapped up by both TNA and ROH in a very unique and rare situation.

According to reports by Dave Meltzer, Rhodes is set to work for both promotions and has signed deals with each of them. But unlike other talents, Cody Rhodes will not actually be under contract by either TNA or ROH. Instead, Rhodes will just work feuds and matches until he or the company decides otherwise.

One rumored name for Rhodes' first TNA opponent is Mike Bennett as the two have already been working together on the Indies. As well as the history between them both men would be able to introduce their wives, Maria and Brandi Rhodes into the feud to add extra depth to it.

Hiring Rhodes would be a smart move on TNA's behalf, even if it isn't a permanent deal as they are currently putting out the best product they have in years and adding someone of Rhodes' ability would only help them draw in a bigger audience.

Will Rhodes join his former tag team partner in TNA? Photo- WWE.com

Name rights

One issue that Rhodes will run into is a legal one surrounding his name. Due to the fact he developed in WWE, his name 'Cody Rhodes' is owened by the company and it is very unlikely that he would be able to use that.

Unlike talent such as CM Punk or Jeff Hardy who owned the rights to their names meaning they could continue to perform under that. It has been reported that Rhodes has reached out to WWE about potentially letting him use the name but the company has no interest in letting him have those rights.
To mark the start of the new school year, the volunteers gave out schoolbags and stationery, which was sponsored by CapitaLand Hope Foundation, the philanthropic arm of CapitaLand, to around 500 students. Besides that, the children also received lanterns, cakes and candies from the volunteers, who also created a festive ambiance with interactive games, toy-making sessions and food preparation.

In addition, CapitaLand Hope Foundation also funded scholarships with the total value of VND100 million ($5,000), to all students in Grade 5 to support them for their last grade of primary school as they prepare to enter into secondary school.

CapitaLand, through CapitaLand Hope Foundation, is committed to support underprivileged children through its community development efforts in countries where it operates, said Chen Lian Pang, CEO of CapitaLand Vietnam. Beyond building Hope Schools, we are committed to giving time and attention to the schoolchildren through volunteer initiatives as well. As such, students and teachers of the two existing Hope Schools have grown familiar with CapitaLand Vietnam and Ascott staff. We hope that the schoolbags donated today will give the students at the two Hope Schools a head start in life and bring them the joy of learning.

CapitaLand has built two Hope Schools in Vietnam for 500 students, Nang Yen Primary Hope School in the northern province of Phu Tho and Thanh Phuoc A Primary Hope School in the southern province of Long An. This year, the company is also identifying the location for a third Hope School in Vietnam.

According to Ho Hai Yen, principal of Nang Yen Primary School, in May 2011, CapitaLand helped to build a new two-storey school building as well as to upgrade the existing school facilities. Since then, CapitaLands staff have returned back to visit the schools students very regularly. Recently, on March 2016, over 50 CapitaLand staff volunteers and senior management embarked on a five-day volunteer expedition to Nang Yen Primary Hope School to help build more toilets and sheltered walkways to cater to the growing pupil population, cemented damaged walls, and refurbished the library with more shelves.

We greatly appreciate CapitaLands effort in supporting the development of education for our children and we believe that this event marks the continuation of a lasting relationship between CapitaLand and our Hope Schools, said Vo Thi Ngoc Giau, vice principal of Thanh Phuoc A Primary Hope School.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks to the press in White Plains, New York. (AFP/Brendan Smialowski)

Trump has edged ahead of Clinton in a new CNN/ORC poll, at 45 per cent to 43 per cent among likely voters, while an NBC News poll of registered voters shows Clinton's lead holding at six percentage points - 48 per cent to 42 per cent.

Another survey, by The Washington Post, looking at all 50 states shows Clinton with a solid lead in terms of electoral college votes, and even strength in some traditional Republican strongholds.

Clinton said she pays no attention to such surveys. "We're sticking with our strategy, we feel very good about where we are," she said.

But the polls show how close the race is looking ahead of the Nov 8 vote, making the battle for the so-called swing states all the more important.

Clinton rallied supporters at a voter registration event in swing state Florida, while the billionaire real estate mogul held a townhall meeting with military veterans before heading to North Carolina for an evening campaign rally.

"Thank you! #AmericaFirst," Trump tweeted with the new CNN poll results.

The candidates have just 20 days before the first of three scheduled presidential debates - expected to be the most watched moments of an already raucous campaign.

'COMING AFTER ME'

Clinton, in the national eye for three decades, shrugged off the intense nature of the Republican attacks against her, including a call for a fresh congressional investigation of the Clinton Foundation following reports that donors gained inappropriate access to her while she was secretary of state.

"I believe I'm the best person for this job and I believe they're going to keep coming after me," Clinton told reporters.

With Monday's Labor Day holiday kicking off the final dash to Election Day, Clinton took pains to make herself more than available to reporters traveling with her, after nearly nine months without holding a formal press conference.

She took questions for more than 20 minutes on her plane for a second straight day Tuesday.

Clinton had sharp words for Trump, describing him as "dead wrong" for saying that his tax returns were not the concern of everyday Americans, despite every major presidential nominee since Richard Nixon releasing their taxes before the election.

"I think it is a fundamental issue about him in this campaign that we're going to talk about in one way or another for the next 62 days, because he clearly has something to hide," Clinton told reporters.

"If he's going to pursue this campaign, he owes it to the American people to come clean and release those tax returns."

'DEMAGOGUE'

Clinton also repeated her charge that Trump is "temperamentally unfit" for the office. Before some 1,500 supporters in Tampa, she denounced him as a "demagogue" preying on Americans' insecurities.

Trump assured veterans in Virginia Beach that he was in their corner, and used the opportunity to slam Clinton's ineffectiveness as a top diplomat and politician.

"She's a disaster in so many different ways, folks," he said. "You have illegal immigrants that she wants ... treated better than veterans."

The pair have been involved in an extensive tussle over the hot-button issue of immigration.

Clinton is promoting a pathway to citizenship for many of the 11 million people living in the shadows, while Trump wants to curtail immigration and require that those who wish to gain legalized status must leave the country first.

The two also exchanged shots about national security, with Trump warning that Clinton would be unable to stand up to adversaries like President Vladimir Putin of Russia. "Putin looks at her and he laughs," Trump said.

Trump released a letter in which 88 retired generals and admirals endorsed him, a revelation dismissed by Clinton.

"I think we're up to 89, but who's counting?" she quipped, noting how several Republican national security figures have openly endorsed her or oppose Trump.

She also upbraided him for saying he would have stayed on his plane and left China if he were treated as President Barack Obama was last week, when he was forced to exit Air Force One from a rear door.

"This is a very consequential relationship," Clinton said of Washington's ties with Beijing. "You don't get in a snick and stay on the plane and go home because your security and their security are scuffling over what stairs are going to be put up."

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, a Clinton supporter, pointed to the hard-knuckled political battle ahead and urged Clinton to hit Trump relentlessly.

"Once you get someone down, you keep your foot on their throat," Buckhorn told AFP. "If I'm her, I'm hammering him every day and not letting up."
Le Phuoc Vu, Hoa Sen Groups CEO, promised to take personal responsibility if the upcoming steel complex pollutes. Photo taken at the Investment Promotion Conference in Ninh Thuan province on August 27.

Speaking to VIR on the side-line of the recent conference organised by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the development of the automotive and auto parts industry in Vietnam, director of the Department of Heavy Industry under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) Truong Thanh Hoai said that the government has learned many lessons from the Formosa scandal.

To avoid another potential fiasco, for big projects like that of HSG, instead of only making comments and recommendations, the ministries in charge are going to evaluate the investors basic design and the investor will have to make adjustments according to these recommendations.

Our laws on construction aimed to facilitate investment. The ministries only made comments which the investor was free to follow or ignore, in full knowledge that they could be held responsible before the law for the decision. It was more difficult to supervise that way. Now, the regulations on the management of investment and construction as well as on environment protection are tighter, so we are going to be stricter in evaluating the environmental impacts of a project, its pilot operation, or, later on, the official operation, Hoai said.

Many experts have voiced concerns over HSGs project. Nguyen Mai, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE), said that there is a global surplus of steel already, and Vietnam should instead concentrate on developing other industries that it has a comparative advantage in.

Former advisor to the prime minister, Pham Chi Lan agreed, adding that she was concerned about whether Vietnamese steel can compete with imports from China. She also questioned whether calculations on economic growth relying on a steel-oriented scenario are correct.

The MoIT has approved the project in the master plan on growing the countrys steel industry. We think that it is necessary to have a large scale steel complex, said Hoai, because most Vietnamese steel producers nowadays operate on a small scale and it would be difficult for them to lower production costs with an output of a few hundred thousand tonnes per year. Moreover, they mostly produce construction steel, and Vietnam still has to import a lot of structural steel and steel for manufacturing. Thus, we encourage investment in the production of these product types.
Notably, BSR will be exempt from import taxes on diesel as well as materials for Jet A1 fuel, a sizeable cut from the initial level of 10 per cent. In addition, the government will remove the regulatory charges applied for BSRs products, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), oil, and petrochemical products, consumed in the domestic market. However, the government will somewhat curb these incentives by adding 3-7 per cent to the import taxes on BSRs gasoline prices.

Tran Ngoc Nguyen, BSRs general director said that the PMs decision will help the company enhance its competitiveness. Currently, the refinery meets 40 per cent of the domestic demand, while the remaining 60 per cent is covered by imports. In this light, the decision will drive domestic distributors towards using domestic petroleum products.

Nguyen added that increasing the consumption of BSRs products will help Dung Quat oil refinery reach maximum capacity. BSR expects to pay VND16 trillion ($718.8 million) to the state coffers in 2016. If the refinerys capacity increases by 10 per cent, BSR will contribute an additional VND1.6 trillion ($71.88 million).

Being licensed to calculate our own selling price also helps the company prove its transparency in manufacturing and business, while simultaneously creating a platform for attracting domestic and foreign investors to BSRs initial public offering (IPO) at the end of 2017, Nguyen stated.

Earlier in May, BSR asked the Ministry of Finance for permission to calculate the selling price of petrol on its own because its sales had been steadily dropping due to a sharp decrease in import tariffs after Vietnam joined a variety of free trade agreements.

Notably, when the Vietnam-Korea Free Trade Agreement was signed, Vietnam halved the import tariff on South Korean gasoline products to 10 per cent, effective from December 20, 2015. Meanwhile, Dung Quats products were still subject to an import tax of 20 per cent, forcing a number of its local consumers to switch to other imported sources.

In addition, BSR also proposed the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to export Dung Quats products. However, the MoIT crushed the proposal, arguing that the government already put high priority on consuming Dung Quats products on the domestic market, aiming to decrease dependence on imported petrol as well as cut back on the foreign trade deficit.
One of these was Global Emerging Markets Group (GEM) from the US. GEM has the total asset value of $3.4 billion and numerous subsidiaries over the world. After 25 years of operation, GEM has carried out 305 investment projects in 65 countries.

In 2014, the group announced to pour capital into a number of Vietnamese enterprises, including VND800 billion ($35.4 million) in FLC Group, VND200 billion ($8.98 million) in Hoang Huy Group (HHS), and VND400 billion ($17.97 million) in Duc Long Gia Lai Group (DLG), to become the strategic investor. Besides, GEM committed to investing VND1.7 trillion ($76.38 million) in Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group and expected to complete the transaction within three months.

However, the investor disappeared for no reason and the actual share volumes bought by GEM made up only a little part of its commitments.

Another example is Hong Kong-based Dragon Best International Group. The group signed a frame contract with Ho Tram Tourism JSC, a Vietnamese private company, on its investment in three big projects with the total investment capital of $100 billion.

The first project concerned a complex of trade, finance, hotel, apartment blocks, and international convention centre in Ba Son and Tan Cang in Ho Chi Minh City, capitalised at $32 billion. The second one was Ho Tram International Ecotourism Site and the project on expanding Phuoc Buu town in Xuyen Moc district in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, capitalised at $18 billion. The third one was Bo Y Border Gate Economic Zone, with an estimated investment capital sum of $50 billion. The construction works of these projects have yet to be implemented.

The disappearance of foreign investors not only left unfinished projects behind, but also had a negative impact on the hopeful Vietnamese partners.

Notably, when GEM announced to invest in the three groups above, the share values of FLC, HHS, and DLG skyrocketed, only to be followed by a plunge after GEM withdrew. In particular, Hoang Anh Gia Lai has suffered several thousand billion dong losses.
French President Francois Hollande talks to tourists when visiting Ha Nois Old Quarter.-VNA/VNS Photo Pham Kien

Taking a stroll from Ma May Street to Hang Bac Street in the Old Quarter yesterday, the President received a warm welcome from Hanoians and tourists.

He was introduced to the history of the Old Quarter which was associated with the formation and development of Thang LongHa Noi, with traditional handicraft and trade guilds as unique features.

Officials from the management board of the Old Quarter reiterated the determination of municipal authorities and Vietnamese Government to preserve the quarters distinctive architecture and culture.

They also revealed the co-operation programmes between Ha Noi and Toulouse city in upgrading an ancient house in Ma May street and other facilities in the quarter.

President Hollande showed his interest in the conservation of the Old Quarter in the context of it having a high population density.

He was told that the issue is also challenging Ha Noi authorities as it requires no change to social structure of the quarter.

The President also visited Kim Ngan temple which was upgraded in 2010 and serves as a place to observe local cultural and spiritual activities.

Earlier, he met with Vietnamese students who studied in France.

He met with Vietnamese leaders to seek to step up the ties between the two countries during his State visit to Viet Nam from September 5-7.

Ha Nois Old Quarter, boasting a total area of 81 hectares, is located on ten wards of Hoan Kiem district: Hang Bac, Hang Buom, Hang Bo, Hang Bong, Hang Ma, Cua ong, Ly Thai To, ong Xuan, Hang Gai, and Hang ao.
The Viet Nam Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2) plans to equitise, selling a 35 per cent share to strategic investors and employees. - Photo baodatviet.vn

Vinafood 2 is valued at nearly VND5 trillion (US$224.2 million) and the Government will retain 65 per cent after equitisation, he said.

The company has chosen a strategic investor from five who wanted to invest in it, he said.

The equitisation plan has been submitted to the Government, and the company expects to get the green light by the end of this month or early next month, he said.

After getting the approval, efforts would be made to turn it into a joint stock company within three months, he said.

After two straight years of losses the country's major rice exporter cut costs and was restructured, and last year it turned things around to earn a profit of over VND150 billion ($6.72 million), he added.
Japanese foods show at an event recently in Ha Noi. - Photobizlive.vn

Takimoto Kogji, head of the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) in HCM City, said the number of Japanese firms coming to Viet Nam to study the market is constantly increasing.

He told news.zing.vn that while past Japanese investors focused on manufacturing industries, current investors have turned their attention to the food and service sectors.

A report from the Ministry of Industry and Trade said the food market grew at 5.1 per cent per year from 2011-16.

This increase has sparked interest among foreign investors, especially the Japanese, who have opened retail chains and more than 500 restaurants in HCM City. In supermarkets, there are shelves dedicated to Japanese products.

Besides, many retail shops have opened in HCM City to distribute Japanese foods.

With the Trans-Pacific Partnership set to take effect soon, more Japanese companies are expected to come to take advantage of the privileges the agreement will confer on members.

The Vietnamese market is hugely promising with its more than 90 million consumers and an increasing clamour for clean and safe food.

A spokesperson for Tarami, a Japanese company that produces jelly, said he was very happy to see his company's products sold by many retailers like Aeon and Family Mart.

His company targets exports of US$100,000 to Viet Nam in the first year and more in the coming years, he said.

Takashi Igarashi, general director of Igarashi Seimen Company, which produces instant noodle, said Vietnamese consumers now prefer products which are good for their health.

His company has introduced its products to Family Mart and Aeon and has received good feedback, he said.

Kazuhiko Nemoto of a livestock association in Ibaraki Province said his company has three stores distributing beef in Viet Nam and plans to sell to supermarkets next.

Kogji said Jetro has organised many events and programmes to link up Japanese and Vietnamese companies and provided information about the market, Vietnamese tastes and how to trade in Viet Nam to Japanese companies.

It also helps Japanese companies quickly set up business and sell products in Viet Nam, he added.
A Brazilian native from the Guarani Kaiowa ethnic tribe who suffer "killings and violent evictions", according to UN special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz AFP/Christophe Simon

UN special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz's latest report documents killings, evictions and lands being used for resource extraction without native consent - practices that affect millions of indigenous people across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

"Projects supported by major conservation organizations continue to displace local peoples from their ancestral homes," said Tauli-Corpuz, who gave a series of talks on her findings at the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress in Honolulu, the globe's largest gathering of conservation leaders.

While she refrained from naming names in her report, she told AFP the groups include the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"They know who they are," she said in an interview on the sidelines of the IUCN meeting, which has drawn 9,000 heads of states and environmentalists to Hawaii for a 10-day meeting.

"From the reports I have received, these big conservation groups are some of the main groups that should account for what has happened."

TIGERS OR PEOPLE

In the past year, Tauli-Corpuz traveled to Honduras, Brazil, and to the Sami people in the Arctic regions of Finland, Norway and Sweden.

In Honduras, she met with an indigenous Lenca activist, Berta Caceres, four months before she was killed in March 2016 "because of her protests against the Agua Zarca dam project, even though she had been awarded precautionary protection measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights," said the report.

In Brazil, Tauli-Corpuz expressed deep concerns about "killings and violent evictions of the Kaiowa Guarani peoples in Mato Grosso (that) continue to take place."

One of the main threats to the rights of the Sami people is the "increased drive to mineral extraction and the development of renewable energy projects," added the report.

According to the Rights and Resources Initiative, a non-governmental organization that backs indigenous rights, other rights violations remain unresolved too, include the eviction of local people in India's Kanha tiger reserve, even though evidence suggests people and tigers can co-inhabit the same area.

Nepal's Chure region was declared a conservation area in 2014 without consulting the leaders of the indigenous communities, who represent a population of five million people.

Local people have also been forced from their homes in Cameroon and Kenya.

Native people "are best equipped to protect the world's most threatened forests, and have been doing so for decades," said RRI Coordinator Andy White.

"Yet many conservation organizations and governments still treat them as obstacles to conservation rather than partners."

EXPANDING PROBLEM

Indigenous territory is increasingly being included in "protected areas," which have nearly doubled over the past two decades, from nearly 3.5 million square miles (9 million square kilometers) in 1980 to 6 million square kilometers in 2000, said the report.

Traditional indigenous lands tend to be particularly precious because they make up less than one quarter of the Earth's land surface but contain 80 percent of the planet's biodiversity, it said.

Certainly, the areas in question are ultimately managed by governments.

But conservation groups "are the ones that facilitate the money," Tauli-Corpuz said.

"They can do much more in terms of putting more pressure on the governments."

'OLD STORY'

Conservation's negative impact on indigenous people is "a constant and recurring theme since the establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples in 2001," said the report.

Indeed, the issue dates even further back, to when the United States violently expelled Native Americans from lands that were designated as Yellowstone National Park in 1872 and Yosemite National Park in 1890.

"That is an old story, and that is not the story that we as conservationists are trying to make happen today," said John Robinson, executive vice president for conservation and science at the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"If you look at the special rapporteur's report, she is mostly just talking about history."

But Tauli-Corpuz, an indigenous leader from the Kankanaey Igorot people of the Cordillera Region in the Philippines, disagreed.

"They say it is an old issue, it is like history. I say of course not," she told AFP.

"That is precisely why I am making the report. Because it continues up until the present."

NEW CHALLENGES

World Wildlife Fund Director General Marco Lambertini called the report an "important contribution to advancing good practice on indigenous rights in conservation."

"WWF is committed to working in collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities for the preservation and sustainable use of the natural resources," he added.

Conservation International's chairman and CEO Peter Seligmann agreed.

"Bottom line - it is a core basic human right to make the choices and decisions of your own landscapes," he told AFP.

"I don't think there are any exceptions to that."

Tauli-Corpuz plans to present her report at the UN General Assembly later this month, in the hopes of pressuring governments to cease rights abuses.

In the meantime, she said conservation groups "are not doing enough" to support indigenous rights.

"All this talk about conserving nature, sometimes it is just talk," she said.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (fifth, from left) stands with delegation heads at the opening ceremony of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summit and related summits, held in Vientiane, Lao yesterday. - VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

The Prime Minister underscored the need to enhance ASEANs capacity and self-reliance and to uphold the blocs central role. In addition, he urged the summit to identify priorities towards the implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025 and action plans for each pillar.



On the political-security pillar, ASEAN needs to promote trust-building activities, preventive diplomatic measures, ASEANs code of conduct, and law abidanceespecially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Together, he said, ASEAN nations can contribute to peace and security by working closely together to prevent conflict risks in the region and to cope with non-traditional security challenges, particularly terrorism and cyber security.



In the economic field, priority should be given to facilitating trade, improving the business and investment climate, developing small- and medium-sized enterprises in added value and technological sectors, increasing coordination in macro-economic supervision and financial-monetary stability, he said.



The government leader called to intensify cultural exchange, personnel training, environmental protection, climate change response, and disaster control.



On bolstering connectivity and narrowing the development gap, he suggested developing road and railway networks, improving maritime and aviation capabilities, and bolstering the integration capacity of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam.



Toward the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN next year, the PM said Viet Nam vows to take practical and effective actions to do more for the bloc.

At the session, ASEAN leaders stressed the need to retain their unity and improve the efficiency of operating mechanisms in order to bring practical benefits for the blocs people.



Later, they held dialogues with representatives from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Council, the ASEAN Youth Organisation and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council.



In the afternoon the same day, leaders attended ceremonies to sign the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region, adopt the Master Plan on 2025 ASEAN Connectivity and the third phase of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan, and debut the Visit ASEAN@50 campaign logo.



Participants are due to attend the 29th ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN+1 Summit with China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and the United Nations, the ASEAN+3 Summit and the Mekong-Japan Summit today.

Meetings with Lao, Philippine leaders

PM Phuc had a cordial meeting with Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith of Laos in Vientiane yesterday, prior to the opening session of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related meetings.



PM Phuc reasserted Viet Nams support for Laoss ASEAN Presidency after speaking highly of the countrys success organising a host of activities.



The Lao PM pledged that his country would work with other ASEAN countries and dialogue partners to preserve the blocs unity and promote the outcomes of its conferences so to contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world at large.



The leaders showed their delight at the growing bilateral ties and agreed to ratchet up measures to optimise economic cooperation.



Following the opening session, PM Phuc had a meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the first ever between the two leaders.



They were delighted that the two countries relations had robust developments across the board, and they affirmed the importance of their bilateral strategic partnership.



President Duterte expressed his wish for broader cooperation within the strategic partnership as well as in combating human trafficking, protecting migrant labourers, and in cultural and social affairs. He also thanked Vietnam for helping his country ensure food security.



The leaders stressed the importance of maintaining peace and security, stepping up cooperation, and handling disputes by peaceful measures in compliance with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, in the East Sea and consented to work together for those goals.



The leaders also sought to reinforce the two countries coordination through the foreign ministries relationship and other cooperative mechanisms.

They agreed to prioritise stronger economic cooperation and facilitate respective investment.



The two countries will continue supporting each other when Viet Nam assumes the APEC Chair and the Philippines take on the ASEAN Presidency in 2017.

PM Phuc invited President Duterte to visit Viet Nam and the Philippine President accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Also yesterday, PM Phuc met with Lao Party General Secretary and President of Laos, Bounnhang Volachith, and Lao National Assembly Chairman Pany Yathotou.

PM Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary Volachith agreed that the two sides needed to focus on effectively implementing signed deals and agreements in the time to come, and co-ordinate to well prepare for the annual meeting of the two Politburos and the 39th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee, contributing to further strengthening and tightening the special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between the two Parties and States.

The two countries vowed to closely work together to organise activities for the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and the 40th year of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty in 2017, through which raising the awareness of the special relationship among people, especially younger generations, of the two countries.

In a separate talk with Lao NA Chairwoman Yathotou, PM Phuc called for the two NAs to intensify supervision to effectively implement high-level cooperation deals and agreements, especially those signed at the 38th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee, facilitating investment projects between the two countries.

The PM urged the Lao NA to continue supporting necessary changes and supplements to mechanisms, policies and laws with the aim of strengthening mutual cooperation in trade and investment between the two sides.

On his part, Yathotou requested that both sides increase co-operation and share information as well as experience in developing institutions and legal systems, and in supervising law enforcement.
Vietnamese and Turkey business executives exchange information at a business-to-business meeting in HCM City on Tuesday. - VNS Photo Xuan Huong

They represent prominent companies that produce fertilisers, plant nutrition products, seeds and biological defence products.

Yonetim Kurulu Uyesi of the board of the Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Turkish firms want to understand more about Viet Nam's rapidly growing fertiliser market and strengthen their relations with Vietnamese companies.

"Viet Nam market is a promising market for us."

According to the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), trade between Viet Nam and Turkey has grown from US$1 billion in 2012 to $1.5 billion last year, with Viet Nam enjoying a surplus.

The two countries have set themselves a target of doubling trade to $3 billion this year.

Viet Nam exports mainly mobile phones and accessories, fibres and yarns, computers, electronic products and accessories, fabric, and rubber and imports machinery and equipment, milk and milk products, medicines, plastic products, and chemicals.

The business-matching event was organised by the VCCI in collaboration with the Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Auto sales in Vietnam have been on a sharp increase lately. According to data released by Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association, this years sales till the end of July stacked up to 123,978 units, up 35 per cent on-year. Imports in the period rose 24 per cent on-year to 39,889 units.

The demand is set to continue on its trend of growth in the upcoming period, according to a research produced by the Industrial Policy and Strategy Institute under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and presented yesterday at the conference on development of the automotive and auto parts industry in Vietnam organised by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the MoIT.

According to the research, the golden population structure, consisting of a high percentage of young people, is going to last till 2030. Meanwhile, the middle class is going to expand, with income per capita levels increasing from $2,111 to an expected $3,000 per year by 2020.

Vietnams transport infrastructure is going to improve, with highways linking provinces and the north-south highway being completed, which is expected to make transport by personal vehicles easier. These factors all point to an increase in the demand.

The sharp increase in the demand poses great potential for the auto industry. However, car manufacturers in the country are poised to hit difficulties in expanding production because of a distinct lack of parts suppliers that are able to meet their standards.

Moreover, according to a recent research by Professor Kobayashi Hideo from Waseda University, most parts suppliers in Vietnam are of a small scale in terms of both capital and human resources.

Decree No.111/2015 /ND-CP issued by the government on growing the supporting industries outlined multiple incentives for companies in supporting industries, such as receiving partial financial support for research and development activities, or tax and import tariff cuts.

These incentives should be modified a little bit so that it is easier for companies to access them, said Truong Thanh Hoai, director of the MoITs Department of Heavy Industry.

Hoai said that the ministry is in the process of getting government approval on a programme to grow supporting industries from now to 2025. We hope the programme is going to receive funding and be implemented soon, he said.

All companies, domestic and foreign alike, will be eligible.

Vietnam is going to remove import tariffs on a host of products from the ASEAN bloc, including completely built units. The Vietnamese auto industry risks disappearing if its products cannot compete with imports.
Decree No. 122/2016/ND-CP sets a free export tax for gold jewellery and other gold articles with less than 95 per cent gold content from September 1. - Photo nld.vn

Under the circular, enterprises exporting gold jewellery, goldsmiths' wares and other gold articles under subheadings 71.13, 71.14 and 71.15 of the export tax schedule, which have under 95 per cent gold content, can declare export tax at zero per cent if they can show test results confirming the same, issued by organisations in charge of assessing gold content in jewellery and goldsmiths' wares.

The oganisations that can assess gold content are Quality Assurance and Testing Center 1, Quality Assurance and Testing Center 3, Doji Institute & Laboratory for Gemology and Jewellery, A Chau Commercial Bank-Gold Center or an organisation appointed by the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality.

In 2015, the Finance Ministry, under Decision 36/2015/TT-BTC, imposed a new export tax on gold jewellery, following the increase of export duty from zero to two per cent on gold jewellery with purity of over 95 per cent.

While goldsmiths in Viet Nam welcomed the decision, most said it would not lead to much improvement in local jewellery exports, which have declined in recent years. Export value dropped from nearly US$3 billion in 2011 to only $670 million in 2014.

According to representatives from Phu Nhuan Jewelry Co (PNJ), the firm only exported less than 18-karat gold jewellery, or 75 per cent pure gold, therefore the decree would not benefit the firm.

Meanwhile, gold jewellery makers said the free import of gold material would be more helpful for them to compete against global rivals. Currently, they have to pay a higher price for raw material required for production since they cannot import gold on their own to lower input costs.

To control the local gold market, since May 2012, the State Bank of Viet Nam has been the only gold importer in the country. To better manage jewellery trading, the government instituted stronger measures last year to control the trading.
We still have several weeks until Election Day


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Massachusetts is witnessing a surge of interest by Cambodian-Americans hoping to get involved in state politics.

Three Cambodian-Americans are squaring off as contenders for election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 18th Middlesex District  home to the city of Lowell and the second largest population of Cambodian-Americans in the US.

Its a free country, and it is very good that other Cambodian candidates are running against me, Rady Mom, the current State Representative for the 18th Middlesex District, told VOA Khmer.

I think [they] will bring new ideas for better improvement, said Mom, who was elected in 2014.

Born in Cambodias Pailin district in northwestern Cambodia in 1970 and naturalized as a US citizen in 1990, Mom made history when he won election to become the first ever Cambodian-American elected to a state legislature.

The 46-year-old Mom is now running again for the 18th Middlesex District in the primary election on September 8.

Arriving in the US with his family as a refugee in 1984, Rady said his mission as state representative has been to act as a voice of the voiceless, and serving the people is my ultimate goal.

Now he has competition. Two more Cambodian-Americans are hoping that their voices will be heard in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Alongside Mom on the Democratic Partys ticket are Cambodian-American Cheth Khim (as well as David M. Ouellette), and the unopposed party candidate for the Republicans is Cambodian-American Kamara Kay.

Born in Cambodia's Battambang province, Kay, 44, arrived in the US as a refugee in 1982.

A senior analyst at an IT firm, Kay said he was encouraged to run for the legislature by people who question Moms achievements, and who want to see greater changes in the Cambodia-American community.

People in Lowell whom I talked to encouraged me to run because they believe I can serve them better, he said.

Kay said he is looking forward to working on improving employment opportunities and expanding local investment, as well as increasing access to broadband networks.

Im hopeful to win, said Kay, who holds an undergraduate degree from Norwich University and a graduate degree from DeVry University.

But it all depends on the people who trust me and vote for me, he adds.

Moms fellow Democratic Party candidate Cheth Khim, 44 years old, speaks strongly of his efforts to appeal to voters, and says he wants to make the voice of the whole community heard, especially young people.

Even though I am not holding any official position, I have worked very hard to help people become US citizens and to get access to disability benefits, Khim said.

I help everyone, he said, including Khmer people.

Also born in Cambodia's Battambang province, Khim arrived in the US with his family when he was 10 years old. He says he had a background in law and is currently the executive director of the Cupples Square Committee, which has worked closely with business owners and city officials in the area of Lowell known as Cambodian Town.

I am not biased against any groups, and my main goal is to work for the district and the Lowell community, and I stand for justice, Khim said.

A lot of people want to see me run, and I am very confident with my candidacy given what Ive done for the community.

While Kay and Khim have the ambition, Mom has the experience of two years in office, and demonstrable achievements during that time, he said.

Ive witnessed how the city has developed, and Im proud to be part of the change, said Mom, who arrived as refugee in the US in 1984 and attended Greater Lowell Regional Vocational School and Middlesex Community College.

Among Moms achievements in office he lists: expansion of business opportunities, better infrastructure and ongoing development projects in Lowell, including a new energy-efficient $200-million courtroom project, which is touted as a model for the future design of civic buildings in the US.

These are some of the work Ive brought to fruition by working hand-in-hand with others, he said.

I believe people recognize what Ive done for the community, and I hope people elect me to continue to be their representative.

Rise of Cambodian Candidates Receives Mixed Reactions

In Lowell, where there are more than 30,000 first generation Cambodian migrants, feelings are mixed about the increase in Cambodian-American candidates vying for the position that Mom first opened for their community.

It is not that they dont support more Cambodian-Americans wanting to be involved in politics. It is more about how effective the candidates will be.

I think its very good that more Cambodians go out there to compete, but only if they genuinely want to make better changes to the society, said 41-year-old Lowell resident Vannak Men.

Hong Khun, 51, said he hoped the diversity of candidates would mean a diversity of ideas.

Its good to see new candidates from our community to run for elections because they help bring new ideas, he said.

Not all agreed.

Linda Doeung, 55, the owner of a Cambodian restaurant in Lowell, believes the increase in candidates will weaken the vote overall for the Cambodian-American community.

This rise of candidates can divide our votes, Doeung said.

I think the white community likes to see that happen, she said.

Sovanndara Neang, 55, said the candidates should get to know the voters better.

To be hopeful for the victory, I think our community has to know each candidate better, which does not seem to be the case, he said.

Candidates need to make a connection with the local community, as Cambodian-American voters tend to vote for the people they know, Sovanna Pouv, head of the local Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association in Lowell, told VOA Khmer.

I think the only time that people are going to vote is when they know or recognize somebody from the community that is running for a specific position, he said.

Liang Sidney, who leads a civic engagement project at Lowell Community Health Center, agreed that it is often difficult to convince people to go to vote.

They dont see much the importance of their voice, but we are still hopeful to get more people to go to vote, he said.

Lowells Cambodian-American community must come together, be united, and vote if it wants to prosper, said Vesna Nuon, a former Lowell city councilor.

It takes only 20 minutes to go to vote. Doing so will help our community to grow stronger together, he said.
Sungju Lee is a graduate student in London today. During his childhood, his father was in North Koreas military and they lived in Pyongyang when founder Kim Il Sung was alive. Lee doesnt have many memories of the eldest Kim, but recalls, He was God. Lee thought of Kim Il Sung as being above human beings.



In Pyongyang, Lee enjoyed a rather lush life: excellent Taekwondo classes, good schools, and plenty of food on the table. One day, my father came to the house and then just told me that were going to the northern part of North Korea for vacation, Lee said.

He remembers feeling excited, after all; he was a young boy heading out for a vacation away from the city, but on the train out of Pyongyang, he realized something was amiss because they had to change trains at one point.

The condition of [the second train] was really bad, he told VOAs Asia Weekly podcast. It was smelly. He said, There werent even any proper chairs on the train. It was packed with people. Some people [also] covered their faces with blankets [and others] were wearing some sort of plastic bags. And I was [wondering] what was going on. And I asked my father, What is this? Are we in North Korea now? He said, Yeah, of course.

Life in Gyeong-seong was rough and his family struggled. After a year, his father left, making his way to China. His mother told him that she thought his aunt might have some food for them and she wanted to visit her alone. Lee, after losing his father, didnt want his mother to go, so he stayed with her all night, holding onto her her hand in order to keep her close.

And then in the morning I was really tired. And then I just closed my eyes. [Later I] opened my eyes and I was in blankets, but there was no mother, he said.

That devastated Lee and his world collapsed. Without any way to provide for himself, he found himself on the streets, forming a gang with other kids in order to pickpocket, steal food, or earn money by taking men to see night flowers, a euphemism for prostitutes.

Lee knew stealing wasnt right, but remembered, The first time stealing was really, really difficult. The second time got easier. The third time was much easier. And then after fourth time, fifth time it became my job.

He was on the streets for four years, moving from town to town, because staying too long in one place would mean merchants would recognize them and stop them from looting.

He returned to Gyeong-seong in February 2001 and went to the train station, looking for a mark to steal from when an elderly man approached him. The man said he knew Lee and wanted to take him home. After conferring with his gang, Lee agreed to go with the man, provided he could bring along his friends, too. The man agreed, and unbeknownst to him, Lee was plotting to rob him of everything of value he had.

[When] I entered his house, I [began searching for something precious I could steal] because we had to steal everything from his house. Then my eyes went to the wall. There was my mothers wedding picture. [The man] was my real grandfather.

Lee's grandfather had lost touch with his daughter four years earlier. Officials in Pyongyang told him that the entire family had been relocated to Gyeong-seong, and for the past four years, he went every Sunday to the train platform searching for his daughter.

Lee told his friends they couldnt steal from the man and they left while he stayed. In October 2002, a man came to his grandfathers house, sent by his father. The man helped Lee defect to South Korea and ultimately reunite with his father.

Sungju Lees complete story can be read in the new book Every Falling Star. Its available beginning September 13, 2016.
Former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff vacated the presidential palace for her last time Tuesday, just six days after the countrys senate voted to impeach her.

Around 100 supporters were there to send off the disgraced politician, tossing red and yellow flower petals on the ground as Rousseff got out of her car to greet them.

After leaving the presidential residence, Rousseff hopped on an air force plane to Porto Alegre, where she was again greeted by supporters when she landed.

Rousseffs former vice president and current interim President Michel Temer is likely to move into the palace in the coming days.

The scene at Rousseffs departure was a lot calmer than recent demonstrations across the country that have seen protesters clashing violently with police.

Over the weekend, tens of thousands took to Paulista Avenue, one of Brazils busiest highways, to protest against Temers new government.

Police said demonstrations in Sao Paulo were initially peaceful but ended with authorities firing gas bombs, stun grenades, and water cannons after a group became violent at a subway station breaking turnstiles and throwing rocks at the anti-riot authorities.

Brazilians also gathered at the Copacabana promenade in Rio de Janeiro demanding the current president be removed and calling for new presidential elections.

Rousseff, Brazils first woman president, told international media on Friday that she decried the process that led to her impeachment and promised strong opposition to Temers government.

The Brazilian Senate voted to remove Rousseff from the presidency for practicing pedaladas fiscais - the practice of using public money to fund state or federal social programs without the approval of Congress.
A Massachusetts House district that was the first to elect a Cambodian-American to a legislature now has two more residents of Cambodian descent who are hoping to get involved in state politics.

The two newcomers and the incumbent are all vying to represent Massachusetts' 18th Middlesex District, home to the city of Lowell and the second-largest population of Cambodian-Americans in the country, behind Long Beach, California.

Its a free country, and it is very good that other Cambodian candidates are running against me, Rady Mom, the district's current representative, told VOA's Khmer service. I think [they] will bring new ideas for better improvement.

Born in northwestern Cambodias Pailin district in 1970 and naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1990, Mom, 46, made history in 2014 when he became the first Cambodian-American elected to a state legislature in the U.S. He said his ultimate goal as a legislator was to become a voice of the voiceless.

Now, two fellow Cambodian-Americans are competing to have their voices heard instead.

Alongside Mom on the Democratic ticket are Cambodian-American Cheth Khim and fellow Lowell resident David M. Ouellette; the unopposed Republican candidate is Cambodian-American Kamara Kay.

IT analyst's agenda

Born in Cambodia's Battambang province, Kay, 44, arrived in the U.S. as a refugee in 1982. A senior analyst at an information technology firm, he said he was encouraged to run for the legislature by people who questioned Moms achievements and wanted to see greater changes in the Lowell's Cambodian-American community.

People in Lowell whom I talked to encouraged me to run because they believe I can serve them better, said Kay, an alumnus of Norwich and DeVry universities. If elected, Kay said, he plans to work on improving local employment opportunities, expanding local investment and increasing access to broadband networks.

Khim, 44, speaks strongly of his established connection with voters, saying he wanted to amplify the voice of the whole community, especially the voices of young people.

Even though I am not holding any official position, I have worked very hard to help people become U.S. citizens and to get access to disability benefits, Khim said. I help everyone  including Khmer people.

Also born in Cambodia's Battambang province, Khim arrived in the U.S. with his family when he was 10 years old. Describing himself as having a background in law, Khim is executive director of the Cupples Square Committee, which has worked closely with business owners and city officials in Lowell's so-called Cambodia Town.

Incumbent touts achievements

According to Mom, however, while Kay and Khim have the ambition, his demonstrable achievements since assuming office still make him a solid candidate.

Ive witnessed how the city has developed, and Im proud to be part of the change, said Mom, who arrived in the U.S. as refugee in 1984 and attended Greater Lowell Regional Vocational School and Middlesex Community College.

Among Moms achievements in office, he lists expansion of business opportunities, better infrastructure and ongoing development projects in Lowell, including a new energy-efficient $200 million courtroom project, which is touted as a model for the future design of civic buildings in the U.S.

These are some of the works Ive brought to fruition by working hand in hand with others, he said. I believe people recognize what Ive done for the community, and I hope people elect me to continue to be their representative.

Across Lowell, home to more than 30,000 first-generation Cambodian migrants, response to the Cambodian-American competition for Mom's post is mixed.

Locals do not oppose fellow Cambodian-Americans' bids for office, but they have reservations about how effective the candidates might be.

I think its very good that more Cambodians go out there to compete, but only if they genuinely want to make better changes to the society, said Lowell resident Vannak Men, 41.

Hong Khun, 51, said he hoped the diversity of candidates would result in a diversity of ideas.

Its good to see new candidates from our community run for elections, because they help bring new ideas, he said.

But not all agree. Linda Doeung, 55, the owner of a Cambodian restaurant in Lowell, said she thought having more Cambodian-Americans on the ballot would weaken the thriving community's political unity.

This rise of candidates can divide our votes, Doeung said.

More information sought

Sovanndara Neang, 55, said the candidates should get to know the voters better.

To be hopeful for the victory, I think our community has to know each candidate better, which does not seem to be the case, he said.

Candidates need to connect with the local community, because Cambodian-American voters tend to vote for people they know, Sovanna Pouv, head of the local Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association in Lowell, told VOA Khmer.

I think the only time that people are going to vote is when they know or recognize somebody from the community that is running for a specific position, he said.

Liang Sidney, who leads a civic engagement project at Lowell Community Health Center, agreed that it is often difficult to persuade people to vote.

They dont see much the importance of their voice, but we are still hopeful to get more people to go to vote, he said.

Lowells Cambodian-American community must be united and vote if it wants to prosper, said Vesna Nuon, a former Lowell city councilor.

It takes only 20 minutes to go to vote," he said. "Doing so will help our community to grow stronger together.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says "steadiness" is the most important characteristic a president must have. Her Republican rival Donald Trump says voters do not have to worry about his temperament or judgement.

Clinton spoke first Wednesday night at an NBC News Commander-in-Chief Forum held aboard the Air Force carrier Intrepid in New York City. In a likely preview of their three upcoming debates, Both Clinton and Republican rival Donald Trump were appearing separately on the same stage, answering questions about national security.

They agreed not to use the forum as a place to attack each other but occasional verbal jabs crept into the discussions.

Clinton said a president has to be someone who listens, evaluates what he or she is being told and said temperament and judgement are the keys.

She called military force a last resort and that learned that the war in Iraq was a mistake, admitting that she also made a mistake supporting it when she was a senator. Clinton said the U.S. will not put ground forces on the ground in Iraq "ever again."

She said the nuclear deal with Iran put a lid on its nuclear program, and said she would enforce it "to the letter." Clinton said the U.S has to squeeze more support from its Arab allies in the war on Islamic State.

Trump told the forum he would be "very very cautious" when deciding whether to send Americans into battle, accusing Clinton of having a "happy trigger."

He said he was "shocked" to hear in classified national security briefings given to major presidential candidates that Clinton, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry did not follow recommendations of intelligence experts.

Trump was unashamed about his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin despite tensions between the White House and Kremlin. He told the forum he would have a "very good relationship" with Putin and many other foreign leaders.

Clinton and Trump will hold their first face to face debate on September 26. It is the first of three scheduled debates in the weeks before the November 8 election to pick the successor to President Barack Obama.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump unveiled his plans for the military.

"I'm going to make our military so big, so powerful, so strong, that nobody, absolutely nobody, is gonna mess with us," Trump declared on his campaign website.

He later told an audience in Philadelphia that he would give U.S. commanders 30 days to come up with a plan to defeat Islamic State, after boasting this week that he has his own "secret plan."

Clinton scoffed at Trump's claim, saying "the secret is, he has no plan."

She said American voters "know they can count on me to be the kind of commander in chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Trump. They view him as a danger and a risk."

Trump said Clinton's time as U.S. secretary of state from 2009 to 2013 left the Middle East in "more disarray than ever before.

"She's trigger happy and very unstable," Trump said. He also accused her of being "reckless" in the way she handled her emails when she was secretary.

U.S. investigators concluded Clinton was "extremely careless" in her handling of national security materials, but that no criminal charges were warranted.
Malaysia is reporting the country's first case of a pregnant woman infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

Health Minister S. Subramaniam told reporters Wednesday the patient is a 27-year-old married woman who lives in the southern state of Johor, which borders Singapore. The city-state is undergoing an outbreak of Zika infections, having recorded a total of 275 cases.

Subramaniam says it is unclear how the woman, who is between three-to-four months pregnant, contracted the disease, which has been linked to microcephaly, a severe birth defect in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and possible developmental problems.

He said she has traveled to Singapore recently, while her husband travels back and forth daily due to his job.

Malaysia reported its first case of Zika last week in a 58-year-old woman who had recently visited Singapore, and reported its first locally transmitted infection on Sunday.
Gulmurod Khalimov, a former Tajik military officer who is now the Islamic State group's chief recruiter, has become one of the world's most wanted terrorists. The United States is offering a $3 million reward for his capture.

Khalimov, 41, a former Tajik special forces colonel who trained in the U.S. and Russia, is now head of armed units and in charge of military operations for IS, according to Western intelligence reports. After an airstrike last week killed Islamic State's Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, analysts said Khalimov was elevated to serve as second in command to the overall IS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

"This further highlights the Islamic State's leadership wishes for the group to be perceived as an entity in which people from anywhere in the world may fill important roles," said Michael S. Smith, a counterterrorism adviser to members of the U.S. Congress.

Khalimov, who is believed to operate from Syria, is driven by a radical Muslim ideology, analysts say.

"In one of his video messages he blamed Tajik officials for suppressing religious freedoms, forcing Muslim men to shave their beards and removing veils from women's heads," Esfandiar Adineh, an analyst based in Dushanbe, told VOA.

New focus on Central Asia?

The Tajik commander's increasingly visible role could expand IS operations beyond Syria and Iraq, experts say.

"With his capabilities and trainings, combined with increased pressure on IS in the Middle East, there is a faint possibility that he may look more toward creating problems in Central Asia in a desperate attempt to remain relevant," said Ethan Wilensky Lanford, an expert on Countering Violent Extremism at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

Central Asia has proven to be fertile recruiting ground for IS, whose ranks now include thousands of Asian fighters in Iraq and Syria. Russia has long been aware of the IS recruitment process, and worries that a stronger IS presence in Central Asia would be a growing threat to Russian national security.

"His promotion is also strategically valuable as this can bolster [IS] foreign recruitment efforts," Smith said of Khalimov. He is said to be the organizer of a radical group known as the Cyrillic Jihadists  Russian speakers who come from the former Soviet republics.

"These fighters are very different from others in terms of discipline and military training, compared to their Arab and African counterparts," said Salem al-Hammoud, an activist who fled to Turkey from the IS-controlled Syrian city of Deir Ezzor.

Islamic State's leaders appoint the Central Asians to important posts, Hammoud says, "because they are tough and they do not sympathize with locals." And since they do not mingle with other jihadists, he added, IS leaders view them as "a very reliable, resilient force."

Khalimov is believed to be directing IS recruiting operations from Syria, analysts say.

A terrorist's diary

An IS fighter from Turkey, Rashid Tugral, died in a battle in August, the extremist group said. In a diary he kept, which has been obtained by VOA, Tugral recalled that Khalimov interviewed him in Raqqa before he was accepted into Islamic State. "Most of jihadists were from Central Asia, so Khalimov asked most of his questions either in Russian or Tajiki [Dari]," Tugral wrote.

A highly trained veteran of Tajik government operations, Khalimov disappeared from Tajikistan in late April 2015 and reappeared a month later in an IS video slamming Russia and the U.S. His disdain for Americans and the West, he said, developed as a result of five counterterrorism training courses he took in the United States and Tajikistan, sponsored by the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security and Anti-Terrorism Assistance program.

"Listen, you American pigs," Khalimov said in Russian in the IS video. "I've been to the U.S. three times. I saw how you train soldiers to surround, attack and kill Muslims, in order to eradicate Islam."

The U.S. accepted Khalimov and other members of his unit for training between 2003 and 2014, at the recommendation of Tajikistan's government. A retired Tajik military officer who knew Khalimov told VOA "he was a very smart officer with a very good education in law," but upon returning to Tajikistan, he became a vocal critic of both his own government and the U.S.

At first, Tajik leaders were stunned at his turnabout. "We were observing him and had an eye on him," the country's interior minister, Lieutenant-General Ramazan Rahimzadeh, said last year. No one expected "a family guy" with a senior position like Khalimov "to desert his job and family and seek his redemption by joining radical Muslim terrorists abroad," the general added.

After an investigation that followed Khalimov's abrupt turnabout, Tajik authorities said last year that he was wanted for crimes including high treason and illegal participation in military actions abroad.

According to Reuters, military officers in Tajikistan have received text messages on their mobile phones signed by Khalimov, in which he promised to "congratulate" them on the 25th anniversary of the country's independence  the former Soviet republic's transition to independent statehood as the USSR collapsed in 1991  to be celebrated this week in Tashkent and throughout the Central Asian state.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the month in which Rashid Tugral was killed.
Intensive diplomatic efforts have resumed in what some observers see as a last-ditch effort to bring about a cease-fire in Syria.

In London, British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson called a meeting with the broad-based Syrian opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee, saying there is still a chance the vision of a political transition can be made to work.

The 25-page plan HNC leaders presented on Wednesday proposes a six-month negotiating phase between the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition. After that, there would be an 18-month period in which Syria would be governed by a transitional government made up of opposition representatives, members of the current government and civil society.

That vision, however, is unlikely as long as the two main outside players in the conflict, Russia and the United States, refuse to compromise on their support for the two opposing sides. Moscow supports Assad and Washington adamantly wants him out of power.

U.S. diplomats, speaking to VOA News, have expressed frustration with their Russian counterparts whom they have accused of reversing direction on some key points of agreement in recent days.

Todays news out of Syria is not encouraging, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday in a speech at Oxford University in England. The choice is Russias to make, and the consequences will be its responsibility.

Carter accused Moscow of unprofessional behavior in Syria, Ukraine and cyberspace, alleging the Russians have a clear ambition to erode the principled international order.

Negotiations continue

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov plan to meet in the coming days to see if they can conclude an agreement, having now identified the remaining issues, said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor for strategic communications, traveling with President Barack Obama in Laos.

We're not going to take a deal that doesnt meet our basic objectives, Rhodes told reporters. And I think we'll know very quickly whether or not we can close those remaining gaps.

Even if the American and Russian diplomats bridge those gaps it might not prove palatable to some of the elements fighting in Syria.

"If what the Russians and the Americans agree upon is very much different from what the Syrians aspire to, then we shall not accept it," said Riyad Hijab, the top coordinator for the main Syrian opposition negotiating group at stalled U.N.-mediated talks in London.

A key sticking point involves the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom the opposition groups insist must leave office at the end of six months of negotiations to establish a transitional administration.

It's not a question of keeping Assad in for six months or one month or one day, in this transitional period. The Russians and Americans know that, said Hijab. They know the position of the Syrian people, they have sacrificed a lot and they will not give up this demand.

Finding common ground

Britains top diplomat hoped to capitalize on what little common ground exists between the U.S. and Russian positions. Even the Russians have accepted that there must be political transition, Johnson said in a column of The Times newspaper Wednesday. But then the Russians are also employing their military muscle to prevent him from losing and to keep him in power, he wrote.

Johnson called on Russia to end its seemingly indefensible support for Assad and what he described as the Syrian leaders barbaric military tactics.

British officials portrayed the oppositions plan as the first credible blueprint for a political transition in Syria.

Some analysts disagree.

The reality is that the Assad regime is pretty confident that it is not really under any military pressure, so why on Earth should it be interested in such a deal unless it was forced to by some sort of pressure from Russia and Iran, said David Butter, a Middle East analyst at Chatham House. But that does not seem to be a realistic prospect, he told VOA.

Cease-fire?

A proposed Syrian cease-fire was discussed on Monday during a 90-minute meeting between Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Hangzhou, China.

Russia, along with Iran, supports Assad.

Adel al-Jubeir, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, the primary rival of Iran, said Tuesday in London a cease-fire accord was possible within 24 hours, but cautioned that Assad is unlikely to abide by any agreement.

A complex war has been raging in Syria for five years, fracturing the country, killing hundreds of thousands of people and displacing 12 million, more than half of the countrys pre-war population.
President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday replaced his close ally and finance minister, Luis Videgaray, after the two were heavily criticized for U.S presidential candidate Donald Trump's controversial visit to Mexico last week.

A somber-looking Pena Nieto told a news conference that Videgaray, who officials said was the architect of the visit by the Republican nominee for the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election, would give way to a former finance minister, Jose Antonio Meade.

"I want to express here publicly my most generous recognition, not only institutionally but also personally, to someone who has always been a committed collaborator of the government's for driving the transformation of Mexico." Pena Nieto said, speaking directly to Videgaray.

Pena Nieto was widely pilloried for hosting Trump at short notice last Wednesday after the New York businessman had underpinned much of his campaign on building a border wall that he said Mexico would pay for to stem illegal immigration.

Trump has also threatened to carry out mass deportations and rewrite trade treaties crucial to the Mexican economy, as well as insulting people south of the border by referring to some Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug runners.

With economic growth sluggish, the president's popularity at record lows and tensions palpable between the finance minister and other Cabinet members, rumors of Videgaray's impending departure had bubbled under the surface in Mexico for months.

The fiery reaction to Trump's visit increased pressure on Pena Nieto to make changes.

Senior diplomats said Videgaray had been instrumental in arranging the Trump visit, in which the government had hoped to impress upon Trump the need to moderate his tone and reconsider his more divisive campaign proposals.

However, within hours of leaving Mexico, Trump was telling a cheering crowd of supporters in Phoenix, Arizona, that Mexico would pay for the border wall "100 percent," prompting fresh ridicule of Pena Nieto at home.

The 48-year-old Videgaray ran Pena Nieto's election campaign, and was widely seen as the president's top aide, who had a huge influence on policy after orchestrating the country's landmark energy, telecommunications, tax and education reforms.

The depth of Videgaray and Pena Nieto's bond was highlighted when both were embroiled in conflict-of-interest scandals, after they were found to have acquired property from a favorite government contractor. The new finance minister, Meade, is a friend of Videgaray and had started in the administration as foreign minister before moving to the social development ministry last year.

Deputy Interior Minister Luis Miranda, who is said to be a close friend and ally of Pena Nieto, replaced Meade as the head of the social development ministry.

His former boss, Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, who led the interior ministry during the jailbreak and eventual recapture of drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, received a boost to his hopes of becoming the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party's 2018 presidential candidate after avoiding the chop.

Among possible PRI candidates for the presidency, Chong tops opinion polls. But he would face a tough fight against rivals from the conservative National Action Party and leftist firebrand Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Pena Nieto said that the low-key Meade, who is also seen by some as a possible 2018 candidate for the PRI, would have to get to work immediately, with the 2017 budget proposal due to be announced Thursday.

The president said the budget proposal will need to continue with the process of consolidating public finances to reach a primary surplus for the first time in many years. Pena Nieto added there would be no new taxes or tax hikes.

The budget proposal will be under scrutiny after rating agency Standard & Poor's last month said it could cut Mexico's credit rating following a marked increase in debt.

The economy contracted in the second quarter for the first time in three years, and the collapse in global oil prices has dashed Pena Nieto's hopes that a landmark energy reform would spur a wave of foreign investment.

The economy has consistently underperformed expectations during Videgaray's tenure.

Videgaray, who has also been rumored as a potential 2017 gubernatorial candidate for the ruling party in the State of Mexico, a populous region next to the capital, will not take another public post, a finance ministry spokeswoman said.
A conference in the British city of Manchester is focusing on how humans and technology will mesh when it comes to sex.

The Human Choice & Computers Conference began Wednesday with the goal of discussing the "constantly evolving intimate relationships'' between humans and technology.

While virtual reality pornography is already possible, in the not-so-distant future, humans may be able to perform sex acts using virtual reality devices, and there may one day be robots designed specifically for sex with humans.

Some experts are already saying that sex with robots will become commonplace and that they might even be more desirable than humans because they would be programmable, sexbots would meet each individual users needs, said Joel Snell, a robotics expert from Kirkwood College in the U.S. state of Iowa in an interview with the Daily Star.

Charles Ess, a professor at the University of Oslo, generally agreed that robots may well be able to offer good sex on demand, according to the Associated Press.

Ess cautioned that the robots will need to have some human virtues to avoid becoming identical with the machines that serve us.

But not everyone sees sexbots as a positive development. Kathleen Richardson of Britains De Monfort University, is against the use of sexbots because she thinks they would increase human isolation, she told Sky News.

Richardson, who leads the Campaign Against Sex Robots, thinks more thought should be given to the creation of sexbots.

"I created the campaign because I want people to really think about how we develop our technologies ethically, she told Sky News. "And I do want to live in a world where we think about how we can develop robots - robots that can help us with the hard jobs, the hard toils we have as human beings. But machines, inanimate objects, can't do relations. You can't manufacture human intimate relations, and that's what we're all about."

Others counter that through artificial intelligence, robots may one day have synthetic emotions.

There are other concerns.

Snell, for example, is concerned that sex with robots could lead to more sexual addiction.

Robotic sex may become addictive, he said. Sexbots would always be available and could never say 'No', so addictions would be easy to feed. People may become obsessed by their ever faithful, ever pleasing sex robot lovers. People will rearrange their lives to accommodate their addictions.
Once seen as a "natural" Republican constituency, Muslim-Americans are increasingly leaning Democratic, and they are expected to vote in record numbers for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the U.S. presidential election in November.

From overwhelmingly voting for George W. Bush in the 2000 election to backing Clinton in the current cycle, the Muslim shift in political allegiance has been precipitous, leading some critics to lament a lost Republican opportunity to keep an increasingly influential voting bloc.

According to surveys conducted after the election, more than 70 percent of Muslims voted for Bush, and most of the 50,000 Muslim votes in Florida went to the Republican candidate. Bush won the election after a prolonged recount of the vote in Florida, a state he won by a mere 537 votes, and a dispute that ultimately was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, the country's highest judicial body.

To Muslim-Americans and many conservatives alike, Bush's victory was evidence not only of growing Muslim political weight but also of a "natural" affinity between Muslims and Republicans.

'Socially and economically conservative'

Suhail Khan, a prominent Muslim-American Republican and former board member of the American Conservative Union, wrote that "Muslim-Americans are, by and large, both socially and economically conservative," and therefore a natural Republican constituency.

Many Muslim-Americans do share conservative Republican values of supporting strong families and traditional marriage, and opposing abortion. And Khan noted that a quarter of U.S. Muslims are small-business owners who favor Republican policies on lower taxes.

But the reason most Muslim-Americans voted for Bush in 2000 may have had less to do with shared values than a belief that Bush, in reaching out to Muslims and handling the historically divisive Israeli-Palestinian conflict, would follow in the moderate footsteps of his father, former president George H. W. Bush, whom they also supported in the 1992 election, according to John Esposito, a professor at Georgetown University and author of The Future of Islam.

If there was a high-water mark in the love affair between Muslim-Americans and the Republican Party, it was the 2000 election. In 2004, more than 90 percent of Muslim-Americans voted for John Kerry; in 2008 and 2014, Muslims voted for Barack Obama, by 89 percent and 85 percent, respectively, according to several estimates.

Islamophobia fuels switch

Why did so many Muslims desert the Republican Party after the 2000 election?

The most common answer given by Muslim advocates is a resurgence in Islamophobia, and a U.S. foreign policy perceived as detrimental to Muslim interests around the world. While Bush sought to reassure Muslims after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that the United States was not at war with Islam, Republican policies and rhetoric have since reinforced a perception among many Muslims that the party is a hotbed of Islamophobia.

"Sadly, the Republican Party over the past 15 years has become the political epicenter of Islamophobia, introducing anti-Muslim policy proposals or anti-foreigner laws in at least 10 state legislatures," said Robert McCaw of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). "This has really driven the Muslim vote out of the Republican Party."

But Islamophobia and foreign policy alone don't explain the Muslim exodus toward the Democratic Party. A more compelling reason may lie in history. As Georgetown's Esposito explains, most Muslim-Americans, like other immigrants, have long identified with the Democratic Party's pro-immigration and social welfare policies; the Republican Party has appealed to only a small, mostly affluent segment of the community.

The Muslim-American population, estimated at around 3.5 million, is a heterogeneous lot. While African-Americans, historically a Democratic constituency, make up about one-third of the community, most Muslims in America are immigrants, hailing from dozens of countries, many with conservative backgrounds.

But among second- and third-generation Muslims coming of age in America, polls show their social attitudes have moderated in recent years. Many members of this rapidly growing community not only lean Democratic, but also embrace progressive views that are at odds with Republican orthodoxy.

Switching policies and parties

In the 2011 Pew survey, 70 percent of Muslims in America described themselves as Democrats or leaning Democratic, while 11 percent said they were Republicans or leaning Republican. Those numbers have held relatively steady since then. McCaw of CAIR cited another poll that showed 55 percent of Muslim-Americans describe themselves as moderate, while 26 percent identify as liberal.

Many analysts thought conservative Muslims and Republicans shared common views on issues such as homosexuality and the role of government. The 2011 Pew survey showed that Muslim-Americans have grown "considerably more accepting of homosexuality" since 2007. On the role of government, the survey found that 68 percent of Muslim-Americans preferred a bigger government providing more services over a smaller government providing fewer services.

"So not only do they switch parties and now are voting Democratic, but they're also adopting some of the policies and positions and ethics" of the Democratic Party, McCaw said. "Traditionally, a number of immigrants from the Middle East or South Asia are more socially conservative, and there was a place for them in the Republican Party. But I think as people grow and develop in America, [they] definitely change their views and preferences over time; and more importantly, their children grow up here and they might be voting different than their parents previously had."

Esposito says that Republicans and Muslims were not really natural allies to begin with, and that culturally and politically most Muslims feel more at home in the Democratic Party. He points to polls showing that far more Republicans than Democrats hold a negative view of Islam and Muslims.

At home among Democrats

The 2011 Pew Research Center found that that 15 percent of Muslims see the Republican Party as friendly toward their community, compared to 48 percent who see it as unfriendly. By contrast, 46 percent of Muslims found the Democratic Party friendly toward them, and only 7 percent said it was unfriendly.

Sajid Tarar, a longtime Muslim-American activist now campaigning for Republican Donald Trump, disputes the notion that most Muslims feel at home in the Democratic Party. He says the party "hardly recognizes us as a minority."

But surveys show that the Muslim-American flight from the Republican Party has only deepened amid anti-Muslim rhetoric by Republican candidates, most notably Trump, who enraged many Muslims by saying "Islam hates us" and proposing to ban all Muslims from entering the country, a position he has since softened.

Historically, Muslim voter turnout has been low in the U.S., but with surveys showing Islamophobia is a top issue, CAIR and other members of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations this year launched a "One America Campaign." They hope to register 1 million new voters, an increase of nearly 300,000 since the 2012 presidential election.

Power of Muslim vote

Muslim turnout is expected to be high this year, Esposito says, with as much as 80 percent of the vote likely to go to Clinton.

The Muslim-American vote remains relatively small, but with large Muslim communities in Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan and Pennsylvania, Muslim activists say their vote is likely to prove critical in tipping tight races in key swing states.

Meanwhile, both presidential campaigns say they see the Muslim-American vote as important.

The Trump campaign, perhaps recognizing the tepid level of support the Republican candidate enjoys among Muslim voters, appears far less focused on the community. Tarar says his American Muslims for Trump has about 1,000 followers, and he remains hopeful the candidate will visit a mosque soon.

"It is a very tight race and every vote counts," said Tarar, who traveled with Trump earlier in the campaign and later spoke at the Republican National Convention. "Right now, they're working on the African-American voters and issues."

Clinton's campaign says the Democratic candidate has met with Muslim community leaders over the past year and the campaign is working to mobilize Muslim voters in several key swing states.

"We're not taking any vote for granted," said Zara Rahim, a campaign spokeswoman on Muslim-American issues.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday told a group of young people gathered in Laos from across Southeast Asia that it is not enough to dream about their plans for the future, but that they have to "actually do the work."

In an upbeat town hall event with people involved in the U.S.-sponsored Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, Obama said young people have historically been the key to progress and development. He stressed the need for countries to improve education standards and to make sure those gains include girls and not just boys.

"You should never be discouraged, because you have more opportunity today to make a difference in the world than any generation before," he said. "And my hope is you seize that opportunity."

US politics



Obama also used his visit to the remote mountain town of Luang Prabang to push back against the America-centric view of the world advanced by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, with his call for "America first" policies, complaints about NATO allies and vow to build a wall along the Mexican border to keep out immigrants.

"If you're in the United States, sometimes you can feel lazy and think, you know, 'we're so big, we don't really have to know anything about other people,'" Obama said. "That's part of what I'm trying to change."

Although he did not mention Trump by name, Obama said, "Not everybody in America agrees with me on this, by the way."

In response to questions from the audience, Obama said he hopes the next U.S. leader will continue his increased engagement with the Asia-Pacific region and that he believes Congress will approve the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.



WATCH: Obama visits mountain town of Luang Prabang

He also touted the benefits of interacting with people of different cultures as a way to continually learn, and highlighted the need to respect people who have different beliefs and backgrounds.

"I think that over the long term the only way that humans are going to be able to work together and interact and prosper and deal with big problems is if we are able to see what we have in common with each other and treat each other with dignity and respect," Obama said.

The president told the audience he plans to continue working with young people after he leaves office in January.

Obama is in Laos to meet with ASEAN leaders and give reassurances that the U.S. strategic rebalance toward Asia is long-term.

Moral obligation



Earlier Wednesday, Obama said the United States has a "profound moral and humanitarian obligation" to support efforts to clear bombs its forces dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War.

Eighty million cluster munitions did not explode, instead settling on farmland and around villages, only to later kill or injure 20,000 people.

Obama spoke of that legacy as he visited a center in Vientiane called the Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise that offers treatment for survivors.

"Here in Laos, here at COPE, we see the victims of bombs that were dropped because of decisions made half a century ago and we are reminded that wars always carry tremendous costs, many of them unintended," he said.

Obama stressed that wars impact countless people beyond the famous who appear in history books.

"Above all, acknowledging the history of war and how it's experienced concretely by ordinary people is a way that we make future wars less likely," he said.

His comments came a day after announcing $90 million in U.S. funding over the next three years to help the survivors and bomb-clearing efforts.

The funding is part of what the White House called a new era in relations based on "a shared desire to heal the wounds of the past" and build a foundation for the future. The U.S. and Laos are also partnering on issues including the economy, technology, education, security, the environment and human rights.

Obama is the first sitting U.S. president to go to Laos. The visit marks his 11th and final trip to Asia as U.S. president.
With an aim of becoming a leader of emerging economies, China made sure that the voice of Africa was heard at the Group of 20 Nations leaders summit in Hangzhou this year.

In its communique concluded on late Monday, the G-20 launched an initiative on supporting industrialization in Africa to strengthen the continents inclusive growth and sustainable development potential.

But analysts are skeptical the group  with widely diverse interests on the continent  can put words into action without a clear plan.

African development agenda

At the close of its two-day summit, the G-20 vowed to push forward the industrialization in Africa through voluntary policy options, which include supporting sustainable agriculture and agro-industry development, deepening the local production base and promoting investment in renewable energy while promoting science, technology and innovation as critical means for its industrialization.

In spite of G-20s endorsement on paper, its quite another story to implement the groups sustainable development agenda for Africa, said Barry Sautman, a political scientist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Sautman said that while Africa may be rich in natural resources and energy, which presents plenty of opportunities for developed countries to tap into, divergent interests and levels of competition have kept the groups member nations from joining hands to unlock the continents growth potential.

The low-profit margin business model in Africa is not for every business either, he added. For example, Chinese low-end manufacturers may be content with a 5-10 percent thin profit margin if they migrate into Africa. But that will present less of a lure to high-end businesses from many Western countries, which often enjoy a margin level of up to 30 percent, Sautman said.

Overall, Caroline Kende-Robb, executive director of African Progress Panel, found the progress at this years G-20 meetings to address Africas urgent needs disappointing.

Concrete action

Kende-Robb lauded the trade blocs continued support for the continents industrialization and agreed that each Africa-bound investment should be mulled on a case-by-case and project-by-project basis.

But whats more important, she said, is for G-20 nations to follow through on their past commitments with concrete action.

For example, she said, many G-20 countries are still subsidizing efforts to tap new coal, oil and gas reserves.

This despite the fact that during the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh in 2009, member countries agreed to phase out inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encouraged wasteful consumption.

Her panel expects the G-20 to follow through on that commitment and set a clear timetable for ending such subsidies including full transparency of such spending from 2017 onward and a ban on exploration and production subsidies by 2018.

Moment of truth

Rather than using taxpayers money to fuel climate change, these governments should be pricing carbon out of the market, she said, citing opinions by a panel member Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president of Nigeria. Obasanjo made the comments in an article titled Africa and the G20s Moment of Truth that was published on the website Project Syndicate.

She noted that while Africa has unparalleled resources to generate low-carbon energy  solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power - two thirds of its population still has no access to grid electricity.

By working with Africa, the world stands to avoid a carbon-intensive growth model while gaining from a boost to African economies by initiating an energy revolution to increase its energy output.

In his article, Obasanjo, called on G-20 nations to help close Africas energy-financing gap  estimated at $55 billion per year through 2030  in support of the continents renewable-energy production.

Financing gap

He also urged the trade bloc to fight tax evasion and the system of tax havens or shell companies used to pump money out of Africa, which is estimated to be losing some $50 billion in illicit financial outflows annually.

Among those G-20 nations, China has become Africas largest trading partner, exchanging some $200 billion-worth of goods annually. China has also been aggressive in tapping the continents natural resources and taking part in its infrastructure building.

During his visit to South Africa in December, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged another round of funding support to Africa, at $60 billion. The new package, which is almost twice as large as the $30 billion worth of funding announced in 2012, will cover 10 major areas including agriculture, renewable energy and infrastructure development.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences institute of West-Asian and African studies, however, released a yellow book last month that highlighted how Chinese businesses in Africa are confronted with an array of challenges there including the continents stagnating economy and its less than ideal investment environment, on top of Chinese enterprises own structural weakness.

The institute urged Chinese authorities to help secure the acquisition of natural resources for Chinese businesses in Africa while providing preferential loans and promoting the use of the Chinese currency, the renminbi, for their trade settlement in Africa.
The U.S. conducted two airstrikes in southern Somalia early this week that killed four al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militants.

The U.S. Africa Command says Monday's strikes came in response to an attack by a "large group of armed al-Shabab fighters'' on a joint counterterrosim operation by the U.S. and Somalia.

The U.S. military has in the past used drones to target al-Shababs senior leaders. The Pentagon said in June it carried out a strike in late May against Abdullahi Haji Daud, one of al Shababs senior military planners who served as a principal coordinator of attacks in Somalia, Kenya, and Uganda.

The latest strikes took place in Torotorow in Lower Shabelle region, on Monday.

"During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a large group of armed al-Shabab fighters attacked the force, threatening the safety and security of the forces in the area," said Captain Jennifer Dyrcz, a U.S. Africa Command spokeswoman.

Al-Shabab was pushed out of Mogadishu by African Union peacekeeping forces in 2011 but has remained a potent antagonist in Somalia, launching frequent attacks aimed at overthrowing the Western-backed government.
With the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks nearing, Americans are sharply divided along party lines about the threat of a major terrorist attack on the United States, according to a poll released Wednesday.

Forty percent of Americans said the ability of terrorists to strike the United States was greater today than it was at the time of the September 11, 2001, attacks, according to the Pew Research Center survey of 1,201 adults.

That share was up 6 percentage points since November 2013 and marked the highest percentage with that view over the past 14 years. Thirty-one percent of respondents said terrorists' abilities to attack were the same, and a quarter said it was less.

"The growth in the belief that terrorists are now better able to launch a major strike on the U.S. has come almost entirely among Republicans," the Pew Research Center said.

Fifty-eight percent of Republicans said terrorists' ability to hit the United States in a major attack was greater now than at the time of 9/11, up 18 percentage points since 2013, it said.

The poll results marked the first time that a majority in either political party had expressed that opinion, the Pew center said.

Smaller increases

Thirty-four percent of independents and 31 percent of Democrats said terrorists were better able to strike the United States today than they were then. Those views were up 2 percentage points each from three years ago, according to the survey.

The partisan divide was in line with other opinion sampling on the U.S. government's ability to deal with terrorism, Pew said.

In an April Pew poll, three-quarters of Democrats said the government was doing very or fairly well in reducing the threat from terrorism, while 29 percent of Republicans said the same.

The 9/11 attacks are a powerful memory for many Americans. Almost 3,000 people died when hijackers slammed airliners into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

Ninety-one percent of the adults surveyed remembered exactly where they were or what they were doing when they heard news about the attacks. Among those under 30, 83 percent said the same.

The Pew survey was conducted by telephone from August 23 to September 2. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
Like other 12 year olds, Cendikiawan (Diki) Suryaatmadja is getting ready for a new school year.

But unlike other 12 year olds, Diki will study physics and take additional classes in math, chemistry and economics at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

He is one of a growing number of youngsters enrolling in universities.

"I'm very excited to meet the new students and make new friends," said the pre-teen in an interview with CBC News.

Diki, who is from West Java, a province in Indonesia, will be living with his father in an apartment near the university. The boy taught himself English in about six months by living in Singapore, reading English articles and watching subtitled English movies  especially comedies.

"Little by little, through osmosis, you can learn [a] language," he told CBC.

South of the border, Cornell University in New York also welcomed 12-year-old first-year student Jeremy Shuler this week.

American Michael Kearney, born in 1984, remains the youngest ever to have graduated with a college degree, at age eight. He went on to teach college while still a teenager.
The U.S. Department of Justice says it needs Congress to grant it the authority to demand information that would disclose if people are lobbying on behalf of foreign governments.

In a report issued Wednesday, the Justice Departments inspector general said confusion over how to enforce existing laws has led to widespread late registrations and required updates by U.S. lobbyists. This has triggered controversy around Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Manafort and his lobbying firm did not register their activities for a European research institution as required by the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA). Manafort surreptitiously ran the institution with the help of an associate who worked for a Russian-backed political party in Ukraine.

"The Justice Department has long viewed itself as being not a disclosure agency," Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen, a non-profit citizens advocate group, told VOA. "It operates essentially in secrecy and it does not appreciate having the responsibility of trying to enforce disclosure laws."

Despite the existence of FARA, which governs the activities of foreign lobbyists, the inspector general's report noted only seven prosecutions since 1993 and that registrations have dropped sharply over the decades.

Virginia Commonwealth University professor Jason Arnold, author of Secrecy in the Sunshine Era: The Promise and Failures of U.S. Open Government Laws, told VOA the report's findings reinforce earlier evidence of decling registrations and enforcement. "In order to prevent lobbying firms from exploiting what they see as loopholes in how FARA is enforced, Congress should make the registration requirements and non-compliance punishments even more explicit. Congress should also work with the [Justice Department] to deliver more resources to the understaffed FARA enforcement office."

Violations of the law are punishable by up to five years in prison, but the report said Justice Department investigators and attorneys have had different opinions over the years on what constitutes a case eligible for prosecution. They also confused FARA with another law, the Lobbying Disclosure Act, which imposes less stringent requirements.

Department of Justice records inspectors said they were understaffed and currently search newspaper articles to get leads on illegal activities of foreign lobbyists.

Holman agrees Congress should intervene because he said the laws do not give the department the authority to issue subpoenas without the ability to prove criminal intent. "If Congress were to amend the lobby disclosure laws, giving the Department of Justice its own subpoena authority so it could go ahead and conduct investigations without having to formally press criminal charges first, that would be a phenomenal assistance for the Department of Justice to carry through with its investigations."

The report concluded that the Justice Department needs a better system to track missing records. And Holman, like Arnold, agreed more resources are needed at the agency. "If we could get just a dozen enforcement actions coming out of the Department of Justice, that would give a signal to lobbyists across the board that theyd better beware," Holman said.
At least 70 people were treated for breathing problems Tuesday in the Syrian city of Aleppo after what rescue workers say was a chlorine gas attack by government forces.

The Syria Civil Defense group said helicopters dropped several barrels containing chlorine on the opposition-held al-Sukkari neighborhood.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported a barrel bomb attack in the area, but could not confirm whether chlorine was involved.

Accusations of chemical attacks have been a fixture of the Syrian conflict with both the government and rebels blaming the other during the past five years.

International inspectors issued a report last month saying government forces and Islamic State militants had each carried out chemical attacks. United Nations experts said Tuesday more investigations are ongoing into alleged chemical attacks earlier this year, including in Aleppo.
After getting involved in the Syrian civil war, Russia now signals it wants to become a Middle East power broker. President Vladimir Putin has offered to host a face-to-face meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow. Both leaders claim they are ready to continue the dialogue, but they accuse each other of stalling.

Russian Middle East envoy Mikhail Bogdanov held talks with the Palestine Liberation Organization's secretary general, Saeb Erekat, in the West Bank city of Ramallah Tuesday, a day after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

"We are very thankful that Mahmoud Abbas accepted in principle the Russian initiative proposed by President Putin. We will continue our efforts, discussions and contacts with the two parties about the form, contents and dates of the meeting," said Bogdanov.

Abbas, who was visiting Poland on Tuesday, responded that he is ready for such a meeting.

"I was supposed to go directly from here to Moscow to meet with Mr. Netanyahu. But unfortunately, there were talks yesterday in Jerusalem between aides of President Putin and Prime Minister Netanyahu where Prime Minister Netanyahu proposed postponing the meeting to a date that I do not yet know," said Abbas.

Netanyahu said the meeting cannot take place because of the conditions imposed by the Palestinians, something Abbas denies.

"Only yesterday (Monday), Palestinian spokesmen conveyed that they are ready to meet, but there are conditions - releasing prisoners, they want to know what the results of the talks will be. If Mahmoud Abbas is ready to meet, without preconditions, for direct talks, I am ready at any time," said Netanyahu.

Netanyahu Tuesday was in the Hague, where angry protesters condemned his treatment of the Palestinians, especially the blockade of Gaza. The Israeli leader was in the Netherlands to discuss the Dutch government's help in improving water and energy supplies to the Palestinian coastal strip.

"We have no battle, no qualms with the people of Gaza, only with the band of terrorist thugs who've taken them blackmail. So we fight the terrorists, but we want to help the population, and the first step is to improve the supply of energy and water to Gaza, including laying a gas pipeline," said Netanyahu.

Israeli forces fired shells into Gaza Tuesday. Officials said they were targeting Hamas positions, but they also damaged civilian homes. Hamas fighters frequently throw rockets into Israel and Israeli forces respond by bombarding what they believe are Hamas positions.

Decades of U.S.-mediated Middle East peace efforts have failed to bring lasting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Russian officials are using harsh new legal interpretations to silence nonprofit organizations whose work challenges government positions or authority, the director of the countrys only independent polling agency contends.

"The authorities have wanted to destroy the Levada Center as a large independent research organization for a long time," Lev Gudkov said in an interview this week with VOAs Russian service.

The Russian Justice Ministry announced Monday it was designating the Levada Center as a "foreign agent," saying it had found irregularities in the organizations paperwork during a snap inspection. In July, the pro-Kremlin Anti-Maidan movement had called on the ministry to investigate the center for failing to register as a foreign agent.

Russian authorities have used a 2012 law on "foreign agents" to blacklist groups receiving international funding and engaging in activities deemed political. Since 2014, the Justice Ministry had applied that designation to roughly 140 groups, with at least 22 closing as of last month, Human Rights Watch reported. It said the latter have included the Association of NGOs in Defense of Voters Rights, the Moscow School of Civic Education, the Freedom of Information Foundation and JURIX (Lawyers for Constitutional Rights and Freedoms).

The ministrys announcement on the Levada Center came several days after the center published poll results showing support for the ruling United Russia party had dropped from 39 percent in July to 31 percent in August, The Moscow Times reported. Russian parliamentary elections are scheduled for September 18.

The U.S. State Department and the European Commission have condemned the ministrys decision on the Levada Center.

"The action taken against the Levada Center is unwarranted, given [its] function, but more broadly were concerned about the scope of a law that seems to put at risk NGOs and other democratically minded civic organizations within Russia," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said at a press briefing Tuesday.

Gudkov offered more perspective in his interview with VOA.

Q: How do you explain that your organization has been added to the list of foreign agents now?

A: The authorities have wanted to destroy the Levada Center as a large independent research organization for a long time. Many attempts were made in this direction. We were audited in 2013 and 2014, but the wording of the law at that time did not allow [the center to be closed], because the law on nonprofit organizations  and that is precisely our status  prohibited receiving grants, but allowed commercial activity  that is, working on the basis of contracts with different research centers and companies.

This year, however, there have been very serious legislative changes in the interpretation of the terms "nonprofit organization" and "political activities."

Political activity is now being construed extremely widely and includes, among other things, conducting sociological surveys and even speaking at scientific seminars. ...

In short, it is not too difficult now to add virtually any public organization to the ranks of those involved in political activities. That, in itself, is relatively harmless, but under the conditions of receiving foreign funding, "engaging in politics" becomes a pretext for inclusion on the list of foreign agents.

We partner with many foreign universities, including in the United States. And this is becoming a source of persecution. So, the attacks on our center began at the beginning of the summer, in connection with the appeal [to the Justice Ministry] by Anti-Maidan, an organization which uses jingoistic and anti-Western slogans. The Anti-Maidan activists demanded that we be included on the registry [of foreign agents], as an organization which all but conducts intelligence activities under the control of the American intelligence services. That is the main reason.

However, the indirect catalyst for the [Justice Ministrys snap inspection] was that one of our recent polls registered a drop in the popularity of the [ruling] United Russia party.

Q: The Financial Times suggested it was precisely this poll that sealed your fate.

A: I would not link them so directly  but, generally speaking, there is a tendency toward the intensification of a repressive domestic policy that is also encroaching on other public organizations and research centers. We are now number 141 on the list [of foreign agents].

Q: Is that an indication of the scale of the campaign against NGOs?

A: Yes, and I think that the list of "agents" will only grow. ...

Q: Konstantin Kosachev [head of the foreign affairs committee of the Federation Council, the upper chamber of Russias parliament] has publicly stated that the Justice Ministrys decision regarding the Levada Center is in the interests of Russian society.

A: It is only in the interests of the power bloc [the security services and military-ED], the conservative-minded. I dont see any demand on the part of the public for our destruction. Our findings get some attention, especially among the educated public that participates in public events. But there is a politically motivated push [to close the Levada Center]. And the current era in Russia is one of political reaction and backsliding to totalitarianism. So it's a much broader trend.

Q: Is the "persecution" of your organization and NGOs in general part of an attempt to clear the decks before the presidential election in 2018?

A: No, this is a reaction to the mass protests of 2012. The government fears a repetition in Russia of the Ukrainian Maidan [the protests that led to the ouster of Ukraines Russia backed president, Viktor Yanukovych]. The current leadership of the country has a paranoia  brought on, of course, by its own lack of legitimacy  that the economic crisis, the decline in living standards, will sooner or later provoke mass discontent, and that it is necessary, as a preventive measure, to destroy any sources of influence, independent organizations, opposition and so on. The more primitive a society is, the easier it is to manipulate and control it.

Q: So what do you plan to do now?

A: We will try to challenge the Justice Ministrys decision, and then we will go to court. But given the dependence of our courts on the [presidential] administration, I dont harbor any illusions. It's hard for me to predict. Well try any way we can to stay afloat. But, in reality, our death will be long and painful. We will constantly be forced to curtail our social research and, whenever possible, continue with commercial marketing research.
Scientists appear to have discovered malarias Achilles heel, a weakness common to the multiple stages of malaria infection. In doing so, they have found a compound that cured mice of the disease.

Once its entered the body through the bite of an infected mosquito, the malaria parasite, P. falciparum, behaves as a unique organism as it goes through three phases during its life cycle. Experts say most treatments are aimed at only one stage or another. Over time, the parasite can become resistant to therapy, sometimes as quickly as within one year.

But researchers at the Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University have identified a single protein target that appears to be the diseases weakness, according to senior researcher Stuart Schreiber, a founding member of the biomedical institution.

Malaria protein

We did discover a novel protein thats made by the parasite, thats needed for all three phases of its life cycle, and a series of novel compounds that potently inhibit this protein," he said. "And we could show in an infected animal that we could kill the parasite in all three phases.

Schreiber and colleagues published their findings in the journal Nature.

After discovering the protein, researchers screened a unique library of 100,000 small molecules, from which they synthesized about a dozen compounds that they tested in infected mice. The molecules appear to stop the production of this protein in all of malaria's life stages, effectively killing the disease.

The mice were disease-free for a month, a length of time considered to be a cure. When they tried to infect other mice with the blood of the treated rodents, the animals did not become infected with malaria.

The compound that scientists tested was a one-time oral treatment. Schreiber was quick to caution that what works in a mouse is not necessarily effective in humans. But he is hopeful.

I am the eternal optimist," he said. "On the other hand, I do know that whats ahead is extremely challenging and full of unknowns that can only be addressed by marching forward and running the key experiments."

The experiments include seeing how well each of the 12 compounds works, for how long, and whether resistance develops with any of the promising agents.

In theory, Schreiber said a drug that works in all three stages of malaria could be taken at any point in the disease cycle, as a treatment and even as a way to prevent the disease.

The researchers note that individuals can remain infectious even while undergoing treatment. So their infection can be spread to someone else through a mosquito bite.

Information about the anti-malaria compounds is being made freely available to other researchers through an online database. The library contains compounds designed and housed at the Broad Institute that are not usually found in the arsenals of pharmaceutical companies.

Malaria infects over 200 million people each year. Once it has infected a human host, the malaria parasite evolves through a number of unique stages, from initial blood infection to liver infiltration where the parasite matures and reenters the blood stream.

The parasite then goes on to infect and destroy red blood cells, releasing thousands of daughter parasites that invade other blood cells, continuing the cycle of reproduction and infection.

It is during this later blood stage when symptoms of malaria occur, including very high fever, overwhelming sweating, debilitating nausea and diarrhea. Over half a million people do not survive, mostly children in sub-Saharan Africa.

The research by Schreiber and colleagues was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A Japanese drug company, Eisai, has shown an interest in helping to further develop the experimental malaria treatment.
Somalia's ban on flights importing the popular narcotic khat from Kenya appears to be holding up in the capital, Mogadishu, although a region to the north is defying the ban.

Yaasin Muuse, a airport staff member at Mogadishu's main airport, said no khat flights arrived the city Tuesday.

None of more than 10 khat flights which used to come to Mogadishu daily landed because of the government ban, he said.

In Mogadishus khat markets, only a few tables selling drinks and cigars were occupied, and the khat kiosks were empty.

At Kenyas Wilson airport in Nairobi, a reporter for VOA's Somali service said at least five planes loaded with khat cancelled their flights to Mogadishu, and most likely the shipment will be sent back to its original source because khat cannot be stockpiled  it has to be taken fresh.

On Monday, the Somali government announced it was banning all flights from Kenya to Somalia carrying the stimulant, a plant whose leaves, when chewed, give the user a feeling of mild euphoria.

It is a temporary ban and we did it for mixed circumstances related to national interests, Somali Aviation Minister Ali Ahmed Jangali told VOA. I am not ready to give the details now, but security is one of them, He said.

A government security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision is part of security plans as Mogadishu prepares to host the 53rd summit of the East African bloc IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) this weekend for the first time, following decades of civil war and instability in the Horn of Africa state.

Just a week ago, a car bomb killed more than 20 people near Somali's presidential palace. The blast was the latest in a series of attacks against hotels and restaurants by militant group al-Shabab.

Puntland defies ban

However, officials in Puntland, a semi-autonomous federal member state in the northeast of the country, ignored the government's edict. Five khat flights from Kenya landed at Galkayo airport and an airstrip at Qardho on Tuesday, and the cargo was unloaded.

Puntland spokesman Abdullahi Jama Quran Jeel said the government's decision does not affect the region.

The federal government neither consulted with us nor informed us about the decision of the khat flights ban so we have nothing to do with that decision," he said.

Khat chewers reaction

Khat is known in Somalia as "qaad" or "jaad." It is a plant whose leaves and stem tips are used as stimulant or medicine in certain areas of East Africa, Madagascar and Arabia. It has a history as a social custom dating back thousands of years.

In Somalia, planes from Kenya usually arrive in the morning and the khat is sent to the markets at noon. Its consumers, mainly men, chew it in the afternoon.

Weyrax, a khat consumer in Bosaso, Punland's commercial capital, said chewing the leaves has a negative impact on youth.

It is costly, addictive and wastes our time, we get nothing from it except insomnia and hallucination so that I welcome the ban, Weyrax said. It gives you an excitement but sometimes anxiety.

Ahmed Bashe, another khat consumer in Bossaso, said trading khat was not only his source of living, but also mental alertness.

I vend khat to earn money to live, I also consume it to get a feeling of well-being and mental alertness with loquacity, he said.

Ali Ahmed, a university student in Mogadishu says khat is the number one killer of young peoples future.

To achieve the climax of the khat feeling, they continue chewing for six to 10 hours or even more. Those who consume do not attend schools or universities. Those who attempt cannot keep the attendance and immediately drop out, he said.

Khat consumption also has a negative effect on families. Daud Abdullahi, a father of six, said he consumed khat for 16 years, finally giving it up two years ago.

Fathers who consume khat turn to be irresponsible. When I was chewing, I remember after-effects were usually insomnia, numbness, lack of concentration and anorexia, he said. Sometimes you spend a lot of times away from your family and their wellbeing is not your priority, but khat.

Despite the negative effects, many Somalis remain addicted to the drug. The Islamic Courts Union tried to ban it to no avail when it briefly controlled most of Somalia in 2006. Al-Shabab's attempts at a ban also crumbled, and the group eventually allowed its consumption so it could collect taxes on the sales.

Economic impact on Kenya

A Kenyan government spokesperson told VOA's Swahili service that the government received notice of the ban from Mogadishu on Monday, and that officials are evaluating the decision.

Kenya is the source of much of the khat consumed in Somalia. Khat traders estimate that 20 tons of khat worth $800,000, is usually sent from Kenya to Somalia each day, mainly through flights.

Traders and farmers in the "khat belt" have expressed shock at Somalia's decision and have no idea what it all means.

Talking to VOA, Kimathji Mujuri of the Nyambene Miraa Trader Association, says the decision will hurt farmers and traders alike.

A decision by Britain and the Netherlands to ban the product two years ago sent prices plummeting. Mujuri said a 30 kilogram shipment of khat went down from $700 to less than $200 today.
While most South Sudanese lawmakers say they welcome the governments decision to accept the deployment of a regional protection force, some say the government has the right to place conditions on that deployment, including the number of troops, their types of weapons and which countries they should come from.

After initially opposing the troop deployment, the government caved to international pressure following a visit from U.N. Security Council members last weekend, saying it no longer opposed a regional protection force.

But on Tuesday, that position shifted again. Member of Parliament Zachariah Matur, who represents Rumbek in Western Lakes State, said the government must have a say in choosing which troops are deployed to South Sudan.

It seems we are surrounded by quite a number of hostile nations that have a vested interest in our country," Matur said in Juba. "They would like to get a chance to get in and exploit us. So our government will negotiate on those things to see which countries are going to contribute to this force and also the kind of equipment they are going to bring to the country.

Protection of women's rights

Flora Solomon, another member of parliament who represents Imatong State Assembly, said she hoped the protection force would focus on protecting the rights and dignity of women.

I think this force, when they come, they will be helping us more because we are now tired," Solomon said. "Since 2013, women are the victims of this senseless trouble which has come to South Sudan, and I hope these forces will help the situation of prevention of violence against women.

The leader of the minority in the National Assembly, Onyoti Adigo, said if the protection force is to effectively discharge its mandate, the troops must be well-armed, and he noted the current peacekeeping force is not well-armed.

They were overpowered by the equipment of the government," Adigo said. "So if you have balanced power, then it can be OK. But it is not for fighting. The whole issue is: How do we come to cooperate?

Thomas Wani Kundu, who represents Lainya County in the South Sudan National Assembly, said he was hopeful that the countrys security would improve after deployment of the regional protection force, which is expected later this month.

We expect a positive impact after the additional forces [are deployed] under UNMISS to South Sudan," Kundu said, referring to the U.N. Mission in South Sudan. "With the new mandate, we are also optimistic that they will protect the civilians and protect the people in UNMISS and eventually will encourage people from the camps, whenever there is a peace, to come out and go to their houses to resume their normal life.

Too late to negotiate?

At least one South Sudanese analyst said Juba could not negotiate the number of troops, types of weapons or where the troops come from because a U.N. member country cannot negotiate with the Security Council after it has already agreed to the deployment of troops.

Political science professor James Okuk of Juba University said the council may change the mandate of the protection force to one of peace enforcement if it determines that the government is not cooperating.

Since they have given their consent and it is written, thats what the U.N. Security Council will follow when they start deploying the regional protection force by the 30th of this month. So nothing is going to stop them, Okuk said.

Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter states that U.N. peacekeepers are allowed to use force to ensure the peace and protection of civilians in accordance with the U.N. resolution. It allows the council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression," and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace and security."

Cooperation urged

Okuk said the international community won't tolerate a volatile situation that causes civilians or noncombatants in a foreign country to suffer. He warned that if the government insisted on trying to place restrictions upon troops, arms or contributing countries, the U.N. might feel it has no choice but to impose plan B.

Whats needed is cooperation, and what they can work for is to see to it that they do a joint venture to this cooperation, and it might turn out to be positive later. But if they refuse the cooperation, they might force the Security Council to go to plan B of what they have said, which is peace enforcement accompanied by arms embargo and sanctions, Okuk said.

The best course of action for the government, according to Okuk, is to implement the Intergovernmental Authority on Development-brokered security arrangements spelled out in the August 2015 peace agreement.

The priority now is to restore peace and trust  the trust from the people here and the trust from the international community  and that can be restored by committing themselves to the implementation of the agreement, so that it does not collapse, Okuk said.
The Philippines published photos Wednesday of what appears to be Chinese naval ships building an island in the contested South China Sea, just before a summit of Asian nations.

The photos showed an increased number of ships and what the Philippines says is evidence of "fresh" construction of an artificial island near Scarborough Shoal. They were released just before the annual meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"We remain seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some leaders on the land reclamations," read a joint closing statement at the summit.

But China denied the accusations, saying it has simply "maintained a number of coast guard vessels for law enforcement patrols" in the area, according to the Chinese embassy in Manila.

The U.S. also believes that the Chinese naval presence near Scarborough Shoal has remained relatively the same over the past few months, but will continue to monitor the area and stay in touch with the Philippine government, a senior White House official told VOA.

In July, the U.N. arbitration court dismissed China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, saying it has "no historic title" to the vast maritime region.

The 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.
In the U.S. presidential race, a new CNN-ORC poll shows Republican Donald Trump with a two-point lead over Democrat Hillary Clinton, 45-43. Clinton continues to lead in most surveys, but the CNN poll is the latest of several recent national and state polls to indicate the race for the White House is tightening, with about two months to go until Election Day.

Trump recently discussed foreign policy in Virginia and could not resist highlighting the good news in the latest poll.

"CNN came out with a big poll. Their big poll came out today that Trump is winning. Its good psychology. I know that for a fact because people that didnt call me yesterday, they are calling me today. So thats the way life works, right?" Trump said at a military town hall meeting in Virginia Beach.

Clinton, under attack, still has edge

Clinton still leads in most national polls and in most of the key battleground states where both campaigns will focus over these final two months.

Clinton went after Trump during a rally in Florida.

"And he demeans Muslims and attacks a Gold Star family whose son died in action in Iraq," she said Tuesday at a voter registration rally in Tampa. "Thats not who we are. So yes, we have a lot of plans, but we also have values, my friends, and we are going to stand up for American values! said Clinton.

Drawing disapproval

The race is tightening in part because Clintons weaknesses are in the spotlight, said Stephen Wayne, a Georgetown University professor of government.

"There are a number of people who dont think she is honest and trustworthy. She seems to be a very authentic [traditional] politician in an anti-politician age," Wayne said.

But Trump also suffers from high disapproval ratings, said Gallup pollster Frank Newport.

Its troublesome for both people," he said. "I think the Hillary Clinton campaign thinks about it a lot: How can we change her image? But that is hard to do, you know. It is kind of baked-in at this point."

Clinton hopes to hold on to what was a big lead in the polls after the party conventions, helped in part by a number of Trump controversies, said analyst Jeremy Mayer.

"It is possible that Donald Trump will win this race. But in order to do so, he will have to come back from a larger deficit than any presidential candidate in the modern era of polling," Mayer said. "No one has come back [from] as far and as quickly as he now needs to do."

Trump and Clinton are already preparing for the next major event in the race: the first presidential debate, set for September 26.
While Turkeys president says Ankara and Washington are discussing joint military action in Raqqa, the Syrian headquarters of the Islamic State group, Turkeys options may be limited.

It will not be a massive 30,000, 40,000 soldiers entering into Syria, said Turkish political columnist Semih Idiz of the Al Monitor website. I do not think the Turkish public is ready for that kind of involvement anyway. So it will be forces in the hundreds, with heavy artillery and air support. I think it will probably be more a force where the numbers are provided by Syrian fighters rather than Turkey."

Flying back from attending the Group of 20 summit in China, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday told reporters he had agreed to a proposal by his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, to work together to remove IS from Raqqa.

Let our soldiers come together. Whatever is necessary will be done. Erdogan said.

But the Turkish president was short on specifics and said any military role would depend on further talks.

Problematic route

Turkish armed forces backed by tanks and Free Syrian Army forces entered Syria last month to remove IS militants from near the Turkish border. Moving farther south, some 80 kilometers to Raqqa, would be problematic, because Turkish forces would need to pass through Kurdish territory.

The Turkish operation "Euphrates Shield" is also targeting the Syrian Kurdish militia of the YPG in northern Syria, which Ankara accuses of being linked to the outlawed PKK, which is fighting in Turkey.

But the YPG receives strong military support from the United States and is widely viewed as among the most effective forces against IS.

Gelo Issa, a YPG political official in northern Syria, told VOA that it was uncertain whether the U.S. would agree to anything other than Turkish air support in a Raqqa offensive. The YPG is seen as key to U.S. plans to recapture Raqqa, analysts say.

Turkey cant send its troops to Raqqa because its not a border area and Ankara cant justify such an incursion as it did in [northern Syria], he said. I dont think any Turkish involvement in the Raqqa campaign would change the equation for the Kurdish-led forces.

Arab, Turkmen force

More than likely, Turkey would continue to enlist Syrian rebels, an Arab and Turkmen force it empowered in northern Syria, to take some part in the fight to free Raqqa, some analysts say.

People in Raqqa, struggling under IS control, would welcome any help in the liberation battle, according to Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, a rights group advocating the liberation of the city from IS.

In the case of Raqqa, Turkeys involvement is likely in the form of supporting the Free Syrian Army, said Hussam Eisa, the groups spokesman, speaking of the rebels. That would be a welcome move by people in Raqqa.

But Ankara could pay a high price in participating in an operation to oust Islamic State from Raqqa. Analysts warn that with thousands of jihadists in the densely populated city, it would most likely be a brutal fight. And Turkey would find itself deeply embroiled militarily in Syrias civil war.

A Turkish involvement in any other form would be similar to those of other countries in the Syrian conflict, Eisa said.

Major commitment

That means Turkey could ultimately be forced to commit large numbers of its forces, said political columnist Kadri Gursel of the Cumhuriyet newspaper.

"Going down to the southeast to Raqqa will mean for Turkish armed forces a very, very long trajectory of logistical support, Gursel said. And there will be a need to pass through a corridor having Kurds on the east and Syrians [government forces] on the west and [IS] all the way the through. So this is very dangerous, and there is no exit strategy  and a war of attrition will be very costly for Turkish armed forces."

Still, Erdogan may be betting that Turkish participation will marginalize the effectiveness of Kurds in the region in the future, analysts say.

"The expectation is that the dependence that the Americans have on the ground on Kurdish forces will decline, Idiz said. And Turkey will also have a stronger say, at the proverbial Syrian table. So I think there is a political dimension also to what Erdogan is suggesting."
Turkey would be ready to join any future operation proposed by the United States to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkish media report Erdogan told journalists Wednesday traveling home with him from the G-20 meeting the issue was brought up by U.S. President Barack Obama during their talks on the sideline of the summit in China.



Obama wants to do some things jointly concerning Raqqa. We said this would not be a problem from our perspective,'' Erdogan is quoted as saying.

He said Turkish and U.S. military officials could meet to discuss capturing Raqqa, the de facto capital of Islamic State.

Two weeks ago Turkey's military entered northern Syria to back efforts by Syrian rebels to dislodge IS and also to prevent the Kurdish YPG militia from expanding into new territory.

U.S. officials have welcomed Turkish efforts against Islamic State in Syria, but they have voiced concern when Turkish troops engaged fighters aligned to the YPG, a force Washington sees as a valuable ally in battling jihadists.

Turkey has been alarmed by U.S. support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its YPG militia, which Ankara considers a "terrorist" group linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighting for its own state in Turkey.
Fighting between Syrian government army and insurgents in Syria's central Hama province forced about 100,000 people to leave their homes between August 28 and September 5, the U.N. humanitarian agency said Wednesday.

OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) said figures from a camp coordination group show nearly half of the displaced from Hama arrived in the neighboring rebel-held Idlib province.

Others fled toward government-controlled Hama city, where four mosques were converted into temporary shelters, OCHA said. In rural areas of Hama province dozens of schools were also converted into shelters.

However, many displaced families are sleeping outdoors in parks in Idlib, OCHA said, due to a shortage of shelter space.

Chlorine attack



Meanwhile, an official in Syria's rebel-held Aleppo, Mohammed Abu Jaafar, said that at least one person died of heart failure from a suspected chlorine attack reported Tuesday.





Activists and rescuers said at least 70 people were treated for breathing problems Tuesday in the Syrian city of Aleppo after what rescue workers say was a chlorine gas attack by government forces.

The Syria Civil Defense group said helicopters dropped several barrels containing chlorine on the opposition-held al-Sukkari neighborhood.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported a barrel bomb attack in the area, but could not confirm whether chlorine was involved.

Accusations of chemical attacks have been a fixture of the Syrian conflict with both the government and rebels blaming the other during the past five years.

International inspectors issued a report last month saying government forces and Islamic State militants had each carried out chemical attacks. United Nations experts said Tuesday more investigations are ongoing into alleged chemical attacks earlier this year, including in Aleppo.
The United Nations has warned of a growing threat to aid workers in Afghanistan where it says millions of people are in urgent need of life-saving assistance.

I am deeply concerned that aid workers are being targeted, with 93 of our colleagues abducted since the beginning of this year, said Stephen O'Brien, the U.N.'s emergency relief coordinator, in speaking with reporters in Kabul at the end of a visit to Afghanistan.

All parties are obliged to uphold the principles of international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians and aid workers, he said, without giving further details or identifying the nationalities of the abductees.

More aid needed



O'Brien also called on the international community to urgently increase its support to around 1.1 million people who are expected to be displaced internally and cross borders by the end of the year.

OBrien said the humanitarian community in Afghanistan urgently needs $150 million to respond to the life-saving needs for the next four months in the wake of the increase in numbers of new people on the move.

The displaced families and communities are a mix of refugees returning from Pakistan and hundreds of thousands of people who have been forced from their homes this year due to the conflict in Afghanistan, said OBrien.

The U.N. says that more than 5,000 displaced Afghans are returning from Pakistan every day, adding to the challenges facing the humanitarian community.

Afghan refugees



Pakistan hosts around three million Afghan refugees, nearly half of them living there illegally, who are currently facing pressure from authorities to return to Afghanistan.

OBrien said that alarming levels of malnutrition affect 2.7 million people in Afghanistan, including 1 million children under the age of 5. He urged governments, donors and humanitarian groups to do more to tackle the crisis to prevent more than 126,000 children from dying this year.

Only 35 percent of children with severe acute malnutrition are being reached and of those, only 25 percent are actually cured, he said.

The Taliban has extended its insurgent activities to more provinces in Afghanistan this year than at any point in time since it was ousted from power in 2001. The increase has prompted Afghan security forces to undertake major operations across the country.

The escalation in fighting has already caused record levels of civilian casualties in Afghanistan in the first half of 2016.
The U.N. Childrens agency warns that the smallest people are often the biggest victims in the global refugee and migration crisis.

There are nearly 50 million children in the world that are either refugees, migrants or internally displaced, Unicef Deputy Executive Director Justin Forsyth told reporters at a briefing on the new report.

He said of that number, 28 million children have fled violence or conflict. That is a near doubling of child refugees in the last decade. It is a tripling of the numbers of unaccompanied children, he said. Its a growing crisis; its a childrens crisis.

Children are especially vulnerable to sex traffickers, criminal gangs and human smugglers when they are on the move.

Last year, almost half of all registered refugee children came from just two countries  Syria and Afghanistan. But this crisis affects children from all parts of the world, including Central America, Asia and Africa.

The report notes that when and if children reach destination countries, the threats they face often do not disappear, leaving them in continuing need of assistance and protection.

UN summit

Later this month, as world leaders gather in New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly, there will be two separate summits on migration and refugees.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will host the first meeting and U.S. President Barack Obama the second one.

UNICEFs Forsyth said he hopes the summits will result in clear commitments and practical measures for children in these circumstances, including on how to keep families together and making sure displaced children have access to health care and education.

The UNICEF report calls for addressing the root causes of migration and refugees, mainly conflict, violence and extreme poverty. It also urges measures to prevent xenophobia and discrimination against refugees, in addition to measures to prevent exploitation and abuse of children on the move.
U.S. lawmakers of both political parties told VOA they have no reason to doubt that Russian hackers are targeting Americas voting infrastructure with the possible intent of disrupting or undermining confidence in the November elections.

I dont think its a stretch because Russias been engaged in cyberattacks against the United States, said Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas. These are well known to our national security experts. So no, it does not surprise me.

We know Russia has been very active in cyberattacks in the United States, and we know that they mine for information all the time, said Senator Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat. Nothing surprises me about Russia.

Decentralized voting

Federal officials believe Russian hackers penetrated voter databases in Arizona and Illinois earlier this year, and have urged all 50 states to be vigilant.

There is an increasing level of sophistication by cyberattackers across the spectrum, whether its nation-state actors, plain criminals, said Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on MSNBC. And so we want to inform state election officials of what we see on a national level as best practices.

While acknowledging a threat exists, Johnson downplayed the possibility of a foreign entity managing to alter ballot totals in any state. He noted that, while the vast majority of voting machines in the United States are electronic, they are not linked to the Internet, and results are collected and reported by local election officials at polling stations.

The White House, meanwhile, has stressed that Americas decentralized elections system makes it harder to tamper with on a grand scale.

Elections are administered and conducted by state and local authorities, which essentially means you have a patchwork of systems across the country, said White House spokesman John Earnest. That also makes it harder to hack the system.

Intelligence view

A top U.S. intelligence official on Wednesday played down the recent reports of Russian hacking into U.S. voter databases and political institutions.

WATCH: US Intelligence Chief Says Russia Hacks US Computer Networks 'All the Time'

The Russians hack our systems all the time, not just government, but also corporate and personal systems, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said during a national security summit in Washington.

People are feeling uncertain about what will happen with presidential transition, he said. Im here with message  it will be okay.

Clapper stopped short, however, of placing blame for the recent Democratic National Committee hacks directly on Moscow. He said China and non-state actors also are threats in the cyber-terror world that are unlikely to go away.

Cyber will continue to be a huge problem for the next presidential administration, as it has been a challenge for this administration, he said.

Disinformation victory

The mere fact that Americans have been alerted to cyberattacks on voting systems, though, could be a victory for a hostile foreign entity, according to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Republican Bob Corker.



Anything that the Russian leadership can do to cause Americans to distrust the validity of an election destabilizes our country, Corker said. If they can demonstrate that maybe they affected it [an election], so that all of a sudden there is distrust in the outcome, obviously it creates instability.

Its a win for them, Corker added.

Russia denies responsibility

Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied any attempts to meddle in U.S. elections, and said Russia was not to blame for a cyberattack on the Democratic National Committee and the subsequent release of thousands of DNC emails.

Republican Dan Coats of Indiana, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he wants to see definitive proof of Russian involvement before he points any fingers.

We are going to need to find the factual basis to come to a conclusion, but given the ability today to basically intercept anybodys communications, we are all vulnerable to that," said Coats.

If conclusive evidence emerges that cyberattacks on U.S. elections systems originated in Russia, they will be assumed to have been directed or at least sanctioned by Putin, according to Cardin.

Its a pretty-well centralized government. So you have to believe that, [at] the highest levels, these strategies have been agreed to, the senator said.



Elizabeth Cherneff contributed to this report.
The United States accused Russia of sending one of its fighter jets dangerously close to an American spy plane over the Black Sea on Wednesday, an intercept American military officials said was "unsafe and unprofessional," even as Moscow said it acted in accordance with international flight rules.

The U.S. said its Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft was on "routine operations" in international airspace when a Russian SU-27 Flanker jet flew within three meters of it in an intercept that lasted 19 minutes.

"U.S. Navy aircraft and ships routinely interact with Russian units in the area and most interactions are safe and professional," the U.S. Defense Department said. "However, we have concerns when there is an unsafe maneuver like this. These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions, and could result in a miscalculation or accident."

The Russian defense ministry said it dispatched its fighter jet after the U.S. aircraft approached the Russian border and turned off its transponders, which are used for identification.

"After the Russian fighters approached the reconnaissance aircraft for visual inspection and identification of the aircraft registration numbers, the American planes abruptly changed course and flew in the opposite direction from the Russian border," Moscow said.

A Russian defense ministry spokesman said the Russian fighter acted in strict accordance with international rules.

The conflict in the skies comes at a time of increased tensions between the two countries, chiefly their inability to agree on how to achieve a lasting cease-fire in the Syrian civil war and end fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Russia has been supporting the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against rebels trying to overthrow his government, while the U.S. has focused its attention on attacks against Islamic State jihadists in Syria. The U.S. imposed economic sanctions against Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and support for pro-Moscow fighters in eastern Ukraine doing battle with Kyiv's forces.

Wednesday's incident over the Black Sea is one of several between Russian and U.S. warplanes this year. In April, as a U.S. guided missile destroyer patrolled in the Baltic Sea, two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes over it.

The two countries agreed in a 1972 pact to various measures to avert dangerous interactions in international waters.
The U.S. military says a series of airstrikes targeting al-Qaida's affiliate in Yemen during the past two weeks killed 13 militants and injured one other.

A statement Tuesday from U.S. Central command said the three strikes happened in Yemen's central Shabwah province between August 24 and September 4.

It also noted that al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula "remains a significant threat to the region" and the U.S.

"Al-Qaida's presence has a destabilizing effect on Yemen; it is using the unrest in Yemen to provide a haven from which to plan future attacks against our allies as well as the U.S. and its interests," the statement said. An August statement about another strike in the same part of Yemen used identical language.

The U.S. campaign targeting AQAP with drones has been going on for seven years with more than 100 strikes that have killed some of the group's top leaders, but also brought criticism about civilian deaths.

In July, the White House acknowledged at least 64 civilians deaths from drone strikes in places like Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan since 2009, a figure that many watchdog groups said is really much higher.

President Barack Obama issued an executive order calling civilian casualties a "tragic and at times unavoidable consequence" of armed conflicts and highlighting the need for practices that reduce the likelihood innocent people will be hurt.
One American astronaut and two Russians landed safely in Kazakhstan early Wednesday after spending nearly six months performing work on the International Space Station.

American astronaut Jeff Williams became the U.S. record-holder for most time spent in orbit after this mission brought him up to 534 days spent in space across four separate missions. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly previously held the record with 520 days in space. The world record is held by Russian Gennady Padalka who spent 879 days in space.

Williams, along with Russian astronauts Alexy Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka landed their Russian-made Soyuz capsule in central Kazakhstan just after 7 a.m. local time Wednesday, NASA said. The three men had disembarked from the space station about three and a half hours prior to their landing.

In a statement, NASA called Williams instrumental in preparing the station for future arrival of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft. Williams, it said, performed five space walks during his time at the space station, one of which included the installation of a docking station for the commercial flights.

After Williams left the station, Russian Anatoly Ivanishin took command. He remains in the space station with American Kate Rubins and Japans Takuya Onishi.

"I will certainly miss this view!" Williams posted on Twitter Tuesday, along with a picture of the Earths outer atmosphere. "Vast gratitude toward my crewmates, ground teams, supporting friends, and family.
The United States on Tuesday condemned in the strongest terms the latest series of deadly attacks in Kabul that killed and wounded dozens of security personnel and civilians, and it sought to reassure Afghanistan that it would work with Kabul for a more secure, stable and prosperous nation.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for those attacks.

[Monday's] terrible attacks showed we still have to work to go after those entities on the ground, Taliban and others, and rule them out if they are going to continue to carry out those kinds of attacks, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

Toner added that the U.S. would continue discussions with both Afghanistan and Pakistan to root out terrorists operating on the soil of both nations.

The ultimate goal is we want to see peace and stability in the region, he said.

Monday's series of attacks began with a twin suicide bombing in a busy area of Kabul, followed by a car bomb a few hours later in an area close to government offices and diplomatic compounds. After that, three gunmen holed themselves up close to a government complex near the office of a charitable organization, Care International. An Afghan official said security forces killed all three gunmen to end an hours-long overnight siege. The Care offices were damaged extensively.

Condemning the attacks as acts against religion, human faith and humanity, Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said Kabul was fighting a war against terrorists who are trained, advised, supported and instructed in our neighborhood," a veiled reference to neighboring Pakistan.

The Afghan government has long accused Pakistan, particularly its military institutions, of covertly supporting the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan. Pakistan rejects the accusations.

But Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a public policy research group in Washington, said any friction between Afghanistan and Pakistan should not be an excuse by Kabul not to focus on improving politics and [good] governance.

In a Brookings forum on U.S. policy toward Afghanistan on Tuesday, Felbab-Brown said Washington should engage both militarily and politically with Kabul, adding that the challenges facing Afghanistan are more about the evolution of the political process.
Singaporean pre-school teacher Siti is determined to try for a baby even as Zika infections spread across the Southeast Asian nation. She just does all she can to avoid mosquito bites.

"I really love kids and want to have one of my own," the 37-year-old who declined to give her full name said after a procedure at the fertility clinic of KK Women's and Children's Hospital, the largest facility for women's health in Singapore. "I'm not postponing my pregnancy plans but I'm taking all precautions I can."

The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to a spike in microcephaly, a rare birth defect, in Brazil, which has so far been the hardest hit by an outbreak affecting large parts of Latin America.

Babies born with the defect have undersized heads and brains. In adults, the virus - which can also be sexually transmitted - has been linked to a rare neurological syndrome called Guillain-Barre.

Economists say concerns about the birth defect could dent the Singapore government's efforts to boost the number of babies born to its citizens. The city-state, a major financial hub, has one of the world's lowest birth rates and a rapidly aging society, while more than a third of its 5.5 million population are foreigners.

"It could lead to some delay in people who are going to get pregnant or thinking of getting pregnant," said Michael Wan, an economist at Credit Suisse. "But it's a bit too early to tell."

The low birth rate, and a drive to wean the economy off foreign labor, prompted the government last year to start giving out as much as S$10,000 ($7,400) in cash to Singaporeans who have a baby.

Singapore health authorities have urged pregnant women or those trying to conceive to avoid mosquito bites and take precautions since the first case of locally transmitted Zika was detected on Aug 27. Since then, more than 280 people have become infected, of which two were pregnant.



In their guidelines, they highlight the risks for pregnant women that are associated with Zika. They do not urge women who are otherwise healthy, and whose partners also show no symptoms of infection, to postpone pregnancy.

"Use insect repellent. Practice safe sex for the duration of your pregnancy if your partner has been exposed to Zika," reads the advice for pregnant women on the Singapore government's main online portal. "Note that a positive Zika test may not mean your unborn child is infected or harmed."

Some Expats Consider Relocating

Citing a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Singapore's government portal says Zika infected women have a 1 to 13 percent chance of giving birth to a child with microcephaly.



There is currently no vaccine for Zika, and Singapore has said the virus is likely to be in the country to stay, given the prevalence of the Aedes mosquitoes that carry it in this small, tropical island. Singapore has been battling dengue, another mosquito-borne virus, for decades.

The World Health Organization, which has praised Singapore's handling of the Zika outbreak, recommends people considering pregnancy get counseled about the risks in Zika-affected areas, and are told that their options include delaying pregnancy.

In Singapore, some women are not taking any chance.

"Some patients, particularly expatriates, are calling to ask if they should relocate back to their own home country," said obstetrician Kelly Loi of the Health and Fertility Center for Women.

But Aude Vazart, a French engineer who gave birth in Singapore last week, told Reuters leaving the island to avoid Zika was "too extreme."

"There are thousands of diseases I could get, even in France," the 29-year-old said.

($1 = 1.3473 Singapore dollars)
The Zika virus can live in the eyes, and evidence of the virus has been found in the tears of animals. Scientists say it is not known whether the infection can be spread in humans through tears.

About one-third of babies born with the Zika virus have inflammation of the eyes, sometimes rendering them blind. In adults, Zika has been shown to cause eye infections such as uveitis and conjunctivitis in up to 15 percent of people who are symptomatic.

Researchers studied the eyes of a mouse model of Zika, and discovered that infection of the eye is widespread, according to Michael Diamond, a professor of molecular microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

"There were many different parts of the eye  the cornea, the iris, the retina. All of those seemed to have virus associated with them, in particular cells. And, indeed, the fluid associated with the eye, as well," he reported.

Diamond and his colleagues found the viral RNA was still present in mouse tears 28 days after scientists infected them with Zika.

When investigators tried to infect a group of rodents that did not have Zika with the tears of infected mice, they were unable to do so. However, that does not mean human tears are not infectious. Scientists won't know for certain until human tears are studied, Diamond said.

His team is working with clinicians in Latin America, Puerto Rico and Florida who are treating Zika patients to get samples of human tears for testing.

"Only after doing that will we begin to get a handle as to whether the tears are carrying enough infectious virus to transmit it, or whether there's very small amounts and they're not really transmissible," Diamond said. However, he added, testing bodily fluids  including tears  could be a simple and painless way to diagnose Zika virus.

Investigators are looking for alternative routes of infection, through bodily fluids, because the mosquito-borne virus is spreading more quickly than epidemiologists predicted. It's known that a number of bodily fluids, including semen and saliva, can harbor the virus. Researchers are also investigating whether Zika can be transmitted by vaginal fluid.

The speed of disease transmission is often tracked by the amount of virus contained in the blood. Compared to other mosquito-borne illnesses, such as dengue fever, Diamond said there is relatively little Zika virus in human blood for a mosquito to transmit from person to person through a bite.

The eyes, Diamond said, are considered an "immune-privileged site," meaning the immune system is less active there, so as not to accidently damage delicate eye tissue. The fact that the eyes act as a reservoir for Zika, long after the infection has cleared the rest of the body, could have implications for the natural history of the disease, especially if it's discovered that transmission is possible through human tears.

The finding that eyes harbor the virus  published in the journal Cell Reports  could also have implications for eye tissue transplants from deceased donors to those whose eyesight is impaired.
Zimbabwe's High Court has struck down the government's two-week ban on demonstrations. The ban was announced last Thursday, a day before opposition parties were to hold an anti-government protest in the capital.

But High Court Justice Priscilla Chigumba ruled Wednesday that the government's ban was "invalid" because it was not done according to procedure.

Chigumba issued the ruling despite remarks from President Robert Mugabe lambasting judges who allow Zimbabweans to protest against the 92-year-old president's leadership.

Politician Tendai Biti, a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights who represented the opposition in court, said Mugabe's statements were inappropriate.

"The president's statements are unconstitutional, Biti said. The first function of the president is to uphold the constitution and the bill of rights. So, if the president fails in that function, he must resign or be impeached."

Rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch also have spoken out against the ban.

"President Robert Mugabe's statements undermine Zimbabwe's international law obligations to respect due process and judicial independence, said Dewa Mavhinga of Human Rights Watch. Zimbabweans have a right to peaceful protests and to express their views freely, and judges should not be constrained in enforcing those rights."

It was not immediately known if the opposition will resume protests, which Mugabe says lead to violence in Zimbabwe.
Poachers determined to get horns from any of Zimbabwes rhinos, have a tough decision to make  risk getting killed for getting almost nothing.

Zimbabwe has taken on the tough decision to deface its rhinos in some state-run parks, by cutting off their horns to basically a stub, to save them from poachers who have gone to extreme lengths to get their ivory-filled horns, for use in traditional medicines in some Asian countries.

Veterinarian Lisa Marabini, founder trustee and Director of Operations for AWARE Trust Zimbabwe, is one the many concerned conservationist who believes this strategy is among the limited few to save the rhinos. She said the strategy reduces the reward to risk ratio.

If a poacher is going to come into a Zimbabwean park, hes going to get a very little reward for the huge risk he is taking. Because under Zimbabwean law, park rangers are also authorized to shoot to kill armed poachers in these rhino protection areas.

The de-horning exercise has ended for the year, and was implemented in three of the countrys state run parks, which hold less than 100-rhinos by Marabinis estimate. The rest of the estimated 600-rhinos are on private game reserves, which dont have to follow the policy of the state run parks, to dehorn the rhinos.

Dehorning the rhinos involves tranquilizers and a chainsaw, explained Marabini, which then leaves literally nothing for the poacher to kill the rhino for.

When we dehorn, there is a small amount of horn that is left on the rhino because that tiny bit of horn contains some blood vessels, so we cannot remove that, said Marabini. But its a few hundred grams compared to when the rhino has a seven kg (kilogram) horn on their, you know a fully grown seven kg horn on their face.

Marabini said dehorning, while not the only method to save rhinos, has proved effective in the three parks it has been practiced since 2010.

In two of those areas we have not lost a single white rhino to poachers in the last six years, and in the black rhino area that we assist, the poaching has been reduced dramatically, and we feel that the dehorning has got a lot to do with that.

Along with dehorning, said Marabini, theres equal need for well-trained security personnel.

You need to also have increased security and you have to have your rangers trained almost like the military to deter poachers, to be able to shoot the poachers on sight.

With the threat to rhinos increasing every year, Marabini said they have decided to engage the old age practice of dehorning, initially used in the 90s, to deter poachers for now.

What we are doing now is crisis management, and we have to use every trick in the book to deter poachers, said Marabini.

Dehorning can cost anywhere between $800 and $1,200 per rhino, said Marabini, depending on coverage protecting the rhino, with more dense areas costing higher.
Photo: Mike Windle/Getty Images

Ava DuVernay has been making films for the past eight years, and OWNs Queen Sugar is her first foray into television. Why TV, and why now? Because its the golden era of television, the Academy Awardnominated director of Selma told Vulture, and I want in. In a conversation for the Vulture TV Podcast, Matt Zoller Seitz and DuVernay go deep on what makes the filmmakers directing style so distinctive, properly lighting actors of color, and why she feels shes not as brave as she used to be. Listen to the conversation, and read an edited transcript below:

Its not as if youre lacking for feature-film work these days, and TV is a longer commitment, its like adopting a kid almost. Why television?

I really can directly trace it to Cary Fukunaga and True Detective: First of all, you directed every episode; secondly, its badass. I saw that, and then Soderbergh and The Knick. I just loved that first season so much, and thats when I became very aware  you know, Fincher had already done House of Cards, but I think it was like the pilot

He did the pilot and then he set the style.

He set the style, and thats something that wed seen for a while. But it seemed like maybe four years ago or so it turned into auteurs really coming in and putting their whole stamp on a series beyond the pilot, beyond setting the stage, and I just thought that was fascinating, to tell the 13-hour story, the 8-hour story, you know? I wanted to try it.

You directed the first two episodes of the show, but you also co-wrote it. Can you run through all your roles?

I show-ran, so it was picking every director, all the casting decisions throughout all the episodes, costumes, prepping that stuff because when you go in so fast the episodic directors arent able to final cut on every single thing that we did. You know, its fast  its much different than filmmaking. This pace is nuts if youre approaching it as a director. I talked to Shonda Rhimes about it and said, How do you do this  producer-ily and writing wise? Churning this thing out? Ten years shes been doing it. Multiple series. I mean, of course shes superwoman, but because I was trying to do it with the directors eye and all of the details, it was nuts.

Speaking of the directors eye, heres a question that I get from readers a lot and feel like I know in general what to tell them, but since I have you here maybe you can get a little more specific. How does a show maintain a consistent style over a period of time when there are so many directors?

This was my big concern with the first season, and I think thats why I probably held it even more tightly then I needed because I was afraid of going off the rails a little bit and not being consistently what I set when I started out. And when I look at all of the episodes, its changed, but not in a bad way. Like making a sculpture, youre making a piece and its just your hands. What it would be like if there were 30 hands on it? How do you keep the same form if everyone is putting their hands on it? It may not be exactly the same thing, but that doesnt mean its bad. That was something that I had to learn in having other directors kind of come in.

On Miami Vice theres a legendary anecdote about how Michael Mann issued this edict, no earth tones, for the first few seasons, and I know that other shows have particular rules. Do you have anything?

Yeah, yeah, I hate inserts. I hate them.

Inserts meaning tight close-ups

Shots

Of objects and things?

Yeah. Like, someone goes to pick up the phone, and I dont need another shot of the hand picking up the phone. Like, Im good. I saw it in the wide. Yeah, its a phone. iPhone? Blue case? I got you. I just dont like it. But the main thing in terms of look that keeps the steady hand is the cinematographer. The DP knows what the look is like, knows what the framing is. The editors all know what the editorial rhythm is, and so with a director and actor doing maybe something outside of it, its all good because theyll bring their sensibility to a piece that already has an established aesthetic.

The show is filmed on location in Louisiana, right?

Yeah.

How does that affect the look of the show when youre actually shooting in the place where something is set as opposed to faking it somewhere else?

I was really aware of not wanting to do New Orleans, like, the word that comes to mind is porn. The city has been photographed so much, you think of New Orleans and you think of the same tropes, Bourbon Street, French Quarter, now Katrina. And its more than that. I did not treat the city as a character. Thats the thing that filmmakers say: The city was a character. No, the city was not a character. Our characters lived there. New Orleans is a fabric that just exists. The city is so distinct that you dont have to overcorrect and show it off because it just is in the pores. Like, you know when you drink too much  I dont drink, but people who drink too much and they come home at night and youre like, Youve been drinking, and theyre like, No, I havent! And youre like, Yes! Youre sweating whatever you drink, you know? Its like smoke, it sticks to it. Thats New Orleans.

My brother went to college at Tulane, and when I went to visit him there I felt like I was swimming through tomato soup. Thats how humid it was, it was unreal. The show does have that quality to it. Theres also something about the light on this show. One thing Ive noticed on a lot of shows that are directed or produced by white filmmakers is a lot of times the actors of color are not properly lit. What do you do to make sure that doesnt happen?

This is a historical thing. Usually, you have two people in a scene, and in the history of cinema the hero is most likely going to be the white guy. And the other guy is his friend who is carrying the bag or whatever, and youre not going to light for that guy. Historically, youve had really muddy, unforgiving, unintentional images of black people. So I learned a lot from Bradford Young and Arthur Jafa and Malik Sayeed and the great black cinematographers about how to actually light our skin in a way thats intentional  anyone can do it if you are favoring the darker skin tone. But that doesnt happen. Only because of the context by which most of these scenes in films have happened for so long. The black character, the character of color, is usually the lesser of the two characters in terms of prominence.

What sort of things as a filmmaker can you do with production design and costumes that will make actors of color pop more?

Gosh, there are lots of tricks. The main thing with lighting characters of color is theres just such a variance of tints in skin tone. There are characters we shot in Queen Sugar where their skin looks like yours, and then you see Rutina Wesley or Kofi Siriboe  Nigerian! You know? Its like, whoa, these are two characters I need to favor both, how do I light for both? And you do exactly that, you light each one as if theyre the hero of the story, and it takes a little bit longer and everyone doesnt know how to do it  its not just putting light on  but its not impossible for people to learn. Our Latino cinematographer Antonio Calvache was really extraordinary  he shot Todd Fields films Little Children and In the Bedroom. I wanted to have a cinematographer whod never shot television, who had more a cinematic eye. He agreed, and he was very intentional with the brown skin tones.

How much leeway do the actors have to move about in the frame when theyre acting in a scene? Do you block them out like, You go here, and You say this, or You go there and say that, or do they have the freedom to move in some unexpected way?

Wow. This is really great  this is a directing conversation!

I told you!

How cool. Being a black woman director I very rarely, I can count on one hand and it wouldnt be a full hand the conversations that Ive had about craft. Because its always about diversity, about the first this, the first that. No one is asking me about blocking scenes. Or rehearsal. So I really appreciate that.

Hey, its my pleasure. But this is one of my pet hobby horses, Im kind of on a critical jihad against shows that cut all the time.

Well, we sure dont!

No, you dont! And that was another thing I wanted to ask you about. You were talking about the camera distance, the role camera distance plays, and youve actually got a scene when the grandfather goes to pick up Blue from school and you let most of that play out in wide shot. And then youve got the scene with Ralph Angel and his estranged wife, when he gets out of the pickup truck to confront her, thats also in a wide shot. Most shows, most movies wouldnt do that. They wouldnt stay that far back from people in a moment of extreme emotion. They would go right into their face. Why dont you go right into their face?

Because the story is so emotional, I really have to calibrate the time, the close-ups. So there are some scenes  like the one where the grandfather, the son, and Ralph Angel and his son, Blue, are all in the hospital room  thats all mediums and extreme close-up. ECU, macro, tight  you cant even see a chin and forehead. Youre eyebrow to bottom lip on some of that stuff. I know thats coming, so its just a calibration of it. But also, that scene that you talked about in the parking lot is about distance, you know what I mean?

Emotional distance.

Emotional distance. And, actually, hes moving away, hes trying to get away from her  shes chasing him across the parking lot.

Right, he walks out of the building, and she follows him all the way out to his truck.

Yeah, and so literally its a bit of a chase scene. We have to really find the moments where he would turn back. Why do you turn around here? You cant just do it unmotivated. You would keep walking to the truck. So I had to figure out the pieces  why he would turn? We found a really nice thing  Kofi Siriboe, such a great young actor  where he turned just to hear her out just so he could say a mean thing to her. He turns and says, Yeah, tell me, and she says, I got the job, and hes like, I dont care what you do. Bam.

Theres a saying that I like to quote that a great show or a great movie teaches you how to watch it. The way you get used to the language in a book. And its interesting when you feel like youve gotten used to the language of a show and then it does something like, Oh, that was out of character! One example of that is Ralph Angel with Blue at Blues birthday party  theres a shot where he looks right into the camera and then the boy looks right into the camera. That hadnt happened yet, and I dont think you did it after that.

And it doesnt happen again in the whole series.

Why did you do that?

Because it was there, and you have to be brave enough to say, Im going to shoot it. I said, Im going to shoot it and I dont even know if Im going to use it, but I saw it lined up and I said, Gosh, this does something to me emotionally. Even though its not our visual language, its very moving to me when I cut it. It says so much about what this boy means to him and what the father means to the boy, and I feel like it really does something to the scene, which I really think is a big jewel of this episode, one thats close to my heart. Its this binding together of father and son, and that happens in a really unexpected way by changing those frames.

Im working on A Wrinkle in Time right now, and every scene has six people in it. Im like, What? Sometimes my mind just goes to theres six people in this. The camera movement and where the blocking is is going to be a real fantastic challenge. Because Ive done the dinner-table scenes, Ive done crowd scenes, Ive done marches, Ive done some scenes with a lot of people in it, but six people  I mean 90 percent of the movie there are six people standing around.

Is it true, as directors say, that the hardest thing to shoot is a dinner-table scene? With a lot of people around the table?

I find it easy. Just because theyre all on a certain axis and you can get it done. I do it in pieces. People who are trying to do too much: Get out of that scene. Because it can bury you. It can take all day to get a dinner scene done. It is hard if you make it hard, but I enjoy them.

How many of your decisions visually are driven by what the actors are doing?

Quite a bit. Like the scene youre talking about, with the center frame shot, I just saw it  it was happening in the moment. But to answer that along with your other question is, how much are the actors allowed to move in the frame? I have an idea about what will work, and then Ill usually do a blocking rehearsal where Ill hear what they say. And sometimes with actors I found early on in my work, dont just let them in the room and say, Hey, what do you think? Ooh, no. Dont do it. Because what they think is going to be, I think I turn to the camera here and then the camera follows me here and then  You know what I mean? So I usually start it with, Im thinking it starts in this area and it ends here. Do we want to talk about how it will be a piece? And then as they start moving around the room, its like, Oh no, this is a better idea, or, Oh no, go back. But I always go into a blocking rehearsal with an anchor, with a blocking plan. And sometimes theyll step into the room and theyll be in costume and youre like, That sucks, thats not going to work. Lets think of something new.

It seems to me  and if Im wrong, Im sure youll tell me  that this show has a lot in common with your first two features. The feel of it  not just thematically, like some of the issues that come up like the loss of the matriarch or the patriarch, or a guy adjusting to life after doing time. But also the sparseness of it. The intimacy of it. This is not a big show. This is a small show. Youve got like a dozen characters, you dont got 80.

Thats right, and I loved it. I love going back to that kind of storytelling. Because doing A Wrinkle in Time or Selma or a couple of the other big pilots, I found myself longing for the indie spirit of getting a few actors on a set thats just a house. They say indie films are just people talking in rooms. Um, I love people talking in rooms. I wanted to have people talking about really great stuff in rooms, and yeah, it is really a filmmaking thats similar to what I did before. I was interrogating for myself how much that filmmaking style has changed now that Ive done other things. I feel like I was little braver earlier.

In what way?

Because I didnt know what I was doing. And so its like, Lets try it. And Id get in the editing room and find really interesting things. Now I know how to manage my time, I know how to get more material, which allows me to go into the editing room and put something together, but I dont if the material has, for me, as much of the edge as I feel like I had early on.

So, a couple of really quick, really geeky questions.

Speed round! Ill answer faster.

Youve got a lot of close-ups in the show where a characters head is on the extreme left or on the extreme right-hand side of the frame. Sometimes theyre looking off-screen and theres like two-thirds of negative space. Theres a lot of that kind of thing.

Yeah, I love it. When you short side them it makes this person now feel enclosed and imprisoned, right? I usually use that when theres something I want them to feel trapped [in] or I want them to feel less free in whatever theyre talking about.

You also do a lot of things where youve got close-ups of people where theres nothing in the frame except their face  its almost like theyre a painting. Why do you do that?

Because the terrain of the face is the most dynamic thing you can point the camera at, to me. I love production design and bells and whistles and all of that. I love a technograin as much as the next gal, but a great actors face? What else should we be looking at?

Thats a perfectly great place to end.
To celebrate Carpool Karaoke coming to Apple Music, Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off Wednesdays iPhone 7 announcement event with his own rendition of the popular late-night segment, complete with a guest appearance by James Corden himself. The pair sang both One Republic and Lynyrd Skynyrd, a selection that brought an authentic karaoke-bar experience to the attendees at San Franciscos Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Its all the more proof that James Corden isnt going to stop until hes sung alongside every single person on the Time 100.
Photo: Peter Still/Getty Images

The songwriter behind Meat Loafs massively successful 1977 rock opera Bat Out of Hell, Jim Steinman, is all revved up with a place to adapt his music for the stage. In honor of the albums 40th anniversary, Steinman is writing a musical script featuring his already over-the-top theatrical anthems including, You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night), Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Bat Out of Hell, and Two Out of Three Aint Bad. The show will also feature a few select songs like Id Do Anything for Love (But I Wont Do That) from Bat Out of Hell II, the less-popular (but still five-times platinum in the United States) follow-up that Steinman wrote for Meat Loaf. According to Billboard the play is described as a romantic adventure about rebellious youth and passionate love, set against the backdrop of a post-cataclysmic city adrift from the mainland. Meat Loaf is, as of now, not involved in this particular production, perhaps out of fear of out-acting everyone. Bat Out of Hell is slated to enter previews at Manchester Opera House in England on February 17, 2017 before heading over to Canada. Like heaven, Broadway can wait.
Did you miss Natalie Portmans Black Swan intensity? Well, prepare for your psychological delusions to be answered. Behold the first international (as in mostly in English) trailer for Planetarium, launching exclusively on Vulture. The third film from French director Rebecca Zlotowski (Grand Central), which premieres at the Toronto Film Festival this weekend, features Portman and Lily-Rose Depp as American sisters touring 1930s Europe demonstrating their seeming ability to speak with the dead. Soon, theyve enthralled a powerful French movie producer (Emmanuel Salinger), who hopes to harness their spiritual powers for the cinema, with what looks like dark consequences for the sisters, if not everyone around them. Portman already looks like a lock for an Oscar nomination for Jackie, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis biopic that premiered today in Venice to rave reviews, but she doesnt speak French in that movie, or talk to dead people, or smoke a cigarette in a bubble bath with Lily-Rose Depp. Planetarium for the win.
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Can one support a stronger national security without compromising our American values, without squelching sacred freedoms laid down by nervous Founders in the Bill of Rights? We believe so. In that context, we welcome  however reluctantly  the new bomb-squad vehicle rolled out for inspection last week by McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara.

Yes, we understand the well-meaning patriots among us who naturally resist any militarization of police powers  something of concern to those aforementioned Founders and a topic always worthy of thoughtful debate by those on both sides of the issue. But we no longer live in the 1950s. Today one or two people can deliver plenty of death and mayhem with high-powered, highly precise weaponry, including explosives assembled in a variety of ways through information secured via the internet.

Mere days from the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, the showcasing of this 37-foot-long county bomb-squad vehicle  secured through a $118,000 federal grant that required a matching commitment from county taxpayers  should remind us that we live in anxious times when hateful elements from within and without seek to undermine our republic and exact deadly tolls among fellow citizens. This summers shootings of Dallas police officers  five of them fatalities  plus the threat of explosive devices is but the latest evidence of this.

Trib staffer Kristin Hoppa tells us the bomb-squad vehicle replaces an old ambulance-turned-bomb-response vehicle that county bomb technicians previously used, along with a trailer, for suspected explosive devices (for instance, hand grenades and pipe bombs). McNamara says that, with the new vehicle, the three-man bomb-squad unit finally has room for the units robot and can more promptly cover a greater area. In a Q&A with the Trib editorial board last winter, he acknowledged that the converted ambulance was increasingly unreliable:

When I went into Gillespie County down there at Fredericksburg back in August [2015] when they requested us  nobody would help them, and they called us and we went down there  we had two blowouts on the way down. And so were jacking the thing up  we ran out of spare tires  and, well, we kind of looked like the Beverly Hillbillies going down the road, throwing rubber all over the highway.

Judging from critical comments on the Trib Facebook page, some readers believe this new bomb-squad vehicle is a high-dollar, ego-driven boondoggle that supposedly fiscally judicious county commissioners were foolish to fund to the tune of $117,000. Lets hope the sheriff continues to demonstrate complete transparency in the various ways in which this vehicle is used, if only to quell concerns by those who question its value across much of Central Texas.
ASHLAND  The Ashland-Greenwood Board of Education postponed voting on their 2016-2017 budget and property tax request after a group of farmers raised question during the public hearing on Monday night.

The school board was prepared to pass a budget that would lower the general fund levy just over a cent and a half to 93.5 cents per $100 of valuation, and would have set a total levy of $1.047, also nearly 1.5 cents less than the previous year.

However, a group of farmers raised concerns about increasing taxes on agricultural land and asked that the levy be reduced even further as their property valuations skyrocket.

Randy Beranek, an area farmer and former school board member, said ag land has spiked as much as 200 percent while the schools general fund levy has stayed the same over the past few years.

He noted that the state legislature needs to reform the property tax system, but asked that the school district do their part in the meantime.

I do feel there are some things we could do locally here to help, he said.

Randy Beraneks brother, Rick Beranek, said the amount the school district has received from his ag land in taxes has increased 36 percent every year for five years.

When you have that increase in valuation each year, the levy should be drawn down, he said.

Superintendent Jason Libal said the proposed overall tax levy is the lowest in Saunders County by at least five to 10 cents.

I think thats still being pretty good stewards of our district, he said.

One of the farmers main areas of concern was the districts cash reserve, which would total about $4 million under the budget proposed by the superintendent.

It doesnt seem to me that we cant at least take a million of that back, Randy Beranek said.

Libal said he increased the necessary cash reserve to build up a fund of money that the district could use in case of an emergency. Even so, the amount would only fund the district for five to six months of operation if there was a budget shortfall.

That is the norm, Libal said of the $4 million in cash reserve.

Randy Beranek questioned whether there would ever be a situation where the district would need such a large amount of money.

When are we ever not going to have money coming in as a district? he asked.

Libal said a natural disaster, a major reduction in state aid or a drastic change in the states property tax system that would slash revenue are examples of situations where the district would turn to the cash reserve.

Libal also said he was instructed by officials with the Nebraska Department of Education and former superintendents Dr. Zach Kassebaum and Craig Pease to add to the cash reserve to preserve the districts spending authority. This is Libals first budget as the new superintendent of Ashland-Greenwood Public Schools.

If you dont budget for it, youre going to lose your budget authority in the future, Libal explained.

The state education department uses a complex formula to determine the maximum amount a district can budget. They recommend districts budget as close to that amount as possible, because if they do not, the maximum will drop in future years.

The state lowers your maximum spending authority, your just in case money, Libal said.

The budget also includes a 3.5 cent levy for the special building fund, something the district has not done in recent years but added in the anticipation that new residential areas will be built in the not-too-distant future.

We have to plan for future growth, said Board Member Kevin Garner.

Randy Beranek said he has done a lot of research on the tax levy and asked the board to take another look at the numbers before adopting the budget and property tax resolution.

When I was on the board I didnt study this as much as I did the last two months, he said.

Libal said there is a possibility that they could find ways to reduce the levy.

There is potential in lowering the general fund levy, he said.

Libal would not recommend lowering the bond fund levy further, however, because the proposed levy already dropped from 11 cents to 8 cents, he added.

After discussing the matter for over 90 minutes, the board voted to postpone adopting the budget and the property tax resolution, directing Libal to crunch the numbers to see what a lower general fund levy would do.

Ill do some work and Ill see what I can figure out, he said.

Because the budget and property tax resolution must be turned in to the state by Sept. 20, the board set a special meeting for Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. to vote on the items.
WAHOO  County department heads met face-to-face with the Saunders County Board of Supervisors Tuesday to address tweaks in their budgets for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

After receiving the boards proposals for department budgets last week, several officials approached the board with requests for more money, adjustments and explanations.

Saunders County Public Defender Thomas Kleins received a board-proposed budget of $242,699, but proposed to the board a budget of $250,000.

He explained his requested budget was due to an increase in juvenile cases, and that labor is contracted.

Specifically, the labor includes that worker traveling to meet with juvenile clients in their various placements, which include shelter, foster and other out-of-home placements in Omaha, Lincoln, Norfolk and Aurora.

The board agreed to an increase in the Public Defenders budget, but only to $246,700.

Extension Educator Dave Varner approached the board regarding potential changes that would include consolidating two part-time staff members into one full-time position.

Consolidation is being considered due to the retirement of a long-time 4-H support staff member.

The question to the board from Varner was whether that position would be contracted through the University of Nebraska at Lincoln or whether it would be a county employee.

Ultimately, due to the high cost of insurance and benefits, the board approved the contract position with UNL and agreed to increase the Extension budget from last years $89,313 to $91,475.

Supervisor David Lutton said the board can terminate the contract within 90 days. They will reassess the contract in January due to potential insurance increases by UNL and determine whether it is better to leave the position as one contracted with the university or to make the individual a county employee.

Supervisor Scott Sukstorf said increases like these might be coming to an end soon, especially since the county does not receive real estate tax on the thousands of acres the Extension operates.

When budget cuts do come, some of these may go to zero, said Sukstorf, who warned several times during the meeting that programs may be cut by half or in whole due to looming drops in ag land valuations.

Saunders County Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz approached the board, stating he sent a memorandum to clarify some of his expenses.

Some increases included backup for their computer system, as well as some investigation expenses.

Both his and Jail Administrator Brian Styskals budget will have further increases in wages due to ongoing union negotiations.

Styskals bottom line at this point is $2,045,713.25. Lutton assured him he would get that number, stating the board is ok with where they are at because of the unknown increases in wages.

Though not in attendance, Weed Superintendent Ed Sladkys budget was addressed.

His request for a $25,000 budget increase, which was for new transportation, was denied.

Lutton said his budget would be near $60,000 and not the requested $85,000.

County Attorney Steven Twohig approached the board, requesting a minimal increase of $2,500 for subscriptions for training.

The board agreed with his request, putting his budget at $403,000.

Supervisor Ed Rastovski brought up a previous request for an increase for the Saunders County Historical Society.

Lutton said any notion of increase for the Historical Society is on hold for him, due to the $500,000 they have in the bank.

But, Supervisor Craig Breunig said most of that money is designated for specific uses and not able to be used for their current needs.

In a straw poll, the board voted 4-3 to increase the Historical Societys budget by $10,000, making it $35,000. The three no votes would have preferred an increase of $5,000.

Wage increases across the board include a three percent increase for elected officials deputies and administrative assistants, a four percent increase for all bargaining employees with the Fraternal Order of Police contract, a three percent increase for bargaining employees with the Department of Roads and Courthouse union contracts and a three percent increase for all non-bargaining employees.

With these increases, the board is still optimistic about its approach to the levy and tax request.

Supervisor Ed Rastovski said valuations are up 3.8 percent this year and that will help when still making the same tax request.

We know were going to need money in reserve, but weve set up the county responsibly. Were set up well in the bond fund, Lutton said.

We could do better if it wasnt for fear of what the legislature could do, Rastovski said.

The board will have all final calculations and adjustments by Sept. 13, when they are expected to approve the budget.

On Oct. 13, the board is expected to set the levies and the board of equalization will levy the necessary taxes.
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Iron ore shipments from Port Hedland, the world's largest bulk-export terminal, have swelled to a record, offering fresh evidence of strong supply and underpinning forecasts of lower prices through the year-end.

Exports from the terminal in WA's Pilbara region totalled 42.9 million metric tons in August from 38.7 million in July and 39.2 million a year earlier, data from the Pilbara Ports Authority showed Wednesday. Cargoes to China were 35.4 million tons, also an all-time high, from 32.5 million in July and 33.9 million in August 2015.

A train as it is being loaded with iron ore to be transported to the company's Port Hedland facility for export. Credit:Carla Gottgens

The surge adds to signs of robust low-cost supply that Citigroup and Morgan Stanley have predicted will increase through the end of 2016, hurting prices that have soared 36 per cent this year. Even miner BHP Billiton said this month it expects iron ore to begin retreating as the under-performance of supply in the first half is expected to reverse over the next 12 to 18 months.

"The data show that supply-side pressure is definitely building," said Dang Man, an analyst at Maike Futures in Xi'an, China. "While the price decline may not be immediate as September is typically a strong period for Chinese demand, come October, we'll begin to see iron ore coming under pressure."
On Monday, Tom Switzer wrote in praise of John Howard's handling of One Nation 1.0, arguing that by refusing to either demonise or court Pauline Hanson, he defused the party's political potential. Switzer is right to claim that Howard never really denounced One Nation's anti-immigration message, or the racist overtones with which it was delivered. But his account involves some historical revisionism  or at least some serious omission. If we forget the full details of Howard's response and One Nation's downfall, we may learn entirely the wrong lessons from our political past. Firstly, Switzer argues that Howard made the right call by taking a middle road  neither making overtures to Hanson, as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott have since this year's election, nor joining with the "pompous editorials" which depicted One Nation's message as unfit for civilised political debate. Pauline Hanson's One Nation voting base was decimated by John Howard in the 2001 federal election. Credit:Tertius Pickard While Howard may not have explicitly endorsed Hanson's message or made an alliance with her, he was increasingly concerned with making in-roads into her voting base, especially as the 2001 federal election approached. With Labor looking set for victory, the combination of the 9/11 terrorist attacks (just two months before election day) and the Tampa scandal provided the opportunity Howard needed to co-opt elements of Hanson's message. Howard was able to channel voters' fears about immigration and national security into an appeal built on "border protection"  the famous promise that "we will decide who comes to this country, and the circumstances under which they come". Hard as it is to believe given Hanson's anti-Muslim rhetoric today, her message about the "Asian invasion" was a little out of step in late 2001, and Howard's strongman routine worked well enough to swing the election.

Hanson said later that "John Howard sailed home on One Nation policies ... in short, if we were not around, John Howard would not have made the decisions he did". Well, she would argue that, of course. But it's not a minority opinion. As Tim Flannery writes: "Up until the Tampa, One Nation had been a focal point for disaffected Labor and conservative voters. John Howard swallowed up that latter lot in one gulp  voting Liberal was the natural result after the destruction of One Nation." The journalist Peter Mares concurs: "There was no longer any need for Coalition parties to debate unseemly preference swaps  in the wake of the Tampa, the second preferences of One Nation supporters, if not their primary votes, were in the bag." To depict Howard as the principled yet savvy strategist who led the country safely through the choppy waters of Hansonism is to misread history. He got lucky, and his political opportunism transformed asylum seekers into the wedge issue we know today. Switzer also seems to give Howard substantial credit for One Nation's subsequent electoral demise. Borrowing from sections of the One Nation hymn book did peel off some of its voters. But we also shouldn't forget the impact of internal party factors in the decline. After hitting its electoral peak around 1996-97, One Nation had near-continuous problems with infighting, including a lawsuit over the centralisation of control within the party. These culminated in the 2000 expulsion of NSW Legislative Council member David Oldfield, and his formation of the breakaway party One Nation NSW in 2001. There was also lingering allegations of dodgy use of public electoral funding; Hanson's 2003 conviction and jailing for electoral fraud was later overturned, but the political damage was done. Reassessing Howard's role matters because it changes the present-day prescription for Turnbull's government. If they can wait long enough for Hanson to trip herself up, they should (with four times as many Senators, it's looking good). And if they can't ignore One Nation, they face an immediate choice about whether to co-opt or go on the offensive. They should take the high road  not just because it would be disappointing to see a major party aping One Nation's racist, insular rhetoric. It also happens to make political sense. One argument is that failing to criticise One Nation carries a higher cost now than it did 20 years ago, with the growth of support for left-leaning minor parties like the Greens in the Senate and the wider electorate. But Turnbull's cross-over appeal to those groups has faded, if it was ever that solid to begin with.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has pledged a "full-court press" against a renewed terror threat to Australia from the Islamic State group, warning of the danger of so-called lone wolf actors and radialisation.

A day after the group's latest call for followers to stab, shoot, poison and run over Australians at iconic attractions including the MCG and Bondi Beach, Mr Turnbull said Australia's federal agencies and regional governments needed to be very alert to the threat of lone actors.

Speaking from the ASEAN Summit in Laos, Mr Turnbull said the threat came as Islamic State was coming under increased pressure on the battlefield in Syria and in Iraq and seeing its territorial gains rolled back.

The losses could see terrorists resort to attacks outside of the Middle East, Mr Turnbull warned.
Vientinae, Laos: US President Barack Obama, declaring that it was time to pull America's secret war in Laos from the shadows, has committed to spending $US90 million ($117 million) to remove 80 million unexploded bombs the US dropped on the country a generation ago.

Obama, the first sitting US president to visit Laos, recalled that the United States had dropped more than 2 million tons of bombs on this country during the height of the Vietnam War, more than it dropped on Germany and Japan during World War II. That made Laos, per capita, the most heavily bombed country in human history.

Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachit, left, and US President Barack Obama inspect an honour guard at the Presidential Palace in Vientiane, Laos. Credit:AP

"Villages and entire valleys were obliterated," Obama said. "Countless civilians were killed. That conflict was another reminder that, whatever the cause, whatever our intentions, war inflicts a wrenching toll, especially on innocent men, women and children."

At the time, the United States did not publicly acknowledge its combat operations in Laos, a CIA-directed expansion of the war against the communist North Vietnamese. Even now, the president said, many Americans were unaware of their country's deadly legacy here.
Oxford: US Defence Secretary Ash Carter lashed out at Russia on Wednesday, accusing the government of President Vladimir Putin of demonstrating a "clear ambition to erode" international order and warning Russia to stay out of the US elections.

Speaking at Oxford University, Carter used language that evoked a time before the fall of the Berlin Wall, when leaders in Washington and Moscow were entrenched global adversaries.

"The United States does not seek a cold, let alone a hot war, with Russia," Carter said. "But make no mistake: We will defend our allies, the principled international order and the positive future it affords all of us."

He also warned Moscow that Washington "will not ignore attempts to interfere with our democratic processes", a clear reference to the FBI investigation into allegations that Russia hacked into computer systems of the Democratic National Committee.
Karras Elected WSU Board of Trustees Chair

September 6, 2016

OGDEN, Utah  Nolan Karras was elected chair of the Weber State University Board of Trustees at its monthly meeting Sept. 6. Trustee Louenda Downs was elected vice chair.

I am proud to continue my association with my alma mater  an association that dates back to the late 1960s, Karras said. It is an honor to serve as chair of the trustees and further promote all the outstanding work and success happening at Weber State.

Louenda Downs and Nolan Karras, Sept. 6

Karras, the CEO and chairman of The Karras Company Inc., a national financial advisory firm graduated from Weber State College in 1970. He was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2013. Karras is also co-chair for Education First, a statewide, citizen-based political action committee that promotes education. A certified public accountant, Karras was elected to the Utah Legislature from 1981 to 1990, where he served as speaker of the house. He spent 12 years on the Utah Board of Regents, including four years as chair from 2001 to 2005.

A WSU trustee since 2014, Louenda Downs is a former Davis County Commissioner and Commission Chair. She earned her bachelors degree from Weber State in education with an emphasis in art and music. After teaching elementary-aged children in Davis County for seven years, Downs was elected to serve eight years on the Davis Board of Education, and was a member of the Utah Board of Education State Association Board.

The election of Karras and Downs was the first order of business for the board, which also welcomed its newest member, Greg Woodfield, 2016-17 WSU student body president. Woodfield will serve a one-year term on the trustees as part of his duties as president.

As a trustee, Karras succeeds Alan E. Hall, who had served as chairman of the WSU board since 2010. Hall will remain on the Board of Trustees until his successor is approved by the Utah State Senate and sworn-in at next months meeting.

Eight of the universitys 10 trustees are appointed by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and approved by the Senate before being sworn in. Appointees are eligible to serve two four-year terms.

The student body president and the alumni association president Heather Hales, which are not appointed positions, serve one- and two-year terms respectively.

Karen Fairbanks, Scott Parson, Steve E. Starks, Jeff M. Stephens and Kevin Sullivan round out the 10-member board.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
Even with 5-0 lead, Verlander can't get 1st World Series win
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Sep. 06, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 06, 2016 | 09:40 PM | PADUCAH, KY

A southern Illinois man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after an incident that began at Barkley Regional Airport.



McCracken County Sheriff Jon Hayden issued a press release saying his agency was contacted by the Pope County Sheriff's Department about 27-year-old Matthew C. Werner of Golconda. He had just received an eight-year prison sentence for burglary, but had not returned after getting a brief furlough. Pope County authorities believed Werner might be at Barkley Regional Airport to return a rental vehicle.



Sheriff Hayden said that Werner arrived at the airport about 4 pm, and a security officer tried to detain him. The officer said Werner assaulted him and tried to take his handgun, then fled the airport in a car.



About five minutes later, a deputy who had been dispatched to the scene spotted the car on Lightfoot Road. He pursued the vehicle onto Mayfield-Metropolis Road to U.S. Highway 62. Deputies say when Werner pulled into a gravel parking lot at the intersection of Blandville and Fisher Roads, he rammed a cruiser driven by one deputy, but was blocked by another.



Deputies say Werner got out of the car and began struggling with them before he was handcuffed and arrested. When the vehicle was checked, a three-year-old child was found strapped into a car seat. An open container of alcohol was also allegedly found in the car, and deputies say Werner was in possession of methamphetamine. After deputies determined that the Werner was the father of the child, it was taken to Lourdes Hospital to be checked for injuries. Since no immediate family was nearby, the Kentucky Department of Children and Families was notified to help with the situation.



The deputies involved had minor scrapes and did not require medical attention.



Werner was jailed on numerous charges. Those include being a fugitive from justice, two counts of 1st degree fleeing or evading police, three counts of 3rd degree assault on a police officer, attempting to disarm an officer, two counts of 1st degree wanton endangerment, DUI, reckless driving, and possession of methamphetamine.



Sheriff's Department says the investigation is continuing.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Sep. 07, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 07, 2016 | 03:34 AM | PADUCAH, KY

A two-vehicle collision in McCracken County Tuesday night left two people injured.



According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Office, the crash happened at around 6:30 pm on US Hwy 45. Deputies said 36-year-old Beth Matheny, of Wingo, was driving north on US Hwy 45. As she came upon another northbound vehicle, police said she failed to notice that the vehicle was traveling slower than the posted speed limit and struck it.



The vehicle was driven by 19-year-old Cornelias McElrath, of Union City, TN. Deputies said McElrath was following a relative who was having trouble with his hazard lights activated. Police said McElrath was traveling 45 to 50 mph due to the slow-moving vehicle that he was escorting.



The crash caused McElraths vehicle to leave the roadway on the east side and overturn, landing on the vehicles wheels. Both drivers were transported by Mercy Regional EMS to area hospitals for treatment of their injuries.



US 45 was restricted to one lane of traffic for approximately an hour and a half for the investigation and clean-up of the crash.


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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Sep. 07, 2016 | METROPOLIS, IL

By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 07, 2016 | 12:24 PM | METROPOLIS, IL

A Metropolis man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after a police pursuit that prompted a school closing, and a standoff at a Metropolis home.



Massac County Sheriff Ted Holder says deputies responded at around 4:00 am Tuesday to a report of a shot being fired at a home near Joppa. Holder said that the suspect, 28-year-old Justin Lamer had fled the scene by the time deputies arrived. Metropolis Police Officers saw Lamer driving later that morning and pursued him. Lamer crashed his vehicle after a short pursuit, then fled on foot.



Holder says officers notified the Joppa-Maple Grove School District that Lamer might be in the area, prompting school officials to cancel classes for the day as a precaution.



At around 9:00 am Metropolis Police learned that Lamer had barricaded himself in a Metropolis home. Police spent several hours negotiating with Lamer, and took him into custody at around 4:00 pm without incident.



Lamer was booked into the Massac County Detention Center on charges of domestic battery, aggravated fleeing/eluding, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and possession of cannabis. He also faces charges from a previous warrant.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 07, 2016 | 03:16 PM | GRAVES COUNTY, KY

Two people face burglary and firearms charges in Graves County.

Graves County sheriff's deputies received information on Friday that 30-year-old Angel Medina, of Mayfield, would be walking in the area of East Hunt Road and KY 1241. Medina reportedly had two warrants for his arrest out of Graves County and one warrant for his arrest out of McCracken County.

One of the warrants out of Graves County was for a probation violation in a felony case. Medina was also a suspect in a recent residential burglary that took place in the Melber area.

Deputies converged on the area and saw Medina and his girlfriend, 31-year-old Stephanie Burdette, of Paducah, walking westbound on East Hunt Road. As deputies approached, Medina and Burdette both fled on foot. Both were captured after a brief foot chase.

While Medina was running from deputies, he reportedly retrieved a black handgun from his waistband and tossed it into the air. Deputies confirmed that the handgun was one of two handguns that were stolen on August 29 from a home in the Melber area. During an interview, Medina allegedly confessed that he and Burdette burglarized the home that the gun was stolen from.

Medina was lodged in the Graves County Jail and charged with 1st degree burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and fleeing/evading police. He was also served with the outstanding warrants for his arrest out of Graves and McCracken counties.

Burdette was charged with 1st degree burglary. She was also served with an outstanding McCracken County Circuit Court Warrant for failing to comply with drug court orders.
By The Associated Press

By The Associated Press Sep. 06, 2016 | 07:29 PM | FRANKFORT, KY

Former University of Kentucky board chairman Billy Joe Miles has been charged with rape, sodomy and bribing a witness.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports a grand jury indicted the 76-year-old Miles on Tuesday in Daviess County Circuit Court on one count each of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and bribing a witness. The rape allegedly occurred on or about July 2. The person making the allegation isn't identified.

The newspaper wasn't able to reach Miles or his lawyer, Nick Goetz of Owensboro, for comment.

Daviess County sheriff's office Capt. Bill Thompson confirmed that the defendant is a former UK board member.

Arraignment is set for Sept. 26.

Miles served three terms on the board between 1995 and 2013 and was chairman from September 1999 to September 2002 and chairman pro tem from July 2010 to September 2010.

___

Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 07/09/2016 (2243 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg author David Bergen and his latest book Stranger have made the 12-book long list for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, Canadas richest literary award.

Bergens new novel  his latest since 2014s Leaving Tomorrow  was published Tuesday by HarperCollins and launched the same night at McNally Robinson Booksellers.

Stranger revolves around a young Guatemalan woman working in a fertility clinic who falls in love with an American doctor. When the doctor returns home to the U.S., she is forced to make a treacherous journey across America.

Aaron Harris / The Canadian Press files Winnipeg author David Bergen celebrates after winning the Giller Prize for his 2005 novel The Time in Between.

It always is absolutely surprising  I never take something like that for granted, Bergen said, referring to making the Giller list. Ive had books where there have been no nominations. But Ive been very fortunate. Its very exciting. The Giller still holds a fair amount of clout.

Bergen won the Giller Prize in 2005 for his novel The Time in Between, was long-listed for 2008s The Retreat and was short-listed for 2011s The Matter With Morris. Both The Retreat and The Matter With Morris won the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award at the Manitoba Book Awards in the respective years they were published.

In 2015, the year Andre Alexis won for his novel Fifteen Dogs, the Scotiabank Giller Prize jury expanded from three jurors to five. This years jury included Canadian writers Lawrence Hill, Jeet Heer and Kathleen Winter, along with Scottish writer Alan Warner and British author Samantha Harvey. They whittled down the 161 submitted books to a dozen.

With the jury having grown to five people, its impossible to figure out what theyre going to do  which is crazy to begin with, Bergen said. Even as a jury member  having sat on a jury before  its impossible to predict what a jurys going to do. 

The five-book/author shortlist will be announced Sept. 26 and the prize awarded Monday, Nov. 7. Each of the shortlisted authors receives $10,000; the winner gets $100,000.

But Bergen wont be preoccupied with worry over whether he and his book will move forward; he has several readings planned for the fall (including at the Winnipeg International Writers Festival on Sept. 30).

David Bergen's new novel Stranger went on sale Tuesday, Sept. 6.

All of it is out of my control, he said. Its already been decided. I try not to think about it  theres nothing to think about except your own emotions about it.

books@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 07/09/2016 (2243 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The numbers are down at the University of Winnipeg, but only slightly.

First-term enrolment has dropped by 200 from last fall  to 9,287  in preliminary numbers, university officials said Wednesday.

But self-identified indigenous student numbers remain strong and international and graduate student numbers are up this September compared to a year ago.

For the second consecutive year, new undergraduate students self-identifying as indigenous comprise 12 per cent of the student body, making the University of Winnipeg among the strongest in Canada for indigenous participation, president Annette Trimbee said.

International student enrolment is up 13.5 per cent, predominantly because of more students from China, Nigeria, India and Germany.

The university, which takes an official count in November, says overall enrolment is about 10,000 students, some of whom attend either the first or second semester, not both.

One of our core missions at the University of Winnipeg is to attract and support a wide diversity of students, with a particular focus on those who have been under-represented in post-secondary institutions such as inner-city students, adult learners with families, indigenous and new Canadian students, Trimbee said.

We consider this our greatest strength.

Undergraduate credit hours  from which tuition fees are calculated  are down marginally from a year ago. About 75 per cent of full-time students are undergrads. Their number dropped from 9,278 to 9,055 this year, while the number of graduate students has increased from 209 to 232.

When all programs  including the Collegiate high school, English-language program, the professional, applied and continuing education students, and the new Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts on campus  are combined, the U of W attracts more than 14,000 people to Winnipegs downtown and West End daily.

Meanwhile, Brandon University said its initial head count last Friday was up five per cent compared to a year ago.

The University of Manitoba is expected to release some preliminary numbers Thursday.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 07/09/2016 (2243 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Arriving in Berlin on the weekend, I was struck by how the refugee issue continues to be a hot-button topic for Germans. The big shockwave was the election results from the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerani, which is the region encompassing German Chancellor Angela Merkels federal constituency in the Bundestag, the national parliament of Gemany. Here, Merkels Christian Democrats finished third behind the Alternative for Germany (AFD), a populist nationalist party that ran on an anti-immigration platform zeroing in on Merkels announcement just one year ago that opened the door for one million refugees escaping the turmoil in Syria and Iraq.

At a gathering of academics and politicians Sunday night, this election was seen as a game-changer, a wake-up call that the chancellor was going to need to counter the growing criticism of her policies from the far right if she intends to run for a fourth term next year. There is no doubt her presence is sorely needed if there is to be an ongoing, effective European response to a refugee crisis that is far from over.

The problem she faces is an ambivalence in the population about the effect of her open-door policy. There is a housing shortage. The sexual harassment by young refugee men in Cologne last New Years Eve rankles many, the Islamic State-sponsored attacks by asylum-seekers have raised security fears and the rising doubts about the cultural impact of the mainly Muslim new arrivals is taking a toll. This was put simply by Joachen Bittner, political columnist for Die Zeit, who wrote this weekend: A year ago the country opened its doors to refugees. It still doesnt know what to do next.

BERND SCHOELZVHEN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Refugees walk past containers as smoke billows in the background at the refugee camp near Kassel, Germany, in August.

Its that question that brings me to Berlin. Ive been invited by the Bosch Academy to be part of a team drawn from different parts of the world to meet and exchange with Germans from various sectors to see whether there is a pathway to finding what to do next. We are to offer our different perspectives, share lessons and hopefully find some co-operative international solutions.

What is clear not only for the Germans, but for all of us, is that the present system for managing refugees (and migrants in general) is not working. Its out of date, out of resources and out of favour. Merkels precarious political situation would be improved if there were an agreement internationally to share the responsibility for added settlement and improved security of transit for the refugees. Already this year, 3,000 people have perished in the risky Mediterranean crossing.

One policy that has drawn interest as a possible template for reform is looking at the Canadian model. In the eyes of many commentators and policy-makers, Canada represents a place that offers an unique alternative to the raspy, anti-immigration politics growing in strength worldwide.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed the basic premise of that model in a speech in London early in his term.

Canada has learned how to be strong not in spite of our differences, but because of them, and going forward that capacity will be at the heart of both our success, and of what we offer the world. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion isnt about Canadians being nice and polite  though of course we are. In fact, this commitment is a powerful and ambitious approach to making Canada, and the world, a better, and safer, place.

And with that, he announced Canada would accept 25,000 Syrian refugees. By all reports the government is planning a new intake to meet the demand from public community sponsors who are waiting for their chance to support a refugee family. As Michael Adams of Environics has reported, support for Syrian refugee resettlement has increased among Canadians.

Imagine what a contrast that is to what Catherine Dauvernge, dean of law at the University of British Columbia, has described as a new politics of immigration that uses fear to create identity  a fixation on making people illegal, forming culture on core values, creating a monoculture. No multiculturalism among the apostles in Europe of closing doors, even though multiculturalism works in Canada, and we should be saying so.

As scholars such as Will Kymlicka and John Berry have noted, multiculturalism is not only embedded in our Constitution, it is a significant element of our culture. Diversity is a valuable resource, as is equal access for newcomers to education, jobs, health and the rule of law. As we know well here in Manitoba, the provincial policy of increased immigration has been a major factor in our economic growth.

But while that case can be made, as the prime minister has done, that attracting new people to our shores is good for Canada, the question is: can it be transferable to the politics and culture of Europe? That will be on the agenda for our meetings during the next several weeks.

Moreover, it is a question that our government will try to answer on a global level a couple of weeks from now at the United Nations, which will be the site of a major summit on refugees. Can the Canadian model be useful in helping to shape a working global model to meet the pressures of the worldwide movement of people escaping persecution, strife and starvation?

Lloyd Axworthy is a former federal Liberal foreign affairs minister and former president of the University of Winnipeg. He is the chancellor of St. Pauls University College at the University of Waterloo.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 07/09/2016 (2243 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Its hard not to look at whats happening in North Dakota without wondering if similar protests could be on their way in Canada. Hundreds of aboriginals from tribes across the United States have set up a camp to protest the construction of a pipeline to run under the Missouri River. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is concerned the pipeline could jeopardize its reserves drinking water and destroy sacred sites.

Standing Rock lawyers filed papers Friday in Federal Court documenting that the route for the Dakota Access pipeline would go through a burial site and would disturb artifacts that are both culturally and historically significant. On Saturday, the company began bulldozing the site, and activists swarmed the area to prevent further damage. A private security company responded with pepper spray and dogs in an effort to push the crowd back. On Monday, the Obama administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which had approved the pipeline, announced they supported the temporary restraining order.

If ever there was a lesson in how not to deal with First Nations protests, this would be it. The image of snarling dogs with muzzles wet with the blood of protesters invoked the memories of Selma and Birmingham during civil rights activists protests against segregation. There are conflicting stories coming out of North Dakota in terms of injuries, but the images remain, raising questions about the need for a private security company to go to these lengths.

MANUEL VALDES / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Lummi Nation totem pole

The US$3.8-billion pipeline is expected to pump much-needed revenue into a state that has been decimated by the downturn in the oil and gas industry. Thousands of jobs will be created and more than US$40 million in taxes for the state generated, but for many, it comes at too high a cost, with damage to the environment and the destruction of sacred burial grounds.

Is this foreshadowing what could happen if the Energy East pipeline is approved? Last week, the National Energy Board hearing into the construction of the national pipeline was suspended after a protest in Montreal turned ugly. There are a number of issues of concern, including a potential bias with two NEB staff members as well as chairman and CEO Peter Watson and panel members Jacques Gauthier and Lyne Mercier after it was revealed they met with then-TransCanada consultant and former Quebec premier Jean Charest in January 2015. There also ongoing concerns there hasnt been enough consultation with indigenous groups about the pipeline and its effect on water quality.

On Monday, there was a peaceful protest in Winnipeg against the Energy East pipeline with more than 100 people  many of them First Nations  descending on Portage and Main to denounce the project with signs that read water is sacred and keep it in the ground. With them was a brightly painted totem pole that had completed an 8,050-kilometre journey, including a stop in Standing Rock.

The Trudeau government must take its lessons from the Dakota Access pipeline and find a way to rebuild Canadians  and First Nations  faith in energy consultations. There must be a clear message that the bid to create jobs and grow the economy cannot and will not come at the expense of the environment. There also has to be a way to ensure that First Nations in this country feel consulted and their fears regarding water safety are taken seriously. The NEB hearings need to be viewed as legitimate and not a toothless extension of the interests of big oil. Or count on more disruptions and more protests.
Two men accused in a pair of armed robberies made their first appearance in Winona County District Court Tuesday.

Xzaviar Dominique Rian Aune, 18, of Winona, and Alex Boyd, 37, of Chicago, Ill., appeared before Judge Mary Leahy, each charged with first-degree aggravated robbery and second degree assault.

Assistant County Attorney Kevin OLaughlin asked bail be set at $150,000 for each of the men, citing the serious nature of the crime and the potential danger posed to the community.

Aunes attorney, Kurt Knuesel, argued that his clients role in the robbery was exaggerated and that participation in the incident was out of character.

He produced letters of support from teachers and friends, people whove known Mr. Aune all of his life, citing his record of community service and positive character. He pointed to a program to provide blankets and pillowcases to hospitalized children that Aune initiated as a 15-year-old.

This young man surely doesnt threaten the community, Knuesel said, asking that Aune be released without bail, but restricted to his parents home and attendance at school.

Boyds attorney, Christine Ledebuhr, argued for reduced conditional bond for her client as well.

Leahy responded by setting unconditional bond for both defendants at $150,000; with conditional bond for Aune set at $50,000, and for Boyd at $75,000.

According to court documents and information provided by Winona police, just after 10 p.m. Friday the Winona Police Department responded to Broadway and Johnson streets for a complaint by two college-age men claiming to having been robbed at gunpoint by three men. The victims said the men pointed guns at them and demanded their belongings. The robbers relieved the men of cellphones, a wallet and backpack, then fled west in a silver SUV.

Minutes later, at 10:22 p.m., officers responded to a report of an armed robbery near Lake Boulevard and Clarks Lane. An individual was walking on Lake Boulevard when he was approached by a man who extended his right hand, holding a silvery object, and demanded, Give me everything youve got.

Show me your gun, was the reply, and the would-be robber laughed, turned away to join another man and walked off toward Heights Boulevard, according to police.

At 11:05 p.m., an officer spotted a silver SUV matching the description given by the men robbed on Broadway. The vehicle was stopped near West Sarnia Street and Sioux Street. Four men inside  Aune, Boyd and two Winona boys, aged 16 and 17  were arrested without incident. A .22-caliber Ruger handgun and items taken in the Broadway robbery were recovered from the vehicle.

Omnibus hearings for both men were scheduled for Sept. 26.

Hearings for the 16- and 17-year-old boys were held Tuesday as well, but juvenile proceedings are closed to the public and the names of juvenile defendants are not public record unless specifically released by the court.
Well, it's that time of year again: When all the college students return, and when our personal property starts to disappear.

Last night my beautiful Zen Girl statue was taken from next to my front door. We can add this to the list of things we've had taken over the years: too many American flags to count, flowerpots, birdhouses, a gazing ball, a hammock, a patio chair (part of a matching set), and more.

We can also add property damage: a brick thrown at the side of a car, a pumpkin thrown through our living room window, and car damage from attempted break-ins.

Welcome to Winona, college kids. I hope you enjoy my things as much as I wanted to enjoy them.

Lori Vietor,

Winona
Local apple growers have high hopes for this years harvest, despite suffering setbacks from unusually cold temperatures last spring.

Wisconsin Apple Growers Association Executive Director Anna Maenner said freezing temperatures in May caused frost damage at some orchards around the state. The damage was very spotty, she said. Some locations seemed to get hit harder than others.

Ski-Hi Fruit Farm Operations Manager Jake Franzen said the Baraboo orchard was one of the affected locations. The frost knocked off about 80 percent of the crop in the lower part of the orchard, he said.

Because of the damage, Ski-Hi Fruit Farm will not have many Macown or Empire apples this fall.

Franzen said the late frost either killed the apple blossoms or caused russeting, which is a discoloration on the skin of the fruit. The skin damage doesnt actually affect the taste of the fruit but makes it harder to sell to customers.

My dilemma now is how to market that fruit, Franzen said. For damaged, high-value apples like Honey Crisp, well still pack it out and explain to customers what it is.

Franzen said the losses also slowed the orchards apple cider production. Ive gotten a lot of requests for cider, but our production was down in general, so I didnt have enough apples to do the cider press, he said. The frost definitely played a part.

Ski-Hi Fruit Farm sells a wide variety of apples, baked goods and other locally sourced produce but its apple cider is well-known.

Franzen said Ski-Hi cider is different from most other orchards because it isnt pasteurized. Its all natural  we dont alter it in any way, he said. We run the apples through the grinder, press it out and bottle it from our tank.

Franzen expects to have fresh apple cider for sale by Sept. 14.

Maenner said some of the states orchards were able to avoid frost damage by using new technologies that allow apples to continue growing even if the blossoms are damaged.

The apple harvest season in Wisconsin typically runs from late July through October, and different cultivars  or types of apples  ripen at different times. Maenner said warm temperatures are speeding up the normal timeline, putting orchards currently in the middle of Macintosh season.

Maenner said the best time to pick depends on the desired apple, but she encourages everyone whos interested in harvesting to get out sooner than later.

All throughout fall, there are apples that are coming ripe that are good for eating and cooking, she said.
The people responsible for the Portage splash pad have a new project: building a band shell in Pauquette Park.

The group, the Portage Service Clubs Association (PSCA), officially proposed the estimated $300,000 project to the Parks and Recreation Board Tuesday.

Nice parks and facilities bring people to the area, said the PSCAs George Beasley. We hope to go ahead.

The PSCA wants to reach an agreement with the city to build the structure, raise about half the funds for construction, and see installation occur in 2018.

The most notable use for the band shell would be the annual Concert in the Park featuring the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Other uses could include small music events and outdoor theater, Beasley said.

Mayor Rick Dodd, who attended the meeting but is not a member of the board, voiced strong support for the proposed project.

(Pauquette Park) is the best place for this. It is the signature park that we have, Dodd told the board Tuesday. I will be 100 percent behind putting this at the park.

But some board members arent sold on the location just yet.

Common Council members Mike Charles and Mark Hahn, who are members of the panel that oversees city parks, both expressed concerns that increased events would negatively impact the neighborhood.

They said neighbors might not want to accommodate regular music events and the ensuing parking and traffic that come along with them. The Concert in the Park is known to cause heavy parking and traffic congestion.

It is a great idea, but is it the right place to do something of that magnitude, Hahn wondered out loud during the meeting. Is it worth raising all that money for something that may get used once or twice a year, he asked.

Based on those concerns, board members decided to wait to endorse the project on Tuesday. The board wants to hear from the neighborhood first.

We need to be cognizant of the neighbors, said board member Todd Kreckman. I would like input from the neighbors because if it becomes successful it might be detrimental to the neighborhood. I love the idea, but we owe it to (the neighbors) to hear their concerns.

The PSCA formed in 2010 and is made up of members of each of the citys service clubs, including Kiwanis, Rotary, Optimists, Greater Portage Youth Foundation, Lions, Chamber of Commerce, Civic League, VFW, American Legion and Elks.

The group provided fundraising and installation for the splash pad, shade kites, and park benches at Goodyear Park.

PSCA members have been working with city officials, including Parks and Recreation Manager Dan Kremer, during the last eight months to form the project proposal. General Engineering Company of Portage also provided the group some expertise.

We are eager to get going, Beasley said. Hopefully, the park board will have the same vision we have and support us.
Karl Spath

Karl Spath, 48, of Oxford, died unexpectedly Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016.

Funeral services will be held at noon Saturday at the Crystal Grand Music Theatre, 430 W. Munroe Ave., Lake Delton, with the Rev. Steven Keller officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. until the time of service Saturday at the theater. Burial at Oxford Village Cemetery will be at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Karl was born Aug. 13, 1968, in Portage, the son of Gustave and Jeraldine (Morley) Spath. He was a lifelong resident of Oxford, and a proud member of the Oxford Fire Department from the age of 17 to the present day where he was honored to serve as captain (Oxford 3) for many years. He attended college and earned an associate degree in fire science. In September 2001, he married Mary Bonte in Wisconsin Dells. Karl was the owner/operator of Karls Carpet Cleaning for 14 years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and the friendship of many relatives and friends. He was also a civic-minded person who served on the Marquette County Board of Supervisors.

Karl will be forever missed by his mother, Jerrie; his wife, Mary; his many wonderful relatives, especially his sister-in-law, Barb, and nieces, Natalie and Sarah. He is further survived by his canine children Chance and Reeva, and a multitude of friends and acquaintances. He was preceded in death by his father, Gus; sister, Sue Ellen; and both sets of his grandparents.

Picha Funeral Home and Crematory of Wisconsin Dells assisted the family with arrangements. For online condolences and information, visit www.pichafuneralhome.com.
In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that separate but equal public schools were unconstitutional and ordered an end to segregation in schools across the U.S.

In the South there was resistance  often violent resistance. But desegregation also happened peacefully in many Southern cities. There were plenty of city and school officials, as well a ordinary citizens, who knew segregation couldnt hold out forever. They may not have entirely liked it, but they complied with the law.

Thats pretty much what everybody thought would happen in Little Rock. Arkansas capital city was seen as a moderate Southern metropolis, and Gov. Orval Faubus was regarded as more progressive than the firebrand segregationists who dominated states such as Mississippi and Alabama.

In 1955, the Little Rock School Board adopted a plan to integrate the citys schools. It would begin in the fall of 1957, when nine black students would attend all-white Central High. The plan was praised as a model of desegregation.

Then came Sept. 4, 1957  59 years ago this week. School was to start that day. Opponents of desegregation came out to protest. And Gov. Faubus called out the Arkansas National Guard to keep the nine black students from entering Central High, setting off a crisis that made national headlines, pitted a governor against a president and is still remembered as one of the defining moments of the Civil Rights Movement.

Why did Faubus do it? Most analysts agree it was a political decision. Faubus was facing a tough re-election campaign in 1958 and thought throwing in with the segregationists would give him a better shot.

If so, his read was dead on. Though eventually forced to back down on segregation, Faubus continued in the governors mansion until 1967.

But no man can stand in the way of time. Arkansas schools were desegregated and Jim Crow laws cast aside. Central High is now a national historic landmark and the site of a civil rights museum. And Faubus name is synonymous with racial intolerance to many Americans.

Pity. If he had only let the school boards plan take effect, he could have had a much finer legacy.
During the last days of Tsarist Russia, factory workers were paid so poorly that they could not afford food and rent. During the summer months, workers regularly took to parks and alleyways to find places to sleep for the night. During the harsh Russian winters, the workers took to the sewers. People would inch as high as they could along the sewer lines to escape the human waste that flowed through the pipes. As morning dawned, manhole covers could be seen being pushed open as the workers emerged to start their days work.

Nicholas II, Tsar at the time, had a net worth of $300 billion. Although having numerous palaces at his disposal, his favorite was his smallest, Tsarskoe Selo. It sat on 100 acres and had 300 rooms.

Two days ago, we celebrated Labor Day. While today it is traditionally a day to picnic and have a day off to relax with family and friends, Labor Day has its origins in the bloody riots of the Pullman strike in Chicago back in 1894.

George Pullman had set up what he considered a perfect city on Chicagos south side.

Workers toiled in his factory making plush railroad cars, living in apartments owned by Pullman, and purchasing goods from Pullman stores. Rent and expenses were automatically deducted from workers paychecks. But as the industry fell into recession, Pullman laid-off hundreds of workers, lowered the wages of those still employed, but did not reduce the price of rents or goods. First a strike and then a full-blown riot broke out. President Grover Cleveland called out 12,000 federal troops to quell the violence. At least two were killed, though other sources generally agree that as many as 30 strikers lost their lives. Unable to combat armed troops, the strike was broken. Six days later as an appeasement to labor, Cleveland signed the bill that recognized Labor Day as an official holiday.

Labor Day is now an oxymoron. Firstly, generally speaking, we do not labor on Labor Day. Secondly, we do not honor the worker. If we did, the workers would not face the challenges of a shrinking labor union force. The Department of Labor Statistics reports that in the 1970s, about 33 percent of the American workforce belonged to a union. Today, that number stands at about 10 percent.

More and more the American worker is exploited. The wage gap is driving a wedge in American society. Phillip Brown, Hugh Lauder, and David Ashton wrote in their book, Global Auction, However, rebuilding a productive economy that contributes to the quality of peoples lives is difficult to envisage within the model of shareholder capitalism that rewards senior executives for short-term profit maximization based on driving down labor cost.

With cheap labor found overseas, Americans find it harder and harder to resist a company that offers less, because at some point a job at lower wages is better than no job at all. Brown, Lauder, and Ashton continue, When backed into a high stakes competition or quipped by fear of job insecurity, people are not free. Neither was the peasant worker in Tsarist Russia.

If the need to always answer to the bottom line was not evident enough, look no further than last weeks announcement that Aetna Insurance was pulling out of the exchanges that provide health policies through Obama Care. Citing the continued losses in the exchanges, Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini pointed to the $6.7 million the company has lost. What was not mentioned is that http://healthcare.org and Modern Healthcare show that in 2015, Aetna made $775 million just in the first quarter of that year. Public Broadcasting shows that overall, in 2015; Aetna was looking to make $7 billion in net profit.

Unable to do the morally correct thing by providing health insurance to the poor and needy, not to mention sick people, Aetna was able to pay the same CEO Bertolini $5 million in salary. The Hartford Courant reports that with his salary, along with stock options and other incentives, his total compensation for the last year was $28 million.

Lebron James just signed a three-year, $100 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. And how much does your childs first grade teacher make? How much do those two policemen seen eating at McDonalds the other day make?

Until society begins to recognize, and compensate the worker who makes a lasting and important contribution to the brotherhood of man, then Labor Day is now becoming nothing more than an ironic joke.
Taking Physics to the heart of Venda

The Wits School of Physics reached out to learners in Venda during National Science Week.

A team from the Wits School of Physics used the National Science Week (NSW) as an opportunity to spread the word of physics when they visited high school learners last month.

Every year, during NSW, the team reaches out to the community by hosting workshops on science and inspiring high school learners about the world of science, engineering and other technical subjects. This year, they visited learners from the Mukula High School in Venda, Limpopo, in a week-long visit.

The National Science Week (NSW) is an annual countrywide celebration of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation, and is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology.

This year the NSW theme was; Science for Sustainable Development and Improved Quality of Life. With this theme in mind, the community outreach aimed to share knowledge with disadvantaged communities by showing them the impact that science has had, and its future prospects on the development of the country.

For the physics team, the NSW this year was not simply an annual gathering. It was an opportunity for them to remind the students of the approaching exam deadline, to motivate them, and more importantly, it was a perfect time to show the learners that a career in science is a fulfilling and rewarding.

Mainly sponsored by the South African Institute of Physics, the team piqued the curiosity of the learners by assembling their big telescopes on their arrival at the school  setting the physics ambiance for the day.

Two hours later, the learners enjoyed demonstrations of bending light with lenses onto balloons, focusing the sunlight with a parabolic mirror, optical communication using light, mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion, bending and polarising microwaves and scanning the sky through a telescope.

By the end of their visit in Limpopo, the teams efforts were ubiquitous as they further enticed the learners on the subject of science with students asking questions such as: how long does it take you to become a doctor?, why did you choose the Science?, what do I need to do to study at Wits? and Is it difficult to study there?

The community educational programme is an annual event for the Physics team. They hope to extend their project to various communities in and around Gauteng as they aim to attract more students into the fields of science, engineering and technology by reaching them at school level.

Team member and physics PhD student, Bienvenu Ndagano says that celebrating NSW in Limpopo and imparting knowledge to disadvantaged communities was a pleasurable experience.

When visiting disadvantaged areas, you realise the challenges that those learners experience on a daily basis. You might even worry about whether the efforts we put in this type of outreach is worth it. But when you speak to them about science, and explain the physical realities they are not aware of, it is always rewarding to see them amazed by things we, at our level, would find obvious. It is at that moment that you realise the impact of what we do during these outreach activities and how that affects someone else's life.

Read more about their journey to Venda on their blog.
The following companies are subsidiares of Quest Diagnostics: AmeriPath, AmeriPath Cincinnati Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Cleveland Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Consolidated Labs Inc. (FL), AmeriPath Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Hospital Services Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Indianapolis PC (IN), AmeriPath Kentucky Inc. (KY), AmeriPath Lubbock 5.01(A) Corporation (TX), AmeriPath New York LLC (DE), AmeriPath Texas Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Tucson Inc. (AZ), American Medical Laboratories, American Medical Laboratories Incorporated (DE), Associated Clinical Laboratories L.P. (PA), Associated Clinical Laboratories of Pennsylvania L.L.C. (PA), Athena Diagnostics, Athena Diagnostics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics, Blueprint Genetics FZ-LLC (UAE), Blueprint Genetics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics Oy (Finland), California Laboratory Associates, Cape Cod Healthcare - Business, Celera, ClearPoint Diagnostic, Clearpoint Diagnostic Laboratories LLC (TX), Cleveland HeartLab, Cleveland HeartLab Inc. (DE), Clinical Laboratory Partners, Colorado Pathology Consultants P.C. (CO), ConVerge Diagnostic Services, Consolidated DermPath Inc. (DE), DFW 5.01(a) Corporation (TX), DGXWMT JV LLC (DE), Dermatopathology of Wisconsin S.C. (WI), Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma LLC (OK), Diagnostic Pathology Services Inc. (OK), Diagnostic Reference Services Inc. (MD), ExamOne Canada Inc. (New Brunswick), ExamOne LLC (DE), ExamOne World Wide Inc. (PA), ExamOne World Wide of NJ Inc. (NJ), Focus Diagnostics, HemoCue, Hoffman M.D. Associated Pathologists Chartered (NV), Institute for Dermatopathology Inc. (PA), Isabella Street Urban Renewal LLC (NJ), Kailash B. Sharma M.D. Inc. (GA), Kilpatrick Pathology P.A. (NC), LabOne, LabOne LLC (MO), LabOne of Ohio Inc. (DE), Laboratorio de Analisis Biomedicos S.A. (Mexico), Lancet Labs, MACL, Med Fusion LLC (TX), Med fusion, MedPlus, Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC (IN), Nomad Massachusetts Inc. (MA), Nuclear Medicine and Pathology Associates (GA), Ocmulgee Medical Pathology Association Inc. (GA), Pathology Building Partnership (MD) (gen. ptnrshp.), PeaceHealth Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories PLLC (WA), Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC (DE), Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Quest Diagnostics Brasil Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Domestic Holder LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics HTAS India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Incorporated (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (MD), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NV), Quest Diagnostics India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics International Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics International LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Ireland Limited (Ireland), Quest Diagnostics LLC (CT), Quest Diagnostics LLC (IL), Quest Diagnostics LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Massachusetts LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Mexico Holding Company Trust (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Mexico S de RL de CV (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (CA), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute Inc. (VA), Quest Diagnostics Receivables Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Subsidiary Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics TB LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Terracotta LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC (PA), Quest Diagnostics Ventures LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil), Quest Diagnostics of Pennsylvania Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics of Puerto Rico Inc. (PR), Quest HealthConnect LLC (CA), ReproSource, Reprosource Fertility Diagnostics Inc. (MA), Solstas Lab Partners, Sonora Quest Laboratories LLC (AZ), Specialty Laboratories Inc. (CA), Summit Health, UMass Memorial Medical Center - Anatomic Pathology Outreach Laboratory Business, Unilab Corporation, and Unilab Corporation (DE).

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The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc..

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AAR Corp. provides products and services to commercial aviation, government, and defense markets worldwide. The Aviation Services segment offers aftermarket support and services; inventory management and distribution services; and maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as engineering services. This segment also sells and leases new, overhauled, and repaired engine and airframe parts, and components; and provides inventory and repair programs, warranty claim management, and outsourcing programs for engine and airframe parts and components, as well as performance-based supply chain logistics programs in support of the U.S. department of defense and foreign governments. In addition, it offers airframe inspection, maintenance, repair and overhaul, painting, line maintenance, airframe modification, structural repair, avionic and installation, exterior and interior refurbishment, and engineering and support services; and repairs and overhauls components, landing gears, wheels, and brakes. The Expeditionary Services segment provides products and services supporting the movement of equipment and personnel by the U.S. and foreign governments, and non-governmental organizations. This segment also designs, manufactures, and repairs transportation pallets, and various containers and shelters; and provides engineering, design, and system integration services for command and control systems. The company serves domestic and foreign passenger airlines; domestic and foreign cargo airlines; regional and commuter airlines; business and general aviation operators; original equipment manufacturers; aircraft leasing companies; aftermarket aviation support companies; and domestic and foreign military customers. It primarily markets and sells products and services through its employees and foreign sales representatives. AAR Corp. was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Wood Dale, Illinois.
SemGroup Corporation provides gathering, transportation, storage, distribution, marketing, and other midstream services for producers, refiners of petroleum products, and other market participants. The company operates in three segments: U.S. Liquids, U.S. Gas, and Canada. The U.S. Liquids segment operates crude oil pipelines, truck transportation, storage, terminals, and marketing businesses; stores, blends, and transports refinery products and refinery feedstock through pipeline, barge, rail, truck, and ship; and operates a residual fuel oil storage terminal in the U.S. Gulf Coast. This segment has 18.2 million barrels of storage capacity on the Houston Ship Channel; and 7.6 million barrels of storage capacity at the Cushing Interchange. It also operates a 460-mile crude oil gathering and transportation pipeline system in Kansas and northern Oklahoma; 75-mile crude oil gathering pipeline system that transports crude oil from production facilities in the DJ Basin to the pipeline owned by White Cliffs Pipeline, L.L.C.; 2 parallel 527-mile pipelines that transports crude oil from Platteville, Colorado to Cushing, Oklahoma; 3 pipelines with an aggregate of 106 miles of pipe; 30-lane crude oil truck unloading facility in Platteville, Colorado; and crude oil trucking fleet of approximately 245 transport trucks and 235 trailers. The U.S. Gas segment provides natural gas gathering, processing, and marketing services. It operates 842 miles of gathering lines in Oklahoma; and a 53-mile high pressure gathering pipeline located in the STACK play. The Canada segment owns and operates natural gas processing and gathering facilities with approximately 530 miles of natural gas gathering and transportation pipelines in Alberta, Canada. SemGroup Corporation was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
New Jersey Resources Corporation, an energy services holding company, provides regulated gas distribution, and retail and wholesale energy services. The company operates through four segments: Natural Gas Distribution, Clean Energy Ventures, Energy Services, and Storage and Transportation. The Natural Gas Distribution segment offers regulated natural gas utility services to approximately 564,000 residential and commercial customers throughout Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, and Sussex counties in New Jersey; provides capacity and storage management services; and participates in the off-system sales and capacity release markets. The Clean Energy Ventures segment invests in, owns, and operates commercial and residential solar projects situated in New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York. The Energy Services segment offers unregulated wholesale energy management services to other energy companies and natural gas producers, as well as maintains and transacts a portfolio of physical assets consisting of natural gas storage and transportation contracts in the United States and Canada. The Storage and Transportation segment invests in natural gas transportation and storage facilities. It provides heating, ventilation, and cooling services; holds commercial real estate properties; and offers solar equipment installation, and plumbing repair and installation services, as well as engages in the water appliance sale, installation, and servicing activities. The company was incorporated in 1981 and is headquartered in Wall, New Jersey.
Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its advice centers, RBC insurance stores, and mobile advisors; digital, mobile, and social platforms; independent brokers; and travel partners. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset servicing, custody, payments, and treasury services to financial and other investors; and fund and investment administration, shareholder, private capital, performance measurement and compliance monitoring, distribution, transaction banking, cash and liquidity management, foreign exchange, and global securities finance services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, advisory services, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, private equity firms, and governments. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Argan, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, operations management, maintenance, project development, technical, and consulting services to the power generation and renewable energy markets. The company operates through Power Industry Services, Industrial Fabrication and Field Services, and Telecommunications Infrastructure Services segments. The Power Industry Services segment offers engineering, procurement, and construction contracting services to the owners of alternative energy facilities, such as biomass plants, wind farms, and solar fields; and design, construction, project management, start-up, and operation services for projects with approximately 15 gigawatts of power-generating capacity. This segment serves independent power project owners, public utilities, power plant equipment suppliers, and energy plant construction companies. The Industrial Fabrication and Field Services segment provides industrial field, and pipe and vessel fabrication services for forest products, industrial gas, fertilizer, and mining companies in southeast region of the United States. The Telecommunications Infrastructure Services segment offers trenchless directional boring and excavation for underground communication and power networks, as well as aerial cabling services; and installs buried cable, high and low voltage electric lines, and private area outdoor lighting systems. It also provides structured cabling, terminations, and connectivity that offers the physical transport for high-speed data, voice, video, and security networks. This segment serves state and local government agencies, regional communications service providers, electric utilities, and other commercial customers, as well as federal government facilities comprising cleared facilities in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Argan, Inc. was incorporated in 1961 and is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland.
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions. It also offers ProxyEdge, an electronic proxy delivery and voting solution; data-driven solutions and an end-to-end platform for content management, composition, and omni-channel distribution of regulatory, marketing, and transactional information, as well as mutual fund trade processing services; data and analytics solutions; solutions for public corporations and mutual funds; SEC filing and capital markets transaction services; registrar, stock transfer, and record-keeping services; and omni-channel customer communications solutions, as well as operates Broadridge Communications Cloud platform that creates, delivers, and manages communications and customer engagement activities. The company's Global Technology and Operations segment provides solutions that automate the front-to-back transaction lifecycle of equity, mutual fund, fixed income, foreign exchange and exchange-traded derivatives, order capture and execution, trade confirmation, margin, cash management, clearance and settlement, reference data management, reconciliations, securities financing and collateral management, asset servicing, compliance and regulatory reporting, portfolio accounting, and custody-related services. This segment also offers business process outsourcing services; technology solutions, such portfolio management, compliance, fee billing, and operational support solutions; and capital market and wealth management solutions. The company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Lake Success, New York.
The following companies are subsidiares of Novo Nordisk A/S: Aldaph SpA, Beijing Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Science & Technology Co. Ltd., CS Solar Fund XIV LLC, Calibrium, Corvidia, Corvidia Therapeutics Inc., Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Dicerna Pharmaceuticals Inc., Emisphere Technologies, Emisphere Technologies Inc., MB2 LLC, NNE A/S, Neotope Neuroscience Limited, Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Novo Nordisk (Pty) Limited, Novo Nordisk (Shanghai) Pharma Trading Co. Ltd., Novo Nordisk B.V., Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., Novo Nordisk Colombia SAS, Novo Nordisk Comercio Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Novo Nordisk Denmark A/S, Novo Nordisk Egypt LLC, Novo Nordisk Farma OY, Novo Nordisk Farma S.R.L., Novo Nordisk Farma dooel, Novo Nordisk Farmaceutica Limitada, Novo Nordisk Farmaceutica do Brasil Ltda., Novo Nordisk Finance (Netherlands) B.V., Novo Nordisk Health Care AG, Novo Nordisk Hellas Epe., Novo Nordisk Holding Limited, Novo Nordisk Hong Kong Limited, Novo Nordisk Hrvatska d.o.o., Novo Nordisk Hungaria Kft., Novo Nordisk Inc., Novo Nordisk India Holding Pte Ltd., Novo Nordisk India Private Limited, Novo Nordisk Kazakhstan LLP, Novo Nordisk Kenya Ltd., Novo Nordisk Lanka (PVT) Ltd, Novo Nordisk Limited, Novo Nordisk Limited Liability Company, Novo Nordisk Ltd, Novo Nordisk Mexico S.A. de C.V., Novo Nordisk North America Operations A/S, Novo Nordisk Norway AS, Novo Nordisk Panama S.A., Novo Nordisk Pars, Novo Nordisk Peru S.A.C., Novo Nordisk Pharma (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Novo Nordisk Pharma (Private) Limited, Novo Nordisk Pharma (Singapore) Pte Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma (Taiwan) Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma (Thailand) Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma AG, Novo Nordisk Pharma Argentina S.A., Novo Nordisk Pharma EAD, Novo Nordisk Pharma GmbH, Novo Nordisk Pharma Gulf FZE, Novo Nordisk Pharma Inc., Novo Nordisk Pharma Korea Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma Limited, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma Operations (Business Area) Sdn Bhd, Novo Nordisk Pharma Operations A/S, Novo Nordisk Pharma S.A., Novo Nordisk Pharma SARL, Novo Nordisk Pharma SAS, Novo Nordisk Pharma Sp.z.o.o., Novo Nordisk Pharma d.o.o., Novo Nordisk Pharma d.o.o. Belgrade (Serbia), Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Industries LP, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Services Sp. z o.o., Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals (Philippines) Inc., Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals A/S, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Pty. Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharmatech A/S, Novo Nordisk Pharmatech US Inc., Novo Nordisk Production SAS, Novo Nordisk Production Support LLC, Novo Nordisk Producao Farmaceutica do Brasil Ltda., Novo Nordisk Region AAMEO and LATAM A/S, Novo Nordisk Region China A/S, Novo Nordisk Region Europe A/S, Novo Nordisk Region Japan & Korea A/S, Novo Nordisk Research Center Indianapolis Inc., Novo Nordisk Research Center Seattle Inc., Novo Nordisk S.P.A., Novo Nordisk Saglik Urunleri Tic. Ltd. Sti., Novo Nordisk Saudi for Trading, Novo Nordisk Scandinavia AB, Novo Nordisk Service Centre (India) Pvt. Ltd., Novo Nordisk Slovakia s.r.o., Novo Nordisk Tunisie SARL, Novo Nordisk US Bio Production Inc., Novo Nordisk US Commercial Holdings Inc., Novo Nordisk US Holdings Inc., Novo Nordisk Ukraine LLC, Novo Nordisk Venezuela Casa de Representacion C.A., Novo Nordisk d.o.o., Novo Nordisk s.r.o., PT. Novo Nordisk Indonesia, S.A. Novo Nordisk Pharma N.V., UAB Novo Nordisk Pharma, Xellia Pharmaceuticals, Ziylo, and Ziylo Limited.

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Nabors Industries Ltd. provides drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells. The company operates through five segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. It provides tubular running, wellbore placement, directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (MWD), equipment manufacturing, and rig instrumentation services; and logging-while-drilling systems and services, as well as drilling optimization software. The company also offers REVit, an automated real time stick-slip mitigation system; ROCKit, a directional steering control system; SmartNAV, a collaborative guidance and advisory platform; SmartSLIDE, an advanced directional steering control system; and RigCLOUD, which provides the tools and infrastructure to integrate applications to deliver real-time insight into operations across the rig fleet. In addition, it manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and other drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools; and provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment. As of December 31, 2021, the company marketed approximately 301 rigs for land-based drilling operations in the United States, Canada, and in 20 other countries worldwide; and 29 rigs for offshore platform drilling operations in the United States and internationally. Nabors Industries Ltd. was founded in 1952 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Ally Financial Inc., a digital financial-services company, provides various digital financial products and services to consumer, commercial, and corporate customers primarily in the United States and Canada. It operates through four segments: Automotive Finance Operations, Insurance Operations, Mortgage Finance Operations, and Corporate Finance Operations. The Automotive Finance Operations segment offers automotive financing services, including providing retail installment sales contracts, loans and operating leases, term loans to dealers, financing dealer floorplans and other lines of credit to dealers, warehouse lines to automotive retailers, and fleet financing. It also provides financing services to companies and municipalities for the purchase or lease of vehicles, and vehicle-remarketing services. The Insurance Operations segment offers consumer finance protection and insurance products through the automotive dealer channel, and commercial insurance products directly to dealers. This segment provides vehicle service and maintenance contract, and guaranteed asset protection products; and underwrites commercial insurance coverages, which primarily insure dealers' vehicle inventory. The Mortgage Finance Operations segment manages consumer mortgage loan portfolio that includes bulk purchases of jumbo and low-to-moderate income mortgage loans originated by third parties, as well as direct-to-consumer mortgage offerings. The Corporate Finance Operations segment provides senior secured leveraged cash flow and asset-based loans to middle market companies; leveraged loans; and commercial real estate product to serve companies in the healthcare industry. The company also offers commercial banking products and services. In addition, it provides securities brokerage and investment advisory services. The company was formerly known as GMAC Inc. and changed its name to Ally Financial Inc. in May 2010. Ally Financial Inc. was founded in 1919 and is based in Detroit, Michigan.
Fabrinet provides optical packaging and precision optical, electro-mechanical, and electronic manufacturing services in North America, the Asia-Pacific, and Europe. The company offers a range of advanced optical and electro-mechanical capabilities in the manufacturing process, including process design and engineering, supply chain management, manufacturing, printed circuit board assembly, advanced packaging, integration, final assembly, and testing. Its products include switching products, including reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers, optical amplifiers, modulators, and other optical components and modules that enable network managers to route voice, video, and data communications traffic through fiber optic cables at various wavelengths, speeds, and over various distances. The company's products also comprise tunable lasers, transceivers, and transponders; and active optical cables, which provide high-speed interconnect capabilities for data centers and computing clusters, as well as Infiniband, Ethernet, fiber channel, and optical backplane connectivity. In addition, it provides solid state, diode-pumped, gas, and fiber lasers used in semiconductor processing, biotechnology and medical device, metrology, and material processing industries; and differential pressure, micro-gyro, fuel, and other sensors used in automobiles, as well as non-contact temperature measurement sensors for the medical industry. Further, the company designs and fabricates application-specific crystals, lenses, prisms, mirrors, laser components, and substrates; and other custom and standard borosilicate, clear fused quartz, and synthetic fused silica glass products. It serves original equipment manufacturers of optical communication components, modules and sub-systems, industrial lasers, automotive components, medical devices, and sensors. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is based in George Town, the Cayman Islands.
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in two segments, Proprietary Products and Contract-Manufactured Products. The Proprietary Products segment offers stoppers and seals for injectable packaging systems; syringe and cartridge components, including custom solutions for the needs of injectable drug applications, as well as administration systems that enhance the safe delivery of drugs through advanced reconstitution, mixing, and transfer technologies; and films, coatings, washing, and vision inspection and sterilization processes and services to enhance the quality of packaging components. It also provides drug containment solutions, including Crystal Zenith, a cyclic olefin polymer in the form of vials, syringes, and cartridges; and self-injection devices, as well as a range of integrated solutions, including analytical lab services, pre-approval primary packaging support and engineering development, regulatory expertise, and after-sales technical support. This segment serves biologic, generic, and pharmaceutical drug companies. The Contract-Manufactured Products segment is involved in the design, manufacture, and automated assembly of devices used in surgical, diagnostic, ophthalmic, injectable, and other drug delivery systems, as well as consumer products. It serves pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and medical device companies. The company distributes its products through its sales force and distribution network, as well as contract sales agents and regional distributors. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. was incorporated in 1923 and is headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania.
The following companies are subsidiares of Tenneco: A.E. Group Machines Limited, AE International Limited, Anand I-Power Limited, Anqing TP Goetze Liner Co. Ltd., Anqing TP Goetze Piston Ring Co. Ltd., Anqing TP Powder Metallurgy Co. Ltd., Armstrong Properties (Pty.) Ltd., Ateliers Juliette Adam SAS, Autopartes Walker S. de R.L. de C.V., Beck Arnley Holdings LLC, CATAI s.r.l., CEDS Inc., Carter Automotive Company LLC, Clevite Industries Inc., Componentes Venezolanos de Direccion S.A., Cooperatief Federal-Mogul Dutch Investments B.A., Coventry Assurance Ltd., DRiV Automotive Inc., DRiV IP LLC, DRiV Incorporated, Dongsuh Federal-Mogul Co. Ltd., F-M Holding Daros AB, F-M Holding Goteborg AB, F-M Holding Mexico S.A. de C.V., F-M Motorparts Limited, F-M Motorparts TSC LLC, F-M TSC Real Estate Holdings LLC, F-M Trademarks Limited, FDML Holdings Limited, FM International LLC, FM PBW Bearings Private Limited, FM Participacoes e Investimentos LTDA, Farloc Argentina S.A.I.C. y F., Federal Mogul (Thailand) Ltd., Federal Mogul Aftermarket Egypt Ltd., Federal Mogul Argentina S.A., Federal Mogul Dis Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Federal Mogul Hungary Kft., Federal Mogul Powertrain Otomotiv Anonim Sirketi, Federal Mogul SAS, Federal Mogul Services Sarl, Federal Mogul Systems Protection SAS, Federal-Mogul, Federal-Mogul (Anqing) Powder Metallurgy Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul (Changshu) Automotive Parts Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul (China) Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul (Chongqing) Friction Materials Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul (Langfang) Automotive Components Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul (Proprietary) Limited, Federal-Mogul (Shanghai) Automotive Parts Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul (T&N) Hong Kong Limited, Federal-Mogul (Tianjin) Surface Treatment Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul (Vietnam) Ltd., Federal-Mogul Aftermarket Espana S.A., Federal-Mogul Aftermarket France SAS, Federal-Mogul Aftermarket GmbH, Federal-Mogul Aftermarket Southern Africa (Pty) Limited, Federal-Mogul Aftermarket UK Limited, Federal-Mogul Anand Bearings India Limited, Federal-Mogul Anand Sealings India Limited, Federal-Mogul Asia Investments Holding Korea Ltd., Federal-Mogul Asia Investments Limited, Federal-Mogul Automotive GmbH & Co. KG, Federal-Mogul Automotive Pty Ltd, Federal-Mogul Automotive Verwaltungs GmbH, Federal-Mogul Betriebsgrundstucke Burscheid GmbH, Federal-Mogul Bimet Spolka Akcyjna, Federal-Mogul Bradford Limited, Federal-Mogul Bremsbelag GmbH, Federal-Mogul Burscheid Beteiligungs GmbH, Federal-Mogul Burscheid GmbH, Federal-Mogul Canada Limited, Federal-Mogul Chassis LLC, Federal-Mogul Componentes de Motores Ltda., Federal-Mogul Controlled Power Limited, Federal-Mogul Coventry Limited, Federal-Mogul Deva (Qingdao) Automotive Parts Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Deva GmbH, Federal-Mogul Dimitrovgrad LLC, Federal-Mogul Distribucion de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul Dong Feng (Shiyan) Engine Components Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul EMEA Distribution Services, Federal-Mogul Employee Trust Administration Limited, Federal-Mogul Engineering Limited, Federal-Mogul FIL-P43 S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul FIL-S43 S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul Filtration LLC, Federal-Mogul Finance 1 LLC, Federal-Mogul Finance 2 LLC, Federal-Mogul Financial Services Poland Sp.z.o.o., Federal-Mogul Financial Services S.A.S., Federal-Mogul Financing Corporation, Federal-Mogul Friction Products Barcelona S.L., Federal-Mogul Friction Products Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Friction Products GmbH, Federal-Mogul Friction Products International GmbH, Federal-Mogul Friction Products Limited, Federal-Mogul Friction Products Ploiesti SRL, Federal-Mogul Friction Products S.A., Federal-Mogul Friction Products a.s., Federal-Mogul Friction Spain S.L., Federal-Mogul Friedberg GmbH, Federal-Mogul Garennes SAS, Federal-Mogul Germany Investments Holding GmbH, Federal-Mogul Global Aftermarket EMEA, Federal-Mogul Global Growth Limited, Federal-Mogul GmbH, Federal-Mogul Goetze (India) Limited, Federal-Mogul Gorzyce Sp. z o.o., Federal-Mogul Holding Deutschland GmbH, Federal-Mogul Holding Sweden AB, Federal-Mogul Holdings Ltd., Federal-Mogul Iberica S.L., Federal-Mogul Ignition GmbH, Federal-Mogul Ignition LLC, Federal-Mogul Ignition Products India Limited, Federal-Mogul Ignition Products SAS, Federal-Mogul Industria de Autopecas Ltda., Federal-Mogul Investment Ltd., Federal-Mogul Investments B.V., Federal-Mogul Italy S.r.l., Federal-Mogul Izmit Piston ve Pim Uretim Tesisleri A.S., Federal-Mogul Japan K.K., Federal-Mogul Juarez S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul Lighting S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul Limited, Federal-Mogul Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Federal-Mogul MP US LLC, Federal-Mogul Motorparts (India) Limited, Federal-Mogul Motorparts (Netherlands) B.V., Federal-Mogul Motorparts (Pinghu) Trading Limited, Federal-Mogul Motorparts (Qingdao) Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Motorparts (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Motorparts (Thailand) Limited, Federal-Mogul Motorparts (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Motorparts Colombia S.A.S., Federal-Mogul Motorparts Holding B.V., Federal-Mogul Motorparts Holding GmbH, Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLC, Federal-Mogul Motorparts Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Motorparts Minority Holding B.V., Federal-Mogul Motorparts Philippines Inc., Federal-Mogul Motorparts Ploiesti SRL, Federal-Mogul Motorparts Poland Sp.z.o.o., Federal-Mogul Motorparts Pty Ltd, Federal-Mogul Motorparts Services SRL, Federal-Mogul Naberezhnye Chelny, Federal-Mogul Nurnberg GmbH, Federal-Mogul Operations France S.A.S., Federal-Mogul Piston Rings LLC, Federal-Mogul Plasticos Puntanos S.A., Federal-Mogul Powertrain (Netherlands) B.V., Federal-Mogul Powertrain Eastern Europe B.V., Federal-Mogul Powertrain IP LLC, Federal-Mogul Powertrain Italy S.R.L, Federal-Mogul Powertrain LLC, Federal-Mogul Powertrain Mexico Distribucion S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul Powertrain Russia GmbH, Federal-Mogul Powertrain Solutions India Private Limited, Federal-Mogul Powertrain Systems S A (Proprietary) Limited, Federal-Mogul Powertrain Vostok OOO, Federal-Mogul Products US LLC, Federal-Mogul Pty Ltd, Federal-Mogul R&L Friedberg Casting GmbH & Co. KG, Federal-Mogul Risk Advisory Services LLC, Federal-Mogul S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul S.A., Federal-Mogul SP Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul Sealing System (Nanchang) Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Sealing Systems GmbH, Federal-Mogul Sejong Co. Ltd, Federal-Mogul Sejong Tech Ltd, Federal-Mogul Serina Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Sevierville LLC, Federal-Mogul Shanghai Bearing Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Shanghai Compound Material Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Singapore Investments Pte. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Sistemas Automotivos Ltda., Federal-Mogul Sistemas de Limpadores de Para-Brisas Ltda, Federal-Mogul Sorocaba-Holding Ltda, Federal-Mogul Systems Protection Hungary Kft., Federal-Mogul Systems Protection Morocco SARL AU, Federal-Mogul TP Europe GmbH & Co KG, Federal-Mogul TP Liner Europe Otomotiv Ltd. Sti, Federal-Mogul TP Liners Inc., Federal-Mogul TP Piston Rings GmbH, Federal-Mogul TPR (India) Limited, Federal-Mogul Technology Limited, Federal-Mogul Transaction LLC, Federal-Mogul UK Investments Limited, Federal-Mogul UK Powertrain Limited, Federal-Mogul VCS Holding B.V., Federal-Mogul VCS LLC, Federal-Mogul Valve Train International LLC, Federal-Mogul Valve Train S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul Valvetrain GmbH, Federal-Mogul Valvetrain La Source SAS, Federal-Mogul Valvetrain Limited, Federal-Mogul Valvetrain Schirmeck SAS, Federal-Mogul Valvetrain s.r.o., Federal-Mogul Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Federal-Mogul Verwaltungs-und Beteiligungs-GmbH, Federal-Mogul Wiesbaden GmbH, Federal-Mogul World Trade (Asia) Limited, Federal-Mogul World Wide LLC, Federal-Mogul Yura (Qingdao) Ignition Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul Zhengsheng (Changsha) Piston Ring Co. Ltd., Federal-Mogul de Costa Rica S.A., Federal-Mogul de Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Federal-Mogul de Matamoros S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Federal-Mogul de Venezuela C.A., Federal-Mogul of South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Felt Products MFG. CO. LLC, Ferodo America LLC, Ferodo Limited, Fonciere de Liberation, Forjas y Maquinas S. de R.L. de C.V., Frenos Hidraulicos Automotrices S.A. de C.V., Fric-Rot S.A.I.C., Gabilan Manufacturing, Gasket Holdings LLC, Gillet Exhaust Manufacturing Limited, Gillet Pressings Cardiff Limited, Goetze Wohnungsbau GmbH, ISA Installations Steuerungs und Automatislerungs GmbH, J.W. Hartley (Motor Trade) Limited, Jurid do Brasil Sistemas Automotivos Ltda., KB Autosys (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., KB Autosys Co. Ltd., KB Autosys India Private Ltd., Kinetic Pty. Ltd., Kontich, Leeds Piston Ring & Engineering Co. Limited, Maco Inversiones S.A., McCord Payen de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., McPherson Strut Company LLC, Monroe Amortisor Imalat Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Monroe Australia Pty. Limited, Monroe Czechia s.r.o., Monroe Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Monroe Manufacturing (Proprietary) Ltd., Monroe Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Monroe Packaging BVBA, Monroe Ride Performance Sweden AB, Monroe Springs (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Montagewerk Abgastechnik Emden GmbH, Motocare India Private Limited, Muzzy-Lyon Auto Parts LLC, Parts Zone (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Payen International Limited, Piston Rings (UK) Limited, Precision Modular Assembly Corp., Productos de Frenos Automotrices de Calidad S.A. de C.V., Proveedora Walker S. de R.L. de C.V., Pullman, Pullman Standard Inc., Qingdao Tenneco FAWSN Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Raimsa S. de R.L. de C.V., Ride Performance Canada Inc., Ride Performance Japan Ltd., Ride Performance Korea Limited, Ride Performance Mexico Holding LLC, SAXID Limited, Sapav Marketing Ltd, Saxid, Saxid s.r.l., Servicio de Componentes Automotrices S. de R.L. de C.V., Servicios Administrativos Industriales S. de R.L. de C.V., Shanghai Tenneco Exhaust System Co. Ltd., Sibirica Energy Limited, Sintration Limited, Speyside Real Estate LLC, Subensambles Internacionales S. de R.L. de C.V., T&N Industries LLC, T&N de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., TA (Australia) Group Pty. Ltd., TM S.r.l, TMC Texas Inc., TPR Federal-Mogul Tennessee Inc., Taiwan Federal-Mogul Motorparts Co. Limited, TecCom GmbH, Tenneco (Beijing) Exhaust System Co. Ltd., Tenneco (Beijing) Ride Control System Co. Ltd., Tenneco (Changzhou) Ride Performance Co. Ltd., Tenneco (China) Co. Ltd., Tenneco (Dalian) Exhaust System Co. Ltd., Tenneco (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Tenneco (Jingzhou) Ride Performance Co. Ltd., Tenneco (MSCan) Operations Inc., Tenneco (MUSA), Tenneco (Mauritius) Limited, Tenneco (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Tenneco (Suzhou) Emission System Co. Ltd., Tenneco (Suzhou) Ride Control Co. Ltd., Tenneco (TM Asia) Ltd., Tenneco (TM Belgium) BVBA, Tenneco (Tianjin) Ride Performance Co. Ltd., Tenneco Asheville Inc., Tenneco Asia Inc., Tenneco Automotie Nederland B.V., Tenneco Automotive (Thailand) Limited, Tenneco Automotive Brasil Ltda., Tenneco Automotive Deutschland GmbH, Tenneco Automotive Eastern Europe Sp. z.o.o., Tenneco Automotive Europe BVBA, Tenneco Automotive Europe Coordination Center BVBA, Tenneco Automotive Foreign Sales Corporation Limited, Tenneco Automotive France S.A.S., Tenneco Automotive Holdings South Africa Pty. Limited, Tenneco Automotive Iberica S.A., Tenneco Automotive Inc. Nevada, Tenneco Automotive India Private Limited, Tenneco Automotive Italia S.r.l., Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc., Tenneco Automotive Polska Sp. z.o.o., Tenneco Automotive Port Elizabeth (Proprietary) Limited, Tenneco Automotive Portugal  Componentes Para Automovel Unipessoal LDA., Tenneco Automotive RSA Company, Tenneco Automotive Second RSA Company, Tenneco Automotive Services Societe Par Actions Simplifiee, Tenneco Automotive Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Tenneco Automotive Trading Company, Tenneco Automotive UK Limited, Tenneco Automotive Volga LLC, Tenneco Automotive Walker Inc., Tenneco Brake Inc., Tenneco CA Czech Republic s.r.o., Tenneco CA Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Tenneco CA Netherlands BV, Tenneco Canada Inc., Tenneco Clean Air Argentina S.A.I.C., Tenneco Clean Air India Private Limited, Tenneco Clean Air Spain S.L.U., Tenneco Clean Air US Inc., Tenneco Deutschland Holdinggesellschaft mbH, Tenneco Eastern European Holdings S.a.r.l., Tenneco Eberspaecher (Beijing) Exhaust System Co. Ltd., Tenneco Emission Control (Pty) Ltd, Tenneco Etain Societe Par Actions Simplifiee, Tenneco Europe Limited, Tenneco FAWSN (Changchun) Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Tenneco FAWSN (Foshan) Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Tenneco FAWSN (Tianjin) Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Tenneco Fusheng (Chengdu) Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Tenneco Global Holdings Inc., Tenneco GmbH, Tenneco Holdings Danmark ApS, Tenneco Hong Kong Holdings Limited, Tenneco Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Tenneco Industria de Autopecas Ltda., Tenneco Innovacion S.L., Tenneco International Holding Corp., Tenneco International Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Tenneco International Manufacturing S.a.r.l., Tenneco Japan Ltd., Tenneco Korea Limited, Tenneco Lingchuan (Chongqing) Exhaust System Co. Ltd., Tenneco Management (Europe) Limited, Tenneco Mauritius China Holdings Ltd., Tenneco Mauritius Holdings Limited, Tenneco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Tenneco RP Germany GmbH, Tenneco Ride Control South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Tenneco Ride Performance US 4 LLC, Tenneco Ride Performance US 5 LLC, Tenneco Silesia spolka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Tenneco SpinCo Incorporated, Tenneco Sverige AB, Tenneco Walker (Tianjin) Exhaust System Co. Ltd., Tenneco Zwickau GmbH, Tenneco-Eberspaecher (Dalian) Exhaust System Co. Ltd., Tenneco-Walker (U.K.) Limited, The Pullman Company, The Tenneco Automotive (UK) Pension Scheme Trustee Limited, Thompson and Stammers (Dunmow) Number 6 Limited, Thompson and Stammers (Dunmow) Number 7 Limited, United Piston Ring Inc., VTD Vakuumtechnik Dresden GmbH, Walker Australia Pty. Limited, Walker Danmark ApS, Walker Electronic Silencing Inc., Walker Europe Inc., Walker Exhaust (Thailand) Company Limited, Walker Gillet (Europe) GmbH, Walker Limited, Walker Manufacturing Company, Walker UK Ltd, Wellworthy Limited, Wimetal Societe Par Actions Simplifiee, and Wuhan Tenneco Exhaust System Co. Ltd..

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Black Hills Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as an electric and natural gas utility company in the United States. It operates in two segments, Electric Utilities and Gas Utilities. The Electric Utilities segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 218,000 electric utility customers in Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and owns and operates 1,481.5 megawatts of generation capacity and 8,892 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines. The Gas Utilities segment distributes natural gas to approximately 1,094,000 natural gas utility customers in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming; owns and operates 4,732 miles of intrastate gas transmission pipelines; 41,644 miles of gas distribution mains and service lines; six natural gas storage sites; and approximately 50,000 horsepower of compression and 515 miles of gathering lines. The company also constructs and maintains gas infrastructure facilities for gas transportation customers; and provides appliance repair services to residential utility customers, as well as electrical system construction services to large industrial customers. In addition, it produces electric power through wind, natural gas, and coal-fired generating plants; and coal at its coal mine located near Gillette, Wyoming. The company was incorporated in 1941 and is headquartered in Rapid City, South Dakota.




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The competitive dragon boat race finish line kept eyes fixed on the river at the annual Chinese Dragon Boat Races and Taiwan Day Festival at Festival Pier in Pawtucket Saturday.
Ikata 3 back in commercial operation

07 September 2016

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Unit 3 of the Ikata nuclear power plant in Japan's Ehime prefecture has resumed commercial operation, Shikoku Electric Power Company announced today. Only two other Japanese reactors are currently in commercial operation.

The three-unit Ikata plant (Image: Shikoku)

Ikata 3 had been idle since being taken offline for a periodic inspection in April 2011. However, Shikoku began the process to restart Ikata 3 on 12 August and the reactor attained criticality the following day. The 846 MWe pressurized water reactor resumed power generation on 15 August and reached 100% operating capacity on 22 August.

Shikoku said the reactor completed a full-power performance inspection by the Nuclear Regulation Authority at 4.00pm today, when it was declared to be in commercial operation once again.

In a statement, Shikoku president Hayato Saeki thanked everyone in Ehime prefecture and Ikata town for their "efforts, understanding and cooperation" in restarting the reactor. He added that Ikata 3 now becomes the company's main source of "stable and inexpensive power supply". Saeki said the company would strive to keep the public informed about the continued safe management of the plant.

Ikata 3 became the fifth Japanese reactor to resume operation under new safety standards introduced following the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Unit 1 of Kyushu Electric Power Company's Sendai plant in Kagoshima prefecture was the first to be restarted last August, followed by Sendai 2 in October. Unit 3 of Kansai Electric Power Company's Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui prefecture resumed operation on 29 January. Takahama 4 was restarted on 26 February, but has remained offline since 29 February following an automatic shutdown of the reactor due to a "main transformer/generator internal failure". However, an injunction imposed by a district court on 9 March led to unit 3 being taken offline as well and both units have since remained idle.

Another 20 reactors are moving through the restart process, which has been prioritised to bring on the most-needed reactors first, in the localities and prefectures more supportive of restart.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Construction starts on sixth Tianwan unit

07 September 2016

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The first safety concrete has been poured for the containment building basemat of Tianwan nuclear power plant's sixth reactor, in Jiangsu province, marking the official start of the unit's construction.

Construction gets under way on Tianwan unit 6 (Image: CNNC)

The operation to pour the concrete began at 9.30am today, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced.

Construction of Tianwan Phase III - units 5 and 6 - was originally scheduled to start in early 2011. However, following the March 2011 accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant, the Chinese government suspended the approval of new nuclear power projects, including those two units.

The latest Five-Year Plan calls for construction of Phase III of the Tianwan plant to be accelerated. The State Council gave its approval for Tianwan units 5 and 6 - both featuring 1080 MWe ACPR1000 reactors - on 16 December 2015. First safety-related concrete was poured for unit 5 on 27 December. Unit 5 is expected to enter commercial operation in December 2020 and unit 6 in October 2021.

Despite construction of unit 5 having already started, a contract for the civil construction of the nuclear islands of Phase III of the Tianwan plant was signed between CNNC and China Nuclear Industry Huaxing Construction (part of China Nuclear Engineering Corporation) in June.

Tianwan Phase I - units 1 and 2 - was constructed under a 1992 cooperation agreement between China and Russia. First concrete was poured in October 1999, and the units were commissioned in June 2007 and September 2007 respectively. Tianwan Phase II - units 3 and 4 - will be similar to the first stage of the Tianwan plant, comprising two Russian-designed 1060 MWe VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors. First concrete for unit 3 was poured in December 2012, while construction of the fourth unit began in September 2013.

The Tianwan plant is owned and operated by Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation, a joint venture between CNNC (50%), China Power Investment Corporation (30%) and Jiangsu Guoxin Group (20%).

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Fuqing 3 starts supplying electricity to grid

07 September 2016

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The third unit of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province has been connected to the grid. The CPR-1000 is scheduled to enter commercial operation later this year.

Operators in Fuqing 3's control room (Image: CNNC)

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced the unit was connected to the grid at 8.35am today. It said this marks the formal transition of Fuqing 3 from the construction and commissioning phase into the power generation phase.

The unit will now undergo a load test run and other relevant testing before entering full-power demonstration operation. It is expected to enter commercial operation before the end of 2016.

The Fuqing plant will eventually house six Chinese-designed PWRs, the first four being 1087 MWe CPR-1000 pressurized water reactors. Unit 1 started up in July 2014, was connected to the grid the following month and entered commercial operation in November. Unit 2 achieved first criticality in July 2015 and entered commercial operation last October.

Ground was broken in June 2009 for Fuqing unit 3 and 4. Containment pressure tests were successfully completed at unit 3 last August. The loading of all 157 fuel assemblies into the reactor core of Fuqing 3 was completed on 4 April and it achieved first criticality on 3 July. Unit 4 is scheduled to start up in 2017.

China's State Council gave final approval for construction of Fuqing units 5 and 6 in mid-April 2015. First concrete was poured for the fifth unit in the following month, while that for unit 6 was poured in December. These will be demonstration indigenously-designed Hualong One reactors. Fuqing 5 and 6 are scheduled to be completed in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

The Fuqing nuclear power plant project is owned by CNNC subsidiary China Nuclear Power Company (51%); Huadian Fuxin Energy Company (39%); and Fujian Investment and Development Group (10%).

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Russia and Belarus meeting obligations under Ostrovets agreement

07 September 2016

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State financial controllers in Belarus and Russia have carried out an audit of the intergovernmental agreement between the countries for construction of Belarus' first nuclear power plant, in Ostrovets, in the Grodno region. According to Nuclear.Ru, the State Control Committee of Belarus and the Accounts Chamber of Russia have looked at the "performance of obligations" laid out in the agreement.

The audit assessed: "The fullness of the execution by the parties of their commitments; the adequacy of measures taken by the competent authorities and organizations to ensure implementation of the agreement; and the use of Russian export credit funds."

In a statement yesterday, the Accounts Chamber of Russia said the audit had found the obligations had "in the main been carried out". It noted that three contracts worth $9 billion signed by the customer, Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, and the general contractor, Russia's AtomStroyExport, for "design and preparatory works" had been completed.

As of 1 June, the customer had accepted work to the value of $2.2 billion, or 24% of the total value of the contracts. Of that figure, $1.8 billion was paid via Russian credit. Unit 1 is 32% complete, while unit 2 is 10% complete, it added. Belarus has fully met its obligations regarding the Russian loan, with interest paid on time and no arrears, it said.

Operation of the first unit of the Ostrovets plant is scheduled for November 2018 and the second unit in July 2020, to give 2340 MWe net capacity on line.

In early August, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said it had offered to replace the reactor shell for unit 2 of the plant its workers dropped during installation work the previous month. Mikhail Mikhadyuk, deputy energy minister of Belarus, said a decision would be taken on the use of the equipment only after a thorough investigation of the "abnormal situation".

The State Entity Nuclear Power Plant Construction Directorate (Belarus AEC) recently announced that an investigation had been launched into an accident at the construction site of the plant on 26 August that resulted in the death of a Russian subcontractor. No details were disclosed about the nature of the accident. According to Belarus Digest, the fatality had been caused by the "explosion of an oxygen gas tank".

In May 2009, Russia and Belarus signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. This framework specified the main directions of cooperation in the development, design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel supply, nuclear and radiation safety, as well as scientific cooperation, training and others.

This agreement was followed in September 2009 with ASE signing an agreement to assist in a feasibility study into the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus. The study also considered the investment options available to finance the proposed plant.

An intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Belarus specifically on cooperation in the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus was signed in March 2011.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Russia's Mighty Rivers

Russia has a vast geographical area, and has many rivers that flow through its expanses. Yenisei is the most prominent one that originates from the Sayan Mountains in the Southern Siberia. It flows into the Kara Sea, a part of the Arctic Ocean. Together with its headwaters tributaries, the Angara and Selenga rivers, it forms the longest river system in Russia and has an estimated length of 3,445 miles. The second one is the Ob-Irtysh river system that Russia shares with other countries, namely Kazakhstan, China, and Mongolia, with a length of 3,364 miles. Ob river forms due to the confluence of two rivers in the Atlay mountains and Irtysh is its principal tributary. Some other longest river systems to pass through Russia are the Amur-Argun, Lena, Volga, Nizhnyaya, and Vilyuy, respectively. All of these are more than 1,800 miles in length. There are also other rivers such as the Kolyma, Ishim, and the Ural which are also listed among the top ten longest rivers of Russia.

Economic and Cultural Significance

The river basin of the Yenisei-Angara-Selenga serves as a home to numerous prosperous cities buzzing with economic activities. The capital city of Russia, Moscow itself lies along the river Volga. There are also Hydroelectric power stations, shipping companies, rich mineral deposits, and much more in the river basin making it quite important for Russia and the people living in its vast basin. Rivers such as the Ob, Yenisei, and the Volga have immense economic importance because of their easy navigation. They have been in use for transportation since time immemorial.

There are many cultural groups residing on the banks of these rivers that have their roots going back to the Bronze Age. Many cultural communities residing in the upper reach of the river system have a distinctive language as well, including the Kets (or the Ostyaks) and the Dolgans. In fact, the Gorbunovskaya culture that flourished on the banks of the river Ob dates back to between 3,000 and 2,000 BC.

Riverine Habitats and Biodiversity

The Yenisei-Angara River System offers a rich habitat to an approximate 55 species of fishes, including the Siberian sturgeons, tenches, Arctic flounders, Sterfet sturgeons, Common roaches, and more. The system also supports taiga flora that comprised mainly of coniferous trees such as latches, firs, and cedars. One can also find Arctic tundra vegetation in the north characterized by mosses and lichens. For many animals and birds, the river system is a home. There are the Siberian musk deer, roe deer in the taiga forests along the banks of Yenisei and birds such as Black-billed capercaillies, Pallass rosefinches, and Siberian blue robins. Every year migratory birds such as ducks and geese, as well as swans, also make their ways into the river basin during the summertime.

Environmental Threats

As per recent reports published in local newspapers, the Yenisei River is under serious environmental threats due to contamination by radioactive discharge from a nearby factory. Added to these woes are other contaminants, namely sewage, industrial waste, and pesticides, which are gradually contaminating the longest river. There are high levels of hydrocarbons in the Ob River while the Volga is continuously facing threats from oil spills. Apart from a territorial dispute over Amur river with China, there are no territorial disputes regarding any of the other top ten longest rivers of Russia with any other countries.
Liechtenstein, formally the Principality of Liechtenstein, is a doubly landlocked German-speaking microstate in Central Europe. it is a constitutional monarchy with the ranks of the realm being headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein. Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland toward the west and south and Austria toward the east and north. It has a territory of a little more than 160 square kilometers (62 square miles) and a population of around 37,000. Liechtenstein is divided into 11 municipalities, with its capital being Vaduz and its biggest municipality being Schaan.

Language

Standard German is the official language of Liechtenstein, with many dialects of the same language being used in the small country. It is utilized for official purposes and must also be taught in the schools. Despite German being the official language, a great many people additionally speak a local Alemannic tongue that is similar to the German spoken in Switzerland. The general population in the mountain locale of Triesenberg speak a unique vernacular dialect referred to as Walser. The principle secondary languages instructed in schools are English and French.

Liechtensteiner Ways of Life

Liechtenstein is an advanced industrialized nation whose occupants have some of the highest standards of living on the planet. Most Liechtensteiners live in single-family homes. There is adequate housing for the majority of Liechtenstein's occupants, and residences range from wooden houses scattered crosswise over beautiful mountain towns to cutting edge multi-story loft structures in the capital city of Vaduz.

Private cars are Liechtenstein's most imperative method of transportation, and the principality has a very intricate arrangement of streets and roadways. Its primary expressway goes through the nation, connecting it with Austria and Switzerland. Low cost open transportation is provided by postal transports. These convey travelers to destinations inside Liechtenstein, furthermore to Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein has one railroad, worked by the Austrian Federal Railways. There is no airplane terminal inside Liechtenstein. The closest one is Kloten Airport in Zurich, Switzerland.

Cultural Heritage

Liechtenstein's cultural fortune is embodied by the accumulation of visual art pieces by its sovereigns through the years, and these royal collections date back to the middle of the 1600s. Housed in the capital city of Vaduz, some of the most notable of these make up the second largest private art collection on the planet. Britain's illustrious family are the only ones who have surpassed Liechtensteins art collection. Its numerous art culminations cover an extensive variety of periods and schools of art. It incorporates figures, woven artworks, silver, and porcelain, and additionally depictions by Breughel the Elder, Botticelli, Rembrandt, Rubens, and a wide variety of other masters of Renaissance workmanship.

Liechtenstein has a solid musical tradition. Brass bands and vocal gatherings are more basic in rustic territories, while the cities of Vaduz and Balzers have respected operetta companies.
The United States has 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Of these, ten are cultural, one is mixed, and twelve are natural sites, with most of them being national parks. These sites are places of importance in America's rich cultural history and represent the remarkable diversity of its people. The Mesa Verde National Park and the Yellowstone National Park were the first two American sites to be designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978. Since then, a total of 23 sites in 19 states and two territories have been designated. Two sites are transboundary, meaning that they cross the border into Canada. Some of these sites are highlighted below, and a full list of these sites can be found at the bottom of the article.

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

UNESCO listed the Cahokia Mounds as a World Heritage Site in 1982. The site is the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico. Cahokia started out as a Mississippian city with a broad range of residential homes and monumental public works that have maintained their authenticity as the cultural, economic, and religious center of the natives for centuries. The site exhibits divisions of labor, agriculture, trade and settlement structures indicating a pre-urban society with an exceptional organization. The site is located in southwestern Illinois near the banks of the Mississippi River and across from the city of St. Louis, Missouri.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

UNESCO listed the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico as a World Heritage Site in 1987. The site protects the ruins of the sophisticated Chacoan complexes dating back to between 900 and 1150 CE. The ruins portray an exceptional civilization that developed high architectural designs with limited resources and in the harsh weather conditions of the Southwest.

Everglades National Park

UNESCO designated the Everglades National Park as a natural World Heritage Site in 1979 due to its vast subtropical wilderness that is home to rare and endangered animal species like the manatee, the elusive Florida panther, and the American crocodile. It provides a significant breeding ground for tropical wading birds and has the Western Hemisphere's largest mangrove ecosystem. Over a million visitors tour the site annually.

Yellowstone National Park

UNESCO named Yellowstone a natural heritage site in 1978. About half of the world's geothermal features are found in Yellowstone National Park, numbering over 10,000. The park also features the world's largest concentration of geysers number almost 300, most notably the Old Faithful Geyser. The Subalpine is the most famous and abundant ecosystem in the park. Yellowstone is home to hundreds of endangered or threatened species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Its megafauna includes wolves, grizzly bears, and free-ranging herds of bison and elk among others. The bison herd is the largest and oldest herd in the country. Native Americans have lived in the park for over 11,000 years, and their culture is intensely rooted in the site's sceneries and features.

Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world as well as a UNESCO site. The Colorado River has fed the canyon for almost 17 million years. The horizontal stratum dates back to 2 billion years. The canyon has an unusual and unique combination of geological features and erosion forms. The canyon is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and 1 mile deep. About 5 million people travel to the Grand Canyon each year.

Redwood National and State Parks

The park is a sanctuary for the tallest and oldest trees on earth over 160 million years. The park is a conservancy for a vast prairie, oak woodlands, wild rivers, and a forty mile coastline. The California State Parks and The National Park Service managed the coastal wilderness and was designated as World Heritage Site in 1980 by UNESCO.

Papahanaumokuakea

Papahanaumokuakenationa is a US National Monument that covers an area of 583,000 square miles (1,510,000 square kilometers) of ocean waters, islands, and atolls in the Pacific Ocean. It was created in 2006 and extended in 2016 to make it the largest protected area in the world. UNESCO listed the Marine National Monument as a mixed World Heritage Site in 2010. The area has cultural and natural values because of the cosmological and traditional significance for the native Hawaiians. The site is also home to rare, threatened, and endangered flora and fauna species.
Merck's new OLED production plant in Darmstadt, Germany.

DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Merck said it has opened its new production plant for OLED materials in Darmstadt. After a 14-month construction period, high purity OLED materials for use in latest displays and lighting systems are being produced in the approximately 2,000 square metre building. With a total investment of around 30 million, this is one of the largest single investments Merck has made at the Darmstadt site in recent years.

The plant enables a five-fold increase in production capacity. By 2018, Merck aims to be one of the leading suppliers of OLED materials and deliver from a single source all the chemical materials necessary for OLED displays. The company is benefitting from its experience in the liquid crystals business.

OLED technology has the potential to become the technology of the future for displays and lighting, said Walter Galinat, CEO, performance materials and member of executive board of Merck, at the opening ceremony attended by around 200 guests. These included Tarek Al-Wazir, minister - economics, energy, transport and regional development for German Federal State of Hesse and Jochen Partsch, mayor of Darmstadt.

We invested considerable resources in OLED technology early on and are excellently positioned. This applies to Darmstadt, where our OLED materials are developed and manufactured, and to countries such as Japan, Korea and China, where we operate application labs to work closely with our customers, said Galinat. Al-Wazir praised the companys investment. Partsch underscored the importance of Merck as a research-based company to Darmstadt, the city of science.

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are semiconducting organic materials that emit light and luminesce when electric voltage is applied. They are particularly suited for use in displays and lighting, providing brilliant colours and sharp images, and are highly energy-efficient.

The latest technological advances in flexible OLED displays are enabling unique smartphones in new shapes. In the future, the ceilings of subway cars, offices or apartments could be transformed into information panels or a view of a blue sky. For this, Merck is working on ultra-thin, printable OLED displays. It will allow the manufacture of flexible or rollable displays. OLED technology will create new possibilities also in the automotive sector, medicine and education. The first cars with OLED tail lights can already be seen on roads.

 Worldofchemicals News
Harper Westover with her mother Theresa

By: Chan Yuan

(Scroll down for video) The parents of a 2-year-old girl were shocked to get a $75 fine in the mail because their daughter littered in the streets of Washington D.C.

The Department of Public Works sent Harper Westover the $75 fine after a government worker found an envelope with her name in the street along with a bag of trash.

Westoveras mother Theresa, said that the envelope in question was sent to her daughter by Buckyas Buddies, which is a kids club for fans of the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Theresa, who is a lawyer, called the Department of Public Works, saying that her daughter was just 2 years old and cannot be held responsible for littering.

The person who was on the phone insisted that the envelope had her daughteras name on it and therefore, she is responsible to pay the fine.

Later, Theresa got another fine of $75 in her own name.

Theresa suspects that the sanitation department worker left the bag of trash containing the envelope behind while making their routine.
Venderius Holyfield

By: Chan Yuan

(Scroll down for video) Police have arrested a man, who posed as a sexy woman to meet boys for sex.

The man of Alabama, created a Facebook page and added a photo of a sexy woman, showing her cleavage.

Police said that 35-year-old Venderius Holyfield of Tarrant, created the Facebook page with the name Jalisa Smith, to lure teenage boys for sex.

A 15-year-old boy reported Holyfield to the police after the two met in person while he was still pretending to be a woman.

Police said that Holyfield asked the boy to meet him near the old Food Giant. The boy became suspicious after Holyfield arrived covered with a blanket.

According to Sgt. Phillip George, Holyfield, who pretended to be a woman, told the victim that he wrapped himself in the blanket because in the past, asomeone tried to record her and she wanted to hide her identity.a

The boy did not believe Holyfield, and reported him to police. Holyfield was arrested on charges of enticing a child, traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act and attempted sodomy.

His bail was set at $35,000.

The 15-year-old victim told detectives that Holyfield victimized three other boys as well. However, they were too embarrassed to come forward after learning that they were duped by Holyfield.
Bill Kintner

By: Wayne Morin

(Scroll down for video) A state senator in Nebraska, is facing impeachment after refusing to resign following allegations that he had cybersex with a woman on a government issued computer.

55-year-old Bill Kintner represents the 2nd District in the Nebraska Legislature.

Kintner, who is a member of the Republican Party, was ordered by the Legislatures Executive Board to step down.

The state accountability board ordered Kintner to pay a fine of $1,000 after admitting to having an online sexual encounter with a woman he met on Facebook.

The woman of the Ivory Coast, then threatened to publicly reveal the sexual encounter unless Kintner paid her $4,500.

According to the investigation, last year, Kintner met the woman on Facebook, and she persuaded him to pleasure himself on Skype while she did the same.

The two also exchanged sexually explicit messages. At one point, Kintner told the woman that she was smoking hot. The woman, who used the name Vinciane Diedeort, asked Kintner to remove his clothes.

He removed his clothes and showed the woman his naked body.

A few minutes later, she threatened to post the video on YouTube and share it with her Facebook friends if he did not wire $4,500 to an account in the Ivory Coast.

Kintner reported himself to the police that day, telling investigators that he had been the victim of a scam.
Confirmation of Disease Threatens Acton Parks Blue Cedars

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Sep 7th, 2016

A group of Atlas Cedars in a Wrexham park are at risk of being removed after one tree was confirmed as being diseased cedar dieback.

The tree, which is park of three Atlas Cedars near the Gorsedd Stones in Acton Park has been confirmed by the Forest Research agency as being diseased cedar dieback, (Sirococcus tsugae). One of the adjacent trees is now showing symptoms of the disease.

This is a disease that was only detected in Britain two years ago and can cause up to 70% defoliation and lead to the trees death. There are no effective control measures for the disease.

The Councils tree officers are arranging for the infected tree to be removed, and to carry out mulching and fertilisation of the remaining two trees in the group to try and boost their health in a hope that it may give them some resilience against the disease.

Lead member for Environment Cllr David Bithell said: Most of the Councils mature Atlas Cedars are in this park, I believe there are eight in total, so if this disease takes a hold it could be devastating for the landscape of Acton Park.

The Council will always do what it can to try and save trees but its difficult if there are no known control measures we can put in place.

There have been other sightings of Atlas Cedars in and around Wrexham showing symptoms consistent with the disease and officers are monitoring the situation on Council owned trees, residents and tree owners concerned about their own cedar trees can find information on the Forest Research website  and can report findings of the disease here.
Hundreds Sign Petition Opposing Plans to Reduce Wrexhams Fire Service

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Sep 7th, 2016

Hundreds of people have signed a petition to save Wrexhams fire service after campaigners held a street stall in the town centre.

The campaigners took to the streets on Saturday 3 September to raise awareness and generate support against controversial proposals to reduce the number of fire engines in Wrexham.

In May Wrexham.com reported that plans had been put forward to cut one fire appliance and 24 firefighters jobs in Wrexham by 2019/20 as the North Wales Fire Authority look to cut 1 million from its budget.

The proposed reduction of appliances in Wrexham came following a meeting between members of the North Wales Fire Authority who had concluded that it was no longer possible to freeze the authoritys budget.

Several further options were also considered, including the closure of the control room and closing nine rural stations.

However the loss of one appliance in Wrexham was described as the least damaging option.

The proposals has been slammed by local campaigners and Plaid Cymru, who have stated the plans will endanger lives.

Plaid Cymrus Wrexham spokesperson Marc Jones said: The Fire Authoritys plan to save 1m by cutting 24 jobs and one of the towns two fire appliances defies logic. Theyve just spent 15m on a brand new combined station in the town with the ambulance service. Why cut the service to the bone now?

This makes even less when the Welsh Government expects there to be a 20% rise in the boroughs population over the coming years and there is a huge new prison opening in 2017.

One of the main concerns regarding the proposals has surrounding issues with arson across Wrexham, with North Wales Fire and Rescue Service recently announcing they are creating a video to warn young people of the dangers of deliberate fires.

Details released earlier this year during a council consultation on how to tackle Wrexhams arson problem stated: Arson has been a recurring problem in Wrexham for a number of years. There is a significantly higher level of deliberate fires in the county compared to the rest of North Wales over the past five years.

43% of all arson in the North Wales area occurred in Wrexham; increasing to 47% in 2015.

Mr Jones added: We also have an ongoing arson problem in the area with Wrexhams fire services are already dealing with 43% of all North Wales arson and a large proportion of the road traffic accidents across the North.

In these circumstances, cutting the service would endanger lives.

Mr Jones will be taking the petition to the North Wales Fire Authority when he meets senior fire officers on September 13. Anyone wanting copies of the petition sheet can contact him on marcvjones@gmail.com or 07747 792441.

You can show your support to the cause by signing the petition here. Regular updates can also be found on the Save Wrexhams Fire Engine Facebook page.
Divisions that were temporarily patched over within the UK Conservative government over plans for Britains withdrawal from the European Union (EU) following the Brexit referendum resurfaced after the G20 summit in China.

At a press conference at the summit, Prime Minister Theresa May rejected an Australian-style points-based system for controlling EU migration, which was one of the key promises of the Leave campaign during its successful campaign in the June referendum on EU membership.

May stated, What the British people voted for on 23 June was to bring some control into the movement of people from the European Union to the UK. A points-based system does not give you that control.

The prime minister added that in her previous post as home secretary a points-based system existed for visas for students, [B]ecause they [students] met the criteria, they were automatically let in. Thats the problem with a points-based system. I want a system where the government is able to decide who comes into the country.

There is no single silver bullet that is the answer in terms of dealing with immigration, she added. This placed May and her wing of the party into opposition to five cabinet ministersBoris Johnson, Liam Fox, Priti Patel, Chris Grayling and Andrea Leadsomwho openly endorsed the policy during the referendum campaign.

The points based systemlong the policy of the anti-immigrant UK Independence Party (UKIP)was adopted by Johnson, Patel and another leading Tory Brexiter, Michael Gove, amid loud boasts of victory from then UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

A dog whistle policy, its adoption was designed to whip up anti-immigrant xenophobia under conditions in which polls were showing, at that stage, a close victory for the Remain camp. The Times reported Monday, Some senior figures from the campaign have admitted privately that they focused on the points system because focus groups suggested that it sounded tough to voters.

Following the surprise vote by the population to leave the EU, Johnson stated, The government will be able to take back democratic control of immigration policy, with a balanced and humane points based system to suit the needs of business and industry.

In the referendum, May supported a Remain vote in line with the dominant position within ruling circles.

Since becoming PM, after the resignation of her predecessor David Cameron, she has stressed that Brexit means Brexit in order to placate the Eurosceptic wing that dominates her party outside Parliament. But she is anxious that this process is managed and does not end in a complete breach with Europeespecially under conditions where she was subjected to public rebuke over Brexits impact on British trade relations and its global standing by US President Barack Obama at the G20.

With May in China, it was left to leading Brexit figure David Davis, the designated Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, to give a statement on Exiting the European Union to Parliament Monday on its return from the summer recess.

Asked by Labour MP and fellow Eurosceptic Kate Hoey if he agreed that it was not necessary to be a member of the Single European Market to have access to it, Davis replied, There are many, many countries, many countries outside the European Union, that do a better job, frankly, of exporting to the single market than we do, even without a trade arrangement. So of course we want to have access to the single market. We dont need to be a member of it to do it. Indeed, being a member of it has caused some of the problems of sovereignty that this referendum was driven by.

Davis later confirmed, in reply to a question from Anna Soubry, a leading Conservative figure in the pro-Remain Open Britain campaign, that his position was to accept withdrawal from the single market. He stated, What Im saying is that this government is looking at every option. But the simple truth is that if a requirement of membership is giving up control of our borders, I think that makes it very improbable.

Within 24 hours, Daviss comments were repudiated by a spokesman for May who stated that he was giving his opinion and not government policy. Mays spokesman said she has set out that we are going to need to be able to address peoples concerns about migration with the EU and get the best possible deal in trade and services and now work is underway. ... She is approaching that with an open mind, with a view that we shouldnt be taking a model off the shelf.

Mays statement on arriving at the G20 that Britain was open for business and that restrictions on the freedom of movement for EU citizens were a red line in negotiations with the EU had been publicly welcomed by Eurosceptic Tory MPs. However, Daviss comments were a swipe at May and an attempt to ensure the hard Brexit desired by the anti-EU faction of the party.

The Daily Telegraph noted of Mays statement: The rebuke is a stark sign of the disagreement at the heart of the Cabinet surrounding Britains exit from the European Union, and represented a warning to Mr. Davis, who as a member of the Government is expected not to state his own opinions in the House of Commons.

Mays mantra that Brexit means Brexit can no longer conceal the air of crisis and paralysis surrounding the government. The intractable political conflicts within the ruling elite evidenced in the referendum campaign not only remain unresolved. They have been exacerbated by the Leave vote.

At last weeks cabinet meeting, May ruled out a second referendum or an early general election on the issue of Brexit. She did so to pre-empt the debate held later in the day in Westminster Hallfollowing Davies statement in Parliamentmade necessary by a 4 million-strong petition demanding a second referendum on the UKs EU membership.

Calls by the pro-Remain Labour MP David Lammy and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas for another referendum or a vote in Parliament on whatever deal is reached as a result of Brexit negotiations were rejected by former Conservative minister John Penrose, who declared, We have been given our marching orders. Brexit must mean Brexit. It is up to every red-blooded democrat to accept the verdict ... and pull together to deliver it.

In China, May not only faced a dressing down from the US but was presented with a 15-page document from Japan warning that the UK could see an exodus by major corporations unless it maintained access to the EU Single Market. Editorialising Monday, the Times noted, British officials were said to be astonished by Japans long list of worries, and described Mays first international summit as a reality check for Brexit.

The pro-Remain Financial Times warned Tuesday: Japans requests to the UK and EU, which amount to a plea to maintain the fullest market access possible, may be little more than a wishlist. But the questions it has raised are as pressing for UK businesses as they are for foreign investors; and they will require answers.

Political and geostrategic divisions over Brexit are set to intensify in the lead up to the September 16 meeting of EU leaders in Bratislava. Last week, Germanys vice-chancellor and Social Democratic Party chair, Sigmar Gabriel, warned that negotiations on withdrawal must be made as tough as possible for the UK to discourage other countries from following its lead and stop the EU going down the drain.

This hard line was re-affirmed last Thursday by European Council President Donald Tusk, who will chair the Bratislava summit. Tusk said: We need to protect the interests of the members of the EU that want to stay together, not the one which decides to leave. It sounds brutal but it must be obvious for all of us that we are in this process to protect our own European interests, it means interests of 27.
A report commissioned by the UK Conservative government to review the bulk powers proposed in the Investigatory Powers Bill aims to bolster its argument in favour of mass spying and indiscriminate collection of personal data. It is nothing more than a cover for the real aim of the ruling eliteto increase the power of the state to monitor the population for any signs of potential threats to their interests.

The Report of the Bulk Powers Review by David Anderson QC, who is designated the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, was published August 19.

Together with his previous 2015 report, A Question of Trust: Report of the Investigatory Powers Review, the Bulk Powers Review was commissioned to ease the passage of the Bill (known as the Snoopers Charter) into law. To facilitate this, Anderson is portrayed as an expert who is independent of both the government and state apparatus.

With virtually no media coverage, MPs in the House of Commons voted in June by 444 to 69 in favour of the Bill. It will now be discussed in the House of Lords and is likely to come into effect in January 2017.

Anderson is a Queens Counsel (senior barrister appointed on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor) and appointed Independent Reviewer in 2011 by then home secretary and now prime minister Theresa May.

Anderson came to public prominence earlier this year when he played a key role in a BBC Panorama documentary, Edward Snowden: Spies and the Law, which served as propaganda in favour of the spying carried out by the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) on millions of people. Anderson spoke in favour of bulk data collection because there was no way of predicting in advance in which packet of data, in which cable contains the incriminating information.

In the documentary, Andersen also set the tone for his review, arguing that Internet service providers ought to retain Internet records for a year, so that they could be trawled through by the secret services. He declared that this was not itself a bulk power and would therefore not be investigated.

The team he picked to carry out the review speaks volumes about his role. To help him investigate the activities of the secret services were none other than former members of the secret services, including Robert Nowill, GCHQs former director of technology and engineering, and Gordon Meldrum, the National Crime Agencys former director of intelligence.

The report is based on evidence given to these trusted establishment figures by GCHQ and the other spying agencies, MI5 and MI6. Case studies were clearly selected in order to strengthen the case for the bulk powers. For instance, one concerns a terrorist group in Syria responsible for hostage-taking and attempted attacks on UK nationals, which GCHQ claims could only be countered by bulk equipment interference (EI)the hacking straight into the devices and systems of large numbers of innocent people, bypassing encryption measures, on the off chance unknown individuals or data are discovered. The device and data it contains can be remotely monitored, changed, infected or destroyed.

Unsurprisingly, their conclusion is that there is a proven operational case for three of the four bulk powers examined, and a distinct though not yet proven operational case for the fourth bulk power.

Andersons report claims bulk powers play an important part in identifying, understanding and averting threats in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and further afield including cyber-attacks, espionage and terrorism, child sexual abuse and organised crime.

His argument is that while mass surveillance represents a lessening of privacy, it is necessary for the sake of increased security. This flies in the face of the countless revelations that state spying is aimed at the general population that Anderson claims it should be protecting.

Anderson nowhere addresses why GCHQ and the domestic spying agency MI5 should be trusted to gather and handle private information on millions of people, when there is so much evidence of their existing powers being misused. Nor does he refer to the issue of police infiltration of political, environmental and campaign groups, including the family of murder victim Stephen Lawrence.

The strengthening of the military and intelligence arms of the ruling class is intensifying. Last September an anonymous serving general threatened a mutiny, within days of Jeremy Corbyns election as Labour leader, should a Labour government come to power with Corbyn at the helm, citing his unreliability to rule due to his declared opposition to the use of nuclear weapons.

The claim in Andersons previous report, and in the Panorama documentary, that the new powers in the Investigatory Powers Bill cannot be misused because they require a warrant providing judicial independent oversight, is worthy only of contempt. Such oversight was claimed to have existed in the years when GCHQ and other intelligence agencies carried out mass surveillance outside of the law as revealed by Snowden.

Even Anderson in his previous report A Question of Trust was forced to admit that RIPA [Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, 2000], obscure since its inception, has been patched up so many times as to make it incomprehensible to all but a tiny band of initiates. A multitude of alternative powers, some of them without statutory safeguards, confuse the picture further.

What is described herea tiny band of initiates using laws only they understood to run state spying activities without statutory safeguardsis utterly damning. The patching up of the law was done after the fact in order to justify what GCHQ were either already doing or actively developing.

That the security services are a law unto themselves was shown in June by Edward Snowden, who revealed that, beginning in 2009, GCHQ had already embarked on bulk powers spying under its MILKWHITE programme. One leaked document described MILKWHITE as a support system for Home Office plans to modernise its domestic interception (spying) capabilities.

As part of MILKWHITE, the agency provided access to vast amounts of metadatalogs of telephone conversations, emails and other communicationsto MI5, the Metropolitan Police, Her Majestys Revenue and Customs, the Serious Organized Crime Agency (now the National Crime Agency) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, as well as the eight former Scottish police forces. GCHQ was seeking an additional 20.8 million to update its advanced analytics section in 2011/12 due to increasing customer demand for the service.

This whole intrusive, illegal system of mass surveillance was planned and operated in secret without any trace of a public debate on bulk powers. Andersons review gives a backdated seal of approval to these activities, justifies their continued deployment and paves the way for the next step.
By PTI: From Youssra El-Sharkawy

Cairo, Sep 7 (PTI) At least five persons, mostly minors, were killed and 27 others injured today when a train derailed in Egypts Giza area which is popular among tourists for Pyramids.

The train heading to the Upper Egyptian city of Aswan from here when its first three compartments went off the tracks at Ayat in Giza, killing five persons and injuring 27, most of them minors, Khaled Megahed, Ministry Of Health spokesperson said.

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Around 20 ambulances rushed to the spot, Giza governor Kamal el-Dali said, adding that the cause of the accident was being probed.

Giza is home to the great Pyramids, one of the Wonders of the Ancient World.

The accident resulted in train services from Cairo getting affected.

The accident comes as Egypt prepares to celebrate Eid al-Adha which starts on Monday, with many Egyptians traveling to different cities to spent the holiday with their families and friends. PTI CORR CPS AKJ CPS

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Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton this week publicly accused the Russian government of intervening in the American election on behalf of her Republican opponent Donald Trump.

She cited an investigation by US intelligence agencies, first reported Monday night by the Washington Post, into alleged Russian government hacking into the computer systems of the state election officials in the United States.

Clinton told a press conference Monday there were now credible reports about Russian interference in our elections, adding, I want everyoneDemocrat, Republican, Independentto understand the real threat that this represents.

Clinton referred both to the Post report about hacking into state government computers in Arizona and Illinois, and to the alleged Russian hacking of the emails of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which revealed backroom efforts by top DNC officials to ensure Clintons victory.

Clintons suggestion of a Trump-Putin axis was followed up Tuesday in a speech in North Carolina by her vice-presidential running mate, Senator Tim Kaine, which was billed as a major national security address by the Democratic campaign.

Kaine contrasted Clintons going toe-to-toe with Putin as US secretary of state, to Trumps suggestion that NATO was outmoded and that he could negotiate more successfully with Russia. He then raised the question why Trump seems to support Russian interests at the expense of American ones, suggesting that the billionaire real estate speculator was keeping his tax returns secret because they might shed light on his financial ties to Russia. He concluded by citing the claim of former acting CIA Director Michael Morell that Trump is an unwitting agent of the Russian intelligence services.

Clinton appeared Monday at several Labor Day rallies, but she chose to focus her attack on Trump on national security issues, where she has consistently attacked the billionaire real estate speculator from the right.

Asked by a reporter if the alleged Russian actions amounted to a cyberwar, Clinton replied, Im not comfortable using the word war. This demurral was only to disguise her intentions from the American people. However, in a speech last week to the American Legion convention, Clinton declared that cyberattacks on the United States should be answered by military force.

Clinton claimed that Putin had all but confirmed Russias role in the hacking of the DNCa flat-out lieadding, The team around him certainly believe that there is some benefit to them to doing this. She then declared that the prospect of additional hacking into the state government systems used to conduct the November 8 elections represented a threat from an adversarial foreign power.

The Democratic candidate also criticized the role of the Russian government in Syria, in backing the regime of President Bashar al-Assad against Islamist forces armed and financed by the United States and the Gulf monarchies. She denounced the refusal of the Russians and the Iranians to put the kind of pressure on Assad that is necessary 

Clinton reiterated her support for imposing a no-fly zone over parts of Syria held by the US-backed rebels, which would require US air strikes against Syrian anti-aircraft positions and could lead to confrontations between Russian and American warplanes, which both conduct air strikes in the country.

I think we need leverage, she said. Ive always believed that if that were on the table and it were clear we were going to pursue it, that would give us the leverage we dont have now. Coming just after the well-publicized failure of talks last weekend between Obama and Putin at the G20 summit in China, Clinton was clearly seeking to stake out a more aggressive position on Syria than that of the Obama administration.

The Democrats claim to have discovered a Trump-Putin axis has two purposes: first, to cement Clintons standing as the consensus choice of the US military-intelligence apparatus; and second, to integrate the election campaign itself into the war preparations by US imperialism, both in the Middle East and against Russia (as well as China).

If Clinton wins the November 8 election over Trump, she will claim this to be a mandate for the escalation of US military operations in Iraq and Syria, as well as the continued NATO military buildup throughout Eastern Europe, openly aimed at preparing for war with Russia, a country with the worlds second-largest nuclear arsenal.

In her complaints about Russian interference in the US elections, Clinton is joining in the campaign waged by the Pentagon and CIA to prepare US public opinion for such a conflict.

The article published Monday by the Washington Post is little more than a handout from the intelligence agencies. It reports that the CIA, FBI, National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security have started an investigation, led by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, into a broad covert Russian operation in the United States to sow public distrust in the upcoming presidential election and in US political institutions.

In addition to discrediting the election among the American peoplehardly necessary given that the entire political system is deeply despised and the two main candidates hatedRussian officials allegedly seek to provide propaganda fodder to attack US democracy-building policies around the world, the Post claimed.

As in previous reports by the Post and the New York Times about alleged Russian hacking of the DNC, no evidence of any kind is cited in the article, only the unsupported claims of intelligence officials, who even the Post reporters admit lack definitive proof of either cyberattacks or even plans for cyberattacks.

Apparently the public is expected to treat such claims as the gospel, despite the decades of lying by these agencies to cover up assassinations, coup plots and other conspiracies abroad, and the systematic violation of the democratic rights of the American people at home.

Meanwhile, the claims of Russian hacking are being used to whip up a crisis atmosphere about the administration of the election itself. Earlier this summer the FBI issued a flash alert to election officials in all 50 states over the threat of cyber intrusions. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson suggested that the entire US election system, including 9,000 polling places and 50 separate state election authorities, should be declared critical infrastructure subject to the same counterterrorism efforts as nuclear power plants and electrical power grids.
In response to the anti-police violence protests and unrest last month in the citys Sherman Park neighborhood, Milwaukees Democratic mayor Tom Barrett and the Milwaukee Common Council announced a new safety budget on Friday which includes a dramatic funding increase for the Milwaukee police.

The budget contains authorization for expanding the Milwaukee Police Department by hiring 280 police officers in the next 2 years, adding seasonal officers, and detaining suspects until their case is resolved in lieu of electronic monitoring. Also proposed are more Milwaukee County sheriff patrols in county parks and expanded juvenile detention center capacities.

Recent years have seen an ever more intrusive and brutal police presence in the city. The Milwaukee County sheriffs have stationed a mobile command center, an RV containing surveillance equipment, at the popular Bradford Beach all summer long.

Milwaukee police officers made regular practice of using public body cavity and strip searches of suspects, leading to 50 defendants suing the city. Only one of three officers involved was convicted in 2014 on felony charges for the cavity search of a suspect that resulted in severe trauma.

Multiple instances of police violence in Milwaukee have given rise to repeated protests and mass anger. In 2014, police shot and killed Dontre Hamilton in a downtown park. He was mentally ill and homeless. Several large protests followed his death, including 1,200 who took to the streets following the announcement that the officer who killed Hamilton would not face federal criminal civil rights charges.

Seventeen people have been killed by police in Wisconsin since the beginning of this year, three in the city of Milwaukee.

The shooting of Smith last month sparked a night of unrest and days of protests and saw the deployment of police SWAT teams, the mobilization of the National Guard and the implementation of a curfew in order to intimidate demonstrators.

Following the repeal of the curfew in late August, Republican governor Scott Walker announced $4.5 million in funding for various projects in the city as a sop to local business interests, and which will have no impact on desperate social conditions.

Nearly half of this funding, $2 million, is earmarked to demolish foreclosed properties and hire youth to help clean up the lots. The other funds are to be allocated to various job training initiatives, with Walker commenting, This is all about helping people move from government dependence to true independence through the dignity that comes from work.

Local manufacturers have seized the opportunity to announce their own tentative plans to expand into the north side of Milwaukee. Tim Sullivan, former CEO of Bucyrus, now owned by Caterpillar, heads up REV Group, a new company seeking a government contract worth $6.3 billion to build postal vehicles. Sullivan claims if they win the contract, they would open a plant on Milwaukees Northside and hire 1,000 workers.

It can be expected that if such a venture gets off the ground, REV Group will provide residents the opportunity of working for poverty wages and scant benefits. When President Barack Obama visited the Master Lock plant in Sherman Park in 2012 he hailed it as a model for the insourcing of low-wage manufacturing jobs.

As the WSWS has noted, while racism no doubt plays a role in police shootings, the socioeconomic features of these shootings highlight the fundamental class character of police brutality. Even as the majority of the shootings in Milwaukee occurred in neighborhoods that are predominantly African-American, they are also areas that reflect the concentrated impact of the social and economic crisis of capitalism.

The city lost three-quarters of its industrial jobs between 1960 and 2010. As a result of this deindustrialization the citys child poverty rate is more than 40%, and overall poverty levels consistently lead the state.

The disappearance of manufacturing employment had a particularly severe impact on black male workers in the city. From 1970 to 2010, the employment rate for black men aged 16 to 64 in the metro Milwaukee region fell precipitously, from 73.4 percent to only 44.7 percent.

The response of the political establishment to the protests in Milwaukee mirrors that of nearby Chicago, which is also experiencing popular protests against a recent spate of police killings. The two cities have been controlled by the Democratic Party for decades and share a history of deindustrialization.

The Democrats have responded to protests against police violence and desperate social conditions with an escalation of police presence in poor neighborhoods and increasing funding for a larger force and the further militarization of the police.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Obamas former chief of staff, and his appointee, police superintendent Eddie Johnson, have worked hand in hand to block justice for police murder victims and prevent the prosecution of officers.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced Friday that the government and the FARC guerrilla group would formally sign a peace treaty on September 26. The deal was agreed upon in principle at the end of August and will be the subject of a national plebiscite scheduled for October 2. If approved, the treaty will formally bring to a close a 52-year civil war that has left over 200,000 dead and millions displaced.

Polls show the treaty will likely be approved by voters, who are justifiably eager for an end to the conflict. However, if ever approved and implemented, the peace deal will solve none of the problems plaguing Colombian society. Under the deal, the FARC will transform itself into a new bourgeois political party, while it and the government agree to forgive one another for the crimes they have committed against impoverished Colombian workers and peasants. It has been heralded by international banks and corporations as necessary to pave the way for further attacks on the Colombian masses.

The armed resistance of the FARC began in the aftermath of the Colombian Civil War of 1948-54. In the decades that followed, broad sections of the Colombian countryside were transformed into war zones as pro-government death squads terrorized the impoverished peasants with impunity. The Colombian government, with the support of US imperialism, has continued to cover up its role in carrying out mass murder, despite the fact that up to 80 percent of those killed in the conflict are victims of the government and its paramilitaries.

By the 1980s, the FARC had developed into a criminal syndicate whose right-wing political character found expression in its involvement in the drug trade and in its killing and extorting of innocent workers and peasants.

According to the terms of the deal, both the government and the FARC will be granted near-blanket amnesty for decades of extortion, kidnapping, murder, and torture. The FARC will be guaranteed a minimum of ten seats in the legislature if it turns in its weapons at a series of UN-monitored drop-off sites. Child soldiers will also be allowed to return from rural areas held by the FARC, and the government has promised a subsidy program aimed at reducing cocaine production.

President Santos has declared that the peace agreement represents the opening of a new era for Colombia. The head of the FARC negotiating team described the talks that led to the deal as the most beautiful of all the battles fought by the guerrilla movement.

In reality, the purpose of the deal is to pave the way for renewed attacks on the Colombian working class by international finance capital. According to an August 26 press release by the Fitch Ratings agency, the agreement highlights the importance of rebuilding Colombias revenue base in order to accommodate required investment without jeopardizing fiscal consolidation.

Fitch explained that transnational corporations are hopeful because investment and growth could increase over the medium term, as areas that were formerly in conflict zones attract investment in mining and agriculture. But most importantly, international finance capital views the agreement as necessary to cut government spending and impose a new tax reform plan aimed at reducing the deficit.

In July, Fitch reduced Colombias rating outlook to negative, reflecting a large current account deficit, rising external indebtedness and a high government debt burden relative to rating peers. The rating cut followed a similar move by Standard & Poors in February, which cited the drop in the price of oil as a major contributor to the government deficit.

Colombias creditors view the finalization of the peace treaty as necessary to minimize social opposition to the fiscal reform program. The Fitch statement made it clear: Gathering support for the peace process and tax reform, while complementary, present political challenges for the government, especially given the tight legislative schedule.

The most cynical role in this process has been played by the FARC. Founded in the aftermath of the Civil War of 1948-54 by a popular front of Stalinists and left-liberals, the FARC was idolized for decades by Maoists, Pabloites, Guevarists, and Chavistas as a revolutionary and socialist armed force.

Today we bring to the Colombian people the transformative power that we have constructed in more than a half-century of rebellion, FARC chief negotiator Ivan Marquez told the press on August 24, after news of the deal was announced.

In reality, the FARCs right-wing character is exemplified in its signing a deal with the government that paves the way for renewed austerity in exchange for a government-guaranteed legislative presence.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), which contracts with two private janitorial services for the cleaning of buses, subways, and subway stations, is triggering the layoff of 76 full-time janitors by cutting the amounts it pays S.J. Services and ABM Industries.

In addition to the layoffs, workers are being forced to decide within 48 hours about moving from day to night shifts, which start at 11 p.m. Those with school-age children have only two days to decide between supporting their children emotionally or financially.

Those whose positions are not cut will be forced into impossible workloads. Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ Vice President Roxana Rivera told the Bay State Banner that the number of S.J. Services employees cleaning Haymarket and North Stations between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. will be cut from three to one.

The cut will result in a savings of less than $4.3 million in the MBTAs operating budget, which totals more than $2 billion per year. The laid-off workers make about $18 per hour in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Around many subway stops, including working class neighborhoods like Ruggles, Mass. Ave., Broadway, Andrew and Central Square Cambridge, the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is more than $2,000.

ABM, which entered the Forbes 500 this year, has annual revenues of more than $5 billion and assets of nearly $2.2 billion. S.J. Services bills itself as one of the largest facility maintenance and janitorial service companies in New England.

More than $450 million, or close to 25 percent, of the MBTAs yearly operating budget goes toward paying off principal and interest to its bondholders.

A significant portion of the MBTAs operating revenues come from the state, but large corporations which benefit from it pay less than 10 percent of the states tax revenues, let alone any direct levy for public transportation. These include Fidelity Investments, State Street Bank, General Electric and Liberty Mutual.

The same is true of many not-for-profit hospitals and universities, including Harvard, Boston University and Northeastern University, along with the hospitals owned by Partners Healthcare. These dont even pay taxes on their endowments or revenue, instead paying a much smaller payment in lieu of taxes. Partners Healthcare, which includes Brigham & Womens Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, has annual revenue of more than $10 billion. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has begun paying the full cost of bus and subway passes for its staff, but the yearly cost of the program will be less than 0.002 percent of its multibillion dollar endowment.

True to form, the SEIU has so far combined stuntsa protest in which members dressed in cockroach costumeswith going hat-in-hand to a meeting with the governor. These limited and ineffective measures are foisted on workers who should instead be joining with their powerful class allies: thousands of Boston Public Schools teachers who face a concessions contract and an increase in charter schools, thousands of nurses at the Brigham & Womens hospital who recently came close to striking over pay and staffing ratios, thousands of MBTA workers who face privatization along with cuts to their wages and pensions, and other sectors which will soon come into struggle.

While Local 32BJ has boasted of a meeting with Governor Charlie Baker planned for Tuesday, the Boston Globe has already reported the response they should expect: Lizzy Guyton, a spokeswoman for Baker, emphasized that it is ultimately the contractors who make staffing decisions. The administration appreciates the hard work of those who maintain MBTA facilities, but the workers negotiate with a private company.

This arrogance toward workers will flow through the even deeper privatization cuts being planned by the administration and MBTA management.

A September 1 report from the unelected Fiscal and Management Control Board to both houses of the state legislature threatens that in the coming year the Board will  analyze the variety of models in the marketplace, which range from partnering with  manufacturers for heavy maintenance work, to full-lease modes, where the transit agency operates but does not maintain a fleet of vehicles. The report, required yearly by the legislature as a condition of its having suspended an anti-privatization law last year, also claims that a private contractor could operate MBTA bus routes for 30 percent less than the current cost.

The Boston Herald confirmed two days later that what is being proposed is the privatization of bus drivers and mechanics system-wide. As many as 1,700 bus drivers and 390 mechanics would be affected, and those fortunate enough to continue working would face conditions even worse than at present.

A case in which more than 1,700 of its workers are suing the MBTA for pay when they have to travel between split shifts is dragging on in US District Court. A bus driver who finishes a route in one part of town and then has to travel to start another route two hours later would currently not be paid for that period, even though the federal Fair Labor Standards Act requires that a reasonable amount of travel time be paid. The MBTAs lawyers, Prokauer Rose LLP, are trying to avoid the suit by refusing to grant class action status, gambling that 1,700 individual workers will not sue. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs responded in a hearing that these people are owed money.
On Tuesday, the New York Times published as its front-page lead article a piece, written by longtime military/intelligence insider David Sanger, reporting internal White House discussions that the Obama administration is planning on maintaining the United States first strike nuclear weapons policy.

In recent months, the Washington Post and Times had published reports that President Obama had considered formally adopting a policy of not using nuclear weapons unless the US was attacked by such weapons first.

On July 10, The Washington Post reported, The Obama administration is determined to use its final six months in office to take a series of executive actions to advance the nuclear agenda the president has advocated since his college days, including the possible adoption of a no first use policy.

But Tuesdays report in the Times declared that Obama appears likely to abandon the proposal after top national security advisers argued that it would embolden Russia and China.

The move takes place amidst a series of US provocations against both countries, including the deployment of thousands of troops on Russias border in Eastern Europe and ongoing freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea. In their statements to the Times, White House and military officials were sending a clear signal that it will abide no scaling back of the US threat to kill millions of people to facilitate its geopolitical aims.

The White House decided ultimately to agree to the demands of Commander of Strategic Command Admiral Haney, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, Secretary of State John Kerry and others who declared, according to the Times, that new moves by Russia and China, from the Baltic to the South China Sea, made it the wrong time to issue the declaration.

Both before and during his presidency, Obama had postured as a proponent of nuclear non-proliferation. In his April 2009 speech in Prague, Obama declared that as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the US is committed to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons, and that to put an end to Cold War thinking, we will reduce the role of nuclear weapons.

Earlier this year, Obama visited Hiroshima, Japan, becoming the first sitting US president to do so since President Truman made the decision to incinerate the city with an atomic weapon at the end of the Second World War. Despite ruling out any apology for this war crime, Obama hypocritically called on countries that possess nuclear weapons to have the courage to escape the logic of fear and pursue a world without them.

Yet Obamas real nuclear legacy is something else entirely. Over his eight years in office, the White House has initiated one of the most sweeping expansions of its nuclear capabilities in US history.

The Pentagon has embarked upon a $1 trillion nuclear modernization program, seeking to make US nuclear weapons smaller, faster, more maneuverable and easier to use on the battlefield. The effect of this program is, as General James E. Cartwright, a retired vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Times earlier this year, to make the weapon more thinkable.

At a cost of some $97 billion, the Navy is on track to replace its Ohio-class submarines, each of which is by itself equivalent to the worlds fifth-ranking nuclear power, with a new generation of ballistic missile submarines.

The Air Force, meanwhile, has contracted Northrop Grumman to build up to 100 next-generation B-21 nuclear-capable bombers, at a cost of nearly $60 billion. It is also in the midst of developing, at the cost of $20 billion, the so-called Long-Range Stand-Off Missile, which is capable of maneuvering at high speeds to deliver a nuclear payload behind enemy air defenses.

Experts have warned that the development of such a dual use nuclear-capable cruise missile makes the potential for a catastrophic miscalculation substantially greater, as countries attacked by these weapons, in addition to having little time to respond, have no way of knowing whether their payload is conventional or nuclear.

On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that the Air Force also plans to spend another $85 billion to develop a set of new intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Pentagon is moving ahead with plans to buy some 642 of the new ICBMs at an average cost of $66.4 million each to support a deployed force of 400 weapons.

The dizzying pace of the US nuclear modernization program comes in the context of a deepening global geopolitical crisis, at the center of which is the ever expanding war drive of American imperialism.

Beginning with economic crises of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the American ruling class sought to offset the economic decline of US capitalism through the naked use of military force. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this process went into overdrive, kicking off a quarter century of intensifying war around the globe. Now, US-led regional wars and proxy conflicts, particularly in Syria, are metastasizing into ever-more direct conflicts with larger competitors, including Russia and China.

With the crisis-ridden US election dominated by allegations from the Clinton campaign of Russian cyberattacks and political subversion, together with ongoing and deepening tensions with China, the United States is sending a clear signal that it is thinking about the unthinkable.

Eighty years ago, Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky warned, In the period of crisis the hegemony of the United States will operate more completely, more openly, and more ruthlessly than in the period of boom. Anyone who believes that the US would never again use nuclear weapons is underestimating not only the extent of the internal and external crisis confronting American imperialism, but the level of violence and criminality of which the American ruling class is capable.
Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are is a well-known proverb. In a recent interview in the financial daily Handelsblatt, with the revealing title, Thilo Sarrazin enthuses over the Left Party, the former SPD finance senator in the state of Berlin, who is best known for his racist attacks on immigrants and tirades against Hartz IV welfare claimants, made statements that must even be embarrassing to the hardened cynics in the Left Party.

Sarrazin praised his cooperation with the Left Party during his time as finance senator from 2002 until 2009 as positive throughout. The Left Party senators Harald Wolf (economics), Heidi Knake-Werner (social affairs and labour) and the former state parliamentary group chair and current deputy in the federal parliament Stephan Liebich won special praise for being dependable, hard-working and competent in their own areas of expertise.

He also declared that all four partiesCDU, SPD, the Greens and Left Party[have] virtually the same line on immigration policy, as well as education policy.

Politically and functionally, Sarrazin added, the last years of the Berlin state government have not been particularly impressive. He added cynically, I dont see the risk of deterioration in the event of an SPD/Left Party/Green coalition. On the federal level, the SPD cannot always remain as junior partner of the CDU, but had to offer its own perspective to be the Chancellors party.

Sarrazin did not attempt to conceal his praise for the former Pabloite (Wolf), reformed Stalinist (Knake-Werner), and right-wing careerist (Liebich). In some ways, the budgetary consolidation was easier to achieve with them than with some [SPD] party colleagues, according to the right-wing populist.

Paradoxically, it had been helpful that he stood on the right-wing of the SPD. In comparison to Green Party representatives, communication with the hardened old Marxists of the PDS was a mere trifle.

Sarrazin knows what he is talking about. Together with the Left Party, he carved out a swathe of social devastation in Berlin that was unprecedented in Germany and made the city-state the unchallenged centre of poverty in the country.

The SPD/Left Party government privatised over 100,000 social housing units, cut 35,000 public sector jobs, reduced public sector wages by 10 percent, imposed the partial privatisation of the water authority, eliminated the free provision of materials at schools, cut welfare benefits for the blind and did away with the social ticket for public transportationto name only some of the main points of the SPD-Left Partys orgy of austerity.

Like Sarrazin, the Left Party continues to boast today about its anti-working class policies. In his recently-published book, SPD/Left Party in Berlina (self) critical balance sheet, Wolf hailed the budget surpluses achieved in Berlin since 2012 as the result of their own cost-cutting measures.

The fundamentals for this positive development were laid by the cuts implemented by the SPD/Left Party. Without the measures to restructure the budget, in the first legislative period in particular, Berlin would still today  build up ever increasing debts, the former economics minister proclaimed with no small amount of pride.

Due to this balance sheet, even far right-wing representatives of the ruling elite are convinced that a renewed alliance with the Left Party is the best option for the enforcement of their programme of demonising refugees, austerity and the militarisation of the state at home and abroad against social opposition.
In recent weeks New Zealands largest private sector union E Tu, the opposition Labour Party and sections of the media, have joined steel companies in alleging that China is dumping cheap steel on the New Zealand market. The union is demanding that the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) formally investigate a complaint laid by Pacific Steel Group (PSG) in July. On August 19, E Tu organiser Joe Gallagher declared that jobs and the very future of our steel industry are at stake.

Robin Davies, CEO of PSGs sister company NZ Steel, the largest steel producer in the country, told Radio NZ he was very concerned about a massive oversupply from China. He declared that Australia, Canada, the EU, large parts of Asia, have all brought trade remedies for anti-dumping and countervailing duties on steel to date. New Zealand is just about the only country that hasnt. Both PSG and NZ Steel are subsidiaries of Australian-based BlueScope Steel.

These punitive trade measures against Chinese imports are a reactionary nationalist response to the ongoing global slowdown and slump in steel demand, particularly in China and Asia. The glut in steel has led to downward pressure on prices, unleashing a ruthless competition for market share. The Obama administration, backed by the unions, is demanding the shutdown of industrial capacity in China to boost the international competitiveness of US corporations.

Chinese companies, which produce half the worlds steel, are already preparing to eliminate around 500,000 jobs, while seeking to sell their excess output on world markets. Tens of thousands more jobs are being axed globally.

According to New Zealand media reports, Chinese officials warned major export companies that any investigation of dumping complaints could provoke reprisals. China is New Zealands largest trading partner. Labour has accused the National Party government of trying to cover up Chinas threats. Some NZ kiwifruit imports have been held up at Chinese ports in the past month, but the government has denied that this is a response to the steel dispute, blaming it on a technical issue.

The union attack on Chinese steel dumping marks a significant escalation in the anti-Chinese campaign waged by the opposition since 2012. Over the past four years Labour and its allies, including the Greens and Maori nationalist Mana Party, have denounced the sale of farmland and houses to Chinese people. Labour has joined the anti-immigrant NZ First Partys scapegoating of Asian immigrants for unemployment, the high cost of housing and under-resourced social services.

This campaign takes place in the context of escalating geo-political tensions brought about by Washingtons strategic pivot to Asia and US naval provocations against China in the South China Sea. The US is strengthening military ties with various countries, including Australia, Japan, and the Philippines, in line with detailed plans already drawn up by the Pentagon for war against China.

The New Zealand ruling elite is caught in an increasingly fraught dilemma: it derives considerable profits from trade with China but relies on its military alliance with the US to further its own neo-colonial interests in the Pacific and throughout the world.

Despite the governments caution in openly siding with the US against China, it has committed to $20 billion in military spending to boost interoperability with US forces, while NZs spy agency carries out surveillance on China on behalf of the US. A pointed editorial by the Chinese state-owned Xinhua news agency in April warned that if New Zealand foreign policy was hijacked by the ambitions of its military allies this would risk complicating the flourishing trade ties between China and New Zealand.

Claims of Chinese steel dumping were made immediately prior to US Vice-President Joe Bidens July visit to New Zealand to further strengthen the military alliance. E Tu has been coordinating its campaign with the United Steelworkers (USW) union in the United States. A July 22 Fairfax report quoted the USWs Ben Davis: We are working with steel workers unions around the world to partner with major producing companies to support their work to strengthen anti-dumping laws.

The USWs demand for protectionist measures is directly connected with the Obama administrations military build-up against China and Russia. USW president Leo Gerard told Congress last April that US-based steel production was vital for national security, as it goes into our ships, tanks, armored personnel vehicles and other weapons. Its the critical infrastructure that supports our warfighters and our nation.

In pushing for trade war against China, the USW has worked hand-in-hand with major companies such as ArcelorMittal and US Steel that have attacked workers conditions and cut thousands of jobs (see: The United Steelworkers, economic nationalism and the US drive to war).

New Zealands opposition parties and unions are pushing for a more open alignment with the US against China. Anti-Chinese propaganda has become a major feature of their politics, seen most clearly in Labour and the unions embrace of the right-wing New Zealand First Party, which routinely scapegoats immigrants, in particular from Asia.

On August 19, Fairfax newspapers prominently reported NZ First leader Winston Peters denunciation of Go Bus considering employing 200 drivers from the Pacific  at the expense of our own people. FIRST Union joined NZ First in denouncing the employment of foreign bus drivers.

The Meat Workers Unions July newsletter supported NZ Firsts opposition to Chinese investment in the meat processing cooperative, Silver Fern Farms, which Peters denounced as corrupt. The trade union funded Daily Blog has also promoted NZ First, while producing inflammatory articles accusing China of starting a trade war and of trying to colonise New Zealand.

Like their counterparts in Australia, Europe and America, the NZ unions are whipping up xenophobia and nationalism to divide workers and divert attention from their own collaboration with job cutting. On August 8, E Tu claimed that IMG Structural, which makes steel beams, had been forced to sack approximately five workers because they cant compete on price with cheap, Chinese steel. Last year, the union helped NZ Steel cut 100 jobs at its Glenbrook factory, claiming that this was needed to give the company certainty about its costs. This represents almost 10 percent of NZ Steels staff (see: New Zealand union collaborates in cuts to mining and steel jobs).

The downturn in the steel industry has its roots in the crisis of the irrational and outmoded capitalist system, which the privileged trade union bureaucrats defend. From the standpoint of human need, there is no oversupply, but on the contrary steel is needed to replace crumbling infrastructure and to build housing, hospitals, schools, transportation, etc. Spending on such essential services, however, is not profitable for big business and their governments.

The attacks on steel workers cannot be countered by economic nationalism, protectionism and trade warfare, which is paving the road to war. By promoting these policies the unions help big business to pit workers of different nationalities against each other and prevent a unified fight against job and wage cutting. The global assault on living standards and the drive to war poses the urgent need for the working class to break from these pro-capitalist organisations, unite across national borders and fight for the abolition of the capitalist and nation state system, based on the program of international socialism.
A 90-minute meeting between US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China Monday produced no results on an agreement between the two countries over the civil war in Syria.

Reports on the meeting spoke of the tense atmosphere between the two leaders. For his part, Obama absurdly sought to strike a pose of deep concern for the humanitarian situation in Syria and pinned the blame on Moscow and its allies in the Assad government in Damascus for the ongoing violence.

The failure of the previous ceasefire had enabled Assad to bomb rebel opposition groups with impunity, Obama intoned, creating a very dangerous dynamic.

Yesterday, Western media outlets fueled this narrative by widely reporting as fact unconfirmed allegations that the Assad government had launched a chlorine gas attack in Aleppo. The claims were based on a video posted online by the Syrian Civil Defence, a rescue team which operates in areas controlled by government opponents. They alleged that four barrel bombs containing poison gas were dropped, injuring 80.

In the past, the US has repeatedly seized on such allegations to prepare the ground for direct military intervention. On each occasion, the claims have turned out to be fraudulent, including most famously in 2013 when Obama pulled back from an all-out war with the Assad regime.

The allegations came in the wake of significant government advances at the expense of opposition forces around Aleppo. Indicating the potential for a rapid escalation of the conflict, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government is currently leading an invasion in the north of Syria to clear Kurdish militants and Islamic State forces from the Turkish-Syrian border, responded to the fighting by suggesting that Turkish troops could clear a humanitarian corridor to Aleppo. He reiterated his call for a safe zone between the towns of Jarabulus and Azaz, a move which would create a justification for the deployment of NATO troops, including from the European imperialist powers, to Syria.

According to a Reuters report, Turkish officials are appealing for international support to establish control over an area stretching 40 kilometres into Syria so as to break up two Kurdish-controlled areas to the east and west. An anonymous Turkish official commented that only the initial stages of this plan had been accomplished, before adding ominously, What will be done now will depend on coordination with coalition powers and the support they will provide.

The attempt by Obama and the corporate media to cloak US machinations in Syria in human rights propaganda should fool no one. Washington has waged virtually unending war over the past quarter century throughout the Middle East, laying waste to entire societies and claiming the lives of millions in the process. The calls for humanitarian aid and safe zones are transparent pretexts to legitimise a vast intensification of the imperialist intervention in Syria.

Even during the course of the past two weeks, since Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva to discuss Syria, it has been the US and its Turkish allies which have brought about the most significant escalation in violence with an all-out invasion of the north of the country. The Turkish troops and their Sunni Islamist allies made no secret of the fact that they intended to target Kurdish forces and drive them east of the Euphrates River. The US has been backing these same Kurdish forces with arms, funding and training for them to serve as proxies in Washingtons campaign against Islamic State.

The Turkish army reported its first fatalities yesterday, when two soldiers were killed in a rocket attack by ISIS forces. On Sunday, Turkish troops reportedly forced ISIS fighters out of their last stronghold on the Turkish border.

Despite Washingtons backing for Ankaras open-ended intervention with air power and military advisers on the ground, Obama persisted after his meeting with Putin in casting Russia as the aggressor.

We have had some productive conversations about what a real cessation of violence would look like to allow us to both focus our energies on common enemies, Obama told a press conference afterwards. But given the gaps of trust that exist, thats a tough negotiation. We havent yet closed the gap.

An unnamed White House official later told the Washington Post that Obama had been unwilling to strike a deal with Putin that would not secure the long-term goals of the US in Syria.

References to Washingtons long-term goals in Syria is code for the implementation of a long-planned regime change operation in Damascus that would replace Assads government with a pro-Western puppet regime. This has been the aim of US imperialism ever since it began fomenting the Syrian civil war five years ago by funding and arming Islamist extremist forces, including groups with ties to Al Qaida. Its intervention in Syria is part of a broader regional agenda of securing US dominance over the most important oil-producing region in the world and establishing an unchallengeable position on the Eurasian land mass by weakening its geo-strategic rivals, above all Russia and China.

This reality was summed up in a comment published by Anthony Cordesman, a veteran strategist of US imperialism, on the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tanks web site yesterday. Cordesman blasted the Obama administrations strategy of seeking a deal with Russia, writing, Russia has steadily used its military intervention to promote its own interest in Syria and the Middle East, attack the Arab rebels, and support the Assad regime. Russia has also built new ties to Iran, shipped Iran advanced S300 surface-to-air missiles, and managed to reach out Saudi Arabia in spite of thisseriously discussing agreed limits on their petroleum production and exports.

Cordesman went on to declare that ISIS was not the main problem in Syria or Iraq. After describing the ethnic partition of the country and the conflicts this has produced as if the US was a passive bystander, he noted in a revealing passage that the Obama administration has never addressed the fact that the real fight for Syria is taking place where ISIS isnt.

Cordesmans comment reflects growing concern among ruling circles about the lack of a US strategy in the region. Substantial sections of the political establishment, including leading Republicans, have rallied behind presidential candidate Hillary Clinton because she has pledged to intensify US military aggression abroad following Novembers election.

However, Obamas overtures to Russia for an agreement in Syria are in no sense a sign of decreasing tensions and a retreat by the US. The immediate impulse for a new ceasefire is the advances that have been made by government troops around the city of Aleppo. While US-backed rebels made substantial gains in early August, Assads forces have pushed back the Islamists with the help of Russian air support. A supply route to the north of Aleppo has been cut off by government soldiers and Assads troops also broke through a rebel-controlled corridor to the south of the city.

The US-backed, Turkish-led intervention into northern Syria, which brings troops from NATO countries in to close proximity with Russian forces, has heightened the potential for a clash between NATO allies and Moscow that could quickly spiral out of control into a broader war. Even if a deal is reached, it will not end the pursuit by Russia and the United States of opposed strategies in Syria that pose an ever increasing risk of direct military conflict between two nuclear-armed powers.

This is made all the more probable given the deep contradictions in Washingtons Syria policy. It has leant its full backing to the Turkish incursion, which is explicitly seeking to establish a zone free of Kurdish control in northern Syria to prevent the emergence of a unified area of Kurdish control, while at the same time it continues to support the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG)the forces now coming under Turkish bombardment.

Obama also had a bilateral meeting with Erdogan at the G20. Obama sought to paper over divisions by reassuring Erdogan that Washington would support Ankaras efforts to bring those behind the 15 July abortive coup against Erdogan to justice, even though it is widely acknowledged that the US at the very least tacitly supported it.

Erdogan pointedly told the press afterwards, with reference to Syrian Kurdish organisations considered by Ankara to be terrorist, All forms of terrorism are bad. All forms of terrorism are evil.
Barely two months after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull led the Liberal and National Party Coalition to the barest of victories in the July 2 election, his leadership is being called into question.

On September 3, the Australian Financial Review (AFR), the countrys leading business newspaper, published allegations that the Australian intelligence agencies believe the prime minister isnt taking their warnings about the security threat posed by China seriously enough. Turnbulls attitude was directly linked to his previous business relations in China and statements he made in 2011 questioning the aggressive US policy toward Beijing. An unnamed source claimed that there was so little trust that the intelligence agencies were hesitant about reporting issues involving China to Turnbull and his senior ministers.

The AFR claims are part of a hysterical focus throughout the media on Chinese agents of influence in Australian society. Peter Hartcher, the international editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, called yesterday for a campaign to purge the rats, flies, mosquitoes and sparrowsnamely politicians, former politicians and academics, business people and Chinese Australians allegedly bought off by Chinese soft power or who, because of their Chinese background, owe allegiance to a foreign power.

If the AFR sources are accurate, the intelligence agencies count Turnbull among the rats. Australian intelligence officials work in daily collaboration with their American counterparts. If they have concerns over Turnbull, then so does the White House, the Pentagon and the CIA.

The political atmosphere resembles that prior to the June 2324, 2010 political coup within the Labor Party government that removed Kevin Rudd as prime minister and installed Julia Gillardwith one important difference. Concrete evidence, in the form of leaked diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks, that the Obama administration viewed Rudd as unreliable in regard to US plans for a confrontational stance against China did not emerge for months after his ousting. In the case of Turnbull, these concerns are out in the open.

US involvement in any move against Turnbull was clearly hinted at by the AFR. An unnamed contractor with close links to the intelligence services stated: He [Turnbull] is probably the first time since Whitlam where we have had a prime minister where we dont know where he stands on national security grounds.

The Labor government headed by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was removed from power on November 11, 1975 in a constitutional coup by the governor-general and the opposition parties, operating in close collaboration with the Australian security apparatus, and US and British intelligence agencies. Whitlam and Labor were deemed to be incapable of holding back a volatile strike movement in the working class. In the wake of the crimes of the Vietnam War, millions of Australian workers and youth were deeply opposed to militarism and the US-Australia strategic alliance. A fear in US ruling circles was that Labor would adapt to the anti-war sentiment and order the closure of the key American spy base at Pine Gap in central Australia.

In 2016, Turnbulls government is widely viewed in ruling class circles as too weak and divided to impose the devastating cutbacks to working-class living standards and social spending that are being demanded as the economic slump worsens internationally and within Australia. On foreign policy, US imperialism expects its Australian ally to be on the frontline of escalating military operations that could trigger open conflict with Beijing. To date, despite US appeals, Turnbull has not permitted the Australian Navy to carry out a freedom of navigation incursion inside the 12-mile territorial limits around Chinese-held islets in the South China Sea.

Turnbull is under attack over his foreign and domestic policy by media commentators who are known to support Tony Abbott, the former prime minister whom Turnbull ousted on September 14, 2015 in a Liberal Party leadership challenge.

Andrew Bolt, a right-wing columnist for the Murdoch-owned newspapers who also hosts The Bolt Report on Sky News television, wrote a scathing article on September 5.

After quoting the AFR allegations about Turnbulls relations with China, Bolt labelled him a clueless egotist who has achieved not one thing of importance in the year since he became prime minister. He described all Turnbulls economic policies as doomed to die in the hostile Senate, the upper house of parliament where the government holds only 30 out of 76 seats.

In language similar to that used by Labor Party figures to justify removing Rudd, Bolt declared that some of Turnbulls errors come from this fragile mans desperate desire to be the smartest person in the room.

Bolt concluded his rant: So, confused and frozen with indecision, frustrated and angry, Turnbull must watch as his personal popularity plummets and his authority melts Still, I never thought he was a leader. The question now is how long will he be?

Over recent days, Turnbull has been attending the G20 summit in China, and now the East Asia Forum with ASEAN leaders in Laos. In a series of public statements, he appears to have gone out of his way to try to solidarise himself with the US, and differ with Beijing on its South China Sea claims and trade and investment issues.

In significant remarks at the G20, Turnbull effectively repudiated his assessment that China would inevitably emerge as the dominant power in Asia due to American decline. This view had been central to his criticisms of the US pivot to Asia when President Barack Obama first announced it on the floor of the Australian parliament in November 2011. Last Sunday, however, Turnbull stated: Im looking forward into the middle of the century and beyond, the United States, the force of the United States, its presence, its stature, its military power, its economic power, will be a leading force in this region and its military superiority cannot be overtaken.

In an apparent bid to raise the stakes, Labor Party opposition leader Bill Shorten declared yesterday he was absolutely resolute about supporting the right of the Australian Navy to have freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea. In fact, it was the first time Shorten explicitly endorsed such an operation. Previously, he left it to former Labor defence spokesperson Stephen Conroy to advocate the dispatch of military forces.

Foreboding, disarray and even panic are evident within the Australian political establishment. The corporate elite is demanding savage austerity against a working class seething with frustration over social inequality and declining living standards. In the face of widespread anti-war sentiment within the population, the major parties are being pushed by Washington to risk a conflict with China, Australias largest trading partner and export market.

Under such conditions, anything is possible, including a fourth factional coup against a prime minister in six years or the collapse of the existing two-party system and a dramatic realignment within bourgeois politics.

The crucial issue is the building of the Socialist Equality Party, which alone fights for the political independence of the working class and the development of a socialist movement to combat war and austerity.

The author also recommends:

Intelligence agencies reportedly question Australian PMs stance on China

[5 September 2016]

Australia: Opponents of war with China labelled rats, flies, mosquitoes and sparrows

[6 September 2016]

The Socialist Equality Party and the fight to build an international anti-war movement

[2016 Congress resolution of the SEP (Australia)]
By PTI: Kohima, Sep 6 (PTI) Nagaland observed 52nd anniversary of Indo-Naga Ceasefire Day, also known as Peace Day signed between the then leaders Naga National Council and Government of India in 1964. ?The ceasefire of September 6, 1964 is not the beginning of our political aspiration ... It is just an interim relief and in itself is not final,? said Reverend Zelhou Keyho, general secretary of Nagaland Baptist Church Council, the apex body of churches in the state which had taken the intiative of the casefire, during a function held to commemorate the day at Chedema Peace Camp here.

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?Cease fire is not only to stop the hostility between two warring enemies and not only to save us from the terror of hunting each other, but to give us hope to stand on an equal footing with the force and give us a platform to dialogue and negotiate for our rights,? he said.

Calling upon the Naga people to intrspect, he asked them to come together without playing indulging in politics of division and unitedly speak to the Centre to listen to their aspirations.

It was on this day in 1964 that NNC and the Government of India agreed to end armed conflict and signed ceasefire with the initiative of Nagaland Peace Mission constituted by NBCC, which comprised of former Assam Chief Minister Bimala Prasad Chaliha, socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan and a clergyman from England, Reverend Michael Scott. PTI NBS KK

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By PTI: scam

Bhopal, Sep 7 (PTI) An RTI activist set himself on fire in front of Raj Bhawan here, demanding Governor Ram Naresh Yadav, who demitted office this evening after end of his tenure, be arrested in the Vyapam scam, police said.

The activist, Manoj Tripathi, has not suffered major burn injuries, but he has been taken for medical examination, they added.

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"Manoj, an RTI activist, poured kerosene and set himself on fire. Policemen deputed in and around Raj Bhawan immediately rushed and doused the flames in a few seconds. He might have sustained minor burns," Bhopal Inspector General of Police Yogesh Choudhary told PTI.

The activist was demanding the arrest of Yadav in the Vyapam scam, Choudhary said.

"I dont have much details about injuries caused to him and Superintendent of Police Anshuman Singh was personally looking into the case," the IPS officer said.

The IG denied reports that Manoj set himself ablaze in front of the convoy of Yadav (89) when he was leaving the Raj Bhawan for airport to catch a flight to Lucknow.

The activist has been taken for medical examination. Manoj will be booked for his act, he added.

Yadav, an UPA-appointee, managed to complete his full term but faced tough time when he was accused of rigging a forest guard recruitment test conducted by Vyavsayik Pariksha Mandal or MP Professional Examination Board, popularly called Vyapam, in 2015.

Madhya Pradesh Polices Special Task Force, which earlier probed the recruitment and admission scandal, had booked Yadav for alleged fraud and other criminal offences.

Thereafter, Yadav moved the MP High Court for quashing the FIR against him.

In May 2015, the HC quashed the FIR against him, holding he enjoyed immunity against prosecution while in office.

It remains to be seen if the CBI, now handling the high-profile scandal, will proceed against Yadav, a former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Governor O P Kohli has reached the Raj Bhawan and will take additional charge of Madhya Pradesh tomorrow.

Madhya Pradesh HC Chief Justice Rajendra Menon will administer the oath of office to Kohli, a Raj Bhawan official said. PTI LAL RSY CHT JMF

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CINCINNATI (AP)  Officials in several states are scrambling to deal with a series of heroin overdose outbreaks affecting dozens of people and involving at least six deaths.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 7 (PTI) Investments worth USD 6 billion are expected in the countrys airport sector in five years with around USD 1 billion to be utilised for reviving aerodromes, a senior government official said today.

Bullish on future prospects of the domestic aviation sector, Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey said passenger growth is anticipated to be more than 30 per cent in the coming years.

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In the new civil aviation policy, unveiled in June, the government has come out with various measures for improving regional air connectivity and developing airports, among others.

Speaking at the inauguration of the GAD Asia conference here, he said India would see investments of "USD 6 billion in five years in airports (sector)".

At current exchange rates, USD 6 billion would translate to nearly Rs 40,000 crore.

Out of the estimated total amount, around USD 1 billion would be used for reviving airports while about USD 3 billion would be for upgrading aerodromes owned by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), he added. As the domestic aviation space is projected to see substantial growth, Choubey said there would be need for around 100 small aircraft in the next three years.

Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), the government seeks to revive un-served as well as under-served airports, among others.

Presently, around 75 out of 450 airstrips/airports have scheduled operations and revival of the remaining ones would be "demand driven", depending on firm demand from airline operators, as per the new civil aviation policy.

According to the policy, no-frills airports would be developed at an indicative cost of Rs 50-100 crore, without insisting on its financial viability. PTI RAM ANU

--- ENDS ---
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- After more than two weeks living at a homeless encampment in downtown Yakima, Roxanne Watson was grateful Tuesday when she wa
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H. did not expect the question or the look, definitely from the rabbi of all people. But Rabbi Liad Orian looked up at her and asked if she had thought of hurting herself, God forbid. H., who was in the middle of a personal crisis, did not respond, but following the question she shared her distress with the rabbi and eventually began going to therapy. Only later did she find the courage to visit the rabbi again and tell him that she had indeed planned on doing something irreversible that day.

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"I felt that H. was on the edge, even though she did not say anything," says Rabbi Orian, a congregation rabbi in the city of Modi'in. "This is a classic case of someone whose life was going very well and all of a sudden everything was shaken up. I got the courage to ask her a straightforward questionif she had any suicidal thoughtsfollowing a training session of the Path to Life NGO."

The NGO was founded by mental health professionals and family members of those who had committed suicide. Alongside offering support for families whose loved ones have committed suicide, it also works to reduce the amount of suicides through "gatekeepers"educators and counselors trained to detect the signs of suicidal distress and save lives.

On September 8, the organization will hold a march from the Beit Ariela public library in Tel Aviv to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.

Rabbis Shlomo Sobol (R), David Fine and Liad Orian (Photo: Dana Kopel)

It was not easy for Aderet to stand in front of 20 rabbis and convince them that it is right to discuss the issue openly, and it was certainly not easy to convince them that they need to directly address the person in distress. "I believe that if I had known at the time how to ask Eran the direct question, I may have been able to prevent the disaster," Aderet says.

"When I first heard this idea, to directly ask a person if he is considering harming himself, I laughed. Why would someone answer that? But reality is different. People in distress are waiting for someone to ask them and give an honest answer. Therefore, we define this question as a life saving-question.

"It's very difficult for people to ask this question. As part of the rabbis' training, we actually conducted a simulation of how to do it. Even then, when we sat a rabbi down next to another rabbi playing the part of a person in distress, people went about it in a roundabout matter before daring to ask the explicit question."

At first, the rabbis rejected not only the possibility of presenting the question, but also the idea that the issue should be opened up as part of sermons or lessons in the synagogue.

"There were rabbis who found it difficult to understand," say Rabbi Shlomo Sobol and Rabbi David Fine, who are in charge of the Barkai program. "They argued and asked why should the issue be discussed with the entire community: What if there was someone in the audience who had never even considered it, and a conversation about suicide would only put ideas into his head.

"There was a profound argument, but after Aderet shared his personal story and presented us with studies showing that the number of suicides was reduced in every place where the issue had been discussedpeople opened up to it."

Breaking out of the comfort zone

Indeed, as opposed to the myth, studies conducted in the world and in Israel in the past decade show that talking about suicide reduces the phenomenon. The IDF, for example, has recorded a drastic drop in the number of suicides following activity aimed at raising awareness to the issue.

"I became convinced that I must not keep the information I learned to myself," says Rabbi Orian. "It says in the Shulchan Aruch (a compilation of Jewish law) that a rabbi who is asked if one is allowed to drive to the hospital on Shabbat in order to save a life should be condemned. Why? Because he failed to make it clear to his congregation that in the case of mortal danger, Shabbat can be desecrated, and there is no need to ask.

"The soul is even more sensitive than the body. If people see a person drowning, they will jump into the pool. But with the soul it's different, for some reason. Perhaps because there is no blood dripping, perhaps because it doesnt seem as urgent, but it's much more dangerous.

"I mustered the courage and gave a lesson on the issue to the congregation. I spoke about the fact that we are living with a stigma, thinking that if we dont talk about (suicide), it wont happen. I said that anyone can reach a situation which might shake them up and that we, as a community, have a responsibility.

"I felt they were listening to me with rapt attention. At the end, one of the members approached me and thanked me for the courage to raise complicated issues. People are afraid to touch this issues, but we must break out of the passive comfort zone and take responsibility."

M., a congregation rabbi in northern Israel who took part in the training, became convinced as well that the issue should be discussed with the community, but has yet to do so.

"It's complicated," he sighs. "About two years ago, one of our congregation members committed suicide. He had been in therapy for a long time. I supported him and his family during the crises, but despite the psychiatric treatment, he ended his life. How will I address the issue with his family sitting in the audience? The problem is that the family has decided to keep the affair a secret. Only few in the congregation know that it was suicide; the rest think it was a car accident. I object to this silencing, but the family members insist. If I discuss the issue, it may expose them against their will. In the meantime, I have delivered a sermon on the issue just to youth rather than to the entire audience."

Religious society softening

In most religious communities, certainly the ultra-Orthodox ones, suicide is still considered a sort of taboo. The Halacha is actually lenient towards those who commit suicide and sees them in retrospect as people who changed their mind a moment before their death and became newly religious, and therefore, in most cases, the person who committed suicide is not buried outside the cemetery fence.

Nonetheless, so as not to encourager suicide, it is defined as an explicit Torah prohibition of murder. On the social level, a family member's suicide could affect the family's status in the community and its children's matchmaking.

"We find that as the stigmas surrounding the issue disappear, the ability to prevent suicide increases. In addition, the ability to have a process of fixing and healing among the family members and community of the person who committed suicideis higher," says clinical psychologist Hanna Bar Joseph, who volunteers with the Path to Life NGO.

"In recent years, we have been seeing the religious society softening and opening up. It's a natural process, but the NGO seeks to speed it up in order to save lives. The rabbis' training is a significant step in this process. As part of the training, the rabbis met with religious parents whose sons had committed suicide; the parents told them how critical it was for the community and the rabbi to address the issue, and it was very important."

To what extent do rabbis encounter situations in which people talk about suicide? According to Rabbi Fine, there is not a single rabbi who has not come across such a situation.

"When I was a congregation rabbi in the United States, I encountered several cases. There was a particularly difficult case in which I felt it was my duty to turn to professionals, and a member of the community underwent forced hospitalization. I continued to support him and his family despite his anger towards me. He recently contacted me and thanked me for my support. I believe that every congregation rabbi must receive training on this issue.

"I was involved in a case of a teenager from the neighborhood who would often state that there is no point in living," says Rabbi Sobol, who serves as a congregation rabbi in Modi'in. "The parents were uncertain whether this was just a case of an adolescent seeking attention or whether the thought that could turn into action. I met with the boy and referred him to therapy. The therapy helped; the child recovered and is today serving in a combat unit."

Does the rabbi have a bigger role than other gatekeepers, such as a teacher or an instructor?

"Yes. In the first stage in these cases, the rabbi must take off the hat of the preacher and the authoritative figure, and just listen," says Rabbi Sobol. "The moment one listens properly, it already solves most of the problems. The actual act of sharing is a relief which takes a load off one's heart.

"Later on, the rabbi has a spiritual role too. Many times, the despair felt by religious peopleparticularly youthstems from questions of faith, such as what is the meaning of the world, and here the rabbi can create a spiritual level while at the same time referring the person to mental treatment."

Sometimes the rabbi must also make it clear that spiritual repairs are not an alternative to professional treatment. "I was approached by a community member who asked me to check the mezuzot in another family's home," says Rabbi Orian. "I asked what had happened, and she told me that the family's daughter was saying that she wanted to commit suicide. I immediately made it clear that I would only check the mezuzot if the daughter contacted a psychiatrist.

"I have no problem with spiritual repairs, but cancer patients are not treated with amulets and epilepsy patients are not treated with Tefillin. It may help, but it cannot replace conventional treatment. Such things must not be covered up. I sometimes feel that in the religious public, and perhaps not only there, there is a greater understanding of body-related hardships than of soul-related hardships."

Authorities' negligence

Rabbi Orion's first encounter with the suicide issue was when he was studying to be ordained as a rabbi. "It was 10 years ago," he says. "I went to Gush Katif to support the residents before the uprooting, and then a phone call arrived from an unidentified number of a guy who sounded like he was in great distress. He would not give me his phone number or any other detail.

"I realized that it was an emergency and decided to go back home and deal with it properly. Saving a life overrides supporting Gush Katif's residents. I made it clear to the guy that I was dropping everything to help him, and it made him trust me and give me his phone number later on.

"The things he told me left me with no other choice, and I reported his case to the authorities. He came from am ultra-Orthodox background, and the authorities did not act properly. They demanded that I meet with him and sort of ambush him, and that's what happened. It was terrible. I met with him, we got on a bus, and when we got off at the bus stop they jumped him and forcibly hospitalized him."

After he was discharged from the hospital, the guy called the rabbi in anger and made it clear that he would cut all ties with him so that next time no one would stop him from committing suicide.

"I later managed to build trust again, but in my opinion the authorities acted negligently in this case, like a bull in a china shop," says Rabbi Orian. "Following our training at Barkai, I decided to organize a meeting of congregation rabbis in Modi'in with the city's welfare officials to discuss cooperation. I sometimes feel that our relationship is one-sided. The authorities and the law demand that the rabbi report the cases to the professionals, but the professionals disregard the rabbi and don't see him as part of the recovery process.

"I believe that the rabbi can continue to help with the rehabilitation, help the person find meaning and organize support for him in the community. It's not just about putting on a Band-Aid and that's it. It's a person's soul, it's much more sensitive. After the hospitalizations and the pills, there is a need for rehabilitation too. Many times, the professionals think about the urgency but don't think about the future, about how to introduce mental patients back into the family and community."

And what is the rabbi's role in case a member of his congregation puts an end to his life? "In this case, the rabbi faces a serious dilemma," Rabbi Sobol admits. "He must tell the public that it is a serious act defined as murder, but he certainly must not tell the family that their son is a murderer. He must support the family, alleviate the anger and the feelings of guilt and help commemorate the person who committed suicide. The most important thing is to help the family apply meaning to this death and translate the grief into public action."

Rabbi Orian, on the other hand, believes that in the case of suicide one must be careful not to make any judgmental comments when talking to the community. "That is actually what the Halacha does as well," he says. "The person who ended his life was a tormented person whose free choice was limited. If a person in the community was involved in a car accident and killed someone, will we ostracize him? Ostracism has no place in our generation.

"Instead of a judgmental stance, we must criticize ourselves and ask where have we been and could we have done more. Is there enough sensitivity in our community for people who are facing a financial, professional or family crisis? Our Sages of Blessed Memory said, 'Don't judge your fellowman until you reach his place.' But we will never reach his place, so we will never judge either."
By PTI: Los Angeles, Sep 7 (PTI) Actor Alan Cumming spent time with Syrian refugees during his visit to Lebanon.

The 51-year-old actor has joined hands with the UN Refugee Agency to support the refugees fleeing war-torn Syria, as well as to research the crisis as a whole in the country that hosts over one million displaced and uprooted individuals, reported People magazine.

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"At the end of one of the many unbearably heart-breaking stories of the violence, persecution and humiliation the Syrian refugees have escaped from, I threw my arms around a young woman who had just shared her world with me.

"Our translator, a young Lebanese girl who was also in tears, asked me how she should translate a hug, so I hugged her too. This trip has been life- changing. We all have a duty to do more to assist the resettlement and care of these people and to stand #WithRefugees," Cumming said.

During his two day long trip the actor traveled to northern and southern Lebanon to meet with refugees and listen to first-hand stories of those forced to flee their homes. PTI SHD SG

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The Polish government protests wordings which fail to make it clear enough that the Poles were not the ones who operated the death camps, but rather the German occupiers. It also denies that Poles carried out pogroms against Jews during and after the war.

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Poland is right to argue that it was a victim of Nazi Germany, which saw the Poles as inferior creatures and murdered 3 million of its non-Jewish citizens, but it was, and still is, infected with anti-Semitism. Alongside righteous people who risked and even sacrificed their lives to save Jews, masses of Poles were indifferent to their fate and even took part in their persecution. The anti-Semitism in Poland was not reduced during the Communist regime, and the last survivors were exiled from Poland following the Six-Day War. We ask for self-examination, and Poland refuses.

Nakba Day protest. No nation is eager to confess its sins (Photo: AFP)

Poland refuses because it is caught in a deep crisis and because the Poles see themselves as victims. Victims tend to devote themselves to their misery. It's true that the Poles have suffered greatly. In the end of the 18th century, their country was divided by its neighbors and all their revolts were crushed. The country, which is squeezed between world powers that use it as a buffer against their rivals, was liberated only following World War I, and only 20 years had passed before it fell into the hands of Soviet Russia, which de facto controlled Poland almost until its disintegration.

Anyone demanding that his fellowman beat his breast should demand it first and foremost from himself. A strong and confident nation can recognize the wrongs it has done without undermining the foundations of its existence. Is that what we are doing? The political establishment's attempts to forbid Israel's Arabs to express the loss of their homeland in any way show that we do not trust ourselves.

Just like the Poles, we also feel like eternal victims and our tremendous achievements do not alleviate our illness. We are afraid we will be weakened and fall if we confess that we are flawed. The lies we tell ourselves are like morphine which has to be increased in dosage in order to paralyze the worm of doubt biting into our feeling of justice.

The Nakba (how many times must this be repeated?) is not a holocaust. The Palestinian propagandists are nurturing this equation for reasons which cannot be covered here, but I am not concerned about themI am concerned about my people.

I can speak for myself: The first doubts regarding the Zionist narrative appeared in my heart when I found out that my educators had lied to me when they said that all the Arabs who left their communities in the War of Independence were tempted by their leaders' promises that they would reinherit the Jewish property. According to this story, none of the Arabs were murdered after being defeated, and none were banished in order to extend the boundaries of our rule. Only when I reached the brink of adulthood I found out that we had banished, destroyed, and in quite a few cases even murdered. The circumstances can be explained, but we must acknowledge the facts and let the mourners weep over their fate.

In an important book which has not received sufficient attention, "Living on the Edge," researcher Uriel Abulof deals with the influences of the fear of cessation among small states, including Israel. Allow me to quote one sentence: "The moral discourse which reflects changes in the nation's character and in the ways it deals with the horror may also point to its endfor good or for bad. The rise and fall of people takes place not only through blood and fire, but also through forgetfulness, shame, injustice and guilt."
Residents of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council will be able to look out their windows and watch the IDF work on the new project meant to restore the feeling of security to the residents of the south.

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The IDF has been working on a project called "barrier," which will see a giant above and underground wall completely encircle the Gaza Strip . The barrier, which is estimated to cost approximately NIS2 billion, will reach several stories underground, and will also be several stories above ground. This barrier will defend against Hamas cross-border attack tunnels.

Building the barrier with Gaza

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Construction has begun along all towns considered to be "next to the fence" with Gaza.

It's already possible to see the construction of this massive wall alongside one of the towns in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. The project has already received NIS600 million in funding.

Work begins on the Gaza border barrier (Photo: Roee Idan)

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisencott has called the project the "largest project" ever carried out in the history of the IDF. The residents of the south are following the project closely, knowing that this is the most ideal solution to prevent against the tunnels.

However, despite the importance of the project, it is at risk of being de-funded, as no money has been allocated to the project for fiscal years 2017-2018. However, officials from the Ministry of Defense have clarified that the project will not be delayed, and the Ministry of Finance has said that there is in fact a budget for the project.

Work begins on the Gaza border barrier (Photo: Roee Idan)

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon even stressed this fact during his last visit to the Gaza border communities, saying "money will not be a barrier to erecting the barrier."

Never-the-less, residents of the Gaza border area worry about work being stopped.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu promised that the monies will not be a limiting factor (for the construction of the barrier), and he must stand by his word," said MK Haim Yelin (Yesh Atid) and resident of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, located less than a mile from Gaza. "Creating a budget for each section of the barrier will triple the cost, thus potentially stopping the project."
ISTANBUL -- Three Turkish soldiers were killed and four were wounded in a missile attack Tuesday by ISIS in northern Syria-- the first Turkish casualties caused by the militants in Turkey's two-week-old incursion into Syria.

The Turkish fatalities came after Turkish troops and allied Syrian rebels on Sunday expelled ISIS from the last strip of territory the militant group controlled along the Syrian-Turkish border, effectively sealing the extremists' self-styled caliphate off from the outside world.

In a statement, Turkey's military said the militants fired rockets at Turkish tanks during clashes near the border area from where ISIS was pushed out of on Sunday, immediately killing two and wounding five soldiers. It said the wounded were evacuated by helicopters. One of the wounded soldiers died despite efforts to save him, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.
One can ridicule him, disregard him, mock the dramatic change he has gone through, fill up entire columns about his performance as a self-appointed foreign minister, wandering around the world with all kinds of strange plots. One can criticize him for failing to address controversial issues, for not doing his job as an opposition to the Netanyahu government, or accuse him of flattery towards the ultra-Orthodox.

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There can be no dispute, however, about one thing: He must be doing something right. The poll published on Channel 2 News on Tuesday evening is nothing short of sensational: If elections were to be held today, Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid would become the largest party. And if the bill proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to have the leader of the Knesset's largest faction form the government, is passed  Lapid would be prime minister.

Netanyahu (L) and Lapid. Lapid must be doing something right (Photo: Dana Kopel, MCT)

Granted, it's just a poll and there are no elections on the horizon. And it's true that Netanyahu is a strong campaigner who is capable of turning the tables. And we can't ignore the fact that Lapid is mainly benefitting from the fall of Zionist Union Chairman Isaac Herzog. Nonetheless, Netanyahu definitely has cause for concern. A big crack has been discovered in this iceberg that has been leading us for seven years now.

Some believe it was the train crisis that led to this tectonic movement, and that it stands as proof that Netanyahu has made a big mistake in his conduct in the entire affair, that he has touched a particularly sensitive nerve in the Israeli public this time when he gave in to the ultra-Orthodox at the soldiers' expense, favoring Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Litzman's demands over the general public's needs. This time Netanyahu went against the people, and for that there is no forgiveness in the Likud.

But a survey conducted a week ago by Lapid's pollster Mark Mellman, even before the train crisis, including more than 1,000 respondents, showed the same results. It also showed a jump in Lapid's suitability to be prime minister.

And there's one more thing we should pay attention to: According to the Channel 2 poll, Lapid wins even without a security figure by his side. In Mellman's poll, which was not published, respondents were asked for their opinion on Lapid's list if it included a security personality, such as Gabi Ashkenazi, Benny Gantz or Moshe Ya'alon. The results were even higher for Yesh Atid and even lower for the Likud.

Since being elected prime minister in 2009, Netanyahu has yet to face a crisis like the one taking place right now, which has managed to anger such a large public. A political crisis that has turned into public revulsion, with such immediate, transparent results, reflected in the polls, which examined his reliability and conduct both vis-a-vis the transportation minister and the entire political system.

One can say that Lapid is profiting from Netanyahu's mistakes. That's inaccurate: Lapid, as I said, is mainly benefitting from the mass abandonment of Zionist Union voters. Likud voters are moving mainly to Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman's parties.

It doesnt take a genius to figure out the communications last night between The Hague and Jerusalem, between the prime minister's hotel in the Netherlands and his residence on Balfour Street. The Netanyahu family had a difficult evening.

Netanyahu isn't stupid. He understands that Likud voters are moving in droves to other parties, that they are fed up with his conduct, with his preferences, with his family's behavior. He understands that he is on a crossroad, and that if he fails to change his conduct immediately  he is finished.

While on Sunday his paranoia focused on a member of his own party, a minister in his government who was suspected of a putsch for 24 hours, this weekend's anxieties will focus on Lapid, the man who has been going against the wind since the elections, ignoring the scorn and criticism, and gaining more and more Knesset seats. In other words, let's see if Netanyahu still wants to fire Transpiration Minister Yisrael Katz.

And Netanyahu knows what every politician knows: if he is not seen as the one who will bring victory, there will be an even greater abandonment in the Likud. And when that happens, he will be exposed to full internal party processes, including a demand for primary elections.
The Palestinian economy could easily double, while sky-high unemployment and poverty would plummet if the Israeli occupation were lifted, the United Nations development agency said Tuesday.

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In a new report, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) pointed to a long list of ways the Israeli occupation stifled the economies of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including the confiscation of Palestinian land, water and other natural resources.

The widespread restrictions on the movement of people and goods, destruction of homes, trees and other assets, and the expansion of Israeli settlements were also damaging, it said.

Destruction in Gaza following Protective Edge (Photo: AFP)

"Without occupation, the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory could produce twice the GDP (gross domestic product) it currently generates," the report said.

The economy of the territories grew 3.5 percent last year after shrinking 0.2 percent in 2014, when it was hard-hit by the devastating war in Gaza between Israel and Islamist rulers Hamas and other factions.

Per capita income remains below its pre-2014 level, the report said.

The 2014 Operation Protective Edge killed more than 2,200 Palestinians and 72 on the Israeli side while causing economic losses close to three times the size of Gaza's GDP.

With reconstruction hampered by Israel's blockade and by lagging international aid, 91 percent of damaged houses in Gaza have yet to be rebuilt and 75,000 people remain displaced two years on, UNCTAD said.

Destruction in Gaza following Protective Edge (Photo: AP)

UNCTAD also pointed to the dire impact Israel's control of the so-called "Area C," which covers 61 percent of the West Bank and 66 percent of its grazing land.

"It is estimated that the occupation of Area C costs the Palestinian economy the equivalent of 35 percent of GDP" ($4.4 billion in 2015), UNCTAD said in a statement.

Gaza's rising infant mortality

In Gaza meanwhile, producers are unable to access half of the cultivable area due to an Israeli-imposed buffer zone blocking access to land alongside the border fence, and 85 percent of fishery resources due to a maritime blockade, it said.

Israel also widely blocks Palestinians from digging water wells, while confiscating 82 percent of Palestinian groundwater, the agency said.

"The Palestinians are left with no choice but to import their own water from Israel to cover 50 percent of their consumption," it said.

Erez border crossing connecting Gaza and Israel (Photo: Roee Idan)

All of this combined has "generated permanent crises of unemployment, poverty and food insecurity," UNCTAD said.

Officially, one quarter of the population in the Palestinian territories is unemployed, while the rate in Gaza is 38 percent, but these figures are likely to significantly underestimate the problem, UNCTAD said.

"A shocking indicator of the grim situation in Gaza is the rising infant mortality rate, ... (which) has risen for the first time in 50 years," the report said.

The neonatal mortality rate nearly doubled between 2008 and 2013, from 12 to 20.3 deaths for every 1,000 live births, it said.

Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon charged that "the UN report is filled with half-truths and vicious lies against the State of Israel. I call on the UN secretary-general to reject the conclusions of the report, as they are an ugly distortion of the truth."

Israel's delegation to the UN said the report was part of a campaign by the Palestinian leadership to move the conflict to the international arena, where they could reach diplomatic achievements without having to negotiate with Israel.

"The Palestinians must not be allowed to take over the UN's agencies and divert them of their original purposeworking for the betterment of the worldthus turning them into lie machines that accuse Israel of everything imaginable," Danon said.

"The UN secretary-general must make it clear that continuing to spread lies against Israel will lead to a serious and painful cutback in the budget of the agency preparing the report," he added.
The Tel Aviv parking garage tragedy is being felt in the Palestinian village of Beit Rima outside Ramallah, as the body of 34 year-old Iyad Rimawi, a worker at the site, was pulled from the rubble on Tuesday morning. Iyad was not the only family member involved in the tragedy, as his two brothers, Mohammad and Bassam, were with him as well. However, they only suffered minor injuries, while Iyad lost his life.

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Nihad, Iyad's brother in law, recounted the moment the collapse happened. "Once the collapse occured, Mohammad, the oldest brother, managed to make it to the staircase closest to him and escape. Bassam was injured in the collapse, but was not buried under the rubble. They both began to call for Iyad, but they got no response. He was buried inside." The brothers later had to identify Iyad's body after rescue services found it.

Iyad Rimawi

Nihad further described how everyone working at the site in the days before the collapse felt that the building was shaking. "Every time a piece of heavy machinery would move or be operating on the roof, the entire building would vibrate. We all felt it."

Despite hopes and prayers for a miracle, Iyad's two brothers and his brother-in-law burst into tears upon seeing his body removed from the rubble. "We prayed for a miracle, but now are going home without my brother," said Musa, another one of Iyad's brothers.

The Rimawi family waiting for news of Iyad

Iyad was married with a child and his wife is pregnant with their second. He had been working in Israel in construction for a year and a half. His body was taken to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for and autopsy, and the funeral is expected to take place in Beit Rima on Wednesday.

Police said that as of Tuesday night, there are two other deaths in addition to Iyad, one a worker and another a foreign national. Three people are still listed as missing.
Land crew at Serbia's Nikola Tesla International Airport in Belgrade has recently informed Air Serbia passengers flying to Tel Aviv that boarding had begun for the flight to "Palestine."

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The incident, which occurred on August 29 ahead of Air Serbia's JUO 816 night flight from Belgrade to Tel Aviv, created uproar at the airport, with Israeli passengers refusing to get on the plane until the correct announcement was made. The airline representatives explained to passengers that "the flight is to Tel Aviv, not to Israel."

One of the Israeli passengers recounted the incident: "To our surprise, one of the airport employees asked over the PA system that 'passengers for flight 816 with service to Palestine please come to gate C3.' She repeated this several times."

Air Serbia (Photo: Shutterstock)

"I couldn't hold back when I heard it. At first I thought that I didnt hear the announcement correctly, and I asked a few other people if they heard them say 'Palestine' over the PA system," he continued.

The passenger approached the airline's desk at the gate. "I was joined by a man from Rosh Pina. I asked them to announce that the flight was going to Israel and not to Palestine," he said.

The manager responded that the flight was to Tel Aviv, not Israel.

"I told her that the flight was also not to 'Palestine' and requested they announce that the flight was going to Israel or even Tel Aviv. We told them they need to announce it three times, and told them that we would refuse to board the plane otherwise," he said.

"After the staff discussed the matter amongst themselves in Serbian, they indeed announced that the flight was going to Tel Aviv three times. The manager of the desk personally took us to gate C3 and apologized to us several times."

The Israeli passenger issued a complaint to the Israeli Embassy in Serbia after the incident.

Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Emanuel Nachshon said that "this is a very disturbing incident, which requires an investigation with the relevant authorities and the airline. It's inconceivable that an airport employee with a microphone can try and change reality in such a defiant and false manner. The Israeli Embassy in Serbia will deal with this issue, making it a high priority."

Israeli Ambassador to Serbia Alona Fisher-Kamm spoke to the CEO of Air Serbia and, according to her, he expressed shock at the incident. The CEO even noted that this is the first time such an incident occurs, and that he considered it to be completely unacceptable.

He said that the airline's employees were not allowed to openly express a political position while wearing an Air Serbia uniform. "This political position doesnt reflect the company's position," he added.

The CEO profusely apologized, promising that the issue would be dealt with immediately to ensure it would not happen again.

An internal investigation found that it was an airport worker who made the offending announcement, and not one of the airline's employees. Air Serbia has asked the airport to find the worker and discipline her due to the damage she caused to the airline.

Last week, the Czech Republic decided to list the capital of Israel was Tel Aviv, and not Jerusalem in an atlas used in schools.
Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are only 60 km (40 miles) apart but they often feel like different planets, not just in terms of mentality but because the commute from the Mediterranean to the Judean hills can sometimes take two hours.

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That is set to change in the next 18 months with the completion of a $2 billion, high-speed rail line that will slash the time between the high-tech, business center and Jerusalem's Old City to just 30 minutes.

Construction ongoing on the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem line (: )

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After more than a decade in planning, the project, which involved boring tunnels through mountains and spanning bridges over deep valleys, promises to transform Israel's two largest cities - or at least bring them a little closer.

Photo: Reuters

"We are doing in Israel what the United States did 200 years ago, what Europe did after World War Two, and what Asia has done over the last few decades," Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz said on Tuesday, touting several new rail lines in the works. "The main aim is to connect Jerusalem to the rest of the country."

Photo: Reuters

While there is already a train between Jerusalem and the coast - built during the Ottoman empire and added to by the French and the British - it's a slow, scenic route that takes an hour and 40 minutes, not ideal for commuting. That said, around 7,500 people still ride it most days.

Photo: Reuters

The new line takes a more direct route, cutting through the steep hills between the Mediterranean and Jerusalem, which sits 800 meters (2,640 feet) above sea level.

Photo: Reuters

Working with 10 foreign companies, the line runs over 10 bridges and through five tunnels. Construction began in 2010 and is scheduled to end in March 2018.

Double-decker trains holding around 1,700 passengers will travel at 160 km/h. The plan is for four departures an hour, serving 50,000 commuters a day, or 10 million a year, said Boaz Zafrir, the chief executive of Israel Railways.

Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz at the tunnel for the new train line (Photo: Reuters)

Katz believes the train will give a jolt to Jerusalem's economy, encouraging more people from the coast to open businesses in the city, which is more religious and conservative than Tel Aviv. Some Tel Avivians, fed up with high rental costs and high humidity, may also decide to move to Jerusalem.

Photo: Reuters

The new line also promises to be a boon for foreign diplomats, Israeli government employees and parliament members, many of whom live on the coast but commute to Jerusalem almost daily and often lament the traffic jams.
SEOU- A senior diplomat from North Korea involved in stalled international talks to end its nuclear programme has visited China, a South Korea news agency said on Wednesday, as China endorsed a fresh rebuke of the North by the United Nations.

The UN Security Council issued its latest condemnation of the North after it conducted ballistic missile test launches on Monday. China, the reclusive North Korea's main diplomatic ally, joined the criticism.

North Korean diplomat Choe Son Hui arrived in Beijing on Tuesday with her interpreter, the South's Yonhap news agency cited an anonymous source familiar with the situation in North Korea as saying.
VIENTIANE- The Philippine government on Wednesday released what it says are surveillance pictures of Chinese coast guard ships and barges at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, in an apparent diplomatic gambit to publicize its concerns at a regional summit being attended by China's premier and Southeast Asian leaders.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte plans to ask Premier Li Keqiang at the summit in the Laotian capital whether the vessels were on another island-making mission on the Scarborough Shoal. China has built seven such islands in the disputed, resource-rich sea, alarming neighbors and rival claimants.

Asked how disturbed the Philippines was by the presence of the Chinese ships, Duterte's spokesman Ernesto Abella told a news conference: "Enough to announce it."
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Captain Amarinder Singh said that education and health will always remain his priority and come what may his government will arrange adequate funds for these two sectors.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday reiterated that the Congress government will provide health insurance to every citizen.

He said that the medical allowance will also be increased to make it reasonable. He also said that education and health will always remain his priority and come what may his government will arrange adequate funds for these two sectors.

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Interacting with the party workers during the 'Halke Vich Captain' programme here today, he said, it will be the duty of each and every Congress worker to ensure the victory of the party candidates.

He said while all the aspirants cannot get the tickets, they will be suitably accommodated in the government provided they

support and help the party candidate to win.

Moreover, he clarified only those aspirants will be eligible for the chairmanship from whose constituencies Congress candidates will be elected.

Later talking to the media, the PCC president said, the party has started the process of scrutinising the applications and these will be submitted to the high command in another two weeks time.

He said, it will take at least one month more for the party to announce the candidates as the Congress president Sonia

Gandhi was recuperating and vice-president Rahul Gandhi was busy in Uttar Pradesh.

"The government can generate resources for the purpose if it wished so. I had done it between 2002 and 2007 by waiving off all the cooperative bank loans. The Akalis did not take the move forward and with the result so many farmers suffered and many of them were forced to commit suicide. If the government of India can write off Rs 1.15 lakh crores of bad debts of the corporates, why can't the farmers' loans be written off which amount to far less than the corporate debt," Captain Amrinder Singh said.

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Netanya Mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikarwas arrived at the offices of the Lahav 443 investigations unit of the Israel police, where she was questioned over bribery allegations. Another city official along with three other suspects were also arrested on charges of bribery, fraud, and money laundering. Two building contractors were also arrested, along with another person close to a high ranking city official.

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Nati Simchoni, who has represented Feirberg in the past, said that "Mrs. Feirberg has been the Mayor of Netanya for 18 years, and has filled various positions in the municipality for four decades. Mrs. Feirberg has worked in a loyal and honest manner, and would never be attached to something like this, as her conduct is impeccable Mrs. Feirberg respects law enforcement, and will cooperate with investigators so that the truth will come out."

This new wave of arrests is being carried out after the lengthening of the detention of four suspects on Tuesday, amongst them Tsafrir Feirberg, the mayor's son. He has been held for five days so far.

Netanya Mayor Miriam Feirberg (Photo: Amit Shabi)

High ranking municipal officials and those close to them are suspected of working to advance the interests of several builders and developers in the city of Netanya after receiving bribes and other favors. The city officials were allegedly working with a conflict of interest without reporting it, along with receiving bribes, being involved with fraud, and being involved with money laundering.

Police and investigators from the Tax Authority searched the homes of the suspects on Wednesday morning, while freezing accounts and assets in case the relevant authorities need to seize them.

In addition to the arrest of Mayor Feirberg, the Rishon LeZion court has lengthened the detention of contractor and developer Avraham Tshuva by two days. Lawyer Avraham Gogeeg will remain in custody for five more days, while architect Gabu Tatro will remain in custody eight more days.

The police claim that Tsafrir Feriberg received bribes for another person for promoting construction projects across Netanya. The police further claim that the beneficiaries of the bribes were high ranking Netanya officials. Police also alleged that Mayor Feirberg is involved.

Judge Amit Michaels noted that "there is reasonable suspicion that all the suspects are connected. The investigation has painted a bleak picture which shows that several high ranking municipal officials were connected to equity holders for the purposes of pushing (building) projects and land improvement projects in the city, and received benefits totaling millions of Shekels. Several of the projects were carried out systematically with many different municipal officials involved."
LUANDA- Separatist rebels said they killed 12 soldiers in Angola, part of a flare-up of violence in a region that produces half the southern African state's oil.

The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) said it ambushed the troops in the northern Buco-Zau region, near the border with the Republic of Congo on Sunday.

The rebels have now reported more than 50 deaths since fighting broke out in August. The government has not responded to requests for comment.
DUBAI - Saudi Arabia's top religious authority said Iran's leaders were not Muslims, drawing a rebuke from Tehran in an unusually harsh exchange between the regional rivals over the running of the annual hajj pilgrimage.

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The war of words on the eve of the mass pilgrimage will deepen a long-running rift between the Sunni kingdom and the Shia revolutionary power. They back opposing sides in Syria's civil war and a list of other conflicts across the Middle East.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message published on Monday, criticized Saudi Arabia over how it runs the hajj after a crush last year killed hundreds of Iranian pilgrims. He said Saudi authorities had "murdered" some of them, describing Saudi rulers as godless and irreligious.

A man walks amongst the bodies of people killed in the 2015 hajj stampede (Photo: AP)

The Sept. 24, 2015, stampede and crush of pilgrims killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count based on state media reports and officials' comments from 36 of the over 180 countries that sent citizens to the hajj.

The official Saudi toll of 769 people killed and 934 injured has not changed since Sept. 26. The kingdom has never addressed the discrepancy, nor has it released any results of an investigation they promised to conduct over the disaster.

Responding to a question by Saudi newspaper Makkah, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh said he was not surprised at Khamenei's comments.

"We have to understand that they are not Muslims ... Their main enemies are the followers of Sunnah (Sunnis)," al-Sheikh was quoted as saying, remarks republished by the Arab News.

Muslims circle the Kaba in Mecca on the annual Hajj pilgrimage (Photo: Shutterstock)

He described Iranian leaders as sons of "magus", a reference to Zoroastrianism, the dominant belief in Persia until the Muslim Arab invasion of the region that is now Iran 13 centuries ago.

"Bigotry"

Al al-Sheikh's remarks drew an acerbic retort from Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said they were evidence of bigotry among Saudi leaders.

"Indeed; no resemblance between the Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account.

Ambulances in the Mina valley carrying wounded from the hajj stampede (Photo: AFP)

Saudi authorities normally seek to avoid public discussion of whether Shia are Muslims, but implicitly recognize them as such by welcoming them to the hajj, and by accepting Iranian visits to the Saudi-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Tensions between the two countries have been rising since Riyadh cut ties with Tehran in January following the storming of its embassy in Tehran, itself a response to the Saudi execution of dissident Shi'ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

The custodian of Islam's most revered places in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on organizing hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to is obliged to undertake at least once.

Riyadh said 769 pilgrims were killed in the 2015 disaster, the highest hajj death toll since a crush in 1990. Counts of fatalities by countries who repatriated bodies showed that more than 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians.

Muslims walking in the Mina valley prior to the Hajj stampede (Photo: AFP)

Iran blamed the 2015 disaster on organizers' incompetence. Pilgrims from Iran will be unable to attend hajj, which officially starts on Sept. 11, this year after talks between the two countries on arrangements broke down in May.

The split between Islam's main sects dates to a dispute among Muslims over who would rule their community after the death of the Prophet Mohammad, and Shia still regard his descendents as a line of imams blessed with divine guidance.

Today such disagreements over history remain emotive points of tension between the sects, but they are also divided over day -to-day issues including differing interpretations of Islamic law and the role and organization of the clergy.

In the Wahhabi teaching of Sunni Islam followed by the Saudi clergy and government, Shia doctrine about imams is seen as incompatible with the concept of a monotheistic God.

Crime and Punishment

Meanwhile, Iran's president called on the Muslim world on Wednesday to "punish" Saudi Arabia following last year's hajj crush and stampede that killed hundreds, the latest criticism by Iran ahead of the annual pilgrimage.

Hassan Rouhani's comments, coupled with remarks by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, come as Iran announced that Iranian pilgrims will not be travelling to the kingdom this year for the hajj.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency on Wednesday quoted Rouhani who lambasted Saudi Arabia's response to the stampede in Mina and said pilgrims lost their lives because Saudi authorities acted just as "bystanders rather than rescuing" those caught in the disaster. He said countries should "punish the government of Saudi Arabia in order to have a real hajj."

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (Photo: AP)

"The government of Saudi Arabia must be held accountable for this incident," Rouhani told a weekly Cabinet meeting. "Unfortunately, this government has even refrained from a verbal apology to Muslims and Muslim countries."

Khamenei, meanwhile, met with families of victims and survivors of the Mina stampede and reiterated his demand that Saudi Arabia's ruling Al Saud family properly investigate the disaster, IRNA reported.

"If they are claiming that they are not guilty in the incident, they should let an Islamic-international fact-finding delegation review and probe the case closely," Khamenei said, adding that Saudi Arabia "should not shut people's mouth with money."

On social media, Khamenei's accounts used the hashtag #alSaudHijacksHajj to criticize the kingdom, while reiterating his demand that someone other than the Saudis be in charge of administering the hajj.
The first London Design Biennale began on Wednesday, with representatives from 30 different countries across 6 continents presenting their designsincluding, of course, designers from Israel.

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The designers participating in the biennale come from the top design schools in the world, including the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in Manhattan and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Israel will be represented by the Design Faculty at Shenkar College, which will present projects from the Industrial Design Department, curated by Tami Warshavski, the head of Shenkar's Center for Innovation.

Yaniv Kadosh's AIDrop (Photo: PR Shenkar)

The projects presented at the biennale will seek to offer design solutions to complex problems the world is dealing withimmigration, environmental protection, stability, and social equality.

The first project from Israel is AIDrop by designer Yaniv Kadosha first-aid distribution system that employs self-rotating units to drop 3kg cartons of supplies over disaster zones, serving wide and potentially remote places until further essentials can be delivered by road.

The second project is Sharona Merlin's Loudera pair of speakers for the deaf and hard of hearing that translates sounds into visual textures and floor vibrations that can be felt through the feet.

Sharona Merlin's Louder (Photo: Tammy Dahan)

The biennale will last for three weeks and take place at Somerset House, one of the more iconic structures in the British capital, overlooking the Thames.

Each day will also feature talks open for the public with designers from all over the world. The designers from Israel will participate in a talk on September 13.

Other interesting designs worth sampling during the visit to the biennale are those from Russiawhich is going to present designs from the Lost Archives of Soviet Design, and Francewhich is going to present a film documenting the attempts to preserve, stir up and share immaterial memories of Syrias living heritage.
Prime Minister Netanyahu was confronted by an awkward diplomatic insult Wednesday when Tunahan Kuzo, a member of parliament in the Netherlands, refused to shake his hand.

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The affront came when Netanyahu met, during his state visit to the Netherlands, with Dutch members of the Foreign Affairs Committee. As he extended his arm to shake Kuzos hand, Netanyahu was rejected before the cameras.

Netanyahu snubbed by Dutch member of parliament

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Kuzo, of Turkish origin, later wrote on his Facebook account that his actions were in protest against Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

Dutch member of parliament refuses to shake hands with PM Netanyahu

At a time when the streets of Gaza are streaming with blood from the veins of children from 2014, it is not appropriate to shake his hand, but to reference the liberation of Palestine, wrote Kuzo on his Facebook account.

Tunahan Kuzo during a pro-Palestinian rally

Netanyahu responds to handshake incident in the Netherlands

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Tunahan Kuzo snubbs PM Netanyahu

Netanyahu recorded a video responding to the incident. We saw again another clear example of who wants peace and who doesnt want peace. I will continue to representing Israels position with pride everywhere in the world and I will strengthen its international standing, he said from his plane after he departed from the Netherlands.

As Menachem Begin said, those who who choose to turn up their nose, let them have crooked noses.
Fuad a-Said, the brother of 20-year-old tractor operator Abed a-Said who was injured in Monday's Tel Aviv parking collapse , spoke out in defense of his brother. "Abed is not a foreman, he's a tractor operator who does what he's told. What happened is the managers' responsibility, not his," said Fuad.

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Currently, the evidence at the site shows that the tractor was driven up to the parking complex's roof, and that a few seconds later the structure collapsed. So far, the names of the three people confirmed to have been killed have been released. They are Iyad Rimawi (34) from Beit Rima, Ukranian citizen Dennis Dyachenko (28) and Oleg Yakubov (60) from Tel Aviv.

Abed a-Said (Photo: Asaf Kamer)

Abed a-Said was released from the hospital on Tuesday and said that he has no recollection of the crash. "I woke up in the driver's seat in the tractor and saw the Magen David Adom paramedics," he said. "They asked if I was okay, but nothing was okay. I was stunned, my entire body hurt and I thought I was in a dream."

Rescuers at the crash site (Photo: Dana Kopel)

A-Said also stated that he did not feel that there was any danger regarding the structural soundness of the parking complex while construction was underway. "If it were dangerous, I wouldn't have worked there," he said. "I did what my superior told me, I'm not an engineer."

The site of the crash (Photo: Avi Mualem)

A-Said recalled a previous malfunction at the site that was successfully remedied. "Eight months ago, I was working downstairs, digging on the bottom floor. There was an issue with water entering from the Yarkon River, so they brought in pumps to remove it. I felt like it was taken care of by people who knew what they were doing."

Though he does not remember the exact moment of the crash, a-Said does remember the moments leading up to it. "At about 11:30, I stopped the tractor and was about to climb out of it and eat. All of a sudden, I felt a strong shake and boom, everything fell, with me still in the tractor. I don't remember what happened afterward or how long I was down there, only that Magen David Adom came and rescued me. I'm still in pain, but Allah willing, it will be okay."

Abed's brother Fuad received word of his brother's injury from the paramedic team. "I called him a few seconds after it had happened, and they told me he was hurt," said Fuad. "What happened was the foremen's responsibility, not the workers'. It has nothing to do with the tractor. My brother wasn't building the building, he manned the tractor and did what the foreman told him. He was only working there for a month and a half."

"The Police needs to investigate everyone who was there and figure out the root of the problem," added Fuad. "Maybe it was the iron, maybe the cement, maybe it was negligence on the job. No one knows yet. It could have ended very differently if the parking complex had already opened and had a 100 cars or people in it."

Currently, the Police are looking into the possibility that the building plans were not structurally sound, or that they were carried out in a negligent manner, which lead to the subsequent collapse and disaster. A preliminary investigation pointed to a structural flaw that prevented the parking complex from being able to withstand the weight of a particularly heavy vehicle like the tractor. At present, it is the building's design, and not the on-site managing, that is suspected of being the cause of the collapse.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas was an agent for the former Russian Secret Intelligence Service (KGB) in 1983 in Syria, according to a report by Channel 1, published Wednesday evening.

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The report claims that information was taken from documents smuggled to the West by Vasili Mitrokhin who was a major and senior archivist for the KGB. Mitrokhin eventually became a defector against the Soviet regime and fled to the West in possession of many documents which he smuggled from Russia to London.

Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: AP)

The Mitrokhin Archive was opened to public researchers just a few months ago. The relevant document reached researchers Dr. Isabella Ginor and Gideon Remez at the Truman Institute who previously worked for Israels Voice of Israel (Kol Yisrael).

Contained in the documents is, among other things, a list list of sources from 1983, aids and Palestinian agents of the KGB in Damascus. Listed among them is Mahmoud Abbas, born in 1935, under the codename of Kortovmoleand marked as a KGB agent in Syria.

Mitrokhins documents reveal the identities of more than one thousand spies and collaborators who worked for the KGB. Indeed, investigators have emphasized that Mahmoud Abbas is listed not as a collaborator or someone who could be turned into a spy, but categorically as a KGB agent.

The full archive of Mitrokhin was opened to researchers only last year and we ordered the entire file on the Middle East numbered 24. It was sent to us from Cambridge University and we read it point by point, Remez said. The source is extremely reliable when not all the details are known.

According to the list, Abbas was an agent in 1983 but it is not yet known whether he also was before or after that year. A preliminary conclusion that has been drawn is that he was recruited to the KGB when he was a student in Moscow when he wrote a doctoral dissertation in which he grossly played down the crimes of the Holocaust.
The United States and Russia have not reached a ceasefire deal for Syria, the US State Department said on Wednesday, stating it could not confirm Moscow's announcement that the US and Russian foreign ministers would meet in Geneva on Thursday.

"We're not there yet," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a briefing, after US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke for 45 minutes.

"The secretary remains committed to continuing efforts to try and resolve the outstanding issues in order to reach an arrangement on Syria ... but we won't agree to an arrangement that does not meet our core objectives," Toner said.
Three Israeli universities have been prominently featured on the 2016 QS World University Rankings list, which ranks more than 900 higher education institutions around the world.

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Hebrew University of Jerusalem maintained its position as Israels top university, with an overall world ranking of 148, while Tel Aviv University was named the countrys top research institution, with 97 academic citations per faculty member.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem campus (Photo: Roi Yanovsky)

Haifas Technion Institute of Technology continued a four-year slide, falling from number 183 in 2013 to 213 on this years list, as did Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, slipping to 320th place, down from 259 a year ago.

The QS World University Rankings, first compiled in 2004, rates the worlds best-performing higher education institutions, assessing some 4,000 higher education institutions and ranking more than 900.

Were delighted that the Hebrew University continues to receive international recognition as a world academic leader, said Hebrew University President Professor Menahem Ben-Sasson. The Universitys academic and research reputation is a direct result of the hard work and commitment to excellence displayed by our faculty members, administrative staff, and students. Our investment in recent years in attracting the best researchers and equipping them with the tools to succeed is paying dividends, he added.

Hebrew Universitys placement was the latest in a string of accomplishments for the university. In June, HU research scientist, Dr. Yosef Buganim, was honored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He was awarded the Boyalife Science & Science Translational Medicine Award in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine.
Merkel stressed that the country managed to drastically reduce the influx of new migrants coming to Germany.

The state is home to few migrants, but Merkel after the election conceded that the result was more about dissatisfaction with national issues rather than local matters. Photo: AP

By AP: Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday defended her government's handling of the flood of migrants that crossed into Germany last year, but conceded that more still needs to be done and that concerns that have led to increasing support for an anti-immigrant nationalist party need to be taken seriously.

SITUATION IS BETTER: MERKEL

Merkel told lawmakers that since she addressed them at this time last year, Germany has managed to come a long way in dealing with the hundreds of thousands of migrants that flooded in to the country.

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"The situation is many times better than a year ago, but there remains a lot to do," she said.

On the weekend, Merkel's Christian Democratic Union suffered an embarrassing election performance in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where Merkel has her parliamentary constituency, when it was beaten into third place by the nationalist, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, known as AfD.

The state is home to few migrants, but Merkel after the election conceded that the result was more about dissatisfaction with national issues rather than local matters.

She told Parliament, where AfD is not represented, that the election was a "black eye" inflicted by "Those who rely on slogans and seemingly simple answers." She said that voters' concerns "Whether founded or unfounded, should be taken seriously" by "All of us in this house," noting that the party had taken away support from all other main parties.

WORK FOR REFUGEES

"I am quite sure that if we resist this and stick to the truth, then we will win," she said. "And that way we will win back the most important thing that we need - the trust of the people."

In the past year, Merkel said, Germany has implemented policies speeding up integration measures for migrants with good prospects of staying, increased school funding to help their educations, and worked with cities and states to find solutions to local problems.

Merkel also stressed that the country managed to drastically reduce the influx of new migrants coming to Germany.

But she said the country still needs to improve the mechanism for quickly processing and returning home migrants who have little chance of being given asylum.

She said Germany has also beefed up police and security forces to fight terrorism, but emphasized that "Terrorism is not a new problem that came here with the refugees."

"We serve our country in these times of globalization best if we are guided by our values of freedom, security, justice and solidarity," she s

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A cafe in Australia is serving the strongest coffee anybody has ever brewed and it comes with a warning: "drink at own risk".

By India Today Web Desk:

If your morning routine involves dashing for a cup of coffee straight out of bed, and still yawning after a 4th cup, you're probably going to want this drink.

A cafe in Australia claims to serve the strongest coffee ever - Adelaide Ass Kicker. It even comes with a warning for those with high blood and heart conditions: drink at your own risk.

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The coffee, made by Viscous cafe, is 80 times stronger than a regular shot of espresso.

According to Mashable, the first time the beverage was brewed was for a nurse in an emergency department who needed help to stay awake for her night shift. She consumed the coffee over a period of two days and ended up staying awake awake for three straight days.

A large cup of Ass Kicker is recommended to be consumed over a 3 to 4 hour period.

Doctors have warned against the coffee saying caffeine is an additive drug and should not be taken lightly. Too much caffeine cause sleeplessness and jitters, headaches, dizziness, dehydration, abnormal heart rhythms, and dependence.

Cafe owner Steve Benington told South Australian newspaper The Advertiser, meanwhile, that the coffee has been 'toned down a little' for general sale.

But even so, it's literally not for the faint-hearted.

So, what's brewing?



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Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra were offloaded from Air India flight at Delhi airport.

By India Today Web Desk: Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra did not get any star treatment from Air India officials when the Baar Baar Dekho co-stars were offloaded at the Delhi airport for delaying their boarding and allegedly indulging in promotions of their upcoming film at Indira Gandhi International Airports terminal area with fans.

ALSO READ: Katrina Kaif, Sidharth Malhotra have crackling chemistry in new promo

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ALSO READ: Sidharth-Katrina and 5 other fresh Bollywood pairs we're excited to see on screen



Officials said the incident was reported late Tuesday night after both the actors reached the airport and got their boarding passes to fly to Mumbai in the Air India flight number AI-317.

Post the security check, the duo was seen mingling with fans in the duty-free area of the airport to promote their upcoming film Baar Baar Dekho, the officials said.

According to PTI, both the actors were asked by airport officials to board the flight scheduled for 9.40 PM but they kept delaying the flight.

Finally, sources said, the airline decided to offload them at about 10.45 PM as other passengers complained about the delay in departure.

However, Air India officials said the Bollywood actors were not deplaned, as they were issued boarding passes but "they chose not to travel as part of their own decision".

Directed by Nitya Mehra, Baar Baar Dekho is set to hit the screens on September 9.



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According to CoreLogic research analyst Cameron Kusher, the increase in values for both houses and units in Illawarra could be attributed to buyers who had been priced out of the Sydney market and are now diverting their investment dollars to this region.

In Queensland, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast ended up as the strongest performing regions across the state, with both house and unit values increasing.

On the other hand, sales activity in Victorias Geelong and Latrobe-Gippsland dropped by 2% over the year, though their median values and rental rates increased.

Mixed performance was seen in Western Australias Bunbury region, with house values rising by 3% and unit values falling by 6%.

The only regional market to record a fall in values is Townsville, where houses dropped by 4.5% and units fell by 3.7%.

Our latest data points to an increase of value growth in regional markets, particularly those which are located adjacent to capital cities, said Kusher.

As people are priced out of certain capital cities, buyers now appear to be looking to these adjacent regions.
By Mayank Pratap Singh: Massive military operations by Pakistan army and the police have been reported from Panjgur, Turbat and Kulaho, 24 hours after the forces took Baloch people at gunpoint.

Pakistan army, along with police constable, raided the houses of Baloch activists and seized their homes on Tuesday. The women and children have been kept captive for more than 24 hours without food or water. The locals reported that earlier a book shop of Baloch literature was also rampaged by the army and books and literature was confiscated.

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Also read|Balochistan: How PM Modi tore into Pakistan in a deliberate yet risky move

The area is near the Gwadar port which was sold to China by Pakistan. People protesting against the Chinese intervention in the region are now at the receiving end.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been opposed by the Baloch activists and they claim that Pakistan is trying to grab their lands. In the name of development and security to the upcoming controversial project, running from Gwadar in Balochistan to China via POK, the Pakistan government has resorted to genocide in the area.

India raised its concern with China over the CPEC running through PoK and terrorism "emanating from the region" as Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Chinese President Xi Jinping the two countries need to be "sensitive" to each other's strategic interests on Sunday.

Asserting that fight against terror should not be motivated by "political considerations", Modi said it is of "paramount importance that we respect each other's aspirations, concerns and strategic interests" to ensure durable bilateral ties.

READ: Who are the people of Balochistan? Here's all you need to know



During the bilateral meeting with Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit, Modi raised India's concerns over the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Besides a host of energy-related projects, the CPEC consists of rail, road and pipelines to ferry oil and gas from Gwadar port on Arabian Sea to Kashghar in China's Muslim-dominated Xinjiang province through PoK.

Also read|Modi's Balochistan attack on Pakistan now up in the AIR

WATCH: Pakistan army's excesses in Balochistan caught on tape

Also read: Human rights violated, natural resources exploited: All you need to know about the Balochistan issue

Also read: Modi stumps Pakistan, refers to Balochistan, Gilgit and PoK from Red Fort



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Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a judge sentenced Steve Nolte to 9 years in prison for stealing more than $571,000 from his former employer. The sentence imposed by the Court was ordered to run consecutive to Noltes three-year federal prison sentence for passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, and use of a falsely-obtained Social Security Number.

On May 22, 2016 a Maricopa County jury found Nolte guilty of Fraudulent Schemes & Artifices and Theft.

Nolte worked as an information technology consultant for Fulton Homes when he stole $571,649 in 1996. Fulton Homes reported the theft to local law enforcement and unsuccessful attempts were made to locate Nolte.



At the time, it was unknown Nolte had obtained a fraudulent U.S. passport under the name George France and fled to Costa Rica where he had wired the stolen money. In 2012, George France reapplied for a U.S. passport and federal authorities discovered George France was actually Steve Nolte.

Noltes mother testified during the jury trial that the person standing trial was her son Steve Nolte. George Frances mother testified that her son died in 1966 and that she did not know Nolte. Special Agents with the U.S. Department of State and biologists with the FBI Crime Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia assisted with this case and testified in this matter.

Assistant Attorneys General Scott Blake and Joseph Waters prosecuted this case.
Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a judge issued an arrest warrant for 54-year-old Elda Graciela Margez De Zamora. Margez De Zamora failed to appear at an initial pretrial conference and is believed to be on the run. A State Grand Jury indicted Margez De Zamora for allegedly operating an unlicensed dental practice. She is currently facing 2 felony counts including Fraudulent Schemes and Practices and Practicing Dentistry Without a License.

On May 16, 2016, the Arizona Attorney Generals Office launched an investigation after receiving a case referral from the Phoenix Police Department regarding an unlicensed dental and orthodontic office being operated by an unlicensed dentist. The makeshift dental office was allegedly located inside of a Phoenix apartment and run by a tenant who went by the nickname Mama Elda. Special Agents with the Attorney Generals Office later identified Mama Elda as Elda Graciela Margez De Zamora.

An undercover AZAG Special Agent set up an appointment and observed Margez De Zamora allegedly treating patients prior to his scheduled appointment. The waiting area was set up in the apartment living room arranged in a manner similar to a lobby or waiting room at a doctor's office with chairs and magazines. The AZAG Special Agent also saw dental instruments, dental trays, and a bed that appeared to be set up as a dental chair. Additionally, adjacent to the bed was what appeared to be dental instruments used by dentists, dental hygienists, and orthodontists such as an air/water syringe, saliva ejector, and a high water evacuator. Margez De Zamora reportedly resides in Mexico and would allegedly drive to Phoenix to perform dental services for cash.

Margez De Zamora posted a $20,000 cash bond and failed to appear at an initial pretrial conference in July.



Assistant Attorney General Andy Kvesic is prosecuting this case. Special Agents with the Attorney General's Office Special Investigations Section Major Fraud Unit investigated this case.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Latest News

Washington, DC - This morning, the Vice President spoke with His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The two leaders discussed events in the region, including our cooperation to counter ISIL in Syria and our efforts to promote economic cooperation. The Vice President thanked the King for his continued leadership in the region and reiterated the United States' unwavering commitment to Jordan's security and stability.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - Former astronaut Mike Forman will be visiting Arizona Western College on Thursday, September 22nd to talk to AWC students and students from the area about working in space. His presentation will take place in the Schoening Conference Center in the College Community Center (3C) on the Yuma Campus from 9:00 am -11:30 am.

Forman is a retired U.S. Navy pilot and a NASA astronaut. One of his NASA missions was to deliver the Japanese Experiment Module and the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulate to the International Space Station. In November 2009, he served as a crewmember for the STS-129 mission.

As part of the rural community college initiative, Formans visit is being funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Science Foundation of Arizona (SFAz) Plus 8 Grant. The goal is to increase the number of students excited about STEM degree programs and careers.

"I am a big proponent of STEM education and am looking forward to sharing my spaceflight experiences with the students of Arizona Western," said Mike Forman.
Samples are likely to be collected from across the district next week during and after the Eid al-Adha (Bakr-Eid) will be celebrated around September 13.

More samples will be collected to be checked for beef. Photo: @TheVerandah

By India Today Web Desk: Acting on a complaint that beef was being added to biryanis being sold in Mewat, a predominantly Muslim district, the authorities have collected biryani samples from a village.

MORE SAMPLES TO BE CHECKED

The samples, collected from Mundaka village, were sent for testing to a laboratory in Hisar's Haryana Agricultural University in keeping with the directions given by the state government.

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More samples are likely to be collected from across the district next week during and after the Eid al-Adha (Bakr-Eid) will be celebrated around September 13. The samples will be collected from Ghasera, Firzpur Jhirka area as well.

COW PROTECTION FORCE GEARS UP

The Cow Protection Task Force, set up by the state government under the police force, has also strengthened its network of informers in the areas where beef consumption is said to be high.

Under the Haryana government's recently enforced Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gau Samvardhan Act 2015, cow slaughter is punishable with rigorous imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

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While kicking social stigma to the curb, a 21-year-old college girl from Katwa, West Bengal, is paying for her education and supporting her family single-handedly as a lone female e-rickshaw driver in her town.

By India Today Web Desk: Through the lanes of a small town named Katwa in West Bengal, a bright blue e-rickshaw is running proudly these days. In the beginning, it wasn't much welcomed. But eventually, it not only became everyone's favourite, but also one famous 'toto'.

And this bright blue 'toto' -- as the e-rickshaws are called in Bengal -- has earned its fame because of its 21-year-old female driver.

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A third-year BA student, Supriya Roy runs her e-rickshaw to afford her college education and support her family, where she is the sole breadwinner.

But however brave and encouraging that may sound, the ride wasn't easy for Supriya.



After her daily wager father became bedridden with illness a couple of months ago, Supriya took up riding the e-rickshaw to keep her family afloat. But in the streets, most people discouraged found her job.

A report in Anandabazaar Patrika narrates how commuters would back away from riding Supriya's e-rickshaw after seeing a woman in the driver's seat. For some people, it was a shocking change; for others, it was an act of audacity.

Neighbours would advise her parents to stop her and also encourage them to marry her off because "a daughter driving a 'toto' down the streets could only bring bad name to the family."

But the daring college-goer did not let anything demotivate her. Her priorities, after all, were to care for her family and continue her studies.

Her mother, Mamata Roy, also did not pay heed to the foul suggestions. "She has been running the family single-handedly," Mamata told the daily. "That is not an easy job. We don't care about what people have to say anymore."

So, with her parents by her side, Supriya has been balancing her time on her e-rickshaw and her BA classes at the Katwa College in Burdwan district like a boss.

Katwa College. Source: Katwa College/ Facebook



Choosing college over marriage

Before the e-rickshaw came along, Supriya's parents wanted to marry her off. But she was stern about continuing her education. And she did not change her mind even when her parents got her younger sister married before her.

Eventually, her daily wager father became bedridden with severe illness. Supriya, the eldest child, started giving tuition to support the family, but the money wasn't enough.

She then approached a relative of hers who helped her learn how to ride an e-rickshaw, and even lend her his vehicle.

Ever since then, Supriya has been paying the bills of their tin-roofed, one-room house in Katwa's Kashiganj locality, and bearing the costs of her own and her youngest sister's education, all with her income from driving her bright blue 'toto'.

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Becoming everyone's favourite 'toto' driver

Woman drivers aren't a common sight, be it metros or small towns. In Supriya's neighbourhood too, people took time to warm up to her in the driver's seat.

But now, Supriya has become a known face, and has build a reputation as a good driver.

"Earlier I would worry about her meeting with an accident since she is so young," said a local commuter, "But now, it feels good to ride in her rickshaw."

Not just the commuters, Supriya's fellow male e-rickshaw drivers in Katwa have also stepped forward in her support.

Katwa's Toto Union President Goutam Das told Anandabazar Patrika, "If she ever faces any trouble, we will be by her side. We wish she becomes an inspiration for more women to join us."

When asked what she would do after her college was over, Supriya said, "It has been my childhood dream to drive a train some day. All this fight is for that one dream."

Kudos, Supriya. Keep riding against the tide on your bright blue 'toto'. We wish you well.

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Hurray! The torture has finally ended after 8 long years- a little too late I would say but better late than never. Its time to rejoice So here is raising a toast to the unnatural death of Ekta Kapoors flagship<i> rona dhona, maha drama</i> Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. May the dreaded K never return to haunt us again <br><br> Wonder why I am being so cynical? <i>Kyunki</i> it drove us to the wall, <i>Kyunki</i> it tested our patience and intelligence, <i>Kyunki</i> it portrayed us (women) in the most stereotypical fashion, <i>Kyunki</i> it did not come with a warning of watching at ones own risk and <i>Kyunki</i> one did not need a reason to detest this show or cast suspicious glances at those who did like the show. <br><br> So in case you are a Kyunki fan then please leave or forever hold your peace for this write up; its not meant for the faint hearted or weak willed. Readers discretion is advised as we are going to dive in some serious whipping and no holds barred bashing of this soggy saga. <br><br> But just like any other Balaji serial which begins on a chirpy note with the birds singing and the temple bells tolling; Kyunki wasnt all that bad initially. So I would like to venture into un-chartered waters and risk appreciating this k katha just a bit. For, like it or not, the show had the potential of being met with a different fate had many aspects been handled differently. <br><br> <b>The Good</b> <br><br> <b>Family ties:</b> A joint family in the confused 21st century was one of the major USPs that got the viewers hooked on to the show. When most of the soaps were busy celebrating nuclear family freedom, Kyunki came as a refreshing break. A show about an affluent <i>Gujarati</i> family that had a modern outlook yet traditional values immediately clicked with the audience and garnered the highest TRPs. <br><br> <b>Widow re-marriage:</b> Everything said and done, the show did break a lot of taboos. The soap, time and again, took up the cause of widow re-marriage. Tulsi, her daughter Shobha and daughter-in-law Nandini were urged to remarry once their spouses passed away. <br><br> <b>Marital rape:</b> The prima donnas of TV serials Kyunki once again took the lead in bringing the harsh reality to the fore. The loveless marriage of Nandini and Ansh served the plot to present this brutal truth. Nandini is raped by her husband Ansh, who was subsequently dragged to court by Nandini on the behest of guess who??? Anshs mother Tulsi. <br><br> <b>Mother India Tulsis killing of own son:</b> Not that I want to promote domestic violence but Tulsi killing her own son Ansh to protect her <i>bebas bahu</i> was one of the few eye popping, unbelievable, exaggerated sequences. Nevertheless, it was the right thing to do. May be killing was a little to much for anyones taste but the idea was well conveyed. <br><br> <b>Baa-the 84 yr old (or was she 400?) fashionista:</b> This was one of the few crowning moments of the show. Just when critics were breathing fire down Ektas neck to send Baa to the grave, she sends her to the school of fashion design. Once again the point was taken well. The aged cant be just nudged away, they have a life too. <br><br> Even a Kyunki basher like me feels that the show did have the potential had it not slipped from good to bad to downright ugly. <br><br> <b>The Bad</b> <br><br> <b>Blah blah blah about <i>sanskaars</i>:</b> Anyone watching the show could easily give religious channels like 'Sanskaar' and 'Aastha' a miss. The characters of the show had loads of <i>faltoo gyaan</i> to pass on to its poor moral defunct viewers any given day. <br><br> <b>Privacy went for a toss:</b> From bedroom talk to kitchen politics, everybody overheard everybody. Whether is was a husband and wife doing coochie coo or a <i>saas</i> bitching about the new bride, someone would always overhear and pass on the golden words. The motto being: if informed then better misinform. <br><br> <b>Drama queens galore:</b> Who needs dialogues, when your body language speaks volumes? Cunning smirks, weird eye moves, and look east talk west actions, exaggerated reactions reduced the dialogues to mere lip service. In fact, put the show on mute and you are as good as someone whos heard all the wailing, screeching and thundering. <br><br> <b>Sleeping beauties:</b> They smiled in make-up, they wept in make-up (water proof of course), they even slept in make-up; the characters were good enough to enter a beauty pageant on any given moment. Being glamorous is good, but did no one tell these <i>saas bahus</i> that sleeping with make-up on was a beauty disaster. Quiet literally the characters hid their true colours behind the glossy exteriors. <br><br> <b>The Ugly</b> <br><br> <b>Reverse ageing process:</b> Generations leaps had a different connotation here. The most bugging factor was the characters getting younger and sassier with each passing year. Instead of getting sober with age, they just got lousy make up jobs done and the beauticians had a ball. Getting older here meant extra coats of foundations, oodles and oodles of mascara, and even more glam accessories. <br><br> <b>Arise from the dead:</b> Grrr grrr even Ramsay Brothers would have bowed to Ekta Kapoor when she pulled Mihir out of the coffin. The day Mihir returned from the dead, the show was fated to be doomed. For the tacky scheme was used time and again as the characters deemed dead would suddenly appear and instead of going BOOM, the audience went Yawn <br><br> <b>In-law incest:</b> Being accommodating is one thing but marrying your brothers ex-wife is simply tacky. Every now and then a wife would leave her husband and go and marry her devar. What kind of a sick minded plot was the show promoting? <br><br> <b><i>Saaziish</i> and more <i>saazish</i>:</b> Mindless conspiracies ruled and misunderstandings were the order of the day. Just when something good would happen; the bad immediately followed leaving room for ample of drama. <br><br> It will always remain a mystery as to how a serial so banal and plot-dead, where the characters always remained dressed as if they were attending a barat or a Halloween party, could become so popular. <br><br> But like it or not Kyunki was one the most popular shows the telly has ever known. But with the channel the tying a goose around its neck and finally sending it to the dungeons, all I am left is with a list of if only that could have saved it from its unprecedented death <br><br> If only Mihir had not died or brought back from the dead on popular demand, if only the characters looked their part, if only Baa bid adieu before she turned 400, if only the family members understood the term privacy, if only Ekta Kapoor gave some credit to the viewers intelligence and did not take them for a ride, if only Tulsi did not have to be such a goody two shoes. The show could have been bearable!
Washington/Tampa: The US State Department and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Tuesday stressed the need for ties with the Philippines to be based on mutual respect, after Manila`s new leader raised worries about the future of the key alliance by calling President Barack Obama a "son of a bitch".

Despite US dismay over Duterte`s remarks, though, current and former US officials played down the impact, saying they did not expect any serious damage to ties at a time of high tensions over China`s extensive territorial claims in Asia.

The State Department said a planned first meeting between Obama and his counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on the sidelines of a regional summit in Laos on Tuesday was canceled because the tone of the Philippine leader`s rhetoric raised questions about the chances of productive talks.

"Words matter, and we want to see an atmosphere that is cordial and open to strong cooperation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a regular news briefing in Washington.

Hillary, who as secretary of state was an architect of Obama`s policy of emphasizing the importance of the Asia Pacific to US interests in the face of a rising China, said Obama was right to cancel the meeting.

"When the president of the Philippines insulted our president, it was appropriate and a very low-key way to say: sorry, no meeting," she told reporters on her campaign plane.

"We have a lot of ties between the United States and the Philippines. And I think it`s very important that we have a relationship, but there has to be a certain level of respect that is expected on both sides," Hillary said.

Duterte made the remark about Obama while explaining that he would not be lectured over extrajudicial killings in the war against drugs he has launched since taking two months ago and which has killed about 2,400 people.

He has previously called the pope a "son of a whore" and the US ambassador a "gay son of whore".

The Philippines voiced regret for Duterte`s comments after Obama canceled a formal bilateral meeting. The White House then said Obama might speak with Duterte informally.

"Feeling his way"

Duterte`s volatile nature threatens to complicate Washington`s ties with its closest ally in Southeast Asia as it tries to forge a united front in the region in response to China`s extensive claims in the strategic South China Sea.

The Philippines has been central in this effort due to an international court case it brought and won against Beijing.

In March, the United States and the Philippines agreed on five locations for US military facilities in the country under a new security deal. The deal grants Washington increased military presence in its former colony through rotation of ships and planes for humanitarian and maritime security operations.

Asked about Duterte`s comments, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said the defense relationship with the Philippines was a "strong" and "longstanding" one.

Speaking to reporters, Carter also described the Philippines` new defense minister, Delfin Lorenzana, as someone who was "very knowledgeable about all the things that we do together."

An official of the US State Department said "government to government" relations with Manila remained strong.

"The areas that we believe we have robust, strong cooperation with them, we are not going to just simply throw that aside.

The official noted that Duterte was new to national leadership having served as a city mayor.

"He is maybe feeling his way into the new job," the official said.

Former US officials said China would be pleased by the US-Philippines friction.

Time will tell whether President Duterte steps back from this episode and realizes he needs to recalibrate his choice of words in engaging US leaders, said Amy Searight, a former senior Pentagon official now at Washington`s Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

Evan Medeiros, Obamas former top Asia adviser and now a senior analyst at the Eurasia Group, saw the row as a speed bump, not a roadblock in US-Philippines ties.

It`s unfortunate, but doesnt fundamentally derail the relationship, he said.
Dubai: Saudi Arabia`s top religious authority accused Iran`s leaders of not being Muslims, drawing a rebuke from Tehran in an unusually harsh exchange between the regional rivals over the running of the annual haj pilgrimage.

The war of words on the eve of the mass pilgrimage will deepen a long-running rift between the Sunni kingdom and the Shi`ite revolutionary power. They back opposing sides in Syria`s civil war and a list of other conflicts across the Middle East.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message published on Monday, criticised Saudi Arabia over how it runs the haj after a crush last year killed hundreds of pilgrims. He said Saudi authorities had "murdered" some of them, describing Saudi rulers as godless and irreligious.

Responding to a question by Saudi newspaper Makkah, Saudi Arabia`s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said he was not surprised at Khamenei`s comments.

"We have to understand that they are not Muslims ... Their main enemies are the followers of Sunnah (Sunnis)," Al al-Sheikh was quoted as saying, remarks republished by the Arab News.

He described Iranian leaders as sons of "magus", a reference to Zoroastrianism, the dominant belief in Persia until the Muslim Arab invasion of the region that is now Iran 13 centuries ago.

'BIGOTRY'

Al al-Sheikh`s remarks drew an acerbic retort from Iran`s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said they were evidence of bigotry among Saudi leaders.

"Indeed; no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account.

Saudi authorities normally seek to avoid public discussion of whether Shi`ites are Muslims, but implicitly recognise them as such by welcoming them to the haj, and by accepting Iranian visits to the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Tensions between the two countries have been rising since Riyadh cut ties with Tehran in January following the storming of its embassy in Tehran, itself a response to the Saudi execution of dissident Shi`ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

Custodian of Islam`s most revered places in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on organising haj, one of the five pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to is obliged to undertake at least once.

Riyadh said 769 pilgrims were killed in the 2015 disaster, the highest haj death toll since a crush in 1990. Counts of fatalities by countries who repatriated bodies showed that more than 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians.

Iran blamed the 2015 disaster on organisers` incompetence. Pilgrims from Iran will be unable to attend haj, which officially starts on Sept. 11, this year after talks between the two countries on arrangements broke down in May.
Kuala Lumpur: A businessman-cum-muezzin, pleaded not guilty in a high court in Malaysia here on Wednesday to a charge of providing a bank account for use to support terrorist activities.

Mohd Naazri Ishak Bahari, 49, was charged with providing a Maybank account with the knowledge that the facility would be used by or would benefit a terrorist group, Bernama news reported.

The offence was allegedly committed at 8.20 a.m. in Bandar Tun Razak on March 22.

Bahari, who has five children and is from Jitra, Kedah, would face 30 years of imprisonment and was liable to fine, if found guilty.

The Judicial Commissioner of the High Court set four days, from October 17, to hear the case.

The court also set October 17 to hear a preliminary objection submitted by Bahari's lawyer to quash the charge against his client.

Bahari was taken to Sungai Buloh prison.
Islamabad: Hafiz Saeed, a Pakistani Islamist with a USD 10 million U.S. bounty on his head, on Monday trade charges against India and United States of carrying an anti-Muslim approach and said that the new pact signed between the two nations is against Pakistan.

The Jamaat-Ud-Dawa (JuD) chief asserted, "The new pact between India and US is against Pakistan, against China-Pak Eco Corridor and in fact it is against the Muslim world."

"The United States has issues with China, India has issues with Pakistan. The interest of both has become one due to CPEC," the JuD chief said.

"The new pact between India and America is against Pakistan, against CPEC; in fact, I believe it is against the Muslim world and its bulwark Pakistan. This is a very frightening pact. What America could not achieve while being in Afghanistan, where it faced a dishonourable defeat, it is now trying to complete its mission from India. It (U.S.) believes that since Afghanistan was a country of Muslims, they could not achieve their targets while being inside the country, all they could do was spreading terrorism and unrest across Pakistan," said Saeed.

"America's issue is China; India's issue is Pakistan. The interest of both has become one, because of CPEC. This is the basis of their new pact. This is the preparation of a terrifying war," he added.

Addressing a seminar on the 51st Defence Day of Pakistan, Saeed said, "India and America are worried that if the CPEC project succeeded, the entire Muslim world would stand beside Pakistan. And the (resultant) new defence and economic pacts that will take place will oust America not only from this region and the Middle East, but from all important places and waters of the would. America will have to get out of all these places. That is why today the biggest hurdle before them is Pakistan."

During the bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised India's concern over the CPEC, saying the two countries need to be sensitive to each other's strategic interests.

Last week, India and the US signed the bilateral Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) that will give the militaries of both countries access to each others facilities for supplies and repairs.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and U.S. Defence Secretary Ash Carter said in a joint statement that LEMOA will facilitate additional opportunities for practical engagement and exchange.

LEMOA facilitates the provision of logistical support, supplies and services between the US and Indian militaries on a reimbursable basis, and provided a framework to govern them.

Earlier, Hafiz Saeed had called on Pakistan to send troops to Kashmir to teach India a lesson, as the death toll in the violence in Jammu and Kashmir climbed on Tuesday.

Pakistans media reported Saeed's latest statement, which he addressed to Pakistan military chief General Raheel Sharif.

Saeed, who has been accused of having engineered the 2008 November terrorist attack in Mumbai, had warned India in July that he would avenge killings in the ongoing protest.
The Central Board of Secondary Education has given 15 days time to NPSs to reply failing which action will be taken under the provisions of the affiliation by-laws.

According to the note issued by the board, students of X and XII will be allowed to take their exams after ascertaining their eligibility as per the examination laws. Photo: PTI

By Rohini Swamy: The future of students studying with the National Public Schools has been left in the lurch with the Central Board of Secondary education (CBSE) issuing notice stating that the National Public Schools in Bengaluru forged minority certificates in order to get exemption from the Right to Education Act (RTE).

CASE OF FORGERY

According to the CBSE board, the NPS schools cannot run classes IX and XI under the board for the academic year 2017-18.

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According to the note issued by the board, students of X and XII will be allowed to take their exams after ascertaining their eligibility as per the examination laws.

This decision has definitely sent panic waves amongst parents who may have to search for new schools for their children for the next academic year.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) had ordered a case of forgery to be filed against the NPS group as they filed under the minority status to avoid reserving seats under RTE. In 2013, the case was filed with the DPI stating violations. On Feb 22, 2016 National Commission for Minority Education institutions wrote to DPI stating that the documents were forged. On August 2, DPI directed criminal cases against six school managements for forgery and cheating. FIR filed against NPS, Mysuru. On August 11, DPI recommends withdrawal of affiliation from CBSE. On August 16, CBI seeks details from DPI based on a private complaint. On September 6, CBSE withdraws affiliation.

SCHOOLS VS CBSE

National Public School branches in Rajajinagar, Indiranagar, Koramangala, HSR layout, Mysuru and the National Academy for Learning, Basaveshwara Nagar have been affected by the notice issued by CBSE.

The Central Board of Secondary Education has given 15 days time to reply failing which action is to be taken under the provisions of the affiliation bylaws.

The NPS chairman K P Gopalkrishna in a communication to parents said,"We strongly refute the allegations of forgery of documents and clarify RTE students have been admitted for the past three years. We are seeking legal counsel to address the issue and all processes are under way."

The Education Minister of Karnataka Tanveer Sait told India Today that an FIR has already been filed in Mysuru and the Parliament Street police station in Delhi. "We will be filing a separate complaint with the Bangalore Police, though my department has sent several reminders to file an FIR."

However the Bangalore Police Commissioner N S Megharikh said,"No complaint is pending with us. If the education department files a complaint, then we will take it up".





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Washington: United States Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on Wednesday on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos, announced the White House.

"In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India," the White House said in its daily guidance released to the press.

The two leaders are expected to make brief remarks at the top of the meeting.

Interestingly, this would be the eight meeting of Modi and Obama since the Indian Prime Minister took to power in 2014.

Obama is scheduled to address a news conference in Laos immediately after his meeting with Modi.

He would depart for the US via Yokota, Japan for fueling, soon after his news conference.

On Wednesday, PM Modi left the national capital to attend the 14th India-ASEAN Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit in Loas.

Modi will be attending the annual the India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) annual summit upon his arrival on Wednesday and the East Asia summit on Thursday.

The India-Asean summit will be attended by the leaders of 10 southeast Asian nations - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.

The East Asia summit will be attended by the leaders of the 10 ASEAN nations and those of India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Russia.
Patna: The Patna High Court on Wednesday granted bail to controversial RJD leader Mohammad Shahbuddin in a case of murder of a witness in the killing of two brothers in Siwan by bathing them in acid.

The bail was granted by Justice Jitendra Mohan Sharma to Shahabuddinin the case.

The petitioner's counsel Y V Giri told the Court that the allegation against Shahabuddinin the killing of witness Rajiv Roshan was baseless as he was lodged in Bhagalpur jail since 2014 while the incident took place in Siwan the next year.

The RJD strongman and four-term former MP from Siwan is at present lodged in Bhagalpur jail. RJD strongman and four-term former MP from Siwan is at present lodged in Bhagalpur jail.

In a chilling incident, two brothers were killed in Siwan in 2004 by bathing them in acid. Their elder brother Rajiv Roshan who was an eyewitness in the case was shot dead in 2015. Siwan in 2004 by bathing them in acid. Their elder brother Rajiv Roshan who was an eyewitness in the case was shot dead in 2015.
Ahmedabad: Nearly two months after seven Dalit youths were flogged allegedly by self-styled cow vigilantes at Una in Gujarat, police has filed a chargesheet against 34 persons, including four police personnel who were arrested on Wednesday on charges of dereliction of duty and failure to stop the crime which triggered a massive unrest.

The CID also filed a separate chargesheet against three minors in the case before Juvenile Justice Board at Junagadh.

The charge sheet against 34 accused, including the police personnel, was filed before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Una taluka in Gir-Somnath district, AU Jujaru.

The police personnel, attached to Una police station, are identified as Inspector Nirmalsinh Jhala, Sub-Inspector Narendra Pandey, Head Constable Kanji Chudasama and woman Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Kanchanben Parmar.

Except Pandey, the rest are already under suspension.

All of them were arrested in Una just before filing of chargesheet.

According to CID, the police personnel misused their position by not acting against the perpetrators.

It is alleged that though four Dalits were thrashed for almost 4 to 5 hours by self-proclaimed cow vigilantes, these police personnel did nothing to stop the crime. They also allegedly connived with the perpetrators and forged some FIR related documents to help them.

Some of the key accused, arrested in the initial stage of investigation, include Pramodgiri Goswami, Ramesh Jadav, Balwant Goswami, Rakesh Joshi and Nagji Vaniya.

The 34 accused have been charged under various sections of IPC including 307 (attempt to murder), 397 (robbery), 365 (kidnapping), 355 (assault to dishonor a person), 342 (wrongful confinement), 147 (rioting), 324 (causing hurt by weapon) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) among others.

They were also charged under various sections of Prevention of Atrocities Act, besides under sections 66A and 66B of the Information and Technology Act for allegedly making and circulating the clip of the incident.

The CID filed a separate charge sheet against three minors, arrested during the probe, in Juvenile Justice Board at Junagadh.

"In total, we have arrested 43 persons, including these policemen who have failed to do their duty and forged some documents to help other accused involved in thrashing dalits. Out of the 43, we have today filed charge sheet against 34 accused in the Una court. The probe is still on," said Inspector General of CID-Crime, SS Trivedi.

Police said that charge sheet against others will be filed at a later stage.

On July 11, seven Dalits of Mota Samadhiyala village of Una taluka were thrashed allegedly by cow vigilantes when they were "skinning" a dead cow.

Later, four of these Dalit youths were taken to Una town, where they were tied up with a vehicle and allegedly assaulted.

The matter came to light after a video of flogging, allegedly made by the vigilantes, went viral on social media platforms.

As the issue created huge uproar, then Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel handed over the probe to CID-Crime on July 18 and announced that the charge sheet will be submitted within 60 days.
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh BJP on Wednesday sought the resignation of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and accused the Congress high command of shielding him in the money laundering case.

This comes a day after the Enforcement Directorate filed the first charge sheet in the case involving the role of arrested LIC agent Anand Chauhan.

"Virbhadra Singh should have resigned on moral grounds after the CBI raids and attachment of property by ED but he did not see the grace but after filing of charge sheet against Anand Chauhan, the Congress high command should sack him," chief spokesman of the party Rajiv Bindal said.

"The Congress party is plagued with political bankruptcy at the Centre and in the state. It is evident that the party high command is conniving with the chief minister and neither seeking his resignation nor sacking him," he told mediapersons here.

Bindal said that Anand Chauhan was only a "commission agent" of LIC whereas Virbhadra Singh and his wife were the main accused and as such he should immediately resign after filing of charge sheet.

He also chided the Congress high command for turning?a "blind eye" towards the "misdeeds" of the senior party leader.
Vientiane: India and Japan on Wednesday pledged to strengthen ties in key areas of counter-terrorism, civil nuclear cooperation, trade and investment, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Abe Shinzo reviewing progress in the relationship between the two countries.

The PM tweeted after the meeting saying, "Extensive discussions with PM Abe Shinzo on the various ways to make India-Japan ties stronger and more diverse."

Extensive discussions with PM @AbeShinzo on the various ways to make India-Japan ties stronger & more diverse. pic.twitter.com/QLHWaiwngb  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 7, 2016

Abe said Japan was not going to succumb to terrorism and wanted to further strengthen cooperation with India in the area of counter-terrorism.

The two leaders discussed further strengthening and diversification of trade and investment ties.

PM Modi noted that Japan had technology and innovation while India had the power of youth and a huge market, External affairs Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup said.

The India-Japan partnership could, therefore, produce global products and be a win-win partnership for both, PM Modi said in his meeting with Abe, as per PTI.

They also reviewed the progress in the India-Japan Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement negotiations and the high-speed rail project, Swarup said.

At the same time, PM Modi expressed appreciation for the consistent support rendered by Japan in India's infrastructure development, technology upgradation and skill building.

Abe said he was looking forward to PM Modi's visit to Japan for the annual summit and expressed the hope that it would promote a new era of bilateral cooperation.

Abe recalled that 2017 would mark the 60th Anniversary of the Japan-India Cultural Agreement and hoped to see more Indian tourists visiting Japan, as per IANS.

Swarup earlier quoted PM Modi as saying that his first meeting was with "a special friend and a valued partner".

"Furthering the relationship with greatest potential, first bilateral is with special friend and valued partner, PM Abe Shinzo," Swarup tweeted.

Furthering the relationship with greatest potential

1st bilateral is w/special friend &valued partner,PM @AbeShinzo pic.twitter.com/c2ackG3YMB  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 7, 2016

(With Agency inputs)
Delhi: The Central government on Wednesday night announced a financial package for Andhra Pradesh but stopped short of giving the state a special category status.

Andhra Pradesh will get a railway zone as also all cost incurred on the irrigation part of Pollavaram project from the date it was declared a National Project on April 1, 2014 will be funded by the Centre.

The state government will, however, implement the project, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a late night press conference hours before the Andhra Pradesh Assembly is to meet.

Citing constraints placed by the 14th Finance Commission in grant of special category status to Andhra Pradesh, he said an amount equivalent to what that categorication would have fetched, would be given to the state in form of a Special Assistance Measure for five years.

This will be in form of form of externally aided project, he said, adding the state would also get two tax concessions, details of which will be notified by the CBDT shortly.

Jaitley said, "Special Assistance Measure for AP announced to give the state an amount equivalent of what it would have got if special category status was granted. Special Assistance Measure for Andhra Pradesh will be in form of externally aided projects."

"As on 1.4.14 from which date it (Polavaram Project) becomes national project, funding from that date onwards is going to be met by the Centre. Andhra Pradesh to get two tax concessions," he added.

On the other hand, Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, "Andhra Pradesh will be considered as a special state and all the support is being extended from Centre. Andhra needs hand-holding by Centre, in view of the disadvantage it has got because of the way the state was bifurcated.

Earlier, on a day filled with high political drama in Vijayawada and New Delhi, hectic parleys were held between the state and the Central government representatives on what should be granted to AP.

Chandrababu turned down an invitation from Naidu to fly down to New Delhi to finalise the special package before Jaitley made a formal announcement.

Instead, the CM constantly discussed, over phone from Vijayawada, the Centre's reported offer with his pointsmen in New Delhi - Union Minister of State Y Satyanarayana Chowdary and Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh - and conveyed his response to Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and Arun Jaitley.

Andhra Pradesh has been demanding a Special Category State (SCS) status from the Centre ever since the state's economic powerhouse Hyderabad, which housed several IT and pharmaceutical companies as well as PSUs, went to Telengana in the bifurcation in June 2014.

While the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act does not mention of SCS for the state, the then PM Manmohan Singh had on the floor of Rajya Sabha on February 20, 2014 promised to grant the status to the state for five years.

(With Agency inputs)
Mumbai: Concerned by the growing attacks on policemen, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday called on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking a solution to the problem.

Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio in the alliance government between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party, met Thackeray and a delegation of policemen's wives at his official residence.

"The CM'S response was very positive to the serious issue and he promised to look into all our demands," Thackeray said after emerging from the meeting in which he led the delegation.

He reiterated the demand for a separate full-time minister to handle the home department, citing grounds that the CM was already overloaded with other work.

"If the policemen themselves don't feel secure, how will they carry out their duties of protecting the people? Attacks must stop and action must be taken against the perpetrators," Uddhav pointed out.

He said he had raised the entire gamut of issues concerning police including housing problems.

For starters, Fadnavis agreed to set up a committee comprising government officials and policemen's representatives to curb the growing attacks on policemen across the state which has claimed at least one life.

Fadnavis highlighted the various schemes for police welfare taken up by the state government, a Rs 2,000 provision for housing and upcoming health initiatives for police.

The opposition parties in the state including the Congress have also expressed concern at the growing attacks on the police.

Several incidents of attacks on police personnel in recent weeks have led to rage among the policemen.

A Mumbai traffic policeman, Vilas Shinde, 51, was brutally attacked by two youths on August 23 when he hauled them up for driving without wearing helmet. He died on August 31.

A shocking incident of an attempt to kill a policeman, Nitin Dagle, by drowning came to light on September 6 during the first phase of Ganpati immersions on Tuesday in Kalyan. He escaped with help from some people.

Earlier this week in Nashik, an overloaded autorickshaw driver rammed into an on duty policemen who tried to stop him from plying with extra passengers.

Another policeman, Bhausaheb Chattar, was pushed around and abused when he stopped three youths from illegally riding triple-seat on a motorcycle in Nashik.

In Jalna, a policeman, Vidyanant Kale, has threatened to commit suicide along with family following alleged torture and harassment by a local BJP legislator, Narayan Kuche.

On Tuesday, a policewoman on duty in Vile Parle was abused and assaulted by a woman scooterist when she was stopped for driving without helmet.

Last week, a speeding biker in Kurla rammed his vehicle into a policeman, Devidas Nimbalkar, when he attempted to stop him during a checking drive.
Gorakhpur: Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a dig at the present system saying while big industrialists like Vijay Mallya who fail to repay bank loans of crores of rupees are called defaulters, farmers taking away cots are dubbed as thieves.

"Kisan Khatiya le jata hai to wo use chor kehte hain. Magar jab bade udyogpati, Mallyaji jaise, bhag jaate hain to use defaulter kehte hain. (If a farmer takes away a charpoy, he is called a 'thief' but people like Vijay Mallya who run away with crores of rupees are called mere 'defaulters')," he said.

The Congress Vice President was addressing farmers after a road show here.

He had earlier accused the ruling dispensation of allowing Mallya to "escape" abroad even when he was facing charges of loan default in the country.

Rahul, who is undertaking about a month-long 2500-km mahayatra from Deoria to Delhi that started yesterday, is highlighting the plight of farmers.

As part of the yatra, "Khaat Sabha" (Charpoy meetings) are being organised for Rahul to interact with farmers.

At the inaugural Khaat Sabha yesterday, moments after Rahul left after having made a raft of promises like farm loan waiver, reduction of power tariff and higher minimum support price for agricultural produce, the venue plunged into utter chaos with men, women and children scampering in, lifting the charpoys and hurrying towards their homes.

Later, at a 'Khaat Sabha' in Sant Kabirnagar district today, Rahul referred to the incident of locals taking away the cots brought for the meeting, saying,

"Our opponents see farmers as poor persons but I always feel that farmers are the real power of Hindustan".

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, people are facing problems but it has no effect on the prime minister.

On the state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh, he said that farmers were only getting bills but no electricity.
New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee has said that he had no knowledge about how Rashtrapati Bhavan functioned till he assumed office and had even sent his daughter to the palatial building two days before he took oath to get an idea.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan museum to be made operational on October 2, will give a portrayal of special gifts and treasures housed inside the lofty portals of the British era structure, he said.

Mukherjee also gave an insight into the set-up in the President's House, including Durbar Hall, Ashoka Hall, Banquet Hall, their use for various state events, the Library, one of his favourite places, and the area where the British Viceroys stayed.

"The museum will be made operational on October 2. It will house gifts presented by visiting heads of state, foreign dignitaries like prime ministers, foreign ministers, defence ministers," Mukherjee said as he thanked eminent Bengali writer Prof Ranjan Banerjee who spent seven days in Rashtrapati Bhavan as part of the 'In-Residence' programme initiated by the President.

"So far, 140 people, including bright students from IITs, NIITs, innovators, have stayed here as part of the programme," he said last night.

"Not five, but even 15 years are not enough to peruse the books housed in the Library," Mukherjee, a voracious reader and an ex-college professor, said.

Mukherjee recalled since he came to Delhi for the first time in July 1979 in connection with oath-taking as a Rajya Sabha member and even while having stayed a stone's throw from Rashtrapati Bhavan for 43 years till he assumed the office, he did not know as to how the President's House functioned.

"The bedrooms in the area where the Viceroy stayed are so large that one cannot get sleep there. I had gone to Rashtrapati Bhavan a lot many times before I took over in connection with government work, but I did not know how the President's House functioned and what lay inside. I had even sent my daughter (Sharmistha) two days before I took oath to get an idea," he said.

Prof Banerjee, who writes on Rabindranath Tagore, 19th century renaissance in Bengal and other litterateurs like Michael Madhusudan Dutta, shared his thoughts on the works of the Nobel Laureate and other writers during the interaction in the presence of the President. Prof Banerjee has at least 30 books to his credit.
New Delhi: India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to lodge protest over "discourtesy" shown to Indian envoy on Tuesday.

"Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned today to the Ministry of External Affairs and conveyed the concern of Government of India by Secretary (West) (Sujata Mehta) on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

"He (Basit) was also conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance," Swarup said.

In a snub, Karachi Chamber of Commerce yesterday cancelled an event of Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale at the last minute apparently over his remarks on Monday on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir.

Bambawale, who is on his first visit to Karachi after assuming charge in January this year, was told about the cancellation "just half an hour before the event, invite for which was received and accepted by him a couple of weeks ago", sources told news agency PTI.

The organisers did not give a reason immediately for the cancellation. However, the Indian officials feel that Bambawale's comments on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir which was India's internal matter "rattled the Pakistani authorities here, prompting a cancellation".

"This is very disrespectful on the part of the organisers," officials asserted.

On Monday, during an interactive session organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Bambawale had taken a swipe at Pakistan over its interference in Kashmir, saying people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.

"There are problems in both India and Pakistan and you (Pakistan) should focus on resolving your problems before looking into the problems of other countries," he had said.

(With PTI inputs)
The Bihar Prohibition and Excise Bill, 2016 was finally signed by the Bihar Governor. This new bill contains provisions like collective fine on villages repeatedly violating prohibition law, and arresting all adult members of the family if liquor found in the house.

The new law is much more watertight and strict.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind today signed the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Bill 2016, paving way for the bill to become an Act and thereby a law.

The new Bihar Prohibition and Excise Bill 2016 is more stringent than the Bihar Excise (Amendment) Bill 2016 which was passed in March this year after which complete prohibition was imposed in the state.

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Also Read: Bihar assembly passes prohibition bill, now awaits Governor's assent

NEW BILL MORE STRINGENT

But ever since the prohibition law was passed in March, there were several lacunas which were detected due to which several persons easily got bail for violating the law.

Also Read: 6 die in Bihar after consuming poisonous liquor: Is Nitish Kumar's liquor ban a failure?

In order to make the law more watertight and strict, new provisions were incorporated in the new bill and passed in August this year by both the houses of the Bihar Assembly, during its monsoon session.

There were provisions like collective fine on villages and localities repeatedly violating prohibition law, and another one where all adult members of the family would be arrested and sent to jail if liquor was found in the house.

The opposition had termed these strong provisions as draconian and opposed it.

This Bill was pending before the Governor for about a month and there were doubts that Kovind might refuse to sign the Bill or even send it to the President for his opinion.

However, all doubts were laid to rest after Governor signed the bill today.

Also Read:

Bihar CM now wants MP liquor-free, to launch prohibition drive on September 16

Bihar: 10 police officers suspended for not implementing prohibition law

Bihar: Man in possession of liquor tied to tree, thrashed

Nitish Kumar says he is mocked for imposing liquor ban in Bihar



--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: JD(U) on Wednesday said the Centre's move of collecting public feedback on the risk assessment report on GM mustards by an expert committee "reeks of non-serious intent" and demanded that the hybrid variety should not be approved for commercial release.

It argued Indian farmers have proved high yields can be obtained through sustainable agronomic processes and termed as false the claims of higher yield through the GM mustard.

"The three GMOs (genetically modified crops), according to its developers, will have higher yields, but they have been silent about the fact that the GM mustard has been engineered to be herbicide tolerant," the party said in a letter to Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave.

It said there is "enormous evidence" presented to the regulators by civil society groups to prove the higher yields claim is a "false" claim.

Earlier, the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP) of Delhi University had applied for Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC's) approval for environmental release of hybrid DMH-11 for the development of new generation hybrids.

GEAC, the country's biotech regulator, constituted experts sub-committee to examine the biosafety data on GM mustard.

After the committee examined it, the report was placed on the Environment Ministry's website yesterday inviting comments from stakeholders within a period of 30 days.

The party said the GMOs have now been "cleared" by the sub-committee and only an assessment document, and not the full biosafety data, have been put out for public feedback.

"Everything about the process of collecting public feedback reeks of non-serious intent on a biased assessment that is pre-concluded," JD(U) said.

The letter was signed by MP Kaushlender Kumar, secretary Afaq Ahmed Khan and member national executive Aneel Hegde of the party which also held a demonstration at the Environment Ministry today.

JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had recently said he will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against commercial cultivation of GM mustard as it's "not good" for the environment and also mankind.

"In view of many issues including problems with the process of development of the GM mustard, lack of stringent regulatory scrutiny and the potential human and animal health issues and environmental problems, we urge that this GM mustard should not be approved for commercial release," the party said in the letter.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to install mobile phone jammers in 12 sensitive jails in the state, Prisons Minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said on Wednesday.

During raids, besides many contraband items, the officials have seized mobile phones and SIM cards from jail inmates. Therefore, the state has sanctioned Rs 71.29 crore for installing mobile phone jammers in 12 prisons, an official said.

The decision was taken following complaints by intelligence department and the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh regarding illegal use of cell phones by criminals inside prisons.

The 12 sensitive jails where heavy duty cell phone jammers would be installed include Firozabad, Aligarh, Etawah, Bulandshahr, Banda, Mainpuri, Moradabad, Jaunpur and Ballia along with central jail Bareilly.
Washington: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Pakistan of spreading terror, the US on Tuesday reiterated that it wants accountability from Islamabad on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 166 lives.

However, the US ruled out sanctions on the South Asian country for failing to weed out terrorists.

"We want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks... there were American citizens who lost their lives in those attacks," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in a daily press briefing on Monday.

Toner made the remarks in response to a question about Secretary of State John Kerry's mentioning about US' efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators behind the attacks in which 10 terrorists targeted numerous sites in Mumbai.

Kerry was in New Delhi to attend the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue on August 30.

According to Toner, the US has "long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation and the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan" in regards with the attacks, believed to be carried out by Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Toiba.

"That continues; those efforts continue. As I said, we want to see full accountability for these terrible attacks."

However, Toner also said the US was not considering sanctions on Islamabad and that Washington had "very frank conversations with Pakistan... about the need to take more efforts on all the terrorist groups... operating from within Pakistani soil".

"Well, again, you're asking me -- and the question was whether we're looking at sanctioning Pakistan. No... we're working with Pakistan, we're making our concerns clear that they need to go after all the terrorist groups," he said.

"We have seen some efforts to make progress in that regard. We're going to continue to have those conversations with them as we move forward," Toner said.

Responding to a question regarding the need to impose sanctions on Pakistan, Toner said: "I don't think we're even at that point. We continue to have... conversations with the highest level of the government of Pakistan. And our basic point in all of these conversations is that Pakistan must target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan's neighbours, and eliminate all safe havens."

"But the suggestion of any kind of sanctions, we're not there," he added.

The deputy spokesman was responding to a question about former US Ambassador to the UN and Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad's statement that since Pakistan is not taking enough action against these terrorist networks, the US should consider taking some kind of sanctions against Pakistan.

According to Toner, Pakistan had assured the US of their intentions to target all the militant groups on its soil.

"We're going to continue to work with them to increase those efforts and apply more pressure on these groups," he said.

On Monday, PM Modi accused Pakistan of spreading terror and using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

Addressing G20 leaders, the Indian leader urged them to "isolate and sanction supporters of terrorism".

At the two-day summit held in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, India raised the issue of terrorism at various sessions.

Modi told Chinese President XI Jinping how the scourge of terrorism was affecting the region.

"There are some nations that use it as an instrument of state policy. One single nation in South Asia is spreading agents of terror in our region," he said, without naming Pakistan.

The four-day attacks in Mumbai starting from November 26, 2008, were carried out by 10 terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit.

One of them, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and put to death under the Indian justice system while the other nine terrorists were killed by security forces.

The trial has been underway in Pakistan for more than six years.

The other six suspects are in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

India has long asked Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to justice but Islamabad has claimed that the evidence provided by New Delhi is not sufficient.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: No question regarding the status of the two Italian marines alleged to have shot dead two Indian fishermen was raised during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj`s visit to Rome last weekend, the government said on Wednesday.

"No such assurance was sought or given," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted in response to a query.



.@p_vineeta

No such assurance was sought or given. Marines remain under jurisdiction of Supreme Court of India.Matter is under arbitration  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 7, 2016

India-Italy relations have been frosty for the past four years after the two Italian marines aboard a cargo vessel allegedly shot two fishermen dead off the Kerala coast mistaking them for pirates.

Both marines have since received conditional permission from the Supreme Court, which directed they would have to return if summoned.
Islamabad: Pakistan has urged the UN to conduct an inquiry into the killings that took place in Jammu and Kashmir over the past two months and demanded a free and fair plebiscite in the disputed region, the Foreign Office said on Wednesday.

Pakistan Prime Minister's recently appointed special envoy on Kashmir Awais Leghari highlighted the "grave human rights violations by Indian security forces in Kashmir" in front of the international community in Geneva.

Leghari, in his meeting with UNHRC President Choi Kyong-lim, urged the UN to conduct an inquiry into the "killings and uphold the right of Kashmiris to determine their future as per UN Security Council resolutions which call for a free and fair plebiscite in the disputed region".

Leghari is one of the 22 Members of Parliament nominated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last month as special envoys to lobby for the Kashmir cause in important world capitals.

He met United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) President Choi, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer and other ambassadors to apprise them about the "atrocities being committed by Indian occupation forces on the defenceless people" of the Kashmir Valley, a Foreign Office statement here said.

Leghari, who is the chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Foreign Affairs, highlighted the impact of pellet gun injuries leading to "dead eyes" phenomenon among Kashmiri protestors.

The special envoy referred to the Prime Minister's letters addressed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the UNHRC chief "to stop the grievous brutalities of Indian security forces".

The Nawaz Sharif government has been coming under growing domestic pressure to highlight globally the casualties in the Kashmir valley during protests against Indian forces, which broke out after the death of a militant leader on July 8.

At least 76 people have been killed and thousands injured in the worst violence to hit the territory since 2010.

Authorities lifted a curfew in most parts of the territory late last month, but schools, shops and many banks remain closed while residents struggle with a communications blackout.
New Delhi: The all-party delegation, which visited Kashmir last week to find a solution for restoring peace in the Valley, said on Wednesday that the PDP-BJP government in the state has failed to tackle the situation amicably.

Today's all-party meeting is being attended by 26 lawmakers from 20 parties who made up the all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir last week. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is chairing the meeting while Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is also attending it.

During the meetings, the delegates suggested isolating the Kashmiri separatist leaders for their continued anti-India stand.

Separatists should be isolated and dealt with separately, the NDTV quoted the all-party delegation members as saying during the meeting.

The delegation further accused the state leaders of giving false and misleading statements about situation in Kashmir.

The delegates also demanded a relief package for those killed in the Kashmir unrest, and reiterated that the use of pellet guns should be stopped.

During today's meeting, the Centre is also likely to review facilities, including top security, provided to Kashmir separatists.

The all-party delegation will also assess the situation in Kashmir and chalk out a future strategy.

Ahead of all party meeting, Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a crucial meeting in New Delhi yesterday, which was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP chief Amit Shah, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav.

The meeting came close on the heels of Home Minister`s return from Jammu and Kashmir after wrapping up his two day visit to troubled Kashmir.

Talking to reporters after the meeting Ram Madhav said, the meeting deliberated on the Kashmir situation and that future course of action will be decided after the all party meeting to be held today.

The Home Minister also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in Kashmir and apprised him about the ground situation of the state assessed by the all-party delegation led by him.

Before winding up the visit in the Valley, the Home Minister sent out a clear message to separatists, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral part of India.

He, however, said as far as talks are concerned, doors are open to everyone who want peace and normalcy.

Divulging detail of the meeting in Jammu, the Home Minister said, "As many as 200 people comprising 18 delegations interacted with the all-party delegation. They expressed their concerns over the situation in Kashmir and were of the opinion that the problems in the Valley should be resolved at the earliest. Besides, they also merited the attention of the all-party delegation towards the problems of the Jammu region."

Hurriyat leaders SAS Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had refused to meet a group of the all-party delegation that went to Srinagar to hold meetings with all the stakeholders in the state.

However, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik met with the delegation.

The delegation was in Srinagar on Sunday and had visited Jammu before returning to Delhi.
New Delhi: An all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir met here on Wednesday to decide the future course of action to restore peace in the troubled Valley.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the three-hour long meeting of the parliamentarians from 20 political parties. It included Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan among others.

On Tuesday, Rajnath Singh also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the visit that look place on Sunday and Monday.

At the meeting, MPs appealed that steps should be taken to reopen schools and other educational institutions in the Kashmir Valley, Union Minister Jitendra Singh told

media.

Sitaram Yechury of the CPI-M urged the government to take confidence building

measures to reassure people in the violence-hit Valley.

Interacting with media after the meeting, Yechury said that his party has sought replacement of pellet guns.

On this, the government informed the meeting that chilli-filled PAVA shells would be used now to control crowds, he said.
Srinagar: Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh will visit Jammu and Kashmir today to review the security situation in the unrest-hit Valley.

Gen Singh is scheduled to arrive here later in the day to review the security situation in the hinterland of the Valley and along the Line of Control, defence sources said.

The Army chief will be briefed about the security grid along the Line of Control and anti-militancy operations in the hinterland by senior army officers and local formation commanders, the sources said.

Over 70 people have died and more than 10,000 injured in the clashes followed by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July.
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday assured Kashmiri students studying outside the state of redressal of their problems, including regarding scholarship.

Rajnath Singh held out the assurance when he met a group of students from Jammu and Kashmir as part of the exercise to help them.

"Met a group of students from J&K studying in different colleges of the country and heard their grievances," the Home Minister later tweeted.

The problems pertained to various universities vis-a-vis matters like scholarship, which will be addressed soon, an official source said here.

During the meeting, Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar also "assured these students that their grievances pertaining to Prime Minister's scholarships will be addressed and resolved on a priority basis".

"These students were facing certain issues with PM scholarships. HRD Minister @PrakashJavadekar sat with me to listen to their problems," Singh said in another tweet.

Last week, Singh had intervened to help a group of Kashmiri students studying in Rajasthan.

According to official sources, students from the Gyan Vihar University in Jaipur were facing certain "problems" pertaining to scholarships.

"Taking cognisance of media reports, the Home Minister got in touch with students and Rajasthan Education Minister Kalicharan Saraf and asked him to look into the matter," a source said here.

Rajnath Singh directed that the Kashmiri students should be able to avail of the Prime Minister's Special Scholarship scheme at the earliest. Students were also invited to meet him (Singh) in Delhi.

As part of the same exercise, a number of students from other parts of the country also met him here on Wednesday.

A 24x7 grievance redress helpline was set up by the Home Ministry on August 30 for helping people from the Valley, particularly students studying outside Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior official Sanjay Roy was made the nodal officer.

The grievances can be reported on phone numbers 011-23092923 and 011-23092885 or mailed at dirmjk-mha@nic.in.


While the state government is no mood to defy the Supreme court order, they do feel that the ground situation is quite grim and it will become increasingly difficult for the state to release water if the rains continue to fail.

By Rohini Swamy: The state of Karnataka will appeal in the Supreme court on Monday seeking relief on the decision of the apex court seeking release of 10 thousand cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for their Samba crop cultivation. While the state government is no mood to defy the Supreme court order, they do feel that the ground situation is quite grim and it will become increasingly difficult for the state to release water if the rains continue to fail.

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"One thing is certain that we have to respect the judgement of the SC. The advocates appealed to them and expressed the distress situation, may be our advocate with a larger heart, thinking that it will resolve the issue for some time, he showed a bit of open-heartedness , saying atleast 10,000 cusecs of water will be released , so that this problem will be solved , but that itself has become a bigger issue now, said the Karnataka home minister Dr G Parameshwara. The Karnataka Home minister has appealed to the people of Karnataka not to indulge in any form of violence to protests against the release of water from the Cauvery Basin.

CAUVERY SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE

While petitioning the Supreme court, Karnataka has sought a meeting with the Cauvery supervisory committee, which consists of the members of the Central Water Commission to reschedule the release of water in case of distress. What this means is that if the state faces a water shortage due to poor rains or drought, then the release of water to TN may be spaced out.

According to the Cauvery river tribunal which passed its decision in 2007, the state of Karnataka had been directed to release 192 TMC feet of water to Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in a year. Due to poor monsoons this year, Karnataka has been able to release only 36 TMC of water as compared to 94 TMC that it should have released during this monsoon.

NOT THE FIRST TIME



This is not the first time that the state of Karnataka has been forced to release water despite poor rains. Under the government of HD Deve Gowda (JDS), S M Krishan (Congress) and Jagdish Shettar (BJP) water was released to TN despite scanty rains. Then too it was done on the basis of the advice given by the state legal counsel Fali Nariman.

OPPOSITION SLAMS FALI NARIMAN

This time, the decision by Fali Nariman came under sharp criticism by the opposition who said that the legal counsel should not have agreed to release water. But the Karnataka Chief minister has come in defence of the legal counsel saying that the decision was taken based on the situation in court.

Speaking to select media on the Cauvery issue, Siddaramaiah said, Some people are trying to attribute that Nariman made a mistake and that's why we were forced to release water. But he has done so keeping in mind the situation in the court room. Nariman has been senior counsel for Karnataka for the last 32 years. He told us that on October 18, the main Special leave petition which Karnataka has filed against the order of the Cauvery tribunal will be coming up for final hearing. We should keep that in mind and act. This is why he thought it fit to do the good gesture.

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What's the ground situation? Storage Water in Mettur (TN) is 36 TMC. Ground water in Tamil Nadu can be found within four to five metres. In Karnataka ground water is found only at 1000 feet. Karnataka faced drought last year Rain deficit of 40 per cent this August compared to Tamil Nadu that has received very good north east monsoons and even faced floods last year. As of now Karnataka has only 46.7 TMC of water and this will be needed till June 2017. Bengaluru and Mysore need close to 28 TMC of water for drinking purposes. 47 TMC is required for agricultural purposes. Karnataka needs a total of 75 TMC of water and as of now has only 46.7 TMC.

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Based on the decision of the Supreme court, the Karnataka government has begun releasing water to Tamil Nadu from Tuesday night.

Kannada organisations have called for a state-wide bandh against the decision of the court to release water saying that not only was Karnataka's side not well presented, it is also injustice to the farmers of the state to have been denied their share of water.

Also Read: Cauvery row: Supply of drinking water suspended in Mysuru

Also read: Cauvery row: Tamilians in Bengaluru seek protection









--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: The all-party delegation (APD) that visited Jammu and Kashmir last week asked the Central and the state governments on Wednesday to take steps for a dialogue with "all stake holders" but asserted that there can be no compromises on the issue of national sovereignty.

The members of the delegation, headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, met here today and discussed the outcome of their interactions with the civil society, political parties and government officials during the visit on September 4 and 5.

A unanimous statement of the APD released after the meeting appealed to the people of the state to shun the path of violence and resolve all the issues through dialogue and discussion.

Without making any reference to separatists including Hurriyat Conference, the statement asked the Central and state governments "to take steps for a dialogue with all stake holders".

While some opposition leaders met Hurriyat Conference leaders lodged in various sub jails, hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani refused to meet them.

Expressing serious concern over the prevailing situation in the state, the statement said the members of the delegation were of the view that there is no place for violence in a civilised society.

"There can be no compromises on the issues of national sovereignty," it added.

The meeting asked both the governments to take steps to ensure that education institutions, government offices and commercial establishment start functioning normally at the earliest.

They requested the government to take effective steps to ensure security for all citizens and provide medical treatment to citizens and security personnel injured in agitation.

After the meeting, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechurry said that he had favoured some confidence building measures immediately which included banning the pellet guns, medical help to the injured and probe alleged excesses by the security forces.

With PTI inputs
New Delhi: The all-party delegation, which visited Kashmir to find a solution for restoring peace in the Valley, will meet in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The meeting will be chaired Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Meanwhile, the Centre is also likely to review facilities, including top security, provided to Kashmir separatists. The all-party delegation will assess the situation in Kashmir and chalk out a future strategy.

Ahead of all party meeting, Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a crucial meeting in New Delhi yesterday, which was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP chief Amit Shah, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav.

The meeting came close on the heels of Home Minister`s return from Jammu and Kashmir after wrapping up his two day visit to troubled Kashmir.

Talking to reporters after the meeting Ram Madhav said, the meeting deliberated on the Kashmir situation and that future course of action will be decided after the all party meeting to be held today.

The Home Minister also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in Kashmir and apprised him about the ground situation of the state assessed by the all-party delegation led by him.

Before winding up the visit in the Valley, the Home Minister sent out a clear message to separatists, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral part of India.

He, however, said as far as talks are concerned, doors are open to everyone who want peace and normalcy.

Divulging detail of the meeting in Jammu, the Home Minister said, "As many as 200 people comprising 18 delegations interacted with the all-party delegation. They expressed their concerns over the situation in Kashmir and were of the opinion that the problems in the Valley should be resolved at the earliest. Besides, they also merited the attention of the all-party delegation towards the problems of the Jammu region."

Hurriyat leaders SAS Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had refused to meet a group of the all-party delegation that went to Srinagar to hold meetings with all the stakeholders in the state.

However, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik met with the delegation.

The delegation was in Srinagar on Sunday and had visited Jammu before returning to Delhi.

With ANI inputs
Srinagar: An Army convoy was attacked my militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara district on Wednesday morning.

Three jawans were injured in the indiscriminatory fire from the militants.

The area has been cordoned off and a search operation has been launched to neutralise the terrorists.
New Delhi: Contrary to media reports of a crackdown, the central government is not likely to slash facilities and perks being currently provided to Kashmiri separatist leaders, said sources on Wednesday.

It was earlier reported that the Centre may withdraw security, passports of the Hurriyat faction leaders and scrutinise their banks accounts.

New agency ANI quoted Sitaram Yechury as saying that ''Home Minister said in all-party meet that reports of government deciding to crackdown on separatists is absolutely wrong.''

The all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir last week gave its feedback to the Centre today during a crucial meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

During the meet, all MPs said with one word that the state government had failed to deal with the situation while political leaders there continued to make misleading statements.

A summary of their findings was compiled by the Home Ministry and was discussed at the all-party delegation meeting in New Delhi.

At least 75 people have lost their lives and over 10,000 injured in violent clashes between the security forces and civilians following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

Wednesdays meeting comes amid reports that the Centre is planning to harden its stance vis-a-vis Kashmiri separatist leaders who had given a cold shoulder to the 28-member all-party delegation that visited Srinagar last Sunday.

During the visit, it was reportedly found that hartal (strike) calendars were being issued every day from Pakistan under the name of Kashmiri separatist leaders, and hence stakeholders recommended that the separatists be isolated and dealt with strongly.

On Sunday, Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani had shut his door to CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja and two other MPs who tried to call on him at his Hyderpora home in Srinagar.

The group met former Hurriyat head Abdul Ghani Bhat at his home in Jawahar Nagar, JKLF leader Yasin Malik at Humhama jail, and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Shabir Shah at Cheshma Shahi guesthouse, but the response of these separatist leaders was lukewarm, at best.

Separately, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi met Mirwaiz, the Valleys chief cleric, and moderate Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah.

Rajnath Singh had come down heavily on separatists for snubbing the MPs, saying that its against Kashmiriyat and jamooriyat (democracy). Other members of the delegation have, however, not taken such a strident stance.
New Delhi: Ram Madhav, BJP's pointsman for Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday took a tough line on the current unrest in the valley, asserting that militants will be dealt with firmly and accusing the separatists of fuelling violence.

Referring to demands for a political solution to the turmoil, the BJP general secretary said that the simple and final political solution is that the state is an integral part of India.

"We need a particular security culture in this country. This we terribly lack. As a nation we are a romantic people. We are very happy with slogans. We do not know what we mean when we make statements. Every leader tirelessly makes this statement that we have to have a political solution... Political solution is simple and final that J&K is an integral part of India," he said at an event on 'homeland security'.

Amid demands by a number of parties that the government hold talks with all stakeholders, he said, "There is no alternative to talks. In strategic discourse it is sometimes said while talking is a part of strategy, not talking is also a part of strategy. As part of a strategy you don't talk. As part of romance you have to talk always.

"Even if the doors are not open, still you have to go. You need two people for talks. We need a particular strategic culture to be nurtured in this country."

Madhav was apparently referring to separatists' refusal to meet some opposition leaders, who had gone to the Valley as members of an all-party delegation, even though they went to their residences.

"Our government's policy is clear. Militants and terror will be dealt with sternly and those who do not believe in the Constitution of India will be treated firmly," he later told reporters.

Asked about reports that the Centre was considering withdrawal of security given to the Hurriyat leaders, he said,"It will do what it has to do."

Lashing out at separatists, he said, "They want violence and get innocents killed. They do not want solution. Solution is possible only if they talk.

They are not ready for it. They are not ready to open even their doors. They enjoy fuelling violence and getting innocents killed."
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Wednesday began releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as directed by the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, protesters have intensified their agitation in the state blocking several roads and forcing schools and colleges to shut down. In Mandya, agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits have blocked Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway to protest against the top court's order.

On Tuesday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told the media after a three-hour long all-party meeting at the state secretariat here: "Despite severe hardship faced by Karnataka, the state will release water as directed by the order of the Supreme Court."

The SC had on Monday gave Karnataka three days to respond to Tamil Nadu's plea and release 15,000 cusecs of water daily for 10 days from September 7-16.

Reiterating that the state was bound to abide by the apex court order under the Constitution, the Chief Minister said the state had accepted to release water with a heavy heart despite being in a distress situation.

The Chief Minister had also appealed to the people of the state to maintain calm and not to disrupt normal life by blocking roads and damaging public property.

Meanwhile, TB Jaychandra, the Karnataka Law Minister, appealed to the public not to take law and order in their hands and to maintain peace.

"We know that the Supreme Court is the highest court in the country. We have to oblige to their orders. My appeal to the public is not to resort to agitation and keep calm. They should cooperate with the state government," Jaychandra told news agency ANI.

On Tuesday also, a day-long shutdown was observed in Mandya district.

Besides disrupting normal life in the district, about 100km from Bengaluru, the shutdown led to the closure of schools, colleges, offices shops, hotels, theatres and petrol bunks.

Hundreds of protestors staged massive rallies and demonstrations in the district, blocking vehicular traffic on the Bengaluru-Mysuru state highway.

Though about 2,400 police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order, the angry protestors comprising farmers, traders and youth damaged the district office of the ruling Congress and attacked the state public works department office.

The state-run transport corporation (KSRTC) suspended bus services in the district and across the Mysuru region. Buses to and from Tamil Nadu across the border also did not ply during the day.

In a related development, police have tightened security and stepped up vigil in and around the four reservoirs -- Kabini, Krishna Rajendra Sagar (KRS), Hemavathi and Harangi -- in the river basin as hundreds of farmers threatened to lay siege if more water was released to the neighbouring state.

(With Agency inputs)
Bengaluru: Complying with the Supreme Court direction, the Karnataka government on Wednesday released Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu amid intensifying protests by farmers.

The Supreme Court had directed the Karnataka government to release 15,000 cusecs per day to the neighbouring state for 10 days.

Meanwhile, protesters have intensified their agitation in Mandya and other parts of the state blocking several roads and forcing schools and colleges to shut down.

The government said it was "inevitable" for it to comply with the Supreme Court order even though the state itself was facing "serious distress". However, it added that it would move the SC, seeking modification of its order to spare 15,000 cusecs of water for 10 days because of the difficulties in implementing it given that the live storage in four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin now was 46.7 TMC ft against their capacity of 104 TMC ft.

"It is inevitable for Karnataka to comply with the Supreme Court order in the interest of the state," top government sources said, adding, "constitutionally, it is not possible to defy it".

Officials confirmed that water was being let out since midnight last night, shortly after the all party meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who said the decision to obey the Supreme Court order has been taken with "a heavy heart" even though the state itself faced "severe distress".

The present live storage is 45 percent against the live storage of 104 TMCFT in the Krishnaraja Sagar, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini reservoirs, the sources pointed out.

The legal and technical teams of Karnataka would work out the extent of change that the state should seek in the quantum of water release stipulated in the Supreme Court direction which asked Karnataka to provide 15,000 cusecs for 10 days.

The Cauvery Supervisory Committee, which has replaced the Cauvery River Authority to implement the order of the tribunal, would also be apprised of the difficulties.

Sources said the Supervisory Committee would visit both the riparian states to assess the "ground realities" and can adjust the current release of water against future releases.

Fending off the criticism of the legal team headed by Fali Nariman, the sources defended it, stating their advice on release was made so that the state succeeds when the main petition comes up for hearing before the court on October 18.

"It (main petition) is very important for the state. We have to succeed. The Supreme Court also asked Karnataka to live and let live. We cannot say no to it," the sources said. With demands from some quarters for changing the state counsel, sources said Nariman had been arguing the state's case for the last 32 years and was known for being "legally well equipped."

"Because of the circumstances, Nariman had proposed release of 10,000 cusecs for six days" but unfortunately, the Supreme Court increased it to 15,000 cusecs, they said.

As the opposition parties, BJP and JDS, sought to corner the government on the release, the sources said water had been released in the past also to fall in line with the Supreme Court order. "Deve Gowda, SM Krishna, BS Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar have also released water to Tamil Nadu."

According to the sources, the state doesn't have to release 15,000 cusecs as such, pointing out that 5,000 to 6,000 cusecs flows downstream to Tamil Nadu naturally.

The sources maintained that Tamil Nadu is not facing the same distress as Karnataka as the flows at Biligundlu, the entry point in Tamil Nadu where the Central Water Gauge Centre is located, was 36 TMC ft of water.

The neighbouring state would also be benefited by North-east monsoon rainfall in the Cauvery delta and also has better ground water position than Karnataka, they said.

Asked why the two riparian states which are at loggerheads could not negotiate on the crisis, the sources said such attempts were made by Karnataka in the past but Tamil Nadu was not in its favour.

With protests in the politically sensitive Cauvery belt building pressure on the government, the sources said all efforts would be made to ensure drinking water to Bengaluru, Mysuru and other cities and villages fed by the river, besides protecting the interest of farmers on crops.

(With PTI inputs)
Bengaluru: Karnataka will shut down on Friday in protest against the state government releasing Cauvery river waters to Tamil Nadu on the Supreme Court's order from Wednesday.

"The day-long state-wide shutdown is in protest against the Supreme Court order and to express resentment over the state government releasing the water when we don't have it for drinking and irrigation," Kannada Okkuta (federation) president Vatal Nagaraj told reporters here on Wednesday.

Several pro-Kannada and farmers' organisations have extended support to the shutdown, which will disrupt normal life, with bus services suspended, schools, colleges, hotels, shops, markets, theatres, banks and factories remaining closed.

"Unfortunately, Karnataka is always at the receiving end in inter-state river water disputes, bet it with Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh (Krishna river) and Goa (Mahadayi river). Grave injustice has been meted to our state," lamented Nagaraj.

Bowing to the apex court's Monday order, the state began releasing daily 15,000 cusecs from early Wednesday from Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs across the river basin for 10 days amid protests and demonstrations by farmers, traders and youth in the Mysuru region.

Admitting that frequent shutdowns cause inconvenience to the public, Nagaraj said there was no alternative to protest against the "injustice and failure of the state government in protecting the interests of the people, especially farmers".

Taxi and autorickshaw drivers' associations have also decided to not to ply during the shutdown.

The federation, however, exempted supply of essentials, including milk and medicines from the shut down. Ambulances will also be allowed to ferry patients to hospitals.

"We also appeal to the IT and biotech industry to shut their offices on Friday and support our struggle, as its employees are also direct beneficiaries of the Cauvery river from where drinking water is supplied daily throughout the year," an activist of the Kannada Rakshana Vedike (protection forum) told IANS here.

Meanwhile, massive protests and demos continued to disrupt normal life for the second consecutive day in Mandya district, about 100km from here, through which the river flows towards Tamil Nadu.

With roads and inter-state highways in the Mysuru region and towards Tamil Nadu and Kerala blocked by protestors with barricades and human chains, vehicular traffic has remained affected for the second day.

The Mandya administration declared holiday for schools and colleges across the district till Friday to ensure the safety of their wards.

The state-run transport corporations of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu also decided to suspend bus services between the two states till Friday to avoid being stopped or stranded by the protestors on the highways.

State police has rushed reinforcements to Mandya and Mysuru districts and deployed additional personnel at the reservoirs to prevent any untoward incident.

Transporters also suspended their operations as several trucks with Tamil Nadu registration were stoned and damaged by protestors across the region.
Thiruvananthapuram: A crude bomb was hurled at a BJP office in the heart of the city here, with the party alleging that CPI(M) workers were behind the attack.

No one was injured in the incident, police said.

The incident occurred around midnight Tuesday night, shortly after BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan had left the office for Kozhikode, where preparations are on for the three-day National Executive and Council meeting from September 23 which is being attended by senior party leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party sources said.

At least four workers were on the top floor of the building, housing the office, when the bomb was hurled.

Though no one was injured, glass panes of the main entrance door were damaged in the incident, Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner S Sparjan Kumar told PTI.

The incident comes close on the heels of a series of sporadic clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers in the past few months in northern Kannur district.

Rajasekharan alleged that CPI(M), the lead partner of the ruling LDF in Kerala, had taken the law into its hands and police was a "mere spectator."

"Violence of the CPI(M) is increasing each day. A BJP activist was hacked to death in Kannur recently and CPI(M) is behind it," he told reporters at Kozhikode.

"Despite so many incidents, CPI(M) leaders and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also holding the Home portfolio, have not condemned the series of attacks against BJP and its workers," he said.

BJP leaders PK Krishnadas and MT Ramesh slammed the CPI(M), saying the bomb attack at the party office should not be seen as an "isolated" incident.

"This is a calculated and well-planned attack against the BJP and CPI(M) is behind it," they said. All flex boards in front of the office were also destroyed, Krishnadas said.

Television channels telecast a CCTV video footage showing a man riding a motorcycle minutes before the blast and police are on the lookout for him.Meanwhile, CPI(M) said the BJP's allegations against it were "baseless" and it had no connection with the incident.

BJP's allegations are malafide, and people will reject them, the party said.

"The incident is highly condemnable. Anti-social elements connected with the incident should be immediately arrested", CPI(M) Thiruvananthapuram district secretary, Anavoor Nagappan, said in a statement.

The probe into the incident should be led by top-level police officers, he said.
Security has been beefed up in Tamilian-dominated areas of Bengaluru and also in towns bordering Tamil Nadu.

By Mail Today: As protests across south Karnataka intensified after the state released Cauvery river water from the KRS reservoir to Tamil Nadu, Tamilians settled in Bengaluru met Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara to seek protection.

Also read:

Cauvery row: Supply of drinking water suspended in Mysuru Karnataka releases Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu amid protests

In the past, whenever dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over sharing of Cauvery river water arose, miscreants targeted commercial establishments owned by Tamilians in Karnataka. The Tamilians also form a sizeable chunk of Bengaluru's population and they claim to be vulnerable.

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SECURITY HIKED IN TAMILIAN-DOMINATED AREAS

The representatives of the Bengaluru Tamil Sangam met Parameshwara and sought protection. Parameshwara, who received a petition, assured them that the government would ensure their safety. Security has been beefed up in Tamilian-dominated areas of Bengaluru and also in towns bordering Tamil Nadu.

For the second consecutive day, the movement of vehicles, including goods transport and buses, between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu was suspended in view of the protests by farmers and Kannada activists.

--- ENDS ---
Bhopal: A youth, Manoj Tripathi, who identified himself as a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) allegedly tried to immolate self in front of the main gate of Raj Bhavan when the cavalcade of Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav was coming out of the premises.

The youth was reportedly demanding the arrest of the Governor and has purportedly made several complaints with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against him.

The incident took place when the Governor was being given send-off.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Anshuman Singh told media, "Manoj Tripathi, a resident of Kolar road, who identifies himself as a member of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was standing behind media persons outside the Raj Bhavan.

"Before the departure of the Governor, he came in the front and tried to set his shirt on fire (immolate self), but policemen present on the scene ripped off his shirt, arrested him and took him for a medical examination.

"The team that took him for a medical check-up said he had received minor burn injuries, and there was nothing serious. After they return, we will record Tripathi's statement and will take the further action."

When asked Tripathi threw some chit, demanding the arrest of the Governor, the SP said, "It is not in my knowledge, but some followers of the Jan Lok Dal were with him. The policemen tried to stop them, but they came in the front. We will take statutory action against them."
Madurai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Tamil Nadu government to file a report on the steps taken by it to rescue 62 fishermen stranded in Saudi Arabia and struggling there.

While hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Thirumurugan, a relative of a fisherman stranded there, the court had earlier said it was the Centre's duty to ensure the safe return of the fishermen through diplomatic channels.

When the plea came up for further hearing, a division bench of the court's Madurai bench comprising justices S Nagamuthu and Murali Dharmam, wondered why the central government needed more time to rescue the fishermen.

The counsel for the central government said the rules of that country regarding labourers were proving to be a hurdle, adding, all efforts are being made to rescue them.

The judges then asked what was the state government doing and why it had not filed any counter.

The counsel for the state government said fisheries department officials were in touch with central government officials.

The judges directed the state government to file the counter, and posted the case for further hearing to September 15.

The petitioner had submitted that his uncle K Sethu Raja and other fishermen had gone to Saudi Arabia separately since 2013 to work in the company of a man named Yusuf Khaleel in Al Jubail.

He alleged that the employer had cheated them and was refusing to return their passports. Even Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had written to the Centre to rescue them, counsel for the petitioner had said.
Mumbai: In a shocking incident, a policeman was attacked by a group of volunteers during Ganesha visarjan in Maharashtra's Kalyan area .

The incident happened on Tuesday and has gone viral on various social media platforms.

Sub Inspector Nitin Dogade had an argument with a volunteer, who subsequently attacked the policeman and tried to drown him in the pond, where visarjan ceremony was taking place.

However, when Dogade freed himself from the clutches of the attacker and came out of the pond, he was assaulted by three more volunteers at the venue.

Police have filed a case against the volunteers.

Last month, a traffic police constable who was allegedly attacked with a wooden plank by a juvenile after he asked the latter for vehicle documents at a petrol pump last week, passed away at a hospital.
New Delhi: Sacking of a defiant Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa seems imminent with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who met President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday, believed to have conveyed that his continuance in the post has become untenable.

During the 20-minute meeting, the Home Minister is learnt to have told the President that the central government has lost confidence in Rajkhowa and the only way to remove him is to "withdraw the pleasure of the President".

The Home Minister's meeting with the President came after Rajkhowa refused to step down despite a nudge by the Centre to put in his papers after the Supreme Court passed serious strictures against him over the dismissal of the Congress government last year.

However, it is immediately not known what the President told the Home Minister.

Sources said Rajkhowa's dismissal may come as early as next evening when the two-day special session of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly, which has been convened to ratify the Goods and Services Tax (GST), gets over.

A defiant Rajkhowa had said he would not step down but was ready to be sacked.

"I want the President to dismiss me. I will not resign. Let the President express his displeasure. Let the government use provisions of Article 156 of the Constitution," the Governor had told a Guwahati-based TV news channel on Monday.

Rajkhowa said he had been asked to resign "on health grounds" weeks after the Supreme Court had restored the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh and censured him.
Lucknow: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday slammed Uttar Pradesh`s Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohd Azam Khan for his derogatory remark on BR Ambedkar in Ghaziabad that the pointed finger of Ambedkar statue exhorts people to go in for land grabbing.

Senior party leader Swamy Prasad Maurya, who recently switched sides from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to the BJP, said it was shameful and unfortunate that senior ministers of the state government were mouthing such remarks and were not being reprimanded by their leadership.

"This statement is most unfortunate," he said and added that the pointed finger of statues of Ambedkar indicates towards Parliament and urges Dalits to empower themselves so that the country is ruled by them.

Saying that in the past too, Khan has been making uncharitable remarks about senior people, including those holding constitutional posts, Maurya retorted that, in fact, everyone knew that in the regime of the Samajwadi Party (SP), land grabbing had been institutionalised.

The ruling party had coined a slogan that meant all vacant plots needed to be grabbed.

BJP leaders said even Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had on many occasions publicly said that the ministers and senior party leaders were busy grabbing land and amassing ill-gotten money.

Khan, without directly naming Ambedkar, on Monday said in Ghaziabad, that wherever there are statues of this particular person, he was found pointing a straight finger suggesting followers to grab the plot of land.
Gorakhpur: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi held a road show in the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh on the second day of his 2,500-km 'Kisan Yatra' which began from Deoria yesterday.

Soon after his arrival here, Rahul said, ''The Centre has forgotten the farmers of country."

Lashing out at the Prime Minister, the Gandhi scion said, "Modi waved off the loans of rich farmers and not the ones coming from poor background.''

He, however, assured that the Congress party will make sure that voices of farmers are heard.

"Like we had waived of Rs 70,000 crore debt for farmers, we will put pressure on NDA government to do the same in interest of farmers," he added.

His office later tweeted a picture of his road show in Gorakhpur.

Roadshow begins from University Chouraha, Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/7omVIcTAP1  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) September 7, 2016

Earler today, Rahul Gandhi also met Encephalitis patients at Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur.

The Gandhi scion had accused the Narendra Modi government of ignoring the plight of farmers while interacting with locals in Deoria.

Addressing a huge gathering at Rudrapur in Deoria, Gandhi said Modi was ready to waive off loans of rich corporates but wasn't willing to do that in the case of farmers.

"Modiji is writing off loans of rich corporates. He should do the same for farmers in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere in the country," he said.

"We have embarked on this Yatra to know the problems of the farmers and to help Modiji understand the situation too."

As part of his ''Deoria to Delhi Yatra'', Gandhi will cover 39 districts spread over 55 of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul yesterday said that he and his party would always stand by the distressed farmers.

Later, addressing a rally at Banwari Tola in Siswa Mahant village, he said, "We will not allow an inch of their land to be taken forcibly for developmental or any other purposes.

Gandhi suggested that the government could help the farmers in three ways.

One, by writing off loans taken by them. Second, by slashing electricity bills to half and third by increasing the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

Gandhi demanded to know why there was a huge gap between the market price of pulses and the price at which farmers sell them.

Earlier, Gandhi offered prayers at a Shiva temple - Baba Dugdheshwarnath - and then started his Yatra in a specially designed bus.

Dressed in a white starched kurta and a blue jeans, Gandhi had tea at a Dalit's home on way to Kushinagar, 15 km from Deoria city. He munched corn at a roadside halt.

The first such event went awry on Tuesday when soon after the event ended with Gandhi's speech, farmers jostled to grab some 2,000 string cots which were bought by the Congress.
Kolkata: Security personnel at the NSC Bose International Airport on Wednesday went into high gear after three phone calls were made saying that the airport will be blown up.

While the first two calls were made to Lalbazar Police Control Room at around 1.15 AM, the third call was made to Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate.

Immediately after the first two calls, the bomb squad, sniffer dogs along with a CISF team, were pressed into action and the entire airport was thoroughly screened during the night, a senior police officer said.

However, "nothing was found", he said.

The first call was made to Lalbazar control room at around 1.15 AM by a man who said that he had got information that one person named Arshad, a human bomb, was planning to blow up the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, the officer said.

"The call was made from 3615188371 phone number. The male voice gave us another number (8697872895), saying that it was Arshad's number. He almost pleaded that a probe be launched quickly," a top officer of Kolkata Police told PTI.

The next call came 15 minutes later from the same number, claiming that a bomb was planted inside the airport and "it will blow up the whole place within minutes", he said.

At around 8.55 AM, another call was made to Bidhannagar Police Control Room, claiming that a bomb had been planted inside a cargo aircraft and "it'll go off any moment", a senior officer said.

The bomb squad, sniffer dogs and CISF personnel made a thorough check in the entire airport, the officer, said, adding passengers and their luggage were scrutinised and vehicles were not allowed to stay near the main entrance of the airport for more than two minutes, the officer said.
Damascus: At least 18 persons were killed in bombings and an explosion in various parts of Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Wednesday.

A warplane attack on Idleb province`s Khan Sheikhoun town left at least seven persons dead, Efe news reported.

One person also died from asphyxiation after an airstrike on Aleppo late on Tuesday that allegedly used chlorine gas, SOHR said.

The NGO said medical sources have accused government forces of carrying out the attack on al-Sukkari neighbourhood.

In Hama province, at least 10 workers, who included women, were killed in a mine explosion on a road between Hajazi Zalin and al-Musasana areas.

SOHR said that pro-Basher al-Assad forces had placed the explosives devices in these areas.
Washington: United States President Barack Obama has nominated a Muslim to serve as federal judge for the first time in American history, it was reported on Wednesday.

Abid Riaz Qureshi, an American national of Pakistani origin, has been nominated to the US District Court in the District of Columbia, Dawn online reported citing a media report.

"I am pleased to nominate Qureshi to serve on the US District Court bench," Obama said in a statement on Tuesday. "I am confident he will serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice."

Qureshi, born in Pakistan, received a Bachelor`s degree from Cornell University in 1977 and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1997.

President Obama`s nomination has been hailed as a milestone by Muslim advocacy groups.

"I commend President Obama for taking this important step in continuing to pick the best and brightest from every community to serve as part of our nation's judiciary," said Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, a legal advocacy organisation.

The nomination comes towards the end of Obama`s final term in office and in the midst of a racially-charged election campaign in the country.
18-month-old Ega Shree fell into the gap between the train and the platform when her mother lost balance.

By Pramod Madhav: An 18-month-old toddler died as she accidentally fell on the railway track when her mother was getting down from a train at Mambalam railway station.

Lakshmi and her husband Sundaravelan were returning from Kumbakonam. While returning Sundaravelan who works as a professor in a private college in Chennai city decided to get down at Mambalam railway station instead of Egmore.

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Since the train stops for just two minutes at the station, Sundaravelan managed to get down with their belongings but Lakshmi carrying her baby girl Ega Shree lost balance as the train started to move.

Also read: Humanity still alive: Second edition of 'Chennai Gives' is here to give hope to the needy

Lakshmi fell down on the platform losing hold of her baby. The toddler slipped from her hands and fell into the gap between the train and the platform.

Ega Shree died instantly as the train's bearings slit her body into two and her mother suffered multiple fractures to her leg as she tried to save her child.

Passengers on the train tried and halted the train to save Lakshmi. GRP and RPF personal arrived at the spot and rushed Lakshmi to the hospital.



--- ENDS ---
Vientiane: President Barack Obama and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met informally on Thursday in a holding room before attending a gala dinner at a regional summit, Philippine officials said.

The brief meeting took a little sting out of the soured relations caused by Duterte's intemperate language in referring to Obama earlier this week.

That had caused Obama to cancel a formal meeting scheduled yesterday.

There was no immediate confirmation from the White House. Philippine Foreign Secretary Pefecto Yasay told The Associated Press that the leaders had met.

"They met at the holding room and they were the last persons to leave the holding room. I can't say how long they met. It all springs from the fact the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong. The basis for this relationship is historical and both leaders realize this. And I'm very happy that it happened."

Obama and Duterte are in the Laotian capital along with other regional leaders for the summit. All of them made their way through the holding room before heading to the banquet hall.

On Monday, hours before arriving in Laos, Duterte told Philippine reporters he wouldn't accept questions from Obama about extrajudicial killings that have occurred during his crackdown on suspected drug dealers and users.

More than 2,000 people have been killed in the crackdown since he took office on June 30.

"I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. Putang ina, I will swear at you in that forum," Duterte said, using the Tagalog phrase for "son of a bitch."

Yesterday, Duterte expressed regret over the remarks, but the damage was done.

A Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Charles Joe, also said Obama and Duterte met in the holding room.

He said it was a mutually agreed meeting, but that he had no details of what was discussed.

Obama and Duterte entered the dinner venue separately, and were seated far apart and did not interact with each other during the dinner that lasted an hour and 20 minutes.
Baghdad: The Islamic State group has issued a directive banning women from wearing burqas at security checkpoints in the Iraqi city of Mosul.

The ISIS has declared full-face veil as a security risk.

Iranian state broadcaster Al Alam News Network has quoted an insider as saying that terrorist chiefs' order came in the wake of a series of attacks on ISIS commanders by women wearing burqas and niqabs in recent months.

Women outside Mosuls security areas are, however, still required to be clad in burqas.

On August 25, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the liberation of Qayyara after defeating the extremist militants.
District of Columbia: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pledged Wednesday to massively increase US military spending, and said he would asked his generals for a plan to defeat the IS group within 30 days of taking office.

Speaking in Philadelphia, Trump told supporters that the US military had become "so depleted" that it required a large-scale build-up, including troop increases and larger numbers of aircrafts and ships.

Taking a jab at Democratic rival Hillary Clinton ahead of their first joint event -- a Wednesday evening forum on the president`s role as commander-in-chief -- Trump called the former secretary of state "trigger happy and very unstable."

"Hillary Clinton`s legacy in Iraq, Libya, Syria has produced only turmoil and suffering and death," he told the audience.

"Immediately after taking office, I will ask my generals to present to me a plan within 30 days to defeat and destroy ISIS," Trump said, using an alternate acronym for the IS group.

"This will require military warfare, but also cyber warfare, financial warfare, and ideological warfare," he said.

Providing more nuanced detail than in the broad-brush rallies supporters have become accustomed to, Trump outlined proposals for an active army of around 540,000 troops, an air force of at least 1,200 fighter aircraft, a 36-battalion marine corps and a navy of 350 surface ships and submarines.

"I will ask Congress to fully offset the cost of increased military spending. In the process, we will make government leaner and more responsive to the public," Trump pledged.

"We will be defended because without defense, we don`t have a country," he told the crowd.

Most national polls show Clinton leading as the US presidential race enters the home stretch, with just nine weeks until the November 8 election.

Trump edged ahead of Clinton in a new CNN/ORC poll, by 45 percent to 43 percent among likely voters.

An NBC News poll of registered voters shows Clinton`s lead holding at six percentage points -- 48 percent to 42 percent.

Another poll, a 50 state survey by The Washington Post, showed Clinton with a solid lead in electoral college votes -- the votes that ultimately determine who wins the presidential vote -- even in some traditional Republican strongholds.
Poissy: French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy said today he was a victim of "manipulation" and vowed nothing would stop him running for re-election after prosecutors recommended he stand trial over alleged illegal campaign financing.

"No controversy, no manoeuvering, no manipulation -- however shameful it may be -- will deter me from my absolute determination to bring about a change in power," Sarkozy said.

It was his first public reaction to what some analysts describe as a major blow to his hopes to return to office in next year's elections.

"I like people who have their ups and downs, who don't complain, who grit their teeth," he added in a speech in Poissy, a western Paris suburb.

The 61-year-old rightwinger, president from 2007-2012, had seen his poll ratings rise recently after taking a hard line on Islam and immigration.

Judges may rule as early as October on whether he will face trial.

If so, that would be a headache for his campaign, as the decision would occur in the runup to presidential primaries in his party, the Republicans.

The campaign financing case is one of several investigations which have dogged Sarkozy since he left office.

It centres on allegations that false accounting was used to conceal campaign overspending by his office in the 2012 presidential elections.

Sarkozy's lawyer Thierry Herzog on Monday dismissed news that prosecutors had recommended a trial as a "shoddy new political manoeuvre".

"Two years of investigation have shown (Sarkozy's) total lack of involvement" in the affair, Herzog said in a statement.

Along with Sarkozy, prosecutors are seeking a trial for 13 others.

The scandal has been dubbed the Bygmalion affair, after a public relations firm that organised some of Sarkozy's campaign appearances in 2012.
London: World leaders attending two major summits on the global refugee crisis this month must step up actions such as keeping families together and scaling back detention to stem the growing number of children in danger as they flee war, the head of UNICEF said on Wednesday.

Some 28 million children globally have been driven from their homes by conflict, and another 20 million children are uprooted due to extreme poverty or gang violence, the UN children`s agency said in a report tied to the Sept. 19-20 meetings.

Children, often already traumatised by violence, risk drowning in sea crossings, falling into the hands of traffickers, kidnapping, rape, and murder, UNICEF said.

"Indelible images of individual children - Aylan Kurdi`s small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneesh`s stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed - have shocked the world," UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said in a statement.

"But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger - and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children," he said.

Syrian toddler Kurdi drowned in the Mediterranean last year as his family tried to reach Greece. Daqneesh has become the most recent searing image of the suffering of Syria`s children during more than five years of war.

UNICEF`s global policy chief David Anthony said its report, which compiles comprehensive global data on refugee and migrant children, was "a sad and sobering wake-up call".

The number of child refugees more than doubled in the last decade as 15 conflicts have broken out or reignited, he said.

Of the 28 million children driven from home by violence and conflict, 10 million are refugees, one million are asylum-seekers and another 17 million children have been forced from their homes within their own countries, he said.

That means one in every 200 children globally is a refugee, he said.

"We must act now if we are to save tomorrow`s Aylan Kurdi before it`s too late. The eyes of history are upon us," he told a London briefing by videolink from New York.

UNICEF urged world leaders to focus on actions to protect child refugees and migrants, including ending the detention of children seeking asylum, keeping families together, combating xenophobia and ensuring uprooted children can stay in school.

The number of child refugees jumped by more than 75 percent between 2010 and 2015, UNICEF said, with Syria and Afghanistan accounting for almost half.

Anthony said one of the most disturbing aspects is the growing number of children crossing borders by themselves.

Last year, more than 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries - triple the number in 2014.

Unaccompanied children are among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse, including by smugglers and traffickers, the report said.

The UN summit, the first of its kind, aims to forge a more humane and better coordinated international response to refugee and migrant crises.

It will be followed by a summit of world leaders hosted by US President Barack Obama aimed at galvanising promises of new funding and boosting refugee resettlement.
Madhyamanchal: A one-horned rhino has died weeks after it was shot by poachers in Nepal, becoming the first of the rare animals to be killed in the country in over two years.

The injured adult male was taken to the Chitwan National Park, the country`s biggest rhino conservation area, for treatment after it was shot in a forest in southern Nepal in August.

But on Wednesday staff at the park said it had died of its injuries, becoming the first rhino to die at the hands of poachers since May 2014.

"The critically injured rhino had started to recover, but died Tuesday," said assistant conservationist Nurendra Aryal.

Conservation groups had praised the Himalayan nation for its progress in combatting the poachers who kill the animals for their prized horns.

Thousands of one-horned rhinos once roamed the plains of Nepal, but their numbers have plunged over the past century due to poaching and human encroachment of their habitat.

The animals` horns are prized in China and parts of southeast Asia for their supposed medicinal qualities.

Rhino poaching carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail and a 100,000-rupee ($1,000) fine in Nepal, which is now home to over 600 rhinos.

Madhav Khadka, manager at WWF`s wildlife trade monitoring department, said the death showed Nepal needed to improve security outside its national parks, where forest rangers guard against poaching.
Washington: A Russian fighter jet flew dangerously close to a US spy plane over the Black Sea today, the Pentagon said, although Moscow quickly insisted the encounter was within "international rules."

A Russian Su-27 Flanker jet made an unsafe, close-range intercept of a US P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine and intelligence plane conducting "routine operations" in international airspace, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said.

A US defense official, speaking earlier on condition of anonymity, told AFP the Russian plane flew within 30 feet (9 meters) of the P-8A before closing to just 10 feet.

"These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions, and could result in a miscalculation or accident," Davis said.

However, Moscow said the intercept was conducted "in strict accordance with international rules" because the Americans were trying to snoop on Russian army exercises.

The Russian defense ministry said in a statement that it dispatched Su-27 jets to check out US P-8 Poseidon planes as they "twice tried to get close to the Russian border over the Black Sea without their transponders turned on."

"After the Russian fighters got close to the spy planes for visual confirmation and to determine their wing numbers, the American aircraft changed course sharply and flew away," the statement said.

"The Russia pilots acted in strict accordance with international rules for flights."

US Navy aircraft and ships routinely interact with Russian craft in the area, and most encounters are conducted safely.

"However, we have deep concerns when there is an unsafe maneuver," Davis said.

Relations between Russia and the West are at their worst since the Cold War over Moscow's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine and alleged fueling of a separatist conflict in the former Soviet republic.

Washington and Moscow have reported an uptick in similar mid-air incidents between their forces as Russia flexes its muscles and the US-led NATO alliance beefs up its forces in Eastern Europe.

A similar "unsafe" intercept over the Black Sea occurred in May last year when a Russian Flanker intercepted an American RC-135 reconnaissance plane.
Baghdad: An Iraqi Shi`ite militia fighting in Syria has sent more than 1,000 extra fighters to southern parts of Aleppo over the past two days to reinforce its positions, the group`s spokesman Hashim al-Moussawi said on Wednesday.

The group, Harakat al-Nujaba, is fighting alongside the Syrian army and Lebanon`s Hezbollah against Islamist rebel groups in south and east Aleppo and took part in a recent advance in a military complex in the city`s southwest, he told Reuters.

Syria`s military could not immediately be reached for comment.
Skopje: Four Italians and two nationals of Kosovo died in a plane crash near Macedonia's capital Skopje, officials said.

They were aboard a twin-engine German-registered Piper Seneca which crashed near the village of Kojle yesterday, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Skopje, the head of the national public security bureau, Mitko Chavkov, told reporters.

"They departed from the airport Treviso in Italy with destination in Pristina," the capital of Kosovo, Chavkov said.

"They intended to land in Skopje for refuelling."

Chavkov confirmed the nationalities of the fatalities, which were also disclosed separately to AFP by police.

The causes of the crash are being investigated.
Beirut: A suspected chlorine gas attack on an opposition-held neighbourhood in the Syrian city of Aleppo caused dozens of cases of suffocation on Tuesday, rescue workers and a monitoring group said.

The Syrian Civil Defence, a rescue workers` organisation that operates in rebel-held areas, said government helicopters had dropped barrel bombs containing chlorine on the Sukari neighbourhood in eastern Aleppo.

The Syrian government has denied previous accusations it used chemical weapons during the five-year-old civil war. The Syrian army could not be immediately reached for comment on the latest allegations.

The Civil Defence said on its Facebook page that 80 people had suffocated. It reported no deaths. It posted a video showing wheezing children doused in water using oxygen masks to breathe.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks Syrian violence using sources on the ground, said medical sources had reported 70 cases of suffocation.

A United Nations and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons inquiry seen by Reuters last month found that Syrian government forces were responsible for two toxic gas attacks in 2014 and 2015 involving chlorine.

The Civil Defence accused the government of two other suspected chlorine gas attacks in August . The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria said it was investigating an August incident.

"Unimaginable crimes are occurring in Aleppo ... pro-government aerial bombardments cause mass civilian casualties," Commission Chairman Paulo Pinheiro told reporters in Geneva. "In government-held areas, indiscriminate ground shelling (by) armed groups ... is also killing scores of civilians," he added.

Aleppo has been one of the areas hardest hit by escalating violence in recent months after the collapse of a partial truce brokered by the United States and Russia in February.

Government forces put eastern Aleppo under siege on Sunday for the second time since July after advancing against rebels on the city`s outskirts. The city has long been divided between government and opposition areas of control.

The Syrian conflict has killed more than 250,000 people and forced more than 11 million from their homes.
The People's Liberation Army said on its site that China had not deployed their new stealth fighter J-20 in Tibet. It said that India wasn't the biggest threat to them and that they don't put much emphasis on targeting the country.

By Ananth Krishnan: China has not deployed its new J-20 stealth fighter in Tibet - or anywhere else in the country - as it is still undergoing trials, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) website said.

Suggesting that media reports jumped the gun about its deployment based on an unverified photograph of the fighter, the PLA said that the Tibetan plateau was an unlikely site for its first deployment as its airports weren't even ready to accommodate the fifth-generation fighter, which is still undergoing trials and has not been deployed anywhere else in China.

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A photograph supposedly showing the fighter at the Daocheng Yading airport, which was shared on social media websites but not verified, had led to media reports suggesting the J-20 had been deployed in Tibet.

PLA CLARIFYING IS QUITE UNUSUAL

The Yading airport is located in Sichuan province, not in the Tibet Autonomous Region but in a prefecture bordering the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). It is China's highest airport.

Much of the PLA's air force deployments aimed at India are located in five civilian and military airports in the TAR.

The PLA has unusually sought to publicly deny the reports, rather than leave strategic experts guessing as it has been done in the past.

The report on its website said the media reports claiming the move could be a warning or tit-for-tat for the BrahMos missile being deployed in Arunachal Pradesh had jumped the gun.

The PLA's official newspaper had itself warned India about the BrahMos deployment.

INDIA-CHINA BORDER NOT IDEAL FOR J-20

"It is said that J-20 will be put into service soon but the China-India border is apparently not the ideal place for its deployment. In addition, the world's highest airport there does not have a complete set of supporting facilities and such shortage will impede the function of J-20," said a report published on a website of the PLA, China Military Online, which usually carries officially-sanctioned reports and statements.

"J-20 will not be deployed in Daocheng Yading airport as the airport is too close to the border, and it is vulnerable to India's first wave hit. If India is to deploy BrahMos missile on the China-India border, then the Daocheng Yading airport will likely to become its target," the report suggested.

It added that if the J-20 had indeed been sighted at the airport, "it may turn out to be a high altitude performance test to accumulate test data and experience for operations in plateau areas".

China's Su-27 and J-10 fighters had already "solved problems of high-altitude operations", the report said, requiring longer runways and higher landing speeds.

Chinese experts say the stealth fighter, which is still undergoing trials, is more likely to be deployed first in the plains rather than on the plateau to begin with. Reports say the fighter may only be combat ready by 2019 at the earliest.

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'INDIA NOT YET THE BIGGEST THREAT FOR CHINA'

While pooh-poohing the report, the PLA website couldn't resist a dig at India.

Despite China's massive infrastructure developments in Tibet, the report claimed India had been more aggressive on its border deployments, including C-130 transport planes from the US and Heron unmanned aerial vehicles, not to mention the BrahMos.

At the same time, it concluded, "India is not yet the biggest threat for China and though confrontation events along the border would occur from time to time, the overall situation is rather stable. In this way, China does not put too much emphasis and focus targeting India."

Also Read:

Modi in China: Cheatsheet on disputes, rivalries and areas of cooperation

In a first, China's Tibet think-tank to open doors to India

China to US: Stay out of border dispute with India



--- ENDS ---
Miami: US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday in Tampa that the campaign of her Republican rival, Donald Trump, is "one long insult to all those who have worn the uniform".

At a campaign rally at the University of South Florida, Clinton also harshly criticised Trump`s recent trip to Mexico, characterising it as an "embarrassing international incident" that ended with a "Twitter war with the President of Mexico", EFE news reported.

"He is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be President of the United States," she said.

In the final two-month stretch of the presidential campaign, culminating in the November 8 election, Clinton is fighting to garner more voter support in key states such as Florida, a central element in both parties` strategies to win the White House.

On Tuesday, the former Secretary of State warned that, in terms of fighting terrorism, Trump is placing the United States in even greater danger than it already is in with a "secret" plan to destroy the Islamic State, saying that the secret is that he doesn`t actually have a plan.

"He called the military a disaster," Clinton said. "He said, `I know more about ISIS than the generals do.` His words are an insult to our people in uniform."

She then promised to help the military by giving it the proper tools to "dismantle terror networks", saying that "we will do everything it takes to end the Islamic State`s reign of terror and bring them to justice".

Clinton said that in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, she -- as a New York senator -- "worked to make our country safer and to rebuild New York and the Pentagon. But I always, always was determined to do anything I could to bring (Al Qaeda leader Osama) Bin Laden to justice".

She emphasised her role in helping to kill Bin Laden, noting that she was on hand with President Barack Obama and top intelligence officials on the night a SEAL team tracked down and killed the terrorist chief in Pakistan.

Recently, the former Secretary of State has focused on criticising Trump`s off-the-cuff and unpredictable foreign policy statements to attempt to show he is unfit to be commander-in-chief, EFE news added.

She made an effort in her Tampa remarks to gain the support of so-called "millennials", voters born between 1980 and 2000, promising to fight for an economy that works for all Americans, not just for the ones on top, pushing for renewable and clean energy sources, including solar power, and making young people a part of that process.

Clinton also referred to her commitment to fight climate change, global warming and sea level rise, issues, she said, in which Trump does not "believe".
Washington: US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump leads his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by 19 points -- 55 per cent to 36 per cent -- among military and veteran voters, according to a poll issued on Wednesday.

The two candidates will each spend a half-hour on Wednesday night talking about their military readiness at an event for veterans and active service members, Xinhua news agency reported.

A sizeable number of these voters say they would not be confident in Clinton or Trump's ability to be an effective commander-in-chief of the nation's military, though a slight majority would be confident in Trump (53 per cent), the NBC News|SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll finds.

Overall, 47 per cent of voters who are currently serving or have previously served in the US military said they would not be confident in Trump's ability to serve as an effective commander-in-chief of the US military.

Among all registered voters, 59 per cent would not be confident in his ability to serve as commander-in-chief of the military and just 39 per cent would feel confident, the poll shows.

In contrast, just 35 per cent of military and veteran voters would feel confident in former Secretary of State Clinton's ability to serve as commander-in-chief. A large majority (64 per cent) would not be confident in her ability.

Among voters overall, a smaller majority (52 per cent) said they would not be confident in her ability to serve. Just 46 per cent said they would be confident.

Among voters overall, Trump does slightly better than Clinton (40 per cent to 39 per cent) on the handling of veterans issues. Among military and veteran voters, he does even better (53 per cent to 28 per cent).

Though Trump comfortably earns the support of military-affiliated voters overall, Clinton is perceived more favourably on the use of nuclear weapons (44 per cent) while a quarter of them said they would not trust either her or Trump to handle these issues, the poll shows.

Also on Wednesday, Clinton's campaign announced that 95 retired generals and admirals have endorsed her presidential bid, one day after a group of 88 retired generals and admirals signed an open letter backing Trump to reverse the "hollowing out" of the US military.

The Obama administration has been criticised for overseeing a shrinking of the Pentagon's budget -- a cumulative 15 per cent since 2011, according to a Politifact report.

The report attributes the reduced military budget partly to the removal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, and partly to sequestration: across-the-board cuts that automatically came into place when both parties failed to strike a spending deal in Congress in 2011.

However, Trump's advantage among military voters is nothing new, local analysts say, noting the military's political leanings have swayed to the right in recent decades, Xinhua news agency added.

In an informal survey by the Military Times earlier in 2016, 54 per cent of active duty troops, reservists, and National Guardsmen chose Trump over the former Secretary of State.

The latest NBC News|SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll was conducted online from August 29 through September 4 among 32,226 registered voters, including 3,358 who have previously served or are currently serving in the US military.
Tunis: Tunisia's government has asked a military court to outlaw the radical Islamist Hizb ut-Tahrir movement, which has been regularly accused of undermining public order since its legalisation in 2012, an official said Wednesday.

"A request to ban was submitted recently. We are awaiting the decision of the military investigative judge," the official, who spoke on condition on anonymity, told AFP.

He said a total ban on the party was imminent.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is known for focusing on unifying Muslims into a caliphate and is already banned in several countries.

The party last month successfully overturned a decision by a civil judge to ban it, and has denounced what it says is "police harassment" in Tunisia.

It released an apparently inflammatory statement saying that "the government... knows that its time has come and that heads and hands will be cut."

The remarks prompted a stinging rebuke from President Beji Caid Essebsi, who told his national security council last week that the group`s "arrogance towards the state undermines its authority."

The Tunisian branch of the pan-Islamic movement appeared in the 1980s but it remained on a list of banned organisations until after the 2011 overthrow of longtime strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The party is frequently accused of causing public disturbances with its rallies and had its annual congress cancelled in June for "security reasons."

Thousands of Tunisians are thought to have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight with jihadists such as the Islamic State group, and the country has witnessed a string of attacks by extremists in recent years.
Istanbul: Washington and Ankara are ready to work together to push Islamic State jihadists out of their de facto capital of Raqa in northern Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published on Wednesday.

Erdogan said he had agreed with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in China to do "what is necessary" to drive IS out of Raqa.

"Raqa is the most important centre of Daesh," Erdogan told Turkish journalists onboard his plane as he returned from China, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"Obama wants to do something together especially on the issue of Raqa," he said. "I said there would be no problem from our perspective."

"I said 'our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done'," Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet daily.

Without giving further details, he said: "What can be done will become clear after the discussions."

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's regime were pushed out of Raqa, which lies on the Euphrates River, in 2013, making it the first provincial capital in Syria to fall out of government control.

IS rapidly infiltrated the city, which is strategically located near the Turkish border, and declared a caliphate in 2014.

Ousting IS from the city would be a turning point in the conflict and mark a huge blow to the jihadists.

Erdogan's comments came two weeks after Turkey launched an ambitious operation inside Syria, sending tanks and special forces to back up Syrian opposition fighters and cleanse its frontier from IS jihadists and Kurdish militia.

Ankara-backed rebels seized the town of Jarabulus from IS militants within hours on the first day of the operation and Turkey says jihadists have now been removed from the entire border area.

But Turkey yesterday sustained its biggest loss of life in the operation to date, with three soldiers killed in an IS rocket attack on their tanks.

With the offensive still pressing on, the Turkish army said six more villages south of the town of Al-Rai had been retaken from IS jihadists yesterday, in a statement carried by state-run news agency Anadolu.

Yet it remains unclear if the Syrian rebels backed by Turkey will proceed further south to take Al-Bab from IS jihadists and then Raqa itself, or to what extent the operation has US support.

Turkey has been alarmed by US support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a "terrorist" group linked to its own Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has been waging a bloody campaign against the Turkish state.
Washington: Welcoming India's growing role in the Asia-Pacific region, the US has said it will continue to work with other countries in the region for "addressing political and security challenges."

"We've elevated our ties with India across the board, and we welcome India's growing role in the Asia Pacific,' Obama said in a major policy speech on Asia-Pacific region in Laos yesterday.

This is for the first time that a US President has visited Laos.

Obama said to keep the peace and deter aggression, the US has deployed more of its most advanced military capabilities to the region, including ships and aircraft to Singapore.

"And by the end of the decade, a majority of our Navy and Air Force fleets will be based out of the Pacific. And our allies and partners are collaborating more with each other as well. So our alliances and defence capabilities in the Asia Pacific are as strong as they've ever been," he said.

"We've also forged deeper ties with emerging economies and emerging powers. With Indonesia and Malaysia, we're promoting entrepreneurship. We're opposing violent extremism, and we're addressing environmental degradation," he said.

"With my recent visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, we've shown our commitment to fully normalising our relationship with Vietnam," Obama said.

"We've deepened our cooperation with regional institutions, especially here in Southeast Asia. And as part of our new strategic partnership with ASEAN, we've agreed to key principles, including that ASEAN will remain central to peace, prosperity and progress in the Asia Pacific," Obama said.

"The US is now part of the East Asia Summit, and together we've made it the leading forum in the region for addressing political and security challenges, including maritime security," he said.

Obama said the US has worked to build a constructive relationship with China.

"Our two governments continue to have serious differences in important areas. The US will remain unwavering in our support for universal human rights, but at the same time, we've shown that we can work together to advance mutual interests.

The US and China are engaged across more areas than ever before -- from preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, to our shared commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, to our historic leadership together on climate change," he said.

"So I will say it again:? The United States welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful and stable and prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs, because we believe that will benefit all of us," he added.

"In other words, the US is more deeply engaged across the Asia Pacific than we have been in decades. Our position is stronger. And we've sent a clear message that, as a Pacific nation, we're here to stay. In good times and bad, you can count on the United States of America," Obama said.
Rawalpindi: Asserting that Pakistan`s military has always been strong, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif has said it has now become invincible adding that it knows all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of the enemies.

Sharif made the remarks while addressing a gathering in connection with Defence Day at GHQ, Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

"I want to make it clear to all enemies of Pakistan that Pakistan has always been strong and today it is invincible," the Express Tribune quoted Sharif as saying.

He reiterated that Islamabad knows the military or diplomatic challenges it has on the borders or within the cities.

On the challenges that the country is facing, he said, "I want to make it clear that we are fully aware of all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of our enemies."

Also talking about the Kashmir Valley, General Raheel said it was Islamabad`s jugular vein and praised people of the held Valley for rendering innumerable sacrifices.

He added that a solution to the Kashmir problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations.

The Army Chief also dubbed Pakistan-China friendship as a relationship based on mutual respect and the principle of equality.

On the China-Pakistan Economic corridor, he assured that Pakistan shall not allow any external force to obstruct it and any such attempt will be dealt with iron hands.

Highlighting the military operation `Zarb-e-Azb`, the Army Chief said that armed force would go to any limit to ensure Pakistan`s security.

He also pressed on the need to implement the National Action Plan and break the nexus between corruption and terrorism to fully consolidate the successes of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the entire country.
By PTI: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Sep 7 (PTI) China today vowed to work with other countries in the region to fight terrorism after Kyrgyzstan said a recent suicide bomb attack on the Chinese embassy in the Kyrgyz capital was planned by Uighur militants active in Syria and carried out by the East Turkistan Islamic Movement.

"The East Turkistan forces represented by ETIM conducted multiple terrorist activities in and outside China. They have blood all over their hands," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters here.

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"We will firmly strike against them and safeguard the safety of Chinese people in foreign countries. We will work together with other countries to fight against terrorism and safeguard stability of the world," she said.

Huas remarks came after the Kyrgyz government identified the al-Qaeda linked ETIM militants -- active in Chinas Muslim-majority Xinjiang province -- as the perpetrators of the August 30 attack on the Chinese mission in Bishkek that killed one person and wounded five others.

The Kyrgyz authorities said the attack was organised by Uyghur terrorists active in Syria and affiliated with Jabhat al-Nusra, an Islamist militant group fighting in Syria.

Terming ETIM as a well recognised terrorist force, Hua said it has been active in central Asia and Syria posing grave threat to not only to the China but also to other countries.

"To fight againstETIM is a core concern of China in the anti-terrorism cooperation with the rest of the world. We will strengthen corporation with other countries to fight against terrorism and safeguard the stability of China, Kyrgyzstan as well as other counters in the region," she said.

Militancy-hit Xinjiang is the home of Uyghur Muslims and has witnessed unrest over the increasing settlements of Hans in the province.

Many members of ETIM, who are drawn from Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province bordering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) and Afghanistan, have joined the Islamic State (IS) to fight in Syria, according to recent reports.

China apprehends that many of them may return to carry out attacks in Xinjiang and other parts of the country.

While China blamed it for the attack, the ETIM, a shadowy organisation has never claimed responsibility for the attacks.

In bid to curtail infiltration, China recently formed Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism involvingAfghanistan-China-Pakistan-Tajikistan Armed Forces to step up security along the borders. It is not clear why China omitted Kyrgyzstan from the border security mechanism.

Besides this the China-Pakistan border police also launched border patrols along the PoK-Xinjiang borders.

China has close security cooperation with Kyrgyzstan which is a member of the Beijing-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Besides China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan are its members. PTI KJV ZH

--- ENDS ---

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By PTI: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Sep 7 (PTI) Kyrgyzstan has said the recent bomb attack at Chinese Embassy in the country was carried out by the ETIM, a separatist group from Chinas Xinjiang province, confirming Beijings apprehensions that the terror outfit affiliated to the Islamic State is targeting its interests abroad.

Kyrgyzstan authorities have confirmed ETIM (East Turkestan Islamic Movement) involvement and identified the suicide bomber who drove explosives packed car last week into the embassys gates exploded it, Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

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One person was killed and five others injured in the blast.

The press service for the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security said in an announcement that the attack on August 30 was organised by Uighur terrorist groups active in Syria and affiliated to Jabhat al-Nusra, a Sunni Islamist militia fighting against Syrian Government forces in the Syrian Civil War.

The task of organising the attack was given by one of al-Nusras emissaries, which also provided financial support to the terrorist act, the report said.

The committee said the suicide bomber was a member of the ETIM terror group.

"This is a member of ETIM, a terrorist organisation active in Syria, a Uyghur named Zoir Khalilov, who had a passport from Tajikistan," the committee said.

The attacker rammed the western gates of the Chinese Embassy with a car, it said about the first such attack against Chinese missions abroad by ETIM. Two Kyrgyz employees of the embassy and three Chinese people were injured.

The Kyrgyz security officials have detained five accomplices of the terrorist group, who are natives of Kyrgyzstans Osh and Jalal-Abad regions, four ethnic Uzbeks and one Kyrgyz.

Kyrgyz police also issued an arrest warrant for Sattybaev Izzotillo Mashrapovich, born in the Kyrgyz city of Osh, an Uzbek national who underwent terrorist training in Syria. PTI KJV NSA UZM

--- ENDS ---
London serves as the headquarters for UBS's European operations

Switzerland has charged a former employee of the country's largest bank UBS with allegedly selling German authorities the files of wealthy clients suspected of tax evasion, officials and media said Tuesday.

The man is accused of violating banking secrets, according to Switzerland's public ministry, as well as involvement in espionage and money laundering.

The charges were first revealed Tuesday by the Swiss-German newspapers Tages Anzeiger and Der Bund.

They reported that in 2012, the banker allegedly sold information on the bank's richest German clients to the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The data would have allowed the German authorities to identify the accounts of 772 foundations and 550 private individuals.

North Rhine-Westphalia has bought stolen information several times over the past few years concerning people allegedly trying to evade taxes by not declaring money deposited in Swiss bank accounts, recovering around 2.1 billion euros ($2.4 billion) through these means.

UBS and other Swiss banks have faced investigations in recent years by governments trying to hunt down tax-dodgers.

UBS has had to pay a fine of 300 million euros in Germany, while Credit-Suisse was fined 150 million euros and private Zurich bank Julius Baer 50 million euros.


19 of the 35 seats up for grabs in Hong Kong's legislative election went to pro-democracy candidates who have vowed to continue the fight for autonomy from Beijing and its program of censorship, surveillance, and autocratic authoritarianism.



The victory is all the more impressive given that Beijing arbitrarily banned dissidents from standing for election, kidnapped dissident writers and coerced them into making televised false confessions, and used brutal force to put down a popular protest movement, then hounded its organizers long after the uprising had been shattered.



The pro-China camp made many efforts to swing the election their way in the lead-up to the vote. The China Liaison Office, which represents the mainland in Hong Kong, stepped in to coordinate pro-China campaigns and was suspected of instructing employees of Chinese state businesses in Hong Kong on who to vote for. In an unprecedented move, the Hong Kong government barred six candidates from running over their views. And mainstream media outlets launched smear campaigns against pro-democracy candidates. Despite the push, voters gave the opposition three more seats as compared to the last election in 2012, with a record-breaking 58 per cent turnout. Moreover, voters have preferred young radicals over moderate democrats to represent them in the Legislature. Their choice is reflected in the two most eye-catching winners, Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Eddie Chu Hoidick, both of whom advocate the city's autonomy. Law, 23, won in the Hong Kong Island district with more than 42,000 votes, becoming the youngest legislator in Hong Kong history. He was a student leader of the 2014 Occupy Central sit-in. (See photo at top.)



Hong Kong Voters Elect Pro-Democracy Legislators to Defend the City's Autonomy From China

[Oiwan Lam/Global Voices]





(Image: Nathan Law/Facebook)
The former Chief Minister demanded an inquiry into the incident and strong action against the guilty cops.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday condemned the brutal police lathicharge on journalists in Amritsar.

Capt Amarinder said," this government is totally frustrated and was trying to vent its frustration on everyone including the journalists."

The former Chief Minister demanded an inquiry into the incident and strong action against the guilty cops. He said, the revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia must tender an unconditional apology to the journalists for the brutal way the police behaved with them.

--- ENDS ---

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(Reuters) - Canadian department store operator Hudson's Bay Co reported a 60 percent jump in quarterly sales, helped by its expansion in Europe and the acquisition of online retailer Gilt. Hudson's Bay, which owns U.S. luxury retail chain Saks Fifth Avenue, bought German department store chain Galeria Kaufhof and its Belgian subsidiary, Inno, from Metro for about $2.7 billion last year. Hudson's Bay also plans to open up to 20 stores in the Netherlands. In addition, the first five Saks OFF 5TH stores in Germany are expected to open next summer. The Canadian retailer, founded in 1670 and the oldest continuously operating company in North America, is expanding in Europe to help mitigate the impact of challenging markets in the United States and Canada. The company also operates its namesake department stores in Canada and the Lord & Taylor chain in the United States. Hudson's Bay said it expects sales for the fiscal year 2016 to "trend towards the bottom end" of its forecast of C$14.9 billion to C$15.9 billion due to the "overall retail environment". The company's consolidated retail sales shot up to C$3.25 billion from C$2.04 billion. Hudson's Bay reported a net loss of C$142 million ($110.5 million), or 78 Canadian cents per share, for the second quarter ended July 30, compared with a profit of C$59 million, or 28 Canadian cents per share, a year earlier. The second quarter of 2015 included a pre-tax gain of C$133 million. ($1 = 1.2847 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Vishaka George and Swetha Gopinath in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
iStaging will leverage the latest funding round to fuel expansion into Western markets, building on operations in France and the US

Taiwan-based virtual and augmented reality company iStaging has sealed a US$5 million pre-A funding round led by WI Harper with participation from Taya Venture Capital, one of a consortium of venture capital firms working with the Taiwan National Development Fund.

The company is a promising addition to a number of startups that cater to real estate agents and furniture makers by using virtual reality to let prospective buyers spatially experience living spaces remotely.

Releasing their debut app in January, iStaging is certainly not the first company to pioneer the use of VR in real estate, thought their position in Taiwan gives them access to a growing number of Chinese citizens seeking to invest in foreign real estate.

Also Read: Virtual reality arcades are booming in Shanghai

iStaging will leverage the latest funding round to fuel an expansion into Western markets, building on operations in France and the US.

Real estate agents have everything they need to capture, create, and allow their clients to visualise hundreds of properties virtually before selecting the ones to visit in person, said Kevin Basset, iStagings Head of Marketing, on the capabilities of iStagings technology.

Its something were excited to promote in the US, Europe and China.

Also Read: Virtual Reality has a place in our lives beyond entertainment value: AsiaVRs Don Anderson

Chinese investors have spent US$300 billion on property in the US market alone, according to a report from Rosen Consulting Group and the Asia Society released in May. Virtual and augmented reality services such as iStaging could play a large role in streamlining future international property sales, allowing buyers to view and furnish properties remotely.

Other startups tapping the Chinese VR real estate market include Hong Kong-based VResidence, which oversees a number of virtual reality services, including a platform specifically for second-hand apartments in China.

Story continues



The article Taiwan VR Real Estate Company iStaging Seals $5M To Fuel International Expansion appeared first in TechNode.

The post Taiwan VR real estate company iStaging seals US$5M to fuel international expansion appeared first on e27.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, widely seen as a successor to late President Islam Karimov, told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that Uzbekistan is keen to maintain and develop strategic relations with Moscow. "Your today's visit tells a lot and we are very grateful," Russia's Rossiya-24 channel showed Mirziyoyev telling visiting Putin during their meeting in the ancient Uzbek city of Samarkand. "Our external political relations with the Russian Federation are those of strategic partnership, and we will continue to develop that bridge which you had been building together with Islam Abduganiyevich (Karimov) for so many years in order not to break it, but to further solidify it." Karimov, 78, died last week after suffering a stroke. He had ruled Central Asia's most populous nation for 27 years. (Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Maria Kiselyova)
Course Materials

Bluefield College Moves to Flat Fee for Textbooks

Students at Bluefield College in Virginia now pay a flat, discounted fee to receive all of their required textbooks before their classes start. The institution has implemented Rafter360, a course materials management solution from Rafter that supplies print or digital textbooks for an access fee that is rolled into students' total tuition cost. Students can receive their course materials via direct shipment or pick them up on campus.

Before Rafter360, Bluefield relied on a virtual bookstore to meet students' textbook needs. Yet despite the bookstore's competitive pricing, many students struggled with the unpredictable cost of their books. "Students would come to class without their required materials and, unprepared to learn, would quickly fall behind in their studies," according to a press release.

"A high number of our students are first-generation or low income," said David Olive, president of Bluefield College, in a statement. "Often, these students have very limited budgets for college tuition and fees and are surprised by unbudgeted expenses such as course materials, which they are unable to afford."

The Rafter360 rollout included an adoption and benchmarking audit, which gave Bluefield administrators better visibility into  and control over  overall textbook costs. "We want to give all of our students every opportunity to succeed," said Olive. "Rafter360 has given us the transparency and control to now see how content is affecting our overall textbook costs, while still allowing us to maintain academic freedom for faculty. We are now providing our students with an affordable, predictable solution, while delivering 100 percent of their required materials by the first day of class."
AIM: MARL TSXV: MRA 7 September 2016

Suite 102, 3 Eden Street

North Sydney, NSW 2060

Australia

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

Issue of Equity- Warrant Exercise Option issue

GUERNSEY, United Kingdom, Sept. 7, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mariana Resources Ltd ("Mariana" or the "Company"), the AIM and TSXV listed exploration and development company with projects in Turkey and South America, announces that 384,614 warrants, relating to the May 2016 Private placement, exercisable into ordinary shares at the consolidated figure of 25p each have been exercised and funds have been received.

The Company will issue and allot 384,614 new ordinary shares.

Admission to AIM

Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange for the new ordinary shares to be admitted to trading on AIM. Dealings are expected to commence on or about 13 September 2016 ("Admission").

Following Admission, there will be a total of 120,366,441 ordinary shares on issue.

Issue of Options

The Board has approved the issue of 470,000 incentive options to employees, vesting over a five year period. All options to employees are issued under the conditions of the Employee Share Option Plan. The new options issued are at an exercise price of 54.5p and expire on 29 August 2021.

The Company has the following options outstanding following this issue:

Employees 2,400,000 Directors 3,263,040 Other 679,810 Total outstanding 6,342,850

**ENDS**

For further information please visit website at www.marianaresources.com or contact the following.

In Australia: Glen Parsons (CEO) Mariana Resources Ltd +61 2 9437 4588 Eric Roth (COO) Mariana Resources Ltd +56 9 8818 1243 Rob Adamson RFC Ambrian Limited (Nomad) +61 2 9250 0041 Will Souter RFC Ambrian Limited (Nomad) +61 2 9250 0050 In U.K. Oliver Stansfield Brandon Hill Capital (UK Broker) +44 20 3463 5061 Jonathan Evans Brandon Hill Capital (UK Broker) +44 20 3463 5016 Camilla Horsfall Blytheweigh (Financial PR) +44 20 7138 3224 Megan Ray Blytheweigh (Financial PR) +44 20 7138 3203

About Mariana Resources



Mariana Resources Ltd is an AIM (MARL) and TSXV (MRA) quoted exploration and development company with an extensive portfolio of gold, silver and copper projects in South America and Turkey.

Mariana's most advanced asset is the Hot Maden gold-copper project in north east Turkey, which is a joint venture with its Turkish JV partner Lidya (30% Mariana and 70% Lidya) and rapidly advancing to development. An updated mineral resource estimate of 3.43 Moz gold Equivalent (Indicated Category) and 0.09 Moz gold Equivalent (Inferred Category) (100% basis) in the main resource zone as well as a maiden 351,000 Moz gold Equivalent (Inferred Category) (100% basis) in the new southern discovery zone was reported for Hot Maden on July 25, 2015. Elsewhere in Turkey, Mariana holds a 100% interest in the Ergama gold-copper project.

In southern Argentina, the Company's core gold-silver projects are Las Calandrias (100%), Sierra Blanca (100%), Los Cisnes (100%), Bozal (100%). These projects are part of a 160,000+ Ha land package in the Deseado Massif epithermal gold-silver district in mining-friendly Santa Cruz Province.

In Suriname, Mariana has a direct holding of 10.2% of the Nassau Gold project. The Nassau Gold Project is a 28,000 Ha exploration concession located approximately 125 km south east of the capital Paramaribo and immediately adjacent to Newmont Mining's 4.2Moz gold Merian project.

In Peru and Chile, Mariana is focusing on acquiring new opportunities which complement its current portfolio.

Safe Harbour



This press release contains certain statements which may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as at the date of this press release and include, without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, the realization, cost, timing and extent of mineral resource estimates, estimated future exploration expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, and requirements for additional capital. The words "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimate", "forecasts", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "may", "will", or similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: the effects of general economic conditions; the price of gold, silver and copper; misjudgements in the course of preparing forward-looking statements; risks associated with international operations; the need for additional financing; risks inherent in exploration results; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters; currency and commodity price fluctuations; title matters; environmental liability claims; unanticipated operational risks; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or in the completion of development or construction activities; political risk; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's annual financial statements for the most recently completed financial year which is available on the Company's website at www.marianaresources.com . Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, 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 forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
By Pankaj P. Khelkar: The Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday filed chargesheet against Hindu Janjagruti Samiti member Dr. Virendra Singh Tawde for the 2013 broad daylight killing of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar.

Welcoming the filing of chargesheet by the CBI, Hamid Dabholkar son of Late Dr Narendra Dabholkar, told India Today on Wednesday that he is satisfied that though late the investigations carried on by the CBI are on the right track.

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"Till now it was just a suspicion but now CBI has officially chargesheeted Dr Virendra Tawade and two others member of Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagaran Samiti. The other accused in the chargesheet Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar are the absconders in Goa Madgaon blast case," he said.

Hamid pointed out that both the 'absconders' should be arrested at earliest possible as they are pose threat to the society.

DABHOLKAR's SON BLAMES KOLHAPUR POLICE

Hamid blamed Kolhapur Police for criminal negligence as he pointed out that Dabholkar family was continuously trying to convince the cops that Dr Narendra Dabholkar's murder was not out of personal animosity or family related issue but it was due to clear cut ideological difference and same was also conveyed to Kolhapur Police time and again by the prime informer of the case who also used to be Virendra Tawade's close associate. "Despite several intimations provided by the Kolhapur-based informer (key witness), the police didn't act against the culprits". Hamid thanked the CBI for taking timely action and now the investigation has gained momentum. Hamid said Comarde Pansare and Prof Kalburgi's murders could have been prevented.

DABHOLKAR's SON MAKES AN APPEAL TO PM

Hamid appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to instruct the cops to arrest and punish all those people who are behind the murders of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi. At the same time Hamid Dabholkar also appealed to the PM that the Centre and the state government should take stern steps against those spreading violence in the name of religion. Hamid hoped that people who are behind this act as well as the organisations who conspired these murders will be identified and punished.



DABHOLKAR MURDER IS NOT ALONE TAWADE's JOB

"Obviously a single person cannot execute such conspiracy and so we think that many more people could be involved in these murders and CBI should keep no stones unturned to locate all those people or organisations," he said.

ALSO READ:

My father could have been saved, says Narendra Dabholkar's son



Emails reveal criminals used code words to procure gun to kill Narendra Dabholkar

--- ENDS ---
Ocean View, Delaware, Sept. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Waste to Energy Market size is expected to reach USD 35.5 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc.

Increasing municipal solid waste (MSW) adoption as a fuel to generate renewable energy via thermal and biological techniques will drive industry growth. Thermal technology dominated the total share in 2015. In addition, incineration waste to energy market may witness significant growth, the technology was already valued at over USD 12.05 billion in 2015. Converting MSW as feedstock and help to enhance streams process are key factors fostering incineration technology market growth.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/456



Increasing electricity demand along with growing dependency on renewable sources to generate energy due to depleting petrochemical reserves is likely to drive waste to energy market over the forecast timeframe. MSW management programs adopted by regional governments to promote power generation will further boost industry growth. Additionally, the U.S. recognition to include WTE to do their renewable energy targets may spur regional industry growth.



WTE can attract stable tipping fees compared to landfills and help in reducing GHG emissions from MSW in landfills. In addition, government has made target towards renewable energy use. EU has set target to derive 20% energy from renewable sources owing to boost waste to energy demand.



Growing urban population is forecast to be the key contributing factor for increasing MSW such as plastic, glass bottles, paper, tetra pack, cans, newspaper, cardboard boxes, meta items, aluminum foil, and wood pieces. Other factors such as industrialization, economic development, local climate, and public habits such as leftover food, further contribute towards MSW generation. Increasing MSW is anticipated to positively influence waste to energy market growth from 2016 to 2024. Major countries contributing MSW generation include U.S, China, India, Indonesia,and Brazil.



Depleting fossil fuel along with the correction in crude oil prices is anticipated to fuel the need for finding petroleum substitutes for power generation. Furthermore, rigorous research activities towards technological development to use MSW for power generation by substituting natural gas, oil, and coal is enduring, which in turn is anticipated to lay massive environmental benefits and technical feasibility to catalyze the waste to energy market growth from 2016 to 2024. However, high cost associated with plant construction as well as expensive components installation may hamper industry demand in the near future. Also, more capital involved in flue gases treatment and other residues produced may negatively impact growth.



Browse key industry insights spread across 150 pages with 134 market data tables & 13 figures & charts from the report, Waste to Energy (WTE) Market Size By Technology (Biological, Thermal [Incineration, Pyrolysis & Gasification), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Qatar), Application Potential, Price Trend, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2024 in detail along with the table of contents:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/waste-to-energy-wte-market







Key insights from the report include:

Europe, led by UK, Germany, Italy and France biological waste to energy market should generate over 5.5% growth to exceed USD 2.5 billion by 2024. Anaerobic based biological process is gradually improving and may replace composting step for biodegradable waste treatment generated from MSW.



Thermal technology based incineration process in U.S. WTE market size was valued at over USD 1.8 billion in 2015. It is widely used for recovering energy from waste. Modernized thermal incineration equipments can replace existing ageing equipments and contribute towards lowering carbon emissions.



Pyrolysis and gasification process in Germany registered demand of over USD 0.69 billion in 2015. It is used to convert waste into energy-rich fuels by heating under controlled conditions and converts into energy and ash.



APAC, driven by China, India, Japan and Australia waste to energy market should achieve over 7.5% growth. Stringent environmental regulations coupled with investment spending should stimulate industry growth.



LATAM, driven by Argentina, Chile and Brazil WTE market size is set to witness gains at over 7.5%. The Brazilian government has set an initiative to increase electricity production from renewable sources and reduce GHG.



Global waste to energy market share is competitive. Keppel Seghers, Tenologies, Wheelabrator, Covanta and Hitachi Zosen are key notable industry players. Other prominent participants include Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Foster Wheeler, Xcel Energy, China Everbright International, Plasco Energy, Veolia Environment and Green Conversion Systems.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/456



Global Market Insights has segmented the waste to energy market on the basis of technology and region:

Waste to Energy (WTE) Application Analysis (Revenue, USD Billion, 2013 - 2024)

Thermal Incineration Pyrolysis and Gasification

Biological

Waste to Energy (WTE) Regional Analysis (Revenue, USD Billion, 2013 - 2024)

North America U.S. Canada

Europe Germany France UK Italy Sweden

Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Thailand Indonesia Malaysia Philippines

LATAM Brazil Argentina Chile

MEA South Africa Qatar Kenya Nigeria



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Solar Energy Market Size, Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Development Potential, Price Trend, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2023

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/solar-energy-market



Offshore Wind Energy Market Size, Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Development, Price Trend, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2023

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/offshore-wind-energy-market



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About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.
DGAP-News: MPC Munchmeyer Petersen Capital AG / Key word(s): Real Estate MPC Capital expands portfolio in the Netherlands and Germany 07.09.2016 / 11:41 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Release MPC Capital expands portfolio in the Netherlands and Germany - Acquisition of 10 grocery-anchored retail assets with a total volume of around EUR 60 million - Expansion of Dutch-German real estate fund for logistics and light industrial from EUR 115 million to around EUR 150 million Hamburg / Amsterdam, 7 September 2016 - The Dutch subsidiary of the Hamburg asset and investment manager MPC Capital AG, Cairn Real Estate ("Cairn"), has significantly enlarged its portfolio. In implementing two projects in the Dutch and German commercial real estate market, Cairn increases its managed volume by almost EUR 100 million. MPC Capital is involved in both transactions as co-investor. Creation of a portfolio for retail properties In a joint venture with the private investment firm AT Capital Group, Cairn has acquired a portfolio of ten supermarket-anchored retail assets for local supply in the Netherlands. The portfolio, with gross retail space of around 27,500 m2, was acquired for EUR 60 million. The bulk of the properties are classified as CORE properties. For a further portion, Cairn intends to gain added value through targeted improvements to the building quality and tenant structure. Approximately 98 % of the space is let to high value clients including supermarket chains such as Albert Heijn, Aldi, EMTE and Jumbo. Cairn anticipates a consistently stable development in demand from the local supply of everyday items via supermarkets, drugstores and bakeries. Over the past eight years, supermarket revenues in the Netherlands have grown by around 2.5 % per annum. Taking a long-term strategic partnership with AT Capital Group as the basis, the plan is to expand the portfolio through further acquisitions of individual properties and links with additional property portfolios. For that purpose a new joint venture was set up called Dutch REAM BV. Expansion of the "Real Estate Growth Fund" for logistics & light industrials The second project is an addition to the existing "Real Estate Growth Fund", a Dutch special AIF for professional investors originally launched by ABN AMRO MeesPierson. Cairn took over the management of the fund 4 years ago. The fund is already invested in properties in the logistics and light industrial sector in the Netherlands, with a total volume of around EUR 115 million. By way of a capital increase, four further properties have now been brought into the fund. This now takes the total volume of the fund up to EUR 150 million. With this increase in fund volume, Cairn and MPC Capital have expanded the investment strategy of the fund to the German market: three of the four new properties are in western and northern Germany, the fourth is based in the Netherlands. A further regional diversification of the fund portfolio into other selected European countries is envisaged. The volume of the logistics and light industrial fund is to be increased to EUR 300 to 400 million in the medium term. "In realising this transaction, we have further strengthened our leading position in the Dutch market for commercial real estate," remarked Dr Roman Rocke, Management Board member of MPC Capital AG. "Meanwhile we are laying the foundations for the expansion of our investment strategies. We are concentrating on market niches that profit from shifting consumer behaviour. Everyday items that aren't really suitable for sourcing over the increasingly popular channel of online shopping need to be available ideally at your local supermarket or bakery. In turn, the growth of online shopping creates a need for additional logistics structures and regional distribution centres." About MPC Capital AG MPC Capital AG is an independent asset and investment manager for real asset investments. Together with its subsidiaries, the company develops and manages real asset investments and investment products for international institutional investors, family offices and professional investors. Its focus is on the asset categories Real Estate, Shipping and Infrastructure. MPC Capital AG has been quoted on the stock exchange since 2000 and has around 240 employees group-wide. Contact MPC Capital AG Stefan Zenker Head of Investor Relations & Public Relations Tel. +49 40 38022-4347 Fax +49 40 38022-4878 e-mail: s.zenker@mpc-capital.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 07.09.2016 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: MPC Munchmeyer Petersen Capital AG Palmaille 75 22767 Hamburg Germany Phone: +49 (0)40 380 22-0 Fax: +49 (0)40 380 22-4878 E-mail: kontakt@mpc-capital.com Internet: www.mpc-capital.de ISIN: DE000A1TNWJ4 WKN: A1TNWJ Listed: Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange; Open Market (Entry Standard) in Frankfurt End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 499607 07.09.2016
CHICAGO, Sept. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Kevin J. Lederer Life Foundation will host its 2nd annual Run for Life" 5K on Sunday, September 25th at Blue Star Memorial Woods in Glenview. The event will raise funds for Life Grants, a program offered to couples residing in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana who are seeking to defray the costs of adoption or fertility treatment.



The 2016 Run for Life will include a 5k run, a 1-mile walk, and a 100-yard Kids Dash. In addition, there will be childrens activities including crafts, face painting and games. All races and events are stroller and dog friendly.

"Struggling to become a parent can be difficult physically, emotionally and financially," says Dr. Randy Morris, Life Foundation Board Member and Medical Director of IVF1 in Naperville. The Run for Life is a fun way to support the Life Grant program, which helps others achieve their dream of parenthood.

In 2016, the Life Foundation awarded 14 Life Grants totaling more than $140k. Grants provide financial assistance for adoption, 3rd party reproduction and medical treatment, as well as donated services including IVF cycles, legal services, genetic testing and acupuncture services from the Life Foundations partners.

The Life Foundation was created to honor the legacy of Dr. Kevin J. Lederer and continue his life mission of helping patients overcome infertility. Dr. Lederer, a well-respected Chicago physician who specialized in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, helped thousands become parents during his career.



To register for the Run for Life, go to www.lifefindsaway.org/run

Run for Life

Date: Sunday, September 25, 2016

Time: 8:30 a.m.

Location: Blue Star Memorial Woods, 701 E. Lake Avenue, Glenview, IL 60025



The "Run for Life" 5K is sponsored by Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Natera, IntegraMed, eIVF, Good Start Genetics, Lake Anesthesia Associates, Reprogenetics, Celmatix, Donor Egg Bank USA, Eastern Healing, EMD Serono, Mandell's Clinical Pharmacy, Shine A Light on Fertility, Wheelpower, CapexMD, CombiMatrix, HealthLab, Progyny, Origio, and Reproductive Genetic Innovations, LLC.



To learn more about the Life Foundation and the "Run for Life" 5K, please visit www.lifefindsaway.org.

About The Kevin J. Lederer Life Foundation:

The Kevin J. Lederer Life Foundation (Life Foundation) is a collaborative, independent Chicago-based non-profit founded in 2014 to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Kevin Lederer, a well-respected and beloved physician who specialized in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. The Life Foundation aims to promote health and alleviate the mental and physical distress of individuals and couples diagnosed with infertility by hosting educational events and providing financial assistance through the Life Grant program. To learn more visit www.lifefindsaway.org




CHICAGO, Sept. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smithfields Helping Hungry Homes tour made the 25th stop on its 2016 nationwide hunger-relief tour this morning to donate more than 30,000 pounds of protein to both the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Northern Illinois Food Bank. Smithfield partnered with Jewel-Osco to make the donation, which will provide more than 120,000 servings to families throughout Northern Illinois, where one in seven people suffer from hunger.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/90c70e09-4bb4-487b-ba0b-f315b300fee1

Representatives from Smithfield and Jewel-Osco presented the donation during an event on Wednesday, September 7th at Jewel-Osco located at 1340 Canal St., Chicago, Ill. Speakers discussed the importance of donations like this to food banks in Northern Illinois, where 62 percent of food bank clients must choose between paying for food or medical care.

Helping Hungry Homes, now in its eighth year, is Smithfields coast-to-coast campaign to help Americans become more food secure. This year, the program will help fight hunger through more than 35 large-scale protein donations to food banks across the United States totaling more than 3.5 million servings. To date, Helping Hungry Homes has provided more than 40 million servings of protein to food banks across America.

We are grateful to Smithfield and Jewel-Osco for their ongoing partnership in the fight against hunger, said Sheila Creghin, vice president of operations for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. At a time of continued high need across our community, donations of nutritious protein make a tremendous impact for the people we serve. The Food Depository thanks Smithfield and Jewel-Osco for their generosity and commitment to ensuring our neighbors have the food they need to live healthy lives.

Northern Illinois Food Bank is thrilled to accept this generous donation from Smithfield and Jewel-Osco, which comes just in time, as we kicked off Hunger Action Month last week, said Julie Yurko, president & CEO of Northern Illinois Food Bank. This donation will help provide 50,000 meals for neighbors across our 13-county service area. We are truly grateful to have the ongoing support of such wonderful corporate partners like Smithfield and Jewel.

At Jewel-Osco, our commitment to help eradicate hunger by working within the community continues to be a priority, said Mike Withers, president of Jewel-Osco. Our longstanding partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Northern Illinois Food Bank, and Smithfield Foods will ensure more people have food on the table rather than having to make tough choices.

Smithfields Helping Hungry Homes program is proud to partner with Jewel-Osco to provide these two food banks with this donation during Hunger Action Month, said Dennis Pittman, senior director of hunger relief for Smithfield Foods. During this time, Smithfield encourages others to take action at their local food banks to help their neighbors in need. Through this donation, we are proud to provide wholesome protein to families and individuals throughout Northern Illinois.

About Smithfield

A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the Ham Capital of the World. From hand-trimmed bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfields products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com, www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand, and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield. Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Smithfield Foods

Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan's Famous, Farmland, Armour, John Morrell, Cook's, Kretschmar, Gwaltney, Curly's, Margherita, Carando, Healthy Ones, Krakus, Morliny, and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.

About Jewel-Osco

Jewel-Osco was founded in 1899 and is owned by New Albertsons, Inc. The grocery and drug retailer has 185 locations encompassing Illinois, Northwest Indiana and Iowa, and employs 31,000 associates. For more information log onto www.JewelOsco.com and follow on social media at Facebook.com/JewelOsco, Twitter.com/JewelOsco, Instagram.com/JewelOsco, Pinterest.com/JewelOscopr and YouTube.com/JewelOsco.

About the Greater Chicago Food Depository

The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicagos food bank, is a nonprofit food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community. The Food Depository, founded in 1979, makes a daily impact across Cook County with a network of 650 pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile programs, childrens programs, older adult programs and innovative responses that address the root causes of hunger. Last year, the Food Depository distributed 70 million pounds of shelf-stable food, fresh produce, dairy products and meat, the equivalent of 160,000 meals every day. For more information, visit chicagosfoodbank.org or call 773-247-FOOD.

About Northern Illinois Food Bank

Northern Illinois Food Bank leads the Northern Illinois community in solving hunger by providing nutritious meals to those in need through innovative programs and partnerships. Since 1983, food manufacturers, local grocers, corporations, foundations, and individuals have come together to donate food and funds, and evaluate and repack food for distribution to 800 community food pantries and feeding programs serving more than 71,500 hungry neighbors each week across 13 counties. That commitment provided 57 million meals to those in need in FY15. Northern Illinois Food Bank has received a 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator for 13 consecutive years. Find out how you can Volunteer, Donate and Get Involved at www.SolveHungerToday.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Northern Illinois Food Bank is a member of Feeding America.
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
By PTI: Pune, Sep 7 (PTI) Welcoming CBIs move to charge Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasing Tawde in the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, his son Hameed Dabholkar today said it is a positive step and demanded the others wanted in the case be arrested soon.

"It is a positive step. However, Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar are still absconding and CBI should arrest them as early as possible," he said.

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Pointing out that CBI has still not been able to trace the bike and pistol used in the murder of Dabholkar, Hameed said the probing agency should recover these objects.

"Since both Akolkar and Pawar, who are Sanatan Sanstha members, are at large, they are posing as a danger to the society and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and CBI should now intensify their search and arrest them," he said.

Hameed also said if Sanatan Sanstha feels the absconding suspects (Akolkar and Pawar) are innocent, it should ask them to surrender in court and prove their innocence.

CBI has charged Virendrasing Tawde with criminal conspiracy and murder in connection with the murder of Dabholkar in 2013.

The Samiti is allegedly linked with Sanatan Sanstha, which had come under the scanner for the murder of another rationalist Govind Pansare in February 2015.

CBI sources said the charge sheet was filed against Tawde under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) among other charges.

The Bombay High Court in May 2014 had handed over the matter to CBI to probe the murder of Dabholkar.

On August 20, 2013, the anti-superstition activist was shot dead by two unidentified men while he was on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge here.

The agency had arrested Tawde in June this year.

Sarang Akolkar, an alleged follower of Sanatan Sanstha, against whom a Red Corner Notice was issued by Interpol in July 2012 in connection with the 2009 Goa blast case on NIA request, is also under the scanner of the agency. PTI SPK GK ASV

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The Army chief will be briefed about the security grid along the Line of Control and anti-militancy operations in the hinterland.

By Press Trust of India: Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh will visit Jammu and Kashmir today to review the security situation in the unrest-hit Valley.

General Singh is scheduled to arrive later in the day to review the security situation in the hinterland of the Valley and along the Line of Control, defence sources said.

SECURITY GRID

The Army chief will be briefed about the security grid along the Line of Control and anti-militancy operations in the hinterland by senior army officers and local formation commanders, the sources said.

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Over 70 people have died and more than 10,000 injured in the clashes followed by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July.

Also Read:

Kashmir unrest: Sufi clerics meet Rajnath Singh, propose to take out Aman Yatra



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Daniel Craig is not interested in playing 007 again. Meanwhile, he has reportedly been offered Rs 1000 crore to return as James Bond.

By Devarsi Ghosh: In October, 2015, Daniel Craig was quoted by Time Out magazine as saying, "Id rather ? slash my wrists (than play James Bond again)". The 48-year-old actor joined the Bond franchise in the 2006 blockbuster Casino Royale, and since then, he has starred in four Bond films, the latest being 2015's Spectre.

ALSO READ: Daniel Craig can return as James Bond... for a *jaw dropping* Rs 1000 crore



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Now, reportedly, Craig has been offered an insane Rs 1000 crore to return as James Bond for two more films.

Craig who started off doing independent films has worked with directors like Steven Spielberg and David Fincher, and understandably, after a point an actor of such calibre would like to move out and do his 'thing' than to get stuck in the rut of franchise films.

So, if not Daniel Craig, then who? We present five possible options for the studios to consider, and for good reason.

TOM HIDDLESTON

He is British, he is handsome, he is a great actor, and has worked with the likes of Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris), Steven Spielberg (War Horse), Jim Jarmusch (Only Lovers Left Alive), among others. He can play charming evil (The Avengers films), snobby Brit (Midnight in Paris), troubled man (High-Rise), and even blockbuster hero (Kong: Skull Island). Tom has pretty much everything going for him.

MICHAEL FASSBENDER

Fassbender is the perfect mixture of acting skills, looks, and the lethal dark side, so very important to pull off James Bond's role. Like Hiddleston, he has done a variety of roles, but his acting range is immense. He has done leading roles in critically acclaimed, award-winning films like Shame (2011), Frank (2014) and 12 Years a Slave (2013). He has played the villain Magneto in the X-Men films. He has even played real people like Steve Jobs in the 2015 biopic and IRA (Irish Republican Army) revolutionary prisoner Bobby Sands in 2008's Hunger. Fassbender, with his physique and talent, can very well be the next Bond.

IDRIS ELBA

The 44-year-old actor is the epitome of the dignified but dangerous man who is nothing but testosterone from top to bottom. His baritone voice, authoritative acting, and immense stage, film and television experience (particularly his role as a detective in the TV series Luther) makes him a great choice to play 007.

ALEXANDER SKARSGARD

Swedish actor Alexander has established himself as a dependable actor on account of his roles as vampire Eric Northman in the TV series True Blood and US Marine Brad Colbert in the miniseries Generation Kill. He recently starred in the titular role in The Legend of Tarzan proving that the actor can shoulder a big-budget Hollywood film as well. Can Alexander be the next Bond? Why not.



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NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU

The Danish actor, best known as Jaime Lannister, to fans of the very popular TV series Game of Thrones, has a lot going for him: He is handsome, tall, broad-shouldered, fit, and most importantly, a good actor. However, he hasn't had the opportunity to showcase his acting skills in his career beyond a certain range. Hopefully, a Bond film might be the perfect launching pad for this talented actor.

( The writer tweets as @devarsighosh )



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By India Today Web Desk: Angry India summons Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit over 'discourtesy' to Indian High Commissioner

In an escalation of diplomatic tussle between India and Pakistan, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sujata Mehta summoned the Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Wednesday. Basit was summoned over 'discourtesy' shown to Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad, Gautam Bambawale.



Pakistan military on the rampage in Balochistan, women and children tortured

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Massive military operations by Pakistan army and the police have been reported from Panjgur, Turbat and Kulaho, 24 hours after the forces took Baloch people at gunpoint.

ICC withdraws two-tier Test proposal under pressure from BCCI

BCCI president Anurag Thakur, who has been a vocal critic of this move terming it a detrimental and retrograde step for the financially weaker nations, welcomed the move.

Baar Baar Dekho: Katrina-Sidharth reveal EXACTLY what happened at Delhi airport



Speaking to India Today, Katrina and Sidharth revealed that they were NOT offloaded at the airport. In fact, they were meant to be promoting Baar Baar Dekho at the duty-free area of the Delhi Airport's T3.



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The crime team of India Today has unearthed a prison that has turned into a vicious hub of third-degree torture, abuse and corruption.

By Shivendra Srivastava: The crime team of India Today has unearthed a prison that has turned into a vicious hub of third-degree torture, abuse and corruption.

Here, an inmate is pinned down on the ground, with his feet up and locked in bamboo sticks by fellow prisoners. Unbearable screams pierce through the large hall as a deputy jailer unleashes a flurry of club blows on his bare soles. This brutal act takes place at no secretive torture cell but inside the fortified walls of a prison 30 km from Delhi - the Kasna jail of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

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India Today's team recorded on camera a vicious cycle of atrocities and corruption in the jailhouse that authorities in UP advertise as a model facility of its kind. The investigation has found the jail to be anything else, but model.

Akram Khan, a deputy jailer, was filmed beating the soles of an inmate with a club, a degrading and oppressive torture technique common in Middle-Eastern countries. Khan was assisted by lifers, who held the feet of the victim in bamboo poles, and chief warden Shoorveer Singh Yadav.

Ajay Bholaram, who is a former inmate of the Kasna jail, told India Today that such brutality was routine in the prison. He also alleged prison staff yanked off his toenail when he was serving his sentence. Inmates, he claimed, were subject to foot whipping if they didn't bribe the jail authorities.

Corruption, he insisted, was rampant in the Kasna prison. India Today's investigation corroborated his claims.

The probe recorded a prisoner slamming another to a pillar. The victim was then stripped to his underpants and beaten with a truncheon, under the orders of a jail guard, who was seen counting his daily bribes.

Footage from inside the jailhouse showed guards were given a free rein to wantonly abuse prisoners with soul beatings. Several senior inmates were seen participating in foot flogging of another prisoner, who sobbed and begged his tormentors to stop.

Senior jail officials were also found to have developed their own mechanisms to dodge external scrutiny. Staff were heard making announcements on the public address system to warn inmates about an impending inspection. They are told to hide cash and contrabands.

India Today's investigation found compelling proof of deep-rooted corruption in the Kasna jail, where outside vendors ran a makeshift market in the compound.

The probe observed commodities, which inmates should be provided free, were sold at premium prices. Prohibited things like cigarettes were available at Rs 30 a piece. Liquor, insiders say, could be bought for anything between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,500 a bottle.

Vegetables, a basic commodity, was priced at Rs 400 a kg. Vendors were also filmed depositing the share from their daily sales to select inmates, who would then hand over the cash to prison staff.

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12 people are feared to have drowned during idol immersion in Tungabhadra river.

By Pratiba Raman: In what turned out to be a tragic incident instead of a religious celebration, at least 12 people are feared drowned.

The incident took place today afternoon around 2 after 25 devotees went into river for Ganesha Visarjan, an idol immersion practice during Ganesha Chaturthi, in Tungabhadra river in Shimoga district.

Police officials have recovered one body so far. The search operation is underway to rescue the missing persons.

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The rescue team has 10 members involved in the operations.

Also read: Day after Madurai fishkill, scores of fish found dead in Bengaluru lake

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Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif today spoke about Kashmir unrest and Pakistan asserting that the defence forces of the country is invincible.

By Press Trust of India: Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif today described Kashmir as Pakistan's "jugular vein" and said Islamabad will continue to support the people of the Valley on "diplomatic and ethical" fronts.

"We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Kashmir for their right of self-determination. The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts," said the chief of army staff, addressing a ceremony held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi to mark the country's Defence Day.

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ALSO READ: Malala Yousafzai stands with Kashmir, urges India and Pakistan to stop the 'inhumanity'

General Raheel said Kashmir was Pakistan's "jugular vein" and praised people of the Valley for rendering "innumerable sacrifices".

The army chief asserted that "the defence of Pakistan is invincible".

"I want to make it clear to all the enemies that the defence of Pakistan was already strong but now it has become invincible," he was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

ALSO READ: Muslim clerics slam Pakistan and separatists, to conduct Aman Yatra in Kashmir

GENERAL RAHEEL ON CHALLENGES PAKISTAN FACES

On the challenges the country is facing, he said, "I want to make it clear that we are fully aware of all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of our enemies. Be the challenge military or diplomatic; on the borders or within the cities, we know our friends and foes all too well."

On Pakistan's ties with China, the army chief said the greatest example of a relationship based on mutual respect and principle of equality in the region is the Pak-China friendship.

"China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the paramount evidence of this relationship. I would like to assure that we shall not allow any external force to obstruct it and any such attempt will be dealt with iron hands," he said.

General Raheel said the Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists had achieved its objectives to confront terror, saying the armed forceS will go to any limit to ensure Pakistan's security.

He praised the military, police and other law enforcement agencies for their "utmost efforts" to establish law and order in the country.

"There is a need to implement the National Action Plan and break the nexus between corruption and terrorism to fully consolidate the success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the entire country," he added.

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The idea is to practice yoga in the reassuring and non-judgmental company of goats.

By Reuters: No Regrets Farm owner Lainey Morse shot a video in August showcasing her unique hit idea, Goat Yoga classes carried out outdoors in calming Oregon-based surroundings.

The video shows yoga instructor Heather Davis preparing for and teaching a yoga class in the Willamette Valley as the goats greet her and mingle with the attendants.





Picture courtesy: Instagram/laineyphotos

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People are traveling from all over America to experience Goat Yoga, Morse told Reuters, and her last classes are already booked up.





Picture courtesy: Instagram/laineyphotos

Now Goat Yoga enthusiasts might have to wait until spring for their next healthy fix as the rain season is about to begin, said Morse who describes Goat Yoga as a wonderful and unique experience.





Picture courtesy: Instagram/laineyphotos

"It may sound silly but it's really just about getting outside in nature with beautiful scenery and having animals around you. Animals can really help humans with stress and illness or grief," the farm owner told Reuters in a written statement.







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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said that the government is aiming to implement the GST Bill by April 2017.

By Press Trust of India: Terming April 1, a very stiff target, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said the government is "running against time" for the implementation of GST, but added that he would certainly like to give it a try.

The Centre is aiming to implement the landmark indirect tax regime, Goods and Services Tax, from April next year.

"We have kept a very stiff target and the reason is that there is a great national aspiration in support of a reform that GST is, and state after state within a period of 20-25 days have kept on ratifying it because they stand to benefit the most," Jaitley said here at the Economist India Summit.

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ALSO READ: GST Bill, India's biggest tax reform since 1947, to be tabled in Rajya Sabha next week



THE PROCESS

The procedural formalities of collecting proceedings of all the states and sending it to the President for ratification are on, he said.

Once the assent is granted by President Pranab Mukherjee, the constitution amendment bill will have to be notified.

After notification and constitution of the GST Council, Jaitley said, there are obviously some pending issues, which the council will have to resolve.

"So we have the months of September and October and parts of November to do that. So there is a lot of work to do and if you are able to successfully transact those issues, then in the winter session of Parliament the central legislations, with some drafts in public domain, will have to be brought in.

ALSO READ: Obama praises Modi's GST bill, calls it bold policy move

STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY

"The states will have to pass their own legislations. Now if we look ahead, it's a very stiff target, we are running against time. I would certainly like to give it a try," Jaitley said when asked about the timeframe for implementation of the GST.

Jaitley added that the passage of central laws, GST Bill and the IGST, are among the important economic legislations for the government.

"But more important along with these legislations is I think if you ask me in terms of economic priorities even outside parliament I would say that certainly implementation of GST is the top priority...," he added.

Parliament has passed the Constitution Amendment Bill for introduction of GST. The requisite number of states also have passed the Bill.

GST will subsume most of the indirect taxes.

ALSO READ: Find out how GST will affect our economy





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Will the GST bill meet its April 2017 roll out goal or is it too ambitious for its implementation?

After a successful political outreach in the Upper House and then 17 states ratifying the constitution amendment bill, the President's nod is awaited.

By Devina Gupta: Even as the Government is racing against time to meet the GST rollout goal of April 2017, there are indications of a delay in the plan.

"We have kept a very stiff target for GST and the reason is that there is a greation national aspiration in support of the reform", said Arun Jaitley, Union Finance minister said today.

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WHAT IS THE BILL STARING AT NOW?



After a successful political outreach in the Upper House and then 17 states ratifying the constitution amendment bill, the President's nod is awaited.

But it's the implementation hurdle that can delay the rollout.

GST RATE: A POTENTIAL ROADBLOCK?



"GST council needs to be formed and deciding the GST rate will be the biggest roadblock", said a senior officer in the North Block.

The next in line will be dual control clause where states have pressed for autonomy to decide tax structure on small businesses.

"Once the ascent is granted by the President, the constitutional amendment will be notified and the GST council will be constituted. There are obviously some pending issues which the council will have to decide," said Arun Jaitley, Union Finance Minister.

POLITICAL CARD COULD DOWNPLAY GST?



Interestingly another hurdle could be the political attack on the GSTN entrusted with the task of setting up technological framework.

SWAMY STRIKES



BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has called for replacing private companies that hold majority stake in GSTN citing security issues.

"The logic behind security issues of GSTN is unfounded, there is no proposal to change the GSTN structure", said a senior official in Finance Ministry.

Also read - Running against time for implementation of GST: Arun Jaitley



READ: Obama praises Modi's GST bill, calls it bold policy move

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At a voter registration rally in Tampa, Clinton also criticised Trump's lack of policy proposals other than trillions in tax cuts to big corporations, millionaires and Wall Street money managers.

By Press Trust of India: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is unfit and unqualified to be the president of the US, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton has said as she criticised his various policies.

"He (Trump) is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be president of the US," Clinton said at an election rally in Tampa where she unveiled a list of allegation against the Republican leader to buttress her point.

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At a voter registration rally in Tampa, Clinton also criticised Trump's lack of policy proposals other than trillions in tax cuts to big corporations, millionaires and Wall Street money managers.

DIVISIVE POLICIES

Highlighting the alleged dangerous vision for America of Trump, she said that his divisive policies would endanger the US at home and abroad.

Trump has no plan to combat ISIS and has frequently insulted US military, she said.

"His whole campaign has been one long insult to all those who have worn the uniform to protect our most cherished American values. And a man who is so wrong about our veterans isn't right to serve as our commander-in-chief," she said.

"As president, I have a very different vision. I will give our military everything they need when they're serving overseas. I will support them with care and the benefits that they need and deserve when they come back home, including job training and mental health care. I will work closely with our allies, not just to contain ISIS, but defeat them," Clinton said.

NEW JOBS

Clinton said her blueprint is building an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.

"We're going to make the biggest investment in new jobs since World War II. Infrastructure jobs like those here at the port. Our roads, our bridges, our tunnels, our ports, our airports, they need work and there are millions of jobs to be done," she said.

"And in addition to what you can see, what about our water systems, our sewer systems? We need a new modern electric grid to be able to take in clean, renewable energy that can then move us toward that future we seek," she added.

FIGHTING ISIS

Islamic State (ISIS), she said, needs to be defeated.

"When it comes to fighting ISIS, he has been all over the map. You would have to literally map it out. He's talked about letting Syria become a free zone for ISIS. Look at the map, Donald. He's talked about sending in American ground troops. Not on my watch," she said.

"That is not what we are going to do. He's even talked about using nuclear weapons. He's very loose in his talk about nukes. He says he doesn't care if other countries get them. He doesn't know why they haven't been used already," Clinton said.

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"I mean, it's so mind-boggling. When I hear these things, I say, that can't be true. And then they replay it for me again. He says he has a secret plan to defeat ISIS. But the secret is, he has no plan," she said.

"After all his talk, the only thing that is clear is he has no clue about what he's talking about. And rather than work with our allies, he chooses to insult them. Just last week in a few hours, he managed to turn his trip to Mexico into an embarrassing international incident. He got into a Twitter war with the President of Mexico," Clinton said,

"He is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be president of the US," she said.

CLINTON'S VISION

Clinton said as president, she has a very different vision.

"I will give our military everything they need when they're serving overseas. I will support them with care and the benefits that they need and deserve when they come back home, including job training and mental health care. I will work closely with our allies, not just to contain ISIS, but defeat them. First, we're going to take out their stronghold in Iraq and Syria," she said.

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"Second, we're going to dismantle their global terror infrastructure on the ground and online," she added.

"Third, we're going to bolster our defenses, including with an intelligence surge, to protect us and our allies. We will do whatever is necessary for as long as it takes to bring ISIS to justice and end their reign of terror for once and for all. And I will tell you this. I am a very patient person. I don't quit. I don't give up. I don't blink," she said.

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Experienced cool aunt here. First thing to remember is that until the little darlings are a few months old, all cool aunt purchases are for the Parents, not the kid. So...adorable clothes that fit 9 month olds are the first thing you want on your list. Everyone gets them all the really cute tiny things, but assuming the child grows in a healthy fashion, they can only wear the newborn stuff for about two months, sometimes less. If the parents have a registry, then get the most boring thing on it, like the basic pack of medical equipment including the baby safe anal thermometer. Everyone wants to get the cute stuff with duckies and frogs on it. Bu new mom and dad need to be able to check baby's temp. A few soft sculpture books that come to a total of about 3 sentences. Really little babies are not great conversationalists. One parent or another is going to have a hard time figuring out what to say. A few of those books makes it easier to admit that "who's a big girl" just isn't that interesting the 100th time. I got a really good cow one by Sandra Boynton in Canada on a sale table. Looks like it is no longer being made because it is over $70 on Amazon, but I could be worth looking over some yard sales and used book sales for a stash of soft books if your friends are entering that phase. https://www.amazon.com/Moo-Cow-Book-Sandra-Boynton/dp/0689876831/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JQ4Z4CDJ5QH192VFMF87
Eugene Robinson

Eugene Robinson is an Associate Editor and twice-weekly columnist for The Washington Post. His column appears on Tuesdays and Fridays. In a 25-year career at The Post, Robinson has been city hall reporter, city editor, foreign correspondent in Buenos Aires and London, foreign editor, and assistant managing editor in charge of the paper's award-winning Style section. In 2005, he started writing a column for the Op-Ed page. He is the author of "Coal to Cream: A Black Man's Journey Beyond Color to an Affirmation of Race" (1999) and "Last Dance in Havana" (2004). Robinson is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and has received numerous journalism awards.
The government backlash against Mylan's (MYL) sales practices for the EpiPen, its popular epinephrine auto-injector for severe allergies, shows no sign of ending.

In the latest development, the New York Attorney General's office announced that it is investigating Mylan's EpiPen 4 Schools program, which supplies the lifesaving auto-injector to kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools.

"No child's life should be put at risk because a parent, school, or healthcare provider cannot afford a simple, life-saving device because of a drug-maker's anti-competitive practices," New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement.

According to Schneiderman, who announced the investigation Sept. 6, Mylan may have inserted anti-competitive terms into its contracts with schools. At issue is whether the company's demands that the schools do business with no other supplier violates antitrust law. The company denies that is the case.

"The program continues to adhere to all applicable laws and regulations. There are no purchase requirements for participation in the program, nor have there ever been to receive free EpiPen auto-injectors," a Mylan spokesperson wrote in an email to TheStreet.

"Previously, schools who wished to purchase EpiPen auto-injectors beyond those they were eligible to receive free under the program could elect to do so at a certain discount level with a limited purchase restriction, but such restriction no longer remains," the spokesperson added.

Mylan is also taking flak from several states for allegedly inappropriately labeling Epipens a generic product for purposes of gaining rebates from their Medicaid programs, a charge the company also denies. The action at the state level follows a Congressional hearing into Mylan's EpiPen pricing last week.

The controversies stem from allegations that Mylan was "price gouging" patients, charging up to $600 for a set of two EpiPens. The company raised its prices approximately 25% each year, as compared to the drug industry's 10% average price increase for drugs.

Since then, Mylan has taken steps to lower the price of the drug for patients, including boosting its patient assistance program and pledging to offer a generic version of epinephrine to patients.

Still, regulators and patients alike are upset that the company was able to boost prices so quickly, and without many consequences.

This is why other states may choose to follow in New York's footsteps and launch an investigation into Mylan's presence in schools.

According to Andy Klevorn, an antitrust lawyer at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, California and Florida will likely take the biopharmaceutical company on next.

"Those are the ones that are most active," Klevorn said in an interview. "If they're successful, other states tend to follow their lead. The Department of Justice or Federal Trade Commission might also look into this."

In eleven states, schools are required to have epinephrine on hand in an nurse's office. In 49 states (all but Hawaii), schools are approved to participate in programs like Mylan's Epipen 4 Schools.

Mylan's program provides two sets of EpiPens to a school nurse's office for free, and allows schools to refill the drug if it is used in a life-saving event. A sample of the contract terms are unavailable online or in the public domain.

Klevorn noted that while exclusive supply agreements don't necessarily amount to an anti-competitive practice, New York is likely investigating the question based on the number of contracts Mylan has with its schools. If the practice applies to enough schools, or once did, he said, that could raise anti-competitive flags.

The process of an antitrust investigation typically takes at least a year, Klevorn noted.

If Mylan is found to be in violation of New York's antitrust laws, the company could face some hefty fines, as well as possible restitution payments on behalf of New York's school districts.

Then, class action lawsuits from patients and schools, as well as investigations from other states, could follow.

Mylan, which has a market cap of $21.55 billion, was trading at $40.30 Wednesday, down 0.25% from market's open.
Thinking of gaining some investing knowledge? Perhaps you have been spending some time reading up on a variety of different websites and believe that it is now time for you to enrol into a course to better understand more.

After reading so many great local websites, you are hardly able to figure out the differences between these finance courses. Perhaps they all look equally good to you.

We have done a comparison across the major websites that are offering finance courses and here is some information that you might find useful.

Typically, investment strategies are split into two categories: Technical Analysis and Fundamental Analysis. Although each of the finance course offers either one of the investment strategies, they also offer their insight, thus making each finance course different.

Read Also: 5 Must-Read Singapore Articles On Personal Finance

bfp

The guys behind Big Fat Purse (BFP) believe that since our trading amount is different from Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, we should not follow what their investment strategies are. Instead, we should all aim to buy great companies at wonderful prices.

To us, that sounds great! But how do you identify some of these companies?

BFP tends to focus their online investment courses on metrics such as Conservative Net Asset Value (CNAV), Price-to- Book (PB) and Price-to-Earnings (PE) ratios. BFP also look at the profitability, operating efficiency and financial position (termed as POF Score) to make investment decisions. These metrics help them identify winners in the stock market.

Like many finance courses, BFP also covers the exit strategies for the invested stocks.

tfp

The Fifth Person (TFP) has rolled out 2 online courses  The Investment Quadrant and the Dividend Machine. These online courses are targeted at investors with different investment goals.

For Investment Quadrant, TFP covers a 4-step thought process in making an investment decision. That is, the business model, looking at the financials, assessing the management and applying different valuation methods to different sectors. The course also covers the optimization of portfolio, entry and exit strategies.

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As for the Dividend Machine course, it is designed to for investors who are looking to invest in dividend stocks and REITs to generate streams of passive income. However, the registration of this course is now closed.

In addition, TFP also spends time looking at stocks outside of Singapore as well.

im

Does everything come with a price? Not for Investment Moats (IM). Free resources such as trackers for stock portfolio and dividend (dated all the way back from 2004) and calculators for the cost of owning a car, wealth building, and properties are readily available on the website.

Topics like growing and managing wealth, identifying good and bad businesses, analysis on the market outlook, and investing in international markets, are also regularly discussed on the website.

For those who are keen on trading instead of investing, Collin Seow has rolled out the Systematic Trader Program which covers the essential knowledge for technical analysis. This program also covers other investment instruments such as CFDs and bonds, which are not frequently emphasized.

If you do go for the course, be mentally prepared to be looking at tons of charts.

Trading with Rayner offers 2 guidebooks to technical analysis when you sign up their mailing list! The guidebooks cover the how to in detecting price actions and trend. Furthermore, the website also has a 60 mins webinar  a step-by-step guide to the best risk to reward trading setups.

For organisation level, SGX has investor education seminars and workshops which are conducted by the industry experts.

SGX often conducts their seminars and workshops at SGX centre. Their programmes are also classified into Beginner, Intermediate and Professionals to meet the different needs of individuals. If you are new to investing, you would probably find yourself enrolling in their beginner courses.

A Course For Every Individual?

There is no shortage of good, credible courses that will provide you with useful knowledge and investor education. All of the above courses would teach you, in their own ways, methods to become a better investor or trader.

The list above is non-exhaustive and the content provided from various finance courses are different. It is important to think about your investment goals and decide which course is in line with you.

Read Also: 5 Financial Blogs That You Should Already Be Reading

DollarsAndSense.sg is a website that aims to provide interesting, bite-sized financial articles which are relevant to the average Singaporean. Subscribe to our free e-newsletter to receive exclusive content not available on our website. Follow us as well on Instagram @DNSsingapore to get your daily dose of finance knowledge through photos.

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The post Basic Guide To Great Investment Courses Available In Singapore appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
Ukraine said on Wednesday it may deliver the world's largest jet -- originally developed for the Soviet Union's abandoned space shuttle programme -- to China within the next five years.

The first AN-225 Mriya (Dream) six-engine heavy lifter was built by the Antonov aircraft maker in the 1980s.

The company moved in 1952 from Siberia to Kiev and then fell into Ukraine's lap when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.

Antonov and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China signed a memorandum of understanding on August 30 to renew the plane's production in China under licence from Ukraine.

The only functioning Mriya jet last completed a large cargo delivery from the Czech Republic to Australia in May.

A second jet was only partially finished and has remained in Ukrainian storage for the past 28 years.

Antonov's China project coordinator Gennadiy Gabruk said the second plane would be fully upgraded and "under optimal conditions" delivered to China by 2021.

"This jet will be built using the basis of the basic framework we already have, but all the equipment will be new," Gabruk told reporters.

The memorandum of understanding foresees mass production of the Mriya by China under Antonov's licence if all the technical details are resolved.

China reportedly conducted covert work on its own shuttle programme before dropping the idea in the 1990s.

But the booming nation is keen to join the international space race and is reportedly considering a permanently manned moon base.

Such a project would need a vessel to transport people to and from Earth.

The Soviet Union developed the Mriya to help lift off shuttles that could compete against those being used by the United States.

Moscow conducted a successful test flight of an unmanned Buran orbiter from its Baikonur space centre in present-day Kazakhstan in 1988.

The Mriya was able to ferry the Buran fixed on top of the plane.

But a second flight planned for the early 1990s had to be scrapped because of the Soviet Union's disintegration and Russia's subsequent deep economic malaise.

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China has not officially said what plans it has for the plane.

Some military experts believe that Beijing does not intend to employ the Mriya in a space programme but rather to use it as a heavy lifter for domestic and international projects.

- Russia spat -

Ties between Kiev and Moscow have been frozen since Russia in March 2014 seized Crimea after swarming the Ukrainian peninsula with troops and then overseeing an independence referendum the UN General Assembly condemned as "illegal".

Russia now denies backing a pro-Kremlin revolt that broke out in the east of Ukraine in the following weeks.

The 28-month war has claimed nearly 9,600 lives and resulted in Ukraine cancelling major aviation projects with Russia.

The former Soviet republic currently refuses to service the world's largest mass-produced cargo jet -- the An-124-100 Ruslan that Russia flies around the world for emergency relief and contracted work.

Antonov's chief Oleksandr Kotsyuba said in a statement that Ukraine could no longer be held liable for the safety of Russia's Ruslan jets.
They rescued 26 women including 10 Indian, 16 Nepalese and arrested 2 people. All rescued women were adults, most of them were married, belonging to very poor backgrounds. They were brought on allurement of providing jobs in Gulf countries.

By Tanseem Haider: Crime Branch has busted an international human trafficking racket spread across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Kuwait and Oman. They rescued 26 women including 10 Indian, 16 Nepalese and arrested 2 people. All rescued women were adults, most of them were married, belonging to very poor backgrounds. They were brought on allurement of providing jobs in Gulf countries.

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The accused, Shabin Shah and his associate Bidya Lama were arrested from Roopnagar and Patiala House Court respectively. Bidya lama from Bengal who ran shelter home in Mahipalpur and kept women in confinement, was also arrested.

The kingpin and prime accused Shabin Shah a resident of Roopnagar, Delhi, is also a Nepali citizen, his associate is an Indian woman named Bidya Lama from West Bengal who used a shelter house for confinement of victims has also been arrested. 2 victim passports, 6 mobile phones a boarding ticket were recovered from the accused.

MASTERMIND CAUGHT

it emerged that Shah was the mastermind of the racket that was running since 2011 and he had rented properties in Mahipalpur and Roopnagar where women were kept in confinement. Delhi was the hub as well as the transit point from where girls were sold and trafficked to Gulf countries, he said. He claimed he has a number of agents who are in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Oman, Kuwait, Dubai and India.

The interested women are asked to prepare their passports and arrange money for expenditure incurred over the journey and employment. After crossing India-Nepal border, these women got shelter in the accused's rented premises in Mahipalpur and Roopnagar area. Bidya Lama looked after them and kept the women in confinement.

The agents based in Gulf countries arranged jobs and employment visas for these women and then charged commission after these women got employment. The charged commission is further distributed to their Delhi based agents. There is a complete chain and understanding between agents based in Nepal, Delhi, Sri Lanka and Gulf countries.

BIDYA LAMA IN KUWAIT

Bidya Lama initially worked as a maid in Kuwait for three years but when she returned to India she helped Shabin Shah confine women instead of and received a commission of Rs 15,000.

The racket used to target married, illiterate and poor women of Nepal and northeast India, said the officer adding that the agents based in Nepal used to lure the women on the pretext of providing jobs abroad.

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(AFP file photo of Batam ferry terminal)



A Singaporean man was found dead in a Batam hotel room on Tuesday.

According to the Jakarta Post, Mohamed Isa bin Omar, 67, was discovered in the Lai Lai Hotel. Omar had been staying in the hotel for two weeks.

The police were called after a member of the hotels staff said they had not seen Omar for some time.

After detecting a bad smell coming from the room, police broke into his room and discovered his decomposing body.

A receptionist told local media that Omar made a booking for a long stay.

Investigations are ongoing.
AFP News

Russia on Saturday suspended its participation in a landmark agreement that allowed vital grain exports from Ukraine, blaming alleged drone attacks on Russian ships in Crimea. Russia made the announcement after its army accused Kyiv earlier Saturday of a "massive" drone attack on its Black Sea fleet, while Britain bluntly rejected Moscow's claims its specialists were involved. The Turkey and UN-brokered deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine in July is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict. The agreement already allowed more than nine million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on November 19. "In light of the terrorist act carried out by the Kyiv regime with the participation of British experts against ships of the Black Sea fleet and civilian vessels involved in the security of grain corridors, Russia suspends its participation in the implementation of the agreement on the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports," the Russian defence ministry said on Telegram. Sevastopol in Moscow-annexed Crimea, which has been targeted several times in recent months, serves as the headquarters for the fleet and a logistical hub for operations in Ukraine. The Russian army claimed to have "destroyed" nine aerial drones and seven maritime ones, in an attack in the port early Saturday. Moscow's forces alleged British "specialists", whom they said were based in the southern Ukrainian city of Ochakiv, had helped prepare and train Kyiv to carry out the strike. In a further singling out of the UK -- which Moscow sees as one of the most unfriendly Western countries -- Russia said the same British unit was involved in explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month. Britain strongly rebutted both claims, saying "the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale." Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday Moscow would raise the blasts and the alleged drone attack at the UN Security Council. The British defence ministry said this "invented story says more about arguments going on inside the Russian Government than it does about the West". Moscow's military said ships targeted at their Crimean base were involved in a UN-brokered deal to allow the export of Ukrainian grain. Russia had recently criticised the deal, saying its own grain exports have suffered due to Western sanctions. - 'Massive' attack - Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, said Saturday's drone attack was the "most massive" the peninsula had seen. The city's services were on "alert", but he claimed no "civilian infrastructure" had been damaged. City authorities said that the harbour was "temporarily" closed to boats and ferries and urged people "not to panic". Attacks on Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, have increased in recent weeks, as Kyiv presses a counter-offensive in the south to retake territory held by Moscow for months. Moscow-installed authorities in Kherson, just north of Crimea, have vowed to turn the city into a fortress, preparing for an inevitable assault. On Thursday, Razvozhayev said a thermal power station had been attacked in Balaklava, in the Sevastopol area. He claimed there was only minor damage and no casualties. In early October, Moscow's bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland -- personally inaugurated by President Vladimir Putin in 2018 -- was damaged by a blast that Putin blamed on Ukraine. The Russian fleet stationed in the port had also been attacked by a drone in August. Russia's allegations Saturday came as the Ukrainian army reported fighting in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions in the east, including near Bakhmut -- the only area where Moscow's forces have advanced in recent weeks. Pro-Russian separatists fighting alongside Moscow also announced a new prisoner exchange with Kyiv, saying 50 will return home from each side. Both sides were gearing up for the battle for the city of Kherson, the regional capital that fell to Moscow's forces in the first days of their offensive. bur/raz/jmm
This years jam celebrating the life of Carl Richards is taking place at Spit and Sawdust in Cardiff, going down this Saturday the 10th of September from 4pm to 8pm. Entry costs 6 quid, half of which goes to charity, and there are various rad looking jams happening throughout to keep you entertained. If youre in the area make a point of heading down, then hitting Cardiff skate plaza the next day for the jam there and making a weekend of it!

The Cirencester Skatepark Scratch and Skate Jam 2018, organised by Decimal Skateshop, can now be seen courtesy of James Harris' lens.

Power moves from Bromley here as Blast Skates welcomes Joe Howard to the team with two minutes of RWTB assisted DIY quarterpipe shredding.

Here are our favourite shots from the #CanonFirsts competition, including the two winners

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Djibouti is also no exception to an American military presence as it has the largest US permanent military base in Africa, Camp Lemonnier, which is home to more than 4,000 personnel, mostly part of the Combined Joint Task Force.

The facilities in Djibouti serve to protect China's economic interests in Africa and to help safeguard regional peace, as China is only beginning to learn to behave like a responsible global power, Global Times reported Li as saying.

Considering that both the US and China will be rubbing shoulders in Djibouti, it raises some concerns regarding how will the two powers manage to cooperate in the African country.

Most likely, China and the United States might face some friction over Djibouti, the former head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General Nikolai Moiseyev told online publication Gazeta.ru

The US base in Djibouti is primarily used by Special Forces for unmanned operations against the jihadist groups in the region. The US base is located near the main airport of Djibouti. Attack helicopters and other US military aircraft use the runway of the airport. Hence, the United States frankly does not want Chinese military aircraft; including unmanned aircraft to fly anywhere near US facilities.

Construction of the Chinese base in Djibouti more than demonstrates Beijing's intention to expand its sphere of influence, not only in the Indian Ocean, but also far beyond its borders, the former First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Col. Gen. Viktor Barynkin told Gazeta.ru
So rather than put to bed what had long been a constitutional thorn in the side of Westminster, Brexit has only succeeded in kicking over a constitutional hornet's nest with no sign of the resulting fallout being resolved anytime soon.

Immigration, Austerity, Terror

The main driver of Brexit was anti-immigration, which for some years now has been an issue inflamed by a resurgent political right and far-right not only in the UK but across Europe. Talk of the country being "swamped" with migrants and claims that the country was not in control of its own borders may have been wildly exaggerated but gained traction nonetheless.

It was inflammatory rhetoric given additional credence by the economic impact of the severe austerity measures imposed by the Tory government over the past six years in response to the economic crisis, the worst refugee crisis to hit Europe since the Second World War, along with the very real fear of terrorist attacks emanating from the conflict in the Middle East.

Nigel Farage: I can't apologise for immigration poster https://t.co/ypzItgy2J7 pic.twitter.com/V4RqbVDRNe  Kevin Schofield (@PolhomeEditor) June 22, 2016

The result was the whipping a toxic narrative of xenophobia, intolerance, and on the margins overt racism. It is a narrative that has gained more support across the UK in the wake of Brexit  in particular in poorer parts of the country hit hardest by the economic crisis and resulting austerity  than many politicians and mainstream commentators would care to admit.

The rise in hate-crimes and racist incidents unleashed by Brexit, culminating in the recent murder of a member of the Polish community in Harlow, Essex, along with other vicious attacks, is a grim reminder that Britain in 2016 is fast gaining a reputation as a "no-go area" for foreign nationals.

Europe in Crisis

On a geopolitical level, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, was right to make the point the Brexit has weakened the EU and the project for closer economic and political integration that is its raison d'etre.
Indeed there is something undeniably murky when it comes to the manner in which the Americans have developed a close military alliance with the Kurds over the past few months, even at the cost of incurring the extreme displeasure of their NATO ally, Turkey.

It suggests, that in the Kurds and various other groups that make up the SDF, the Pentagon believes it has finally fastened onto the "third force" it has been trying to cultivate within the conflict, as a wedge between the Assad government and Daesh, with an eye on asserting a military and geopolitical presence in the country.

In this respect, there is no reason to believe that regime change in Damascus is off Washington's table, though as with Iraq after the first Gulf War in 1990-91, the willingness of the US to abandon the Kurds as and when it suits, should give the Syrian Kurds pause for thought when it comes to trusting any promises or pledges of support that come gift-wrapped in an American accent.

Homogenous Group

The Kurds, we know, thanks to Sykes Picot are the largest stateless people in the world, spread between four nations in the Middle East  Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, along with a wider Kurdish diaspora spread mostly across Europe. There is no accurate figure when it comes to the size of the Kurdish population, but it is thought to number anywhere between 20-30 million. That being said, it would be a mistake to consider them a homogenous group.

How could they possibly be so, after generations spent fragmented across different countries, regarded with suspicion and mistrust and experiencing regular bouts of repression in the process?
According to the plan, recently revealed by Denmark's Social and Interior Minister, authorities plan to make it impossible for couples to bypass the requirement for both spouses to be at least 18 before they marry.

"Marriage is for adults," Karen Ellemann said, as quoted by the Danish newspaper Berlingske. "We must not allow people under the age of 18 to marry or validate marriages involving minors from abroad."

According to the minister, she became aware of the problem more than a year ago, when more "child brides" appeared at a number of asylum centers around Denmark. The Social and Interior Ministry estimates that it gets 16 such cases per year.
The five day long inaugural BRICS film festival was concluded in New Delhi where the Indian movie Thithi was awarded the Best Film by the jury.

Thithi (literal meaning Funeral) is a light hearted Kannada language film directed by Ram Reddy. Special Jury award was given to the movie Between Valleys from Brazil. Huo Jianqi from China was recognized as the Best Director award for the movie Xuan Chang. Thabo Rametsi from South Africa was awarded the Best Actor (Male) award for his acting in the movie Kalushi (the story of Solomon Mahlangu) and Yulia Peresild from Russia was awarded the Best Actor (Female) award for her role in the movie Battle for Sevastopol.

A specially curated BRICS section would form part of the India International Film Festival from this year onwards which would become a regular feature in the future events, said Naidu at the closing ceremony of the festival.

The BRICS Film Festival was held from September 2 to September 6, 2016. In the course of five days of the event, 20 movies were screened in the competition section, four from each of the countries. Beyond films, the Festival also showcased spectacular stage performances by the Chengdu Performing Arts Theatre (China), Theatre Leningrad Centre Dreams (Russia) and MBZ Music Production (South Africa).
This unusual occurrence was apparently caused by a discharge of industrial waste that occurred at one of the smelting plants owned by Norilsk Nickel, though the company management denies it, according to a statement issued by the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Nevertheless, the management of the plant in question decided to temporarily decrease the facilitys output until the exact cause of this incident can be determined.

Norilsk city administration also reported that Daldykyn River is not linked to the public water supply, so the incident doesnt pose an immediate threat to the residents well-being.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  India's northernmost region of Kashmir has been disputed by India and Pakistan since the dissolution of British India and the establishment of the two countries in 1947. Some local residents, most of them Muslims, especially those residing in the Kashmir Valley, call for greater autonomy or even independence from India.

According to the Tribune India news outlet, the clashes occurred in several parts of the state, as the people took to the streets when a delegation led by Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived to negotiate on the restoration of peace in the state. Ahead of the visit, multiple police units were deployed across various parts of Kashmir.

Health officials confirmed to the newspaper that about 100 people injured in clashes were being treated in local hospitals.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 7 (PTI) The kingpin of an international human trafficking racket that was spread across the country as well as in Nepal, Oman and Kuwait has been arrested along with his accomplice and 26 girls have been rescued, police said today.

The accused, Shabin Shah and his associate Bidya Lama were arrested from Roopnagar and Patiala House Court respectively, said Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (crime).

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Two Nepalese women filed a complaint with the Crime Branch alleging that they were brought to New Delhi from Nepal by one Ramu Choudhary and Shah on the pretext of providing jobs in Gulf countries, said the officer adding that they were kept in confinement in Mahipalpur area for more than 10 days and their passports were also seized by the accused.

They managed to escape on September 1 and reached the Nepal Embassy that directed them to Delhi Police.

After a team was formed under the overall supervision of Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) K K Vyas, a raid was conducted at the place where the women were held hostage and 20 women were rescued, said Yadav.

Bidya Lama, who ran the shelter home in Mahipalpur and kept women in confinement, was arrested from Patiala House Court, said the officer.

Bidya then gave clues about Shah, the alleged kingpin of the racket and he was arrested on September 4 from his house in Roop Nagar. Two passports belonging to victims and five mobile phones were recovered. Three Nepalese women and one Indian woman was rescued from his house, added the officer.

During interrogation, it emerged that Shah was the mastermind of the racket that was running since 2011 and he had rented properties in Mahipalpur and Roopnagar where women were kept in confinement, he said.

Delhi was the hub as well as the transit point from where girls were sold and trafficked to Gulf countries, he said.

"He claims to have sent around 1,500 women belonging to India and Nepal to Gulf countries illegally till now. He has a number of agents, who are active in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Oman, Kuwait, Dubai and India," said Yadav.

The racket used to target married, illiterate and poor women of Nepal and northeast India, said the officer adding that the agents based in Nepal used to lure the women on the pretext of providing jobs abroad, police said. MORE PTI SLB VIT KUN

--- ENDS ---
There has been in increase in support for independent rule, compared to a 2014 poll, according to the New Zealand Republic, an organization created in 1994 with the object of making New Zealand independent. The organization claims that 47 percent supported an independent head of state two years ago.

According to Peter Hamilton, head of the New Zealand Republic, there are several factors contributing to growing support for independence, including Brexit, the Queen's age and the ongoing flag debate.
ASTANA (Sputnik)  The Kazakh parliament began considering proposed amendments concerning the country's counterterrorism legislation on Wednesday.

"The aim of this draft is to improve current legislation on counterterrorism, fight against arms trafficking and migration regulation. Our committee is ready to start work on it and give its opinion," Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security Maulen Ashimbayev said.

On September 1, at the parliament's opening session, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said that due to terrorist threats, the state must resist forces which want to destabilize the country, and called on the lawmakers to take appropriate legislative measures.
TOKYO (Sputnik)  The move comes after Pyongyang fired three ballistic missiles from Hwangju county in the direction of the Sea of Japan on Monday. On Tuesday, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said that North Korea had made advancements in its missile technologies.

According to Japanese NHK broadcaster, the new emergency system will also alert ships and aircraft not only in the country's territorial waters, but in the exclusive economic zone, which the old systems could not do.

The notification system will work in several stages: first, the Cabinet Secretariat will inform the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Coast Guard, and the Fisheries Agency of missile launches. Then these bodies will imminently contact ships and aircraft by radio and notify them about the threats.
I will visit Vientiane, Lao PDR to attend the 14th ASEAN-India Summit and 11th East Asia Summit. This is the third time I am attending these Summits, Prime Minister Modi said in his pre-departure statement.

Modi further said that, ASEAN is a key partner of our Act East Policy, which is vital for the economic development of our North-eastern region. Our strategic partnership with ASEAN is also important for safeguarding and promoting our security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region. East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussion on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region, Modi added

Our engagement and approach with countries of South East Asia can be best encapsulated in just one word  connectivity. We wish to enhance our physical and digital connectivity, to see people connect, to strengthen our institutional linkages and to leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit of all our people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The decision was made during a meeting of Home Minister Rajnath Singh with the all-party delegation on the issue in New Delhi earlier on Wednesday, The Hindustan Times reported.

On Sunday, the delegation led by Singh arrived to negotiate on the restoration of peace in Kashmir. Several clashes occurred in some parts of the state as people took to the streets to express their discontent with the delegation's visit. Around 450 people were injured in the clashes.

Shortly after the delegation's visit, reports emerged that the government was considering a crackdown on activist leaders, including suspending the payment for their medical expenses or benefits, such as accommodation in state guest houses.
Speculations are rife whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Islamabad to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit or not in light of the increasing tensions between the two neighboring countries.

Speculation has emanated following a tweet from India's Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Vikas Swarup that, As I stated in my weekly briefing, decisions and announcements of such a nature are not made so far in advance.

Vikas Swarups reaction came after the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad, Gautam Bambawale, said at an interactive session of the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations that I cant say about the future, but as of today, Prime Minister Modi is looking forward to visiting Islamabad for the SAARC Summit in November.
In a major setback for Sino-Nepalese relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping has decided to cancel a planned trip to Nepal. Xi Jinping was expected to visit the communist-run Himalayan democracy in October after the BRICS Summit in Goa, India.

According to sources in the Nepalese government, China is unhappy with the present Nepalese government for three reasons. Firstly, the Maoist leadership of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) has clearly indicated that it will not implement the agreements finalized during the previous government, led by Marxist-Leninist former Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli. Prachanda has indicated that it will review all the agreements which were finalized during the previous administration, a move which as annoyed the Chinese leadership.
In an attempt to overcome its dependence on foreign suppliers, China has launched a project to produce its own aircraft engines, the Russian newspaper Vzglyad reported.

The newspaper referred to the recent establishment of the Aero-Engine Corporation of China, a crucial step, given that all of the country's aircraft engines had previously been developed and built by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

"We will try to find a path along which we can innovate independently in conducting fundamental research, making key technological breakthroughs and produce strategic aircraft engines," Liu Tingyi, President of the Chinese Aeronautical Establishment, was quoted by Chinese state media as saying.
"Any threats by terrorist organizations should be treated seriously," he told Sputnik.

"We should take into consideration that there is a Russian military base in Tajikistan and the center of optoelectronic intelligence. Hence we should undertake additional measures together with the authorities of the republic to prevent any possible terrorist attacks," he said.

Khalimov is a former Tajik special operations colonel, police commander, and military sniper. He was the commander of a police special operations unit in the Ministry of Interior of Tajikistan, or OMON, used against militants in the Central Asian nation.

Khalimov had been trained at US military training bases: in 2003, he went to Baton Rouge in Louisiana, to undergo special training with the US Special Forces.

In 2008, he also underwent special training, again at Baton Rouge.

From 2003 to 2008, he had special training in America at a Blackwater military base.

In April 2015 he vanished from Tajikistan but later resurfaced in a YouTube video saying that he had joined Daesh.

Earlier in August the US State Department offered a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to the location, arrest, and/or conviction of Gulmurod Khalimov.
"It is possible that China specially organized the publication of photos on the internet, but testing of the jet at high altitude would be carried out in any case," Kashin said.

Chinese defense websites reveal that China's air force has gone to great efforts in recent years to test defense technology in high altitude conditions, posting updates about tests of medium- and long-range missiles, and the many different types of combat aircraft and army helicopters which have passed through China's mountain airfields.

"There are a lot of specifics to operating technical equipment at high altitude. A lot of systems may not work properly in conditions of thin air and low temperature. Above all, this concerns equipment used for the technical maintenance of military equipment  the military equipment itself is usually better adapted to extreme conditions," Kashin explained.

"It appears that at some point the Chinese leadership decided to carry out a 'mountain test' of all new equipment for China's army and air force, and a lot of its missiles."

However, Kashin believes that India, which has taken steps to boost its armed forces, has little to fear from China's latest mountain test.

"In terms of real consequences for India's security in the coming years, the mass testing of Chinese weaponry like the J-10 and J-11B fighter jets is much more important than these kinds of tests of the J-20," he explained.

"India is able to ensure the necessary balance of power because it has purchased Russia's S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, modernized Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets and is collaborating with Russia on the Sukhoi/HAL fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) joint project."
By Anuj Mishra: With the arrest of two imposters Dinesh and Nazmul Arifin IGI Airport Unit solved two cases of duping by impersonating Customs Officials for the release of the consignments of the victims from Customs Office, IGI Airport Delhi. On September 7 2016, Tejinder Pal Singh and Dev Kaur alleged that their relatives came to IGI airport and their goods were seized by the Customs officials. They gave their documents to one advocate for filing the appeal for the release of their goods.



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INTRODUCED AS CUSTOMS OFFICIALS

Later they received telephonic calls from a person who introduced himself as an Inspector of Customs Department and told that he can get their goods released from the Customs Warehouse. They met the said customs official at Customs Ware house, IGI Airport Delhi. To Rajesh Kumar he introduced himself as Inspector R.K Tawade and to Tejinder Pal Singh he introduced himself as Inspector Sujeet Kumar. He told the complainants that he will not take anything in advance for facilitating them thereby he earning their confidence.

HOW IT HAPPENED



After few days, the said Customs official called the victim from a mobile phone and told the victims that their consignment had been cleared and they will have to deposit the duty. In the name of Customs duty the imposters took money from the victims. Rajesh Kumar gave total Rs. 10 Lakh to them. They took Rs 5.57 Lakh from Tejinder Pal Singh. The imposters took money from both victims on different dates and times. On this complaint, two separate cases FIR were registered at Police station IGI on the complaints of Tejinder Singh and Dev Kaur respectively and a probe was launched.

PROFILES BUILT

During the course of investigation information cases were built . On the basis of these cases the accused Dinesh and Nazmul Arifin have been arrested. On interrogation the accused Dinesh disclosed that he had stolen the files of the victims from the office of one of the advocates and contacted them on their mobile phones with intention of duping. He introduced the complainants as Inspector of Custom departments. He met the complainant near Customs offices to win their faith. He duped the victim with the help of the co-accused Nazmul Arifin. The mobile phones through which he contacted the victims have been recovered.

--- ENDS ---
Koizumi, once thought to be Abes successor in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said the prime minister "believes what hes being told by nuclear experts. I believed them, too, when I was prime minister. I think Abe understands the arguments on both sides of the debate, but he has chosen to believe the pro-nuclear lobby."

In 2012 12,539 people sued TEPCO for negligence, their suits totaling nearly $1 billion. Over 99 percent of those who sued were former residents of the prefecture of Fukushima, and were forced to evacuate after the meltdown. An additional 223 US Navy sailors filed a class action suit for suffering a host of serious health problems after assisting with the Operation Tomodachi (Friends) cleanup effort. Koizumi supports the claims of the sailors.

According to experts, one the most daunting challenges in the cleanup effort is handling almost a million tons of radioactive water currently stored in tanks at Fukushima.

By 2030, the government hopes to have nuclear power supply a fifth of the countrys energy. Over 160,000 people had to be evacuated from the areas around Fukushima after the accident, which caused contamination in the land, food, air and water.
"Such issues are prepared for thoroughly and ahead of time," Novak told journalists on Friday when asked about oil output freeze, adding that at the upcoming informal OPEC meeting "we will be able to discuss the current situation, its only the first stage."

Earlier on Friday, Novak said that he plans to take part in the informal OPEC meeting.
"We adhere to the position that our doors are always open in regard to the issues related to monitoring and coordination of activities, because the market situation is still complicated and it has not stabilized in the last two years taking into consideration the decrease in prices. I think that within the framework of the ministerial meeting, which will be held on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum, we will be able to discuss the situation with the colleagues."

Global oversupply and stagnating demand have caused oil prices to plunge from $115 per barrel in June 2014 to less than $30 per barrel in January 2016. Prices recovered amid Nigeria and Venezuela's output outages and growing demand in May, peaking at over $50 per barrel in early June.
Its for this reason that Russia sells defense equipment to several pairs of states that militarily compete with one another, including Armenia and Azerbaijan; China and India; and China and Vietnam. Moscow enjoys excellent relations with all five of these countries despite, as their respective governments might see it, arming their competitors.

The reality is a lot more nuanced than that and was explained quite well by Prime Minister Medvedev in responding to criticism in April that Russia arms both sides of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As reported by Reuters at the time and in answering a question being posed during the weekly Vesti on Saturday program, the Russian Premier remarked that If we imagine for a minute that Russia has given up this role (of arms seller), we well understand that this place will not stay vacantThey will buy weapons in other countries, and the degree of their deadliness won't change in any wayBut at the same time, this could [] destroy the existing balance of forces (in the region).

Its clear then that Russias military diplomacy is founded on the belief that reinforcing the balance of power between competing countries is the most responsible step that Moscow could take in seeking to prevent an outbreak of war, while Washingtons policy can be inferred as being the mirror opposite in striving to disrupt this delicate balance so that the US favored side could more assuredly initiate and win a war.

The reason that Russia can pull this off whereas the US is unable to and must instead resort to destabilizing disruptions of the balance of power is because Moscow places absolutely zero political preconditions on its partners in providing them with affordable, high-quality, and efficient supplies to sustain the military balance, thus making it an attractive provider to whoever the competing sides may be.

Once one side begins buying Russian equipment, the other one feels compelled to at least countenance it, and in the multipolar future thats progressively unfolding, this might see some previously unthinkable partnerships taking shape such as the one that Russia now surprisingly enjoys with Bahrain.

On a larger-scale and in alignment with the balancing strategy mentioned above, the previous chatter in May that Russia was in talks with Saudi Arabia on weapons deliveries and the recent news that its going to supply anti-terrorist arms to Pakistan and might even sell it Su-35 fighter jets point to Moscow being interested in taking a more prominent role in mediating and managing the Saudi-Iranian and Pakistani-Indian rivalries, especially in light of the productive energy talks that its engaged in with Riyadh and New Delhis unprecedented military partnership with Washington.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Sputnik.
Certainly in the case of Apple, the international sales subsidiary has all the appearances of a classic tax avoidance scam. The company clears its global business revenues through its puny Irish office, thus avoiding paying taxes in countries where it has points of sale.

The EU investigation found that the Irish government was not even applying its nominally low rate of 12.5 per cent on Apple. The effective rate was less than 1 per cent, allowing the tech giant to amass record worldwide profits.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook called the EC ruling maddening and claimed that his company had done nothing wrong. Apple has always tried to do the right thing, he maintains. Well, if thats so, then why has his firm relocated much of its production facilities out of its US home country to exploit cheap labor in China? Is that what Cook calls doing the right thing?

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, of the rightwing, pro-business Fine Gael party, may huff and puff about the sovereign rights of his nation. What is so sovereign and right about allowing foreign investors to trample all over Irish workers and deprive the Irish nation of its due taxes?

The European Commission has certainly got a bad rap in recent years from EU citizens fed up with relentless economic austerity. It is partly this populist backlash across Europe that is now obliging the Brussels administration to crack down on corporate tax dodging.

EC President Jean Claude Juncker is making something of a crusade to stamp out tax loopholes and to claw back money for the benefit of long-suffering EU citizens. The EU leadership knows that if it doesnt begin to act in a more democratic way, the forces of disintegration of the 28-member bloc may become unstoppable, as the Brexit vote earlier this year tends to show.
Recent terrorist attacks in Paris were carried out by young men who had grown up in France  but whose parents came from North or West Africa.

"Integration is a one-way street," author of the study Chris Beauchemin said suggesting that despite immigrants wanting to be a part of French society  they are always regarded as foreign and continue to suffer discrimination.

Beauchemin looked at 22,000 case studies that showed that second generation immigrants in France often fared less well than the first generation.

The exact locations and dates for the two new "humanitarian" camps are yet to be officially confirmed, while the spotlight remains on France and its efforts to integrate refugees and migrants.

However, Parisians have already reacted angrily to the new camps, as two wooden buildings were erected next to the Bois de Boulogne, where many homes are worth US$ 4.0 million each.

Paris to open two new migrant camps for thousands of UK-bound migrants  Mayor Ann Hidalgo said they will be locate pic.twitter.com/pDyxxKC2rE  King Robbo (@realkingrobbo) August 31, 2016

More than 50,000 people have already signed a petition calling for the units to be destroyed and it's expected the camp to house men near the Gare du Nord metro station will be met with equal hostility by residents who are concerned the refugees' numbers could swell.
A slight majority would prefer for Scotland to remain a part of the UK, according to recent polls, though many are dissatisfied with the prospect of leaving the European Union, after Scotland voted to stay. Sturgeon has vowed to make good on the vote to stay in the EU, using any legal tactic available, possibly including a renewed vote for independence.

The minister suggested that, even though the last independence vote was just two years ago, the British vote to leave the EU, referred to as "Brexit," has drastically shifted sentiment around the independence question, which failed by some 10 percentage points in 2014.
TBILISI (Sputnik)  Stoltenberg is expected to chair the NATO-Georgia Commission meeting in Tbilisi with Kvirikashvili on September 7. On September 8, Stoltenberg and the NATO ambassadors are expected to meet Georgian President Giorgi Marvelashvili, senior cabinet officials and lawmakers.

"This visit is an important message in terms of support of the country's development, sovereignty and territorial integrity and, obviously, support for Georgia's democratic reforms," Kvirikashvili said at a government meeting.

He added that a meeting regarding the implementation of reforms needed for the improvement of Georgia's defense capacity had been scheduled.
BERLIN (Sputnik)  The migrant situation in Germany has improved since the crisis last summer, although much remains to be done, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday.

The situation today is much better than last year, but much remains to be done, Merkel told lawmakers.

While admitting that not all migrants have kind intentions, she told lawmakers that the security situation is an independent matter and that terrorism is unrelated to refugees.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Germany cannot confirm the suggestion of a Ukrainian official that Berlin will be a venue for the next meeting of the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine on Ukrainian reconciliation, a spokesperson for the German chancellery told Sputnik on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, deputy head of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration Kostiantyn Yelisieiev said that the next Normandy Format meeting between the four leaders could be held in Berlin, according to the Ukrainian presidential administrations statement. Yelisieiev said that the proposal came from German Chancellor Angela Merkel during one of phone conversations.

"If it would be anything like that we would announce it in time. I know, it [the issue of Normandy format meeting] is for discussions for the last couple of weeks, but from our side there is nothing to confirm," the spokesperson said, answering a question whether Berlin could host a new meeting to discuss the implementation of the Minsk agreements on Ukraine.
The Ministry of Home Affairs along with various coastal states and the disaster management agencies conducted the mock drill to check the preparedness in case of a tsunami.

By Ashish Pandey: India, along with 23 other Indian Ocean Nations today participated in a major Indian ocean-wide tsunami mock drill. During this drill, various departments of Indian coastal states along with Ministry of Home Affairs, National Disaster Management Authority, National Disaster Response Force evacuated thousands of people from the coastal areas Of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh Kerala and Bengal in real time as after getting a tsunami warning. The mock drill today covered the eastern coast of India while tomorrow it will cover the western coast area of the country.

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As the country has still not forgotten the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake causing a devastating tsunami in which over 230 thousand people were killed in 14 countries including in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. The Ministry of Home Affairs along with various coastal states and the disaster management agencies conducted the mock drill to check the preparedness in case of a tsunami.

Speaking to India Today, Dr Srinivas Kumar Tummala, who is in charge of Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre, Hyderbad said, "In 2004, a 9.2 magnitude earthquake had triggered a massive tsunami killing 14 to 15 thousand people in India. Another tsunami had hit the country's west coast in 1945. As tsunamis are unpredictable natural calamities, we need to be prepared to minimise the casualties."

MOCK DRILL

The mock drill, known as Indian Ocean Wave 16, is organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the UNESCO, which coordinated the setting up of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS) in the aftermath of the December 26, 2004 tsunami. India along with 23 countries of Indian Ocean namely Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Yemen is participating in the two-day long mock drill.

What is more important this time is that 10 countries including India are conducting the drill in real time involving all of its departments are participating in this drill involving evacuation of people from the affected zones.

During the drill, two scenarios will be created in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Ocean. In the first scenario different agencies of the Indian Ocean countries will pass on information on an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 south of Sumatra, Indonesia, on September 7 at 0830 IST. While the next day, on September 8, agencies will simulate an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 in the Makran Trench, south of Iran and Pakistan at 1130 IST.

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During both the scenarios, Indian Tsunami Early Warning Center will issue 15 tsunami bulletins to both national and regional stakeholders through GTS, email, fax, SMS as well as web. The agencies like NDRF Coast Guard Navy, SDRF, Civil defense are participating in this exercise evacuating the people from coast areas of eastern and western Indian coast.

"Over 40 thousand people will be evacuated during the drill from Indian ocean coast. It will provide us real time data and show our preparedness," said SSC Shenoi.

IOWAVE 16 COORDINATED BY INCOIS

In India, IOWave16 is being coordinated by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) with support from National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Coastal States/UTs. The drill will involve the evacuation of around 35,000 people from the coastal communities mostly in Odisha and also in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Gujarat and Karnataka.

International observers and media teams from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) are being deputed to India and Seychelles to report on the drill as well as to prepare a film for the upcoming Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR)-2016 in New Delhi (November 2-5, 2016) and 1st World Tsunami Awareness day on November 5, 2016.

--- ENDS ---

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During the first half of the year, 163 suspected cases of human trafficking were reported, compared with 195 cases during the whole of 2015, Sweden's Migration Board reported. Of the 163 cases reported, half involved slavery for sexual purposes. More than 20 other cases involved forced labor of various kinds, whereas in ten cases people were forced into begging. In 53 of the 163 cases the victims were children, while in the majority of the rest, the victims were women.

"Everything points to a sharp increase this year, and this is a trend we have witnessed for several years in a row," Kajsa Tornqvist Netz, the Migration Board's coordinator of efforts to fight human trafficking said in a press release.

Meanwhile, statistics reveal that the trend is on the rise after having decreased. In 2012, 49 cases were reported, compared to 121 in 2013 and 195 in 2015.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  In June, Ankara restricted a delegation of German lawmakers' access to the air base, where Bundeswehr forces involved in the US-led coalition campaign against the Daesh terrorist group are deployed, after the German parliament adopted a resolution recognizing the early 20th century massacre of ethnic-Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as genocide. Despite the ban, Germany decided to send a delegation to the base in mid-September.

"If Germany continues to behave as it does now, then we will consider [allowing the visit]," Cavusoglu told Die Welt newspaper in an interview, referring to the comments made by the German government's spokesman Steffen Seibert stressing that the Bundestag resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide was not legally binding.

On August 29, Cavusoglu said German officials would be able to visit the base provided the German government took steps to distance itself from the Bundestag resolution.
WARSAW (Sputnik)  Poland's Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz announced on Wednesday his decision to place a supply order for eight Patriot surface-to-air missile systems with the US government.

"Poland will get eight Patriot systems, two of which will arrive in Poland as early as in 2019," Macierewicz said, as quoted by the Telewizja Polska broadcaster.

The deal provides that at least half of the revenue from the Patriot systems sale will be invested in Polish military production, Macierewicz added.
The reputation of the Nobel Prize has been severely damaged by the scandal surrounding Macchiarini, at least in the short term, Nobel Foundation CEO Lars Heikensten stated in an interview with the Swedish national broadcaster SVT

According to Bo Risberg, professor emeritus of surgery and former chairman of the Research Ethics Committee, the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine should be called to a halt, to underscore the seriousness of the situation.

"It would be a dignified and beautiful way to apologize to the patients and to the whole research community. To continue with our proceedings in the usual way would be the worst thing imaginable in this situation, as it would be seen as incredibly callous," Bo Risberg said.

Lars Heikensten concurred with his colleague about the reputational loss incurred by the Nobel Foundation following the Macchiarini scandal. However, the scandal is hardly expected to rupture the foundation's work.

Paolo #Macchiarini misstankt for grovt vallande till annans dod och grovt vallande av kroppsskada. https://t.co/VMXOAwjodA  Stefan (@StefanP89) 22  2016 .

"During its 100-year history, the Nobel Prize has managed to handle different types of crises. I will not downplay the scope of what has happened, but I do believe the effects will be of a rather temporary nature," Heikesten said.
Alastair Newton, co-founder and director of Alavan Business Advisory told Radio Sputnik that the election defeat for the CDU represents the voters' rejection of Angela Merkel's migration policy, and was widely predicted by opinion polls.

"The SPD actually did better than expected. That could be because a week before the election SPD leader and Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel actually broke ranks with Merkel and moved his party towards a more anti-immigrant stance than was previously the case," Newton explained.

Newton said that with federal elections set to take place next autumn, the SPD is seeking to differentiate itself from its coalition partners.

In the last German federal elections in 2013, the CDU and CSU won 311 of 598 seats in the Bundestag. Gabriel's SDP was next, with 193 seats, followed by Die Linke with 64 seats and the Greens with 62 seats.

The right-wing AfD was formed in 2013 in the aftermath of the European debt crisis. The Eurosceptic party opposed the bailout deal which EU creditors struck with Greece, and opposes the open-border policy espoused by the EU and Angela Merkel.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The United Kingdom plans to build a 13-foot-high and 0.6-mile-long wall at France's Calais in response to the desperate situation in the so-called Jungle migrant camp, British Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill said Tuesday.

"We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We've done the fence, now we are doing a wall," Goodwill told the Commons Home Affairs Committee, as quoted by the Sky News broadcaster.

On Monday, two convoys of at least 40 trucks and tractors joined a demonstration slowing traffic at a major highway near Calais, protesting against the presence of the camp.
A recent investigation of the Italian intelligence agencies identified two foreign militants of Tunisian origin, who left Italy to fight for Daesh. Interestingly, the two young men were listed as students of the University of Turin and even received scholarships to study. This is not the first time that Italian students, mainly of Middle Eastern origin, have left to fight for the Islamic State. It turns out that "lone wolves" can infiltrate almost anywhere.

However, Stefano Allievi considers that the word "infiltrate" does not quite fit, as it implies that the penetration comes from the outside. In the case of the majority of foreign militants, things are quite different:

"Daesh does not implement them and manage them, they are already here: working, studying, or engaging in criminal activity. And only then they decide to join the Islamic State. Often, they do not even communicate with Daesh. Now anyone can say that he is from Daesh."

"We are not talking about a monster that attacks from the outside. It's a monster that is already here," the professor said.

Allievi thinks there is too much hype around the subject and there is no need for further panic. "Italy is among the countries that are least affected by this problem, regarding the numbers of terrorist attacks and the amount of foreign militants."

Nevertheless, radicalization cannot be underestimated.

"This is a dangerous phenomenon, because it is difficult to understand where the radicalized subjects are situated. Everything can start with just one person becoming angry. One of those students arrested in Turin was selling drugs, he did not even attend the mosque. That is why it is important to work on prevention," the expert explained.
Dubbed the Great Wall of Calais by the British media, a four meter high concrete barrier will be built to reinforce fencing that has failed to prevent refugees and migrants from attempting to reach the UK.

I don't agree with my taxes contributing to build the #GreatWallOfCalais, I want them used to take in more #refugees.  Karen Bailey (@KazzieLB) September 7, 2016

"The security that we are putting in at the port is being stepped up with better equipment. We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We've done the fence, now we are doing a wall," Home Office minister Robert Goodwill told the Home Affairs Select Committee.

The concrete wall will be built along the main motorway towards to the port, a route recently held to a standstill after lorry drivers, residents and business owners marched towards the port calling for the so-called "Jungle" camp to be closed.
Austria's insistence that the Dublin Regulation be upheld by considering legal action is unprecedented.

However, it is just the latest in a series of hardline measures brought in by the Austrian government to try and assuage the public's fears.

This week, Austria introduced a controversial annual 37,500 migrant cap. The so-called emergency decree finalized on Tuesday, would prevent most people from applying for asylum once that threshold is met. It's set for a parliament vote in about a month, and is expected to pass.

The move aims to further curb asylum claims following more than 90,000 applications being filed in 2015, and over 29,000 applications, which have been filed in the first seven months of this year.

Migrants & refugees contribute greatly to host countries  spread the word ahead of #UN4RefgueesMigrants Summit! pic.twitter.com/NmKAlHWcBC  United Nations (@UN) September 2, 2016

However, Austria is not the only European country who is trying to close its borders to more migrants.

A Hungarian government spokesman dismissed Austria's threat of court action, pointing the finger of blame elsewhere, by claiming the vast majority of migrants entering Austria had arrived in other EU states first.

"Hungary cannot and will not take responsibility for, and suffer the consequences of, the irresponsible conduct of other member states  Austria, Germany  which expressly suggested ignoring the rules, or for other states  Greece  that neglected to do their job," the spokesman said.

Hungary too is hoping to push the blame  and the emphasis on whose responsibility it is to help process the migrant's resettlement claims  elsewhere: specifically, southward.

Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban has called on the European Union to defend its borders.

Orban spoke on Tuesday in southern Poland, where he met with leaders from Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Ukraine for talks on the EU's future.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Pedro Agramunt on Wednesday said constructive discussions on PACE-Russian relations and possible reforms to the assembly were held with Russia's lower house of parliament speaker Sergei Naryshkin.

"We had a constructive discussion on a wide range of issues including the relations of the Russian parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly as well as a possible reform of the Assembly rules and procedures," Agramunt said during a press conference after the meeting with Naryshkin.

Russian lawmakers are currently barred from PACE after being suspended over the crisis in Russian-European relations that followed Crimea rejoining Russia.
Himanshi Bhatia, the CEO of Rose International and IT Staffing,allegedly harassed and abused her domestic help. She forced the help to sleep with her dogs and starved her for many days.

By Press Trust of India: An Indian-American CEO of an IT staffing and consulting firm has been charged in the US with callous treatment of a domestic worker who had come from India to work for her.

The Department of Labor in its complaint alleges that Himanshu Bhatia, the CEO for Rose International and IT Staffing, paid her domestic service worker USD 400 a month plus food and housing for work being performed during 15 and half hours a day seven days a week at her home in San Juan Capistrano and other luxury residences in Miami, Las Vegas and Long Beach, California.

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FORCED TO SLEEP BESIDES DOG, STARVED FOR DAYS?



According to the complaint filed by the US Labor Secretary Thomas E Perez on August 22 in the US District Court for the Central District of California, the domestic service worker identified as Sheela Ningwal, was subject to callous abuse and retaliation.

She was forced to sleep in the garage on a piece of carpet alongside Bhatia's dogs when she was ill, and being left without food when Bhatia leave her residence for days, the complaint alleged.

Additionally, Bhatia confiscated Ningwal's passport, restricting her free movement and only made available to the domestic service worker when she had to travel to perform domestic service duties at Bhatia's penthouse in Miami, it said.

'FIRED FOR RESEARCHING LABOUR LAWS'



Bhatia terminated Ningwal in December 2014 after catching her researching the topic of "labor laws" on line and after the domestic service worker refused to sign a document Bhatia authored, stating that she was being paid an adequate salary and had no employment dispute with Bhatia, the complaint said.

The departments Wage and Hour Division found that Bhatia violated the Fair Labor Standards Acts minimum wage and record keeping provisions from July 2012 to December 2014, as well as the acts anti-retaliation provision.

Rose International and IT staffing and consulting firm that had more than USD 357 million in revenue in 2011.

Also Read:Indian housekeeper claims she was treated as 'slave' in UK



Devyani Khobragade case reveals how row over maid's visa lead to this diplomatic incident

Pay $1.5 mn to abused maid: US court to Indian diplomat



--- ENDS ---
In 2009, the court found that Greece failed to follow directives regarding the management of waste, hazardous waste and the landfill of waste. The European Commission expressed its concerns in a letter of formal notice in March 2011 and in a reasoned opinion in January 2012 but to no avail.

"In its judgment delivered today, the Court concludes that Greece failed to take all the necessary measures to comply with the judgment of 2009 The Court considers it appropriate to order Greece to pay, into the EU budget, a lump sum of 10 million in order to prevent a repetition of infringements of EU law in the future," the press release reads.
PRAGUE (Sputnik)  Czech President Milos Zeman will host Austrian presidential candidate from the far-right Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) Norbert Hofer on his request next week, Zeman's Press Secretary Jiri Ovcacek said Wednesday.

"As for the meeting's agenda, it depends primarily on the guest [Hofer], he is the one to put forth proposals. I remind you that the president had already met with [another Austrian presidential candidate] Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna," Ovcacek told the Parlamentni listy outlet.

On May 22, Austrians voted in the second round of the presidential elections, choosing between Hofer and Van der Bellen. The latter was elected president after the authorities counted postal votes, despite his rival leading in exit polls.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  London police on Wednesday detained a person on suspicion of encouragement of terrorism, the UK Metropolitan police said in a statement.

"Detectives from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command have today, Wednesday, 7 September arrested a 44-year-old man from north-west London on suspicion of encouragement of terrorism and dissemination of terrorist publications," the statement said.

The statement added that police detained the man, who was also suspected of "dissemination of terrorist publications" at about 6 a.m. local time (05:00 GMT).
Sir John Sorrell is president of London's Design Biennale and speaking about the event he said: "The London Design Biennale celebrates design as an international language, which everyone can understand. It does not recognise boundaries or borders. It is always seeking to make the world a better place. All over the world, nations and cities are increasingly recognising the power of design to bring social change and economic growth. They are realising that creativity, with design at its heart, can play a vital role in providing solutions to problems which affect the way people live."

Sputnik spoke to Alexandra Sankova from Moscow Design Museum, who discussed the historical influence of Russia's installation spanning pre-revolutionary to Soviet periods, and all the way through to contemporary Russian design trends.

"We wanted to promote the history of Russian design as after the collapse of the Soviet Union, so many archives and design projects were lost and even thrown away. In Russia, even the word 'design' wasn't recognized until 1989, prior to which individuals were simply known as "constructers," architects or artists and so, there is now a real interest in how global design industries impact all of our lives," Ms. Sankova told Sputnik.

Speaking about some of the curated works commissioned by the Moscow based museum of Design, Alexandra Sankova added:

"Many designers in the past who were based in Russia created visions for future housing, much of which accurately show living trends today. Even artistic replications of gadgets that are prevalent worldwide today such as iPads and iPods as well as new types of transportation vehicles were depicted by Russian designers decades before they have been created."
However, less than 24 hours later, Theresa May, after flying back from the G20 summit in China, publicly denounced her own minister, a man she herself chose to help lead the UK's Brexit negotiations.

In an embarrassing about-face, she insisted that she has made no such decision on whether she believes the UK should press to remain a part of the EU single market, a lucrative customs union that allows the freedom of movement of goods and services without any regulatory obstacles.

"We will not take decisions until we are ready. We will not reveal our hand prematurely and we will not provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiations," May said.

Does David Davis understand trade policy? Canadian trade expert says nope: https://t.co/W4OgtZBvLI  Tim Harford (@TimHarford) September 6, 2016

May spoke at length during Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions and a subsequent Brexit statement in Parliament: however, little was forthcoming on any specific details.

It left opponents noisily deriding her and her government, with many MPs accusing the Prime Minister of either not having a plan, or of deliberately deceiving the public.

Angus Robertson, the Scottish National Party's leader at Westminster, accused May of wasting the public's time.

"The government has had all summer to come up with a plan, to come up with a strategy. So far, we've just had waffle," he said in an openly hostile exchange.

"So may I ask the Prime Minster a very simple question, but it's quite important, does she want the UK to remain fully with the European single market?"

May deflected.

"What I want for the UK is that we put into practice the vote that was taken by the people of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union."

Robertson would not be deterred, repeating his demand for an answer.

"The European single market is the biggest market in the world. And it really matters to our businesses and it really matters to our economy.

"And I asked the prime minster a very, very simple question, and it's either an 'in' or an 'out' answer, so let me ask it again Does she want the UK to remain fully part of the European single market: yes or no?" Robertson said.

Once again Angus Robertson asks the questions that many Labour MPs were no doubt hoping Corbyn would ask #PMQs  Emily Ashton (@elashton) 7 September 2016

But to no avail, the Prime Minister continued to resist calls for a direct answer on the matter, to loud howls of disapproval across the Commons.

May's public disavowal of her Brexit minister is particularly damning as it was David Davis' first statement to the Commons as Brexit minister, and he had been seeking to provide "clarity."

It is also the latest indication of deep divisions in the Prime Minister's cabinet over what direction the government should be leading the country in.

Wednesday's comments by May, that she is in no hurry to reveal what her true intentions are, will do little to assuage the nervousness of UK businesses or EU country leaders.
"His business was struggling and eventually he was unable to make ends meet. Truth be told though, Im not faring much better that him. I own 55 scooters, but only 15 of them are on display. Some days I dont even get any clients at all, and I still have to pay the rent," he lamented.

Yorgo also added that he used to rent several rooms to tourists, but this year many of his regular customers said theyd rather visit the islands untouched by the flow of refugees.

"The problem is, the situation on Lesbos has changed for the better since last year, but the media keeps using the photos and footages from back then in their publications, thus doing us a lot of harm," he said.

Many of the islands residents are also outraged by the fact that journalists who visit Lesbos to write a story or make a report about the refugees often tend to ignore the real state of affairs because apparently negative information is 'more attractive' to the readership.

"When the surge of refugees started, we did our best to accommodate them and to help them continue their journey. When spring came, the islands residents made a considerable effort to clean the coastline of boat wreckages and life jackets that the migrants used to get here. But no one heard about it, no one published the photos of cleared beaches. We need someone to finally tell the world that things got back to normal on the island," a local resident named Ellen Afratoglu told Sputnik.

Yorgos, a guard working at a local International Rescue Committee camp, explained that the vast majority of islands residents work in tourism industry, and that the current situation left a serious impact on their livelihood.

"They work for six months during the high tourist season, and live off the money they made for the rest of the year. This year however things are pretty bleak, and I doubt that anyone has enough money to last the next six months," he said.

He also pointed out that while the islands that werent affected by the migrant crisis continue to develop their tourism industry, the residents of Lesbos are forced to seek employment in Germany in order to feed their families. Nevertheless, if another wave of refugees does arrive at the island, the locals stand ready to do the same thing they did in 2015.

"We feel proud of each other, we managed to unite and help these people. We did what had to be done. And if Turkey breaks the agreement and another wave of refugees comes to Lesbos, well do it again. We regret nothing, but we are saddened by the fact that instead of receiving the support we were hoping for, we were left on our own," Yorgos said.
Dame Goodfellow said that it was absolutely necessary to provide the reassurance in order to ensure the country did not see a sudden decline in EU student applications.

More than 125,000 students are currently studying at UK universities and they currently make up 5 percent of the UK student population.

A photo posted by Universities UK (@universitiesuk) on Jun 24, 2016 at 4:44am PDT

There is an overall uncertainty among the student body about what would happen to people from the EU and whether they will still be paying the same fees as UK students. Most of the members of the UUK voted for Britain to remain as part of the EU.

"Having campaigned hard for a remain vote myself, and as vice-chancellor of the University of Kent, the UK's European university, I know the shock and disappointment so many people felt at the outcome," Dame Goodfellow said in a recent statement.

Read our latest advice for universities and students about the implications of Brexit. https://t.co/aCayQZHpal  Universities UK (@UniversitiesUK) 5 July 2016

For the UUK, the general concern is the anxiety that is shared among the 125,000 EU students and the 43,000 EU staff at universities across the country.

"We understand that answers are unlikely to be quick or easy as there are complex political issues at play, but clarity is needed right now  for our staff as they consider whether to stay in the UK; for our current students who are anxious about what it means for their place here; for and prospective students as they consider entry in 2017," Dame Goodfellow said.

Goodfellow: UUK also calling on govt to support enhanced mobility programmes for UK students/staff, provide extra public research funding.  John Morgan (@JMorganTHE) 7 September 2016

Goodfellow stressed that UK universities were unsure and unable to clarify two burning questions, firstly what fees EU students would pay and secondly, will they be able to access financial support?

#bisgovuk #downingstreet #eurefresults #highereducation #HE #futuregenerations #studentlife @nus_uk A photo posted by Universities UK (@universitiesuk) on Jul 1, 2016 at 9:12am PDT

The UUK has called for the Prime Minister and her government to take positive steps to create the conditions for the university sector so that it will be allowed to contribute fully to the UK's economic success and global influence, inside and outside the EU.

"I therefore ask that the UK government supports us on four key issues, firstly, enhancing international research collaboration, with partners both in Europe and across the globe. Secondly by developing policies to enhance the UK as an attractive destination for international students and staff, including immigration policy reforms, thirdly by growing global opportunities for UK students and staff by enhancing mobility programs and finally by increasing public investment in research and innovation," Goodfellow said in a recent statement.
Two young men spotted a Muslim woman walking with her husband and two children in the street. Ultranationalists began to insult her as the victim was wearing a hijab, traditional Muslim attire.

The womans husband tried to protect her. To stop the fight, the pregnant lady stood between the men, and as a result one of the attackers hit her in the stomach.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission's (SMM) vehicle was set on fire in western Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk, the OSCE said on Wednesday.

"At 22:49 (EET) [20:49 GMT] on 6 September the security guard of the SMM office located in central Ivano-Frankivsk noted on the CCTV camera that an SMM vehicle (Nissan Patrol) in the parking lot was on fire and called the fire brigade," the spot report on the OSCE website read.


WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The International Monetary Funds (IMF) executive board has approved a three-year assistance arrangement for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the amount of553.3 million, the IMF announced in a release on Wednesday.

"The Executive Boards decision will enable an immediate disbursement of SDR 63.4125 million (about 79.2 million)," the release stated.

The remaining aid will be disbursed to the Bosnian authorities in 11 instalments upon quarterly reviews of the economic progress, according to the IMF.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to the broadcaster Globo, she headed for her apartment in Porto Alegre in southern Brazil after leaving the residence on Tuesday. The day before, her luggage started to be taken from the Alvorada Palace. Near the residence, she was welcomed by hundreds of her supporters who also followed her to the plane.

Rousseff leaves Brazil presidential palace for last time https://t.co/jivlWyxj6G  BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) 7  2016 .

In May, the Brazilian Senate voted to open impeachment proceedings against Rousseff after she was accused of concealing the budget deficit ahead of the 2014 re-election. Rousseff was suspended from office for 180 days, pending the trial, while she denied any wrongdoing. In late August, Brazilian senators voted to remove Rousseff from the presidential post.

While many remain resentful of her party, the Worker's Party, in the wake of the Petrobras scandal, allegations against Rousseff herself have been decried as a product of political opportunism.
The prison operated from 1902 to 1947. It was built to populate a strategically important area in the south of Argentina. The town of Ushuaia was created by traders and the prison administration. Most of the town's population were prisoners and guards. This prison was the center of urban life, Carlos Vairo, director of the Maritime Museum and the Museum of Ushuaia prison, told Sputnik.

This penal colony only accepted prisoners who had been sentenced for life. The jail had five pavilions, each with cells between 1.5 and 2 meters wide. The prison also had 380 isolation cells with walls 60 centimeters thick.

Behind the prison walls, murderers famous for their cruelty are serving their sentences.
Last month Ukrainian journalist Oleg Yasinsky, accompanied by two Russian documentary filmmakers, made his way to a base of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), in order to make a film about the group.

In an exclusive interview, he told Sputnik Mundo that after the treacherous journey to the camp, he was surprised by the reality of the FARC community.

"Exactly a week before our meeting with the guerillas, in one of the deepest corners of the Colombian hinterland, we received information from Havana about the date, time and place where the guerillas would meet us," Yasinsky explained.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  As little as three besieged areas of Syria out of 18 have been reached by the United Nations' humanitarian aid in August, Senior Adviser to UN Special Envoy for Syria Jan Egeland said Thursday.

"Today is the first of September and this was a stocktaking meeting in many ways on what we have achieved in August and we were only able to reach three of the 18 besieged areas [in Syria]," Egeland told reporters.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  US forces killed thirteen al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen in three counterterrorism strikes, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a press release.

The US military conducted three counterterrorism strikes against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula in the Shabwah Governorate in central Yemen, the release stated on Tuesday.

The United States conducted the strikes, the release noted, from August 24 to September 4.
ANKARA (Sputnik)  Ankara sees no problem in accepting Washington's proposal for a joint operation to free the Syrian city Raqqa from Daesh (ISIL/ISIS), Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

"Raqqa is an important center for Daesh [US President Barack ] Obama particularly wants to do something together [with us] about Raqqa. We have told him that this is not a problem for us What can be done there will become more concrete after talks," Erdogan told reporters, as quoted by the newspaper Hurriyet.

Erdogan added that Turkey must show that it was present in the region and had no option of taking a step back on Syria and countering terrorism.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Syrian opposition's High Negotiation Committee (HNC) on Wednesday unveiled a plan comprised of three "phases" to complete a political transition in the war-torn Arab country, saying that the plan is based on the Geneva Communique.

"This vision stems from the HNC's deep belief in the importance of the true and honest implementation of the Geneva Communique of 2012 and the relevant UN Resolutions, as well as all the legal obligations enshrined in international law," the HNC said in the document.

As part of the first phase, the sides to the conflict are given six months no negotiate a peace deal, during which the government and the opposition forces have to commit to a temporary truce. The phase stipulates the cessation of all combat operations, including aerial attacks, lifting the siege of all towns, allowing humanitarian access and releasing all war prisoners.
In particular, he says, it might be an implementation of the "American scenario" of the solution to the Syrian crisis.

"Both Raqqa and north of Syria are the territories of the sovereign state and if the above plan is going to be implemented, Raqqa will find itself under Turkish control," he told in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"Turkey, in turn, is leading the units of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), hence it would mean that part of Syria would then find itself under control of the FSA. And this would have far-reaching consequences," the expert explained.

Afterwards, Boris Dolgov said, using the presence of the FSA in the region, the US and Turkey might form an alternative leadership in the region and with its support lay down certain conditions to the countrys legitimate government.

Dolgov is, however, convinced that it is premature to speculate on the launch of the operation.

"This operation will inevitably preceded by consultations with Russia and Iran. Russian Airspace Forces now partially control Syrian air space, thus there is a clear need in consultations with the Russian military leadership," he finally said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Tuesday, media reports emerged suggesting that Syrian activists and rescue workers are blaming the government forces for an alleged chemical attack in Aleppo. A suspected chlorine bomb was dropped on the city, reportedly injuring dozens.

"We are disturbed by the recent allegations of the use of toxic chemicals in Aleppo. Such allegations are taken very seriously by the OPCW. The use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances is unacceptable," OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said, as quoted in the statement on the organizations website.
He further suggested that those are the exact people that the US could sit down at the negotiation table with, and this explains the US interest in Turkey's operation.

In other words, the expert explains, the US has decided to put an end to the plan of supporting jihadists and get a new reliable partner who would be able to take part in negotiations.

However the same very actions are also of benefit to Russia, he further claimed.

"Let us not forget that before the assault in Jarabulus, President Erdogan met with President Putin while Joe Biden visited Turkey," he said.

Hence Russia's interest, he said, is that the Turkish army has drawn the "moderate" rebels out of Aleppo to fight for Jarabulus, thus weakening the fighting in Aleppo. As a result, Damascus was able to take the city under its control.

To sum it up, according to Wassim Nasr, Washington has an alternative to offer to what it considers the 'moderate'' opposition, while Moscow is benefiting from a weakened Aleppo.
Jacqueline Fernandez is super excited about her debut appearance at New York Fashion Week.

Jacqueline Fernandez will be seen at the event as TRESemme India's brand ambassador. Picture courtesy: Instagram/@jacquelinef143

By India Today Web Desk: After her best friend Sonam Kapoor has been spotted attending international fashion weeks, it's Jacqueline Fernandez's turn to make her debut appearance at one.

And, the Flying Jatt actress will be seen at New York Fashion Week, which happens to be one of the most extravagant fashion events in the global fashion calendar.

Also read: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis' wife is all set to walk the New York Fashion Week runway

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Jacqueline, who was recently announced as the brand ambassador of hair care brand TRESemme in India, is expected to leave for the fashion gala on Wednesday.

"I'm super excited to attend New York Fashion Week for the first time, as the brand ambassador of TRESemme India," Jacqueline said in a statement.

She added, "The whole vibe is all about taking fashion and style a notch higher, and that's totally me. I cannot wait to get some take away some great beauty and fashion trends from there."

Also read: Sunny Leone to walk the ramp at New York Fashion Week for designer Archana Kochhar

The fashion week will start on September 8, and will go on till September 15. With TRESemme as the official backstage partner for the event, Jacqueline is all set to attend the presentations of some of the hottest labels in business including the likes of as Hugo Boss, Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta.

However, Jacqueline isn't the only Indian celebrity who will be in attendance at the event, as acid-attack survivor Reshma Qureshi, Amruta Fadnavis and Jism 2 star Sunny Leone will all be seen walking the runway at the event.

(With IANS inputs)

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The Turkish migration authorities recorded the border crossings made by refugees in the town of Karkamis in Gaziantep province, the NTV broadcaster said.

On August 24, Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, began a military operation dubbed Euphrates Shield to clear Jarabulus and the surrounding area of Daesh, outlawed in Russia and many other countries worldwide.
However, even though the incidents repeat year after year, no measures to improve the situation are ever taken. With such inaction and indifference to the tragedies, the Saudi authorities show their disrespect to the Muslims all over the world, he said.

Even before the 1979 Islamic revolution, in the days of the Shah, when Iranian relations with the KSA were better than they are now, pilgrimages were not without casualties. Therefore, Iran demands that the Hajj to Mecca and Medina is organized not by the Saudi authorities but, for example, by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Seyed Hadi Afghahi added.

"Unfortunately, the KSA authorities turned the Hajj into a kind of politically motivated trip, devoid of spirituality and holiness. They do not allow the pilgrims to freely and comfortably perform their religious ceremony, according to the precepts of the Quran," the expert told Sputnik.

"Instead, the Saudi authorities with all their radicalism unjustly detain and arrest pilgrims who do not share their ideology of Wahhabism. I was personally arrested twice for no reason during the pilgrimage and held in custody. This is nothing but a religious dictatorship," he added.

The ruling Al-Saud regime only destroys the sanctity of the pilgrimage and destabilizes the situation in Muslim countries, believes Seyed Hadi Afghahi.

"This year, Iran has made numerous attempts to reach an agreement with Saudi Arabia on the Hajj for its citizens. But the other party did not show compliancy; on the contrary, the KSA authorities were looking for political motivation in every nuance. In the end, a constructive dialogue did not happen. The Iranian side has not only failed to receive an apology for last year's tragedy, but also lost the chance to participate in the Hajj season."

According to Seyed Hadi Afghahi, there is hope that the message of Ayatollah Khamenei will become an alarm for all Muslim countries and their leaders, especially taking into account that the Egyptians, the Iraqis, the Yemenis, the Palestinians and the Syrians were deprived of the possibility to perform their religious rites, too.

"No one has the right to deprive the rights of the pilgrims. The shrines of Islam are not the private property, they are spiritual and sacred heritage of the entire Muslim world," the expert concluded.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus criticized the United States of what he called a slow reaction to the July 15 failed coup attempt in Turkey.

"The fact that [the] Americans displayed a slow reaction in the wake of the coup attempt caused difficulties for the Turkish people to reconcile this issue with the friendship [between Turkey and the United States]. And we shared this without reservations [with US officials]," Kurtulmus told journalists, as quoted by the Hurriyet Daily.

The United States condemned the failed coup a day after it was attempted, a move which Turkey didnt like, many voices in Turkey went even further to accuse the United States of being the mastermind behind the plot, however Kurtulmus denied those accusations.
ANKARA (Sputnik)  More than 100 terrorists have been killed by the Turkish armed forces since the beginning of the Euphrates Shield military operation in northern Syria, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said Wednesday.

"Over the 15 days of the operation, [the Turkish army] has liberated a total of 772 square kilometers [298 square miles] from terrorists and killed 110 fighters from the Islamic State group and Syrian Kurds' self-defense forces [People's Protection Units [YPG)]," Canikli told journalists.

According to him, five Turkish soldiers died and 19 more sustained injuries during the operation.
In the report, the UNCTAD attempted to estimate the "the staggering economic cost of occupation, including limits on movement, destruction of assets, expansion of Israeli settlements, and confiscation of land, water and natural resources among the "channels through which occupation deprives the Palestinian people of their human right to development, Haaretz reported.

Combined, these factors "generated permanent crises of unemployment, poverty and food insecurity," UNCTAD said.

"Without occupation, the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory could produce twice the GDP [gross domestic product] it currently generates," the report said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that the Turkish incursion undermines the "sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic."

The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that Turkish actions "could further complicate an already challenging military and political situation in Syria and negatively affect international efforts to devise a settlement platform that would ensure a more sustainable ceasefire, uninterrupted humanitarian access and would provide a solid foundation for conciliation and overcoming the crisis in this country.

"Russia calls on Ankara to put these objectives above immediate military and tactical aims and refrain from steps that could further destabilise the Syrian Arab Republic."
Over 50 anti-UAV systems will attempt to track and take down drones. According to Leary, this year, only "non-kinetic and non-destructive" systems will participate, as taking down a drone without destroying it is a necessity in urban areas. One such non-kinetic system, called MESMER, can take control of a drone and land it, against the will of the source controller.

Some 1200 people from 25 government entities will reportedly take part in the exercise.

"There are upwards of 70 countries with UAS programs. Not to mention the number of commercially available systems that anybody could get," said Leary. "The threat is evolving in a very significant way, so we always have new things to learn and new things to field."
Further complicating matters is the fact that transactions that lack sufficient information are placed in suspense accounts that become more difficult to track. A common problem across all Pentagon departments, a report from June found that the Navy had miscalculated its suspense account balances by as much as $57 million.

"Suspense accounts have been a long-standing problem at DoD," the latest report reads.

Financial transparency has been an ongoing problem. The Navy claimed that it was audit-ready in 2013, but was forced to improve its system after a report from the DoD Inspector General.

In response to the new GAO findings, Navy spokeswoman Lt. Kara Yingling stressed that the Navy would be ready by next years deadline.
KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  Kazakhstans armed forces will receive two Su-30 multirole fighters and two Mi-17 transport helicopters from Russia this year as part of existing contracts, Kazakhstans Deputy Defense Minister Okas Saparov told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"We received four Su-30s from Russia in 2014, two more this year," Saparov said at the Army-2016 military forum, adding that two Mi-17s would enter into service in 2016, followed by more next year.

Moreover, Kazakhstan plans to sign a contract on the purchase of four Russian Mi-35 helicopters by the end of 2016, Kazakh Deputy Defense Minister Okas Saparov told Sputnik on Wednesday.
KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  The Russian Helicopters aircraft manufacturing holding is ready to start producing helicopters for Peru once an agreement is signed with the Latin American country, Vladislav Savelyev, the company's director of public procurement and military-technical cooperation, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"There are certain requests at the moment [from Peru], they are being worked out and discussed with our customers. Once they are ready to sign contracts, we will be ready to produce the necessary number of helicopters," Savelyev said, speaking on the sidelines of the Army-2016 international military forum.

According to Savelyev, the Russian company is ready to supply aircraft of various modifications to Peru, including transport, combat and heavy transport helicopters.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and a massive hunt has been launched to nab the militants.

By Ashraf Wani: Three Army jawans were injured in a militant attack on an Army convoy near Kralgung Langate in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir today morning.

The incident took place when a group of militants indiscriminately opened fired on the convoy near Handwara. The group immediately fled the scene thereafter.

Also read: Pakistan violates ceasefire in J-K's Poonch sector, Indian Army retaliates



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Security forces have cordoned off the area and a massive hunt has been launched to nab the militants.

WATCH | Kashmir: Army convoy attacked in Kupwara, 3 jawans injured



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KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  The Russian Helicopters holding expects that the Latin American states will show interest in the new models of Russian Arctic aircraft, Vladislav Savelyev, the company's director of public procurement and military-technical cooperation, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

According to Savelyev, a few years ago, Russian Helicopters was signing "a lot of contracts" with Latin American countries, but currently there is a "temporary lull."

"However we expect that, upon seeing the new models that we are presenting, they will, of course, show interest, including in the Arctic helicopters, because Latin America is not only all about warm climate, there are also southern latitudes, in which [the Arctic helicopters] could carry out their tasks," Savelyev said, speaking on the sidelines of the Army-2016 international military forum.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin will be visiting India on September 13 for the 22nd Session of the Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation.

It is believed that his visit will also set the agenda for the summit meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Putin which will be held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Goa in October. The strengthening of India-Russia defense relations will beat the top of the Indian governments agenda despite Indias increasing defense partnership with US, especially after the signing of Indo-US Logistic Support Agreement.

In fact to ward off any misgivings, India has planned to step up those defense projects which are already in pipeline with Russia. Sources in Defense Ministry say that India is giving a push to all its defense projects with Russia which had been put on hold for some time.
KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  Russias Admiralty Shipyard plans to deliver six Varshavyanka-class Project 636 stealth submarines to the Pacific Fleet by 2021, the shipyards director said Wednesday.

"The terms of the six submarines deliveries are: two in 2019, two in 2020 and two in 2021," Director General Alexander Buzakov told reporters at the Army-2016 military forum near Moscow.

Buzakov and Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov signed a contract on the construction of the six advanced stealth technology submarines at the forum earlier in the day.
Previously, the Norwegian parliament gave the green light to spending no less than 81.6 billion NOK (roughly $9.9 billion) on the fighter jets. This sum was determined with a security grade of P85, meaning that there was an 85 percent chance that the final price would fall within the estimated bracket. When questioned by parliament, Sreide indicated the price as 80.2 billion NOK (roughly $9.7 billion), yet provided a security grade of P50, thus tacitly acknowledging the risk of a possible price hike, Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet reported.

According to Olav Torp, professor of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), there is a huge difference between the two figures, which possibly implies extra defense expenditure.

The Norwegian defense was therefore left with a 50 percent probability that the overall price tag for the much-debated fighter jets will exceed the frame, set by parliament. During the dispute over the expensive fighter jets, Liberal deputy Ola Elvestuen asked the Defense Minister to "calm down" on her shopping trips to the United States. So far, 22 aircraft have already been ordered. According to him, the purchase of the next 18 jets must be postponed until the Defense Ministry sets things straight.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia has almost caught up on its foreign rivals in respect to manufacturing military unmanned aerial vehicles, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Borisov said Wednesday.

"Just a few years ago, we were criticized for lagging seriously behind in this area. As of today, I think we have almost caught up," Borisov told Rossiya 24 broadcaster in an interview on the sidelines of the Army-2016 international military forum.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Armenian automated complex for reconnaissance and artillery fire control showcased at the Army-2016 military forum is of interest for Russia, Pakistan, a representative of the Armenian Defense Ministry told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"Armenia's automated complex for reconnaissance and artillery fire control 2K02 is of great interest not only for Russia, but a number of other countries, for example, Pakistan. It is already in use with the Armenian Armed Forces," the ministry's representative said on the sidelines of Army-2016.

The Russian Defense Ministry's Army-2016 forum is taking place on September 6-11 in Kubinka, a western suburb of Moscow. The forum brings together representatives from the Russian defense industry, research institutes, universities, as well as foreign companies.
KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  Russia is seeking to offer its new Mil Mi-17 transport helicopter variants suited to operating in the Antarctic to Chile, Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport Deputy Director General Sergey Goreslavsky told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"We now have the arctic and polar variant of the Mi-17 type helicopter, and we count on it to be popular, including in Chile, a country which is implementing a policy of exploring the Antarctic," Goreslavsky said on the sidelines of the ongoing Army-2016 international military and technical forum near Moscow.

Russia has traditionally offered the Latin American country, which claims a part of Antarctica, a range of aircraft systems, including helicopters and planes, he added, noting the priority of supplying the new Yakovlev Yak-130 advanced jet trainer, which was introduced in 2010.
The Sarmat missile, whose development began in 2009, has been touted as Russia's response to US projects including the Prompt Global Strike initiative, and as well the effort to deploy missile defense near Russia's borders. If nothing else, Moscow hopes that the new missile and its payload will deter US efforts to gain strategic superiority over Moscow, or, in the worst case scenario, to launch a surprise attack on Russia.

Russia's Strategic Missile Forces initially expected the arrival of the first parties of the new missile by 2020, in accordance with the state's defense program to the year 2020. But on Monday, a source within the Russian military industrial complex told Russian media that "the first Sarmats will be introduced to the Strategic Missile Forces no later than 2019, and most likely  in 2018."

Commenting on the news, Vladimir Tuchkov, military analyst and contributor to the independent online newspaper Svobodnaya Pressa, emphasized that the quickened pace of development was made possible by the modernization of the industrial base at the Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant, where the production of the Sarmat missile is set to take place.

Thankfully, Tuchkov added, the modernization of the enterprise's production capabilities came at a very timely moment, in view of the deterioration of relations between Russia and the NATO bloc, led by the United States. "The new missile will be a powerful deterrent, significantly outperforming all existing carriers of nuclear weapons," the analyst noted.

At the same time, the analyst pointed out that at the moment, Russia's silo-based, liquid fueled R-36M2, Voyevoda (NATO codename SS-18 Satan), an upgraded variant of the R-36, is still the most powerful weapon in its class. "Among the land, sea and air-based weapons on both sides of the Atlantic, there is nothing even close to reaching its combat capabilities. It's no coincidence that NATO assigned it such an appropriate name  the 'Satan'."

The R-36M2, developed after Ronald Reagan announced his 'Star Wars' missile defense initiative in 1983, was adopted in 1988, designed to serve as a deterrent capable of breaking through any missile defenses the United States might be able to muster.
KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  Zimbabwe may be interested in acquiring Russian artillery, fighter jets and helicopters being showcased at the ongoing Army-2016 international military and technical forum near Moscow, Zimbabwean Defense Minister Sydney Sekeramayi told Sputnik Wednesday.

"It is a very good exhibition and the ground forces assets that have been shown are very impressive. There are some that we are very interested in and that will be discussing with the relevant authorities. At this point in time we are still assessing and are coming to a conclusion on what we want to acquire from here but that could be artillery, jet fighters, helicopters," Sekeramayi said.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein  Counterterrorism cooperation between the United States and Russia could be beneficial at the level of military operations or intelligence sharing, US government advisor and George Washington University Cyber and Homeland Security Center Director Frank Cilluffo told Sputnik.

"This is one of the few areas we are in lockstep, have the same objectives and outcomes, not necessarily vis-a-vis Syria, but in terms of the discrete and concrete counterterrorism concerns," Cilluffo said on Wednesday.

Cilluffo explained that US-Russian counterterrorism cooperation can be conducted militarily and operationally
Many of the freebies have now landed in foreign land and are being sold there on cheap prices.

By Pramod Madhav: Tamil Nadu government has an extensive level of public welfare schemes including free books, bags, bicycles and even laptops for school children.

Officially 1.37 crore government school students will get these free kits. Tamil Nadu government allocated Rs 12,474.87 crore from state funds in the last four years for free kits distribution.

All these freebies carry Tamil Nadu government and Jayalalithaa's photo in equal proportion. Strangely many of these freebies have now landed in foreign land and are being sold there on cheap prices.

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Pictures of 'Amma' bags being sold in an African country have gone viral on social media.

Officials are now confused as to how these products left the state and the Tamil Nadu government is yet to investigate on this matter.

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MOSCOW (Sputnik)  "Pakistan is involved in negotiations with Russia on a deal for Su-35 and Su-37. We are in initial stage now," Qadir Khan said.

According to Qadir Khan, the Pakistani Defense Ministry's delegation which came to the Army-2016 expo includes technical experts, who assess capabilities of the jets as well as look for Russian helicopters.

"We already have Russian transport helicopters Mi-17, but we are looking for other helicraft, and we are looking at assessment of Mi-35 to buy in the near future," Qadir Khan added.
While the original could strike targets roughly 25 miles away, the new variant can reach a distance of approximately 43 miles, according to sources speaking to IHS Janes.

The original model, unveiled in 2011, was the result of a cooperative effort between China and Russia, and is similar to the 9M38E missiles.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Anatoly Antonov spoke positively about "cautious" signals from Estonia and Lithuania that they intended to give their opinion on Moscows initiative soon.

"[Authorities] in the capitals of Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Poland keep talking about a rising threat from RussiaWe decided to invite colleagues from these countries to MoscowUnfortunately, we have not received their official responses yet," Anatoly Antonov told the Russian newspaper, Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
The visit agenda includes meetings with the Chinese leadership, negotiations with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhang Dejiang. According to the press-service, one of the main topics under discussion will be the development of interparliamentary relations and regional cooperation between China and Russia.

In Wuhan Matvienko will visit the Optical Valley, the new technology development zone, the center of laser and opto-electronic technologies. The delegation also has plans visit the Center of the Russian-Chinese Cultural Exchange, which was opened in Wuhan last year.

"During the visit, we expect to take decisions that will give a new impetus to cooperation of the Federation Council and the National People's Congress in legislation, in the areas of political, economic, scientific, technical and humanitarian cooperation, as well as cooperation at the international parliamentary organizations," Matvienko said, as quoted by the press-service.

In Beijing's Tsinghua University, Matvienko will perform in front of professors, teachers, graduate students and will soak about the development of strategic partnership between Russia and China.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  During the July coup attempt in Turkey, a group of young men reportedly attacked a cameraman of the Dutch NOS broadcaster. Shortly following the coup, cities across Europe, including Rotterdam, held demonstrations outside the Turkish embassies, supporting the Turkish authorities. Rutte recalled the developments last week, and said that the Turks who were unable to integrate would better return to their homeland.

"In a time where xenophobic statements and attacks are on the rise, these remarks will harm our efforts to help Turkish people participate in the social life of the country they reside," Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic said, as quoted by the Daily Sabah newspaper on Tuesday.

He added that the remarks made were "inappropriate" for a prime minister, as he generalized an isolated incident, which was not a regular thing.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  In August, the foreign ministers of three countries a agreed to hold he summit before the end of the year. The event will be host by Japan, for the first time in five years.

According to Kyodo news agency, citing Japanese government sources. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Park Geun Hye planned to take part in the meeting, along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The summit is likely to be held in Tokyo, the sources said.

According to media reports, the agenda of the summit would include North Korea's nuclear and missile development, as well as counter-terrorism measures, among other issues.
Alexey Mukhin, head of the Moscow-based Center for Political Information, a consulting firm, told Radio Sputnik that both Moscow and Strasbourg are interested in restoring cooperation, and that both sides are currently carefully probing each other, seeking to resume dialogue.

"Russia is interested in returning to PACE, but only if its delegations rights are fully restored. And PACE is not interested in Russia quitting, not only because of the annual membership fees paid by Moscow, but because it wants to keep the organization representative," Mukhin explained.

He pointed out that a similar situation arose when Russia was excluded from the G8: while Moscow makes no attempt to rejoin the group, other G7 members keep making attempts to facilitate its return.

"Once every half a year or so, certain statements are made by them, indicating a desire to turn the G7 into the G8, because after losing Russia this group lost a considerable portion of its political influence over global issues. And if PACE loses Russia, the organizations political influence would be diminished in a similar fashion, and they know it," Mukhin added.

However, up until now, the European officials were following a clear external directive: do their utmost to hamper Russias activity within the framework of PACE.

"If they keep doing that, the Russian delegation has no reason to be there. But, considering the attitudes exhibited by European politicians, they want Russia to return. When exactly is this going to happen? Probably when Washington decides to stop playing this sanctions and enmity game. Then, I believe, a corresponding directive will be issued to the European officials, and this idiotic nightmare will finally end," Mukhin concluded.
Tarasov points out that there were reports suggesting that Turkey has negotiated its plans with Moscow, Tehran and Washington before the offensive; however, it still remains unclear whether Ankara is really coordinating its military actions with Russia or the US.

Still, it cannot be denied that there is a certain thaw in relations between Turkey and the geopolitical players, Tarasov underscores.

Indeed, Washington has recently proposed to Ankara that they carry out a joint operation aimed at retaking Raqqa from Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) in Syria.

In response, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said Ankara sees no problem in accepting the US proposal.

"Raqqa is an important center for Daesh [US President Barack] Obama particularly wants to do something together [with us] about Raqqa. We have told him that this is not a problem for us What can be done there will become more concrete after talks," Erdogan told reporters as quoted by Hurriyet Daily News.

At the same time, speaking to Russian broadcaster NTV, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin revealed that Erdogan had discussed a potential ceasefire in the Aleppo region with President Putin and US President Barack Obama at the G20 meeting in China.

"After bilateral talks with the Russian and American leaders, Erdogan held two additional meetings [with Putin and Obama] Ankara received full support from the leaders [Russia, the US] in part of its efforts to eradicate the terrorism threat along the Turkish border [with Syria]," Kalim told the Russian broadcaster, as quoted by RIA Novosti.

"Now it is important to expand this zone," the spokesperson emphasized; "Therefore the [Syrian] opposition forces are moving deeper into Syria, liberating new territories [from Daesh]."
Earlier media reports suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were considering coming to Moscow for Russia-mediated talks in late September.

"[This meeting] is not on the agenda at the moment," Peskov told reporters.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia is ready to restore full-format cooperation with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on a basis of equality, speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament Sergei Naryshkin said Wednesday.

"We are ready to renew full-fledged cooperation with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, of course in the basis of equal rights without any exceptions," Naryshkin said during a meeting with a PACE delegation.
The Centre made its stand clear on AFSPA in the all-party meet today. It ruled out the possibility of lifting or even diluting the armed forces act in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Centre said removal of AFSPA in Kashmir was not feasilbe. Photo: PTI

By Javed M. Ansari : The Union government has ruled out the possibility of either lifting Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or diluting it in any form in the strife- torn state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made the Centre's position clear at the all-party meet in the capital today morning. He was responding to suggestions from some parliamentarians who were a part of the all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir recently.

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Also Read: Kashmir unrest: At all-party meet, opposition pushes for talks

'NOT FEASIBLE TO REMOVE AFSPA'

"It's not feasible for the government to consider removing AFSPA," Jaitley reportedly told the MPs.

It were the Left members who, during the all-party meet, had proposed removal of AFSPA as a confidence-building measure to tackle the Kashmir crisis.

CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said these measures included removal of AFSPA from civilian areas, besides removal of pellet guns, use of dual track dialogue, employment generation and judicial inquiry in to allegations of torture by armed forces.

The imposition and continuation of AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir has been a contentious issue, with human rights groups and sections of civil society calling for AFSPA's removal on the grounds that it gave sweeping powers and immunity to the armed forces.

AFSPA allows the armed forces to take whatever action they deem necessary including search, arrest, and even shoot, in order to maintain law and order. It gives armed forces wide ranging powers and legal immunity for their actions.

Also Read: Exclusive: Modi government's new action plan for Kashmir

ALL- PARTY DELEGATION THAT VISITED KASHMIR MET TODAY MORNING

The all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir met today to decide the future course of action to restore peace in the troubled Valley.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the three-hour long meeting of the parliamentarians from 20 political parties. It included Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan among others.

On Tuesday, Rajnath Singh also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the visit that look place on Sunday and Monday.

Also Read:

Malala Yousafzai stands with Kashmir, urges India and Pakistan to stop the 'inhumanity'

Muslim clerics slam Pakistan and separatists, to conduct Aman Yatra in Kashmir

Will continue to support Kashmir on diplomatic, ethical fronts: Pakistan Army chief

Fresh clashes erupt in Kashmir, over two dozens injured

WATCH:



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Proponents of the fund have praised its lack of budgetary constraints tying it to yearly appropriations, thereby theoretically allowing it to move quickly to provide funding to secure US interests worldwide. Still, infighting between the State Department and the Pentagon over funding priorities, combined with the bureaucratic nature of both departments, have effectively prevented the fund from "work[ing] out as people hoped," one Washington-based analyst told the newsweekly.

More than anything, the Pentagon is concerned by the fact it provides over 80% of the money in the fund, while the GSCF gives the DoD and State Department equal say on its use. Accordingly, Congress may end up questioning the usefulness of the fund, with lawmakers concerned about its lack of accountability.

At the same time, according to Defense News, "one potential piece of good news for GSCF could come if former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wins the presidential election com November." The fund's creation was Clinton's pet project, a State Department official told the paper.
The Indian governments strategy of remaining tight lipped over the pact has boomeranged in a big way, arming its critics at home and abroad.

Bharat Karnad, a former security analyst and member of India's National Security Council, told Sputnik, Obviously, LEMOA has clauses/provisions in it that could be politically explosive. Hence, the non-release of the text.

Karnad says that the LEMOA text may resemble the text of the November 2007 LSA the US signed with the Philippines. According to this text, what is involved is an Equal Value Exchange of logistic supplies, support, and services, including airlift using Indian C-17s and C-130s, and construction and use of temporary structures pertaining to operations support.

Why waste time? Read the US-Philippines LSA/LEMOA text yourself. But read it closely. https://t.co/xiYBs61UUF  Saurav Jha (@SJha1618) August 31, 2016

Former Indian Navy Spokesperson Commander Roy Francis (Retired) expressed his concerns about LEMOA on twitter.

Good to see credible defence journos waxing eloquent about #LEMOA. Prior to 2014, they would've been branded Western agent by Opposition.  royfrancis (@royfrancis1) September 2, 2016

It will be nice to read the US-India LEMOA text if some kind soul can make it available. ACSAs are usually public so this ought to be too.  Siddharth (@svaradarajan) September 1, 2016

After signing LogisticsExchange Memorandum of Agreement(LEMOA) by Parrikar quite unusually, why there is deadly silence& not chest thumping?  soumdaram rajappa (@soumdaram) September 2, 2016

Indias Minister of Defense Manohar Parrikar, who signed the agreement during this visit to the US, had believed that details of LEMOA would soon be put out in the public domain. However, he has been seen ducking questions on the agreement.
For his part, President Putin said that his meeting with the American president had definitely helped the two leaders to "delve into the details and to understand one another's positions."

"Some technical details need to be worked out. If [Russian Foreign Minister Sergei] Larvov and [US Secretary of State John] Kerry are able to do this, we will be able to advance on the question of a settlement [in Syria]," Putin added.

Back in Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner indicated that progress was being made in negotiations. As if to clarify what Mr. Rhodes meant about the US 'working with Russia' against the terrorists, Toner said that it could mean joint airstrikes.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, the spokesman said that pending "a cessation of hostilities nationwide, talks beginning again in Genevahumanitarian assistance, access to all besieged areas, administered by the UN  if we get these steps along the way, we have talked about the possibility of working in some fashion with Russia to carry out strikes specifically targeting Nusra and Daesh."

But no sooner had the officials made their comments before Rhodes himself retreated back to the US's old 'Assad must go' stance. Speaking at a briefing in Laos, the official warned that Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar Assad would lead to the isolation of both Moscow and Damascus.
The newspaper notes that unlike at the two previous summits in Australia (2014) and Turkey (2015), this particular gathering was a triumph for the Russian leader.

Citing as an example of Vladimir Putins success in Hangzhou, the authors say that the Russian leader set a new tone in his talks with Saudi Arabias Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, a sharp contrast to his rather aloof meeting with Saudi Arabia's King Salman last year in Antalya.

"The two countries, whose positions are diametrically opposed, particularly regarding the plight of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, have even signed an agreement on oil production," the article says.
The media outlet pointed out that information technology has drastically changed the way modern trade works, stressing that it is now characterized by "smaller orders, multiple dispatches and high delivery frequencies."

For his part, John D. Schulz of Logistics Management magazine emphasizes that "the new Silk Road promises to shave weeks and perhaps thousands of dollars off each shipment, both ways, from Western Europe to China and Hong Kong. Currently by ocean that 28,000-mile round trip typically takes upwards of 30 days."

What lies at the root of China's One Belt, One Road strategy?

According to Zuenko, there are at least four reasons why Beijing is developing the land logistics in Eurasia.

First, the Chinese leadership is trying to overcome a temporary slowdown in the country's economy by engaging local companies in infrastructure projects; second, Beijing is expanding its sphere of influence in the continent; third, China is interested in developing its poor western peripheries; and, finally, a network of Eurasian railroads may mitigate the potential risk of the US blocking China's sea trade.

Indeed, global intelligence firm Strategic Forecasting, Inc. (Stratfor) noted in its 2015 analytical report that "in the case of a war between the United States and China, many US strategists favor imposing a distant blockade of Chinese waters."

"China's economy is dependent on foreign trade, 90 percent of which travels by sea," the report stressed; "The strategy behind the Belt and Road Initiative is to diversify transit lines, thereby mitigating China's vulnerability to external economic disruption."
But much to Indias dismay, the US continues to deny India access to its cutting edge technologies like the combat predator drones, nuclear powered aircraft carrier and advanced jet engine technology.

Currently, the US is only sharing technology which is not cutting edge or modern in any sense, the source revealed. This was evident in the recently-signed multi-billion dollar deal according to which India is to procure C-130J Super Hercules Special Forces and P-8I maritime aircraft from the US. In the case of P8I maritime aircraft, the US has refused to equip the aircraft with modern communication links, due to which its communication with naval forces stands exposed to interception. As a result, its attack capability is undermined. In the same way, the US has also failed to install a modern communication system on the C-130J.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed indignation to US State Secretary John Kerry over the new US sanctions against Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, US authorities introduced sanctions against eleven Russian and international electronics firms over their alleged links to the Ukrainian conflict, after sanctioning dozens more last week.

"The Russian minister expressed indignation over the new sanctions attacks of the United States against Russia under the pretext of the Ukrainian crisis. It was underlined that the normal cooperation, including in resolving regional conflicts, cooperation for which the administration of Barack Obama regularly asks in working contacts, is impossible without basic decency," the statement read.
According to Kedmi, the fall of Raqqa will accelerate the collapse of the whole "Islamic State" (Daesh) in the region. However, after defeating Daesh in Syria, major powers involved in the conflict would have to focus on other extremist organizations in the region.

Kedmi recalled that up until recently American generals have been mulling plans to send the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) to fight against terrorists in Raqqa.

However, the Kurdish militants do not fight beyond borders of the Kurdish enclaves, the Israeli experts explained, calling attention to the fact that there are no Kurdish settlements near Raqqa.

Now that the Turkish military forces have intervened in Syria, the participation of the YPG in the assault against the Syrian "capital" of Daesh is unrealistic, he stressed.

For his part, Alexander Ignatenko, head of the Russian Institute of Religion and Politics, expressed doubts regarding the possibility of Erdogan's "triumphant march" to Raqqa. Furthermore, the Russian academic underscored that the US has not yet officially announced the beginning of the operation.

"The United States has not yet signaled its readiness [to conduct] a ground operation, while Turkey will hardly be able to liberate Raqqa on its own," Ignatenko told Vzglyad, adding that talk is cheap.
Despite the frequent contacts Moscow and Washington have not reached an agreement on Syria, Following the meetings the sides have announced about a certain progress on the issue, but have not revealed any details.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Sunday that Moscow and Washington were close to reaching a deal on Syria, which could help to differentiate terrorists from opponents of the Damascus authorities, who are ready to enter the political process. But the details of such a differentiation are still the main obstacle to the agreement.

Washington and Moscow could reach an agreement, but numerous opposition groups involved in the Syrian conflict should agree with the content of the deal to make it effective.

Earlier in the month, the Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee (HNC) confirmed to Sputnik that it had received a letter from US envoy on Syria Michael Ratney outlining conditions for a possible US-Russia agreement on Syria.

However, media reported that the HNC voiced an opinion that it would possibly oppose the agreement if it contradicted the views of the Syrians on the issue.
On this episode of "By Any Means Necessary" host Eugene Puryear is joined by Anoa Changa, host of The Way With Anoa and former digital outreach director of African-Americas for Bernie Sanders and Marcus Farrell, political strategist, organizer and former African American Outreach Director for Bernie Sanders discuss the continued flight of young blacks away from Hillary Clinton, the future of US National Security, and the continued stifling of American discourse around racial issues.

Later in the show Eugene Puryear continues his discussion with Anoa Changa and Marcus Farrell about the shifting tides among young black voters, who is funding the movement for black lives, and the efforts of historical black institutions to stay relevant.
The all-party delegation meeting were on a two-day visit to J&K and are expected to discuss the strategy to solve the current crisis in the Valley.

By India Today Web Desk: The crucial all-party delegation meeting to diffuse the unrest in Kashmir ended in the capital. The government said that it is open to talk to all the stakeholders. The government reiterated there will be no compromise on national sovereignty.



During the meet, the Left members proposed few confidence building measures to tackle the crisis in Kashmir.

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FIVE CBMs



CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the measures include use of dual track dialogue, removal of AFSPA from civilian area, removal of pellet guns, employment generation and judicial enquiry into allegations of torture and treatment to the injured.

PMO MoS, Jitendra Singh said that all the members of all-party delegation expressed serious concern over the current unrest. The meeting discussed that there would be no compromise on security in the Valley.



The members also stressed that schools and offices should function normally. Singh also appealed to the people to shun path of violence and said that they are open to speak to all the stakeholders.



Home Minister Rajnath Singh is believed to have submitted a report to Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday on their visit to the Valley and the prevailing crisis.

Ahead of all party meeting, Singh held a crucial meeting in New Delhi yesterday, which was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP chief Amit Shah, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav.

PLAN FOR SEPARATISTS

During the meeting, the government decided that it won't stop any facilities provided to the separatists in the Valley.

While as talking to India Today earlier, Hansraj Ahir, MoS Home had said that there is no difference between the separatists and terrorists and the government is going to take tough action and withdraw all facilities provided to separatists.Also read: After Hurriyat snub, Centre to crack down on separatists, withdraw security cover

Meanwhile, hardening their stand, the separatists extended their shutdown call till September 16.

FOCUS ON GOVERNANCE

Top government sources said the Centre is considering revamping the package given to Kashmir to make sure it is used properly.

The government is also hoping that the apple and walnut season would compel the farmers and traders to force separatists to normalise the situation in the Valley. The apple season starts by mid September when farmers start sending their fruit to outside markets while the walnut season starts by end of this month.

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ARMY CHIEF VISIT

Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh will review the Jammu and Kashmir security situation.

The chief will take stock of the security situation and also discuss the ways of controlling the mobs with the local formation commanders, army sources said here. Gen Singh is scheduled to arrive in the Valley later in the day to review the security situation in the hinterland of the Valley and along the Line of Control, defence sources said.

The Army chief will be briefed about the security grid along the Line of Control and anti-militancy operations in the hinterland by senior army officers and local formation commanders, the sources said.

Sources also are working to make sure that Army shows strength in the hinterland to quell the protests there.

Over 70 people have died and more than 10,000 injured in the clashes followed by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July.



Also Read | Fresh clashes erupt in Kashmir, over two dozens injured



Kashmir: Army convoy attacked in Kupwara, 3 jawans injured



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Obama and Putin met for about 90 minutes on the sidelines of the summit, in addition to a meeting between Secretary of State Kerry and Foreign Minister Lavrov. President Obama says that gaps of trust exist between the U.S. and Russia and that has hampered any kind of agreement on Syria. What really happened at the G20? Is it just a trust issue?

Obama has become the first U.S. President to visit Laos where he will attend the ASEAN Summit. Is Obama trying to lure Laos into a closer relationship to counter China? Becker is joined by writer and columnist Patrick Lawrence, whose latest book is Time No Longer: Americans After the American Century, to discuss the meaning of Obama's historic visit.

Could the U.S pivot to Asia be undermined by tension with the Philippines? Obama has scrapped a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, but does the real problem lay in the Philippines wanting an independent foreign policy? Bernadette Ellorin, chairperson of BAYAN-USA, talks about what the rise of Duterte means for the future of U.S.-Philippines relations.
Todays main stories: Over the past twenty four hours, Barack Obama became the first ever sitting President to visit Laos, a country which still feels the legacy of US bombing. Many thousands of unexploded bombs are still buried across the country from the so-called "secret war" of 1964-73. We talk with the chair of the Legacies of War Advisory Board in America, Titus Peachey.

Also, Campaign Against Arms Trade's Andrew Smith speaks to us on the UK's indiscriminate approach to arms sales after statistics published by the UK government's Trade and Investment body highlighted that Britain is now the second biggest global arms dealer.

You can find previous editions of World in Focus here.
Todays main stories: In the wake of protests from pro-Brexit campaigners arguing that the UK Government should invoke article fifty, Prime Minister Theresa May faced mounting accusations of dodging the issue at the first PMQs after the summer recess. We discuss the fine line between the referendum result and subsequent opinion polling with Psephologist professor John Curtis.

Friday the second of September saw Indian workers strike in what was quite possibly one of the largest co-ordinated labour strikes in India, and potentially the world. We talk with Vijay Prashad, Professor of International Studies at Trinity College, Connecticut.

You can find previous editions of World in Focus here.
MAKHACHKALA (Sputnik)  A counter-terrorist operation regime was declared in a coastal city of Russias republic of Dagestan on Wednesday, a spokesperson of the local operational headquarters told RIA Novosti.

"At 6:00 a.m. [03:00 GMT] the head of the operational headquarters decided to declare the legal regime of a counter-terrorist operation within the administrative borders of the of the city of Izberbash" the spokesperson said.

The decision was made after an unidentified number of militants were reportedly involved in firing at police in Izberbash.
MAKHACHKALA (Sputnik)  A counterterrorist operation has been initiated in one of the districts of Makhachkala, the capital of Russia's Dagestan republic, a spokesperson of the local operations headquarters told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

"At 7:00 a.m. [04:00 GMT] the head of the operations headquarters decided to declare the regime of a counterterrorist operation within the administrative borders of the Kirovsky district of Makhachkala," the spokesperson said.

Earlier in the day, local authorities reported that a residential building had been barricated in the Kirovsky district, where militants were hiding. Prior to that, the anti-terrorist operation was introduced in the Dagestani town of Izberbash, where the militants were reportedly involved in the murder of two police officers.
KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  Russia plans to export $15 billion worth of weapons this year, Sergey Goreslavsky,the deputy head of Rosoboronexport, Russia's state arms exporter, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

Like last year, we are planning to sell $13 billion worth of weapons. Together with the [Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation] FSMTCs indicator, the total will amount to $15 billion, Goreslavsky said on the sidelines of the Army-2016 military forum.

The deputy director said the $7 billion of weapons sold in the past eight months was on schedule.
MAKHACHKALA (Russia) (Sputnik)  Three militants who were surrounded by police in a residential building in a district of Makhachkala, the capital of Russia's Dagestan republic, have been killed, a law enforcement source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, local authorities reported that the residential building in the Kirovsky district where militants were hiding had been surrounded.

"According to preliminary information, three militants were killed. As for now, the security forces are about to enter the building," the source said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russias Gazprom Neft oil producer has offered the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) partnership on two Arctic Shelf license blocks  the Heysovskiy in the Barents Sea and the Severo-Vrangelevskiy (North-Wrangel) in the Chukchi Sea, Russian media reported Wednesday, citing a source in the company.

In May, the Russian-Chinese intergovernmental commission discussed potential cooperation between Russias fourth largest oil producer and the Chinese corporation.

"[Gazprom Neft] is continuing consultations with international companies that have the required competence to work on the shelf, including CNOOC," the source told the Kommersant newspaper.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Six militants including the head of a local armed gang have been killed in the Russian Republic of Dagestan, the National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) said Wednesday.

"Special forces neutralized three militants in Izberbash and three more in Makhachkala. The NAC operational headquarters have provisionally identified the bandits. Among them is the leader of a local armed group Magomed Khalimbekov, on the federal wanted list since June 2015," the committee said.

The NAC said the killed fighters were involved in terrorism-related crimes, including an August attack on road police and the July 10 shooting of local residents in the nearby Sergokala settlement.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Monday, the Justice Ministry announced that Russias Yuri Levada Analytical Center was added to the list of non-governmental organizations that receive foreign funding.

"This is one of the oldest [institutions], of course, with extensive experience and authority in the area of sociological and polling services [Levada] can appeal such decisions in the prescribed manner. There are certainly tools needed to defend the organizations point of view," Peskov told reporters.

Levada-Center Director Lev Gudkov told RIA Novosti on Tuesday the pollster had until Thursday, September 15, to file its appeal with the ministry. Afterward, he said the ministry could issue a protocol on the cancellation of administrative violations because Levada did not voluntarily register as a foreign agent.
By India Today Web Desk: The Kashmir Valley erupted after the encounter of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen's commander Burhan Wani by Indian security forces on July 8, 2016. A series of violent protests and clashes between security forces and protesters have left several people dead and thousands injured so far.

Despite the government's repeated attempts to quell the protests the situation in Kashmir remains tense even after two months of curfew in several parts of the state.The government has decided to take tough stand against the separatist leaders in the Valley after Home Minister Rajnath Singh-led All-Party Delegation that visited Kashmir to initiate talks with all stakeholders including Hurriyat leaders failed to break the impasse. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's repeated appeal to shun violence have gone unheard and several parts of Kashmir still remains under curfew.

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In this story we provide all and the latest on what's happening in Kashmir.

More deaths



Fresh clashes were reported in the Valley on Sunday resulting in injuries to around 150 people after forces fired pellets, bullets and tear gas shells. In another incident, a youth succumbed to his injuries taking the death toll to 80.



Read more: Death toll rises to 80, 150 injured in fresh clashes



More troops to be deployed

Dozens of civilians were injured in clashes with security forces in continuing protests in the Kashmir Valley as the army was set to be deployed in the restive southern districts. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the situation in the valley was "under better control than earlier" and "will be under complete control" in coming days.

More: Clashes in Kashmir, army to be deployed in Valley

Countering ISIS ideology

The central government has drawn up a tough strategy to deal with the unrest in the Kashmir valley after intelligence inputs suggested the current round of trouble was inspired by ISIS ideology.

More: Kashmir unrest: Centre wants to ramp up security to counter ISIS ideology



PDP wants Mehbooba to step down?



For over a month it was being discussed in whispers that Mehbooba Mufti was failing in controlling the unrest in Kashmir and she should step down. Some in her own party PDP were becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the emerging situation. The whispers are now threatening to become loud noises.

More: Kashmir unrest: PDP whispers turn into clamours for CM Mehbooba Mufti to resign



Geelani thanks Pakistan, China



As the state government disallowed Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani to address a press conference, Geelani issued a statement thanking Pakistan and China for their support to the "struggle of Kashmiris."

More: Kashmir unrest: Geelani thanks Pakistan, China for support as J-K govt disallows his press conference



Restrictions lifted

Restrictions on the assembly of people across Kashmir Valley have been lifted even as normal life remained disrupted for the 62nd day today due to the separatist-sponsored strike.

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More: Restrictions on assembly of people in Kashmir lifted after 3 months of unrest



Unrest continues

Amid the ongoing unrest in Kashmir, National Conference party leader Abdul Gani's house was attacked by unknown people in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.

More: Kashmir unrest: NC leader Abdul Gani's house attacked in Kulgam



Civil society urges President

Prominent civil society actors including high court judges, former IAS officers and leading editors of the state have written to the President seeking initiation of dialogue for a lasting solution to the Kashmir crisis.

"Jammu and Kashmir has been on the boil for eight weeks. The discontent and discord in the state may not be new. Its history is replete with umpteen incidents of mass uprising after brief intervals of lull against the suppression of political aspirations. The spread and magnitude of public anger this time, however, is without parallel in its strife-torn history," the letter reads.

More: Kashmir civil society urges President to initiate dialogue for lasting solution, abolish AFSPA



Blackmoney crackdown in Kashmir



As the Valley remains tense for over 60 days now, the National Investigating Agency is monitoring several bank accounts in the Valley to track the flow of terror money. "There is definitely an effort by the government in its larger objective of detecting such funds. Even the blackmoney crackdown is primarily aimed to track undisclosed money in India and abroad," Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Commerce Minister told India Today. More: Kashmir unrest continues, Centre looks at terror-money crackdown

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All-party meet on Kashmir unrest



Welcoming the resolution adopted at the All Party Meeting in New Delhi which calls for dialogue with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said engagement and reconciliation is the only way forward to end the stalemate and make peace, stability and prosperity a reality in the State and the region.

More: Mehbooba Mufti welcomes resolution adopted at All Party Meeting



After the all-party delegation returned from the Valley they met in New Delhi where the Opposition pushed for talks but no conclusive decision was taken on how to solve the current crisis in Kashmir.More:Kashmir unrest: At all-party meet, opposition pushes for talks

Ahead of of the all-party delegation, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister had advocated for engaging all sections of the society in a credible and meaningful political process for the resolution of the issue.More:Ahead of all-party delegation's Kashmir visit, Mehbooba Mufti calls for unconditional talks with Hurriyat

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Malala Yousufzai speaks on Kashmir

The Kashmir unrest has got attention of the youngest Nobel Laureate Malala Yousufzai, who appealed to both India and Pakistan to stop the 'inhumanity' in the Valley and provide Kashmiris with "the dignity, respect and freedom they deserve". More:Malala Yousafzai stands with Kashmir, urges India and Pakistan to stop the 'inhumanity'

Pakistan behind Kashmir unrest

India has always seen Kashmir unrest as the result of Pakistan's meddling with the affairs as the most of the terror attacks in the Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India had its roots in Pakistan. In one such attempt to aggravate the situation in Kashmir, Pakistan's most powerful person, Army chief General Raheel Sharif, spoke about the Kashmir unrest, asserting their support to the people of the Valley on "diplomatic and ethical" fronts. More:Will continue to support Kashmir on diplomatic, ethical fronts: Pakistan Army chief

Crackdown on Kashmiri separatist leaders

After they snubbed the government's attempt for talks on the current Kashmir crisis, clamour grew that India must stop security covers to the separatist leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Yasin Malik, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.More:After Hurriyat snub, Centre to crack down on separatists, withdraw security cover

Security forces and controversy over use of pellet guns. What is a pellet gun?

The use of non-lethal weapon, Pellet Guns, as a means to control the violent crowds in Kashmir came under attacks from several quarters as it resulted in massive injuries on the protesters. In some cases, pellet guns were blamed to rendering the affected person blind for life. Taking note of this, Home Minister instructed the Indian Army authorities to restrict the use of pellet guns and later a government panel approved the use of chilli grenades instead of the controversial pellet guns. More: Govt panel clears chilli grenades but pellet guns to stay in Kashmir as emergency measure

Muzaffar Wani-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Amidst violent protests over terror poster boy Burhan Wani's killing, his father Muzaffar Wani suddenly grabbed eyeballs for his photo with Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that was posted on social media. What they talked never came to public but it was seen by many an attempt to defuse tension in Kashmir by opening track 2 talk channels. More:Sri Sri Ravi Shankar meets Burhan Wani's father, says discussed several issues

Kashmir unrest blame games

As the situation got out of control, the PDP-BJP coalition government in J&K started the blame-game with each of them accusing the other for the rising unrest. Chief Minister Mahbooba Mufti also faced flaks for being disconnected from the ground reality and her handling of situation also came under attacks from Opposition leaders like Omar Abdullah. More:PDP-BJP blame one another for Kashmir unrest

More: Amid season of discontent in Valley, a government that's disconnected

Burhan Wani encounter triggers violent protests in Kashmir

As soon as the news of terror poster boy Burhan Wani's encounter spread, Kashmir went on boil with violent protests all over the Valley resulting in deaths of civilians. The funeal of Burahn Wani saw a sea of people that alarmed the governments at the Centre and the state. Some activists criticised the killing of Wani as it was perceived that any such act could trigger violence and disturb peace in the region. More:Kashmir in chaos after Hizbul commander's death, CM Mehbooba Mufti urges peace

More: How Burhan Wani's killing made the Kashmir rebellion go viral

Who was Burhan Wani?

Burhan Muzaffar Wani, was a commander of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen. He had left home at the tender age to join call for Azadi through armed rebellion. More: With Burhan's death, militant icon is born; people gather for the largest funeral of the decade



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Smeshariki (2004)

On American TV, Smeshariki is broadcast under the name Kikoriki. Back in 2008, 99 episodes were adapted for the US audience. The cartoon is shown in 60 countries and has been translated into 15 languages.

The US studio, which purchased the distribution rights, will broadcast the cartoons on television and the Internet.
KOROLEV (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  The Soyuz TMA-20M space vehicle's reentry capsule with three crewmembers of the International Space Station (ISS) has successfully landed in Kazakhstan, a spokesman to the Mission Control Center said on Wednesday.

"The landing was registered. The descent vehicle landed 148 kilometers [92 miles] from the city of Jezkazgan in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan," the spokesman told RIA Novosti.

The search-and-rescue support of the landing involved 200 soldiers, 12 Mi-8 helicopters with special equipment, four AN-12 and AN-26 planes.
"Increasingly, we can wear technology to monitor our health or enhance access to information, we engage with social media in a highly personal nature and can even implant technology devices in our bodies to track movement or communicate. Sex robots are simply another way in which technology is being developed to enhance pleasure," he explained.

But as terrifying as a future of robot relationships sounds, there are a number of areas where "sexbots" are said to actually make a positive impact in wider society.

The sex worker trade worldwide, for example, could be impacted by providing artificial encounters and eliminating the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, as well as also working to eliminate the countless number of society issues affecting those involved in the trade.

Sputnik spoke to Kate Moyle, a London-based psychosexual therapist based, who suggests that the idea of sex with robots could well appeal to someone for a number of reasons.

"Much of what we can say about a future of sexbots is very much based on speculation, but it could appeal to those who may have a fear of intimacy or rejection or who struggle with the vulnerability involved when it comes to human relationships," Kate Moyle told Sputnik.



Ms. Moyle is also part of the team who has launched the iPhone app Pillow Play which is designed to enable couples to enhance their intimacy with the use of interactive tech as opposed to becoming an obstacle in the relationship.

She feels that a future of increased "Robot Sex" encounters, as much as it being something she would not like to place any judgement on at all, she considers the negative effect it could have on an individual's capacity to connect with other people.

"If people consider sex with an inanimate machine or replica robot device on a long term basis, what it could cause is a level of tunnel vision where intimacy with a real human being could become difficult because it is different to what they have become accustomed to," she said.

Dr. Kreps at Salford University, in his 2013 research study, wrote about the level of intimacy that is even possible to achieve with a robot. "You have to ask the question  how genuinely human can any robot ever be?" he said.

"Love takes two people  it's about human beings. A very large part of the physical and chemical connection between humans relies on eye contact and you're never going to experience that with a machine, no matter how much AI there is," Dr. Kreps wrote.

But could a future of robot lovers even go as far as to providing benefit for deflated long-term relationships, where one member of the couple is no longer interested in sexual intimacy with their partner or unable to for any reason. The idea of allowing a robot into the bedroom for zero emotional attachment encounters and with the consent of both partners could potentially bring value for couples in some way, especially if it's something that becomes socially accepted in wider society eventually.
Two spacesuits, named Hope and Courage, have already been produced by the project, and production of the third suit, Unity, is underway. It will be formed from the pieces created by little patients from around the world, including from Russia, to highlight cancer-related issues, spread awareness and give hope to cancer patients across the globe.

Prior to the visit to Russia, Stott and Cion painted with cancer patients in the United States and Germany. Their next stop will be in Japan.

Cion said that once Unity is completed and Courage returns from the space station, all three suits will be exhibited in the countries that participated in creation of the third suit.

"We would like to share it with people in the hospitals," he said. "We certainly hope to share the works with the countries and the cities who have helped make suit number three. Certainly in Houston. We would like to go back to Cologne, to Moscow, to Tokyo, and to Montreal."

Cion noted that they had already started discussions with the Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow about organizing an exhibition of the suits, with the museum being "very excited" to display them.

On Tuesday, the patients of the EACF and Podari Zhizn Foundation (Gift of Life) and their families, as well as doctors, nurses, psychologists, and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko painted the art pieces for the NASA suit at the Museum of Cosmonautics.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  In July, WikiLeaks published nearly 20,000 hacked emails that apparently showed DNC members discussing ways to undercut Clinton's rival Bernie Sanders in the race for the Democratic nomination.

"The publicity as result of our DNC publications, which caused the top five Democratic officials in the Democratic party to resign, including Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, has led to other sources being encouraged, and so they stepped forward, and hopefully that process will continue as we continue to publish and we can see a kind of cascade of information," Assange told the Fox News Fox & Friends program.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The Zika appropriation legislation was defeated 52 to 46, the US Senate Republican Conference said in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

In February, US President Barack Obama asked US Congress to pass a bill with $1.9 billion to fight the Zika virus.

The current Zika outbreak began in Brazil in the spring of 2015. The virus is believed not to cause serious complications in healthy adults, but it can cause severe brain defects including microcephaly in newborns.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said that as commander-in-chief he would give senior military leaders a 30-day deadline to come up with a plan to swiftly defeat Daesh.

I am going to convene my top generals and give them a simple instruction: They will have thirty days to submit to the Oval Office a plan for soundly and quickly defeating ISIS [Daesh], Trump told a rally in Greenville, North Carolina on Tuesday. We have no choice.

Earlier in the day, 88 US generals and admirals endorsed Trump for the US presidency over his opponent, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
Judge Boasberg said that work will temporarily halt between North Dakota's State Highway 1806 and an area 20 miles east of Lake Oahe, but will continue west of the highway, as he believes that the US Army Corps of Engineers lacks jurisdiction over privately-owned land.

The Standing Rock Sioux tribe, with the support of many other Native American tribes, claims that construction of the DAPL was deliberately rerouted over the Labor Day holiday weekend, to target traditional burial grounds and ritual sites. Bulldozers and other construction machines were moved in to desecrate sacred areas. Tribe members organized protests at construction sites, locking themselves to machinery.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Seventeen companies won a piece of a contract worth almost a quarter of a billion dollars to provide technical consulting and support services to the US intelligence electronic warfare executive office, the US Department of Defense said in a press release.

[The companies] will share in a $248.8 million contract to acquire broad technical, program, operations, acquisition, and business services that support Program Executive Office for Intelligence Electronic Warfare and Sensors, the release stated on Tuesday.

The companies include the Millennium Corporation, QED Systems, DHPC Technologies, Exter Information Technology Services, Future Skys, GS5, Envision Innovative Solutions, Manasquan and Synergy ECP, the announcement said.
Earlier on Friday, a school nurse notified officials of an infection. Barbara Cole, director for disease control for the Riverside County Department of Public Health, did not confirm the information, emphasizing that they are at the beginning of an investigation into the claims. Test results can take several weeks. Meanwhile, intensive cleaning was done at the school over the weekend, but no further precautions were taken. It is known that the students at issue are not currently in school.
The proposed group for the Aman Yatra comprises clerics from Dargah Ajmer Sharif, Bareilly Sharif of Haji Ali in Mumbai and Hazrat Nizamuddin in New Delhi, among others.

By Gaurav C Sawant: With the Holy Quran in one hand and the tricolour in the other - a group of prominent Sufi clerics have proposed to take out an 'Aman Yatra' in the troubled Kashmir valley.

On Tuesday, twenty one prominent Muslim clerics met union home minister Rajnath Singh and proposed to talk to their brothers in the Kashmir valley.

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"Why talk to those who say Pakistan Zindabad? We should talk to those who want peace and prosperity in the valley. We are in touch with them. They want a way out of this Pakistan sponsored strife," Maulana Ansar Raza, chairman of the Gharib Nawaz Foundation, managing Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah told India Today after meeting the Home minister.

The proposed group for the 'aman yatra' comprises clerics from Dargah Ajmer Sharif, Bareilly Sharif of Haji Ali in Mumbai and Hazrat Nizamuddin in New Delhi, among others.

CLERICS WANT TO MEET MEHBOOBA MUFTI

The group has sought clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and has also expressed a desire to meet Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference Chief Omar Abdullah and all stakeholders of peace who believe in the Indian Constitution. The clerics, however, disagreed with the all party delegation's initiative to meet the Hurriyat leaders.

"What is the point of meeting those who say Pakistan zindabad. We should only engage with those who believe in the Indian Constitution and in Kashmiriyat. It is wrong to encourage pro-Pakistan elements in the Hurriyat,'' a delegate who didn't want to be named said.



CLERICS NOT SCARED OF GUNS OR BOMBS

Rajnath Singh heard the clerics and spoke of the existing situation on ground. "We told him we are not scared of the guns or bombs in the Valley. We have the Holy Quran in one hand and the tricolour in the other. The Aman Yatra (peace march) will pass through prominent areas of the Valley - and not be restricted to Srinagar. We will have regular and detailed interaction with the youth and the parents, teachers, civil society. We all want peace," Maulana Ansar Raza added.

Clerics have also criticised the use of mosque loud speakers to compel women and children to come out and protest. The clerics also hit out at Syed Ali Shah Geelani for seeking a connection with Pakistan saying Islam links Kashmir to Pakistan.

"This is false propaganda by Geelani and they are using terrorists to force this propaganda through to people in Kashmir," Maulana Ansar concluded after the meeting.

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ALSO READ:

When the joke is on Hurriyat: Knock knock, who's there? Unanswered Kashmiri doors



--- ENDS ---
Since 2010 and the beginning of the California drought, the number of dead trees in the central and southern Sierra Nevada has reached a conservative 66 million by some estimates. According to scientists, there are several factors at play causing the devastation of the forests and contributing to an increasingly dire fire hazard.

The intense ongoing drought in California is contributing to the Sierra Nevada forest deadfall. Also, global warming has led to warmer winters that no longer balance a growing bark beetle population devastating conifers in the mountains. Finishing the job, fungi and a foreign-borne plant pathogen brought to California through global trade are affecting moist areas where oaks and other deciduous trees grow. The human factor worsens the situation as a lack of forest management, especially in the clearing of combustible dead wood, has exacerbated an already gloomy forecast.

As David Rizzo, chairman of plant pathology at the University of California, Davis, stated, "It's never just one thing that brings down trees. It's always a combination. The first may weaken trees; the next stresses trees over time. Then comes a third, shutting down the trees' immune and defense systems. Finally, the last may come along to disrupt nutrient systems. When all this happens at once, or in rapid succession, trees are no longer able to save themselves."
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The United States will have to continually contend with violent extremist organizations, even after the Daesh terrorist group is destroyed, US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said at the 2016 Intelligence and National Security Summit in Washington, DC on Wednesday.

"[The Islamic State] eventually will be suppressed, but I think that for some time to come we will have more extremist organizations which will be spawned and we are going to be in, I think, a perpetual state of suppression for some time to come," Clapper stated.

Even after the anticipated defeat of the Daesh, a different terrorist organization will fill its place, Clapper warned, describing "a cycle of extremism which will continue to control us into the foreseeable future."
"Of course, accusations were earlier made against Russia for hacking into some American servers," the analyst recalled. "For non-specialists it difficult to judge [what was going on]; after all, no concrete evidence has been provided."

"But in The Washington Post's latest piece, it's all just completely incomprehensible. It's not even clear exactly what they were trying to say. The article just talks about a large-scale Russian plot to spread distrust in American democracy and the success of US policy among Americans. However, the journalists did not tell readers how exactly this could actually be achieved."

Ultimately, Lukyanov noted, "the entire article creates a very sad impression of a series of conspiracy theories strung together. Usually this sort of thing happens when one feels insecure." The analyst recalled that this feeling was once very common in post-Soviet Russia, where everything was blamed 'on the Americans'. Now, he added, the same thing seems to be happening in the US.

'The Masses vs. the Establishment'

More importantly, Lukyanov emphasized that today, more than at any other time in recent memory, a strong tension has emerged between the establishment  the US political class, and society in general. "This gap is immense, continues to grow, and is felt and seen by absolutely everyone. This was shown by the primary results of both parties," where non-establishment candidates either won or came close to winning their respective party's nomination.

Accordingly, the analyst noted, "it can be assumed that this tendency resulted in significant confusion and even bewilderment among America's political class, to the point where the establishment simply does not know how to behave and what to do next."

Therefore, Lukyanov suggested that he could not rule out "that these unsubstantiated accusations against Russiareally serve as a reaction to the confusion the political class is feeling in the present situation. Such a thing has not happened in the US for a very long time. It's true that the country faced hard times during and after the Vietnam War. But a picture of a America that can be politically vulnerable is something I for one cannot recall."
The issue of Clintons relationship with the investment giant has been under scrutiny ever since the US presidential primaries, after Senator Bernie Sanders demanded the release of the texts of her $250,000 speeches to the corporation, which she refused to make public.

Now, in a memo to partners, Goldman Sachs has enacted a policy effective September 1, barring top employees from donating to Trump. The firm claims that the policy is to prevent any suspicion of pay-to-play, an issue raised during Clintons tenure as Secretary of State.

The policy change is meant to prevent inadvertently violating pay-to-play rules, particularly the look-back provision, when partners transition into roles covered by these rules. The penalties for failing to comply with these rules can be severe and include fines and a ban on the firm from doing business with government clients in a particular jurisdiction for a period of at least two years, the memo states.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein  "It will be Friday," King said on Wednesday of the vote on the bill allowing the families of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to bring a lawsuit against members of the Saudi Royal Family.

After passing the US Senate with unanimous approval in May, King stated he is "confident it will pass the House with a big vote."
Naled is an organophosphate insecticide, of the same class of compounds as nerve-agent chemical weapons. With high exposure, Naled overstimulates the nervous system, causing nausea, dizziness, confusion, and, at very high exposures, respiratory paralysis and death. The insecticide has been banned in the European Union since 2012.

"Naled can essentially kill anything," said Tanjim Hossain, a graduate research fellow at the University of Miami. "When a droplet of the insecticide touches a mosquito, it kills the mosquito pretty much instantaneously."

The spraying has resulted in citizen alarm, with protesters in the streets carrying banners saying "Stop poisoning us" and "Naled does more harm than good."

Miami Beach city mayor Philip Levine says he is "uncomfortable" with aerial spraying, but insists that medical and scientific recommendations must trump people's fears.

"I am not comfortable with it, but I think it's important that we listen to the proper scientific and medical authorities and what they recommend," he said.

Miami Beach City Commissioner Mike Grieco, however, is upset with developments, enough to call for a special meeting Wednesday in an effort to cancel scheduled aerial sprayings.

"It's a neurotoxin. We don't know the risks. It's been outlawed in Europe since 2012. It's something that has not been used in Miami, historically," he stated.

Gimenez claimed that aerial spraying of the toxin was recommended by Florida health officials and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, when the reporters contacted the CDC, the organization representative observed that "the decision whether or not to aerial spray is ultimately up to Miami Beach."
Strengthening the Strategic Partnership with France. PM @narendramodi has a quick pull aside with President Hollande pic.twitter.com/4nVA1Uqzln  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) 5  2016 .

New Delhi (Sputnik): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met French President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hangzhou, China. The two leaders reportedly discussed issues pertaining to the recent leakage of 'sensitive' data related to the Scorpene class submarines that are to be inducted into the Indian Navy. Indias Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the reports in a statement. Another statement said the two leaders held a pull aside meeting on the second day of the G-20 Summit.

According to Vikas Swarup, spokesman for Indias Ministry of External Affairs, "This issue (the Scorpene data leak) also figured in the talks."

In a series of revelations in the last week of August, The Australian reported that it had 22,400 pages of data which included sensitive details about the ongoing construction of six Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. The newspaper published excerpts from the file that allegedly had details on the key stealth capabilities of the Indian submarines including, what frequencies the submarines gather intelligence at, what levels of noise they make at various speeds, as well as their diving depths, and the specifications of the submarines torpedo launch system and combat system.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will be eventually ratified, US President Barack Obama said Wednesday, adding that it could happen after Congress elections in the country.

"I believe it will be ratified because it is the right thing to do. We are in a political season now and it is always difficult to get things done. Congress is not doing much right now, they are all home and talking to their constituency trying to get re-elected. So after the election I think people can refocus attention on why it is so important," Obama said at the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) summit in Laos.

In August, US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that the Senate would not approve the TPP agreement in 2016, however it could still be changed and approved in another form under the next US presidents administration.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  A military cooperation agreement between Russia and Bahrain envisions holding joint exercises or taking part as observers, as well as efforts against pirates, the document seen by RIA Novosti on Wednesday said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in Moscow on Tuesday.

A host of agreements have been signed at their meeting, including on military and technical cooperation, as well as a deal to set up an intergovernmental commission for trade and scientific cooperation.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Yaroshenko was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring to import more than $100 million worth of cocaine into the United States, having been arrested in Liberia in 2010 and subsequently extradited to the United States.

"I posted an urgent letter to the US president, and also sent an e-mail. I hope that a mother's pleas and tears will reach Obama. I'm hoping for a wise decision from the president. The judge passed the wrong verdict, a humane act by the president should fix it," Lyubov Yaroshenko told RIA Novosti, adding that her son's health was undermined.

In early August, Russian media reported, citing the Kremlin's response to Yaroshenko's mother's request, that Moscow was ready to exchange Yaroshenko and another Russian national Viktor Bout for US prisoners detained in Russia. On August 9, Russian Foreign Ministry Human Rights Ombudsman Konstantin Dolgov said the United States lacked the political will to do go through with such a plan.
The National Investigating Agency is monitoring several bank accounts in the Valley to track the flow of terror money.

By Devina Gupta: As the Valley remains tense for over 60 days now, the National Investigating Agency is monitoring several bank accounts in the Valley to track the flow of terror money.

"There is definitely an effort by the government in its larger objective of detecting such funds. Even the blackmoney crackdown is primarily aimed to track undisclosed money in India and abroad," Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Commerce Minister told India Today.

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MODUS OPERANDI

The modus operandi of terrorist organisation has been to use hawala channels so far to transfer money, but with stricter intelligence vigil they are now targeting individuals with legitimate bank accounts.

READ| Kashmir resolution: Talk to all stakeholders without compromising national sovereignty



"The money transferred in these accounts is of small amount to avoid suspicion and is withdrawn within days. Usually youth are identified and brainwashed to transfer the money in their accounts," said a senior official in the Finance Ministry.

Under the current RBI guidelines banks are mandated to give a report of any suspicous transaction which is over Rs 10 lakh and has been deposited in one go or there has been an irregular flow of large amount in the account.

Interestingly last week NIA had summoned Naeem Geelani, elder son of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani as part of its probe into terror funds used during protests in Kashmir. Naeem Geealni was reportedly questioned that his father had allegedly accepted "terror funds" linked to Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan in 2011.

Also read

Modi government's clear stand on Kashmir: AFSPA would neither be lifted nor diluted

Kashmir Unrest: All you want to know



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Commenting on Schwendiman's new nomination in an interview with Sputnik, Milovan Drecun, head of the Serbian parliament's Committee on Kosovo and Metohija, underscored the importance of the new court being in line with highest international norms.

He warned against a repeat in the new court of the biases that were in place in the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

"If we see those who will manage to avoid being punished by the new court, speaking of high international standards will be irrelevant," Drecun said, also warning against political pressure on the court.

It is worth recalling in this regard that the ICTY never sentenced a single high-ranking representative of the Kosovo Liberation Army, nor did it pay attention to the fact that during the process, the witnesses of the prosecution often died under strange circumstances.

At the same time, former Serbian Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic and Yugoslavia's former Military Chief of Staff Dragoljub Ojdanic got long prison terms, not to mention former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who died in prison, failing to live to see his verdict.

Prominent Serbian lawyer Goran Petronijevic told Sputnik that he does not believe the new court will take an unbiased position.

He referred to the ICTY, which he claimed was dominated by the US, an example which Petronijevic said shows how Washington seeks to influence prosecution policy in a certain region.

He said that he is concerned about the fact that the creation of the new court is out of sync with international law. According to him, this is a Sui generis court, only formed in order to strengthen the thesis of those who created it.

"They set up a special court for Kosovo instead of demanding changes in the ICTY status so that it can investigate the crimes committed by the Albanians and apply the same standards it applies toward Serbs. I am afraid that this will never happen and that the new court aims to protect criminals [who are ethnically] Albanian," he said.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The United States is enhancing its defense capabilities to deter Russian actions, but it does not want a war, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday.

The United States is taking a strong and balanced approach to address Russian actions and deter Russian aggression against our allies, Carter said at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford.

The Secretary added that the United States is still keeping the door open to working with Russia "wherever and whenever our interests align.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Bilateral trade between Russia and Vietnam increased by 28 percent during the period January-July 2016 in comparison with the previous year, Vietnamese Trade Counselor Dong Huan Min said Wednesday.

"Exports from Vietnam increased by 20 percent during the first seven months of 2016, while exports from Russia to Vietnam [increased] by 48 percent," he said.

He added, that trade was likely to continue to increase, especially once the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) enters into force.
In an interview with Sputnik, Saudi Arabian oil expert Saad bin Omar did not rule out that the bilateral deal on stabilizing the oil market signed by Saudi Arabia and Russia may have a strong impact on global oil prices.

The interview came after Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed on Monday on joint measures and steps that must be taken in cooperation with other oil producers to stabilize the oil market and ensure the stability of long-term investments.

"This agreement will also affect the political situation in the region, especially Riyadh's stance on Middle East-related issues. From Saudi Arabia's point of view, oil production should be in line with market demand so as to prevent excess or a shortage of production," he said.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Obama addressed the three-day conference of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) during a visit to Laos this week, the release explained.

"The President discussed the important role that their generation will play in shaping a sustainable and prosperous ASEAN into the future, and how they can work together and with the United States on policy areas of mutual interest," the stated.

The areas of mutual interest include entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, environmental protection, education and civic engagement, according to the release.
A Russian fighter jet intercepted a US spy plane flying over the Black Sea, according to US Defense officials cited by the Reuters news agency.

The officials said that there were multiple interactions between two aircraft and called the intercept by the Russian jet "unsafe and unprofessional."
Daugherty said that reaching out to Laos is also part of the Obama administration's attempt to pivot towards Asia. While pulling Laos out of the China's sphere of influence is unrealistic, Washington is hoping for closer economic ties, similar to those it has with Vietnam.

"Washington has a modus operandi to get in there, and now it has an economic impetus behind it."

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is unlikely to be agreed before the Obama presidency finishes at the end of this year, so fostering closer ties with Laos and attracting new Asian trade partners would soften that blow.

"Any improvements that can be had with new trade partners in Asia in lieu of the TPP would be a concession prize for Obama," Daugherty said.

"This is a last push during the Obama presidency, with some uncertainty about what happens next, and also a response to the continuing rise of China's influence in the region."
STEM Competition

Broadcom Foundation Announces Middle School STEM Competition Semifinalists

The Broadcom Foundation and the Society for Science & the Public have selected 300 semifinalists in the sixth annual Broadcom MASTERS  a prestigious science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition for middle school students.

Semifinalists represent 37 states, including 54 semifinalists from California, 41 from Florida, 28 from Texas, 17 from New York and 16 from Pennsylvania.

Thirty finalists will be named Sept. 20, and the competition is scheduled for Oct. 27-Nov. 2. The top winner will receive the Samueli Prize of $25,000. More girls than boys are among the top 300 semifinalists.

The Broadcom MASTERS (math, applied science, technology and engineering for rising stars) rewards sixth, seventh and eighth grade students who develop projects in science or engineering at 300 regional and state science fairs. As the students apply project-based learning to the scientific method and the engineering process through hands-on challenges and competitions, they learn critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity  all important 21st century skills.

Broadcom MASTERS inspires middle school students from all walks of life to envision their future as scientists, engineers and innovators, said Paula Golden, president of the Broadcom Foundation, in a prepared statement. We are delighted to see growing interest in STEM fields among both girls and boys.

Semifinalists independent research projects include a broad range of topics, such as:

A wearable therapeutic device with Bluetooth for elderly sarcopenia patents and caregivers;

Cryptic cryptocurrency: a statistical analysis of possible factors driving the value of Bitcoin;

OpenRoad: a cost efficient solution to drowsy driving;

Bloodstain pattern analysis: accuracy of the point of origin calculation;

Did juvenile spinosaurids spend time in the ocean? and

Reducing adolescent stress via predictive machine learning models.

Semifinalists were selected from more than 6,000 nominees and 2,434 applicants. Each application received three independent readings and evaluations by distinguished scientists, engineers and educators, according to a news release.

Nominees qualified to enter the Broadcom MASTERS by placing among the top 10 percent of the participants at their society-affiliated science fairs.

The Broadcom Foundation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation funded by the for-profit company Broadcom Limited, which makes semiconductors.
STEM

Fayetteville State Lands Grant to Promote CS with Neighborhood Kids

A North Carolina university is partnering with a recreation center down the block from campus to teach elementary and middle school kids in the neighborhood how to code. Fayetteville State University's School of Business and Economics received a $54,000 grant for a project called, "Coding Camp: Training the Next Generation of Computer Science Professionals."

The funding came from Google's Community Grants Fund. The program will use Google CS First, a free program intended to introduce students to the concepts of computer science in a club format. The free online curriculum is targeted at students in grades 4-8, who will learn programming using Scratch, MIT's block-based coding language.

The money will pay for computers for the center and for community outreach to help parents understand what computer science is as a profession and why they would want their kids to learn it.

"This grant demonstrates community collaboration at its best," said Pam Jackson, dean of the school of business and economics and co-principal investigator for the project, in a prepared statement.

The university is "always looking for ways to partner with our neighboring communities and provide resources for them to increase and enhance their skills and knowledge," she added. "This project will not only teach these students an important component of computer science, but it will also put them on the path to gaining a better understanding of the STEM fields."
Distance Learning

Professional Development and Virtual Schools: Swapping Ideas and Practices

Michele Eaton, director of virtual and blended learning for the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township, explains how teacher professional development has evolved over five years at her virtual school.

The Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township offers students a variety of blended and online learning opportunities. The district also administers Indiana's only public, non-charter virtual high school, Achieve Virtual, which is based in Wayne Township but open to high school students across the state. Achieve Virtual employs about 60 part-time teachers who have full-time positions in other parts of the district, the state and, in the case of our Chinese language teacher, the world.

There is a misconception that an effective face-to-face teacher will automatically be an effective online teacher. In reality, it's very difficult for teachers to be capable online instructors if they haven't experienced good online learning themselves. Unfortunately, for any number of reasons, many of us fall into that category of never having experienced high quality online instruction.

To address that challenge, I started delivering professional development online using our learning management system (LMS), itslearning, so that I could model good online practices for our teachers. I set up a course called the Achieve Virtual Teacher Workroom and created our self-paced, asynchronous professional development modules within this course, using all of the same tools our teachers use with students. For example, I designed the courses so that use of the platform's discussion boards, peer assessments, online surveys and other tools are an integral part of lessons (when learners know they'll have to share their knowledge, they're even more motivated to focus on lesson content).

Almost immediately Derek Eaton, the Achieve Virtual principal, and I saw teachers transferring more of what they've learned to their own online classrooms. And as expected, students became increasingly engaged with their lessons and activities as they used the discussion boards and other online tools to interact despite being separated geographically across the state.

Additionally, because of the potential problem of online learners becoming socially isolated, I put a greater focus on nurturing an online teacher community. For about a year, whenever I would receive an e-mail asking me something about online instruction, I would tell that teacher to post the question to our teacher workroom, which is our online community space within our LMS (it looks just like the online class community space teachers have for their students). I would still respond, but they would also receive feedback from some of the 60 other teachers who were going through similar experiences, which led to some extremely valuable insights.

Similarly, if a teacher shared a resource with me, I would ask them to post that information to the teacher workroom. Gradually, that became the natural thing to do. The teachers and I have both benefitted immensely from having a place for informal learning and support and where I can reach out to them at any time.

In that instance, professional learning inspired instruction, but the reverse has also occurred. Our newest professional development approach was inspired by one proposed by teachers at our night school, Ben Davis Extended Day, which is an alternative blended learning program. Night school students were already working on online courses at their own pace, but the teachers wanted to make instruction truly personalized. After researching different strategies and ideas, they chose individualized learning plans (ILPs).

This was before we had moved to the itslearning LMS, so they created a template plan in Google Docs. Their goal was to learn about individual students' career goals, college goals, strengths, perceived weaknesses and interests so as to use that information to tailor individual learning pathways, meeting those students where they were and making the courses more engaging. The teachers had fantastic conversations with their students, but past that point, they had a really hard time managing all of the ILPs because they didn't have a good way to organize and keep track of them.

When it was time for those teachers to reflect on the year they'd had, I was really worried because they could have easily discarded the idea. Instead they said, "It didn't work the way that we did it. What can we do to make this work?" Fortunately, at about that time, we were moving into our new LMS, one of the more unusual and advantageous features of which was that ILPs are built right into the platform. Now the platform tool organizes information about a student's competencies, goals and the tasks required to reach these goals in one easy-to-read document and streamlines the updating process. And the same is true for our teachers and their learning proficiencies.

I want to nurture the night school teachers' "fail forward" attitude throughout the district, so we're rolling out professional development ILPs for all of our virtual school teachers in the 2016-17 school year. We're eliminating the regular face-to-face staff development meetings and using our LMS's ILP creation tool, which will then show their professional learning objectives and progress as interactive column charts. The charts' first column will contain school improvement plan goals since that information drives our professional development. The second column will have individual teacher's metrics so we know what progress toward the goals looks like for each teacher. Metrics don't have to be quantitative, but we need to know ahead of time how we're going to measure success.

The third column will contain two lists of activities, with each activity being worth a set number of professional growth points (PGPs). The first list will be the things that a teacher can do to learn more about a topic. So, participating in a Twitter chat or a webinar on a topic would be worth one PGP. If I create an online module that could be worth two or three, depending on how many hours it would take to finish the module.

The second activity list will cover the ways that teachers can demonstrate mastery of their new skill or a particular school improvement plan goal. That could be writing a blog post for our website or creating something for a class. We'll also have teachers contribute their own ideas about demonstrating mastery. We will use the learning objectives within the LMS for evaluation and to give teachers an opportunity to reflect on where they are on a mastery scale.

The number of PGPs teachers obtain will be almost immaterial. The main focus will be working toward their set goals. At the end of the school year, we are going to get together face-to-face and reflect on what went well, what didn't, what we can improve and what the practice would look like when used with students. If we use the ILP as learners ourselves, I think we will have much more success in transferring that to students.

Had I started this initiative when I took this position five years ago, we wouldn't have had the culture in place to make it work. But because our professional development has been so focused on discussion, collaboration and community over the last few years, this is an exciting and timely endeavor for our teachers. Building this culture is not something that happens overnight but it's critical for making these big changes.
By PTI: Ranchi, Sep 6 (PTI) Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale today lashed out at the separatists for refusing to talk to the all party delegation in Jammu and Kashmir, describing their approach as "not good".

"Kashmir, which is an integral part of the country, will not run on the directives of Pakistan and will remain an integral part of India," Athawale told reporters after he, along with Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot and Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das launched the Sugmya Bharat (Accessible India) campaign here.

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"There is no question of freedom of Kashmir, which became an integral part of India following Independence from the British rule," he said.

Referring to the refusal of separatist leaders to meet the all party delegation led by Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently, Athawale said such an approach was "not good".

"It is not wrong to understand the feelings of separatists," Athawale said replying to question about some members of the delegation deciding to meet them.

However, he said it was not proper on the part of the separatists to return the delegation empty handed.

"No political party of the country supports separatist activities in the Kashmir Valley," Athawale said adding, no one would believe if they talk of Kashmirs Azadi (freedom).

"Development of Kashmir and employment can be demanded, but no one will talk of separation from India," he said.

"The people of Kashmir will have to think it seriously that Pakistan is pitching our youths against our Army and police," he added.

Despite terrorist activities in the Valley, he said the turn out in elections was 70 to 75 per cent, indicating peoples faith in the democratic system.

The MoS emphasised the need for development of Jammu and Kashmir for the betterment of the people of the state. PTI PVR DKB ASV LNS

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NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Sep 6, 2016) - ModiFace, the leading provider of augmented reality technology for the beauty industry, in partnership with Cyzone, one of Latin America's most popular cosmetics brands, are today announcing the launch of the Cy MakeApp; applications for iOS and Android. The new applications feature ModiFace's industry leading facial tracking and makeup rendering technology, enabling photorealistic try-on of products on user's live video.

"We are delighted to be expanding our partnership with one of Latin America's most innovative cosmetics brands. Cyzone has always been at the forefront of the latest global innovations, and it is not a surprise that they would be the first Latin American brand to focus on Live 3D Augmented Reality," said Jennifer Tidy, Vice President of Partnerships at ModiFace.

"The Cyzone app is a unique experience, customized in every way to reflect the unique nature and brand of Cyzone. The combination of ModiFace's industry leading technology and the ability to create such a unique experience for our brand make this partnership very exciting for our business and customers," said Sandra de Rivero, Corporate Brand Design Manager, Cyzone.

The new applications are available at the following links:

iOS: http://appstore.com/cymakeapp

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.modiface.cyzone.maquilladorvirtual

For more information about ModiFace, please contact info@modiface.com.

About ModiFace

ModiFace is the leading creator of augmented reality technology for the beauty industry, providing custom web/mobile try-on apps, in-store mirrors, AR chatbots, and visual e-commerce. ModiFace's patented technology, which is based on over a decade of research at Stanford University, powers over 200 augmented reality apps for beauty brands such as Allergan, L'Oreal, Unilever, Yves Rocher, and Sephora. For more information, visit http://www.modiface.com.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3051560


* Bongo tells rival Jean Ping to appeal to court

* Ping says has no faith in constitutional court

* France supports idea of recount (Adds Ping spokesman quote)

By Gerauds Wilfried Obangome

LIBREVILLE, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Gabon's President Ali Bongo shrugged off growing international pressure on Wednesday to recount last week's disputed election, saying it was a matter for the constitutional court to decide.

Opposition leader Jean Ping, who has branded the Aug. 27 election a sham, said he did not trust the court. The European Union (KSE: 000910.KS - news) has also questioned the validity of the results and France, the former colonial ruler, backs the idea of a recount.

The poll and its violent aftermath - at least six people have died in riots - have drawn international attention to Gabon, which counts Total (LSE: 524773.L - news) and Royal Dutch Shell PLC (LSE: 0LN9.L - news) among foreign investors. The inflow of petrodollars have made it one of Africa's richest nations by GDP per capita, but they have mostly benefited the elite.

Asked in a pre-recorded interview broadcast on Wednesday whether he would permit a recount, Bongo told France's RTL radio: "What people should be asking me to do is apply the law. I cannot violate the law. As far as a recount is concerned ... that's done at the level of the Constitutional Court."

Bongo, whose family has ruled Gabon for half a century, said that under the electoral law, his opponents had until 1400 GMT on Thursday to lodge their complaints with the court. He said he was preparing his own objections.

Ping, a former diplomat, said he had no faith in the constitutional court, the highest legal body that can rule on an election, and said any recount should take place under international supervision.

"The constitutional court is the Bongo family. We know that," Ping told Reuters in an interview late on Tuesday.

Ping's camp has alleged the number of votes cast for Bongo in southeastern Haut-Ogooue province was inflated. Official figures show the president won 95.46 percent of the vote, after a 99.9 percent turnout.

Story continues

"I AM A DEMOCRAT"

The African Union has said it will send mediators to Gabon this week. The United Nations, which will send a representative to attend the process, is encouraging the opposition to file an appeal with the constitutional court.

"We hope the African Union mission ... will demand, as did President Ping, as well as national and international public opinion, a recount polling station by polling station," said Ping spokesman Rene Ndemezo Obiang at a press conference.

Obiang said Ping had yet to appeal to the court.

"Are we going to?" he said. "We shall see."

Asked whether he would accept the court's ruling if it did examine the results, Bongo told Europe 1 radio: "I am a democrat. I am in favour of the Constitutional Court taking up the case." He added he expected it would rule in his favour.

Bongo said any suggestion of forming a unity government with opponents was premature.

"It is difficult to work with those who asked the Gabonese people to go into the streets and loot," he said.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, whose country was once close to Bongo's father and predecessor, suggested on Tuesday a recount would be sensible, and urged the Gabonese authorities to help locate about 15 French nationals who are missing.

"They are among those who rioted and looted and were therefore arrested," Bongo said, adding that six dual nationals would be treated like any citizen of Gabon. (Additional reporting by Richard Lough, Matt Bigg in Accra and Simon Carraud in Paris; Writing by Richard Lough and Edward McAllister; Editing by Tim Cocks and Gareth Jones)
By Olzhas Auyezov ALMATY (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged his support to the man emerging as the likely next leader of Uzbekistan on Tuesday, during a visit that put a stamp on Moscow's claim to be the ex-Soviet republic's closest ally. Putin flew into the Central Asian state to pay his respects to President Islam Karimov, who died from a stroke on Sept. 2 aged 78. Putin was shown on state television embracing Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, 59, the favourite to succeed the authoritarian leader. In contrast, the United States, which vies with Russia for influence in Uzbekistan, has pressed its new leaders to improve the country's record on human rights and sent a mid-level diplomat after Karimov's death. "Of course, we hope that everything Islam Abduganiyevich (Karimov) had started will be continued," Russia's Rossiya-24 channel showed Putin telling Mirziyoyev, after laying flowers on Karimov's grave in the city of Samarkand. "For our part, we will do everything to support this path of mutual development and the people and leadership of Uzbekistan. You can fully count on us as your most reliable friends." His words appeared to be a call to Karimov's successors to continue the tough line that he pursued against internal dissent during his more than 25 years at the helm. Karimov died without publicly designating an heir. But the way Putin's visit was stage-managed pointed strongly to Mirziyoyev having already taken on the mantle of his successor. Mirziyoyev carried out the role of Putin's principal host. The two were shown chatting at the graveside, and embracing warmly at Samarkand airport. Putin also met Karimov's widow, Tatiana, and his younger daughter, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva. Mirziyoyev, in turn, told Putin his visit "says a lot". "We will continue to develop that bridge which you had been building together with Islam Abduganiyevich for so many years in order not to break it, but to further solidify it," he said. The visit by Putin highlighted the competition among world powers for influence in resource-rich and strategically-located Central Asia, the region in which Uzbekistan is located. Hours before Putin's arrival, Daniel Rosenblum, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State, told reporters in Tashkent he had met Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Komilov the previous evening. Karimov had for years presented himself as a bulwark against a possible surge of Islamist militancy in Uzbekistan, which borders Afghanistan. He successfully manoeuvred between Russia and the United States to win backing for his sometimes harsh policies at home despite criticism from human rights groups and misgivings among Western governments. Under his rule, Uzbekistan managed to forge close relations with Washington, which used Uzbek air bases to resupply its forces in Afghanistan. There were also periods of estrangement when the United States accused him of crushing dissent. Karimov distanced Uzbekistan from Moscow in 2012 when Tashkent suspended its membership in the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation, which groups several ex-Soviet nations and is seen by some analysts as a regional counterbalance to NATO. But Uzbekistan, Central Asia's most populous nation, remains heavily dependent on Russia economically. At least 2 million Uzbeks are estimated to work abroad, mostly in Russia, to provide for their families. (Additional reporting by Dmitry Solovyov in Moscow; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
Parents of the bride Tim and Jeni Buchanan renew their vows in Paris in this picture from 2014. (Photo: Courtesy of Facebook/jeni.buchanan)

A wedding in Costa Rica turned into an unthinkable tragedy on Saturday when the brides father, Tim Buchanan, succumbed to a fatal heart attack just moments after dancing with his daughter.

Tim, 54, was a respected detective with the York County Sheriffs Department in Rock Hill, S.C. He and his wife, Jeni, were attending the nuptials of Michelle Howard, one of the couples four children, to Luis Diego Granera, when he suddenly passed, according to People.

In a post on Facebook, Jeni Buchanan shared a heartbreaking eulogy for her beloved husband of 20 years. You never know when the last time will be the last time! wrote Jeni, a wedding photographer. Tim came into my life at a time when I was broken to the core and held me up and built me into a strong person.  He was the most beautiful soul I have ever known and I will never be the same without him. I know he loved me and our family.

(Photo: Courtesy of Facebook/tim.buchanan.524)

Accompanying the message is a photo of Jeni and Tim that was candidly snapped at their daughters island nuptials. I am so very grateful for this image of us that our dear friends  snuck during our daughters wedding yesterday. Little did I know just a few hours later we would lose him, the grieving wife wrote. She added that she was still in Costa Rica as of Monday, and would not be taking phone calls.

I just cant deal with much right now, Jeni shared. Once we have plans settled, someone will update or announce them. For now, just pray. He was always the one to make us feel better when things went wrong and so we need all the prayers we can get. The comments section was flooded with condolences from friends and family.

(Photo: Courtesy of Facebook/jeni.buchanan)

One family friend, Jenn Lewis, set up a GoFundMe page on behalf of the Buchanan family to deal with arrangements and expenses that she wasnt at all prepared for. Lewis wrote that Jeni and Tim were so excited to head to Costa Rica a few days ago to see their daughter, who lives there, marry the man of her dreams yesterday. Many of you know that Jeni is a wedding photographer, and understandably, she will need some time away from that after such a tragic event at her own daughters wedding, so any financial help would be greatly appreciated, Lewis said, adding that prayers were also appreciated. As of this articles publication, the family is about $5,000 short of its $20,000 goal.

Story continues

In happier times, and as recently as June, Jeni posted giddy tributes to her beloved husband on Facebook. In one particularly endearing post, the couple is making silly faces for the camera, and Jeni writes, This man is my hunk of love that I wouldnt trade a gazillion dollars for. He is my heart and soul and is always my hero.  I am completely smitten by love and want to capture it from sun up to sun down.

Jenis Facebook profile photo shows her in a wedding dress, in a loving embrace with Tim; the Eiffel Tower can be seen behind them. One commenter confirmed the photo was taken during the couples vow renewals in Paris in 2014. This man is all mine and I love him Bigger Than The Sky! Jeni captioned the sweet image.

According to People, Tims colleague Sheriff Bruce Bryant said, All of our hearts are saddened about the loss of this great law enforcement officer. Tim dedicated almost 19 years to this profession as an outstanding deputy, forensics investigator and most recently detective in computer crimes. His talents will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family in this difficult time.

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Fawad Khan will most probably be the first guest to grace Koffee with Karan 5. Here's our wishlist for the current season.

By Hardeep Dugal: It is one talk show that the whole country talks about. We eagerly await this year after year just like a fun festival. Be it men or women, children or oldies, office goers or housewives, we all just can't seem to get enough of Koffee with Karan.

And now the show is back with a bang with its fifth season. And guess what, this year's first episode is likely to feature Pakistani actor and current Bollywood heartthrob Fawad Khan who has replaced KJo's all time favourite Shah Rukh Khan. Speculation is still rife as to who will join Fawad on the couch but some reports have hinted that it will either be Deepika Padukone or Alia Bhatt.

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Also read: Koffee With Karan Season 5: Not SRK, but Fawad Khan to be KJo's first guest?



Making a comeback after two and a half long years (the last episode aired on April 13, 2014), the show will go on air anytime between September end to October first week this year.

While it was Salman and Aamir Khan's debut on the show that was most talked about in Season 4, here is a list of a few celebrities we'd like KJo to invite while he sips away his cuppa 'koffee'.

Also read: Opening episode of Koffee With Karan 5 has to be with Shah Rukh Khan: Karan Johar

Katrina Kaif: Katrina Kaif tops the list as far as female actors go. The lady has much to disclose and we bet only Karan can get her to talk about her personal ups and downs and if Ranbir Kapoor joins her on the couch, we bet the TRPs will create history.

Picture courtesy: Youtube/KatKaifFan Click here to Enlarge Picture courtesy: Youtube/KatKaifFan

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma: Virat Kohli is one sportsman we all want to know more about. Of course accompanied by girlfriend and KJo's lead actress Anushka Sharma, it will be a treat to watch both of them talk about sports, travel and love.

Click here to Enlarge Picture courtesy: Instagram/viratanushkasharma

Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput: Recently promoted to parenthood, Shahid and Mira, we think, will be a good choice to be a part of the show.

Click here to Enlarge Picture courtesy: Instagram/ShahidKapoor

Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan: Kareena and Saif, who are expecting their first child in December, is also one couple we want to watch talking their heart out on Karan's couch.

Click here to Enlarge Picture courtesy: Instagram/_saifeena_

Ajay Devgn and Kajol: Last but not the least, one would love to see Ajay Devgn make his debut on a show that his wife Kajol is a regular on, especially now with constant controversies over Shivaay releasing on the same day as Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, it will be interesting to see both KJo and Devgn together.

When it comes to Koffee with Karan, how can we not talk about Shah Rukh Khan? Well, he was conspicuous by his absence in Season 4, but here's hoping King Khan returns to the couch and charms one and all with his wit. Be it the Rapid Fire Round or the Quiz, we are waiting for this season with bated breath. Bring it on Karan Johar, we already have braced ourselves.

--- ENDS ---

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In the late summer and early fall, the air in New Mexico is scented with roasted green chile enticing everyone to give into their cravings for chile rellenos, enchiladas and their favorite chile dishes.

But what should you pair with entrees brimming with chile goodness?

Two food experts at New Mexico State University have offered their takes on what

beers and wines pair best with chile.

Professor Stuart Munson-McGee, a faculty member in the college of agricultural, consumer and environmental sciences family and consumer sciences department, teaches food science courses and researches wine and beer making techniques.

He prefers the flavor of chile over spice, which is why he reaches for a beer or wine that will complement the flavors in a chile entree.

What complements something like that is a nice, malty beer, which also helps cut the spice because of the high alcohol content, Munson-McGee said. I like a Scottish ale that is wee heavy, or a dopplebock that is malty.

If you prefer a beer that will contrast with the flavor of a chile entree, Munson-McGee suggests choosing a Northwest-style IPA that is very hoppy and bitter, as opposed to an East Coast IPA, which is more malty.

As far as wine is concerned, Munson-McGee said, it can depend on the social situation as well as the food, but he tends to disagree with many wine experts suggestions regarding chile and wine pairings.

Drink what you like, Munson-McGee said. Traditionally, experts suggest a merlot to go with spicy food, but I like fruity, full-bodied red wines and blends.

I have very good friends who like white, fruity wines that provide an interesting contrast to a chile entree. Red wine would be a complement.

Chef John Hartley, an assistant professor in the school of hotel, restaurant and tourism management at NMSU, has experience planning dinner menus based on chile dishes and wine or beer.

Typically as a chef I will choose the food and then choose a beverage that would complement it, Hartley said.

Green chile and beer go very well together, but it depends on the dish. If its something with a lot a cheese, then you need something fairly strong to compete with the oils and robustness of the dish. If its something like a steak Tampico, for example, I would pair it with milder selections.

Hartley said the richer and stronger the flavors in a dish, the more robust the beverage has to be to compete.

If the flavors of the food are stronger, then you dont get to appreciate the flavor of the alcohol, and vice versa, Hartley said. When pairing foods and beverages, my first choice is to match the level of robustness of the food with the beverage. They need to be at the same level of intensity.

Beyond wine and beer is up to the person.

Munson-McGee said while he prefers to enjoy spirits and liquors after dinner, it depends on the social occasion, such as enjoying a margarita with chips and salsa after work.

However, Hartley said most mixed drinks can be enjoyed with chile, but would not pair gin with chile-based entrees.

The juniper in gin and chile are not complementary flavors, kind of like cilantro and rosemary dont go well together, Hartley said.

I have done a dinner with one of my favorite whiskeys. Vodka goes with everything. And the traditional is tequila.

Here are some of Hartleys favorite chile-based recipes, which can be paired with your favorite wine, beer or liquor.

CALDO TLALPEAO

Serves 8

8 cups chicken broth

1-pound whole chicken breast with skin and bones

1 onion, halved lengthwise and sliced thin lengthwise

1 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 carrots, cut into -inch-thick slices

1 zucchini, cut into -inch-thick slices

19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 cans whole chipotle chiles in adobo, drained, rinsed, seeded and cut into strips

1 avocado for garnish

8 lime wedges for garnish

In a large saucepan, bring the broth just to a boil.

Poach the chicken in the broth at a bare simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and let the chicken cool in the broth.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, reserving the broth, and discard the skin and bones. Shred the chicken and reserve it, cover and chill.

In a large heavy saucepan, cook the onion in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until it is softened. Stir in the carrots and zucchini, and cook the mixture, stirring for one minute.

Add the reserved broth to the vegetable mixture with the chickpeas and simmer the soup for eight minutes, or until the carrots are just tender.

The soup and the chicken may be prepared up to this point a day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Stir the reserved chicken into the soup with the chiles and salt and pepper to taste, simmer the soup gently until the chicken is heated through and divide it among eight bowls.

Garnish each serving with some of the avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced, and a lime wedge.

VERACRUZ-STYLE FISH (PESCADO A LA VERACRUZANA)

Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 6-ounce tilapia fillets or other white fish fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cups canned crushed tomatoes with juice

1 roasted green chile, peeled, stemmed, seeded and cut into thin strips

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried oregano

 cup pitted and halved green olives

 cup capers, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the fish fillets on both sides with salt and black pepper, to taste.

Saute the fillets until they are opaque and just cooked through, about two minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a glass baking dish where they fit snugly.

In the same saute pan, heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about five minutes. Add the tomatoes, green chile, bay leaf and oregano and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium, cover and let the sauce simmer until the chile softens, about six minutes. Uncover the pan, add the olives and capers, and cook until the flavors combine, about four minutes.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour the sauce over the fish in the baking dish. Bake until the fish is heated through, about five minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven, discard the bay leaf and serve.
Jumping from a plane high above Albuquerque, 10 members of the U.S. Navys SEALs team known as the Leap Frogs will plummet downward Saturday, Sept. 17, before popping their chutes and gliding safely and majestically to the infield of the Albuquerque Downs racetrack, kicking off the New Mexico State Fairs horse racing for the day.

Its the culmination of Navy Week in Albuquerque as some 75 sailors from across the country reach out to local residents at a variety of events, particularly at the State Fair, says U.S. Navy Lt. Jason Fischer, the chief planner for event.

This is exciting, he says. We have 15 of these a year (around the country) and in each, we try to piggyback off an anchor event. We do this for obvious reasons; for exposure so we can see more people and more people can see us.

And the State Fair offers a perfect venue for that, Fischer says.

We think the State Fair is a wonderful opportunity to interact with the people of greater Albuquerque, he says. Throughout the week this gives citizens the opportunity to get up close with their Navy sailors.

In addition to various events around Albuquerque, the Navy will staff a booth at the fair on Tuesday, Sept. 13, and Wednesday, Sept. 14.

Outreach, exposure

Its mostly about outreach and exposure, Fischer says. What we discovered some time ago was that there are pockets of the country  the Southwest, Midwest and other places obviously away from the coast and fleet concentrations in San Diego, Norfolk (Virginia) and Florida  where people didnt know much about the Navy.

So to correct that and create more familiarity with the service, the Navy has taken a grassroots approach to information dissemination.

People should know what the Navy is about, and the mission the Navy provides for our country, Fischer says. A large piece of the tax dollars goes to defense and we think they should know how that money is being spent.

The approach is not really about boosting numbers, he says.

Collaterally speaking, it has its benefits, but this is not a recruiting mission, Fischer says. It is related, but this is about outreach and exposure. We dont measure the success of it by recruiting numbers.

Having the Navy participate in the fair helps recognize the militarys role here and abroad, says fair general manager Dan Mourning.

At EXPO New Mexico, we relish the opportunity to honor our active duty military personnel as well as our veterans, he says. So to have the chance to work in partnership with the Navy to provide the perfect backdrop for these incredible events is an honor for our State Fair.

Big jump

One of the Navys leading forms of outreach are the Leap Frogs, Fischer says, and they always enthrall spectators.

The plan is to jump around 12:30 p.m., Fischer says.

Before each demonstration, the crew performs a streamer pass to help gauge wind speed and direction. Sometimes an early burn is performed by activating a smoke canister attached to a Leap Frog foot brackets, which signals theyre ready to go.

During the demonstration, smoke canisters are frequently employed during free fall to make it easier to follow since sometimes the jump starts from as high as 12,000 feet.

Following the landing, the Leap Frogs field questions from the audience and occasionally allow younger viewers to help pack the parachutes.

Its sure to be a hit, Mourning says.

Navy Week activities also will include performances all week from the Navy Band Northwest from Washington state, playing a variety of music, Fischer said.

Theyre all trained, professional musicians, he says. Their job is to play music. Thats all they do.

The band also plans to march in the fair parade Saturday, Sept. 10.

On Tuesday, Sept. 13, during the fairs Military Appreciation Day, Rear Adm. Phillip Sawyer will speak on the Mattress Firm Pavilion stage about 10:30 a.m.

Hes going to thank the community for its support of the military and veterans for their service, Fischer says. And he may speak briefly on the state of the Navy and the areas relationship to the Navy.

The goal is also to have some of the current sailors from the USS Albuquerque brought in, he says, to further the connection to the community.

The Navy has a long history with Albuquerque, Fischer says. Theres a large presence of former sailors, retired sailors here and we want to continue that relationship and nurture that relationship.

Navy Week highlights

Navy booth: Tuesday & Wednesday, Sept. 13-14

Admirals speech: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13

Leap Frogs demonstration: 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17
Donald Trump was the mainstream face of a fringe movement five years ago that questioned Barack Obamas place of birth and qualifications for office, eventually prompting the president to release a long-form certificate proving his birth in Hawaii.

Trump has never apologized, recanted his charges or even admitted error. Instead, he tries not to discuss it.

I dont talk about it because if I talk about that, your whole thing will be about that, Trump told reporters aboard his plane on Labor Day. So I dont talk about it.

This is a persistent pattern for the stubbornly unapologetic Republican nominee.

Judging by his own words, the Republican nominee apparently still believes that prisoners of war such as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., are not heroes; that a federal judge of Mexican heritage is unable to fairly rule in a civil case involving Trump University; that the Muslim American father of a fallen soldier has no right to question him; that former president George W. Bush should be blamed for the 9/11 terrorist attacks; that foreign Muslims must be barred from entering the country until officials figure out what is going on; and that the father of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, might have been involved with the murder of President John F. Kennedy.

The approach has often allowed Trump to dodge responsibility for attacks, part of an attempt to portray himself as a more moderate candidate in the general election.

But it has also provided a stream of material for Hillary Clinton and her Democratic allies as they compose attack ads. One released this summer showed small children observing some of Trumps most offensive comments, including when he mocked a disabled reporter, while another released this week featured veterans listening to Trump insult McCain and claim to have sacrificed for his country.

The Trump campaign declined to answer a written series of questions about where the candidate now stands on a long list of positions or insults. Instead, campaign spokesman Jason Miller pointed to a blanket expression of regret that Trump made last month and then provided a list of controversies that he believes Clinton should explain.

When Hillary Clinton chooses incorrectly, there are real world ramifications, presenting a troubling pattern that questions whether or not shes even qualified to be President of the United States, Miller wrote in an email.

The Clinton campaign has been trying to hold Trump to his most definitive positions  a task that can be difficult. Clinton deputy communications director Christina Reynolds said that on a variety of issues, Trumps imprecision or his failure to address certain topics are attempts to have it both ways.

He was birther for years and years and years, and now he doesnt talk about it, Reynolds said on Tuesday. If he doesnt believe it anymore, he should say so.

Even when Trump seems to regret some of the things that he has said, done or tweeted  like when he retweeted an unflattering photo of Cruzs wife, questioned former rival Ben Carsons religion or used the word bimbo in a tweet about Fox News Megyn Kelly  he will stop short of the genuine apology that is common in American politics. Last summer, Trump said he couldnt remember if he had ever asked God for forgiveness and in September said that apologizings a great thing, but you have to be wrong.

Trump seemed to come close to acknowledging the potential for error when he said at a rally in Charlotte, last month that sometimes during the heat of debate he will choose the wrong words or say the wrong thing.

And believe it or not, I regret it, Trump said. And I do regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain.

But when pressed since then to explain what he regrets, Trump and his top aides have declined to provide examples.

He has said that he wants to regret anytime hes caused somebody personal pain by saying something that he didnt intend to cause personal pain, and I think those who have received it privately should take that expression of regret, Trumps campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said on ABC News last month. At another point, she said, Hes expressed his regret publicly and said if I have caused you personal pain  that can include me, that can include you  that he regrets that.

During an interview with Fox News Sean Hannity that aired on Aug. 24, Trump reiterated that he does regret things but did not provide any examples and said that he doesnt regret calling Cruz Lyin Ted or Clinton Crooked Hillary. Then he changed the topic to the tremendous success of his tremendous campaign.

Trump began to build his current political brand in 2011 by questioning Obamas qualifications for office. Trump never came out and said where he thinks the president was born, but he demanded to see the presidents full birth certificate and other documents, forcing the fringe issue into the mainstream.

In April of that year, Obama released his long-form Hawaiian birth certificate in the name of putting all of the conspiracy theories to rest, and Trump congratulated himself.

Today, I am very proud of myself because I have accomplished something that nobody else has been able to accomplish, Trump said at the time. I was just informed, while on the helicopter, that our president has finally released a birth certificate.  He should have done it a long time ago.

But Trump didnt let the issue go. In June 2015, CNNs Anderson Cooper asked Trump whether he now believes Obama was born in the United States, and Trump didnt clearly answer.

No. I dont know. I really dont know, Trump said. I mean, I dont know why he wouldnt release his records. But you know, honestly, I dont want to get in it.

On the campaign trail, Trump has repeatedly suggested that the president might not be Christian or that he might sympathize with Islamic State terrorists.

Such attacks have caused many black voters to turn sharply against Trump, offended that he would challenge the qualifications of the countrys first black president. As Trump has made an aggressive pitch to minority voters in the past few weeks, there has been a renewed debate over Trumps prominent role in the birther moment.

On Tuesday, Carson  now a regular Trump surrogate  said on CNN that Trump could immediately improve his relationship with African-American voters by apologizing for questioning the presidents place of birth.

I think that would be a good idea, absolutely, Carson said. I suggest that on all sides.



Aaron Blake and Anne Gearan contributed to this report.

trump-controversy
WASHINGTON  Despite Hillary Clintons recent slip in the polls, she has a big political opportunity, even though some of her advisers might regard it as a curse: She can run as the candidate who represents the mainstream leadership of both parties and knows how to fix our broken political system.

In a year when anti-elitism has been a dominant theme in both parties, donning this establishment mantle might appear to be a mistake for Clinton.

But lets be honest: Her strength is that shes the voice of experienced, centrist leadership. Shes not a convincing populist: The more she tries to sound like one, the more she risks coming off as a phony in the final two months of the campaign.

Since Clinton cant escape her mainstream pedigree, perhaps she would be wiser to try to turn it to her advantage  and explain to voters how she, as someone who deeply understands the system, would try to break the Washington logjam and make government work again for the country.

If youre thinking slogans, try: Change, from the inside out.

Running from the center in a polarized country has its risks, to be sure. But Clintons current strategy, a sort of Bernie Sanders Lite, doesnt seem to be working very well, even against a radically unqualified GOP opponent.

A CNN poll released Tuesday showed Trump polls vary widely, but the average compiled by Real Clear Politics shows Clinton ahead now by just 3.3 points, less than half the margin she enjoyed after the July conventions.

A Clinton strategy that played more on her governing experience would have three basic components. The first is the mass defection of leading Republicans from GOP nominee Donald Trump.

Fifty former top GOP foreign-policy officials signed a letter in August warning that Trump would be the most reckless president in American history. Republican business leaders have been less vocal, but theres a deep uneasiness in the broad moderate wing of the party thats loyal to former President George W. Bush, 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Trumps response to the GOP elites defection has basically been good riddance. He called the 50 foreign-policy experts nothing more than the failed Washington elite looking to hold onto their power. He has a similar disdain for traditional conservative policies on trade and the budget.

If Clinton is smart, she will use the GOP leaderships rejection of Trump to reinforce her core argument that he is intellectually and temperamentally unsuited for the job, and would come to the White House without clear plans or advisers in both foreign and domestic policy.

Although lacking any experience in government himself, he scorns the GOP leadership that might help him govern. Even the angriest populist voters might be wary of such a risky bet.

Clinton can compound Trumps isolation by showing that she would be open to bringing some of those disaffected mainstream Republicans into her administration.

Theres a wide range of moderate Republicans who would accept her call. By contrast, who would Trump nominate for key positions in his Cabinet? Who would agree to serve? These questions will loom larger as Election Day approaches.

The second leg of a governing strategy for Clinton is the likelihood that the Democrats will narrowly regain control of the Senate. The latest Real Clear Politics Senate map projects 47 likely Democrats winning, 44 Republicans and nine tossups.

Maybe Clinton will stumble and drag down Democrats, but pollsters have been betting that GOP candidates in close Senate races such as Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania will be hurt by Trump.

The third leg of this mainstream approach would be a strong, believable message about how Clinton would govern the country in the first 100 days.

Middle-class voters do want change this year; they want to know that political leaders have truly gotten the message that the fruits of economic growth must be distributed more fairly, in a more robust economy. Clinton has been voicing the right policies and programs, but too often she makes her agenda sound like a liberal laundry list.

The test will be Clintons ability to speak to the country during the debates. In terms of experience and expertise, she should overwhelm Trump.

But 16 Republican primary challengers thought that, too. Clintons weakness is that she symbolizes an elite that many believe has led the country astray.

She cant change the elite part; thats her biography. Her challenge is to show voters that she knows how to repair a damaged country  and that Trump, inexperienced and isolated from his own party, is a dangerous alternative.
SAN DIEGO  During a recent speech to a largely Hispanic audience in Reno, Nev., Hillary Clinton skewered Donald Trump for spreading prejudice and paranoia. The Democratic nominee seized upon a popular Mexican refrain that essentially amounts to guilt by association.

Theres an old Mexican proverb that says, Tell me with whom you walk, and I will tell you who you are,  she told supporters.

In Spanish: Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres.

Trumps goal, Clinton said, is to make America hate again. After all, she added, look at the Republicans spiteful handling of the immigration issue.

All true. But the problem is that Clinton is the wrong person to judge others by the company they keep  especially on the immigration issue, where her hands are far from clean.

Just look at some of her closest associates:

 Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is a longtime friend, and he was a top adviser to President Bill Clinton. Emanuel endorsed Hillary Clintons presidential campaign back in 2014, before it was even launched. Its no wonder that CNN earlier this year that few people are closer to the Clintons than Emanuel.

In the 1990s, while working in the White House, Emanuel urged Bill Clinton to be as tough on immigration enforcement as President Richard Nixon was on crime  with the same objective of attracting white voters.

In 2006, while serving in Congress, Emanuel helped Democrats take back the House of Representatives. All Democrats had to do to keep it, he convinced himself, was to push immigration reform so far onto the back burner than it fell off the stove. He told Hispanic lawmakers that the issue was the third rail. You touch it, you die.

One of those lawmakers, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., later endorsed one of Emanuels opponents in Chicagos 2011 mayoral race, and even cut a commercial where he blamed his former colleague for the fact that Congress never achieved immigration reform.

If we were to hand out grades on how one handled the immigration issue, Emanuel would get a D.

 Then there is Hillarys husband, the former president who adopted Emanuels cynical advice to ratchet up deportations in order to appeal to white voters.

Bill Clinton also militarized the U.S.-Mexico border by increasing the amount of fencing and Border Patrol agents at three different points  in California, Arizona and Texas. Human rights activists who work on the border say the crackdown led to countless deaths since immigrants were funneled into crossing through mountains and deserts.

Finally, Clinton signed into law the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. IIRIRA made it easier to deport people and harder for them to come back legally because it bars re-entry for 10 years following a deportation.

This dreadful piece of legislation is something that immigration attorneys have to battle against every single day.

Bill Clintons grade: D-.

 Finally, there is President Obama, in whose administration Hillary Clinton served as secretary of state. Obama quickly broke his campaign promise to make immigration reform a top priority and, in his two terms, has deported nearly 3 million people, destroyed hundreds of thousands of families, and banished to foster care tens of thousands of U.S.-born children whose parents were deported.

He pushed back for three years against immigration reformers who pleaded with him to use executive power to halt deportations by denying he had such power. Obama miraculously discovered this authority in 2012 when he ran for re-election and needed to re-energize Latino voters, and made a similar discovery in 2014 when he tried to help Democratic members of Congress in the midterms.

The president also claimed untruthfully that his administration was largely deporting criminals and gangbangers when a review of the data showed otherwise.

Finally, Obama removed tens of thousands of Central American refugees  mostly women and children  and imprisoned thousands more indefinitely in bleak detention facilities, most without due process. And Obama tried to cover up his crimes against humanity by blaming Republicans for the evil that his administration carried out.

Obamas grade: F.

These charlatans are Hillary Clintons peeps. She walks with them.

And so  according to that Mexican proverb she likes so much  this should tell us exactly who she is.

Copyright, The Washington Post Writers Group.
For many private sector workers, the concept of saving for retirement is a just a dream. Would if I could afford to. Would if I had access to a retirement plan. But I dont.

About two dozen states are considering how to make saving for retirement more of a possibility for private sector employees. Seven are moving forward with state-run plans to increase access.

New Mexico is wisely starting to study the idea, too.

AARP Public Policy Institute experts were in the state recently to brief members of the Legislatures Investments and Pensions Oversight Committee. According to the institute, an estimated 64 percent of private sector employees in New Mexico have no access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

Once again the state is at the top of a not-so-good rating.

In contrast, public sector employees in New Mexico have access to fairly generous plans through the New Mexico Public Employees Retirement Association or the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board.

AARPs director of financial security and consumer affairs told committee members that New Mexicos lower-wage workers at smaller private businesses are least likely to have access to an employer-sponsored savings plan or automatic retirement paycheck withdrawals.

Individuals who have access to a way to save through an employer-sponsored retirement plan, we know are 15 times more likely to save for retirement than those folks that dont have a plan, Gerri Madrid-Davis said.

When New Mexico lawmakers convene for the full 60-day session in January, they should consider what can be done to level the retirement playing field for private sector employees in the state.

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.
SANTA FE  The resignation of Mora Independent Schools Superintendent LeAnne Salazar-Montoya after less than three months on the job was accepted by the school board during a special meeting on Tuesday.

The head of the American Federation of Teachers-New Mexico had called for her resignation after last month she allegedly fired three district employees, two of them counselors. Salazar-Montoya submitted a resignation letter last week.

AFT President Stephanie Ly maintained that in the short time Salazar-Montoya had been in Mora, she had deteriorated the culture of respect and collaboration between educators, staff, and the district and created an environment hostility. Salazar-Montoya also was accused of violating New Mexico state statutes and the locally negotiated collective bargaining agreement.

Salazar-Montoya told the Journal last month she didnt fire anybody and the employees in question refused to sign contracts. Contacted Tuesday, Salazar-Montoya provided a statement: I made a personal decision to focus on my family and doctoral studies. The safety of my family is my top priority. The Mora schools was a wonderful professional experience and I thank the school board for their support. She previously said she had received threatening messages during the controversy.

AFTs Ly, in her statement Tuesday, said the teachers union was pleased with the school boards decision to accept Salazar-Montoyas resignation. With this action, District leaders made an important choice to return focus to Moras students, schools educators, and the greater community, she said.

Ly also renewed her call to have the three employees reinstated. She said Salazar-Montoya tried to offer the employees changed employment contracts, including at a lower pay.

Salazar-Montoya said pressure from others had no bearing on her resignation. I feel comfortable with the direction I am headed in and I wish the students and staff nothing but the best, she wrote.

In a follow up email, Salazar-Montoya declined to comment about her other job as Title III STEM director at Northern New Mexico College. She told the Journal last month that she reduced her work on that job to part-time when she started serving as superintendent in Mora on June 1.

Ella Arellano was named interim superintendent by the school board Tuesday. She is the third interim superintendent for Mora schools since Charles Trujillo was forced to resign last October amid accusations he falsified documents to qualify for the superintendent job in Mora, which pays $100,000 per year.

State police charged Charles Trujillo with more than a dozen counts of fraud and forgery last month.
SANTA FE  A man wanted for shooting a woman in the hand in Glorieta was caught by officers from the U.S. Marshals Service and State Police in Pecos Tuesday, according to a statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office.

Jose Javier Medina, 24, was arrested without incident at a home on Double D Road in Pecos after a weeks-long search by multiple state agencies. Medina is charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and shooting at an occupied dwelling after a bullet he fired from a car Aug. 10 hit 41-year-old Senta Guerra in the hand.

According to the sheriffs office , Medina went to a house in Glorieta on State Road 50 around 12:30 p.m. Aug. 10 and was looking for Guerras son, David Mares. Mares told deputies that Medina got out of his car and began shooting at him with a handgun from the driveway.

Guerra came out of the house and yelled at Medina to leave to property, used pepper spray on Medina and threw a rock at his windshield after he threatened to shoot her. A witness told deputies that he got into his car, drove onto the road and fired in Guerras direction, hitting her in the hand as she was calling 911.A family member drove her to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center.

Santa Fe County deputies scoured the area for Medina and a State Police helicopter crew search parts of San Miguel County. A helicopter also flew over downtown Santa Fe after deputies got a false tip that Medina had an address in the area.
Attorneys for both sides worked Tuesday to seat a jury to hear the case against a man accused of shooting and killing a Rio Rancho police officer.

Jury selection started for the trial against Andrew Romero, 29, who is facing life in prison without the possibility of the parole in officer Gregg Benners death. The process isnt expected to be completed until later this week.

Romero has been charged with an open count of murder and other offenses.

Police have said Benner was fatally shot as he approached a suspected stolen car near Southern and Pinetree in Rio Rancho on Memorial Day 2015.

Romero had active warrants for his arrest and was in the middle of a spree of armed robberies when he shot and killed Benner, according to police.

Tabitha Littles, Romeros former girlfriend who was with him at the time of shooting, has tentatively agreed to a plea deal that caps her prison sentence at 16 years if she testifies truthfully against Romero.

Police have said Littles knew that Romero planned to shoot at the officer, but didnt warn Benner when she had the chance, according to court documents.

Benner, a military veteran who had been with Rio Rancho police for four years, was the first Rio Rancho police officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty.

Romeros trial is taking place in Los Lunas at the Valencia County District Courthouse. The crime happened in Sandoval County, but 13th Judicial District Court Judge George Eichwald moved the case to a different part of the judicial district because of the intense media coverage the case has received.

Jury selection began Tuesday, but the judge has planned for the process to take the remainder of the week, according to a state court website.
Whats left of Pacific Hurricane Newton is supposed to bully its way into western New Mexicos Catron County early today and dump as much as 8 inches of rain on the southern slopes of the Mogollon Mountains.

Thats an insane amount of rain in a state where the average annual rainfall is 13.25 inches.

Copious deep moisture associated with Newton will lead to heavy rainfall, likely resulting in flash flooding across Catron County Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night, said Andy Church, a meteorologist with the Albuquerque office of the National Weather Service.

Church said flooding threats will peak this evening. Towns such as Alma, Glenwood, Pleasanton and Mogollon stand to bear the brunt of rain-swollen streams such as Whitewater and Mineral creeks, both of which flow into the San Francisco River.

The Albuquerque area might get some rain out of Newton tonight if there is any punch left in the storm after it slogs its way through the Mogollons, the Black Range in Sierra County and the San Mateo Mountains in Socorro and Valencia counties.

The biggest forecast challenge is how much of that remnant circulation makes it over the Mogollons, the Black Range and the San Mateo Mountains and into the Rio Grande Valley, Church said. Albuquerque could get from a third to a half inch of rain on Wednesday night. Locally heavy rain might mean more rain for some parts (of the metro area).

But its possible Albuquerque wont see any rain at all from Newton.

We have seen situations before where the system just completely falls apart, Church said. How much potentially heavy rain we get over central New Mexico is just a hard call to make.

Not that Albuquerque is dependent only on Newton for rain. The National Weather Service issued an urban and small stream flood advisory in Bernalillo County just after 4 p.m. Tuesday as a heavy rainstorm moved over the city and into Rio Rancho, just in time to slow up rush-hour traffic. By 5:30 p.m., the Albuquerque office of the Weather Service was reporting a half inch to one inch of rain over Albuquerques east side and one quarter to one-half inch of rain on the West Side. There was minor street flooding in some parts of the Northeast Heights.

Those showers came out of a slow-moving system that was expected to bring the most rain to New Mexicos eastern side overnight on Tuesday.

The northeastern part of the state has been getting a large share of New Mexicos precipitation recently. On Sunday, Mills, 11 miles north of Roy in Harding County, got 2.62 inches of rain. Also on Sunday, Manuelitas, 15 miles north of Las Vegas in San Miguel County, got 2.38 inches, and Clayton, in Union County, got 1.09 inches.

Church said that by Thursday, drier air will be moving into western New Mexico and the best chances of rain will be in the south-central mountains and the eastern plains.

Here in Albuquerque it looks as if there will be sunny skies for the first weekend of the New Mexico State Fair, which starts Thursday.

The weekend is  looking pretty quiet. We are not expecting much in the way of showers and thunderstorms. The best chances will be in the southwest mountains and the west-central mountains.

He said the state may move back into a wetter pattern by the beginning or the middle of next week.
Hold your breath guys, none other than Fawad Khan will be the first guest to sip coffee with Karan Johar.

Fawad Khan might be the first guest on Koffee with Karan 5

By India Today Web Desk: If recent reports are to be trusted, Karan Johar is all set to invite his latest blue-eyed boy and Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan as the first guest of his popular chat show Koffee with Karan. While KJo had earlier tweeted that the first episode will be graced by his friend and superstar Shah Rukh Khan, it looks like, his plans have changed. "Yes!!! Opening episode has to be him and no one else," (sic) Karan had earlier tweeted.

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Fawad, who's all set to star with Aishwarya Rai and Ranbir Kapoor in Karan's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, is also featuring opposite Katrina Kaif in Dharma Productions' next Sufi.



Also read: Karan Johar's all set to shoot a promo for the latest season of Koffee With Karan



If the filmmaker's earlier tweet is to be believed, the show will go on the floors in either September or October.

According to Mid Day, Karan Johar was set to shoot the teaser for Season 5 on August 28.

"The teaser video will be a few seconds long. It will be the first of many that the channel has planned in the run-up to the unveiling of the new season, later this year," a source close to the channel, told Mid-day.

Also read: Opening episode of Koffee With Karan 5 has to be with Shah Rukh Khan: Karan Johar



"The promo will have Karan being interrogated by custom officers at the airport over what's hidden in his bag," the source added.

So far, a lot of Bollywood celebs like Salman Khan, Salim Khan, Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Mahesh Bhatt, Anurag Kashyap, Juhi Chawla, Freida Pinto and Rohit Shetty have made their appearance on the show.

--- ENDS ---
Robert G. Tufts was 38. The girl was 15.

He says God had sent her to him and he was  and still is  in love with her.

They later went on to have a baby, are expecting a second and are still together despite a yearslong court battle over an explicit video Tufts gave Samantha Koller when the two were first dating.

Koller, who is now 20, told the

Journal last month that the court ordeal has made their otherwise happy life very difficult and that she was never a victim.

But Las Cruces police and prosecutors say she was.

Police say that at the beginning of their relationship in 2012, Tufts took an explicit video of himself, saved it to a memory card, loaded the card into a cellphone and physically handed the cellphone to the teen.

Koller said one of Tufts relatives who disapproved of their relationship told police about concerns and that is what started the investigation.

Prosecutors charged Tufts with one count of sexual communication with a child, a fourth-degree felony law that says a person is not allowed to send a sexually explicit image to someone under age 16 using an electronic communication device.

But Tufts argued he didnt actually send the teen the image  he handed it to her.

His argument failed, and a jury in Las Cruces convicted him in 2013, sentencing him to probation and to a few extra days in jail on top of what hed served awaiting trial.

The arrest and trial were devastating, Koller said.

Renting a house is difficult, Tufts, now 43, told the Journal last month. And its hard finding work, he said.

We just need this to go away so that we can live life as life is meant to be lived, Tufts said.

Tufts and Koller had a bit of relief in early 2015 when his conviction was overturned when the states Court of Appeals agreed that Tufts actually didnt send the image.

The judges said that a different law, a misdemeanor law, better applies to his situation as it says people may not knowingly sell, deliver, distribute, display for sale, or provide to a minor any harmful sexual image.

They said in their written opinion that legislators knew what they were doing when they wrote the two laws and used send in one and provide in the other.

The States (prosecutors) attempt to blur this distinction by stretching the meaning of sending is problematic, Judge Jonathan Sutin wrote in the opinion.

But state prosecutors appealed that ruling and won.

In June, the state Supreme Court overruled the Court of Appeals, saying Tufts alleged actions do fit in the sending law and that handing the girl the phone counts as sending.

Whether a digital camera, a video recorder, or a cell phone is handed directly to a child or an image is electronically transmitted to one of those devices, the effect of the conduct and the resulting harm to the child  is the same, Justice Edward Chavez wrote in the opinion.

The Supreme Courts opinion means Tufts case is sent back to the Court of Appeals so it can rule on other issues Tufts raised on appeal.

In addition to his issue with the word send, he says detectives who interviewed him didnt read him his Miranda rights and so information from the interview used to convict him should be tossed out.

We are grateful to the New Mexico Supreme Court for their review of this matter and their sound legal reasoning. In our opinion, its a common sense reading of the statute and consistent with the intent of the Legislature, said Patrick Hayes, spokesman for the 3rd Judicial District Attorneys Office. The opinion makes it perfectly clear  you cannot give sexually explicit images to children.

He said the fact that the two are still together and have made a family doesnt change the criminal act.

The defendants conduct was criminal. He gave a 15-year-old child pornography, which is wrong and illegal, Hayes said.
Theres a new snag in the long-running legal saga over disputed allegations of voter fraud by then-Secretary of State Dianna Duran: the Secretary of States Office now says it cant afford to pay the $124,636 in legal fees it owes in a related public records lawsuit.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint under the Inspection of Public Records Act in 2011 after Durans office refused to turn over records related to her assertions that an internal inquiry found proof that undocumented immigrants had voted in New Mexico elections.

Even after the IPRA case was settled in 2013, the office fought all the way to the state Court of Appeals to dispute the amount of attorney fees the ACLU had been awarded for prevailing.

The legal tab was nearly $90,000 before the Secretary of States Office decided to appeal a district judges order approving the ACLU fees as reasonable. Now the bill has jumped by more than $36,000 to account for ACLU fees and costs incurred in the appeal. The final amount was approved by a state district judge on Aug. 17.

Meanwhile, Duran is out of office, convicted of crimes related to a gambling habit. And her temporary successor is effectively asking the ACLU to take an IOU.

Secretary of State Brad Winter, who was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez to fill the seat until Durans term expires Dec. 31, said his agency doesnt have the money, especially with costs of the November general election coming up.

We understand what our obligation is, Winter told the Journal, and what we are looking at is to try to find some alternative funding to pay that.

He said his agency planned to ask the Legislature for a special appropriation next year.

Its tough because thats a significant amount of money, Winter said.

ACLU attorney Philip B. Davis said, Its really frustrating. Its an incredible waste of taxpayers money.

Not covered

The agency in fiscal year 2015 paid nearly $370,000 for insurance coverage through the state Risk Management Division, or RMD. But the division wont pay the fee award in the ACLU case, Director Lara White Davis said in an email to the Journal .

Attorney fees awarded in IPRA suits are considered fines, sanctions, assessments, penalties, restitution  or punitive damages, which are excluded from coverage, she said.

Duran announced shortly after taking office in 2011 that an internal investigation revealed 117 instances in which foreign nationals registered to vote in New Mexico, of whom 37 had actually cast votes.

Public records suit

The ACLU filed a public records request asking for the supporting documentation. After initially refusing to turn over information, citing privacy concerns, Durans office provided data that included motor vehicle information. She also withheld emails showing that her office had been contacted beforehand by the Secretary of States Office in Colorado, which planned a similar announcement of voter fraud in early 2011.

In 2011, she referred the voter fraud issue to State Police, citing irregularities in 64,000 voter registration records.

The state Department of Public Safety, which oversees State Police, told the Journal in February that investigators werent able to confirm the presence or absence of any voter fraud based on the materials provided.

Duran resigned in October 2015 after pleading guilty to felony charges related to her embezzlement of campaign contributions. She served 30 days in jail and is serving a sentence of five years probation.
Sen. Martin Heinrich spent the last week of the August congressional recess in the Middle East and Africa meeting with U.S. military troops and brass, and learning more about the U.S. fight against the ISIS and other terror groups.

Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat who sits on the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, traveled to Iraq, Kuwait, and the Horn of Africa and visited with U.S. troops from New Mexico. The first term senator said the trip boosted his optimism about the U.S. counter-terrorism strategy against ISIS in the region.

While there are significant challenges that lie ahead, I left the region optimistic about our military strategy to degrade and destroy this barbaric terrorist organization, he said in a statement. America is playing a critical role in that effort, employing a full range of military might, as well as economic and diplomatic power.

Im encouraged that we are taking a smart approach that provides the training, resources, and support to our regional allies like the Iraqi security forces, without putting tens of thousands of U.S. troops on the front lines. This strategy puts the pieces in place for a more lasting solution, Heinrich added. I also appreciated the opportunity to visit with our men and women from New Mexico serving in the region.

Heinrich returned to Washington this week. Heres a rundown of the New Mexico senators trip, as provided by his Washington office:

On Wednesday, August 31, Senator Heinrich traveled to the Republic of Djibouti where he was greeted by President Ismail Omar Guelleh. Senator Heinrich then met with Major General Kurt L. Sonntag, the Commanding General of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa to discuss military operations, strengthening partner nation defense capability, and building and maintaining U.S. strategic access in the region. Djibouti is strategically located on the Horn of Africa next to Yemen and Somalia, where multiple terrorist organizations operate. Later that day, Senator Heinrich met with servicemembers from New Mexico stationed at Camp Lemonier.

On Friday, September 2, Senator Heinrich arrived in Kuwait City where he was briefed on counter-ISIL operations, including the significant advances made in the fight to reclaim territory from ISIL, and preparations to retake Mosul. He met with the new Commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), Army Lieutenant General Stephen J. Townsend. Lieutenant General Townsend is leading the coalition efforts against ISIL at the OIR headquarters in Camp Arifjan.

At Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Senator Heinrich also had lunch with the men and women of the New Mexico National Guard in the 126 Military Police Company. He had the opportunity to thank them for their service and hear from them about their experience being deployed to the region.

On Saturday, September 3, Senator Heinrich traveled to Baghdad where he met with regional leaders, including the new U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Their discussions focused on liberating Mosul from ISIL and the importance of maintaining a strategic partnership, as well as humanitarian efforts.

In Erbil on Sunday, September 4, Senator Heinrich met with American military leaders in Iraqi Kurdistan and members of the Peshmerga, who are fighting against ISIL in northern Iraq. Senator Heinrich also met with Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani.
Copyright  2016 Albuquerque Journal

ALAMOGORDO  After years of searching, Clint Corvinus found his lifes path in law enforcement.

Thats where friends and fellow officers say Corvinus, who was fatally shot in the line of duty last week, found his passion.

Corvinus was the kind of guy who always had your back through thick and thin, said Keith Hanker, a longtime friend and State Police officer.

Corvinus grew up in Alamogordo after his father, a retired Border Patrol agent, was transferred there. He attended Alamogordo High School, and friends hinted that he had a wild streak  he was a rambunctious youth, said Deputy Chief Roger Schoolcraft.

Corvinus worked several short-term jobs, at Wal-Mart and in construction, friends said. Hanker remembers his friend saying, I need to do something with my life.

Corvinus found that something in law enforcement. He applied to the Alamogordo Police Department. When he didnt make it through the hiring process the first time, he tried again and succeeded, said Officer Rodney Scharmack, who worked closely with him.

He remained diligent because he was focused on what he wanted to do, Schoolcraft said.

He was a guy who loved his job, Scharmack said. He lived for it. He died for it. Every day he showed up to work he was ready to go.

Fugitive

Corvinus, 33, had been with the department 4 years on Friday when, while on patrol, he recognized Joseph Moreno  a fugitive with a terrifying tattoo of a skulls grimace across his face.

Moreno, a felon who had been in and out of prison over the past decade, faced multiple warrants for his arrest and was scheduled to go to trial in December on drug charges.

Corvinus had served as a field training officer for the past year and a half and was training another officer that morning. When Moreno pulled a gun on the men, the officer in training, Christopher Welch, fired at Moreno, who then returned fire from the ground, striking Corvinus, according to State Police.

Moreno got up and Welch pursued him, firing a fatal shot to the head.

Corvinus was taken to the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center, where he died of his injuries.

It was the second on-duty death of an officer in the state in less than a month.

Hatch police officer Jose Chavez was fatally shot during a traffic stop in August, allegedly by an Ohio fugitive wanted on murder charges in that state.

A natural

Friends and co-workers describe Corvinus as warm, really funny and an outstanding officer who was a natural at his job.

He was a well-seasoned officer for being so young and so new to the profession but due to his maturity, he just picked it up really well, Schoolcraft said. He grew up around that law enforcement brotherhood mentality.

Hanker, who would frequently team up on dangerous assignments with Corvinus, said his friend was an outstanding officer.

He had good morals, Hanker said. He was honest. He followed the book when he had to, and he used his discretion when he was able to.

Charlene Chavez works as an evidence technician at the Alamogordo Police Department. She described Corvinus as somewhat quiet, at times really funny and said, I never once saw him in a bad mood.

There is still a lot of sorrow, a lot of sadness, lots of concern for his family, also, she said.

A candlelight vigil for Corvinus drew more than 650 people on Tuesday to the Otero County fairgrounds, where fellow officers and community members honored him in prayer.

Police Chief Daron Syling spoke to the crowd.

There are a lot of questions, he said, his voice cracking. We ask, why? Why it had to happen, how did we get here? Why was it on my watch? But I ask you, why does it take this to make us come together?

Our brother Clint knew that he had signed a blank check the day that he took his oath, Syling said. And we are here to honor that.

Corvinus is survived by his parents, Tom and Cindy Corvinus, girlfriend Amber and 14-year-old daughter, Jessi.

A public tribute will be held at the Tays Special Events Center on Saturday at 10 a.m.
LAS CRUCES  An El Paso man is facing federal charges for allegedly threatening to kill Las Cruces police officers.

Sean Stinson, 32, was arrested Friday after authorities said he made telephone calls from El Paso to individuals in Las Cruces during which he threatened to harm and kill officers from the Las Cruces Police Department, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in New Mexico.

The criminal complaint states Stinson threatened to shoot, kill and otherwise injure specific officers. It also alleges that Stinson, during one call, threatened to station himself at LCPD headquarters with a sniper rifle and shoot officers as they left the department.

The complaint also states that Stinson made telephone calls to Gov. Susana Martinezs office to reiterate his threats against LCPD officers.

Federal prosecutors have charged Stinson with using interstate communications to threaten the lives and safety of LCPD officers. He made his first appearance Tuesday in federal court in Las Cruces, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Stinson remains in custody, pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, which have not yet been scheduled.

If convicted as charged, Stinson faces a maximum of five years in prison.



2016 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.)

Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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In the middle of the 20th century, as atomic bombs fell on empty deserts, remote atolls and two crowded cities; as highways carved concrete paths across the planet; as populations exploded; as consumption skyrocketed; and as global temperature began its dangerous upward creep in earnest, Earth entered the epoch of humans.

At least thats the consensus of the Working Group on the Anthropocene, the team of 35 scientists tasked with figuring out whether humans have left enough of a mark to qualify for our own unit of geologic time.

In January, the group published a paper arguing that the Anthropocene is a functionally and stratigraphically distinct unit of geologic time. In other words, the planet has been altered so thoroughly by human presence that the changes are permanently inscribed in the rock record, much like the evidence that scientists can see of the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs.

Last week, members of the group presented their findings at the annual International Geological Congress in Cape Town, South Africa. The presentation was not a formal recommendation  the working group will take that step only after it can identify a clear golden spike, a physical reference point in the rock record that marks the start of a new era. Then it will be up to the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) to make a final call.

That decision is years, possibly even decades, away, based on the near-glacial pace at which the geological community moves. Designating a new unit of geologic time is a big decision, and if it is approved, the Anthropocene epoch will be shorter than any other. Most epochs are at least a million years long. The Anthropocene, so far, is barely six decades old.

Still, all but five of the working groups members believe its worth formalizing the Anthropocene, and 28 agree that it should start around 1950, when plutonium fallout and an increase in radioactive carbon from the testing of nuclear weapons becomes evident in the rock record.

Now we have to start the hunt for the golden spike, said Jan Zalasiewicz, a geologist at the University of Leicester and the chair of the working group.

That involves an extensive search for signatures of pronounced global change. Zalasiewicz and his colleagues will probably go looking for signs of the Anthropocene in polar ice, in the layers of sediment at the bottoms of lakes and oceans, in the branching arms of corals and the rings of trees.

Its a case of trying to assess all of those in general and looking for the best examples of the ones we think will give the best picture, Zalasiewicz said. Well probably try and have a one global marker, and there will also be a few auxiliary stratotypes, or secondary signatures that future geologists can look for.

There still isnt consensus within the group that the mid-20th century is the best start date for the Anthropocene or even that the Anthropocene merits its own epoch. Some of the working group members favored a starting point of about 3,000 years ago, or a diachronous designation that would acknowledge that the epochs onset varied from place to place. Three members opposed any formalization of the epoch (even though most agreed the Anthropocene is stratigraphically real), arguing that the move is premature. If the ICS rejects the proposal, both the idea of the Anthropocene and the geology community at large could be discredited.

I feel like a lighthouse with a huge tsunami wave coming at it, Stan Finney, a geologist at California State University at Long Beach and the chair of the ICS, told the journal Science.

The geology community has very strict standards for determining new epochs, and many members are resentful of the influence that outside communities  politicians, climate-change activists, etc.  have had on the Anthropocene discussion. Zalasiewicz is acutely aware that he must convince a skeptical audience.

The science has got to be very carefully done, he said of the search for the golden spike. But, knowing how skeptical members of his own working group have already been, if were happy with [the formal recommendation], we hope it will also have a chance of convincing our colleagues.

nuclear-age
WASHINGTON  The Latest on the U.S. presidential race (all times EDT):

10 p.m.

The top Democrat on the House Oversight committee has released a 2009 email exchange in which former Secretary of State Colin Powell advised Hillary Clinton on the use of personal email.

The exchange occurred two days after Clinton was sworn in as secretary of state.

Powell wrote that he had a personal computer that was hooked up to a private phone line  so I could communicate with a wide range of friends directly without it going through the State Department servers.

Powell said he even used it to do business with some foreign leaders.

Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland released the email on the eve of a House Oversight hearing in which Republicans are expected to focus on Clintons use of a private email server.

___

8:57 p.m.

Donald Trump says, falsely, that a court system almost doesnt exist in the military.

The Republican presidential candidate knocked the militarys judicial system when asked his plan to reduce sexual assaults in the military.

In fact, the U.S. military has an extensive justice system that has its roots in the U.S. Constitution. The individual branches of the military have their own police and investigative and prosecution services, and they enforce a set of laws known as the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Critics have said the militarys justice system has poorly served victims of sexual assault, but it is not true that system practically doesnt exist as Trump said.

He said that nobody gets prosecuted in the current system. And he vowed to come down very very hard on the issue.

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8:55 p.m.

Donald Trump says that hes studying up on foreign policy to prepare for the complex issues hell face if hes elected president  but he didnt say how.

Trump said during a presidential forum Wednesday night that that hes spending a lot of time preparing and doing a lot of things.

He says hes been meeting constantly with people, including generals, and says he thinks hes learned a lot.

He also says he has a common sense that will help him make decisions on foreign policy.

Trump also notes that hes been partly running his business while campaigning and has a lot of hats right now.

He insists hell be prepared on Day One, one hundred percent.

___

8:54 p.m.

Republican nominee Donald Trump is once again praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him a leader and saying Putin has great control over his country.

Trump was asked at a presidential forum how he would de-escalate tensions between the U.S. and Russia if hes elected to the White House.

Trump says he thinks hed have a very good relationship with many foreign leaders, including Putin.

Trump has been criticized in the past for seeming to heap praise on Putin and other strongmen. But Trump was unapologetic on Wednesday night, saying he was happy to take a compliment from Putin. He says if Putin says great things about me, Im going to say great things about him. Trump added, however, that Putins compliments would not influence his decision making as president.

___

8:48 p.m.

Donald Trump says he was shocked by one thing he learned at a classified intelligence briefing  but he wont say what it was.

The Republican presidential nominee said at Wednesdays national security forum that he has learned that leading Democrats did exactly the opposite of what experts recommended in several instances. He said he did not learn anything, however, that changes the way he viewed his policies.

Presidential nominees in both parties get regular intelligence briefings to ensure theyre prepared to serve as commander in chief immediately if elected.

___

8:41 p.m.

Republican Donald Trump says he has regrets as a politician.

He wishes he had won the Republican presidential nomination in a nicer manner. But he says voters shouldnt worry about his temperament or judgment as commander in chief.

The Republican presidential nominee made the comments during Wednesday nights forum on national security.

He cited his recent trip to Mexico as an example of his ability to serve as commander in chief.

He noted that the Mexican officials who arranged the trip were forced out of government in recent days. He saw that as a good thing. He said, Thats how well we did.

___

8:39 p.m.

Donald Trump is once again incorrectly claiming that he was opposed to the war with Iraq before the invasion.

Trump said during a presidential forum Wednesday that he was totally against the war in Iraq because he worried it would destabilize the Middle East.

That position is contradicted by an interview Trump did with Howard Stern in September 2002. He said then that he supported the invasion, saying: Yeah, I guess so.

The GOP nominee was also asked what experience hes had to prepare him to serve as commander in chief.

Trump says hes built a great company with plenty of international experience.

He adds: I think the main thing is I have great judgment.

___

8:31 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is promising never again to send ground troops into Iraq.

The Democratic presidential nominee said the same of Syria.

Clinton made the comments during a Wednesday night forum on national security.

She noted that roughly 200,000 troops were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan when she took over as secretary of state.

She declared, We are not putting ground troops into Iraq ever again.

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8:29 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is again saying that her vote in favor of the Iraq war was a mistake. But shes arguing that her opponent has not taken responsibility for his support of the war.

At an NBC commander-in-chief forum Wednesday, the Democratic nominee stressed that her 2002 vote was a mistake and said it was important to learn from it. She also asked to be judged on her entire record and argued that Republican Donald Trump had also voiced support for the war at the time, but refuses to take responsibility.

Asked about whether her hawkish foreign policy, Clinton also said that she views force as a last resort, not a first choice. She also again argued that she and Trump held similar positions in the past on Libya, saying that taking action in that country was the right decision.

___

8:27 p.m.

Hillary Clinton says she has a comprehensive plan to cut down on the epidemic of soldier and veteran suicides.

Speaking at a presidential candidates focum, Clinton says. Weve got to remove the stigma of mental health problems.

She says she wants to assure people serving that reporting a menatl health issue wont be a black mark against them.

And she says more also has to be done to combat drug and alcohol addiction.

The Democratic nominee is also assuring that shell do more to improve veterans healthcare.

She says, Im going to focus on this. Im going to work on everybody. And were going to fix the problems withthe Department of Veterans Affairs.

___

8:24 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is defending the Iranian nuclear deal.

She said at Wednesday night forum that Iran was on a fast track to acquiring the material necessary to make a nuclear weapon before the deal was signed.

The deal, Clinton said, put a lid on their nuclear program.

She insisted the U.S. is not being played by Iran.

Clinton said the deal allows enough insight into Irans actions to ensure theyre following the rules.

___

8:20 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is trying to assure voters that she was careful in her handling of classified information as secretary of state.

Clinton says, I did exactly what I should have done and I take it very seriously. Always have, always will.

Clinton was asked by a veteran during a commander in chief forum hosted by NBC how she could be trusted, given her use of a private email server as secretary of state.

Clinton insists she never used an insecure system to handle classified material designated and marked with clear headers.

She says that she communicated about classified material on a wholly separate system and took it very seriously.

___

8:00 p.m.

Democrat Hillary Clinton says none of the emails she sent or received had a header that clearly marked top secret.

The former secretary of state addressed her use of private email during a forum Wednesday night on NBC.

She noted that she has years of experience dealing with classified material dating back to her time as a senator. Classified material usually has a heading marked top secret, she said.

She insisted that none of the messages sent or received on her private server had such a heading.

Clinton conceded that some of the messages included references to the covert drone program. But she said there was no discussion of covert actions that were being considered in the messages.

She also said there was no evidence her email server was hacked.

___

7:00 p.m.

Donald Trump is once again predicting victory in New York State, despite polls showing rival Hillary Clinton way ahead.

Speaking in front of the Conservative Party of New York in Manhattan, the GOP nominee told the crowd Wednesday evening that, Were going to win this state. Its going to shock people.

Trump spent much of his time on stage discussing one of his earliest projects: His work on the Wollman Rink in Central Park. He said that that he would use the same skills he used to rebuild the skating rink to rebuild parts of the state that have faced economic hardship.

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6:00 p.m.

FBI Director James Comey has told his colleagues that the decision to not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton was not a close call.

In an internal memo Wednesday, Comey says the case itself was not a cliff-hanger and that there was not a prosecutable case despite all the chest-beating by people no longer in government.

He also struck back against criticism that the FBI had timed for political reasons its release last Friday of documents related to the investigation.

He says the documents were released once they had been cleared for release. He says more documents will be released, no matter the day of the week.

The memo was first reported by CNN.

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5:53 p.m.

FBI Director James Comey has told his colleagues that the decision to not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton was not a close call.

In an internal memo Wednesday, Comey says the case itself was not a cliff-hanger and that there was not a prosecutable case despite all the chest-beating by people no longer in government.

He also struck back against criticism that the FBI had timed for political reasons its release last Friday of documents related to the investigation.

He says the documents were released once they had been cleared for release. He says more documents will be released, no matter the day of the week.

The memo was first reported by CNN.

___

5:32 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says Donald Trump can be trusted to oversee the nations nuclear weapons if he wins the presidency.

McConnell was asked at his weekly press conference if he feels confident that Republican nominee Trump can be trusted with his finger on the nuclear button.

Trump gave a speech Wednesday calling for major increases in defense spending.

I didnt hear the speech today, but the answer is yes, McConnell said in response to the question about nuclear weapons.

McConnell said he agrees with Trump that the nations defense is underfunded.

___

4:18 p.m.

The nations largest investment bank is barring its top employees from contributing to certain political campaigns  including Donald Trumps White House bid. But the policy does not bar those employees from contributing to Democrat Hillary Clintons campaign.

Thats because the new rules, which went into effect last week, prohibit partners at Goldman Sachs from donating to state officials who are seeking federal office. That applies to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trumps running mate, so Goldman Sachs partners cant contribute to the Republican ticket.

But Clinton and her running mate, Tim Kaine, meet neither of those criteria, meaning top employees can contribute to the Democratic ticket.

The policy is meant to remove any implication of a pay for play scandal, according to a memo obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

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4:13 p.m.

The nations largest investment bank is barring its top employees from contributing to certain political campaigns  including Donald Trumps White House bid. But the policy does not bar those employees from contributing to Democrat Hillary Clintons campaign.

Thats because the new rules, which went into effect last week, prohibit partners at Goldman Sachs from donating to state officials who are seeking federal office. That applies to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trumps running mate, so Goldman Sachs partners cant contribute to the Republican ticket.

But Clinton and her running mate, Tim Kaine, meet neither of those criteria, meaning top employees can contribute to the Democratic ticket.

The policy is meant to remove any implication of a pay for play scandal, according to a memo obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

___

4:01 p.m.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein is wanted on a warrant in North Dakota after she allegedly spray-painted construction equipment during a protest against the Dakota Access pipeline.

Stein was charged Wednesday in Morton County with misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass and criminal mischief.

___
SAN BENITO, Texas  Investigators say an 18-year-old South Texas man has been arrested in the fatal shooting of his best friend as the pair played with a handgun.

Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio says Ramon Saldivar Jr. of San Benito called officers Monday night to report he accidentally shot 17-year-old Francisco Cortina. The victim died at a hospital.

Saldivar was being held Wednesday on a manslaughter charge, with bond at $125,000.

Lucio says Saldivar told investigators that he was playing with a gun at a home when he accidentally shot his best friend in the chest. An affidavit says the pair and another friend had passed the gun to each other.

Authorities are trying to determine who owns the weapon.

Online records didnt immediately list an attorney to speak for Saldivar.
BEIJING  The Philippines on Wednesday released photos purporting to show Chinese boats near a shoal in the South China Sea, claiming that the presence of new ships in the area could signal another attempt by Beijing to build in disputed fishing grounds.

The outcry could add further tensions during a summit of U.S. and Southeast Asian leaders in Laos over Chinas reach into the South China Sea, where Beijing has already constructed artificial islands and other facilities that the West and allies fear could be used as a military foothold in the region.

China claims it has sovereignty over the sea, which borders the Philippines and several other nations that have sharply challenged Beijings push in the area. The United States also has raised concerns about possible Chinese attempts to limit fishing rights and shipping lanes in the sea.

In July, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled against Chinas assertion of control over the South China Sea. China has refused to recognize the ruling.

The latest move by the Philippines came two days after its Defense Ministry expressed grave concern about the presence of a larger-than-normal number of ships in the area, and just hours before U.S., Chinese and Southeast Asian leaders met for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

The pictures from the Scarborough Shoal  a small grouping of rocks in rich fishing grounds  may add a new dimension to an already awkward summit in which Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte used the Tagalog term for son of a whore in railing against President Obama and perceived American interference in Philippine affairs. Obama then canceled a meeting with Duterte.

So far this week, the Chinese side has tried to downplay the Philippine claims. Asked on Monday about the presence of new ships, a spokeswoman for Chinas Foreign Ministry said there has been no change in Chinas policy or posture and urged reporters not to hype the matter.

But observers within and beyond the Philippines say it is hard to ignore what could be a move to strengthen Chinas presence in the area  or signal that it can strengthen its presence if and when it chooses.

These pictures are extremely alarming, lending credence to reports by sources in China indicating that Beijing was planning to build facilities in the Scarborough Shoal, said Richard Javad Heydarian, an assistant professor of political science at Manilas De La Salle University.

If China indeed pushes ahead with actual construction, it could lead to collapse in burgeoning negotiations between the Duterte administration and Beijing.

The problem, experts said, is that it is hard to tell from the pictures alone what the Chinese ships can do  dredge, lay cable, fish  or why the Chinese side may have sent them.

In its initial comments on the matter, the Philippine Defense Ministry said the vessels included Chinese coast guard ships, barges that could be used for dredging, and potential troop carriers.

Academics and analysts who follow the conflict closely said the pictures alone do not prove that to be true.

Its hard to draw any conclusion yet, said Yanmei Xie, a Beijing-based analyst at the International Crisis Group, But Id be skeptical that China would choose to start dredging while the G-20 is ongoing and on the eve of the ASEAN summit.

It looks like a mixture of coast guard ships and fishing vessels  hardly the precursor of a massive reclamation project, said Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

But Storey said it could put Duterte in a difficult spot.

As only America can help the Philippines push back against China and protect its maritime claims, Duterte may well come to regret insulting President Obama, he added.

philippines-post
Since Sadie Elledges story went viral  shes the young waitress of Honduran and Mexican ancestry whose customers stiffed her on a tip, leaving a nasty note that read we only tip citizens  shes gotten plenty of attention. Shes been interviewed by reporters and has received messages of support from customers and strangers alike.

Those reaching out include celebrities  the 18-year-old recently spent a day with Jane the Virgin actress Greice Santo, who orchestrated a pedicure-to-highlights makeover for Elledge in her hometown of Harrisonburg, Virginia. And rocker Axl Rose hooked her up with tickets for his Washington, D.C., concert with band AC/DC later this month.

Santo started a charity called Glam With Greice to offer Hollywood-style pampering to women who have been victims of abuse or bullying, and had put out a social media call for nominations. Someone forwarded me an article about Sadie, she said. And I was taken aback. Im Latina, too, and that this kind of thing is still happening in 2016 is unbelievable.

So last week, Santo and her squad picked up Elledge from her shift at Jess Lunch and oversaw the kind of makeover thats usually accompanied by a jaunty pop song in a movie montage: picking out cute dresses at LeLa Boutique, getting the full gauntlet of beauty treatments at the Studio salon, and posing for glammy after pics. It was a particularly novel experience for Elledge, who had never been to a salon, Santo said.

The transformation was supposed to culminate with Rose showing up to fly Elledge and a gang of family and friends to his bands concert in Florida that night, but Elledge had a family obligation and couldnt take him up on the offer. Instead, he called to invite her to his Sept. 17 D.C. show (Elledge said she and her granddad are big AC/DC fans).

Santo, who started her charity after being bullied by a powerful (and unnamed) man, said she sees a makeover as more than skin-deep. Its a way to take action, instead of just saying oh, I feel for you.  I want her to know that there are people out there who care about her, she said. And its effects last way after the mascara has been washed away, she said, by helping boost a womans confidence.

At first she seemed shy, but by the time we left the salon, she was smiling and giving everyone hugs, Santo said. I knew it was the right thing to do.

virginia-tip
Following the calls, police and airport authorities are now taking stock of the situation.

By Indrajit Kundu: Security was beefed up today at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata after an anonymous call warning of a terror attack was received at the Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar

According to police, the call which was made at 01:24 at night, said someone was planning to attack the airport.

Another call was made today morning at 09:20 am to Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, warning of the same.

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Following the calls, police and airport authorities are now taking stock of the situation.

Police is trying to trace the call and have also launched a probe to see whether it is a hoax or not.

--- ENDS ---
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump will spend more money this week in Virginia than anywhere else. Of the $3.5 million in advertising time hes booked, $1.9 million will go into the commonwealth. More specifically, $1.4 million will be spent in the Washington-area market.

This is notable because the Clinton campaign is so confident about its prospects that it has aired no ads on broadcast television in the state since Aug. 1. And the main pro-Clinton super PAC has canceled all of its reservations through the election.

Trump himself has Virginia very much on his mind. Speaking to reporters on his plane Monday, he said: Our jobs have been taken like Grant took Richmond. Yesterday he campaigned in Virginia Beach, targeting his pitch at military families.The visit and the ad buy are part of a post-Labor Day effort to gauge how hard he should compete here in the fall. But the move is also driven, in part, by necessity. Trump will be hard pressed to secure 270 electoral votes without the 13 from Virginia. (Hed need to win a bigger prize like Pennsylvania or Michigan to make up for it.)

Polls have shown Trump is much weaker in Virginia relative to other battlegrounds, and shifting demographics mean that the swing state is not as amenable to his brand of politics as it would have once been. Our 50-state poll published yesterday with Survey Monkey showed Clinton ahead by 8 points. Our statewide poll last month put Clinton ahead by 14 points.

 The path to victory for Trump in Virginia is very narrow. While Barack Obama in 2008 became the first Democrat to carry the state since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, he won again in 2012 by 4 points.

The consensus among the smartest Republican strategists is that the odds of Trump ultimately carrying Virginia are very low, unless the race breaks decisively his way nationally (which they do not believe will happen).

One of these GOP operatives, a veteran of many Virginia campaigns, explained that Trump struggles the most in states where minorities account for more than 15 percent of the population and where theres a higher-than-average percentage of college graduates. Those are the two key indicators, and we have both of them, the operative said. The race is won or lost on the I-95 and I-64 corridors in a dozen or so counties. . . . The campaign has done nothing to date to appeal to the suburban and exurban women in those places who decide contests in Virginia.

Trump will probably outperform Romney among rural voters, but they account for a smaller and smaller share of the electorate.

Tim Kaines presence on the ticket also marginally boosts Clinton, especially in suburban Richmond.

Since the start of the year, University of Virginia handicapper Larry Sabato has moved his home state from toss-up to leans Democratic to likely Democratic.

 It is peculiar that Trumps buy is so heavily concentrated in the very expensive Washington region media market. The area is vote rich, and hes trying to reach suburban voters in Loudoun and Prince William counties, but this is by far his weakest section of the state. His path to victory requires not getting blown out here and then running up the score elsewhere.

Democrats and Republicans who know how to win statewide expressed puzzlement that Trump would spend $1.359 million in the D.C. market, but only $120,195 in Richmond, $119,900 in Norfolk, $86,280 in Roanoke, $55,074 in Charlottesville and $12,415 in Harrisonburg. (Hes also spending $134,312 on cable.)

Trumps Virginia campaign chairman, Corey Stewart, is also the chairman of the Prince William Board of Supervisors  and he is presumably the driving force behind this strategy. Stewart plans to run for governor next year in a crowded Republican primary, and he hopes to use a Trump victory as his springboard. If Trump loses badly, his candidacy would lose its animating rationale.

Notably, neither the Clinton campaign nor Priorities USA thought it was a wise investment to buy airtime in the costly D.C. market when they were on the air in Virginia. From June 16 through the end of July, Clinton spent nothing in Washington but $608,685 in Norfolk, $590,525 in Richmond and $331,720 in Roanoke. She spent in the high five figures in the Tri-Cities, Charlottesville and Harrisonburg, as well as a quarter million on cable and another quarter million on satellite.

 The Clinton team expresses a high degree of confidence that the state will stay in its column and insists that Trumps spending will not change its approach.

When the campaign recently announced $80 million in fall TV reservations, Virginia was noticeably absent. In the past two presidential contests, it would have been hard to imagine the Democratic nominee advertising in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and even the Omaha market in Nebraska while not spending anything in Virginia.

Clinton aides say they will begin advertising again if they feel the polls are actually tightening. They also note that some Virginians see their ads on national cable channels. (And Clinton was up on NBC during the Olympics when Trump was not advertising anywhere.)

Nationally, Clinton is still dramatically outspending Trump on television. Shes slated to spend about $15 million this week, about four times more than him. And, even with his buy this week, she will still have spent more in Virginia ($2.2 million) than he has.

Priorities USA said it has no plans to go back on TV in Virginia for the duration of the race. Spokesman Justin Barasky said their resources can be more effectively spent elsewhere. Were still closely monitoring the state of play in Virginia and a number of other states, but this reflects the fact that this is a tough state for Trump and we want to make sure we beat him in as many places as possible, he emailed. (An ad tracker says the group still has $452,540 in radio time reserved from Oct. 3 to Nov. 8.)

The Republican National Committee said the state is within reach.The Clinton campaigns decision to stop running ads here shows just how out of touch they are with Virginia, said RNC spokesman Garren Shipley. Both of Virginias last two statewide elections were allegedly going to be blowouts according to the polls, but finished extremely close. Neither Terry McAuliffe nor Mark Warner were arrogant enough to go off the air before Election Day. Add in our revamped ground game, and every day Clinton isnt on the air in Virginia is another opportunity for us to put 13 electoral votes in the GOP column.

 Democrats stress that they are not taking the state for granted. First Lady Michelle Obama will campaign in northern Virginia Sept. 16 at a public event that is being designed to get young people to register to vote ahead of an Oct. 17 deadline. The Clinton surrogate operation is aggressively deploying Kaines wife Anne Holton, who stepped down as the states education secretary after HRC tapped her husband. On Monday, she went to Rep. Bobby Scotts Labor Day cookout in Newport News.

And Clinton is surrounded by people who know how to win in Virginia. In addition to her running-mate, one of her closest friends, Terry McAuliffe, is governor. And her campaign manager, Robby Mook, managed McAuliffes race in 2013.

trump-virginia-analysis
VIENTIANE, Laos  The Latest on President Barack Obamas historic visit to Laos (all times local):

8:15 p.m.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay says President Barack Obama has met briefly with new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on the sidelines of a summit in Laos.

There was no immediate confirmation from the White House.

Yasay says the two met in a holding room used by leaders attending a summit dinner. He says the interaction shows that the relationship between the two allies is strong.

Details about what they discussed werent immediately available.

Obama and Duterte had been scheduled to hold their first meeting Tuesday. But Obama canceled it after Duterte called Obama a son of a bitch and threatened to swear at him if he brought up concerns about extrajudicial killings of drug dealers and users in the Philippines.

___

8 p.m.

President Barack Obama is having dinner with leaders of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during a summit in Laos.

Obama and the other leaders entered wearing long-sleeved shirts of different colors. The shirts are a tradition at the annual summit.

Obama was seated six seats to the right of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The two had been scheduled to hold their first meeting Tuesday but Obama canceled it after Duterte crudely insulted him.

Obama sat next to the sultan of Brunei and chatted with him as reporters were briefly allowed in.

The leaders raised red wine glasses for a toast before watching a musical performance involving flowers and tiny flags.

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3 p.m.

President Barack Obama is blaming the failure to win passage of a multinational trade agreement on the fact that its political season in the U.S.

He says its always difficult to get things done when lawmakers are in the midst of campaigning for re-election.

At a Q-and-A session with Southeast Asian youth leaders, Obama says he thinks Washington will refocus after the election on why the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement is so important.

Obama strongly supports the agreement between the U.S. and 11 other countries to reduce tariffs on thousands of goods, but there is strong resistance to it in Congress.

Republican leaders of the House and Senate have suggested the prospects for passage this year are dim. Both major presidential candidates also oppose TPP.

Still, Obama says he believes well get it done.

___

2:45 p.m.

President Barack Obama says the United States focuses on improving human rights in other nations when he travels abroad because it has learned that if you dont respect all people or religions, then it results in conflict.

Obama is speaking to about 350 young leaders from the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries during his visit to Laos.

Obama says critics complain that the U.S. shouldnt be meddling in other peoples business and that America has its own problems to confront.

But Obama says the U.S. is seeking to promote principles that rise above any individual religion, nationality or race.

He says not everybody in America agrees with me on this by the way. Ill leave it at that.

___

2:30 p.m.

President Barack Obama says Americans can get lazy and insular, and he hopes his presidency has helped broaden their worldview.

Speaking to a group of young leaders from across Southeast Asia, Obama says the U.S. is and can be a great force for good in the world. But because of its size, he says Americans havent always had to know about other countries.

In the United States, Obama says, sometimes you can feel lazy.

The president says hes tried to change that by deepening connections with other parts of the world, particularly fast-growing Asia.

If Americans arent engaging and learning, Obama says theyll miss opportunities and get left behind.

___

2 p.m.

President Barack Obama says Southeast Asia means a lot to him and that driving around Laos reminds him of his childhood.

Obama is telling young people at an event in Luang Prabang that he lived in Indonesia as a boy and his sister is half Indonesian. His brother-in-law is Malaysian and Obamas late mother spent much of her life in Southeast Asia, helping women make money by selling handicrafts and developing small businesses.

The president says his commitment to deepening Americas ties to the region is very real.

Obama notes that hes the first American president to meet regularly with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Hes also telling the young adults that they will build the future of the Southeast Asian region and the world.

___

12:40 p.m.

President Barack Obama is touring a Buddhist temple thats an important symbol of Lao heritage and culture.

His first stop was a carriage house at the Wat Xieng Thong temple in Luang Prabang.

Dressed in shirt sleeves and black socks, Obama looked in awe at a large golden ship adorned at the bow with golden dragons.

Obama said its gorgeous when reporters accompanying him asked his opinion.

Construction of the temple began in the 16th century when Luang Prabang was the seat of Lao royalty. The temple was used for coronations and was under royal patronage until 1975, when the monarchy was abolished. It is one of Luang Prabangs most popular tourist destinations.

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12:15 p.m.

President Barack Obama is continuing his historic visit to Laos with a trip to the city of Luang Prabang.

Located in mountainous northern Laos, the city is on UNESCOs World Heritage List. Obama plans to tour a Buddhist temple, before opening himself up for questions from young Southeast Asians at a town hall-style event at a local university.

Upon arrival at the airport, Obama shook hands with the officials who were on hand to greet him.

And with a slight bow, he accepted flowers from Miss Luang Prabang. She bowed back.

___

10:55 a.m.

President Barack Obama says Laotians have been living under the shadow of war for four decades.

Obama is touring a rehabilitation center in Laos that treats victims of bombs the U.S. dropped during the Vietnam War. Obama says the U.S. dropped some 270 million cluster bombs, including 80 million that never exploded and remain a threat.

He says the war wasnt contained to the battlefield because the bombs have killed farmers and of children who thought they could be toys.

The president says the U.S. has a profound moral obligation to help clean up the unexploded bombs. Hes touting $90 million the U.S. will spend over three years to aid the cleanup effort.

Obama is also telling the survivor of one of the bombs that hes inspired by him.

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10:45 a.m.

President Barack Obama is touring a rehabilitation center in Laos that treats survivors of bombs the U.S. dropped on the country during the Vietnam War.

Obamas visit to Laos is the first by a sitting U.S. president. Hes touring the U.S.-funded Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise center in the capital, Vientiane.

Obama plans to meet with injured survivors and be briefed by center officials.

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. dropped hundreds of millions of tons of explosives, including 80 million bombs that never exploded. Obama has announced the U.S. is roughly doubling financial help for bomb-clearing efforts to about $90 million over three years.
The Middle Easts two great geopolitical adversaries entered into a war of words ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, which starts this weekend. Their rivalry, shaped by sectarian Sunni-Shia divisions, can be seen in numerous bloody proxy conflicts across the region. But it also flares up in heated rhetorical broadsides.

The latest round began with comments from Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who in full bluster condemned the Saudis for prohibiting Iranian pilgrims from joining the hajj after talks about security and logistics collapsed. Last years pilgrimage was marred by the deaths of hundreds of pilgrims caught in a stampede with more than 2,000 killed, according to one unofficial tally, although the Saudis say the death toll is lower.

Khamenei ventured that the slain devotees, including many Iranian nationals, lost their lives either because of Saudi complicity or incompetence. (He errs toward the former.)

Saudi rulers  who have blocked the proud and faithful Iranian pilgrims path to the Beloveds House, are disgraced and misguided people who think their survival on the throne of oppression is dependent on defending the arrogant powers of the world, on alliances with Zionism and the U.S., Khamenei said in a statement posted on his official website Monday.

The world of Islam, including Muslim governments and peoples, must familiarize themselves with the Saudi rulers and correctly understand their blasphemous, faithless, dependent and materialistic nature, the statement went on, asserting that the kingdoms rulers were unfit to be the custodians of Islams holiest sites: Because of these rulers oppressive behavior towards Gods guests, the world of Islam must fundamentally reconsider the management of the two holy places and the issue of hajj.

A day later, Saudi Arabias top cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, fired back, dismissing Khameneis criticism as a feature of supposed Iranian hatred toward Sunnis. Irans theocratic regime sees itself as the vanguard of Shia Islam, similar to how the Saudis, practitioners of a particular orthodox Wahabist brand of the faith, style themselves as the leaders of the Sunni world.

The grand mufti pointed to the pre-Islamic history of whats now Iran, where the bulk of population were once fire-worshiping Zoroastrians, and suggested that this ancient legacy still shadowed the present.

We must understand they are not Muslims, for they are the descendants of Majuws  a term for Zoroastrians  and their enmity toward Muslims, especially the Sunnis, is very old, he said.

Such language has dangerous echoes. So much of the recent bloodletting in the Middle East has been justified on arguments of apostasy and treachery to the faith. Iran and Saudi Arabias governments find themselves on opposite ends of wars in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen  battles where the most aggressive actors frame their campaigns in sectarian terms.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif responded to Al Sheikhs remarks with a tweet, linking Saudi Wahabism to the fundamentalist terrorism of the moment: Indeed; no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach.

But the Saudis themselves cast the Iranians as international pariahs, bent on fomenting armed struggle and terrorist plots around the world. Zarifs Saudi counterpart, Adel al-Jubeir, said in a speech last week that the regime in Tehran is behind some of the operations threatening national security of the region.

He added: We wish from Iran, a great nation with great history and great people, to be able to change its policies which it built in 1979 so it can be a new member in the international community, weaving new policies with it.

muslims
Albuquerque police are refusing to release any information on the shooting death of a man at a southeast Albuquerque convenience store Saturday night.

Police spokesman Tanner Tixier wouldnt release the victims name Wednesday or any details about the crime. Were not releasing any information, he said.

And he wouldnt explain why the department wasnt releasing the information. Police typically provide the names of victims in the days following violent crimes.

Officers were called to the 7-Eleven on the corner of Kathryn and San Mateo SE around 10 p.m. and found a man had been shot and killed in the parking lot, officer Fred Duran said Saturday night. He said at the time that the man who was killed had not yet been identified, but that once he was, his family would be notified and then his name would be released.

Duran described the suspect was a thin, bald, Hispanic man around 5 feet 2 inches tall and said he was still on the loose.

Tixier didnt say whether police are still looking for that man, whether he has been identified or if he has been interviewed or arrested.

Its unclear if the suspect knew the victim or if it was a random attack.
Bradbury Stamm is on the clock.

Mayor Richard Berrys administration signed an $82.6 million contract Wednesday that calls for the local construction company to finish work on Albuquerque Rapid Transit in 16 months, or by late 2017. The city is entitled to damages of $2,500 a day if the work isnt done on time, city officials said.

Heavy demolition and disruptions along a nine-mile stretch of Central Avenue are expected to begin in mid-October as Bradbury Stamm puts hundreds of people to work building a network of bus-only lanes and bus stations between Louisiana and Coors.

Berry said he hopes the project will reach substantial completion by the time he leaves office. His second four-year term as mayor ends Nov. 30 next year.

He announced the signing of the construction contract during a 45-minute news conference that featured 14 speakers, including business owners, city councilors and the heads of business associations.

It was a celebration of sorts after the project survived litigation aimed at preventing the start of construction. Opponents also filled a series of public meetings earlier this year and shouted down city officials supporting the project.

Nevertheless, the decision to move forward with Albuquerque Rapid Transit won support on a 7-2 vote of the City Council earlier this year, and its remained a priority of the mayor.

This is a landmark day for the city of Albuquerque, Berry said as a few dozen workers wearing yellow and orange safety vests stood behind him at Bradbury Stamms headquarters in the North Valley.

Its not just a bus, he said. Its our future.

The $82.6 million contract with Bradbury Stamm covers the bulk of the construction work. City officials say it guarantees a maximum price, unless the city asks for extra work.

The project overall is still expected to cost about $119 million when the cost of design, buying buses and other work is added in. Most of the money comes from the federal government.

Congress has not yet granted final approval to fund a $69 million Small Starts grant thats critical to the financing.

But Michael Riordan, Albuquerques chief operations officer, said the city has received approval from the Federal Transit Administration to begin construction and that no project at a similar stage has ever failed to receive the funding.

Cynthia Schultz, CEO of Bradbury Stamm, said she expects the project to employ the equivalent of 300 full-time workers over the next year. About 1,000 people altogether might work on it in some way, she said.

The construction contract gives Bradbury Stamm about 480 days to complete the work, or almost 16 months, though officials said they hope to finish in the 14- to 16-month range.

The city plans to issue an official notice to proceed that starts the clock Wednesday or today.

Supporters at Wednesdays news conference said they expect Albuquerque Rapid Transit to spur redevelopment along the Central Avenue corridor and provide faster, more reliable service than the regular bus system. The project is designed to mimic light rail, but at a fraction of the cost.

Opponents, meanwhile, say the project will damage the car-friendly charm of what was once Route 66. They say the creation of bus-only lanes  reducing the capacity for general traffic  will create congestion and harm local businesses.

Later Wednesday, the City Council adopted a resolution calling for the city to convene a summit of merchants and property owners along the rapid-transit route to discuss parking, ridership projections and other matters. The meeting must happen by Oct. 1.

We need to keep this dialogue open, said Councilor Ken Sanchez, who sponsored the bill.

Riordan, meanwhile, told city councilors that the ART system might cost an extra $2.2 million a year to operate, though federal funding and other sources might offset that.

In other action, the City Council:

 Scheduled a zoning hearing for Oct. 17 on a dispute over plans to build a garbage transfer station at Edith and Comanche NE.

 Passed an ordinance granting the city auditor authority over the hiring and firing of employees in his or her office, a move intended to strengthen the independence of the auditor.
The Obama administration has told Russia that it is at the end of its patience in trying to arrange a cease-fire in Syria, along with proposed joint U.S.-Russia counterterrorism operations, and that it expects a decision from Moscow in the next several days.

A final proposal was given to the Russians as President Barack Obama met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday in China, senior administration officials said. Secretary of State John Kerry is to follow up with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.

Were not going to take a deal that doesnt meet our basic objectives, Benjamin Rhodes, Obamas deputy national security adviser, said Tuesday during the presidents stop in Laos. And I think well know very quickly whether or not we can close those remaining gaps.

The proposal calls for a cease-fire in civil war fighting throughout the country, including in and around the besieged city of Aleppo, and the safe, sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance. Once the truce is in place for a specified time period, the Syrian air force is to be officially grounded. Then the United States and Russia are to initiate a joint air campaign against counterterrorism targets.

The outlines of the deal were agreed upon weeks ago, but U.S. officials have accused Russia of backtracking on some elements, including the timing and duration of a cease-fire before the other aspects of the agreement begin.

During the Obama-Putin meeting, and sessions between Kerry and Lavrov, held on the margins of the Group of 20 meeting in Hangzhou, China, the Russians said, Well, we want to go back and talk about some of the things at the previous meeting. We said thats not something were willing to do. Were not going to go backward, said a senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity about the closed-door sessions.

Aleppo is a big part of the conversation, the official said. But were trying to look holistically at the crisis writ large, because many other communities are suffering.

We are looking for a sustained period of calm, the official added. Because the conversation has gone on so long, and because there have been promises made, and promises not kept, we are looking to have a series of steps that get us to a comprehensive approach.  This is not just going to be another short-term truce.

Administration officials declined to specify what steps they would take if the Russia deal does not go through. Stating that the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq is his first priority, Obama has been reluctant to directly involve the U.S. military in Syrias civil war, beyond providing limited arms and other assistance to moderate opposition forces.

Those forces, and other rebel groups that are being aided by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and others in the immediate neighborhood, overlap in a number of places  including in and around Aleppo  with fighters of the Front for the Conquest of Syria  or Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, the group formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, which recently announced it had broken with al-Qaida. The administration still considers the group an al-Qaida affiliate.

Russian and Syrian aircraft have been bombing the opposition, insisting that they are targeting the Front and that the United States is responsible for separating them. As part of the U.S.-proposed deal, the administration says it will try to separate them. In the meantime, U.S. and Russian military and intelligence officials have mapped out much of northwestern Syria to demarcate areas of rebel control, mixed rebel and Front forces, and predominately Front forces.

Under the coordination proposal, U.S. and Russian forces would agree on eligible Front targets and determine whose aircraft is best positioned to strike them.

Both the mapping and the cease-fire have become more difficult in recent days as the government on Sunday  with help from Russian air attacks  seized control of the last rebel supply line, to the southwest of the city, cutting one of the main access roads that was to have been used for aid delivery.

In an indication that the government and its backers plan to continue fighting, pro-government media outlets reported Wednesday that the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, visited Syrian army and militia formations around Aleppo to prepare for a major offensive to retake the opposition-held portion of the city.

In a letter sent last weekend, Michael Ratney, the State Departments liaison to the opposition, spelled out the proposed cease-fire steps. It calls initially for a complete cessation of military operations by the regime and its affiliated forces and opposition forces on the Ramusa road in southwest Aleppo, and entry by U.N. aid convoys.

Second, checkpoints are to be set up on Castello Road, the main northern entryway to the city that government forces seized from the rebels last month. The government is then to withdraw all of its vehicles and heavy weapons to more than a mile away from Castello Road, which will be declared a demilitarized zone. Similar withdrawals and checkpoints are then to be established in the south.

If the cease-fire extends to 7 days and the checkpoints are set up and all forces are withdrawn, the letter said, then the U.S. and Russia will work on stopping the regime planes from flying and will work together to weaken al-Qaida in Syria.

Commitment to the cease-fire, it said, will open the door for the political process to continue in Geneva, where talks between the government and the opposition fell apart last spring as a previous cease-fire collapsed.

On Wednesday, the oppositions political leadership released its vision for a future Syria. At a news conference in London, opposition leaders presented a roadmap for a transition away from President Bashar al-Assads rule that broadly coincides with proposals made in the past by the United States and other Western allies for a negotiated solution to the war.

It envisions a six-month negotiation process, followed by an 18-month period during which Syria would be ruled by a transitional governing body that would be representative of all Syrians. That body would oversee the drafting of a new constitution, resulting in U.N.-supervised elections.

The plan specifies that the establishment of the transitional government would require the departure of Bashar al-Assad and his clique who committed heinous crimes against the Syrian people. Details of how this would happen, as well as who would be represented in the government, are to be worked out during the negotiations, the plan explains.

The unveiling of the document was attended by the foreign ministers of the oppositions main allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

But without a wider diplomatic agreement between the United States and Russia on ways to end the fighting, a return to political negotiations is unlikely. And even if they do agree, it is far from likely that representatives of the regime will agree to negotiate their own governments demise.

syria-policy
Police said they do not know what started the deadly fight between Russell Courtier and Larnell Bruce.

They do not know why Courtier allegedly got into his vehicle, chased Bruce across oncoming traffic and struck and killed him.

They also do not know why Courtiers girlfriend, according to court records, encouraged him to run over Bruce, a black teenager from Vancouver, Washington.

But what investigators said they do know is that Courtier, a man with a lengthy criminal history, is associated with a white supremacist prison gang known for violent activities both on the streets and behind bars. The Southern Poverty Law Center called the European Kindred the most feared white supremacist gang in the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon Department of Justice considers the gang a security threat group operating in the states prison system.

Don Rees, chief deputy district attorney for Multnomah County, told The Washington Post that prosecutors are looking into whether the crime was racially motivated, and whether Courtier and his girlfriend, Colleen Hunt, should be charged under Oregons hate crime statute.

Courtier, 38, and Hunt, 35, are facing murder charges after a grand jury indicted them last month. Rees said that if enough evidence exists, the case can potentially be brought back in front of a grand jury to reindict the two for intimidation charges.

Under Oregons hate crime statute, defendants can be charged with intimidation if they harm someone because of that persons race, color, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.

The 19-year-olds death has attracted national attention, but Detective Aaron Turnage, lead investigator in the case, cautions against jumping to conclusions that Courtier targeted Bruce because of his race.

Right now, we have nothing to indicate that race had anything to do with this crime. This is something were continuing to investigate, said Turnage, of the Gresham Police Department. They had a fight between the two of them. Courtier made some poor choices that night that resulted in the death of Mr. Brice. This is not a hate crime at this point.

Turnage responded to a call about a car crash Aug. 10 outside a 7-Eleven store in Gresham, east of Portland, Oregon. A surveillance video showed Courtier and Bruce get into a fight in the parking lot, according to an affidavit of probable cause. At some point, Bruce pulled out a machete before he decided to walk away.

Courtier then hopped into his red Jeep Wrangler and drove toward Bruce, following the teen as he ran into oncoming traffic and onto a sidewalk, the affidavit said.

Get him baby, get him baby, Hunt, who was in the passenger seat, told Courtier as he drove, according to the affidavit.

Witnesses told police that Courtier narrowly missed Bruce at one point, but he circled around and chased the teen again, according to the affidavit.

In an interview with detectives, Courtier admitted that he intentionally struck Bruce and that he heard the impact when the teen hit the front of his Jeep, the affidavit said. Hunt also admitted encouraging her boyfriend to run the teen over.

Bruce, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, died at an area hospital three days later.

His mother, Christina Mines, told Fox affiliate KPTV that she wants justice served, but she has forgiven those who are responsible.

I hurt inside and Im just wanting closure. I miss him so much. I just miss him so much, Mines told the TV station. I want the people that are guilty of this, I want them to know that I forgive them.

Loved ones gathered for a candlelight vigil at the Rosewood Initiative Center in Portland last Thursday, when Bruce wouldve turned 20, KOIN reported. A GoFundMe campaign started last month to cover medical and funeral expenses has raised more than $22,000.

We lost our son, brother, cousin, nephew and friend to a senseless crime, the page says.

Investigators do not believe that Bruce and the suspects knew each other before the incident.

Before his arrest, Courtier had been in and out of the Oregon Department of Corrections since 2001 for assault and weapon charges, said Betty Bernt, a spokeswoman for the agency. He was released in January 2015.

Courtiers disciplinary records obtained by the Portland Mercury paint a long history of fights, assaults and contraband violations.

The records also indicate that Courtier identified as a member of the European Kindred. At one point, he was caught with a drawing of the groups logo, a shield with the letters EK on it. Later, he was disciplined for getting the logo tattooed on his calf.

In 2005, he was again disciplined after staff intercepted a letter he sent to another European Kindred member in prison.

According to the Oregon Department of Justice, the European Kindred is one of a few white supremacist groups that operate within the states prison system. Other groups are the Supreme White Aryan Knights, International Peckerwood Syndicate, Oreganized Aryan Crime Syndicate and Aryan Soldiers, according to a 2006 report by the agency.

The group was founded in prison in 1998. David Kennedy, a known white supremacist, first organized the gang when he was serving time for burglary in the Snake River Correctional Institute in Ontario, Oregon, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

European Kindred now has at least 300 members in prison and about 125 on the streets of Portland and surrounding cities and towns, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Chapters exist within prisons in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico.

In the years since its founding, the group became notorious as members committed hate crimes, murders, rapes and home-invasion robberies, along with manning identity theft, methamphetamine distribution and dog-fighting rings, according to a 2010 article written by David Holthouse of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In 2010, Kennedy, of Portland, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to knowingly providing a firearm to a convicted felon, according to the FBI.

Turnage, the detective, said he is aware of Courtiers ties with the European Kindred, but investigators have not determined whether his gang affiliation is related to Bruces death. He also said he does not know what role Courtier played within the group or how long hes been a member.

Rees, the prosecutor, said Courtier and Hunt will face life imprisonment if convicted of murder.

Courtiers attorney, Kami White, and Hunts attorney, Jonathan Sarre, were not immediately available for comment Wednesday.

If investigators find evidence of a hate crime, Courtier and Hunt could be indicted for either first-degree intimidation, a Class C felony that carries a punishment of up to five years in prison, or second-degree intimidation, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison.

oregon-teen
The Federal Council

Bern, 07.09.2016 - Johann N. Schneider-Ammann, President of the Swiss Confederation, will set out Switzerlands priorities in relation to the UN for the coming year on 20 September at the opening of the UNs 71st General Assembly. He will also take part in various events and meet with heads of state and government. During this ministerial week in New York, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter will also represent Switzerland at various events, focusing in particular on international security, and will conduct bilateral talks. Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga will also take part in the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants to be held on the eve of the opening of the General Assembly.

At its meeting on Wednesday, the Federal Council approved the foreign policy priorities that Switzerland aims to implement during the UNs 71st General Assembly. It also agreed that President Schneider-Ammann and Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter will represent Switzerland in New York at the opening of the General Assembly. In New York, Switzerland will prioritise the two issues of peacebuilding and international security, as well as the reform of UN institutions in order to enhance their efficiency. These issues reflect Switzerlands values, interests and traditional role and are also in line with the priorities set by the Federal Council for Switzerlands work within the UN during the 2012-22 period: security and reform.



The general debate at the 71st session of the UNs General Assembly, where President Schneider-Ammann will speak on behalf of Switzerland, will open on 20 September. He will address the most significant current world issues as well as the priorities of Swiss foreign policy in the context of the UN. In addition to peacebuilding and security, these also include promoting free trade, liberal framework conditions and innovation for economic development, prosperity and employment. The President will also attend various events, including a high-level UN meeting on antimicrobial resistance  a global public health challenge in the face of which the international community is called upon to do more  and a summit on the role of non-state actors in tackling migration issues. President Schneider-Ammann will also use the visit to meet with various heads of state and government. The ministerial week will be interspersed by high-level meetings which will be attended by many heads of state and government and ministers from UN member states coming to New York especially for the occasion.



During the ministerial week, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter will take part in various events focusing, in particular, on the importance of improving the coordination of human rights and security within the UN. In this respect, Federal Councillor Burkhalter will chair  together with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Minister for Foreign Affairs  a high-level discussion on increasing recognition of human rights as an early warning mechanism in conflict prevention. On 13 June of this year, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Human Rights Council, Switzerland launched an appeal concerning this issue, which has since then garnered the support of 70 member states. Preventing violent extremism and combating terrorism as well as efforts to abolish the death penalty worldwide will also be amongst Mr Burkhalters main priorities in New York. Switzerland will also continue to pursue its initiative on water, peace and security. This involves stepping up and facilitating dialogue about water as an instrument of cooperation and peace instead of a source of conflict as well as intensifying dialogue on the institutional governance of water in the UN system. He will also meet with a number of foreign affairs ministers for various bilateral discussions.

Simonetta Sommaruga at the summit on migration



Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga will attend the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants on Monday 19 September. Here Switzerland will seek, in particular, to strengthen measures aimed at preventing forced displacement and protecting refugees and migrants in vulnerable situations. Switzerland will also focus on promoting the economic autonomy of displaced persons. It will also underline the role played by International Geneva as a key location for international dialogue on migration.

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Ares Management is reportedly seeking to raise more than $45bn for its latest batch of funds.
The pup was abducted while it was out for a walk with its owner and the police refused to register a complaint by the owner.

By India Today Web Desk: This will probably be the most ridiculous thing that you'll read today. It shows how unsafe this world is, when kidnappers don't even spare a two-month-old puppy.

According to a report in Bangalore Mirror, the owner, Sumiran Rai, a dental science student, was walking his Labrador, Maya. All of a sudden two knife wielding goons stopped Sumiran and his friend and abducted Maya.

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But this was not the end of the atrocity, Sumiran approached the Bommanahalli police station to register a complaint. But the police refused to take it and instead asked to trace the goons himself so that they can start an investigation.

Not just that, the locals who witnessed the whole incident, didn't come to Sumiran's aid. He purchased the pup for Rs 12,000 and loved him to bits.



In the past few months there has been a spike in dogs, especially the expensive breeds, being abducted by thieves who make big bucks out of it.

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Although the project was proposed in 2013, it got stuck due to hurdles and is finally seeing the light of day. Demchok village is expected to have 24x7 electricity in the next few months.

The Demchok village is expected to have 24x7 electricity in the next few months.

By Ashraf Wani: Demchok, a small village on the Line of actual Control (LAC) with China, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons so far.

Chinese PLA (People's Liberation Army) has made incursions several times in the area. Now, the Army deployed in the area has electrified the village using solar energy.

Solar power is widely acclaimed for being a clean and cheap (in the long term) source of energy. Given the abundance of sunlight in Ladakh all year, solar energy can be exploited for the generation of power in a big way. LREDA (Ladakh Regional Energy Development Agency) took up a project with the assistance of the Army for the electrification of Demchok village through solar power.

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Conceived in 2013, the project was delayed due to various reasons. Now with all major hurdles having been crossed, the project is likely to fructify shortly. It is expected that in the next few months, the people of Demchok will be gifted with 24x7 electricity supply.

ALSO READ: Army chief reviews preparedness of unit deployed at LAC



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Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai urged India, Pakistan and the UN "to work together with utmost urgency to right the wrongs" in Kashmir, and provide Kashmiris with "the dignity, respect and freedom they deserve".

By India Today Web Desk: Teenage Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has urged India, Pakistan and the United Nations to come together and put an end to the "inhumanity and heartbreak" in Kashmir.

Pakistan's news daily Dawn quoted Malala saying, "The Kashmiri people, like people everywhere, deserve their fundamental human rights. They should live free of fear and repression."

"Dozens of unarmed protesters have been killed and thousands wounded," she said, "...including hundreds of people blinded by pellet guns used to put down demonstrations, many schools have been closed...keeping children away from their classrooms."

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Malala called on the United Nations, the international community, India and Pakistan "to work together with utmost urgency to right these wrongs, providing the people of Kashmir with the dignity, respect and freedom they deserve."

"I stand with the people of Kashmir," she added. "My 14 million Kashmiri sisters and brothers have always been close to my heart."



Read more:

Exclusive: Modi government's new action plan for Kashmir

When the joke is on Hurriyat: Knock knock, who's there? Unanswered Kashmiri doors

Muslim clerics slam Pakistan and separatists, to conduct Aman Yatra in Kashmir

Kashmir unrest: All-party delegation to meet in Delhi tomorrow

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Published On Sep 07, 2016 12:41 PM By Alshaar

The India Japan Lighting factory in Haryanas Bawal was forced to shut down immediately after a major fire broke out in its premises late in the night on Tuesday. The facility is a key supplier of headlamps and tail lamps to various manufacturers including countrys largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki.

The fire is said to have gutted the entire factory but the cause remains unidentified. The fire reportedly broke out at the first floor, where packing materials are kept, as no casualties have been reported in the incident so far.

In a statement on Wednesday, Maruti Suzuki said that the first shift is currently underway and evaluation is on to gauge the supply situation for running production through the day.

This is the second major incident of fire at a part supplier facility in the recent past after a similar occurrence took place at air conditioning kit manufacturer Subros facility in Manesar. Maruti was forced to suspend production at its Manesar plant due to the tragedy and had suffered a production loss of around 25,000 units as a result.

The India Japan Lighting could prove to be another major setback for the carmaker that is already struggling to meet the demand for its highly popular new products -- Vitara Brezza and Baleno.

Incepted in 1996, India Japan Lighting also supplies parts to Honda Cars Indias Greater Noida factory. The lamp supplier also has another facility in Chennai that caters to demand from companies in south India, like the Renault-Nissan alliance.

Image source: Live Mint
Modified On Sep 08, 2016 01:54 PM By Nabeel for Honda City 4th Generation

The Honda City has been the first choice for a large number of premium sedan buyers. Now that its offered with both petrol and diesel options, along with a CVT automatic gearbox with the petrol motor, the popularity of the car has grown. This has resulted in the car crossing the two-lakh sales milestone in 36 months in India. Honda claims that this feat makes the City the fastest-selling mid-size sedan in the country. In fact, it has been the highest-selling car for Honda since October 2015 and battles with the Maruti Ciaz for the most-selling premium sedan of the country.

The current generation Honda City has registered sales of 2,00,098 units since its launch, back in January 2014. Also, since January 1998, when the City was first introduced in India, Honda has sold over 6.3 lakh units in the country. Talking about the success of the car in India, Yoichiro Ueno, president & CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd., said, The Honda City is a much-loved brand in India and has been the most crucial part of Hondas success in the country by cumulatively bringing in more than 6.3 lakh customers to the Honda family. Continuously re-inventing itself, each generation of the Honda City has brought in new technologies and offered new value to enthral the customers, becoming a benchmark for quality and trust. We are extremely proud of reaching the new milestone of 2 lakh sales of the current generation of City and are confident that it will continue to put up a strong performance in future too. We would like to thank our customers for their love and faith in the Honda City as we celebrate this success.

The Honda City comes with a 119PS, 1.5-litre petrol or a 100PS, 1.5-litre diesel engine. The petrol motor is mated to a five-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. These combinations return a mileage of 17.8 and 18kmpl, respectively. The diesel motor is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and returns a mileage of 26kmpl. The City also comes with a host of Hondas active and passive safety technologies, including ABS with EBD, SRS airbags and Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body shell.

With the festive season approaching, these sales figures are expected to rise even further. And with Honda selling 4,255 units of the City and Maruti selling 6,214 units of the Ciaz in August 2016, the rivalry between these two seems all set to continue through the rest of the year.

Also Read: Honda To Launch A City-Based Hatchback Soon

Read More on : Honda City india
The kitchen: its where party guests congregate, families gather, and meals are lovingly prepared. With all that happens in a kitchen, its no wonder this room is known as "the heart of the home."

Its with good reason, then, that the kitchen is often first on a home decorators list of renovation priorities. Homeowners are eager to transform their kitchens into spaces that match their style and appease their functionality requirements.

This year, homeowners have hopped on board with a few new kitchen trends. From clutter-free countertops to cabinets that do more than store dishware, 2016 has seen kitchens become spaces that seamlessly blend stunning style and smart design.

Here are a few of the kitchen trends that homeowners have embraced in 2016.

Flexible palettes

Neutral kitchens can be a good choice for those who may occasionally suffer from design ennui. Youll be able to shake up the look of your neutral kitchen at any point, simply by adding a few personalized touches.

"Keeping a kitchen neutral allows you to personalize it to reflect your style," IKEA spokesperson Mary Ann Barroso told HGTV.com. Adding an unexpected light fixture to a traditional kitchen, for instance, can give the space a fresh look in no time.

Smart spaces

Kitchens are an ideal space for homeowners to incorporate technology that can make life easier. Hidden charging spaces, touch-activated faucets, and smart appliances are popping up in kitchens everywhere, helping homeowners get the most out of their kitchens.

Interior Designer, Gail Drury, says convenience is key in 2016 and beyond. Expect kitchens full of state-of-the-art appliances, from steam ovens to built-in coffee machines to wine coolers, she told Houzz.

Rollout cabinets

A clutter-free space can do wonders for the mind, and homeowners are embracing this idea by adding pullout and rollout kitchen cabinets. Rollout cabinets and drawers can help declutter a kitchen by keeping items off of countertops and workspaces.

Having a butcher block knife organizer built into a drawer or cabinet, for example, can eliminate the need to store knives out in the open. Pet owners may opt to keep dog bowls tucked away building a feeding station into a low, pullout drawer.

Smaller appliances

As multigenerational living becomes increasingly popular, many homeowners are looking to add small, secondary kitchens for their returning kids or aging relatives.

It's not always practical to bring bulky appliances into these micro-kitchens. Instead, homeowners are adding appliances such as two-burner cooktops, 18-inch dishwashers, and 60-inch refrigerators.

Clean lines

Beveled edges and intricate patterns arent as popular as they once were. Writing for ImproveNet, Jacob Hurwith notes that clean lines and subtle design gives kitchens a modern look that stands the test of time.

Simpler cabinet door styles give kitchens a sleek look. They can also help offset the tension between rustic, modern, and transitional kitchens, Hurwith says.
09/06/2016

Photo (c) japhoto - Fotolia New research from the University of British Columbia could allow those suffering from Crohns disease to find some relief. Scientists say they may have found the genetic cause of fibrosis, a serious complication of the disease which affects the intestines. Based on their findings, the researchers believe that they can develop therapies which can help prevent this condition.

We found what we think are the inflammatory cells that drive fibrosis. . . The gene that was defective in those cells is a hormone receptor, and there are drugs available that may be able to block that hormone receptor in normal cells and prevent fibrotic disease, said Kelly McNagny, co-author of the study.

Crohn's disease and fibrosis

Fibrosis is a condition characterized by the thickening and scarring of tissues within the body. For those with Crohns disease, it affects tissues in the intestines and can cause bleeding, cramps, constipation, and a host of other symptoms. Treatment can often require multiple surgeries.

Fibrosis isnt unique to Crohns disease; it can be symptomatic of several different illnesses, injuries, or even just the aging process. As such, finding the cause of the condition could be beneficial to a wide range of patients.

Fibrosis is a response to chronic inflammation, but it is also a process that occurs during normal aging. If you can reverse this, youve essentially found a way to promote regeneration rather than degeneration, said Dr. Bernard Lo, lead author of the study.

Reversing fibrosis

The researchers came upon their discovery while observing mouse models. Certain mice in the study were infected with a type salmonella that mimics the symptoms of Crohns disease. However, some mice eventually showed a gene mutation that stopped them from developing fibrotic symptoms.

The researchers tracked this development to a hormone receptor that the mutation had switched off. They found that the receptor was responsible for stimulating the bodys immune response, which in turn prompted inflammatory cells to go to work.

By blocking this receptor, the researchers say they can halt the work of inflammatory cells and prevent the development of fibrosis. McNagny, Lo, and their colleagues are now working on testing drugs that can help stop or reverse fibrosis in mice models.

The full study has been published in Science Immunology.
As Youtube continues to fight against the spread of misinformation, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania explored how tobacco-related videos continue to make their rounds around the popular video streaming service.

The researchers explained that viewers continue to see videos promoting the positives of tobacco use or vaping. Considering the number of young people who regularly use YouTube, and the misleading statements evident throughout the videos, this has become a serious issue.

The easy access of such [video] material suggests that YouTube is a fertile environment for the promotion of tobacco products despite its banning of tobacco advertising, the researchers explained.

Pushing boundaries

The researchers evaluated several different search criteria on YouTube to understand what kind of effect these videos are having on viewers.

Their work revealed that viewers can easily access videos on any number of topics related to tobacco, including how to properly use tobacco, fun ways to utilize tobacco, or even how to vape. These videos receive millions of views, and some even suggest that any negative health effects related to tobacco use can be mitigated, though there is no scientific backing to support any of these claims.

This is particularly concerning considering how prevalent the dangers associated with vaping have become and how many young people have taken up the habit.

This suggested to us that the misleading tobacco videos we identified on YouTube are part of the information environment that eludes the restrictions that apply to regular tobacco advertising and product promotion, said researcher Patrick E. Jamieson.

Not only are these videos misleading, but they also go against YouTube guidelines that prohibit tobacco advertisements. Moreover, they serve as a source of income for those posting them and for YouTube.

As our study of YouTube illustrates, producers of misleading tobacco content can primarily represent private individuals rather than tobacco manufacturers, said researcher Dan Romer. Indeed, the producers of the tobacco videos we identified...do not appear to be employees of the tobacco industry, it is nevertheless possible that a content creator could receive endorsement payments from a tobacco company.

Telling the true story

According to the researchers, the best way to combat these videos is with the truth. Its crucial that consumers are getting the right information.

On platforms like YouTube where these videos are most prevalent, setting up ads or videos with content that debunks these misleading messages is key to setting the record straight.
Credit unions are pushing into the private student-loan market.

Some 275 financial institutions, mostly comprised of credit unions, are on pace to extend $221 million in private student loans during the two calendar years through December, up 51% from the two-year stretch ended December 2014, according to a new report from LendKey Technologies, which provides a platform for student-loan originations. Loan volume was less than $59 million through this platform when it launched in 2009 and 2010, collectively, according to the firm.

This appears to be the first detailed report on credit unions role in private student lending. The figures also include a small number of community banks that use LendKey.

Private student-loan balances have been rising at credit unions nationwide, a sign that appetite for such loan originations is growing. There were $3.6 billion in outstanding private student loans on credit unions balance sheets at the end of the second quarter, up about 9% from a year prior, according to new figures released Tuesday by the National Credit Union Administration, which regulates more than 5,800 credit unions.
When it comes to voicing opinions, former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju has a no holds barred approach. We take a look at some controversial statements made by him.

By Vishakha Saxena: When it comes to voicing his opinions, former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju doesn't believe in holding back. He kicked up yet another controversy on Wednesday, with what some called an "indecent" tweet tagging several Aam Aadmi Party leaders.

Responding to a tweet that said "AAP is going to clean sweep Punjab elections" only after Katju starts abusing party chief Arvind Kejriwal, the retired judge wrote "AAP shud distribute ration cards too. It will be useful in getting consensual sex."

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Former AAP member Atishi Marlena, who was tagged in the tweet, criticised Katju for the comments. "Pls don't tag me in such indecent tweets, Mr Katju. As a public figure, you should know where to draw the line," she wrote, quoting his tweet.

Soon enough, social media was on fire, with criticism pouring against Katju, who has long history of controversial comments.

Here's a look at some of the remarks:

1. TARGETING TERESA

On Wednesday itself, Katju was stuck in another controversy for calling Mother Teres unscientific and a buffoon. "'Mother' Teresa, Zakir Naik, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Pravin Togadia, Sadhvi Prachi, Adityanath, etc, are all different sides of the same coin -- unscientific, feudal-minded religious fundamentalist and fanatic buffoons," he wrote.

When a reader objected to putting Teresa in the same vein as Zakir Naik and Adityanath, Katju wrote, "Give me 10 million dollars from shady people and I will also serve humanity."

In another attack he criticised the recently canonised nun for undergoing medical treatments in California.

In a blog, Katju had also called Teresa a fanatic and fraud. He is now facing the ire of Mother Teresa supporters.

2. GANDHI, BOSE, TAGORE: EVERYONE'S FAIR GAME

In a Facebook post in 2015, Katju claimed Mahatma Gandhi was "a British agent who did great harm to India", attracting the ire of many angry Indians. His remarks weren't limited to Gandhi however, as he called Rabindranath Tagore a "loyal British stooge" and Subhas Chandra Bose "an agent of the Japanese fascist imperialists."

He eventually apologised for his remarks. Katju was even dragged to court, the case was later dismissed.

In the same post he said cows were "stupidly depicted as a mother", "Burqa or hijab" was "stupidly supported by many Muslim men, and stupidly worn by many Muslim women", looking down on Dalits showed "the stupidity of most Hindus", Sonia Gandhi, Modi, Kejriwal, Mamata, Owaisi and other politicians of India should have been jailed and are alive because of "the crass stupidity of most Indians" and babas and astrology have followers because the country is made up of "90% idiots".

3. 'BEAUTIFUL SHAZIA ILMI'

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In a series of tweets in January 2015, Katju sparked outrage when he said former AAP convenor Shazia Ilmi should have been BJP's CM candidate. Why? Because she's beautiful.

In a series of tweets, the former Press Council of India chairperson said Shazia Ilmi was "much more beautiful than Kiran Bedi" and "if Shazia had been made their CM candidate BJP wud have definitely won the Delhi (sic)."

4. JUST ADMIRING BEAUTY

His remarks on Ilmi bought Katju instant criticism. "Somewhere someone in Justice Katju's family is holding their head going "why dear God, WHY??" tweeted Omar Abdullah. Initially, Katju defended himself saying "the tweet was in lighter vein, & shud be construed as such" and asked people to develop a sense of humour.

But things got a bit out of hand in a subsequent blog post by the retired judge. "What is wrong with some of you people? Can't an old man like me admire a beautiful woman? By admiring a beautiful flower I am not plucking it, and by admiring a beautiful garden from a distance I am not trespassing onto it. Similarly, if I admire a beautiful woman I am not misbehaving with her, or taking liberties with her."

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Obviously, these statements didn't go down well with people either.

5. INDIANS ARE FOOLS

Katju's trysts with controversies are not just a recent development. Back in 2012, he wrote a column for Indian Express, in which he wrote "90 per cent of Indians are fools" and that this was "the unpleasant truth".

One could say this is Katju's most used statement - reiterated over and over in social media posts, blogs and published columns.

He apparently made the same statement in a seminar too: "I say ninety per cent of Indians are idiots. You people don't have brains in your heads. It is so easy to take you for a ride." In his address, he also said "80% of Hindus and 80% of Muslims are communal." Speaking on another panel in 2013, Katju repeated these statements, and went on to term India as "an extremely backward country."

6. THE SUM OF ALL FEARS

A few months later, Katju revisited his "Indians are fools" comment, attempting to illustrate his observations with an example in a column for The Hindu. He wrote about an exchange with a mathematics lecturer from a UP university, claiming he proved him wrong. Here's the excerpt from the column titled, 'Professor, teach thyself':

Source: The Hindu

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Katju's comments backfired, as Hindu's readers rushed to remind him that the professor was indeed correct.

7. GUJARAT RIOTS

In 2013, Katju faced flak for a column in which he wrote it was hard to believe "Modi had no hand in 2002 (Gujarat riots)". His statement led him into a war of words with BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who called him "more Congress than Congress."

Most people who criticised Katju pointed out the fact that the former Gujarat chief minister has been acquitted by the country's courts, and that it was condemnable that a former Supreme Court judge placed such little faith in his own institution.

8. BEARDED MUSLIMS AND TALIBAN

In 2009, a high school student `from Madhya Pradesh sued his school when authorities opposed his choice to keep a beard. Katju, who was the judge on the case at the time, rejected his plea saying secularism could not be overstretched and a "Talibanisation" of the country could not be permitted.

"We don't want to have Taliban in the country. Tomorrow a girl student may come and say that she wants to wear a burqa. Can we allow it?" he said while passing the judgement.

Eventually, Katju apologised for his statement, and the order was withdrawn.

9. 'WON'T VOTE'

Days before the 2014 general elections, Katju questioned the foundation of democracies by suggesting that voting was nothing but farce. He even went on record saying he wasn't going to exercise his vote in the upcoming elections. Speaking to Headlines Today, he said, "I won't vote because my vote is meaningless... Votes are cast in the name of Jats, Muslims, Yadavs or Harijans. Democracy is not meant to be run like this. My one vote will not make any difference. Why should I waste my time in joining the cattle queue?"

Speaking to at the 'Right to be Heard' event, Katju added "Ninety per cent of Indians vote in droves like sheep and cattle."

10. 'PAKISTAN A FAKE COUNTRY'

As anger engulfed the country over the beheading of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani troops at LoC in January 2013, Katju added to the anger, but with controversy.

Calling Pakistan a "fake country", Katju said India's troubled neighbour resulted from a bogus "two-nation theory that Hindus and Muslims have two separate nations."

Speaking on a panel at Delhi University, he added, "the one and only solution to the Kashmir problem or the militancy problem in Pakistan is the reunification of India and Pakistan."

Needless to say, his comments weren't very well-received.

11. STAY AWAY FROM WOMEN

Earlier this year, in a blog post titled "keep away from women" Katju listed popular women, blaming them for events of history. He gave examples like: "Had it not been for Helen, there would not have been a Trojan war in which so many Greeks and Trojans were killed and Troy destroyed," "for Lady Macbeth, Macbeth would not have become a murderer" and "Bill Clinton almost lost the post of President of USA because of Monica Lewinsky."

He concluded the sexist piece saying, "A young woman's body is like a flame. Do not be like a moth and get burnt (by coming close to it)."

He shared the blog verbatim on his Facebook page too, earning widespread criticism.

https://www.facebook.com/justicekatju/posts/1226834584023752

Such observations from Katju seem hypocritical, considering he once suggested Katrina Kaif be appointed the next President of India. "Politicians will promise the moon, but not do anything for the public welfare. So since you must have someone, why not vote for a beautiful face?" he said.





--- ENDS ---
Credit unions in North America have a duty to promote financial health through services that focus on helping improve members spending, saving, borrowing and planning habits. One piece of that puzzle is the small-dollar, short-term loan, which fills a critical niche in assuring access to money for millions of borrowers.

Many consumers in both the United States and Canada rely on these financial products. However, each of these countries has its own regulatory landscape, which poses differing obstacles for credit unions in developing and offering loans to help members with their short-term borrowing needs.

In the United States, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has encouraged credit unions to offer members an alternative to payday loans. At the same time, the bureaus new, overly prescriptive proposed regulations may stifle innovation and impose onerous restrictions on lenders, particularly in meeting expectations for confirming a borrowers ability to repay. The proposed full-payment test is one of the most controversial elements in the CFPBs planned requirements. Placing too much importance on confirming a members ability to repay by requiring prescriptive, specific methods, such as credit checks and human intervention, is likely to make these loans too costly for many credit unions to offer.

Many members, even higher-income households earning between $100,000 and $150,000 annually, are unable to produce $2,000 within 30 days for an unexpected expense, according to a recent study. This makes these types of loans a valuable service for members across the spectrum of income and credit standing. By permitting credit unions to use automated technology that analyzes members transaction history to determine their ability and willingness to repay, CFPB could ensure that consumers have access to much-needed small-dollar loans.
SWIFT Discloses More Bank Thefts

SWIFT, the global financial messaging system, recently disclosed new hacking attacks on its member banks as it pressured them to comply with security procedures instituted after February's high-profile $81 million heist at Bangladesh Bank.

In a private letter to clients, SWIFT said that new cyber-theft attempts - some of them successful - have surfaced since June, when it last updated customers on a string of attacks discovered after the attack on the Bangladesh central bank.

"Customers environments have been compromised, and subsequent attempts (were) made to send fraudulent payment instructions," according to a copy of the letter seen by news agency Reuters. "The threat is persistent, adaptive and sophisticated - and it is here to stay."

The disclosure suggests that cyber thieves may have ramped up their efforts following the Bangladesh Bank heist, and that they specifically targeted banks with lax security procedures for SWIFT-enabled transfers.

The Brussels-based firm, a member-owned cooperative, indicated in the recent letter that some victims in the new attacks lost money, but did not say how much was taken or how many of the attempted hacks succeeded. It did not identify specific victims, but said the banks varied in size and geography and used different methods for accessing SWIFT.

A SWIFT spokeswoman declined to elaborate on the recently uncovered incidents or the security issues detailed in the letter, saying the firm does not discuss affairs of specific customers.

All the victims shared one thing in common: Weaknesses in local security that attackers exploited to compromise local networks and send fraudulent messages requesting money transfers, according to the letter.

Accounts of the attack on Bangladesh Bank suggest that weak security procedures there made it easier to hack into computers used to send SWIFT messages requesting large money transfers. The bank lacked a firewall and used second-hand, $10 electronic switches to network those computers, according to the Bangladesh police.

SWIFT has repeatedly pushed banks to implement new security measures rolled out after the Bangladesh heist, including stronger systems for authenticating users and updates to its software for sending and receiving messages. But it has been difficult for SWIFT to force banks to comply because the nonprofit cooperative lacks regulatory authority over its members.

SWIFT told banks that it might report them to regulators and banking partners if they failed to meet a November 19 deadline for installing the latest version of its software, which includes new security features designed to thwart the type of attacks described in its letter.

The security features include technology for verifying credentials of people accessing a bank's SWIFT system; stronger rules for password management; and better tools for identifying attempts to hack the software.

SWIFT is trying coerce members into prioritizing cyber-security by threatening to share confidential information about security lapses that banks want to keep private, said Shane Shook, an independent security consultant who advises central banks.

"That type of information sharing is something that no bank likes to see happen without their direct approval and involvement, because it can affect market confidence," Shook said.

SWIFT disclosed the new hacks after reports of previous incidents prompted regulators in Europe and the United States to urge banks to bolster cyber-security.

Other cases involving fraudulent transfer requests include the theft of more than $12 million from Ecuador's Banco del Austro and a failed attempt later in 2015 to steal money from Vietnam's Tien Phong Bank.

The attacks have prompted regulators globally to press banks to bolster defenses. The Bank of England in April ordered UK firms to detail actions to secure computers connected to the SWIFT system, while the European Banking Authority in May said domestic authorities should stress test banks for cyber risks.

The Federal Reserve and other US agencies told banks in June to review protections against fraudulent money transfers.

Six US senators recently urged the G20 nations to agree when they meet at a summit this weekend on a coordinated strategy to combat cyber-crime at critical financial institutions.

Reuters:


Talking Points:

Gold prices edge higher as markets continue to digest US jobs data

ISM Non-manufacturing survey in focus amid Fed policy speculation

Crude oil prices seesaw on Russia, OPEC output freeze news flow

Gold prices edged higher as markets continued to digest the impact of Augusts US jobs report on Fed policy speculation. The metal rose amid swelling anti-fiat demand as the US Dollar fell alongside front-end bond yields after a seemingly soft payrolls gain (151k vs. 180k expected) weighed on rate hike bets. The greenback swiftly recovered, with markets rethinking their initial reaction because  despite a miss on the headline figure  the outcome pushed the three-month trend average above the 190k threshold cited by Fed Chair Yellen as supportive for stimulus withdrawal. Gold managed to hold onto most of its gains however.

Looking ahead, Augusts ISM Non-Manufacturing Composite survey is in focus. Economists expectations suggest the pace of service-sector activity growth slowed for a second consecutive month. US economic news-flow has deteriorated relative to consensus forecasts over the past two months, suggesting analysts models are rosier than realized outcomes have confirmed and opening the door for continued disappointment. If this paves the way for a downbeat result, gold prices may continue to push higher.

Crude oil prices spiked to a weekly high after Russia and Saudi Arabia issued a joint statement saying they would coordinate efforts to stabilize energy markets. The WTI contract promptly erased more than half of the move after Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said there is no need to freeze output at this time. Al-Falih conceded that restricting output is among the preferred options but added that it is not necessary today. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak expressed similar sentiments last week but President Vladimir Putin voiced his support for a supply-side deal to boost prices over the weekend.

On balance, a functional output freeze agreement emerging out of this months informal OPEC meeting in Algiers continues to look unlikely. Such an arrangement would require cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Iran even as the two countries find themselves on opposite sides of at least two on-going military conflicts (in Yemen and Syria). Indeed, several recent efforts to cobble together a joint effort to boost prices have failed to overcome this hurdle. The markets have remained responsive to the stream of conflicting news-flow all the same however. This hints that hopes for a deal will remain a source of knee-jerk volatility in the weeks to come.

What do retail traders buy/sell decisions hint about gold price trends? Find out here !

GOLD TECHNICAL ANALYSIS  Gold prices continue to edge higher after rebounding from two-month support in the 1303.62-08.00 area (May 2 high, 38.2% Fibonacci retracement). A daily close back above the 1329.79-33.62 zone (August 8 low, 23.6% level) exposes falling trend line resistance at 1347.95. Alternatively, a turn downward and through support targets the 50% Fib at 1287.29.

CRUDE OIL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS  Crude oil prices rose for a second consecutive day after marking a would-be bottom with the appearance bullish Piercing Line candlestick pattern. Near-term resistance is now at 45.33, the 23.6% Fibonacci expansion, with a daily close above that exposing the 38.2% level at 46.76. Alternatively, a reversal back below the 14.6% Fibat 44.45 opens the door for a retest of the September 1 low at 43.02.

--- Written by Ilya Spivak, Currency Strategist for DailyFX.com

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Last week I confessed that I was wrong when I predicted that the lows were in for corn and soybeans. This week the bad news just kept coming.

We made a new low for December corn on Aug. 31 at 3.14 3/4. The new bean low was 9.37 on Sept. 1, and even the December wheat hit the bottom at 3.91 1/2 on Aug. 30. In the wake of the last week, we now have the experts saying that December corn futures could get to $2.80. Yuck.

A look at this mornings CHS Hedging Morning Highlights report just gives us more of the same.

If there werent bad news, there wouldnt be any news at all.

It keeps coming

Start with the corn yields. Last week I said the one bright spot was that the Pro Farmer report came in five bushels below the USDA estimate. Not so. A prominent brokerage firm that Friday predicted 175.6 bpa for corn, actually above the USDAs 175.1 slightly. The same firm has put its soybean yields estimate at 50.1 bpa, well above the USDAs 48.9.

Then, look at the CFTC (Futures Trading Commission) report that said that the funds, the managed money portion of the traders, were a net seller of 8,561 contracts of corn last week. Add to that the fact that they sold 27,665 contracts of soybeans, and 4,444 contracts of bean meal. These sales, and these statistics, weigh heavily on the markets.

More news

We have said that all the major wheat-producing nations except France have had big crops. A Russian consulting company has raised its forecast of Russias wheat crop 2 MMT to 72 MMT. This is now equal to the USDA forecast, so it basically confirms what we already suspected.

Oh, yeah, I forgot. The weather news this morning is for a large area of rain across the north. Along with this is a precipitation map for Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri that says the area will get over 3 inches of rain in the next week. That is enough to finish the crop, if needed.

Hello, fall

If we focus on crop progress instead of price-reducing news, it is interesting that fall has started in northeast Ohio. The first leaves are off the trees. The slight (am I imagining it) tint of yellow in the soybeans has given way to waves of yellow and fields that are predominantly yellow. Drive up state Route 11 and you notice that the green boundaries of the right-of-way are going off to yellow-green. The air conditioner is staying off at night, with temperatures in the low 50s.

Especially for those in the wetlands of the north, it is encouraging to see harvest approaching. The thought of parking semis in the fields and running fast on the hard ground is wonderful to those of us who have ground out the crops in the mud. The first corn is being chopped by the dairymen, although it is mostly a matter of opening up fields so far.

So, it is the time for anticipating the exciting harvest, which for most of us will be better than we expected in the dry spell of late June and early August.

It is the time for hoping that there will be a time ahead when prices recover. It is the time to be glad that we are not farming farther west this year. Northcentral Ohio got nice rains in August, but the crop was hurt badly before that.
Here is an unfired Colt New Frontier single action revolver in 22LR,& commemorates the Indiana Sesquicentennial for 150 years 1816 to 1966. made in 1966 so its now 49 years old,& has gold plated non fluted cylinder,hammer,trigger,backstrap & trigger guard,& the rest is blued,with scroll engraving at the bottom of the grip frame,with nice colored Pearlite grips,stamped on the barrel 116 to 1966 Indiana Sesquicentennial,& in a nice blond wood fitted presentation case. serial # 1694IS so its $ 1694 of onl;y 1745 made. a lotof gun for only $895.firm +$35. shipping to your FFL only.I am an FFL dealer,located in the Clearwater,Florida area.I accept bank & postal money orders,cashiers checks,or personal & business checks,but those take time to clear.no credit cards or PayPal. I now offer 60 day layaways with 1/3rd down & 1/3rd per month.be sure to check out all my other unique listings

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What is going in the valley is nothing but a Pak sponsored Jihad in Kashmir

Subramanian Swamy thinks Mehbooba as incorrigible and equates Mehbooba Mufti with tail of a dog.

New Delhi : Swamy again hit straight the role of J&K Chief Minister for a peace process in the present unrest in the State. Senior BJP leader and nominated Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subramanian Swamy equated Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti with the tail of a dog, which cant be straightened in a interview of a TV channel.

There should be Presidents rule in her place she is like tail of a dog, which cant be straightened, said Swamy , in clear defiance of the party which is a partner in the PDP-led coalition government.

Mehbooba kabhi sudhregi nahi (Mehbooba will never change,) said Swamy and added, She has old links with terrorists. He said the BJP formed a coalition government with Mehbooba on the hope she will reform herself.

Swamys comments fly in the face of the synergy between Mehbooba and PM Narendra Modi as was seen when they met last week and agreed on the common goal to combat terrorism and address popular demands.

Laldenga was a terrorist but he became Mizoram chief minister and ran a successful government, said Swamy. The Rajya Sabha MP wanted to clarify that even once terrorist could run a Govt. after rejecting the subversive attitude, but Mehbooba failed to change.

When asked whether his remark (as published in a TV channel) will put BJP in a trouble, Swamy told HENB this I am not that person to reject truth for any cheap politics. Mehbooba Mufti and her father were never a friend of the uprooted Kashmiri Hindu people and the pandits anyway. They had alleged link with separatists in Kashmir and this is very clear now with her intention to sit with the separatist again.

What is going in the valley is nothing but a Pak sponsored Jihad in Kashmir, the veteran statesman of India told HENB.

Source : Hindu Existence
The Standing Rock Sioux are inspiring the world with their resistance against the pipeline. But its not just Big Oil and Gas that theyre opposing.

By Jo Miles, Hugh MacMillan, September 6, 2016When the Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit for the 1,100-mile Dakota Access Pipeline in July, executives at the corporations behind the plan probably thought their path forward was clear. Theyd moved easily through the permit process, seemingly dodging the concerns of people affected by the pipeline, and were ready to go ahead with construction.But the communities in the pipelines path, especially local tribes, had other ideas. Thousands of people, mostly Native Americans, have converged at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota in an effort to stop the pipeline from being built. The Standing Rock Sioux call the pipeline a black snake, and they know that if it were to rupture and spill  a serious risk, given the well-documented history of pipeline leaks in the U.S.  it could poison their drinking water and pollute their sacred land.As we will detail, the Standing Rock Sioux are not just up against the oil and gas industry and the federal government, as daunting a challenge that alone would be. They are up against the many of the most powerful financial and corporate interests on Wall Street, the profit-driven institutions that are bankrolling this pipeline plan and so many others like it throughout the country.The pipeline company disrupted the peaceful demonstration this weekend when its security firm unleashed violence on the activists, attacking them with dogs and pepper spray. The tribes are standing strong in their unity, and wont give up despite these frightening and horrifying developments.Corporate Interests Bankrolling the PipelinePowerful oil and gas companies are taking appalling steps to override the Siouxs objections, using their immense financial resources to push for building this pipeline, which will further line their pockets. But behind the companies building the pipeline is a set of even more powerful Wall Street corporations that might give you flashbacks to the 2007 financial crisis.Seventeen financial institutions have loaned Dakota Access LLC $2.5 billion to construct the pipeline. Banks have also committed substantial resources to the Energy Transfer Family of companies so it can build out more oil and gas infrastructure:* Energy Transfer Partners has a revolving credit line of $3.75 billion toward expanding its oil and gas infrastructure holdings, with commitments from just 26 banks.* Sunoco Logistics has a credit line with $2.5 billion in commitments from just 24 banks.* Energy Transfer Equity has a credit line with another $1.5 billion in commitments from most of the same big international banks.All told, thats $10.25 billion in loans and credit facilities from 38 banks directly supporting the companies building the pipeline.These banks expect to be paid back over the coming decades. By locking in widespread drilling and fracking in the false name of U.S. energy independence and security, the banks are increasing our disastrous dependence on fossil fuels.How Standing Rock Sioux are Fighting BackThe focal point of the resistance is at a camp outside the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. Thousands of people, most of them Native Americans, have gathered in nonviolent demonstration to stop the pipelines construction and protect their land and water. In August, youth from the tribe finished a 2,000-mile relay run to Washington, D.C., to bring their message to the White House in their own show of opposition. The tribe is doing everything in their power to stop this pipeline.Even before Dakota Accesss security turned violent, the activists faced harsh responses as Governor Dalrymple has declared a state of emergency, removing water and sanitation resources from the reservation, and the police have set up roadblocks around the reservation. Dozens of protesters have already been arrested, and police have spread false rumors of violence from the peaceful protectors.But its the company, not the activists, thats guilty of violence. This weekend, security sprayed activists with mace and released guard dogs into the crowd  even a pregnant woman was bitten by a dog. Democracy Now! captured disturbing footage of the attack.In the aftermath of such violence, we cant lose sight of how remarkable this gathering is: in a historic show of unity, over 188 Canadian First Nations and American Indian tribes have come together to support the Standing Rock Siouxs effort to stop the pipeline.Philip J. Deloria, a professor of American Culture and History at the University of Michigan, sees the fight as historic:The whole thing is kind of amazing, really. Its a conjuncture of local organizing, social media activism, tribal-generated intertribal solidarity, semi-traditional march on Washington strategies, and alliances with environmental and other political action groups... I think a lot of Indian people are seeing it as a moment of new possibility."Energy Transfer Partners is pushing ahead with their construction  and in North Dakotas dirty-energy-oriented economy, these corporations have the backing of the political establishment. In contrast, the activists stand against them with only their bodies, protecting their sacred land and water by physically standing in the way of the construction.We all owe these activists our support. Communities all along the pipeline route have been carrying out their own protests, and Food & Water Watch has been working with the Bakken Pipeline Resistance Coalition to block the proposal since it was first announced in 2014. Now, as the pipeline is being built, were asking everyone to call on President Obama to intervene.The Problems with PipelinesOil pipelines are inherently dangerous, and threaten our communities and environment with spills and explosions. They boost corporate profits and increase our dependence on fossil fuels, while bringing only risks and harms to those who live along the pipelines paths.The Dakota Access pipeline would pump about a half-million barrels of oil each day along 1,100 miles through the Dakotas and Iowa to Southern Illinois. There, the oil would be sent to the East Coast refineries and other markets by train, or down another 750 miles to the Gulf Coast through a second pipeline that Energy Transfer Partners is converting to carry oil. Combined, the two pipelines  together called the Bakken Crude Pipeline and acknowledged here in a presentation ETP made to its stockholders in August  follow a similar path to the Keystone XL pipeline that President Obama rejected.Overall, the Bakken Crude Pipeline will cost about $4.8 billion, and Energy Transfer Partners is touting it as a key element of its future plans to capitalize on U.S. energy exports. In building this infrastructure, Energy Transfer and its financial backers are banking on increased fracking in the United States in the coming decades. Over that time, communities will be left to deal with the spills, explosions, water pollution, air pollution, and climate impacts that ensue.Help Stop the Bakken PipelinePipelines are not the answer to our energy needs. We need to keep fossil fuels in the ground, and we need an urgent shift to 100% renewable energy. The Dakota Access Bakken Pipeline is a direct threat to our air, water, and clean energy future. This is why we need President Obama to support the Standing Rock Sioux and other activists, and use his authority to revoke the federal permits and deny the Bakken pipeline. Urge President Obama to deny the Bakken pipeline.Take Action: https://secure.foodandwaterwatch.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2742#_ga=1.185705385.1825935093.1425681822 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/news/who 's-banking-dakota-access-pipelineFood & Water Watch
The detention of Ruslan Sokolovsky, a Russian blogger from Yekaterinburg (Urals region) who was sentenced to administrative arrest for two months after posting a video of himself playing Pokemon Go in a church is a farcical attack on freedom of expression, said Amnesty International.

The absurdity of the case of the Russian blogger jailed for playing Pokemon Go in a church highlights what happens when authorities hold the freedom of expression in such low regard. Even if Sokolovskys behaviour may have been regarded as disrespectful by some, states should not be jailing people simply for offending religious sensibilities, said John Dalhuisen, Director for Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty International.Ruslan Sokolovsky was arrested under charges of preventing the realisation of the right to freedom of conscience and religion and incitement of hatred on 3 September.BackgroundRuslan Sokolovsky was arrested under the so-called blasphemy law adopted in 2013 as a response to the political performance by members of the Pussy Riot punk group in the central cathedral in Moscow. The law criminalised actions that offend believers feelings, and signified a further encroachment on freedom of expression in Russia. Sokolovsky deliberately came to play Pokemon Go in the church on 11 August following a warning made earlier on Russian state television not to catch pokemons at religious sites or in proximity to the state border or face criminal charges. If convicted, under the blasphemy law Sokolovsky may be sentenced to up to 5 years in prison.
By Kim Se-jeong



The U.S. government's sanctions on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have found an unexpected victim in Seoul, as a woman with the same name as Kim was prevented from overseas money transactions.



On Aug. 10, a 45-year-old woman in Seoul transferred 30 million won ($27,000) to her sister living in South Africa via Shinhan Bank, as her sister was about to purchase a house there and needed the money to complete the payment, according to the bank and Yonhap News Agency, Monday.



However, she learned that the money hadn't arrived even after 20 days.



As she inquired about it to Shinhan Bank, the bank answered that the money has been locked up in a bank in New York which mediated the money transfer to a South African bank. Because her name sounds the same as the dictator Kim, the South African bank inquired to the New York bank whether the sender could be the dictator, and returned the money to the bank in New York, according to Shinhan Bank.



This happened despite that the woman's name sounds the same as the North Korean leader's but is spelled differently in English. Shinhan did not disclose the exact spelling of the woman's name, citing client privacy.



"U.S. government officials are now aware that one Korean name can have different English spellings, and they monitor all names that sound similar," a Shinhan official said.



The official said using the American bank was necessary for wiring the customer's money to South Africa.



"We're not an international bank and we don't have direct business partnerships with banks in South Africa," he said.



The New York bank is neither sending the money back to Shinhan Bank, nor to the South African bank, saying it needs to check whether the money belongs to the North Korean leader. It's unclear how long it will take for the money to be released.



"We're in communication with the bank," said the official.



On July 6, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced it added Kim Jong-un to its sanctions list, along with other key officials, for human rights violations.



All financial institutions operating on U.S. soil are banned from providing financial services to the North Koreans.




The situation demands revival of peace process by reaching out to all shades of political opinion in Jammu and Kashmir and holding public life to ransom will only aggravate peoples' miseries, CM Mehbooba Mufti said.

By Ashraf Wani: Welcoming the resolution adopted at the All Party Meeting in New Delhi which calls for dialogue with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today said engagement and reconciliation is the only way forward to end the stalemate and make peace, stability and prosperity a reality in the State and the region.

SEPARATISTS MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY: MUFTI



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Mehbooba said unfortunately the separatist leadership missed the recent opportunity of engaging with the country's Parliamentarians, during their visit to the State, to find a solution to the problem. "There is no alternative to dialogue, and somebody has to engage with somebody to find a way out and it stands true for Jammu and Kashmir as well," she said and added that by shying away from talks, the separatist leadership is in the danger of being squarely blamed for holding up the resolution process when an opportunity was there to address the issue through political and democratic means.

She said now that the resolution adopted at the All Party Meeting in New Delhi has reiterated the urgency of engagement and dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir, "We hope a fresh and productive effort would be made by the country's political leadership to reach out to all the stakeholders in the State to address the issue through inclusive and comprehensive engagement."

"PEOPLE OF KASHMIR SUFFERING DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES"



The CM also said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of their age, gender, status or the political affiliation, have been suffering the disastrous consequences of the turmoil and unrest and they have to be retrieved from this blood-spattered quagmire, sooner the better. "The onus lies not only on the Government but the separatist leadership as well to give the peace and resolution process a chance by coming forward with a concrete roadmap," she said.

Mehbooba said that despite the challenges and impediments, the prevailing painful situation in Kashmir necessitates once again reaching out to all shades of the political opinion in the state and initiating substantive political and economic measures to revive and consolidate the peace and resolution process which had worked so well between 2002 and 2005.

READ - Kashmir unrest: Mehbooba Mufti urges separatists to engage with all-party delegation

"Violence in any form only brings miseries to the people and is not a means to seek resolution of the problem," she said and added that holding public life to ransom will not yield peace but only aggravate the miseries of the people.

"HOW LONG WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW THIS SELF DESTRUCTION TO CONTINUE?"



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Questioning the longevity of the turmoil grappling and tormenting Kashmir as a state, Mehbooba said, "Our children are getting killed and maimed, our social fabric is slipping into disorder, economy is in shambles, educational sector has suffered immensely, tourism inflow is zero, shopkeepers are not able to do business, transport industry is suffering massive losses, industrial units are shut, development process has come to a halt and people are feeling suffocated. We shall have to ponder over how long are we going to allow this self-destruction to continue?"

Emphasizing on the pressing need of resorting to peace, she also said, "All of us, cutting across the political divide, shall have to reinforce our resolve to work through peaceful means and through public participation towards resolution of the problem and restoration of peace in the state so that our future generations can at least live in peaceful environment."



Also read: After 51 days of unrest in Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti reaches out to pellet victim in Delhi



--- ENDS ---
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The Nigeria army has announced the arrest of suspected leader of militant group, Niger Delta Avengers which is responsible for blowing up of oil pipelines in the Niger Delta region.

A statement by acting director of army public relations, Col. Sani Usman Kukasheka said that troops of 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army arrested a suspected leader of the Niger Delta Avengers, Isaac Romeo, popularly known as G2.

He was arrested alongside two other people named Lawson Samson and Iyang Ekpo (an elderly man) in Calabar, Cross River state while driving in a vehicle on Saturday, September 3.

Nigeria army in Operation Crocodile Smile preparations. The army says its has arrested Niger Delta Avengers leader during the operation.

The statement said the army carried out the arrest in conjunction with the navy, air force and secret agents of the Defence Intelligence Agency.

READ ALSO: Buhari offered olive branch but you refused: Soldiers issue FINAL warning to militant

The arrest followed painstaking efforts and tracking of the militant who was in the state to perpetrate further criminal activities of sabotaging critical infrastructures. All the suspects are currently being interrogated, the statement said.

In a related event, Usman announced that the troops of 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army has arrested a suspected militant called Gabriel Ogbudje who is allegedly responsible for the destruction of NPDC/Shoreline major delivery trunk line within Ogo-Oteri general area on August 26.

Gabriel Ogudje is a suspected Niger Delta militant who was arrested by the army.

The army statement said that Ogbudje is the alleged leader of the Otugas Fire Force, a militant group which has threatened to attack the Utorogu Gas Plant.

The statement read: The suspected militant, who was trailed, was arrested by troops along Agbor-Abraka road, Edo State on Tuesday 6th September 2016.

READ ALSO: Buhari under fire over failure of Operation Crocodile Smile

He has been on the run since he was declared wanted because of his public declaration as the leader of the militant group Otugas Fire Force and his subsequent declaration of the threat code named Crocodile Tears, which was published by the Vanguard and Thisday newspapers on 31st August 2016, while the Brigade was engaged on the military field training exercise nicknamed Operation Crocodile Smile.

Isaac Romeo of the Niger Delta Avengers after he was arrested by the Nigeria Army.

Gabriel was arrested along with his accomplice, Mr. Elvis Dweller Ejus. Both suspects were handed to Operation DELTA SAFE for further interrogation and subsequent handing over to the relevant security agency for prosecutions.

Want to know more about the battle of the army with the militants in the Niger Delta region? Read Niger Delta militants beware as army displays deadly machine in Operation Crocodile Smile (photos)

Source: Legit.ng
Opposition in Maharashtra took a jibe at the BJP-Sena ruling alliance saying the former has no respect for its ally as Amit Shah visited Ganesh pandals in the city but did not meet Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray who resided just 10 minutes away.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: With the crucial BMC elections polls due early next year, BJP National president Amit Shah today visited several Ganpati pandals in Mumbai. Many see this visit by Shah as an attempt to popularise his party's base in Mumbai.

During his day-long trip to Mumbai, Shah started by visiting Ganpati mandal in Bandra, headed by BJP MLA and party's city chief Ashish Shelar. Shah then visited the Lalbaugcha Raja, which is the most famous public Ganpati idol put up in Lalbaug area of Central Mumbai.

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Shah finally visited the Girgaumcha Raja mandal, located in Girgaum area of South Mumbai. This is the same mandal that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had referred to in his "Mann ki Baat" while appealing for eco-friendly celebrations of the festival. Shah also praised the efforts of the Mandal to create awareness about environment.

Photo: Twitter @AmitShah

But Shah's Mumbai visit has evoked political reactions as well. The NCP has called Shah's visit to different Ganesh Mandals as a political move aimed at the upcoming BMC polls. "The BJP has not been able to cut through the Marathi votes. Amit shah has made a failed attempt to win over Marathi votes," alleged Nawab Malik, NCP's spokesperson.

"But what is surprising is that Shah though visited several mandals in the city, but could not find time to visit Maatoshri, which was barely 10 minutes away from the Bandra mandal he visited. Earlier any BJP president who visited Mumbai paid a visit to the Thackeray residence. It's sad to see the BJP ignore the Shiv Sena in such a way," quipped Malik.

Rubbishing the allegation BJP Mumbai President Aashish Shelar said, "This visit is purely to seek blessing from lord Ganesh and share the joy of Mumbaikars in the festive season. Those who see politics in this have an awful sense of looking at everything through the glasses of politics".

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When it comes to where and how to invest your money, it is wise to listen to people who have made the right investments right?

Aliko Dangote is the richest man in Africa with $15.7 billion to his name, while Bill Gates is the richest man in the world with $87.4 billion as his worth.

Let us take a look at the 10 investing tips offered by these wealthy men:

Bill Gates and Aliko Dangote

1. Invest only in what you understand

In 2012, Aliko Dangote spoke in an interview with MTV Base about investing, and one key thing he said was that he did not invest in anything he does not understand completely.

This he said was one way he made sure his organization was focused. A thorough understanding of each venture helped him avoid making stupid investment decisions.

2. Invest in your education

In 2014, Reddit organized an Ask Me Anything session with Bill Gates and when someone asked: What is your best personal financial advice for people who make under $100,000 a year?

His answer was: Invest in your education.

That might be startling considering Bill Gates dropped out, yet educated people earn better than uneducated people, that is a fact.

3. Diversify your investments

The Dangote group has investments in many sectors ranging from cement to sugar, textiles, real estate, steel, telecommunications, poly products, port operations, and even now, an eight billion dollar oil refinery is reportedly the works.

Like every brilliant entrepreneur, Aliko Dangote has multiple sources of income. Investing in diverse sectors helps a business stay afloat even in difficult economies.

READ ALSO: Economic crisis: Dangote becomes poorer - SEE latest billionaires ranking

4. Love criticism

Business @ the Speed of Thought, is a book Bill Gates published in 1999, he wrote extensively on the importance of negative feedback. He said that complaints and dissatisfaction from your customer should be studied in order to do better.

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest sources of learning, he wrote. Embrace bad news to learn where you need the most improvement.

5. Be a producer

Being a producer is vital to be a wealth creator. Initially, Aliko Dangote started in importing and trading in commodities for many years.

However, he one day moved into production, setting up eleven factories at a go, to kick-start his manufacturing career.

Though expensive, manufacturing is one great way to really control your pricing, and bring products down to the consumer level at really affordable rates.

6. Learn to say 'no'

No one knows that better than Bill Gates the importance of being able to say no. He once repeated the words his friend Warren Buffet said to him, during an interview: You have to be good at saying no.

Gates said that was among the best advice he had ever received. He explained that saying no allows you to concentrate on the things that really make a difference.

7. Sell a brand not a product

The Dangote brand is one of the most valuable brands in Africa. Selling a brand is far better than selling a product. In Nigeria especially, almost anything branded as Dangote almost always wins the markets trust.

As you grow your business, making sure people can identify your brand image, is one great way to grow and succeed in the long term.

READ ALSO: Fast all in one -- UC Browser

8. Optimisim

While giving a commencement speech to Stanford University students in 2013 with his wife Melinda, Bill Gates spoke at length about optimism and its importance to success.

Using his philanthropic work in Africa as a good example, he explained to the students that they needed to be optimistic in order to achieve their goals.

Optimism is often dismissed as false hope. But there is also false hopelessness, he said.

9. Networking

Dangotes networking skills and ability is also when way he was able to make and grow his wealth. This connections came through for him when he needed them for the prosperity of his business. This connections enabled him get the license to import cement, before he started producing.

10. Measure your progress regularly

Bill Gates, in his 2013 annual letter for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, wrote about a book he was reading, The Most Powerful Idea in the World. It was about the invention of the steam engine, but Gates drew an important lesson from it.

You can achieve amazing progress if you set a clear goal and find a measure that will drive progress toward that goal, he said. So keep a clear target and check your progress regularly.

Source: Legit.ng
"We've been very clear that we want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said.

By Indo-Asian News Service: The US has reiterated that it wants accountability from Pakistan on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 166 lives.

"We've been very clear that we want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks, and as you noted, there were American citizens who lost their lives in that - those terrible attacks," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in Monday's daily press briefing in response to a question about Secretary of State John Kerry's mentioning about US' efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators behind the attacks in which six Americans were also killed.

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Kerry was in New Delhi to attend the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue on August 30.

Also read: Pakistan must push harder against terrorists, do more to clear sanctuaries: US

"We've long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation, and that includes the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan in that regard," Toner said.

"That continues; those efforts continue. As I said, we want to see full accountability for these terrible attacks."

NO SANCTIONS AGAINST PAKISTAN

However, asserting that Pakistan must target all militant groups, including those that target its neighbours, US said it is not planning any sanctions against the country for not taking actions against terrorist groups.

"Suggestive of any kind of sanctions, we're not there," Mark Toner told reporters.

Also read: Pakistan army admits IS presence in territory

He was responding to a query on a recent statement by the former US Ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad that the US now needs to seriously consider the option of imposing sanctions against Pakistan.

"I don't think we're even at that point," Toner said.

"I mean, we continue to have, conversations with the highest level of the government of Pakistan and our basic point in all these conversations is that Pakistan must target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan's neighbours and eliminate all safe havens and that is what I was trying to convey to you as well," he said.

"What we've received in terms of response from Pakistan authorities is that they have assured of their intentions to do so. We have been encouraged by some of the steps they've taken, some of their recent counter-terrorism operations along the border of Afghanistan and we're going to continue to work with them to increase those efforts and apply more pressure on these groups," he said.

Also read: G20: Modi takes a dig at Pakistan, says one single nation in South Asia is spreading terror

Referring to the remarks made by the Secretary of State John Kerry during his recent trip to India and Bangladesh, Toner said the US has had very frank conversations with Pakistan's leadership and military leadership about the need to focus more efforts on those terrorist groups, all the terrorist groups rather, that are operating from within Pakistani soil, or territory rather.

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"We continue to have that discussion with them. We have seen some efforts to make progress in that regard. We're going to continue to have those conversations with them as we move forward and it is in Pakistan's interest, it's in Afghanistan's interest to go after these terrorist groups, to route them out and to destroy them," he said.

"The ultimate goal is we want to see peace and stability in the region, and so that is going involve efforts on Pakistan's part as well as the ability of Afghanistan and the Afghan government to provide the stability and security to its own people. And that is our efforts we are focused on, Toner said.

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- The price of local and imported food items have continued to rise in various markets

- Traders attribute the prices to the rise in dollar and restriction placed on imported commodities

As the economy bites harder, prices of local and imported food items have continued to rise. A visit to the Mile 12 market by Legit.ng revealed how prices of commodities have continued to soar.

Traders have also attributed the exorbitant prices to the high rate of dollar and the restriction placed on importers of certain food items. This week, we begin our weekly price check by visiting some markets in Lagos.

Below are the prices of some essential food items in three markets namely, Mile 12, Ketu and Ikosi.

Augustine Eze, a trader who sells foodstuffs like rice, beans, garri, groundnut-oil, crayfish, egusi and ogbono explained the price of the items to our correspondent in details.

He said: The price of egusi now has changed. But there is a new one in the market which ensured that the price of the regular ones has reduced.

READ ALSO: Pains, gains of Mile 12 market shutdown

The price of the stuff has reduced due to the large quantity of the new egusi in the market. Before now, a paint (plastic) of egusi was sold for N1,100 but now it costs N900. The bag which cost about N40,000 before is now being sold at the rate of N35,000, depending on the size of the bag (either big or small).

For ogbono, the price increased to N120,000 per bag in the month of May, and then it reduced to N47,000. But due to the exchange rate of dollar now, the price has increased to N85,000. A derica costs N1,200 as against the N800 for which people bought in previous months.

Speaking further, Augustine informed that crayfish has not had any fixed price, explaining that signals from the people who bring crayfish from the sea determines the amount they sell.

For instance, a paint (plastic) of the commodity was sold for at least N2,500 but costs a reduced N1,500 presently.

He added: A 25-litre gallon of Kings groundnut oil was sold at N10,000 before but sells for at least N13,500 presently. Depending on the quality and the brand. The higher the quality of the oil, the higher the price. Also 25 litres of palm oil, that was sold from N7,000 before, now sells from N9,000.

"A bag of garri costs N7, 000 depending on the colour and the cost of transportation. And a paint (plastic) now sells for N600 but was sold at N350 few months ago. While a bag of rice which was sold for about N12, 500 before, now sells for N17, 500 depending on the brand and quality as well."

Meanwhile there is no fixed price for beans. He said: We have beans of N14, 000, N17,000, N27,000, and so on. Sometimes the type of beans and the size of the bag would determine the market price.

"Those who are buying paint before now buy derica or cup. The way things are, people are managing due to scarcity of money."

READ ALSO: 5 things Nigerians need to know about the recession

Sade Ayanwo, who sells tomato paste and ingredients like sauce, spices, maggi, curry and so on attributed the high price to the rise in dollar lately.

According to her, the price of some items increased a bit while others had gone high.

A carton of gino tomato paste sells for N3,200 now but before it is sold from N2, 000 and above. While other locally produced tomato paste like ric-giko,Peppie, tasty-tom and more is sold from N2,200 and above now but sold at N1,800 before. This depends on the location where it is purchase , resell, the market and the seller. And a sachet of these tomato pastes that was sold at N40 before now sells at N50 while the ones sold at N50 now sells at N60.

"A pack of Knorr cubes that was sold N400 before, now sells from N450. A carton of Spaghetti like Golden penny that was sold for N2000 now sells from N 3,200 and above.

"But this price sometimes is influenced by the choice of the trader," she added.

Meanwhile fresh tomatoes have become cheaper as observed in the market lately but pepper remains expensive.

We will continue with the price check next week.

Source: Legit.ng
The Nigeria police and the Department of State Services (DSS) have warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against the planned Edo gubernatorial election.

The Edo election is a straight battle between Obaseki (l) of the APC and Ize-Iyamu (r) of the PDP

Speaking in a joint press conference by the two agencies today,September 7, the spokesperson of the police Dan Awunah said threats have been issued by some Boko Haram elements to attack residents during the election.

READ ALSO: Obaseki did not graduate from university  PDP takes matter to court

Awunah said the threats were gathered through credible election availed the agencies.

"It is in regard of these that we are appealing to INEC which has the legal duty to regulate elections in the country to consider the need for possible postponement of the date of the election in Edo state in order to enable security agencies deal decisively with the envisaged terrorist threats," Awunah said.

He also said the police and the DSS remain mindful of the inconveniences this request may cause the various political stakeholders.

He said the police and the DSS and other security agencies in Nigeria do not need distractions from ensuring a peaceful and secured Nigeria.

The decision is coming barely 24-hours after a poll conducted by Legit.ng on Tuesday, September 6, projected that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu will win the forthcoming election.

Similarly, preparations are already in top gear for the election, INEC has already started distributing Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) across the state and forty-four (44) observer groups have been approved by the electoral body to participate in the election.

READ ALSO: Edo election: Fayose issues warning to INEC

The Nigerian Police Force had also told journalists earlier that it has concluded plans to deploy helicopters and 200 vehicles to monitor the election.

According to the acting Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, the helicopters will provide aerial surveillance during the election, while the vehicles will logistics for Police Mobile Force personnel, as well as marine police.

Source: Legit.ng
By PTI: FromLalit K Jha

Washington, Sep 7 (PTI) The US has sought more progress in the trial of 2008 Mumbai terror attacks being held in Pakistan and said it wants to see "accountability and justice" for the 166 people, including six Americans, killed in the incident.

"Weve been very clear that we want to see accountability and justice in the case," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters yesterday.

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"There were American citizens who lost their lives in those terrible attacks. Weve long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation, and that includes the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan in that regard," Toner said in response to a question.

"Were making our concerns clear that they need to go after all the terrorist groups that are operating or seeking (safe) haven on their soil. And thats been our clear objective for a long time now. Weve seen progress but we need to see more," he added.

The trial has been underway in Pakistan for more than six years.

The mastermind of the attacks, Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, lives at an undisclosed location after getting released from jail on bail over a year ago. The other six suspects are in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

The court proceedings have come to a halt as India is yet to send 24 witnesses in the case to Pakistan to record their statements in the trial court.

Pakistan says the trial cannot be concluded unless India sends the witnesses.

As many as 166 people were killed and more than 250 injured in the attack carried out by 10 LeT terrorists.

Nine assailants were killed while the lone survivor, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and later executed. PTI LKJ AJR SG ABH AKJ ABH

--- ENDS ---
- A Nigerian human rights lawyer has challenged United States congressman Tom Marino to a live TV debate over allegations against President Muhammadu Buhari

- The lawyer said the congressman's secret letter to the US secretary of state John Kerry is fallacious

Tom Marino described President Buhari as a dictator

A Nigerian lawyer on Wednesday, September 7, lambasted United States congressman Tom Marino over his secret letter to secretary of state John Kerry.

Ugochukwu Osuagwu, a human rights lawyer said Marino's letter is fallacious. He also said that issues raised by Marino against Buhari are faulty.

Marino in his September 1 letter had said that President Muhammadu Buhari in his leadership was inclining towards autocracy.

While alleging that the Nigerian president is fighting corruption selectively, against the opposition, Marino advised the US secretary of state to stop further assistance to Nigeria until the president shows signs of true democratic governance.

READ ALSO: Angry Nigerian man replies US congressman who calls Buhari dictator

But his statement, Ugochukwu said: "First, Buhari complied with federal character on federal appointments. Nigeria, contrary to the myopic views of the congressman is not factored on region but on states."

The lawyer also said Marino must understand that north has 19 states against 17 in the Southern region.

"Every state is represented in FEC as ministers and ministers of states, even if you are to go by regional arrangements, the north in appointments has 142 while the south has 131 appointees, where is the northern domination here?

"In terms of number of states and population, north has more in number than the south, I challenge Tom Marino to a Live TV debate to present our respective positions on the facts of the alleged bias by President Muhammadu Buhari in federal appointments," Ugochukwu said.

Ugochukwu further added that Marino's letter is divisive and focused on public unrest in Nigeria.

Also raising issues on Marino's credibility, the lawyer said: "Is this not the same congressman whose staff, Ryan Shucard was arrested sometime in July 17, 2014 and charged with allegedly bringing a gun into capital building in Washington DC?"

READ ALSO: Read shocking reply former Senate President gave US congressman

"The said press secretary to congressman Marino, Ryan Shucard upon arraignment on September 17th, 2014 pleaded guilty to the weapon charges. Tom Marino should come clean and tell us his own role in the gun running charges for which the press secretary was used as a fall guy.

"Has Tom Marino also cleared himself of the corruption allegation against him whilst he was in the House of Representatives?

"In 2007, Tom Marino resigned his position as US Attorney in Pennsylvania after a corruption scandal clouded his career. Marino had used his official title as US Attorney to provide a Reference in 2005 to his close friend convicted felon Louise DeNaples who was trying to win the states gaming Commissions approval to open slot machines at a resort he owned.

Stating that the US congressman lacked the moral standing to come against President Buhari, Ugochukwu said: "Also, when Marino was district Attorney in Lycoming county, he tried to get a friend out of a drug charge by going behind the back of the county judge who refused to toss out his friends conviction."

He alleged that Marino later resigned as US Attorney and took up Job as an in house lawyer to the same DeNaples for a salary of $250, 000 per year.

"However, he later lied an oath during his statutory financial disclosures that he only earned $25, 000 from DeNAples.

"His request to state Department to stop sale of War Planes and Military equipment to Nigeria Military is selfish, even without sale of war planes to Nigeria by USA, the General Buratai led Nigerian army was able to subdue Boko Haram and reclaim all territories previously held from BHT, remaining only the Chibok girls and other abducted persons.

Source: Legit.ng
The incident took place on Tuesday in Kalyan when the policeman was trying to control the crowd during the Ganesha idol immersion.

By Mayuresh Ganapatye: At a Ganesha idol immersion in Kalyan, Mumbai, a policeman was attacked while holding his head under water by a volunteer.

In a video that is being circulated on social media, Nitin Dogade, is seen being attacked in an immersion pond while he is struggling. After Dogade comes out of the pond, three more people are seen attacking him.



Thane, Mumbai (06/07/16): Clash between police and Ganesh Mandal volunteer during #ganesh visarjan pic.twitter.com/z7jhQn1iZG; ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

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The policeman who was trying to discipline the crowd on Tuesday was beaten and pushed when the crowd continued to watch.

Also read: Bombay High Court expresses concern over incidents of policemen, doctors being beaten up

A case of attempt to murder has been registered but no arrest has been made so far.

RISING INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE

This incident comes just a few days after a policeman was beaten to death in Mumbai. The Maharashtra government has also been facing criticism over the rising attacks.

The state government has been facing criticism over rising attacks on policemen in Mumbai; seven cases have been reported in two weeks.

Watch the video here:



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Popular pastor and founder of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, Warri Delta state, Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin is a widely acclaimed philanthropist and regarded as one of the richest pastor's prophetically in Nigeria.

Fufeyin is considered a man of many principles by his critics,

1. He was born on February 15, 1872.

2. He is the third child of his mother, Mrs. Asetu Fufeyin (Nee Boubeni)

3. The prophet began his primary school education at Zuokunor Primary School, Ojobo in Burutu L.G.A of Delta state between 1981 and 1986. He was admitted into Gbesa Grammar School Ojobo, between 1985  1992

4. Prophet Fufeyin is married to Anthonia and they are blessed with 4 beautiful daughters; Harriet, Kindness, Goodness and Happiness.

READ ALSO: Why people call me T.B Joshua's first son - Prophet Fufeyin

5. He had attempted suicide due to severe hardship and abject poverty, by taking over dose of sleeping pills, but was saved by Gods divine grace under mysterious circumstances

6. His incessant loss in the multi-business trade and deals become a turning point for Prophet Omoto Fufeyin as he made a move directed by the Holy Spirit to leave Mountain of Fire And Miracles Ministries.

7. His church has an increasing population of fifteen thousand and above within the period of 2011 - 2015 precisely and now above 22,000 people every .

In a recent interview with Legit.ng, the prophet disclosed that the anointing upon him has allowed people to liken him with the general overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Temitope Balogun Joshua, adding that God has been using him for signs an wonder.

Source: Legit.ng
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September 7, 2016 Zeb Whitaker , (423) 569-9778

As summer begins to wind down Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area begins eight days of storytelling, September 10-17, with the 6th annual Ghost Train and the 24th annual Storytelling Festival.

The first event planned is the Ghost Train scheduled for September 10, down at the Blue Heron Interpretive Center, on the Kentucky side of the park. This event can begin with a ride down to the mining community on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway, where visitors will be led on a walk around the site to a variety of local storytellers who will entertain you with tales of ghostly happenings from days gone by. This event is made especially entertaining as all of the storytellers are volunteers and park staff who have a knack for telling great stories. The event can also be reached by vehicle by driving down to Blue Heron and will start at approximately 7:00 p.m. The event itself is free of charge. There is a charge to ride the train down, and train tickets can be purchased from the Big South Fork Scenic Railway, headquartered in Stearns, Kentucky.

The storytelling continues throughout the following week as professional storytellers tour schools in Fentress, Morgan, Pickett, and Scott counties in Tennessee and McCreary and Wayne counties in Kentucky to tell tall tales and funny stories. Big South Fork NRRA hires professional storytellers to visit many of the local schools around the park to give the children a glimpse into the old traditions of telling stories and tales. The storytellers use voices, props and other means to tell fascinating stories about old times and forgotten ways. Children will bring home many stories about the folks they have seen during the day. This is all made available to the schools at no cost.

The culmination of the storytelling events is the 24th annual Storytelling Festival on September 17, 2016. The professionals ply their skills in an afternoon storytelling session that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They tell stories of ancient legends and mystical places to entertain all who may listen. Later, under the cover of darkness, the storytellers begin their traditional ghost stories and spooky tales. This is not for the faint of heart. Many of the stories are based on just enough true facts to make you wonder if it could have really happened the way they relate it to the audience. Come out and enjoy a day of storytelling, dulcimer music, crafts and other exhibits throughout the day at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center.

All of these events are open to the public and are accessible to anyone who may want to visit. There is no charge for any of the events. So if you want to hear tales and stories, many that have been handed down over generations, come visit the Big South Fork during the week of September 10-17, 2015.

Please click here for the Storytelling Festival Event Flyer.

For more information about the event or for directions to Bandy Creek, call the Bandy Creek Visitor Center at (423) 286-7275, or park headquarters at (423) 569-9778. The storytelling festival is on Eastern Time. The event is free to the public. Bring a blanket or folding chairs to settle in and listen to the stories and the music.

For more information about the annual storytelling event, please use this link: https://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/storytelling.htm.

For information about the annual Ghost Train, please use this link: https://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/bhghosttrain.htm
The Mysuru City Corporation is making alternative arrangements to supply water in tankers to some of the worst affected residential localities in the city.

The residents were not informed about the suspension of supply of drinking water. Photo: PTI

By Mail Today Bureau: Protests erupted in Mysuru, Karnataka today as supply of drinking water was suspended after the state released water to the neighbouring state Tamil Nadu from the KRS Reservoir in accordance with the Supreme Court's directive.

RESIDENTS PROTEST

The KRS reservoir near Mysuru supplies bulk of the drinking water to the tourist city on a daily basis. Suspension of drinking water today means that the government is undertaking rationing of water. However, the residents were not informed about the suspension of supply of drinking water.

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The residents took to streets to condemn the government's action. The Mysuru City Corporation is making alternative arrangements to supply water in tankers to some of the worst affected residential localities in the city.

SCHOOLS REMAINED CLOSED

"We predicted this scenario. We are releasing water from the dam for irrigation in Tamil Nadu at the cost of drinking water to people in Mysuru. The government did not represent these facts while arguing for our case in the Supreme Court. This is just not done," said Kannada Somu, an activist.

For the second consecutive day, schools and colleges remained closed in Mysuru and Mandya districts, as farmers and Kannada activists continued to stage demonstrations.

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Never thought of visiting Paraguay? Well, you might be soon. In our Breakout Role series, we take a look at places that have seen huge increases in tourism in the last few years, and try to figure out whats causing all the hype.

In Paraguay, it isnt just about the visitorits about the host too. Paraguayans love to entertain guests, often inviting total strangers inside their homes for a friendly conversation and a glass of terere, a cold, tea-like beverage first brewed by the countrys indigenous Guarani tribes. The citizens of Paraguay are markedly joyful peoplethe country was ranked as the worlds happiest in 2014; and they want to share that joy with others by being as welcoming and friendly as they possibly can be.

Even if they dont have anything, theyre going to give you the little they have to make you feel welcome, says Javier Caceres, a native Paraguayan who owns a hostel in Asuncion, the nations capital. They will give you your bed and they will sleep on the floor or the couchas long as you are comfortable.

The outside world seems to be catching on to this friendliness too. After years of stagnation, Paraguays number of total yearly visitors has been steadily rising 2008. Last year, the change became more drastic, and in 2015 Paraguay saw 94% more tourists than it had in 2014, essentially doubling its yearly visitors in a single year.

Photo: Laura Cuttier, CC-BY

For the most part, Paraguay missed out on South Americas tourism boom. According to The World Bank, international tourism nearly doubled in Brazil, Argentina and Chilethe continents most visited countriesfrom 1996 to 2006. During that time, Paraguay was still reeling from the aftermath of nearly two centuries of authoritarian, often military-run governments.

After General Alfredo Stroessners military regime ended in 1989, the countrys economic growth took about 15 years to really kick in. By the mid-2000s, Paraguay was becoming stable and safe enough to support a tourism industry, and meanwhile its prices remained highly inexpensive for foreign visitors.

Additionally, the recent surge in the number of young global travelers has brought a number of new visitors to the country, with these younger tourists getting a taste of Paraguayan culture as they pass through on the way to more popular South American destinations, such as Bolivia to the east and Iguazu Falls to the west.

I had two guys from France who came [to my hostel] for one night and they ended up staying for 10 months, Caceres says. You can see that [people] really enjoy Paraguay after not knowing what to expect.

Photo: Abriles, CC-By

Caceres doesnt think Paraguay views itself as a tourist destinationat least not yet. Even though his hostel, La Casita la Abuela Hostal Verde has seen a good deal of growth he opened it four years ago, Caceres personally estimates that the number of visitors has really only increased by 10 to 15 percent in recent years.

For Caceres, its all about comparable growth. While the real number of tourists1.28 million 2015might be significant, the country simply doesnt feel like other South American hotspots such as Brazil or Argentina.

Before you would not see a backpacker walking in the street. And now you see a few, but not many, Caceres says. Maybe for the people here who dont travel, they would say they see a lot of tourists, but if you compare it to other tourist countries, its nothing at all.

Photo: ccarlstead, CC-BY

That being said, the country has its share of mainstream tourist attractions. In the shadow of Iguazu, Las Cataratas and Saltos del Monday are Paraguays smaller, yet equally jaw-dropping versions of the famous waterfall. In the capital, the Palacio de los Lopez, the nations vast riverside presidential palace, and the Catedral de Hermosillo, the citys grandiose Catholic cathedral, are major sightseeing draws.

However, the feeling Caceres describes may actually be what draws people to Paraguay, as well as what keeps them staying long after they plan to leave. In a country not-yet-spoiled by decades of tourism, its often easier to get a truly authentic experiencethe warmth and welcoming attitude that makes Paraguay so appealing probably couldnt exist in Argentina or Brazil.

I think theres a very big interest where people are now trying to seek out those less-known places, says Kylynn Pelkey, an American who lived in Paraguay for 27 months while serving for the Peace Corps. I think many of the people I often met in Paraguay were looking to really experience the country instead of just go to the beaches and stay in hotels and eat fancy foods.

Flight Rates: $825  $1,200 (round trip)

Travel Concerns: No current safety threats

Currency Exchange: 1 USD = 5,540 Paraguayan Guarani

More Info: For the Spanish-savvy, the Paraguayan Department of Tourisms site is the place to go. Otherwise, check out TripAdvisors comprehensive travel guide.

Top photo: Marissa Strniste, CC-BY

Dillon Thompson University of Georgia student and freelance writer with a love for travel and an addiction to coffee and hip-hop music.
"Prison Puzzle Pieces" lays out piece by piece how this violent, dysfunctional society behind those impenetrable walls and razor ribbon works to contain those that victimize others and themselves.

'Prison Puzzle Pieces' by Dave Basham

Contact

Dave Basham

***@comcast.net Dave Basham

End

-- "Prison Puzzle Pieces" is the first of 3 volumes. Prisons are a collection of the worst of the worst offenders built to keep them from being able to further victimize the public. The corrections officers' job is to keep them there, protect them from each other, while protecting themselves from life and death situations in order to survive to perform those responsibilities. This book reveals the difficulties in accomplishing their tasks in spite of the criminals, old boy network and politicians."Prison Puzzle Pieces," by Dave Basham, shows what goes on in the various areas of the prison and explains the dynamics of those areas. His background in comedy comes through with his unique perspective to the many situations he encountered during his tenure locked in with those felons. Discover the untold stories along with the more complete and more accurate versions of what actually happened from someone who was there.Experience the existence of a unique society within high walls, barbed wire and armed guards! Discover how murderers, rapists, thieves and other violators of society's guidelines survive when locked up together. Do you really want to know what goes on in this dysfunctional world? Will you maintain your sanity once you have been exposed to the things these people do to each other? How do the people employed to control this environment stay sane? Could you stay sane behind these walls? Must you be insane to survive here? Perversions, drugs and violence, to twist your mind! Do you dare enter this world where every move you make must be calculated in order to survive! Who can survive and who won't!"Prison Puzzle Pieces is a thoroughly enjoyable read. I kept wanting to read the next chapter to see how all the pieces fit together. Basham is the best at describing a serious prison scene and then delivering it to the reader with a humor that keeps the reader on their toes." K.D.Stillwater Prison in Minnesota has an interesting history as do many of those that have been incarcerated there. These areas are also addressed. From the location being a Native American battlefield, to the first prison burning down, to the Younger Brothers and others winding up doing time in the prisons two locations.The book is interesting, humorous, educational, shocking, informative and historical, among other things. After reading this, those with the bizarre thought of becoming a corrections officer will be better prepared to assume that role than any officers ever had been before."Prison Puzzle Pieces" volume 1 is published in eBook format, pod paperback and pod hard cover by eBookit.com. The first 50+ pages are available for reading on Amazon's web site. It is available at ebookit, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Blio (Baker & Taylor), EBookMall (Ingram Digital), Google Play, IBookStore, Kobo and Scribd web sites.Dave Basham is available for interviews.Since 2010, eBookIt.com has helped thousands of authors and publishers get their books published and maintain their rights. eBookit.com formats and distributes to all the major ebook retailers, including Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Apple iBookstore, Kobo, Sony Readerstore, Ingram Digital, and Google eBookstore.
By: USOH

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-- Shri Ganesha Temple (SGT) in Adelaide's southern suburb Oaklands Park in South Australia is reportedly planning a $600,000 expansion to host bigger events, weddings, classes, etc.This Temple, built at the site of a former Lutheran Church, has approached City of Marion regarding this project and City's Development Assessment Panel, whose task is to assess proposed development, will consider its proposals, reports suggest.Expansion plans at SGT, a State Heritage Place, reportedly include building an outdoor cooking area, dining room extension, etc.Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, urged South Australia and Australia governments to provide generous grants for upgrades of this Temple so that it could accommodate the growing Hindu community effectively.Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, commended efforts of Temple leaders and area community towards running this Hindu temple complex.Rajan Zed further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this Temple would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism;we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.SGT, reportedly conceived by the Hindu Society of South Australia in 1985 and formally opened in 2001, serves over 20,000 Hindus; including immigrants from India, Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, Trinidad, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Surinam, Malaysia, etc.; besides students. Ganesha is the presiding deity at the Temple, where other deities include Laxmi Narayan; Durga, Laxmi and Saraswati; Muruga Valli and Deivanai; Hanuman; Bhairava; Navagraha; and Shiva Linga.This Temple, which opens daily; besides offering worship services and being a social gathering place; also holds various festivals, satsangs, pujas; runs a children library; undertakes various community assistance programs; organizes blood donation campaigns; helps new migrants; and offers food donations and educational scholarships. It organized over 80 festivals in 2015. Milk Abhishekam here costs $50, reports indicate.Siva Selvakulalingam, Kewal Suri and Usha Rajagopalan are President, Vice President and Secretary respectively of SGT; while Skandarajah Kurukkal and Ashok Sharma are Chief Priest and Assistant Priest.Oaklands Park in the City of Marion is best known for Westfield Marion shopping complex. Kris Hanna is Mayor of the City of Marion, while Gavin Lloyd-Jones is the Presiding Member of Marion's Development Assessment Panel.
At Moptra Infotech we understand the need for developing solutions after a detailed brainstorming and R&D sessions with our customers to initiate the development of such solutions so that it yields long term business profitability for our clients.

By: Moptra Infotech

Media Contact

Moptra Infotech

***@moptra.com

+91-9540028943 Moptra Infotech+91-9540028943

End

-- Catering to the different needs and requirements of various user segments requires thorough understanding of the demographics of the target segment and then charting out a detailed implementation plan to develop mobile and web solutions which has a high user engagement factor.At Moptra Infotech we understand the need for developing solutions after a detailed brainstorming and R&D sessions with our customers to initiate the development of such solutions so that it yields long term business profitability for our clients.We have specific and experienced resources to undertake End to End and Customized Web and Mobile Solutions projects as per the client's expectations and establish long term business association with strong after go-live support and handholding at economical pricing.(Java,PHP, Wordpress,Magento,Opencart,Prestashop,Zend, Codeigniter,CakePHP etc.)(Native & Hybrid Apps).(Also offered as a package with web & mobile app development)(ERP, CRM, Order Management etc.)With these customized services and a rich experience of working with overseas customers we http://www.moptra.com/ are now planning to venture into international markets liketo help the clients in these countries to benefit from our professional and quality services at economical pricing.We intend to open offices in these international markets so that we are able to address the needs and requirements of the clients based in the locations with a higher level of trust and transparent business processes by working as their extended teams.In order to effectively work on the existing projects we are also planning to hire resources for Java,PHP, Mobile apps so that we are able to deliver quality and within a defined time-period.
Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) Market by Type (Testing, Inspection, & Certification), Sourcing Activity (In-House and Outsourced), End-User Industry (Environmental, Consumer Goods, Manufacturing), and Geography

By: Marketsandmarkets

Contact

Marketsandmarkets

***@gmail.com Marketsandmarkets

End

-- According to the new market research report "Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) Market by Type (Testing, Inspection, & Certification), Sourcing Activity (In-House and Outsourced), End-User Industry (Environmental, Consumer Goods, Manufacturing), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022", the TIC market is expected to reach USD 113.24 Billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 5.15% between 2016 and 2022. The major factors driving the growth of the TIC market include the increasing number of new regulations and standards in end-user industries, rising trend of outsourcing TIC services to third-party service providers, formulation of stringent regulations and standards to ensure the quality and safety of products, increasing product diversification, and global trading of products & growth of distributed manufacturing."Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) Market - Global Forecast to 2022".Governments have formulated stringent regulations and standards to ensure the quality and safety of products and there is increasing awareness among consumers regarding the quality of consumer goods. These products have become essential in everyday life and are manufactured keeping in mind the regulations specified by government bodies to guarantee product safety. The increasing demand for consumer goods leads to a greater requirement of testing, inspection, and certification services to ensure the product quality and safety.The market for outsourced TIC is served by a variety of independent service providers whose primary business activity is providing TIC services. Also, the major industries mainly outsource these services to third-party providers to reduce costs as the increasing regulations make it more costly to conduct these tests in-house.The APAC market has emerging economies such as India and China. Considering the overall scenario, the region is expected to see strong growth in all sectors as governments enforce stringent legislation to ensure health and safety compliance. TIC services in end-user industries such as agriculture, consumer goods, and electrical goods are likely to continue to show strong growth. With the growing disposable income in the region, the number of vehicles in use is also expected to increase. Thus, vehicle testing would have a strong demand, especially in countries such as China and India. The industrial growth in China and India would also increase the demand for industrial infrastructure and TIC services as industrial plants are built with strict energy efficiency mandates.The major companies involved in the development of TIC market include SGS Group (Switzerland), Bureau Veritas S.A. (France), Intertek Group plc (U.K.), TUV SUD Group (Germany), Dekra Certification GmbH (Germany), ALS Limited (Australia), ASTM International (U.S.), BSI Group (U.K.), Exova Group plc (U.K.), TUV Rheinland Group (Germany), TUV Nord Group (Germany), SAI Global Limited (Australia), Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg), MISTRAS Group, Inc.(U.S.), and UL LLC (U.S.) among others.MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide 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.Markets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India1-888-600-6441Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com
The Access 4 Learning (A4L) Community is proud to announce the release of the SIF Data Model Implementation Specification (North America) 3.4 to the educational marketplace.

By: Access 4 Learning Community

Contact

Penny Murray

***@a4l.org Penny Murray

End

-- Working with our membership, the North American Community has enhanced the current specification release and added new objects and elements to the Specification in support of existing SIF implementations and planned deployments across the United States.Development of all SIF Specifications is Community-driven. In consultation with Vermont, this release has been developed with State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) in mind; in support of the great work underway in Washington State regarding Student Records Exchange (SRE), the SRE object now includes a full functional service; and, with the involvement of Massachusetts, the Community has started to address their migration requirements by including specific fields and non-normative mappings. Several objects have been migrated and updated from the SIF 2 Specification series ensuring simplicity and flexibility, as well as aligning with the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS). Additional object collections published within this release include Attendance, Data Warehouse, Grade Book, Human Resources and Student Record Exchange. Updates have been made to existing object collections including Association, Learning, Management Information, Organization, Person and Student Record Exchange."We are delighted by the continued progress and technical expertise shown by the pK12 North American Community in driving the SIF standard forward in each specification release" states Larry Fruth II, PhD, Executive Director/CEO, A4L Community. "This latest release shows the A4L Community's commitment to ensuring that end-users, not only school districts but regional and state education agencies, are provided with the latest open-source, community driven data model, and that they are truly focused on educational standards across the landscape. Being the ONLY open technical blueprint developed by pK12 end user and product providers aligned to US Department of Education's Common Education Data Standards, technical leaders at all levels need to demand standardized ways to manage, move and use student data safely and securely."The SIF Data Model Implementation Specification (North America) 3.4 can be found on the A4L website at https://www.A4L.org/ Specification/ Pages/North- America.aspx There is no other global community made up of educational policymakers, marketplace product and service providers and the customers they serve, collaborating daily to address real word learning information and resource issues.The Access 4 Learning (A4L) Community, previously the SIF Association, is a unique, non-profit collaboration composed of schools, districts, local authorities, states, US and International Ministries of Education, software vendors and consultants who collectively address all aspects of learning information management and access to support learning. The A4L Community is "Powered by SIF" Specifications as its major technical tool to allow for this management and access simply, securely and in a scalable, standard way regardless of the platform hosting those applications. The Access 4 Learning Community has united these education technology end users and providers in an unprecedented effort to give teachers more time to do what they do best: teach. For further information, visit https://www.A4L.org
UK outdoor lifestyle clothing brand expands into North America

By: PR Artistry

End

-- Eurostop, a leading supplier to fashion, footwear and lifestyle sectors, has announced that FatFace is using Eurostop'sfor its new US stores. The UK lifestyle clothing brand has opened three new stores in Newport, Rhode Island, Portland, Maine and Springfield, Massachusetts, adding to its existing220 retail stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with more stores already planned for later this year.A key decision factor in deciding to partner with Eurostop was their experience in implementing retail systems in the US, particularly the ability to deal with regionalised taxation.The company has integrated Eurostop's solution with its existing stock fulfilment and despatch system, DLX, in the new US stores. All sales are recorded at tillpoint usingproviding access to up to the minute, accurate sales reports.The stores use Eurostopon the fixed tills as well as Eurostop'sa fully portable Windows tablet. The mobile POS tablet enables staff to move freely around the store and yet have access to all product, brand or customer information at their fingertips. In addition, the wireless solution is fully compatible with the paperless receipts, which can be sent to the customer via email.Deborah Loh, Marketing Manager at Eurostop stated; "We have designed our solutions to be flexible and easy to integrate with retailers' existing systems and to support future growth plans. Capturing customer and sales data is a vital element to assist retailers to develop personalised and localised marketing campaigns. In addition, the ability of our systems to deal with country specific taxation means that we are well placed to facilitate our customers' plans for expansion internationally."Founded in 1990, with operations in London, Singapore, Shanghai, Xiamen and Hong Kong, Eurostop provides complete solutions for Retail Management for the Fashion, Footwear and General Merchandise sectors encompassing both hardware and software.Eurostop's flagship products consist of:: A suite of head office management applications.: EPOS system for standalone shops, concessions and franchises that can be easily integrated withfor larger users.: wireless/mobile epos designed to run on Windows tablets with integrated Chip & PIN  ideal for boutique environments where there is less emphasis on the central payment deskConnected e-commerce for centralised reporting across all your channels.Data Mining. A bespoke reporting tool which allows the slicing and dicing of data as well as selective publication of results and graphical representation.The capture of staff working hours which aids in monitoring both stores' and staff performances and productivity.Intelligent optimisation of e-commerce orders for multi-channel retailers.Middleware layer that enables the fast, reliable synchronisation of product and pricing data from most major ERP solutions to yourestate.All Eurostop's solutions can be fully integrated with other management and business systems, and all major ERP systems.As well as advising on and supplying suitable hardware, Eurostop also undertakes training, support and custom development. Its systems are available in several different languages including Chinese.High profile customers include: Aquascutum, Ann Summers, DAKS, Ghost, Help for Heroes, Joseph, Pavers Shoes, Pretty Green, Pentland Brands Plc, Speedo, Trespass and many more.For more information visit: www.eurostop.com or contact:Deborah LohEurostop LimitedTel: 020 8991 2700Email: deborahl@eurostop.com Andreina WestPR Artistry LimitedTel: 01491 639500email: andreina@pra-ltd.co.uk
A deep-dive guide for design engineers developing networked and web-connected equipment and solutions, this new white paper outlines security requirements for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices & software solutions

By: Icon Labs

How to Develop Secure Networked and Web-Connected Equipment

Contact

Mark Shapiro

mshapiro@srs- techpr.com

***@srs-techpr.com Mark Shapiromshapiro@srs-techpr.com

End

--Icon Labs a leading provider of security solutions for IoT and embedded devices, today announced a new resource for embedded designers working with Internet of Things (IoT) applications:a white paper focusing on "Device Security for the IIoT". Developed with Renesas Electronics America Inc, a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, as a deep-dive guide for design engineers developing networked and web-connected equipment and solutions, the white paper outlines security requirements for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices and software solutions that are available today for securing these devices.The IIoT is driving investment in new technology and manufacturing methodologies as companies rush to capitalize on a predicted trillions of dollars of economic gain. Unfortunately, traditional security solutions do not scale down to support the RTOS-based devices that make up the bulk of the IIoT. New solutions and approaches are required for these systems that perform critical functions in factories, the electric grid, transportation infrastructure, and other industrial segments."It is critical for system engineers to address security issues at every layer, from the sensors and actuators, to the controllers and the connected operations and business systems," said Julian Psaila, Director, Marketing, General Purpose Unit, at Renesas Electronics America. "Although traditional IT-endpoint security and network-monitoring solutions protect IT business applications, such solutions won't work for the embedded devices closest to the physical systems, which must be protected against cyberattacks by integrating security directly into the devices themselves.""Minimizing vulnerabilities requires specialized security software," said Alan Grau, CEO of Icon Labs. "To support enterprise security standards, embedded devices must incorporate the following key features: secure boot code, secure application updates, tightly controlled authentications, and secure communication protocols."The white paper covers new IIoT security platforms, as well as access control, security protocols, asymmetric and symmetric encryption, hardware security modules, intrusion detection, secure boot, secure firmware update, Data at Rest (DAR) Protection, and security management & visibility.Icon Labs and Renesas Electronics have collaborated to develop a secure platform for both IIoT and IoT applications. Icon Labs Floodgate Security Framework modules, such as their Floodgate Secure Boot, Firewall, crypto libraries and more, have now been integrated into the Renesas Synergy Platform leveraging its hardware security features, as well as on the Renesas R-IN32 industrial network ASSP.Renesas develops advanced semiconductor solutions for IIoT applications that integrate hardware accelerators to improve network performance and RTOS operation. The devices also feature built-in security in hardware to create a trusted subsystem. The Renesas Synergy Platform provides featured solutions with its new security approach to the IoT space as discussed in the white paper. Other Renesas solutions for the IIoT include the R-IN32M3 platform for industrial networking and the RZ/T1 real-time processor.The white paper is now available here at Device Security for the IIoT ( http://img.en25.com/ Web/RenesasElectronicsAmericaInc/% 7b1... ).Icon Labs, a 2014 Gartner "Cool Vendor" and 2015 Gartner "Select Vendor", is a leading provider of security solutions for IoT and embedded devices, including the award-winning Floodgate Defender and Floodgate Security Framework. Founded in 1992, Icon Labs is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. For more information, visit www.iconlabs.com
By: Independent Business Association of Wisconsin

Steve Kohlmann

Contact

Judi Murphy

***@marketingwithmurphy.com Judi Murphy

End

-- The Board of Directors of the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin (IBAW), has endorsed Senator Ron Johnson for United States Senate."The IBAW recognizes the hard work Ron Johnson has done in the past on behalf of the state of Wisconsin and the nation  he is the right candidate for United States Senate," said Steve Kohlmann, IBAW's Executive Director.Kohlmann added, "Johnson is definitely a citizen legislator; his hands-on approach and fiscal common sense is exactly what we need in Washington DC." Recently, the IBAW awarded Johnson the Bart Adams Legislator of the Year Award for his work on helping the Wisconsin small business workforce with efforts such as The Joseph Project.The IBAW membership encompasses manufacturing, service, distribution, healthcare, technology, financial, consulting and others. A statewide, non-profit association, IBAW members and sponsors employ thousands of Wisconsin workers.Since 1973, the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin (IBAW) was formed for small business owners to engage in conversation relating to legislation which impacts the bottom-line costs of businesses throughout the state of Wisconsin. IBAW is a venue for high level CEOs, CFOs, COOs, other upper management and entrepreneurs to network, exchange business ideas, and become educated and involved on issues which impact their business.For additional information, contact Steve Kohlmann, IBAW Executive Director, via email at IBAWOffice@gmail.com or visit www.IBAW.com
Stuart Carlson Performs 'Hail To The Victors' on a Violin in a Hot Air Balloon in Michigan.

By: Westwind Balloon Company

Contact

Scott Lorenz

***@westwindcos.com

734-667-2098 Scott Lorenz734-667-2098

End

-- Some people will go to great lengths to demonstrate their loyalty to the University of Michigan. Recently Stuart Carlson, a University of Michigan music student took his violin on a hot air balloon flight. Yes, that's right - a hot air balloon flight.What did he play? 'Hail To The Victors' of course!According to Scott Lorenz President and Chief Pilot of Westwind Balloon Co. (http://www.westwindcos.com/balloon), it started when he met Stuart Carlson at Camp Dearborn in Milford, Michigan. "I met the Carlson family who scheduled a hot air balloon ride with my company. While we waited for the wind to die down I learned a little bit about my passenger, Stuart. I found out he was a concert violinist and composer and had recently performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.""I am glad the winds did not cooperate for our flight because when we rescheduled,"said Lorenz, "I asked Stuart to bring along his violin... and he did."The launch took place at Island Lake State Park where the State of Michigan has provided a "Balloon Port" for local balloonists to launch their balloons. Island Lake State park boasts over 4,000 acres with miles of bike paths and the Huron River running through the park."Nobody forgets their first balloon flight. It is truly an experience that cannot compare to anything else," says Lorenz. "The sensation of flying over trees, lakes and streams, spotting deer and other wildlife is unique and inspiring. When an activity touches someone both emotionally and on a multi-sensory level people remember it vividly. "I think this flight will be burned into the memories of all those involved, I know I won't forget it. If you really want to make a lasting impression,"says Lorenz, "a hot air balloon ride over Michigan is the ultimate 'unforgettable' gift."Flights cost $695 for a private ride which is two passengers and the pilot. All flights are pre-paid. Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Discover and PayPal are accepted. Gift certificates are available.To really appreciate all the beautiful scenery Michigan has to offer, call a balloonist and schedule a flight today; the view is really better from above!Westwind Balloon Company - Plymouth, MI, Flying Private Flights for TWO over Kensington Park, Brighton, South Lyon and Milford. 734-667-2098 | http://www.hotairballoonridemichigan.wordpress.com | Scott Lorenz, Pilot and Owner.About Stuart CarlsonStuart Carlson is a native of Dexter, Michigan and a student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. "On March 8, 1996, I was born prematurely at the University of Michigan Hospital, weighing one pound and 13 ounces. I am a surviving twin," says Carlson. "After emergency surgery, I spent 100 days in the hospital incubator with recorded music playing Beethoven, Mozart, and The Beatles," says Carlson. "In late 1999, I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Autism gives me a variety of strengths and weaknesses not typical in the average human being," added Carlson. "I love being a student at the University of Michigan and I want to say 'thank you' to all the wonderful people who have helped me along my journey through life." For more information about Stuart Carlson, visit: http://www.StuartCarlson.com About Scott LorenzScott Lorenz, a commercial balloon pilot since 1982, has logged 1,650 + hours in-flight.He has flown over Niagara Falls, The Great Wall of China, Disney World, the Olympics, Austria, Japan, Spain, Red Rock Canyon NM. He co-piloted a Guinness World Record flight to 19,000' and a 20 hour-Gas Balloon flight from MI to KY. Westwind has been featured by FOX-2 Detroit, WDIV, WJR, NPR, The Detroit Free Press, Oakland Press and Hour Detroit Magazine to name a few and was named "most creative date" by It's Just Lunch. In 2012 Westwind was named one of America's Most Romantic companies for the balloon engagement flights. Scott's Westwind Balloon Company offers unforgettable rides over Michigan's breathtaking countryside. Balloon rides make terrific gifts for Moms, Dads, Grads, the Boss and anybody who wants to enjoy life!!
On the eve of his visit to Laos, Modi said India wishes to enhance physical and digital connectivity with the South East Asian nations and leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his way to Laos. Photo: ANI

By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Vientiane, Laos on Wednesday to attend the 14th India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations(Asean) Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted a picture of the PM as he boarded his flight.



Another one for Acting East

Flurry of bilateral & multilateral engagements await as PM departs New Delhi for Lao PDR pic.twitter.com/MbYvll45so&; Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 7, 2016

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The India-Asean summit will be attended by the leaders of 10 southeast Asian nations - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.

The East Asia summit will be attended by the leaders of the 10 Asean nations and those of India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Russia.

CONNECTIVITY

On the eve of his visit to Laos, Modi said India wishes to enhance physical and digital connectivity with South East Asian nations and leverage the modern interconnected world for mutual benefit.

"We wish to enhance our physical and digital connectivity; to see greater people to people links; to strengthen our institutional linkages; and to leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit of all our people," the Prime Minister said.

"ASEAN is a key partner for our 'Act East' policy, which is vital for the economic development of our Northeastern region. Our strategic partnership with ASEAN is also important for safeguarding and promoting our security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region," he wrote in a Facebook post.

He added that East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region.

--- ENDS ---
Dutch-Founded Mobile Marketing Automation Platform Establishes Global Headquarters in Nashua, NH, Upon Overseas Success with Burger King, Volkswagen, Audi, Pirelli and More

By: MobileBridge

End

--MobileBridge, the international leader in advanced mobile app engagement and analytics, is proud to announce its expansion to the U.S. marketplace, establishing global headquarters in Nashua, NH.Founded in 2012 with offices in the Netherlands and United Kingdom, MobileBridge has engaged with its innovative platform many of the most recognizable brands operating in Europe and Asia, including Burger King, Volkswagen, Audi, Pirelli and more."This is a very exciting time for MobileBridge as we expand our global footprint and develop the U.S. market," said MobileBridge CEO, Eyal Oster. "Nashua is one of the fastest growing tech hubs in the country and with its close proximity to the wealth of innovation and industry in nearby Boston, only 35 miles away, it is the perfect place to call home as we introduce our unparalleled capabilities to brands in the U.S."MobileBridge's new global headquarters (previously in Amsterdam) are located in a 3,300 sq. ft. space within the Nashua One Tara Boulevard business center, a flourishing tech haven for companies operating in the defense, computer and software sectors.With the number of mobile app downloads expected to top 270 billion by 2017 (Forbes), Nashua welcomes a decorated leader within the industry. MobileBridge holds a proven track record of providing top businesses the power to easily deliver compelling mobile experiences that lead to conversions, improve acquisition and attention rates, drive direct and indirect revenue, monetize mobile customer engagement and provide actionable data and insights.Oster developed the vision for MobileBridge following years of tech evangelism and entrepreneurship overseas. Prior to founding MobileBridge, Oster held various executive roles with cutting edge tech companies, including AiPixel and Aitech, where he led the development of the NASA space shuttle program solid state flight recorder program and the Boeing reusable space systems MPEG-2 real-time compression model for the international space station, winning the Exceptional Company Performance Award from Boeing."The U.S. market presents infinite growth opportunities for innovators in the mobile app engagement industry such as MobileBridge. We are looking forward to making a big impact in how U.S. brands engage with their mobile customers," said Oster.MobileBridge looks to capitalize on its success abroad and the strategic location of its new global headquarters to quickly provide US companies a solution to the omni-channel and customer experience challenges. The partnering with key strategic digital agencies such as Boston Interactive, Deja View Concepts, and Verndale accelerate MobileBridge's expansion in the U.S. and provides customers end-to-end mobile marketing solutions.MobileBridge is the leader in mobile app engagement and analytics. Our platform provides businesses the power to easily deliver compelling mobile experiences that lead to conversions. Through rich, interactive native assets, customers create dynamic, contextual mobile experiences for targeted segments. As a cloud platform we easily integrate with all existing systems such as CRM, marketing automation, ecommerce or other to connect data to build true 360 views of your customers.Unlike other solutions, our platform allows customers to create contextual workflows for segmented audiences leveraging attributes from geo-location, proximity, profile, or other sources to create unique mobile experiences for each and every user. Real-time analytics provides insights into customer behavior and enables teams to make informed business decisions quickly. With offices in Nashua, Amsterdam, and London, we help companies like Volkswagen, Pirelli, and Burger King elevate their mobile apps to engage users, build brand loyalty, and drive revenue. Learn more at www.mobilebridge.com , check out our blog ( http://www.mobilebridge.com/ blog/ ), or follow us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/mobile_bridge)
This sleek, 115-foot luxury motor catamaran is the fourth and newest privately chartered expedition yacht in Natural Habitat Adventures' Classic Galapagos portfolio.

By: Natural Habitat Adventures

The luxurious Petrel

Contact

Widness & Wiggins PR

***@travelnewssource.com Widness & Wiggins PR

End

-- With the addition of the 16-passengerto its privately chartered Galapagos fleet, Natural Habitat Adventures offers a new itinerary through the islands featuring unrivaled wildlife interaction and expert nature interpretation.Built in 2015 and brand-new to the Galapagos, this sleek, 115-foot luxury motor catamaran is the fourth and newest privately chartered expedition yacht in Natural Habitat Adventures' Classic Galapagos portfolio (http://www.nathab.com/galapagos/galapagos-islands-adventure/). Theexpands the realm of style and sophistication at sea for Nat Hab guests with an out-of-the-ordinary route through this volcanic archipelago that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.With a pair of top naturalist guides aboard,guests enjoy an unusual itinerary designed for up-close, private encounters with blue-footed boobies, iguanas, giant tortoises and whales in some of the most remote and lesser-known areas of the outermost Galapagos Islands. Kayaks, snorkel gear and wetsuits are at the ready for exploration, revealing an undersea world filled with curious sea lions, sea turtles, penguins and colorful fish.In addition, eachvoyage includes a night on land at Nat Hab's exclusive Tortoise Camp in the Santa Cruz highlands, where wild Galapagos tortoises roam free and accommodations are in raised canvas tents and treehouses.The10-day Classic Galapagos itinerary includes a range of Ecuador's ecosystems. Starting on the mainland in the Andean highlands, guests stay at a 1691 colonial hacienda in a setting that's home to Andean condors and spectacled bears, among other wildlife. Once onboard ship, the adventure includesprolific wildlife while swimming, kayaking and snorkeling from white sand beaches and dipping into hidden caves, then sailing to remotein the far north, home to more than a million birds including rare red-footed boobies. Visitonce a pirate haunt where whalers set up a post office in 1793 and snorkeling now revealssunken volcanic craters home to sharks, rays, sea turtles, hammerhead sharks and sea lions. Get close to giant tortoises on, then snorkel with penguins, stingrays and sleeping white-tipped sharks around Pinnacle Rock on bittyThecrew and guides are local residents sharing first-hand knowledge of the Galapagos, underscoring an emphasis on the social and environmental consciousness that is intrinsic to Nat Hab's operations. Everything used on the ship is sourced from suppliers who have proven green credentials, leaving the lightest possible footprint while meeting or exceeding Galapagos National Park regulations. Much of thesupplies come from local communities.A striking addition to Natural Habitat Adventures' ( http://www.nathab.com/ ) Galapagos fleet of small expedition ships, theis a motorized catamaran designed for stability and style. The spacious top deck provides 360-degree views, while a dramatic sunken lounge with deep leather couches enhances sightseeing in air-conditioned comfort. Eight exceptionally roomy and comfortable staterooms accommodate one king-size or two twin beds, plus ample closet space, a writing desk and private balcony. The ship's contemporary decor features a black and white palette with gleaming teak floors underfoot, chrome and leather furnishings, and intermittent splashes of scarlet and gold. Guests enjoy fine meals in the dining room and al fresco on the aft deck, while two open-air bars, a Jacuzzi, small fitness center and library are among the ship's shared spaces.is featured on Classic Galapagos: The Natural Habitat Experience ( http://www.nathab.com/ galapagos/galapagos- islands-adventure/ ), a 10-day itinerary offering the utmost attention to environmental awareness, comfort and service. Rates are from $6,295 per person, double. For more information, please see:http://www.nathab.com/galapagos/galapagos-islands-adventure/For information on all of Nat Hab's trips, descriptive itineraries, date availability and reservations, call 800.543.8917 or visit http://www.nathab.com/. Click HERE (https://forms.nathab.com/catalog/) to order a copy of the current catalog.Natural Habitat Adventures is a world leader in responsible adventure travel and nature-based ecotourism. Since its founding in 1985, the company has offered eco-conscious expeditions and wildlife-focused small-group tours to the planet's most remarkable nature destinations. Inspired and created from years of scouring the planet for the singular and extraordinary, Nat Hab's itineraries are artfully crafted experiences that are far from "typical." Trips are guided by professional naturalist Expedition Leaders (http://www.nathab.com/guides-and-staff/guide-bios/), and Nat Hab enjoys a longstanding reputation for hiring some of the world's best guides. Conservation is at the forefront of everything NHA does, and its philosophy is simple: tourism must work with and benefit local communities, which will in turn find value in protecting natural resources and wildlife. NHA is proud to be the travel partner of World Wildlife Fund (http://www.nathab.com/wwf/), sharing a mutual commitment to travel as a means of helping to protect the world's wondrous natural places. Nat Hab has donated more than $2 million to WWF and will continue to donate 1 percent of gross sales plus $100,000 annual through 2018 in support of WWF's mission.Sara Widness / sara@widnesspr.com / Phone: 802.2234.6704Dave Wiggins / dave@travelnewssource.com / Phone: 720.301.3822
ProPath pathologist Rodney T. Miller, M.D. receives New Zealand Police District Commander's Commendation Award

Media Contact

Douglas Kale

douglas.kale@ propath.com

214-237-1658 Douglas Kale214-237-1658

End

-- ProPath pathologist, Rodney T. Miller, M.D. , Director of the Immunohistochemistry (IHC) Division, is the recipient of a prestigious award for his analysis of critical forensic evidence and subsequent expert testimony at the trial and re-trial of one of the most horrific murder cases in New Zealand's history.In February 2001, Mark Edward Lundy was arrested and charged for the August 2000 brutal murders of his 38-year-old wife, Christine and 7-year-old daughter, Amber, who were bludgeoned about the face and head with a hatchet. The following year Lundy was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years. After receiving an appeal in 2013, Lundy was granted a re-trial in 2015 and later found guilty of the murders for a second time.During the original trial, it was Dr. Miller's IHC expertise that led to the positive detection of brain tissue from two tiny stains found on a shirt worn by Lundy. The DNA analysis of the shirt stain demonstrated that it was conclusive evidence of Christine's DNA on Lundy's shirt. This critical piece of evidence allowed the New Zealand Police to arrest and charge Lundy with the double murders.In appreciation of Dr. Miller's expertise and 15-year support on the case along with the ProPath's lab team's efforts, he was presented with the District Commander's Commendation award by Detective Senior Sergeant, Nigel Hughes of New Zealand Police. Detective Senior Sergeant Hughes, who was also the officer in charge of the Lundy murder scene said, "Dr. Miller's evidence was the vital component in the successful prosecution and conviction of Mark Lundy." Dr. Miller, who had been working with the New Zealand Police on the Lundy Murder trial since 2001, crafted a Focus article on the pathology procedures used in the case, entitled "Immunohistochemistry in Forensic Pathology." This article and the behind-the-scenes story of the case can be found on the ProPath website at www.propath.com/ companies/press- clippings ProPath is a team of pathologists recruited from top-tier medical centers and academic institutions around the country. ProPath has surrounded its physicians with an unsurpassed, internationally-recognized laboratory utilizing a proprietary tracking system for every patient specimen. As with all medical specialties, the quality of a cancer diagnosis is directly related to the education, talent and experience of the rendering physician. The ProPath teams of board=certified and subspecialty-trained pathologists are the experts you want rendering your diagnosis. For more information about ProPath, please visit propath.com. Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
John Lechowicz to visit Washington, D.C. to tour war memorials and receive Vietnam War Commemoration Pin

Dreams for Veterans

Contact

Dani Cordaro

dani@dreamfoundation.org

(805) 539-2222 Dani Cordaro(805) 539-2222

End

-- Sixty-nine-year-old John Lechowicz will have his final Dream fulfilled by Dream Foundation, the only national dream-granting program for terminally-ill adults, and Honor Flight's Their Last Chance program, which transports America's veterans via Southwest Airlines to Washington to visit the memorials dedicated to honoring their service and sacrifices."We are excited to see this collaborative effort materialize for two of our partners, Dream Foundation and Honor Flight Network," said Southwest Airlines Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Linda Rutherford. "This opportunity evolved as a result of hosting our charitable partners last year for a shared learning experience, and we are proud of the innovative ways they continue to engage with Southwest and one another to make a positive difference in the community."Lechowicz, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served for four years, dreams of visiting the war memorials in Washington with his friend, caretaker, and fellow Vietnam veteran, Ed Kurz. Lechowicz remembers seeing fallen veterans during his time in Vietnam and says that even though he will never know their names, he would like to connect with them by touching the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.Thanks to Dream Foundation's Dreams for Veterans program and Honor Flight, Lechowicz and Kurz will travel from Yorkville, Ill., to Washington on September 10, where they will visit the National World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Following an Arby's boxed lunch, Lechowicz and Kurz will continue their tour by visiting the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Navy Memorial, and the Naval Museum. They will also visit Arlington National Cemetery to witness the Changing of the Guard, visit the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial), and the U.S Air Force Memorial before ending their day with dinner at Golden Coral."Dream Foundation's Dream for Veterans program is honored to acknowledge Dreamer John Lechowicz and his caretaker Edward Kurz for their courage and sacrifice during the Vietnam War and thereafter,"says Dream Foundation's Chief Executive Officer Kisa Heyer. "We are particularly grateful for the collaborative efforts between our longtime Corporate Partner in Dreams, Southwest Airlines and Honor Flight's Their Last Chance program in bringing comfort and closure to John's life."A memorable moment of Lechowicz and Kurz's trip is certain to be during the morning of September 10, when both men will be honored for their service and presented with Vietnam War Commemoration Pins* at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall by James McLaughlin, Honor Flight chairman of the board and a fellow veteran with local photographer Val Proudkii capturing the special moment."It is an honor to be a part of fulfilling John's final Dream", says McLaughlin. "In the case of veterans living with terminal illnesses, we often hear that the veteran literally wills himself to live long enough to see their memorial. And, having seen their memorial, they receive a sense of closure and relief."Dream Foundation, the only national dream-granting organization for terminally-ill adults, fulfills final Dreams that provide inspiration, comfort and closure at the end of life. With the support of a nationwide network of volunteers, hospices, health care organizations and committed donors, Dream Foundation has given life to more than 25,000 final Dreams over the past two decades and has never turned down a qualified applicant. Dream Foundation does not receive any federal or state funding and relies solely on individual donations and corporate partnerships to fund its programs. The Foundation is proud to maintain Charity Navigator's four-star ratingits highestfor sound fiscal management ensuring its donors and partners that their investment will be used wisely. For more information, please visit DreamFoundation.org.*Please note that Dream Foundation is not part of, or endorsed by, the Department of Defense.
By: USOH

End

-- Hindus have welcomed University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville, public research university and flagship campus of the UA System, for offering free yoga classes; and are urging all US universities to offer such yoga programs.Classes being offered include "Yoga" (Focus on waking up from the inside out), "Sunrise Yoga" (begins with sun salutations), "Yoga+Meditation"(meditative relaxing postures that unite the mind and body), "Yoga for Presence of Mind" (experience of greater awakening of the self), "Yoga Nidra" (Yogic Sleep), "Sport Yoga" (twist that will always keep your body guessing) and "Mindfulness Yoga" (Yoga poses are used as prompts to use mindfulness techniques).Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, termed it as a step in the positive direction to make yoga available free of cost for students, faculty and staff at such a renowned institution.Yoga, referred as "a living fossil", was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted.Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to a recently released "2016 Yoga in America Study", about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities)now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.Joseph E. Steinmetz and Michael T. Miller are the Chancellor and Dean of the College of Education and Health Professions respectively of UA, which was founded in 1871.
By: Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness Organization

End

-- The Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness Organization (OCSA) invites cause supporters and their canine friends to walk together on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 8:30am - 12pm at Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles, IL to raise money for a notable awareness campaign partnered with veterinarians. Scott Mackay, host of Mackay in the Mornings on 95.9 The River, will emcee the event led by board members and co-chairs, Kris Junkas, DVM, Wright Animal Hospital and Alexis Newman, DVM, Partners and Paws Veterinary Services. This year's 5K Dog Walk & Fun Run is dedicated to the memory of longtime OCSA supporter, Marie Moulton, who lost her battle recently.Opening ceremonies will be led by a Color Guard led by members of American Legion Post 342, St. Charles, IL and the National Anthem sung by St. Charles resident Jennifer Mamminga. Event participants also include K-9 officer Erin, the first and only police Bloodhound in Kane County, and her handler Deputy Nick Wolf from the Kane County Sheriff's Office, plus other K-9 Officers and their handlers; volunteers from Dreams Dance Academy in St. Charles and Foxtrot Organic Farm. Midwest Greyhound Adoption along with adoptable retired greyhounds and H.E.L.P. (Homes for Endangered and Lost Pets) will have adoptable kittens and puppies available.OCSA's late co-founder, Susan Roman, believed her dog alerted her to the cancer which eventually took her life and the idea to tie pets to the organization's mission has evolved into a unique awareness campaign. Supported by key partners in the medical community including the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the One Health Commission, OCSA's Veterinary Outreach Program delivers symptom checklists and collateral provided by OCSA to be placed inside their clinics. This awareness campaign helps reach a new audience by catching the attention of pet owners in locations where they are already thinking of the health of a family member.Funds raised at the OCSA 5K Dog Walk & Fun Run will support expansion of the VOP and numbers of individuals reached. Funds also support an internship at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center's program training dogs to 'sniff out' cancer odorants in plasma affected by the disease so scientists can eventually create a new diagnostic test for early detection.Each year, over 20,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and approximately 14,000 women die from the disease. When ovarian cancer is diagnosed and treated in its earliest stages, the survival rate is over 90 percent. OCSA's mission is to expand public awareness about the symptoms of ovarian cancer in an effort to contribute to the early detection of this deadly disease, and by doing so, save lives.Registration for the event can be found at http://www.ovariancancersymptomawareness.org/ events OCSA is a Section 501 (c) (3) charitable organization founded in 2010 to educate women and their families about the silent symptoms of ovarian cancer and the need for early detection and treatment. Donations to OCSA are tax deductible as a charitable gift. For questions concerning tax deductibility, please consult a tax advisor. Follow the accomplishments and find key information about this cause on Facebook at OCSAChicago, on Twitter @ocsachicagoorg, or visit http://www.ovariancancersymptomawareness.org
Russian President Vladmir Putins official presidential BMW was involved in a head-on crash in Moscow. The presidents favorite chauffeur has been killed after a Mercedes Benz crashed into BMW. The President was not in the car at the time of the crash while the driver of the Mercedes is said to be in a hospital in a critical condition.

Presidential black BMW was at Kutuzovsky Avenue in the Russian capital on September 2, 2016, when a Mercedes Benz from the opposite side of the road crashed head on into it. The Presidents official driver was killed instantly while the entire series of events has been captured on CCTV footage.

As per the video, the driver of Mercedes CLS lost control of his car and swerved into the oncoming traffic lane where he collided with Putins BMW 7 Series at high speed.

The black BMW is officially registered and belongs to the Federation Council, also known as Russian Senate or Upper Chamber of Parliament. The driver of the BMW who was not named, had over 40 years of experience as an official driver. Police are investing the case further and will reveal details in due course while the accident caused a huge traffic jam in the area following which the Kutuzovsky Avenue was closed, while clean up operations took several hours to clear.

President Putin will be the first recipient of the newly designed Kortezh by the end of 2017. This is a bomb, bullet and gas proof vehicle and strikingly similar to the Beast, armour plated vehicle used by US President Barak Obama.

The Kortezh will be made available to the public only by 2018 and will be offered in SUV, limo, sedan and minivan variants. The Kortezh will receive doors which are ten times thicker than regular car doors while it will sport its own oxygen supply system.

UPDATE

New Video has emerged which shows how and when the Mercedes driver lost control.
Satisfy your customers and win in the stock market, says a new study by a team of researchers from Michigan's University Research Corridor, who found positive stock returns on customer satisfaction far out-distance competitive market measures that have been in play for more than half a century.

Using 15 years of audited returns, researchers from Michigan State University and University of Michigan found creating a stock portfolio based on customer satisfaction data achieves cumulative returns of 518 percent.

This compares with a 31 percent increase for the commonly used Standard & Poor's 500 Index in the same time period. On an annual basis, the customer satisfaction portfolio outperformed the S&P 500 in 14 out of 15 years.

"Many companies collect customer satisfaction data regularly but few companies know how to use the data effectively to drive bottom line performance of their firms," said Tomas Hult, Byington Endowed Chair at MSU and director of MSU's International Business Center.

He and fellow researchers, Claes Fornell, Donald C. Cook Distinguished Professor Emeritus at U-M, and Forrest Morgeson, professor in MSU's master of science in marketing research, determined that an intangible measure, such as customer satisfaction, could likely supplant measures that have been used in finance and economics for decades.

They conducted numerous tests to determine the validity of the satisfaction-stock relationship and to estimate the size of its effect. The U.S. findings were corroborated by returns from a portfolio in the United Kingdom, Hult said.

The study examined 15 years of data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and actual stock portfolio returns from a fund trading in the U.S. on satisfaction. ACSI measures the satisfaction of U.S. household consumers with the quality of products and services offered by both foreign and domestic firms with significant share in U.S. markets, said Morgeson, director of research for ACSI.

As suggested by the sheer size of the stock returns found in their study, the reward for having satisfied customers is much greater commonly thought, generating positive risk-adjusted stock returns of about 10 percent per annum, the researchers said.

Given this, Fornell, Morgeson and Hult encourage more firms to focus on improving customer satisfaction.

"The explanation for this phenomenon is likely to be found in inadequate satisfaction data collection and analysis derived from a general misunderstanding of just how valuable satisfied customers are to the firm," Fornell said.

As a backdrop to the study, Fornell started the ACSI in 1994 , and this index is the only national cross-industry measure of customer satisfaction in the United States. The familiarity and access to ACSI gave the researchers unique insights and research opportunities.

The study is published in the Sept. 2016 issue of the Journal of Marketing.
Global fisheries stand to lose approximately $10 billion of their annual revenue by 2050 if climate change continues unchecked, and countries that are most dependent on fisheries for food will be the hardest hit, finds new UBC research.

Climate change impacts such as rising temperatures and changes in ocean salinity, acidity and oxygen levels are expected to result in decreased catches, as previous research from UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries has found. In this study, the authors examined the financial impact of these projected losses for all fishing countries in 2050, compared to 2000.

"Developing countries most dependent on fisheries for food and revenue will be hardest hit," said Vicky Lam, a postdoctoral fellow at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, and the study's lead author. "It is necessary to implement better marine resource management plans to increase stock resilience to climate change."

While many communities are considering aquaculture, also known as fish farming, as a solution to ease the financial burden of fishing losses and improve food security under climate change, when researchers examined the growing industry, they found it may exacerbate the negative impact on revenues.

"Climate adaptation programs such as aquaculture development may be seen as a solution," said William Cheung, associate professor at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and a study co-author. "However, rather than easing the financial burden of fishing losses and improving food security, it may drive down the price of seafood, leading to further decreases in fisheries revenues."

The researchers used climate models from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to examine the economic impact of climate change on fish stocks and fisheries revenues under two emission scenarios. In a high emission scenario, the rates continue to rise unchecked, while a low emission scenario meant ocean warming is kept under two degrees Celsius.

"Global fisheries revenues amount to about $100 billion every year," said co-author, Rashid Sumaila, professor at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and Liu Institute for Global Studies. "Our modeling shows that a high emissions scenario could reduce global fishing revenue by an average of 10 per cent, while a low emissions scenario could reduce revenues by 7 per cent."

The researchers found the countries that rely highly on fish are the most vulnerable, including island countries like Tokelau, Cayman Islands and Tuvalu. Meanwhile, many developed countries, such as Greenland and Iceland, could see revenue increases as fish move into cooler waters.
As health departments around the U.S. boost efforts to combat Zika, scientists are working on new ways to kill the mosquitoes that carry the virus. One approach involves understanding the molecular mechanisms that keep the bugs alive so we can then undermine them. Scientists report in the ACS journal Biochemistry that they have revealed new structural insights on a key protein from Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species most often linked to the spread of Zika.

In February, the World Health Organization called for action against the disease after Brazil experienced a spike in the number of babies born with microcephaly, a condition characterized by an abnormally small head. Since then, the virus has been reported in more than 40 countries. Studies have shown that compounds that inhibit a protein called sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2), which is involved in the transport of cholesterol and fats in insects, can kill Aedes aegypti larva. Kiran K. Singarapu and colleagues from CSIR -- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology wanted to take a closer look at the structure of one of the protein's variants to help inform the development of future insecticides.

Using solution nuclear magnetic resonance, a technique that yields molecular-level information about proteins, the researchers were able to describe the 3-D structure and dynamics of a SCP2 variant. The new insights could help scientists screen small-molecule libraries for insecticide candidates. In addition to curbing Zika, any resulting compound that stamps out Aedes aegypti could reduce cases of other illnesses -- dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya -- that the mosquito also carries.
NHRC has expressed its helplessness and lack of co-operation from the government on the issue of human rights violations to Supreme court.

By Anusha Soni: Expressing helplessness and lack of co-operation from the government, the National Human Rights Commission today told the Supreme Court that it has become a toothless mailbox. The apex court has been hearing petitions related to over 1000 encounters in Manipur and also if the judicial enquiries should be conducted in this matter or not.

The petition filed by Extra Judicial Killings in Manipur Victim Families Association cites various human rights violations and killings by the armed forces and the absence of any accountability of these forces. Taking a strong stand, the Central Government represented by Attorney General told the apex court that NHRC has mere powers of recommendation whether it's Manipur or Jammu and Kashmir.

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Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi also told the apex court that the big question is that whether there is a procedure of judicial accountability for insurgency operations. Taking a strong stand, NHRC said that there must be someone to whom Armed Forces should be accountable for human rights violations in regions where AFSPA has been imposed.

Read: Kashmir unrest: At all-party meet, opposition pushes for talks



"It is bad enough that the government views the agency this way. NHRC is marred by red-tapism. In the guise of extreme difficulty during insurgency operations one cannot do away with responsibility," Gopal Subramanium counsel for NHRC told SC.

During the hearing today Centre clearly stated that the powers of NHRC are limited to recommendations and it is upto to the Parliament whether it wants to accept the recommendations or not.

The Supreme Court also posed a question whether NHRC should be allowed to conduct enquiries in cases of alleged human rights violations. Attorney General has sought two weeks time to elaborate his arguments on the limited powers of the National Human Rights Commission.

The apex court has also asked the petitioners to talk to the victims families if they want to take a judicial recourse of enquiry or want a compensation. 'Many victims just want a closure of the matter,' SC observed. The next hearing is slated on October 26.

Also read: What went wrong in Kashmir and how to fix it



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Oceanographers from MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution report that the northeast Pacific Ocean has absorbed an increasing amount of anthropogenic carbon dioxide over the last decade, at a rate that mirrors the increase of carbon dioxide emissions pumped into the atmosphere.

The scientists, led by graduate student Sophie Chu, in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, found that most of the anthropogenic carbon (carbon arising from human activity) in the northeast Pacific has lingered in the upper layers, changing the chemistry of the ocean as a result. In the past 10 years, the region's average pH has dropped by 0.002 pH units per year, leading to more acidic waters. The increased uptake in carbon dioxide has also decreased the availability of aragonite -- an essential mineral for many marine species' shells.

Overall, the researchers found that the northeast Pacific has a similar capacity to store carbon, compared to the rest of the Pacific. However, this carbon capacity is significantly lower than at similar latitudes in the Atlantic.

"The ocean has been the only true sink for anthropogenic emissions since the industrial revolution," Chu says. "Right now, it stores about 1/4 to 1/3 of the anthropogenic emissions from the atmosphere. We're expecting at some point the storage will slow down. When it does, more carbon dioxide will stay in the atmosphere, which means more warming. So it's really important that we continue to monitor this."

Chu and her colleagues have published their results in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans.

Tipping the scales

The northeast Pacific, consisting of waters that flow from Alaska's Aleutian Islands to the tip of southern California, is considered somewhat of a climate canary -- sensitive to changes in ocean chemistry, and carbon dioxide in particular. The region sits at the end of the world's ocean circulation system, where it has collected some of the oldest waters on Earth and accumulated with them a large amount of dissolved inorganic carbon, which is naturally occurring carbon that has been respired by marine organisms over thousands of years.

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"This puts the Pacific at this already heightened state of high carbon and low pH," Chu says.

Add enough atmospheric carbon dioxide into the mix, and the scales could tip toward an increasingly acidic ocean, which could have an effect first in sea snails called pteropods, which depend on aragonite (a form of calcium carbonate) to make their protective shells. More acidic waters can make carbonate less available to pteropods.

"These species are really sensitive to ocean acidification," Chu says. "It's harder for them to get enough carbonate to build their shells, and they end up with weaker shells, and have reduced growth rates."

Protecting shells

Chu and her colleagues originally set out to study the effects of ocean acidification on pteropods, rather than the ocean's capacity to store carbon. In 2012, the team embarked on a scientific cruise to the northeast Pacific, where they followed the same route as a similar cruise in 2001. During the month-long journey, the scientists collected samples of pteropods, as well as seawater, which they measured for temperature, salinity, and pH.

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Upon their return, Chu realized that the data they collected could also be used to gauge changes in the ocean's anthropogenic carbon storage. Ordinarily, it's extremely difficult to tease out anthropogenic carbon in the ocean from carbon that naturally arises from breathing marine organisms. Both types of carbon are classified as dissolved inorganic carbon, and anthropogenic carbon in the ocean is miniscule compared to the vast amount of carbon that has accumulated naturally over millions of years.

To isolate anthropogenic carbon in the ocean and observe how it has changed through time, Chu used a modeling technique known as extended multiple linear regression -- a statistical method that models the relationships between given variables, based on observed data. The data she collected came from both the 2012 cruise and the previous 2001 cruise in the same region.

She ran a model for each year, plugging in water temperature, salinity, apparent oxygen utilization, and silicate. The models then estimated the natural variability in dissolved inorganic carbon for each year. That is, the models calculated the amount of carbon that should vary from 2001 to 2012, only based on natural processes such as organic respiration. Chu then subtracted the 2001 estimate from the 2012 estimate -- a difference that accounts for sources of carbon that are not naturally occurring, and are instead anthropogenic.

Sinking carbon

The researchers found that since 2001, the northeast Pacific has stored 11 micromoles per kilogram of anthropogenic carbon, which is comparable to the rate at which carbon dioxide has been emitted into the atmosphere. Most of this carbon is stored in surface waters. In the northern part of the region in particular, anthropogenic carbon tends to linger in shallower waters, within the upper 300 meters of the ocean. The southern region of the northeast Pacific stores carbon a bit deeper, within the top 600 meters.

Chu says this shallow storage is likely due to a subpolar gyre, or rotating current, that pushes water up from the deep, preventing surface waters from sinking. In contrast, others have observed that similar latitudes in the Atlantic have stored carbon much deeper, due to evaporation and mixing, leading to increased salinity and density, which causes carbon to sink.

The team calculated that the increase in anthropogenic carbon in the upper ocean caused a decrease in the region's average pH, making the ocean more acidic as a result. This acidification also had an effect on the region's aragonite, decreasing its saturation state over the last decade.

While the total amount of anthropogenic carbon appears to be increasing with each year, Chu says the rate at which the northeast Pacific has been storing carbon has remained relatively the same since 2001. That means that the region could still have a good amount of "room" to store carbon, at least for the foreseeable future. But already, her team and others are seeing in the acidification trends the ocean's negative response to the current rate of carbon storage.

"It would take hundreds of thousands of years for the ocean to absorb the majority of CO2 that humans have released into the atmosphere," Chu says. "But at the rate we're going, it's just way faster than anything can keep up with."
A new car is a big expense for anyone -- but it will cost some people more than others, even at the same dealership.

A new U of T study, which is the first of its kind to reliably show large differences in the price paid for a new car, reveals that age and even in some cases gender can be a factor.

"We were surprised by the magnitude of the difference in how much people paid for an identical car that was bought in the same month in even the same city," says Ambarish Chandra, Assistant Professor of Business Economics in U of T Scarborough's Department of Management and the Rotman School of Management.

Chandra and his colleagues at the University of Berkeley and the University of British Columbia analyzed more than 10.5 million new car transactions across Canada and the United States. For each transaction they had the final sale price of a car as well as the customer's age and gender.

They found the difference in price paid by consumers varied considerably, in some cases by as much as much as $3,000 for a new car. They also found that older consumers tend to pay more than younger consumers, but that older women in particular pay more by an average of about $200 per car. The gender gap does narrow among younger consumers to the point where it is essentially zero among youngest new car buyers (age 20-25).

"This tells us it isn't necessarily an example of discrimination because there is no evidence dealerships are overcharging women specifically because for younger consumers that's clearly not the case," he says.

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Instead, Chandra points to different life experiences shared by older women compared to younger women. He says the only reliable explanation for the discrepancy is that in North America the education and employment gap between men and women has narrowed considerably over the past 50 years. Although young women still earn less than men, the earnings gap has also narrowed in recent years.

"We believe that better education and employment outcomes for young women compared to older women, relative to men of the same age, has important effects for negotiating large purchases like cars and houses."

Another reason for the discrepancy in prices paid among consumers generally is the process of buying a new car itself. Unlike most consumer products, cars only have a suggested list price, meaning the final price can be negotiated. Past studies have shown as much as 80 per cent of people dislike the process of car buying because of the negotiation process. Chandra says most feel they are being overcharged, and even when they do get a good deal, many aren't even aware they did.

So what does this mean for people planning on purchasing a car? Chandra suggests doing your homework first before negotiating a price.

"The best way to negotiate a better price is to have as much information at your disposal. If you know the invoice price of a car for example, you know how much it cost the dealership. That information alone can help you negotiate more effectively."

Services like Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds.com that list the actual invoice price of cars are valuable resources available to consumers. Chandra says that information used to be something only dealerships knew about but now it's more readily available online. Getting multiple quotes from different dealerships can also help leverage a better price.

"Everyone, not just older consumers, should be spending as much time as they can doing research on prices and quotes because in the end it can save you thousands of dollars."

The research, which received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, will be published in the Journal of Industrial Economics.
A Florida State University research team, in coordination with a team from Japan, has found that the epithelial tissues that line the surfaces of organs throughout the body intrinsically have hot spots for cancerous tumors.

They discovered this by examining a common household pest -- the fruit fly.

"Flies and humans have a lot in common in terms of genes and pathways for developing cancer," said Wu-Min Deng, professor of biological science at Florida State and the senior author on the paper.

Deng and his now former postdoctoral researcher Yoichiro Tamori found that in the fruit fly, tumors always originated from specific regions of the epithelial tissue.

Their findings are laid out in a study published in PLOS Biology.

Deng and Tamori were interested in examining basic pathways and tissue structures where tumors might form. Many scientists study the development in fruit flies as a model to determine the basic fundamentals of several diseases, including cancer.

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"At its heart, this is basic research investigating how cancer gets started," Deng said. "What are the tissue microenvironments that facilitate tumor formation?"

In examining fruit flies, researchers looked at the developing epithelial tissues in fruit fly larvae, called imaginal discs. The discs eventually form an outer layer structure of an adult fly. These discs are formed by sheets of cells called epithelia which have distinct upper and lower sides.

In mammals, similarly, epithelia cover all surfaces and line all cavities of the body. More than 80 percent of human cancers are originated from epithelial tissues.

Deng and his team used genetic engineering to turn off tumor suppressor genes in the larvae that are also found in humans and other animals. After they inactivated the tumor suppressor gene, the researchers discovered that tumors always originate from a specific area of the disc.

These tumor hotspots all involved an oncogenic signaling pathway that has been shown to be involved in many types of human cancers. Signaling pathways are essentially the communication networks within a cell telling it to perform a specific function.

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Researchers found that on the basal -- or underside -- of the epithelial sheets, the tumor hotspot had a unique and rigid structure. Because of this robust structure at the basal side, pro-tumor cells pop out of the apical side -- or top of the sheet -- of the epithelia and start tumor formation.

But in other areas of the epithelial tissue -- what researchers called a tumor cold spot -- the basal side of the tissue was more loosely constructed and pro-tumor cells were extruded from the basal side and die.

Deng said he and Tamori hope to continue their work looking at cancer and delve deeper into the signaling pathways and tissues in mammal systems

"If we know what intrinsic factors cause tumor formation we may be able to harness it and learn more," Deng said. "The more we know, the better we can get at treating and preventing cancer."

The other co-author on the paper is Emiko Suzuki, a colleague of Tamori's at the National Institute of Genetics in Japan.
Tuesday, 06 September 2016 23:07:18 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo

Ecuadorian long steelmaker Andec has opened a new office in the north area of Quito.

The steelmaker said it expects to open more offices in other Ecuadorian cities as part of a commercial strategy that is expected to help the company strengthen relationships with clients.

Andec said the new offices should also involve engineering processes, and should help it expand its product portfolio.

The Quito office should benefit potential local distributors, facilitating the contact between clients, the companys offices and its headquarters in Guayaquil.


A young woman was out hiking one day in a rural area of Georgia when she spotted a horrible sight down by a nearby lake - a dog lying in the grass, nearly dead. The girl immediately rushed the dog, later named Thumbelina, to a nearby animal hospital. The staff at Fayetteville Animal Hospital was shocked at Thumbelina's condition, and determined that she was only hours away from death. If the girl hadn't found her when she did, she wouldn't have made it.

Second Chance Rescue NYC

Thumbelina is a German shepherd mix and should weigh around 75 pounds. When she was brought in, she weighed only 14 pounds. Amazingly, Thumbelina survived her first night and continued to gain more and more strength as the hours went on. Even a simple, soft blanket was too heavy for Thumbelina's fragile body, and staff had to be extremely careful with her during those first few days.

Dodo Shows Dodo Heroes Woman Devotes Her Life To The Stray Dogs Of Bali

Second Chance Rescue NYC

Thumbelina's case was taken on by Second Chance Rescue NYC, which deemed her the worst case of starvation they have ever seen. She started gaining weight almost immediately, and proved to everyone that she wasn't ready to give up just yet.

Second Chance Rescue NYC

When Thumbelina was first rescued, she could barely move on her own at all, let alone stand or walk. She was much too weak to do most things, but still loved lying outside in the grass and snuggling up with all of her new toys. Her body was weak but her love of life was so strong, and she continued to stay a happy, loving dog throughout her recovery.

Second Chance Rescue NYC

"She has a Twinkle in her eyes that speak of appreciation," Second Chance Rescue NYC wrote on their Facebook page. "She knows how much she is loved. We do love her so very much! We are thrilled. What a fighter she is."

Second Chance Rescue NYC

Finally, 10 days after Thumbelina was rescued, she took her very first steps.

Thumbelina still has a long way to go on her journey to recovery, but she's getting stronger and stronger every day. She went from being on the brink of death to being an incredibly wonderful dog who can't wait to gain her strength back and live a long, happy life.

Second Chance Rescue NYC
Mark Carney stood by the actions of the Bank of England around the Brexit vote as his testimony to lawmakers quickly turned into a grilling by his most vocal critic.

In light of all the events since the referendum, since the evening of the 23rd, Im absolutely serene about the judgments taken by bank officials including the Monetary Policy Committee, the governor told lawmakers including Jacob Rees-Mogg, who took the lead in questioning the Canadian.

The Treasury Committee chair, Andrew Tyrie, opened the session on Wednesday with an unexpectedly immediate focus on pro-Brexit Rees-Moggs criticisms of Carney, including the allegation that he had exaggerated his warnings before the U.K.s vote to exit the European Union. The governor testified to Parliament in London for the first time since the Bank of England said Britains decision had markedly worsened the outlook.

Well see when we get all the data in but broad-brush, is growth running about half as much as it was prior to the referendum? Thats probably about right, given what we know right now, Carney said. So we expected some bounce-back, theres been a bit more, but were keeping it in perspective.

While initial data suggest the economy remained resilient after the June referendum, the Office for National Statistics wont publish its first take on third-quarter growth until the end of October.

Defending the banks decision-making before and after the referendum, Carney said he was comfortable with the judgment of this committeeall individuals and the committee collectivelythat the referendum represented a risk to monetary policy, in other words to the stance of monetary policy.

Carney has frequently clashed with Rees-Mogg. The lawmaker and founder of investment firm Somerset Capital Management LLP said in an interview this week that while he did not wish to be the governors arch critic, the bank chief has often undermined his institutions impartiality, and had acted to boost stimulus without sufficient evidence.

The questions from lawmakers, which Carney characterized as occasionally reaching deeply into the counterfactual, largely scrutinized the stimulus unveiled by the MPC in August, and whether it acted too swiftly or did too much.

Other Bank of England officials appeared alongside the governor, including Jon Cunliffe, Gertjan Vliegheand Kristin Forbes, who voted against parts of the stimulus plan. All of them provided written testimony to lawmakers.

Cunliffe stated that while some data suggest the impact from Brexit is less than feared, he would vote for a further rate cut if the economy evolves as the central bank forecasts. Vlieghe said the size and composition of the banks stimulus package introduced last month will be adjusted in line with how the economy is evolving.

By contrast, Forbes said she would be less likely to support more easing if demand doesnt weaken as much as the banks forecast, if supply weakens more than expected, or if sterlings depreciation continues.

Carney was questioned by Tyrie about the banks reach into political areas that might in the past have been regarded as beyond its remit, and his communications with the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond around the time of the August decision.

Lawmakers also focused on whether banks are fully passing on the rate cut to customers, with Carney stating he is highly confident about the situation.

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By Maha Siddiqui: In an escalation of diplomatic tussle between India and Pakistan, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sujata Mehta summoned the Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Wednesday. Basit was summoned over 'discourtesy' shown to Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad, Gautam Bambawale.

READ| Karachi Chamber of Commerce snubs Indian envoy; cancels event



The Indian High Commissioner was supposed to address the Karachi Chambers of Commerce yesterday. The event was cancelled at the last minute and the High Commissioner was informed only an hour before the event was scheduled to start. He had accepted the invite a couple of weeks ago and this was his first visit to Karachi since he took charge in January.

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On the summoning of Abdul Basit, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Vikas Swarup said, "He was also conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions wthout hindrance."

READ| Kashmir unrest: At all-party meet, opposition pushes for talks



No official reason was stated for the cancellation on Tuesday but sources indicated that Pakistan was rattled after the comments of High Commissioner Bambawale on Monday where he took a swipe at Islamabad over its attempts at interfering and internationalising the Kashmir issue by using human rights as a garb.

Bambawale had said those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others referring to the dismal human rights record of Pakistan vis-a-vis Balochistan and PoK.

Also Read:

Malala Yousafzai stands with Kashmir, urges India and Pakistan to stop the 'inhumanity'

Exclusive: Modi government's new action plan for Kashmir

Muslim clerics slam Pakistan and separatists, to conduct Aman Yatra in Kashmir



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More than a year after Hudson's Bay Company entered Europe with its blockbuster purchase of Galeria Kaufhof, the largest department store chain in Germany and Belgium, the iconic retailer admits it's still learning the subtle cultural differences between shoppers on both continents.

There is a lot for us to learn and there are a lot of nuances that are different, Richard Baker, HBC's governor and executive chairman, said in an interview Wednesday.

Some of these differences include the types of shoes, handbags and cosmetics Europeans prefer compared to Canadians and Americans.

There is a more of a proclivity for women to wear high heels, spiky heels, in North America than there is in Europe, said chief executive Jerry Storch.

When you ask people why, well, Germans just have more practical sense, for example. Or that there are a lot of cobblestone streets so they don't like the spiky heels quite as much. Not that there shouldn't be some spiky heels in the assortment ... but not as much as we might have in downtown Toronto, for example.

The retailer bought Galeria for $3.9 billion last year in its first foray outside of North America. The purchase resulted in HBC taking over 135 retail locations, various logistics centres, warehouses and other properties, as well as the Galeria Kaufhof head office in Cologne, Germany.

Since then, it has unveiled a blueprint for a massive expansion plan in Europe to open up to 20 banner Hudson's Bay and Saks Off 5th stores in the Netherlands. Currently, it has signed long-term leases for 11 of these locations.

Storch said the company has brought over changes from Canada and the U.S.  such as tweaking the staffing at the beauty counters and offering more promotions  to its German operations, which have also been met with success.

Everything we tried has worked. I mean that in humbleness, he said during an analyst call prior to the interview.

When we bought Kaufhof, we said we're not going to come over like the North Americans know better.

Hudson's Bay reported after stock markets closed Tuesday that it had a net loss of $142 million in its second-quarter 2016 financial results compared to net earnings of $59 million for the same period last year.

The company said much of the loss can be attributed to increased costs related to its joint venture deals with RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust and Simon Property Group.

But on the retail side, the Toronto-based company, which also owns luxury retailers Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue, saw consolidated retail sales rise by 60 per cent to $3.25 billion for the quarter ending July 30, primarily due to the addition of HBC Europe and online shopping business Gilt.

Baker said the company, which was founded in 1670, isn't actively pursuing any more acquisitions abroad  for now.

Frankly, we have plenty to do. There is tremendous growth and tremendous opportunity in what we already own and if we never purchased another company, ever, there is a long runway of growth in improving what we have, he told analysts during the call.

Having said that, if an opportunity makes itself available to us ... then it's certainly something we would consider.

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No sensible observer believed Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston would get married, have kids, grow old together and die minutes apart in the same retirement home.

Still, three months? The Great Hiddleswift Romance of 2016 lasted about as long as the warranty on a refurbished toaster oven? Its already over?

The news arrived late on Tuesday, courtesy of Us Weekly. Citing multiple sources, while naming none, the magazine said the couple called it quits.

This is a rather unsatisfactory cliche given the whirlwind courtship that in 90 days included making out on a beach in Rhode Island, dancing at a Selena Gomez concert in Nashville, meeting the families, making out in Rome atop the Colosseum, discussions about tying the knot, partying with friends at Swifts annual Fourth of July bash (and making out in the water), discussions about shacking up, making out in Australia, making out at the airport, making out at restaurants, making out in limos, making out at clubs and discussions about future making-out sessions.

This relationship was doomed the minute it became a snogging spectacle, which was the minute it started. And that seems to be the problem.

She was the one to put the brakes on the relationship, one source told Us. Tom wanted the relationship to be more public than she was comfortable with. Taylor knew the backlash that comes with public displays of affection, but Tom didnt listen to her concerns when she brought them up.

Im sorry, what?

Its a curious explanation and one that reeks of revisionism.

If Swift was really concerned about PDA backlash, why not just, you know, not kiss and not carry on in public? Is it possible to be in a loving relationship and not betray any hint of sexual attraction when out and about with your partner? It must be because my wife does it all the time.

Im assuming Hiddleston did not force Swift into acting like there was a grease fire on his lips and her mouth was the only extinguisher within a five-block radius. Or convince her that a space gun would vaporize her from a distant planet if she ever sat in her own chair instead of his lap.

Im also assuming this source, which sounds suspiciously like a crisis management expert or Taylors mom, is aware Swift has perfected the art of oversharing and public displays of affection with all of her ex-boyfriends.

So whats the real reason for the demise of Hiddleswift?

Its simple: Taylor Swift is sputtering through the worst stretch of her young life.

For the first time ever, she is spooked, desperate and making bad decisions.

Remember when the pop star could do no wrong? Remember when she ruled the world? Somehow, in what must be a profoundly unsettling reversal, now she can do no right. Now shes routinely mocked on social media, which was ground zero for her global rise. Swift has gone from role model to punch line. There is a perception, real or imagined, that the good girl image is a sham and that shes a cunning manipulator who will do or say anything to stay on top.

Kim Kardashian went so far earlier this year as to call Swift a liar. Her ex, Calvin Harris, is widely seen as the victim in their breakup, coming as it did just days before the horror of Hiddleswift was unleashed on the planet.

There was a time when Swift did not lose a PR battle. But a strange thing is now happening: people are dusting off those previous feuds and changing the scorecards to award points to Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Rihanna, whomever Swift has tangled with in the past.

Its almost like Swift is morphing into a diabolical villain in hindsight.

Is this fair? Of course not. But in many ways, she continues to be the ghostwriter of her mounting PR woes, including this ridiculously brief chapter with Hiddleston, whom a previous unnamed source called a dream come true and so romantic, classic and chivalrous.

To now imply he was in this for the publicity proves Swift still cant accept responsibility for her own actions. If the Hiddleswift PDA this summer had been greeted with cheering instead of acute nausea, it would still be happening.

Swift is on a downward spiral in the public eye. Blaming others for her mistakes will only accelerate the fall.

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Adam Maier-Clayton says hes always been confident, clear-minded and brimming with ambition.

But he still wants to kill himself.

At 26, the pain from his slew of diagnosed mental illnesses has become unbearable; he compares it to acid that sizzles across his mind and burns his chest, arms, eyes and back. He wants to die, but he believes he has the right to do so legally and by his own free will. So hes speaking out as much as possible  even though he says such cognitive effort smashes him with psychosomatic pain  in a bid to force the Liberal government in Ottawa to change its medically assisted dying law to make it more inclusive.

It would be far more preferable than restraining my hands and jumping off a bridge or a building, he said in an interview Tuesday from his home in Windsor, where he lives with his father.

Theres a fundamental difference between a life and an existence, he said. I will commit suicide because I will not live like this.

Dozens of people have stepped forward in recent weeks to join a constitutional challenge against the federal assisted dying bill, which was passed into law in June. The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) is spearheading the challenge aimed at striking down the laws eligibility criteria, which critics contend is overly restrictive.

The BCCLAs director of litigation, Grace Pastine, said the organization has been overwhelmed by contributions to its crowd-funding campaign for a legal battle that met its $75,000 target in just 10 days. The case features a single plaintiff so far  Julia Lamb, a wheelchair-bound 25-year-old who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, a degenerative disease that she fears will eventually consign her to years of intolerable suffering.

It is a testament to how important and deeply personal this issue is to so many Canadians Pastine told The Canadian Press.

The BCCLA launched the legal challenge that led to last years Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Criminal Code ban on medically assisted dying, a landmark decision that came after a four-year legal battle that saw the federal government under former prime minister Stephen Harper spend at least $3.3 million defending the challenge, according to a document released under the Access to Information Act.

More recently, Justin Trudeaus Liberal government has signalled its intention to vigorously defend its new law, which it maintains is a delicate balance between personal autonomy and protecting the vulnerable.

The last government spent millions in taxpayers money to defend, unsuccessfully, a law that caused immeasurable suffering and, in the process, ran roughshod over Canadians charter rights, said Shanaaz Gokool, CEO of Dying with Dignity Canada, in an interview with The Canadian Press.

We question why the current government, with its stated commitment to upholding the charter, would want to adopt the same misguided approach.

Maier-Clayton said he is considering whether to join the BCCLAs challenge of the new law, and that he is also discussing another legal challenge with a law firm in another province. In an interview with the Star on Tuesday, he said he believes people with debilitating suffering from mental illness or non-terminal diseases should have the legal right to choose to die.

The new law allows assisted dying only for those in an advanced state of irreversible decline from an incurable condition and for whom natural death is reasonably foreseeable. It does not apply to those who are not near death or to those suffering strictly from psychiatric illnesses.

While he has decided that he will take his own life, Maier-Clayton said he feels a responsibility to speak out and join the Canadian battle for the right to die. After that, he said hell either get a doctor to help him or take care of dying on his own accord.

Im not afraid of death. I live very close to a waterfront. I could kill myself if I wanted to, but its not just about me its about all these other people, too, he said.

In the Supreme Court decision last year, known as the Carter decision, the top court directed the federal government to come up with a law recognizing that consenting adults with grievous and irremediable conditions who are suffering in a way that is intolerable to them have a right to seek medical help to end their lives.

Last May, the Alberta Court of Appeal rejected the Trudeau governments bid to prevent a 58-year-old woman suffering strictly from a psychiatric illness that caused her excruciating pain from obtaining a medically assisted death. The appeal court ruled that the Carter decision did not preclude individuals with mental illnesses or those who were not near death.

The following month, the government proceeded with its new law anyway.

Asked how his family feels about his plan to end his life, Maier-Clayton said his father has accepted his desires and understands that his enjoyment of life has been derailed by his array of mental illnesses, which he said include obsessive compulsive, generalized anxiety and major depressive disorders. He is making a series of videos he wants posted online after hes gone.

But until then he wants to push to make sure other people in his shoes dont have to concoct a secret Mission Impossible plan to take their own lives.

Ill be proud that I stepped up to a system and a society that frankly stigmatizes suicide to a point that its a bad thing every single time no matter what. Even if you have cancer, he said. If I kill myself, Ill be proud.

With files from The Canadian Press

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CALGARYA Manitoba judge says she was initially appalled by the comments a Calgary judge made to a sex-assault complainant but agreed to mentor him.

Justice Deborah McCawley was the only witness Wednesday before a Canadian Judicial Council hearing prompted by complaints over Justice Robin Camp who asked a woman in a 2014 sex-assault trial why she didnt keep her knees together.

I was taken aback to say the least. I was quite appalled at some of the words, some of the language used, she said when first approached about mentoring Camp.

I wondered if I was wasting his time and his money. He was 63, a white South African male. I myself was guilty of the kind of thinking Ive spent my whole career railing against, she said.

I went with my instinct and that was to say to myself I think hes very sincere and committed and I never doubted that again.

Camps comments while he was a provincial judge in Calgary in 2014 led the Alberta Appeal Court to order a new trial for the man he acquitted.

Court transcripts show Camp, who is now 64, questioned the womans morals, suggested her attempts to fight off the man were feeble and described her as the accused throughout the trial.

He asked her: Why couldnt you just keep your knees together? and said pain and sex sometimes go together.

On Tuesday, the original complainant testified she hated herself and contemplated suicide as a result of her experience.

He made me feel like I should have done something ... that I was some kind of slut, she said.

The complainant said after the verdict she just got high for days and just wanted to be herself again.

McCawley said sex-assault trials are complex and not easy for an experienced judge.

I told him he needed to trust me and he could and he might need to bare his soul when we talked about a lot of this stuff and he did, McCawley testified.

Justice Camp was brutally honest with himself. He was probably the hardest critic he could have been. I was struck by the fact his motivation was very much for the pain he had brought to his colleagues and his court and the damage he had done to the administration of justice, she added.

McCawley said Camp was involved in counselling, did a lot of reading and research and attended a three-day judicial conference in Toronto which included courses such as Sex Assault 101 and How to Conduct a Sex Assault Trial.

She told the panel he is teachable and is still surprised at the trial transcript.

Hes not a misogynist. He is not a racist. Hes extremely fair-minded and part of my difficulty was trying to reconcile the transcript with the person is front of me, she said.

The more he grew, the more I realized he had the capacity to do the job and do it well. Hes a very compassionate, empathetic person.

The review committee will make recommendations to the full judicial council.

If it decides Camp should be removed from the bench, the final recommendation will be sent to the federal justice minister and require a vote of both houses of Parliament.

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At first glance, the parade of cabinet ministers on university campuses across Canada yesterday might have looked like evidence of a new era in federal support for science.

Scott Brison was on hand at Dalhousie University in Halifax, which will work with the University of Prince Edward Island and Newfoundlands Memorial University on a multidisciplinary ocean-studies project. The size of the grant from Ottawa: $94 million.

Kirsty Duncan and Bardish Chagger were in Waterloo, where the Institute for Quantum Computing picked up $76 million to create powerful new technology using quantum physics. And on it went: $78 million for flood and drought prediction at the University of Saskatchewan. $84 million for brain research at McGill, $94 million for big data at the Universite de Montreal, $75 million for clean energy at each of Albertas two biggest universities.

In all, 13 centres of higher learning split $900 million in grants under the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF), whose website says it was designed to help Canadian post-secondary institutions become global research leaders.

Specifically  and this fact was not emphasized at any of the announcements on Tuesday  it was designed in 2014 by the former Conservative government, whose finance minister at the time, the late Jim Flaherty, announced CFREF in his 2014 budget.

This tidbit should elicit a wry chuckle from anyone whos used to hearing the Harper government dismissed as a bunch of knuckle-dragging backwoodsmen at war with the Enlightenment. There was indeed a lot to criticize about how Harper did science, but those Liberal ministers were out there on Tuesday cashing Conservative cheques.

(Since those cheques, whether red or blue, come out of your taxes, the difference is mostly one of dramatic effect. And this sort of policy continuity, where a new government implements an earlier governments decisions, is usually healthy, because it gives anyone who deals with government a chance to plan past the next election.)

But paternity is not the only interesting question to arise from yesterdays announcement. That $900 million, distributed among only 13 institutions and a few dozen researchers, serves to highlight some disturbing long-term trends in Canadas national science effort.

CFREF was created to allow big science in Canada to bulk up so it could compete against world-leading research institutions abroad. But it comes along at a moment when everyday science  the day-to-day efforts of researchers in labs across the country  has been struggling. The Harper government held the line on most operating grants to researchers, so fewer and fewer research applications have been receiving funding. The Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the main federal government vehicle for funding medical research, has seen its success rate fall to 13 per cent, and it will probably fall further.

That leaves a lot of frustrated and disillusioned scientists, many of them the younger early-career researchers who are entering precisely the period in their careers when most scientists do their most surprising and productive work. Tony Pawson, the British-born cell biologist who died in Toronto in 2013, opened up a whole new field of lucrative and life-saving anti-cancer therapies with research that didnt cost much, showed little obvious promise, and began when he was 21.

Michael Hendricks, a McGill University biologist, pointed out yesterday that with $700 million  less than the amount that was spent yesterday  Ottawa could fund 1,000 Canadian research labs that are already equipped and ready to go but are starved for operating funds.

Does it make more sense to bet big on 13 research institutes or to bet long on 1,000 quiet explorers? Maybe you should do a bit of both. Its not as though the Trudeau government is ignoring the question: a federal review of science funding is underway, led by former University of Toronto president David Naylor, with a mandate to report by the end of the year.

Naylor is a pit bull, and his panels website suggests its considering precisely the sorts of questions Ive raised here. But its composition is weighted toward administrators over early- and mid-career researchers, and decisions are being made even as it does its work. It will do little good to decide, after $900 million has been spent, that other choices might have been wiser.

Strong day-to-day advice might help while the expert panels do their consulting. But 10 months after the government was sworn in, Trudeau and his science minister have not appointed a senior federal science adviser, something they promised to do in the last election.

Paul Wells is a national affairs writer. His column appears Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

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Remembered as a brilliant entertainer and mentor, members of the LGBTQ community are mourning the loss of Chris Edwards, a popular Toronto drag entertainer, after his passing on Tuesday.

(He) was a very special person, that I have had the pleasure of knowing for over 27 years, Dean Odorico, general manager of two Church St. bars  Woodys and Sailor  told the Star.

On Aug. 26, Edwards was performing at the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre when he collapsed during the show, theatre staff told the Star. He was rushed to Toronto General Hospital. Friends said it appeared he suffered from cardiac arrest, and that he seemed to be recovering, but eventually passed away at the age of 54.

A Florida native, Edwards moved to Toronto in his late 20s and became a staple in the LGBTQ community as one of the earliest drag headliners in The Village. He was known to impersonate superstars, like Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston during his performances.

The community has lost an iconic performer and a beautiful soul. My heart is breaking, Edwards close friend Jeanette Jabier said.

Beyond his performing career, his friends remembered Edwards as someone who always gave back to the community.

Chris was a tireless fundraiser for countless charities, and a mentor to many, Odorico said. Most of all, he was a kind and loving person.

Jabier told the Star that a funeral for Edwards is being planned but the date has not yet been set.

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The TTC is employing some fancy financial footwork in order to access federal infrastructure money and cut down on the transit agencys backlog of unfunded capital work.

TTC chair Councillor Josh Colle called it a good news story for the cash-strapped transit commission, but one member of the TTC board warned that the agency is engaging in sleight of hand to make its finances appear healthier than they are.

Last month, Ottawa announced that under its Federal Public Transit Infrastructure Fund, the federal government would pump $360 million into the TTC to pay for much-needed capital work including bus, subway and streetcar repair, track rehabilitation, station renovations, and new elevators.

The announcement was a boon for the TTC, which is expecting up to $1.5 billion from the infrastructure fund in the coming years.

Ottawa has offered to pay up to 50 per cent of transit projects eligible under the program. That posed a problem for the TTC, according to agency CEO Andy Byford, who said that the city was unable to come up with matching funds on its own.

But TTC was able to find the cash using an unorthodox accounting manoeuvre. Staffers reviewed the TTCs spending in recent years, and determined that the TTC historically hasnt spent all of the money it has allocated to previous capital budgets.

Thats because factors like vendor delays, drawn-out procurement processes, and the short time-frames during which the commission can undertake work like subway track repairs means that the TTC cant complete projects as quickly as it would like.

The review found that between 2006 and 2015, the TTCs annual spending on capital work was, on average, only 80 per cent of what it had budgeted.

On Tuesday, the budget committee approved TTC staffs request to reduce its spending projections over the next ten years to reflect the agencys capacity to spend, which would free up about $850 million from the transit agencys 10-year capital plan that can be reallocated to match federal funding.

Byford said most large agencies have difficulty spending their entire capital budget on schedule, and the bookkeeping change would more accurately reflect the transit commissions spending. It is responsible stewardship of scarce capital dollars, he said.

Councillor Colle (Ward 15, Eglinton-Lawrence) agreed, calling it sound, honest budgeting.

If theres money we cannot spend, with all good intentions, on a capital project, why would we not want it to go into a federal infrastructure fund matching project, or another priority project?

Councillor Joe Mihevc (Ward 21, St. Pauls), who sits on the committee, criticized the accounting procedure as sleight of hand.

He questioned whether the federal government would accept the TTCs contribution as matching funds because he said it wasnt new spending. If nothing else, lets be clear with Torontonians that this is where the money is coming from, he said.

The TTC had about $9.4-billion worth of capital work planned for the period between 2017 and 2026, including purchasing new buses, streetcars, and subways; overhauling old vehicles; upgrading signal systems on its two main subway lines; and building and maintaining storage facilities for its fleet. The figure doesnt include the cost of building the Scarborough and Yonge-University-Spadina subway extensions.

There was already funding available for roughly two-thirds of the $9.4 billion. Taking into account federal infrastructure funding and the capacity to spend reduction, the transit agency is projecting a $1-billion backlog of unfunded capital work over the next 10 years. Thats dramatically less than the $2.7 billion the TTC projected just last year in its 10-year plan.

The capital budget is separate from the TTCs operating budget, which the TTC budget committee is expected to debate at a separate meeting in the coming weeks. Mayor John Tory and city council have stirred controversy by asking the transit agency to cut its operating costs by 2.6 per cent next year.

A final council vote on the TTC budget is expected in February.

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In 2013, Colin Gillies was feeling a little light-pocketed and shut in after an illness forced him to cut his career short as a graphic designer.

His two children had recently moved out of their west-end home at Dovercourt Rd. and College St., leaving him and his wife empty-nesters.

Gillies, now 62, turned to Airbnb, renting out the third floor of their detached home.

It sort of brought fresh faces into the house and gave me something to do that wasnt overtaxing for my capability, Gillies said. We just thought that if we could invite the world to come to us, at least I would be able to share (the experiences of) a traveller.

Gillies is one of now 15,000 active Airbnb hosts in Ontario, including 8,600 in Toronto, according to newly released data by the company that shows the number of local renters and hosts continues to rise.

Alex Dagg, public policy manager for Airbnb Canada, says typical hosts are earning $3,900 annually from renting out their own primary residence for three to four nights a month.

Ontario residents see that this is a way, by sharing their home when theyre travelling or away for work . . . to earn some money from their most important asset, which is their home, Dagg said. Thats a significant way to supplement income.

Airbnb renters in Toronto are typically staying outside the major tourist hubs, with the east end topping the median number of nights hosted per renter, at 57 per year.

Travellers love the opportunity to live in a neighbourhood in Toronto rather than necessarily just more typical tourist destinations, Dagg said. You experience living there rather than staying in a more traditional hotel. We see this as really expanding the travel market . . . Its really about bringing more tourism dollars to Toronto or to other regions of Ontario rather than directly competing with hotels.

Airbnb guests in Toronto tend stay longer than traditional guests, the company says. The average length of stay for an Airbnb guest is 5.4 nights compared to 4.5 nights for the typical overnight guest.

But Terry Mundell, president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, which represents 170 properties and 36,000 rooms, said Airbnbs rising business has directly hurt Torontos hotel industry.

Were happy to compete with any competitors as long as theyre following the same rules and regulations as we are and thats clearly not the case, he said.

Mundell said its unfair that Airbnb hosts pay residential property tax rather than commercial property tax like hotels do, in addition to the zoning bylaws and safety requirements hotels must comply with.

They should be no different, he said. At the end of the day, renting a room is renting a room. Its taxable. You can call yourself whatever you want, the bottom line is youre renting a room.

Dagg said the situations arent comparable.

Id say theres a pretty big difference between a commercial hotel and a host whos earning on average $3,900 a year by sharing their primary residence three or four months a year. Its not a business, she said. It really acts as an economic lifeline for many families.

The essentially unregulated service is flourishing but Toronto city hall will soon start to look at imposing rules on Airbnb hosts.

Late last year Kristyn Wong-Tam, a downtown councillor, got agreement to have city staff study the new market. A report next month will suggest a framework for regulating Airbnb and public consultation process, with a more complete report and council debate on new rules set for 2017.

Noise, disruption to neighbours, use of homes as an event space and concerns that short-term rentals are being used for crimes including human trafficking all point to a need for rules, she said.

If a company is bold enough to put bnb in their name, they should be regulated like a bed and breakfast, said Wong-Tam (Ward 27).

The issue is being felt in the suburbs as well. The city has charged the owner of a home in the Bayview and Cummer Aves. area with violating a zoning bylaw after complaints of noise, garbage and, on occasion, wild parties.

When a home or a condominium is turned into an ongoing short-term rental, thats not proper for the neighbourhood and it should not be permitted, said that areas councillor, David Shiner.

Gillies, who charges $125 a night for a two-bedroom space with a kitchen, bathroom and lounge, says most of his guests choose his home because it is close to a relative who they are in town to visit. About 80 per cent of Toronto guests use Airbnb for vacation, leisure or visiting family and friends, according to the company.

But in condo buildings where some owners rent out their units through Airbnb, the situation has been a disruption to many neighbours, according to Linda Pinizzotto, head of Torontos Condo Owners Association.

They feel that its an invasion of their privacy, she said. The complaints that were getting are huge concerns of safety because they dont know the people. All of a sudden you start seeing a bunch of strange faces roaming around the building for two days . . . People are knocking on doors asking why theres no coffee machine. Its nonsense.

Pinizzotto said Airbnb renters increase traffic in the building, causing more wear and tear.

Were talking about people treating it as a hotel. The buildings were never made to be a bed and breakfast. Theyre not equipped to be that, she said. Its going to drain the maintenance fees on this buildings and the public needs to understand that if the maintenance fees continue to go up, these buildings are going to go down in value, not up.

With files from David Rider

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A mentally ill man finally deported to Jamaica on Wednesday deserves compensation because his five years in immigration detention violated his rights and was inhumane and illegal, his lawyer told an Ontario court in Toronto.

In seeking compensation for Alvin Brown, lawyer Jared Will accused the Canada Border Services Agency of negligence in removing his client from Canada.

The upshot, Will said, was that the deportation took exponentially longer than should have been the case.

It should have taken no more than a year for the CBSA to have deported Mr. Brown, Will told Superior Court Justice Alfred OMarra.

It was cruel and unusual to detain Mr. Brown, who had mental health issues, for nearly five years.

Brown, 40, a father of six who suffers from schizophrenia, came to Canada as a child more than three decades ago. The government stripped him of his permanent residency after a series of convictions, most drug and weapons related.

He was released from criminal custody in early 2011 but border agents detained him months later for violating release conditions. However, Jamaica refused to issue travel documents and Brown remained in maximum-security detention branded a flight risk and danger to the public.

After completing his sentence, he continued to be treated like a criminal, Will told the court. Mr. Browns charter rights were violated. He is entitled to a remedy.

Brown, who spent much of his time in immigration detention at the Toronto East Detention Centre, is seeking damages of $1,500 for each day of his incarceration  if the court finds any of it to have been unlawful.

However, the federal government blames the lengthy imprisonment on Brown, saying he failed to co-operate in obtaining the needed paperwork. But Will countered that the evidence shows Brown did everything he could to get to Jamaica, and the border agency was responsible for the undue delay in deporting him.

The agency twice gave the Jamaican consulate false information about Brown and refused to help him obtain a birth certificate and other documents that would have speeded his removal, Will argued.

Brown, who began to believe he would never be released, was finally put on a plane Wednesday morning bound for Montego Bay, Will said.

Im glad not to see Mr. Brown here, OMarra remarked on entering the courtroom.

Mr. Brown is probably enjoying his view of the southern Appalachian Mountains, Will replied.

Browns fight for release  and now for damages  has been the subject of an unusual court battle that has cast light on what critics say amounts to indefinite detention for foreigners caught in immigration limbo.

The current hearing was made possible by an Ontario Appeal Court ruling last year that provincial courts have jurisdiction to hear detention cases arising out of immigration law.

Such detentions are reviewed every 30 days but critics argue the hearings all too often amount to a rubber stamp, and many foreigners find themselves trapped  unable to be released and unable to be deported.

In an effort to force changes, Brown has also filed an application in Federal Court that seeks to argue a decision to keep him behind bars in January 2015 was unconstitutional.

The group, End Immigration Detention Network, is seeking to intervene in the judicial review, which is unlikely to be heard before March.

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Grassy Narrows First Nation is demanding the federal government reveal the names of at least 143 of its residents who were identified at birth by federal health officials as being at risk for mercury poisoning.

Health Canada has so far refused, citing privacy concerns surrounding the program that saw the umbilical cord blood of scores of babies tested between 1978 and 1992.

Mercury levels found in these samples were high enough to affect brain development, according to a recent scientific report that also says exposure in the womb can cause co-ordination problems and speech disorders.

The cord blood babies are now adults for whom the test results could provide crucial clues to what has ailed them.

Chrissy Swain was born in 1979 but has no idea if she was one of the 143.

Theres a lot of people who have had sicknesses in my age group, and there is no diagnosis. (They) stutter or have learning problems, like they never really could learn how to read or write, said Swain, whose left leg can involuntarily shake. She sometimes feels tongue-tied and mumbles. Maybe (the results) would help us better understand how to help our people more.

Advocates for Grassy Narrows have been trying to obtain the original, raw cord blood data and other information collected by Health Canada and the province over more than two decades so that their own experts can analyze it in the light of new scientific research and better understand how mercury has impacted the health of the community.

Levi Kokopenace was born in 1978, the first year of the program, and also does not know if he was one of the test subjects.

They shouldnt withhold information, he said. The community and the people have a right to know.

From 1962 to 1970, Dryden Paper Co. dumped 10 tonnes of the potent neurotoxin into the English-Wabigoon River system. The site of the plant, now under different ownership, is about 100 kilometres upstream from Grassy Narrows.

The metal does not break down in the environment and can build up in living things, known as bioaccumulation, inflicting increasing levels of harm on higher order species, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Bacteria that thrive in wet, low-oxygen environments, such as lake bottoms, turn mercury into its most toxic form, methylmercury.

Methylmercury migrates up the food chain, to fish and then humans. In a pregnant woman, methylmercury can build in the fetal brain and other tissues.

The recent scientific report that analyzed the cord blood data was written by leading expert Dr. Donna Mergler. She reviewed decades of scientific research on mercurys effects and highlighted the hidden impact of contamination on a community.

Mergler wrote that what recent science tells us is that mercury poisoning occurs at low levels previously thought harmless. At these low levels, a fetus is vulnerable to cognitive damage even if the childs mother does not show signs of poisoning.

She reviewed a 1996 Health Canada report containing a graph showing an overview of the cord blood results from Grassy Narrows and a nearby community but that did not include any names.

At these cord blood concentrations, there is consensus from the scientific literature that there would be effects on childrens neurodevelopment, the report said.

Grassy Narrows first requested all data from the cord blood in January of this year. This information is critical for allowing the government of Grassy Narrows to protect the safety of their people, one of the written requests said.

Another letter to the government said that data on mercury in cord blood will help us to determine what kinds of supports are needed to ensure that our . . . young adults have the best possible chances of success under the circumstances.

The regulator did not provide it.

In mid-July, one day after the Star sent questions to Health Canada, Grassy Narrows representatives received an email from the regulator saying they could have the cord blood data but with identifying information removed. The regulator said they could also have data from a 1996 follow-up study of the development of the same test subjects. But in this case, too, all identifying information will be withheld.

These data sets (the Star was not able to determine when and how much will be sent) will not allow community leaders to match a concerning test result to its owner.

The regulator offered to provide results to the test subjects if those individuals provide consent.

There is a hitch with this plan.

Community sources say such consent may be difficult if not impossible to obtain as those people may not know, or have even been told, if their cord blood was taken at birth.

Health Canada said in an email last month to a Grassy Narrows representative that it was a complex situation that is being discussed with the regulators Research Ethics Board in an effort to overcome the privacy issues.

Just before publication, the regulator told the Star that test results were shared with the mothers at the time and advice given when mercury levels were high. Health Canada also said mercury levels in cord blood declined through the study years.

Does Health Canada own this information of my community? said Judy Da Silva, a Grassy Narrows resident who advocates for the First Nations health. Or does it belong to the people whose blood was taken and to . . . Grassy Narrows? Does Canada tell us what we can and cannot do with information about our own bodies?

Saying it is working closely with Grassy Narrows and nearby Wabaseemoong Independent Nations (Whitedog), a Health Canada spokesperson said:

In order to respect the community, its leadership and its members, its important for the department to continue to engage in conversations with the community about their questions, needs and expectations. We have reached out to the community and are in the process of arranging meetings with them.

A 1996 Health Canada report said a total of 309 cord blood samples were taken from these two communities during the program.

Craig Benjamin, indigenous rights expert for Amnesty International, said Health Canada should move quickly.

The privacy issues are issues that government acting in good faith could sit down with the people of Grassy Narrows and readily resolve, he said. There is a paramount responsibility for the government to do everything in its power to make sure they have the information they need to understand their own health and to get the treatment they need and deserve.

It is not just cord blood that governments have taken from Grassy Narrows.

Health Canada tested hair for mercury throughout the 1990s and in 1996 conducted a follow-up neuropsychological and sensory-motor test of those who previously had their cord blood sampled.

Grassy Narrows leaders also sent a request in March to the provincial Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, believing it had conducted hair and fingernail tests and in 1974 tested mothers and their newborns at Lake of the Woods Hospital in nearby Kenora, Ont.

The ministry told the Star in mid-August that it is looking to see if it has these data and that it will provide as much information to Grassy Narrows as possible while also ensuring the privacy of community members is respected.

And beginning in the 1970s the provincial government tested brain and other tissues of at least four dead Grassy Narrows and Whitedog residents. The program began after the death of trapper and tourist guide Thomas Strong.

The coroners office provided the Star with the verdict from the 1973 inquest jury that reviewed Strongs case. The 42-year-old collapsed outside his tent in a campground near the Wabigoon River.

Strong died of acute coronary thrombosis. The jury did not conclude mercury caused Strongs death  a report in the Star at the time said Strongs blood sample was possibly contaminated  but evidence it heard caused concern.

There appears to be potential danger to humans caused by mercury poisoning through the consumption of excessive amounts of fish containing high levels of methylmercury, the verdict said.

The jury recommended, among other things, that the people of Grassy Narrows and Whitedog be tested annually for mercury levels and that the death of a Grassy or Whitedog resident with a known high mercury content be investigated by the coroner.

As for the other coroner cases that involved mercury testing, a spokesperson did not provide the results, saying the Star must submit a request under freedom of information legislation.

David Bruser can be reached at (416) 869-4282 or dbruser@thestar.ca

Jayme Poisson can be reached at (416) 814-2725 or jpoisson@thestar.ca

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Here are a few cases of train tragedies where people fell to their deaths from running trains.

By India Today Web Desk: Making rounds on social media right now is the news of a Chennai toddler's tragic death, who fell from her mother's arms into the railways yesterday. Such incidents, unfortunately, are not uncommon in India.

The GRP statistics state that at least 3,349 people lost their lives in railway premises in 2015. While 806 of them died from falling off trains, some 479 persons are said to have died naturally.

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Here are a few cases of such train tragedies, from this year and last, which resulted in deaths:

1. 18-month-old baby falls from her mother's arms

Yesterday, an 18-month-old baby girl died a tragic death after after she accidentally fell from her mother's arm into the railway tracks at Chennai's Mambalam railway station.

The toddler's mother, in the hussle of deboarding the train, lost her balance as the train started to move. As she fell down, 18-month-old Egashree slipped out of her mother's arms and fell into the gap between the train and the platform.

The mother was admitted to a hospital in a critical state. The child, unfortunately, could not be saved.

Read more: Toddler dies as mother loses balance while getting off the train



2. Father throws 2-year-old son out of a running train

A 40-year-old father from Beed, Maharashtra, was accused of flinging his 2-year-old baby boy from a running train in July.

After going missing from his relative's place in Mumbai, the boy's mother and family member filed a missing report with the police. But soon, his father called to inform them that he had thrown his son from a train near Byculla.

Police reports said the boy's body was found dead in a gutter near the Sandhurst Road railway tracks.



3. Hurry to get off a moving train kills 55-year-old woman

A tragic video of a middle-aged woman falling to her death while debording a train had gone viral earlier this year.

The 55-year-old woman, identified as Kirandevi Kothari, was trying get off a moving Vadodara Express when she slipped and fell under the wheels. The CCTV camera in the platform caught the gruesome scene.

Read more: Mumbai woman dies trying to jump off a running train

Watch an edited version of the video here:



4. Thrown off a running train for riding the Ladies' Special train

Last year in November, Kolkata woke up to the tragic murder of a man who had boarded a Ladies' Special train in a hurry.

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Forty-year-old Dipak Sharma was riding the Howrah-Bandel Matribhumi Ladies Special, when a lady RPF constable confronted him. Passengers alleged that despite Dipak repeatedly apologising and willing to get down at the next station, the constable pushed him off the running train.

Read more: Man dies as lady RPF constable pushes him off running train



5. Mumbai's overcrowded local train takes a young man's life

Mumbai local trains witness bulging crowd hanging out of the doors every single day. From one such overcrowded train last year, a young man named Bhavesh Nakate slipped and fell to his death.

The 21-year-old man boarded the jam-packed train from Dombivli. As he hung for his life from the door, some insensitive person decided to film him instead of trying to help him.

The video, which soon went viral, captured the moments when Bhavesh gradually losing his grip and falling off the running train:







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A high-stakes Tory battle looms in the race to succeed former Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak in Niagara West-Glanbrook.

Hudak, who has represented the area for more than 21 years, is stepping down on Sept. 16 to become chief executive of the Ontario Real Estate Association.

He has publicly touted long-time supporter and Niagara regional Councillor Tony Quirk to carry the PC banner in a byelection that Premier Kathleen Wynne is expected to call this fall.

But Quirk, who is also a vice-president of the Ontario PC Party, will be facing off against party president Rick Dykstra, a former Tory MP who lost his seat to Liberal rookie Chris Bittle in the October 2015 federal election

Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said he would remain neutral in the upcoming nomination fight.

Both are friends of mine. Theyre great candidates and we welcome that nomination contest, he said last Thursday night after Tory Raymond Cho won the former Liberal stronghold of Scarborough-Rouge River.

Asked if Dykstra should take a hiatus from his presidential duties  as Quirk has from his responsibilities as vice-president  Brown said: Im not getting involved in that.

In an interview, the PC president, who represented neighbouring St. Catharines federally, said he has not yet decided if he will take a break from the presidency during the nomination period.

Theres nothing according to the (party) constitution that says you have to, said Dykstra.

Quirk said he does not mind his friend remaining president if he steers clear of candidate-selection decisions.

As long as Rick recuses himself from anything to do with the nomination process I wouldnt cry foul, said the Niagara councillor.

Rick and I are not just friends  were allies.

Still, Quirk is quick to point out that he lives in Niagara West-Glanbrook while Dykstra resides in nearby St. Catharines.

Im definitely the local guy, he said, noting the issues in rural parts of the riding are very different from an urban centre.

Dykstra expressed amusement at any suggestion he is a carpetbagger or parachute candidate.

I can see the riding from my street (in St. Catharines), he said, adding he actually represented parts of what is now Niagara West-Glanbrook before federal riding redistribution.

Im a Niagara boy, said the nine-year former MP.

Indeed, if he secures the nomination and wins the byelection, Dykstra said he would run again in the riding in the 2018 provincial vote  not against Liberal MPP Jim Bradley, who has represented St. Catharines since 1977.

Despite the public bonhomie, there are tensions simmering behind the scenes.

Quirk backers are unhappy that Dykstra did a robocall to drum up support last month among Conservatives in the riding.

They wonder if his team is unfairly using party phone lists that are not available to their candidate.

At the same time, at least one other candidate is waiting in the wings, hoping to secure a riding that should be a byelection shoo-in for the Tories.

But Hudaks imprimatur could give Quirk an edge as he sells PC memberships for a nomination meeting that is still to be scheduled.

The Niagara West-Glanbrook MPP, who was party leader from 2009 until 2014, remains a popular fixture in his riding with a high profile on talk-radio shows locally and in Toronto.

Wynne is expected to call the byelection later this year to coincide with one in Ottawa-Vanier, which was held by retired minister Madeleine Meilleur.

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Bartenders and servers are among thousands of frontline workers about to get training on how to identify and intervene in incidents of sexual harassment and violence involving colleagues and customers.

Ontario is spending $1.7 million on education for staff and managers in the hospitality, community service, aboriginal, school and university sectors as part of the Liberal governments Its Never Okay campaign to stop sexual violence and harassment.

Attitudes are changing, but changing behaviour, I think we all will agree, takes longer, Womens Issues Minister Tracy MacCharles said Wednesday at a downtown bar.

The training will teach workers, how to intervene in a safe way, MacCharles told reporters, saying the response depends on circumstances.

It could be calling the authorities, said Labour Minister Kevin Flynn. Maybe its saying something to somebody across the bar.

Concerns about sexual harassment in the hospitality industry led to a conference a year ago called Kitchen Bitches: Smashing the Patriarchy One Plate at a Time.

It followed allegations, detailed in the Star, from Toronto pastry chef Kate Burnham who alleged former bosses subjected her to unwanted sexual banter and grabbed her crotch and breasts. A complaint before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal was settled last September in a confidential agreement.

About 25,000 frontline hospitality workers will be trained under the governments new program, said Fatima Finnegan of the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association, which will develop training for bartenders, servers and managers with a $300,000 grant.

Harassment is present in every single industry. The hospitality industry is not immune.

Many workers in the sector, which employs 450,000 people, are young and female or new Canadians, making them vulnerable to sexual harassment and violence.

But as frontline workers in restaurants and bars where alcohol is often a factor in behaviour, they are in a unique position to intervene when they see something inappropriate happening with colleagues or customers.

Everyone should be free from the threat of harassment at work, Flynn said.

New Democrat MPP Peggy Sattler (London West) said shes concerned only a fraction of workers in the hospitality sector will get training, and maintained the initiative leaves many questions unanswered.

Are the Liberals proposing voluntary or mandatory training? We know from experience with domestic violence in the workplace that voluntary training is rarely implemented by employers.

The rest of the $1.7 million will be shared with Womens College Hospital, to train health and community service workers on helping sexual assault survivors with their recovery, along with aboriginal and French-language groups and the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children, associated with Western University.

Meanwhile, new elements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act taking effect Thursday require employers to take complaints about sexual harassment or violence more seriously.

Every employer must set out who will investigate if the alleged harasser is a supervisor and provide written results of the investigation to the complainant.

The measures, along with changes to the Residential Tenancies Act allowing shorter notice periods to end rental agreements for people experiencing sexual or domestic violence, were passed by the legislature earlier this year.

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Premier Kathleen Wynne is signalling that some kind of relief is coming for electricity ratepayers zapped by soaring hydro bills this hot summer.

Wynne told reporters Wednesday she was getting that message from homeowners and tenants across the province even before the governing Liberals lost Thursdays Scarborough-Rouge River byelection.

We heard concerns at the doors in Scarborough-Rouge River, and, quite frankly, those concerns are things that we now have to take to heart and we have to use them to inform our actions going forward, she said, referring to the victory by Progressive Conservative Raymond Cho.

One of the things that we heard most consistently was hydro rates. I heard about electricity rates in the north. It is not something that is isolated in one riding in Toronto. This is a concern across the province. I recognize that.

Wynne said she has instructed Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault, who was appointed in June, to examine ways to help people bear the costs in their day-to-day lives.

Its an urgent issue for the minister of energy, the premier said, admitting there has been a cost associated with government investments in electricity infrastructure that are being borne by ratepayers.

We have had to make upgrades. We had to make the investments that we made to have a reliable energy system, electricity system in this province, she said.

We understand that we need to take that into account and come up with increasing or further mitigations. We havent done enough . . . theres more that we have to do, said Wynne, who did not elaborate on the details.

Beyond rebates to consumers paid from the provincial treasury, it is unclear what Queens Park can do to offset bills that will be even larger than expected due to the reliance on air-conditioners during a scorching summer.

The independent Ontario Energy Board sets electricity rates, not the government, and the Liberals maintain that the sale of most of Hydro One to fund transportation infrastructure wont affect bills.

In fact, the government has argued a privatized transmission utility might be a more efficient company that could pass on savings to consumers, although both the Tories and the New Democrats strongly dispute that.

The Liberals point out that Thibeault, a former NDP MP and Sudbury United Way official, is well-versed on the concerns of northerners and low-income Ontarians.

But the rookie cabinet minister will have his work cut out for him devising some kind of mitigation scheme to help the vast swath of ratepayers alarmed by the size of their bills.

The means-tested Ontario Electricity Support Program already provides monthly credits ranging from $30 to $75 depending upon location and the number of people in the home.

Families with after-tax household incomes of $52,000 or less can apply for the OESP.

Under former premier Dalton McGuinty, the Liberals in 2010 instituted the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, a 10 per cent discount on hydro bills to compensate for the cost of wind and solar power subsidies.

That costly five-year program, while politically successful because it helped McGuinty win the 2011 election, was criticized by conservationists because the more energy a consumer used the more he or she saved.

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PARISPolice officials say a terrorism investigation is underway after a car parked near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was found with seven gas canisters inside.

Police said Wednesday that the car discovered Sunday morning along the Seine River with its hazard lights on had no license plates and no one inside. Six canisters filled with gas were found in the trunk and an empty one in the car.

An official says the couple that owned the car has been taken into custody.

France is on alert after a string of Islamic State attacks and threats against landmarks.

Gas canisters filled with nails were used in attacks on Paris in the 1990s by Algeria-linked extremists.

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HONG KONGWhen the 42-year-old Filipino woman opened the door of her tiny Hong Kong apartment three years ago, two lawyers stood outside with a man she had never seen before. They explained that he needed a place to hide, and they introduced him as Edward Snowden.

The first time I see him, I dont know who he is, the woman, Vanessa Mae Bondalian Rodel, recalled in an interview. I dont have any idea.

Rodel is one of at least four residents of Hong Kong who took in Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor, when he fled the United States in June 2013. Only now have they decided to speak about the experience, revealing a new chapter in the odyssey that riveted the world after Snowden disclosed that the NSA had been monitoring the calls, emails and web activity of millions of Americans and others.

At the time, governments and news outlets were scrambling to find the source of the leaks, which were published in the Guardian and the Washington Post. In an interview recorded in a hotel room, Snowden identified himself and revealed he was in Hong Kong. Then he went into hiding. About two weeks later he turned up in Moscow.

It was never clear where Snowden was holed up during those critical days after leaving his room at the five-star Mira Hotel, when the United States was demanding his return. As it turns out, he was staying with Rodel and others like her  men and women seeking political asylum in Hong Kong who live in cramped, substandard apartment blocks in some of the citys poorest districts.

They were all clients of one of Snowdens Hong Kong lawyers, Canadian Robert Tibbo, who arranged for him to stay with them.

Rodel said Snowden slept in her bedroom while she and her 1-year-old daughter moved into their apartments only other room. Not knowing what he would eat, she bought him an Egg McMuffin and an iced tea from McDonalds.

My first impression of his face was that he was scared, very worried, she recalled.

Rodel said her unexpected guest was using his computer all day, all night. She said that she did not have Internet service but that Tibbo provided him with mobile access.

On Snowdens second day there, he asked Rodel whether she could buy him a copy of the South China Morning Post, the citys main English-language newspaper, she said. When she picked up the paper, she saw his picture on the front page.

Oh my God, unbelievable, she recalled saying to herself. The most wanted man in the world is in my house.

Jonathan Man, another of Snowdens lawyers in Hong Kong, said that he had initially considered hiding him in a warehouse but that he and Tibbo quickly dismissed the idea. Instead, after taking him to the United Nations office that handles refugee claims in Hong Kong and filing an application, they brought him to the apartment of a client seeking asylum.

It was clear that if Mr. Snowden was placed with a refugee family, this was the last place the government and the majority of Hong Kong society would expect him to be, Tibbo said. Nobody would look for him there. Even if they caught a glimpse of him, it was highly unlikely that they would recognize him.

There are about 11,000 registered asylum seekers living in Hong Kong, mostly from South and Southeast Asia. They generally cannot work legally and survive on monthly stipends that rarely cover living costs.

Tibbo said he turned to these clients for help in part because he expected them to understand Snowdens plight. These were people who went through the same process when they were fleeing other countries, he said. They had to rely on other people for refuge, safety, comfort and support.

He noted that Snowden was not wanted by the Hong Kong police at the time and that he had advised his clients to co-operate with the police if they showed up. He said his clients had decided come forward in the hope that the publicity would put pressure on the Hong Kong authorities to expedite their applications for refugee status and resettlement.

Rodel, for example, has been waiting nearly six years for a final decision on her application, which she declined to describe.

After a few days with Rodel and her daughter, Snowden spent a night with Ajith Pushpakumara, 44, who said he fled to Hong Kong after being chained to a wall and tortured for deserting the army in his native Sri Lanka.

Pushpakumara said he had listened to online radio broadcasts about Snowden and was surprised to suddenly find him in the dingy apartment that he shared with several men. He realized Snowden was in the same situation he was, hiding in a small room. I was worried about him, he said.

Supun Thilina Kellapatha, his wife and their toddler also sheltered Snowden, putting him up for about three days in their 23-square-metre apartment.

Kellapatha, 32, who said he sought protection in Hong Kong after being tortured in Sri Lanka, described their guest as a tired man who was unfailingly polite.

He said, You are a good man,  when he arrived at the apartment, Kellapatha recalled. But I feel he is better than me, because he respected me.

Kellapatha and his wife, Nadeeka Dilrukshi Nonis, said they were not worried about hosting Snowden. I dont think I take the risk, he said. He is the one who take the big risk.

When Snowden left, he left the couple $250 under a pillow, which they said they used to buy necessities for their daughter. Sometimes I tell Supun, maybe he forgot us, Nonis said. I want to tell him, Edward, how are you? We will never forget you. 

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MOSCOWRussian airline companies have cancelled dozens of flights and four airports are planning brief closures as Russia hosts massive military exercises in the south and the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

Russia on Monday launched six days of military drills involving 12,500 troops, fighter jets, anti-aircraft missiles and other weaponry. The defence ministry said in a statement it dispatched more than 30 military aircraft on Wednesday to check the readiness of Russias air defence in the south.

Russias flagship airline Aeroflot says it was cancelling six flights scheduled for Thursday from Moscow to the south because of the exercises. Other airlines cancelled about 20 more flights.

Four airports in the south, including one in the Crimean capital of Simferopol, said they would close briefly Thursday morning because of the drills.

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Donald Trump, who has repeatedly denounced pay-to-play politics during his insurgent campaign, is now defending himself against claims that he donated $25,000 (U.S.) to a group supporting the Florida attorney general, Pam Bondi, to sway her offices review of fraud allegations at Trump University.

Trumps payment of a $2,500 penalty to the Internal Revenue Service over that 2013 campaign gift amounted to only the latest slap of his wrist in a decades-long record of shattering political donation limits and circumventing the rules governing contributions and lobbying.

In the 1980s, Trump was compelled to testify under oath before New York state officials after he directed tens of thousands of dollars to the president of the New York City Council through a myriad subsidiary companies to evade contribution limits. In the 1990s, the Federal Election Commission fined Trump for exceeding the annual limit on campaign contributions by $47,050, the largest violation in a single year. And in 2000, the New York state lobbying commission imposed a $250,000 fine for Trumps failing to disclose the full extent of his lobbying of state legislators.

For the most part, Trump has seemed unrepentant. Testifying in 1988 about a $50,000 bank loan he had first guaranteed, and then repaid, on behalf of Andrew J. Steins successful campaign for New York City Council president, Trump made no bones about the move.

I was under the impression that I was getting my money back, he told the New York state Commission on Government Integrity.

In the Florida case, Trump is accused of using a large and timely political donation in 2013 to ward off a potentially thorny investigation by Bondis office: Days before the donation was made, The Orlando Sentinel reported that the New York state attorney generals office had sued Trump University and noted that Bondis office was weighing whether to join in that litigation.

A political aide to Bondi told The Associated Press earlier this year that the attorney general had solicited the donation in a conversation with Trump weeks before the Sentinels article. But Trump made the donation from his charitable foundation, in violation of tax regulations, and paid the penalty, as first reported by The Washington Post reported last week.

Trump and Bondi, who is supporting his campaign, have denied any connection between his donation and her offices decision not to proceed with an investigation. Asked about the subject Monday, he called Bondi beyond reproach and said he never spoke to her about that at all.

A spokesman for the Florida Attorney Generals Office, Gerald Whitney Ray, said the offices inquiry never came across Bondis desk: Lower-level staff members made the decision not to proceed with an investigation of their own. Ray also said the office never gave any thought to joining in the New York attorney generals case.

But Democrats and liberal watchdogs seized the opportunity to accuse Trump of practicing exactly the sort of corrupt politics that he rails against on the campaign trail.

Campaigning in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton demanded details of the conversation in which Bondi solicited Trumps donation.

The American people deserve to know what was said, because clearly the attorney general did not proceed with the investigation, she told reporters.

And Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for the liberal-leaning Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said Trumps donation to Bondi gave new meaning to his more recent boasts about the efficacy of his political giving.

It sure looks like that is what is going on here, said Libowitz, whose group filed a complaint about the donation with the IRS.

Though Trump denies it in the case of Bondi, he has been brazen in asserting that he has used political donations to buy influence  and routinely asks voters to trust that, because he possesses that insiders knowledge, he can reform a system he calls rigged.

During a Republican debate last summer, Trump responded about his ability to curry favour with public officials when he was confronted with one of his own statements: When you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do.

Youd better believe it, Trump responded. He added: When they call, I give. And you know what? When I need something from them two years later, three years later, I call them, they are there for me.

Indeed, Trumps history of political giving stretches back decades  and has repeatedly drawn regulatory scrutiny.

When a New York state commission investigated contributions to state and local officials in the 1980s, it subpoenaed Trump, who had contributed $150,000 to candidates in 1985. Under oath, he said he had circumvented the states $50,000 individual and $5,000 corporate contribution limits by disbursing his contributions to Stein, the city councilman, through 18 subsidiary companies.

My attorneys basically said that this was a proper way of doing it, Trump testified.

In an interview, Stein said he did not recall what Trump had sought in return for his contributions, or for a $50,000 campaign loan that Trump first guaranteed and then repaid. He denied ever agreeing to do Trump any favours.

Years later, Trump came under fire from the FEC for violating a $25,000 annual limit on contributions in the late 1980s. Trump resisted paying a fine, insisting that he had been unaware of the federal limit and that, once informed of it, he sought refunds.

Only when the commission threatened to take him to court did Trump agree to a $15,000 civil penalty, records show.

It was with similar reluctance that, in 2000, Trump apologized for failing to disclose to New York state officials that he had spent $150,000 to finance ads opposing a proposed casino in the Catskills, which he saw as a threat to his Atlantic City properties. The ads were created and placed by a political consultant, Roger Stone, and appeared under the name of a front group, the Institute for Law and Society.

A settlement led to what, at the time, was the largest penalty ever imposed by the state lobbying commission: Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts paid $50,000, and Stone and the front group each paid $100,000, without admitting wrongdoing. In a statement, all three said they apologize if anyone was misled.

In recent years, Trump has made tens of thousands of dollars in contributions to at least four state attorneys general  Bondi of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas, both Republicans, and the Democrats Eric Schneiderman of New York and Kamala Harris of California  whose offices have looked into complaints about Trump University.

Abbott, whose office considered a lawsuit against Trump University before the company left Texas in 2010, is now supporting Trump  who donated $35,000 to Abbotts successful 2014 gubernatorial campaign.

Harris office said it, too, was investigating the company, and an aide said she donated the $6,000 from Trump to charity.

Schneidermans fraud lawsuit is still pending. But Trump, whose donation of $12,500 to Schneiderman preceded his election, filed a state ethics complaint alleging that Schneiderman continued to seek donations, calling the fraud case a shakedown.

The state ethics panel declined last year to pursue Trumps complaint.

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On Friday, the U.S. government announced a ban on antibacterial soap, after years of research failed to establish these products were any more effective than plain soap and water. Canadians are often proudest of the things that make us most different from the United States, but on this front we would be wise to follow the example of our neighbours.

The ban covers soap or antiseptic products that contain any of 19 antimicrobial compounds. Manufacturers will have one year to remove the banned ingredients or get offending products off store shelves, though hand sanitizers and hospital-grade products arent included in the ban. This came about because FDA research suggests antibacterial soaps dont measure up to their claims, and are actually no better at cleaning than plain soap and water.

So why is this different from that shampoo that doesnt leave your hair quite as silky as the commercials promise? Partly its because we dont have any data showing that long-term use of antibacterial soaps is safe. In fact, there is some evidence that some of the banned compounds may negatively impact hormone levels and fetal development among other things. The longer-term, but much larger concern, is that antibacterial soaps give rise to resistant bacteria. After all, every time you wash these soaps down the drain, they go out into the world and interact with all the microbes they encounter.

Given all of this, banning these products seems like a wise move. Even if its the right thing to do, though, it wont be easy.

The first big obstacle is a cultural one. If this were just another hospital-level policy about swapping out one process, product or machine for another, it wouldnt make headlines. But soap is something we all use daily, and something that is tightly wrapped up in our cultural history. It is difficult to escape the long shadow of early Protestant values even in present-day Canada, including John Wesleys quip that cleanliness is next to godliness.

For many of us, washing the countertop and the kids hands isnt just about health but about industry, even virtue. When you pile this historical legacy on to all the advertising telling us these soaps are best, it means some people might be hard to convince.

Another obstacle is the recent and remarkable success of medical science in virtually eradicating infectious disease as a serious concern in Canada. These days most of us are worried about chronic conditions such as cancer or heart disease  its been at least two generations since anyone worried much about catching polio or gangrene. So, the threat of resistant bacteria might be so abstract for many that its difficult to see it as a problem.

But this is the crux of the issue: a sort of bacterial tragedy of the commons. Many Canadians feel  incorrectly, it turns out  that antibacterial soap is best for our family; when we buy it, we feel were making that personal decision in a vacuum.

The fact that using this soap might mean someone youve never met gets infected with a superbug may seem like a distant concern at best. But of course, if we all act this way, in ignorant self-interest, we all eventually lose. Giving up antibacterial soap is therefore a classic case of all of us needing to take action for the greater good of public health.

Naturally, some will argue this legislation is too heavy-handed: surely reasonable adults should be able to buy whatever soap they please? We have seen, though, that the community-wide harms are too great and individual incentives too low to effect change without top-down action.

Its always tough to admit youve been wrong and nobody likes to play catch up on matters of policy. Health in particular is one area Canadians like to think were light years ahead of United States. But on this one, well need to swallow our pride and move fast: the Americans got it right.

Mike Callaghan is a medical anthropologist and post-doctoral fellow with the University of Toronto and the AMPATH Consortium, Kenya.

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America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem, wrote Malcolm X more than 50 years ago after his hajj (pilgrimage). The reality is that its not just America that needs to understand it.

Millions will converge on Mecca this week. They follow the footsteps of millions more who have made the spiritual journey to the valley of Mecca since Abraham.

Last of the five Pillars of Islam (the others being affirmation of one God, five daily prayers, regular charity, and fasting in Ramadan), hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for those physically and financially able.

Hajj is essentially a re-enactment of the rituals of the great prophets. Pilgrims commemorate the experience of exile and atonement undergone by Adam and Eve after being expelled from heaven (according to Christians and Muslims). They also retrace the frantic footsteps of Abrahams wife, Hagar, as she ran between the hills of safa and marva searching for water for her thirsty baby (which according to Muslim tradition, God answered with the well of Zam Zam). Lastly, the pilgrims also mark the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son for the sake of God. Islamic tradition teaches that God later substituted a ram in place of his son. It culminates with Eid ul Adha celebrations.

Yet, hajj should be more than just these elaborate rituals devoid of any spiritual significance. The faithful hope for a deep spiritual transformation, one that will make them better humans.

As all great religions teach, we are more than mere physical beings. We possess an essence beyond the material. Indeed, this is why all major religious traditions include a form of pilgrimage. In the Islamic tradition, hajj encapsulates this spiritual journey toward this essence.

The spiritual and universal messages inherent in the hajj are all the more relevant given the current state of affairs, both within and outside the Muslim world.

As Ebrahim Moosa, an Islamic scholar, notes: after paying homage to the two women, Eve and Hagar, in the rites of pilgrimage, how can some Muslims still violate the rights and dignity of women in the name of Islam? Is this not a contradiction?

As the Quran teaches: I shall not lose sight of the labour of any of you who labours in my way, be it man or woman; each of you is equal to the other.

Clearly, the white sea of men and women side-by-side circumambulating the Kaaba (the cube structure Muslims believe was originally built by Adam and rebuilt by Abraham) should lay to rest any claim that Islam  as opposed to some Muslims  degrades women.

The fact that millions transcending geographical, linguistic, level of practice, cultural, ethnic, colour, economic and social barriers converge in unison on Mecca, attests to the universality of the hajj. It plants the seed to celebrate the diversity of our common humanity. Pilgrims, hopefully, return home enriched by this more pluralistic outlook and with a new appreciation for their own origins.

In fact, Malcolm X shed his black supremacist views and upon returning home he began a new more inclusive mission. Malcolm X understood that in order to truly learn from the hajj, its inherent spiritual lessons must extend beyond the fraternal ties of any one group to forge a common humanity. From characterizing whites as white devils, Malcolm X saw them as brothers and sisters in humanity.

Moreover, as part of the spiritual experience, the pilgrimage links people across religious traditions. These linkages combined with the Islamic teaching of the common origin of humanity holds out much hope. In fact, the Quran teaches: We created you from a single pair of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other and not that you might despise each other. The most honoured of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you. This is a great celebration of the diversity and unity of humanity.

The multitude of people with their inner beliefs and practices are all part and parcel of the divine scheme. Indeed, as the Quran makes clear, had God willed it so, everyone would have believed. Moreover, as the holy book insists, Let there be no compulsion in matters of faith, truth stands out clear from error.

Another spiritual message of the hajj is one of humility. No soul is better than another save and except as differentiated by their deeds and their intentions, which is to be judged by God alone. This acceptance of ones weaknesses, and submission to divine grace is central to Islam.

A successful hajj should inculcate rich inner peace, manifested outwardly in the values of justice, equity, honesty, respect, generosity, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and empathy. Clearly, these values are indispensable in todays world.

Contrary to clear religious teachings, racism, sexism, classism and the disparity between the haves and have-nots is starkly evident among Muslims. Sadly, this is even on display during the hajj.

For instance, some hotel rooms cost as much as $6,900 a night. The pilgrimage is supposed to be a spartan, simple rite of passage, but it has turned into an experience closer to Las Vegas, which most pilgrims simply cant afford, says Irfan Al-Alawi, the director of the U.K.-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation.

Having lived in many communities and travelled to many Muslim nations, including the holy places, I would paraphrase Malcolm X and say that today even Muslims need to understand Islam 

Faisal Kutty is counsel to KSM Law, an associate professor at Valparaiso University Law School in Indiana and an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. @faisalkutty.

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Removing a child from his or her home is one of the most traumatic and disruptive steps the state can take. So imagine the psychological damage if children, who may already mistakenly believe theyre being taken because theyve been bad, are placed in a jail.

Yet, unbelievably, that is one of the considerations in an ongoing and sweeping review of residential services provided for children in care in northern Ontario.

The problem that led to this perverse idea is real enough. One of the goals of the review is to keep foster children, many of whom are aboriginal, closer to the communities they come from. But a lack of foster care and group homes in the north means they are often sent to southern Ontario or beyond.

Still, housing them in youth detention centres in the north cannot be the answer. Ever.

Even the report that suggested the idea acknowledged: It could be perceived as punishment and be stigmatizing.

Nor is it entirely reassuring that a spokeswoman for the office of Ontarios children and youth minister, Michael Coteau, called the suggestion very notional. It shouldnt be considered at all.

Instead, the ministry should be looking at why there are so many northern and First Nations kids in care in the first place, and what services would help keep them in their homes, except in cases of abuse.

Thats right, not all kids are taken from their homes because of sexual or physical abuse. Instead, recent studies have pointed to poverty and racism as major factors in why children are removed from their homes.

For example, children whose families ran out of money for housing were twice as likely to be placed with foster parents or group homes, according to an analysis of Ontario children taken into care in 2013. Similar rates were found for families who ran out of money for food or utilities.

As Kenn Richard, executive director of Native Child and Family Services of Toronto, told the Star last June that more than 90 per cent of the families his agency works with are poor. The state intervenes on behaviour associated with poverty, but never gets to the poverty itself.

As for racism, aboriginal children are 130 per cent more likely to be investigated as possible victims of child abuse or neglect than white children, and 15 per cent more likely to have maltreatment confirmed. They are also 168 per cent more likely to be taken from their homes and placed into care.

As a result, 23 per cent of children in care in the province for at least one year in 2014 were First Nations. That is nine times greater than the 2.5 per cent of Ontarios under-18 population who are aboriginal.

After the apologies for placing aboriginal children in residential schools and the recent focus on the so-called Sixties Scoop, which saw First Nations children taken from their homes and placed with non-aboriginal families over two decades, its hard to believe that any study might suggest placing northern children of any race in care in youth detention centres.

The province must put its money into solving the underlying causes of neglect, especially poverty in northern and First Nations communities, and the problem of where to put many of these young children should resolve itself. With fewer children needing care in the first place, those who do need help can be placed in a foster care or group home closer to their families.

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The PIL terms the animal sacrifice on Eid-ul-Adha as cruel, inhuman, barbarian and an act which violates three articles of the Indian Constitution.

By Ahmad Azeem: A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court questioning the sacrifice of animals on Eid-ul-Adha(Bakr-Eid) and the validity of a provision of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, stating that the practice was "cruel, inhuman, barbarian" and cannot be protected in the name of religion.

The PIL, filed by seven Uttar Pradesh residents, has sought the SC's direction to ensure that no animal is killed during the festival, called the feast of sacrifice, which is to be celebrated early next week.

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MAKE THE PRACTICE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, DEMAND PETITIONERS

"Issue a writ, order or direction or declaration to the effect that the practice of sacrifice of animals on Bakr-i-Eid day is unconstitutional and same cannot be resorted to by any member of the public," the petition said.

The plea, filed through lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, has challenged the constitutional validity of Section 28 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act which exempts the killings under religious practices and reads: "Nothing contained in this Act shall render it an offence to kill any animal in a manner required by the religion of any community."

Read - BJP MLA to Muslims: Sacrifice sons instead of animals on Eid al-Adha



"Issue a writ, order or direction striking down Section 28 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 as unconditional, being ultra vires to Article 14,21 and 25 of the Constitution," it said.

The PIL has made Ministries of Home Affairs, Law and Justice and Environment and Forest and Animal Welfare Board of India as parties.

"PUBLIC SENTIMENTS ARE AFFECTED"

"Tendency to sacrifice animals, even on roads and public places, are developing fast every year on Bakr-Eid in the most uncouth and inhuman manner and litres of blood is spread at public places affecting the sentiments of public at large," the plea said.

Arguing the illegitimacy of the act of sacrifice in the name of religion, citing that it also violates several articles of Constitution, the PIL states, "It is most respectfully submitted that animals sacrifice on Bakr-Eid day is cruel, inhuman, barbarian, decency and morality and the same cannot be protected in the name of religion as such practice is in violation of Article 14, 21 and 25 of the Constitution of India."

Also read: Cow census starts in Bengal, claims BJP-backed outfit



--- ENDS ---
Re: National Bank profit rises on record banking earnings, Sept. 1

National Bank profit rises on record banking earnings, Sept. 1

A public dealing with unemployment, rising housing costs and a flat-lining economy might well wonder how banks are doing so incredibly well. The more altruistic might also wonder why these record profits by our nations banks arent resulting in improvement in the aforementioned problems.

Now in the case of National Bank of Canada (has a nice ring to it, doesnt it?), chief executive officer Louis Vachon advises, Net income showed good growth, mainly in the wealth management and personal and commercial segments. Apparently the rest of us are pretty much just chequing accounts, credit cards and mortgages  you know, the folks that pay the interest and service charges to use their cursed ATMs so they can lay off more staff and achieve record profits.

And just out of curiosity, when banks make provisions for specific types of losses, do they actually hold cash aside or do they buy insurance for that kind of thing? Are the provisions an asset or an expense?

Randy Gostlin, Oshawa

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Last week, JetBlue became the first U.S. airline in more than 50 years to operate a commercial passenger flight to Cuba.



The flight alone is a significant and historic occasion, one that was marked with much fanfare, beginning with the departure from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport where there was a Latin band, Cuban pastries and speeches from dignitaries.

Once the flight landed in Santa Clara, Cuba, the festivities continued. Passengers were greeted by a water cannon salute, crowds of curious Cubans and numerous local dignitaries.

"For the first time in decades, families separated by only a short stretch of water can easily and affordably visit a loved one, attend an important occasion or visit a special place - and the role we play speaks directly to our mission of inspiring humanity," said JetBlue's President and Chief Executive Officer Robin Hayes.

JetBlue Flight 387 however, signals much more than a new route for a single airline. It's the beginning of a new era in travel between Cuba and the United States, and JetBlue is merely the first U.S. airline out of the gate when it comes to initiating flights to the island nation.

In the coming weeks and months the floodgates will truly open, initially including flights from Delta, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit and United.

Between all of the airlines and all of their routes, the numbers of American travelers flooding into Cuba will increase in ways the Cubans are not likely prepared for.

"We've done the numbers," says Billy Sanez, vice president of marketing and communications for FareCompare. "If every seat is full on all of those airlines, that will amount to about 29,000 seats a week, times four weeks in a month, that's a pretty healthy number of travelers going to Cuba."

In addition, Sanez noted that on Wednesday of this week, the U.S. Department of Transportation gave the final green light to airlines that were specifically seeking approval to fly to Havana. The airlines receiving the Havana awards include network, low-cost, and ultra low-cost carriers such as Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines.

These newly approved flights will provide service to Havana from Atlanta, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York City, Orlando and Tampa.

"Because the airlines have not yet announced and started selling flights to Havana, we do not have an exact number, but I estimate it will add about 8,000 seats weekly," Sanez added.

As for JetBlue, and the Fort Lauderdale-to-Santa Clara route that kicked off this week, it will run three times a week until October 1 when it will become once-daily service.

The airline is also planning once-daily nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Camaguey and Holguin beginning in November, pending final Cuban government approval.

"It's a momentous time in not only aviation history, but is actually a reflection of where today's global tourism industry is heading," says Dean Wicks, Chief Flights Officer of Wego. "You could make comparisons with Myanmar, Iran and many other destinations that have historically been inaccessible due to the political landscape. When power returned to the civilian government in Myanmar in 2011, international arrival figures began to move upwards."

In addition to the multiple airline routes making travel to Cuba easier, ticket prices are also quite the bargain for the time being, further facilitating travel.

JetBlue's introductory airfare for its first three new commercial Cuba routes is $99 one-way. And that price includes something practically unheard of in the industry - one free checked bag.

To ease any hesitations or further confusion among U.S. citizens about travel to Cuba, JetBlue is providing each passenger with the Cuban government required health insurance and is facilitating completion of U.S. required travel affidavits (which limit travel to one of 12 specific categories).

JetBlue has built completion of the travel affidavit into the booking process, allowing it to be completed in a couple of clicks when purchasing a ticket.



All of this progress is the result of a deal reached by the United States and Cuba in February, to allow commercial flights to the island nation for the first time in decades.

But to be clear, none of this news means that leisure travel to Cuba is now officially allowed. It's still a point that requires clarification.

Because while travel to Cuba from the U.S. remains limited to 12 approved categories (things such as journalist activities, professional research or meetings, educational and people-to-people exchanges, family visits, religious activities and humanitarian projects), even this requirement has been eased.

Now, travelers can visit Cuba, and simply document on their own, their educational activities.

Providing the required documentation meanwhile, is as easy as keeping a journal, retaining tickets from such places as museums or taking pictures of your interactions with Cubans, says Sanez.

This is a significant break from the past, when the U.S. government required obtaining special approval for such trips. And that permission was only granted to travel companies authorized by the U.S. government to provide educational trips, not to individuals.

In March the federal government relaxed that requirement. In a move designed increase the ability of U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba and directly engage with the Cuban people, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced that individuals are now allowed to travel to Cuba.



JetBlue is also facilitating the required day-of-travel Cuban Tourist Visa requirements. These are separate from the U.S. regulated 12 travel categories. Cuba requires visitors to obtain an entrance visa to visa the island. JetBlue will sell the visas at check-in at its gateway airports or at the flight gates for connecting travelers. Travelers will still need to contact the Cuban embassy in Washington to determine the appropriate visa for their travel plans.

"Cuba is the last frontier for all airlines, because although airlines have had chartered flights there, this is the first time in more than 50 years that there are scheduled flights and so everyone is competing to outdo each other in terms of service," says Sanez.

The competition may be increased by international carriers as well, according to some travel industry watchers.

"Cuba has captured the imagination of the rest of the world too and I'd expect other international carriers to be considering in what ways they can tie into routes," says Wicks.

And as all of this competition between airlines powers forward, and the numbers of American travelers to the island increases exponentially, the question in many people's mind is what will be the impact on the island. Not only are airlines stepping up their offerings, but so too are cruise lines. Cuba, a place that has remained relatively untouched by the outside world, giving it a charm many have come to love, may soon be a very different place.

Some prefer to think that the impact will be subtle and far from immediate.

"The charm of the old cars and the old buildings, that's never going to go away," says Sanez. "Obviously there's going to be an influx of dollars there. Hopefully that will create something better. Maybe with more money the infrastructure will get better. I am Latin, and know a lot of Cubans who have left and second generation Cubans who have gone back and who feel there will be a big change, but a lot of that charm will remain on some level."
Chipotle Mexican Grill's (CMG) shares shot up late Tuesday and continued to climb Wednesday before markets opened as embattled activist Bill Ackman and his Pershing Square Capital Management launched an activist campaign at the restaurant operator.

In a securities filing, Pershing Square reported owning a 9.9% stake at Chipotle and said it believes it has a strong brand and visionary leadership. Nevertheless, the activist fund said it intends to engage in discussions with Chipotle about its strategic plans, capitalization and financial condition, suggesting that Ackman could seek to put it in play for a sale or at least have it franchise locations.

While it is unclear what strategic options Ackman wants to discuss. One option could be to try to force the chain to sell off stores to franchisees and use the proceeds for dividends or stock buybacks. In addition, an activist could try to push Chipotle to expand outside of the U.S. and find international operators for particular targeted countries, such as Germany or Australia. Currently Chipotle has very few international stores, no franchises and no owned real estate.

The Deal, a sister publication of TheStreet issued a Large Cap Target of the Week on Chipotle in July, predicting it could be targeted by an activist. The report noted that Chipotle in 2014 earned the dubious honor of garnering the largest protest vote by shareholders against its executive pay packages of any U.S. company. According to Semler Brossy, an executive pay consulting company, only 23% of Chipotle shareholders voted to back its executive compensation scheme that year, putting it on the bottom of a list of 60 companies that failed their so-called say on pay votes throughout the year.

In 2015, the burrito chain recovered getting 95% of shareholder support for executive pay. However, this year, it received the backing of only 72%, putting it in the bottom quartile and raising the specter that shareholders are turning disgruntled again.

Ackman could seize upon the disgruntled shareholder base, especially as the stock has dropped significantly from a high of over $700 a share to trade lately at around $414 a share. The drop was driven partly by last year's E. Coli and Salmonella outbreaks at the burrito chain.

The activist manager could put pressure on Co-CEOs Steve Ells and Monty Moran to reduce their executive pay packages.

In addition, John Gordon, restaurant analyst at Pacific Management Consulting Group, said a move to franchise internationally would make sense once the brand is "righted" from its lack of U.S. sales momentum.

"Chipotle needs first to insure an international supply chain giving it the specific products it wants," he said. "Otherwise, out of scope products could destroy the Chipotle 'brand promise' as it currently exists. The risk of franchising is loss of control."

In addition, Gordon suggested that franchising in the U.S. may not make sense given that even at its current lower sales levels the company's operating store margins exceed the toggle point where franchising makes sense.

The Wall Street Journal reported in July that short sellers, investors betting against the stock, had increased substantially in recent months, and at the time represented 16% of total outstanding shares.

In any event it is likely that Chipotle has until February to make some changes -- otherwise there is a real possibility the burrito chain will find itself in the crosshairs of a proxy contest. According to a Chipotle securities filing, shareholders seeking to nominate a dissident slate of directors for the 2017 annual meeting must do so between Jan. 11 and Feb. 10

The campaign comes after Ackman last month liquidated its remaining 6.6% stake in Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) , the fund's latest effort to unload shares in the wake of losses stemming from its large minority investment in embattled Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (VRX) .

Despite the Valiant struggles, a new activist campaign by Ackman may not be a surprise. Ackman said in a press release in August that the fund intends to use the proceeds from the liquidation of the CP stake to allocate towards one or more new investments.

CP announced Tuesday that Ackman has resigned from the board of the railroad operator, bringing to a conclusion a five-plus year campaign at the railroad company that had its ups and downs.
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) were falling 14.91% to $19.41 in early morning trade on Wednesday after the company reduced its same-store sales view for the 2016 third quarter and full year.

For the third quarter, the Phoenix-based food retailer now expects comparable-store sales to be roughly flat. Sprouts Farmers Market had previously estimated an increase between 3% and 4%.

For the full-year, Sprouts Farmers Market is looking for same-store sales growth between 1.5% to 2.5%, down from prior guidance of 3.5% to 4.5%.

The company also adjusted its projections for full-year earnings per share in the range of 83 cents to 86 cents, which is lower than prior estimates between 92 cents per share to 94 cents per share.

Sprouts Farmers Market said the update reflects "significant ongoing deflation," a more competitive promotional environment and the company's own "cautious outlook" for the rest of the year, according to a statement.

Additionally, the company announced a $250 million common stock repurchase program today.

Sprouts Farmers Market currently has 148.5 million shares of common stock outstanding and the new program represents roughly 7.4% of the company's total shares based on the current stock price.

Separately, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author.

TheStreet Ratings rated this stock as a "hold" with a ratings score of C.

The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, increase in stock price during the past year and impressive record of earnings per share growth. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including premium valuation, weak operating cash flow and poor profit margins.

You can view the full analysis from the report here: SFM
As St. Jude Medical (STJ) formalizes its rebuttal against short-seller Muddy Waters for what it deems are "misleading" claims about its devices' susceptibility to cyberattacks, now may present a buying opportunity for investors as the disruption isn't expected to be enough to stop the company from sealing its pending mega deal with Abbott Laboratories (ABT) .

Shares of the cardiac device maker retreated by more than 10% during their Aug. 25 trading session, tumbling as low as $73.40 a piece after Muddy Waters' launched its initial attack against the company.

The stock has since recovered some, as St. Jude on two separate occasions issued statements refuting the claims. Shares added less than 1% to $79.38 during Wednesday's trading session, though still remain below the highs seen in August north of $83 a piece.

The St. Paul, Minn.-based company on Wednesday revealed that it has filed a lawsuit against Carson Block's Muddy Waters and MedSec, the healthcare-focused cybersecurity research firm that provided the analysis in which the short-seller based its allegations on, and three individuals who are principals in these firm.

The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, claims that all defendants "intentionally disseminated false and misleading information in order to lower the value of St. Jude Medical's stock and to wrongfully profit from a drop in share value through a short-selling scheme."

St. Jude also said the complaint encompasses an assessment of the Muddy Waters report by University of Michigan researchers that does not support the former's conclusions.

"It is not unusual for a company like this to try to silence its critics and we are always prepared to vigorously defend our right to criticize a company that puts its profits before its patients," said Muddy Waters's spokesman Zach Kouwe, of Dukas Linden Public Relations.

While it remains uncertain whether MedSec will release any further damaging material, the extent of detail to which St. Jude went in its complaint likely implies that St. Jude feels confident in their position, Tao Levy of Wedbush said by phone Wednesday.

More importantly, the concerns raised by Muddy Waters at this point are "not big enough where you can call them a material adverse factor" likely to trigger any major FDA action that would prevent St. Jude's $30.7 billion agreement to be acquired by Abbott from being completed, Levy said.

Abbott's cash and debt deal for St. Jude was first disclosed in on April 28 and is expected to close by years' end. The announcement came less than three months after Abbott in early Febuary announced its $7.9 billion purchase of Alere (ALR) , a deal that's arguably facing even greater uncertainty.

There has been no time table set for a resolution to the lawsuit suit and representatives from St. Jude did not respond to requests for comment.

When it comes to St. Jude, Levy isn't alone his thinking. Other company followers have also deemed the penalization to St. Jude's stock as somewhat of an over-reaction.

While Muddy Waters' initial report sounded pretty bad at first, Michael Matson of Needham & Co. said St. Jude did a good job refuting the firm's claims. For now, it sounds like the company has reasonable security measures in place, he said.

"I don't see that deal falling apart," Matson said.

In an Aug. 26 research report by Jason Mills of Canaccord Genuity, the analyst recommended St. Jude "as a short-term trade on the long side" after coming to the conclusion that in light of the short report on St. Jude, which may have some merit, "the highest probability outcome is the ABT/STJ merger closes on time."

Cowen's Josh Jennings, meanwhile, wrote in an Aug. 29 report that it remains unlikely that the FDA will recall or issue a severe safety warning on St. Jude devices. Like the other analysts, he wrote that he believes the St. Jude-Abbott deal will close by years' end.
Anne Arundel County

The following incidents were reported by the Anne Arundel County police. For information, call 410-222-8050.

BROOKLYN AREA

ROBBERIES

Ritchie Hwy., 5700 block, 10:30 a.m. Aug. 30. A male stole cash from a business and fled.

GLEN BURNIE AREA

ASSAULTS

Dale Rd., 800 block, 10:20 a.m. Aug. 30. A homeowner armed with a knife, chased three workers from trimming a tree from power lines. A Glen Burnie woman, 55, was charged with assault.

Kirk Rd., 1700 block, 10:32 p.m. Aug. 28. A woman at a home threatened to stab her father and her boyfriend, and she chased the boyfriend out of the home. A Glen Burnie woman, 34, was charged with multiple counts of assault.

MILLERSVILLE AREA

ROBBERIES

Old Mill Rd., 400 block, 2:20 a.m. Aug. 27. Two males approached a male, punched him in the face and stole his phone, wallet and keys.

PASADENA AREA

ROBBERIES

Jumpers Hole Rd., 8100 block, 3:39 p.m. Aug. 29. A man went into a bank and said he had an explosive device, stole cash and fled. On Aug. 30, the suspect was found in Pennsylvania, and an arrest warrant for armed robbery and threatening to use an explosive device was filed.

SEVERN AREA

ASSAULTS

Reece Rd., 1100 block, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26. During an investigation of an assault, a youth began yelling and was disorderly. As officers attempted to calm her down, she punched an officer. A Severn female youth, 14, was charged with assaulting police.

Sage Brush Ct., 1700 block, 5:16 a.m. Aug. 28. A man forced his way into an acquaintances home and punched a man in the face. When officers arrived, the man struggled with officers and bit one. A Clinton man, 46, was charged with attempted second-degree murder, assault on police, home invasion, burglary and other counts.

Still Meadows Dr. and Jacobs Rd., 9:42 p.m. July 27. Responding to call about illegal motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles driving through a community, an officer was struck by an ATV. The driver was located Aug. 24 and charged with assault on police and hit -and-run.

Annapolis

These were among incidents reported by the Annapolis Police Department. For information, call 410-268-9000.

SEX OFFENSE

Tyler Ave., 1400 block, 2:51 a.m. Aug. 26. A man was found in a home touching a woman as she slept. An Annapolis man, 35, was charged with first-, third- and fourth-degree burglary, fourth-degree sex offense and trespassing.

ASSAULTS

Southwood St., 100 block, 6:41 p.m. Aug. 29. During an argument, a man cut an acquaintance on the thumb with a knife. A man, 39, was charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and carrying a weapon with intent to injure.

ROBBERIES

Bay Ridge Rd., 11:25 p.m. Aug. 31. An armed male robbed a business and fled.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Bricin St., 9 p.m. Aug. 26 to 8 a.m. Aug. 27. The glass from side mirrors on four vehicles was stolen.

Fair Hope Ct., 11 a.m. Aug. 8 to 1 p.m. Aug. 23. A sink and cabinet were stolen from a home.

Fifth St., 300 block, 11 p.m. Aug. 26 to 8:14 a.m. Aug. 27. A Global Positioning System device, a Bluetooth speaker and a fishing bag were stolen from a vehicle.

Maryland Ave., 8 p.m. Aug. 28 to 10 a.m. Aug. 29. A wooden carousel horse was stolen from a back yard.

McKendree St., 11:40 p.m. Aug. 27. A resident returning home found a woman in his house. A woman, 64, was charged with burglary

Northwest St., 4:45-8 p.m. Aug. 25. A soft top on a vehicle was cut, and cash and an emergency kit were stolen.

Sixth St., 300 block, 11 a.m. Aug. 26 to 12:10 a.m. Aug. 27. A Global Positioning System device was stolen from a vehicle.

Sixth St., 500 block, 11 p.m. Aug. 26 to 1 a.m. Aug. 27. A Global Positioning System device was stolen from a vehicle.

S. Southwood St., 200 block, 12:47 p.m. Aug. 26. A purse was stolen from a vehicle. An Annapolis man, 31, was arrested.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Taylor Ave., 12:30-2 p.m. Aug. 31. A vehicle ignition was tampered with.

Howard County

These were among incidents reported by the Howard County Police Department. For information, call 410-313-2236.

COLUMBIA AREA

ROBBERIES

Cloudleap Ct., 8700 block, 8:27 p.m. Aug. 28. Two males robbed a man at knifepoint.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Clarkville Pike, 10800 block, 6 to 11:30 p.m. Aug. 27. Cash was stolen from a home.

Cloudleap Ct., 8700 block, 1:28 p.m. Aug. 30. A door was damaged at a home.

Cobblefield Dr., 8600 block, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 31. A television and jewelry were stolen from a home.

Evergreen Ave., 10000 block, 5:04 p.m. Aug. 30. A wallet and a hearing aid were stolen from a home.

Flowerstock Row, 8800 block, 3:57 p.m. Aug. 29. A dirt bike was stolen from a shed.

Greystone Lane, 8400 block, Aug. 30 to Aug. 31. A front door at an apartment was pried open; nothing was reported stolen.

Hickory Log Cir., 7400 block, 12:45 to 1:14 a.m. Aug. 29. A door frame at a vacant house was damaged; it was unclear whether anything was stolen.

Kilimanjaro Rd., 9400 block, August. Locks on storage containers at a high school were cut over the summer.

Majors Lane, 2-3 p.m. Aug. 31. A door was kicked in at an apartment, and a vehicle was damaged. A Jessup man, 23, was charged with burglary and destruction of property.

Rainflower Way, 7500 block, 8:48 a.m. Aug. 25. A wallet, keys and a vehicle were stolen from a home. A Columbia male youth, 14, was charged with first-degree burglary, and other counts.

Saddle Dr., 6400 block, 2:09 p.m. Aug. 26. A screen was cut at a home; nothing was reported stolen.

Stevens Forest Rd., 5900 block, 6:11 p.m. Aug. 24. Electronic devices and a BB gun were stolen from a house.

Tamar Dr., 8300 block, 10:05 p.m. Aug 29. A lock on a rear door at a home was tampered with.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Birdhouse Cir., 9400 block, 5:50 a.m. Aug. 25. An Acura MDX was stolen.

Skyrock Ct., 8900 block, 12:12 a.m. Aug. 30. A 2004 blue Hyundai Sonata was stolen.

Swan Point Way, 7400 block, 7:20 a.m. Aug. 25. A Toyota Corolla was stolen.

ELKRIDGE AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Montgomery Rd., 5800 block, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 26. Jewelry was stolen from a home.

Old Washington Rd.,6100 block, 3:34 p.m. Aug. 30. Checks were stolen from a home.

INDECENT EXPOSURE

Sutton Ct. and Wesley Lane, 8:27 p.m. Aug. 29. A man in a vehicle rolled down his window, turned on an interior light and exposed himself to a woman. A Baltimore man, 24, was charged with indecent exposure.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Furnace Ave., 5700 block, 12:50 p.m. Aug. 29. A 2003 white Chevy van was stolen.

Hearthside Way, 7500 block, 11:33 a.m. Aug. 25. A motorcycle was stolen.

ELLICOTT CITY AREA

ROBBERIES

Frederick Rd., 9000 block, 4:41 a.m. Aug. 24. Three males stolen cigarettes and a donation jar at a business and a cellphone from an employee, and fled.

North Ridge Rd., 3200 block, 12:19 a.m. Aug. 25. During an attempt to leave a store with unpaid merchandise, a man assaulted an employee. A Columbia man, 21, was charged with robbery, theft, second-degree assault and drug possession.

ASSAULTS

Town and Country Blvd., 11:55 p.m. Aug. 27. During an argument, a man was cut several times. An Ellicott City man, 53, was charged with first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Autumn Field Ct., 5400 block, 4 a.m. Aug. 25. A garage door opener was stolen from a residence and a vehicles trunk was opened.

Baltimore National Pike, 8000 block, 7:05 a.m. Aug. 30. Cash was stolen from an office. A Forest Hill man, 33, and a Germantown woman, 25, were charged with second- and fourth-degree burglary, theft and other counts.

FULTON AREA

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Maple Lawn Blvd., 8100 block, 8:45 p.m. Aug. 28. A white-and-red BMW S1000 motorcycle was stolen.

HANOVER AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Louden Ave., 6500 block, 11:10 a.m. Aug. 29. Two men kicked in a front door of a home. An Accokeek man, 32, and a Odenton man, 32 were charged with first-, third- and fourth-degree burglary, theft, malicious destruction of property and failure to obey a lawful order.

JESSUP AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Spring Water Path, 9300 block, 9:17 p.m. Aug. 24. A door at a home was damaged; nothing was reported stolen.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Stayton Dr., 8200 block, 10:01 a.m. Aug. 29. A white Ford E350 van was stolen.

Washington Blvd., 8100 block, 11:22 p.m. Aug. 27. A purple Honda Civic was stolen.

Waterloo Rd., 7700 block, Aug. 21 to Aug. 27. A 2006 black Isuzu Ascender was stolen.

LAUREL AREA

ASSAULTS

Freestate Dr., 8700 block, 12:25 p.m. Aug. 28. During a party at a rental venue, a male was shot in the arm.

ROBBERIES

Norfolk Ave., 9600 block, 12:02 a.m. Aug. 25. Two people stole cash and a cellphone from a male, and fled.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Hitching Post Lane, 9600 block, 12:02 p.m. Aug. 24. A shed door was damaged; nothing was reported stolen.

INDECENT EXPOSURE

All Saints Rd., 9200 block, 3:30 a.m. Sept. 1. A male stood at the front window of a store with his pants unzipped.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Freestate Dr., 8700 block, 1:47 p.m. Aug. 30. A 2013 gray GMC Terrain and a 2013 gray Mercedes Benz C320 were stolen.

WOODBINE AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Lisbon Center Dr., 700 block, 3 to 3:50 a.m. Aug. 31. Cash and cigarettes were stolen from a store.
An association of private schools alleges that the D.C. government is illegally subjecting preschool teachers to random drug and alcohol testing, arguing in a lawsuit that the policy is a violation of the employees constitutional right to privacy.

The Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington  a nonprofit group of 75 regional private schools  filed suit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging that the drug tests unfairly single out preschool teachers at the citys private schools. The River School in Northwest Washington and two of its teachers also are plaintiffs in the case against the city and the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), which licenses childhood-development facilities. The association represents nine private childhood-development facilities in the District that fall under OSSEs drug-testing policy.

OSSE acknowledges that its policies do call for randomly drug testing preschool teachers at private schools, saying it is merely enforcing city policies meant to protect young children.

City law  the Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Amendment Act of 2004 (CYSHA)  requires private organizations licensed by the District government to establish mandatory drug- and alcohol-testing procedures for employees working in safety-sensitive positions. Those entrusted with the direct care and custody of children or youth are considered to be in safety-sensitive positions, according to the law.

[Court rules D.C. underserves and underidentifies preschoolers with disabilities]

The question is: Do preschool teachers fall in this category? OSSE says yes, but those challenging OSSE  and past rulings  suggest that the interpretation isnt so simple. A ruling in a similar administrative case found OSSEs drug-testing policy problematic, and this latest lawsuit contends that the agency has not changed its policies since that ruling.

The tests screen for alcohol and illegal drugs in urine samples. Even though consumption of marijuana is legal in the District, the citys Department of Human Resources says employers, including the city government, can prohibit marijuana use.

Arthur Spitzer, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of the Nations Capital, which is helping to represent the plaintiffs in the current case, said policies that call for testing of preschool teachers are an unnecessary overreach.

In every classroom there are two adults, Spitzer said. This is not a situation where a teacher can be impaired at work without other adults knowing about it right away.

And there are consequences for schools that wont do the drug testing. If a school does not follow the policies, OSSE can revoke its license to operate.

While the Office of the State Superintendent of Education cannot comment on pending litigation, we are always committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all the children in the District, OSSE spokeswoman Patience Peabody said in a statement. OSSE will use every available tool to ensure the safety of children in child development facilities, including full compliance with the relevant statutes of the District of Columbia.

The District government does not require traditional public school or charter schoolteachers to submit to random drug and alcohol testing.

In May, another private preschool filed a claim challenging OSSEs policy. The judge ruled in the schools favor, finding that D.C. law is unclear and that OSSE cannot revoke the schools license for not complying with drug tests. The ruling did not force OSSE to change its policy but suggested that it find consistency with rules that apply to employees at public schools.

The River School says OSSE is still conducting drug tests and has threatened to revoke the schools license if it fails to comply.
Rising fourth grader, Kevin Ramirez, 9, works on a self portrait during art class, part of a new summer program for low-income children in Montgomery County, Md. The program was not among those funded and studied by the Wallace Foundation. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

During their long, languid summers, lots of children forget the lessons they learned in school. But the hot empty months pose an especially big academic hurdle for poor children, whose families might not have time or money for camps or enrichment activities.

Now new research suggests that school districts can stave off the so-called summer slide by offering free, voluntary programs that mix reading and math instruction with sailing, arts and crafts and other summer staples. The research also shows, perhaps unsurprisingly, that students have to attend the programs regularly to reap the benefits.

We would hope that these findings would encourage district leaders and others to consider whether summer programs can help them achieve their broader goals, said Ann Stone of the Wallace Foundation, which funded the research as part of its $50 million National Summer Learning Project.

The new findings come as many districts have sought to minimize learning loss by shortening summer vacation or moving toward year-round schooling. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) bucked that trend last week when he issued an executive order prohibiting districts from starting class before Labor Day, a move that sparked backlash from district leaders who said it could cost students academically.

[Hogan orders Md. schools to start after Labor Day]

The new study, conducted by the Rand Corp., compared the performance of third-grade students who applied to and enrolled in five district-run summer programs the performance of third-graders who applied to those programs and did not get in.

The participating districts, which received funding from the Wallace Foundation to run their programs, were in Boston, Dallas, Duval County, Fla., Pittsburgh and Rochester, N.Y.

Although each ran its program differently, there were some commonalities. The programs charged no tuition and ran five days a week for at least five weeks, or 25 days; they offered free transportation and meals; they capped class size at 15; and they included at least three hours a day of math and language arts instruction.

Researchers found no long-term academic effects, on average, for all students who signed up. But that analysis included a significant number of children  about 1 in 5  who enrolled and then never actually attended. Some of those students had left the district altogether by the time summer rolled around; others dropped out for unknown reasons.

An additional portion of students  29 percent  had low attendance, showing up for 19 or fewer days.

But half of all the students who enrolled showed up and then attended for at least 20 days. And those students saw significant benefits in math: When they went back to school in the fall for fourth grade, their advantage over students who had not been admitted to the summer program was equivalent to about 25 percent of what the average student learns during the course of a year.

[Are summer camps the next frontier in helping disadvantaged kids catch up?]

The positive effect was persistent. By spring of their fourth-grade year, their advantage had shrunk but was still significant, about 13 percent of a students average annual learning gain.

The impact was stronger, and included not just math but also reading, for students who came back to the program for a second summer. Those students advantage translated to between 20 and 25 percent of typical academic gains, researchers found.

I was very heartened to see how well the high-attenders performed, said Rand researcher Catherine Augustine. She said she and her colleagues are confident that the differences between the two groups are due to the impact of the summer program, because they took into account demographics, prior achievement and other factors that could explain the results.

James Kim, a Harvard professor who studies summer learning, said previous research has evaluated two kinds of summer programs: specialized ones run by nonprofit organizations targeting small groups of children, or large-scale mandatory programs for students in a single district who need help to catch up academically.

The new research asked more generally whether districts can run large-scale, voluntary programs that make a difference for low-income kids. It fills a major gap in our knowledge base, said Kim, who was not involved in the project but has received funding from the Wallace Foundation for other work.

[Untapped strategy for ed reform: Summer learning]

The results raise two natural questions for cash-strapped districts: Are the academic benefits worth the considerable cost? And if so, how do you persuade kids to show up?

In Boston, where Mayor Martin J. Walsh (D) has been a vocal advocate for summer learning, city and school officials said the new research is helping to galvanize support for spending on summer programs. But its not a burden that the district can shoulder alone.

Boston Public Schools runs its summer program in partnership with the nonprofit Boston After School & Beyond, pairing certified teachers using district curriculums with community organizations that provide a range of enrichment activities.

The district estimates that the program costs about $1,500 per child. Wallace Foundation funding was critical for getting the program off the ground, said Turahn Dorsey, Bostons chief of education. Now the city is aiming to share the cost, with the school system, nonprofit organizations and philanthropists each picking up about one-third of the bill.

Its more sustainable if you have a set of partners to help carry the load, Dorsey said.

Boston school system officials said that improving attendance in the summer program is among their top priorities.

Chris Smith, executive director of Boston After School & Beyond, said it is key to design programs that are attractive to children  and to help children cultivate strong relationships with other students and staff.

I think were showing that a voluntary model of summer learning can get results, Smith said. Not every good policy has to be mandated.
By PTI: Cuttack, Sep 7 (PTI) A police constable was today suspended, a day after chitfund scam accused Arthatatwa (AT) group chief Pradeep Sethy who is admitted to SCB Medical College Hospital was caught on camera talking over mobile phone.

Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi suspended the constable accompanying Sethy while he was speaking over phone inside the hospital premises.

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An inquiry has been ordered into the whole incident, he said.

This is the second time that Sethy was caught on camera while in custody.

He was spotted yesterday inside the hospital here talking over telephone with an escort guard walking along with him. Seeing the media persons recording his activities, he immediately passed on the mobile phone to the escort guard and rebuked the cameramen for hounding him.

Earlier, he had allegedly given a telephonic interview to a private TV channel, which is also being probed.

It is also alleged that Sethy enjoys a lavish lifestyle despite being in custody.

Sethy was arrested in 2013 for his alleged role in the chit fund scam and was admitted in SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack after he made an attempt to commit suicide inside Jharpada jail in Bhubaneswar on August 1 this year.

Although he has recovered from the mental trauma, he is under treatment in the plastic surgery department.

"He is recuperating and would be discharged soon," said the hospital authorities. PTI COR SKN KK AYP

--- ENDS ---
The Prince William County School Board is considering a policy that would bar discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation, a move that comes as school districts across the country grapple with how  or whether  to accommodate transgender students.

The proposed policy would expand the districts existing rules prohibiting discrimination in schools to include the words gender identity and sexual orientation. If passed, the policy would forbid any discrimination against transgender and gay students and staff.

Home to Virginias second-largest school district, with 88,000 students, Prince William County is the latest to wrangle with how to deal with transgender students who prefer to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity and not their sex at birth. The school board in neighboring Fairfax County added gender identity to its nondiscrimination policy last year in the face of vocal opposition from parents who feared the policy would allow transgender students to use bathrooms that conflict with the sex on their birth certificate.

Such proposals have faced opposition from parents who worry that allowing transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice could violate other students privacy or create a safety risk. Some policymakers have sought to require students to use bathrooms that align with the sex on their birth certificate, saying such measures are necessary to safeguard students.

[Fairfax school board approves transgender protections]

A transgender high school student in Gloucester County, Va., sued the school board last year after it passed a policy banning him from the boys bathroom. In April, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit sided with the teen, deferring to the Obama administrations position that such prohibitions are a violation of Title IX, which bars sex discrimination in public schools. The school board has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.

[Gavin Grimm just wanted to use the bathroom. He didnt think the nation would debate it.]

The Obama administration in May issued a guidance letter to the nations public schools directing them to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity, a move that sparked immediate backlash and lawsuits from several states. A federal judge in North Texas issued a preliminary injunction last month halting the guidance.

Prince William school board member Alyson Satterwhite (Gainesville) said she is hesitant to proceed with a new policy with so much still in legal limbo.

If we are to make a policy change, the decision must be thoughtful, well planned out and deliberate, Satterwhite said. It is my thought that because there is so much existing litigation, we need to wait for decisions from the courts before we proceed. In my opinion, to do otherwise is irresponsible.

The district has no policy on how to accommodate transgender students when it comes to bathrooms and locker rooms. Schools Superintendent Steven L. Walts said such decisions have been left to principals, who work it out with the students and parents.

We have been working with those things in a very personal way with the school counselors in order to make accommodations, Walts said. I think we have been pretty effective.

[For Pr. William County transgender student, national debate on restrooms is just a start]

School board chairman Ryan Sawyers, who wrote the proposed policy, said he decided to act after a gunman in Orlando killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in June.

It inspired me to do what I can in my capacity as a school board member to protect those who are vulnerable, Sawyers said.
Larry Zimmerman at a meeting of the Military History and Veterans Discovery Group. On the screen behind him is a North Vietnamese poster celebrating truck drivers on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. (John Kelly/The Washington Post)

It was a complete coincidence that Larry Zimmermans lecture Tuesday to the Military History and Veterans Discovery Group took place on the very same day President Obama was in Laos announcing $90 million in U.S. aid to help clean up millions of unexploded bombs the United States dropped nearly 50 years ago.

Larrys talk was scheduled months ago. Its title: The Laotian Interdiction: An Aspect of the Air War in Vietnam.

Larry was an aspect of that aspect of that air war. In 1969, he was a 26-year-old Air Force captain stationed at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base in northeast Thailand, where some of the elements of a secret bombing campaign against Laos were overseen.

[Obama pledges $90 million to help clear remnants of U.S. bombing in Laos]

Because Larry would be using an overhead projector to show dozens of old-fashioned transparencies, his talk was jokingly billed as period-correct. He said it was just because he didnt trust PowerPoint not to crap out on him.

Marshall Sneiderman, left, and Larry Zimmerman talk after Zimmermans lecture on the U.S. bombing campaign in Laos during the Vietnam War. (John Kelly/The Washington Post)

Larry put up his first transparency, a map of Southeast Asia. Snaking down North Vietnam and into Laos and Cambodia was the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the route the communist North used to ferry men and materiel into South Vietnam.

The military history buffs meet monthly at the Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center in Silver Spring, Md. On Tuesday, there were about 30 attendees, mainly men, most older, some veterans of the Vietnam War. Each man knew his own little part of that war  the view from a Navy ship in Haiphong Harbor or from the banks of the Mekong Delta  but, nearly 50 years later, was curious about the other bits.

 Trail is cute, but its not accurate, said Larry, 73, of Rockville, Md. The Ho Chi Minh Trail wasnt some tiny goat track but a highway, cleverly concealed in places, with depots and repair facilities.

Larry was assigned to Task Force Alpha, an outfit that worked in secrecy at the edge of the Thai air base on Operation Igloo White. Nifty little camouflaged spikes called ADSIDs  air-delivered seismic intrusion detectors  were dropped from airplanes and buried themselves in the ground near the trail. Topped with antennae, they picked up the rumble of heavy vehicles. Some had microphones and could relay the sounds of trucks, the chatter of troops.

And when the enemy was detected, the U.S. bombers and gunships came in. Its estimated that 270 million bombs were dropped on Laos.

Sometimes, Larry said, a closer look was called for and hed request RF-4C Phantom reconnaissance jets out of Udorn, Thailand. Thats the plane my father flew in the Vietnam War, and its possible that Larry looked at some of the pictures my dad took.

Larry placed another transparency on the projector. It showed the aftermath of a bombing run, a patch of jungle turned into a moonscape of bomb craters.

All the photos were in black and white, Larry said. We joked it was a black-and-white country.

Someone asked why the United States didnt just bomb the enemy trucks when they were in North Vietnam, before they got to Laos.

Politics, someone said.

(We would bomb North Vietnam, eventually.)

Someone else asked whether it was true that President Lyndon B. Johnson would bigfoot his generals, choosing bombing targets himself.

This was a micromanaged war, someone offered.

It was a war we were winning for a while, and then we werent.

All we did wasnt enough, Larry said as he turned off the projector to cool. They outwaited us. It cost them a heckuva lot of people, a heckuva lot of trucks, a heckuva lot of money.

It cost us, too. Larry said he thinks often of the 58,000 Americans who died during the Vietnam War.

It seemed I ought to ask Larry whether he ever thought of the people on the other end of those seismic sensors, on the other end of those bombs, of the people unseen in the photographs my father took. Larry said that Laotian civilians would have stayed away from the Ho Chi Minh Trail, knowing it was a free-fire zone.

Still, most estimates put the number of Laotians killed during the war at 250,000. Laos has been called the most-bombed country on Earth.

It was your job; you didnt worry about it, said Larry, who after the war left the Air Force, joined the Army Reserve and spent 30 years working for the park and planning agency in Prince Georges County. I hate to sound cold and ruthless, but were professionals. It goes with the turf.

Even with all our technology  the microphones, the planes, the bombs  the weather dictated everything. When the rain came, neither side could do anything. Larry saw Obama on the TV news when the president arrived in Vientiane, the Laotian capital. There was a sea of umbrellas. The president carried one, too.

It reminded Larry of when he was in Southeast Asia. Forty days it rained in the summer of 69, he said. Monsoon rains for 40 straight days, the heavens emptying. It still seemed unbelievable.

Twitter: @johnkelly

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly.
Gov. Larry Hogan plans to embark on a seven-day trade mission to Israel this month with several members of his Cabinet and leaders from the states business, academic and Jewish communities.

Marylands Commerce Department announced the trip Wednesday, saying the Republican governor will depart Sept. 19 for a trip that will focus on Israels robust start-up culture and a strong presence in the high-tech fields of cybersecurity, biotechnology and life sciences.

More than 20 Israeli companies have offices in Maryland, and every governor of the state has visited the country for trade missions for at least the past 25 years.

Barry Bogage, executive director of the Maryland/Israel Development Center, which helped organize the trip, said Israeli start-ups rely heavily on connections with the United States, Europe and Asia.

Israel doesnt trade with its neighbors, and its a small domestic market, so entrepreneurs have to go international very quickly, sometimes before they even have a product on the market, he said.

The governors journey will take him through Tel Aviv, Beersheba and Jerusalem. Hogan is to deliver the keynote address at a conference of government representatives, investors and members of the start-up community. The governor, who is Catholic, also plans to visit sites including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Stations of the Cross, the Western Wall and Yad Vashem, Israels Holocaust museum.

Hogans entourage will include Maryland Commerce Secretary R. Michael Gill, Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn, who is joining the group in part to learn about security for transportation hubs, and Department of Aging Secretary Rona E. Kramer, who is Jewish and will advise Hogan on cultural matters.

More than two dozen representatives from outside the administration will also participate in the trip, including Jay A. Perman, president of the University of Maryland at Baltimore; Christy Wyskiel, economic-development adviser at Johns Hopkins University; Howard Libit, executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council; and Michael Friedman, president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.

The Commerce Department said the trip will cost the state an estimated $120,000 for members of the administration. Other participants will pay their own way.

Hogan visited Asia for a similar trade mission last year that included stops in Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo. He returned with a memorandum of cooperation formalizing trade between Japan and Maryland. Japan later authorized $2 million to help study a potential high-speed rail line between Baltimore and Washington.

During that trip, Hogan discovered a lump in his throat, which led to a diagnosis of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He said in November that he was cancer-free after 18 weeks of intensive chemotherapy.

The governor plans to speak about his personal experiences with the disease during a seminar on cancer research at Israels Hadassah Medical Center.
Maryland Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp (D) blasted Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Wednesday for ordering schools to start after Labor Day, describing his recent executive order as an abuse of executive authority.

I was very surprised to see it happen, Kopp said. We have a long history of local governance of our schools.

Kopp made the remarks at the beginning of the semi-monthly meeting of the Board of Public Works, a three-member panel that reviews major state expenditures and includes Kopp, Hogan and Comptroller Peter Franchot (D).

Kopp said she did not initially plan to mention Hogans action, which has caused a major firestorm, but felt compelled to address it after Franchot, a strong advocate for the later school start, praised Hogan from the dais for signing the order last week.

[Hogans order leaves Democrats squirming]

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) (Brian Witte/AP)

Kopp said she looks forward to an opinion expected this week from the state attorney generals office on whether Hogans actions were legal. Im sorry it was done this way, she said.

Hogan told Kopp she was in the minority.

About 10 percent of the people of Maryland agree with you, he said, referring to an a unscientific survey on WBAL-TVs website that asked whether school should start after Labor Day. As of Wednesday night, more than 9,000 people had responded, and 92 percent of them said yes.

A similarly unscientific poll on www.washingtonpost.com, which was posted days later and has drawn fewer responses so far, showed 54 percent of people opposing a post-Labor Day start, and 46 percent supporting it.

A scientifically valid Goucher poll from 2015, when the legislature was considering a bill to mandate starting school after Labor Day, found that about 72 percent of residents favored the idea.

Well see how it plays out, Kopp told Hogan at the meeting.

The previous governor was also in favor of this, Hogan retorted.

But he did not use his authority to do it, Kopp interjected.

Im talking now, the governor said, patting Kopp on the arm and explaining that the legislature appointed a task force that included teachers and administrators to study a later school start.

He said the legislature failed to act because of pressure from the teachers union. Currently, all but one school district in Maryland begins classes before Labor Day.

We just did the peoples business, Hogan added. We have every right to do so. . . . Were just providing a start date and an end date, and the school systems all get to make up their own calendars.

The governor dismissed some of the arguments being made against a later start date, saying it was nonsense that schools will have to do away with Christmas and spring breaks as some lawmakers and school officials who oppose the order have argued.

Its ridiculous, he said. Some of these school systems have 15 mandated days off by the teachers union to do various things.

I appreciate your opinion, Hogan told Kopp. It just happens to be wrong.

After the two went back and forth for about three minutes, Franchot said: Gosh, Im sorry I brought the subject up. The room, filled with state employees, burst into laughter.

You just saw democracy in action, Franchot said.

And if the legislature wants to go against 90 percent of the people, they have every right to do so, Hogan added. I think it would be a mistake.

[Take our poll: How would a post-Labor Day start affect your family?]
Thursday, Sept. 8

Historic Manassas walking tour Learn the history of the city. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Thursday-Friday at noon, Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William St., Manassas. 703-368-1873. www.manassasmuseum.org. Free.

Farm to Table Dinner Sponsored by the Prince William Environmental Excellence Foundation, participating farms include Yankey, Evergreen Acres and Rainbow Acres and Ross Moore Orchard. The evening includes a tour of Evergreen Manor House, a wine tasting by the Winery at La Grange and dinner. 6 p.m. Evergreen Country Club, 15900 Berkeley Dr., Haymarket. 571-379-7514. www.pwswcd.org. $85.

Gallery reception The exhibit Climate Art & Action presents photographs focused on climate change and sustainable responses. 6 p.m. Hylton Performing Arts Center, Buchanan Partners Art Gallery, 10960 George Mason Cir., Manassas. jconnor8@gmu.edu. 703-993-7759. www.hyltoncenter.org. Free, reservations required.

Admiral Robert Shumaker talk The former Vietnam prisoner of war discusses his experiences at the Hanoi Hilton. 7:30 p.m. The Freedom Museum, Manassas Regional Airport, 10600 Harry Parrish Blvd., Manassas. Free.

Light and Dark An exhibit featuring mosaics by Diann Root of Alexandria and paintings by Steve Myles of Oakton. Through Oct. 3, Artists Undertaking, 309 Mill St., Occoquan. 703-494-0584. www.theartistsundertaking.com. Free.

Jamie McPhail and Caleb Mathews exhibit Works by McPhail, an encaustic artist, and oil paintings of clouds by Mathews. Through Sept. 17, Center for the Arts, 9419 Battle St., Manassas. 703-330-2787. www.center-for-the-arts.org. Free.

Friday, Sept. 9

9/11 ceremony The event will include the reading of the names of the 22 county residents killed on 9/11 and laying of a wreath. 9 a.m. McCoart Administration Building, Liberty Memorial, 1 County Complex Ct., Woodbridge. 703-792-6000. Free.

American Legion dinner The public is invited to dinner with a different special every week. Proceeds support local veterans and the community. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Woodbridge American Legion, 3640 Friendly Post Lane, Woodbridge. 703-494-4304. www.vapost364.org. $5-$15.

Fall Festival The annual event features rides, games, crafts, a silent auction, music and a quilt raffle. Friday 6-11 p.m. Saturday 4-10 p.m. Holy Family Catholic Church, 14160 Ferndale Rd., Dale City. 703-670-8161. Free.

Saturday, Sept. 10

Yoga on the Lawn Vinyasa yoga taught by certified yoga instructor Christopher Glowacki. 9 a.m. Rippon Lodge Historic Site, 15520 Blackburn Rd., Woodbridge. 703-499-9812. www.pwcgov.org/ripponlodge. $5.

Home buyer seminar Presented by local real estate broker Bob Hummer. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Strayer University, 13385 Minnieville Rd., Woodbridge. 703-878-4866. www.military-realestate.com. Free.

Potomac River blockade history tour On a pontoon boat, a historian discusses the significance of the Confederates blockade along the Potomac during the Civil War. Lunch is included. Sponsored by the Prince William County Historic Preservation Division. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Leesylvania State Park, 2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Dr., Woodbridge. 703-792-4754. $45, reservations required.

Bands, Brews & Barbecue The sixth annual event features more than two dozen breweries, local barbecue, music by Skribe, Harlen Simple and BrickYard Road, and a cornhole tournament. Noon-6 p.m. Manassas Museum, lawn, 9101 Prince William St., Manassas. 703-361-6599. www.manassasmuseum.org. www.visitmanassas.org. $35, designated driver $10.

Family Day: Robotics Learn all about the role of robotics and robots in the Marine Corps. Noon-3 p.m. National Museum of the Marine Corps, 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Triangle. 877-635-1775. www.usmcmuseum.com. Free.

Reunion An exhibit of paintings by Barbara Sullivan and wood art by George Jones III. Sullivan and Jones were colleagues in the medical field before retiring. This is their first joint show. Artists reception Saturday 1-4 p.m. Through Oct. 2. Loft Gallery, 313 Mill St., Occoquan. 703-490-1117. www.loftgallery.org. Free.

Boxwood primer talk Stephen Southall of English Boxwoods of Virginia discusses boxwood care and maintenance. 1-3 p.m. St. Benedict Monastery, basement meeting room, 9535 Linton Hall Rd., Bristow. 703-792-7747. Free, registration required.

Lucasville School tour Learn about the different teaching methods, tools and games used at the one-room schoolhouse. 1-4 p.m. Lucasville School, 10516 Godwin Dr., Manassas. 703-367-7872. $5.

WWII Dance The lodge is transformed into a World War II dance hall canteen with Big Band music and refreshments. Guests are encouraged to dress in period attire. Discounts for active-duty military. 7-10 p.m. Rippon Lodge Historic Site, 15520 Blackburn Rd., Woodbridge. $30.

Sunday, Sept. 11

Pooch Plunge Bring your dog for a swim. Must bring proof of current rabies vaccination from a vet. 1-3 p.m. Veterans Memorial Park, 14300 Featherstone Rd, Woodbridge. 703-491-2183. www.pwcparks.org. $6 and a bag of pet food. Registration required.

Art Journaling Hosted by Yellow Brick Road Studio, no art or writing experience necessary. 2-4 p.m. Vint Hill Craft Winery, 7150 Lineweaver Rd., Vint Hill. kerryc627@yahoo.com. 540-351-0000. www.vinthillcraftwinery.com. www.vinthillcraftwinery.com. $25, journal $7.

Bingo Proceeds support local veterans. Doors open at noon on Sunday with games beginning at 2 p.m. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. Mondays with games beginning at 7:15 p.m. Woodbridge American Legion, 3640 Friendly Post Lane, Woodbridge. 703-494-4304. $15 minimum.

Monday, Sept. 12

Job search network group Plus discussion of various topics related to the search process. 1-3 p.m. House of Mercy, 8170 Flannery Ct., Manassas. 703-659-1636. Free.

Bingo Proceeds support Dale City Knights of Columbus activities and charities. Doors open at 6 p.m. with games beginning at 7:30 p.m. VFW Post 1503, 14631 Minnieville Rd., Dale City. 703-491-2378. $9 minimum.

Wednesday, Sept. 14

Lake Ridge Toastmasters Club Members 18 and older develop their public speaking and leadership skills. 7:30-9:15 p.m. Tall Oaks Community Center, 12298 Cotton Mill Dr., Lake Ridge. 703-491-3020. contact-8913@toastmastersclubs.org. lakeridge.toastmastersclubs.org. $34-$64 membership fee.
Shots were fired into an occupied house in Prince William County Sunday in the latest of a series of incidents in which homes were struck by gunfire this year in both Prince William and Fairfax counties.

No injuries were reported in the Sunday incident, which occurred in the 3300 block of Vineland Place in the Dumfries area, the Prince William police said.

They said a bullet apparently pierced a kitchen window and then embedded itself in an interior wall. When the homeowner checked the house, a second bullet hole was found in exterior paneling. In addition, police said they determined that a bullet had also struck a neighboring home.

According to police, officers were sent to the area shortly after midnight, when shots were heard. No immediate signs of gunfire were found at that time. The shots that struck the houses were apparently fired between midnight and 7:30 a.m., police said.

Prince William police are investigating at least eight incidents this year of shooting at occupied homes. In Fairfax, a house in the Herndon area was struck twice in July. One bullet lodged in the mattress of a girl lying on it.

Police have not reported any links among the incidents.
A little more than 10 years ago, Generoso Jerry Capodilupo, after a decade as a substitute teacher in Boston public schools, began contemplating a holy life.

A lifelong Catholic and the son of a painter with work on display at the Vatican, Capodilupo entered into what Catholics call discernment: visiting religious orders to see if he could devote himself to Jesus Christ.

Capodilupo spent time with priests and monks in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Hawaii and Washington, D.C. By 2010, he said he was far enough along to call himself a monk on his Facebook page, which lists his employer as God.

As a MONK, someone who has renounced the world and all its vainities [sic], this is somewhat different than usual, Capodilupo wrote in his first Facebook post on May 16, 2010. This is all new to me. I will go slow. I am not too sure I really want to come out and be part of this insane world.

But as the years went by, Capodilupos thousands of Facebook posts, written under the name Jerry Lupo, began to veer from meditations on his faith to conspiracy theories, anti-Semitic rants and screeds against religious communities he accused of rejecting him.

Now, Capodilupo, 60, is accused of taking his opinions from the Internet to the real world. He sits in D.C. Jail facing multiple counts of defacing public or private property after allegedly writing anti-Semitic graffiti in Chinatown in separate incidents last month.

[Man, 60, arrested in anti-Semitic graffiti case in Chinatown]

Police say Capodilupo wrote the word Jew on an image of the Chinese zodiac rat on a crosswalk at Seventh and H streets NW. In two other incidents, he allegedly drew swastikas on windows and tables of a Starbucks in Chinatown, as well as at another Starbucks at Seventh and E streets NW.

Henry Escoto, Capodilupos attorney, said his client denies the allegations against him.

Were challenging the government on their evidence, Escoto said.

Its not clear what brought Capodilupo to Washington. But according to public records, interviews with priests he met and his Facebook posts, he has spent more than a decade traveling from city to city, searching for some sort of religious community. In between, there were a couple of arrests and convictions for trespassing, including one last year in Arlington. A restraining order was issued against Capodilupo in Hawaii in 2011.

Capodilupo was born in Boston, where his father was a real estate broker and artist. One of his paintings was displayed at the Vatican.

He became estranged from his family after attending Suffolk University in Boston and getting involved with drugs, according to his brother, Luciano Capodilupo.

The family have tried back years ago to assist as much as possible, said Luciano Capodilupo, who added that he hadnt seen his younger brother in at least 10 years. We still love him, but theres nothing we can do because he has to do it himself.

Luciano Capodilupo said his brother taught public school in Boston and eventually moved to Hawaii, where he married.

Capodilupos pretrial services report indicates he is married, though no record of a marriage could be found in public records.

His Facebook page occasionally refers to his time as a teacher  I got in trouble with the filthy radical zionist jews and freemasons back in 2002 when i taught my Boston School pupils about the Genocide, he wrote on May 26.

A spokesman for Boston public schools said Capodilupo resigned his position there in 2004 to relocate to another state.

Sometime after that, Capodilupo spent time at the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary, a religious community of priests and monks in Linwood, N.J., but he did not take vows there.

Father David Lupo of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary said he met Capodilupo in Massachusetts around 2005.

He was just a little odd, thats why we didnt take him, Lupo said, adding that they turned him down for vitriol against the Sacred Heart community.

Capodilupo would later excoriate the priest on Facebook.

This priest is clueless, selfish and useless, Capodilupo wrote. I told him that he was a dead beat Catholic Priest. Its not clear when Capodilupo landed in Hawaii, but in 2010 he began talking about his island home in Facebook posts, commenting on its beauty and light trade-winds.

Im a teacher, artist (I love michaelangelo and Salvador Dali) psychologist and trained and experienced psychotherapist, he wrote from a Starbucks. Im writing a book on my spiritual journey and experiences along the way. I wish [to] compare and contrast Mental Health and Illness in relationship to psychology, relegion and society.

The coffee shop Capodilupo wrote from on the North Shore of Oahu was about 10 miles from the Benedictine Monastery of Hawaii, where staff said he attempted to join the order.

Father David Barfknecht, the orders prior, said he remembered Capodilupo as an intelligent, homeless man who may have been struggling with mental illness.

Jerry is an interesting case, Barfknecht said. But just trying to connect his own perception of things to how other people perceive things is probably a challenge.

Barfknecht said Capodilupo spent about two weeks there as he contemplated joining. He was living in a cave on the beach trying to be like Jesus, Barfknecht said.

His application proved unsuccessful.

He just wasnt manageable in the sense of taking direction, taking guidance, the prior said. It wasnt because of particular violence or hate speech.

According to Capodilupos Facebook page, he arrived in the Washington region in late 2014.

Father Christopher Wyvill of St. Anselms Abbey in Northeast Washington said Capodilupo visited the abbey in March of this year.

Wyvill said Capodilupo initially approached him for help writing a book, and stayed for a meal and evening prayers. But Capodilupos talk of conspiracy theories was a red flag for the abbeys residents, as was a YouTube video he forwarded to Wyvill comparing Jesuits with war criminals.

He did not stay here, as far as I know, Wyvill said.

Wyvill soon became the focus of one of Capodilupos posts.

After talking with Fr. Chris of the Benedictine Order at St. Anslems here in Washington D.C. DID I FIND OUT AND REALIZE ONCE AGAIN THAT SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING TO HIM THAT LED HIM TO HAVE A VERY PREJUDICIAL NEGATIVE ATTITUDE, he wrote on April 2. Very not Christian.

Capodilupo, whose next court appearance is Friday, has not written on his Facebook page since June 16, when he called Pope Francis the Antichrist.

But a month earlier, he offered a gentler message, quoting Auguries of Innocence by Romantic poet and religious visionary William Blake. The poem mixes visions of heaven with stark images of hell.

To see the world in a grain of sand / and heaven in a wild flower / hold infinity in the palm of your hand / and [eternity] in an hour, Capodilupo wrote.

Peter Hermann contributed to this report.
By PTI: Cuttack, Sep 7 (PTI) A police constable was today suspended, a day after chitfund scam accused Arthatatwa (AT) group chief Pradeep Sethy who is admitted to SCB Medical College Hospital was caught on camera talking over mobile phone.

Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi suspended the constable accompanying Sethy while he was speaking over phone inside the hospital premises.

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An inquiry has been ordered into the whole incident, he said.

This is the second time that Sethy was caught on camera while in custody.

He was spotted yesterday inside the hospital here talking over telephone with an escort guard walking along with him. Seeing the media persons recording his activities, he immediately passed on the mobile phone to the escort guard and rebuked the cameramen for hounding him.

Earlier, he had allegedly given a telephonic interview to a private TV channel, which is also being probed.

It is also alleged that Sethy enjoys a lavish lifestyle despite being in custody.

Sethy was arrested in 2013 for his alleged role in the chit fund scam and was admitted in SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack after he made an attempt to commit suicide inside Jharpada jail in Bhubaneswar on August 1 this year.

Although he has recovered from the mental trauma, he is under treatment in the plastic surgery department.

"He is recuperating and would be discharged soon," said the hospital authorities. PTI COR SKN KK AYP LNS

--- ENDS ---
Thursday, Sept. 8

Solomons Island farmers market Local vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods, wine, meat, seafood and flowers. 3-6:30 p.m. Solomons Island Riverwalk, Solomons Island Road, Solomons. 410-535-4583.

La Plata book discussion Age 18 and older. Cleopatra: A Life, by Stacy Schiff. 7-8 p.m. Charles County Public Library, La Plata Branch, 2 Garrett Ave., La Plata. 301-934-9001. Free.

Friday, Sept. 9

CalvART reception for Num6ers and Figure$ The event will be in memory of sponsor Thomas Rymer Jr. of Rymer and Associates. 5-8 p.m. CalvART Gallery, 110 Solomons Island Rd., Prince Frederick. calvartgallery.org or 410-535-9252.

American Legion shrimp dinner Includes side dishes. 5:30-7 p.m. American Legion Post 206, 3330 North Chesapeake Beach Rd., Chesapeake Beach. 301-855-6466 or alpost206.org. $12.

North Beach farmers market Local vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods, wine, meat, seafood and flowers. 6-9 p.m. North Beach Boardwalk, Bay Avenue and Fifth Street, North Beach. 410-535-4583.

Saturday, Sept. 10

Barstow farmers market Local produce, baked goods, wine, meat, seafood and flowers. 7:30 a.m.-noon, Calvert County Fairgrounds, 140 Calvert Fair Dr., Barstow. 410-535-4583 or 410-535-0026.

Waldorf book discussion A Passage to India, by E.M. Foster. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Charles County Public Library, P.D. Brown Branch, 50 Village St., Waldorf. 301-645-2864. Free.

Southern Maryland Decorative Painters meeting Includes an art show and paint-in. Supply list needed to paint. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Charlotte Hall Library, 37600 New Market Rd., Charlotte Hall. 301-884-2835 or learntopaint2016@gmail.com. smdpaint.org. Free.

Story time at Greenwell Stories, songs and activities for ages 6-10. 10-11 a.m. Greenwell State Park, 25420 Rosedale Manor Lane, Hollywood. 301-373-9775 or greenwellfoundation.org. Free.

Harry Potter program Age 9 and older. Celebrate going back to school with a game of Quidditchby making a wand. 1-4:30 p.m. Charles County Public Library, P.D. Brown Branch, 50 Village St., Waldorf. 301-645-2864. Free.

Car show Proceeds benefit United Methodist Church mens charities. 2-7 p.m. Mount Zion United Methodist Church, 27108 Mt. Zion Church Rd., Mechanicsville. 301-481-0360.

Paws to Read program Ages 6-11. Kids improve reading skills while reading to a certified therapy dog. 2-4 p.m. Charles County Public Library, La Plata Branch, 2 Garrett Ave., La Plata. 301-934-9001. Free; registration required.

Year-round open skate For all ages. Saturdays at 6-9 p.m. Leonard Hall Recreation Center, 23145 Leonard Hall Dr., Leonardtown. 301-475-4200, Ext. *1800. $5, skate rental $2.50.

American Legion country dance Lessons at 7 p.m., dancing 8 p.m.-midnight. American Legion Post 206, 3330 North Chesapeake Beach Rd., Chesapeake Beach. 301-855-6466 or alpost206.org. $15, includes soft drinks, draft beer and light snacks.

Sunday, Sept. 11

American Legion breakfast Includes hot cakes, sausage, bacon and chipped beef. 8-11 a.m. American Legion Post 206, 3330 North Chesapeake Beach Rd., Chesapeake Beach. 301-855-6466. $10, ages 6-12 $5, age 5 and younger free.

Hollywood drive-through fried chicken dinner Includes parsley potatoes, green beans, a biscuit and cookies. Drinks can be purchased. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, 43256 Rescue Lane, Hollywood. 301-373-3131 or mallgrammy@md.metrocast.net. $12.

Knights of Columbus fried chicken dinner Dine in or take out. Desserts available. 11:30 a.m. St. Michaels Catholic Church, 16441 Three Notch Rd., Ridge. 301-872-4641. $12.

Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department vendor fair Hosted by the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department ladies auxiliary. 1-3 p.m. Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 28297 Old Village Ave., Mechanicsville. tic82225@msn.com. Space rental $30.

Monday, Sept. 12

Home-school workshop For students and parents. Learn how to use the library resources and services. 2-3 p.m. Leonardtown Library, 23250 Hollywood Rd., Leonardtown. 301-475-2846. Free.

Chesapeake Choral Society auditions For the 2016-2017 season. Auditions are by appointment only and include warm-ups, pitch matching and vocal exercises. 6:30 p.m. Peace Lutheran Church, 401 E. Smallwood Dr., Waldorf. 301-642-0594 or chesapeakechoral.com.

Pax River Quilters Guild meeting Guest speaker Ann Littleton will discuss applique. 6:30 p.m. Good Samaritan Lutheran Church, 20850 Langley Rd., Lexington Park. paxriverquiltguild.com. Guests $5.

Tuesday, Sept. 13

Mobile veterans center Counseling, outreach and referrals provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. College of Southern Maryland, 8730 Mitchell Rd., La Plata. vetcenter.va.gov. Free.

Medicare information program Learn about Medicare A, B, C, D from the state health insurance program. 10-11:30 a.m. Charles County Public Library, La Plata Branch, 2 Garrett Ave., La Plata. 301-934-9001. Free.

Veterans benefits seminar Offered by Calvert Memorial Hospital and Calvert Hospice. 1-2 p.m. Calvert Memorial Hospital, 100 Hospital Dr., Prince Frederick. 410-535-0892. jfleming@calverthospice.org. 410-535-4000. calverthospice.org/education-seminars. Free.

Story time for those with special needs For all who are on the autism spectrum. Includes songs and stories. 2-2:45 p.m. Charles County Public Library, Potomac Branch, 3225 Ruth B. Swann Dr., Indian Head. 301-375-7375. Free.

Ready to Vote? Learn How! Includes voting machine demonstrations and absentee information for students and military members. 4-6 p.m. Lexington Park Library, 21677 FDR Blvd., Lexington Park. 301-863-8188. Free.

Southern Maryland Civil War Roundtable Guest speaker Daniel C. Toomey will discuss the Maryland Line Confederate Soliders home in Pikesville. 7 p.m. College of Southern Maryland, 8730 Mitchell Rd., La Plata. 301-934-7625 or somdcwrt.org. Free.

Wednesday, Sept. 14

Small Business Administration program Learn what you need to create a business plan and start a business. 9:30-11:30 a.m. Waldorf West Library, 10405 O'Donnell Pl. , Waldorf. 301-645-1395. Free.

CSM mobile veterans center Counseling, outreach and referral services from the Department of Veterans Affairs. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. College of Southern Maryland, 22950 Hollywood Rd., Leonardtown. vetcenter.va.org. Free.

Church dinner Enjoy a light supper followed by fellowship. 5:30 p.m. North Beach Union Church, 8912 Chesapeake Ave., North Beach. 410-257-3555. Free.

College Ambassador Connection program Includes college preparedness classes presented by Americorp Vista for those who are thinking about heading to college. 6-7:30 p.m. Leonardtown Library, 23250 Hollywood Rd., Leonardtown. 301-475-2846. Free.

Young Parent Food and Fun Night For those 25 and younger and their children 5 and younger. Meet with teen librarians and learn about the resources available at the library and from county government agencies. 6-7:30 p.m. Waldorf West Library, 10405 O'Donnell Pl. , Waldorf. 301-645-1395. Free.

Thursday, Sept. 15

Mobile Veterans center Confidential services offered by U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affair Readjustment Counseling Service. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Waldorf West Library, 10405 O'Donnell Pl. , Waldorf. 301-645-1395. Free.

Car seat safety check program Learn if you have the proper car seat for your child and how to harness your child correctly. Appointments can be made by calling the Calvert County Sheriffs Office. 3-6 p.m. Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department, 3170 West Ward Rd., Dunkirk. 410-535-2800. 301-855-8895.

 Compiled by Bonnie Smith

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U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) radiated confidence Tuesday night as he greeted potential voters after a campaign forum at Virginia Hospital Center.

Beyer, a first-term federal lawmaker who represents Alexandria and Arlington, stuck to progressive tenets in addressing a crowd of several dozen neighborhood activists. He said his top goals are addressing climate change, which he called the existential crisis of our age; imposing tougher gun-safety laws; and supporting civil rights for women, minorities and immigrants.

Virginias 8th Congressional District is a good district for a Democrat, he said, noting that President Obama got 68 percent [of the vote]  twice.

Just like two years ago, when he won the general election with 63 percent of the vote, Beyer has amassed a campaign fund that swamps his opponents. He reported about $1.4 million raised as of June 30.

[Republicans choose candidate to oppose Beyer in Northern Virginia]

His Republican challenger, first-time candidate Charles Hernick, has raised about $31,500. Independent Julio Gracia, a retired FBI special agent, said Tuesday that he will spend no more than $2,000 on his race and does not plan to raise funds. (A write-in candidate who did not participate in the forum, Michael D. Webb, has reported $13,000 in mostly self-funded receipts.)

The conventional wisdom is Don Beyer has already won this race, Hernick said during the forum.

What? exclaimed Gracia, in mock surprise, prompting laughter from the audience.

Hernick, an economist and environmental consultant, said that if elected to Congress he would push for economic growth, including tax restructuring, stronger national security and more efficient government.

Were in the slowest economic recovery since World War II. The world does not feel safe, he said. Quite frankly, I expect more from my congressman.

Beyer cited strong employment statistics and said the nation is still building back from the 2008 recession.

Beyer and Hernick split on whether universal health care should be required of employers, with Hernick saying the 30 million Americans who remain uninsured are a testament that the Affordable Care Act is not working. Beyer said the 20 million who signed up for health insurance through the act is not trivial and that a public option is needed for health insurance.

On foreign affairs, Beyer said that, like it or not, the United States is the policeman of the world. He predicted that Islamic State terrorists will have gone the way of al-Qaeda in two years.

Hernick said he is not nearly so optimistic about the Islamic State. If I get to Congress, I will declare war on radical Islamic terrorism, he said.

Gracia, who outlined generally liberal positions on universal health care, tax restructuring, campaign finance reform and other issues, said he would be an antidote to gridlocked national politics.

The Cook Political Report ranks the district as solid Democratic, giving Beyer  a former lieutenant governor  a 16-point advantage.
Richard Mattox, left, and Ronald Hobson, center, greet Virginia Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott before he hosts a roundtable in Alexandria. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

In a tradition he has kept for 40 years, Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott threw open his familys sprawling back yard for a Labor Day cookout, a ritual that marks the real start of the political season in this state.

But this year, an undercurrent of intrigue pulsed through the gathering: As he welcomed several hundred guests, Scott (D-Va.) was also launching his unofficial bid for a U.S. Senate seat that is not yet open.

This is a big year for our potential United States senator, Bobby Scott! Scotts niece, state Del. Marcia Cia Price (D-Newport News), shouted to the crowd. The nation is watching Virginia. . . . We have to show that we have his back.

As the senior Democrat in Virginias congressional delegation, Scott, 69, has emerged as the front-runner to fill Tim Kaines Senate seat if Democrats win the White House in November and Kaine becomes vice president.

The first African American to serve in Congress from Virginia since the 1890s, Scott would again break the color barrier if Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) appoints him as the first black senator from the commonwealth.

Virginia Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott in Alexandria. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

Yet for all the symbolism and feel-good value of such an appointment, some Democrats privately express reservations about entrusting a seat that could decide the balance of power in the closely divided Senate to a candidate who has never won statewide, is considered less than dynamic and has been an anemic fundraiser.

The concerns are magnified by the singular challenge faced by anyone appointed to fill Kaines seat: That candidate would assume office in January 2017, run in a special election in November, and then turn around and run again for a full term the very next year.

The only person to pull off that political hat trick in the nations modern history was, coincidentally, another Virginian: Harry F. Byrd Sr., the patriarch of the conservative Democratic machine that blocked the desegregation of Virginias public schools.

Ironically, Byrds strategy of massive resistance to the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education prompted Scotts father to send his son to an elite private boarding school in Massachusetts at age 12.

If Kaine becomes vice president, Virginia would probably host the only Senate race in the country in 2017, and, depending on the outcome of this years election, control of that chamber could hinge on the Virginia seat. The high stakes would attract donors  and pressure: Hillary Clinton, if elected, would need a Senate majority to confirm Supreme Court justices and other appointments and to further her agenda.

Were talking about a Senate that could be on a knifes edge, said David Wasserman, House editor for the Cook Political Report. It could truly take on a national import.

McAuliffe has said about 20 people have indicated an interest in the seat, but he refuses to discuss potential appointees, aside from saying he wants a diverse congressional delegation.

Those close to him say that, in addition to Scott, he would have to consider Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), a former lieutenant governor and ambassador in the Obama administration who can raise the cash to run statewide. Another possibility is Del. Jennifer L. McClellan (D-Richmond), a corporate attorney who led McAuliffes transition team and considers Kaine her political mentor. She would be the second-ever African American woman in the Senate.

Political observers in Virginia and around the country say Scott deserves the right of first refusal  and not only because his appointment would make history and cement McAuliffes legacy as a champion of minorities.

Although Scott lacks a signature policy achievement, elected officials from both parties say he has forged a reputation as a hard worker and policy wonk over a 40-year public career, first in the General Assembly and then in Congress. His work has focused on civil rights and criminal-justice reform, timely issues as the nation debates sentencing as well as the relationships between police and communities. He is the ranking Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee.

Scott was one of three members who voted against the rosy-sounding Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 because it created a new mandatory minimum prison sentences.

There are a great many folks in Congress whose knowledge on these issues is about as thin as the piece of paper its written on, said Cornell William Brooks, president of the NAACP. Were at a moment in the nations history when we need people of substance.

People like Scott, he said.

Pressure is building on McAuliffe, who was greeted with chants of Bobby! at a labor conference in Williamsburg last month, according to Virginia AFL-CIO President Doris Crouse-Mays.

A few weeks earlier, Scott was speaking to the Virginia delegation at the Democratic National Convention when McAuliffe walked in the room. Scott beamed and asked the crowd to welcome the governor  my new best friend.

Days after Clinton tapped Kaine as her running mate, the push for Bobby Scott began: The Congressional Black Caucus, former governor L. Douglas Wilder  himself the nations first black governor since Reconstruction  Virginias congressional delegation, and Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who is running for governor, all lined up behind him.

He would be a great senator. Not good, great. One of the brightest members of the entire Congress, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) said in a phone interview.

Some Democrats, however, question the wisdom of committing to Scott, who has never faced a competitive reelection race in 24 years in Congress or raised more than $525,000. Thats a small fraction of the minimum $20 million experts say it costs to run statewide.

His biggest donors include the American Association for Justice, which represents trial lawyers; the National Education Association; public-sector unions; and  like most elected officials in Virginia  the Richmond-based utility giant Dominion Resources.

Scotts persona is that of a policy wonk, someone more interested in details than dazzle. Even as he hosted his Labor Day cookout, he stood with his arms crossed and smiled sheepishly, leaving it to his niece to engage the crowd. Despite his decades in public service, Bobby Scott is not a household name in Virginia.

Hes not demonstrated, until recently, an ambition for higher office, said Quentin Kidd, a political scientist at Christopher Newport University in Scotts district. Theres an uncertainty whether he can raise money.

Scott bristles at the suggestion he wont be ready. Ive fundraised all Ive needed to do to get 70 percent of the vote, he said, cutting off a reporter who asked about finances.

His district was at the center of a federal redistricting lawsuit in which Democrats successfully argued that Republicans illegally concentrated black voters in his district. In other words, it was safely his from Day 1.

But Scott grinned behind his designer eyeglasses and invoked the famous story John F. Kennedy told about his father who wired, Dear Jack, Dont buy a single vote more than is necessary. Ill be damned if Im going to pay for a landslide.

Scott added: Ill be able to raise whats necessary.

Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus PAC, said members will help him raise cash and donors from around the country who want to see more African Americans in the Senate will send checks. Currently, there are two: Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.)

Just because he hasnt had to do it doesnt mean he cant do it, Meeks said.

Bobby Scott said he plans to ramp up fundraising and hire staff in anticipation of the fight ahead.

His presence on the ballot in 2017  with statewide elections for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general  could help Virginia Democrats turn out their voters. President Obama won the state twice, but Democrats have had a harder time winning in off-year elections, when turnout typically drops off dramatically.

Theres no one more experienced than Bobby Scott at earning African American votes, Wasserman said.

To that end, Scott has worked hard for Clinton, attending at least a dozen office openings and rallies since February, including seven after Kaine joined the ticket.

[How did deeply red Virginia become such a challenge for the GOP in a single decade?]

Hours before boarding a flight to a recent education conference in Detroit, Scott campaigned for Clinton among black business leaders at the Northern Virginia Urban League. Scott joked that, among African Americans, Trump ranks fourth in a two-way race.

Ive always been insulted with the term African American outreach,  he told the group, adding that the phrase suggests a campaign has to go outside itself to find black voters.

Then someone asked how Clinton could inspire young people the way Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) had. Scott responded with logic.

You got a choice, he said. Either Clinton or Trump will be president. The stark contrast makes it hard for me to imagine what the confusion is.

More professor than politician, Scott struggles to deliver a sound bite. A simple question elicits a methodical treatise, full of facts and historical data, about why the other side must be wrong  which it often is, according to Scott.

He arrived in Congress in 1993, after working on criminal-justice reform in the state legislature, and promptly voted against President Bill Clintons crime bill.

If you look back and check the transcripts, Scott said, I could have written those things last week. . . . You really have a choice with crime policy: You can reduce crime and save money; or you can codify slogans and sound bites and do nothing about crime and load up the prisons. We now lock up a higher percentage of our population than any country on earth. By far.

Scott says he has fought to push through incremental policy initiatives that matter to his Hampton Roads constituency.

He helped shape the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, which reduced the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. And he sponsored the 2014 reauthorization of the Death in Custody Reporting Act, requiring state and local police to tell the federal government when someone dies in custody or during an arrest.

The Justice Department has lagged in enforcing the law, frustrating Scott.

His aides say its too early to discuss strategies for a Senate run but noted that Scott won competitive state Senate races in a predominantly white district.

True to his low-key style, Scott is relying on others to carry his message to McAuliffe, which may or may not be the best strategy.

At his cookout, the band leader called Democratic bigwigs to the stage, singing Its Our Time. Northam; Kaines wife, Anne Holton; and dozens of local elected officials, including mayors and city council members, gathered around Scott in front of the stage under an enormous honey locust tree.

Only McAuliffe stayed home.
The states most financially troubled city has begun taking drastic steps to fix its budget after an extraordinary airing of public rage and disapproval.

The Petersburg City Council adopted a series of tax increases and spending cuts late Tuesday to help close a $12 million shortfall in the municipal budget and stave off a financial meltdown for this city 20 miles south of Richmond.

[City on the brink: The sharp, painful fall of Petersburg]

The cuts are ugly  including $4.1 million less in funding to city schools, reductions in city salaries, the shutting of museums and curtailments in public services  but were necessary to head off a potential shutdown of city operations. Petersburgs credit has been downgraded to junk status by Standard & Poors, and it cant get the short-term financing it needs to keep functioning.

Hundreds of people packed the auditorium at Petersburg High School for a five-hour meeting that stretched past 10 p.m. Council members sat on a stage facing the audience as residents went to a microphone, one by one, to comment on proposed tax increases.

A local paper sums up the predicament faced by the residents of this city, south of Richmond, that is on the brink of financial collapse. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

It was every elected officials nightmare: a punishing condemnation of a long list of civic failures. Black and white, old and young, the residents were united by an anger that transcended their individual issues.

This is our city. It is time that you get this city back on track. We surrendered in 1865, and Ill be damned if we do it in 2016, said Michael Edwards, referring to the fall of the city to the Union Army toward the end of the Civil War. His angry demands drew applause from black and white residents alike.

People ask how we got in this situation. I will tell you it is by voting for incompetent leadership, Beth Whitten said to roaring cheers. I have a petition for the removal of every member of City Council, she said, drowned out by a standing ovation.

[Petersburg was once a very different place]

Adding to the uneasy air, the beefy police officers lining the auditorium were there to provide security  but also to see their department get cut. Fire and emergency personnel worked themselves into a frenzy, shouting and stabbing the air with angry gestures.

The meeting had a straightforward agenda: Each proposed revenue increase  raising taxes on lodging, meals, cigarettes, personal property and trash collection  had a separate hearing and vote, followed by one on overall cuts to the budget.

But as soon as people began taking turns at the microphone, there was no limiting their fury.

Petersburgs interim city manager, Dironna Moore Belton, stands on the platform at the old city depot in Petersburg. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

Sometimes, the crowd got carried away with simply venting: There was the same amount of applause for speakers who pleaded not to cut the fire department as for someone who complained that the fire department had too many captains and consumed too many resources.

Speakers demanded accountability, with incompetence and mismanagement the constant watchwords. Has there been embezzlement? Could the city go into receivership, with an overseer appointed by the state? Do the council members even live in Petersburg?

I understand the frustration of all of us. I do, Council member Darrin Hill said at one point. But we all understand some cuts have to be made. All of them are painful to this council.

No one disagreed, but there was no stopping the outpouring of frustration. Do not continue to try to build or operate this city on broken backs, thundered Linwood Christian.

After railing that the citys BB credit rating is the equivalent of a crackhead standing on a street corner, resident Doug Murtland sat in the audience and marveled at the spectacle. Were stuck, he said. As bitter a pill as this is, I feel sorry, somewhat, for some of the City Council, because this is political suicide for them.

Commented Richard Taylor, a lifelong resident whose family once owned a clothing store downtown: This is truly an embarrassment to everybody up there and in this audience, who dont understand what kind of situation were really in.

When one woman tried to caution the crowd against simply tarring city officials, reminding them that the city has a long list of delinquent taxpayers, she was shouted down. It is so easy to blame them up there, she began, and someone shouted, Oh, no  youre wrong, sister! She tried to continue, We all have a share . . . in mismanagement but was drowned out by angry shouts.

The package of cuts and taxes was proposed by interim City Manager Dironna Moore Belton, who uncovered the citys significant financial predicament after being tapped for the temporary job in March. She brought in the state finance agency to examine the citys books and hired PFM Group to suggest what actions were necessary to get the budget back in line.

Over the past few years, Petersburg spent all its reserves and racked up at least $14 million in unpaid bills. The city also has a structural shortfall in its operating budget of about $12 million  a gap between revenue and spending that only stands to deepen in coming years.

No city or county in Virginia is in anything like Petersburgs predicament, which was brought on after years of the council approving spending plans either without being aware of the financial problems or looking the other way. The city used rolling short-term tax-anticipation financing to paper over the problem.

At the public hearing, for all the intensely personal pleas to spare museums, schools or aid to indigent defendants  all of which the council then voted to cut  nothing was as passionate as opposition to the plan to close one of the citys four fire stations.

Fire and rescue personnel had staged a rally outside before the meeting, and most in the auditorium fanned themselves with red fliers distributed by the fire department.

Frances Pinky Brown told of how fire and rescue personnel saved her son from a diabetic coma and how, when she couldnt get anyone else to help with a burst water heater, she called 911. The fire department came and cut the water off and even vacuumed my house to get the water out, she said. In tears as she described rescuers efforts to help her son, and speaking through eruptions of cheers and applause, Brown begged: I dont want to lose them. I would give them $100 a month  I would write them a check.

In the end, perhaps worn out by nearly five hours of fiery criticism, the council resolved to restore funding for the fire department, practically the only agency spared. Now it will have to find that $675,000 somewhere else, with the clock ticking toward bills due in October and the need to secure short-term financing.

Belton, who is applying for the full-time city manager job, thanked the council for acting and disclosed that had it not, Standard & Poors was prepared to downgrade the citys bond rating by another three notches.

In one final note after the hearing, Mayor Howard Myers noted that the council will meet again within the next 15 days to interview candidates for the permanent post of city manager.
Prisoners spent two months creating this painting, which hangs in the office of the Center for Adoption Support and Education in Burtonsville, Md. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

Just a Kid

Im just a kid, speaking

his heart for those who

like to listen. Im just

a hoodlum, causing trouble

For two months a dozen inmates created a mural for the Center for Adoption Support and Education, a nonprofit headquartered in Burtonsville. (Rosanne Skirble /For The Washington Post)

wherever I go. Im just

a scared little boy, crying

out for help,

Im just me.

D.M.

from Something Else Within:

An Anthology of Poetry

From Project Youth ArtReach

D.M. was a teen at a Montgomery County detention center when he signed up for a poetry workshop. His teacher, Bulgarian poet Lyubomir Nikolov, remembers him as a suspicious kid among youths arrested on charges that included gang violence, assault, theft and drug-related offenses. Nikolov, who has taught poetry in the county jail and detention centers for more than a decade, uses the lyrical language and imagery of his homeland as a way to reach the teens and unlock their creative voices.

D.M.s poem is one example of the results of Nikolovs work.

Its hard for them to open their hearts and speak about their own lives. Its a tough thing to do, believe me, Nikolov said. D.M. slowly adopted my tricks: to use simple words, short sentences and honesty.

Since 2000, Project Youth ArtReach has been bringing artists, poets, storytellers, dancers and drummers to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility and youth detention centers. From June 2015 to June 2016, the group held 339 workshops and 24 performances by visiting artists, reaching about 3,250 detainees. This month,Project Youth ArtReach is hosting eight ongoing workshops in visual, literary and performing arts at four institutions, for about 100 people at each site.

The project is a core program of Artivate, a Silver Spring nonprofit group that receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, plus state and local agencies.

The goal is to offer participants an opportunity to learn about art, reflect on their lives in a safe space, cultivate new skills and experience success, said Claire Schwadron, Project Youth ArtReach director. The arts programs offer a reminder of what makes us human, what connects us. Practically speaking, staff feels the youth are learning and engaged, and usually the workshops reduce stress and provide some calm moments.

That perception is backed by research. In 2014, the National Endowment for the Arts sponsored the Prison Arts Resource Project, an annotated bibliography of 48 studies from across the United States that concluded that art programs in correctional facilities are worth the investment of time and money. Among the benefits: decreased violence, reduced racial tension, bolstered self-esteem and lowered recidivism.

The arts encourage a freedom of expression thats normally not allowed within prison culture; they help inmates tap into emotions they normally cant access or process, and they also help break down barriers and build positive relationships among inmates, said Beth Bienvenu, NEA accessibility director.

Schwadron helped jump-start that cultural change in 2004, when she persuaded Warden Robert Green, now director of the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, to host Le Vent du Nord, a French Canadian folk group. They came with fiddles and guitars and instruments that included spoons, bones, jaw harps and a hurdy-gurdy. The show was an overwhelming success, Schwadron said, ending with a standing ovation and a dance-off between a band member and an inmate.

Project Youth ArtReach has grown to incorporate local and touring artists from Ghana, Greece, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, the Lakota Sioux Nation and South Africa. They run eight- to 10-week sessions in painting, drumming, storytelling, ceramics and poetry.

Among them are visual artists Peter Krsko of Slovakia and Alicia Cosnahan of Belgium. The pair team-teach mural workshops. For two months in the spring they worked with a dozen inmates on the Womens Therapeutic Program Unit to create a large painting for the Center for Adoption Support and Education, a nonprofit group based in Burtonsville, Md.

Center director Debbie Riley and senior marketing manager Melisa Rogers met the inmates, who listened attentively as they described the center and its mission. Riley and Rogers then watched the artists in action. Using an overhead projector, the inmates traced images of an imagined utopia with daffodils, a blazing sun and a dove carrying an inspirational message to prayerful hands.

Back in their studio in the District, Krsko and Cosnahan turned those drawings into stencils that the women then arranged on two 4-by-8-foot aluminum panels. For security reasons, the jail prohibits bringing in most art supplies, so Krsko and Cosnahan had to get creative with their materials. They settled on sponges dabbed into paint to color in the stencils, working layer after layer to create a composite image.

The bird in flight on the panel carries the Center for Adoption Support and Educations motto: Nurture, inspire, empower.

This is what we strive to do as an organization, and thats what the women here today have done, Riley said. I know that many of them have themselves grown up in foster care or have had to relinquish children, and so to be able to create something that is so positive and heartfelt is really an incredible experience.

For the inmates, the work is also about giving back.

It gives me a glimmer of hope that people who see this will know that someone cared about them, said an incarcerated mother of two whose name is being withheld for privacy reasons. Another, who turned 69 in jail, had worked for the Prince Georges County public schools for 32 years before her arrest last year. The former teacher welcomes what she calls stress-free moments to channel her emotions. It helps me keep my strength and carry on through this journey, because it is very hard, very difficult.

We want people to know that were not just sitting here whittling away, wasting our time, she said. We are ladies. We still have minds. We feel and we have heart.

In another wing of the jail, men ages 18 to 21 are housed in the Youthful Offender Unit: Choices for Change Program. Theyve completed a six-foot square mural they call Nature of Conflict, which includes a Bob Marley look-alike and a woman with blue garlands in her hair. The two are shown back-to-back, as a raging lion and a pair of doves tower above.

Theres hostility, but this shows that you can rise above that. We can deal with it and start a new page, one youth offender said to Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County staff members gathered to receive the mural.

Krsko and Cosnahan have watched this transformation many times as artists-in-residence at the jail and in other detention centers.

By bringing art into lives of these people, maybe we can teach them something new, and then they can take ownership over their own lives and neighborhoods, Krsko said.

Since the Le Vent du Nord performance in 2004, Green has been a believer in the arts as a force for change and a gateway to a GED and other skills that will help the more than 65 percent of the inmate population who are most likely to return home and not go on to long prison terms.

One of the worst things to manage in any correctional facility in the country is violence, Green said. And when people are idle and have nothing to do, violence erupts. The arts become a great equalizer in that.

Lyubomir Nikolov agrees. He believes that poetry has the power to change lives. Thats why the naturalized U.S. citizen keeps coming back to teach. His secret: If you love those kids, they will repay you with the same. They are incredible human beings, and you just have to gently guide them to miracles, he said.
More than a year after her death, Women Airforce Service Pilot Elaine Harmon was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. Her family fought a ban from the army that refused to recognize female WWII pilots for burial in the cemetery. (Video: WUSA9 / Photo: Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

More than a year after her death, Women Airforce Service Pilot Elaine Harmon was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. Her family fought a ban from the army that refused to recognize female WWII pilots for burial in the cemetery. (Video: WUSA9 / Photo: Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

The Chick Fighter Pilots were on a mission Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery.

These are women who fly F-16s, who scramble to take down enemy planes, who pull nine Gs, who dogfight. And theyre fearless dropping the kids off at day care, too.

They gathered on a hot September morning to honor one of the pioneers who made everything they do possible: Elaine Harmon.

Please know how much she helped change the world, Maj. Heather Lucky Penney told Harmons family.

Penney, an F-16 pilot who scrambled over Washington on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, on a potential suicide mission to take down Flight 93 before it could hit Washington, considers Harmon her spiritual grandmother.

Elaine Harmon, who died at 95, became a pioneer by joining the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). But her family had to fight to get her buried at Arlington. (Associated Press)

Look at any female aviator, she said, and please know she is still alive.

Harmon defied the chauvinists and misogynists when she flew P-51 Mustangs during World War II as one of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs).

Then, she showed Congress that women should be treated as proper veterans when she testified for the recognition of the WASPs and finally got what she was seeking in 1977.

And, finally, after her death at 95 last year, she brought down one more barrier when an act of Congress made it legal for her and the approximately 100 surviving WASPs to be buried at Arlington with full military honors.

Her ashes were inurned Wednesday morning after a 21-gun salute and a flyover of the planes she once piloted.

Doesnt that bring back memories? one of the female pilots said at the service as three P-51 Mustangs roared overhead.

Harmon was one of a little more than 1,100 women who applied to serve as a WASP and earned her wings. The WASPs paid for their own room and board during training. They scrounged up clothing that looked like the mens uniforms.

U.S. Air Force color guards with the urn carrying the remains of WWII WASP Elaine Harmon at Arlington National Cemetery. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

During their last graduation ceremony, in 1944, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Air Forces, who said he wasnt even sure a girl could handle the controls of a plane, admitted: Now, in 1944, it is on the record that women can fly as well as men.

They ferried planes across the country and the oceans, they were test pilots, and they towed targets to give the artillery boys live shooting practice.

When one of them died  this happened 38 times  Harmon said she remembered the WASPs passing around a hat to collect money to ship the body home. The government wouldnt even pay for that.

But those fights seemed over in 1977, when they were finally recognized as veterans and received full benefits, said WASP Shirley C. Kruse, 94. But in 2015, then-Secretary of the Army John McHugh rescinded their eligibility for the cemetery, saying they dont meet the requirements to be buried there.

I was just shocked, said Kruse, who now lives in Pompano Beach, Fla. It was appalling, if I can use that word.

Another barrier for women in the military turned out to be a graveyard wall.

[Deny her 95-year-old grandma burial at Arlington National Cemetery? No way. ]

This infuriated Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), the nations first female pilot to fly in combat.

Her support system during her flying days, when she was often the only female pilot anywhere, was a group of three WASPs she met at a luncheon. The times she told them she was fed up with the Air Force and wanted to quit, they yelled at her.

Why would you leave? They made us leave. Why would you choose to leave? McSally said they told her. She owed those women, she said, including Harmon.

That Arlington burial ban happened right when the military was opening up most combat jobs to women.

McSally teamed up with Harmons family, who were writing letters and circulating a petition to get her final, handwritten wish fulfilled  to be laid to rest in Arlington.

Erin Miller, one of Harmons granddaughters, put her law firm work on hold and worked like mad to reverse the ban, all the while storing her grandmothers ashes in her closet.

Legislation was quickly written, McSally got bipartisan support, and the bill allowing all WASPs to be buried in Arlington with full honors was passed within 20 weeks  a miracle when it comes to Congress.

After the fight, the ceremony on Wednesday was emotional and largely triumphant.

The family members  children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren  had great stories about their feisty and adventurous Gammy, who went bungee jumping at 80, dressed up for holidays and was a notoriously horrid cook.

And the Chick Fighter Pilots (a real association) were there to tell them how much she meant to them, too.

Lt. Col. Caroline Jensen, an Air Force reservist with more than 200 combat hours who was the Thunderbirds first flying mom, said she is one of the Harmon Air Force granddaughters.

And to honor her before the funeral, female pilots across the country took turns flying Harmons burial flag in their planes  from jet fighters to commercial airliners.

At the service, Jensen read the flags flight log. Among the trips: a flight across the D.C. skies in an F-16; several missions out of California to undisclosed locations; an F-16 combat maneuvering mission over Arizona, where the flag went supersonic and pulled 8.7 Gs, just for fun; a trip above Texas in a T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainer; and a final flight in an F-15 Eagle.

Some of the pilots thanked Harmon in the flight log. She showed women could not only fly, but could be considered equals in the air.

Twitter: @petulad
MINNESOTA

Man says he abducted, killed boy in 1989

A Minnesota man confessed Tuesday to abducting and killing 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling nearly 27 years ago, recounting with details a crime that long haunted the state.

Danny Heinrich, 53, of Annandale, made the admission as he pleaded guilty to a federal child pornography charge that could keep him locked up for at least 20 years.

Asked whether he abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered Jacob, Heinrich said: Yes, I did.

With Jacobs parents, Patty and Jerry Wetterling, in a packed courtroom, Heinrich described donning a mask and confronting Jacob and two friends with a revolver near Jacobs central Minnesota home of St. Joseph on Oct. 22, 1989.

Heinrich said he told the two friends to run, handcuffed Jacob and drove him to a gravel pit near Paynesville, Minn., where he assaulted him.

Heinrich said that at some point a passing patrol car with its siren and lights activated caused him to panic, leading him to shoot the boy with a revolver. He said he buried Jacob about 100 yards away.

Heinrich led authorities to buried remains in a central Minnesota field last week. Those remains were identified Saturday as Jacobs.

 Associated Press

OHIO

Ex-student at Stanford registers as sex offender

A former Stanford University swimmer whose six-month sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman sparked a national outcry registered as a sex offender Tuesday in Ohio, where he is living with his parents.

Brock Turner, 21, registered at the Greene County sheriffs office four days after he was released from a California jail for good behavior after serving half of his term.

Turners mother tried to shield him from news media cameras as he registered under his familys Dayton-area address in Sugarcreek Township, where about a dozen people had protested Friday as police watched.

Sheriff Gene Fischer said that Turner is being treated the same as any other sex offender under his offices supervision.

Turner must register as a sex offender for life, checking in every three months, and he faces three years of supervised probation.

Turner was convicted of assaulting the woman near a trash bin after they drank heavily at a fraternity party. A jury convicted Turner of sexual assault. Santa Clara County Judge Aaron Persky sentenced him to six months, citing the extraordinary circumstances of his youth and clean criminal record in departing from the minimum sentence of two years in prison. Prosecutors had argued for six years.

 Associated Press
By Shivendra Srivastava: Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a chargesheet against Dr Virendra Singh Tawade, in Pune, Maharashtra in a case relating to alleged murder of Dr.Narendra Dhabholkar, resident of Pune. The accused was arrested on August 10, 2016 and presently in judicial custody at Yerawada Central Jail, Pune.



INVESTIGATION TIMELINE



CBI had registered a case on June 2, 2014, and picked up Dr Narendra Dhabholkar's murder investigation which was initially recorded at Deccan Police Station, Pune. It was alleged that in the early hours of August 20 at about 7.30 AM, two unidentified people aged about 25 to 30 years, of medium height shot dead Dr. Narendra Dhabholkar who was on his morning walk, on the footpath of Pune's Omkareshwar Bridge. The two assailants fled on their motorcycle.

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In the on-going investigation, searches were conducted at Pune and Panvel in Maharashtra on the premises of two accused persons, a doctor and another person who absconded in Goa Blast case of 2009. Certain documents which were recovered during the searches were scrutinised.

MOTIVE

The motive for the murder of Dr. Narendra Dhabholkar was allegedly the long enmity that existed between two private organisations. Dr. Narendra Dhabholkar was the founder of a Satara-based organisation, and the accused doctor was part of another private organisation based at Kolhapur. It was alleged that the accused, an ENT doctor gave up his medical profession in 2001 and began to actively propagate the activities of the said Kolhapur-based private organisation through his associates. The Kolhapur organisation targeted activities of people who acted against their interests. Dr.Narendra Dhabholkar was an important target.

Initial investigation revealed that the said doctor had allegedly conspired to murder Dr.Narendra Dhabholkar with two other accused persons including an absconder.

Also Read: Dabholkar murder: Tawade's confidant, now a prime witness, hints at conspiracy

The arrest of prime accused, Dr Virendrasingh Tawde, in the Narendra Dabholkar murder case has opened a pandora's box.



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Morris Wessel coined a medical definition for colic and for 42 years tended to the physical and emotional well-being of families in New Haven, Conn. (Yale Medicine)

Morris Wessel, a pediatrician and hospice pioneer whose expansive approach to medicine made him beloved by children, whose ear-splitting colic he helped diagnose and define, and their parents, whom he sought to comfort all the way through lifes end, died Aug. 20 at his home in New Haven, Conn. He was 98.

The cause was complications from Alzheimers disease, said a son, David Wessel.

For 42 years, until his retirement in 1993, Dr. Wessel saw rich and poor families at his office near Yale New Haven Hospital; carried a black medical bag across the city to visit children in their homes; and, along with his medical colleague Robert G. LaCamera, occasionally accepted a homemade pie as payment for a visit.

Dr. Wessel was a student of psychoanalysis and of Benjamin Spock, the pediatrician who in the late 1940s became a best-selling proponent of a relaxed, common-sense approach to child care. Dr. Wessel encouraged prospective parents to meet with him before having children and endeavored to treat kids emotional needs and concerns, as well as any physical maladies.

Morris was one of the first pediatricians in the country who saw the need to focus on development, particularly on stages of emotional development, Spock told the New York Times in 1993. It is hard to believe there were no pediatricians in those days who thought of getting formal training in child development.

In addition to his day-to-day dealings with children  which included writing notes to kids who had recently left for summer camp or college, to check on their health and well-being  Dr. Wessel worked to improve parents experiences in the maternity ward and at home in the nursery.

As a research fellow at Yales medical school in the late 1940s, he was part of a team that studied the novel practice of keeping newborns with their mothers instead of placing them in a hospital nursery. The study, led by Edith B. Jackson, led to the now-ubiquitous practice of rooming in, which aims to comfort both mother and child and foster a close familial bond from birth.

Several years later, at the helm of his own Yale research team, Dr. Wessel attempted to root out the cause of colic  a condition in which infants repeatedly, inexplicably, break into crying fits. Dr. Wessel believed his team, through close observation of 98 infants, could prove that the ailment was caused by allergies.

Though he failed in that regard  doctors are still unsure of colics origin, though the consensus is that it arises in the gut  he defined the conditions by which doctors could diagnose the problem with regularity and thus work more methodically toward a solution.

In a widely cited 1954 paper published in the journal Pediatrics, Dr. Wessel proposed a rule of threes, through which doctors would diagnose colic for children whose crying lasts more than three hours a day, more than three days a week and for a period of more than three weeks.

Without that definition, said Sydney Spiesel, a clinical professor of pediatrics at Yale, people would have a terrible time beginning to look at colic in a serious way. Dr. Wessel, Spiesel added in an interview, was also able to provide comfort to parents through his colic criteria, by explaining to them that the crying fits were indeed a kind of medical ailment and would pass in about two months.

Dr. Wessel largely moved away from medical research after his colic study, although in the 1970s he joined researcher Anthony Dominski in decrying toxic levels of lead found in children. The duo proposed maximum lead levels that were criticized at the time as being too high, though the American Academy of Pediatrics later recommended an even lower level.

Around that same time, Dr. Wessel joined with Florence S. Wald, a former Yale nursing-school dean, to co-found the Connecticut Hospice in Branford, the first U.S. center to provide end-of-life care outside a hospital. His work in promoting the hospice movement, he said, was not unrelated to pediatrics. Children, he noted, were perhaps the ones who were most affected by the death of a family member.

Morris Arthur Wessel was born in Providence, R.I., on Nov. 1, 1917. His father, who planned to become an anthropology and sociology professor, died during the influenza pandemic when Dr. Wessel was 11 months old. The loss made him appreciate how important families are, his son said, and later helped steer Dr. Wessel toward pediatric medicine.

His mother, an immigrant from Russia who also aspired to a professorship, soon landed a position at what is now Connecticut College in New London, taking a job that Dr. Wessels father had applied for shortly before his death.

Dr. Wessel initially planned to follow his parents into teaching but changed course while at Johns Hopkins University, where a professor urged him away from the laboratory work.

You are a people person, Dr. Wessel recounted the professor as saying, in a 2005 oral-history project with the American Academy of Pediatrics, and you should go into medicine, where your talents will be appreciated.

He graduated from Hopkins in 1939, and at Yale University  where he earned his medical degree in 1943  decided to become a pediatrician.

While serving in the Army medical service during World War II, he met the psychoanalyst Anna Freud, daughter of Sigmund, with whom he later struck up a correspondence about pediatric medicine. He then worked at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where he met Spock.

His wife of 62 years, the former Irmgard Rosenzweig, a social worker, died in 2014.

Survivors include four children, David Wessel of Washington, Paul Wessel of New Haven, Bruce Wessel of Santa Monica, Calif., and Lois Wessel of Takoma Park, Md.; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Dr. Wessel served as a consultant to the Clifford Beers Clinic in New Haven for about 35 years and in 1997 was awarded the American Academy of Pediatrics C. Anderson Aldrich Award for his contributions to the study of child development and behavior.

Following his mentor, the best-selling Spock, he wrote the instructional Parents Book for Raising a Healthy Child in 1987. One year later, he acknowledged that such manuals  published each year by the score  were little substitution for an attentive pediatrician.

I would throw all of them out, he told The Washington Post. Even mine.
By PTI: Chandigarh, Sep 7 (PTI) Making a strong comeback after a gap of three years, the alliance led by Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) tonight swept the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) polls.

Candidates of PUSU, National Students Union of India (NSUI Students Front), a breakaway group of Congress student body NSUI, and Himachal Students Association (HSA) won all the four seats of President, Vice President, Secretary and Joint Secretary, an election office spokesperson said.

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Nishant Kaushal, who won the race for President got 843 defeating his closest rival Piyush Anand of Students Organisation of India (SOI) by 318 votes.

Avneet Kaur, who won the election for Vice President, bagged 3,296 votes as against 2,905 by Sabhya Jaswal of Indian National Students Organisation (INSO).

Ashiq Mohammad, narrowly won the closely fought election of Secretary as he received 3,381 votes as against 3,362 votes by Krishan Kumar of ABVP while Amit Kaushik who won the election for Joint Secretary received 3,576 votes as against 2,819 by Manvi Gandhi of ABVP.

Congress student wing finished third while BJP and Akali Dals student wing SOI and ABVP finished on second spot.

68 per cent of over 15,000 students exercised their franchise for the four posts.

"The elections were conducted peacefully," the spokesperson said.

Last year SOI had won the polls. PTI VJ DKS CHT RG CHT

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BRITAIN

Islamist preacher sentenced to 5 1/2 years

One of Britains best-known Islamist preachers was sentenced Tuesday to 5 years in prison for encouraging support for the Islamic State militant group.

Anjem Choudary has been one of the most recognizable faces of radical Islam in Britain for years, leading groups such as al-Muhajiroun, Islam4UK and Muslims Against Crusades.

Several people who attended Choudarys rallies and events have been convicted of attacks, including the pair of al-Qaeda-inspired killers who ran over British soldier Lee Rigby and stabbed him to death in 2013.

Until Choudary was charged last year, the 49-year-old firebrand preacher gained attention for activities that provoked outrage but stayed within the bounds of the law. They included protesting outside the U.S. Embassy on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

But the London-born preacher ran into trouble in 2014 after his name appeared on an oath circulating online that declared the legitimacy of the proclaimed Islamic Caliphate State. Choudary denied encouraging his followers to support the Islamic State and said the oath was made without his knowledge.

Police said Tuesday that evidence from authorities in Indonesia established that Choudary and co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman were key in the publication of their oath of allegiance.

Both Choudary and Rahman, 33, were found guilty of inviting support for the Islamic State. Rahman also was sentenced to 5 years.

 Associated Press

GABON

E.U. vote observers allege turnout anomaly

The European Union observation mission in Gabon said Tuesday that it noted an anomaly in voting results from the presidents provincial stronghold that pushed him over the edge to win reelection by a slim margin.

Election commission results showed that President Ali Bongo beat opposition contender Jean Ping in Gabons Aug. 27 vote by 1.57 percentage points. Clashes quickly broke out in the oil-rich Central African country after the results were announced last week, with opposition supporters claiming fraud and burning buildings and looting stores.

The E.U. observer commission said that in addition to its not having full access to all districts within Bongos stronghold Haut-Ogooue province, voter turnout there appeared inflated.

According to the electoral commission, turnout was 99.93 percent in that province, with 95 percent voting in favor of Bongo.

The E.U. noted that such a number would mean that only 47 people in the area did not vote.

An analysis of the number of non-voters and blank and spoiled ballots reveals an obvious anomaly in the final results, it said, adding that confidence in the results is compromised.

Other provinces showed a voter turnout rate of 48 percent on average, it said.

Meanwhile, Ping said Tuesday that post-election violence in Gabon has killed 50 to 100 people, a toll much higher than the governments count of three.

The oppositions estimate is based on reports from residents across the country, a Ping spokesman said.

 Associated Press

Britain, Iran name ambassadors as ties improve: Britain and Iran have named their respective ambassadors for the first time since Iranians stormed and damaged the British Embassy in 2011. Britain named Nicholas Hopton as ambassador to Tehran. He previously served in a lower position at the British Embassy there. In Iran, state TV reported this weekend that Hamid Baeedinejad has been appointed the envoy to London. Baeedinejad served on the Iranian team to the nuclear talks that resulted in a landmark deal between Tehran and world powers last year.

Kyrgyzstan says Uighurs led attack on Chinas embassy: A suicide attack on the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstans capital last week was ordered by Uighur militants active in Syria and carried out by a member of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, Kyrgyzstans state security service said. The suicide bomber was an ethnic Uighur who held a Tajik passport in the name of Zoir Khalilov, the GKNB security service said. Three embassy staffers suffered minor injuries in the attack. Kyrgyzstan shares a border with Chinas Xinjiang region, where Beijing has fought ethnic Uighur separatists for decades.

Car bombing kills at least 12 in Baghdad: A car bombing claimed by the Islamic State group struck a bustling commercial area of central Baghdad overnight, killing at least 12 civilians, Iraqi officials said Tuesday. The explosives-laden pickup truck was left in a parking lot in the Shiite-dominated district of Karrada, near a hospital and shops, a police officer said. Up to 28 people were wounded, he said. The attack occurred nearly two weeks after authorities reopened a sealed-off part of Karrada where a devastating bombing in July killed hundreds.

 From news services
In the Aug. 31 Metro article D.C. test scores deliver shocks, D.C. Public Schools officials suggested that Wilson High School students are either so focused on Advanced Placement tests or so contemptuous of testing that they intentionally flubbed the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) standardized tests. This is certainly plausible. But I do not recall a similar hypothesis to explain poor student performance at any of the Districts other public high schools, particularly those with more low-income and minority students. It is worth giving those schools and their students the same benefit of the doubt. My experiences at a school with teenagers from every ward and from all socioeconomic backgrounds suggest that all students are equally capable of flubbing tests whose relevance they doubt. They are also equally capable of flourishing on assessments that hold meaning in their lives.

I admire fellow educators at Wilson and other D.C. public and charter schools who have the challenge of inspiring kids to do well on a test with less meaning for their futures than the SAT, ACT or IB or AP tests. I am fortunate that the school where I work can hold teachers accountable using assessments that are more easily integrated into students aspirations for themselves than PARCC. The culture of accountability seeks to treat all students equally. I hope we are as fair in analyzing students motives as we are in studying their scores. PARCC tests not just outcomes but also people; all meaningful assessments must take that reality into account.

Beth Blaufuss, Washington

The writer is president of

Archbishop Carroll High School.

Regarding the Sept. 4 editorial  Steady progress in D.C. schools:

The nine years preceding mayoral control of D.C. Public Schools, when black and Hispanic students average scores on the four National Assessment of Educational Progress tests rose 57 and 81 points, respectively (they have risen only 22 and 20 points, respectively, since then), were not years of . . . school failure. The rise in the scores of all students since 2007 was largely because of unprecedented demographic changes since 2007: Black fourth-graders fell from 84 percent to 64 percent of the public schools population while tests by white DCPS students, the highest-scoring white urban subgroup in the United States by more than 25 points, rose from 6 percent to 16 percent.

Unsurprisingly, score totals of disadvantaged students rose 25 points while those of their not-disadvantaged peers rose 147 points.

We need a chancellor who will change course by basing policies on an analysis of deficiencies and an understanding of what works for children at all levels of proficiency.

Erich Martel, Washington

The writer is a retired DCPS high school teacher.
Gary Johnson is the Libertarian Partys nominee for president.

Shortly after drafting the Massachusetts Constitution, John Adams expressed his greatest fear for the nation: There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader. . . . This . . . is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil.

He wasnt alone. James Madison warned against the dangers of factionalism. And in his farewell address, George Washington called party dissension a kind of frightful despotism, warning that a party leader would be prone to pursue his own agenda to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Listen to a full audio recording of The Washington Posts editorial board meeting with 2016 Libertarian presidential ticket, Gary Johnson and Bill Weld. (Mahnaz Rezaie/The Washington Post)

Almost in spite of themselves, the founders allied themselves into political parties: First the Federalists against the Democratic-Republicans, then the Whigs against the Democrats. That second party alignment collapsed under the weight of slavery  when a third party, the Republican Party, rose up with a fresh message unencumbered by the past.

Has the two-party division that the founders railed against become todays political status quo?

It doesnt have to be. With the Republicans and the Democrats having nominated their most polarizing presidential candidates in more than a generation, now is the moment for a third way.

My running mate, Bill Weld, and I were both two-term Republican governors in heavily Democratic states. Both of us won reelection overwhelmingly. We did this by governing as fiscal conservatives and social liberals. Thats where most Americans want their government to be.

Political parties arent necessarily evil  unless they lead to the level of dysfunction that we have today. Elected officials in Washington cannot even agree on a real budget  and havent for years. Thats their most straightforward responsibility.

These partisans place loyalty to their team over loyalty to the nations needs. Its eerie to see Republicans under Donald Trump denounce free trade and limited government. Its unsettling to see how comfortable Democrats have gotten with Hillary Clintons approach to Middle East regime change as secretary of state.

Fortunately, most Americans arent buying it. More people consider themselves independents than are aligned with either of the two largest political parties. They want an alternative: a common-sense approach that combines fiscal discipline with social inclusion.

As presidential and vice-presidential candidates, thats our message. A nonpartisan approach in the Oval Office would do wonders to defuse the harsh partisanship that weve seen develop in recent years. Think of it as a new form of checks and balances, with different parties controlling the executive and legislative branches.

In the Federalist Papers, James Madison warned about the dangers of factionalism. His proposed solution was to divide power within the government. That can be frustrating to some because it makes the federal government inefficient by design. It keeps one person, or one party, from accumulating absolute power.

Yet the two larger political parties have worked hard to try to create their own tyrannical majorities. The majorities alternate, but the basic premise doesnt change.

So consider a system in which a president from a bona fide third party enters the mix.

With a chief executive free of any obligation to either party, the focus will be on the business of the nation, not on propping up a crumbling party apparatus.

The first priority of the Johnson-Weld administration will be submitting to Congress a balanced budget. As governors, we held true to promising that taxes would go down, not up. Well end up cutting spending by roughly 20 percent in order to match it to current tax receipts.

My default is to question federal spending and to require every year that each agency justify its budget anew. As governor, I vetoed more than 750 bills, often special-interest payoffs, and I wont hesitate to veto such bills from Congress.

That said, Bill and I are reasonable and realistic executives. We will accomplish the free-market, fiscally conservative agenda of limiting government and increasing trade, while pursuing long-overdue immigration and criminal-justice reform.

Well do this through having both Republicans and Democrats in the Cabinet and working simultaneously with the leaders of those parties. Seeing that, by working together, the best ideas of each party will receive a fair hearing, both will see real movement toward addressing challenges they care about, not just winner-take-all partisan gridlock. A great deal could be accomplished by having third-party leadership dedicated to finding the common ground that has so often eluded the parties in recent years: on balancing the budget, curbing taxes, protecting our privacy and reforming our criminal-justice system.

The fact that the founders anticipated our two-party morass and warned against it ought to be enough incentive to look beyond it. The two major parties have failed to meet the needs of the nation. Its time to try something different.
PRESIDENT OBAMA has frequently predicted that the aggressive policies of Russia and China in places such as Ukraine and the South China Sea are destined to be self-defeating, because of the blowback they generate. It has been, at times, an all-too-convenient theory for a president reluctant to embrace robust counteraction by the United States. But an election in Hong Kong last weekend provided strong evidence that, in the case of that quasi-autonomous Chinese territory, Beijings growing repression and nationalism under President Xi Jinping have backfired.

Two years ago, the Communist regime touched off mass protests in Hong Kong by refusing to allow fully democratic elections for the citys chief executive. It then refused to compromise with students and other pro-democracy activists who peacefully occupied major streets in the city for 79 days, and instead brought criminal charges against some of them. Since then, Beijing has further eroded the independence of Hong Kong media and universities and launched an extralegal campaign against a critical book publisher, abducting its principals and confining them in China.

The response of Hong Kongs electorate was to turn out Sunday in record numbers to hand pro-democracy forces a decisive victory in elections for the Legislative Council. Most important, six candidates favoring consideration of independence from Beijing swept to victory. None were older than 40, and several were leaders of the 2014 Umbrella protest movement. Because most of the councils members are not chosen by popular election, the opposition will not have a majority, and real power still lies with the pro-Beijing chief executive. Nevertheless, the oppositions ability to frustrate legislation with vetoes and filibusters has been strengthened.

Moreover, the cause of Hong Kong independence  a direct response to Beijings past repression  has been legitimized for the first time. The regime tried to squelch that, too, requiring legislative candidates to sign pledges supporting Hong Kongs incorporation in China and banning six who either refused to sign or were regarded as insincere. A student-founded party called Demosisto, which calls for a referendum on Hong Kongs future status, was denied a bank account and permission to distribute its election materials; two of its leaders were sentenced to community service last month for their actions in 2014. No matter: One of them, 23-year-old Nathan Law, won election.

The rebuff confronts Mr. Xi with a dilemma: conciliate with the opposition, including those who still favor Chinese sovereignty over Hong Kong, or crack down still harder. There is a deal to be made with the moderates, who seek only to compel China to fulfill its own promises about democracy in Hong Kong. But the four-year record of the Xi regime strongly suggests it will double down on repression, especially on the new pro-independence crowd. That would risk engendering a still greater backlash: According to one recent poll, 40 percent of Hong Kong youths between ages 15 and 24 support eventual independence. As Mr. Obama might observe, the arc of history in Hong Kong is not bending toward Chinas Communists.
Despite Hillary Clintons recent slip in the polls, she has a big political opportunity, even though some of her advisers might regard it as a curse: She can run as the candidate who represents the mainstream leadership of both parties and knows how to fix our broken political system.

In a year when anti-elitism has been a dominant theme in both parties, donning this establishment mantle might appear to be a mistake for Clinton. But lets be honest: Her strength is that shes the voice of experienced, centrist leadership. Shes not a convincing populist: The more she tries to sound like one, the more she risks coming off as a phony in the final two months of the campaign.

Because Clinton cant escape her mainstream pedigree, perhaps she would be wiser to try to turn it to her advantage  and explain to voters how she, as someone who deeply understands the system, would try to break the Washington logjam and make government work again for the country. If youre thinking slogans, try: Change, from the inside out.

Running from the center in a polarized country has its risks, to be sure. But Clintons current strategy, a sort of Bernie Sanders Lite, doesnt seem to be working very well, even against a radically unqualified GOP opponent. A CNN poll released Tuesday showed Trump ahead by 1 point; other polls vary widely, but the average compiled by RealClearPolitics shows Clinton ahead now by just 3.3 percent, less than half the margin she had after the July conventions.

A Clinton strategy that played more on her governing experience would have three basic components. The first would be the mass defection of leading Republicans from GOP nominee Trump. Fifty former top GOP foreign-policy officials signed a letter in August warning that Trump would be the most reckless president in U.S. history. Republican business leaders have been less vocal, but theres a deep unease in the broad moderate wing of the party thats loyal to former president George W. Bush, 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.).

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton took aim at the "alt-right" movement that she said is taking over Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post)

Trumps response to the GOP elites defection has basically been good riddance. He called the 50 foreign-policy experts nothing more than the failed Washington elite looking to hold onto their power. He has a similar disdain for traditional conservative policies on trade and the budget.

If Clinton is smart, she will use the GOP leaderships rejection of Trump to reinforce her core argument that he is intellectually and temperamentally unsuited for the job, and would come to the White House without clear plans or advisers in both foreign and domestic policy. Although lacking any experience in government himself, he scorns the GOP leadership that might help him govern. Even the angriest populist voters might be wary of such a risky bet.

Clinton can compound Trumps isolation by showing that she would be open to bringing some of those disaffected mainstream Republicans into her administration. Theres a wide range of moderate Republicans who would accept her call. By contrast, whom would Trump nominate for key positions in his Cabinet? Who would agree to serve? These questions will loom larger as Election Day approaches.

The second leg of a governing strategy for Clinton would be the likelihood that the Democrats will narrowly regain control of the Senate. The latest RealClearPolitics Senate map projects 47 Democrats winning, 44 Republicans and nine tossups. Maybe Clinton will stumble and drag down Democrats, but pollsters have been betting that GOP candidates in close Senate races such as those in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania will be hurt by Trump.

The third leg of this mainstream approach would be a strong, believable message about how Clinton would govern the country in the first 100 days. Middle-class voters do want change this year; they want to know that political leaders have truly gotten the message that the fruits of economic growth must be distributed more fairly, in a more robust economy. Clinton has been voicing the right policies and programs, but too often she makes her agenda sound like a liberal laundry list.

The test will be Clintons ability to speak to the country during the debates. In terms of experience and expertise, she should overwhelm Trump. But 16 Republican primary challengers thought that, too. Clintons weakness is that she symbolizes an elite that many believe has led the country astray. She cant change the elite part; thats her biography. Her challenge is to show voters that she knows how to repair a damaged country  and that Trump, inexperienced and isolated from his own party, is a dangerous alternative.

Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
CONGRESS RETURNED from its summer break Tuesday to what may be a brief but contentious pre-election legislative spell. Among the likely arguments: whether Congress should radically change its relationship with the executive branch and hobble the government in the process.

For months, a group of hard-line conservative lawmakers has been pressing to impeach Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen, in an effort that may soon come to a head. The context for the campaign against Mr. Koskinen is the continuing GOP obsession with the way the IRS reviewed nonprofit groups tax-exempt status, following reports that conservative groups were disproportionately scrutinized. The initial reports turned out not to reflect much of a scandal, which was more about bureaucratic obliviousness than purposeful anti-conservative activity.

In any case, Mr. Koskinen was not leading the agency when the non-scandal took place  so lawmakers on a scandal hunt have attacked how he handled the aftermath. They point out that some agency emails were deleted after they were supposed to be saved. No matter that an inspector general investigation found no purposeful wrongdoing. Mr. Koskinens tormentors fume that he should have told them about the missing emails earlier. The IRS commissioner, they say, offered untruthful testimony before Congress about the matter. Mr. Koskinen has a reasonable response: He did not immediately know the nature or the extent of the gap in the email record, and when he did, he demanded that the agency attempt to recover all it could. Though Mr. Koskinens pursuers imply that the IRS commissioner has lied to them, they have little evidence indicating this to be the case.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee voted to censure Mr. Koskinen in June. The evidence did not warrant even that step. Since then, House conservatives have pushed impeachment. Such a move would be unprecedented. Congress has impeached only one Cabinet member ever, in 1876. Lawmakers have never impeached an executive branch official below the Cabinet rank. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), a leading anti-Koskinen crusader, thinks this record of partisan restraint is a problem. Impeachment, he told us in June, should be a much more common occurrence.

Wrong. The Founders designed federal impeachment procedures to be used sparingly, erecting barriers to removing executive officers that did not exist in the English system, Michael J. Gerhardt, a University of North Carolina law professor, told the House Judiciary Committee in June. They also purposely avoided allowing impeachment in cases of mere maladministration, raising the bar to the much more serious high crimes and misdemeanors standard. The Founders did not want high-ranking officials in the executive or judicial branches to be subject to impeachment for their mistakes in office, Mr. Gerhardt testified.

The cumbersome and partisan Senate confirmation process has made it hard enough to fully staff the highest realms of government with competent people. Never-ending, partisan impeachment proceedings against executive officers would make it even harder to keep the essential mechanics of government working. The result would be more bureaucratic bungling, not less.
The smell of fresh paint greeted lawmakers reacquainting themselves with their workplace after their seven-week break.

The scaffolding was coming down, revealing a gleaming dome and, underneath it, restored friezes, oil paintings and statues. The Capitol has been returned to its former glory.

If only they could do the same to Congress.

After their seven-week recess, which included both party conventions and was the longest break since at least 1960, the peoples representatives in the House are back for just four weeks before recessing again until the election  and there has been talk of cutting those four weeks of work to three or even two.

They might as well go home, because the House to-do list could end up looking something like this: Impeach the IRS commissioner. Punish the Democrats. Sue the Saudis.

This is how Donald Trump happened.

Americans are worried and angry about the big issues: stagnant wages, immigration, trade deals, health care, entitlement programs, the tax code, the Zika virus, tainted drinking water. Yet the best Congress can do for the moment is to keep the government running on autopilot for a few more months, and even this isnt guaranteed.

With three weeks to go in the fiscal year, Congress has enacted not one of the 12 annual appropriations bills (the House has passed six). While leaders struggle to pass a temporary continuing resolution, Republicans fight among themselves about how long it should last and hard-liners threaten to derail it by adding language banning Syrian refugees.

As Republicans sat down for their caucus meeting Wednesday morning, the conversation wandered  this members new grandchild, that members engagement, various anecdotes and talking points. GOP leaders held a news conference after the meeting, at which they voiced enthusiastic support for . . . a new soapbox that had appeared over the recess to help shorter members of the caucus be seen behind the lectern.

You could put three people on that thing, House Speaker Paul Ryan said upon entering the room and spying the new piece of furniture.

Gee whiz! exclaimed Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), trying it out. Theres room for all of you on the box, she told the assembled reporters.

With so little happening, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy tried to create the illusion of activity, asserting that in this Congress a total of 219 bills have been enacted into law. Thats an increase over the 25-year average.

Actually, the average number of bills enacted into law in previous Congresses going back to 1991 is 435  double the current output. McCarthys spokesman said the claim was based on when Congress went on its long summer holiday. But as of now, McCarthys 219 bills are well below the 25-year average of 257 enacted at this point by previous Congresses. And, as House Democrats point out, 195 of those 219 bills have been minor suspension bills, such as post-office namings.

People want a positive vision and a clear direction for solving the countrys big problems, Ryan declared at his news conference.

They do. But instead, theyre getting:

An attempt to impeach the IRS commissioner. Some hard-liners, still angry about the IRSs treatment of conservative groups, are using a privileged resolution to force leaders to hold a vote to impeach the current commissioner, John Koskinen, who took over after the alleged wrongdoing occurred.

A bid to punish two dozen House Democrats, led by civil rights icon John Lewis, who staged a sit-in on the House floor in June to protest Republicans refusal to bring up gun-control legislation.

Legislation allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in federal courts. The bill has no chance of surviving an expected veto.

Instead, House Republicans could spend their fleeting time at work resolving an impasse blocking funds to fight the Zika infection. The Senate reached a bipartisan deal in May to provide $1.1 billion for the effort, but the agreement fell apart when House Republicans added a provision restricting funds from going to Planned Parenthood.

At Wednesdays news conference, CNNs Manu Raju asked Ryan why he wouldnt accept a clean bill without the poison pill.

Look, give me a break, Ryan said, blaming the Senate.

But even some of Ryans Republicans arent giving him a break. Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) told Bloombergs Billy House that we become obstructionists with the Planned Parenthood gambit.

And Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) carried a jar full of Florida mosquitoes onto the House floor. During the seven weeks . . . that we were gone, cases of Zika rose from 4,000 to by some estimates over 16,000 in the country, he said. His constituents are demanding action and they are seeing inaction, and in that inaction they are angry.

Yes, but have they seen that new soapbox for members of Congress? Gee whiz!

Twitter: @Milbank

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Congress vice- president Rahul Gandhi today arrived in Gorakhpur on second day of his kisan padyatra.

By India Today Web Desk: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today embarked on the second day of kisan padyatra in Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing the media after he arrived in Gorakhpur, he said, "The Centre has forgotten the farmers of country."

Congress vice-president lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, "Modi ji ne chhote kisaanon ka karza maaf nahi kiya hai, ameer aur bade logon ka maaf kiya hai." (Modi waved off the loans of rich farmers and not the ones coming from poor background)

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Promising that the Congress will make sure that voices of farmers are heard, he said, "Like we had waived of Rs 70,000 crore debt for farmers, we will put pressure on NDA government to do the same in interest of farmers."

Also Read

Kisan Yatra: Rahul Gandhi evokes farmer issues, questions Modi government in Khaat Sabha



Rahul Gandhi cot & bowled in first rally as supporters steal khat, khat steals show





--- ENDS ---
The president, as he prepared to leave office, was dead broke. So broke, in fact, that he had to take out a loan to get him through the transition. Bill Clinton in 2001? No, Harry Truman in 1953  and the resemblance ends there.

Back then, although Truman had only a monthly Army pension of $112.56, he was adamant about not employing his presidential service to cash in. As biographer David McCullough relates, Truman turned down a new Toyota; a Miami real estate development companys offer of not less than $100,000 to come on board; an array of consulting gigs.

I could never lend myself to any transaction, however respectable, that would commercialize on the prestige and dignity of the office of the presidency, Truman later wrote.

Those were the days  and even then they werent, entirely. Months after leaving office, Truman sold the rights to his memoirs to Life magazine for $600,000  the equivalent of more than $5 million today.

Still, the Truman ethos of not capitalizing on the office has all but dissipated. Gerald Ford avidly snapped up corporate board memberships and consulting fees. Ronald Reagan shattered presidential speaking-fee records with $2 million from a Japanese company, prompting his successor, George H.W. Bush, to shrug, Everybodys got to make a living.

Indeed, out of office, both Bushes turned their attention to the need to replenish the ol coffers, as George W. Bush put it.

But no one has filled the coffers so copiously, so quickly as Bill Clinton. I was one poor rascal when I took office, Clinton told a student group in 2009. But after I got out, I made a lot of money.

Actually, a mind-boggling amount. Between the two of them, Bill and Hillary Clinton have reported earning more than $235 million since leaving the White House. An unsettling reminder of the gusher of cash that can flow a former presidents way came with a recent report in The Post on the $17.6 million that Bill Clinton earned as a consultant and honorary chancellor from Laureate International Universities, a for-profit college company.

Compared with other former presidents, we know an enormous amount about the Clintons post-presidential activities thanks to financial disclosure rules imposed on Hillary Clinton while in the Senate and the State Department, and to her voluntary decision to release tax returns, with their more detailed and precise contents, in her campaigns.

The simultaneity of Bill Clintons post-presidency with Hillary Clintons public service and, if she has her way, pre-presidency poses particular problems about the intersection of his paychecks with her government work.

But the Clintons rapaciousness raises broader questions about what we should expect from our former presidents and about what has become former presidential business-as-usual. That profiting to this extent from public service has become routine does not mean that we as a society should accept it as a given  and the grossness of the Clintons example ought to give rise to a reassessment. Lest this sound hopelessly naive, this long after the buck-raking horse has left the barn, a few specific suggestions:

Lets pay our ex-presidents more from the public fisc (their annual pension is now about $200,000) and expect more from them. In exchange for receiving the higher pension money, they could be required to file annual financial disclosure forms, just as they did while president. We cant stop ex-presidents from vacuuming up huge speaking fees, including from questionable sources, but we can force them to do it in sunlight, whose glare could be chastening.

Seven countries, including three Persian Gulf states, donated millions of dollars to the Clinton Foundation when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

Alternatively, or in addition, make the pension dependent on forgoing outside income above a certain amount  as is already done in some cases for federal employees who go through the revolving door into lucrative jobs. Perhaps presidents could collect their pension only if they eschew income from any sources beyond writing books; well-paid presidential memoirs have a long history (see Ulysses S. Grant) and serve the public interest more than closed-door speeches.

Finally, perhaps we could alter the expectations in advance by raising such questions before candidates are elected. Donald Trump has proposed asking senior officials to agree to refrain for five years from taking speaking fees from corporations with a registered lobbyist or from entities tied to a foreign government.

Why not at least ask would-be presidents if they would abide by that restriction, perhaps expanded to include consulting fees, and perhaps for life? If theyre not willing to give up the big bucks, do we really want to give them the big job?

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Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, after years of exposure to classified material as a senator and as secretary of state, told FBI agents she thought a C in a document meant the third in a series of lettered bullet points instead of confidential [FBI documents reveal new details on Clinton email, front page, Sept. 3]. She apparently didnt question why it wasnt preceded by bullet points A and B.

There are two possible explanations for this: (a) She was lying and thought the agents were stupid enough to believe that, or (b) she really was ignorant enough to believe that. Neither explanation highlights a quality most Americans desire in a president.

Richard A. Williams, Woodbridge

Yet another front-page article about Hillary Clintons emails from when she was secretary of state. She is not the first government official to use private email. One of her predecessors as secretary of state, Colin Powell, used a private email account while in office, and so did at least one defense secretary.

A private server may be less likely to be hacked because attempts are easier to detect. Attempts there leave a bigger footprint than on an official server, where attempts can escape notice in the huge volume of traffic.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is not the only one sick of hearing about the damn emails. Ms. Clinton has been singled out for unfair scrutiny before. Since 1950, eight U.S. ambassadors have died while on official duty: two in plane crashes and six in assassinations.

Only in the case of J. Christopher Stevens in Benghazi, Libya, did the political jackals try to exploit the death of a brave man who sacrificed his life for his country.

Jack Farrell, Middletown

Can we agree, please, that Hillary Clinton was secretary of state and not the information technology officer? She was responsible for formulating foreign policy. She traveled hundreds of thousands of miles on diplomatic missions. She had to administer a $50 billion department. She did what past secretaries of state have done and were allowed to do under the rules at the time.

And yet, all we read about are issues that were handled at levels far below hers, as they should have been. We hear what could have happened or what possible consequences could have occurred.

We have yet to read of one example of any harm arising from her use of a personal email server, of any favoritism toward the Clinton Foundation or, indeed, of any negative consequences at all. That should be the bottom line, not all the pablum pushed by her political enemies and abetted by the FBI in releasing information it doesnt release in any other case.

Art Brodsky, Olney
It's a long road to the White House, so The Washington Post polled all 50 states to find out what each candidate needs to do to get there. (Peter Stevenson,Julio Negron,Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

It's a long road to the White House, so The Washington Post polled all 50 states to find out what each candidate needs to do to get there. (Peter Stevenson,Julio Negron,Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

The presidential campaign has intensified long-standing political divisions, but there is one area of broad agreement among voters in both red states and blue states  a pervasive pessimism that no matter the outcome, the election will do little to unify the country, according to a Washington Post-SurveyMonkey survey of all 50 states.

Americans also say they fear they are being left behind by the cultural changes that are transforming the country. Asked whether the America of today reflects their values more or less than it did in the past, large majorities of registered voters in every state say the country reflects their values less.

But almost hidden behind those broad findings is another striking reality of America at the end of President Obamas tenure in the White House. Those groups that fall roughly into the coalition that helped elect Obama to successive terms are more likely  in some cases significantly so  to say the country reflects their values more than it did in the past. Obama has pushed policies and taken executive actions that have played directly to that coalition.

The survey is the largest sample ever undertaken by The Post, which joined with SurveyMonkey and its online polling resources to produce the results. The findings from each state are based on responses from more than 74,000 registered voters during the period of Aug. 9 to Sept. 1. The extensive sample makes it possible not only to compare one state with another but also to examine the attitudes of various parts of the population, based on age, gender, ideology, education and economic standing.

[How the Post-SurveyMonkey poll was conducted]

Throughout the election year, various measures have highlighted the degree to which voters are unhappy, whether through measurements of the attributes of the two major-party candidates or in assessments of the direction of the country. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have lower favorability ratings than previous major-party nominees, and a sizable majority has said consistently that the country is seriously off track.

The Post-SurveyMonkey poll sought to assess the mood of the voters from several different angles in an effort to understand how worried voters are about the impact of a Clinton or Trump presidency on the countrys well-being a great deal or a good amount. The poll also attempted to capture how this fractious and boisterous campaign will affect the deep divisions that have defined politics for the past two presidencies.

At the same time, in a campaign in which national identity has become a central appeal of Trumps message, and in a time when the tensions between factions of the electorate have intensified, the survey sought to understand how people see themselves against the backdrop of a changing America.

Nationwide, 55 percent of registered voters say that a Clinton presidency would threaten the nations well-being, while 61 percent say a Trump presidency would threaten the countrys well-being.

Only 4 percent nationally say neither would threaten the countrys well-being.

For some voters, the prospect of either Trump or Clinton provides a similar sense of alarm. Nationally, 21 percent say both candidates represent a threat to the nations well-being. That number peaks in Utah, where 38 percent cite both candidates as a threat.





Overall, majorities in 40 states say Clinton would be a threat to the countrys well-being while majorities in 44 states say the same of Trump.

The pattern across the states follows some predictable red-blue divisions. States with the highest percentages calling Trump a threat include such solidly Democratic states presidentially as Vermont, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Connecticut, Maine and California. Those most likely to say Trump represents a threat include women, younger voters, nonwhites, voters with college degrees or more and voters living in urban areas.

[How the poll compares with past presidential election results in every state]

States with the highest percentages calling Clinton a threat are Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Alabama and Louisiana. Demographically, she is more likely to be seen as a threat by men, those in rural areas and whites, particularly with less education.

Pessimism about the aftermath of the election is broad and deep. Nationally, 68 percent of registered voters say the election will do little or nothing to reduce the divisions that have marked American politics for years now, while 30 percent say it will do a good amount or a great deal to reduce them.

Across every state, at least 54 percent offer a gloomy prognosis of the impact of the election on the political divisions. Ironically, on this question, Republicans and Democrats are united in their sense of foreboding about the future, with more than 6 in 10 in each party taking a dim view. Independent voters are even more pessimistic, with independent men the most acidic in their assessments.

Geographically, the pattern of concern is similar, with urban, suburban and rural voters united and with red and blue states mixed together at either end of the spectrum. The most optimistic states include Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, Alabama, Hawaii, Florida, Kentucky and New York. The most pessimistic are Idaho, Vermont, Washington, Utah, Minnesota and Colorado.

Ideologically, those who identify themselves as very liberal are far more pessimistic than those who say they are very conservative, while African Americans, Hispanics and Asians are more optimistic than whites.

The question of whether the America of today reflects peoples own values produced split-screen results. On the one hand, there is broad agreement across the states that the country reflects peoples personal values less today than in the past. On the other hand, its clear that not all parts of the population view the country through the same negative lens.

Overall, 72 percent of registered voters nationwide say the America of today reflects their values less than it has in the past, while 26 percent say it reflects their values more than in the past. In every state, at least 65 percent express that conclusion.

There are some modest red-blue differences. In five deeply Republican states, at least 80 percent say America reflects their values less than in the past: North Dakota, Kentucky, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Wyoming. The least-negative states are Maryland, California, Oregon, Hawaii and Vermont  although in no case do more than 33 percent of people express a positive view.

Those patterns point to an underlying reality of how Americans are divided at the end of Obamas presidency. Among age groups, the youngest are more likely to say the country reflects their values than the oldest, and the progression is steady across the age spectrum. African Americans are more likely than whites to say the country increasingly reflects their values, 40 percent vs. 23 percent  although a 58 percent majority of black voters nonetheless say the opposite.

The biggest differences come when the electorate is viewed through partisan and ideological lines. Among Republicans, 93 percent say the country reflects their values less today than in the past. Democrats, however, split evenly  49-to-49 percent. Independents are less pessimistic than Republicans but far less optimistic than Democrats.

That contrast is even more stark when liberals are compared with conservatives. A majority of self-identified liberals say the country reflects their values more while about 9 in 10 conservatives take the opposite view. Moderates are in between.

Regionally, there is little difference in how people answer this question, with about 7 in 10 in every region saying their values are reflected less today. But where people live within those regions does make a difference. Just under a third of voters in urban areas, 32 percent, say the country reflects their values more than in the past, compared with just 18 percent of rural voters.

There is also a relationship between Obamas approval ratings in individual states and how people perceive their values reflected in the country generally. Those states with the largest percentages saying the country reflects their values more than in the past are also states where Obamas approval rating is highest. Still, in all states where Obamas positive ratings are at least 55 percent, no more than one-third express a positive view about how well the country reflects their values.

This Washington Post-SurveyMonkey 50-state poll sample was drawn among the respondents who completed user-generated polls using SurveyMonkeys platform from Aug. 9 to Sept. 1, and results are weighted to match demographic characteristics of registered voters in each state. No margins of sampling error are calculated, as this statistic is applicable only to randomly sampled surveys. For full question wording and methodological details, visit wapo.st/pollarchive .

Scott Clement contributed to this report.
The effects of gender and marital status on mortgages dont get a lot of research attention in real estate, but two new reports examine the exceptional role of single women in the home-purchase marketplace and the challenges they face in getting a loan.

A couple of highlights:

Single women are statistically better at paying their mortgages than men  they default less often  yet they get charged more for their loans and are denied credit more often. Although they have lower incomes, on average, than single men, they tend to make larger down payments, according to researchers at the Housing Finance Policy Center of the Urban Institute.

Single women are now the second-largest group of buyers in the marketplace, accounting for anywhere from 15 percent to more than 20 percent of all home purchases in recent years. Single men, by contrast, have accounted for about 9 percent of purchases since 2012.

[More Harney: As demographics change, McMansions dont look quite so appealing]

Married buyers once represented more than four-fifths of the market, but that has declined over the past several decades. In 1985, married couples made 81 percent of all purchases; last year, it was 67 percent.

You might assume that unmarried couples have taken up the slack, but thats not the case. Last year, according to a new research note titled All the Single Ladies by Jessica Lautz, managing director of survey research at the National Association of Realtors, unmarried partners accounted for just 7 percent of total sales.

The Urban Institute study, conducted by Laurie Goodman, co-director of the Housing Finance Policy Center, and Jun Zhu, a senior research associate, looked at a national database of mortgage transactions compiled by the federal government, along with proprietary information on borrower-credit characteristics and properties from CoreLogic, an analytics firm.

The study is blunt about its core conclusions: Single women pay slightly more for their mortgages, despite their superior repayment performance. They tend to present somewhat weaker credit characteristics at the application stage and, as a result, are more likely to end up with subprime, or higher-cost, financing.

[More Harney: Buyers say theyre willing to pay extra for smart homes]

But theres an inequity in the system in light of womens statistically lower rate of defaults: Single women are paying too much for their home loans. Given that more than one-third of single women borrowers are minorities and almost half of them live in low-income communities, the authors argue that in fairness, we need to develop more robust and accurate measures of risk to ensure that we arent denying mortgages to women who are fully able to make good on their payments.

Focusing on three distinct sets of years  2004-2007, 2008-2010 and 2011-2014  the researchers found that single women defaulted at lower rates than single men in all three periods, which represented sharply different economic environments. The years 2004-2007 were prime boom times; 2008-2010 encompassed the housing bust and global financial crisis; and 2011-2014 were post-recession recovery years.

Yet the pattern of lower rates of default exhibited by single women borrowers persisted through all three periods.

Although mortgage-lending groups have not had an opportunity to review or comment on the study  it had not been publicly released as of this writing, but it can now be found at tinyurl.com/hhe5859  one lender with operations in eight states told me he sees single women not only as an important part of his business but also as a rapidly expanding one.

Joe Petrowsky, a mortgage consultant with Right Trac Financial Group, says 26 percent of his business is with single women, and theres no question it will soon exceed 30 percent. He believes single women represent solid risks in part because the reality is they have a better ability to save and plan for the future than most single men.

Real estate agents say buying a condo or a house may have a stronger and deeper emotional component for single women than for men. Leslie White, a Redfin agent in the Washington area, told me that for single women, ownership of a house means stability  you own it, youre in charge, there is no landlord, and thats extremely important to them. Of Whites last 25 transactions, 20 percent were purchases by single women, zero by single men.

Lottie Kendall, an agent with Today/Sothebys International Realty in the San Francisco Bay area, says single women want to create a nest, be part of a community. Theyre buying to fulfill a dream, whereas, in her experience, single men seem more interested in tax write-offs and possible financial gains than in stability.

Ken Harneys email address is kenharney@earthlink.net.
In a tweet by Rahul Gandhi, on the second day of his 2,500-km Deoria to Delhi Kisan Yatra, he said, 'If a Kisan takes a khat he's called a 'chor' but ppl like Mallyaji who run away with crores are called 'defaulters'!'

Rahul Gandhi on on the second day of his 2,500-km Deoria to Delhi Kisan Yatra. (Photo: Twitter @OfficeOfRG)

By India Today Web Desk: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has retorted to the fiasco which happened at his maiden Khaat Sabha in Deoria yesterday by launching a veiled attack on the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

In a tweet posted today, on the second day of his 2,500-km Deoria to Delhi Kisan Yatra, Rahul said, "If a Kisan takes a khat he's called a 'chor' but ppl like Mallyaji who run away with crores are called 'defaulters'!"



If a Kisan takes a khat he's called a 'chor' but ppl like Mallyaji who run away with crores are called 'defaulters'! pic.twitter.com/iVSUlB6NQT Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) September 7, 2016

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He tweeted the same thing also in Hindi.



The tweet was in reaction to several reports in the media after locals fled with the khaats (four-legged wooden cots) even before Rahul had finished his speech in Deoria during the first day of his yatra.

Through his reaction, the Congress leader has taken a dig at the Modi government under whose regime United Breweries proprietor Vijay Mallya fled the country after defaulting to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore.



--- ENDS ---
Sengdao Oudomsinh, 18, outside the temple pagoda where he says prayers every morning at 5. With his school and most of this tiny city closed for Obamas visit, Sengdao spent the entire morning Wednesday watching for signs of the presidential motorcade. (William Wan/The Washington Post)

When Sengdao Oudomsinh heard Barack Obama was coming to town, the first thing he did was look him up online.

Sengdao  an 18-year-old novice monk who had left his impoverished familys rice farm in search of a better life in this citys temples  had seen Obamas picture before in newspapers and knew he was president of United States, but not much else.

Punching Obamas name into YouTube a few weeks ago, he found dozens of the presidents speeches  about the power of hope, about the need for change. One speech in particular struck Sengdao like lightning. And he began reciting its lines over and over like the Buddhist chants he and his fellow novices practice every morning.

Eager to share it Wednesday with a visitor at his temple, Sengdao pulled out a hand-me-down tablet given to him by a relative  the most valuable object he possessed  and tapped on a bookmarked page.

Out came the booming voice of Obama: If youre willing to work hard, it doesnt matter who you are or where you come from. . . . You can make it here in America if youre willing to try.

Sengdao said he found the words mesmerizing and spent the next two weeks vacuuming up everything on Obama he could find.

I know he has a wife named Michelle. I know he lived in a town called Shee-cago? Or Chick-ago? Sengdao said. I know he cried one time when he was talking about guns. I know his first job was to sell ice cream and he ate too much and doesnt eat it anymore.

For the past two years, Sengdao said, he had been teaching himself English by watching YouTube clips and repeating words and phrases. In the process, he also learned a great deal about the United States.

There are golden beaches there, he said. New York is called the Big Apple. Famous people all live in a place called California. And Americans are always trying do the impossible, improving themselves, chasing big dreams.

And today, he hoped to catch a glimpse of the man who, to Sengdao, embodied everything he knew of America.

While in Luang Prabang, he heard, Obama was going to visit the temple right next door to Sengdaos. And the monk was desperate to catch a glimpse, a wave, handshake or even a brief exchange of words.

While scouring the Internet the other day, Sengdao saw this question posted on Facebook by the U.S. Embassy in Laos: If you had a chance to talk to Obama, what would you say?

1 of 56 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Obama is doing on his final trip to Asia as president View Photos President Obama travels to China for three days to attend the Group of 20 economic summit and then a first presidential visit to Laos. Caption President Obama travels to China for three days to attend the Group of 20 economic summit and then a first presidential visit to Laos. Sept. 8, 2016 President Obama speaks to the media during a news conference at the landmark Mekong Riverside Hotel in Vientiane, Laos. Nyein Chan Naing/European Pressphoto Agency Wait 1 second to continue.

I want to ask him about his speech, Sengdao said. He said, In America, you can make it if you try. I think its very true. But not always. I want to know if its true in Laos.

Right place, right time

Every morning, after prayers and meditation in his ancient temples pagoda, Sengdao starts downloading videos, using the WiFi of a tourist motel across the street while the guests are still asleep and the Internet is fast.

He watches a lot of English travel shows, including Itchy Feet, but his favorite videos on YouTube are the TED Talks.

He likes how smooth and sophisticated the speakers sound. He finds them inspirational. After watching a TED Talk, Sengdao said, he often feels great hope, as if anything is possible in his life.

He finds this kernel of American culture especially addictive  the idea that you can become anything you want. That you are only limited by how big you dream.

Like many in Laoss rural villages, Sengdao grew up working in his parents rice paddies. When he finished elementary school, he had few options. So, as many boys from the countryside do, he decided to become a novice monk to move to Luang Prabang  a bumpy, three-hour bus ride away  and find a school here.

He has been away from his family for five years. Even now, when he hears his mothers voice on his tablet, he sometimes cries.

That experience, he said, makes him feel Obamas speech about trying hard is true. He now attends a school run by a British nonprofit organization for underprivileged children.

But things also are not as simple as Obama says, he thinks. You have be at the right place and right time, he said. It doesnt matter how hard you try in the countryside, your dream is not going to come true.

He wishes he could ask Obama about this.

There is a yearning in his voice, as if answers about Obama might yield solutions to his own life. He wants to know whether Obama is a wise man.

He must be smart and wise, Sengdao said, or he would not have become president.

His family back in the rice-growing village does not understand such things, he said. His grandparents still harbor a bitter dislike for the United States  having lived through the Vietnam War when American warplanes dropped nearly 300 million cluster bombs on Laos to target Viet Kong and North Vietnamese Army fighters using parts of Laos as sanctuaries.

Even now, millions of bombs litter the countryside, and at his elementary school, Sengdao said, he was taught at age 7 how to identify unexploded munitions.

His parents are mostly indifferent about the United States. When you live in the village, you dont know that much, Sengdao said. You just know waking up early, farming, selling your rice.

But to Sengdao, with his used tablet, the United States has become just a swipe away. And the closer he gets to it in his mind, the more distant he sometimes feels from his family.

His dream is to win a scholarship to go to a university in the United States.

Watching in vain

On Wednesday, he kept a watchful eye on the street beside his temple for signs of the police and Obamas motorcade.

All morning, he waited beside the temple walls.

Around 1 p.m. a Scottish couple wandered past him.

Did you see Obama? they asked Sengdao.

The president, it turned out, had taken a back road to the adjacent temple. The couple showed Sengdao pictures of the motorcade on their phones, and he looked on politely, hiding his disappointment.

It would have been nice, he said afterward, to meet the man in charge of America, a country he has learned so much about but never seen himself.

Its okay. I have bigger dreams, Sengdao said. Someday, I will go see it myself.

Read more

Obama pledges $90 million to help clear remnants of U.S. bombing in Laos

What it means when the leaders of the two largest economies sit down for tea

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Activists demonstrate outside the French Embassy in London on Sept. 7 in support of the refugees in the camps in and around Calais in northern France. (Alastair Grant/AP)

British authorities confirmed Tuesday that construction will begin this month on a concrete wall in Calais intended to keep migrants and refugees from the citys port, where they frequently attempt to stow away on U.K.-bound trucks and ferries.

This measure is intended to further protect the Rocade from migrant attempts to disrupt, delay and even attack vehicles approaching the port, the British Home Office said in an emailed statement. The Rocade is an access road leading into the port.

On Monday, French truck drivers and local residents protested against the large migrant camp outside the city, blocking traffic and insisting that migrants and refugees have increasingly resorted to violence to gain passage to Britain, 20 miles across the English Channel.

Tuesdays update from U.K. Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill on what local residents immediately began calling on social media the Great Wall of Calais came days after the French government pledged, again, to close the Jungle encampment outside Calais. Goodwill declined to comment further.

[French truck drivers protest in Calais, call for dismantling of Jungle camp]

In the camp, 7,000 to 9,000 refugees and migrants  mostly from Afghanistan and Sudan  live in squalid conditions and legal limbo. Nearly equidistant from London and Paris, the Jungle has become an arresting symbol of Europes migrant crisis, no longer confined to the continents periphery.

The wall, a crucial part of a $22.65 million Franco-British security package agreed to in early March, is slated to be about 13 feet high and made of smooth concrete, a material that is difficult to scale.

Almost instantly, a pro-immigrant segment of the British government voiced concerns, saying the Calais wall could send the same message of exclusion commonly associated with the controversial proposal by Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump to build a wall between the United States and Mexico.

Alf Dubs, a member of the House of Lords and the lead sponsor of a recent amendment to welcome into Britain more unaccompanied migrant children, called the idea stupid. Dubs was once a child refugee in Britain, brought there as part of the famous Kindertransports that saved the lives of nearly 10,000 Jewish children in World War II.

It sends an appalling message after the disaster of the Brexit vote, he said, referring to the United Kingdoms vote to leave the European Union. It sends an appalling message of us being a small, nasty, inward-looking country.

[In French migrant camps, volunteers provide what governments will not]

As part of a 2003 agreement between Britain and France, the British border technically extends to the shores of northern France, which has made Calais a prime destination for migrants and refugees in the past year. Largely because of linguistic, cultural and familial ties, many migrants are still hoping for asylum in Britain.

Meanwhile, the city of Paris announced Tuesday the details of its plan to become the first densely populated European city to create a space within city limits to welcome and house migrants. Anne Hidalgo, the citys Socialist mayor, told reporters that a new facility would open in mid-October in the French capital, initially for 400 and with room to expand to 600.

We must invent new devices to overcome the current situation, which is a situation of saturation, Hidalgo said.

Read more

A French imams argument for why Islam belongs in France

The number of Europe-bound migrants falls, but death toll rises

Frances burkini debate: About a bathing suit and a countrys peculiar secularism

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Russian President Vladimir Putin talks to President Obama during a meeting at the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Hangzhou, China. Among the issues they discussed was Syria. (Alexei Druzhinin/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool/y)

The Obama administration has told Russia that it is at the end of its patience in trying to arrange a cease-fire in Syria, along with proposed joint U.S.-Russia counterterrorism operations, and that it expects a decision from Moscow in the next several days.

A final proposal was given to the Russians as President Obama met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday in China, senior administration officials said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Secretary of State John F. Kerry would meet with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Geneva on Thursday and Friday. The State Department, while acknowledging that the two spoke by telephone Wednesday morning, declined to confirm the meeting.

Were not going to take a deal that doesnt meet our basic objectives, Benjamin Rhodes, Obamas deputy national security adviser, said Tuesday during the presidents stop in Laos. And I think well know very quickly whether or not we can close those remaining gaps.

In declining to confirm the Kerry-Lavrov meeting, U.S. officials made clear that they saw no purpose in yet another negotiating session if Russia had not changed its position. In a related development, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Lavrov had expressed indignation to Kerry in their telephone call over the U.S. announcement of additional Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia this week.

President Obama traveled to China and Laos to attend the G20 and ASEAN conferences. Along the way there were more than a few times when the geopolitical discourse surrounding the events became awkward. (Jason Aldag,William Wan/The Washington Post)

It was underlined that the normal cooperation, including resolving regional conflicts, cooperation for which the administration of Barack Obama regularly asks in working contacts, is impossible without basic decency, a ministry statement said.

The proposal calls for a cease-fire in civil-war fighting throughout the country, including in and around the besieged city of Aleppo, and the safe, sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance. Once the truce is in place for a specified time period, the Syrian air force is to be officially grounded. Then the United States and Russia are to initiate a joint air campaign against counterterrorism targets.

[Aleppos humanitarian crisis worsens]

The outlines of the deal were agreed upon weeks ago, but U.S. officials have accused Russia of backtracking on some elements, including the timing and duration of a cease-fire before the other aspects of the agreement begin.

During the Obama-Putin meeting, and sessions between Kerry and Lavrov, held on the margins of the Group of 20 meeting in Hangzhou, China, the Russians said, Well, we want to go back and talk about some of the things at the previous meeting. We said thats not something were willing to do. Were not going to go backward, said a senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity about the closed-door sessions.

Aleppo is a big part of the conversation, the official said. But were trying to look holistically at the crisis writ large, because many other communities are suffering.

We are looking for a sustained period of calm, the official added. Because the conversation has gone on so long, and because there have been promises made, and promises not kept, we are looking to have a series of steps that get us to a comprehensive approach. . . . This is not just going to be another short-term truce.

Administration officials declined to specify what steps they would take if the Russia deal does not go through. Stating that the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq is his first priority, Obama has been reluctant to directly involve the U.S. military in Syrias civil war, beyond providing limited arms and other assistance to moderate opposition forces.

Those forces, and other rebel groups being aided by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and others in the immediate neighborhood, overlap in places, including in and around Aleppo, with fighters of the Front for the Conquest of Syria  or Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, the group formerly known as Jabhat al-

Nusra, which recently announced it had broken with al-Qaeda. The administration still considers the group an al-Qaeda affiliate.

Russia and Syria have been bombing the opposition, insisting that they are targeting the Front and that the United States is responsible for separating the groups. As part of the U.S.-

proposed deal, the administration says it will try to separate them. In the meantime, U.S. and Russian military and intelligence officials have mapped out much of northwestern Syria to demarcate areas of rebel control, mixed rebel and Front forces, and predominantly Front forces.

Under the coordination proposal, U.S. and Russian forces would agree on eligible Front targets and determine whose aircraft are best positioned to strike them.

Both the mapping and the cease-fire have become more difficult in recent days as the government on Sunday  with help from Russian air attacks  seized control of the last rebel supply line, southwest of Aleppo, cutting one of the main access roads that was to have been used for aid delivery.

[Battle for Aleppo may be the most crucial of the war]

In an indication that the government and its backers plan to continue fighting, pro-government media outlets reported Wednesday that the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps elite Quds Force, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, visited Syrian army and militia formations around Aleppo to prepare for a major offensive to retake the opposition-held portion of the city.

In a letter sent last weekend, Michael Ratney, the State Departments liaison to the opposition, spelled out the proposed cease-fire steps. The proposal calls initially for a complete cessation of military operations by the regime and its affiliated forces and opposition forces on the Ramusa road in southwest Aleppo, and entry by U.N. aid convoys.

Second, checkpoints are to be set up on Castello Road, the main northern entryway to the city that government forces seized from the rebels last month. The government is then to withdraw all of its vehicles and heavy weapons to more than a mile away from Castello Road, which will be declared a demilitarized zone. Similar withdrawals and checkpoints are then to be established in the south.

If the cease-fire extends to 7 days and the checkpoints are set up and all forces are withdrawn, the letter said, then the U.S. and Russia will work on stopping the regime planes from flying and will work together to weaken al-Qaeda in Syria.

Commitment to the cease-fire, it said, will open the door for the political process to continue in Geneva, where talks between the government and the opposition fell apart last spring as a previous cease-fire collapsed.

On Wednesday, the oppositions political leadership released its vision for a future Syria. At a news conference in London, opposition leaders presented a road map for a transition away from President Bashar al-Assads rule that broadly coincides with proposals made in the past by the United States and other Western allies for a negotiated solution to the war.

It envisions a six-month negotiation process, followed by an 18-month period during which Syria would be ruled by a transitional governing body that would be representative of all Syrians. That body would oversee the drafting of a new constitution, resulting in U.N.-supervised elections.

But without a wider diplomatic agreement between the United States and Russia on ways to end the fighting, a return to political negotiations is unlikely. And even if they do agree, it is far from likely that representatives of the regime would agree to negotiate their own governments demise.

Sly reported from Beirut.

Read more:

U.S. begins focusing on new jihadist threat in Syria

Al-Qaeda affiliate faces unusual backlash from Syrians

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The obscure law that authorities are using to investigate Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe  and could possibly use to probe the overseas dealings of former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort  is rarely enforced, and Justice Department officials and agents generally do not agree on its intent, according to an inspector generals report released Wednesday.

The Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires U.S. citizens who lobby on behalf of foreign governments to register with the Justice Department, generated only seven criminal cases between 1966 and 2015, according to the report. The department inspector generals office found that agents and prosecutors had different understandings of the law and disagreed on how to apply it.

We believe these differing understandings are indicative of the lack of a comprehensive Department enforcement strategy on FARA, which the Department should develop and integrate with its overall national security efforts, the report concluded.

[How Paul Manafort revived his career  and fortunes  in Ukraine]

While the report would not affect McAuliffe (D) or Manafort directly, it shows how unusual it would be for prosecutors to initiate criminal proceedings against either of them.

In McAuliffes case, it is unclear exactly what has drawn investigators attention. Federal officials have told The Washington Post they are looking broadly at his personal finances, especially foreign sources of income. McAuliffes attorney has said they are investigating potential violations of FARA, though the lawyer insisted they will find no wrongdoing.

Manafort resigned from his job with Trumps campaign amid reports of his past dealings in Ukraine. The Associated Press reported that he helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political partys efforts to influence U.S. policy.

The firms  Mercury and the Podesta Group  said they were assured the funds came from a nonprofit group, not from a government or political party, and they registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act rather than FARA. Manafort, who did not register as a foreign agent or lobbyist for his Ukraine work, has said he never represented the governments of Ukraine or Russia.

The inspector generals office found that registrations under FARA, which was passed in 1938 as an effort to combat fascist and communist propaganda, began to fall sharply in the mid-1990s.

The report found that enforcement actions are extremely rare. The Justice Department, the report said, had not sought civil relief under FARA since 1991, and two of the seven criminal cases it brought between 1966 and 2015 were dismissed. An eighth case was approved for prosecution in November 2015, according to the report.

In 2010, former congressman Mark Deli Siljander (R-Mich.) pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and a charge under FARA, admitting that he had been hired by an Islamic charity based in Sudan to lobby for the groups removal from a federal list of charities suspected of funding international terrorism, without being properly registered to do so.

The inspector generals office found that FBI counterintelligence agents and officials in the national-security division had differing understandings about FARAs intent and what actually constituted a FARA case.

According to the report, agents believed officials in the national-security division were reluctant to approve charges and seemed to prefer forcing alleged FARA violators to register rather than prosecuting them. Officials in the national-security division said they believed the primary goal of FARA was to ensure appropriate registration and public disclosure, though they disputed they were reluctant to approve charges when appropriate.

The law carves out what seem to be broad exemptions, and the national-security division said it could be difficult to determine whether think tanks, nongovernmental organizations, university and college campus groups, foreign media entities or others that may receive funding and direction from foreign governments are covered by them. The FARA unit comprises just eight people, according to the report.

The national-security division said in a statement that its officials agree with the reports recommendations and in fact had already taken steps relating to several of the IGs observations prior to the audit.

Read more:

Officials: Federal prosecutors investigating Virginia Gov. McAuliffe

Which foreign countries spent the most to influence U.S. politics?

Editorial: America deserves answers on Manafort global money trail
The man, identified as Mangalram, was given this cruel treatment for allegedly talking to a girl from the same village, which is mere 100 km from the capital Jaipur.

By Sharat Kumar: In a shocking incident in Dausa, Rajasthan, a man from Baliyan village was tied with a rope, paraded in the village with a shoe garland around his neck and even thrashed and tortured by locals.

The man, identified as Mangalram, was given this cruel treatment for allegedly talking to a girl from the same village, which is mere 100 km from the capital Jaipur.

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WATCH: Mob justice in Bengal, man tied to tree and beaten up



Mangalram was also subjected to electric torture and beaten black and blue by the mob.

The ordeal didn't end there for Mangalram. The cops refused to file an FIR after the victim and his family complained to the police. Both police inspector and the ASP are said to have ignored the complaint.

Apparently, the village panchayat had asked him to stay away from the girl, and the youth defied their diktat.

Also read

Watch: Rajasthan villagers play moral police, tie woman to tree, cut her hair, beat her up

Udaipur shocker: Tribal woman, lover paraded naked for having extramarital affair, 13 held

Kerala: Migrant labourer dies after locals tie him to a tree under the sun



--- ENDS ---
An image released by the Philippine Department of National Defense on Sept. 7, 2016, shows a Chinese coast guard vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. (Dnd Handout/EPA)

The Philippines released photos Wednesday purporting to show Chinese boats near a shoal in the South China Sea, claiming that the presence of new ships in the area could signal another attempt by Beijing to build in disputed fishing grounds.

The outcry could exacerbate tensions during a summit of U.S. and Southeast Asian leaders in Laos over Chinas reach into the South China Sea, where Beijing has already constructed artificial islands and other facilities that the West and allies fear could be used as a military foothold in the region.

China claims sovereignty over the sea, which borders the Philippines and several other nations that have challenged Beijings push in the area. The United States also has raised concerns about possible Chinese attempts to limit fishing rights and shipping lanes.

In July, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled against Chinas assertion of control over the South China Sea. China has refused to recognize the ruling.

The latest move by the Philippines came two days after its Defense Ministry expressed grave concern about a larger-than-normal number of ships in the area, and just hours before U.S., Chinese and Southeast Asian leaders met for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China does not have historic rights to justify its expansive claims. The verdict, which strongly favored the Philippines, will undermine China's claim to sovereignty under the nine-dash line it draws around most of the sea. (Simon Denyer,Jason Aldag/The Washington Post / Satellite photos courtesy of CSIS)

[Breaking down the South China Sea ruling]

The pictures from Scarborough Shoal may add a new dimension to an already awkward summit. Before it began, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte used the Tagalog term for son of a whore in railing against President Obama and perceived American interference in Philippine affairs. Obama then canceled a meeting with Duterte.

Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in rich fishing grounds, lies about 120 miles west of Subic Bay, the site of a former U.S. naval base that American ships, planes and Marines have resumed using in recent years.

So far this week, China has tried to downplay the Philippine claims. Asked Monday about the presence of new Chinese ships, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman in Beijing said there has been no change in Chinas policy or posture and urged reporters not to hype the matter.

But observers in Philippines and beyond say it is hard to ignore what could be a move to strengthen Chinas presence in the area.

These pictures are extremely alarming, lending credence to reports by sources in China indicating that Beijing was planning to build facilities in the Scarborough Shoal, said Richard Javad Heydarian, an assistant professor of political science at Manilas De La Salle University.

[Beijings dilemma on South China Sea]





If China indeed pushes ahead with actual construction, it could lead to collapse in burgeoning negotiations between the Duterte administration and Beijing."

The Philippine Defense Ministry said the vessels included Chinese coast guard ships, barges that could be used for dredging, and potential troop carriers.

But experts said they could not determine from the photos alone what they Chinese ships can do  or why China may have sent them.

Its hard to draw any conclusion yet, said Yanmei Xie, a Beijing-based analyst at the International Crisis Group, "But I'd be skeptical that China would choose to start dredging while the G-20 is ongoing and on the eve of the ASEAN summit."

It looks like a mixture of coast guard ships and fishing vessels  hardly the precursor of a massive reclamation project, said Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

But Storey said Duterte could be put in a difficult spot.

As only America can help the Philippines push back against China and protect its maritime claims, Duterte may well come to regret insulting President Obama," he added.

Read more:

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Moneypenny Completes Move to Pioneering New Headquarters in Wrexham

This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Sep 6th, 2016

A 15m headquarters which boasts its own village pub, treehouse and rivals the likes of Apple and Google has officially opened  in Wrexham!

Moneypenny, the UKs leading telephone answering specialist has completed its move the its new headquarters on the Western Gateway site in Wrexham.

Designed to be the happiest workplace in the UK, the headquarters reflects the companys growth. The building is able to accommodate up to 1,000 staff, supporting the companys plans to create an additional 500 jobs over the next few years and double its client base by 2018.

Ed Reeves, co-founder and director of Moneypenny, masterminded the project. He said: What we believe is simple: the happier our staff, the happier our clients. So when we outgrew our previous offices and made the decision to build a new headquarters, we asked ourselves how we can make sure our receptionists are the happiest in the UK?

The answer was easy  ask them, so thats what we did. Through a series of focus groups we collated their ideas, suggestions and thoughts and used these to form the basis of the blueprint for the design.

Building work on the project was finished on time and on budget, with the move from its offices on Wrexham Technology Park taking place over the summer.

Inside, the striking 91,000sq ft building  which rivals the likes of Google and Apples headquarters  boasts a treehouse meeting room, its own village pub, a sun terrace and a triple height atrium with stadium seating and a restaurant offering free breakfast and fruit.

Outside the development is equally impressive and surrounded by seven acres of landscaped grounds with nature trails, a duck pond and orchards with picturesque countryside views.

Remarkably, the entire development  designed by award-winning AEW Architects  cost the same price as a standard brick box office too.

Ed continued: We provided our architects with the same budget wed been quoted to build a standard office and said right, show us how we can create something amazing. It was a challenge, but we ripped up the rulebook and thats exactly what they did.

Our new headquarters will deliver serious benefits for both ourselves and our clients, and weve already heard from a number of companies who want to use it as a model for their own developments.

Offices in Britain are often ranked the coldest and most miserable places to work. However

the extraordinary Moneypenny workplace is the latest in business-leading moves that the company has made to guarantee the well-being of its staff.

Four years ago the company set up an office in New Zealand where staff fly out to on six month secondments to answer overnight UK calls so they dont have to work night shifts.

Ed continued: Offices in Britain are constantly ranked the coldest, ugliest or most miserable places to work, but business owners are missing a trick. There are countless studies which have proven that staff are more productive when they enjoy coming to work  but what are companies doing to make this a reality?

For us, the building is more than just bricks and mortar. Its a manifestation of our ethos, of our achievements so far, of our culture and of our aspirations. Its about blurring the lines between work and home so employees feel happy, comfortable and empowered.

We understand what our clients need  and thats the very best receptionists in the world.

Our new office has once again raised the bar in achieving this, ensuring we attract and retain the most talented staff in order to support our clients in the future.

The Welsh Government is helping to facilitate and support the companys investment and expansion by acquiring two properties that Moneypenny is vacating.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates, said: Moneypenny is a great made-in-Wales success story and I am delighted the Welsh Government is supporting this significant investment which is great news for the economy and for Wales.

Moneypenny is a valuable member of the financial and professional services sector in Wales. Its investment in a bespoke new headquarters secures its long term sustainable future in North Wales and offers the real potential for future growth and the creation of many more jobs as it continues to expand.

In tandem with this, our plans to invest in two of the properties they are vacating will provide an additional opportunity to attract new business and new jobs to the area.

The company worked with a number of Welsh companies on the build, including Hatrick Property Services, Bostock Air Conditioning, Wright Landscapes and Simon ORourke.

Cllr Neil Rogers, Lead Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, added: Moneypenny is an excellent example of how companies can work with the Council when they wish to expand which will result in new jobs. Their continued investment in Wrexham proves that we are an area that companies want to invest in and that means jobs for local people.

I am delighted with their success and their new premises and wish them every success for the future.

Moneypenny answers in excess of 10 million calls a year either on an overflow or fully outsourced basis for both small and large businesses. Founded in 2000, the company currently employs over 500 people and has offices in the UK, US and New Zealand.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won over a fifth of the vote Sunday in state elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The AfD finished second behind the Social Democratic Party (SPD), pushing the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the party of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, into third place in the north-eastern state where Merkel has her own parliamentary constituency.

In terms of per capita economic output, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is the poorest German state. The vote here, more clearly than in any other of the nine states where the AfD has won legislative seats, shows what is buoying up these right-wing agitators and demagogues. It is popular anger at unemployment, poverty and the austerity policies of the establishment parties, including the Left Party, and the absence of a progressive alternative.

Although only 11,000 refugees live in the sparsely populated state, and, at 3 percent, the proportion of foreigners is very low, all the establishment parties competed with the AfD in their xenophobic scaremongering. The CDUs lead candidate Lorenz Caffier campaigned for a burqa ban, while SPD state premier Erwin Selle attacked the federal governments refugee policy from the right.

Although polls show that unemployment was the most important issue for 38 percent of the electorate, no party demonstrated any interest in this. None of them could address the burning social issues that impact on hundreds of thousands because they are all responsible. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the SPD has been in the state executive for 22 years, the CDU for 18 years and the Left Party for 8 years.

In hardly any other German state have working people been treated so harshly as in this predominantly rural state with its 1.6 million inhabitants. In the quarter century since German reunification, people living between the city of Schwerin in the west of the state and the Polish border to the east have been comprehensively lied to and cheated. One government after another has implemented massive cuts in social spending.

Aside from a narrow coastal strip on the Baltic, where EU subsidies have helped to boost the tourism industry, and where the locals are employed as servants or seasonal workers on low wages, the rest of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania resembles a wasteland. Since German reunification, around 300,000 inhabitants have left the state. What remains are dying villages and towns with an aging population.

Because they knew how hated their policies are, the establishment parties sought to channel growing opposition into right-wing, nationalist channels, providing grist to the mill for the AfD. This far-right outfit presented itself as an anti-establishment party, on the one hand, while simultaneously riding the wave of refugee baiting.

In fact, there is mass opposition to the rise of the right-wing. One indication of this is the anti-AfD song Only the dumbest calves chose their own butcher by the band Jennifer Rostock, which circulated on the Internet just before the election. The lyrics read, A religion as bogeyman for right-wing terror and whatever else, everything smells damn like 1933 (the year Hitler became German chancellor). The song received 13 million clicks in just one week. That is ten times as many clicks as there are voters in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

But no one is providing this opposition with a voice and a perspective. The most pernicious role is played by the Left Party, which specializes in stifling any social resistance and supporting every attack on the working class with a jumble of pseudo-left phrases. On Sunday, the Left Party got its just desserts. Losing more than five points, it recorded the biggest decline of any party. With 13 percent of the vote, the Left Party achieved the worst result in its history in the state.

As the Socialist Unity Party (SED), the former party of state of East Germany and then refashioned as the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), which organised the dissolution of the former East Germany in 1990, it promised social reforms. In the 1998 state elections it received 25 percent of the vote and entered the state government in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as a junior partner of the SPD. The former PDS and todays Left Party state leader Helmut Holter was deputy state premier and labour minister.

The result was devastating. There has been no trace of any social improvements. The PDS minister fawned over entrepreneurs and businessmen, and acted arrogantly and high-handedly against workers. Holters ministry sold off state-owned assets and municipal facilities. In no other state at that time were so many hospitals privatized, usually against the fierce resistance of the workers. Holter describes the biggest success of his government work as being the consolidation of the states budget.

At the end of the eight-year reign of the SPD and PDS, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania had the lowest wages of all Germanys states. Forty-one percent of employees worked without any contract, the highest rate in the East. On top of this came corruption and nepotism in the authorities under Holters control, against whose administration the Regional Court of Auditors raised serious allegations.

The Left Party is responsible for the growth of the AfD in two respects. First, in its years in government it has created the social misery that now drives many working families to despair. Second, the right-wing capitalist policies it pursues under the cover of left phrases create the political frustration that is exploited by the right-wing demagogues.

Only the independent intervention of the working class into political developments can prevent the further growth of the AfD. For this, the working class needs a party that links the struggle against capitalism, poverty and want with the struggle against war; a party that upholds a socialist programme and which fights for the international collaboration and unification of all workers.

This is the significance of the election campaign of the Partei fur Soziale Gleichheit (PSG, Socialist Equality Party) in the Berlin state election. As the lead candidate of the PSG, I urge all WSWS readers who are eligible to vote in Berlin on 18 September to cast their ballot for the PSG. Read our election programme, support our campaign and join the Socialist Equality Party, the German section of the Fourth International (ICFI).
The Left Fronts Jean-Luc Melenchon is backing the Socialist Party (PS) governments regime-change operation in Gabon on Saturday, appearing at a small protest in Paris of supporters of Jean Ping, the French-backed candidate who lost the presidential election to the incumbent, Ali Bongo.

Melenchon marched with protesters draped in yellow, the Ping campaigns official colour, and brandishing signs saying Down with Bongo and Free Gabon. He told AFP that he joined the protest to congratulate the Gabonese people for resisting, and that he considered it unacceptable to massacre those that only want free and democratic elections.

What a cynical fraud! To liberate themselves, the workers and oppressed masses of Gabon face a struggle not only against Ali Bongo, but his imperialist backersabove all, France, the former colonial power in Gabon, and its handpicked candidate. Ping is a member of Gabons kleptocratic ruling clique, which has controlled Gabon ever since Alis father Omar came to power based on a French military intervention in 1965.

Ping is the ex-husband of Alis sister Pascaline, who oversaw Omar Bongos financial affairs. He had a front row seat as French oil companies and political parties sucked billions of euros from the country, leaving the masses mired in poverty.

Melenchon is backing Ping as a representative of French imperialism: the PS government and its satellites like the Left Front plan for Ping to maintain these relations, and cut off Ali Bongos promotion of Gabons economic ties to China. In this, the Left Front are not disinterested observers. The PS, and thus its allies in the Left Front, directly benefited from these vast, politically criminal cash flows that came to light in a series of scandals in the 1990s and 2000s, such as the Elf Aquitaine affair.

These links continue to surface. A confidential memo by the US embassy in Yaounde dated July 7, 2009, released by WikiLeaks and reprinted in the Spanish daily El Pais, notes payments to the main French political parties at the time, the PS and the UMP (now The Republicans, LR). The payments were made by top Gabonese officials at the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), who embezzled the money from the bank on Ali Bongos orders.

It is not difficult to understand the role Melenchon is playing. As the PS and Ping try to exploit Ali Bongos crackdown against the Ping campaign to topple his regime, Melenchon is bringing the benediction of the academics, union functionaries and middle-class professionals of the Left Front to a French coup that would install Ping as Gabons new autocrat.

The demonstration that Melenchon joined featured prominent demands for yet another military intervention by France in Gabon, in order to topple Ali Bongo. In a press statement, the groups who had organized the protest called upon France, which has a military base in Gabon, and upon the international community, to join together with the Gabonese people to put an end to Ali Bongos homicidal lunacy.

This is simply an attempt by the Left Front and pro-imperialist sections of the Gabonese community in France to give a left face to reactionary demands for the ongoing French-led intervention in Gabon to escalate into a military putsch.

As the WSWS has already reported, the French PS reacted to the election in Gabon by demanding immediately, before any recount had taken place, that Bongo hand over power to Ping. It has been a half century that the Bongo family has ruled Gabon, it declared. Handing over power would be a sign of good faith and would provide a good example to follow.

This was followed by an escalating series of demands for regime-change from the Ping campaign. On Friday, Ping proclaimed himself president at a press conference. Present were a number of Pings supporters, just released from police custody after a siege by Special Forces and police of Pings electoral headquarters, after his supporters partially burned down the National Assembly on Wednesday night. One was an ex-vice president and two were ex-ministers of Omar Bongowith Ping, all part of the faction of the ruling clique that has fallen out with Ali Bongo.

Ever since the declaration of the election results neither the French nor the American governments, nor the European Union or the African Union has issued a statement accepting Ali Bongos re-election. Behind the scenes, intense pressure is being brought to bear on the regime from Washington and Paris. In his calls for a vote recount, Ping always stresses that he is only echoing the demands of France, the EU, the United States and the African Union.

On Saturday, as Melenchon marched in support of the French regime-change operation, Ping and a number of his followers called on President Francois Hollande to intervene in Gabon. On Monday, Ping called for a general strike in Gabon, and yesterday Justice Minister Seraphin Moundounga, a long time stalwart of Ali Bongos regime, suddenly announced his resignation.

There can be little doubt that Melenchon was well-informed as to what was taking place. He is a former PS senator and top aide to the late PS President Francois Mitterrand during the 1980s and 1990s. Since 1983 at least, he has been a member of the Freemasonry, a reactionary network that recruits extensively among the bloodstained ruling personnel of the dictatorships of Francophone Africa.

During his 2003 trial in the Elf Aquitaine affair, French oil boss Loik Le Floch-Prigent detailed Mitterrands policy on African oil after coming to power in 1981, when Melenchon was working closely with him. PS officials and ex-1960s student radicals, like Melenchon and Le Floch-Prigent made clear, they simply sought to secure for themselves a share of the booty that had traditionally been pillaged from Gabon and other African countries by the French right.

This system existed essentially for the Gaullist party, the RPR, Le Floch-Prigent said. I informed President Francois Mitterrand, who told me that it would be better to spread it about a bit, without leaving out the RPR all the same.

These corrupt social-democratic and pseudo-left parties, which view workers in Africa and Europe with the same fear and contempt as the personnel of the Bongo regime, are now launching yet another regime-change operation in Africa, under totally fraudulent democratic pretences.

Pings intervention in the elections was prepared in talks with top French officials whom he met in Paris last October. Ping spoke with PS First Secretary Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, Senator Jean-Pierre Cantegrit, President Hollandes Africa adviser Helene Le Gal, diplomat Jean-Christophe Belliard, and Ibrahima Diawadoh, Prime Minister Manuel Valls Africa adviser.

Once Ping had Pariss approval, he set about securing the support of the Gabonese United Front opposition coalition. The opposition had set January 27, 2016 as the date of the meeting to decide how to designate its candidate for the presidential elections. Ping hastily organised a meeting on January 15 and had himself elected candidate, declaring shortly thereafter that he was going to be the next President of the Gabonese Republic.
From Esquire

The so-called duckbill rock formation at Oregons Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area was in some trouble for years, NPR reports, to the point that officials built a fence around it and banned visitors from interacting with it. That didnt stop untold numbers of Instagrammers-and, before that, what were known as photographers-from sneaking in to get a photo, however.

It looked like a duck, some said, while others called it Pedestal Rock even that Pacific Northwest rock, but the thing was literally teetering on the edge. So it was no surprise when the 7-by-10-foot formation fell and shattered recently. Authorities figured it was erosion, or some overeager Social Media Influencers.

But then a visitor named David Kalas came to them with a video:

Kalas said the vandals told him their buddy broke their leg earlier because of that rock, according to NPR. They basically told me themselves that it was a safety hazard, and that they did the world or Oregon a favor.

The rock-murder might have been just retribution to its assailants, but the locals dont see it that way. The Parks and Recreation Department is investigating the incident, and anyone involved could face a fine of up to $435. The outraged masses on social media agree with authorities that this crime cannot go unpunished, but NPR raises an interesting point: Seven people have died in the area since 2009, including six fatal falls, while rescue efforts have cost the Coast Guard up to $106,000 per hour (!).

Maybe the duckbill deserved to die. Or maybe all those lives and money were worth it for the likes. Or maybe people could have read the signs and stopped climbing on the damn rock.

[H/T: NPR]

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Netflix Spain said Tuesday it will mark its one-year anniversary at the end of October by releasing the first original production from Spain, Seven Years, starring Paco Leon. The streaming giant will release the thriller-drama on Oct. 28 day-and-date in 190 countries.

Barcelona-based Cactus Flower and Madrid-based Metronome co-produced the film for Netflix, which started operations in Spain on Oct. 20 last year.

Goya Award-winner Roger Gual (Smoking Room, Tasting Menu) directed the story written by Jose Cabeza and Julia Fontana about four friends who form a company and discover one night that to find a solution that can save their friendship and themselves, they must choose one to sacrifice his freedom to save the rest from personal and financial ruin.

Leon, a popular face for Spanish television audiences thanks to his role on primetime comedy series Aida, will be joined by Manuel Moron (Cell 211), Juan Pablo Raba (Narcos), Juana Acosta and Alex Brendemuhl (Truman).

Netflix also has acquired its first original series shot and produced in Spain, the company confirmed last week, snagging Velvet and Gran Hotel director Carlos Sedes for a 1920s-era, female-driven drama.

In March, Netflix announced a 16-episode series Las Chicas del Cable set to start shooting in Madrid this year, with Bambu Producciones' Ramon Campos and Teresa Fernandez Valdes executive producing.

The series, which will run in 50-minute time slots, will debut worldwide on Netflix in 2017, telling the story of four women from different social strata in Spain who work together as switchboard operators at the state-owned phone company's central headquarters in Madrid. Blanca Suarez, Ana Polvorosa, Maggie Civantos, Ana Fernandez and Yon Gonzalez are slated to star.

News of Netflix's first Spanish film spread through Spanish social media sites quickly thanks to Leon's popularity, while the local industry applauded the U.S. company's ability to offer international exposure to talented but not widely known directors.

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"My last film [Tasting Menu] got more international distribution, but my first film didn't leave Spain," Gual told the Spanish daily El Pais, referring to his Smoking Room, for which he won the 2003 Goya for new director. "For those of us that come from the film world, the idea that a product can be seen all at once in 190 countries is a bit daunting."

Read more: HBO to Launch Spain Streaming Service, Take on Netflix
Nepal has chosen Min Bahadur Bham's award-winning debut Kalo Pothi, the Black Hen as its nomination for best foreign-language Oscar.

The film, which follows the adventures of two boys searching for their missing hen during a temporary cease-fire in the midst of a civil war in the mountainous landlocked South Asian country, wooed professionals last year at the 72nd edition of the Venice Film Festival where it won the Critics Week prize.

The director has also been honored by the Nepalese president with National Talent Award for Contribution to Arts and Culture.

The Hollywood Reporter's review of the film earlier this year at Hong Kong's Filmart TV and Film market praised the title as a "debut [that] offers poised storytelling, heartrending performances and cinematic imagery galore."

The film, released domestically June 3, has been both a critical and commercial success in Nepal, Berlin-based Russian producer Anna Katchko of Tandem Film told THR.

"In Nepal Kalo Pothi is much more than just a film; it is changing the whole perspective on art films in the country and also making a huge political statement. And the audiences love it!"

The film is produced by Anna Katchko, Tsering Rhita, Devaki Rais, Min Bahadur Bham, Anup Thap and co-produced by France's Catherine Dussart. World sales are being handled by Wide Management.
According to the police, the devices were surreptitiously used to film the video at the AAP leader's residence in Sultanpuri in northwest Delhi.

By Tanseem Haider: Delhi Police today recovered three electronic devices, used for making the 'objectionable CD', from ousted Aam Aadmi Party minister Sandeep Kumar's residence.

The three electronic devices, including a mobile phone, have been sent to the laboratory for forensic examination.

Also read | Sex CD case: My husband is innocent, I stand by him, says Sandeep Kumar's wife



According to the police, the devices were surreptitiously used to film the video at the AAP leader's residence in Sultanpuri in northwest Delhi. In the video, the minister is seen in a compromising position with a woman, who had gone to him for a ration card.

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Also read | Sex CD case: Sandeep Kumar arrested by Delhi Police after rape complaint

Police have urged social media to bring the video down.

Police also said that the MLA, who has been booked on rape charges, was not providing full co-operation in the probe.

Also read | Sex CD case: Had gone to Sandeep Kumar for ration card, says woman in video

Sandeep Kumar was arrested after the woman, in the video, accused him of spiking her drink and assaulting her, during her visit to his home. Following the incident, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal immediately sacked the minister.

Also read | In memes: The Sandeep Kumar sex video saga





--- ENDS ---
Fox News

Toni Tennille is coming out of retirement to fulfill a lifetime wish. The Grammy-winning singer, known for her bouncy 1975 song "Love Will Keep Us Together" alongside her former husband Daryl Dragon, is set to lead the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center production of "Hello, Dolly!" in Prescott, Arizona.
From Town & Country

As soon as I enter the renovated Barclay Hotel in midtown Manhattan, I know where I am. Like its brethren around the world, the 90-year-old Barclay-once a discreet stopover for high society-has been updated as an oasis for the professional class. At the center of its marble-floored lobby is a sitting area with upholstered couches and leather chairs. To one side is an attentively manned check-in desk; to the other, a bar with an electrical outlet at every other stool. As I get my bearings, two dark-suited men descend from an investment conference on the second floor and exit onto East 48th Street without looking up from their phones.

CHECK-IN

For 20 years, as an investment professional, I too was an habitue of $700-per-night hotels like the Barclay, and I came to value their quiet efficiency. For here was a lobby in which you could arrive from the airport (roller bag in tow), check in without navigatinga crowd, pause in the smaller-than-average dining area for a better-than-average meal, then enjoy a good night's sleep before a day of meetings. Ernest Hemingway stayed at the Barclay when he was writing For Whom the Bell Tolls. Even then, I suspect, he chose the hotel for the quiet it offered rather than a chance of carousal.

LOBBY ENCOUNTER

It was while crossing asimilar lobby in 2009-atLe Richemond in Geneva- that I found myself thinking, "This is a lovely hotel. But what if you had to live in it for the rest of your life?" Upstairs in my room, I sketched an outline for a novel in which a Russian aristocrat is sentenced in 1922 to indefinite house arrest in the luxurious Metropol Hotel, around the corner from the Kremlin. Four years later I hung up my hat as a financial professional, sat down at my desk, and began writing A Gentleman in Moscow.

SOCIAL LIFE

But while the idea for my novel sprang from the lobby of a refined contemporary hotel, it explores the exuberance of the grand hotels that thrived at the onset of the 20th century. The lobbies of the Metropol and its kin were not designed to be quiet or efficient. They were labyrinthine spaces offering the cosmopolitan traveler multiple restaurants, cloistered bars, a coffee house and palm court, a barbershop, a shoeshine, and an array of boutiques. In the lobby of these hotels you would hear not a peaceful hush but conversations in multiple languages, the triple chime of the bellhop's bell, and the occasional yap of a Pekingese. Rather than an oasis, the lobbies of the grand hotels were designed to be an extension of the city.

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BAR SCENE

In the 1950s, when my father was at Princeton on scholarship, he and several classmates spent a summer traveling Europe on a shoestring. One night they forwent dinner in favor of a single drink atthe bar of the Paris Ritz. As they sipped, an old Frenchman struck up a conversation. When he learned where they studied, he revealed that his son had gone to Princeton too but had been killed in the war. So moved did he become that when my father and his friends finished their allotted drink, he asked them to dinner.

As a onetime tower of a rolling bag, I came to appreciate hotels like the Barclay. But were I sentenced to house arrest, I would prefer a grand hotel of the Belle Epoque, where life was more likely to barge through the door, strike up a conversation at the bar, and maybe even invite youto dinner.

Photographs by Allison Michael Orenstein

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A rape kit is often seen as the first step in bringing a rapist or assailant to justice.

But for Amanda Nguyen, its something she has to contend with twice a year  every six months, she must fight to keep her rape kit in the system.

In some states, there are decades-long backlogs, with thousands of kits waiting to be tested. But in other states, theyre never tested  because if the crime isnt reported, theyre destroyed within a certain amount of time. In Massachusetts  the location of Nguyens 2013 rape  its six months.

The additional layer of trauma Nguyen found in dealing with the criminal justice system in the aftermath of her rape led her to create the non-profit organization Rise, dedicated to preserving and furthering the rights of survivors.

Nguyen and Rise have worked with elected officials to introduce two bills: One in Massachusetts and a federal bill in the United States Congress, which passed unanimously through the Senate (something that happens with only 2.8 percent of bills.) Theyre working to raise the funds necessary to pass bills like this throughout the country with GoFundMe.

Progress has already been made in Massachusetts with the Bill of Rights for Victims of Sexual Assault. After a day spent in the Massachusetts State House, Nguyen and her Rise co-workers spent 14 hours on their feet, talking to everyone they could about the necessity of the bill. Their approach was effective  that evening, the Speaker of the Massachusetts House brought it up in session, and it passed. This week, the bill will be voted on the Massachusetts State Senate.

This win came against the odds: Nguyen nearly didnt get on the plane to Massachusetts after being told there was a slim chance of the bill even passing.

I thought, Id rather just cry at home before it gets slaughtered,  she says. But it was the encouragement of members of the Rise team who told her to be present, so shed be able to look them in the eye if they didnt pass the bill. And it was the face-to-face time with the members of the Massachusetts House that swayed them to her cause.

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Theres nothing more powerful than hearing it straight from the people it has affected, Nguyen says. We pushed the boundaries from a 0 percent chance to a 100 percent chance in 14 hours.

Nguyen revisited her own experience as well, explaining the elaborate process she has to go through every six months to keep her kit in the system. In some states, that time period is even shorter  in New Hampshire, its just 60 days, and in Florida, its 30. Although extensions to the six-month limit are available, there are no official instructions given to survivors on how to get one, so Nguyen has had to get creative.

Kits are destroyed if a survivor does not press charges  a decision that is deeply personal to Nguyen as she has not yet reported her criminal case because she has a full-time job out of the state of Massachusetts, (she is currently the Deputy White House Liason for the U.S. Department of State and lives in Washington, D.C.) and doesnt currently have the time and resources to participate in a months-, possibly years-long rape trial.

Its up to everybody to make their own choice, she says. This six-month rule really hurts my chances of [pressing charges] because it destroys one of the most critical pieces of evidence.

However, a survivor in Massachusetts has 15 years to make that decision, as that is the length of the statute of limitations. This means that although survivors have 15 years to report the crime, the essential evidence needed to convict their rapist will be destroyed within just six months.

Its traumatizing, Nguyen tells PEOPLE. It is a horror situation, and I dont know if my justice is going to be preserved.

Protecting rape kits from being destroyed is only one aspect of what the bill of rights hopes to achieve. They also want to give survivors access to their rape kits for free, a request that can cost thousands of dollars.

The crime is treated differently than other crimes, she says. Why are survivors forced to pay for their rape kits?

Many of the protections the bill is looking to make federal law are relatively basic, Nguyen says. They include the right to have your rape kit not be destroyed before the statute of limitations is up, not requiring rape survivors to pay for evidence collection (something that not even convicted criminals have to do), mandating that survivors must be informed when their rape kits have been tested and that theyre able to receive their kit without cost in the first place.

Whats happened so far with the Massachusetts bill is promising, but only scratches the surface of what Rise is hoping to achieve: To pass a Sexual Assault Survivor Bill of Rights in all 50 states and on a national level. The federal bill, the Sexual Assault Survivors Act, was introduced back in February by New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. It received bipartisan support and was passed unanimously through the Senate in late May. Now, it is being examined by the House Judiciary Committee, and Nguyen says Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has indicated it will be brought to the House of Representatives floor in September.

Nguyen believes a national bill has the power to shape the way survivors are treated across the country. Within weeks of the federal bill being introduced in Congress, Rise was contacted by officials from 12 different states who said they wanted to use the bill as a model to pass something similar in their own states. They later learned that even more states (Minnesota in particular), were crafting their own bill.

People just dont know this is as deep of a problem as it is, she says. And when people find out, and they are empowered with something that they can do about it, then they will go and do it. This hope is contagious.

However, getting a bill through Congress isnt easy  or cheap. Everyone who works with Rise is a volunteer, and Nguyen says they cant do it alone. So they recently took to GoFundMe to raise the money needed to make the bill of rights a reality at the national and state levels. Their goal is big: $450,000, and as of press time, theyve raised just under one percent of that, $4,055. Nguyen says shes drained her personal back account to travel back and forth to Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. in order to fight for these bills.

Beyond financial worries, theres also the added pressure of time: The bill must pass before December 18, the end of the congressional session.

We have the opportunity to make this a reality for everyone in the nation, because this is organically happening, Nguyen says. A federal bill is a place and a platform that is visible.

But thats just the beginning: Nguyen and the rest of the volunteers at Rise want to see a bill of rights become law in all 50 states, as well as across the world. She just returned from Japan, where a similar bill is being presented. With the money raised, they hope to send more survivors to share their stories with politicians and hire full-time staff to further their efforts and increase awareness.

Its a very personal motivation, she says. I cant wait for the day I can write to the forensic lab and say, This is the law, and I will no longer need to do this. You cant destroy my rape kit anymore  you cant destroy anybodys.

I cannot wait to do that.
Niamey (AFP) - At least 38 people have been killed and more than 92,000 left homeless since June in disastrous floods in Niger, the United Nations said Wednesday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the deaths, up from a previous government toll of 14, followed torrential rains in August.

More than 26,000 livestock have been lost and more than 9,000 homes destroyed, the UN said, citing government figures.

Authorities and NGOs have already given out aid to more than 50,000 people, the UN added, with many of the homeless sheltering in schools and public buildings.

Despite being in the middle of the desert, Agadez in the north and Tahoua to the west are among the worst hit regions, along with Maradi in the south.

Niger is in the midst of its annual rainy season, having struggled to overcome a severe food crisis caused by drought.

One of the poorest countries on the planet, its authorities are also struggling with 300,000 refugees and internally displaced people who have fled the Boko Haram insurgency in Niger's southeast and in neighbouring Nigeria.
So far, 2016 has not been smooth sailing for U.S. oil futures. The commodity has been very volatile this year with prices recovering from a 12-year low of $26.21 a barrel in February to $50/barrel mark in early June, slipping again to under $40 only to rally toward $50 once more.

The Current Situation

While factors like Canadian wildfires, Nigerian outages/disruptions, production issues in Venezuela and a strike by Kuwaiti oil workers contributed to jump in prices earlier this year that saw the benchmark recover significantly, these issues have largely vanished from the market. As of now, overproduction of crude and a glut of refined products keep the commodity under pressure.

At over 525 million barrels, current crude supplies are up 15% from the year-ago period and are at the highest level during this time of the year. As it is, improvement in oil fundamentals remain fragile with the existing stocks of refined product inventories  gasoline and distillate  remaining at their maximum seasonal levels in at least 20 years despite healthy demand. Piling on the misery is the Baker Hughes report revealing a steady rise in the U.S. oil rig count and pointing to the resurgence in shale drilling activities.

But over the past few trading days, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures have rallied to top $45-a-barrel after leading producers Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed to cooperate on measures to stabilize the oil market. However, the countries stopped short of pledging any kind of production freeze.

How to Invest in Energy Stocks?

While record high inventories and robust production could still push the commodity to the depths of multiyear lows, signs are emerging that oil prices are likely to stabilize and gradually pick up. Not only is global demand expanding but energy companies have significantly scaled back on plans to explore for and bring out more oil. This should lead to lower future production and supply/demand rebalancing.

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However, not all oil stocks are the same. In fact, one needs to have an appetite for risk in order to invest in the energy sector. For savvy investors though, there are opportunities to earn big returns.

Value Investing to the Rescue

Given this uncertainty, it will be wise for investors to apportion their funds in value stocks.

Value investing has always been a popular strategy, and with good reason too. After all, who minds stocks that have solid outlooks and decent dividends?

Specifically, for investors who are risk-averse, value investing offers an opportunity to enter the market and grab stocks that have otherwise been overlooked by a majority of investors, and are thus trading at cheap multiples. Thus, investing in small-cap value asset class might just fit the bill for such investors.

The Small-Cap Advantage

Owing to their significant growth potential, small-cap stocks (stocks with a market cap of around $1 billion or below) usually tend to outperform their large-cap peers over time. However, these can also be riskier than well-known large-cap companies. Nonetheless, the growth potential of small-caps given the current economic backdrop of continued strength in the U.S. dollar and oil price unpredictability is tempting.

Moreover, over the long run, value stocks tend to outperform their growth-oriented counterparts. This is because growth stocks have a propensity of possessing high valuations fueled by positive outlook for future growth. Thus, it might become difficult for such a stock to grow as much as its undervalued counterpart.

We thus believe investing in small-cap value stocks could actually be a safer bet as these stocks generally yield high returns and generate exponential gains over time. Moreover, taking into account that such stocks are far more volatile in nature, they possess far higher potential for price appreciation.

However, most of these players are generally not industry giants and hence, a little extra effort must be put in to select the correct stocks. This is where the Zacks Rank, which justifies a companys strong fundamentals, can come in really handy.

Here Are the Stocks

With the help of our new style score system, we have picked four outstanding small-cap stocks that have excellent prospects and might offer solid investment returns.

Our research shows that stocks with Value Style Scores of A or B when combined with Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) offer the great investment opportunities. Then, from among them, we selected those with dividend yield of over 2% and finally zeroed in on four stocks that have a market cap of under $2 billion.

CONE Midstream Partners L.P. CNNX: Headquartered in Canonsburg, PA, CONE Midstream Partners is a master limited partnership focused on natural gas and condensate gathering in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.

Zacks Rank: #1

Value Score: A

Dividend Yield: 5.2%

Midcoast Energy Partners L.P. MEP: Formed by Enbridge Energy Partners L.P., Midcoast Energy is a master limited partnership with headquarters in Houston, Texas. It is in the business of owning and further developing Enbridges natural gas and natural gas liquids midstream business in the U.S.

Zacks Rank: #1

Value Score: A

Dividend Yield: 18.1%

NGL Energy Partners L.P. NGL: It is a limited partnership operating a vertically integrated propane business with three operating segments: retail propane; wholesale supply and marketing; and midstream.

Zacks Rank: #1

Value Score: B

Dividend Yield: 8.6%

Archrock Partners L.P. APLP: Houston, Texas-based Archrock Partners is a leading provider of natural gas contract compression services to clients spread all over U.S.

Zacks Rank: #2

Value Score: B

Dividend Yield: 7.6%

Bottom Line

If you are looking for fresh picks that have potential to move in the right direction, definitely keep the 4 abovementioned stocks on your list as these look well-positioned to soar in the near term.

Looking for Ideas with Even Greater Upside?

Today's investment ideas are short-term, directly based on our proven 1 to 3 month indicator. In addition, I invite you to consider our long-term opportunities. These rare trades look to start fast with strong Zacks Ranks, but carry through with double and triple-digit profit potential. Starting now, you can look inside our home run, value, and stocks under $10 portfolios, plus more. Click here for a peek at this private information >>



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The Oracle of Omahas secret of success is based on the theory that The best thing that happens to us is when a great company gets into temporary trouble. Delving deeper into Warren Buffetts success story, we come across the term intrinsic value of a stock that mostly does the trick for investors.

The process is apparently simple. Pick the stocks that are currently undervalued in the market. Yardsticks such as dividend yield, the ratio of price to earnings or to book value are most commonly used to calculate intrinsic value, which indicates whether a stock is trading at a discount.

But will this alone ensure success? What if there is a dearth of catalysts to propel growth even though the stock is cheap? In such a case, if you buy a stock at less than its fair value, you might still end up paying more. To avoid such value traps, Buffett advises investors to focus on the earnings growth potential of a stock. Here lies the importance of a not-so-popular value investing metric, the PEG ratio.

The PEG ratio is defined as: (Price/ Earnings)/Earnings Growth Rate

A low PEG ratio is always better for value investors.

While P/E alone fails to identify a true value stock, PEG helps to find the intrinsic value of a stock.

Unfortunately, this ratio is often neglected due to investors limitation to calculate the future earnings growth rate of a stock.

There are some drawbacks to using the PEG ratio though. It doesnt consider the very common situation of changing growth rates such as the forecast of the first three years at a very high growth rate followed by a sustainable but lower growth rate in the long term.

Hence, PEG-based investing can turn out to be even more rewarding if some other relevant parameters are also taken into consideration.

Here are some of the screening criteria for a winning strategy:

PEG Ratio less than X Industry Median

(P/E Ratio (using F1) less than X Industry Median (For more accurate valuation purpose.)

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Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) (whether good market conditions or bad, stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 and #2 have a proven history of success.)

Market Capitalization greater than $1 Billion (This helps us to focus on companies that have strong liquidity)

Average 20 Day Volume greater than 50,000 (A substantial trading volume ensures that the stock is easily tradable.)

Percentage Change F1 Earnings Estimate Revisions (4 Weeks) greater than 5% (Upward estimate revisions add to the optimism, suggesting further bullishness.)

Value Score of less than or equal to B: Our research shows that stocks with a Style Score of A or B when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 offer the best upside potential.

Here are five of the 13 stocks that qualified the screening:

US Foods Holding Corp. USFD: This renowned food company and foodservice distributor currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 and a Value Style Score A. The company also has an impressive expected five-year growth rate of 18.6%.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation NTT: This popular name in the field of mobile voice related services, IP/packet communications services, telecommunication equipment, system integration, and other telecommunications-related services currently holds a Zacks Rank #1 and has a Value Style score A. The company also has an impressive expected five-year growth rate of 9.5%.

Urban Outfitters Inc. URBN: Based in Philadelphia, PA, this is a lifestyle specialty retailer that offers fashion apparel and accessories, footwear, home decor and gifts products in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Urban Outfitters is currently making all possible efforts to enhance the performance of its brands through store refurbishment and creation of compelling assortments. This stock can be an impressive value investment pick with its Zacks Rank #1 and Value Style Score A. Apart from a discounted PEG and P/E, the stock also has an impressive expected five-year growth rate of 15%.

Sotheby's BID: This company is an auctioneer of authenticated fine art, decorative art, jewelry, wine, and collectibles across the globe. It became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York. This Zacks Rank #1 and Value Style Score B company also has an impressive expected five-year growth rate of 15%. It delivered an earnings surprise of 43.8% in its last reported quarter.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. SNP: This is one of the largest petroleum and petrochemical companies in Asia. This stock can also be an impressive value investment pick with its Zacks Rank #1 and Value Style Score B. The company has an expected five-year growth rate of 12.3%.

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 backtesting 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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Chris Geere isn't actually the Worst person  he just plays one on TV.



Geere, 35, made a name for himself as the acerbic British writer who does his best to reject modern romance in You're the Worst, and with season 3 of the hit FX show now underway, the English actor is quickly earning his spot in Hollywood.



Here are five things to know about the actor.



1. If he wasn't an actor he would be a graphic designer.

"I got into University for graphic design, but I chose to go to drama school. At first, though, I really didn't know which I should choose. Was I going to follow my passion but potentially earn no money, or was I going to get a proper job and work in a graphic design studio? I could have done that! Instead, I went down the route of uncertainty with a profession where you don't always know what your next job will be. But I found the unpredictable aspect of it exciting."







2. While his character in You're the Worst might be clueless about love, Geere has it figured out.

"I've been married to my wife Jenny for nearly seven years and we still discover new stuff about each other every day, so compromise is definitely the secret to making our relationship last. You have to accept each other faults and embrace them  and we both have many. In our vows to each other we said we were going to try to make each other the best that we can be, and that's what we do. We are flawed and we recognize that and we continually try to better ourselves."



3. His 3 year-old-son Freddie is one of the funniest people he knows.

"He called me last week and said, 'There's a new thing at school where if you're a good boy you get a green chip and if you're a naughty boy you get a red cross.' Well apparently his teacher asked him to put his coat on and he didn't hear her  this is what he's said; I think he's lying  but he didn't hear her so he got the red cross. He's telling me this and he goes, 'So that was a problem.' Jenny and I are constantly trying discipline him and make him appreciate the difference between good and bad, but when he says something naughty or cheeky it's hilarious. We are having to turn away and giggle to ourselves."





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Baby blue steel In training A photo posted by Chris Geere (@cwgeere) on Feb 26, 2016 at 2:02am PST



4. His hobbies might surprise you.

"I do a lot of woodworking  you wouldn't guess that would you! I built a tree house for my son last time I was home, which was very fun. I'm quite a big fan of the 'before-and-after photo' so I find a project and get to work. We had an old chest of drawers in my house and we were going to throw them out, but I thought, 'No, I'll do something with that.' I turned it into a work bench and a wine rack. I like to do little projects that are as far removed from work as they can be. It's nice to relax and do something you love."





#TBT today. Yep. Banging on about this. # A photo posted by Chris Geere (@cwgeere) on May 13, 2016 at 12:06pm PDT





In a tree. Making a house. Phase 2. 'During' @stephenfalk A photo posted by Chris Geere (@cwgeere) on May 13, 2016 at 8:49am PDT



5. He considers his You're the Worst cast mates to be like family.

"We are all very close with each other and we've met each other's partners and it's lovely to all get together. We get a long so well, which is very strange in this job. It's a really nice family environment in such a crazy industry. It's been great, I'm very lucky."



You're the Worst airs Wednesdays (10 p.m. ET) on FXX.
Leaders of the organisation expressed concern over the growing misuse of the Indian Sedition Law, especially by the police and state governments.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Amritsar-based radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa on Wednesday hailed the Supreme Court for clarifying that dissent isn't sedition, hence setting the record straight.

"The organization was skeptical whether the present day governments and the police force will follow and implement SC guidelines in letter and spirit," Dal Khalsa president Harpal Singh Cheema said.



Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said the SC has re-articulated its earlier guidelines on the matter. Citing the judgement, he said that while on one hand, the latest judgement of the SC reinforces the already set parameters, on the other, it is a snub to those state governments and the police that damns the rule of law.

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"SC has ruled that the sedition charges can be filed for an act or acts intended to subvert the government through violent means. Ironically, most of the state governments have been overlooking these guidelines while fixing their political opponents and critics," Harpal Singh Cheema said.

Dal Khalsa leaders further said there were loud talks for educating the police about SC guidelines, but wondered whether the people in power would take initiative to do so as its they (rulers), who mis(use) the police and the laws to fix their adversaries.



They said, "We have grim hope that in the prevailing political culture of intolerance in India, the governments of the day and their handpicked police officials would respect and restore the rule of law.

ALSO READ: Sedition or defamation case can't be slapped for criticising govt, says Supreme Court



--- ENDS ---
Following the success of HBO's The Jinx, Netflix's Making a Murderer and FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson, broadcast, cable and streaming services alike are competing to find the next watercooler obsession.

- CBS' The Case Of: JonBenet Ramsey, a six-part docuseries pegged to the 20th anniversary of the slaying and unsolved murder of former the former child beauty queen. (Sept. 18)

- Lifetime's A Deadly Secret: The Bizarre and Chilling Story of Robert Durst as a one-off told from the point of view of his late first wife, Kathleen Durst, who was allegedly one of his first victims. Based on Matt Birkbeck's book A Deadly Secret: The Bizarre and Chilling Story of Robert Durst. (TBD)

- TNT is readying Finding Chandra, a scripted miniseries based on Finding Chandra: A True Washington Murder Mystery exploring the recently re-opened case exploring the slaying of Chandra Levy.

- Martin Sheen will exec produce and host Hard Evidence: O.J. Is Innocent for Investigation Discovery. Based on the book O.J. Is Innocent and I Can Prove It by William C. Dear. (2017)

- ID's JonBenet: An American Murder Mystery, a three-part special from Weinstein TV and National Enquirer owner American Media Inc. (Sept. 12)

- FX's Katrina: American Crime Story, scripted series from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk examining the 2005 hurricane, the costliest natural disaster and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. Based on Douglas Brinkley's The Great Deluge. (2017)

Read more: JonBenet Ramsey Investigation Discovery Special Unveils First Look (Exclusive Video)

- Season one of Discovery's Killing Fields focused on the case of a woman's body that was found in the Louisiana swampland. (New episodes TBD)

- A&E's The Killing of JonBenet: The Truth Uncovered will include new interviews with JonBenet Ramsey's brother, Burke, and her father, John. (Sept. 5)

- NBC is teaming with Dick Wolf for Law & Order: True Crime - The Menendez Brothers, eight-episode drama whose first season will focus on Lyle and Erik Menedez, who were convicted of murdering their parents and sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. (TBD)

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- George Clooney is teaming with the Making a Murderer creators for Lawbreaker, a drama about Johnson & Johnson's Risperdal, a drug that the pharmaceutical company made billions of dollars from after promoting it illegally to children and the elderly - and covering up its dangerous side effects. (Network, premiere date TBD)

- Netflix will produce additional episodes of Making a Murderer focused on Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey, the latter of whom was released in August. (Episode count and premiere date TBD)

- Fox 21's Serial, scripted cable series in development with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Sarah Koenig. The subject is being kept under wraps and the drama does not yet have a network attached. (TBD)

- Nicole Brown Simpson's sister, Denise Brown, is developing an unscripted show for NBC News' Peacock Productions that will investigate cases where justice has been called into question.

- CBS is developing an untitled drama exploring the 19-month search and capture of Symbionese Liberation Army sympathizer Patty Hearst. (TBD)

- Universal Cable Productions is developing The Von Bulow Affair, based on the William Wright's The Von Bulow Affair, an exploration of the slaying of Sunny Von Bulow, the heiress and socialite whose husband was found not guilty of her death after his conviction for attempted murder was overturned.

- Waco, set up at The Weinstein Co., will star Taylor Kitsch as Branch Davidian leader David Koresch and explore the deadly 51-day standoff in Waco, Texas, between the FBI and religious sect. It's based on A Place Called Waco and Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator. (Network, premiere date TBD)

- Lifetime's scripted entry Who Killed JonBenet, starring Eion Bailey as the lead detective investigating Ramsey's (Payton Lepinski) slaying. (Fall)

A version of this story first appeared in the Sept. 16 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
6 major reasons you should watch Atlanta, Donald Glovers mega-hyped new show

6 major reasons you should watch Atlanta, Donald Glovers mega-hyped new show

Ever since we learned about Atlanta, weve been so freakin excited we can hardly stand it. Luckily, we dont have to for much longer, because it comes out TONIGHT! The comedy-drama is both created by and starring Donald Glover  also known by his rap moniker Childish Gambino  and its about to make major waves (and already has!). Its going to be super, super different from Community, where most of us learned of Glovers acting talents, and its an honest and ridiculously funny series.

So why should you watch Atlanta?

1. It has a heart.

Its about the music, but its also about improving their lives, the lives of their family, and maybe doing something a little magical in the process.

2. Donald. Glover.

*Cue major fangirling*

3. The music

If you like to get your ~groove on~ while you binge-watch new fave shows, this is about to be your JAM. Even just the music from the trailer and the clips have us shaking in our seats. Were so about it!

4. Its just a very huge, very big deal

In an interview with Business Insider, Glover explained, Sometimes life is boring, but even when life is boring, even when youre just by yourself, it feels profound because its happening to you. And its through a point of view, and I felt like I dont want a show about people making it, or just the struggle, which is super easy for people to do, specifically with black shows. Theyll be like, Oh, theyre struggling.

Most people who live in everyday lives  white people, Chinese people, Mexican people  theyre living their lives, and theyre trying to eat. I was more interested in that.

5. The Twitter alone is HILARIOUS, and actually so ~inspiring~

you been working like a dog? really? so basically freeloading  AtlantaFX (@AtlantaFX) September 6, 2016

can we gmo a baconplant to go w all this eggplant tho js  AtlantaFX (@AtlantaFX) September 4, 2016

the apple never falls far from the tree, but the cherry should never fall off the branch in the first place  AtlantaFX (@AtlantaFX) September 4, 2016

6. Its 100% hilarious.

Everyone whos reviewed it has said that, yeah, this is an important show, but its also a hilarious show. In a world where sadness and hopelessness feels like the norm, it feels revolutionary to have something funny AF to look forward to. As Yahoo! explains, That Glover wraps his critique in a very funny show only makes his creation that much more effective, and frequently moving.

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We cannot wait!

giphy

The post 6 major reasons you should watch Atlanta, Donald Glovers mega-hyped new show appeared first on HelloGiggles.
If your teen is about to start driving, you'll want to steel more than your nerves. Brace your wallet for the financial impact. The costs of having a teenage driver may be more significant than you realize.

Your insurance will climb. You know that, but you may not be prepared for how much. Andrew Rose, CEO of Compare.com, an online comparison site for auto insurance, says to expect your car insurance to more than double after adding a teenage driver. Based on data collected by Compare.com, Rose says a family adding a kid to the policy can see premiums increase 111 percent.

"If parents splurge to get the teen a car, policy premiums, on average, increase 156 percent," Rose says.

Accidents are really expensive. Hopefully it will never happen to your kid, but it does happen to some families, Rose says.

"Kids have more distractions than any group of teens ever have had previously," Rose says. "They cannot put down their phones, and distractions cause even seasoned drivers to have accidents."

And if your teen gets into a wreck, your bank account will be wrecked, too. And, sure, as long as your kid is safe, who really cares? Still, if you thought your insurance was high before the accident, you haven't seen anything yet, according to Rose, who says that it will "skyrocket."

[See: 11 Expenses Destroying Your Budget.]

Greg Chambers, who owns a sales and marketing consultancy in Omaha, Nebraska, can back Rose up. His youngest kid turned 16 last September but didn't complete his driver's education until December. Four months later, his son was behind the wheel of the family's 2002 Mercedes when he was in a low-speed, head-on collision with an 89-year-old driver.

Thankfully, everyone came away from the wreck unscathed -- except for Chambers' bank account. Chambers' insurance agent told him: "This is where all the stories you've heard about teen boys and insurance come true."

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And the stories don't really have a happy ending. Chambers had been paying $70 for his son's insurance. After the accident, it jumped to $340 a month.

"The good news is that rate may drop at some point in the future, they say," Chambers says.

The Mercedes was totaled, and while insurance paid for it, the compensation was far less than the original cost. So when Chambers looked for a replacement, he fell in love with an old Range Rover that was more expensive than what the insurance gave him -- and bought it. Chambers quips: "I'm an idiot."

Driving school. Maybe you'll skip this cost, and maybe you won't. But driving schools can range from $200 to $800, averaging $300 to $450, according to the website CostHelper.com. Some of the pricing depends on where gas prices are. During the recession, according to news reports from the time, a lot of driving schools were forced to jack up prices.

Car maintenance. Eric Creditor, co-founder of TrafficSchool.com, an online traffic and defensive driving school, says that many parents aren't prepared for maintenance and repair costs.

[See: 10 Unexpected Costs of Driving.]

"Novice drivers tend to use their brakes harder than experienced drivers. They tend to need brake pads and other braking parts replaced faster," Creditor says, adding that young drivers often don't check their tire pressure as often as they should, and so the tires wear down faster.

He estimates families with teenagers replace tires 50 percent sooner than they otherwise would have.

"Also, many new drivers bump or hit curbs when parking, causing wheel alignment issues or actual popped tires needing to be replaced," Creditor says.

He also notes that many new drivers don't think about fluid levels, like, oh, adding oil to the car -- at least until it becomes a problem.

Towing and breakdown coverage. If you got your kid a new or used car, have you thought about getting him towing and breakdown coverage? You should, says Colleen Benzin, head of insurance products for Elephant Auto Insurance.

"This could be an unexpected cost," she says, "but also one that comes with priceless peace of mind."

Multiple children. If you have more than one kid, that's where the costs can really become extreme. Double or triple or quadruple the cars, the towing and breakdown coverage, the driving schools, the insurance -- and we haven't even discussed gas.

Tracie Hovey, who owns a public relations firm in the District of Columbia, says that she and her husband have five kids who are all drivers.

"We have been through accidents, high insurance, speeding tickets, and so many cars are in our driveway, it looks like a constant party is being held at our house," she says. "It's a very expensive endeavor to say the least."

The kids who've been essentially accident-free have been allowed to stay on Hovie's insurance through college. The ones who've been too costly have had to pay for their own, she says.

[See: 12 Ways to Be a More Mindful Spender.]

Meanwhile, Chambers adds that you shouldn't make the mistake of assuming that one kid will be a better and cheaper driver than another.

"My daughter is the oldest and voted [by the family] 'most likely' to total a car but only dents them and has avoided claims," Chambers says. "The middle son considers himself the world's best driver and to date has only had a speeding ticket that required a re-education class to keep it off insurance."

That class cost approximately $200.

But the 16-year-old son, who gets the best grades of all the kids, has had the most surprising driving record so far, says Chambers: "Our youngest child is on pace to cost us enough to pay for a year of college."
From Good Housekeeping

Shawnee Chasser is a purple-haired grandmother, runs Shawnee's Greenthumb Popcorn and is the proud owner of a tree house in South Florida. But authorities are trying to force her to leave her home of 25 years because they say the house was illegally built and is unsafe. Chasser has been told that her home must be demolished in the next four months or she could face $7,000 in fines.

Unfortunately, Chasser says she doesn't have the funds required to bring her home up to code, especially since she's already paid $3,000 in fines. The authorities were first alerted about the treehouse when neighbors complained Chasser was running the property like an apartment complex and campground.

After Ricardo Roig, Miami-Dade's code enforcement division director, inspected the structure, he said it wasn't up to par for the county's strict rules around building codes in place because of the frequency of hurricanes. But Chasser doesn't plan on giving in to the citations. "I'll chain myself to that tree house," Chasser told the Miami Herald. She's also currently speaking to her attorney about her legal options.

Curious about the unique property? Take a look at it, along with the man-made pond.

[h/t Daily Mail]

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Regrets  Tom Hiddleston may have a few about his ill-fated romance with Taylor Swift. It happened so fast. It seemed so intense. It was so showy. It all seemed very Taylor and not very Tom.

The relationship, which lasted just shy of three months (but felt like three years to celebrity watchers), seemed especially out of left field for the older, more private Thor star, who is 35 to her 26. Hes a guy who has kept his personal life practically under lock and key during his decade and a half in the spotlight with his only confirmed relationship (with actress Susannah Fielding) ending back in 2011.

Related: Celebrity Breakups of 2016

So as images of Hiddleswifts PDA-packed whirlwind romance are resurrected everywhere following their breakup, we can only imagine what the classically trained British actor is thinking. Out of all of them, here are seven we think hell regret the most.

1. The I [heart] T.S. tank top: Seriously, could anything else top this list? As if the public declaration of love  just a little more than two weeks after they started dating  wasnt bad enough, the low-cut, wet tank Tom sported over the Fourth of July weekend practically matched his skin color.

2. Kissing Taylor while wearing the I [heart] T.S. tank top: Again, they had been seeing each other for a few weeks!

3. Hey Tay, meet my mum: Two weeks after they started dating, he brought his lady love home to England so she could meet his mother, Diana Hiddleston. And if you think that sounds fast, at this point he had already met her parents in Nashville.

4. The proposal-inspired pose. Doesnt Tom look ready to pop the question? This pic was snapped during their Roman holiday in late June. We dont know about you, but it makes us feel a little uncomfortable.

5. Recreating movie love scenes in Rome. On the same trip,while sightseeing, they made out the way new lovers do.

6. Their jetty smooch session in Rhode Island. This was the photo that announced to the world on June 15 that they were dating  and well never for a second believe it wasnt staged.

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7. Snogging next to a pained-looking Ryan Reynolds. In Rhode Island for the July 4 trip, Hiddleswift turned a couples photo op into a kiss-a-thon.

Oh, Hiddleswift, you were too much too soon, but you sure made the summer of 2016 entertaining.
Fashion is still a young industry in Thailand compared to European countries, as its first brands appeared only about 25 years ago. Nevertheless, it has come a long way in the past few decades. Some of the local brands have already gained a worldwide recognition, while others are growing fast and going to enter the global fashion market soon.

There are many labels worth checking out in Bangkok if youre looking for unique and authentic designer stuff. Below, we share 7 Thai fashion brands to shop for the next time youre in Bangkok, including celebrity favorite Disaya.

1.Disaya (www.disaya.com)

Disaya Sorakraikitikuls brand Disaya represents a youthful ready-to-wear clothing & jewelry line. The years Disaya spent studying fashion at the Central Saint Martins College of Fashion and Design in London are visible in her designs, which are highly influenced by London.

The #JungleRemix proves itself made for all Disaya girls (@tubtimofficial and @aom_sushar) Also @pahparnsirima in #VineRebelace). Available at all Disaya boutiques and Follow the link in bio to explore the collection. #DisayaFW16 A photo posted by DISAYA Official (@disayaofficial) on Aug 26, 2016 at 6:04am PDT

A blend of British functionality with Thai delicacy, Disaya is positioned as clothing for elegant and confident women. Mix of ethnic designs and luxury textiles is the main feature of her ready-to-wear collections. One of her dresses has been seen on Amy Winehouse on the cover of her Back to Black album. Celebrities such as Kelly Osbourne and Jennifer Lopez have also worn her fashion items. Ranging from flirty party dresses to chic blouses, skirts, and trousers, Disayas collections are suitable for women with different tastes in fashion.

Her latest Fall/Winter 2016 experimental designs represent distinctive eccentricity of arts, luxurious styles and ethnic uniqueness. Inspired by the works of British artist William Morris, this collection reflects an exotic culture of Africa, from beautiful tribal prints to prehistoric arts that are decorated with geometric and animal textiles.

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Disaya girls caught the fading daylight and stronger than ever in flowing maxi lengths from the #VineRebelace. Come find #DisayaFW16 at all boutiques and click the link in bio to shop this collection. A photo posted by DISAYA Official (@disayaofficial) on Aug 5, 2016 at 12:09am PDT

No off-duty wardrobe is complete without a casual day dress. #JungleRemix dresses is giving you that effortless everyday edge yet sophisticated look. So, if you ever get caught out for cocktails, this day-to-night look will have you covered. Available at all Disaya boutiques and Shoppable via the link in bio. #DisayaFW16 A photo posted by DISAYA Official (@disayaofficial) on Aug 20, 2016 at 12:01am PDT

Check out the official web site to view all the items of the latest fall/winter 2016 Disaya collection!

Disaya boutiques can be found in Paragon Department Store, Central World, Central Embassy and Qurator shopping malls in Bangkok.

2. Something Boudoir (shop.somethingboudoir.com)

Something Boudoir brand is created for fashion addicts who love to stand out from the crowd. It invites the shoppers to discover the world of candy fashion with playful candy colored clothing. Pastel patterned dresses, skirts and tops with cute prints would excite and cheer you up! The brand also creates awesome accessories like bags and jewelry.

Something Boudoir is originated with kids-in-a-candy-store attitude, aiming to create the world of imagination and a shopping destination for the young urbanites who love changing the world. The brand is a representation of fantasy and joy, offering playful and fresh designs, that continually surprise the customers!

Its latest Alice in Wonderland 2016 collection combines the cute cartoon theme with dainty and sweet fashion design. This is for young ladies who want to look great and trendy on any occasions!

 smootie    A photo posted by Something Boudoir (@somethingboudoir) on Aug 26, 2016 at 5:19am PDT

Founded in 2001, Kloset design is a representation of a chic young woman style. The brand was launched in Thailand by young fashion designer Mollika Ruangkritya, who is obsessed with handmade stuff. Thats why Kloset label focuses on craftworks which make its clothing gorgeous and unique. The fashion items are full of hand-made stitching, lace, ribbons and patchwork.

The Spring/Summer 2016 collection ranges from classic and vintage dresses and skirts in bright colors to blouses and tops with large floral prints and cute jumpsuits and shorts. Thus, the brand is able to offer something for everyones taste. Handcrafted details like lace nets and ribbon tapes add sweet and gentle touch to each collection. These features, which bring gracefulness and complexity to the brand, are mentioned in Klosets accessories as well.

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Kloset shops are located at Siam Paragon, Gaysorn, Emporium and Central Chidlom, Central World.

Check out the official Instagram page.

Established in 1991 by Thai designer Chanita Preechawitayakul, this lady has always been passionate about vintage clothes and found it truly inspiring. Through this passion and appreciation Senada has grown into a fashion label full of sophistication and femininity. The designer creates outfits for those who know how to mix and match pieces from the brand along with their own pieces to reflect the mood and individuality. Each collection has its own unique features, but something that unites them all is accuracy, neatness, and high quality.

In upcoming 2016 collection, she introduces the combination of finest materials and details, elegance, and practicality, black, white and pastel colors.

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Senada is available in Emquartier, Siam Center, Siam Paragon and Central World.

Check out the official Instagram page.

Founded by the fashion editor of Marie Claire Thailand, the brand Patinya is all about urban romantic style. Soft pastel shades, French lace, silk textiles and embroideries are identifications of her outfits. There are no bright colors, sharpness and large prints on her items. This brand is literally the example of simplicity and high-class fashion, which has no needless details. Patinya creates mostly dresses, which are usually long, elegant, classy and highlights the womens beauty.

Her current Pre-fall collection Allure represents the minimalistic principles of the brand owner. These outfits are suitable for business as well as casual wear. It would definitely be appreciated by all classic lovers!

The brand offers contemporary clothing for the casual wear lovers. Founded by Bhanu Inkawat in the 1980s, Greyhound is truly a Bangkok fashion pioneer which focuses on sophisticated apparels, with lots of blacks, whites and grays.

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Starting from a simple concept of casual wear Greyhound has become a fashion label with a wide range of shops in Thailand, Asia and Europe, as well as five stylish cafes in Bangkok. It is supposed to be one of the most popular brands with a distinct character. Its style is dynamic cuts and innovative fabric combinations. The brand was always ready to offer its consumers something new. Thus, In 2002 Greyhound launched its sister brand,

The brand was always ready to offer its consumers something new. Thus, In 2002 Greyhound launched its sister brand, Playhound, which offers more casual street wear for non-working days. The sister brand is more popular among younger consumers, who are conscious about the style.

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Check out its Instagram page.

Greyhound store locations.

Playhound store locations.

The brand Tutti was launched by Tutti Wongpuapan in 2007. Her clothing incorporates many vintage influences. Growing up in Bangkok, Tutti has always loved vintage and nostalgic ornaments. Her mother has been a great inspiration for her own sense of style. As a young girl, she used to search in her mothers closet for gorgeous vintage dresses and other items.

Tutti creates fancy and romantic dresses, skirts and tops for women who know their style and like to express it through their outfit. With her love for lace textiles, Tutti experiments with lace every season. Its current collection called Love game isnt exception! You can find interesting combinations of lace, cotton and chiffon in her new outfits.

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Tutti is not only vintage but contemporary and innovative. The designer feels that women should always be comfortable in their clothes without being complicated. Hence, her womenswear is just cozy everyday clothing for young ladies who enjoy classical design ideas.

Check out the official Instagram of the brand to be up-to-date with the latest news.

Store locations in Bangkok: The Em Quartier, Market Place Thong Lor, Central Chidlom.

Check these fashion brands on your next visit to Bangkok, or ask a traveller to help you bring back to Singapore.

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The post 7 Thai Fashion Designer Brands to Check Out in Bangkok appeared first on Airfrov Blog.
Tehran (AFP) - Eight members of the rebel Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) have been killed in clashes with security forces along the Iraqi border, state media reported Wednesday.

Border guards fought the group overnight and into Wednesday morning in the northwestern province of West Azerbaijan, the IRNA news agency said.

The clashes lasted several hours, and the security forces did not sustain any casualties, a local governor told IRNA.

The KDPI, formed in 1945, is the oldest Kurdish political party in Iran.

Now mostly based in Kurdish areas of Iraq, it has fought on-off insurgencies demanding independence from Iran, stepping up its armed rebellion after a crackdown by the Islamic authorities in the wake of the 1979 revolution.

Iran intervened across the border in 2011 following Kurdish rebel attacks on its territory, forcing the insurgents to retreat deeper into Iraq.
Elisabeth Davis is celebrating another year on her job  the same one shes had since 1936.

Davis, at 99 years old, works as a secretary at Culver Academies in Indiana. This year marks her 80th on the job, and she has no plans to retire anytime soon.

Read: Elderly Polish Couple Who Partied Until Dawn in London Nightclub Pens Thank You Note to Promoter

Davis said the changes over the years dont make much of a difference to her.

"They didnt affect my job," Davis told InsideEdition.com. "Its just some physical things that have changed."

She may use a cane or hold someones hand to get around, but she still makes it to work. Davis has lived by herself since her husband passed away in 2004 and one of her co-workers drives her to work every day.

Originally I needed a job with the finances of me and my husband, Davis said. Ive stayed here so long because I like what I do. 

She has also kept it simple, still using a typewriter at work because she prefers paper over computer screens.

William Hargraves, the schools director of communications, went to the same school as a child and remembers Davis from that time. He describes her presence as a blessing.

Read: 100-Year-Old Piano Player Says Music and Martinis Are the Secrets to a Long Life

Its a pleasure. I was telling Ms. Davis how much I appreciate the lights on in her office, said Hargraves. When I am having a tough day, I look at the lights in her office knowing she is steadily working.

"It reminds me to be blessed about what has already been given to us and not at what you dont have. She has always been a woman of faith and inspiration.

Davis anniversary will be celebrated at the next all school meeting.

Watch: 99-Year-Old Grandma Gets Surprise Hug and Kiss from Football Star JJ Watt

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Patrick Moran has been promoted to the position of president at ABC Studios, it was announced Wednesday; he previously served as EVP. Hell continue to report to Disney Media Networks co-chairman Ben Sherwood.

In a statement, Sherwood commented, ABC Studios produces hundreds of hours of the highest quality original programming distributed across networks, streaming services and around the world. Under Patricks leadership, ABC Studios has grown as a beacon of creativity and excellence, developing award-winning and captivating content with loyal audiences everywhere. As the demand for great content increases and viewer behavior evolves, Patricks savvy as a creative and business leader will help drive ABC Studios to even greater heights.

Moran added, I am so proud to be a part of ABC Studios and to work with a truly amazing team of dedicated and talented individuals who share my passion for television. Im honored that Ben has given me this vote of confidence and look forward to continuing to bring together amazing stories, creative talent and high-quality production in order to build ABC Studios into the worlds preeminent supplier of premium content.

Moran and his team have been responsible for bringing A-list talent to ABC Studios, including American Crime boss John Ridley and Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, in addition to overseeing development deals with Shonda Rhimes Shondaland, Mandeville Television and other prominent creative talent. Under Morans oversight, ABC Studios has broadened its remit to produce more series for outside broadcast, cable and streaming networks, in addition to providing content for ABC.

Morans homegrown slate includes How to Get Away with Murder and American Crime, and ABC Studios also produces Criminal Minds and Code Black for CBS, and was behind Lifetimes recently-cancelled Devious Maids. The studio also works closely with Marvel on the adapting their comic book properties, from Netflixs stable of successful street-level heroes including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist to Freeforms upcoming Cloak and Dagger and Hulus Runaways.

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The studio also produces all of ABCs recent hits, including the likes of Greys Anatomy, Scandal, Once Upon a Time, Marvels Agents of SHIELD, How to Get Away with Murder, Quantico and Black-ish.

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'Nashville' Officially Renewed for Season 5 at CMT

Viola Davis Inks Overall Development Deal With ABC Studios
The nine-minute long sex tape is now trending on porn websites and is being uploaded multiple times in a day.

By Mail Today Bureau: Sex tape and multiple photos allegedly featuring sacked AAP minister Sandeep Kumar - which were leaked to media organisations - has now been uploaded on several porn websites and are being downloaded in large numbers.

The nine-minute long sex tape is now trending on porn websites and is being uploaded multiple times in a day. Sacked Minister Sandeep Kumar was also tagged as an "employee" by Pornhub, one of the world's largest pornography websites that has 537K followers on Twitter.

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Kumar was arrested and AAP suspended him from the party on Saturday. The lawmaker was removed from the cabinet by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as soon as the controversy over the sex tape and photographs purportedly showing the Sultanpur Majra MLA in a compromising position with two women surfaced last Wednesday.

Arrest was followed by a rape complaint registered by the woman seen in the tape who claimed to have been given a spiked drink. She said she was raped when she went to apply for a ration card.

VIDEO SENT TO MEDIA HOUSES, KEJRIWAL AND JUNG

The video, along with the pictures, was sent to media houses and to CM Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Najbeeb Jung. Channels blurred the explicit content and showed only a few seconds of clips. But the raw footage that has been uploaded on the porn website makes it almost impossible to remove the link from the virtual world.

According to experts, some of the links have been deleted from the websites but it is constantly being uploaded from Delhi. Primary check revealed that a user from Ghaziabad had uploaded the video. An anonymous user under the name Vishal Gupta had also uploaded the video on a couple of websites from Delhi.

UPLOADING EXPLICIT CONTENT IS AN OFFENCE

Experts claim that uploading explicit content is an offence and the video now available on porn websites clearly shows the face of the rape victim. So far, Delhi Police could not verify the authenticity of the video tape and even Kumar has denied any involvement, claiming that he is being 'targeted'.

"Uploading pornography is crime but due to huge demand, people indulge in such crimes. In this case, the authenticity of video is still under question. The police must take strict action against people involved in uploading such content," Kislay Chaudhary, a cyber crime expert told Mail Today. Chaudhary, who has assisted several state police in investigation added that links are constantly being uploaded on the websites and it will be a mammoth task to remove it from the web.

VICTIM SHOWS APPREHENSION IN GETTING IDENTIFIED

The victim in her complaint to the police showed apprehension in getting identified. "I am a poor woman and because of him my image has been sullied. I want my identity not to be disclosed as I have children," the complainant had said earlier.

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However, the Delhi Police, which is investigating the case has not received any official complaint about the tape being leaked on porn websites. The police have, at the moment, hit a roadblock as they have failed to recover the device used to record the video.

"It is important for the police to know the time of the recording. In few of the stills, the year 2010 can be seen on a calendar at the backdrop," a senior officer said.

The police say that this implies that the video was shot either in 2010 or after that. This is in contradiction to the complaint made by the woman as she claims that the video was shot 11 months ago. Since she has corroborated her statement to the Metropolitan Magistrate, it is the only piece of strong evidence before the police.

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AAP sex-scandal probe hits roadblock, cops unable to find Sandeep Kumar video device



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(Updates Chipotle shares for after-hours trade)

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

BOSTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Activist investor William Ackman's hedge fund took a 9.9 percent stake in fast-casual Mexican food chain Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc, buying in after the once high-flying company was battered by food-safety issues.

The billionaire manager said in a regulatory filing late on Tuesday that the company's shares, which closed at $414.07 on Tuesday, were undervalued and that he would be speaking with management.

Chipotle's shares rose as much as 8.7 percent to $450 in extended trading after Ackman's Pershing Square disclosed its ownership of 2.9 million shares in the company.

Chipotle said it learned of Pershing Square's acquisition only on Tuesday, welcomed their investment, and appreciated the confidence they had expressed in the company.

Chipotle was tied to E. coli, salmonella and norovirus outbreaks last year and its shares tumbled 42 percent over thelast 52 weeks. And in July, Mark Crumpacker, its chief creative and development officer, was arraigned on charges of possession of cocaine. The company put him on leave.

Chipotle marks the first addition to Pershing Square Capital Management's highly concentrated portfolio in nearly a year and at a time the firm is still deep in the red after years of winning performance. A spokesman for Ackman declined to comment beyond the firm's filing.

The investment in Chipotle puts the company squarely into the path of one of the industry's most powerful investors who has often handpicked chief executive officers and joined corporate boards to try and guide turnarounds.

Last month Pershing Square, which oversees $12 billion for pension funds and other wealthy investors, sold off the remainder of its investment in railway Canadian Pacific, freeing up some $1.5 billion.

With Chipotle, Ackman wades back into the fast-food sector where he has previously made successful bets on Burger King and McDonalds and is currently invested in Restaurant Brands International, a fast-food chain operator.

Story continues

At Chipotle he confronts a board that has come under fire for having served too long and being too chummy with top management. Ackman is no stranger to shaking up boards and already has company in the form of CtW Investment Group, which published a letter earlier this year criticizing director tenure and other matters.

Ackman resigned from the board of Canadian Pacific on Tuesday and sits on the boards of Howard Hughes and Valeant.

Chipotle's biggest investors are mutual funds Fidelity and Vanguard and it is not widely owned by many hedge funds. But hedge funds have had their eye on the company before.

Four years ago David Einhorn, who runs Greenlight Capital and is widely followed, sent the company's shares tumbling after saying he thought they were overvalued.

Ackman is under pressure to perform with his investment. His Pershing Square Holding fund is off 14.3 percent for the year, posting one of the biggest losses in the industry. While the fund gained 5.8 percent in August and has made up ground since March when it was down 25.6 percent, investors and analysts are still concerned about how Ackman plans to recover from a debilitating investment in Valeant Pharmaceuticals, whose share price has tumbled 87 percent in the last 52 weeks. Ackman's average annual return is still 12 percent, one of the best records in the business.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Additional reporting by Gayathree Ganesan; Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Bernard Orr and Andrew Hay)
By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

BOSTON (Reuters) - Activist investor William Ackman's hedge fund took a 9.9 percent stake in fast-casual Mexican food chain Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG.N), buying in after the once high-flying company was battered by food-safety issues.

The billionaire manager said in a regulatory filing late on Tuesday that the company's shares, which closed at $414.07 (308.558 pounds) on Tuesday, were undervalued and that he would be speaking with management. The share price jumped more than 5 percent in after-market trade on news that Ackman owned 2.9 million shares.

Chipotle was tied to E. coli, salmonella and norovirus outbreaks last year and its shares tumbled 42 percent over the last 52 weeks. And in July, Mark Crumpacker, its chief creative and development officer, was arraigned on charges of possession of cocaine. The company put him on leave.

Chipotle marks the first addition to Pershing Square Capital Management's highly concentrated portfolio in nearly a year and at a time the firm is still deep in the red after years of winning performance. A spokesman for Ackman declined to comment beyond the firm's filing.

The investment in Chipotle puts the company squarely into the path of one of the industry's most powerful investors who has often handpicked chief executive officers and joined corporate boards to try and guide turnarounds. Chipotle was not immediately available for comment.

Last month Pershing Square, which oversees $12 billion for pension funds and other wealthy investors, sold off the remainder of its investment in railway Canadian Pacific (CP.TO), freeing up some $1.5 billion.

With Chipotle, Ackman wades back into the fast-food sector where he has previously made successful bets on Burger King and McDonalds (MCD.N) and is currently invested in Restaurant Brands International (QSR.TO), a fast-food chain operator.

At Chipotle he confronts a board that has come under fire for having served too long and being too chummy with top management. Ackman is no stranger to shaking up boards and already has company in the form of CtW Investment Group, which published a letter earlier this year criticizing director tenure and other matters.

Story continues

Ackman resigned from the board of Canadian Pacific on Tuesday and sits on the boards of Howard Hughes (HHC.N) and Valeant (VRX.TO).

Chipotle's biggest investors are mutual funds Fidelity and Vanguard and it is not widely owned by many hedge funds. But hedge funds have had their eye on the company before.

Four years ago David Einhorn, who runs Greenlight Capital and is widely followed, sent the company's shares tumbling after saying he thought they were overvalued.

Ackman is under pressure to perform with his investment. His Pershing Square Holding fund is off 14.3 percent for the year, posting one of the biggest losses in the industry. While the fund gained 5.8 percent in August and has made up ground since March when it was down 25.6 percent, investors and analysts are still concerned about how Ackman plans to recover from a debilitating investment in Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX.TO), whose share price has tumbled 87 percent in the last 52 weeks. Ackman's average annual return is still 12 percent, one of the best records in the business.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Cynthia Osterman and Bernard Orr)
San Francisco (AFP) - Activist investor Bill Ackman has disclosed a nearly 10 percent stake in Chipotle, and said that he wants to open discussions with the US fast food chain's management.

According to a document filed Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ackman and his Pershing Square fund now hold 9.9 percent of Chipotle stock.

Ackman, who has a reputation for involving himself in the affairs of the companies he invests in, said in the filing that his fund intends "to engage in discussions" with Chipotle's management, board and other stockholders and interested parties.

The subject of those discussions, according to the filing, "may relate to the governance and board composition, business, operations, cost structure, management, assets, capitalization, financial condition, strategic plans, and the future of the issuer."

The chain, which specializes in Mexican-inspired food, has plunged in value in recent months because of repeated food safety issues at its restaurants.

Ackman's filing said his fund believes Chipotle is undervalued but that it "has a strong brand, differentiated offering, enormous growth opportunity, and visionary leadership," making it an attractive investment.

Chipotle shares are down around 45 percent from their peak in mid-2015. News of Ackman's investment, however, sparked a six percent jump Chipotle share prices in electronic trading after the close of trading Tuesday on Wall Street.
Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa's retired archbishop Desmond Tutu successfully underwent minor surgery to fix nagging infections that have kept him in hospital for two weeks, his wife said.

The "surgery this afternoon was successful and he was in good spirits", Leah Tutu said in a statement.

Doctors conducted the procedure to "address the cause of recurring infections he has battled since mid-2015", the family said in a statement.

The 84-year-old Nobel Peace laureate admitted himself to a Cape Town hospital on August 24 for treatment to control the infection.

He was hospitalised three times in 2015 over a persistent infection that his foundation -- the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation -- said was a result of the prostate cancer treatment he has been receiving for nearly 20 years.

The popular former archbishop of Cape Town, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, gaining worldwide prominence for his strong opposition to South Africa's apartheid regime.
A Chinese in-flight magazine has warned tourists visiting London to take care when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people.

The offensive advice was published in Wings of China, the publication distributed on Air China flights. It was spotted by Chinese journalist Haze Fan, who tweeted an image of it to the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

The passage, which was written in Mandarin and English, also recommended that tourists do not go out alone at night and that females should always to be accompanied by another person when travelling.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting, which has a large Indian and Pakistani population, told the Evening Standard that she found the comments offensive to all Londoners, not just the ethnic minorities mentioned.

I am going to be writing to the Chinese Ambassador to invite him to visit Tooting in London, where all races live side by side, she said. Then they can see how we live and our wonderfully diverse community.
Air Asia X Airbus A330

In a report issued on Wednesday, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has determined how an Air Asia X wide-body jet wound up in a city thousands of miles away from its destination.

On March 10, 2015, an Air Asia X Airbus took off from Sydney for a scheduled flight to Kuala Lumpur. However, instead of flying to Malaysia, the Airbus A330-343X landed in Melbourne, 500 miles southwest of Sydney.

According to the ATSB, the Captain of the flight input the wrong coordinates for Sydney Airport into the jet's flight navigation system.

The error wreaked havoc on the A330's advanced flight management and guidance systems.

"The longitude was incorrectly entered as 01519.8 east (15 19.8 east) instead of 15109.8 east (151 9.8 east)," The ATSB wrote in its report. "This resulted in a positional error in excess of 6,835 miles, which adversely affected the aircrafts navigation systems and some alerting systems."

Instead of Sydney, the coordinates entered by the Captain placed the flight's point of origin some where off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, the report indicated.

Unfortunately, the pilots did not realize they made an error until after the aircraft took off and began to fly in the wrong direction.

"Despite a number of opportunities to identify and correct the error, it was not noticed until after the aircraft became airborne and started tracking in the wrong direction," investigators wrote.

Even worse, the pilots' attempts to correct the matter managed further deteriorate the situation.

"Attempts to troubleshoot and rectify the problem resulted in further degradation of the navigation system, as well as to the aircrafts flight guidance and flight control systems," the ATSB wrote.

Eventually, the pilots elected to abort the flight and return to Sydney. However, weather prevented the flight from doing so, and the flight crew elected to divert to Melbourne. No injuries have been reported relating to this incident.

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According to the report, both members of the flight crew were experienced pilots. The Captain has more than 22,000 hours of flying under his belt while the first officer has 2,200 hours of experience.

In a statement to Business Insider, Air Asia X wrote:

"With reference to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report published today regarding an incident involving an AirAsia X Airbus A330 aircraft with registration number 9M-XXM bound for Kuala Lumpur from Sydney on 10 March 2015, AirAsia X would like to confirm that we have taken the following corrective actions immediately following the incident, and prior to the publication of today's ATSB report:



 All AirAsia X aircraft have been equipped with upgraded flight management systems since the incident



 Development of a training bulletin and package for flight crew that emphasises correct operation and alignment of air data and inertial reference system



 Briefing all pilots on our internal investigation findings and reviewing recovery procedures to be undertaken



AirAsia X would like to stress that we have in place robust management systems to monitor and prevent similar incidents from reoccurring.



We also wish to reiterate that we have regularly passed safety and security audits conducted by various international regulators, including the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). We remain committed to ensuring our compliance to all safety and security regulations.



The safety of all guests and crew are our utmost priority at all times."

Despite this incident, Malaysia-based Air Asia X is considered one of the best low cost airlines in the world. The long haul arm of Tony Fernandes' Air Asia airline empire was recently rated as the sixth best low cost airline in the world by consumer aviation website Skytrax.

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The past week saw Delta Air Lines DAL posting dismal traffic numbers for August. The power outage on Aug 8 disrupted operations of the carrier across the globe and hurt its top line for the month by $100 million.

Moreover, load factor (percentage of seats filled with passengers) slipped in the month as capacity expanded while traffic contracted, leading to empty planes. Alaska Air Group ALK also saw its August load factor declining as capacity expansion outweighed traffic growth.

Apart from traffic updates, the past week saw the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) granting final approval to eight U.S.-based carriers to initiate commercial flights to the Cuban capital of Havana. Dallas-based low cost carrier, Southwest Airlines LUV, also featured in the news due to its tentative pay-related deal with maintenance technicians.

TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index

TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index

(Read the last Airline Stock Roundup for Aug 31, 2016).

Recap of the Past Weeks Most Important Stories

1. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs: a measure of air traffic) at Delta slipped 2.8% to 20.22 billion in August. Average seat miles (ASMs: a measure of capacity) grew marginally to 23.95 billion. The airline behemoth witnessed a 9.5% decline in consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM: a key measure of unit revenue). The metric was mainly hurt by the power outage, which crippled operations and resulted in 2,300 flights being cancelled over three days (Read more: Delta Air Lines' August PRASM Hit by Power Outage).

2. Carriers like United Continental Holdings UAL, Delta, American Airlines Group AAL and Spirit Airlines SAVE were granted the final approval by the U.S. DOT to fly to Havana. Following the final go-ahead, carriers will now be able to start operations from as early as this fall. The approval was granted on the same day that the first commercial flight to Cuba from the U.S. touched ground in more than 50 years. JetBlue JBLU had the honor of operating the flight (387) which landed in Santa Clara, Cuba, from Fort Lauderdale (Read more: 8 Airlines Gain Final DOT Approval to Fly to Havana).

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3. Close on the heels of the tentative deal inked with the union representing its pilots, Southwest Airlines entered into an agreement in principle with its facilities maintenance technicians. Upon ratification, the five-year long deal will ensure higher pay and better working conditions for the low-cost carriers maintenance technicians (Read more: Southwest Inks Another Agreement-in-Principle).

4. RPMs at Alaska Air Group climbed 9% on a year-over-year basis in Aug 2016. The companys traffic growth can be attributed to new routes and focus on enhancing customer service. ASMs were up 10.3% (Read more: Alaska Air Group August Traffic and Capacity Increase).

5. Shares of the Indianapolis-based Republic Airways Holdings, the parent company of Republic Airlines and Shuttle America, gained significantly, following its deal with American Airlines Group. The deal enables the regional carrier to continue providing regional flights for the Fort Worth, TX-based carrier, which accounts for a significant portion of Republic Airways top line. American Airlines, which is the regional carriers largest customer, will receive $250 million as unsecured bankruptcy claim under the deal.

The news naturally found favor with investors at Republic Airways, as it has removed a major obstacle in the carriers attempts to come out of bankruptcy. In Feb 2016, the regional carrier had sought bankruptcy protection.

Performance

The following table shows the price movement of the major airline players over the past week and during the last 6 months.

Company Past Week Last 6 months HA 2.71% 4.99% UAL 7.23% -11.23% GOL 14.79% 150.85% DAL 0.77% -23.91% JBLU 2.52% -25.71% AAL 3.90% -12.27% SAVE 1.58% -19.59% LUV 1.04% -10.92% VA -0.04% 84.80% ALK 3.12% -10.62%

The table above shows that almost all airline stocks traded in the green over the past week, which was a day short on trading owing to the Labor Day holiday on Sep 5. The NYSE ARCA Airline index inched up 1.99% to $90.03 over the past week. Shares of GOL Linhas gained the most (14.79%).

Over the course of six months, the NYSE ARCA Airline index appreciated 2.04% driven by huge gains at GOL Linhas and Virgin America.

What's Next in the Airline Space?

We expect multiple August traffic reports in the coming days. Moreover, focus will remain on presentations by heavyweights like Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.



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The Patna High Court today granted bail to controversial RJD leader Mohammad Shahbuddin in a case of murder of a witness in the killing of two brothers in Siwan by bathing them in acid.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Dreaded gangster turned politician Mohammad Shabuddin was on Wednesday granted bail by the Patna High Court in a case pertaining to gunning down of Rajiv Roshan, an eyewitness in the acid attack case of Siwan. Two brothers Satish and Girish who were sons of a noted businessman Chandrakeshwar Prasad were kidnapped and murdered on August 16, 2004 in Siwan, the turf of the former RJD MP Shahabuddin. However, it was the brutal manner in which both brothers were killed that shocked everyone. Both, brother were drenched in acid before being killed allegedly on Shahabuddin's direction.

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Rajiv Roshan, elder brother of Satish and Girish and sole eyewitness in this brutal killing was gunned down on 16th June 2011 allegedly by Shahabuddin's sharp shooters. It may be noted that Rajiv who was the sole witness in the killing of his younger brothers was to appear before the court three days later. Shahabudin was sentenced to life imprisonment in the killing of the two brothers by a special court in 2015. Before being killed, Rajiv in his statement to the Court had maintained that Shahabuddin was present on the spot when his brothers were drenched in acid and eliminated. However, on record, Shahabuddin was lodged inside the jail at that time. Shahabuddin's name did not figure in the list of accused in the brothers killing earlier but after a Patna High Court directed, his name was added in the list of accused and charges framed against him in 2011. In December, 2015, Shahabuddin was sentenced to life imprisonment in brothers murder case and later got bail in March 2016.

Shahabuddin's role also came under scanner in the killing of a Rajdev Ranjan, bureau chief of a Hindi daily in May this year. Ranjan was killed after he was gunned down allegedly by Shahabuddin's sharp shooters. Shahabuddin was lodged in Siwan jail till then was immediately shifted to Bhagalpur jail in order to prevent him from influencing the probe.

Shahabuddin's lawyer, Abhay Ranjan informed India Today over phone that the former RJD MP would be coming out of jail in next two to three days after legal formalities are completed.

" In many cases Shahabuddin has been acquitted and in remaining cases where trial in underway, he has been granted bail. He is likely to walk out of jail in 2-3 days", said Abhay Ranjan, Shahabuddin's lawyer.

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Alibaba Group Holding Limited BABA owned Alibaba (Australia) Company Pty. Ltd. has signed a strategic agreement with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade). The agreement is aimed at increasing trade opportunities for Australian food producers and merchants engaged in other businesses. It will help them to reach out to global consumers through Alibaba, the e-commerce juggernaut.



Opportunities Galore



With the help of large e-commerce platforms such as Tmall.com and Tmall Global, Australian business owners will now be able to sell fresh foods over the Internet.



With over 434 million registered users, Alibaba processes 12.7 billion orders every year. Collectively, over 1300 Australian brands do business on the two platforms. Of these, 80% didnt have access to Chinese markets before. A week long promotion called the Australian Fresh Food Week has also been planned to promote fresh Australian produce of high quality.



According to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Alibaba is a liberating force for small business as it lets small business owners to reach out to the biggest part of the world, access to which was so far available to big corporations with adequate resources. In a way, the agreement will level the playing field between the big companies and their smaller counterparts.



Similar Deals in the Past



We note that Alibaba had extended similar promotional offers in the past. Notably, in 2015, 50,000 New Zealand oysters exchanged hands over the online platform. Moreover, during the Global Shopping Festival held last year, Chemist Warehouse registered $2 million in sales in one single day.



Whats Next?



By the end of 2016, Alibaba intends to set up office in Melbourne in a bid to facilitate local operations in New Zealand and Australia.

ALIBABA GROUP Price

ALIBABA GROUP Price | ALIBABA GROUP Quote

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

At present, Alibaba carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



Some better-ranked stocks in the broader technology space are Autobytel Inc. ABTL, Stamps.com Inc. STMP and PetMed Express, Inc. PETS, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).



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Amber Rose wants to see your gorgeous selfies in an empowering social media campaign for SlutWalk

Amber Rose wants to see your gorgeous selfies in an empowering social media campaign for SlutWalk

Amber Roses SlutWalk is coming back to Los Angeles on October 1st, and we cannot wait for another celebration of sex-positivity, self-love, and solidarity in an epic takedown of the patriarchy, rape culture, and slut-shaming.

Amber Rose SlutWalk LA

And leading up to the body-positive event, Muva is asking her ~Rosebuds~ to take part in her social media campaign, #FloodThe Feed.

Rose is asking folks to snap #NoShame selfies and post them at specific times on October 1st with the #FloodTheFeed hashtag, aiming to take over Instagram and Twitter with a wave of images supporting bodily autonomy and confidence.

Please note the rest of the perfect hashtags accompanying her announcement:

#GenderEquality #NoMoreVictimBlaming #NoMoreDerogatoryLabeling #NoMoreFatShaming

YASSS.

And we all know that Amber is no stranger to the #NoShame selfie:

Trappin A photo posted by Amber Rose (@amberrose) on Jul 14, 2016 at 1:31pm PDT

A photo posted by Amber Rose (@amberrose) on Jun 13, 2016 at 2:54pm PDT

#FloodTheFeed lets feminists who are unable to attend SlutWalk still participate on October 1st.

The times to post #NoShame selfies are 3 p.m PT, 5 p.m. CT, and 6 p.m. ET. (Amber Rose suggests you set a phone reminder!)

And people have already started to #FloodTheFeed with their gorgeous faces:

This is not a selfie but it's something I was a part of #NoShame #FloodTheFeed #AmberRoseSlutWalk #GenderEquality #AllSizesAreBeautiful A photo posted by Isaura (@_isauraaaaaa) on Sep 7, 2016 at 10:00am PDT

#floodthefeed #slutwalk #noshame #selfie #jointhemovement #amberrose A photo posted by Robin (@mizsugah) on Sep 7, 2016 at 9:47am PDT

While many people like to label selfies as vain and conceited, they are a revolutionary act of self-love  especially for folks of marginalized communities who cannot fit into our societys impossible beauty standards.

Story continues

tbt but still beautiful amongst a hater infested world #floodthefeed #noshame #beauty #prettygirls A photo posted by LYNESS DY'RONN (@lynessdyronn) on Sep 7, 2016 at 11:29am PDT

#NoShame #AmberRoseSlutWalk #FloodTheFeed #GenderEquality A photo posted by Isaura (@_isauraaaaaa) on Sep 7, 2016 at 9:54am PDT

And Amber Rose will be reposting them:

I can't wait to see all of your beautiful faces! I'm going to repost all of my favs! Help me https://t.co/ckDdHwRxgV  Amber Rose (@DaRealAmberRose) September 7, 2016

So get ready to #FloodTheFeed with your flawless self!

The post Amber Rose wants to see your gorgeous selfies in an empowering social media campaign for SlutWalk appeared first on HelloGiggles.
As per media reports, American Airlines Group Inc. AAL has finalized a long-term deal with Republic Airways Holdings Inc. RJETQ. The deal pertains to provision of regional flights by the latter. Notably, American Airlines is the largest customer of Republic Airways. The agreement will be effective only if approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York in a hearing scheduled for Sep 21, 2016.

Based in Indianapolis, Republic Airways has been facing operational issues in recent times. Owing to the difficulties encountered, the airlines company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February this year. In 2015, the company had signed a new contract with workers but had to opt for bankruptcy after it was unable to secure deals with leading carriers U.S. carriers to fund higher pay for its pilots.

Terms of the Deal

According to the terms of the latest agreement, Republic Airways will continue to provide regional flights to American Airlines. As part of the settlement, Republic Airways will pay $250 million to American Airlines as unsecured bankruptcy claim. Per reports, American Airlines will be paying for the reconfiguration of some of Embraer E175 aircraft operated by Republic Airways. The reconfiguration will result in 76 seats instead of 80 for the changed aircraft, thereby taking them to the same standard as the other aircraft in Republic Airways fleet. This change will also result in the aircrafts being compliant with pilot contracts of other large partners of Republic Airways, such as United Continental Holdings Inc. UAL and Delta Air Lines Inc. DAL. Republic Airwayshas reached an agreement with these airlines too.

American Airlines, which currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), has a broad domestic flight services network in addition to its international operations. The company has an impressive record of continuous route additions to cater to customer needs.

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Amy Adams, Ethan Hawke and Oliver Stone will receive 2016 career tributes at the 2016 Gotham Independent Film Awards, the annual ceremony presented by New Yorks Independent Filmmaker Project.

At a November gala that is traditionally one of the first awards-season events of the year, Adams and Hawke will receive actress and actor tributes, respectively, while Stone gets the directing honor. The Gothams also hand out an annual industry tribute, with this years recipient yet to be announced.

Adams (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) has two buzzy fall titles on the way, including Denis Villeneuve scifi tale Arrival and Tom Fords thriller Nocturnal Animals, both of which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Shell soon head into production for Sharp Objects, the HBO series in which shell star.

Hawke (Boyhood, Born the Be Blue), meanwhile, appears in Antoine Fuquas upcoming update of The Magnificent Seven, as well as two Telluride/Toronto offerings, In a Valley of Violence and Maudie. His recent credits also include The Phenom and Maggies Plan.

Stone (Platoon, JFK, Born on the Fourth of July) also has a potential awards-season player on the docket with Snowden, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the man who outed the NSAs illegal surveillance in 2013. He, Adams and Hawke join a list of past Gothan tribute honorees that include Helen Mirren, Todd Haynes, Jeff Skoll and Robert Redford.

The tribute recipients are announced before the nominations for the Gothams lineup of competitive awards, including trophies for feature, actress, actor, doc and breakthrough director, among others. Those nominations will go wide Oct. 20, with winners to be announced during the Nov. 28 ceremony at Cirpriani Wall Street in downtown Manhattan.

Related stories

Toronto Film Festival to Open Amid Wary Buyers, Smaller Field of Distributors

Venice: Tom Ford, Jake Gyllenhaal Talk of Return and Reworking in 'Nocturnal Animals'

Venice Film Review: 'Nocturnal Animals'
While there are talks of Shiv Sena and BJP fighting the BMC polls together, it is unclear whether the two parties would form an alliance.

Prime Minister Modi and Shiv Senc chief Uddhav Thackeray. Will BJP and Shiv Sena fight BMC polls as an alliance?

By Sahil Joshi: As the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are approaching, talks of Shiv Sena and BJP coming together to contest the Municipal corporation elections are on the rise.

Sources from Shiv Sena said that the Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thacakeray's emissary has met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Dadanvis to submit a first list of possible seat-sharing for BMC elections.

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Not only BMC, but nine other Municipal Corporations in Maharashtra would be going for elections next year in the month of February.

These elections are looked at as semi-assembly elections as all the major cities' municipalities in Maharshtra, like Nagpur, Nasik, Pune and Thane, including that of Mumbai, will be holding elections.

Also Read: Fadnavis woos north Indians ahead of high-stakes BMC polls

SHIV SENA OFFERS 80 SEATS, BJP THINKS IT'S TOO LESS

It is believed that Shiv Sena has offered 80 seats for BJP out of 227 for the BMC elections, which makes it unlikely for BJP to accept.

BJP senior leader has clearly denied that they will agree to such seat sharing, especially after the 2014 Assembly elections, where BJP won maximum seats in Mumbai.

The BJP leadership has insisted that even though the final call will be taken by Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis, other leaders believe that they should try their luck on their own strength rather than having an alliance with the Shiv Sena.

Also Read: BJP trying to dislodge Shiv Sena from BMC by projecting it as corrupt one



WHAT SHIV SENA, BJP THINK

The Municipal elections in Mumbai, being crucial politically for Shiv Sena, has always been fought in alliance with the BJP since the last 20 years.

But the 2014 Assembly elections in Maharashtra saw the end of the alliance era in the state and the trend continued even in Kalyan Dombivali (neighboring town of Mumbai) Municipal elections.

While Shiv Sena thinks that the situation has changed since it has been nearly two years now that the BJP-led government has been in the state and that the BJP has lost the edge of popularity which they had due to Modi wave, the BJP feels that the victory in 2014 has given strength to the party cadre which had always worked as a second fiddle to the Shiv Sena in Mumbai.

Soures in BJP said that if the Chief Minister was not ready to take the risk, he would try and manage an alliance with the Shiv Sena.

Announcing housing policy with Shiv Sena chief uddhav Thackeray last week has been looked at as extending an olive branch to the Shiv Sena.

Also Read:

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BMC misses another deadline to fill potholes in Mumbai

School run by BMC functions without electricity

Introducing Surya Namaskar in BMC schools BJP's Hindutva agenda: Samajwadi Party



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By Hasmik Mkrtchyan YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenia's Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan is expected to resign on Thursday, a source close to the government said, after an economic slowdown this year and outbreaks of violence prompted the president to call for a new government. The source told Reuters the ruling Republican Party would discuss Abrahamyan's possible resignation on Thursday. "There are all indications that this decision will be announced tomorrow," the source said. A spokesman for President Serzh Sarksyan, who proposed in August a "government of national accord", declined to comment. Local media said that the decision was likely to be announced on Thursday at the Republican Party's executive council session. Abrahamyan was appointed prime minister two years ago. In 2015 Armenia's economy started to deteriorate - economic growth slowed to 3 percent in 2015 from 3.5 percent in 2014 and below the government's growth forecast of 4.1 percent. The government expects 2.2 percent economic growth in 2016. Armenia, a country of 3.2 million people, depends heavily on aid and investment from former Soviet overlord Russia, whose economic downturn has hit Armenian exports and much-needed remittances from Armenians working there. The government has also faced political challenges, including a flare-up of violence in Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region in April between Armenian-backed separatists and Azeri forces. Two months later a group of 30 armed men seized the police station and took hostages in the Armenian capital Yerevan. Two police officers were killed during a two-week stand-off, before gunmen surrendered to the authorities. The incident led to mass protests in the capital, when people took to the streets to secure the release of a jailed opposition politician and resignation of the government and the president. Shortly after that Sarksyan said that radical reforms in political and social life were needed. He said it was necessary to form "a government of national accord" to provide a broader distribution and division of political responsibility. Local media reported on Wednesday that Abrahamyan might be replaced by the 53-year-old technocrat Karen Karapetyan, a former head of the national gas distributing company ArmRosGazprom and later Yerevan mayor. After leaving the post of mayor, he moved to Moscow, to be appointed as the first vice-president of Gazprombank. He currently serves as the Russian gas distribution company Gazprom mezhregiongaz's deputy CEO. Experts say the new government is likely to be temporary and the final configuration will emerge only after the parliamentary election of 2017 and the end of Sarksyan's second term in 2018, when the full transition from the semi-presidential form of government to a parliamentary republic will be completed. (Writing by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Dominic Evans)
Today in 5 Lines

Congress is back in session. Donald Trumps campaign announced endorsements from 88 former military leaders. 21st Century Fox reportedly agreed to pay $20 million to settle former anchor Gretchen Carlsons lawsuit against Fox News. President Obama promised to work with South Korean President Park Geun-hye to strengthen sanctions against North Korea, after the country launched three ballistic missiles. The for-profit college system ITT Technical Institutes is closing all of its campuses due to financial concerns.

Today on The Atlantic

Clintons Thoughts on Education : One of Hillary Clintons primary campaign issues is early-childhood education. In this Q&A with Clinton, The Hechinger Report s Lillian Mongeau asks 10 questions about the presidential candidates plans to invest in the countrys children.

Trump Brings in a New Boss : Donald Trumps newly appointed deputy campaign manager, David Bossie, may just be the perfect fit for his team. After all, Bossie, a veteran activist, built a career railing against Bill and Hillary Clinton. (Michelle Cottle)

Phyllis Schlaflys America: The conservative activist, who died this week at 92, was a powerful voice in American politics. And the success of Donald Trump is proof that the movement she created is still alive and well in the United States today. (Emma Green)

Follow stories throughout the day with our Politics & Policy portal.

Snapshot

Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachit hosts an Official State Luncheon for President Barack Obama at the Presidential Palace in Vientiane, Laos. Carolyn Kaster / AP

What Were Reading

What Will the 2016 Election Map Look Like?: A new Washington Post survey of voters nationwide highlights the states where Donald Trump is weakestand suggests several states might break from their normal party allegiances in November. (Dan Balz and Scott Clement)

Recommended: The Many Scandals of Donald Trump: A Cheat Sheet

The Longest Job Interview in the World: President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to replace the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia seven months ago, but Garland still hasnt been granted a hearing. Now that Congress is back in session, will anything change? (Ariane de Vogue, CNN)

Story continues

Black Teachers Matter: Between 2000 and 2012, hundreds of public schools have been closed, replaced, and restructuredand roughly 26,000 black teachers have vanished from the teaching workforce. Why? (Kristina Rizga, Mother Jones)

Trumps Lavish Spending: In May, Donald Trump gained access to campaign funds from the Republican National Committee. Since then, hes spent large sums of money on campaign events hosted during the primaries at Trump businesses rather than less expensive options. (S.V. Date, Huffington Post)

Congress Top Five: Members of Congress return from a seven-week recess Tuesday with a number of agenda items to attend to. Here are five big issues theyll be facing. (Marianna Sotomayor, NBC)

Visualized

The Contours of Inequality: Data from the Census Bureau shows that middle-class Americans have seen two decades of depressed incomes. Take a look at how each states middle and upper class incomes have changed between 1990 and 2014. (Quoctrung Bui, The New York Times)

Question of the Week

Recess is over, and Congress is back in session in Washington D.C. For the next few weeks, their assignments include passing Zika funding, figuring out how to deal with IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, and preventing another government shutdown.

But if you were to assign one book to be read by every member of Congress, what would it be?

Send your answers to hello@theatlantic.com or tweet us @TheAtlPolitics, and our favorites will be featured in Fridays Politics & Policy Daily.

-Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey) and Candice Norwood (@cjnorwoodwrites)

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian opposition senator quit the shadow cabinet on Wednesday after saying he had failed to declare that a Chinese company had made payments on his behalf for travel and legal bills. Relationships between politicians and Chinese government interests have become a hot button issue in Australia amid concern that China is intent on gaining extensive commercial assets in the resource-rich country. Senator Sam Dastyari, 33, widely viewed as a rising star of the centre-left Labor opposition party, has been fending off a public backlash over the past week after media reported he asked a Chinese company to pay his expenses on a trip. "I freely admitted that I made a mistake," Dastyari said as he announced he was quitting his post as manager of opposition business in the Senate. He will remain in the Senate. Dastyari's political opponents say he broke political donation rules. He has maintained he did nothing improper apart from forgetting to declare a payment. "I made all the necessary disclosures and what I did was within the rules but it was wrong," he said. "It's clear that the ongoing examination of my behavior is taking attention away from bigger issues facing Australia and Australians." Dastyari on Tuesday apologized for his "error of judgment" in a news conference. But the government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull dismissed the apology as inadequate. Concern about the scope of acquisitions and influence by Chinese interests grew in 2015 when the government of Northern Territory state sold the port in Darwin city to a Chinese company. Since then, the federal government has been at pains to demonstrate limits to its ties to the country's biggest export partner, blocking sales of Australia's biggest cattle station and biggest power grid to Chinese interests. (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Robert Birsel)
By Richard Martin BARCELONA (Reuters) - Gareth Bale said Real Madrid are determined to wrest back the Spanish league title from Barcelona this season after going four years without tasting La Liga success. Bale has won the Champions League twice and the King's Cup since joining the Bernabeu club in 2013, but the league title has proved elusive. Real missed out on the league to Barcelona on the final day of last season by a point and have not won the title since 2012, when they collected a record 100 points under Jose Mourinho. Real have won their opening two league games this season, with Bale scoring twice in their 3-0 win at Real Sociedad. They continue their campaign following the international break at home to Osasuna on Saturday. "It's important we win the league this year because it's been a long time since we last won it," Bale said on Wednesday at an event organized by Adidas. "That's our focus this year although we want to win every trophy, including La Liga. I'm excited about our game with Osasuna, they will make things difficult for us but it'll be fantastic because we'll have our full team available." Real boast more La Liga triumphs than any other team in Spain with 32 titles but arch rivals Barcelona have claimed six of the last eight, while neighbors Atletico Madrid have won the league more recently than Real, lifting the trophy in 2014. "In Madrid we dream about winning everything and when we enter any competition we want to win it, the cup, the league, the Champions League, we want them all," added Bale. On the international front, Bale built on the rich vein of form he showed for Wales at Euro 2016 by scoring twice in a 4-0 win over Moldova on Monday, moving within four goals of equaling their all-time top scorer Ian Rush's record of 28 strikes. "People have told me that I haven't got long to beat Rush's record but that's not important, I just want to perform well so we can qualify for major tournaments," said Bale. "If we keep doing well, I'll be able to keep scoring goals and beat the record." (Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Toby Davis)
By Huw Jones and Andrew MacAskill

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain should negotiate transitional arrangements with the European Union to avoid "cliff edge" disruption to financial markets when the country leaves the bloc, a top British banking official said on Wednesday.

Once Britain has begun formal talks to withdraw from the EU by triggering Article 50, the country will leave two years later even if no new trade deals have been agreed - unless every EU member state agrees to extend the negotiation period.

Anthony Browne, chief executive of the British Bankers' Association, said lenders were in a wait and see mode now but unless a transition framework is put in place banks would soon have to decide whether to move operations to Europe, as such shifts could take several years to implement.

"We think there should be some form of transitional arrangements," Browne told a House of Lords committee.

Much is at stake both for London and government coffers. Financial services generate more than 60 billion pounds ($80 billion) a year in tax, with 15 billion of that from foreign banks in London who depend on an EU passport to sell financial services across the region, Browne said.

But Britain's shock vote to leave the bloc has forced firms to rethink their strategy, which has depended until now on the EU passport. Banks are already making contingency plans on how to serve customers across Europe if Britain loses those rights.

"What we would like ... is to have as full bilateral access to the European market as close as possible to what we have at the moment," Browne said.

Elsewhere in the sector, the Lloyd's of London insurance market said this week it would transfer some business to the EU if Britain does not get single market access.

CLEAR STEER

More generally, the financial sector wants a clear steer from government on its negotiating position after British Prime Minister Theresa May shot down some policy ideas put forward by colleagues who had campaigned to leave the EU.

Story continues

First, she rejected an Australian-style points system for selecting immigrants, which had been championed ahead of the vote. The financial sector hires large numbers of EU citizens.

Then on Tuesday, May's office distanced itself from comments by David Davis, the minister charged with negotiating Brexit, suggesting Britain was unlikely to keep full access to the EU single market, saying that was his personal opinion.

EU leaders have insisted they would only grant Britain full access in return for the continued free flow of EU citizens to the country.

Charlie Bean, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, said he expected euro zone policymakers to mandate that clearing in euro-denominated financial transactions, which is dominated by the City of London, is shifted to the euro zone.

"I think it's certain that we will lose it," Bean said.

Top British bankers met with finance minister Philip Hammond on Wednesday to ask for a clearer idea of what the country's divorce from the EU will mean.

"It is important Britain maintains its status as a great place for financial services and that is why the government stands ready to help the sector maximise the opportunities that leaving the EU presents," Hammond said after the meeting.

EQUIVALENT DOUBTS

Some analysts have said there could be a quick fix thanks to the so-called equivalence regime, under which the European Union can allow access to its markets for countries whose regulations are similar to those within the bloc.

But Browne said this was an untested regime and did not provide sufficient certainty for longer-term security.

"The downside of the equivalence regime is that it can be withdrawn at very short notice unilaterally. That is not a good basis for planning for business," Browne said.

In practice, proving and maintaining "equivalence" generally for UK regulations would be challenging because Britain would be sidelined from European rule making.

Bean said a transition period would mean that banks do not have to worry about starting to move to Europe now, before they know what the final trading terms will look like.

Japan, whose banks in London use an EU passport, has also called for transitional arrangements.

"Article 50 is an unrealistic time frame for financial institutions to migrate to a future plan," said Andy Gray, UK financial services leader at consultants PwC.

(Editing by David Clarke)
By Alastair Macdonald

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU officials are livid at their former boss Jose Manuel Barroso for taking a job at Goldman Sachs that has drawn public scorn just as they are trying to win back trust in a European Union wounded by Britain's Brexit vote.

But despite a vocal campaign by EU staff and a formal demand for action from the bloc's ethics watchdog, the European Commission and Barroso's successor as president Jean-Claude Juncker, see little they can do -- beyond distancing themselves from the former Portuguese premier's move to the U.S. bank.

The row began two months ago when Barroso, a conservative who led the EU executive for a decade until 2014, was unveiled by Goldman [GSGSC.UL] as non-executive chairman of its London-based international arm with a special role in advising on the Brexit process triggered by the British referendum on June 23.

It flared again this week just as EU leaders, back from summer breaks, are preparing a major push for hearts and minds that they hope can start restoring trust in institutions assailed across the continent by eurosceptic insurgent parties.

European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly, citing among other evidence of public unease a petition run by EU staff that has over 130,000 signatures, wrote to Juncker asking whether he will convene an ethics review of his predecessor's action, amend the code of conduct or issue special guidance to the Union's Brexit negotiators on how to handle any contact with their former boss.

"Mr. Barroso's move has generated concern at a very challenging time for the EU and particularly in relation to citizen trust in its institutions," she wrote.

"WORST POSSIBLE MOMENT"

Juncker, who is preparing for his annual keynote State of the Union address to the European Parliament next Wednesday, has publicly distanced himself from Barroso, telling French television in July that he would not have taken the job.

Story continues

Aides have made clear the former Luxembourg premier is far from impressed with his predecessor for joining a firm which many Europeans see as having an unprincipled hand in triggering the 2008 financial crisis still scarring the continent today. It risks denting his own efforts to break perceptions of the EU as a cozy, technocratic club for political and business elites.

"It is, at the worst possible moment, a disastrous symbol for the Union and a gift horse for the europhobes that a former Commission president is associated with the unbridled and unethical financial values that Goldman Sachs represents," wrote a group of anonymous EU staffers in an online petition.

Reuters contacted one of the organizers of the petition to demand Juncker take "exemplary measures" against Barroso. It had over 132,000 signatures on change.org by late Wednesday and, the person said, had seen a sharp acceleration in support this week.

The problem for Juncker, EU officials say, is that the code of conduct for former commissioners allows the Commission to bar them from certain activities only for 18 months after stepping down. Barroso took his job in London 20 months afterwards.

He could not immediately be contacted on Wednesday but people who know him have told Reuters Barroso sees the role at Goldman as an important one that he is entitled to take after long years of public service. Allies note that much of the criticism has come from long-time opponents on the left. French President Francois Hollande called it "morally unacceptable".

REVOLVING DOORS

EU officials argue that the Commission has some of the world's strictest rules on what are known as "revolving door" job moves by senior officials into the private sector and that after 18 months inside knowledge and contacts lose their value and so no longer raise issues of conflict of interest.

One EU official argued that it was Goldman Sachs' specific reputation among sections of the European population that posed the biggest problem; another bank, another Wall Street name, might not have caused so much fuss. But short of keeping a list of politically "toxic" companies for which former commissioners should never work, there may be little the Commission can do.

"When it comes to broader moral and ethical questions raised by personal choices of former senior staff, can they really be reasonably defined and governed by a set of regulations?" a Commission spokesman said.

As a result, officials say, it is hard to see the Commission acting further on the Barroso case, no matter how embarrassing its effect on public perceptions as EU leaders prepare for a summit next week in Bratislava on how to restore public trust.

(Editing by Giles Elgood)
By India Today Web Desk: While it is absolutely understandable for you to continue obsessing over Cheap Thrills, we're about to introduce you to a new Sia tune that will make you love her even more.



Also Read: These two sisters just gave Sia's addictive track Cheap Thrills, a beautiful Veena twist



Titled The Greatest, Sia's new track is a whole new level of intense with a befitting video that is downright hard-hitting and powerful. Starring Maddie Ziegler who has been the face of Sia's music for the longest time, the video features 49 dancers who are believed to represent the 49 lives that were taken during the unfortunate Orlando nightclub shooting in June this year.



Also Read: Sia becomes the first 40-year-old female artist in 16 years to top Billboard Hot 100



With foot-tapping beats that are hard to ignore, the video begins with #WeAreYourChildren inscribed on a black screen. Being hailed as a thoughtful tribute to the Orlando victims, the track also features a verse by rapper Kendrick Lamar.



Watch it right here.





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Its national security week here on the 2016 campaign trail.

Republican nominee Donald Trump gave a defense-focused interview on Tuesday to, of all people, his own national security advisor, retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, who is formerly President Barack Obamas top military spy. Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine gave his own national security Trump takedown just afterward in North Carolina near Camp Lejeune, where his Marine son is based when not deployed. He once again argued that the New York real estate magnate is dangerously unfit to be commander in chief.

And on Wednesday, an audience of military veterans will give both Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton a chance to showcase their creds in a forum hosted by NBC and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Why the sudden national security onslaught? The candidates are tuning up for the first debate on Sept. 26, and while the issue isnt typically the decider for American voters, it represents one of the starkest contrasts in style and substance between Trump and Clinton. A new NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll out Wednesday shows Trump leading Clinton 55 percent to 36 percent among current or former members of the military. With Election Day nearly 60 days away, national security could reap big rewards  but its a minefield for both.

Sign up for FPs Editors Picks newsletter here to receive Battleground 16, our take on the presidential race, each Wednesday through November.

Clintons General Calls for Lasting Footprint in Afghanistan

The next president of the United States should stop the the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and consider expanding the capabilities of the American personnel there  or even add more troops to the mix, said John Allen, a retired four-star Marine general with close ties to presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Every time I think about Trump, I get allergic.

Story continues

 Hillary Clinton quipped on Monday in response to questions about her recent coughing fit during a speech.

Trumps Bid for National Security Credibility: Q&A With His Own Surrogate

A forum hosted by his own national security advisor comes after Trump unveils endorsements by 88 military veterans  many of them little-known or long-retired.

Trump Eyed a Rebranding in Mexico  but Returned Defiant on Immigration

Conciliation, contradiction, reality checks, and why they matter  or dont  for 2016.

Donald Trump jetted to Mexico this week for a meeting with President Enrique Pena Nieto that aides hoped would make the unabashed New York TV personality-turned-Republican nominee appear presidential, and prompt the shrinking number of undecided American voters to give him a fresh look.

Instead, he came back for an immigration-themed speech later Wednesday in Arizona and fell back on the raw instincts that won him unexpected success in the GOP primary  but have kept him from expanding his base in the general election against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

+1

The Tuesday Sept. 6 CNN/ORC poll showing Trump having cut into Clintons post-convention lead and now overtaking her nationwide.

FBI: An Account on Clintons Private Email Server Was Hacked

An unidentified hacker compromised the email of a Bill Clinton staffer.

Sign up for FPs Editors Picks newsletter here to receive Battleground 16, our take on the presidential race, each Wednesday through November.

Photo credit: Alex Wong / Staff
Apple (AAPL) is going to need to wow major investors at its event Wednesday if it wants to turn around a trend in which the biggest global funds have been offloading Apple shares.

New data from eVestment show that institutional investors across a variety of groups sold Apple in the second quarter. The drop in Apple's ownership was bigger than any other major stock.

Apple may still be the third most widely held stock in eVestment's database, but it's now only held by 20.42 percent of all funds, a drop from 20.83 percent a quarter ago. That contrasts with increases in ownership for other tech companies like Facebook (FB) and Amazon (AMZN).

The data above focus on specific types of funds: growth equity, value equity, and core equity (a mix between growth and value). Apple was the single most sold stock in two of those three groups.



"Some investors and asset managers may be starting to believe Apple's big growth days are behind them," said eVestment's Mark Scott. "Some of its latest product releases have had changes and improvements that to many industry watchers and consumers seem more incremental than revolutionary." EVestment's figures covers over 65,000 institutional portfolios, giving the company deep insight into their trading behavior.

Scott said the recent lack of amazing product launches could be a problem for institutional investors, "and something that's making them rethink the position of Apple in their portfolios."

Meanwhile, JJ Kinahan of TD Ameritrade told CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Tuesday that retail traders have actually been buying Apple's shares in August.

That's one reason Wednesday's product announcement is going to move markets. Shareholders big and small were watching, ready to trade.

But while Wednesday's event was under way, Apple's stock was flat, down 0.35 percent.





More From CNBC


When Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face off for the first presidential debate on September 26, the Democratic nominee will have one less arrow in her quiver thanks to her husbands apparently insatiable appetite for capitalizing on his two terms in the Oval Office.

Related: Trumps 'University' Offered Master Classes in Manipulation

The ongoing cases against the now-defunct Trump University  a lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney General and class actions by former students who claim they were ripped off  would have provided an opportunity for Clinton to question just how committed Trump is to bettering the lives of the middle class if his eponymous school is alleged to have bilked thousands of dollars from Americans trying to better their circumstances.

Hillary mentioned Trump University yesterday in the context of an illegal $25,000 donation the Trump Foundation made in 2013 to help re-elect Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was considering a fraud investigation of Trump U. The proposed probe was ultimately abandoned. But if Hillary brings up Trump University in a debate as an example of how her opponents for-profit school allegedly scammed the vulnerable, she could be opening a trap door, since she and Bill Clinton have their own for-profit university problem.

A Washington Post story Tuesday says that former President Clinton was paid almost $18 million over five years for consulting work and for serving as honorary chancellor of Laureate International Universities, a for-profit higher-education company. That deal came nine months after then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arranged for a Laureate official to be invited to a State Department dinner on higher education in 2009.

The Post also said Laureate has given between $1 million and $5 million to the Clinton Foundation.

Related: Trumps Next Obsession: Bill Clinton and Laureate Universities

Even though there is no evidence of anything illegal in the relationship between Bill Clinton, Laureate, the Clinton Foundation and the State Department under Hillary Clinton, were the Democratic nominee to bring up Trump University in a debate, she would open the door for her opponent to get into Bills work for the for-profit university and the so-called Clinton corruption that he has already railed against.

Story continues

The Post tallied up Bill Clintons compensation from speeches and consulting during Hillarys four years as Secretary of State and came up with $65.4 million.

Like Trump University, Laureate was in the dream business. Trump U was selling the dream of making a killing in real estate after paying to learn Donald Trumps techniques. A promotional brochure for Laureate, signed by Bill Clinton, said: Laureate institutions help students, young and old, achieve their dreams, and in doing so, help to improve their home countries and create a world of more widely shared opportunity and responsibility.

There are, of course, huge differences between Laureate and the operation that was Trump University. Laureate operates accredited, degree-granting schools, the Post says, with more than 1 million students on 87 campuses in 28 countries.

In a 2013 op-ed in The Daily News, New York AG Eric Schneiderman called Trump University

an unlicensed enterprise promising students that they would become wealthy by learning Trumps real estate tips and strategies.

Schneiderman is a Democrat, but he laid out the case against Trump before the mogul was ever a serious candidate for the GOP presidential nomination.

Related: Legal Experts Alarmed by Trumps Assault on Justice System

The AG said: Trump University had neither a license nor a charter from New York State certifying it as an institution of higher education. In total, Trump University students were defrauded of $40 million, with about $5 million landing in Trumps pocket. My office received complaints from many former students. One lost her life savings; another had to move out of her home after investing in Trumps mentorship programs. Trump claims that enrollees have given his program a 98% approval rating, but we have statements showing that students were hounded into giving favorable reviews. Some 5,000 hardworking people from all over the country fell for Donald Trumps sales pitch and ended up getting taken. They were victims of a high-pressure bait and switch.

Shilling for Laureate isnt the same thing as preying on people hungry to get ahead, but the Clintons mixing of public office and the pursuit of personal wealth makes Trump U a complicated topic for Hillary to bring up and provides Trump with plenty of ammunition to return fire in the event of an attack.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby will stand trial for the 2004 felony sexual assault of Andrea Constand in her Philadelphia home on June 5, 2017, a Pennsylvania judge ruled Tuesday.

But even with all the maneuvering by his attorneys to avoid the trial, the bigger, more surprising news arrives in their declaration to the judge that the comedian and former TV star is completely blind.

That declaration led to the judge promising that the court would accommodate any special needs for the defendant.

The loss of one's eyesight isn't a small sidenote, especially in a trial that will undoubtedly require Cosby to identify those testifying for and against him. The prosecution is hoping that at least 13 women will testify about their alleged sexual assaults at the hands of Cosby.

There's also the potential that his advanced age of 79 years, coupled with the blindness and extra accommodations furnished by the court, could create some sympathy for the defendant.

The most recent reports surrounding Cosby's eyesight came in July when The New York Post's Page Six quoted unnamed sources claiming Cosby was not only "completely blind," but also homebound as a result. It went on to say: "Cosby reportedly has a degenerative eye condition called keratoconus, a condition that causes the eyes cornea to bulge." The comedian's attorneys didn't comment on that story.

Bill Cosby mugshot

Before that, there was another round of reports that mentioned his eyesight. In December 2015, Cosby's mugshot was released to the public and the appearance of his eyes quickly became a point of discussion. His right eye, especially, looked discolored.

The next month, Cosby lawyer Monica Pressley appeared on CBS News and was asked to explain the appearance of Cosby's eyes in his mugshot and whether it would be used as part of his defense.

Story continues

"Hes a 78-year-old blind man who theyve chosen to charge. Thats not a defense to a charge, thats just a fact, Pressley said.

We'll have to see if Cosby's blindness indeed plays into his defense.

NOW WATCH: Bill Cosby will stand trial on sexual assault charges





More From Business Insider


bill o'reilly donald trump

Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly on Tuesday briefly confronted Donald Trump over whether he believed he lost black voters' support because of his questions about President Barack Obama's birthplace.

During an interview on "The O'Reilly Factor," the host pointed out that Trump was losing significantly among nonwhite voters and asked directly about whether Trump took a political hit for his public inquiry five years ago into whether Obama was born in the US.

"Do you think your birther position has hurt you among African-Americans?" O'Reilly asked.

"I have no idea. I don't talk about it anymore, Bill. Because, you know, I just don't bother talking about it," Trump said.

Despite leading a monthslong public crusade disputing the legitimacy that Obama was born in Hawaii, the Republican presidential nominee has refused to apologize for his questions about it, repeatedly insisting that he does not want to discuss the issue.

During Tuesday's interview, Trump claimed that O'Reilly was the "first person to bring it up in a while," though the real-estate mogul was asked by reporters on his plane over the weekend about whether he still believed Obama was not born in the US.

Though some state polls show him with 0% support among black voters, he also denied that black voters were turned off by his birther attacks, saying he was well received when he visited a black church in Detroit recently.

"I don't think so. Look, I went to Detroit. We had  it was like a lovefest. We had just a great, great time. I was there for a long time. The bishop and his wife and the congregation  these are fantastic people," Trump said.

Trump has attempted to reach out to minority voters over the past several weeks. During a rally in Michigan late last month, the Republican presidential nominee cited an incorrect black unemployment statistic to argue that his candidacy would be better for black voters.

Story continues

"You're living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58% of your youth is unemployed," Trump said of black people to a largely white audience at a rally in Michigan last month. "What the hell do you have to lose?"

NOW WATCH: 'My friend died': Watch this emotional exchange between Joe Biden and a protester





More From Business Insider


LA PAZ (Reuters) - Feted by activists carrying a rainbow flag, transgender citizens in La Paz are celebrating their newfound right to register for identity cards with updated details under Bolivia's new gender law. Transgender activist Pamela Geraldine Valenzuela was the first to do so last week during a ceremony presided over by the mayor of La Paz, Luis Revilla. "I wouldn't let myself stop in my fight until I arrived at this moment, until the state recognized all transgender people in accordance with the identity that we have completely assumed," she said. The law, which means transgender citizens can register for ID cards using the names and details of their assumed gender, comes into effect under the leftist government of President Evo Morales. Bolivia's move to grant new ID cards to its transgender citizens follows similar legislation in Britain, Colombia and Australia. (Reporting by Reuters TV, Writing by Karishma Singh)
Bon Qui Qui is gracing MADtv with her presence tonight and were already laughing

Bon Qui Qui is gracing MADtv with her presence tonight and were already laughing

MADtv is officially back in action with a reboot of the show, and WE ARE SO HAPPY ABOUT IT! After 14 hilarious years on the air, the show was sadly canceled in 2008.

The sketch comedy show obviously needed a solid eight years to regroup, because it finally premiered again, on The CW, on July 26th.

While the revival is embracing a slew of fantasically funny new cast members (including Carlie Craig, Michelle Ortiz, Lyric Lewi,s and Piotr Michael), veteran MADtv-ers Nicole Sullivan, Will Sasso. and Bobby Lee have all made appearances on the show.

But one familiar face is back for the 6th episode, which airs tonight  and we almost cannot control our excitement.

Anjelah Johnson (aka Bon Qui Qui!!) is back and just as RU and hilarious as ever.

Bon Qui Qui returns to King Burger  her old place of employment  but this time as a flashier, more put-together customer.

Since she lost her job at King Burger (for you know, continuously yelling at customers), she has been creating music (real-life music check out Gold Plated Dreams on iTunes) and rapping her way around the country on tour.

Proof:

Bon Qui Qui even won the Fan Favorite Award at the MADtv 20th Anniversary Reunion.

Obviously, we cant wait to see Bon Qui Qui back on the show where it all started for her.

MADtv airs on The CW at 9 p.m. ET.

The post Bon Qui Qui is gracing MADtv with her presence tonight and were already laughing appeared first on HelloGiggles.
No one expected Bonsai the bulldog, who was born with only half a body, to live long, but his owners and fans around the world were devastated when he died last weekend. He was only 16 months old.

Read: Rescued English Bulldog Born with Half a Body Will Melt Your Heart

In an emotional Facebook post, his rescuer Elizabeth Hart explained: "We've always been aware that Bonsai may not live a long life due to his rare combined conditions  he hadn't been sick, there was no warning, and we are still shocked at the sudden happenings."

Bonsai was born with a series of rare deformities, including half a spine, no pelvis, and tiny, immobile, hind legs that were later amputated since they were causing him pain.

But, she wrote that the bulldog lived a relatively healthy life before he passed away quietly in the middle of the night: "I tucked him into his little bed as I do every night. A few hours later, I heard what sounded like a faint cough, little bark, and then nothing. His heart had stopped, just that quickly."

Born to an Arkansas breeder in April 2015, he was surrendered to a Texas rescue organization, Friends of Emma, founded by his rescuer Hart, when he was only 3 and a half weeks old.

Hart told InsideEdition.com in a previous interview that Bonsai had Sacral Agenesis (Caudal Regression), a disease only found in humans, until Bonsai's diagnosis.

For that reason, Bonsai was quickly named the official mascot for the International Sacral Agenesis/Caudal Regression Association (iSACRA).

Read: Meet Mojo, the Elderly Short Spine Dog Who Is Stealing Hearts Across America

Not only did he inspire and support humans suffering from the same condition, his social media presence under the name "Half a Bulldog, Twice the Love" quickly racked up a slew of followers.

"He was so loved. I can hardly believe he is gone," one of his supporters wrote on Facebook. "Run free Bonsai, you left so many broken hearts behind."

Story continues

Watch: Dog Grieves for 21-Year-Old Owner Killed in Car Crash: 'It's as If He's Looking for Someone'

Related Articles:
London's Institute of Masters of Wine just announced that Sonal Holland is the world's first Wine Master from India.

By Shreya Goswami: It's only people within the F&B industry in India who've appreciated the work done by Sonal Holland till now. The award-winning wine broadcaster, educator, consultant, judge and entrepreneur is used to curating wine tastings, selections, and other related experiences, and has been associated with many hotels and restaurants.

The Mumbai-based professional, well-known for her digital channel, Sonal Holland Wine TV, and her recently launched SoHo Wine Club, has now achieved something that's unprecedented. London's Institute of Masters of Wine just announced Sonal Holland as the world's first Master of Wine from India!

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The IMW is an international institution with an unsurpassed reputation in the wine world, since their establishment in 1953. Till date, 391 men and women have been declared Masters of Wine (MWs), with 341 of them currently working in 25 countries.

These Masters are selected through a rigorous examination, which tests the applicant's breadth and depth of theoretical knowledge, as well as blind tasting skills covering all aspects in the art, science and business of wine. As expected, such a difficult exam has very low pass rates.

Also read: Vikas Khanna's Junoon NYC wins the Wine Spectator Award 6 years in a row!



But once you do pass, as Holland just did, you have a free entry into the world's best wine community. MW's are often asked to judge wine competitions all around the world, to lecture at wine courses, to lead wine tastings, and to sample and assess some of the world's finest wine cellars.

Sonal Holland is the first Indian to win such a title in the international wine community. Picture courtesy: Twitter/kaseraaman Sonal Holland is the first Indian to win such a title in the international wine community. Picture courtesy: Twitter/kaseraaman

Sonal Holland is totally prepared for this new role of hers. "Whilst it has been a long and arduous journey in pursuit of the title, I am so proud to be India's first Master of Wine. And to be given this title as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry makes it even more special," she told IANS.

Talking about the wine industry in India, Sonal said: "Indian wines are being increasingly appreciated globally, and both Indian and international wines are seeing a larger presence within our country. I am determined to make sure India remains top of mind in wine conversations around the world."

Let's raise a toast to India's best wine connoisseur, and hope that she does indeed help Indian wines soon become as famous (and expensive) as French and Napa valley ones.

With inputs from IANS





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Brad Pitt has got plenty to say about Donald Trump.

The 52-year-old actor and producer recently opened up to New York Times' T Magazine about the presidential hopeful while talking about Brexit.

WATCH: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Take Their Twins Out For Birthday Breakfast in West Hollywood

"Man, I never thought [Brexit] would happen," says Pitt, who also graces the magazine's upcoming men's fall issue, on sale Sept. 11. "Same way I can't bring myself to think that Trump will be in charge."

"In the simplest terms, what brings us together is good, and what separates us is bad," he adds.

T The New York Times Style Magazine

Pitt, whose new film, Allied, arrives in theaters Nov. 23, also explains how he tries to understand Trump supporters.

"Coming from Oklahoma, southern Missouri, which leans more toward a Trump voice, I try to understand it," he shares. "You gotta understand that it's also in our DNA. Most Americans don't have time to watch CNN and Fox and Al Jazeera. They're trying to make the rent, get the kids fed, they're tired when they get home and they want to forget about everything. And so suddenly when this voice comes in  and it doesn't have to be a voice of substance  saying he's fed up with all of this, that's the part that hooks into the DNA."

WATCH: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Are Making Show Biz a 'Family Affair'

"A Trump supporter is fighting against just about everything," the Oscar winner concludes. "What does he even mean, take our country back? Would someone please explain that to me?...Where'd it go?"

Pitt is not the only actor to speak out against Trump. Will Smith recently told reporters during a press conference in Dubai that he was embarrassed by the Republican candidate.

"As painful as it is to hear Donald Trump talk, and as embarrassing as it is as an American to hear him talk, I think it's good," Smith said. "We get to hear it. We get to know who people are and now we get to cleanse it out of our country."

Story continues

WATCH: Daniel Radcliffe Recalls Nervously Meeting Donald Trump, and the Advice He Gave Him

Grindhouse star Rose McGowan had even stronger words in an open letter addressed to "Enablers and Donald" last month, in which she refers to Trump as "a murderer in the making."

"We, the public, are being sickened by an ever expanding assault on our right to live a healthy and free life," she wrote. "Donald and you ratings-driven colluders are holding us, the public, hostage and exposing us to disease."

For more on McGowan and Trump, watch the video below.

Related Articles
By Tatiana Bautzer

SAO PAULO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Brasil Pharma SA is close to selling two units for about 1.2 billion reais ($375 million) as the nation's No. 3 drugstore chain shrinks further to cut debt, two people with direct knowledge of the transactions said.

BR Pharma will first sell Drogaria Rosario Distrital to wholesale pharmacy firm Profarma Distribuidora de Produtos Farmaceuticos SA, according to the sources. The sale, which could fetch about 200 million reais, is expected to be closed in the coming days, they added.

BR Pharma will then dispose of Drogarias Big Ben for 1 billion reais, said the sources, who asked not to be identified as the deal is still in the works. The buyer will be industrial and services group Ultrapar Participacoes SA's drugstore chain arm, the people said, without giving a timetable for an announcement.

Sao Paulo-based BR Pharma, which is backed by the buyout arm of investment bank Grupo BTG Pactual SA, did not have an initial comment, just as Ultrapar and Rio de Janeiro-based Profarma.

Created as a vehicle to consolidate the purchases of the Mais Economica, Rosario, Farmais, Sant'Anna and Big Ben chains, BR Pharma has grappled with integration problems, shareholder disputes, high debt and rising competition.

The process of dismantling BR Pharma gained traction last November, when BTG Pactual was hit with massive client fund withdrawals in the wake of a scandal, leaving the bank short of funds to pour into the drugstore chain operator.

BTG Pactual, Latin America's largest independent investment bank, engineered the sale of money-losing chain Mais Economica to a group of local investors for $12 million a few months ago.

Shares in BR Pharma, which sank an average 70 percent between 2013 and 2015, have doubled this year on speculation over the planned asset sales. In the past three months days, the stock rose 158 percent.

Big Ben, which contributes about 40 percent to annual revenue at BR Pharma, has some 150 stores in Brazil's northern and northeastern regions, while Rosario has about 130 stores located across Brazil's midwestern region.

($1 = 3.1960 Brazilian reais) (Editing by Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Zurich (AFP) - Britain's decision to leave the European Union could see UBS slash nearly a third of its employees from the London office, the head of the Swiss banking giant said in an interview to a Japanese publication.

"We currently employ more than 5000 people in London and probably 20 percent to 30 percent of our workforce could be affected," Sergio Ermotti was quoted as saying by the Nikkei Asian Review on Wednesday.

London serves as the headquarters for UBS's European operations.

However, the head of the leading Swiss bank said it was too early to predict the outcome of the talks on the terms of Britain's exit, which could possibly see London maintain its access to the EU market.

Ermotti said that UBS believes that after Britain's exit from the EU "London will continue to be an important financial centre, although maybe not as important as it is today".

Contacted by AFP, UBS confirmed Ermotti's statements but declined to comment.
MSNBCs new 11th Hour with Brian Williams is neither an hour nor, as Williams noted in his much-discussed-by-media debut as host, does it air at 11 PM in most time zones. But, he quipped, We are rapidly nearing the 11th hour for this presidential campaign. So we will be here at this hour from now until Election Day, when we will cancel ourselves.

Williams road-to-career-recovery pop up broadcast devoted a lot of time to touting MSNBCs next night Matt Lauer moderated Commander-in-Chief themed forum, featuring candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. (Clinton won the coin toss to go first.)

Williams called it a kind of sneaky backdoor debate, happily predicting this could be an event for viewers who

have been in the fog of Labor Day, perhaps running from fake hurricanes. Wags are gonna seize on that crack to remind readers of Williams fog of war explanation for the fake details about his Iraq War experience that cost him his NBC Nightly News anchor gig.

The 11th Hour program marks Williams first program since losing the Nightly News anchor desk.

Among those on hand to help Williams through his first night, MSNBC contributor/WaPo columnist Eugene Robinson predicted each candidate would try to disqualify the other to be CiC, because when its a referendum on Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton does very, very well, and when its a referendum onHillary Clinton, Donald Trump does very well.

In terms of knowledge about national security and experience, it wont be much a contest, Robinson assured, adding, it will be interesting to see if Trump is able to bluff his way through that, or just kinda of falls back on Make America Great.

Former GOP White House hopeful John Kasich was Williams first big 11th Hour get. When asked, Will decency emerge from this campaign still alive and in style? the former Trump rival began to talk about the movie Scully.

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I think itll be a big hit. People are looking for heroes, Kasich said. Theyre looking for somebody that puts somebody else first We yearn for that. Its in us. Its written on our hearts. So yes, I do think we can unify, but these are troubling, unsettled, fast-moving times where there have been a lot of people that find themselves in the ditch. And we have to help them get out:

Williams wrapped his safe inaugural 11th Hour telecast with news an election-cycle tradition had made an appearance on Hillary Clintons plane that day, when reporters rolled an orange down the aisle, bearing a press corp question for the candidate: Dinner with Trump or Putin?

An aide to Clinton circled Putin and rolled the orange back into the waiting arms of the press corps, Williams smiled.

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By Jonathan Stempel and Joseph Ax

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Wednesday rejected an effort by news media to force prosecutors in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal known as "Bridgegate" to disclose the names of unindicted co-conspirators.

Reversing a lower court ruling, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia found no right of public access under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment or the common law to a list of people implicated but not criminally charged.

The 3-0 decision came one day before jury selection was scheduled to begin in the trial of two former allies of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who are accused of arranging the September 2013 shutdown of bridge access lanes in Fort Lee, New Jersey, causing several days of gridlock.

"Public access to judicial documents and court proceedings is a respected tradition and important legal principle, but it has bounds," Circuit Judge Kent Jordan wrote.

While it may make sense to release the names at trial, "that time is not here yet," he added.

Prosecutors accused William Baroni, a former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Bridget Anne Kelly, a former Christie deputy chief of staff, of closing lanes to punish Fort Lee's Democratic mayor, Mark Sokolich, for not endorsing the successful re-election of Christie, a Republican.

Disclosing the list could have shown whether other Christie allies sought political payback by snarling traffic.

Another former Port Authority official, David Wildstein, is cooperating with prosecutors after pleading guilty.

Christie has denied involvement, but the scandal helped erode his once-high approval ratings. He ran unsuccessfully this year for the White House. His office had no immediate comment.

U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton in Newark had in May ordered disclosing the names of unindicted co-conspirators, but a "John Doe" on the list appealed, fearing reputational harm.

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Bruce Rosen, a lawyer for media companies including ABC, the Associated Press and the New York Times, in an email said his clients are disappointed, and no decision on an appeal has been made.

Doe's lawyer, Jenny Kramer, in an email said she was gratified that the appeals court "prevented disclosure of highly prejudicial material."

A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman in New Jersey, who supported Doe, declined to comment.

Baroni and Kelly have pleaded not guilty to wire fraud, civil rights deprivation and conspiracy charges, and received the list of names to help prepare for trial. Their lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax and Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Matthew Lewis)
Sydney (AFP) - Contrary to perceptions, British investors own far more agricultural land in Australia than Chinese nationals, an inaugural foreign land register showed Wednesday as the government warned against the rise of protectionist sentiment.

The sale of valuable farmland to foreigners, particularly through Australia's biggest trading partner China, has been a sensitive issue in recent years.

Earlier this year, Australia knocked back the sale of the country's biggest private landowner, cattle firm S. Kidman and Co., to a Chinese-led consortium citing national interest with part of the holding overlapping a military testing range.

It followed warnings from politicians with rural constituencies against selling farming land to overseas interests amid worries about the nation's food security.

In a bid to soothe concerns, the government last year tightened scrutiny on overseas investment in agricultural land and vowed to be more transparent about who owns what.

Its first public report on the issue showed 13.6 percent of all Australian agricultural land, or 52.1 million hectares (129 million acres), is in foreign hands, with the preferred method of investment through leasehold.

Of that, more than half is held by British investors, followed by those from the United States, the Netherlands and Singapore.

China only owns 0.38 percent, despite growing anxiety about Chinese ownership, sparked by the sale last year of Australia's largest dairy farming business -- Van Diemen's Land Company -- to a Chinese buyer.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, China would have ranked second if it had been approved to take control of the 10 million hectare Kidman cattle empire.

The register showed that foreign ownership is growing, according to Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce.

He said previous estimates by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found 12.4 percent of land was foreign owned in June 2013, which was up on a December 2010 survey estimate of 11.3 percent.

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"This common perception that the level of foreign ownership has been increasing seems confirmed," he said, adding that the land register would provide more accurate data in the years ahead.

Treasurer Scott Morrison said foreign investment was integral to Australias economy, contributing to growth and creating jobs, and warned against protectionism.

"With more than Aus$3.0 trillion (US$2.3 trillion) worth of foreign investment in Australia today, we cannot afford to risk our economic future by engaging in protectionism," he said.

But he acknowledged that "the community must have confidence that this investment is in the national interest".
LONDON (Reuters) - A blueprint for a Syrian political transition that requires President Bashar al-Assad to step down could help stalled peace talks restart, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Wednesday. Johnson said that if peace talks were to get back on track, "it is obviously critical that the world and all the interlocutors in Geneva should be able to see that there is a future for Syria that goes beyond the Assad regime." Johnson was speaking at a meeting in London after talks with the Saudi-backed Syrian opposition group's general coordinator, Riyad Hijab, who presented a plan for a new political settlement for Syria. "Listening to everybody here, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that with common sense and flexibility and energy, this vision and this plan that Dr Hijab and his colleagues have put forward can be put into effect," Johnson said. (Reporting William James, editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
By PTI: Mumbai, Sep 7 (PTI) Director Aanand L Rai has denied that "Bandhua" is the title of his forthcoming film with superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

"The title of my film with Shah Rukh Khan is not Bandhua, as being referred to by the media. The film is yet untitled and we will make an official announcement of the title once it is locked," Aanand told PTI.

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The King Khan will play a dwarf in the film that would be a love story.

Gossip mills are abuzz that Katrina Kaif will romance the "Dilwale" star once again after "Jab Tak Hai Jaan".

"We cant confirm anything at this stage. It is too soon to talk about it," Aanand said.

The film will go on floors by the end of this year and will release by December 2018.

Shah Rukh is currently busy with Imtiaz Alis film which also stars Anushka Sharma.

After wrapping this project, the star will begin work for Rais directorial venture. PTI KKP GK BK RDS

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London (AFP) - Britain is to start building a wall in the northern French port of Calais to stop migrants jumping on trucks, under a deal agreed earlier this year, the interior ministry said Wednesday.

The four-metre (13-foot) high, one-kilometre long barrier will be built on a port approach road starting this month and should be completed by the end of this year, officials said.

The wall, which will be funded by the British government under an agreement struck at a summit in March, will complement a security fence already put up around the port and entrance to the Channel Tunnel.

"We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We've done the fence, now we are doing a wall," junior minister Robert Goodwill told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas called the wall "monstrous" while campaign group Citizens UK asked Britain to use the money instead to transfer child migrants with families in Britain from Calais.

Richard Burnett, chief executive of Britain's Road Haulage Association also told the BBC the plan was a "poor use of taxpayers' money".

He said funding for a wall "would be much better spent on increasing security along the approach roads".

The wall, which is expected to cost 2.7 million euros ($3.0 million), will be the latest barrier to go up around Europe as the continent struggles with its biggest migrant influx in decades.

Hungary has built a reinforced fence on its frontier with Serbia and Austria has announced plans for a massive new fence along its border with Hungary in a bid to shut down the Balkan migrant route.

Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump has said he plans to build a wall along the border with Mexico funded by the Mexican government if he is elected.

Many commentators on Twitter drew comparisons with Trump's proposal, with @fleetstreetfox saying: "And now we're the United Kingdom of Trump".

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The wall in Calais was agreed following tens of thousands of attempted Channel crossings last year by migrants sneaking onto lorries boarding ferries and the Eurotunnel.

Angry French truckers and farmers blocked the main routes in and out of Calais on Monday to call for the closure of the sprawling "Jungle" migrant camp.

The Jungle, a squalid camp of tents and makeshift shelters, is home to some 7,000 migrants but charities say the number might be as high as 10,000 after an influx this summer.

Migrants from the camp sometimes use tree branches to create roadblocks to slow trucks heading for Britain, their destination of choice.

When the trucks slow down, migrants try to clamber into the trailers to stow away aboard.

Drivers say migrants and people trafficking gangs have attacked their vehicles with metal bars.

The drivers say despite the deployment of 2,100 officers around the port, the police are overstretched and unable to secure the roads.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve promised during a visit to the Jungle last week to close the camp down "as quickly as possible" but said it would be done in stages.
EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May does not have a mandate to take any part of Britain out of the European Union's single market, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Wednesday, upping the stakes in talks for Britain to leave the bloc.

May has said Britain will be leaving the EU after 52 percent of voters backed Brexit at a June 23 referendum. While England and Wales voted to leave, the Scots and Northern Irish backed staying in the bloc, complicating divorce procedings.

"We will seek to use whatever influence we have to shape the best, or the least bad option," Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament, providing an update on Scotland's drive to keep its EU membership.

"In my view, that does mean the UK continuing as a member of the single market. I accept that the Prime Minister has a mandate in England and Wales to leave the EU, but I do not accept that she has a mandate to take any part of the UK out of the single market."

Continuing to have access to the single market without being an EU member would mean taking part in the trade area without having a say over its rules.

Support for EU membership among Scots in the June "Brexit" referendum was 62 percent, putting Scotland at odds with much of the rest of Britain.

Sturgeon, who leads the devolved Scottish government, has raised the possibility of another independence referendum. Scots voted against secession just two years ago.

"Our guiding principle will continue to be at all times the best interests of the people of Scotland."

Sturgeon said she had held meetings with high-ranking EU officials after the June vote, including the prime minister of Malta who she said was likely to hold the EU presidency when the legal mechanism for Britain to leave the bloc is triggered.

(Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May does not have a mandate to take any part of Britain out of the European Union's single market, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Wednesday, upping the stakes in talks for Britain to leave the bloc. May has said Britain will be leaving the EU after 52 percent of voters backed Brexit at a June 23 referendum. While England and Wales voted to leave, the Scots and Northern Irish backed staying in the bloc, complicating divorce procedings. "We will seek to use whatever influence we have to shape the best, or the least bad option," Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament, providing an update on Scotland's drive to keep its EU membership. "In my view, that does mean the UK continuing as a member of the single market. I accept that the Prime Minister has a mandate in England and Wales to leave the EU, but I do not accept that she has a mandate to take any part of the UK out of the single market." Continuing to have access to the single market without being an EU member would mean taking part in the trade area without having a say over its rules. Support for EU membership among Scots in the June "Brexit" referendum was 62 percent, putting Scotland at odds with much of the rest of Britain. Sturgeon, who leads the devolved Scottish government, has raised the possibility of another independence referendum. Scots voted against secession just two years ago. "Our guiding principle will continue to be at all times the best interests of the people of Scotland." Sturgeon said she had held meetings with high-ranking EU officials after the June vote, including the prime minister of Malta who she said was likely to hold the EU presidency when the legal mechanism for Britain to leave the bloc is triggered. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
London (AFP) - Prime Minister Theresa May warned Britons on Wednesday there would be no immediate answer to how their country would leave the European Union, rejecting repeated demands from opposition leaders.

The Conservative government has yet to set out its vision for Brexit following the referendum vote on June 23, beyond saying it would not start formal exit negotiations with Brussels until next year.

"I know many people are keen to see rapid progress and to understand what post-Brexit Britain will look like. We are getting on with that vital work," May told the House of Commons.

But she said: "We will not take decisions until we are ready. We will not reveal our hand prematurely and we will not provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiation".

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn said there was "huge uncertainty" and an "extraordinary lack of planning", warning also about rising levels of hate crimes against EU immigrants.

Corbyn warned that "parliament and the public cannot be sidelined" on such a major constitutional change.

Scottish National Party lawmaker Angus Robertson challenged May to give an "in or an out answer" about whether Britain would remain a full member of the European single market.

She declined, saying: "It would not be right for us to prejudge those negotiations.

"We will be ensuring that we seize the opportunities for growth and prosperity across the whole UK, including growth and prosperity in Scotland."

May has highlighted positive signals from India, Mexico, South Korea, Singapore and particularly Australia as proof that Britain will be able to forge new trade deals outside the EU.

But Australian trade minister Steven Ciobo warned in a speech in London late Tuesday that negotiations on a bilateral agreement may be "a few years off" -- and said that his country would prioritise a deal with the EU.

"We're working on an Australia-EU free trade agreement, which will prepare the way for our own agreement in years to come. The best deals are those done quickly and our talks with the EU are more advanced," he told an audience at Asia House.
From Cosmopolitan

A former Stanford University swimmer whose six-month sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman sparked a national outcry has registered as a sex offender in Ohio, where he's living with his parents.

Brock Turner registered at the Greene County sheriff's office Tuesday, four days after leaving a California jail after serving half his term. California jail inmates with good behavior typically serve half their sentences. He now faces three years of supervised probation but plans to appeal his conviction. Turner was convicted of assaulting the young woman near a trash bin after a fraternity party in January 2015.

Photo credit: AP

Turner registered under his family's address in Sugarcreek Township, where about a dozen people protested Friday as police watched. The process of registering took about 30 minutes, according to ABC News, which said Turner must now register as a sex offender every 90 days for the rest of his life. The sheriff's office, ABC News added, must send postcards to Turner's neighbors telling them that a sex offender lives in the area.

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Nearly 1 in 4 women in the U.S. is raped or otherwise sexually assaulted during her college years, according to a 2015 survey, involving 92,306 undergraduates, for The Association of American Universities. This unwanted, forceful sexual contact often occurs during a woman's freshman or sophomore year and is generally perpetrated by someone she knows. The rate is similar for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning) individuals, while around 5 percent of male undergraduates experience non-consensual sexual contact.

To combat this disturbing reality, many colleges and universities have stepped up their sexual assault prevention efforts through a variety of measures, including teaching and encouraging the use of bystander intervention skills. These often involve impartial people identifying potentially problematic encounters; stepping in and confronting dangerous behavior in a direct and clear but non-confrontational way; distracting the perpetrator's behavior before it becomes harmful; and enlisting help from acquaintances or law enforcement professionals to change the course of the encounter. All of this sounds good in theory, but there have been lingering questions about how effective these programs really are.

[See: 11 Simple, Proven Ways to Optimize Your Mental Health.]

Now there are some answers -- and the results seem to be mixed. In the last year, several studies have found that some of these programs do have a positive influence on bystanders' confidence and willingness to intervene. In a 2016 study in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, researchers compared the effects of a single 90-minute bystander education program with a traditional awareness education program and a no-education control group: At the two-month follow-up, the results showed that the bystander education program was more effective at changing people's attitudes and beliefs, their sense of self-efficacy and intentions for intervening, and self-reported behaviors for bystander action compared to the two other groups.

Another 2016 study in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence investigated the effects of an intervention aimed at preventing dating violence among students at two Virginia colleges and identifying red flags for such behavior, based on The Red Flag Campaign, a project of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance. The researchers found that a 30-minute presentation during new student orientation led to an increase in behaviors such as talking to friends about how to watch out for each other at parties, trying to help friends who are being abused get out of that situation and get help, and calling campus security when two people are arguing loudly or getting physically aggressive with each other.

[See: 7 Ways Technology Can Torpedo Your Health.]

"By having a variety of bystander behaviors and skills within one's tool-belt, students can then choose and use the behavior most appropriate for a given situation," says study lead author Amanda Borsky, a researcher formerly with the American Institutes for Research in the District of Columbia who is now an advisor at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. One of the strengths of these programs is they use peer leaders to deliver the bystander training. "When students see people they identify with doing the behaviors, they [develop] more confidence to engage in the behaviors themselves," Borsky says.

Yet, research has found that these programs have less of an impact on "high-risk" males. A 2016 study conducted at Oklahoma State University and the University of Arkansas found that men who frequently watched violent or degrading pornography were less likely to intervene as bystanders to help someone experiencing sexual violence. (The same was not true of those who watched non-degrading pornography.) "When people consume violent pornography regularly, they begin to think that violence in real, live sexual encounters is natural and acceptable," explains John Foubert, a professor of higher education and student affairs at Oklahoma State. "So it doesn't occur to them to intervene in a situation of potential sexual violence -- and that is the rub: As people view more violent porn, they begin to think violence is OK, and they do nothing about it."

Besides viewers of violent pornography, men are considered "high risk" and less likely to intervene as bystanders if they have perpetrated any form of sexual misconduct in the past, ranging from unwelcome touching and sexual assault, to posting inappropriate or sexist content on social media and making sexist or inappropriate jokes or comments, says Nada Elias-Lambert, an assistant professor and Master of Social Work, or MSW, program director in the department of social work at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. "These high-risk men have developed attitudes and behavioral tendencies that condone or legitimize sexually aggressive inclinations. As a society, we often don't recognize the behaviors at the lower end of the continuum, such as sexist jokes, as sexually violent behaviors. By not recognizing those behaviors and allowing them to continue, we are giving high-risk men permission to continue moving up the continuum, and their behaviors become more and more sexually aggressive."

For men in these groups, experts say, bystander intervention training isn't enough to change their attitudes. A critical step is to alter their underlying beliefs and behaviors and to put an end to rape-myth acceptance -- including notions that a woman "is asking for it" if she wears revealing clothing or drinks too much at a party, Elias-Lambert says. Another measure that's been found to help: "When we teach men how horribly traumatic rape can feel and get them to think about how they could prevent a rape from happening in their own environment, something clicks inside them and they go from passive observers to active interveners," Foubert says. "That is what we need to change the culture."

[See: 7 Health Risks of Binge Drinking You Can't Ignore.]

Until these attitudes shift on a high-altitude level, experts advise college students to err on the side of intervening in a situation that looks like it could lead to sexual violence or coercion. "Usually, the worst thing that could happen is that you get a reputation for being a 'cock blocker' or prude -- so what?" Foubert says. "Nobody needs to be the sex police for consensual encounters -- those are decisions for individuals to make freely with their own moral standards. [But] if it looks like a man is about to attempt sexual relations with a woman who is weakened by alcohol or who is threatened, it is time to be a leader, step up and help get her out of that situation." That's a scenario where everybody wins, since you could end up preventing one person from committing a crime and the other from becoming a victim.

Stacey Colino is a freelance Health + Wellness reporter at U.S. News. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at staceycolino@gmail.com.
Once the world's fourth largest lake, Aral Sea is rapidly shrinking. A new time-lapse from NASA's Earth Observatory captures the dwindling size of the water body.

By India Today Web Desk: The Aral Sea, tucked between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, has been steadily shrinking and images captured by NASA since 2000 till date documents this drastic change.

The once extensive lake, has now turned into two separate water bodies which are not even half of what it used to be. The Aral, in 2000, turned into a puddle as compared to what it was in 1960s.

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What caused the dramatic dip in the water levels?

Back in 1960s, the Soviet Union diverted the waters into two major rivers -- Syr Darya and the Amu Darya -- to help farms of cotton and other agriculture to flourish in the arid lands of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The major water diversion project lead to the formation of the Aral Sea. With the help of dams and canals, the water from these rivers merged together in the lowest part of the basin, making it the fourth largest lake.

Aral sea back in 1960s primarily by snowmelt and precipitation from faraway mountains Photo: NASA

But the Soviet Union's decision to redirect the tributaries for irrigating proved to be nothing short of devastating. While initially the desert flourished, the rapidly drying up lake affected the livelihood of fishing communities and everyone who depended on the water source.

NASA explains, "Although irrigation made the desert bloom, it devastated the Aral Sea. As the lake dried up, fisheries and the communities that depended on them collapsed. The increasingly salty water became polluted with fertilizer and pesticides. Blowing, salty dust from the exposed lakebed became a public health hazard and degraded the soil. Croplands had to be flushed with larger and larger volumes of river water."

The disappearance of the lake led to multifaceted crisis, the water which turned salty was infested by industrial and agricultural chemicals, and this in turn became a public health hazard. The loss of water also altered the weather in the surrounding area, it made winters extremely cold and summers unbearably hot and dry.

In the very last minute to save some of the water, in 2005, Kazakhstan built a dam between the northern and southern parts of the Aral Sea. But this move also proved to be a failure as the water body was beyond repair.

NASA says,"The Northern Aral Sea (sometimes called the Small Aral Sea) had separated from the Southern (Large) Aral Sea. The Southern Aral Sea had split into eastern and western lobes that remained tenuously connected at both ends. Water levels then fluctuated annually between 2009 and 2016 in alternately dry and wet years. In 2014, the Southern Sea's eastern lobe completely disappeared."WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW



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In Venezuela, a country on the brink of collapse from a crippling food shortage, a quiet but swiftly growing group of female entrepreneurs has poured their hopes for the future into a chocolate-covered, fruit bonbon. On Thursday, the woman credited with setting this powerful movement in motion will be honored at gala event in San Sebastian, attended by some of the most influential chefs in the world.

It's a big dream packed into a small bite-sized confectionery.

But for chef and chocolatier Maria Fernanda Di Giacobbe, the inaugural recipient of the Basque Culinary World Prize, the notion of solving the food crisis with a luxury food item makes sense given Venezuela's long history

of cacao production.

On Thursday, Di Giacobbe will accept the award pitched as the Nobel Prize of the food world, for having empowered 8,500 of her fellow countrywomen in a poetic story that marries two Venezuelan culinary traditions and has taken on a life of its own.

The award, launched this year, recognizes chefs who've improved society through food. Di Giacobbe was announced as the winner in July.

When Di Giacobbe opened her chocolate shop Kakao in Caracas in 2004, the idea was to pair local Criollo cacao beans -- among the most prized in the world -- with childhood favorites candied fruits and jellies.

Di Giacobbe trained 30 women to start, during a time when Hugo Chavez was in power. Unbeknownst to her, the chocolates would come to represent more than just a unique Venezuelan confectionery. For one woman, it would allow her to stop being dependent on Chavez's unemployment stipend and become an independent chocolate entrepreneur.

Invigorated by their new skills, the women would fan out to other communities of their own accord, teaching other women about what they'd learned.

The domino effect would eventually spur Di Giacobbe to open Cacao de Origen, a training space that teaches women how to transform cocoa beans into chocolate.

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It's not all my work," Di Giacobbe said in an interview. When you feel you can change, that you can create a better future, women work with generosity and happiness. This is very beautiful.

Meanwhile, in light of the deepening food crisis, Di Giacobbe sees a bigger role for cacao in Venezuela.

Cacao is inside the people of Venezuela. All of our stories, culture, religion are around cacao, she said.

For centuries, Venezuela was among the biggest cacao producers in the world and became one of the first countries to export the commodity around 300 years ago, she explains.

Then the country shifted to an oil-based economy, and cocoa production shrunk to small-scale, family affairs.

But where it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. Venezuela is known for its Criollo cocoa bean, prized among the world's top chocolatiers for its complex flavors and aromas.

Di Giacobbe believes that resurrecting Venezuela's cacao production and shifting the economic focus away from oil can help restore pride in a long-lost heritage and place the country on a new, brighter path.

Cacao is a product that is a vehicle for change.

Di Giacobbe plans to use the 100,000 award to expand Cacao de Origen and teach students not only about the principles of bean to bar, but how to start their own businesses.
Calvin Harris is certainly keeping busy! After the Scottish DJ was spotted out arm-in-arm with Mexican star Eiza Gonzalez on Saturday, he attended the GQ Men of the Year Awards in London on Tuesday night.

WATCH: Calvin Harris Arm-in-Arm With Mexican Star Eiza Gonzalez Amid Ex-Girlfriend Taylor Swift's Latest Breakup

At the event, which was held in the Tate Modern Museum, Harris sat with and posed with his ex Ellie Goulding. The pair reportedly dated back in 2013, but have remained close friends and collaborators since.

Goulding is also notably pals with Harris' ex, Taylor Swift, and previously took credit for setting the two up.

Getty Images

"I did play matchmaker, that's true," Goulding told The Sun in June 2015. "Calvin is a really great mate and he's so fantastic, and Taylor is such a cool person who I love."

Swift and Harris split in June of this year and almost immediately after she was spotted out with British actor Tom Hiddleston. The pair had a whirlwind romance, traveling around the globe together and meeting one another's families.

But ET confirmed on Tuesday that the celebrity couple had officially split after three months together. Though the breakup was reportedly "amicable," sources told Us Weekly that Swift was the one to end things due to her discomfort over how public Hiddleston wanted their relationship to be.

WATCH: Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston Split After Three Months of Dating

Harris and Swift's split started off on good terms, with the DJ even tweeting a kind message about the end of their relationship. But things took a turn in July when Swift's rep confirmed that she penned Harris' hit song "This Is What You Came Here For."

"Hurtful to me at this point that her and her team would go so far out of their way to try and make ME look bad at this stage though," he tweeted at the time. "I figure if you're happy in your new relationship you should focus on that instead of trying to tear your ex bf down for something to do."

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The Canadian Judicial Council is deciding on the future of a Canadian judge who is accused of misconduct towards the alleged victim during a rape case.

According to the Globe and Mail, the former plaintiff described how Federal Court Justice Robin Camp made me hate myself, when he asked her questions including, Why didnt I close my legs or knees or put my ass in the sink.

Transcripts cited by the National Post show that during the 2014 trial, Camp was quoted as saying sex and pain sometimes go together  thats not necessarily a bad thing. He also reportedly called the plaintiff the accused.

Addressing a judiciary panel on Tuesday, Camps lawyer said the provincial judge was undereducated when it came to sexual-assault laws, but that he should not be punished for the justice systems historical failings, the Globe and Mail reported.

Camps novelist daughter Lauren-Lee Camp  also a victim of rape  wrote in a letter of support that her fathers comments in the case were disgraceful, but that he is now staggered by the mistakes he made.

The panel will recommend whether or not Camps continuing presence on the bench will undermine confidence in the Canadian justice system.

Only two Canadian judges have been recommended for dismissal since 1971.
Canadian Pacific Railway Limited CP announced changes in its Board of Directors as Bill Ackman resigned from the company with immediate effect. The company has appointed Jill Denham and William R. Fatt as new directors. The resignation of Bill Ackman comes after Pershing Square Management LP, the hedge fund managed by him, sold its entire stake in Canadian Pacific last month.

Growth under Ackmans Leadership

Bill Ackman had joined Canadian Pacific in 2012 at a time when the company was not performing well. In fact, the company was deemed by many as the worst performing North American Class 1 railroad then during the period. Ackman was instrumental in appointing new board members as well as setting up new management to bring about the companys transformation. Since 2012, the company has generated over $14 billion in shareholder value and has seen an impressive performance of its share price which beat the S&P/TSX Composite by over 100% through year-end 2015. The company is now regarded as one of the best performing railroads in the industry.

Background of New Board Members

Jill Denham has been associated with the financial services industry since 1983. Denham has held several leadership positions in the industry in the past, including the position of Vice Chair Retail Markets at CIBC, prior to which she was the Managing Director Head of Commercial Banking and E-Commerce at the bank. At present, she serves as the Chair of the Board at Morneau Sheppell and at Munich Reinsurance Canada along with being a board member at National Bank of Canada and Kinaxis Inc.

William R. Fatt held the position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FRHI Hotels and Resorts from 1998 up till Jul 2016. FRHI was created from the merger of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Raffles Hotels & Resorts in 2006. Fatt was also the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Canadian Pacific Ltd prior to the CEO position .Canadian Pacific Ltd. is the parent company of Canadian Pacific Hotels which was Fairmont's predecessor and Canadian Pacific Railways Co. At present, he is a board member of the Jim Pattison Group and the Bank of Nova Scotia. Prior to this, he served as the board member of companies such as Cadillac Fairview Corp., EnCana Corp., SunLife Financial Inc. and Enbridge Inc.

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The company expects the experience and expertise of the new board members to be beneficial for its future performance.

Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider

Canadian Pacific currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the wider transportation sector include Air transport Services Group Inc. ATSG, Copa Holdings SA CPA and SkyWest Inc. SKYW. All stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

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Paris (AFP) - French police were holding a couple with links to radical Islam on Wednesday after gas cylinders were found in a car near Paris's Notre Dame cathedral, sources close to the investigation said.

The Peugeot 607 was discovered abandoned, with its headlights flashing, at the weekend in a part of the city that is hugely popular with tourists, the sources said.

Anti-terror investigators have launched a probe and the man and woman, both known to security services, were arrested Tuesday on a motorway in southern France.

The car's owner, known to authorities for his Islamist preaching, was released on Tuesday evening.

His daughter, whom he described to investigators as radicalised, was being sought by police Wednesday, a police source said.

France remains on high alert after a string of jihadist attacks, including last November's coordinated Islamic State (IS) group assaults in Paris by gunmen and suicide bombers who killed 130 people.

A bar employee working near Notre Dame raised the alert on Sunday after noticing a gas cylinder on the back seat of the car, which had no number plates, a police source said.

That cylinder was found to be empty but five full cylinders were found in the boot of the car.

No detonators were found, police said.

Photographs of the metallic silver-coloured car after it was discovered showed its boot open and the gas cannisters placed on the ground in a quiet side street opposite the cathedral.

- 'Parked for two hours' -

Florence Berthout, the mayor of the district where the vehicle was found, complained in a letter to the Paris police chief that the car was "illegally parked for over two hours, despite several telephone calls to police headquarters".

The criticism comes after authorities faced heavy fire for alleged security lapses in July, when 86 people were killed by an Algerian ploughing a truck into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the resort of Nice.

The IS said the driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was one of its followers.

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Less than two weeks later, two young jihadists murdered a priest near the northern city of Rouen.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the latest arrests came at a time of heightened vigilance for potential attacks, but added that "the intentions of those arrested" were as yet unknown.

Notre Dame, renowned for its flying buttresses, stained glass windows and gargoyles, is one of Paris's most popular landmarks, attracting 13 million visitors each year.

The head of France's DGSI domestic intelligence service, Patrick Calvar, warned in May of a "new form of attack" in which explosive devices would be left near sites that attract large crowds.

Such attacks would create large numbers of victims without sacrificing suicide bombers, he told a parliamentary committee.

French security services are particularly worried about the danger posed by extremists returning from Syria after fighting with IS forces, with 700 French nationals still in the country, according to France's top prosecutor.
Barcelona (AFP) - Spain's Catalonia region said Wednesday it had launched the country's first public DNA profiling project to try to identify some of the 114,000 people who disappeared during the nation's civil war and subsequent dictatorship.

The issue is hugely sensitive in Spain, where rights abuses during the 1936-1939 conflict and the ensuing 36-year dictatorship remain uninvestigated for fear of reviving once-bloody divisions, despite growing calls to heal still-open wounds.

"This is a decisive step towards restoring historical memory and it is a democratic duty that was long pending," said Raul Romeva, who handles transparency matters in Catalonia's regional government.

"This should have started 40 years ago," he added, referring to the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 and the subsequent transition to democracy.

Under the programme, scientists will create a database for the DNA profiles of those related to people who disappeared, collect samples from remains found in mass graves, and try and find matches with the help of the Barcelona-based Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences.

This is the first such project to be launched in Spain.

A similar programme has already been set up in Barcelona on a smaller-scale, but it is privately-funded by two descendants of people who disappeared.

In the space of five years, they have collected 125 genetic samples from relatives, but have not been able to cross-check the data with any remains as they do not have access to mass graves.

Relatives of those who were killed or disappeared during Spain's dark, recent past have long asked the government to start exhuming and recovering victims' remains.

Under growing pressure, the then Socialist government passed a law in 2007 calling for public funds to be provided to help cover the costs of exhuming remains, and the United Nations later urged Spain to do more.

But little has since been done, and Spain's acting conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has even boasted of not having spent one euro to put the law into effect.

"The transition established democracy but... only by knowing our history will we be able to build our future," Romeva said.
A tribal man has been sentenced to death for raping and killing a 5-year-old child in Bolpur, West Bengal.

By India Today Web Desk: A 20-year-old tribal man from Bolpur, West Bengal, has been sentenced to death for raping and killing a 5-year-old child last December. ABP Ananda reports the child was the accused man Sukal Tudu's niece.

Tudu was arrested last year and tried at Suri court for the past 10 months for the heinous crime.

After hearing his death sentence yesterday Tudu is said to have remained stoic.



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On December 11, 2015, the 5-year-old girl was last seen with Tudu playing near her house in Bolpur's Moldanga village.

When the child did not return home till late, her family started looking for her. Villagers who had seen her with Tudu began interrogating him, who then broke down and confessed to his crime.

He is also said to have led them to an abandoned rice mill where the girl was found lying unconscious in a pool of blood.

After battling for life at the Burdwan hospital for two days, the child succumbed to her injuries.

Some reports say Tudu had claimed to have been framed. However, the evidence gathered during police investigation weighed down against him and resulted in the grim verdict.

Read more:

Youth held for raping 4-year-old girl

Youth attempts to rape 2-year-old girl

1-yr-old girl raped by youth in Hyderabad



--- ENDS ---
CBS This Morning will travel on Monday to Washington to present a special edition of the program at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. All three anchors - Gayle King, Charlie Rose and Norah O'Donnell - will make the trip for the broadcast that also will have limited national commercial interruptions and just two sponsors: Target and Toyota.

The museum on the National Mall - which has survived decades of opposition and indifference - has been in the planning stages since 2003 when it was officially authorized by President George W. Bush; former first lady Laura Bush is on the board, as is Oprah Winfrey, who donated $21 million. It is set to open Sept. 24 with a ceremony headlined by President Barack Obama. And CBS This Morning will have interviews with Rep. John Lewis, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Senators Cory Booker and Tim Scott and the museum's director, Lonnie Bunch, among others. Unfortunately, King's good friend Winfrey is shooting a movie and is unavailable.

The show will offer a look at exhibits and artifacts in the museum from the history of the Middle Passage of slavery to Emmett Till's casket and Chuck Berry's car. An exhibit about Thomas Jefferson features a statue of the nation's revered second president in front of a wall etched with the names of 612 people he owned. An exhibit examining the lives of slaves includes a bale of cotton.

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"I've never thought of a bale of cotton before," says King. "But think about how much cotton one person has to pick to fill a bale. Certainly, as a person of color, there's no denying how personal this feels to me. The museum takes you on a journey. It's an emotional journey. It's a historical journey. But I don't want anybody to think, 'Oh, it's a museum for black people.' It's a museum for Americans because this is part of our history."

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The broadcast has been in the works for several weeks. And it is the first time the CBS morning show has been presented with limited commercial interruptions, though the local commercial load will not be affected. Target will not air traditional 30-second spots. Rather, the retailer will sponsor vignettes that look at exhibits inside the museum. "It will be very noticeable to the viewer that this is a program with a very reduced commercial load," explains Jo Ann Ross, president, sales, CBS Television Network.

It's the kind of storytelling that CBS News executives hope will continue to distinguish CBS This Morning from the competition at a time when the morning-show race is tightening. Though it still trails ABC's Good Morning America and NBC's Today, CBS This Morning is the most successful iteration of the network's morning show in decades. Year-to-date, the broadcast is up 7 percent in total viewers (to 3.6 million) and 13 percent in the key 25-54 demographic. Meanwhile, with GMA down 19 percent in the demo, the Today show this year has regained the lead over ABC.

Ryan Kadro, a veteran of CBS This Morning who took over as executive producer in April following Chris Licht's move to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, is bullish on the show's odds of climbing out of third place.

"We are so restless to get out of third and we're so close now relative to where we've been competitively for the last 30 years," he tells The Hollywood Reporter. "I want it to happen now. We beat the Today show in the 8:30 half-hour a while ago. We're 300,000 viewers some days away from GMA in the demo. It's significant, obviously. But it's not unreasonable when we're making 20 percent year-over-year gains in that demo."

Kadro does not expect the African American museum broadcast to be a ratings bonanza. But he notes that the initiative is part of the "slow and steady approach" that has earned the program respect in the industry and more viewers.

"There's no big attention-grabbing thing. It's just do the show that we do every day," he says. "And it's like with the Sept. 12 broadcast, hopefully we attract some sampling and some eyeballs. And the thing with us is, I think, when people sample the show they say, 'OK, I get it, I see what they're doing.' When they sample the other shows, 'They say, 'Oh yeah, I remember why I hate this show.'"

Read more: Oprah Winfrey Appears on 'CBS This Morning,' Talks OWN Difficulties With Gayle King, Charlie Rose (Video)
By Heart is a series in which authors share and discuss their all-time favorite passages in literature. See entries from Karl Ove Knausgaard, Jonathan Franzen, Amy Tan, Khaled Hosseini, and more.

Doug McLean

In the 1970s, Alice Mattison made a decision that would transform her life: She hired a babysitter to care for her infant son, which gave her two two-hour shifts a week in which to write. At first she worked only in the basement of her house, her typewriter keys clacking over the rumble of the washing machine, stopping every now and then to fold laundry between paragraphs. It didnt matter that outward successes were few and far betweenthe fact that she earned only $35 for her first published poem, or that it took three years to publish another. The time in the basement changed me, she writes, in the introduction to her new book The Kite and the String. Writing emerged, dominant, undeniable.

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But it wasnt until she discovered Grace Paley that Mattison gained the confidence to write fiction. In a conversation for this series, she explained how Paleys storiesshort, nimble, free-wheeling, conversationalget away with breaking all the rules. We discussed Paleys classic A Conversation with My Father, which demonstrates how a short story without a conventional plot can nonetheless feel complete, and why the old axiom that a characters must undergo fundamental change isnt necessarily true.

The Kite and the String, a book-length master class that draws on years of teaching, reading, and first-hand experience, argues that good writing is all about balance: the kite-like creative unconscious also needs a steady set of hands manning the line. Alice Mattison is the author of six novels (most recently, When We Argued All Night) four story collections, and three books of poetry, and her work appears in venues like The New Yorker, Ploughshares, and The New York Times. She teaches creative writing at Bennington College, and spoke to me by phone.

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Alice Mattison: When I discovered Grace Paley, I had little kids, I was teaching part-time, and I was writing poemssending them out and getting them rejected. I dont think I was ambitious enough to think that I might one day be a writer. I was thinking, Maybe Ill get that poem published." And: Maybe eventually I could learn to write a story. I had a dream of writing fiction, but I didnt know how. Most of the short stories Id read were by James Joyce or Henry James, and I wasnt going to write stories like that.

Then I took Grace Paleys book The Little Disturbances of Man from the public library. I remember where I was sitting as I read the book. And as I read, I began to think maybe I could write short stories. It could have been because she was a woman, or because she wrote about ordinary lifenot about Europe, not about people of wealth and stature. These stories were about urban people, some of them Jews, like me. She was frank about her politics in her fiction; that mattered to me. The ordinariness spoke to me.

From Paley, I learned that I could write about lives and feelings like those I knew. Also that I didnt have to imitate a 19th-century writer to structure stories. Her stories didnt have elaborate, suspenseful plots. And yet, for a long time after I encountered her, the stories I wrote werent really stories. Paleys stories have little plot, but are complete. In mine, nothing happened at all. I didnt understand the difference between an incident and a short story.

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How can you write a complete story without a conventional plot? We often hear that in short stories, the main character must change. But in some stories, including some by Grace Paley, the characters dont change. Instead, her stories change the reader. Youre different by the time you reach the end.

Paleys story A Conversation with my Father," is an example. The narrators father is on his deathbedwe learn that right at the beginning. Hes having trouble with his lungs, and hes on an oxygen machine. And he complains to his daughter, the narrator, about the stories shes been writing.

I would like you to write a simple story just once more, he says, the kind de Maupassant wrote, or Chekhov, the kind you used to write. Just recognizable people and then write down what happened to them next.

Sure, the daughter thinks. She can do that. As she puts it:

I want to please him, though I dont remember writing that way. I would like to try to tell such a story, if he means the kind that begins: There was a woman ... followed by plot, the absolute line between two points which Ive always despised. Not for literary reasons, but because it takes all hope away. Everyone, real or invented, deserves the open destiny of life.

What she says is wonderfully contradictory. Why not?, she thinksbut, at the same time, she says she despises the very idea of such a story.

The narrator makes up a story about a woman who becomes a heroin addict in solidarity with her son, who is a heroin addict. He gets clean, and she does not, and she loses him. The father is upset with the storyand hes right, the first version is just bare bones. So she expands it and tells the story again, explains what it is that attracts the son about drugs, what its like for him as an addict, how a woman convinces him to get off drugs and eat healthy, organic food. Its all very interesting. There are more details in the second version, but the outcome is the same.

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The father doesnt like the second story either, except for one part: its final words, The End.

The end. You were right to put that down. The end. I didnt want to argue, but I had to say, Well, it is not necessarily the end, Pa. Yes, he said, what a tragedy. The end of a person. No, Pa, I begged him. It doesnt have to be. Shes only about forty. She could be a hundred different things in this world as time goes on. A teacher or a social worker. An ex-junkie! Sometimes its better than having a masters in education. Jokes, he said. As a writer thats your main trouble. You dont want to recognize it, Tragedy! Plain tragedy! Historical tragedy! No hope. The end.

And were reminded of whats really going on. Their argument becomes about more than storytelling. The narrator still believes in the open destiny of life. The father cant. And hes dying. The father and daughter will be separated forever, like the mother and son in the story. The reader, at this point, may have forgotten that factthe oxygen machinebut then the father puts the tubes back into his nostrils and it hits us: shes going to lose him.

In this story I think neither character changes. The father is stuck in his perspective, and the daughter remains faithful to hers. This conversation is less a dialogue than two characters talking past each other. But there is a shift, and thats what makes the storyits just that it happens in the reader, not in one of the characters. We dont expect to agree with the father: he thinks the story that his daughter tells is tragic because the woman in it wont change. Weagreeing with the daughterfeel that life has more possibility than that. But then Paley ends the story with the dying fathers accusation that her daughter wont look tragedy in the face. We feel the tragedy of the father and daughters separation, the inevitability of his death. Our perspective shifts toward his: we change.

I had never really thought that in a story the protagonist always changes, but I couldnt have explained why until I met a student I taught about ten years ago. Her name was Catherine. She was interested in alcoholism: many of her characters were drunks who couldnt reform. Shed been told many times that in a story the protagonist always changes. This made her angryit was contrary to something she knew about life. Why couldnt she write stories about those drunks?

Catherine forced me to ask myself: What makes it a story if its not the protagonist changing? If a story says that Steve got drunk on Monday, and he got drunk on Tuesday, and he got drunk on Wednesday, and on Thursday, and on Fridayit obviously isnt a complete story. But if on Wednesday, Steve thinks, Maybe Ill give up drinking, and on Thursday he goes to an AA meeting, but doesnt walk through the door, and on Friday he gets drunk againthat is a story. Because something shifts in uswe think he can changeand we understand.

You can start with the person you already are, whomever that may be.

On the most basic level, this is what a story consists of: Something happens, and then something else happens, and then you come to the end, and it makes you thinkhuh! Thats a stupidly simple formula, but its true. Something happens, and then something shifts. Something occurs that changes things from the way they are at the beginning, then brings them back to the way they were, or brings us and the characters somewhere altogether new. Of course, conventional plots often follow this formula: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl. But its also key to understanding unconventional stories like Paleys, which are short and subtle and yet somehow complete. We need the feeling that weve gone a distance and then arrived somewhere. Often nothing changes for the protagonist, but something changes for the reader: we understand the characters in a new way.

Many of us grow up assuming that books are about places other than the one we live in, which is so familiar that it couldnt possibly be in a book. Grace Paley taught me that I didnt have to become someone else, from somewhere else, to write. That this girl from Brooklynwhich is what I am, from Brooklyn in the days when Brooklyn had no glamourcould write a story. I often ask my students where they grew up, and encourage them to read the writers from there. Sometimes it can be revelatory to realize that somebody actually put the town or neighborhood where you grew up into a book. But Grace Paley seems to be a good ancestor for a lot of people who arent New York Jews. She speaks to a great many new writers. And maybe what shes saying is: you can start with the person you already are, whomever that may be.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
The Hague (AFP) - The world's chemical weapons watchdog said Wednesday it was "disturbed" by the alleged use of toxic chemicals in Aleppo after dozens of people had to be treated for breathing problems in the Syrian battlefront city.

"We are disturbed by the recent allegations of the use of toxic chemicals in Aleppo," said a statement by the director-general of the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Ahmet Uzumcu.

"Such allegations are taken very seriously. The use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances is unacceptable," he added in a statement.

More than 70 people were left choking on Tuesday after regime helicopters dropped barrel bombs on a rebel-held district of the war-ravaged city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The bombs left people in need of treatment, the British-based monitor said, adding most were civilians.

The opposition Aleppo Media Centre said on its Twitter account that the Sukkari neighbourhood was the target of a chlorine attack.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman was unable to confirm the claim, but said no one was killed in the strikes.

A Sukkari resident told AFP a "very strong smell" filled the neighbourhood after it was hit by a barrel bomb and that he and others had difficulty breathing.

Both sides in Syria's complex civil war have traded accusations of attacks against civilians and use of unconventional weapons including chlorine and mustard gas.

Last month, an investigative panel set up by the UN Security Council said in a report that President Bashar al-Assad's forces had carried out at least two chemical attacks, one in 2014 and another in 2015.

But Syria's ally Russia said it had "very serious questions" about the report while the Syrian envoy to the world body, Bashar Jaafari, rejected the findings.
Beijing came under pressure at an Asian summit Wednesday over its "illegal" island-building in the South China Sea, after the Philippines produced photos it said showed fresh construction activity at a flashpoint shoal.

Any artificial island at Scarborough Shoal could be a game-changer in China's quest to control the South China Sea and raises the risk of armed confrontation with the United States, security analysts say.

Beijing insists it has not started building at the shoal -- a move that could lead to a military outpost just 230 kilometres (140 miles) from the main Philippine island, where US forces are stationed.

But the Philippines released images which it said showed Chinese ships in the area that were capable of dredging sand and other activities required to build an artificial island.

A US administration official questioned the Philippine's claim, telling AFP the United States had not detected any unusual activity at Scarborough Shoal.

"Chinese Naval and Coast Guard presence in the vicinity of Scarborough Reef was within the levels we've observed there over the past several months," the official said.

The photos were released during an annual summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos, and the bloc voiced alarm.

"We remain seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some leaders on the land reclamations," said a joint statement at the end of their two-day summit.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in trade passes annually, even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations.

The competing territorial claims have long been a major source of tension in the region, with China using deadly force twice to seize control of islands from Vietnam.

- Illegal island building -

Tensions have escalated sharply in recent years as China built islands and airstrips on reefs and islets in the Spratlys archipelago -- another strategically important location -- that are capable of supporting military operations.

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The United States has reacted to that build-up by sailing warships close to the new islands, and sending warplanes over them, deeply angering China.

A UN-backed tribunal ruled in July that China's claims to most of the sea had no legal basis and that its construction of artificial islands in the disputed waters was illegal.

But Beijing vowed to ignore the ruling.

China took control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012 after a standoff with the Philippine Navy, and has since deployed large fishing fleets while blocking Filipino fishermen.

Expanding that presence with a military outpost is vital to achieving China's ambitions of controlling the sea, according to security analysts.

US officials fear any Chinese military airfield at the shoal would enable Beijing to enforce a threatened air defence identification zone in the sea.

An outpost at the shoal would also put Chinese fighter jets and missiles within easy striking distance of US forces stationed in the Philippines.

US President Barack Obama reportedly directly warned his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a meeting in March not to push ahead with any island-building there.

- Conflict risk -

The United States, which is a treaty ally of the Philippines, has repeatedly said it does not want to fight a war over the shoal.

But military skirmishes cannot be ruled out if China does start to build an island, according to security analysts.

"We could witness a physical confrontation between Chinese Coast Guard and Filipino vessels backed up by the US Navy," Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor at Australia's University of New South Wales, told AFP.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had said he did not want to anger China by highlighting the row at the ASEAN events.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Obama and leaders from other regional powers are also in Laos this week for separate meetings with ASEAN.

But the release of the photos came just a few hours before ASEAN leaders met Li, in what Duterte's spokesman said was a deliberate move.

The ASEAN statement warned that further land reclamation could escalate tensions, and called for respect for United Nations' maritime laws.

Yet the statement did not explicitly call on China to abide by the July ruling, reflecting divisions in ASEAN.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has repeatedly said he does not want to pressure China, his most important ally, over the issue.

Obama had planned to discuss the sea issue during a meeting with Duterte on the sidelines of ASEAN.

But he cancelled after the volatile Philippine president called him a "son of a whore" for expressing concern about Duterte's war on crime which has claimed 3,000 lives.

Manila's foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay said the two leaders had a brief, impromptu meeting as delegates gathered for a gala dinner on Wednesday.

The White House described the meeting as a "brief discussion" that "consisted of pleasantries between the two."
VIENTIANE (Reuters) - China has confidence that it can work with the Philippines to return to a healthy relationship, Beijing's vice foreign minister said on Wednesday, after the two countries locked horns over a recent arbitral ruling on the South China Sea. Speaking on the sidelines of a regional summit in Vientiane, Laos, Liu Zhenmin said that China and the Philippines had had "thousands of years" of good relations. "In the past 30 years, the relationship has been very smooth, it's only in the past few years, because of some problems known to all, the relationship has been affected," he said. "China has confidence that it can work with the Philippines to progressively improve our relationship," he said, adding that ties with the new government of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte had started well. Liu was referring to an international arbitration case, brought and won by Manila, which ruled in July that China's building of numerous artificial islands was illegal and its claims to most of the South China Sea had no legal basis. He said the two countries were also looking into setting up a hotline to tackle emergencies in the disputed South China Sea. China and Southeast Asian nations have been discussing the hotline since 2015. Liu did not respond to questions about photos published by the Philippines' defense ministry showing what it said were Chinese boats near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, just hours before Southeast Asian nations were due to meet China's premier at the summit. China claims most of the potentially energy-rich sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year, and rejects the rival claims of Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan. (Reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Martin Petty)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's three oil majors will have to divulge intricate details about their vast networks of oil and gas pipelines, the government said on Wednesday, a key step towards increasing transparency for potential new entrants and customers.

The energy ministry said on Wednesday Sinopec, CNOOC and China National Petroleum Corp (CNCP) were required to release data, such as opening dates, pipeline type, capacity, route and pricing formulas before Oct. 31.

The announcement underscores Beijing's new push to reform the pipeline market, according to Lin Boqiang, director of Xiamen University's energy institute.

"Pipelines have many add-on costs, such as maintenance fees going back two to three decades. The details will help third parties to better adjust cost and profit of a project and make the market more transparent," Lin said.

Upstream and downstream users can also request other data such as unused capacity, quality and safety standards of a pipeline, the National Energy Administration said on its website.

Experts and analysts say Beijing is pressing ahead with its plan to separate pipeline transportation from the hands of crude producers and lowering the cost to consumers, in a move to open the network.

In August, Sinopec announced it would sell half of its premium natural gas pipeline business to investors.

The state planner has also drafted a rule to lower transportation costs of natural gas pipelines.

(Reporting by Meng Meng and Beijing Monitoring Desk; Editing by Josephine Mason and Mark Potter)
* China online posts about iPhone 7 down vs iPhone 6

* Apple expected to launch new iPhone this week

* China sales, market share hit by local rivals

* Many shoppers still see Apple as top brand (Adds iPhone shipments data)

By Adam Jourdan and Paul Carsten

SHANGHAI/BEIJING, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Judging by the volume of online chatter, there's a lot less buzz in China ahead of this week's expected launch of the new Apple Inc iPhone, and people on the street say they're more likely to "wait and see" what the latest device offers than rush out to buy.

Posts on China's popular Sina Weibo microblogging site show the iPhone 6, which took China by storm in 2014 with its new, larger screen, attracted around 15 times more comments in the month before launch than this year's model.

The muted online anticipation for the iPhone 7 underlines the challenge Apple faces to revive growth in China, where an economic slowdown has slammed the brakes on what was once touted as the firm's next big growth engine.

Apple's Greater China sales dropped by a third in April-June, albeit after more than doubling a year earlier, and revenue was down by more than a quarter to $8.8 billion - around a fifth of its total sales. Its 7.8 percent market share ranked fifth in China, trailing local vendors Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, OPPO and Vivo, which together accounted for 47 percent, according to IDC data.

The California-based company's online stores for iBooks and movies was also closed in China after Beijing imposed strict curbs in March on online publishing, and Apple has been on the losing side of intellectual property battles here.

Beijing student Wang Yue, 23, said she was in no hurry to buy an iPhone 7. "I'm looking forward to the launch, but I won't rush to buy anything," Wang, who uses an iPhone 6S that was launched last year, told Reuters. "I want to know what new functions it's got. My feeling is there are no real major changes from the 6S, so I think I'll hold off for a while."

Story continues

Apple is widely anticipated to unveil the new iPhone 7 at an event in San Francisco on Wednesday. The company, which doesn't give a regional breakdown for its iPhone sales, didn't respond to requests for comment.

Among half a dozen consumers Reuters spoke to most said they would first check out the new phone's functions or wait for the price to drop. Only one planned to definitely buy any new model.

"The word among consumers is the updates are not going to be revolutionary, but smaller changes," said Ben Cavender, Shanghai-based director at China Market Research Group, who described current consumer interest in China as "muted".

WAIT FOR EIGHT

More than anything else, the upcoming iPhone 7 may be a victim of the success of the iPhone 6.

China sales of the iPhone 6 soared in the first quarter of last year, helping drive up Apple's China revenues by 71 percent. A year later, weaker sales of the 6S contributed to the company's first global decline in iPhone sales and first revenue drop in 13 years - though globally the 6S was the top-selling smartphone in April-June, according to Strategy Analytics.

The research firm estimates iPhone shipments in China will decline 20 percent in the second half of this year to 21 million from a year ago.

"Apple is struggling with consumer 'iPhone fatigue' in China, while competition from Huawei, Oppo and others remains fierce," said Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston.

Weibo chatter in the run-up to the iPhone 7 launch has, however, topped levels seen ahead of last year's 6S launch.

Some Chinese shoppers are even already eyeing a potential iPhone 8 model that could be launched with more significant changes next year, the 10th anniversary of the first iPhone.

"Because it's just one year, lots of people are choosing to wait for the iPhone 8," said Wang Bo, a finance worker in his thirties at a securities firm in Shanghai. "The changes with the 8 will be much bigger, which I think will be a drag on sales of the new phone this year."

Wang, who uses both an iPhone 6S and a Huawei P9, said he plans to buy this year's new iPhone when it's released in China.

But convincing other shoppers in China - and the United States - to replace their smartphone is a tougher sell today than in 2014, when many Chinese were buying an iPhone for the first time.

Concerns that Apple has hit "peak iPhone" have buffeted the firm's shares this year, with the stock price up just 2.35 percent, lagging the benchmark S&P 500 Index.

"The biggest thing that's changed since 2014 is that the iPhone is widely available," said Ben Thompson, who analyses the technology sector at Stratechery. "There's a lot more growth potential when people have their first chance to buy an iPhone, but that potential has now been realized."

(Additional reporting by SHANGHAI newsroom and Sijia Zhang in HONG KONG; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)
An increasingly active Chinese coast guard in the South China Sea is responsible for most of the clashes in the disputed waterway, according to a new survey by regional security experts.

Researchers from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank found that out of 45 clashes and standoffs in the South China Sea since 2010, Chinese coast guard vessels were involved in 30 of the reported cases, Reuters reports.

The evidence is clear that there is a pattern of behavior from China that is contrary to what law enforcement usually involves, Bonnie Glaser a security expert from CSIS told Reuters. Were seeing bullying, harassment and ramming of vessels from countries whose coast guard and fishing vessels are much smaller, often to assert sovereignty throughout the South China Sea.



According to Reuters, Chinas State Oceanic Administration, which oversees the coast guard, did not respond to requests for comment.

Read More: Whats New on Chinas Artificial Islands in the South China Sea?

The South China Sea has long been a flashpoint of maritime dispute with China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all having overlapping claims to various reefs, rocks and islets of the waterway. China  which claims most of the territory as its own  has ignored an international tribunal decision that deemed Beijings claims have no legal basis.

There are concerns the disputes could overspill into a full-blown naval conflict. This week, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte expressed alarm over images purporting to depict Chinese barges with cranes in the disputed Scarborough Shoal, raising concerns that Beijing may militarize the reefs there as it has done in other disputed areas.

[Reuters]
By PTI: Kathmandu, Sep 7 (PTI) An UK court has acquitted a Nepalese Army Colonel of charges of torture and human rights violation during the countrys decade-long bloody Maoist insurgency, Nepalese media reported today.

The Central Criminal Court in Old Bailey, London yesterday acquitted Col Kumar Lama of charges of torture and human rights violation during Nepals civil war.

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The United Kingdom had arrested the senior official of Nepal Army from London during his personal visit on January 3, 2013. The Old Bailey had held the preliminary hearing in the case on January 24 the same year.

The Court 6 of Old Bailey issued the final verdict and closed the case today, Himalayan Times reported.

"It has been learned that the Court 6 gave a clean chit to Col Lama for lack of evidences against him on torture charges," the report said.

"Col Lama has not decided yet whether he would file for compensation," the paper quoted a source as saying.

He faced trial on charges of inflicting severe pains to two detainees during the height of Maoist insurgency in Nepal in 2005. He is the first person to be tried outside Nepal for alleged human rights violation and war crimes in Nepal under the universal jurisdiction.

Col Lama, who was deputed to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, was vacationing with his family in London when he was arrested.

Earlier in August, the jury at the Old Bailey acquitted Col Lama of one of the two counts of torture he faced for the mistreatment of Karam Hussain. The jury, however, had not issued any verdict for the acts of alleged torture committed against Janak Bahadur Raut.

Hussein and Raut were Maoist supporters who were allegedly tortured by the Nepal Army in detention at the Gorusinghe Barracks, where Col Lama was in charge, the report said. PTI AKJ AKJ

--- ENDS ---
Paris (AFP) - A Chinese shop owner was attacked and forced to hand over 5,000 euros ($5,600) in a Paris suburb in the latest attack on the Chinese community in the French capital, police said Wednesday.

Three people have been arrested over the incident, which comes at a time of heightened safety concerns among ethnic Chinese residents of Paris following a fatal attack on a tailor last month and a series of muggings.

The shop owner was on his way to his home in Bobigny to the northeast of Paris at around midnight on Tuesday when two men confronted him, seized some of his possessions and forced him to lead them to his apartment, according to police sources.

Two accomplices joined them there and the gang overpowered the man and his 18-year-old son when they tried to fight back, before stealing the cash.

The man's 53-year-old wife was also present at the time.

Police said the attack followed a familiar pattern.

"It's the same every time. A team (of thieves) spots a shop owner near the textile area, follows him and attacks him at his home," a police source said.

More than 10,000 ethnic Chinese staged a protest march in Paris last Sunday over the fatal attack on tailor Zhang Chaolin, 49, calling for increased security.

Attacks in the suburb of Aubervilliers, which has a large Chinese population, have tripled in the past year from 35 to 105.
Shares of the Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) spiked 6% on Wednesday, following the announcement that Bill Ackmans Pershing Share took a 9.9% stake in the beleaguered company.

But while the stock, off 39% over the last year, has been beaten down by food safety scandals of the last year, analysts came out in droves overnight to warn against following Ackman into this trade.

Stifel Nicolaus & Cos Paul Westra and Maxim Groups Stephen Anderson, who have $300 and $215 price targets on the stock, respectively, cited the pop as an outright opportunity to sell shares, which currently stand at $437.

We emphatically reiterate our sell rating on CMG shares following news that Pershing Square has started a 9.9% activist position, wrote Westra. We cannot fathom Pershings operational or mathematical investment thesis.

Chipotles monthly comparable store sales have remained in the negative since the end of last year, a trend that will continue, according to the analysts.

Ackmans unclear bet

Anderson said Ackmans timing is off.

Hes wrong about Chipotle at this point, Anderson said. The company isnt what it once was. If he gets anything done, its going to be in the realm of operations and border management makeup.

Oppenheimers Brian Bittner said Chipotles multiple, at 35x 2018 P/E, remains steep, with unclear upside.

Unlike other activist situations, we dont see any viable paths to financially engineer shareholder value from the boardroom, he said.

While Ackman did not reveal his specific intentions for Chipotle, Anderson said there could be several possibilities, but he questioned the ability to push these through.

Ackmans Pershing Square has had a history of shareholder activism in the restaurant industryincluding investments in Wendys (WEN), McDonalds (MCD), and Burger King (now called Restaurant Brands (QSR) after its tie-up with Tim Hortons). While he successfully timed those investments, analysts are more skeptical about a comeback at Chipotle.

Story continues

Of course, Ackmans recent record with companies from Valeant (VRX) to Herbalife (HLF) has been controversial.

Potential proposals, including selling emerging brands (like ShopHouse and Pizzeria Locale), pushing for slowing company-owned unit development and improving operations to lessen dependence on high-cost labor, could be difficult for this high-flying stock. Meanwhile, a push to shift to a franchising modelembraced by the likes of McDonalds, Starbucks (SBUX) and Dominos (DPZ)would mark a major strategic shift from Chipotles ownership focus.

Many issues could continue to plague the stock.

Analysts point to major issues for Chipotle upside

1) Reliance on promotions driving traffic

Anderson cited the companys reliance on promotions to drive traffic, including the free burrito offers and buy-one-get-one promotions from the past year that could become a more permanent part of the companys marketing strategy

While there is no question the storm of promotions has provided a temporary boost to beleaguered customer trafficwith generally high promotion opt-in rateswe believe the food safety incidents have dislodged Chipotle customers routines and expect demand to remain depressed for the foreseeable future, Westra said.

2) Increased permanent costs from increased food safety compliance

Anderson added that the company faces higher permanent costs from increased food safety compliance. Earlier this year, management said increased costs for more intensive food safety protocols could deduct as much as $1.92 per share annually, according to Anderson.

We see this as a permanent ongoing cost that likely will prevent CMG from repeating its cycle-high 17.3% operating margin in this economic cycle, he said.

3) Higher exposure to $15 per hour minimum wage mandates

The company also has more exposure than peers to $15 per hour minimum wage mandates, Anderson said, explaining that the company will be subject to accelerated wage increase in at least 25% of the companys US restaurants in the next three to five years.

We estimate that CMG will need to implement menu price increases of as much as 150bps per year just to cover mandated wage increases, Anderson said. As we contend that CMG still is recovering from food safety scares, we are concerned that the company may not be able to pass along these price increases.

4) Legal risk

In January, Chipotle was served a subpoena by the US Attorneys Office for the Central District of California requiring the company to produce documents about the companys practices at all restaurants nationwide.

Although we believe that managements more recent and aggressive food safety stance may mitigate any unfavorable verdict, we still caution that a negative verdict may lead to another bout of negative headline risk and, thus, downside for CMG shares, Anderson said.

5) No longer a growth story

Management recently acknowledged that it would seek to decelerate unit development, marking the end of CMGs high-growth story from a company-owned perspective, Anderson said. Although CMG reiterated its goal of 220 to 235 net new unit openings in 2016 during its July earnings call, the company added that beginning in 2017, it would target unit development in existing, high-return markets.

Westra added that, separate from the food safety concerns, he believes that Chipotle had already hit peak returns.

Chipotle has reached 60% US saturation, a typical arrival point of a concepts Peak Returns, he said.

He added that there has been an accelerated emergence of new quick-casual concepts that will compete with Chipotle, especially on the low end.

In the end, theres no doubt Chipotle has underperformed. But whether it can overcome the food safety obstacles and costs, especially amid rising challenges, remains a big question mark for analystsdespite the Ackman stake.
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc <CMG.N> held its first call with activist investor William Ackman on Wednesday and anticipates meeting with him soon, after he acquired 9.9 percent of the burrito chain, a company spokesman said.

The call was a "brief introductory" conversation, Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold said in an email.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
Shares of fast-casual restaurant chain operator Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. CMG rose over 6% in after-hours trading on Sep 6, following the news of a 9.9% investment in the company by activist investor Bill Ackman's hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management LP.



Based on the latest closing price, Pershing Squares stake of 2.9 million shares is valued at roughly $1.2 billion. This makes it the second-largest holder of Chipotle shares.



Notably, in a SEC filing, Pershing Square stated that it believes Chipotles shares are undervalued and it has a solid brand, unique offering and massive growth opportunities.



Moreover, the hedge fund also revealed its intention of discussing with Chipotle its operations, cost structure, management, strategic plans and other factors.

CHIPOTLE MEXICN Price

CHIPOTLE MEXICN Price | CHIPOTLE MEXICN Quote

Issues & Remedies



We note that Chipotle continues to reel under the negative publicity associated with the E. coli and norovirus outbreaks in several states, which surfaced toward the end of 2015.



As a safety measure, Chipotle was forced to close several outlets. Although these were reopened later with fresh ingredients and extensive cleaning and sanitizing activities, the incidents dealt a severe blow to the company's sales.



The fact that Chipotle has used only healthy ingredients despite comparatively high prices has long been its marketing strength. But given the negative publicity related to these food-borne illnesses, Chipotles popularity among health-conscious diners is declining.



Moreover, a recent CNNMoney report revealed that nearly 10,000 of Chipotles workers have joined a class-action lawsuit against the company for wage theft, thereby compounding its woes.



Nonetheless, the company is leaving no stone unturned to gain back customers through the adoption of new food safety protocols, offering free burritos, buy-one-get-one deals and a few menu innovations.



Bottom Line



Interestingly, Ackman has overseen successful changes at several companies like The Procter & Gamble Company PG, along with fast-food giants like McDonald's Corp. MCD and Burger King, where he still has a stake in its parent company Restaurant Brands International Inc. QSR.



Thus, at this juncture, Ackmans purchase of nearly a 10% stake in Chipotle bodes well. We believe that although it will take some time for Chipotle to witness a complete turnaround in its business, it seems that the worst is over for this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company.





Story continues

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The Thor: Ragnarok set looks like a lot of fun.

Tom Hiddleston is in Australia filming the third movie in the Marvel superhero series, and had to accept his Best Actor award for The Night Manager at Sunday's TV Choice Awards in London remotely via video. Luckily for Loki, he got some help from his co-stars, Chris Hemsworth and Idris Elba.

PHOTOS: Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston Visit Children's Hospital as Thor and Loki

"Is that for us?" Hemsworth joked as he crashed Hiddleston's acceptance speech. Elba poked fun at the star-studded trophy, remarking, "Oh man, that's really awful, isn't it?"

Watch the full, totally interrupted speech below:

MORE: Chris Hemsworth Shows Off On-Set Perks as Filming on 'Thor 3' Begins

It's good to see Hiddleston having fun with his buds!

On Tuesday, ET confirmed that the actor and his girlfriend of three months, Taylor Swift, had split up.

Watch the video below for more.

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Christian Louboutin is making a move on the fragrance industry, with the launch of a debut perfume trio.

The designer has announced the debut of 'Bikini Questa Sera', 'Tornade Blonde' and 'Trouble in Heaven', set to launch this fall.

"I want you to experience the fragrance in the same way as you experience a piano note being played," explains the famous footwear designer and beauty mogul. "So there is the 'ping', the first burst of the scent like the striking of the piano key, followed by a beautiful resonance as the note echoes its sound. There is one present moment, and then there is the trace, 'le sillage,' I think of it as its memory."

Bikini Questa Sera is a sultry and exotic scent featuring jasmine and tuberose, opalescent against the skin. Tornade Blonde references love and adventure, thanks to a rose heart combined with sweet violet and cassis, while Trouble in Heaven is a fiery scent made from a mixture of iris, patchouli and tonka absolut, resonating with the dry heat of oriental amber.

The fragrances come in tactile glass bottles created in conjunction with Heatherwick Studio, designed to capture light, play with transparency and reveal the intense colors associated with each individual scent. "They have a purity of design which appears so simple and yet I would say this simplicity is an indication of the rigor and reflection dedicated to its design," says Louboutin.

Model, actress, film director and philanthropist Elisa Sednaoui has been signed up to front the fragrances, shot by fashion photographer Ali Mahdavi.

Louboutin, known for his blood red stilettoes, first broke into the beauty industry in 2014 with a nail polish collection, but cemented his influence on the market last September when he released a lipstick line that riffed on his iconic red shade, followed by a series of 'Loubilaque' glosses this summer. The fragrance range confirms the brand's increasingly strong presence in the beauty industry.

The fragrances will be available mid-September in selected stores and on christianlouboutin.com at a suggested price of 275 (80ml), with fragrances in oil released in November at a suggested price of 320 (30ml).
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / CIBT Education Group Inc. (TSX: MBA, OTCQX International: MBAIF) ("CIBT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the WestStone Group, a leading real estate development company in Western Canada, to construct the GEC Education Mega Center in Surrey, B.C. The project is expected to cost approximately $230 million. The parties plan on finalizing the formal Purchase and Sale Agreement on or before October 31, 2016 while preparations for the development application are underway.

"WestStone has been actively involved in the build-out of Surrey City Centre for well over a decade now," stated Brian Regehr, President and CEO of the WestStone Group. "We are proud to be building in this city and watching it evolve into British Columbia's next great Metro Centre. Quite a while ago the City of Surrey adopted the slogan "The Future Lives Here" and it's so rewarding to see that becoming a reality as Surrey becomes the preeminent centre of economic growth south of the Fraser. In a few more years, Surrey will overtake Vancouver in terms of its population; the momentum is building now and, through its exciting new developments and infrastructure, a true 21st Century city is emerging. Working with CIBT Education Group, we are delighted to be adding an exceptional educational component to the city centre to complement and enhance those already here."

Many people within the City of Surrey will be very interested to learn that this proposed GEC Education Mega Centre will be built on the Stardust Roller Rink site in the heart of downtown Surrey. The Stardust is etched in the memories of so many Surrey residents as it first started operating in the 1970's. "I hope that before we take it down, we are able to offer the citizens of Surrey one more chance to have a free skate", commented Mr. Regehr.

"We are excited to continue our expansion into the education student housing market and are thrilled to be working in conjunction with WestStone Group," commented Toby Chu, President, CEO and Chairman of CIBT Education Group. "International student enrollment across British Columbia has been growing at an astonishing rate of approximately 25% since 2014 generating over $5 billion in gross income for the province. This is despite the fact that Metro Vancouver not only has some of the most expensive real estate in the country, but also vacancy rates of 0.3% in certain parts of the city forcing students to live in expensive buildings that aren't necessarily in close proximity to their schools."

Mr. Chu further stated, "With WestStone's extensive experience in developing residential and commercial high-rise buildings, the GEC Education Mega Center will create an opportunity for students from across the province to live in affordable, high quality student housing that is central to public transit. As well, we intend to aggregate a variety of schools to create satellite locations on our campus benefiting educators and, more importantly, students. This will be advantageous for students in our province and we are very excited to be bringing this opportunity to them. The GEC Education Mega Center will become a significant revenue generator for the Company and add tremendous value for our shareholders. CIBT will earn a structuring fee that it will use to acquire a 20% equity ownership interest in the Mega Center. CIBT may also increase its cash investment in this project in order to capitalize on the future appreciation of the finished project. As we continue to build value and generate net income from this project, we will continue to look for new opportunities that will benefit our investors."

About the GEC Education Mega Center ("Mega Center"):

The proposed Mega Center is expected to be an iconic 50-storey high-rise tower, subject to city planning approval.

The Mega Center site is located at the heart of Surrey city center immediately between Simon Fraser University and future location of Kwantlan Polytechnic University. With Surrey's state of the art Civic Library and the iconic Surrey City Hall located within one block, along with Surrey Central SkyTrain station and the central bus loop located in front of the Mega Center and the upcoming Light Rail Transit (LRT) system on its doorstep, this is one of the most desirable and convenient locations for students and visitors.

It is being proposed that the podium of the Mega Center (levels 1 to 2) will provide for many supporting amenities such as a food court, student lounge, computer centre, electronic library, conference rooms as well as office space for education consultants and other industry related services.

Levels 3 to 6 will be leased to 20 educational institutions from around the world as their satellite campuses in Surrey.

Levels 8 to 26 will be comprised of residential suites designed for long term stay international students.

Levels 7 and 27 will be comprised of amenity space such as fitness centre and lounges for long term residents and student hotel guests.

Upper floors from level 28 to 49 will be GEC's flagship student hotel for short term stays.

Level 50 will be the front desk and check in area for the student hotel.

The Mega Center will consist of approximately 550,000 square feet and a development budget of $230 million.

To view the conceptual drawing of the Mega Center, please visit: http://cibt.net/news/emc.php

About WestStone Group:

Following two decades of growth the WestStone Group has evolved into a leading new home developer in the Vancouver area. Based in Surrey and Scottsdale, Arizona the company has completed a long list of award-winning projects. Throughout British Columbia, Alberta and Arizona, the company is proud of its responsible and perceptive approach towards building new developments. WestStone has a very strong presence in the City of Surrey with over 3.2-million square feet of construction currently under various stages of development.

Focused on meeting the needs of the community, WestStone offers a strong diversification of developments encompassing residential, commercial, retail, rental, educational, medical and senior's care.

Above all WestStone values customer service, exceeding buyer's expectations and delivering a quality, well-designed product that people can count on. WestStone's intelligent designs and strong customer focus have allowed the company to succeed and grow over the past 20-years and these will be the virtues that continue to propel the company forward.

About CIBT Education Group:

CIBT Education Group Inc. is an education and student-housing investment company focused on the global education market since 1994. Listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and OTCQX International, CIBT owns and operates a network of business, technical and language colleges in North America and Asia. CIBT offers cooperative joint programs in various countries with campuses, offices and training centers at 27 locations enrolling over 8,300 students annually. Its education business is operated through Sprott Shaw College (established in 1903), Vancouver International College and CIBT School of Business. Through these subsidiaries, CIBT offers recognized and approved business and management degrees, programs in college preparation, healthcare, hotel management, English language training, and over 150 career and vocational programs. CIBT also owns Irix Design Group, a leading design and advertising company based in Vancouver, Canada, Global Education Alliance ("GEA") and Global Education City Holdings Inc. ("Global Education Holdings"). GEA recruits international students for many elite kindergarten, primary, secondary schools and universities in North America. Global Education Holdings is an investment holding and management company with a special focus on education related real estate projects in Canada such as student hotels, serviced apartments and education super centers. Visit us online at www.cibt.net, www.studenthotel.ca and watch our corporate video at http://cibt.net/about/.

CONTACT:

Toby Chu

President, CEO and Chairman

CIBT Education Group Inc.

Investor Relations Contact: 1-604-871-9909 extension 318 or | Email: info@cibt.net

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (the "forward-looking statements") about CIBT Education Group Inc. and its future plans. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. The forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors (collectively, "Risks") that could cause CIBT's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements. The Risks include, without limitation, the ability to raise equity investment and secure other required funding to acquire the project, usual construction risks, and the ability to obtain all required municipal approvals. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of CIBT's management at the time they are made, and CIBT does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances should change, except as may be required by law.

SOURCE: CIBT Education Group Inc.
Beirut (AFP) - The Islamic State group has claimed a rocket attack that killed three Turkish soldiers in Syria, its first deadly attack on Turkish forces since they crossed the border two weeks ago.

"Soldiers of the caliphate... targeted two tanks belonging to the apostate Turkish army with guided rockets," the group said in a statement circulated on social media late on Tuesday.

It said the tanks were destroyed and "a number of Turkish soldiers" killed.

A senior Turkish official said three soldiers were killed and four wounded in the attack south of the border town of Al-Rai.

They were the first Turkish losses to IS since Ankara launched its offensive on August 24.

One Turkish soldier was killed in an August 27 rocket attack that Ankara blamed on the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

Ankara has said that its offensive in Syria is aimed against both IS and the YPG, which it regards as an extension of the outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency in southeastern Turkey for three decades.

On Sunday, Turkish forces, supported by pro-Ankara rebels, pushed IS back from the last section of the international border which it controlled.
Ilayathalapathy Vijay is likely to team up with director Selvaraghavan for his next film, say reports.

By India Today Web Desk: Vijay is currently shooting for his 60th film titled Bairava, which is directed by Bharathan, who has previously worked with Vijay in Azhagiya Thamizh Magan.

While the shooting of Bairava going at a rapid pace, rumours are rife that Vijay is likely to team up with director Selvaraghavan.



ALSO READ: Happy Birthday Mammootty- Dulquer Salmaan to Nivin Pauly, celebs shower wishes on Mammukka

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ALSO READ: Happy Birthday Mammootty- 5 best performances of Mammukka you shouldn't miss

According to reports, Selvaraghavan, who recently met Vijay, had narrated a story and it seems like Vijay has given a positive nod. If things materialise, it'll be a happening combination in Tamil cinema.

However, we await an official confirmation from the sources.

Meanwhile, the makers of Vijay's Bairava had recently released the first look posters of the film, which has doing rounds on social media. The film co-starring Keerthy Suresh is slated to release later this year.

Selvaraghavan is busy with the post-production of his horror film Nenjam Marappathillai. The teaser of the film was released recently which created quite a buzz in the industry.

The film starring SJ Suryah, Nandita Swetha and Regina Cassandra is slated to release later this year. Also, Selvaraghavan has signed his next with actor-comedian Santhanam.

--- ENDS ---
Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump (Photos: Carolyn Kaster/AP, Evan Vucci/AP)

The Clinton campaign is stepping up its attacks on Donald Trumps past leading the birther movement to question President Obamas citizenship as it continues to paint the real estate mogul as a bigoted conspiracy theorist.

Over the weekend, the campaign tweeted from Clintons account that it was astonishing that the Republican nominee still refuses to acknowledge that the president was born in the United States, after Trump would not answer a reporters question whether he now believed Obama was a citizen. On Tuesday, spokeswoman Christina Reynolds brought up Trumps birtherism in a statement responding to his comment that Clinton did not look presidential.

This isnt the first time Donald Trump has had a problem looking at someone different from himself and actually seeing them, Reynolds said. He looked at a sitting president and said he wasnt American.

Wednesday, Clintons campaign again tweeted about the controversy.

Donald Trump doesn't "know why" African Americans would be offended that he pushed the "birther" conspiracy: https://t.co/IY4xocgveh  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 7, 2016

When Trump began reaching out to black voters in speeches last month, arguing that voting for Democrats had not alleviated poverty and crime in black communities, the Clinton campaign hit back with a coordinated campaign to portray Trump as a bigoted conspiracy theorist, synthesized in Clintons speech two weeks ago in Reno tying the candidate to an alt right network of white supremacists and extremists.

Lets not forget that Trump first gained political prominence leading the charge for the so-called birthers, she said then. He promoted the racist lie that President Obama is not really an American citizen  part of a sustained effort to delegitimize Americas first black president.

Story continues

The day after Clintons speech, her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine, reminded voters at a speech at the historically black college Florida A&M University of Trumps birtherism. Donald Trump was a main guy behind the scurrilous and I would say bigoted notion that President Obama wasnt even born in this country, and Donald Trump has continued to push that irresponsible falsehood, Kaine said.

But Clinton hasnt brought up Trumps birther past since she began campaigning again on Monday after a stretch of fundraisers. A surrogate for her campaign and member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., says he hopes the candidate herself will not focus on the issue going forward as she enters the homestretch  instead leaving it to aides and surrogates.

I think what folks want to know is what are you going to do for us as president and how is that going to make a difference in our lives, Meeks said. And leave the other stuff to guys like me.

Clintons alt-right speech made sense as a one-time piece that laid out the facts for the voters before moving on, Meeks said, comparing it to when Obama gave a speech on race during his campaign in 08.

Its more important for her  to lift the hopes and aspirations that Americans have, and to highlight the investments she will make in jobs, Meeks said. The congressman and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus have been highlighting the birther issue for her, with Meeks calling Trumps refusal to disavow his birtherism a way to appeal to the David Dukes of the world.

Clinton is still showcasing Trumps comments about minorities, but as part of a broader argument saying Trump does not respect all Americans. At a voter registration event in Tampa on Tuesday, Clinton said Trump demeans groups of Americans, including minorities, adding that they have every right to be respected by the president of the United States. Kaine also spent a good portion of his speech in Cleveland Monday emphasizing that Trumps company was sued for housing discrimination against black renters in the 1970s.

Polls suggest black voters overwhelmingly back Clinton over Trump, but some Democrats are worried about a report that shows black millennials are not enthusiastically supporting her. Clinton will need high turnout among black voters to help drive her victory.

Trump, for his part, is trying to distance himself from his past questioning of whether the first African American president was born in the United States, telling reporters at multiple points during the campaign that he doesnt talk about it. One of his top surrogates, Ben Carson, said on CNN Tuesday that it would be a good idea for Trump to apologize for his birther past to try to win back some black voters alienated by the movement.

On Tuesday, Fox News Bill OReilly asked Trump if he thought his birtherism had hurt him with black voters. Trump replied, I dont know, before reiterating that he no longer talks about Obamas citizenship.

Trump never said he was satisfied when Obama released his long-form birth certificate from Hawaii in 2011, but largely stopped bringing the matter up afterward. Asked by Anderson Cooper in 2015 if he now believed the president was born in the states, he said he didnt know but no longer focused on it.

Obama has long treated Trumps birther attacks as a joke, memorably roasting Trump in his address at the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2011 as Trump stiffly listened. He said Trump now could get back to the issues that matter, like, did we fake the moon landing? He mocked Trumps connection to the show Celebrity Apprentice, saying that his decision about whether to fire Lil Jon or Meat Loaf from the show would keep me up at night.

Obama never shied away from the birther issue, which struck many of his supporters as an example of the irrational and sometimes raciallymotivated opposition from conservatives who were questioning his legitimacy instead of his policies. In 2012, one of the hottest items in Obamas online campaign merchandise store was a white coffee mug with Obamas newly public birth certificate pasted on it. We sold close to 40,000 made-in-the-USA mugs with the birth certificate graphic, a campaign aide told Yahoo News at the time. We bought all of the white union-made mugs in the country.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton talks with students at John Marshall High School in Cleveland in August. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/ AP. Illustration below: Getty Images)

Donald Trump and the Republican Party have repeatedly announced plans to expand their efforts to reach out to a more diverse selection of voters. However, even as Trump faces dismal poll numbers with minorities, his campaign has no staff dedicated to reaching them, and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is running a far more robust specialized voter outreach effort.

Political operatives on both sides of the aisle told Yahoo News this is a major advantage for Clinton that could have a lasting impact on the political landscape.

Evan Siegfried, a Republican commentator and consultant, predicted falling behind in the outreach arms race could have dire implications for the GOP. In his recent book, GOP GPS, Siegfried made the case that the Republican Party cannot survive without doing more to reach millennial and urban voters. And in a conversation with Yahoo News last week, Siegfried said the party is falling far behind in this presidential race.

The GOP, its not just being outgunned  theyve been absolutely demolished, Siegfried said. Thats something that should worry us not just for this cycle, but for the next several.

This type of focused outreach allows campaigns to make tailored pitches to maximize turnout in communities that are part of their base or make new inroads among voters where theyve had trouble gaining traction. Specialized staffers can create advertising materials and have conversations with voters in their native languages. They can brainstorm programs for recruiting volunteers and supporters that are designed to appeal to a specific community. Specialized outreach staffers can also help identify the most important events and niche media outlets. And they can weigh in on policy and advise on what issues to focus on or how to frame positions in order to appeal to specific groups.

At Clintons headquarters in Brooklyn, the campaign told Yahoo News there are at least 54 staffers working on communications and outreach efforts tailored to Latinos, African-Americans, women, millennials, labor, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, Muslims, veterans, Jews and faith communities. And the campaign also has staff doing specialized outreach in individual states.

Story continues

Meanwhile, Trumps campaign has no staffers who are focused on specific constituencies. Republican National Committee chief strategist Sean Spicer, who has been working with the campaign, said Trump has farmed this work out to the RNC.

All of that right now for the most part is being run out of the RNC, Spicer said, referring reporters to GOP national spokeswoman Lindsay Walters.

Walters said the RNC has staff and teams dedicated to engaging with voters in eight groups: Hispanics, African-Americans, millennials, veterans and military families, faith groups, Asians and Pacific Islanders, women and conservative groups  grassroots organizations and media outlets that communicate with the partys base. Citing a reluctance to reveal aspects of party strategy, Walters would not specify how many staffers are involved with this effort.

Though Trump does not have his own specialized outreach staff, Walters said, these RNC staffers work hand in glove with the campaign. And she argued having the RNC run these programs for Trump is superior to Clintons approach because it is more efficient and effective and avoids duplicating efforts.

When our teams are out working, were not only focused on engaging voters to turn out and vote for the top of the ticket, but also for the down-ballot races, Walters said.

Walters claimed her counterparts at Democratic headquarters dont have the infrastructure or the organization in place to do this kind of work, although TJ Helmstetter, a DNC spokesman, says they do.

Besides the Clinton campaigns 54 outreach staffers, Helmstetter said, the Democratic National Committee has an 11-member team at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. The partys national community engagement director oversees 10 staffers devoted to specialized outreach for African-Americans, Hispanics, youth, seniors, women, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, people with disabilities, Jews, veterans and military families and LBGT voters.

Siegfried, the Republican author and consultant, said unequivocally that the Democrats are outgunning us in terms of specialized outreach. He compared the situation to the 2012 election, where Democrats were widely credited with having more sophisticated data and digital operations, an advantage that is often cited as a key factor in President Obamas victory in that race.

Its the same thing with Obama and digital. In 2008 and 2012, he cleaned our clocks so thoroughly on it that smart operatives were going out and trying to figure out how we can not only equal Democrats digitally but ultimately overtake them. We should be doing the same with this, Siegfried said.

Pastor Darrell Scott, left, listens as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at Trump Tower in New York in April. (Photo: Richard Drew,/AP)

Polls have shown Trump far behind Clinton among African-Americans, Latinos and younger voters. These types of numbers are clearly daunting for both Trump and the Republican Party, particularly since the population is growing younger and more diverse.

The RNC acknowledged these concerns in a highly touted autopsy report published after the 2012 race that argued the party needed to expand its efforts to woo younger voters and minorities. Siegfried said seeing Clinton and the Democrats build a stronger specialized outreach operation in the presidential race makes him fear that postmortem report was ignored.

Its basically like you told the captain of the Titanic, You can change your course, days ahead of them hitting the iceberg, and the captain said, No, were going to try our luck with the iceberg, Siegfried quipped.

Veteran Democratic operative Buffy Wicks, who started working for Obamas campaign team in 2007, told Yahoo News the Clinton campaign has a very sophisticated specialty outreach program. Wicks ran Operation Vote, the arm of Obamas 2012 campaign that was dedicated to engaging specific constituencies, and she said Clinton has an even stronger program.

Each cycle its  at least on the Democratic side  become more and more advanced, Wicks said of specialized outreach efforts. In 2008 we did some of it, and we obviously took advantage of some of the key demographics that tended to support the president, like the African-American community.  But I think in 12 you saw much more substantial outreach and programming toward, we internally called them the Big Four, which were women, youth, African-Americans and Latinos.  I think in 16 youre seeing even more advancement.

Wicks, who, as she put it, came out of retirement to work as Clintons state director in California ahead of this years primary, said the Clinton campaign has built on the advantage Democrats already had in Obamas two general-election races. She described this as particularly important given the changing demographics of crucial battleground states.

Youre seeing emerging Latino populations in places like Ohio and North Carolina, Wicks said.

Clintons specialized-outreach staff has helped the campaign run multilingual programs. Wicks said that during the California primary the campaign ran phone banks in at least five languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Moreover, having specialized teams has enabled the Clinton campaign to develop tailored programs and strategies for specific constituencies. In the African-American community, Clinton has stressed policies designed to address systemic racism as she campaigned alongside the so-called Mothers of the Movement, whose children were killed by the police. For Hispanics, the campaign has launched Mujeres in Politics, a phone banking and roundtable program developed by Latino staffers based on the idea that women are key forces to generate discussion and activism within that community. Late last month, the Clinton campaign held a call with what it identified as Eastern European community leaders in which they asked the listeners to help them identify festivals, parades and conferences where it would be important to have a visible presence.

Hillary Clinton holds hands with Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, as she reacts to Fultons statement during a rally at the Central Baptist Church in Columbia, S.C., in February 2016. Clinton spoke and then heard from mothers of victims of gun violence. (Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

A Clinton campaign aide who spoke to Yahoo News explained why specialized teams are effective for developing and implementing strategies.

The best solutions for challenges facing communities draw on the knowledge of men and women who have direct ties to these communities. That is why we built an infrastructure during the primary and have expanded it for the general election to ensure that we have a wide reach and continue to invest in these communities, the aide said.

Wicks went a step further and argued these programs can have an impact beyond this race. Along with maximizing turnout, Wicks said these specialized efforts can help Democrats in the long term by identifying and recruiting more people from diverse communities who represent those communities and look like those communities.

Youre getting a more and more kind of professionalized campaign operative infrastructure, who are people that reflect America, very diverse staff who are people from those communities, which I think is really, really important, Wicks said.

While Clinton is already doing well with many of the groups being targeted by her specialized outreach teams, her campaigns efforts include some constituencies that are sometimes friendlier to the GOP, like veterans and religious Christians. Siegfried, the Republican consultant and commentator, said Trump and the GOP should be very worried to see Democratic outreach dipping into their base.

Thats terrifying. You know, veterans have been very much the bread and butter of Republicans, Siegfried said, adding, were basically going to play defense on our home turf. We cant expand while were playing defense at home.
From Town & Country

The 2016 election cycle has been anything but ordinary, leaving College Republicans questioning their party's candidate. Some student groups are refusing to support Trump, even endorsing non-Republican candidates-and as one might expect, their national organization isn't too pleased. Other groups are choosing to toe the party line, an act which is still inspiring controversy on-campus.

Damned if they do and damned if they don't, here's how Ivy League College Republicans are weighing in on the election:

Cornell

The Cornell chapter of College Republicans ruffled the establishment's feathers last week by endorsing Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson for president, writing that "this election's unprecedented nature has made blind commitment to our Party unpalatable," and calling Johnson "the true conservative in this election." Read their full statement below. The chapter was swiftly decertified for the action; the New York Federation of College Republicans revoked their credentials on Saturday.

The University of Pennsylvania

While the College Republicans group at Trump's alma mater has yet to release an official statement regarding the candidate, don't take that as a silent endorsement. Matt Shapiro, the executive director of the group said, "Everybody hates Trump," in an interview with ABC News.

Everybody hates Trump. People are almost embarrassed he went to our school.

"On campus it's a disaster," he said. "People are almost embarrassed he went to our school. People love to say that he transferred here: 'Oh, at least he didn't start here.'"Additionally, a critical open letter from Wharton Business School students and alums titled, "You Do Not Represent Us" has been virtually signed 3,813 times.

Harvard

For the first time since its founding in1888, Harvard's Republican Club declined to endorse the GOP nominee. The the oldest College Republicans chapter in the nation issued a statement via Facebook calling Trump's views "antithetical to our values not only as Republicans, but as Americans." Read the full letter below.

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Yale

The Yale College Republicans' choice to endorse Trump was so divisive, it caused a rupture in the campus organization. After the group made a public statement supporting the GOP candidate, a portion of students broke away to form Yale New Republicans, "the newest undergraduate conservative advocacy group on Yale's campus," who do not support Trump.

Former YCR Board members have formed the Yale New Republicans, a Republican organization at Yale puts national interests above partisan ones - Yale New Republicans (@YNewRepublicans) August 11, 2016

Not all of us, we split into two groups because of the endorsement. The YNR doesn't believe Trump is fit to be POTUS https://t.co/Di14kgSZXc - Yale New Republicans (@YNewRepublicans) August 12, 2016

Princeton

Princeton College Republicans made a statement about Donald Trump, effectively refusing to take a side. "At this time, the Princeton College Republicans are not taking a definitive position on Donald Trump's candidacy," read their Facebook post on the matter. "Deciding to support or not support any given candidate is an important and sometimes complicated determination. As we always have, we encourage everyone to vote for candidates who have a proven record of success and who have committed to enacting conservative reforms while in office."

Read the full post here:

Columbia, Brown, and Dartmouth

The College Republican groups at Columbia, Brown, and Dartmouth have yet to explicitly weigh in on the GOP candidate one way on the other, though their social media presences may tip their hands a bit.

While the Columbia chapter posted that they were "currently discussing our options of endorsements" on August 10, they published a quote by Donald Trump on July 21.

Similarly, Dartmouth has yet to endorse Trump, but the cover photo of their Facebook page features an image of the candidate.

Brown's campus group, on the other hand, has left no hint as to a potential endorsement, though that could change as the fall semester gets underway.

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KINSHASA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The Democratic Republic of Congo's state mining company Gecamines said on Wednesday it has submitted an offer to buy Freeport McMoRan Inc's majority stake in the Tenke copper project.

Freeport agreed in May to sell its 56 percent stake in Tenke, one of the world's largest copper mines, to China Molybdenum Co Ltd (CMOC) for $2.65 billion.

Toronto-based Lundin Mining, which holds a 24 percent stake, has until Sept. 15 to exercise its right of first offer before any deal goes through.

Gecamines, which controls the remaining 20 percent, and Congolese authorities have objected to the sale, which they were not informed of beforehand.

Congo's mines minister said in May that he suspected Freeport was hiding its true value.

Freeport did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

It has previously said the transaction was conducted transparently and in accordance with all applicable laws.

"For us, it's a matter of setting up a new joint venture with new partners to facilitate the exit of Freeport and reassure the state and the workers," Gecamines' interim director-general Jacques Kamenga told Reuters.

He added that Gecamines had received "serious proposals from potential industrial and financial partners". He did not specify who but said CMOC's participation was not ruled out.

Freeport has not acknowledged that Gecamines has a right of first offer for Tenke.

Congo, Africa's top copper exporter, mined 995,805 tonnes of the metal in 2015, but output dropped nearly 14 percent in the first half of this year as producers cut back due to low prices.

(Reporting by Aaron Ross; Editing by Nellie Peyton and Dale Hudson)
From Delish

You'll still need a friend in high places-like, steeple of Sleeping Beauty's Castle high-to snag a seat at Disney's newest members-only lounge, 1901, but getting your foot in the door at the theme park itself has gotten a smidge cheaper, if you know where to look. Costco, that bastion of buy-in-bulk everything, sells discounted park annual passes to Disney California Adventure.

The chain's selling the annual passes for $330-compared to $95 per day if you're buying them directly from The Happiest Place on Earth-but there are two major caveats: (1) You can only snag the deal at Costco stores in Southern California (or online); (2) There are 60 blackout dates when the pass won't let you into the park. Those are largely holidays and Saturdays during peak travel dates, reports the OC Register.

The pass also comes with an added benefit: 10 percent off merchandise and food. Since you're basically saving twice over, nothing can hold you back from planning how you'll eat your way through the park. (Turkey leg obsessives, you can start memorizing this guide to every spot to get those forearm-sized mallets of poultry here. You're welcome.)

Just think of the possibilities. You could eat a boule of bread in the shape of Mickey's head that's the size of your head.

Or go for carbs-on-glorious-carbs with a mess of mac & cheese served in a bread bowl.

Or even eat an ice cream sundae out of a plastic 'kitchen sink' that looks suspiciously like Mickey's bloomers.

What a time to be alive.

Oh, and the Costco deal also comes with a collector's pin for anyone who wants to wear their discount-snagging savvy on their sleeves. It's kind of like being in an exclusive, members-only club.

Follow Delish on Instagram.

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Its the kind of sea change that would make any politician cringe: that moment in the final weeks of an election fight when supporters suddenly flee following a major news event or campaign shake-up. In the U.S., its known as the October surprise. In Canada, one such event became the final nail on the coffin of my campaign, says former Prime Minister Kim Campbell, whos now chair of an advisory board overseeing a new process for appointing justices to the Supreme Court of Canada.

In this condensed and edited conversation, Campbell discusses her own election downfall along with what could surprise the U.S. contest  and what isnt being discussed by Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as they both attack major trade deals involving Campbells country.

OZY: When you were prime minister and in an election battle in 1993, was there the equivalent of an October surprise or an issue that emerged?

Kim Campbell: My campaign released some negative ads about my opponent, Jean Chretien, that were seen as making fun of a slight physical nerve problem in his face, where when he smiles his mouth is asymmetrical. It took me a whole day to see the ads. That was sort of the final nail on the coffin of my campaign, although the underlying structure of our coalition had fallen apart before we even called an election.

The problem with terrorism is its very hard to predict. I think that could play into a lot of Trumps support. It could be helpful.

OZY: Is there something that could rock the race as we look to the final months of the U.S. election?

K.C.: If there are terrorist attacks. I think intelligent people think Clinton is able to deal with that as well as anyone else; she was part of the government and the administration that went after Osama bin Laden. The problem with terrorism is its very hard to predict. I think that could play into a lot of Trumps support. It could be helpful.

Clinton has been trying to undermine Trump in her ads, and certainly the Republican national security people have come out very clearly and said hes not the person to lead the country. Now, in fairness, he comes back and says, These are the people who brought us into Iraq. Thats the problem: When you make mistakes, they do come back to haunt you.

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OZY: Lets turn to trade. Whats your take on Trump threatening to renegotiate different deals, including, as hes said, a total renegotiation of NAFTA?

K.C.: Obviously, its a concern. Countries have to be as good as their word. Thats why getting Americans signed up to an agreement is only the first step, because theyre always looking for ways around it if they think it doesnt work for them under political pressure. The fact of the matter is these trade deals are good for both the United States and Canada. Its the worlds largest bilateral trading relationship.

You cannot make trade relationships based on sentimentality. There is an underlying economic rationale that either makes economic relationships work or not work in terms of your ability to be competitive on what youre exporting and being able to afford what youre importing. So for Trump to uproot that would be incredibly destructive for Canada. But thats why he is a vandal, because he talks as if its about his personal view on whether these things should be done. Theres no respect for what goes into creating these deals. I think he has the capacity to wreak havoc.

.@realDonaldTrump: I am going to renegotiate #NAFTA We are going to stand up from China, withdraw from #TPP. pic.twitter.com/p1MSixmgiG  FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) August 17, 2016

OZY: And what do you think about Clintons stance on trade deals?

K.C.: Im sorry shes backed off on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. I hope shes opened the door to supporting it if she can clarify certain points about it, because it is not trade thats killing the economy. Yes, it does have an impact  its not a perfect panacea. But whats really changing the economy is technology.

American manufacturing is very high, but it doesnt employ a lot of people anymore because its highly automated. Its like agriculture. What has been the failure of government, and we even know this in Canada with the Free Trade Agreements, is that while free trade is good, there has to be follow-up to protect the inevitable losers of a more open trade regime. You need to make the changes that make your economy competitive, but what people dont see are the people who lose their jobs because of protectionism, the businesses that dont ever get started or the opportunities that never exist.

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(Reuters) - The CDC documented the first AIDS cases in 1981. Within three years, most state health departments required hospitals and physicians to report and name each new diagnosis. Surveillance systems soon evolved to capture each AIDS-related death. Health officials used that information to direct resources to the hardest-hit areas and study how the disease was spreading. Officials and the public watched deaths across the country climb at an alarming rate. AIDS was constantly increasing, said Mervyn Silverman, San Franciscos director of health from 1977 to 1985. AIDS cases became a few thousand, then 20,000, and it scared the hell out of people. Activism swelled, helping to attract millions of dollars for public education campaigns and drug development. The number of infections peaked at about 78,000 in 1993 and then rapidly fell. In 1995, as new, effective drug treatments became available, the number of deaths peaked at about 53,000. In 2013, the latest year for which numbers are available, about 13,000 people died with AIDS. So far, drug-resistant infections havent prompted anything like that sort of broad mobilization. Consider that for the current year, Congress allocated $7.7 billion to fight AIDS, including $789 million to the CDC for prevention and research. For antibiotic-resistant infections, which kill tens of thousands of people a year, this years total allocation came to $1 billion. Of that, $160 million in new money goes to the CDC, which until last year didnt even have a line item in its budget for fighting drug-resistant infections. (Reporting by Ryan McNeill, Deborah J. Nelson and Yasmeen Abutaleb; edited by John Blanton)
Manoj Tripathi raised slogans, before setting himself on fire, demanding that the Governor be booked and arrested for his role in the forest guard recruitment scam, one of the many scams linked to the Vyapam scam.

By Rahul Noronha: Controversy continued to dog outgoing Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav even as he demitted office on Wednesday when a man identified as a local NCP leader and RTI activist, Manoj Tripathi, set himself ablaze outside the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday as the Governor's convoy was on its way out to the airport.

The flames engulfing the man were put out by cops on duty at the gate. Tripathi raised slogans demanding that the Governor be booked and arrested for his role in the forest guard recruitment scam, one of the many scams linked to the Vyapam scam.

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Today around 4:45 pm when Governor Ram Naresh Yadav had been accorded the guard of honour at the Raj Bhavan and was on his way to the airport, Manoj Tripathi set himself ablaze in front of the Governor's convoy. After the fire was doused, Tripathi was arrested and booked. Tripathi sustained 20 per cent burns, doctors who attended to him said.

Ram Naresh Yadav had been admitted at a private hospital for the last many days. On Wednesday morning, he returned to the Raj Bhavan only to witness the last guard of honour before he left Bhopal for his house in Lucknow. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, his wife Sadhna Singh, Chief Secretary, DGP and other officials were at the airport to see off the outgoing Governor. The Governor flew off in an air ambulance.

The Governor's term in Madhya Pradesh had been controversial. The STF probing the Vyapam scam had registered an FIR against Yadav in connection with the forest guard recruitment scam. The FIR was later quashed by the High Court on grounds that a serving Governor cannot be booked. The HC had observed that the Governor can be probed after he demits office. The Governor's OSD Dhanraj Yadav was also booked and jailed in connection with the Vyapam scam.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Governor OP Kohli who will hold charge as Governor of Madhya Pradesh arrived in Bhopal from Gandhi Nagar on Wednesday evening. He was received at the airport by the CM and officials. OP Kohli will be administered the oath of office by acting Chief Justice Rajendra Menon on Thursday.



Also Read:

Vyapam: CBI files chargesheet against two for PMT fraud

Vyapam scam: Kingpin cleared Madhya Pradesh Pre-Medical Test



Court give nod for polygraph test on Vyapam scam accused



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Sept 7 (Reuters) - The head of Credit Suisse Group AG's Global Markets division Timothy O'Hara has stepped down just over 10 months into the job and will be replaced by Brian Chin, the bank's co-head of credit.

O'Hara, who joined Credit Suisse in 1986, took charge of the newly formed Global Markets division on Oct. 21 in a major restructuring of the bank by group Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam.

The division oversaw around $1 billion in trading write-downs at the end of 2015 and start of 2016.

Thiam, who took over at Zurich-based Credit Suisse in July 2015, said at the time that he and other senior bank officials were unaware of the size of the positions behind the losses. Thiam also said O'Hara retained his total confidence.

Chin, with Credit Suisse since 2003, will take O'Hara's place on Credit Suisse's executive board.

"Since joining the bank in 2003, Brian has been one of our strongest risk managers," Thiam said in a statement late on Tuesday. "He is well positioned to take Global Markets to the next stage in its development."

Global Markets is one Credit Suisse's two investment banking divisions, and handles equities and fixed income trading in the Americas and Europe, Middle East and Africa.

After two consecutive quarterly losses, the division returned to profitability in the second quarter of 2016.

"I am especially thankful to Tim for steering Global Markets through its recent accelerated restructuring program, returning the division to profitability in Q2 and ensuring that some of the positive momentum of the division in Q2 has continued over the summer months," Thiam said.

Under Thiam, Switzerland's second-biggest bank behind UBS is looking to pare back its investment bank and focus more on wealth management.

Credit Suisse also appointed Eric Varvel as president and CEO of Credit Suisse Holdings (USA), Inc, the bank's recently designated intermediate holding company.

The changes are effective immediately, Credit Suisse said.

"I am confident," Thiam said, "that these management changes that I have proposed and that have been approved by the board of directors of Credit Suisse Group AG will drive a continued improvement in the performance of our bank." (Reporting by Gayathree Ganesan in Bengaluru and Joshua Franklin in Zurich; editing by Leslie Adler and Jason Neely)
In June, the Academy announced it had invited 683 new members - among them Nate Parker, Michael B. Jordan, Idris Elba, America Ferrera, Regina King and Cary Fukunaga - to join the Oscars-granting organization.

It was a record number designed to help diversify the membership after the Academy faced harsh criticism in the wake of 2015's #OscarsSoWhite.

But now it looks like at least one of those invitees isn't jumping at the chance to join. Filmmaker Ryan Coogler, whose 2015 film Creed many thought was overlooked despite a nomination for supporting actor Sylvester Stallone, has yet to send in his acceptance letter, and sources tell The Hollywood Reporter he's not interested in joining.

However, his refusal to join may not be related to any protest or stance on diversity in the industry as some sources hint that, like Woody Allen and Sean Penn, Coogler is an artist uninterested in judging other people's art.

Coogler's next project is his Marvel Studios' directorial effort Black Panther. His reps declined comment.

A version of this story first appeared in the Sept. 16 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.

Read more: 91-Year-Old Oscar Voter Says He'll Sue to Fight 'Inactive' Status (Exclusive)
Morelia (Mexico) (AFP) - A police helicopter crashed during an operation to capture suspected gang leaders in western Mexico, and authorities were investigating whether gunmen shot it down, killing three officers and the pilot.

Silvano Aureoles, governor of the troubled western state of Michoacan, wrote on Twitter that the helicopter "was downed" during the operation in an area of rough terrain.

But hours later, he told the Televisa network that he "can't confirm that it was downed" and that authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.

Officials are hoping to speak with an officer who survived the crash but was in intensive care.

The incident took place in Michoacan's Tierra Caliente, a region that has endured years of drug violence and vigilante justice.

If confirmed, it would be the second time that a gang downs a helicopter since 2015. Last year, the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in neighboring Jalisco state used a rocket launcher to hit a military helicopter, killing seven soldiers and policewoman aboard.

In a press conference, Aureoles said the helicopter fell during an operation to capture leaders of an unidentified criminal group who had tried to abduct a farmer in La Huacana.

"Be certain that we will free Michoacan of the scourge of impunity and crime," Aureoles said.

Aureoles said authorities have conducted operations to capture gang leaders in Tierra Caliente and Sierra Costa that, since August 30, led to a dozen arrests and the seizure of several weapons, including two rocket launchers.

The pseudo-religious Knights Templar drug cartel terrorized Tierra Caliente until lime growers formed vigilante forces in 2013 to fight back against the gang.

The cartel was weakened as authorities arrested or killed its top leaders, but smaller criminal groups have since emerged.

The vigilantes have been ordered to disband but some of the militia's members have been implicated in crimes.

Homicides are on the rise in the state, with 678 murders in the first seven months of the year compared to 777 in 2015, according to federal government figures. At least 150 people were killed in July alone, a twofold increase from the same month last year.
Marble columns, bright mosaics, esoteric symbols, arches and an exotic Moorish decor  its mesmerizing, but its all falling to pieces, on the fast track to becoming ruins. This is what the 17th-century Castle of Sammezzano, near Florence, looks like today: an empty, abandoned building that is crumbling from neglect, centuries of exposure to the elements and, above all, a lack of public funds to renovate and maintain it.

But local resident Francesco Esposito, 31, is out to tell the world that he will save this place, no matter what it takes. Hes on a rescue mission  and hes pissed. Ive been coming here with my dad ever since I was a kid. This castle is spellbinding and unknown to many, he says. Its a gem. Thats why I wont just sit here and let it rot.

Together with a bunch of friends, he took it upon himself to raise money through an online crowdfunding project. The goal: Give the palace a thorough makeover and turn it into a lively museum. Esposito started at a grassroots level by uniting villagers nearby in a pressure group called Save Sammezzano. Then they turned to the web, reaching out to anyone who has an internet connection and is willing to donate at least one euro for such a unique mansion. The first attempt went poorly: The goal was to raise some 44 million euros (no pressure) to purchase the estate at a public auction; Espositos team got nowhere near that target. But being stubborn, and even more furious, he gave it a second shot, aiming for a much smaller, more realistic sum. At the end of July he won, raising 6,000 euros from online donors  just enough money to turn his committee into a real association with legal status that could bring the crusade to a higher level and increase pressure on local authorities.

You fix one bit, and the next day another wall disintegrates. Sofia Secchiaroli, a crowdfunder in Bologna

Crowdfunding has turned into the last chance of survival for many of Italys artistic spots and architecture jewels. Given that the protracted recession has dealt a heavy blow to public coffers, the state cant afford to refurbish chunks of its huge artistic heritage, so citizens step in with their own pocket money. Were not talking, though, of big names. These are ordinary people who arent businessmen, fashion sponsors or billionaire art patrons. Its the granny next door, the baker, the high school kid who takes your same morning train and doesnt mind buying one less pack of cigarettes. They have decided to take action against what they deem a shame. Pushed by frustration, theyve rolled up their sleeves and taken to the internet. They just cant stand seeing their beloved monuments decay before their eyes.

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Shutterstock 320391356

The inside of Sammezzano Castle.

Source Shutterstock

More and more Italians are adopting neglected monuments, and even if small-time donors are not enough to get the job done, their efforts shed light on the rescue operation and draw broader attention, luring big-scale shark benefactors, says Matteo Caroli, an economics professor at Rome-based LUISS University. This kind of crowdsourcing is an incredible opportunity, he says, to attract large private firms willing to lend a hand with renovation efforts. At the same time, it boosts social ties on the territory, making local communities even more tightly knit, says Caroli.

One historian got the restoration fever after falling into a pit in Umbria and discovering spooky Holy Inquisition underground dungeons.

Similar initiatives have been launched to safeguard the ancient pre-Roman archaeological site of Pietrabbondante, once home to the fiery Samnites tribes, and the Genoese lookout tower on prison isle Gorgona. In Lucignano, townsfolk are so desperate to save their Medici Renaissance fortresses that they even cook and sell sausages and jam pies to tourists to raise additional cash. So far the greatest success has been the partial restyle of Bolognas Portico of San Luca, the snakelike four-kilometer-long colonnade walk thats in constant need of repair. Online donations recently reached 300,000 euros, but its still not enough. This is a never-ending work in progress; you fix one bit, and the next day another wall disintegrates. The hilly terrain is unstable  well always need money, says Sofia Secchiaroli, a member of the local committee that launched the crowdfunding.

Shutterstock 59796037

San Luca arcade, in Bologna.

Source Shutterstock

This kind of trend is playing out elsewhere in Europe, too. The Old Continent has a long history and is therefore packed with historical buildings in need of maintenance, though no other country can boast nearly half of what Italy has in terms of monuments and UNESCO World Heritage sites. In Holland a group of privates are having a hard time raising financial support for the restoration of a 17th-century frescoed building in picturesque Delft, tied to the history of the Pilgrim Fathers and the Mayflower adventure. The paintings inside are apparently of the highest quality so far found in the country. Trouble is, the renovation would have a total cost of 1 million euros.

But money can be relative. Its not just a matter of donating one, five, six, 10 or 1,000 euros. Its the word-of-mouth power that can make the number of donors increase, says Roberto Nini, a historian who one day fell into a pit in Umbria and discovered spooky Holy Inquisition underground dungeons. Hes been battling for years to raise funds for the maintenance of the prisons, often with the savings of his family and friends.

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Dainese Kicks off U.S. Leather Fitment Tour

Dainese USA has announced that its fifth annual North American Custom Works Tour will embark from New York City on September 30, and conclude a little over a month later in New Hampshire.

The tour will visit 17 locations across the United States and Canada, providing customers opportunities to be fit for custom-made Dainese leather motorcycle apparel.

Dainese began making high-quality custom leather motorcycle garments in 1972 in Molvena, a small Italian village in a region renowned for its leather-working tradition. The program was eventually extended to European retail customers, and the North American Custom Works program started in 2012. This marks Daineses most extensive Custom Works tour to date, with six more stops than last years successful initiative.

Four different levels of customization are available, from altered off-the-rack apparel to custom garments with add-on logos, names, numbers and colors. After the design is created the garment is hand-built in Molvena by the same tailors who work on the suits of sponsored Dainese racers like Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden. In addition to racing suits, the Custom Works program offers custom leather jackets and leather pants.

Were really excited to see Daineses North American Custom Works Tour gaining such momentum, said Allan Jones, North American Custom Works Coordinator for Dainese. Honestly, no other company comes close to offering such an extensive program for motorcycle apparel that is one-of-a-kind in terms of both fit and appearance.

Dainese 2016 Tour Dates:

 Sep. 30-Oct. 2 New York, NY Mototainment

 Oct. 3 Montreal, Canada Ducati Montreal

 Oct. 4 Montreal, Canada Dainese Showroom

 Oct. 5-6 Toronto, Canada Riders Choice

 Oct. 7-9 Leeds, AL Barber Vintage Festival

 Oct. 11 Dallas, TX AMS Ducati Dallas

 Oct. 13 Salt Lake City, UT Moto Station

 Oct. 14-15 Denver, CO Performance Cycle of Colorado

 Oct. 16 Costa Mesa, CA D-Store Orange County

 Oct. 18-19 Portland, OR MotoCorsa

 Oct. 21 Vancouver, Canada Vancouver BMW-Ducati

 Oct. 22-23 Vancouver, Canada Pacific Motorsports

 Oct. 25-26 San Francisco, CA D-Store San Francisco

 Oct. 28-29 Chicago, IL D-Store Chicago

 Oct. 30 Detroit, MI Ducati Detroit

 Nov. 3 Belleville, NJ The Motorcycle Mall

 Nov. 5 Derry, NH Seacoast Sport Cycle

The number of fitting sessions available at each tour stop is limited, so interested customers should contact Dainese early. For more information or to book a fitting session on the 2016 North American Custom Works Tour, please visit www.dainesecustomworks.com
Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller is mentally preparing herself for the possibility she'll soon be behind bars but is, admittedly, "scared to death."



Miller, 49, broke down while discussing her bankruptcy fraud case on this week's edition of the podcast Allegedly with Theo Von & Matthew Cole Weiss podcast.



"It's a fact of life, I made mistakes," Miller admitted. "I thought I was doing the right thing, I thought I had guidance. I thought I was on the up and up, and I wasn't."



In June, Miller pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud after being accused of attempting to hide $775,000 of income from her reality show. She further pleaded guilty to failing to report thousands of Australian dollars she brought into the United States in separate plastic bags.







Prosecutors said Miller could face 24 to 30 months in prison, but her attorney said her creditors did not suffer any losses, so sentencing should range from probation to up to six months behind bars.



"I think if I didn't have a sense of humor and I couldn't crack some jokes now and then I would have already gone insane," she said, calling the situation "humiliating and embarrassing."



Miller owned up to her mistakes, explaining that she hopes others learn from her.



"If I can be an example from other people, you really have to learn. ... I did all the things I thought I should do, and I still screwed up, big-time," she admitted to Weiss and Von. "I'm not going to deny anything, they were my mistakes. I am taking full responsibility for them, I have to. There's no passing the buck. ... If I did it wrong, I was wrong."



The reality star was granted a delay on her sentencing last month, pushing the court date back to Dec. 2, Deadline reported.



Until then  amid the current, sixth season of Dance Moms  Miller is preparing for a potential stint behind bars with a specialist hired by her attorneys in Pittsburgh. She's also relying on friends.



"I have great friends, unfortunately they're around the country, they're not here," she said of her support system, dissolving into tears. "It used to be the moms until recently and I don't know, you know."



Even if she does get sentenced to jail time, Miller insisted, "I didn't set out to do anything wrong."



She added, "I want people to know that I'm human ... I've been through hell."
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark's prime minister said his minority government would push ahead with a bill to reject asylum seekers at the borders in times of crisis even though such a move might breach the European Union's Dublin rules. Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he wanted to guard against a situation like last year when 21,300 asylum seekers entered the country and the rules that say people must stay and claim asylum in the first EU country they reach were discarded. "The proposal is aimed at a situation like the one last year, when it was very obvious that Dublin rules had been de facto sidelined," Lars Lokke Rasmussen told Reuters in an interview late on Tuesday. He said the proposal was inspired by a similar law adopted in June by neighboring Norway, which is not a member of the EU but adheres to the Dublin rules, and acknowledged that the change could be "problematic in relation to the Dublin rules". "Like Norway sent a signal to us, we would like to send a signal to others that we must find a solution in Europe where we take care of our external borders," Rasmussen said. EU states are at loggerheads over how to manage migration after 1.3 million refugees and migrants reached the bloc last year. Frictions intensified after Italy and Greece, frustrated by a lack of help from other countries, let migrants travel north to richer states in defiance of the rules. While that eased pressure on the "frontline" states, the northern reaction to last year's huge surge in arrivals from Syria, Africa and beyond led to new border controls across Europe, including in Denmark. The proposed law has yet to be adopted by the parliament, where Rasmussen's Liberals hold only 34 out of 179 seats and need the support of others, including the anti-immigration Danish People's Party, to govern. The European Commission has said it will only be able to comment on the issue once precise draft legislation is put on the table. Around 250,000 people sought asylum in the Nordic region last year, most of them in Sweden, straining tolerance and pressuring government budgets. (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Catherine Evans)
The owner has been identified as one Aftab Hussain and is a resident of Bhagalpur in Bihar.

More than hundred fire-arms, including two 9mm pistols, 4 single barrel pipe-guns, ammunition and 9 kilograms of explosives were recovered.

By Indrajit Kundu: Police today busted an illegal fire arms factory in South 24 Pargana district of West Bengal. Acting on the tip off, South 24 Pargana police raided the factory located in Maheshtala and recovered a huge cache of fire-arms and explosives.

More than hundred fire-arms, including two 9mm pistols, 4 single barrel pipe-guns, ammunition and 9 kilograms of explosives were seized. Five persons, including the owner of the factory, have been arrested from the spot.

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The owner has been identified as one Aftab Hussain and is a resident of Bhagalpur in Bihar. The others are mostly from Munger; one of them is a local resident of South 24 Pargana.

Seven mobile handsets were also recovered from the arrested men.

"For the past few days these people were assembling these ammunitions after buying the raw materials from various markets. We were tracking them from a few days and when we received concrete information we raided and arrested them," informed South 24 Pargana Police Superintendent Sunil Choudhary.

Police claim Aftab have been operating the illegal factory for the past one year and was supplying arms in adjacent Bihar and parts of Kolkata and in the North and South 24 Pargana districts.

All the arrested men have been slapped with cases under the Arms and Explosives Substance Act. Police is probing their links with other criminal groups.

Meanwhile, the explosives recovered is being sent for forensic examination.

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By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The EU should aim to conclude a trade deal with the United States this year despite recent doubts, as "worrying" protectionist policies from both U.S. presidential candidates will make a deal increasingly difficult, the Danish prime minister said.

Talks over the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) have stalled, even though Washington and Brussels, which have been negotiating for three years, are still officially committed to sealing a deal before U.S. President Barack Obama leaves office in January.

"When listening to the American election campaign, you become really worried," Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told Reuters in an interview late Tuesday.

Serious doubts have surfaced over the deal, with thorny issues such as environmental and food standards as well as allowing foreign multinationals to challenge European government policies. In addition, looming elections in USA, France and Germany could hamper negotiations.

"Trump is the first republican presidential candidate, I can think of, who is actually against free trade," Rasmussen told the audience at a political rally Tuesday evening, pointing to Trump's ambition to "build walls and pull all jobs back to the United States."

"And Hillary Clinton is under great influence from Bernie Sanders, a left-wing socialist and also a protectionist," he said.

Small and export dependent Denmark, along with other Nordic countries like Sweden, have been some of the biggest supporters of the deal and have been worried the vote of Britain to leave the European Union had robbed them of a key free trade ally.

Rasmussen's comments come as EU leaders prepare for a summit on Sept. 16 in Bratislava -- without Britain -- which is looking at how to draw up a post-Brexit future for the Union.

French Trade Minister Matthias Fekl said last week he favoured calling a halt to the talks. And while German Chancellor Angela Merkel still backs the talks, German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel called them "de facto dead".

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"While we all very recently thought we should clinch a new trade deal that could bring wealth to both USA and Europe, there's now no telling where it will end," Rasmussen said in the interview, expressing concerns over the latest messages from France.

"This just underscores the point that it would be good to reach a deal this year. I think President Obama has a commitment to this issue that I would like to see materializing into at least a political deal," he said.

Sweden is working with Finland, Spain and Italy to keep a deal alive, the country's EU minister Ann Linde said Monday. She however acknowledged that sharper political rethoric along with Britain's decision in June to leave the European Union could put negotiations on ice for the foreseeable future.

The United States is Denmark's third-largest export market and the EU's single largest export market.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen)
Copenhagen (AFP) - A Danish school was criticised on Wednesday for limiting the number of students from ethnic minorities in some of its classes, in a bid to prevent students from a Danish background from leaving it.

The Langkaer upper secondary school outside the city of Aarhus said its first-year students had been divided into seven different classes, out of which three classes had a 50 percent limit on the number of ethnic minority students.

The remaining four classes consisted only of students from an immigrant background.

The school's headmaster, Yago Bundgaard, denied allegations that the practice amounted to discrimination and said that the aim was to encourage integration by preventing a dwindling number of ethnic Danes from leaving the school.

"For real integration to take place in a class there has to be sufficient numbers from both groups for it to happen," he told public broadcaster DR.

The school had seen the number of ethnic minority students rise from 25 percent in 2007 to 80 percent of this year's first-year students.

Describing it as "the least bad solution", Bundgaard said that the ethnic minority students had been picked based on whether they had "a Danish-sounding name", but admitted that it was a "fluid" distinction.

Turkish-born commentator and former lawmaker Ozlem Cekic said she would report the school to Denmark's Board of Equal Treatment.

"When a headmaster isolates the brown children from the white in an upper secondary school, he is part of sending a signal that the whites must be protected from the brown," she wrote on Facebook.

Human rights lawyer Nanna Krusaa also told broadcaster TV 2 that "placing students solely based on race or ethnicity is in my clear view illegal".

Danish Education Minister Ellen Trane Norby said that she had requested a report from the school to ensure that the law was being upheld, but that she was also looking at introducing legislation to make upper secondary schools in Denmark more ethnically mixed.

"The fundamental problem is that we in Denmark have... schools with a too high ratio of students with a different ethnic background than Danish," she wrote on Facebook.
Dave Grohl's mother Virginia Hanlon Grohl penned a new book that examines what it's like to raise a rock star from a parent's perspective.

From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars, due out in April 2017 via Seal Press, features Virginia Grohl's own experiences raising the future Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman, who also contributed the foreword to his mother's book.



Over the past two years, Virginia Grohl also spoke to a batch of rock star-rearing moms  Verna Griffin (Dr. Dre's mother), Marianne Stipe (Michael Stipe), Janis Winehouse (Amy Winehouse), Patsy Noah (Adam Levine), Donna Haim (Haim sisters) and Hester Diamond (Beastie Boys' Mike D), among others, who shared their own stories.

"As Virginia watched her son's star rise, she often wondered about the other mothers who raised sons and daughters who became rock stars," the book's description reads. "Were they as surprised as she was about their children's fame? Did they worry about their children's livelihood and wellbeing in an industry fraught with drugs and other dangers? Did they encourage their children's passions despite the odds against success, or attempt to dissuade them from their grandiose dreams? Do they remind their kids to pack a warm coat when they go on tour?"

From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars also boasts exclusive family photographs from Dave Grohl's childhood.

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Many tourists zip past Delhi, making for the Taj Mahal or Jaipurs camels and rugs. The capital hasnt had a great reputation of late, from its mask-inducing pollution (which, yes, can be as stifling as the summer heat) to the headlines that warn women to cling to their honor and be home by 10 p.m. But its worth pausing a few days in South Delhi before zooming off to the exotic locales. Here, a generation of global citizens  designers, musicians, mindful entrepreneurs  are incarnating a new version of the old city. And theyre just as Indian as the monuments.

The Best Cappuccino in India

Coffee for many Indians means Nescafe drenched with sugar. But coffee snobbery is on the rise, and Blue Tokai is well-placed to lead us undercaffeinated drones to the promised land. When founders Matt Chittaranjan and Namrata Asthana moved from Chennai to Delhi, they brought along a taste for South Indias coffee estates. They source their beans from roughly 12 farms in places like Chickmagalur, in Karnataka, and the Nilgiris, in Tamil Nadu.

The physical premises only opened this year  following four years of the couple roasting in the annex to their house. We say thank goodness for the cafe  while you can find Blue Tokai beans in many hip restaurants across the city, not everyone knows what to do with them yet. The best cappuccino Ive had in India was at Blue Tokai. If youd like to geek out, ask for a peek into the roasting room or for a visit next door, where women can be found digging through the beans to remove imperfect ones.

Design, Design, Design

Shahpur Jat is one of Delhis many urban villages thats gone hip. Like its neighbor, the overrun Hauz Khas Village, Shahpur Jat is still home to locals, many of whom may not be as wealthy as the shoppers that trickle through. You can find high-end, wedding-fit salwar kameezes next to shops boasting ethical organic cotton. We recommend Kanelle, Design Garage and, for menswear, Kardo.

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Lunchtime: Go Bihari or Green

Stay in Shahpur Jat for lunch. One option is the upstairs cafe at Greenr, a boutique boasting sustainably designed dresses, wallets, jewelry and more that opened last fall. Greenrs menu, explains Suriname-raised, U.S.-educated CEO Nitin Dixit, is inspired by California-vegetarian cuisine. And yes, that sounds funny, but as this former California vegetarian can attest to, its good. Amaranth tofu burgers, homemade black-bean-based sausage, yum. If youve got a bit more room in your stomach, venture to the rooftop cafe Potbelly, which offers Bihari food, not your ordinary naan and chicken tikka. Youll find pumpkin curries and litti, a whole-wheat roll traditionally eaten with yogurt or mashed potatoes.

For the ravenous, theres always Dilli Haat, farther north, the tourist-beloved open-air food court that offers a culinary tour through most regional cuisines.

Climb the Walls

After a walk around the block to help the digestion, head over to Delhi Rock in Greater Kailash, where Anuraag Tiwari is helping build the beginnings of climbing culture. Tiwari, a former Microsoft employee and Seattle resident, says hes happier back in the motherland. In America, people are kind of fake with how healthy they are, he says, winding some rope in his hands to create a belay line. I like being back here. I can do all these things and have a potbelly. In the 6,000-square-foot space, you can climb (the space is better for top-roping than bouldering), dance, practice Krav Maga or give the aerial silks a try.

Drink and Dance

At night, get a glimpse of the citys music scene at the Piano Man Jazz Club or at Bandstand, both in the vicinity of Hauz Khas Villages bar scene, but significantly more thoughtful. A concert at Bandstand might include brief interludes for political sketches or a dancer decked out in classical Bharatanatyam attire bouncing to trippy beats. The scene is uniquely Delhi: posh, but not mindless  and hard to replicate outside the capital.

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(Updates shares, adds executive and analyst comments, Southwest outlook, byline)

By Jeffrey Dastin

Sept 7 (Reuters) - U.S. airline stocks jumped on Wednesday after Delta Air Lines Inc said sales trends were improving and Southwest Airlines Co said it would slow its breakneck growth of flights in 2017, giving investors hope that the industry could recover from a revenue rut.

Delta Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said on a conference call with investors that the airline expected a $150 million drop in pretax income due to a power outage that shut down computer systems in August. The incident forced Delta to cancel 2,300 flights over three days and highlighted airlines' fragile technology infrastructure.

Delta, the No. 2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic, now expects an operating profit margin of 18 percent to 19 percent in the third quarter, compared with a prior outlook of 19 percent to 21 percent. However, Jacobson said Delta's underlying performance was on track.

"This has been a challenging quarter... but we do have a lot of momentum," Jacobson said. "We see a lot of signs, reasons to be optimistic."

The Atlanta-based airline has not canceled a single flight in the past 10 days, Jacobson said. Domestic unit revenue, a closely watched measure that compares sales to flight capacity, also showed "solid improvement" as fall schedules took effect, the company said in a regulatory filing.

The airline said capacity growth in the United States, its biggest market, would slow to 2.5 percent in the fourth quarter from 5.7 percent in the first half of the year. The fewer seats airlines offer, the more likely they are to avoid deep discounts to fill them.

For months, new flights as well as attacks from Paris to Istanbul have forced airlines to sell cheaper tickets, hurting their unit revenue.

Southwest, which has ramped up flights from Dallas and contributed to rivals' woes, on Wednesday said it expected capacity to rise less than 4 percent in 2017, compared with anticipated growth of 5 percent to 6 percent this year.

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"The data point should ease some concerns that elevated growth from Southwest next year could further pressure domestic pricing trends," Stifel analyst Joseph DeNardi said in a research note.

Delta rose nearly 5 percent in early afternoon trading, while Southwest was up more than 4 percent.

Shares of American Airlines Group Inc and United Continental Holdings Inc, which compete head-to-head with Southwest on many routes, each rose more than 5 percent.

(Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Joseph White)
By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Supporters of Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama's U.S. Supreme Court selection, on Tuesday launched a new push to persuade the Republican-led Senate to act on the nomination before the Nov. 8 presidential election, but their calls fell on deaf ears. With senators returning to work after a seven-week summer recess, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid called the refusal of Republicans to consider Garland's nomination "disgusting and repugnant." "Republicans have deadlocked our entire system of justice because of the Republican Senate's dysfunction," Reid said. Obama's nomination of the moderate appeals court judge has been pending without action for 174 days, longer than any other Supreme Court nominee in U.S. history. The U.S. Constitution gives the Senate the job of confirming a president's judicial nominees. In a move with little precedent in American history, Republicans led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have refused to take any action on Obama's nominee, insisting that Obama's successor make the pick. "The Senate is returning from the longest recess in nearly half a century, and perhaps the Republican leadership was hoping that Americans had forgotten about the unprecedented obstruction of a Supreme Court nominee," said Senator Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. We Need Nine, a White House-allied group, will hold a news conference in front of the Supreme Court building on Wednesday with Democratic senators and lawyers who previously worked as clerks for Garland. Republicans sounded unconvinced. McConnell "has been crystal clear for the last seven months," an aide to the senator said on Tuesday. "The next president will select the nominee." The nine-seat court has been one justice short since the February death of long-serving conservative Antonin Scalia. With four liberals and four conservatives now on the bench, an appointment by a Democratic president could end decades of conservative domination on the court. The White House has called Garland's confirmation a top priority for the legislative work period that began on Tuesday and ends in early October. In remarks last month, Republican Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley indicated he could be persuaded by a large number of senators to take action on Garland in a "lame duck" session immediately after the election. His panel would hold any confirmation hearings. Some conservatives worry that if Democrat Hillary Clinton defeats Republican Donald Trump in the election, she would nominate someone more liberal than Garland. But in a statement on Tuesday, Grassley reiterated that "the next president should choose Justice Scalia's replacement" and said his meetings with home-state voters during the recess "only bolstered the point that Iowans should have the opportunity to have a voice in the direction of the Supreme Court for the next 40 years." (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley. Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell and Richard Cowan)
On the same day that the two major party presidential candidates were due to appear in a back-to-back forums on national security, a political action committee supporting Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton released a brutal attack ad against Republican Donald Trump that intersperses snippets of his own words with images of nuclear blasts and marching ISIS fighters.

The 30-second spot, released by Priorities USA, begins with a clip of Trump saying Im really good at war. I love war in a certain way, played over footage of wounded soldiers being loaded into helicopters. The images appear to come from the Vietnam War, which Trump avoided with medical and student deferments.

Related: FBI Documents Show Clinton Email Scandal Isnt Going Away

The next thing to appear on the screen is the type of mushroom cloud associated with nuclear blast, as the viewer hears Trump say, Including with nukes, yes. Including with nukes.

The two Trump comments were made in completely separate public appearances, but are sewn together in the advertisement to make it sound as though the GOP nominee is advocating nuclear war. Toward the end of the spot, a third Trump quote is played, as background to footage of a nuclear blast wave shredding a building: Nuclear is just, the power, the devastation, is very important to me. This came from a third Trump appearance, this time at a presidential primary debate.

The release of the advertisement comes as Trump and Clinton are scheduled to appear in an 8 p.m. EST forum hosted by NBCs Matt Lauer, at which each will answer questions on national security for approximately 30 minutes.

In preparation, both candidates have, over the past 24 hours, released lists of retired military officers who endorse them. Trump touted a letter from 88 former senior officers on Tuesday, which Clinton countered with a list of 95 former senior officers who have endorsed her.

Related: Clinton Leads Trump in Texas? Wait a Minute ...

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Trump also hailed the results of a new poll that show him leading Clinton by 19 points among voters who are current or former members of the armed services.

The strategic release of the new Priorities USA advertisement seems plainly aimed at forcing Trump to spend part of tonights forum addressing his comments about nuclear weapons, and it will inevitably be compared to the infamous Daisy spot that President Lyndon Johnson ran in his race against Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater in 1964. That highly controversial 60-second advertisement showed a little girl counting as she plucked the petals from a daisy, and segued into a mans voice delivering an ominous countdown that ends in a nuclear detonation.

Unlike the Priorities USA spot, the Johnson ad never mentioned the Republican candidate or even showed his image, relying solely on innuendo with the concluding message, Vote for President Johnson on November 3rd. The stakes are too high for you to stay home.

Ah, but that was the beauty of the Daisy spot, said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia said via email. LBJ didnt even have to mention Goldwater. Goldwater had created the climate that enabled viewers to draw the line themselves. (The bomb is merely another weapon; hed use on the supply lines in North Vietnam; hed lob on into the mens room at the Kremlin, etc.)

Related: Whos to Blame for the Imperial Presidency? Take a Look at Congress

Even so, the ad was considered hugely controversial when it came out, and was pulled by the campaign after only one broadcast. However, it lived on in news and talk shows and historians consider it a major factor in Johnsons overwhelming victory over Goldwater later that year.

Priorities USA was far less subtle than the Johnson campaign, titling the advertisement I Love War and leaving nothing to the viewers imagination. Sabato argues that, more than 50 years after the Daisy ad, thats not really all that surprising.

Trump has made all these statements but he makes so many outrageous, intemperate remarks that its difficult to remember them all. This ad helps voters remember the ones on nuclear weapons, he said. Also, weve been hardened since 1964. It didnt take much to get our attention back then. Today, it takes a lot. The Daisy spot in todays environment is cake and candy.

The Trump campaign was not pleased with the spot. Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway called it irresponsible in an appearance on ABCs Good Morning America Wednesday, accusing Priorities USA of "cherry-picking little snippets of what he said and not giving the full context of the sentence let alone the speech.

In the likely event that Trump is asked to respond to the advertisement Wednesday night, he might want to take a lesson from Goldwaters experience in 1964. Rather than ignore the advertisement or dismiss it, he treated it with deadly seriousness and devoted a 30-minute televised speech to a response that only served to cement the association between his candidacy and the threat of nuclear war. He went on to lose 44 states in one of the most lopsided presidential contests in history.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
FRANKFURT, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank is calling for a reform of SWIFT, the global financial messaging system which has faced criticism since February's $81 million heist at Bangladesh Bank.

Germany's flagship lender - which the International Monetary Fund has branded as the world's systemically most risky bank for its numerous links to other lenders - is one of the biggest users of SWIFT. It is one of the first large banks to publicly urge changes.

SWIFT is only as strong as its weakest member, Deutsche Bank's Chief Information Security Officer Hinrich Voelcker said on Wednesday, adding the bank was in discussions with SWIFT about the consequences of the Bangladesh heist.

"If trust in this system breaks down we all have a problem," he said, without saying which specific reforms he believes are needed.

SWIFT is a member-owned cooperative, dominated by large Western banks, including lenders such as Citi, JP Morgan and BNP Paribas, which built the network decades ago.

It now connects more than 10,000 different financial firms and industry experts have said all of its users should have to meet a minimum security standard to continue accessing it.

Since the 1990s, many smaller banks in emerging markets have joined SWIFT, which stands for Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

Current and former board members of SWIFT have told Reuters that for years the organisation suspected there were weaknesses in the way smaller banks used its messaging terminals.

In the Bangladesh heist, hackers broke into a computer interface called Alliance Access, a piece of software sold by SWIFT for accessing its central network. It is still unclear exactly how the thieves gained entry.

Bank Bangladesh, the country's central bank, has alleged a botched upgrade of its system left vulnerabilities in it. SWIFT has rejected any responsibility for the way Bangladesh Bank upgraded its systems.

Since the Bangladesh incident many banks have added security features, Deutsche Bank's Voelcker said, adding rapid alert systems helped banks exchange information on hack attempts and patterns.

(Reporting by Andreas Kroner; Writing by Arno Schuetze; Editing by Mark Potter)
Like most fathers with daughters, this man's biggest wish was to dance with his daughter at her wedding. The wish was fulfilled, but minutes after he died.

By India Today Web Desk:

After fulfilling his dream to dance with his daughter at her wedding, this father died of a heart attack, just minutes later, waving the final goodbye.

Tim Buchanan, an officer with the South Carolina sheriff's department, travelled to Costa Rica to attend his daughter's wedding with his wife Jeni, a wedding photographer.

Before they started for the Costa Rican wedding, Jeni made a Facebook post saying her husband wasn't feeling good and that he refused to see a doctor as he was excited to attend his daughter's wedding.

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They attended the wedding and it was time for Tim to fulfill his wish to dance with his daughter at her wedding. The moment came, the father and daughter danced, but soon after, Tim died of a heart attack.

His wish sadly became his last dance.

"If there is anything you can do for us, it is to take care of yourself and your loved ones. If we can save just one life with our tragedy, then he can be a hero one more time," Jeni said.

Facebook post Jeni shared.



After the unfortunate incident, Jeni shared another Facebook post which says that Tim had four children and one grandchild.

Here's the post.



As for now, the family is asking for privacy until all the funeral arrangements are confirmed.

Tim's colleagues at the sheriff's office are wearing black bands around their badges in his memory.

A family friend has even set up a fundraiser to support Jeni in her time of grief.



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On the night of July 7, seven American diplomats in Juba left a farewell dinner early and were headed back to the U.S. Embassy, anxious to avoid the citys deepening chaos, when their two-car convoy was ambushed by the South Sudanese presidential guard of Salva Kiir.

South Sudanese troops fired between 50 and 100 rounds at the two armored SUVs as soon as they passed the presidential palace. No one in either vehicle, which included James Donegan, the second-highest ranking U.S. official in South Sudan, was hurt or killed in the attack, but it wasnt for a lack of trying: Three separate clusters of South Sudanese soldiers unloaded on the unarmed diplomats vehicles. Eventually, a U.S. Marine rapid response team from the embassy had to fetch three of the waylaid Americans and their South Sudanese driver.

State Department officials provided Foreign Policy with conflicting accounts of whether the department had conducted a formal investigation into the incident, with one official saying it hadnt, and another saying it had carried out some form of investigation. But both officials said they have demanded South Sudan carry out an investigation and hold those responsible to account. The State Department has also downplayed the role of the South Sudanese in targeting U.S. diplomats, saying there was no way to know whether Kiirs presidential guard knew who they were shooting at.

We do not believe our vehicles and personnel were specifically targeted, a State Department official told FP. I think we can speak with certainty the people in the convoy did not identify themselves necessarily to the soldiers or say that it was an American convoy.

The State Departments view reflects deepening concern that South Sudans government and rebel leaders may be losing control over their own forces. But multiple sources with knowledge of the incident say the target was crystal clear. The front windshields of the two armored SUVs held laminated cards emblazoned with the American flag. In plain sight were diplomatic license plates with the number 11, a well-known calling card in Juba that proclaims the worlds reigning superpower is passing through town. It was sheer good fortune, those sources said, that the incident didnt end in a bloody diplomatic tragedy.

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The State Departments reluctance to publicly finger Kiirs forces for targeting Americans came as the United States was seeking the South Sudanese leaders agreement for the deployment of 4,000 additional U.N. peacekeepers to restore security in the capital. U.S. officials are concerned that South Sudans warring rivals are increasingly losing control over their own troops. Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, led a U.N. Security Council tour of Juba over the weekend, which highlighted the attacks against U.N. peacekeepers and civilians, including American aid workers, as well as the need for accountability for human rights violators.

Power made no mention of the incident in her public remarks. But in a face-to-face meeting over this past weekend with Kiir, Ambassador Power very forcefully raised the threat to U.S. citizens and the specific incident in which U.S. diplomatic vehicles had been fired upon by government military personnel, expressing her grave concern. There is no justification for such an incident, her spokesman, Kurtis Cooper, said.

The world has long been a dangerous place for U.S. diplomats; the deadly assault on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012 cost four Americans their lives and still reverberates in this years presidential election.

But South Sudan was supposed to be different. It is a friendly country whose birth Washington helped midwife, with no Islamist terrorists and a president who has been to the White House and who cherishes the Stetson cowboy hats that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and George W. Bush gave him. Whats more, the United States has given more than $1.7 billion in humanitarian assistance since South Sudan fell into civil war in December 2013, including $138 million just last month.

But the attack on the convoy coincided with a surge in anti-American and anti-U.N. sentiment of late. Washington has pressed Kiir to accept a power-sharing agreement with his bitter rival, former Vice President Riek Machar. Government troops have rampaged against other foreign diplomats, U.N. officials, and international aid workers, including one especially brutal gang-raping of foreigners in July at the Terrain hotel facility.

I think this is not accidental, said Cameron Hudson, a former CIA and State Department official who has advised three U.S. special envoys to Sudan. Hudson, who currently runs the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museums genocide prevention program, suspects Kiir and his supporters want to drive prying Western eyes out of the country in order to better prosecute the war against Machar. He said the recent attacks on foreigners appear to be part of a concerted campaign.

If you connect the dots  this is a way to signal, We dont want you here, and you need to get out of our way so we can conduct whatever sort of scorched-earth campaign wed like against our political and ethnic enemies,' Hudson told FP. Indeed, several American diplomats withdrew from South Sudan in the days following the July 11 incident.

On Wednesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold an inquiry into the recent violence in South Sudan, including the Terrain assault. According to a report by The Associated Press, which cited interviews with multiple witnesses on the ground, uniformed South Sudanese troops singled out Americans for abuse and beatings, shot and killed a local reporter, carried out mock executions, and gang-raped several foreign women.

The assault on the American convoy occurred when tensions were already running high in Juba. Troops loyal to the countrys warring factions had been exchanging gunfire for days. Fighting broke out between rival camps near the presidential palace. South Sudanese troops fired on an unarmored U.N. vehicle transporting UNESCOs top official, Salah Khaled, was shot in his left thigh, his hand, and his arm while driving in an unarmored vehicle.

Anxious that Juba was set to explode, Molly Phee, the U.S. ambassador to South Sudan, phoned Donegan and six other American diplomats at the restaurant and ordered them to cut short a farewell dinner for a colleague over beer and Indian food. The Americans two armored SUVs were passing by the palace when more than half a dozen presidential guards stationed at a checkpoint pulled them to the side of the road. Brandishing AK-47 assault rifles, they yelled at the Americans in a mix of Arabic and Dinka, South Sudans main indigenous language. At one point, the soldiers tried to force one of the car doors open, prompting the South Sudanese driver in the lead vehicle to floor it.

The second car followed as the guards opened fire from behind at both vehicles, forcing Donegans car to swerve into a parked car, which happened to be owned by a senior South Sudanese national security official. The trail car whizzed past, sideswiping Donegans vehicle as it barreled down the main thoroughfare before turning onto CPA Road  named after the U.S.-brokered Comprehensive Peace Agreement  and racing back to the U.S. Embassy. A second group of more than half a dozen South Sudanese troops, dressed in government military uniforms, unleashed a barrage of fire at the Americans. A third cluster of armed soldiers farther along the escape route sprayed the speeding American vehicles.

But Donegans vehicle had been badly crippled, temporarily stalling as South Sudanese soldiers fired into its tinted windows. The driver got the car restarted but could only hobble down the road, since two tires had blown out. They made the turn at CPA Road before coming to a second and final stop, fortunately out of sight of their would-be assailants. Donegan and his colleagues waited on the suddenly quiet road for 10 to 15 minutes, before the Marines arrived and brought them back to the embassy.

Following the attack, Phee phoned South Sudans top national security officials, including the head of the presidential guard, to ask them what the hell was going on and to stop it, according to a senior State Department official. The next morning she went to site of the attack, took a photo of the bullet marks on the passenger window of Donegans vehicle, and called Kiirs office to demand an immediate meeting. During the meeting, Phee showed Kiir the photograph and warned him that the attack marked a clear sign that youve lost control and If you dont get it together its all going to fall apart.

There is no evidence that Kiir personally ordered the attack on American officials, and some observers note that South Sudans troops are notoriously undisciplined. But Kiir and his top advisors have helped fan the flames of anti-American and anti-U.N. sentiment through a propaganda campaign that portrays Washington and the United Nations as showing favoritism toward Machar, who leads the insurgency.

I think South Sudans leadership, from the president on down, generally thought the U.S. would support it in the civil war, said John Prendergast, the founder of the Enough Project, which promotes human rights in Africa. As reality dawned on Kiir and his circle, rhetoric turned uglier, and actions escalated. Prendergast says anti-U.S. sentiment seems to be coming from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the press secretarys office.

In an environment of vilification of the U.S. and U.N., coupled with total impunity for the actions of soldiers, incidents and escalation were inevitable, he said. Some soldiers already predisposed to paranoia about U.S. intentions might act more aggressively in a proactive way, even if their actions werent approved from the top.

It is not the first time that Kiirs fighters have shot at an American diplomat. In November 2014, a South Sudanese soldier fired at an armored U.S. Embassy vehicle carrying Charles Twining, the then-U.S. ambassador. Twining told a reporter at the time that he was grateful to be traveling in a vehicle with bulletproof glass.

The July 7 shooting coincided with an upsurge in government attacks on foreigners, including American nationals. The previous month, forces from South Sudans National Security Service fired on a Norwegian delegation leaving its diplomatic compound. And the attack on the Terrain hotel facility, in which American nationals were singled out for abuse, came just four days after the convoy ambush.

The United States has for years been playing a central role in South Sudans drive for independence and its quest for stability afterward. Former President George W. Bushs administration brokered a 2005 peace deal that ended a two-decade civil war and which culminated in South Sudans independence in July 2011. Susan Rice, then-U.S. ambassador to the U.N., and former Secretary of State Colin Powell led the U.S. delegation to Juba to celebrate independence.

But relations have grown increasingly strained since December 2013, when Kiirs presidential guards, drawn primarily from the Dinka ethnic group, rampaged through the streets of Juba, slaughtering forces loyal to Machar, who draws much of his backing from South Sudans ethnic Nuer. The widespread killing of Nuer soldiers and civilians by organized military personnel was carried out in furtherance of a [state] policy, according to the findings of the African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudans final report. Machars forces retaliated by targeting ethnic Dinka in Bor and other towns.

Under pressure from Washington and other countries, Kiir and Machar signed a peace deal in August 2015, but the pact only set the stage for some of the conflicts worst violence. Machar returned to Juba in late April this year along with many of his forces to form a transitional government. But the peace process unraveled spectacularly on July 8, the day after the convoy shooting, when rival forces began battling in Juba, even as Kiir and Machar were meeting at the presidential palace.

Forces loyal to Kiir ultimately attacked U.N. installations housing tens of thousands of civilians and carried out the Terrain hotel facility rampage. Machar, meanwhile, fled South Sudan with the aid of U.N. peacekeepers.

U.S. officials are struggling to prevent their South Sudan policy from spinning off the rails. Over the weekend, Power cautiously welcomed Kiirs apparent commitment to support a U.S.-backed plan to deploy 4,000 additional U.N. peacekeepers in Juba to stem the violence.

But by Monday, the agreement was already in doubt. South Sudans information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, said his government was under no obligation to accept all the new peacekeepers. Four-thousand is the ceiling, but we are not duty-bound, he said, according to The Associated Press. We can even agree on 10.

Photo credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
Once upon a time, there was a damsel in distress waiting for a dashing prince to save her from her dowdy wardrobe. Long before pumpkins turned into carriages, the damsel wept profusely from menstrual pain and her hollow, pear-shaped organ. Forget happily ever after; this Disney fairy tale is all about the vagina  a tale as old as time.

Let me tell you, from one girl to another, this is as real as Disney gets: a 10-minute cartoon film titled The Story of Menstruation that helps little girls locate their fallopian tubes and dispels menstruation myths like the old taboo against bathing during your period. There are no dancing candlesticks and definitely no magical endings. Instead, this 1946 animated short deploys oh-so-fun diagrams of female sex organs, and tips on staying positive during that time of the month. Advice like Dont let it get you down and You can do practically everything you normally do is dispensed by a motherly  and sometimes overbearing  narrator. Though The Story of Menstruation is one of Walt Disneys more obscure cinematic creations, for more than 30 years he quietly taught an estimated 105 million female American students about what to do when Aunt Flo pops into town for a visit. It was a real eye-opener in many ways, says Cheryl Warsh, a history professor at the Vancouver Island University and the executive director of the Western Association of Women Historians who was shown the film in her seventh-grade sex ed class. Decades later, Warsh recalls the film as being tastefully done, compared with todays more graphic approaches.

The female body was strategically silhouetted, the menstrual blood was snow white instead of crimson and no mention was made of sex or childbirth.

Looks like ol Walt was a pioneer in more ways than one. In fact, a smattering of films that bore Disneys moniker were not so G-rated. The Story of Menstruation was commissioned by tampon giant Kotex when Disneys growth stalled after World War II. (Disneys Fantasia was a commercial failure in 1940; it wasnt until decades later that the movie gained a cult following.) In need of a production boost, Disney relinquished part of his creative control and dipped into the dark side, teaming up with government agencies and corporations in a last-ditch effort to drive revenue and diversify the Disney brand.

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The pragmatic pivot created a whole new class of Disney edutainment films, including military training and war propaganda films starring commando Donald Duck (with subtle swastika-shaped clouds); industrial films sponsored by companies like General Motors and Kleenex; and health education films like The Winged Scourge, in which the Seven Dwarfs learn all about mosquito-borne malaria. In the 1960s, Disney created Disney Educational Media, which churned out films and workbooks on a variety of topics for schools. Disney expert Jim Korkis says the endeavor, though radical, fell flat and barely covered costs. It would have been cheaper to eliminate the entire division and devote that labor and time to something else, he says. (The Walt Disney Co. declined to comment.)

Menstruation was novel territory for the silver screen in the 1940s. In true Disney fashion, the film took care not to be explicit: The female body was strategically silhouetted, the menstrual blood was snow white instead of crimson and no mention was made of sex or childbirth. The film came with a promotional booklet, Very Personally Yours, to spark safe, constructive discussions at home. Still, the reception was polarizing. Parents were up in arms, says Korkis. Rumors that Minnie Mouse had been created specifically to teach girls about their special time floated around, and some news outlets lambasted the inappropriate Donald Duck sex tape. The American Medical Association, the Library of Congress and Parents magazine, though, lauded the film for its potential historic significance.

Whatever camp you fell in, The Story of Menstruation advanced a conversation for girls and young women that hadnt been happening on-screen before, says Susan Freeman, author of Sex Goes to School: Girls and Sex Education Before the 1960s. Some historians say the film sorely missed the mark with its dated dogma on womanhood. The film plays up the protagonists feminine nature: Shes clad in a dress of course, with white stockings covering her legs, her hair tied back with a bow and a dab of lipstick accentuating her mouth. Gender-stereotyping criticisms have continued in more recent years with Frozen, the hit animated film that little girls went gaga over in 2013. Periods are, as the Disney flick said, a natural part of natures eternal plan for passing on the gift of life, and the final scene shows a lipsticked mother cooing over her baby.

Perhaps Pussy Riot could star in the remake  and Walt Disney could roll over in his grave.

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BBC Worldwide, the U.K. broadcasters sales arm, has commissioned an animated remake of The Power of the Daleks, a 1966 six-part storyline from sci-fiction show Doctor Who, which had been exterminated by callous technocrats.

No complete film recordings of the original live-action episodes from The Power of the Daleks are known to have survived. The master negatives were destroyed in an archive purge in 1974.

The new animated six-episode drama, in which the Daleks and the second Doctor, played by Patrick Troughton, battle on the planet Vulcan, will appear Nov. 5 on the networks retail website, BBC Store  50 years to the minute after its one and only showing on the BBC. There will also be a special screening for fans that afternoon at the British Film Institute.

The new black-and-white animation is based on audio recordings of the show, using the original cast, surviving photographs and film clips.

The six half-hour episodes feature the regeneration, or renewal, as it was then called, of the first Doctor, William Hartnell, into the second Doctor, Troughton, as the Time Lord and his companions, Polly (Anneke Wills) and Ben (Michael Craze), fight the Daleks.

The producer and director of the animated stories is Charles Norton, with character designs from comic-book artists Martin Geraghty and Adrian Salmon. The same team was behind the animation of A Stripe for Frazer, a lost episode of comedy series Dads Army, released on BBC Store in February.

Norton said in a statement: The Power of the Daleks animation is the most ambitious Doctor Who archive restoration ever attempted, and were all very honored to be a part of such an exciting project. Intelligent, suspenseful and magnificently staged, Power of the Daleks is one of the great lost classics of 1960s television and a superb example of the black-and-white era at its finest.

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A model walks through an elaborate runway set in the Fall 2016 Rodarte runway show in New York. Photo: Getty Images.

Cue the creepy music: its baaaaaack.



Fashion Week, that is  and all the trend reports, after parties, and front row gossip that comes with it. But anyone with an Instagram account knows this #NYFW is going to be different. Tommy Hilfiger is throwing a carnival instead of a show. Rumors of a Marc Jacobs mosh pit coincide nicely with his chosen venue  rock n roll temple The Hammerstein Ballroom. AlexanderWang.com will inevitably crash (again) when his entire show live streams through millions of teen-owned tablets worldwide. And nearly every label, from Thakoon to Club Monaco, will boast a runway-to-retail component, which means even if youre missing Tom Fords exclusive catwalk parade, youll still be able to see  and snag  the clothes in real time. Meanwhile, Google just revealed its plans to supercharge Fashion Weeks search engine results, with help from mega-stylist Kate Lanphear. And yes, @YahooStyle will be Gramming and Snapchatting our way through every event so youll be able to see the entire spectacle from our perches.

To be fair, #SNBN (thats see-now-buy-now, for those without a Womens Wear Daily subscription) has been happening for almost ten years. In 2008, Halston made two gowns available the day after its February show. (Fashion critic Cathy Horyn ordered one from her New York Times desk, remarking, I feel like Betty Crocker, testing a new concept.) Four seasons later, Burberry took it a step further, releasing their insanely cool aviator bombers to the public via their website. (They cost about $3000. They were sold out in two days.) And H&M has been selling its designer collaborations fresh off its runways for years  starting with the infamous Lanvin stampede of 2010. (Were you shoved by an associate accessories editor desperate for $16.99 faux pearls? Because I was.)

But now that Instagram has shattered the Swarovski ceiling and made Fashion Week visible  if not viable  to anyone with a WiFi connection, everyone with the Vogue Runway app gets a front row view of each collection mere minutes after it hits the runway. Meanwhile, industry insiders scramble to juggle jammed schedules and increasingly intense street style battlefields outside each show with basic needs like breathing. With the instant gratification and immediate access of a once-elite event, we have to ask: Does Fashion Week even matter anymore?

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Of course, says Shelley Fox, the Donna Karan Professor of Fashion and the Director of the MFA Fashion Design and Society program at Parsons School of Design in New York. Besides the traditional opportunity for designers to create a real buzz for themselves  without being on a red carpet  a catwalk gives you the chance to see how the clothes move, how they appear from a 360-degree viewpoint, and to appreciate their craftsmanship up close. Fox notes her MFA students, who debut their own collections on September 7 at Milk Studios, are trained in techniques that work with the most exquisite fabrics. That might get lost on YouTube, but not from the front row. And though Instagram can show one great angle of a dress, you often only get the front, not the back or the sides, Fox remarked. (Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler said as much this fall, when he admitted Its not just about the clothes anymore, its about what youre designing looking good on a screen clothes are a little stiffer as a result.)

A model waits backstage at the Fall 2016 Marc Jacobs runway show in New York. Photo: Getty Images.

Then theres the fan girl element  the one that brings young style addicts closer to their idols. I would kill to go to New York Fashion Week, laughs Chloe Lee, a high school senior who contributes to Clover Letter, the Gen-Z e-Bible aimed at American teenagers. You can see how the whole industry works up close, meet people you admire, and also get exposure through street style snaps and social media tags. As long as there are still people fascinated by the industry, I think there will always be Fashion Week. And since New York makes an estimated $800 million a year from the chicest circus on earth, politicians and posers alike are invested in making sure it continues.

But for some Vetements-clad veterans, that week includes the work version of Netflix-and-Chill. This is how Im watching [the Alexander] Wang [show], says a fashion pro who asked (begged, really) not to be named. Im going to put on sweats, get some By Chef Chloe takeout, and watch it on the internet like all the college kids who cant get tickets. Ill see the clothes better than I would in person, because the bloggers get better seats than me. Ill Instagram a screen shot with some comment about how cool it is  because yeah, itll be good. And then Ill drink a lot of wine. (Confession: I do this, too  with labels like Yeezy that dont invite me to their shows. #NotMadAboutIt #Honestly #NeedTheRest.)

So do we still need Fashion Week? Probably not  at least, not the old-school model of invite-only runway shows and US Weekly gossip spreads. Or as Jason Wu put it at his recent Caudelie launch, Nothing will ever be the same. You cant just have a fashion show and then hold for six months before your clients can buy the clothes. They wont wait, and they shouldnt have to.

And of course, neither should you. Bookmark Yahoo Style for your (virtual) ticket to the runways and beyond. As for those Yeezy tickets well youre on your own with that one.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
donald trump

Donald Trump accused Hillary Clinton on Wednesday of being overly "trigger-happy" when it comes to foreign military excursions.

Speaking to an audience in Philadelphia, the Republican presidential candidate slammed Clinton for advocating intervening in Libya in 2011 and accused the former secretary of state of possessing interventionist desires in the Middle East, though both candidates previously backed actions like the war in Iraq.

"Sometimes it seemed that there wasn't a country in the Middle East that Hillary Clinton didn't want to invade, intervene in, or topple," Trump said. "She's trigger-happy and very unstable."

Saying that he would "emphasize diplomacy, not destruction," the real-estate magnate attempted to strike a military-friendly yet isolationist posture. He emphasized growing the number of US military troops and increasing funding of military technology such as a missile defense shield.

Trump also claimed that the Middle East would have been more stable if the US "did nothing," yet reiterated his promise to swiftly defeat ISIS.

"We should work with any country that shares our goal of destroying ISIS and defeating radical Islamic terrorism, and form new friendships and partnerships based on this mission," Trump said.

He added: "Immediately after taking office, I will ask my generals to present to me a plan within 30 days to defeat and destroy ISIS."

Though Trump has a significant lead among voters in military households, the Clinton campaign has attempted to use Trump's unique foreign-policy vision to woo traditionally more conservative foreign-policy hawks and veterans.

This week, Clinton released an ad touting Trump's controversial rhetoric about veterans and announced a list of over 90 retired generals backing her campaign.

Watch the video, via CNN:

NOW WATCH: This animated map shows the most probable path to a Trump victory





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GettyImages 599724318

Donald Trump's infamous media blacklist has come to an end.

Hope Hicks, a spokesperson for the New York businessman's campaign, confirmed on Wednesday morning that reporters from select media outlets would no longer be barred from covering events.

Trump had prohibited reporters from The Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Politico, and The Washington Post from covering campaign events.

The news was first reported by CNN.

"I figure they can't treat me any worse!" Trump told the cable news outlet of the move.

Trump's move to lift the blacklist came as his opponent, Hillary Clinton, also loosened her restrictions on the press.

Over the Labor Day weekend, the Democratic presidential nominee unveiled a new plane, allowing press to travel with her. Clinton also gaggled with press on Monday and Tuesday.

NOW WATCH: Here's what economists think of Trump's proposed economic plan





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Donald Trump attacked Hillary Clinton on Tuesday for her aides decision to destroy her old mobile phones and for her decision to discard emails that her lawyers had deemed personal in nature, using newly released FBI documents to suggest illegal motives that federal investigators did not find.

People who have nothing to hide dont smash phones with hammers, he told a small crowd Tuesday evening in Greenville, N.C. People who have nothing to hide dont bleach their emails. He spent much of his 45-minute address suggesting that Clinton and her aides were covering up some greater crime, saying that they knowingly destroyed evidence of their shady activity.

Nobody takes all the risks Hillary Clinton took unless theyre trying to cover up massive, massive crimes, he said. The crowd, which had periodically erupted into chants of USA! USA! throughout the speech, started to chant Lock her up! Lock her up! Many wore T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase Hillary for Prison.

The FBI documents described one aides testimony about destroying two personal electronic devices after Clinton stopped using them. The FBI did not suggest that either device was destroyed with an intent to destroy evidence from an investigation. The documents also described Clinton telling investigators that her separate decision to discard email records her lawyers had deemed to be personal was not intended to avoid complying with the Federal Records Act, FOIA, or state or FBI requests for information.

Trump and Clinton are nearly tied in a CNN poll released Tuesday, with Trump winning 45% of the vote and Clinton winning 43%. Libertarian Gary Johnson is getting 7% of the vote, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein is pulling in 2%. Clinton still leads the race in national polling averages.

Trump started his speech by comparing Clinton to the Chancellor of Germany, whose pro-refugee policy recently led her party to suffer a massive defeat in state elections. She is running to be Americas Angela Merkel, Trump said. And you see what happened to Angela Merkel. He reiterated his vow to curb immigration, calling the wave of Syrian refugees waiting to get into the U.S. the great Trojan horse of all time.

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Trump returned to his argument about the need for radical change, which he has repeatedly pushed throughout the campaign. We will never solve our problems by relying on the politicians who created our problems, he said. So to every American who has been waiting for real change, your wait is over, your moment of liberation is at hand.

He also reiterated his promise to build a wall on the southern border. When supporters began to chant Build that wall, he asked Whos gonna pay for that wall? and supporters shouted Mexico! After Trump recently returned from a surprise visit to Mexico to meet with President Enrique Pena Nieto, the Mexican President tweeted that he had told Trump his country would not pay for the wall.

After a speech at the Great Faith Ministries church in Detroit over the weekend, Trump continued his outreach to African-American voters, suggesting that things were so bad in their communities that they couldnt possibly get worse if he were President. To those African Americans and Hispanics suffering in crime and poverty, I say very simply: Give Donald Trump a chance, he said. What do you have to lose?

He also continued his promise to fight against international trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which many workers say would threaten American jobs. Its going to be now America first, remember that, and our workers come first, he said, adding that he would create consequences for companies that take American jobs overseas. Clinton has repeatedly criticized Trump for manufacturing some of his signature products like Trump ties and Trump furniture in overseas factories in China and Turkey.

Supporters came from all over the state to hear Trump speak Tuesday, after a Mike Pence event scheduled for Fayetteville over the weekend was indefinitely postponed. Hes honest, hes not politically correct, said Walker Shelton, a 23-year-old firefighter who attended the event with his twin sister Catherine and mom Sue. Hes not feeding me the same bull crap.

Shelton said seeing Trump gets you pumped up about the country and where it could go.

I dont think other countries really respect us like they should, he said. Other countries look at us and laugh.
The 19-year-old woman, in a fit of fury, set the wrong car on fire and then cycled away.

By India Today Web Desk: Nothing can quell the fury of a woman who has been spurned by a lover. This Florida woman vented it out in the worst possible way.

Carmen Chamblee, 19, wanted to take the worst revenge against her ex-boyfriend, but in a hurry, she set ablaze a wrong car.

The Clearwater Florida Police Department posted the surveillance video on their Facebook page that shows Chamblee torching the car with a lit up rag and stuffing it into the gas tank of the white-colored Honda. People who spotted her said that she nonchalantly cycled away after she realised the mistake, reports CBS.



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After the incident which took place late last month, she was arrested and charged with second-degree arson. Reports state that she wasn't aware that it wasn't her ex's car. The actual owner, Thomas Jenning was notified after his roommate witnessed the car go up in flames.

Watch he video below:

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Mexico's Economy Finance Minister Luis Videgaray meets with Reuters at his office during the Reuters Latin America Investment Summit at the National Palace in Mexico City May 22, 2013. REUTERS/Henry Romero

Less than a week after a sudden visit by Donald Trump left Mexicans frustrated with their government, President Enrique Pena Nieto has shuffled his cabinet after the resignation of one of his closest advisers, Finance Minister Luis Videgaray.

The invitation extended to Trump was rumored to have been Videgaray's idea.

Reports cited by The Wall Street Journal indicate Videgaray told Pena Nieto that building ties with Trump could sooth unease in financial markets, an important concern given Trump's rhetoric and Mexico's recent economic doldrums.

The president did not give a reason for Videgaray's resignation during his announcement. Videgaray's office denied the visit was his idea, and Pena Nieto himself has taken responsibility for the invitation.

"He left because of Trump, no doubt," Viridiana Rios, a fellow at the Wilson Center and columnist for Mexican newspaper Excelsior, told Business Insider.

In the wake of the visit, which was widely seen as humiliating for the Mexican president, the cabinet was divided, with the foreign and interior ministries making plain their opposition to the visit, according to The Journal. Some now see Videgaray's departure as an attempt by Pena Nieto to shore up approval ratings that had sunk to new lows even before Trump set foot on Mexican soil.

The cabinet shake up was "the least [Pena Nieto] could do to try to recover some credibility given that he has 27 months left in power," Guillermo Valdes, a former chief of Mexico's intelligence agency, told The Journal.

"Mexico's federal government is now in full panic mode," Mexico-based journalist Jan-Albert Hootsen tweeted after the announcement. "No more continuity or new policy development; it's all about crisis management."

Donald Trump Enrique Pena Nieto Mexico meeting

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There are other explanations for Videgaray's departure. The country's weak economic growth, his personal unpopularity, and his ties to a number of conflict-of-interest scandals may be at play as well.

But Videgaray has long been close with Pena Nieto, counseling him since the latter was governor of the state of Mexico, Mexico's most populous state, from 2005 to 2011. And despite Videgaray vacating his post in the finance ministry, there is a strong possibility that he remains a close adviser to the president, Rios told Business Insider.

Videgaray's departure has necessitated a shuffling of posts in Pena Nieto's cabinet. The new finance minister will be Jose Antonio Meade, who served in the same role in 2011 and 2012 under Felipe Calderon, Pena Nieto's predecessor. Under Pena Nieto, who took office in 2012, Meade was foreign minister and headed the Social Development Ministry.

Enrique Pena Nieto Luis Miranda Jose Antonio Meade Mexico government cabinet

Luis Enrique Miranda, who was a deputy secretary at the Interior Ministry, will take over Meade's role at the Social Development Ministry.

Like Videgaray, Miranda has deep ties to Pena Nieto, serving as interior minister for Pena Nieto's government in Mexico state.

Miranda's new post underscores the suggestion that these moves are the president's attempt to bolster his administration in a time of turmoil.

"I read it as [Pena Nieto] putting a confidant into a key post," Carin Zissis, editor-in-chief of the Americas Society and Council of the Americas website, told Business Insider.

Miranda is part of Pena Nieto's "inner circle" of politicians from Mexico state, according to Zissis, who noted that Miranda's placement in the Social Development Ministry emphasizes "how close [Miranda and Pena Nieto] are."

For others, Miranda's appointment raises a red flag that Pena Nieto may be giving politics precedence over policy, signaling that cash-transfer programs, which are social-assistance initiatives that provide money to families on certain conditions, may be used for political ends, rather than to most effectively reduce poverty.

What worries me most is the person they picked to be the minister of social development, Rios said. "He is a politician not an expert in poverty reduction. This shows [Pena Nieto] considers cash-transfer programs a political matter," not a policy issue.

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A NASA satellite captured a far-out view last week when the moon and the Earth passed in front of the sun simultaneously.

The double eclipse was captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), a satellite designed to monitor the sun and its atmosphere. The spacecraft holds a variety of instruments to image the sun in 13 wavelengths, enabling researchers to better understand solar cycles.

The SDO is in geosynchronous orbit above a ground station in New Mexico, to which the satellite transmits its data. Its orbit is designed to have as clear a view of the sun as possible. Twice a year, however, the satellite experiences periods of daily eclipses as the Earth passes between the craft and the sun. These "eclipse seasons" last for a few weeks, according to NASA, and can obstruct the satellite's view for up to 72 minutes a day. [Solar Eclipses: An Observer's Guide (Infographic)]

On Sept. 1, one of these daily Earth eclipses happened to coincide with the moon's transit across the sun. The satellite captured imagery of the Earth blocking the sun's light, and as the planet clears the sun, the moon can be seen lagging slightly behind.

Earth's edge is blurry in the images because the planet's atmosphere absorbs light, according to NASA. The moon has no atmosphere, so its edge appears sharp against the surface of the sun.

Some Earthlings got a cosmic view out of this transit, too. In Africa  particularly South Africa  the moon passing in front of the sun created an annular eclipse. An annular eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, but at the outer reaches of the natural satellite's orbit. Thus, the moon appears too small to entirely cover the surface of the sun.

The result is a "ring of fire" effect, in which the sun is partially covered but light shines from the star's edges. This bright ring is called an annulus. On social media, people across central and southern Africa shared photos of the annular eclipse on Sept. 1, many of which were rounded up by the Mail & Guardian newspaper.

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Original article on Live Science.

Editor's Recommendations

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Mylan CEO Heather Bresch

Almost a year after pharmaceutical price hikes became the focus of national attention with Turing Pharmaceuticals' 5,000% overnight increase of the drug Daraprim, it remains a big issue in the US.

In August, Mylan, the company that makes the EpiPen, came under fire from politicians and the public for its 500% increase since 2007 in the list price of the emergency allergy medication.

The announcement has prompted investigations, plans to stop future extreme price hikes, and Mylan to make some moves to increase access to the medication. Some of Mylan's actions include a savings card for $300 off the $600 list price for those with commercial insurance, and a $300 authorized generic version that is in the works.

The focus on drug pricing  and in particular Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's plan, if elected, to institute a panel that would take on "unjustified" price hikes  prompted Morgan Stanley to issue a report on how this policy would affect the pharmaceutical industry overall.

"We see this Clinton proposal as focused on non-innovators, but innovative companies could still face scrutiny in the future," the note said.

In particular, specialty pharmaceutical companies and some biotechnology companies are especially at risk of drug pricing issues.

If companies don't raise the prices of their drugs in the US, those with the largest risk to their earnings are Horizon (a potential earnings-per-share impact of 9%); Mallinckrodt and Valeant (8% each); and AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Eli Lilly (all at 7%).

Screen Shot 2016 09 07 at 8.58.26 AM

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Paris (AFP) - The son of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea's veteran ruler will go on trial in France on charges of plundering his country to fund a jet-set lifestyle in Paris, judicial sources told AFP on Wednesday.

Teodorin Obiang, currently vice president, is accused of using the proceeds of corruption and embezzlement to fund an array of eye-popping purchases, from private jets and top properties to pop star Michael Jackson's famous white glove.

The trial, whose date has not yet been set, will be the first arising from a series of landmark investigations in France into the alleged ill-gotten gains of a handful of African leaders.

And with Obiang unlikely to attend the proceedings, the trial "may be symbolic more than anything," a source close to the case said.

Prosecutors will show Obiang, now 47, amassed French assets worth several tens of millions of euros between 2007 and 2011, "either directly or through front men or shell companies", a source close to the investigation said.

Obiang was agriculture minister for his father Teodoro Obiang Nguema in the tiny central African nation at the time, earning a government salary of under $100,000 (89,000 euros) a year.

He will face charges of laundering the proceeds of corruption, embezzlement, misuse of public funds and breach of trust.

- Dire poverty despite oil -

Equatorial Guinea has become sub-Saharan Africa's third-biggest oil producer in recent years, with oil revenues accounting for more than 70 percent of national income.

But the wealth has not trickled down. While per capita national income stands at over $10,000 for a population of less than a million, more than half the people live on less than two dollars a day.

In 2012, French authorities swooped on the Obiang family's six-storey mansion on Avenue Foch -- one of the most upmarket addresses in Paris -- seizing it along with a fleet of luxury cars including two Bugatti Veyrons and a Rolls-Royce Phantom.

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Police also took away van loads of valuables, including paintings by famous artists, a $4.2-million clock and wines worth thousands of euros a bottle.

The investigation was launched after Transparency International and Sherpa, an NGO that campaigns against economic crimes, filed a complaint against him.

Obiang, who was charged in 2014, has tried unsuccessfully ever since to have the proceedings quashed, and in June Equatorial Guinea lodged a complaint against France before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

US authorities have also pursued Obiang junior, accusing him of racking up more than $300 million through embezzlement, extortion and money laundering.

In October 2014, he was forced to turn over more than $30 million in ill-gotten gains -- including a Malibu villa, a Ferrari and Michael Jackson memorabilia.

He managed however to hang onto the white glove Jackson wore during his "Bad" tour.

Other leaders under investigation in France include Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso, the late Omar Bongo of Gabon and Francois Bozize, former president of the Central African Republic.

Obiang's father, who has ruled the former Spanish colony with an iron fist since 1979, is Africa's longest-serving leader, extending his rule in April when he was re-elected with 93.7 percent of the vote.

He promoted his son to vice president in charge of defence and national security in June.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc. (CSE:EAC) ("Earth Alive" or the "Company"), a leading developer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art microbial technology-based products, is pleased to provide an update on trials of its Soil Activator product with the Company's distribution and sales partner Brenntag Latin America ("BLA") (see press release dated February 8, 2016).

Earth Alive's Soil Activator is a patent pending, CFRA registered microbial biofertilizer designed to produce healthier plants and higher yields by improving nutrient availability in the soil. Currently, BLA clients in 5 different countries are involved in 62 ongoing trials on 30 different crops using Earth Alive's patented microbial biofertilizer.

Mrs. Paola Correal, Director of Operations for the company stated, "Aside from these on-going trials, we have a number of new trials about to get underway as we have recently obtained registration for Soil Activator in Guatemala, Honduras and Colombia. We are pleased to be continuously demonstrating that our biofertilizer technology brings value to the agriculture community. Consequently, we are seeing wide scale product adoption of Soil Activator over the past months following successful on-going trials, and more are coming." Mrs. Correal further added, "Large-scale test applications on a variety of crops such as bananas, tomatoes, pumpkins, avocados, and grapes are underway in many regions of Latin America and we look forward to sharing more of these outstanding test results as those recently obtained on avocados in Chile."

A recent test concluded by a Brenntag client in the Quillota V Region of Chile on avocados demonstrated that the average weight of the fruit from trees treated with Soil Activator were 295.5 grams, versus untreated plants of 255.5 grams. This resulted in an average 16% increase in avocado yield. Moreover, a statistically significant number of trees treated with Soil Activator produced fruits that were of grade 1, for which a higher value is paid on the market.

Michael Warren, Vice president of Earth Alive's Agriculture Division stated, "Earth Alive's Soil Activator continues to demonstrate impressive results in farm trials on all types of crops all over the world. We consistently see increases in overall yields and quality confirming our product's positioning and strength as a non-crop specific biofertilizer. We are happy to see adoption of Soil Activator into the fertilization plan by our trial clients throughout their farms and plantations."

About Earth Alive Clean Technologies:

Earth Alive aims to be a key player in world markets of environmentally sustainable industrial solutions. The company works with the latest innovations in microbial technology to formulate and patent innovative products that can tackle the most difficult industrial challenges, once only reserved to environmentally harmful chemicals and additives. The company is focused on environmental sustainability in 1) dust control for the mining industry, and 2) the agriculture industry.

For additional company information, please visit: www.earthalivect.com.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" occur. Although Earth Alive believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc.,

1001, Lenoir Street, Suite B-338,

Montreal (Qc) Canada

H4C 2Z6

T.(438) 333-1680

For media information and interview requests, please contact:

Mr. David Gilmour

(e) dgilmour@earthalivect.com

(p) 514-814-2899





For investor relations, please contact:

Mr. Frederick Chabot

(e) frederick@contactfinancial.com

(p) 438-863-7071

SOURCE: Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc.
Tiputini (Ecuador) (AFP) - Ecuador began pumping oil Wednesday from a massive field located partly on a protected nature reserve in the Amazon rainforest, drawing criticism from environmentalists and indigenous-rights groups.

After years of fraught debate over whether to drill inside the Yasuni national park, state oil company Petroamazonas started pumping crude from the so-called ITT block, which holds more than 40 percent of the South American country's proven reserves.

"Today, a new era is beginning, a new oil horizon for all Ecuadorans," said Vice President Jorge Glas at a launch ceremony at the Tiputini oil field -- which forms the ITT block together with the nearby fields of Tambococha and Ishpingo.

Together, they hold 1.7 billion of OPEC member Ecuador's four billion barrels of proven oil reserves.

President Rafael Correa originally tried to persuade the international community to pay Ecuador $3.6 billion not to exploit the ITT block -- an ultimately failed initiative to protect the Amazon and help curb climate change.

But with his government strapped for cash amid a plunge in global oil prices, in the end the leftist leader asked Congress to give the go-ahead to drill, starting with exploration at Tiputini in March.

Next up is Tambococha to the south, in the last quarter of 2016.

The government defied calls from activists to put the decision to a referendum.

Besides being among the most biodiverse areas on Earth, the million-hectare (2.5-million acre) Yasuni park is home to some of the world's last uncontacted indigenous populations.

"The damage is huge," said Esperanza Martinez, head of Ecuadoran environmental group Ecological Action.

She said oil operations on the ITT block risk damaging ecosystems, threatening indigenous groups and installing "oil enclaves" in the region.

The block is not yet operating at full capacity and "already you can see more bars, more brothels, more social problems," she told AFP.

Ecuador plans to ramp up production from the block to 300,000 barrels per day by 2022.
There are no better models than this Oklahoma couple for a photo shoot inspired by The Notebook, especially since their whole life seems lifted from a movie.

Read: Photographer Gives Away Free Photo Shoots to Children With Special Needs

Last weekend, Clemma and Sterling Elmore, 76 and 80, channeled their best Allie and Noah in a shoot modeled after scenes from The Notebook, shot by their very own granddaughter-in-law, Stacy Welch-Christ, of Mary Evelyn Photography.

"They're as adorable as they look in those pictures," Welch-Christ, of Wewoka, told InsideEdition.com.

In fact, the story of their 57 years together mirrors the 2004 film and the 1996 book on which it was based.

After they met, they immediately began going steady. Within four months, the couple were wildly in love and married.

To set up the photo shoot, Welch-Christ said they recreated notes they often wrote to each other over the years, mirroring the letters Noah saved for Allie while he was serving in World War II.

Clemma's note to Sterling read: "You are my life and my true love. Love you always and forever, Clemma."

Sterling's read: "You are God's gift to me and I love you. Sterling Elmore."

They even have a vintage truck that their children and grandchildren grew up riding.

"That truck is super sentimental too," their granddaughter-in-law said. "The '54 Chevy in the picture was their son's truck. All of their kids have had pictures in it and they've driven down dirt roads with their dad."

Read: Love Birds Allie and Noah Celebrate 1-Year Anniversary, Spent It Taking 'Long Walks on Flamingo Beach'

Matched with the picturesque country backdrop, Welch-Christ said the shoot couldn't have gone better.

"I'm extremely sentimental," she said. "I'd hate it if they didn't know what '[The Notebook]' was, but [Clemma] goes, 'Oh we love that movie. Both me and Sterling love it.'"

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Watch: 90-Year-Old Couple Spotted Going On Their First Date Proves It's Never Too Late For Love

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From Good Housekeeping

Two weeks ago, a 9-year-old girl was pulled from her class at Brookhaven Elementary School in Brookhaven, Mississippi, and sent to in-school suspension, TODAY reports. School officials said her outfit - a T-shirt and gray cotton pants - was too "formfitting," but these claims left the girl's uncle with one big question: "Does my niece's round belly OFFEND you?"

In a now-viral Facebook post, the girl's uncle, Robbie Nettles, took on the elementary school that he says shamed his young niece. The post includes photos of both his niece's first outfit, which initially led to the 9-year-old being plucked from class, and the second outfit, which her mother brought for her to change into - and which the school also deemed unsatisfactory. According to local newspaper The Daily Leader, the school's dress code forbids clothing that is either "overly baggy" or "overly tight," but Nettles feels that the punishment his niece received has far more to do with her body type - and how she, personally, fits into clothes - than her outfit.

"Apparently, it is acceptable to body shame a 9-year-old," Nettles wrote in his Facebook post. "My niece may not be the ideal weight, but she was not showing anything inappropriate. It sickens me to imagine my sweet niece going to a school that cares more about her weight than what's in her mind."

According to Nettles's post, another girl in his niece's class - who has a similar body type - was given the same treatment.

Overwhelmingly, commenters on Nettles's Facebook post (which has now been shared more than 46,000 times) agreed that the school's punishment was unjust and ultimately harmful to the young girl's self-esteem. "This is targeted bullying in my eyes and needs to be addressed," one commenter even wrote.

Despite the backlash on social media, however, the school still believes they made the right decision. Brookhaven School District Superintendent Ray Carlock told The Daily Leader that the school's officials followed proper procedure "to the letter."

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[h/t TODAY]

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From ELLE

'How to Party With an Infant' by Kaui Hart Hemmings

Kaui Hart Hemmings deftly skewers the so-called mommy wars in this novel about single mother Mele, who's still recovering from the shock of telling her boyfriend she was pregnant (with their now-toddler daughter) only to find out that he was engaged to another woman. Mele's navigating the world of upper-crust San Francisco parenting: everything from keeping up with the Joneses to playground politics and searching for the perfect preschool, all while trying to find a playgroup for her daughter that doesn't involve spending time with the parents whom Mele despises. -Louise Hilton, Los Angeles

Don't read this unless you want to laugh. And don't be fooled by the title, either. While parents will certainly relate to protagonist Mele's dilemmas, everyone can appreciate her love life dramas and hilarious friendships. -Natalie Saar, West Hollywood, CA

This is a hysterical, spot-on view of all the moms you meet once you have a child. From the mom who is sure illegal immigrants are responsible for pushing her child off a slide to the moms who bake pot brownies, Kaui Hart Hemmings skewers them all. I recommend this book to all moms deep in the trenches of raising kids. -Sarah R., Brookfield, WI

In Hemmings' delightful new novel, we learn the story of Mele as she dictates her narrative in response to questions posed in a cookbook competition held by the local mothers' club. -Stephanie Polley

How to Party With an Infant had some clarifying truths and insights into child-raising that were packed with laughs and funny social commentary. The book had this reader giggling and reminiscing about the antics of parents and their children from my own experiences as a mother on the playground bench. The story is cleverly interwoven around food and menus designed to capture the personal stories and circumstances of the characters. Fun read! -Michelle Rosen-Hatcher, Santa Fe, NM

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Hilarious and politically incorrect! -Colleen Falke, Bakersfield, CA

The writing is witty and engaging and kept my attention. However, the stories of the individual characters that make up the protagonist's circle of friends were hit or miss in their appeal. -Nickie Shah, Edison, NJ

How to Party With an Infant shows the many sides of parenting, and Hemmings' greatest success is that each of her engaging characters is relatable in a unique way. Parent or not, readers will find themselves transported into Hemmings' dynamic world, which isn't that different from each of our own. -Maggie Malach, New York, NY

'Harmony' by Carolyn Parkhurst

"She's yours and you're hers, and you don't have endless time. If you can't find a way to help your daughter, your lovely fire-bright girl who thrills and confounds you, who spells every swearword perfectly...well. If you can't do that, then you've failed at the most important task you've ever been given." So says Alexandra Hammond, mother to 11-year-old Iris and 13-year-old Tilly, who falls somewhere on the autism spectrum. After Tilly is expelled from school multiple times, the Hammonds take the drastic measure of selling all their possessions and moving out of state to start Camp Harmony with child behavior expert Scott Bean. The story, told alternately from the perspectives of Iris, Tilly, and Alexandra, is an examination of a family desperate to carve a space in society for Tilly. This book is beautifully written and suspenseful, and stayed with me long after I put it down. -Sarah R.

Parkhurst creates a compelling patchwork of points of view without making this reader have to stop to admire her "style." -Colleen Falke

With Harmony, Parkhurst has authored a moving and perspicacious piece of literature on a very timely issue. -Stephanie Polley, Evans, GA

Tilly is both brilliant and difficult. Her behavior motivates the family to make a life-changing decision that throws them all into a precarious situation ending in a surprising and unexpected way. The characters are well drawn and the author clearly knows what she's talking about. Great, engrossing read with a few twists and turns that will keep the reader absorbed. -Michelle Rosen-Hatcher

Harmony is a compelling, original read that explores the lengths to which parents will go to help their children, even at the seeming loss of reason and logic. -Louise Hilton

Suspenseful, haunting, and filled with memorable characters: It was impossible to put this book down, and the story stayed with me long after I read the last words. Especially beguiling were the gorgeously expressed metaphors throughout, but specifically at the end where, in an extended allegory, the mother manifests her daughter's condition in the guise of unique and beautiful wings that require special care in a world not built for flight. -Nickie Shah

'The Book That Matters Most' by Ann Hood

Ava, a fortysomething mother of two, has faced many losses in her life, from her sister's and mother's deaths in the 1970s to the recent collapse of her marriage and her daughter's drug problems. In the midst of her grief, she joins a book club, where each month a member chooses the book that matters the most to her. This book is a love letter to all books and a study on the ways grief and loss affect us all. There were a couple of ancillary plots that did not add to the story, and one of the major character's plot lines just seemed to fall off, while the book's mystery was a little too tidily solved. -Sarah R.

Any book lover will extol the power of a good read, but Ann Hood's The Book That Matters Most captures how literature can both mirror and change our lives. Through switching narratives that jump between time and place, Hood tells a story of family that will cut to your core, while also making you want to revisit that one story that changed your life. -Maggie Malach

What a wonderful author. This is a book I could not even begin to put down. -Sarah Bauman, Forney, Texas

The main character, Ava, recovering from a marriage gone bust, struggles to put her life back together. Her daughter struggles with bad choices and drug addiction overseas. Yet the story seems implausible and stretched to integrate lost family, lost dreams, and lost love. Even though I hung on till the last page, the author "lost" me on this read. -Michelle Rosen-Hatcher

Readers love books about books, and that's what sets this story in motion. Ava joins a book club and uses a book that helped her through her younger years as she deals with a divorce and her adult children. The limited POVs from Ava and her daughter Maggie leave the story a bit lacking, but overall it's a good read. -Natalie Saar

While the narratives of each character seem divergent early on, they all come together nicely as the year ends. -Deidra MacLeod-Richardson, Farmingham, MA

Ann Hood's latest novel touches on the important social issue of heroin abuse with one of its protagonists, Maggie. However, instead of giving this matter the appropriate attention it deserves, Hood dismisses it with a blase tone one would reserve for far less critical affairs. -Stephanie Polley

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By PTI: Washington, Sep 7 (PTI) Eyes may be a reservoir for Zika virus, say scientists, including one of Indian origin, who found evidence of the virus in eyes and tears of infected mice, a discovery that raises the possibility that the infection may spread through tears.

Zika virus causes mild disease in most adults but can cause brain damage and death in foetuses.

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About a third of all babies infected in uterus with Zika show eye disease such as inflammation of the optic nerve, retinal damage or blindness after birth.

In adults, Zika can cause conjunctivitis ? redness and itchiness of the eyes ? and, in rare cases, a condition known as uveitis that can lead to permanent vision loss.

"Our study suggests that the eye could be a reservoir for Zika virus," said Michael S Diamond, a professor at Washington University School of Medicine.

"We need to consider whether people with Zika have infectious virus in their eyes and how long it actually persists," Diamond said.

To determine what effect Zika infection has on the eye, the researchers infected adult mice under the skin and found live virus in the eyes seven days later. The observations confirm that Zika is able to travel to the eye.

It is not yet known whether the virus typically makes that trip by crossing the blood-retina barrier that separates the eye from the bloodstream, travelling along the optic nerve that connects the brain and the eye, or some other route.

Eye infection raises the possibility that people could acquire Zika infection through contact with tears from infected people.

The researchers found that the tears of infected mice contained Zikas RNA - the genetic material from the virus - but not infectious virus, when tested 28 days after infection.

"Even though we didnt find live virus in mouse tears, that doesnt mean that it couldnt be infectious in humans," said Jonathan J Miner, from Washington University.

"There could be a window of time when tears are highly infectious and people are coming in contact with it and able to spread it," said Miner.

The eye is an immune privileged site, meaning the immune system is less active there to avoid accidentally damaging sensitive tissues responsible for vision in the process of fighting infection.

Consequently, infections sometimes persist in the eye after they have been cleared from the rest of the body.

"We are planning studies in people to find out whether infectious virus persists in the cornea or other compartments of the eye, because that would have implications for corneal transplantation," said Rajendra S Apte, professor at Washington University.

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Even if human tears do not turn out to be infectious, the researchers detection of live virus in the eye and viral RNA in tears still has practical benefits.

Human tears potentially could be tested for viral RNA or antibodies, a less painful way to diagnose recent Zika infection than drawing blood.

The research appears in the journal Cell Reports. PTI MHN SAR AKJ MHN

--- ENDS ---
MEXICO CITY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Mexico's currency weakened on Wednesday, slipping back from its strongest level in 1-1/2 weeks as investors waited for the government to deliver the 2017 budget after news of the replacement of the finance minister.

President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday named Jose Antonio Meade as the country's new finance minister, replacing Luis Videgaray.

Analysts said the peso was little moved by the news, since Meade, a former finance minister, is seen by investors as a technocrat committed to reining in the country's debt.

The peso fell 0.55 percent to close at 18.374 per dollar. It was the biggest daily loss since late August when Latin American investors worried about the prospect of an imminent rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

When he unveils the budget on Thursday, Meade is expected to make deep spending cuts after ratings agency Standard & Poor's last month said it could downgrade the country's credit rating following a marked increase in debt.

Mexico's economy contracted in the second quarter for the first time in three years.

Meade assumed the position on Wednesday following criticism of Pena Nieto and Videgaray over a controversial visit by U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump to Mexico.

In Brazil, financial markets were closed due to the country's Independence Day holiday. Markets there will resume regular trading on Thursday.

(Reporting by Natalie Schachar, editing by G Crosse)
From the tech bubble of Silicon Valley to the urban sprawl of New York City to the end of the world, this year's six leading men of comedy cover a lot of ground.

With his second consecutive best comedic actor nomination for his performance as the titular Last Man on Earth, Will Forte is looking to win his first Emmy this year.

Coming off a win in the category last year, in addition to a Golden Globe, Jeffrey Tambor earned a second nomination for his role as the transgender head of a dysfunctional family in Amazon's Transparent.

On ABC's Black-ish, Anthony Anderson plays a successful father who worries his family may not appreciate what they have. Anderson, who was the show's sole nominee last year, will be joined by his wife on the show, Tracee Ellis Ross - who earned a best comedic actress nod - on the nom list this year.

Also returning is William H. Macy, who received his third nomination as alcoholic ne'er-do-well Frank Gallagher on Showtime's Shameless. He lost out to Tambor last year and The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons the year before, but is looking to change his luck at this year's awards.

That leaves the two newcomers to this year's awards. Thomas Middleditch, who plays a socially awkward, yet brilliant, computer programmer on HBO's Silicon Valley, garnered his first Emmy nomination this year for his performance. Meanwhile, Aziz Ansari earned not just an acting nod for his portrayal of a young actor trying to make it in New York in Netflix's Master of None, but for directing and writing nom, to boot.

Read more: Emmys 2016: The Full List of Nominations
Could Marcia Clark be Sarah Paulson's good luck charm?

Playing the lead prosecutor in FX's limited series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story earned Paulson an Emmy nomination and The Hollywood Reporter has learned that the actress is bringing Clark as her date to the big show at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 18.

Read more: 'People v. O.J. Simpson' Star Sarah Paulson Recalls First Meeting With Marcia Clark: "We Were Both Pigs in Shit"

A rep at FX confirmed the news, which won't be that surprising to fans who have kept a close eye on interviews Paulson has done since it aired.

Though they met privately for dinner at the now-shuttered Daily Grill in Studio City, Paulson and Clark have only made one public appearance together. They joined creator Ryan Murphy for a discussion in mid-August at 20th Century Fox's Zanuck Theatre, sharing compliments onstage. "I can't tell you how grateful I am for the light you've shown on sexism," Clark told Paulson. "I think you've done a great thing for this world."

The work has been good to Paulson, too: She's been pegged as a frontrunner in her category, outstanding lead actress in a limited series. Paulson also is nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series for her work on another Murphy vehicle, American Horror Story.

Read more: Marcia Clark Weighs In on 'People v. O.J. Simpson'
In advance of the Sept. 30 release of Ready Take One - the first new album by legendary jazz pianist Erroll Garner in nearly a quarter century - fans are being treated today to the exclusive premiere of the album track "High Wire."

Listen to "High Wire":

Ready Take One is the second in a series of forthcoming releases from Sony Music's Legacy Recordings and Octave Music Licensing LLC, curators of Garner's archival recordings. The first was 2015's reissue of the 1955 Grammy-nominated Garner classic The Complete Concert By the Sea.

"The release of 'High Wire' offers a dynamic example of another side of Erroll Garner," says Steve Rosenthal, who produced Ready Take One alongside Peter Lockhart and Geri Allen. "What you leave in, what you take out has long been the mantra of the record-making world. Ready Take One is Garner in the studio let loose, experimenting, collaborating with his band and producer Martha Glaser and in the process creating timeless music."

Sony Legacy to Release Erroll Garner Masterpiece 'The Complete Concert By the Sea'

Recorded during a two-hour evening session on Dec. 2, 1971, at RCA Studios in Manhattan, "High Wire" featured Garner, Jimmie Smith on drums, Ernest McCarty Jr. on bass and Jose Mangual on congas. The vibrant track is one of six previously unreleased original Garner compositions featured on the album, alongside the previously premiered "Wild Music," "Back to You," "Chase Me," "Latin Digs" and "Down Wylie Avenue." Rounding out the 14-track set are imaginative interpretations of various jazz and pop standards including "Sunny" and Garner's own signature standard "Misty" - all also previously unreleased.

Ready Take One was drawn from recently discovered recording sessions conducted in Chicago, New York City and the aforementioned Manhattan in 1967, 1969 and 1971. Among Garner's additional backing musicians: Joe Cocuzzo (drums), Ike Isaacs, George Duvivier and Larry Gales (bass). Bringing a you-are-there feel to the project is session banter between the band and Garner's longtime manager Glaser. In fact, the album's title was sparked by Glaser's frequent in-studio refrain, "Ready take one."

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Available for pre-order on Amazon, here's the Ready Take One track list:

"High Wire"

"I Want to Be Happy"

"I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)"

"Sunny"

"Wild Music"

"Caravan"

"Back to You"

"Night and Day"

"Chase Me"

"Satin Doll"

"Latin Digs"

"Stella By Starlight"

"Down Wylie Avenue"

"Misty"
By Julia Fioretti

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union aims to spur the roll-out of fast broadband across the 28-nation bloc by relaxing rules that force telecom companies to open up their networks to competitors.

Under planned reforms of the sector, national telecoms regulators will be required to take into account existing commercial agreements between operators when deciding whether to force them to allow competitors access to their networks, according to a document seen by Reuters.

Fostering investment in new fiber-optic networks, to meet rising demand for data services, is a major plank of the European Commission's reform of its 15-year-old telecoms laws.

National regulators will also have to weigh up the range of retail choices available to users to ensure that regulation is not more of a burden than necessary on operators' decisions to invest, the document says.

The costs of running optic fiber - which can deliver speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second - into households are high. Telecoms operators such as Orange, Deutsche Telekom and Telecom Italia have long complained that the current rules forcing them to open up their networks to competitors at regulated prices do not allow them get a decent return on investment.

According to the Commission's figures, 68 percent of homes in the EU have access to broadband with speeds of at least 30 megabits per second. Malta, Belgium and the Netherlands have the highest coverage while Italy, France and Greece have the lowest.

National regulators will be required to monitor the network investment decisions of operators and will have the power to sanction them if they deviate from their declared intentions without justification, the document says.

The aim is to protect operators who lay fast broadband networks first in areas where there is little financial incentive, such as rural areas, and where the arrival of a second operator would undermine the first's business case.

The Commission, the EU's executive body, will also seek to encourage operators to co-invest in shared rollouts of fiber-to-the-home by offering them lighter access rules in return.

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Operators who adopt a "wholesale-only" model, whereby they sell access to their networks to other firms and do not offer consumers their own retail broadband packages, will benefit from lighter rules.

MINIMUM SPECTRUM LICENSE DURATION

In a bid to coordinate how national governments allocate blocks of airwaves to mobile operators such as Vodafone, EE and Telefonica, the telecoms reform will allow the Commission to set a minimum spectrum license duration of 25 years, according to the document.

National authorities are loath to relinquish control over how they auction wireless spectrum, which they consider a national resource, and license durations vary across Europe, making it harder for companies to operate on a larger scale. Spectrum auctions can fetch billions of euros.

Once unveiled, the proposals will need to be approved by the European Parliament and national governments, meaning they are likely to undergo changes.

(Reporting by Julia Fioretti; Editing by Susan Fenton)
(Updates prices, adds Greece)

By Abhinav Ramnarayan

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Euro zone bond yields fell on Wednesday on bets that weak data from the United States has put pressure on the European Central Bank to announce further policy easing measures.

The ECB meets on Thursday. On Tuesday, data showed that the U.S. service sector expanded more slowly in August than in July, with the fall the largest since the 2008 financial crisis.

This, on the back of Friday's weak jobs numbers, pushed back expectations for a U.S. rate hike.

"With a September rate hike looking less likely to happen, the ECB might be more pressured to come up with a decision this week on further measures," said Benjamin Schroeder, senior rates strategist at ING.

The ECB is expected to leave rates unchanged when its governing council meets but could use the opportunity to extend its bond-buying scheme and tweak the parameters to ease supply scarcity issues.

Euro zone bond yields edged lower, with the yield on the 10-year German Bund dipping 1 basis point to minus 0.12 percent.

The fall came even as the German debt management office sold 3.5 billion euros of new 10-year Bunds with a yield of minus 0.11 percent, a record low at auction.

Germany's longer-dated bonds proved even more popular on the day, with 30-year Bund yields briefly falling as much as 5 bps to just below 0.4 percent.

Spanish bond yields edged lower, extending Tuesday's fall when the 10-year bond recorded its biggest daily tumble since the start of July.

That fall came despite the fact that political deadlock in the country looks likely to drag on after acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy last week failed to win parliamentary approval for the formation of a government.

"You had a spike in yields in the run-up to last week's vote, and I think with the ECB expected to announce measures this week, Spain is just one of the better yielding bonds in the euro zone," Schroeder said.

Greece meanwhile may sell one or two small bonds if it is included in the ECB's quantitative easing programme, senior officials with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

For Reuters new Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=http://emea1.apps.cp.extranet.thomsonreuters.biz/cms/?spageId=livemarkets

(Reporting by Abhinav Ramnarayan; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and John Stonestreet)
By Mia Shanley

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - European mobile payment providers iZettle and SumUp are among a handful of start-ups that have encouraged European small businesses to kick their cash-only habits.

Now, their strategy is to lower fees as they brace for a more formidable challenge: the onslaught of mature North American payment providers onto their home territory. San Francisco-based Square - headed by Twitter chief Jack Dorsey - is among the new entrants.

SumUp Chief Executive Daniel Klein told Reuters that his company, which is funded partly by e-commerce giant Groupon, is prepared to cut the fees it charges merchants in order to take advantage of a growing market and stay competitive.

Klein did not specify how much lower SumUp could go. But there is room for manoeuvre, because, for the first time in August, the five-year-old SumUp made a profit and expects to be profitable for the full year, he said.

SumUp, which in Europe operates in 14 countries, currently charges 1.95 percent, 1.75 and 1.45 percent in Britain and France and Poland, respectively. That compares to a 2.4 percent average that Juniper Research estimates such global mobile payment providers charge merchants.

"There is still a lot of pent up demand that needs to be satisfied," Klein said in an interview. "The opportunity is massive." SumUp has not given revenue figures but says it now processing an annualised 1 billion euros in transactions.

Sweden's iZettle, a six-year-old company which is Europe's market leader with an annual run rate of 3 billion euros, announced in June that it was cutting its fees for merchants with high sales volumes.

The fee cuts are among the strategies European companies are using to counter the emergence in Europe of players including U.S. payments giant PayPal (PYPL.O) and Square (SQ.N).

The rush into Europe is partly driven by upcoming European Union regulation making it easier for non-banking players to compete in the payments arena.

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PayPal rolled out its PayPal Here device in Britain in 2013 and Square has started recruiting in Europe and field testing in London as it too prepares a European launch.

The price-cut strategy has risks. Though lower fees are a way to battle larger U.S. competition, they could put pressure on profits on these players for years to come, analysts say.

"It's almost becoming a race to the bottom in terms of transaction take," said James Moar, an analyst at Juniper Research.

While volumes are massive, Moar said the payments firms serving smaller merchants are struggling with profitability.

"You really need to scale in order to succeed in these markets," he said.

MODERN SYSTEM

Mobile payment firms, whose devices plug into smartphones or tablets to turn them into instant tills, allow merchants to take payments via card or mobile phone  often at a lower cost than the traditional and bulky point-of-sale terminals which can come with inflexible contracts and monthly fees.

Juniper Research has forecast global mobile point-of-sale revenues to rise to nearly $50 billion in 2021, from over $6.6 billion this year, with such devices expected to account for 1 in 3 point-of-sale terminals by then.

U.S. firms are keen to break into Europe as the U.S. mobile payments market for medium enterprises is getting saturated. Canada's Shopify (SH.TO) - which already has a sizeable presence among British online merchants  also just launched its card reader in Britain.

The European payment landscape is about to become more open, and also more competitive: New European regulations that aim to level the playing field for banks and payments firms will give third parties direct access to bank accounts by 2018. That means customers can pay bills or shop using their payment service of choice.

There is clear evidence that Europe  where small and medium companies make up most of the corporate landscape  is a rich market for the taking. The region makes up almost one-fifth of total global revenues in the space and is seen increasing over time.

"Customers would much rather pay with a card," says Vasilie Kim, owner of food vendor Smakhuset in downtown Stockholm, who uses iZettle software to track which items sell best and how many customers return. Only one in five pays with cash, he says.

Peter Gutniak, who runs several vaccination clinics and buses in Stockholm and has 9 iZettle devices, said he used to have to deal with connected terminals, cords and paper receipts.

"Now I just sms or email receipts to customers," he said. "It's a modern system, it's cheaper and it is incredibly simple."

BATTLE LINES

U.S. tech firms are generally seen to have the upper hand. They started earlier than their European peers and have better access to the vast U.S. venture capital resources.

PayPal, which can be spotted on London black cabs but has yet to push into other parts of Europe, says it is banking on its brand awareness around the globe.

"Consumers know they can trust and use," a device with the PayPal logo, said Rob Harper, head of Mobile Commerce at PayPal UK. "And from a retailer's perspective, they know that they are going to get paid."

Square has declined to comment about its expansion plans although Chief Financial Officer, Sarah Friar, has highlighted Britain as an interesting market.

To counter the competition, European companies say they have a home-court advantage: several years of dealing in a region that is highly fragmented with local rules and payment habits.

Jacob de Geer, chief executive of iZettle, says the company is "purposefully not profitable" so that it can invest in growth. The firm, backed by MasterCard and American Express, is present in 10 markets in Europe and has "ambitious plans for the next couple of years."

iZettle, which has a 2.75 percent fixed rate for the majority of its users, announced in June it was cutting rates for merchants with high sales volumes even further - to one percent.

SumUp's Klein said demand from existing users and new ones who are accepting card payments for the first time would drive the business in the years to come. It expects to install 20 to 30 million terminals over the next five to 10 years, compared to 8 million today.

"There is an entire industry that hasn't really adopted card payments," he said.

Darrin Peller, an analyst covering both Square and PayPal for Barclays, said that iZettle has the geographic reach and brand awareness in Europe that makes it better placed than U.S. rivals.

But Peller added that the battle lines were drawn.

"It will be good competition."

(Additional reporting by Violette Goarant, editing by Alessandra Galloni)
From Esquire

This summer, Method Actor Jared Leto, whom you might remember crawled out of the muddy banks of the Mississippi, gave the performance of a lifetime-the one that finally killed Method Acting. Sure, his Method Acting as the Joker was underwhelming, but it was his performance off camera-the gifts he sent his Suicide Squad co-stars, the interviews about the gifts he sent his Suicide Squad co-stars, his own humblebrag anecdotes about his behavior on the set of Suicide Squad that seemed like hell for his Suicide Squad co-stars-that was truly abysmal.

In response, Angelica Jade Bastien wrote a very smart piece in The Atlantic about how Hollywood-Method Actor Jared Leto included-ended Method Acting.

Leto's Joker is the latest evidence that the prestige of method acting has dimmed-thanks to the technique's overuse by those seeking award-season glory or a reputation boost, as well as its history of being shaped by destructive ideas of masculinity.

While it's clear that this sentiment has resonated with Hollywood and moviegoers, it's surprising to see that it also has with actual former Method Actors. In a lengthy profile in Variety, which covers the actor rebuilding his career, Shia LaBeouf explains that after a troubled few years he quit both drinking alcohol and Method Acting.

He used to describe himself as a method actor. "The word is getting embarrassing," he says. "You don't hear about female method actors. The whole thing has turned into weird, false masculinity sh-t."

We're still waiting on how this recent shift in public perception of Method Acting is affecting Method Actor Jared Leto as he attempts to replace his limbs with biorobotic android flesh as he prepares for his role in the Blade Runner sequel.

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Its been nearly three years since Lady Gaga blessed her Little Monsters with new solo music, but that long wait is soon coming to an end. In August, the provocative pop icon began teasing the release of Perfect Illusion, a fresh single. And on Tuesday, she confirmed the song would finally drop on Friday, Sept. 9, sending her legion of fans into a frenzy. (The release date leaked online earlier when eagle-eyed fans found the info in the source code of her website, as NME reports.)

Perfect Illusion was made in collaboration with Mark Ronson (the man behind Uptown Funk and Amy Winehouses Back to Black), Kevin Parker (the frontman for Tame Impala) and BloodPop (a producer whos worked with Madonna and Justin Bieber  he was part of a little hit you might have heard called Sorry). In other words, its an all-star team. Ronson shared a behind-the-scenes photo of the group at work three months ago.

Illusion A photo posted by Mark Ronson (@iammarkronson) on May 22, 2016 at 3:25pm PDT

BloodPop also shared a snapshot of the group just last week. (From left to right, thats BloodPop, Ronson, Gaga and Parker.)

We made a #PERFECTILLUSION @ladygaga @iammarkronson @tame__impala A photo posted by BloodPop (@bloodpop) on Aug 28, 2016 at 12:44pm PDT

Besides this shot, the chameleonic Gaga has also been posting some cryptic photos of what appears to be a video shoot on her Instagram, although nothing can be officially linked to Perfect Illusion.

 A photo posted by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) on Aug 31, 2016 at 12:10pm PDT

A photo posted by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) on Aug 24, 2016 at 4:09pm PDT

The song is ostensibly the lead single from an as-of-yet-unnamed fifth album from Gaga, which she started hinting at way back in January. We know that it involves the previously mentioned talents  as well as the Moroccan-Swedish producer RedOne, featured in the Instagram below, who worked with the star on her breakout hits Just Dance and Poker Face. The two recorded multiple tracks together, RedOne told People this summer.

We wear our sunglasses at night #LG5 A photo posted by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) on Sep 22, 2015 at 7:19pm PDT

For the fruits of their labor, though, well have to wait past Friday. Theres been no official update on an album release date as of yet, and Gaga has plenty of other pursuits in showbiz also in play.
Berlin (AFP) - Retired pope Benedict XVI fell in love during his student days in Germany and struggled with the idea of celibacy, said the author of a new book to be published Friday.

The author also reveals that Benedict, 89, remains a "news junkie", likes to potter around and enjoys watching the "Don Camillo & Peppone" black-and-white comedy films about an Italian Catholic priest and a communist town mayor.

The anecdotes emerged in interviews German journalist Peter Seewald conducted with the first pope to retire in seven centuries, many of them published in the book "Final Conversations", to be released in several languages Friday.

Seewald told German news weekly Die Zeit, in an article to appear on Thursday, that the erstwhile Joseph Ratzinger "fell in love... in a very serious way" as a student, although this episode is not included in the book.

"He struggled with it very much," Seewald said of the man who would go on to be the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

"He was really a very smart-looking guy, a handsome young man, an aesthete who wrote poetry and read Hermann Hesse.

"A fellow student told me he had quite an effect on women, and vice versa. The decision to chose celibacy wasn't easy for him."

Seewald believes "there is a close personal relationship" between the ex-pontiff and his successor, Pope Francis, whose "vigour" he admires.

Benedict has made only a handful of public appearances since he stepped down on February 28, 2013 saying he no longer had the strength of mind or body to carry on.

Asked whether he would celebrate his 90th birthday next year, the retired pope who uses a walking frame and is blind in his left eye, reportedly said "hopefully not".

"You realise he has lived his life," said Seewald. "I don't want to say he is tired of life, but that he has simply given all he's got to give."

Seewald added that Benedict "himself never expected to live very long after his resignation".

"But Ratzinger has an ability to bounce back. One day you think, this was the last visit. The next time you realise he has gathered new strength."
By Steve Stecklow, Alexandra Harney and Ju-min Park LONDON/SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) - Standardized testing giant ACT Inc continues to partner with Asian test-preparation operators, despite widespread cheating at overseas education centers it licenses. The maker of Americas most popular college entrance exam approved South Koreas Seoul Scholars International school to administer the ACT test this year, Reuters found, even though the school is owned by a company that offers test-preparation services. That companys test-prep center says on one of its websites that its students achieve astonishing increases in their ACT scores. In the past year, ACT Inc has also licensed a Chinese company to operate an ACT Club to promote the test in China. Reuters found that the club offers ACT test-prep classes. And the website of the company that licensed the club makes this pledge to clients: 100% admission to famous overseas universities, or your money back. According to its website, ACT Club has an exclusive arrangement with the University of Macau to begin offering students the ACT exam next month. The club and the university declined to answer questions about their relationship. ACT officials said in June that centers where the exam is given are not allowed to offer commercial test-preparation services. Doing so could give the operators of cram schools an unparalleled ability to help their clients by showing them the test ahead of time. The next administration of the ACT is scheduled this Saturday. ACT Inc spokesman Ed Colby declined to explain why the Iowa-based not-for-profit is allowing the South Korean school to offer the ACT, given the schools corporate ties to a test-prep center. Colby said ACT Club and its parent company, Beijing EduGlobal Development Co Ltd, are forbidden to be involved in administration of the ACT test. Colby did not respond to questions about the clubs connection to the University of Macau and plans to offer the ACT there next month. In recent years, the ACT has grown in popularity overseas as its rival, the College Board, has struggled to protect its own test, the SAT. Both of the American testing organizations say they face international fraud rings, based in East Asia, that are intent on compromising their respective exams. The ACT and SAT are used by thousands of U.S. colleges to help select from among millions of student applicants. In June, a leaked test forced ACT Inc to cancel sittings for its exam in Hong Kong and South Korea. Reuters reported in July that ACTs security unit repeatedly recommended tighter safeguards overseas before the breach but that ACT executives rejected the recommendations. That unit, composed of about a dozen people based at ACTs Iowa City, Iowa, headquarters, handles security for thousands of test centers in 177 countries. This month, it is laying off its head of security. Reuters also detailed cheating in the ACT-owned Global Assessment Certificate program. The program offers college preparation classes, has about 5,000 students and operates in about 200 ACT-licensed education centers, mostly in China and other parts of Asia. (http://reut.rs/2akY3uf) Seven students who attended three GAC centers in China described how school officials and proctors ignored and were sometimes complicit in cheating on the ACT. Reuters also identified GAC centers in China and South Korea that administered the ACT and offered commercial test-prep classes. Teachers or administrators who have worked at seven Chinese GAC centers also described cheating in program courses. In response to the Reuters findings, the ACT subsidiary that oversees the GAC program pledged to audit the centers just to see how bad it is, said Andrew Todd, group general manager of ACT Education Solutions Ltd, the Hong Kong-headquartered for-profit unit. Colby said ACT Inc now ships test booklets in reinforced boxes that have combination locks to all areas of high concern. The locks cant be opened until test day, he said. Employees at two Hong Kong test sites told Reuters they had received lock boxes for this Saturdays test. But Reuters spoke to three test center administrators in Shanghai and Taiwan who said their materials arrived in cardboard boxes -- in one case about three weeks ago. ACT normally instructs overseas test centers to open the boxes within 24 hours, count the test booklets and reseal the boxes -- a procedure some administrators say could lead to leaked exams. A PERFECT SCORE The South Korean school set to administer the ACT, Seoul Scholars International, is owned by Dasan Educations. Dasan also operates a test-prep center called PSU Edu. PSU boasts that students who took its ACT prep classes in 2014-2015 experienced an average gain of five points; a perfect score is 36. In a testimonial on one of its websites, a high school student described scoring no higher than 30 before taking a PSU summer course and then achieving a perfect 36. An official at PSU declined to comment; Dasan officials could not be reached. ACT spokesman Colby said that all prospective ACT test centers are specifically asked if they engage in test prep activities for the ACT. Hong Gi-myon, the Seoul Scholars International employee who administers the ACT there, said the school applied directly to ACT Incs headquarters in Iowa to become a test center. It administered its first ACT in April, Hong said. He said ACT officials did not ask the school about its corporate connection to a test-prep center. Hong called PSU a totally separate company. The China-based ACT Club is an effort to help students learn English and prepare for overseas study, said ACTs Colby. He said ACT licensed the club to EduGlobal, which Colby said is an educational solutions and service provider, not a test-prep organization. But an ACT Club staff member who gave her name as Gao told Reuters that the clubs services include ACT test-prep courses costing about $900 and $2,100. EduGlobal boasts on its website of having produced outstanding application materials for a student who was accepted by two Ivy League graduate schools. The EduGlobal website promises clients the money-back guarantee if theyre not accepted by famous overseas schools. David Shi, EduGlobals chief executive, declined to discuss ACT Club or the companys relationship with ACT Inc. He said the claims on its website are the result of exaggerated language by its marketing department. (Reporting By Steve Stecklow in London, Alexandra Harney in Shanghai, and Ju-min Park in Seoul. Edited by Blake Morrison.)
Not even Eva Mendes is immune to mom problems.

ET caught up with the always fashionable actress at her New York & Company Spring Summer 2017 runway show at Academy Mansion in New York City on Tuesday, where she dished on how her fashion has changed thanks to her two daughters --1-year-old Esmeralda and 4-month-old Amada -- with longtime love Ryan Gosling.

"I'll just wear anything clean at this point," Mendes joked. "If it doesn't have baby vomit on it, I'll wear it!"

WATCH: Ryan Gosling Says Living With Eva Mendes and Their Two Daughters Is 'Heaven'

The 42-year-old actress is similarly down-to-earth when it comes to her personal style. Mendes -- who admits to using baby powder as a dry shampoo alternative -- prefers nothing too constricting.

"I really love dresses and anything that's really comfortable -- not, like, jeans that are hard to get on and off," she explains.

Indeed, Mendes looked chic in a lace burgundy dress at the event -- a piece from her own New York & Company collection that retails for $80 -- which she added sleeves to.

Getty Images

As for her acting career, the mother of two debunked rumors that she'll be reprising her role as agent Monica Fuentes in the upcoming Fast 8, the latest installment in the Fast and Furious franchise.

"It's not even in discussion," Mendes said.

WATCH: EXCLUSIVE PICS -- Ryan Gosling Celebrates Eva Mendes' 42nd Birthday With Luxury Getaway, Saves a Dog in the Process

Last month, the notoriously private actress opened up about her emotional year, welcoming baby Amada in May, and also mourning the death of her older brother, Carlos Mendez, just a month earlier. Mendez died in April after battling throat cancer, and was just 53 years old.

"We had a funeral service for him and that same week I had the baby," Mendes told Latina magazine. "So it was really, really intense and obviously beyond heartbreaking, but also kind of beautiful."

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Watch below:

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By Samuel Shen and Denny Thomas

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Societe Generale (SOGN.PA) is in talks to sell its 49 percent stake in a mutual fund joint venture with China's Baosteel Group to global private equity firm Warburg Pincus, according to people familiar with the matter.

France's second-biggest listed bank was among the first foreign companies to enter the Chinese mutual fund business when the authorities first opened the market up to foreign investors. In 2003, it teamed up with state-owned Baosteel Group, which operates China's second-largest steelmaker, to create joint venture Fortune SG Fund Management.

But cut-throat competition from Chinese firms has led SocGen to rethink its presence in the country and comes after a string of foreign institutions, including Bank of New York Mellon Corp (BK.N), Aviva plc (AV.L) and Value Partners , sold their stakes in China mutual fund ventures.

SocGen declined to comment. Fortune SG Fund Management could not be reached for comment. Baosteel did not respond to a request for comment.

Fortune SG had 157.5 billion yuan ($23.6 billion) in assets under management at the end of June, according to official data from the Asset Management Association of China, making it the nation's 16th biggest mutual fund firm by assets.

The sources did not disclose the deal value but fund managers typically fetch between 2 and 3 percent of their assets under management.

Warburg Pincus [WP.UL] is betting that China's $1.2 trillion mutual fund industry will deliver strong returns in the long run, one of the sources said. It already has a relationship with Baosteel Group, having invested in its unit, Baosteel Gases, in 2014.

NEW CHINA BUYOUT FUND

Warburg, which is in the middle of raising about $2 billion in a new dedicated China buyout fund, declined to comment. Warburg has previously placed big bets on China's financial industry. In 2014, it was the biggest investor in China Huarong Asset Management Co Ltd (2799.HK) ahead of the distressed debt manager's Hong Kong IPO, with a $700 million commitment.

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In 2013, Warburg also invested in London-based Santander Asset Management, which oversees more than 60 billion euros ($67.5 billion) and has operations across Europe and Latin America.

Under Chinese rules, foreign investors can own up to a 49 percent stake in a Chinese mutual fund venture. Partnering with state-owned giants like Baosteel can give foreign investors access to resources unavailable to privately-owned partners, but also exposes them to the risk of cultural conflicts.

Ivan Shi, head of research at fund research firm Z-Ben Advisors, said some foreign shareholders may not be willing to provide additional capital to their Chinese fund management ventures after Chinese regulators recently tightened capital rules on the subsidiaries of mutual fund houses and as the industry's growth slowed.

In the trust industry, for example, foreign firms including Morgan Stanley (MS.N), Australian investment bank Macquarie Group (MQG.AX) and National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB.AX) have recently exited their trust ventures after China tightened capital rules, Shi said.

($1 = 6.6750 Chinese yuan)

($1 = 0.8883 euros)

(Reporting by Samuel Shen and Denny Thomas; Additional reporting by Andrew Callus in PARIS; Editing by Martin Howell in NEW YORK)
By Douglas Busvine

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - U.S. ride-hailing firm Uber said that the recent deal to fold its China operations into local rival Didi Chuxing would allow it to invest more in India, where it has recorded rapid growth this year, according to a letter to investors obtained by Reuters on Wednesday.

Three years after it launched in India, Uber says it now operates in 28 cities and is completing 5.5 million passenger car trips per week.

That compares with just 65,000 per week in January, 2015, and marks an increase of more than threefold from the 1.6 million rides a week in India in January of this year, the three-page investor note said.

Didi's acquisition of Uber's Chinese business last month ended a cutthroat battle there, allowing the San Francisco-based company to redirect its efforts at challenging homegrown Indian competitor Ola.

"Some of our fastest growth is in India, and the merger with Didi frees up resources for additional investment in our customer experience and technology there," said the letter dated Sept. 7.

The stakes for ride-hailing firms are particularly high in India, already one of the world's fastest growing taxi markets, as choking cities leave fewer Indians the room or appetite to buy their own cars.

Uber insiders said at the time that the Didi deal would allow it to double down on resources, staffing and technology in the Indian market. Uber declined to comment when asked about the letter.

Ola, for its part, was poised to announce a joint initiative on Thursday with Mahindra and Mahindra (MAHM.NS). India's top utility vehicle maker may offer leasing, financing and insurance to Ola under the deal, according to one report.

WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE STARTUP

Uber, co-founded in 2009 by Travis Kalanick, has gone on to become the world's most valuable startup worth $70 billion.

The details of Uber's operating performance in India have not been previously reported. Uber now completes more than one million car trips per week in the Indian capital New Delhi and in the southern tech hub of Bengaluru.

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"India is now our largest market outside of the United States and accounts for 12 percent of all Uber trips globally," the letter said.

Uber hosts 400,000 drivers on its platform in India, around half of which were active last month. It also has more than five million monthly active riders, which is the second-largest outside the United States.

India, a nation of 1.3 billion whose population is set to overtake China's by 2022 according to the United Nations, poses a unique set of challenges to ride-hailing firms.

In Delhi, Uber faced a regulatory backlash against its so-called "surge" pricing model that ramps up fares at busy times.

It has also just launched a "dial an Uber" feature in some cities with patchy network coverage that makes it easier to order a cab for someone else.

Commenting on Uber's broader strategy, the letter said the company would focus on ride-sharing service UberPOOL, food delivery app UberEATS and self-driving cars that will undergo first pilot tests this month in the U.S. city of Pittsburgh.UberPOOL is now available in 30 cities around the world and accounts for approximately 20 percent of all trips globally, the letter said. That compares with a share of 25 percent in the six Indian cities where UberPOOL is now available.

(Additional reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
Updated on September 7 at 12:40 p.m. ET

NEWS BRIEF More than 2,400 people have been killed in the Philippines since the new president began his war on drugsmany in extra-judicial killings that have been criticized by human-rights activists. But on Tuesday, the head of the anti-narcotics unit in neighboring Indonesia said hed like to replicate the Philippiness policy in his own country.

Budi Waseso said Indonesia has already begun to add heavy weapons, drug-sniffing dogs, and police personnel to carry out a crackdown. Waseso, like Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, is known for his controversial remarks; last year he said hed like to jail drug traffickers on an island prison surrounded by crocodiles.

The life of a dealer is meaningless, Waseso said Tuesday, because a dealer carries out mass murder. How can we respect that?

On Wednesday, Agence France-Presse quoted a spokesman from the Indonesian anti-narcotics unit who tried to soften Wasesos words:

Agency spokesman Slamet Pribadi sought Wednesday to play down the comments, saying a Philippines-style policy would only be followed if our law makes it possible, adding: We cant shoot criminals just like that, we have to follow the rules. But he acknowledged that Waseso was strict and had told staff members that we should not keep our guns in a safe, we must use them  but only for law enforcement.

Indonesia already has some of the harshest penalties for drug traffickers. In April 2015, it executed eight people convicted of drug smuggling, including seven foreign citizens, two of them Australian. The executions prompted Australia to recall its ambassador. In July, Indonesia executed another four people convicted of drug crimes, three of them Nigerians.

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Dutertes approach in the Philippines has drawn criticism from the international community. Earlier this week, a reporter asked him what he would say to U.S. President Obama at a scheduled meeting in Laos if questioned about his methods. Dutertes response: Son of a bitch, I will swear at you. The U.S. had canceled the proposed meeting, but on Wednesday the Philippines Foreign Secretary confirmed with the Associated Press that the two leaders talked informally; although, there was no information on what they talked about.

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Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Formula One's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he has been asked to stay on for three years after an imminent takeover of the sport is completed by U.S. cable TV mogul John Malone's Liberty Media. "They want me to be here for three years," the 85-year-old, who over the decades has built the sport into a business with annual turnover of around $1.9 billion, told Reuters on Wednesday. Media reports have suggested the first part of a broader deal between outgoing rights holders CVC and Liberty Media could be announced on Wednesday. However Ecclestone and CVC chairman Donald Mackenzie voiced some scepticism about the time frame at last weekend's Italian Grand Prix. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ossian Shine)
Much has been said about the recent closure of London's legendary nightclub Fabric. The institution beloved by dance music fans and superstar DJs alike had its license revoked in early August following the fatal drug overdoses of two 18-year-old patrons.

London Mayor Responds After DJ Sasha and Others Plea for Club Fabric to Be Reopened

Local police claim the club is a dangerous drug haven that refuses to meet safety standards, but Fabric founders, employees and fans around the world say that couldn't be farther from the truth. A petition was created to show support for the reinstatement of Fabric's license, and London's Mayor agreed to a review hearing in light of so many messages in support of the motion.

Petition Seeks to Reopen London's Fabric Nightclub

Journalists inside the hearing, currently being conducted at press time, have live-tweeted the hearing events. It sounds like a lot of emotional finger-pointing from police and a lot of rebuttal from Fabric's side of things, but the most meme-worthy comment so far seems to have sprung from when the committee chair offered that perhaps a ban on music with higher bpms would leave partiers somehow less endangered by drug use.

Committee chair asks if club would be safer if faster BPMs banned. Thankfully licensing authority says this is not enforceable #FabricReview

- Seb Wheeler (@seb_wheeler_) September 6, 2016

It's a silly question that has elicited many silly responses on a very serious subject.

Damning police evidence straight from the courtroom. #FabricReview #SaveFabric

-- pic.twitter.com/scPnwF5YKw- Arda Menta (@ardamenta) September 6, 2016

BPM speedometers: coming soon to a nightclub near you #FabricReview pic.twitter.com/HwGV4GxWA5

- Ronnie Joice (@ronniejoice) September 6, 2016

Perspective. #SaveFabric #FabricReview @fabriclondon @DJmag @Mixmag pic.twitter.com/exXnt42Pe1

- Shepherd (@ShepherdTechno) September 6, 2016

Billboard Dance will continue to monitor the story as it develops. Follow along by watching the hashtag #FabricReview on Twitter.
In the travel world, September and October are known as shoulder season, a time of year when the weather is still decent, crowds are smaller and costs go down. In fact, Hopper, a flight prediction site, says the average airfare for a domestic round-trip flight is now $214  5.6% lower than the same time last year.

After a busy summer of travel, shoulder season is when many people start nestling back into their daily routines at home. Its also when travel companies try to bring in as much revenue as they can before the off-season begins. Here at Yahoo Finance, we know that now is the perfect time of year to score some amazing travel deals. Heres a list of offers and coupon codes from travel companies trying to get your attention.

Airlines

JetBlue

Prices for domestic flights have dropped this fall, and JetBlue (JBLU) is leading the charge. The airlines two-day sale wraps up at 11:59 pm on Sept. 8. Some of the deals include a one-way ticket from Washington DC, to Orlando, Fla. for just $89; New York to Oakland, Calif., for $129; and Nashville, Tenn., to Boston for $79. In most cases, travel must take place between Sept. 15 and Dec. 15, 2016.

Southwest

Not to be outdone, Southwest (LUV) is also advertising super low airfare. After a quick scan we were able to find $49 one-way flights from Spokane, Wash., to Boise, Idaho; Chicago to Indianapolis; and Raleigh-Durham, NC, to Atlanta. There are also dozens of flights available for under $100, including Los Angeles to Denver for just $97. Travelers must book by Sept.19, and all travel in the US must take place between Sept. 20, 2016, and March 18, 2017.

Hotels

Hotels.com

Get up to a $100 rebate by using the code REBATES16. The rebate is based on how many nights you book and how much you spend. For instance, if you stay five nights and spend $200, you are entitled to a $30 rebate. Those spending $650 on 12 nights are eligible for a $100 rebate. The offer is valid for reservations booked online from Jan. 1, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2016 by 11:59 pm.

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Choice Hotels

The early bird gets the worm, or in this scenario, the discount. Choice Hotels is offering 20% off when you reserve and pay for your next trip at least seven days in advance. Choice properties include Quality Inn, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites and Sleep Inn.

Homeaway

Over the course of two weekends, Austin City Limits (ACL) will bring together 130 bands, including mega stars like Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Kygo and Major Lazer. If youve purchased tickets for the event and plan to rent lodging through HomeAway, you can get access to HomeAways exclusive backstage lounge for you and three friends. The music festival will run Sept. 30-Oct. 2 and Oct. 7-9.

Packages

Orbitz

Every dollar saved is important when youre booking an expensive vacation package. Now on Orbitz, travelers can save $100 after spending $1,500 when they use the promo code 100VACA. A four-night minimum stay is required, and you must book by Sept. 15 and travel by Jan. 31, 2017.

Travelocity

Travelers can get $100 off select vacation packages by using the coupon code TravelocityPkg100 if they spend $1,500 on at least a four-night stay. The travel dates must be between now and Dec. 31, 2016.

Rental cars

Alamo

There is no better way to celebrate shoulder season than taking a roadtrip. If you book a compact through mid-sized car, you can get a free single upgrade using the coupon code AU5235ASJ. The offer is good on rentals reserved and picked up by Sept. 30 for travel through Oct. 29, 2016.

Avis

A quick three-day weekend is an easy way to stay energized, and it just got cheaper. By using the coupon code MUWA015, drivers will receive $15 off a three-day rental. And using the code MUWA016 will earn you $20 off of a four-day rental. Use that money you saved to fill up the gas tank or buy some snacks for the road!

Brittany is a writer at Yahoo Finance.

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Sophia Bush as Erin Lindsay in Chicago P.D., Jesse Spencer as Matthew Casey in Chicago Fire and Yaya DaCosta as April Sexton in Chicago Med. (Photo: NBC)

Get ready for another trip to Chicago  this one is looking to be action packed, and full of twists and turns.

With fall TV season gearing up, Dick Wolfs three Chicago-set shows  Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med  are returning with dramatic story lines, fascinating cases, compelling new characters, and sexy romances for the firefighters, police officers and doctors of the Windy City.

What else can we expect from their new seasons? We asked the executive producers of all three shows for some insights into surprising guest stars, strange research theyve done and a unique quality that sets their shows apart. Fire executive producers Michael Brandt and Derek Haas tease a pair of memorable parents, P.D. boss Matt Olmstead reveals a new partner, and Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov preview Oliver Platts big story line. Read on for more answers to our fall questionnaire!

Related: Fall TV Preview 2016: The Scoop on 58 Returning Shows

Chicago P.D. preview from EP Matt Olmstead:



A guest star who will surprise you is  Li Jun Li, who plays Burgesss new partner, Julie Tay.

Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess in Chicago P.D. (Photo: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)

Something youll learn about a character is  Lindsays long-lost father isnt so long lost after all.

The strangest research weve done for an episode is  how a criminal would burn a body and car very quickly. Luckily, all we had to do was call Steve Chikerotis, technical adviser and former Chicago Fire Department chief for the answer.

One thing youll see on this show that you probably wont see on the others is  the head of the unit being suspected of killing his sons murderer. Strongly suspected.

Watch the Season 3 finale episode:

Chicago Med preview from EPs Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov:

A guest star who will surprise you is  Dr. Isidore Latham (Ato Essandoh) is Chicago Meds talented new cardiothoracic surgery attending. An eccentric, African-American, Orthodox Jew, Dr. Latham brings a methodical approach to surgery with little patience for those who disrupt his process. This puts Latham in immediate conflict with rising star, Dr. Connor Rhodes (Colin Donnell) as he steps out of his comfort zone and transitions into the cutthroat world of cardiothoracic surgery.

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Something youll learn about a character is  Dr. Daniel Charles (Oliver Platt) might be the Sherlock Holmes of emergency psychiatry, but as hes launched into Season 2, hell quickly find that understanding his own daughters is a mystery he may never solve.

Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles in Chicago Med. (Photo: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

The strangest research weve done for an episode is  Certainly our most moving research was working with representatives from the Polaris Project, a support network for sex-trafficking victims that helps extricate them from the life. An amazing organization doing important work, they opened our eyes to the many challenges victims face.

One thing youll see on this show that you probably wont see on the others is  a physicians-only jazz band.

Watch the Season 1 finale episode:

Chicago Fire preview from EPs Michael Brandt and Derek Haas:

Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide. (Photo: Elizabeth Morris/NBC)

A guest star who will surprise you is  Gabby and Antonios parents. We havent met them yet on this series and theyre going to be memorable.

Something youll learn about a character is  someone in the firehouse is writing a romance novel. About a firehouse  that sounds suspiciously like the goings-on in House 51.

The strangest research weve done for an episode is  We do ridealongs with the paramedics and the firefighters all the time, and they can be intense. Weve witnessed a suicide that really puts the day-to-day lives of first responders in perspective.

One thing youll see on this show that you probably wont see on the others is  Week in and week out, we have the biggest and best action on television. Our special effects and stunt teams are amazing as all our fire is real. Weve worked on movies that dont do real, practical action as big as we do on this show.

Watch the Season 4 finale episode:

Chicago P.D. premieres Sept. 21, Chicago Med premieres Sept. 22 and Chicago Fire premieres Oct. 11 on NBC.
Devastated.



Thats the word used again and again by the families of Aric Babbitt and Matthew Deyo, a Minnesota elementary school teacher and his husband found dead last week in an apparent murder-suicide  who police have accused as serial sexual abusers of children.



We are devastated by the impact on the family of the victims that are affected by their reported actions, Deyos father, Richard, tells PEOPLE.



His comments echo a joint statement issued by both families to PEOPLE, in which they say, Our families want to express the sincere grief and sadness we are feeling for the innocent people affected by the actions of Aric Babbitt and Matthew Deyo.



We are devastated by the pain and suffering they have caused, and we pray for the healing of those families involved, the statement concludes.



Deyos father says that he doesnt want further attention called to either family, that this is about the victims. For that reason, he declined to say more.



Babbitt and Deyo were reportedly found dead on Aug. 25, on Lopez Island in Washington state, in what authorities tell PEOPLE is a likely murder-suicide.



 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.







According to court documents, the couple left Minnesota, with no further contact with friends or family, on Aug. 16.



That was the same day police searched their home in connection with a sex abuse investigation and two days after both men were accused of abuse by an underage boy, according to the documents. The documents also allege the couple serially abused other minors using the same methods: They would give the minors alcohol and marijuana and abuse them when they were intoxicated.



Though its unclear how many victims have come forward, Babbitt and Deyo have been accused by multiple teenagers of sexual abuse, including rape, according to the documents. Police and the school district say they are investigating.



Before disappearing that Tuesday, the couple visited a relative and asked to borrow a gun because they said they were going camping and wanted protection from bears, according to the documents.



Kayakers found their bodies on in a common use area on Lopez Island, authorities tell PEOPLE. Deyo shot Babbitt before killing himself, as agreed upon, says San Juan County Undersheriff Brent Johnson.



Johnson also says the couple left an in-depth suicide note at the scene and sent a similar one back to their families in the mail.



It was very clear that it was a suicide note and they mention a number of different topics in the note, Johnson says.
The Light Between Oceans (Photo: Disney)



By all evidence, Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender fell in love while making their new film The Light Between the Oceans  and how could they not? In preparation for the romantic drama, Vikander (who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Danish Girl) lived in a secluded New Zealand lighthouse with her co-star for a month. These things of course sort of spill through to what youre doing, Fassbender told Vanity Fair. The history of the movies is filled with love stories that began on set, whether sparks flew at the audition (as was the case for Twilight co-stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson) or ignited months after filming wrapped (like Blake Livelys romance with Green Lantern Ryan Reynolds). Here are 14 other famous relationships that started behind-the-scenes.

Woman of the Year (Photo: Everett)



Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, Woman of the Year (1942)

Legend has it that when Hepburn was introduced to her leading man on the set of George Stevens comedy, she said, I fear I may be too tall for you, Mr. Tracy  to which the director replied, Dont worry, hell soon cut you down to size. Indeed, the two were well-matched, immediately beginning a romance that lasted 30 years (despite the fact that Tracy, a devout Catholic, wouldnt leave his wife.) The public loved the couple too, and they co-starred in nine films together from 1942 to 1967.

To Have and Have Not (Photo: Everett)



Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, To Have and Have Not (1944)

At the age of 19, Bacall made her film debut in Howard Hawks classic film noir and fell in love with her 44-year-old leading man. The early romance was the most romantic experience I have ever had in my life  far surpassing anything I mightve dreamed of or imagined, it was quite amazing, she said in a 1994 NPR interview. Married in 1945, Bogie and Bacall remained a couple until his death in 1957  and while the age difference is difficult to swallow in retrospect, their famous first scene together (You do know how to whistle, dont you Steve? You just put your lips together and blow.) is as sexy as ever.

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The Long, Hot Summer (Photo: Everett)



Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, The Long, Hot Summer (1958)

When Newman warned Woodward that he was about to kiss her, the audience for this Southern Gothic drama felt the heat. So did the actors, who were friends prior to filming, but fell in love on set. (Newman was in the process of divorcing his first wife at the time.) The couple were married 50 years, until Newmans death in 2008.

Cleopatra (Photo: Everett)



Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Cleopatra (1963)

The legendary affair between these beautiful, volatile stars began on the set of Cleopatra, when both were married to other people. Taylor had met the Welsh actor previously at a party and remembered thinking, Ohhh, boy  Im not gonna become a notch on his belt. Then they began filming Cleopatra. For the first scene, there was no dialogue  we had to just look at each other, Taylor told Vanity Fair. And that was it  I was another notch. The couple married in 1964, divorced 10 years later, and reunited for a brief second marriage in 1975.

Flatliner (Photo: Everett)



Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland, Flatliners (1990)

Roberts was already a showmance veteran  shed been in relationships with previous co-stars Liam Neeson and Dylan McDermott  when she hooked up with Sutherland on the set of the sci-fi thriller in 1990. (He was still married to his first wife when shooting began.) The two quickly became engaged, but just days before the planned wedding in June 1991, Roberts left Sutherland for his friend Jason Patric.

Jurassic Park (Photo: Everett)



Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern, Jurassic Park (1993)

These two stars became en-raptored with each other while shooting the dinosaur blockbuster, and their on-and-off relationship lasted until 1997. Oddly enough, at the same time Goldblum and Dern began dating, their most recent exes  Geena Davis and director Renny Harlin  also became a couple. They, too, separated in 1997.

Daredevil (Photo: Everett)



Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, Daredevil (2003)

We met on Pearl Harbor, which people hate, but we fell in love on Daredevil, Affleck said of his relationship with then-wife Jennifer Garner in 2013. In truth, film fans dont have a lot of love for Daredevil either, and whatever chemistry may have existed between Daredevil and Elektra went largely unnoticed by the audience. Garner and Affleck fared better in real life: They were married for a decade beginning in 2005 and have three children. (The couple separated in 2015.)

Related: Revisiting Daredevil: Is the Movie (and Ben Affleck) Really as Bad as We Remember?

The Notebook (Photo: Everett)



Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, The Notebook (2004)

God bless The Notebook, Gosling told GQ in 2007. It introduced me to one of the great loves of my life. But people do Rachel and me a disservice by assuming we were anything like the people in that movie. Rachel and my love story is a hell of a lot more romantic than that. Ironically, the two actors reportedly hated each other at the start of filming; director Nick Cassavetes told VH1 in 2014 that Gosling once asked for McAdams to be removed from the set. The couple went public in 2005, shared one of the best Best Kisses ever at the MTV Movie Awards, and dated on and off until 2008.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Photo: Everett)



Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie set the screen on fire in this action flick/rom-com, which sparked one of the most talked-about romances of our time. Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston during shooting, and has always sworn that he didnt cheat on her. However, when Jolie talked about showing the film to her children in a 2008 New York Times interview, she described it as the movie where their parents fell in love. Pitt and Jolie have six children and were married in 2014.

Related: Looking back at Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the Movie that Launched Americas Obsession with Brangelina

Twilight (Photo: Summit)



Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, Twilight (2008)

The Twilight stars made things easy for Bella and Edward shippers: They fell for each other at the audition, creating a real-life love story to rival the forbidden vampire-human romance. Director Catherine Hardwicke has described the electricity between Rob and Kristen during their first reading, which took place on Hardwickes own bed and included a make-out scene. Needless to say, both their onscreen and real-life chemistry was enough to wake the dead. The couple stayed together through the release of the final film in 2012, though Stewart has since complained that the relationship was made into a product to sell tickets.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Photo: Everett)



Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

They made their first Spanish film together in 1992, and 15 years later, Cruz and Bardem reunited in Spain for this Woody Allen comedy. Their onscreen chemistry was palpable enough to raise eyebrows, but the couple  who were also photographed vacationing together during filming  refused to discuss their relationship with the press. They married in 2010 and have two children together.

Green Lantern (Photo: Everett)



Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, Green Lantern (2011)

Romance didnt blossom right away for these co-stars; Reynolds was still married to Scarlett Johansson when he shot the super-powered flop. But the two became fast friends, and when they were both single a year later, they re-connected on a double-datewith other people. That was like the most awkward date for the respective parties because we were just like fireworks coming across [the table], Reynolds admitted in 2016. The actors married in 2012 and have one child together.

Take Me Home Tonight (Photo: Everett)



Chris Pratt and Anna Faris, Take Me Home Tonight (2011)

Dont remember this movie? Of course you dont! Shot in 2007, but unreleased until 2011, the retro-80s comedy was a major bomb. On the plus side, it introduced Anna Faris and Chris Pratt, one of Hollywoods most adorable couples. Faris was married to first husband Ben Indra when her and Pratt made the film, but their connection was undeniable. We met making this movie and we fell in love during that time, Faris said at the films premiere. Her divorce was finalized in 2008, and she married Pratt in 2009; they have one child together.

Wanderlust (Photo: Everett)



Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux, Wanderlust (2012)

Like many Hollywood couples, Aniston and Theroux found their way together over the course of multiple films: They met on the set of Tropic Thunder (which he co-wrote) in 2008, then got a little closer while co-starring in the comedy Wanderlust. Theroux had a girlfriend at the time, so its unclear how long it took for the actors to pair off  but they went public in May 2011, and married four years later. Justin was the best thing about this decade, Aniston said shortly before the wedding.

Related: NC-17 Flashback: Inside Blue Valentines Fight for an R Rating
Major U.S. pay-TV operators are vehemently opposing the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issued by Tom Wheeler, the Chairman of the U.S. telecom regulatory body Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In Feb 2016, the FCC voted 3-2 to advance the Unlock the Box NPRM. The proposal is likely to go for final voting on Sep. 29, 2016. Pay-TV biggies like Comcast Corp. CMCSA, AT&T Inc. T, Charter Communications Inc. CHTR and industry trade group National Cable & Telecommunications Association are taking a stand against the FCC proposal.

Unlock the Box Plan

According to the FCC, the set-top box market, dominated by pay-TV operators, is currently valued at about $20 billion annually. Meanwhile, lack of competition has resulted in higher rental fees for consumers. At present, an average consumer spends around $231 per annum to lease set-top boxes. According to a recent study by the FCC, the cost of cable set-top boxes has risen 185% while the price of computers, televisions and mobile phones has dropped 90% since 1994.

Thus, the FCC has proposed to set terms for licensing new devices that would pose competition to traditional set-top boxes. According to the regulatory body, pay-TV operators have to provide three information streams  programming information, programming permissions such as the ability to record and TV programming to third-party device makers like Roku, Amazon.com Inc. AMZN and TiVo Inc. TIVO. Consumers can select set-top box or applications from any of the developers. The FCC said that it intends to bring down software and devices prices to competitive levels to help consumers save costs.

Pay-TV Operators Disagree

Major pay-TV operators have argued that the idea of establishing a central licensing body to enforce a single license for programming over applications is in conflict with todays licensing practices. As of now, programmers do not offer uniform rights for all devices and uses. In addition, the new licensing policy will put a check on the innovative initiatives that are being undertaken in the set-top box industry. Per the FCC proposal, new innovative feature of any device has to be approved by the licensing body and reviewed by the commission. This will eventually slow down the approval process.

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The Bottom Line

Since 2015, the FCC has been actively enforcing stringent measures to implement free and fair pricing and instil competition. The adoption of Net Neutrality laws and a proposal to control the Business Data Service (BDS) markets are fitting examples. The proposed Unlock the Box NPRM is a step forward in the same direction. Nevertheless, pay-TV operators have garnered strong support ranging from the Congress to the programming industry. Already one FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who voted to advance Unlock the Box, has called for withdrawal of NPRM. Therefore, the future of Tom Wheelers proposal is cast into uncertainty.

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A prominent activist who helped lead protests in Ferguson, Missouri following the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown has died.

Police said Darren Seals, 29, was found dead with a gunshot wound inside a vehicle that had been set on fire, according to the New York Times. The case is being investigated as a homicide, and the motive behind the murder is unclear.

Seals was well known in the city as one of the many who sought justice for Brown in the last two years since a white police officer shot and killed the unarmed black 18-year-old.

His name was Darren Seals. RIP. pic.twitter.com/Cd4NQuqBvX  Torraine Walker (@TorraineWalker) September 6, 2016

In a November 2014 interview with MTV News, Seals said he was proud of the activists he stood with even though a grand jury did not indict the officer.

I dont recall anyone having a longer protest, a more productive protest, a more creative protest than what we did, he said at the time. I dont think people will ever really appreciate what we did until years from now. We really did the best we could.

Seals was also a factory line worker and a hip-hop artist, the St. Louis American reported. In the same interview with MTV News, he said gun violence plagues the city. What people dont understand is, we actually live in a nightmare, he said. We actually live in a place where gunshots [are normal]. We hear gunshots everyday.

Many activists have mourned his death on social media. At least one friend said Seals represented the best of us in Ferguson.

No matter what, @KingDSeals stood for STL & Mike Brown and was a part of my Ferguson family. Rest in power. pic.twitter.com/eoH32InlBd  BrownBlaze (@brownblaze) September 6, 2016
GENEVA (Reuters) - Fighting in Syria's western Hama province displaced an estimated 100,000 people between Aug. 28 and Sept. 5, the United Nations said on Wednesday, citing the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the governor of the province. Syrian rebels launched an offensive last week in northern Hama, an area of strategic importance to President Bashar al-Assad that is home to loyalist towns populated by minority Christians and Alawites. Rebels rapidly captured the town of Halfaya. Pro-Assad forces have hit back with heavy air strikes. Many people had fled from the fighting towards Hama city and neighbouring villages, as well as north into Idlib province, the U.N. said. There were originally about 4,500 families in the town of Halfaya, of which 2,800 remain trapped by the fighting while the rest managed to flee, the U.N. report said. Another 4,500 families were displaced from Taybat al Imam, out of 9,500 in that town, and 5,000 families were uprooted from the army stronghold of Soran, about half the population there. Many of the displaced people were sleeping outdoors, but four mosques in Hama city and 12 schools in rural areas were temporarily housing people, the U.N. said. The Red Crescent had provided aid to about 7,000 families in Hama, roughly 35,000 people, and the United Nations sent a convoy of 12 trucks to Hama on Sept. 4 with aid for another 15,000 people. Another 6,500 families still urgently need food and other aid, the U.N. said. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
New York (AFP) - Actors including Forest Whitaker and Olivia Wilde were announced Wednesday for a major anti-poverty concert later this month in New York.

The Global Citizen Festival, whose latest edition will take place on September 24 in Central Park, "sells" tickets in return for actions taken toward the goal of ending the world's most extreme poverty.

This year's headliners include R&B superstar Rihanna and leading rapper Kendrick Lamar as well as metal legends Metallica who are preparing to release a long-awaited album.

The festival announced a host committee of celebrities to mobilize the crowd in pressing the anti-poverty agenda.

The group includes Wilde, best known for the "House" television series, and Whitaker, who has starred in films ranging from "Platoon" to "The Last King of Scotland."

Among others are comedians Chris Rock and Kal Penn and actors Heather Graham, Bridget Moynahan and Bill Nye.

The festival also announced a new smartphone app to help supporters take actions, which include pressing their governments to support development aid and educational opportunities for the estimated 31 million girls around the world who go unschooled.

The Global Citizen Festival, timed to coincide with the UN General Assembly which brings world leaders to New York, will be broadcast on MSNBC and streamed on YouTube.
A group of documentary filmmakers is launching a new anti-Trump ad campaign, with the first TV spot running in Butler County, Ohio, on Wednesday.

The first ad, directed by Rachel Grady, features a Republican woman who says that she cannot bring herself to vote for Donald Trump. Gradys credits include Jesus Camp and Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You. The ad will run in local spots across 11 cable networks.

Other filmmakers working on spots or donating their time include Amy Berg, Amir Bar-Lev, Marshall Curry, Heidi Ewing, Liz Garbus, Kristi Jacobson, Gabriel Lonson, Tyler Measom, Diana Whitten and Roger Ross Williams.

The ads are sponsored by Local Voices, a Democratic SuperPAC founded by Lee Hirsch, director of the documentary Bully. The SuperPAC hopes to raise $5 million and create more than 50 ads to broadcast in local markets, not just in Ohio but Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia and Utah. According to its most recent Federal Election Commission filing, it had raised $75,000 from Rosemary Pritzker, a photographer and co-founder of the PAC.

Local Voices spent $1.4 million on an ad campaign in 2012, with 29 spots.

The SuperPAC specializes in ads featuring personal commentaries from rural and working class voters and running them in the same areas where they were filmed.

Gradys ad features Joan Powell, a 50-year Republican who lives in West Chester Township, who expresses concerns about Trump because hes name calling, hes bullyingThats no kind of role model for this community or in this nation.

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A volunteer figefighter livestreamed dramatic footage showing efforts to combat a wildfire in Javea, Spain, on September 6, one of a number of blazes burning on the countrys Costa Blanca.

Reuters, citing local authorities, reported that the fires were started deliberately.

This footage, shot from the perspective of one of the firefighters, shows people battling the blaze. Credit: Proteccion Civil Benissa/Leo J Gomez Buigues
Lisbon (AFP) - Thousands of firefighters in Spain and Portugal on Wednesday battled blazes that threatened locals and tourists, as authorities hoped the arrival of cooler weather would help tame the flames.

One of the most devastating fires was raging in Portugal's Peneda-Geres National Park not far from the border with Spain's northern Galicia region, where there were five major wildfires.

"Pastures have burned, there is nothing for livestock to eat," said the deputy mayor of the border town of Arcos de Valdevez, Helder Barros.

"It is a calamity for the natural park, the only one in Portugal, and for tourism."

The blaze encircled two hamlets of granite houses, Paradela and Varzea, leading officials to temporarily evacuate their residents overnight.

"We were surrounded by flames on all sides, police ordered me and my husband to leave the house but we refused," Eva, a 71-year-old Paradela resident, told Portuguese television as she tried to put out the flames with her garden hose.

"We experienced a Dante-esque afternoon," said Jean Lobo, the mayor of Portuguese commune Proenca-a-Nova, where two other hamlets had to be evacuated.

More than 3,200 Portuguese firefighters backed by aircraft were at the scene of about 80 fires on Wednesday, down from the 3,800 deployed at 100 fires the previous night, the country's civil protection agency said.

Carlos Guerra, an official with the agency, on Wednesday said most fires were under control even if not fully extinguished.

The mercury has topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent days but the national weather office forecast maximum temperatures would drop by between 4 and 8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

Still, over a third of Portugal faced a "very high" or "maximum" risk of wildfires on Wednesday.

Some 300 firefighters brought one of the largest fires, which has been burning since Monday near the northern town of Boticas, under control on Wednesday afternoon.

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Local officials evacuated children and the elderly from a nearby hamlet overnight.

- 'Murderers' -

On Spain's eastern coast firefighters had managed to stabilise a wildfire raging since Sunday near the popular resort of Benidorm that prompted the temporary evacuation of 1,400 people.

"They continue to work to water the area. The fire... has been stabilised," a local emergency services spokeswoman said.

Authorities suspect the blaze was deliberately set and are looking for the culprits.

Another wildfire on the holiday island of Menorca was declared under control on Tuesday night after destroying scrubland and pine forest near Arenal d'en Castell, emergency services said.

That fire "was caused by children playing, probably due to a firecracker", the regional government said.

Temperatures in Spain have also hit record highs in recent days, topping 44 degrees Celsius in some places.

As such, Spain's Agriculture Minister Isabel Garcia Tejerina said there was an "added risk" of wildfires due to the intense heat.

"We remain in wildfire season even though we are in the month of September," she said, adding arsonists were to blame for most major wildfires in Spain this year.

At least 92 fire outbreaks have been recorded since Monday in the Galician province of Orense, leading officials to suspect arson.

The rural affairs minister in Galicia's regional government, Angeles Vazquez Mejuto, said those who deliberately set wildfires in the middle of a heatwave were "murderers".

According to the agriculture ministry, wildfires destroyed almost 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) of land between January and August -- an area close to the size of Barbados.

But this is still far less than the average for the period, which since 2006 has been around 78,000 hectares.

Wildfires have so far this year destroyed over 107,000 hectares of land in mainland Portugal and another 5,400 on the holiday island of Madeira, where fires killed three people in August and charred dozens of homes.
First American Financial Corporation FAF recently entered into an agreement to acquire RedVision Systems, Inc. The buyout will enable the property and casualty (P&C) insurer to further expand its industry leading position in title and property data.



Headquartered in New Jersey, RedVision Systems is the largest independent national provider of title and property research. The company provides title evidence solutions, which includes data, technology and managed services pertaining to the procurement and processing of title information. RedVision Systems has made a name for itself through its proprietary technology, which comprises of its production platforms  TitleVision and Nova. These platforms provide clients a customizable and scalable solution for title research and production.



RedVision Systems data, technology and services will be a substantial addition to First Americans already strong title search and title evidence production. The combination of the acquired companys nationwide title production platform and the acquirers title and property data, along with billions of recorded documents will offer unparalleled quality, coverage and operational flexibility to consumers.



First Americans Data Trace group will be able to leverage RedVision data in developing additional title plants much more swiftly and efficiently. The acquired company will be part of the P&C insurers Data and Mortgage Solutions division, and will operate as a business unit under First American.



First American has been boosting its inorganic growth profile through various strategic acquisitions. On Apr 1, 2016, the P&C insurers subsidiary, First American Mortgage Solutions, LLC, purchased Forsythe Appraisals, LLC. This acquisition should support First American Mortgage to help lenders and appraisers in the delivery of a defect-free mortgage and in turn, render terrific customer experience.

Story continues

FIRST AMER FINL Price

FIRST AMER FINL Price | FIRST AMER FINL Quote

Acquisitions are a well-accepted strategy for growth among insurers. On Aug 15, Arch Capital Group Ltd. ACGL announced its decision to acquire United Guaranty Corporation and AIG United Guaranty Insurance Limited from the parent company, American International Group, Inc. AIG.



On Aug 4, 2016, financial transaction service provider FleetCor Technologies, Inc. FLT acquired Travelcard Nederland B.V. from LeasePlan Corporation N.V. for an undisclosed amount.

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Paris (AFP) - The world's first face transplant recipient, Frenchwoman Isabelle Dinoire, died of a cancer unrelated to medicine she was taking to stop her body rejecting the graft, doctors said Wednesday.

Maimed by her dog, Dinoire received part of a brain-dead person's face in a historic operation in 2005, aged 38.

On Tuesday, doctors announced she had died in April after a "long illness".

The mother of two suffered many complications over the years related to the strong immunosuppressant drugs all transplant patients have to take.

She had infections, a tumour which was successfully treated, diminished kidney function, and high blood pressure, the Amiens-Picardie university hospital in northern France, where the transplant was done, said in a statement.

Then in November 2014, Dinoire's immune system started rejecting the graft and she reportedly lost partial control of her lips, despite the anti-rejection medicine.

The drugs rein in the immune system, which is prone to identify a transplant organ as an intruder that needs to be got rid of. But in doing so, the patient is also left exposed to infections and cancers.

Dinoire had a new operation in January this year which was able to fix some of the damage, the statement said.

But a few months later, during a checkup, doctors found that a malignant tumour which had been operated on in 2015, had returned.

"This time, unfortunately, it was beyond remedy of any available treatment," said the hospital statement.

- Rare tumour -

It described the killer as a "rare tumour, which cannot be scientifically linked to immunosuppressant treatment."

Dinoire, the statement added, died in hospital on April 22 "surrounded by her loved ones and medical team".

The divorcee gave a remarkable news conference in February 2006, just three months after receiving the nose, lips and chin of a donor in a 15-hour operation.

Dinoire appeared to be wearing thick makeup to disguise the scars, her lips heavy and inflexible.

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She spoke with a pronounced lisp as she recounted how she had fainted after "taking medicines to forget" personal problems.

"When I woke up, I tried to light a cigarette and I couldn't understand why it didn't stay between my lips. Then I saw the pool of blood and the dog next to me," she said.

"I went to look in the mirror and was horrified."

But the ground-breaking operation gave her a new lease of life.

"Since my operation I have a face, like everyone... I will be able to resume a normal life."

The ground-breaking procedure had raised hopes for people with faces disfigured in accidents or assaults, and surgeons in the United States, Spain, China, Belgium, Poland and Turkey started conducting similar procedures.

But the initial enthusiasm was soon tempered by the daunting rejection risk.
Stocks (^DJI, ^GSPC, ^IXIC) are slightly under yesterdays settlement at the midday mark, with consumer staples (XLP) leading the way down and energy (XLE) barely in the green. Keith Bliss of Cuttone & Co. joins us live from the New York Stock Exchange.

To discuss the other big stories of the day, Alexis Christoforous is joined by Yahoo Finances editor-in-chief Andy Serwer and Yahoo Finances Justine Underhill.

Apple unveils iPhone 7 amid flagging sales

Theres no avoiding talk of the big Apple event in San Francisco today, so why try? Apple is unveiling the iPhone 7 and a new Apple Watch. This comes after two straight quarters of declining iPhone sales. But many consumers, investors and bloggers are already looking ahead to the iPhone 8.

Percentage of uninsured Americans drops to record low 8.6%

The percentage of Americans without health insurance dropped to a record low in the first three months of the year 8.6%. The Obama administration is giving credit to the Affordable Care Act. But the gains from Obamacare have slowed dramatically since 2014 when the law had its greatest effect.

Clinton trumps Trump at oil and gas industry fundraising

As we head into the final stretch in the US presidential race, Hillary Clinton continues to dominate Donald Trump when it comes to fundraisingespecially in the oil and gas industry. Employees of those companies have donated $525,000 to Clinton but only $149,000 to Trump. Its worth noting that Bernie Sanders, who promised to ban oil and gas production, managed to raise $115,000 before he dropped out.
By Wa Lone and Simon Lewis SITTWE, Myanmar (Reuters) - A team led by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan began to address the plight of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya Muslims on Wednesday, meeting people displaced in communal violence that has raised concern about the country's commitment to human rights. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi appointed the nine-member commission to advise her on the situation in Rakhine State where ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims have lived separately since clashes in 2012 in which more than 100 people were killed. Some 125,000 people are living in camps, the vast majority members of the Rohingya minority who are denied citizenship in Myanmar, where many members of the majority Buddhist community see them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The six Myanmar and three foreign commissioners, including Kofi Annan, toured the camps for displaced people in the northwestern state and met members of both communities. Annan and his fellow team members did not speak to reporters but they raised hopes for peace among some of those they met. "I believe that this commission will help solve the problems between the Rakhine and the Rohingya," said Hla Myint, a representative of the Dar Paing internally displaced camp. The end of decades of strict military rule in Myanmar has exposed communal tension between minority Muslims and some Buddhists, and fueled a Buddhist nationalist movement led by hardline monks. The commission arrived in the region on Tuesday to a hostile reception from hundreds of residents and monks. The state's largest political party, which helped organize the protest, opposes the commission saying the foreigners can't understand the region's history. Suu Kyi has been cautious in her approach to the Rakhine State violence but has gradually become more outspoken since she led her party to victory in a landmark election last November. This week, she described the conflict as a wound on the body politic of the nation that could not be ignored. Muslim religious leader Kyaw Zan La told the commission during a meeting in the Thet Ke Pyin camp, home to more than 5,000 people, that his community wanted peace. The two communities have been living together for hundreds of years, Kyaw Zan La said. We Rohingyas want to live side by side with the Rakhine people. The panel also visited the Aung Mingalar quarter of the state capital, Sittwe, where several thousand Rohingya live cordoned off by police checkpoints. If theres a medical emergency, we cant go directly to the hospital even though its nearby. We have to get permission," said teacher Maung Kyaw Naing, 25. Suu Kyi is set to visit the United States this month, where she is seeking further sanctions relief for her country, and is likely to face questions on her handling of Rakhine State. (Editing by Antoni Slodkowski and Robert Birsel)
Fox News announced a settlement with Gretchen Carlson on Tuesday, ending the first in what could become a series of legal battles involving allegations of sexual harassment against former Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes.

Lisa J. Banks, a partner at Washington D.C.-based civil rights and employment law firm Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP told TheWrap that the settlement is essentially an admission of guilt.

I think because a number of women had come forward and this happened to a number of women over a long period of time  and, as I understand it, there were audio tapes to prove the allegations  I dont think there was any question that [Fox News] had a problem with liability, Banks said. If they let this go forward, a jury was likely to find that [Ailes] did, indeed, sexually harass [Carlson] and judgment could be enormous. Not to mention the bad P.R.

Also Read: Lawyer: Roger Ailes Won't Pay a Dime of $20 Million Gretchen Carlson Settlement

Banks said Fox execs saw the writing on the wall and needed to stop the bleeding before publicity got any worse regarding Carlson.

The No. 1 cable news network still has to deal with an ongoing internal investigation of Carlsons claims that has resulted in numerous women coming forward with similar allegations. 21st Century Fox also must figure out what to do with additional lawsuits that name other executives and the expiring contract of host Megyn Kelly  who is not only the networks biggest female star but also the most high-profile Ailes accuser.

Former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros has filed her own sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News, Ailes and newly appointed co-president and former Ailes protege Bill Shine.

Also Read: 6 Biggest Fox News Revelations From Gabe Sherman's Explosive Roger Ailes Expose

They can go one of two ways here: they can settle all the viable allegations and declare they have cleaned house and move forward in a positive direction, or they could say, Gretchen Carlsons case was different, these other women are opportunists and were going to fight them vigorously,' Banks said. Because they dont necessarily want to set a precedent of just paying off anybody who comes forward with claims of harassment. Each one will be taken individually, I would imagine.

Story continues

Vanity Fair, which first reported the Carlson settlement, also claims Fox News has reached a settlement agreement with two other women who accused Ailes of harassment. However, Fox News recently shot back at Tantaros in new court papers, in which the network seeks arbitration, calling Tantaros not a victim but an opportunist.

Banks said it would be difficult for Fox News to declare it has moved on and changed the way things work if Shine ends up being culpable of covering up Ailes harassment, which Tantaros claims in her suit. However, if they believe in Shine, its even more of a reason to fight Tantaros.

Also Read: Greta Van Susteren Explains Why She Quit Fox News

The people they have at the helm, theyd like to keep at the helm unless theyre forced to do something different. With Roger Ailes, they were forced to do something different, Banks said.

Banks explained that the evidence each individual accuser has, such as tape recordings or emails, will dictate Fox News action concerning in each case.

My guess is that anyone with a credible claim of harassment is likely to have a settlement negotiated, she said.

Typically, the Friday before a holiday weekend is when major companies dump news, hoping it will be forgotten by the time everyone returns to work. Fox News did exactly the opposite on Tuesday morning.

Also Read: Greta Van Susteren Exits Fox News

Moments after the press release confirming the Carlson settlement, the network announced that Greta Van Susteren would depart immediately after 14 years.

Van Susteren, who defended Ailes to TheWrap when Carlsons claims first broke, wrote on Facebook that the network has not felt like home to me for a few years and New York magazine reporter Gabe Sherman, who has been out in front of the Ailes story from day one, wrote that Van Susteren left because she is troubled by the culture at Fox News.

Related stories from TheWrap:

Roger Ailes Enlists Anti-Gawker Lawyer to Threaten New York Magazine

6 Biggest Fox News Revelations From Gabe Sherman's Explosive Roger Ailes Expose

Gabe Sherman's Shocking Roger Ailes Expose Details 'Grotesque Abuses of Power'
There is France, and there is Africa, French President Francois Hollande announced on a state visit to Senegal in 2012. It was a remark validated by geography but repudiated by history. Since most of Frances African colonies gained independence in 1960, they have maintained a web of opaque and incestuous ties with Paris  culminating in Elysee-backed coups, African strongman-banked safaris, and diamond-studded tokens of appreciation. But this decades-long patron-client relationship, Hollande insisted in 2012, would be replaced with a transparent partnership of equals founded on respect and solidarity.

This was largely nonsense, of course. As the contested presidential election and subsequent violence in Gabon has shown, La Francafrique refuses to go quietly into the night: For those Africans seeking to build democracy as well as those trying to deny it, the ties that have long bound France and francophone Africa cannot be easily undone. As wits point out, Francafrique rhymes with France-a-fric  slang for French politicians use of Africa as a personal ATM. While the practice has faded, its scars remain.

On Aug. 27, the Gabonese went to the ballot boxes to choose a president. For the first time in a half-century, the nations 2 million citizens had a realistic chance of electing a president with a last name other than Bongo. But as the post-election intrigue has revealed, they never had a chance of escaping Frances shadow.

For 42 years until his death in 2009, Omar Bongo ruled over a Gabon that was the heart of La Francafrique. As the nations founding father, Bongo sought to create a dynasty rather than a democracy. Instead of giving the Gabonese a true multiparty system, he gave them his son, Ali Bongo Ondimba. (Long rumored to have been born in Nigeria and adopted by the elder Bongo  rumors given a good deal of substance by the French journalist Pierre Pean, who has been a persistent thorn in the younger Bongos side.)

Africa without France is like a car without a driver, while France without Africa is like a car without gas. True to his bon mot, Omar Bongo provided the gas, both literally and metaphorically, for France and its political elite. While the French oil giant Elf Aquitaine exploited the tiny Central African countrys substantial oil reserves  filling a massive slush fund for Frances ruling class as well as for Bongos kleptocracy that was uncovered in the 1990s by French investigators  Bongo exploited his equally substantial bank reserves to cultivate ties in Paris.

Installed in power 1967 by Charles de Gaulles eminence grise on African affairs, Jacques Foccart, Bongo had little interest in cultivating democratic practices at home. What he was interested in was meddling in the politics of France, which he saw as the ultimate guarantor of his power. Occupants of the Elysee came and went, but Bongo remained a fixture of the murky fringe of French campaign finance. Among the load of diplomatic cables dumped by WikiLeaks in 2010 was one from the American Embassy in Cameroon, which hinted at the role played by the Banque des Etats dAfrique Centrale (BEAC) in the financing of the presidential campaigns of Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy. Bongo stands accused of embezzling millions of dollars from BEAC  he named the banks pliant director, Philip Andzembe  and allegedly channeled some of his ill-gotten lucre into Chiracs and Sarkozys campaign coffers. Bongo, as one BEAC administrator noted with superb understatement, was Frances favorite African president.

Through mechanisms such as these, Omar Bongo built his signature system of suitcases. In a 2001 interview with the French newspaper Liberation, Mike Jocktane, an ex-insider of the Bongo clan, admitted that the bribing of French politicians was an open secret in Gabon. Everyone knew that when a French leader came to Gabon, he almost always left with a suitcase. The character of the regime was to cultivate everyone, regardless of their political affiliation, so as to obtain and maintain their support.

Both Sarkozy and Ali Bongo Ondimba have denied the charges leveled by the BEAC administrator in the WikiLeaks cable. Undeniable, however, was Sarkozys critical support in 2009, when the younger Bongo, following his fathers death, claimed victory in a presidential election his opponents insisted he had stolen. Even as the contested results were still being reviewed by Gabons Constitutional Court, Sarkozys government congratulated the younger Bongo on his victory  a rush to judgment, Jocktane believes, explained by the existence of videotapes recording Sarkozys visits to the elder Bongos presidential palace.

In last months presidential election, Bongos opponents were determined to avoid a rerun of 2009, when his two principal opponents divided more than 50 percent of the popular vote between themselves. This time around, the opposition parties settled on a single candidate, Jean Ping, to run against the incumbent. While the 73-year-old Ping was hardly a new face  in addition to heading a number of ministries under Bongo, he served as chair of the African Union in 2008-2012  he had the advantage of having a last name other than Bongo.

But when the election results were tallied, an anomaly appeared: While Ping won decisively in nearly all of the countrys provinces, Bongo carried his home province of Upper Ogooe by a margin that would stoke the envy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. He won more than 96 percent of the vote amid a 99.98 percent turnout. (Given that only 71,000 voters were registered in Upper Ogooe, this means that only 12 failed to cast their ballots.) Not only did this raise his total vote count above Pings  49.8 percent to 48.23 percent  and thus raise eyebrows among European Union observers; it also got a rise from Pings supporters, who immediately took to the streets in protest.

In the days following the initial riots, which broke out on Aug. 27, at least seven people have been killed. The government shut down the internet and silenced the domestic news media, so theres no way to verify opposition claims that the death toll now tops 50. It could be much higher. The only thing clear now is that little is clear; as the magazine Jeune Afrique observed, Information is now a rare commodity in Gabon.

Hunkered down in his house, Ping has both declared himself president and demanded a recount of the vote, province by province  a demand rejected by Bongos representatives, who claim that such a procedure (one not anticipated by Gabons electoral laws) would be unconstitutional.

The results of the election, and the future of democracy in Gabon, probably wont turn on such fine legalisms. On Sept. 5, Ping upped the ante, calling for a general strike by his followers and appealing to Hollande to intervene personally. At this point, declared a Ping spokesperson, we depend on Hollandes decision. He needs to bang his fist on the table and intervene. If he doesnt, it will amount to nonassistance to a people in danger.

For now, Hollande has refrained from intervening, not to mention banging his fist on tables. Instead he has called for restraint and calm on the part of all parties as well as an electoral process guaranteeing transparency. Hollandes reluctance to go beyond diplomatic pieties may reflect the dwindling importance of Gabons oil reserves  France gets most of its fuel from Norway, Saudi Arabia, and Russia these days  but, ironically, it may also reflect Frances colonial legacy in the tiny African country. To intervene on behalf of Ping would be to continue the politics of Francafrique by another name.

Then again, to leave the name of Bongo in charge of the capital, Libreville, would be to ensure its continuation as well. There may be France and there may be Africa, as Hollande observed, but disentangling them is another matter.

Photo credit: Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
By Geert De Clercq

PARIS (Reuters) - French renewable energy developer Quadran plans to invest about 3 billion euros (2.54 billion pounds) to build 2,000 megawatts of new power generation capacity over the next decade, its CEO said on Wednesday.

Quadran is one of several privately owned renewable energy developers competing fiercely in a French market still dominated by the former monopoly electricity company EDF and gas firm Engie.

In July, Quadran and Eolfi, another small developer, won the first two tenders for pilot floating offshore wind parks, tenders in which the two big power firms also bid.

Following a 45 million euro capital increase last year, Quadran is now 70 percent owned by founder Jean-Marc Bouchet, 15 percent by public investment bank Bpifrance, with several investment funds holding stakes of a few percent.

Quadran's 400 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity in wind, solar, biomass and hydro power is dwarfed by EDF and Engie which each have worldwide capacities of more than 100,000 MW.

"We are certainly a mosquito compared to the big two, but in terms of installed capacity in renewables in France, they are actually only about three times bigger than us," Quadran CEO Jerome Billerey said.

Quadran has 400 MW under construction, which will double its installed capacity to 800 MW by 2018. It then expects to operate 1,000 MW by 2020 and 2,000 MW by 2025.

"We plan to build about 2,000 megawatts over the next 10 years on top of the 400 we have now," Billerey said.

This represents a 3 billion euro investment, of which 500 million will be financed with equity and the rest with debt.

"That is nothing compared to Hinkley Point, yet it will produce 30 percent of the power Hinkley Point will produce," he said, referring to EDF's 21 billion euro project to build a 3,200 MW nuclear power station in England.

Quadran operates only 10 MW abroad now, but has 800 MW of mainly wind and solar power under development in Morocco, Tunisia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Ghana, Burkina Faso and other countries.

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Floating offshore wind power is only a small part of Quadran's investment plan, but Billerey sees huge potential. France is expected to award the next two floating offshore tenders soon and Quadran hopes to win at least one more.

Billerey said offshore winds were so steady turbines can turn about half of the time, and up to 70 percent in winter, making it a quasi-baseload power such as coal or nuclear.

He said cutting costs was the main challenge for floating offshore. Now about 250 euros per MWh, it needs to fall to 100 euros/MWh for the industry to become viable, he said.

($1 = 0.8896 euros)

(Editing by David Clarke)
US intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden sought shelter among Hong Kong refugees after he leaked a huge trove of secret documents in the southern Chinese city, reports said Wednesday.

The former intelligence contractor had quit his job with the National Security Agency and travelled to Hong Kong in May 2013 where he initiated one of the largest data leaks in US history, fuelling a firestorm over the issue of mass surveillance.

Although Snowden stayed in an upscale hotel before the leak, little was known of his situation afterwards.

But a report Wednesday revealed he had been given shelter by the city's 11,000 asylum-seekers.

Many of Hong Kong's refugees are forced to live in slum-like conditions, the last place anyone would look for one of the highest-profile US fugitives.

The 33-year-old stayed with at least four refugees, according to a New York Times report. It added they were all clients of lawyer Robert Tibbo, who helped hide Snowden.

"It was clear that if Mr. Snowden was placed with a refugee family, this was the last place the government and the majority of Hong Kong society would expect him to be," Tibbo told the Times.

One Filipino woman with whom Snowden stayed, Vanessa Mae Bondalian Rodel, described him as "scared and very worried".

After she saw his story in local media, she described her shock. "Oh my God, the most wanted man in the world is in my house."

Other refugees from Sri Lanka said they were not worried about hosting Snowden, and felt he was taking a greater risk than they were.

One family told how he left money for them under a pillow before he left.

Snowden came to Hong Kong on May 20, 2013 and began a damaging series of leaks about the NSA eavesdropping of phones and computer systems that triggered concern from governments worldwide.

Media were clambering to find the whistleblower from the time he checked out of his five-star hotel on June 10 to the day he left the city for Moscow on June 23, escaping the clutches of US justice.

His high-stakes journey is the topic of "Snowden", a thriller directed by Oliver Stone which hits cinemas around the world in September and comes to Hong Kong in October.
By Gerauds Wilfried Obangome LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Gabon's re-elected president, Ali Bongo, came under international scrutiny on Tuesday as a European Union mission questioned the validity of his narrow win, France recommended a recount and the African Union said it would send mediators. Opposition leader Jean Ping, who has said the election was stolen, called on "the international community to help the people of Gabon," telling Reuters on Tuesday: "Everybody knows the result and everybody knows that Bongo is doing everything not to accept it." Ping has said the number of votes cast in southeastern Haut-Ogooue province were inflated to give victory to Bongo, whose family has ruled the central African oil-producing country for almost half a century. At least six people died in riots in the capital, Libreville, and other cities in the days after the announcement of results from the Aug. 27 election, which gave Bongo the victory over Ping by about 5,000 votes. Calm has since returned to the streets. Ping said on Tuesday that between 50 to 100 people were killed since last week in Libreville. There was no independent confirmation of the figure. Election monitors have focused on Haut-Ogooue, a Bongo stronghold, where official figures showed he won 95.46 percent of the vote on a 99.9 percent turnout. The EU observer mission said the number of non-voters and blank or invalid ballots were at variance with the reported participation rate, adding turnout in other regions was around 48 percent. "The integrity of the provisional results for this province is consequently put into question," said Mariya Gabriel, the EU's chief observer of the polls. A government spokesman told Reuters he would not comment on the EU statement until Wednesday. Opposition parties in Africa frequently say votes are rigged, but the results are rarely overturned and it is unusual for a president once declared winner, as in this case, to face significant international pressure over the election. The African Union said it would send a delegation to Gabon likely to be led by Chad's Idriss Deby, one of Africa's longest-ruling presidents and the current chair of the pan-African body. Ping, a former diplomat and African Union Commission chairman, said he had been told the delegation would arrive on Thursday. He said he had no faith in the constitutional court because it was tied to the Bongo family and he wanted a recount done under international supervision before any appeal to that court. Manuel Valls, prime minister of former colonial power France, suggested a recount would be wise and urged authorities to help locate about 15 of its nationals - out of a local French community of around 14,000 - it says are missing. The government has dismissed all calls to publish more detailed results, prompting the justice minister to resign. INCREASED CONCERN A main opposition complaint is that Gabon's oil wealth has not been shared fairly among its 1.8 million population. Shopkeepers and government staff returned to work on Tuesday. Parliament also resumed, with lawmakers gathering sombrely in the Senate building after part of the National Assembly complex was badly damaged during last week's protests. France has in the past intervened in its former African colonies, such as when it helped oust Cote d'Ivoire's then-president, Laurent Gbagbo, in 2011 after he refused to concede defeat in an election. But it has ruled out intervention in Gabon where it has a military base. Up to 1,100 people were arrested last week during the unrest, according to the interior minister, although many have since been released. U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said on Tuesday the organization was following the situation in Gabon with "increased concern". (Additional reporting by Aaron Maasho in Addis Ababa and Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Matthew Mpoke Bigg in Accra; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Paris (AFP) - Gabon's Ali Bongo on Wednesday rejected criticism of his disputed presidential election victory, accusing EU observers of bias towards his rival and insisting that only the country's top court could order a recount.

Oil-rich Gabon has been in turmoil since the August 27 poll, in which Bongo's rival Jean Ping also claimed victory.

Several people have been killed in violence triggered by the results, which showed Bongo winning a second term by a wafer-thin margin of some 6,000 votes.

On Tuesday, an EU election observer team reported a "clear anomaly" in voting in Haut-Ogooue province, Bongo's heartland.

Official results gave turnout in the province at more than 99 percent, with 95 percent backing the incumbent.

Reacting to the criticism, Bongo, 57, told France's RTL radio: "I would also have liked them to have noted some anomalies in the fiefdom of Mr Ping.

"If we're raising anomalies, we have to be clear, balanced and raise all the anomalies that have been noted."

The opposition has accused Bongo of rigging the vote and called for a recount -- a call echoed by Manuel Valls, prime minister of Gabon's former colonial power France.

A defiant Bongo ruled out any new tally unless the Constitutional Court ordered one.

"I cannot violate the (electoral) law," he insisted.

"African governments are often accused of not respecting the law. For once we're respecting the law and we're being told to circumvent it, it's strange," he said.

Ping has yet to announce whether he will challenge the election in the Constitutional Court. The deadline for doing so is 1500 GMT on Thursday.

In their analysis, the EU election monitors said the number of non-voters and of blank and disqualified votes revealed a "clear anomaly in the final results in Haut-Ogooue."

In an interview with Europe 1 radio, Bongo accused the EU observers of "overstepping their mandate" and said he too was preparing to challenge some of the results.

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- 'Chaos will not take hold' -

Bongo is under increasing pressure at home and abroad after Justice Minister Seraphin Moundounga resigned on Monday demanding a recount "polling station by polling station."

Ping's campaign coordinator Rene Ndemezo Obiang reiterated the demand on Wednesday.

In the chaos following the result, opposition demonstrators clashed with police and the country's parliament was torched.

Ping, 73, has called for a general strike but the appeal seems to have garnered little support.

"Mr Ping's call went unheeded...it failed," Bongo declared, vowing: "Chaos will not take hold."

Bongo accused Ping, a former African Union Commission chairman, of attempting "massive fraud" and said it was difficult to envisage dialogue with "people who ask the Gabonese to go into the street to loot and destroy and burn things."

Several people have died since the violence erupted in the central African nation, which has been ruled by the Bongo family since 1967.

According to an AFP count, the post-election chaos has claimed at least seven lives.

Gabonese authorities have reported three killed and 105 wounded, with the government saying some deaths had previously been incorrectly attributed to the clashes.

Bongo dismissed as "fanciful" a claim by Ping's camp that between 50 and 100 have died but said that "around 100" had been hurt in the violence.

Some 800 people have been arrested in recent days in the capital Libreville, with the authorities accusing them of looting, while lawyers say they are being held in "deplorable" conditions.

Gabon, a country roughly the size of Britain but with a population of 1.8 million, has known only three presidents since it won independence from France in 1960.

One-third of its population lives in poverty, even though the country boasts one of Africa's highest per capita incomes -- $8,300 annually -- thanks to its oil wealth.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Suspected gang members shot down a helicopter in a clash with police in restive western Mexico on Tuesday, killing four people, the governor of the state of Michoacan said. Silvano Aureoles said on Twitter that the operation took place near the violent city of Apatzingan, in Michoacan, and was aimed at detaining "leaders of criminal cells". It was not immediately clear which gang was responsible. "During the operation, an official helicopter which was supporting the patrol in area of difficult access was shot down," he said. "We lament the death of the pilot, three police officers and a police officer who was injured." Last year, members of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, which operates in Michoacan and in the neighboring state of Jalisco, shot down an army helicopter, killing six soldiers. Michoacan has one of the highest murder rates in Mexico after being overrun with drug gangs and armed vigilante groups. (Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter, Adriana Barrera and Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Simon Gardner)
The giant panda, commonly a symbol for conservation, is no longer considered an endangered species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In an update to their Red List of Threatened Species on Sunday (Sept. 4), which assesses a species' conservation status, the IUCN reported the giant panda population has improved enough for the endangered species label to be downgraded to "vulnerable."

A nationwide census in 2014 found 1,864 giant pandas in the wild in China, excluding cubs  an increase from 1,596 in 2004, according to the IUCN. Including cubs, the current population count is approaching 2,060, the organization said. The report credits forest protection and reforestation measures in China for increasing the available habitat for the species. [Baby Panda Pics: See A Cub Growing Up]

"The decision to downlist the giant panda to 'vulnerable' is a positive sign confirming that the Chinese government's efforts to conserve this species are effective," the IUCN noted in its assessment.

The giant panda was once widespread throughout southern China, and is revered in the country's culture. The IUCN's first assessment of the species in 1965 listed the giant panda as "very rare but believed to be stable or increasing."

The species has been the focus of an intensive, high-profile conservation campaign to recover an endangered species since the 1970s, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)  which has used the panda in its logo since 1961.

"For over fifty years, the giant panda has been the globe's most beloved conservation icon as well as the symbol of WWF," Marco Lambertini, director general of the WWF, said in a statement. "Knowing that the panda is now a step further from extinction is an exciting moment for everyone committed to conserving the world's wildlife and their habitats."

Decades of conservation efforts have included the banning of giant panda poaching  their hides were considered a commodity  as well as the creation of the panda reserve system, increasing available habitats. There are now 67 reserves in China protecting nearly 5,400 square miles (14,000 square kilometers) of habitat and 67 percent of the panda population, reported CNN.

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"The recovery of the panda shows that when science, political will and engagement of local communities come together, we can save wildlife and also improve biodiversity," Lambertini said in the statement.

The Chinese government's partnerships with the international organization have also spread conservation and breeding efforts. In June, a healthy male cub was born in a Belgian zoo. The captive population is not taken into consideration by IUCN for the Red List, which is specific to species in the wild. However, the captive population being bred for recovery and reintroduction are part of the overall conservation picture, according to Joe Walston, Vice President of Conservation Field Programs for the Wildlife Conservation Society.

The giant panda is not completely in the clear, however. The IUCN warned that climate change and decreasing bamboo availability could reverse the gains made in the past few decades. More than one-third of the panda's bamboo habitat could disappear in the next 80 years, according to the IUCN.

"It is a real concern, and this is emblematic of what species are facing globally with regard to climate change," Walston told Live Science of the threat to habitat and food supply. "The most important thing we can do at the moment is to be able to grow the extent and range of that habitat and by doing that you allow pandas to move across landscapes."

Wildlife as a whole can adapt to short-term changes and season extremes, Walston said, but they need to space to move and adapt.

As such, conservation efforts continue and the giant panda will continue to be considered "a conservation-dependent species for the foreseeable future," the IUCN's report concluded.

Original article on Live Science.

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A resolute 6-year-old girl started her first day of school Tuesday, less than one month after she was shot in the head while playing outside her grandmothers Chicago home, authorities said.

Little Zariah Muhammad was outside with her cousins, friends and her uncle playing with water balloons on August 11 when a gunman approached the group and opened fire, loved ones said.

A bullet hit the little girl in the head and fractured her skull, relative Lanetta Hoover-Muhammad said on a GoFundMe page created to offset medical costs.

She was rushed to Comers Childrens Hospital, where she underwent surgery to have the bullet removed.

Read: Instead of Missing First Day of School for Her Adoption, 10-Year-Old Girl Takes Class With Her

Her uncle, 22-year-old David Mcray, who police reportedly believe was the intended target, died after being shot in the chest.

The shooter reportedly remains at large.

This has been a very emotional time [for] Zariah and her family but through it all, she has kept a beautiful bright smile on her face for her mother, big sister and the rest of her devoted family, Hoover-Muhammad said.

Showing an unwavering strength beyond her six years, Zariah returned home from the hospital only days later, ready to enjoy the rest of the summer and prepare for first grade, according to reports.

Read: Army Veteran is Likely Paralyzed After Being Shot as He Celebrated His Mom's Birthday

Her joy and her spirit is keeping me balanced," said her mother Gloria Muhammad told ABC station WLS at the time. "The hard part is not over yet. The hard part is going to this funeral and her seeing her uncle actually laying there."

Zariah returned to Woodlawn Elementary School on Tuesday, where she wants to improve her reading and get ahead in math  all in an effort to work toward her dreams of becoming a doctor, because they help people get better," she told WLS.

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Watch: Why Brave Kids Aren't Ashamed of Showing Scars In Stunning Photos

Related Articles:
(Reuters) - Global demand for air travel rose 5.9 percent in July, the first month of the peak summer travel period, thanks to the low price of oil helping to keep fares low and thus boosting demand, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.

But European carriers saw the slowest growth in demand, of 4.1 percent in July, IATA said in its monthly traffic update on Wednesday, after attacks deterred tourists, especially from Asia and the United States.

"Long-haul travel to Europe, for example, suffered in the aftermath of a spate of terrorist attacks. And the mature domestic markets are seeing demand growth stall while Brazil and Russia contract," IATA head Alexandre de Juniac said in a statement.

IATA added that typically the impact of terror-related attacks is just temporary, but that the repeated nature of recent events suggests the impact may be longer-lasting this time.

Globally, capacity measured in available seat kilometres rose 6.0 percent, faster than demand, and meaning that load factor - a measure of how full planes are - dropped 0.1 percentage point to 83.7 percent.

(Reporting by Daria Kowalewska; Editing by Victoria Bryan)
#Goals: This entire house in Finland is covered in bright pink crochet

#Goals: This entire house in Finland is covered in bright pink crochet

When you think of home decor, theres a typical assumption that it means adorning and arranging the interior of your home with trinkets, artwork, furniture and feng shui that reflect your personality. With artistic trends like #doortraits taking over the internet, clearly the definition of home decor doesnt exclude the exterior of your home. Case in point: this two-story house in Finland thats covered in bright pink crochet, aka, a dream living sitch for the worlds #1 Barbie fan.

Created by Polish NYC-based artist Olek, the 100-year-old home shows off her knack for covering all types of objects in crochet, including buildings, playground sculptures, vehicles and even people. Additionally, another home in Avesta, Sweden also received Oleks bright pink crochet treatment.

Behold what is easily one of the most lit houses in the entire world:

#ourpinkhouse #finland A photo posted by olek (@oleknyc) on Aug 27, 2016 at 7:41am PDT

According to This is Colossal, Olek explained the sentiment behind this dazzling piece of artwork and what its bold color represents:

Originally, this building, built in the early 1900s, was the home of Karl Jacob Svensk (1883-1968). During the Winter War 1939-1940, the family fled to evade bombs falling into the yard, but they didnt have to move out permanently. In 2015, more than 21 million people were forced to leave their homes in order to flee from conflicts. The pink house, our pink house is a symbol of a bright future filled with hope; is a symbol us coming together as a community.

We appreciate Olek using her artistic talents to spread such a beautiful message. Check out of more behind-the-scenes photos and video of her pink crochet house on Instagram.

The post #Goals: This entire house in Finland is covered in bright pink crochet appeared first on HelloGiggles.
[Photo: Facebook/The Goat Retreat]



Once upon a time, we discovered yoga. Then we found out about bikram yoga, restorative yoga, then yin yoga You get the picture.

And the latest addition to the yoga family is goat yoga, apparently.

No, it doesnt consist of teaching goats how to do the warrior pose - its a yoga retreat where you can do yoga surrounded by goats.

The Goat Retreat in Willamette Valley, Oregon, was set up by former professional photographer Lainey Morse, who wanted to use her farm to set up a business.



[Photo: Facebook/The Goat Retreat]

And when a local yoga instructor was looking for a place to host her yoga classes, Morse offered up her farm.

The goats arent involved in the classes, per se - well, not physically - and are really there for the novelty and to look at as they wander about. Because why the hell not?

It really is a wonderful unique experience, Morse told the Metro.

[Photo: Facebook/The Goat Retreat]



It may sound silly but its really just about getting outside in nature with beautiful scenery and having animals around you.

Animals can really help humans with stress and illness or grief.



The classes have been a huge success so far, and according to the Retreats Facebook page are now booked up until 2017. Thats just about enough time to book a trip to Oregon though, right?

What do you think about goat yoga? Tweet us at @YahooStyleUK.

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New York (AFP) - Goldman Sachs has barred partners from donating to some US political campaigns, including the Trump-Pence presidential ticket, according to a company memo seen by AFP on Wednesday.

The Trump-Pence campaign was one of several cases listed as prohibited because of 2010 US regulations intended to block donations to state and local officials that could sway the awarding of government investment business, said the memo, which was dated August 29.

The memo barred donations to Trump-Pence because vice presidential candidate, Mike Pence, is governor of the state of Indiana.

The restriction does not extend to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who does not currently hold office, or to her vice presidential nominee, US Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia.

"The policy change is meant to prevent inadvertently violating pay-to-play rules," said the memo, which was provided to AFP by a person familiar with the matter.

"The penalties for failing to comply with these rules can be severe and include fines and a ban on the firm from doing business with government clients in a particular jurisdiction for a period of at least two years."

Goldman partners also cannot donate to state and local officials or candidates, state and local party committees, such as the Democratic Party of Virginia, or to inauguration or transition committees for newly elected state and local officials.

The policy pertains to Goldman partners, an elite group of about 470 employees out of the investment bank's 34,800 global staff.
Greta Van Susteren's abrupt exit from Fox News, the same day parent company 21st Century Fox announced a $20 million settlement with Gretchen Carlson, may be just the first major on-air change triggered by the ouster in July of Roger Ailes.

Van Susteren's contract included a key man clause that allowed her to leave if Ailes were no longer in charge. The anchor alluded to the clause in a Facebook post on Tuesday when she noted that "the clause had a time limitation, meaning I could not wait."

One source close to the situation attributed Van Susteren's exit to a "financial disagreement." And other sources say she attempted to renegotiate her contract and invoked the clause when the talks went south. But Van Susteren's husband, lawyer John Coale, said in an interview with The New York Times: "There's so much chaos, it's very hard to work there." And Van Susteren echoed that point when she posted an explanation on Facebook: "The place just didn't feel like home anymore."

In another interview with CNN on Tuesday, Coale predicted "possible litigation in the future" between Van Susteren and Fox, but declined to elaborate.

Read more: Greta Van Susteren Out at Fox News

But will there be more big-name departures from the news network? Van Susteren was among several Fox News anchors that had the clause in their deals. Others include Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Geraldo Rivera and Bret Baier.

There was a window during which Van Susteren could exercise the clause. And presumably others had similar windows. However, insiders do not expect other anchors to defect. Megyn Kelly, who told investigators she was the recipient of unwanted sexual advances from Ailes in 2006, when she was relatively new to the network, is in the midst of a contract renegotiation. Though she could certainly field a bevy of other offers, many observers expect her to stay. "Who is going to pay her what Fox News will pay her to stay?" asks one.

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Van Susteren's departure caught many inside Fox News by surprise. Brit Hume, who will anchor the 7 p.m. hour previously occupied by Van Susteren through the election, quoted those words in his closing remarks on Tuesday night.

"I count Greta a friend and I'm sorry to see her go," said Hume. "All of us here certainly wish her well. She made a big contribution and we will miss her."

But the reaction to Carlson's settlement was mixed. Many staffers want to put the saga behind them as they focus on an unprecedented presidential election cycle. "Everyone is ready to move on," said one.

Nevertheless, there is still a sense of unease inside Fox News; it's the overriding reason Rupert Murdoch put veteran executives Bill Shine and Jack Abernethy in charge at co-presidents of the network while the Murdochs cast a wider net for a permanent CEO.

And observers note that the crisis has given Rupert Murdoch's sons, James and Lachlan, installed last year as CEO and executive chairman, respectively, of 21st Century Fox, an opportunity position Fox News for the future.

"They have been insulated from the ravages of the news business because their viewers are so damn old," notes Gabe Kahn, a professor at the USC Annenberg School of Journalism and Communications and the former Los Angeles bureau chief of the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal.

Still, Fox News Channel has been the most watched cable news network for an unprecedented 58 quarters and has been No. 1 in the 25-54 demographic critical to advertisers for more than 13 years. It's in part why Fox News is the top revenue generator for 21st Century Fox, funneling more than a $1 billion annually into the company's coffers. Averaging close to 2 million viewers each night, the network finished the second quarter as the No. 2 cable network in primetime, behind only TNT, which aired the NBA playoffs.

The younger Murdochs, adds Kahn, "are positioning Fox News beyond the cable dial, and this is the beginning of that change. They're going to have to write some more large checks. But this is an opportunity to prepare the programming, the talent, for [the future]."

Read more: Gretchen Carlson Enlists Power Publicist Cindi Berger and PMK*BNC (Exclusive)
Riyadh (AFP) - Gulf Arab states accused Iran on Wednesday of trying to politicise the hajj after its supreme leader lashed out at Saudi authorities over their management of the annual pilgrimage.

The head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council said that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks accusing Riyadh of "murder" over the deaths of nearly 2,300 pilgrims at last year's hajj were "inappropriate and offensive".

Abdullatif al-Zayani said the comments were "a clear incitement and a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj.

This year for the first time in almost three decades Iranians will not join the annual pilgrimage to the Muslim holy places in Saudi Arabia after talks on logistics and security fell apart in May.

The verbal sparring between the two regional rivals -- who have no diplomatic relations -- has intensified ahead of the start of the pilgrimage on Saturday.

In a scathing open letter published on Monday, Khamenei accused the Saudis of failing to protect pilgrims and called on Muslim countries to strip Saudi Arabia of the right to manage the hajj.

"The hesitation and failure to rescue the half-dead and injured people... is also obvious and incontrovertible. They murdered them," the Iranian leader wrote.

Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, countered that that Iranians were "not Muslims", prompting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to accuse Saudi leaders of "bigoted extremism"..

Zayani said the Gulf Arab states "reject the unjust media campaign and the successive declarations of senior Iranian leaders against the Saudi kingdom".

Such allegations are "totally incompatible with the values and precepts of Islam which extol compassion, love and brotherhood," he added.
Byron Clayton watched as the flood waters took over Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"First we got the rain and with nowhere to go and the water kept rising even after the rain stopped," says Clayton, president and CEO of Research Park Corp., a nonprofit that assists Louisiana entrepreneurs. "One place is fine and 100 yards down the street there is complete flooding ... I've been amazed at how quickly everyone has come to the aid of others."

A year and a half ago Clayton moved from Cleveland to oversee RPC, an umbrella organization that operates Louisiana Technology Park, a 45,000-square foot facility that houses more than two dozen startups; NexusLA, which focuses on regional collaboration, access to capital and technology workforce diversity; and Innovation Catalyst, a nonprofit that provides capital and services to Louisiana tech companies.

[See: 10 Great Ways to Buy Emerging Markets.]

One of the biggest challenges is getting access to investors. "We have investment opportunities, high-potential companies looking for funding. But we are a small state," says Clayton, noting that Louisiana's 4.6 million population is roughly twice of Houston. "Getting access to the capital we need is a top priority."

It's a similar discovery that Mike Eckert, the former president and CEO of The Weather Channel, made when he moved to New Orleans three years ago to be closer to his two grandsons.

"There wasn't a formal angel investing infrastructure and there's no doubt there's an entrepreneurial explosion occurring here," says Eckert, chairman of the NO/LA Angel Network and member of public policy committee for the Angel Capital Association, a national organization that oversees more than 200 angel groups and accredited platforms in North America.

Since Eckert founded the NO/LA Angel Network in 2014, the group of investors has grown from 40 to 132 and made 14 investments in seven Louisiana-based startups totaling $3.7 million. Although the sizes of the investing rounds have varied from $50,000 to more than $1 million, Eckert says the mean average has been approximately $600,000 per investment.

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About 70 miles connects Baton Rouge and New Orleans via the Interstate 10 corridor. In the wake of the flooding in Baton Rouge and the 11 years in post-Katrina New Orleans, many serial entrepreneurs and investors have an opportunity to help build the region.

"Every day it gets better. You still have houses here in New Orleans that haven't been touched since Katrina," says Renee Pastor, senior vice president for investments for Raymond James and Associates. "We've had this influx of 30-something professionals, some who were doing volunteer work after Katrina, fell in love with the city and stayed."

Consider Louisiana's angel investor tax credit. Known as AITC, accredited investors who invest in businesses certified by the Louisiana Economic Development as Louisiana Entrepreneurial Businesses can earn a 25.2 percent tax credit on investments up to $720,000 per business per year and $1.44 million per business over the life of the program.

"A lot of people underestimate how much activity is going on Louisiana," says Mark Graffagnini, founder and president of Graffagnini Law Corp., and NO/LA Angel Network's member service chairman.

[See: 7 Stocks to Buy for the Baby Boomer Retirement Wave.]

Look at the region's core competencies. While energy and petroleum have always been big drivers, that also includes sectors such as biotech, energy, health care, hospitality, agriculture, technology and chemical companies.

"Louisiana is a large player in the pipeline, liquefied natural gas and transportation space," says Wade Ragas, a former University of New Orleans professor who now works as a real estate consultant and appraiser. He says "oil and natural gas prices have dropped by over 60 percent since mid-2014 and now may represent a buying opportunity."

Pastor points to master limited partnerships, where a certain percentage of revenue is given to the shareholder and can be held within an exchange-traded fund or mutual fund. Look at a company's history, yields and evaluate comparable midstream companies -- the kind that work with the transportation of oil and gas -- to fellow competitors, she says.

"MLPs aren't supposed to fluctuate with price of gas, but I'm here to tell there is a direct price correlations and they got slammed just like oil prices got slammed when they started dropping in 2014," Pastor says. "Analysts feel like they are seeing the bottom."

There's a big focus on water management. The Water Institute of the Gulf is a nonprofit research institute that focuses on Louisiana's disappearing coastline and couples with state-wide and international water management projects.

Additionally, shipping, logistics and transportation based companies are a large factor since a significant percentage of the goods leaving America go through New Orleans via the Mississippi River.

Many experts also point to the rise in health care investment opportunities with the building of the Veteran Affairs hospital and University Medical Center in New Orleans as well as LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

Look at tech startups. NO/LA Angel Network investments have included companies such as CyberReef, which focuses on security and connection for virtual private networks; MobileQubes cell phone charging kiosks; Bioceptive, which makes IUD devices; and SmartPak, which designs packaging for the beverage industry.

Other tech companies experts highlighted in the Silicon Bayou include AxoSim Technologies, a New Orleans startup researching its "nerve-on-a-chip" to test drugs instead of animals; Baton Rouge-based MasteryPrep, an online resource center that helps students prepare for the ACT and Kickboard, a software company for educators.

[See: 8 Cheap ETFs That You Won't Regret.]

Sherif Ebrahim, president and CEO of Strategic Management Group and managing partner of SMG Capital, two private equity and health care firms in Louisiana, suggests startups like Zlien, a cloud-based platform for liens waivers; and Lucid, a software company focused on big data. "These are things that aren't sexy, but have the potential to be big money makers," Ebrahim says.





More From US News & World Report


A stroll through the research literature on shyness can be a little alarming to the parent of a wallflower. Studies have linked behavioral inhibition in children  a trait referring not only to shyness but also to extreme caution about new situations  with an increased chance of developing anxiety disorders later. And research suggests that the parental urge to protect a cautious kid may make matters worse.

But psychologists and child development specialists have also come up with ways to support shy kids. The key, said Sandee McClowry, a psychologist at New York University, is to nudge children out of their comfort zones without trying to change their fundamental natures.

"That acceptance of the child is a huge, huge thing," McClowry told Live Science.

Shyness and its consequences

Psychologists define shyness as a tendency to withdraw from social encounters, and a tendency to feel awkward and tense when social interaction does occur. Researchers who study shyness often use the broader concept of behavioral inhibition to capture kids whose anxiety includes both feeling shy around people and also in new situations.

Shyness is part of a child's temperament, and psychologists have found it to be a very persistent trait. In a study published in 1988 in the journal Child Development, researchers compared observations of 4-year-olds with observations of those same kids at 7.5 years. The kids who were timid at 4 generally remained so at 7, while the outgoing kids stayed outgoing. [10 Scientific Tips for Raising Happy Kids]

But other studies have found ramifications of this wallflower personality. Another 1988 study, which used data from people born in the late 1920s, found that men who had been shy in childhood were less likely to marry later and have children later, and generally had less stable careers than those who were outgoing. Shy women, on the other hand, were more likely than outgoing women to marry, have children and stay at home. For both men and women, the researchers wrote in the journal Developmental Psychology, the pattern seemed to be a withdrawal from the world. These results might be different today because of changing gender roles. Still, as the researchers wrote, they highlight that a person's temperament can alter the course of their life via the slow accumulation of choices people make and the opportunities they have.

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More concerning are studies linking behavioral inhibition to later anxiety. A meta-analysis of seven studies published in 2012 Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found that kids with the most extreme behavioral inhibition were more than seven times more likely to later develop social anxiety disorder than kids without behavioral inhibition. About 15 percent of children show extreme behavioral inhibition, the researchers wrote, and about half of that group will develop social anxiety.

"In general in our society, extraversion and being able to speak up and express ideas verbally is valued a lot," said Soo Hyun Rhee, a psychologist at the University of Colorado, who studies the links between child temperament and later mental health problems. Thus, Rhee said, shy kids can slip between the cracks in the classroom and in other situations.

Preventing problems

For kids with extreme shyness, the American Psychological Association recommends looking for professional help. A therapist can help children (or even adults) come up with strategies for managing their anxieties or choosing activities that fit their temperament.

It's easy to want to protect a kid who struggles in new situations, but researchers advise against going too far. In one study that followed kids from age 3 to 6, kids who were behaviorally inhibited at age 3 where more likely to remain behaviorally inhibited at age 6 if their caregivers were overprotective, according to the findings published in August in the Journal of Research in Personality.

"Parents who overprotect these kids do a lot of harm," McClowry said. The goal, she

said, is for parents to strike a balance. One thing that may help is learning to "scaffold" a child's experiences. In education, scaffolding refers to providing more support in the beginning and then gradually allowing students to become more independent. Scaffolding strategies can help inhibited kids break out of their shell. [8 Tried-and-True Tips for Talking to Preschoolers]

"You take very, very small, incremental steps and provide a lot of reinforcement," McClowry said. For example, if a kid wants to go to sleep-away camp but is afraid of spending the night away from home, parents might start by having other kids over for a sleepover at their own house, and then move up to a night away at grandma's. Parents should pay attention to the child's comfort level throughout this scaffolding process, and be accepting if the kid hits a limit. Especially with older children, parents can talk through the process, McClowry said: How did the child feel, what helped them feel better, what did they wish they'd done afterwards?

Researchers have also found that parenting that is warm and responsive to a child's needs helps break the link between shyness and potential mental health problems. A 2014 study found that shyness in kids was linked to an increased risk of later anxiety only for children who did not have a secure attachment to their caregivers. Secure attachment refers to a nurturing relationship in which kids feel free to explore but also know they can return to their caregivers for reassurance.

Spreading the word on shyness

McClowry and her colleagues have developed a school-based program, INSIGHTS into Children's Temperament, that aims to take lessons about shyness into schools. The first step is to help teachers and parents recognize shyness in kids, McClowry said, because when shy kids are quiet, their issues are easy to miss. The program also encourages participants to reframe shyness not as a problem, but as a part of a person's makeup. [9 DIY Ways to Improve Your Mental Health]

The researchers use puppets to teach young children that people have different temperaments (Fredrico the Friendly, Gregory the Grumpy, Hilary the Hard Worker, and Coretta the Cautious), which helps the kids understand why other children might react to situations in different ways. These puppets weren't named on a whim; McClowry and her colleagues created the personas using statistics from a study of the temperaments of 883 school-aged kids. For shy kids, the researchers suggest strategies they can use to push themselves out of their comfort zones.

"The goal is to support them in a way that they become socially competent in these kinds of situations that are stressful for them," McClowry said. This kind of support can stave off the risk of anxiety and depression, she said. In a 2014 study of the INSIGHTS program across 22 low-income schools that was published in the journal School Psychology review, McClowry and her colleagues found that all of the children who were randomly assigned to the program saw a boost in academic skills, but shy children benefited the most. Between kindergarten and first grade, shy kids who went through the 10-week program saw their critical thinking skills improve and their math skills hold steady, while shy kids who did not do the program declined in both. That's important, the researchers wrote, because many studies have found that shy children struggle more in school than students who are more outgoing.

Part of the problem may simply be that shy kids don't show what they know. In a 2014 study of shy toddlers, Rhee and her colleagues found that behaviorally inhibited kids were perfectly able to understand language, but are much less likely than the outgoing kids to talk (especially with a stranger in a psychology lab). The lesson, Rhee said, is that teachers and other educators need to think of ways to let shy kids shine.

"This has made me as a professor more sensitive to people who are shy or inhibited, giving them other opportunities to show they know the material, so having more written assignments and so forth," Rhee said.

Original article on Live Science.

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Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Backstory: Moved to the Bronx from Puerto Rico in 1973

Education: BA and masters of public administration from Pace University

Profession: Founder and executive director, Latino U College Access

Vision: Level the playing field for first-generation Latinos via higher ed

Shirley Acevedo Buontempo was 10 when she arrived in New York from Puerto Rico, unable to speak English. It was sink or swim, she says. She and her brother were finally joining their mother, who had been working in various office jobs for three years. A fast learner, Buontempo ultimately became the first in her family to go to college. In 2012, after a career in marketing, she founded Latino U to give first-generation Hispanic students equal access to higher education. The tiny staff and hundreds of volunteers have helped more than 500 students prep for college and land $2 million in financial aid. What drives many first gens, she says, is the desire to honor their families sacrifice.

Her College Lessons

Fear not the sticker price. Dont write off a school because of the published price. Nearly $3 billion worth of Pell Grants are left unclaimed, says Buontempo. Even at higher incomes, she adds, families can get federal loans, reduced Pells, institutional funding, or private scholarships. Everyone should fill out a FAFSA.

Widen your search. Many Latino students think they cant afford to live away from home, so they limit their choices to commuter schools, she says. Aid is available for dorm living.

Education really does pay. A college degree opens doors. For me education is not just knowledge growth but financial growth, for you and generations to come.




When Eli Young Band set out to make a video for their song "Saltwater Gospel," they didn't want to shoot it on just any old beach.



"We knew this wasn't your everyday kind of beach song, which is why we had to find a beach that wasn't your everyday kind of beach," frontman Mike Eli tells PEOPLE of filming the video for the tune he says "is about so much more than just saltwater."



So where's the perfect place to "feel the power of the saltwater gospel?" Well, for EYB it was Cannon Beach in Oregon.







Don't miss a beat of country music news, photos and videos! Click here to get all this and more in the PEOPLE Country Newsletter.



"We couldn't have picked a better location to shoot the video, I think that it suits the theme perfectly," adds James Young, the band's guitar player. "The vastness of any ocean can humble you quickly and sometimes you realize just how small you are on this planet earth. Everybody has somewhere they can go and just get away from it all. We as the band usually migrate to saltwater."



The band says no plot lines were necessary, the goal was to just let the beauty of the beach and the sway of the lyrics do the storytelling for them in the clip.



"The song just feels good," says bass player Jay Jones. "It's a little three minute escape from whatever is going on in life that we need a vacation from. We wanted to capture that same vibe visually. We really felt like the lyrics of saltwater gospel said it all and there was no reason to have a video to tell a big dramatic story. Instead, we wanted it to just be full of great imagery to help set the mood."





Here's Where the Eli Young Band Goes to Feel That 'Saltwater Gospel'| Country, Music News





The song is the lead single for their forthcoming album, which the band is currently in the studio recording.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / Today, Stephan Bogner from Rockstone Research published an update on Equitorial Exploration Corp. (EXX.V). Yesterday, the company disclosed assays from 81 channel samples from 4 lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatite dyke swarms from its 100% owned Little Nahanni Pegmatite Group (LNPG) Property in Northwest Territories (NWT).

Best assays include 3.1% Li2O across 0.95 m, 2.33% Li2O across 1.2 m, 2.04% Li2O across 4 m and 1.63% Li2O across 5.15 m. The property hosts the rare pegmatite-type LCT (Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum), which the world's largest active lithium mine, Greenbushes in Australia, is also hosting (at an average grade of 2.8% Li2O). LNPG's best historic rock samples assayed between 1.74% and 3.77% Li2O.

Therefore, historic grades have been confirmed yesterday, however channel samples are a better indication of mineralization than grab or chip samples. In 2007, channel samples returned up to 1.59% Li2O across 10 m. Drilling in 2007 resulted in 2 lithium-enriched intervals including 1.2% Li2O over almost 11 m and 0.92% Li2O over 18 m.

Equitorial also announced the appointed of Buddy Doyle as new director, a geologist who has earned the distinction of having seen 2 substantial projects from discovery through the decision to mine, especially the Diavik Diamond Deposit. He brings a disciplined, scientific approach to mineral exploration honed in over 28 years' experience, 23 of them spent in various positions at Rio Tinto PLC and its subsidiaries.

The full report can be accessed with the following links:

English (PDF):

http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/Equitorial2en.pdf

English (web version):

http://rockstone-research.com/index.php/en/research-reports/1615-High-grade-lithium-assays-from-channel-sampling

German (PDF):

http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/Equitorial2de.pdf

For smartphones, an APP from Rockstone Research is available in the AppStore for Apple devices and in the GooglePlayStore for Android devices.

Story continues

Recently, Zimtu Capital Corp. launched the Beta Version of its Advantage APP, in which all interlisted stocks (i.e. all public companies listed in Canada and Germany) can be tracked. After a cost-free registration, the full features of the APP are unlocked, e.g. sorting all stocks with the biggest daily trading volumes on all German or Canadian exchanges (see instructions in the section "How To Use").

Disclaimer: Please read the full disclaimer within the full research report as a PDF as fundamental risks and conflicts of interest exist.

SOURCE: Rockstone Research
(NEW YORK)  Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump took to the same stage for the first time Wednesday night, aiming to position themselves as best prepared to lead in turbulent times and warning that their opponent would be put the country at risk.

Questioned back-to-back but not face-to-face, the presidential foes will address an audience of veterans and active-duty troops  and a national TV audience  from the decommissioned USS Intrepid, which is now a floating museum in New York. The commander in chief national security forum, hosted by NBC, will serve as something of a preview for voters of the candidates highly anticipated trio of debates later this fall.

Ahead of the forum, Trump rolled out a new plan to boost military spending by tens of billions of dollars, including major increases in the number of active troops, fighter planes, Navy ships and submarines. The Republican also said that, if elected, he would give military leaders 30 days to formulate a multipronged plan to defeat the Islamic State group.

This will require military warfare, but also cyberwarfare, financial warfare and ideological warfare, Trump said during an address in Philadelphia.

Democrat Clinton has spent much of the summer trying to paint Trump as ill-prepared to be commander in chief and too unpredictable to make decisions that put American service members in harms way. Her case has been bolstered by numerous Republican national security experts who have spoken out against their partys nominee, including former Defense Secretary William Cohen who announced his support for Clinton on Wednesday.

Said Clinton: They know they can count on me to be the kind of commander in chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Trump.

They view him as a danger and a risk.

But Trump is trying to stir up similar questions about Clinton, who spent four years as President Barack Obamas secretary of state. Hes zeroed in on her controversial email practices at the State Department, calling her private email server reckless.

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Clinton could also be vulnerable to Americans worries about terrorism  particularly the Islamic States designs on the West  and criticism that Obama hasnt done enough to combat extremism emanating from the Middle East. While shes articulated an anti-Islamic State plan that is more aggressive than Obamas, shes largely in line with the president on foreign policy.

Trumps address in Philadelphia also included plans to eliminate deep spending cuts known as the sequester that were enacted when Congress failed to reach a budget compromise in 2011. Republicans and Democrats voted for the automatic, across-the board cuts that affected both military and domestic programs, though the White House has long pressed Congress to lift the spending limits.

Trump expressed support for the sequester in interviews in 2013  even describing them as too small  but seemed to suggest at the time that military spending should be exempt.

A senior adviser said ahead of the speech that Trump would make sure the additional spending was fully paid for but did not explain how.

The United States currently spends more than $600 billion a year on the military, more than the next seven countries combined.

Even before promising a huge boost in military spending, Trumps plans to cut taxes, expand infrastructure spending and leave untouched entitlement programs such as Social Security already threaten to add trillions of dollars to the federal deficit.

Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in Washington and Jonathan Lemire in New York contributed to this report.
In the heat of late August, Hillary Clinton all but disappeared from the public eye, retreating to the countrys wealthiest enclaves from Nantucket to Beverly Hills to host private, high-dollar fundraisers.

Now, shes back. Armed with a brand new 737 emblazoned in light blue with the words Stronger Together, Clinton is roaring onto the campaign trail, preparing for the final nine-week grind before election day.

Her calendar is once again full of public events from Florida to Ohio, and her alliesincluding two presidents and two erstwhile primary opponentsare fanning out across the country for her. Clinton spoke at length twice in two days with reporters on her plane and glad-handed with voters in Tampa and Cleveland. She began preparing for a televised forum on national security and looked ahead toward the presidential debates.

After Clinton spent much of the weeks leading up to Labor Day weekend with celebrities and billionaires, September comes as a kind of re-reintroduction to voters and her neglected press corps.

This is the countdown to one of the most important elections in our lifetimes, Clinton said on Tuesday to a crowd in Tampa, Florida. We have 62 days to make the case.

Clinton is returning to a brutal contest with a skeptical audience at a critical time. She has lost much of the post-convention boon that buoyed Democrats in early August, and polls have tightened between Donald Trump and her. New revelations about the Clinton Foundations dealings during her time at the State Department, while showing no evidence corrupt actions, have dogged her.

She was criticized for maintaining a distance from the press, and meanwhile, Trump appeared better able to hold on to his unpredictable tongue. Despite the millions that Clinton has spent on advertising and Trumps wide unpopularity, her lead over Trump diminished from 7 points in early August to just 3 points today, according to a national polling average.

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Clintons dip in the polls coincides with her absence from the campaign trail. She held just two public events in the two weeks before Labor Day weekend, a close look at her campaigns schedule shows, while hosting 20 fundraisers in the same period. She bounced from East Hampton to Silicon Valley, rubbing elbows with Cher, Paul McCartney Jimmy Buffet and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

She took photo booth snapshots with Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, and she stayed overnight at the home of Haim Saban, who has given $10 million to Clintons super PAC. In August Clintons campaign raised a total of $143 million to pay for advertisements and her sprawling staff of organizers across the battleground states. She rarely spoke with reporters.

But now Clinton signaled this week that her cloistered campaign will change. Saying she would be more accessible, Clinton saddled up with reporters two days in a row on her plane, speaking informally and making light about Trumps attacks.

I believe I have created so many jobs in the conspiracy theory machine factory, she kidded on Tuesday. She commented to the press photographers that shaking hands at the rope line after events has changed over the years. These days its all about the selfie, she said. I had a lot more conversations without selfies in 2008, Clinton added. The day before, in the midst of a coughing fit aboard her new plane, she told reporters that every time I think about Trump I get allergic.

Trump has assailed her for having a light schedule, suggesting she needs time to go back home and sleep. His allies and family have also suggested that Clinton has not reached out sufficiently to voters, with Donald Trump Jr. calling his father the candidate of the people. Trump has ramped up his campaign schedule in recent weeks after a slower early summer.

Hillary: #1 recipient of Wall Street $ in 2016.

Trump: Most rallies hosted, miles traveled, and pressers.

Who is candidate of the people?  Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 6, 2016

Clinton was in Cleveland and Hampton, Illinois, on Monday and Tampa on Tuesday, where she told an audience, in what seemed almost a pre-debate hype talk directed at Trump, that Im a very patient person. I dont quit, I dont give up, I dont blink. On Wednesday she has a public televised forum and on Thursday she is scheduled at a campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Clintons allies will be putting in miles as well. President Obama will campaign for Clinton next week, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders held an event in New Hampshire for her on Labor Day. First Lady Michelle Obama will talk to students in Northern Virginia and former president Bill Clinton will be in North Carolina and beyond.

Time is running shorter for both candidates. Early voting begins in Virginia at the end of September and in Ohio in October. Voter registration deadlines are approaching in many states, which Clinton has reminded her audiences of in detail. If any of you are not registered, or not sure you are registered, or youre a student registered somewhere else but it would be more convenient to vote here, you have until October 11, Clinton said in Tampa, along with a detailed explanation of how to sign up.

Clintons intense post-Labor Day schedule will not relent in the coming weeks, according to aides. She is well aware of the shift. Asked about her weekend, when she was at home in Westchester, Clinton said it was the last moment before the mad dash.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks to members of the media on board her campaign plane as she travels to Tampa, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016.

Hillary Clinton's campaign fired back at Donald Trump's suggestion that Clinton didn't have a "presidential look."

This isnt the first time Donald Trump has had a problem looking at someone different from himself and actually seeing them, Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds wrote in a statement on Tuesday.

Reynolds also referenced several of the real-estate mogul's campaign controversies that dinged his poll numbers in recent months, including his war of words with a Gold Star family and a one-sided tete-a-tete with a judge overseeing a Trump University case.

Tim Kaine weighed in on Trump's "presidential look" musings during a separate interview with ABC that aired on Tuesday, saying "That's an idiotic comment," and adding that "this great public servant has been on the field for 17 or 18 months  it's hard to keep up with her."

Read the full statement from the Clinton campaign here:

"This isnt the first time Donald Trump has had a problem looking at someone different from himself and actually seeing them. He questioned whether a distinguished judge could do his job because of his Mexican heritage. He looked at a mourning Gold Star mother and he made assumptions about her silence in grief. He looked at an accomplished anchor and suggested she was a bimbo. And he looked at a sitting president and said he wasnt American. So its not surprising that Donald Trump doesnt think Hillary Clinton looks presidential. This cycle, voters know all too well whats not presidential: Donald Trump and his narrow views and divisive rhetoric."

NOW WATCH: Trump strikes back after 'Morning Joe' host says he sounded like 'he's had a lot to drink'





More From Business Insider


grace frankie netflix

Loneliness packs a mean one-two punch.

Not only are lonely people forced to confront life's challenges alone, which can be crushing enough, but they must also confront the reality of their isolating condition without any help  a vicious circle that can end in deep depression or worse.

Fortunately, a call center in England, known as the Silver Line, is helping the most at-risk group for loneliness  senior citizens make confidential calls whenever they want, and talk to someone who will listen.

Sophie Andrews, chief executive of the Silver Line, tells the New York Times that more than a million people have called since the first center opened three years ago. The centers currently get a weekly average of about 10,000 calls. According to Silver Line's website, roughly 3,000 people volunteer to make weekly follow-up calls to those seniors whose loneliness seems especially extreme.

Sometimes people ring the hotline just to discuss the weather or current events. Sometimes they recall life during World War II. Not all of them discuss their loneliness head-on, but many like to get feelings off their chest in some form or another.

Loneliness rates seem to be increasing worldwide, among both the young  who sometimes recede into their internal, Internet-based lives  and the old, who lose mobility and outlive their closest friends. Research suggests loneliness increases mortality risk by 26%, more so than obesity or smoking. Seniors have a higher risk of chronic loneliness, but people of all ages can suffer.

To help people regain some control over their social lives, Dr. John Cacioppo, director of the University of Chicago's Center for Cognitive & Social Neuroscience, outlines four strategies people can adopt, which he fits under the acronym EASE. They include: Extend yourself, Action plan, Selection, and Expect the best.

Silver Line's mission naturally aligns with Cacioppo's plan, because the goal of the program is to create as few barriers as possible between lonely people and responders willing to socialize with them. Per Cacioppo's strategies, Silver Line callers can easily put themselves out there (Extend yourself), feel in control (Action plan), trust their feelings will be respected (Selection), and have high hopes (Expect the best).

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However, Cacioppo tells the Times that he doesn't think Silver Line alone can cure chronic loneliness. The service's strongest asset is its ability to brighten people's mood, but that may only be one component of the larger condition. Chronic loneliness affects hormones related to stress and white blood cell counts, possibly weakening immune health.

Hearteningly, the efforts in England are already spilling over into the US, where mental health still receives far less attention than physical health.

For example, the Friendship Line operates as a dual loneliness-suicide prevention hotline with help from the Institute of Aging. And the CONTACT helpline promises to give people "emotional listening support."

But even a cursory Google search for loneliness helplines exposes what America still doesn't understand about mental health. Aside from a few select places that offer help with loneliness, many more deal exclusively with suicide  an indication the problem often goes untreated until it reaches its most severe stage.

As with television sitcoms, loneliness helplines are one approach America could stand to borrow from the Brits.

NOW WATCH: This was just voted the best place to travel to in the world





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By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - For every hour doctors spend treating patients during a typical workday, they devote nearly two more hours to maintaining electronic health records (EHR) and clerical work, a small U.S. study suggests. Time spent in meaningful interactions with patients is a powerful driver of physician career satisfaction, but increased paperwork and time on the computer means less time for direct patient care, the authors argue. When you take people who were trained to be caregivers and put them in the role of being a technician documenting their work, there is bound to be a loss of joy and work satisfaction, Dr. Susan Hingle of the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, told Reuters Health by email. While the goal of electronic health records is to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care, the findings suggest that in reality, EHRs are taking time away from physicians' interactions with patients and families, said study leader Dr. Christine Sinsky, vice president of professional satisfaction at the American Medical Association. Many physicians have voiced concerns that the cumulative effect of the many well-intended efforts has been, paradoxically, to make it harder for them to deliver quality of care, Sinsky said by email. To get a snapshot of how electronic record keeping impacts the way doctors spend their time, Sinsky and colleagues analyzed data collected on 57 physicians in four U.S. states. The physicians worked in family medicine, internal medicine, cardiology and orthopedics in Illinois, New Hampshire, Virginia and Washington. Researchers looked at work activities two ways: medical students directly observed the tasks physicians completed, and a subset of doctors also filled out work flow diaries. At least half of the doctors in the study were observed for at least eight hours. Roughly half of the participants had tools such as dictation support services or documentation-assistant services to help with EHRs. Overall, the physicians spent 27 percent of their time interacting directly with patients and 49 percent of their time on EHRs and desk work, the study found. The time spent on electronic paperwork was divided between documentation and review tasks, and ordering drugs or other things needed for patient care. Doctors did spend about 48 percent of their time in exam rooms, though only a little more than half of this time involved direct face time with patients. Roughly 37 percent was devoted to EHRs and desk work. Outside office hours, physicians spent another one to two hours of personal time each night doing additional clerical work. One limitation of the study is that patients could opt out of observation, making the snapshots of workflow incomplete, the authors note in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers also didnt track the number of patients seen per hour, the complexity of patients treated or the work activities of support staff. Even so, the authors conclude that physician burnout may become more likely when doctors get less time to spend treating patients. Efforts to reduce administrative burdens and give doctors more time to spend with patients may make it easier for physicians to focus directly on providing care and help reduce the potential for burnout, Hingle wrote in an editorial published with the study. I think that technology needs to be changed so that it is more user friendly, less burdensome, and returns the focus to the patient's story, rather than minute details that don't really impact patient satisfaction or outcomes, Hingle told Reuters Health. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2c7qnRC and http://bit.ly/2bTSwgF Annals of Internal Medicine, online September 6, 2016.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. HPE just released its third quarter fiscal 2016 earnings results, posting earnings of 49 cents per share and revenue of $12.2 billion.

Currently, HPE has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). HPE was down over 2.5% to $21.50 in after-hours trading shortly after its earnings report was released.

Beat earnings estimates. The company posted non-GAAP diluted net earnings of 49 cents per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 44 cents per share. This number excludes 83 cents from non-recurring items.

Missed revenue estimates. The company saw revenue figures of $12.2 billion, lagging behind our consensus estimate of $12.588 billion and declining 6% year-over-year.

Reported third-quarter cash flow from operation of $1.7 billion, up 10% from the year ago quarter.

Announced plans for a spin-off and merger of its non-core software assets with Micro Focus in a transaction valued at approximately $8.8 billion.

"Today's announced spin-merge of our non-core software assets with Micro Focus is another important step in our strategy to unlock a faster growing, higher margin, stronger cash flow company," said President and CEO Meg Whitman. "As we said in the Enterprise Services announcement last quarter, both software and services remain key enablers of our go-forward strategy, and we are focused on building the right portfolio to win in our target markets. We believe the portfolio changes we've made over the past year are setting up HPE for long-term success while unlocking tremendous value for our shareholders."

Updated its fiscal 2016 GAAP EPS guidance to $2.09 to $2.14, and non-GAAP EPS guidance to $1.90 to $1.95.

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Heres a graph that looks at Hewlett Packard Enterprises price, consensus, and EPS surprise:

HEWLETT PKD ENT Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

HEWLETT PKD ENT Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | HEWLETT PKD ENT Quote

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. was spun-off from the Hewlett-Packard Company in November 2015. The company operates in four segments: Enterprise Services, Enterprise Group, Software, and Financial Services. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

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Zacks Investment Research
Sept 7 (Reuters) - Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co (HPE) is nearing a deal to sell its software division to British software group Micro Focus International Plc, according to a person familiar with the matter on Wednesday, as the company focuses on networking, storage and data centers.

The deal would come after HPE's talks with private equity firms to sell the unit for between $8 billion and $10 billion. A deal with Micro Focus is expected to be announced when HPE releases its latest quarterly earnings later on Wednesday, the source said.

The source asked not to be identified because the deal is not yet public. HPE declined to comment, while Micro Focus did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sky News first reported on HPE's deal with Micro Focus.

(Reporting by Liana B. Baker in New York; Editing by Richard Chang)
By Aaron Ross KINSHASA (Reuters) - Hundreds of fighters loyal to South Sudanese opposition leader Riek Machar have been transferred within neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo for medical treatment by the U.N. peacekeeping mission there, according to an internal Congolese army report. The report, dated Tuesday and seen by Reuters on Wednesday, is the first confirmation that so many armed men have crossed the border since Machar, South Sudan's former vice-president, fled to Congo last month following fierce fighting in the capital, Juba. Machar was picked up by the U.N. mission in Congo (MONUSCO) with a leg injury on Aug. 17 and evacuated to another part of the country before traveling for medical treatment to Sudan, where he has since remained. A MONUSCO spokesman said at a news conference on Wednesday that the mission has evacuated some of Machar's wounded fighters for humanitarian reasons but did not provide further details. A U.N. spokesman in New York was not available for immediate comment. The army report said that, beginning on Aug. 18, the mission organized three flights per day over three days from Dungu, some 75 km (45 miles) from the South Sudan border, to the eastern city of Goma, about 1,000 km to the south, for his fighters. "About 500 fighters of (Riek Machar) have been evacuated and sent to Goma. Among them are the lightly, seriously and very seriously wounded who were treated by medical staff at the MONUSCO clinic in Dungu before evacuation to Goma," it said. Government spokesman Lambert Mende told Reuters that Congo authorized MONUSCO to provide medical care to some Machar fighters who have crossed the border as long as they disarmed, did not know how many. He added that talks were ongoing with the South Sudanese government over what would happen to those fighters. Hundreds have been killed in battles that broke out in the world's youngest nation in July as troops loyal to Machar and President Salva Kiir, his long-time political foe, fought each other using tanks, artillery and helicopters. The most recent clashes have reignited a refugee crisis that has driven more than 2 million people from their homes since conflict between Kiir and Machar's forces first broke out in 2013. As of Aug. 28, authorities had registered 27,250 South Sudanese refugees in eastern Congo, 21,600 of them this year, the U.N. Refugee Agency says. Kiir publicly agreed last month to accept 4,000 additional U.N. peacekeepers to the 12,000-strong mission already on the ground but details of the deployment still need to be worked out. (Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols in New York; Editing by Dominic Evans)
NASA has captured new images of solar winds, the particles that emanate from the suns edges.

Processed via the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), these never-before-seen images, which can be seen at 1:29 in the video, have given scientists a better understanding of how solar winds dissipate as they flow away from the corona, the suns upper atmosphere.

The winds initially emanate from the corona as distinct magnetic streams but break up into a turbulent flow the farther they get from the sun. A NASA press release likens this transition to water shooting from a squirt gun and eventually turning into a misty spray.

Studying the flow of solar winds is vital for understanding the suns physics, the statement says. In 2018, NASA plans to launch the Solar Probe Plus mission, which will fly into the suns corona to obtain more data. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center/Genna Duberstein
Hallador Energy Company HNRG is a Coal company that could be an interesting play for investors. That is because, not only does the stock have decent short-term momentum, but it is seeing solid activity on the earnings estimate revision front as well.

These positive earnings estimate revisions suggest that analysts are becoming more optimistic on HNRGs earnings for the coming quarter and year. In fact, consensus estimates have moved sharply higher for both of these time frames over the past four weeks, suggesting that Hallador Energy could be a solid choice for investors.

Current Quarter Estimates for HNRG

In the past 30 days, 1 estimate have gone higher for Hallador Energy while none have gone lower in the same time period. The trend has been pretty favorable too, with estimates increasing from 4 cents a share 30 days ago, to 10 cents today, a significant move.

Current Year Estimates for HNRG

Meanwhile Hallador Energys current year figures are also looking quite promising, with 1 estimate moving higher in the past month, compared to none lower. The consensus estimate trend has also seen a boost for this time frame, increasing from 22 cents per share 30 days ago to 59 cents per share today, a significant increase.

HALLADOR ENERGY Price and Consensus

HALLADOR ENERGY Price and Consensus | HALLADOR ENERGY Quote

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The stock has also started to move higher lately, adding 27.7% over the past four weeks, suggesting that investors are starting to take note of this impressive story. So investors may definitely want to consider this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock to profit in the near future.

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NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will present proposals to the World Trade Organization on ways to ease trade in services, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday, as Asia's third-largest economy seeks to leverage one of its competitive strengths.

India cleared the way for a WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement covering goods in 2014, after tortuous talks in which it won a concession letting it stockpile strategic food reserves for its mostly poor population of 1.3 billion people.

New Delhi has often dragged its feet in the multilateral arena and been reluctant to cut bilateral free-trade deals because experience has shown its goods sector often cannot compete on international markets.

By contrast, India's services sector, including back-office operations for multinationals, is a big export earner and the idea of striking a similar multilateral deal on services first came up at a meeting of trade ministers in Paris in June.

"While there seems to be trade facilitation for goods, there doesn't seem to be trade facilitation for services, and that was a point I made in Paris," Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters at a business conference in New Delhi.

"This is a matter on which the WTO will now have to work," said Sitharaman, speaking on the sidelines of the Economist India Summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for freer trade in services at the recent Group of 20 summit hosted by China and, Sitharaman said, India will soon submit a paper to the WTO as requested at the Paris meeting.

Modi told the G20 grouping that a knowledge and innovation-driven economy required free movement of professional workers.

Restrictions on the admission of Indian IT experts have been one area of concern between the United States and India, and figured in recent two-way strategic and commercial talks.

(Reporting by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
By Kanupriya Kapoor JAKARTA (Reuters) - Inspired by the Philippines "war on drugs", Indonesia's anti-narcotics chief plans to aggressively ramp up the country's fight against drugs by bolstering its police force with more personnel and heavy weaponry. The Southeast Asian neighbors have both declared a "war on drugs" with Indonesia stepping up executions of drug convicts, while the Philippines has launched a brutal crackdown in which hundreds of alleged drug dealers have been killed within months. Leaders of the two countries will meet later this week in Jakarta and one of the main topics of discussion will likely be ways to wipe out the region's drug trade. Budi Waseso, chief of Indonesia's national anti-narcotics agency (BNN), said late on Tuesday that the agency was in the process of adding weapons, investigators, technology, and sniffer dogs to its arsenal as it steps up law enforcement efforts in one of the region's biggest narcotics markets. When asked if Indonesia can be as aggressive as the Philippines in fighting drugs, Waseso said: "Yes I believe so. It can happen because (the drugs problem) in Indonesia is as bad as in the Philippines". "The life of a dealer is meaningless because (he) carries out mass murder. How can we respect that?," he added. However, a BNN spokesman said Indonesia would not be as aggressive as its neighbor. "Our punishments have to be in accordance with our law and with national and international standards," said spokesman Slamet Pribadi. Since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in June, 2,400 people have been killed in his "war on drugs". About 900 died in police operations and the rest authorities say were "deaths under investigation", a term human rights activists say is a euphemism for vigilante and extrajudicial killings. The bloody campaign has drawn condemnation from organizations like the United Nations, which calls the killings unlawful. But Duterte has refused to back down, promising that "plenty will be killed" before achieving his goal of a drugs-free country. (Editing by Randy Fabi and Michael Perry)
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte relishes in his nickname, The Punisher, because he earned it for implementing his tough-on-drug-crime policies while he served as mayor of the southern island city of Davao.

Now that hes the head of state, hes made sure hell hold onto the nickname permanently, launching a police shoot-to-kill mission for anyone even suspected of drug peddling. The brutal war on drugs has earned him criticism from the United Nations, U.S. President Barack Obama, and a plethora of human rights organizations who claim it breaches basic human rights.

But one place its earned him fans? Indonesia, where the government has also fielded pushback from the U.N. and other world powers for executing foreigners found guilty of selling drugs. Now Budi Waseso, the top anti-narcotics chief in the country, says he wants to imitate Dutertes policy to rid Indonesia of drug dealers whose lives he has called meaningless.

Waseso said at a Wednesday press conference in Jakarta that he believes Indonesia will launch a policy equally as aggressive as the one now in place in the Philippines. Later, however, a spokesman for the national narcotics agency insisted that Indonesian punishments have to be in accordance with our law and with national and international standards.

Duterte is slated to visit the Indonesian capital later this week to meet with President Joko Widodo. At the top of the agenda? How to buckle down on drug crime. And Duterte has made clear he thinks theres only one way to do so: Kill the people selling drugs.

Photos that have emerged from city streets in the Philippines in recent months offer a glimpse into his brutal tactics. In some, women lie sobbing over the bodies of men shot dead by police, insisting their husbands or boyfriends were not pushing drugs. In others, a bloody body lies in the dark street, and a crowd looks on quietly from behind yellow police tape.

But Duterte doesnt buy claims from victims families that they arent guilty.

None of my children are into illegal drugs, he said earlier this year. But my order is, even if it is a member of my family, kill him.'

Photo credit: Dondi Tawatao/Getty Images
(Adds details, context)

By Gayatri Suroyo

JAKARTA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Indonesia's central bank governor said on Wednesday the government's flagship tax amnesty programme would likely yield only a fraction of what was targeted, which could cause the fiscal deficit to swell further.

Indonesia's government launched the 9-month tax amnesty programme in July, offering low penalty rates for taxpayers who declare untaxed assets at home and abroad by March 2017.

The programme was aimed to broaden the country's low tax base, attract home assets hidden offshore as well as contain a ballooning budget deficit.

The government is relying on amnesty revenue, expected at 165 trillion rupiah ($12.6 billion) in 2016, to help keep budget deficit from breaching the legal limit of 3 percent of GDP this year. The latest 2016 deficit estimate was 2.5 percent.

But Bank Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardojo told parliament the central bank's baseline model for the amnesty programme points to merely 18 trillion rupiah of revenue in 2016 - only 11 percent of target - and an additional 3 trillion rupiah in 2017.

Assets repatriated home under the amnesty would probably amount to just $13.8 billion, he said.

The central bank was more optimistic back in April, when Martowardojo said the amnesty would attrack home about $42 billion.

The Finance Ministry was even more bullish, giving a projection of $76.5 billion worth of money to be repatriated under the programme.

"We're being conservative about our outlook based on the latest development of the tax amnesty," Martowardojo said, citing that 1-1/2 months after its launch, the government's amnesty revenue was less than 4 percent of target.

Meanwhile, markets were already excited by the prospect of wealth coming home to Indonesia. The Jakarta stock index has rise more than 10 percent since parliament approved the amnesty programme.

Some companies have also prepared to upsize their bond sales this year to absorb returning funds, while property firms have tailored their marketing to specifically target amnesty participants.

Despite the central bank's comment, the government maintained its positive tone about the amnesty. "To me, the tax amnesty programme is not like that," said Ken Dwijugiastead, the head of Indonesia's tax office. ($1 = 13,080.00 rupiah) (Reporting by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Alison Williams)
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / INTELLIGENT CONTENT ENTERPRISES INC. (ICEIF) ("ICE" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it has completed an initial tranche of private placement funding of 236,364 Units in the capital of the Company at CDN$1.10 per Unit for gross proceeds of $260,000 (the "Private Placement"). Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one (1) common share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) Common Share at an exercise price of CDN$1.25 for a period of three (3) years following the effective date the Units were issued under the Private Placement. All Common Shares and Warrants comprising the Units and any Common Shares issued upon due exercise of the Warrants are subject to a four-month statutory hold period in Canada and are "restricted securities" as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States.

The Company anticipates further tranches of the Private Placement being completed in the short term, and will provide disclosure if, as and when future tranches are completed.

For more information about the Company, please visit www.intelligentcontententerprises.com.

About Intelligent Content Enterprises Inc.

Intelligent Content Enterprises Inc. is an emerging Media and Internet company that focuses on the experience of the user, creating brands, products and destinations globally, regionally and by language that are value driven proving an informative, entertaining and engaging look at content.

ICE's 4 pillar strategy is to drive revenue through technologies, platforms and services that deliver Content, Social and Digital Media, eCommerce and Advertising.

ICE's first acquisition, Digital Widget Factory provides the baseline infrastructure and technology platform enabling content and media to be disseminated globally, efficiently and effectively, creating economies of scale for distribution in over 50 languages, allowing users to create and participate in the content process and consumption.

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Intelligent Content Enterprises Inc. is a publicly traded company on the OTCQB Markets under the symbol "ICEIF"

For further information, please contact:

Intelligent Content Enterprises Inc.

Investor Relations: investorrelations@intelligentcontententerprises.com

Certain information regarding the Company in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements or future oriented financial information under applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information includes, without limitation, successful completion of the proposed transaction, projections or estimates made by us and our management in connection with our business operations or the business operations of CSS. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the forecasts and projections contained in the forward-looking information contained in this press release, which assumptions are based on management analysis of historical trends, experience, current conditions and expected future developments pertaining to the Company and the industry in which it operates as well as certain assumptions as specifically outlined in the release above. Forward-looking information is based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve a number of risks, which could cause actual results to vary and in some instances to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described in the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of performance and is subject to a number of risks or uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risk factors is not exhaustive. Forward-looking information is based on the estimates and opinions of the Company's management at the time the information is released and the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as expressly required by applicable securities law.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) the company's financing plans; (ii) trends affecting the company's financial condition or results of operations; (iii) the company's growth strategy and operating strategy; and (iv) the declaration and payment of dividends. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "intend" and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including the risk disclosed in the Company's Form 6-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE: Intelligent Content Enterprises Inc.
An introduction to five incredible women of color feminists you need to know

An introduction to five incredible women of color feminists you need to know

What does it mean to be an intersectional feminist?

Intersectional feminism, a term coined by critical race theorist Kimberle Crenshaw, means recognizing that some women experience oppression beyond sexism. These women also have to combat the oppressive regimes of racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, classism, etc. Making your feminism intersectional means acknowledging the intersections of sexism and racism faced by women of color, the sexism and homophobia faced by LGBTQIA women, the sexism and xenophobia faced by international women, and so on. Intersectionality as a framework must be applied to all social justice work, it is a lens through which we should look at all feminist issues. The wage gap, rape culture, gender roles, the glass ceiling, media representation, social inequality, and violence affects intersectional women differently than it does most women.

This is why #intersectionality is critical, disparities are larger when you take race/ethnicity into consideration https://t.co/tpBaBCEQWg  Amy MS (@amymslv) August 25, 2016

Women of color who identify as feminists bring a nuanced perspective to traditional feminism that is needed in social justice discussions.

In this article, I will be detailing five different intersectional feminists who focus on race, sexual orientation, different ability, colonialism, nationality and more within their feminism.

These women have written and spoken extensively about intersectional feminism and are highly regarded in the fields of academia, journalism, literature, politics and theater. Intersectional feminists are not represented in mainstream feminism as much as they should be, and though these five are incredible there are even more to discover. This list can be a jumping off point for expanding your feminist thought!

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

You have most certainly already heard Nigerian feminist Chimamanda Ngozis Adichie speak about her feminism. A clip of her Ted Talk turned novella We Should All Be Feminists resonated across the globe when Beyonce herself sampled it in her epic 2013 song Flawless. This feature helped Adichie rise to national acclaim and solidified her tireless efforts to voice her feminism as an African woman.

The 38 year old is a prolific writer and an outstanding speaker. She got the MacArthur Genius Grant for her work in African literature  her expertise being in nonfiction, novels, and short stories. She is the fifth of six children and is Igbo, a cultural identifier of Southern Nigeria. Adichie studied medicine and pharmacy at University of Nigeria for a year and a half before dropping out and moving to the United States at age nineteen to study communications and political science at Drexel University.

She was known for her outspokenness in the classroom and would often butt heads with teachers, though she remained an A student throughout school. She completed her masters in creative writing at Johns Hopkins and a Master of Arts in African Studies at Yale Unversity. Adichie thinks of herself as a storyteller, using her stories to connect cultures and experiences in feminism. We applaud her for bringing diversity and unique perspective as a black woman and African woman to feminism through her words

You should read: The Thing Around Your Neck

You should watch: The Danger Of A Single Story

Mia Mingus

happy to be part of this great anthology &the work to build world we long for. http://t.co/a8O1fP042e #octaviasbrood pic.twitter.com/2vcOhKonn1  Mia Mingus (@miamingus) March 24, 2015

We must leave evidence. Evidence that we were here, that we existed, that we survived and loved and ached. Evidence of the wholeness we never felt and the immense sense of fullness we gave to each other.

So begins the blog of a beautiful, queer, differently abled Korean feminist named Mia Mingus. Mingus describes herself as a transracial, transnational adoptee, born in Korea, raised in the Caribbean, nurtured in the American South, and now living in Northern California. These experiences add tremendous layers to her identity. Mingus is a community educator and organizer who advocates heavily for prison abolition, and works hard to combat the nonprofit prison industrial complex. She is also a writer and community educator, working for disability justice and transformative justice responses to child sexual abuse. In 2013, along with 14 other women, Mingus was recognized by the White House as a Champion of Change during Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In 2008, she was honored with the Creating Change Award by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Mingus feminism is poignant because she focuses on action and alternatives when it comes to the oppressive systems she operates under. She understands the privileges she has within certain marginalized groups, such as being disabled. In her keynote address at the most recent Queer and Asian Conference Mingus stated:

I want to specifically name my privilege as a disabled person, when so many of us are locked up in prisons, institutions, group homes, or in the back rooms of our families houses. I have a level of mobility that many disabled folks dont have and I know it is a huge reason I am visible

Knowing ones own privilege even within marginalization speaks wonders to the depth and emotional maturity behind ones own feminism. She is from multiple places and identifies with diasporic people, but knows the importance of having a home, whether its a bestie, a car, a lovers embrace, a piece of music, nature, land, chosen family.

You should read: Moving Toward the Ugly: A Politic Beyond Desirability

You should watch: Re-Envisioning the Revolutionary Body

Winona LaDuke

Winona LaDuke is a Native American activist, environmentalist, economist, and writer of Ojibwe ancestry. She ran for Vice President twice on Ralph Naders Green Party ticket, and works tirelessly on tribal land claims and perseveration efforts through the White Earth Recovery Project. LaDuke helped found the Indigenous Womens Network in 1985 and is passionate about sustainable development. Her intersectional feminism has to do with colonialism, militarism, Native American cultural appropriation, and the environment. She has worked with Honor the Earth, a non-profit that raises awareness for Indigenous environmental justice on issues like climate change and food systems.

By the 20th century, the Ojibwe tribe owned only ten percent of their land, and the rampant unemployment and other problems within her community sparked LaDuke into social justice action. LaDuke is a feminist icon because Native American feminists are rarely seen in the mainstream.

LaDuke has stated, Most indigenous women understand that our struggle as women is integrally related to the struggle of our nations for control of our land, resources, and destinies. She brings her cultural issues along with her gender issues to create a well rounded perspective on her feminism. In 1998, she was named Ms. Magazines Woman of the Year. In 2007, she was inducted into the Womans Hall of Fame.

You should read: Last Standing Woman

You should watch: Seeds of our Ancestors, Seeds of Life

Cherrie Moraga

CasaAzul Rdg 3/24 - This Bridge Called My Back! Pura Raza in the (blue) house-East Harlem! Gracias Aurora y staff. pic.twitter.com/8zTmlZ7DAf  Cherrie Moraga (@CherrieMoraga) March 28, 2015

Cherrie Moraga identifies as a queer Chicana (or Xicana) writer and feminist activist. She is a poet, an essayist, and a playwright. Moraga is most famous for being one of two Chicana women who edited the anthology of feminist thought called This Bridge Called My Back. The anthology was one of the first books to put Chicanas, black women, Asian women, and indigenous women front-and-center in the feminist movement. Moragas feminism has always focused on spotlighting the nuanced forms of racism in the feminist movement faced by women of color.

Moraga has been the artist-in-residence at Stanford Universitys theater department for the past two decades. She has mentored a generation of published writers and playwrights, her activism thoroughly influencing her teaching. She speaks at academic and activist conferences both in and outside of the United States. Moraga is a founding member of La Red Xicana Indigena, a network of Xicanx men and women working in education, spiritual practice, and indigenous womens rights.

Moraga was the recipient of the NEA Theatre Playwriting Fellowship Award and she was awarded the Rockefeller Fellowship for literature in 2007. Through her writing and speech, she is not afraid to tackle white feminism or explain that feminism is born through oppression. In the academic article, Intersections of Race, Class and Gender: The Feminist Pedagogical Challenge, Moraga states,Oppression does not make for hearts as big as all outdoors. Oppression makes us big and small. Expressive and silenced. Deep and dead. With her intersectional identity she is working to dismantle the systems of sexism, racism and homophobia simultaneously.

You should read: A Xicana Codex of Changing Consciousness

You should watch: Cherrie Moraga Talks About Identity

Chandra Talpade Mohanty

Chandra Talpade Mohanty is an Indian postcolonial and transnational feminist theorist. She is also a distinguished professor and chair of the Womens and Gender Studies and Sociology Departments at Syracuse University. Mohanty has argued for the inclusion of a transnational approach to feminism as whole, calling for an exploration of marginalized womens experiences across the globe. Mohanty is the author of Feminism Without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity and the co-editor of Third World Women and the Politics of Feminism. Her work focuses on transnational feminist theory, anti-capitalist feminist praxis, and anti-racist education. She studied at the University of Dehli and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she obtained her Ph.D.

Her work became internationally known in 1986 when she published the influential essay, Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses. She examined Western feminism in its relation to women of the global South, studying how the geographic distance made for incredible diversity and differences in our feminism. Mohanty is brilliant in how she analyzes intersectional issues clearly and concisely, and has the ability to analyze the factors of gender, race, class, sexuality, nationality, etc. when it comes to intersectional feminism.



Mohantys feminism is currently focused on the tragic Dehli rape case which put Indian feminists on the world stage in 2012. In India, a woman is raped every 20 minutes, and Indian feminists have started to fight back. Throughout her career, she has worked to build alliances and friendships between U.S. women and international women of color. She has said:

I learned very early in my intellectual journey that the best thinking and strategizing emerges through collaborations with diverse communities of people with similar commitments and vision of justice. I have worked to build these radical intellectual neighborhoods in the service of social justice.

Mohantys transnational mission is inspirational because it is building feminist solidarity across borders, across oceans, and across cultures.

You should read: Under Western Eyes

You should watch: Anticapitalist Feminist Struggle, and Transnational Solidarity

The post An introduction to five incredible women of color feminists you need to know appeared first on HelloGiggles.
By Steve Holland and Amanda Becker GREENVILLE, N.C., Va./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump invoked religion, talked of unifying Americans and tried to raise doubts about whether Democratic rival Hillary Clinton can be trusted in a new campaign stump speech unveiled on Tuesday. "I will fight for Detroit, for Chicago, for Baltimore, and for every neglected part of this nation  and I will fight to bring us all together as one American people," Trump told a packed rally in Greenville, North Carolina, in a departure from his typical bare-knuckled approach. On the Democratic side, both Clinton and her vice presidential running mate, Tim Kaine, blasted Trump. Clinton focused on Trump's past bankruptcies and his refusal to release his tax records. He clearly has something to hide. We dont know exactly what it is, but were getting better guesses about what it probably is," she said in Tampa, Florida. Kaine, in a national security speech in Wilmington, North Carolina, criticized Trump's business dealings with Russia, the ties between some of his campaign advisers to the country and Trumps suggestion that he hoped Russian hackers could find missing emails from when Clinton was secretary of state. He has openly encouraged Russia to hack his political opponents and commit espionage against his own country, Kaine said. Trump, in a speech on Wednesday in Cleveland, is to lay out a military preparedness plan in which he will call for rescinding mandatory defense spending cuts and embarking on a major military buildup. The Trump campaign said the candidate will call for big increases in spending for new ships, planes, submarines and training combat troops and bolstering missile defense systems. Trump will also criticize Clinton for "military adventurism" for her handling of Libya and the Middle East as secretary of state. Trump, buoyed by polls showing him as gaining ground against Clinton, outlined what he would do on his first day as president if elected on Nov. 8, part of a new effort to inject more discipline into his free-wheeling campaign. He said he would suspend the resettlement of Syrian refugees into the United States, start toward repealing and replacing President Barack Obama's signature healthcare plan, and begin the first steps toward building a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico. Trump, who rarely mentions religion, quoted from a Bible passage he read aloud at a black church in Detroit on Saturday, part of his effort to appeal to African-American voters. "Imagine what our country could accomplish if we started working together as one people, under one God, saluting one flag," he added. "It is time to break with the bitter failures of the past, and to embrace a new American future." THE DESTRUCTION OF EMAILS But Trump was unflinchingly critical of Clinton over the latest disclosures from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about her use of a private email server and destruction of thousands of emails that she and her staff had deemed of a personal nature. At least two of her mobile devices were reported destroyed by a staff using a hammer and BleachBit software to wipe unwanted emails. "People who have nothing to hide dont smash phones with hammers. People who have nothing to hide dont bleach their emails or destroy evidence to keep it from being publicly archived as required under federal law," Trump said. Kaine, in his first major policy speech since being tapped as Clintons running mate, drew a contrast between how Trump would approach U.S. relations with Russia and Clintons track record as head of the U.S. State Department from 2009 to 2013, during Obama's first term as president. As head of the State Department, Clinton oversaw hard-nosed negotiations with Russia to reduce nuclear stockpiles and destroy Syrian chemical weapons, while still going toe-to-toe with Putin to protect America and NATO allies, Kaine said. Trump seems to support Russian interests at the expense of American ones, he added. Kaines speech began less than an hour after Trump concluded a campaign stop in Virginia Beach, in Kaine's home state of Virginia, where he scoffed at the idea that Clinton would hold any sway over Putins actions. Putin looks at Hillary Clinton and he laughs. Putin looks at Hillary Clinton and he smiles, Trump said. The back-and-forth occurred as the focus of the U.S. battle for the White House shifted to national security, with both Clinton and Trump set to participate in a televised forum on Wednesday hosted by a veterans group. Trump followed up his Virginia event by meeting with the wives of U.S. military personnel stationed at nearby installations. Setting aside his usual bombast, Trump turned soft-spoken and nodded attentively as the women, some of whom held babies on their laps, described their concerns about the quality of schools and finding jobs. So much of this we can take care of, Trump told them. (Additional reporting by Emily Stephenson in Greenville, Jeff Mason in Tampa and Alana Wise and Ginger Gibson in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Tehran (AFP) - A bitter war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia intensified Wednesday ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage from which Iranians have been excluded for the first time in decades.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blasted the "incompetence" of the Saudi royal family as he met with the families of victims of a deadly stampede during last year's hajj.

"This incident proves once again that this cursed, evil family does not deserve to be in charge and manage the holy sites," Khamenei said.

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia were already at rock bottom before the regional rivals started trading caustic remarks ahead of the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia, which is due to start on Saturday.

Iranians have been blocked from the event after talks on safety and logistics fell apart in May.

"If the existing problems with the Saudi government were merely the issue of the hajj... maybe it would have been possible to find a way to resolve it," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said at a cabinet meeting.

"Unfortunately, this government by committing crimes in the region and supporting terrorism in fact shed the blood of Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Yemen," Rouhani said.

- 'Inappropriate and offensive' -

The week began with a furious rebuke from Khamenei, published on his website, in which he accused the Saudi royals of "murder" over the deaths of nearly 2,300 pilgrims, including hundreds of Iranians, in last year's stampede.

Saudi Arabia claims the death toll was only 769 -- despite data from more than 30 countries suggesting it was far higher -- and has refused to release the details of its investigation into the disaster.

But the head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council hit back on Wednesday, calling Khamenei's remarks "inappropriate and offensive... and a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj.

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Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, also waded into the dispute, telling the Makkah daily on Tuesday: "We must understand these are not Muslims, they are children of Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one."

"Magi" is a reference to the Zoroastrian religion that was prevalent in Iran before Islam, and is sometimes used as an insult against Iranians.

Jane Kinninmont, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the Chatham House think tank in London, said the world needed to pay more attention to the "cold conflict" between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

This week's verbal attacks "are an indication that the tensions that really ratcheted up earlier this year are still unresolved," she told AFP.

"Particularly when it comes to the pilgrimage and religious discourse, then it has quite damaging effects on sectarian relations around the world."

- A history of violence -

The two dominant Middle Eastern powers follow different branches of Islam -- Shiite and Sunni -- and vie for regional dominance.

Iran boycotted the hajj for three years between 1988 and 1990 after clashes between Iranian pilgrims and Saudi police in 1987 left around 400 people dead.

Diplomatic ties were restored in 1991, but relations have deteriorated in recent years, particularly over the countries' support for opposing sides in the Syrian and Yemeni civil wars.

In January, relations were severed again after Iranian demonstrators torched the Saudi embassy and a consulate following the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

Around 60,000 Iranians took part in last year's hajj, but the two sides could not reach an agreement on this year's pilgrimage.

A former senior US foreign policy official, John Hannah, last month cited Gulf sources in an article for Foreign Policy magazine, saying that "the Saudis did in fact go out of their way to make Iranian attendance difficult."

"(The) Saudis were insisting that the Iranians be kept in a closed camp, effectively barred from co-mingling and socialising with participants from other countries, often considered an essential element of the hajj experience," Hannah wrote.

His claims could not be independently verified. Saudi Arabia says Tehran made "unacceptable" demands, including the right to organise demonstrations "that would cause chaos".

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef reiterated those concerns on Monday, saying Iran wanted to "politicise hajj and convert it into an occasion to violate the teachings of Islam, through shouting slogans and disturbing the security of pilgrims."
(TEHRAN, Iran)  Irans president on Wednesday called on the Muslim world to punish Saudi Arabia following last years hajj crush and stampede that killed over 2,400 people  sharp criticism as multitudes poured into the kingdom for this years pilgrimage.

Hassan Rouhanis comments are the latest salvo in a growing dispute between Shiite-dominated Iran and Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are now arriving in the kingdom to participate in the annual hajj pilgrimage, which starts later this week.

Iranian pilgrims are not taking part in this years hajj, a ritual required of all able-bodied Muslims at least once in their life.

Irans state-run IRNA news agency on Wednesday quoted Rouhani lambasting Saudi Arabias response to the 2015 stampede in Mina by saying pilgrims lost their lives because Saudi authorities acted just as bystanders rather than rescuing those caught in the disaster.

He said countries should punish the government of Saudi Arabia in order to have a real hajj.

The government of Saudi Arabia must be held accountable for this incident, Rouhani told a weekly Cabinet meeting. Unfortunately, this government has even refrained from a verbal apology to Muslims and Muslim countries.

Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, meanwhile met with families of victims and survivors of the Mina stampede and reiterated his demand that Saudi Arabias ruling Al Saud family properly investigate the disaster, IRNA reported.

If they are claiming that they are not guilty in the incident, they should let an Islamic-international fact-finding delegation review and probe the case closely, Khamenei said, adding that Saudi Arabia should not shut peoples mouth with money.

On social media, Khameneis accounts used the hashtag #alSaudHijacksHajj to criticize the kingdom, while reiterating his demand that someone other than the Saudis be in charge of administering the hajj.

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The Sept. 24, 2015, stampede and crush of pilgrims killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count based on state media reports and officials comments from 36 of the over 180 countries that sent citizens to the hajj.

The official Saudi toll of 769 people killed and 934 injured has not changed since Sept. 26. The kingdom has never addressed the discrepancy, nor has it released any results of an investigation they promised to conduct over the disaster.

Iran had the highest death toll of any country, with 464 Iranian pilgrims killed.

In January, tensions between longtime rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia soared after the kingdom executed a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric. Angry demonstrators later attacked two Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran and Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties to the Islamic Republic. The two countries also support opposing sides in the civil wars in Syria and Yemen.

On Monday, Khamenei raised the stakes in the dispute over hajj by saying Saudi officials had murdered hajj pilgrims who were injured in the stampede. Saudis grand mufti countered by claiming that Iranians are not Muslims.

A coalition of Gulf nations on Wednesday also criticized Khamenei. The Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council issued a statement saying that Khameneis remarks and any such false and outrageous accusations  should not be issued from the heart or the tongue of any Muslim.



Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
By Angus McDowall and Ahmed Rasheed BEIRUT/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi Shi'ite militia said on Wednesday it had dispatched more than 1,000 fighters to the frontline in neighboring Syria, escalating foreign involvement in the battle for Aleppo, the biggest prize in five years of relentless civil war. New footage emerged of civilians choking in the aftermath of an apparent attack with poison chlorine gas on an opposition-held district as the battle for Syria's biggest city approaches what could be a decisive phase. Aleppo has been divided for years into government and rebel sectors, but President Bashar al-Assad's army has put the opposition areas under siege and now hopes to capture the whole city in what would be a devastating blow to his enemies. Government forces are backed by Russian air power and battle-hardened Lebanese and Iraqi Shi'ite militia fighters under the apparent oversight of an Iranian general. The arrival of reinforcements from Iraq, where Shi'ite militia are fighting their own war against the Islamic State group, shows how the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts have leapt borders, to become a broad sectarian war across the Middle East. Hashim al-Moussawi, a spokesman for the Iraqi Shi'ite militia Harakat al-Nujab, said its fighters would reinforce areas captured from the rebels in southern Aleppo. The militia's Twitter account showed pictures of its fighters at the Syrian front with Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, commander of foreign operations for the elite Revolutionary Guards, who has led operations by Tehran's allies in both Syria and Iraq. Rebel commanders said they are preparing to launch their own counter-offensive aimed at breaking the siege of the city, which was reimposed in recent days following weeks of intense fighting around a military complex. Rebels lost the complex of military colleges to pro-government forces on Sunday near the Ramousah area of southwestern Aleppo, where they had opened a way into the city. Five years after the multi-sided war began, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and 11 million - half of Syria's pre-war population - displaced. But there is little sign that any party is poised for victory or can restore stability, and foreign powers are becoming more involved. In recent weeks, Turkey has sent its troops across the border to combat Islamic State and Kurdish fighters. The United States, which is trying to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia, has backed Kurdish forces advancing against Islamic State. Meanwhile, the plight of some 250,000 civilians trapped in rebel-held districts of Aleppo has spurred international efforts to agree a new humanitarian truce. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry have not reached agreement over the details of a ceasefire. POISON GAS Western countries, Turkey and most Arab states oppose both Assad's government and Islamic State, while supporting other anti-Assad factions. Russia and Iran support Assad. The latest apparent poison gas attack adds to a litany of what Assad's opponents say is deliberate targeting of civilians, often with banned weapons, to force rebels to surrender. Footage of the apparent chlorine gas attack on the Sukari district, near Aleppo's main battlefield in the city's southwest, showed crying children being doused with water and then lying on hospital beds and breathing through respirators. Rescue workers in the rebel-held area said army helicopters had dropped the chlorine in incendiary barrel bombs, an accusation the government has rejected. "We have not and will not use at any point this type of weapon," a Syrian military source said, accusing rebels of making false accusations to distract attention from their defeats. However, the government has a history of being accused of similar attacks. An inquiry by the United Nations and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) seen by Reuters last month said the Syrian army had been responsible for two chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015. In 2013 Western countries accused Assad's government of attacking a Damascus suburb with nerve gas. At the time, Assad fended off a threatened U.S. bombing campaign only by agreeing to give up his arsenal of chemical weapons, later destroyed by the OPCW. But Syria still possesses chlorine, which is used for water purification and other legitimate industrial processes. Ramousah, its surroundings, and the countryside between it and the village of Khan Touman seven km (four miles) to its southwest were the site of intense bombardment by Russian jets and attacks by Shi'ite militias in recent weeks, rebels say. On Tuesday night, jets bombed Khan Touman and neighboring areas, and intense clashes took place in Ramousah and its surroundings, with rebels targeting an army tank, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based war monitor reported. Rebels also shelled government-held residential districts in western Aleppo, the Observatory reported. "All the (rebel) factions are trying to prepare themselves to launch a new attack on the regime positions in Ramousah. It's not over," a senior source in the insurgency said. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad and Angus McDowall in Beirut; Additional reporting by Tom Perry and Babak Dehghanpisheh in Beirut and John Irish in Paris; Editing by Peter Graff)
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's government won strong backing from parliament for its appeal against a 13-billion-euro back tax bill the European Commission ordered it to collect from Apple (AAPL.O), following 12 hours of debate on Wednesday.

Ireland's fragile coalition overcame initial misgivings from independent members of cabinet to join Apple last week in fighting the ruling that Ireland granted state aid to the company through undue and selective tax benefit.

The government says Ireland did not give favorable tax treatment to Apple and that no state aid was provided, and it won a motion to endorse its position in parliament by 93 votes to 36.

"The picture of Ireland painted by the Commission in its decision, as a country prepared to play fast and loose with the law to gain unfair advantage, could not be more damaging or further from the truth," Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny told lawmakers.

"This is not a Commission finding that stands by a small country that has played by the rules. It cannot be allowed to stand."

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by James Dalgleish)
DUBLIN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Ireland's government won strong backing from parliament for its appeal against a 13-billion-euro back tax bill the European Commission ordered it to collect from Apple, following 12 hours of debate on Wednesday.

Ireland's fragile coalition overcame initial misgivings from independent members of cabinet to join Apple last week in fighting the ruling that Ireland granted state aid to the company through undue and selective tax benefit.

The government says Ireland did not give favourable tax treatment to Apple and that no state aid was provided, and it won a motion to endorse its position in parliament by 93 votes to 36.

"The picture of Ireland painted by the Commission in its decision, as a country prepared to play fast and loose with the law to gain unfair advantage, could not be more damaging or further from the truth," Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny told lawmakers.

"This is not a Commission finding that stands by a small country that has played by the rules. It cannot be allowed to stand." (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by James Dalgleish)
protest tunisia

With so much focus on individual Islamic State terrorists originating from North America and Europe, its easy to lose focus on where the majority of these jihadists hail from. But in addition to their country of origin, its also crucial to understand what their motivations had been to join the failing state.

In a Christian Science Monitor report, correspondent Taylor Luck expounds on the notion that ISIS recruiters have taken advantage of those that have been economically marginalized in areas rife with IS activity.

The evidence presented in the report is compelling.

In Tunisia, 90% of ISIS recruits are from economically marginalized towns and neighborhoods, Badra Gaaloul, the president of the Tunis-based International Centre for Strategic, Security and Military Studies, explained to the Monitor.

More than half of the population in Tunisia, a predominantly Muslim country, was reported to be under the age of 30  of those, 40% of them were unemployed. Additionally, in Jordan, 70% of the population is under the age of 30  about 1/3 of them were reportedly unemployed.

Although correlation may not necessarily imply causation, the alleged effects of the high unemployment rate and ISIS recruiting figures are difficult to ignore: Lucks report claims that so far, between 6,000 and 7,000 Tunisians and 3,000 Jordanians have joined ISIS ranks, making them the highest number of recruits originating from a single nation and per capita, respectively.

It is not a coincidence that ISIS is building its  networks in the very neighborhoods, towns, and refugee camps that are economically marginalized  something Al Qaeda had never even considered, Hassan Abu Haniyeh, an expert in jihadist movements, told the Monitor.

Having an estimated $1 billion in revenue in 2015, ISIS has been able to fund their operations through their illicit oil trade network, along with the taxation of the inhabitants in ISIS-held territories. With US-led coalition airstrikes being conducted more frequently, not only is ISIS oil supply drying up, but the number of citizens to tax from their controlled cities is inhibited.

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Russian airstrike oil convoy ISIS

Despite facing financial woes, ISIS monetary incentives may still be gathering interest from those that are economically challenged. Even with a 50% cut in wages for their militants, the salary is still a deciding factor for those that are desperate for a source of income.

The government is not hiring, and no company is investing ..., explained Ahmed, an unemployed Jordanian in the report. We were faced with a choice  to spend the rest of our lives in limbo or to earn a living wage as part of their caliphate. For some the temptation is too much.

Salaries for each fighter varies with respect to several variables taken into account. For instance, Syrian ISIS militants received about $200 per month, while fighters from a different country of origin were reported to have received $400. Ahmed also claimed that he and all of his unemployed friends were promised a salary of up to $800 to travel to the ISIS caliphate.

In addition to their salary, other bonuses, such as $250 each month for a family of five are added to incentivize those in need. Another militants account from a BuzzFeed report claims that $500 a month was being sent to his familys home. Even attending a three-month training camp in Libya could earn recruits or their families $3,000.

The effects of this new source of income have become more apparent in impoverished communities. Luck reports that homes of families related to alleged ISIS militants have seen additional floors erected and their communities have experienced a building boom.

Thousands of families in impoverished neighborhoods are suddenly living beyond their means, and it is all because their sons are fighting in Syria and Iraq, continued Gaaloul.

After the devastating advances ISIS militants have succumbed to in recent weeks, it remains to be seen if the jihadists would still be capable of providing financial compensation for their recruits in the near future. And then the crucial question remains: will ISIS still be able to draw in new fighters without the promises of a lucrative salary.

NOW WATCH: Trump says he was being sarcastic when he called Obama the 'founder of ISIS'





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By Lidia Kelly KALININGRAD, Russia (Reuters) - The Baltic Sea outpost of Kaliningrad was once touted as Russia's future Hong Kong: separated from the mainland, with a special status that would allow it to thrive through trade. But for Igor Pleshkov, who employs 300 workers in a cement factory in this region of 1 million people wedged between EU members Lithuania and Poland, the future now looks dark. He has watched his business wither in recent months, brought low by protectionist measures imposed by Moscow in retaliation for Western sanctions. "The Russian economy has hit bottom, but who would have thought the Russians would start digging?" Pleshkov, 46, says, quoting a line he says he first heard from a German engineer who had come to work in Kaliningrad. The medieval port of Koenigsberg, once a center of Protestant learning and trade on the Baltic coast, was in fact part of Germany until World War Two, when it was bombed to rubble by the allies, besieged by the advancing Red Army and captured in the final months of the war. Its entire German population fled, died or was expelled, and the region known as North Prussia was annexed by the Soviet Union, renamed Kaliningrad, rebuilt with stark housing blocks and repopulated by Russians. The breakup of the Soviet Union left it separated from the rest of Russia, its crumbling roads now clogged with second-hand Volkswagens and Skodas bought cheaply in Europe, rather than Russian Ladas and Volgas. While the region was heavily militarized and largely closed to outsiders during the Soviet period, it grew the shoots of prosperity in recent years. Kaliningrad now has some 80,000 small and medium-sized firms, many involved in manufacturing, thanks in part to special trade status with its EU neighbors. Companies like Pleshkov's Thomas-Beton were permitted to import raw materials duty free to make products that could be sold back in mainland Russia. But that status was allowed to lapse on April 1 this year. And that followed a series of other moves to restrict trade since 2014, when Russia seized Ukraine's Crimea, the United States and EU imposed punitive financial sanctions, and Moscow responded with counter-sanctions of its own. DIFFERENT SITUATION Kaliningrad is hardly the only part of Russia that is hurting. Throughout the past two years, a collapse in global prices for energy exports have created a grinding economic crisis. The rouble has fallen, raising the price of imports. But while some parts of Russia have been partly shielded from the pain by the fall in imports, which has boosted consumption of home-made goods, Kaliningrad's close ties to its EU neighbors means it has suffered more than other areas. Since 2014, Russia's overall trade volume has fallen by a third, but Kaliningrad's has plummeted by nearly half. Industrial output, which had previously outpaced the rest of Russia, fell more than anywhere else. Russia's counter-sanctions included a ban on most EU food imports, wrecking an industry of processing imported meat into canned lunch meat for sale across Russia, which had accounted for nearly a fifth of Kaliningrad's manufacturing. In the case of Pleshkov's cement company, the situation became worse in recent months when the government squeezed his supply of inexpensive cement by demanding complicated certificates for imports. The reform was intended to protect Russian companies but had the opposite effect in Kaliningrad, Pleshkov says. "They are closing off markets, but they do not understand that the Kaliningrad region is in a little bit of a different geographical situation," said Pleshkov. NOT SPECIAL ANYMORE The Moscow government speaks of refocusing eastwards on trade with countries like China. But that is small comfort here on Europe's doorstep. "Cooperation with Australia looks as likely to yield success as the current model at this point in time," gloomily quipped Ilya Shumanov, a former director of Kaliningrad's Transparency International office. Many locals blame the region's government for not having a plan to support business after the end of the special status regime, beyond relying on government subsidies, set at 66 billion rubles ($1.02 billion) for this year. Anton Likhanov, the region's newly appointed prime minister, an energetic young politician from Moscow, said there were some "rough edges" that needed smoothing out. "We need to change the structure because we have depended too much on import components," Likhanov told Reuters. Kaliningrad should not aim to become a manufacturing hub assembling products from imported EU materials, which would only be sustainable if workers stay low paid, he said. "I don't want Kaliningrad to become an appendage to the EU with cheap labor and low costs -- that would be some kind of neo-colonialism," said Likhanov. Instead, it should focus on high-quality manufacturing using Russian raw materials. GOOD TIMES OVER? For years, Kaliningrad residents enjoyed special permission to travel back and forth across the Polish border. But Poland suspended that pact in July, citing security concerns, and says it won't renew it anytime soon. That hurts shops in Kaliningrad, many of which have long passed off smuggled Polish meat as local meat. Consumers are demoralized. "I am certainly a patriot, but I would go from time to time to Poland," said Vladimir Kuzin, a former Kaliningrad city official. "Because what they call cheese in our stores is not cheese." Vadim Khlebnikov, editor of local news portal rugrad.edu, said everything had become more expensive last year, apart from potatoes and cheap frozen fish. Russian tourists still come in summer to enjoy Kaliningrad's sandy coast. But statistics show restaurants have been closing. Many are empty. Meanwhile, Moscow has been busy turning the already highly militarized region into a fortress, beefing up its military presence amid heightened tensions with NATO. Some locals say that will only isolate Russia further. Pleshkov, who calls himself an optimist, says he fears the region's best times are behind it. "The government tried to cover up the problems with the help of quasi patriotism, suggesting it wasn't those fools who didn't know how to manage their own country, but those evil people abroad who drove us into this situation," he said. ($1 = 64.8653 rubles) (Writing by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Peter Graff)
Alex Neustaedter has been acting for a third of his life now, with a short here and a TV guest spot there, but he's now getting his big break thanks to Meg Ryan. The 18-year-old stars in Ryan's directorial debut, Ithaca, a quaint coming-of-age saga about love and death, family and telegraph messengers, set amidst World War II. "I'm really glad that Meg was able to make it. There are not a lot of movies like this," Neustaedter humbly told ET by phone.

In this exclusive clip from the film, Homer's (Neustaedter) younger brother, Ulysses (the scene-stealingly adorable Spencer Howell), pleads with him not to leave home, like their late father (Tom Hanks) did and like their older brother, Marcus (Ryan's son, Jack Quaid), did when he went off to fight the war.

WATCH: Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid's Son Jack Talks His 'Not Normal' Childhood and Parents' Divorce

ET: What was the audition process for this like? Is it intimidating auditioning for Meg Ryan?

Alex Neustaedter: Yeah, it was! It started as just a tape, so I had a couple of times to go through the tape and make it what I thought the character was. And I didn't have Meg looking at me, which really helped for that first audition. I sent off the tape and about two weeks later, I heard that she wanted to meet with me face-to-face, so I flew out to New York and I did the audition in front of her. It was intimidating, but I was so excited and so into the story and the character that I didn't really think I wasn't going to not get it. I felt like it was my role to be had. There was a sense of confidence once we started. The waiting period was pretty nerve-wracking for me. After the audition with Meg, I had about an hour and a half between the audition and when they told me I booked it, so it actually wasn't a lot of waiting around. I got a call very soon after, which was kind of remarkable.

What kind of conversations did you have with Meg about your character, Homer, and the movie as a whole before you got to set?

She wanted to kind of get in my head about what I was thinking about with the character, but she also wanted to breathe life to some other people, like Marlon Brando, James Dean -- those kinds of names. Jimmy Stewart. So, I watched a lot of older films that she wanted me to get a sense for. There was a lot of that discussion about James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden. And a lot of small things too, like what Homer is wearing and how the telegraph uniform looks and fits on him. There was a lot of really great discussion that we had that I hadn't really ever had with a director before. We sat down a couple times and just read through the script and went through the entire story and just shared a lot of thoughts and feelings.

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What is a Meg Ryan set like? What kind of vibe does she create?

She's very chill. There's no sense of panic or urgency on set. She knows what she wants and when she gets there. We always had a little conversation after a couple takes, and she would ask if I wanted to do another one to change it up. I think she was experimenting with that part of it herself. But it was a very calm set. It was probably my favorite set to ever be on, because of the rapport with the cast and crew. Everybody really got along well, for the most part. That has happened on the majority of the sets I've been on, but this one stood out to me for some reason. It was a special, special time for me.

I always think it has to be such a trip working on a period piece. You're living in the '40s and then the director calls cut and everyone can go do their Snapchatting or Pokemon Go-ing or whatever.

It really was! It was very immersive. It was so enjoyable because, honestly, it felt like everything else kind of went away when we were on set. You know, at the time, Pokemon Go wasn't out, so nobody was doing that, thankfully. [Laughs] There were actually not many people using their cell phones. I think a lot of people kind of resorted back to and really embraced what that time was like. It was amazing to act in it, because it really came to life and it really felt as though I was in that time period. It's a little different than being on a set or a stage or a green screen, when you can pop out of it. Where we were in Petersburg and Richmond, the town was at it looked. It really had that same vibe and I think it just carried over into the film and the story. And that's why I really enjoyed it so much, because that's one of my favorite time periods and I can't say enough about how helpful that was as an actor and it just really made everybody stay in it.

Not only were you directed by Meg, but she played your mom, so you got to act opposite her. And you were on set with Tom Hanks for some of his scenes. What was that experience like for you?

It can't get much better than that, right? It was amazing. It was such a joy to be able to work with actors as amazing as they both are. I didn't have any scenes with Tom, but just being in the room with him and feeling his presence, it was really special, because I've looked up to both of them and what they've done with their careers. It's something that I'd hope to aspire to be or do it as they've done. And to watch them work together and see how that connection is -- it's a real connection! They're just such close friends. It's really special. It was just special to be a part of it.

Did you get any advice on acting or words of wisdom from them?

I mean, just from watching them-- it was a lot of resilience being an actor in Hollywood. It's very difficult, from what they've conveyed, with all the pressures and everything. So what I really took most from it is just how each of them had their own techniques, and they had their own styles of how they went about filming a scene and how professional they were. And I was just a sponge and soaked as much of that up as possible to use in the future. I think I took more from nonverbal lessons, which was equally helpful for me.

Here's a very technical, very serious acting question. You do both in the movie: is it harder to vomit or cry convincingly onscreen?

[Laughs] That's a good question. I think throwing up has its challenges, just because the convulsions and how it looks when it comes out and the sounds of it. But I mean, it's difficult to get to the crying stage, too, where it doesn't look like I'm just trying to cry to cry. Where it seems like I'm in it. This is a tough, tough question. Honestly, I'd say crying is probably more difficult, just because I feel like throwing up you have a couple more takes in you to get it done. Crying, it takes a lot out of you. That's my answer!

[This interview has been edited and condensed.]

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There are clues about the Avatar sequels to be found in Toruk, the Cirque du Soleil Avatar prequel that lands tonight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn for a four-night run. Let James Cameron tell you what to look out for.

I love some of the costumes and hairstyles, so we might create a resonance there where you actually see some of the things that you see in Toruk come into the design of the films, said Cameron, the Avatar filmmaker whos at work on a four-movie series of follow-ups. Weve got most of the sequel stuff already designed, but I like this idea of weaving back and forth between the two worlds, the live world and the film world.

The plot of Toruk, which is named after the giant, dragon-like creatures seen in the film, wont tie into the movies, Cameron added  but theres some unexpected overlap there nonetheless. The storyline in the sequels really follows Jake and Neytiri and their children, he said. Its more of a family saga about the struggle with the humans. But thematically, Toruk manages to land very very closely to the feeling of where the sequel stories are going.

Cameron served as a consultant on Toruk  The First Flight, a stadium show that opened in Montreal in November of last year and has since toured North America. (New York area audiences get their first glimpse with the Barclays run, followed by a stint in nearby Newark, N.J.) I gave them pretty full rein to just riff on what they had seen in the Avatar world from the first film, and what they were responding to, the director said of the Toruk creative team, led by writer-directors Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon.

Chronicling two Navi warriors quest to find a series of sacred objects, Toruk takes place on the planet Pandora before humans make contact  thereby neatly evading the problem of how to depict the difference in scale between humans and Navi, the elongated blue humanoids who are nearly twice as tall. (The cast of Toruk speaks Navi in the show.) Cameron said that during the productions development, he mostly chimed in to make sure the project didnt steer too far afield from his central vision for the films.

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Theres a tendency sometimes to go a little beyond the spiritual mysticism in the movie into actual magic, he explained. They cant have any actual magic, because its not a universe that allows for true magic. But it definitely exists in a kind of a mystical, spiritual realm. The films do, and the show definitely does as well. It was that kind of creative conversation.

Toruk is part of an overall brand expansion for Avatar that also includes videogames and a theme park. There are no Cirque follow-ups to Toruk currently in the works, but Cameron said hes open to the idea, in large part because he likes the way the company works.

I love the culture of Cirque du Soleil, how they think, how they empower and enable the artist, Cameron said. I wish Hollywood was more like the way Cirque runs, just in terms of the corporate mentality. Hollywoods all about getting really creative people and then just putting the thumbscrews to them until they cry. Cirque du Soleil is exactly the opposite. Theyll say, No, youre not being crazy enough. Weve seen stuff like that before. Do something weve never seen. Go nuts.'

As for the movie sequels: Theyre on target to start rolling out in Christmas 2018  at least for now. We havent moved that target yet, but we will if we need to, he said. The important thing for me is not when the first one comes out but the cadence of the release pattern. I want them to be released as close together as possible. If its an annual appointment to show up at Christmas, I want to make sure that were able to fulfill on that promise.

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VIENTIANE (Reuters) - The Japanese government said on Wednesday it is ready to provide Vietnam with new patrol ships, in its latest step to boost the maritime law-enforcement capabilities of countries locked in territorial rows with China. On Tuesday, Japan agreed to provide two large patrol ships and lend up to five used surveillance aircraft to the Philippines, another country at odds with China over sovereignty issues in the South China Sea. Japan itself has been at loggerheads with China over a group of tiny, uninhabited East China Sea islets. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, of Tokyo's intention in their meeting on the sidelines of ASEAN-related meetings in Vientiane. Japan has already provided six patrol ships to Vietnam, but they were all used ones, a Japanese foreign ministry official said, adding that details such as the timing of the delivery and the number of ships to be provided have yet to be fixed. Japan plans to extend a low-interest loan under its official development assistance program to Vietnam to facilitate the acquisition. China has laid claim to almost all of the South China Sea, where about $5 trillion worth of seaborne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims in the sea believed to have rich deposits of oil and gas. A court of arbitration in The Hague in July said China's claims to the waterway were invalid, after a case was brought by the Philippines. Beijing has refused to recognize the ruling. (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Japan is "seriously concerned" about Beijing's increasingly muscular claims in the South China Sea, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Asian leaders Wednesday.

Beijing insists it has sovereign rights to almost all of the strategically vital waters, where the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims.

It also has a simmering territorial row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

"I am seriously concerned with the continuing attempts to change unilaterally the status quo in the East and South China Sea," Abe said at a regional summit in Laos hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"I hope that both parties to the dispute in the South China Sea will abide by the ruling by the China-Philippines tribunal court, which legally binds the parties to the dispute, and it will lead to a peaceful settlement of the dispute," he added, according to a briefing by foreign press secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura.

The gathering in Laos is the first ASEAN meeting since an international court ruled in July that China's claims to the sea had no legal basis, and that its artificial island building programme in the waters was illegal.

It was a sweeping victory for the Philippines, which filed the case in 2013.

China has ignored the ruling, announcing penalties for "illegal" fishing in the sea and continuing its reclamation activities.

Japan's dispute with China is over uninhabited islands controlled by Tokyo. They are known as the Senkakus in Japan and as the Diaoyus in China.
By Cesar Raizer BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian police launched an investigation of fraud at state-run companies' pension funds on Monday, as a judge ordered dozens of senior financiers and executives away from their firms, including the chief executive of the world's biggest beef exporter. Police carried out five arrests, more than two dozen interrogations and over 100 search warrants, seizing jewels, luxury vehicles, artwork and an airplane in an asset freeze to cover up to 8 billion reais ($2.5 billion) in alleged damages. The federal judge overseeing the case, Vallisney De Souza Oliveira, ordered the chief executive of meat packer JBS SA and 39 others under investigation to suspend their corporate roles, avoid all capital market activity and forfeit their passports in order to avoid jail. JBS shares fell 10 percent, the biggest drop in six months, at the prospect of billionaire brothers Wesley and Joesley Batista, who run JBS and their family's holding company J&F Investimentos, respectively, from serving at the group's firms. The probe of the pension funds is the latest in a string of investigations into corruption at the vast overlap of Brazilian business and politics, rattling Latin America's largest economy and feeding political instability. The four pension funds under investigation, which controlled about 280 billion reais in assets last year, have been an important source of investment in Brazil's credit-starved economy, but political connections at the state-run firms have raised questions about influence in their decisions. The pension funds caught up in Monday's investigation are those of state-run banks Caixa Economica Federal [CEF.UL] and Banco do Brasil, postal service Correios and oil giant Petroleo Brasileiro SA, the company known as Petrobras which has been ground zero of the graft investigations roiling the nation. Yet police said their investigation focused on losses to pensioners from reckless or fraudulent investments throughout the Brazilian economy. Other executives mentioned in the judge's search and seizure order included the chief executive of wood pulp maker Eldorado Brasil Celulose SA, also controlled by the Batista family, Jose Carlos Grubisich; and Denise Pavarina, the head of the asset management unit at lender Banco Bradesco SA. Neither executive was ordered to step away from their companies. Press representatives for J&F and Eldorado said their executives were collaborating with the investigation. JBS referred comment to J&F. Bradesco said its asset management units "follow the regulations in funds under management and rules by regulators" and that the bank is cooperating with authorities. Pension funds Previ, Petros and Funcef said they were collaborating with police. Petros added that the investigation involved decisions made in 2011. Postalis did not immediately respond to a request for comment Caixa, Bradesco, Banco Santander Brasil and fund manager Rio Bravo Investimentos Ltda confirmed that their asset management units were also targeted by the operation. In a statement, Caixa said the bank already had an internal investigation about "possible irregularities" involving the employees pension fund's investments. Santander Brasil said the federal police asked for documents related to investments by the pension funds in the rig lessor Sete Brasil, which is under bankruptcy protection, and in a fund called Global Equity. Asset manager Rio Bravo, the target of acquisition by China's Fosun International Ltd, said the fund has always managed pension funds investments "with ethics, honesty and compliance with the laws." (Reporting by Cesar Raizer; Additional reporting by Leonardo Goy in Brasilia, Pedro Fonseca and Stephen Eisenhammer in Rio de Janeiro, Alberto Alerigi Jr., Tatiana Bautzer, Aluisio Alves and Paula Laier in Sao Paulo; Writing and additional reporting by Brad Haynes; Editing by Sandra Maler and Leslie Adler)
Jinger Duggar is in love and she isn't afraid to show it.



On Tuesday's episode of Counting On, a few of the Duggar children are out in the middle of nowhere (Missouri) trying to learn wilderness survival skills at a training camp. Yet, all Jinger can think about is trying to get cell service in order to call/text Jeremy Vuolo.



"I didn't know exactly how long we were going to be out there without cell service," she said during the episode. "I should have told him I was going to be gone all day."



Throughout the show, Jinger would stop and take selfies and document as much of her trip as possible, all so she could send it to her soon-to-be-fiancee. It got to the point where she wasn't even paying attention to anything but her text messages.







"I don't think I'm driving people nuts with it," the 22-year-old said during her interview. "I think when you're in love everybody knows about it. I think everybody will understand when they get to that place themselves."



"When Jill and Jessa were in their relationships, I did notice that they would talk a lot on the phone," she continued. "Sometimes I would mention something and they wouldn't quite catch it ... I was like 'Oh, wow. They've changed quite a bit,' and I thought I am a little bit of that type of person and I could see how I would do that, but probably not that much. I was wrong."





RELATED VIDEO: Counting On Exclusive Sneak Peek: Head Over Heels



"Now that I've seen her, and how drastic she's gone ... I'm just going to keep my mouth shut and not say anything," Joy-Anna told the cameras. "I'll be the worst of them all probably."



Jinger's younger brother was also starting to get a bit bothered with how much she was on her phone.



"All of my siblings when they're interested in somebody just like can't think or concentrate," said 20-year-old Josiah. "Sometimes you feel like breaking their phone ... lets put it away for awhile. You realize everyone is going to go through this phase in life so just deal with it because everyone is going to have to deal with you someday."



Later on in the episode, all the girls were spending the night camping out in huts, when Jinger received a call from Vuolo which ultimately annoyed her sisters.



"Jinger, we are supposed to be out in the wild trying to survive and you have your phone," Joy-Anna, 18, told her.



Jinger then got up and sprinted out their survival hut just to talk with Vuolo on the phone in peace inside the RV.



"It was good having you for a whole two minutes!" Joy yelled out to her.



Counting On airs Tuesdays (8 p.m. ET) on TLC.
Johnny Depp is in talks to star in the crime thriller Labyrinth with Lincoln Lawyer director Brad Furman on board to helm.

Depp will play Russell Poole in the film, the Los Angeles police detective who investigated the murders of rappers Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, sources have confirmed.

Good Films will produce. UTA and WME Global are co-repping U.S. rights, while Good Universe is representing international sales.

Christian Contreras wrote the screenplay, which is based on the book Labyrinth: A Detective Investigates the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., the Implication of Death Row Records Suge Knight, and the Origins of the Los Angeles Police Scandal.

Poole was a decorated detective who spent months investigating the murder of B.I.G., whos real name is Christopher Wallace, eventually coming to believe that a group of corrupt cops with ties to Suge Knights Death Row Records had a part in both murders. This led to confrontations with the LAPD police chief that culminated with Poole retiring early in protest.

Depp was most recently starred in Alice Through the Looking Glass and can be seen next in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. He is repped by UTA.

The news was first reported by Screen Daily.

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Moscow (AFP) - A journalist in Russia's Chechnya region has been jailed for three years on drugs charges, colleagues said Wednesday, in a case slammed as fabricated ahead of upcoming elections.

Zhalaudi Geriev -- a contributor to the Kavkazsky Uzel website known for his reporting on human rights in the tightly-controlled region run by strongman Ramzan Kadyrov -- was sentenced on Monday for alleged marijuana possession.

"This case has clearly been totally fabricated," the website's chief editor Grigory Shvedov told AFP.

"He never took or transported drugs."

Geriev was arrested on April 16 by armed men who dragged him off a bus and questioned him in a forest, Human Rights Watch said. He is now appealing the verdict.

"We have no doubt that Geriev is being punished for his work as a journalist and hope that justice will prevail on appeal," said Tanya Lokshina, Russia programme director at Human Rights Watch.

Kremlin-loyal Kadyrov has run the volatile region -- where Moscow fought two brutal separatist conflicts -- with an iron fist for almost a decade and is up for election next month.

Human Rights Watch said that authorities in the region are "tyrannising critics" ahead of the nationwide and local polls on September 18, which will be the first time Kadyrov faces a popular vote on his rule.

The strongman -- who at one stage battled the Russian army as a rebel fighter -- is accused of running Chechnya as his personal fiefdom, with wide use of kidnapping and torture and little oversight from Moscow.
PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) - Jury selection began on Wednesday in the case of ranchers Ammon and Ryan Bundy and five other anti-government activists who led an armed 41-day takeover of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The seven defendants are charged with conspiracy to impede federal officers and possession of firearms in a federal facility during the standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, about 300 miles (483 km) southeast of Portland.

Once a jury is seated, opening arguments are expected to begin next week in the federal courthouse in Portland.

The takeover of the wildlife refuge was the latest flare-up in a decades-old conflict over federal control of millions of acres of public land in the West. The Bundy brothers have been at the forefront of that movement and stood by their father, Cliven Bundy, at his Nevada ranch in a 2014 armed standoff with authorities over enforcement of federal grazing rights.

The Bundys began the Oregon standoff on Jan. 2 with at least a dozen armed men, sparked in part by the return to prison of two Oregon ranchers who set fires that spread to federal property near the refuge.

More than two dozen people have been charged in connection with the takeover. Federal prosecutors dropped charges against one of the Bundys' co-defendants, Peter Santilli, who livestreamed events at the refuge, writing in a motion filed on Tuesday that "the interests of justice do not support further pursuit of these charges."

Another of the occupiers, Corey Lequieu, the first of the 26 people on trial, was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in federal prison earlier this month, local media reported.

A second group of defendants are scheduled to go on trial in February.

The Bundys have been jailed since they and several others were arrested in January on a snow-covered road near the reserve. A spokesman for the group, Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, was shot and killed by Oregon State Police who thought he was reaching for a weapon.

(Reporting by Courtney Sherwood in Portland, Oregon, and Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles,; Writing and additional reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Bill Trott)
Kanye West has confirmed plans of a collaborative album with Drake. The pair teased a project in late August with a cryptic billboard in Los Angeles featuring the logos of their respective labels.

In an interview with Vogue about his Yeezy Season 4 collection debuting Wednesday, the rapper and designer spoke about the cryptic sign for the first time. "We're just working on music, working on a bunch of music together, just having fun going into the studio," he revealed without unveiling a title or release date. "We're working on an album, so there's some exciting things coming up soon."



Both rappers contributed to each other's most recent releases. Drake has a co-writing credit on West's "30 Hours" off The Life of Pablo, while West appeared on the original version of Drake's "Pop Style" from his April album Views alongside Jay-Z. West and Jay-Z were even billed as The Throne on "Pop Style," referencing back to West's first collaborative album Watch the Throne. Drake previously teamed up with Future for last year's surprise mixtape What a Time to Be Alive.

West also used the interview to tease what's next for him after his current Saint Pablo tour. Following the debut of Season 4, he plans to launch a children's clothing line with wife Kim Kardashian West alongside establishing clothing stores around the world.

"I believe the first one will be in California, since that's where I stay now," he said. "I can go there most often, check in, get the vibe. But I want to do 200 stores in the next year. That's just me saying what I want. I'm not saying what can definitely happen but you might as well just state out loud what you want. That'll put you one step closer to getting it."

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kanye west drake

In a new Vogue profile, Kanye West confirmed rumors that he and Drake are working on a new collaborative album.

"We're just working on music, working on a bunch of music together, just having fun going into the studio," West said. "We're working on an album, so there's some exciting things coming up soon."

Though West declined to reveal a release date for the project, this is the first solid confirmation from West or Drake that the album is indeed in the works.

In early August, West teased the project when he asked the crowd at Drake's OVO Festival in Toronto, "Is y'all ready for this album?"  though he provided no further clarification.

Later that month, the hype surrounding the album intensified when a billboard in Los Angeles featured Drake's OVO label logo beside West's G.O.O.D. Music logo.

Drake previously discussed the project in April on his OVO Sound Radio station, saying, "We had plans, we were supposed to do a mixtape together, album together, so maybe we'll get that done."

Now it looks like their plans are finally coming to fruition. Even if Kanye is keeping it all a little vague.

NOW WATCH: I waited in line for 9 hours to see 'Hamilton'  here's what it was like





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In 2012, Jerolyn Ireland had a benign brain tumor removed. "The operation was a breeze," she says, but back at home, the surgical site became red and irritated. As she waited to get in to see her doctor, the infection worsened. Finally, she found out it was caused by the dreaded MRSA bacterium, a form of staphylococcus resistant to many antibiotics that Ireland, a registered nurse, believes she contracted during her hospital stay. Now 76 and living in Houlton, Maine, Ireland has needed multiple surgeries to repair the damage to her head. "I still have pain because of nerve damage," she says. And even with health coverage, her out-of-pocket costs have been crippling, especially since she had to stop working. "When I get a phone call, I think it's a collection agency," she says.

Recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirm what Ireland suspects that she illustrates: Medicine still has quite a long way to go to eliminate infections acquired via contact with the very health care system that is supposed to make people better. This type of infection affected about 722,000 people in acute care hospitals in 2011, more than 10 percent of whom died. Significant progress has been made on some fronts; central line infections, for example, are way down. But there's been a smaller decline -- just 17 percent -- in surgical site infections and little movement at all in problems associated with urinary catheters.

Meantime, concern has been growing about the frightening prevalence of bacteria that are resistant to many antibiotics, thus rendering them potentially untreatable. The CDC says that in 2014, the chance that a health care-associated infection was caused by any of six key resistant bacteria, including MRSA and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, was 1 in 7 in short-term acute care hospitals and 1 in 4 in long-term acute care facilities. These are figures CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden called "deeply concerning" and "chilling" respectively.

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[See: 11 Items to Pack in Your Hospital Bag.]

As for the scope of sepsis, the life-threatening organ dysfunction that can occur with any type of infection, hospital-acquired or otherwise, the CDC's data suggest that all told nearly 2.5 million people died at least in part due to sepsis from 1999 to 2014.

So what has been working and what further can be done? "The crown jewel" of prevention efforts to date is the one aimed at bloodstream infections associated with central lines, says Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, the associate director for healthcare-associated infection prevention programs at the CDC. At short-term acute care hospitals, the numbers were down by 50 percent in 2014 from 2008.

That's the result of a big push to implement such steps as a simple checklist reminding clinicians to wash their hands, replace soiled dressings, and properly clean the patient's skin. Dr. Peter Pronovost, who directs the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and who developed the checklist, says success also has depended on a culture of high expectations emanating from the C-suite. "If the goal was 'zero,' even if they didn't achieve it, institutions did better," he says. Successful leaders have made reporting of infections transparent and established some kind of feedback loop so staffers can see how they're doing, he says.

The same enthusiasm could be deployed in other trouble spots, such as that of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, called CAUTIs, where the numbers haven't budged. Those infections extend hospital stays, require antibiotics, and cause an estimated 13,000 deaths per year. They call for more extensive efforts, since urinary catheters are widely used and are placed by a larger group of people, Srinivasan says.

But it can be done. "The recipe is very clear," says Dr. Marvin Moe Bell, a family medicine physician at HonorHealth Scottsdale in Arizona. "Basically it's to use urinary catheters less or to use them for shorter periods of time." In 2012, the intensive care unit at his hospital, the Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, had a high CAUTI rate, with 54 infections -- about 60 percent higher than the expected number. Bell and his team implemented a system that educates clinicians about when catheters are and aren't indicated, asks for justification in the patient's electronic medical record if a catheter is ordered, and presents a daily reminder in the health record to consider whether it's time to discontinue the catheter. As catheter use decreased, so did infections. In the ICU, rates dropped by 25 percent in 2014 and by 88 percent in 2015. (A change in the definition of CAUTI was responsible for about a quarter of the latter year's decline).

[See: 10 Lessons From Empowered Patients.]

While commonsense basics such as hand hygiene and keeping surfaces clean have long been recognized as powerful and important tools, many facilities are still falling far short. According to the CDC, health care providers follow proper hand-cleaning procedures less than half of the time. And only about half of surfaces in hospitals are properly cleaned, says Dr. John Boyce, an infection control consultant who recently served as head of infection control at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Internal audits at Sentara HealthCare, based in Norfolk, Virginia, have shown a much more impressive record on meeting hand hygiene guidelines, with 94 to 95 percent compliance at the end of 2014. Still, "it wasn't at 100 percent," says Jennifer Kreiser, vice president and nurse executive at Sentara Leigh Hospital. "We needed to set up a mechanism so we didn't allow anyone to do the wrong thing." The system changed its approach from individual to team accountability with a program called All Hands on Deck that encourages personnel to use that phrase if they see someone fail to wash. Those who don't speak up are held accountable for the lapse.

The goal, says Dr. Scott Miller, an infectious disease physician who is vice president of medical affairs at Sentara Leigh, is to mimic the atmosphere of the operating room at the patient's bedside. "If I walked into the OR and hadn't scrubbed in, there would be people all over me pushing me out the door, asking why not." At the end of 2015, audits showed the compliance rate had risen to 99 percent, with some units consistently hitting 100 percent, Kreiser says. Better hand hygiene along with other efforts have brought infection rates at Sentara lower.

As with hand-washing, proper surface cleaning is straightforward in theory, but not in practice. Some harmful bugs, like MRSA and the diarrhea-causing C. difficile, when shed from one patient, can survive long enough to infect the next patient who occupies the room. Regular disinfectant, properly applied, can kill the bacteria, but "properly applied" means covering every surface and keeping it wet for at least a few minutes to do the job. Such procedures have to be followed all the time, since even patients who show no symptoms can leave harmful bacteria on surfaces around them.

Boyce says change requires involving the housekeeping staff in quality improvement campaigns and giving them ongoing feedback about how well they're doing. Hospitals are also looking to new technologies to help with improvement. Spraying hydrogen peroxide vapor into a room after a patient carrying antibiotic-resistant bacteria had moved out, for example, reduced the chances that the next occupant would acquire the bug by 64 percent, according to a 2013 study conducted at Johns Hopkins. The downside: The room has to be unoccupied for up to three hours.

Another promising method uses ultraviolet light on top of the normal cleaning process to irradiate any remaining bacteria. Last year, researchers at Duke Medicine found that adding the light reduced by one-third the chance that patients staying overnight in a room previously occupied by a carrier of antibiotic-resistant bacteria would get sick. A third approach uses copper's antimicrobial properties. Researchers at Sentara are investigating whether copper-coated surfaces and copper-infused bed linens will reduce infections.

[See: What Your Doctors Wish You Knew.]

Health care organizations are also working to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria by curbing the use of the drugs in the first place. Whenever antibiotics are called upon, some strains of bacteria don't die off, and those resistant strains can survive and multiply. The more antibiotics are used without sufficient caution, the more resistance becomes a problem. Besides working to prevent infections that would trigger a prescription, the government and health systems aim to manage antibiotics better, using microbial cultures to pinpoint which drug should be prescribed and to reassess the need as time goes on, and by keeping a course of treatment as short as possible. Any patient who is prescribed an antibiotic should ask what's being treated and whether the drug will actually benefit that condition, advises Dr. Trevor Van Schooneveld, an infectious disease physician at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and medical director of the hospital's antimicrobial stewardship program.

And that's not all patients can do to protect themselves. Kathy Day, a registered nurse in Bangor, Maine, who became a patient advocate after her father died from hospital-acquired MRSA pneumonia, says she recommends a MRSA screening test ahead of any but the most minor surgery. If you're a carrier, you can be decolonized with some easy measures, helping to prevent infections in yourself or other patients. Some hospitals already perform this type of testing, but there's an ongoing debate over which patient groups should be screened.

Day also recommends that family members keep bleach-based wipes next to the bedside and use them to keep "anything that's touched by patient or caregiver" clean. Encourage any visitors to use hand sanitizer, too.
Kit Harington is working harder than a Game of Thrones Dothraki horse right now

Kit Harington is working harder than a Game of Thrones Dothraki horse right now

The former Lord Commander himself, Jon Snow (or Kit Harington if you want to be ~boring~), has recently been spotted very literally ALL OVER THE WORLD in the last few days.

Late last week, September 2nd to be exact, Azor Ahai Harington was in New York filming scenes for his upcoming film The Death and Life of John F. Donovan. The film stars Harington as the title character, an American actor, who begins a correspondence with an 11-year-old actor in England. The film is meant to be a satirical take on celebrity life.

Whome? An American? (YES).

kit harington

Heres Kit on set, in action!

However, YESTERDAY Kit was spotted all the way over in Belfast, Northern Ireland (which any Game of Thrones fan knows is home base for Thrones production)  a mere 3,171 miles away from New York. And OBVIOUSLY fans were super excited to get even the quickest glimpse of Harington.

Saw Kit Harrington at Belfast airport. Didn't get through security quick enough to roar Winter is Coming at him  Rich Lambe (@richdlambe) September 6, 2016

And because Kit is as lovable in real life as his Thrones alter ego, he took the time to take a photo with some eagle-eyed fans.

He knows nothingexcept how to be awesome.

The people at George Best International airport knew nothin Jon Snow but we spotted Kit in a heartbeat. pic.twitter.com/5mc2iKJvAd  Tove Kane (@tovekane) September 6, 2016

According to an interview with Belfast Live, Tove Kane (who took the photo) and her sister had a brief chat with Harington, and discovered he was flying from Belfast to London on the same flight as [their] mum. LUCKY LADY!

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So, WAIT  this means Kit went from New York to Belfast, (presumably) shot scenes for Game of Thrones, and is now back home in London (for now)  all in just five days?!

Yup! Take that, Lord Varys!

kit harington

Annnnnd theres more! Kit is ALSO set to present at the Emmy Awards (which, btw, he is also nominated for in the Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category) on September 18th in Los Angeles, which is less than two weeks away. So, maybe Kits finally getting a little well-deserved R&R in London until then?

However, shooting for Game of Thrones Season 7 is WELL underway, so who knows, he could easily find himself back in Northern Ireland before the Emmys, too. Either way, you cant argue with the fact that Kit Harington is working harder than Ser Jorah trying to win back Khaleesis love right now  and also rolling in some serious frequent flyer points. And were A-OKAY with that, because were just happy to know Kits working as hard as ever to bring us MORE of the greatest show ever.

Looking forward to Game of Thrones Season 7 like

thrones gif white walker

The post Kit Harington is working harder than a Game of Thrones Dothraki horse right now appeared first on HelloGiggles.
This is what Korean beauty bloggers are doing about that whole sheet mask problem

This is what Korean beauty bloggers are doing about that whole sheet mask problem

Last week, we brought you the sad news that sheet masks, which were all totally obsessed with, might actually be kind of gross. We were disappointed to learn that they may not be as hygienic as one would expect. SADFACE.

But now theres an update on what some popular Korean beauty bloggers are doing about the situation, and rest assured  theyre on it.

Racked reports that a dedicated group of beauty bloggers have set out to find out the truth about whats going on with the sheet masks we love so much because they moisturize our skin so well.

A photo posted by Chel (@holysnailsblog) on Mar 22, 2016 at 10:57pm PDT

Considering I sheet mask every day and have a stash of about 200 sheet masks at all times, I felt like I was having a nightmare! Seriously. Ive gone through all the stages of grief, Jude Chao of the blog Fifty Shades of Snail told Racked.

This is something straight out of a K-drama, not real life, for the country thats supposed to be 10 years ahead of the rest of the world in beauty, Chel Cortes, who blogs at Holy Snails, wrote in an email to Racked. To think that some sheet masks cost more than what some of these people make in an entire day of folding sheet masks is horrifying.

A photo posted by Chel (@holysnailsblog) on Mar 3, 2016 at 2:49pm PST

The group of bloggers decided they didnt just want to sit around in their grief, because theyre lifesavers, and they set out to investigate which brands of sheet masks we can actually trust to be hygienic and practice ethically.

And they want receipts.

We expect brands to maintain control and ownership over the products they sell to us and allowing this part of the process to be done in workers homes, unsupervised, seems very careless to me. If theyre willing to give up that much control of the products manufacturing, Im not sure I trust them to maintain control over other parts of the process, Chao said.

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Several of the companies have replied to the groups request for the truth and outlined if they use a factory to produce their beauty masks. Theyre still waiting for a lot more to reply.

In the meantime, the beauty sheet mask experts say if we want to be safe, we should jump on the products coming from the Taiwanese mask industry.

A photo posted by My Beauty Diary US (@mybeautydiaryus) on Jul 15, 2016 at 3:29pm PDT

These include the brands Naruko, Maskingdom, LHerboflore, and My Beauty Diary, the last of which can be found at Target.

The post This is what Korean beauty bloggers are doing about that whole sheet mask problem appeared first on HelloGiggles.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Expanded U.S. sanctions on Russia are not consistent with talks over possible cooperation between Russia and the United States in other areas, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday. "This is not consistent with talks over possible cooperation in sensitive areas that the two presidents discussed," he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama met during the G20 summit in China earlier this week. (Writing by Maria Tsvetkova; editing by Katya Golubkova)
By Olga Dzyubenko BISHKEK (Reuters) - A suicide bomb attack on the Chinese embassy in the Kyrgyz capital last week was ordered by Uighur militants active in Syria and carried out by a member of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, Kyrgyzstan's state security service said on Tuesday. The suicide bomber, whose car rammed the gates of the embassy on Aug. 30, was an ethnic Uighur who held a Tajik passport in the name of Zoir Khalilov, the GKNB security service said in a statement. Three embassy staff suffered minor injuries in the attack and were taken to hospital. China condemned the attack and urged Kyrgyz authorities to quickly investigate. "The investigation established that the terrorist act was ordered by Uighur terrorist groups active in Syria and affiliated to the terrorist organization the Nusra Front whose emissaries ... financed the terrorist action," the GKNB said. Listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and Russia, the Nusra Front has renamed itself Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and said in July it had ended its relationship with al Qaeda. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday the East Turkestan Islamic Movement was a recognized terrorist group that constitutes a serious threat to China, Syria, Central Asia and many other countries and regions. "I want to stress that East Turkestan terrorist forces representing ETIM have planned and carried out many terrorist incidents targeting China inside and outside the country and committed bloody crimes," she told a daily news briefing in Beijing. The attack on the Chinese embassy was coordinated through a native of Kyrgyzstan living in Turkey, the Kyrgyz secret service said. It said an arrest warrant had been issued for another native of southern Kyrgyzstan, an explosives specialist trained in Syria and holder of a Tajik passport, who helped to prepare the attack but flew to Istanbul several hours before the explosion. Five Kyrgyz citizens suspected of complicity in the bomb attack have been detained, the GKNB said. An international arrest warrant has been issued for two other Kyrgyz citizens living in Turkey, it said. Apart from the ethnic Uighur suspected of having carried out the attack, all the others accused of ordering, financing and preparing it come from two southern Kyrgyz regions in the Ferghana Valley. The fertile but overpopulated and largely impoverished valley, which Kyrgyzstan shares with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, has become a source of radical Islamists in Central Asia, from where hundreds of young people have gone to fight for Islamic State and its allies in Syria. Kyrgyzstan shares a remote, mountainous border with China's Xinjiang region where hundreds have died in violence in recent years, blamed by Beijing on Islamist militants. Rights groups say the unrest there is more a reaction to repressive government policies, and experts have questioned whether ETIM exists as a cohesive militant group. China denies there is any repression in Xinjiang. (Reporting by Olga Dzyubenko; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Beijing; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Christian Lowe and Alison Williams)
The government of Kyrgyzstan said Tuesday that a suicide attack targeting the Chinese embassy last week was ordered by Uighur militants active in Syria.

Security officials said the attack in the capital Bishkek  which injured three embassy employees  was carried out by an ethnic Uighur member of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, according to Reuters.

The investigation established that the terrorist act was ordered by Uighur terrorist groups active in Syria and affiliated to the terrorist organization the Nusra Front whose emissaries  financed the terrorist action, Reuters cited the State Committee on National Security, or GKNB, as saying.

The suicide bomber, allegedly an ethnic Uighur who held a Tajik passport, rammed a vehicle through the gates of the Chinese embassy on Aug. 30. The vehicle then sped toward the center of the compound and exploded near the ambassadors residence.

Only the driver died in the blast, while the three embassy staffers sustained minor injuries.

Kyrgyzstan shares a border with Chinas Xinjiang province, where Beijing has fought with Uighur separatists for decades. The broader region, a dense and impoverished area that includes Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, has become a breeding ground for extremism in Central Asia in recent years.

[Reuters]
As the 2016 Paralympic Games take place in Rio de Janeiro from Sept. 7 through 18, U.S. News & World Report is looking at the challenges facing disabled people worldwide.

Nearly 4 million people move through the Shinjuku metro station in Tokyo each day, finding their way through a maze of passageways to dozens of tracks on multiple platforms. The station is one of the world's busiest transportation hubs, and on Sept. 10, 1986, it became a center of a building global disability rights movement.

Hundreds of people, many assisted by wheelchairs and walkers, paraded through the bustling streets of Tokyo shouting, "Access now!" These members of the Japan chapter of Disabled Peoples' International, led by Shoji Nakanishi, planned to travel from Shinjuku to the Ueno Park station, where many, if not all, knew they would find themselves stuck underground. The Ueno Park station, like nearly all of Japan's public transportation at the time, was not accessible for most people with disability.

In staging this radical protest and others like it, Nakanishi, who lost the use of his arms and legs after a motorcycle accident, has contributed to a global effort to empower people with disability and foster inclusive societies. The perceived power of this movement in Japan was in showcasing the sheer number of people affected. But 30 years later, while most of Japan's stations now meet accessibility needs, hard numbers related to disability -- the statistics that could help drive similar change around the world -- have yet to be pinned down.

Disability statistics on a global scale are almost nonexistent, experts say. Efforts to collect, standardize and analyze international data have been scattered, largely due to challenges defining disability and to ingrained discrimination that has made disabled people less of a priority in policymaking.

Data doesn't make systematic change on its own, experts say, but it can be the impetus to draw attention to the problems and help identify gaps in policy.

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"Data and statistics represent reality," says Ricardo Pla Cordero, an inclusion adviser for Handicap International's humanitarian efforts. "One example can move emotions, but response programs are moved by data."

Many global policymakers presume efforts focused on improving the lives of people with disability yield minimal results, both for the individual and society, says Judith E. Heumann, special adviser for international disability rights at the U.S. Department of State.

High levels of shame and stigma attached to disability cause underreporting, by both individuals who resist acknowledging their limitations and by governments that don't consider people with disability when conducting census and other surveys.

On a basic level, the logistics behind segregating disability data are simply more difficult than those for gender, race or other commonly tracked demographics, experts and advocates say. With such a wide variety of individual experiences potentially falling under the same umbrella, determining the percentage of people with a disability within a population presents complications. Prevalence estimates vary widely from country to country, ranging from 24 percent in New Zealand to 1.5 percent in Iran, according to the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in 2015.

"Defining disability prevalence is almost an impossible task. It is not us versus them, and we must demystify this magic number that is making everyone crazy," says Dr. Alarcos Cieza, coordinator for disability and rehabilitation with the World Health Organization.

But people will always want something to compare, and drawing conclusions on an international level is difficult when these figures are calculated with different goals in mind, says Daniel Mont, co-president of the Center for Inclusive Policy and a member of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics. The "correct" figure countries may use to fund eligible disability pension funds has a much different methodology behind it, for example, than that used to understand the percentage of people who are unemployed because of their disability, he says.

The most commonly cited figure for global prevalence of disability is in the 2011 World Report on Disability by the World Health Organization and World Bank: About 15 percent of the world's population -- more than 1 billion people -- lives with disability. But it's an estimate based on country surveys from more than a decade ago, each of which used a slightly different definition of disability.

Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, disability adviser for the World Bank, says that there haven't been new reports because there simply hasn't been new data. Cieza cites funding as the roadblock.

Nonetheless, advocates agree that great strides have been made recently in the push for new international data tied to disability trends, especially in the last decade. But the path hasn't always been clear.

In 2000, the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals, "quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty" and "promoting gender equality, education and environmental sustainability" that were to be achieved by 2015.

In the eyes of disability advocates, the goals had a tragic flaw: People with disability were an afterthought, if they were thought of at all.

"This was the framework that guided the work of the United Nations in the last 15 years, but disability was not mentioned, so it was not considered," says Maria Martinho, social affairs officer at the U.N.'s Division for Social Policy and Development.

In 2006, in what Martinho calls a "breakthrough moment," representatives from Mexico proposed that the United Nations General Assembly build a committee to draft a treaty to protect the rights of people with disability, as they had for women and children.

"They put forth the economic argument that if we include people with disability, we would be able to achieve a greater good for society as a whole," she says. One year later, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was opened for signatures of member states.

The convention is a legally binding document for those countries that sign it, but it is not too prescriptive. The real change is meant to happen at the national level, as member states implement legislation that conforms to the convention's guidelines.

Data collection has its own section, Article 31, which states that required information "shall be disaggregated, as appropriate, and used to help ... identify and address the barriers faced by persons with disabilities in exercising their rights" and made available to the public.

Progress reports -- due from countries two years after signing and every four years after that -- continue to trickle in. Martinho, who serves as secretariat for the convention, says she thinks the next 15 years will be a "much better situation" than the last 15 years. Some change is already evident.

In 2015, when the U.N. adopted its next set of guiding principles -- the Sustainable Development Goals -- they were more inclusive of disability. Of the 17 goals, 164 targets and hundreds of specific statistical indicators that are set to be achieved by 2030, disability is mentioned explicitly in seven targets and 11 indicators and as a suggested focus point wherever relevant.

The first assessment report on the new goals is due to the General Assembly in 2018. While it is early to compare individual countries on their progress, experts say the initial assessment should help define the key issues and guide the next 12 years of implementation.

The challenge, experts say, is that to successfully standardize international data collection, defining a common purpose is key.

To help foster this necessary unity, the United Nations Statistics Division organized the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, an international group of diplomats and policymakers charged with developing a universal set of disability measures to be recommended for use in censuses and other national surveys.

The short set of Washington Group questions asks census or survey participants if they experience difficulties in five categories: vision, hearing, mobility, communication or cognition. Avoiding the blanket term "disabled" and offering respondents a range of response options beyond simple 'yes' or 'no,' says Mont, reduces stigma and increases response rates, helping to build a strong baseline to drive policy.

Still, as more and more international organizations give people with disability their attention, tensions persist among disability advocates themselves. They grapple over how to balance the medical model, which calls for cures and caregiving, and the human rights model, which views disability as an ever-present layer of diversity that should be celebrated as part of the human experience.

In any case, every person is entitled to basic human rights, experts say, and deserves to be an included member of society.

In some places, this is already reality. Nakanishi, now 72, carries his Japanese disability identification card with pride and enjoys the discounts it affords him on bus passes, theater tickets, medical care and more.

"Asian culture is not a strict one," he says. "It is always to make harmony with the community." As long as there are strong global leaders, he adds, the adoption of similar practices could benefit people with disability around the world.

Deidre McPhillips is a data reporter at U.S. News. You can find her on Twitter or email her at dmcphillips@usnews.com.
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LONDON  There's something infinitely cheering about discovering that two actors you really admire are actually pals in real life.

Following on from J.K. Rowling's Twitter shout-out to Amy Schumer last week, the latest celebrity dream team comes in the form of a glorious Game of Thrones/Star Wars fusion.

SEE ALSO: 'Star Wars' actor John Boyega has an unusual method of waking up in the morning

On Tuesday night, both John Boyega (a.k.a. Finn from The Force Awakens) and Gwendoline Christie (who stars alongside Boyega in The Force Awakens and plays Lady Brienne in Thrones) attended the GQ Awards.

From the looks of Twitter, Christie is clearly a big fan of Boyega.

After Boyega picked up a Breakthrough Actor award, he posted a Twitter shout-out to Christie. From the sounds of it, she was one of the people cheering the loudest.

Later, she followed it up with another shout-out to Boyega. Just look at all those emoji:

All in all, Christie appeared to have a pretty awesome night.

It's not every day you get to hang out with your favourite Resistance fighter and two Olympic medal winners.
There will be a change up top of Lee Daniels upcoming Fox series Star, as showrunner Charles Murray has departed the music drama, Variety has confirmed.

Murray exited over differing visions with co-creators Daniels and Tom Donaghy, according to an insider, who adds that the split was amicable. Prior to joining Star, Murray was on Sons of Anarchy.

A search for a new showrunner is currently underway, and a replacement is expected to be named shortly. The showrunner shuffle was first reported by TVLine.

Star follows three young women who form a girl group with hopes of making it big in the music industry. The project has been described in the vein of Dreamgirls, while incorporating the manufacturing of modern-day girl groups, showcasing the allure and heartache of the cut-throat music scene, and exploring cultural themes from a new perspective.

Queen Latifah and Benjamin Bratt star alongside newcomers Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny and Brittany OGrady, who portray the central girl band trio.

Daniels and Donaghy wrote and exec produced the pilot together with Daniels also directing the first episode.

Before Star debuts midseason, Daniels other hit show Empire returns to Fox with its third season on Sept. 21.

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By Aaron Ferencik

Co-holder of Marine chair, Best Defense Council of the Former Enlisted

I left Afghanistan with the memory of three of my Marines knocked out by a single explosion. In a waste-filled ditch they lay, wounded, clothing perforated by shrapnel, skin sand-blasted off. I left with the casualty evacuation report memorized. I left Garmsir District, Helmand Province, with the memory of an Afghan soldier shot through the groin, running across a muddy poppy field, arms flailing, collapsing at the gate of my patrol base. I carried home a single dogtag with an indentation where it had been struck by a ball bearing from an IED. I left with Rite in the Rain notebooks filled with patrol intentions. A couple of Velcro patches. A full set of Afghan Army camouflage uniforms. Souvenir scarves bought in corrugated-door bazaars. I left with somebody elses blood on my flak jacket.

I left Afghanistan, but my faithful Afghan interpreter did not.

He was born in Khost province, but lives in Kabul now. Not by choice, but to stay close to the U.S. embassy. We called him Jack. I will not give his real name due to the danger he faces after years of working with Americans.

Jack served the United States of America more than most of its citizens ever have  or ever will.

When I worked with him, Jack had already interpreted for the Marines for several months, and with the Army before that. He was dark-skinned, hollow-cheeked, and raven-haired. He wore an older-model tan flak jacket with a single radio pouch and two tourniquets attached. He covered his head with a red-and-white bandana, the way some of the Marines did.

He smiled often, and interpreted faithfully. Sometimes, when an old, wily Pashtun man tried to hide something in conversation, Jack would tell me, simply: He is lying. Jack was usually right.

We walked everywhere. We lacked the luxury of usable roads, so we patrolled on foot, exposed. Jack walked with us. Everywhere we stepped, the enemy tried to kill us with improvised explosive devices. Radio-controlled, pressure plate, victim-activated, pressure release, kite-string, command wire. They were simple, deadly things, filled with ammonium nitrate aluminum and ball bearings and duct taped shut. Sometimes, the Taliban dipped glass shards in feces and used them as shrapnel. The idea was to cause a serious infection after wounding one of us.

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Jack walked with us in sunshine and moonlight. He never asked for special treatment. He walked single file, right behind me, fifth or sixth in a line of eight. He carried his weight. He carried more than his weight.

He and I held shura meetings with village elders about the latest IED to be found outside of their compounds. We ate rice and naan together. Jack helped me placate angry, underfed, and unsupported Afghan soldiers when they didnt want to patrol.

On one stormy afternoon, my metal-detector-carrying pointman stepped on a pressure plate. Two carbon rods connected, creating an electrical current that ran from the plate to a battery pack to a buried yellow jug, which exploded, injuring three Marines. Gusting winds and incessant dust storms prevented medical evacuation helicopters from reaching us, so we carried the unconscious pointman while two other casualties walked with us. The grueling hike to the extraction area pushed the squads physical and mental endurance to beyond the breaking point.

That day, Jack carried two sets of bloody body armor and a weapon. Even though he didnt have to. Even though he wasnt a Marine. Even though it exhausted him. He performed as if saving this Marines life mattered as much to him as it did to us. And it did.

Five years later this interpreter sits in Kabul, jobless, and contemplates the long journey from Afghanistan to Europe. Can he go overland to Turkey? Or maybe to Africa, and then from Africa to a rickety boat in the Mediterranean, hoping to be picked up by the Italian Navy. Or maybe make it to Greece. Or maybe hell drown. Be Killed. Get robbed on the journey, forced to turn back.

The United States government abandoned him. I am trying to bring him here, but years after his initial application he remains in bureaucratic purgatory. Why is this? Why do Afghan interpreters need an American to constantly advocate for them? Why should I need to call my Representative or my Senator for help? How many more letters of recommendation does Jack need? How much more time spent waiting?

How many more documentaries must be filmed? How many more articles written? Should interpreters simply abandon hope?

I served my country and then left Afghanistan. Jack served my country and did not.

Aaron Ferencik served four years in the Marine Corps infantry and as part of that outfit, vacationed in Afghanistan twice. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado, co-host of The Burn Pit podcast, and a freelance writer. He recently became a member of Best Defenses Council of the Former Enlisted.

Photo credit: FP Slideshow
(Reuters) - Liverpool's Sadio Mane says he is fit for Saturday's Premier League clash against champions Leicester City, dismissing reports that he had sustained an injury in Senegal's African Nations Cup qualifier last week. The 24-year-old, who joined the Merseyside club in June, was substituted in the second half of Senegal's 2-0 victory over Namibia in Dakar, prompting speculation about his fitness. "I'm fit. It's true I got a little kick in the back of the knee, but it was nothing special -- it happened in the first half and I played (on)," Mane told the club's website (www.liverpoolfc.com) on Tuesday. "The most important thing is I am here today at (Liverpool's training ground) Melwood, I am happy to be fit and will get myself ready for Leicester in the rest of the week." Liverpool have started the league campaign with four points from their opening three games. (Reporting by Ian Rodricks in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
Rwanda to ban export of hides and skins

Rwanda

The Government of Rwanda is considering a ban on the export of hides and skins in a move to boost the potential of the countrys tanneries and foster the growth of the processed meat market.

According to the Export Commodities Highlights published by the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) in Rwanda, between July 2015 and July 2016, around US$7.4 million was generated from the export of raw hides and skins. By establishing the ban, Rwandas government aims to not only attract further investments to the countrys tanneries but also to foster the growth of the processed meat market.

Although exported in small quantities, the significant revenue earned from processed meat is leading Rwandas government to review its export model, which has so far mainly consisted of the export of live animals, especially to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

We are undertaking a study to understand why the export of live animals is preferred by our traders, and what it will take for the government to turn around this industry, Francois Kanimba, Minister of Trade and Industry, told local media. We, however, know that the export of fresh meat requires strong logistic chains. Moreover, the live animals move for long distances once they cross into the DRC, he added.

According to statistics from Rwandas Ministry of Trade and Industry, the total value of meat exports in 2015 was US$9.3 million, up from U$7.7 million in 2014. In the first six months of 2016, exports of processed meat reached US$7.5 million.

The Government is said to be collaborating with the private sector to establish a foreign multiservice centre; a logistics facility for small and medium enterprises engaged in exports. Expected to be operational in 2017, the centre is to offer cold room facilities and refrigerated trucks for traders.

Source: The East African
After a seven-hour-plus hearing, local authorities decided to permanently shut down London's Fabric nightclub.

The iconic U.K. venue had its license revoked last month after the fatal drug overdoses of two 18-year-old clubgoers. The club was open for more than 20 years.

Fans of the club worldwide attempted to save the venue via a Change.org petition, which had reached nearly 150,000 signers at press time.

Petition Seeks to Reopen London's Fabric Nightclub

The dance community reacted with disbelief and anger late Tuesday (Sept. 6), wondering what the London nightlife scene looks like without Fabric.

Sad to think that theres a bunch of upcoming DJ's that wont even get to experience playing at Fabric

- Champion (@Champion_DJ) September 7, 2016

Respect. Love. And Solidarity with all who made Fabric the legend that it will always be.

- The Black Madonna (@blackmadonnachi) September 7, 2016

It shouldn't be this way. This isn't the end

- Mixmag (@Mixmag) September 7, 2016

RIP Fabric. Another loss for London youth. https://t.co/Dm4125G873

- Lil Tracey (@AJFromTheLane) September 7, 2016

Pure sadness about Fabric. London is being ruined right now.

- Four Tet (@FourTet) September 7, 2016

Fabric --.

- Novelist (@Novelist) September 7, 2016

Respect and love to all the staff at fabric past and present, you created a legend. Thank you

- TEEDFEED (@TEEDinosaurs) September 7, 2016
By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) - The National Gallery of Art in London was sued on Wednesday in New York for the return of the 1908 Henri Matisse painting "Portrait of Greta Moll" by three grandchildren of its subject, who claim it was stolen. Margarete Moll, known as Greta and a pupil of Matisse, lived in Germany during World War 2, and soon afterward entrusted the painting for safekeeping from looters to an art student of her husband Oskar in Switzerland, according to the complaint. But the student absconded with the painting, which later passed through Manhattan's Knoedler & Co art gallery and other hands until it was bought in 1979 by the National Gallery, which ignored a "red flag" that the work might have been stolen, the complaint said. According to court papers, the museum's newly-installed director Gabriele Finaldi in letter dated Sept. 21, 2015 refused to return the oil-on-canvas work, citing "statutory constraints." But Moll's grandchildren said that by keeping ownership of the painting, while allowing its exhibition and selling merchandise depicting it in New York, the National Gallery "has ignored the international legal standard that such war-related lost property should be returned to its true owners." Oskar Moll had bought the painting from Matisse in 1908, the complaint said. "The Gallery has received the legal documents," the museum said in a statement. "We have no comment to make at this time." Oliver Williams and Margarete Green, both of Great Britain, and Iris Filmer, of Germany, filed their lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan. They are seeking at least $30 million (22.43 million pounds) of damages if the painting is not returned. "This is a family heirloom of their grandmother, by Matisse, which belonged to her," David Rowland, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in an interview. "It is not acceptable, moral or legal for museums to bury their heads in the sand, and keep stolen paintings in their collections." According to the museum's website, Greta Moll sat for 10 three-hour sessions for her portrait. Matisse reworked the portrait after seeing a work in Paris by the Italian Renaissance artist Paolo Veronese, "broadening the arms and emphasizing the curve of the eyebrows, to give the figure grandeur and monumentality," the museum said. The case is Williams et al v. National Gallery of Art, London et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 16-06978. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Michael Holden in London; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States does not believe South Sudan's former Deputy President Riek Machar should return to his former position in its government, given continuing instability in the country, Washington's special envoy for South Sudan said on Wednesday. Nearly three years ago political rivalry between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his former deputy Machar, a Nuer, sparked a civil war that has often followed ethnic lines. The pair signed a shaky peace deal a year ago but fighting continues, including attacks on South Sudanese and foreign civilians. Machar has fled the country. "Given all that has happened, we do not believe it would be wise for Machar to return to his previous position in Juba," Special Envoy Donald Booth told a U.S. House of Representatives hearing. "But this cannot become a justification for President Kiir to monopolize power and stifle dissenting political voices," Booth testified to the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Africa subcommittee. Continuing instability and violence in the African country, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has angered U.S. lawmakers. During the hearing, several U.S. lawmakers called for international sanctions to be imposed on individuals blamed for the ongoing violence. "There must be consequences for those who are found guilty," said Representative Chris Smith, the subcommittee's chairman. Booth described growing anti-American sentiment in South Sudan. But he said it was not clear that an attack on U.S. Embassy vehicles on July 7 had targeted Americans. A two-vehicle embassy convoy taking U.S. personnel to their residential compound passed the South Sudan's presidential palace in Juba about 9 p.m. that evening, just an hour after a clash between forces loyal to Machar and President Kiir, the State Department told reporters on Wednesday. Some soldiers of the South Sudan army approached the U.S. Embassy vehicles outside the palace and attempted to open the door, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. Feeling threatened, the convoy accelerated away and the soldiers fired on the cars, which were armored so no U.S. personnel were hurt. Toner said the soldiers were "very tense, and if I could say it, a little trigger happy." One of the embassy vehicles became disabled following the shooting and a contingent of U.S. Marines from the embassy were sent to pick them up and escort them home. U.S. Ambassador Mary Phee met the following day with Kiir and demanded the government investigate the incident, find those responsible for the shooting and hold them accountable, Toner said. Kiir agreed and the investigation is ongoing, he said. Toner said the department did not believe U.S. Embassy personnel had been deliberately targeted and it was not clear whether the troops realized they were firing at an embassy vehicle, despite a laminated flag and diplomatic plates. "We're not forgiving it and we're certainly not overlooking it," Toner said. "They opened fire on an embassy convoy and that is inexcusable. But ... there had been an altercation, fighting, in the run-up to this convoy passing and ... they were very tense." Booth said Kiir and Machar would not work together to implement a peace agreement or set up security arrangements to prevent a return to fighting, and both lost control of their forces. Booth was also questioned about the possibility of a U.N. arms embargo against South Sudan. On Sunday, the government of South Sudan agreed to accept 4,000 extra peacekeepers in a bid to avoid an arms embargo threatened by the United Nations Security Council. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and David Alexander; Editing by Frances Kerry and Diane Craft)
Getting thrown through a window might not be your idea of a great day at the office, but for the cast and stunt crew of The Magnificent Seven, it was a dream.

"I can't count how many guys got shot off horses, stunts through windows," said director Antoine Fuqua. "They were in heaven."

WATCH: Chris Pratt Is the Most Badass Cowboy Ever in Action-Packed 'The Magnificent Seven' Trailer

In the Western, which is a remake of John Sturges' 1960 film, Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), Josh Farraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Jack Horne (Vincent D'Onofrio), Billy Rocks (Byung-Hun Lee), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) comprise the group of seven gunmen on a mission to free the town of Rose Creek from the control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard).

"We have 90 horses; we have 500 crew men; we've got hundreds of stunt men every single day here," Pratt said, "real dust, real heat, real sweat, a lot of real blood."

But according to co-star Vincent D'Onofrio, the stunt professionals weren't the only ones having a blast on set.

"After each take, if all of us are in a scene together, we're just constantly looking at each other, going, 'This is so much fun!'" D'Onofrio said.

RELATED: Denzel Washington Is Coming to 'Grey's Anatomy,' But It's Not What You Think

The film marks a reunion of sorts for Washington and Hawke, who are sharing the screen again under the direction of their Training Day helmer, Fuqua, but Washington had his eye on the film's newly minted action star, Pratt.

"I always kid Chris. I call him Jurassic boy," Washington said. "He's a fine young man."

The Magnificent Seven opens Sept. 23.

Related Articles
* July exports -5.3 pct y/y vs Reuters poll +2.5 pct

* July imports -4.8 pct y/y vs poll f'cast -1.5 pct

* Trade surplus 1.9 bln rgt vs poll f'cast 4.3 bln rgt

* Exports to China -22.3 pct y/y, U.S. +4.1 pct, EU -2.0 pct

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Malaysia's exports suffered their biggest slump in 15 months in July, signaling persistent pressure on the export-reliant economy and raising the prospect of further monetary easing before year-end.

Exports from the Southeast Asian economy declined 5.3 percent in July from a year earlier, data from the International Trade and Industry Ministry showed, a sharp contrast to economists' estimates of a 2.5 percent annual rise. In June, exports grew 3.4 percent.

Compounding matters were signs of tepid domestic demand, with imports falling 4.8 percent on-year, sharply down from the previous month's 8.3 percent rise.

The volatility in the monthly data may keep the central bank from cutting rates again at its policy meeting later on Wednesday, following a surprise 25-basis-point easing to 3.00 percent in July.

A Reuters poll forecast Bank Negara Malaysia to stay its hand this afternoon, but some analysts note growing risks of a further easing before year-end, especially given the soft growth trend and weak sales to key trading partner China.

Malaysia, the world's second-largest producer of palm oil and a major exporter of natural rubber, saw exports of both commodities drop 9.6 percent and 43.9 percent in July, respectively.

Annual exports of liquefied natural gas also tumbled 25 percent.

A weak spot was China, the country's biggest trading partner. Exports to the world's second-biggest economy fell 22.3 percent in July, on lower shipments of electrical and electronic products, petroleum products and natural rubber.

Brian Tan, an economist with Nomura, said a rate cut was more likely later this year at the policy meeting in November.

"With the volatility between this month and the previous month's numbers, it's not clear whether this is a structural trend. It's something we'll have to monitor before we come to any conclusions about the country's growth trajectory," he said.

Story continues

HSBC economists are not ruling out a cut on Wednesday, especially as economic growth has slowed for five straight quarters to the end of June 2016.

In the second quarter, Malaysia clocked up the slowest annual growth in seven years.

Exports to the U.S. rose 4.1 percent, driven by demand for optical and scientific equipment, and palm oil and palm-based products.

July's trade surplus narrowed to 1.9 billion ringgit ($467.81 million)compared to 5.5 billion ringgit in June.

"Data released since that GDP report, while scant, do not suggest a turnaround is imminent," HSBC economist Su Sian Lim said in a note. ($1 = 4.0615 ringgit) (Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Malaysia extended a moratorium on bauxite mining activities by more than three months to Dec. 31, the environment minister said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The previous moratorium was set to expire on Sept. 14.

Malaysia's largely unregulated bauxite mining industry has boomed in the past two years to meet demand from China, filling in a supply gap after Indonesia banned exports, but the frenetic pace of digging has led to a public outcry with many complaining of water contamination and destruction of the environment.

Late last year, bauxite mining was blamed for turning the waters and seas red near Kuantan, the capital of Malaysia's third-largest state and key bauxite producer Pahang, following which, in January, the government imposed its first three-month ban on mining the commodity. (Reporting by Liz Lee, Writing by Emily Chow; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
* Malaysia extends moratorium to Dec. 31, fom Sept. 14

* Says may extend moratorium if stocks not cleared by year end (Adds comment, detail, background)

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Malaysia extended a moratorium on bauxite mining to the end of the year, from Sept. 14, and said the government could stretch the ban by another six months if the current high stockpiles of the aluminium-making commodity were not cleared by Dec. 31.

Malaysia's largely unregulated bauxite mining industry has boomed in the past two years to meet demand from top aluminium producer China, filling in a supply gap after Indonesia banned exports. But the frenetic pace of digging has led to a public outcry with many complaining of water contamination and destruction of the environment.

Late last year, bauxite mining was blamed for turning the waters and seas red near Kuantan, the capital of Malaysia's third-largest state and key bauxite producer Pahang, following which, in January, the government imposed its first three-month ban on mining the commodity.

Despite extensions to the moratorium, 4.13 million tonnes of stockpiles remain uncleared in three sites around Kuantan, Malaysia's environment minister said on Wednesday.

"If come Dec. 31 and the stockpiles are not cleared, I'm going to ask for (another) six months moratorium," Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Malaysia's natural resources and environment minister, said at a press conference.

China imported nearly 24 million tonnes of bauxite from Malaysia last year, its top supplier then. But Malaysia's bauxite exports to China have slipped since the moratorium, falling to 5.4 million tonnes over January to July, or only about half of the volumes shipped a year ago.

The extended mining ban will give industry players and authorities time to comply with improved regulations and take steps to mitigate pollution across the mining and export supply chain, the environment ministry said in a statement. (Reporting by Liz Lee, Writing by Emily Chow; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
A North Carolina man allegedly shot and killed his 15-year-old son and wounded his ex-wife before bragging about the crimes and confessing to them on Facebook Live while on the lam, authorities said.

Police are on the hunt for Earl Valentine, who they say may be on the way to kill other family members after kicking in the door to his ex-wifes house on Tuesday and opening fire on his two relatives, according to the Associated Press.

Police spoke to Valentine on the phone after the attack, and he seemed cold and callous, Norlina Police Chief Taylor Bartholomew told the AP. This guy is bragging about it on social media, Bartholomew added in an interview with CBS North Carolina. No remorse whatsoever. When we spoke to him on the phone he told us he is basically armed and dangerous.

In his since-removed Facebook Live video, which police confirmed was posted by Valentine, the suspect said he felt no remorse for what he did and defended his actions. Whats up everybody? I just killed my [expletive] wife, Valentine said in the footage, according to CBS. She lied on me, had warrants taken out on me. She drug me all the way down to nothing. I loved my wife, but she deserved what she had coming.

Its unclear whether police have leads on Valentines location. Authorities could not be immediately reached Wednesday.
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Only Anna Wintour can do the impossiblethat is, gather a team of fashions biggest names for a runway show just a day and a half shy of the official start of New York Fashion Week. Last night, Vogues famed editor in chief co-hosted a fundraising event at Spring Studios with Huma Abedin, top aide to Hillary Clinton, to support the Democratic presidential candidates bid for the White House. Designers Tory Burch, Michael Kors and Diane von Furstenberg were among the A-list attendees who are selling tees on the campaigns website for $45 to $60 a pop. As the first direct-to-consumer catwalk event of this season, the show initially drew some social media attention away from Wednesdays headliners, including Kanye Wests Yeezy Season 4 collectionthough weve no doubt Ye will manage to wrangle back the spotlight when his show goes live.
MasterCard Incorporated MA and PayPal Holdings Inc. PYPL have announced an extension of their long-standing partnership. The deal entitles PayPal to make MasterCard a "clear and equal" payment choice in its wallet. The card will be shown as a default payment method, making it easily identifiable to customers while transacting. Also, PayPal will "not encourage" Mastercard customers to link a bank account any more. It will also make Masterpass a payment option for Braintree (a PayPal subsidiary) merchants.



PayPal will use MasterCards tokenization service, which swaps cardholder information such as account number, with a unique set of numbers that validates a customers identity to prevent online data theft. Consumers can use a tokenized MasterCard in their PayPal Wallet to make in-store purchases at more than 5 million contactless-enabled merchant locations across the world.

The deal will also enable consumers and small businesses to instantly transfer funds from their PayPal account to a MasterCard debit card.



The partnership will give MasterCard higher prominence in online transactions, by funneling more transactions through its network. It will save MasterCard from transaction fee loss that it suffered when PayPal users linked their PayPal digital wallets to their bank accounts. The agreement should boost spending through MasterCard. Merchants should also benefit from improved customer experiences, efficiency, and security, which together act as sales drivers.

MASTERCARD INC Price

MASTERCARD INC Price | MASTERCARD INC Quote

On the other hand, this deal will help PayPal to expand its reach into physical stores, an area it has been struggling with for the past many years.



In July, MasterCard announced another deal with PayPal which saw the multi-year extension of the PayPal Extras MasterCard co-branded consumer credit card program in the United States and Puerto Rico.

In the same month, another player in the industry, Visa Inc. V. announced a similar deal with PayPal per which the latter will stop discouraging customers from linking accounts to Visa cards and share more data with the card network in exchange for long-term Visa fee certainty and other incentives.



These deals will put to rest the growing friction between credit card companies and PayPal over online transactions as the former encroached upon the latters share of online payments and digital wallets.

Story continues

MasterCard carries a Zacks Rank # 3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the same space is JetPay Corp. JTPY, with a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

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On September 6 The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) released excerpts of a letter by Maryam Akbari Monfared, as appears below:

This is the seventh year that Im not with her. She was 3.5 when we were separated.

I really wanted to be by her side when she is having an operation and when she is recovering.

Thats why I asked to be granted a leave, but they did not approve of it.

Earlier, in 2011, when she wanted to start the first grade, I asked to be by her side on the first day of school, but they did not accept that either. And now, after all these years, and at this time, when Sara is supposed to undergo a surgery, they have turned down my request to have a leave.

Of course, Im ashamed. I feel ashamed because my dear sisters and brothers have left behind their loved ones, to free their enchained nation and to realize an exalted cause in which they believe.

They have left their children and have not seen any of the beautiful moments of their growth. And so many of them died before even seeing their beautiful children. And now I am thinking of being by Saras side.

I am not writing this because I missed Sara, because Sara has her father, Hassan, and her sisters, Pegah and Zahra, who have been like a mother to her.

I am writing this to draw just a small picture of the oppression we experience

As my mind was taking me away with these thoughts, I suddenly remembered the memories of summer 1988.

I will never forget that hot, gloomy evening in August 1988, when the call to evening prayers could be heard from the mosque of Hashemabad neighborhood.

Tired of playing, Mahnaz and I went home, as usual. But we saw my mother weeping. It was so strange for us, because we had never seen my mother like that. She was always happy and smiled all the time.

As she sobbed and tears rolled down her cheeks, she told us why she was so upset.

Yes, this time it was my sister, Roghiehs turn to be executed. And the only name, my mother kept repeating was Roghieh. Dear Roghieh! Oh, dear! What shall I do with your Mahnaz? What shall I tell her?

After an hour, I learned that my brother, Abdi, had also been executed in that summer of 1988. My parents had been informed of the executions of Roghieh and Abdi at the same time, in the visiting hall of the prison.

Before them, my other brother, Alireza had been executed in September 1981, and then, the other brother, Gholamreza in November 1985.

But Roghiehs death was more difficult for my mother that the deaths of her three sons, since Roghieh had a small daughter. Mahnaz was only three years old when Roghieh was arrested. Almost the same age as my own Sara. When I think of Roghieh, I think of what she was thinking of Mahnaz, when she said no to the oppressors.

And now here I am, Roghiehs sister, worrying about my daughters operation.

Occasionally, when Im really upset, I whisper to God, what could ever stop a mother from loving her child. There is no power in the world that could challenge a mothers love. This shows that the world with all its glory is too small compared to a mothers love for her child.

Today, more than any other time in my life, I am filled with pain, and with love. And I feel stronger than ever that I have made the right choice, and I have done so, with all my honesty.

And I do believe and I have faith that justice is much stronger than a mothers love for her child

There are moments when life loses its meaning, leaving it to us to give it a meaning with our deeds.

Accidents do not make us hopeful or disappointed. It is how we look at the events surrounding us and the way we look at things that makes us happy or disappointed.

So, when I look at it this way, the most bitter and most painful of events seem inspiring and energizing to me. I can gain power from my weaknesses and I can gain calm from the depths of distress. As if you carve out a soft statue from a big, rough rock; a soft statue of steadfastness and hope for future.

And I believe it is the duty of every freedom-loving human being to recognize the savagery of his/her time and stand up to it.

Yes, autumn leaves fall down to your feet, but a firm and resistant tree stands tall. Of course, leaves are an unforgettable part of the meaning of a tree

Love does not fit in the cage of words, unless you have felt the suffering of captivity.

To climb to the highest peaks, there is always a large group of people to start with to leave a small group to reach the apex in the end. The large group gives all its energy to the small group so that it could feel the moment of conquering the peak.

The important thing is the resolve and the faith of the climbers

Because of all the complications in my life, I have had to walk along this lonely and narrow path of separation a thousand times on my own, without my body even touching the walls of this alley. Sometimes, I even had to run. I hope ran well.

What long years and what days and seconds we spent. And you, my dear Sara, in these years and days and moments, you have been full of strength and patience.

Your strength gives me power to stand up to the cruelties, like a thunder roaring in the sky, giving life the meaning of endurance and resistance.

And yes, this is the road, and this the price for it and the savior is on her way.

Maryam Akbari Monfared

September 2016, Evin Prison
Shares of Medidata Solutions, Inc. MDSO attained a new 52-week high of $55.61 on Sep 6, eventually closing a tad lower at $55.58. This represents strong year-to-date returns of about 12.8%. The S&P 500 has returned only about 7.0% during the same period.



New York-based Medidata Solutions is a leading global provider of hosted clinical development solutions. This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock reported earnings of 13 cents in second-quarter 2016, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 9 cents.



Key Growth Catalysts



The provider of cloud-based solutions for life sciences witnessed the spike in share prices after it announced the strategic commercial partnership with SHYFT Analytics. Per the agreement, the duo will focus on increasing access to healthcare data analytics in clinical trials. The partnership will focus on providing life sciences companies with the means to gather real world evidence data from electronic medical records. It would also provide health claims information traditionally collected from clinical trials.



Going forward, we feel the growing adoption of products like Medidata Payment solutions, Medidata Rave, Medidata Balance and Medidatas Risk-Based Monitoring (RBM) solutions will likely drive revenues. The professional services and subscription revenues are also enhancing the growth opportunities of the company.



Price and Consensus

Price and Consensus | Quote

Medidata Solutions focus on Medidata Payments, a cloud-based payment technology and an add-on to its leading Medidata Clinical Cloud was also a sensible move. Notably, Medidata Solutions has 17 out of the top 25 global Pharma companies as enterprise customers, demonstrating its accomplishment in the space. Medidata Payments is likely to fortify its position by streamlining trial processes to a considerable extent.



For full-year 2016, Medidata expects total revenue between $450.0 million and $474.0 million at constant currency. Professional services revenues are likely to be in the band of $68 million to $70 million. Non-GAAP operating income is expected in the range of $102.0$109.0 million.



Stocks to Consider



Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical sector are CryoLife Inc. CRY, Masimo Corp. MASI and Quidel Corp. QDEL. All the three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Story continues

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[Photo: palmer//harding]

Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding, the brains behind womenswear label palmer//harding, are shirt experts. After meeting at Central Saint Martins in 2007, the two did what many designers wouldnt dare: launched a brand entirely based around one garment.

In palmer//hardings case, the white shirt, a classic piece that every woman should own.

Successfully reinventing the shirt every single season with intricate detailing and innovative silhouettes, the duos business savvy minds and tailoring expertise have earned them numerous sponsors, a place in the final of the prestigious ANDAM Award and a soon-to-be launched collaboration with John Lewis.

Gifted with the ability to do the things others find impossible (like only sending out three models), their brand is growing from strength to strength. We caught up with Levi to talk SS17, the state of the fashion industry and which celebrity hed love to dress.

[Photo: palmer//harding]



How did you come together to start palmer//harding?

Matthew and I met in 2007 at Central Saint Martins. He was studying womenswear, I was studying menswear. Our relationship progressed quite quickly and we ended up moving in together. Wed always critique each others projects and give advice so when we both graduated and got jobs that werent fulfilling us creatively, we started to look at the state of the fashion industry and society at that moment.

And why did you decide to focus solely on shirts?

Unlike other designers around, we thought it would be more relevant to create something focused on day-to-day life instead of a design purely for a special event. We looked at the market and noticed that no one was owning shirting and so we thought this is the time for us to try our creativity. We started with 15 white shirts in our first season and picked up the attention of American Vogue. That really launched our careers.

Now weve been going for over five years, our focus is still the white shirt but we now offer everything else to go alongside it. We think about the shirt first and foremost because thats what the majority of our women wear. As weve matured, weve become more familiar with our women and a lot of them are entrepreneurs, CEOs, people in top management positions. They have to have a wardrobe that expresses their individuality but will also fit into a versatile day-to-day environment. They want an outfit where all they have to do is change a necklace or bag from one event to the next.

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Its been a really exciting year for us with the John Lewis collaboration and Fashion Trust grants weve been awarded. Weve grown from strength to strength and its all really fired from us being able to focus on this one product.

[Photo: palmer//harding]

Working as a duo is something a lot of people would find difficult. Whats the dynamic like between the pair of you? Do you have distinct roles or is it a complete collaborative effort?

We work together, we live together, were together 24/7. So it can get tense but we have coping methods to deal with it whether its going to the gym or just having alone time. In terms of business roles, Matthew is very particular with specifics so hes good at the numbers side whereas I can focus on the more fun things like talking to press and organising the shows. But its 50/50 on design. We have a small team here so well all look at fabrics and make choices together. I dont really enjoy working on paper so Ill then drape something on the stand - a new silhouette or shape - and create maybe 40 or 50 options. Then Matt will pick a few and play with proportions and detailing. So the actual design process is a big collaborative effort between our team and the two of us.

Youve struck a good balance between wearability and creativity. A lot of young designers today focus heavily on the creative side - perhaps to their detriment. Do you have any advice for people starting out?

We started the brand with about 5000 in savings and all we could afford was a roll of poplin. You kind of just have to make it work, take the means that are given to you and keep the business lean. For the first three years, Matthew and I sewed every single sample ourselves and managed every single aspect of the business. So we know if we cant find a seamstress or someone to help with patterns one season, we can get in there and do it ourselves. We also started very humbly. We moved from East London into Matthews parents house which felt like an ego blow because no one wants to move back home after graduating. Theres a saying that goes: Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people wont so you can spend the rest of your life like most people cant.

Obviously, fashion weeks coming up very soon. Can you reveal anything about your SS17 collection?

Of course. Our last collection was really a play on layering. I know autumn/winter is very much about layering but when your brand is focused on the shirt, you have to approach it from a new perspective; you cant have a layer that takes away from the shirt. Our brand objective is completely different from say Burberry who can put a trench coat on anything and still get their message across. So this season, were delving into the idea of how to do springtime layering without it feeling frumpy or try hard. AW16 was so successful for us so were looking at how we can infuse that same energy without the heaviness. Were playing a lot with lightweight outerwear and developing techniques that allow you to wear two shirts at the same time or two jackets at once.

Were also looking at the idea of wind as styling so if a gust of wind comes your way, the garment should move with it. We have one shirt in particular - the super shirt - that weve used for about seven seasons now. Its a long asymmetric shirt and its our bestseller. Part of its success is how it catches the wind and kind of acts as an accessory to the woman wearing it instead of simply covering her which is quite nice.

Youve referenced artist Nathan Peter in a few past collections. Have you been inspired by anyone this season?

We like to look at contemporary artists so we developed a lot of our fabric stories off of a young American artist named Matthew King. One of his series works with a lot of graphic stripes so we started developing fabrics based on that. And that led into the work of an old artist named J.C. Leyendecker who did illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post. He used to do all the illustrations for Arrow Collars in the 1920s too. His work captured the innocence and naivety of youth and we wanted that romance with this graphic nature as well.

[Photo: palmer//harding]

Presentations, which youve always stuck to, are becoming more and more popular. What are the benefits of presenting your work in this way rather than a traditional show?

Presentations allow people who are interested in the clothes to view them in-depth. Were not a big brand that can pay for editors to be at our shows so if editors come, its because they like the brand. I think people want to see something for more than 15 seconds on the runway and so this way, they can really understand the detailing of the clothes, the way it drapes, the different angles. We start our presentations with the traditional concept of a catwalk and then we have the girls come out in groups. Then were able to go out front and talk with people. Sometimes, if you can have a chance to meet and explain your point of view, people can commit to the brand and commit to the concept behind the collection a lot more than just with a press release. Especially when people have 500 words to write between this show and the next.

Speaking of the fast pace of fashion week, what are your thoughts on the current state of the fashion industry overall?

Its one of those hot topics right now in fashion and has been for the past eight or nine months. The industrys definitely moving too fast. Thats one of the other things with our brand - everyone talks about seasonless fashion and I completely understand and agree with it but for us, we think of it as multi-seasonal. You should be able to wear anything during any time of the year and a shirt kind of applies to that. In terms of how the fashion industry moves, weve started to hold onto imagery until the collections are ready to drop; to allow the consumer to catch up so theyre not bored by the time it hits the shelves.

Is there anyone youd love to see wearing your designs?

I adore Cate Blanchett. I would love to see her in our shirts. Shes beautiful, seems like a smart woman and she has a little bit of age on her which I think always looks good on women. In our industry, youth is so highly emphasised and I like to see a bit of a smile line on someone every so often. Theres also some amazing women in the industry that wear our shirts and that were fortunate enough to call friends and mentors. This might sound a bit stalkery but every so often when we get an order on our website, well Google the woman behind it. And its so nice to see what amazing women our customers are.

What is the future of palmer//harding?

We want to keep growing. We want to keep working on the shirts. Were slowly looking to introduce a fourth season (pre-fall) in the next year. You know, we obviously want to become a household name but at the same time, we dont want to get too big. Wed like to keep our team at maximum 20. We like the idea of knowing everyone that works with us. So we do want to keep growing but for us, its more important to maintain that family aspect than it is to chase money.

London Fashion Week SS17: Everything You Need To Know

London Fashion Week SS17: Who To Look Out For
There's bad blood between this set of roommates!



On the upcoming season of MTV's Real World Seattle: Bad Blood, seven strangers move into an upscale loft in the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood with the hope of a new chapter  but they aren't prepared for the other seven roommates that will be making a debut.



Premiering this fall, the roommates on season 32 will be given the opportunity to revisit a difficult relationship in their lives.



As exes, rivals and estranged family members from the roommates' pasts settle into the home, the 14 are forced to learn to co-exist and address their conflicts.







Meet the cast members and their "bad blood" counterparts below:



Anika Walker and Will Groomes



Anika, 24, and Will, 24, are exes who dated for three years. Throughout their relationship, Anika was annoyed that her boyfriend couldn't match her dominance and Will admitted to fearing his ex's attitude and temper. Though the couple have since split, Will has remained in close proximity because he's best friend's with Anika's brother.



Anika Walker, New York City

Twitter: @NikaRashaun



Bad Blood: Will Groomes, Philadelphia

Twitter: @Prettyboy_will1



Jordan Anderson and Orlana Russell



Jordan, 21, and Orlana, 21, were best friends for years until a video of Orlana's crush  Anthony  appeared on Jordan's social media account. After witnessing the video, Orlana became jealous of Jordan and felt that she chose partying and sex over their friendship.



Jordan Anderson, Chicago

Twitter: @jordiedanielle



Bad Blood: Orlana Russell, Ypsilanti, Michigan

Twitter: @or_lanaa



Katrina Stack and Anna Stack



Sisters Katrina, 23, and Anna, 25, have strong longstanding sibling rivalry, which launches silence and resentment between the two.



Katrina Stack, Micanopy, Florida

Twitter: @katrinaaoxx



Bad Blood: Anna Stack, Orlando, Florida

Twitter: @stackanna



Mike Crescenzo and Peter Romeo



Before the two friends moved in together, they were best buddies and party partners in crime. But the friendship between the two changed when Peter broke the "no girlfriends" rule and moved his girlfriend of three days into their place.



Mike Crescenzo, New York City

Twitter: @mtvmagicmike



Bad Blood: Peter Romeo, Deerfield Beach, Florida

Twitter: @romeo_peter



Robbie "Maserobbiee" Padovano and Jennifer Geoghan



Robbie, 22, and Jennifer, 24, met one another at a club. After dating for a few months, Robbie became jealous that his girlfriend was able to go out and party (he was underage at the time). The two eventually broke up as the issues festered.



Robbie "Maserobbiee" Padovano, Marlboro, New Jersey

Twitter: @maserobbiee



Bad Blood: Jennifer Geoghan, Hoboken, New Jersey

Twitter: @jennifersworldd



Theo Bradley and Kassius Bass



The two cousins were best friends until a bust in a dorm room changed 23-year-old Theo's future that caused a strain between the family members.



Theo Bradley, Kankakee, Illinois

Twitter: @iamtheophi



Bad Blood: Kassius Bass, 21, Charleston, Illinois

Twitter: @King_Kollos



Tyara "Tya" Hooks and Kim Johannson



Since high school, the two women haven't liked one another. Tyara, 21, claims that the problem began when Kim, 23, posted videos of her on social media mocking her.



Tyara "Tya" Hooks, Alpharetta, Georgia

Twitter: @ItsTya



Bad Blood: Kim Johannson, Alpharetta, Georgia

Twitter: @TheRealKimJ



Real World Seattle: Bad Blood has its two-hour premiere Oct. 12 at 10 p.m. ET on MTV.
In late 2014, Hong Kong protestors used umbrellas to shield themselves as police soaked them with pepper spray. Student leaders demanded elections free of intrusion from the Chinese central government, capturing headlines around the world, but their efforts failed. On Sept. 4, city residents pushed back again. Voters elected several of those young activists to the citys legislature, a sharp rebuke to Beijings increasing encroachment on political life in the city.

A record 2.2 million people queued to cast ballots  hundreds reportedly waited at one polling station past two oclock in the morning  in the financial capitals first city-wide election since protests two years earlier. Voters tossed several veteran moderates from the Legislative Council (LegCo), and replaced them with six activists who want to wrest Hong Kong from mainland Chinas control. While the chambers majority still tilts toward Beijing  thanks mostly to voting rules that grant greater power to trade and industry groups  the new term will seat 30 lawmakers who favor democracy in the 70-member chamber. They will collectively pose a greater obstacle to the citys unpopular chief executive, C.Y. Leung, a man widely considered too deferential to Beijing.

By the terms of its constitution, called the Basic Law, Hong Kong has autonomy, but with an asterisk. Individual residents cannot elect the citys leader, nor try to change policies through referenda; they pick just half of their lawmakers. This arrangement of 19 years  engineered by the British crown, enforced by mainland China after it took Hong Kong back  never sought, and was never given, resident approval. Hence the widespread, youth-driven protests two years ago, quickly dubbed the Umbrella Movement.

Since then, Beijing appears to be tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city. Many residents were unsettled when five members of a local book publisher disappeared last year, and yet Hong Kongs government seemed to do little to help. (One man later resurfaced, sharing details of how hed been kidnapped by state security and held for months in mainland China; a colleague is still missing.) A sudden demotion and resignations at the citys independent graft commission signaled that the lauded agency might not be so independent anymore. The central governments chief lawyer in Hong Kong said in April that the government could deploy British colonial laws still on the books, such as those for treason and sedition, to prosecute independence activists. This summer, the city governments Electoral Affairs Commission barred six candidates from the LegCo race, five of whom demand either independence, or a vote on the issue among Hong Kong residents. (The commissions chairman is appointed by the citys chief executive.)

But that didnt stop the election of young upstarts who aim to amend the constitution, expand voting rights, and bolster civil liberties. Sixtus Baggio Leung of a new party called Youngspiration thinks Hong Kong should declare independence from China. (None of the Leungs mentioned in this article are related.) Nathan Law, at age 23 the youngest lawmaker in city history, believes residents deserve a vote for self-determination. Beijing officials are scared of our influence because we are not controllable, Law, a leader in the 2014 protests, said. We can mobilize people and arouse people and create enough tension between Hong Kong and China.

Some of those activists have been preaching on radio and street corners that Hong Kong is historically and culturally separate from China. The city, they have said, cannot trust China, and city residents should decide their own fate. By July, according to one survey, more than 17 percent of residents, and nearly 40 percent of those aged 15 to 24, said the city should separate from China when the one-country, two-systems plan ends in 2047. In August, the banned candidates organized what they called the citys first independence rally, drawing several thousand people. One of the organizers was Edward Tin-kei Leung, a 25-year-old philosophy student born on the mainland.

Get rid of the illusion of one country. Get ready to fight, Edward Leung told the crowd seated on the lawn outside government headquarters on Aug. 5. We are no longer asking those in power for top-down change. We need a bottom-up revolution.

Such talk irks government officials in Beijing and Hong Kong, who have long believed that social stability and Chinas territorial integrity are key to the countrys success. Some in the Communist Party have accused Edward Leung and his ilk of being radical separatists, language often reserved for activists in the troubled western regions of Xinjiang or Tibet. Mainland newspapers have warned the new members to get in line, and officials may be seeking ways to keep the activists from taking their seats; one Communist party newspaper said that the vote results must be certified and approved by Beijing, a requirement not found in the citys constitution.

LegCos newcomers have heard such attacks before, chiefly during 2014s Umbrella movement. As lawmakers, the young activists will likely push to end the hated system of bloc voting that gives the largely pro-Beijing industry groups sway in the legislative and chief executive elections, and propose citizen voting by referendum, a needed step for a self-determination vote. That would require a constitutional amendment.

While the central governments office in Hong Kong did not answer repeated requests for comment, its virtually certain that constitutional reform is not something it will accept. In September, Zhang Xiaoming, director of the mainlands liaison office in Hong Kong, said that there exists an inseparable relationship between the political system of the [Hong Kong Special Autonomous Region] and that of the nation. Zhang also nixed the notion that city lawmakers might be able to maneuver a separation. He said the legislature, even the judiciary, is subservient to the chief executive, the central governments representative in the city. Hong Kong is not a political system that exercises the separation of powers; not before the handover, not after the handover.

Be that as it may, Hong Kongs bonds with Beijing are likely to be debated not just in the legislative chambers, but in courtrooms. Edward Leung vowed to appeal his election ban as soon as the final count is published and official, scheduled this Friday, and many lawyers say he could win. That means this latest election is not, after all, finished.

Edward Leung is expected to argue that the Electoral Affairs Commission, which is officially independent and non-partisan, violated his rights to speak freely and run for elective office. The problem stemmed from a new requirement introduced in July that asked prospective candidates to sign a pledge stating that Hong Kong was an inalienable part of China. This galled many residents, and some LegCo hopefuls complained, but a judge refused to review the matter until the ballot count ended.

Edward Lueng told interviewers that he signed the loyalty oath with reluctance. The public knew where he stood: He had campaigned on independence for months as the spokesman for Hong Kong Indigenous, a post-protest movement that morphed into a political party. But he reasoned hed accomplish more inside the chamber than out. The elections official who rejected Edward Leungs nomination indicated she had perused media reports and Facebook posts and decided the young man wasnt trustworthy. The young man countered that assessment. I wholeheartedly uphold the Basic Law, he told one interviewer. If not, I wouldnt run for election.

In Edward Leungs defense, the electoral commission appeared to be inconsistent in its approach. Some candidates who have opposed Chinas Communist government were green-lighted, including a former professor who first raised the idea that Hong Kong could become an independent city-state. That man failed to get a LegCo seat. New lawmaker Baggio Leung ran in Edward Leungs place, and spoke about putting independence on the LegCo agenda. It seems clear to government critics that officials targeted Edward Leung. In February, he placed third in a neighborhood district council race. He lost, but gathered 66,000 votes, more than 16 percent of the district, a stunning success for a newcomer with an unorthodox agenda. (The top vote-getter in the subsequent LegCo race for that same district won with only 58,800 votes.) More than any other neophyte, Edward Leung had the strongest chance to win a LegCo seat.

Lawyers and activists condemned the commissions decision to blacklist Leung and others, accusing the government of censorship and violating the city constitution. There are two ways the controversy might play out. If city officials want to avoid a courts involvement, they could seek guidance from the standing committee to the National Peoples Congress, Chinas rubber-stamp legislature. In 2014 the committee said all Hong Kongers could vote for the next chief executive, making good on a promise in the citys constitution. But there was a catch: Beijing would screen the candidates. That proposal, which would surely nix any pro-democracy leader, was worrisome enough to spark the Umbrella movement. (LegCo later voted it down.) Any new dictate from Beijing that muzzles residents who favor independence would inflame an already riled city.

Its more likely that a court will address the ill-conceived candidate ban. Lawyers say they expect a judge will fault the city for disqualifying candidates on the theory that they might violate the Basic Law. A remedy wont be easy, says Wilson Leung, convener of the Progressive Lawyers Group, a league of 90 pro-democracy lawyers. If all the rejected hopefuls win their appeals, a court could order new elections in every one of the affected districts, a task that would once again let voters choose from dozens of candidates. The issue might take two years or more to resolve, the lawyer Leung said, and thats if the city doesnt appeal.

Of course, any appeal or ruling would keep the independence issue in the news, building support for the cause. That, too, might prompt the national government to clamp down on Hong Kongs opposition. For now this is merely a political crisis, Alvin Cheung, a lawyer and scholar at New York University, said in August. If the courts fault the governments action, the election results would be moot. Then, it will be a full-blown constitutional crisis.
(Adds comment from politician, former finance minister)

By Dave Graham

MEXICO CITY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday replaced his close ally and finance minister, Luis Videgaray, after the two were heavily criticized for Republican U.S presidential candidate Donald Trump's controversial visit to Mexico last week.

A somber-looking Pena Nieto told a news conference that Videgaray, who officials said was the architect of Trump's visit, would make way for former Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade.

Pena Nieto was widely pilloried for hosting Trump at short notice last Wednesday. The New York businessman has repeatedly vowed to build a border wall to keep out illegal immigrants - which he said Mexico would pay for.

Trump has further infuriated Mexicans by threatening to carry out mass deportations and rewrite trade treaties crucial to their economy, and by referring to some immigrants from the United States' southern neighbor as rapists or drug runners

With economic growth sluggish, the president's popularity at record lows and tensions palpable between the finance minister and other Cabinet members, rumors of Videgaray's impending departure had bubbled under the surface in Mexico for months.

"The proverbial last straw was the Trump visit," said Agustin Barrios Gomez, a politician from the opposition leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution, and a driving force behind a draft bill sent to Congress this week to empower the government to retaliate against Trump if he threatens Mexican interests.

"(It) was seen as such a fiasco that he no longer had the credibility necessary to do his immediate job," he added.

Senior diplomats said Videgaray, 48, had been instrumental in arranging the American's visit, in which the government had hoped to impress upon Trump the need to moderate his tone and reconsider his more divisive campaign proposals.

But within hours of leaving Mexico, Trump was telling a cheering crowd of supporters in Arizona that Mexico would pay for the border wall "100 percent," prompting fresh ridicule of Pena Nieto at home.

Story continues

Instead of teaching Trump a lesson, the visit "legitimized him as a potential head of state," said Andres Rozental, a former deputy Mexican foreign minister. "It just shows how little thought went into it."

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Videgaray ran Pena Nieto's election campaign, and was long regarded as the most powerful Cabinet minister, with a huge influence on policy after orchestrating the country's landmark energy, telecommunications, tax and education reforms.

Both men were embroiled in conflict-of-interest scandals in late 2014, after Pena Nieto's wife and Videgaray were found to have acquired property from a major government contractor. Pena Nieto ordered an inquiry, which cleared both of any wrongdoing.

The respected new finance minister, Meade, is a friend of Videgaray and had started in the administration as foreign minister before moving to the social development ministry.

Videgaray's departure from the Cabinet means Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, on whose watch capo Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman escaped from prison before being recaptured, is now the most visible potential presidential candidate in 2018 for the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI.

Polls show the main hopefuls for 2018 face a tough battle, with Osorio Chong leading prospective PRI contenders.

Meade, who was also once energy minister, is among those hopefuls. He must now steer next year's budget through Congress, with the draft plan to be announced on Thursday.

Senator Ernesto Cordero, a former finance minister from the center-right opposition, said he expected a smooth handover to Meade, whose experience in government he underlined.

"He's been a minister five times, and on those five occasions he's done a good job," Cordero said.

The economy has consistently fallen short of government growth forecasts during Videgaray's tenure, and contracted in the second quarter for the first time in three years.

The new budget will be under close scrutiny after rating agency Standard & Poor's last month said it could cut Mexico's credit rating following a marked increase in debt.

Videgaray, who has also been rumored as a potential 2017 gubernatorial candidate for the PRI in the State of Mexico, a populous region next to the capital, will not take another public post, a finance ministry spokeswoman said.

(Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper, Michael O'Boyle, Gabriel Stargardter and Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Simon Gardner and Jonathan Oatis)
By Dave Graham MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday replaced his close ally and finance minister, Luis Videgaray, after the two were heavily criticized for Republican U.S presidential candidate Donald Trump's controversial visit to Mexico last week. A somber-looking Pena Nieto told a news conference that Videgaray, who officials said was the architect of Trump's visit, would make way for former Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade. Pena Nieto was widely pilloried for hosting Trump at short notice last Wednesday. The New York businessman has repeatedly vowed to build a border wall to keep out illegal immigrants - which he said Mexico would pay for. Trump has further infuriated Mexicans by threatening to carry out mass deportations and rewrite trade treaties crucial to their economy, and by referring to some immigrants from the United States' southern neighbor as rapists or drug runners With economic growth sluggish, the president's popularity at record lows and tensions palpable between the finance minister and other Cabinet members, rumors of Videgaray's impending departure had bubbled under the surface in Mexico for months. "The proverbial last straw was the Trump visit," said Agustin Barrios Gomez, a politician from the opposition leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution, and a driving force behind a draft bill sent to Congress this week to empower the government to retaliate against Trump if he threatens Mexican interests. "(It) was seen as such a fiasco that he no longer had the credibility necessary to do his immediate job," he added. Senior diplomats said Videgaray, 48, had been instrumental in arranging the American's visit, in which the government had hoped to impress upon Trump the need to moderate his tone and reconsider his more divisive campaign proposals. But within hours of leaving Mexico, Trump was telling a cheering crowd of supporters in Arizona that Mexico would pay for the border wall "100 percent," prompting fresh ridicule of Pena Nieto at home. Instead of teaching Trump a lesson, the visit "legitimized him as a potential head of state," said Andres Rozental, a former deputy Mexican foreign minister. "It just shows how little thought went into it." PRESIDENTIAL RACE Videgaray ran Pena Nieto's election campaign, and was long regarded as the most powerful Cabinet minister, with a huge influence on policy after orchestrating the country's landmark energy, telecommunications, tax and education reforms. Both men were embroiled in conflict-of-interest scandals in late 2014, after Pena Nieto's wife and Videgaray were found to have acquired property from a major government contractor. Pena Nieto ordered an inquiry, which cleared both of any wrongdoing. The respected new finance minister, Meade, is a friend of Videgaray and had started in the administration as foreign minister before moving to the social development ministry. Videgaray's departure from the Cabinet means Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, on whose watch capo Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman escaped from prison before being recaptured, is now the most visible potential presidential candidate in 2018 for the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. Polls show the main hopefuls for 2018 face a tough battle, with Osorio Chong leading prospective PRI contenders. Meade, who was also once energy minister, is among those hopefuls. He must now steer next year's budget through Congress, with the draft plan to be announced on Thursday. Senator Ernesto Cordero, a former finance minister from the center-right opposition, said he expected a smooth handover to Meade, whose experience in government he underlined. "He's been a minister five times, and on those five occasions he's done a good job," Cordero said. The economy has consistently fallen short of government growth forecasts during Videgaray's tenure, and contracted in the second quarter for the first time in three years. The new budget will be under close scrutiny after rating agency Standard & Poor's last month said it could cut Mexico's credit rating following a marked increase in debt. Videgaray, who has also been rumored as a potential 2017 gubernatorial candidate for the PRI in the State of Mexico, a populous region next to the capital, will not take another public post, a finance ministry spokeswoman said. (Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper, Michael O'Boyle, Gabriel Stargardter and Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Simon Gardner and Jonathan Oatis)
El Chauz (Mexico) (AFP) - Troops and police hunted Wednesday for gang suspects who shot down a police helicopter in western Mexico, killing five aboard in a clash highlighting the government's struggle to quell violence in the region.

The suspects apparently used a high-powered, .50-caliber Barrett rifle to bring down the helicopter chasing them in Michoacan state on Tuesday, said National Security Commissioner Renato Sales.

"It was indeed shot down," Sales told Radio Formula, adding that authorities were "working to capture those responsible."

The pilot and three state police officers died at the site. The state prosecutor's office said a fourth agent succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday.

The helicopter's charred wreckage lay amid high grass and bushes, according to AFP journalists who visited the crash site on Wednesday.

It is the second time since 2015 that a gang has downed a helicopter. Last year, the powerful Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in neighboring Jalisco state used a rocket launcher to hit a military helicopter, killing seven soldiers and a policewoman.

A federal government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly, told AFP that there is "suspicion that this cartel" also downed the aircraft in Michoacan.

The deadly incident near the village of El Chauz happened amid a resurgence of violence in Michoacan, a state once dominated by New Generation's rivals, the pseudo-religious Knights Templar drug cartel.

- 'Hot Land' -

Michoacan Governor Silvano Aureoles said Tuesday the helicopter had backed an operation to capture leaders of an unidentified gang after the suspects tried to abduct a farmer in La Huacana.

The confrontation took place in Michoacan's Tierra Caliente (Hot Land), a region that has endured years of drug violence and vigilante justice.

The helicopter crashed in a mountainous area where local farmers grow lime and mango.

Story continues

Authorities manned checkpoints leading to the area of the incident, which was cordoned off with some 200 soldiers and police keeping guard.

The federal source said soldiers, marines and state police were hunting for suspects.

Aureoles said Tuesday's incident followed a series of operations to capture gang leaders in Tierra Caliente and Sierra Costa that, since August 30, had netted a dozen arrests and several weapons, including two rocket launchers.

The Knights Templar terrorized Tierra Caliente until lime growers formed vigilante forces in 2013 to fight back against the gang, which murdered, kidnapped and charged the population protection taxes.

The cartel was weakened as authorities deployed troops and arrested or killed its top leaders, but smaller criminal groups have since emerged.

The vigilantes have been ordered to disband or join official police forces but some of the militia members have been implicated in crimes.

- 'A mess' -

A former self-defense force member, who now works as a police officer, told AFP that remnants of the Knights Templar and groups known as the Viagras and Trojans operate in the region.

"It's a mess," he said on condition of anonymity.

Hipolito Mora, a former leader of the self-defense forces, told AFP that the violence stems from power struggles after the capture and death of the Knights Templar's top two leaders.

"It's a fight among them. They are divided, they are killing each other, they are still kidnapping, they are still extorting," Mora said, lamenting that "corrupt" vigilante leaders allowed cartel members to join self-defense forces.

Homicides are on the rise in the state, with 678 murders in the first seven months of the year compared with 777 in all of 2015, according to federal government figures. At least 150 people were killed in July alone, a twofold increase from the same month last year.

Michoacan's cardinal and Roman Catholic bishops have issued a letter denouncing the rise in violence and the persistent extortion of citizens by criminals.

The state has bedeviled the Mexican government for years. It was there that then-president Felipe Calderon deployed troops for the first time against drug cartels after he took office in December 2006.

President Enrique Pena Nieto has maintained his predecessor's militarized campaign against the gangs.
This follows growing calls for regime members to be prosecuted for their role in these crimes against humanity.

The executions were carried out on the orders of the then-supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini.

The regime then set up Death Commissions throughout the country to oversee the murders and ensure that the prisoners were buried in unmarked mass graves.

On September 6, The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) held a press conference to publicise the names of those responsible for the murders.

Mohammad Mohaddessin, chair of the foreign affairs committee of the NCRI, said: [The UN must] take the necessary steps to bring the perpetrators of this great crime to justice The impunity must end. Inaction in the face of this crime has not only led to further executions in Iran but has also encouraged the regime to spread its crimes to Syria, Iraq and other countries of the region.

He cited that nearly 3,000 executions have been carried out during the three-year reign of the moderate President Rouhani; indeed, just a few weeks ago, on the anniversary of the massacre, Iran hung 25 Sunnis from Iranian Kurdistan en-masse in just one day.

Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the Iranian Resistance, has reiterated calls for those responsible for the massacre to face justice in an international court.

At a seminar for European-Iranian communities, she said: Standing up to the violations of human rights in Iran is also the responsibility of Western governments because the consequences of this regime are not confined to Iran.
(Company corrects number, paragraph 7)

By Eric Auchard

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is introducing a complete set of cloud services from data centres in Britain, its second biggest market for cloud-based software after the United States, as demand for data localisation spreads across Europe and around the world.

The new offering will allow a range of British customers from the legal, banking, public and utility sectors to run operations over the Internet, something they had been reluctant to do for regulatory and data security reasons.

"We want to make sure that as many customers as possible have access to the cloud," said Nicola Hodson, general manager of marketing and operations for Microsoft UK.

Local storage of data has grown more desirable as U.S. technology companies have become dominant and after former U.S. National Security Administration contractor Edward Snowden disclosed mass government surveillance, stoking public concern over data privacy, security and national sovereignty.

More recently, Britain's vote to leave the European Union has raised questions about the status of data stored and processed in the UK.

Previously, Microsoft customers using cloud software relied on European data centres based in Dublin, Amsterdam or other locations. It operates more than 100 data centres globally.

The UK Ministry of Defence, which has around 250,000 users and spends more than $3 billion per year on technical infrastructure, will be an early customer of Microsoft's cloud office apps and infrastructure, citing cost savings and data security, the company said.

Other initial UK cloud customers include automaker Aston Martin, and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the country's largest mental health agency, and Capita Plc, Britain's largest business process outsourcing, which serves a mix of clients in central and local government and the private sector.

Microsoft is the world's No. 2 cloud software supplier after Amazon.com, which pioneered cloud services a decade ago. Both companies also compete with Google, IBM , Oracle and many others.

Story continues

The UK-based cloud will host Office 365, a suite of cloud applications that replaces Microsoft's classic Office software, and Azure, its cloud-based software infrastructure platform. Microsoft plans to add its Dynamics CRM Online suite of cloud sales and marketing applications in the first half of 2017.

Forrester Research estimates global spending on public cloud platforms, business services and applications will reach $236 billion by 2020, a compound annual growth rate of 22 percent between 2015 and the end of the decade.

Microsoft already counts thousands of UK cloud customers ranging from retailer Marks and Spencer Group Plc to Virgin Atlantic airlines. Customers have the option of hosting data locally or elsewhere on the Microsoft network.

(Editing by David Gregorio)
The brand new PlayStation 4 Pro is capable of powering games in glorious 4K, the successor to high-definition. That expensive new 4K TV you bought is about to get a lot more useful!

samsung 110 inch ultra hd 4k tv

Unfortunately, the PlayStation 4 Pro's ability to play 4K games and stream 4K movies doesn't translate to Blu-ray playback. A Sony representative confirmed to Business Insider that the PlayStation 4 Pro does not support 4K Blu-ray playback.

That might not be such a big deal if ultra-high-definition weren't part of the selling point of the new PS4 Pro. The console costs $400 ($100 more than a standard PlayStation 4) and it's touted as the most powerful of Sony's three versions of the console.

Even more bizarre, Microsoft's $300 Xbox One S is capable of playing 4K Blu-ray discs, as well as streaming films in 4K.

xbox one s

It's not clear why the PlayStation 4 Pro wouldn't be capable of playing Blu-ray discs, but it's the kind of unfortunate oversight that looks bad on paper if you're the average person trying to decide which console to buy.

Sony's new, $400 PlayStation Pro launches on November 10; another new PlayStation 4, the Slim, launches in September for $299.

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Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said he believes that President Barack Obama was in fact born in the U.S., but didnt weigh in on whether his running mate Donald Trump should apologize for suggesting otherwise.

Pence was asked by reporters on Wednesday whether or not the candidate should apologize for suggesting that Obama was born outside the country, according to Politico.

Well I believe Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, I accept his birthplace, Pence told reporters before a fundraiser in San Diego. When asked if Trump should apologize for earlier comments, Pence said: I think Donald Trumps record both as a business man and as a political leader and as a patron in supporting minority efforts and particularly supporting the advancement of the African American community really speaks for itself.

Trump, on the other hand, has dodged questions about the birth certificate this week, telling reporters on Monday that he didnt want to talk about it. I dont talk about it because if I talk about that, your whole thing will be about that, Trump told reporters on his plane Monday, the Washington Post reported. So I dont talk about it.

In the lead up to the 2012 election, Trump was a prominent face of the birther movement that questioned the presidents birthplace. Last month, Hillary Clinton reminded Twitter users that Trump was a birther, reposting a 2012 tweet from Trump that says a source told the billionaire that Obamas birth certificate was a fraud.

[Politico]
By Timothy Mclaughlin CHICAGO (Reuters) - A Minnesota man admitted in court on Tuesday to the 1989 abduction and killing of an 11-year-old boy whose remains he helped police locate last week as part of a plea agreement, authorities said. Jacob Wetterling was riding his bike on a rural Minnesota road with his brother and a friend when he was abducted in October 1989. Danny Heinrich, 53, said he kidnapped, sexually assaulted and fatally shot the boy. Heinrich "is the confessed murderer of Jacob Wetterling, and nearly 27 years after he committed this heinous crime, he has been brought to justice. And Jacob is finally home," Andrew Luger, U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, said in a statement. Heinrich's confession, in addition to helping lead police to the spot where he buried Wetterling's body, was part of a deal in which he plead guilty to a federal child pornography charge, but will not face charges in the killing. Heinrich, who has been in custody since his arrest last year, also confessed to sexually assaulting another 12-year-old boy. He faces a recommended 20-year sentence for the pornography charge, according to the U.S Attorney's office. Sentencing is set for Nov. 21. Last October, authorities named Heinrich a person of interest in the case, given the similarities between Wetterling's abduction and a number of unsolved sexual assaults in central Minnesota dating to the 1980s. Wetterling's parents, Patty and Jerry Wetterling, became advocates for missing children after his disappearance. "His legacy will go on," Patty Wetterling said of her son at a news conference following Heinrich's court appearance on Tuesday. "For us, Jacob was alive until we found him ... we need to heal," she said. Authorities searched Heinrich's home in July 2015 and found child pornography in three-ring binders and on a computer hard drive. (Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney and Alan Crosby)
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While many parents rejoice at the return of school each fall, a group of Canadian moms couldn't wait to leave the school parking lot before beginning their celebrations.

Sgt. John Price with the Saanich Police Department on Vancouver Island in Canada was monitoring speeding traffic near the Spectrum-Marigold school on Tuesday when he pulled over a mother who was speeding in the school zone. When Price approached the vehicle, he noticed the very distinct smell of marijuana, CTV News reports. It is unclear how many mothers participated in the celebration.

SEE ALSO: Marijuana-filled porta potty stumps naive cops and enrages public

As soon as she rolled down the window it was pretty evident that the people in that car, or the driver herself, had been smoking a joint prior to being stopped, Price told CTV.

When asked, the driver admitted that she and the other passengers in the car enjoyed a celebratory joint before speeding away from their children's school.

She did admit to smoking a joint and tried to excuse it away by saying her and some of the other moms this morning had a celebratory joint, celebrating that the kids were back in school, said Price.

#yyjtraffic My drug recognition expert just did roadside sobriety tests on a mom in a school zone.Smoked a joint to celebrate school back in  Saanich PD Traffic (@SPD_Traffic) September 6, 2016

The driver was reportedly reprimanded for smoking pot and then driving through a school zone but the police called in a drug recognition expert who decided the woman was fit to drive. She was not charged.

Recently, Canada has greatly relaxed its marijuana laws and is currently taking steps to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in 2017. Regardless, driving under the influence is still illegal and police do not want users to get behind of the wheel after consuming cannabis.

Story continues

@DonV86 Donnie. The point is you don't consume intoxicants before driving. And you then don't speed thru school zone while under influence  Saanich PD Traffic (@SPD_Traffic) September 7, 2016

Bonus: Corgi butts in slow motion
Sept 7 (Reuters) - Mondelez International Inc, the maker of Oreo cookies and Cadbury chocolates, outlined on Wednesday its plans to expand in the United States, a week after abandoning its pursuit of U.S. confectioner Hershey Co.

Mondelez, the second-largest confectionary company in the world, said on Wednesday it would bring to the United States its Milka Oreo chocolate bars that pairs Oreo cookies with Milka, which is popular in Europe.

The Milka Oreo chocolate bars, which are already available in more than 20 countries, are targeted at the mainstream segment of the roughly $14 billion U.S. chocolate market, Mondelez said.

In the premium segment, Mondelez is expanding its Green & Blacks products, which contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

Mondelez said on Aug. 29 it was no longer pursuing the acquisition of Hershey, the number five confectionary company in the world, two months after the company turned down its $23 billion cash-and-stock bid.

The merger of Mondelez with Hershey, which makes Hershey's Kisses and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, would have expanded the former's limited U.S. footprint and created the world's largest confectioner.

Instead, now Mondelez has to chalk out its own course.

Mondelez also said on Wednesday it was strengthening its sales and distribution operations, enhancing in-store execution and chalking out better routes to market, especially in emerging markets.

The company said it was building up its e-commerce snacks business with the aim of generating at least $1 billion in revenue by 2020. Analysts expect Mondelez to generate total revenue of about $30 billion in 2020, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The chocolate maker reaffirmed its 2016 adjusted operating income margin forecast of 15 percent to 16 percent and 2018 forecast of 17 percent to 18 percent.

The company said it was on track to deliver free cash flow of at least $1.4 billion in 2016, and that it expected that number to double in 2018.

Mondelez shares were down 0.9 percent at $44.10 in morning trading.

(Reporting by Jessica Kuruthukulangara in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the Peoples Mujahedeen Organization of Iran (MEK), held a press conference in Paris to announce the names of prominent Iranians believed to have contributed to the killings.

This comes just one month after an audio recording of a death commission meeting was leaked online. The tape featured Hossein Ali Montazeri expressing his disdain for the executions and his fear that history would condemn them for it.

As of yet, the mullahs have not received the condemnation or prosecution that they deserve.

During the press conference Mohammad Mohaddessin, chairman of the NCRIs foreign affairs committee, said: A death commission was created in Tehran and in 10 other Iranian provinces to conduct the fatwa. Until now only the names of the members of the death commission in Tehran had been exposed, since Khomeini himself appointed them. Now we have more names of members involved in the massacre and we are making them public.

This massacre killed 30,000 political prisoners, mainly from the PMOI; the largest amount since WW2.

Mohaddessin said that 62 pregnant women and 789 minors, as young as 14-15 years at the time of their arrest, were among those slaughtered and buried in mass graves.

He said: We really hope that the U.S. attitude will change and that next administration will be more determined against Rouhanis regime. President Obama conducted a politic of moderation toward Iran but it did not work out.

He added: This regime is more brutal than the former ones. Just have a look at its involvement in the Middle East. Look at what is happening in Iraq, Syria and other countries in the region where Tehran is deeply involved.

William Bourdon, the NCRIs French lawyer, said: It is time that the United Nations [starts] looking at the 1988 massacre by the Iranian regimeWe are now calling upon the international community in order to take actions against the Tehran regime.
Moneygram International Inc. MGI recently joined forces with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT to introduce a new state-of-the-art online money transfer platform, Walmart.moneygram.com. The new platform would offer customers better features and easier online money transfer experience.

The upgraded website makes use of Moneygram's new cutting-edge MTaaS (Money Transfer as a Service) platform. The online money transfer platform offers third party solution to strategic business partners who seek to connect with customers through a more user-friendly site that can be branded and updated easily. The new website will provide various innovative features to customers, which include guest sending, transfer tracking and many more. The site can also be used to remit money to any of Moneygram's estimated 350,000 locations as well as bank accounts worldwide.

This ultra-modern online money transfer platform is a strategic extension of the two decade long, successful relationship between Moneygram and Walmart. The companies have joined forces time and again to serve customers with smooth, convenient and premium quality financial services. Moneygram's chief marketing officer and Walmart's senior leader, Juan Agualimpia, called the new offering a testament to our combined commitment to our customers.

Walmart remains focused on maximizing customer value though the fastest and cheapest services. Hence, the partnership with Walmart is expected to provide Moneygram with a new digital experience of providing flawless solutions to customers shopping at Walmart. We expect the aforesaid deal to further strengthen Momeygrams customer base and assure long-term growth for the Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) miscellaneous financial service provider. It also reflects Moneygrams consistent investments for digitalization.

MONEYGRAM INTL Price

MONEYGRAM INTL Price | MONEYGRAM INTL Quote

Stocks That Warrant a Look

Investors can also look at some better-ranked stocks from the same space like Euronet Worldwide Inc. EEFT and ORIX Corporation IX. Both the stocks carry Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



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Chicagos homicide tally topped 500 since the start of the year following a deadly Labor Day weekend during which 13 people were killed in the nations third-largest city.

The death toll crossed the threshold on Tuesday morning, according to The Chicago Tribune, with 31 people shot within a 21-hour period, nine of them fatally.

Chicago recorded 92 murders in August, the most the city has seen in a single month since the early 1990s, when gang and drug-related violence was rampant.

The city looks set to exceed 600 homicides by the end of 2016, an annual tally it hasnt reached since 2003. The murder rate is already up 50% this year, and Chicago has recorded more homicides than New York and Los Angeles combined.

USA Today reports that Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson attributed the rising death toll to gangs and weak gun laws, calling for tougher penalties.

[Chicago Tribune, USA Today]
Model Jasmine Sanders has landed a new role as the face of Moroccanoil's new 'Curl Collection' campaign.

The hair care brand, known for its argan oil-infused products, has teamed up with the rising star to publicize its new range for curly hair, which launches later this month. The collection takes a "360-degree approach to managing every curl type," from loose waves to tightly-spiralled curls. It features new products such as a 'Curl Enhancing Shampoo and Conditioner,' a 'Curl Cleansing Conditioner' and 'Curl Re-energizing Spra,y, all of which contain argan oil-infused blends to nourish and enhance natural curls.

"I'm blessed with naturally curly hair and have always been an advocate for embracing my natural style," says Sanders, who has over 1.5 million followers on Instagram and regularly shares photos of her natural style.

Moroccanoil Co-founder Carmen Tal listed Sanders' wild curls as the main reason for choosing her to front the campaign, highlighting the growing trend for natural hair in the beauty industry. "More and more women today are finally embracing their natural curls," she explains.

Sanders, who hails from the US state South Carolina, has seen her profile rocket of late, thanks to features in publications such as Vogue and Glamour and catwalk appearances for the likes of Miu Miu alongside Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid. Her new role at Moroccanoil will see her front the brand's new print and digital advertising campaign, as well as providing exclusive content to her fans on her social channels.

Since being founded a decade ago, Moroccanoil has grown into a global line of oil-infused haircare and skincare products, sold in over 65 countries worldwide.
Sister Noella cant talk. We have a bit of a disaster in the cheese cellar, she writes, her missive splotched with typos. A few days later, she resurfaces to explain. The caves climate control went berserk, and wheels upon wheels of Bethlehem cheese had deflated, turning flat and floppy. Worse, Sister Noella was soon to appear in New York  cheeses in tow  for events related to her star turn in a documentary.

Luckily, I have enough survivors of the crisis, she wrote.

The godmother of the artisanal cheese movement is a nun, no joke, named Noella Marcellino. She holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Connecticut, an hours drive from the Benedictine abbey where shes lived and made raw-milk cheese for some four decades. To some, Sister Noella is the Cheese Nun, no less than a hero for her curd-making ways. I can think of no one comparable in the food movement, says Michael Pollan, the food writer who cast her in his 2016 documentary Cooked. Her combination of scientific knowledge and craft is unparalleled.

Cheese, it turns out, is a hotbed of debate. Long have Americans loved it, but mostly eaten the pasteurized kind, produced by a few giant conglomerates. (Even today, the bulk of the 20-plus pounds of cheese the average American eats each year is the mozzarella on pizza.) Specialty cheese  limited production stuff, sometimes unpasteurized or artisanal, and often formed in wheels or mounds instead of boxes  is a different case. Much of the markets early growth took place against the backdrop of tensions between the raw-milk lovers and the FDA, which worries about listeria and other pathogens in unpasteurized cheese; Sister Noella became a kind of poster nun for the artisan fight. The FDA, which declined comment for an interview on raw-milk cheese, continues to regulate it, but has shown more understanding and interest in specialty cheesemaking than before, according Nora Weiser, executive director of the American Cheese Society.

Sister Noella is wearing a bright pink scarf over her habit and muddy sneakers underneath it when we meet at the secluded Regina Laudis Abbey. She guides me to the source of controversy around her mission: a massive and frankly innocent-looking barrel in the cheese cave. The barrels wood is faded and seemingly aged, and inside sits a white residue from countless batches of cheese  biofilm of lactic acid that accumulates with use, she says. After a listeria outbreak involving Mexican cheese in the 1980s, the FDA suspended the wood barrels use in cheesemaking, fearing the wood would breed pathogens. Sister Noella obliged, though she hadnt had a problem with dangerous bacteria, and turned to stainless steel. Surprise! She found that the stainless steel bred E. coli. She fought. The FDA made an exception for her, she says, and allowed the abbey to use its barrel.

She fell into the controversy because of her passion for fungi.

For her part, Sister Noella shrinks from the label of FDA resister  I give [Pollan] grief about it, she says, a smile on her broad face. Sister Noella prefers to see her legacy as someone who cares deeply about food safety, but fell into the controversy because of her passion for fungi. Her doctoral work centered around cataloging and assessing fungi biodiversity, especially the stuff that lives on cheese. During a 1994 Fulbright scholarship, Sister Noella toured the fungi of France. Over nine months, she traveled 30,000 kilometers around the country, collecting samples from caves and other cheesemaking environments.

Doubtful shed have anticipated this future when she was a hippie college kid in the 1960s, studying French literature and theater and abandoning her religious upbringing. After freshman year at Sarah Lawrence  no grades, little structure  she fled to Boston University. She and her friends visited the abbey almost as dilettantes: For them, it offered peace of mind and even had a cool streak  one of the nuns was a former movie star who she says was Elvis first screen kiss. Here you could connect with your innocence, Sister Noella says. In 1973, she joined as a postulant.

About a week later grace came, in the form of a Frenchwoman whod learned cheesemaking from her grandmother.

When she entered the Benedictine convent, she worked in the abbeys kitchen and sang in the choir. Theyre big on Gregorian chants. But then she fell for a cow named Sheba  Id seen a few cows, but Id never been close to one like that, she says  and learned to milk it from a member of the community who grew up on a farm in Minnesota. A couple of years later, the abbess asked Sister Noella to make cheese. She tried, but book learning could only take her so far. So Sister Noella turned to the heavens, praying for someone to come teach her the craft. About a week later grace came, in the form of a Frenchwoman whod learned cheesemaking from her grandmother. Pollan says Sister Noella reminds him of the sui generis characters I have met in this world, people who are determined to go their own way and work outside of the mainstream.

Decades later, Sister Noella has given up the cheesemaking to others. There was too much doing it alone, she sighs. At the abbey, a novice, brothers and monastic interns make cheese for the rest of the community. They feed the cows  Mercy, Red Wing, Lily, Maya, Mira  short for miracle? Probably. They milk them. They sell a small surplus at the abbey cheese shop, but it goes fast. We could sell every morsel; people want it, Sister Noella says. Reader, she didnt even offer me any. Then again, I didnt ask.

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Activists and mourners in St Louis held a vigil on Tuesday, September 6, to mark the death of a prominent Ferguson protest leader. The body of Darren Seals was found with a gunshot wound in a burning vehicle in St Louis earlier that day, according to local reports. Police did not provide details on a suspected motive for the killing.

At the vigil, people sang and held candles to remember Seals, while others reacted angrily, leading chants and calling for justice. Credit: Instagram/Melanin Monroe
By Davide Scigliuzzo

NEW YORK, Sept 7 (IFR) - The investment banking arm of Guggenheim Partners has hired leveraged finance banker Carl Mayer from Nomura in a push to expand its capabilities in the sector.

In his new role, Mayer will focus on the origination, structuring and distribution of leveraged loans and high-yield bonds, the company said in a statement.

Mayer joins the firm as a senior managing director in New York after a 20-year career in leveraged finance at Nomura, Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank.

Prior to joining Guggenheim, Mayer served as Nomura's head of leveraged finance and financial sponsors in the Americas.

(Reporting by Davide Scigliuzzo; Editing by Paul Kilby)
By Trevor Hunnicutt

NEW YORK, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The man who since 2008 has run BlackRock Inc's quasi-consulting arm for governments, regulators and massive financial firms plans to leave the company next year, according to an internal memo.

Craig Phillips is leaving "to consider a possible transition to the public sector," according to the memo, which was seen by Reuters.

A Wall Street veteran for decades, Phillips joined the company during the apex of the global financial crisis as the once-marginal bond-focused manager became the largest company of its kind globally and found new heft and demand for its counsel in the years during and since the global financial crisis.

BlackRock marshaled the unit Phillips runs - Financial Markets Advisory, or FMA - in 2008 when the company was tapped by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to help manage assets and keep the financial system running smoothly.

For instance, it managed troubled assets accumulated by the investment bank Bear Stearns and the insurer American International Group.

In the years since, BlackRock has worked to define FMA as its own business segment and as a showcase for the asset manager's risk controls and technology.

"FMA has not only become a thriving business, it has contributed to BlackRock's reputation in a way that truly sets us apart from other asset managers," said the memo, which was signed by BlackRock Chief Executive Larry Fink and two of his senior deputies, Rob Kapito and Rob Goldstein.

Phillips could not immediately be reached for comment.

Among other responsibilities, Phillips headed the Client Solutions team and was a member of the BlackRock Operating Committee, a senior executive group.

Charles Hatami - the co-head of the Europe, Middle East and Africa segment of BlackRock's FMA business - will take over Phillips' role, the memo said.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt)
(Reuters) - A graffiti artist lampooned Maine Governor Paul LePage in a mural depicting the two-term Republican wearing a Ku Klux Klan cape and hood, two weeks after he left a profane voicemail for a Democratic lawmaker he believed had called him a racist. The mural, which appeared over the weekend in Portland on a wall where graffiti is allowed by law, has been repainted to remove the reference to the white supremacist group, with the hood replaced with Mickey Mouse ears and a new caption "no hate" joining the existing "racist homophobe moron governor," in which the word "governor" was struck through. Lawmakers from both parties last week contemplated calling a special session to rebuke LePage, whose term extends through 2018, for the message, in which he called a lawmaker a "little son-of-a-bitch, socialist cocksucker." That effort collapsed with the two sides unable to agree on the details of how long the special session would last or what its precise objectives were, with Democrats calling for impeachment, further than Republicans were willing to go. "I think it was a lot of work but I think a lot of people are pretty upset about how things are going," Falmouth resident Emily Hickey told Maine CBS affiliate WGME as she viewed the mural. Tom Poulin, of Oakland, Maine, said he believed the painting was in poor taste. "You can have your personal thoughts about somebody but to say them like that is a little ridiculous," he told WGME. Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling, a Democrat, said on Twitter that he had asked city officials to take down the mural. "As much as we are all infuriated by the governor's statements, equating his language to the systemic terrorism and murder Grand Wizards inflicted upon African Americans (and Catholics) trivializes the KKK," Strimling said. A spokeswoman for LePage did not immediately respond to a request for comment. LePage has faced a flurry of criticism over the past two weeks for saying that members of minority groups from out of state were responsible for the lion's share of the heroin trade in Maine. He drew further criticism after the widely circulated voicemail. (Reporting by WGME via Reuters Video News; Writing by Scott Malone; Editing by James Dalgleish)
Joe Manchin

The pharmaceutical company Mylan has been in the hot seat with members of Congress over the price of the EpiPen.

The device, used in emergencies to treat severe allergic reactions, costs more than 500% more than it did when Mylan acquired it in 2007.

To make things more complicated, Mylan's CEO Heather Bresch is the daughter of Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Bloomberg caught up with the senator Tuesday to discuss his daughter and the pricing debate in the pharmaceutical industry, a conversation Manchin didn't seem to want to be a part of.

"We make a point ever since Ive been in this position, and when I was governor, we made a point, we just didnt get involved. Its so convoluted. I dont understand," Manchin told Bloomberg Politics' Steven Dennis. "To get into something you dont understand and your daughter being in this type of industry it was best I stayed away."

In the past few weeks, Mylan has found itself facing accusations that it overcharged Medicaid and an investigation into whether it violated antitrust laws with its EpiPen4Schools program. Lawmakers have been asking for federal investigations and hearings to get more details on how Mylan set the price of the EpiPen.

To fend off public outrage over the EpiPen's cost, Mylan recently raised its copay-coupon system to cover $300 of people's out-of-pocket costs for those with commercial insurance (a two-pack of the EpiPen has a list price of about $600). The company has also said that it would make an "authorized generic" version of the EpiPen that would cost $300 for a two-pack, half the list price of the branded drug.

Manchin did also give off all the signs of a proud father, telling Bloomberg,"My daughter is my daughter with unconditional love and she's the most amazing person that I know of as far as not only being accomplished, but just, shes so compassionate and generous in how shes always lived her life."





More From Business Insider


Narcos has been renewed for two more seasons, but since Pablo Escobars tale has reached a grisly end, who will be the next target of the War on Drugs? We have a few ideas.

Were guessing the series third season will focus on Gilberto Orejuela, Escobars ally-turned-enemy who got revenge by taking all of his wealth after his death in exchange for shipping Escobars family out of Colombia.

The Cali Cartels demise is also perfect for TV. In 2007, the LA Times revealed that the cartels head of security, Jorge Salcedo, became an informant for the CIA and provided information that was key to the arrest of Orejuela and several other major Cali leaders.

Beyond Escobar and the Cali Cartel, the most infamous kingpin of all-time is undoubtedly Joaquin Guzman, a.k.a. El Chapo. He has built an empire in the Sinaloa Cartel that, according to a 2013 DEA report cited by Bloomberg, supplied over $3 billion worth of drugs that year to the Chicago drug market alone. He escaped from prison twice before being arrested again in January.

One of El Chapos rivals was Osiel Cardenas Guillen, leader of the Gulf Cartel. The Gulfs and Sinaloas waged war with one another for several years, during which the Gulf Cartel unleashed Los Zetas. While Guillen has been arrested, Los Zetas have broken away from the Gulf Cartel and have been believed by law enforcement to be responsible for as many as 350 murders in a single year, according to The Telegraph.

Before El Chapo and Los Zetas, one of the major forces in Mexicos illegal drug trade was Miguel Angel Felix El Padrino Gallardo, leader of the Guadalajara Cartel. He was one of three people identified by U.S. law enforcement as responsible for the death of Enrique Camarena.

For many years after Gallardos fall, the Arellano Felix family controlled the drug trade in Tijuana and the rest of Baja.

If Narcos wants to go outside of Central and South America, they might find a good story right here in the States. Frank Lucas, the Harlem drug lord who became known for importing heroin from Southeast Asia and using violent gangs and corrupt New York cops to establish his empire. He was the subject of the Denzel Washington film American Gangster, though that film has been criticized for inaccuracies. Narcos could spin their story a little closer to the truth.

But not every major drug lord is male. Take, for example, Jemeker Thompson, a.k.a. The Queen Pin. In 1980s Los Angeles, crack-cocaine was an in-demand drug, and Thompson became one of the top suppliers. Eventually, she was arrested in 1993 and served 13 years in prison, during which she had a religious awakening. She now works as an evangelical minister and has released a memoir about the life she left behind. You can watch her interview with CBS Los Angeles here.

Or perhaps Narcos could stay with Escobars history and tell the history of his predecessor: Griselda Blanco. She was shot in a drive-by shooting in 2012.
By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A U.S. space probe was cleared for launch on Thursday to collect and return samples from an asteroid in hopes of learning more about the origins of life on Earth and perhaps elsewhere in the solar system, NASA said on Tuesday. A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket was scheduled to blast off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to dispatch the robot explorer Osiris-Rex on a seven-year mission. United Launch Alliance is a partnership of Lockheed-Martin and Boeing. Osiris-Rex is headed to a 1,640-foot (500-meter) wide asteroid named Bennu, which circles the sun in roughly the same orbit as Earth. Scientists estimate there is a one-in-800 chance that Bennu might actually hit Earth 166 years from now. Heating from the sun gently pushes the asteroid, and charting its path is among the goals of the $1 billion mission. The U.S. space agency also hopes Osiris-Rex will demonstrate the advanced imaging and mapping techniques needed for future science missions and for upcoming commercial asteroid-mining expeditions. Osiris-Rex is expected to reach Bennu in August 2018 and begin a two-year study of its physical features and chemical composition. The solar-powered spacecraft will then fly to Bennu's surface and extend a robot arm to collect at least 2 ounces (60 grams) of what scientists hope will be carbon-rich material. "We're going to asteroid Bennu because it's a time capsule from the earliest stages of solar system formation, back when our planetary system was spread across as dust grains in a swirling cloud around our growing protostar," lead researcher Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona told a prelaunch news conference on Tuesday. Inside the developing solar system, small rocky bodies were beginning to form, many of them studded with water ice and organic materials, which are key compounds that may have made Earth habitable or even given life its start, Lauretta said. If all goes as planned, the capsule containing samples from Bennu will be jettisoned from the returning Osiris-Rex spacecraft on Sept. 24, 2023, for a parachute descent and landing at the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training Range. Osiris-Rex is the latest in a series of missions to asteroids that began with the 1991 flyby of asteroid Gaspra by NASA's Jupiter-bound Galileo spacecraft. Japan's Hayabusa 1 probe managed to return a few tiny grains of asteroid Itokawa to Earth in 2010, the first asteroid sample return mission. A follow-on mission, Hayabusa 2, is underway. The Osiris-Rex launch was set for between 7:05 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. on Thursday (2305 to 0105 GMT on Friday). (Reporting by Irene Klotz; Editing by Will Dunham)
"Star Trek" technologies are starting to become a reality in our everyday lives; just ask anyone who owns a cellphone or tries a virtual reality headset. But how real are these "Star Trek" technologies in space today, 50 years after the iconic science fiction series' TV debut? While the tech for warp drives and transporters remains elusive, NASA is using some technology in space that would be at home on the starship Enterprise.

Five-year mission planning

One key way NASA is emulating "Star Trek" is by finding ways for humans to spend years in space without requiring constant resupply missions from Earth, said Jason Crusan, NASA's director for advanced exploration systems. This means using the International Space Station as a test bed for technology that can extend an astronaut's stay in space and thus could be used one day on the long journey to Mars.

Space station astronauts already drink water mostly recovered from urine, but NASA wants to push its recovery rate (now in the 80 percent range) even further, Crusan said. [13 Things "Star Trek" Gets Right (and Wrong) About Space Tech]

"Humans have a lot of salt in our waste," Crusan told Space.com. So, in late June, NASA awarded Paragon Space Development Corp. a $5.1 million contract to create a Brine Processor Assembly for flight in 2018. This assembly is expected to remove brine and recover up to 94 percent of the water from urine, NASA officials said in a statement.

Ongoing technology developments also allow astronauts to manufacture their own tools using 3D printing and to use atmospheric monitors to check the air in the cabin environment for contaminants. Those monitors shrink huge gas chromatography mass spectrometry units, which identify different substances in test samples, to about the size of a toaster.

All of these are important considerations in sending a future crew to Mars in an Orion spacecraft, along with one to three other habitat modules attached to provide extra room, Crusan said. This "Orion plus" spacecraft would likely have solar electric propulsion capability  engines that ionize noble gases to give a small amount of thrust and run for long periods of time, Crusan said.

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Moving around in space

One form of solar electric propulsion is an ion drive, which was used for the Dawn spacecraft now orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres. Ion drives were mentioned specifically in some "Star Trek" episodes, said David Allen Batchelor, a member of the radiation effects and analysis group at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. [Warp Drive & Transporters: How 'Star Trek' Technology Works (Infographic)]

Batchelor recently republished a list of "Star Trek" technologies used in real life; this list has been available in different versions on NASA's website since 1993, and he is asked to update it every once in a while, he told Space.com.

Indeed, there have been several recent additions to that list. Lasers have been used to send test communications to the moon. NASA is simulating its new space transportation system using supercomputers. "Super-telescopes," such as Kepler and the Hubble Space Telescope, are discovering and exploring strange new worlds from a distance. And there are even androids (of a sort) on Mars.

"Although they're not shaped like Mr. Data, the Curiosity rover and rovers like that are actually robotic," Batchelor said. "They are autonomous, and they do things according to a plan, without [immediate] human intervention."

Fire safety

The Mir space station, which operated from 1986 to 2001, experienced a serious fire late in its operational phase, so NASA and its Russian partners on the International Space Station are well aware of the danger that fire poses to human lives in space. But fire behaves much differently in microgravity, and of course, no one wants to conduct tests near astronauts. Understanding how to mitigate fire is one of the biggest ways to keep astronauts safe for long periods of time.

"Fire is really bad in space, obviously, and we also don't understand it," Crusan said. NASA's solution is to set a fire inside the Cygnus spacecraft after it undocks from the station, in a mission called the Spacecraft Fire Experiment (Saffire) series. The first experiment in the series ran in June on a single 16-by-37-inch (41 by 94 centimeters) fiberglass and cotton cloth, known as a SIBAL cloth. (SIBAL is short for "Solid Inflammability Boundary at Low Speed.")

Saffire-II will look at nine smaller segments, and Saffire-III will have a large sample again. By the fourth, fifth and sixth increments, NASA plans to bring a combustion product monitor along to monitor the experiment  it's an advanced version of a smoke detector, Crusan said. It uses lasers to look at the chemical compounds emitted even before humans are aware there is smoke.

NASA employees continue to see "Star Trek" as inspiration for more "Star Trek" space exploration technologies, Batchelor added. "There are certainly plenty of NASA employees that are 'Star Trek' fans," he said, adding, "People do try to make it happen."

Creating warp drive

During a "Trek Talk" panel discussion at "Star Trek": Mission New York on Sept. 4, 2016, Michelle Thaller, deputy director of science communications at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, discussed how the advanced technologies of "Star Trek" are being explored in modern physics labs today.

"You can't invent something if you haven't imagined it," Thaller said, in reference to warp drives and transporters used in "Star Trek."

The idea behind being able to change the nature of space-time to travel faster than the speed of light  the fundamental concept behind a warp drive  "may turn out to be the real foundation of the next phase of modern physics," Thaller said.

For example, scientists have had success with experiments involving quantum teleportation, which is the process of "teleporting" very small atoms or molecules from one location to another. These particles never travel; rather, they stop existing in one place and start existing in another, Thaller explained. (It's the quantum information about the object that goes from one place to another.)



"Quantum teleportation, we believe, probably works because every particle in the universe is connected to every other particle by a wormhole  by some sort of tie through space-time that we are only just becoming aware of now," Thaller said. "It is still theoretical at this point, but we believe that our experiments really require that to be true."

Now, scientists are exploring the separation between space and time, Thaller said. "There may be a very deep, underlying, physical connection that we can use to make a warp drive or teleporter. That [idea] is real; it is what is actually going on in modern physics right now."

Additional reporting by Samantha Mathewson, Space.com staff writer, from New York City. Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

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Copyright 2016 SPACE.com, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Miami (AFP) - The US space agency counted down Thursday to its first mission to collect dust from an asteroid, the kind of cosmic body that may have delivered life-giving materials to Earth billions of years ago.

The unmanned spacecraft, known as OSIRIS-REx, is poised to blast off at 7:05 pm (23:05 GMT) atop an Atlas V rocket in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The weather forecast is 90 percent favorable for liftoff.

The $800 million mission will travel for two years on a journey to Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid about the size of a small mountain.

Bennu was chosen from the some 500,000 asteroids in the solar system because it orbits close to Earth's path around the sun, it is the right size for scientific study, and it is one of the oldest asteroids known to NASA.

"For primitive, carbon-rich asteroids like Bennu, materials are preserved from over four and a half billion years ago," explained Christina Richey, OSIRIS-REx deputy program scientist at NASA.

These "may be the precursors to life in Earth or elsewhere in our solar system."

OSIRIS-REx's main goal is to gather dirt and debris from the surface of the asteroid and return it to Earth by 2023 for further study.

Learning more about the origins of life and the beginning of the solar system are key objectives for the SUV-sized OSIRIS-REx, which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security-Regolith Explorer.

The mission should also shed light on how to find precious resources such as water and metals in asteroids, a field that has generated increasing interest worldwide.

"We are going to map this brand-new world that we have never seen before," said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator and professor at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

Using a suite of cameras, lasers and spectrometers, "we are really going to understand the distribution of materials across the surface of that asteroid," he added.

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"We are a trailblazer for that kind of activity because our science requires it."

The spacecraft is expected to reach Bennu in August 2018 and spend two years studying it before it begins the sample collection attempt in July 2020.

- 'Gentle high five' -

NASA hopes the solar-powered OSIRIS-REx will bring back the largest payload of space samples since the Apollo era of the 1960s and 1970s, when American explorers collected and carried back to Earth some 800 pounds (360 kilograms) of moon rocks.

The collection device, known as the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), should pick up about two ounces (60 grams) from the asteroid, but in tests so far it has generally picked up five times that amount.

TAGSAM contains a type of reverse-vacuum mechanism that was invented by a Lockheed Martin engineer who tested the concept a decade ago using a red plastic Solo cup in his driveway.

The spacecraft will not land on the asteroid, but will get very close and reach out with an arm like a pogo-stick for a quick, three-to-five second maneuver.

Rich Kuhns, OSIRIS-REx program manager with Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, described the movement as a "gentle high-five."

The sample collector will shoot a bit of compressed air at the asteroid and gather the dust it kicks up in a container.

"Three-quarters of the sample will be set aside for future researchers -- for the science questions we haven't figured out to even ask yet," said Gordon Johnston, an OSIRIS-REx program executive at NASA headquarters.

NASA has also promised four percent of the sample to its major partner in the effort, Canada, and another half-percent to Japan.

- Orbital nudges -

Yet another aim of the mission is to measure how sunlight can nudge asteroids as they orbit, a phenomenon known as the Yarkovsky effect, so scientists can better predict the long-term risk of asteroids like Bennu colliding with Earth.

In 2135, Bennu is expected to pass just slightly within the moon's orbit, a "particularly close approach (that) will change Bennu's orbit by a small amount, which is uncertain at this time and which may lead to a potential impact on Earth sometime between 2175 and 2199," NASA said.

However, the risk of a collision during this 24-year period is low -- just 0.037 percent, or a one in 2,700 chance.

- Past missions -

It was the Japanese space agency JAXA that first proved sample collection from an asteroid was possible.

JAXA's Hayabusa spacecraft crash-landed into the surface of its target asteroid and managed to return a few micrograms of material in 2010.

In December 2014, JAXA launched a follow-on mission, Hayabusa 2, that should reach the asteroid Ryugu in 2018.

The Hayabusa 2 spacecraft is supposed to place a small lander named Mascot on the space rock's surface, and return asteroid samples by 2020.
From Popular Mechanics

In the early 1960's, when NASA was still figuring out how to create proper spacesuits, it needed a new kind of test subject-one that could objectively test the human body's reaction to the suits and simulate different kinds of body shapes and sizes. So they got a robot. You can now that buy that robot at auction.

Joe Slowik, an engineer at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, designed what would be called the "articulated dummy." It weighs 230 pounds and has a height adjustable from 5 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 2 inches. Underneath its aluminum skin lies a network of nylon tubes that circulates oil at a pressure of 1,000 pounds per square inch.

Slowik's robot could lifts its legs and arms. It could run in place. It could shake hands. However, those nylons tubes had the unfortunate tendency to leak. The fluid pressure needed to make all these movements was too great, and NASA couldn't risk oil contaminating their new spacesuits. Engineers eventually tried to solve the problem by dressing up the dummy in SCUBA gear.

Alas, the mechanical man was not long for NASA. The robot made it to the testing stage, but as retired NASA suit engineer Joe Kosmo told Smithsonian Magazine in May, while the articulated dummy was "impressive in the motions it could make, very humanlike motions" the challenge at hand was building a better spacesuit, not a better robot. After spending a modern equivalent of $2 million, NASA called it quits on the project in 1967.

The articulated dummy had a brief if fascinating post-NASA career. By the next year, it had been moved to Ohio's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base with the goal of converting it into a full-on android. The Air Force planned on replacing the dummy's hydraulic articulators with electronic ones and hooking it up to a computer to create a "learning machine." The Air Force shut down its bionics program later that year and Slowik's dummy was sold at auction, where it finds itself once again.

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Source: Engadget

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At the Toronto Film Festival this week, all eyes will be on Nate Parker. The actor, writer, director and producer of The Birth of a Nation will journey north of the border in hopes of salvaging a press tour that threatened to be derailed by a mounting controversy over his college rape trial.

Its a high-stakes gamble, one that will find Parker, who was acquitted by a juror of the charges, sitting for television interviews and holding a press conference. Not only will he invariably be grilled on his behavior that night 17 years ago, but every one of his answers will be picked over and analyzed, leaving little room for error.

Parkers initial handling of the subject in interviews with Variety and Deadline  in which he emphasized his innocence and said he had moved on  was widely seen as a disaster. Since then he has changed course, showing remorse for being a player in college and attempting to take stock of his own toxic masculinity. He has also suggested he may seek to incorporate the lessons he is learning about male privilege into the message of his film, which dramatizes the story of Nat Turners slave uprising in 1831.

But it will be a challenge  to say the least  for Parker to find acceptance as a spokesman on the issue of rape culture. Fox Searchlight has indicated that Parker will take the film to campus screenings, but he may find hostile audiences if he follows through with the plan. Activists say Parkers recent comments to Ebony Magazine, in which he said he was confronting his own privilege, show he still has much to learn.

I think its a terrible idea for him to go on campus educating about rape and rape culture, said Kamilah Willingham, an activist who appeared in The Hunting Ground, the campus rape documentary. He still doesnt get it. Hes trying to have it both ways.

Fox Searchlight declined to comment and a spokesman for Parker did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

While he has expressed some general regrets, Parker has avoided speaking about the details of the alleged rape, which occurred in 1999 when he was a student at Penn State. Parker and his roommate, Jean Celestin, were accused of raping an 18-year-old student while she was drunk and unconscious. They were also accused of harassing her afterwards when she took the matter to police. Parker was acquitted, while Celestin was found guilty. His conviction was later overturned on appeal. The victim committed suicide in 2012.

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In the Ebony interview, and in a talk at the Merge Conference, Parker acknowledged discarding women and mistreating them emotionally. But his critics see a world of difference between caddish behavior and rape. They are looking for him to move beyond buzzwords like toxic masculinity to a more direct acknowledgement of the pain he caused the victim.

It felt very superficial. I havent read anywhere where he respects or honors his victim at all, said Black Lives Matter activist Marissa Johnson, who wrote a piece critical of Parker at The Establishment. In the absence of such an acknowledgement, Johnson said she would prefer he remain silent on the subject.

Saying nothing is better than saying things that continue to be harmful, she said.

The subject poses a dilemma for Fox Searchlight, which purchased The Birth of a Nation at the Sundance Film Festival for a record $17.5 million. In its initial statement, the studio echoed Parkers insistence on his own innocence, stressing in a statement that Parker had been cleared of all charges. The statement seemed intended to put the matter firmly in the past  17 years ago, as Parker often stressed  and to avoid distracting from the films timely theme of confronting racism and bigotry.

But in the wake of the uproar, Parker said he was using the criticism to begin a journey of self-improvement, which he said would make him a better leader on issues of injustice. He said he was taking the first of many, many, many, many steps, one of which seemed to be addressing male privilege as part of the curriculum of the film.

Male privilege in a way is like white supremacy, he said at the Merge Conference. If racism ended tomorrow but violence against women didnt change, wed be in a spot still. So Im really just trying to wrap my head around how I can be a part  how that can be part of this curriculum of this film. How we can use this platform not just for one sliver of justice, but to deal with all injustice

Johnson suggested that one strategy would be for Parker to relinquish the stage to survivors of sexual abuse.

I dont want to hear you go speak about male privilege and toxic masculinity, she said. That says more about ego and wanting to prove to people youve been redeemed If youre actually trying to be like, Lets educate people, then you take the people most affected and give them your platform.

Instead of presenting a unified front, the cast of The Birth of a Nation has been grappling with the fallout from the revelations in a very public manner? and in real time. Co-star Gabrielle Union, who is a rape survivor, wrote an op/ed in the Los Angeles Times last week in which she discussed her own experience and criticized Parkers interpretation of consent as a college student. To construe the absence of a no as a yes, she wrote, is problematic at least, criminal at worst. At the same time, she defended the film, calling it ground-breaking and said she hoped the controversy could become an opportunity for progress.

But some activists are troubled by the film as well. The film portrays a rape  an invention not found in the historical record  as a cause for the uprising.

Thats really yucky to anyone whos aware of Nate Parkers past, Johnson said. He didnt need to put that in the story and chose to. I think thats going to be a big thing for people to get over.

Willingham said she was concerned that the rape is seen through the lens of the male characters.

That is such an old and played-out narrative, she said. I think black women are getting tired of slave narratives that are centered on mens experiences.

Its unclear how the controversy will affect Parkers plans to take the film to college campuses. The American Film Institute canceled a screening two weeks ago, which would have been mandatory for all students. Instead, the institute hosted a private conversation for students with critic Elvis Mitchell last week, and will reschedule an optional screening for sometime later in the fall.

Fox Searchlight is moving ahead with preview screenings at a number of other college campuses, including Yale University and the University of Miami. A spokesman for the Wexner Center for the Arts, which had been planning to screen the film at Ohio State University, said it had decided to move forward with its showing. The Wexner Center will host a panel discussion with faculty from across campus that will address the issues surrounding the film, and following the screening it will have a Q&A moderated by a faculty person who can address the historical content of the film.

Alex Ago, director of programming at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, said that a producer of the film, Jason Berman, will screen it for Leonard Maltins seminar class and do a Q&A .

We think its a very powerful movie, Ago said, noting that Berman would not shy away from the controversy. An academic forum is exactly the right place to be having these conversations amongst our students.

USC students will also be invited to a preview screening on the Fox lot on Sept. 20.

A screening is also set for the Whitney Humanities Center at Yale on Oct. 6, the day before the film is released on 1,500 screens nationwide. Helen Price, co-director of Unite Against Sexual Assault Yale, said that while the film is politically important, the rape case is particularly disturbing. She also seemed unmoved by Parkers Ebony interview.

I think the interview is more of the same really  the fact that he called up a couple sisters and made them explain to him how he messed up is yet another example of how women, particularly women of color, do a huge amount of thankless emotional labor trying to educate the men in their lives about issues such as this, she wrote.

Parker still has his defenders. Two weeks ago, four Penn State classmates of Parkers penned an 1,800-word open letter defending Parker and Celestins innocence and casting them as victims of blatant racism. They also pointed to the victims previous history of depression, attempting to deflect the claim that the rape led to the her suicide.

Two of the four authors, Brian and Lurie Favors, have served on the board of the Nate Parker Foundation. A third, Assata Richards, told Variety she wanted to correct what she felt were factual mistakes in the medias coverage of the case. She said Parker had not asked her to write the letter and that he had no involvement.

To call Nate Parker and Jean Celestin rapists after they have been through a full judicial process is irresponsible, she said. To put someone through that process and then to say, Oh wait, wait, wait, youre still guilty  that is not fair.

Its also unclear whether Parker will be met with protests when he screens the film at Toronto this week.

Sonya Barnett, co-founder of Torontos SlutWalk, a group that seeks to end rape culture, said she wasnt sure how to feel about the film or its maker.

I could object loudly to the screening, being on the side of assault victims, but as a white woman, I cannot tell people to protest a film on black slavery, she said. Its a messy situation, no matter how you try to spin it.

Related stories

Toronto Film Festival: 7 Burning Questions from Nate Parker to 'La La Land'

'Birth of a Nation's' Gabrielle Union Struggling With Nate Parker Rape Allegations

Nate Parker to Attend BFI London Film Festival With 'The Birth of a Nation'
Honolulu (AFP) - Some of the world's leading conservation groups are violating the rights of indigenous people by backing projects that oust them from their ancestral homes in the name of environmental preservation, a top UN expert said this week.

UN special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz's latest report documents killings, evictions and lands being used for resource extraction without native consent -- practices that affect millions of indigenous people across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

"Projects supported by major conservation organizations continue to displace local peoples from their ancestral homes," said Tauli-Corpuz, who gave a series of talks on her findings at the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress in Honolulu, the globe's largest gathering of conservation leaders.

While she refrained from naming names in her report, she told AFP the groups include the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"They know who they are," she said in an interview on the sidelines of the IUCN meeting, which has drawn 9,000 heads of states and environmentalists to Hawaii for a 10-day meeting.

"From the reports I have received, these big conservation groups are some of the main groups that should account for what has happened."

- Tigers or people -

In the past year, Tauli-Corpuz traveled to Honduras, Brazil, and to the Sami people in the Arctic regions of Finland, Norway and Sweden.

In Honduras, she met with an indigenous Lenca activist, Berta Caceres, four months before she was killed in March 2016 "because of her protests against the Agua Zarca dam project, even though she had been awarded precautionary protection measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights," said the report.

In Brazil, Tauli-Corpuz expressed deep concerns about "killings and violent evictions of the Kaiowa Guarani peoples in Mato Grosso (that) continue to take place."

Story continues

One of the main threats to the rights of the Sami people is the "increased drive to mineral extraction and the development of renewable energy projects," added the report.

According to the Rights and Resources Initiative, a non-governmental organization that backs indigenous rights, other rights violations remain unresolved too, include the eviction of local people in India's Kanha tiger reserve, even though evidence suggests people and tigers can co-inhabit the same area.

Nepal's Chure region was declared a conservation area in 2014 without consulting the leaders of the indigenous communities, who represent a population of five million people.

Local people have also been forced from their homes in Cameroon and Kenya.

Native people "are best equipped to protect the world's most threatened forests, and have been doing so for decades," said RRI Coordinator Andy White.

"Yet many conservation organizations and governments still treat them as obstacles to conservation rather than partners."

- Expanding problem -

Indigenous territory is increasingly being included in "protected areas," which have nearly doubled over the past two decades, from nearly 3.5 million square miles (nine million square kilometers) in 1980 to six million square kilometers in 2000, said the report.

Traditional indigenous lands tend to be particularly precious because they make up less than one quarter of the Earth's land surface but contain 80 percent of the planet's biodiversity, it said.

Certainly, the areas in question are ultimately managed by governments.

But conservation groups "are the ones that facilitate the money," Tauli-Corpuz said.

"They can do much more in terms of putting more pressure on the governments."

- 'Old story' -

Conservation's negative impact on indigenous people is "a constant and recurring theme since the establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples in 2001," said the report.

Indeed, the issue dates even further back, to when the United States violently expelled Native Americans from lands that were designated as Yellowstone National Park in 1872 and Yosemite National Park in 1890.

"That is an old story, and that is not the story that we as conservationists are trying to make happen today," said John Robinson, executive vice president for conservation and science at the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"If you look at the special rapporteur's report, she is mostly just talking about history."

But Tauli-Corpuz, an indigenous leader from the Kankanaey Igorot people of the Cordillera Region in the Philippines, disagreed.

"They say it is an old issue, it is like history. I say of course not," she told AFP.

"That is precisely why I am making the report. Because it continues up until the present."

- New challenges -

World Wildlife Fund Director General Marco Lambertini called the report an "important contribution to advancing good practice on indigenous rights in conservation."

"WWF is committed to working in collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities for the preservation and sustainable use of the natural resources," he added.

Conservation International's chairman and CEO Peter Seligmann agreed.

"Bottom line -- it is a core basic human right to make the choices and decisions of your own landscapes," he told AFP.

"I don't think there are any exceptions to that."

Tauli-Corpuz plans to present her report at the UN General Assembly later this month, in the hopes of pressuring governments to cease rights abuses.

In the meantime, she said conservation groups "are not doing enough" to support indigenous rights.

"All this talk about conserving nature, sometimes it is just talk," she said.
From Country Living

After a number of past Fixer Upper projects popped up as vacation rentals throughout Waco, Texas, Chip and Joanna Gaines issued a statement expressing their concern for the trend-but theyre not the only ones upset.

Neighbors of the gorgeous barndominium protested the conversion of the home into a vacation rental, which would attract a growing number of people to the small 6,500-person town, according to WacoTrib.com.

The new homeowner, Kristi Bass, who acquired the property from the the client family featured on the third season of Fixer Upper, requested a permit for the home to be turned into a business property from the Lacy Lakeview City Council. During the August 25 council meeting, 18 people spoke out against Kristis plans for the space.

Dennis Hovde, the barndominiums next-door neighbor was one of them. To me, its a no-brainer. They cant allow it, he said. Im going to fight this tooth and nail because I do not want this.

Nearby residents are concerned about traffic in the area, large groups crowding the lake, and how the designation could affect property values.

As it stands, the city ordinances and zoning codes dont cover the type of business Kristi wants to run on the property, causing the decision by the council to be postponed. However, city staffers plan to look into, then create, proper laws for the area during their September 13 council meeting.

Bass said she looks forward to renting out the space, and plans to hold it to a higher degree of responsibility to the property and neighborhood.

I plan to keep this a very exclusive and remote spot for high-end clientele, she added.

Currently, the barndominum is already booked for most of the fall with smaller family groups.

(h/t WacoTrib.com)

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(Adds quote from lawyer, adds context)

By Liana B. Baker

Sept 7 (Reuters) - Investment manager T. Rowe Price Group Inc expressed opposition to Oracle Corp's proposed acquisition of U.S. cloud computing company NetSuite Inc, saying the $9.3 billion deal price is too low.

In a letter NetSuite made public on Wednesday, T. Rowe told the company's board that it would not tender its shares. This could put pressure on Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison to consider making a new offer to combine his software company with NetSuite, in which he holds a 40 percent stake.

A majority of NetSuite shareholders not affiliated with Ellison must tender their shares for the deal to happen. As the company's largest shareholder after Ellison with an 18 percent stake, T. Rowe could significantly influence the outcome.

Large mutual fund managers rarely make their views public. Most prefer to pressure corporate executives in private meetings or to sell shares of companies whose strategies they question, although T. Rowe has been the occasional exception.

Chris Davis, a partner in law firm Kleinberg Kaplan who focuses on M&A and activism, welcomed T. Rowe's letter, because it gives companies "clear guidelines for the future about what they will have to do to satisfy their most sophisticated institutional shareholders."

T. Rowe, NetSuite and Oracle declined to comment.

Oracle said in July that it would buy NetSuite for $109 per share in cash to increase its ability to help its corporate customers automate administrative operations.

NetSuite stock was trading just above that price at $109.30 on Wednesday, indicating some investors expected a new deal.

T. Rowe said it was disappointed NetSuite did not reach out to other potential buyers before agreeing on a price with Oracle.

"At $109 per share, our preference is for NetSuite to remain independent," T. Rowe said.

It added that potential bidders would probably avoid NetSuite because of its "unique relationship" with Ellison.

Story continues

"In our view, the inherent conflicts of interest between NetSuite, the Ellison entities and Oracle are daunting and may be impossible to manage," T. Rowe said.

T. Rowe, however, said it appreciated some conditions NetSuite put into place, such as the minimum acceptance threshold in the tender offer. NetSuite also formed a special committee of independent board members to consider the deal.

In 2013, T. Rowe opposed Michael Dell's deal to take his eponymous computer maker private.

Shareholders can take legal action if they believe a deal undervalues their company, provided they do not tender their shares. Dell had to pay tens of millions of dollars to shareholders following such a lawsuit.

(Additional reporting by Ross Kerber in Boston and Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Tom Brown and Lisa Von Ahn)
By Liana B. Baker

(Reuters) - Investment manager T. Rowe Price Group Inc expressed opposition to Oracle Corp's proposed acquisition of U.S. cloud computing company NetSuite Inc, saying the $9.3 billion deal price is too low.

In a letter NetSuite made public on Wednesday, T. Rowe told the company's board that it would not tender its shares. This could put pressure on Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison to consider making a new offer to combine his software company with NetSuite, in which he holds a 40 percent stake.

A majority of NetSuite shareholders not affiliated with Ellison must tender their shares for the deal to happen. As the company's largest shareholder after Ellison with an 18 percent stake, T. Rowe could significantly influence the outcome.

Large mutual fund managers rarely make their views public. Most prefer to pressure corporate executives in private meetings or to sell shares of companies whose strategies they question, although T. Rowe has been the occasional exception.

Chris Davis, a partner in law firm Kleinberg Kaplan who focuses on M&A and activism, welcomed T. Rowe's letter, because it gives companies "clear guidelines for the future about what they will have to do to satisfy their most sophisticated institutional shareholders."

T. Rowe, NetSuite and Oracle declined to comment.

Oracle said in July that it would buy NetSuite for $109 per share in cash to increase its ability to help its corporate customers automate administrative operations.

NetSuite stock was trading just above that price at $109.30 on Wednesday, indicating some investors expected a new deal.

T. Rowe said it was disappointed NetSuite did not reach out to other potential buyers before agreeing on a price with Oracle.

"At $109 per share, our preference is for NetSuite to remain independent," T. Rowe said.

It added that potential bidders would probably avoid NetSuite because of its "unique relationship" with Ellison.

"In our view, the inherent conflicts of interest between NetSuite, the Ellison entities and Oracle are daunting and may be impossible to manage," T. Rowe said.

Story continues

T. Rowe, however, said it appreciated some conditions NetSuite put into place, such as the minimum acceptance threshold in the tender offer. NetSuite also formed a special committee of independent board members to consider the deal.

In 2013, T. Rowe opposed Michael Dells deal to take his eponymous computer maker private.

Shareholders can take legal action if they believe a deal undervalues their company, provided they do not tender their shares. Dell had to pay tens of millions of dollars to shareholders following such a lawsuit.

(Additional reporting by Ross Kerber in Boston and Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Tom Brown and Lisa Von Ahn)
From Esquire

This world may be an absolute shitstorm, but today, Newt Gingrich perfectly displayed his own ridiculous hypocrisy.

Today, while speaking with Sean Hannity on his radio program, the former House Speaker delivered a conspiracy story about Hillary Clinton's health after she coughed intermittently during a Labor Day rally in Ohio. (Because we couldn't possibly have a lady president who's prone to coughing! She already gets a period!)

"This coughing stuff, I hope [Hillary's] all right," Gingrich said. "It's a little disturbing."

"It lasted for four minutes and 20 seconds this weekend," Hannity added. "I think we need to know if she's healthy."

And then, Gingrich coughed. Oh, the irony.

"Now you sound like Hillary," Hannity joked, before wildly trying to distinguish the two: "By the way, yours didn't last four minutes and 20 seconds, thank God."

"No, I'm in good shape," Gingrich replied. "At least I'm in better shape than Hillary."

"A three-second cough does not equate to a four-minute-and-20-second cough," Hannity agreed. (Didn't you know you're supposed to time your coughs, Hillary?)

"That's true," Gingrich said, while adding that he travels so much and speaks so much that his "throat dries out."

These moments don't come often, folks, so drink it in.

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ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's military said on Wednesday it had arrested a suspected leader of the Niger Delta Avengers militant group and other men accused of attacking oil and gas infrastructure. Soldiers, backed up by the air force and security officers, detained Isaac Romeo with two other men over the weekend in Calabar, the capital of Cross River state in the Delta region, the military said. Authorities picked up a fourth man on Tuesday in Edo state, north of Delta state. He is thought to be responsible for an attack on a pipeline operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Nigerian energy company Shoreline last month, the military added. The Avengers were one of the most active groups blamed for a string of attacks that have taken out more than 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil production this year. They declared a ceasefire late last month in an open letter to the government, but the military is continuing to arrest suspected militants for fear of further attacks during talks. (Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Libby George; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Lausanne (AFP) - International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, who will not attend the opening ceremony of the Rio Paralympics later Wednesday, has no plans to travel to Brazil "at this present time," the IOC said.

It will be the first time since 1984 that a president of the IOC has failed to be at an opening ceremony and there are suggestions that the no-show has to do with divisions over the Paralympic committee's outright ban on Russian athletes.

Local media also said that Brazilian authorities wanted to hear from Bach on the case of top Irish Olympic official Patrick Hickey, who was arrested at dawn on August 17 at a luxury Rio hotel over an alleged ticket scam.

Bach had instead been scheduled to attend a mourning ceremony for the late West German president Walter Scheel that meant he could not attend the opening gala in Rio "as originally planned", the IOC said in remarks to AFP.

"At this present time there are no plans for the president to travel to Brazil," it added.

And addressing the reports in Globo and other local media that Brazilian authorities want to talk to Bach about Hickey, the IOC said: "The IOC cannot comment on a newspaper story nor on the ongoing legal procedure against Mr Hickey for whom the presumption of innocence prevails.

"For the IOC it goes without saying that it will cooperate on this matter."
The death of Communist China's founding father Mao Zedong 40 years ago this week was akin to the demise of an emperor and helped pave the way for the modern nation, says one of the few Westerners in Beijing at the time.

Ragnar Baldursson, a young Marxist from Iceland, was a student in Beijing in September 1976 when, after a year of upheavals, authorities announced the unthinkable -- Mao was dead.

The end of Mao's rule -- which saw the death of tens of millions from persecution or starvation -- opened the way for massive economic reforms that would lift vast numbers out of poverty and end decades of isolation.

"China today is a product of that period," Baldursson, today a diplomat at the Icelandic embassy in Beijing, told AFP.

In 1975 he was one of the first handful of western students admitted to study in China since the Cultural Revolution began roiling the country nine years previously.

He entered the Beijing Foreign Languages Institute to study philosophy at a time when portraits of the Great Helmsman were ubiquitous and Maoist slogans blared from loudspeakers every morning to wake students.

He himself fell asleep "dreaming of Mao", said Baldursson, who published a memoir, "Nineteen Seventy Six", earlier this year.

He was the youngest member of the Marxist-Leninist Organisation of Iceland, and came to the People's Republic on a Chinese government scholarship.

Young radicals at the time "thought that Mao's China could be the solution" to Europe's social problems, he said, but for him, Maoism "was more an intellectual exercise".

Once in China he quickly became frustrated that professors stubbornly avoided political topics.

A foreign contemporary of his at the school, Peter Peverelli of the Netherlands, told AFP the institution echoed with "many political slogans" that foreigners struggled to understand, and whose political significance was unclear.

Story continues

Peverelli spent a week in a people's commune in the countryside and Baldursson was invited to visit a model factory. The workers, he recalled, professed fierce nationalism but the tools that were supposedly "made in China" bore Western brand names.

Nowadays urban China is unrecognisable from that era -- its teeming, towering cities transformed by the capitalism introduced under Deng Xiaoping in the decades following Mao.

- 'Year of the fire dragon' -

In the Chinese calendar 1976 was the "Year of the Fire Dragon", and the traditional designation heralded an era of political upheavals.

One million Chinese -- joined by Peverelli -- gathered in Tiananmen Square in April to pay tribute to late premier Zhou Enlai after his death earlier in the year, and to denounce Mao's circle in biting poems.

It brought the infighting between reformers and the "Gang of Four" led by Mao's wife to a head. The giant plaza was violently cleared on April 5, and Peverelli recalled that universities soon saw an outbreak of slogans attacking "capitalist" Deng Xiaoping.

In September, after a summer marked by the massive Tangshan earthquake -- whose shockwaves shook Beijing buildings -- students were stunned by the solemn announcement that Mao had died on September 9.

"It was difficult to conceive of a China without Chairman Mao. People looked grim but I didn't see anyone crying, unlike after the death of Premier Zhou," wrote Baldursson in his book. "Instead everyone was quiet. We were in shock: Mao's omnipresence was an inalienable part of New China."

An order to make wreaths led to the stripping of every branch on a cypress hedge on campus. Foreign students then went to pay their respects before Mao's remains.

"His face did not look good. It was bloated and the colour of his skin looked off," Baldursson recalled.

A month later, Hua Guofeng had the Gang of Four arrested and took power. Baldursson was in Tiananmen Square to see the new party chief hailed by crowds at the entrance of the Forbidden City.

"Standing in the midst of the crowd, I had a revelation: I was witnessing a crucial moment of China's history -- a dynastical shift," he wrote.

"A new emperor was being enthroned," he said. The surrounding jargon was Marxist, but "the scenario didn't fit the Marxism-Leninism that I had studied".

Restaurants and shops in his neighbourhood ran out of beer. "It was sold out because of the fall of the Gang of Four, the comrade serving us explained. People had been celebrating."

The nature of the transfer epitomised Mao's "failure to bring about a break with China's imperial past", he wrote.

Even so, he told AFP, "Mao cleared the ground for the changes that later happened, even though it was definitely not in accordance with his political dogma."
Sept 7 (Reuters) - Noble Midstream Partners LP expects to raise as much as $263 million in its initial public offering after withdrawing plans to go public earlier.

The wholly owned unit of Noble Energy Inc said on Wednesday it expects to price the offering of 12.5 million common units at between $19 and $21.

The Houston, Texas-based company shelved its plan to go public in November due to a slump in oil prices. It first filed for an IPO on Oct. 22.

This year marks a rough patch for IPOs. Freeport-McMoRan Inc's oil and gas business withdrew its IPO in May as weak oil prices dented valuations of oil producers.

Only two or three oil and gas producers are expected to start trading by the end of 2016, sources had told Reuters.

Further offerings, as many as eight more, could have IPOs by mid-2017 depending on shareholder reception and the price of oil, they said.

Barclays, Baird, J.P. Morgan, BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, and Deutsche Bank Securities are among underwriters to the Noble Midstream offering.

(Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru)
North Korea on Wednesday rejected a UN Security Council statement condemning the reclusive state for its latest missile tests and threatening to take "further significant measures".

"The DPRK categorically rejects this as an intolerable act of encroaching upon its dignity, right to existence, sovereignty and right to self-defence," a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of North Korea was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as saying.

The statement by officials in Pyongyang follows the test-firing by North Korea of three ballistic missiles on Monday, as world powers gathered for a G20 meeting in China, with leader Kim Jong-Un hailing the tests as "perfect".

In a meeting to consider a response to the tests, the 15-member Council said the launches were "in grave violation" of North Korea's international obligations and UN Security Council resolutions, warning it would closely monitor the situation.

The document was adopted unanimously, including by Pyongyang's only ally China.

UN resolutions bar North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology, but Pyongyang has nevertheless conducted a fourth nuclear test and a series of missile tests this year, prompting South Korea to announce plans to deploy a US anti-missile system to counter such threats.

The isolated communist state has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006.

KCNA reported that Kim personally oversaw Monday's missile firing, and vowed that the isolated state would continue to build its nuclear arsenal.

The North will continue to bolster "the nuclear force in a phased way in this historic year", the spokesman said.

US President Barack Obama held talks on Tuesday with his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye on the sidelines of a regional summit in Laos.

Obama said after the meeting in Vientiane that North Korea needed to know that "provocations will only invite more pressure and further deepen its isolation".

Story continues

Last month, North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile from the northeastern port of Sinpo that far exceeded the range of the country's previous sub-launched missiles.

Kim described the August test as the "greatest success" and said it put the US mainland within striking range.

The launch was widely condemned by the US and other major powers, but analysts saw it as a clear step forward for North Korea's nuclear strike ambitions.
With everything from the fear of deadly snakes to alleged executions by anti-aircraft gun, its understandable why many North Koreans desire to flee the Hermit Kingdom.

Whats interesting to note, however, is the economic class of defectors that have found their way out of North Korea. According to a survey from the Korean Unification Ministry, the percentage of defectors from the middle-class rose from 19% in 2001 to 55.9% after 2014.

The increase stems from the fact that more defectors from higher statuses in the North possess the resources to escape, said the Unification Ministry.

So far this year, 894 North Koreans have escaped the country, compared to the 777 in the previous year during the same period. The Unification Ministry claims that this 15% increase is on track to bring the total amount of defectors to 30,000 by the end of the year.

Although the reasons to cross the border, or in some exceptional cases remain away from, are numerous, its noteworthy that one of their highly publicized punishments in North Korea seems to have decreased: North Korea leader Kim Jong Un is estimated to have executed about 130 officials in the 5 years hes been in power, while Kim Jong Il, his father, had put to death over 2,000 officials in a 6 year span.

The latest high-profile defection comes from Thae Yong-Ho, North Koreas deputy ambassador to London, who has since been accused by his former country of leaking state secrets, embezzlement, and child rape. As one of the highest-ranking North Korean officials to have defected, it wouldnt be far fetched to believe that others will eventually follow suit.

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More From Business Insider


* Fund divests from U.S. power firm and subsidiaries

* Says reason is "risk of severe environmental damage"

* Duke Energy says disappointed but not surprised by decision (Adds comment from Duke Energy)

By Gwladys Fouche

OSLO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Norway's $900-billion wealth fund can no longer invest in Duke Energy, the biggest U.S. power firm by generation capacity, due to alleged breaches of environmental law at its coal-fired plants, Norway's central bank said on Wednesday.

The fund, which owns 1.3 percent of the world's listed company equity with stakes in some 9,050 firms, is barred from investing in companies that make nuclear weapons, anti-personnel landmines or tobacco, among other ethical criteria.

Duke Energy and its subsidiaries Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress and Energy Progress Inc were excluded "based on an assessment of the risk of severe environmental damage", the central bank's board said in a statement.

At the end of 2015, the Norwegian fund, the world's largest, held 0.62 percent of Duke Energy, a stake worth $304 million, but it has since sold the shares in Duke and its subsidiaries.

The board's decision was based on a recommendation by the ethics watchdog for the fund, the Council on Ethics.

"For many years, these companies have, among other things, repeatedly discharged environmentally harmful substances from a large number of ash basins at coal-fired power plants in North Carolina," the watchdog said in a separate statement.

"Several court rulings have ordered the companies to remove or seal these ash basins. In its assessment, the Council places emphasis on the fact that the planned measures will not be fully implemented for another 10-15 years," the ethics council said.

The council also said it perceived, "the long-lasting and extensive breaches of the environmental legislation to be a considerable risk factor".

Duke Energy said the fund had signalled its intention for some time but it was nevertheless disappointed.

Story continues

"It is unfortunate that (the fund) did not consider Duke Energy's proactive actions to enhance our environmental stewardship and close ash basins across our jurisdictions," the firm said in an emailed statement to Reuters, adding that it had made "significant progress".

"Since 2011, we have retired more than 40 coal units across our generation fleet and this process will continue," it added.

Some 113 companies and their subsidiaries have so far been excluded from the wealth fund on ethical grounds. Two are under observation, including Brazil's state oil company Petrobras .

(Editing by David Clarke and Elaine Hardcastle)
Oslo (AFP) - Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's biggest, has placed US group Duke Energy and three subsidiaries on its blacklist for causing "unacceptable" environmental damage, Norway's central bank said Wednesday.

The fund, which is worth around 7.35 trillion kroner (800 billion euros, $900 billion), has sold itsstakes in the companies in line with a recommendation from its Ethics Council in April.

The Council said at the time: "For many years, these companies have among other things repeatedly discharged environmentally harmful substances from a large number of ash basins at coal-fired power plants in North Carolina."

Despite several court rulings ordering the companies to remove or seal these ash basins, the planned measures are not expected to be fully implemented for another 10-15 years, the Council said.

The fund's decisions influence the market. In addition to the immediate financial consequences for the companies, the fund's moves are also closely watched and copied by other investors around the world.

The Norwegian fund's investment policy is run according to strict ethical guidelines, with a focus on sustainable economic, environmental and social development.

Those rules bar it from investing in companies accused of serious violations of human rights, child labour or serious environmental damage, as well as manufacturers of "particularly inhumane" arms, tobacco firms and companies who generate more than 30 percent of their sales from the coal business.

The fund has holdings in around 9,000 companies, owning the equivalent of 1.3 percent of world stock market capitalisation.
(Removes superfluous company RIC in RIC field)

OSLO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Norway's $900-billion wealth fund, the world's largest, can no longer invest in Duke Energy , the biggest U.S. power company by generation capacity, and its subsidiaries, the board of the Norwegian central bank said on Wednesday.

"The companies are excluded based on an assessment of the risk of severe environmental damage," the board said in a statement.

The board's decision is based on a recommendation by the ethics watchdog for the fund, the Council on Ethics.

"For many years, these companies have among other things repeatedly discharged environmentally harmful substances from a large number of ash basins at coal-fired power plants in North Carolina," the watchdog said in a separate statement.

Duke Energy was not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Gwladys Fouche, editing by Terje Solsvik)
Berlin (AFP) - Germany on Wednesday warned Britain against negotiating free trade deals with non-EU member states before it quits the bloc, after Prime Minister Theresa May sought to drum up commerce agreements during a G20 summit in China.

"As spokesman of the German government, I am not going to judge who the British prime minister holds talks with," Steffen Seibert told journalists in Berlin.

But he stressed that "it is clear that an EU member state cannot hold bilateral talks on free trade deals with non-EU states as long as it remains a member of the EU".

Britain voted in June to leave the EU, but has not formally started the process to do so.

Berlin has repeatedly said that it and other EU members would not begin exit negotiations with London before it triggers the EU's Article 50 process to leave.

But May is under strong pressure at home to define what a post-Brexit world would look like, and one of her key challenges would be renegotiating Britain's access to world markets -- an issue that Brussels currently undertakes on its behalf.

The British leader sought to use the occasion of the G20 to discuss free trade deals with non-EU states, meeting Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to discuss a possible agreement.

India, Mexico, South Korea and Singapore had signalled they would "welcome" talks on removing trade barriers, she said.
Police are hunting for a man they say stole a banner with a mural hanging inside East River Park. The theft took place on August 20, and earlier reports indicate its the second time the mural has been stolen. The suspect fled the scene in a gray Honda Element, according to police, and was assisted by a blond woman, who is not in the video.

The mural is part of art created by Kenny Scharf for the park, called NEVERENDINGOGO, and was commissioned by the Friends of the East River Esplanade. He also created a painted totem for the park exhibit. The banner was stolen for the first time in June, and Scharf later replaced it, according to a DNAinfo report. The artwork was estimated as being worth $2,000. Credit: New York Police Department
Vientiane (AFP) - President Barack Obama attends a farewell dinner with Southeast Asian leaders Wednesday, capping eight years of careful courtship that has created new friends, but left links frayed with America's oldest regional ally -- Thailand.

When Obama looks around the gala dinner table in Vientiane, he will find a bevy of new partners.

His engagement with former Communist foes in Vietnam and now Laos is slowly easing the bloody burden of history, in much the same way as his opening to Cuba.

More striking still will be the presence of Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent much of the last three decades held prisoner by a brutal military junta.

Obama's engagement with Myanmar -- a country he has twice visited -- has butressed a political transformation, helping convince the generals to share power with Suu Kyi's democratically elected government.

"Just sitting back and criticizing countries has a limit in terms of what it can achieve," said Ben Rhodes, an Obama aide who has worked closely on the US' policy to Myanmar.

Where George W. Bush routinely skipped meetings with Southeast Asian heads of state, Obama -- perhaps unsurprisingly for someone who spent a chunk of his childhood in Indonesia -- has been a regular visitor.

- Bouquets and brickbats -

But the trips have not all been plain sailing, as Obama was reminded this week when he was labelled a "son of a whore" by firebrand Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte.

Yet experts say it is Thailand that represents the starkest failure to leverage US diplomatic power in the region.

Two military coups in quick succession have damaged relations with Bangkok, a treaty ally and regional powerhouse whose relations with Washington date back more than 180 years.

The US has not been able to prod the generals into restoring elections or easing controls on dissent.

Notoriously prickly junta leader, Prayut Chan-O-Cha, has also frequently bristled at US criticism of the darkening human rights environment in his country.

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Even the smallest diplomatic slight, perceived or imagined, has the ability to sour relations further.

When Prime Minister Prayut talked to Obama on the margins of the US-ASEAN summit in Sunnylands, California, this year, US and Thai sources said the junta leader felt bridges were being rebuilt following the coup.

But on landing in Bangkok he was furious when told a mid-level State Department official had publicly berated his government's human rights record.

A Thai official told AFP that public opinion in his country could ultimately swing against the United States.

For their part, US officials point out that Thailand's latest coup left Washington with little room to manoeuvre.

"We did the bare minimum we had to do under the law," said one former Obama official, referencing a near $5 million cut in military aid immediately after the last coup in 2014.

But the US has not scrapped wider military co-operation, including annual war games held by the kingdom.

Still, some American officials worry that Thailand is being pushed too far towards its powerhouse neighbour China.

That could be particularly damaging given the context of a "once in a century reordering of political and economic power in Thailand," driven by a looming royal succession, according to Ernest Bower, a Southeast Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

With army power entrenched by a new constitution, the military are set to be a key player in the new political order.

The Thai military used to be "partnered almost exclusively with the United States and that is changing," said Des Walton, a former defense attache in Bangkok.

"They are expanding relations notably with China and Russia," he said. "At face value I don't see how that is consistent with US interests."

- Too late for Obama -

Thailand remains strategically pivotal to US regional interests.

"If you go from Korea all the way down to Thailand there is a huge swath which is basically all China, where the United States doesn't have access to mainland Asia. Thailand is it," he added.

But fears Thai public opinion could swing against the United States, may be premature.

While royalist conservatives hiss at any US condemnation of the junta, wider trade, education and diplomacy links remain strong.

Beijing does not criticise the junta, but it has so far failed to deliver on several gilded promises of support for major infrastructure projects.

Some in Washington believe that provides an opportunity for rapprochement.

But it may be too late for Obama.

"I think only presidential intervention would make a difference and that is not going to happen with the Obama administration," said Bower.

The White House says another pull-aside meeting with Prayut is unlikely to take place in Laos, even if they are in the same dining room together.
U.S. President Barack Obama visited a street market in Luang Prabang on Wednesday (September 7), where he greeted residents and tasted fresh coconut. He walked near the river of Mekong where women sell coconut drinks and tasted the local refreshment, posing for photographs and conversing with locals. Obama arrived in Laos Tuesday morning (September 6), becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit landlocked Laos, where the United States waged a "secret war" while fighting in Vietnam, dropping an estimated two million tonnes of bombs on the country. Obama's visit follows his attendance at the G20 summit in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. He is also due to attend an annual international gathering in the Southeast Asian region.
Vientiane (AFP) - Barack Obama met briefly with Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, their two governments said, days after the firebrand politician branded the US president a "son of a whore".

The encounter took place just before a dinner during a summit of regional leaders in Laos, officials indicated.

"They met at the holding room and they were the last people to leave the holding room. I can't say how long they met," Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, travelling with Duterte, told reporters shortly afterwards.

"I'm very happy that it happened."

In a terse statement, the White House said only that "Obama had a brief discussion with President Duterte before the ASEAN Gala Dinner in the leaders' hold space."

"The exchange consisted of pleasantries between the two."

Obama cancelled Tuesday's planned meeting with Duterte on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-hosted summit after the notoriously acid-tongued Philippine president launched a barrage of insults the previous day.

His outburst was prompted by US assertions that Obama planned to raise the issue of Duterte's war on crime that has claimed 3,000 lives in just over two months.

"You must be respectful. Do not just throw away questions and statements. Son of a whore, I will curse you in that forum," Duterte told reporters when asked about his message for Obama.

"We will be wallowing in the mud like pigs if you do that to me."

Obama initially responded by calling Duterte a "colourful guy", but then called off the meeting after the international media reported heavily on the issue.

The snub was a spectacular setback for relations between the United States and Philippines, which are longtime allies and are bound by a mutual defence treaty to help each other in times of war.

The two countries also appeared to clash over the meaning of satellite imagery showing Chinese activity on a disputed reef off the coast of the Philippines.

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Releasing the images Duterte's government said they had evidence China was taking steps to begin dredging -- a major escalation.

The White House tried to play down the claim, saying it believed Chinese activity in the area was at the same level as previous months.

Yasay sought to characterise Wednesday's meeting as proof the alliance was strong enough to withstand such hiccups.

"It all springs from the fact that the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong," Yasay said.

Nevertheless, Duterte's office earlier Wednesday released a statement saying he would sit next to Obama at the gala dinner.

"The media from all over the world, including from the Philippines, are up in excitement as each await the event where the two leaders will possibly say something positive," the statement from the presidential palace said.

However Obama did not sit next to Duterte.
Vientiane (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Wednesday met a survivor maimed by American bombs covertly dropped on Laos decades ago after pledging to help clean up a country he said was still living in the shadow of war.

A day after announcing $90 million to survey and remove unexploded ordinance, Obama visited a US-backed NGO which helps provide prosthetics to the tens of thousands maimed by US munitions.

Between 1964 and 1973 a secret CIA-led operation to cut supplies to the Vietcong resulted in two million tons of ordinance being dropped on Laos -- more than the combined total dropped on both Japan and Germany during World War Two.

Much of the country is still littered with deadly munitions, including millions of cluster "bomblets" that kill to this day.

"For many people, war is something people read about in books," Obama said while touring a facility where crutches and prosthetic legs of all sizes were strewn.

Among the people he met was Thoummy Silamphan who at the age of eight had a bomb rip though his right hand while he was foraging for bamboo shoots.

"For the people of Laos, this war was no secret," Obama said. "For the people of Laos, the war was also something that was not contained to the battlefield."

"For the last four decades, the people of Laos have lived under the shadow of war."

Obama has said that the United States has a moral obligation to clean up, while refraining from offering a formal apology for a campaign the American people did not know about.

By increasing aid Washington wants to close an unedifying chapter of its history and build new ties with a small country that sits at heart of South East Asia.
Obama takes his final presidential trip to Asia President Barack Obama pauses in the Ho Raj Rod, or Carriage House, as he tours the Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Barack Obama embarked this week on his 11th and final presidential trip to Asia, a voyage that could be his last serious shot at shaping Americas complex ties with China before he cedes what is arguably the worlds most important bilateral state relationship to his successor. (Olivier Knox/Yahoo News)

See FULL STORY by Olivier Knox/Yahoo News

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By Steve Bittenbender

(Reuters) - At least eight people in the Cincinnati area who died of heroin drug overdoses since mid-July had traces of a drug used to tranquilize elephants in their bodies, a coroner said Tuesday.

At least five other overdose deaths since mid-July are suspected to be connected to heroin laced with carfentanil, Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco told a news conference.

The coroner's office is awaiting the test results on those cases, she said.

Authorities expect that tally to rise as they test blood and urine samples from older cases, Sammarco added.

Drug users might not know they are taking the drug. Dealers may be adding it to heroin to boost their supply or the effects, authorities said.

Carfentanil is roughly 10,000 times more potent than morphine, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Throughout Ohio, the number of overdose deaths rose from 2,531 in 2014 to 3,050 last year, and the number of fentanyl-related overdose fatalities surged from just 84 in 2013 to 1,155 in 2015.

The Ohio deaths come as authorities in several parts of the United States are grappling with opioid and heroin crises. For example, in Scott County, Indiana, a rural county 75 miles southwest of Cincinnati, a state of emergency was declared last year after the number of HIV cases skyrocketed due to the use of intravenous pain killers.

Sammarco, the county coroner, said the strength of the powerful sedative renders "conventional treatment methods for overdoses not as effective."

Last week, officials in Kentucky, one state to the south of Ohio, issued a public health advisory urging hospitals to stock up on antidotes to drug overdoses after law enforcement agencies reported illicit drugs mixed with other, legal substances were coming into the state.

According to a press release, officials in Kentucky said they anticipated heroin and other drugs were being laced with fentanyl, an addictive and powerful opioid, and being distributed within the state.

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Hiram Polk, the Kentucky Department for Public Health Commissioner, likened the drug scourge to a tornado and said it was "tied to a number of overdoses, hospitalizations and deaths across the county and needs public attention now."

Sammarco said some of the batches her offices has tested included traces of carfentanil and fentanyl.

(Reporting by Steve Bittenbender in Louisville, Kentucky; Editing by Eric M. Johnson)
By Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton

TULSA, Okla. (Reuters) - An Oklahoma man has been taken into custody on a murder charge on suspicion that he beat and sexually abused the 1-year-old daughter of his girlfriend, police said on Monday.

Cody Johnson, 30, and his girlfriend brought an unresponsive Sawyer Jefferson to a Tulsa hospital on Saturday, saying that the girl had tripped over her pajamas and fallen on a toy.

Doctors found that the girl had multiple bruises and was bleeding from her vagina and rectum, Johnson's arrest report said. No lawyer for him was listed on the document.

The girl was placed on life support and later died at the hospital.

Johnson was arrested on Sunday on charges of first-degree murder of a minor, child abuse and sexual abuse of a minor.

As of Monday morning, Johnson was in the Tulsa County Jail. Bond has been set at $100,000 for the two abuse complaints with no bond given for the murder complaint.

(Reporting by Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Frances Kerry)
By Kathryn Doyle (Reuters Health) - Among people in their mid-50s or older who report having frequent, enjoyable sex, women are likely to have better than average heart health while men are more likely to have heart attacks and other problems, a U.S. study suggests. The results for women are consistent with our expectation, but the results for men were surprising, said lead author Hui Liu, an associate professor of sociology at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Older men may have more difficulties reaching an orgasm for medical or emotional reasons and may exert themselves to a greater degree of exhaustion and create relatively more stress on their cardiovascular system in order to achieve climax, Liu told Reuters Health by email. Another possibility is that men are more likely to use sexual medication or supplements to improve sexual function, she said. Moreover, having quite a high frequency of sex may indicate problems of sexual addiction, sexual compulsivity or sexual impulsivity, related to psychological states such as anxiety or depression, which may lead to negative cardiovascular health. Future research will need to investigate the mechanisms linking sex and health outcomes for older men, she said. The researchers used survey answers from more than 2,000 people aged 57 to 85 in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, which began with one survey wave in 2005 and followed-up five years later. Events like heart attack, heart failure and stroke during those five years were recorded, and participants blood pressure, heart rate and inflammatory proteins were measured. At the start, 70 percent of men and 39 percent of women said they'd had sex with a partner over the previous year. A quarter of men said they had sex once a week or more, compared to 11 percent of women. Men were more likely to say their sex was extremely physically satisfying or extremely emotionally satisfying, though less than half of the men or women said so. Men who said they had sex at least once a week in the first survey were almost twice as likely to have experienced a heart attack, heart failure or stroke five years later than men who said they were sexually inactive. Those who felt sex was extremely satisfying were even more likely to suffer one of these events, according to the results in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. Women who said they found sex extremely pleasurable in the first survey, on the other hand, were at no greater risk than other women for heart problems, and were less likely to have high blood pressure five years later. Moderate frequent sex is good for older men, although high frequency of sex is risky for older men. For older women, good sexual quality is good for them, Liu said. I think it is important for older people to understand the risks and benefits of sex, she said. It is not that all sex is bad for older people. The researchers acknowledge that the study cannot prove a cause and effect relationship between the participants sex lives and their heart health. They also note that future studies are needed to better understand the links and identify the mechanisms by which sexuality may affect heart health. Noting that the current study did not define sexual activity very specifically, Stuart Brody, visiting professor at Charles University in Prague, who was not involved in the study, pointed out another weakness in the findings. The results that they obtained might be due to sexual activities other than penile-vaginal intercourse. A review of existing research found that specifically penile-vaginal intercourse, and corresponding orgasm, is tied to better physical and psychological health as well as better intimate relationship quality, Brody told Reuters Health by email.
On June 4, 2015, officials from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that the agencys computer systems had been compromised in two separate but related cybersecurity incidents. Unidentified hackers had stolen the personal information of more than 20 million federal employees, including extremely sensitive dossiers compiled during security clearance investigations. The potentially catastrophic situation, at the time, was being called a cyber 9/11.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee conducted a yearlong review of the breach and released its report on Wednesday, in conjunction with an event at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute on lessons learned, hosted by Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah). It noted that the OPM data breach was preventable and that OPM leadership failed to heed repeated recommendations  failed to sufficiently respond to growing threats of sophisticated cyber attackers  [and] failed to prioritize resources for cyber security. Even more damning, the committee concluded that OPM misled the public on the extent of the damage of the breach and made false statements to Congress.

Indeed, certain details of the attack are still unclear. The report reveals that investigators from US-CERT  the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, which is part of the Department of Homeland Securitys National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center  discovered the first intrusion, by an individual referred to in the report as Hacker X1, on March 20, 2014. They monitored Hacker X1 and developed a plan to lock the intruder out of the system over a three-day weekend in May 2014, in an operation called Big Bang.

However, while everyone was focused on catching Hacker X1, a second intruder, which the report dubs Hacker X2, quietly slipped inside. On April 15, 2015, according to the report, OPM deployed a diagnostic tool by the California-based cybersecurity company Cylance. When it lit up like a Christmas tree, it was immediately obvious that, somewhere along the line, something had gone very, very wrong.

But theres more to the story. A week later, on April 21, a security contractor named Ben Cotton was invited to OPM headquarters to give a product demo for his company, CyTech Services. Yet Cotton, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces operator, was never informed about any breach. Furthermore, he saw no clues that the agency was in the midst of a potentially crippling national security crisis and felt no sense of urgency among OPM staff. It was business as usual, Cotton says.

Although he arrived at OPM headquarters at 9:30 a.m., it was 4 p.m. by the time Cotton says he made it through the various security protocols, had his equipment screened, received a visitors pass, and finally got what he needed from OPMs technical department.

Of course, 4 p.m. in Washington, D.C.  my escort tapped me on the shoulder and said, Hey, would you mind coming back tomorrow? Ive got a bus to catch, Cotton recalls.

Before he left, Cotton launched his companys digital forensics platform CyFIR, short for CyTech Forensics and Incident Response, that would identify every process running on the OPM network. To Cotton, this was still nothing more than a routine product demo. Hed look at the results in the morning.

After another protracted security procedure to get into the building the next day, Cotton stood before a roomful of OPM officials and opened up CyFIRs analysis screen. The processes were split up into three categories: known-good, known-bad, and unknown.

Cotton says he found some adware in the known malware bucket, nothing really major. But then something in the unknown set of running processes caught his eye. There were three McAfee anti-virus files in there, all with the right install pass and the right subdirectories off of that. They followed the proper McAfee naming conventions. So, why were they not in the known-good category, where they belonged?

I said, What kind of anti-virus protection are you using? They said, Were not using McAfee in any of our systems. I said, Look, I think youve got a problem here. (According to a statement later made by OPMs then-chief information officer, Donna Seymour, OPM was in fact testing Cotton to see if his tool set would also discover what we had already discovered [with the help of Cylance]. Cotton maintains he was given no indication of this.

I knew what those databases contained  my own information was in there, Cotton says. I knew immediately what the impact would be for anyone who ever held a security clearance.

An emergency meeting was called, and things went from zero to 120 in a real short time frame. At that point, Cotton says a high-ranking OPM official told him, Hey, we need an emergency purchase order for CyFIR across the entire environment.

Three hours later, the FBI and US-CERT showed up. The FBI began heading down what Cotton calls a very traditional incident response route and says he and his team supported the agents with real-time analysis and evidence collection. Within a day or two, the response team knew what the total scope of the breach was. Signs pointed in an expected direction; Cotton says he found a piece of Chinese malware that had been in there for over a year.

The OPM hack was entirely preventable, argues the House report. It blames OPM, which had no professional IT security staff until 2013, for ignoring repeated warnings about the vulnerability of its digital systems.

But the agency argues that lessons have been learned. The cybersecurity report issued today by the Republican members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (HOGR) on the cyber intrusions at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) does not fully reflect where this agency stands today, OPM acting Director Beth Cobert said in a blog post published early Wednesday morning. The cybersecurity incidents at OPM provided a catalyst for accelerated change within our organization. Throughout this agency, management has embraced cybersecurity as a top priority. I am proud of the way the team at OPM rose to the challenge and appreciate the collaborative spirit with which our partners across government worked  and continue to work  side by side with us each and every day.

Ben Cotton is no longer one of those partners. When he was asked by OPM for help containing the breach, he realized right away that it was a significant problem for the country and didnt bother waiting for a formal contract.

A handshake was good enough for me, Cotton says.

The House report notes CyTech, Cottons company, began expanding its services to OPM, which included six CyFIR appliances, 15,000 CyFIR licenses, six training vouchers, and 1,040 engineering support hours, plus a CyTech expert to provide incident response and forensic support. OPM used the CyFIR tool through early June 2015. The total cost: $818,000.

Documents show CyTechs role in providing forensic support was significant, the report says.

It never got paid.

Photo credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Jerusalem (AFP) - A Palestinian killed by Israeli police this week was not attempting a car-ramming attack on officers as had been initially claimed, police said on Wednesday.

Police originally said they opened fire on Monday during a car-ramming attack targeting officers in the Shuafat refugee camp in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

One of the men in the car was killed and the driver was wounded, police said. There were no casualties among the officers.

On Wednesday, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said they were now investigating the driver of the car, Ali Nimr, 20, for manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, driving without a licence, driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless endangerment.

The manslaughter investigation indicated police were holding Nimr responsible for the death of his cousin, Mustafa Nimr, 27, who was shot dead by police.

An inquiry has also been opened by the Israeli justice ministry unit that probes police activity, Samri said.

Israel's Channel 10 television broadcast video of the incident that appeared to show shots being fired after the car was stopped, with Mustafa Nimr already on the ground either wounded or dead.

The two men were returning to the camp after buying pizzas, a witness told Channel 10 on condition of anonymity.

Haaretz newspaper reported that Mustafa Nimr's Jewish girlfriend and his brother were following them in a second vehicle.

It said Mustafa Nimr grew up in Shuafat but was living in the Tel Aviv area at the time with his girlfriend.

Haaretz quoted witnesses as saying the car did not endanger police and they were racing at the time.

The border police who opened fire had been in the camp for a separate raid, authorities said. Police carry out such raids regularly in search of weapons or wanted suspects.

In June, Israeli troops killed a Palestinian teenager after apparently mistaking his group for stone-throwers as they returned from a swim, sparking outrage and debate about the security forces' use of firearms.

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Violence since October has killed 223 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, one Eritrean and a Sudanese.

Israeli forces say most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks.

Others were shot dead during protests and clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has faced accusations of excessive force in certain cases for allegedly shooting dead Palestinian attackers after they appeared to be subdued and posed no further threat.
Production Update for El Limon and Update on Warrant Exercise

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / Para Resources Inc. (the "Company" or "Para") (TSXV - "PBR") (WKN -"A14YF1") (OTC - "PRSRF") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ian Harris as President of the Company effective September 1, 2016. Mr Harris and COO Randy Martin will work together to complete the upgrade at the Company's El Limon Mine. Mr. Harris will take day to day responsibilities in managing on-going operations and achieving the cost and operational efficiencies in Colombia. Mr. Harris will also be responsible for the review and for making the final investment decision for the Company's Angelim project in Brazil.

Mr. Harris is senior mining executive with over 20 years' experience in leading worldwide mining projects. He has mining and management experience in over 20 countries, with a wide range of mining methods, commodities, project phases and sizes, successful advancing project in some of the most challenging environments. Mr Harris has a proven ability to pinpoint and drive improvement by combining leadership and team building with strong financial and production modeling knowledge. He is bilingual in Spanish and English.

His key accomplishments include:

As CEO from March 2014 until recently he designed and implemented a strategic plan for AMAK Mining Co., the first private mining company operating in Saudi Arabia with its Al Masane Mine and Plant. Despite the proximity to the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, results included 1) no LTAs during tenure, 2) a 20% increase in base metal production, 3) the first precious metal primary production, 4) an 11% decrease in unit cash costs, 5) the acquisition of new exploration and operating mining leases, and 6) the successful planned transition of the mine and plant from contracted O&M to self-operated.

In various positions culminating as Senior VP, Chief Mining Engineer and Country Manger from January 2006 through August 2011 he successfully led a campaign to reactivate Corriente Resource's mining operations in Ecuador after a three-year suspension, by successfully navigating through a new constitution and a new mining law. This effort led to the government designating the Corriente's mining projects as nationally strategic; the only privately owned project with such designation. Corriente was the first to re-activate operations and to start and finalize contract negotiation for construction of the first industrial-scale mining projects in Ecuador following the regulatory halt. These achievements led to the sale of Corriente for USD $690 M.

Held various positions at Washington Group International, including Project Manager and Principal Mining Engineer from 2001 through 2006, Highlights include as Project Manager, navigating a two-month national strike, followed by foreign currency exchange controls in Venezuela for the 50/50 mixed private-public company, Carbones de la Guajira. Despite obstacles, Mina Norte, Carbones de la Guajira's sole mine, doubled total material production and hit new levels of safety performance.

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"Ian is a great addition to the Para team as we transition from exploration and construction into production and expansion. He brings many years of experience working in a wide variety of environments and jurisdictions that will be essential for Para as we expand our Colombian footprint and prepare to advance our the Angelim project, in Brazil, in 2017. Ian will also lead Para's due diligence and technical overview of the new potential acquisition's Para is presently considering as well as assist the company in seeking and identifying other new opportunities," states Para CEO, Geoff Hampson.

Other developments:

The cause of the production issues at El Limon that were previously announced by the Company, have been identified and resolved. The shaft and pinion for Ball Mill 1 ("BM1") were repaired and BM1 was re-started on August 15th. BM1 ran smoothly for the last week of the month. Gold production for the month of August was negatively impacted by the shut down of the mill during repairs and total production for the month was 147 ounces of gold. There are 3,500 tons of material with a gold grade in excess of 4 gpt in inventory from development work underground. The head grade of new material being mined today is greater than 8 gpt. The new material and the existing inventory will be blended resulting is slightly lower blended grades than targeted during the approximately 90 days it will take to deplete the inventory, at which time we expect the average grade will return to the targeted 8 gpt.

The Company also reports that the Contractor building the foundation for Ball Mill 2 ("BM2") is 45-60 days behind schedule as they were unable to source some of the key steel elements of the project on time. The revised schedule for completion of the installation is October 31, 2016. Para still expects to be at 160-200 TPD production by the end of 2016 with 200 TPD average production rate projected for 2017. The 2017 target production of 20,000-24,000 ounces of gold is unchanged.

In August 2016, the Company was informed by Red Rock Resources PLC ("Red Rock") that they believe a "triggering event" occurred under the terms of the USD $1 million promissory note (the "Note"), due in May 2018, that formed a part of the purchase price for the El Limon Mine from Red Rock by Colombia Milling Limited ("CML"). Red Rock contends that when Para's ownership of CML exceeded 50%, that triggered an option for Red Rock to convert the Note into shares of CML or the related party that made a public offering. Red Rock contends that this provision gives them the right to convert into shares of Para Resources Inc. The Company does not agree with this interpretation and contends that Para was already a public company when it entered into the agreement to become a shareholder of CML and that no "triggering event" occurred. CML remains a private company. In addition, Para is not a party to the purchase agreement between Red Rock and CML. Discussions between the parties have occurred and are on-going. Para will vigorously oppose any attempt by Red Rock in this regard.

The Company is pleased to announce that 100% of its $0.10 warrants due to expire on August 22, 2016 were exercised for net proceeds to the Company of $972,849. In addition, Conex Services Inc. and Lake Forest Development Corp exercised all of their $0.18 warrants that expire in 2017 for net proceeds to the Company of $2,348,700. Randy Martin exercised 985,275 warrants at $0.20 per share that expire in early 2018 for net proceeds of $197,055. Geoff Hampson, Para's CEO states," These additional funds will allow Para to pursue other acquisition or JV opportunities where cash deposits may be required. The early exercise of these warrants by the insiders is an indication of the unprecedented high level of support the company enjoys from its major shareholders. Having additional liquidity allows management to aggressively pursue new growth opportunities."

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 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 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 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.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks nearing, Americans are sharply divided on party lines over the threat of a major terrorist attack on the United States, according to a poll released on Wednesday.

Forty percent of Americans say the ability of terrorists to strike the United States is greater than it was at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, according to the Pew Research Center survey of 1,201 adults.

That share is up 6 percentage points since November 2013 and marks the highest percentage with that view over the past 14 years. Thirty-one percent of respondents say terrorists' abilities to attack are the same, and a quarter say it is less.

"The growth in the belief that terrorists are now better able to launch a major strike on the U.S. has come almost entirely among Republicans," the Pew Research Center said.

Fifty-eight percent of Republicans say terrorists' ability to hit the United States in a major attack is greater than at the time of 9/11, up 18 points since 2013, it said.

The poll results marked the first time that a majority in either political party had expressed that opinion, the Pew center said.

About a third of independents, or 34 percent, and 31 percent of Democrats say terrorists are better able to strike the United States than they were then. Those views are up 2 percentage points each from three years ago, according to the survey.

The partisan divide is in line with other opinion sampling on the U.S. government's ability to deal with terrorism, Pew said.

In an April Pew poll, three-quarters of Democrats said the government was doing very or fairly well in reducing the threat from terrorism, while 29 percent of Republicans said the same.

The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks are a powerful memory for many Americans. Almost 3,000 people died when hijackers slammed airliners into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field

Ninety-one percent of the adults surveyed remember exactly where they were or what they were doing when they heard news about the attacks. Among those under 30, 83 percent said the same.

The Pew survey was conducted by telephone from Aug. 23 to Sept. 2. The margin of error is 3.2 percentage points, meaning results could vary that much either way.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Disney has promoted Patrick Moran to ABC Studios president.

Moran, who joined the company in 2010, recently served as executive vice president at the studio, where he had been responsible for the production of Scandal, Criminal Minds, black-ish, How to Get Away with Murder, Quantico, American Crime and Once Upon a Time, among others.

ABC Studios produces hundreds of hours of the highest quality original programming distributed across networks, streaming services and around the world, boss Ben Sherwood said on Wednesday. Under Patricks leadership, ABC Studios has grown as a beacon of creativity and excellence, developing award-winning and captivating content with loyal audiences everywhere. As the demand for great content increases and viewer behavior evolves, Patricks savvy as a creative and business leader will help drive ABC Studios to even greater heights.

I am so proud to be a part of ABC Studios and to work with a truly amazing team of dedicated and talented individuals who share my passion for television, Moran added. Im honored that Ben has given me this vote of confidence and look forward to continuing to bring together amazing stories, creative talent and high-quality production in order to build ABC Studios into the worlds preeminent supplier of premium content.

Also Read: ABC Renews 'Bachelor in Paradise' for Season 4

In the current 2016-2017 television season, ABC Studios has 28 series on the air and in production on broadcast, cable and streaming services.

Moran joined ABC Studios as senior vice president of drama development, where he was quickly promoted to senior vice president & head of creative development for ABC Studios, overseeing all comedy and drama development.

In 2013, Moran launched ABC Signature, the Studio boutique division focused on cable and streaming outlets. Signature recently produced Dead of Summer for Freeform and is working on the recently announced pilot SMILF for Showtime. The Studio also has projects set up at Amazon, FX, HBO, Hulu, History, TNT and TV Land.

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Prior to working at ABC Studios, Moran was senior vice president of Drama Development at 20th Century Fox Television, where he developed Glee, Bones and Prison Break. He also served as vice president of drama development at UPN, president of Renaissance Pictures and vice president of production and development at New Line Television.

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MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines' defence ministry on Wednesday said it believed an increased presence of Chinese vessels at the disputed Scarborough Shoal was a precursor for building man-made structures and was "gravely concerned". The ministry took the decision to release photographs taken on Saturday of what it said were more vessels than normal because China's ambassador had denied any new activity at the shoal, defence ministry spokesman, Arsenio Andolong, told reporters. "We believed that this is precursor to possible building of structures on the shoal," he said, adding that China's denial was "even more disturbing". (Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by John Chalmers)
Warsaw (AFP) - Poland will ban the sale of popular e-cigarettes to minors and their use in public spaces under a law that comes into effect on Thursday.

Adopted by parliament in July, the new measures put e-cigarettes on a par with their traditional tobacco-based counterparts, making it illegal to sell them to anyone under 18 years of age or "vape" anywhere that smoking is banned.

The new law also prohibits advertising e-cigarettes, their sale over the internet or from vending machines.

An estimated 1.5 million people use e-cigarettes in Poland, an EU state of 38 million people, making sales in the sector worth some 115 million euros ($129 million) per year.

The United States and several European countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia and Lithuania, have already banned e-cigarettes in enclosed public places.
Barack Obama

Most Americans favor the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the landmark free trade agreement that's been ripped apart during the 2016 campaign, according to a poll published Wednesday from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Despite Republican nominee Donald Trump saying the passing of TPP would contribute to the alleged "rape of our country," and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton saying she no longer supports the trade deal, 60% of Americans stand in favor of the deal, the poll found. By party, 71% of Democrats are in favor while 58% of Republicans and 52% of independents approve of the agreement.

Even among Republican Trump supporters, 47% support the deal, while 58% of Republicans who backed another candidate are in favor of the agreement.

Here were some other interesting bits from the poll:

65% of Americans believe globalization is mostly good for the US.

70% say international trade is good for US consumers.

59% say international trade is good for the economy.

64% say international trade is good for their own standard of living.

However, just 40% say it's good for creating US jobs, and just 35% say it's good for the job security of American workers.

Much of that sentiment has been absent from the 2016 campaign, where trade and the TPP have become centerpiece issues.

"A continuing rape of our country," Trump said of TPP during a July rally. "That's what it is, too. It's a harsh word. It's a rape of our country."

donald trump

Clinton, who supported the deal while she served as secretary of state, reversed her position on it during the primary season, saying there still needs to be work done on it after both Trump and her top challenger, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, roiled the agreement along the campaign trail. During the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last month, pro-Sanders supporters waved "No TPP" signs and chanted down various speakers by shouting "No TPP."

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But President Barack Obama, who's administration has championed the agreement, has not wavered in his support as the deal has become toxic along the trail.

The agreement still needs to be ratified by Congress, which some say could happen during the lame-duck session of Congress following the November election.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who's been a staunch supporter of the agreement in the past, recently said it had to be renegotiated while meeting with Wisconsin manufacturing workers in early August.

"I don't think there's a high likelihood (of the TPP's passage) right now because ... we don't have the votes to pass it because people like me have problems with some significant provisions of it that we believe need to get fixed," Ryan said. "But here's the point: we do need trade agreements. I know a lot of people say just get rid of trade agreements, don't do trade agreements, and that's terrible. That's a problem for us."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has also expressed support for the deal in the past, but he's recently said the deal might not come up for a vote until the next president takes office.

Jeff Flake

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, a frequently fierce critic of Trump and proponent of the TPP, told Business Insider in a late-June interview that trade agreements are some of the most difficult things to sell during a campaign. But, he added, the deal must get passed.

"It's more difficult to identify on the net, companies that have benefited from exports, cheaper goods," he said. "Not just cheaper goods but cheaper inputs. So [it] takes a lot longer than a 30-second sound bite. It's incumbent on us who have six-year terms to be talking about this."

He said Congress needed to "suck up" and ratify TPP because "it has to be done."

"I do still think there are enough people that realize we've got to do it," he said.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs poll was conducted by an online research panel between June 10-27 among a sample of 2,061 adults above the age of 18. The margin of error ranged from 2.2 to 3.5 percentage points.

NOW WATCH: Clinton just released a brutal ad linking Trump to white supremacists





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Jen Senkos The Brainwashing of My Dad, released on home video last week, tells of how her father, Frank, once a Kennedy-era Democrat, shifted right during the Reagan revolution of the 80s.

But it was more than a mere shift of parties. Her father became consumed with talk radio, email screeds and Fox News, to the point where it became part of his identity, she says.

On the latest PopPolitics on SiriusXM 124, Senko said she believes that Donald Trumps campaign was fueled by the fervor of rightward media and its listeners and followers.

Hes just only verbalizing what a lot of talk radio guys have been verbalizing for years and the Republicans kind of tread lightly around it, she says.

In the movie, she talks to other family members whose relatives have been consumed by partisan media.

Is the same thing happening on the left?

I do think that it can happen to anybody if you just stick to one type of media, she says, adding that figures on the right were much more organized to establish think tanks and media outlets to counter what they saw as a left-ward media bias in the 60s. Joining her was the movies producer, Adam Rackoff.

Also on PopPolitics:

Millennial Moment: Maegan Carberry talks about her novel, Do I Have to Vote for Hillary Clinton?, which delves into the the way that millennial women view the Democratic nominee.

Trumps Trip: Mary Murphy of USC Annenberg and Brent Roske of Roske on Politics weigh in on why Trump had such a big change in tone on immigration from his visit to Mexico City to later in the day, when he spoke to supporters in Phoenix.

Listen below:

PopPolitics, hosted by Ted Johnson, airs at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on SiriusXMs political channel POTUS. It also is available on demand.

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A French judge has jailed 30 porters who worked at one of Paris leading auction houses for the theft of artifacts and artwork worth millions of dollars.

The employees of Hotel Drouot were given sentences ranging from 18 months to three years in prison, for operating a crime-ring that was responsible for stealing 275 tons of objects over at least a decade, the Guardian reports. Three auctioneers were given suspended sentences.

Among the stolen items were several antiques, paintings and jewelry, including a Ming dynasty Chinese plate worth nearly $370,000 and furniture from Irish designer Eileen Gray worth more than a million dollars.

The crime-ring consisted of members of a union of porters known as the cols rouges who were responsible for transporting antiques to the Hotel Drouot. Police said the porters would steal the items during transportation or during the valuation of the estates of deceased art collectors. According to the Guardian, the organization operated like a secret criminal collective, distributing the bounty from stolen items equally among participating members. There are reports of members leading lavish lifestyles and driving luxury cars.

The scam was exposed in 2009 after an anonymous caller tipped police off to a stolen painting, leading to an investigation that included 147 separate searches. Investigators found nearly 6,000 stolen objects and the union  which was established in 1860  was disbanded.

[Guardian]
From ELLE

I don't want to start an international incident or whatever but we have to talk about this Bring It Onstyle stare down between President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin. We have to. This is news! President Obama's face is so tight in this photo. He is giving you full-on "Say 'what' one more time" realness here with a side of "Miley what's good?"

P to the S, how much more hilarious would this picture be if it had Rebel Wilson in a police uniform in the background? Or, like, Angela Merkel dressed as a firefighter. Why don't all world leaders wear costumes? Why isn't this more like the Justice League? (Minus the part where entire cities get destroyed because of superhero angst.)

Photo credit: Alexei Druzhinin/Getty

Gone are those halcyon early summer days when President Obama was skipping through Canadian streets singing "You Don't Own Me" with Justin Trudeau and Mexico's Enrique Pena Nieto.

Remember those days? Obama and the Samantha to his Carrie, Justin Trudeau, strolling down red carpets looking like models in the first all-male, all-clothed Victoria's Secret fashion show?

Photo credit: Chris Roussakis/Getty

Now the president is trudging through alleyways in Hangzhou, China, muttering the lyrics to Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." Times have changed!

President Obama is giving serious Liam Neeson Taken face in this photo. And not even the first Taken. Like, a really tired sequel to Taken. Taken 12: Why Do You Keep Taking? President Obama is over it. He's like, "I am months away from being done with this job. I'm Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon. Do you know that my wife and daughters are hanging out with Bey and Jay right now? That's what I'm missing, okay? I could be at home doing Jell-O shots with Chance the Rapper but I'm out here in these streets gritting on you."

I'd like to believe that this is actually all about music. I think Putin threw shade at Obama's Summer Jams playlist just because he likes to push Obama's buttons and late-second-term Obama is not here for that.

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Putin: Oh, Barack. Hello! Over here.

Obama: Hello. Putin.

Putin: I was listening to your little playlist on the jet. It's...cute.

Obama: Like my health care plan, it's comprehensive.

Putin: Like your Supreme Court nominee, it's hard to get through.

Photo credit: Getty

Obama: There's no accounting for taste. Apparently.

Putin: I'm just saying-I was very disappointed there was no Mumford and his sons.

Obama: It's Mumford & Sons.

Putin: That's what I said, Mumford and the sons of Mumford.

Obama: The name of the band is actually Mumford & Sons, though.

Putin: Yes. Mr. Mumford and also his two sons. Who have formed one of the world's greatest bands.

Obama: They're not even his sons!

Putin: If you used patronymics all of this would be easier.

Obama: Yes, that's the issue here.

Putin: Well, whose sons are they?!

Obama: Someone else's! I don't know. They're not on my playlist.

Photo credit: Getty

Putin: You Americans are so tricky.

Obama: They're not even from America.

Putin: I don't have time to continue this. I'm late for lunch with Justin Trudeau. Oh, oops. Did you get invited? Is this awkward for you? So strange. Okay bai.

Obama: This is so not cool.

::Putin leaves::

Photo credit: Getty

::President Obama texts Prime Minister Trudeau::

Obama: WYD? Are you at lunch with Vladimir?

Trudeau: What? LOL. I would never. I'm on a jog or doing yoga or whatever physical fitness thing I do. Obviously. Also, your playlist is awesome.

Obama: I know, right?

Photo credit: Getty

Follow R. Eric Thomas on Twitter.

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Sept 7 (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 head of housing agency Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp is warning there simply will not be enough money available for Ottawa to meet expectations for a national strategy to tackle the wide-ranging problems in the housing market. http://bit.ly/2bXymkx

** An alleged rape victim asked by a judge why she did not close her knees for protection says the question made her hate herself. The complainant, who was a 19-year-old homeless addict at the time of the alleged rape in 2011, is at the heart of a hearing in which Federal Court Justice Robin Camp stands to lose his job over his conduct of a sexual-assault trial.http://bit.ly/2bVZovn

** Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch says her proposal to screen immigrants for "anti-Canadian values" is about promoting tolerance and equality, even as a senior aide in former prime minister Stephen Harper's office calls the idea dangerous and "Orwellian". http://bit.ly/2cnYkgf

** Some school boards in the Greater Toronto Area allow students to be exempted from classes based on religious beliefs, including music and art - but only as a last resort and after failing to reach a compromise with parents. The issue of allowing children to withdraw from classes flared up at Canada's largest school board after a group of Muslim parents were offered an accommodation, not a full exemption, from music class at their Scarborough elementary school. http://bit.ly/2cryxCI

NATIONAL POST

** The proposed C$37 billion ($28.83 billion) acquisition of Spectra Energy Corp by Calgary-based Enbridge Inc announced on Tuesday will substantially boost the company's natural gas asset base, giving it a foothold in several critical North American gas markets. The deal is part of a recent jockeying by major pipeline operators to grow their positions inside some of North America's most promising gas fields. http://bit.ly/2cjAmV2

** Canadian-born barrister Robert Tibbo helped Edward Snowden, the former U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) contractor who leaked an unprecedented cache of classified documents to the media, escape Hong Kong and the clutches of U.S. law enforcement. He speaks fondly of his famous client, and still jealously guards certain aspects of their relationship, most notably how he was retained to represent the most-sought-after dissident in the world. http://bit.ly/2c5LQIl

($1 = C$1.28) (Compiled by Shivam Srivastava in Bengaluru)
Sept 7 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- The Obama administration followed up a planeload of $400 million in cash sent to Iran in January with two more such shipments in the next 19 days, totaling another $1.3 billion, according to congressional officials briefed by the U.S. State, Treasury and Justice departments. http://on.wsj.com/2bVWhUm

- Wall Street firms are creating "structured" certificates of deposit, which have left many investors with lower yields and facing losses if they have to cash out early. http://on.wsj.com/2c4lma1

- A substantial bloc of Republican-leaning voters has declined so far to back either major-party candidate for president, suggesting Donald Trump has an opportunity to make the race more competitive by persuading them to return to the GOP. http://on.wsj.com/2cqQGjY

- Surging demand from drivers in the richest countries helped power a big rally in crude this year. But many analysts say that surge is ending. http://on.wsj.com/2bSJjp1

- Chinese and Indian newcomers to the U.S. are now outpacing Mexican arrivals in most regions of the country, a marked reversal from a decade ago, when immigrants from America's southern neighbor dwarfed arrivals from the large Asian countries. http://on.wsj.com/2bWCL78

- ITT Technical Institute ceased operations at more than 130 campuses nationwide and eliminated most of its 8,000-plus employees after losing access to the lifeblood of federal student aid. http://on.wsj.com/2bUSfsq

- Activist investor William Ackman bought a big stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc, the burrito chain whose stock has tumbled in the face of a series of food-safety questions. http://on.wsj.com/2cbp30Q

- Facebook last month put an algorithm in charge of its "trending" feature, but in recent days the lists have appeared more flawed than when humans were in charge. http://on.wsj.com/2cdyzC4

- Container ships operated by South Korea's Hanjin Shipping Co, now stranded at sea, soon should be able to dock in U.S. ports, but it remains unclear if the company can afford to pay the army of workers needed to unload the ships. http://on.wsj.com/2c9m4VI (Compiled by Aurindom Mukherjee in Bengaluru)
For expectant parents living in active-transmission zones, Zika has triggered a fear bordering on hysteria. Some pregnant women have become shut-ins. Others have fled homes in Miami, abandoning their obstetricians in the hopes of protecting their unborn babies from Zika. And at least some would-be parents have talked of deliberately exposing themselves to the virus, in the hopes of developing immunity quickly, before conceiving.

While many mysteries remain about how the Zika virus works and how far-reaching its effects may be, heres the latest advice for expectant parents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as several doctors we consulted.

Before Pregnancy

Wait to conceive. If theres a chance that you have been exposed to the Zika virus, you should delay conception by at least six months, according to the WHO. Zika can persist in sperm and vaginal secretions for weeks to months after infection, and can be transmitted sexually during that time. Most people who contract the virus exhibit no symptoms, never get tested, and have no idea theyre infected, which means they could pass the virus along unwittingly.

Don't try to "self-vaccinate" by exposing yourself to the virus on purpose. It's true that once you are infected, and recover, you should be immune to the virus. But that doesnt mean you should try contracting the virus on purpose to get it out of the way so you can proceed with plans to start a family. While the greatest risks from Zika are to the developing fetus, the virus has also been linked to neurological issues in adults, including Guillain-Barre syndrome, a potentially deadly condition marked by muscle weakness, paralysis, and dangerous changes in heart rate and blood pressure.

During Pregnancy

Avoid areas of active Zika transmission. Dont travel to Zika-affected regions. And if you live near an active-transmission zone, try to avoid that area as much as possible. The Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Zika doesnt travel very far (not more than 150 feet, according to the CDC), so you can minimize your risk by avoiding affected areas.

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Stay indoors as much as possible during the daytime. Aedes mosquitoes are day-biters. So deferring as many outings and errands as you can until the evening will help reduce your risk of exposure. Make sure your window and door screens are in good shape and absent any holes or tears. And use air-conditioning liberally, since it tends to keep mosquitoes away.

Wear insect repellents and use insecticides as needed. If you do go outside during the day, you should cover your exposed skin with one of our top-rated insect repellents, and spray your clothing with an effective repellent, too. (Pre-treated clothing is also available, but Zika-carrying mosquitoes have shown resistance to permethrin, the chemical used in that clothing). If you have mosquitoes nesting inside your home, you might also consider using an indoor insect fogger, or insecticide spray. While we usually don't recommend foggers, the CDC says that given the seriousness of Zika they can make sense for pregnant families in Zika-affected regions. (We recommend calling a professional insect control team to deploy this particular tool).

Long sleeves and light colors are best when you go outdoors. The thicker and more tightly-woven the material, the harder it will be for mosquitoes to bite through. And the lighter the color, the less attracted to it they will be in the first place.

Practice safe sex throughout your pregnancy, for two reasons: Sexual transmission of Zika has proven more common than scientists initially thought; and the virus can cross the placenta at any point during fetal development. Research suggests that the first trimester of pregnancy is the most risky, but babies infected during the second and third trimesters have also been known to suffer serious birth defects, including microcephaly.

Get tested and talk with your doctor. You should be tested for Zika even if you feel fine. The vast majority of people who are infected with the virus show no symptoms. If you test positive for Zika, your doctor should order ultrasounds every 4 to 6 weeks, beginning at 15 weeks of pregnancy (that's the earliest point at which abnormalities may be spotted). The ultrasounds will help doctors monitor the growth of your babys skull and check for brain calcifications and other signs of infection. Your doctor may order these tests even if you don't test positive for Zika, if you live in an area of active transmission and there's a chance you've been exposed to the virus.

After Pregnancy

Don't panic. The CDC estimates that just 30 percent of the babies exposed to Zika during gestation will be born with defects ranging from mild to severe, and that only between 1 and 13 percent of exposed babies will develop full-blown microcephaly. As alarming as those numbers may sound, they mean that even if you've been infected with the virus during your pregnancy, there's still a good chance that your baby will be born without any birth defects.

But do stay vigilant, and expect testing. Babies' brains continue to develop once they are born, and some case studies suggest that Zika infections acquired in the womb may continue to attack the nervous system after birth. That means babies exposed to Zika but born without any obvious defects may still develop problems as they grow.

If your baby was exposed to Zika in utero but born without any obvious defects, your doctor may want to keep him or her in the hospital for a week or so after birth for monitoring and to conduct additional tests. MRIs and ultrasounds can detect calcifications and other signs of infection; EEGs will measure brain activity; and routine skull measurements will track brain growth. Spinal taps will also test for signs that the virus has invaded the central nervous system.

Find the right specialists. Hospitals in Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Houston are creating Zika specialty centers where infants and children can be seen by a range of specialists. As they work on more and more Zika cases, those specialists expect to develop greater expertise in treating the virus and its complications. If you dont live near such a facility, your doctor may still be able to consult with the doctors concentrated there, and benefit from their collective knowledge.





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The Philippines accused China on Wednesday of secretly preparing to build an artificial island on Scarborough Shoal, a tiny and remote outpost in a contested area of the South China Sea.

Doing so risks a military confrontation between China and the United States. Here are five key questions and answers about the shoal and why it is so important.

- What is it? -

A small ring of reefs that lie about 230 kilometres (140 miles) from the main Philippine island of Luzon and 1,000 kilometres from the nearest major Chinese landmass, Hainan island.

It is rich with marine life that fishermen from the Philippines, China and Vietnam have tapped for generations.

Although it is in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), China and Taiwan also claim it falls within their sovereign territory, part of a broader territorial row across the South China Sea.

- If it's so small and remote, why is it important? -

China has moved aggressively in recent years to cement its claims to most of the South China Sea, assert military control over the waters and thus weaken US influence.

China has built artificial islands in the Spratlys archipelago, a strategic location in the southern part of the sea. Those islands could become military outposts.

Because of its position, another military outpost at Scarborough Shoal is seen as the last major physical step required to secure control of the sea.

An outpost at the shoal would also put Chinese fighter jets and missiles within easy striking distance of US forces stationed in the Philippines.

The shoal also commands the northeast exit of the sea, so a Chinese military outpost there could stop other countries navies from using the vital stretch of waters.

- What's happened there in the past? -

The shoal became part of US territory when the Philippines became an American colony through the Treaty of Paris in 1898. It was transferred to the Philippines upon independence in 1946.

The Philippine navy then used it as a gunnery range for joint exercises with US forces, who had permanent bases nearby on Luzon island until 1991.

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China took effective control of the shoal after an April 2012 stand-off with the Philippine Navy, and has since blocked Filipino fishermen from entering the shoal.

A UN-backed tribunal ruled in July that China's claims to the sea had no legal basis. It also ruled that China blocking Filipino fishermen at the shoal was illegal.

- What happens next? -

China has vowed to ignore the tribunal's ruling and press on with artificial island building. Yet it has in recent days denied doing any construction work at the shoal.

US President Barack Obama reportedly warned Chinese President Xi Jinping directly against building an island at the shoal, establishing a so-called "red line".

However China may seek to quickly build the island before Obama ends his eight-year term in January, according to John Blaxland, a security expert at the Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific.

Blaxland said China may seek to take advantage of what they perceive as a "weak" president.

"They (China) may well calculate now is the time to do it because they won't meet strong resistance," Blaxland told AFP.

- Is there really a risk of military confrontation? -

China has proved it is willing to use deadly force to enforce its claims in the South China Sea.

China gained control of the Paracel Islands in 1974 following clashes with the South Vietnamese Navy that left about 50 Vietnamese troops dead.

Vietnam and China fought a naval battle on Johnson Reef in the Spratlys in 1988 that killed about 70 Vietnamese military personnel.

Washington does not want to get into a war with Beijing, but it may be drawn into a conflict, according to Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor at Australia's University of New South Wales.

"We could witness a physical confrontation between (the) Chinese Coast Guard and Filipino vessels backed by the US Navy," Thayer told AFP.
By Richard Martin, BARCELONA (Reuters) - Chris Froome still faces a near-impossible task in his bid to catch leader Nairo Quintana after finishing alongside the Colombian in stage 17 of the Tour of Spain, which was won by Swiss rider Mathias Frank. Froome risked losing even more ground as he struggled to keep pace with Colombians Quintana and Johan Esteban Chaves and Spaniard Alberto Contador, but the Briton caught up with the trio late on to finish 25th. Froome remains 3:37 behind Quintana with four days of the Tour remaining. Friday's individual time trial represents his best chance of catching the Colombian, although he said on Tuesday his chances of doing so were slim. Frank, making his first appearance in the Vuelta since 2011, raced clear of the breakaway group alongside Dario Cataldo with 22km remaining of the 177.5 km stage from Castellon to Llucena. Frank dropped the Italian with 2km left to claim his first stage win in a Grand Tour, finishing six seconds ahead of Czech Leopold Konig of Team Sky. Dutchman Robert Gesink was third, 11 seconds behind Frank. "I'm super-happy. It was my big goal when I came here; I really wanted to win a stage," Frank told reporters. "I was already close a couple of times and finally it worked out. I have had a pretty rough season; not much was working as I wanted. "I came here and told myself, 'I just want to have fun and get a good feeling back', and finally I have a (stage) victory (in a race) after more than two years. Winning a Grand Tour stage is just amazing." Thursday's stage is a 200.6km ride from Requena to Gandia in Valencia province with a flat finish, the second-longest stage of the Tour which finishes in Madrid on Sunday. (Reporting by Richard Martin; editing by Ken Ferris)
Brookhill Properties Expands Portfolio by Recently Acquiring Residential Units and Commercial Spaces in New York City

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / Raphael Toledano, President of Brookhill Properties, LLC, a premier New York based real estate investment company, has announced today the expansion of the Brookhill Properties' portfolio with the acquisition 332 East 9th Street in Manhattan's East Village.

Built in 1920, 332 East 9th Street consists of 5 stories, comprised of 9,546 square-feet with 20 residential units and two commercial spaces. The building was acquired from the Tabak Family Reality Co. and no outside broker was involved.

"The 332 East 9th Street building is located in a prime and popular area and I am thrilled to expand the Brookhill Properties New York City real estate portfolio with this acquisition. Brookhill is dedicated to providing the best service to both our residential and commercial tenants and we are looking forward to our ownership of this property," said Raphael Toledano, President of Brookhill Properties, LLC.

Paradigm Commercial Real Estate LLC, a full service commercial mortgage firm established in 1999, assisted Brookhill in the 332 East 9th Street transaction.

"I am pleased to further the relationship between Brookhill and our regional banking lending business contacts. Brookhill's highly professional team has led us to another seamless financial transaction, " said Michael Edery of Paradigm Commercial Real Estate LLC.

About Brookhill Properties

Brookhill Properties is a real estate investment firm that has established itself strategically in the New York City market. Brookhill Properties is focused on the acquisition and development of residential properties in the East Village and Chelsea neighborhoods and prides itself on the quality of service provided to all tenants. Brookhill was founded by entrepreneur Rafi Toledano, who has a proven track record of successful real estate investment transactions. The Brookhill team brings together a unique group of knowledgeable professionals with broad experience in the global real estate markets, as well as expertize in property development, real estate finance, and law, all working together to maximize investments.

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For more information, please visit http://brookhillproperties.com/

Contact Info:

Name: Alan Segan

Email: ASEGAN@RUBENSTEINPR.COM

Organization: Rubenstein

Phone: 212-805-3064

SOURCE: Brookhill Properties
In a bid to expand in to alternative investments in private equity and hedge funds, Raymond James Financial, Inc. RJF closed the deal to acquire U.S. Private Client Services unit (PCS) of Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management (Deutsche AWM). The deal was announced in Dec 2015.



Deutsche AWM is a corporate division of Deutsche Bank AG DB. For Deutsche Bank, the deal was part of its Strategy 2020.



Raymond James rebranded the unit to Alex. Brown, a name that goes back to the unit founded in 1800.



Expansion into Northeast & West Coast, Over 90% Advisors Retained



On closure, Raymond James did not disclose the deal value, though it had earlier stated the purchase price to be $420 million. Nonetheless, the exact transaction value depends on the companys ability to retain PCS unit advisors.



Raymond James had previously announced that 193 advisors or more than 90% of the PCS unit advisors are joining Alex. Brown. The unit branches are located in 16 places, primarily concentrated in the Northeast and West Coast, with around 600 employees. Further, the unit manages approximately $55 billion in assets.



Raymond James' CEO Paul Reilly said, This combination continues our focus on strategic additions to augment consistent organic growth while also complementing our core private wealth business in geographic areas targeted for expansion. That such a large percentage of legacy advisors agreed to join Raymond James as part of this agreement speaks highly of our values-oriented culture and the sophistication of our offerings.



Additionally, Raymond James signed another agreement to provide constant access to advisors to Deutsche Banks initial public offer flow, as well as research and other services, for seven years.



Further, Haig Ariyan  Deutsche AWMs Co-Head of Wealth Management Americas  joined Raymond James as president of the Alex. Brown unit. He will be reporting to Dennis Zank, chief operating officer for Raymond James.



Ariyan said, We are particularly proud to be taking on the Alex. Brown brand, originally founded as the nations first investment bank more than 200 years ago. There is deep affinity among our advisors, who understand Alex. Browns important role in the growth and prosperity of American companies and municipalities, and its reputation for serving the needs of ultra-high-net-worth clients and institutional investors.



Alex. Brown Legacy



Before going in to more details about the acquisition, let us look into the legacy of Alex. Brown. Founded by an Irish immigrant and linen merchant in Baltimore, it was the countrys first investment bank.



Alex. Brown has a fair share of history associated with the U.S. economy. It had financed several infrastructure projects in Baltimore and even aided IPOs of several large companies including Microsoft Corporation MSFT and Starbucks Corporation SBUX.



Notably in 1997, Alex. Brown was acquired by Bankers Trust Corp. for $2.5 billion to create BT Alex. Brown. Further in 1999, when Deutsche Bank acquired Bankers Trust, it became part of the German bank. Eventually, Alex. Brown was rebranded under Deutsche Banks name.



Hence, the renaming of the unit by Raymond James is a great way of cashing in on Alex. Brown's legacy.



Inorganic Growth Strategy to Expand



This deal offers Raymond James access to alternative investments and sophisticated investment solutions. Also, this will help the company expand its offerings to its existing and future high-net-worth clients.



Further, the deal signifies that Raymond James enjoys a strong liquidity position. The company has been boosting its prospects through strategic acquisitions.



This year, Raymond James acquired Germany-based Mummert & Company Corporate Finance GmbH and announced a deal to buy MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTier Inc. (also known as 3Macs), an independent Canadian investment firm. Last year, the company bought the Canadian asset manager Cougar Global Investments Ltd. and The Producers Choice LLC, a private insurance and annuity-marketing firm.



We expect Raymond James to continue growing through profitable buyouts in the future as well.



Currently, Raymond James holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



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Dear Friends,

I wish to address this short statement to Mr. Geert Wilders, his acolytes, indeed to all those like him  the populists, demagogues and political fantasists.

To them, I must be a sort of nightmare. I am the global voice on human rights, universal rights; elected by all governments, and now critic of almost all governments. I defend and promote the human rights of each individual, everywhere: the rights of migrants, asylum seekers and immigrants; the rights of the LGBTi community; the rights of women and children in all countries; minorities; indigenous persons; people with disabilities, and any and all who are discriminated against, disadvantaged, persecuted or tortured  whether by governments, political movements or by terrorists.

I am a Muslim, who is, confusingly to racists, also white-skinned; whose mother is European and father, Arab. And I am angry, too. Because of Mr. Wilders lies and half-truths, manipulations and peddling of fear. You see, twenty years ago I served in the UN peacekeeping force during the Balkan wars  wars so cruel, so devastating, which flowed from this same factory of deceit, bigotry and ethnic nationalism.

Geert Wilders released his grotesque eleven-point manifesto only days ago, and a month ago he spoke along similar lines in Cleveland, in the United States. I will not repeat what he has said, but there are many who will, and his party is expected to do well in the elections in March.

And yet what Mr. Wilders shares in common with Mr. Trump, Mr. Orban, Mr. Zeman, Mr. Hofer, Mr. Fico, Madame Le Pen, Mr. Farage, he also shares with Daesh.

All seek in varying degrees to recover a past, halcyon and so pure in form, where sunlit fields are settled by peoples united by ethnicity or religion  living peacefully in isolation, pilots of their fate, free of crime, foreign influence and war. A past that most certainly, in reality, did not exist anywhere, ever. Europes past, as we all know, was for centuries anything but that.

The proposition of recovering a supposedly perfect past is fiction; its merchants are cheats. Clever cheats.

Populists use half-truths and oversimplification  the two scalpels of the arch propagandist, and here the internet and social media are a perfect rail for them, by reducing thought into the smallest packages: sound-bites; tweets. Paint half a picture in the mind of an anxious individual, exposed as they may be to economic hardship and through the media to the horrors of terrorism. Prop this picture up by some half-truth here and there and allow the natural prejudice of people to fill in the rest. Add drama, emphasizing its all the fault of a clear-cut group, so the speakers lobbing this verbal artillery, and their followers, can feel somehow blameless.

The formula is therefore simple: make people, already nervous, feel terrible, and then emphasize its all because of a group, lying within, foreign and menacing. Then make your target audience feel good by offering up what is a fantasy to them, but a horrendous injustice to others. Inflame and quench, repeat many times over, until anxiety has been hardened into hatred.

Make no mistake, I certainly do not equate the actions of nationalist demagogues with those of Daesh, which are monstrous, sickening; Daesh must be brought to justice. But in its mode of communication, its use of half-truths and oversimplification, the propaganda of Daesh uses tactics similar to those of the populists. And both sides of this equation benefit from each other  indeed would not expand in influence without each others actions.

The humiliating racial and religious prejudice fanned by the likes of Mr. Wilders has become in some countries municipal or even national policy. We hear of accelerating discrimination in workplaces. Children are being shamed and shunned for their ethnic and religious origins  whatever their passports, they are told they are not really European, not really French, or British, or Hungarian. Entire communities are being smeared with suspicion of collusion with terrorists.

History has perhaps taught Mr. Wilders and his ilk how effectively xenophobia and bigotry can be weaponized. Communities will barricade themselves into fearful, hostile camps, with populists like them, and the extremists, as the commandants. The atmosphere will become thick with hate; at this point it can descend rapidly into colossal violence.

We must pull back from this trajectory. My friends, are we doing enough to counter this cross-border bonding of demagogues? A decade ago, Geert Wilders manifesto and Cleveland speech would have created a world-wide furore. Now? Now, they are met with little more than a shrug, and, outside the Netherlands, his words and pernicious plans were barely noticed. Are we going to continue to stand by and watch this banalization of bigotry, until it reaches its logical conclusion?

Ultimately, it is the law that will safeguard our societies  human rights law, binding law which is the distillation of human experience, of generations of human suffering, the screams of the victims of past crimes and hate. We must guard this law passionately, and be guided by it.

Do not, my friends, be led by the deceiver. It is only by pursuing the entire truth, and acting wisely, that humanity can ever survive. So draw the line and speak. Speak out and up, speak the truth and do so compassionately, speak for your children, for those you care about, for the rights of all, and be sure to say clearly: stop! We will not be bullied by you the bully, nor fooled by you the deceiver, not again, no more; because we, not you, will steer our collective fate. And we, not you, will write and sculpt this coming century. Draw the line!
[September 06, 2016] Showpad and Box to Provide Integrated Sales & Marketing Solution to Box Customers

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Showpad, the world's most powerful content activation platform, announced today the beta release of its new Box Sync feature at the BoxWorks conference in San Francisco. Showpad's enhanced Box Sync allows marketers to deliver contextual content to sales reps in just a few clicks by connecting their Box account to Showpad. Showpad joined Box's Assured Apps program last year, after an extensive and competitive review by Box. With the launch of its enhanced Box Sync feature, Showpad joins many other top SaaS companies in the Box ecosystem including Slack, Vimeo and DocuSign. To further accelerate its growth, Showpad recently received $50 million in Series C funding from Insight Venture Partners. "More enterprise software companies are moving towards building transformative integrations instead of creating new enterprise applications from scratch. Box has created a tremendous platform to power integrated solutions that tacle specific business challenges and workflows," said Louis Jonckheere, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Showpad. "By combining efforts, we were able to create a streamlined content experience to manage and publish your content for sales enablement purposes."



"As a leading enterprise content platform, Box is transforming the way that people and organizations work," said Roger Murff, vice president of Business Development and Technology Partnerships at Box. "Collaborating with Showpad delivers a cross-platform sales and marketing solution and ultimately delivers more value to our joint customers around the world." Showpad's Box Sync offers an integrated sales enablement solution that allows customers to:

Synchronize Box files, folders, tags and permissions with Showpad, saving time and ensuring compliance Create branded environments from Box folders to present and share with customers Integrate Box content with Gmail, Outlook, Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Gain insight into how and when content is being used and measure its impact on sales results Showpad's Box Sync feature is currently available in beta and will roll out to all customers within the coming weeks. About Showpad Showpad delivers the world's most powerful content activation platform  one that makes your content incredibly easy to find, present, share and measure. Showpad empowers businesses to deliver their content to the right audience at the right time with the most intuitive and robust content platform. With Showpad, sales and marketing teams work better together to engage with audiences, advance conversations, inspire loyalty and accelerate your business. The Showpad platform can be deployed quickly and scales for any company. Founded in 2011, Showpad activates the content of over 850 companies around the world, including Johnson & Johnson, Fujifilm, Audi, Intel, and Kimberly-Clark. Showpad has dual headquarters in San Francisco and in Ghent, Belgium plus offices in Portland, and in London. For more information on Showpad, visit www.showpad.com or follow us on Twitter: @showpad. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/showpad-and-box-to-provide-integrated-sales--marketing-solution-to-box-customers-300323279.html SOURCE Showpad

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Warner Bros.

The crash landing that became known as the Miracle on the Hudson gets the big screen treatment this week with the release of Clint Eastwoods Sully, which focuses on Flight 1549 captain Chesley Sully Sullenberger and the aftermath of that fateful day in 2009. As our Mike Ryan noted in his review of the film, theres not a lot of tension to the story since we know that everyone survives, and the movie seems a bit padded with filler once the pivotal crash sequence ends. So why not throw in some drama about the ensuing investigation, and the evil folks behind it at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board?

It turns out that the real-life NTSB investigators arent exactly pleased with their portrayal as the films villains, and are speaking out about the inaccuracies in their onscreen depiction. In an interview with Bloomberg, now-retired lead investigator Robert Benzon compared the ridiculousness of Sully to the Sharknado series, and told the outlet that he and his fellow NTSB investigators were getting the dirty end of the stick. Malcolm Brenner, another retired NTSB employee who interviewed Sullenberger in the days after the accident, told Bloomberg, There was no effort to crucify him or embarrass him, unlike what the film portrays.

Related Links:





On the contrary, Brenner told Bloomberg he was very impressed with Sullenbergers decision-making, and while the NTSB did question whether the captain could have made it back to LaGuardia rather than opt for a water landing, it ultimately determined that his actions were justified. The official report following the investigation stated, The NTSB concludes that the captains decision to ditch on the Hudson River rather than attempting to land at an airport provided the highest probability that the accident would be survivable.

For his part, Sullenberger maintains that the film reflects the many challenges that I faced and successfully overcame both during and after the flight. As Brenner told Bloomberg, Any good story has to have a villain. Looks like Sully may have taken some liberties with who that villain actually was. (Everyone knows it was really the geese.)

(Via: Bloomberg)
The Left hates Donald Trump, but nothing has inspired more invective than his outreach to the black community. Its like he has barged into an exclusive club wearing the wrong color shoes.

In a recent column in The New York Times, Charles Blow sounds positively unhinged by Trumps overture to African-Americans, writing a hate-filled screed that calls the GOP candidate a bigot, a reprobate, and a charlatan whose soul is dark and who is a prime example of the worst of humanity. And thats just in the opening paragraphs.

Related: Clintons Email Mess Hands a Lifeline to the Floundering Trump Campaign

Blow is not alone. CBS cut off the video feed of Trump being warmly received by congregants at a black church in Detroit with on-camera voices suggesting censorship. A Huffington Post attendee wrote a balanced piece noting that Trump had impressed some (but not all) churchgoers; the editors were so alarmed they added this postscript:

Editors note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims  1.6 billion members of an entire religion  from entering the U.S.

Others have piled on as well, charging that Trumps appearances before black audiences are a con, a thinly-disguised effort to appeal to more moderate white voters. In other words, they claim hes going to black churches to speak to white voters.

The irony is, of course, that Trump was excoriated by many of the same voices for not talking to blacks. It appears he cant win. Or, maybe the possibility that he could win is driving critics mad. Recent polls show the race tightening as more voters question Hillary Clintons honesty; the political and media elites simply cannot imagine the untutored and provocative Donald Trump becoming president.





Related: Trump Catches Up to Clinton, Latest Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

Thats not the only reason for their outrage, however. Liberals quake at Trumps best campaign line to date, directed at African-Americans  What the Hell do you have to lose? Many blacks might ask themselves the same question.

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What, after all, does Hillary Clinton offer the black community? Does she promise to make our public schools better by demanding greater teacher accountability? Will she push to reverse decades of damage done by tenure and other rules that put union workers first and kids second? Does she promise to expand charter schools, so those tens of thousands of wait-listed African-American kids get a shot at the American dream? No, she does not. Hillary owes the teachers unions, which promise to get out the vote and which have donated millions to her campaign.

Does Hillary promise to secure our borders and reduce the number of illegal immigrants vying for entry-level jobs? Does she embrace the new gig economy that attempts to circumvent the morass of red tape driving so many small businesses under? Does she back the law enforcement efforts that keep low-income urban communities safe? The answers are a uniform no.

What Hillary Clinton offers African-Americans is four more years of Obamas policies, which Sean Diddy Combs, among others, have rightly described as failing the black community. Combs recently said that under Obama, blacks have been a little bit short-changed and that African-Americans should not automatically line up behind Clinton. Hillary Clinton, you know, I hope she starts to talk to the black community directly.  It really makes me feel, you know, almost hurt that our issues are not addressed, and were such a big part of the voting bloc. Combs has recently opened a charter school in Harlem; no wonder hes not a Hillary fan.

Related: Trump calls for New Civil Rights Agenda in Visit to Black Church

Clinton and others on the Left have scorned Trumps bleak portrayal of the African-American community. They have pointed out that there are many successful blacks, an updated version of a lot of my friends are black. It is true, of course. But dont jump on those who think blacks are not doing well. Liberals  including President Obama -- have spent years telling the country that African-Americans are oppressed, underprivileged, discriminated against and left behind. When Trump echoes those descriptions, they have only themselves to blame.

Remember President Obama in 2009 telling the NAACP that African-Americans are out of work more than just about anybody else and that they are more likely to suffer from a host of diseases but less likely to own health insurance than just about anybody else. He said, An African-American child is roughly five times as likely as a white child to see the inside of a prison and that AIDS disproportionately hit blacks. He claimed the pain of discrimination is still felt in America, that black kids lagged behind in school and over half are dropping out.

Ironically, Obama at the time was an active champion of charter schools, noting the great success of Geoffrey Canadas Harlem Childrens Zone, and of education reform. Sadly, that was in 2009, before the teacher's unions warned him that his efforts to hold teachers accountable would cost him their support in 2012. That was the end of school reform; it was an unforgivable surrender.

Related: Clinton Tells FBI She Could Not Recall All Briefings on Preserving Documents

Heres whats really going on. Hillary Clinton needs black votes to win the presidency. Obama won the 2012 election because black voter turnout (66.2 percent) was higher than whites (64.1 percent) for the first time in U.S. history. African-Americans cast some 12 percent of all votes, up from 11.8 percent in 2008. By comparison, the portion of votes cast by whites declined to 71.1 percent from 73.4 percent. That made the difference.

Clintons past embrace of husband Bills 1994 crime bill concerns some African-Americans who say that legislation lead to mass incarceration of blacks. Her description of black criminals as Super-Predators also counts against her. Sure, blacks poll in her favor. But the trick is getting them out to vote, and therein is why liberals are so anxious about Trumps outreach to African-Americans. The high turnout from blacks is a recent phenomenon and is due to the popularity of Obama. In 2004, only 60 percent of eligible blacks voted.

Trump doesnt need blacks to vote for him. He just needs them to wonder why they should vote for Hillary, and to stay home.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
The Toronto Film Festival has always welcomed issue-oriented films. The Ivory Game, Kief Davidson and Richard Ladkanis documentary about the illegal ivory trade and the battle to save Africas elephants, not only fits that brief, it also marks a major step in the evolution of Red Bull Media Houses Terra Mater Factual Studios. It also marks changes in film production technology.

Terra Mater has a well-established, global profile in television, but the company is a newcomer in the theatrical realm, says Terra Mater CEO Walter Koehler. Without doubt, The Ivory Game marks our arrival on the international theatrical-feature stage, he says.

The film, which is also screening in Telluride, focuses on the unsung heroes fighting on the front lines of what Ladkani describes as a senseless war, including the activists, rangers, undercover investigators and tough-as-nails conservationists who champion the same honorable cause  the survival of elephants.

Terra Mater, part of Austrias Red Bull Media House (yes, of the energy drink fame), partnered on the project with Netflix, Seattle-based Vulcan Prods., and Leonardo DiCaprios Appian Way.

The endeavor, says Koehler, was a dangerous journey, but one worth every risk.

The filmmakers, who worked together on 2005 doc The Devils Miner, found their subject in 2013 when Ladkani read The New York Times series The Price of Ivory, which Davidson says, quantified the horrific frenzy of elephant murders.

A legal market for ivory in China, while limited to 5 tons a year, has resulted in a thriving black market, hundreds of tons of ivory flowing through that country annually, huge profits for organized crime, widespread corruption, the enrichment of African warlords, and increased poaching.

Considering the ambitious nature of shooting across the globe, the filmmakers set their sights on Vienna-based Terra Mater, which had amassed plenty of experience producing wildlife documentaries in remote areas around the world.

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The company welcomed the opportunity. We developed the film from the start, commencing first with a recce [reconnaissance] shoot, Koehler says. The results were striking. When Richard called from Kenya to say that we were the first team onsite when Satao, one of few remaining big tuskers, was slaughtered, we knew we must move straight into production. No time could be lost if we were to fight for a ban on the illegal trade of ivory.

Ladkani says the film was shot using many different cameras as they needed a special tool kit to dynamically cover this real-world wildlife crime thriller without putting anyone in danger and yet immerse the audience in the midst of undercover operations around the world.

The team used a drone whenever possible as well as a big chopper for more cinematic scenes, and continuously shot with multiple cameras, GoPros, bodycams, and spy-button cams, Ladkani adds. During police crack-downs, they used night-vision cameras, often wearing bullet-proof vests.

Davidson adds, We hid cameras in bags, shirts and eyewear and also used the latest technology in tracker gear to follow  and protect  our undercover informants from a distance when they met their targets, putting their own lives on the line.

One arrest, which took place in Lusaka, Zambia, was shot with 13 different cameras as police officers stormed an ivory traffickers compound, says Ladkani.

The documentary attracted DiCaprios interest early on, according to Joanne Reay, Terra Maters head of cinema. Likewise, Netflix reps saw the film during post-production and immediately felt that it was a documentary that the world should see, says Koehler.

Being in the right place at the right time also proved difficult, Ladkani says. When we heard about the imminent arrest of one of the biggest ivory traffickers in Africa, we were covering operations in Hong Kong and had less than 24 hours to make it to Tanzania in time for the arrest operation.

Adds Koehler, In a stunning piece of filmmaking, we captured the moment of arrest.

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There have been reports of more clowns in more cities spotted lurking in the woods.

In the past month, police in the Carolinas have received multiple reports from people claiming clowns with white-painted faces were acting strangely in the area  at least once attempting to lure kids into the woods with money.

The reports have fueled speculation that the sightings could be a hoax, or possibly even morbid fans trying to promote the 2017 movie release of Stephen Kings It, about an evil clown known as Pennywise that terrorized a group of young boys.

One local TV station wondered if Rob Zombies upcoming film, about a group of kidnapped carnival workers, might be involved in guerrilla marketing  but the distributor said they were not.

If this is a hoax or publicity stunt it is not funny, Greensboro police spokeswoman Susan Danielsen tells PEOPLE. It is alarming to the public and a drain on police resources. We just dont know at this point, because we havent had the chance to interview any clowns.

The latest sighting occurred on Tuesday, when a man brandishing a machete chased a clown into the woods near an apartment complex in Greensboro, North Carolina, police said.

The person, who was wearing a scary clown mask, red curly wig, yellow dotted shirt, blue clown pants and clown shoes, ran back into the woods and disappeared from view, according to police.

We dont know why he was there or what he was doing there, Danielsen says. She says officers scoured the area, but couldnt find anyone.

While its not illegal to dress as a clown in Greensboro, Danielsen says the city has an ordinance that prohibits people from wearing a mask within city limits.

The police department, she says, is also discouraging copycat behavior.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

In August, several residents at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, reported seeing clowns lurking in the nearby woods.

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According to a Greenville County Sheriffs Office incident report obtained by PEOPLE, a deputy spoke to a woman on Aug. 21 who claimed her son had seen clowns in the woods, whispering and making noises, and when she went over to check, she saw several clowns flashing green laser lights in the woods before they ran off.

Another resident told the deputy that shed been walking home to her apartment hours before, at 2:30 a.m., and saw a large-figured clown with a blinking nose, standing under a post light near the garbage dumpster area, according to the incident report.

According to the report, several children also told the deputy that clowns had approached them behind one of the apartment buildings and tried to lure them into the woods by displaying large amounts of money.

There has been a couple of people that have seen them, Master Deputy Drew Pinciaro of the Greenville County Sheriffs Office told PEOPLE in an earlier interview. Mainly it has been children who have reported they have seen these clowns in the woods. Every time we have gone out there we have not seen any clowns.

The children said the clowns lived in a house near a pond at the end of a hiking trail, according to the report. The deputy found the house, but there were no signs of suspicious activity or characters dressed in clown attire, according to the report.

Greenville Police Chief Ken Miller said last week that the clowning around needs to stop.

Its illegal, its dangerous, its inappropriate, its creating community concern, he said.

Miller said the reported clown sightings have included various descriptions, with differences in both race and costume, and that at that point police had found no evidence supporting the sightings.

Days later, on Sept. 4, residents in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, reportedly saw a clown attempting to entice kids into the woods with treats, the Associated Press reports.

Police said two children saw the clown, and an adult heard the clown, according to the news agency.

Police responded to the area but found no signs of the creepy character, who was seen wearing white overalls, white gloves, red shoes with red bushy hair, a white face and a red nose, according to the AP.

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(BEIRUT)  Syrian activists and rescue workers in the rebel-held part of the contested city of Aleppo said that government warplanes dropped suspected chlorine bombs Tuesday on a crowded neighborhood, injuring dozens.

The report could not be independently verified and it was not clear how it was determined that chlorine gas was released.

Accusations involving use of chlorine and other poisonous gases are not uncommon in Syrias civil war, and both sides have denied using them while blaming the other for using it as a weapon of war. Last month, there were at least two reports of suspected chlorine attacks in Aleppo also, while the Syrian government also blamed the opposition for using the gas.

In Tuesdays attack, a medical report from one of the hospitals in the besieged eastern rebel-held part of Aleppo was shared with journalists via text messages. It said at least 71 persons, including 37 children and 10 women, were treated for breathing difficulties, dry cough, and that their clothes smelled of chlorine. The report said 10 of the patients are in critical care, including a pregnant woman.

Ibrahem Alhaj, a member of the Syria Civil Defense first responders team, said he got to the scene in the crowded al-Sukkari neighborhood shortly after a helicopter dropped barrels containing what he said were four chlorine cylinders. He said he himself had difficulty breathing and used a mask soaked in salt water to prevent irritation.

At least 80 civilians were taken to hospitals and treated for breathing difficulties, he said. A video by the rescuers shows children crying and men coughing.

Most of those injured where women and children, he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. It is a crowded neighborhood.

The head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 70 people suffered from breathing difficulties after a barrel bomb attack in al-Sukkari on Tuesday. The Observatorys chief, Rami Abdurrahman, said he could not ascertain if it was chlorine gas attack.

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Chlorine gas is a crude weapon that can be fatal in high concentrations. In lower doses, it can damage lungs or cause severe breathing difficulties and other symptoms, including vomiting and nausea.

A team of international inspectors determined in late August that the Syrian government and Islamic State militants were responsible for chemical attacks carried out in 2014 and 2015. But the U.N. Security Council failed to agree on whether to impose sanctions on the government in line with a September 2013 resolution authorizing sanctions that can be militarily enforced for any use of chemical weapons in Syria.

The resolution followed Syrias approval of a Russian proposal to relinquish its chemical weapons stockpile and join the Chemical Weapons Convention. That averted a U.S. military strike in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta.

Russia, a close Syrian government ally, has blocked sanctions against President Bashar Assads government.

Fighting in the deeply contested city of Aleppo has not let up despite international efforts to establish a cease-fire. On Sunday, Syrian pro-government forces backed by airstrikes launched a wide offensive in the city, capturing areas they lost last month and besieging rebel-held neighborhoods once more after a breach in the siege a month earlier.

On Tuesday, a Turkish spokesman said Turkey was pushing for a ceasefire in Aleppo that would extend through the Muslim religious holiday of Eid al-Adha, due to begin Monday. Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to his U.S. and Russian counterparts during the G20 meeting in China about the ceasefire.

Kalin told private broadcaster NTV Tuesday that the initial plan was for a 48-hour ceasefire.

Erdogan also repeated calls for a safe-zone to be established between the Syrian towns of Azaz and Jarablus in Aleppo province, to protect civilians. Turkey has pushed for a safe zone in Syria since at least 2014.

Turkey sent tanks into Syria last month to support rebel forces against the Islamic State group in the town of Jarablus. It expanded its operation into nearby al-Rai over the weekend.

___

Associated Press Writer Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul contributed to this report.
[September 07, 2016] Israeli Startup Synereo Announces RChain - a Blockchain Based Technology Stack, Enabling Decentralized On-Line Computation and Storage Without Centralized Servers.

TEL-AVIV, Israel, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Two weeks after the company's announcement of its decentralized Social Media platform moving into alpha, Synereo discloses the underlying Technology Stack, enabling its Social Network to function without centralized servers - which are normally required for the processing of network activity and the storage of user information. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404684 The newly announced technology combines significant improvements on existing decentralized technologies with developments unique to Synereo - providing for the first time scalable decentralized computation abilities on an industrial scale. Starting from Q4/2017, it will be possible to deploy fully operational applications on the system, without them having to be stored in a centralized location, effectively revolutionizing the way the internet works. Synereo's recently announced fundraising campaign is intended to fund the refinement of its Tech Stack, as well as to push forward the development of best-of-breed developer tools.Synereo's existing technology already allows fully decentralized and distributed applications to be created - its social network is one such application, and Synereo's other partners are using it as well - and with the next release planned for next year, Synereo's architecture will become mature enough to match high-end industry requirements and be competitive with centralized computing platforms. Synereo has recently announced a sizeable grant project, inviting developers and entrepreneurs to develop decentralized applications for its platform, to foster the development of a decentralized ecosystem, competing with the current centralized paradigm. Synereo's next version of its Tech Stack, to be released in 2017/Q4, will be composed of 4 layers, built on top of each other, as depicted on fg.01. Blockchain 2.0, or RChain -

The first layer, called RChain, often referred to as "Blockchain 2.0", constitutes a significant improvement on standard Blockchain technology underlying projects like Bitcoin and Ethereum. A Blockchain is a distributed ledger, or form of decentralized Database, which records the state of a system on a series of devices maintaining the network (called nodes), rather than on a central server. The pioneers of Bitcoin invented the technology in order to track Bitcoin transactions. The Ethereum project further developed it in order to equip it with the ability to perform more sophisticated transactions and essentially serve as a decentralized computer.



However, in contrast to those projects, Synereo's RChain is a concurrent and sharded blockchain. "Sharded" refers to the subdivision of the Blockchain into composable parts, which interlock to a unified whole, but do not need to be computed all at once (as it is the case with the Bitcoin Blockchain). Concurrent means that this subdivision enables different processes to run in parallel without interfering with each other. As a result of this architecture, RChain solves a well known problem of classical Blockchains, troubling the entire industry for years , while enabling Blockchain based systems to be much faster, infinitely scalable and cheaper to maintain. For more information about RChain, please visit here.

Storage & Content Delivery or SpecialK -

While the blockchain records the overall state of the system  meaning the validity of transactions and the execution of smart contracts  it is not suited for the storage of heavy media data such as images, videos and text. For this purpose, Synereo's CTO, Greg Meredith, developed a unique protocol to distribute this kind of information among Synereo nodes and then retrieve it on demand. This protocol, SpecialK, has been under active development for over five years and constitutes an innovative approach to distributed storage technology. Representing an evolution of DHT-like distributed key-value databases. SpecialK also provides a monadic domain-specific language, providing programmers with a familiar, unified API where they can access data distributed across the network. Data is distributed with both redundancy and sensitivity in mind, making sure it's available where it's needed, when it's needed, and concealed when it's not. Rholang Smart Contract Language or Synereo's Programming Language for Decentralized Applications - Rholang stands for Reflective, Higher-Order process Language, and is RChain's native smart-contract language (or programming language), comparable to Ethereum's Solidity. In contrast to Solidity, however, Rholang is a reflective programming language, based on process calculus, allowing for the parallel execution of processes and the composition of higher-ordered smart contracts on the basis of lower ones, in an efficient and secure way. This grants Rholang an obvious advantage over traditional smart contract languages and blockchain scripts, and puts it in the same category with established programming languages. Java, C#, and Scala, have all eventually adopted reflection as a core feature. This is what allows programmers to use programs to write other programs, on which more complex applications can be deployed. Without this feature, industrial scale development would likely be impossible due to complexity. The architecture also allows for better safety tests and simulations based on formal verification, a property of utmost importance when it comes to publicly used decentralized applications. The infamous DAO hack, for example, could have been avoided if the DAO's code had been based on Rholang. For more information about Synereo's complete decentralized Tech Stack, please view this architecture document or visit our site. About Synereo: Synereo is a Tel-Aviv based company which develops a decentralized tech stack, allowing web applications to exist without centralized servers. Founders:

Dor Konforty (CEO) is a graduate of the Israeli Air Force IT unit and has a master's degree in neurobiology. His work on neural networks inspired him to develop a new type of decentralized economy. Greg Meredith (CTO) was the principal architect of Microsoft's BizTalk's Process Orchestration, sparking several industry standards including WSDL. Greg holds many patents and has published many papers, including seminal papers on reflective higher-order calculi. Synereo's team and mission statement For more information, please contact: Dor Konforty CEO Synereo [email protected] Related Images image1.png image2.png image3.bin image4.jpg Related Links Synereo Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxrfwsoTpis This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/israeli-startup-synereo-announces-rchain---a-blockchain-based-technology-stack-enabling-decentralized-on-line-computation-and-storage-without-centralized-servers-300323502.html SOURCE Synereo LTD

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Attention passengers: From the moment it was announced, Sully could be described in one word: Inevitable. A big-effects feature about hero pilot Chesley Sully Sullenberger? Directed by Clint Eastwood? Starring Tom Hanks? Of course. Hollywood was never going to let the beloved Sullenberger go to his grave without making him the fulcrum of a film; the age-appropriate Hanks represents all things right and American; Eastwood is naturally drawn to the lone gunslinger who shoots from the hip  or in this case, the airline pilot who, in 2009, improvised an emergency landing on the Hudson River from which everyone walked away.

Inevitable is how Sully feels. That, and a little soggy, given that the storyline is rooted not in the few seconds of Sullenbergers defining act of heroism, but in the way his conscience, and the National Transportation Safety Board, plagued him in its aftermath. The film has some impressive special effects  very few know what a landing in the Hudson looks like, and the FX team behind Sully delivers a convincing rendition. So does Hanks, re: the not-so-complicated Sullenberger. But the film also feels very much like its circling the airport, maybe in the rain.

Whats really ticklish about this adaptation of the Sully story  Todd Kormanickis aeronautically challenged screenplay is based on Sullenbergers memoir Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters with Jeffrey Zaslow  is how much clearance it provides for running a metaphorical 747 into an Eastwoodian vision of contemporary America. As played by Hanks, whos working with Eastwood for the first time, Sullenberger is virtue personified. Hes devoted to his wife back home, Lorrie (Laura Linney, delivering virtually her entire performance into a phone). Hes devoted to duty: The movies most moving sequence is the river rescue by ferry boat, NYPD divers and helicopters, an outpouring of New York City camaraderie and teamwork during which Sully makes sure hes the last one off the sinking fuselage. At the same time, the veteran fliers not totally convinced of his own good judgment. No, he tells anyone who asks, the plane would not have made it back to LaGuardia. He had to use the river as a runway. All the NTSB flight simulations and computerized post-mortems are incorrect.

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And yet, he asks himself, what if hed been wrong?

The dreams that plague him  the films opening scene is inside Sullys sweaty nightmare of the star-crossed Flight 1549 going down in flames onto lower Manhattan  will probably come as a surprise to those who casually followed the story in the news. So will the attack on the Miracle on the Hudson launched by investigators for the NTSB. Eastwood directs his investigative panel, which includes the estimable Jamey Sheridan, Mike OMalley and Anna Gunn, as bureaucratic pit bulls eager for a kill, anxious that their state-of-the-art machinery prove the flesh-and-blood human wrong, and that no, the left engine wasnt killed by the flock of geese that disabled other engines but could have provided enough thrust to get the U.S. Airways flight safely to an airport. Their smirking contempt for the Flight 1549 team, which included co-pilot Jeff Stiles (a solid Aaron Eckhart), is followed by a spineless genuflection toward Sully once his judgment is exonerated. Stirring dramas needs craven villains and, for Eastwood, employees of the federal government will do just fine.

Similarly, the media. Lorrie Sullenberg, back home in California, sees her front lawn overrun by slavering hordes of camera people and God knows whatTMZ reporters lurking in the bushes! The reaction of Sully is to treat this as a huge invasion of privacy, an affront to decencyif not an alien invasion. In a way it is. But wasnt Sully being acclaimed a national hero? Didnt everyone want to know everything about him? The knee-jerk treatment of the press, as a plague on America, conveniently leaves out any culpability for the America that was glued to its screens, hungry for what it could learn about the most amazing feat of aviation anyone could remember. As one character says (and we paraphrase), it was the best news to hit New York in years  especially involving airplanes.

The calamity of 9/11, though it occurred eight years prior to the events of Sully, haunts the movie, rightly: The image of an aircraft coming in low along the skyline of New Jersey was all too reminiscent of the day the towers came down; Eastwood seems to take great care not to create any shot that directly resembles the images we all have of 9/11, but the memory of that day is reflected in the eyes of random characters, as Sully negotiates the George Washington Bridge and the West Side of Manhattan and comes to rest splashily stop the frigid waters of the Hudson (it was January, after all). Its difficult not to read a subtle message in all this, about the less-than triumphal war on terror and the directors dissatisfaction with the way America is heading. The lessons of Sully overall are more obvious, almost Randian  that an individual who acts courageously and defies convention, however successfully, can expect to have the powers-that-be come down on his head. Its quite a message, one a bit too heavy for liftoff.
Flames burned and smoke filled the air in Paradise, California, on September 6, as firefighters battled a wildfire, known as the Saddle Fire.

As of Tuesday evening local time, the Saddle Fire covered 850 acres, was 37 percent contained, and threatened 300 structures, according to California Fire Chief of Public Information, Daniel Berlant.

This footage is described as showing a canyon burning amid the fire. Credit: Instagram/neikojones
Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - In-fighting has broken out in Boko Haram after the Islamic State group announced a new leader of its Nigerian affiliate, according to reports in the country's remote northeast.

IS said last month that Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram's founder Mohammed Yusuf, had replaced Abubakar Shekau at the head of the designated terrorist organisation.

But Shekau then insisted he was still in charge of the Islamist group, whose insurgency has killed at least 20,000 people since 2009 and forced more than 2.6 million from their homes.

Sources in northeast Nigeria now say there have been deadly skirmishes between the two factions, even as Nigeria's military seeks to finally rout the rebels in a sustained counter-offensive.

Last Thursday, several fighters from Shekau's camp were said to have been killed in two separate gun battles with IS-backed Barnawi gunmen in the Monguno area of Borno state near Lake Chad.

Nigeria's military declined to comment on the reported in-fighting when contacted by AFP.

- 'True jihad' -

Mele Kaka, who lives in the area, told AFP: "The Barnawi faction launched an offensive against the Shekau faction who were camped in the villages of Yele and Arafa.

"In Yele, the assailants killed three people from the Shekau camp, injured one and took one with them, while several were killed in Arafa," he said by telephone from the state capital, Maiduguri.

The attack prompted residents of Arafa to flee, he added.

Fighters from Barnawi camp had the previous day attacked gunmen loyal to Shekau in Zuwa village in nearby Marte district, killing an unspecified number, Kaka said.

"The Barnawi fighters told villagers after each attack that they were fighting the other camp because they had derailed from the true jihad and were killing innocent people, looting their property and burning their homes," he went on.

"They said such acts contravene the teachings of Islam and true jihad."

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- Ideological split -

Shekau has led Boko Haram since the death of Mohammed Yusuf in police custody in 2009, waging a deadly, indiscriminate guerilla war that has overwhelmingly targeted civilians.

Suicide bombers have repeatedly hit busy mosques, churches, markets and bus stations while hit-and-run raids have destroyed remote villages, killing and maiming residents.

Thousands of people, many of them women and young girls, have been kidnapped, including more than 200 schoolgirls, who were seized from the Borno town of Chibok more than two years ago.

Shekau has justified the attacks in ranting video and audio monologues against the secular state, those who support it and anyone who does not share his radical interpretation of Islam.

He pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in March last year, changing the group's name to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Experts, however, suggest the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians as well as Shekau's "dictatorial" style, including secret killings of dissenting commanders, have caused a rift.

Shortly after his nomination, Barnawi made a pointed critique of Shekau's leadership, lambasting him for targeting ordinary Muslims.

- Gun battle -

News of the factional clashes have been slow to emerge because of the destroyed telecommunications infrastructure in northeast Nigeria, and restricted access.

A civilian vigilante assisting the military against Boko Haram said there were sporadic clashes between the opposing fighters.

The three incidents described by Kaka were "very possible", said Babakura Kolo.

"I don't have news of the clashes but it is not surprising if they did occur because there has been similar in-fighting among the two Boko Haram camps," he added.

Two weeks ago, there was a fierce gun battle in the Abadam area of Borno state, near the border with Niger, where Shekau's fighters were routed, he said.

"It was a deadly fight and Shekau's fighters were forced to flee," he said.

Hundreds of residents of the villages and their herds taken hostage by the fleeing fighters were allowed to go about their normal lives by the Barnawi faction, Kolo added.
On the rainy Tuesday morning after Hong Kongs legislative elections, Nathan Laws office looked something like a slumber party in a fallout shelter. Two members of his political party, , were curled up asleep on battered futons, and crossing the room meant tripping through a minefield of campaign detritus: bullhorns, empty Pocari Sweat bottles, extension cords, a ladder propped against a mountain of cardboard boxes. One campaign member had hung his laundry from the metal grid of the drop tile ceiling and forgotten it there.

We let things get messy during the election, Law grins.

And if he is fazed by the result of that election  in which he, at 23, became the youngest lawmaker in Hong Kongs history  hes adept by now at affecting grace under pressure. Hes had two years to acclimatize to the political spotlight, ever since he emerged as a leader of the massive pro-democracy demonstrations, collectively known as Occupy Central or the Umbrella Revolution, that floored Hong Kong for three months in the fall of 2014. Hes grown up since then  his wardrobe is chicer, his jawline a little more pronounced  while Hong Kong has grown more anxious, neutered in the face of what it sees as Beijings encroachment on the semiautonomous territory.

People have put their trust in me, and now I have to perform, he says. We hope that we can bring the issue of Hong Kongs future to the parliamentary table. Thats completely different to protesting.

Law is one of a handful of young pro-democracy activists who earned seats in Sundays elections  an unprecedented feat in this town of career politicians, and indicative of a widespread urge for political change that has been mounting since the 2014 protests. Then, demonstrators demanded the right to directly elect Hong Kongs leader, the chief executive, who is chosen by a council seen as Beijings proxy  one of several constitutional mechanisms intended to ensure that the central government has the final word when it comes to managing the territory, which has otherwise nominally held a high degree of autonomy since the British returned it to China in 1997.

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The call for reform went unanswered, and the protest leaders were dismissed by critics as hapless, unschooled fringe ideologues who ultimately lacked real political power. Sundays elections have invalidated this. Law earned more than 50,000 votes, the second highest of any candidate in his constituency Hong Kong Island, which is allotted six seats in the legislature.

It shows that Hong Kong people want changes in the democratic movement, Law says of his victory. Hong Kongs democratic movement has been stuck in a place where it cant escape from the road map drawn by the Communist Party.

His zeal for democratizing Hong Kong is the passion of a convert. He was born in Shenzhen, the mainland metropolis just north of Hong Kongs border, to what he calls a blue collar family; they moved to Hong Kong in 1999, when he was 6. His parents enrolled him in schools run by Beijing sympathizers. Law recalls an October morning in 2010 when his principal stood up at a morning assembly to denounce Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, who had just won the Nobel Peace Prize for his long and nonviolent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. (Liu currently sits in prison for subverting state power, slated for release in 2020.) There were lessons in Chinese politics  which were presented as uncorrupt and democratic, even though Law saw nothing on school field trips to the mainland that could compare with Hong Kongs rule of law.

An independent judiciary is something Hong Kongs democracy supporters regularly point to (with alternating pride and worry) as a vital distinguishing factor between the semiautonomous territory and the rest of China. On paper, Hong Kongs freedoms are preserved by the constitutional dynamic known as one country, two systems, designed to bulwark the citys freewheeling ways even as it acknowledged Chinas sovereignty. The fear now is that it is not enough. The demonstrations in 2014 were a call for election reforms, but more essentially they channeled an existential angst over what many saw as Chinas incursion into the territorys way of life. (The chief executive, whose method of appointment protesters were seeking to alter, is widely seen as Beijings lieutenant.)

Law was a figurehead of the protests, in large part because he was one of three student activists arrested for storming a public square near the government headquarters on Sept. 26, 2014, which proved to be a watershed night for unrest. The two others were Alex Chow and then 17-year-old Joshua Wong, the gawky, bespectacled activist who emerged as a poster boy for Hong Kongs democratic movement. Today, Wong  at 19, still too young to run for public office  is the secretary general of , the political party Law heads, which emerged from the ashes of the Occupy movement. Wong is a foil of sorts to Law: he is vociferous, occasionally to the point of theater; Law is more measured, with the pensive, scholastic look of a graduate student. (Never mind that he hasnt yet graduated from college. Schoolwork took a backseat to politics for awhile.)

Its amazing. Weve created a miracle in Hong Kong, Wong says at campaign headquarters the Tuesday morning after the elections. He had two hours of sleep the night before. People want change. Dont think that young people cant be a force of change.

But for all their lyrical rhetoric, Law and his colleagues are not Hong Kongs new radicals. The popular anxiety that enabled their political rise also fostered a more extreme movement  a crusade for Hong Kongs outright independence from China. It is an implausible solution, but it has Beijing anxious: last month, a number of pro-independence candidates were banned from running in the Legislative Council elections on the grounds that their platform was unconstitutional.

For now, our final goal is a city with high autonomy, a fair political system, and social justice, Law says. This vision is superior to independence, because it relates to how we live together as a society. No one can guarantee that independence would resolve certain issues with the local establishment.

He hopes that Hong Kong people will eventually have a referendum determining their future, but concedes that its a target thats still far away. His short-term goals are things like local agriculture incentives and water-purification facilities, all of which will reduce Hong Kongs dependency on the hard resources of mainland China.

It will be interesting to see if he plays well with others. He does not have a massive amount of respect for the more traditional pro-democracy lawmakers in the Legislative Council, whom he sees as hamstrung. They cared too much about getting votes, he says frankly. They were afraid to provide a political vision and talk bluntly about the real issues. (Hes not alone in feeling this way: four veteran democrats were voted out in Sundays elections.)

Nor does he see himself as the liaison between the new democratic movement and the pro-Beijing camp, which will continue to hold the legislative majority  40 seats to the democrats 30, in large part because of the curious nature of the Legislative Council elections, which allows half of all seats to be elected by representatives from various economic sectors and professions (a system seen as favorable to Beijing). In the legislature, he will be serving alongside fellow freshman lawmaker Junius Ho, a pro-Beijing figure who has openly called for Law to receive a harsher sentence for his storming of Civic Square in 2014.

I dont know their attitude, and I dont really care, to be honest, Law says of the pro-Beijing camp. Theyre the ones abusing Hong Kong people, so I dont think theres room for cooperation with them.

The election of young protest leaders to the Legislative Council is only the latest referendum on how Hong Kong feels about its sovereign overlords in Beijing; in a recent survey conducted by the University of Hong Kong, less than half of those polled said they had faith in Hong Kongs future. (A startling 1 in 6 is on board with the idea of the territorys independence, and 40% of the 15-to-24 age group say they are.)

Those who derided the failure of the Umbrella Movement to deliver tactile policy results are now left to answer to a new political tide that is rising because Beijing and the local establishment declined to take its earlier and more modest demands seriously.

The new political movement is effectively the creation of C.Y. Leung and Beijing, the China expert Willy Lam says, using the initials of the current Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. Five or six years ago, most young people in Hong Kong were apathetic about their political future. But now theres been no political progress, and 2047 [when one country, two systems is scheduled to expire] is not that far away.

Experts are now waiting to see how Beijing reacts to the results of the elections, which many have linked to the rampant distrust of Leung. Law professor and Occupy Hong Kong initiator Benny Tai ventures that the elections will be the determining factor in whether Leung is chosen for a second term in next Marchs election.

Beijing will have to re-evaluate, since it appears theyve lost the ability to govern Hong Kong, Tai says. Replacing an unpopular leader with a highly popular one is a strategy Beijing likes.

Law and his political compatriots are eyeing next Marchs chief-executive election  Wong says that it may occasion further protests  but in the meantime they are more concerned with weathering Laws transition from outspoken activist to formal politician. Wong is currently in the process of finding the party a new office on Hong Kong Island, near the government headquarters, while Law, a 23-year-old who grew up in public housing, will now be making nearly $144,000 a year, plus perks. He will not wear a tie to work.

Ill dress like a young person, he shrugs. I am a young person.
Simferopol (AFP) - Authorities in Russian-annexed Crimea on Wednesday released prominent Crimean Tatar activist Ilmi Umerov from a psychiatric hospital, where he was forcibly detained for three weeks as he faces extremism charges.

Umerov was the deputy chairman of the Crimean Tatars' elected governing body, the Mejlis, which the Russian authorities banned as extremist in April.

Umerov was released from the hospital in the peninsula's main city of Simferopol at around 11 am (0800 GMT) after doctors told him he had no mental health problems, Nariman Dzhelyal, the first deputy head of the Mejlis, told AFP.

Umerov, 59, was moved against his will to a psychiatric hospital on August 18 to undergo forced sanity testing.

His detention prompted international rights groups as well as politicians in Kiev and the West to call for his immediate release, backed by a "Free Umerov" Twitter campaign.

In May, Russia charged Umerov with making public calls to change Russia's borders after he said on Crimean Tatar television channel ATR that Crimea should be returned to Ukraine. He faces up to five years in jail and is under a travel ban.

Umerov was a longtime head of the peninsula's Bakhchysaray district, resigning when it moved under Moscow's control.

As soon as he left the hospital, Umerov went to a local court to support a fellow activist on trial before going home, Dzhelyal said.

Umerov's daughter Aishe told AFP: "I understand they can put him in jail at any moment, but today in our family it is a celebration: Father is back with us."

Since Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Russian authorities have cracked down on the Muslim Crimean Tatars who largely opposed the takeover of the peninsula and were persecuted under Stalin.

Umerov's detention in a psychiatric ward without his consent for testing of his mental state prompted comparisons with Soviet-era incarcerations of dissidents in psychiatric facilities.

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Umerov, who has Parkinson's disease and diabetes, felt too ill to comment to AFP on Wednesday, his daughter said.

"Father is holding up of course, like a true man, but this stress with the psychiatric hospital has left its mark on him."

She said that her father's state of health "is concerning" and that he has started to suffer from vision problems.

Umerov was set to meet his lawyers Wednesday evening ahead of the next hearing in his case on September 13.
Washington (AFP) - A Russian fighter jet flew dangerously close to a US spy plane over the Black Sea on Wednesday, the Pentagon said, although Moscow quickly insisted the encounter was within "international rules."

A Russian Su-27 Flanker jet made an unsafe, close-range intercept of a US P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine and intelligence plane conducting "routine operations" in international airspace, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said.

A US defense official, speaking earlier on condition of anonymity, told AFP the Russian plane flew within 30 feet (9 meters) of the P-8A before closing to just 10 feet.

"These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions, and could result in a miscalculation or accident," Davis said.

However, Moscow said the intercept was conducted "in strict accordance with international rules" because the Americans were trying to snoop on Russian army exercises.

The Russian defense ministry said in a statement that it dispatched Su-27 jets to check out US P-8 Poseidon planes as they "twice tried to get close to the Russian border over the Black Sea without their transponders turned on."

"After the Russian fighters got close to the spy planes for visual confirmation and to determine their wing numbers, the American aircraft changed course sharply and flew away," the statement said.

"The Russia pilots acted in strict accordance with international rules for flights."

US Navy aircraft and ships routinely interact with Russian craft in the area, and most encounters are conducted safely.

"However, we have deep concerns when there is an unsafe maneuver," Davis said.

Relations between Russia and the West are at their worst since the Cold War over Moscow's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine and alleged fueling of a separatist conflict in the former Soviet republic.

Washington and Moscow have reported an uptick in similar mid-air incidents between their forces as Russia flexes its muscles and the US-led NATO alliance beefs up its forces in Eastern Europe.

A similar "unsafe" intercept over the Black Sea occurred in May last year when a Russian Flanker intercepted an American RC-135 reconnaissance plane.
By Idrees Ali and Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON/BERLIN (Reuters) - A Russian fighter jet carried out an "unsafe and unprofessional" intercept of a U.S. spy plane over the Black Sea and came within 10 feet (3.05 meters) of the American aircraft, two U.S. defense officials said on Wednesday. The incident is likely to cause more tension between the United States and Russia, who are at odds over the Syrian civil war and Ukraine. It lasted about 19 minutes and involved a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter and a U.S. Navy P-8 surveillance plane flying a regular patrol, said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "They're up there for 12 hours and there are lots of interactions. But only one of the incidents was what the pilot determined was unsafe," said another official, who was not authorized to speak publicly. Officials were talking with the pilot and reviewing the incident to determine whether it would be included in an annual meeting of U.S. and Russian officials about more serious intercepts, the official added. The Russian defense ministry said it had sent Su-27s on Wednesday to intercept a U.S. aircraft approaching its border over the Black Sea because the American planes had turned off their transponders, which are needed for identification. There have been a number of similar incidents involving Russia and the United States this year. In April, two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea. The events are reminiscent of the Cold War, when a series of close calls led to a bilateral agreement aimed at avoiding dangerous interactions at sea that was signed in 1972. In July, NATO leaders agreed to deploy military forces to the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time and increase air and sea patrols to reassure allies who were once part of the Soviet bloc, following Russia's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. The 28-nation Western defense alliance decided to move four battalions totaling 3,000 to 4,000 troops into northeastern Europe on a rotating basis to display its readiness to defend eastern members against Russia. (Additional reporting by Lidia Kelly in Moscow.; Editing by G Crosse and Alistair Bell)
Startled residents of a Russian city inside the Arctic Circle have been posting photos of a local river that has mysteriously turned blood red.

Photos published on Russian social media appear to the show the Daldykan River near the city of Norilsk flowing vivid burgundy. Russian authorities have yet to establish a reason for the rivers unusual appearance, but local people quickly linked it to a giant metals plant upstream. Russia's Environment Ministry said it was investigating a plant leak as the likely cause.

Norilsk is known as one of the most polluted cities on earth, built around factories mostly belonging to the vast metals company Norilsk Nickel. Some Norilsk residents wrote in a local social media group that they believed the rivers biblical shade is linked to runoff from a nearby smelting plant.

Some suggested the color was being produced by wastewater mixed with mineral ore leaking into the river from the Hope Metals Plant.

Related: Keystone Pipeline Spills Over 380,000 Gallons in North Dakota

Reached by ABC News, the factory declined to comment.

Area residents on social media and a local indigenous group said they were sure the color was coming from the area's metals plants, noting that it was not the first time they contaminated the region's water.

A user named Evgeny Belikov, who claimed to have worked at the Hope plant, said that workers referred to a reservoir connected to it as the "red sea" on account of its color, produced by ore runoff.

Other users posted older photos seeming to show the reservoir a similar color in an area that has large pipes running into it.

"In winter, the snow's also red," Belikov wrote on the social media group. "On the one hand, it's beautiful, but on the other, it's chemical."

Grigory Dukarev of the Association of the Indigenous Peoples of the Taimir Peninsula, which represents native communities in the area, told ABC News that he was preparing to submit a formal complaint to regional authorities asking them to investigate and was traveling to the river to record the pollution.

He said he was previously told that the runoff from the factories was not harmful and would cause minimal ecological damage. But he said he was skeptical.

"I'm going to ask the representative from the company to drink this water," Dukarev said. "Will they drink this water? I doubt that."
[September 07, 2016] HackProof Systems Challenges Hackers to Defeat Its Server Security

HackProof Systems, creator of new technologies that prevent hacking into server backbones of information systems, today announced a Hacker Challenge to help prove its solution. In the challenge - open to anyone globally - a hacker must find a way into the server protected by the HackProof Systems technology and find the embedded "Golden Token" containing instructions on how to win the challenge, and complete the instructions by midnight EDT on September 30, 2016 to claim the $5000 reward. "HackProof Systems is confident no one will be able to hack into the server protected by our new security technology," said Gordon Craig, founder and CTO of HackProof Systems. "The company decided to issue a public challenge to hackers worldwide to prove to us and the world that our security solution lives up to the company name. HackProof Systems technology prevents anyone from hacking into a client/server information system, making it a perfect solution for commercial or governmental installations." FIND THE GOLDEN TOKEN The challenge is simple: to win a person must hack into the company's server (the public IP address is: 96.92.82.82), locate the "Golden Token" file, then follow the instructions contained in the file to receive the $5,000 reward. The first person to successfully complete the instructions by midnight EDT on September 30, 2016, will win the challenge and the cash prize.



The server used in the HackProof Systems' Hacker Challenge utilizes the same security technology the company intends to make available to the public in the first quarter of 2017. The privately held company is maintaining a wait list for prospective customers that would like to receive an early release of the commercial product. Companies that want to be on this wait list should contact Gordon Craig at [email protected].

About HackProof Systems HackProof Systems is dedicated to helping prevent hacking into commercial and governmental information systems. To prove its new solution is impenetrable, the Park City, Utah startup just announced its Hacker Challenge to see if anyone can break into their server and find the embedded Golden Token. More information can be found at www.hackproofsystems.com. Follow HackProof Systems on Social Media: https://twitter.com/hackproofsys

https://www.facebook.com/HackProof-Systems-1925270937713746/ Note: Brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005753/en/

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Ryan Lochte is ready to put his Rio scandal behind him and focus on a new challenge  dancing!



After the controversy surrounding an erroneously reported robbery in Rio, the swimmer hopes his appearance on this season of Dancing With the Stars will help him  and everybody else  move on.



"I'm excited for, not only myself, but everyone else to forget about what happened and to move forward," Lochte told PEOPLE at the Good Morning America cast reveal party in New York City on Wednesday. "I think that's what the biggest thing is  what we're gonna do is just move forward and show off my dancing skills."





Ryan Lochte Hopes Dancing with the Stars Will Help Everyone 'Forget' Rio Robbery Scandal

The swimmer, 32, previously told PEOPLE he was sorry for making the false claim that and three other Team USA swimmers were robbed at gunpoint at a Rio gas station on a night out and later admitted on GMA that he still wasn't sure what really happened that night.







Though a Brazilian judge pressed charges against Lochte for making the false claim and ordered him to appear in court, the Olympian is ready to put the scandal behind and focus on the challenge ahead with his partner, returning pro Cheryl Burke.



Of the partnership, previous Mirrorball-winning champion Burke said, "I love training athletes how to dance because they're very determined and their work ethic is amazing, and Ryan is no different  he's always on time and he's ready to work," the DWTS vet said.



She added, "Sometimes he's a little too hard on himself cause he wants to be perfect but he has zero dancing experience and I'm like, 'Listen, you gotta take this whole show one step at a time or else it gets way too overwhelming.' But he's been amazing so far."



Season 23 of Dancing With the Stars premieres Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Just before the new season of Dancing with the Stars kicks off, embattled Olympian Ryan Lochte is hoping the show will repair his tarnished image.

Read: Brazilian Police Charge U.S. Olympian Ryan Lochte With Making A False Crime Report

"I think everyone will see a different side of me. And see the trouble and challenge that dancing is for me and see how this journey is so much fun," he told Inside Edition.

Lochte found himself in trouble with authorities in Brazil after they said he lied about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio during the Olympics.

Gold medal gymnast Laurie Hernandez became a big hit in Rio. She and dancing partner Val Chmerkovsky showed off their lucky handshake and discussed how this competition would be new territory for her.

It's different from gymnastics cause in gymnastics you're out there, you're responsible for everything. Here, Ive got a partner and it's nice to work together, she said.

Sixty-year-old Maureen McCormick, aka Marcia Brady from The Brady Bunch, will be hitting the dance floor with Artem Chigvintsev.

She said the experience will be extremely intense and extremely overwhelming.

He may no longer be a contender for the White House, but former Texas Governor Rick Perry knows a thing or two about campaigning.

Read: Ryan Lochte May Lose Endorsements Over Rio Scandal: 'I Can't Imagine a Worse Scenario for His Career'

You can vote 12 times. Remember 12 times you can vote for us, he begged during his Inside Edition interview.

He did speak about this years election and said: "I hope we elect a president, Im obviously for Donald Trump, who will reach out and bring this country together."

Watch: Jimmy Fallon's 'Donald Trump' and Barbra Streisand Duet on 'Tonight Show'

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By Dahlia Nehme MECCA (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's top religious authority said Iran's leaders were not Muslims, drawing a rebuke from Tehran in an unusually harsh exchange between the regional rivals over the running of the annual haj pilgrimage. The war of words on the eve of the mass pilgrimage will deepen a long-running rift between the Sunni kingdom and the Shi'ite revolutionary power. They back opposing sides in Syria's civil war and a list of other conflicts across the Middle East. Tensions between them have been rising since Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in January following the storming of its embassy in Tehran, itself a response to the Saudi execution of a dissident Shi'ite cleric. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message published on Monday, criticized Saudi Arabia over how it runs the haj after a crush last year killed hundreds of pilgrims. He said Saudi authorities had "murdered" some of them, describing Saudi rulers as godless and irreligious. Responding to a question by Saudi newspaper Makkah, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said he was not surprised at Khamenei's comments. "We have to understand that they are not Muslims. ... Their main enemies are the followers of Sunnah (Sunnis)," Al al-Sheikh was quoted as saying in remarks republished by the Arab News. He described Iranian leaders as sons of "magus", a reference to Zoroastrianism, the dominant belief in Persia until the Muslim Arab invasion of the region that is now Iran 13 centuries ago. This year pilgrims from Iran will be unable to attend the haj, which officially starts on Sept. 11, after talks between the two nations on arrangements broke down in May. Khamenei met families of Iranians killed in last year's disaster on Wednesday and called for a fact-finding committee to investigate the cause of the crush. "The evil family tree of the Saudi dynasty does not have the competence to manage the holy shrines," Khamenei said. "BIGOTRY" Al al-Sheikh's remarks drew an acerbic retort from Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said they were evidence of bigotry among Saudi leaders. "Indeed; no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account. Saudi authorities normally seek to avoid public discussion of whether Shi'ites are Muslims, but implicitly recognize them as such by welcoming them to the haj, and by accepting Iranian visits to the Saudi-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation. In Washington, the U.S. State Department said the harsh words would only worsen tensions in the Middle East, where Saudi Arabia and Iran are vying for influence in countries such as Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon. "By no means do we want to see this kind of rhetoric that weve seen in the last couple of days that will only escalate tensions," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Saleh bin Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said Saudi Arabia was "destined" to watch over Islam's holy sites, accusing Iran of trying to stir up sectarian discord as some 1.3 million Muslims convened in Mecca this week. "The Iranian regime is now isolated from the Islamic world. They are trying to hijack people from all over to bring dishonor, but in fact all Islamic countries are with Saudi Arabia as it carries out its duties and responsibilities," said the minister, in comments carried by Okaz newspaper. Speaking near Mecca's Great Mosque and clad in the traditional white robe of a pilgrim, Moussa Abdi, a member of Algeria's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said the region must work to repair its ideological and political rifts. "We are not alone in this world, and we face other political conflicts. We have to unite. ... We have to get over these differences which aim at creating rifts within the Islamic world," Moussa told Reuters. Custodian of Islam's most revered places in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on organizing haj, one of the five pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to is obliged to undertake at least once. Riyadh said 769 pilgrims were killed in the 2015 disaster, the highest haj death toll since a crush in 1990. Counts of fatalities by countries who repatriated bodies showed that more than 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians. Iran blamed the 2015 disaster on organizers' incompetence. (Reporting by William Maclean, Sami Aboudi, Noah Browning, Katie Paul and Babak Dehghanpisheh; additional reporting by Ruthy Munoz and Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Jonathan Oatis)
From Seventeen

We all know that many schools have some pretty ridiculous rules about what female students can wear. It's so common, in fact, that it's not even surprising  annoying, yes, but not surprising  when girls are sent home for showing their collarbones in class. This latest dress code scandal, however, is absolutely shocking.

Odyssey reports that assistant principal Phil Morgante at Clements High School in Texas told an entire assembly that the female students are the reason for male students' poor grades. The speech was uploaded to Sound Cloud and it's absolutely astounding.

Morgante reportedly said: "Ladies, I know you've been working on your abs since the Olympics, right? But your shirts can't be up here. It's gotta cover the whole gut. So cover up." Then he added, "Ladies, I still blame you all for boys' low grades because of tight clothing. If you have tight clothing on, we're going to ask you to change."

[contentlinks align="left" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related Story" customtitles="14 Most Outrageous Dress Code Scandals" customimages="" content="article.36027"]

Unsurprisingly, many students were outraged at Morgante's speech. Piper Cotton, a student at Clements High School told ABC 13, "It's just kind of gross, because he teaches teenage girls. Like they can blame us for them being distracted during school hours. He insisted rape culture [is] on us."

Em, a junior at the school, also told ABC 13, "He made it seem like girls are just in school as a distraction for boys, when in reality, our education is just as important as theirs."

Listen to the speech below.

Follow @Seventeen on Instagram.

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Science says Facebook may be one of the best things thats happened to us  and were scratching our heads

Science says Facebook may be one of the best things thats happened to us  and were scratching our heads

We  as in, us humans  have a complicated relationship with social media. When you take in the entirety of human history, this technology is basically brand new. Never before have we had the ability to communicate with one another as instantaneously, or to peek into the lives of people who are both familiar to us and complete strangers.

Naturally, many studies have been conducted in an attempt to pinpoint whether social media (and in particular, the juggernaut Facebook) is good or bad for you  mentally, emotionally, and psychologically. Weve seen studies saying that taking a weeklong break from Facebook markedly increases your happiness and other studies stating that stalking your ex on Facebook is actually (scientifically) really bad for you (duh).

But surprisingly, one recent study is now flipping the script and stating the complete opposite: Facebook can actually make you just as happy as any traditional, major life event.

In a recent study conducted by Carnegie Mellon University and Facebook researchers, scientists have found that personalized interactions on the popular social media platform can have a hugely positive impact on the users well-being and general happiness.

The studys press release  titled Friends help friends on Facebook feel better  specifically stated that said interactions can have a major impact on a persons feelings of well-being and satisfaction with life just as much as getting married or having a baby.

giphy (3)

Say what? Right off the cuff, this seems like a pretty bold, fantastical claim, but the data actually backs this up. The study was published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication and was based on 1,910 Facebook users from 91 countries. Each of the users agreed to have their Facebook activity tracked over several months and to answer monthly surveys about their mood and satisfaction.

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The researchers then paired up the Facebook activity with the survey responses and found out something pretty interesting: One-click likes from acquaintances dont do much, but personalized comments from and interactions with already close friends were associated with increases in users psychological well-being as large as those associated with major life events.

It turns out that when you talk with a little more depth on Facebook to people you already like, you feel better, researcher Robert Kraut, a professor in Carnegie Mellons Human-Computer Interaction Institute, said. That also happens when people talk in person.

Moira Burke, a research scientist at Facebook, added: This suggests that people who are feeling down may indeed spend more time on social media, but they choose to do so because theyve learned it makes them feel better. Theyre reminded of the people they care about in their lives.

This is pretty huge news, given previous studies stating that social media can make users actively unhappy, but the distinction between personalized versus depersonalized interactions makes this studys results a lot more understandable. Of course, interacting with our friends will make us feel better when were feeling down  and Facebook provides a way to instantaneously seek and receive that positive reenforcement when you need it most.

Clearly, it all depends on how youre using Facebook  lurking around your exs page is, 9 times out of 10, not going to make you feel super great, but communicating with friends and building connections absolutely will.

Ultimately, instant access to your loved ones when you need them is hands-down one of the best aspects of social media!

The post Science says Facebook may be one of the best things thats happened to us  and were scratching our heads appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Box-pressed cigars were first created in Cuba for ease of packaging and to keep them from rolling off the tabaqueros table. But just as the shape of a glass can affect the flavor of fine Cognac, the shape of a cigar can influence its taste, and this four-sided cigar smokes cooler and conveys the tobaccos taste more strongly. The new Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed ($15.10$17.80, davidoff.com) is an especially notable example. In comparison with the other Nicaraguan puro shapes in this line, the dark, oily Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper and its fillers from Ometepe, Condega, and Esteli express more spice and earthiness, as both the 5  48 robusto and 6  52 toro attest.

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(Reuters) - A Kansas man robbed a bank last week in order to go to jail and avoid his wife, court documents showed. Lawrence John Ripple, 70, told his wife following a fight on Friday that "he'd rather be in jail than at home." After writing a note stating that he had a gun and wanted money, Ripple walked to a bank in Kansas City, Kansas, and handed it to the teller. The teller gave him nearly $3,000. Instead of making a hasty getaway from the Brotherhood Bank and Trust branch, Ripple took a seat in the lobby and admitted to a security guard that he was the suspect. He was taken into custody. The money was returned to the bank. The cause of Ripple's fight with his wife was not detailed in the court documents and no lawyer was listed for him. Ripple was no longer at the Wyandotte County Detention Center in Kansas City, Kansas, on Wednesday, according to the center's website. A spokesman for the Wyandotte County Sheriff's office said he was moved to a federal facility in Leavenworth, Kansas. Efforts to reach Ripple's wife were not immediately successful. (Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate's permanent subcommittee on investigations will probe Mylan Pharmaceuticals' pricing of the allergy auto-injector EpiPen, according to a press release issued on Wednesday. The release described the probe as a "preliminary inquiry." Mylan has been criticized - including by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton - for sharply raising the price of EpiPens, which are carried by people with life-threatening allergies. Mylan raised the price from about $100 in 2008 to about $600 currently. It has offered some discounts but this has done little to allay concerns. "Our review of this matter will be robust, thorough, and bipartisan. Parents and school districts in Ohio, Missouri and across the country need affordable access to this life-saving drug, and we share their concern over Mylans sustained price increases," Senators Rob Portman, the Republican chair of the subcommittee, and Claire McCaskill, the top Democrat, said in a statement. Mylan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Chris Reese and Andrew Hay)
[September 07, 2016] KORE Nominated for 2016 CTIA E-Tech Award

KORE, the people powering IoT innovations and opportunities, today announced that its business management platform, PRiSMPro, and its location-based solutions (LBS) platform, Position Logic, have been nominated for 2016 CTIA Emerging Technology (E-Tech) awards in the 'Everything For Good' category. Created in 2006, the CTIA (News - Alert) Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Awards honor the industry's emerging, innovative and cutting-edge mobile services, solutions and technology. The 'Everything for Good' category showcases mobile technology making a difference in society and the world. "KORE appreciates the recognition from CTIA for PRiSMPro and Position Logic as platforms helping customers and end users to benefit society," said Alex Brisbourne, CEO of KORE. "These designations as 2016 award finalists provides further support of our goal to deliver solutions and platforms that enable our customers to better their businesses and operations while also impacting the broader population." PRiSMPro provides a robust M2M business management platform for IoT solutions. The platform enables users to easily order wireless communications services, activate and deactivate devices and change billing and usage information. Real-time information is available to control costs, optimize services delivery and provide the best experience for end users. Users are able to check the status of network issues, report and check status of technical problems and monitor coverage mapping with custom reporting and technical support. Position Logic is a leading B2B location-based services provider committed to supporting client' business with integrated applied business intelligence, precision technology and customized services and solutions. Position Logic's software platform integrates virtually every signaling device into a scalable web-based software hub from which all devices can be monitored-in real time, anywhere in the world.



The winners of the 2016 CTIA E-Tech Awards will be announced during a ceremony at CTIA Super Mobility Week 2016 on September 8, 2016. About KORE

KORE provides the people, expertise and technology to support the many visions of the IoT, from the Inspiration of Things to the Innovation of Things to the Internet of Things. Founded in 2003, KORE quickly rose to become the world's largest managed network services provider specializing in Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine to Machine (M2M) communications. Today, KORE is a global leader in software service and platforms that power the IoT, with millions of active on-network units. KORE is the brand powering other leading brands, including some of the world's largest enterprise customers. KORE's singular customer-centric focus is to identify and develop solutions that help clients realize IoT innovations and accelerate time-to-market schedules. KORE has over 350 people who serve customers in 110 countries, empowering new business models and opportunities to monetize the IoT. KORE: the people powering IoT.

For more information, visit www.korewireless.com, read the KORE blog and connect with KORE on LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Vimeo. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005375/en/

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A bipartisan push against a $1.15 billion arms deal to Saudi Arabia is gaining steam in protest of Riyadhs bombing campaign in Yemen  but remains split on whether to oppose the sale or block it outright.

Multiple congressional aides tell Foreign Policy that Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut are preparing legislation, to be filed this week, opposing the U.S. package of tanks, ammunition, and machine guns to Saudi Arabia.

It follows a letter last week from more than 60 House lawmakers who sought to delay the arms sale after a series of Saudi-led airstrikes reportedly killed civilian targets in August.

Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California, who helped lead the Houses letter campaign, praised his Senate colleagues for taking action against the arms sale. Once the public learns the facts of the Saudi militarys atrocities in Yemen, they will call for this arms sale to be rejected and for the U.S. to withdraw its support of the Saudis in this conflict, he told FP on Wednesday.

Spokespeople for Paul and Murphy declined comment.

The measure is expected to take the form of a non-binding resolution of disapproval that would receive a floor vote in about two weeks. But the two senators are also considering binding legislation that would block the proposed sale if they sense that the measure would pass, according to congressional aides.

The 18-month conflict in Yemen has killed at least 6,000 people and displaced 2.5 million more as Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-majority allies battle Houthi rebels for control of the country. The chaotic fighting has also allowed Islamist militants to deepen their foothold in Yemen; meanwhile, Houthi rebels have fired missiles into Saudi Arabia.

The White House did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A State Department official declined to say if the Obama administration would cede to congressional demands and delay the proposed sale.

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However, the official said State is reviewing last weeks letter, which cited August reports of a Saudi airstrike on a school in Yemen that killed 10 children and another strike that hit a Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital and killed 11 people.

Generally, Congress has 30 days to block the sale of similar military packages of this type, meaning the clock technically could run out as soon as Thursday, as House parliamentarians believe. But Senate experts say the 30 calendar-day deadline does not apply to the upper chamber because it was adjourned for the summer recess.

The House letter sent to the White House earlier this month explicitly complained about the timing issue and congressional staff in both parties remain incensed.

Whether or not it was done intentionally, the administration is setting a dangerous precedent by starting the 30-day review clock while Congress is adjourned for the summer recess, a Democratic congressional aide told FP.

The U.S. officially backs the Saudi-led coalition against the Shiite Houthi forces in Yemen. U.N.-sponsored talks aimed at finding a political resolution to the conflict imploded last month and Saudi-led forces resumed their bombing campaign.

The relief group Medecins Sans Frontieres announced last month they were pulling out of six hospitals in northern Yemen because of the indiscriminate bombings and unreliable reassurances from Riyadh and its Arab allies.

Getty Images
ODESSA, TexasMisty Stewart gave the worksheet to every student in the class: The purpose of sex is for bonding and babies, it read. Then she stood before a white board and began to tell the sophomores a little story about a fictional girl named Sarah and how shes affected by having sex outside of marriage.

Misty, a sex-education instructor, was presenting that day in April at Odessa High School, a mini-mall-sized campus with buildings the color of pie crust. The teens slouched and giggled at the mention of sex. One girl kept in a single earbud, like a diplomat awaiting a translation to teenager-ese.

Sarah wants to remain abstinent until she finds The One, Misty says. Yet, she ventures to a party, she drinks too much, and she sleeps with a guy she barely knows. The next morning, she says, he's gone.

Misty works at an organization called the Life Center, which is headquartered in the neighboring town of Midland. They call themselves a pregnancy resource center, preferring that to the term many pro-choice advocates use: crisis pregnancy center. Across the country, these centers position themselves as alternatives to abortion clinics, counseling pregnant women with the hope that they wont terminate their pregnancies.

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But unlike many pregnancy groups, the Life Center also works in public schools. Each year, Misty and her fellow Life Center sex-ed specialists provide abstinence-based sexual education to roughly 28,000 children.

Over the next three days, Misty would deploy a mix of goal-setting, real talk, and gag-inducing pictures of gonorrhea in an effort to convince her captive teenage audience to save themselves for marriage.

Thats a tall order anywhere, but perhaps even more so in West Texas, where there isnt much for a young person to get up to beyond church and vice. Midland and Odessa are canonically Texan: remote moonscapes studded with oil jacks and tied together with a 20-mile stretch of highway.

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I lived in Midland for much of my childhood. Every year, our class made a pilgrimage to the towns main cultural attraction, the Petroleum Museum. (Its star exhibit: a floor-to-ceiling tower of household objects made from petroleum byproducts.) When I returned for this reporting trip, my hotel room contained the latest issue of Midland Magazine, whose front cover announced that the Petroleum Museum had seen some recent upgrades. In a place where the answer to boredom is studying hydrocarbons, the abstinence advocates have their work cut out for them.

Misty Stewart teaches the first of three lectures at Odessa High School. (Olga Khazan / The Atlantic)

In this first lecture, Misty, a short, brunette speed-talker, endeavored to show the hazards of trysts like Sarahs.

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If she had set a boundary that said, I don't want to have sex until I get married, or until I find the right one for me, but she had sex, what's going on in her mind? Misty asked, referring to the worksheet.

Anxiety, one boy offered.

Obsessions the one Im looking for, Misty said. In her mind, it's this going over and over and over, like: Oh my gosh, are we going to stay together? Will he continue to call me?  And then Monday she had a big test, do you think she's concentrating on her test?

No! several kids say.

Whats going on with her spiritually, in her inner man? Misty asks. Restless spirit, she says, answering her own question, just with everything going on.

Over the next few days, Misty would expound the many pitfalls of fornication. Casual sex causes Sarahs friends to gossip about her and leaves her enslaved to pleasure and lust. It can end in herpes and derail a college dream.

The chemicals in your brain learn what it feels like to have sex, and they want to have sex again, Misty says. So it's best to not have it at all.

W

hen should people have sex for the first time? Theres no right answer, which is precisely the problem. No white papers have been drafted. No wonks have assembled over brown-bag lunches to select a unified virginity-losing age.

Most people would agree that say, 14, is too young. So should you do it at high-school graduation, all buzzed from a single beer? Or should you postpone the deed until adulthood? Why not for The One? And if so, how should you feel if there end up being half-a-dozen Ones?

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For most Americans, until marriage proves too long to waitat most, only about 5 percent are virgins on their wedding night. Even many Christians now question the idea that premarital sex necessarily taints people. (Joshua Harris, author of the popular 90s teen abstinence manifesto I Kissed Dating Goodbye, recently acknowledged that his critics have a point.)

But Midland is the kind of place where a father-daughter Purity Ball draws hundreds of participants. Midland and Odessa, which are together home to about a quarter-million people, lie in the second most Republican congressional district in the nation. Many school officials here reject modern sexual practices, like quickie hookups, as immoral.

Spencer Platt / Getty

Like in other cities, some kids do it anyway. Unlike other cities, though, Midland and Odessa lack the parachutesabortion clinics and free-flowing birth controlthat are usually available to sexually active teens. Planned Parenthood is long gone, and both Midland and Odessa are now more than four hours away from the nearest abortion clinic. Plus, theres a 24-hour waiting period for an abortion in Texas, so women have to take multiple days off work or school to get one. Midland, meanwhile, lacks a single Title X clinic, which would provide birth control to teens without notifying their parents.

Teen pregnancy, meanwhile, is often economically calamitous. Less than 2 percent of teen moms finish college by age 30, and about half of them live in poverty. Teen mothers children tend to do worse in school; their sons are more likely to end up in prison. Better and more widespread birth control appears to be almost entirely responsible for the national declines in teen pregnancy since 2007.

Teen birth rates have similarly fallen in Midland and Odessa in recent years. But nearly two decades since the Life Center made its first debut in public schools here, the sexually-transmitted disease, teen-birth, and high-school dropout rates are still higher in Midland County and Odessas Ector County than in the rest of the state.

I wanted to know where the young people in my onetime home received, if not actual reproductive health care, at least information about it.

What I found was that the Life Center now touches nearly every part of citizens reproductive lives. It instructs public-school kids in sexual mores, intervenes when panicked women find out theyre pregnant, and leads young moms in the ways of Christ-focused parenting. It even functions as a safety net of sorts, doling out baby clothes and diapers to teen moms. In these twin, deep-red desert cities, the Life Center is the state, in many ways, and the state backs the Life Center.

Karen Hildebrand, who ran the Planned Parenthood in Odessa until it became a casualty of state budget cuts, summed up the Life Centers presence most succinctly: They're pretty much the only game in town.

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he Life Centers director is a 62-year-old, former stay-at-home mom and model named Judy Rouse. When I met her at the Life Centers office in Midland, she still looked photoshoot-ready, her silver hair fanning gracefully across an indigo jacket. She led me to a large map of Texas, its western half scattered with 80 pushpinsone for each school where the center has taught.

In sex-ed programs, We really emphasize ... how sex interferes with the whole person, she explained. The message resonates with boys and girls alike, she said, but girls are more likely to put it into practice because the impact of sex on them is greater. Women, she said, disproportionately suffer the three negative effects of premarital sex: STDs, pregnancy, and heartache.

A girl bonds with her whole being, she explained. A guy can compartmentalizehave sex with somebody he doesn't even know their name and be married and still love his family.

Dawn Weaks, the pastor of the First Christian Church of Odessa, said that other than the prohibition on premarital sex, Judys beliefs dont necessarily reflect the views of all Christians in the area, nor are they reflected in the centers programming for schools. (The Life Center presenters dont, for example, mention God or Jesus in the classrooms.) Still, the centers philosophy on teen sex seems influenced by Judys religious journey.

Sitting with Misty at a table in her office, Judy explained how she decided to help teens learn how to do relationships.

She knows from personal experience how difficult single parenthood can be. Her mother died when she was young. Her father had a demanding job in academia and didnt relate to people well. The kids were often left to their own devicesJudy learned to write checks to cover family expenses when she was 12. She was safe and fed, but she was lonely. She describes her younger self as emotionally needy and unmoored.

Judy headed to Texas Tech for college, but her father would only pay her tuition if she didnt marry before graduating. As a freshman, she met a handsome senior named Randy Rouse and was instantly charmed by how funny and unassuming he was.

The plan was to wait until marriage to have sex, but she worked a paper route, and it was more convenient to stay over at Randys apartment. Eventually, they messed around, as Judy puts it.

She was terrified she would get pregnant. It nearly killed me on an emotional level, she explained. I was compromising my morals, and that creates guilt.

She moved her belongings out of his apartment and swore off any more sex until their wedding night. In effect, she declared secondary abstinencedeciding not to have sex again until marriagesomething the Life Center encourages sexually active teens to do.

If they see their purpose as only for themselves, what's the point of being here in this life?

After they graduated and married, Randy worked long hours, and Judys insecurities mushroomed. At one point, the 23-year-old Judy couldnt bring herself to leave a hotel room without Randy by her side. The brokenness consumed me, she said. I kind of shut down.

Judy sought refuge in God. She was never very religious growing up, but when she moved with Randy to Charleston, West Virginia, not long after they wed, she found a church group that welcomed and befriended her.

With the churchs help, Judys religious convictions deepened, and her self-confidence improved, too. Being Christlike and unconditional love began to help me feel valued again, she said. God can heal your heart.

The Rouses moved to Midland in 1991. Judy learned about the Life Center, which was then known as the Problem Pregnancy Center, from a friend at a Bible study. Prior to that, Judy had been working in retail and helping direct regional pageants, but she felt her calling was helping teens.

She became a volunteer, and in 1995 the Life Centers board chair asked Judy to step in as director, she said. At first, she leaned on her husbandshe was afraid to travel to conferences by herselfbut now, Randy is the chairman of the board and Judy manages most day-to-day operations on her own.

In 1997, Judy attended a talk by Patricia J. Sulak, a Texas gynecologist who developed Scott & White Worth the Wait, a prominent abstinence-only program. Sulak blew my hair off my head with the rates of infection, the amount of STDs these kids are faced with, Judy said.

The solution, Judy decided, was to steer kids away from sex, rather than describe how to do it safely. You might as well say, Well, you're going to smoke dope, she told me, so we're going to offer free dope at lunch.

The Life Center had already been teaching an abstinence-only program in Midland public schools for several years when, in 2005, school officials in Odessa launched a search for a new sex-ed curriculum for that district.

That fall, Odessas Student Health Advisory Council, or SHAC, had a meeting to hear pitches for sex-ed programs from various local groups. In Texas, school districts are free to choose whichever sex-ed programs and instructors, if any, theyd like to invite into schools. The Odessa SHAC meeting included, among others, a presentation from a Planned Parenthood representative. Someone asked the woman if Planned Parenthood had given up on abstinence.

Next up was the Life Center. According to the meeting minutes, a center employee named General Echols highlighted how its program does not deviate from abstinence, and proves that eventually contraception will fail. Dannen Mannschreck, a local doctor who was at the meeting, asked Echols what he thought about studies showing the failure of abstinence-only programs. How was the centers program different? According to the minutes, Echols replied that the secret is in its simplicity.

Rachel Dobbs, the chair of the SHAC at the time, was at the meeting and remembers being skeptical of the Life Centers limited discussion of contraceptives.

As word spread that Rachel was opposed to the center, anonymous letters and phone calls flooded her home, saying I wasnt a Christian because I didnt support the religious option, she told me. She disconnected her answering machine.

Rachel joined other members of the SHAC in telling the county school board to choose a different program, one that explained birth control. But school-board membersseveral of whom were motivated by their religious faith, Rachel saidvoted for the Life Center anyway. The Life Center began teaching in Odessa in 2007.

The Life Centers rapid rise mirrors Texas lawmakers priorities for womens health. Since 2011, the state government has slashed the states family-planning budget by two-thirds, kicked Planned Parenthood out of a Medicaid-funded womens health program, and, most recently, announced it will require all aborted fetal remains to be buried or cremated.

Meanwhile, the states funding for the Alternative to Abortion Services Program, which funds crisis pregnancy centers, has quadrupled since 2008. Of the nine states that publicly fund these types of abortion alternatives, Texas allocates the most money, $9.15 million annually. Missouri dedicates the next-largest amount, about $2 million, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion-rights think tank. Each year, the Life Center receives about $154,000 in taxpayer dollars.

Rachel heard disturbing things in the early versions of the Life Centers curriculum. According to her and others, some of the centers presenters told students that condoms almost always fail or are full of holes. At a meeting in 2006, several SHAC members pointed out that the Life Centers statistics didnt match those used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some accused the center of promoting a fairy-tale image of marriage. (To this, Judy responded, The Life Center always teaches from the most current scientific research and facts available at the time.)

And after the Life Center was introduced to Odessa classrooms, the county still had one of the highest teen-pregnancy rates in the state. About 98 teen girls per 1,000 gave birth in Ector County, which encompasses Odessa, in 2011, compared to 64 on average in Texas.

Spencer Platt / Getty

In 2011, the Ector County school board added a stronger dose of science to the sex-ed programming: a companion curriculum taught by health experts from Texas Tech University. The Texas Tech doctors would speak at length about contraceptives and even pass around models of intrauterine devices to the students.

The Texas Freedom Network, a group that advocates for civil liberties, has been collecting data on sex-ed programs in the state. Its nonprofit arm, the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund, found that about 10 percent of the districts in their sample affiliate with a crisis pregnancy center. The organizations deputy director, Ryan Valentine, told me its not uncommon for medically accurate materials to be presented alongside religiously motivated abstinence messages, even within the same district.

Like a couple with an amicable divorce, now the two sex-ed organizations split up the kids between them. In Odessa, the Life Center presents to students on some days, and Texas Tech on others. And in Midland, seven years of Life Center instruction is supplemented with a science-based, comprehensive sex-ed curriculum taught by science teachers in seventh and eighth grades.

In both cities, parents can opt out of one or both parts of the sex-ed program, but they rarely do. Support for the Life Centers message, strict as it may sound, is widespread.

I like everything about it, said Doyle Woodall, an Ector County school board member. They teach abstinence only. That's what every parent, deep down, would really preferthat their children wait for marriage before they become sexually active.

It doesnt look like people are obeying their elders wishes, though. Midland and Ector County have far more chlamydia cases than the state average, and the rates are getting worse. When I stopped by the Ector County health department one day, a sign on the door said STD screenings would be limited because of a staffing shortage.

But residents shouldnt expect to get tested at the Life Center: STD tests are expensive, and the center opted to open a new branch in nearby Big Spring rather than buy the kits. Instead, they do an STD consult, in which a center staffer will educate the woman about her lifestyle choices.

We review with them that the best choice is to abstain from sex until marriage, Judy explained, and why and how thats healthier for them.

Judy and others at the center said they aim for a less militant anti-abortion message than most crisis pregnancy centers. Journalists posing as pregnant women who have visited other CPCs have reported being pressured into getting ultrasounds and shown inaccurate videos. Life Center staffers said they stick to the information in a state-mandated Womans Right to Know pamphlet.

The Life Centers touch wasnt always so light. In 2010, the abortion information page on the centers website suggested the procedure was linked to breast cancer and mental-health issuestheories that had been medically debunked. How does God see your unborn child? the page asked visitors.

The site has since been scrubbed to a neutral agnosticism, saying only that The Life Center offers peer mentoring and accurate information about all pregnancy options.

Judy told me she pivoted away from the pressure tactics about a decade ago, after deciding they were disrespectful. The softer approach still persuades some women, though. In 2012, the Odessa American interviewed a 22-year-old named Jamesha Pierce, who changed her mind about having an abortion when she came to the Life Center in Midland when she was 17 and pregnant. "They told me even though the baby wasn't born, it still has a voice," Pierce told the paper. Later in the story, Judy says that if a client chooses to have an abortion, we understand. We understand the damage it does to the human soul."

Today, when pregnant clients say theyve had previous abortions, the Life Center staffers sometimes refer them to a post-abortion program called Surrendering the Secret. The programs checklist for deciding, Is Abortion Affecting My Life? directs visitors to ask themselves whether I often feel angry or irritable, or I use alcohol or drugs or prescription medications once per week or more.

Other aspects of the center are overtly religious. A since-deleted job ad for a prevention specialistthe staffers who teach sex edread that the person must have an active faith and is a faithful participant in the Body of Christ. The centers clients can choose from a wall of spiritual literature, and at one point a prayer warrior came to handle some prayer requests.

Judy feels the religious aspects of the center dont conflict with its secular mission in the schools. To her, the entire world is a bastion of liberalism and atheism. Conservative Christianity deserves its own corner, here in the heart of Midlands sleepy downtown.

If you think about our culture, and how Christians are being really boo-ed right now because its not P.C. to be a Christian, she said. It's not okay to be Christian, or conservative, or Republican. That's not really equality, is it? Boy, if I try to act on my faith, thats not okay and I get thrown in jail and put out of business. Isn't that interesting? Im just saying.

Judy had a tendency to start her thoughts in a way that seemed common-senseeven wise. The healthiest thing for whole societies is the intact family unit   she said.

But as she spoke, she slowly spiraled outward, finishing up near the outskirts of her ideology.

... that's why the Muslims are so strong, she added.

As gently as I could, I told Judy that I know many people whose past sexual partners number in the double-digits, and who often have no immediate plans to marry, and who nevertheless are doing perfectly fine.

Their goal is not marriage, obviously, and its not to have a family, she responded. If they see their purpose as only for themselves, to be the most wonderful them, without seeing that they're part of a grander scale plan  what's the point of being here in this life?

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he night of Mistys first sex-ed lecture, I drove to the First Baptist Church in Midland, where she prepared to teach a parenting class to 42 teen moms.

The Life Center introduced the voluntary class, called MARY, for Mothering As Responsible Youth, in 2006. Pregnant girls in Midland are referred to MARY by their schools, with full disclosure that its a religious program. (Though this process, too, runs into tricky church-state issues: One participant said she found a card about MARY at her desk in school.)

After praying over a meal of Chick-fil-A, the girls split up into their discussion groups. The young moms love the class, which combines a Bible study with a pep talk and a dash of parenting advice from Misty.

After passing out Bibles, Misty asked the girls about the days topic: finding purpose. Chaela McDonald, a 16-year-old mother of an infant girl, told the group that she was the first girl at her church to get pregnant. When church higher-ups found out, they nearly threw her out of her purity group, because I wasnt pure, Chaela explained tearfully.

Misty choked up, too. You're an example to another teen mom to let her know that her life is not over, she said. It's just different.

She was still fuming over Chaelas shunning two days later. Christians don't understand that our whole responsibility is to introduce them to the love of Jesus, she told me. And how can we do that if we have our finger pointed in their face?

Misty Stewart, right, and Nikita Matthews play with Matthewss daughter. (Olga Khazan / The Atlantic)

Misty connects with the teen moms because she was one, as was her own mother. She was nearly put up for adoption, but I was so dadgum cute they had to keep me, she says. Misty had her first son two weeks after graduating high school and married his dad a few months later. Starting out, she and her husband were so broke they would wander around the local mall for fun, gazing longingly in the department-store windows. She got a job answering phones for a staffing agency. By the time she left seven years later, she was district managerfurther evidence, to her, that teen moms can do anything.

To help the young mothers along, MARY provides childcare and bags of food staples at the monthly meetings. The girls earn baby bucks for attending, and after a few meetings they can exchange the bucks for free baby clothes. Some of them even compete for small scholarships that the Life Center funds.

Taylor Coy, a 19-year-old mother of a 3-year-old who is working at a Planet Fitness, received $2,000 to go to cosmetology school. Misty told me, God listens, Coy said. I know he does.

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he Life Centers MARY class, in particular, spotlights a complicated attitude toward teen parenthood that prevails here. If youre a teen in Midland, premarital sex is wrong. If you mess up and do it anyway, you may very well get pregnant. In that case, you should definitely have the baby, because, as almost all of the teens and adults I interviewed assured me, abortion is an even greater sin. Once you've had the baby, redemption begins. Other adults should respect and help you. You can even become an example to other single parentsexcept that there shouldn't be any, because again, premarital sex is wrong.

Misty seemed untroubled by these contradictions as she taught her final class at Odessa High.

During the previous days lesson, Misty had explained that sexual intercourse creates an intense bond that is not to be shared with just anyone. (When you are bonding often, like a dog, Judy had explained to me earlier, the emotions and the chemistry are so confused that your ability to stick with anybody is diminished.) In class that day, Misty played a video produced by an anti-porn company called Covenant Eyes, which argued that porn trains viewers to bond with digital images rather than people.

At times, Misty sounded just as non-judgmental as she did at MARY. When someone asked if God would hate them for having sex before marriage, for instance, she replied with a swift absolutely not!

Today Misty was discussing STDs, albeit in a way that suggested no sexually active teen could avoid them.

Misty mentioned theres a shot that prevents HPV, the virus that causes genital warts and cervical cancer. But she made it seem useless, saying it only defends against three or four strains of HPV out of 100 different types. Doctors case for teens getting the vaccine, Gardasil, is that two of those strains account for 70 percent of all cervical cancers.

At one point, she told the class that it is illegal to have sex under the age of 17referring to a law that, according to one Texas sexual assault lawyer, provides an exemption when the age gap is fewer than three years.

At this, a girl cried, What are they going to do to you if you fuck somebody?

Earlier in the school year, a Texas Tech doctor would have dispassionately detailed for this same group the advantages and disadvantages of virtually every type of birth control. But the Life Center discusses contraceptives only in the context of their failure rates. Most high-schoolers in Texas have had sex, according to the CDC, and most also did not use a condom.

Condoms are going to give you some protection, Misty exclaimed to the class. If you're fixin to jump out of an airplane and I pack your chute and I tell you, Well, it works some of the time, are you cool with jumpin?

For IUDs, Misty cited a success rate of 99 percent. That means one out of 100 is gonna get pregnant, she told the students. You don't know which one that is.

Thats a slight exaggeration. The failure rate of most IUDs and implants, also called LARCs, is actually less than 1 percent. For Implanon birth-control arm implants, the failure rate is dramatically lower, at about one in 2,000 women.

And because LARCs are the gold standard in birth control, public-health agencies recommend increasing their use among teens as a way to further cut the teen pregnancy rate. Texas has the highest repeat teen birth rate in the nation, and Misty has noticed that some of the MARY members are on their third or fourth pregnancies. Still, contraceptives are never discussed in MARY. Instead, the women learn about identity and sexual healing.

(In response, Misty relayed the sources for her information. For the slide about the illegality of underage sex, she provided a law firm website that names the age of consent as 17though it also discusses the three-year Romeo and Juliet provision. Regarding the IUD statistic, she sent me a CDC document describing the first-year failure rate as less than one in 100, and one out of every 2,000 for implants.)

The Life Center sex-ed curriculum also doesnt discuss abortion- or birth-control providers. When health workers recently surveyed 21 teen moms and dads, mostly from Odessa, the majority didnt know they could get free condoms and birth control without asking their parents. Most werent using birth control when they became pregnant.

When I told Bill Albert, chief program officer for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, about Midland and Odessas unique sex-ed strategy, he said that while it makes sense to tell teens to delay sex, as the Life Center does, this approach of, On Monday we're going to scare the kids to death and on Thursday we'll tell them about contraceptionas Texas Tech does doesn't quite work.

One day at OHS, I walked out into the parking lot and encountered a boy who was practicing for an upcoming rodeo, roping a metal steer near my Ford Focus. He was in 11th grade, so he ostensibly would have heard presentations from both Texas Tech and the Life Center. I asked him if he knew what IUDs and implants were. He asked me if I meant breast implants.

A

fter Mistys class, I tried to imagine myself lying navel to navel with someone on a dorm-room mattress, armed with the Life Centers sex-ed teachings. Would I reach for a condom or figure theyre fundamentally worthless?

When I called a boy who had sat through Mistys class to see what he thought of it, he said he uses condoms every time with his girlfriend, but he lamented that they are expensive. After three consecutive days of sex ed, he didn't know that Odessas STD clinic gives bags of condoms away for free.

But as I called school officials, I discovered something surprising: They accept the Life Center as a natural presence in the schools. They see it and the scientific programmingtaught by science teachers in Midland and by Texas Tech in Odessaas a package deal.

Beth Meyerson, a Jewish transplant from the San Francisco Bay Area who sits on the Odessa SHAC, described Misty as an eager and open-minded collaboratorwhich is not nothing when youre trying to teach teenagers about vaginas in Laura Bushs hometown.

Even Life Center skeptics view the present situation as a sort of sexual realpolitik: If theres only one game in town, youd better learn how to play.

The vast majority of the community prefers the idea that we can discourage sexual activity, and that [the Life Centers] program is the one we should be utilizing, said Carol Gregg, an Ector County school board member. Its important to me that we have Texas Tech. If the price of that is to have the Life Center, Im willing to pay that price.

Olga Khazan / The Atlantic

These types of compromises are the natural result of Americas patchwork approach to sex education. Only half the states mandate any kind of sex ed, and only 13 require it to be medically accurate. Texas is not one of them, and by law, sex education in the state must emphasize abstinence. For the most part, school districts decide whether to teach it and what to teach. Some see sex ed as akin to the abortion debatea subject with two sides, to abstain or to do it.

The Texas Freedom Network and other state teen-pregnancy-prevention advocates have repeatedly lobbied for legislation that would force districts to ensure all sex-ed materials are medically accurate and dont disparage contraceptives, but the bills have gone nowhere.

Though polls show that most American parents support comprehensive sex ed, its one of those few subject areas where we empower community stakeholders and small, vocal groups of parents to determine the curriculum, said Nora Gelperin, the director of sexuality education and training at Advocates for Youth. What tends to happen is you get the wild west of sex ed.

For Odessa and Midland, that means that even if the school board members viewed the Life Centers presence in schools as a problem (which, given the tumultuous sex-ed selection process, they mostly dont) and decided to oust it (which, given the depth of the Life Centers roots, they likely wont) theres no guarantee the centers replacement would be an improvement. Unlike algebra or English, sexuality education in the U.S. is often a matter of local sentiment, trial, and error. And in Texas, its often a matter of faith.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By David Douglas (Reuters Health) - In the year after a heart attack, people younger than age 55 often have difficulties with sexual function, according to a study of patients in the U.S. and Spain. "A large proportion of men and women with no prior sexual problems developed one or more sexual problems in the year after heart attack. However, women are far less likely to be counseled about these expected outcomes," lead author Dr. Stacy Tessler Lindau of the University of Chicago told Reuters Health by email. "The hopeful message," she added, "is that 40 percent of women and 55 percent of men have no sexual function problems after heart attack and nearly a third of patients who reported having problems in the year before reported having none in the year after," she said. Lindau and her colleagues studied data on more than 2,800 patients at 103 hospitals in the U.S. and 24 hospitals in Spain. Of patients who were sexually active before their heart attacks, men were more likely than women to have resumed sexual activity. One month after the heart attack, 64 percent of men and 55 percent of women had resumed sex. One year afterwards, 94 percent of men and 91 percent of women were active again, according to the report in JAMA Cardiology. In the year after the heart attack, more women (42 percent) than men (31 percent) with no sexual problems beforehand developed one or more issues, though. For women, lack of interest was most common, with 40 percent reporting it, followed by trouble lubricating for 22 percent. For men, 22 percent had erectile difficulties and 19 percent said they lacked interest. Despite high rates of sexual function problems, particularly among women, the investigators write, few participants reported having any conversation with a physician about resuming sex. In both countries, women were less likely than men to receive counseling about resuming sex at any time in the year after heart attack - with 27 percent of women and 41 percent of men reporting they had received counseling. Those who had not talked to a physician about sex in the first month were about 50 percent more likely to have delayed resuming sexual activity. "The rate of loss of sexual function after heart attack was on a par with the loss of general physical function in this study group and was several fold higher than the (10 percent) incidence of depression," Lindau said. In addition, "treatable conditions like stress and diabetes were strong indicators of loss of sexual activity after heart attack," she said. "We find that people value their sexual function as an important aspect of health, which suggests that we should also attend to recovery of sexual function after heart attack." Dr. Kevin P. Weinfurt, author of an accompanying editorial, agreed. He told Reuters Health by email that such a framework of care is needed to help address this aspect of recovery for women and men. "We also require a corresponding commitment from physicians to address sexual functioning with their patients to manage patients expectations and offer help when it is needed," Weinfurt, of the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, writes in his editorial,
shia squad

Shia LaBeouf sat down with Variety for a revealing new profile that explores the 30-year-old actor's bizarre behavior over the past few years and the comeback he's having with an Oscar-worthy performance in the upcoming movie "American Honey."

Though he says in the story that he's no longer on the wish list for the big Hollywood titles like he was as a kid starring in "Transformers," he did admit that he was almost in "Suicide Squad."

LaBeouf had worked with "Squad" director David Ayer on his previous movie, "Fury." The actor told Variety that Ayer asked him to play the role of Lieutenant GQ Edwards, which eventually went to Scott Eastwood.

But the studio apparently vetoed the casting.

I dont think Warner Bros. wanted me. I went in to meet, and they were like, Nah, youre crazy. Youre a good actor, but not this one. It was a big investment for them.

LaBeouf also said that when he was vying for the role, the parts of Edwards and Rick Flag (at one time to be played by Tom Hardy and later played by Joel Kinnaman) were more substantial.

Then Will [Smith] came in, and the script changed a bit," LaBeouf said. "That character and Tom [Hardys] character got written down to build Will up.

LaBeouf is currently having something of a return to form after a period of heavy drinking that led to strange behavior that ranged from him causing a drunken disturbance at a Broadway performance of "Cabaret" to plagiarizing the work of cartoonist Daniel Clowes for a short film he directed in 2013. LaBeouf says he hasn't had a drink in a year.

Read the entire profile here.

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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi Shi'ite militia fighting in Syria on the government's side has sent more than 1,000 extra fighters to southern parts of Aleppo over the past two days to reinforce its positions, the group's spokesman Hashim al-Moussawi said on Wednesday. The group, Harakat al-Nujaba, is fighting alongside the Syrian army, the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah, Iranian forces, and other militias against insurgents battling to topple President Bashar al-Assad. An advance by pro-government forces on Sunday to the south of the city resulted in the encirclement of the opposition-held half of the city. Moussawi said extra fighters were sent to reinforce areas captured from Sunni Islamist groups. "More than 1,000 fighters from Harakat al-Nujabas elite forces were sent to Aleppo to help hold the ground, he said. Syria's military could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Angus McDowall/Tom Perry; editing by Ralph Boulton)
He urged citizens to ventured into unchartered waters.

In a time of breakneck speeds of innovation, the last thing Singaporeans should experience is to have jitters when it comes to embracing opportunities.

In a speech by Ministry of Trade and Industry minister Iswaran, he said skills must be complemented by a greater appetite for risk and tolerance for failure.

He added that Singaporeans must also have a willingness to venture into unchartered waters and embrace opportunities, and stay resilient and flexible in the face of adversities.

As we move towards a more innovation-led economy, there is a greater need for the [appetite for risk] mindset, to take calculated risks and accept setbacks as a learning experience, he said.

Apart from helping to understand the business culture, consumer preferences and operating environment in these markets, it will have an indelible impact on your personal development, he added.







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Marines on the move. On the night of July 7, the presidential guard of South Sudanese leader Salva Kiir opened fire on two cars carrying American diplomats in the capital city of Juba, popping off as many as 100 rounds at the passing vehicles and forcing a U.S. Marine Corps quick reaction team to deploy from the embassy to rescue three of the diplomats.

State Department officials give FPs Colum Lynch conflicting accounts of what happened next, and whether or not the U.S. government has carried out an investigation into the incident. But what concerns many in Washington is that South Sudans government and rebel leaders may be losing control over their own forces, as the shooting came just days before South Sudanese soldiers broke into a compound in the capital and tortured, raped, and murdered a group of aid workers and journalists.

Political generals. The next president of the United States should stop the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan  or even add more troops to the mix, says John Allen, a retired four-star Marine general with close ties to presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Allen, who endorsed Clinton in a controversial speech at the Democratic National Convention in July, has plenty of experience in Afghanistan, having served as commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013. FPs John Hudson points out that Allen could potentially be in line for a senior job in the Clinton administration should she win the presidency. In his DNC speech, he spoke out forcefully against Trump without explicitly mentioning his name.

Center stage. Clinton and Republican rival Donald Trump will take the stage Wednesday night (separately) in New York City at the Commander-in-Chief forum sponsored by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. The event  where the candidates will discuss veterans issues  will air at 8:00 p.m. on NBC and MSNBC. Trump held a national security Q&A on Tuesday, where his surrogate (ret.) Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn lobbed a series of softball questions to the candidate, writes FPs Molly OToole.

Story continues

Missile race. One subject that didnt really come up during the Q&A was Russia. In one of the many simmering conflicts between NATO members and Moscow, Poland announced Tuesday that it was planning on buying the U.S. Armys Patriot air-and-missile defense system, a move widely seen as a response to Moscows upcoming deployment of nuclear-capable missiles to Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, FPs Paul McLeary reports. The deployment of the Russian Iskander missiles is itself a response to the installation in May of a new U.S.-built missile defense system in Romania, which Moscow sees as a direct threat. Plans for the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System had been in the works for years, and U.S. and NATO officials have long said that the system was put in place to protect Europe from Iranian missiles. But the Russians have rejected that explanation.

New North Korean Missile Tech? When North Korea launched three ballistic missiles this week, it wasnt just a show of force for the world leaders gathered in China for a meeting of the G-20, writes FPs Elias Groll. It was also a test of what may be new technology to thwart missile defense systems. Mondays missiles were medium-range weapons that appeared to be outfitted with a detachable warhead, said Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. If confirmed, such a warhead would provide North Korean forces with a greater capability to thwart American missile defense systems set to be deployed to South Korea.

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

China

When it comes to provocative encounters in the South China Sea, the China Coast Guard (CCG) is king, according to a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The think tanks ChinaPower website crunched the numbers on interstate naval clashes in the region over the past six years and found that CCG vessels were involved in 68 percent of the 45 incidents. The CCG was created in 2013 from four separate and sometimes competing maritime bureaucracies. With a budget of $1.74 billion, the CCG is better resourced than each of its national counterparts in the region, besting Japan by $240 million and spending several multiples of Vietnam and the Philippine coast guard budgets.

2016

A handful of retired generals have published an open letter announcing their support for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The letter decries defense budget cuts brought on by sequestration and accuses the Obama administration of emboldening Americas enemies through provocative weakness. The endorsement includes a signature from Lt. Gen. William Jerry Boykin (ret.), a controversial figure who spent years in special operations. The Army reprimanded Boykin in 2013 for releasing classified information in his 2008 memoir. Boykin also garnered controversy with comments suggesting that the American war against al Qaeda was a war between Christianity and Islam.

Syria

Syrias opposition has put its diplomatic cards on the table, announcing its preferred plan for Syrian President Bashar al-Assads removal from power. The BBC reports that the oppositions High Negotiations Committee recommends extensive negotiations during a ceasefire followed by an 18 month transitional government designed to prepare the country for a subsequent election. The plan, however, appears to have little chance of gaining acceptance at the moment, either within the Assad government or among its Russian and Iranian allies.

Israel

The Russian drone which violated Israeli airspace from Syria back in July was made by Israel, FlightGlobal reports. Israeli military officials believe an Israeli-made Searcher 2, one of 10 Searchers made by Israel and sold to Russia. Israeli officials initially believed that the drone belonged to either Syria or Hezbollah, and fired Patriot missiles and dispatched an F-16 in a vain attempt to down the aircraft. The incident strengthens American protests against further Israeli sales of unmanned technology to Russia following warming relations between Israel and Moscow.

Iran

Tensions between American and Iranian ships in the Gulf are once again on the rise after another confrontation from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N). The Pentagon disclosed Tuesday that seven Iranian ships circled the USS Firebolt on Sunday, forcing it to change course after the boats  with their guns uncovered  came within 100 meters of the American craft. The provocation marks the fourth time IRGC-N ships have challenged their American counterparts in the Gulf this month.

Nukes

Despite speculation that President Obama would unilaterally declare a no first use policy for nuclear weapons, the New York Times reports that the Obama administration isnt going to go there. Obamas advisers reportedly argued that a no first use declaration would make American allies in Asia, currently sweating an increasingly aggressive China as well as a growing North Korean weapons of mass destruction program, nervous about American commitments to their security. Administration officials also worried that a unilateral declaration could embolden Moscow, with increasing Russian nuclear saber-rattling underway in Europe.

Photo credit: ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images
By Umberto Bacchi LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Human smuggling gangs are increasingly hiring Ukrainian sailors to captain yachts and other boats for migrants willing to pay up to $8,000 for safe passage to Europe, Italian police said on Wednesday, after the arrest of two suspected traffickers. On Tuesday, Italian police arrested two Ukrainians accused of trying to smuggle 50 Pakistani men to Italy on a 12-meter sail boat, the latest incident involving professional Ukrainian sailors and a luxury vessel, a senior police official said. "It's a growing phenomenon," said the official, who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak to journalists. Italy is on the frontline of Europe's worst migrant crisis since World War Two. More than 93,000 people have reached its shores so far this year, according to the Interior Ministry. Most migrants travel from North Africa on rickety, overcrowded boats that often capsize or sink. One in every 42 migrants making the crossing dies, the U.N. refugee agency estimates. However, in recent years criminal gangs have also been offering "luxury journeys" on seaworthy vessels manned by qualified sailors at a cost of between $6,000 and $8,000 per passenger, about four times the average price of a normal crossing, the police official said. He told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that some Ukrainian sailors were looking for opportunities to make some money and possibly leave their country, where pro-Russian eastern separatists rose up against the government in 2014. Since 2015, Italian police have arrested at least 65 suspected smugglers of Ukrainian origin, including two Ukrainian nationals held on human smuggling in June, the police official said.. The suspects arrested on Tuesday, aged 21 and 25, were in charge of a Turkish-flagged boat, which police believe had set sail from Turkey. The boat was intercepted off the Apulia coast on Monday evening. Police said they had launched an investigation. "Elements acquired during the operation will help detectives track down the crime syndicate profiting from desperate people fleeing war," police said in a statement. (Reporting by Umberto Bacchi @UmbertoBacchi, Editing by Katie Nguyen. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
[September 07, 2016] Maker of Babyganics Sued in NY Federal Court for False Marketing Practices, Halunen Law Announces

Consumers from New York and California filed a class action lawsuit in federal district court in New York today against KAS Direct LLC, alleging that the company uses deceptive marketing and business practices to promote its Babyganics line of infant-oriented health, hygiene, and personal-care and household cleaning products, said plaintiffs law firm Halunen Law. Despite its name, the suit alleges that most Babyganics products are not manufactured using organic ingredients. Yet the company's marketing has made them appear as the organic and therefore safer and healthier - if costlier - alternative to thousands of American parents concerned about reducing their babies' physical exposure at home to potentially harmful synthetic chemicals the complaint alleges. Most Babyganics infant care products are applied directly to the skin, such as sunscreens, diaper rash rubs, insect repellents, and hand and face wipes. The suit alleges that consumers have become increasingly concerned about the effects of synthetic and chemical ingredients in their products and that Babyganics is capitalizing on consumers' concerns and their desire for "organic products." The lawsuit alleges that the Babyganics name violates various consumer protection statutes in California and New York, and by extension throughout the United States, since Babyganics products are marketed through various retail channels on a national basis. The lawsuit asks the court to award class damages from KAS/Babyganics in excess of $5 million and to require the company to cease using marketing practices that falsely portray it as an organic company making organically based products. According to the complaint, the Babyganics deception begins with the brand name itself, which implies to consumers that the company is all about organic products, despite the inclusion of laboratory-derived chemicals in several products such as baby sunscreens and cleaning agents. The Babyganics business is built on the idea that consumers will pay more for organically-based products, because they perceive them to be more healthful and life-enhancing, the complaint states. The Babyganics name, itself an artificially contrived admixture of baby and organics, was deliberately selected to suggest to consumers that Babyganics differentiates itself - falsely - by making products free of synthetic chemical intrusion or composition, says the complaint. "Consumers deserve truth in labeling and should have confidence that they can rely on product labels when making purchasing decisions. We are talking about calling products 'organic' that contain potentially harmful chemicals-we will fight hard to right what we believe is a wrong," says Melissa Wolchansky, attorney with Minneapolis-based Halunen Law, one of three law firms filing the class action lawsuit o behalf of plaintiffs Tanya Mayhew in New York and Tanveer Alibhai in California.



The deception allows Babyganics to charge premium prices for its products, a practice that has unjustly enriched the company to the tune of millions of dollars, the complaint alleges. So successful was Babyganics strategy that it appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America in 2014, after reporting a 277 percent annual growth rate for the previous three years. Plaintiff Mayhew purchased the Products because she saw the labeling, advertising, the Defendant's website, and read the packaging, which represented that the products are "Organic" and "Mineral-Based." The marketing convinced her that Babyganics products were worth the premium prices she paid for them, when in fact she now believes the products are worth less than she paid.

Plaintiff Alibhai sought to reduce her young child's sun exposure risk in purchasing the Babyganics mineral-based sunscreen, believing it to be free of chemical sunscreens. Her child developed a skin rash from using the product, after which she discovered that Babyganics included several chemicals, including Octinoxate and Octisalate, two active chemical sunscreens that the Environmental Working Group (a member of a "sun safety coalition" with KAS/Babyganics) tells consumers are under scrutiny in Europe for potentially harmful human impacts. By featuring the product as "mineral based," Plaintiff Alibhai alleges that Babyganics purposely sought to deceive health-conscious consumers into believing the product was free of chemical sunscreens. All told, Babyganics markets dozens of products for infant and household care. While many of them contain some organic ingredients, they fall short of meeting the legal standard for labeling a product as organic, as defined by the California Organic Products Act of 2003 and the National Organics Program, the complaint alleges. COPA mandates that "no product shall be sold as organic pursuant to this article unless it is produced according to regulations promulgated by the NOP, and consists entirely of products manufactured only from raw or processed agricultural products." Class action lawsuits are an effective means for redressing marketplace fraud and deceit, empowering consumers - and the legal system - to take action collectively against practices that may not, on an individual transaction basis, be practical to litigate. "We stand up for consumers against retail fraud, that's what lawyers like myself do," says Wolchansky. "I encourage any consumer who believes they are victims of systematic retail fraud to contact a class action law firm such as Halunen Law or my co-counsel at Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca and The Sultzer Law Group." About Halunen Law Halunen Law has expertise in litigating consumer class actions and a track record of success in challenging dishonest marketing, corporate fraud and illegal business practices. Halunen also offers experienced representation to employees and whistleblowers under the False Claims Act and other statutes. Visit the firm's website at www.halunenlaw.com. About Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca has litigated scores of defective building products and consumer cases and recovered over $2 billion for its clients. Cuneo represents individuals and businesses that have been victims of antitrust violations, faulty products, civil rights violations, and securities fraud. Learn more about Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca at http://www.cuneolaw.com, Washington, D.C. | Tel: (202) 789-3960. About The Sultzer Law Group P.C. The Sultzer Law Group, P.C. focuses on complex civil litigation, including consumer class actions. The firm is headquartered in New York, and maintains offices in California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Since its founding in 2013, The Sultzer Law Group, P.C. has served as lead counsel in numerous high-profile consumer class action cases. The firm's attorneys have contributed to or been featured in various well known publications regarding their class action practice, including: Law360, Inside Counsel Magazine, Risk Management Magazine, and CNBC News. More detail about the firm, its practice areas, and its attorneys appears on its website: www.thesultzerlawgroup.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907006420/en/

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Sofia Richie in the Yeezy Season 4 runway show. Photo: Yeezy

The open casting call for Kanye Wests Yeezy Season 4 asked for multiracial women only, and that women wear no makeup please come as you are. One of the models getting a spot on the exclusive roster? Sofia Richie, daughter of Lionel, Nicoles younger sister, and Justin Biebers latest flame.

The teen, who recently celebrated her birthday with her pop star boyfriend by her side, appeared in the middle of the model lineup, which was arranged by skin tone from light to dark. Between off-white and light tan bodysuits and black leotards and dark brown crop tops, the platinum blonde 18-year-old popped in a chartreuse hooded jacket and thigh-high boots.

Richies appearance in Wests show, which took place on New Yorks Roosevelt Island, marks her runway debut. The rapper also played host to her sister-in-law Kylie Jenners first show in February 2015.

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Although it had already been repeatedly spoiled by leaks from around the internet, Sony officially announced a new, slim PS4 at the PlayStation Meeting on September 7th. As expected, the sleeker PS4 model isn't so much an upgrade as a hardware redesign, but there are a few interesting tweaks and additions worth noting.

SEE ALSO: The new iPhone 7: waterproof, all black, and no headphone port in sight

First and foremost, the slim model is significantly smaller than the original PS4. That's not to say that the PS4 was especially bulky to begin with, but if space is a concern, you'll be pleased to know that the new system measures in at about two-thirds the size of the first  slimmer, squatter and squarer.

The inputs and buttons have been rearranged as well, with the two USB ports being spread further apart on the front of the console and the power and eject touch-based buttons being replaced with physical buttons.

The base model of the slim PS4 ships with a 500GB hard drive, but it's easier than ever to remove and replace the hard drive with the new panel on the side of the console. Unscrew a single screw and you have access to the HDD.

Alongside the new console, Sony is also launching an updated DualShock 4 wireless controller. The new controller is nearly identical to the original, but it features a thin light bar at the top of the touchpad and a redesigned D-pad.

Sony plans to launch the slim PS4 for $299 on September 15th.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations has been hosting a gathering of world leaders this week as the region faces a raft of democratic, human rights and good governance challenges.

Here are the leaders of ASEAN nations and issues surrounding their rule:

- Brunei -

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 70, is one of the world's richest men thanks to his 49-year absolute rule over tiny oil-rich Brunei. His luxurious lifestyle is legendary yet in 2014 he introduced a strict sharia criminal code that includes severing of limbs and death by stoning for various crimes. No such punishments are known to have been invoked yet.

- Cambodia -

A former Khmer Rouge soldier who defected from the brutal regime, Hun Sen became prime minister of Cambodia in 1985 and has held onto the post ever since, forging close links with China. The wily politician, 64, maintains he has brought stability to a once-ravaged nation. But he is also regarded as an authoritarian figure who has manipulated the nation's fragile democracy to cement his rule, while allowing corruption and rights abuses to flourish.

- Indonesia -

Joko Widodo, 55, is Indonesia's first president from outside the political and military elites. The 2014 election victory of the former furniture trader fuelled hopes of a new era in the world's third-biggest democracy. But he has struggled to push through reforms in a country still dominated by figures from the era of dictator Suharto.

- Laos -

Thongloun Sisoulith, for years Laos' foreign minister, rose to the premiership in 2016, a year of major diplomatic activity and rare international scrutiny for the cloistered communist nation. The landlocked nation has been one of Asia's fastest growing economies of the last decade. But it remains notorious for rights abuses, endemic corruption and the state's vice-like grip on the media.

- Malaysia -

Najib Razak, 63, has been leader since 2009 of Malaysia's nearly six-decades-old ruling coalition, which has overseen rapid economic growth but has long been accused of repressing dissent and favouring the Muslim majority.

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The criticisms are at fever pitch under Najib, whose administration has responded to electoral setbacks by moving to curb basic civil liberties and harassing critics. Najib is also accused of involvement in the theft of billions of dollars from a state-owned fund, which he denies.

- Myanmar -

Aung San Suu Kyi, a former political prisoner and Nobel laureate, in April took the helm of Myanmar's first civilian government in half a century after championing a lengthy struggle against junta rule. The 71-year-old faces the tough task of bringing prosperity and peace to a poor country ravaged by its military oppressors.

- Philippines -

Rodrigo Duterte, 71, won an election landslide in May for a six-year term as president of one Asia's most chaotic democracies. Under fierce scrutiny for rights abuses in a war on drug crime that has claimed almost 3,000 lives, and his plans to give ex-dictator Ferdinand Marcos a hero's burial.

- Singapore -

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 64, son of Singapore's late founding father Lee Kuan Yew, has been at the helm of the affluent nation since 2004. The People's Action Party that he leads won a fresh five-year mandate in last year's general elections, extending the party's uninterrupted rule spanning nearly six decades. But while much admired for its economic success, Singapore's government has been criticised by human rights groups for clamping down on political freedoms.

- Thailand -

Prayut Chan-O-Cha, a former army chief who seized power in a 2014 coup after a decade of political turmoil, heads the most autocratic Thai government in a generation. The 62-year-old career soldier is an ultra-royalist ally of Bangkok's conservative elite, which has tried to tamp down a populist movement in the provinces loyal to ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

- Vietnam -

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, elected in April by the rubber-stamp parliament, is seen as a competent technocrat and a sturdy apparatchik in the conservative communist leadership. The party has little tolerance for internal dissent and routinely jails critics.
MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish authorities said on Tuesday they had rescued 177 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa on six boats off the southern Mediterranean coast. Spain's maritime rescue service said it had spotted some of the boats by airplane. It sent ships to carry out the rescues at various points on the country's southern shore, including near Malaga. There were eight minors among those rescued, it added. In 2015, 3,845 migrants entered Spain via sea crossings, according to the International Organization for Migration, a tiny fraction of the 956,000 that reached Europe the same way. Other boats have been intercepted recently off Spain, including when some 50 migrants were rescued in August, some of whom had attempted to cross from Morocco's northern coast. (Reporting by Sarah White; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
By Ryan McNeill, Deborah J. Nelson and Yasmeen Abutaleb RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - Josiah Cooper-Pope, born 15 weeks premature, did fine in the neonatal intensive care unit for the first 10 days of his life. Then, suddenly, his tiny body started to swell. Overnight, he grew so distended that his skin split. His mother, Shala Bowser, said nurses at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, told her that Josiah had an infection and that she should prepare for the worst. On Sept. 2, 2010, she was allowed to hold him for the first and last time as he took his final breath. He was 17 days old. What no one at the hospital told Bowser was that her newborn was the fourth baby in the neonatal unit to catch the same infection, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better-known as MRSA. It would sicken eight more, records show  nearly every baby in the unit  before the outbreak had run its course. The shock of her sons death came back to her when, after being contacted by Reuters earlier this year about the outbreak, Bowser went to Virginias Division of Vital Records to get a copy of Josiahs death certificate. The cause of death: Sepsis due to (or as a consequence of): Prematurity. Sepsis is a complication of infection, but there was no mention of MRSA. My heart hurts, Bowser said, sobbing. I saw what this did to him. And then they just threw a bunch of words on the death certificate. According to their death certificates, Emma Grace Breaux died at age 3 from complications of the flu; Joshua Nahum died at age 27 from complications related to a skydiving accident; and Dan Greulich succumbed to cardiac arrhythmia at age 64 after a combined kidney and liver transplant. In each case  and in others Reuters found  death resulted from a drug-resistant bacterial infection contracted while the patients were receiving hospital care, medical records show. Their death certificates omit any mention of the infections. Fifteen years after the U.S. government declared antibiotic-resistant infections to be a grave threat to public health, a Reuters investigation has found that infection-related deaths are going uncounted, hindering the nations ability to fight a scourge that exacts a significant human and financial toll. "YOU NEED TO KNOW" Even when recorded, tens of thousands of deaths from drug-resistant infections  as well as many more infections that sicken but dont kill people  go uncounted because federal and state agencies are doing a poor job of tracking them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the go-to national public health monitor, and state health departments lack the political, legal and financial wherewithal to impose rigorous surveillance. As a result, they miss people like Natalie Silva of El Paso, Texas, who contracted a MRSA (pronounced MER-suh) infection after giving birth. She died from infection-related complications nearly a year later, at age 23. Silvas sisters fought a successful battle to get the hospital to cite MRSA on her death certificate. Still, her death went uncounted: The Texas health department doesnt track deaths like hers from antibiotic-resistant infections, and neither does the CDC. As America learned in the battle against HIV/AIDS, beating back a dangerous infectious disease requires an accurate count that shows where and when infections and deaths are occurring and who is most at risk. Doing so allows public health agencies to quickly allocate money and manpower where they are needed. But the United States hasnt taken the basic steps needed to track drug-resistant infections. You need to know how many people are dying of a disease, said Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, a Washington-based health policy research organization. For better or worse, thats an indicator of how serious it is. Drug-resistant infections are left off death certificates for several reasons. Doctors and other clinicians get little training in how to fill out the forms. Some dont want to wait the several days it can take for laboratory confirmation of an infection. And an infections role in a patients death may be obscured by other serious medical conditions. Theres also a powerful incentive not to mention a hospital-acquired infection: Counting deaths is tantamount to documenting your own failures. By acknowledging such infections, hospitals and medical professionals risk potentially costly legal liability, loss of insurance reimbursements and public-relations damage. Doctors and other clinicians also may simply not understand the importance of recording the infections. Sandy Tarant, the doctor who signed Josiah Cooper-Popes death certificate, told Reuters that he thought it didnt matter whether he cited a MRSA infection. Legally, hes right. Most states dont require doctors to specify whether MRSA was a factor in a death. Washington and Illinois are exceptions. State laws govern how death certificates are filled out. Most use a model law that mandates financial penalties for anyone who deliberately makes a false statement on the document, said Patricia Potrzebowski, director of the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems. The penalties are often small and rarely enforced, she said. AN IMPRESSIONIST PAINTING Not even the CDC has a good handle on the extent of the problem. The agency estimates that about 23,000 people die each year from 17 types of antibiotic-resistant infections and that an additional 15,000 die from Clostridium difficile, a pathogen linked to long-term antibiotic use. The numbers are regularly cited in news reports and scholarly papers, but they are mostly guesswork. Reuters analyzed the agencys math and found that the estimates are based on few actual reported deaths from a drug-resistant infection. The agency leaned heavily on small samplings of infections and deaths collected from no more than 10 states in a single year, 2011. Most didnt include populous areas such as Florida, Texas, New York City and Southern California. From those small samples, the CDC then extrapolated most of its national estimates, introducing so much statistical uncertainty into the numbers as to render them useless for the purposes of fighting a persistent public health crisis. Describing the estimates to Reuters, even CDC officials used words like jerry-rig, ballpark figure and a searchlight in the dark attempt. Michael Craig, the CDCs senior adviser for antibiotic resistance coordination and strategy, said the agency, pressured by Congress and the media to produce the big number, settled on an impressionist painting rather than something that is much more technical. In a statement emailed to Reuters, CDC officials said they released the 2013 estimates report despite its limitations because of our profound concern about the seriousness of the threat. The agency said it is working on improving its estimates. The numbers of uncounted deaths from drug-resistant infections speak to what can happen when we dont allocate the necessary resources to bolster  our public health safety network, said Senator Sherrod Brown. When we see discrepancies in reporting, are unable to finance a workforce to monitor infections, and cant even soundly estimate the number of Americans that die from [antibiotic-resistant infections] each year, we know we have a problem. The Ohio Democrat recently introduced a bill that would require the CDC to collect more and better data on superbug infections and death rates. In the absence of a unified national surveillance system, the onus of monitoring drug-resistant infections and related deaths falls on the states. A Reuters survey of the health departments of all 50 states and the District of Columbia found wide variations in how they track seven leading superbug infections  if they do so at all. Only 17 states require notification of C. difficile infections, for example, while just 26 states and Washington, D.C., do the same for MRSA. Fewer than half require notification of infections by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), a family of pathogens that the CDC has deemed an urgent threat. CRE gained notoriety when more than 200 people were sickened through contaminated medical scopes in hospitals from 2012 to 2015. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia  an area comprising 3 of every 5 Americans  said they do not regularly track deaths due to antibiotic-resistant infections. In contrast, all 50 states require reporting of deaths from AIDS. Deaths from hepatitis C and tuberculosis are also closely tracked. "GROSSLY UNDER-REPORTED" States that said they do track deaths generally do so for only a few types of drug-resistant infections and not consistently. In the survey, they reported a combined total of about 3,300 deaths from 2003 to 2014. Thats a tiny fraction of the actual toll: A Reuters analysis of death certificates found that nationwide, drug-resistant infections were mentioned as contributing to or causing the deaths of more than 180,000 people during the same period. To conduct the analysis, Reuters worked with the CDCs National Center for Health Statistics Division of Vital Statistics to search text descriptions on death certificates to identify relevant deaths. Among the states that dont require reporting of superbug deaths is California, the nations most populous state. The Reuters analysis identified more than 20,000 deaths linked to drug-resistant infections during the 12-year period, the most of any state. A health department spokeswoman said the state legislature authorized the department to be notified of infections, but not deaths. Tennessee doesnt require notification of deaths, either. The Reuters analysis found more than 5,500 deaths linked to superbugs there, more than half of them MRSA-related. We know we have a problem with MRSA in Tennessee, said Marion Kainer, the states director of antimicrobial resistance programs. Requiring hospitals to report deaths is more than the department can take on right now, she said. We have a significant problem getting clinicians to report just the disease, she said. Its grossly under-reported. The totals from the Reuters analysis also indicate that the problem is getting worse nationwide, as the number of deaths from drug-resistant infections more than doubled from 8,600 in 2003 to about 16,700 in 2014. (Some of that increase could be the result of clinicians increased awareness of the infections.) Death certificates arent a perfect measure. They can be wrong: Cause of death often is a judgment call by clinicians, who may blame a drug-resistant infection in error. More likely, they undercount drug-resistant deaths, as cases like that of Josiah Cooper-Pope show. Just how far under is impossible to know. But there are clues: Connecticut, with a grant from the CDC, is the only state that closely monitors MRSA deaths. It logged 2,084 deaths from drug-resistant infections from 2003 to 2014, all but 10 from MRSA. Thats nearly twice the number of deaths from MRSA in the state that Reuters found in its death certificate analysis. One reason for the disparity is that the states count includes anyone who died with MRSA, even if it wasnt the cause of death, said Dr Matthew L. Cartter, Connecticuts epidemiologist. He also said death certificates may undercount MRSA deaths because the physician may cite a general infection-related condition  death due to sepsis, for example  without mentioning the actual bacteria involved, or merely describe the mechanics of death, such as organ failure or cardiac arrest. For many victims relatives interviewed by Reuters, the death certificate held special significance. They had watched an infection squeeze the life out of a loved one, often over several months and in gruesome ways. To find no official record of that on the death certificate came as a shock. It was as if the killer got away. MISLEADING DEATH CERTIFICATES Dan Greulichs medical records show that, after his transplant operation, he spent five months battling drug-resistant infections that left him so debilitated he asked to be taken off of life support. He died in June 2012. By the time of his death  due to cardiac arrhythmia, according to the death certificate  the cost of his care at UCLA Medical Center amounted to more than $5 million. When the doctor wouldnt count him as one of the people who die from hospital-acquired infections, I was outraged, said Rae Greulich, his widow. She considered suing the hospital but never did. UCLA Medical Center declined to comment. Joshua Nahums recovery from a skydiving accident on Sept. 2, 2006, was going so well at Longmont United Hospital in Colorado that he was transferred to Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital a month later in preparation for going home. Within days, his temperature spiked, his condition deteriorated, and he was transferred back to Longmont. There, he was diagnosed with meningitis from Enterobacter aerogenes, a virulent drug-resistant pathogen spread almost exclusively in healthcare settings. By the time he died on Oct. 22, the swelling in his brain had made him a quadriplegic, said his father, Armando Nahum. The infection was the most immediate cause of his death, his neurosurgeon, Dr E. Lee Nelson, told Reuters. His death certificate said he died of Delayed Complications of Craniocerebral Injuries from the accident. I remember being dumbfounded. Are you serious? Nahum said. All I asked was that they write the truth  that Josh died of an infection. Hospital records obtained by the family show he also contracted meningitis from a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis infection while at Longmont. Similar to MRSA, it is a potentially lethal drug-resistant bug. In an email statement, Nancy Driscoll, chief nursing officer at Longmont United, said an independent review concluded that Nahums care was appropriate. She did not respond to questions about how he contracted the infections. Northern Colorado Chief Executive Officer Beth Bullard declined to discuss the case. Because Nahum died nearly two months after the accident, the cause of death was certified by the Boulder County coroners office. Dr John E. Meyer, deputy coroner at the time, signed the death certificate. He told Reuters that he did not recall the case but would not have thought to specify that the complication was an infection. Theres certainly no rule that I know of, he said. Patient safety groups petitioned the CDC in 2011 to add a question about hospital-acquired infections to its standard death certificate, which is used by many states. CDC Director Dr Thomas Frieden wrote that he would consider including patient advocates in discussions the next time the agency revises its death certificate, but there were no plans to make any changes in the near future. In a statement emailed to Reuters, Frieden said: While death certificates provide helpful information, the unfortunate reality is that they don't provide in-depth clinical information. PROTECTIVE SECRECY Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been around nearly as long as antibiotics. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first modern antibiotic, in 1928, saving millions of lives from infections that just a few years earlier would have been fatal. By 1940, researchers were reporting that bacteria had already developed resistance to the drug. Modern science became locked in a war of one-upmanship with the microbial world. Researchers would develop a class of drugs to replace those that were becoming ineffective, and soon enough, bacteria would begin showing resistance to the new drugs  a problem worsened by widespread overprescription of antibiotics and their overuse in farm animals. By the 1990s, drug-resistant infections had reached crisis proportions. Advances in medicine have been, paradoxically, a big reason for the worsening epidemic. More people than ever are living with weak immunity: premature infants, the elderly, and people with cancer, HIV and other illnesses that were once fatal but are now often chronic conditions. Thats also why superbugs most often occur in hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities  places where susceptible populations are concentrated. In 2001, a task force led by the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health declared antibiotic-resistant infections to be a grave public health threat and issued an action plan to tame the problem. The groups recommendations included creating a national surveillance plan and speeding development of new antibiotics. Yet not a single new class of antibiotics has been approved for medical use since 1987. Despite years of efforts to educate healthcare workers about infection control, multiple studies show that many still routinely flout even basic preventive measures, like hand-washing. While the types of bacteria showing drug resistance have multiplied, the federal government requires hospitals to report infections for only two of them, MRSA bacteremia, or blood infection, and C. difficile. It requires limited reports on the others and relies on the states to fill in the gaps. In 2014, the administration of President Barack Obama issued a new national action plan to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Congress followed last year with a $160 million increase in the CDCs budget to bolster research, drug development and surveillance of superbugs by the states. But as Reuters found, surveillance carried out by the states can come up against strong institutional resistance and laws that shield the healthcare industry. Under Virginia law, Chippenham Hospital should have reported its 2010 MRSA outbreak to the state Department of Health when the third baby in the neonatal intensive care unit tested positive for the bug, health department officials said. That was four days before newborn Josiah Cooper-Pope fell ill. Instead, according to Virginia Health Department records and interviews with department officials, the hospital didnt notify public health officials until nearly every baby in the unit had been infected  and then only by mail. By that time, Josiah had been dead two weeks and another baby was in critical condition with a MRSA infection. After persuading the hospital to temporarily close the unit and bringing the outbreak under control, Health Department investigators found that Chippenham hadnt taken basic steps to prevent MRSAs spread, such as training staff, scrubbing furniture and computers, and testing all infants in the nursery when the infection first surfaced. Jennifer Stanley, a spokesperson for Hospital Corp of America, which owns Chippenham, said that since the outbreak, the hospital has put in place aggressive infection prevention measures and intensive education and training. Virginia took no action against the hospital for the lethal outbreak. "HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE" The state can fine hospitals for violating regulations, but this is not the approach [the Department of Health] typically follows, said Maribeth Brewster, department spokesperson. Officials prefer working closely with hospitals to correct patient safety problems, she said, and a follow-up inspection at Chippenham Hospital found no regulatory violations, so no action was warranted. In response to a Reuters public records request on the outbreak, the Health Department sent a copy of its investigation report in which the name and address of the hospital were blacked out. The same was true for 22 more superbug outbreaks in Virginia healthcare facilities since 2007 that involved more than 130 patients, including 15 who died. State law prohibits the agency from identifying the location of outbreaks. At least 27 other states have similar laws or policies in place. Disclosing the names of healthcare providers would serve as a significant disincentive to the timely reporting of disease outbreaks, said Brewster, the Virginia Health Department spokesperson. Tarant, the doctor who signed Josiahs death certificate, put it this way: Things like this, if dealt with appropriately, are best if kept internally. I dont think people want to see how the sausage is made. At a conference last year, hospital infection-control specialists told CDC officials that medical staff and internal review boards sometimes blocked them from reporting infections as required by state law or by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which reduces payments to hospitals for preventable infections and high infection rates. The specialists said medical staff sometimes were discouraged from testing patients with clear signs of infection  one of several tactics they said staff used to get around reporting rules. Those complaints were detailed in a notice the CDC and CMS sent late last year to hospitals nationwide, warning them that offenders could be fined and cut off from federal funds for covering up infections they are legally required to disclose. Officials said that due to database limitations, they did not know whether any facilities had been cited for underreporting infections since the notice was issued. Acknowledging any infection caught in a hospital or other healthcare setting carries another risk: The paper trail can support a subsequent lawsuit. Emma Grace Breaux and her twin brother, Talon, fell ill from infections shortly after they were born 12 weeks premature at Lafayette General Medical Center in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 2005. Talon died at 15 days old after becoming infected by a virulent strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a ubiquitous bacteria that easily contaminates hospital equipment. The day we buried him, we found out about Emmas infection, said Kelly Breaux, their mother. Emma had a MRSA infection. She survived, but with permanent damage to her heart, lungs and one leg. Three and a half years later, Emma was in Florida to have her leg repaired when she came down with swine flu. It was too much for her heart and lungs. After a six-week battle, she died at Miami Childrens Hospital just shy of her fourth birthday. Her death certificate blamed flu-related pneumonia. Including MRSA as a cause of death was not considered, said Dr Sharon Skaletzky, who was at Miami Childrens at the time and signed the death certificate. Talons case was clear-cut; his death certificate cited septic shock due to his hospital-acquired Pseudomonas infection as the cause of death. Emmas was more complicated. Her medical expenses alone eventually exceeded $4 million for repeated hospitalizations due to complications from her MRSA infection. The family sold their home, truck and other possessions to stay afloat while she underwent multiple operations. A Louisiana appeals court ultimately ruled that MRSA was responsible for her death and in 2013 upheld a jury award of more than $6 million in damages and medical expenses for the twins. Lafayette General Medical Center spokesperson Daryl Cetnar said no one with knowledge of the case was available. NATIONAL PRIORITIES Lack of a unified national surveillance system makes it next to impossible to count the number of drug-resistant infections, fatal or otherwise. Theoretically, deaths could be counted through the nations vital statistics. Those numbers, compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), include births, marriages, divorces and, using data culled from death certificates, information on what is killing whom. The numbers are critical in determining how money is distributed for research and public health campaigns. As examples in this article show, superbug infections are often omitted from death certificates. But even when they are recorded, NCHS cant feed that information into vital statistics: The World Health Organization (WHO) classification system the agency uses lacks mortality codes for most drug-resistant infections, though it has codes for more than 8,000 other possible causes of death. The CDC added codes for use in the United States for terrorism-related deaths a year after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. It could do the same for deaths from drug-resistant infections. Officials told Reuters the CDC is instead working to incorporate the codes into the WHOs next revision of the international classification system. The revised system is expected to be completed in 2018 but not fully in use until the 2020s. There are other ways to count deaths, such as searching the text of death certificates as Reuters did in its analysis with help from the NCHS. CDC officials told Reuters they now are exploring how we might be able use literal text capture to get additional information on resistant infection deaths which could be useful for annual tracking. As it stands, the CDC has the National Healthcare Safety Network. Under this surveillance program, about 5,000 hospitals and in-patient rehabilitation facilities file quarterly reports on several types of healthcare-related infections as a condition of receiving Medicare and Medicaid payments. But only two superbug infections are on the reportable list, MRSA bacteremia and C. difficile. The others are reported under only limited circumstances, such as when related to a hysterectomy or a catheter-associated urinary tract infection. The reports are typically five to seven months old by the time they are logged, and thus arent useful for real-time surveillance. And the CDC doesnt require facilities to report deaths. Determining cause of death is difficult and would entail extra training for hospital staff who fill out the forms and oversight, which the agency cant afford, according to Dr Daniel Pollock, surveillance branch chief for the CDCs Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion. CDC Director Frieden, noting that there is no simple way to code for drug-resistant infections on death certificates, said the CDC is supporting states efforts to respond to antibiotic resistance and help protect Americans from this threat. Just 16 state health departments told Reuters that they tally deaths from reportable antibiotic-resistant infections. Eight others track deaths only when they are part of an outbreak. (Pennsylvania and Georgia declined to answer the survey questions.) Among states that dont track deaths is Texas, where Natalie Silva contracted MRSA in November 2012 at Hospital Corp of Americas Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso. Two days after giving birth to a healthy boy by cesarean section, her incision began gushing blood, said her sister, Crystal Silva. Back at the hospital, Natalie Silva tested positive for MRSA. Hospital staff assured Silva it was safe to continue holding and breastfeeding her week-old son, according to Crystal Silva and her other sister, Stephanie Hall. One month later, her son was in the neonatal intensive care unit battling his own MRSA infection, they said. He survived. For Silva, the next few months brought a cascade of medical complications, records show. Multiple infections led to multiple surgeries that left her paralyzed. Hall recalled spending a Friday night in September 2013 at her sisters bedside, painting Silvas fingernails metallic blue and her toenails metallic purple, optimistic that her sister would return home. Three days later, Silva died. Silvas doctors wanted to blame cardiac arrest on the death certificate, Silvas sisters said. Del Sol Medical Center declined to comment. Silvas family paid $3,000 for an autopsy that confirmed that the MRSA infection contributed to her death. Her death certificate lists cardiopulmonary arrest as the immediate cause of death, due to complications from a MRSA infection. She was 23 years old and healthy. We knew that MRSA played a huge role, said Crystal Silva. We had to fight for them to include it. In September last year, Hall filed a medical malpractice and wrongful death lawsuit against Del Sol in El Paso County District Court, alleging that the hospital was responsible for Silvas MRSA infection and the fatal complications that followed. The lawsuit is seeking payment to Silvas two children for the loss of their mother, loss of her wages while she was sick, medical costs and funeral expenses. Christine Mann, spokeswoman for the Texas health department, said counting superbug deaths would require a formal statute or rule change in the state. We prioritize our resources and attention toward taking public health action where it is most needed, she said. Natalie Silvas was among about 10,000 deaths linked to antibiotic-resistant infections in Texas from 2003 to 2014, according to the Reuters analysis. Though her sisters succeeded in getting an honest reckoning on Silvas death certificate, her death by superbug was never counted. (Edited by John Blanton)
By Frank Jack Daniel

MEXICO CITY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Second-time finance minister Jose Antonio Meade is Mexico's consummate insider, serving under both main political parties and widely seen as a potential presidential candidate, but he now faces the unpopular task of slashing spending.

President Enrique Pena Nieto named Meade as finance minister on Wednesday, replacing Luis Videgaray, the president's closest aide, after he reportedly oversaw a visit to Mexico by Donald Trump that angered Mexicans stung by the U.S. Republican presidential hopeful's namecalling and his stance on immigration.

The son of prominent members of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Meade has held top jobs both under Pena Nieto and his predecessor Felipe Calderon of the centre-right National Action Party (PAN), who named the Yale-educated economist first as energy minister, then in 2011 as finance minister.

Soft spoken and diplomatic, Meade is widely liked in Mexican political circles. He survived the 2012 change of government to become foreign minister under Pena Nieto, and most recently has run the Social Development Ministry, a high-profile role that is often seen as a launch pad for a presidential run.

Several members of Pena Nieto's cabinet are quietly positioning themselves for a run at the presidency in 2018, and Meade's new role contains pitfalls for anybody with ambitions for higher office.

However, his chances could be bolstered by a revival on his watch of Mexico's economy, which contracted in the second quarter for the first time in three years.

Meade's first task will be to present the 2017 budget, expected to lay out deep spending cuts aimed at restoring investor confidence after ratings agency Standard & Poor's last month said it could downgrade the country's credit rating following a marked increase in debt.

"The government will have to tighten its belt, not the families or companies of Mexico," said Pena Nieto with Meade standing beside him as he announced the changes, emphasizing that fiscal consolidation was the government's top economic priority.

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Pena Nieto vowed there would be no new taxes or tax hikes in Meade's drive to contain debt growth, and said he should give priority to social projects and investments.

As one of the Finance Ministry's technocratic old guard who is seen as close to central bank Governor Agustin Carstens and free of the corruption that has tainted the image of the PRI, the appointment of Meade was welcomed by economists. Adam Collins of Capital Economics said Meade was well known to investors and likely to be seen as a "safe pair of hands."

Videgaray was highly respected for his record of pushing major economic reform through Mexico's divided Congress. Meade's friendships with legislators on both sides of the aisle will also likely help him navigate the fractious politics of the country's economics.

"He has the academic background and the experience politically and technically, to be as good as Videgaray as minister of finance but on top of that we do think that he is more investor friendly," said Gabriel Casillas, an economist at Banorte.

(Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper and Veronica Gomez, editing by G Crosse)
(Repeats to broaden distribution with no change to text)

Sept 7 (Reuters) - St. Jude Medical Inc said on Wednesday it had filed a lawsuit against short-selling firm Muddy Waters and cyber security company MedSec Holdings Ltd alleging they intentionally disseminated false and misleading information in order to lower the value of St. Jude's stock and profit as a result.

St. Jude's shares fell sharply on Aug. 25 after Muddy Waters, run by Carson Block, said it had taken a short position in the company's stock.

Block said his firm's position was motivated by research from MedSec, which has a financial arrangement with Muddy Waters. MedSec had asserted that St. Jude's heart devices were vulnerable to cyber attack and were a risk to patients.

Short sellers borrow shares and then sell them in the expectation that the price will fall. When it does, the short-sellers buy back the shares, return them to the lender, pay borrowing fees and pocket the difference.

St. Jude agreed in April to sell itself to Abbott Laboratories for $25 billion.

"We felt this lawsuit was the best course of action to make sure those looking to profit by trying to frighten patients and caregivers, and by circumventing appropriate and established channels for raising cyber security concerns, do not use this avenue to do so again," St. Jude Chief Executive Michael T. Rousseau said in a statement on Wednesday.

University of Michigan researchers said last week their own experiments had undermined allegations of security flaws in St. Jude's pacemakers and other implantable devices.

Muddy Waters and MedSec did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

St. Jude's shares were untraded before the opening bell on Wednesday after closing at $78.90 on Tuesday.

The stock has fallen about 4 percent since Muddy Waters disclosed its position.

The case is St. Jude Medical vs. Muddy Waters, MedSec Holdings et al, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, No. 16-cv-03002.

(Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr)
By Ransdell Pierson and Jim Finkle

NEW YORK/BOSTON (Reuters) - St. Jude Medical Inc (STJ.N) on Wednesday sued short-selling firm Muddy Waters and cybersecurity company MedSec Holdings Ltd, saying they intentionally disseminated false information about its heart devices to manipulate its stock.

Muddy Waters, run by Carson Block, said in late August that St. Jude's pacemakers and defibrillators, which are used to regulate heart rhythm and treat cardiac arrest, had cybersecurity flaws that enabled them to be hacked and manipulated, with potentially fatal consequences.

The accusations that the devices are seriously flawed, based on research from start-up cybersecurity company MedSec, knocked St. Jude's shares back 10 percent on Aug. 25. Shares recovered to end that day down 5 percent and remain off by 3 percent.

St. Jude earlier this year agreed to be purchased by Abbott Inc for about $85 per share in cash and stock.

In the lawsuit, St. Jude said Block's statements were defamatory and false, and described the defendants as perpetrating a "willful and malicious scheme to manipulate the securities markets for their own financial windfall."

A spokesman for Muddy Waters and MedSec said in an emailed statement, "It is not unusual for a company like this (St. Jude's) to try to silence its critics and we are always prepared to vigorously defend our right to criticize a company that puts its profits before its patients."

St Jude faces strong free-speech defenses to its defamation claim. Under Minnesota law, the company will most likely have to show not just that the defendants put out wrong information, but did so knowingly and maliciously, lawyers with expertise in such cases said.

Muddy Waters, which became known in 2012 for shorting Chinese companies that trade in North America, declined to comment on the size of its St. Jude short bet. MedSec has acknowledged that it will reap financial gains related to Muddy Waters' short investment.

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MedSec Chief Executive Justine Bone told Reuters recently that her firm approached Muddy Waters with a proposal to short St. Jude about three months ago, after spending 18 months in "research mode" and not generating any revenue.

The St. Jude short will help MedSec finance development of technology it is building to secure medical devices, and will also enable the firm to educate the public about security flaws that put patients at risk, she said.

"We have expenses we incur. This is a business relationship," Bone said of the partnership with Muddy Waters. "But our goal here is to bring this to the attention of the public."

She did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Short-sellers borrow shares and sell them in expectation the price will fall. When it does, the short-sellers buy back the shares, return them to the lender, pay borrowing fees and pocket the difference.

St. Jude said it had filed the lawsuit to protect the reputation of its implantable devices, which it said have numerous features that protect against cyberattacks. It is seeking unspecified financial damages and for the defendants to give up any profits from their investment.

Wedbush Securities analyst Tao Levy said the business relationship between Muddy Waters and MedSec raises questions about the credibility of the allegations. Based on interviews with many doctors, he said it appears that medical professionals remain comfortable with using the devices.

The ethics debate notwithstanding, more such alliances could emerge if the MedSec-Muddy Waters arrangement proves to be lucrative, Robert Graham, chief executive of security firm Errata Security, said in a recent interview.

Another key factor could be the results of an investigation into the St. Jude's devices by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which oversees medical devices. The agency, which disclosed its investigation after Muddy Waters went public with the claims, said St. Jude patients for now should continue to use the devices as instructed by physicians.

Chris Wysopal, chief technology officer with security software maker Veracode Inc, said cyber-security researchers are always looking for ways to monetize their work, and teaming up with short sellers offers some advantages.

"If you just give it to the company for free, they fix it and people are happy. But you dont get any money for your work, Wysopal said.

The case is St. Jude Medical vs. Muddy Waters, MedSec Holdings et al, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, No. 16-cv-03002.

(Reporting by Ransdell Pierson, Jennifer Ablan, Jessica Dye and Caroline Humer in New York, Jim Finkle in Boston and Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Eric Effron)
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Sharansky no continuara al frente de la Agencia Judia para Israel cuando termine su actual mandato
The worlds largest coffee-shop chain Starbucks Corp.s SBUX has announced the official release of the classic fall drink, the Pumpkin Spice Latte or PSL. This marked the 13th consecutive launch of PSL  undisputedly the most popular seasonal beverage.

Price

Price | Quote

PSL & Chile Mocha: Fall Attractions



Although a few lucky customers have been able to score a cup of PSL as early as Sep 1 through a secret code, the drink hit the stores on Sep 6  the same day on which Starbucks launched Chile Mocha, a new seasonal drink.



PSL has been a hot favorite for years, having sold 200 million cups since its debut in 2003. This year, this cinnamon-sweetened coffee will share the racks with Chile Mocha.



PSL is a concoction of espresso, milk, Pumpkin Spice Flavored Sauce, Whipped Cream, Starbucks Vanilla Syrup and Pumpkin Spice Topping. The beverage also contains ingredients like sugar, condensed skim milk, pumpkin puree, fruit and vegetable juice for color and spices including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove.



The launch of PSL closely followed McDonald's Corp.s MCD re-launch of McCafe Pumpkin Spice Latte. Even Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc.s DNKN pumpkin-flavored coffee re-launch might have prompted the PSL comeback.



Meanwhile, the Chile Mocha drink  inspired by mole, horchata and a thick Mexican drink called champurrado,  will serve customers as a new fall drink. It is a spicy drink containing ancho chile and cayenne along with chocolate.



The Chile Mocha drink is topped with cayenne, ancho chile, paprika, cinnamon, sea salt and a sprinkle of sugar. It's the right mix of sweet and spicy that's evocative of Mexican hot chocolate.



Q3 Recall



We note that third-quarter sales increased 7% year over year as higher sales in China and the Channel Development segment counterbalanced a slowdown in sales in the U.S. and Europe.



Same-store sales (comps) grew 4%, less than 6% recorded in the previous quarter, due to cooling global traffic trends. Global traffic was flat in the quarter, comparing unfavorably with the 2% increase in the previous quarter. Average ticket growth remained unchanged at 4% in the quarter.



Meanwhile, it is to be seen whether the PSL comeback and new launch manage to rake in profits for the company.



Starbucks carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the sector is Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. TACO with a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



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The United States helped facilitate South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machars return to the capital of Juba last April in a move that, at the time, was expected to kick off a transitional government and finally implement the August 2015 peace agreement between Machar and his rival, President Salva Kiir.

Instead it resulted in chaos, as troops loyal to each of the two men opened fire on each other in July. The violence ultimately killed more than 300 people, displaced thousands more, and prompted Machar to flee South Sudan after government troops bombed his camp in the capital.

Now the State Department says Machar, who under the terms of the peace agreement should have been the countrys first vice president, should no longer bother trying to return to that role in Juba.

We do not believe it would be wise for Machar to return to his previous position in Juba, Donald Booth, the State Departments special envoy to South Sudan said at a House hearing Wednesday.

That said, this cannot serve as justification for President Kiir to monopolize power and stifle dissenting political voices, Booth said.

Reath Muoch Tang, who serves as a Washington representative for rebels loyal to Machar, told Foreign Policy after the hearing that Booths suggestion for Machar to not return to his role as first vice president is a very big concern. Machars supporters claim the first vice presidents replacement, Taban Deng Gai, was tapped by Kiir only after he defected from the opposition, and thus cannot be expected to represent them in office.

The U.S. supports the unraveling of the peace agreement done by Salva Kiir, Muoch Tang told FP.

Booths testimony before the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Africa came at a particularly tough time for U.S. policy in South Sudan. Despite tremendous American support for the young nations 2011 independence from its northern neighbor, a two-and-a-half year civil war that broke out in late 2013 has pushed the country into perpetual turmoil.

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There has been renewed American interest in the conflict since August, when an Associated Press report detailed a brutal government attack on an expatriate compound Juba in July. Troops loyal to Kiir raided the apartment complex, singled out Americans, then sexually assaulted, gang raped, and beat them. It took hours for the victims to be rescued, despite repeated phone calls to both the United Nations and the U.S. Embassy in Juba to inform them about the attack and beg for help.

That wasnt the only time Americans were ambushed that week. On Tuesday, FP chronicled how the State Department downplayed a July incident in which government soldiers shot between 50 and 100 rounds at seven U.S. diplomats who were traveling in armored vehicles through Juba on the evening of July 7. (No one was killed or injured in the incident.)

Under intense pressure from lawmakers  both on the subcommittee and others who attended the hearing out of personal interest  Booth fielded more than an hour of intense questioning. He defended the U.S. embassys response to the attack on the expat compound and unleashed skepticism as to whether the South Sudanese soldiers who fired at the diplomats really could have understood they were American.

Booth offered details about the diplomat ambush, saying that it came very shortly after similar-looking vehicles that were driven by opposition forces refused to slow down at a checkpoint in Juba, sparking gunfire between the two sides that killed five government troops.

He also said the informal checkpoint where U.S. diplomats came under fire was in a very dark area, and that the vehicles they were traveling in had tinted windows, which may have made it hard for the troops to see that the passengers inside were American.

As for why the soldiers continued to shoot despite the fact that the license plates on the vehicles carried the number 11 to signal that Americans were on board, Booth said it should be taken into account that the army is primarily illiterate.

Even for the brief time they stopped and tried to show identification, it was not at all clear if these soldiers wouldve been able to see it, or even understand the license plate, he said.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who were present at the hearing repeatedly expressed frustration with the Obama administration for failing to implement an arms embargo that has been on the table since the beginning of the conflict, which has killed more than 50,000 people since December 2013.

And Booth said it has proven effective to threaten to enact the embargo as a tactic to gain leverage against the government and sway its behavior.

But Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) said its time to stop worrying about leverage protect civilians on the ground through an embargo.

If we make too many idle threats that are not backed up by action then ultimately what happens is the threats become irrelevant, Rooney said. He raised concerns that the U.S. would not implement the embargo for fear it would be viewed as a foreign policy failure  even though Washington acknowledges South Sudan is overflowing with weapons.

Booth responded by saying the U.S. prefers to support a multilateral arms embargo that has U.N. Security Council backing. But Rooney said that doesnt make any sense.

Just do it! he said. Just use the U.S as the leader of the free world and do it. Who cares if its unilateral? That doesnt make any sense. Were the No. 1 country in the world. Were the sole superpower.

Rooney predicted if Washington moves forward with an embargo, others will follow suit.

Photo credit: ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP/Getty Images
Geneva (AFP) - More than 100 countries pledged Wednesday to clear unexploded cluster munitions used in conflict zones worldwide by 2030, a new step in the unfinished battle to prevent deaths by the weapons.

Parties to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions set their first target date for clearing the explosives which are estimated to have killed and maimed more than 50,000 people worldwide in the past half-century.

After a three-day meeting in Geneva, Convention president Henk Cor van der told reporters that the 2030 deadline should help "the international community to strive to make the world free of cluster munitions."

The convention, which took effect in 2010, bans all use, production, transfer and stockpiling of the weapons, which can be dropped from planes or fired from artillery.

They spread hundreds of submunitions, or "bomblets", over a wide area, many of which fail to explode on impact and then act as de facto landmines.

Many bomblets are brightly coloured and attract children who accounted for nearly half of the 417 victims who were killed or injured by the munitions worldwide last year.

Representatives at the Geneva talks harshly condemned continued use of cluster bombs in Syria and Yemen, which are not among the 119 states who signed up to the convention.

Damascus and its ally in Moscow have been blamed for most of the cluster bombs used in Syria, where at least 248 people were killed or injured by the weapons last year, according to the Cluster Munition Monitor report published last week.

In Yemen, a Saudi-led coalition supporting the embattled government of President Abedrabbo Mansour was blamed for cluster munition attacks that killed or maimed 104 people last year.

"We condemn any use of cluster munitions by any actor," a statement from the convention parties said Wednesday.

As of last month, 24 countries and three other areas remained contaminated by cluster munitions, with Iraq and Laos particularly affected.

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The United States pledged an extra $90 million earlier this week for Laos to address unexploded ordnance in the country, including cluster bombs dropped by the US air force during the Vietnam War.

But while the task of clearing the bombs worldwide is daunting, van der Kwast said "I think that it can be done, definitely."

He pointed out that the states already party to the convention have already individually received deadlines, none of which are later than 2026.

And Megan Burke, who heads the Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC), stressed that while a few countries are very contaminated, most affected countries could "reasonably be able to complete clearance by 2020".
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / Sterling Group Ventures, Inc. (SGGV) (the "Company") announces:

The Company, Chenguo Capital Ltd. ("Chenguo"), and Sterling Group Ventures (HK) Ltd. have signed a Settlement and Termination Agreement (the "Termination Agreement") to terminate the Purchase and Sale Agreement (the "Agreement") of April 9, 2016. Under the terms of the Agreement the Company paid the sum of $287,923 to Chenguo for working capital related to the development of a time share platform. As part of the termination, Sterling Group Ventures (HK) Ltd. (formerly named Euro Asia Premier Realty (HK) Ltd.) has been sold back to Chenguo and the Company paid $16,100 to Sterling Group Ventures (HK) Ltd. for its expenses together with the sum of $7,750 to a third party to expedite the termination. Any shares issued pursuant to the Agreement are currently being rescinded. All parties to the Termination Agreement agree not to sue any of the other parties for anything performed or not performed under the Agreement before or after the signing of the Termination Agreement. In addition, Hanwei Guo has resigned from the Company's Board of Directors.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STERLING GROUP VENTURES, INC.

"Christopher Tsakok"

Christopher Tsakok, CEO

For further information, please check the Company's SEC 8-K filing or contact:

Christopher Tsakok, MBA, CFA, CEO or Robert Smiley, JD, Director

Phone: (604) 684-1001 Fax: (604) 684-1001

info@sterlinggroupventures.com

www.sterlinggroupventures.com

Any forward-looking statement in this press release is made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that actual results may differ substantially from such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, economic and political factors, product prices and changes in international and local markets, as well as the inherent risks of the mining related business. 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.

SOURCE: Sterling Group Ventures
In the few short months since the release of Netflix's new hit series Stranger Things, it's become very apparent that the music has become equally as important to fans as the entire plot. Earlier this summer, Netflix shared a soundtrack for the series composed by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of S U R V I V E. The soundtrack was released in two volumes and did not disappoint, but fans are still eager for more.

Now Netflix has announced that these soundtracks will get full physical releases. The first volume of the soundtrack will be released on CD and vinyl in October. The CDs are due out on October 14 while the vinyl records will be released on October 28 via Lakeshore Records in the U.S. and Invada in the UK.

The vinyl release is set to have a gatefold sleeve that will include additional art and collectibles for fans. Select color vinyls are also expected to be available. As for volume two, details on its release along with a full 4xLP limited edition box set are expected to be announced in the near future.

Continue Reading On Complex
School is officially back in session. If this is your first year of college, one item on your likely very long to-do list was to sign your federal student loan master promissory note. Being a good consumer, you read every word of that promissory note before signing, right?

If not, that's not ideal -- but the good news is that before you can receive that first federal student loan, you're required to complete entrance counseling, which will give you a good overview of the terms of your federal student loans. Still, you should go back and read that promissory note.

[Learn more about how to pay for a college education.]

Your entrance counseling is a valuable tool. The half-hour session covers the terms, conditions and benefits of your federal student loans; ways to stay out of default; repayment options; and even personal money management. That's a lot of important information in a short amount of time.

You are also required to complete this counseling at the start of college, when you may be most distracted between enrolling in classes, finding your way around campus, buying books, moving into the dorm and making new friends.

Expecting first-year students to focus on something like entrance counseling enough to retain the information may be too tall of an order. In fact, one survey shows that up to 43 percent of student loan borrowers report they received no education on student loan repayment, despite the fact that entrance and exit counseling is mandatory.

[Discover 10 student loan facts college graduates need to know.]

Although it's possible that some schools missed the requirement on occasion, it's much more likely that students were so distracted with starting college that they simply forgot that they actually completed the counseling.

While students will receive exit counseling and can access all the information online and from their loan holder anytime, that doesn't help students understand student loans and the implications of taking on too much debt.

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In an attempt to help educate students, many schools over the years have looked into requiring additional counseling for student loan borrowers before they are allowed to borrow. This makes sense if you consider that schools can receive sanctions for high default rates or low repayment rate of their alumni's loans.

The problem is that current student loan law and regulations prohibit schools from requiring this extra counseling. The idea is that federal student aid programs are considered entitlement programs, which means that schools are not allowed to put any additional barriers in place to students receiving that aid. It's a frustrating Catch-22, especially for schools with many low-income, first-generation or other vulnerable student populations.

[See how to avoid turning into a scary student loan statistic.]

However, the Department of Education recently announced an experimental initiative to examine the benefits of additional mandatory counseling. This initiative allows the Department of Education to experiment with changes to regulations before actually making the changes. This particular experiment will allow participating schools to require additional loan counseling to some of their students -- a test group -- while keeping the other students under current counseling rules.

The Department of Education will collect information about both of these groups and, presumably, analyze the outcomes to determine whether additional counseling -- and which type -- improves consumers' education debt habits, such that they borrow only what they need and manage repayment successfully. This initiative, which is expected to take at least several years, could result in a permanent change to existing counseling regulations.

What does this mean for you? If you're attending a school that is participating in this experiment, you may be required to complete mandatory financial literacy or student loan counseling every year, rather than just your first year. Don't worry -- the terms of the experiment prohibit the counseling from being overly onerous, so it shouldn't take you too much additional time to complete it.

If you are in one of these test groups, consider yourself fortunate. You'll very likely be on much better footing once you leave college than many of your peers.

The Student Loan Ranger feels strongly that targeted, robust counseling is invaluable in creating educated consumers who make wise borrowing decisions. Consumers need the right information at the right time.

A high-level overview of pages and pages of terms and conditions right as students are starting their college experience may be the right information -- but that's almost never the right time. We look forward to seeing the results of this initiative.

Betsy Mayotte, director of consumer outreach and compliance for American Student Assistance, regularly advises consumers on planning and paying for college. Mayotte, who received a B.S. in business communications from Bentley College, responds to public inquiries via the advice resource "Just Ask" and is frequently quoted in traditional and social media on the topics of student loans and financial aid.
Malia Obama Wears "Smoking Kills" Tee [Yahoo]

Just a few short months after President Barack Obama's eldest daughter Malia, 18, was caught smoking an alleged joint at Chicago's Lollapalooza music festival, the Harvard-bound first daughter was spotted wearing a tee reading "Smoking kills." We can neither confirm nor deny that the cheeky tee was in response to critics of her recreational habits, however another photo showing Malia next to a bong also has surfaced (she was not pictured using it), so our best guess is that the 18-year-old was wearing the shirt ironically.

Charlotte Olympia Is Now a Barbie Doll [Pret-a-Reporter Inbox]

British designer Charlotte Olympia, best known for her bold and bright accessories, has been immortalized as a Barbie doll. As to be expected, the doll is very chic - from her leopard-print skirt suit down to her red-and-gold platform stilettos. Accessories include a banana-shaped carryall and a clutch featuring her famous spiderweb motif as well as her cult favorite kitty flats. The best part? There's also a Barbie-inspired collection for humans, priced between $325 and $1,565, available today at Net-a-Porter and BarbieCollection.com as well as Charlotte Olympia stores and online.

Cosmopolitan's Joanna Coles Named First-Ever Chief Content Officer at Hearst [New York Times]

Joanna Coles is leaving behind her roles as the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan and editorial director of Seventeen to take on a more comprehensive executive position at Hearst. Coles has been named the first-ever chief content officer at the publisher, where she will work with editors to oversee the content of all Hearst publications (Elle, Marie Claire and Harper's Bazaar, to name a few, in addition to Seventeen and Cosmo). Former Yahoo Health editor-in-chief Michele Promaulayko will assume Coles' former positions. Said Coles of her departure from Cosmo, where she has been at the helm since 2012: "I love Cosmo, but I gave it everything I had. I just didn't have another sex position in me." Coles also has a hand in two TV productions (a reality program with E! about Cosmo employees and a Freeform show loosely based on her life) and is writing a book.
El Fasher (Sudan) (AFP) - Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir declared on Wednesday that peace was returning to war-torn Darfur despite a deadlock in African Union-brokered ceasefire talks and persistent fighting that has driven thousands from their homes this year.

Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur, made the declaration in the North Darfur state capital El Fasher at a ceremony attended by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Chadian President Idriss Deby.

Qatar has hosted successive rounds of peace talks between the Arab-dominated Khartoum government and the ethnic minority rebels who took up arms in 2003 against Bashir's administration.

Talks in Doha in 2011 led to a peace deal with one small rebel faction -- the Liberation and Justice Movement -- and Wednesday's ceremony marked its implementation.

"We declare to all the people of Darfur and Sudan .. that we have implemented our commitments," Bashir said in a speech attended by crowds of thousands.

"Darfur is better today than yesterday. And tomorrow it will be even better."

Bashir, who vowed to develop the strife-torn region, stopped short of outright declaring an end to a 13-year conflict in Darfur as he was expected to announce earlier.

"We will build roads and better education, health, water and electricity facilities... We will also undertake reconciliation among all Darfur tribes," Bashir said to supporters' cheers.

Many in the crowd carried pictures of Bashir and the Qatari emir.

Khartoum has repeatedly sought to declare an end to the conflict in Darfur this year, claiming that an April referendum backing the current five-state division of the region turned the page.

But the vote, which was boycotted by the rebels, was widely criticised by the international community and in June the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of an 18,000-strong peacekeeping force which the world body runs jointly with the African Union.

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- New displacements -

Khartoum had strongly opposed the extension but the Security Council said that persistent fighting between government forces and the rebels continues to drive thousands of civilians from their homes.

Up to 194,000 civilians have been displaced from the Jebel Marra area since mid-January, the UN said last week, adding to hundreds of thousands of displaced people already living in camps.

Two rebel groups -- the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army faction headed by Minni Minnawi -- have signed an African Union roadmap for a ceasefire but talks on its implementation broke down last month.

A third rebel group, the SLA faction headed by Abdelwahid Nur, has not signed the roadmap.

The JEM announced on Wednesday that it would release all prisoners it had captured during fighting with government forces.

"The movement will coordinate their transfer to Khartoum," it said, without explaining the timing of its announcement.

Bashir too announced a similar initiative at the ceremony.

"I order the authorities to immediately release all those children who have been detained among the rebel groups," he said.

Bashir also urged Darfur civilians and armed groups to surrender their arms.

"We will collect arms from the civilians," Bashir said, warning that those who refused to surrender their weapons would be firmly dealt with.

Neighbouring Chad has been a major player in the Darfur conflict.

It was a key supporter of the JEM while Khartoum supported Chadian rebels but, after both countries' capitals came under attack in 2008, the two governments mended fences.

Bashir, who has mounted a brutal counter-insurgency against the rebels, is wanted by the ICC on war crimes and genocide charges related to Darfur, which he denies.

At least 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to the United Nations.
Itongadol.-Israel is helping Paraguay take actions against Hezbollah in the Tri-Border area with Argentina and Brazil, the Foreign Ministry acknowledged on Wednesday while announcing the opening of the new embassy in Asuncion.

Israel cooperates with Paraguay in the battle against terrorism and maintains a supportive role in actions against Hezbollah at the tri-border region, the ministry said in a background statement on relations with Paraguay.

One official explained that this cooperation has been taking place for years in the area, where there is a high concentration of Shiites of Lebanese descent who have set up a up a logistical base that assists the terrorist organization. Israels support for Paraguay in the area takes the form of intelligence cooperation, the official said, without elaborating.

According to the US State Departments country report on terrorism for 2016, Paraguay continued to face challenges of ineffective immigration, customs, and law enforcement controls along its porous borders, particularly the Tri-Border Area (TBA) with Argentina and Brazil. Illicit activities within the TBA remained potential funding sources for terrorist organizations, most notably Hezbollah.

The report stated that Hezbollah continues to maintain a presence in South America and the Caribbean, with members, facilitators, and supporters engaging in activity in support of the organization. This included efforts to build Hezbollahs infrastructure in South America and fund-raising, both through licit and illicit means.

The official opening of the embassy came some two months after Paraguays President Horacio Cartes visited Israel. The ceremony at the new embassy was attended by a number of senior Paraguayan officials, such as the Supreme Court president, president of the House of Representatives, and labor minister.

After Colombia, Paraguay is considered Israels closest friend in South America, with the Paraguayan government, according to the ministry statement, having stood by Israel during Operation Protective Edge, a time when Israel was criticized by many countries. More recently, Paraguay supported Israel at major international forums.

Cartes won the election in 2013, and soon afterward told then-deputy foreign minister Zeev Elkin, who attended his inauguration, that he was interested in strengthening bilateral relations with Israel as well as pursuing an independent policy of supporting Israel in international forums, as opposed to the voting patterns of the vast majority of Latin American states.

In 2012, even before the election, Paraguay and Colombia were the only South American countries that did not vote for granting the Palestinians non-member statehood status in the UN General Assembly.

And since the election, Paraguay has noted against Israel on significant issues.

For instance, in the UNESCO vote in April that effectively denied any Jewish connection to Jerusalem, Paraguay was one of 17 countries that abstained. It also voted for Israel at a very significant vote in the IAEA last September that would have forced Israel to open its nuclear facilities to international inspectors. And in 2015 it was not present for a vote on a UN resolution that mandated raising of the Palestinian flag at the world body.

The two nations maintain a bilateral free trade agreement within the framework of Mercosur  the South American Common Market, with annual Israel-Paraguay trade at some $200 million. Meat is a major component of Israels imports, while technology is one of its major exports. For instance, sophisticated Israeli risk-prevention systems have been installed at the Itaipu hydroelectric power plant, one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the embassy reopening in Asuncion represents a full historic circle after the embassy was closed in 2002, along with 15 other embassies around the world, due to budgetary constraints.
Just blocks away from the Hudson River, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks and the cast of Sully touched down at Lincoln Centers Alice Tully Hall for the Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow docudramas New York premiere.

In the film, Hanks portrays Chesley Sully Sullenberger, the American pilot who landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson in January 2009. His reputation was at stake, the actor told The Hollywood Reporter. This man had done his job perfectly for 4 million passengers, and, as he says in the movie, his entire career was going to be judged on 208 seconds, as opposed to the thousands and thousands of hours he did his job perfectly.

The big-screen retelling of the Miracle-on-the-Hudson includes sequences of planes crashing into Manhattan skyscrapers. Its just a bad dream sequence, and what could have happened if he didnt make the right decision, explained Eastwood. The spirit it gave back the city, even though it was a tragic loss of a plane, there was no tragic loss of life.

Read more: Sully: Telluride Review

Screenwriter Todd Komarnicki further echoed that Sullys feat is the inverted story of 9/11, and adding the sequences allows Americans to reclaim that narrative. That narrative was laid on us by people who are enemies of our country; this is a story of heroism in New York City.

As far as the coincidental release of the film of the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Komarnicki attributes it to box-office logistics. Its totally coincidental because of limited Imax screens  didnt have room in the summer and Christmas is all Star Wars. Very ironic.

Aaron Eckhart, Mike O'Malley, Frank Marshall and more celebrated the evening at Tavern on the Green with Rita Wilson, Alison Williams, Katie Couric and the planes real-life crew, plus Sullenberger himself  sans white mustache, a look Wilson embraced on Hanks, her husband. I considered him a blonde, and he was definitely having more fun! she laughed.

Read more: Telluride: 'Sully Lands as Tom Hanks Makes a Bid for an Oscar Nomination (Analysis)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - A suspected chlorine gas attack on an opposition-held neighborhood in the Syrian city of Aleppo caused dozens of cases of suffocation on Tuesday, rescue workers and a monitoring group said.

The Syrian Civil Defence, a rescue workers organization that operates in rebel-held areas, said government helicopters had dropped barrel bombs containing chlorine on the Sukari neighborhood in eastern Aleppo.

The Syrian government has denied previous accusations it used chemical weapons during the five-year-old civil war. The Syrian army could not be immediately reached for comment on the latest allegations.

The Civil Defence said on its Facebook page that 80 people had suffocated. It reported no deaths. It posted a video showing wheezing children doused in water using oxygen masks to breathe.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks Syrian violence using sources on the ground, said medical sources had reported 70 cases of suffocation.

A United Nations and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons inquiry seen by Reuters last month found that Syrian government forces were responsible for two toxic gas attacks in 2014 and 2015 involving chlorine.

The Civil Defence accused the government of two other suspected chlorine gas attacks in August . The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria said it was investigating an August incident.

Unimaginable crimes are occurring in Aleppo  pro-government aerial bombardments cause mass civilian casualties, Commission Chairman Paulo Pinheiro told reporters in Geneva. In government-held areas, indiscriminate ground shelling (by) armed groups  is also killing scores of civilians, he added.

Aleppo has been one of the areas hardest hit by escalating violence in recent months after the collapse of a partial truce brokered by the United States and Russia in February.

Government forces put eastern Aleppo under siege on Sunday for a second time since July after advancing against rebels on the citys outskirts. The city has long been divided between government and opposition areas of control.

The Syrian conflict has killed more than 250,000 people and forced more than 11 million from their homes.

(Reporting by John Davison; additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva.; Editing by Larry King)
By Simon Johnson and Johan Sennero STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Britain cannot expect to have full access to the European Union's single market if it rejects rules which allow European citizens free access to its labour market, Sweden's prime minister said on Wednesday. Sweden has been a close ally of Britain - its fourth largest export market - in efforts to pull down internal trade barriers within the EU and streamline bureaucracy, but Stefan Lofven said London could not expect the same treatment when it leaves. "You cannot have free movement of goods and services and capital and not people," Lofven told Reuters. "The Union doesn't work like that and there will be differences if they are not members." Britain's minister charged with negotiating Brexit said on Monday it was pressing for a "unique" deal with the EU to restore sovereignty, reduce immigration and boost trade with the bloc after their split. But European leaders have warned Britain it cannot cherry pick which rules it follows if it wants to continue to have unfettered access to Europe's markets. Britain's vote to leave the European Union after more than four decades sent shockwaves throughout the bloc and some EU politicians have called for a tough line in negotiations over the divorce procedures. Lofven, head of Sweden's centre-left government, said Britain and Europe should work together to make Brexit a success. "We should make it as easy as possible and as beneficial for both parties as possible," he said. There is no hurry for negotiations to start, Lofven said, but the hiatus cannot last forever. "We have other things to do than think about than Brexit," he said. "We have to make sure we create jobs ... we have to meet the climate challenge, we have security questions, the fight against terrorism. That's what we should focus on." For both Sweden and the EU, asylum is one of the biggest challenges for the coming years. More than 1 million migrants and refugees crossed into Europe last year with 163,000 seeking asylum in Sweden. With new arrivals sleeping in tents, Sweden made a U-turn on decades of generous asylum policies late last year, introducing border controls, temporary resident permits and other tough measures. The flood has turned into a trickle, with around 20,000 seeking asylum in the January to August period. Lofven said the tough stance would remain in place until other EU countries shared the burden. "When we do not have common rules, we have to take the same approach as everyone else," he said. Sweden's humanitarian reputation may have been dented, but Lofven said it still punches above its weight. "We are a big humanitarian donor to the countries close to the conflict in Syria, the Middle East and Africa. We are a big player in the U.N.," he said. "Everyone I meet outside Sweden says that we are a humanitarian superpower and we will remain one." (Reporting by Simon Johnson and Johan Sennero; Editing by Alison Williams)
London (AFP) - Syria's opposition on Wednesday made a fresh call for a transition to democracy without President Bashar al-Assad, as France threw its support behind new Russia-US talks aimed at ending the war.

The opposition's proposal during one-day talks in London came as the world's chemical weapons watchdog said it was "disturbed" by the alleged use of toxic chemicals in the battleground city of Aleppo.

Moscow said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart John Kerry, whose countries back opposing sides in the brutal civil war, would meet Thursday and Friday in Geneva to try to reach a deal on cooperation in Syria.

The pair have agreed to a "personal meeting" to work out an accord on fighting jihadists and pushing the peace process forward, according to the Russian foreign ministry.

But Kerry's spokesman would not confirm the meeting, suggesting last-minute negotiations were ongoing.

The talks come after US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin failed to reach a deal to stem the violence on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in China.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, attending the London talks, said he backed new US-Russia discussions.

"We are supporting the process, although we want a genuine ceasefire," he said.

With prospects for peace elusive, the broad-based opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) -- holding talks with its foreign allies in London -- proposed a six-month negotiating phase with the regime.

The opposition hopes new talks would result in an 18-month transition that would see Syria governed by a transitional body made up of opposition figures, current government representatives and members of civil society, according to a 25-page blueprint.

The HNC and its predecessors -- weakened by years of conflict, regime advances, the spread of jihadists and what some have branded a disconnect from the grim reality on the ground -- have made similar calls since early in the war.

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Its proposal came even as armed rebels faced enormous pressure on the ground, particularly around Aleppo where regime forces backed by the Russian air force have completely encircled opposition-held neighbourhoods.

The group's plans are largely in line with existing international proposals for a post-war Syria, although unlike a 2015 agreement hashed out in Vienna, they are clear about Assad's future.

- 'No role' for Assad -

A transition, HNC says, "shall require the departure of Bashar al-Assad and his clique who committed heinous crimes against the Syrian people."

HNC leader Riad Hijab, speaking in London ahead of the talks, insisted that regime leaders who killed Syrians "cannot have a role in the future of Syria and in this transitional phase at all".

Hijab, a former Syrian prime minister who defected to the opposition in 2012, blamed the failure of previous peace talks on "a refusal to talk about the political transition".

The proposal came as the conflict raged relentlessly and on multiple fronts.

On Wednesday the world's chemical weapons watchdog condemned the alleged use of toxic substances in Aleppo, once Syria's economic capital, after dozens of people had to be treated for breathing problems.

"Such allegations are taken very seriously. The use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances is unacceptable," Ahmet Uzumcu, head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said in a statement.

More than 70 people were left choking Tuesday after regime helicopters dropped barrel bombs on a rebel-held district of Aleppo, according to a monitoring group.

France's Ayrault said the UN Security Council should condemn the Assad regime and IS "for their continued use of chemical weapons".

- 'Barbaric military tactics' -

Writing in The Times newspaper, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, the host of Wednesday's London talks, urged Russia to cease its support for the Syrian president.

Johnson accused Assad of "barbaric military tactics", blasting Russia's "seemingly indefensible conduct" in backing him.

"The entire international community is committed, at least in principle, to getting rid of the Syrian dictator. Even the Russians have accepted that there must be political transition," he wrote.

"But then the Russians are also employing their military muscle to prevent him from losing and to keep him in power."

The talks in London also involved foreign ministers from Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Italy, as well as representatives of Germany and the EU. Kerry took part via video-link.

The Syrian war, which began as a pro-democracy revolt in 2011 but morphed into a multi-front conflict after the regime unleashed a crackdown, has killed more than 290,000 people and forced more than half the population to flee their homes.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - A Syrian military source denied on Wednesday accusations that the army had launched a chlorine gas attack on a rebel-held neighborhood of Aleppo. The Syrian Civil Defence, a rescue workers' organization which operates in rebel-held areas, said government helicopters dropped barrel bombs containing chlorine on Tuesday on the Sukari neighborhood in Aleppo's eastern sector. "We have not and will not use at any point this type of weapon," the Syrian military source said. The accusation was an attempt by rebels to divert public attention away from their defeats, the source added. The Syrian army, backed by allied forces including Iraqi and Lebanese Shi'ite militias, on Sunday encircled the rebel-held part of Aleppo where more than 250,000 people are estimated to live. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday that one person had died as a result of the attack that caused dozens of cases of suffocation on Tuesday. A United Nations and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inquiry seen by Reuters last month found that Syrian government forces were responsible for two toxic gas attacks in 2014 and 2015 involving the use of chlorine. (Editing by Dominic Evans)
Sept 7 (Reuters) - Investment firm T. Rowe Price Group will vote against Oracle Corp's proposed takeover of NetSuite Inc and said it preferred NetSuite to remain independent.

Oracle said in July it would buy NetSuite in an about $9.3 billion deal that would give the company a larger share in the rapidly growing cloud computing business.

Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison beneficially owns about 40 percent of NetSuite's shares as of February, according to a regulatory filing.

"In our view, the inherent conflicts of interest between NetSuite, the Ellison entities and Oracle are daunting and may be impossible to manage," T. Rowe Price wrote in a letter to NetSuite's board.

T. Rowe Price, NetSuite's second-largest-shareholder, said on Wednesday it owns about 14.5 million shares, or 18 percent, of the company. (http://bit.ly/2c7ugDp) (Reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
Taiwan protested Wednesday after Armenia deported 78 Taiwanese fraud suspects to China, the latest such deportation to spark a dispute with Beijing.

The suspects had been held since August 26 by Armenian police, who confiscated their passports and telecom equipment while concealing their whereabouts from lawyers, according to Taiwanese authorities.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), its top China policy-making body, said it immediately lodged a protest with Beijing after being notified of the deportation.

"We have repeatedly demanded the Chinese side not to deport our people to mainland China. The Chinese side's action again disregarded our call ... and further hurt the feelings of Taiwanese people," it said in a statement.

The MAC said it would continue negotiating with China to secure the suspects' return to Taiwan to face trial.

Armenia's actions are the latest in a series of deportations of Taiwanese to China, with Taipei accusing Beijing of "abducting" citizens from countries that do not recognise the Taiwanese government.

Analysts see the deportation cases as a Chinese bid to pressure Taiwan's new Beijing-sceptic leader Tsai Ing-wen, who took office in May.

But Beijing insists that Taiwanese fraud suspects should be sent to China to face trial because their telephone fraud crimes largely target mainland Chinese.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said it protested at the Armenian government's actions and vowed to report the incident to international human rights organisations.

"Due process is lacking in the investigation of the case... the Armenia government has seriously violated human rights and international legal principles and precedents."

Kenya deported dozens of Taiwanese accused of fraud to China last month and in April after they had been cleared of the charges.

Amnesty International has said the Taiwanese face potential "human rights violations" if sent to the mainland.

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Taipei has also protested at the recent deportations of Taiwanese fraud suspects from Malaysia and Cambodia to China.

Relations between Taiwan and China have grown increasingly frosty since Tsai and her the Democratic Progressive Party came to power.

China insists that self-ruling Taiwan is part of its territory, even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war.
PARIS Takis Candilis is getting ready to exit Lagardere Studios, Frances leading audiovisual production group, after an eight-year tenure as CEO and president, Variety has confirmed.

Candilis will step down next week, to be replaced by Christophe Thoral, who worked as Candiliss right-hand man for six years before becoming head of finances, strategy, and development for Lagardere Active, the parent company of Lagardere Studios. Thoral will make his first public appearance as president of Lagardere Studios at the next Mipcom edition, which starts Oct. 17 in Cannes.

Candilis, previously managing director of TF1s drama and daytime programming and president of TF1 Production, will join another company that isnt a competitor of Lagardere Studios, according to the outfits spokesperson.

During his tenure at Lagardere Studios, Candilis launched Atlantique Productions  one of Lagarderes 36 companies  which has produced some of Frances most ambitious English-language drama series, notably Tom Fontanas Borgia, Midnight Sun from The Bridge creator Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein, and Transporter, the series. Atlantique Productions is currently developing a raft of premium drama series with foreign partners, notably Eden, a French-German contemporary political drama dealing with the refugee crisis. It will be directed by Deutschland 83 helmer Edward Berger.

Candilis has also spearheaded Lagardere Studioss international expansion in Southern Europe with the acquisition of Grupo Boomerang TV, a leading Spanish TV production company, in May 2015, and the launch of Boomerang in Italy earlier this year. Speaking to Variety ahead of MipTV last April, Candilis said the company also had ambitions of expanding in booming markets in Latin America and West Africa.
The Taliban toppled security outposts on the edge of the southern Afghan city of Tarin Kot on Wednesday, officials said, threatening the third provincial capital in recent weeks.

The insurgents crept within seven kilometres (four miles) of the capital of the restive poppy-rich province of Uruzgan, prompting urgent calls from officials for reinforcements and air support.

The Taliban advance comes as the insurgents threaten to capture Lashkar Gah in neighbouring Helmand province, and northern Kunduz city, which the militants briefly seized last year in a stinging blow to Afghan forces.

"Some security checkpoints fell to the Taliban without much resistance from security forces," said Haji Baridad, a tribal elder in Tarin Kot, raising a concern echoed by other local residents.

"If they continue to flee, local people will be forced to take up arms ourselves to defend the city."

But Dost Mohammed Nayab, the provincial governor's spokesman, dismissed the charge, insisting the Taliban will not be allowed to breach Tarin Kot's outer defences.

"The Taliban did capture some outposts and came within seven kilometres of the city, but they are being pushed back with the arrival of new commando forces," Nayab told AFP.

"These reinforcements are not enough but more are expected to arrive," he said.

Nayab added that six security forces had been killed in the last two days of fighting, while reporting 36 Taliban fatalities.

Speculation swirled that the Taliban were seeking to advance on the city's prison to free captured militants, repeating a tactic used when they overran Kunduz last year.

Seen previously as a rural militant movement capable only of hit-and-run attacks on cities, the Taliban have demonstrated an alarming new push into urban centres in recent months.

The deteriorating security highlights the struggle of Afghan forces, stretched on multiple fronts, to secure remote provinces such as Uruzgan, where Australian, Dutch and American troops fought for years.

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As the Taliban edged closer to Tarin Kot, they promised on social media to show leniency towards government forces who surrender unconditionally.

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish rejected the "propaganda campaign", saying the Taliban would be flushed out from the city's outskirts.

As Afghanistan's conflict worsens, it is estimated more than one million people will be displaced by the end of the year, UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said, calling on the international community to scale up its support.

"Families have lost their homes and livelihoods. Displaced people are living in tents, unable to feed their children and have had little or no formal education," he said on Wednesday.

"This cyclical pattern of prolonged conflict must end to avoid another of generation of children being lost to war and suffering."
By Anuradha Nagaraj

CHENNAI, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Hundreds of textile workers in Tamil Nadu have launched protests to demand that the first minimum wage increase in the southern state in more than 12 years is enforced.

In July, the Madras High Court ordered a pay rise of up to 30 percent for hundreds of thousands of garment workers in Tamil Nadu, but appeals by manufacturers against the order have left workers in limbo, labour unionists said.

Under the 1948 Minimum Wages Act, state governments are required to increase the basic minimum wage every five years to protect workers against labour exploitation, but textile manufacturers have repeatedly challenged pay rises in Tamil Nadu.

"The government must enforce the minimum wage notification," said S Elizabeth Rani, general secretary of the Garment and Fashion Workers Union, in a statement.

"Our wages have stagnated while the cost of living keeps increasing. Many of us are single parents and sole wage earners."

About 50 protesting workers were arrested near the port city of Chennai last week before being released without charge.

Under the court ruling, workers would see their pay rise from a monthly average of 4,500 rupees to 6,500 rupees ($68 to $98) - which campaigners say is comparable to wages for textile jobs in most other states.

But manufacturers in Tamil Nadu say the hike is too high, putting them at a disadvantage to competitors in other states.

"States cannot have their own way of fixing wages without understanding the reality and the background," K.Venkatachalam, chief advisor of the Tamil Nadu Spinning Mills Association, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"If such decisions are taken, industries would attempt to move to a state where they feel comfortable with labour policies."

India is one of the world's largest textile and garment manufacturers. The $40-billion-a-year industry employs around 45 million workers. Many of them are trapped in debt bondage, face abuse or are forced to work long hours in poor conditions, campaigners say.

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"Manufacturers must recognise that this is a labour intensive unit requiring highly skilled workers," said Sujata Mody, President of the Garment and Fashion Workers Union.

($1 = 66.3400 rupees)

(Reporting by Anuradha Nagaraj, Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking and climate change. Visit www.trust.org)
Tehran (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Saudi authorities of "bigoted extremism" late Tuesday in an increasingly bitter war of words over Iran's exclusion from this year's hajj pilgrimage.

Javad Zarif was responding to a claim by Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, that Iranians were "not Muslims".

"Indeed, no resemblance between Islam of Iranians and most Muslims, and bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric and Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif tweeted.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was due to meet later on Wednesday with the families of some of the more than 400 Iranian victims of a stampede that killed nearly 2,300 pilgrims at last year's hajj.

He published a scathing open letter on Monday, accusing the Saudis of failing to protect pilgrims.

"The hesitation and failure to rescue the half-dead and injured people... is also obvious and incontrovertible. They murdered them," he wrote.

For the first time in almost three decades, Iranians have been blocked from the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia after the regional rivals failed to agree on safety and logistical issues.

That has sparked acrimonious exchanges ahead of the start of the hajj on Saturday.

Khamenei described the Saudi royal family as "small and puny Satans who tremble for fear of jeopardising the interests of the Great Satan (the United States)", and called on the Muslim world to end its management of the hajj.

The grand mufti responded on Tuesday, telling the Makkah daily: "We must understand these are not Muslims, they are children of Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one."

"Magi" was a reference to the Zoroastrian religion that was prevalent in Iran before Islam, and is sometimes used as an insult against Iranians.

Iran and Saudi Arabia follow different branches of Islam -- Shiite and Sunni -- and vie for regional dominance, backing rival sides in conflicts from Syria to Yemen.
WAUKESHA, WI / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / Telkonet, Inc., (TKOI), creator of the EcoSmart Platform of intelligent room automation supporting the emerging Internet of Things (IoT), announced today it has been selected to present at the inaugural MicroCap Leadership Summit, hosted by MicroCapClub, on Friday, September 23, 2016 at the Westin Chicago Northwest Hotel in Itasca, Illinois.

The Telkonet presentation will be made by CEO, Jason Tienor. The MicroCap Leadership Summit utilizes a small group format whereby the company will present to approximately 50-60 retail and institutional microcap investors throughout the day. The Company's investor presentation will be accessible on the "Investors" page of the Telkonet website, located at http://www.telkonet.com.

For more information about the MicroCap Leadership Summit, please visit http://microcapclub.com/summit/.

About Telkonet

Telkonet, Inc. (TKOI) provides innovative intelligent automation platforms at the forefront of the Internet of Things (IoT) space. Helping commercial audiences better manage operational costs, the company offers two product lines: EcoSmart and EthoStream. The EcoSmart Intelligent Automation platform is supported by a full-suite of IoT-connected devices that provide in-depth energy usage information and analysis, allowing building operators to reduce energy expenses. EthoStream is one of the largest hospitality high-speed internet access networks in the world, providing public internet access to more than 100 million annual users. Vertical markets that benefit from Telkonet products include hospitality, education, military, government, healthcare and multiple dwelling housing. Telkonet was founded in 1977 and is based in Waukesha, Wis. For more information, visit www.telkonet.com.

About MicroCapClub

MicroCapClub is an exclusive forum for experienced microcap investors focused on microcap companies (sub $300M market cap) trading on United States, Canadian, and UK markets. MicroCapClub was created to be a platform for experienced microcap investors to share and discuss stock ideas. Investors can join our community by applying to become a member or subscribing to gain instant view only access. MicroCapClub's mission is to foster the highest quality microcap investor community, produce educational content for investors, and promote better leadership in the microcap arena. For more information, visit http://microcapclub.com.

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Statements included in this release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties such as competitive factors, technological development, market demand and the Company's ability to obtain new contracts and accurately estimate net revenue due to variability in size, scope and duration of projects, and internal issues in the sponsoring client. Further information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results, can be found in the Company's Registration Statement and in its Reports on Forms 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Telkonet Investor Relations

414.721.7988

ir@telkonet.com

SOURCE: Telkonet, Inc.
On Sep 6, leading Canadian telecom service provider TELUS Corporation TU was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The rating upgrade comes on the back of recent developments in the companys PureFibre network business.

Growth Prospects

TELUS continues to benefit from the increased adoption of smartphones, higher average revenue per unit, accelerating wireless data services and growing wireline fiber optic networks. The company anticipates balanced growth for its wireless and wireline businesses owing to investments in high-speed broadband technology and services along with its Customer First strategy. Also, with the Internet of Things (IoT) platform paving its way into Canada, TELUS aims to consolidate its foothold in the IoT market. It has also introduced the TELUS Global IoT Connectivity platform to deliver seamless connectivity and simplified billing across 200 networks globally.

The company is also focusing on its PureFibre network business. The company aims to provide a glimpse into the future which will see homes connected to a state-of-the art fibre optic network.TELUS has also collaborated with technology leaders such as Samsung, Nokia Corporation NOK and International Business Machines Corporation IBM to achieve the same.



Segmental Risks

TELUS faces fierce competition both in the wireless and wireline segments.

At the wireless segment, the company competes against the likes of Rogers Communications Inc. RCI and BCE Inc.s BCE subsidiary Bell Canada and small regional carriers like MTS in Manitoba and SaskTel in Saskatchewan. Such intense competitive pressure has resulted in reduced subscriber addition. In the second quarter of 2016, postpaid customer net addition was 61,000, down 19.7% year over year whereas prepaid customer net loss was 21,000, up 61.5% year over year. Moreover, Shaw Communications decision to venture into the Canadian wireless market with the WIND Mobile acquisition raises competition for TELUS.

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The wireline segment also faces threat from cable TV operators such as Shaw Communications Inc. SJR and requires regular capital investments in the broadband infrastructure to lure business and residential customers.

Recent Developments

In Aug 2016, the board of directors at TELUS announced plans to reward shareholders with a quarterly dividend of C$0.46 per share on the issued and outstanding common shares, at the closure of business as on Sep 9, 2016. The dividend will be paid on Oct 3, 2016.

In Jul 2016, TELUS launched two notable promotional schemes.

TELUS, being the only carrier in Western Canada, has decided to offer 4K on Optic TV. This will provide its customers with an improved TV viewing experience.

Meanwhile, TELUS Health announced the signing of an agreement to acquire the Canadian business of Nightingale Informatix Corp. (Nightingale), including its proprietary Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software solutions and related assets. Nightingale currently provides its EMR solution to 4,000 physicians in Canada, mainly in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces.

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By Alexandria Sage

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O) said on Wednesday it had entered into an agreement with Deutsche Bank whereby the electric car maker can borrow up to $300 million for its vehicle leasing program, part of a broader effort to bolster the company's finances.

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Tesla said the new liquidity meant its own cash requirements for its direct leasing program would be "significantly reduced."

It would thus need to raise correspondingly fewer funds from the public market, Tesla said, as it gears up for its much-anticipated Model 3 mass-market vehicle.

The amount outstanding from the loan and security agreement is due on Sept 20, 2018.

Tesla, which burned through over $600 million of cash in the first half of the year, faces a cash crunch as it ramps up manufacturing capacity for the Model 3 next year and completes construction of its massive "Gigafactory" battery factory in Nevada.

Moreover, Tesla's planned $2.6 billion acquisition of SolarCity (SCTY.O), which itself has pressing cash needs, will add to its liquidity issues. Combined, the two companies' debt totaled $5.43 billion with a combined cash burn of $830 million last year.

In August, the company said it had $3.25 billion in principal sources of liquidity as of June 30, 2016, but in July it repaid $678 million on a revolving credit line and planned to redeem $411 million of 2018 convertible notes, warning it could spend more on the securities.

The company also warned that the value of its secured assets had limited its ability to borrow under its asset-based revolving credit agreement with a syndicate of banks. [nL4N1AM2K2]
A Texas man who is accused of gunning down a middle school student and wounding her best friend last week told police he was motivated by jealousy and claimed he planned the attack with the devil.

Kody Lott, 20, confessed to shooting the two friends as they walked home from school together on Friday, admitting he was attracted to the girl he killed but was angry that she had a boyfriend, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Times Record News. He also said he planned and thought it out after talking to the devil about it, the affidavit says.

Lauren Landavazo, 13, died after being shot more than a dozen times, while her 13-year-old best friend Makayla Smith survived, authorities said. Makayla told investigators she and Lauren were walking home in an alley near school when she spotted a man she didnt know in a parked car, according to the affidavit. She said the man made eye contact with her before whipping out a rifle and opening fire on them.

Authorities found 15 shell casings at the scene of the crime, the affidavit says. Police believe Lauren was shot 14 times, and Makayla once.

Lauren had been dating her boyfriend since at least last November, according to her Facebook page. Her family called him her love in an obituary.

Lott, who was arrested Sunday, faces charges of murder and aggravated assault and is being held in jail in lieu of $4 million bail, the Times Record News reports. Police had pulled him over after seeing that the vehicle he was driving matched a description of the shooters car.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people have donated more than $16,000 to an online fundraising page set up to help pay for Laurens funeral, which is set for Thursday.

Lauren touched the lives of so many people who [could] not help but feel the love and joy for life she had when they were around her, her family wrote in an obituary. Her compassion and love for other people made her the most beautiful person inside and out. It was hard to stay sad around Lauren, she simply wouldnt allow it. She was the lovely, lively heart and soul of our family.
ATHENS (Reuters) - At least four people died in widespread flash floods caused by heavy rains which lashed Greece overnight, the country's fire brigade said on Wednesday. Three of the victims, all elderly, died at separate locations in the Messinia province, in the southern Peloponnese peninsula. A fourth was found dead later Wednesday. "I have never seen anything like it, said Panagiotis Nikas, mayor of the southern city of Kalamata. "About 140 millimeters of rain fell in an hour this morning ... It hasn't stopped raining since yesterday at lunchtime," he told Reuters. Seven communities in the wider region were cut off by floods, with extensive flood damage. The area is a vast plain where farming is the main activity. Extensive damage was also reported in Greece's northern city of Thessaloniki, where television images showed cars washed out to sea or piled up from torrential rain. One woman from the area was missing. The fire brigade reported it received more than 1,000 distress calls and rescued 74 people in difficulty. (Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas, writing by Michele Kambas)
Democratic vice presidential candidate, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. speaks during a campaign rally in Wilmington, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine and Donald Trump on Tuesday traded barbs over Russia, with Kaine accusing the Republican nominee of encouraging espionage and Trump saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin laughs at Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee.

Kaine lambasted Trump during a national security speech in North Carolina, criticizing his business dealings with Russia, the ties between some of his campaign advisers to the country and Trumps suggestion that he hoped Russian hackers could find missing emails from when Clinton was secretary of state.

He has openly encouraged Russia to hack his political opponents and commit espionage against his own country, Kaine said.

Kaine, in his first major policy speech since being tapped as Clintons running mate, was drawing a contrast between how Trump would approach U.S. relations with Russia and Clintons track record as head of the U.S. State Department from 2009 to 2013, during Barack Obama's first term as president.

As head of the State Department, Clinton oversaw hard-nosed negotiations with Russia to reduce nuclear stockpiles and destroy Syrian chemical weapons, while still going toe-to-toe with Putin to protect America and NATO allies, Kaine said. Trump seems to support Russian interests at the expense of American ones, he added.

Democratic vice presidential candidate, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. speaks during a campaign rally in Wilmington, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016.

At a campaign stop in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Tuesday, Kaine also described Trump as "emotionally volatile, fact-challenged, self-obsessed," adding that the real-estate mogul is too inexperienced for the White House.

"Donald Trump as commander in chief scares me to death," Kaine added, according to The Washington Post.

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Kaine s speech began less than an hour after Trump concluded a campaign stop in Virginia, where he scoffed at the idea that Clinton would hold any sway over Putins actions.

Putin looks at Hillary Clinton and he laughs. Putin looks at Hillary Clinton and he smiles, Trump said.

The dueling addresses occurred as the focus of the U.S. battle for the White House shifted to national security virtually two months before the Nov. 8 presidential election, with both Clinton and Trump set to participate in a televised forum on Wednesday hosted by a veterans group.

Trump followed up his Virginia event by meeting with the wives of U.S. military personnel stationed at nearby installations. The typically bombastic businessman listened attentively as the women, some of whom held babies on their laps, described their concerns about the quality of schools and finding jobs.

So much of this we can take care of, Trump told them.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (L) speaks along side retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Mike Flynn during a campaign town hall meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S., September 6, 2016.

Trump's campaign also on Tuesday released a letter signed by 88 former U.S. military leaders who are supporting the New York businessman's unorthodox candidacy.

Clintons campaign early on Tuesday attempted to pre-empt any move by Trump to distance himself from his past statements about veterans and foreign policy by organizing a news conference with military veterans before Trumps event in Virginia and by releasing a new television advertisement featuring veterans and their families.

In the ad, reactions of veterans and their families are juxtaposed with footage of Trump saying that he knows more about the Islamic State militant group than U.S. military generals, criticizing U.S. Senator John McCain for being captured as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and comparing what he called his own sacrifices as a businessman to those of parents of slain soldiers.

Kaine said in his speech that he did not need to spin Trumps statements to win over U.S. voters because they could stand on their own.

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By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Women pregnant with twins need to time delivery just right, a research review suggests. They need to minimize the risks that come with early arrivals yet still avoid the risk of stillbirths, which rises the longer multiples stay in the womb, the researchers say. Pregnancy normally lasts about 40 weeks, and babies born after 37 weeks are considered full term. Earlier arrivals often have trouble breathing and digesting food as well as longer-term challenges such as impaired vision, hearing and cognitive skills as well as social and behavioral problems. But twins are often delivered sooner because these babies have a higher risk of stillbirth  up to 13 times higher than singletons for twins that share a placenta and five times higher when the twins have separate placentas, researchers note in The BMJ. Twins should be delivered at 37 weeks to minimize stillbirths and newborn deaths, the researchers conclude. Theres no evidence to support routine delivery before 36 weeks, the authors also note. It is advisable to continue the pregnancy, as long as the risk of stillbirth from prolonging pregnancy is lower than the risk of neonatal death from delivery, said study author Dr. Shakila Thangaratinam, a researcher at Queen Mary University of London. Current recommendations for the timing of twin deliveries vary, Thangaratinam and colleagues write in their report. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), for example, recommends delivery between 34 and 37 weeks for twins with a shared placenta and at 38 weeks for twins with separate placentas. Some other physician groups recommend delivery closer to 39 weeks with separate placentas. To assess the optimal timing of twin deliveries, researchers analyzed data from 32 studies published within the past decade that included a total of 35,171 twin pregnancies. Most were twins with separate placentas, but in 5,486 pregnancies the twins shared a placenta. Researchers assessed the rates of stillbirths as well as deaths within the first 28 days after deliveries at various gestational ages after 34 weeks. With separate placentas, the risk of stillbirth from letting the pregnancy continue and the risk of death associated with early delivery were similar until 37 weeks gestation, the study found. However, delaying delivery to 38 weeks gestation led to an additional 8.8 deaths per 1,000 due to an increase in stillbirths. When twins shared a placenta, the risk of stillbirth appears to be higher than the risk of neonatal death once babies go beyond 36 weeks gestation, the study found. Its too soon to tell whether the findings would influence when doctors choose to deliver twins, said Dr. Joseph Wax, a researcher at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and Maine Medical Center in Portland who chairs ACOGs committee on obstetric practice. Thats because the timing is a delicate balance. Earlier delivery could increase the risk of neonatal death and other complications related to prematurity, Wax, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. Later delivery could raise the risk of stillbirth, but still further reduce some complications resulting from early delivery, Wax added. The study shouldnt change guidelines on delivery timing, said Dr. George Saade, chief of obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch. The recommendations are provided in a range because there are so many other factors to take into account, Saade, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. Delivering at 37 weeks does not decrease other complications, added Saade, chair of the health policy and advocacy committee for the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. It just lowers the chance of having a dead baby.
By Piya Sinha-Roy LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When a US Airways pilot landed a damaged plane in the Hudson River in the middle of winter, saving all 155 people on board, he was immediately hailed a hero - but even heroes can be crumbling on the inside. "Sully," directed by Clint Eastwood and out in theaters on Friday, follows the immediate aftermath of the extraordinary events on Jan. 15, 2009 that saw Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger land the plane on the Hudson after the Airbus A320-214's two engines were destroyed by a flock of birds. Following the landing, Sully, played by Tom Hanks, and his co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) faced a lengthy National Transportation Safety Board investigation, which tried to determine whether Sully and Skiles had made an error and thus, put both their long-standing reputations at risk. The film spotlights the post-traumatic stress disorder that Sully faces as the world around him hails him as a hero. He struggles through vivid nightmares reliving different versions of the event where the plan crashes into New York buildings, an image that brings to mind the tragedy of 9/11. While Sullenberg's actions were extraordinary, Hanks told Reuters that the captain's mental anguish throughout the hearing was "a human experience that a lot of people find relatable, because all of us at some point have been woken up by a dream that has bothered us." Sullenberger in turn praised Hanks' portrayal, saying "it's amazing how good he is at his craft and how he's able to in very subtle ways, to do things, say things, behave in such a way that it seems like me." The film examines the sequence of events that led Sully and Skiles to land the plane on the Hudson with numerous variations, each one allowing the audience to "learn something new" about the flight, Hanks said. "What you get from the recreations we did is how many people were involved in the aftermath, but also how specific it did come down to those two guys in the cockpit," the Oscar winner said. Eckhart said Eastwood, a famed actor and Academy Award-winning director, brought a level of experience to the film that echoed both Sully's experience as a pilot and Hanks' experience as an actor - a tale of a hero told by seasoned veterans in the industry. "Everybody looks at Clint throughout his movie career as this hero. He's this man to us and that's what Sully (is)," Eckhart said. "He's a born leader; he has that aura about him." (Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Hes the man! exclaimed Tom Hanks on working for the first time with director Clint Eastwood at the New York City premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures Sully Tuesday night at Lincoln Center.

Theres absolutely no doubt when hes on the set work begins. You dont want to piss him off because he might cold-cock ya, Hanks laughed.

His new film is a biographical drama surrounding the aftermath of the controversial yet heroic landing of Flight 1549 in the Hudson River by pilot Captain Chesley Sully Sullenberger.

Eastwood said the 2009 water-landing of the passenger plane deserved to be a major motion picture not only because of the way Sullenberger handled it, but also [because of] the impact that it had on New York at a bad time the spirit it gave to the city. Even though it was a tragic loss of a plane theres no tragic loss of life.

He also added Hanks was the perfect person to play Sully because they both share a quiet demeanor.

Aaron Eckhart, who plays co-pilot Jeff Skiles, admitted he loved the screenplay, but was truly excited to work alongside some of his own heroes. Clints been one of my heroes since I was a kid and Tom is an American icon and wonderful actor, he said.

After the screening, guests including Regis and Joy Philbin enjoyed white wine and small bites while Eastwood, Hanks, and Eckhart snapped photos under a tree of tea lights at Tavern on the Green. Other celebrity attendees included Katie Couric and Allison Williams.

Sully opens in theaters worldwide Sept. 9.

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LONDON (Reuters) - People are reading too much into recent data which appears to show that Britain's economy is coping well with its decision to leave the European Union, a former Bank of England Deputy Governor said on Wednesday.

"Some of the recent indicators have been greeted a little too enthusiastically. The picture is a bit more mixed," Charlie Bean told a committee of the British parliament's upper house, the House of Lords.

"The underlying picture at the moment does not suggest the economy has just shrugged off the Brexit result ... It's too early to draw a firm conclusion."

(Reporting by Huw Jones, Editing by Kylie MacLellan)
Washington (AFP) - Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic senator and standard-bearer on the US left, opened a new broadside on Wednesday against the White House's signature Pacific trade pact, calling it a dangerous corporate power grab.

Warren's salvo came as President Barrack Obama trumpeted the 12-member Trans-Pacific Partnership during a trip to Asia, where he has reiterated plans to push US lawmakers to ratify the agreement in the dying days of his administration.

The treaty's 12 parties signed the agreement in February but it awaits approval by potentially reticent lawmakers in member states.

The prospects for a US ratification before January, which could leave Obama a parting legacy by establishing the world's largest free-trade region, appeared to grow dimmer on Wednesday as Warren unveiled a letter to US lawmakers from 220 economists and law professors calling on Congress to reject it.

They denounced a key treaty provision formalizing use of the so-called Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanism to resolve corporate grievances, which they say allows foreign companies to counteract local laws and regulations.

Rather than appearing before a court, aggrieved investors could seek damages against the US and other treaty members by complaining to private arbitration panels comprising corporate attorneys. Such provisions are currently in place in the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada, and in a number of bilateral trade treaties.

"It's about leverage, leverage for big companies to threaten and intimidate governments who might dare take actions that threaten their profits," Warren told reporters during a conference call.

"The bottom line is that giving foreign corporations special rights to challenge laws outside of the legal system is a bad deal for everyone except those corporations."

The use of ISDS would undermine US financial regulations, food safety laws and environmental safeguards, according to Warren, who noted that the Canadian oil company TransUnion this year sued the US under the provision because of the Obama administration's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline -- seeking $15 billion in damages from US taxpayers.

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The Chicago Council on Global Affairs published survey results on Wednesday showing that six in 10 Americans support the TPP. Public support for free-trade generally has waned in recent years, according to the Pew Research Center, and both presidential candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, have said they oppose the TPP.

Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican who oversees the agenda in the upper chamber of the US legislature, said last month there would be no vote in 2016.

Speaking in Laos on Tuesday where he is attending a summit, Obama called the TPP "a core pillar of America's rebalance to the Asia-Pacific" region and vowed to redouble efforts to get lawmakers "to approve TPP before I leave office."

"I have said before and I will say again," Obama said. "Failure to move ahead with TPP would not just have economic consequences, but would call into question Americas leadership in this vital region."
It's unlikely that Emma Stone will take as glamorous a turn at Toronto as she did at the 73rd Venice Film Festival, where she descended the steps of the Sala Grande in a glittering custom Atelier Versace gown for the Aug. 31 premiere of La La Land. Why? Explains Toronto-born stylist Hayley Atkin, whose clients include Carly Rae Jepsen and Beth Behrs: "While the festival has grown over the years to host so many big-name celebrities and films, a certain modesty and casualness has remained, which I think is inspired by the people of Toronto." The down-to-earth vibe infiltrates the entire fest: It's hard to imagine industry insiders trudging multiple city blocks to go from premiere to afterparty at, say, Cannes (Atkins recommends tossing flip-flops into your bag). For what works best on the Canadian carpet and beyond, top stylists share their insider tips.

Naomi Watts

Dress Down

Tara Swennen, who styles Kristen Stewart (at Toronto for Personal Shopper) and The Birth of a Nation's Aja Naomi King, suggests formal wear but not necessarily ball gowns for this less opulent festival. "Last year, I sent Kristen in a flowy, navy Chanel gown, and the year before, Connie Britton wore a fun printed Sachin & Babi," she recalls. "Neither was extremely dressy, but both were simply elegant." Cocktail dresses work well at Toronto, concurs Atkins, who is liking "Rodarte's fall 2016 collection - the antique-looking lace dresses are perfect for the Toronto fall vibe, with layers of fur and leather mixed in." Jeanann Williams, stylist to Kathryn Hahn and The Bleeder's Naomi Watts, adds that it's important not to fade too far into the background: "It's the kickoff to all awards season, so it's always fun to watch."

Saoirse Ronan

Prep for all Weather

Thunderstorms! Extreme heat! Humidity! The Toronto climate can be as unpredictable as audience receptions - temps during the 2015 fest ranged from 80 degrees Fahrenheit to as low as 50, with spurts of rain throughout - so come prepared. Williams advises packing a Burberry trench or a leather motorcycle jacket. "It's always good to have looks to layer," she says, including footwear. "For the first time, you see fall boots, which is always fun." Because the weather can be "temperamental," Swennen says she sends clients with "a few press options with layers" and "a coat or two just in case."

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Emily Blunt

Test New Trends

The festival provides a good opportunity to try new looks from recent fall and resort collections without the high stakes of a fashion fail at a couture showcase like Cannes. Williams prefers edgier, less serious pieces that include pants looks and suits as well as " '70s trends and prints and maybe shades of brown." Swennen forecasts lots of color on the Toronto carpet. "I am sending a client in a vibrant orange one-shoulder gown," she allows. "Designers seem to be embracing bolder hues, and I for one am loving it."

Overall, as chic as one might be at Toronto, Atkins recommends keeping an eye on the value of the festival, which for talent, at least, is "showing the world that you are a serious actress with serious East Coast style. No frills accepted here!"

Jessica Chastain

This story first appeared in the Sept. 16 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
* Toronto August home sales up 23.5 pct vs year ago - data

* Vancouver sales fell 26 pct over same period

* RBC CEO 'more comfortable' about Toronto than Vancouver (Adds comment from RBC chief executive officer)

By Matt Scuffham

TORONTO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Home sales in Toronto increased by 23.5 percent in August from a year earlier, the Toronto Real Estate Board said, contrasting sharply with a decline in Vancouver where a tax on foreign buyers was introduced.

The TREB, which represents 45,000 real estate brokers in Greater Toronto, said on Wednesday a record 9,813 sales were reported in August 2016. Home sales in Vancouver fell 26 percent over the same period, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver said earlier this month.

"The conditions underlying strong demand for ownership housing (in Toronto) remained in place, including a relatively strong regional economy, growth in average earnings and low borrowing costs," said Jason Mercer, TREB's director of market analysis.

Housing markets in Vancouver and Toronto have seen rapid price increases, fueled by foreign investment and a sustained period of low borrowing costs since the 2007-2009 financial crisis, stirring concern among lawmakers and regulators of potential speculative bubbles in these cities.

Speaking at the Scotiabank Financials Summit in Toronto on Wednesday, Royal Bank of Canada Chief Executive Dave McKay said the bank was more confident about the Toronto market than Vancouver.

"We're still gaining market share in mortgages but not in Vancouver," he said. "That's a conscious choice we've made."

"We certainly feel much more comfortable about Toronto given the diversity of the economy and the number of new immigrants coming in," McKay added. "I think it's a more stable market to invest in right now."

British Columbia introduced a 15 percent tax on foreign real estate buyers in Vancouver in late July, a measure geared at increasing housing affordability for local residents.

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The influx of foreign home buyers to Vancouver, mostly from mainland China, has helped make it Canada's most expensive property market.

Some industry experts have said the tax could steer foreign buyers towards Toronto instead.

(Reporting by Matt Scuffham Editing by W Simon)
NEWS BRIEF Bill Cosby will go on trial for sexual-assault on June 5, 2017, two years after a slew of women began claiming that the comedian drugged and raped them.

Pennsylvania Judge Steven ONeill set the tentative trial date at a preliminary hearing Tuesday. The 79-year-old actor will face three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault against one of those women at the trial next year.

Cosby has been accused of drugging and raping a former Temple University employee at his home in 2004. Andrea Constand claims Cosby gave her cocktail of wine and pills that left her incapacitated and incapable of consenting to sexual contact. Cosby pled not guilty to the charges in December.

Prosecutors are hoping to include other testimony against Cosby. CNN explains:

The judge also said the district attorney filed a motion saying he intends to present 13 alleged prior instances. Rule 404(b) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence allows prosecutors to call witnesses about a defendant's previous conduct if it relates to the trial at hand. The women who might testify are not named in the motion, but more than 50 have come forward in recent years to say Cosby sexually molested them.

ONeill did not say when he would rule on this latest motion. Cosbys lawyers also plan on filing a motion in the next 60 days to move the trial venue from Norristown, Pennsylvania, to another city.

This is the first time Cosby, a popular television star most known for sitcom The Cosby Show, is being charged with sexual assault. Dozens of women have come forward since 2014 and accused Cosby of drugging and raping them. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Custer comes in for the form tackle (FS1).

While Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman each got points penalties for their cars failing post-race inspection after the Sprint Cup Series Southern 500 on Sunday night, two Truck Series drivers who tangled during that afternoons race werent officially sanctioned by NASCAR.

Cole Custer and John Hunter Nemechek made contact while racing for the win on the last lap at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. After bumping Custer, Nemechek drove him off the track and the two careened off the wall and through the grass towards the finish line.

Heres how John Hunter Nemechek won the Truck race. pic.twitter.com/UCrJ3vj9Bt  Nick Bromberg (@NickBromberg) September 4, 2016

Nemechek was declared the winner because his truck crossed the finish line first. As he was waiting for the checkered flag as NASCAR was reviewing the race results, Custer sprinted at Nemechek and tackled him.

And then Cole Custer comes for the running tackle of John Hunter Nemechek. pic.twitter.com/Mi3A87gaT3  Nick Bromberg (@NickBromberg) September 4, 2016

NASCAR fined Truck Series drivers Spencer Gallagher and John Wes Townley earlier in the year for their altercation and on-track contact at Gateway.

The absence of Custer and Nemechek in the penalty report isnt surprising. The likely difference between the situations is that Gallagher and Townley werent racing for the win. NASCAR typically gives much more leniency for drivers who are going for a win.

Much of the justification for Matt Kenseths two-race suspension following his punt of Joey Logano at Martinsville in 2015 was due to Kenseths position as a car multiple laps down while Logano was leading at the time of getting crashed.

Custer will need to keep that Kenseth standard in mind if he wants to take Nemechek out on track later this season during the Truck Series Chase. If he does it blatantly while one or the other is back in the pack he could be subject to a severe penalty. If he retaliates while the two are racing for a spot near the front of the field late in a race, he could get a much lesser penalty or nothing at all.

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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
By Steve Holland PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pledged on Wednesday to launch a new U.S. military buildup as he and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton compete over who would be more competent at leading the armed forces as commander in chief. Buoyed by polls showing him regaining some ground on Clinton, Trump portrayed himself in an address in Philadelphia as a defender of traditional Republican values on national security but with a distinct unwillingness to launch new wars in the Middle East. He said he would ask Pentagon leaders to present a plan within 30 days to destroy Islamic State if he wins the Nov 8 election. But he said any action would be "tempered with realism" and would avoid "toppling regimes with no plan for what to do the day after." "I am proposing a new foreign policy focused on advancing Americas core national interests, promoting regional stability, and producing an easing of tensions in the world. This will require rethinking the failed policies of the past," he said. The New York businessman gave Wednesday's speech in measured tones and offered more policy details than he often does at campaign rallies. He called for hundreds more new U.S. ships, planes and submarines, and vowed to train thousands more combat troops as well as develop a "state of the art" missile defense system, starting with modernizing 22 Navy cruisers at a cost of about $220 million apiece. He told supporters at the invitees-only event in the Union League of Philadelphia that America is under threat like never before from foes like radical Islamists, North Korea and China. "Our adversaries are chomping at the bit," he said, blaming President Barack Obama and his former secretary of state Clinton for allowing the United States to lose global influence. He accused Obama of wanting to reduce the size of the Army to 450,000 troops. Trump said he would raise U.S. troop levels to 540,000. He echoed late President Ronald Reagan in calling for "peace through strength." Trump has some convincing to do on foreign policy. Many national security experts from past Republican administrations have declared him unfit for the Oval Office due to his temperament and lack of experience. Veterans and relatives of military staff killed in action decried what they called Trumps unreadiness to be commander in chief at a news conference outside Trump Tower in New York on Wednesday. "Please do not disrespect Gold Star families for you have not sacrificed anything for our freedoms," said Sue Niederer, whose son was killed while serving in Iraq. "Sacrifice is not in your vocabulary [or] in your nature, she said of Trump, who was criticized by fellow Republicans for getting into a verbal fight in July with the parents of a Muslim U.S. soldier killed in Iraq. END THE SEQUESTER Trump said on Wednesday he would pay for his buildup by lifting the defense spending caps mandated by the U.S. Congress in 2011 and known as the "sequester." He said he would also seek budget reforms, attrition in the federal work force, root out inefficiencies in government spending and collect billions of dollars in unpaid taxes by Americans. Trump did not give an overall cost estimate for his buildup. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Trump with 40 percent support vs 39 percent for Clinton, effectively ending Clinton's bump up in the polls after the Democratic nominating convention. Other polls show Clinton's lead has shrunk. Later on Wednesday, the election opponents are to make back-to-back appearances at an NBC "commander in chief" forum in New York, Clinton first, followed by Trump. It will offer a prelude of what to expect from them when national security issues come up in their three presidential debates later this month and next. Clinton is trying to raise questions about Trump's temperament and fitness for office given his history of incendiary rhetoric, such as declaring Obama "the founder of ISIS," an acronym for the Islamic State militant group. Clinton's campaign accused Trump of relying on "childish insults" during the Philadelphia speech. "As Hillary Clinton has said, anyone you can bait this easily is not someone you can trust be Commander in Chief," Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri said in a statement. Neither candidate had an advantage when it came to national security, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling in August. Respondents were evenly split between Clinton and Trump when asked which presidential candidate do you believe will be better at keeping us safe?. Trump accuses Clinton of backing "military adventurism" for her handling of conflicts in Libya and the Middle East while she was Obama's secretary of state from 2009-13. Trump's engagement with the Middle East, by contrast, would be to work with governments even if they were not necessarily strong on democracy, a senior aide said. (Additional reporting by Amanda Becker in Washington and Gina Cherelus in New York; Editing by Alistair Bell)
Donald Trump says he would immediately release his tax returns if Hillary Clinton released all of the deleted emails from her tenure as secretary of state.

I am under a routine audit, and when its completed I will release my returns, Trump said in an interview with Fox News Bill OReilly on Tuesday, repeating a claim he has made routinely during his presidential campaign. In the meantime, she has 33,000 emails that she deleted. When is she going to release her emails? She probably knows how to find [them]. Let her release her emails and Ill release my tax returns immediately.

Following a 2014 request by the House Select Committee on Benghazi, Clintons lawyers turned over about 30,000 work-related emails to the State Department but deleted nearly 32,000 others that she said were about personal matters.

The Republican nominee, meanwhile, has rejected repeated calls to release his tax returns, a custom for presidential candidates, saying his lawyers have advised him not to do so until the audit is complete. But the Internal Revenue Service has said Trump is free to make his tax returns public whenever he wants.

Both Democratic nominee Clinton and her running mate, Tim Kaine, have already released theirs. On Sunday, Trumps running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said he would release his tax returns this week.

People say you can do it while being audited, OReilly told Trump.

Nobody would recommend that, Trump replied.

In an interview with ABC News on Monday, Trump said his decision to delay the release of his tax returns is not a big deal.

I think people dont care, Trump said.

The real estate mogul reiterated that claim Tuesday night.

Nobody cares about this except some folks in the media, Trump told OReilly.

But a recent Monmouth University poll found 62 percent of voters think its either very important or somewhat important to them that candidates release their returns, while 36 percent believe it is not.

Clinton has seized the opportunity to needle Trump on the issue, telling reporters this week that his tax returns tell a story that the American people deserve and need to know, and that he clearly has something to hide in not making them public.

If hes going to pursue this campaign, he owes it to the American people to come clean, she said.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump addresses the National Convention of the American Legion in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S., September 1, 2016. REUTERS/Bryan Woolston

Donald Trump appears to have left an opening on the issue of releasing his tax returns.

In an interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly on Tuesday, Trump asserted that he would release his tax returns if Hillary Clinton releases emails deleted from a private server she used during her time as US secretary of state.

When is she going to release her emails?" Trump asked. Let her release her emails and Ill release my tax returns immediately.

Clinton has said that while the FBI was investigating her use of a personal email server, more than 30,000 emails that were deemed personal were deleted.

Speaking to the deleted messages, the real-estate mogul insisted Clinton "probably knows how to find them."

Trump has repeatedly declared that he will not publicly release his personal tax returns until an IRS audit into his finances is complete. It is unclear when that will happen. The GOP nominee said he has already shared nearly 100 pages of financial documents to the Federal Election Commission.

There has been no shortage of speculation surrounding Trump's reticence toward releasing his taxes.

The 2012 GOP nominee, Mitt Romney, called the move "disqualifying." Warren Buffett suggested that Trump is "afraid" to release his returns. Entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban implied that Trump isn't budging because the Clintons "made more" money than him.

It is customary for US presidential candidates to publicly release their taxes before the election. Every major-party candidate has done so since 1976.

NOW WATCH: Clinton just released a brutal ad linking Trump to white supremacists





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MATTOON (JG-TC) -- Blues harmonica and marimba percussion artist Noah Hoehn is scheduled to perform today at Lake Land College.

Hoehn's website, http://noahhoehn.com, reports that the Minneapolis-based artist uses a live looping recording system to enable him to sing and play his instruments at the same time during his performances. Hoehn, who is also a classical percussionist, is a three-time winner of the McKnight Fellowship for performing musicians.

The Lake Land College Student Activity Board, which has organized the show, describes Hoehn as "a modern day musical scientist" who gives an "impassioned harmonica performance." The show is slated for 11 a.m. today in the Luther Student Center Theater. Entry is free and open to the public.
PHILADELPHIA  Seeking to win over skeptics who question his temperament and command of foreign affairs, Donald Trump called for a major increase in defense spending Wednesday while also promising to put forward a foreign policy that would promote peace through strength, but also be rooted in realism.

In what his campaign billed as a major policy speech to the Union League in Philadelphia, the Republican presidential hopeful cast himself as a competent leader who would offer a fresh approach to diplomacy after years of endless wars that he said have wasted billions of dollars and left the nation less secure.

Pushing back against criticism from his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and even many Republicans that he lacks the steady hand and readiness required of a commander in chief, Trump said he would seek to reassure allies and make new friends to achieve a world with less conflict and more common ground.

At the same time, the celebrity businessman turned presidential candidate presented himself as less hawkish than Clinton, whom he repeatedly described as reckless in her foreign policy approach.

In a Trump administration, our actions in the Middle East will be tempered by realism, Trump declared in remarks that he carefully read from a teleprompter. The current strategy of toppling regimes, with no plan for what to do the day after, only produces power vacuums that are filled by terrorists.

Linking his Democratic opponent to the failed policies that he said have kept the nation mired in conflict overseas and led to the rise of ISIS, Trump slammed Clinton as trigger happy and unstable when it comes to war. Trump stated, Sometimes it has seemed like there wasnt a country in the Middle East that Hillary Clinton didnt want to invade, intervene or topple.

Unlike my opponent, he added, my foreign policy will emphasize diplomacy, not destruction.

Echoing remarks he made Tuesday in North Carolina, Trump said that during his first 30 days in office, he would call on generals to come up with a plan to take on and destroy ISIS. Trump, who previously said he had a plan for defeating ISIS but did not want to make it public, offered no other details.

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The speech came after two days of events intended to present Trump as more presidential that he often appears on the campaign trail.

And it also came just hours before both he and Clinton are set to appear, albeit separately, in a televised forum sponsored by MSNBC and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America focusing on national security and defense issues that some see as a preview of the first presidential debate on Sept. 26.

But Wednesdays forum could present challenges for Trump, who, at the urging of his advisers, has sought to present a more coherent message by sticking to prepared remarks and more controlled events. The GOP candidate will be forced to speak more spontaneously  which is where he has sometimes gotten into trouble, especially on when it comes to his command of foreign policy.

In remarks that raised eyebrows among some longtime foreign policy hands, Trump responded Tuesday to a question during a town hall in Virginia from retired Gen. Mike Flynn, a key adviser and ally, about how he would approach the situation with North Korea. Speaking off the cuff, the GOP nominee suggested the U.S. should have no involvement in dealing with the increasingly belligerent country, which is working to develop nuclear weapons.

What Id do very simply is say, China, this is your baby. This is your problem, Trump said, invoking another nation hes frequently criticized. You solve the problem, because China can solve that problem.

On Wednesday, Trump was back on script, promoting a plan to end the budget sequester on defense spending  which Clinton also supports  and calling for a major increase in the nations military might, including more troops and new ships, planes and other equipment.

He cast it as a security issue, arguing deep cuts advocated by Obama and Clinton had only invited more aggression  from our adversaries. Our adversaries are chomping at the bit, Trump declared.

But as with many of Trumps proposals, he was less clear on the details of how he would make it happen. The GOP nominee, who says he would balance the budget and begin to bring down a historic federal deficit, said he would pay for the defense buildup by cutting down on military bureaucracy. He also repeated his call for allies like Germany, Saudi Arabia and Japan to contribute to the cost of U.S. security efforts.

Trump said he would demand that all NATO nations pay their bills. He declared, They will be happy to do it, and added that he would be respectful in asking them to do so.
Just hours after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump visited Mexico to meet with President Enrique Pena Nieto last week, he told a cheering crowd in Arizona that if hes elected, the United States is going to build a wall on the southern border, and Mexico is going to pay for it.

But Pena Nieto quickly denied that any such arrangement was agreed upon in their meeting, and now, fallout from Trumps visit has continued with Mexican Finance Minister Luis Videgarays resignation on Wednesday.

Its been widely reported in Mexican media that the invitation to Trump was Videgarays idea, a claim disputed by both the now-former finance minister as well as Pena Nieto. Many Mexicans condemned the visit and saw it as a humiliating, citing Trumps controversial comments calling immigrants from the country rapists and criminals. The businessman has also said Mexico will pay for a border wall to keep illegal immigrants from Mexico out of the United States, and has generally been hostile toward Americas southern neighbor.

Videgaray is a former investment banker and state finance official with a doctorate from MIT. He has long been Pena Nietos right-hand-man, and was responsible for a series of reforms including opening Mexicos closed oil industry to private investment for the first time since 1938. In recent years, however, Videgaray has been under fire for overseeing slow growth in Mexico, and took flack from some in the business community for raising taxes.

A Mexican government spokesperson confirmed to the Associated Press that Videgaray was out. Hell be replaced by former finance chief Jose Antonio Meade, who served in that post from 2011 to 2012 under former President Felipe Calderon.

Photo credit: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/Getty Images
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey-backed forces may go deeper into Syria after securing a 90 km (56 mile) stretch of land along the Turkish border, Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters in Ankara after a cabinet meeting, Canikli also said that a total of 110 Islamic State and Kurdish militia fighters have been killed since Turkey began its military campaign in Syria on Aug.24. The campaign, called "Euphrates Shield", has seen Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies sweep Islamic State from Turkey's border. Ankara also wants to check the advance of U.S.-allied Syrian Kurdish fighters in the region. Canikli also said that President Tayyip Erdogan had told U.S. President Barack Obama that he viewed a joint operation in Syria's Raqqa positively. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Nick Tattersall)
Ankara (AFP) - A Turkish court acquitted world-renowned pianist Fazil Say of blasphemy on Wednesday, four years after he first went on trial on charges of insulting Islam in a case that raised alarm about freedom of expression in Turkey.

The Istanbul court ruling ends the long-running legal saga which began in October 2012 when Say went on trial on charges "insulting religious beliefs" in a series of Twitter posts.

In a hugely convoluted process, the Turkish classical star was initially handed a 10-month jail sentence in 2013 before a retrial was ordered the same year in which he received an identical sentence.

But the Supreme Court of Appeal in October 2015 overturned the sentence, sending it back to a lower court for a final ruling.

And the Istanbul court on Wednesday supported the appeal court decision to overturn the sentence against Say and ruled he should be acquitted, state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

The charismatic pianist -- who is also a renowned composer -- was prosecuted for Twitter posts in 2012 that allegedly attacked Muslims.

One of which was a retweet which said: "I am not sure if you have also realised it, but all the pricks, low-lives, buffoons, thieves, jesters, they are all Allahists. Is this a paradox?"

Say, 45, has played with orchestras across the world including in Berlin, New York, Tokyo and Israel and regularly gives sold-out solo recitals that often mix Mozart with Turkish traditional sounds.

He has also served as a cultural ambassador for the European Union.

Last October, the appeal court ruled by a four-to-one majority that Say's comments should be viewed as "freedom of thought and expression and thus should not be punished".

Demanding his acquittal, Say's lawyer said that his client was only sharing his opinions.

"My client did not write an article neither did he show a film. He shared his opinions and retweeted opposing opinions. The real outrage was the opening of this case," Meltem Akyol said, quoted by Dogan news agency.

The case against Say, an atheist, caused consternation among secular Turks worried about what they see as a creeping Islamism under the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) co-founded by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The government critic also previously accused Erdogan of being behind the case against him and in 2013 he called the charges "politically motivated".
By Humeyra Pamuk and Daren Butler ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A group of 292 Syrians went back to the Syrian town of Jarablus from Turkey on Wednesday, marking the first formal return of civilians since Ankara launched a military incursion two weeks ago to try to secure the border region, a Turkish official said. Jarablus, which had been held by Islamic State, was the first town captured by Turkey's army and its Syrian rebel allies in an offensive launched on Aug. 24 that aims to sweep away jihadists and Syrian Kurdish militias from the frontier. Turkey has said it cleared militants from a 90-km (56-mile) stretch of Syrian territory and has pushed south. It has also said it would support any U.S. initiative to strike Islamic State's stronghold of Raqqa, further to the southeast. But Turkey's tactics have drawn criticism from its NATO ally the United States and also from Russia, with which it recently patched up ties. Washington says Turkish attacks on Kurdish-aligned militias damage a U.S.-backed coalition that is fighting Islamic State. Russia, which backs the government in Damascus, said on Wednesday Ankara's push south threatened Syria's sovereignty. "We call on Ankara to refrain from any steps which can further destabilize the situation in Syria," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Turkey, which hosts 3 million Syrian refugees, has urged world powers to back plans for a "safe zone" in north Syria to stem the flow of migrants and to allow Syrians to return home. Although it has failed to win support for the idea, Ankara has pressed on with its offensive to carve out a swathe of territory under the control of the Turkish army and its allies, the Free Syrian Army, allowing some civilians to return home. "The formal returns have begun today," said a spokesman at the governor's office for the southern Turkish province of Gaziantep, which lies across the border from Jarablus. He said there were 292 people in the first group of registered returnees, including women, children and the elderly. More would be allowed to return but only gradually, he added. To encourage returnees, Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said Turkey would supply mains power to Jarablus on Saturday, followed by water supplies two days later. Power supplies across Syria have been severely disrupted by the war. "TOO INSECURE" "Turkey has supported us in every way until now, and has now saved our homeland," said Fatima Mahmud, a mother who was among the group, told the Turkish newspaper Milliyet. The United Nations has said an area can only be declared a "safe zone" if the protection of civilians can be guaranteed. It has previously cautioned against encouraging returns too soon. "Currently, conflict lines are too insecure for many of the town's displaced to return safely," the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA said in a report last week, referring to Jarablus which had a pre-war population of about 27,500 people. South and west of Jarablus, Turkish forces have continued fighting. The deputy prime minister said four Turkish soldiers had been killed and 19 wounded in the two-week offensive. Turkey has repeatedly demanded that the Kurdish YPG militia withdraw to the eastern side of the Euphrates, where there is a Kurdish-controlled canton. Ankara sees the YPG as an extension of the PKK which is fighting an insurgency on Turkish soil. The YPG says its troops have long since withdrawn from areas being targeted by Turkish-backed forces. Canikli told a news conference on Wednesday that the YPG had not yet completely pulled back east. The army said Turkey's rebel allies had taken six more villages, located in Islamic State-held areas, adding to dozens of settlements now under the control of Turkish-backed forces. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had told U.S. President Barack Obama that Turkey would support a joint operation to capture Raqqa, the Syrian city that is Islamic State's de facto capital, Canikli said. Erdogan earlier said Obama had floated the idea of such cooperation during meetings at a summit of G20 leaders in China this week, the daily Hurriyet reported. The president had said a specific Turkish role would depend on further talks. U.S. officials have welcomed Turkish efforts to dislodge Islamic State but voiced concern when Turkish troops engaged fighters aligned with the Kurdish YPG militia, a force Washington sees as a valuable ally in battling jihadists. (Additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva, Lidia Kelly in Moscow,; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Nick Tattersall and Alison Williams)
Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey on Wednesday said it was in favour of a joint operation with the United States to oust Islamic State (IS) jihadists from their de facto capital of Raqa in northern Syria.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published Wednesday in Turkish media he had agreed with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in China to do "what is necessary" to drive IS out of Raqa.

Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli then said after a cabinet meeting that Turkey looked "favourably" on such an operation and talks were in progress between the two countries' militaries.

"Raqa is the most important centre of Daesh," Erdogan told Turkish journalists onboard his plane as he returned from China, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"Obama wants to do something together especially on the issue of Raqa," he said. "I said there would be no problem from our perspective."

"I said 'our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done'," Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet daily, without giving further details,

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's regime were pushed out of Raqa, which lies on the Euphrates River, in 2013, making it the first provincial capital in Syria to fall out of government control.

IS rapidly infiltrated the city, which is strategically located near the Turkish border, and declared a caliphate in 2014.

Ousting IS from the city would be a turning point in the conflict and mark a huge blow to the jihadists.

- 'Look favourably' -

Canikli confirmed that the Raqa issue was on the agenda but emphasised that no final decision on an operation had been taken yet.

"Mr President (Erdogan) told Obama that as Turkey we look favourably carrying out such a joint operation," he said.

He said both sides agreed to hold technical talks and "as of now talks between militaries are continuing."

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The new focus on Raqa came two weeks after Turkey launched an ambitious operation inside Syria, sending tanks and special forces to back up Syrian opposition fighters and remove IS jihadists and Kurdish militia from its frontier.

Ankara-backed rebels seized the town of Jarabulus from IS militants within hours on the first day of the operation.

Loaded with luggage and possessions, hundreds of civilians began returning to Jarabulus on Wednesday, forming long queues at the border gate outside the Turkish town of Karkamis, an AFP photographer said.

Canikli said that a 772 square kilometre (300 square mile) area had been cleared from IS fighters and was now under control of pro-Ankara fighters. Turkey would supply electricity and water to Jarabulus by Monday, he added.

He said the operation against IS "could gain some degree of depth" with Turkey still pressing for a no-fly zone on the Syrian side of the border.

But Turkey on Tuesday sustained its biggest loss of life in the operation to date, with three soldiers killed in an IS rocket attack on their tanks. One soldier had been killed in an attack blamed on Kurdish militia last month.

With the offensive still pressing on, the Turkish army said six more villages south of the town of Al-Rai had been retaken from IS jihadists on Tuesday, in a statement carried by state-run news agency Anadolu.

- 'No step back'-

Turkey has been alarmed by US support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a "terrorist" group linked to its own Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has been waging a bloody campaign against the Turkish state.

"We need to show we are present in the region," said Erdogan. "If we take a step back, terror groups like Daesh, PKK, PYD or YPG will settle there."

Erdogan said that after the G20 he was optimistic of the chances of a ceasefire between opposition forces and Assad's regime, in time for the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday, which gets under way next week.

Canikli said that 110 enemy forces had been killed in the Turkish operation so far, including both IS and YPG fighters. It is not possible to independently verify the figures.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A group of 292 Syrians went home to the Syrian town of Jarablus on Wednesday, marking the first formal civilian returns from Turkey since the start of a Turkish-backed incursion into northern Syria, a Turkish regional official said. Jarablus, which had been held by Islamic State, was the first town captured by the Turkish army and its Syrian rebel allies in an offensive launched on Aug. 24. Turkey, which hosts 3 million Syrian refugees, has said it wants provide a safe zone for civilians to return to Syria. "The formal returns have begun today. We wouldn't consider anything before that as formal passage. This is the first time since the operation began," a spokesman at the governor's office for Gaziantep province, which lies across the border from Jarablus, told Reuters. He said more would return gradually. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Nick Tattersall)
By Jean Luis Arce SAN JOSE DEL CABO, Mexico (Reuters) - Hurricane Newton barreled across Mexico's Baja California peninsula tourist haven on Tuesday, dumping heavy rain and killing at least two people, officials said. Three people were missing. The Category 1 hurricane hit Cabo San Lucas early on Tuesday morning, then headed northwest. By evening, the storm had crossed the tourist resort area and was about to head over the Gulf of California. It is currently low season, and hotels popular with American tourists are not full. Two bodies were found on a beach, and it is believed they were part of a five-person crew aboard a fishing vessel that was wrecked by the storm, Jose Luis Rios, the captain of the port of La Paz, told reporters. He said the three other crew members were missing, adding that the navy was searching for their bodies. On Tuesday evening, the storm was around 85 miles (137 km) southwest of the port of Guaymas, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Newton was expected to move north-northeast on Wednesday, and into southeastern Arizona by Wednesday afternoon, the NHC said. The storm should dissipate by early Thursday, it added. (Additional reporting by German Medrano in La Paz; Writing by Simon Gardner; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Nick Macfie)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A man attacked two police officers with a knife in a Brussels park on Wednesday but neither officer was hurt and there was no immediate indication that the assailant had a political motive, Belgian officials said. A spokeswoman for the Brussels prosecutors office said the assailant had said nothing and the case had not been transferred to federal counter-terrorism specialists. A police spokeswoman said protective vests saved the officers from injury. The incident happened in mid-afternoon in the Belgian capital's western borough of Molenbeek, which has been a focus of attention since several young men from the area were involved in last year's Islamic State attack on Paris. (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald and Clement Rossignol; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
MATTOON -- A lot to the east of the Mattoon Area Family YMCA is being graded and leveled for use by YMCA fitness and recreation programs.

Executive Director Blake Fairchild said this YMCA-owned lot on the east side of North 16th Street had contained a gravel section that was filled with potholes. He said this uneven surface had limited the use of the property.

Fairchild said the YMCA has hired contractor Colt Roderick to clear off the lot, 212 N. 16th St., and create a flat surface there that he will then seed with grass this fall.

"We will have a nice grassy lot we will be able to use," Fairchild said. "There are a variety of different programs we can tie into a nice space across the street."

Once the grass is ready, Fairchild said the lot could host Girls on the Run 5K and other foot race activities, after school and summer children's programs, outdoor fitness classes, and more.

The YMCA also owns property to the east and northeast of 212 N. 16th, which were all purchased by the Y in 2014. Fairchild said the YMCA also plans to install a fence this fall at the northeast corner of this combined property, 15th Street and Richmond Avenue, to help ensure the safety of children who take part in programs there.

Fairchild said the YMCA plans to retain the carriage house that remained at 212 N. 16th after the house there was demolished in 2015. He said they have placed a new roof, windows and fresh coat of paint on this carriage house, which is being used for storage space.

The executive director said the YMCA's long-term plans for its property on the east side of North 16th will be determined by the final layout of city's planned extension of the Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail along the south side of this property.

Plans call for the city to eventually extend this recreation trail west from 10th to 16th streets on former railroad right of way to connect to the YMCA property.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A sheriff's department in North Dakota is investigating possible charges against the U.S. Green Party presidential candidate, Jill Stein, for damaging equipment during protests on Tuesday over construction of an oil pipeline. Stein was part of a group protesting the Dakota Access pipeline and spray-painted construction equipment, the Morton County Sheriff's Department said. Stein does not dispute the account. Protesters, who say the project will damage burial sites considered sacred to a nearby Native American tribe and pollute the area's drinking water, also attached themselves to bulldozers and broke a fence, the department said. Stein, a 66-year-old doctor and environmental activist from Massachusetts, said in a statement that she had spray-painted the words "I approve this message" onto a bulldozer, a nod to the phrase American politicians append to their advertisements to comply with transparency laws. No arrests were made, the department said, and the investigation was continuing. The department also posted a picture on its Facebook page that showed Stein spraying the bulldozer, calling it a "criminal act." The $3.7 billion, 1,100-mile (1,800-km) pipeline project would be the first to move crude oil from the Bakken shale, a vast oil formation in North Dakota, to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Energy Transfer Partners is leading a group of firms to build it. The project sparked violent clashes during the weekend between tribe members and other protesters and security officers near the construction site, and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is seeking a court order to block construction. The Green Party opposes continued investment in oil extraction because of its link to climate change. "I hope the North Dakota authorities press charges against the real vandalism taking place at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation: the bulldozing of sacred burial sites and the unleashing of vicious attack dogs," Stein said in her statement. She said that pipeline security officials had used dogs and pepper spray on protesters over the weekend. A spokeswoman for Energy Transfer Partners did not respond to a request for comment. A Reuters-Ipsos poll in late August showed Stein the first choice of 2 percent of voters, trailing Democrat Hillary Clinton, Republican Donald Trump and Libertarian Gary Johnson. The U.S. presidential election will be held on Nov. 8. Stein was arrested for trespassing in Texas during her 2012 presidential campaign when she tried to take supplies to protesters opposed to the Keystone XL pipeline. (Reporting by Julia Harte and Jonathan Allen; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Bill Trott and Matthew Lewis)
By Jim Christie

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Korean shipping line Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd won an order on Tuesday from a U.S. judge extending bankruptcy protections so its vessels can dock at U.S. ports without fear creditors will try take actions against the ships as they have in other countries.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John Sherwood approved a motion by the world's seventh largest container carrier that sought to extend to the United States the protection from creditors that it has under receivership in South Korea.

The move prevents U.S. creditors from taking actions against the company's ships and other assets.

The order is temporary and Hanjin will need to return to court on Friday for a final order after talks with stakeholders to try to resolve complex problems involving ports, terminal operators and retailers, Sherwood said.

"It's a logistical mess," Sherwood said.

Hanjin filed for what is known as Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in the United States and sought an order recognizing proceedings in South Korea and protecting its U.S. assets.

Some Hanjin vessels have not docked due to uncertainty about the company's finances.

As of Monday, 70 Hanjin ships had been denied access to ports and three had been seized in Singapore and China by creditors through court orders.

Sherwood said he would sign the interim order after a lawyer for Hanjin said its parent company would raise $100 million for the shipping line to meet its cargo commitments.

Hanjin's bankruptcy comes as U.S. retailers are anticipating shipments of Asian-made merchandise for the holiday shopping season.

In court papers on Monday, HP Inc (HPQ.N), formerly Hewlett-Packard Co, said it would be willing to pay right away to get its cargo off Hanjin vessels, including ones waiting to dock in U.S. West Coast ports to avoid "irreparable harm" to its business.

HP said the longer some of its products like personal computers and printing supplies made in China stay offshore, the greater the risk to its sales.

Story continues

Some products must get to stores quickly because of promotions, HP said, noting it has goods aboard Hanjin ships waiting to dock in Seattle and Long Beach, California.

"Failure to place these products on shelves in a timely manner will likely result in loss of market share," HP said, arguing the goods are its property and are not subject to a bankruptcy stay.

HP said its products are in more than 500 Hanjin shipping containers, with 142 destined for or on their way to the United States.

To get its cargo off Hanjin's vessels, HP proposed placing funds in an account controlled by the shipping line's U.S. bankruptcy counsel.

The funds would pay to deliver or remit cargo. Ports and stevedores would get a lien on the funds for fees and costs.

(Reporting by Jim Christie; Editing by Tom Brown)
(Reuters) - The United States lifted protection for most humpback whales around the globe on Tuesday, including some in American waters, based on evidence they have made a strong comeback since commercial whaling drove them to near extinction. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration removed humpback whales from the Endangered Species Act in nine of 14 population areas, the agency said in a statement. "Todays news is a true ecological success story," said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries. The stripping of safeguards under the act means U.S. ships and commercial fishermen in international waters will no longer be bound to check levels of underwater noise that could constitute harassment of the whales, while vessel strikes that kill or injure the humpbacks might not be closely tracked. It doesn't mean they can be hunted again. The whales, once prized by hunters for their blubber, can weigh up to 40 tons and span 60 feet (18 meters) in length. Humpbacks are best known for periodically jumping out of the water, or breaching, behavior that has attracted throngs of people who take to the seas to engage in whale-watching. Two of the four humpback whale populations that remain endangered are found in U.S. waters at certain times of the year including the Central America population that feeds off the West Coast and the Western North Pacific population in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, NOAA said. The Mexico population feeds off the West Coast of the United States and Alaska remains listed as threatened. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Nick Macfie)
By Phil Stewart LONDON (Reuters) - The U.S. military conducted two strikes in southern Somalia early this week that killed four al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants involved in attacks on Somali government troops, a U.S. military spokeswoman said on Wednesday. The U.S. military has in the past used drones to target al Shabaab's senior leaders. The Pentagon said in June it carried out a strike in late May against Abdullahi Haji Da'ud, one of al Shabaab's senior military planners and served as a principal coordinator of attacks in Somalia, Kenya, and Uganda. The latest strikes took place in Torotorow in Lower Shabelle region, on Monday. "During a Somali-led counter-terrorism operation, a large group of armed al Shabaab fighters attacked the force, threatening the safety and security of the forces in the area," Captain Jennifer Dyrcz, a U.S. Africa Command spokeswoman, said. "In response, the U.S. conducted two self-defense strikes... killing four al Shabaab militants." Al Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu by African Union peacekeeping forces in 2011 but has remained a potent antagonist in Somalia, launching frequent attacks aimed at overthrowing the Western-backed government. (Additional reporting by Feisal Omar in Mogadishu; Writing by George Obulutsa; editing by Ralph Boulton)
By Dustin Volz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) did not follow rudimentary cyber security recommendations that could have mitigated or even prevented major attacks that compromised sensitive data belonging to more than 22 million people, a congressional investigation being released on Wednesday has found.

Two breaches at the federal agency detected in 2014 and 2015 were made worse by lax security culture and ineffective leadership, which failed to harness available tools that could have stopped or limited the intrusions, according to the report from the Republicans on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.

The OPM data breach and the resulting generational national security consequences cannot happen again, said Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz, the committees chairman, in the report.

The investigation faulted OPM - which manages employment matters for the federal government, including background checks for most agencies - for not moving more quickly to address early signs of an attack, allowing hackers to later siphon off reams of personnel data.

It also said OPM ignored repeated inspector general reports dating back to 2005 that warned of cyber security shortcomings.

Representative Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, rejected the reports findings in a memo to other Democrats. He claimed the report had factual deficiencies and did not account for mistakes made by federal contractors.

U.S. intelligence officials have linked the Chinese government to both OPM breaches, an accusation Beijing has denied.

Though the Republican report credits OPM with improving its cyber security over the past year, it also includes suggestions for the federal government to address vulnerabilities.

They include longer retention of qualified chief information officers, reduction of the use of social security numbers, and a "zero trust model" of information security that enforces strict controls on what data users inside a network can access.

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In a blog post set to be published on Wednesday, Beth Cobert, acting director of OPM, said she disagreed with aspects of the congressional investigation, which "does not fully reflect where this agency stands today."

OPM has achieved significant progress over the past year to improve cyber security, Cobert said, including requirements for multi-factor authentication, modernized information technology infrastructure, a new senior cyber security adviser, and the formation of a new organization responsible for background checks on employees and contractors, she said in the blog post, a copy of which was seen by Reuters before publication.

That new entity, the National Background Investigations Bureau, is intended to replace OPMs Federal Investigative Services. It will have its information systems handled by the Pentagon and is expected to be operational by Oct. 1.

(Reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by Bill Rigby)
(Adds quote from professor, comment from BlackRock)

By Trevor Hunnicutt

NEW YORK, Sept 6 (Reuters) - BlackRock Inc portfolio managers will be allowed to borrow from their peers if they are pressed for money to cash out clients, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission officials said in a notice on Tuesday.

Mutual funds and money-market funds offered by the world's largest asset manager could borrow up to a third of their assets in total - or up to 10 percent of assets without posting collateral - through BlackRock's "InterFund Program."

BlackRock last year asked the regulatory agency to let the funds borrow cash from one another, for instance to meet a hypothetical spike in requests by clients to redeem shares.

Some other fund companies already can provide similar lending, including Vanguard Group and Fidelity Investments, yet BlackRock's request came as regulators and Wall Street are putting mutual funds' liquidity under a microscope.

Late last year, Third Avenue Management liquidated its near $1 billion Focused Credit Fund as its junk-bond investments sank.

"Interfund loans will not prevent another mess," said Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. "They will make it tougher to sort out the mess."

The SEC last year proposed a requirement that U.S. funds step up planning to ensure liquidity. The rules have not been finalized.

"No question about it: Liquidity risk management is high on the regulators' agenda," said David Tittsworth, a longtime specialist in fund management, now at law firm Ropes & Gray LLP in Washington.

By law mutual funds are expected to honor redemption requests within seven days. While mutual funds are urged by SEC guidance to cap investments in hard-to-sell securities at 15 percent, this is not a legal requirement.

In addition to meeting redemptions, funds could also use the interfund loans to tide themselves over if the piping that supports trade settlement and cash delivery fails, BlackRock has said.

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"Interfund lending exemptive relief is commonly granted by the SEC to mutual fund complexes," BlackRock spokeswoman Tara McDonnell said.

Cash for the loans would come from other BlackRock funds, which will likely earn more in interest lending to peers than they would investing in short-term debt like repurchase agreements, BlackRock told regulators.

That rate would also be lower than what banks would charge funds to borrow for the same purpose.

BlackRock, which manages nearly $5 trillion in assets, has already arranged for its funds to be able to tap outside credit lines during times of stress.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in New York; Additional reporting by Lisa Lambert in Washington; Editing by Bernard Orr and Leslie Adler)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some conservative U.S. Republican lawmakers want to tie President Barack Obama's Syrian refugee resettlement program to a spending bill that must pass in order to keep the federal government open after the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. In a move that could complicate congressional leaders' efforts to pass the bill on time, members of the House of Representatives' conservative "Freedom Caucus" said they would support a temporary spending measure if it includes a moratorium on admitting the Syrians to the United States. Republican Representative John Fleming, a caucus member, said putting limits on Syrian refugees is a "high priority" for the group. "We should not be allowing refugees from terrorist regions of the world, without proper vetting," he told reporters. Democrats would object to such a measure, increasing worries that the government might shut down on Oct. 1 if Congress cannot pass the temporary spending bill, known as a "continuing resolution." The Freedom Caucus' plan was first reported by Politico. The Obama administration said on Aug. 29 it would meet its goal of admitting 10,000 Syrian refugees during the current fiscal year a month ahead of schedule and was working with Congress to increase the target by a few thousand during 2017. U.S. admission of Syrian refugees has long been a politically sensitive issue, although the country has admitted far fewer than many of its close allies. Obama's 2015 promise to admit the 10,000 sparked a firestorm of criticism, mostly from Republicans who said the plan could put Americans at risk from terrorists. Democrats who supported his plan argued that Syrians are already subjected to intense screening and said barring them is contrary to the values of the United States. The issue has featured in the 2016 race for the White House. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has warned that violent militants could enter the country posing as refugees. The civil war in Syria has led millions of people to flee the country. Millions of them have found shelter in neighboring countries including Jordan and Turkey. Germany has admitted hundreds of thousands and Canada nearly 30,000 between November 2015 and May 1. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Andrew Hay)
By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A U.S. astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts wrapped up a 172-day mission aboard the International Space Station with a parachute descent and landing at dawn on the steppes of Kazakhstan, a NASA TV broadcast showed. The capsule made a parachute descent southeast of Zhezkazgan, disappearing into a layer of haze as it neared the ground. It was several minutes until NASA could confirm the landing at 7:13 a.m. local time on Wednesday (9:13 p.m. EDT on Tuesday/0113 GMT on Wednesday). Station commander Jeff Williams, with the U.S. space agency, and flight engineers Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, both with Russia's Roscosmos agency, pulled away from the space station at 5:51 p.m. EDT/2151 GMT as the ships sailed 258 miles (415 km) over eastern Mongolia, said NASA mission commentator Rob Navias. "I will certainly miss this view!" Williams tweeted earlier on Tuesday, posting a picture of sunlight glinting off the planet. "Vast gratitude toward my crewmates, ground teams, supporting friends, and family," Williams added. The mission comes the same day a U.S. space probe was cleared for launch on Thursday to collect and return samples from an asteroid in hopes of learning more about the origins of life on Earth and perhaps elsewhere in the solar system, NASA said. Williams, 58, returns to Earth with a career total of 534 days in orbit, more time than any other astronaut in U.S. history and 14th in the world. The Russians remain champions of long-duration spaceflight, with cosmonaut Gennady Padalka currently the world record-holder with 878 days in space over five missions. Before leaving the station, Williams turned over command of the $100 billion outpost, a project of 15 nations, to cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, who remains aboard the station with NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Japan's Takuya Onishi. "We'll be missing you here," Ivanishin said during a change-of-command ceremony on Monday. "Have fun riding though the atmosphere ... and have a very safe and exceptionally soft landing." A replacement crew is due to launch on Sept. 23 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. (Reporting by Irene Klotz; Editing by Eric M. Johnson and Sandra Maler)
By Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Russia have not reached a ceasefire deal for Syria, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday, saying it could not confirm Moscow's announcement that the U.S. and Russian foreign ministers would meet in Geneva on Thursday. "We're not there yet," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a briefing after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone for 45 minutes. "The secretary remains committed to continuing efforts to try and resolve the outstanding issues in order to reach an arrangement on Syria ... but we won't agree to an arrangement that does not meet our core objectives," Toner said. "We have not been able to reach a clear understanding on a way forward," Toner said, adding: "I can't say there is a big hope for success, we're just continuing to work at it." Kerry and Lavrov have met twice in two weeks but failed to reach an understanding on how to proceed. After talks on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit in Hangzhou, China last week, the United States accused Russia of pulling back on issues that Washington thought had been resolved. Kerry has long expressed frustration with the lack of progress on Syria and faced criticism for trying to make a deal with Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom U.S. President Barack Obama has said "must go". But Kerry sees the talks as an opportunity to end the five-year Syrian war, which has claimed an estimated 400,000 lives and driven tens of thousands of refugees into Europe. Speaking in Hangzhou, Obama said the talks had been complicated by "gaps of trust" between Washington and Moscow, which back opposite sides in the war. Russian and American experts have worked since July on details to halt the violence in areas where moderate opposition groups, supported by the United States and Gulf allies, and Russian-backed Syrian government forces have been battling. Those efforts were complicated by a significant offensive in the southern part of the divided city of Aleppo where al-Qaeda- linked groups had become more intermingled with opposition fighters. Russia is insisting that opposition forces be separated from the militants. "A lot of the sticking points focus around Aleppo, around Nusra, around delineating between where Nusra is and the opposition is, and around ... the next steps and how we get to a nationwide cessation of hostilities," a senior State Department official told reporters. Washington wants Syria's air force grounded, leaving air strikes to U.S. and Russian jets that would focus on targeting Islamic State and other groups that were part of any ceasefire. An agreement hinges on Russia using its influence over Assad, and for Gulf states to convince opposition groups to take part. Kerry's proposal for military cooperation with Russia in Syria faces strong pushback from U.S. defense and intelligence officials who argued that Moscow cannot be trusted. Speaking in Oxford, England, on Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter accused Moscow of aggressive behavior aimed at eroding the international order. While Carter's remarks followed hacking attacks on Democratic Party organizations in the lead-up to the Nov. 8 U.S. election, his comments appeared to also reflect diverging policies in Syria. But Syria's main opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee, said on Wednesday it would reject any deal struck by Russia and the United States that was very different from its own proposed transition group. Riyad Hijab, the group's general coordinator, presented a political transition plan at a meeting in London. The U.S.-Russia proposal being discussed would make way for a political transition but does not elaborate on Assad's future. (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Editing by Tom Brown and James Dalgleish)
UBS Group AG UBS got some relief on Tuesday. A U.S. judges ruling narrowed down claims against the Swiss banking giant in a lawsuit related to $2 billion losses on residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) issued prior to the housing market meltdown. The lawsuit was brought against UBS Real Estate Securities Inc. by U.S. Bancorp USB, on behalf of three trusts established for RMBS.



U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel stated that U.S. Bancorp has failed to show that UBS was intentionally ignorant toward deficiencies in many of the loans. Castel mentioned in his ruling, "The trusts have not proved that UBS took deliberate actions to avoid knowledge that widespread breaches had occurred throughout the loans held by the trusts, thereby triggering UBS's repurchase obligations."



The case centers on thousands of loans that UBS had acquired and later pooled into three trusts which issued securities, allowing investors to payments made by borrowers. The U .S. Bank, as trustee of the three trusts, alleged that UBS breached certain representations and warranties tied with 9,342 of the 17,082 mortgage loans that were pooled in the trusts. The plaintiffs sought more than $2 billion in damages.



Notably, in May 2016, in a non-jury trial in Manhattan federal court  Sean P. Baldwin  the trusts' lawyer stated that UBS had agreed that the mortgages underlying those securities would conform to certain standards. However, when deficiencies continued to appear, the bank refused to repurchase them.



Though Castels decision signaled some reprieve for UBS, the judge found that the UBS unit has violated certain contracts. Per the ruling, UBS would have to repurchase or pay damages for 13 out of the 20 loans examined by Castel, which were referred as "exemplar loans."



While currently there is no clarity regarding the number of loans that may call for repurchase or payment from UBS, the judge said that the court will appoint special masters who would review the thousands of loans underlying the securities, before arriving at the actual amount of required damages.



Castel noted, The trial is over. With the exception of calculation of damages and withdrawal of claims of breach by the Trusts, the evidence is closed. But findings of fact and conclusions of law based upon the existing trial record remain to be made as to thousands of loans. The Court will outline the steps to advance this case to entry of final judgment.



While the outcome of the case is uncertain as of now, any unfavorable ruling is likely to add to the legal woes of UBS. The company remains exposed to huge potential expenses from the case that may affect its financials.



Currently, UBS carries a Zack Rank #3 (Hold). A couple of better-ranked stocks in the foreign banks space include Banco Macro S.A. BMA and Bank Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. ITUB, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

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* EU exit talks not long enough for banks to decide

* Transition period called for to avoid market disruption (Adds more detail on government negotiating stance, background)

By Huw Jones and Andrew MacAskill

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Britain should negotiate transitional arrangements with the European Union to avoid "cliff edge" disruption to financial markets when the country leaves the bloc, a top British banking official said on Wednesday.

Once Britain has begun formal talks to withdraw from the EU by triggering Article 50, the country will leave two years later even if no new trade deals have been agreed - unless every EU member state agrees to extend the negotiation period.

Anthony Browne, chief executive of the British Bankers' Association, said lenders were in a wait and see mode now but unless a transition framework is put in place banks would soon have to decide whether to move operations to Europe, as such shifts could take several years to implement.

"We think there should be some form of transitional arrangements," Browne told a House of Lords committee.

Much is at stake both for London and government coffers. Financial services generate more than 60 billion pounds ($80 billion) a year in tax, with 15 billion of that from foreign banks in London who depend on an EU passport to sell financial services across the region, Browne said.

But Britain's shock vote to leave the bloc has forced firms to rethink their strategy, which has depended until now on the EU passport. Banks are already making contingency plans on how to serve customers across Europe if Britain loses those rights.

"What we would like ... is to have as full bilateral access to the European market as close as possible to what we have at the moment," Browne said.

Elsewhere in the sector, the Lloyd's of London insurance market said this week it would transfer some business to the EU if Britain does not get single market access.

CLEAR STEER

More generally, the financial sector wants a clear steer from government on its negotiating position after British Prime Minister Theresa May shot down some policy ideas put forward by colleagues who had campaigned to leave the EU.

Story continues

First, she rejected an Australian-style points system for selecting immigrants, which had been championed ahead of the vote. The financial sector hires large numbers of EU citizens.

Then on Tuesday, May's office distanced itself from comments by David Davis, the minister charged with negotiating Brexit, suggesting Britain was unlikely to keep full access to the EU single market, saying that was his personal opinion.

EU leaders have insisted they would only grant Britain full access in return for the continued free flow of EU citizens to the country.

Charlie Bean, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, said he expected euro zone policymakers to mandate that clearing in euro-denominated financial transactions, which is dominated by the City of London, is shifted to the euro zone.

"I think it's certain that we will lose it," Bean said.

Top British bankers met with finance minister Philip Hammond on Wednesday to ask for a clearer idea of what the country's divorce from the EU will mean.

"It is important Britain maintains its status as a great place for financial services and that is why the government stands ready to help the sector maximise the opportunities that leaving the EU presents," Hammond said after the meeting.

EQUIVALENT DOUBTS

Some analysts have said there could be a quick fix thanks to the so-called equivalence regime, under which the European Union can allow access to its markets for countries whose regulations are similar to those within the bloc.

But Browne said this was an untested regime and did not provide sufficient certainty for longer-term security.

"The downside of the equivalence regime is that it can be withdrawn at very short notice unilaterally. That is not a good basis for planning for business," Browne said.

In practice, proving and maintaining "equivalence" generally for UK regulations would be challenging because Britain would be sidelined from European rule making.

Bean said a transition period would mean that banks do not have to worry about starting to move to Europe now, before they know what the final trading terms will look like.

Japan, whose banks in London use an EU passport, has also called for transitional arrangements.

"Article 50 is an unrealistic time frame for financial institutions to migrate to a future plan," said Andy Gray, UK financial services leader at consultants PwC.

($1 = 0.7474 pounds) (Editing by David Clarke)
London (AFP) - Syria's opposition set out detailed plans Wednesday for the transition to a democratic state without President Bashar al-Assad ahead of talks with ministers of EU, US and regional powers in London.

The broad-based High Negotiations Committee (HNC) proposed a six-month negotiating phase between the regime and the opposition.

The subsequent 18 months would see Syria governed by a transitional body, made up of opposition figures, current government representatives and members of civil society, according to a 25-page blueprint.

"Syria wants to see Bashar leave. If Bashar leaves will the fighting go on? No," HNC head Riad Hijab said.

The proposals, and the talks hosted by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, come after intense discussions by the United States and Russia over a possible path to end the five and a half year conflict.

An agreement was believed to have been close at the G20 summit earlier this week in China, but Washington then admitted no deal could be announced for the moment.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will attend the talks in London via videolink, but Russia is not represented.

"The aim of the meeting in London is to prepare a common position and make the case to the United States, while there are persistent rumours about the conclusion of a US-Russian deal," a French diplomatic source told AFP.

The HNC's plans are largely in line with existing international proposals for a post-war Syria, although unlike the so-called Vienna framework, they are clear about the president's future.

"The establishment of the Transitional Governing Body shall require the departure of Bashar al-Assad and his clique who committed heinous crimes against the Syrian people," it said.

The goal is "building a political system that protects freedoms, safeguards individual rights, and that is founded upon the principles of liberty, equality, citizenship, and justice", it said.

Story continues

- Britain criticises Russia -

In an article in Wednesday's edition of The Times, Johnson urged Moscow to cease support for the Syrian president.

The British diplomat accused Assad of "barbaric military tactics" in the ongoing conflict and criticised Russia's "seemingly indefensible conduct" in backing him.

"The entire international community is committed, at least in principle, to getting rid of the Syrian dictator. Even the Russians have accepted that there must be political transition," he wrote.

"But then the Russians are also employing their military muscle to prevent him from losing and to keep him in power."

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, whose country backs the opposition, said the HNC was going further than before in outlining its vision for a post-Assad Syria.

"There is no reason, no excuse for anyone to say that they don't have a plan or that their plan is not rational," he told the BBC ahead of the meeting.

The talks were also due to involve foreign ministers from Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Italy and France, as well as representatives of Germany and the EU.

They come as the armed opposition inside Syria is losing ground on multiple fronts, including becoming besieged once again in Aleppo city.

The war, which began as a pro-democracy revolt but later morphed into a conflict after the regime unleashed a crackdown, has killed more than 290,000 people and forced more than half the population to flee their homes.
KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine hopes to attract $500 million of investment from China to complete an updated version of the world's biggest aircraft, the Antonov-225 Mriya, the president of manufacturer Antonov said on Wednesday.

The Antonov-225 is a cargo plane designed as part of the former Soviet Union's space programme. The only one completed is still in use and can carry up to 250 tonnes up to 4,000 km (2,485 miles).

Work to manufacture a second plane was started in 1988 and never completed, but Antonov has now found a potential investor in the Aerospace Industry Corporation of China (AICC).

Antonov President Oleksandr Kotsiuba said it could take around five years to complete the aircraft once a contract between the two sides is signed.

The two companies signed a cooperation agreement in August under which Antonov planes could be manufactured jointly in China.

"The second copy of Mriya will be completed here, in Kiev, and could cost up to $500 million depending on the equipment installed," Kotsiuba told Reuters.

He said future cooperation with the Chinese company would depend on the successful completion of the plane.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; editing by Matthias Williams and Jason Neely)
LONDON (Reuters) - Chancellor Philip Hammond said on Wednesday he wants the "best deal" for the financial services sector after the UK leaves the European Union.

Hammond met with top bankers and insurers to discuss issues affecting the financial services sector as Britain prepares for negotiations to leave the EU after June's referendum.

Banks are worried about losing access to the bloc's single market once Britain had left.

"I understand the scale of the potential impact leaving the EU could have for parts of the financial services industry. That is why I am determined to listen to what the industry has to say on key issues, like access to the single market," Hammond said in a statement.

"We want the best deal for trade in UK goods and services, including our world leading financial services industry... It is important Britain maintains its status as a great place for financial services," Hammond added.

(Reporting by Huw Jones. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet European Council President Donald Tusk in London on Thursday to discuss Britain's exit from the European Union, May's spokeswoman said. It will be the pair's first bilateral meeting since May took office in July, following Britain's vote to leave the EU. "It will be an opportunity in part to talk about the process of leaving the European Union, how we see the upcoming months," May's spokeswoman told reporters. The spokeswoman said Tusk and May would also discuss issues on the agenda for the October meeting of EU leaders, including migration, trade and Ukraine. May has said Britain will continue to play a full role in the EU until it leaves the bloc, a process which will take at least two years. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Michael Holden)
SPRINGFIELD -- When former Gov. Pat Quinn held a news conference last week to announce his new plan for legislative redistricting reform, it raised some questions.

First: Is his idea, which would put the Illinois Supreme Court in charge of appointing an 11-member commission once a decade to draw new district boundaries, constitutional? Second: Is he wading into one of the most contentious issues in Illinois politics at the moment as a step toward a comeback bid in 2018?

Quinns announcement came just days after the high court blocked from the Nov. 8 ballot a referendum on amending the Illinois Constitution to take the General Assembly out of the redistricting process. In a 4-3 decision that split on party lines, the four justices elected as Democrats ruled that the proposal goes beyond whats allowed for petition-driven initiatives, which are limited to making structural and procedural changes to portion of the state constitution dealing with the Legislature.

Quinn said he believes his proposal would be found constitutional because -- unlike the plan from the group Independent Maps, which included the state auditor general in its setup -- his only involves the Supreme Court, which has a role under the current process.

In response to skeptics, Quinn points to his bona fides as the only person to have led a voter initiative that succeeded in changing the Illinois Constitution: the 1980 cutback amendment that reduced the size of the General Assembly.

I think people ought to pay attention to what Ive got to say, Quinn said in a telephone interview late last week. This is an area of law I know something about.

As for his future plans, the former Democratic governor wouldnt say definitively whether hes ruled out attempting a rematch with first-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Ive already run for office, Quinn said, adding that hes focused on the redistricting proposal and another referendum on term limits for the mayor of Chicago. Ill let the future take care of itself.

Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, said its clear Quinn doesnt intend to continue keeping a low profile as he did during his first year out of office.

If he wanted to not be in the public eye, he could easily do that, Mooney said. This is an extension of his long career as sort of Illinois political outsider slash gadfly, tilting at  windmills of various types and sometimes finding one that he takes down.

However, Mooney added: If the question is, Does he want to run for governor again? I have no idea. But clearly he wants to be involved; he wants to have an impact. This is his lifes work.  Hes not going to go away and write his memoir, apparently.

Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield, agreed that Quinn is clearly trying to remain in the spotlight.

Now, to what end? Redfield said, offering two possible scenarios: an attempt to rebuild an organization to push for political reform or an effort to lay the groundwork for a future bid for public office.

If its the latter, it seems doubtful that fellow Democrats would rally behind Quinn, Redfield said.

I dont know that a lot of down-ballot Democrats would view him as an asset in terms of being at the top of the Democratic ticket, he said.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Tensions in the Western Sahara region remain high between Moroccan troops and fighters of the Polisario independence movement, UN officials said Wednesday amid growing fears of a full-blown conflict.

"The situation remains tense in the Guerguerat area of Western Sahara inside the buffer strip," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, adding that "any resumption of hostilities, with the potential to have wider regional implications, remains of significant concern to the UN."

Tensions flared recently after Morocco began road construction in the area south of a buffer zone separating the two sides.

The construction has been met with resistance by Polisario Front fighters, who are separated from Moroccan troops on the opposite side of the land strip by some 120 meters (yards), the UN spokesman said.

The UN is "actively engaging with the parties and key member states to urge restraint and identify options for an acceptable solution to the current crisis," Dujarric said.

The Polisario Front's UN representative, Ahmed Boukhari, said he had met Wednesday with the head of the Security Council, New Zealander Gerard van Bohemen, to "inform him in detail" about the situation in the Guerguerat area, "which represents a breach in the terms of the ceasefire."

The situation "threatens the prospects of a peaceful solution to the conflict and poses a direct threat to the region's stability and security," Boukhari said in a statement.

He called on the Security Council "to assume its responsibilities to avoid that the situation unilaterally created by Morocco doesn't lead to a scenario of conflict open to unpredictable consequences."

A confidential UN report last week accused both Morocco and the Polisario Front of ceasefire violations in Western Sahara after they sent security forces and fighters into the buffer zone.

The situation is being monitored by the UN mission known as MINURSO, which set up a patrol near the tense area.

MINURSO was established in 1991 after a ceasefire ended a war that broke out when Morocco sent troops to the former Spanish territory in 1975 to fight the Polisario Front's ethnic Sahrawi rebels.

Morocco maintains that Western Sahara is an integral part of its kingdom despite UN resolutions that task MINURSO with organizing a referendum on self-determination.
* Bank reviewing asset sales to boost capital

* 10 potential bidders contacted for Pioneer-source

* Bank mulling large-size sale of bad loans-sources

By Gianluca Semeraro and Paola Arosio

MILAN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Italy's largest bank UniCredit is seeking a strategic partner for its asset management business Pioneer, as part of a plan to bolster its capital base, several sources close to the matter said on Wednesday.

UniCredit in July ended long-running negotiations to merge Pioneer with Santander's asset management division in a deal valuing Pioneer at 2.75 billion euros ($3.1 billion) because of regulatory hurdles.

The Italian bank said then it was looking at alternative options for Pioneer, including a market listing.

Chief Executive Jean-Pierre Mustier, appointed in July, is widely expected to launch a multi-billion euro capital increase and sell assets in coming months to boost UniCredit's balance sheet.

He is conducting a wide-ranging review of the bank's operations, with an announcement expected by the end of the year.

One of the sources said on Wednesday the bank had contacted around 10 potential partners for Pioneer, without elaborating. A second source said the bank favoured an industrial partner with experience on asset gathering, rather than a private equity fund.

UniCredit declined to comment.

Il Messaggero newspaper reported on Wednesday that non-binding offers for Pioneer were expected on Sept. 20 and that among the potential bidders contacted were Credit Agricole's asset manager Amundi, BNP Paribas , Italian insurer Generali, French insurer Axa, U.S.-based firms Invesco and Blackstone .

Amundi, BNP, Generali, Axa and Invesco declined to comment, while Blackstone was not immediately available for comment.

UniCredit is also in talks to sell its remaining stake in Polish bank Pekao and could also sell its online broker FinecoBank, sources have said. Upon his arrival, Mustier sold 10 percent stakes in both units, raising 1 billion euros.

The sources also said UniCredit was mulling a large-size sale of non-performing loans with 4-5 potential buyers interested.

($1 = 0.8902 euros) (Writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Mark Potter)
Locking out a universitys faculty right before the start of classes seems like a drastic step, but that is just what Long Island University (LIU) did this weekend, when it barred all 400 members of its faculty union from its Brooklyn campus, cut off their email accounts and health insurance, and told them they would be replaced. The move came three days after the unions contract expired. Now, the faculty is furious, and planning rallies and pickets with support from the American Federation of Teachers. On Tuesday, faculty voted 226 to 10 to reject a proposed contract from LIU, and the faculty senate voiced their support for a vote of no-confidence in the universitys president Kimberly Cline, 135 to 10. Faculty rallied outside the universitys Brooklyn campus Wednesday with a giant inflatable rat as classes began, taught by non-union members.

Labor historians say they cant recall an example of a university using a lockout against faculty members. Kate Bronfenbrenner, a Cornell professor of labor relations, says theyre particularly unwise in the service sector, or any sector where a company has clients such as students and donors to placate. More typically, she says, lockouts are used in the industrial sector, where customers are removed from labor practices.

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Even so, she said, such a move rarely works. Historically, lockouts are bad PR in every industry, she said. When an employer locks out workers, the media and the public are typically on the side of the workers, she explained, because workers are available for work but employers arent allowing them to. Lockouts normally backfire, she said.

Long Island University is a private institution with two campuses; the main campus, located in Brooklyn, and a satellite campus, called LIU Post, located in Brookville, New York.* Faculty in Brooklyn are paid less, which is one of the main points of contention in the contract negotiations. The other is the treatment of adjuncts; the university says its adjuncts are paid far more than other adjuncts around the city and wants to adjust downward first-year salaries as part of a commitment to affordability, LIU chief operating officer Gale Stevens Haynes says. (If the labor dispute is resolved, it is expected that the faculty will get their jobs back, but there is no time limit on a lockout, so some faculty may find other employment in the meantime.)

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Arthur Kimmel has been an adjunct at LIUs Brooklyn campus for more than 20 years. Under the terms of the proposed contract, he would have his income cut by 30 to 35 percent, he said. Thats because, in addition to the $1,800 or so per course he teaches, he has received pay for having office hours and money from an adjunct- benefits trust fund to help defray the cost of health insurance. Kimmel says the universitys proposal would eliminate the adjunct- benefits trust fund and payments for office hours, among other cuts. The new proposal would also decrease the number of credit hours he could teach, and establishes a two-tier system for adjuncts so that new employees would receive less than Kimmel does.

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I think that what the administration is doing, and has done from first day of the current presidents administration, is gutting the university and creating the archetype of the corporatization of the university, where the interest is not in education, but is purely financial, he told me.

Haynes told me that that locking out its workers is no different in its effect from workers deciding to strike; by locking out the faculty, the university is trying to preempt the union in controlling that outcome. In five of the universitys last six contract negotiations with the faculty union, the union has elected to strike, Haynes says. The university wanted to avoid another strike. So it decided to impose a lockout.

Its become rather routine that at the end of a contract, there is a strike, Haynes said. We really needed to break that routine.

The university says it wanted to provide continuity for students, and wanted to make sure classes still began as scheduled, regardless of what the union decided. So it began to try and find other people to teach its classes. This was not easy: It can be difficult to find qualified professors at the last minute, after all, especially ones willing to cross picket lines. Sam Scheiber, an adjunct professor at New York University who also serves as a student advisor at LIU, was asked to replace the striking professors. He says that as early as July, the university was reaching out to him to get proposed syllabi for a class he hadnt been hired to teach. Then, on August 22, at a weekly meeting, he was assigned a handful of English classes to teach, as a contingency. He was told he couldnt discuss these classes with students or other faculty members. Rather than serve as a scab, he quit. It seemed like an ethical line that I couldnt cross, he told me.

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The dispute comes as students and universities debate rising tuition costs across the country. This includes at LIUs Brooklyn campus, where students last year distributed a disorientation guide in part to complain about rising prices. Kimberly Cline became president in 2013 facing a mandate to cut costs as LIU, like many other tuition-dependent campuses, looked for ways to economize. When Cline became president, the universitys credit rating was approaching junk status and Cline began to cut administrative positions.

LIUs decision to lockout its employees comes at a time when unions are looking to college campuses as fertile grounds for organizing. As unions decline in manufacturing and the public sector, theyre maintaining and even gaining strength in white-collar positions. On college campuses in particular there is an opportunity for unions to build: Grad students and professors are typically more liberal than the overall population and more aware of the potential benefits of organizing. And recent decisions by the National Labor Relations Board have made it possible for graduate students and undergrad student workers to unionize.

You will see a big surge of this kind of organizing, because from a unions perspective, this is low-hanging fruit, says Ruth Milkman, a professor of sociology at the CUNY Graduate Center.

This is not a welcome change from the universitys perspective. University administrations have become corporate in their mentality, which becomes a commitment to anti-unionism, Milkman told me. Many universities are hiring labor consultants who can advise them on how to prevent unions from forming on their campuses, Milkman says.

Worst-case scenario, for the university, would be that the National Labor Relations Board could decide that the university has committed the lockout in an environment of unfair labor practices, at which point LIU would have to pay back wages. But even the best case scenario probably isnt great: Even if the school reaches an agreement with the union and the 400 faculty are given their jobs back, LIU will still be facing budget problems, which may be exacerbated by students staying away. And worse, it will be remembered as the place of higher education that was the first to lock out its faculty. Those wounds could last a long time.

* This article originally stated that Long Island University's main campus is in Brookville, and its satellite in Brooklyn. We regret the error.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Chicago (AFP) - Authorities in the US state of North Dakota filed criminal charges Wednesday against Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein for spray painting a bulldozer during a protest against an oil pipeline opposed by Native Americans.

An arrest warrant was issued for Stein, who polls in the low single digits in national surveys, stemming from her actions a day earlier against the 1,200-mile (1,931-kilometer) pipeline project contested by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

The tribe contends that the pipeline, which would snake through North Dakota and three other states, would endanger its drinking water, and destroy historic and sacred sites.

Supporters have been camping for months in grassland near the pipeline's route and the tribe's reservation to prevent it from being constructed under the Missouri River, the source of the tribe's drinking water supply.

A lawsuit against the project is pending in federal court.

Stein, her vice presidential candidate Ajamu Baraka, and as many as 200 others illegally went onto private land where the bulldozers were located and destroyed property, according to the Morton County Sheriff's Department.

Some of them were carrying hatchets and knives, and had covered their faces with masks, the sheriff's office said.

There were no construction crew workers at the scene at the time.

The protesters spray painted bulldozers. Stein's Twitter account showed a photo of her smiling with spray can in hand, painting the front of a bulldozer.

The photo was captioned: "The Dakota Access Pipeline is vandalism on steroids."

Stein and Baraka were charged with one count each of criminal trespass and criminal mischief. Each is a Class B misdemeanor, which in North Dakota carries a maximum penalty of 30 days' imprisonment, a fine of $1,500, or both.

"This needs to come to an end," Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said at a Tuesday news conference following the protest, urging tribal leaders to address their grievances in the courts.

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"This is not the way to protest," Kirchmeier said.

Responding to earlier reports that authorities planned to file charges, Stein's campaign called her actions "civil disobedience."

"I hope the North Dakota authorities press charges against the real vandalism taking place at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation: the bulldozing of sacred burial sites," Stein said in a statement prior to the announcement of charges.

Tuesday's protests were relatively calm compared with an earlier melee on Saturday, when protesters were enraged after bulldozers suddenly began plowing land that the tribe said contained newly discovered ancient artifacts.

A fight between protesters and pipeline security guards broke out as the bulldozers retreated.

A federal judge is expected to rule by September 9 on a temporary injunction to stop the pipeline's construction under the river.
Washington (AFP) - A US man admitted to killing an 11-year-old boy in 1989 in a case that shocked Americans and prompted a law requiring states to establish sex-offender registries.

The missing Jacob Wetterling's smiling face on thousands of posters became a symbol of both innocence and unsolved "cold" cases, raising national awareness about sexual predators.

A masked gunman abducted Wetterling on October 22, 1989 while he was riding his bicycle near his Minnesota home with his brother and a friend.

His disappearance traumatized thousands of American families well beyond Minnesota's borders and pushed many states along with Congress to adopt laws in the 1990s to protect children and better coordinate efforts against sex offenders.

But despite intensive work and media attention, the investigation into Wetterling's abduction became bogged down until last year with the arrest of a man for owning child pornography.

Investigators were led to Danny Heinrich after his DNA was found to match a sample taken from the sweatshirt of a 12-year old boy, whom he had sexually assaulted nine months before Wetterling's disappearance.

On Tuesday, Heinrich, 53, admitted in a Minnesota court to having abducted, sexually assaulted and killed Wetterling as part of a plea deal related to 25 child pornography charges.

All but one were dropped as part of the deal, which calls for him to serve a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Heinrich's confessions led investigators last week to recover Wetterling's remains from where the body was buried in a field, nearly 27 years after his death.

On Tuesday, Heinrich recounted the details of his victim's last hours in front of both his parents, who had always kept hope of finding their son alive, the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper reported.

After kidnapping the boy, Heinrich said, he handcuffed him and put him in the front seat of his car.

"What did I do wrong?" he recalled Wetterling asking.

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Heinrich then took him to a gravel pit, sexually assaulted him, then shot him.

Heinrich said he panicked. "I pulled the revolver out of my pocket," the newspaper reported him as saying.

"I loaded it with two rounds. I told Jacob to turn around.

"I raised the revolver to his head. I turned my head and it clicked once. I pulled the trigger again and it went off. Looked back, he was still standing," Heinrich added.

"I raised the revolver again and shot him again."

Heinrich later returned to bury Wetterling's body.

Investigators had long targeted Heinrich for the boy's kidnapping but were unable to find evidence.

"I want to say 'Jacob, I'm so sorry,'" his mother Patty Wetterling said after the hearing. "It's incredibly painful to know his last days, last hours, last minutes."

She and her husband Jerry have become national advocates for missing children, founding the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center, which helps prevent child exploitation.

Heinrich is set to be sentenced in November.
Washington (AFP) - After five years of bloodshed and more than a quarter of a million dead in Syria, US Secretary of State John Kerry is once more going to meet his Russian counterpart to secure a peace plan.

And he doesn't appear to have a Plan B.

Moscow says Kerry and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will talk again in Geneva on Thursday -- US officials say only that they hope to meet "very soon."

But their last meeting was only on Monday and this trip will just be the latest in a series to Moscow, Vienna and Geneva since Russia's military intervened in Syria last year.

Washington hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin will back a deal to restore the ceasefire that the UN Security Council had already endorsed in February, only for it to fall apart.

But critics of US President Barack Obama's administration say Kerry has gone into the negotiation with little in the way of leverage, giving Moscow the upper hand.

"It's a very simple situation," James Jeffrey, a former senior diplomat and deputy national security advisor to president George W. Bush, told AFP.

"As Kerry has often said, he needs a Plan B. He was never given a Plan B by the president," said Jeffrey, now a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

US officials have never publicly confirmed what Kerry had in mind when he floated the idea of a Plan B for Syria in Congressional hearings earlier this year.

But dissident US diplomats signed a letter calling for deeper American military involvement in the conflict, to force Syria's Bashar al-Assad to the negotiating table.

Obama, elected on a vow to bring an end to the Bush-era war in Iraq, has been loath to be sucked even deeper into the conflict, leaving Kerry's diplomatic track the only option.

Kerry is trying to persuade Russia to force Assad to observe a ceasefire in return for closer US-Russian cooperation against the Islamic State group and the Al-Nusra front.

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Then, with no barrel bombs falling on besieged civilian communities and the jihadist groups on the back foot, a UN-mediated political settlement might be possible.

But in theory much of this was already agreed by the 23-nation International Syria Support Group, chaired by Kerry and Lavrov, and adopted by the UN Security Council.

Any new deal, US officials admit, will be less than the failed nationwide cessation of hostilities and talks on a political transition that Moscow has already accepted.

But still, Kerry meets with Lavrov several times a month.

Hopes were raised when the pair saw each other at the G20 in Hangzhou, China on Sunday and then again on Monday.

- Finish line? -

"We weren't quite to the finish line on this, so we need to go back to capitals and do more work," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Tuesday.

"And hopefully we'll reach an agreement, but no promises."

Washington's allies in the region, led by Saudi Arabia, have long been skeptical or even hostile to the outreach to Russia -- seeing it as handing a lifeline to Assad.

Now even Western officials are rolling their eyes at the diplomatic to-and-fro, complaining that Kerry seems to have put too much stock in his negotiating talent.

One Western diplomat said: "Something is not working, when you see all the hours of talks between Kerry and Lavrov and compare that to the results.

"You can't just go into talks declaring 'I want a deal at any price,' even if you think it," he complained.

Jeffrey noted that Obama and Kerry had been successful in negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran through a combination of diplomacy, sanctions and a credible threat of force.

"This is not happening in Syria, because the president does not give Kerry the tools to say 'OK, if you don't do X, we're going to do Y'," he argued.

Some observers are even more critical.

"Kerry's trips would be a bit ridiculous, if they weren't so dramatic for Syria," said Joseph Bahout, a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"You get the impression that America is running after Russia. What has the United States become?"

- Various Plan Bs -

The US administration's supporters insist talking is much less risky than any military escalation, but critics argue that the constant diplomatic shuttle is not cost-free.

By agreeing with Moscow to "de-conflict" Syrian air space, Washington has removed the fear that Russian jets may bump into US jets over the frontlines, Jeffrey said.

"And so this gives them the assurance to continue with their mayhem against the Syrian people," he said.

"And also," he warned, "as long as there is talking, it gives the administration an excuse not to consider the various Plan Bs."
Washington (AFP) - US Senate Democrats blocked a $1.1 billion bill to combat the Zika virus for a third time after Republicans inserted provisions that would end funding for a major abortion provider.

Returning from a seven-week break to the measure with which the last Senate session ended, Democrats voted unanimously to stop the legislation from moving forward and ending debate, opposing measures that would have blocked funding for reproductive health group Planned Parenthood and allowed Confederate flags to fly at military cemeteries.

The vote, which required 60 votes to pass in the Republican-controlled chamber, failed 52 to 46.

Democratic Senator Charles Schumer accused Republicans of loading the bill with "poison pill riders to assuage the hard right."

"Rather than continuing to work with Democrats, Republicans decided to appease a group so extreme that they didn't even want Zika funding to begin with," he said in a statement.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of partisanship.

"It's hard to explain why, despite their own calls for funding, Senate Democrats decided to block a bill that would keep pregnant women and babies safer from Zika," he said on the Senate floor before reintroducing the previously blocked measure.

The funding is now expected to be included in a bipartisan stopgap spending bill later this month.

Zika is spread by mosquitoes and sexual contact. A study out Tuesday said the virus may live in eyes and spread through tears.

Zika causes only mild symptoms for most people. But in pregnant women, it can cause microcephaly, a deformation in which babies are born with abnormally small brains and heads.

The disease has also been linked to a potentially fatal disorder known as Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can lead to nervous system problems such as weakness and paralysis.

President Barack Obama urged Congress to fund the fight against Zika last month after health officials expressed deepening worry about the spread of the virus with the first reports of local transmissions in Florida.

In the absence of a funding bill, the White House has been redirecting funds earmarked to fight Ebola, cancer and other diseases.

"That's not a sustainable solution," Obama said. The delay for more funds "puts more Americans at risk."
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / Vendetta Mining Corp. (VTT.V) (the "Company") is pleased to announce results from the first ten drill holes completed in its ongoing 2016 drilling program at the Pegmont Lead-Zinc Project in Queensland, Australia.

The aim of this initial part of the 2016 program was to further define the shallow mineralization at the Burke Hinge Zone ("BHZ"), obtain metallurgical samples, and incorporate these results into an updated mineral resource estimate for the Pegmont Project in Q4 of 2016, which the BHZ has not previously been included.

Highlights:

PVRD023: 6.0 metres of 9.48% Pb+Zn (6.08% Pb, 3.40% Zn);

PVRD026: 6.0 metres of 10.41% Pb+Zn (5.94% Pb, 4.47% Zn);

PVRD041: 5.0 metres of 9.15% Pb+Zn (5.99% Pb, 3.16% Zn);

PVRD042: 4.0 metres of 16.83% Pb+Zn (12.28% Pb, 4.55% Zn); and

PVRD027: 3.0 metres of 11.48% Pb+Zn (7.55% Pb, 3.93% Zn).

Michael Williams, Vendetta's President and CEO, commented, "All ten drill holes interested significant lead-zinc mineralization within 100 m of surface, confirming the shallow nature of the sulphide mineralization which continues to support the open pit potential at the BHZ. The Company has also identified an area within Zones 1 and 2 where shallow high grade lead-zinc sulphide mineralization presents another open pit target opportunity. We intend to expand the program to include infill and step out drilling along with metallurgical test work within the open pit target areas."

A summary of the assay results is given in Table 1. The collection of structural data from orientated drill core has brought about an updated interpretation, a cross section through the center of the BHZ is shown below. The Company plans to drill a further four holes at the BHZ on the basis of the updated interpretation.

The BHZ is an outcropping, moderately-dipping zone comprising two parallel limbs of a tight, overturned anticline fold. The BHZ has a known strike length of 240 m and a down dip extent of 110 m. The BHZ is located about 360 m north east of the main body of mineralization on a granted Mining License. The BHZ is currently drilled on 20 m hole spacing and on 40 m spaced sections. Results from the Companies 2014 program at the BHZ is given in Table 2.

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Metallurgical composites from selected BHZ holes will now be dispatched to the ALS Metallurgy laboratory in Tasmania where mineralogical and flotation test work will be performed. Results are expected in Q4 of 2016.

Table 1. Burke Hinge Zone Summary of Significant Assay Intersections.

Bore

Hole Dip / Azimuth From

(m) To

(m) Interval

(m) True Thickness*

(m) Material

Type# Grade Pb+Zn

% Pb

% Zn

% Ag

g/t PVRD023 -60/205 7.0 29.6 22.6 9.0 Transition 5.38 3.61 1.77 6.6 and 40.64 46.64 6.00 6.0 Sulphide 9.48 6.08 3.40 17.8 PVRD024 -60/025 40.20 48.2 8.00 7.0 Sulphide 6.31 4.40 1.91 6.4 and 51.20 63.2 12.0 5.0 Sulphide 4.85 2.84 2.01 5.5 PVRD025 -60/205 6.0 18.0 12.0 3.8 Transition 3.13 2.25 0.88 4.3 and 21.00 25.00 4.0 1.3 Transition 3.51 2.25 1.26 7.3 PVRD026 -60/025 63.65 66.65 3.00 2.5 Sulphide 6.16 2.56 3.60 6.1 and 69.65 75.65 6.00 3.7 Sulphide 10.41 5.94 4.47 10.4 PVRD027 -60/205 34.16 37.16 3.00 3.0 Sulphide 11.48 7.55 3.93 27.9 PVRD041 -60/205 31.0 36.0 5.0 4.9 Sulphide 9.15 5.99 3.16 9.1 PVRD042 -60/205 42.5 46.45 4.00 3.9 Sulphide 16.83 12.28 4.55 19.9 PVRD043 -60/205 114.00 118.90 4.90 4.8 Sulphide 3.53 1.24 2.29 3.1 PVRD044 -60/205 83.90 86.65 2.75 2.2 Sulphide 4.69 2.19 2.50 11.1 PVRD045 -60/025 83.35 87.35 4.00 2.9 Sulphide 7.75 4.19 3.56 12.7

*True thick is based on cross section interpretations and three dimensional geological modeling.

# Transition material includes sulphide lead and zinc mineralization located in weathered host rocks.

Regional Drilling

Three regional exploration holes (PVR038-040) located on the southern exploration permit (EPM14491) have been completed for a total of 502 m of reverse circulation ("RC") drilling. These holes targeted low-level magnetic anomalies, however, they didn't intersect the banded iron formation/garnet sandstone, the Pegmont host lithologies. PVR040 did, however, intersect 3 m of visible chalcopyrite mineralization within a broader zone of disseminated pyrite associated with silica alteration and assays are pending. The Company intends to extend PVR038 with a diamond tail in the future, and follow up on the copper mineralization seen in PVR040.

Current Drilling

Eight holes (PVRD029 through 034, and 037) have been completed in Zone 5. Zone 5 is an area where previous drilling has shown significantly higher zinc grades compared to those seen in the other zones at Pegmont. Core logging, sampling and interpretation of these eight holes is ongoing, and the Company will release further results as they become available.

Drilling is currently in progress within the Zone 2 open pit target and in the immediately adjacent Zone 3 underground target, and holes PVRD046 to 049 have been completed and are being logged and interpreted. Previously pre-collared holes PVRD035 and 036 are currently being completed in HQ2 diamond core.

Table 2. Summary of Assay Intersections from Vendetta's 2014 BHZ program.

BoreHole Dip / Azimuth From

(m) To

(m) Interval

(m) True Thickness*

(m) Material

Type# Grade Pb+Zn

% Pb

% Zn

% Ag

g/t PVR014 -60/205 No Significant Result PVR015 -60/205 97 98 1 0.9 Sulphide 5.58 0.46 5.12 4.0 PVR018 -60/205 51 54 3 2.5 Sulphide 4.61 3.44 1.17 9.0 and 81 87 6 5.4 Sulphide 7.30 4.90 2.41 7.0 PVR019 -60/205 62 69 7 6.7 Sulphide 11.52 7.79 3.72 12.4 PVR020 -60/205 47 51 4 3.9 Sulphide 5.79 1.83 3.96 5.79 PVR021 -60/205 57 70 13 13.0 Sulphide 7.34 4.29 3.04 6.6 and

81 87 6 6.0 Sulphide 10.11 6.98 3.13 12.5

*True thick is based on cross section interpretations and three dimensional geological modeling.

Notes on BHZ Drilling Protocols and Assay QA/QC

The drilling at BHZ involved drilling RC pre-collars using 5.75 inch diameter face sampling bit, and samples taken in this part of the boreholes were undertaken on 1 m intervals. The 1 m samples were fed through a cyclone and split using a riffle splitter. These sampling methods are standard industry methods and are believed to provide acceptably representative samples for the type of mineralization encountered. The holes were then completed in diamond core of HQ2 size.

Diamond core samples were taken on nominal 1 m lengths, with a diamond saw being used to half core and then quarter the core. Quarter core samples are dispatched for analysis, so as to provide sufficient sample for metallurgical test work while retaining a permanent core record.

Field duplicate samples were taken, and blanks and commercially prepared certified reference materials (standards) were added into the sample sequence for every hole submitted. These were analyzed by the Company and no issues were noted with analytical accuracy or precision.

Samples used for the results described herein were prepared and analyzed at ALS Laboratory Group in Townsville, Queensland. Analysis was undertaken using a four acid digest and ICP (ALS method: ME-ICP61 for 33 elements) with over limit (>10,000 ppm lead and zinc and >100 ppm silver) high grade samples being read with an atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS), (ALS methods: Pb-OG62, Zn-OG62 and Ag-OG62).

Drill hole collars are located using handheld GPS, and the collars will be surveyed by a licensed surveyor prior to undertaking the mineral resource update. Down hole surveys were undertaken using a true north seeking gyroscope with stations every 6 or 10 m.

All HQ2 diamond core is orientated using digital core orientation systems and this data is incorporated into the 3D interpretations. Assay intervals shown in Table 1 are down hole intervals, and the true thickness noted are based on 3D interpretations of the host lithology, structure, and mineralization.

Figure 1 Drill Plan (top) and Interpreted Cross Section (below) for the Burke Hinge Zone.







Cannot view this image? Please visit http://www.accesswire.com/uploads/22444_a1473221564463_12.jpg to view this image

About The Pegmont Lead Zinc Project

The Pegmont lead-zinc-silver deposit is located in North West Queensland Mineral Province, 175 km south-east of Mount Isa, 25 km west of South 32's world class Cannington silver-lead-zinc operation and 28 km north of Chinova Resources' Osborne and Kulthor copper-gold operations. It is proximate to infrastructure including roads, rail, and natural gas for power generation.

Pegmont is a stratiform, Broken Hill-Type deposit that outcrops with an overall shallow dip to the south east and is hosted in a magnetite-rich banded iron formation within high grade metamorphic rocks. The project consists of three granted mining leases and two exploration permits that cover an area of approximately 3,468 ha.

About Vendetta Mining Corp.

Vendetta Mining Corp. is a Canadian junior exploration company engaged in acquiring, exploring, and developing mineral properties with an emphasis on zinc, lead and silver. It is currently focused on advanced stage exploration projects in Australia, the first of which is the recently optioned Pegmont Lead Zinc project. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.vendettaminingcorp.com

Qualified Person

Peter Voulgaris, MAusIMM, MAIG, a Director of Vendetta, is a non-independent qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Voulgaris has reviewed the technical content of this press release, and consents to the information provided in the form and context in which it appears.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Michael Williams"

Michael Williams

President & CEO

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements within this news release, other than statements of historical fact relating to Vendetta Mining Corp., are to be considered forward-looking statements with respect to the Company's intentions for its Pegmont project in Queensland, Australia. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, are reliant on future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "considers", "significant", "intends", "targets", "estimates", "seeks", attempts", "assumes", and other similar expressions.

The forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which, while considered reasonable by Vendetta Mining Corp., are, by their nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: the interpretation of current results from the 2016 drilling program mentioned in this news release, further results from the 2016 drilling program, the accuracy of exploration results, the accuracy of Mineral Resource Estimates, the anticipated results of future exploration, the forgoing ability to finance further exploration, delays in the completion of exploration, delays in the completion of the updated Mineral Resource Estimate, the future prices of lead, zinc, and other metals, and general economic, market and/or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements and assumptions will prove accurate and, therefore, readers of this news release are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the information contained within. In addition to the assumptions herein, these assumptions include the assumptions described in Vendetta Mining Corp.'s Management's Discussion and Analysis for the nine months ended, February 29th, 2016

Although Vendetta Mining Corp. has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual performance, achievements, actions, events, results or conditions to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, there may be other risks, uncertainties and other factors that cause future performance to differ from what is anticipated, estimated or intended. Unless otherwise indicated, forward-looking statements contained herein are as of the date hereof and Vendetta Mining Corp. does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date on which such statements were made, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Vendetta Mining Corp.
Its the most die-hard formula in movies (in fact, they once made a Die Hard movie out of it). Two men are thrown together who really, seriously dont like each other. One is a rule-busting rebel, the other an uptight scold, and the two are forced  usually because theyre cops  to ride around in the same vehicle. They taunt and razz and needle, and they laser in on each others weak points (may the best zinger win!). But because they have to spend so much time together, their hostility begins to melt  grudgingly at first, then less grudgingly than either one would care to admit. After a while, theyre working together because they have to, but also because they know theyve got the same goal. And maybe that means that under the skin, they arent really so different. Deep down, theyve come to like each other. They might even be friends! You say tomato, I saw tom-ah-to. Can you say: The eternal buddy-movie formula?

The Journey certainly can. Its a movie that follows every trope in the book, and does so with pleasing fireworks and finesse. Though with one significant twist: The films central characters arent cliche Hollywood cops. Theyre the true-life warrior politicians who negotiated the landmark 2006 peace agreement in Northern Ireland, winding down the Troubles to what was (in theory, at least) an official endpoint.

In the scolding/conservative/uptight corner, we have Dr. Ian Paisley (played, under pounds of make-up, by Timothy Spall), the 80-year-old founder and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, a proudly prudish evangelical Protestant minister who would no more countenance the reunification of Ireland than he would agree to say that the earth is flat. Paisley has been battling the Irish Republican Army for close to 40 years, and he will not stand down. To him, the IRA is the Antichrist, and so is everyone in it.

In the other corner, the impish/bad-boy/rascal one, we have Martin McGuinness (Colm Meaney), the Sinn Fein MP and veteran leader of the IRA (though, of course, he wont admit that officially), who rose up in the organization in the aftermath of Bloody Sunday, the Jan. 30, 1972 massacre in which British soldiers shot and killed 13 Northern Irish civilian protesters. He has been fighting the Unionist side since he was in his teens, and he will not stand down. To him, Ian Paisley is the Antichrist, a political and religious tyrant who stands for oppression with an iron grip.

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Paisley and McGuinness despise each other, and have for decades. Yet the two have never met (Paisley has refused McGuinness entreaties), and they have come together in St. Andrews, Scotland, to hammer out an agreement. When they first see each other, on the way to the meeting room, the soundtrack is flooded with throbbing drums to underscore the momentousness of the occasion. But this is one prizefight that both men are going to win  or theyll both lose. And theres a logistical quirk at play: The summit meeting overlaps the celebration of Paisleys 50th wedding anniversary in Belfast, and he is so chivalrously devoted to his wife that he insists on going.

The representatives of the IRA have no problem with that. But McGuinness, hewing to a tradition that dictates that leaders in this conflict travel together (so that one of them cant be singled out for attack), insists on going with Paisley. The two are placed in a car to the Glasgow airport driven by a boyish chauffeur (Freddie Highmore) who is actually an MI5 plant. The car is also rigged with surveillance apparatus that allows Tony Blair (Toby Stephens) and a handful of British and Northern Irish officials, back at summit headquarters, to witness everything thats going on. Its all a set-up, with the implacable Paisley as prey.

Written by Colin Bateman and directed by Nick Hamm, The Journey, as an opening title acknowledges, is a made-up drama about what was said that day. Its a juicy speculative two-hander, the sort of thing that might have been made about Nixon and Mao, or Reagan and Gorbachev, or  on a smaller scale  Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal. (Come to think of it, Id love to see any one of those movies.) The fantasy being peddled by a film like The Journey is that politics is personality: If we just get to know the people involved, we will touch the hidden truth of history. But in this case, the conceit really holds water, because Ian Paisley, with his stern Unionist fanaticism, was one of the architects of the Irish conflict, and an IRA freedom fighter like Martin McGuinness staked his morality on every car bomb. These two are the Troubles, says one official. Whether or not they can get along is, on some level, what the whole conflict is about.

For a while, its a conversational clash from hell. Paisley, played by Spall with a shock of white hair, beetlebrows, and lips so pursed that it looks like he thinks it would be tempting fate to smile, is not a man you can cuddle up to. Hes the sort of prude who thinks that line dancing is sinful, and he hasnt been to see a film since 1973 (and that was to lead a protest against The Exorcist). The movies have long made sport of uptight curmudgeons like this, but Paisleys rigidity is no joke: In his disdain for Catholics (who, in movies, tend to be the uptight ones  here, theyre the freak-flag-flying liberals), one sees the psychological underpinnings of the conflict. To Paisley, keeping Northern Ireland under the yoke of Great Britain is a way of repressing everything  in Catholics, in the modern world  that he fears and loathes. Hes a crusty fundamentalist in a Unionist necktie, and Spall croaks out his lines with grim, snappish authority, so that he sounds like a cross between John Huston and Lionel Barrymores Mr. Potter in Its a Wonderful Life. Hes a world-class crank, yet so mercilessly who he is that you cant take your eyes off him.

The core thing that Paisley and McGuinness will never agree on is the very nature of the conflict. McGuinness insists that hes fighting a civil war. Paisley wont recognize that  to him, McGuinness is simply a terrorist, which is why he scowlingly refers to him as the likes of you. So whats the point in talking? For a while, The Journey is a comedy of disjunctive hostility, whether its the running motif of McGuinness, without a cell-phone signal, asking to borrow Paisleys phone (he refuses) or McGuinness trying to crack the ice by making gallows-humor jokes about IRA landmines (it doesnt work). But then the car hits a deer and crashes into a pile of logs, stranding them all near a woods. Its a fake accident, designed to give McGuinness more time to disarm his prey.

The Journey is like the political version of couples therapy, only without the therapist. We know that neither Paisley nor McGuinness can  or will  compromise what they think; they will not change. But as they glare at each other, stroll through the woods, then glare some more, and then wander into a nearby church, they tick off their catechisms of belief, and just saying it all has an effect; they start to recognize each other as human beings. McGuinness replays the transformative sin of Bloody Sunday (which Paisley wont concede) and admits that he went too far in the 1987 Remembrance Day bombing at Enniskillen (which was, in effect, the IRAs own Bloody Sunday). At the same time, theres a lovely moment of comic bonding  over their shared recognition of Irish insecurity as expressed in the redundancy of phrases like so it is.

The two actors are tart and fascinating, but Spall steals the movie, maybe because Meaney makes McGuinness too much of a mensch. His puckish humor and sorrow are affecting, but hes such a diplomat that we never touch his anger. Then again, hes a weary warrior. By 2006, the Troubles have raged for so long that both sides  though neither will say it  are exhausted. The movie makes the astute point that 9/11 changed everything. Suddenly, the tit-for-tat deadliness of the conflict in Northern Ireland was robbed of its propagandistic power. It seemed small  and more and more, it seemed pointless.

The Journey, thanks to its buddy-movie structure, is destined to feel a little corny, but the movie gets at something real. Its a celebration, by two splendid actors, of the art of political theater  and when the accord is reached, its because of what sly actors Paisley and McGuinness themselves turn out to be. When Paisley asks McGuinness to apologize for 40 years of bloodshed, he doesnt really want the apology. Its a gambit, a test. And maybe the reason McGuinness passes it is that hes not trying to. Whatever did go on between these two that day, you can bet they had to engage in a mind game to disentangle themselves from the Troubles. The Journey is a salute to what it looks like when people get sick enough of hate that they can finally, and gratefully, let it be.

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Nothings ever mine, not to keep, the newly widowed Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy mordantly observes midway through Jackie, Pablo Larrains relentlessly close-up take on historys most iconized First Lady. She says it as she looks around the palatial House that tragedy is forcing her to swiftly vacate  and with Ladybird Johnson already perusing fabric samples, to boot  but shes speaking of far more than just the roof over her head.

Eschewing standard biopic form at every turn, this brilliantly constructed, diamond-hard character study observes as the exhausted, conflicted Jackie attempts to disentangle her own perspective, her own legacy and, perhaps hardest of all, her own grief from a tragedy shared by millions. Provocative and entirely unsentimental in the speculative voice given to its subjects most private thoughts on marriage, faith and self-image, and galvanized by Natalie Portmans complex, meticulously shaded work in the lead, Jackie may alienate viewers expecting a more conventionally sympathetic slab of filmed history. But in his first English-language project, Chilean director Larrains status as the most daring and prodigious political filmmaker of his generation remains undimmed.

Larrain is currently on a creative tear after his inventive literary study Neruda wowed Cannes mere months ago; any concerns that he might have gone soft on us by taking on an American prestige project are allayed before a word of dialogue is spoken in Jackie. Rather, its the first eerie, keening notes of the score by Mica Levi that put our fears to rest, even as everything else is set tinglingly on edge: No director whod choose Levi, the young British experimental musician who gave Under the Skin its haunting sirens wail, to aurally steer his film has any plans to play it safe. Coolly handsome as the film is, its a collation of aesthetic choices that push us persistently and ever-so-subtly into the discomfort zone. Sebastian Sepulveda edits it into non-sequential shards of memory, jaggedly disarranged in the manner of post-traumatic consciousness, while cinematographer Stephane Fontaines searching close-ups repeatedly step an inch too far into its subjects already frail personal space.

But its Noah Oppenheims remarkable screenplay, not drawn from any credited sources, that takes the most startling liberties with Jackies fiercely guarded privacy. Even at her most emotionally riven, shes portrayed here as a woman in canny control of her identity, switching between different masks for press, public and associates, and wearing none only when truly alone.

A breathtaking sequence finds Jackie, finally unaccompanied in her wing of the White House, swirling through rooms, necking vodka, popping pills and listening with rueful irony to Richard Burtons Broadway recording of Camelot. Imagined or not by the filmmakers, its a version of Jackie Kennedy shed never have counted on anyone ever seeing, not least given her painstaking personal dedication to preserving and displaying domestic evidence of the Houses previous inhabitants. Objects and artefacts survive for far longer than people, she tells the camera, a nervous smile plastered on her face, in her famous television special A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy. They represent history, identity and beauty. Jackie, for its part, seeks to represent its subject beyond the cultivated objects and images we associate with her, from that bloodstained, bubblegum-pink suit downwards.

The filming of that televisual tour, nearly two years before the events of November 22, 1963, is one frame by which Jackie hangs its cross-hatched impressions of her state of mind in the days following her husbands death. The other is an arranged interview with Life journo Theodore H. White (credited in the film merely as The Journalist, and watchfully played by Billy Crudup), conducted a mere week after the event, during which a composed, tart-tongued Jackie taunts him with fragmentary reveals of her true self, while forcing him into complicity with her disguise. Dont think for one second Im going to let you publish that, she chides sharply, seconds after giving a teary, sense-led recollection of the shooting itself. Whether that fleeting, wrenching display of grief was a momentary lapse or a teasing, cynical put-on is one of many questions invited by Portmans intricate performance  so layered in its sense of internal motivation and manipulation that the actresss fine technical approximation of Kennedys froggy tone and phrasing seems the least of its achievements. (It may just trump her Oscar-winning turn in Black Swan as the most high-wire feat shes ever pulled off.)

Between these two interview-led passages, Larrain and Oppenheim (stepping up hugely from previous writing credits on Allegiant and The Maze Runner) capture their protagonist in significantly less studied form: The immediate aftermath of the assassination throws up one wearying practical dilemma after the next as she attempts to find time and space to mourn. With her brother-in-law Bobby (Peter Sarsgaard, excellent) raging at their rudely curtailed political influence, Jackie regards the funeral arrangements as a critical opportunity to assert and cement JFKs legacy  at a time when her advisors would like to keep the matter as low-key as possible.

Between sparring negotiations over the appropriate course of action, all too few officials pause to ask or even consider how shes feeling. The film, on the other hand, invites us to listen in on her spontaneous confessions, whether to her friend and aide Nancy Tuckerman (a lovely, understated Greta Gerwig) or a candid Irish Catholic priest (John Hurt)  both in scenes that could derail these otherwise rigorous proceedings with conveniently cathartic sentiment, but wind up adding further emotional and intellectual nuances to the character. After opening up to the priest about the chillier patches of her marriage, he encourages her to take comfort in happier memories. I cant  theyre mixed up in all the others, she replies.

Jackies intelligently disordered assemblage of facts and feelings is likewise difficult to parse. For away from its piquant, sometimes incendiary observations on celebrity, politics and the present-tense construction of history, the film is also a stirring, deeply upsetting account of individual grief at any level of scrutiny. The complicated, colliding feelings of anger, confusion and cold acceptance that come with any personal loss are mapped out here with a sense of fine-tuned chaos, with Levis astonishing score somehow playing them all: a lilting, hopeful flute note carried on an alien wash of strings, or a militaristic death march thrumming behind a graceful flutter of piano.

While he feels her pain, Larrain is also loath to leave his subject alone: The most intimate scenes of Jackie are often its most gasp-inducing, whether shes washing blood out of her hair in the shower or telling her children why Daddys not coming home. Some viewers will take issue with the boundaries, or lack thereof, in this lucid portrait, but by deftly shuffling through her many reflections and self-reflections, Larrain crucially never lays claim to the real Jackie. When somethings written down, does that make it true? she asks White, placing the authenticity of his profile further in doubt, before smirking, They have television now. In this rich, challenging, endlessly teasing film, on the other hand, the screen provides just as many places to hide.

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VENICE, Italy  U.S.-based Iranian auteur Amir Naderi  who on Monday received Venices Jaeger-Lecoultre Glory To The Filmmaker Award  says his new film Monte, shot in the Italian Alps, is very much about pushing myself to the limit.

And also about pushing his Italian crew.

I told them in the beginning: This will be like going to hell. But if you stick with me, I promise you, you will see heaven. And that heaven is cinema, he says.

Set in the year 1350 in a semi-abandoned village at the foothills of an Alpine peak, Mountain  which world-premiered at the fest out-of-competition Monday  is a drama about a man who attempts to bring sunlight to the village, where his family is barely able to survive because of the prevailing darkness.

It stars Italian actors Andrea Sartoretti, whose credits include TV series Crime Novel and Mission: Impossible III, and Claudia Potenza (Basilicata Coast to Coast).

Naderi says the cast and crew had to endure adverse weather conditions, bad food, and other tribulations, including communication impediments.

On the first day of shooting, the cast and crew asked him: Do you speak Italian? He replied: I speak the language of cinema, which meant that he gave directions with hand gestures and a few words in English.

They went through a lot, Naderi adds. But when we wrapped, they told me it was worth it.

Mountain follows Naderis Japan-set Cut, and Vegas: Based on a True Story, which was in competition on the Lido in 2008.

Naderi said plans are underway for a restoration of his 1985 Iran-set The Runner, which was among the first Iranian movies to get international notice after the revolution. But details of its restoration are being kept under wraps.

Mountain is co-produced by Italys Citrullo Intl., the filmmakers collective comprising Carlo Hintermann, Gerardo Panichi, Michele Petochi e Jerome Caltagirone, with Italys Zhivago Media and New York-based restoration and preservation company Cineric, with financing from RAI Cinema, the IDM Film Commission dellAlto Adige, and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Fund.

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VENICE, Italy  A documentary on the civil war in Syria and a drama about same-sex desire in South Africa are among the winners of awards at the Venice Film Festival granting post-production support and partnership opportunities.

The awards by the Venice Production Bridges Final Cut in Venice workshop are set aside for films from Africa and the Arab world. The following pics in advanced stages will receive different types of support, including free color correction, sound mix, distribution, DCP costs and cash:

 Felicity, by Senegalese director Alain Gomis. A drama about a single mother living in Kinshasa with her 16-year-old son. Frances Arnaud Dommerc is producing.

 The Wound (Isiko), by South African director John Trengove. A drama on same-sex desire between young men set against the backdrop of male circumcision rituals practiced by the Xhosa people of South Africa. Brazils Elias Ribeiro is producing. Produced by Frances Palmyre Badinier.

Ghost Hunting (Istiyad Ashba), by Palestinian director Raed Andoni. A documentary about a group of Palestinians who are former inmates of an Israeli Security Agency detention center. They confront their past by rebuilding a facsimile of their old prison in an empty yard near Ramallah and re-enact a traumatic event that took place there.

 Obscure (Otmah) by France-based Syrian director Soudade Kaadan. A documentary on the forces that influence perception of the civil war in Syria. Produced by Lebanons Salma Kaf.

Final Cut in Venice is organized by the VPB in collaboration with both the Amiens International Film Festival and the Fribourg International Film Festival.

Six selected projects in post were presented to producers, buyers, distributors and international fest honchos on the Lido to facilitate their post-production process, promote possible co-production partnerships and access to the distribution market.

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Venice: Final Cut In Venice Workshop Winners Are Announced
SPRINGFIELD, VA / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2016 / Versar, Inc. (NYSE MKT: VSR) today announced that it has signed an indicative term sheet with an undisclosed lender for a new credit facility to take effect upon completion of due diligence and negotiation of final deal terms. This new credit facility will replace Versar's existing Loan Agreement with Bank of America, which is currently subject to a forbearance agreement through the end of September 2016.

The Company will provide additional details of the replacement credit facility upon effectiveness, which is subject to the completion of due diligence, the execution of a definitive agreement and satisfaction of all customary conditions for such a transaction. Subject to the foregoing, the Company expects that the new facility will have a two year term.

"Versar is pleased with the commitment and willingness of our prospective lender to provide our company with access to capital at this time," said Versar Chief Executive Officer, Tony Otten. "While there is no certainty that a new facility agreement will be completed, we are optimistic that the two parties can shortly conclude our discussions and enter into an agreement that will enable Versar to maintain its long-term trajectory toward growth and profitability."

VERSAR, INC., headquartered in Springfield, Virginia, is a publicly-traded global project management company providing sustainable value oriented solutions to government and commercial clients in the construction management, environmental services, and professional services market areas.

VERSAR operates the following websites: www.versar.com and www.versarpps.com.

Find out more about VERSAR at

https://twitter.com/VersarInc

https://www.facebook.com/VersarInc

http://www.linkedin.com/company/38251

This news release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be significantly impacted by certain risks and uncertainties described herein and in Versar's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended June 26, 2015, as updated from time to time in the Company's periodic filings. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and Versar does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

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Contact:

Karin Weber

M&A, Investor Relations Manager

Versar, Inc.

(703) 642-6706

kweber@versar.com

Robert Ferri

Robert Ferri Partners

(415) 575-1589

robert.ferri@robertferri.com

SOURCE: Versar, Inc.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Viacom Inc <VIAB.O> has hired Morgan Stanley <MS.N> and LionTree Llc to review its capital structure, a source familiar with the situation said on Wednesday, as the media company seeks ways to shore up its finances in the face of falling advertising sales.

The review is a short-term assignment, said the source, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and requested anonymity.

Viacom had hired Morgan Stanley and LionTree ahead of an all-day strategic review by the media company's board on Sept. 14, Bloomberg News first reported on Wednesday.

Philippe Dauman stepped down as Viacom's chief executive officer in August following a protracted legal battle with controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone, raising investor expectations for more changes at the company. Dauman was replaced on an interim basis by former Chief Operating Officer Thomas Dooley.

Viacom, which owns MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, said in August that domestic advertising revenue continued to fall for the eighth consecutive quarter.

Viacom ended the second quarter with $12.4 billion of debt.

Shares of Viacom closed 2.5 percent higher at $40.54 on Nasdaq. Shares of CBS <CBS.N>, part of Redstone's $40 billion media empire, rose 2 percent to $52.62 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Analysts at Moody's said in an August note that management was under pressure to enhance liquidity through options that could include selling a 49 percent stake in Paramount Studios.

Ninety-three-year-old Redstone, supported by daughter Shari, had opposed Dauman's plan to sell the Paramount stake, while Dauman saw it as a way to unlock value for shareholders, whose shares had plummeted in recent years.

Dauman, Viacom's non-executive chairman through Sept. 13, was allowed to present the Paramount sale plan to the board as part of the settlement he reached on Aug. 20 with Redstone's National Amusements, the privately held company that holds 80 percent of the voting shares of Viacom and CBS.

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Last week, Dauman presented in writing some scenarios to the board, but did not name bidders or specifics, a separate source familiar with the situation said. The source wished to remain anonymous because conversations were confidential.

The Wall Street Journal first reported about Dauman's proposal on Sept. 1.

(Reporting by Anna Driver and Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Richard Chang)
Seven episodes into Season 1 of HBOs new comedy Vice Principals, and Kimberly Hebert Gregory has emerged the true third star of the show, playing a newly-hired high school principal opposite Danny McBride and Walton Goggins as her inherited sniveling second fiddles.

If you havent seen the show, created by Eastbound & Down masterminds McBride and Jody Hill, Dr. Belinda Brown (Gregory) is confident in her role as head of the school, having just breezed into town from Philadelphia with her two sons, much to the dismay of incessant, puerile infighters Neal Gamby (McBride) and Lee Russell (Goggins). The two incumbent vice principals soon become bent on bringing her down.

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A savvy career woman, Brown seems to extoll the wisdoms gained from years of job-related leadership retreats. And she doesnt hesitate to get tough.

Trust me, Dr. Brown can protect herself, Gregory told TheWrap.

Fans might assume the 43-year-old actress has modeled her character after a deft politician like Hillary Clinton, or Facebooks Sheryl Sandberg or even Oprah Winfrey herself. But its actually someone in Gregorys own family who informs her performance.

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I draw a lot from my sister, she said during a recent interview.

I think these two guys would be gone if my sister was actually the principal, added Gregory.

She described her older sibling, Tracy, as a no-nonsense business woman who works in international relations. Its a lot of stuff overseas. Shes in Moldova right now.

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Tracy is so rigorous in her job, in fact, Gregory relayed that she was called The Iron Lady during a period when she worked in Liberia.

My sister is everything youd want a big sister to be, she said. While feeling out how shell play a scene, Gregory said shell ask herself, What would Tracy do?

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Shes also quick to point out differences between Dr. Brown and her older sibling. My sister is much more professional. She wouldnt curse people out and carry on with them. But she would fire you.

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Another trick to playing Brown, Gregory said, is remaining completely earnest. These are very real people taking very seriously these ridiculous circumstances, she said, citing her approach during the shows most recent episode where Dr. Brown unloads on Gamby about her cheating ex-husband, reciting a gut-busting line comparing her exs private parts to a French dip sandwich. Shes dead serious saying those terrible things, said Gregory. I just play her honestly without trying to get a laugh on the other end.

Filled with off-color humor, the shows characters grow surprisingly sympathetic with each episode. But the expletives and low-brow jokes are the type of stuff that could easily put off Gregorys Christianly, Texas grandmother.

Also Read: 15 Summer TV Shows Already Renewed, Canceled or Ending (Photos)

I said, Granny why are you watching this? And she said, Oh, I know you dont curse like that. I know they wrote that for you like that,' recalled Gregory, saying she gives all of her family members a big warning before they watch the show.

Gregory was raised in a churchgoing family in Houston and told TheWrap she is much more of a pacifist in real life. I wish I was more like Dr. Brown, she said. I wish I could tell people that Ill drag them across the parking lot. But I dont like confrontation.

If Gregory is a new face to you, thats because most of her acting background is in theater. She is currently starring in Robert OHaras Barbecue at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.

Vice Principals has two more episodes in Season 1. The show has also wrapped production on Season 2, which, Gregory teased: You are going to go much deeper into their personal lives, which makes the comedy erupt even more. Of course, theyre all a mess.

Related stories from TheWrap:

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By Andreas Cremer

BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) will launch its first battery-powered van later this month as it shifts to zero-emission vehicles following its diesel cheating scandal, but customers are still skeptical about the benefits of going electric.

"If electric drives offer no distinct benefits to cost-oriented entrepreneurs, they will not join in," Eckhard Scholz, chief executive of VW's commercial vehicle unit said.

Scholz said practical issues with the day-to-day use of electric vans as well as concerns about the total costs of ownership make it harder for battery-powered vans and commercial vehicles to take off.

"The typical customer for commercial vehicles has yet to be convinced," he added in emailed comments to Reuters.

VW, facing billions of dollars in fines and customer compensation linked to its tainted diesel engines, is cutting costs across group to fund a transformation focused on electric cars and on-demand mobility services.

Electric vehicles have become the holy grail for carmakers, with new entrants such as Tesla and technology giants like Alphabet's Google posing a competitive threat.

The van division, accounting for no more than about 2 percent of VW's 213 billion euros ($239 billion) of annual group sales, will use the Sept. 21-22 Hanover trucks show to present its first battery-powered model, the e-load up! mirco van.

Scholz complained that representatives and owners of mainly privately-run small businesses such as electricians and plumbers had been excluded from talks between the German government and carmakers such as VW and Daimler, who earlier this year agreed on sales incentives and more charging stations to spur demand for electric cars in Europe's biggest auto market.

VW is making an aggressive push into electric cars at its core namesake brand and its Audi and Porsche premium divisions, with the goal of launching more than 30 zero-emission cars across the group by 2025.

EUROPE DRIVES DEMAND

Story continues

Separately, Scholz said he was positive on sales prospects for the remainder of 2016, counting on strong demand in Western Europe to outweigh tough conditions in South America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.

"Our order books are well stocked, our factories are busy. I believe the positive trend in European markets will continue."

VW commercial vehicles' seven-month global sales were up 6.4 percent to 273,300 units.

Scholz said a redesigned version of the Crafter large delivery van will be premiered at the Hanover trucks show and may underpin the sales momentum.

After using a Daimler plant for years to build the model on the same platform as the Mercedes Sprinter van, VW has outsourced production of the next Crafter to a new Polish factory.

Once the ramp-up of production at the Polish site has been completed and all model variants launched, VW aims to sell 100,000 units of the new Crafter line per year, Scholz said.

(Editing by Alexander Smith)
The first trailer has landed for a Netflix co-financed documentary following the heroics of The White Helmets.

In "White Helmets," the focus is on the everyday heroism of a team of volunteers in Aleppo, Syria who risk their lives to save others, frantically searching wreckage for signs of life as the bombs continue to fall and the bullets fly.

Directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, the documentary short (its run time is 40 minutes) was co-financed by two UK companies -- Grain Media and Violet Films, as well as by Netflix.

As well as coming to Netflix, the documentary is also being screened at the Toronto Film Festival -- which begins on September 8 -- where it is in the Short Cuts Official Selection.
The meteoric rise and epic disintegration of the British band Oasis will be explored in the new documentary Supersonic, out Oct. 2.

Directed by Matt Whitecross, the film examines the history of brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, who went from "being a new signing" to "rock's true giants" in just three short years.

Executive produced by Academy Award winner Asif Kapadia -- the mastermind behind the Amy Winehouse documentary Amy -- the film follows the band from their signing at Creation Records through their rise and implosion in the tabloids. "Oasis was like a Ferrari," Liam explains. "Great to look at. Great to drive. And it'll f---ing spin out of control every now and again."

Oasis' 'Definitely Maybe' at 20: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review

Whitecross recently gave hope to fans at a press conference promoting the film, saying he believes the brothers will reunite at the fall premiere. "Neither of them have discounted the idea of getting back together," Whitecross said. "It will happen, I'm sure. The idea of never seeing them again for me is impossible."

According to Whitecross, Chris Martin from Coldplay is attempting to get the group back together. "Noel said everyone is always coming up to them giving them advice about how they are going to mend this relationship," he told NME."He's friends with Chris Martin and he said Chris should quit the music business and become a therapist because every week he goes 'Look, this is how you are going to patch up the band.'"

The film will be available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download on Oct. 31.

In other Oasis news, the Be Here Now: Chasing the Sun Super Deluxe Set is due out Oct. 7.

Watch the Supersonic trailer below:
Most people would run for cover when someone breaks into their place with a weapon in hand.

But a 6-year-old girl in Auckland instead stood up and ran toward an alleged robber breaking into her familys store wielding an ax, reports the New Zealand Herald.

That moment of bravery was caught on CCTV footage, which shows Sarah Patel pushing the leg of one of the attackers, dressed in black, who was trying to hit an employee after allegedly breaking into the shop with axes and crowbars on Monday afternoon.

She only turned and ran when she spotted the ax in the mans hand. Her grandfather then escorted her to safety.

Suhail Patel, Sarahs father, told the paper that he was very fortunate she didnt get hurt, when he saw his daughters courageous act caught on video afterwards. She had thought that the robbers were attacking him, he told the Herald.

Mother Nashrin Patel drove in pursuit of the robbers getaway car just so she could let police know their whereabouts.

Local police allege that the attackers, six in total, broke a glass cabinet, took bags of cell phones from the store, and injured an employee in the face during their heist. Five people, all teenagers, are facing charges, the Herald reports.

[New Zealand Herald]
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Originally posted to the ABC Kimberly Facebook page, a recounts the moment when an Australian woman stumbled across a hectic dinosaur footprint on a West Australian beach.



Bindi Lee Porth was strolling along Cable Beach, as many-a tourist lapped up the setting sun over the Indian Ocean, when she literally stumbled across the giantic footprint  the kind some palaeontologists will search for their whole lives to discover.

Porth spoke with ABC Local Radio saying "I went to put my foot down, and the best way that I could describe it is that I felt a very strong energy." A dinosaur energy!

Palaeontologist Dr Steve Salisbury, who has been at the forefront of studies into dinosaur footprints along the Broome coast, told the ABC "This is a very exciting development; having someone beach-combing to come along tracks like this, this is what makes the Broome area and the dinosaur coast so special."

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CHICAGO (AP) -- Detroit manager Brad Ausmus glanced at the stadium scoreboard with his team ahead and saw Baltimore had lost. If the Tigers held on, they'd enter their weekend series against the Orioles tied for the final AL wild-card spot.

Then Shane Greene and the bullpen faltered and Ausmus had to settle for what he called a ''mediocre'' road trip.

Avisail Garcia hit a go-ahead single against his former team in a four-run eighth inning and the Chicago White Sox beat Detroit 7-4 on Wednesday to keep the Tigers a game behind the Orioles.

''It could be worse, .500 isn't awful,'' Ausmus said of their trip. ''Would have been nice to take this one today and take four out of six. But we'll go 3-3 and we've got a big series with Baltimore coming up.''

Jose Abreu led off the eighth with a single for his third hit and scored on Justin Morneau's double off Greene (3-4). After Todd Frazier grounded out, Garcia singled to right-center.

''I left some balls over the plate and they hit all of them,'' Greene said. ''This one is on me, and I won't let it happen again.''

Tyler Saladino and Adam Eaton added RBI singles before the Tigers finally got out of the inning after using three pitchers.

''That's the thing about the back of the bullpen,'' Ausmus said, ''when they have an off day you generally lose.''

Chris Beck (2-1) got four outs in relief before David Robertson made it interesting in the ninth.

J.D. Martinez walked and Justin Upton singled to before Robertson, who has seven blown saves, retired the next three batters for his 35th save.

The start was delayed 40 minutes for a threat of thunderstorms that never arrived on a steamy day with the heat index approaching 100 degrees.

Upton hit an early three-run homer and Jose Iglesias had an RBI single in the seventh that put Detroit ahead 4-3.

In what could be his last start in the Tigers' rotation, Anibal Sanchez allowed three runs and eight hits over five innings. Jordan Zimmermann's return from injury could move him to the bullpen.

Story continues

White Sox starter Jose Quintana struck out Victor Martinez and Upton to start the seventh, but then gave up a walk and two hits before being lifted after his 116th pitch. He allowed four runs and eight hits and struck out seven.

''Tough to win when I gave up the homer and tried to keep the score close,'' Quintana said. ''Everybody did a great job today to come back.''

The Tigers lost their second straight to Chicago after an 11-3 stretch got them into playoff contention.

Now they return home for their most important series of the season.

''It's probably a little ironic that we're facing Baltimore in September, with them not in the division,'' Ausmus said. ''I guess we're fortuitous, depending on your outlook.

''Both teams are trying to clinch a playoff spot and they're essentially fighting for the same one,'' he said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Tigers: 2B Ian Kinsler applied glue to his injured fingernail and returned earlier than Ausmus expected. Kinsler went 1 for 4 and was picked off first. . DH Victor Martinez, who has had surgery on both knees, stayed in despite limping off after he was thrown out at second base in the fourth. ''He's always going to have issues with the knees,'' Ausmus said. ''He just tweaked it a little bit on the slide.''

White Sox: RHP James Shields (back) threw a bullpen session. He hopes to start Saturday.

TIGERS TORMENTER

Garcia, signed by the Tigers as an amateur free agent in 2007, spent parts of two seasons with Detroit before being traded to the White Sox in 2013. Garcia has 36 RBIs against Detroit, his most vs. any opponent.

CASTELLANOS UPDATE

Tigers 3B Nick Castellanos, on the disabled list since Aug. 7 with a broken left hand, plans to start swinging a regular bat this week. He intends to return this season.

''It's getting through as much discomfort as I can and progressing so when my bone is healed, I'm ready to play,'' Castellanos said.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer (10-6, 2.77 ERA) is set to start the opener Friday night against Baltimore RHP Kevin Gausman (7-10, 3.58).

White Sox: The 10-game homestand continues Friday night with LHP Carlos Rodon (6-8, 3.90) facing Kansas City RHP Yordano Ventura (10-9, 4.22).
Making the rounds on LinkedIn Corp. (LNKD) these days is a Warren Buffett quote that appeared in a 1977 Wall Street Journal article -- which by now puts it just shy of 40 years old. And for the philosophy of a billionaire investor, it sounds like the stuff of folksy wisdom: "I'm having a lot of fun because I'm only going into businesses that I find interesting and where I like the people running them, and their products."

That may explain why Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) over the years has filled his portfolio with companies ranging from Dairy Queen, acquired for $585 million in 1997, to Precision Castparts in August of last year -- his largest deal ever at $37.2 billion, and just in time for his 85th birthday.

The former deal is easy to analyze by Buffett's 1977 standard: It's a snap to imagine the Oracle of Omaha licking up a Dilly Bar and saying to himself, "I like this so much, I'm gonna buy the whole company." But Precision Castparts is another story. Buffett has infamously derided airline stocks, and age 80-something seemed an unlikely time to sink so much dough into a Portland, Oregon, outfit that makes machined airframe components.

[See: 6 Reliable Dividend Stocks Paying Out for 100 Years or More.]

Could it have been that Buffett was finally, finally abandoning his buy-and-hold strategy to make one quick score for the bucket list? Absolutely not.

If anything, Buffett sounds determined to hold PCP straight to his grave and beyond, if such a thing is possible -- which would thus make it the ultimate example of buy-and-hold play. To quote Buffett: "We're going to be in this business for 100 years, so it doesn't really make any difference what oil and gas does in the next year."

By the year 2116 -- assuming Buffett doesn't make it to age 186 or get reincarnated -- it's possible the disciples of his buy-and-hold strategy will be known in memoriam as "Buffettists." His influence on and adherence to the tactic is that unwavering. Buy-and-hold is as far away from quick-hit riches and market timing as a mogul can get.

Story continues

"Warren Buffett has often been quoted as saying that his favorite holding period is forever," says David B. Smith, chief investment officer at Rockland Trust in Hanover, Massachusetts. "To understand why he favors a long-term buy-and-hold strategy, one need only look at what Buffett has publicly said and what he has invested in over his storied career."

That includes not just Dairy Queen and Precision Castparts, but storied legacy companies such as Coca-Cola Co. (KO), General Motors Co. (GM), Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) and International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) as well.

So how exactly does buy-and-hold work in Warren's World? It's too simplistic to take the approach of buying any stock at a premium and keeping it for a decade longer; that discounts the notion of competent company management and a proven track record.

Nor does it take into effect the magic of compound interest, compounded further still by healthy dividends.

The nuances work like this, Smith says: "Buffett has stated that 'time is the friend of the wonderful company and the enemy of the mediocre.' What he means by this is that outstanding businesses compound your wealth year after year, while low-quality businesses that are exceptionally cheap can only grow your wealth once, which is when you sell them -- presumably or perhaps hopefully at a profit."

But suppose you get into a stock at a time when the price dives into a hole and stays there for a year or more? As Buffett himself might say when driving his 2015 Cadillac XTS to work (which replaced his 2006 Caddy, by the way), "Hold on."

[See: 8 Cheap ETFs That You Won't Regret.]

"For a diversified equity portfolio of U.S. stocks, 10 to 15 years is long enough to overcome any bad timing in terms of entry points," says Michael Pagano, professor of finance at Villanova University in the greater Philadelphia area. "Any shorter than that and you run the risk that you buy at a peak and then have to sell out at a trough."

If nothing else, more proof that Buffett loves buy-and-hold stocks can be found as close as a fat bank account -- though then again, Buffett is known to loathe cash the way some teenagers back off from broccoli. So it's a good thing Buffett and his prodigious portfolio have harvested green of another sort.

Berkshire Hathaway Class A shares have soared, soared, soared to more than $225,000 -- beating the median home value in Buffett's native Omaha, by a good $85,000. (With the change, you could snag a second home in Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

And comparing BRK.A price markers in 10-year intervals, Buffett's buy-and-hold strategy is the stuff legends and fortunes are made of. In September 1996, Berkshire Hathaway stock was worth just above $32,000. In September 1986, it went for $2,625. So if you were lucky enough to land one share -- just one -- of BRK.A 30 years ago, you'd have made 86 times your original investment. Twenty years ago isn't looking too shabby either, with a return of seven times your money.

Yet Buffett's love affair with buy-and-hold doesn't represent a skeleton key to riches: If it did, there would be no trail of decimated portfolios on the path away from the trading pit.

For starters, stocks -- no matter how long you keep them -- will always be riskier than bonds. And adherence to the philosophy, while ignoring company implosion via corruption (think Enron and Tyco), adds up to "broken hold," so to speak.

Ultimately, the fulcrum on which successful buy-and-hold balances, at least the way Warren Buffett practices it, rests on the most basic and bedrock of principles: Invest in what you know.

Smith sums it up thus: "Buffett believes you should invest within your circle of competence and when you study Berkshire's performance you find that nearly all of his greatest investments have come from one of four different industries." These include media, consumer staples, financials and insurance.

[Read: Stick to Your Investment Philosophy.]

But if you want to add a fifth, feel free to mark down ice cream. It's impossible to count how many Dilly Bars the Oracle wolfed down before snagging the ultimate treat -- and nearly as difficult to measure much in profits he's slurped up since.





More From US News & World Report


Making the rounds on LinkedIn Corp. (ticker: LNKD) these days is a Warren Buffett quote that appeared in a 1977 Wall Street Journal article -- which by now puts it just shy of 40 years old. And for the philosophy of a billionaire investor, it sounds like the stuff of folksy wisdom: "I'm having a lot of fun because I'm only going into businesses that I find interesting and where I like the people running them, and their products."

That may explain why Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) over the years has filled his portfolio with companies ranging from Dairy Queen, acquired for $585 million in 1997, to Precision Castparts in August of last year -- his largest deal ever at $37.2 billion, and just in time for his 85th birthday.

The former deal is easy to analyze by Buffett's 1977 standard: It's a snap to imagine the Oracle of Omaha licking up a Dilly Bar and saying to himself, "I like this so much, I'm gonna buy the whole company." But Precision Castparts is another story. Buffett has infamously derided airline stocks, and age 80-something seemed an unlikely time to sink so much dough into a Portland, Oregon, outfit that makes machined airframe components.

[See: 6 Reliable Dividend Stocks Paying Out for 100 Years or More.]

Could it have been that Buffett was finally, finally abandoning his buy-and-hold strategy to make one quick score for the bucket list? Absolutely not.

If anything, Buffett sounds determined to hold PCP straight to his grave and beyond, if such a thing is possible -- which would thus make it the ultimate example of buy-and-hold play. To quote Buffett: "We're going to be in this business for 100 years, so it doesn't really make any difference what oil and gas does in the next year."

By the year 2116 -- assuming Buffett doesn't make it to age 186 or get reincarnated -- it's possible the disciples of his buy-and-hold strategy will be known in memoriam as "Buffettists." His influence on and adherence to the tactic is that unwavering. Buy-and-hold is as far away from quick-hit riches and market timing as a mogul can get.

Story continues

"Warren Buffett has often been quoted as saying that his favorite holding period is forever," says David B. Smith, chief investment officer at Rockland Trust in Hanover, Massachusetts. "To understand why he favors a long-term buy-and-hold strategy, one need only look at what Buffett has publicly said and what he has invested in over his storied career."

That includes not just Dairy Queen and Precision Castparts, but storied legacy companies such as Coca-Cola Co. (KO), General Motors Co. (GM), Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) and International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) as well.

So how exactly does buy-and-hold work in Warren's World? It's too simplistic to take the approach of buying any stock at a premium and keeping it for a decade longer; that discounts the notion of competent company management and a proven track record.

Nor does it take into effect the magic of compound interest, compounded further still by healthy dividends.

The nuances work like this, Smith says: "Buffett has stated that 'time is the friend of the wonderful company and the enemy of the mediocre.' What he means by this is that outstanding businesses compound your wealth year after year, while low-quality businesses that are exceptionally cheap can only grow your wealth once, which is when you sell them -- presumably or perhaps hopefully at a profit."

But suppose you get into a stock at a time when the price dives into a hole and stays there for a year or more? As Buffett himself might say when driving his 2015 Cadillac XTS to work (which replaced his 2006 Caddy, by the way), "Hold on."

[See: 8 Cheap ETFs That You Won't Regret.]

"For a diversified equity portfolio of U.S. stocks, 10 to 15 years is long enough to overcome any bad timing in terms of entry points," says Michael Pagano, professor of finance at Villanova University in the greater Philadelphia area. "Any shorter than that and you run the risk that you buy at a peak and then have to sell out at a trough."

If nothing else, more proof that Buffett loves buy-and-hold stocks can be found as close as a fat bank account -- though then again, Buffett is known to loathe cash the way some teenagers back off from broccoli. So it's a good thing Buffett and his prodigious portfolio have harvested green of another sort.

Berkshire Hathaway Class A shares have soared, soared, soared to more than $225,000 -- beating the median home value in Buffett's native Omaha, by a good $85,000. (With the change, you could snag a second home in Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

And comparing BRK.A price markers in 10-year intervals, Buffett's buy-and-hold strategy is the stuff legends and fortunes are made of. In September 1996, Berkshire Hathaway stock was worth just above $32,000. In September 1986, it went for $2,625. So if you were lucky enough to land one share -- just one -- of BRK.A 30 years ago, you'd have made 86 times your original investment. Twenty years ago isn't looking too shabby either, with a return of seven times your money.

Yet Buffett's love affair with buy-and-hold doesn't represent a skeleton key to riches: If it did, there would be no trail of decimated portfolios on the path away from the trading pit.

For starters, stocks -- no matter how long you keep them -- will always be riskier than bonds. And adherence to the philosophy, while ignoring company implosion via corruption (think Enron and Tyco), adds up to "broken hold," so to speak.

Ultimately, the fulcrum on which successful buy-and-hold balances, at least the way Warren Buffett practices it, rests on the most basic and bedrock of principles: Invest in what you know.

Smith sums it up thus: "Buffett believes you should invest within your circle of competence and when you study Berkshire's performance you find that nearly all of his greatest investments have come from one of four different industries." These include media, consumer staples, financials and insurance.

[Read: Stick to Your Investment Philosophy.]

But if you want to add a fifth, feel free to mark down ice cream. It's impossible to count how many Dilly Bars the Oracle wolfed down before snagging the ultimate treat -- and nearly as difficult to measure much in profits he's slurped up since.

A former longtime staff writer, editor and columnist at the Chicago Tribune, Lou Carlozo writes about investment for U.S. News & World Report, and personal finance for Money Under 30 and GOBankingRates. He is based in Chicago. Connect with him at linkedin.com/in/loucarlozo.
The wife of one of the three Baton Rouge police officers slain in July's horrific ambush attack has something to celebrate in the months after the tragedy.

Dechia Gerald's husband Matthew Gerald  who served three tours in Iraq before returning to serve his Louisiana community  was shot dead at 41 in the wake of protests over several police shootings of black men this summer.

Five days before her husband became a hero once again, and for the final time, Mrs. Gerald believes she conceived.

Read: Cop Surprises Single Mother With A New Car After Hers Was Destroyed In Accident

The couple, who already had two daughters, were treated to a rare night together in the midst of a string of 12-hour shifts Gerald worked during the summer's protests.

When she realized their final night together brought them a third child, Gerald tells WAFB she knew it was meant to be.

"Its divine intervention, its all Gods plan," Gerald said. "Its in his plan, I dont know why and I cant question why. I just have to move forward and in the days and years to come, I know its going to be difficult because the baby has no idea who his father is but its going to be my job that he does or she does know who its father is."

At 10 weeks, Gerald said she hopes it takes after its dad. But Gerald said she's just happy she'll have yet another reminder of all that Matthew meant to her.

Read: Cop Sends Flowers to Driver Who Was Stopped After Finding Out Her Elderly Mom Was Sick

"There's no better gift that a husband could leave behind than a baby, a gift from God. There's no better gift than that," she said.

Her baby is due April 7.

Of the six officers shot, Matthew Gerald was one of three that were killed when Gavin Long, 29, opened fire in the wake of the killing of Alton Sterling.

Also killed in the rampage were husband and father of one Montrell Jackson as well as husband and beloved father of five Brad Garafola.

Story continues

Watch: QB Colin Kaepernick Refuses to Stand For National Anthem to Protest Racial Injustice

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A Connecticut woman who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for drowning her newborn baby in a toilet when she was just 17 will be released from prison early.

On Wednesday, the state Board of Pardons and Paroles ordered that Panna Krom be released Sept. 30, WFSB reports.

Read: Murderer Asks Parole Board for Early Release But They Add 20 Years To His Sentence Instead

Now 26, Krom will be free after serving about half her sentence.

Leading up to the decision, Krom's attorney, Vicki Hutchinson, argued her client had received more than 10 times the average sentence normally handed down in such cases.

Krom said she committed the crime because her parents, who are from Cambodia, did not approve of premarital sex. "I now know how irresponsible actions can result in dire consequences, a notion that my 17-year-old mentality could not accept," Krom told the board.

Read: Alabama State Trooper Accused of On-Duty Rape Gets 6 Months Behind Bars in Plea Deal

Hutchinson also pointed out that Krom has completed her high school diploma, as well as six semesters of college, while serving her time.

"There is nothing more that I can do behind these prison walls to rehabilitate myself," Krom wrote in her statement to parole board. "But I can help people on the outside and also continue to make myself a better person."

The state opposed the early release, arguing that Krom's attorneys had originally agreed to a plea deal that would have made her eligible for parole in 2019.

Watch: 40 Years Later: Victims Recall Being Buried Alive, Kidnapper Gets Parole

Related Articles:
Isabelle Dinoire, the world's first face transplant recipient, has died at the age of 49, 11 years after her history-making surgery, the Associated Press reports.

Dinoire died on April 22, 2016, following a long illness, but the announcement was postponed out of respect for her family. Amiens University Hospital in northern France explained the delay in a statement Tuesday, September 6.

PHOTOS: Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Stars Weve Lost

"In accordance with the will of her relatives, no obituary was published in the press in order to protect their legitimate privacy at that painful time," the statement read.

No other information was provided. It is unclear whether Dinoire's illness was related to her transplant.



Celebrity Health Scares

Dinoire had to undergo a face transplant after her pet dog mauled her while she was passed out from an overdose of sleeping pills. She had a 15-hour operation in 2005 in Amiens to replace her nose, chin and lips. Doctors Bernard Devauchelle and Jean-Michel Dubernard used the body parts of a brain-dead woman.

Dinoire was warned about the risks ahead of time, according to the AP. The medication she later took so that her body wouldn't reject her face often caused health issues. "The results were very good in the medium term, but the long-term results were not so good," Dr. Jean-Paul Meningaud, head of reconstructive surgery at Henri Mondor Hospital, said. During another surgery in January, doctors discovered that she had a malignant tumor.



PHOTOS: Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time

"Facial transplants remain extremely complex surgery with high risk," according to the Amiens statement Tuesday. "It's important to remember that face transplants are still in the evaluation stage. They  cannot be considered a routine activity."

Per the AP, 36 face transplants have been conducted since 2005. Six patients have died from complications.

Dinoire is survived by two teenage daughters.



Story continues





Related Content:
GENEVA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - South Korea won an appeal ruling at the World Trade Organization on Wednesday in a dispute with the United States over U.S. duties on Korean-made washing machines and reversed part of the earlier ruling that had gone in Washington's favour.

South Korea complained to the WTO in 2014 about the way the United States accused it of unfairly pricing and subsidising its washing machines. A WTO panel of adjudicators partially backed South Korea's case in March but rejected part of its claim.

Wednesday's ruling by the WTO's Appellate Body largely backed South Korea's complaint about the U.S. calculation of "dumping" duties for unfair pricing and upheld its complaint about subsidies, as well as upbraiding the panel for wrongly approving several U.S. Commerce Department methodologies.

(Reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Dominic Evans)
Paris (AFP) - Iran has called on the Muslim world to punish the Saudi government for its handling of the hajj pilgrimage, from which Iranians have been excluded.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that the "cursed, evil" Saudi ruling family did not deserve to manage Islam's holiest sites, after a stampede in September 2015 killed around 2,300 foreign pilgrims, including hundreds of Iranians.

Relations between the regional rivals have often been fraught since the Islamic revolution toppled the Shah of Iran in 1979.

Here is a look at some of their main differences:

- 1987: Clashes in Mecca -

Security forces in Mecca crack down on an illegal protest by Iranian pilgrims during the war between Iran and Saudi-backed Iraq. According to an official toll, 402 people are killed, including 275 Iranians.

The Saudi embassy in Tehran is sacked and Riyadh sets quotas for the annual hajj that provokes a three-year boycott by Iranians.

In April 1988, Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia breaks off diplomatic relations with Shiite Iran. They are restored in 1991.

- 1997: Smoothing over differences -

The election of reformist Iranian president Mohammad Khatami in May 1997 leads to improved relations with Saudi Arabia. He makes a historic visit there in May 1999 and seeks better relations with Arab neighbours in general.

In 2001, the two countries agree to cooperate against drug and people trafficking, terrorism and money laundering.

- 2003: Shiites come to power in Iraq -

The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 sparks fresh tension by removing the ruling Sunni Ba'ath party in Baghdad and allowing majority Shiites to take over.

Saudi Arabia is also worried about increasing Iranian influence in Lebanon, where Tehran oversaw the creation of the Hezbollah Shiite militia in 1982.

- 2011: Riyadh sends troops to Bahrain -

In March 2011 as Arab Spring demonstrations sweep the Middle East, Riyadh sends Saudi soldiers to neighbouring Bahrain where protests by the Shiite majority have broken out.

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Riyadh accuses Tehran of stoking tension in the Sunni-ruled island state.

In October, the United States accuses Iran of plotting to assassinate Saudi ambassador Adel al-Jubeir, a key advisor to King Abdullah. Tehran claims the US is trying to fuel a new crisis.

- 2012/2015: Syria and Yemen -

Riyadh and Tehran square off again in 2012 amid the crisis in Syria. Iran backs President Bashar al-Assad and provides him with military forces and funds to battle Sunni rebels. Hezbollah becomes a crucial ally of Assad.

Saudi Arabia backs Syrian rebels, most of whom are Sunnis, but also joins a US-led coalition fighting the Sunni extremist group Islamic State.

Saudi foreign policy becomes more assertive in January 2015 when the new King Salman names his son Mohammed as defence minister.

In March 2015, Riyadh forms a Sunni Arab coalition of 34 nations to intervene in Yemen, where Tehran is supporting Shiite Huthi rebels.

Iran's July 2015 nuclear deal with the West causes more Saudi concern. Differences between the two countries over crude oil production levels contribute to a sharp drop in prices.

- 2016: New crisis -

On January 2, Saudi Arabia executes Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was a driving force behind 2011 protests in the country's Eastern Province.

That infuriates Iran, which had already accused Saudi officials of incompetence during the 2015 hajj.

Riyadh breaks off diplomatic relations with Tehran on January 3.

Tensions rise further ahead of this year's hajj, at which there will be no Iranians for the first time in almost 30 years.
On 3-5 October 2017 Kyiv is going to host the Space and Future Forum to network international experts and youth, many of whom will also participate at the first CosmoHack in the world. Joinfo provides media coverage of the Forum, and some of its topics were already discussed ...
By Andrea Shalal BERLIN (Reuters) - Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdel-Malek al-Mekhlafi on Wednesday urged the international community to step up its support of his government in its fight against the armed Houthi movement, and to help combat arms smuggling from Iran and elsewhere. "We are grateful for the international support for Yemen and the legitimate government, but we need more, of course," Mekhlafi said to the German Council on Foreign Relations. "Above all, we need more pressure on the militias so that they take part in the peace process." U.N.-sponsored talks to try to end 18 months of fighting collapsed in failure last month and the Houthi movement and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh resumed shelling into neighboring Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign in Yemen in March last year with the aim of preventing Houthi rebels and Saleh supporters from taking control of the country. Speaking in Berlin, Mekhlafi reiterated his government was ready to compromise and form a government with the Iranian-allied Houthi movement if they would accept a U.N. proposal. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he had agreed in talks in Saudi Arabia with Gulf Arab states and the United Nations on a plan to restart peace talks with a goal of forming a unity government. Both the Houthis and the exiled government have welcomed the idea of a return to talks since then. The United Nations last week said that at least 10,000 people have been killed in the civil war. It said some 14 million of Yemen's 26 million population needed food aid and 7 million were suffering from food insecurity. Mekhlafi said a national commission was studying all the deaths to determine responsibility, and rejected a call to launch an independent commission until that work was completed. He said the government was willing to take responsibility for any mistakes that caused civilian deaths and said most the deaths were due to Houthi bombing. Saudi Arabia has previously been criticized by human rights groups over the strikes that have repeatedly killed civilians. Last week the leader of Yemen's Houthi faction, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, told the Houthis' quarterly magazine his group was open to a peaceful solution of the conflict. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alison Williams)
YouTube is again banking on known quantities to build out its YouTube Red originals slate, ordering two series from BuzzFeed Motion Pictures with built-in fanbases: competition show Squad Wars featuring comedy quartet the Try Guys, and scripted comedy Broke.

Both shows will be available exclusively to subscribers of YouTube Red, priced at $9.99 per month.

BuzzFeeds Try Guys  Ned Fulmer, Keith Habersberger, Zach Kornfeld and Eugene Lee Yang  have amassed millions of views on YouTube and other platforms with skits featuring them exploring everything from pregnancy simulation to UFC fighting. In Squad Wars, teams will compete in a series of outrageous tests for the chance to face off against the Try Guys themselves and claim the honor of top squad. The show will be debut on YouTube Red in 2017; production is set to begin on this fall, with the Try Guys producing and hosting the series.

Broke, based on a series of BuzzFeed shorts, was created by and stars Quinta Brunson, a BFMP producer and development partner, along with Maurice Williams and Paul Dupree. The series follows the lives of twentysomething best friends and recent grads who dont let being cash-strapped stop them from pursuing their dreams. The 11-episode series is slated to debut on YouTube Red on Sept. 28.

BFMPs Quinta Brunson, Matthew Henick and Jared Sosa will serve as executive producers on Broke. Brunson, Kate Peterman and Garrick Bernard wrote the series, with Sosa and Adam Bianchi directing.

BuzzFeed has its finger on the pulse of social sharing, trending and keeping audiences entertained, said Susanne Daniels, YouTubes global head of original content. Quinta Brunson and the Try Guys already reach millions of fans with their popular videos, and were excited to introduce original series with characters and creators that fans already know and love.

To date, YouTube Red original productions have keyed off big-name digital stars, including PewDiePie, Joey Graceffa and Lilly Singh (a.k.a. IISuperwomanII). Earlier this month at its inaugural Television Critics Association presentation, execs revealed plans for three new YouTube Red originals: sci-fi comedy Lazer Team 2 from Rooster Teeth; a comedy series starring beauty and fashion vlogger Eva Gutowski (aka MyLifeAsEva); and Legendary Digital Studios thriller The Thinning starring Logan Paul and Peyton List.

Story continues

Subscribers to YouTube Red, priced at $9.99 per month, get exclusive access to original series and movies. The service also strips out all ads and provides unlimited access to YouTube Music and songs on Google Play Music. YouTube Red is currently available in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Mexico; YouTube plans additional international expansion through the end of 2016.

BuzzFeed officially reorganized into two divisions this month: the news team is headed by Ben Smith and BuzzFeed Motion Pictures led by Ze Frank. BFMP is based in L.A. at Siren Studios, with additional offices in New York, London, Sydney, Sao Paulo, Paris and Mumbai.

Related stories

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  September 07, 2016  Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include BP plc (BP), Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (DO), Petrobras (PBR), Statoil ASA ( STO) and Matrix Service Co. (MTRX).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Tuesdays Analyst Blog:

Oil & Gas Stock Roundup

It was a week where both oil and gas prices finished sharply lower.

On the news front, BP plc (BP) announced a second strategic partnership with Chinas state-owned energy company CNPC for shale gas exploration, while Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. ( DO) said its contract for the semisubmersible Ocean Valor was canceled more than two years early.

Overall, it was a dismal week for the sector. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures dived 6.7% to close at $44.44 per barrel, while natural gas prices ended down 4.2% to $2.792 per million Btu (MMBtu). (See the last Oil & Gas Stock Roundup here: Exxon Scraps Alaska Project, Shell Offloads Some GoM Assets .)

Oil prices sank to its second weekly loss in a row after the U.S. Energy Department's inventory release showed that crude stockpiles recorded a much larger-than-anticipated build, thus remaining at record high levels for this time of year. The commodity also suffered from a strong dollar that made the greenback-priced crude expensive for investors holding foreign currency.

Oils-Energy Sector Price Index

Natural gas fared badly too following a higher-than-expected increase in supplies. It was also dragged down by expectations of tepid heating demand with the imminent arrival of colder autumn temperatures.

Recap of the Weeks Most Important Stories

1. British energy giant BP plc announced that it has inked a production sharing contract (PSC) with China National Petroleum Corporation ("CNPC") for shale gas exploration, development and production. The PSC pertains to an acreage of about 1,000 square kilometers at Rong Chang Bei in the Sichuan Basin. CNPC will operate the block.

Story continues

This is the second contract between BP and the Chinese state-owned firm. The first PSC was signed in Mar 2016 and related to the adjoining Neijiang-Dazu block. The companies had also entered into a framework agreement on strategic cooperation in Oct 2015.

The latest PSC emphasizes BPs commitment to explore and develop unconventional resources in China. The framework agreement includes potential future fuel retailing ventures in China, promising new oil and LNG trading opportunities globally and carbon emissions trading as well as knowledge sharing around low carbon energy and management practices. (Read more: BP Signs Second Chinese Shale Gas Agreement with CNPC .)

2. Houston-based driller Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. reported that Brazils Petrobras ( PBR) has canceled a rig contract. Investors soured on shares in Diamond Offshore following the news and the stock fell almost 11% to $16.51on Thursday. Petrobras opted to terminate the contract for the semisubmersible Ocean Valor. The drillship was contracted through October 2018 at a dayrate of around $455,000.

This is another sign that the collapse in crude prices that began in mid-2014 amid a glut of supply and slowing demand for the commodity has affected the offshore drillers badly as oil companies cut back their capital spending.

3. Norwegian oil giant Statoil ASA (STO) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Brazils state-run energy behemoth Petrobras in order to strengthen their ties in the South American country. The MoU was signed by the two parties during the ONS 2016 conference in Stavanger.

The purpose of the MoU is to assess joint participation in the future tenders for exploration areas and to enhance upstream cooperation in producing fields in the Santos and Campos offshore basins. Moreover, the agreement outlined a prospective framework for collaboration on value creating opportunities in the gas value chain.

The companies objective is to capture value through use of technology and simplification of operational activities. Currently, Petrobras and Statoil are partners in 13 blocks in either exploration or production  10 in Brazil and three elsewhere. (Read more: Statoil-Petrobras MOU for Joint Participation in Future Projects .)

4. The challenging operating environment notwithstanding, energy-engineering services provider Matrix Service Co. ( MTRX) reported strong fiscal fourth-quarter numbers. While sales and earnings declined from the year-ago period due to low commodity prices, both results exceeded expectations. The outperformance came on the back of heightened activity on a power plant project and storage terminals related to an oil pipeline.

The company, which shelled out some $10.5 million to repurchase more than 650,000 shares in fiscal 2016, also managed to lower its SG&A expenses 11% year-over-year to $19.6 million in the most recent quarter. As of Jun 30, 2016, Matrix Services total backlog stood at $868.7 million.

For fiscal 2017, the company is guiding for EPS of $1.10-$1.40 (on revenue of $1.3 billion to $1.45 billion)  up from this fiscal years $1.07  driven by a number of under-construction projects and the expected receipt of additional awards.

5. Brazil's troubled state-run energy giant Petrobras announced that its voluntary layoff program, which came to an end on Aug 31, has been accepted by 11,704 employees.

In Apr 2016, the Rio de Janeiro-based oil producer had launched this program to lay off 21% of its staff or around 12,000 workers between 2016 and 2020. This voluntary retrenchment program was in line with the companys plan to cut costs, reduce its debt level and strengthen its balance sheet.

Petrobras expects this program to cost around 4 billion reals ($1.23 billion) and generate savings up to 33 billion reais through 2020. The company has already set aside an amount of 1.2 billion reals in the second quarter to provide for the expenses. (Read more: Petrobras' Layoff Program Ends; 11,704 Take the Offer .)

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Paris (AFP) - Actress Renee Zellweger said Wednesday she was up for playing hapless British singleton Bridget Jones's misadventures right to the nursing home.

"From a selfish perspective it could be a lot of fun to see her improvise her way through motherhood and whatever else might follow," the American star told AFP as the third film of the hugely popular character's amorous misadventures opened in Paris.

The Texan actress had earlier dropped a heavy hint that a fourth comedy in the franchise may be in the pipeline after "Bridget Jones's Baby" was greeted with warm reviews after its world premiere in London on Monday.

Her co-star Colin Firth, who plays smouldering but uptight human rights lawyer Mark Darcy, was even more enthusiastic -- although another movie would see him dicing with death.

"I would be quite something to span a lifetime," said the actor, the eternal object of Bridget's affection. "I can't quite believe we are still here 16 years after the first (film).

"The trouble is that I am under sentence of death," he joked, referring to how Darcy was killed off aged 51 by Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding in her last book "Mad About the Boy".

- Back from the dead? -

"Helen Fielding has a contract out on me," Firth added. "Unless we can stretch the idea that Mark Darcy dies when he is 98 then I'm done for. But I would love for it to go on... to watch this lot grow old."

Fielding, who created the chardonnay-swigging everywoman character in a newspaper column in 1995, had Darcy die after he drives over a landmine.

But after an outcry from fans -- including actress Gemma Jones who plays Bridget's mother in the films -- Fielding has alluded to the fact that fictional characters can come back from the dead.

He would not be the first character to do so in the series, with another of Bridget's paramours unexpectedly rejoining the land of the living at the end of the latest film.

Story continues

Twelve years after the last film, "Bridget Jones's Baby" finds our luckless heroine as a successful television producer.

But at 43 Bridget is resigned to "spinsterdom" until she finds herself pregnant after falling into bed with Darcy shortly after a muddy and drunken tryst with a handsome American internet billionaire, played by Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey.

While Zellweger's British accent is as impeccable as ever, Firth said his repressed stiff-upper-lipped upper-class character wasn't anything like him.

"I do not come from Mark Darcy's background. I don't come from that sort of privilege," he told reporters. "I am not a brilliant human rights lawyers, or even brilliant.

"I don't have his noble agenda and hopefully I am not as constipated as he is," he joked.

"I don't think Darcy is very representative of modern Britain... even though I have found a lot of work through him. Ironically as a schoolboy I thought I would never, ever wear a suit. So my career" playing a succession of upper-class types including Britain's last king "has been one of irony", he said.
By Fathin Ungku and Nicole Nee SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singaporean pre-school teacher Siti is determined to try for a baby even as Zika infections spread across the Southeast Asian nation. She just does all she can to avoid mosquito bites. "I really love kids and want to have one of my own," the 37-year-old who declined to give her full name said after a procedure at the fertility clinic of KK Women's and Children's Hospital, the largest facility for women's health in Singapore. "I'm not postponing my pregnancy plans but I'm taking all precautions I can." The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to a spike in microcephaly, a rare birth defect, in Brazil, which has so far been the hardest hit by an outbreak affecting large parts of Latin America. Babies born with the defect have undersized heads and brains. In adults, the virus - which can also be sexually transmitted - has been linked to a rare neurological syndrome called Guillain-Barre. Economists say concerns about the birth defect could dent the Singapore government's efforts to boost the number of babies born to its citizens. The city-state, a major financial hub, has one of the world's lowest birth rates and a rapidly aging society, while more than a third of its 5.5 million population are foreigners. "It could lead to some delay in people who are going to get pregnant or thinking of getting pregnant," said Michael Wan, an economist at Credit Suisse. "But it's a bit too early to tell." The low birth rate, and a drive to wean the economy off foreign labor, prompted the government last year to start giving out as much as S$10,000 ($7,400) in cash to Singaporeans who have a baby. Singapore health authorities have urged pregnant women or those trying to conceive to avoid mosquito bites and take precautions since the first case of locally transmitted Zika was detected on Aug 27. Since then, more than 280 people have become infected, of which two were pregnant. In their guidelines, they highlight the risks for pregnant women that are associated with Zika. They do not urge women who are otherwise healthy, and whose partners also show no symptoms of infection, to postpone pregnancy. "Use insect repellent. Practice safe sex for the duration of your pregnancy if your partner has been exposed to Zika," reads the advice for pregnant women on the Singapore government's main online portal. "Note that a positive Zika test may not mean your unborn child is infected or harmed." SOME EXPATS CONSIDER RELOCATING Citing a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Singapore's government portal says Zika infected women have a 1 to 13 percent chance of giving birth to a child with microcephaly. There is currently no vaccine for Zika, and Singapore has said the virus is likely to be in the country to stay, given the prevalence of the Aedes mosquitoes that carry it in this small, tropical island. Singapore has been battling dengue, another mosquito-borne virus, for decades. The World Health Organization, which has praised Singapore's handling of the Zika outbreak, recommends people considering pregnancy get counseled about the risks in Zika-affected areas, and are told that their options include delaying pregnancy. In Singapore, some women are not taking any chance. "Some patients, particularly expatriates, are calling to ask if they should relocate back to their own home country," said obstetrician Kelly Loi of the Health and Fertility Centre for Women. But Aude Vazart, a French engineer who gave birth in Singapore last week, told Reuters leaving the island to avoid Zika was "too extreme". "There are thousands of diseases I could get, even in France," the 29-year-old said. ($1 = 1.3473 Singapore dollars) (Additional reporting by Masayuki Kitano; Editing by Miral Fahmy and Martin Howell)
Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe's high court on Wednesday overturned a two-week ban on protests in the capital Harare after a challenge from activists involved in a surge of demonstrations against President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe has vowed to crack down on the protests, which have erupted over recent months as Zimbabwe has been pitched into deepening economic crisis.

"The court has said the ban was unlawful," Tendai Biti, a lawyer and opposition party leader among those who brought the case to court, told journalists.

"The judgement is a very brave judgement. We are very proud that the court recognised the power it has (and) importantly that courts will adjudicate matters without fear and favour."

Mugabe, who has routinely crushed dissent since he came to power in 1980, last week criticised the country's courts after several anti-government protests turned violent.

Judges authorised an opposition demonstration in Harare on August 26 which degenerated into clashes between opposition supporters and security forces.

Mugabe later blasted judges for "reckless" rulings allowing demonstrations against his rule, saying he hoped they had "learnt a lesson".

Zimbabwe has suffered economic collapse over the last 15 years, with 90 percent of the population now not in formal employment.

The cash-strapped government has been slow to pay the salaries of public sector workers, including the military, while banks are running out of cash.

- Violent protests -

"The judgement is progressive. We are excited," Stendrick Zvorwadza, a protest leader and long-time critic of Mugabe, said after judge Priscilla Chigumba made her ruling.

"Like we have always been saying this (campaign) symbolises peace."

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who have represented scores of arrested protesters, said the ruling against the police ban on protest was "a victory for activists".

On Friday, another court denied bail to 58 people arrested during the August 26 protests when riot police fired tear gas, beat up several people and blocked off the site of an opposition demonstration in Harare.

Story continues

Protesters fought back, throwing stones at police while some set tyres ablaze and pulled down the sign for a street named after Mugabe.

The demonstration -- which had been authorised by a court -- was to demand electoral reform before 2018 when Mugabe, 92, plans to stand for re-election.

Promise Mkwananzi, leader of the Tajamuka ("We are agitated") protest group, was also arrested at the protests and was denied bail when he appeared in court on public violence charges.

The last elections in 2013 were won by Mugabe in a vote the opposition said was rigged.
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's High Court ruled on Wednesday that a two-week ban by police on protests was illegal, saying it would suspend it for a week after a challenge by political activists who had said the move violated their rights. Police in the southern African nation issued an official notice last Thursday prohibiting all demonstrations in the capital Harare after anti-government protests descended into some of the worst violence seen in two decades. (Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Writing Stella Mapenzauswa; Editing by James Macharia)
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's High Court struck down on Wednesday a two-week ban on public protests issued by the police, a ruling hailed as a brave stand by the courts in the face of threats to the judiciary from President Robert Mugabe. Judge Priscilla Chigumba, who was deciding a case brought by political activists, said the official police notice issued last week after some of the worst public violence in two decades was invalid, and therefore suspended. Mugabe's opponents have become emboldened in the last two months by rising public anger over economic hardships including severe cash shortages, high unemployment and delays in payment of public workers. Lawyer Tendai Biti, a former finance minister who represented the four activists, said the police commander who issued the notice had no authority and had violated the constitution. After the ruling, Biti told reporters Chigumba had issued "a brave judgment that asserts the independence of the courts." On Saturday, 92-year-old Mugabe accused judges of being reckless in allowing anti-government demonstrations that later turned violent. (Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Ed Cropley)
Harare (AFP) - President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party has prevented opposition supporters receiving emergency food aid in Zimbabwe, a rights body said Wednesday, as the country reels under severe shortages.

A drought across southern Africa has pitched Zimbabwe further into economic crisis, with public anger over lack of food helping to fuel a series of recent protests against veteran leader Mugabe, 92.

"Ruling party members were the major perpetrators in violations linked to distribution of food," Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) chairman Elasto Mugwadi told a news conference in Harare.

ZANU-PF youths "openly told those affiliated to the opposition (they) would never get food aid," Mugwadi said, adding the problem affected several rural areas across the country.

"Investigating officers were informed (that) youths from the ruling party who are not even part of the distribution committees are involved in the distribution of food aid."

Mugwadi gave no exact figures but said that "huge numbers of people" were affected.

The ZHRC was established under the 2013 constitution.

Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has often accused the government of channelling food supplies to Mugabe supporters.

"Officials (must) desist from using political affiliations as yardsticks and guarantee impartiality in any food aid," Mugwadi said.

Earlier this year, Harare appealed for $1.5 billion of foreign donations to help prevent hunger, saying 4.5 million people -- half of the rural population -- faced starvation.

Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique have all issued drought alerts this year, as thousands of cattle die, reservoirs dry up and harvests fail due to drought caused in part by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Mugabe has vowed to crack down on the protests that have demanded his resignation.

ZANU-PF party spokesmen were not immediately available to comment on the ZHRC findings.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A nephew of South African President Jacob Zuma will pay 23 million rand ($1.65 million) to the liquidators of a gold mining company after a court last year ruled he and other directors stripped the company of assets, leaving thousands of workers jobless and destitute. Khulubuse Zuma and a grandson of South Africa's anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela were found by a judge to have acted in a reckless and fraudulent manner when they stripped the assets of two mines operated by their company Aurora. Judge Eberhard Bertelsmann ordered the directors and associates involved in Aurora Empowerment Systems to pay shareholders and liquidators 1.7 billion rand ($121 million)compensation for their role in the demise of the operations. Trade union Solidarity said on Wednesday that Khulubuse Zuma agreed to pay 23 million rand in damages in the High Court in Pretoria in a deal that was struck last week. "He came forward and said I can only pay 23 million rand ... But if it is found he has the means to pay more, he could be liable for more," Solidarity General Secretary Gideon du Plessis told Reuters. He said that after 5 million rand is paid for the legal fees of the liquidators, most of the balance will go to the miners. Solidarity has been a party to the proceedings because it has been representing 180 of its members. "Zuma has already made the first payment of 5 million rand and he has to pay a further 500,000 rand by the end of the day," Solidarity said in a statement. Zuma will subsequently make monthly payments until the full 23 million rand is paid. Aurora was appointed in 2009 to manage two gold mines near Johannesburg after the Pamodzi Gold company which ran them went into liquidation. But it did not have the capital to keep the mines running and the operations ground to a halt, with assets removed. Aurora's acquisition of the mines was held up in the media as an example of how well-connected members of the political elite get preferential treatment in Africa's most industrialized economy, especially under Zuma's presidency. Mandela's grandson Zondwa Mandela, another former Aurora director and other people involved with the company will face sequestration proceedings at a later date, where their assets could be taken and sold, Solidarity said. Lawyers representing Zuma and Mandela could not immediately be reached for comment. ($1 = 14.0100 rand) (Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Do yourself a favor: if you still own a Galaxy Note 7, follow these instructions to participate in the recall. At this point, theres no way of telling which Galaxy Note 7 is safe to use, or when  if ever  they might explode. A man in Horry County, South Carolina, left his Galaxy Note 7 charging in the garage and left to pick up his daughters. When he returned home, he found his house in flames with firefighters already at the scene.

DONT MISS: How to trade in your Galaxy Note 7 for one that wont explode

"Everybody was here, and they were actually at the front door about ready to go inside and make the initial fire attack. Somebody told me that there was a fire in the garage. You know, you just don't really ever think it will happen to you," Wesley Hartzog

Hartzog told WMBF News. "They asked me if I had anything plugged in in the garage. My cell phone, which was the new Note 7, was plugged in in the garage. I also had an air compressor plugged into the same outlet, but the compressor wasn't on."

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Horry County Fire Rescue investigators said the fires originated near a wall where Hartzogs Galaxy Note 7 was charging. Meanwhile, the man's family has been displaced from their house, which is now condemned.

"As soon as they can finish the investigation, and the insurance company for the home and Samsung can determine the exact the cause of the fire, whatever it may be, and then be able to move back in, and somebody comes in, and we're able to clean it up," he said.

This is the second reported incident involving an exploding Galaxy Note 7 in the US.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Root9B Technologies CEO and former UBS Paine Webber chairman Joe Grano weighed in on the continued threat of hackings and efforts to boost cyber security in the U.S.

Its one of the most serious issues facing America, this sovereign state-sponsored hacking thats going on  very prevalent. They started out going after U.S. government, now theyre segueing into [the] commercial side, Grano told the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo.

Grano proposed that there needs to be new layers of cyber security in the private and public sectors beyond what already exists.

If you were to ask and answer the following question: What do JPMorgan Chase, Home Depot, Target, Sony, IRS all have in common? Its not that they just got hacked. Its that despite spending $1 billion on their firewalls, they were exploited. So what it says is, as a country we have to take a whole new level of protection.

Grano explained that cyber training needs to be expanded all the way to the c-suite.

The challenge is we have to train our CSOs and our CTOs, theyve never been trained in cyber. Theyre very, very talented people, you know, creating a network, give me a process to transact transactions  now they have to be trained in cyber.

Grano then weighed in on plans to expand the force taking on the cyber threat in America.

Cyber Command itself in the United States have announced that they want to train 6,000 more people in terms of countering cyber attacks.

When asked whether the 2016 presidential election could be compromised by hackers coming out of Russia, Grano responded, I dont know about the word compromised, but certainly theyre going to try to influence with bogus data and information and create some excitement throughout the situation.

According to Grano, even the president is acknowledging more needs to be done to address cyber security.

Even the president has said Im going to increase the budget by 10% to try to deal with these issues, but we havent done enough as a nation. Like I said, the NSA is probably our core defense relative to sovereign states.

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TechCrunch

Twitter's stock will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange on November 8, according to a new filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This comes a day after Elon Musk completed the company's takeover after a lengthy ordeal late Thursday. "The New York Stock Exchange hereby notifies the SEC of its intention to remove the entire class of the stated securities from listing and registration on the Exchange at the opening of business on November 08, 2022, pursuant to the provisions of Rule 12d2-2 (a)," the filing reads.
Apples ubiquitous white ear buds.

No, the headphone jack is not the new floppy disk. Or the new CD or DVD, the new 30-pin Dock connector or the new FireWire port.

Excising the headphone jack from its new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus isnt like those other rounds of enforced obsolescence. Apple (AAPL) killed a technology thats worked fine for decades and left you with solutions that are costlier or more complex and work no better at the core function of delivering sound to your ears.

The new models are no thinner than last years iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, so its not as if Apple had no choice here. The company would like you to think of this deliberate downgradeto quote marketing vice president Phil Schillers facepalm-inducing remark at Thursdays eventas courage.

The correct word is arrogance.

The headphone jack has one job

Other technologies that Apple has offed over the yearsthe Verges infographic provides a helpful overviewaged poorly as our info-habits advanced.

The floppy disk stored too little data; old connectors like SCSI and Apple Desktop Bus were too big or too slow; the CD and DVD became less relevant as we shifted to media downloads and streaming.

Our ears, however, have not changed over the last few decades. We continue to be ship with at most two apiece, in most cases with an unchanged listening range.

And while music-playback hardware has evolved, the headphone jack isnt holding it back, two audio experts said over e-mail.

There is nothing necessarily limiting about the 3.5mm jack itself, wrote Dan Thompson, assistant chair of music production and engineering at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

It certainly isnt any kind of liability for audio quality, and nearly every headphone on earth supports it, said Christopher Montgomery, developer of a variety of open-source media formats.

Berklees Thompson added that a phones digital-to-analog conversion chipset and headphone amplifier can make a difference. He judged Apples as providing very decent integrated audio performance.

Story continues

So the decades-old 3.5mm headphone jack, itself derived from 138-year-old hardware, continues to do its one job. You can take the headphones from a 1980 Sony Walkman and pop them into an iPhone 6s, and they should work just fine although the foam padding on 36-year-old headphones is probably pretty gross by now, and they wont let you control playback the way Apples headphones do.

Your alternatives: dongles, wireless or the Lightning tax

Now that Apple has ensured you cant grab any random headphone and plug it directly into a new iPhone, youre left with three options of varying unpleasantness.

You can keep using old headphones (here at my desk, I can touch three without getting out of my chair) if you remember to bring the dongle Apple will ship with each new iPhone. If you lose that adapter, a replacement costs $9.

Or you can buy a set of Bluetooth headphones. They are increasingly popularthe NPD Group found that in June, their sales passed those of wired headphones in the U.S. for the first timeand dont have cords that can get tangled into an unholy mess.

But wireless headphones cost extra and need to be recharged. Often. Apples new $159 AirPods only run for five hours, so on a flight from the East Coast to San Francisco, theyll run out somewhere over Nevada.

Theres no old school headphone jack in the iPhone 7.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will ship with a set of wired headphones ($29 bought separately) that plug into the devices Lightning port. Which is great, except they wont work on any other companys mobile devices, Apples own computers, and every other device in the world with a headphone jack.

Lightning headphones from third parties will also carry the hidden Apple tax of the companys MFi licensing and certification program. The Cupertino, Calif., firm doesnt disclose how much it collects from the sale of each Lightning device, but past reports have put it at $4 a pop.

And when the only way for audio to go from an iPhone to headphones is via a digital channel that can be controlled by an app, your listening can be restricted by a music publishers digital rights management software, as Boing Boings Cory Doctorow recently warned.

This is what people hate about the tech industry

Once again, Apple has offloaded the cost of its design choices to its customers. But this time, it delivers too little in returnthe iPhone 7 is waterproof, but so are lots of other smartphones with a headphone jack, and dropping that connector to include stereo speakers only makes much sense if you dont get out much.

Look, change happens in technology and often justifies the cost of adapting. Ill tolerate the annoyance of replacing various USB cables and adapters with USB-C equivalents because this breakthrough connector promises an end to proprietary, pricey laptop power adapters.

But dumping the headphone jack for a proprietary successor is foolish. It inconveniences you for the sake of Apples design whims, not any improvement that youll notice in daily use. Its yet another round of customers being told to buy the nth new version of a gadget, an app, an album or a movie because technology.

We should all hope this move flops in the market, or Apple will be tempted to declare the power outlet also too bulky and in need of replacement with something more elegant.



Email Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com; follow him on Twitter at @robpegoraro.

Read more from Yahoo Finance on Apples September 2016 keynote:

Why Im buying the new Apple Watch

Why Ill never ever want an Apple Watch

Why the iPhone headphone jack must die
SAN FRANCISCO  September 7, 2016  Apple today announced that iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2 will bring customers in Japan the ability to use Apple Pay, an easy, fast and secure way to pay for everything in their daily routines, beginning in October. Users can commute and pay for everyday items with Suica from JR East, and make convenient and private credit and prepaid card purchases in stores, apps and on the web with a single touch. Apple is also introducing support for transit in Japan with Maps in iOS 10, so commuters can easily find ride details, including fare breakdowns that automatically show Suica pricing right on their device, making their commute more seamless and simpler than ever.



Apple Pay is accepted anywhere Suica is available, so users can make quick everyday purchases and buy or reload a Suica card or commuter pass, all with their iPhone. Japans major financial brands will also support Apple Pay, so shoppers can make purchases in many of the country's largest stores, at neighborhood shops and restaurants, and from their favorite online merchants.



We are incredibly excited to bring iPhone 7 to customers in Japan so they can experience the magic of Apple Pay, said Tim Cook, Apples CEO. Apple Pay will transform your daily routine, from making your commute easier and more convenient than ever with Suica right on your iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2, to using your favorite cards to make secure and private purchases with a single touch.



As the worlds largest transit operator, JR East is committed to innovating so we can provide our customers across Japan the best service possible, said Tetsuro Tomita, president and CEO of East Japan Railway. For iPhone 7, we redesigned an entirely new experience from the ground up so our customers can enjoy the ease and security of using Apple Pay while commuting, in our app and in stores with Suica.



iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2 sold in Japan will support FeliCa Type-F NFC contactless technology, which is used every day for more than 160 million transactions across Japan.



When Maps launches support for transit in Japan with iOS 10 in October, Apple Pay users can map out and pay for their entire commute, including major train, subway, ferry and national bus lines, on their iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2, based on updated fare and schedule information. If you have a Suica card added to Apple Pay and are planning a route that exceeds its balance, an alert will show its time to reload, and you can do so instantly, right on your device. Commuters can also follow carefully curated navigation instructions so its easy to get around Japans extensive underground tunnel networks.



Apple Pay will support many of the most popular Japanese credit and prepaid cards issued by AEON, Credit Saison, JCB, Mitsubishi UFJ Nicos, Orient Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Card, Toyota Finance, UC Cards and View Card, and carriers KDDI, NTT Docomo and Softbank, representing more than three-quarters of all credit card spending in Japan, with major global and domestic networks like American Express, Mastercard, JCB, iD and QUICPay. Users will continue to receive all of the rewards and benets offered by their cards.



Beginning in October, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2 users will be able to make purchases in stores anywhere Suica, iD or QUICPay is accepted, encompassing nearly two-thirds of all transactions at Japans largest merchants. In addition to Apple Stores in Japan, leading retailers that will accept Apple Pay include convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Circle K, Family Mart, Lawson, Ministop and Sunkus, supermarkets such as AEON, APITA and PIAGO, gas stations including ENEOS and Esso Mobil General, retailers like BicCamera, Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Uniqlo, and favorite local brands such as JapanTaxi and Sukiya.



Online shopping in apps and on websites accepting Apple Pay is as simple as the touch of a finger with Touch ID, so theres no need to manually fill out lengthy account forms or repeatedly type in shipping and billing information. Your card number is kept private and not shared with the merchant. Online brands that will accept Apple Pay in Japan include BASE, Demae-Can, giftee, Jalan.net, JapanTaxi, minne and Toho Cinema.



When paying for goods and services on the go within apps or Safari, Apple Pay works with iPhone 6 and later, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, and iPad mini 3 and later. You can also use Apple Pay in Safari on any Mac introduced in or after 2012 running macOS Sierra, and confirm the payment with iPhone 6 or later or Apple Watch.



Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. If your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch is ever lost, you can use Find My iPhone to put your device in Lost Mode to suspend Apple Pay, or you can wipe your device clean completely. You can also stop the ability to make payments with Apple Pay on iCloud.com. If you lose your device, your Suica balance is recoverable.



When you use a credit or prepaid card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device.



Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apples four software platforms  iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS  provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apples 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.



Press Contacts:

Katie Clark Alsadder

Apple

kclarkalsadder@apple.com

(408) 974-9976



Nao Yanagisawa

Apple

nao_yanagisawa@apple.com

+81 3 4345 2430


By Foo Yun Chee and Julia Fioretti BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. tech giants Google and Facebook are among multinationals spending more in Brussels as the European Commission eyes new business regulation after last week handing Apple a 13-billion-euro tax demand. A new annual filing by Google to the EU's Transparency Register showed it spent roughly 15-20 percent more on lobbying European Union officials and lawmakers last year than in 2014, itself some three times as much as in the year before that. A review by Reuters of EU lobbying budgets of a handful of leading U.S. firms which have been in the spotlight of European regulatory debates showed Google among the biggest spenders of all corporations, reporting a budget of 4.25-4.50 million euros ($4.8-5.1 million) in 2015. That compared to 3.5-4.0 million euros the year before and 1.25-1.5 million euros in 2013. A spokesman for the company, which has been served with three sets of charges in the past two years by EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, said its 14 staff involved in lobbying in Brussels were there to provide information. "European politicians have many questions for Google and about the Internet. We're working hard to answer those questions, helping policymakers understand our business and the opportunity for European businesses to grow online," he said. Google's annual Transparency Register filing, publicized on Wednesday by anti-corruption group Transparency International, appeared online coincidentally on Aug. 30. On that day European Competition Commissioner Vestager ordered Apple to pay a record $14.5 billion in back taxes to Ireland after ruling that the U.S. firm had effectively had illegal subsidies from Dublin. The iPhone maker did not respond to a request for comment on its lobbying in Brussels, where it has been advertising since July for a new government affairs manager to "represent Apple's position with policymakers". Its EU declaration of spending a modest 800,000-900,000 euros last year and employing just five staff working part-time on lobbying has prompted speculation that it may have underplayed its hand -- though EU officials insist that they are not influenced by high-pressure corporate lobbying. WAKING UP Daniel Freund from the Brussels office of Transparency International said businesses could benefit from devoting resources to relationships with EU officials in a city where an expansion of regulatory powers for the Commission and European Parliament in the past few years has seen Brussels start to rival Washington in numbers of professional lobbyists. "A strong lobbying presence would smooth relations with the EU institutions, establish personal relationships, prevent spats," Freund said. "The (2009) Lisbon Treaty means more competences have shifted to Brussels and companies are waking up to this fact." Facebook, whose WhatsApp messaging service could be affected by an upcoming reform of the EU's telecoms rules and which also has an interest in new data protection rules, spends much less than Google -- 700,000-800,000 euros last year -- but is expanding its small team of people lobbying for it in Brussels. A staff that numbered just two last year is now four and a fifth person is being recruited, a spokeswoman said. "Our team has increased in size as our company has grown and as such we are currently recruiting one extra person," she said. Its advert for a Public Policy Manager reads: "As Facebook has become part of the daily lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world, policy makers in many countries naturally wish to talk to us, and we wish to talk to them." Google's spending surge has come since Vestager's arrival in 2014 brought what many competition experts see as a more confrontational approach from the Commission. It is now similar to that of Microsoft, according to the latter's public filing. Microsoft, which lost heavily in the European court after years of legal battles with the Commission over its market dominance that began in the 1990s, declined comment. Amazon, which faces a similar tax investigation to Apple related to its relations with the Luxembourg government, declined comment. It employs six people on EU lobbying with a budget of 1.5-1.75 million euros, according to its filing. Uber, the ride hailing app company which has lobbied the Commission to do more to open up national taxi and transport markets to its smartphone-based services, has built a presence in Brussels over the past two years and now employs three people with a budget of 400,000-500,000 euros. Of global tech firms not based in the United States, Apple's smartphone competitor Samsung spent 2.5-2.75 million euros last year with a staff of nine, its Transparency Register filing shows. The South Korean company declined to comment. ($1 = 0.8894 euros) ($1 = 0.8894 euros) (Additional reporting by Marilyn Haigh; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; editing by Susan Thomas)
As part of the iPhone 7 announcement production on Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook joined The Late Late Shows James Corden for a quick round of Carpool Karaoke.

The segment stars with Corden asking if Cook can share any insider information before the official announcement.

Were going to talk about some great stuff, Cook says.

That just sounds like a press release, Corden replies.

Corden gave Cook a pep talk before he took the stage to reveal the new iPhone 7 which, among other features, will be water-proof and no longer includes a headphone jack.

The Late Late Show host also suggested, jokingly, that Cook should appear on stage carrying a cane with the Apple logo on the top.

This is a big deal, Corden said. If I was you, Id be wearing a suit made entirely of apples.

When asked about his favorite band, Cook replied that he love[s] One Republic. Both Cook and Corden engaged in renditions of One Republics I Lived, followed by Lynyrd Skynyrds Sweet Home Alabama with a special guest appearance by Pharrell Williams.

Earlier this year, Apple Music announced that it had purchased the rights to a stand-alone Carpool Karaoke series. With a 16 episode order, Apple will distribute the series to its members in 100 countries across the globe. The series is set to premiere in early 2017.

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When it comes to the Cloud, experts say, right now, its all about magical convenience.

As in, making things happen just by asking, no matter where you are.

The big revolution is the growth of the Cloud and mobile, said Evangelos Katsamakas, associate professor of information systems at Fordham University. A smart phone is basically a computer. Its like a remote control for the Cloud. You can request a taxi, share a photo or find directions. Its a magical thing.

What has the Cloud done for you lately? Most likely, more than you realize.

Sharing and Storing Photos

Boxes of fading images, gathering dust in closets and desk drawers, unorganized, difficult to share with friends and family. These are the relics of photos past. Patrick Austin, associate editor, electronics, at Consumer Reports, cites photo storage and sharing as one of the top ways the Cloud has made life easier.

Google Drive, Dropbox, these are all easy ways to store photos, documents, videos, funny GIFs, he said. You can snap some photos and they go to Google Drive and you can share them with family and friends. No more going to develop film or burning CDs. Just give them a link.

The Cloud even makes it easier to find that missing photo that used to mean hours flipping through stacks of images.

Facial recognition with Google Photo [and iPhoto and others] lets you search for a picture by typing the name of the person, said Giuseppe Ateniese, director of the computer science department at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. This is machine learning from aggregated algorithms. (Made possible by the Cloud.)

Limitless Storage and Device Flexibility

Right now, we assume that we have unlimited storage  pictures, emails, files  all stored with no limitations, said Ateniese. We have unlimited storage that kids take for granted and everything  movies, music  all is immediately available on any computing device.

Once upon a time, a work computer was difficult (impossible?) to access from home. Many a heavy laptop was lugged on back-and-forth commutes so that work information could be accessed away from work.

Story continues

But with the Cloud, You are no longer tied to a desk or a device, said Austin. And if you have an idea at home, you can just go into Dropbox or Google Docs and immediately share it and have access to it on all your devices. Shared living documents that multiple people can access and add to through the Cloud also improve work productivity and make lives easier.

We take for granted that all the information is synced among the different devices  laptops, cellphones, desktops, said Ateniese. Right now, we are using the Cloud mostly for storage and availability of data. But we should not forget that the Cloud is also about computation. The Cloud is a set of remote servers, and we can exploit the power of these servers.

Future Applications

Today, tech companies are thinking way beyond these simple ways that the Cloud is improving lives, delving into deeper applications that involve concepts like predictive analytics, virtual reality and artificial intelligence to add to convenience and improve experience, based on aggregate data.

Health applications will probably be one of the most compelling future applications of the Cloud, said Ateniese. The Cloud will aggregate data from sensors in laptops and other devices to give a picture of the health of users. This will be extremely important in the future.

Streaming-video companies, like Netflix, will be able to anticipate what movie people will want to watch next on a much more accurate basis, and will suggest it, all by correlating data.

From a consumer perspective, we give up control for ease, said Katsamakas, who cites artificial intelligence as a big theme going forward. The Cloud is becoming smarter by itself over time.

In some ways, there is added convenience, he continued. But big companies know everything about you, sometimes even better than you know yourself.

People love the convenience, agreed Austin, until it gets creepy and people feel it is being used against them.

For now, he argues, theres not that much to worry about.

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Michael Dell created Dell Technologies from his dorm room at the University of Texas and led it to become a global heavyweight (AFP Photo/Mandel Ngan) (AFP/File)

Washington (AFP) - US computer maker Dell said Wednesday it completed the acquisition of data storage firm EMC, creating the largest privately held technology group with a range of computing services.

The completion creates a new firm called Dell Technologies and finalizes a record $67 billion deal for EMC, which will help the struggling PC maker accelerate its efforts in cloud and mobile computing.

Dell founder and chairman Michael Dell, who took the computer maker private in 2013, said the new firm would be better positioned to compete in the evolving technology landscape.

"We are at the dawn of the next industrial revolution," he said in a statement.

"Our world is becoming more intelligent and more connected by the minute, and ultimately will become intertwined with a vast Internet of Things, paving the way for our customers to do incredible things. This is why we created Dell Technologies. We have the products, services, talent and global scale to be a catalyst for change and guide customers, large and small, on their digital journey."

Dell Technologies will be offering a variety of services for enterprises including cloud computing, data analytics, mobility and cybersecurity. It moves Dell further away from its origins in the personal computer market, which is shrinking.

Michael Dell created the company from his dorm room at the University of Texas and led it to become a global heavyweight known for direct service to customers.

He led a $24.9 billion buyout to take it private as it attempts a transformation amid diminishing PC sales and the shift to mobile computing.

While Dell Technologies remains private, EMC shareholders received a new tracking stock to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange which represents the outstanding shares in software virtualization firm VMware, which had been a unit withing EMC.

Dell Technologies, based in Texas, will have estimated annual revenues of $74 billion and 140,000 employees, with operations in 180 countries.
The end of roaming charges was a key element of the EU's effort to create a far more unified market in Europe, especially for digital and communication services (AFP Photo/Bertrand Guay) (AFP/File)

Brussels (AFP) - The EU insisted Wednesday it had not scrapped its popular pledge to end roaming charges for mobile phone users despite unveiling a proposal to limit the measure to 90 days.

"Let me be very clear, we have put an end to roaming," European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a news briefing. "You will not have to pay as of June 2017."

The commission, the EU's executive arm, on Monday released its guidelines on how to implement a decision last year by Brussels and EU member states to "end roaming" in the 28-nation bloc.

The EU agreed to end roaming fees, but after intense lobbying by mobile phone companies, also accepted to curb the ability of Europeans to seek out mobile phone contracts in cheaper countries for use at home.

"Roaming means travelling, means moving around the European Union, going on holiday. The Europeans who travel do so on an average of 12 days per year," Schinas said.

"The commission with our guidelines have gone much further by abolishing roaming charges for at least 90 days per year," he said.

It proposed capping fees above this level at 4 euro cents a minute for calls,1 cent for an SMS and 0.85 cents per MB of internet data.

The end of roaming charges was a key element of the EU's effort to create a far more unified market in Europe, especially for digital and communication services.

"Roaming should be free all year-round, not just for 90 days. I urge the EU commission to revise its proposal," the influential liberal MEP Guy Verhofstadt said in a tweet.

The commission's proposal must now be debated and approved by regulators from the EU's member countries before adoption set for December 15.
In May, then US National Intelligence Director James Clapper warned of cyberattacks against the US election campaigns, without specific reference to any source (AFP Photo/Jim Watson) (AFP/File)

Washington (AFP) - America's intelligence chief on Wednesday said Russia hacks US computer networks "all the time," while also seeking to reassure the public the transition to a new president would "be OK."

US agencies, companies and individuals are frequently targeted by overseas hackers, and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign has accused Moscow of hacking into Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails.

"The Russians hack our systems all the time, not just government but also corporate" and personal systems, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said at a Washington security summit, though he did not directly address whether Moscow was behind the DNC hack.

He also pointed the finger at China and "non-state" actors for constantly trying to swipe data.

The recent breach of DNC data, along with other electronic intrusions, has raised concerns about cyber incidents that could affect the outcome of the US presidential race, or other contests.

Clinton is locked in a tightening race with Republican rival, Donald Trump.

Clapper said both campaigns' transition teams had met with the current administration in the White House.

"I know a lot of people have been feeling uncertainty about what will happen," said Clapper, who was closely involved in the transition from former president George W. Bush to President Barack Obama in 2009.

"I am here with a message: It will be OK," he added, telling observers to avoid "catastrophizing" the upcoming changeover.

As the two main nominees, both Trump and Clinton are now receiving classified briefings on US intelligence matters.

Clinton's campaign has said the DNC hack also accessed an analytics data program.

Cybersecurity experts worry more hacks and incidents in the coming weeks could even hurt the integrity of the election campaign.
Its iPhone 7 day, which means Apple will finally make the smartphone official. After months of waiting, many people are likely to decide this week whether or not upgrading to the iPhone 7 is worth it. Some pundits are describing the iPhone 7 as an uninspired upgrade over last years model, looking forward to a big redesign next year that would better help Apple. However, if youre going to wait for the iPhone 8 to arrive, you might just miss out on an amazing iPhone 7 experience this year.

MUST SEE: This could be your first look at the iPhone 7 in Apples new black color

Investors and consumers are already setting their sights on Apples 2017 iPhone, Reuters writes, a device thats supposed to mark Apples 10th iPhone anniversary and introduce a brand new form factor.

It looks like part of the reason they are keeping the design the same this year is there are bigger changes they are working on for next year, Jackdaw Research analyst Jan Dawson told the news site. The analyst says that Apple may only get single-digit gains in sales for this years iPhone after iPhone sales dropped for two quarters in a row.

The iPhone 7 runs the risk of disappointing investors, BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis told Reuters.

The iPhone 8, which is what people are currently calling next years iPhone, could sport a wider display that reaches from one edge to the device to the other and an invisible home button embedded in the screen. Thats what unnamed analysts told Reuters, and it's in line with everything else weve heard about the 2017 iPhone upgrade.

But that doesnt mean the iPhone 7 will be any less exciting, and weve often explained why thats the case.

Analysts often fail to grasp the idea that you dont need a brand new design to deliver a better mobile experience. Last years iPhone 6s was a major upgrade compared to the iPhone 6. The iPhone 7 will be even faster than the already speedy iPhone 6s, and miles ahead of the iPhone 6.

Story continues

If a fresh design is all that matters to you and you plan on waiting on the iPhone 8 to arrive before upgrading your iPhone, then youll miss out on a great smartphone experience. And just in case budgeting is in the way of your next iPhone purchase, heres one way to do it without breaking the bank.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
After weeks of anticipation, Sony will finally take the stage in New York City on Wednesday afternoon for its PlayStation Meeting. Sony has yet to reveal what the event will focus on, but countless leaks over the past several weeks seem to have spoiled the biggest surprise. Still, there's no telling what else Sony has in store.

MUST SEE: Why the iPhone 7 will be much more successful than you might think

Unboxed, reviewed, disassembled  the slim model of the PlayStation 4 hasn't been officially announced by Sony yet, but it's clearly going to be the main exhibit.

Unlike the Xbox One S, the PS4 Slim doesn't feature any notable upgrades over its predecessor, but hardware revisions have become the norm in recent console generations. A new model of the PS4 was inevitable, regardless of whether or not Sony had any plans to add new features or upgrade the specs.

But other than a skinnier PS4, what else might Sony discuss in NYC today? Although there's not much evidence to support it, there's a pretty good chance Sony will take this opportunity to shed some more light on the 4K-capable PS4 Neo. Sony actually announced the "high-end PS4" before E3, but we haven't heard anything about it since. This would obviously be a good time to share some more details.

There is also a rumor going around that Rockstar Games will make a surprise appearance at the PlayStation Meeting to unveil a remastered version of the open world cowboy simulation Red Dead Redemption for new-gen consoles.

If you want to see it all happen live, tune in below at 3PM ET:

https://youtu.be/11XjMplfTd4

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Nearing its third anniversary, Nebraska Crossing Outlets in Gretna continues to grow.

Construction started last month on new buildings for two new tenants, a 25,000-square-foot H&M clothing store and a 10,000-square-foot Ulta Beauty.

Both stores are expected to open in the spring, said Rod Yates, whose company developed the mall.

Nebraska Outlets also is getting ready to welcome its first sit-down restaurant tenant -- LOCAL Beer Patio and Kitchen. The 4,500-square-foot restaurant is scheduled to open Sept. 16.

Yates said sales are up 10 percent this year compared with the same time last year, and there is a waiting list of tenants that want to locate at the center. Traffic at the mall continues to be strong, he said.

All the growth has created problems with parking, Yates said, and the mall is currently evaluating the possibility of adding a 400-stall parking garage sometime in the future.

Yates said the mall, which opened in November 2013, had seen about 12 million total visitors from opening day through the end of June, or an average of about 400,000 a month.

While most of the traffic comes from Nebraska and Iowa, research done by the mall also shows strong numbers of shoppers coming from the Kansas City, Denver and Minneapolis areas.

Yates said he's very pleased with the mall's performance thus far.

"In my opinion, if you could own one asset class in retail today, it would be 'outlet,'" he said.
Bugeater Foods, a Lincoln-based startup company that makes insect-based food products, was one of two Nebraska businesses to receive research grants from a federal government program designed to help develop products related to food security, natural resources and agricultural issues.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Wednesday that 76 businesses in 35 states will receive $7.4 million in Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grants.

Bugeater Foods said in a news release that it will use its $100,000 grant to conduct research on insect-based foods, with a primary focus on extrusions such as rice, pasta and other products.

The other Nebraska-based business to receive a grant was Windcall Manufacturing in Venango, which is developing a small handheld grain combine designed to gather grain samples for moisture level testing. It also received $100,000.
Newly released Lincoln Fire and Rescue dispatches from the evening nine correctional officers were assaulted at the Lincoln Correctional Center provide insight into what LFR faced going inside.

Rescue workers responded about 6:40 p.m. on Aug. 24 to the medium/maximum security prison at 3216 W. Van Dorn St. after dispatchers said a 24-year-old man had been hit with a homemade weapon.

Seconds later, the dispatches indicate a 50-year-old woman also had been assaulted and was breathing but not conscious.

As LFR was en route, dispatch kept receiving information about more injured correctional officers.

"They have a guard situation going on with some of the prisoners," someone relays back. "Right now we've got maybe three patients. They're in lockdown mode now. We've got one guard in the main entrance we're treating."

About nine minutes after the call, a medic says they're leaving one patient in the main hallway and going to find the unconscious woman in the basement.

"We'll let you know when we find out more," he says. "It's all guards that are injured."

Eleven minutes into the call, LFR says it's still making its way down to the basement.

"They told us the facility is all secure at this point in time," someone says.

The battalion chief says he only wants one medic unit in the basement until they figure out the situation.

Thirteen minutes after the assaults are reported, LFR says they have four patients in the infirmary.

"We're going to send two up, walking wounded, and we need two ambulance stretchers down here in the infirmary ... one more medic unit needed down here," someone says.

Nearly 20 minutes after the call, LFR confirms the last patient is being brought up from the infirmary. A rescuer also says most of the correctional officers had been pepper-sprayed at some point.

All correctional officers who were injured were released from the hospital that night, including a woman who required staples to her head, LFR Chief Micheal Despain has said.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said the Aug. 24 incident began when inmates refused to return to their cells. An inmate hit a correctional officer and others followed. At least a dozen inmates were involved, officials have said.

In a letter to the Journal Star, one LCC inmate said the assault happened when a correctional officer told an inmate he'd get in trouble for tattooing his cellmate, but the inmate claimed the cellmate tattooed himself.

The inmate wrote that tensions are high at LCC due to reasons including lack of programming and self-betterment groups.

He said he has asked state Corrections Director Scott Frakes to use inmate welfare funds properly and claimed that the recent purchase of a popcorn machine is a waste. Frakes said in a letter to the inmate he'd gotten numerous requests for the machine, which will be used on holidays and special occasions free of charge.

Other complaints include inmates not being able to purchase button-down shirts for visits, requests for more yard time being denied and requests for microwaves in the housing units being denied.

In a memo from Frakes, addressed to the inmate population and dated Sept. 1, the director says the physical attacks against staff must stop.

He said inmates want more time out of their cells, more freedom to move around, more programs and jobs.

"These things cannot happen until the violence stops."

He said inmates who assault staff will be assigned to long-term restrictive housing, lose up to two years of good time and be referred for prosecution for felony assault.

"You say that change is needed, and I've told you I agree. The pace at which we create positive change will be significantly slower if violence continues."

LCC opened in 1979. It was operating at 163.6 percent of its design capacity in June and has been without permanent leadership for more than two months.

Fred Britten was appointed interim warden after former Warden Mario Peart was reassigned, then retired following the June 10 escape of two convicted sex offenders.

Escapee Armon Dixon was recaptured a day later after physically assaulting two women at a central Lincoln apartment complex. Timothy Clausen was arrested in Omaha on June 15.

August's violence is the latest in a series of incidents at Nebraska prisons since a riot erupted at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution in May 2015. The Mother's Day riot left two inmates dead and resulted in extensive reviews of safety and staffing within the state prison system.
The 22-year-old inmate came into the courtroom Wednesday ushered by two prison guards, before the judge gave him more time for an unprovoked attack on a staff member at the Nebraska State Penitentiary last year.

The sentence came less than a week after Corrections director Scott Frakes issued a memorandum to the entire inmate population calling for an end to physical attacks on staff following spates of assaults.

"You're off to a very unfortunate start. That's about all I can say," retired Lancaster County District Judge Karen Flowers told Tyler A. Feagley before she sentenced him to five to 10 years in prison for second-degree assault.

It left the guard with a broken arm and so badly injured he needed surgery on his face, according to court records.

Feagley, 22, pleaded guilty.

At 13, he was headed to Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Kearney. By 17, he was on his way to Work Ethic Camp, Deputy Lancaster County Public Defender Bob Hays said.

A year later, Feagley was headed to prison for five to eight years on theft charges out of Gage County, which led him to the State Penitentiary, where he was Aug. 24, 2015.

That day, Feagley started yelling at a prison corporal who had gone to his cell to search him, a investigator said in an affidavit.

The guard told Feagley to put his arms behind his back so he could be restrained, but he pulled away when the guard reached for his arm, then swung his fist back and hit the guard in the face.

The guard fell to the floor and Feagley jumped on top of him, punching him in the face several times.

The injured corporal was taken to a Lincoln hospital, where doctors needed to put plates in his face because of the fractures he sustained, the affidavit said.

At Feagley's sentencing Wednesday, Hays said Feagley accepted responsibility for what he did and saved the state the expense of a trial, and the victim has recovered well.

Deputy County Attorney Eric Miller asked the judge to consider the serious nature of the assault and the fact that Feagley later wrote a letter indicating he was proud of what he'd done.

"This type of behavior certainly should be discouraged," Miller said.

Flowers called it an unprovoked assault on someone whose responsibility it is to keep Feagley safe, as well as other inmates and the community.

In the memo dated Sept. 1, Frakes said the physical attacks against staff must stop. He said those who engage in assaults will lose up to two years of good-time and be referred to prosecutors.

"Violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," Frakes wrote.

Feagley is now at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.
Prosecutors charged a 22-year-old woman with terroristic threats after Lincoln police say she broke into a home and lunged toward another woman with a kitchen knife early Monday.

Officers arrested Kwalisha Franklin after responding to the Parkview Apartments around 3:41 a.m., according to an affidavit to jail Franklin.

Police saw Franklin holding the knife and being restrained by a man, officers wrote in the affidavit.

The woman who called police told them Franklin knows her, came over earlier in the day and tried to force her way inside, the affidavit said.

Franklin came back later, she told police, and broke down the door.

Inside, she grabbed an 8-inch wooden-handled knife and charged toward the 23-year-old woman who locked herself inside a bathroom after the man who lives there restrained the assailant, the affidavit said.

Franklin told police she had lived there for several months and arrived to find the locks changed, so she broke in.

She found the other woman and the man in her bed, she told police.

Franklin denied ever having a knife in her hand, the affidavit said.

Franklin was taken to jail on suspicion of burglary, terroristic threats and using a deadly weapon to commit a felony.

She was released from jail on Tuesday on $5,000 bond, according to jail records.
Live horse racing returns to Lincoln Thursday, and its going to be a party.

The Lincoln Race Course will host two super sprints this year, as well as a live band and mascot foot race with food and drink specials throughout the afternoon at The Winners Circle bar and grill.

The first race, set for 4:30 p.m., will be for fillies and mares and the second race at 6 p.m. for colts and geldings.

So a boys race and a girls race, Lincoln Race Course General Manager Christy Harris said.

Each race will include a field of three thoroughbreds running a one-furlong course. The race course near West Denton Road and U.S. 77 has to run at least one live race a year so it can offer betting on simulcast state and national races.

Last year more than 650 people turned out for a single live race. The Lincoln Race Course expanded the event this year at the request of both fans and the states horsemen, Harris said.

Were making it a lot more festive, she said. Were trying to have as much fun as possible.

Event organizers plan to give out 200 T-shirts, plus a surprise gift to the first 300 people who show up. Lincoln-based band AM/FM will perform between and after the races until 9 p.m.

Also between the horse races, eight local mascots will run a foot race, including the Race Courses Scratch the Horse, Chuck E. Cheese, Truckie from Two Men and a Truck, Jimmy the Egg Man of Jimmys Eggs, Josh the Otter from the Joshua Collingsworth Foundation, the Saltdogs' Homer the Haymarket Hound, Scotty the Squirrel from "Lost in Fun" and Runza Rex.

Lincoln's live horse racing moved to the new facility in 2014 after the University of Nebraska-Lincoln began redeveloping the former State Fair Park into Innovation Campus.

Races are now run on a single straightaway. Harris said the Nebraska Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association, which owns the 110-acre site, eventually plans to run multiple days of races but first has to build a full-size permanent track. They are working on funding but have not announced a timeline.

An effort to have voters decide whether to allow expanded gambling at the states race courses -- which would have helped fund the track -- failed this year because organizers didn't get enough signatures to get the issue on the November ballot.

The Lincoln Race Course opens Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department has issued food enforcement warnings to:

The Big Room Event Center, 2310 N. First St., Nos. 7, 8, 9. Employee with permit that cannot be verified. No food manager currently associated with establishment. No roster provided upon inspection. Employees drinking from open containers. Pipe at prep sink no longer draining properly.

DaVinci's, 2650 Superior St. Two employees without current food handler permits, repeat. Employee observed touching clothing then prepping sandwich without washing hands. Employees also observed failing to wash hands after returning from restroom. Cheese sauces did not reach correct temp after three hours of reheating, repeat, product discarded, corrected.

Village Inn, 5001 Van Dorn St. Three employees without food handler permits. Both left and right prep coolers holding food at unsafe temp for unknown time, temperature log started, corrected. Shake mixer heads and some walk-in cooler racks with residue accumulation, repeat. Live cockroach observed by rear handwash sink, several dead cockroaches on floor, several houseflies in kitchen.
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The United States has had some pretty catastrophic weather so far in 2016.

In April, Texas had flooding, with Houston getting 16 inches in 12 hours. The same month Pensacola, Florida, received 2 feet of rain in 26 hours, and more than 1,687 homes were severely damaged.

Then in May, Texas was hit again. Enough rain fell to cover the entire state in 8 inches of water. Twenty-one people died and 31 counties were declared disaster areas. In June, West Virginia had what was called a one-in-a-thousand-year flood; 23 people died and 1,000 homes were severely damaged or destroyed.

Last month, Louisiana also had a one-in-a-thousand-year flood. It badly damaged or destroyed 146,000 homes, killed at least 11 people, and required 20,000 water rescues. The Red Cross has called it the worst disaster in the U.S. since Hurricane Sandy.

The Weather Channel reported 18 Major Flood Events Have Hit Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas Since March 2015. An article from the Swiss Re (an insurance company for insurance companies) states that Three separate severe weather events in the US, including large hail, caused combined insured losses of over USD 7 billion. (From Swiss Re Estimates Natural Catastrophes Caused $31 Billion Insured Losses for First-Half 2016.

The United States is not just having a string of bad luck. Climate change is making events like these more frequent and more severe.

A New York Times article on Aug. 16, responding to the Louisiana flooding said, Climate change is never going to announce itself by name. But this is what we should expect it to look like. Thats what many scientists, analysts and activists are saying after heavy rains in southern Louisiana killed at least 11 people. Then on Sept. 3, the New York Times had this headline, "Flooding of Coast, Caused by Global Warming, Has Already Begun."

The Washington Post editorial board, on Aug. 22, stated, The future is being rigged against vulnerable people by a system in which government and industry are complicit. No, we are not talking about the electoral system -- we are talking about the climate. The warming of the globe, spurred by humanitys dependence on fossil fuels, is weighting the dice, as scientists often put it, in favor of increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather phenomena. Extremely high temperatures are the easiest to predict as warming proceeds. Also relatively foreseeable is heavier rain, because warmer air carries more moisture. In other words, do not be surprised if the country sees more costly disasters such as the flooding that hit Baton Rouge.

The country has a problem here. It is a bi-partisan issue. It is a nonpartisan issue. It is a human issue. It affects all of us and our pocket books. Global warming must be approached both reasonably and quickly. We must come together as a nation and develop the needed infrastructure and good old American know-how to power our society by other means.

A fee on carbon pollution with all net revenues sent monthly to all U.S. households lets the market make the change we need. This plan, called "fee and dividend" helps all of us get through the transition away from the fossil fuels that now are increasing global warming. For more specifics about fee and dividend, Google Citizens Climate Lobby.

Our congressmen and congresswomen in Washington need to hear from us. They need to take action to accelerate the process of transitioning to renewable sources of energy. Ask them to take action.
SAN DIEGO -- During a recent speech to a largely Hispanic audience in Reno, Nevada, Hillary Clinton skewered Donald Trump for spreading "prejudice and paranoia." The Democratic nominee seized upon a popular Mexican refrain that essentially amounts to guilt by association.

"There's an old Mexican proverb that says, 'Tell me with whom you walk, and I will tell you who you are," she told supporters.

In Spanish: "Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres."

Trump's goal, Clinton said, is to "make America hate again." After all, she added, look at the Republican's spiteful handling of the immigration issue.

All true. But the problem is that Clinton is the wrong person to judge others by the company they keep -- especially on the immigration issue, where her hands are far from clean. Just look at some of her closest associates:

-- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is a longtime friend, and he was a top adviser to President Bill Clinton. Emanuel endorsed Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign back in 2014, before it was even launched. It's no wonder that CNN said earlier this year that "few people are closer to the Clintons than Emanuel."

In the 1990s, while working in the White House, Emanuel urged Bill Clinton to be as tough on immigration enforcement as President Richard Nixon was on crime -- with the same objective of attracting white voters. In 2006, while serving in Congress, Emanuel helped Democrats take back the House of Representatives. All Democrats had to do to keep it, he convinced himself, was to push immigration reform so far onto the back burner than it fell off the stove. He told Hispanic lawmakers that the issue was "the third rail." You touch it, you die.

One of those lawmakers, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., later endorsed one of Emanuel's opponents in Chicago's 2011 mayoral race, and even cut a commercial where he blamed his former colleague for the fact that Congress never achieved immigration reform.

If we were to hand out grades on how one handled the immigration issue, Emanuel would get a "D."

-- Then there is Hillary's husband, the former president who adopted Emanuel's cynical advice to ratchet up deportations in order to appeal to white voters.

Bill Clinton also militarized the U.S.-Mexico border by increasing the amount of fencing and Border Patrol agents at three different points -- in California, Arizona and Texas. Human rights activists who work on the border say the crackdown led to countless deaths since immigrants were funneled into crossing through mountains and deserts.

Finally, Clinton signed into law the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. IIRIRA made it easier to deport people and harder for them to come back legally because it bars re-entry for 10 years following a deportation. This dreadful piece of legislation is something that immigration attorneys have to battle against every single day.

Bill Clinton's grade: "D-."

-- Finally, there is President Obama, in whose administration Hillary Clinton served as secretary of state. Obama quickly broke his campaign promise to make immigration reform a top priority and, in his two terms, has deported nearly 3 million people, destroyed hundreds of thousands of families, and banished to foster care tens of thousands of U.S.-born children whose parents were deported. He pushed back for three years against immigration reformers who pleaded with him to use executive power to halt deportations by denying that he had such power. Obama miraculously discovered this authority in 2012 when he ran for re-election and needed to re-energize Latino voters, and made a similar discovery in 2014 when he tried to help Democratic members of Congress in the midterms.

The president also claimed untruthfully that his administration was largely deporting criminals and "gangbangers" when a review of the data showed otherwise. Finally, Obama removed tens of thousands of Central American refugees -- mostly women and children -- and imprisoned thousands more indefinitely in bleak detention facilities, most without due process. And Obama tried to cover up his crimes against humanity by blaming Republicans for the evil that his administration carried out.

Obama's grade: "F."

These charlatans are Hillary Clinton's peeps. She walks with them. And so -- according to that Mexican proverb she likes so much -- this should tell us exactly who she is.
In 1942, Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado entered into a compact on the use of water from the Republican River that flows through the three states, with 49 percent of the rivers water allocated to Nebraska, 40 percent to Kansas and 11 percent to Colorado.

The compact, however, has led to bitter fights and costly lawsuits over the last two decades, including a 2005-06 case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court that resulted in Nebraska paying Kansas $5.5 million -- a serious amount of cash, but far less than the $80 million Kansas had sued for.

Those lawsuits should end -- and management of the river improve -- under a landmark agreement signed late last month by Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and his Kansas and Colorado counterparts that allows more flexibility and predictability in the management of the river, while remaining in compliance with the compact.

These resolutions represent a long-term strategy for representing each state and ultimately improving water management for water uses in all three states, Ricketts said in the news release announcing the agreement, which was negotiated through two years worth of monthly meetings between state water resource officials.

Among the key provisions of the agreement is a new resolution that allows Nebraska to provide Kansas the amount of water it needs in a given year rather than sending 40 percent of the water to Kansas year in and year out. Kansas can recoup that water in future years as needed.

That practical, common-sense allocation will make use of the river more flexible and more predictable for irrigators and regulators, eliminating much of the conflict and the likelihood of lawsuits between the states.

Cutting off irrigation, particularly in southwest Nebraska where the Republican enters the state, remains possible under the new agreement. But other already implemented management tools, including storage of water in the underground aquifer to be used in later years, should reduce, if not eliminate, any future shutoffs, which cause damage to each years crops and to the farmland valuation.

The agreement wisely calls for a review in 2020 to ensure that it is being fully and properly implemented and any of the three states can pull out at any time.

That, however, isnt likely to happen as the agreement is a perfect example of interstate cooperation that fulfills the original compact and will allow the best, most efficient use of the regions most valuable resource -- water.
The opinions of Jerry Falwell Jr. are a perfect example of why our founding fathers believed in the separation of church and state ("Donald J. Trump is the Churchillian leader we need," Aug. 24). He blames the problems with ISIS in Iran, Iraq, Syria and other states completely on President Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The real problem was because President George W. Bush did not bring the troops home after taking care of Afghanistan but, instead, started the tragic war in Iraq, which laid the groundwork for the endless confrontations in the whole area. To compare Trump with Churchill is a foolish comparison, when some have pointed out that his brash tactics would further upset the world, rather than attain peace.

Falwell blames Obama and Clinton for our massive debt, apparently not realizing that our budget had a surplus the last few years of President Bill Clinton's time in office. Perhaps our children and grandchildren would have a better future if Bush had not given the surplus back to the wealthy with refunds and lower taxes and then starting the needless war in Iraq that destabilized the whole area and cost us billions with no end in sight.

He also believes our Supreme Court is another political organization that must be managed by those in power to suit their interests. When we have as many guns as people in this country, it is not likely we will lose them very soon and that notion is only to scare people into voting for the Republican candidates. He is concerned that Clinton would appoint liberal judges, but he is apparently not slightly worried about the radical people Trump might appoint.

Bernard Marvin, Imperial
A Native activist and documentary filmmaker told state liquor regulators Wednesday that the death of a woman they say was beaten in Whiteclay in August justifies the closure of the towns four beer stores.

Frank LaMere of Winnebago and John Maisch, a former Oklahoma alcohol regulator who made a documentary about Whiteclay, called on the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission to shut down the stores following the Aug. 17 death of Sherry Wounded Foot, a 50-year-old woman they say was brutally beaten and later died of her injuries.

Whiteclay has claimed another life, Maisch said. Whiteclay is a lawless place.

The stores in Whiteclay, population 12, sold the equivalent of 3.5 million cans of beer last year. The village sits on the border of South Dakotas Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where alcohol is banned but alcohol-related problems run rampant. An estimated one in four children on the reservation is born with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Maisch said Wounded Foot was found by law enforcement unconscious behind a building in Whiteclay on Aug. 5. She was taken to the Pine Ridge Hospital, where she later died after being taken off life support.

He said the Sheridan County Sheriffs Office failed to notify the public or media about Wounded Foots injuries and eventual death or about the possibility of a violent perpetrator on the loose in the area.

Sheridan County Attorney Jamian Simmons confirmed the investigation Thursday into the death.

Simmons told The Associated Press that Wounded Foot died of blunt force trauma to the head. Wounded Foot was taken from Whiteclay to a Pine Ridge hospital on Aug. 5, but Simmons says the ambulance crew that transported her didn't see evidence of trauma. Whiteclay is known for having intoxicated people passed out in the streets.

Its very much an active investigation at this time, she said.

LaMere said Wounded Foots death is now the fourth unsolved murder in the unincorporated village. He cited the deaths of John Means, who authorities say died of exposure in April 1997 despite his familys belief that he died of foul play, and Wilson Black Elk and Ronald Hard Heart, two men who were found brutally murdered in June 1999 just north of Whiteclay across the reservation border.

He said law enforcement did little to find the perpetrators in those three mens deaths and he expects the same for Wounded Foot.

Marcel Kills Enemy, a Lincoln man and Black Elks cousin, told commissioners Wednesday that the inability of Nebraska law enforcement to find his cousins murderer demonstrates the lack of care they have for Native people.

People in Nebraska do not care, he said.

LaMere said he spoke to a close relative of Wounded Foots last week and was told no investigators had yet contacted her. That apparent lack of action on the part of authorities spurred Wounded Foots relative to travel to Whiteclay and search for answers herself.

Its as if she never lived, he said of Wounded Foot. It is as if she never died. That is the nature of those on the streets of Whiteclay. Nobody cares.

According to an obituary for Wounded Foot, she was born in Rapid City to Jonas Sr. and Florence Wounded Foot and leaves behind a son and two daughters, as well as two brothers and numerous grandchildren.

A two-night wake and funeral services were Aug. 24-26 in Porcupine, South Dakota.

At Wednesdays Liquor Control Commission meeting, Maisch asked the commissions executive director, Hobert Rupe, when he was notified of Wounded Foots death. Rupe said he hadnt learned of it until Sept. 2.

I would have assumed I wouldve heard earlier, Rupe said. I think you can safely say I was a little concerned.

Maisch said the commission has the authority to shut down the beer stores in Whiteclay and should do so considering the town lacks adequate law enforcement. On any given day, people can be seen drinking on the towns sidewalks and behind buildings.

He said there is no legal place for people who buy beer in the town to consume it.

Rupe said not every violation of the law can be considered a violation of state liquor laws and, thus, evidence of a crime committed by a liquor license holder. He said state law enforcement has attempted to find violations by liquor license holders in Whiteclay but are challenged by the unwillingness of people there to provide testimony.

Whiteclay poses incredible challenges from an enforcement standpoint, he said.

Without evidence from law enforcement, the commission cant revoke a liquor license, Rupe said.

Maisch said Nebraska law does allow prosecution of liquor license holders who allow illegal consumption of alcohol on adjacent properties.

After Wednesdays meeting, Rupe said the commission did conduct an audit of the four beer stores in Whiteclay last fall and forwarded its information to the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office this spring for possible enforcement action.

We believe those might show some issues, he said.

Suzanne Gage, spokeswoman for Attorney General Doug Peterson, declined to comment on whether her office will investigate issues brought up by the commission's audit.

LaMere said the unsolved murders of four people should be reason enough to shut down Whiteclays beer stores.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY  A new track in South Sioux City is planning a three-horse race it needs to host for the Winnebago Tribe's economic development corporation to maintain its racing license.

Ho-Chunk bought the former Atokad Downs in 2012 with the hope of developing a $30 million to $40 million casino at the site. But a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize casino wagering at Atokad and other Nebraska horse tracks has been stalled.

Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale's office rejected 31,600 signatures as invalid, leaving supporters well short of the number of required signatures.

"We are still moving forward with our Plan B," said Alexcia Boggs, development director for Ho-Chunk Inc. "We are trying to continue the effort to expand casino gambling in Nebraska. We are still surprised and shocked and trying to evaluate ourselves internally on what things went wrong."

In the meantime, the track must hold at least one live race in 2016 to maintain the racing license Ho-Chunk received from Nebraska earlier this year.

Saturday's race starts at 5 p.m. Temporary facilities will be used to take bets and serve food and beverages since the old grandstands have been torn down.
A federal judge Tuesday shot down Gage County's effort to get a new trial or to reduce a jury's $28.1 million verdict awarded to six people who went to prison for the brutal killing of a Beatrice woman that was later tied by DNA to another man.

Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf said his only "semi-surprise" is that the jury didn't award more.

"It is, to put it bluntly, laughable to suggest that the jury verdict was excessive," he wrote in an order Tuesday afternoon.

In a similar case, he said, New York City agreed to pay $41 million to the Central Park Five.

On July 6, at the end of a four-week trial in Lincoln, a federal jury in Lincoln found Gage County liable for a reckless cold-case investigation led by Sheriff's Deputy Burdette Searcey and involving psychologist and reserve Deputy Wayne Price. The investigation run four years after the rape and murder of Helen Wilson led to the arrests of six people.

Five of them confessed or entered no contest pleas in the case. All six later were cleared by DNA testing on evidence from the 1985 murder scene.

This summer, the federal jury awarded Joseph White, Ada JoAnn Taylor, Thomas Winslow, Kathy Gonzalez, James Dean and Deborah Shelden $28.1 million in damages, giving each $1,000 per day they had served in prison.

Together, the six spent 75 years locked up before White got DNA testing that tied Bruce Allen Smith to the crime in 2008.

By then, Smith had died in an Oklahoma prison. Shelden, Dean and Gonzalez had completed their sentences in the Wilson case, but White, Winslow and Taylor still were behind bars.

The six sued Gage County, the sheriff and deputies calling the cold-case investigation so reckless it violated their civil rights.

During the federal trial, attorneys for the six said Searcey relied on statements that contradicted crime scene evidence to get a judge to sign off on arrests, then used the threat of the death penalty to pressure them into giving statements implicating others; and, after talking with Price, two of the six came to believe they had suppressed memories, which could come back in dreams.

After the verdict, Melanie Whittamore-Mantzios, an attorney for Gage County, filed motions arguing that Kopf should disregard it and find in the county's favor or grant a new trial, citing alleged misconduct by an attorney for the six and by the judge.

She also argued the damages were excessive and that the county at minimum was entitled to a $1,095,000 reduction of the verdict because it included time Winslow served in prison on an unrelated assault.

Kopf denied the motion Tuesday, saying there was no basis to reduce the award. He said the jury could have believed, as Winslow testified, that his life "became an absolute living hell" after publicity in the case that involved the rape of an elderly woman.

"My only semi-surprise is that Winslow was not awarded more money by the jury," the judge wrote.

As for the alleged misconduct, Kopf said the defense never raised objections to comments he made off-the-record out of the presence of the jury or to Maren Chaloupka putting the word "Innocent" on a screen during closing arguments or asking supporters to stand.

Kopf said attorneys for Gage County could have made a motion for mistrial or asked that an instruction be given to the jury. They did not, he said.

He said the defendants may not like prior rulings by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which reversed previous rulings made by him and ultimately sent the case to a jury trial.

"But the Court of Appeals has made it abundantly clear that the evidence was plainly sufficient to go to the jury against all defendants on all claims. After hearing the evidence in the second trial, that is also my conclusion," Kopf said.

In a separate order, Kopf granted attorney fees and expenses of $1,721,520, shaving $151,346 off the request.

The county is likely to appeal, although Whittamore-Mantzios didn't return a request for comment.

Gage County Chairman Myron Dorn said the Board of Supervisors planned to meet with its team of private-practice attorneys on Sept. 28, but said he believed the board will move that meeting up to next week.

County Attorney Roger Harris was not available for comment Tuesday.
Nearly 500 guests dressed all in white dined on gourmet picnic fare and danced the night away to the music of The 402 band at the second-annual Haymarket in White dinner and dance Aug. 5 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Guests participated in the traditional Diner en Blanc white napkin wave to kick off dinner. Attendees also enjoyed a signature cocktail, White Peach Sangria, created by Outback Steakhouse.

Our guests spent an extraordinary night at an unconventional event that encouraged the community to come together to celebrate Lincoln and the Haymarket, said Jeff Cunningham, Lincoln Haymarket Development Corp. (LHDC) business manager, who co-chaired the event with his wife Diane Cunningham and Darl Nauman.

The event is sponsored by the LHDC, a nonprofit organization that promotes, protects and enhances the historic nature of the Haymarket District.

Highlights included several raffle prize drawings, a history of the Dinner in White by Lawrence DeVilliers from The Normandy French Cuisine, and sparklers at dark.

The event was emceed by sponsor representatives Chris Goforth of KFOR Radio, and Meghan Bragg and Shelby Fenster of 10/11 News.

The Haymarket in White dinner and dance is modeled after the famous Diner en Blanc in Paris. The concept began almost 30 years ago, when Frenchman Francois Pasquier invited a group of friends to an elegant outdoor dinner at Bois de Boulogne, asking them to dress in white so they could find each other. The Diner en Blanc is now held in over 70 cities throughout the world.

LHDC is already planning the third-annual Haymarket in White for August 2017, Cunningham said. Like the Haymarket in White Dinner & Dance page on Facebook to stay updated and see photos from this years event.
CALEDONIA  Organizers of Mondays Labor Fest have announced the four people honored during the event at Caledonia-Mount Pleasant Memorial Park  most notably Keith Kemper as Labor Person of the Year.

Kemper is in his fourth three-year term as business representative for Sheet Metal Workers Local 18 in the tri-county area. He has taught in the apprenticeship training program at Gateway Technical College and has a bachelors degree in labor education from the National Labor College.

He holds numerous other labor positions including vice president of the Southeastern Wisconsin Building and Construction Trades Council, recording secretary of the Kenosha Union Club and president of the Racine Union Club.

Colin and Julie McKenna were named Mr. and Mrs. Solidarity. Both have been longtime activists in supporting labor and progressive values in the greater Racine area. They have been active in local election campaigns, and Colin has been honored by the Democratic Party of Racine for his involvement. Julie, a long-time Racine Unified School Board member, has received the Roots Award from the Racine Education Association.

Jeff Peterson was named Labor Retiree of the Year. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1983-87 with training in firefighting.

During his career with the Racine Fire Department from 1988-2016, he served on the Racine Firefighters Local 321 Executive Board, vice president and eventually as president from April 2010 until November 2015.

During Labor Fest, attendees donated 580 pounds of nonperishable goods for the Racine County Food Bank.
RACINE  A Racine man was arrested Friday after he was reportedly found driving a stolen vehicle that he said a friend lent him.

Juan Antonio Rodriguez, 43, of the 900 block of Wilson Street, returned to the scene of a hit-and-run incident around 11:54 a.m. in the 6200 block of Durand Avenue, according to the criminal complaint.

The victim of the hit-and-run did not see her car get hit but was informed by a witness that her vehicle was hit, the complaint said.

When officers were preparing to leave the scene, the vehicle, a black GMC Acadia, returned to the scene. The vehicle was identified by a witness and the car took off out of the lot, according to the complaint.

Police pursued and pulled the vehicle driven by Rodriguez over. Police asked Rodriguez if he had been involved in a crash and he said he did not recall being in a crash, the complaint said.

Officers then ran the license plate on the GMC and discovered the license plate did not match the car. The VIN number showed that the car was stolen out of Greenfield, according to the complaint.

Rodriguez was arrested and stated that his car had broken down a week before and a friend lent him the car. He said he was unaware that the car was stolen and that the cars license plates were not for the car, the complaint said.

Rodriguez faces two felony charges for operating a vehicle without the owners consent and receiving stolen property worth more than $10,000.

He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 15 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.

He remained in custody as of Tuesday night at the Racine County Jail, online records showed.
MOUNT PLEASANT  A Racine man was arrested Tuesday after he reportedly pulled a BB gun on a victim during a road rage incident.

Johnny L. Harsh, 21, of the 3200 block of Republic Avenue, almost hit a car while attempting to change lanes, according to the criminal complaint.

The victim told police he was turning onto North Green Bay Road from Northwestern Avenue and was nearly hit by Harsh. Harsh then got behind the victims vehicle and almost hit the victims car again, the complaint said.

The victim then got out of his car to get the license plate number. Harsh then pulled a gun from the passenger seat and pointed the gun at the victim through the window, according to the complaint.

While the victim called police, Harsh left the scene. When police arrived, the victim provided the license plate number, the complaint said.

Harsh was later found near the 3300 block of 17th Street. When asked, Harsh reportedly admitted to almost hitting the car. He said he felt threatened when the victim got out, and then put the gun on his lap, according to the complaint.

Harsh told police it was a BB gun and that it was currently at his aunts house in the basement. The gun was recovered, the complaint said.

Harsh was arrested and faces one misdemeanor charge for disorderly conduct. He is scheduled for an initial appearance at 2 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.
RACINE  A 17-year-old is scheduled to appear in court next month for four misdemeanor charges including resisting an officer.

Daivon D. Banks, 17, of the 1200 block of Cherry Street, was involved in separate incidents at John XXIII Educational Center, 1101 Douglas Ave., on April 25 and May 4, according to the criminal complaint.

Officers witnessed Banks and the victim arguing when Banks struck the victim, then put the victim in a headlock while continuing to punch him, the complaint said.

Banks fled the scene before officers could make contact with him, according to the complaint.

The second incident reportedly involved Banks refusing a teachers commands in which an officer was called to assist, the complaint said.

Banks, who is reportedly 6 feet tall and weighs 300 pounds, refused to go to his next class when ordered by the officers. Banks allegedly shoved the officer, causing the officer to fall backwards several steps, according to the complaint.

Banks then got into a boxers stance and smiled as he approached the officer, the complaint said.

Additional school staff and officers assisted in taking Banks into custody, according to the complaint.

Banks faces four misdemeanor charges  one count of battery, one count of resisting an officer and two counts of disorderly conduct.

He is scheduled for a pre-trail conference at 3:15 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.

He remained in custody as of Wednesday night at the Racine County Jail, online records showed.
RACINE  Four local attorneys who died this past year will be remembered Thursday at a memorial service held by the Racine County Bar Association.

The time honored practice, which has occurred regularly over the past two decades, will take place during "The Call of the Calendar, an annual event held each year by members of the bar association in which new members are welcomed and departed members are memorialized.

Attorneys being eulogized this year are Gerald M. Crawford, William E. Dye, Patrick M. Lloyd and Robert Riegelman. The event will start at 3 p.m. on Thursday in the Fourth Floor Ceremonial Courtroom at the Racine County Courthouse, 730 Wisconsin Ave. Families and friends of the attorneys to be memorialized are encouraged to attend.

Started by the bar association in 1997, The Call of the Calendar event is modeled after the days when the bar association would memorialize deceased attorneys before the beginning of the fall and spring judicial schedules.
The Journal Times released a report last week detailing the highest paid employees working for Racine County for 2015.

Youd expect department managers and the county executive to top the chart and they were up there on the list.

But they werent on top.

On top was a nurse at Ridgewood Care Center who made $180,923.97 because of overtime. In fact, the amount she made in overtime surpassed the amount of her normal salary.

According to a Journal Times report, Raichel Cheriyans regular salary without overtime ranked 31st among the salaries in the county with $87,889.78. However, because Cheriyan made $93,034.19 in overtime, she ended up as the highest-paid employee.

It makes sense that nurses need to work some overtime. If someone calls in sick, you cannot just leave patients unattended. Someone needs to be there 24/7 to keep everyone healthy and safe. In addition, there is a nationwide shortage of nurses due to the increased demand in care, according to Racine County Chief of Staff M.T. Boyle.

However, if you are working that much overtime, its hard to keep yourself healthy. In addition, working that much overtime means that taxpayers are going to pay a steep price not just one year because of the overtime, but for years and years to come because of the way the states retirement system is set up.

According to the Wisconsin Retirement Systems benefits formula, the amount a worker makes in retirement is based on the number of years worked and on an employees top three years of wages.

While the exact formula is specific to each individual based on age and years served during different time periods, its safe to say Cheriyan now has the opportunity to make a significant amount more in her retirement years based on last years pay, particularly if she is able to do it for three years.

In addition, two other county employees made more in overtime last year than their regular salary.

Matthew Lawler, a deputy at the Racine County Jail, made $152,893.33 total with $82,509.21 coming from overtime pay.

Geoffrey Thompson, a deputy with the Sheriffs Office, also made more in overtime than regular pay. He made $140,333.33 with $71,019.74 coming from overtime.

Some overtime is necessary and can be less expensive than hiring more employees. But county officials and  other government agencies as well  should look at their policies to try to spread out overtime as much as they can between multiple employees. And state officials should look at how state pensions are paid out to better help protect taxpayers money in the years to come.

Its time to end the charade of government employees feathering their retirement nest eggs by grabbing up overtime hours in one or two years to bulk up the three-year average. A better yardstick would be a 10-year average or even a retirement benefit based on all years of employment. End the gaming of the retirement payout system.
4-year-old girl raped in Baitadi

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Actor Panta to be honoured

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Apple farmers upbeat as floor price doubles

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Energy minister tells officials to conclude PDA

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Envoy appointments not before PMs India visit

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Falling remittance concerns PM

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday cast doubts on remittance remaining a sustainable foreign income source, as the growth rate of the money sent by Nepalis working abroad has been declining.
Foreign Ministry refutes media reports about high-level visit from China

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Good writing needs practice

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Guru Secondary School named best in Midwest

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NC leaders urge Deuba to come up with official stance

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Nepalis not to be sole foreign security workers in Malaysia

Malaysia has decided to allow its firms to hire security guards from countries other than Nepal, ending a decade-long monopoly of Nepali migrants in the countrys private security industry.
Opportunity knocks

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Protocol to be finalised by Oct

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Rallying for tourism

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Rishipanchami observed nationwide

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Sangam Prasain is Business Editor at The Kathmandu Post, covering tourism, agriculture, mountaineering, aviation, infrastructure and other economic affairs. He joined The Kathmandu Post in October 2009.
Taskforce formed to study problems in ginger exports

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Turkey and US 'ready to hit IS capital'

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UK court acquits Lama of charges

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Unskilled workers face harrowing experiences abroad

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Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.
Killeen, TX (76540)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 51F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 51F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
ANGOLA  Strand Theatre owner Dana Thompson had been telling patrons that once his run with the current Star Trek movie ended, so would the theater that has entertained people in downtown Angola for some 102 years.

Some thought it was Thompson just telling tall tales, for which he had a knack. On numerous occasions in recent years Thompson told patrons the movie theater would be closing soon.

This time he meant it.

From the staff of the STRAND THEATRE, we would like to thank you for your patronage over the years. Today is the last day that we are open for business, September 4, 2016. Thank you, said a message on the Fans of the Strand page on Facebook.

As he told patrons who spoke with The Herald Republican, the push by the movie industry to convert all films to digital finally caught up with the Strand, which was still showing movies on film. The cost of converting to digital equipment has been prohibitive for many small town movie houses, forcing several to close their doors.

In 2014, when the city of Angola tried to land a Stellar Communities grant that would have showered some $15 million on city government, one of the projects mentioned at the time was paying for digital equipment for the Strand and the Brokaw, prior to its conversion to digital. The intent was to prolong the life of the theaters.

A fan of the theater who grew up going to the Strand was Kim Shoup, who serves as counsel to the city of Angola.

Dana could be found in the evening outside the theater talking with customers and passers by. He was a friend to many disaffected denizens of the night; a favorite with dogs being walked who always received a milk bone; and a colorful character to children who enjoyed his wholesome movie fare, Shoup said in a letter to the editor.

Angola resident Eric Anthony, who has experience in media, said his first movie experience was at the Strand.

I saw my very first movie at the Strand, Superman (1) staring Christopher Reeve, Anthony said.

Changes in technology caught up with the Strand, Anthony said.

This is a society of iMax, 3-D and digital so, really, there is little choice but to either spend the money to give people that experience or pack up, Anthony said. With the Brokaw doing such extensive modernization to give people the movie experience they expect in 2016, the Strand really had no choice but to decide to keep up and spend a fortune, or call it a day, as people would be choosing the more modern theater for the blockbuster movies.

Anthony was referencing the monumental restoration done to the Brokaw Movie House, which has two screens, full digital and many amenities, like food service and limited adult beverages. The Brokaw was closed for more than a year for its restoration, which cost more than $1 million.

Posters on Facebook hope the owners of The Brokaw, Scott and Melissa Glaze, would do the same for the Strand.

For sentimental reasons, Anthony wished there would have been some prior notice of the closing so folks could see the old theater a final time.

A little advance notice of its closing would have been nice for people who wanted to see the theater one last time and maybe take some pictures of it, he said.
Several arrested over holiday weekend

ANGOLA  The following people were arrested over the weekend by law enforcement officers working in Steuben County and lodged in the Steuben County Jail.

 Nancy N. Bailey, 32, of the 200 block of East Hardy Street, Hudson, arrested at home on misdemeanor charges of possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

 Buchanan S. Carpenter, 20, of the 9000 block of West C.R. 375N, Shipshewana, arrested on Gale Street on a misdemeanor charge of minor in possession of alcohol.

 Rachel A. Durham, 45, of the 1400 block of Bellefontaine Road, arrested in the 4000 block of Bellefontaine Road on misdemeanor charges of public intoxication and indecent exposure.

 Michael S. Leins, 44, of the 1600 block of North Shore Drive, Rome City, arrested on a misdemeanor fugitive warrant.

 Jose F. Martinez, 18, of the 3000 block of Middlebury Street, Elkhart, arrested at Toledo and Swager streets in Fremont on a misdemeanor charge of unlicensed driver.

 Celso A. Mendoza-Vallecillo, 52, of the 4200 block of South C.R. 150W, Pleasant Lake, arrested on S.R. 127 and U.S. 20 on a misdemeanor charge of operating while intoxicated.

 Stephen R. Mesta, 33, of the 900 block of East C.R. 300N, arrested at the sheriffs department on felony charges of operating while intoxicated and resisting law enforcement and misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

 Daryl E. Miller, 19, of the 4700 block of West U.S. 20, LaGrange, arrested at Toledo Street and Abbott Drive, Fremont, on a misdemeanor reckless driving charge.

 Brent T. Raske, 19, of the 4300 block of West U.S. 20, arrested in the 200 block of North Hardy Street on misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

 Roger W. Raske, 21, of the 4300 block of West U.S. 20, arrested in the 200 block of North Hardy Street on a felony charge of possession of methamphetamine and a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.

 Aundra L. Smolek, 26, of the 2000 block of South C.R. 800E, arrested on a civil warrant alleging contempt of court.

 Dominic F. Tripoli, 47, of the 6000 block of Running Brook Lane, Fort Wayne, arrested on a misdemeanor fugitive warrant.

 Krista L. Vann, 35, of the 4900 block of North C.R. 300W, Fremont, arrested on Interstate 69 on a misdemeanor charge of operating while intoxicated.
ANGOLA  Angola Mayor Dick Hickmans said his proposed 2017 budget is 15 years in the making and calls for a $5.834 million general fund.

Hickman presented the budget to the Angola Common Council held Tuesday due to Mondays Labor Day holiday.

We have been working on this budget 15 years. Each year, our budgets are a moving target. All of our department heads do the best they can to forecast their needs for the next three to five years, he said.

That general fund general fund amount is down 10.7 percent from the 2016 amount of $6.533 million. The decrease is based upon changes in income tax and a city government position, said Angola Clerk-Treasurer Deb Twitchell.

Because half of fire department salaries, wages and benefits ($582,700) will be paid from fund 249 Local Option Income Tax which is the public safety income tax, she said.

Hickman reviewed projects the city has accomplished this year, such as the recent opening of the convenience facility and others saying,   and all of them began because the city was willing to invest in itself.

Hickman highlighted projects the city looks to tackle next year. He gave an example of the citys proposed certified technology park at the Interstate 69 and U.S. 20 interchange. It will first require infrastructure.

It looks like we are finally going to be getting this development moving in 2017. If all goes well, we will be building a road east of McDonalds going south from U.S. 20, he said. This is a project I have been working on one way or another since 2002.

Hickman said the city also wants to renovate Council chambers at City Hall and replace the roof on the public safety building.

I realize it is sometimes difficult for some Council members to spend money at City Hall when all of our departments need money to accomplish their goals, Hickman said. However, City Hall is where all of our citizens come to pay their utility bills, have planning meetings, board of zoning meetings and other official city functions.

It is where people who are looking to invest in our city by starting a residential or commercial development, expand a business or industry, or start a new business, develop their first impression of our community. We want to look successful to those people who want to invest in our community so that they know they are coming to a community on the move.

Council will hold a budget work session Sept. 12 and public hearing on the budget on Oct. 3. The budget is expected to be approved and submitted to the Department of Local Government Finance on Oct. 19.
For several days and nights last week, I listened with concern as I heard my old friend of many years slowly winding down. I wondered how many of our Albion residents have the memories I have and share my concern?

He has been viewed up close and from afar over many years. He has been committed to his job as the sentinel for all people and thought to be the grandest of all, enhanced only by his well designed and maintained surroundings. I have a lifetime viewing him and consider it a privilege to do so.

I have had a lifetime also of him reminding me of schedules to maintain. Through childhood, middle age, when raising our three children, who also depend on him, too, he has been there. Now in my twilight years, he serves me day and night. I vividly remember in my childhood years how saddened Id be when he summoned me it was time to go home. He was only doing his job, but as a kid it was difficult for evenings to end after enjoying the day with my friends.

Oh, he has had his up and down times, too, but others came to his rescue to get him going again. Isnt that like the friends we have today? We have all experienced friends coming to help in time of need, those who we depend on.

In September, our long anticipated arrival of the torch representing all 92 counties of our great state will be traveling through Noble County. Those carrying the torch will be representatives chosen on merits of involvement and dedication of the betterment of our county. We will also have on our Indianas 200th birthday, a representative from our county competing in Miss America. She will be a beautiful girl of beauty and principles to show to all America. Good luck Brianna DeCamp.

One sentinel will be looking down from his tower to keep us informed of the times we share as a way of life in our grateful nation. May we remember to thank all those involved in that day.

I hope hell be able to chime in the hours that day.

Happy birthday, Indiana.

A patriotic resident and grateful
When the I-35 bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River on Aug. 1, 2007, it put in motion the events that resulted in a new bridge across the Mississippi River at Winona nine years later.

Seventy-two years earlier, almost to the day, the interstate bridge between La Crosse and La Crescent plunged into the Mississippi, an event that resulted in a new bridge across the river seven years later.

I heard it when it went down, E.C. Dickerman, a La Crosse garage attendant, told the Winona Republican-Herald. It was sort of a dull thud, then a splash. I thought a boat hit the bridge ... I ran out and saw the bridge in the river.

A Gateway Transfer truck loaded with about eight tons of silk fabric rolled across the bridge about 1:30 a.m. Aug. 9, 1935. Ten minutes later an Auburn sedan with two couples returning from the Bon Ton night club in La Crescent approached the span.

I was driving about 30 or 40 miles an hour and just as I reached the bridge the car skidded into the first girder, the driver, Capt. Fisher F. Blinn, told the Republican-Herald. As soon as we hit it the span went down and the car fell into the river. I believe we went down with the span.

Blinn said the front windows of the sedan were open. He crawled out the drivers side window, then managed to pull the front seat passenger, Marceline Patro, out the other. He helped Patro, who was injured and bleeding badly, swim to a bridge girder where they clung, waiting for rescue.

The couple in the back seat were not so fortunate. Francis and Ethel Landrieau were trapped in the vehicle and drowned.

A camper at nearby Pettibone Park was witness to the collapse. There was a big crash, Louise Koenig, of Milwaukee, said. She described a blue streak flashing across the sky as electric transmission lines between La Crosse and La Crescent shorted out as the bridge seemed to fold up and sink down.

She ran to the river and, seeing the car in the water, I took off my dress, jumped into the river, swam to the car and tried to get the care door open, but the current was so swift I had to give up, she said. I am sure when I got to the car the man in the rear seat was still living. A short time later the car seemed to sink farther into the river, and soon it disappeared from sight except for a small portion of the spare tire.

The police arrived in a boat, Koenig said, and helped Blinn and Patro off the beam. The campers went onto the roadway to flag down approaching motorists, stopping one La Crescent driver speeding along at 70 mph just short of where the bridge no longer was.

About 135 feet of the 1,000-foot-long bridge had sagged 40 feet into the Mississippi. La Crescent was without electricity or telephone service, the lines from La Crosse severed. Traffic backed up on both sides of the fallen span as motorists and truckers contemplated a 30-mile detour either to the bridge at Lansing, Iowa, or upstream to Winona.

The prospect of a sudden surge of traffic put Minnesota highway officials into a mild panic. The 1890-vintage high wagon bridge in Winona was already under weight and speed restrictions due to concerns about age and carrying capacity. Guards were posted at both approaches to the Winona bridge to strictly enforce load limits.

Commuters between La Crosse and Minnesota were faced with a long detour or chancy boat ride in the days after the collapse. Within three days, a ferry capable of carrying four cars was shuttling between Riverside Park and the west bank of the river, as construction crews worked overtime to replace the fallen span  a task completed by Aug. 20.

Investigations into the collapse pointed to a similar mishap that had occurred two years earlier on July 4, when a car struck the same girder, the impact carrying along the steel beam for nine feet. The damage was repaired, but it was believed that the beam was weakened and vulnerable.

The collapse spurred attention to aging bridges on both sides of the river. The La Crosse bridge was opened in 1891, a year after and similar in construction to the bridge at Winona. Both bridges were found deficient and in 1939 the Cass Street Bridge was opened between Minnesota and La Crosse, followed three years later by the interstate bridge at Winona.
With another 32 theses down, and dozens more to go, a Lutheran-Catholic document that caps five decades of theological discussions is considered another major step in repairing the rift between the denominations.

Were a long way from one church, but weve come together on so many things, said Bishop Jim Arends, head of the La Crosse Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We are closer together.

The 931-9 approval of the document during the ELCAs Churchwide Assembly in New Orleans earlier this year and its aftermath were so emotional that tears flowed among the delegates, said Arends, of La Crescent.

The 120-page document, Declaration on the Way: Church, Ministry and Eucharist, is the product of a task force created in 2011 as part of ecumenical dialogues between Lutherans and Catholics tracing back 50 years. As the 500th anniversary of Martin Luthers posting of his 95 theses disagreeing with Catholic teaching propelled the Protestant Reformation, the denominations continue to find common ground.

The document, which ELCA bishops and the Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops affirmed in October 2015 and forwarded for consideration higher up their theological chains, chronicles 32 statements that the denominations agree are not church-dividing.

Recognition of each others baptism and that members of both denominations are members of the Body of Christ are among the most vital, Arends said.

The phrase on the way is very important, he said, because it acknowledges that differences remain.

The pact is considered to be on a par with a 1999 Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, one of the pivotal breaks Luther had with the church, along with his condemnation of indulgences as, in effect, tantamount to selling tickets to heaven.

In that decree, Catholics and some Lutheran bodies agreed that grace comes through belief in Jesus Christ, although their applications may differ.

Salvation by grace alone  we together understand that to be true, Arends said. The justification document was huge.

Contrasts remain, though, said Arends, whose synod includes 74 churches, partner camps, nursing homes and Lutheran campus ministries in southwestern Wisconsin and southeast Minnesota.

We are still not ready to say we are one church body  and we cant say we are totally welcome at one anothers communion, he said.

After the vote, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton presented a communion chalice and paten to Catholic Archbishop Denis Madden of Baltimore, who co-chaired the Declaration on the Way task force.

I thank you for allowing me and my colleagues to join you in the Eucharist celebrations, which have been a great joy and always a remembrance that soon we will be celebrating these together as one body, Madden told assembly delegates.

For many of us, that was much more moving than the vote, Arends said.

The Rev. Kent Johnson of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in La Crescent, one of the delegates, described the new document as one hurdle, but a significant one.

Older theologians never thought they would see this in their lifetimes, said Johnson, associate pastor at Prince of Peace.

Arends and Johnson lauded 20-year-old delegate Khadijah Islam of the town of Onalaska, Wis., for her address at an assembly hearing about the significance of the document in general and for her personally.

To see this happen to Catholics and Lutherans, showing how they have things in common, is a super good model, Islam said during an interview.

The practical application in her life is the fact that she is godmother to 2-year-old Emmalynn Passe, the daughter of a Catholic family friend, said Islam, a member of Journey Lutheran Church in Onalaska.

Emmalynns mother said I was important to the family in choosing her to be godmother, Islam said.

Islams paternal grandparents are Muslim, but her family is Lutheran, she said.

Overall, the assembly was absolutely amazing, she said. There are some really progressive things going on, such as repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery that had claimed native lands for incoming Europeans.

Rejecting the doctrine affirmed the rights of indigenous peoples, as did assembly initiatives supporting Black Lives Matter, said Islam, adding, I have a pretty strong heart for social justice.
Nationally recognized researcher Brian Bridges provided creative and not necessarily costly ways to increase student success when he spoke last month in Minneapolis. Bridges described six key strategies that historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, have used to compile a compelling record with African-American students. But his ideas seem relevant to many students, regardless of race.

Bridges began by explaining why its worth considering what HBCUs have accomplished. He pointed out that about 70 percent of their students come from low-income families. (According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, nationally about 26 percent of four-year college or university students were from low-income families in 2008-2009.)

The HBCUs enroll about 10 percent of all African-American students attending four-year institutions. They:

Produce 18 percent of all African-Americans with bachelors degrees.

Produce 25 percent of all African-Americans with bachelors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Represent all of the top undergraduate institutions that send African-Americans on to earn Ph.D.s in science and engineering.

Have graduates who demonstrate higher levels of charitable giving and political participation than comparable students.

Bridges suggestions seem very relevant to Minnesota, given our legislation requiring each high school student develop a personal plan for the future. He described six key strategies that HBCUs use to achieve results:

Every student is known well by at least one faculty member. There is an expectation that each faculty member will go above and beyond to connect with students and their families.

Faculty use what he calls intrusive advising. Faculty and staff aggressively help students develop their goals and show that an adult authority figure truly cares about them and their future.

HBCUs promote student engagement based on culture. These institutions work very hard to help students develop a deep, broad understanding of their culture.

These institutions develop a strong sense of identity in their students. Its not enough to know about your culture. Its important for students to think carefully about who they are and who they want to be.

HBCUs encourage the pursuit of lifelong learning, starting with enrollment at the next level.

HBCU students reap the advantage of having the option to attend school primarily with students from the same race or culture.

The last point is controversial for some people. But as Bridges pointed out, HBCUs have and continue to provide an important and valuable option for African-American students. Bridges explained that there is a huge difference between assigning students to underfunded, inferior schools, as happened in the days of segregation, and giving them options, one of which is to attend an institution at the K-12 or higher education level, such as an HBCU.

Bridges, who has worked at a variety of universities, currently serves as chief research officer of UNCF (formerly known as United Negro College Fund) and executive director of the UNCFs Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute. He spoke to a statewide conference of Minnesota charter public schools. The Center for School Change, where I work, co-sponsored the meeting along with CliftonLarsonAllen and the Minnesota Association of Charter Public Schools.

His suggestions seem relevant to all kinds of public schools. Its not enough to have a state policy requiring high school students to develop a plan for themselves. Students need help from people who they believe really care about them and make it a priority to assist in student plans.

In other columns, Ive quoted young people who stress the importance of teachers encouragement and assistance. Great educators helped youngsters accomplish far more than those students thought possible.

As we enter a new school year, I hope schools will use at least some of Bridges ideas to help more students succeed.
Black River Memorial Hospital is bringing back a program designed to help prevent falls in older adults.

The next Stepping On workshop will be held this Thursday, Sept. 8 at the senior center at the Lunda Community Center in Black River Falls. It will be held from 10 a.m. to noon for seven consecutive weeks.

Stepping On is offered by the hospital and grant funded through the Jackson County Department of Aging that helps older adults prevent falls. The workshop runs for two hours, once a week for seven weeks followed by a three-month booster session.

Stepping On will help participants identify why they fall and different ways to prevent falls, including strength and balance exercises, home safety check suggestions and a medication review. Participants will view a display of falls prevention products.

The workshop is for people who have fallen and for people who fear falling. Participants will leave with more strength, better balance and experience a feeling of confidence and independence due to performing various exercises and sharing personal fall experiences as a group.

This class is ideal for individuals who are able to walk with or without a cane or may use a walker in the community but otherwise are independent. Research has found that people who complete the workshop have 31 percent fewer falls.

For more information and to register for the workshop, call (715) 284-1330.
For many months, this group has demonstrated at the Essential Health Clinic in Black River Falls. I guess they want to make it mean for any woman who wants some help in their pregnancy or in not wanting to become pregnant or not being pregnant. This is not an abortion clinic.

Judy and I had two healthy sons and two healthy daughters. In 1980 Judy gave birth to Amy, our fifth child, who was a special needs baby. Judy spoon fed and changed Amys diapers for the 24 years Amy was with us. Amy passed away on Nov. 19, 2004, of a massive stroke.

Judy and Amy slept on a water bed because a mattress would have been ruined. Sometimes Amy would wake up in the middle of the night and want to make her strange noises and play. Many times health people told Judy she should put Amy in an institution. Judy and I would have none of that. You see, Judy was Amys guardian angel.

There are many unwanted pregnancies in America every year. Some young women on drugs who trade their body for drugs may not even know who the father is. Some fathers would likely think drugs, cigarettes or booze were way more important than marriage or child support.

So while Judy and I dont care for abortion  we wouldnt have had an abortion knowing about Amy  we understand there are women in America who do make that choice. We do believe in women having the right to choose.

So for the sidewalk hypocrites, I would suggest they adopt a special needs child. Then they will have walked in Judys shoes.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (TNS)  Dominick Bailey sat at his computer, scrutinizing the medication lists of patients in the geriatric unit.

A doctor had prescribed blood pressure medication for a 99-year-old woman at a dose that could cause her to faint or fall. An 84-year-old woman hospitalized for knee surgery was taking several drugs that were not meant for older patients because of their severe potential side effects.

And then there was 74-year-old Lola Cal. She had a long history of health problems, including high blood pressure and respiratory disease. She was in the hospital with pneumonia and had difficulty breathing. Her medical records showed she was on 36 medications.

This is actually a little bit alarming, Bailey said.

He was concerned about the sheer number of drugs, but even more worried that several of them  including ones to treat insomnia and pain  could suppress Cals breathing.

An increasing number of elderly patients nationwide are on multiple medications to treat chronic diseases, raising their chances of dangerous drug interactions and serious side effects. Often the drugs are prescribed by different specialists who dont communicate with each other. If those patients are hospitalized, doctors making the rounds add to the list  and some of the drugs they prescribe may be unnecessary or unsuitable.

This is Americas other drug problem  polypharmacy, said Dr. Maristela Garcia, director of the inpatient geriatric unit at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica. And the problem is huge.

The medical center, where Bailey also works, is intended specifically for treating older people. One of its goals is to ensure that elderly patients are not harmed by drugs meant to heal them.

That work falls largely to Bailey, a clinical pharmacist specializing in geriatric care.

Some drugs can cause confusion, falling, excessive bleeding, low blood pressure and respiratory complications in older patients, according to research and experts.

Older adults account for about 35 percent of all hospital stays but more than half of the visits that are marred by drug-related complications, according to a 2014 action plan by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Such complications add about three days to the average stay, the agency said.

Data on financial losses linked to medication problems among elderly hospital patients is limited. But the Institute of Medicine determined in 2006 that at least 400,000 preventable adverse drug events occur each year in American hospitals. Such events, which can result from the wrong prescription or the wrong dosage, push health care costs up annually by about $3.5 billion (in 2006 dollars).

And even if a drug doesnt cause an adverse reaction, that doesnt mean the patient necessarily needs it. A study of Veterans Affairs hospitals showed that 44 percent of frail elderly patients were given at least one unnecessary drug at discharge.

There are a lot of souvenirs from being in the hospital: medicines they may not need, said David Reuben, chief of the geriatrics division at UCLA School of Medicine.

Some drugs prescribed in the hospital are intended to treat the acute illnesses for which the patients were admitted; others are to prevent problems such as nausea or blood clots. Still others are meant to control side effects of the original medications.

University of California, San Francisco researcher and physician Ken Covinsky, said many doctors who prescribe drugs in hospitals dont consider how long those medications might be needed.

Theres a tendency in medicine every time we start a medicine to never stop it, Covinsky said.

When doctors in the hospital change or add to the list of medications, patients often return home uncertain about what to take. If patients have dementia or are unclear about their medications, and they dont have a family member or a caregiver to help, the consequences can be disastrous.

One 2013 study found that nearly a fifth of patients discharged had prescription-related medical complications during their first 45 days at home. About 35 percent of those complications were preventable, and 5 percent were life-threatening.

UCLA hired Bailey about three years ago, after he completed a residency at University of California, Davis. The idea was to bring a pharmacist into the hospitals geriatric unit to improve care and reduce readmissions among older patients.

Speaking from his hospital bed at UCLAs Santa Monica hospital, 79-year-old Will Carter said that before he was admitted with intense leg pain, he had been taking about a dozen different drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis.

Doctors in the hospital lowered the doses of his blood pressure and diabetes medications and added a drug to help him urinate. Bailey carefully explained the changes to him. Still, Carter said he was worried he might take the drugs incorrectly at home and end up back in the hospital.

Im very confused about it, to tell you the truth, he said after talking to Bailey. Its complicated. And if the pills are not right, you are in trouble.

Having a pharmacist like Bailey on the team caring for older patients can reduce drug complications and hospitalizations, according to a 2013 analysis of several studies published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Over a six-month stretch after Bailey started working in UCLAs Santa Monica geriatric unit, readmissions related to drug problems declined from 22 to three. At the time, patients on the unit were taking an average of about 14 different medications each.

Bailey is energetic and constantly on the go. He started one morning recently with a short lecture to medical residents in which he reminded them that many drugs act differently in older patients than in younger ones.

As you know, our elderly are already at risk for an accumulation of drugs in their body, he told the group. If you put a drug that has a really long half-life, it is going to last even longer in our elderly.

The geriatric unit has limited beds, so older patients are spread throughout the hospital. Baileys services are in demand. He gets paged throughout the day by doctors with questions about which medications are best for older patients or how different drugs interact. And he quickly moves from room to room, reviewing drug lists with patients.

Bailey said he tries to answer several questions in order to determine whats best for a patient. Is the drug needed? Is the dose right? Is it going to cause a problem?

One of his go-to references is known as the Beers list  a compilation of medications that are potentially harmful for older patients. The list, named for the doctor who created it and produced by the American Geriatrics Society, includes dozens of medications, including some antidepressants and antipsychotics.

When hes not talking to other doctors at the hospital, Bailey is often on the line with other pharmacists, physicians and relatives to make sure his patients medication lists are accurate and up to date. He also monitors patients new drugs, counsels patients about their prescriptions before they are discharged and calls them afterward to make sure they are taking the medications properly.

Medications only work if you take them, Bailey said dryly. If they sit on the shelf, they dont work.

That was one of his main worries about Cal, the 74-year old with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Standing at her bedside, Bailey pored over the list of 36 drugs. Cal told him she only took the medications that she thought seemed important.

Bailey explained to Cal that he and the doctors were going to make some changes. They would eliminate unnecessary and duplicate drugs, including some that could inhibit her breathing. Then she should take as prescribed all of the medications that remained on the list.

Bailey said hes constantly weighing the risks versus the benefits of medications for elderly patients like Cal.

It is figuring out what they need, he said, versus what they can survive without.
Through her work as an artist, educator and a community leader, Jerilyn Dinsmoor chose her path carefully, moving in sometimes unexpected directions but always building on her core values.

Dinsmoor, who led the Pump House in the early 1990s and most recently served as executive director of the La Crosse Promise, died suddenly Sunday while on vacation with her family. She was 56.

Dinsmoor is survived by her husband, Brad, and sons Trevor and Derek.

A native of the Milwaukee suburb of Glendale, Wis., Dinsmoor came to La Crosse in the 1980s after attending the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where she became the first person in her family to graduate from college. After working in a fabric store, she got involved with the Pump House and served as executive director of the arts center from 1987 to 1994.

As an arts consultant, Dinsmoor helped organizations and communities with strategic planning.

For a time, she worked full time selling her wearable art at judged fairs and contests throughout the Midwest, but her husband, Brad Dinsmoor, said she gave it up when it began to feel more like work than fun.

She would stop throughout life and say is what Im doing what I really want to be doing? Brad Dinsmoor said. Whats the next chapter? Where is this going to take me?

Dinsmoor served from 2004 to 2011 as a youth director at First Congregational church, where she led summer trips to inner-city neighborhoods around the country. During visits to such cities as Chicago, New York and San Antonio, her students would spend their days volunteering in shelters and soup kitchens and their nights learning about the structural causes of poverty.

Tourists dont see the parts of the cities we saw, she said in a 2013 interview.

She graduated in 2012 from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities with a masters degree in theology and taught courses in leadership and creativity at Viterbo University before becoming the first executive director of the La Crosse Promise in 2013.

Jerry Kember, a former La Crosse school superintendent who served on the Promise board, said he recommended Dinsmoor for the executive director job when he realized her talents and interests made her a perfect fit.

Shes taken that program to a level we never imagined, Kember said. Her leadership has been a tremendous asset to this community.

The organization, which provides in-school college guidance counselors and offers scholarship money to families who build in La Crosses core neighborhoods, announced her death Tuesday and vowed to continue her work revitalizing the city and helping students go to college.

Brad Dinsmoor said that job was the culmination of her varied career.

Everything got connected, he said.

Dinsmoor, whose mother recently entered a memory care facility, spent the Labor Day weekend at her familys cottage near Mercer, Wis., where she and Brad had taken her father to go fishing on Saturday.

Brad said she became sick and died Sunday morning.
HOM Furniture, one of the top furnishings retailers in the country, plans to open a store in the former Gander Mountain building on Hwy. 16 in Onalaska in the spring.

The Coon Rapids, Minn.-based HOM hopes to close on the building and start renovations soon to more than double its size to about 62,000 square feet, HOM President and CEO Rodney Johansen said in a phone interview Monday.

Gander Mountain vacated the building next to Woodmans Food Market in April 2011, when it moved to a new store in Crossing Meadows Shopping Center in Onalaska.

HOM officials credited Onalaska city staffers with working particularly hard to move their plans toward reality.

The companys site plan arrived Monday at City Hall, where Mayor Joe Chilsen welcomed the news.

It will be good for us, good for the city and, hopefully, good for HOM, Chilsen said.

HOM, which offers merchandise in the middle to upper price ranges, will employ 30 to 35 people, Johansen said.

We wanted to be in Onalaska to serve markets like La Crosse and the area, Johansen said of the company, which also has stores in Eau Claire and in Rochester, Minn.

Owners of a few other area furniture stores said they dont mind another chair at the table.

Rick Boyer, owner of Boyers Budget Furniture on the South Side of La Crosse, said, Theres room for more. Within the La Crosse area, that will give more bargaining power to customers.

Although Boyer said the pie is only so big, he said stores such as HOM often draw more customers into an area, who in turn might go to other furniture stores, too.

You just have to be a good business and welcome new businesses into the area, he said.

Michael Colleran, who opened Warehouse Home Furnishings in North La Crosse just two weeks ago, said he is carving a niche with low overhead and featuring Ashley furniture.

I pass savings on to customers, so price-wise, Ill be with them, Colleran said.

New stores are a good sign for the local economy, said Carol Gross, membership/sales director of the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce.

I believe that its nice to see new business ventures open in our area, Gross said. It shows the economy is starting to come back.

HOM opts to buy and renovate existing buildings instead of the more costly option of building new, Johansen said.

The chain offers what it calls a store within a store layout in its showrooms. For example, areas in the store carry labels such as Sleep Express Mattress, World Rugs, Uptown Urban Furnishings, Seasonal Concepts and Amish Craftsman, as well as bedroom, dining, office and decorative accessories.

The company, which has stores in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin, ranks No. 33 on the Top 100 list of Furniture Today. Its 2011 sales of furniture, bedding and accessories were estimated at $205.5 million at 18 stores, according to Furniture Today.
The La Crosse River Marsh will see some additional work to clean it up this year after a pair of Tuesday decisions by the Board of Public Works.

A La Crosse-based environmental science group will investigate contamination associated with trap shooting in the wetlands decades ago, and the Friends of the La Crosse Marsh will plant additional wild rice in the marsh that sits just north of Myrick Park this fall.

Building on an April decision to address lead found in the marsh, the board unanimously approved spending $48,000 to investigate legacy lead shot contamination and identify whether there are significant amounts of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in the marsh left over from the days when it served as home of the La Crosse Gun Club.

The club leased a portion of Myrick Park from 1929 to 1963, setting up four trap shooting stations to shoot targets out over the marsh. A University of Wisconsin-La Crosse study presented to the city in early 2015 showed showed 50,000 lead pellets per square meter imbedded in the underwater soil, based on analysis of 400 surface soil samples and 33 core samples.

According to the study, which was first presented to the board in February 2015, the soils on the west side had surface lead levels as high as 26,700 milligrams per kilogram, qualifying the area as contaminated. However, the study concluded a cleanup would cause more harm than good.

The city hired Coulee Environmental Solutions, a division of The OS Group, in April to conduct a site investigation on the lead and prepare a report to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. After meeting with the DNR, The OS Group and city representatives were informed that they needed to look for PAH, a compound found in asphalt.

Because asphalt has historically been used as a binder in cement in trap shooting targets, there will also be traces of PAH in the marsh, which the DNR has instructed the city to investigate, according to The OS Group consultant John Storlie.

The lead is the bigger issue, but the skeet, the asphalt compounds, have not been studied at all, Storlie said.

Stolie said the PAHs were highly carcinogenic, but unlikely to be a major public health concern, particularly because the targets tend to fall straight down, rather than spread the way lead does.

Theyre not very mobile. Theyre in the sediments if theyre there at all or if theyre in high concentration, Storlie said. And theyre everywhere, wherever there was historic rail traffic, coal handling, burning of coal.

He said conservative measures would be to avoid letting children play in the soil on the edge of the marsh, particularly preventing them from putting dirt in their mouths.

Our position at this point is, Lets study the physical characteristics, Storlie said.

Storlie proposed collecting soil, water and sediment samples for analysis among other things to prepare a report for the citys review before then submitting it to the DNR.

Council member Robert Seaquist asked whether the consultants and city staff could come up with a plan to go on the offensive.

Weve studied this thing pretty extensively, what with the universitys various studies and now professional studies, Seaquist said. Theres got to be an end to it.

Seaquist said the city should give the DNR specific plans to approve or not approve.

The Friends of the La Crosse Marsh will sow wild rice in other areas of the marsh for the second year in a row after receiving approval from the board.

The group hopes to restore and enhance the vegetation around the marsh, according to group member John Sullivan.

We had some success, some failure on our seeding last year, Sullivan said. Thats not unexpected. Sometimes wild rice does not grow very well.

The group did have an increase in the east side of the marsh.

Weve learned from what weve done last year. There are different techniques for sowing that might enhance our success next year, Sullivan said.

The area would be a few hundred yards north of the Myrick Park Center. It likely wont be visible from the trail, he said, and it will also be outside the lead contamination area.
Pacesetter Companies for Great Rivers United Ways 2016-17 campaign set a torrid clip in raising more than half of the goal of $2.085 million, with the supersized checks presented at the kick-off breakfast and ceremony Wednesday totaled $1,077,040.91.

That tally includes $999,727.91 from the 13 Pacesetters and their employees, as well as $77,313.00 in other donations, accounting for 51.7 percent of the campaign goal. It eclipsed the usual total of 45 percent of goal from that sector at this point.

Representatives of the Pacesetter Companies carried checks measuring 16 by 32 inches into the room where the breakfast took place at the Radisson Center as each companys total was announced, ranging from $5,633.50 from Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance to $239,149.65 from Logistics Health Inc.

We still have a lot of heavy lifting, campaign co-chairman Dave Ring said in an interview after the breakfast.

Ring, community relations manager for Kwik Trip, one of the Pacesetters, had saluted employees of the 13 companies as servant leaders, game changers and difference makers during the ceremony.

GRUW board chairwoman Megan Howard said, Its amazing, and wonderful, to see such strong support from a small group of companies.

It starts the momentum off right, said Howard, employee relations/human resources manager at Dakota Supply Group in La Crosse, which also is a Pacesetter.

Every gift will make life easier for somebody who is struggling and hope for somebody who didnt think it was possible, said campaign co-chair Steve Christiansen, president and CEO of Merchants Bank in Onalaska.

The 2016-17 goal is slightly above last years $2.08 million target, which the drive surpassed by $3,000 in a down-to-the wire effort, and the 2014-15 mark of $2.065 million, also achieved.

Great Rivers United Way plans to contribute to 78 education, income, health and community basics programs in the six counties it serves  La Crosse, Buffalo, Monroe, Trempealeau and Vernon in Wisconsin and Houston in Minnesota.

Programs seeking grants from United Way must address priorities listed in the agencys Compass report on community needs to receive a grant. United Way enlists volunteers after the campaign closes on Jan. 30 to review applications and decide who gets grants and the amounts.
Over the July 4 weekend in 2015, members of the state Legislature sparked a public uproar by proposing last-minute changes to the state budget bill that would have created a deliberative process exception to Wisconsins long-cherished public records law. Government transparency advocates condemned the move, and the changes were hastily rescinded.

But the effort to shield records that are produced while crafting law and policy did not end there. The administration of Gov. Scott Walker continued to assert its ability to withhold these records under existing law.

In May 2015, the Center for Media and Democracy sued Walker for refusing a request for documents relating to prior failed legislation that sought to rewrite the University of Wisconsins mission statement, known as the Wisconsin Idea. Walkers attorneys cited deliberative process and other reasons for denying access.

Shortly afterward, Madison attorney Katy Lounsbury filed suit along with her husband, Madison journalist Jud Lounsbury, and The Progressive magazine in response to a similar denial. The two cases were consolidated; I represented the Lounsburys in their action.

This May, Dane County Judge Amy Smith issued a decision rejecting the deliberative process defense as inconsistent with Wisconsin law. Friends of open government celebrated the ruling, which the state did not appeal, as a deterrent to other public officials who might try to claim that this loophole exists. But there still could be efforts to assert this privilege in the courts or through legislation.

The phrase deliberate process borrows from the terminology employed by federal courts when applying the federal Freedom of Information Act, the U.S. governments public records legislation. Congress incorporated the deliberative process privilege in FOIA through what is known as Exemption 5 to that law.

Exemption 5 allows the federal officials to withhold certain interagency or intra-agency memoranda from the reach of FOIA requests. Courts have interpreted the exemption as permitting federal officials to deny public access to agency employees file memos, letters from employees of one agency to those of another, and consultants reports prepared for an agency.

These sorts of records are all routinely available under Wisconsins public records law.

In fact, as we noted in the lawsuits, the drafters of Wisconsins current public records law considered but rejected provisions similar to Exemption 5. That decision is consistent with the reputation that Wisconsins public records law enjoys as one of the nations broadest.

While the federal approach relies on a purported need for agencies to operate in secrecy in order to produce the best final work product, Wisconsins approach embodies an opposite philosophy  that outside scrutiny improves the process. As Judge Smith noted in her ruling, the effort to assert a deliberative process privilege flies in the face of long-held policies underlying Wisconsins open records law.

Regardless of whether the next attempt to introduce it comes by judicial or legislative cover, a deliberative process privilege would allow agencies and state officials to keep us in the dark regarding the identities and motivations of those who draft the rules. From the thunder of the initial rally against deliberative process in July 2015 to the comparatively subdued but welcome reception for Judge Smiths decision, that is the takeaway that we cannot forget.
The following editorial appeared in Saturdays Chicago Tribune:

Lets play a quick game of word association. When we say: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, you say 

Many Americans would blurt: scandal.

Not wrong. Egregious example: revelations in 2014 of dangerously long wait times for veterans in need of medical care, some of whom died while on ever-lengthening waitlists. VA officials lied about  and attempted to cover up  those lists. More than 120 medical centers and clinics were flagged for a more extensive investigation into patient access and scheduling practices.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki took the fall. But flash forward. Now, after major investigations and billions more spent, is the VA health system better? President Barack Obama says yes. Weve hired thousands more doctors, nurses, staff, he told a recent conference of the Disabled American Veterans. When we really put our sweat and tears and put our shoulder to the wheel, we can make things better.

But for too many vets, Obamas better is no good. Serious problems persist at the Veterans Health Administration, the VAs medical wing. And theyll continue to persist until Congress and the White House feverishly commit to three goals:

Allow more veterans to seek medical care with private doctors. The more flexibility in choosing providers, the better chance that veterans will get the excellent care they deserve.

Streamline and downsize the rest of the system to focus on specialized care for battle-related injuries that private docs cant perform as well as VA staffers.

Fire workers who resist change or dont perform.

A massive new report from the Commission on Care, created by Congress after the 2014 scandal, concludes: Although VHA provides care that is in many ways comparable or better in clinical quality to that generally available in the private sector, it is inconsistent from facility to facility, and can be substantially compromised by problems with access, service, and poorly functioning operational systems and processes.

Among the commissions 18 recommendations for a sweeping overhaul: Create a more comprehensive and flexible VHA care system. Thats envisioned as a less rigid network of providers including doctors from the VA, military hospitals, other federally funded providers and facilities, and VA-credentialed private doctors and clinics.

The commission also suggests that the current Veterans Choice program be expanded so that all vets can consult private physicians. Good idea: It doesnt take a specialist in battlefield wounds to prescribe blood pressure meds. In 2014, Congress passed Veterans Choice, which already allows many vets to choose a private doc outside the system if they live more than 40 miles from a VA facility or have to wait more than 30 days for an appointment.

Yet that law has led to billions of dollars in expenses, millions of square feet of new medical space  and even longer wait times at many VA facilities. One reason: The law not only mandated a complex new health system, but ordered the VA to set it up in 90 days.

Predictable result: bureaucratic chaos.

Predictable congressional solution: Lets throw more money at the VA!

In the decade since 2006, the VAs budget has soared from $73 billion to $167 billion, with much of the growth in the health system. Staff, too, has ballooned. None of that has significantly dented the VAs entrenched culture that disdains accountability.

For instance: The 2014 law streamlined the process to fire VA executives who concealed the waiting-list scandal. Since then, however, only nine people have been fired for manipulating wait times, The New York Times reports. And some of them could still get their jobs back after appeals. Maddening.

If you dont have accountability, and you know your job is safe whether you perform or not, its hard to make any progress,  Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia tells the newspaper. Right now, that is what we have at the VA.

The Care Commission recommends a new board of directors accountable to the president. That could sharpen oversight or just provide more political theater and VA blamesmanship. The bottom line:

No plan to revive the VA will succeed until superior performance is rewarded and poor performance is punished.

Until then, count on more VA scandals, more excuses  and more American veterans cheated of the care they deserve.
A group of dairy producers in Kewaunee County announced Wednesday that it will pay more than half the cost of drinking water purification systems for residents whose wells have been polluted by animal waste.

The farmers and feedlot owners who belong to the private nonprofit Peninsula Pride Farms also said they would pay for bottled water for up to three months for the owner of any well in the county testing positive for E. coli bacteria.

If an inspection by a private consultant hired by Peninsula Pride finds that the wells protective casing isnt cracked, and the state Department of Natural Resources determines manure is probably the contamination source, the farmer group will help pay for a water treatment system.

The program is a step toward settling a long-simmering dispute over responsibility for bacterial pollution that can cause serious illness or death.

Advocates whove pushed for tougher regulation of the agricultural industrys manure handling practices said the drinking water program was overdue.

Well tests conducted for about 10 years have found health hazards, including E. coli, in about 30 percent of wells tested in the county. Agricultural interests have questioned whether spreading of millions of gallons of manure annually on farm fields was the cause. But residents said a systematic county inspection and repair program has all but eliminated the possibility that faulty septic tanks were the culprit.

If the problem is a septic system or a defective well, Peninsula Pride Farms wont pay for repairs or help cover the costs of a water treatment system.

However, if someone repairs a faulty well and a new test still finds E. coli, then assistance would be offered, said Don Niles, the owner of a 2,850-cow farm near Casco and president of the farm group.

Niles said that if the source of the E. coli isnt entirely clear, the well owner will still be eligible for a water treatment system.

What we are doing is owning our share, Niles said. We dont want people getting sick here on our watch.

Forty farmers formed Peninsula Pride in January to seek voluntary ways to improve environmental practices. Theyve hired a consultant to review manure handling and staged educational events. The state provided a $20,000 start-up grant, members pay dues and several businesses have contributed money for the safe drinking water effort, Niles said.

Niles estimated that as many as 40 wells  or 1 percent of the 4,000 in the county  would end up with the treatment systems, but he said theres no way of knowing, and hes prepared to raise more money if needed. He said he hopes that the program will mark a turning point.

We are all scarred by the arguments and the acrimony, so it may take a while to see theres now a way to do things other than shouting at each other, Niles said.

DNR, county, farmer group agreement

The program will operate on terms spelled out in a memorandum of understanding between the county, the DNR and the farmer group.

DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp said in a letter dated Friday to the farm group that an alternative solution to a water treatment system in some cases could be improved best management practices. The state details best management practices for storage and spreading of manure, but in most cases they are mandatory only for large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, known as CAFOs.

We fully support the concept that this offer does not involve any sort of admission of culpability on the part of Peninsula Pride farmers; but that it is offered to help prevent health impacts, Stepp said in the letter, which was released by the state Dairy Business Association.

Peninsula Pride Farms said under its Water Well program it would cover about $1,500 of the estimated $2,250 initial cost for purchase and installation of a system that uses ultraviolet light to kill bacteria.

Well owners must obtain water tests from certified laboratories in order to qualify, and they would be required to install water softeners, which are necessary for the treatment systems to function, if they dont already have them. The dairy group said it would pay the the estimated first-year maintenance cost of $200, but the well owner would cover the cost after that.

The Madison-based public interest law firm Midwest Environmental Advocates said the program falls short.

Weve asked DNR for years to use existing authority and funding in its spills program to provide clean drinking water on an emergency basis, but DNR refuses to do so, said Sarah Geers, an MEA attorney. Since the Water Well program may not fully cover the cost of emergency drinking water, treatment or well replacement, it is time for DNR to step up.

The Peninsula Pride announcement comes about two years after residents petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to force the state into actions that would remedy the problem in Kewaunee County, where there is a high concentration of CAFOs and porous bedrock that leaves groundwater vulnerable.

The EPA in March urged state regulators to make it a priority to deliver clean water to those without it. A DNR-funded study aimed at determining the source of the contamination is ongoing.

The EPAs regional administrator said on Aug. 17 that an announcement about provision of drinking water was coming soon.

Kewaunee County

at center of conflict

Kewaunee County has become one of several centers of heated conflict between farming interests and residents upset about the poor quality of groundwater, lakes and streams.

Residents have filed a series of lawsuits aimed at compelling the DNR to enforce laws and set stricter standards.

Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature have curtailed DNR budgets and its authority to set and enforce standards for polluters.

Residents and conservation groups in 2014 petitioned the EPA to use emergency powers to protect public health in Kewaunee County. Federal officials worked with the DNR to form workgroups that studied potential solutions and issued a report in June.

Midwest Environmental Advocates has asked the DNR several times since October to review its legal analysis indicating the department could supply drinking water when wells are poisoned by animal waste, according to email exchanges the group released.

And in a March 28 letter, acting regional EPA administrator Robert Kaplan told Stepp that while the state agency was making a comprehensive plan to prevent further contamination, it was important to make sure residents had safe water.

In November, tests funded by the DNR of 320 randomly selected wells found 110 exceeded standards for total coliform or nitrate, both of which can come from manure or other sources, such as faulty septic systems.
There are many barriers that keep college students away from the polls. They include registration and voting requirements that vary from state to state, difficulty with obtaining the proper ID or proving residency, lack of familiarity with local issues and local candidates and uncertainty about how or where to vote  at home or at school.

Some laws passed over the previous four years, including in Wisconsin, have created even more barriers.

In August, a federal judge in Madison threw out some additional requirements for college students in Wisconsin, including a provision that had barred students from using expired but otherwise qualifying campus IDs for voting.

The trial included testimony that behind closed doors, Republican legislative leaders had discussed trying to suppress college turnout with the voter ID law. But U.S. District Judge James Peterson found the evidence was not enough to establish discrimination on the basis of age.

Nevertheless, additional requirements imposed by Wisconsins on-again, off-again voter ID law remain in effect for the Nov. 8 election. According to Common Cause in Wisconsin, regular student identification cards issued by just three of the University of Wisconsin Systems 26 campuses and seven of 23 private colleges are considered acceptable forms of ID for voting in the upcoming election.

All UW schools are now offering special voter ID cards, University of Wisconsin System spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis said. To use those campus-issued IDs to vote, students must also provide proof of enrollment.

In addition to campus-issued IDs, students can also vote by using a Wisconsin drivers license, state-issued ID card, passport, military or tribal ID. Out-of-state students who want to get a Wisconsin drivers license or ID card will have to surrender their drivers license or ID card from their home state, said Reid Magney, spokesman for the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

To help students navigate the system, the newly formed Wisconsin Student Power Alliance plans to hire between 18 and 20 organizers on campuses across the state this fall whose first project will be a nonpartisan get-out-the-vote drive, co-director Lamonte Moore said.

Sam VanWees, a UW-Madison graduate student from Des Plaines, Ill., got her special voter ID at the end of August along with her WisCard student ID. Rather than drive back to Illinois or mail in a ballot, VanWees said she likely will vote in Madison for the upcoming election.

College students not active voters

Despite their usually low turnout numbers, college students have the potential to influence elections. There were 17.3 million undergraduate students enrolled in degree-granting postsecondary institutions in 2014, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Experts predict that population will increase to 19.8 million by 2025.

Yet millennials have the lowest turnout rates of all the generations. Because the majority of college students are under age 25, they make up a significant part of that age group. Some activists charge these young voters are being targeted by some of the recent changes in state voting laws.

There's a whole group of states that are trying to make it harder and harder every year to get to the ballots, said Mike Burns, the national director for nonpartisan Campus Vote Project, which focuses on informing and helping solve student voter issues. Its stuff that boils down to a lack of information as opposed to a lack of interest.

Students must show proof of residency

Burns said a patchwork of residency laws and voting requirements often confuses first-time voters.

In 1979, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a ruling that holding college students to a different standard of residency than other people or requiring them to swear they will remain in the community after graduation violates the 26th Amendment in the case Symm v. United States.

You dont have to say, I intend to return here forever,  Burns said. You dont need to know that youre going to be there after graduation. Because its based on peoples subjective intent, its squishy.

Appalachian State University student Rachel Clay served as an election protection field coordinator for a campus program and organized poll watchers. She said she and her poll monitors witnessed students at her North Carolina school who had issues meeting voter residency requirements.

We also have a lot of people that live on campus, and they werent allowing students to use their on-campus address without proof of residency, Clay said. And basically, they werent accepting anything for proof of residency, so our on-campus students and our on-campus, out-of-state students didnt know what to do at all.

While Clay said this was  in part  because the election officials were unaware of the laws, it also was done because the Board of Elections doesnt really want students to vote.

Our polling officials, they are really not helpful, Clay said. They misinform. They lie to students. They scare students away from voting provisionally, and they take really, really long to do everything. So our lines are super duper long, and students just cant stand in line for two hours.

Watauga County Board of Elections Director Matthew Snyder said when the issue was investigated in March, there was no substantiating evidence to Clays claim.

They did address the issue on the first day of early voting with the poll workers to make sure they followed procedures, Snyder said. They found no evidence that workers were impeding the process.

Voter ID creates new barriers

While more states now require IDs at the polls, many dont accept student IDs as a valid form. Nine states never accept student IDs. Another 21 states, including Wisconsin, only accept them if they meet certain criteria. Wisconsin also requires student IDs to be accompanied by a proof of enrollment.

Why is this a problem? One University of Michigan study indicated that the number of people getting a drivers license  the most common form of accepted ID at the polls  has declined. In fact, many in younger generations have said they never plan on getting a license. Theyre too busy. Its too expensive to own a car. They can catch a ride from others, according to another University of Michigan study.

Gunther Peck, an associate professor of public policy studies at Duke University, said North Carolina lawmakers changed the law to exclude student IDs after the youth vote helped propel President Barack Obama into office in 2008.

The Republicans knew exactly how to suppress votes. That was their intention, Peck said. They looked carefully at how they lost in 2008 and found the weak links in that coalition. The law has made it much harder for students to get the proper ID, and theres several steps they have to go through now to secure what is a constitutional right: the right to vote.

Peck said he saw this issue come up during this years presidential primary when many students had to vote with a provisional ballot because they didnt have the proper ID. According to the nonprofit Democracy North Carolina, there were 29,000 provisional ballots they fought to have counted in the election.

To put that in context, that doesnt sound like a lot, but this state was the closest state in the country the last two election cycles, and the margin of difference in 2008 was 14,000, Peck said. So this voting law literally has the impact of flipping a state potentially.

When the law went into effect, then-North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Claude Pope said in a statement that it would ensure the integrity of the elections.

Signing this bill into law is just plain common sense, Pope said. Proper photo identification is needed to do daily tasks in everyday life such as cashing a bank check or boarding an airplane.

But on July 29, North Carolinas voter ID law was struck down by a federal appeals court, which ruled the law violated the Voting Rights Act because it was aimed at suppressing the vote of African-Americans. The U.S. Supreme Court on Aug. 31 rejected an appeal by state officials to overturn that decision, so the states voter ID law will not be in effect for the Nov. 8 election.

More steps required under Wisconsin ID law

Sally Rohrer, a sophomore at UW-Madison, said obtaining a valid photo ID for voting can be a hassle. As an in-state student, she can use her Wisconsin drivers license to vote. But it is a different story for many out-of-state students, who must find other photo identification to present at the polls.

Rohrer told News21 that is just one extra thing  that might deter someone who is not fully committed to voting already. She now works as a vote ambassador at the Morgridge Center for Public Service educating students and encouraging them to vote.

Last school year, as a member of the Associated Students of Madison, Rohrer pushed to get UW-Madison administrators to issue new student IDs that would meet the voter ID requirements  to no avail. They were really adamant about not changing, mostly from our chancellor, Rohrer said.

In a statement on her blog, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said replacing all students existing cards would have been too expensive. The current card has a five-year expiration date; the law calls for no more than two years. The existing card does not have a signature, which the voter ID law requires.

And all of the cards have expensive embedded technology because they are used for a variety of purposes. Blank noted that students who are Wisconsin residents can use their drivers licenses or other photo ID to vote.

In the end, Blank wrote, the number of students who need a voter ID card is relatively small.

Experience tells us that  whatever we and others do to encourage voting  a substantial share of students will not choose to vote.

Natalie Griffin, Amber Reece and Taylor Gilmore contributed to this report. This report is part of a project on voting rights in America produced by the Carnegie-Knight News21 program. The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism contributed to and distributed this report.
Ashley Keenan, the 2016-17 Vernon County Fairest of the Fair, is looking forward to the 160th annual Vernon County Fair and the opportunity to take in all that the five-day event has to offer.

I get to see everything, the 21-year-old said. Ill see things I havent seen before like the food judging and the photo building. Im excited to meet new people and see what they like about the fair... Im really excited about that.

Keenan, a 2013 graduate of Viroqua High School, was crowned Fairest of the Fair at the Vernon County Fair Ferris Wheel Breakfast, July 30. The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay student said she felt pure joy when her name was announced.

I remember seeing my moms reaction... she was more nervous than I was. Dad was beaming; I could see that joy, Keenan said. Im excited to give back to Vernon County.

Keenan said it was good to see a good amount of girls interested in the fair and the industry. Three other young women from Vernon County vied for the title of Fairest of the Fair.

Keenan, who was a 13-year member of the Route 56/Mapledale Motivators 4-H Club, exhibited swine at the fair, and that experience created lasting memories.

In the pig barn the older kids helped me grow and learn and helped with washing pigs, she said. Community was built within the barn. You helped share the ag experience, educate and have fun.

In 2014, she received the Spirit of the Show award. The award, Keenan said, is presented to the person who has best demonstrated the spirit of the show ring. I was pretty proud to get that my last year (showing at the fair).

The midway was fun, too, but swine was my biggest memory, she said.

Although showing swine was her main fair project, Keenan also exhibited baked goods, ceramics, field crops and vegetables. During her last three years of exhibiting swine, she showed as member of the Viroqua FFA chapter, where she served as vice president her senior year.

The 2015 fair was Keenans first time being a spectator at the swine judging and not an exhibitor. It was hard to watch. I wanted to say (to the exhibitors), Do this, not that. In the stands I was a nervous wreck.

Her favorite fair foods are baked potatoes, apple pie and chili. Chili is the start of fall for me  those are my three musts.

Since the coronation, Keenan has been busy as the Vernon County Fairs ambassador. She rode in Viroquas Wild West Days parade Aug. 19, and worked at the gate Aug. 20 She also attended the Fairests of the Fair reunion held at the Wisconsin State Fair Aug. 8.

Meghan (Bakkum, the 2015-16 Fairest of the Fair,) was there and the new class of Fairests, she said. The State Fairest of the Fairs Gloria Kesler spoke to us.

Keenan and the other Fairests had a full day at the State Fair, which included learning how the famous cream puffs are made (That was cool, Keenan said), riding the SkyGlider and watching the seal show.

It was so much fun meeting the other girls in the state and learning about their experiences, she said.

She has also been busy with interviews, a photo shoot and recording ads.

Keenan reminds exhibitors to get their entries turned in by 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, and the fair theme is Tradition.

Come down for a good time and start your tradition at the 160th fair, she said.

Keenan, who started her fourth year at UW-Green Bay Sept. 6, is majoring in communications with an emphasis in public relations and minoring in political science. She will reign over the Vernon County Fair, Sept. 14-18, and represent the county at the State Fairest of the Fairs contest in January. She is the daughter of Wayne and Shelley Keenan of Viroqua.
A successful bid on a piece of training equipment in a recent state auction will benefit firefighters throughout Vernon County for years to come.

In August, 11 of the countys 13 fire departments joined forces to buy a mobile burn tower. The tower allows firefighters to prepare training scenarios on a multi-story building. Most of the countys fire departments will share in access to the tower, which will help fire departments offer necessary training to recruits and veteran firefighters alike.

The tower will allow fire departments to train together, so they become better partners in the countys already-successful mutual aid plan.

This makes our company of 25 firefighters larger because of all the training well be able to do together with our neighboring departments, Stoddard-Bergen Fire Chief Joe Pfaff said. We will get to know our partners in mutual aid better, which will help us when multiple departments are called to the same fire.

This also allows us to do training much more safely than at a controlled burn, Stoddard-Bergen Second Assistant Fire Chief Brian Lehmann said. We can control the scenarios in so many different ways.

The Stoddard-Bergen Fire Department had the tower on display at its annual Labor Day picnic celebration at the village park, Saturday. Pfaff said the 11 departments who own the tower held a lottery to see which month of the year they could have possession of the tower. Stoddard-Bergen had No. 3 in the lottery and after the first two picks, it chose to have the tower in September. This means the tower could be used for training on village-owned property and the tower could be publicly displayed at the picnic.

The picnic and our annual walleye tournament are our two biggest fundraisers for the year, Pfaff said. The money we raise at those events helps pay for training and allows us to keep the tax base as low as possible. We were happy to have the opportunity to display the tower at our picnic.

Pfaff said the tower was purchased for one-tenth of its price through the state auction. The countys fire departments were already aware of its training capabilities, because they had trained on it through a state program run through a state technical college.

All of the fire chiefs together knew this would be a great training tool if we could get it, Pfaff said. Its been refurbished and its like brand-spanking new.

Pfaff said much of the credit for coordinating the purchase the tower goes to Vernon County Emergency Management Director Chad Buros, who also is the chief of the Viroqua Fire Department.

The kudos goes to him for orchestrating everything and helping the fire departments come together, Pfaff said. This absolutely isnt just a Stoddard-Bergen Fire Department story, but all of the departments together who own it played a part. We just happen to have it first.

Buros said that the tower puts Vernon Countys partnered fire departments way farther ahead of many other counties that dont have a nearby technical college or training facility.

Having this mobile training facility ready to move to any of our departments for on-site training is a huge benefit, Buros said. A key piece of training equipment is always right at our back door.

Lehmann and Pfaff described the capabilities of the tower. It has external controls to create fire conditions inside the tower. The tower itself is more like a large trailer. Multiple rooms in the tower can be on fire. Smoke can be added to any scenario. The tower has props that can be used to create breaching scenarios. The temperatures in each room can be controlled and monitored.

Its pretty exciting for us to have this piece of equipment to use and share with other departments in the county, Lehmann said. We did some training on it at the end of August. We know what a benefit this is for all of the departments involved.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flash flood warning for Vernon County for the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 7, and a flood watch lasting through Thursday, Sept. 8.

The flood watch covers most counties in north eastern Iowa, western Wisconsin and south eastern Minnesota.

The NWS predicted that thunderstorms will continue across the area today. This will add water to soil already saturated with rainfall.

Flash flooding has been predicted for the Sidie Hollow area and throughout the Viroqua area.

Storms on Wednesday are capable of dropping three to six more inches of rain according to the NWS.
After years of unsuccessful attempts Westby Mayor Danny Helgerson was proud to announce that the city of Westby was awarded a $500,000 Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) for infrastructure improvements.

The state funded grants were awarded by Department of Administration (DOA). Statewide the DOA announced $8.2 million in CDBG Public Facility and Planning Funds, with the city of Westby receiving a CDBG grant in the amount of $500,000.00 for infrastructure improvements on East State and Vernon streets, which are scheduled for major upgrades in 2017.

This is great for the city of Westby and it proves that hard work and diligence pays off. The infrastructure work needs to be done and this grant will save Westby taxpayers so much money in the process, Helgerson said.

DOAs Division of Energy, Housing, and Community Resources awards these funds to local governments annually through a competitive process. The funding of these awards comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the public facility grants helps Wisconsin communities improve streets, water systems and build new community buildings.

Our administration is committed to helping local governments upgrade infrastructure vital to the growth of their community, Secretary Scott Neitzel said. These funds will help local governments improve our communities to ensure Wisconsin remains a great place to live and to do business.

These planning grants allow municipalities to rebuild and revitalize communities in Wisconsin through planned public infrastructure projects at half the cost. For years the city of Westby has worked closely with its Engineer Bart Neis to secure a CDBG, but since 2010 those attempts have come up short.

Previously in order to qualify for the CBDG residents in the city of Westby were sent LMI (Low, Moderate Income) survey letters in the mail and a required 51-percent of them needed to be returned to even fill out a grant application. Since 2010, every citywide survey attempt came up short of the needed survey returns forcing the council to apply for private funding to cover all costs associated with the planned infrastructure repairs.

Helgerson began researching the CDBG process and learned that the city could use a targeted survey region to apply for a grant and the council agreed that process would be more effective than the citywide option. The targeted survey required a greater percentage (80-percent) of the surveys to be returned in order to qualify, but surveys were only sent to people residing on Vernon and East State streets where the work is scheduled for 2017. A total of 59 surveys were sent out.

Helgerson said the surveys, which were not viewed locally and did not require a name, only an address and income range, were returned slowly. So to aid the process, Ward 1 representative Josh Baranczyk and Westby Public Works Director Ron Janzen logged plenty of foot miles late last year going door-to-door asking residents in the targeted area to please complete the survey and return it. They even provided extra copies of the survey if residents had misplaced the one they were mailed.

The extra effort put in by Josh and Ron made all the difference in the world and they deserve a big thank-you for saving the city a lot of money. Without them going door-to-door, sometimes multiple times to the same residence, the city would not have met the deadline and would not have been awarded this grant, Helgerson said.

The city attempted the same kind of survey for its most recent infrastructure project completed on Monroe and East Park streets in 2015, but did not qualify due to a low survey return response. That project cost the city well over $1 million dollars. The citys General Fund and budget did not have enough money available to complete those scheduled projects and was forced to secure funding through loans with repayment reflected through utility bills and the tax roll increases.

Helgerson said being awarded the $500,000 grant is a great reminder to all taxpayers just how important it is to complete and return these types of grant based surveys when the city sends them out to households in the future. He said a lot of infrastructure in the city is in need of upgrading and being awarded grants of any kind helps offset those costs and in this case it will save city taxpayers a half a million dollars.

Were not talking small potatoes here. The city just saved a lot of money on a big project and in the future we hope to save even more by applying for grants, but residents have to do their part and return these kinds of surveys when we send them out, Helgerson said. Failing infrastructure in the city will not go away, but continue to get worse and add additional problems down the line if we dont keep moving forward and making upgrades annually.
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01 (5) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (3) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (2) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (2) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (2) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (8) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (6) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (4) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (5) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (3) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (3) Sep 11 (3) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (5) Sep 04 (2) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (4) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (5) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (4) Aug 07 (3) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (3) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (4) Aug 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14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (3) Nov 07 (2) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (2) Oct 31 (3) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (2) Oct 24 (2) Oct 23 (2) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (2) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (2) Oct 14 (4) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (4) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (7) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (5) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (5) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (7) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (2) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (5) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (7) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (3) Jul 12 (2) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (6) Jun 26 (6) Jun 25 (6) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (8) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (5) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (2) May 29 (2) May 28 (2) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (3) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (5) May 20 (4) May 19 (2) May 18 (3) May 17 (3) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (5) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (3) May 10 (4) May 09 (4) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (2) May 05 (3) May 04 (4) May 03 (2) May 02 (3) May 01 (3) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (4) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (7) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (7) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (5) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (6) Mar 18 (6) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (5) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (4) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (4) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (9) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (3) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (2) Jan 22 (2) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (4) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (2) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (2) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (2) Jan 04 (2) Jan 03 (2) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (2) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (2) Dec 21 (2) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (2) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (2) Dec 16 (2) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (2) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (4) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (2) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (2) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (2) Nov 22 (2) Nov 21 (2) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (2) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (2) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (5) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (2) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (2) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (5) Sep 30 (2) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (5) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (2) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (2) Aug 25 (2) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (2) Aug 12 (2) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (2) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (2) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (2) Jul 31 (4) Jul 30 (2) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (3) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (2) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (2) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (2) Jul 12 (3) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (2) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (7) May 16 (2) May 15 (2) May 14 (4) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (3) May 08 (2) May 07 (2) May 06 (2) May 05 (1) May 04 (2) May 03 (4) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (1) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (2) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (1) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (1) Mar 07 (1) Mar 04 (2) Mar 02 (2) Feb 28 (1) Feb 24 (1) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (2) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (3) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (4) Oct 16 (3) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (4) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (3) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (5) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (3) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (3) Jul 01 (6) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (5) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (5) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (4) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (5) Jun 01 (3) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (4) May 23 (4) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (4) May 19 (3) May 18 (3) May 17 (4) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (1) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (4) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (5) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (4) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (3) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (3) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (3) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (3) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (3) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (3) Mar 07 (3) Mar 06 (4) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (3) Mar 01 (3) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (3) Feb 25 (3) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (3) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (3) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (3) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (4) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (3) Jan 21 (4) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (5) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (3) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (4) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (3) Nov 03 (2) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (2) Oct 30 (6) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (5) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (5) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (4) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (2) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (2) Oct 07 (2) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (3) Oct 04 (2) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (4) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (2) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (2) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (1) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (1) Sep 19 (1) Sep 18 (1) Sep 17 (2) Sep 16 (1) Sep 15 (2) Sep 14 (2) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (1) Sep 11 (2) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (1) Sep 08 (1) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (1) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (2) Sep 03 (1) Sep 02 (1) Sep 01 (1) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (1) Aug 25 (1) Aug 24 (1) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (2) Aug 19 (1) Aug 18 (1) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 12 (1) Aug 09 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 05 (1) Aug 04 (1) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (5) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (3) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (4) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (6) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (6) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (5) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (4) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (5) Jun 03 (5) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (4) May 30 (4) May 29 (4) May 28 (5) May 27 (5) May 26 (5) May 25 (4) May 24 (5) May 23 (4) May 22 (4) May 21 (3) May 20 (6) May 19 (4) May 18 (4) May 17 (4) May 16 (5) May 15 (3) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (3) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (3) May 06 (3) May 05 (3) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (4) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (5) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (4) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (4) Apr 04 (6) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (5) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (4) Mar 17 (5) Mar 16 (5) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (7) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (4) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (4) Feb 28 (4) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (5) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (7) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (8) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (3) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (6) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (6) Jan 26 (6) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (5) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (4) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (5) Jan 05 (6) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (7) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 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Vietnams middle class is growing faster than anywhere else in Southeast Asia.

Exports of goods manufactured in the country have created jobs and increased pay. As peoples buying power increases, so has conspicuous consumption. That phrase describes spending money on costly goods and services to show a persons wealth.

It is a way people might try to show their economic power.

The Boston Consulting Group says Vietnams middle and affluent class is expected to double to 33 million people by 2020. The business group considers people earning $714 or more a month members of Vietnams middle class.

By 2020, the group says, about one third of the country will be defined as middle class.

In 1987, Vietnam opened the country to foreign investment. Since 2012, it has dealt with issues like labor and the exchange value of its money, the dong.

Vietnam is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is one of 12 countries that have signed the Trans Pacific Partnership free trade agreement. Vietnam also has signed trade deals with Europe.

Companies manufacturing goods for export in Vietnam like the low operating costs in the country.

Foreign factories have helped the local economy. The factories have created related businesses that supply stores and provide financial services.

Vietnam regularly raises the minimum amount workers can be paid. To save money, workers often live with family to save on housing costs.

Some employers say it is hard to find skilled people to do higher level office work. So people who can perform these jobs get paid higher wages.

Aparna Bharadwaj covers Southeast Asia for the Boston Consulting Group. She said unlike other emerging Asian countries, Vietnams government investment in agriculture has created a rural middle class. She said the middle class has moved quickly into smaller towns and rural markets and is spread widely among the population.

Boston Consulting Group says the average income per person in Vietnam will rise from $1,400 in 2014 to $3,400 by 2020.

A sign of increased wealth in the countrys financial center of Ho Chi Minh City is increased traffic jams. Among the vehicles are costly cars and motorcycles built by Honda and Yamaha. Those are considered status brands for Vietnamese.

Restaurants serve foreign foods, which are more expensive than local food. They fill up at night with loud groups of people showing off their Apple and Samsung mobile phones.

Some people are so status conscious that they might have less furnishings in their homes so they can spend more on items others can see.

Oscar Mussons works for Dezan Shira & Associates in Ho Chi Minh City. He says, if you go inside a Vietnamese house, they might not have a lot of things.

They would probably eat on the floor, but still they would have a mobile phone or a motorbike because this is what they see, they can show from the outside. Its not just about being middle class, but also about showing that theyre middle class.

Tam Nguyen is a 36-year-old office worker in Ho Chi Minh City. Her wages have gone up more than 10 percent in two years. She eats out with her family on weekends and spent $5,000 for a trip for four people to Japan.

She says she likes to spend money on traveling and tourism. She decided to save some money to buy property in the next five years.

Growth in Vietnams middle class means foreign companies are competing in many different areas. These include fast food restaurants, dairy products, hygiene, consumer electronics and vehicles. Foreign companies with businesses in the capital include Burger King, Starbucks, Family Mart, Nestle and Sony.

U.S.-based computer company, Dell, says people prefer different companies depending on where they live in the country. One business development manager says, in the north, people like European companies, while those in the south like American and Japanese ones.

Dell now brings attention to providing service to customers after a sale to build trust in their products

Im Mario Ritter.

Ralph Jennings wrote this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted his report for Learning English. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

conspicuous  adj. not easy to miss or ignore

affluent  adj. having a lot of money, rich

emerging  adj. growing in strength, becoming widely known

status brands  n. kinds of products considered better or more desirable than others

status conscious  n. wanting to give the impression of status, position or wealth

hygiene  n. things people do to keep themselves and their surroundings clean to support good health
Schools in Cameroon re-opened this week for the beginning of a new school year.

But an estimated 100,000 children in northern Cameroon are not attending classes. They have been forced from their homes because of the conflict with Boko Haram militants.

Schools in some areas are overcrowded and the building of more schools has been delayed because of security concerns.

Sixteen-year-old old Lara Salamatou fled her home in Kerawa three months ago. She says she then tried to go to the government high school in the town of Maroua.

She said the school in Maroua is overcrowded and has few teachers. She wants conditions there to improve, and would like to continue her education.

Officials recently closed her school in Kerawa and 160 other schools because of attacks by Boko Haram supporters. The militants are said to have entered Cameroon from Nigeria.

The government says at least 100,000 displaced children are not in classes this year.

At an elementary school in Maroua, classes have begun. But about 500 young people are waiting outside the building.

Teacher Njah Clementine says school officials are refusing to admit children whose parents have yet to make payments for their education. She knows many of those waiting have been displaced because of the conflict. She says the government has yet to tell the school to admit the boys and girls.

She says many parents wait until the last minute to make the payments. She said some of them beg the school to let their children go to class even without paying. But she says for those who have paid, their children are in class and there is effective teaching. Teachers are teaching. They prepared their lessons last week.

Education officials have moved teachers paid by the government to schools in areas at risk of Boko Haram attacks. But since 2014, some of those teachers have refused to go. This causes more problems for the schools in those areas.

Across the border in northern Nigeria, Boko Haram has targeted government schools and schoolchildren.

Youssouf Hadidja Alim is Cameroons Minister of Basic Education. She says the government is building schools in safe areas.

She says the government has built more than 200 classrooms, 87 buildings with restrooms and 56 water wells. She says the government has also built more than 6,000 school benches. And it has paid extra money to teachers in an effort to persuade them to teach in some areas.

More schools are planned but have not been built.

Aminou Sanda Zoua is the top basic education official in the Far North area of Cameroon. He says Boko Haram fighters target companies building the schools.

He says workers began building the schools, but stopped because of problems with security. He says crews are waiting for the right time to complete the work. But he says some classrooms have been built by the Army and they are ready to be used.

Im Christopher Jones-Cruise.

Moki Edwin Kindzeka in Cameroon reported this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

lesson  n. an activity that you do in order to learn something

basic  adj. describing the simplest and most important parts of something (such as a subject of study)

bench  n. a long and usually hard seat for two or more people


At the beginning of September, children in many countries return to school. In classrooms all over, students sit in lines of desks facing the teacher. The teacher talks about the subject of study. The students listen. They raise their hands to let the teacher know when they have a question or an answer.

But, this is not how things are done at Escuela Nueva schools. There, students of the same grade level sit together in small groups. They work on a lesson at their own speed. They work individually but also help each other learn the lesson.

Then, the older students in the room help the younger students understand the lesson before moving on to another.

Teachers at Escuela Nueva schools do not stand in front of the classroom and lecture.

The teaching method is a model of democratic values. Students are involved in every element of how the school operates. They make decisions about how and what they learn.

For example, classmates elect students for leadership roles and to perform jobs such as cleaning and social activities.

Educating children is one of the biggest challenges in the poorest parts of the world. Many rural schools, for example, have only one classroom. This means they teach students of mixed grade levels at the same time. Escuela Nueva uses these limitations as a strength and is quickly becoming a model for the worlds classrooms.

A Brief History of Escuela Nueva

The phrase Escuela Nueva means New School in Spanish. The name fits, as this learning method is not like that used in traditional schools. These schools make it easy for students to learn at their own speed and return to school after long absences.

Clara Victoria Colbert developed the model in the mid-1970s in Colombia. Colbert comes from a well-known Colombian family with a history of educational involvement. Her goal was to provide a good education to the worlds most disadvantaged students.

Colbert believes that Escuela Nueva improves peaceful social interactions through its focus on democratic values, cooperation and empathy. Colbert describes the method as cooperation in action. The Spanish word convivencia, means living together or coexistence. This is central to learning in Escuela Nueva schools.

Another example of convivencia is that parents and teachers work together to make decisions about the schools.

When she developed Escuela Nueva with these values in mind, Colbert hoped to support social progress in Colombia and beyond.

Colbert told NPR, Americas public broadcaster, that good quality basic education is necessary for social development, economic development, peace, and democracy. Its the only way, she said.

Today, the Escuela Nueva model is widely praised because of its long list of successes. Students at these schools attend classes at a higher rate, have better academic success, and drop out at a lower rate.

According to the New York Times, in Colombia alone, there are now 20,000 Escuela Nueva schools. About 20 other nations have started schools using the Escuela Nueva model, including Vietnam, Uganda, India, Brazil, and the Philippines.

Nearly five million children worldwide attend Escuela Nueva schools. Organizations such as the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF as well as non-governmental groups and private investors help to finance and establish the schools.

How Escuela Nueva Teaches

In Escuela Nueva, students learn by doing rather than by listening to the teachers instruction. Teachers are simply there to guide and encourage students. They are not the only holders of knowledge but rather facilitators: their purpose is to permit students to be the owners of their own learning.

The center of the learning method lies in the learning guide, which is a combination of a textbook and workbook. These learning guides combine math, science, reading, writing, and social studies.

Benefits of Escuela Nueva

When Colbert developed Escuela Nueva in the 1970s, there were many educational problems in Colombia. There were very few teachers. As a result, schools needed to quickly train new teachers, many of them with little education. The schools also needed to operate on small budgets. The minimal training and low cost of Escuela Nueva schools gave them an advantage.

Another advantage is that students do not fail a grade level due to absences. They can return to school at any time. As families in the poorest parts of the world struggle to survive, they often need their children to provide additional income. As a result, the worlds poorest students often leave school for work, starting from an early age.

Missing school for days, months, or even years is common for children in developing nations.

Many of the earliest Escuela Nueva schools taught the children of farm workers, including coffee growers in Colombia. These workers often had to move around for work. Can you imagine a child who leaves and is forced to repeat a grade level every time he comes back? Colbert told the New York Times newspaper.

Escuela Nueva students gain real-world skills they can use in their communities. For example, Colbert told NPR that "Instead of reading, 'Which is the longest river of Egypt?' students learn things such as how to help their brothers and sisters not die of deadly diseases."

Real-world skills have gained support from the United Nations and other international organizations. International education experts call many of these skills 21st century skills. These skills include collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking as well as leadership.

World Attention on Escuela Nueva

Beginning in the late 1980s, the World Bank and UNESCO helped the Colombian government to finance Escuela Nueva schools. A few years later, a UNESCO report found that Escuela Nueva helped Colombias poor, rural schools perform better than wealthier city schools throughout Latin America.

In only one other Latin American country, Cuba, poor schools perform as well as schools with better resources.

Escuela Nuevas success stories have helped Colbert win several awards, including the Wise Prize for Education Laureate and the Clinton Global Citizenship Award.

Rebecca Winthrop is an education expert at the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. The Center researches educational models and innovations.

Winthrop says Escuela Nueva offers an ideal method for an ever-changing world. She recently told NPR that Escuela Nuevas focus on student leadership, teamwork, and community could make it an educational model for the future.

Im John Russell.

And Im Jill Robbins.

Alice Bryant adapted this story from multiple news sources for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

Does your country have non-traditional schools like Escuela Nueva? Let us know in the Comment Section or post a message on our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

lesson  n. an activity that you do in order to learn something

lecture -a talk or speech given to a group of people to teach them about a particular subject

challenges - n. a difficult task or problem: something that is hard to do

disadvantaged - adj. not having the things (such as money and education) that are considered necessary for an equal position in society

focus  n. a subject that is being discussed or studied

empathy - n. the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions

academic  adj. of or relating to schools and education

drop out - v. to stop going to a school or university before finishing

instruction  n. the action or process of teaching

encourage  v. to make someone more likely to do something

facilitator - n. a person who helps something to run more smoothly and effectively

advantage - n. something that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others

collaboration - n. working with another person or group in order to achieve or do something

critical thinking - n. a type of thinking that requires close and careful examination of an issue or topic in order to form a judgment.

innovation - n. a new idea, device, or method
Election officials in the United States are working to stop threats to the election system from cyber attackers.

And Democrats in Congress are calling on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate reports that Russia may be planning to try to affect the presidential election in November.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid recently sent a letter to FBI Director James Comey.

The letter said the threat of Russia tampering with the elections is more extensive than widely known. ...The prospect of a hostile government actively seeking to undermine our free and fair elections represents one of the gravest threats to our democracy since the Cold War.

Four senior House Democrats asked the FBI to investigate officials in the campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

In a letter, the representatives said they want to know if the officials worked with Russia to carry out recent attacks against the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to interfere with the U.S. presidential election.

Russian government involved?

News reports said American officials believe Russian hackers illegally entered the election systems of two states in August. The FBI has not named the states.

But Yahoo News, which first reported the hacks, reported that its sources said the states were Arizona and Illinois. The website reported that an Illinois election official said the voter registration system was shut down for 10 days after hackers gathered information about 200,000 voters. In the Arizona attack, harmful software was placed into the voter registration system.

Russia has said its government officials were not involved in the attacks on the Democratic party organizations or the states.

Electronic voting vulnerable

Federal officials are increasingly worried about the possibility that foreign hackers -- particularly those working for Russia -- could enter the computer systems of American states and disrupt the presidential election.

Timothy Carone works at the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame. In an interview with VOA, he said he believes this election will probably start to showcase the future around problems well have with electronic voting.

Tim Erlin is the senior director of information technology security and risk strategy at Tripwire, a cybersecurity company. He said he believes cyber attacks will take place during the election in November.

There have already been cyber security incidents related to the election, so the likelihood that this election will be influenced in some way by attacks is 100 percent, he said.

James Andrew Lewis works at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a public policy research group in Washington. He told VOA that hacking for political purposes or coercive purposes [is] new and dangerous.

Lewis said Russian hackers are skilled. He said the recent reported cyber attacks may be taking place in preparation for the election in November. "That might suggest that, if they wanted to, they could do something -- a lot more at election time, he said.

Lewis believes it would be difficult for the hackers to change the result of an election. That is because, he said, cyber attackers would have to illegally enter a large number of local, computerized voting machines. But he said it is possible that people could doubt the result of the election if the hackers are able to illegally enter state voting systems that combine vote totals from towns and cities.

Lewis said it is more likely that the hackers will attack wireless voting machines. If they do, he said, it may cause people to not believe the reported vote totals.

Its something to be worried about for November, he said.

Stepped-up security

Federal agencies are increasing the strength of their computer security systems to prepare for the November 8 elections. And they are working with the states as they do the same.

The Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the Department of Justice are helping state officials limit the threats to their voting systems.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson spoke with federal and state officials about election security. He said it is critically important to continue to work to ensure the security and resilience of our electoral infrastructure, particularly as the risk environment evolves.

Harvey Kushner is the director of the Homeland Security and Terrorism Institute at Long Island University. He has trained workers at federal agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

He told VOA the government has not been very sophisticated in dealing with cyberspace. He noted the problems several years ago with the website of the Affordable Health Care Act. The website had many problems when it was first introduced.

But Lewis says the federal government has many ways to fight cyber attacks. In addition to the FBIs counterhacking capabilities, the government has a large intelligence-gathering network and works with private cyber security companies.

So between the private companies and forensic evidence and the federal government and intelligence activity, you can very often be pretty sure about whos doing what, he said.

Timothy Carone says officials are working hard to stop cyber attacks during the elections, but he says they cannot stop them all. He says attacks are going to happen, and how we recover from it is going to be a challenge.

Tim Erlin says the most effective approach to stopping cyber attacks is to identify possible threats and put defenses in place to guard against them.

Other cyber security experts say election officials must have other ways in place to record votes, including paper ballots.

Im Dorothy Gundy.

And I'm Bryan Lynn.

VOA News reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for VOA Learning English. Jill Robbins was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story
The morning of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 was sunny and bright along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Americans of all ages that were going about their daily activities early that morning were unaware of the events to occur over the span of 81 minutes that would change the course of history in America for the next fifteen years and beyond.

Nineteen terrorists used four commercial airplanes to change or disrupt American life in an unimaginable way that morning. The first airplane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 A.M. Eastern Time with the final impact in a field in Pennsylvania at 10:07 A.M.

That airplane, designated as Flight 93, is thought to have been intended to be used to damage either the U.S. Capitol Building or the White House. The heroic actions of passengers aboard that flight prevented the intended outcome from occurring. The two impacts in between the first and last occurred at the South World Trade Center Tower and The Pentagon. All four crash sites were, and are, critical and iconic centers of economic, military and political power and influence in the United States.

At the time, Americans promised to Never Forget. A group of Lexington citizens, in cooperation with the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles and volunteers from the Lexington Public School District, is presenting a 911 Remembrance Event to honor the fifteenth anniversary of 911. The tragedies that occurred that sunny September morning not only cast a dark shadow over our country, but also brought us together and gave us hope for a brighter future as well.

A formal program will begin at 7:45 A.M on Sunday at the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles and will conclude at 10:07 A.M. Lexington High School Principal Kyle Hoehner will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Tim Heimer, Grand Island Fire Department Fire Operations & Training Division Chief, is the keynote speaker. He volunteered at Ground Zero inNew York and has first-hand accounts of the rescue and recovery efforts to share with all that attend. Lexington High School students will become the voices of fifteen individuals affected on that day. In addition, a parade of flags, with a star representing each victim, and an inter-faith service will be incorporated into the program. Boy Scout Troop 88, American Legion Post 111 and Veterans of Foreign War Post 5136 will conduct the Parade of Flags.

Flags flown over the U.S. Capitol, the Nebraska State Capitol, the Dawson County Courthouse and Lexington City Hall will be on display. The Kearney Area 1733 Barbershop Chorus will perform patriotic and spiritual songs during the program. Local volunteer fire departments will conclude the program with a tribute to fallen firefighters.

A time capsule to be opened on significant 911 anniversaries in the future is also planned and the effort to gather articles to be included in it is underway. Members of the community are encouraged to contribute photos, newspaper clippings, handwritten or typewritten memories, recollections of their personal experiences and other items to the time capsule.

In the aftermath of 911 the Lexington community rallied in support of the victims, their families and the first responders that came to their aid. Lexington Middle School students raised the monies to purchase and place the clock tower on the Dawson County Courthouse lawn in remembrance of 911. Members of the Lexington community offered many other efforts of support and encouragement as well.

Fifteen years later it is the hope of this group of Lexington volunteers to honor the victims, their families, the heroes that supported them that day and afterwards, and to preserve the patriotism and American spirit that grew out of that tragic September day well into the future.
Against all odds, and following numerous delays, the folks behind the Turing Phone started shipping handsets this summer. The companys first phone is a 5.5 inch smartphone with a Snapdragon 800 processor, 3GB of RAM, and Sailfish OS software. Its designed for security and has no USB port or headphone jack, presumably because those present vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers or something.

Think thats weird? You aint heard nothing yet because Turing is starting to lay out plans for the future and apparently that future includes a phone with 12GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, an unannounced processor, and a brand new operating system all of which Turing says will be available in 2017.

Over the past week, Turing has introduced two concepts that are part of its Outer Blueprint plan and while they sure look to me like wish lists, Turing CEO Syl Chao seems to think theres actually a chance in hell that these phones will make it to market in the next year or two.

First up is the Turing Phone Cadenza, a phone thats said to be due out in 2017. Turing says itll have a 5.8 inch, 2560 x 1440 pixel display, which seems totally plausible. But then things take a turn for the weird:

Dual Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processors

12GB of RAM

Up to 1TB of storage (two 256GB storage chips and two microSD card slots for up to 512BGB of removable storage).

60MP rear camera system with four cameras and a triplet lens

20MP dual front cameras

100 Wh of battery power from a 2,400 mAh graphene supercapacitor battery, a 1,600 mAh Li-Ion battery and a hydrogen fuel cell

Other features are said to include WiGig high-speed wireless capabilities, four SIM card slots, and a brand new operating system called Swordfish OS which is said to be a fork of Sailfish OS with deep learning artificial intelligence features.

Not ambitious enough for you? Turing also has a vision for another phone called the Turing Monolith Chaconne, which is said to be coming in 2018.

6.4 inch, 3840 x 2160 pixel display

Three Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processors

18GB of RAM

Up to 1.2TB of storage (including 768GB built-in and two microSD card slots)

The same 60MP and 20MP camera layout (I guess thats good enough for a few years)

120Wh of hybrid power (graphene/Li-Ion and fuel cell)

Oh yeah, this model also has a slide-out keyboard that makes the phone look like a laptop.

I suppose its always nice to see a company with big plans for the future but its be nice if those plans also came with a remotely plausible timeline.

It took Turing more than half a year longer than expected to ship its first phone. Even if the company can deliver the Cadenza and Chaconne (and thats a big if, since they rely on technology thats not currently available, like the Snapdragon 830 processor), I have a hard time believing theyll be ready to go in 2017 and 2018.
It is often asserted that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 proved that HWA was right and he really did see the future.

This of course is nonsense. Herbert W. Armstrong said that Christ would return within twenty years in his book Mystery of the Ages. (PCG has since deleted those words so someone in there knows HWA spoke nonsense.) How convenient for them to forget this.

Also Herbert W. Armstrong never said the Soviet Union would collapse. He thought it would survive intact until a few years after Christ's return. It shows how biased some many in the COGs are that they never seem to notice this. This inconvenient truth is just tossed into the memory hole.

It is true that HWA said that some Eastern European states would break away from Moscow's orbit and join the European Empire he said would arise at any moment. But he never talked of the Soviet Union collapsing. He did not teach that. Also he portrayed the rise of the European Empire to be far quicker then what has actually happened. In Mystery of the Ages Christ was supposed to return by 2005 at the most.

So assertions that the fall of the Berlin Wall somehow prove that HWA was right is just complete nonsense spread by people who, for whatever reason, are still in denial that HWA was a false prophet who merely talked out of his own "human reasoning".
Mauricio Funes, El Salvador's first popularly elected left-wing president, has sought and been granted asylum in Nicaragua. From the Guardian

Nicaragua said on Tuesday it has given political asylum to former El Salvador president Mauricio Funes, who has come under scrutiny back home for a truce with gangs during his administration and is also facing multiple legal cases.

The Nicaraguan governments official Daily Gazette published a notice announcing that Funes, his partner and three children have all been granted asylum. It said their lives and physical integrity are in danger as a result of fighting in favor of democracy, peace, justice and human rights.

Funes said via Twitter that he decided to seek asylum on 31 August after confirming the political persecution that is being initiated against me.

According to the Gazette, the petition was dated 1 September, the same day El Salvadors supreme court ordered the release of a list of Funess government-funded trips abroad while in office. Asylum was granted the following day.

Mr Funes, a former journalist, moved to Nicaragua three months ago, after prosecutors began their case against him. They say he has not explained the origin of more than $700,000 (521,350) of his income.

Following the announcement of his asylum, he posted a declaration of his innocence to his Twitter and Facebook accounts.

He said he had spent three months working in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, before he decided to apply for asylum because of political persecution. He said there were plans by the "extreme right" to attack him.

"I have not given up fighting the judicial process or proving my innocence," he wrote.

From the BBC There are three groups of investigations currently being conducted involving Funes or his presidential administration. One investigation involves "illicit enrichment" after Funes was reportedly unable to substantiate the source of approximately $700,000 increase in his wealth during his presidency. The second investigation involves his relationship with a Salvadoran businessman, Miguel Menendez (known as "Mecafe"), which recently made news when multiple properties of the businessman were raided. The third investigation involves the 2012-2013 gang truce supported by his administration and whether the government made improper concessions to gang leaders.Although all these investigations are ongoing, no formal criminal case has been filed yet against the former president.Funes, of course, was elected in 2009 on the FMLN ticket with great optimism and hope for change in the country. For much of his tenure he was the most popular elected leader in Latin America. The news that Funes chose to seek asylum outside of the country is a disappointment and points out a couple of things about El Salvador. If guilty of corruption, he has let down millions of Salvadorans who voted for him, seeing the possibility of a new type of leader. If not guilty of corruption, it is tragic that a former president would have so little confidence in the country's judicial system that he would not stay in the country and fight the charges against him.No doubt driving Funes' decision is the fact that bail is frequently denied to persons accused of crimes in El Salvador, and you can spend months or years in prison before even coming to trial. This was the case for former president Francisco Flores, who was jailed while on trial for corruption, except for periods of time when he was under doctors' care. (Flores died suddenly before going to trial). By fleeing to Nicaragua, Funes has guaranteed that he cannot return to El Salvador while any charges are pending.
SCOTTSDALE -- An Arizona blood bank will soon start screening donated blood for the Zika virus, following an FDA recommendation.

The Food and Drug Administration a few weeks ago recommended that blood banks across the country screen for Zika after a batch donated in Miami tested positive for the virus.

An Arizona blood bank, United Blood Services, is reviewing the FDA recommendation, setting up systems to screen for Zika and training staff, said spokeswoman Sue Thew.

We are doing automatic testing in Florida and will be implementing, within four weeks, the testing on all donated blood right here in Arizona, Thew said in late August. Currently United Blood Services is testing all blood from donors who have traveled to a Zika-impacted area.

In February, United Blood Services asked people who had traveled to areas with Zika to wait 28 days before donating blood. The donor delay was lifted in mid-July but such travelers blood donations will be tested.

Every donor who comes in to give blood is shown a special sheet that theyre asked to review and (it) has a list of all the impacted countries, Thew said. Should that person have traveled to one of those areas, we automatically implement the testing, Thew said.

State health officials reported 25 Zika cases in Arizona, all linked to travel. Florida is the only state to have cases unrelated to travel.

The World Health Organization has called the Zika virus an international public health emergency that can lead to children born with unusually small heads, or microcephaly. The virus is spread through the bite of a mosquito.

Tempe resident Serena Christianson, who volunteered at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and has donated blood, said testing for the virus is a good idea.

I think its important to actually be over cautious, Christianson said. Im definitely appreciative of the fact that they are being thorough with testing for Zika and honestly testing for any kind of diseases in our blood system.

All donated blood is screened for several diseases, including HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HTLV, West Nile Virus, Chagas disease and syphilis, according to United Blood Services website.

Christianson trusts that the blood banks have peoples best interest in mind.

Any recommendation they have that has peoples health and is putting that at the forefront I think it should be honored and it shouldnt be challenged in anyway, Christianson said.

Thew said it shouldnt take more time to screen for Zika.

Thew said that United Blood Services is doing everything medically necessary to make sure the blood supply is safe.

You cant catch anything from donating blood and even on the receiving end, our blood supply has never been safer, Thew said.
By Nisha Susan

Earlier today, a police officer in Ottapalam, Kerala was suspended for trying to cover up the case involving Malayalam movie star Sreejith Ravi, who was arrested last week for allegedly flashing girls in a Palakkad school.

The actor had tried to take the girls photos on his cellphone too, says the school. However, the actor denies the charge, stating that the girls noted down the number of the car (of the man who flashed them) wrong, and it's just coincidentally his.

To people clutching their head and asking why anyone would do such a thing, I only have one thing to say: you were never a schoolgirl. Ask the girls in that school who were so quick to note down the number of the car, and I bet they will tell you that this is not the first time its happened to them either.

Flashers are notorious around all-girls establishments.

Picture this. I had returned to the Bangalore womens college Id studied in, to teach a short course. After my first class I sauntered out feeling pleased with myself. As I exited the gate I heard a sharp psst-psst-shsh-shsh, a sound like an under-confident pressure cooker. I turned my head and instantly it all came back to me.

Over three years in college Id trained myself not to respond to that psst-psst-shsh-shsh summons. But I'd forgotten my own training, because Id been away two years. What a mistake. Just outside the gate, sitting on a scooter was a large man in his 40s, in a long-sleeved shirt and pants. And sitting on the scooter seat ahead of him was his genitalia. Which is what he urgently needed to show me.

I was outraged at being scammed again. Id seen dozens and dozens of flashers through school and college. From class 4 to 8, I went to a school barely half a km from home and walked to and fro with my classmates. Its hard to remember a single week when a man didnt follow us, calling out to us, attempting to touch us or at the very least showing us his precious penis.

At age 13, a girl in my neighbourhood stepped out of her house to see her best friend next door and found a man on the street holding a cycle up in front of him and thrusting in and out of the metal rings below the bicycle seat.

Years later, in college, when I was travelling with five other women through Andhra Pradesh, we had a very elderly, frail woman in the same train compartment. Suddenly she jumped up and started making violent up-and-down gestures with her fist and yelling in Telugu. A man sitting in the very next compartment had angled himself towards us, and was masturbating. When all of us jumped up to yell, he ran away.

In the bus, at the park, at the movies, on an early morning walk, its hard to escape the flasher.

A friend tells me the story of her tuition classes being thrown into an uproar when a man walked off the street and flashed them. She was nine. Another tells me about turning to reprimand a schoolgirl sitting next to her in the bus for leaning into her.

When she looked up she realised the schoolgirl was trying to get as far away as possible from the office-going gent standing in the aisle, looking innocuous with his tucked-in shirt and laptop bag. Only he had unzipped his fly and was pressing his erection into the childs shoulder. My friend switched places with the schoolkid and he got off the bus at the next stop.

Also this week, Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin announced that she was leaving her politician husband Anthony Weiner.

In 2011, Weiner had resigned from Congress after tweeting a photo of his erect penis in his undies to a woman. One round of apologies later, he tried to run as New York Mayor in 2013 and dropped out after a sexting scandal.

What happened this week? News that he had yet again sent a stranger an image of his thinly concealed crotch, while lying in bed next to his very young child.

In another generation, perhaps Weiner would have had to prowl for strange neighbourhoods as Sreejith Ravi has been accused of doing.

But today the flasher has a new avenue of promenade: the online dick pic. Where they once hid behind bushes and cycles, flashers now startle you in your Other inbox, in tweets that tag you and on dating apps.

The unsolicited dick pic is such a common phenomenon that Madeline Holden wrote two years ago in The New Enquiry about her astounding tumblr Critique My Dick Pic. She says, aggressively insecure men harass women whose disinterest is irrelevant to them, blithely sailing past boundaries to demand that their manhood be looked at and validated; scornful women pass them on to girlfriends with less-than-smiling emoji. Dick pics are routinely shared the first time without consent on the part of the recipient and are widely loathed for this reason. Yet theyre also intimate, amateur portraits of the genitals of men, sometimes very lonely men, which gives rise to a kind of dual nature: The dick pic is hostile yet pitiable, aggressive but also acutely pathetic. Theyre also almost invariably ugly. Men and other people with dicks send me photos thereof, and I critique the photos with love.

My friend P used to say that she was convinced that flashers thought that their penises were huge, beautiful and should be shared. But Holdens hostile, yet pitiable seems like a perfect description.

How many flashers must that old lady in the train in Andhra have seen in her life? How many flashers does an average woman see in her lifetime?

At that moment outside my college with the fellow on the scooter who was giving his penis an airing, I didnt pause for data journalism. I had just bought a guava and still had its chat-powder-smeared segments in my hand. I chucked them one after the other at hamara Bajaj, hoping to hit his Bajaj. He zipped up rapidly and drove away.

I began to laugh and walked on. Then I saw it. A line of auto-drivers across the street looking at me in a state of terror. From where they were, all they could see was a college girl going berserk, throwing something at a respectable-looking gent and now she was laughing like a maniac and walking towards them. None of them wanted to drive me anywhere.

The Ladies Finger (TLF) is a leading online womens magazine.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 7 September, refused to grant a stay on the arrest of Vishal Dadlani, for allegedly hurting sentiments of Jain community with his tweets on monk Tarun Sagar.

Instead, it directed him to approach the Bombay High Court for the same.

The news was reported by ANI on Twitter.

Dadlani courted controversy with his tweets after Jain religious leader Tarun Sagar addressed the Haryana Assembly in the nude. Dadlani termed it "monkery", although he later deleted the tweet.

After facing immense criticism for his comments, Dadlani severed ties with the Aam Admi Party's political work (he is one of AAP's celebrity supporter), saying he "made a mistake by offending the peaceful Jain community". He also apologised for hurting the sentiments of Jain with his remarks on Tarun Sagar.

An FIR was later registered against Dadlani by the Ambala Cantt police.

His advocate Karuna Nundy had petitioned the Supreme Court seeking that the FIR be quashed.

However, Justices V Gopala Gowda and Adarsh Kumar Goel asked Dadlani's lawyer to approach the concerned high court instead, reported Outlook.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal distanced himself from Dadlani's tweets, saying: "Tarun Sagarji Maharaj is a very revered saint, not just for Jains but everyone and those showing disrespect is unfortunate and should stop".
Tom Hiddleston has already won world-wide critical acclaim for his role in the BBC thriller Night Manager and has also achieved an Emmy nomination for 'Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie' for the same.

So when Hiddleston won UK's TV Choice Award for Best Actor, he was really thrilled but apologetic that he couldn't be there in person to receive the award because he was filming Thor: Ragnarok in Australia.

A video of him accepting the award was posted on Twitter, where Hiddleston can be seen talking about it  but his co-stars Idris Elba and Chris Hemsworth disrupted his apologetic speech about him not being there in person.

Hemsworth first pops over to accept the award on behalf of Home and Away, a soap he appeared in before his days as Thor.

Then, Elba joined the interruption to ask why Luther (Hugh Laurie) didnt get a nomination. He tells his British friend, Hugh, you were amazing in The Night Manager and says 'hi' to his mother.

Before long, Hiddleston has adopted the look of a man resigned to sharing the spotlight.

But this isn't the first time Hiddleston's co-stars have made fun of him.

When he turned to Instagram for the promotion of Thor: Ragnarok, Hiddleston got a welcome from none other than Robert Downey Jr. or Tony Stark, the 'Iron Man', when he posted this photo on Instagram welcoming Loki to the world of vintage filters:

Join me in welcoming the biggest T. Stark fan of them all to Instagram! @twhiddleston A photo posted by Robert Downey Jr. (@robertdowneyjr) on Aug 9, 2016 at 3:09pm PDT

Re-posting a blurry paparazzi photo from Hiddlestons now-infamous Rhode Island romp (with Taylor Swift), Downey Jr. placed tongue firmly in cheek and wrote, Join me in welcoming the biggest T. Stark fan of them all to Instagram! @twhiddleston. Yes, 'T.S.' stands for Tony Stark of course. Loki loves Tony Stark and all is well in the Marvel Universe. Downey Jr. followed it up with this' I heart Loki' photo a week later:

A photo posted by Robert Downey Jr. (@robertdowneyjr) on Aug 10, 2016 at 3:29pm PDT



Hiddleston will be reprising the role of Thor's evil step brother in Thor: Ragnarok which will release on 25 October 2017.
Three months after its Rs 400-crore funding, Lenskart has raised an undisclosed amount from Premji Invest, the investment office of Wipro chief Azim Premji.

The move will help the online eyewear retailer gain from Premji Invest's extensive experience across retail brands, Lenskart CEO and Founder Peyush Bansal.

"It will also help us in our road map go public in the next 4-5 years," he added. Bansal said Premji has a lot of experience on the retail front -- investing in companies like FabIndia -- that Lenkart is looking to tap into.

Previously, the Ratan Tata-backed company has raised about Rs 714 crore from investors like IFC (venture capital arm of the World Bank), TPG Growth, IDG Ventures, Unilazer Ventures and Adveq.

"With this collaboration, the company will be able to draw on Premji Invest's extensive experience, particularly in retail and creating long-lasting brands to realise its potential and develop best practices," he said. Going ahead, Lenskart will focus on growing its presence via both online and offline channels, he added.

Avendus Capital was the exclusive financial advisor to this transaction. Founded in 2010, Lenskart is expanding its manufacturing capacity too. "We have a current (revenue) run rate of Rs 400 crore, which we expect to touch Rs 500 crore by the end of the fiscal," he said.
New Delhi: Stating that startups are "hopeless" and 90 per cent of them "are not going anywhere", Future Group CEO Kishore Biyani today said they have been made to look attractive only through daily full-page ads on newspapers.

Insisting that the startups must work on a bigger canvas, he said at the current state these new ventures would be too small to create the number of jobs which India requires.

"I think 90 per cent startups are not going anywhere. They are hopeless...In next three-four years revenues of these companies would not be more than Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 4,000 crore," Biyani said here at the Economist India Summit.

Lashing out at the functioning of these new companies, he said: "I think startup has become sexy because of one page ad everyday (on newspapers). Otherwise I don't think that startups are working on a canvas, which is larger."

He further said these are all funded by venture capitalists and "after 2-3 rounds of funding, 80 per cent shares are gone" and then are sold to some corporate houses.

"Start up people should now think big, they should work on bigger canvas. All are very bright and talented people, so the canvas has to be larger," Biyani said.

"Let us take Ola. The revenues would not be more than Rs 3,500 crore. They are not creating any new economy. They just meet people's need to commute from point A to point B," he said

On creation of jobs through startups, he said: "Consumption, which is going to drive the growth of the country and manufacturing might create the jobs and startups would be too small to create the number of jobs which we

require."

Despite Future group acquiring online furniture seller Fab Furnish, Biyani said "it's not viable to run an e-commerce company today".

Even if 10 per cent of the business is online, then some one would do the remaining 90 per cent, he said. "We have acquired Fab Furnish, we are also doing online. We are also learning," Biyani said.
New Delhi: Terming April 1, a very stiff target, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said the government is "running against time" for the implementation of GST, but added that he would certainly like to give it a try.

The Centre is aiming to implement the landmark indirect tax regime, Goods and Services Tax, from April next year. "We have kept a very stiff target and the reason is that there is a great national aspiration in support of a reform that GST is, and state after state within a period of 20-25 days have kept on ratifying it because they stand to benefit the most," Jaitley said here at the Economist India Summit.

The procedural formalities of collecting proceedings of all the states and sending it to the President for ratification are on, he said.

Once the assent is granted by President Pranab Mukherjee, the constitution amendment bill will have to be notified. After notification and constitution of the GST Council, Jaitley said, there are obviously some pending issues, which the council will have to resolve.

"So we have the months of September and October and parts of November to do that. So there is a lot of work to do and if you are able to successfully transact those issues, then in the winter session of Parliament the central legislations, with some drafts in public domain, will have to be brought in.

"The states will have to pass their own legislations. Now if we look ahead, it's a very stiff target, we are running against time. I would certainly like to give it a try," Jaitley said when asked about the timeframe for implementation of the GST.

Jaitley added that the passage of central laws, GST Bill and the IGST, are among the important economic legislations for the government.

"But more important along with these legislations is I think if you ask me in terms of economic priorities even outside parliament I would say that certainly implementation of GST is the top priority...," he added.

Parliament has passed the Constitution Amendment Bill for introduction of GST. The requisite number of states also have passed the Bill. GST will subsume most of the indirect taxes.
Exactly a month after taking over as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani seems at ease in the sprawling official bungalow in Gandhinagar once occupied by Narendra Modi. While he is preparing to make the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat event the biggest and the best yet, Rupani is acutely conscious of social fissures that have developed in the state following the Patidars reservation stir and the attacks on Una Dalits. In this exclusive interview to Firstpost  and the first to a national media outlet  Rupani talks about his governments agenda and challenges ahead.

Were you surprised at being picked as Anandiben Patels successor? It is a daunting task ahead for you, does it unnerve you?

I am overwhelmed by the enormity of the responsibility. And do you know the first thing I did? I called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked him to guide me constantly, to help me discharge my responsibilities. His assurance was an encouragement for me. I knew right from the word 'go' that it will not be an easy task to even try to get close to Modis legacy in Gujarat. But, I will try to do good for the state.

Why did you say initially that you were averse to becoming the chief minister?

No, I did not say that. What I said was that there was no race in the party as anyone assigned the job can do it. You see, I was heading the party and it would look very odd if a section of the media creates an impression of clashing ambitions within the BJP. There was speculation about a dark horse in the media. My comment was meant to disabuse people of the notion that there was a race for the post of chief minister in the party.

Of late, Gujarat has been in the news for all wrong reasons. The Patidar reservation stir led by Hardik Patel has caused social unrest. What is your impression about it? Has it been contained?

I think the situation is largely contained. It went out of control more for politics than anything else. We are conscious of the fact that the crass pursuance of vote-bank politics has disoriented the objective of reservations which is samajik samrasta (social harmony). But now, look at the Congress and other parties that have been pursing it as a tool to appease certain castes and communities. The Patidar agitation emerged out of the divisive nature of politics. We were bound by the Supreme Courts ceiling of not exceeding the 50 percent limit in reservation. Yet, we made a provision for a 10 percent reservation quota for the economically weaker sections of society. This was annulled by the high court. In substance, we are all for social justice. The problem arises when this objective is used to create social disturbances.

Has it turned your voter-base, the Patels, against you?

Absolutely not. I will be felicitated in a rally of Patels in Surat on 8 September. After assuming charge, I got strong support from Patel leaders from all over the state. You see there are problems that need to be addressed. For instance, the state government has come out to support economically weaker students to get admission in professional courses like engineering and medical ones. We have also taken positive steps to release leaders of the agitation from jails and withdrawn a majority of cases. The disquiet is substantially contained and diluted, I feel.

There seems a drift in the administration since Modi left. Was it not inept administration that allowed the Una incident to snowball into a major national controversy?

Let me begin by saying that Una was an unfortunate incident. But Una was not a reflection of 'inept administration' as you put it. On the other hand, the administration was quite quick to react. This unfortunate episode was deliberately snowballed into a national issue in order to capitalise on it politically in the Uttar Pradesh elections. The anti-BJP forces used it merely to gain political advantage. If I tell you the chronology of the administrative actions that followed the Una incident the administration would appear to have done everything as per law to deal with the situation.

Gujarat is largely seen as a growth story. But that story got derailed in the past two years. Why is that so?

Gujarat is still a growth story. We are pioneers in making drinking water accessible to 88 percent of the population. The accessibility of Narmada waters to perpetual arid zones of the state through a maze of canals, sub-canals and minors is an outstanding story that needs to be told. The revival of nearly 3,000 water bodies across the state and the use of drip irrigation in 13 lakh hectares area of agricultural land have revolutionised the rural economy. There are various irrigation projects that are technological marvels and have effectively made water accessible to large parts of the state for irrigation and drinking purposes. If you had visited Gujarat 15 years ago, tanker mafias ferrying drinking water ruled the roost. We put an end to it. These feats are not ordinary by any stretch of the imagination.

In spite of these stories, why does the state figure quite low in the human development index (HDI) stats?

I would have to look into the facts to give you a correct perspective of the HDI figures. But let me emphasise that the state has been spending a lot to improve human development indices. For the first time, we have introduced the Amutam card which gives cashless facilities upto Rs 2 lakh to nearly 38 lakh people living below the poverty line. Similarly, the government introduced a scheme named Mukhyamantri Yuva Swavlamban Yojna to create self-employment.

You suffered serious reverses in the panchayat elections. Is it indicative of the BJP losing its grip in the rural areas?

Of course, the party not faring well in rural areas in local bodies elections is a cause of worry. But we have gained substantial ground in by-elections held after the panchayat elections. I am confident of recovering substantial ground before 2017.

Vibrant Gujarat is scheduled to be held in January. How do you plan to make this event different?

This Vibrant Gujarat will be the biggest-ever event. It would not be wrong to call it Davos of the East, after Davos, where the World Economic Forum is regularly held. This event will effectively begin on 9 January and conclude on 15 January. The three-day official function will be scheduled from 10 to 13 January. The special feature of the event will be the attendance of nearly 10 or so Nobel laureates in pure sciences  physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics  to popularise science. These laureates will participate in a symposium and hold discussions with students aspiring to be scientists.

The prime minister will hold a roundtable meeting with all the scientists. This event will be different in many ways. For instance, the 2015 Vibrant Gujarat was a fairly impressive show although Modi had just taken over as prime minister. Now that he is firmly in the saddle, the event will attain new heights. We will also be hosting 30-odd CEOs of global companies. They will interact with the prime minister, finance minister and other top functionaries to know about the investment potential in India.

By the scale of the event, it appears that the event has less to do with Gujarat and more with India?

Vibrant Gujarat will used to showcase India. The theme of the event will be Connecting India to the World. We have signed an MoU with Nobelmedia of Sweden to connect science with innovation, technology and industry. The scale of the event will be awesome.

Usually Vibrant Gujarat creates a lot of optimism which gets lost at the implementation level. How many MoUs are actually honoured?

You are right that a significant chunk of MoUs could not be converted into investment. That is why we called such papers investment intentions. These papers are only indicative of peoples willingness to invest. There are many reasons for people to back away from investment. For instance, we do not flout policy guidelines to accommodate investors coming in with requests for concessions and pre-conditions. Still, the Government of Indias records will show that Gujarat is able to convert nearly 31 percent of MoUs into investment on the ground. We are number one in the ease of doing business and intend to retain that position. As of now we have adopted a fully policy-driven approach for investment in which there will be no scope for any discretion.

How difficult is it for you to work as a chief minister under the shadow of two stalwarts like Modi and BJP president Amit Shah?

It is not a difficulty, it is help. Both have such deep understanding of the state that it becomes a strength for me. One should not be scared of expectations (apeksha). One should rather avoid accusations (aakshep). I will place my governance firmly on four basic pillars  transparency, decisiveness, sensitivity and progressiveness. With these pillars, I hope to build trust in society and discharge my responsibilities to the best of my ability.
Complying with the Supreme Court directive, Karnataka from midnight Tuesday started releasing 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu's distressed farmers for the next 10 days.

However, there was a major clerical error  brought to the SC's notice by senior advocate for Tamil Nadu Subramonium Prasad  which was hastily rectified, reported The Hindu.

The Supreme Court directive, as published on the legal website, read: As far as the sustenance of the crops and interest of the farmers in the State of Tamil Nadu is concerned, instead of 10 cusecs of water per day, 15 cusecs of water per day be released at Biligundulu by the State of Karnataka for ten days.

The error being: The reason being 15 cusecs of water to be released per day instead of 15,000 cusecs. However, the mistake was immediately taken care of.

However, the Supreme Court would be moved seeking modification of its order to spare 15,000 cusecs of water for 10 days because of the difficulties in implementing it given that the live storage in four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin now was 46.7 TMC ft against their capacity of 104 TMC ft, the government said.

"It is inevitable for Karnataka to comply with the Supreme Court order in the interest of the state," top government sources said, adding, "constitutionally, it is not possible to defy it".

Officials confirmed that water was being let out since Tuesday midnight, shortly after the all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who said the decision to obey the Supreme Court order has been taken with "a heavy heart" even though the state itself faced "severe distress".

The present live storage is 45 percent against the live storage of 104 TMCFT in the Krishnaraja Sagar, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini reservoirs, the sources pointed out.

With inputs from PTI
After the Khat fiasco in Uttar Pradesh that left the Congress red-faced on Tuesday, the national party has decided to beef-up security at party vice-president Rahul Gandhi's upcoming rallies to avoid such incidents in the future.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, Gandhi has decided to continue with the Khat Sabhas despite the setback.

On 6 September, Rahul had embarked on a 2500km-long epic Kisan Mahayatra from Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh and held the first 'Khat Sabha' (cot meeting) where he interacted with the locals.

Moments after he left having made a raft of promises like farm loan waiver, reduction of power tariff and higher minimum support price for agriculture produce, the venue plunged into utter chaos and men, women and children scampered in, lifted the cots and hurried towards their homes.

There were minor altercations as policemen were seen walking leisurely, stopping none from carrying away the cots.

When asked about it, a villager quipped, "Kya hai ki Rahulji ne hi diya hai (It is given by Rahulji)", even as he gingerly balanced the rally takeaway on his shoulder.

Congress leaders, travelling with the party scion, were quick to deflect criticism over the matter, saying attacking the party on the issue would boomerang on the opposition as these khats still hold importance in the countryside. The party has arranged 10,000 khats for the entire campaign.

"Whoever tries to belittle the issue will do injustice to the poor villagers. Certain people in this country make away with thousands of crores of rupees and when a few villagers take home a thing as innocuous as a cot, all hell breaks loose. This shows the mentality of the BJP," Congress national spokesman Meem Afzal said.

With inputs from PTI
Thiruvananthapuram: A crude bomb was hurled at the BJP office in Thiruvananthapuram, but there was no casualty, police said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred at around midnight.

Glass panes of the main entrance door were damaged in the incident, Thiruvananthapuram city police commissioner, S Sparjan Kumar told PTI.

There were 3 to 4 BJP workers on the top floor of the office when the crude bomb was hurled, but none were injured.

BJP sources said the crude bomb exploded hardly 45 minutes after state President Kummanam Rajasekharan left the office.

To protest over the incident, BJP is taking out a march to the Secretariat here at 10 am, the sources said.

The incident occurred at the new office of the party.
Srinagar: At least four persons were injured in fresh clashes on Wednesday between protesters and security forces in south Kashmir's Anantnag district as restrictions on the assembly of people continued throughout the Valley.

A police official said that four persons sustained injuries when security forces fired pellets and tear smoke shells to chase away protesters in Anantnag.

He said while there was no curfew in any part of Kashmir, restrictions on the assembly of people were in placed in all districts of the Valley except Srinagar city.

Restrictions on the assembly of people will remain in force to maintain law and order, he said.

The official said the decision to not clamp curfew anywhere in the Valley was taken in view of the improving situation despite clashes at some places including in Anantnag district where a youth was killed in security forces action.

Even as normal life across the Valley continued to remain affected due to the separatist sponsored strike, markets in Srinagar and other places came to life on Tuesday evening as shoppers thronged them in view of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha festival which is being celebrated on 13 September.

The commercial hub of Lal Chowk in the city centre in Srinagar, along with the adjoining markets and other markets in most of the district headquarters were abuzz with activity on Tuesday evening in view of the 12-hour relaxation in the strike from 6 pm.

A heavy rush of shoppers was witnessed in Lal Chowk leading to traffic jams at many places around the city centre.

The separatists, who have extended the shutdown programme till 16 September, have announced periodic relaxation in the strike on some days of the week.

They have called for a march to the local office of United Nations Military Obervers' Group on Eid day for submitting a memorandum to the 71st session of United Nations General Assembly.

Meanwhile, shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut during the daytime. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions also continued to remain closed.

However, the attendance in government offices and banks has improved as lot, the official said.

Public transport continued to be off the roads, while there was increased movement of cars and auto-rickshaws especially in the civil lines areas of the city, he said.

The violence in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter in south Kashmir on 8 July, has left 73 people, including two cops, dead and several thousand injured.
New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday accused BJP of "fooling" the people of Kashmir on the issue of holding talks with separatists, saying it had already agreed on talking to Hurriyat under its agenda of governance with PDP.

"PDP and BJP in their Common Minimum Programme clause no 9...said that we will talk to Hurriyat," party spokesman Ajoy Kumar told reporters.

The two parties, which are ideologically opposite, share power in the sensitive border state where the Kashmir valley is witnessing unrest for nearly two months.

Besides, he recalled Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister late Mufti Mohd Sayeed had, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, thanked those "across the border" for peaceful elections in the state.

"But BJP says that we will not talk...So, whom are they fooling?" he said.

Kumar also targeted the Prime Minister for "schizophrenic" policy with regard to Pakistan and Kashmir.

He said that this has "harmed" the national interests.

This government goes by "self, selfie and self promotion", he said, adding the UPA had taken a consistent stand of no having talks with Pakistan till the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack were brought to book.
By refusing to meet members of the all-party delegation on a visit to Srinagar, the Hurriyat Conference has made a strategic blunder. The shutting of door on people's representatives has made it obvious that for all their breast-beating, the Hurriyat leaders are unwilling to restore normalcy in Kashmir. Why? Because continued unrest gives them the chance to capitalise on the grievance narrative. The loss of Kashmiri lives merely becomes collateral damage with an additional advantage that deaths could always be blamed on "Indian oppression" and turned into political capital.

The renewed violence in Kashmir following the rebuff and an ambush on an army convoy in Handwara on Wednesday served to prove further that the separatist movement triggered off by Hizbul Mujaheedin commander Burhan Wani's killing is fast reaching a level of claustrophobic desperation.

For India, the Hurriyat snub is an unexpected strategic gain.

The spiraling violence which entered its 60th day and has already claimed over 70 lives has sparked a sense of deja vu.

As Firstpost has argued consistently in the past, there was never any confusion about how the latest spate of hostility was aided and abetted by Pakistan as part of its proxy war over Kashmir.

Captured Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Bahadur Ali, for instance, recently revealed what we already knew  numerous training camps run by terrorist groups and backed by the Pakistan Army are sending militants to keep the Valley burning. Their brief is to mingle with the protesters, fuel tension and lob grenades at Indian security forces using stone-throwers as cover.

Another report in Firstpost quotes Ali telling National Investigative Agency interrogators that his handlers operate from a control room code-named 'Alpha-3', located at a high altitude somewhere in PoK. Ali outlined how members of the Pakistan Army, in civil clothes, monitored the entire process as he and couple of other LeT commanders crossed over into India.

This is just one among a mountain of evidence that indicates how Pakistan has been pressing non-state actors into service to engineer "spontaneous" protests.

Similarly, there was never any doubt about the true nature of Hurriyat's call for 'azaadi'  its leaders have been openly siding with Pakistan and even calling themselves Pakistani citizens. Worryingly for India, Hurriyat's pro-Pakistan stance has lately been reinforced with a new Islamist narrative.

And yet, as the violence spread in different parts of the Valley with a degree of sophistication and organisation that is impossible in a vociferous, grassroots movement, a few Indian political parties and leftist voices in the media began putting pressure on the government to talk to "all stakeholders", an euphemism for leaders who want Kashmir to secede from India and align with their religio-political home.

These usual Indian voices calling for talks with separatists display a willing suspension of disbelief. As if the likes of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Yasin Mailk or Mirwaiz Umar Farooq will drop their secessionist demands as soon government calls them for a discussion.

Not only is this demand an exercise in futility, it is also an incredibly blinkered, foolish strategy. If the government were to formally invite Hurriyat leaders for talks, it would catapult the Pakistan stooges into relevance and become a tacit admission that India was somehow wrong in killing Burhan Wani, a terrorist with a bounty on his head. Also, what would be the next move if the Hurriyat refuses to bend despite a formal invitation? Should we then also invite terrorists Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin for talks? Some Indian commentators would also call them "stakeholders".

By avoiding that trap, the NDA government has done the correct thing. The delegation that was to call upon the Hurriyat leaders  CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and RJDs Jay Prakash Narayan  as also AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi who went separately to meet Umar Farooq, was diversified enough and yet had an informality in approach.

Hurriyat's refusal to engage with the delegation stems from an apprehension that any meeting in an informal setting would be interpreted as a climbdown in this high-stakes game. But the separatist leaders failed to grasp that their obstinacy exposes them as non-serious players acting not in Kashmir, but Pakistan's interest, and absolves the Indian state of the charge that they didn't reach out to "all stakeholders".

The path is now clear for the Centre to take a tough stand vis-a-vis the Hurriyat and adopt a two-pronged strategy.

One, isolate the leaders and reduce their importance in the ongoing dispute. Initiate a string of measures including scrutinising their bank accounts, speeding up pending probes, curbing foreign travel and scaling down their state-sponsored security. Some of these steps, as a Firstpost report points out, may already be underfoot.

According to CNN-News 18, says the report mentioned above, the Centre spends around Rs 309.53 crore on separatists and as many as 1,472 of these leaders are provided security. The news channel also reported that 708 vehicles are allotted for 481 separatists and 440 of them are accommodated in secure hotels. It boggles the mind to think that Indian taxpayers are indirectly funding a war unleashed by Pakistan and its agents against us.

The Mehbooba Mufti government also must reinforce its writ over the troubled valley where the Hurriyat, since the onset of unrest, has been running a parallel administration.

As Sameer Yasir pointed out in a recent article in Firstpost, the separatist leaders have been throwing a direct challenge at state by deciding the movement of the people on the streets and opening of the businesses by a self-styled "calendar".

Two, the Centre must simultaneously start confidence-building measures including banning of pellet guns in favour of the new PAVA shells, relaxation of curfew, and lifting of AFSPA wherever feasible. Talks on increased autonomy may begin, but it could only be a long-term goal. There should be no doubt about Indian state's ability to absorb an uprising  however intense  and restore normalcy without having to truck with Pakistani agents.
While the Centre has decided to scale down the security presence in Jammu and Kashmir after Home Minister Rajnath Singh-led all-party delegation's visit to the state, the separatists leaders' refusal to hold talks has not gone down well with the government. After Singh's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, the Central government indicated that it will toughen its stand against the separatist leaders.

Reports suggested that the Centre will not only scrutinise the bank accounts of the separatists, but also speed up pending investigations in cases against them. These leaders are also likely to be banned from making foreign trips and Z-scale security provided to them will be scaled down.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs of India Kiren Rijiju said that the government will take action keeping national interest in mind.

Will do whatever is required to be done in the interest of the nation: Kiren Rijiju on govt to probe Kashmiri separatists funding issue  News18 (@CNNnews18) September 7, 2016

On Monday, Singh hit out at the separatist leaders for snubbing the government attempts to hold talks with them. "The members had gone to hold talks but by refusing to talk, they have shown that they (separatists) do no believe in Kashmiriyat, insaniyat (humanity) or jamhooriyat (democracy)," said Singh, reported PTI. Apart from Singh, MPs like CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, RJD's Jay Prakash Narayan and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi were part of the delegation.

According to CNN-News 18, the government spends around Rs 309.53 crore on separatists and as many as 1,472 of these leaders are provided security. The news channel reported that 708 vehicles are given to 481 separatists and 440 of them are accommodated in secure hotels. The Hurriyat Conference, on the other hand, claimed that it did not receive any special treatment from the government.

The government said the separatists "mishandled" the situation and they need to be "ignored and exposed" at a time when the people of the Kashmir Valley are suffering.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday hit out at the separatists for "spoiling" the youth of the Kashmir Valley and said that it was an an "insult" to "Kashmiriyat" after they shut their doors on the members of the all-party delegation. "We have lost several opportunities in the past to resolve the issue through engagement and dialogue and today again if we miss the chance, the coming generations will never forgive us for our intransigence," she said, according to PTI.

Making an emotional appeal, the chief minister said the separatist leaders lost an opportunity by refusing to engage in a dialogue with the government and prominent members of Parliament. She said that the separatists are responsible for the fact that the children in Kashmir are picking up stones instead of going to schools and colleges.

"Despite the challenges and impediments, the prevailing painful situation in Kashmir necessitates once again reaching out to all shades of political opinion in the state and initiating substantive political and economic measures to revive and consolidate the peace and resolution process," she said.

Meanwhile, at least four persons were injured in fresh clashes on Wednesday between protesters and security forces in south Kashmir's Anantnag district as restrictions continued throughout the valley.

In view of a fight that is led by teenagers and youth, David Devadas asks if these separatists have any influences on these youths. "It is well known in Kashmir that the intelligence agencies have kept many 'secessionist leaders' well catered for. Houses, hotels, resort and other properties, hospital and air travel bills, and monies in other forms, are said to have been provided... etc, the forces and agencies cannot influence those well-catered-for figures to even unbolt their doors?," he writes.

An all-party meeting is underway in Parliament and the fate of the separatists depends on the outcome of the meeting.

Delhi: All Party meeting begins in the Parliament. pic.twitter.com/HZGoqHdfpc  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, however, reports of government crackdown on separatists are wrong.

HM said in all party meet that reports of Govt deciding to crack down on separatists is absolutely wrong: Sitaram Yechury  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

With inputs from agencies
The Jammu and Kashmir government led by Mehbooba Mufti, in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Kashmir High Court Bar Association seeking a ban on pellet guns, has said that firing pellets on the protesting people is not unconstitutional and the use of pellet guns cannot be banned.

The PDP-BJP government led by Mufti has been facing severe criticism for the indiscriminate use of metal pellets on the protesters during the ongoing uprising, in which seventy-five people have been killed and thousands injured from both sides.

It is submitted here that the Hon'ble Court cannot guide the law enforcing agencies to act in a particular way/manner. The court being not an expert does not recommend as to how the law and order situations are to be controlled," J&K government's Advocate General Jahangir Ganaie, through an affidavit submitted in the High Court, has said.

"(The) fundamental rights do not provide for a license to take law into one's own hands. It is only a non-violent protest march, which is a fundamental right of person. It is a settled legal position that the courts have to show deference and consideration to the recommendations of an expert committee. In this view of the matter as an expert committee is seized of the matter and having regard to the fact that the issue of use of pellet gun comes within the realm of maintaining law and order situation," the affidavit reads.

A pellet, made of small metal  usually aluminum  balls, when fired from a short-range pellet gun, can pierce into the body of a person and can cause damage to his or her internal organs or face including eyes.

"The pellet gun is a modern method to deal with crowd control, particularly agitating mobs who resort to heavy stone pelting, rioting, arson, at the instigation of militants and separatists with the intention of causing loss of life of police personnel and those of security forces, besides the public and private property," the affidavit signed by Director General of Police, reads.

The pellet fires have killed at least six people and inflicted injuries on around 1500 people in the last 60 days of public-police clashes. The statistics exclude the number of injuries treated locally. In one of the major hospitals in capital Srinagar, Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Memorial Hospital (SMHS), over 550 people, including a five-year-old boy and a girl have been admitted for the treatment of their eye injuries, medically known as ocular trauma, with the rest of the injured getting medical care in other hospitals and private clinics of Kashmir.

After an outcry over the injuries, the High Court Bar Association has filled a PIL seeking the banning of the gun.

That affidavit has said that in the aftermath of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on 8 July, the entire Kashmir valley was rocked by unpleasant events in which thousands of people resorted to violent agitations and attempted to cause loss to the life of police/security forces personnel and that of peace loving citizens, besides causing enormous damage to the public and private property."

"More than 3700 police and security forces personnel (3777 to be precise, till 30.08.2016) have also sustained injuries during the attacks on them by the crowd by using stones and sharp edged weapons and petrol bombs."

"From 08.07.2016 to 30.08.2016, a total of 1522 incidents of violence have been reported across the Kashmir valley which has resulted in the loss of 58 lives, including those of two police personnel. During the same period, a total number of 31 police stations/police posts , 02 Courts, 164 Ambulances and 51 other establishments have been damaged. For the acts of violence during the same period, as many as 1431 FIRs have been registered, 813 persons accused of commission of offences under these FIRs have been arrested and 409 such persons have been detained or bound down by taking bonds under CR.PC., the affidavit reads.

"The people have not been compelled to stay indoors. It is only for the protection of the public at large, curfew and restrictions from time to time have been imposed. No one has been deprived of his right to protest peacefully. There is no failure of rule of law."

"Young boys and girls/women are incited and instigated by militants and those having separatist tendencies to resort to violence against the state and in the process these kids and women are used as shields by such miscreants to further their designs of disrupting peace and harmony/law & order."

"The Standard Operative Procedures (SOP) is bing followed in its totality while dealing with the protesters/agitating mob in the valley."

"The use of 12 Bore Pump Action Gun and or use of pellet gun and or use of cartridge containing 400 or 500 lead/metallic/rounded or sharp edged metallic pellets during crowd control is not unconstitutional violating the provisions of the Constitution including Article 21 of the Constitution."

Battling with the growing number of the pellet injuries due to the continuous use of pellets on protesters by security forces, hospital authorities at SMHS hospital have conducted 250 viterectomies (retina surgeries) while over 250 other patients are still waiting for their turns. More than 500 patients, mostly with minor injuries, have also received preliminary treatment at the city hospital. Many people with pellet injuries in the eyes are on the verge of losing eye sight in one or both eyes. Doctors say their numbers can exceed to 100 if proper medical attention is not given to their injuries.

The international human rights advocacy groups, particularly Amnesty International, have called for an end to the use of pellets on protesters as it has the potential to cause serious damage to the body of a person. Under pressure, the state government introduced a new weapon called Chili Pavah or Chili grenade which temporary immobilises a person but have refused to stop the use of pellet guns altogether.
New Delhi: With the government stoutly defending the role of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir and insurgency-hit Manipur, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said it was more concerned about human rights violations happening in the heart of capital cities like Imphal.

"It is not the Line of Control (LoC) but the heart of the cities like Imphal, is what we are concerned about. Public order needs to be followed," a bench of Justices MB Lokur and UU Lalit said after Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi submitted that security forces at LoC or during insurgent operations have to act in a particular way.

Referring to an earlier constitution bench judgement in the Naga People's Movement of Human Rights case, the bench said law in this regard has already been settled, as it has ruled that though an internal disturbance is a cause for concern, it does not threaten the security of the country.

While NHRC counsel and senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam contended that there was "no accountability" in case of human rights violations, Rohatgi said the security personnel have to act "in a particular way" on the LoC or during an insurgent operation.

"Truth of human rights violations if any can be found through criminal trials. It is a serious situation. Security personnel at a Line of Control (LOC) or during an insurgent operations has to act in a particular way. How else do we do it," Rohatgi said.

He said what happened in the 1980's and retrospective enquiry into those incidents will have serious effect on the Army, whether in Manipur or in Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand, Subramaniam said "if there are abrogation of human rights, then accountability has to be fixed on the erring personnel. Here there is no accountability".

The army or security agencies refuse to give any details about cases if there are allegations of human rights violation and asserted that under the Armed Force Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or any other law this cannot be done.

"In Manipur, it took three years to get an information regarding a case of alleged human rights violation. NHRC is a responsible fact-finding body. No government can say it is not accountable for violation of human rights," Subramaniam said.
Surat: Prominent Patel businessmen in the city have decided to felicitate BJP leaders of their community in the presence of party chief Amit Shah on Thursday.

BJP, which is struggling hard to regain the support of numerically strong Patidars in Gujarat after the community led by Hardik Patel launched the quota agitation, has made this event a prestige issue.

The party expects strong presence of the Patel community at the event, to affirm that the Patidars are with them in the run up to the 2017 Gujarat assembly elections. While Hardik Patel-led PAAS has asked the community to oppose the felicitation programme, city-based prominent businessmen have formed a group called 'Patidar Abhivadan Samiti', to honour the new state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and Union ministers of Patel community.

"This felicitation of Patidar leaders is for the community, is for the state and is for the nation," said full page advertisements given in vernacular newspapers across the state by the samiti, inviting Patel community members to come in large numbers for the programme.

Apart from Shah, Chief minister Vijay Rupani and former chief minister Anandiben Patel will also be present at the event. During the time of Patel quota agitation last year, Surat remained a hotbed of activities of those demanding the quota for the community.

"Lakhs of Patidar community members will remain present in the felicitation programme in Surat. Party national chief Amit Shah and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will also be present," state BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya said.

However, PAAS and Sardar Patel Group (SPG), have decided to oppose the programme. "We have called upon our people to protest at the venue of the programme," a release by PAAS said.

Hardik is in Udaipur town of Rajasthan at present as the Gujarat High Court has ordered him to stay outside the state for six months as his bail condition. SPG's Lalji Patel also said that they will boycott the programme and stage protest at the venue.

Shah's presence in the programme has led to allegations by quota agitators that it is BJP which has asked city businessmen to organise such a programme to win over the Patel community in the run up to the 2017 Gujarat elections.

Shah is also scheduled to address BJP workers meeting in Vyara town of Tapi district and inaugurate state BJP office in Surat city on Thursday.
New Delhi: Previous governments had adopted a "defeatist" attitude by not constructing roads in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh as they felt Chinese forces could use them, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday.

Speaking ad lib at a conference on 'Homeland Security, Smart Border Management' organised by Ficci in New Delhi, the Minister of State for Home Affairs claimed an "unwritten" policy of the governments of the past was not to develop border areas.

He cited a statement made by LK Advani during a visit to Arunachal Pradesh when he was the deputy prime minister that India was making a "huge blunder" by neglecting its borders.

"I am talking about pre-1998. Our deputy prime minister LK Advani came to Arunachal Pradesh. He made a very important statement at Itanagar. He said India has committed a 'huge blunder' by neglecting its border," Rijiju, who hails from the northeastern state, said.

"Because the policy (previously) was don't construct roads in Arunachal Pradesh. If you develop roads the Chinese will come and use them in the time of crisis. That means you are a defeatist, you have a defeatist mindset. In Ladakh, don't construct good roads along the border because they may use it. So to protect our territory leave it underdeveloped... What kind of policy we had in India. Terrible!" he said.

"So, when Advani ji came he said it is very, very regrettable that this was the policy of the country," Rijiju

said, adding people in border areas crave for development.

He mentioned that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had initiated Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna in

far-flung areas of Arunachal Pradesh and quoted him as saying "it takes will power and not money to work for development".

Noting that border guarding is a challenging task, the minister said, "We have done a commendable job in managing our borders successfully. There were one or two incidents like Kargil but by and large we have managed our borders or at least made it look like we have successfully managed our borders. The government whoever is there."

Terming border management as most important subject, Rijiju said it has not been able to draw the required

attention of either the government or the people.

"I always feel that a country is as secure as its borders. And no matter how robust economic system we try to create within the country, if your border is not secured then you can understand what all robust arrangement we are talking about," he said.

The minister said it is not easy to secure 15,000 km of land and a coastal border of over 7,500 km.

He said the borders with Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan allow free movement of people unlike those with Pakistan and

Bangladesh along which security needs to be strengthened further.

"We are trying to make the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh completely fool-proof and fenced so that other than

those designated border posts, people cannot cross over at other places," he said.

Rijiju said despite best efforts, trafficking of humans and drugs is difficult to stop across these borders.

"I have tried to understand it over the past two years why we cannot stop it. In the home ministry we try to understand and I always insist that we have to stop it, the illegal infiltration," he said, adding "Our border guarding forces are trying their level best, still these incidents do not stop."

He called for setting up of a joint mechanism to deal with border issues.

"Pakistan has also to ensure that their people do not cross. If their military, agencies or organisations from the

other side, if they keep making attempts 24 hours, then they will be successful. So it has to be a joint mechanism.

"Having said that, we shouldn't be dependent on them. That 100 percent fool-proof security arrangement in the

border area will be only if we can make the other country realise that it is the necessity for both the countries to ensure that," he said.
By Prateek Mittal and Vartika Singh

On 15 August, 2016, in his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised a safety net of up to Rs 1,00,000 for families who lived below the official poverty line. This programme, however, may do little for people who lack access to qualified medical personnel.

Up to 62 percent of government hospitals dont have a gynaecologist on staff and an estimated 22 percent of sub-centres are short of auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs)together, gynaecologists and ANMs are the frontline of the battle against infant and maternal mortalityaccording to our analysis of District Level Household Survey (DLHS-4) data. At the same time, health facilities are fewer than required, which means that the actual shortfall in personnel is much higher.

Our other findings:

1) In 30 percent of Indias districts, sub-centres with ANMs serve double the patients they are meant to.

2) As many as 65 percent of hospitals serve more patients than government standards require; the number rises to 95 percent if we include hospitals with a gynaecologist on staff.

3) Almost 80 percent of all public hospitals serve twice the number of patients that government standards specify.

Consider these statistics in light of Indias slow progress in reducing maternal and infant mortality. Despite the fact that eight in 10 babies were born in hospitals in 2011-12, up from 41 percent in 2005-06, according to government data, India continues to have the highest rate of infant mortality among BRICS nations, as IndiaSpend reported in May 2016.

From 256 women who died per 1,00,000 live births, according to National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) surveys in 2004-06, Indias maternal mortality rate (MMR) improved 30 percent to 178 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2011-12, but this is worse than countries in the neighbourhood, such as Sri Lanka (30), Bhutan (148) and Cambodia (161), and worst among the BRICS countries: Russia (25), China (27), Brazil (44), and South Africa (138), according to the World Banks latest estimates.

More money, more health sub-centres over 10 years, but where is the staff?

The NRHM was launched in 2005 to provide affordable healthcare in rural areas, improve healthcare quality and reduce maternal and infant mortality. In 2013, the mission was rebranded as the National Health Mission (NHM) with two components, NRHM and National Urban Health Mission (NUHM).

The budget for NRHM in 2005-06 was Rs 6,713 crore, which rose 67 percent to Rs 11,196 crore in 2015-16. And, through the roll-out of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) insurance program in 2008, the government of India has demonstrated a concerted effort to help the poor pay for medical expenses.

But, even as the number of sub-centres rose 5 percent, from 146,026 in 2005 to 153,655 in 2015, according to Rural Health Statistics (RHS) data, a critical element of the public-health system continues to falter: There arent enough doctors and nurses.

Our analysis of Indias District Level Household Survey (DLHS) data reveals that a large proportion of healthcare facilities across India dont have the required number of trained medical personnel on staff, creating impossible caseloads for those on duty. This problem is most pronounced in public hospitals and rural areas, which serve the most vulnerable Indian citizens.

Absenteeism matters  but so do vacancies

Much has been written about absenteeism amongst public sector employees and its impact on basic public services, including its impact on the quality of health services (here and here). The absenteeism rate across the public education and health sectors in India was 40 percent, tying with Indonesia, according to this 2006 study conducted across primary schools and primary health centres in six countries.

Much less attention has focused on the vacancies in public-sector employment and especially the public-health system. While the number of healthcare facilities across India has increased substantially, as we indicated, the count of medical personnel has not kept paceand rural facilities have the largest gap between the supply and demand of basic health services, as measured by vacancies.

Since the launch of NRHM, two rounds of DLHS (round 3 in 2008 and round 4 in 2013) have been conducted which highlight the staffing gaps in maternal and child health.

Gynaecologists play a crucial role in ensuring safe and healthy pregnancies and deliveries. Even with the increase in the number of facilities nationally, the number of practicing gynaecologists has not increased significantly. In 2008, the number of government hospitalsincluding CHCs, sub-district hospitals (SDHs) and district hospitals (DHs)was 4,423, of which only 1,633, or 37 percent, had a gynaecologist. In 2014, the number of hospitals rose to 6,318, but only 2,409, or 38 percent, had a gynaecologist.

In short, DLHS-4 indicates that close to 62 percent of hospitals do not have a gynaecologist on staff.

The government finds it hard to meet its own standards

The government of India increased funding to the health sector through NRHM and put out the India Public Health Standard (IPHS) in 2007 (updated in 2012) which prescribes healthcare standards for facilities and personnel.

These updated standards aim to address the shortfall in doctors and other staff in public-health facilities. There should be at least one sub-centre per 5,000 people, and each sub-centre should have at least one ANM on staff, according to IPHS standards.

Similarly, IPHS prescribes one CHC per 120,000 people and one gynaecologist per CHC. As per these norms, India needs more than 10,000 gynaecologists in its public-hospital system. However, according to RHS data, there are only 3,429 sanctioned posts for gynaecologists across the country, of which only 1,296 have been filled. In other words, if we use IPHS as reference, CHCs have no more than 12.6 percent of the gynaecologists they should. This number increases if we only assume the number of sanctioned posts as benchmark.

The map shows spatial variations in the percentage of vacancies and population served per facility with the required personnel on staff. The map provides district-level information on the percentage of facilities without an ANM or gynaecologist, as well as the population served by each of these workers. (These figures exclude Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir, for which DLHS-4 data have not been released.) ANMs are Indias bulwark against maternal and infant mortality: For any lower-level health facility, such as the sub-centre, an auxiliary nurse midwife is the first point of contact for pregnant women seeking healthcare. Yet many sub-centres remain without an ANM, and the majority of hospitals still do not have a single gynaecologist.

The histograms show district-level estimates for average population per facility. In the case of sub-centres, only 143 districts, around 25 percent of the total, comply with the IPHS standards by having centres serve an average population of 5,000 or less. In fact, more than 15 percent of the districts have an average population per facility above 10,000 people, more than twice the IPHS limit. In the case of sub-centres that have ANMs on staff, only 20 percent of the districts comply with the IPHS population limit and more than 30 percent of the districts have more than twice the IPHS population limit. The distribution is even more skewed for hospitals. Only 35 percent of the districts comply with the IPHS standards; that number drops to 5 percent when we limit the sample to hospitals that have a gynaecologist on staff. And within that 5 percent of districts with gynaecologists on staff in their hospitals, 420 districtsalmost 80 percent of the totalhave average population per hospital which is more than twice the IPHS population limit.

The deficit of health workers in the current public-health system is clear.

In the public debate over how to ensure high-quality public services for all Indians, vacancies must stand alongside absenteeism as a critical area for improvement. Until these vacancies are filled, infrastructure investments and financial safety nets will fall short of ensuring adequate access to quality healthcare for the poorest Indians.

Prateek Mittal is a Research Associate and Vartika Singh is a Research Manager for Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) India at IFMR.
At a time, when Unesco's New Global Education Monitoring Report claims that India will be 50 years late in achieving global education commitments, popular yoga guru Ramdev is making a fresh pitch for a Vedic Education Board in the country. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Ramdev said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah have supported the idea.

"Prime minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and the NDA government are serious for such a Vedic Educational Board and we are hopeful we will soon get approval," Ramdev was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

The human resources development (HRD) ministry, under Smriti Irani in May 2016, was mulling over a plan to set up a central board for Vedic and Sanskrit education which would be first of its kind in the country. Earlier, a government-appointed panel headed by former chief election commissioner N Gopalaswami had in its report suggested that the Maharshi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan (MSRVVP) in Ujjain be made a Central Sanskrit and Vedic Studies Board for the benefit of Sanskrit pathshalas across the country.

"The recommendations of the committee are under consideration of the ministry, a senior official had said in May. In a report submitted earlier this year, the panel had suggested that the HRD ministry establish a Central Board of Veda and Sanskrit Secondary Education that will affiliate, conduct exams and make available the grant-in-aid. The panel headed by Gopalaswami in its report said that there are Sanskrit pathashalas across the country.

Their traditional education has neither recognition nor they are aware of recognition issue. It is very necessary to protect traditional learning and make the learning duly recognised by an authority, the panel said as it recommended a Central Board of Veda and Sanskrit Secondary Education.

The panel had also suggested that the proposed board will be an independent body under the ministry of human resource development with an appropriate authority.

Speaking to The Indian Express, the then Union HRD Minister and the current Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani said, "We are in the process of looking at some aspects containing Vedic education and challenges which are attached to it, because this sector not only has no proper structure but also a lot of our wealth in Vedic education is silently getting lost. Since it is in a process of consultation right now, it would be inappropriate to talk about it publicly."

Whose brainchild is the Vedic Education Board?

How much ever we all would like to believe that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is at the helm of setting up of this board, it is not. Speaking to Newslaundry, former secretary of MSRVVP Roop Kishore Shastri said that it was his idea. "There is a process for everything. If a new government comes into power, it doesnt mean that they have started something," he told Newslaundry. An autonomous organisation, MSRVVP was set up in 1987 in New Delhi by the then HRD minister PV Narsimha Rao. The headquarter was moved to Ujjain in May 1993. 450 pathshalas are affiliated to MSRVVP across the country and is headed by the Union HRD Minister.

According to government estimates, around 10,000 students are currently studying Ved Vidya in India. According to reports, the government expects an additional 40,000 students to join once the board is officially set up. Students spend seven years learning Vedas and studying Sanskrit, English, Maths and Social Science.

In this report published in June 2016, Newslaundry quoted Shastri who claimed that since Vedic students did not come from any recognised board, they had difficulty in getting admission in colleges. In a general body meeting in 2013, members approved the proposal to create an official board. The plan did not materialise till 2015 (the year when Shastri's term ended), a year after which Irani, during a meeting in Bengaluru on 17 January 2016 with a panel set up under Swami Govindadeva Giri, which recommended that a vedic education board was the need of the hour. The panel also recommended that the board should be set up on the lines of CBSE.

The current secretary of MSRVVP Devi Prasad Tripathi attributed the success of rolling the ball on the board formation talks to Irani. "The demand to form a board was raised from time to time and the issue was going on. But it could never really take off before this time," he said. If the board is formed, the MSRVP will need a funding of at least Rs 6 crore, excluding infrastructural expenses.

How is Ramdev involved in all this, you ask?

Well, the yoga guru has been trying to pitch the idea for a while now. In March 2016, Ramdev had suggested the idea to start a board which will only cater to Vedic students. The HRD ministry, however, was not convinced with the plan. According to reports, at a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister in April, the government slashed the idea on the grounds that consent for a "private board as this" would give room for similar requests from "other unrecognised school boards."

Centre has not given recognition to any other private board.

On 2 September, Ramdev's aide, Balkrishna, met HRD minister Prakash Javadekar and school education secretary SC Khuntia to pitch the idea again. Interestingly, Ramdev has revived his pitch two months after Cabinet reshuffle. Javadekar replaced Irani as the Union HRD Minister. This time along Ramdev seemed hopeful about the board formation since PM Modi also supports

Vedic education.

Javadekar did not say anything about the formation of the board after meeting Balkrishna. Mujhse sabhi log mile rehte hain (a lot of people come and meet me). Asked if the VEB proposal was discussed during the meeting, he added, Meri tabiyat bigdi hai. Dava chahiye thi, isiliye bulaya tha unhe (I am unwell. I wanted him to prescribe some medicines)", Javadekar told The Indian Express. Balkrishna, on the other hand, sounded extremely "positive" after meeting the minister. "Javadekarjis response was very positive. He gave us a patient hearing. We are confident that this board will be set up soon. The ministry seems to be working on the proposal."

Ramdev plans to teach morning yoga lessons, give spiritual instructions, have hostels and libraries which are segregated on the basis of gender and train students in religious rites and rituals. According to Ramdev, the schools will follow the model established by Acharyakulam, a school he runs in Haridwar. PM Modi inaugurated it in April 2013. Ramdev's school has 425 students and claims it will produce "Vedic scholars" who can take up the leadership of "modern Bharata."

With inputs from agencies
What is some people's problem with Mother Teresa?

I truly dont get it. If the Pope wants to sanctify her why are people like Justice Katju and British-based activist Aroup Chatterjee spewing so much venom and the media running with it without any evidence except conjecture that was a lot of no good.

Is it to get attention for themselves? There are worse people in the world and I dont see what advantage there is in assaulting the reputation of a woman who has been dead for 20 years. Where were all these people when she was alive and the Mission of Charity was functioning under her aegis and she was holding lepers in her arms?

So she liked chocolates, ice cream and fun. Which is what? A series of sins?

Oh, she was using second hand syringes. Since I did not give her any money I have no idea how she harnessed her resources but would so many poor people keep coming to her for a little solace and comfort if she was such an evil person.

As for her lifestyle and her trips to Europe  perhaps she went abroad to get money from the rich to use it for the poor. Robin Hood herself. To the best of my knowledge, she didnt buy a yacht, a house in Calais or go romping on the Costa del Sol. She didnt eat caviar and foie gras, guzzle champagne or have any late night parties or gambol about in a private jet. Nor did she have a secret cache in the Caymans or lived a life of grand self indulgence and stay at the Ritz and go to gamble at Vegas.

So why this pettiness which was timed with her being given a sainthood? Frankly, it hasnt affected your life or mine or anyones in any way. Most of us thought she had already been beatified and it is the Vaticans decision. So let it go. Why are we pulling scabs off spots where there are no wounds.

Are any of us really not impressed that 150,000 people came for the ceremony. Ain't no one near that number coming to your goodbye, mate!

People who have tried to expose the work she and her missionaries have done connect it to their own experiences. Well ,we dont know what you did there for the schism to develop, so lets not pass judgement and by that token your hostility cannot be taken without question.

Oh yes, this old conversion drivel and how hordes of us are being subtly brainwashed into turning Catholic.

You know what...thousands of us have studied in patrician schools, with Jesuits, I have lived in Goa for several years and shared meals with the Bishop and discussed many an issue but not one of them in school, college or work has ever tried to convert me or even brought the subject up. Yes, we were slightly anglicised and spoke better English and it was perhaps a bit awkward for little Hindu boys in ties singing hymns in the choir or saying grace before grabbing the bread but it didnt make us any worse for wear.

In fact, those brothers and fathers and mother superiors were pretty dedicated people and gave our generation quite the global education. Our generation is in the armed forces, the corporate world, media, bureaucracy, law, you name it and i don't know one of us who was converted so these priests must have been doing one crappy job.

Lets stop being mean-spirited. Like Julie Andrews said in Sound of Music, "I must have done something good. Nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could."

If Mother Teresa was this wicked witch lady, why was she not held accountable over all those years and what exactly do you expect twenty years after her death by throwing mud at her. We should have hauled her away then with hardcore proof of perfidy.

In a way it sickens you because people who have done nothing to help anyone ever in their fatcat lives now wriggle out of the woodwork and pontificate righteously about the fraud she was.

As if they know the inside story.

Fine. Go hold a dying leper with festering limbs in your arms and comfort him till his last breath, then come and spit your rage.

Else shut up.
There are two globally accepted methods of dealing with conflict: Either you talk or you fight.

Trying to do both at the same time is usually disastrous. As Tuco Benedicto famously said in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: "When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk." Or, conversely put, when you have to talk, talk, don't shoot.

So, it is reassuring to hear that the Indian government has made up its mind to find a solution to the Kashmir impasse by yet again reaffirming its commitment to dialogue. Hindustan Times quoted sources and said that after all-party delegation meeting, that recently visited Kashmir, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh indicated that the government may form a panel to talk to all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat.

The delegation passed a unanimous resolution seeking peace and asking the central and the state governments to take steps for a dialogue with "all stake holders" but asserted that there can be no compromises on the issue of national sovereignty, The Indian Express reported.

Since the delegation was headed by Singh, the resolution should leave no doubt in anybody's mind about the intent of the central government. By all indications, it wants talks to start with all stakeholders.

To Singh should go the credit of making a genuine, even if delayed, effort to restore peace in the Valley in spite of repeated rebuffs. Over the past few months, he has visited Kashmir thrice with an olive branch, only to discover that not too many stakeholders are willing to meet him. Yet, he has not given up hopes. For his tenacity alone, Singh deserves credit.

After Singh's repeated Srinagar sojourns, two things by now should be evident to everyone, except ill-informed, ideologically-biased-drawing-room-warriors. One, the Indian government is really keen to start a dialogue and end violence. And two, without Hurriyat's involvement talks can't begin, simply because everyone the Indian government goes to says first speak to the separatists.

Ergo, if the Indian government wants to talk, which it does, there is no option but to speak to the Hurriyat.

The real challenge, of course, is to bring Hurriyat to the negotiation table within the four corners, as the delegation underlined, of the Indian Constitution. To speak to the separatists without compromising the sovereignty of the country. That's a challenge Singh and the Indian government will have to take head on.

The problem that BJP will face is when it comes to Kashmir, the party is caught between the interest of the Valley and the noise of its own middle and upper class cheerleaders, for whom a muscular approach is the only viable solution.

Nothing broadens the ken of the "muzzle them with force" hawks. Not even the solemn and wise words of the chief of the Indian Army Dalbir Singh Suhag who recently called for an end to violence and restoration of peace at the earliest, underlining that there is "need to synergise efforts with all the stakeholders."

Blindfolded by the mistaken belief that bashing Pakistan and marginalising Hurriyat will lead to 1,000 years of peace in Kashmir, they keep egging the Centre on to further harden its stance and pick up petty wars with Hurriyat leaders. Well, the bad news for them is this: Needlessly taking on the Hurriyat at this juncture would be like cutting the nose to spite the face. It just won't work.



As Ashis Nandy argues in The Outlook: In Kashmir, the militants and, more than them, Indian aficionados of a hard, garrison state and a fully centralised, dissent-free political order have already succeeded in further delegitimising the security forces and countrys political elite. As I have already said, the army sounds apologetic, so do our political leaders. We shall soon find out that we have paid a heavy price, internationally and in India itself, by trying to emulate Israel.

Thankfully, Singh's stance indicates the Centre is willing to ignore this surround sound of drumbeaters of war. By reiterating its commitment to dialogue with all the stakeholders, it is wisely telling the world that India is ready to talk to everyone wanting peace in Kashmir.

Tuco would have approved.
Srinagar: On Wednesday, two soldiers were injured as militants attacked their convoy in Kupwara district of Kashmir, Army officials said.

Militants fired on the army convoy at Handwara in Kupwara district, resulting in injuries to the two soldiers, the officials said.

Terrorist attack on Army convoy Kralgund, in Handwara (Kupwara, J&K); three jawans injured (deferred visuals) pic.twitter.com/ZBfFkPJ287  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

They said the militants fled the scene after carrying out the attack.

An operation has been launched to track down the militants, they added.
Members of the all-party delegation and Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the findings of a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir and the action to be taken against the separatists leaders who refused to engage in a dialogue with the delegation.

The resolution by the all-party delegation which had visited Jammu and Kashmir has recommended that the government talk to all the stakeholders in the Valley. Whether or not the separatists will be considered to be a part of the stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir remains to be seen.

"When he (Rajnath) says we are open to discussion to all stakeholders, I think it means what it means," Union minister Jitendra Singh said in a cryptic statement to reporters.

The resolution says that there is "no place for violence in civilised society" and there can be "no compromise as far as national security is concerned."

"The members of the all-party delegation appeal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to shun violence and resort to dialogue to solve problems," Jitendra Singh further said. "We also appeal to the state government to take proper steps for the government institutions in the state to start working."

"Proper care must also be provided to all those injured in the violence," he said, adding, "This is the consensus we have come to after three hours of the meeting." The resolution also promises talks with all stakeholders.

"We have given four suggestions, especially for an immediate solution," Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, told reporters. "All parties want schools, colleges and businesses to function the Valley. We want tourism to be revived and hospitals to function smoothly in the Valley," Kharge added.

"The government must also take suggestions from all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir," he said. "Until the government talks to all the stakeholders in Kashmir, a solution will not be found."

The CPM's Sitaram Yechury said that the government needed to implement a "dual-track solution" for Kashmir.

He said the government needed to take some confidence-building measures for peace in Kashmir. "We have given our suggestions. Five confidence-building measures need to be announced. The use of pellet guns needs to be stopped. The government needs to provide support to all the injured. There should be a probe into allegations of excesses by security forces. AFSPA should be withdrawn from the civil areas. The government should announce avenues for employment generation in Kashmir," he further said.

"On the other hand, there should be unconditional political dialogue with all stakeholders so that normalcy is immediately achieved," said Yechury. He also said that the government should hold talks with Pakistan on what is happening in Kashmir.

Over 73 people have lost their lives and thousands injured in Kashmir in clashes between stone-pelters and security forces and life remained disrupted in the valley. Violence erupted in Kashmir Valley after the encounter of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on 8 July.

Singh led a delegation of 26 MPs from 20 parties in Srinagar. Yechury, JD(U)'s Sharad Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal's Jay Prakash Narayan, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi and the CPI's D Raja had gone to meet Hurriyat leaders but the latter declined to meet them.

Singh had described their visit as positive but he lashed out at the separatists for their refusal to meet some MPs. After his return, he had briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held a meeting with BJP president Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav and had said that an announcement will be made on Wednesday following the all-party.

Miffed with the separatist leaders refusal to hold talks, Centre had indicated that it will toughen its stand against them.

With inputs from agencies
The separatist group Hurriyat, who have for long thrived on the government of India's money for all the good and sundry things, have a lot to worry about. These leaders, who have endlessly been pampered and funded by successive governments at the Centre and in the state, will now face a severe resource crunch, if they have not done enough savings and have other source of funding, which the government agencies may not have tracked.

The word in the Union Home Ministry is "strong action" against all the pro-Pakistan elements in Kashmir, including Hurriyat leaders. Since nothing was official about funding the separatists and Hurriyat leaders, no official announcement would be made about blocking the funding to them, which now runs into several hundreds of rupees on providing them cars, houses, luxury hotel stay, air fare, foreign tours, security, medical expenses and even fuel expenses for travelling inside Jammu and Kashmir. Even the fuel bills run into crores.

In the next few days, there could be a massive crackdown against the elements, hundreds of them, who have been acting from the scene in instigating violent protests, planning and managing the current turmoil in the Valley. So far, the government had been slightly soft against them because it first wanted to restore semblance of normalcy. Now, since the affected parts of the Valley are limping back to normalcy, there is a view that it is time for action now.

A reliable source said the government would act on a three-pronged strategy  first, coming strongly on separatists sopping liberal governmental splurge on them and choking other sources of funding; second, taking tough measures against those who have so far been hiding and acting behind the scene to protect themselves from arrests; and thirdly, continuing to take confidence-building measures like talks with all stakeholders who want peaceful resolution and are willing to talk within the ambit of democratic and constitutional norms.

Most Hurriyat leaders, whose pro-Pakistan tilt is more than obvious, are already under house arrest. It is likely that the kind of facilities they were getting in house arrest would shrink. Many others (and the numbers could be big) would be arrested under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA). The government and security agencies have identified such persons and a detailed dossier on them with suggested action is ready.

The provisions of Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act says that a divisional commissioner or a district magistrate could order detention of certain persons for preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State or the maintenance of the public order. Those arrested for security reasons can be detained up to a maximum period of six months without trial.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was initially reluctant to go strongly against them but then the situation demanded her to change her stance, something that was reflected recently in her joint press conference with Rajnath Singh.

Sources said "the action will speak for the government. Some tough action will have to be taken against those who are bent on creating disturbances there." The sources added that this would be accompanied with other soft measures, talks and development to instil confidence among people that the government cared for them. The mischief mongers and those acting at the behest from across the border would clearly be on the radar of security agencies.

Take note of the official meetings that have happened in New Delhi since Tuesday. On Tuesday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Kashmir situation and his visit out there as the leader of the all-party delegation. PM Modi was out to attend the G20 summit in China when the leaders visited Srinagar. It was apparently in that meeting where broad contours of the future course of action was outlined. Before attending the all-party meeting in Parliament House on Wednesday, Rajnath Singh along with home secretary met Army Chief and Director General Military Operations to discuss a coordinated approach various agencies, within command of the home ministry and that of the army, have adopted. The Intelligence Bureau and CRPF are in any case part of the home ministry.

Then, the all-party meeting on Kashmir took place for the third time within a short span of 25 days. While the specific action which the government intends to take were not to be discussed in this meet, as is the norm, the idea is to keep the parties in the loop and keep the dialogue process on and hear views of all sides. If anyone was expecting that a solution or a roadmap will be announced, then he or she was overestimating.

Separatists should blame themselves for inviting the trouble. They have been enjoying the best of life with all the better facilities at their command and hoards of security guards guarding them round the clock. They would rave and rant against the Indian government, yet enjoy all the perks and privilege that one could dream of. But then, they had become so smug and arrogant with successive government pandering to their whims that they forgot there was time and season for everything and all good things had to come to an end.

By shutting the doors on the face of four MPs Sitaram Yechuri (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and JayPrakash Yadav (RJD), the most prominent Pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani not only humiliated these parliamentarians but the highest temple of democracy they represent. It did not matter that these MPs were also to be blamed for breaking the ranks from the all-party delegation, for being oversympathetic towards separatists and overenthusiastic in their approach in landing uninvited at the doors of known mischief makers. The message it sent across the nation came as an opportunity for the government to mull over strong action in the days to come. Rajnath Singh slammed the Hurriyat by saying it was neither Kashmiriyat, nor Insaniyat nor Jamhooriyat.

The intended action would be in sync with the broad mood in the nation. There are many who believe that Narendra Modi was elected with absolute majority to be a strong Prime Minister and to take strong measures, as and when required. By deciding to come strongly against separatists and other disruptive forces, the Modi government has finally set the ball rolling.
Panaji: AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday made an indirect overture to a leader of a breakaway RSS faction in Goa while appealing to "good leaders" from other political parties to join the Aam Aadmi Party.

Sisodia, who is on a two-day visit to the poll bound coastal state, also said that there was a positive atmosphere for the AAP in Goa, where he said the ruling BJP leaders were being referred to as "Ali Baba and 40 thieves".

"There are many good people in many political parties. They need to come forward and AAP volunteers will welcome them," he said.

He was asked if the AAP in Goa would support RSS rebel leader Subhash Velingkar, who has been openly critical about the state BJP leadership and governance in the state.

Sisodia also said that the AAP was emerging as a collective challenge for the Congress and BJP.

"The BJP and Congress have no chance of winning. I think Congress supporters have withdrawn in the belief that their party has no chance in Goa.

"The BJP will continue to make efforts because it is in power," Sisodia said.

"I was passing some place and there were posters of BJP leaders. People started telling me, 'Don't look at them. They are Ali Baba and 40 thieves.' There is going to be a landslide shift in Goa," Sisodia said.
New Delhi: BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Wednesday rebuffed demands for a "political solution" to the Kashmir issue, suggesting that it was a mere "slogan" raised by "romantic" people and asserting that those who do not believe in the Indian constitution will be dealt with firmly.

Taking a tough stand on separatists, the saffron party's pointsman on Jammu and Kashmir claimed they are not interested in finding a solution to the ongoing unrest in the Valley and "enjoy fuelling violence and getting innocents killed". "We need a particular security culture in this country. This we terribly lack. As a nation we are a romantic people. We are very happy with slogans. We do not know what we mean when we make statements.

Every leader tirelessly makes this statement that we have to have a political solution... Political solution is simple and final that J&K is an integral part of India," he said at an event on 'homeland security'.

Amid demands by a number of parties that the government hold talks with all stakeholders, he said, "There is no alternative to talks. In strategic discourse it is sometimes said while talking is a part of strategy, not talking is also a part of strategy. As part of a strategy you don't talk. As part of romance you have to talk always. "Even if the doors are not open, still you have to go. You need two people for talks. We need a particular strategic culture to be nurtured in this country."

Madhav was apparently referring to separatists' refusal to meet some opposition leaders, who had gone to the Valley as members of an all-party delegation, even though they went to their residences.

"Our government's policy is clear. Militants and terror will be dealt with sternly and those who do not believe in the Constitution of India will be treated firmly," he later told reporters.

Asked about reports that the Centre was considering withdrawal of security given to the Hurriyat leaders, he said,"It will do what it has to do." Lashing out at separatists, he said, "They want violence and get innocents killed. They do not want solution. Solution is possible only if they talk. They are not ready for it. They are not ready to open even their doors. They enjoy fuelling violence and getting innocents killed."

Asked about the demand made at a meeting today of the all-party delegation of MPs, which recently visited Jammu and Kashmir, for talking to all stakeholders, Madhav said Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to over 300 people during the team's stay in the state and added they are talking to those who believe in the Indian Constitution.

The Jammu and Kashmir government, he added, has kept its doors open to all citizens of the state. Madhav said time has come for experts and the government to sit together to develop a security doctrine for the country. He cited the example of the great wall built by China to protect its frontiers, while India took no remedial measure to block the Khyber pass through which foreign invaders arrived and attacked it.

He also rued the practice of experts and commentators to "hyphenate" everything involving India's foreign and security steps as he noted that Modi's trip to Vietnam was seen by some as a countervailing measure againstChina. This government believes in developing strong bilateral relationship keeping the country's interests in mind, he said. He also batted for developing better infrastructure like roads and telecom facilities for those living on borders as they can see with their naked eyes the developments across the frontier, a reference to China.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday responded to the incident on Tuesday when people who attended his 'khat sabha' in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh, later ran away with two thousands that were used in the meeting.

In his response, which is similar to a very famous dialogue from Baazigar, Rahul Gandhi said, "Kisan khatiya le jata hai, to wo 'chor' kehte hain. Magar jab bade bade udyogpati Mallya jaise bhaag jate hain, toh usse 'defaulter' kehte hain (When a farmer takes a cot, he's called a thief. But when big industrialists like Mallya run away, they are called 'defaulter')."

If a Kisan takes a khat he's called a 'chor' but ppl like Mallyaji who run away with crores are called 'defaulters'! pic.twitter.com/iVSUlB6NQT  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) September 7, 2016

We were almost expecting Rahul Gandhi to also say, "Aur haar kar jeetne waale ko Baazigar kehte hain."

The Congress vice-president's response came a day after the Congress' bid to make a splash with Rahul Gandhi's 'Khat Sabhas' as part of a major outreach to farmers ahead of Uttar Pradesh assembly polls left it embarrassed when people attending the inaugural event made away with the cots.

On Tuesday, Rahul had embarked on a 2500 km-long epic 'Kisan Mahayatra' from Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh and held the first 'Khat Sabha' (cot meeting) where he interacted with the locals.

Moments after he left having made a raft of promises like farm loan waiver, reduction of power tariff and higher minimum support price for agriculture produce, the venue plunged into utter chaos and men, women and children scampered in, lifted the cots and hurried towards their homes.

There were minor altercations as policemen were seen walking leisurely, stopping none from carrying away the cots.

When asked about it, a villager quipped, "Kya hai ki Rahulji ne hi diya hai (It is given by Rahulji)", even as he gingerly balanced the rally takeaway on his shoulder.

Congress leaders, travelling with the party scion, were quick to deflect criticism over the matter, saying attacking the party on the issue would boomerang on the opposition as these khats still hold importance in the countryside. The party has arranged 10,000 khats for the entire campaign.

"Whoever tries to belittle the issue will do an injustice to the poor villagers. Certain people in this country make away with thousands of crores of rupees and when a few villagers take home a thing as innocuous as a cot, all hell breaks loose. This shows the mentality of the BJP," Congress National Spokesman Meem Afzal said.

With inputs from PTI
Srinagar: The Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday said media reports about the Centre mulling tough steps against separatist leaders of Kashmir was an attempt at "fooling and misleading" the people of India.

"These tactics are aimed at fooling and misleading the people of India and creating hysteria so that the attention of the people of India is diverted from the actual issue on ground and they are kept ignorant about it," a spokesman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said in a statement.

He said the Hurriyat strongly denounced the "rubbish and lies being spread against the resistance (separatist) leadership" through the media. "It comes as no surprise to the people of Kashmir who are exposed to the real face of the so-called 'world's largest democracy' everyday and bear its brunt. They know how low it can stoop and how vengeful it can get," the spokesman said. He asked the Centre to come out with details of the favours extended by it to the separatist leaders.

The spokesman said some separatist leaders were getting police personnel for security based on the threat assessment of the government.

"It is only JK Police personnel provided by the state based on their own threat assessment to the Mirwaiz after the martyrdom of his father Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq in 1990. "Some police personnel are also provided to other members based on the police's own threat assessment to them," he added.

The spokesman said such "fabrications" to discredit the separatist leadership "may fool people in India" but will not achieve anything with the people in Kashmir. "Neither will revenge tactics change the ground, reality in Kashmir nor will it help in resolution of the issue. It is a people's movement and Hurriyat represents and upholds their aspirations for self determination. The movement will be there with or without Hurriyat," he said.
Panaji: The RSS rebels in Goa, who recently floated a parallel outfit under the leadership of sacked state chief Subhash Velingkar, will hold a convention on 11 September to work out the future course of action to step up their campaign over the Medium of Instruction (MOI) issue.

Velingkar, who launched the 'RSS Goa Prant' on being "relieved" of his responsibilities by the Sangh after he crossed sword with the BJP over the MOI issue, on Wednesday said they will chalk out programmes in the meet to strengthen the stir to press for regional launguages like Konkani and Marathi to be made the MOI in schools and stopping of the state support to English medium institutions.

The meet would also reach out to women to join the mother tongue campaign under the banner of Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM).

As the convener of BBSM, Velingkar had taken on the Goa's BJP government over its support for English-medium schools and was ousted from his post as Goa unit chief of RSS on 31 August. "Besides various other agenda, we will also deliberate on involving more women in this cause towards the country," Velingkar said.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is in Goa to celebrate Ganesh festival, was expected to break the stalemate between the BBSM and BJP, but nothing has happened so far. "BBSM has not received any communication from Parrikar. There is no question of supporting the BJP as they have not fulfilled our main demand of withdrawing grants to English medium schools," Velingkar said. He rubbished reports that attempts were being made to restore ties between BBSM and the BJP.

"There are no (such) attempts (being made)," he said. Velingkar was "relieved" as Goa RSS chief on 31 August after BBSM hinted at its intent to float a political party to counter BJP in the 2017 Goa Assembly polls. His supporters had detached themselves from the Konkan prant of RSS, and had formed 'Goa prant', which the RSS senior leadership had refused to recognise.

Velingkar has locked horns with the BJP government headed by Laxmikant Parsekar over the MOI issue, with members of his outfit even showing black flags to party chief Amit Shah during a recent visit to the state.

He had recently said the "Sangh unit" in the coastal state will function "independently", at least till the Assembly polls. However, RSS had been quick to debunk him, saying none of its units can dissociate from the outfit and new office-bearers for Goa will be announced soon.
Kushinagar (Uttar Pradesh): The blinding neon flashes, followed by deafening thunder cracking across the night sky and the subsequent torrent on Monday brought smiles to the faces of 73-year-old Raman Yadav and 21-year-old Pawan Sharma in eastern Uttar Pradesh's floundering 'sugar bowl' Kushinagar.

The morning after, farmers of Kushinagar and its adjoining Deoria districts, reeling under scanty rains for "three consecutive years", have warmed up, albeit with a healthy dose of scepticism, to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's promise on the first day of his 2,500-long kisan padyatra that farm loans will be waived off.

On a leisurely stroll near Rahul's second 'khaat sabha' on Monday, Yadav, who is mulling to give Congress a shot in the next polls, speaks on politics with a careless abandon, providing pithy insights. His family owns 3 bigha land, which he says provide just about sustenance.

"Munde munde matir bhinna (perspectives differ from one person to another)," he says, when asked why a group of youth, huddled across the road, are rather willing to give "Modi ji and Yogi Adityanath" a chance, "mainly" to bring down crime in the region.

But despite his personal liking for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sharma, who is in BSc third year, is somewhat receptive to Rahul's repeated assertions, in meeting after meeting, that Congress will ensure that farm loans are waived off like the UPA government had done in the fag-end of its first term.

"My father is a sugarcane farmer so I know the plight of their lot. But such promises (Rahuls) more often than not ring hollow. Modiji's promise on black money has also come out a cropper till now but at least we can see attempts being made," Pawan says.

But the concern over "rising cases of crime" cuts across age groups as Ambika Chaudhary, in his early sixties, echoes Pawan's view that there indeed has been an "alarming spurt", especially of lootings and snatchings.

Rahul's 'kisan padyatra' outreach, which will meander across the eastern Uttar Prade districts in its first leg, is aimed at gaining the support of these distressed farmers, which Congress believes will boost the party's prospects in the 2017 Assembly Election in the state.

No wonder, the Congress scion's chopper landed on a makeshift helipad at Pachladi Kritpura village, that houses a large number of sainthwar community people (OBC) battling bad crop fallout, of Deoria's Rudrapur constituency.

Rahul visited five houses in the village that lacks a pucca road and power supply is as elusive as the rains. He interacted with the familes of Hanskumar Singh, Pradyuman Singh, Sadasya Singh (brothers) and Om Prakash Singh, who in turn apprised him of the amount they owe in form of outstanding loan dues.

Kushinagar and Deoria were among the 50 districts that were declared as drought-hit by the Uttar Pradesh government last year.

One senior Congress leader, accompanying Rahul, explained the party's attempt to reach out to the farming community was crucial for it to even make a splash in the 403-member UP Assembly where it currently has a paltry 29 MLAs.

"The 2008 farm loan waiver had reaped the maximum dividends for Congress in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. In the same way, this could very well be our trump card. What cannot be overlooked is that the crisis of sugarcane farmers is real and the mills owe them thousands of crores," the leader says.

State Advisory Price (SAP) of cane has remained unchanged at Rs 280 per quintal in Uttar Pradesh, the countrys second-largest sugar producer, for the last four years.

"I had to take a loan of Rs 25,000 this June due to successive years of scanty rainfall. Rahul ji met me and assured me that he will ensure that this amount is waived off. I signed the mangpatra (charter of demand) in his presence," Om Prakash says.

The marginal farmer, a self-confessed Congress loyalist, also enthusiastically points out that Rahul also spoke to his daughter Archita.

"He spoke to me and I told him that I want to be a chemist. He wanted to know why not a doctor and I said because of lack of money," 16-year-old Archita says.

What was Rahul's reply, the reporters ask in chorus. "Wo kuch nahi bole," she walks off and so do the reporters.
Ahead of his visit to Laos to attend the 14th India-Asean Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that southeast Asia is the key to the development of India's northeastern region.

"Asean is a key partner for our Act East Policy, which is vital for the economic development of our Northeastern region," Modi said in a pre-departure statement posted on his Facebook page.

Modi will be attending the annual India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) annual summit on 7 September and the East Asia summit on 8 September.

He will also meet Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in Vientiane in Laos on Wednesday.

The India-Asean summit will be attended by the leaders of 10 southeast Asian nations  Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.

The East Asia summit will be attended by the leaders of the 10 Asean nations and those of India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Russia.

"Our strategic partnership with Asean is also important for safeguarding and promoting our security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region," Modi said in his Facebook post.

"East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region."

His statement assumes significance in the wake of his visit to Vietnam, India's country coordinator for the Asean, on Friday and Saturday.

New Delhi elevated its relationship with Hanoi from Strategic Partnership to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership while announcing a $500-million defence credit line to the southeast Asian nation.

"Our ties with the countries of South East Asia are truly historic," Modi stated.

"Our engagement and approach can be best encapsulated in just one word - connectivity," he said.

After the NDA government turned the UPA government's Look East Policy into Act East Policy, New Delhi has been working on a number of projects to improve connectivity with southeast Asia, the key projects being the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway and the Kaladan multi-modal transport project connecting the Sittwe port in Myanmar with Mizoram in northeast India.

"We wish to enhance our physical and digital connectivity; to see greater people to people links; to strengthen our institutional linkages; and, to leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit of all our people," Modi said.

"During the visit, I will also have the opportunity to interact with the leaders of participating countries to discuss bilateral issues of mutual concern," he added.

Read the prime minister's full Facebook post here:

With inputs from IANS
Tampa: Hillary Clinton, sensing the urgency of a presidential campaign entering its home stretch, assailed Donald Trump on multiple fronts on Tuesday, including hiding his taxes, as she looked to generate momentum after polls showed a dead heat.

Trump has edged ahead of Clinton in a new CNN/ORC poll, at 45 percent to 43 percent among likely voters, while an NBC News poll of registered voters shows Clinton's lead holding at six percentage points  48 percent to 42 percent.

Another survey, by The Washington Post, looking at all 50 states shows Clinton with a solid lead in terms of electoral college votes, and even strength in some traditional Republican strongholds.

Clinton said she pays no attention to such surveys.

"We're sticking with our strategy, we feel very good about where we are," she said.

But the polls show how close the race is looking ahead of the 8 November vote, making the battle for the so-called swing states all the more important.

Clinton rallied supporters at a voter registration event in swing state Florida, while the billionaire real estate mogul held a townhall meeting with military veterans before heading to North Carolina for an evening campaign rally.

"Thank you! #AmericaFirst," Trump tweeted with the new CNN poll results.

The candidates have just 20 days before the first of three scheduled presidential debates  expected to be the most watched moments of an already raucous campaign.

'Coming after me'

Clinton, in the national eye for three decades, shrugged off the intense nature of the Republican attacks against her, including a call for a fresh congressional investigation of the Clinton Foundation following reports that donors gained inappropriate access to her while she was secretary of state.

"I believe I'm the best person for this job and I believe they're going to keep coming after me," Clinton told reporters.

With Monday's Labor Day holiday kicking off the final dash to Election Day, Clinton took pains to make herself more than available to reporters traveling with her, after nearly nine months without holding a formal press conference.

She took questions for more than 20 minutes on her plane for a second straight day Tuesday.

Clinton had sharp words for Trump, describing him as "dead wrong" for saying that his tax returns were not the concern of everyday Americans, despite every major presidential nominee since Richard Nixon releasing their taxes before the election.

"I think it is a fundamental issue about him in this campaign that we're going to talk about in one way or another for the next 62 days, because he clearly has something to hide," Clinton told reporters.

"If he's going to pursue this campaign, he owes it to the American people to come clean and release those tax returns."

'Demagogue'

Clinton also repeated her charge that Trump is "temperamentally unfit" for the office. Before some 1,500 supporters in Tampa, she denounced him as a "demagogue" preying on Americans' insecurities.

Trump assured veterans in Virginia Beach that he was in their corner, and used the opportunity to slam Clinton's ineffectiveness as a top diplomat and politician.

"She's a disaster in so many different ways, folks," he said.

"You have illegal immigrants that she wants... treated better than veterans."

The pair have been involved in an extensive tussle over the hot-button issue of immigration.

Clinton is promoting a pathway to citizenship for many of the 11 million people living in the shadows, while Trump wants to curtail immigration and require that those who wish to gain legalised status must leave the country first.

The two also exchanged shots about national security, with Trump warning that Clinton would be unable to stand up to adversaries like President Vladimir Putin of Russia.

"Putin looks at her and he laughs," Trump said.

Trump released a letter in which 88 retired generals and admirals endorsed him, a revelation dismissed by Clinton.

"I think we're up to 89, but who's counting?" she quipped, noting how several Republican national security figures have openly endorsed her or oppose Trump.

She also upbraided him for saying he would have stayed on his plane and left China if he were treated as President Barack Obama was last week, when he was forced to exit Air Force One from a rear door.

"This is a very consequential relationship," Clinton said of Washington's ties with Beijing.

"You don't get in a snick and stay on the plane and go home because your security and their security are scuffling over what stairs are going to be put up."

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, a Clinton supporter, pointed to the hard-knuckled political battle ahead and urged Clinton to hit Trump relentlessly.

"Once you get someone down, you keep your foot on their throat," Buckhorn told AFP. "If I'm her, I'm hammering him every day and not letting up."
London: Britain is to start building a wall in the northern French port of Calais to stop migrants jumping on trucks, under a deal agreed earlier this year, the interior ministry said on Wednesday.

The four-metre (13-foot) high, one-kilometre long barrier will be built on a port approach road starting this month and should be completed by the end of this year, officials said.

The wall, which will be funded by the British government under an agreement struck at a summit in March, will complement a security fence already put up around the port and entrance to the Channel Tunnel.

"We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We've done the fence, now we are doing a wall," junior minister Robert Goodwill told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

The wall, which is expected to cost 2.7 million euros ($3.0 million), will be the latest barrier to go up around Europe as the continent struggles with its biggest migrant influx in decades.

Hungary has built a reinforced fence on its frontier with Serbia and Austria has announced plans for a massive new fence along its border with Hungary in a bid to shut down the Balkan migrant route.

Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump has said he plans to build a wall along the border with Mexico funded by the Mexican government if he is elected.

The wall in Calais was agreed following tens of thousands of attempted Channel crossings last year through trucks boarding ferries and the Eurotunnel.

Angry French truckers and farmers blocked the main routes in and out of Calais on Monday to call for the closure of the sprawling "Jungle" migrant camp.

The Jungle, a squalid camp of tents and makeshift shelters, is home to some 7,000 migrants but charities say the number might be as high as 10,000 after an influx this summer.

Migrants from the camp sometimes use tree branches to create roadblocks to slow trucks heading for Britain, their destination of choice.

When the trucks slow down, migrants try to clamber into the trailers to stow away aboard.

Drivers say migrants and people trafficking gangs have attacked their vehicles with metal bars.

The drivers say despite the deployment of 2,100 officers around the port, the police are overstretched and unable to secure the roads.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve promised during a visit to the Jungle last week to close the camp down "as quickly as possible" but said it would be done in stages.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis efforts to re-engage with Indias civilisational partners in the Indian Ocean region got a boost when at a first of its kind conference themed Indian Ocean - Culture, Comity and Culture, representatives from countries ranging from Sri Lanka and Maldives to Seychelles and Mauritius, Thailand and Malaysia recognised Indias role as a natural leader.

A brainchild of BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav, the conference was organised by India Foundation in collaboration with Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, and thinktanks of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to explore old connections and re-engage with nations. Ministers and experts discussed areas of commonality, concerns and opportunities for future collaborations.

Representatives from 20 countries including the US participated with Indonesia being the only exception.

The conference was held in the backdrop of growing Chinese assertion in South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. Indias belated effort to adopt of a more pro-active role after decades of insular approach was welcomed by representatives and experts with some wondering reasons for Indias disengagement with a region that was its natural neighbourhood. Geographical position as the dominant country in the Indian Ocean region with whom most countries enjoy historic links going back to 5th century BCE and later to Pallavas and Cholas, India has now sought to leverage this connection.

While the two-day Indian Ocean conference ended in Singapore Prime Minister Modis aircraft was touching down in Vietnam, with who India has signed the biggest defence line of credit at $500 million and upgraded their ties from strategic partners to comprehensive strategic partnership.

Without naming China, India and Vietnam reiterated their stance that safety and freedom of navigation (of South China Sea) must be respected and that the decision of the Arbitration Tribunal against Chinas claimed sovereignty over South China Sea must be adhered to.

In 2015, Modi identified IOR countries as Indias natural allies and reached out to them with a visit to Seychelles and Mauritius where he outlined his vision. Declaring that India must assume our responsibility to shape its future, Modi announced that the Indian Ocean Region will be top of our policy priorities.

Initiatives that seek to revive cultural links and help build sustainable economics among littoral states  Project Mausam and SAGAR  were launched with clear strategic vision. A separate department on Indian Ocean was created in the external affairs ministry.

Modi has promised to cut bureaucratic red tape and work with littoral countries. Few would recall how India under prime minister Manmohan Singh sat on a request from Sri Lanka to build a new port at Hambantota only to have China grab the opportunity and build a port. Modi wants to change all that.

At the Singapore conference, which was addressed by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and ministers from other littoral countries there was a common refrain that civilisational links must be exploited to build and strengthen co-operation and economies of the region.

The prime minister of Sri Lanka mentioned that South Asia would dominate the Indian Ocean region without naming India while stating that IOR would see multipolar influence. Wickremesinghe called for discussion and formulation of an Indian Ocean Charter that would guide all countries in the region.

Earlier foreign secretary S Jaishankar said India was committed to be supportive in the expansion and further invigoration of its activities, from renewable energy and the blue economy to maritime safety and security, water science and greater institutional and think-tank networking

"Given the history and traditions of the Indian Ocean, it is but appropriate that any serious effort at promoting its coherence would address issues of its unity and identity.

"We must take full advantage of the ties of kinship and family that span the Indian Ocean and are an important part of its history," Jaishankar said.

The foreign secretary mentioned that poor state of connectivity between South Asian countries stood in stark contrast to the connectivity among Asean countries. Without naming Pakistan he said that all present knew which country was an impediment.

Interestingly, China which as an outside power has made major inroads in IOR, was not mentioned by any of the speakers. The looming presence of the Dragon would have to be factored in as IOR countries strive to join hands for building a sustainable future.

What Modi government does from now on would make an important contribution to pushing the IOR initiative further ahead. The Sri Lankan prime minister spoke about the Indian Ocean Regional Association (IORA) not having taken off while Jaishankar talked about strengthening it. In fact, in her Skype address to the delegates External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that India will host an IORA conference in 2017.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor cautioned against focussing only on common Hindu and Buddhist heritage at the cost of Islam, which he said, was softened when it came in contact with India giving impetus to Sufism.

Different approaches to making IOR a stronger alliance would have to be tactfully handled as India seeks to assume its natural leadership of the region. Connectivity with Myanmar, Bhutan and Bangladesh that were announced earlier would have to be pushed with greater zeal.

India in the meantime would have to show that announcements about development of 200 islands, 100s of ports (some historic) are not allowed to become victims of red tape. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands need to be recognised as strategic assets and its infrastructure strengthened. The decades-old plan for an undersea cable link to boost internet communication with and between the islands has got a renewed push from Modi government but reports speak of bureaucratic delays.

The writer was a delegate at the Indian Ocean Conference 2016 from 1-2 September.
Jakarta: Indonesia's anti-drugs chief has supported implementing a bloody crackdown on traffickers like the war on crime in the Philippines that has left almost 3,000 dead.

Budi Waseso, the tough-talking anti-drugs czar who once proposed holding death row traffickers on a prison island guarded by crocodiles, said he believed such a campaign would safeguard "our beloved country".

Indonesia says it is fighting a war against rising narcotics use. It has stepped up executions of convicted drug traffickers, including foreigners, triggering international outrage.

Meanwhile President Rodrigo Duterte of the neighbouring Philippines has sparked controversy by overseeing the large-scale killing of drug traffickers since winning election in May.

Duterte is due to visit Jakarta later this week for talks with President Joko Widodo after an Asian summit and the leaders are expected to discuss their respective anti-narcotics campaigns.

Ahead of the visit, Waseso suggested Indonesia could follow a policy like that of the Philippines and revealed authorities were bolstering their resources to fight the drug trade.

"If such a policy were implemented in Indonesia, we believe that the number of drug traffickers and users in our beloved country would drop drastically," the anti-drugs agency head said earlier this week.

"I would be on the frontline to eradicate all the traffickers."

In later comments, he said the agency had a major plan to hire more personnel and procure more weapons to better crack down on the drug trade.

Agency spokesman Slamet Pribadi sought Wednesday to play down the comments, saying a Philippines-style policy would only be followed "if our law makes it possible", adding: "We can't shoot criminals just like that, we have to follow the rules."

But he acknowledged that Waseso was "strict" and had told staff members that "we should not keep our guns in a safe, we must use them  but only for law enforcement".
Sydney: A Malaysia-bound AirAsia X plane which took off from Sydney ended up in Melbourne instead after the pilot entered the aircraft's wrong longitudinal position, safety officials revealed Wednesday.

The Airbus A330-300 left Sydney en route to Kuala Lumpur on March 10 last year but air traffic controllers went on alert after it began flying in the wrong direction.

They radioed the crew but attempts to fix the problem only led to "further degradation of the navigation system, as well as to the aircraft's flight guidance and flight control systems", the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said following an investigation.

The pilot, who had been flying A330s for 18 months, decided to return to Sydney but bad weather forced him to fly manually to Melbourne, where he landed safely, it said.

"The ATSB found that when setting up the aircraft's flight management and guidance system, the captain inadvertently entered the wrong longitudinal position of the aircraft," it said.

"This adversely affected the onboard navigation systems. However, despite a number of opportunities to identify and correct the error, it was not noticed until after the aircraft became airborne and started tracking in the wrong direction."

The ATSB also found that the plane was not fitted with an upgraded flight management system that would have prevented the data entry error.

"The flight crew attempted to troubleshoot and rectify the situation while under heavy workload," the ATSB said.

"Combined with limited guidance from the available checklists, this resulted in further errors by the flight crew in the diagnosis and actioning of flight deck switches."

The low-cost Malaysian carrier has since shared the incident with all its pilots and developed a new training manual for its flight crews, the ATSB added.

The Malaysian group suffered its first fatal incident in December 2014, when AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crashed in stormy weather off Indonesia with 162 people on board.

That followed two Malaysia Airlines incidents in the same year which left more than 500 people dead, raising concerns among some travellers about the safety of the country's carriers.
Pakistan envoy to India, Abdul Basit, was on Wednesday summoned by the MEA over discourtesy meted out to Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale in Karachi, according to ANI.

Pakistan Envoy Abdul Basit summoned over discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale in Karachi: Sources  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

The Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry, Sujata Mehta summoned Basit and "conveyed the concern of the government of India ... on the discourtesy (shown) to the Indian High Commissioner." Basit was told that India hoped its diplomats in Pakistan would be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said

According to a report in News 18, on Tuesday, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce scrapped an event, which Bambawale was due to attend, at the last moment. Bambawale was scheduled to interact with the business community but he was informed just 30 minutes prior to the event that he was not welcome without giving any plausible explanation.

The snub came after Bambawale addressed an interactive session organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations on Monday. In his speech, Bambawale had reinstated India's stand on Kashmir and insisted that it is India's internal matter. Stating that people living in glass houses should not throw stones at other, he had said, "There are problems in both India and Pakistan and you [Pakistan] should focus on resolving your problems before looking into the problems of other countries." About the statement made by Modi on Balochistan, the envoy said, "The Prime Minister, in his 15 August independence day speech, only referred to the letters he had received."

Interestingly, in what can be seen as an effort to soothe the flaring tension between the two nations, Bambawale had pointed out that even while tensions were high between the two nations, there had been contacts at the operational level. He also batted for greater trade ties between Pakistan and India and said political issues will take time to resolve highlighting that India has border disputes with China too, but the two nations were also the biggest trade partners. According to reports in leading Pakistani newspapers, he said that political issues take time to resolve but the two countries can take up smaller matters and move forward.

Bambawale, who was on his first visit to Karachi after assuming charge in January this year, was told about the cancellation just half an hour before the event. The organisers did not give a reason immediately for the cancellation. However, the Indian officials felt that Bambawale's comments on Monday on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir which was India's internal matter had "rattled the Pakistani authorities, prompting a cancellation".

With inputs from agencies
Mexico City: A gang brought down a helicopter during a police operation in Mexico's troubled western state of Michoacan on Tuesday, killing the pilot and three officers, the governor said.

The aircraft was backing an operation to arrest leaders of criminal groups when the "official helicopter was downed" in an area with rough terrain, Governor Silvano Aureoles wrote on Twitter.

Another officer was injured in the crash.

Aureoles did not say how the helicopter was shot down in the region of Apatzingan, a city located in Tierra Caliente (Hot Land), a region that has been beset by drug violence and vigilante justice for years.

"In accordance to the responsibility to protect citizens, the state and federation won't give up in the frontal fight against crime," the governor wrote.

It is the second time since 2015 that a gang downs a helicopter in Mexico. Last year, the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in neighboring Jalisco state used a rocket launcher to hit a military helicopter, killing eight aboard.

In Michoacan, the pseudo-religious Knights Templar drug cartel held sway in Tierra Caliente until lime growers formed vigilante forces in 2013 to fight back against the gang.

The cartel was weakened as authorities arrested or killed its top leaders, but smaller criminal groups have since emerged.
Lahore: An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Wednesday issued notices to seven accused of 2008 Mumbai attack case, including LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and the government on a plea to examine the boat used by the 10 LeT terrorists to reach the Indian coast.

"The Anti-Terrorism Court Islamabad today (on Wednesday) held Mumbai case hearing at the Adiala Jail Rawalpindi and issued notices to seven suspects and the prosecution to present arguments regarding inspection of Al-Fauz boat parked at the port city of Karachi," a court official told PTI after the hearing.

He said both prosecution and defence lawyers would present their arguments on next hearing on 22 September. Last month the Islamabad High Court had set aside the verdict of trial court in Mumbai case for not allowing a commission to Karachi for inspection of Al-Fauz.

The HC had termed the trial court's decision as "flawed and not in accordance with law" and allowed examination of Al-Fauz. The prosecution had pleaded that vessel should be made "case property". Al-Fauz is in the custody of the Pakistani authorities in Karachi, from where the 10 militants, armed with AK-47 assault rifles and hand grenades, had left for India to carry out the Mumbai attack in November 2008.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency, the attackers used three boats including Al Fauz to reach Mumbai from Karachi. It said the security agencies had also traced the shop and its owner from where the culprits bought the engine and the boat while a bank and a money exchange company were also traced which were used for the transaction of money. The 10 LeT militants had left Karachi on the boat on November 23, 2008. En route, they hijacked another boat, killing four of its crew. They forced the vessel's captain to take them close to the India shores. The captain was killed when the vessel reached Mumbai's coast.

According to prosecution, all Pakistani witnesses have recorded their statements and trial cannot be concluded till recording the statements of Indian witnesses. LeT operations commander Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead.

Lakhvi, believed to be the mastermind of the attacks, is living at an undisclosed location after getting the bail a year ago. Other six suspects are in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi. The case has been underway for more than six years.
United Nations: Almost 50 million children throughout the world are "uprooted," forcibly displaced from their home countries by war, violence or persecution, the United Nations children's program said Wednesday.

"Indelible images of individual children  Aylan Kurdi's small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneesh's stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed  have shocked the world," United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund Executive Director Anthony Lake said in a statement.

"But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger  and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children."

In its analysis of global data, Unicef found that 28 million of those children were displaced by violence and conflict, including 10 million child refugees.

There were also one million asylum seekers whose refugee status is pending and approximately 17 million children displaced within their own countries lacking access to humanitarian aid and critical services.

Some 20 million other children have left their homes for various reasons including gang violence or extreme poverty.

"Many are at particular risk of abuse and detention because they have no documentation, have uncertain legal status, and there is no systematic tracking and monitoring of their well-being  children falling through the cracks," Unicef said.

Children are also increasingly crossing borders on their own: more than 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries last year, tripling 2014's numbers.

Unicef pointed to children accounting for a "disproportionate and growing proportion" of people seeking refuge outside their birth countries.

Children make up about a third of the world's population but about half of all refugees.

In 2015, about 45 percent of child refugees under the UN refugee agency's care came from Syria and Afghanistan.

Unicef urged authorities to end the detention of children migrating or seeking refugee status, abstain from separating families, allow child refugees and migrants access to health services and to promote measure that combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization.

The international body will take up the issue of migration in two late-September meetings on the sidelines of this year's UN General Assembly.

"We'd like to see some clear commitments and practical measures," Unicef Deputy Executive Director Justin Forsyth told journalists in New York.

"The burden sharing of this crisis is not fair: the greatest burden is supported by neighboring countries or the poorest countries."

Forsyth said the upcoming summits are "not enough to solve the problem," but they remain "critical."

"It is a chance to get the world to look at this crisis," he said.
New Delhi: No question regarding the status of the two Italian marines alleged to have shot dead two Indian fishermen was raised during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Rome last weekend, the government said on Wednesday.

"No such assurance was sought or given," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted in response to a query.

"Marines remain under jurisdiction of Supreme Court of India. Matter is under arbitration."

India-Italy relations have been frosty for the past four years after the two Italian marines aboard a cargo vessel allegedly shot two fishermen dead off the Kerala coast mistaking them for pirates.

Both marines have since received conditional permission from the Supreme Court, which directed they would have to return if summoned.
Vientiane: The Philippines released photos Wednesday to back its claims that China had secretly begun work to cement control over a crucial shoal in the hotly contested South China Sea.

The release of the images, which claimed to show Chinese ships preparing to build an artificial island on Scarborough Shoal, came hours ahead of a meeting between Southeast Asian leaders and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Laos.

China this week insisted it had not launched any efforts to begin construction at the shoal, which has enormous strategic importance for Beijing's ambitions to control the sea and weaken US military influence in the region.

But the Philippines said the images showed Chinese ships at the shoal last weekend that were capable of dredging sand and other activities required to build an artificial island.

"We have reason to believe that their presence is a precursor to building activities on the shoal," defence department spokesman Arsenio Andolong told AFP in a text message.

"We are continuing our surveillance and monitoring of their presence and activities, which are disturbing."

China claims nearly all of the sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations.

The competing territorial claims have long been a major source of tension in the region, with China using deadly force twice to seize control of islands from Vietnam.

Concerns have escalated sharply in recent years as China has built artificial islands on reefs and islets in the Spratlys archipelago  another strategically important location  that are capable of supporting military operations.

An artificial island at Scarborough Shoal would potentially give China a military base close to where US forces regularly operate on the Philippine main island of Luzon, which is just 230 kilometres (140 miles) away.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had said he did not want to anger China by highlighting the territorial row at the summit of regional leaders in Laos this week.

But the release of the photos came just a few hours before Duterte and other leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations met China's Li.

A UN-backed tribunal ruled in July that China's claims to almost all of the sea had no legal basis and its construction of artificial islands in disputed waters was illegal.

China has vowed to ignore the ruling.

US President Barack Obama is also in Laos for the regional meetings, which will conclude on Thursday with an East Asia summit.
Vientiane (Laos): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Vientiane on Wednesday in the Laotian capital to attend the Asean-India and the East Asia summits to strengthen India's trade and security ties with the strategic Southeast Asian region.

During his two-day visit, Modi is scheduled to have several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summits, beginning with an interaction with Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe on Wednesday.

"Greetings Vientiane! PM @narendramodi arrives in Laos for a packed 2 days of diplomacy," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

Greetings Vientiane! PM @narendramodi arrives in Laos for a packed 2 days of diplomacy pic.twitter.com/WMZReRzdpB  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 7, 2016

The host nation, Laos will organise a gala dinner this evening for all heads of state. This will be followed by Modi's bilateral talks with Laotian counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith.

The talks between the two leaders are likely to focus on terrorism, maritime security, disaster management, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

India has been seeking to join the exclusive 21-member APEC.

This is the third time that Modi is attending these two Summits.

"Asean is a key partner for our 'Act East' policy, which is vital for the economic development of our Northeastern region," Modi had said in a statement in New Delhi ahead of the summits.

East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia-Pacific region, he had said.

India is a founding member of the East Asia Summit.

Future directions under the three pillars of politico-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation will be the focus of talks at the 14th Asean-India summit.

At the 11th East Asia Summit, leaders will discuss matters of regional and international interest and concerns including maritime security, terrorism, non-proliferation and irregular migration.
Washington: US President Barack Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday on the sidelines of the Asean Summit in Vientiane, Laos, the White House said on Wednesday.

"In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India," the White House said in its daily guidance released to the press. The two leaders are expected to make brief remarks at the top of the meeting.

This would be the eighth meeting between Modi and Obama in two years. They met for the first time at the White House in September 2014 when Modi travelled to Washington DC at the invitation of Obama.

Prime Minister Modi exchanged views with Obama on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China's Hangzhou on Sunday, with the US president praising the "bold policy" move on GST reform in a "difficult" global economic scenario.

Obama is scheduled to address a news conference in Laos immediately after his meeting with Modi. He would depart for the US via Yokota, Japan for fueling, soon after his news conference.
Vientiane: The disputed South China Sea was in focus Wednesday at a regional summit in Laos, the first such gathering since an international court said Beijing's artificial island building programme there was "illegal".

China claims most of the sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash-line" found on Chinese maps from the 1940s.

The Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations dispute this claim.

Commentators say the 3 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles) of water are a potential flashpoint for regional conflict.

Here are four key questions about the sea and the issues around it.

What's there and who's disputing it?

It's mostly empty  hundreds of small islets, rocks and reefs that 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 at least some part of it.

If there's nothing there, why is there any dispute?

Scientists believe the seabed could contain unexploited oil, gas and minerals, which would be a boon to any country that can establish their claims, especially in resource-hungry Asia.

It's also home to abundant fisheries that feed growing populations.

But the sea's key value is strategic.

Over $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through the waters annually, including raw materials, finished products and enormous quantities of oil.

Beijing views the South China Sea as its own backyard, a place where it is entitled to free rein and where its growing navy should be able to operate unhampered.

China also sees control of the waters as crucial to its effort to weaken American influence in the region.

How have these disputes been playing out?

For years, claimants have been building up the tiny reefs and islets to bolster their claims. China's land-reclamation programme has been particularly aggressive.

Satellite pictures now show inhabited Chinese islands where there was once only submerged coral. 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 claims and say that it could pose threats to the free passage of ships.

Washington says the waters are international and regularly sends warships there to press freedom of navigation.

China counters that 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 was the international ruling about?

A UN-backed tribunal in The Hague ruled in July that China has no historic rights to resources in sea areas falling within the so-called "nine-dash-line".

It was a sweeping victory for the Philippines, which filed the case in 2013.

The tribunal also found that artificial islands that China has been building over recent years do not have the 200 nautical mile "exclusive economic zone" (EEZ) enjoyed by inhabited land, effectively shrinking areas of sea that China claims.

It said China had behaved unlawfully and damaged the environment.

But Beijing has ignored the ruling, announcing penalties for "illegal" fishing in the sea and continuing its reclamation activities.
Washington: Welcoming India's growing role in the Asia-Pacific region, the US has said it will continue to work with other countries in the region for "addressing political and security challenges."

"We've elevated our ties with India across the board, and we welcome India's growing role in the Asia Pacific,' Obama said in a major policy speech on Asia-Pacific region in Laos on Tuesday.

This is for the first time that a US President has visited Laos.

Obama said to keep the peace and deter aggression, the US has deployed more of its most advanced military capabilities to the region, including ships and aircraft to Singapore.

"And by the end of the decade, a majority of our Navy and Air Force fleets will be based out of the Pacific. And our allies and partners are collaborating more with each other as well. So our alliances and defence capabilities in the Asia Pacific are as strong as they've ever been," he said.

"We've also forged deeper ties with emerging economies and emerging powers. With Indonesia and Malaysia, we're promoting entrepreneurship. We're opposing violent extremism, and we're addressing environmental degradation," he said.

"With my recent visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, we've shown our commitment to fully normalising our relationship with Vietnam," Obama said.

"We've deepened our cooperation with regional institutions, especially here in Southeast Asia. And as part of our new strategic partnership with Asean, we've agreed to key principles, including that Asean will remain central to peace, prosperity and progress in the Asia Pacific," Obama said.

"The US is now part of the East Asia Summit, and together we've made it the leading forum in the region for addressing political and security challenges, including maritime security," he said.

Obama said the US has worked to build a constructive relationship with China.

"Our two governments continue to have serious differences in important areas. The US will remain unwavering in our support for universal human rights, but at the same time, we've shown that we can work together to advance mutual interests.

The US and China are engaged across more areas than ever before -- from preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, to our shared commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, to our historic leadership together on climate

change," he said.

"So I will say it again: The United States welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful and stable and prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs, because we believe that will benefit all of us," he added.

"In other words, the US is more deeply engaged across the Asia Pacific than we have been in decades. Our position is stronger. And we've sent a clear message that, as a Pacific nation, we're here to stay. In good times and bad, you can count on the United States of America," Obama said.
Washington: The US is likely to make a positive decision on India's request for state-of-the art unarmed Guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean.

The move comes after India was designated a major defence partner of the US in June.

Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama, at the White House in early June, the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR) in February to Department of Defense towards purchase of 22 high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian UAVs.

This was the first major request of arms sale purchase by India after Obama designated New Delhi as a major Strategic Defence partner.

The US government has not made a formal decision on it yet, but is believed to have started an inter agency process on the Indian request.

According to sources, the administration believes that an approval of such a major military sale would help in "sealing Indian US defense relationship", bring in "a new level of comfort" between the two militaries and would be considered as a lasting legacy not only for India but also for the Asia-Pacific pivot of the outgoing president.

Officials here believe the sale of predator Guardian UAVs would act as a force multiplier for India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region; which of late has become one of the key American objective in the Asia Pacific region.

Top governmental sources confirmed that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had detailed discussions on predator Guardian UAV to fulfill maritime surveillance requirements.

Parrikar was in the US last week and held meetings with Carter at the Pentagon on 29 August.

During the meeting, Carter is understood have assured Parrikar he would personally "champion" India's request "within the system," sources said.

At General Atomics which has announced to office in India this year, the effort is being spearheaded by Dr Vivek Lall who had been also instrumental in India's ability to procure advanced Boeing P8I aircraft for maritime domain awareness capability, they said.

Sources indicate along with the White House, the Pentagon and some influential members of the US are keen to complete the process as soon as possible before Obama leaves his presidency next January.

However, a section within the State Department have to be convinced that this is in the interest of the US national security as well. This maritime capability will be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy who has procured other advance technologies including Boeing P-8 aircraft.

The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not do not exist in the

current Indian Navy arsenal.

Sources also said beyond the symbolism of this new title, this deal, estimated to be worth USD 2 billion, will give meat to the bone to this designation and could be considered as a milestone in India US defense relationship. In addition, it would create several hundred jobs in the US.

However, insiders said that a strong Pakistani lobby is working overtime putting strong resistance to the Indian quest trying to "confuse" the decision and opinion makers with armed drones that could be used against it.

But those pushing for this major arms sales deal which would ultimately go through foreign military sale (FMS) route stress that this is simply unarmed drones to enhance India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean. It has nothing to do with Pakistan.
Washington: The US has reiterated that it wants accountability from Pakistan on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 people dead, but ruled out sanctions on the South Asian country for failing to weed out terrorists.

"We want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks... there were American citizens who lost their lives in those attacks," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in a daily press briefing on Monday.

Toner made the remarks in response to a question about Secretary of State John Kerry's mentioning about US' efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators behind the attacks in which 10 terrorists targeted numerous sites in Mumbai.

Kerry was in New Delhi to attend the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue on 30 August.

According to Toner, the US has "long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation and the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan" in regards with the attacks, believed to be carried out by Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.

"That continues; those efforts continue. As I said, we want to see full accountability for these terrible attacks."

However, Toner also said the US was not considering sanctions on Islamabad and that Washington had "very frank conversations with Pakistan... about the need to take more efforts on all the terrorist groups... operating from within Pakistani soil".

"Well, again, you're asking me -- and the question was whether we're looking at sanctioning Pakistan. No... we're working with Pakistan, we're making our concerns clear that they need to go after all the terrorist groups," he said.

"We have seen some efforts to make progress in that regard. We're going to continue to have those conversations with them as we move forward," Toner said.

Ajmal Kasab, one of the 10 terrorists, who carried out the four-day attacks starting from November 26 in 2008, was captured alive and put to death under the Indian justice system while the other nine were killed by security forces.

Responding to a question regarding the need to impose sanctions on Pakistan, Toner said: "I don't think we're even at that point. We continue to have... conversations with the highest level of the government of Pakistan. And our basic point in all of these conversations is that Pakistan must target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan's neighbours, and eliminate all safe havens."

"But the suggestion of any kind of sanctions, we're not there," he added.

The deputy spokesman was responding to a question about former US Ambassador to the UN and Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad's statement that since Pakistan is not taking enough action against these terrorist network, the US should consider taking some kind of sanctions against Pakistan.

According to Toner, Pakistan had assured the US of their intentions to target all the militant groups on its soil.

"We're going to continue to work with them to increase those efforts and apply more pressure on these groups," he said.

Pakistan, however, maintained that India did not provide sufficient evidence against the terrorists and that any action was possible only after such evidence had been provided "through diplomatic channels".
Washington: The US has reiterated that it wants accountability from Pakistan on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 166 lives.

"We've been very clear that we want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks, and as you noted, there were American citizens who lost their lives in that  those terrible attacks," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in Monday's daily press briefing in response to a question about Secretary of State John Kerry's mentioning about US' efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators behind the attacks in which six Americans were also killed.

Kerry was in New Delhi to attend the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue on 30 August.

"We've long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation, and that includes the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan in that regard," Toner said.

"That continues; those efforts continue. As I said, we want to see full accountability for these terrible attacks."

The four-day attacks starting from 26 November, 2008, were carried out by 10 terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit.

One of them, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and put to death under the Indian justice system while the other nine terrorists were killed by security forces.

On 9 April, 2015, the foremost ringleader of the attacks, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, was granted bail in Pakistan against surety bonds of 200,000 ($2,000) Pakistan rupees.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the 14th Asean-India Summit and 11th East Asia Summit in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on Thursday.

These summits are important for both Asean members and India because issues like maritime security, terrorism and other matters of regional and international interests will be discussed at a time when China is involved in a raging dispute with the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei over ownership of territory in the South China Sea.

The South China Sea is a busy waterway through which half of India's trade passes. China has also objected in the past to India's Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) undertaking exploration at the invitation of Vietnam in the SCS, which is believed to be rich in undersea deposits of oil and gas. However, the oil and gas blocks to which Vietnam has given India access are less likely to be used to actually drill for fossil fuel than to score points over China.

Statements made at the summits will likely not have any immediate impact, but could be significant as a roadmap for India's relations with the South East Asian countries.

History of Asean and its ties with India

The Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) comprises Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Asean is India's fourth largest trading partner and India is, in turn, Asean's sixth largest trading partner.

India and Asean have 30 dialogue mechanisms which meet regularly, including a Summit and seven Ministerial meetings in Foreign Affairs, Commerce, Tourism, Agriculture, Environment, Renewable Energy and Telecommunications.

Trade between India and Asean stood at $65.04 billion in 2015-16 and comprises 10.12 percent of India's total trade with the world.

Since 2002, India has had annual summits with Asean along with China, Japan and Korea. India's engagement with the Asean and wider Asia-Pacific region has acquired further momentum following the enunciation of the Act-East Policy by Modi at the 12th Asean-India Summit and 9th East Asia Summit in Myanmar in November 2014.

The Asean-India economic integration process has got a fillip with the creation of the Asean-India Free Trade Area in July 2015, following the entry of the Asean-India Trade in Services and Investment Agreements.

The East Asia Summit is an exclusive club of leaders-led forum in the Asia-Pacific. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical and economic evolution of East Asia.

Apart from the 10 Asean member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia.

India is a founding member of the East Asia Summit.

What will happen in the summits?

Maritime security, terrorism, economic and socio-cultural cooperation will be on the agenda of Modi at both the summits. Bilateral meetings with fellow world leaders to discuss key issues are also included in the schedule.

The summits will be attended by Heads of State/Government of the 10 Asean and 18 East Asia Summit Participating Countries respectively.

At the East Asia Summit, leaders will discuss matters of regional and international interests including maritime security, terrorism, non-proliferation and migration.

The summit comes at a time when China is flexing its muscle to tighten its grip over the disputed South China Sea.

India and the US have been calling for freedom of passage in the international waters, much to the discomfort to Beijing, whose claim over South China Sea was recently struck down by an international tribunal in favour of the Philippines.

2017 will mark 25 years of India's dialogue partnership with Asean, and several commemorative activities will also be announced by Modi to celebrate the occasion.

A report in The Hindu had said that Modi had made a passing reference to the South China Sea dispute in his address in 2015 at the 13th Asean-India Summit too. "India hopes that all parties to the disputes in the South China Sea will abide by the guidelines on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and redouble efforts for early adoption of a Code of Conduct on the basis of consensus," the report had quoted the prime minister as saying.

With inputs from PTI
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The Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel is accused of hiring over 700,000 rooms for the two years between 2015 and 2017 for over 250 million Hong Kong Dollars in payments that were made in advance.

Earlier, the hotel had been ordered by the Tourism Activities Centre of the Government Tourism Office (MGTO) to close for six months due to serious administrative irregularities which constitute threats to public safety.

On Monday, more than 30 people who claim to be victims of the hotels closure, formed an alliance and told the media that they were cheated by the management in charge of the hotel, which was previously named as New Century Hotel.

According to a report by Jornal Cheng Pou, the hotel has only 599 rooms in total, despite the fact that it was selling more rooms than it could physically provide. The victims who are mainly from travel agencies and tourism related industries in Macau, Hong Kong and the Mainland, said that they all had settled reservation payments to the hotel in advance. Last year however, the individuals were told by the hotels management that it would decline further reservations, with the hotel refusing to provide the rooms that had been reserved and paid for previously. Moreover, the hotel had resold the rooms to other agencies after the aforementioned information had been disclosed to its customers.

These people forwarded the case to the Public Prosecutions Office, calling for the department to investigate whether the hotel had committed fraud or not. Some of the individual buyers also sought assistance from the Macau Consumer Council.

The group also expects to engage in discussion with the person responsible for the hotel.


Camargo Correa, one of the largest construction companies in Brazil, has been put up for sale and may be acquired by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), the Brazilian press reported.

A report in financial newspaper Valor Economico said that in addition to CCCC, other companies potentially interested in Camargo Correa were also asked about the deal, including French and Spanish companies. The Brazilian group plans to sell 100 percent of its engineering and construction unit.

The Camargo Correa group, which was convicted of corruption, money laundering and criminal organization in the construction of the Abreu e Lima refinery, owned by Petrobras, saw some of its board members arrested and is struggling to close the sale of its construction business due to uncertainties about future investigations.

Because of the penalties that have been applied in several lawsuits and high levels of debt, the Camargo Correa group has been disposing of assets in order to obtain liquidity.

It recently sold a stake of 23.6 percent it held in CPFL Energia to China State Grid group for 6 billion reais and in November 2015 sold control of Alpargatas, a company that manufactures flip-

flops, to Brazilian group J & F Investments for 2.67 billion reais.

The Camargo Correa Group is a conglomerate run by SGPS Camargo Correa, which is privately held and family controlled, with headquarters in Sao Paulo, acting in key sectors of the economy: engineering and construction, cement, energy concessions and urban transport and mobility, shipbuilding and real estate. MDT/Macauhub
The Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Forum Macau), a multilateral conference to discuss trade and business promotion which is held in Macau, will this year set out the strategic plan for the 2017 to 2019 period.

Held in the city on October 11 and 12, the event will welcome delegations from mainland China and seven Portuguese-speaking countries, namely Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and East Timor.

According to a statement from the Government Information Bureau (GCS), this years theme will be Working toward stronger Sino-Portuguese-speaking countries trade and economic relations  combining efforts, jointly building a platform, sharing fruits of development.

The two-day conference will commence with a welcoming banquet and opening ceremony followed by ministerial meetings and additional discussion sessions between entrepreneurs from China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

These sessions will be held with a view to examining the opportunities arising from Chinas One Belt, One Road initiative, according to the GCS statement.

Forum Macau, located in the MSAR, is partly intended to diversify Macaus economy by thrusting it to the forefront of China-Lusophone economic cooperation, leveraging the citys heritage as an internationally competitive advantage.

In 2015, mainland authorities established a Tariff Implementation Plan to abolish various import taxes from countries such as Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau, while others, like Angola and East Timor, saw around 95 percent of their exports to China exempt from taxation.

Critics of the plan noted that Portugal and Brazil, the largest of the Lusophonic exporters to China, did not have the same tax reductions applied to their goods and services.

At the previous edition of Forum Macau held in 2013, Gao Hucheng, Chinas Minister for Commerce, outlined a vision for trade between China and Portuguese-

speaking countries to expand to USD160 billion (about MOP1.28 trillion) by 2016.

Gao said that the target would be quite easy to achieve since trade relations between China and the Lusophone world amounted to USD120 billion (about MOP959 billion) in 2012.

However, in the first half of this year, the trade level was less than USD41.7 billion (MOP333 billion), down by more than 13 percent year-on-

year. If trade levels remain steady during the second half of 2016, the annual total will reach just USD83.4 billion.

Forum Macau was founded in the MSAR in October 2003 as the initiative of the Central Government in collaboration with Macau authorities. Previous editions of the conference were held in 2003, 2006, 2010 and 2013. DB

Li Keqiang, Antonio Costa to attend event

Chinas Prime Minister Li Keqiang, will take part in the Ministerial Conference, reported Radio Macau. The Portuguese-language broadcaster also reported that the Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa, will also be present at the conference
Macau Polytechnic Institute (IPM) organized an Overseas Study Program from 30 July to 21 August 2016, taking its students on a three week cultural exchange in Australia at Monash University.

The students attended classes related to the global business environment. They were enrolled alongside a number of peers from other universities around the world. In addition to the courses, the students also paid a visit to such sights as the Parliament of Victoria and the Immigration Museum.

Students who participated in this program commented that it was a valuable experience for them to learn about management in Australia. The participants said that they found the program very beneficial as it afforded them the chance to make friends with other international students, and stated that this trip had broadened their horizons. Many students said that they would like to pursue further education abroad in the future.
Vietnams Ministry of Finance has banned locals from entering Vietnams casinos, even though the countrys decision-making Politburo approved lifting the ban several years ago for individuals who meet certain outlined criteria.

According to the Ministry of Finance, only foreigners and Vietnamese individuals with foreign passports may be permitted to gamble in the casinos.

The decision will do little to attract international casino developers, who have long eyed the lucrative Southeast Asian market and have plenty of choice over the destination country for their investment.

Analysts say that reversing the decision to lift the ban will reassure those investors who have pulled out of casino projects recently, that they have made the right decision.

We are continuing to study and gauge the social impacts of letting Vietnamese punters into casinos, a senior official at the Finance Ministry was quoted by Thanh Nien newspaper as saying on Monday. We want to report to the higher-

ups about the ramifications [that] this could have, such as organized crime, gambling addictions, money laundering and other illicit activities.

Currently, Vietnamese punters head across borders to Macau, Hong Kong, or Cambodia to gamble, which some observers say results in capital outflow.

Augustine Ha Ton Vinh, an academic who focuses on the countrys gaming sector, claims that Vietnam loses as much as USD800 million (almost MOP6.4 billion) each year in tax revenue from Vietnamese gamblers who cross into Cambodia alone.

However, with the estimated USD300 million (MOP2.4 billion) in annual gaming revenue that Vietnams eight licensed casinos currently generate, opening the floor to local players bears the risk of fueling illegal activity such as organized crime and money laundering.

Supporters of the ban say that they want to avoid this type of illegal activity which neighboring Cambodia has grappled with for decades.

They also claim that developers promises of employment and infrastructure improvements usually fall short of expectations, and that these sizeable projects draw funding away from other, more essential areas, such as development of roads, and electricity, water and sewerage systems. DB
Irans president yesterday called on the Muslim world to punish Saudi Arabia following last years hajj crush and stampede that killed over 2,400 people  sharp criticism as multitudes poured into the kingdom for this years pilgrimage.

Hassan Rouhanis comments are the latest salvo in a growing dispute between Shiite-dominated Iran and Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are now arriving in the kingdom to participate in the annual hajj pilgrimage, which starts later this week

Iranian pilgrims are not taking part in this years hajj, a ritual required of all able-bodied Muslims at least once in their life.

Irans state-run IRNA news agency yesterday quoted Rouhani lambasting Saudi Arabias response to the 2015 stampede in Mina by saying pilgrims lost their lives because Saudi authorities acted just as bystanders rather than rescuing those caught in the disaster.

He said countries should punish the government of Saudi Arabia in order to have a real hajj.

The government of Saudi Arabia must be held accountable for this incident, Rouhani told a weekly Cabinet meeting. Unfortunately, this government has even refrained from a verbal apology to Muslims and Muslim countries.

Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, meanwhile met with families of victims and survivors of the Mina stampede and reiterated his demand that Saudi Arabias ruling Al Saud family properly investigate the disaster, IRNA reported.

If they are claiming that they are not guilty in the incident, they should let an Islamic-international fact-finding delegation review and probe the case closely, Khamenei said, adding that Saudi Arabia should not shut peoples mouth with money.

On social media, Khameneis accounts used the hashtag #alSaudHijacksHajj to criticize the kingdom, while reiterating his demand that someone other than the Saudis be in charge of administering the hajj.

The Sept. 24, 2015, stampede and crush of pilgrims killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count based on state media reports and officials comments from 36 of the over 180 countries that sent citizens to the hajj.

The official Saudi toll of 769 people killed and 934 injured has not changed since Sept. 26. The kingdom has never addressed the discrepancy, nor has it released any results of an investigation they promised to conduct over the disaster.

Iran had the highest death toll of any country, with 464 Iranian pilgrims killed.

In January, tensions between longtime rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia soared after the kingdom executed a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric. Angry demonstrators later attacked two Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran and Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties to the Islamic Republic. The two countries also support opposing sides in the civil wars in Syria and Yemen.

On Monday, Khamenei raised the stakes in the dispute over hajj by saying Saudi officials had murdered hajj pilgrims who were injured in the stampede. Saudis grand mufti countered by claiming that Iranians are not Muslims.

A coalition of Gulf nations yesterday also criticized Khamenei. The Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council issued a statement saying that Khameneis remarks and any such false and outrageous accusations [] should not be issued from the heart or the tongue of any Muslim. Nasser Karimi, Tehran, AP
Saudi Arabias top cleric is revving up the kingdoms rhetoric against Iran, saying in comments published yesterday that Tehrans leaders are not Muslims, in response to rancorous remarks from Irans supreme leader.

The remarks by Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al Sheikh came a day after Irans Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Saudi authorities of killing Muslims injured during last years crush of crowds at the hajj pilgrimage.

Their confrontational comments mark a sharp escalation in the countries faceoff as their spat plays out across the region.

Khamenei, in remarks published on his website Monday, said the heartless and murderous Saudis locked up the injured with the dead in containers  instead of providing medical treatment and helping them or at least quenching their thirst. They murdered them.

Mostly Sunni Saudi Arabia and majority Shiite Iran back opposite sides of the wars in Syria and Yemen, and support opposing political groups in Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon.

In comments to the Makkah newspaper, the top Saudi cleric was quoted as saying that Khameneis remarks are not surprising because Iranians are descendants of Majuws a term that refers to Zoroastrians and those who worship fire. Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion predating Christianity and Islam and was the dominant religion in Persia before the Arab conquest.

We must understand they are not Muslims, for they are the descendants of Majuws, and their enmity toward Muslims, especially the Sunnis, is very old, the Saudi cleric said.

The September 2015 stampede and crush of pilgrims killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count. Iran had the highest of death toll of any country, with 464 Iranian pilgrims killed.

Saudi authorities have not released any findings of their investigation into the hajj disaster. Preliminary statements suggested the crush was caused when at least two large crowds intersected.

Khamenei also blamed Saudi Arabia for an earlier crane collapse in Mecca that killed 111 people, and urged Muslims around the world to reconsider Saudi Arabias custodianship and management of Islams holiest sites in Mecca and Medina where the hajj is performed. He also said Saudi rulers promote sectarian strife and arm wicked takfiri groups  a reference to extremist Sunni militants who denounce other Muslims as heretics and non-

believers.

The two countries severed diplomatic relations in January after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric and angry Iranian crowds overran Saudi diplomatic missions.

Negotiations between the two countries over hajj security measures also collapsed earlier this year, prompting Iran to declare it would not be sending any of its citizens to this years pilgrimage, which begins this weekend. Abdullah Al-Shihri & Aya Batrawy, Riyadh, AP


A summit of Southeast Asian leaders to discuss issues ranging from terrorism to South China Sea tensions opened testerday, overshadowed by the Philippine presidents intemperate comments in his debut appearance at the annual meeting. The insult was made more egregious because of who the target was  President Barack Obama.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte occupied center stage on the eve of the summit Monday when he made comments about Obama that included a son of a bitch remark.

He was again in the spotlight yesterday when he trooped into a conference hall in the Laotian capital of Vientiane wearing a traditional Filipino shirt with sleeves rolled up, and hands in pant pockets. The other male Southeast Asian leaders were dressed in dark business suits. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi wore a mauve traditional dress.

Filipinos wear the barong shirt on formal occasions too, but with sleeves buttoned down at the wrists. Rolled-up sleeves are considered too casual for any formal setting, let alone a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. Duterte rolled his sleeves down and buttoned them when Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachith gave a speech to open the summit.

Multifaceted security challenges have occurred in many parts of the world, such as terrorism and extremism, natural disasters, climate change, migration crisis, trafficking in people, territorial disputes and armed conflicts, Bounnhang said. At the same time, although the global economy has gradually recovered, growth remains slow and fragile.

There is a need for us to closely follow these developments and continue to enhance ASEAN cooperation and collaboration with the international community, he said.

The 10-nation ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The summit will be followed by a series of other meetings today and a summit tomorrow between leaders from ASEAN and other countries, including the United States, China, Russia, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Obama arrived in Vientiane Monday night and will attend tomorrows summit. Duterte also arrived Monday night.

But hours before his arrival, Duterte dropped a diplomatic bombshell by saying he doesnt want Obama to ask him questions about extrajudicial killings that have occurred amid an ongoing crackdown on drug dealers in the Philippines. More than 2,000 people have been killed in the crackdown since he took office on June 30.

In his typical loose-tongued style, Duterte said: I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. Putang ina, I will swear at you in that forum, he said, using the Tagalog phrase for son of a bitch.

Obama later canceled a bilateral meeting he was scheduled to have with Duterte in Vientiane. On Tuesday, Duterte expressed regret over the remarks, but the damage was already done.

Duterte is also planning to ask Chinas premier at the Vientiane meetings whether China is trying to develop a disputed reef, Scarborough Shoal, off the Philippines northwestern coast, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.

The shoal is part of the larger dispute in the South China Sea between China and some ASEAN countries. An international arbitration panel recently ruled that Chinas expansive claims in the sea are illegal. Beijing has rejected the ruling as a sham.

Although ASEAN has the power of the ruling behind it, its summit is unlikely to mention it in its final declaration, a reflection of Beijings diplomatic clout.

But according to a draft of the final statement ASEAN is scheduled to release on Thursday, the regions leaders will express strong concern about Beijings construction of man-made islands in the South China Sea, which Southeast Asian countries fear could destabilize the region.

Duterte said last week that the Philippine coast guard has sighted Chinese barges at Scarborough, which he said could presage the transformation of the Chinese-held reef into another man-made island. One of the Chinese vessels had what appeared to be a crane, according to a Philippine official who did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to discuss classified intelligence.

China sparked widespread alarm when it converted seven reefs in the Spratly Islands into islands that the United States says could be transformed into military bases to reinforce Beijings territorial claims and intimidate rival claimant countries.

Duterte has taken a more conciliatory stance toward China than his predecessor. But a confirmation of Chinese reclamation activities at Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground where Filipino fishermen have been forced away by Beijings coast guard, could impede relations.

U.S. officials have also expressed deep concern over the possibility of China developing Scarborough into an island or starting to erect concrete structures there, which could reinforce Beijings control over a swath of the South China Sea. Vijay Joshi, Jim Gomez, Vientiane, AP
A bomb exploded outside a school in southern Thailand yesterday, killing three people, including a man and his 4-year-old daughter, whom he was dropping off for kindergarten.

The incident was the latest in a series of attacks that coincide with efforts to hold peace talks between Thailands government and Muslim separatist insurgents who have wreaked havoc across the countrys southernmost provinces since 2004, at a cost of more than 6,000 lives.

Other recent attacks have included bombings across seven provinces popular with tourists that killed four people, and an explosive detonated on a rail line that derailed a train car and killed a railway worker.

Preliminary investigations into the incident show that a suspect drove a motorcycle and parked it in front of a small store across from the school in Tak Bai district of Narathiwat province, police Lt. Col. Noppadon Kingthong said. He said the bomb was placed in the front basket of the motorcycle and was detonated remotely.

The targets were traffic policemen and people dropping off their children at the Baan Ta Baa School, Noppadon said.

In addition to the father and daughter who died of their injuries while being taken to a hospital, a 23-year-old man who was one of eight people hospitalized died of his injuries. Three of those hurt were police personnel and one was from the military, Noppadon said.

Thailand is overwhelmingly Buddhist, but its three southernmost provinces have Muslim majorities who have long complained they face discrimination.

A statement from UNICEF, the United Nations childrens advocacy organization, said it was shocked and saddened by the incident.

The group Save the Children urged greater protection for children and educational institutions. AP
CHINA In response to the success of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kongs legislative elections, China has warned that anyone advocating for the territorys independence could be punished. China reiterated that it stands entirely opposed to any independence activities in Hong Kongs Legislative Council or outside it.



THAILAND A bomb exploded outside a school in southern Thailand yesterday, killing three people. The incident was the latest in a series of attacks that coincide with efforts to hold peace talks between Thailands government and Muslim separatist insurgents who have wreaked havoc in the country since 2004.

AUSTRALIA The government told a court yesterday that it was seeking at least 120 million Australian dollars (MOP736 million) from the owners of a Chinese coal ship that damaged part of the Great Barrier Reef.

JAPANs Prince Hisahito turns 10 amid national attention over the future of the Japanese monarchy after Emperor Akihito, his grandfather, indicated a wish to abdicate.

US-North Korea In the wake of another missile launch, U.S. President Barack Obama vows to work with the United Nations to tighten sanctions against North Korea, but adds that the U.S. is still open to dialogue if the government changes its course.



AFGHANISTAN Militants stormed a building housing an international aid organization in Kabul, provoking an overnight firefight with security forces in which three gunmen were killed and six civilians were wounded, Afghan officials said yesterday. The attack took place a day after twin bombings near the Afghan Defense Ministry killed at least 35 people and wounded more than 100 others.



NIGERIA The World Health Organization has confirmed a third case of polio in an area of Nigeria newly liberated from Boko Haram Islamic extremists, the Rotary Club said on Monday, amid fears the disease could resurge in neighboring countries. It is an indicator that Nigerias war on the crippling disease cannot be won until it overcomes the insurgency by extremists who are violently opposed to Western medicine.

GREECE Police in the country have arrested two local men for allegedly trying to smuggle a group of Syrian refugees trapped in Greece over the rugged border with Albania. Authorities said the suspects were part of a network that had promised to clandestinely bring the refugees to northern Europe.
Ian Fleming,And so it proved yesterday, as the intrepid bond sellers following the weak ISM and payroll data would have done well to heed Auric Goldfinger's warning. As it was, the bond and currency markets concluded that yesterday's appalling services ISM was indeed enemy action and beat a hasty retreat to the exits. Five year yields notched their biggest yield decline since the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, while the EDZ6/Z8 spread is now back towards its tights, pricing LIBOR just 25 bps higher over the two years covered by the spread.And really, it's hard to blame them. In the nearly 20 years since the launch of the non-manufacturing ISM, the weighted composite measure has only been lower during the two recessions of the last decade and during the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. Needless to say, the GDP growth forecast implicit in the current reading is very dismal indeed.In one way, however, the decline in fixed income yields was something of an anomaly. After all, that's what is "supposed" to happen. For much of this year, the relationship between economic surprise and yields has been tenuous at best. The chart below plots the rolling 6 month correlation between changes in the Citi US economic surprise index and Treasury yields of various tenors. Note that the calculation is done on weekly data to smooth out some of the noise. As you can see, over the last six months there has been precisely zero correlation between long bond yields and economic surprise. Small wonder that global macro strategies are struggling!More generally, a scan of economic surprises reveals little to get excited about, with two notable exceptions. With an irony so delicious that it's just been awarded a Michelin star, those two stalwarts just happen to be home to two of the most hated currencies of the past few months: the UK and New Zealand. The failure of the hard data in the UK to conform to the post-Brexit dip in sentiment has confounded many expectations, including those of your author. Suffice to say that he's been out of his sterling short for quite a while now and he's rather happy that way.As for the kiwi, the skyrocketing of the NZ surprise index is quite possibly the "missing link" to explain recent NZD outperformance. When Macro Man bought AUD/NZD the other week, he was under no illusions that he was buying the ding-dong lows, and sized accordingly. It may well be the case that either Aussie data needs to surpass expectations or that the trend in its neighbour tails off for the trade to work. Either way, Macro Man can be patient- a requisite with a trade like Aussie/Kiwi.Squaring the circle, Fleming's prophetic quote at the top of today's post serves as a timely reminder of how difficult it is to get the better of Mr. Bond these days. Outside of what Yellen and co. are doing, the global trend towards low yields remains a strong one; can you believe that 5 year German yields are now -0.55%? It's hard to see any value whatsoever there, but with Draghi on Thursday can you blame the market for not wanting to be short?Somehow it feels like Hollywood should re-maketo account for the new ZIRP/NIRP reality. (Fun fact: in the novel, Goldfinger keeps a portion of cash holdings in Venezuelan bolivars, which at the time was one of the world's stronger currencies.) It would be hard to replicate Shirley Bassey's iconic theme tune, however. Perhaps they could get Justin Timberlake to record " It's My Franc in a Box " instead?
NAMPA  Theres a new craft brewery in town, and it could end up being the largest in Idaho.

San Diego, California-based Mother Earth Brew Co. will open its tasting room doors for business by Oct. 1, possibly as early as Sept. 24. It is now one of two commercial producers of beer in Nampa.

When it came to think about where to expand from California, it was an easy choice, Daniel Love, founder and CEO of Mother Earth Brew Co., told the Idaho Press-Tribune.

On the afternoon of Aug. 31, Mother Earths warehouse facility was warm and filled with the loud hum of machinery. Spilled beer was pooled on the floor from the testing going on and employees dressed in jeans and black T-shirts were checking the fermenting equipment.

Love, dressed in a green T-shirt that read I (hop) craft beer, was talking to two men dressed in slacks, dress shoes and button-up shirts holding clipboards.

Those were salesman, Love said after they left. They stop by a lot.

He said he may buy from salesman such as that eventually to expand the bottling line.

The CEO and founder of Mother Earth Brewing Co. intends to build out his craft-beer-making facility so that it will produce 60,000 barrels annually  topping the reported capacity of Idahos largest brewer, Payette Brewing, of 40,000 barrels  though not at first. The company needs the distribution to match that.

Love led a tour around his brewing equipment, obviously practiced in explaining the process that turns four basic ingredients into the foamy, cool drink that millions love.

Gesturing to the mill outside, Love explained that the malted barley comes from Great Western Malting in Pocatello. Although he already had a contract for the next five years to bring in hops from Washington, Love wants to do everything local as much as he can.

The beer-making process involves, very basically, heating cracked grain to get the sugars can be extracted. Yeast is then used to turn it into alcohol and carbon dioxide, creating beer. It is then carbonated and bottled and allowed to age.

As much as it is fun, there is still a big science to brewing. Theres a science of water, hops, yeast and grain, Love explained. You kind of have to do the best you can at all four of those, and you have to have a lab to make a consistent product.

Loves big advice for potential craft brewers is, if they save money, to get a laboratory. It is important ensure you will have the same flavor if you want to go into mass production.

Moving to Nampa

Love and his wife lived in San Diego their entire lives prior to moving to Eagle in October 2015 to open their second brewery. Renovating the 40,000-square-foot warehouse in which it is housed, getting all the right permits and installing the machinery will have taken nearly a year by the time it is open for business.

And the expansion will continue. Love wants to install a larger bottling and packaging line later on. He estimates at full build-out in five years, the brewery will employ 75 to 100 people.

Loves company had no debt prior to moving to Nampa, but he considers it a worthy $3 million investment.

This is the first opportunity to go into the red for our business, Love said.

Love started traveling to Boise as part of his job with Sprint Nextel in the early 2000s and fell in love with the area. His passion for hobby brewing developed into a family-run business in 2008. Mother Earth distributes craft beer to eight states and six countries, and hopes to expand further into the Northwest and eastward with its Nampa facility, located in the Interstate 84 Industrial Park at 1428 Madison Ave.

After scouting around, Love said he and the companys officials chose Nampa for something simple: its water.

We tested water everywhere when we came here, and Nampa had the best water, Love said.

Nampas water is a very hard water, Love explained, which works well with the kind of yeast used to create Mother Earths brews.

Love added his appreciation for being in an area where craft brewing has so much room to grow and other brewers are helpful to newbies. The community here in the Treasure Valley was very welcoming, he added, citing places like Payette Brewing.

We think we will have great success here, Love said. Boise has a fantastic craft beer scene going on, and I feel like this is just like San Diego was 10 years ago when it was just getting started.

Mother Earth can be found at Albertsons, Whole Foods, Boise Co-op, Fred Meyer and in numerous bars throughout the state.
TWIN FALLS  Now through Sept. 16, anyone who drops off a non-perishable food item at Professional Hearing Aid Services Beltone can receive a free hearing screening or pack of hearing aid batteries.

The Beltone Food Drive takes place at its centers at 260 Falls Ave., Suite A, in Twin Falls and 1301 E. 16th St. in Burley. Food collected in Twin Falls will go to the South Central Community Action Partnership food assistance program.

Non-perishable food can be dropped off during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The hearing screening will help determine how well a customer can hear and if he or she is in need of assistance.

Hearing loss is more and more prevalent, and we want to help people hear as much as possible, Professional Hearing Aid Services Beltone Manager and Hearing Instrument Specialist Fritz Kippes said.

Beltone will match all food donations with a monetary cash donation to Feeding America, a nonprofit organization aiming to find solutions to hunger and poverty.

We are proud to improve quality of life for so many people and, at the same time, give back to the local communities in which we serve through the Beltone Food Drive, Beltone President Corrine Perritano said.
ELBA  Fire crews have almost completed the suppression and mop-up of a wildfire in the Grape Creek Drainage, the Sawtooth National Forest said Tuesday, but the fire is expected to smolder and some Forest Service lands in the area are expected to stay closed over the coming days and weeks.

Small plumes of smoke were visible Monday in both the Grape and Green creek drainages and helicopters dropped buckets of water cooling hot spots in both, the Forest Service said in a statement late Tuesday morning. The fire is now mainly burning in the interior of the fire perimeter, keeping the acreage involved at about 1,580 acres.

Crews are continuing to work, where safe, on a section of fireline along the Green/Grape Creek divide. The fire has not reached Independence Lakes but may in the coming days. Once the fire is contained and controlled in the Grape Creek Drainage, the Type 3 team in place there now will transition, likely this weekend, to a Type 4 team (less serious, on a scale where 1 is the most serious incident and 5 the least) which will continue to monitor the fire burning in the Green Creek Drainage.

The fire will continue to be staffed with a fire crew and helicopter and will take action where safe to do so, but the fire is not being actively suppressed in the Green Creek Drainage due to concerns for firefighter safety in the steep and rocky terrain and heavy, dry timber and vegetation, Minidoka District Fire Management Officer Matt Ginder said in a statement.

With continued sunny, dry weather, people should expect to continue to see smoke coming from the area around Independence Lakes over the coming days and weeks. A Forest Service order closing the NFS lands in the Independence Lakes area is still in effect, although officials plan to reevaluate toward the end of this week and may open Logger Springs Road before the weekend, depending on conditions over the next few days. The Independence Lakes Trail will stay closed until the fire is out.
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FILER  Neither police nor the school district would say more Tuesday about an investigation into three Filer School District employees.

Well, theres nothing I can further add thats not in the press release already, said Shane Hild, the Filer Middle School principal who said he has been the districts acting superintendent since Aug. 31.

The school district put out a statement Friday saying three employees had been placed on leave over allegations of inappropriate conduct, without specifying the nature of the allegations or the names of the employees. The statement said the district became aware of the allegations Aug. 29 and contacted law enforcement, who opened an independent investigation.

Its an active investigation, Filer Police Chief Tim Reeves said Tuesday. We cant give out any of that information.

John Graham was the Filer superintendent. Hild said he couldnt comment on whether Graham is one of the three employees who is accused of inappropriate conduct or whether his appointment as acting superintendent is related to the allegations.

Reeves said he had no timeline at this point as to when he expects the investigation to be done.

We want to make the investigation as good as we can, as complete as we can, he said. We cant hurry that kind of thing up.

Hild said he hopes to be able to release more information within the next couple of weeks.

The quicker the better, but we do have to go through due process, he said.

Tuesday was the first day of the school year for Filer. Hild said school is continuing just as planned and the investigation shouldnt lead to disruptions for the students.
JEROME  A developer wants to bring zip lines, BASE jumping, water slides, camping and housing to Devils Corral on the canyon rim in Jerome.

George Panagiotous property has been an item of concern for area residents, fearing development would permanently alter a scenic area decorated with raptor nests and Native American petroglyphs. Work has stalled on the surrounding 6,500-acre Snake River Canyon Park, where Jerome County planned to build horse trails and bike trails on federal land. The county has cited issues with funding and whether to allow shooting on the land.

But while Panagiotou has obtained a right-of-way through the Bureau of Land Management for access through the park to his property, there are still more government hurdles to clear before work could begin.

During an invite-only event Thursday at the Jerome Country Club, Panagiotou will reveal his vision for the development  which could include space for a lodge, private homes, condos, rim lots for tiny homes, and outdoor sports.

Eco-tourism is a new thing, said Bill Baker, the vice president of Devils Corral LLC, who will oversee environmental activities. Its not really used here yet.

The development information will be available at 5 p.m. Thursday online at devilscorral.com.

Jerome County Planning & Zoning Administrator Arthur Brown said nothing has been submitted to the county for a development yet. Approval will depend on what the plan is, the infrastructure requirements and the required zoning, he said. The current agriculture zoning limits the area to one house per 40 acres.

Anything outside of that would require a rezone, Brown said.

Devils Corral is a natural box canyon 3 miles east of the Perrine Bridge. A 30-50 foot rim rock surrounds the 20-acre desert basin, providing an enclosure. Devils Corral became known as a place for rustlers to hold stolen livestock, made easier by its flowing springs.

The Snake River Canyon Park on the north, west and east includes 400-foot vertical cliffs and an isolated island providing views of the Coral, two canyons and the Snake River.

All of us who have been working closely with George are excited about the potential of the Devils Corral property, Don Campbell, board of directors member and director of outdoor activities, said in a statement. Our goals include the development of an eco-friendly outdoor adventure environment, while providing an eco-balanced lifestyle right out your back door.

Panagiotou had previously asked the Bureau of Land Management, which leases the Snake River Canyon Park property to Jerome County, allow him to build a road through the park to his property near Devils Corral. In 2008, the Jerome County Commission rejected his proposal after the BLM asked for a recommendation.

The BLM granted the right-of-way this summer, however, after determining it did not cause conflict with the master plan for the park.

It really wasnt an issue, BLM spokeswoman Heather Tiel-Nelson said.

The county commission again said last year it did not support the issuance of a right-of-way for the road, but after coordinating with the property owner and the BLM, the board said it was not opposed, according to BLM documents.

The right-of-way allows for improvement of 4,020 feet of existing primitive roads, with construction of 340 feet of new road, at a width of 50 feet. Devils Corral Road will begin at the county-maintained road locally known as the Shoshone Falls Road.
It seems that each time we open a newspaper we are assailed with stories of marijuanas ability to rescue state economies and its power to heal. Little, if any, data is included about what is actually happening in states that have legalized the drug. Idahoans deserve to know what outcomes this social experiment has produced so far.

Is it the panacea voters were promised? Is there really no harm being done? The data shows:

Youth use of marijuana has increased.

According to the most recent data released by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Coloradoans of all age groups (12-17, 18-25, 26 and over) rank first in the nation for past-month marijuana use. Before legalization they ranked fourth, third and seventh, respectively.

Past-month marijuana use among Colorado youth is now 74 percent higher than the national average.

If the National Survey on Drug Use and Health is reporting increased use among youth, why are there reports of youth marijuana use remaining stable in Colorado? The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey is frequently cited by people making this argument, but upon further exploration the findings reveal:

One out of 3 Denver high school juniors and seniors surveyed are marijuana users; a 20 percent increase from 2013 to 2015.

Marijuana use among Colorado high school junior and senior students increased 19 percent and 14 percent respectively from 2013 to 2015.

Although freshman and sophomore past month use overall decreased, use by juniors and seniors went up for a net increase in high school use from 19.7 percent in 2013 to 21.2 percent in 2015. This shows a 7.6 percent increase in youth use in Colorado according to the very survey being used to argue youth use of marijuana has remained stable.

But what about the argument that liberal marijuana laws decrease use of hard drugs such as meth, heroin or cocaine? According to NSDUH, among individuals aged 12 and over this does not appear to be the case. Colorado ranks second and Washington ranks sixth in the nation for illicit drug use other than marijuana in the past month. Compare those numbers to Idaho, which ranks 47th, and there is no question which states drug policy is working better to keep drug use low.

Impaired driving has increased.

The number of Washington drivers with active THC in their blood in fatal driving accidents increased by more than 122 percent between 2010 and 2014, according to the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Marijuana Impact Report, 2016.

The percentage of Colorado vehicle operators who were found positive for marijuana increased from 7.88 percent in 2006 to 24.03 percent in 2014, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Colorado marijuana-related traffic deaths increased from 37 in 2006 to 94 in 2014.

Poison control calls and emergency department visits have increased.

Calls to Washingtons Poison Control Center related to marijuana-infused products increased 312.5 percent from 2012 to 2014, and calls related to marijuana oils increased by 850 percent, according to the Marijuana Impact Report.

The Colorado Hospital Association reported that marijuana-related emergency room visits increased from 8,197 in 2011 to 18,255 in 2014.

Pot is having a disproportionately negative impact on the poor.

Candi CdeBaca, a community activist whose home in Elyria-Swansea, Colo., is near a commercial grow operation, told Politico Magazine, One of the things that we thought was going to happen when (recreational) marijuana was legalized was that drugs would be taken out of our community. What happened was that the drugs stayed  and the drug dealers changed.

Father Woodys Haven of Hope reports that while their numbers usually go up in the summer by around 50 people per month, in 2014 they received more than 300 new homeless a month and Urban Peaks deputy director, Kendall Rames stated, Of the new kids were seeing, the majority are saying theyre here because of the weed, according to the Denver Post.

Tax revenues are not providing the relief once promised.

Andrew Freedman, director of the Colorado Governors Office of Marijuana Coordination, has said that most of the tax dollars related to marijuana sales in Colorado simply cover the costs resulting from legalization. He said, You do not legalize for taxation. It is a myth. You are not going to pave streets. You are not going to be able to pay teachers. The big red herring is the whole thing that the tax revenue will solve a bunch of crises. But it wont.

Unfortunately, many of the reported outcomes show the exact opposite of the goals that sold the initiative to voters, said Dave Rodriguez, executive director of the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. We now see clearly that marijuana is increasingly hurting our youth, black market sales have not disappeared, the amount of crime due to marijuana has actually gone up and Washington has become a net exporter of cannabis to other states.

Marijuana remains a Schedule I drug.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration recently refused to downgrade marijuana from its federal status as a Schedule I controlled substance. Chuck Rosenberg, acting DEA administrator, told NPR, This decision is based on whether marijuana, as determined by the FDA, is a safe and effective medicine. And its not.

The DEA and Food and Drug Administrations decision is consistent with major medical organizations including the American Medical Association, which states, (1) cannabis is a dangerous drug and as such is a public health concern; (2) sale and possession of cannabis should not be legalized.

Likewise, the American Academy of Pediatrics opposes medical marijuana outside the regulatory process of the FDA due to potential harms to children and adolescents.

As Idahos chief drug policy authority, I urge Idahoans to diligently study the scientifically valid research being released from numerous reliable data sources. The Idaho Office of Drug Policys position is that components of the marijuana plant should be evaluated by the same rigorous, scientific FDA process through which every legal medication in our country is tested.

When our way of life and the health and safety of our communities are jeopardized, we must be vigilant seekers of the truth and not swayed by stories filled with emotion and half-truths.
Tunisia has voiced concerns over the fight against the Islamic State (IS) in Libya as it fears that the extremist fighters could sneak through its borders and carry on with their atrocities. Defense Minister Farhat Hachani was speaking on the side lines of a meeting in France of Defense ministers and military officials.

He said the danger is real because there are an estimated 4,000 Tunisian nationals fighting for jihadist groups and there isnt a regional strategy to neutralize the threat they pose on their return and international cooperation is not up to the level of the danger.

The IS group is losing ground in Sirte, its major stronghold in North Africa, and the extremist fighters who are fleeing the city before its imminent fall are heading south to eventually join Boko Haram, but some are also going west. Hachani stressed that it is a decisive moment for cooperation because the entire region is concerned by the threats they pose.

Tunisia is a neighboring country to war torn Libya and it had already repelled an attempt to establish an Islamic Emirate on its territory at the beginning of the year. The Defense Minister deplored that neighboring countries are managing the day to day security and military questions

Hachanis concerns were echoed in Tunis by Tunisian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Sabri Bachtobji. He told Libyan authorities of his countrys endeavors to make the international parties aware of the importance of strengthening Libyas efforts to restore security and stability, which are an integral part of peace and stability of neighboring countries and the entire region.

The Libyan authorities met in Tunis on Monday and Tuesday under the auspices of the U.N. part of the political dialogue to end the war in the country with focus on the challenges of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) including the failure to obtain the vote of confidence of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR.)
If what the Russians and the Americans agree upon is very much different from what the Syrians aspire to, then we shall not accept it, leader of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) Riyad Hijab stated.

The former Syrian Prime Minister who defected to join the opposition as the contestation against the Assad regime gained momentum in 2012 outlined a three point transitional plan while emphasizing that its not a question of keeping Assad in for six months or one month or one day, in this transitional period affirming that the Russians and Americans know that.

The plan entitled Vision for Syria recalled that the Geneva Communique of 2012 should serve as the basis for discussions to reach a temporary truce, lift sieges, allow humanitarian access and release detainees within a period of six months. The next step would be an 18-month long transitional period with the establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers. This body will also mark the end of the Assad regime and departure of senior officials accused of committing heinous crimes. The process will be accompanied by a constitutional reform to pave the way for the final stage concerning its approval, the implementation of the outcome of the national dialogue and holding UN-supervised elections.

Hijab reminded global and regional powers engaged in the Syrian war that the Syrian people have sacrificed a lot and they will not give up this demand as their position is known. There cannot be a solution in Syria unless it is a solution that satisfies the aspirations of the Syrian people.

In the past, President Assad has ruled out stepping down from power after being reelected for another seven-year term in 2014. The elections were held in government-controlled areas and were heavily criticized by opposition figures in exile as a farce.
An analysis of data from more than 1,200 caregivers in the United States finds that cancer caregivers report a higher burden and spend significantly more hours per week caregiving, as opposed to individuals who care for people with other conditions. The analysis was based on survey data from the National Alliance for Caregiving, which estimates that there are 2.8 million caregivers providing care for an adult family member or friend with cancer.

The findings shed light on the state of cancer caregiving in the United States. This study will be presented at the upcoming 2016 Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium in San Francisco.

"Our research demonstrates the ripple effect that cancer has on families and patient support systems," said study researcher Erin Kent, PhD, MS, program director in the Outcomes Research Branch of the Healthcare Delivery Research Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). "Caregiving can be extremely stressful and demanding - physically, emotionally, and financially. The data show we need to do a better job of supporting these individuals as their wellbeing is essential to the patient's quality of life and outcomes."

Dr. Kent emphasized the cyclical nature of cancer care, often requiring short, yet highly intense periods of time where patients undergo active treatment, such as chemotherapy, as a possible reason for the increased intensity in caregiving. She noted such intensity is also associated with increased caregiver stress and depression.

The data, extracted from the 2015 Caregiving in the U.S. study, showed cancer caregivers were 63% more likely to experience a higher burden than non-cancer caregivers. Cancer caregivers also reported spending nearly 50% more hours per week providing care than non-cancer caregivers.

Researchers also found that cancer caregivers were more likely to communicate with health care professionals, and to advocate on behalf of the patient (62% of cancer caregivers vs. 49% of non-cancer caregivers). Despite high levels of engagement with providers, cancer caregivers were twice as likely to report needing more help and information with making end-of-life decisions.

Dr. Kent stated that data on caregiving is difficult to collect and stressed the importance of these population-level findings. In addition, she underscored the need for additional research on cancer caregivers.

"Based on our findings, it's clear we need additional research on caregiving to better understand at what point providers and clinicians should intervene to assess the wellbeing of caregivers. Technology, combined with use of a clinical distress rating system, could be promising in the future as a means to ensure caregivers are being supported in a meaningful way," Dr. Kent said.

Explore further Caregiver well-being linked to quality of cancer patient care
The smartphone's camera flash illuminates a patient's finger. HemaApp relies on the fact that different blood compounds such as hemoglobin produce variances in color at different concentrations. Credit: Dennis Wise/University of Washington

In the developing world, anemiaa blood condition exacerbated by malnutrition or parasitic diseaseis a staggeringly common health problem that often goes undiagnosed.

In hospitals everywhere, children and adults with leukemia and other disorders require frequent blood draws to determine if they need blood transfusions.

In both cases, doctors are interested in measuring hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells. To obtain this basic measurement, health care providers either have to draw blood with a needle or intravenous line, or spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on a specialized machine that measures hemoglobin non-invasively.

Now, electrical engineers and computer scientists from the University of Washington have developed HemaApp, which uses a smartphone camera to estimate hemoglobin concentrations and screen for anemia. The new technology is described in a paper that has received a "Best Paper" award from the Association for Computing Machinery's 2016 International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp 2016) and will be presented Sept. 15 at the conference in Germany.

In an initial trial of 31 patients, and with only one smartphone modification, HemaApp performed as well as the Masimo Pronto, the more expensive Food and Drug Administration-approved medical device that non-invasively measures hemoglobin by clipping a sensor onto a person's finger.

"In developing countries, community health workers have so much specialized equipment to monitor different conditions that they literally have whole bags full of devices," said lead author and UW electrical engineering doctoral student Edward Wang. "We are trying to make these screening tools work on one ubiquitous platforma smartphone."

HemaApp uses illumination sources from a smartphone and algorithms that analyze the color of a patient's blood to estimate hemoglobin levels. Credit: University of Washington

By shining light from the phone's camera flash through the patient's finger, HemaApp analyzes the color of his or her blood to estimate hemoglobin concentrations. The researchers tested the app under three different scenarios: using the smartphone camera's flash alone, in combination with a common incandescent lightbulb, and with a low-cost LED lighting attachment.

The additional illumination sources tap into other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that have useful absorption properties but that aren't currently found on all smartphone cameras.

"New phones are beginning to have more advanced infrared and multi-color LED capabilities," said senior author Shwetak Patel, the Washington Research Foundation Entrepreneurship Endowed Professor in Computer Science & Engineering and Electrical Engineering. "But what we found is that even if your phone doesn't have all that, you can put your finger near an external light source like a common lightbulb and boost the accuracy rates."

In the initial trials, HemaApp's hemoglobin measurements using a smartphone camera alone had a 69 percent correlation to a patient's Complete Blood Count (CBC) test, a 74 percent correlation when used under a common incandescent light bulb and an 82 percent correlation using a small circle of LED lights that can snap onto the phone.

For comparison, the Masimo Pronto's measurements had an 81 percent correlation to the blood test.

The mobile app is not intended to replace blood tests, which remain the most accurate way to measure hemoglobin. But the early test results, from patients that ranged in age from 6 to 77 years old, suggest HemaApp can be an effective and affordable initial screening tool to determine whether further blood testing is warranted.

A team of University of Washington computer science and engineering and electrical engineering researchers introduce HemaApp, a smartphone application that enables noninvasive monitoring of patients' blood hemoglobin concentration. Using the device's camera and various lighting sources, HemaApp provides a non-invasive alternative for screening patients for anemia Credit: University of Washington Department of Computer Science & Engineering

When used to screen for anemia, HemaApp correctly identified cases of low hemoglobin levels 79 percent of the time using just the phone camera, and 86 percent of the time when aided with some light sources.

"Anemia is one of the most common problems affecting adults and children worldwide," said co-author Doug Hawkins, a UW Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance pediatric cancer specialist. "The ability to screen quickly with a smartphone-based test could be a huge improvement to delivering care in limited-resource environments."

Co-author Terry Gernsheimer, a UW Medicine and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance hematologist and transfusion medicine specialist, said her staff frequently has to draw blood from leukemia or surgical patients solely to measure hemoglobin levels and determine if they need transfusions.

"Every time we draw blood, we are invading the patient in some way, shape or form. If we don't already have a line in, we are sticking a needle into their arm, which involves discomfort and infection risk, albeit low," she said. "It would be really nice to not have to perform a procedure every time we want to answer that question."

HemaApp draws on previous work from the UW's UbiComp lab, which also developed Bilicam, a mobile app that uses a smartphone's camera and flash to infer the amount of bilirubin in the blood for newborn jaundice. Bilicam just completed a nationwide clinical trial of 500 newborns.

HemaApp bombards a patient's finger with different wavelengths of light and infrared energy and creates a series of videos. By analyzing how colors are absorbed and reflected across those wavelengths, it can detect concentrations of hemoglobin and other blood components like plasma.

In an initial trial of 31 patients, HemaApps results compared favorably to an FDA-approved medical device that also measures hemoglobin without using blood draws. Credit: Dennis Wise/University of Washington

To ensure that it works on different skin tones and body masses, the team developed processing algorithms that use the patient's pulse to distinguish between the properties of the patient's blood and the physical characteristics of his or her finger.

Next research steps include wider national and international testing of HemaApp, collecting more data to improve accuracy rates, and using smartphones to try to detect abnormal hemoglobin properties that could help screen for sickle cell disease and other blood disorders.

"We're just starting to scratch the surface here," said Patel. "There's a lot that we want to tackle in using phones for non-invasively screening disease."

The research was funded by the endowment of the Washington Research Foundation.

Explore further BCL11A-based gene therapy for sickle cell disease passes key preclinical test
Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

Researchers have identified Zika virus in mosquito species other than Aedes aegypti, which is largely responsible for the current outbreaks of Zika infection, raising concerns that different mosquito vectors may be capable of transmitting the virus. However, a new study demonstrates that even after feeding high levels of Zika virus, Culex species mosquitoes remain refractory to infection and therefore highly unlikely to transmit the infection to humans as supported by evidence published in Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases website until October 7, 2016.

Entitled "Culex Species Mosquitoes and Zika Virus," the report demonstrates that the most widespread and abundant Culex species in the United States are very resistant to Zika virus infection even when exposed to high levels in a bloodmeal. In a timely finding with important implications for Florida and other emerging areas of Zika virus infection. Yan-Jang Huang, Dana Vanlandingham and co-authors from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS), Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ), Mercer County Mosquito Control (Trenton, NJ), University of Florida (Vero Beach, FL), and Agriculture Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture (Manhattan, KS), showed that Culex quinquefasciatus, for example, a mosquito species from Vero Beach, FL, is refractory to infection with Zika virus. The information presented helps to target appropriate mosquito control. Non-target species such as bees can be affected without that focus.

The authors recommend that mosquito control efforts in areas of Florida with non-travel-related cases of infection should continue to focus on Aedes species.

A subsequent Brazilian study (Guedes DRD et al., biorxiv 2016, unpublished preprint) has shown the capacity for Brazilian Culex quinquefasciatus to be infected and to transmit Zika virus.

University of Aix-Marseille visiting Professor Ernest Gould commented, "Prior to its totally unexpected emergence, dispersion and subsequent association with microcephaly, Guillain Barre syndrome, materno-fetal, sexual, and post-transfusion transmission, Zika virus was a relatively neglected arbovirus with less than 20 recorded human infections globally. However, it is currently one of the most reported (in the media) arboviruses of all time. The emergence of Zika virus in this form has truly shocked the world. Moreover, since Zika virus is an arbovirus that no longer relies upon the natural sylvatic jungle reservoir, one of the many burning questions is, has it evolved the ability to exploit mosquito vectors such as Culex species (the vectors of West Nile virus) in order to increase this amazing epidemiological success. The paper by Vanlandingham's group describes laboratory experiments to assess the transmission competence of Culex species and provides strong evidence to support the view that Culex species mosquitoes are highly unlikely to be important vectors of Zika virus. This report provides very helpful guidance for health agencies charged with the responsibility of controlling local mosquito populations in regions of North America where Zika virus presents a potential threat."

Explore further Brazil scientists: Culex mosquito not transmitting Zika

More information: Yan-Jang S. Huang et al, Species Mosquitoes and Zika Virus, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases (2016). Yan-Jang S. Huang et al, Species Mosquitoes and Zika Virus,(2016). DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.2058
Northeastern researchers project the probability of locally transmitted Zika cases outside of Florida to be extremely low, 'just one or two.' Much of the U.S. has no mosquitoes with Zika and will remain unaffected. Credit: iStock

On Thursday the Florida Department of Health reported that there are now 49 cases of locally transmitted Zika in the state. And while health officials continue to monitor the virus's spread, a team of Northeastern researchers project the probability of cases across the rest of the continental U.S. to be very low.

"If there are any, there will likely be just one or two," said Northeastern's Alessandro Vespignani, who is leading a research team that is investigating the projected spread of the Zika virus.

Coupling large-scale computational models with transmission simulations, Vespignani's team projected the spread of Zika by infected mosquitoes in nine states through January 2017, as well as the number of microcephaly cases associated with the disease through October 2017, a date chosen to allow for the nine months of pregnancy.

Only Florida had enough locally transmitted infections for the results to be significant.

"The probability of the other states having locally transmitted cases is very low," says Vespignani, Sternberg Family Distinguished Professor of Physics and director of the Network Science Institute at Northeastern. "Indeed, there are many locations in the continental US where there are no mosquitoes with Zika at all." Florida, too, is expected to drop to zero new cases come winter, an inhospitable time for mosquitoes, he says.

The research, posted online last week, is a collaboration being overseen by the Center for Inference and Dynamics of Infectious Diseases, a Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study Center of Excellence funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Zeroing in on Florida

The 49 cases noted by the Florida Department of Health represent those that have been diagnosed and reported. However, up to 80 percent of infections are asymptomatic and so go undetected, says Vespignani.

The researchers' modeling algorithms, though, consider those infections as well as factors such as the mosquitoes' behavior, providing much needed insight for prevention and response measures. Using this data, the team projected that by Sept. 15 there could be up to 400 locally transmitted infections in Florida, with roughly only 80 those being symptomatic. "This number is not as big as it seems if we consider that there were more than 2,600 travel-related cases detected in the U.S. as of Aug. 31," says Vespignani.

Infections a 'moving target'

For the U.S. projections, the researchers used the same model they posted online in late July on biorxiv.org, a prepublication site sponsored by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, to keep the scientific community and the public informed about Zika in real time. The original paper, accompanied by interactive maps, projects the number of Zika cases in eight other countries in the Americas, including Brazil, Columbia, Haiti, and Venezuela, through January 2017, as well as the number of microcephaly cases associated with the disease through October 2017.

But the U.S. modeling presented unique challenges.

"Locally transmitted Zika infections in the next few months are a moving target because the numbers will change depending on what we see on the ground," says Vespignani, whose research team plans to update the U.S. projections every two months.

Aggressive control measures in the states, such as pesticide spraying and continued removal of standing water, may give an edge to public health authorities in targeting areas with locally transmitted Zika and halting the spread.

"Our results are preliminary," Vespignani stresses. "We are continuing to do rigorous sensitivity analyses as we learn more."

Explore further First mosquitoes carrying Zika detected in US

More information: Projections of Zika spread in the Continental U.S. Projections of Zika spread in the Continental U.S. www.zika-model.org/files/proje  ikaContinentalUS.pdf Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study (MIDAS): www.nigms.nih.gov/Research/Spe  S/Pages/default.aspx
A study published in the September 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) found an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and an increased risk for Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders. The link seems especially strong for complex presentations of Tourette syndrome in which two or more psychiatric disorders are present.

Smoking while pregnant has been associated with several behavioral manifestations in children, including neuropsychiatric difficulties such as chronic tic disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, reasons for this association have not been fully elucidated. For example, mothers who smoke during pregnancy have a higher chance of having a psychiatric disorder, so it may be that the risk for psychiatric disorders is transferred from parent to child by genetic factors or environmental factors that are not directly related to smoking. Maternal smoking is also associated with prematurity and lower birth weight, which may, in turn, be a risk factor for subsequent behavioral problems in the child. Furthermore, parental smoking is associated with lower socioeconomic status and higher rates of alcohol and substance use, and these factors are also linked to behavioral changes in children.

Developing a clear understanding of both the risks for behavioral problems in children and then the mechanisms by which these risk factors operate is a complex undertaking that benefits from very large epidemiological samples and ongoing, rather than retrospective, data collection. These research methods use more reliable data and are less prone to bias.

A collaboration between a group of researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA, and Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark, used longitudinal data collected in the Danish National Birth Cohort and the Danish national health registers to address questions about the relationship between maternal smoking and two related disorders: chronic tic disorders, which include Tourette syndrome, and pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The team looked at data from 73,073 pregnancies, focusing on maternal smoking (including light versus heavy smoking) and children presenting with chronic tic disorders or pediatric OCD.

Because of the detailed information available from the Danish National Birth Cohort, the team was able to correct for factors associated with maternal smoking, including maternal age, presence of maternal psychiatric disorders, socioeconomic status, consumption of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, and hashish during pregnancy, gestational age and birth weight, and partner smoking. In addition, given the rich psychiatric information in the Danish health registers, the team was able to assess the association between maternal smoking and emergence in the child of either chronic tic disorders or "complex" chronic tic disorders, the latter defined as chronic tic disorders that occur along with other comorbid psychiatric conditions.

The researchers found that maternal smoking is associated with increased risk for chronic tic disorders in the child, after correcting for many other factors. This finding was most evident in the case of heavy maternal smoking (10 or more cigarettes a day) during pregnancy. In these instances, the researchers observed a 66% increased risk for chronic tic disorders in the child. In addition, the team observed that heavy smoking was associated with a 2- to 3-fold increased risk of chronic tic disorders occurring with other psychiatric diagnoses in the child ("complex" chronic tic disorders), such as ADHD. The studies in pediatric-onset OCD showed similar trends, but, because not all children had passed through the age of risk for this disorder, there was a smaller number of diagnosed cases, and conclusions from those analyses were less certain.

"Identifying environmental causes for chronic tic disorders and related psychiatric conditions is important because if we know specific risk factors, we can develop more effective strategies for prevention," said Dorothy Grice, MD, professor at the Icahn School of Medicine and senior author on the study.

"The next step is to understand how these environmental factors exert their effects on risk, as this will provide a window into the biological mechanisms that underlie these conditions. As we learn more about the neurobiological pathways that underlie a specific disorder, we will be better positioned to develop more specific and targeted treatments. Our study not only shows an important role for maternal prenatal smoking in risk for both simple and complex chronic tic disorders in children, but it also suggests that smoking may be exerting some of its effects through subtle changes in brain development that might occur as a result of fetal exposure to nicotine."

Further study on how smoking and nicotine exposure alters brain development may offer insight into the brain changes that lead to these outcomes. In the meantime, educational and treatment programs that support mothers to reduce and eliminate smoking during pregnancy will have beneficial effects for both the mother and the child.

More information: Heidi A. Browne et al, Prenatal Maternal Smoking and Increased Risk for Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2016). Journal information: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Heidi A. Browne et al, Prenatal Maternal Smoking and Increased Risk for Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders,(2016). DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2016.06.010
Cancer of the pancreas is an extremely aggressive disease with a dismal prognosis. The number of cases that is newly diagnosed with this type of cancer each year is almost the same as the one of people who succumb to it. While advances in prevention, early detection and treatment have led to a drop in mortality rates in most other cancer types, a growing number of people in Germany and world-wide develop pancreatic cancer and die from it.

"The tumors do not cause any signs or symptoms for a long time and are therefore diagnosed late," says Jorg Hoheisel from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) in Heidelberg. "In addition, the tumor biology is very aggressive, i.e., the cancer starts spreading metastases early on. And to make things worse, pancreatic cancer rapidly develops resistance against available chemotherapy drugs."

Therefore, scientists are making great efforts to identify novel molecular targets that can be attacked to fight pancreatic cancer. Hoheisel and his colleagues from Heidelberg, Tubingen, Liverpool, Verona, Toronto and Montreal undertook a large-scale analysis of gene activities in 195 pancreatic cancer cases. "We leveraged quantitative and computational biology approaches that we have established in order to identify genes that may play a central role in several pancreatic cancer-relevant signaling pathways among almost 3,000 genes that exhibited abnormally high or low activities" said Riazalhosseini of McGill University who co-led the study with Hoheisel., In this way, they identified the dopamine receptor DRD2. The DRD2 gene was significantly more active in cancer cells than in healthy pancreatic cells, and the levels of DRD2 receptor protein found in the cancer cells were four times the normal.

Blocking the dopamine receptor inhibits cancer growth

The dopamine receptor mediates the effect of the dopamine neurotransmitter in the brain. Dopamine is an important brain chemical that increases motivation and drive. How can a receptor protein that is known to clinicians primarily for its role in schizophrenia and psychotic disorders influence the malignant characteristics of cancer cells? The researchers pursued this question in pancreatic cancer cell lines in which they had turned off the DRD2 gene. They observed that these cells in fact grew more slowly and formed smaller tumors when transferred to mice.

DRD2 is a key molecule in many psychotic diseases and is therefore targeted by numerous psychopharmaceutical agents. Drugs that block the function of DRD2 ("dopamine antagonists") have been available since the 1950s. Among them is the antipsychotic pimozide. Using this substance, the investigators collaborating with Hoheisel succeeded in substantially slowing down the growth and impeding the mobility of pancreatic cancer cell lines.

The researchers transferred human pancreatic cancer cells to mice and allowed them to grow into tumors. After treating the animals with another dopamine antagonist - haloperidol, a medication that is often prescribed to treat schizophrenia - they developed smaller tumors and, more importantly, fewer metastases than untreated animals.

"We do not know yet whether haloperidol or related medications have the same effect in pancreatic cancer patients as they have in tumor cells and mice," Hoheisel said. He added as an interesting observation that schizophrenia patients, who are treated mostly with dopamine antagonists, have a lower rate of solid tumors on the whole than the general population. It is therefore possible that the cancer-inhibiting effect might not be restricted to the pancreas.

The DKFZ researchers now plan to examine in a study with pancreatic cancer patients whether drugs from the group of dopamine antagonists have a favorable effect on the course of the disease. For this, they will continue collaborating closely with Markus W. Buchler from Heidelberg University Hospital and the colleagues at McGill University in Montreal with the goal of treating pancreatic cancer patients. "We are very lucky to have come across established medications. This should make the required and laborious safety examinations easier," said Hoheisel.

Dopamine receptor protects cancer cells from biochemical stress

The DKFZ researchers additionally wanted to gain an understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which the dopamine receptor drives cancer growth. Normally, DRD2 prevents cells from experiencing biochemical stress via a crucial intracellular signaling molecule called cAMP. After blocking DRD2, the rapidly dividing cancer cells are particularly exposed to this kind of stress. This leads to a breakdown of the cell division cycle and then to cell self-destruction (apoptosis).

The investigators found higher-than-normal activity of the DRD2 gene already in chronic pancreatitis, which is considered to be a precancerous stage of pancreatic cancer. Other authors have also described increased activity levels of the DRD2 gene in cancer stem cells. Hoheisel and colleagues therefore think that this alteration occurs at a very early stage of cancer development.

Explore further Pancreatic cancer: Aggressive behavior from the start

More information: Pouria Jandaghi et al, Expression of DRD2 is Increased in Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Inhibitors Slow Tumor Growth in Mice, Gastroenterology (2016). Journal information: Gastroenterology Pouria Jandaghi et al, Expression of DRD2 is Increased in Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Inhibitors Slow Tumor Growth in Mice,(2016). DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2016.08.040

Provided by German Cancer Research Center
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World experts seek Kakheti for inaugural wine tourism conference

Georgias winemaking Kakheti region will host a global conference on wine tourism, wherein gastronomy and wine-lovers are invited to enjoy the culture and lifestyle experience of Georgia while exploring the wine tourism opportunities the country has to offer.Next month wine industry experts from around the world will gather in Kakheti to attend the firstGlobal Conference on Wine Tourism organised by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in collaboration with the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA).Wine tourism is a growing segment with immense opportunities to diversify demand. In the case of Georgia, the segments potential is well-known and we are very pleased to be holding the first UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism in the country, said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary General.The UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism will be held on September 7-9, 2016.The conference will have a unique and dynamic format with three sessions held in different wineries across eastern Kakheti region.Georgias unique wine-making traditions date back 8,000 years and are considered by UNESCO as an intangible heritage, making the country an ideal host for the Global Conference on Wine Tourism, said Georgias Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili.The countrys recent success in attracting a growing number of tourists and its development of tourism products, branding and marketing, combine to present an excellent platform for sharing best practices, experience and knowledge, he added.Honourable speakers for the conference will come to Georgia from Italy, Canada, the United States, Argentina, Japan, Spain and Portugal. Georgian experts will also deliver speeches about the local wine industry and history at the event.
Situation for Georgias visa-free travel is mature

By Messenger Staff

There is no reason for refraining from providing Georgia with visa liberalization, the Vice President of the EU Parliaments Social-Democrats Progressive Alliance, Knut Fleckensteinsaid while his visit to Georgia.He says only technical details concerning the suspension mechanism need to be more precise and this process is underway.A very significant session will be held in these days in Brussels. Now its up to the EU to fulfil its pledge. It is very good that Conservatives in the EU Parliament have said that situation has maturated for visa liberalization of Georgia, Fleckenstein said.He also stressed that he likes that the Georgian opposition supports the government in terms of visa liberalization.During his meeting with Georgias Prime Minister, the Vice-President expressed his full support to the European integration of Georgia.He highlighted that the Government of Georgia has fully and thoroughly implemented the tasks envisaged by the Action Plan, and Georgian nationals deserve the timely launch of a visa free regime.Georgia should have already obtained the visa-liberalisation in the EUs passport free Schengen zone, as the country has fulfilled all the obligations drafted within the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan.Even those countries - Germany amongst them - which went against Georgias visa-free travel in the EU at the last minute this summer, recognize Georgia has fulfilled all its obligations.It is obvious that granting visa-liberalisation is a political decision; however, repeated setbacks and delays were perceived very negatively by the public, as Europe praised Georgia for its successes but refused to fulfil its promises.Georgians continue to wait for visa-liberalisation in the autumn. If the process is postponed again, it is very likely the situation will create a negative perception of the EU amongst many Georgians.
The News in Brief

CEC releases statement over sequence number of election subjects



The Central Election Commission of Georgia (CEC) has addresses political unions which have been granted (by the CEC decree 60/2016) the right to participate in the Parliamentary Elections using the same sequence number assigned to them during the Extraordinary Municipal Elections / Municipal By-elections, according to a statement published on the CEC webpage.



The agitation materials of the election subjects, as well as the free and paid advertisements aired by the national or/and local broadcasters for the parliamentary elections should not include the election subjects sequence number, which they are entitled to use according to the same decree, only after casting lots for all relevant election subjects and adopting the appropriate ordinance by the CEC.



Social media and other media outlets have reported a possible violation of the rule by the election bloc Davit Tarkhan-Mouravi, Irma Inashvili Alliance of Patriots of Georgia, United Opposition and Paata Burchuladze  State for People.



Accordingly, the CEC calls upon all election subjects to respect the principle of equality and consider that, even though the political unions/blocs have not yet officially submitted their applications to the election administration, they, as registered election subjects, are still obliged to obey legislative requirements and rules defined by the legislative acts while carrying out their pre-election campaigns. In the event of similar incidents, the CEC will consider them to have violated the pre-election agitation rules. (IPN)







OSCE Launches Georgia Election Observation Mission



OSCEs democracy and rights arm ODIHR opened on August 30 election observation mission for Georgias October 8 parliamentary polls.



Currently the mission includes a core team of 12 experts from 9 countries based in Tbilisi, which will be joined by 26 long-term observers from September 5, who will be deployed across the country to monitor pre-election developments.



The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has requested the OSCE participating states to send 350 short-term observers to monitor election day and the vote counting process.



The mission is led by French career diplomat Alexandre Keltchewsky; he was head of the OSCE Centre in Astana, Kazakhstan, and led the OSCEs election assessment mission for the parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan in late 2013.



The OSCE/ODIHRs long-term observation mission, which was launched over five weeks before the parliamentary elections, will prepare one interim report on the pre-election situation.



The OSCE/ODIHRs long-term observation mission ahead of the 2012 parliamentary elections, which was launched almost six weeks before the election day, released two interim reports.



Our role is to observe and provide factual reporting on the findings, said head of the election observation mission Alexandre Keltchewsky at a news conference in Tbilisi on August 30.



Our role is not to interfere in the process  we are not at all interested in the election result, we are interested in how the elections are conducted, he added.



The mission will assess the elections for compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards and obligations for democratic elections, as well as with domestic legislation. Observers will follow the candidate registration process, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant state bodies, implementation of the legal framework and the resolution of election disputes. The mission will also monitor the media coverage of the campaign.



A statement of preliminary findings will be issued on the day after the election and a final report on the observation of the entire election process will be published about two months after the completion of the election process. (Civil.ge)







Georgia assessed as 3rd safest country in the world



Georgia has been enlisted in the top three of the list of the worlds safest countries.



Numbeo.com has surveyed 118 countries. As a result, the first three are the following countries: South Korea, Singapore and Georgia.



The most unsafe countries were Venezuela, Papua New Guinea and Honduras. (IPN)







Georgia and Germany intensify police cooperation



Georgian and German police forces are forging closer ties to better fight crime and enhance the already strong cooperation between the agencies of the two nations.



Georgias Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Mgebrishvili is currently on his second official visit to Germany to discuss and promote closer bilateral bonds between the police.



While in Germany Mgebrishvili was scheduled to meet the Interior Ministers of three federal German lands including Saxony, Hessen and Baden-Wurttemberg.



Mgebrishvili started his German visit in Saxony where he met the regions Interior Minister Markus Ulbig. German media reported the two sides agreed on a range of issue including deepening bilateral cooperation in:



 Fighting crime;



 Training law enforcers; and



 Readmission of Georgian citizens whose requests on asylum were turned down.



Following the meeting Ulbig said German officials knew "very well that no one was discriminated in Georgia based on their political views or other reasons, which meant no Georgian citizen should seek asylum in Germany and commit a crime while their request is pending.



German media also reported Mgebrishvili and Ulbig agreed on closer security cooperation too.



"Despite that we already have good cooperation with Georgias law enforcement agencies, it is very important that we further intensify collaboration between the police of the two countries, said the German official.



This is Mgebrishvilis second visit to Germany since he was appointed as Georgias Minister of Internal Affairs a year ago. (Agenda.ge)




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I mean no disrespect to the crunchy slice of pepper in your salad. But it doesnt change my opinion: Peppers are one of the few types of produce that improve with age.

There are exceptions, of course. Without jalapeno slices, a fresh salsa wears no pants. In the heat-seeking nation of Bhutan, fresh hot peppers are sauteed in cheese, amidst great rejoicing. But most of the peppers I consume are not fresh, and this is not a problem. Im fine with a shot of hot sauce rather than a fresh hot pepper. I like pickled sweet peppers better than fresh ones, especially if there are some hotties in the jar.

Late summer and early fall are when pepper plants adorn themselves with their rainbow-colored fruits, so now is a good time to think about what to do with them.

But first, an apology for my use of the Southwestern spelling of chile, instead of the more common chili, to describe hot peppers. The plants originate, and were domesticated, in what is now known as Mexico, and Im sticking with the local spelling. Sorry, spellcheck.

Peppers can be stabilized and preserved more or less as-is, or they can be incorporated into sauces and other complex products for later use.

Thin-skinned peppers are the easiest to deal with. Assuming they are completely ripe, i.e. red, they dont need much. Just string them up with a needle and thread and hang them where there is good air circulation, or lay them out in ventilated racks or on screens. Under proper conditions, they can be forgotten on the windowsill and turn out fine. Once dry, they can be kept in sealed plastic bags until needed. They can be crushed and used in myriad ways, or be rehydrated and made into sauce.

Thick-skinned peppers, either hot or sweet, cant be dried like the thin-skinned varieties because they will rot instead. These fleshy ones can be either pickled, or roasted and then frozen.

Pickle them in a brine of 50/50 vinegar to water, with the vinegar portion being half apple cider vinegar and half white vinegar, with sugar to taste. Each quart gets a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of mustard seeds. Any amount of carrots can be added to the jars.

To roast peppers, hot or sweet, put them under the broiler or on the grill, turning regularly until the skins blister. Cool, pack them in bags, and freeze with the peels on. They can be used down the road in sauces, on burgers, or as a tasty garnish. The folks at Harlequin Farm have been bringing their spinning chile roaster to the Clark Fork Market, and will roast your chiles to order. Socked away in your freezer, those pungent, spicy pods will be available year round when you need them.

Those are the easy ways of doing it, if you are swamped with peppers and short on time. But if you have surpluses of other ingredients, and the time to deal with them, you can incorporate your peppers into something else entirely. Today Ill discuss using chile to help preserve tomatillos.

This meaty sauce, called chile verde, can be canned or frozen. Im giving you this recipe because, around here anyway, farmers seem to grow a lot more tomatillos than anyone seems to know what to do with. So there are a lot to be had these days. Any form of chile, including fresh, dried, pickled and roasted, can be used in this dish. Vegetarians and salsa-vores can skip the meat and call it salsa verde.

Ive based this recipe around one pound of tomatillos, but it makes sense to do the largest batch you can. The quantities are loose. If you dont have a blender or food processor youre in for a long day.

Chile Verde

1 lb tomatillos

 lb meat (typically pork, mutton or game)

 lb chile peppers (the more variety, the better. Thin-skinned varieties, either fresh or dried, are best. Too many thick-skinned peppers take the edge off the flavor.

2 bunches cilantro

1 large onion

 tablespoon cumin powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

salt

***

Tough cuts of meat should be braised first, or otherwise softened with heat. I recently wrapped an elk shank in foil and cooked it for a few hours at 350 until it literally fell off the bone. Later, I used that shin bone to stir the pot, which was awesome. Tender cuts of meat can be cubed and added directly to pot.

While the meat is cooking, prepare the tomatillos. If you have tons, soak them in a large bowl of water to make the peels easier to remove. Puree the tomatillos and pour into in a large kettle to slowly cook down.

Emphasis on slowly. I leave the stove on the absolute lowest setting, just warm enough to allow the excess moisture to steam away. It takes hours. Scrape the sides into the brew as it retreats.

How much you let it thicken is a matter of taste. The last batch I made included enough tomatillos to completely fill my five-gallon kettle with puree, so I had to let it reduce quite a bit before I could even add the other ingredients. First I added the meat, as well as the jus from the cooking pan. When there was space I added the onions, pureed. Then I added the chile, also pureed, along with garlic powder, cumin and salt, all to taste. While I love using whole cumin, it sinks to the bottom and can start a scald spot, so powdered is advised.

Finally, puree the cilantro and stir it in. I also added my last pound of tomatillos, pureed, to refresh the color verde, and give a bit of that fresh tomatillo flavor. I gave a final stir and called it good. It would finish cooking in the jars.

Pressure-can at 14 pounds of pressure for 40 minutes. If you dont have the gear to do this, freeze your chile verde in bags. But dont use a typical canning water bath; the meat, a high risk food, needs that pressure to make it safe to eat.

By this time, your kitchen may look like a Jackson Pollock painting, and your mouth and belly may be burning from too much sampling. But the chile is secure, floating in a meaty, tangy green, sterile medium. Or perhaps its dried and bagged in the pantry. Either way, it will be there when we need it.
Montanas prisons and jails are over capacity. What changes in statute and/or funding at the state level  if any  do you think are necessary? If no changes, why not?

The overcapacity problems of Montanas jails and prisons have been an ongoing problem for many years. Throwing more money at it is not going to solve the problem. I feel that a shift in emphasis might help. Efforts in drug addiction treatment, job training and placement and internships may help many become productive citizens again. More supervision and counseling may help them remain productive and prevent becoming repeat offenders.

Prisoners who represent a threat to others should serve their time.

Has the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adequately guided the states hunting and fishing concerns, or does the Legislature need to give the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks more specific direction regarding topics such as land acquisition, wildlife management, predator control, and bison?

I feel the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission has done a good job. Attempting to strike a balance regarding predator control and bison is very hard. The commission is in a position where they are not going to please everyone. The Legislature, by stopping the use of existing funds for acquiring fishing access sites and wildlife management areas, has done a disservice to the recreating public. This was done for political reasons. Increasing public access to Montanas waterways and lands is very important.

The Legislature needs to step back and not micromanage the commission.

Many Montanans depend on the extraction of fossil fuels for jobs, yet there is a strong demand for clean and renewable energy in the region, especially since prices for the latter are falling. How do you propose to help workers in the coal, oil and natural gas industries find jobs in this new economic landscape?

Numbers of available jobs in all industries continually changes. Energy extraction is no different. Programs for retraining, education and job placement are the key to helping workers with this transition.

According to Montana University System records, as recently as 1992, the state funded 76 percent of the university system. Now, though, state support has fallen to 40 percent, which means tuition funds 60 percent of the system  putting higher education out of reach for some Montana families. Do you as a legislator have a responsibility to help and if so, how? If not, why not?

This is a recurring problem. Not only is this taking place with the university system, it also is happening with public K-12 schools. As a legislator I would have a responsibility to increase funding for our schools. I would also have a responsibility to look for opportunities to change the way our schools are operated so that funds are used more effectively. Pushing the funding off onto local property taxes is not the answer. We need to educate and train our young people for future employment and to become good citizens.

What do you regard as the most urgent problem facing Montana, and how do you propose dealing with it?

The most urgent problem facing Montana is the divisiveness, rhetoric and political posturing in the Legislature. It has prevented the Legislature from doing what is best for our state. Pushing extreme personal causes (transferring our public federal lands to the state is an example) is wasting the Legislatures time. We need to work together. Helping existing businesses expand and creating opportunity for new business will increase opportunity for workers and expand the tax base to help fund schools, prison reform, infrastructure and other needs of the people of our great state.

As a legislator, I will reach across the aisle and hopefully find others that share this vision. Even if we disagree on some issues, we will find common ground to build upon.
Montanas prisons and jails are over capacity. What changes in statute and/or funding at the state level  if any - do you think are necessary? If no changes, why not?

Prisons and jails are necessary and need adequate financial support. We need to be tough on serious criminals who infringe on the life, liberty or property of others. But the immense number of laws and rules and regulations being promulgated by our government are locking up way too many ordinary, decent people. We need to reduce laws, rules and regulations  especially for victimless crimes. And we need strong rehabilitation programs that lead repeat offenders to clean up straighten out, and become productive members of society. Then our courts and jails wont be so overloaded.

Has the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adequately guided the states hunting and fishing concerns, or does the Legislature need to give the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks more specific direction regarding topics such as land acquisition, wildlife management, predator control, and bison?

Impartial professional biologists should analyze data to scientifically determine habitat needs and recommend hunting, fishing and trapping regulations on a site specific basis. Setting wildlife regulations by politically charged ballot initiatives can be disastrous. We need to ensure the department has the all the tools and leadership it needs to actively control dangerous predators, and manage fish and game consistent with sound science while protecting human life and property.

Allowing hunters, anglers and trappers to continue harvest activities that keep animal populations in a healthy balance is beneficial for habitat, people and the state economy.

Many Montanans depend on the extraction of fossil fuels for jobs, yet there is a strong demand for clean and renewable energy in the region, especially since prices for the latter are falling. How do you propose to help workers in the coal, oil and natural gas industries find jobs in this new economic landscape?

Renewable energy industries have had serious financial setbacks, also. We need to be careful not to needlessly abandon one sector or another. A lot of debate about energy these days seems to be driven by competing industries and partisan politics rather than actual science and fact. We should promote scientific integrity to ensure sensible environmental protections, and beyond that it would be wise to embrace all technologies that work and allow free markets to flow so consumers have options and workers have the freedom to choose which career path they want to pursue.

According to Montana University System records, as recently as 1992, the state funded 76 percent of the university system. Now, though, state support has fallen to 40 percent, which means tuition funds 60 percent of the system  putting higher education out of reach for some Montana families. Do you as a legislator have a responsibility to help and if so, how? If not, why not?

Yes, we can do better. It is important to recognize that before 1992 we had a robust timber economy, which financially supported all forms of public education in Montana. Most people may not realize the funds available for public education and other essential services are proportionate to how actively our resources on state and federally controlled public lands are managed. For example, when we allow selective logging, we generate revenues, provide jobs and alleviate dense overgrowth. This improves stream flow and habitat, prevents big wildfires, reduces air pollution, keeps firefighting costs down, and frees up funds for schools and universities.

What do you regard as the most urgent problem facing Montana, and how do you propose dealing with it?

Most major issues would benefit from the application of two simple tenets: First  we need to remember the primary constitutional role of government is to secure the rights of the people, not give out free stuff nor act as a dictator telling everyone how to live their lives. If government would just focus on essential public services, we would have more freedom, better roads, adequate public safety, etc. Secondly  more people need to realize that less government and more freedom requires personal responsibility. If we inform ourselves, make wise choices and work hard, we can better our lives and communities.
Debra Magpie Earling has been named director of the University of Montana's creative writing program and is the first Native American selected to serve in the rotating post.

"Missoula is a storied community and the stories of the long-ago Salish who occupied this particular place remain here," said Earling, a Bitterroot Salish tribal member, in a statement; the author and faculty member could not be reached Tuesday for comment. "This is Indian Country and Bitterroot Salish traditional land.

"I am honored to be the first Native American director of one of the oldest writing programs in the country and privileged to welcome a new generation of storytellers."

An honoring ceremony will take place 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21, at the Payne Family Native American Center. Bill Kittredge, a former director of the program, will present Earling with a special gift at the event, visiting poetry professor Sherwin Bitsui will help honor her, and Salish elder Arleen Adams will lead the ceremony.

Earling's novel "Perma Red" won the Western Writers Association Spur Award, WWA's Medicine Pipe Bearer Award for Best First Novel, a WILLA Literary Award from Women Writing the West, and the American Book Award, according to University Relations. She is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and also the great-granddaughter of Paul Charlo, the last federally recognized chief of the Bitterroot Salish.

The directorship rotates among faculty members roughly every three years, said the program's Karin Schalm. Kevin Canty held the post most recently, and Judy Blunt had the title before him; both are still on the faculty.

Faculty members "share in the service, responsibilities and gifts of being the one who defines the focus of the program," Schalm said.

The MFA program launched in the 1960s with poet Richard Hugo as its first director. The program currently counts some 40 students, Schalm said.
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Owners of the bicycles recovered by police on Friday are unlikely to see them returned soon.

Police seized dozens and dozens of bikes, as well as boxes of bike parts, from a home in the Hollywood Mobile Home Park, Missoula police spokesman Sgt. Travis Welsh said Friday.

Since seeing a spike in bike thefts in recent months, Welsh said the departments detectives and street crime divisions had been talking with informants and witnesses, and received a tip that some of the stolen bikes were at the mobile home.

The case remains under investigation, and Welsh said that while suspects have been identified, no arrests had been made as of Tuesday.

Welsh asked for the public to be patient while the lead investigator and property clerk at the police department work to connect bikes and parts with recent reports of theft. He said people who believe their bikes may be among those seized should wait to contact the department for two or three more weeks to avoid the frustration of calling now and not being able to get much information."

Even when police do pair a bike with an owner, Welsh said its likely they wont be able to simply return the stolen property right away.

This is all evidence and typically we cant just release it, Welsh said. Whether or not we can release it will require input from the county attorneys office and potentially the court.
The new restrictions on medical marijuana that went into effect last week will be devastating for patients. I know firsthand because I am a medical marijuana patient and have been for the past 10 years. Medical marijuana allows me to effectively treat my medical condition in a safer way and without the complications associated with the pharmaceuticals I would otherwise need to use.

I have an incurable disease, Arnold Chiari Malformation and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. These ailments typically would cause my brain to herniate into my spinal cord. I had my first brain surgery when I was 14 and have undergone multiple brain and spinal procedures that have saved my life but have also caused me severe pain.

Two titanium rods are attached to my skull and 28 screws and plates hold my head up off my spine. The hardware allows me to live a functioning life but I live every day with immense pain. In order to treat my chronic pain, I became the first medical marijuana patient in the state of Montana under the age of 18. I know what it means to be a sick person and I have found the only medicine that works for me is medical marijuana. It allows me to live a full life.

Last week, I traveled to Helena to stand with Bob Ream, who has called on Montana Attorney General Tim Fox to delay enforcement of the new restrictions because of the devastating effect they will have on sick and dying people. I joined two other medical marijuana patients in delivering comments from more than 1,000 Montanans calling on the attorney general to minimize the impact these new restrictions will have on patients like me.

The new restrictions include limiting providers to only three patients, causing more than 12,000 Montanans to lose access to their medicine. I am one of thousands of Montanans who live with pain and deserve safe and legal access to medicine that offers relief. Without that access, patients face a choice of turning to the black market and becoming a criminal, moving to another state, or relying on dangerous and addictive opiate pain killers.

These new restrictions put Montanans at risk for becoming dependent on opioids. The Centers for Disease Control have warned that our nation faces a prescription pain pill epidemic. Medical marijuana is far less addictive and has zero cases of death by overdose. It offers a safer alternative for pain patients, but that alternative is being taken away in Montana.

As a patient, I cannot imagine going back to narcotics. While they may dull pain, they are a catch 22. If I take them, I have absolutely no appetite to eat due to nausea, and if I do not eat, I am unable to function and lead a fulfilling life as every person deserves. Pills drain my ambition and potential to live my life to the fullest.

In 2004, Montana voters made a clear statement, voting to create the first medical marijuana program with 62 percent support. But the legislature went against the will of the voters, passing these new restrictions into law. With the new restrictions going into effect, I am scared  scared for the almost three months of pain ahead of me without my medicine.

But there is hope. Montanans will be voting on Initiative 182 in November. Voting yes on I-182 will create a workable, responsible and accountable medical marijuana program. I encourage all Montanans to turn out and vote yes on I-182 to ensure that I and all the other sick Montanans who benefit from medical marijuana have safe, legal access to their medicine.
Donald Trump's speech in Arizona has occasioned wailing and rending of garments among the commentariat and "respectable" people everywhere.

At bottom, the cause of the freakout is simple: Trump believes in immigration laws, and the country's elite really doesn't.

Minus a few trademark excesses that are too ingrained in the Trump shtick to abandon at this point  e.g., we are going to build a wall and Mexico is going to pay for it  Trump's speech was rock-solid on policy. The core of it represents what, more or less, any realistic regime of immigration enforcement would look like.

That the opinion elite recoiled in horror shows how out of sympathy it is with borders and what it takes to enforce them. It was understandable that everyone felt whiplash. Trump had primed people to expect something different, both with his public wobbliness over the past week and his quick strike into Mexico, where he lucked out in a successful meeting with that country's hapless president, Enrique Pena Nieto.

And Trump didn't do himself any favors by giving the Arizona speech in a rally setting. When he is in his shouty mode, Trump could read the phone book and make it sound like an outlandish screed.

All that said, Trump nailed a few theses to the door of his promised great, impenetrable border wall that are important and too often neglected:

- Immigration policy should serve the interests of the United States and its workers. This should be axiomatic. Yet it has taken Trump to make the proposition central to the immigration debate. There is no doubt that illegal immigration is good for illegal immigrants, but the first obligation of the United States is to protect its citizens and legal residents.

- Illegal immigrants compete against low-skilled workers already here and are a net drain on the government. The conventional rhetoric around immigration makes it sound as though we are overwhelmingly welcoming engineers and the like, when about half of illegal immigrants are high-school dropouts. Even if they work hard (and most do), they are unlikely to earn enough to pay much in taxes, and their families access welfare benefits through their children.

 "Anyone who has entered the United States illegally," Trump said, "is subject to deportation." This sounds radical only because of the progress the left has made in delegitimizing deportation. If we aren't going to have a sweeping amnesty or tolerate the status quo, illegal immigrants must be subject to deportation.

 Legal immigration, too, should serve the interests of the nation. Republicans tend to obsess with illegal immigration. But it is a decadeslong surge in legal immigration that has us on pace to hit a historic high in the foreign-born population. It shouldn't be out of bounds, as Trump suggested, to want to tap the brakes and adjust whom we are accepting to emphasize "merit, skill and proficiency."

The opinion elite was never going to accept a Trump speech that didn't have the "right answer" on the 11 million. By ruling out amnesty for now, Trump emphatically gave the wrong answer  although one that makes sense if we take our immigration laws seriously. An amnesty will act as a magnet for future illegal immigrants unless we have a comprehensive, functioning system of enforcement in place to dissuade them from coming. That's why enforcement has to come first.

On the merits, Trump's speech was the soundest immigration speech ever delivered by a presidential nominee, and a total policy victory for restrictionists. There are two problems, though.

One is that it is such a tough-minded agenda, it needs to be presented with a deft touch. Instead, Trump seemingly went out of his way to make his policy sound as audacious and threatening as possible.

Two, if Trump loses, this agenda will be discredited, and restrictionists will instantly be as embattled as ever, once again fighting a desperate rearguard action against a political establishment and opinion elite that consider their priorities bizarre and hateful.
The Missoulian recently published a letter to the editor from a Hamilton resident who was concerned after seeing four different individuals carrying handguns at a recent farmers market. The Missoulian asked our Facebook readers whether they found the sight of people carrying firearms in public worrisome or comforting. Here are some of there responses:

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Serena Holmes Floch: I can guarantee there are many, many more carrying that you can not see. Most people don't carry to say, look at me and my rights, as the letter writer suggests.

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Dan Krebs: Its a shame these liberals are ruining the great state of Montana, gun violence is actually down, most mass shootings happen in a gun free zone.

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Daniel Belanger: Also, it's fairly comical that someone so concerned with guns and is so scared of them that he felt the need to write the Missoulian about it, doesn't realize that he lives in a state that has more firearms in it than some countries. There are just under 900,000 firearms in the state of Montana. There are just over a million people in the state. So... Where is all the gun violence? The mass shootings? With there being almost as many guns as people here this should be a state of pure chaos and anarchy! Yet somehow it's not. And you're worried about a few folks in the Bitteroot carrying? Come on. Oh and one last thing. The way you mentioned the 2nd amendment rights in your letter was pathetic. "Yeah yeah I know all about the laws and their rights". The sarcasm in that comment is ignorant. You wouldn't use such a sarcastic comment about the 1st amendment would you? Of course not.

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Lynn Hill Frey: Unless that is a uniformed police officer I would leave any business where people are openly carrying firearms. As for the person who said Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws: That USED to be the case, but now those laws have expired and you see the results. Most of those recent murders have been gang related "executions" and things like that. You in little Missoula have NO experience with big city problems.

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Becky Padgett Langley: The attitude about gun carrying does shake my trust in the person toting it. In 45 years of living in Montana and cutting up venison and all that goes with it I never considered a gun more than a way to cut the grocery bill and enjoy healthy meat. The hunters enjoyed the hike, nature and the replaying of tradition. There was no fear or distrust of the rifle on the rack in the pick up in the school parking lot every November. High schoolers could head out right after class for a couple of hours before sundown. It worked.

That has changed with the attitude. I don't trust the gun bully not raised with the easy going, respectful, common sense attitude of bringing home meat. I do not trust their vigilante...I am judge and jury and will shoot according to my own ideas and fears and not according to law and order.

Don't take your guns to the farmers market ...please...

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Carmen Beatty: I think concealed carry is less disconcerting. I don't like to have wonder what kind of crazy that guy in line behind me at the grocery, with handgun holstered, might be. Were it concealed...I could happily not worry.

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Riley Pearson: I have little trust in strangers regardless of whether or not they possess an inanimate object.

Their rights aren't dependent upon gaining my trust, nor mine on their's.

I do think conceal carry is better, but you do what you like.
Sure, welcome and help refugees once they are here (keeping in mind that some Middle Eastern refugees might not be so grateful). But if we can afford to do that, then we can also afford to provide more assistance to many of our deserving citizens. And what about the 60 million refugees who are still awaiting resettlement?

These people are most likely stuck where they are for years and even for generations. Due to the despair and hatred bred in such camps, they become incubators for terrorists who will attack us and destabilize the region in which they are located. Therefore, it is in our interest to solve this problem, but we can't do it by simply emptying the camps into other countries.

One practical solution is to help these people build a community and an economy in the general area in which they are located. For example, we should create one or more safe zones in Syria for Syrian refugees. We did this for the Kurds in northern Iraq, and now they have a viable economy and are our most effective and reliable allies in the region.

Since Hmongs fought for us in Vietnam, we owed it to them to save them from mass slaughter. We owe that same debt to translators who have served us and even fought for us in Afghanistan and Iraq and now live in fear for their lives and the lives of their families. We promised they could come here and we should honor that promise. Isn't that right, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and Congressman Ryan Zinke? What are you doing about it?

As for the Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, they are increasingly harassed, enslaved and murdered. Perhaps Israel could be persuaded that it is in their interest to accept them?

Jeff Watkins,

Lolo
Have you ever considered what a temporary political office can add to a community beyond pure politics? We have such an office now on the northeast corner of 93 and Main Street in Polson.

This is the office of the Democratic Party. We have seen many temporary political offices in our day, but opening the door and walking into this beautifully decorated space for the first time was inspiring. With all the rancor, finger-pointing, anger and name-calling in our politics today, a visit to this office offers an uplifting, relaxed, sensible and welcoming experience regardless of your political persuasions.

Republicans, Democrats, socialists, communists, Greens, Oranges, conservatives, liberals, independents, every religion and atheists  all will be welcomed with smiling faces. This is a good example of "we the people" putting into practice our freedom of expression and a local democratic process of selecting leaders in this great nation of ours.

So, pop in and experience the dignity and welcoming environment being demonstrated right on the northeast corner of 93 and Main Street in Polson.

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 12:00-5:30 and Friday 10:00-5:30. Hoping to open on Saturday, too, when more volunteers sign up. Enjoy a relaxing atmosphere, comfortable seating and quiet interlude from a busy day outside.

An actual political office adding something beyond just politics? The Democratic Party has it all!

Lynn Peters,

Bob McClellan,

Polson
Butte business leaders say rising property taxes and the cost of health insurance will be among their most pressing concerns as the state heads into its upcoming 2017 legislative session.

The leaderswho hailed from Buttes energy, hotel and service industries, among othersspoke Thursday afternoon at the Butte-Silver Bow Chamber of Commerce during an informal roundtable discussion.

The Montana Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit business advocacy and lobbying group, hosted the event, during which it presented its 2017 strategic plan. The plan included advocating for workforce development, infrastructure improvements and policies that support entrepreneurship.

However, when it came to Butte business leaders, the costs associated with running a business were among their primary concerns.

One of those costs is providing health insurance to workers.

The biggest thing Im concerned about really is health care, said Jeff Gorman, who owns McDonalds on Harrison Avenue and several other McDonalds in the area.

Gorman said he was concerned about effects from the 2010 Affordable Care Act, the national piece of legislation that ushered in, among other things, healthcare exchanges where people can shop for insurance. The Affordable Care Act also requires employers to provide insurance to fulltime employees and says that people who go without health insurance can be fined. The current fine for going without health insurance is 2.5% of a persons household income or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child.

Its supposed to be helping my employees that are at the bottom of the ladder that have just started working their way up, and its killing them, said Gorman

While more Americans are insured as a result of the act, Gorman said the health-care exchanges and fines especially are confusing to his 180 employees, 50 or 60 of which have chosen to go without health insurance.

Rick Edwards of NorthWestern Energy, meanwhile, asked weather Medicaid expansion would be part of the 2017 Montana legislative session. In 2015, Senate Bill 405 expanded Medicaid to cover thousands of low-income adults in Montana.

It will be in part because of the (states) budget, said Webb Brown, president for the Montana Chamber.

Brown explained that the state pays for a small portion of Medicaid expansion, while the federal government supplies the rest. He said because corporate tax revenue and commodity prices are down, Medicaid expansion will continue to be an ongoing concern for legislators when it comes to setting the states budget.

Buttes business leaders also raised concerns about property taxes.

Edwards said he felt rising property taxes are detrimental to local businesses.

From our perspective, property taxes are a big deal, said Edwards.

Brown, meanwhile, said the Montana Chamber has been supportive of establishing a sales tax, which could provide a solution to rising property taxes. However, he said the issue seemed to be a third rail in Montana politics.
Emotions ran high Wednesday morning among county officials, community leaders and anti-poverty advocates during a meeting regarding Buttes Uptown homeless population.

Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive Matt Vincent called the meeting after he, Sheriff Ed Lester and the commissioners received complaints from Uptown merchants, some who said that homelessness is negatively impacting business in Butte.

Rick Chappel of the antiques store Beautiful Things On Broadway, 27 W. Broadway St., said in an email that Buttes homeless population is a public nuisance and red flag to potential Uptown investors. He concluded with a plea to county leaders to look after the people that have invested in Butte.

Chappel brought these views and many more with him to Wednesdays meeting. He was joined by several other Uptown business owners, many of whom said that loitering homeless people make it difficult to conduct their operations. They cited aggressive panhandling, harassment, public intoxication and urination as among their most pressing concerns.

One of the more outspoken people was Kelley Klamp of For Heavens Cakes, a new bakery and coffee shop at 33 N. Main St.

They pee in front of my shop all the time, said Klamp, who added that she feels threatened by aggressive panhandling in front of her store. She also said she lost a $58 sale because a woman who ordered cupcakes was afraid to pass by loiterers near her storefront.

Commissioner Cindi Shaw seemed to reinforce Klamps view.

We recently had an issue with transients in an alley that actually got into a building and started a fire and luckily it was put out, said Shaw. Theyre getting into buildings, these folks are. Theyre going to be cold and hungry. I mean, they have human needs but its a huge threat to the Uptown area, in my district.

Chappel, meanwhile, brought up the issue of safety, noting that some female shoppers and business owners dont feel safe because of harassment from panhandlers.

All-in-all, most attendees seemed to agree that panhandling is bad for business, a sentiment expressed by George Everett of Mainstreet Uptown Butte.

One of things that is a major problem is not so much the aesthetics of the people on the street, its the interference with the trade, said Everett. We live on a thin margin, I think everybody in this room could say that, including the transients. They live on a thin margin. They have to make a certain amount of money to buy their alcohol. And to do that, they become aggressive to customers and in the process chase them away from the businesses. Businesses could probably tolerate this if they were not losing business, constantly, every day to these people who are aggressively panhandling at their door.

However, the discussion wasnt just about problems faced by business owners. Several community leaders and entrepreneurs offered possible solutions as well.

Klamp, who said shes called police several times about aggressive homeless people, advocated for establishing anti-loitering and anti-panhandling ordinances. Currently Butte-Silver Bow has neither.

Everett, meanwhile, suggested the county could send some of its homeless population to Billings, where he said more alcohol treatment services exist for jailed transients.

But Jim Kephart, who owns Julians Bar, 113 Hamilton St., said he would like to see an even tougher stance.

Im not a fan of new regulation, said Kephart. But I think this is one area where we could reach out to others to find out whats the toughest possible laws that can go on the books within the bounds of the Constitution.

However, Vincent, Lester and Undersheriff George Skuletich cautioned that the solution to Buttes homelessness problem needs to be both legal and humane.

Like it or not these people are people, said Vincent. You cant just lure them into a car and drive them out to the county line or force them to get on to a bus and send them off to some other city. It just doesnt work that way.

Margie Seccomb, Action Inc. director, echoed Vincents sentiments.

Its not a crime to be poor in America, said Seccomb, noting that she and Action Inc., an anti-poverty advocacy group, have been working on a broad level to reduce poverty in Butte-Silver Bow.

Lester, Skuletich, and a handful of other attendees also noted that homeless people are legally entitled to reside in public spaces just like any other individual and that action cannot be taken unless they are on private property.

Its illegal to arrest people without probable cause, Lester said. We cant arrest people based on what we think; we have to be able to arrest people on what we can prove.

He said that concerned residents and business owners should call police if they are experiencing problems with homeless people, but noted that callers must be able to point out individuals who are committing crime.

Although Butte doesnt have an anti-loitering ordinance, Lester added, there are laws people can use if they feel threatened by aggressive panhandling, including egress laws, which say its unlawful to prevent a persons progress by physical force or intimidation.

Business owners can also take out a no-trespassing order against individuals they feel are threatening their business, he said.

Vincent and other county officials, meanwhile, concluded the meeting by saying they would send copies of no-trespassing orders to business owners and make them available on the countys website. Vincent added that he would like to form a small group consisting of local government officials, business owners and community leaders to research and brainstorm solutions and meet again in 30 days.

As for Klamp, she said solving homelessness in Butte isnt about politics but rather about the survival of her business.

Were two women trying to make it, said Klamp, imploring Lester and law enforcement to do more to solve aggressive panhandling in front of her store. Klamp and her business partner Lauren Barnes moved their bakery from Boulder to Butte earlier this year in hopes of cultivating a more vibrant business.

Im not sure where to go besides back to Boulder, she said.
CLERK THREATENED

Bodell Schulz, 36, was arrested on misdemeanor counts of simple assault and criminal trespass to property after he allegedly threatened to kill a clerk Friday at the Town Pump, 531 S. Montana St. Police say the transient man was caught earlier that day trying to steal a bag of Skittles.

CLEAR EYES, SWEET TOOTH

Two Butte males, 15 and 17, were cited for shoplifting a bottle of Clear Eyes and a Kit Kat bar from Walmart on Friday. The theft was spotted by a loss prevention officer.

DRUGS FOUND

Police say 2.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine was found in front of a cash register by a clerk at the Town Pump, 1370 Harrison Ave., about 5:30 p.m. Friday. Video surveillance will be reviewed for a possible suspect.

THEFTS

+ A homeless woman, Patricia Matt, 54, allegedly stole a $15 necklace from a farmers market vendor Saturday morning. The vendor reported seeing her put on the necklace and walk away. Matt was arrested for misdemeanor theft.

+ Shane McLaughlin, 32, of Missoula was found by police at the Mountain View Cemetery after a Walmart loss prevention officer reported he attempted to steal merchandise Saturday. At the jail, a new digital pocket recorder was found on him. Police say video surveillance shows him taking it without paying.

JOYRIDE

Rebecca Marshall, 37, of Butte was arrested Saturday for the unauthorized use of a black GMC Sonoma 2000 pickup. She and another woman told police the vehicle was given to them the previous night. The owner said she didnt know the women.

ASSAULT

Lee Lopez, 44, of Butte was arrested late Saturday for misdemeanor partner or family member assault after a witness said he grabbed his girlfriend, 47, struck her face several times and pulled her to the ground. Lopez denied the allegation.

STOLEN TRUCK

A 1996 half-ton Dodge pickup valued at $2,500 was reported stolen from the 200 block of S. Washington Street between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Monday. It was black with chrome wheels. Its unknown if there was forced entry.

ANGRY MAN

Sean Krebs, 26, of Butte was arrested for disorderly conduct about 6 p.m. Monday at Spud McGees, 541 S. Main St., after allegedly using profanity and being uncooperative with police. Police say the hearing impaired man was sleeping on the bar, woke up angry and got into a fight with a 49-year-old male. A missing hearing aid was found in the suspects pocket.
HELENA  A driver can't be pulled over for not wearing a seat belt in Montana, but if the state created a primary seat belt law it would save a dozen lives a year, reduce serious injuries by nearly 100 people and save the state millions.

An interim legislative committee on Wednesday voted 7-5 to move forward a draft bill to create a primary seat belt law, meaning that a person could be pulled over just for not being buckled up. In Montana a person can be cited for not using a seat belt only when they are pulled over for other reasons.

Montana has tried many times to pass a primary seat belt law, coming close a few times.

In 2011 a bill creating a primary seat belt law passed the Senate but died in the House. In 2013 a similar bill failed to make it out of committee. Even the vote Wednesday for a committee bill was close and mostly along party lines.

Only 77 percent of Montanans buckle up when driving or riding in a vehicle, well below the national average of 88 percent. That number hasnt changed much in the last five years, according to data collected by the state.

Of the 145 vehicle deaths in Montana in 2014, 71 percent were not wearing seat belts. The rate nationwide is 49 percent. So far 138 have died on Montanas highways this year, compared to 151 at the same point in 2015.

Col. Tom Butler, chief of the Montana Highway Patrol, told the committee that the economic loss from motor vehicle crashes in Montana is $898 million in health care costs, insurance claims, lost work productivity and more.

This is a very expensive proposition, traffic crashes, in terms of cost to society, Butler said When you lose an employee to a car crash, that leaves a big hole in a persons business.

He estimates the state could save 12 lives, 98 serious injuries and $26 million in costs if seat belt use went up by 9.2 percent.

Sixteen states do not have primary seat belt laws. Most states that do have primary laws have a fees between $15-$50 for being unbuckled, in the range of Montanas $20 add-on to a ticket.

But some states have much higher fines: $200 in Texas, $124 in Washington and $110 in Oregon. Those three states also have among the highest rate of seat belt use -- about 94 percent.

Montanas fines would remain at $20 in the proposed bill, except for up to $100 for improperly restrained children under the age of 6 or weighing less than 60 pounds.

Ray Kuntz, who recently sold his trucking company to Watkins & Shepard, estimates of the 224 deaths on Montanas highways last year, 178 were not wearing seat belts. He believes half of those deaths could have been prevented with a primary seat belt law.

If there were 90 people dying for any other reason in Montana wed have a special session going on.

Kuntz has served on the boards of several trucking and insurance associations and told the committee hes uniquely qualified to talk about the need for a primary seat belt law.

The real issue is the costs of those injuries and fatalities and what it does to Montana businesses, he said. I see the costs of those injuries.

Sen. Essmann, who voted against the motion for the committee bill, asked the director of the highway department, Mike Tooley, earlier in the day if riding in the back of a pickup was against the law. The proposed bill does not address passengers in cargo areas.

Tooley said that if all the seat belts in the vehicle are in use and there are more occupants than belts available, it wouldnt be against the law to ride in the back of the truck. Montana is not alone in this; 30 states have created laws against riding in cargo areas, according to the Insurance Institute for HIghway Safety.

Thats a weakness in the law and frankly it led to a tragedy in this case, Tooley said.

Voting yes were Sens. Dick Barrett, D-Missoula; Christine Kaufmann, D-Helena; Brian Hoven, R-Great Falls; and Sue Malek, D-Missoula; and Reps. Tom Jacobson, D-Great Falls; Rae Peppers, D-Lame Deer; and Bridget Smith, D-Wolf Point.

Voting no were Sens. Mark Blasdel, R-Kalispell; and Fred Thomas, R-Stevensville; and Reps. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings; Greg Hertz, R-Polson; and Alan Redfield, R-Livingston.
Exterior painting workshop Saturday

Painting properly is probably the easiest, most cost-effective way to transform the look of your home.

Butte CPR is hosting a free painting workshop on Sunday, September 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Emma Park gazebo, Porphyry and Dakota .

This workshop will provide information on the best techniques for exterior preparation and painting that will provide the longest-lasting results. This project is a partnership between Butte CPR, the Emma Park Neighborhood Task Force and Butte-Silver Bow.

Butte CPR is dedicated to the preservation of historic architectural resources in Butte, which is part of the nation's largest National Historic Landmark District. It strives to highlight the value of Butte's historic buildings to economic and cultural growth.

Details: website: www.buttecpr.org, email info@buttecpr.org or call 406-782-3682.

Special Masses planned this weekend

Two special Masses are planned this weekend by Butte Catholic Community North:.

-- A Mass to thank the citys police officers, firemen and emergency medical technicians starts at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at St. Patricks Church, 329 W. Mercury St.

-- The third annual Ecumenical Mass for Tech students, faculty, staff and parents will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, in Immaculate Conception Church, Western and Caledonia on Buttes North Side. The Mass is celebrated with Father Patrick Beretta, Pastor Mark Arbaugh of the Baptist Student Union, and Chancellor and Mrs. Don and Vicki Blackketter.

HOG picnic is set for Saturday

The Mile High Harley Owners Group -- or HOG -- picnic will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10, just beyond the entrance to Stodden Park Playground Pavilion in Butte, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. All HOG members are welcome. The HOG chapter will provide chicken and jojo potatoes.

Feel free to bring a small salad, dessert and a special drink. Water and soda pop will be available. Members must RSVP by noon on Friday, Sept. 9 to Bill Brancamp, 406-565-1523.

Nominations wanted for Butte awards

Nominations for the "Harold McGrath Award" and the "Mike Venner Spirit of Butte Award" are being accepted.

Nominations may only come from Butte Chamber of Commerce members, and are due in writing at the Butte Chamber of Commerce, 1000 George Street, by Friday, September 16. The awards will be presented at the chambers annual dinner Thursday, September 29, at the Butte Civic Center.

The McGrath award, established in 1986, is presented to an individual business, nonprofit organization, civic or government entity that has enhanced or contributed significantly to the "quality of life" of the Butte-Silver Bow community.

The Venner award goes to an individual who exemplifies the resiliency, love of life, family and community that Mike had.

Junior League reunion Oct. 3

The Butte Junior League will hold its annual reunion dinner at Casagranda's Restaurant on Monday, Oct. 3. Details or reservations: 406-491-8867, 406-560-1155 or 406-498-3622.

Bingo begins Monday at Butte Elks

The Elks Lodge, Montana and Galena, will start the bingo season at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12. Bingo will be played at 7 p.m. each Monday and Wednesday.

The money from the bingo games goes to the Elks scholarship fund and for other projects. Players are urged to come early to get a good seat.

Aaron Parrett to speak at Chateau

The final installment of the Clark Chateaus 2016 Summer Speaker Series will be Saturday, Sept. 10, at 321 W. Broadway. Aaron Parrett will give a reading and book signing of "Montana Americana Music: Boot-Stomping in Big Sky Country. A musician, Parrett will also perform a few tunes.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for a meet-and-greet and book signing, and the reading will begin at 7. Light refreshments will be served and a $10 donation is suggested at the door.

Its back to school at the library

Story time at the Butte Public Library, 226 W. Broadway St., starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, in the children's room. The subject is "Back to School", and youngsters will listen to books, sing songs, and do a craft. All ages are welcome. Details: 406-723-3361.

Montana Tech to host Running Amuck

The Montana Tech Foundation is hosting the fourth annual Running Amuck for Scholarship Bucks 5K mud run/obstacle race from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 24, on the Montana Tech campus.

The cost is $40 a person or $20 for students. Proceeds will help fund Tech Foundation's Butte Initiative, which supports Butte kids attending Montana Tech. To register, go to https://runsignup.com/Race/MT/Butte/RunningAmuckforScholarshipBucks.

Animal Control impounds listed

These are animals that have been picked up by Butte Animal Control. Details: Chelsea Bailey Butte-Silver Bow Animal Shelter, 699 Centennial Ave., at 406-497-6528 or stop by between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Dogs:

--Four-year-old male black and tan Pomeranian, picked up Tuesday at Walmart

--Six-year-old white and orange Great Dane cross, male, picked up Sept. 3 on the 4000 block of Paxson

Cats:

--One-year-old male shorthaired, neutered, white with brown and black tiger markings, picked up Sept. 3 on 200 block of East Mercury

--Five-year-old Siamese cross, shorthaired, grey and cream, picked up Sept. 3 on the 700 block of Washington

--Four-year-old male shorthaired, gray with small white patch on chest, picked up Sept. 3 on the 1100 block of Caledonia
Last of a four-part series

Ball cap turned backward and holding a pipette in his gloved hand, Colbi Kipp hunched over a tray of tiny vials that might help doctors better treat Native Americans or prevent illnesses they contract at higher rates.

A nearby cooler held hundreds of saliva and blood samples collected on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation by Blackfeet Community College students like Kipp, 29. The senior researcher at the campus biomarker lab is hopeful about the answers that might be found in those vials.

The big goal in this is always the intervention, right? he said. We find out what the problem is. We find out whats giving our people high stress. What is it in our environment that we can relate to these biomarkers? And thats going to show what it is exactly that is leading to high levels of cancers and depression, high levels of suicides and substance abuse. Thats what this is about. Were going to do whatever we can by whatever means we can to stop that.

The research project is one of many ways that Montana tribes leverage resources and sovereignty to improve the health of their communities. Leaders says they cant wait for U.S. Congress to reform the Indian Health Service or for federal officials to meet goals to enroll more Native Americans in subsidized insurance plans.

The cost of delays are too high. Native Americans live 20 years less than other Montanans because of health disparities, according to a state analysis.

Were losing generations, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Health Director Kevin Howlett said.

Tribes have created clinics of their own and launched hybrid health and social service programs. Tribal health directors have banded together to demand better access to state services. And a $20 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will soon fund first-of-its-kind medical research on best practices for treating Native Americans, a 5-year program that includes building upon emergent research facilities at state and tribal colleges.

Tribes have operated targeted health programs for decades, but interest has grown in recent years. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act, a rider on the Affordable Care Act, permanently authorized the IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program, in which tribes contract to take over IHS operations like diabetes management or ambulance service. The program was created in 1988 as an extension of a federal self-determination law that came out of the frustrations of the 1970s American Indian Movement. More tribes than ever now participate and self-governance has been the buzz of recent Native American health conferences.

In the past, tribes had been hesitant, in part, wondering whether Congress would maintain or scrap the program. Some waited for other tribes to develop clear models for success. Others have been bound by community uncertainties about whether tribal politics would interfere with smooth, fair operations.

People talk about whats wrong with the health care system but dont want to do the work, said Howlett, who helped form the Confederated Salish and Kootenai health department in 1977 as its first director.

In 1993, the tribe in northwest Montana was one of the first in the nation to take over programs under the self-governance program. After serving on council and in other leadership roles, Howlett returned in 2002 as the tribe began to provide direct health services through clinics it managed itself, adding 70 new clinical positions.

In 1977, I hoped wed be able to, by political will, be able to make a difference, he said. Its been enormous change and I think a lot of people take it for granted. We still have difficult decisions to make, but were on the right track.

The challenges have been numerous, but in the end he said, We have more control over our lives, more access, more facilities, more programs, more professional opportunities.

Similar optimism can be found on reservations across Montana even as tribes face entrenched poverty, health disparities and a meth epidemic.

In Browning last week, Blackfeet Tribal Health Director Rosemary Cree Medicine rattled off a list of nearly 20 health-related programs, including several expansions completed this summer.

The shelter now hosts a weekly needle exchange. The tribe is in the planning phases of renovating an old bingo hall into a gathering place. A new centralized billing system was launched to maximize insurance collections, in part, so the tribe can save up for construction of a multipurpose community center. The summer street dances saw hundreds turn out for fun, free of drugs or alcohol. The tribe is planning to convert buildings on an old ranch into the home of a youth substance abuse treatment program. And a recently approved self-governance contract has allowed the tribe to launch a school-based health program and a walk-in clinic.

So weve been very, very busy, Cree Medicine said, chuckling.

Taking their cues from a similar effort on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, the Blackfeet renovated a building near Napi Elementary that will serve as the base for a nurse practitioner and social worker who will provide health services in the schools. Children will receive a screening, and basic care will be provided on-site for the convenience of parents but also so students miss less school.

We screened about 1,000 kids last year and we identified about 300 who likely have pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, said Nurse Practitioner Tony Underwood, who works at the tribes new health center. Well also see them for primary care. A cold, a runny nose, whatever is going on.

The staff also will teach programs at the schools on other topics, such as nutrition, exercise or depression. The social worker will work with kids who have turbulent home lives or recently experienced trauma, such as a death.

We just finally got the building and now were going to start hiring folks, Cree Medicine said. Theyre going to work together with the health center.

Since that new clinic opened just down the hill from the IHS Blackfeet Community Hospital, Underwood said he and the nurses have seen about 35 patients a day, many of whom say they havent seen a doctor in two or three years.

Nursing Coordinator Cathy Mountain Chief said the hospital just doesnt have the capacity to serve everyone who needs care in a timely manner.

I lived in Heart Butte, so in order to get a same-day appointment, I had to come in at like five in the morning, and thats not even assured that you get one, she said. Its not anybodys fault. Thats just the way it is. Were not taking over, were just giving people a second option. Just like most towns have more than one clinic.

Tribal health directors also have increased their coordination.

Last month, the group met for the first time as a new organization, American Indian Health Leaders of Montana, an advocacy and technical advisory group supported by the Montana Healthcare Foundation. The effort grew out of a push for better collaboration with the state.

In 2014, a state health department report listed core strategies for targeting leading causes of death. The list was not tailored to serve Native Americans, on or off reservations, even though the report itself noted their mortality rates are statistically significantly higher than white mortality rates. At the end of 2015, directors met with the governor and his staff, leading to the creation of the Office of American Indian Health this spring.

Mary Lynne Billy-Old Coyote, the former Rocky Boy health director, sees the focus of her new job as sparking collaborations that better bring state services to Native Americans and sharing tribal success stories with other rural Montana communities who sometimes face similar challenges accessing health care. Since starting in April, she said she has primarily been seeking input and ideas, but her first initiative is to try to build a program to provide training for the staffs of ambulance services.

We have a complex problem. Its certainly not going to be solved easily, she said. Certainly, clinical care is the core of it, health care and dental care, but social determinants are a piece of it, too.

Howlett agreed.

If we dont address violence, if we dont address sexual assault, if we dont address incarceration, if we dont address addiction, if we dont address education, if we dont address homelessness, our gains will be minimal, he said.

How exactly social, behavioral and historical factors influence health and the effectiveness of various treatment strategies will be a focus of research conducted over five years under a $20 million National Institutes of Health grant awarded last month to Dr. Allen Harmsen of Montana State University and Dr. Bert Boyer from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, along with partners at the University of Montana and Blackfeet Community College. Most of the funding will go to research projects. The first round of proposals will be reviewed later this year. The rest of the funding will provide training for the teams selected, most of whom likely will work in health or social services but not as doctors.

Were really doing research that directly asks questions about how to improve the health of Native people, Harmsen said. Many times an intervention, even though it might be evidence-based already, has been effective in other populations but hasnt shown to be effective in Native populations.

Treatments and drugs prescribed by doctors often have been studied and developed using populations that were largely white. That research sometimes misses genetic, environmental or cultural factors that limit the effectiveness of those treatments for other groups. The end result is that doctors sometimes just dont know how best to help their patients, nor do public health officials know the best ways to prevent diseases.

Doing medical research to find those answers can be a testy subject in many Native American communities.

In some cases, researchers have parachuted in to collect blood, saliva or hair then never returned to present their results, sometimes using the samples again and again for inquiries that participants say they did not know about. Other times, the results were presented without cultural context or actively sought to discredit oral histories. Or, as was the case at some IHS facilities decades ago, patients did not even know they were subjects. Sometimes for cultural reasons, but often just as a matter of basic respect, those incidents fueled distrust.

That huge distrust of the outside, it really creates a barrier to a lot of progress, Kipp said. Thats holding us back.

Today, most tribal governments run their own independent review board for researchers wanting to do studies on their land. Just like the panels at universities, the boards review and approve the methods of study on human subjects.

Having tribal partners can help give researchers a solid footing. Having them actively involved in the work itself is even better, Harmsen said.

Because of its status as an emerging research college  Its unusual for any two-year campus to do tests on human subjects  Blackfeet Community College will be a key partner in the NIH grant. As a tribal institution, Native communities might be more likely to trust its labs to handle sensitive samples.

What we can do here, and not anybody else can do, is we, as Blackfeet students, can say, Look, were the same. You can trust us. This is our data. Our study. Our saliva, said Kipp, who is Blackfeet. The samples are here, on our land, and you can trust us. Because were you.

Fellow student and junior researcher Dannette Spotted Horse said another unique advantage of researching in their own community is that they can start to understand how cultural practices work technically. She said it could empower the tribe to embrace traditions whose healing power the outside world sometimes discredits as hooey.

They cant argue it once its in black and white, said the 26-year-old member of Crow Nation who is adopted into a Blackfeet family.

Kipp agreed.

Thats something were actually working on today. This is the post test of the salivary cortisol of a sweat lodge right here, he said, gesturing to a clear plastic ELISA plate filled with vials from a pilot project looking at the effects of a sweat on people with post-traumatic stress disorder. That can never be done anywhere else. Thered never be the trust for it. Never the right for it.

The biomarker research is only in its second year and the students are not sure what theyll find. Whatever causes of disease or successful treatments they do discover will not just give them pride because of the papers theyll publish or the presentations theyll make at research conferences. The stakes are personal.

In a three-week span this summer, Kipp said 27 people on the reservation attempted and 8 completed suicide. Of the eleven people who made up the first class of student researchers with Kipp last year, just two remain in the lab. Two of those people died from substance abuse.

The reality is here, Kipp said. Were a part of the community. Were doing the best we can.

Thats the opportunity we have, Spotted Horse said. That little tiny seed of hope that we will find something that will lead to programs and infrastructure to help future generations.
Judging from the number of people on the streams and trails the past few months, its easy to say that we all share the same objectives in our Montana summer; recreation, recreation and more recreation.

The challenge? Its busier out there than it used to be. From front country to back country recreation, we are all loving our public lands more than ever. State park visitation will break another all-time high this year with around 2.7 million visits  up 50 percent since 2011. Trails are more crowded. Securing your favorite campsite can be a challenge. The rivers are busier with anglers, guides and more people floating for pleasure.

Its natural to wonder where this is all headed, and reasonable to expect things to be even busier 10 years from now. The key is to start planning for it, rather than ignoring the obvious. We must start managing recreation better in this state rather than pretending the upward trends will go away. We need to move past either-or debates about our outdoors and talk about how we manage them in a way that preserves, but prepares, for the inevitable continued use.

In this election season, we hear a lot of talk about the outdoors and a lot of talk about infrastructure. But there is very little discussion about outdoor infrastructure. Outdoor infrastructure doesnt mean putting a Marriott next to our favorite fishing hole. It means more managed recreation offerings like hiking and biking trails, campsites and boat ramps.

The trouble is, these resources have not seen serious investment in decades, either at the state or federal level. Similar to our roads and cities, our outdoors are in dire need of infrastructure investment. If we don't invest in maintaining and staffing our cherished places we run the risk of causing economic damage to ourselves, and degrading the very reason so many of us live here in the first place.

The recently announced Governor's Office of Outdoor Recreation is a good start, and could provide a critical step in the planning and investment we need to appropriately manage these recreation resources now and into the future. Montanas recreation industry needs a champion at the highest levels of government, and a statewide vision for our resource protection is essential in our continuing to be able to love our outdoor treasures.

Included in this vision is an elevated and better-funded state park system. State Parks is the only division in state government that is equipped to manage outdoor recreation, and it needs to be much stronger.

Outdoor recreation is a pillar of our economy, and our counties and federal agencies need to start funding it appropriately. They need to realize that recreation is not only an industry in and of itself - worth $6 billion to Montana alone - but like good schools and hospitals, diverse recreation opportunities are also the foundation of vibrant, livable communities.

Imagine if Montana had a world-class recreation infrastructure that matched our world-class outdoors. Imagine more state parks and recreation areas in central and eastern Montana, which are currently so underserved. Imagine more paddling trails on the Yellowstone, the Clark Fork or Flathead Lake. Imagine better connectivity and trail linkages between our towns, state parks and other public lands. Imagine more tools and better funding to embrace a recreation future.

To accomplish this we need support from our decision-makers, but we also need you, the recreationist. We need you to start advocating for the infrastructure you need. Take stock of your summer and what you saw out there. Imagine your summer 10 years from now if we keep doing nothing. Or better yet, imagine just how good Montana's outdoor infrastructure could be given the right attention.

--Jeff Welch is CEO of Bozeman-based Mercury CSC and a founding member of the Montana State Parks Foundation (montanastateparksfoundation.org).
MISSOULA  Congolese refugees and the people trying to help them get settled in Missoula are facing a housing crisis.

Five families from refugee camps in East Africa will be in town by the end of September, none of them with a source of steady income or credit history.

Its the job of the local resettlement agency, the International Rescue Committee, to help them secure both as quickly as possible, said IRC director Molly Short Carr.

But record home sales prices in Missoula have placed rentals at a premium. And in a town that swells this time of year with university students  many with no credit ratings themselves  property managers and landlords can afford to be picky about who they rent to.

Were kind of hitting a bit of a brick wall, Carr admitted.

The Congolese family of six that arrived Aug. 18 is adjusting well but lives in temporary housing. Its not ideal, when stability is the goal, to have to uproot them again when a more permanent home is found, Carr said.

A second family consisting of a mother, father and five children  the youngest an infant  is due in as soon as domestic booking is finalized. Carr was close this week to an agreement with a homeowner on a three-bedroom house for them but by week's end it hadn't panned out.

"They're still thinking about it," she said. "It's understandable. This is a totally new thing. But I'm happy they talked to me."

Missoula has been approved as the destination for families of five, four and three people  25 refugees in all  in the next few weeks, so the hunt for housing is becoming critical.

Were really trying to reach out to everybody who has a unit that would be sufficient to our needs, Carr said. So far the response has not been very great. We dont fit into a mold.

Landlords and property managers have a structure they use to vet potential tenants, she said. That includes credit checks and background checks, which is something you cant do with refugees.

The IRC doesnt allow its offices to co-sign for refugees.

Our focus is really on getting them self-sufficient, said Carr. Co-signing is kind of a contradiction to self-sufficiency and being able to guide their own lives.

In a newsletter this week, Soft Landing Missoula said its volunteers have reached out to some property managers and received a "very positive response, so we know there is interest and available housing.

Louise Kreis, who owns Professional Property Management, feels sure there's a solution.

The way our company looks at it is that no credit history is better than bad credit history, so that should not be a stumbling block, Kreis said. What we look at is the care, how the rent will be paid, and that they dont establish bad credit.

John Sinrud, a licensed Realtor in Kalispell and former state legislator, is the lobbyist for the Montana Landlords Association. While hes not familiar with the situation in Missoula, Sinrud said hes not surprised that landlords are gun shy about renting to refugees.

Just bringing people in, theres a lot of issues with that for landlords, businesses and everything else, he said. Unless you have your ducks in a row and have some surety for the landlord and their ability as sanctioned individuals that are able to sign a contract and understand it, how do you get through those hurdles?

Carr said interpreters and a five-member family mentor team coordinated by Soft Landing Missoula help each new refugee family with transportation, housing applications, job applications and schooling.

Our focus is employment, self-sufficiency and integration, and that helps the refugees get on steady feet faster, the Missoula IRC director said.

The U.S. State Department supplies a one-time grant of $1,125 for each arriving refugee, including children, to cover housing and other costs for the first 90 days. The money is managed by Carrs office, not turned over in a lump sum to the family.

Follow-up federal programs, such as one that provides refugees matching grants for financial support for up to six months, allow local agencies to focus on securing employment for adult refugees. Carr said the newcomers are immediately eligible for either Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or refugee cash assistance through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement.

We do have significant financial support to get refugees into permanent housing, Carr said. Were not looking for housing thats, like, low income, and were not looking for any kind of special assistance. What were looking for is to find a way to collaborate with property managers and landlords that allows them to take into account that you dont have a way to do credit checks, and they dont have jobs when they get here.

Incoming refugees have been thoroughly screened by the State Department, which prohibits anyone with a criminal record from migrating to the United States. Records of the vetting, however, are off limits to property managers and everyone else.

Sinrud said a bigger concern for those with available housing to rent is financial.

A lot of landlords still have mortgages on property they have or some sort of lien against them, he said. They need to get their bills paid. If somebodys late on their rent  Thats why youve got late fees. If (landlords) are late on their mortgage payment they will have late fees too. So youre trying to be equitable all the way around.

Carr said Missoula is far from the only city struggling to provide sufficient housing for refugees. But in cities with established resettlement agencies, refugees have developed good relationships with landlord/property managers.

Ive been working in this field a very long time and Ive never had a refugee experience an eviction, said Carr, who owns rental property herself in her home state of New York.

They are looking for a place to call home. That first home is like the foundation to their lives in the United States. They take a lot of pride and care in that home.

Kreis agreed the ability of a refugee family to pay its rent after the initial government aid is exhausted is sure to be a concern for a property owner.

What happens then? she said. But I can also say many of our property owners would be willing to help.

Were starting to break down some barriers," Carr said. "But if there are property management companies and landlords out there who are interested in working with us, itd be helpful if they let us know who they are.

It's common in Missoula to charge application fees of $30 to $36 to cover the cost of background checks and obtaining credit reports. Short said she and her husband paid upward of $600 in application fees when they moved to Missoula this summer, only to be turned down by many because they have a dog.

Even those who arent interested in renting to refugees arent going to say that up front, Carr pointed out.

We dont want to spend money on application fees on behalf of our client with someone who has no interest in renting to us, she said. So it would be helpful if they come forward and contact us.

Kreis said in her 34 years of property management in Missoula she's seen the "ebbs and tides and changes, and the different personalities come and go."

Refugee resettlement is "a wonderful program," she said.

"Certainly our intent would be to help in any way we can. Our job is to rent units."
MISSOULA  None of the 10,000 Syrian refugees allowed into the United States since President Barack Obama set that threshold last fall landed in Montana.

A map published this week by the New York Times displayed the distribution of refugees who arrived in the U.S. from camps outside the war-torn Middle East country in fiscal year 2016, which ends Sept. 30. Other maps show those whove come to the U.S. since 2012.

Montana is one of about 10 that has received no Syrians. Neighbors Wyoming and South Dakota are among the others.

The closest city to western Montana that has accepted Syrian refugees in recent months is Spokane, where the Times map indicates up to 100 Syrians have resettled.

The International Rescue Committee recently reopened an office in Missoula, but the initial refugees here are Congolese coming from refugee camps in East Africa.

The Bismarck Tribune reported Friday that the first Syrians to touch down in North Dakota arrived in Fargo on Aug. 19.

The newspaper said Jamal Tmr, his wife and seven children, ages 1 to 12, had flown more than 15 hours from Iraq, with stops in Amman, Jordan and Chicago.

The flight over the ocean, that was just kind of endless, Tmr told the Tribune, speaking Kurdish through a translator. The kids, they were just not patient at all.

A monthly update on Aug. 10 by the Canadian government reported that 708 Syrian refugees had been resettled in Calgary, Alberta  some of the 25,000 Syrians that have landed in Canada since November.

In the U.S., most of the 10,000 refugees from Syria have been sent to more affordable medium-size cities, the New York Times pointed out. Boise, Idaho, for instance, accepted 108, more than New York and Los Angeles combined. The largest concentration is in San Diego, where 626 Syrian refugees have arrived since last Oct. 1.

According to the New York Times maps, other states besides Montana and its two neighbors with no Syrian refugees since 2012 are Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Mississippi, New Jersey and New Hampshire.
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MUSCATINE Iowa  The Muscatine County Historic Preservation Commission invites residents to attend one of a series of town hall meetings to be held over the next six weeks in the county, starting with one in Wilton on September 12. The town hall meetings will be an opportunity to learn more about the Muscatine County Historic Preservation Commission and to provide input to them about projects that they are considering undertaking in the county.

The first in the series of town hall meetings will be held in Wilton at 5:30 p.m. on Monday Sept. 12, at the Wilton Candy Kitchen (310 Cedar St). It will be followed by town hall meetings at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday Sept. 22 at the New Era Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall near Wildcat Den State Park (3455 New Era Road), at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday Sept. 29 at Newts Cafe (425 Main St) in Nichols, and in Fruitland in early October.

The commission recently received a Certified Local Government (CLG) grant from the State Historical Society of Iowa to complete a Planning for Preservation project. This planning project will set short and long goals for the commission as they move forward with additional projects. Public input is an important part of this process.

An initial project meeting and seminar on historic preservation was held in West Liberty on August 29 by the commission and project consultant Rebecca McCarley of SPARK Consulting in Davenport. They will also jointly hold a seminar on researching historic properties, the National Register of Historic Places, and historic tax credits at 6:30 p.m. on Monday Nov. 7 on the fairgrounds in West Liberty for all county residents.

The Muscatine County Historic Preservation Commission is a county organization that has worked in Muscatine County over the last three years. The nine-member commission is appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Current members include Lynn Pruitt, Lisa Wertzbaugher, Rebeckah Allgood, Tom Furlong, Jim Nepple, William Koellner, and Mary Beverage. Anyone interested in additional information on the commission or the Planning for Preservation project is encouraged to contact any commission member.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Pumpkins and squash are among the vegetables and fruits that are currently available at the Muscatine Area Farmers Market. With fall approaching, vendors at Tuesday's market at the Muscatine Mall said they still have a wide variety of produce.

Vicky Mott, who brings peppers, green beans and other vegetables to the farmers markets, said she plans to have fresh vegetables until the first frost, but this summer has not always been easy on her plants.

"The weather's been hard on the garden," she said.

Linda Siegenthaler sells baked goods, so she has not had to rely on the weather.

"I've made a lot of friends here, I really enjoy meeting people, and it's just nice to get out and learn things from other people," she said.

Keith Bloomer, a board member with the farmer's market, said several vendors also accept food stamps, which provides an opportunity for all community members to purchase freshly baked goods and produce.

"It's good for the kids and good for nutrition," he said.

Bloomer said he and other vendors want to ensure all families can have an opportunity to purchase fresh produce, and he has often helped give someone in need some fresh vegetables.

"That's the best thing about the market," he said.

Dax Mohagen and his sons often attend Saturday markets, and the three boys skipped around the produce stands at Tuesday's market. They all said they enjoy the farmers markets.

"I like the activities," said 9-year-old Aiden Mohagen.

Eight-year-old Carter Mohagen said he also likes going to the farmers markets.

"I like to be there because they have really nice people," he said.

Ethan Mohagen, six, also had a favorite part of the market.

"I like the popcorn!" he said.

The Muscatine Area Farmers Market is held from 7:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturdays in the parking lot on the corner of Third and Cedar Streets, and 2:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the parking lot of the Muscatine Mall.

The Saturday market will include live music, children's activities and a wide variety of locally made and grown goods. For more information, visit the Facebook page, at https://www.facebook.com/muscatineareafarmersmarket.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  The final Second Sunday Concert Series performance will include a food and paper drive for the Muscatine Food Pantry, to honor the remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001.

The event will be held at 6 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 11, at the Pearl Plaza Patio, 208 W. Second St.

The concert series, which is in its 10th year, will have music by TZRR, whose original members Joe Neely and Steve Theobald have been playing since 1971 for Great River Days, weddings, festivals, and other events.

The band will play classic country and classic rock, and will cover the music of Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and others.

The concerts are sponsored by the Muscatine County Arts Council, with local business and community support.

The event is free and open to the public, and will be held rain or shine. Audience members are asked to bring lawn chairs, and food will be available for purchase.

The Muscatine Literacy Coalition will be giving away free books.

For more information, contact arts council member Duffy De France at 563-607-3213.
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 []
*It's Halloween weekend*, and if you're like me, there is a lot of *chocolate* in your house right now. Now you might be wondering why I am highlighting m...

7 hours ago
NEWPORT BEACH  Several hundred people packed a hearing on Wednesday about a hotly contested plan to build nearly 900 homes and a hotel on a stretch of Southern California coastline long used for oil drilling that now provides critical habitat for owls and other wildlife.

Opponents carrying signs with pictures of owls descended on a meeting room in upscale Newport Beach, where the California Coastal Commission was weighing a plan to develop the 401-acre site known as Banning Ranch.

Supporters wore T-shirts backing the project.

More than 400 people signed up to speak about the proposal to build 895 homes, a 75-room hotel and retail complex on the tract in Orange County where the burrowing owl and other wildlife are known to live.

The site is considered to be the largest remaining, privately held coastal property that could be developed south of Los Angeles, according to a commission spokeswoman.

The plan would preserve roughly 80 percent of Banning Ranch as open space, but environmentalists want a much larger chunk protected, saying the property is home to species including the owl and the threatened California gnatcatcher, a small, blue-gray songbird.

Newport Banning Ranch  a partnership involving an oil producer and investment and real estate companies  has argued that developing about 70 acres would help fund as much as $40 million in restoration costs following years of drilling and that the public would have access to walking trails and educational programs.

Environmental advocates contend the oil mess should be cleaned up regardless of whether homes are built. While some oil wells still operate, many have been abandoned and old, rusty pipes are strewn across the brush-covered property overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Commission staff members have recommended developers downsize the project further and confine building to 20 acres to protect the owl's habitat. The land is also home to a rare vernal pool system that fills with rainwater where endangered San Diego fairy shrimp are known to thrive.

Last year, developers proposed a larger version of the project. Staff recommended denial of the plan and commissioners encouraged them to work with Newport Banning Ranch to come up with a smaller proposal.
Last weekend visitors to Bale Grist Mill stood in the mill where there was hardly a sound except the slow creaking of the waterwheel and the smooth whirring of the gears and belts, combined with the gentle scraping noise of the mill stones. It was almost magical.

Yes, these visitors came to see Napa Valley during harvest, from San Jose, San Francisco, Ohio, and as far away as the Ukraine. But they were starting at the old mill to learn about Alta California, the Bear Flag Rebellion, and to experience the machine made of wood, water and iron that helped transform the valley from a rugged outpost of civilization to a modern, agricultural paradise.

On Sept. 3, Mario Scalise was the miller giving tours, and his knowledge of all the puzzle pieces of history  and how they fit together  was fascinating.

Dr. Edward Taylor Bale was an Englishman and the surgeon on the on the H.M.S. Harriet, Scalise said. When the ship sank in 1837 off the coast of Monterey, Bale was its sole survivor.

Bale was both an opportunist and somewhat of a scoundrel, Scalise said. He arrived in Monterey just as General Mariano Vallejo was dismissing the Mexican Armys surgeon, and Bale became Vallejos Surgeon-In-Chief.

Two years later he married Vallejos niece, Maria Ignacia Soberanes and  after becoming a citizen of Mexico in 1841 -- received a land grant of nearly 18,000 acres between what is today Rutherford up through Calistoga to Tubbs Lane. That land grant was called Rancho Carne Humana (Human Flesh Ranch in Spanish) perhaps because it was already settled by several groups of Native Americans, providing a ready-made labor force.

Bale's mill was first finished five years later by 1846 with a small 15-foot diameter waterwheel that channeled water from a ditch dug from a holding pond. Scalise said that it probably wasnt very powerful especially during the dry summers, and the larger 36-foot diameter wheel was later added to provide more power.

The mill was a local gathering place of farmers and settlers, and a commemoration plaque on the wall tells how one group of settlers met there to formulate plans that resulted in the Bear Flag Revolt of June, 1846.

When Edward Bale died in 1849 his wife Maria was faced with running the ranch alone. She paid off the mills mortgage that her husband had borrowed and, Scalise said, significantly expanded and automated the mills operation. That automation is what turned the Bale Grist Mill into a real money-making enterprise and secured Marias fortune, he said.

While Saturdays late afternoon talk was about the mill's history, Miller Steve Harles talk on Sunday became a demonstration of how the machinery still functions today.

Harle said in the 19th century milling grain would have required a lot of back-breaking labor. But when Maria Bale expanded her husbands mill, she chose to deploy the exacting technology of East Coast inventor Oliver Evans. Evans held U.S. Patent Number 3 for the automatic grain mill.

Evans' design called for a series of gears, internal elevators, screws, lifts, pulleys and other devices to run off the waterwheels rotation shaft, Harle said. By totally automating the milling process, Evans' plan enabled the mill to be operated by a single individual. Harle said it was the mechanical wonder in the valley.

Harle demonstrated the mechanisms of the process, first opening up the floor of the mill to expose the huge wooden and iron gears that transmit power from the water wheel. The composition of the gears, he said, is cast-iron wheels mounted with wooden teeth and cogs. If a gear or cog or tooth becomes damaged, it can be easily replaced by cutting up a piece of hardwood into an appropriate shape, he said.

These gears run a series of shafts, belts and pulleys to lift grain from bins at the doorway up through chutes to the top of the building. The belts are mounted with small grain buckets and this elevator system runs continuously, lifting bucket by bucket through a closed wooden channel which Harle opened to reveal its function.

Once the grain reaches the third floor of the building it is dumped onto a stepped, vibrating stairway-like sorting screen. This screen removes contaminants in the load of grain and delivers it into a long, rotating hexagonal screen that separates the chaff. The cleaned grain falls through the screen and a screw auger moves the grain to a down-chute to a second set of bins back on the first floor.

When these bins are filled, the miller engages a lever and grain is picked up by a second set of buckets to the a vibrating hopper that drops it into the center of the milling stones.

The resulting run-of-the-mill meal spills out the sides of the stones and is channeled out to yet another series of buckets that lifts the meal back up to the second story into the bolter.

The bolter is a long rotating screen covered with silk to sort the finer meal from the coarser meal. The separated meal falls into a trough where a screw auger transports the resulting flour into one of three bag chutes on the first floor.

So successful was the Bale Grist Mill as an economic engine that it remained operational until 1879, Harle said. It languished for nearly a hundred years when it was restored through efforts of the Native Son Parlors of Napa County. Then it became a California State Park, was nearly closed in 2011, and was saved by the Napa Valley State Park Association.

Today it is manned by volunteers through the association, the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District, and the California State Park system. It is a time machine that can take a visitor to the threshold of California history before there were grapes. And it's all for for the price of a $5 donation.
What to make of a cat hanging out Wednesday atop a 45-foot power pole carrying 21,000 volts of electricity in west Napa?

As homeowner Matthew Dittman saw it, this long-haired feline needed rescuing from its high-altitude perch.

His dog first noticed the cat around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. She was trying to get up the pole, he said, adding that its likely that his 2-year-old German Shepherd Annie is the reason the cat went up the pole in the first place. But he was worried about the heat when it was still up there in the morning.

Knowing that temperatures would be in the 90s, Dittman began searching the Web figuring out who was best to call. Most websites, he said, recommended not calling the fire department or animal control. So, since it involved a power pole, Dittman called Pacific Gas & Electric Customer Service. It was around 10 a.m.

He said that PG&E representatives told him that they would make it a priority call and that someone would come out with a bucket truck to rescue the kitty.

Its warm already, Dittman said at 11 a.m. It just bakes in this field.

Although he thought the cat seemed content at that time, by noon it was clearly under duress and panting.

Dittman said that the temperature peaks in his 3-acre field on the 3000 block of Browns Valley Road between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. He was worried that PG&E wouldnt make it in time.

It looks like the heat is really getting to him, he said. (It) may fall off the pole before it gets rescued.

The gray-and-white cat repositioned itself on the pole, facing in one direction and then the other, seemingly trying to find the shadiest spot. At one point, it was spread across two beams, leading Dittman to believe that it was trying to cool down its belly.

He and his wife Peggy tried everything, including putting a can of tuna fish out at the bottom of the pole, keeping their dog in the house, and just sitting and waiting. They even tried calling around to see if the cat could be claimed by anyone.

Its not our cat, but it might be, he said. Im not going to let it go to the shelter  Ill adopt it.

While PG&E did not provide Dittman with a time estimate, they were the appropriate people to call, according to Napa City Fire.

Thats probably the best course of action, said Capt. Jason Berens. Although the firefighters may have been able to respond to the call, there wouldnt have been much they could do without PG&E, he said. Firefighters receive calls for cats up poles and trees, he said, with mixed results.

Usually the end result is them coming down on their own accord, Berens said.

But between the heat, turkey vultures, and the electricity, Dittman didnt want to risk waiting for that to happen. Those coils, I imagine, are live.

If the cat survived being up on the pole and wasnt claimed by any of his neighbors, Dittman said he would take it in and name it something related to this incident. Maybe Bolt.

But by 2 p.m. Bolt had bolted.

PG&E arrived around 1:30 p.m. The worker got into the bucket and used an insulated pole to try and get the cat towards the pole and away from power lines.

If they jump on the wires it could electrocute (the cat), thats why he gets them to run down the wood pole instead of any of the wires, said Deanna Contreras, PG&E spokesperson.

Finally, the cat had had enough. It bolted head-first down the pole. When it hit the ground, he ran 90 miles an hour off the property, Dittman said. It happened so fast that neither the PG&E workers nor Dittman were even able to touch the cat, he said.

They always try to make it a happy ending for the critters, Contreras said of the PG&E worker in the bucket. Contreras said that the safety of customers and their pets is a priority.

If we get a chance wed love to have him, but after this experience he probably wont like our property, Dittman said. But hes always welcome.
ST. HELENA  The St. Helena Planning Commission has ruled for the second time that Stockton Street is not an appropriate place for a short-term rental.

In a 4-0 vote on Tuesday, commissioners declined to renew a short-term rental permit at 1243 Stockton St., where some neighbors reported problems with noise, parking and loss of privacy.

Commissioners agreed that Stocktons narrow street, one-way parking and small setbacks are incompatible with short-term rentals.

Not every neighborhood in St. Helena is the appropriate place to insert this more commercial use, said Commissioner Mary Koberstein. We all like (hotel tax) revenue, but I think in this case the neighborhood conditions outweigh it.

Commissioners agreed they couldnt make the legal finding that the rental by homeowners Steve and Brenda Podesta is compatible with and will not be detrimental to the character of the neighborhood and surrounding land uses, which is one of the requirements for a short-term rental permit.

Commissioners used that same finding as grounds to deny a permit at 1450 Stockton St., which is just down the street from the Podestas home.

Steve Podesta said he uses the house as his primary home and places tight restrictions on his tenants, requiring them to park in the driveway and be quiet between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. He said that out of the six calls to the police department regarding the property, only one involved short-term renters.

Other complaints were (by) two different neighbors that call the police anytime for any reason, he said.

Mary Kashani, one of the Podestas neighbors, said she and her husband Amir are often subjected to loud late-night parties with sexually inappropriate language.

The Podestas have posted signs warning tenants to be quiet, but theyre gone when tenants are renting the home, Kashani said.

Were the ones who have to deal with 2 oclock in the morning screeching and laughing, she said. When people come to the valley, they come here to have fun and to party.

The problems between the Podestas and Kashanis reached the point where the two couples engaged in civil mediation in May, resulting in an agreement that Amir Kashani and the Podestas would not slander each other, engage in conversation, or come within 10 feet of each other.

At Tuesdays hearing, Amir Kashani claimed Steve Podesta was illegally renting out the house as far back as 10 years ago, before receiving a city permit in 2012.
SAN JOSE -- A 56-year-old transient suspected of trying to kidnap two women he assaulted in San Jose last week was arraigned in court Wednesday.

David Lee Russell is facing multiple charges that include attempted kidnapping to commit a sexual offense, prosecutors said.

Russell's left arm was in a cast when he appeared before Superior Court Judge Allison Danner at the Hall of Justice in San Jose Wednesday afternoon.

He wore glasses and a jail uniform that consisted of a brown shirt and red pants.

Danner issued a no-contact protective order for Russell on behalf of the two victims in the case and kept him in custody without bail.

Russell didn't enter a plea and his next court appearance was scheduled for Sept. 14.

Prosecutors plan to pursue a life prison sentence for Russell, Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Michael Amaral said after Wednesday's hearing.

In separate but similar situations, the defendant allegedly followed both victims, approached them, covered their heads with a sweatshirt and attempted to pull them into his vehicle, Amaral said.

Both victims were women who were strangers to the defendant, according to Amaral.

The first incident happened on Aug. 29 near Meridian and Hamilton avenues in the city's Willow Glen neighborhood around 5 p.m., police said.

Investigators were able to identify Russell as a suspect through security video obtained from a Goodwill of Silicon Valley store on Meridian Avenue, where the suspect was seen contacting one of the victims, Amaral said.

A still photo from the surveillance footage was distributed to the public. Someone recognized the suspect and notified authorities, according to Amaral.

"Identity could've been an issue, but the video helped establish who Mr. Russell was," Amaral said.

The second victim was approached three days later, also around 5 p.m., in the southern area of the city by Hillsdale and Narvaez avenues, according to police.

In both cases, bystanders caught Russell in the act. One was a man who drove by and made a U-turn to stop the suspect, Amaral said.

A witness in the other encounter was an employee working in the area who saw the incident and ran closer to the crime scene, according to Amaral.

Russell fled when he was spotted. The victims were left with minor injuries, but didn't need medical treatment, Amaral said.

Investigators found Russell driving in a silver Hyundai Sonata near Oakland Road and Charles Street around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and arrested him, police said.

Russell is a convicted sex offender who has violently assaulted women in the past and found with an outstanding no-bail warrant for misdemeanor DUI at the time of his arrest, police said.

The 56-year-old man has past offenses of sexual battery and assault with the intent to commit a specified sex crime, according to his profile through the state Megan's Law database.
Last weekend the visitors to the Bale Grist Mill experienced standing in the building during operation. It was almost magical. There is hardly a sound except the slow creaking of the waterwheel and the smooth whirring of the gears and belts, combined with the gentle scraping noise of the mill stones.

Yes, these visitors came to see the Napa Valley during harvest, from San Jose, San Francisco, Ohio, and as far away as the Ukraine. But they were starting at the old mill to learn about Alta California, the Bear Flag Rebellion, and to experience the machine made of wood, water and iron that helped transform the valley from a rugged outpost of civilization to a modern, agricultural paradise.

On Saturday Mario Scalise was the miller giving tours, and his knowledge of all the puzzle pieces of history  and how they fit together  was fascinating.

According to Scalise, Dr. Edward Taylor Bale was an Englishman and the surgeon on the on the H.M.S. Harriet. When the ship sank in 1837 off the coast of Monterey, Bale was its sole survivor.

Bale was both an opportunist and somewhat of a scoundrel, Scalise said. He arrived in Monterey just as General Mariano Vallejo was dismissing the Mexican Armys surgeon, and Bale became Vallejos Surgeon-In-Chief.

Two years later he married Vallejos niece, Maria Ignacia Soberanes and  after becoming a citizen of Mexico in 1841  received a land grant of nearly 18,000 acres between what is today Rutherford up through Calistoga to Tubbs Lane. That land grant was called Rancho Carne Humana (Human Flesh Ranch in Spanish) perhaps because it was already settled by several groups of Native Americans, providing a ready-made labor force.

Bales mill was first finished five years later by 1846 with a small 15-foot diameter waterwheel that channeled water from a ditch dug from a holding pond. Scalise said that it probably wasnt very powerful especially during the dry summers, and the larger 36-foot diameter wheel was later added to provide more power.

The mill was a local gathering place of farmers and settlers, and a commemoration plaque on the wall tells how one group of settlers met there to formulate plans that resulted in the Bear Flag Revolt of June, 1846.

When Edward Bale died in 1849 his wife Maria was faced with running the ranch alone. She paid off the mills mortgage that her husband had borrowed and, according to Scalise, significantly expanded and automated the mills operation. That automation is what, according to Scalise, turned the Bale Grist Mill into a real money-making enterprise and secured Marias fortune.

While Saturdays late afternoon talk was about the mills history, Miller Steve Harles talk on Sunday became a demonstration of how the machinery still functions today.

Harle said in the 19th century milling grain would have required a lot of back-breaking labor. But when Maria Bale expanded her husbands mill, she chose to deploy the exacting technology of East Coast inventor Oliver Evans. Evans held U.S. Patent Number 3 for the automatic grain mill.

Evans design, according to Harle, called for a series of gears, internal elevators, screws, lifts, pulleys and other devices to run off the waterwheels rotation shaft. By totally automating the milling process, Evans plan enabled the mill to be operated by a single individual. Harle said it was the mechanical wonder in the valley.

Harle demonstrated the mechanisms of the process, first opening up the floor of the mill to expose the huge wooden and iron gears that transmit power from the water wheel. The composition of the gears, he said, is cast-iron wheels mounted with wooden teeth and cogs. If a gear or cog or tooth becomes damaged, it can be easily replaced by cutting up a piece of hardwood into an appropriate shape, Harle said.

These gears run a series of shafts, belts and pulleys to lift grain from bins at the doorway up through chutes to the top of the building. The belts are mounted with small grain buckets and this elevator system runs continuously, lifting bucket by bucket through a closed wooden channel which Harle had opened to reveal its function.

Once the grain reaches the third floor of the building it is dumped onto a stepped, vibrating stairway-like sorting screen. This screen removes contaminants in the load of grain and delivers it into a long, rotating hexagonal screen that separates the chaff. The cleaned grain falls through the screen and a screw auger moves the grain to a down-chute to a second set of bins back on the first floor.

When these bins are filled, the miller engages a lever and grain is picked up by a second set of buckets to the a vibrating hopper that drops it into the center of the milling stones.

The resulting run-of-the-mill meal spills out the sides of the stones and is channeled out to yet another series of buckets that lifts the meal back up to the second story into the bolter.

The bolter is a long rotating screen covered with silk to sort the finer meal from the coarser meal. The separated meal falls into a trough where a screw auger transports the resulting flour into one of three bag chutes on the first floor.

So successful was the Bale Grist Mill as an economic engine, according to Harle, that it remained operational until 1879. It languished for nearly a hundred years when it was restored through efforts of the Native Son Parlors of Napa County. Then it became a California State Park, was nearly closed in 2011, and was saved by the Napa Valley State Park Association.

Today it is manned by volunteers through the association, the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District, and the California State Park system. It is a time machine that can take a visitor to the threshold of California history before there were grapes. And its all for for the price of a $5 donation.
Five teachers from throughout Napa Valley were honored Tuesday for their commitment and innovation by being selected as Teachers of the Year by the Napa County Office of Education.

The five instructors  three from middle schools and two from elementary schools  were singled out as extraordinary by County Superintendent of Schools Barbara Nemko in a ceremony attended by dozens of relatives and educators at the NCOE office in Napa.

The five teachers honored were: Denise Keller, American Canyon Middle School; Suzanne Morgan, Shearer Elementary School; Jennifer Ellison, Phillips Charter Elementary; Tom Lewis, Harvest Middle School; and Dana Simon, Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School.

Ellison was chosen among the five to be Napa Countys candidate for California Teacher of the Year, which will be announced in October.

Two Napa Valley educators have previously won the statewide honor: St. Helena High School science teacher Christopher OConnor in 2015 and Vintage High School music teacher Mark Teeters in 2009.

Great teachers are rare, said Nemko before introducing the five instructors. Thats the teacher you remember for the rest of your life. The teachers who inspire you, the teacher who made you believe enough in yourself that you could do anything you wanted to do.

The five teachers of the year were among 148 teachers nominated for the honor by co-workers, parents, students and others. Those nominated went through a tough screening process, according Nemko, which involved submitting essays and undergoing site visits by a committee of representatives from school districts in the county.

Each of the five teachers, including RLS teacher Dana Simon, were profiled in videos during the NCOE ceremony and praised in person by their principals.

Simon is a 20-year educator currently teaching English as well as classes for the college readiness program AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination.) She said there has never been a time in her life when she didnt want to be a teacher.

Im the child who set the stuffed animals up in the garage and taught to my peoples, said Simon.

I was also known in high school if kids passed me a note, Id take out my red pen and correct it, she added to much laughter at the NCOE ceremony.

SHUSD Superintendent Marylou Wilson called Simon a shining example for all teachers in her district.

Simon has garnered attention for using dance and other physical activities to help motivate students and make it easier for them to learn.

Memorizing when you have to repeat something over and over is aided by having a movement that goes with it or a rhythm that certainly helps you to remember, said Simon.

She also employs in her classroom a method called take a walk in my shoes to help students learn to empathize with the literary characters they read about throughout the year.
Oh Margrit, what a life you led. To think that Ill never again see you strolling through the St. Helena Farmers Market, trailing eddies of good cheer behind you. Far more than merely the wife of a great man, you were great in your own right, pairing the wines he promoted with world-class food, art and music. You graciously set the table, and weve been enjoying the feast ever since. Thank you.

***

The United Methodist Church of St. Helena is inviting everyone to Harvest Sunday at 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at 1310 Adams St. There will be a bilingual outdoor celebration of the harvest, featuring Danza Azteca Nanahuatzin, a dance company that conserves and enlivens the traditions and teachings of their Azteca ancestors through indigenous dance. To learn more call 963-7652 or go to sthelenaumc.org.

***

Are you a male actor in your 30s? Then the Calistoga Theater Company invites you to audition to play Josh in a December production of Jason Odett Williams Handle With Care, which is intriguingly characterized as a heart-warming Jewish Christmas comedy. Rehearsals and performances will be right here in St. Helena, with rehearsals starting in mid-September. Call director Sharie Renault at 341-3278.

***

Ive mentioned it before, but dont forget about the St. Helena Historical Societys Spirits of St. Helena cemetery walk at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at the St. Helena Public Cemetery. The theme is Old Soldiers Go West, highlighting the Civil War veterans who are buried here. Admission is $10. For details call 967-5502 or email shstory@shstory.org.

***

This ones for you bocce fanatics. The nonprofit ParentsCAN is holding a Bocce, Beast & Brew fundraiser from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at Veterans Memorial Park in Yountville. The Beast part stands for the roasted pig that will be served, and Brew needs no explanation. Tickets are $75, and its all for the worthy cause of helping families of children with disabilities. Register at ParentsCAN.org.

***

This doesnt have a direct bearing on St. Helena, but folks in this town are keenly interested in the environment, so here it is. Napa County has created a new Measure A Lake Berryessa Watershed Improvement Grant Advisory Committee to help the Napa County Flood Protection Watershed Improvement Authority evaluate grant applications for watershed projects at Lake Berryessa. The committee needs one member representing an environmental organization, one representing a fish and wildlife organization, one representing a Natural Resources organization, and one public member who lives at the lake. Go to CountyOfNapa.org for details. The deadline is Sept. 15.

***

Heres a classic Lost and Found story with a patriotic twist. Justin K.L. Smith of Angwin was coming home from Napa with some friends. They decided to pick up some food, so they pulled off the Trail onto Pratt Avenue, where they found a 6-foot-by-10-foot American flag lying in the road. Unwilling to let Old Glory suffer such disrespect, Justin brought the flag home and put out a message on Facebooks Love this town, St. Helena page. Someone saw the post and suspected the flag might have been the one that had recently been stolen from the flagpole outside Dean & Deluca. Sure enough, it was. Justin returned the flag to the business, which can once again fly it with pride. Justin mentioned hes a member of the Odd Fellows, who are always looking to give back to the community. Huzzahs to Justin for his star-spangled good deed.

***

Ill close with remarks from Rep. Mike Thompson on the death of Margrit Mondavi: Our wine and art community has experienced a tremendous loss. Margrit Mondavi was not only a dear friend to many, but also our First Lady of Wine. Margrits name was synonymous with good food, fine wine and great art the world over. She was a one of a kind, a pioneer and a visionary who has taught us all to love life a little bit more and to embrace the richness of our culture. I am privileged and honored to have known her and to call her my friend.
NATO will reconfirm the importance of its partnership with Georgia during a two-day visit of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) starting on Wednesday (7 September 2016).

Today, a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission  chaired by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg  will bring together ambassadors from all NATO Allies with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to discuss Georgias contributions to transatlantic security, regional security, and Tbilisis reform progress.

On 8 September, the NATO delegation will meet with President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, Defence Minister Levan Izoria, Chairman of the Parliament David Usupashvili, and Members of the Georgian Parliament.

During the visit, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and several ambassadors will participate in the Tbilisi International Conference, while Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow will open the new venue of the Information Centre on NATO and the European Union in Tbilisi. The NAC will also visit the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre, which is helping to enhance the interoperability of forces from Georgia, NATO Allies and partners through training and exercises.


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President discusses latest foreign political developments around Artsakh

Azerbaijan officials considering opening embassy in Israel

Armenia PM, EU Special Representative for South Caucasus discuss regional security and peace

Nikol Pashinyan, Garo Paylan exchange views on Armenia-Turkey normalization process

Quake hits Armenia-Turkey border zone

Armenia ruling party adopting new vision regarding Karabakh conflict settlement

Russia MOD: Ukraine carried out terrorist attack on Black Sea Fleet ships, civilian ships in Sevastopol

Premier: CSTO should plan force operation, restore Armenias territorial integrity

Armenia PM: All countries consider Karabakh to be part of Azerbaijan

Armenias Pashinyan: CSTO does not exist

Kremlin responds to question on extending mandate of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh

Armenia premier: We need to know, ultimately, what Russian peacekeepers are doing in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia PM: Im ready to sign document, accept that Russian peacekeepers term in Karabakh be extended 10-20 years

Armenias Pashinyan: We are ready to delegate border guard service operation to Russian border guards

Finland, Sweden promise to join NATO together

European Parliament calls on Armenia to consider diversifying its security partnerships

Visiting Armenia MPs brief Canada lawmaker on recent Azerbaijan military aggression

Armenia PM at ruling party congress: We declared repairing states foundation our primary task

Karabakh President: Russia leaders statement inspires certain hopes

Armenia ruling party congress kicks off

Man breaks into US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's home, demands to speak with her, beats husband with hammer

EU-Armenia Joint Committee on Research and Innovation first meeting to be held in November

Provincial governor of Armenias Gegharkunik: EU monitoring mission already started

US accuses Russia of disinformation regarding Washington intentions towards Armenia, Azerbaijan

Mexico fully legalizes gay marriage

Newspaper: Azerbaijan not inclined to sign anything with Armenia in Russias Sochi

Armenia ruling party convening closed convention

Italian prime minister demands that she be addressed as prime minister in masculine form

Pentagon to send Ukraine new aid package worth $275 million

Europe will ban sale of one type of car

European Commission head announces new aid and investments for Serbia

Biden calls Putin's rhetoric on nuclear weapons 'dangerous'

Lukashenko on Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict: What are you fighting for in these mountains, where not even goats walk?

Swedish authorities offer to create united northern army

Lukashenko: Conflict issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be resolved now - with Ilham Aliyev

Lukashenko about situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border: Where are we racing horses, where are we rushing to?

Pashinyan: Armenia-Diaspora relations undergo profound substantive changes

Lukashenko to Pashinyan: Sit down with Aliyev and make a decision, if you don't make it today, it will be worse

Bulgarian interim government urges to speed up transition to euro zone

President of Karabakh: It is necessary to unite all national potential and efforts

IMF: China's sharp and uncharacteristic economic slowdown will stall growth in Asia by the end of 2023

Iran: Riots in country were planned by the intelligence services of the USA, England, Israel and the KSA

Steinmeier: Ukraine war caused 'epochal break' in Germany's relations with Russia

Gas prices in Europe remain high in coming years

Ararat Mirzoyan and Toivo Klaar stress importance of hosting EU civilian mission in Armenia

Armenia's ambassador-at-large: Daily false propaganda can't cover up Azerbaijani war crimes

Taiwan MFA outraged by Putin's speech on his status and Pelosi's visit

Armenia gives no response to peace treaty proposals, Bayramov says

Netanyahu expects return to power after 5th Israeli election in 4 years

Armenian gravestone found in Trabzon, Turkey neighborhood

Pashinyan: CSTO Secretary General's report mainly reflects existing realities

Azerbaijan talks possible deliveries of its gas to international Turkish hub

CSTO leaders to meet in late November: Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border will be discussed

Dollar, euro continue falling in Armenia

Pelosi's house attacked, her husband injured

Russias Putin to have private talks with Armenias Pashinyan, Azerbaijans Aliyev

Mher Grigoryan: CIS needs a new scientific and technical agreement

Pentagon strategy doesn't rule out use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear threats

French National Assembly plans to pass resolution proposing certain sanctions against Azerbaijan

Mher Grigoryan: There are no other corridors in the trilateral statement other than Lachin's

Konstantin Zatulin: Russia should have made maximum efforts so that there would be no war in Karabakh

The Hill: The American people deserve to know how the war in Ukraine will end

Sochi to host trilateral talks of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders on October 31

Poland receives first Turkish drones

Hungarian government may extend price limits on fuel and some basic foodstuffs

Armenias Simonyan attends meeting of heads of EEU countries parliaments

Polish general appointed as head of EU mission to train Ukrainian troops

Russia MP: Karabakh status decision is in fact its Armenians safety guarantee

Zatulin: West seeks to push Russia out of negotiation process at any cost

Legislature head proposes to organize, under CIS auspices, return of Armenians detained in Azerbaijan

Iran prevents bomb explosion in Shiraz crowded street

Iraqi parliament expresses vote of confidence in new cabinet

France lawmakers visit Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan

Putin: Moscow is doing everything possible to normalize relations between Yerevan and Baku

Annual shopping festival kicks off in Dubai on December 15

Lazarevsky Club: Minute of silence held in memory of fallen Russian and Armenian soldiers

Bayramov and US Assistant Secretary of State discuss Yerevan-Baku relations

Expansion of cooperation with Interpol is important, Armenia PM says

Armenia defense minister briefs Austria envoy on situation due to recent Azerbaijan military aggression (PHOTOS)

Australia can't rule out energy price caps

Armenia parliament speaker: Use, threat of force undermine processes aimed at establishing peace

Garo Paylan is in Yerevan

Barack Obama tries to help Democrats win midterm elections

Azerbaijan president, Russia first deputy PM discuss North-South transport corridor project

PM Pashinyan receives France-Armenia friendship group delegation from French parliament

Taiwan urges China to start talking

Armen Grigoryan and Toivo Klaar discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiation process

Matviyenko: Russia will continue mediation for signing Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty

Politico: Scholz and Macron threaten U.S. trade retaliation

CIS premiers sign several agreements at Kazakhstan meeting

Konstantin Zatulin: Nagorno-Karabakh peoples right to self-determination must be respected

Armenia legislature head: Policy of threats, coercion is unacceptable to us

U.S. must strengthen its defense against growing threats from both China, Russia

Karabakh ex-President: Necessary to rule out mistakes, miscalculations which will have irreversible consequences

EU reaches agreement to ban new cars with internal combustion engine by 2035

Benny Gantz: Future of Israel and Turkey is promising

EU Special Representative for South Caucasus arrives in Armenia

Lazarevsky Club meeting underway in Yerevan, Moscow

Yellen sees no sign of recession in U.S. economy in near future

Cannes palm trees promenade named after Charles Aznavour
The Policy Forum Armenia and the GWU Comparative Law Program organized a panel on the position of the West in regard to the recent developments in Armenia and the possible geopolitical implications.

Among the panelists were the former Ambassador John Herbst, who is presently the director of Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center of the Atlantic Council, Doctor Andrew Novo of the National Defense University, and Lilit Gevorgyan of the IHS Global Insights.

The panelists exchanged views over the events that has recently taken place in Armenia and related developments in Armenian society. In addition to domestic developments, Russias approach towards the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and its proclaimed role as Armenias main geopolitical ally, have shaped different approaches to the possible changes in Armenia

According to Ambassador Herbst, the lack of economic development in independent Armenia, a crippled democracy, and a high volume of migration pushed the country to the brink of becoming even more dependable on Russia. The conserved stability in the domestic politics, apart from being a consequence of unfair elections, also proceeds from the conscious choice of Armenias civil society and its unwillingness to challenge the policy of the government, noted the experts. According to Herbst, that further complicates the situation. John Herbst stressed that in comparison with other post-soviet countries, for example Ukraine, notable for its vigorous civil society, Armenia received more financial aid per capita from the West, and, therefore, could have put more efforts in sense of transforming the society. The rest is up to the Armenian society, which should make a decision by itself, mentioned John Herbst.

The developments that took place in Armenia in July were not only a form of a protest against President Sargsyans ruling but also was a form of discontent with the recent position of Russia on the Karabakh issue, stressed the diplomat. Thus, according to Herbst, if the movement survives and prospers in the future, it will hold the key to change not only the Armenian domestic politics but also its geopolitical position.

At the same time, John Herbst considers that the change can occur in Armenia, if Armenia is willing compromise on the Karabakh issue.

As for the assertions of Russia that the United States provoke crises in the post-soviet states  Georgia, Ukraine  to encroach on Russias sphere of interest, according to the Ambassador Herbst, it will make sense only if the people of the post-soviet countries consider that they have no right to determine their own future.

It is their choice, and they take the help of the USAID to develop their civil societies and to teach their political parties to be more competent, whereas the Russian reaction is that we get to choose how the governments will live. It makes no sense, John Herbst added.

According to another panelist, Doctor Andrew Novo of the National Defense University, the developments that took place in Armenia in July can have different consequences. One of them is that they might turn the preserved political stability that the country has into a more endemic protest. Another possible consequence of the events is a more robust conflict in the Karabakh, which is neither in the interests of Russia, nor an option for the United States, since the instability can escalate and become endemic, as it is in Iraq, Syria, and Eastern Turkey; such conflicts can become seedbeds for increasingly radical agendas. Finally, the disappointment of the opposition might lead to termination of determined actions, a reality of what happens in todays Russia, the expert noted. This, according to Novo, will turn Armenia into a completely authoritarian regime and will made more dependable on Russia. In fact, Armenia and the South Caucasus region are in a vulnerable position and a better domestic policy can be a practical tool to overcome the regional crises, the expert added.
ETCHMIADZIN.  Under the chairmanship of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council (SSC)the highest executive body of the Armenian Apostolic Churchkicked off in Stepanakert, the capital city of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh).

At the opening of the meeting Karekin II conveyed his blessings to the clergy and lay members of the Council, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Information Services informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. He also conveyed his personal appreciation to Bako Sahakyan, President of the NKR; and Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh, for the invitation to hold the SSC meeting in Artsakh, and on the occasion of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the independence of Artsakh. The Catholicos of All Armenians stressed the importance of holding the Council meetings in various Armenian dioceses, which will promote awareness and further strengthen the spiritual life of the communities.

Our visit to Artsakh is a pilgrimage for us: a land which holds the memories of our ancestors, and where there are many holy shrines, stated Karekin II. We are here to kneel down in this sacred sanctuary and offer our prayers to Almighty God for the welfare of Artsakh and the prosperous life of the Armenians of Artsakh. He stressed that the Armenian Church, with its worldwide dioceses and communities, has always been and remains by the side of the Armenians of Artsakh.

The Catholicos of Armenians also announced that on the occasion of this visit, and on behalf of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Dioceses of the Catholicosate of All Armenians, the Mother See again transfers 500 thousand US dollars to Artsakh, for the needs of the Armenians of Artsakh.

Karekin II also prayed that God keep Artsakh in peace, and grant a prosperous and tranquil life.

Reflecting on the Councils agenda, the Catholicos of All Armenians noted that the issues to be discussed are of great importance for the regulation of the activities of the ecclesiastical structures of the Armenian Church, and effective organization of its mission and progress. Karekin II expressed his appreciation to the SSC members for their dedication and commitment.

Before approving the agenda items, the members offered a prayer for the soul of the late Alberto Djeredjian (Diocese of Argentina of South America) a member of the SSC, who passed away on Monday.

The three-day meeting agenda items include matters related to the National Ecclesiastical Assembly, Supreme Spiritual Council policies, revisions to the Ecclesiastical-Representative Assembly bylaws, and reports on the religious institutions and activities of the dioceses.
YEREVAN.  At present, the biggest mistake for the Armenian side would be to make concessions regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Tevan Poghosyan, secretary of the opposition Heritage Faction of the National Assembly of Armenia, stated the aforesaid at a press conference on Wednesday.

In his words, the Armenian and Azerbaijani societies are currently ready for any scenario, as long as they make no concessions to resolve this conflict.

The nature of the Azerbaijani society is such that it is impossible to reach an agreement [with them] on any matter, noted Poghosyan. There, led by [President] Ilham Aliyev, they consider the destruction of the entire Armenian nation to be the only solution to the matter.

In the MPs conviction, Armenia and Karabakh need to develop.

During that time the history textbooks in Azerbaijan may change, Azerbaijan may become a democratic country, added Tevan Poghosyan. [But] at least for us [i.e. the Armenian side], the resolution of the Karabakh conflict is not in it being unresolved.
YEREVAN. - The Russian Ministry of Justice has the list of the organizations which receive grants from non-Russian organizations. According to the Russian authorities, the latter are foreign agents.

Head of the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly, Artur Sakunts, said the aforementioned to journalists on Wednesday, commenting on the incident on banning the entry of the Head of Armenias Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation (ACGRC), Stepan Grigoryan, to the territory of Russia.

In his words, Grigoryan has a diplomatic level and in this context the statement made by the advisor to the Russian Ambassador on that this incident wont influence the Armenian-Russian relations seems odd.

Their message implies that all the criticism regarding the Russian policy doesnt interest them. That is, the Armenian-Russian relations are developing on an official level, but there can be no relations on the public and expert levels, Sakunts stated.

According to him, Grigoryans freedom to move was restricted and his right to immunity was violated due to political views.

This was an encroachment not only on Stepan Grigoryan, but also the public sector of Armenia, which has different stances.

Touching on the fact that the Armenian MFA addressed the Russian MFA, the human rights defender noted: The political authorities must make specific statements and not write letters.

For his part, political analyst Stepan Grigoryan stressed that the Russian Migration Service website mentions that he has a right to enter Russia. That is, the Migration Service gives a green light, the Russian MFA says that there are no obstacles, but I enter the country and Im basically detained and isolated.

Grigoryan is outraged by the fact that his entry to Russia is banned till 2030, while the Migration Service may deprive a specific person of this right for five years.

The notification said that I am refused to enter Russia under Articles 26 and 27. Article 27 had nothing in common with me, only the 9th point of Article 26 somehow corresponding [to my case]. The aforementioned point bans the entrance to the Russian territory of foreigners, who work or cooperate with different international organizations and NGOs, which are undesirable for Russia. But the names of the undesirable organizations were not mentioned. Personally I cooperate with different organizations.

As reported earlier, on Aug. 30 Stepan Grigoryan announced that he was not allowed to enter Russia, and as the report justifies, the ban is stipulated by the law on regulating the entry and the exit from the Russian Federation .
The fight between native SIU people and the workers continues in the North Dakota. At Standing Rock there was established a tent camp of protesters, who are arriving here with cars and horses, reports the NYDTV.

Their purpose is to hinder construction of the pipeline in that area, since it would disrupt the sacred burial ground and religious rituals that are being held there. In addition, as the Native Americans assert, the pipeline will deprive them of drinking water, since it might possibly pollute local rivers. The protests of the indigenous peoples began in August. It is supported by environmentalists and celebrities; among them are actresses Shailene Woodley and Susan Saradon .

Last weekend there took place clashes between the local people and the wardens of the constructions site. The protesters blocked the access to the construction area, after which more than 20 people were arrested . At the same time, there is initiated there on the construction of that pipeline . On Tuesday the district judge temporarily banned the construction activities. The verdict of that case will be issued on Friday . However , regardless of the decision , the Indians are going to defend their land .

The construction of more than 1,700 km long pipeline is managed by Texas Energy Transfer Partners company . According to the project it will pass along the territories of the North Dakota, South Dakota , Iowa, and Illinois.
Welcome Block Party for President Sterk Friday, Sept. 9

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Asbury Circle

Emory students, faculty and staff are invited to a block party on Friday, Sept. 9, to welcome Claire E. Sterk as the 20th president of Emory University.

At the event, set for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Asbury Circle, attendees can visit with Sterk and her husband, Rollins School of Public Health research professor Kirk W. Elifson, while enjoying live music and free food from S&J Woodfired Pizza, King of Pops and Coca-Cola.

Already a respected leader at Emory, Sterk officially assumes her new role on Sept. 1. She was chosen unanimously by the Emory University Board of Trustees after an intensive national and international search to select the successor to James Wagner, who retired after 13 years as Emory's president.

Sterk has been a member of the Emory community since 1995, when she was appointed to the faculty of the Rollins School of Public Health. During her tenure at Emory, she has served as the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Public Health, chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, associate dean for research, and senior vice provost for academic affairs. She was named provost and executive vice president for academic affairs in 2013.
The Michael C. Carlos Museum presents Family Album: New Works by Gonkar Gyatso in Collaboration with Photographer Zhadui through Nov. 27, with several events scheduled this month.

Gyatso, a Tibetan-born British artist, explores contemporary Tibetan identity through a series of large-scale photographs depicting members of a single family living in Lhasa. Inspired by the proliferation of photographic media, including fashion photography, Family Album investigates changing representations of Tibetan-ness in an increasingly interconnected, globalized world.

Gyatso composes the photographs as a family album, revealing the complex and varied roles of each family member. He examines the ways in which Lhasans wardrobes and postures gracefully adapt to professional, familial, religious and holiday settings. These multiple transformations in outward appearance may also suggest inner states and the shifts between them that Tibetans navigate on a daily basis.

In 2003, Gyatso completed his first series of photographs, My Identity, in which he explored his own personal ideological shifts across the political, social, and national boundaries that constitute Tibet. Family Album is Gyatsos second major photographic project. The photographs were taken in Lhasa in collaboration with photographer Zhadui.

One of the few artists from the Tibetan diaspora to gain international recognition, Gyatsos work often juxtaposes Buddhist iconography with the ephemera of pop culture, bridging Eastern and Western cultures in new and engaging ways.

With the help of Zhadui, I hope I was able to capture how contemporary Tibetan culture is tightly linked with the fashion and pop culture of China and the West, said Gyatso of Family Album.

Gyatsos work has been exhibited and collected in galleries and museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Public Library, the Rubin Museum of Art in New York, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He participated in the 53rd Venice Biennale, the 6th Asia Pacific Triennial in Brisbane, and the 17th Sydney Biennale.

Gyatso in residence at Emory

The Carlos Museum will host a number of educational programs in conjunction with Family Album, including the following:

On Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m., Leigh Miller, director of academic programs and adjunct professor of contemporary Buddhism at Maitripa College, discusses the artistic processes of contemporary Tibetan artists for exploring mythological and political representations of Tibetan-ness in a lecture titled Photography in Contemporary Tibetan Art: Method, Memory and Modernity.

From Sept. 18 through Sept. 24, Gyatso will be in residency at the Carlos Museum conducting a number of engaging programs for students and the public including gallery talks, a public conversation with Emorys Tara Doyle, and a participatory installation of traditional Tibetan tsa tsas.

Gyatso will set up a studio space at the museum where members of the community can make this traditional Buddhist offering made from molded clay. Typically left as offerings in the foothills of the Himalayas, this practice is believed to result in the accumulation of merit and to aid in the removal of obstacles to spiritual practice.

This residency gives us an opportunity to translate a ritual that has taken place in the Himalayas for hundreds of years and recreate it here on campus, bringing together students, faculty, staff and the Atlanta community," says Elizabeth Hornor, director of education at the Carlos Museum.

At the end of the week, hundreds of these small clay images of Buddhas and other meditational deities will be enshrined in the Baker Woodland behind the Carlos Museum where they will naturally disintegrate over time. For the full schedule of events during his residency, visit the website.

On Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m., Martin Brauen, chief curator emeritus at the Rubin Museum of Art, will explore the uses of sacred Buddhist images and ways in which contemporary artists are depicting and transforming Buddhist symbols in a lecture titled Buddha in a Shopping Bag."
The Nigerian government says it is set to launch the "Change Begins With Me'' campaign, "to entrench the values of accountability, integrity and positive attitudinal change" in Nigerians.



The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and the Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Garba Abari, made this known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.



They said the campaign was aimed at educating and enlightening Nigerians to appreciate the key values needed for national development.



The programme would be launched on Thursday in Abuja, they said.



"About three to five years back now, the role models in the society were people of doubtful character," Mr. Mohammed.



"Money was worshipped; nobody cared where and how one got the money; these are the misplaced values that we are tackling now."



He said the campaign would involve every Nigerian and address the shortcomings of every profession and jobs.



Mr. Mohammed said the campaign would also feature slogans that could be easily assimilated by the people.



"We believe that what is wrong with Nigeria is not limited to the elite, the political class and the civil service; if we want that change, therefore, it must address all the issues and target every strata of the society.''



Mr. Mohammed said the campaign was not a replication of the "War Against Indiscipline'' which the Buhari-led military administration initiated in 1983, but said it would achieve the same goal using a different means.



"In 1983, they used what they had to achieve what they wanted, which was to correct the decadence in society, tackle corruption and impunity.



"However, in the area of enforcement, people alleged infractions and intimidation.



"But here, we are going to use the media to appeal to people. We are going to use persuasion, instead of coercion and intimidation.



"Our various platforms will be radio, television, print media, bill boards, social media and the like.



"Part of our campaign will also be concerts which will be sponsored by people in the private sector.''



He said it was regrettable that corruption had done a lot of damage to every sphere of the country.



"The Fight against corruption must not begin with the government; people must be in the vanguard of fighting corruption.



"Our schools, roads, hospitals should have been better than what they are now, but corruption has stalled their development.



"What would you say about a woman who uses chemical to forcefully ripen banana and sell it to the public; what about a woman who would use a padded `mudu' to sell rice.



"A petrol attendant who would claim not to have change so that the buyer would leave the change; all these are corruption,'' Abari said.



"Nobody is happy with the way corruption has relegated the country to its present situation.



"We, the citizens, must take a second hard look at what we did wrong that we will not do tomorrow.



"The change must start with the people in the little things they do in their families, place of work and responsibilities,'' He said.
The Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry summoned Basit and "conveyed the concern of the government of India ... on the discourtesy (shown) to the Indian High Commissioner".

Basit was told that India hoped its diplomats in Pakistan would be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance.

Basit's summoning took place after Pakistani authorities cancelled a meeting Bambawale was to address in Karachi.

--IANS mr/sar

( 104 Words)

2016-09-07-16:31:57 (IANS)
Mohd Naazri Ishak Bahari, 49, was charged with providing a Maybank account with the knowledge that the facility would be used by or would benefit a terrorist group, Bernama news reported.

The offence was allegedly committed at 8.20 a.m. in Bandar Tun Razak on March 22.

Bahari, who has five children and is from Jitra, Kedah, would face 30 years of imprisonment and was liable to fine, if found guilty.

The Judicial Commissioner of the High Court set four days, from October 17, to hear the case.

The court also set October 17 to hear a preliminary objection submitted by Bahari's lawyer to quash the charge against his client.

Bahari was taken to Sungai Buloh prison.

--IANS ask/vt

( 156 Words)

2016-09-07-16:29:57 (IANS)
Bangalore (Karnataka) [India]/ Oslo [Norway], Sept. 7 (ANI-Business Wire India): Wipro Ltd. (NYSE:WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has won an IT contract from NSB Group, one of Norway's largest transportation groups. Headquartered in Oslo, NSB has extensive passenger transportation operations by way of the rail and bus, freight by rail, property management and development and train maintenance segments. As part of the three-year agreement, Wipro will implement its Boundaryless Datacenter (BLDC) and LiVE Workspace solutions and utilize its next-generation delivery framework ServiceNXT to deliver services which will help NSB variablise their IT operations. The proposed government-backed reforms in the Norwegian railway sector are expected to provide a fillip to the efficiency of the railways. The Wipro-enabled back-bone of IT infrastructure services will enable NSB to achieve greater flexibility, scalability, cost efficiency and offer an enhanced end-user experience. It will also help the company become more future-ready and competitive, in keeping with the spirit of the reforms. Trude stby Dahl, CIO, NSB Group, said, "This engagement is strategic to our business continuity operations and we believe that Wipro is the best partner for us. With our Data Center and End User Support enabled by Wipro, we can drive cost reduction and efficiencies, and most importantly, bring about joint innovations to serve our customers better." Carl-Henrik Hallstrom, Head of the Nordic Region, Wipro Limited said, "In order to keep pace with changes on the market, rising customer expectations and emerging technologies, enterprises must reinvent their traditional IT infrastructure and data center service capabilities. We are confident that Wipro's ServiceNXT framework offering will enable NSB to optimize, automate and manage its IT in an agile manner. Furthermore, this engagement reiterates our continued focus and investments in Norway and the Nordic region." "We are delighted to partner with NSB in an engagement that will have a significant positive impact on the Norwegian transportation sector and the customer experience of millions of passengers. This is a prestigious engagement for us and we look forward to leveraging our transportation sector domain expertise, coupled with our deep infrastructure services capability and technology know-how," said Srini Pallia, President - Consumer Business, Wipro Limited. NSB Group is a Nordic transportation group. Passenger transport by bus and rail and freight traffic by rail, property development and train maintenance are the main activities. The bus operations in NSB Group are performed by fully owned subsidiary Nettbuss. Passenger operations in NSB Group consist of NSB AS, with subsidiaries NSB Gjvikbanen AS and Tagkompaniet AB. Freight: Freight operations in NSB are performed by CargoNet. Real estate: ROM Eiendom AS develops, operates and maintains property. Maintenance: Mantena AS operates the maintenance of rolling stock in Norway and Sweden Tourism: The NSB Group is establishing a new business area: Tourism. The business will be based on the current tourism products Bergen Railway and Flam Railway. NSB has an ambition to take a leading position in the tourism market in the fjord segment in Norway. Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better. Wipro delivers winning business outcomes through its deep industry experience and a 360-degree view of "Business through Technology." By combining digital strategy, customer-centric design, advanced analytics and product engineering approach, Wipro helps its clients create successful and adaptive businesses. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, Wipro has a dedicated workforce of over 170,000, serving clients across 6 continents. For more information, please visit www.wipro.com Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. 7 (ANI-Business Wire India)
The Island, a sub-division now, will also be declared a full-fledged district.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and most ministers in his cabinet have already reached the Island.

This is the first time a cabinet meeting will be held in the Island, which was the top seat of neo-Vaishnavite culture propagated by the 15th century saint, Srimanta Sankardev.

"Majuli will become the nerve centre of governance in the state and people will have to help in realizing the true potential of Majuli," the Chief Minister told the media.

--IANS ah/mr

( 115 Words)

2016-09-07-20:29:56 (IANS)
After issuing a notice to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Supreme Court today will hear a plea against him in the fodder scam case. The fodder scam involved the embezzlement of about Rs. 9.4 billion from the government treasury of Bihar. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed plea in the apex court against dropping of conspiracy charge against him by the Jharkhand High Court in one of the fodder scam cases. CBI filed the latest appeal against the Jharkhand High Court order upholding the agency's plea to continue proceedings in the trial court against Prasad under two sections, while dropping other charges on the grounds that a person cannot be tried twice for the same offence. The High Court had ordered that proceedings against him be continued under IPC sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed or giving false information) and 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment, and in such attempt doing any act towards the commission of the offence). The charges are in connection with the case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 96 lakh during the chief ministerial tenure of the RJD chief. The fodder scam relates to fraudulent withdrawal of around 1,000 crore rupees by the Animal Husbandry department from various districts when Lalu was the Bihar chief minister from 1990 to 1997. On October 3, 2013, Lalu was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in another case of fodder scam by a special CBI court, which had disqualified him from membership of Parliament and also rendered him ineligible for contesting elections for 11 years. Besides Lalu, six other politicians and four retired IAS officers were also sentenced to prison terms for fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa treasury (now in Jharkhand) when Lalu was heading the Janta Dal government in the early 1990s in erstwhile Bihar. (ANI)
The tribunal had on July 18 asked the Delhi's transport authorities to cancel registration of diesel-fuelled vehicles that were older than 10 years.

Two days later, it asked the Delhi Government to first focus on vehicles order than 15 years.

The Centre was expected to oppose the tribunal's order to phase out more than 15 years old diesel vehicles in Delhi.

The Union Government had on July 29 challenged the NGT's order to phase out diesel vehicles, saying there was no legal provision for the move described by a carmaker as a "corporate death penalty".

The Supreme Court has also stopped registration of new diesel vehicles with engine capacity of 2000CC and above and ordered all diesel taxis to convert to compressed natural gas.

Vehicular emissions are among the main causes of air pollution and diesel one of the biggest contributors. (ANI)
Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi will also be present during the meeting.

This development comes after Rajnath briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday on the situation in Kashmir after returning from a two-day visit to the State.

"Briefed the Prime Minister on all-party delegation's visit to J&K and also apprised him of the situation in the State," Mr. Singh said in a tweet after the meeting at the Prime Minister's residence.

The delegation concluded its visit on Monday with no breakthrough as the Hurriyat leaders refused to interact with the representatives.

Last month, Army Chief Suhag, who was in Kashmir taking stock of the situation, told the security forces to exercise maximum possible restraint while dealing with mobs in the unrest and uphold human rights. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Laos's capital Vientiane today to attend the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN-India Summit. In his pre-departure message, the Prime Minister has said that ASEAN is a key partner for India's Act East Policy, which is vital for the economic development of country's North-eastern region. In a Facebook post, he said, strategic partnership with ASEAN is also important for safeguarding and promoting India's security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region. On East Asia Summit, the Prime Minister said, it is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region. He also said, India's ties with the countries of South East Asia are truly historic and country's engagement and approach can be best encapsulated in just one word - connectivity. "India wants to enhance physical and digital connectivity in the region, enhance people to people links and also strengthen institutional linkages and leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit of the people in the region," he said. The Prime Minister will attend the 11th East Asia Summit on Thursday on whose sidelines, he will hold bilateral meetings with several leaders. India's engagement with ASEAN and the wider Asia Pacific Region has acquired further momentum following the enunciation of the Act East Policy by the Prime Minister. Indian Ambassador to ASEAN Suresh Kumar Reddy told the media that the ASEAN summit is expected to set the agenda for further strengthening the ties which will help India to achieve its objectives for Socio-Economic Growth. Reddy further said that the summit will provide valuable partners to India who can bring technology, resources and who can support Indian industries, adding that the areas in which further cooperation between India & ASEAN countries are required are Agriculture, Climate Change, Non-traditional security areas, and cyber crimes and strengthening connectivity. During the summit, the world leaders will review the progress of implementation of the ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025. The ASEAN leaders are scheduled to meet the heads of state, government of ASEAN dialogue partners which include China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia and the United States. (ANI)
President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday greeted the government and the people of Brazil on their Independence Day. "Warm greetings to government and people of Federative Republic of Brazil on their Independence Day," the President tweeted. Brazil gained independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822. --IANS rak/ksk ( 57 Words) 2016-09-07-10:11:56 (IANS)
Three security personnel were injured, one of them critically, in a militant attack in the frontier district of Kupwara today, official source said. They said militants attacked a security force convoy at Kralgund in the Kupwara district causing injuries to three soldiers. Security forces also retaliated and the exchange of fire continued for some time. The injured, one of them critically were admitted to hospital. Additional security forces were rushed to the area and a massive hunt has been launched to nab the militants. This was the second militant attack on security force convoy since July 9, when the unrest started in the Kashmir valley during which 75 people were killed and over 7000 others wounded in security force actions. Two soldiers and a police personnel were killed when militants ambushed an army convoy at Khwaja Bagh in Baramulla on August 17. UNI BAS ADG PM0958 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-922214.Xml
Uttar Pradesh police, one of the largest police force in the world today created a sorts of record when it became first police force in the country to get a separate twitter service. The decision to given the facilities was made after Twitter was impressed by the success of UP police force in addressing complaints received by twitter. The twitter service was launched here today in the presence of Twitter India vice-president Rishi Jaitley, CEO, Rahil Khursheed and state Director General of Police (DGP) Jaweed Ahmad here . After the launching of this service, UP has become the first state of the country where twitter services will be used by all district police. At present, the Foreign Ministry, Railways, commercial and passport offices are using this facility. According to officials here, under this service, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform will be offered to the complainants to address their problems in a methodical way. The officials will also be able to review the progress report of the grievance redressal. For this, a code will be generated after a person lodges a complaint and it will be tracked by the monitoring authorities. The facility will also quickly read the progress report and find out the number of complaintsaddressed.The police will also track trend of crime and complaints with the help of this service. UNI MB ADG PM1128 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-922233.Xml
Karnataka Government, complying with the direction ofthe Supreme Court has commenced release of water from its reservoirsin the Cauvery Basin to Tamil Nadu despite protests and grave distress situation within the state. A top ranking government official indicated here today thattaking into account the water level in the four reservoirs, ofKabini, KRS, Harangi and Hemavathi, water was being released on aprorata basis. The official said that even though some of the opposition partyleaders asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to release water, thegovernment being a constitutionally instituted one could not defythe Supreme Court order of September 2. However Mr Siddaramaiahhas already indicated that the government would seek the Apex Courtto modify its order of directing Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecsof water for ten days. The government would file the petitionseeking the modification soon. At the same time it would alsoapproach the supervisory Committee to take into consideration thecurrent distress situation and come out with its verdict. The state felt that while Karnataka was in distress, thesituation was not that alarming in Tamil Nadu as it was beingpointed out by the neighbouring state.MORE UNI CNR/BSP CS 1140 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0287-922337.Xml
Concerned by the growing attacks on policemen, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday called on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking a solution to the problem. Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio in the alliance government between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party, met Thackeray and a delegation of policemen's wives at his official residence. "The CM'S response was very positive to the serious issue and he promised to look into all our demands," Thackeray said after emerging from the meeting in which he led the delegation. He reiterated the demand for a separate full-time minister to handle the home department, citing grounds that the CM was already overloaded with other work. "If the policemen themselves don't feel secure, how will they carry out their duties of protecting the people? Attacks must stop and action must be taken against the perpetrators," Uddhav pointed out. He said he had raised the entire gamut of issues concerning police including housing problems. For starters, Fadnavis agreed to set up a committee comprising government officials and policemen's representatives to curb the growing attacks on policemen across the state which has claimed at least one life. Fadnavis highlighted the various schemes for police welfare taken up by the state government, a Rs 2,000 provision for housing and upcoming health initiatives for police. The opposition parties in the state including the Congress have also expressed concern at the growing attacks on the police. Several incidents of attacks on police personnel in recent weeks have led to rage among the policemen. A Mumbai traffic policeman, Vilas Shinde, 51, was brutally attacked by two youths on August 23 when he hauled them up for driving without wearing helmet. He died on August 31. A shocking incident of an attempt to kill a policeman, Nitin Dagle, by drowning came to light on September 6 during the first phase of Ganpati immersions on Tuesday in Kalyan. He escaped with help from some people. Earlier this week in Nashik, an overloaded autorickshaw driver rammed into an on duty policemen who tried to stop him from plying with extra passengers. Another policeman, Bhausaheb Chattar, was pushed around and abused when he stopped three youths from illegally riding triple-seat on a motorcycle in Nashik. In Jalna, a policeman, Vidyanant Kale, has threatened to commit suicide along with family following alleged torture and harassment by a local BJP legislator, Narayan Kuche. On Tuesday, a policewoman on duty in Vile Parle was abused and assaulted by a woman scooterist when she was stopped for driving without helmet. Last week, a speeding biker in Kurla rammed his vehicle into a policeman, Devidas Nimbalkar, when he attempted to stop him during a checking drive. --IANS qn/mr ( 463 Words) 2016-09-07-13:11:57 (IANS)
"Our ministers have done less foreign trips compared to other governments. Foreign tours are done only when required, that too with consent," Jain told reporters.

He added if any Delhi minister went abroad for personal work, he paid for it.

Jain's comments came two days after Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung on Monday asked the Delhi government to provide details of foreign tours by ministers, their staff and officials.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Jain returned to New Delhi on Tuesday from Vatican City after attending Mother Teresa's canonisation ceremony.

This was Kejriwal's first visit to any foreign country after becoming Chief Minister in February 2015. His deputy Manish Sisodia and Jain have travelled abroad four times each.

--IANS am/mr

( 155 Words)

2016-09-07-13:21:57 (IANS)
In a drive against smuggling of liquor into 'dry' Bihar, a huge consignment of foreign liquor was seized and three bootleggers were arrested under Sadar police station area in Vaishali district today.Police said here that 279 bottles of foreign liquor were seized from a house at Daulatpur village in the district. Three smugglers, identified as Sanjay Kumar, Bihari Sah and Dharmveer Bhagat, were arrested from the spot.Nabbed bootleggers revealed during interrogation that they used to smuggle liquor from Gorakhpur in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and used to sell it to local people at high prices. An intensive interrogation of smugglers is on to get vital clues from them. UNI XC DH AD SV ADG NS1346 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-922420.Xml
According to police, on August 20, 2016 priest of Aagyari temple Homiyar Homi Sidhva lodged a complaint in police station that an unknown person broke the two donation boxes and decamped cash Rs 1.82 lakh from them.

Police had registered a complaint and ordered Sidhva not to leave the Deolali camp area.The Police kept a watch on the priest.

Suspected priest Homiyar Sidhva tried to ran away with the money bag but the Police caught him and seized the bag containing Rs 1.82 lakh.

Police has filed a case against him. Further investigations are on.UNI RDS PY ADG1356

-- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-922470.Xml
Stating that the onus of acting immediately to regain trust in Jammu and Kashmir lay with the government, he denied reports that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh warned of a crackdown on Kashmiri separatists, saying these were ''absolutely wrong''.

He was talking to reporters after an all-party meeting on Kashmir met here to discuss the future agenda in the light of the assessment of the situation in the state by an all-party delegation that visited the Valley on Sunday.

The Home Minister had yesterday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the outcome of the delegation that went there as part of efforts to bring peace to the trouble-torn state.

Mr Yechury had, along with two other MPs JD-U leader Sharad Yadav and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, attempted to reach out to separatists but were rebuffed during the two-day delegation that visited Srinagar.

The Left leader has been insisting that the Centre start unconditional talks with all Kashmir stakeholders.UNI SD SW SB 1500

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0005-922595.Xml
Normal life was thrown out of gearin the cauvery belt of Karnataka as farmers intensified theiragitation for the second day protesting against release of water toTamil Nadu from the river. Police lathicharged agitators who attempted to attack PWDoffice here. The agitators also attacked shops and the Basaveswaracircle looked like virtual war zone with various organisations andfarmers continued protest and no vehicles allowed to pass throughthe city. While Bengaluru-Mysuru state highway was blocked by farmers whosquatted on the the highway at several places, Karnataka RakshanaVedike activists attempted to stop Chennai bound Shatabdi and LalBagh express at Sangoli Rayana Railway Station in Bengaluru. Morethan 50 activists were taken into custody by the Police and enabledtrain service to resume. Spearheading the agitation, Mandya Cauvery Hitha Rakshna samitiPresident G Made Gowda demanded the ruling Congress governmentheaded by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to immediately stop release of water. He threatened that agitators would lay siege to Krishna RajaSagar (KRS) and the State government would be held responsible forthe consequences. He alleged that Mr Siddaramaiah by releasing water had failed tokeep up his promise to the State farmers and thus in the name ofcomplying with Supreme Court direction has cheated the people of Karnataka. Mr Made Gowda announced that the agitation would continue untilthe issue is resolved and release of water is stopped. He called uponthe farmers and others to take up hunger strike in the talukheadquarters itself and it should in a peaceful manner. The agitators started cooking on the middle of the road bycutting vegetables. An attempt to commit suicide by a farmer by jumping into Cauveryriver near KRS was scuttled by the Police who immediately jumpedinto the river and rescued and admitted him to hospital. Similarincident occurred when a farmer jumped into the river last night atSrirangapatna, was also rescued. Despite ban orders around the KRS Reservoir, a large number offarmers converged near the dam and tried to enter removingbarricades. The police had a tough time in controlling the determinedagitators to enter the KRS Reservoir defying Prohibitory orders.MORE UNI BSP/MSP CNR CS 1531 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0287-922718.Xml
Seeking immediate intervention to stop use of lethal force in the Valley, a group of intellectuals, including former bureaucrats and judges, urged President Pranab Mukherjee to impress upon the Centre to initiate result-oriented dialogue with all stakeholders for a lasting solution to Kashmir dispute, within a reasonable time-frame. As many as 22 people, including former bureaucrats, Judges and top journalists of Jammu and Kashmir, under the banner of 'Group of Concerned Citizens,' have sent a memorandum to the President, urging him to impress upon the 'Government of India to initiate and announce, direct, immediate, purposeful and result-oriented dialogue with all the stakeholders, especially those with whom such dialogues have been held in 2004 and 2007 for a lasting solution of Kashmir Dispute within a reasonable time frame'. In the memorandum, the Group of Concerned Citizens suggested several Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to create conducive atmosphere for conducting a successful dialogue. Besides suggesting reduction in the footprints of Army, Para-military Forces and Security Forces, especially in civilian areas and relocation of such forces, the group also demanded repealing of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, J&K Disturbed Areas Act, and other laws, rules, notifications and orders, which were in conflict with the concept of Rule of Law. The memorandum further urged the President to impress upon the government to appoint a Commission of Inquiry (CoI), headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court (SC) to inquire into all civilian killings, blinding (total and partial), maiming, grievous hurt caused by security forces, police firing and other crowd control measures. The group urged Mr Mukherjee to ''appoint a Commission of Inquiry headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court to inquire into all civilian killings, blinding (total and partial), maiming, grievous hurt caused by Security Forces and Police firing, other crowd control measures and nocturnal raids, damage to movable and immovable property during such raids, on and after July 8 till the Commission initiates its proceedings, and to fix the responsibility for the excesses committed by the Security Forces and Police.'' It said the Commission should be asked to determine compensation to be paid to the dependents of the deceased and each of the victims, and the persons whose property was damaged during the alleged nocturnal raids, having regard to the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court (SC) and High Courts from time to time and asked the President to direct both the Central and State Governments to pay compensation so determined, to the concerned.MORE UNI ABS RJ SB 1625 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-922707.Xml
In some areas, rain water also entered the residential areas, leaving locals in a distressed situation.

The torrential rains also led to cancellation of a few trains.

Keeping in view the situation, the local administration has shut down all schools till the situation comes under control.

The continuous rainfall has affected 31 districts of the state. However, the flood situation remained grim in Bhagalpur, Madhubani, Khagaria and Katihar as rivers in some parts of these districts are still swelling and flowing above the danger mark.

Meanwhile, death toll in the current floods touched over 200.

As per the report, the floods have damaged more than 24,000 houses and destroyed standing crops planted in over 308,000 hectares of land.(ANI)
Describing the Narendra Modi government's policy towards Pakistan as being 'schizophrenic' and marked by 'flip flops', the Congress today said it was a government of 'self, selfie and self interest' that works in their own interest. Talking to reporters here, AICC spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said, "In the past two years, we have seen a lot of flip flops by this government on the Pakistan policy. The most recent is on the issue of whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will go to Pakistan. "Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale said that the Prime Minister looks forward to visit Pakistan. However, soon after, the External Affairs Ministry said it is not possible to plan so far in the future.'' In this context, the Congress spokesperson said there was no coordination between the BJP and the PDP, who are coalition partners in Jammu and Kashmir, on talks with Pakistan. "The PDP-BJP common minimum programme says that talks should be held with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. In fact, late J and K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Syeed had said at a function, in presence of the Prime Minister, that talks be held with Pakistan on Kashmir. "However, the BJP leaders have been expressing reservations over this. This shows the contradictions within the BJP-PDP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir. This is a self, selfie, self-interest government that is working only in their own interests,'' Mr Kumar said. Mr Kumar, however, said the stand of the Congress on the issue was that there should be no talks on Kashmir with a third party. The Congress spokesperson said the flip flops by this government on Pakistan had resulted in a situation wherein China recently referred to PoK as 'Pakistan-controlled Kashmir'. "It is for the first time that China has referred to it as 'Pakistan-controlled Kashmir'. Also, the United Nations, which has never made a statement on Kashmir, recently made a statement on the issue,'' he said and stressed the need for a coherent policy towards Pakistan.UNI AR SW SB 1630 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-923218.Xml
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today said that 'all good leaders' from all parties should join AAP and extend their support. Speaking to reporters here, he said, ''There are many 'good leaders' in other parties also. I think they should come to AAP and support us. AAP volunteers will welcome them.'' He was asked whether the party would extend support to former RSS Goa chief Subhash Velingkar who has reinstated himelf to the post. Mr Velinkar has criticised BJP leaders and the government for not fulfilling promise on Medium of Instruction (MOI) in primary schools. Mr Sisodia, who is on a two-day visit to the state, said what was going on between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP was a matter of the two organisations and AAP would notindulge in mud-slinging. AAP has announced to contest all the 40 assembly seats in the state which will go to polls early next year. The party has started campaigning in the state which has been visited by AAP National Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thrice.UNI AKM SS RAI1741 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0129-923138.Xml
To commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar by the Punjab Government third seminar was organised on "Dr B R Ambedkar and Media" in which the Governor of Himachal Pradesh Acharya Devrat advocated implementation of vision and ideology of Baba Sahib in true spirit and manner. Addressing a large gathering of students and eminent scholars along with Union Minister of State Vijay Sampla, Speaker of Punjab Assembly Charnjit Singh Atwal and Cabinet Minister Sohan Singh Thandal, he said Dr Ambedkar had firmly pitched for freedom of press while drafting the constitution of India by including "Freedom of speech and Expression" as fundamental rights. Calling to wipe out casteism as per the vision of Baba Sahib to ensure uplift of weaker sections, Mr Acharya said Dr Ambedkar was not only a politician, but also an eminent jurist and his efforts to eradicate social evils like untouchability was remarkable. Taking part in the discussion, Speaker of Punjab Assembly, Dr Charanjit Singh Atwal informed that Punjab Government had decided to set up the sculpture of 'Baba Sahib' in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, besides dedicating a complete session in Vidhan Sabha to discuss the Baba Sahib's Philosophy, its implementation in modern day society. He said "keeping in view the importance of media to spread the awareness among masses, Dr Ambedkar had launched news papers namely Prabhusatta, Janta, Samta and Mooknaik,among whers. Earlier, Mr Sampla said to erase inequality in society, education must be provided to all without any discrimination. He also said the Centre would organise a state-level function to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Baba Sahib with cooperation of the state Government. Tourism Minister of Punjab Sohan Singh Thandal, MLA Pawan Kumar Tinnu, MLA Sarwan Singh Phillaur, MLA Som Parkash also addressed the gathering. Chairman SC Commission Punjab and Chief Patron of Punjab Government Committee for the Commemoration of 125th birth anniversary of Baba Sahib, Rajesh Bagha informed that six seminars would be organised in universities to spread the ideology of Dr Ambedkar, especially among young generations. A technical session was also organised to aware the people about the different aspects of Baba Sahib ideology, in which Dr B A Chopade VC Dr Baba Sahib Ambedkar University Marathwara, Philospher Dr Dilip Mundal Writer Dr Manmohan Singh, Puran Mahram Registrar Nagpur University, Writer Des Raj Kali.UNI XC PR SB AN2004 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0292-923279.Xml
The two, Akash Sharma and Vikas Yadav, covered various cities before reaching Bhopal. They are to cover many districts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh during their journey.

Chouhan praised their zeal and appreciated them for the initiative.

On August 28, the two launched the yatra and aim to cover 1,200 km distance.

Their green yatra will pass through Vidisha, Bina, Lalitpur, Jhansi and Gwalior, and return to Bhind.

They interact with people along the way and spread the message of environmental conservation.

--IANS hindi-sanjeev/rn/vm

( 127 Words)

2016-09-07-21:27:59 (IANS)
Senior leader of Samajwadi Party (SP) Suryakant Pandey today declared to resign from the party.Mr Pandey said that he had word with the SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav some days ago. He said to Mr. Yadav that he was always been loyal to the party but he was ignored after the SP came in power so he has decided to quit the party.Sources said that Mr. Pandey might join Communist Party of India (CPI) on September 19 in a programme of Kanhaiya Kumar, student leader of Jawaharlal Nehru University.UNI XC-JDM MB JW RSA 2147 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-923719.Xml
A team of CID sleuths of Karnataka Police today met top police officials of Special Investigation Team of the city police and sought details pertaining to SIT's ongoing investigation of Dr Virendra Tawade, a suspect in rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar murder case and who has been re-arrested in connection with senior CPI leader Govind Pansare murder case, to establish his alleged link in the murder of Kannada scholar and thinker Dr M M Kalburgi. The Karnataka Police were trying to get information whether Dr Tawade has any information about murder of Dr Kalburgi, who was shot dead on August 30 last year in Dharwad of that state. A year since the murder, the Karnataka Police could not trace the perpetrator(s) of this murder. Against this background, the Karnataka Police is hoping to find some clues from SIT of Kolhapur Police on the similarity found in the murder of three progressive thinkers -- Dr Dabholkar, Pansare and Dr Kalburgi -- with use of same pistol in these three murders.UNI SSS RSA AN2119 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-923429.Xml
Haryana Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu today dismissed the allegations levelled against him by Congress MLA Karan Dalal as false, baseless and intended to cause mischief and hurt, and warned that he would file a defamation case against him if he did not desist from doing so. Stating this here, the minister said he was an honest politician and believed in serving the people in right earnest in keeping with the credo of the BJP government. Mr Dalal is making allegations just to stay in the news. Capt Abhimanyu said the BJP government did not indulge in any kind of favouritism or nepotism during its 22-month regime and had followed the policy of zero tolerance towards corruption. "As leaders like Mr Dalal cannot digest this and do not have any issue to rake up or level any charge against the government, they are now levelling allegations individuals which are divorced from truth," he added. Within a span of one week, Mr Dalal has repeated the allegations he had levelled against him before. "That he has repeated the allegations makes it clear he is doing so just to stay in the news by indulging in 'shoot and scoot' politics. A privilege motion had been passed against the MLA in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha for this very reason", the minister said. Since the BJP came to power, there has been no instance of any member of his family receiving any kind of benefits. The tenders being quoted by Mr Dalal relate to the regime of the Congress government and had been executed under the prescribed competitive process. Politics and business are separate topics for him, and his businesses are being run by members of his family while remaining within the limits of law. Having adopted purity and transparency in his political and personal lives, he left his business and entered politics to serve the country. But Congress leaders always consider politics as business and tend to look at other leaders in same light, Capt Abhimanyu said. Mr Karan Dalal knows neither the law nor decorum, and he should better seek legal recourse instead of going to the media if he feels that some illegal activity is being carried out, he added. Earlier in the day, Karan Singh Dalal at a press conference here alleged that Captain Abhimanyu was involved in the mining scam. He said that contracts worth several crores of rupees were given to Captain Abhimanyu's company Shyam Indus by the power corporations in Haryana. The Congress MLA said a person entering into a contract with the government should be disqualified to be an MLA. He said since Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki has not responded to his earlier complaints against the minister, he will now write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.UNI DB RSA BD2148 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0292-923599.Xml
Odisha participated in Indian Ocean wide tsunami mock drill conducted today based on scenario of 9.2 magnitude earthquake with epicentre at Sumatra, Indonesia triggering tsunami. The purpose of this Indian Ocean-wide drill is to increase tsunami preparedness, evaluate response capabilities and improve coordination throughout the region. The aim is to exercise all levels of the tsunami warning and response chain, with a primary focus on the local coastal community level. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and subsequent events in the Indian and Pacific Oceans have brought to the attention of the world the urgent need to be more prepared for such events. This important drill will test the current procedures of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System and help identify operational strengths and weaknesses in each state and country. The drill, titled Exercise Indian Ocean Wave 2016 (IOWave16), will simulate Indian Ocean countries being put into a Tsunami Warning situation requiring government decision making. During the drill the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) at Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad provided simulated tsunami threat information to all coastal states of India including Odisha and to other countries in the Indian Ocean region. Each State/District has evaluated the information and disseminated to the disaster response agencies and coastal communities participating in the drill. In Odisha, Tsunami Mock Drill was conducted today in 328 villages within 1.5 km of the coastline under 22 coastal Blocks in 6 districts such as Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri & Ganjam. The process of mock drill commenced at 0830 hrs with receipt of First Test Bulletin from INCOIS by the State Emergency Operation Centre which was immediately transmitted to districts. Then, a series of messages followed. Alert/ Warning Messages received from INCOIS were promptly communicated to the Collectors for taking preparedness and evacuation measures at the Village level. The District EOCs immediately transmitted such messages to the community through Blocks and other modes. Finally, Community Members executed the drill with token evacuations and other activities. Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority(OSDMA) took the lead role in organizing the entire exercise in the State. The Mock Drill ended at 2030 hrs with the issue of De warning and all clear message by INCOIS which was forwarded to all concerned by the State Emergency Operation Centre. Senior Officers from SRC Office & NDRF coordinated the mock exercise from the State Emergency Operation Centre in the office of the Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha. Emergency Operation Centres at District & Block levels in the six districts were involved along with District level officials from Line Departments in the mock drill. Response Team from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) & Fire Service participated in this mock exercise. The IMD, East Coast Railway, Air Port Authority of India, Indian Coast Guard and others also participated in the drill. These disaster response forces also exhibited search and rescue drills at the community level. UNI DP JW RSA 2253 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-923749.Xml
Aam Aadmi Party condemned the police lathi charge on the Members of Chandigarh-Punjab Journalists Association (CPJA) when they were heading to gherao the house of Punjab cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia today at Amritsar. AAP Punjab convenor Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi termed the police action as attack on the fourth pillar of democracy by the Akali-BJP government. Ghuggi said that the Badals and their relatives have no respect for the democratic setup of the country. He said that the law and order situation in the state has gone from bad to worst in the present regime. A journalist from Makhu Joginder Khaira was badly injured in the police action while president of the association Jasbir Singh Patti, Jagjit Singh Jagga, Sunny Sahota, Rajesh Sharma, Jagdish Singh Bamrah, Jatinder Pal Mehta and Balwinder Bhalla received injuries. Ghuggi demanded strict action against the police officers responsible for the brutal attack on the journalists. and immediate removal of DSP Balkrishan Singla for thrashing the journalists raising their genuine demands. He also said journalist Sunny Sahota arrested by DSP Singla should be released. UNI XC RSA BD2210 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0292-923649.Xml
Spanish authorities said today they had rescued 177 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa on six boats off the southern Mediterranean coast.Spain's maritime rescue service said it had spotted some of the boats by airplane. It sent ships to carry out the rescues at various points on the country's southern shore, including near Malaga. There were eight minors among those rescued, it added.In 2015, 3,845 migrants entered Spain via sea crossings, according to the International Organization for Migration, a tiny fraction of the 956,000 that reached Europe the same way.Other boats have been intercepted recently off Spain, including when some 50 migrants were rescued in August, some of whom had attempted to cross from Morocco's northern coast. REUTERS PS 0018 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-922141.Xml
The United States is making progress in talks with Russia over how to achieve a cessation of hostilities in the Syria conflict, but is not willing to settle for less than a clear path toward achieving that aim, the US State Department said today.State Department spokesman Mark Toner initially said the United States would not settle for a less than ideal agreement, but he later clarified that Washington needed a clear path forward toward achieving a nationwide cessation of hostilities in order to reach a deal on Syria. REUTERS PS 0019 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-922142.Xml
The United States voiced concern today about the detention of leading Bahraini democracy campaigner Nabeel Rajab and called on the Manama government to release him immediately.The call by the US State Department came just two days after The New York Times published a letter by Rajab that said he was facing prosecution for his work exposing human rights abuses in Bahrain and criticizing the war in Yemen.Prosecutors in Bahrain filed new charges yesterday against an unidentified man, believed by rights activists to be Rajab, for "publishing a column in a foreign newspaper in which he deliberately broadcast news, statements and false rumors that undermine the kingdom's prestige and stature."Asked about the new charges, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the United States was "very concerned" about Rajab's "ongoing detention and the new charges filed against him.""We call on the government of Bahrain to release him immediately," Toner said. "We have concerns about the state of human rights in general in Bahrain and we're engaging with the government ... on all these issues."Rajab said in his letter to the Times that he had been detained, mostly in isolation, in Bahrain since the beginning of the summer. He said Bahrain had some 4,000 political prisoners and the highest prison population per capita in the Middle East."This is a country that has subjected its people to imprisonment, torture and even death for daring to desire democracy," Rajab wrote. He said he also was accused of "insulting a neighboring country," Saudi Arabia, by sending notes on Twitter calling for an end to the war in Yemen.Rajab, who met with US Secretary of State John Kerry earlier this year, was critical of the United States for selling billions of dollars worth of arms to Saudi Arabia for the Yemen conflict.Rajab said recent strong US statements on Bahrain's human rights problems were good "but unless the United States is willing to use its leverage, fine words have little effect." He urged US President Barack Obama to use American influence to resolve the Yemen conflict.Opposition political groups in Bahrain staged large protests during the Arab Spring of 2011, when demonstrators across the Arab world took to the streets calling for greater democracy. The protests in Bahrain were put down when neighboring Saudi Arabia sent troops to restore order.Political tensions have continued since then in Bahrain, which is home to the US Fifth Fleet. REUTERS PS 0245 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-922154.Xml
The government of Brazil's new President Michel Temer scrambled today to distance itself from a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal that broke less than a week after he took office, involving fraud in the country's largest pension funds.With the country already reeling from a sprawling bribery and kickback scandal at state oil company Petrobras, the new corruption case could hamper the conservative Temer's efforts to restore credibility and turn the page on the leftist government of impeached President Dilma Rousseff.Police yesterday arrested five people linked to fraudulent investments made by four huge pension funds of state-run companies. The investigation snared dozens of businessmen and fund managers suspected of involvement in a fraud scheme valued at around 8 billion reais ( 2.5 billion dollars), including the chief executive of the world's biggest beef exporter.The coveted appointments of directors to the funds' boards were made by political parties and the probe is expected to spread to Brazil's political establishment, where some 50 politicians are already under investigation in the Petrobras scandal.Temer's office said the appointments were made during the 13 years of Workers Party rule that ended with Rousseff's removal from office last week, and the "irregularities" uncovered by the police had nothing to do with the current administration."The Workers Party appointed the pension fund directors from the moment it took office in 2003 and they were closely linked to the unions," said a Temer aide who asked not to be named."The Workers Party was responsible for the big loss suffered, ironically, by the workers of the state companies who were saving for their retirement," the aide said. "This has not even scratched the image of the new government."Temer's government will press for a thorough investigation as it pushes through proposed legislation that will depoliticize the appointment to directors of state companies, he said.The investigation focuses on investments in overpriced assets, including private equity funds with artificially inflated share prices, according to the federal police.The Workers Party declined to comment on the investigation but its president, Rui Falcao, denounced as "arbitrary" a raid and seizure of documents at the home of the party's former treasurer Joao Vaccari, jailed a year ago in the Petrobras scandal.POLITICAL INTERFERENCEPolitical observers in Brasilia doubt that Temer's Brazilian Democratic Movement Party will emerge unscathed from the new scandal, since it shared power with the Workers Party during the years the fraud allegedly took place. The party has also been deeply implicated in the Petrobras scandal.The state-company pension funds, flush with cash, have long been vulnerable to political interference and dogged by suspicions of fraud, said political risk consultant Andre Cesar."The 8 billion reais is just the tip of the iceberg. They have opened a Pandora's Box and names of politicians will inevitably appear sooner or later," Cesar said.Even if nobody in Temer's government is implicated, the new scandal underscores some of the unsavory ties between business and political interests in Brazil that have undermined confidence in Latin America's largest economy."What are voters going to think? We just got rid of one government and corruption continues just the same in the new one," Cesar said.The pension funds caught up in the investigation are those of state-run banks Banco do Brasil and Caixa Economica Federal, the postal service Correios and oil company Petrobras, or Petroleo Brasileiro SA. The funds have said they are cooperating with the investigation.The funds, which controlled 280 billion reais in assets last year, have been an important source of investment in Brazil's credit-starved economy, now in its second year of recession.REUTERS PS -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-922155.Xml
Brazilian prosecutors said they had charged Forjas Taurus SA, Latin America's largest gun maker, in May for dealing with a known Yemeni arms trafficker in violation of international sanctions, prompting the company's shares to plunge.Taurus confirmed on Monday a Reuters report that two former executives had been charged over a deal in 2013 that allegedly sent arms to Yemen's civil war, but the company said it was only a concerned party in the case."Although the company and its management are not parties in the proceedings, as soon as the company learned of the case, which could harm its reputation, it requested and was granted the status of concerned party to clarify the facts and help the investigation," Taurus said in a late Monday securities filing.The company declined to comment immediately on the statement by prosecutors yesterday.Taurus shares plunged 8 per cent yesterday, their biggest drop in 16 months.The case against Taurus, currently sealed by a judge in the southern city of Porto Alegre, near Taurus headquarters, according to prosecutors, underscores concerns about fallout for the firm, which benefits from its designation as a strategic defense company by the Brazilian government.Taurus is a major supplier of firearms to Brazil's police and military and one of the top five makers of handguns in the US market, where it sells nearly three-quarters of its output.REUTERS PS 0407 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-922159.Xml
A suicide bomb attack on the Chinese embassy in the Kyrgyz capital last week was ordered by Uighur militants active in Syria and carried out by a member of the East Turkestan Islamic movement, Kyrgyzstan's state security service said.The suicide bomber, whose car rammed the gates of the embassy on August 30, was an ethnic Uighur who held a Tajik passport in the name of Zoir Khalilov, the GKNB security service said in a statement.Three embassy staff suffered minor injuries in the attack and were taken to hospital. China condemned the attack and urged Kyrgyz authorities to quickly investigate."The investigation established that the terrorist act was ordered by Uighur terrorist groups active in Syria and affiliated to the terrorist organisation the Nusra Front whose emissaries ... financed the terrorist action," the GKNB said.Listed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and Russia, the Nusra Front has renamed itself Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and said in July it had ended its relationship with al Qaeda.The attack on the Chinese embassy was coordinated through a native of Kyrgyzstan living in Turkey, the Kyrgyz secret service said.It said an arrest warrant had been issued for another native of southern Kyrgyzstan, an explosives specialist trained in Syria and holder of a Tajik passport, who helped to prepare the attack but flew to Istanbul several hours before the explosion.Five Kyrgyz citizens suspected of complicity in the bomb attack have been detained, the GKNB said. An international arrest warrant has been issued for two other Kyrgyz citizens living in Turkey, it said.Apart from the ethnic Uighur suspected of having carried out the attack, all the others accused of ordering, financing and preparing it come from two southern Kyrgyz regions in the Ferghana Valley.The fertile but overpopulated and largely impoverished valley, which Kyrgyzstan shares with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan has become a source of radical Islamists in Central Asia, from where hundreds of young people have gone to fight for Islamic State and its allies in Syria.Kyrgyzstan shares a remote, mountainous border with China's Xinjiang province where Beijing has fought ethnic Uighur separatists for decades. REUTERS DS PM1119 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-922270.Xml
Austria's interior minister said today Vienna would take Hungary to court if it refuses to take back migrants who, under European rules widely ignored since last year, are meant to seek asylum in the first European Union state in which they set foot.Officials in Austria and Hungary say the situation is largely under control a year after their shared border became a focal point of a mass influx of refugees to Europe, many of them heading for Germany.Hundreds of thousands of migrants travelled from southern European countries further north to Austria, Germany or Sweden, making it impossible to implement the so-called Dublin rules to send migrants back to their initial arrival point in the EU.Countries in central and eastern Europe, including Hungary, have opposed any European attempts to force states to accept returned migrants or to introduce a quota regime."In the main we have a European Dublin regime. The European Union is in charge of ... Dublin and states or groups of states that permanently break the law have to expect legal consequences," Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka told ORF radio."In that case, the (Austrian) republic must sue. The republic must see that the European Union acts according to the law, full stop," Sobotka said when asked about Hungary not accepting migrants sent back under Dublin rules.The Hungarian government has long declared the Dublin agreement finished. Government officials were not immediately available to respond to Sobotka's comments.Austria initially welcomed large numbers of refugees from the Middle East and Afghanistan. However, the government started to toughen its asylum rules earlier this year and introduced an annual limit on the number of asylum requests it accepts.Those steps, widely criticised by human rights groups and the European Union, came after support for the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) in opinion polls surged ahead of the ruling centrist parties.The FPO's candidate might also win presidential elections on October 2 on an anti-immigration platform to become Europe's first far-right head of state. REUTERS DS PM1158 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-922365.Xml
Describing Kashmir as its jugular vein, Pakistan has reiterated its support, on diplomatic and ethical fronts, to "demand of self determination of Kashmiris". Chief of Army staff General Raheel Sharif in his speech at Defence Day function in Rawalpindi yesterday said that Kashmir was Pakistan's jugular vein and praised people of the valley for rendering 'innumerable sacrifices'. "The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard..,..Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts," The Express Tribune quoted Genaral Raheel as saying.UNI XC SV SS -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0089-922397.Xml
Pakistan's Army Chief Raheel Sharif delivered a speech on Tuesday on the occasion of Pakistan Defense day in which he said that solution to Kashmir was implementation of the UN resolutions. By making this statement has Raheel Sharif hinted that Pakistan is ready for complete withdrawal of its troops from Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan? The General went on to deliver a speech laden with self congratulatory praise for the Pakistan army and stressing the importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a project which could be in jeopardy if the Pakistan government followed their General's "advise" on implementation of UN Resolutions for Kashmir. The UNSC resolution of 21st April 1948 begins with a caveat that as stipulated in Article 1(a) and (b), Pakistan must withdraw all its forces and tribesman that had invaded Jammu and Kashmir and then help create conditions for the people to exercise their mandate without fear from aggression from the Pakistani side. Once this key condition is met, only then will India take steps for gradual withdrawal of forces from Jammu and Kashmir but will be allowed to keep a force to maintain law and order in the state and for meeting any external threat that the state may face. The third and final step in this sequential order of the UNSC resolution would entail the Government of India conducting a UN supervised free and fair plebiscite in the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. "People in Pakistan do not have a proper understanding of what the UN resolutions actually state, if Raheel Sharif realizes what he said, he will regret it," said Former Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat Tilak Devasher in an interview to ANI. The former senior Indian bureaucrat and security expert also went on to say that media propaganda in Pakistan has kept Pakistanis in the dark about the UN resolution. The Pakistan general's statement could rattle Chinese investments in the region as well since the key CPEC project cuts across areas in Gilgit and PoK. The people in these areas who have long been denied any rights could upon implementation of UNSC resolution vote themselves out of the Pakistan state. "If the Pakistan army were to withdraw from Gilgit and PoK, then it is goodbye Pakistan forever...the Chinese will regret their investments," added Tilak Devasher. With Pakistan Army General raising the UN resolution on Kashmir as the only solution, another question arises as to the status of Aksai Chin. This too is an illegal occupation. Will the good General then use his influence with China to get it to vacate that part of Kashmir that is in Chinese control so that plebiscite may be held here too? (ANI)
US President Barack Obama floated the idea of joint action with Turkey to capture the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in remarks published today.Ankara would not object, Erdogan said.Turkey, which is battling a Kurdish insurgency at home, launched an incursion into northern Syria last month with the stated aims of clearing Islamic State from its border and preventing the Kurdish YPG militia expanding into new territory.Ankara now wants international support for an operation to take control of a rectangle of territory stretching about 40 km into Syria, creating a buffer between two Kurdish-held cantons to the east and west and against Islamic State to the south.Speaking to reporters on his plane back from the G20 summit in China on Monday, Erdogan said Turkey's military was ready to join any offensive on Raqqa, Islamic State's de facto capital."Obama wants to do some things together concerning Raqqa in particular," Erdogan said in comments published by Hurriyet newspaper, following meetings in China with Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders."We stated that would not be a problem from our perspective. We said, 'Let our soldiers come together, whatever is necessary will be done'," Erdogan said.Any Turkish role would be have to be determined in further talks, he said."But at this stage we have to show our presence in the region. We do not have the chance to take a backward step. If we take a backward step terror groups like Daesh, PKK, PYD and YPG will settle there," he said.Daesh is another term for Islamic State, while the PYD is the political wing of Syrian YPG militia, which Ankara says is an extension of Turkey's outlawed PKK Kurdish militant group.Turkey's branding of PYD and YPG as terrorist groups have put it at odds with Washington, which sees the YPG as a valuable and effective ally in its fight against Islamic State in Syria.YPG fighters and its allies, with US backing, have seized chunks of territory from the jihadists. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition, which includes the YPG, seized the Syrian city of Manbij from Islamic State. The Pentagon expects that the group will help capture Raqqa.REUTERS DS NS1331 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-922513.Xml
Austria's interior minister threatened today to sue Hungary if it refused to take back migrants who had crossed their shared border, as political tensions mounted over immigration before presidential elections.Austria's government, facing a challenge from the far-right Freedom Party, has repeatedly accused Hungary of letting migrants enter its territory in the face of EU rules that asylum seekers must stay in the first country they enter in the bloc.Hungary, itself preparing for a referendum on whether to accept a Europe-wide asylum quota, has insisted that most refugees enter its territory from other EU states, notably Italy and Greece, in a growing blame game."States or groups of states that permanently break the law have to expect legal consequences," Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka told ORF radio, responding to a question on Hungary's refusal to give ground."In that case, the (Austrian) republic must sue. The republic must see that the European Union acts according to the law, full stop," he added, without specifying what legal process he was considering.Budapest built a fence along its border with non-EU member Serbia to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of people, many of them fleeing violence in the Middle East and North Africa. Both Hungary and Austria had said this month the situation was now broadly under control.A Hungarian government spokesman dismissed Sobotka's call in an emailed statement, saying the vast majority of migrants had arrived in other EU states first."Hungary cannot and will not take responsibility for, and suffer the consequences of, the irresponsible conduct of other member states - Austria, Germany - which expressly suggested ignoring the rules, or for other states - Greece - that neglected to do their job," the spokesman said.Germany and Austria initially welcomed large numbers of refugees from the Middle East and Afghanistan. However, Vienna started to toughen its asylum rules earlier this year and introduced an annual limit on the number of asylum requests it accepts.Those steps, widely criticised by human rights groups and the European Union, came after support for the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) in opinion polls surged ahead of the ruling centrist parties.FPO candidate Norbert Gerwald is standing to become Europe's first far-right head of state in presidential elections on October 2, the same day as the Hungarian referendum. REUTERS DS NS1413 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-922546.Xml
Increasingly assertive action by China's coast guard ships in the South China Sea risks destabilising the region, according to the authors of new research tracking maritime law enforcement incidents across the vital trade route.While the risks of full-blown naval conflict dominates strategic fears over the disputed waterway, the danger of incidents involving coast guards should not be underestimated, said Bonnie Glaser, a regional security expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.China claims much of the South China Sea, which carries the bulk of Northeast Asia's trade with the rest of the world. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims.CSIS researchers have detailed some 45 clashes and standoffs in the South China Sea since 2010 in a survey published on its ChinaPower website today. While the research includes clashes between a variety of regional states and types of vessels, the actions of China's coast guard dominates the picture. China's coast guard has been involved in 30 of the cases logged, two-thirds of the total. Four other incidents involved a Chinese naval vessel operating in a law enforcement capacity."The evidence is clear that there is a pattern of behaviour from China that is contrary to what law enforcement usually involves," Glaser told Reuters."We're seeing bullying, harassment and ramming of vessels from countries whose coast guard and fishing vessels are much smaller, often to assert sovereignty throughout the South China Sea."The research includes the violent maritime stand-off between Beijing and Hanoi over the placement of a Chinese oil exploration rig off the Vietnamese coast in 2014, as well as tensions that led up to China's occupation of the Scarborough Shoal off the Philippines in 2012.It is being published as Chinese coast guard and other vessels return to Scarborough Shoal, sparking formal diplomatic protests from Manila. The Philippines said today it was seeking clarification from China about the increase in ships near the shoal.China's State Oceanic Administration, which oversees the coast guard, did not respond to requests for comment on the research.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she believed it was natural for China's coast guard vessels to legally carry out patrols and maintain maritime order in waters under China's jurisdiction."We hope the relevant individuals can stop hyping up this kind of information, and stop sowing discord and tension," she told a daily news briefing in Beijing.The research defines an incident where a nation's coast guard or navy has used coercive measures beyond routine law enforcement action.In the short term, Glaser said she believed the risk of injury or death could be worse in civilian clashes than among navies patrolling the South China Sea, given the frequency and intensity of incidents in recent years.Encounters by rival coast guards are not yet covered by expanding communications arrangements that are geared to preventing clashes between the region's naval forces.The survey cites research showing the unifying of China's civilian maritime fleets in 2013, coupled with on-going budget increases, has given it the world's largest coast guard.It now deploys some 205 vessels, including 95 ships over 1,000 tonnes, according to the US Office of Naval Intelligence - a far larger fleet than other regional countries, including Japan. REUTERS SZ VP1520 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0441-922694.Xml
The Russian armed forces are interested in buying the BrahMos cruise missiles, which were developed jointly with India, for equipping its Sukhoi Su-30SM fighters. Negotiations with the Russian side might begin in 2017 after testing of the Indian Su-30MKI fighters with the BrahMos missile is completed, a military-diplomatic source told Tass news agency today. "The new missile strike system - a plane plus a missile - will be first of all made operational with the Indian Air Force. After that the Russian Air Force, which is very interested, may buy the system," the source said at the Army 2016 forum. The Indian Air Force fighter with a demonstrator of the BrahMos missile's air-launched version performed the first flight in summer 2016. The first aircraft launches of the missile are expected to take place before the year end. India plans to equip three regiments of the Su-30MKI fighters with the updated missiles. The Indian military currently have in service the missile's ground and sea-launched versions. The Su-30SM multifunctional fighter is an upgrade the export Su-30MKI version. It was improved in line with the Russian Defence Ministry's requirements regarding the armaments, radar, communications, IFF transceiver systems and other equipment. The first contracts on the supply of the Su-30SM fighters to the Russian army were concluded in 2012. UNI XC VS SB 1611 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0440-922801.Xml
Syria's main opposition negotiating group would reject any deal struck by Russia and the United States on Syria's fate that was very different from its own proposed transition plan, the group's general coordinator Riyad Hijab said today.The High Negotiations Committee, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and Western powers and has been involved in stalled UN-mediated peace talks, was presenting its road map to a new political settlement for Syria in London.The proposed process would start with six months of negotiations to set up a transitional administration made up of figures from the opposition, the government and civil society. It would require President Bashar al-Assad to leave office at the end of those six months.The transitional body would then run the country for 18 months, after which there would be elections."If what the Russians and the Americans agree upon is very much different from what the Syrians aspire to, then we shall not accept it," Hijab said."It's not a question of keeping Assad in for six months or one month or one day, in this transitional period. The Russians and Americans know that. They know the position of the Syrian people, they have sacrificed a lot and they will not give up this demand."BEHIND THE SCENES EFFORTSBritain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the group's proposals offered the first credible picture of a peaceful Syria without Assad."There is still a chance that this vision can be made to work," Johnson wrote in a column in Wednesday's Times newspaper."If the Russians and Americans can together create a ceasefire, then the talks can restart in Geneva with the difference, perhaps, that all sides will by then have seen at least the scaffolding of a post-Assad Syria."Moscow and Washington are backing opposite sides in the 5-1/2-year-old Syrian conflict, with the Russians fighting on Assad's side while the Americans back opposition groups and insist Assad must go.The two powers have been negotiating in recent days, with Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin meeting for 90 minutes on Monday on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in China, but failed to reach an agreement.Hijab said the greatest challenge in achieving political transition came from the international community, pointing the finger at Iran's Revolutionary Guards, other regional militias, and above all, Russia for protecting Assad."What Mr Lavrov has put on the table about Assad will not solve the problem," Hijab said, accusing Moscow of using proscribed weapons to shore up Assad's regime.Regional power Iran, arch-enemy of Saudi Arabia, is Assad's strongest supporter and is determined to keep him in power in Damascus.US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said US diplomats were trying to persuade Russia to take steps toward a true ceasefire in Syria and to nudge Damascus toward a political transition but news out of Syria was "not encouraging".Efforts are still going on behind the scenes and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said in London yesterday that an agreement was possible within 24 hours.In a briefing with British reporters, Al-Jubeir said it was right to "leave no stone unturned" in the quest for a political solution in Syria, but appeared pessimistic. He repeatedly said Assad was not trustworthy and was unlikely to comply with any agreement.REUTERS SZ VP1655 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0441-922960.Xml
"Discussing stronger ties with Japan...PM @narendramodi meets Japan PM @AbeShinzo," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi arrived on a two-day visit to Vientiane earlier today to attend the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit.

The friendship between India and Japan has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilizational ties.

Over the years, the two countries have built upon these values and created a partnership based on both principle and pragmatism.

Bilateral ties have been singularly free of any kind of dispute - ideological, cultural or territorial.

The relationship is unique and one of mutual respect manifested in generous gestures and sentiments, and of standing by each other at times of need.

The beginning of the 21st century witnessed a dramatic transformation in bilateral ties.

The global partnership formed the foundation for the strengthening ties in diverse fields, including identifying strategic convergences.

Economic relations between India and Japan have vast potential for growth, given the obvious complementarities that exist between the two Asian economies.

Japan's interest in India is increasing due to variety of reasons including India's huge and growing market and its resources, especially the human resources.

The signing of the historic India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and its implementation from August 2011 is expected to further accelerate growth of trade, economic and commercial relations between the two countries. (ANI)
Norway's ruling Conservative Party plans to campaign for a moderate reduction of taxes in next year's general election campaign, draft policy proposals released by a key party committee showed today.The party will finalise its 2017-2021 policy platform early next year.The centre-right Conservatives govern in a minority coalition with the populist Progress Party. The two rely on the backing of two smaller centrist parties to win a majority for policies in parliament.The general election is due to be held in September 2017. REUTERS SZ AS1724 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0441-923075.Xml
Turkey would be ready to join any initiative proposed by the United States to capture an Islamic State stronghold in Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said in remarks published today, as Turkish-backed forces took more Syrian land from jihadists.Obama floated the idea of joint action with Turkey to capture Raqqa during talks between the two leaders at a G20 summit in China, Erdogan said, according to Wednesday's edition of Turkey's Hurriyet daily.Turkey launched an offensive in northern Syria on August 24 to clear Islamic State from its border and to prevent territorial gains by the Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara believes has links to Kurdish insurgents fighting on its soil."Obama wants to do some things together concerning Raqqa in particular," Erdogan told reporters on his plane that arrived early yesterday, referring to Islamic State's de facto capital. He was speaking after meetings in China with Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders."We stated that would not be a problem from our perspective. We said, 'Let our soldiers come together, whatever is necessary will be done'," the Turkish president said, adding that a specific Turkish role would depend on further talks.US officials have welcomed Turkish efforts to dislodge Islamic State from Syrian strongholds but voiced concern when Turkish troops engaged fighters aligned to the YPG, a force Washington sees as a valuable ally in battling jihadists.Turkish-backed forces clashed with YPG fighters in the initial stages of the two-week old Turkish incursion into Syria, but have since shifted their focus onto territory held by Islamic State and captured a string of villages.Turkey's military said late yesterday that three Turkish soldiers were killed when two tanks were hit by rockets fired by Islamic State. Four others were wounded, it said.The military also said the Free Syrian Army, a loose-knit rebel force backed by Turkey, had taken six more villages, also located in Islamic State-held areas.Turkey and its rebel allies now control a 90-km stretch of land on the Syrian side of the border and are pushing south.Ankara wants international support to take control of a rectangle of territory stretching about 40 km into Syria, creating a buffer between two Kurdish-held cantons to the east and west and against Islamic State to the south.Turkey says such a "safe zone" would help stem the flood of Syrian refugees. But the idea has yet to gain traction from the United States and Russia, both engaged in Syria, because of the military demands of policing such a zone.Turkey, meanwhile, has been sending more military hardware south. The army sent 15 more tanks to the Islahiye district near the border, bringing the total number of tanks and armored vehicles in that area to 90, Dogan news agency reported."We do not have the chance to take a backward step. If we take a backward step terror groups like Daesh, PKK, PYD and YPG will settle there," Erdogan said, according to Hurriyet.Daesh is another term for Islamic State, while the PYD is the political wing of Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara says is an extension of Turkey's outlawed PKK, a Kurdish militant group that is fighting for autonomy in Turkey's southeast.REUTERS SZ RAI1744 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0441-923126.Xml
China is lauding its successful hosting of the G20 summit in scenic Hangzhou, with open confrontation largely avoided and broad consensus reached over the fragile state of the global economy and the need for a wide range of policies to fix it.There was even a joint announcement by China and United States that they would ratify the Paris climate change agreement, a significant step for the world's two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases.But scratch beneath the surface, and the gathering of the world's most powerful leaders was not all plain sailing - from the distraction of a North Korean missile test to the failure of the United States and Russia to reach agreement over Syria, and diplomatic faux pas to double speak over protectionism.Chinese state media, while largely basking in the glory of a summit that happened without being too overshadowed by disputes such as the South China Sea, also let slip Beijing's frustrations at what it sees as Western efforts to stymie its economic ambitions."For the world's major developed economies, they should curb rising protectionism and dismantle anti-trade measures as economic isolationism is not a solution to sluggish growth," China's official Xinhua news agency said late on Monday."In order to build an inclusive, rule-based and open world economy, protectionism must be prevented from eroding the foundation for a faster and healthier economic recovery."In the run-up to G20, China has been particularly upset by what it sees as unwarranted suspicion of its overseas investment agenda smacking of protectionism and paranoia.A few weeks before the summit, Australia blocked the 10 billion Australian dollars (7.63 billion dollars) sale of the country's biggest energy grid to Chinese bidders, while Britain delayed a 24 billion dollars Chinese-invested nuclear project.BEHIND THE SCENESBehind the scenes, Western countries have been accusing China of not sticking to its own goals.Before the summit, European G20-sources doubted that the Chinese agenda would mark a real new chapter to create more sustainable growth for the global economy.China, asking in public for more openness and steps to counter protectionism, is still giving Western investors only very limited access to their market, a European official said.A big concern for foreign investors in China is what they see as the increasing difficulty of doing business in China, driven by concern that new laws and policies are seeking to effectively shut out foreigners or make life very hard for them."President Xi accurately raised the alarm on the need to counter the increase in protectionism around the world," said James Zimmerman, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China."But actions speak louder than words and the ball is in China's court to implement its own needed domestic reforms and to provide greater market access for foreign goods, services and technology."And calls to utilize innovation as an economic driver should reflect policies that encourage an environment promoting fair and market-driven innovation that is open to all participants, and not just a few domestic champions, Zimmerman said.Several diplomats familiar with the summit said China had resisted the idea of putting steel on the final communique, though it did make an appearance in the end with G20 leaders pledging to work together to address excess steel capacity.For countries like Britain, whose steel industry crisis has been directly blamed on a flood of cheap Chinese imports, the issue is key.An official from British Prime Minister Theresa May's office said they and the United States had pushed for language in the communique on the importance of working together at G20 to tackle excess production."We have, despite resistance from some countries, secured some language on the importance of doing that," the official said.Asked if China was one of those resisting, she just repeated "in the face of some resistance."Another shadow over the G20 has been the rise of popular opposition to free trade and globalization, embodied by phenomenon like Britain's summer vote to leave the European Union and Donald Trump becoming the Republican presidential candidate in the United States."We agree with the G20's analysis that the benefits of trade and open markets must be communicated to the wider public more effectively," said John Danilovich, Secretary General of the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce."It's vital that business and governments work together to explain how and why trade matters for all." ($1 = 1.3110 Australian dollars)REUTERS SZ RAI1754 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0441-923174.Xml
Russia's Foreign Ministry said today it was deeply concerned by the movement of Turkish troops and Ankara-backed Syrian opposition forces deeper into Syria's territory, which may further aggravate the military and political situation in Syria."This calls into question the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry said in a statement."We call on Ankara to refrain from any steps which can further destabilise the situation in Syria." REUTERS SZ AS1827 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0441-923238.Xml
A group of 292 Syrians went home to the Syrian town of Jarablus today, marking the first formal civilian returns from Turkey since the start of a Turkish-backed incursion into northern Syria, a Turkish regional official said.Jarablus, which had been held by Islamic State, was the first town captured by the Turkish army and its Syrian rebel allies in an offensive launched on August 24. Turkey, which hosts 3 million Syrian refugees, has said it wants provide a safe zone for civilians to return to Syria."The formal returns have begun today. We wouldn't consider anything before that as formal passage. This is the first time since the operation began," a spokesman at the governor's office for Gaziantep province, which lies across the border from Jarablus, told Reuters. He said more would return gradually.REUTERS SZ AS1828 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0441-923248.Xml
During the meeting, Mr Abe assured Mr Modi that his country was not going to succumb to terrorism and wanted to further strengthen cooperation with India in the area of counter terrorism.

Mr Modi expressed appreciation for the consistent support rendered by Japan in India's infrastructure development, technology upgrade and skill building.

"PM conveyed his condolences on the recent typhoon as well as the Japanese lives lost in the terror strike in Bangladesh," MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

The two leaders discussed further strengthening and diversification of trade and investment ties.

Mr Modi said that Japan has technology and innovation while India has the power of youth and a huge market. The India-Japan partnership could, therefore, produce global products and be a win-win partnership for both.

They discussed the upcoming Japanese Industrial Parks in India as also cooperation in the area of ship breaking.

The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the consistent support rendered by Japan in India's infrastructure development, technology upgrade and skill building.

Mr Abe recalled that 2017 will mark the 60th anniversary of the Japan-India Cultural Agreement. He hoped to see more Indian tourists visiting Japan.

The two leaders also discussed regional issues and international developments.

Mr Abe said he was looking forward to Mr Modi's visit to Japan for the annual summit and expressed hope that it would promote a new era of India-Japan cooperation.UNI MK SW SB 1926

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-923338.Xml
Saudi Arabia's top religious authority said Iran's leaders were not Muslims, drawing a rebuke from Tehran in an unusually harsh exchange between the regional rivals over the running of the annual haj pilgrimage.The war of words on the eve of the mass pilgrimage will deepen a long-running rift between the Sunni kingdom and the Shi'ite revolutionary power. They back opposing sides in Syria's civil war and a list of other conflicts across the Middle East.Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message published on Monday, criticised Saudi Arabia over how it runs the haj after a crush last year killed hundreds of pilgrims. He said Saudi authorities had "murdered" some of them, describing Saudi rulers as godless and irreligious.Responding to a question by Saudi newspaper Makkah, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said he was not surprised at Khamenei's comments."We have to understand that they are not Muslims ... Their main enemies are the followers of Sunnah (Sunnis)," Al al-Sheikh was quoted as saying, remarks republished by the Arab News.He described Iranian leaders as sons of "magus", a reference to Zoroastrianism, the dominant belief in Persia until the Muslim Arab invasion of the region that is now Iran 13 centuries ago.Khamenei met with the families of Iranians killed in last year's disaster today and called for a fact-finding committee to investigate the cause of the crush."The evil family tree of the Saudi dynasty does not have the competence to manage the holy shrines," Khamenei said."BIGOTRY"Al al-Sheikh's remarks drew an acerbic retort from Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said they were evidence of bigotry among Saudi leaders."Indeed; no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account.Saudi authorities normally seek to avoid public discussion of whether Shi'ites are Muslims, but implicitly recognise them as such by welcoming them to the haj, and by accepting Iranian visits to the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.Tensions between the two countries have been rising since Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in January following the storming of its embassy in Tehran, itself a response to the Saudi execution of dissident Shi'ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.Speaking near Mecca's Great Mosque and clad in the traditional white robe of a pilgrim, Moussa Abdi, a member of Algeria's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said the region must work to repair its ideological and political rifts."We are not alone in this world, and we face other political conflicts. We have to unite ... We have to get over these differences which aim at creating rifts within the Islamic world," Moussa told Reuters.Custodian of Islam's most revered places in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on organising haj, one of the five pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to is obliged to undertake at least once.Riyadh said 769 pilgrims were killed in the 2015 disaster, the highest haj death toll since a crush in 1990. Counts of fatalities by countries who repatriated bodies showed that more than 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians.Iran blamed the 2015 disaster on organisers' incompetence. This year pilgrims from Iran will be unable to attend haj, which officially starts on September 11, after talks between the two countries on arrangements broke down in May. REUTERS SZ AS1900 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0441-923332.Xml
The United States wanted to see greater counter terrorism cooperation between India and Pakistan and accountability and justice in the Mumbai attack case as American citizens also losttheir lives in those terrible attacks, the US State Department said has said. "We've long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorismcooperation, and that includes the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan in that regard..,..That continues, those efforts continue,"daily Dawn quoted the State Department Spokesman Mark Toner as saying in Washington during the mediabriefing yesterday. Asked about US efforts to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack to justice, the spokesman said theUS wanted to see accountability and justice in the case as American citizens also lost their lives in those terrible attacks. Over query related to counter terrorism efforts along-Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Mr Toner said Pakistaniauthorities have assured the US of their intentions to combat terrorism. "The US was encouraged by thesesteps and would continue to work with Pakistan to ramp up action and apply more pressure against terroristgroups. Mr Toner said there had been very frank conversation with Pakistani authorities about the need to focus more efforts on terrorist groups that were "operating from within Pakistani soil". "We continue to have that discussion with them..,..We have seen some efforts to make progress in that regard..,..We're going to continue to have those conversations with them as we move forward," he said adding that it was both Pakistan and Afghanistan's interest to go after such terrorist groupsand destroy them. "The ultimate goal is we want to see peace and stability in the region, and so that's going to involve efforts on Pakistan's part, " Mr Toner said, adding that the Afghan government should provide stabilityand security to its own people. When asked whether the US was looking at any punitive measures over the issue of pursuing all terrorist groups, Mr Toner answered in negative. The US is working with Pakistan to stress the need for targeting all terrorist groups, he said, adding "We've seen progress, but we need to see more." UNI XC RSA SS -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0101-923489.Xml
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday said he would travel to Ukraine with his French counterpart next week to discuss if, and when, broader Normandy format talks that also include Russia could be scheduled.Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday had said Russia would continue to support the Normandy format talks, which are aimed at ending fighting in eastern Ukraine, with the leaders of Germany, France and Ukraine.The German foreign minister had told reporters in Oslo, Norway on Sunday that he hoped a new regulation aimed at maintaining a fragile "back to school" ceasefire in eastern Ukraine could be completed soon by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). REUTERS JW GC2120 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-923679.Xml
US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump today ended a media blacklist that had drawn strong criticism from press freedom advocates, allowing a number of banned news organizations to resume getting credentials to cover his campaign events.Trump had banned The Washington Post, Politico and Buzzfeed after coverage that was critical of him. The banned organizations had continued covering his campaign, but had not been able to get credentials to formally attend his events.Press freedom advocates strongly condemned such bans. Reporters without Borders said when the Post was banned in June that it was an "act of hostility" toward the media and a serious violation of press freedom.Reporters from the banned organizations had often gained access to Trump's campaign events as regular citizens, but could be tossed out by his security officials if discovered."I figure they can't treat me any worse," Trump, a New York businessman, told CNN in a statement declaring the ban over.Trump is running against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 presidential election. REUTERS JW BD2138 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-923688.Xml
Syrian Kurdish fighters have not completely pulled back to the east of the Euphrates river, Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said today, voicing a frequent complaint about the advance of the US-backed militia in northern Syria.Ankara, which sees the Syrian Kurdish YPG as an extension of the Kurdish PKK group fighting an insurgency on Turkish soil, wants the Syrian militia to pull back to the east of the Euphrates, where there is a Kurdish-controlled canton.Differences over the YPG have added to the tension between Turkey and NATO ally the United States. Washington sees the YPG as a successful client in fighting Islamic State in Syria, while Turkey calls it a terrorist organisation. REUTERS JW BD2137 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-923699.Xml
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry agree in a phone call to meet in Geneva on September 8-9 to discuss resolution of the conflict in Syria, Russia's Foreign Ministry said."The ministers worked through the remaining details of the agreement on the establishment of a Russian-American cooperation in the fight against terrorist groups operating in Syria, the expansion of access for humanitarian aid and the launch of an intra-Syrian political process," the ministry said in a statement on it website.REUTERS JW AN2217 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-923751.Xml
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said Bengal is the destination for all businesses right now. Addressing a business conclave here attended by industry representatives from Germany and West Bengal, Ms Banerjee said, there is tremendous scope in the transport sector in her state. "Opportunities are available for ancillary and manufacturing. We have the land banks which are ready for all your land needs," she said. The Chief Minister said from economic growth to industrial production, Bengal is the leader. Ms Banerjee said Bengal has all that is required for businesses and industries. Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia are just 2.5 hours away from Bengal. Bengal is the gateway to Nepal, Bhutan and also North-East India. The Chief Minister said Bengal is growing faster than India. The man-days lost in Bengal have been zero in the past 5 years . "We are growing in every parameter. We are progressing in every sphere .Our young generation is very skilled, talented and is full of energy. Talent from Bengal is leading several organisations in the world such as NASA," she said. "Bengal is doing very well in all sectors. Come and invest in Bengal," said Ms Banerjee, who invited German investors for the 'Bengal Global Business Summit to be held in Kolkata in January next year. "I invite all my business friends here to join us for the Bengal Global Business Summit to be held in January, 2017," Ms Banerjee added. The Chief Minister was accompanied by the State finance and industry minister Dr Amit Mitra and a business delegation consisting industry captains from Bengal. A preliminary meeting was held between the Chief Minister and the business delegation from Bengal yesterday. The Chief Minister urged the industry captains to showcase their experience of doing business in Bengal to their German counterparts. The Bengal Chief Minister had earlier visited Singapore, London, Bhutan and Bangladesh and held industry meets . All options open for BMW to invest in Bengal, State Finance, Industries and Commerce Minister Dr Amit Mitra said yesterday. He was addressing the press after a three-hour long meeting with top officials of BMW. "The officials of BMW made several presentations. The meeting was productive. We will carry the talks forward," he said. The minister said that Bengal wants a 'sustained relationship' with BMW. Stressing the green mobility was the future, Dr Mitra said BMW made presentation on electric cars and bikes. The minister was accompanied by Chief Secretary, Finance Secretary, Mayor of Kolkata, Lok Sabha MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay and other delegates. The minister invited his counterpart in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia to Bengal Global Business Summit, 2017.UNI BM JW RSA 2249 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-923760.Xml
A blueprint for a Syrian political transition that requires President Bashar al-Assad to step down could help stalled peace talks restart, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said today.Johnson said that if peace talks were to get back on track, "it is obviously critical that the world and all the interlocutors in Geneva should be able to see that there is a future for Syria that goes beyond the Assad regime."Johnson was speaking at a meeting in London after talks with the Saudi-backed Syrian opposition group's general coordinator, Riyad Hijab, who presented a plan for a new political settlement for Syria."Listening to everybody here, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that with common sense and flexibility and energy, this vision and this plan that Dr Hijab and his colleagues have put forward can be put into effect," Johnson said.REUTERS JW BD2241 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-923763.Xml
The White House made the announcement of the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in its official announcement of the President's schedule.

"In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India," the White House said.

On Wednesday night, the two leaders along with Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah clinked glasses at a dinner gala thrown by the Laos Prime Minister in Vientiane.

The two leaders met just days ago, on Sunday in Hangzhou, China, during the G20 Summit where Obama praised the passage of the Good and Services Tax bill by the Indian Parliament.

--IANS rn

( 149 Words)

2016-09-07-23:27:56 (IANS)
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's seven new free trade zones (FTZs) will bring institutional innovation to economic reform and promise practical gains for both domestic and foreign companies.

The new FTZs in Chongqing, Henan, Hubei, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Zhejiang were announced by commerce minister Gao Hucheng on Wednesday.

A total of 21 provinces and regions filed applications to have an FTZ, and seven won approval, bringing the total number to 11. Shanghai, Guangdong, Tianjin and Fujian already have FTZs.

The FTZ expansion comes as China faces heavy downward pressure and more opening up will help the pace of economic development.

"It has taken three years for China to expand the number of FTZs from one to 11. More FTZs are important to drive supply-side reform," said Xu Guangjian of Renmin University of China.

MORE INSTITUTIONAL REFORM

"The central ideas of an FTZ are institutional reform and innovation," said Jiao Jinmiao, commerce director of central China's Henan province.

FTZ means a new set of rules, freeing investment, easier trade, better governance and financial innovation, he said.

In Henan, the FTZ will be a 120 square-kilometer area encompassing provincial capital Zhengzhou, Luoyang and Kaifeng. Located as it is in the heart of central China, Henan is to develop a modern transportation system and realize its potential as a logistics hub. The province will develop its bulk commodities trade, financial leasing and agriculture, said Jiao.

"A free trade zone will attract companies who want to save costs and make money. Many businesses have expressed willingness to set up here," he said.

Other FTZs are on a similar scale. Hubei's will cover capital Wuhan, Xiangyang and Yichang -- 127 square kilometers -- and will focus on high-tech bases and development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

DEVELOPING THE WEST

Three of the seven FTZs, Chongqing, Sichuan and Shaanxi, are in less-developed parts of western China.

Many exporters in Chongqing were more than cheered to hear the news. "The FTZs will be a new window to the global market," said president of Dezhuang Company, a food and hotpot chain in Chongqing.

"We will seek freer flow of goods, logistics and information across the border through the FTZ when tariffs and costs are lowered," said Tang Zongwei, deputy management director of Liang Jiang New district, part of the planned zone in Chongqing.

The FTZ in Chongqing will be in Liang Jiang New Area, West Logistics Park and a micro-electronics park.

In the first half of 2016, a total of 4,923 foreign-funded firms were established in the four current FTZs, with investment amounting to 359 billion yuan (53.8 billion U.S. dollars).

According to a poll by the State Council Development Research Center, 82 percent of firms surveyed reported "notable progress" in the business environment, and 95 percent were optimistic about future development.

SHINING UP THE RUSTBELT

The news of an FTZ brings relief and joy to Liaoning Province, under immense pressure from a faltering economy.

The regional economy in the three northeastern provinces grew 2.2 percent in the first half of 2016. In many other parts of the country the figure was well over 7 percent.

"Having an FTZ is like getting the drugs it needs to kill the ailment the economy has suffered for so long," said Liang Qidong, deputy director of Liaoning academy of social sciences. Liaoning will focus on market reform to transform the old industrial base into a more competitive area, he said.

Unlike eastern China, there is very little reliance on foreign trade in the northeast, only 3.4 percent of the national total in 2015.

Compared with Heilongjiang and Jilin, Liaoning is in a better position to access foreign markets. Liaoning has strong industrial infrastructure in petrochemicals, machine tools and mining. Its coastal city Dalian is one of the biggest port in the region.
SINGAPORE, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Singapore and China's Shandong Province on Tuesday signed 11 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the 19th Singapore-Shandong Business Council (SSBC) meeting here, said International Enterprises (IE) Singapore in a statement.

The agreements allow Singapore enterprises capture more opportunities in financial services, healthcare, logistics and tourism sectors in Shandong, a coastal province in east China.

IE Singapore said most of the signings were projects relating to modern services, across the education, healthcare and logistics and waste management sectors. SSBC has identified healthcare and logistics, including smart technologies, as key sectors that offer emerging opportunities for Singapore companies.

The meeting on Tuesday was co-chaired by Singapore's Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck, and Vice Governor of China's Shandong Province Xia Geng.

Teo said China's Shandong Province has been experiencing steady growth, fueled by rising consumption, growing agricultural and manufacturing trade. Its aging population is also creating a strong demand for healthcare services.

Singapore is Shandong's third largest foreign investor, with actual investments into the province increased by 15.7 percent to reach 1.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2015. IE Singapore said that trade between Singapore and China's Shandong Province reached 3.14 billion U.S. dollars last year.
KAMPALA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has called for increased investment in Africa, calling it the next center for the world's economic growth.

In a State House press statement issued on Monday, Museveni described the economic situation in Africa as "very good" despite some bottlenecks while speaking at the third edition of the two-day Global African Investment Summit held in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.

"There are high growth rates and many countries have been growing despite bottlenecks both hardware and software," said Museveni.

During an interactive session moderated by CNN Money Africa Correspondent Eleni Giukos, under the theme "Accelerating African Economic Integration through trade and investment," Museveni encouraged investors to invest in Africa since it is on the right trajectory of development.

"I would inform investors that Africa is the right place to come. Africa is the next pusher for the global economy. We have a bit of bottlenecks, which we are handling," the president said.

"There are investment opportunities in electricity sector, value addition for agriculture products and minerals, human resource development. In Uganda the private sector solved the issue of communication because more people have access to phones in the whole country," he said.

Museveni, however, also warned against greedy investors who charge high tariffs for quick gains at the expense of the people.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame also commented at the event that stability is one of the prerequisites for sustainable economic growth, coupled with human resource development and improving infrastructure and services.

"Postponing our priorities and delaying our commitments are the most expensive mistakes that Africa can make. Africa should not just remain a big story where nothing materializes," Kagame said.

Kagame said there is more trade going on between African and the world, but less between Africans.

He called for more trade between countries and free movement of people and labour.

The summit is organized by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the government of Rwanda. It is aimed at promoting investment in various sectors including education, information, communications and technology and economy.
VILNIUS, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Two members of Lithuanian parliament (MPs) said on Tuesday that recent major retailers' decisions to demand to see the identity cards of customers buying alcohol, lacked reasoning and vowed to take legislative measures against the step.

Both MPs registered corresponding law amendments which should prevent retailers from asking to prove their identification, irrespective of age, when buying alcoholic beverages.

Vytautas Kamblevicius, MP from the Law and Justice Party, initiated amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences which anticipates penalties amounting to 30 to 50 euros (about 34 to 56 U.S. dollars) for asking buyers to show identification documents.

"I believe this is the only way to stop this absurd demand which was hastily introduced by the Lithuanian Association of Retail Companies together with the ministry of health," Kamblevicius was quoted as saying by local media.

On Sept. 2, a group of the largest retail chains in Lithuania started to ask all buyers to show ID documents specifying their age. The retailers claimed their aim was to prevent sales of alcohol to minors and increase public awareness.

The retailers' campaign is based on a memorandum, signed by seven retail companies with the Lithuanian minister of health in June. Lithuanian market's newcomer Lidl did not join the campaign.

Gintaras Tamosiunas, a member of the Labour Party Political Group at the parliament, registered amendments to the Law on Alcohol Control which would prohibit sellers from asking older people to show identification when buying alcohol, ELTA news agency reported.

According to the politician, major retailers publicly claim the goal of a memorandum they signed is to minimize the possibility of adolescents buying alcohol. Yet he questioned why the elderly were being asked to prove their age.

Some politicians argued that demanding every buyer of alcoholic beverages show identification was redundant and criticized the move, claiming it would not help tackle alcohol abuse in the country.

"The question is who benefits from all this confusion and humiliation of buyers," Kamblevicius said.

According to existing Lithuanian laws, sellers of alcoholic beverages are obliged to ask to show ID if there are doubts the buyer is younger than 18 years of age. In Lithuania, minors under the age of 18 are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages or from having them.

Meanwhile, retailers insist the ID requirement will help tackle the alcohol addiction problem in Lithuania.

"This campaign is aimed at preventing the sale of alcohol to juniors, increasing society's awareness and responsibility; it will take time, however, residents will get used to this," Rosvaldas Gorbaciovas, director of corporate affairs at the retail chain Maxima, was quoted as saying by regional newspaper Sekunde.
DUBAI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The crash-landing of an Emirates Airline jet on Aug. 3 was caused by the impact with the runway, UAE state news agency WAM reported Tuesday.

The Boeing 777-300 aircraft "was destroyed following the impact with the runway and the subsequent fire," General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said in a preliminary report.

The report stated that following an attempted "go-around" by the pilot, the aircraft descended rapidly from a height of about 85 feet (26 meters) onto the runway, sliding for about 800 meters.

All of the passengers and crew were evacuated from the aircraft safely before fire consumed the cabin. One firefighter was killed while putting out the fire.

In accordance with international protocols of aircraft accident investigation, the preliminary report only shows factual information related to the accident, said WAM.

The final report, which will be issued when the investigation is finished, will contain analysis and conclusions to identify the causes, the GCAA said.

The plane was flying from Trivandrum, India, to Dubai International Airport, carrying 18 crew members and 282 passengers from 20 countries. Enditem
GENEVA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations(UN) is holding a summit on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants on Sept. 19 in New York, during which the UN General Assembly is expected to adopt a set of commitments to enhance the protection of migrants and refugees.

The UN refugee agency said here Tuesday that once adopted, these commitments -- which were agreed to on Aug. 2 -- would be known as the New York Declaration.

UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming said during a press briefing Tuesday that at a time when large-scale movements of refugees and migrants were challenging many countries, it was very significant that 194 member states of the UN were coming together to agree on a way forward to manage the challenges better.

"In the New York Declaration, governments are expected to acknowledge that the protection of refugees and assistance to host states is a shared international responsibility, and not to be borne by host countries alone, which will be a critical development," she noted.

She added the summit would begin with an opening plenary chaired by the UN Secretary General and statements from high-level UN officials, including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
ANKARA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Tuesday criticized remarks by the Dutch prime minister on the Turkish community in the Netherlands as not corresponding to his official status, local media reported.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, commenting on an incident on July 15 when a Turkish citizen beat a Dutch reporter in front of the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam, reportedly said on Sunday that all Turks unable to blend in should go back to Turkey.

"At a time when statements and actions with xenophobic motives have intensified across Europe, this kind of unfortunate statements may damage our common efforts to ensure participation of the Turkish community in the Netherlands in every aspect of the social life of the country," Daily Sabah quoted Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tanju Bilgic as saying.

Bilgic urged the authorities in the Netherlands not to maintain a wrong and isolating attitude against the Turkish community, but to be inclusive and constructive toward its members who exercise their democratic rights within the legal system.
Fireworks light up the sky above the West Lake in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 4, 2016. The 11th G20 summit was held in Hangzhou from Sept. 4 to 5. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- As host of the recent Group of 20 (G20) Summit, China has helped redefine the group's mission, and in the process given it long-term vision, say Argentine experts.

In setting the tone and theme of the gathering held on Sept. 4-5 in the eastern city of Hangzhou, China reoriented the group's role away from putting out fires to one of spearheading measures that will encourage development and stability around the globe, according to Nadia Radulovich and Maria Cecilia Peralta, co-founders of consulting group Asia Viewers.

China facilitated the G20's transition "from a crisis-management mechanism to one focused on long-term governance aimed at orienting global economic growth and international economic cooperation," the experts told Xinhua in an interview.

China's proposed initiatives are an invitation to member countries to work toward shared development by implementing a common set of guiding principles, added Radulovich and Peralta, who was also a form member of the China experts group at the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI).

"China seeks to take on a leading role in the high expectations the summit generated, but this mission is directed to all of the participants, since there has to be a joint effort to maximize achievements and minimize hardships, generating a plan of action and institutional guarantees that benefit everyone," said the consultants.

The guiding principles were spelled out from the very start, when China announced this year's G20 would take place under the banner: "Building an innovative, strengthened, interconnected and inclusive global economy."

"China has said that, as part of the G20, it will seek to build an innovative, dynamic, interconnected and inclusive global economy, exploring new ways to promote development and structural reforms," the experts said.

China's global, inclusive outlook also "marks the first time the G20 takes steps oriented towards the global development of countries -- not just its 20 members, but the entire world," they noted.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's opening speech to the gathering, in which he called for an end to the divisive Cold War mentality that continues to polarize world powers, and greater dialogue and cooperation, laid out that vision, they said.

Such a world would be characterized by economic connectivity and exchange between countries to improve economic and financial performance and ensure all countries equal access to the benefits of economic growth to fight inequality.

"Many are wondering about China's role and the importance of its economy as an engine of global growth," the experts said, adding "President Xi has said actions will answer those questions or doubts."

China, they said, aims to pursue its proposed initiatives through consensus, and by taking an active role in building a global system of governance, contributing Chinese wisdom and its capacity to plan for the long term.

The 2016 G20 summit concluded on Monday with the adoption of a statement outlining the group's direction and development goals, and with the Hangzhou Consensus on facilitating global economic growth through comprehensive, open, innovative and inclusive long-term measures.
HELSINKI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- While the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has been hard-pressed to respond to the loads of asylum applications, it came under criticism of deliberately issuing negative decisions.

Last Sunday, the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat reported that Migri's officials responsible for handling asylum applications were working under pressure.

The officials complained that they were pushed to make decisions in their haste to meet the "unrealistic" targets set by the Ministry of Interior, and the quality of decisions might not be secured.

They also felt that they were required to make more negative decisions, and the sensation was based on the general atmosphere and the individual signals.

The story triggered wide public debate in Finland. Migri was criticized for hasty decision-making, tightened asylum policy and even deliberately making negative decisions.

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila told local media on Sunday that his government had not put any pressure on immigration authorities and made no request for negative decisions.

Jaana Vuorio, director general of Migri, also denied that the agency's leadership asked the officials to reject as many as possible asylum applications.

The agency claimed on Monday asylum should be granted to those in need of international protection but not all asylum seekers arriving in Finland.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Interior set a target that the processing of asylum applications should be completed by the end of August, meaning that the immigration officials should make 600 to 1,000 asylum decisions on a weekly basis.

The agency then increased its workforce for the processing work from 75 people to 550, but it seems that the target cannot be fulfilled.

Currently, about 14,000 asylum seekers are still waiting for their fate, of which around 60 percent are from Iraq, 20 percent from Afghanistan, 10 percent from Somalia. Migri said it will clear the asylum queue by the end of 2016.

Opposition politicians and human rights organizations have blamed the situation as problematic.

"Let's guarantee that Migri has the necessary resources and time to process the applications with due diligence," Ville Niinisto, chairman of the Green League, wrote in his Facebook pages on Sunday.

"Wrong decisions cannot be justified simply by noting that there is a short window to file an appeal," Li Andersson, Chairman of the Left Alliance, said in a press release on Monday.

In May this year, Finnish parliament deleted the category of humanitarian protection from the Finnish Alien's Act and the Migration Authority also changed the specific criteria regarding Iraq. Since then, the number of negative decisions for Iraqi asylum seekers has increased steeply.

About 70 percent of the asylum applications have been rejected, but the figure used to be some 28 percent before the tightening of regulations.

Finland received 32,000 asylum seekers in 2015, ten times of the average in previous years. The inflow of new arrivals has been eased in 2016.
LONDON, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The first ever London Design Biennale will open to the public for a three-week take-over Wednesday, the organizer said Tuesday.

Installations, artworks, prototypes and designs from 37 countries and territories have come together in an entertaining and inspiring exploration of the role of design in our collective futures.

"The London Design Biennale celebrates design as an international language, which everyone can understand. It does not recognition boundaries or borders. It is always seeking to make the world a better place," Sir John Sorrell, president of the London Design Biennale, told a press conference Tuesday.

According to the organizer, each exhibit is a response to the Biennale's 2016 theme "Utopia by Design", chosen as part of Somerset House's UTOPIA 2016: A Year of Imagination and Possibility, to mark the 500th anniversary of the publication of Thomas More's text.

The resulting commissions are richly varied, including fantastical imaginings of future cities, homages to unrealised utopian proposals of the past, and innovative solutions for issues in 21st-century life.

Shenzhen's Urbanus, which will represent China to participate in this year's Biennale, will bring an installation called "Shenzhen: New Peak" to address the problem of the megalopolis with a proposal for a series of towers that are small cities in themselves. Visitors can explore an outsized model of these megastructures.

The organizer said visitors will interact with brand new work by world-leading architects, designers, scientists, writers and artists in a broad, vibrant exhibition that includes large-scale kinetic sculpture, immersive digital installations, culinary pop-ups, performances and VR renderings of the future.

Underlying much of the Biennale are a number of pressing, universal issues that designers around the world are seeking to address, among them sustainability, migration, pollution, political unrest, water and social equality.

Dr Christopher Turner, director of The London Design Biennale said: "When we set our inaugural theme, Utopia by Design, we hoped to engage with some of the most fundamental issues faced by humanity today. How might the critical and optimistic imaginations of designers transform our future world, and how do perspectives differ across the globe?"

He said the response has been extraordinary.

The London Design Biennale 2016 will run from Sept. 7-27.
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Conservationists in Mexico and Panama began the week battling sea turtle poachers targeting the eggs of the endangered species.

In Mexico, authorities on Monday arrested two people in possession of 158 marine turtle eggs at Boca de Bahia Beach in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit.

Marine turtles are a protected species in Mexico and regular patrols along beaches aim to prevent poachers from sacking the eggs during nesting season.

The confiscated eggs were turned over to a sea turtle conservation camp in the beach resort of Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, where they can be reburied in the sand for hatching.

Farther south in Panama, officials sentenced a sea turtle egg trafficker to 30 months behind bars for poaching more than a thousand eggs sacked from Pacific-side beaches in Los Santos province, the daily La Prensa reported on Monday.

Bolivar Dominguez, from the regional Environment Ministry, said 687 of the eggs had been damaged and had to be destroyed, while 381 eggs were re-nested at a protected site.

According to the Panamanian daily, the arrest marked the third case of poaching in less than 15 days in Los Santos, with the first poacher found in possession of more than 7,000 eggs.

Six poachers were arrested in connection with the first two incidents, and face of a fine of 3,600 U.S. dollars, as well as possible jail time.

There are seven different species of sea turtles and "nearly all ... are classified as endangered," according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Sea turtles are slaughtered for their meat and shells, and their eggs are poached for food, while beach development around the world threatens their natural habitats and nesting sites.
CARACAS, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's Minister of Oil and Mining Eulogio del Pino welcomed on Tuesday talks held by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) with an eye to shore up flagging crude prices.

"We are expecting an excellent climate for dialogue between all the producer countries," Del Pino told state-run TV network Venezolana de Television, adding that some 20 states said they were willing to make a joint effort to prop up prices, which fell to record lows in 2015.

Talks will center around a Venezuelan proposal floated several months ago to freeze production at January levels in an attempt to boost prices to 70 U.S. dollars a barrel.

Venezuela noted that Russia and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on Monday at the close of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, which does not remove a coordinated freeze on output.

As part of the agreement, the two countries acknowledged the need to stem excessive fluctuations in the oil market, "which has a negative impact on global economic growth and long-term stability."

Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Minister Delcy Rodriguez, who recently visited several OPEC countries, said the organization was aware members had to build consensus on joint measures to recover oil prices that began to plummet in 2014.
BRASILIA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Minister of Finance Henrique Meirelles said Tuesday that the country's participation at the G20 has successfully raised investors interest in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Brasilia, Meirelles said "the interest to invest in Brazil is very high. This is an extremely promising sign as it shows the belief in Brazil's recovery and we are ready to seriously consider investment options."

The minister added that certain countries have also expressed an interest in advancing commercial negotiations with Brazil.

According to Meirelles, the Brazilian delegation also presented its priorities for the international agenda at the G20, including the fight for sustainable development. Additionally, all parties at the G20 were very interested in understanding Brazil's exact economic situation.

"We clearly laid out Brazil's current situation, what we have done and our proposals to make the Brazilian economy recover. It was a very important contribution," he explained.

During his visit to China, Meirelles said his country had 269 billion U.S. dollars in infrastructure investment opportunities by 2019.

The trip to China was the first visit abroad by President Michel Temer and his team, after the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff.
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto on Tuesday reported Hurricane Newton largely spared the tip of the Baja California Peninsula after making landfall, causing minor damages and no casualties.

After the category 1 hurricane landed in the state of Southern Baja California in the predawn hours, and government agencies reported on the impact, the president posted on Twitter: "According to the latest reports, Newton has caused only minor damage to infrastructure and there are no victims."

Local and federal officials, he said, were working together to ensure the safety of communities in the area, which is home to Los Cabos, a beach resort especially popular with residents in the U.S. southwest.

"This afternoon we will have a more detailed assessment of the damages that will allow us to launch the recovery phase," said the president.

Newton was strong enough to knock down highway signs in Los Cabos, but roadways remained open, allowing businesses to begin reopening around noon, the coordinator of the Interior Ministry's National Civil Protection agency, Luis Felipe Puente, said.

Still, at least one visiting couple slept in the lobby of their hotel, after lashing winds and rain rocked their fifth-floor room, the daily El Universal reported.

Newton made landfall around 3 a.m. (0800 GMT), with rain and winds of 150 km per hour that disrupted electricity, Internet and cellular phone service in Los Cabos.

Airlines canceled flights in anticipation of the hurricane.

Newton was expected to cross the peninsula on its way to the Sea of Cortez, possibly hitting the state capital La Paz in the process, before reaching northwest Mexico.
By Matt Walsh

CANBERRA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Less than 15 percent of Australia's farmland is foreign owned, with Britain owning more than half of all foreign-owned land, a federal government release had detailed.

The Turnbull government on Wednesday released its farm register, which tracks the ownership of Australian agricultural properties, and found that 13.6 percent of Australia's farmland was owned by off-shore companies.

Despite concern's surrounding China's rapidly-increasing interest in Aussie farmland, the report found Chinese companies own just 0.5 percent of all agricultural land in Australia, and rank behind Britain, the United States, the Netherlands and Singapore.

British companies own 53 percent of the foreign-owned farmland, or 7.2 percent of total farmland in Australia.

Executive director of the Australian Farm Institute, Mick Keogh, said it would come as a surprise to many Australians that China did not appear to own more agricultural land, particularly as the federal government had been hesitant to sell Australia's largest pastoral company S. Kidman & Co. to a Chinese conglomerate.

Acting Prime Minister and government agriculture spokesperson, Barnaby Joyce said the release of the register was critical to the future of foreign investment in Australia, a key pillar of the nation's transition into a global economy.

He said it was important to understand and recognize how much Australian land was foreign owned, and that transparency would help the government encourage more targeted foreign investment in the future.

"This is the first comprehensive data on the actual level of foreign ownership of agricultural land in Australia," Joyce said in a statement released on Wednesday.

"This common perception that the level of foreign ownership has been increasing seems confirmed."

"Previous estimates by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found at June 2013, 12.4 percent (of farmland in Australia) was foreign owned.

"This has also increased on the December 2010 survey estimate of 11.3 percent."

Meanwhile the nation's Treasurer Scott Morrison said that foreign investment was "integral to Australia's economy," and the register would be a vital asset to the government as investment opportunities continue to arise.

"It contributes to growth, productivity and creates jobs, but the community must have confidence that this investment is in the national interest," Morrison said on Wednesday.

Australia and Morrison has come under fire in recent weeks for its treatment of Chinese firms interested in purchasing Australian assets and farmland.

Earlier this year, the Treasurer blocked the sale of S. Kidman & Co. on national security grounds as the pastoral land backs onto the Woomera defence site, while he also denied a Chinese conglomerate the right to purchase Ausgrid, the nation's largest electricity provider, as it wasn't in the "national interest."
YANGON, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- 137 more detained Myanmar nationals in Malaysia have been repatriated to home, official media reported Wednesday.

Under the sponsorship of the private KBZ Brighter Future Myanmar Foundation, the 137 detained Myanmar nationals, who have been issued Certificate of Identity, returned to Yangon Tuesday on a chartered flight from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

The return of the 137 has brought the total being repatriated to Myanmar to 824.

Still more Myanmar detainees will be brought home, the report added.

There were 2,294 Myanmar nationals reportedly detained for various reasons in 11 camps in Malaysia.

In March 2015, a warship of Myanmar navy carried back 102 illegal Myanmar immigrants from Malaysia who entered Malaysia illegally and were kept at detention camps as they have no certificate of identification to be able to return home.

There are more than 400,000 Myanmar immigrants reportedly working in Malaysia, many are legal workers.

In September 2013, Myanmar started to recall its citizens detained in Malaysia for working illegally there.
VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as China, Japan and South Korea meet here Wednesday for the 19th ASEAN Plus Three Summit (10+3).

The ASEAN plus China, Japan, South Korea cooperation mechanism incorporates the ASEAN+3 as well as the ASEAN+1 framework. The latter stands for ASEAN's respective cooperation mechanism with China, Japan and South Korea.

The two frameworks were established in the late 1990s when ASEAN countries decided to enhance cooperation with other major economies of Asia against the backdrop of economic globalization.

The first ASEAN Plus Three summit was held in Malaysia in December 1997, a very important time when all countries in the region were facing an economic setback. The financial crisis was regarded as having provided the impetus for this summit.

The two frameworks, initially focused on economic cooperation, have expanded in recent years to the fields of politics, security and culture. Nowadays, they have developed into mechanisms of great significance in strengthening and deepening East Asia cooperation at various levels and in various areas, particularly in economic, social and political areas.

A total of 66 dialogue mechanisms at various levels have been established in 24 fields within the framework of ASEAN+3, covering diplomacy, economy, finance, agriculture, labor, tourism, environment, the fight against cross-border crime, health care, energy, telecommunications, social welfare and administration innovation.

Within the framework of ASEAN+1, great emphasis has been put on cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, information and communication industry, human resources development, mutual investment and development of the Mekong River Basin.

State leaders, ministers and other high-ranking officials from 10 ASEAN countries, China, Japan and South Korea meet annually to discuss cooperation and major international and regional issues.

Apart from the above-mentioned three countries, ASEAN has also carried out ASEAN+1 dialogue with some countries outside of the region on an aperiodic basis.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
by Xinhua writers Zheng Kaijun, Yang Dingdu

TEHRAN, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Busy wiring a semi-manufactured metro car, Siamak Ghasemi was too concentrated to notice that he was being photographed.

When realizing that half a minute later, the 36-year-old gave a bashful smile. "Please, let me tidy my coverall first."

"I first put on this coverall 10 years ago," said the young "veteran" worker of a Tehran-based factory under Tehran Wagon Manufacturing Co. (TWM), a joint venture between Iran and China's CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. and NORINCO International Cooperation Co..

"China is cutting-edge in the development of subway and railway transportation. It always has great things to share with Iran," said Ghasemi, who was sent to China twice for training in 2007 and 2010.

"At the very beginning, we imported from China; then we learned to assemble; now, with China's help, things are getting more localized that we have our own production line," he told Xinhua.

Set up in 2003, the factory, now with some 960 Iranian workers and a Chinese team of about 30 people, can assemble 450 metro cars and 72 double-deck cars for intercity trains, and manufacture on its own 144 units of metro car-bodies, annually. The products are supplied to Tehran and other Iranian cities like Mashhad, Tabriz, Isfahan and Shiraz.

Metros are changing the daily life of Iranians. The Tehran Metro, for instance, carries some 4 to 5 million passengers per day. Five lines, all built by Chinese companies, are in service in the capital, and two more are under construction.

Roads in Tehran are usually fully jammed, largely as a result of the oil price being as low as some 0.4 U.S. dollars per liter and the common use of cheap second-hand cars.

"More and more people prefer to travel green now," Sadat Kharaj spoke to Xinhua while waiting at Chitgar, a station on Line 5's extension in western Tehran.

"I used to drive to work. That cost no less than one hour. But subway takes about half the time, and intervals are no more than 10 minutes," said the 40-year-old English teacher. "But still, I think we need more lines, more frequent trains and more metro cars."

Davood Shadmani, head of the TWM factory, is completely aware of such a demand.

"Iran has gained a lot from its Chinese partners. And the road ahead is clear: we hope more cooperation can be carried out as for the latest metro and railroad technologies that China masters," said Shadmani.
JAKARTA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and three others injured after landslides hit West Java province of western Indonesia on Wednesday, according to a disaster agency official.

The disaster took place at Cibogor village of Bogor district after the area was hit by heavy downpours, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of national disaster management agency told Xinhua via phone.

One out of the three wounded is suffering serious injury, he said.

All the victims have been rushed to a nearby hospital, Sutopo said.

Indonesia is frequently hit by flood and landslide during heavy rain season.
BRATISLAVA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- More than 25 percent of the European Union (EU)'s budget has been devoted to the low-carbon economy, a senior EU official said Tuesday.

Maros Sefcovic, European Commission vice president for Energy Union, made the remarks at an international conference on green economy held in the Slovak capital of Bratislava.

Sefcovic highlighted the "intelligent funding" of intelligent buildings, part of an energy efficiency package which will be unveiled in October.

He also said the European Fund for Strategic Investments, an initiative launched jointly by the European Investment Bank and the European Commission, is working well.

"We've already contracted projects worth more than 100 billion euros (112 billion U.S. dollars) in Europe since the fund was launched. More than half of these projects go for building infrastructures supporting energy efficiency," said Sefcovic.
Photo taken on Aug. 31, 2016 shows a LED light show along the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. The 11th G20 summit was held in Hangzhou from Sept. 4 to 5. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- China has placed innovation and global coordination top on the agenda to reinvigorate the world economy in a post-crisis era at the just-concluded Group of 20 (G20) summit, according to an Argentine expert.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Jorge Castro, director of the Institute of Strategic Planning in Buenos Aires said the summit was "an event of extraordinary importance and China placed atop the agenda the need to establish coordinated policies across the world."

Castro added that this mechanism could be a platform for governance for the next few years. "The path is to take action by driving innovation," he said, adding that China wanted the G20 to be a place for action, not only conversation.

"There is no way for a country to escape from stagnation in a global community without a common effort," Castro said.

The future of the G20 is of particular importance to Argentina, which will host the 2018 G20 summit, after Germany does so in 2017.

"Argentina will play an important role as the host country in 2018," said Castro.

The 2016 G20 summit concluded on Monday with the adoption of a statement outlining the group's direction and development goals, and with the Hangzhou Consensus on facilitating global economic growth by adopting comprehensive, open, innovative and inclusive long-term measures.
Guests attend the unveiling ceremony of Charming Beijing Photo Exhibition at Union Station in Washington D.C., the United States, Sept. 6, 2016. The exhibition called Charming Beijing, which will last for four days, was held by the Beijing municipal government to celebrate "China-U.S. Tourism Year" and to introduce Beijing's tourist attractions to local people. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition showing brilliant heritages and beautiful sceneries of Beijing, China's capital, was staged on Tuesday at the main hall of the Union Station of Washington D.C., a main traffic hub in the U.S. northeast corridor.

The exhibition called Charming Beijing, which will last for four days, was held by the Beijing municipal government to celebrate "China-U.S. Tourism Year" and to introduce Beijing's tourist attractions to local people.

"China and the United States have good cooperation in developing tourism. Holding 'China-U.S. Tourism Year' gives a strong push for Chinese local governments to introduce their tourist attractions in the United States," said Wang Yue, vice chairwoman of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development (BMCTD).

The United States has become the largest foreign tourist source for Beijing in recent years. Over 800,000 U.S. visitors come to Beijing every year, about one fifth of the total foreign tourists received in Beijing.

Wang expected to see "further breakthrough" in the number of the U.S. tourists in Beijing in the future.

Wang's enthusiasm was shared by her counterpart of Washington D.C., Beijing's U.S. sister city since 1984.

"This has been fantastic," said Theresa Belpulsi, vice president of Tourism of Washington D.C., talking about Tuesday's event.

"We are very excited these photos are absolutely exquisite. We are very excited again just another event that really highlights the culture and the friendship that we have between Washington D.C. and Beijing," said Belpulsi.

This year marks the U.S.-China Tourism Year, one of the results of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States last September.

Governments from both sides have launched a series of measures to boost tourism. Now, China is the fourth largest international source of visitors to the United States, while the latter has become the third largest international source of visitors to China.
CANBERRA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Australia and Britain have established a bilateral Trade Working Group to act as a stepping stone towards signing a free trade deal (FTA) once Britain exits the European Union (EU), Australia's Trade Minister confirmed on his website Wednesday.

Following a series of meetings with his British counterpart, Australia's Trade Minister Steve Ciobo, on his official visit to Europe, said both nations have a desire to secure a free trade deal once the Brexit formally occurs. He said the Trade Working Group would "advance the agenda" until that time comes.

"We want the Working Group to advance an agenda that will ensure the expeditious transition to FTA negotiations when the UK (Britain) has formally completed its negotiations to exit the EU," a statement released to Ciobo's website in Canberra said.

"Both of us want a future free trade agreement (FTA) to generate new trade and investment opportunities. We will prioritize consultation and outreach to our respective stakeholders to seek their input to the work of the Working Group."

Ciobo said the Working Group would not only act as a stepping stone towards a free trade deal between the historically-linked partners, but would also serve to involve Australia in further, plurilateral trade negotiations.

He had agreed to meet with Britain's Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox, twice a year until Brexit occurs, Ciobo said.

"In addition to preparing for bilateral FTA negotiations, its agenda will include other trade policy issues of mutual interest, including WTO processes and current and prospective plurilateral negotiations," Ciobo's statement said.

"To maintain momentum, we have agreed to meet twice annually to review progress in the Working Group," said the statement.

The first such meeting will take place in early 2017 in Australia, which will be preceded by discussions in Australia later this year during the planned visit by Lord Price CVO, Minister of State for Trade Policy, according to the statement.

"This initiative reflects a strong political commitment by Australia and the UK (Britain) to take a leadership role in advocating for global trade liberalization and reform," said the statement.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian scientists have denied that the common mosquito known as Culex can transmit the Zika virus, saying that the Aedes aegypti mosquito is known to be a main vector of the disease.

At a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, scientists from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute said that a study carried out with the Pasteur Institute in Paris had ruled out the Culex as a vector.

The teams analyzed 1,600 mosquitoes collected from five different regions across Brazil. Half were Culex and half were Aedes aegypti. They were tested to determine their suitability as Zika vectors.

The scientists mixed the two groups together and fed them jointly with blood carrying the Zika virus.

They found that between 80 and 100 percent of the Aedes aegypti carried the virus, with a great quantity in their saliva. However, none of the Culex mosquitoes showed the same result.

The results were published Tuesday in the PLoS (Public Library of Science) Neglected Tropical Diseases.

"We examined the saliva of the common mosquito to see if we could detect the virus but we found no Zika. This convinced us that this mosquito is not capable of transmitting it," said Ricardo Lourenco, a veterinarian from the the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, who led the project.

This study contradicted findings in July from the state-owned Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, in which researchers said the Zika virus had been found in the saliva of the Culex though its ability to transmit the virus remained unknown.

Brazil has been one of the countries worst hit by Zika though cases have dropped significantly in recent months after a massive fumigation campaign and with the arrival of winter.
Dilma Rousseff delivers a statement at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on Aug. 31, 2016. The Brazilian Senate voted on Wednesday to strip Dilma Rousseff of the presidency by 61 votes in favor to 20 votes against. This means Rousseff is immediately and permanently removed from her role and Michel Temer, who assumed the interim presidency after Rousseff was suspended in May, will become president until the end of this term in 2018. (Xinhua/Wilton Junior/Agencia Estado)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's former President Dilma Rousseff left on Tuesday the official presidential residence, the Alvorada Palace, amid salutations from her supporters.

As she left the presidential residence for the last time, accompanied by former Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo, who defended her in the impeachment process, Rousseff got out of the car to greet supporters waiting outside.

She received many roses while being saluted by the crowd who sang songs of support to the first woman president of Brazil.

"This is a very important demonstration of solidarity," Cardozo said.

Rousseff was removed from Brazilian presidency by a Senate vote last week after a nine-month-long impeachment battle. She was impeached for breaking fiscal responsibility laws in her management of the federal budget.

After moving out of the presidential residence, Rousseff is flying to Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state. She started her political career and lived there before working for the administration of her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the capital Brasilia.

Her daughter and grandchildren are now living in Porto Alegre.

Rousseff has recently said she will also spend some time in Rio, where her mother lives.

Her vice president Michel Temer, who took over during the suspension of her post, will serve out the rest of her term until elections are held in 2018.

Related:

Profile: Dilma Rousseff

Backgrounder: Chronology of Brazilian president Rousseff's impeachment process

Rousseff's allies at home and abroad enraged at impeachment

BRASILIA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- As Brazil and Latin America reeled from the impeachment of Brazil's president Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday, reactions quickly began pouring in, mostly from her saddened supporters.

Brazil's Central Union of Workers (CUT), a stalwart Rousseff ally behind many of the protests in her favour, was indignant. In a statement, it said Dilma had faced "a coup" and predicted that unions and workers' associations would unite against any attempt to "strip them of their rights." Full story
BORDEAUX, France, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Three French startups received awards Monday evening for their products that could make everyday life better experience in the near future, joining previous winners of a national program designed to support innovative entrepreneurs.

The program, named Digital In-Pulse, was set up three years ago by Huawei France, in a bid to support innovative small and medium companies across the country and meanwhile reinforce cooperation between them and talents in Shenzhen, a coastal city in southern China where Huawei is headquartered.

Since 2014, nearly 30 French companies have benefited from the program, including financial support of up to 50,000 euros, business trips to China and personalized follow-ups from Business France, a government-affiliated business promotion body and Huawei's partner on this program.

Speaking at a ceremony in Bordeaux City hall for the three winners, William Lv, vice president of Huawei France, reasserted Huawei's promise to contribute as much as possible to the French economy and generate local jobs by supporting France's digital transformation.

"France should be proud of its innovation ecosystem and its high level education. FrenchTech is not only a label, but also an energy that France should support," he said.

This is the first time that the competition has been held in Bordeaux, led by Huawei in partnership with a bunch of local partners. A panel of seven professionals chose the three winning companies out of a total of 25 candidates.

GreenMe, a company established in 2012 in Landes, took the first prize, for its product that could continuously measure different factors of a workplace so as to make it more comfortable and efficient.

The company will receive 50,000 euros from Huawei and participate in the Digital In-Pulse Forum in China in October, an event that will allow it to discover the Chinese digital ecosystem and to build its own professional network in China.

The second and third prizes were awarded respectively to Cogniteev for its OnCrawl solution, which helps business operators discover errors on their website, and to Qucit for its mobile applications that calculate traffic flows in cities and predict congestions based on realtime data.

Alexandre Dugarry, president of GreenMe, said that the Digital In-Pulse program and his upcoming trip to China will accelerate the international development of his business. The chance to get a closer look at the Chinese market is especially valuable, he added.

Bordeaux Mayor Alain Juppe, who also attended the ceremony, thanked Huawei for organizing this competition, saying the program offers support to innovative French startups and link them to the international market and in particular the Chinese market.

The Huawei-sponsored innovation contest this year is staged in four French cities, including Lyon, Lille, Nice and Bordeaux, and 12 companies will be awarded.

The event connects the French digital industry with the Chinese one and the main topics covered by the competition, such as Big Data, smart technologies and connected objects are at the heart of research and development strategies of Huawei, a leading Chinese tech giant with branches across the world.

Chinese companies like Huawei have in recent years devoted great resources to developing innovative products or remodeling services based on latest technologies, but innovation is a buzzword beyond the business circle in China, as the country has been pushing to make technological innovation a new engine of global growth during its G20 presidency, observers say.
By Liu Chuntao, Naim Ul Karim

DHAKA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China could stimulate sustainable Asian and global economic growth, a leading Bangladeshi legal economist told Xinhua.

In an exclusive interview recently, MS Siddiqui, a professor at Dhaka's Daffodil International University, said the Belt and Road Initiative will connect countries that represent 30 percent of world gross domestic product (GDP), 63 percent of global population, and most of known energy reserves.

PROMOTE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

In particular, countries along the Belt and Road routes, especially those with underdeveloped infrastructure, low investment rates, and low per-capita incomes, could experience a boost in trade flows and benefit from infrastructure development, said Siddiqui.

The Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, in a bid to revive the historic trade routes by boosting cooperation between China and other nations.

The Silk Road Economic Belt revival project could involve more than 60 countries and regions.

According to the economist, Chinese investment in large infrastructure projects constitutes the basis of the China-led initiative, which consists primarily of infrastructure that facilitates east-west trade over land, such as railways, roads and pipelines.

China has committed a total of about 100 billion U.S. dollars to a trio of new infrastructure funds, allocating 40 billion U.S. dollars to the Central Asia-focused Silk Road Fund, 50 billion U.S. dollars to the new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and 10 billion U.S. dollars to the BRICS-led New Development Bank, he mentioned.

The vision document for the Belt and Road Initiative, goes well beyond just infrastructure, and envisions closer coordination of economic development policies, harmonization of technical standards for infrastructure, removal of investment and trade barriers, establishment of free trade areas, financial cooperation and "people to people bonds" involving cultural and academic exchanges.

Personnel exchanges and cooperation, media cooperation, youth and female exchanges, and volunteer services, are also major components of the initiative, he said.

"China would be able to better secure its energy and raw materials supply, which now predominantly gets shipped through the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea as China is gradually becoming more influential economically and diplomatically. Eventually it will shift geo-strategically from a 'low-profile' international strategy and take on a far greater role in global affairs."

With the Belt and Road Initiative, Siddiqui said China as "a new great power is trying to supplement the international economic order."

OPPORTUNITY FOR BANGLADESH

"Bangladesh is in a strategic location between China, India and ASEAN countries and hence is well placed to be a trading and manufacturing hub. Bangladesh needs such increased connectivity with other economies in this region and China's Belt and Road Initiative will see the realization of this economic area."

He added that Bangladesh should seek more Chinese support to help develop more mega infrastructures and develop other facilities related to finance and technology.

"Following China's construction here of the multipurpose road-rail Padma Bridge bridge, we are expecting China to help develop a deep sea port," the economist said.

Bangladesh also needs Chinese support on regional and global issues and has invited China to be involved in regional issues with other relevant countries, he said.

Siddiqui went on to explain that the current infrastructure and energy sector projects bottlenecking in Bangladesh transpired mainly from a shortage of long-term investments.

The Bangladeshi government's budgetary allocations and long-term financing from local and foreign enterprises including banks, non-banking financial institutions and insurance companies, were not sufficient for maintaining the required investment for these sectors, he said.

"Bangladesh will have to spend between 7.4 billion and 10 billion U.S. dollars a year until 2020 to bring its power grids, roads and water supplies up to the standard needed to serve its growing population. In total, the country will require between 74 billion and 100 billion U.S. dollars between 2011 and 2020, or between 7.38 to 10.02 percent of its gross domestic product to improve infrastructure."

BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar) economic corridors will increase trade, transport, tourism and investment for Bangladesh, due to its strategic location between India and China, he said.

"The availability and affordability of workers and its geographical location are important aspects of Bangladesh developing into regional hub, yet it urgently needs a port, and related infrastructure to boost connectivity with other nations through ocean and land routes. The Belt and Road Initiatives will open up numerous opportunities for Bangladesh," said Siddiqui.

CONNECTING WORLD EFFICIENTLY

He said Chinese investment in large infrastructure projects constitutes the basis of the Belt and Road Initiative and emphasizes the commercial and open nature of the modern version of this network, he said.

He further explained that the ambitious programs of infrastructure construction along the main Asia-Europe shipping route will also result in connecting the world more efficiently.

"Firstly, China is gradually becoming more influential economically, diplomatically and geostrategically in regions close to Europe, therefore stronger investment and trade relations between China and countries in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia are increasing China's stake in regional affairs, as friendly relations with Beijing increase," Siddiqui said.

"Secondly, the Chinese government has an increased ability to influence routes trade between China and the European Union. And in the long term it is likely that transport and supply chain routes involving Asia and Africa will increasingly bypass those of Europe," the economist concluded.
Police cordoned off an area, where a bomb exploded in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sept. 6, 2016. (Xinhua/Phearum)

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A bomb exploded on a roadside in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, on Tuesday night, injured three persons, according to police.

The blast happened in Sangkat Beong Keng Kang III of Chamkamon district at 7:40 p.m. local time.

Phnom Penh Municipal Police Chief Chuon Sovann, who visited the scene soon after the explosion, said that three persons got wounded in the blast, including an Indian man, a Vietnamese man and a Cambodian woman.

Also, three cars were damaged.

Police inspect the scene where a bomb exploded in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sept. 6, 2016. (Xinhua/Phearum)

Eyes witnesses said that they saw unidentified suspect(s), riding a motorcycle, throwing the bomb at a parking Lexus car before escaping.

"This is a failed murder case. Currently, police is questioning eye witnesses in order to determine the identity of the perpetrator(s)," said a policeman, who asked not to be named.


RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Director-General of the World Trade Organization Roberto Azevedo has said that greater market confidence in the Brazilian economy was already perceptible, given the "political stability that is resuming."

Azevedo made the remarks after meeting with Brazilian President Michel Temer on Saturday on the sidelines of the G20 summit held in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, according to a statement from the Brazilian government.

Temer, who took over the presidency from suspended former President Dilma Rousseff, will serve out the rest of her term until elections are held in 2018.

"This is the moment to resume growth with the measures that are being adopted by the Brazilian government," the statement quoted Azevedo as saying.

"The figures already show that markets are reacting more favorably, and the growth perspectives are getting clearer," he added.

Temer and Azevedo, who is also Brazilian, met in Hangzhou to discuss matters of interest for Brazil in the international trade arena, mainly concerning agriculture, healthcare, digital commerce and the inclusion of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Azevedo said the WTO and Brazil hoped to deepen their cooperation to allow the country to further integrate into the global economy, with a focus on growth and social development.
Morocco has formally joined the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nationas, local media reported on Wednesday. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

RABAT, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Morocco has formally joined the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), local media reported on Wednesday.

According to daily le Matin, the Moroccan Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nasser Bourita, signed on the sidelines of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits, which is being held in Vientiane, Laos on Sept 6-8, on the instruments of Morocco's accession to the Treaty TAC.

Morocco's accession to the treaty is within the framework of Morocco's strategic vision aiming at diversifying its partnerships at all levels, the daily quoted Bourita as saying.

In recent years, Morocco has adopted various initiatives aiming at opening up to new political and economic regions and consolidates its strategic partnerships as key pillars of its foreign policy, Bourita added.

The adherence, which follows an official request made by Morocco on April 28, 2014, makes of Morocco the first African and Arab country to join the Treaty.
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- As this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN, it is a common task for the two sides to advance bilateral cooperation into a new stage, said Chinese diplomat Yang Xiuping.

In the past 25 years, the two sides have deepened political mutual trust, tightened economic cooperation, and achieved fruitful results in people-to-people exchanges, said Yang, who is the secretary-general of the ASEAN-China Center.

She noted that in 2015, China-ASEAN trade exceeded 472 billion U.S. dollars, with more than 23 million person-times of exchange visits and over 190,000 exchange students.

Yang said the Belt and Road Initiative (B&R), which consists of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road proposed by China in 2013, has benefited the development of China-ASEAN relations.

Many ASEAN countries strongly support B&R and have made important progress in cooperation in fields like infrastructure construction, interconnectivity, energy and finance, Yang said.

The interconnection and energy projects would be the priority of China and ASEAN when implementing the B&R, Yang said, noting that more pilot programs would be developed for financial cooperation.

She added that more opportunities have been created along with the upgrading of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), as well as the operation of Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanism.

Yang said the all-round and multi-level China-ASEAN partnership has become the broadest, most fruitful and closest ties among ASEAN's dialogue partners.

"The bilateral relationship has enhanced the economic and social development of both sides, promoted the integration of East Asia, reinforced the regional stability and prosperity," Yang said.

As a series of East Asian leaders' meetings are being held in Lao capital Vientiane, Yang expected the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting to give new impetus to the development of bilateral strategic partnership.

The secretary-general hoped China and ASEAN would forge a tighter community of common destiny by speeding up the integration of development strategies and promoting pragmatic trade and economic cooperation.

Both China and ASEAN would enjoy practical development by enhancing cooperation under the frameworks of the B&R, AIIB and the New Silk Road Fund, Yang said.

Subregional cooperation within systems like the Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanism would also be strengthened in order to push forward the building of an ASEAN community, she noted.

More people-to-people exchanges would be carried out in fields like culture and tourism as well as between the youth. In particular, a series of events would be held in 2016, the Year of China-ASEAN Educational Exchange, Yang said.

The ASEAN-China Center would keep advancing the friendly communication and pragmatic cooperation in light of the consensus reached by leaders of China and ASEAN, the secretary-general said.

Meanwhile, the center will also help further mutual trade and investment, build up platforms for exchanges in economy, education, culture and tourism, as well as to strengthen media cooperation between China and ASEAN, Yang added.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Vientiane, Laos, Sept. 6, 2016. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Tuesday that China hopes Singapore can play a constructive role in helping promote China's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Li made the remarks while meeting his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, on the sidelines of the East Asia leaders' meetings in the Laotian capital of Vientiane.

China considers Singapore a key partner for cooperation in the region, while close communications between the two nations' leaders can help keep the development of China-Singapore ties on the right track, boost pragmatic cooperation, and deepen the friendship of the two peoples, said Li.

The Chinese premier also said Beijing always regards ASEAN as a priority for regional diplomacy, noting that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN relations.

He added that China would like to join ASEAN in further expanding common interests, and contributing to regional peace and stability.

For his part, Lee said his country is willing to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with China, and ensure a smooth implementation of major projects.

Over the years, relations between China and ASEAN have been characterized by mutual benefits and shared profits, he said, adding that their common interests greatly outweigh their differences.

He also said Singapore, as a coordinator of China-ASEAN ties, would like to play an active part in promoting understanding and expanding common interests among various parties.

Earlier in the day, the Chinese premier arrived in Vientiane to attend the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 19th meeting of the leaders of ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea (10+3), and the 11th East Asia Summit. During his stay, Li will also pay an official visit to Laos.
HANGZHOU, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The G20's Leaders' Communique Hangzhou Summit, published on Tuesday, made the uncommon decision of including a proposal from the private sector, namely establishing an Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP).

The official and full-text communique came one day after G20 members wrapped up their Hangzhou summit on Monday. It consists of 48 paragraphs, written with consensus from the group's members.

In the 38th paragraph, the proposal of establishing the eWTP is mentioned.

"We welcome the B20's interest to strengthen digital trade and other work and take note of it's initiative on an Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP)," the communique wrote.

The eWTP was proposed by Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commercial giant Alibaba, aims to set up an open platform for private enterprises and coordination among international organizations, governments and social groups which focus on the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and trade as well.

According to Ma, who also chairs the Business 20 (B20) SME development taskforce, the eWTP will help SMES, even individuals, to participate in the global economy through the internet, Ma said.

Headquartered in Hangzhou, the host city of the 11th G20 summit, Alibaba is one of the world's largest e-commerce companies and one of the several Chinese companies with substantial influence on the global stage.

The inclusion of Ma's proposal in the communique reflects the growing influence of Chinese enterprises in global governance as well their input in shaping global trade regulations.
Chairman of Dubai Emaar Properties Mohamed Alabbar speaks to the press on September 5, 2016 during the unveiling of the plans for the construction of the new "Emaar South" development project in Dubai. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

DUBAI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Executives of Dubai property firms and real estate analysts said Tuesday the decision taken by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government to grant visas on arrival to Chinese visitors to the Gulf state is expected to boost investments into the property market in the sheikhdom.

"The new visa rules for China are very good news for the property market here," said Josef Kleindienst, founder and CEO of Dubai-based developer Kleindienst Group, two days after the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum announced the decision.

The Austrian entrepreneur told Xinhua that he sees constantly rising interest from Chinese investors in the Dubai real estate market.

Sales prices for residential real estate declined two percent from March to June in 2016, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of value losses, according to real estate research firm CBRE.

Simon Townsend, director strategic advisory at CBRE, said "the new visa rule is good news and CBRE will definitely reach out to potential Chinese investors who we expect will grow in numbers in the emirate."

According to Hakel Wen, international VIP service executive of China Foreign Trade Center which organizes the annual Canton Fair in southern China's Guangzhou city, bilateral trade between the UAE and China is expected to hit 60 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2016, up from 54.8 billion in 2014.

He said at a televised press briefing for the media in Dubai that the Gulf state is home of 4,200 Chinese firms, 356 trade agencies and 2,500 Chinese trade labels. Over 300,000 Chinese nationals already live in the UAE which has a total population of 10.5 million.

"The great thing about Dubai is that all major parties like tourism entities and ministries work closely together and we are ready to host more Chinese guests soon," said Noor Al Fardan, marketing communications manager of the seven-star hotel Burj Al Arab, the city's landmark resort.

Dubai welcomed 14.2 million tourists in 2015, a 7.5 percent increase year on year. By 2020, the emirate, known for its openness to foreigners and its dense network of luxury hotels and shopping malls, expects up to 25 million visitors with most of them to visit the six-month World Expo 2020.
by Zhai Wei, Song Ying

BRUSSELS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China has done a magnificent job in hosting the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hangzhou, and it is believed that the country can put the words in the summit into actions with other partners, said a senior legislator of the European Parliament (EP) on Tuesday.

The 11th summit of G20 major economies concluded in Hangzhou, east China, on Monday, reaching extensive consensus on pursuing innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economic growth.

The summit, for the first time ever, put the issue of development at the front and center of the global macro policy framework, constituted an action plan to facilitate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and supported the industrialization of African countries and least developed countries collectively.

Nirj Deva, vice chairman of the EP's Development Committee and chairman of the EU-China Friendship Group in the EP, said he has devoted 20 years to talks about the issue of development.

In an exclusive interview, Deva told Xinhua that he was very grateful that Chinese leader and heads of other G20 economies have taken the issue of development as a high priority.

He pointed out that the development in less developed countries and regions will stop immigration, generate employment and make people stay prosperous in their areas.

"China has played a significant role in helping Asian, African and Latin American countries," said the vice chairman, stressing, "We think China is a country that can put the words into actions with other partners on key issues."

In his view, another breakthrough is that both China and the United States formally ratified the climate change agreement.

"I am so delighted that China and the United States have ratified the Paris climate change agreement. I thought it would not happen, but it indeed happened," said Deva, adding that it is an important signal of protecting global climate.

During his recent visit to Beijing, Deva has noticed visible improvement in air quality in the city. He believed the Chinese government has taken environment protection as a high priority.

As for the future, the senior lawmaker said, "We are in a very difficult position today. The Middle East is in turmoil. Britain is to leave the European Union. There are vast migrations on the European continent. These are matters that need global solutions."

He believed the summit in Hangzhou is an important step in maintaining global stability.
TIRANA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The non-performing loans in the Albanian banking system registered further growth in July, data published by the Central Bank here showed Tuesday.

The level of non-performing loans reached 21.2 percent in July, hitting a new high in one year, Bank of Albania said.

At the end of 2015, the level of the bad loans fell to 18.2 percent and experts expect such a downward tendency to continue. x But, unlike expectancies, the level of the non-performing loans is going up.

It seems that the decline recorded at the end of 2015 was mainly due to the fact that the second-tier banks wrote-off the lost loans from their balance sheets.

However, Bank of Albania deems the Albanian banking system well-capitalized and liquid enough to credit the economy.
PARIS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- France's foreign trade deficit widened by 28.5 percent to 4.5 billion euros (5 billion U.S. dollars) in July on soaring oil imports, according to data published Wednesday by French customs.

The country's total imports stood at 41.4 billion euros, up by 2.4 percent from June mainly due to a rebound in oil purchases after the end of protests at refineries, customs said.

At the end of July, France registered a slight fall in its sales abroad to 36.9 billion euros on tepid aeronautical exports which generated 1.96 billion euros compared to 2.85 billion euros collected a month earlier.

For the past 12 months, trade gap widened by 1.7 billion euros to 47.5 billion euros in total compared to 2015.
MOSCOW, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry may meet shortly over the Syria crisis, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

"A meeting on Syria between Minister Lavrov and State Secretary Kerry in the near future is being worked on," the ministry's press service said.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference after the G20 Summit in Hangzhou that the U.S. State Department and Russian Foreign Ministry were "finalizing some preliminary agreements" aimed at improving the situation in Syria.

According to media reports, U.S. President Barack Obama and Putin failed to reach a deal on Monday on a ceasefire for Syria but the two leaders agreed to continue negotiations when they met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou.

Russia supports government forces loyal to President Bashir Assad, while the U.S. backs anti-government forces in the war-devastated country.
JERUSALEM, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli police withdrew their accusation against a Palestinian who they shot dead amidst a car-ramming believed to be a terrorist attack in Jerusalem Wednesday.

The video of the incident which led to the withdrawal of the terrorism accusation clearly showed that the deadly shooting against the vehicle continued even after the vehicle had come to a complete stop.

On Monday, police forces said paramilitary Border Police officers opened fire against a Palestinian car heading towards them in the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem.

A police statement said the men in the car attempted to carry out a ramming attack against them.

After police forces opened fire, Mustafa Nimr, 27, was killed, and his cousin, Ali Nimr, who was driving the car, sustained minor injuries but was later arrested.

However, on Wednesday, police forces released a new statement, withdrawing their previous allegations of terrorism, explaining that Ali Nimr was driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

"He is being investigated for the suspicions of involuntary manslaughter, driving without a license, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and endangering human life on the path of transport," police spokeswoman Luba Samri said in a separate statement.

Local media reported that police forces continued shooting even after the vehicle had stopped and it was clear that the passengers no longer posed a threat.

An amateur video footage released by Channel 10 TV news shows police forces confiscating the car.

Also in the video, the shooting continues even after the car driver can be clearly seen lying still on his back.

Channel 10 identified the casualty as Mustafa Nimr, a 27-year-old Palestinian, born and raised in the Shuafat refugee camp, who has recently been living with his Jewish girlfriend in Ramat Gan, a city outside Tel Aviv.

Human rights organizations and Palestinian officials have increasingly accused Israel of resorting to excessive use of violence in order to suppress a yearlong Palestinian uprising, which includes shootings, knife and car-ramming attacks.

In some instances, Israeli forces killed suspects even after they no longer posed a threat.

Other times Israeli forces also opened fire against people who were mistakenly believed to be about to carry out an attack, critics say.

On the other hand, an Israeli soldier who shot dead a subdued Palestinian youth in Hebron in March is currently on trial for manslaughter.

The excessive use of violence claimed the lives of least 220 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two U.S. citizens, and two asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan.
Israeli soldiers are seen at the site of a stabbing attack by a Palestinian man next to the entrance of the al-Arub refugee camp near the city of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on July 18, 2016 in which two soldiers were wounded. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

JERUSALEM, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli police withdrew their accusation against a Palestinian who they shot dead amidst a car-ramming believed to be a terrorist attack in Jerusalem Wednesday.

The video of the incident which led to the withdrawal of the terrorism accusation clearly showed that the deadly shooting against the vehicle continued even after the vehicle had come to a complete stop.

On Monday, police forces said paramilitary Border Police officers opened fire against a Palestinian car heading towards them in the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem.

A police statement said the men in the car attempted to carry out a ramming attack against them.

After police forces opened fire, Mustafa Nimr, 27, was killed, and his cousin, Ali Nimr, who was driving the car, sustained minor injuries but was later arrested.

However, on Wednesday, police forces released a new statement, withdrawing their previous allegations of terrorism, explaining that Ali Nimr was driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

"He is being investigated for the suspicions of involuntary manslaughter, driving without a license, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and endangering human life on the path of transport," police spokeswoman Luba Samri said in a separate statement.

Local media reported that police forces continued shooting even after the vehicle had stopped and it was clear that the passengers no longer posed a threat.

An amateur video footage released by Channel 10 TV news shows police forces confiscating the car.

Also in the video, the shooting continues even after the car driver can be clearly seen lying still on his back.

Channel 10 identified the casualty as Mustafa Nimr, a 27-year-old Palestinian, born and raised in the Shuafat refugee camp, who has recently been living with his Jewish girlfriend in Ramat Gan, a city outside Tel Aviv.

Human rights organizations and Palestinian officials have increasingly accused Israel of resorting to excessive use of violence in order to suppress a yearlong Palestinian uprising, which includes shootings, knife and car-ramming attacks.

In some instances, Israeli forces killed suspects even after they no longer posed a threat.

Other times Israeli forces also opened fire against people who were mistakenly believed to be about to carry out an attack, critics say.

On the other hand, an Israeli soldier who shot dead a subdued Palestinian youth in Hebron in March is currently on trial for manslaughter.

The excessive use of violence claimed the lives of least 220 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two U.S. citizens, and two asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (4th L), Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith (5th L) and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (4th R) cut a commemorative cake as they attend a ceremony to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relations, in Vientiane, Laos, Sept. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Wednesday that relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have made great strides and effectively promoted regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Li made the remarks when attending a ceremony with ASEAN leaders to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relations.

China and ASEAN have valued the development and their cooperation in the principle of mutual respect, understanding, trust and support since 1991 when they established the dialogue relations, he said.

"The past 25 years have seen growing mutual trust and pragmatic achievements made between China and ASEAN," he said.

The premier added that China has always regarded ASEAN as an important force in safeguarding regional peace and stability and in promoting regional integration and world multi-polarization.

Li pledged to give ASEAN a priority in China's drive to develop its relations with neighboring countries, saying China will support the building of an ASEAN community, ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation, and its growing part to play in international and regional affairs.

China is willing to work with ASEAN nations to cement the strategic communication between the two sides, advance the 2+7 cooperation framework, and energetically promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, he said.

He also vowed to continually inject new vigor into China-ASEAN relations and build a closer community for a shared future.

The premier's speech was echoed by ASEAN leaders, who praised the amazing achievements the two sides have made in the past 25 years and expressed confidence for their relations in a bright future.

ASEAN leaders said the development of relations with China would benefit ASEAN nations and are conducive to building an ASEAN community.

ASEAN is ready to cement the relations and tap new potential in promoting mutual political trust, deepening economic and trade cooperation, and expanding people-to-people and cultural exchanges with China, they said.

They looked forward to lifting China-ASEAN relations to a new level to promote regional peace and development.

In the ceremony held at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, Li and ASEAN leaders watched a short film chronicling China's growing relations with ASEAN in the last quarter of a century and looking into their bright prospects in the future.

Li and Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith also inaugurated a handbook titled "25 Years of ASEAN-China Dialogue and Cooperation: Facts and Figures."

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, whose country is the coordinator of China-ASEAN relations, joined them to cut a commemorative cake.

The Chinese premier arrived in Laos Tuesday for the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 19th meeting of the leaders of ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea (10+3), and the 11th East Asia Summit.

During his stay, Li is also to pay his first official visit to the country since taking office in March 2013.

Related:

China, ASEAN reaffirm free navigation, overflight over South China Sea

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Wednesday reaffirmed their respect of freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea under principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Full story

Commentary: China-ASEAN relations entering "period of maturity"

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China and the 10 member states of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) vowed on Wednesday to manage their differences properly so as to commit themselves to national and regional development. Full story

ASEAN, China agree on code for unplanned encounters in South China Sea
VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members and China issued a joint statement Wednesday on the application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea.

The statement was issued after the two sides held the 19th ASEAN-China Summit in the Lao capital and commemorated the 25th anniversary of dialogue relations between ASEAN and China.

The document reaffirmed commitment to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the DOC, including the importance of the freedom of navigation and overflight.

It said the two sides recognized that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea region serves the fundamental interests of ASEAN member states and China as well as the international community.

The joint statement recognized that Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and China are members of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) and have adopted CUES.

CUES, as a coordinated means of communication to maximize safety at sea, offers a means by which navies may develop mutually rewarding international cooperation and transparency, according to the document.

Leaders from the two sides reaffirmed in the statement their commitment to CUES in order to improve operational safety of naval ships and naval aircraft in air and at sea, and ensure mutual trust.

The document said the leaders agreed to use the safety and communication procedures for the safety of all their naval ships and naval aircraft, as set out in CUES, when they encounter each other in the South China Sea.
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Overseas investors are set to embrace a new era of opportunities in China as authorities are determined to liberalize trade and investment rules.

China plans to roll out more measures to utilize foreign capital, promote free trade zones and create a negative list for foreign investment, according to a statement released Tuesday after a State Council executive meeting.

Last week, China added seven more free trade zones (FTZs) in Chongqing, Henan, Hubei, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Zhejiang, bringing the total number of FTZs to 11, just three years after the first FTZ, in Shanghai, opened for business.

Li Guanghui, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, sees the move as a clear message of determination and confidence from the Chinese central leadership to continue reform and opening up.

The new FTZs are proof that China is embracing inclusive growth, building an open world economy and reinvigorating international trade and investment, said Li.

Indeed, with restrictions on overseas investors lifted, China is an increasingly attractive destination for overseas investment. In the first half of the year, 13,402 foreign-funded firms were established in China, up 12.5 percent, according to official data.

In addition, China is continuing to improve how it regulates foreign investment, in efforts to create a stable, fair and transparent business environment.

Days after the announcement of new FTZs, China's top legislature passed revisions to four laws regulating inbound investment, with an easing of the rules for foreign and Taiwanese investors looking to start businesses across the Chinese mainland.

Provisions have been added to four laws: on foreign-capital enterprises, on Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures, on Chinese-foreign contractual joint ventures, and on the protection of investment of Taiwanese compatriots.

The revisions suspend administrative approvals for foreign and Taiwanese investors setting up ventures regulated by the four laws, following successful trials in several FTZs.

If businesses are not on a negative list, they are now only required to submit business plans to local regulators.

Trials in FTZs have proven to be effective, said Tang Wenhong, director of the Foreign Capital Department of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), adding that the new revisions will create a more open and convenient business environment for investors.

In the first seven months of 2016, 5,783 enterprises were set up in the four FTZs by foreign investors and those in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, securing inbound investment of 7.2 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 66.3 percent, according to the MOC.

A survey by the Development Research Center of the State Council, found that over 90 percent of firms said the new changes would help foreign companies to increase investment in China. All respondents believed it was now easier to start a business.

With the new openness, overseas investors are upbeat about the Chinese market.

Italian firms are very optimistic about their development in China, especially in western regions, said Sergio Maffettone, consul-general of Italy in Chongqing, where one of the new FTZs is located.

China has made the opening-up of inland provinces one of its top priorities, said Chi Fulin, director of China Institute for Reform and Development.

Central and western provinces have great potential to tap foreign trade as a growth point, which will improve people's wellbeing as well as offering new opportunities to overseas investors, he said.

Related:

China relaxes foreign financial investment quota rules

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China relaxed quotas for qualified foreign institutions to invest in its stock market on Monday, in the country's latest efforts to open up its financial sector.

Foreign investors in the country's Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) program will be granted quota limits based on their aggregate assets, said a document of the People's Bank of China and State Administration of Foreign Exchange. Full story

China revises inbound investment laws

BEIJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Saturday revised four laws regulating inbound investment, with an easing of rules for foreign and Taiwanese investors looking to start businesses across China.
by Diao Ze, Zhang Man

VENICE, Italy, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- While Chinese film market is growing and changing very fast, China and Europe should work together to create a common language and create the conditions to encourage young talents to present their stories, said Giorgio Gosetti, the Director of Venice Days, an independent event on the sideline of the Venice Film Festival.

Born in Venice in 1956, Giorgio Gosetti is a film festival programmer and director. He served as vice-director of the Venice Film Festival from 1992 to 1996 and has founded or directed different film festivals in Italy, including the Rome Film Festival.

During an interview with Xinhua, Gosetti explained his understanding and expectation towards the internalization of Chinese films.

European audience are fully open to see more Chinese films and more Chinese filmmakers should go abroad to carry out cooperation on the international level, he said.

"The generation of masters like Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, opened the Europeans' mind toward a different culture and through this passage, the international and European film festivals received and are receiving more works from china. This is a tradition and a good start," said Gosetti.

"But now we have both in China and Europe a new generation of young audience and filmmakers, they have different taste and expectation for cinema," he explained, stressing that discovering the new tendencies of film markets from both sides is crucial to the internationalization of Chinese films.

"The integrating point is, in my opinion, the development of the diversity of contents and of talents. China and Europe should work together to match the tendencies and even to create a new group of audience," he added.

Noting the future exchanges between Chinese and European new talents, Gosetti said the key lies in creating platforms of communication where they can discuss, invent, and share stories. "I do hope Chinese directors come to Italy and invent story with its own sensibility."

According to the director, Venice Days presents since 2014 the China Film Forum, which is the first China-themed forum in the film festival and attracts many young film professionals to discuss their ideas about Chinese cinema with European masters.

"Young filmmakers in China today are more professional than the last generation. I think Europe can offer certain partnerships in terms of professionalism and technique, which could be useful to the Chinese new generation," he said.
TAIPEI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Around 10,000 people employed in hospitality and tourism in Taiwan will take to the streets in downtown Taipei on Sept. 12 to protest against a drop in visitors from the Chinese mainland, organizers said Wednesday.

This will be the sector's first ever demonstration, according to the organizers, which include the island's associations of hotels, travel agents and tour buses.

"We want the authorities to acknowledge that things cannot go on like this," Ringo Lee, a spokesperson for the island's Travel Agent Association, said at a press briefing.

The number of mainland visitors, which rose to about 4.2 million last year, has declined since Tsai Ing-wen took office. The organizers of the event attribute this to Tsai's refusal to recognize the 1992 Consensus, which includes the one-China policy. Her attitude has left mainlanders feeling both puzzled and unwelcome.

According to data released by the island's authorities, although the number of individual visitors from the mainland has remained stable, the number of tourists visiting the island on group tours has declined by about 30 percent over the three months since May, compared with the same period last year.

In May and June, the number of mainland tourists visiting Taiwan decreased by more than 80,000 from the same period last year, according to the island's travel agency.

As a result, many people in the sector, who depend on visitors from the Chinese mainland for their livelihoods, are suffering.

During Wednesday's press conference, representatives of the associations organizing the event said the people have been mobilized by a desire to highlight their plight -- they need jobs and they want to feed themselves.
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's health ministry said on Wednesday they have detected a new case of Zika virus in a pregnant woman living in Johor Baru, which borders Singapore, bringing the total outbreak in the country to three.

The patient, a 27-year-old woman who is three to four months in pregnancy, began to show symptoms of rash and fever on Sept. 2, said the health minister S.Subramaniam at a press conference, adding she tested positive on Tuesday.

She is being treated in the hospital currently, said the minister.

How the patient was infected is still being investigated by health authorities, but her husband commutes daily to work in Singapore, said the minister, adding the test results on the husband are yet to come out.

"There is a possiblilty that the husband was also positive and she got it from him through sexual contact, or it coule be by a mosquito bite by another infected person within Johor Baru, who we don't know who it is," said the minister.

Subramaniam suggested people who have infected spouses to avoid sex or postpone pregnancy for at least six months.

He also noted that if the life of infected pregnant women are threatened, they can have abortion, but he said doctors should take individual cases in a "case by case" manner.

Since a sudden outbreak of Zika in Singapore, Malaysian health authorities have been on high alert, worrying that apathy among many Malaysian people towards Aedes mosquitoes, the major transmitter of the virus as well as dengue, may offset the efforts to prevent Zika.

"We have to presume there will be more cases, particularly in Johor Baru because of the close proximity to Singapore, where there are some new cases emerging from time to time," said the minister.

There is no vaccine or specific medication to treat the mosquito-borne virus, which has been linked to serious birth defects.

The World Health Organization also further strengthened its guidelines to prevent sexual transmissions of Zika virus on Tuesday, advising people both men and women returning from Zika-affected areas to practice safe sex for at least six months from the previous six to eight weeks.

Zika outbreak in Southeast Asia have touched the nerve of many countries, prompting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to urge leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at a summit in Laos to work together to fight Zika.
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has revised its constitution with regards to academicians, one of its top honors, adding new rules on the revoking of the academician title.

According to the constitution,"any academician who seriously violates professional and social ethics shall be urged to give up his title; those who harm the national interest and break the law shall have their title revoked,"

The CAS academician title is a top national honor in science and technology.

CAS introduced its current academician system in 1994 and has made efforts to improve the system in recent years.

Last year, CAS made it clear that civil servants and Communist Party of China officials were barred from entering academician elections, in a bid to reduce foul play.
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Wednesday condemned the destruction of university property and the intimidation and harassment of university leaders as part of student activism over free university education.

The burning of books and university infrastructure "is reprehensible and has no connection to the calls for free education for the poor", the ANC said as violence re-erupted in some institutions of higher learning over possible fee rises in the country.

Calling the move "a symbolic act of anti-intellectualism", the party said attacking university property and harassing university leaders "is illegal and a crime".

The ANC calls on students and staff at all universities to reject violence and to ensure the Fee Commission completes its work timeously, said Naledi Pandor, Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Education and Health under the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC).

"We call on university authorities to be vigilant and call on students to protest lawfully and to direct their activism through appropriate university and political structures," Pandor said.

"We urge the government to determine a solution that ensures those who can afford to pay fees do so and those who do not have the financial means are supported by state resources," she added.

Also on Wednesday, the government voiced concern over media reports on the resurgence of violent protests in some institutions of higher learning.

"As government, we would like to assure South Africans that the matter of student fees is receiving our full attention. We are working together with all parties concerned to find a lasting solution," said Donald Liphoko, spokesperson for the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

President Jacob Zuma has instructed finance minister as well as higher education minister to find money for another zero-percent fee increase for 2017.

Last month, the National Treasury told the Fee Commission of Inquiry, looking into the feasibility of free tertiary education, that a zero-percent fee increment for 2017 was not budgeted for.

The Council on Higher Education has proposed that institutions increase their fees by six percent for the 2017 academic year.

Students, however, have threatened to disrupt institutions of higher learning if their demand for zero fee increase is not met.
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua)-- China's economic transition offers many investment opportunities and will drive technology and business model innovation, according to the head of a foreign private equity fund.

Economic restructuring and industrial upgrading will foster renewed demand for innovation in technology, media and telecommunication (TMT), education, health care and higher-quality consumer goods, James Yang, Managing Partner and Chairman of Pagoda Investment, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Since it opened in 2015, Pagoda Investment, whose major investors include Australia's Queensland Investment Corporation and some large European pension funds, has focused on investing in China's new consumption-centered economy. It has invested in several business giants including ride-sharing firm Didi, online-to-offline business platform Meituan & Dazhongdianping and on-demand personalized radio app Ximalaya FM, according to Yang.

"The downward economic pressure might also have some silver linings, as it could squeeze out the hype bubble and push for real innovation in new technology and sustainable business models," Yang said.

He said there are still many investment opportunities in the TMT sector as China is the world's second largest technology innovation market and has been a pioneer in Internet technology and application with strong government support.

"For example, Didi is not an on-demand mobility firm, but essentially a big data platform that matches demand and supply via data analysis," he said.

Yang is also upbeat about business opportunities to cooperate between the domestic and overseas market, such as logistics services for the Belt and Road Initiative and the rising demand of the Chinese middle class for safer food, better health care and consumer products.

China's outbound investment reached more than 102.7 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months of this year, up 61.8 percent year on year, and Chinese enterprises have been active in overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

"Many Chinese firms are becoming increasingly international with market expansion via M&A. Foreign funds can help bridge overseas technology and products with the Chinese market and help cultural integration and compliance with local laws, which are crucial to M&A success," Yang said.
JAKARTA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government on Wednesday carried out an exercise for the communities living along coastal areas to anticipate the impacts of tsunami, disaster agency said here.

The drill was held in several areas vulnerable to the danger, including Padang, the provincial capital of West Sumatra, Pangandaran district of West Java, Pacitan district of East Java, and others places, a statement from the national disaster management agency disclosed.

The exercise trained the communities to better respond to early warning for tsunami and take part in the process of evacuation, and tested the readiness of the country's tsunami early warning system.

The drill, in cooperation with the UNESCO, was attended by representatives from 28 countries, partly situated along the Indian Ocean.

In Padang city, the exercise involved elementary students, local residents and officials, Rudi Rinaldi, senior official of local disaster agency said in the statement.

"This activity significantly expands our knowledge in disaster mitigation. Hopefully this activity can be continuously undertaken in schools," Rini, one of the elementary students participating in the drill said.

More than 200,000 people were killed in the countries along the Indian Ocean when tsunami hit the nations in December 2014. Indonesia's Aceh province in northern tip of Sumatra Island is among the worst-hit areas with 170,000 death tolls and massive damages.

Indonesia is laid on a vulnerable quake-hit zone called "the Pacific Ring of Fire," making it vulnerable to quakes.
XINING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Songtsen Langbo, a member of the Hol Xil Nature Reserve patrol team, knows all there is to know about the unforgiving plateau weather, but a recent patrol nearly cost him his life.

From Aug. 25 to Sept. 4, he and five colleagues found themselves trapped by the mud and snow in the 60,000-square-kilometer reserve in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

"We were on our way back from a 25-day patrol, and our jeeps got stuck in the mud," Langbo said.

Langbo has led the nature reserve's fourth patrol group since May. They are tasked with catching poachers and illegal miners, and must complete their main patrol before winter.

Two teams of rescuers came to their rescue, but their vehicles got stuck.

"We had to abandon our vehicles and we were totally exhausted. I was struggling to breathe at certain points," Langbo said.

"We ran out of fuel and food, and our satellite phones were not working. We had no choice but to walk several miles," he said.

Altogether six vehicles were severely damaged, three remain trapped in the mud.

Located about 4,500 meters above sea level, the nature reserve is home to many protected species including Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild ass. It also has about 7,000 lakes.

"It is not unusual for teams to be trapped for a day or two, but more than that is not only rare but rather risky," said Buchung, chief of the reserve management committee.

In the last five years, Hol Xil reserve has reported more than a dozen instances of teams getting trapped in the wild, he said.

"Many of our patrollers work in extremely harsh conditions, which compromise their health. Added to this, are threats of violence from poachers," said Buchung.

Buchung said the rangers jobs are dangerous, and have cost lives, such as Sonam Daje, a Tibetan official who was killed by poachers about 20 years ago.

Yet, despite this, the rangers continue to deter poachers and protect the rare species in the reserve, especially after the number of Tibetan antelopes in the reserve shrank to less than 20,000 due to rampant poaching since the 1980s.

Intensive anti-poaching efforts have increased the population to 70,000 today, and no killings have been reported for 10 consecutive years.

"My family is very proud of me, but they don't know how risky my job can get," said Lhundrup Tsegye, 28.
MOGADISHU, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least eight Al-Shabaab militants were killed at Bud-bud location in central Somalia's Galgudud region Wednesday after fighting between the militants and Somali National Army (SNA) backed by African Union (AU) forces.

"The joint forces killed 8 Al-Shabaab fighters and recovered grenades including an artillery gun which they were using. Our forces are still in the area," SNA Commander in the region, Ahmed Mohamed, told reporters.

However, Al-Shabaab militants later claimed to have captured Bud-bud area from Ethiopian troops which are part of the AU and Somali forces, a claim which the government denied.
NAIROBI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's current account deficit is likely to reduce to 5.5 percent in the 2016/2017 financial year, down from an estimated 8 percent the previous year, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) official said on Wednesday.

IMF Kenya Resident Representative Armando Morales told Xinhua in Nairobi that the lowering is due to reduction of the price of oil in the international market.

"Oil constitutes a significant portion of country's imports and so the price of oil has big impact on current account deficit," Morales said.

"Reduction of imports of capital goods is also expected and this will help to lower the current account deficit," Morales said on the sidelines of the launch of Kenya Economic Report 2016.

He said a contraction of the trade deficit will reduce external pressure on the economy, which he said a move in the right direction.

According to the National Treasury, the country's fiscal deficit was 7.6 percent of the Gross Domestic Product in the last financial year, and predicts that it will rise to 9.3 percent in the current financial year.

IMF is set to release it projections for the fiscal deficit for the 2016/2017 financial year later in the year after gathering more information.

Morales said that a widening fiscal deficit could affect the rates at which government borrows through treasury bills.

The IMF official noted that the fiscal deficit is also impacted by the rate at which government executes its expenditure.
TEHRAN, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian forces killed eight counter-revolutionary militants in the Kurd-populated region in Iran's West Azarbaijan province, a local official told official IRNA news agency on Wednesday.

The clashes erupted between Iranian security forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Democratic party in the border point of Sardasht city, Governor of Sardasht Aziz Hassani said.

Hassani did not refer to the time of the clashes, but said that more details will be announced soon.

In June, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that its forces had smashed a number of terrorist cells in the northwestern country and had killed dozens of terrorists.

Reports said that the militants belonged to the members of outlawed "counter-revolutionary terrorist groups," including Kurdistan Democrat party, who had crossed the northwestern borders into the country from Iraq.
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Wednesday issued an alert for outbound travellers to guard against the Zika virus, which has spread in some Southeast Asian countries.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine asked travelers to affected countries to be extra cautious and to avoid mosquito bites.

Those coming from affected regions should declare themselves to the quarantine staff when entering China if they have suspect symptoms, such as fever, joint pain, rashes, conjunctivitis, headaches and muscle pain, said the administration.

Quarantine authorities nationwide were also asked to step up cooperation.

The Zika virus is acquired through bites from infected Aedes aegypti mosquitos. Singapore confirmed 17 new local cases of the Zika virus as of Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 275.

Other Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Thailand, have also reported Zika cases.
VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the continuing legacy of death and injury resulting from U.S. bombing raids of 1964-1973 during the Vietnam War with a visit to a prosthetic and education center in the Lao capital on Wednesday.

Laos bore the brunt of U.S bombing raids in the so-called "Secret War" during the period 1964-1973 which saw some 2.5 million tonnes of ordnance dropped on Laos during military intervention in the landlocked country, more than that experienced by Japan and Germany combined during World War II.

The country has counted some 50,000 victims of remnant anti-personnel cluster munitions that remained unexploded.

Speaking at Vientiane's Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) which provides assistance and employment to physically disabled victims of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and related accidents in the South-East Asian nation, Obama highlighted the need to understand and prevent wars and their heavy toll on innocent civilians.

"Every young boy and girl ... deserve to be free from the fear of the shadow of a war that happened long ago," Obama said. "Wars are about the countless millions that suffer in the shadows of war, the innocence forgotten and the bombs that remain unexploded in fields decades after."

"Acknowledging the history of war and how it is experienced concretely by ordinary people is a way that we make future wars less likely," he said.

The visit to the COPE Center came after Obama announced some 90 million dollars in U.S. aid over three years for the safe identification and removal of UXO in Laos.

The visit also came as efforts to safely remove the threat from UXO was enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for Laos by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith on the sidelines of the ASEAN summits in Vientiane.
HAIRATAN, Afghanistan, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The first-ever cargo train from China, after some two weeks of journey, has arrived in Hairatan port, some 300 km north of Kabul, in the northern Balkh province.

"The inauguration of cargo service train linking China to Afghanistan marks the revival of ancient Silk Road," Azarakhsh Hafizi, chairman of international relations of Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said at a ceremony on Wednesday to welcome the first Sino-Afghan freight train which had arrived a day earlier.

Bearing a banner reading "Nantong - Afghan Hairatan" in the driver's wagon as the sign of China's commitment to help revive economy of the militancy- plagued nation, the cargo train was warmly welcomed by emotional Afghans.

The railway route connecting China to Afghanistan will help traders to transport their goods in 15 days, while in the past it took two or three months for Afghan traders to ship their goods via sea transportation, Hafizi said, adding "It opens up new opportunities for Afghanistan's commerce and economic activities."

At present, goods such as mechanical equipment, information technology products and clothes are transported by China-Afghanistan freight trains to the land-locked country, while returning to China with Afghan products such as marble stone, saffron, dry fruits and carpets.

After the opening of the route, two trains are scheduled to run each month, as part of China's Belt and Road initiative to improve Asian connectivity.

The cargo train service is expected to run weekly by the end of this year, according to officials.

Hairatan port, a small but peaceful township bordering Uzbekistan and located in northern Balkh province, is a key commercial center connecting the national capital Kabul with nine northern provinces.
Iranian forces killed eight terrorists in the Kurd-populated region in West Azarbaijan province on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

TEHRAN, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian forces killed eight counter-revolutionary militants in the Kurd-populated region in Iran's West Azarbaijan province, a local official told official IRNA news agency on Wednesday.

The clashes erupted between Iranian security forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Democratic party in the border point of Sardasht city, Governor of Sardasht Aziz Hassani said.

Hassani did not refer to the time of the clashes, but said that more details will be announced soon.

In June, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that its forces had smashed a number of terrorist cells in the northwestern country and had killed dozens of terrorists.

Reports said that the militants belonged to the members of outlawed "counter-revolutionary terrorist groups," including Kurdistan Democrat party, who had crossed the northwestern borders into the country from Iraq.
A Chinese engineer works with his Kenyan colleague at Mombasa super bridge of standard gauge railway (SGR) project, in Mombasa, Kenya, on Sept. 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)

KIGALI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China is playing a key role in promoting regional integration by supporting infrastructural developments in Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) member states, said Sindiso Ngwenya, Secretary General of the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

In an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the Global African Investment Summit in Rwanda capital Kigali, Ngwenya noted that China's contribution to regional integration was boosting intra-African trade on the continent.

Rwanda hosts the high level investment forum from 5th to 6th September 2016, aimed at delivering international trade and investment to Africa's most dynamic region.

TFTA brings together three of Africa's major regional economic communities, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

"China's continuous contribution to the regional integration and the building of the Great COMESA-SADC-EAC Free Trade Zone is vital to our regional countries to increase trade and investments among TFTA bloc," Comesa secretary general said.

He called on other countries to emulate China's efforts towards realization of strong regional integration in Africa.

"We have seen Chinese investment in many African counties especially in the areas of infrastructure and energy development, agriculture, human resource development and capacity building skills and culture among others. China's support to Africa is crucial towards achieving Agenda 2063," he said.

Agenda 2063 is the African continent's vision for development and socio-economic transformation over the next 50 years.

Presently only three of Africa's eight regional economic communities are participating in the TFTA. Non-participating economic blocs include the Arab Maghreb Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the Economic Community of Central African States and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States.

Ngwenya pointed out two important things that investors will look at in the continent are the market size and a conducive business/investment climate.
TAIYUAN, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- An international energy industry expo opened on Wednesday in north China's Shanxi province, focusing on the green development of the coal industry.

The China (Taiyuan) International Energy Industry Expo attracted 368 companies and institutions from more than 20 countries and regions.

An energy and low carbon development forum was held on Wednesday. Experts and entrepreneurs shared their views on innovation-driven development and clean coal.

"The forum has provided us a valuable opportunity to learn the latest trends, strategies and technology in the energy industry and green development," said Shanxi acting governor Lou Yangsheng.

Shanxi is cutting coal capacity and developing new economic drivers.
Egyptians check the wreckage of a train after it derailed near the village of Al-Ayyat in Giza on the southern outskirts of the capital Cairo, on September 7, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

CAIRO, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A train derailment accident in Egypt's Giza governorate killed five people and injured 27 others on Wednesday, reported the state-run MENA news agency.

According to MENA, three first-class train cabins of the train heading to Aswan City in Upper Egypt derailed in the district of Ayat in Giza, causing the death of five passengers.

The injured were transferred to a hospital, as work is currently underway to clear the train tracks for safe train operation.

On Tuesday, 22 people were killed and dozens others injured in a horrific traffic accident in Egypt's New Valley governorate.

MENA reported that 10 ambulances moved the dead bodies from the accident on Tuesday to governorate morgues for identification.

According to the World Health Organization, 12,000 Egyptians lose their lives in traffic accidents every year.
RAMALLAH, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Russia has officially informed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that its efforts to arrange a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will continue, a senior official said on Wednesday.

The Palestinian Minister for Foreign Affairs Reyad al-Malki said during an interview with the Ramallah-based "Voice of Palestine" Radio station that Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's peace envoy had a telephone conversation with President Abbas.

On Tuesday, Abbas's office criticized Netanyahu's request from Russia to postpone a three-way meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was scheduled in Moscow next week.

Abbas's office said in an official statement that Netanyahu's request to postpone the meeting "assures that he (Netanyahu) is evading from any international initiative to rescue the stalled peace process."

Russian President Vladimir Putin had proposed a three-way meeting with both Abbas and Netanyahu in Moscow next week. Abbas had stated earlier in Poland that he does not object meeting Netanyahu anywhere.

According to WAFA, the state-run news agency of the Palestinian National Authority, Abbas received a phone call form Bogdanov on Tuesday, saying that Netanyahu asked to postpone the scheduled meeting.

WAFA's report said that Bogdanov briefed Abbas on his earlier meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem, adding that Bogdanov informed President Abbas that Netanyahu asked to postpone the meeting in Moscow.

"Bogdanov conveyed to President Putin, the positive role of President Abbas in pushing forward towards making peace," said the report.

It added that both Abbas and Bogdanov agreed to keep in touch between the two sides to arrange a bilateral meeting between President Abbas and President Putin in New York next month."

"Bogdanov informed President Abbas on Tuesday that the Palestinian position is fully clear and that the problem comes from Israel's side," Al-Malki said, adding "the Russian efforts focus on setting up a new date and a place for the meeting."

Meanwhile, Nabil Abu Rdineh, aide to President Abbas, said that the Israeli rejection of the meeting shows once more that the Israeli government is not serious in looking for a just peace based upon the two-state solution along the 1967 borders.

Abu Rdineh informed WAFA that the Israeli government wants to maintain settlement activities, assaults against Palestinians and their lands and evade any commitment towards implementing the agreements.

"Israel always escapes from any international initiative to rescue the stalled peace process in the Middle East," said Abu Rdineh.

The last direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, sponsored by the United States, stopped in April 2014, after nine months without progress, due to critical differences regarding settlements and security.

Earlier on Tuesday, Tayeb Abdul Rahim, another aide to President Abbas, held talks with Bogdanov in Ramallah, after the latter met with Netanyahu.

Abdul Rahim reiterated to Bogdanov that Palestinians support president Putin's initiative.

"Pushing peace forward needs full Israeli commitment to halting settlements, release prisoners arrested before signing Oslo peace accords in 1994 and ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a Palestinian state," said Abdul Rahim.
Russian Middle East envoy Mikhail Bogdanov (L) meets with Tayeb Abdel Rahim, secretary general of the presidency of the Palestinian Authority, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on September 6, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

RAMALLAH, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Russia has officially informed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that its efforts to arrange a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will continue, a senior official said on Wednesday.

The Palestinian Minister for Foreign Affairs Reyad al-Malki said during an interview with the Ramallah-based "Voice of Palestine" Radio station that Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's peace envoy had a telephone conversation with President Abbas.

On Tuesday, Abbas's office criticized Netanyahu's request from Russia to postpone a three-way meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was scheduled in Moscow next week.

Abbas's office said in an official statement that Netanyahu's request to postpone the meeting "assures that he (Netanyahu) is evading from any international initiative to rescue the stalled peace process."

Russian President Vladimir Putin had proposed a three-way meeting with both Abbas and Netanyahu in Moscow next week. Abbas had stated earlier in Poland that he does not object meeting Netanyahu anywhere.

According to WAFA, the state-run news agency of the Palestinian National Authority, Abbas received a phone call form Bogdanov on Tuesday, saying that Netanyahu asked to postpone the scheduled meeting.

WAFA's report said that Bogdanov briefed Abbas on his earlier meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem, adding that Bogdanov informed President Abbas that Netanyahu asked to postpone the meeting in Moscow.

"Bogdanov conveyed to President Putin, the positive role of President Abbas in pushing forward towards making peace," said the report.

It added that both Abbas and Bogdanov agreed to keep in touch between the two sides to arrange a bilateral meeting between President Abbas and President Putin in New York next month."

"Bogdanov informed President Abbas on Tuesday that the Palestinian position is fully clear and that the problem comes from Israel's side," Al-Malki said, adding "the Russian efforts focus on setting up a new date and a place for the meeting."

Meanwhile, Nabil Abu Rdineh, aide to President Abbas, said that the Israeli rejection of the meeting shows once more that the Israeli government is not serious in looking for a just peace based upon the two-state solution along the 1967 borders.

Abu Rdineh informed WAFA that the Israeli government wants to maintain settlement activities, assaults against Palestinians and their lands and evade any commitment towards implementing the agreements.

"Israel always escapes from any international initiative to rescue the stalled peace process in the Middle East," said Abu Rdineh.

The last direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, sponsored by the United States, stopped in April 2014, after nine months without progress, due to critical differences regarding settlements and security.

Earlier on Tuesday, Tayeb Abdul Rahim, another aide to President Abbas, held talks with Bogdanov in Ramallah, after the latter met with Netanyahu.

Abdul Rahim reiterated to Bogdanov that Palestinians support president Putin's initiative.

"Pushing peace forward needs full Israeli commitment to halting settlements, release prisoners arrested before signing Oslo peace accords in 1994 and ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a Palestinian state," said Abdul Rahim.
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Torrential rain is forecast to sweep China's northeast and southern regions over the next few days, the country's meteorological authority said Wednesday.

Parts of Chongqing, Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong and Taiwan will be hit by downpours in the coming three days, with the rainfall reaching up to 90 millimeters, according to a statement on the website of the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Strong rain, accompanied by winds, are also expected in Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia and Liaoning from Wednesday night through Friday.

The northeast, Yunnan Province and areas south to the Yangtze River are expected to receive 30-60 percent more rain than average over the next ten days, the statement said.

The NMC recommended that authorities in these regions should take action to prevent natural disasters such as floods and landslides, and minimize the effects on agricultural production.
VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister and rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Thongloun Sisoulith said Wednesday that the ASEAN+3 Summit has provided a good opportunity for cooperation between ASEAN members and China, Japan, South Korea.

Thongloun made the remarks as he chaired the 19th summit of ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea. ASEAN leaders as well as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye attended the meeting.

Leaders discussed cooperation between the regional bloc and the three countries. They also held talks over the 20th anniversary for the establishment of the ASEAN+3 mechanism scheduled for 2017.

The first ASEAN+3 summit was held in Malaysia in December 1997, a very important time when all countries in the region were facing an economic setback. The financial crisis was regarded as having provided the impetus for this summit.

A total of 66 dialogue mechanisms at various levels have been established in 24 fields within the framework of ASEAN+3, covering diplomacy, economy, finance, agriculture, labor, tourism, environment, the fight against cross-border crime, health care, energy, telecommunications, social welfare and administration innovation.

As rotating chair of ASEAN, Laos is hosting the 28th and 29th ASEAN summits and related leaders' meetings that run from Tuesday through Thursday.
A second-year student raises her hand to answer a question in class at No. 2 Primary School in Jianhe County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

LONDON, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Education needs a major transformation to fulfill its potential and meet the current challenges facing humanity and the planet, according to a new UNESCO report launched in London Tuesday.

The new Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report by UNESCO shows the potential for education to propel progress towards all global goals outlined in the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs).

There is an urgent need for greater headway in education, the report says.

"On current trends, the world will achieve universal primary education in 2042, universal lower secondary education in 2059 and universal upper secondary education in 2084. This means the world would be half a century late for the 2030 SDG deadline," the report warns.

The report, titled Education for people and planet, shows the need for education systems to increase attention to environmental concerns.

"While in the majority of countries, education is the best indicator of climate change awareness, half of countries' curricula worldwide do not explicitly mention climate change or environmental sustainability in their content," it says.

"A fundamental change is needed in the way we think about education's role in global development, because it has a catalytic impact on the well-being of individuals and the future of our planet," said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.

"Now, more than ever, education has a responsibility to be in gear with 21st century challenges and aspirations, and foster the right types of values and skills that will lead to sustainable and inclusive growth, and peaceful living together," she added.

The report also urges education systems around the world to take care to protect and respect minority cultures and their associated languages, which contain vital information about the functioning of ecosystems.

"Education systems need to ensure they are giving people vital skills and knowledge that can support the transition to greener industries, and find new solutions for environmental problems," it suggests.

Aaron Benavot, director of the GEM Report, said that "we must ask more from our education systems than just a transfer of knowledge" in order to have a greener planet, and sustainable futures for all.

"We need our schools, universities and lifelong learning programs to focus on economic, environmental and social perspectives that help nurture empowered, critical, mindful and competent citizens;" he said.

The report emphasizes that the new global development agenda calls for education ministers and other education actors to work in collaboration with other sectors.
NAIROBI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's ratification of Paris climate deal on Sept. 3 marked a historic milestone in global efforts to lower green house gas emissions and hasten green and inclusive growth, a World Bank official said on Wednesday.

Ademola Braimoh, coordinator for climate smart agriculture at the World Bank Africa region hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama for ratifying a deal that outlines ambitious targets to limit emission of climate altering gases.

"The ratification of Paris Climate Agreement by China and the United States is a welcome development because it requires collective effort especially from big players in the world stage to solve the challenge of climate change," Braimoh remarked.

He spoke to Xinhua on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa green revolution forum taking place in Nairobi.

China announced ratification of Paris climate deal ahead of the G20 summit that took place in east China's city of Hangzhou on Sept. 4-5.

President Xi and his U.S. counterpart Obama during their meeting on Sept. 4 issued a joint statement reaffirming their countries' unwavering commitment to implementation of Paris climate deal.

Braimoh noted that political commitment from China and the United States has inspired nations to take robust measures to enhance climate resilient economic development.

"We expect countries to back their commitment with actions, allocate more resources towards climate change mitigation and adaptation," Braimoh said.

He added that African states can borrow lessons from China that include adoption of clean technologies to strengthen their resilience to climate change.

China has led global efforts to revitalize the war against climate change through increased funding for adaptation and mitigation, technology transfer and political commitment.

President Xi in his address to the just concluded G20 Summit stressed that China's pursuit of green and inclusive development had not faltered.

Related:

China Headlines: China's legislature ratifies Paris Agreement on climate change

By Xinhua Writers Li Huizi and Zhai Xiang

BEIJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's legislature on Saturday ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Lawmakers voted to adopt "the proposal to review and ratify the Paris Agreement," at the closing meeting of the bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee. Full story

China's legislature ratifies Paris Agreement on climate change

BEIJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Saturday ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change, a significant international legal document that outlines post-2020 global climate governance.
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's top legal authorities have for the first time clearly stipulated that victims of miscarriages of justice have the right to compensation for mental anguish.

The Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Wednesday revealed a judicial explanation saying that compensation applications can be filed in non-criminal cases where people have been wrongfully subjected to law enforcement.

To redress judicial infringement, the court and its staff should eliminate ill effects, rehabilitate reputations and extend formal apologies to victims.

For mishandled cases which result in serious harm, the judiciary should apologize and pay compensation for mental suffering.

Those who have had their assets illegally frozen or sold off by the court can also ask for compensation.
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China National Gold Group, the country's leading gold producer, said that its purchase of a 82-percent stake in a gold mine in Guizhou from Canada's Eldorado Gold was completed on Wednesday.

It is the group's biggest cross-border takeover. In April, the group signed an agreement to buy 82 percent interest in the Jinfeng gold mine in southern Guizhou Province from Eldorado Gold, the world's fourth largest gold producer.

"The successful takeover brings not only quality assets, but also intangible assets including advanced methods of management and operation models to us," said Song Xin, general manager of China National Gold Group.

Jinfeng processes 4,500 tonnes of ore daily, and produces 4 tonnes of gold annually.
NAIROBI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Kanayo Nwanze, President of the Rome-based International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) was on Wednesday unveiled as the winner of the inaugural Africa Food Prize.

The Nigerian scientist with extensive experience in global development was announced the winner of the first Africa Food Prize during the ongoing African green revolution forum in Nairobi.

Former Nigerian President and chair of the Africa Food Prize Committee, Olusegun Obasanjo hailed Nwanze's contribution to food and nutrition security agenda in Sub-Saharan Africa.

"Nwanze is a model of how a leader can make a difference in the lives of people on the ground. His accomplishments on behalf of African smallholders cannot be downplayed," Obasanjo said.

The African Food Prize is a reward for individuals and institutions who demonstrate outstanding commitment to transform food production systems on the continent.

Winners of the Africa Food Prize are awarded 100,000 U.S. dollars after demonstrating unwavering commitment to change the fortunes of smallholders through home grown initiatives.

Obasanjo lauded Nwanze's pioneering initiatives to transform livelihoods of African smallholders through advocacy to reform policies and improve access to finance.

"Nwanze has inspired African leaders and policymakers to craft policies and strategies that would transform farming, feed the population and tackle rural poverty," said Obasanjo.

In the last four decades, Nwanze has worked as a senior researcher and administrator for several international research organizations.

He is credited for introducing high yielding rice varieties in West Africa during his helm at the Africa Rice Centre.

As President of IFAD, Nwanze has initiated programs whose impact on subsistence farming in Africa is profound.

During his acceptance speech, Nwanze said a paradigm shift is an imperative to ensure small scale farming in Africa is profitable and sustainable.

"We need to invest in smallholders and establish conducive policies to enable them thrive against a backdrop of serious threats like climatic stress, distorted value chains and shrinking arable land," Nwanze said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping presides over the opening ceremony of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 4, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- As host of the recent Group of 20 (G20) Summit, China has helped redefine the group's mission, and in the process given it long-term vision, say Argentine experts.

In setting the tone and theme of the gathering held on Sept. 4-5 in the eastern city of Hangzhou, China reoriented the group's role away from putting out fires to one of spearheading measures that will encourage development and stability around the globe, according to Nadia Radulovich and Maria Cecilia Peralta, co-founders of consulting group Asia Viewers.

China facilitated the G20's transition "from a crisis-management mechanism to one focused on long-term governance aimed at orienting global economic growth and international economic cooperation," the experts told Xinhua in an interview.

China's proposed initiatives are an invitation to member countries to work toward shared development by implementing a common set of guiding principles, added Radulovich and Peralta, who was also a form member of the China experts group at the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI).

"China seeks to take on a leading role in the high expectations the summit generated, but this mission is directed to all of the participants, since there has to be a joint effort to maximize achievements and minimize hardships, generating a plan of action and institutional guarantees that benefit everyone," said the consultants.

The guiding principles were spelled out from the very start, when China announced this year's G20 would take place under the banner: "Building an innovative, strengthened, interconnected and inclusive global economy."

"China has said that, as part of the G20, it will seek to build an innovative, dynamic, interconnected and inclusive global economy, exploring new ways to promote development and structural reforms," the experts said.

China's global, inclusive outlook also "marks the first time the G20 takes steps oriented towards the global development of countries -- not just its 20 members, but the entire world," they noted.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the Business 20 (B20) summit in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 3, 2016. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

Chinese President Xi Jinping's opening speech to the gathering, in which he called for an end to the divisive Cold War mentality that continues to polarize world powers, and greater dialogue and cooperation, laid out that vision, they said.

Such a world would be characterized by economic connectivity and exchange between countries to improve economic and financial performance and ensure all countries equal access to the benefits of economic growth to fight inequality.

"Many are wondering about China's role and the importance of its economy as an engine of global growth," the experts said, adding "President Xi has said actions will answer those questions or doubts."

China, they said, aims to pursue its proposed initiatives through consensus, and by taking an active role in building a global system of governance, contributing Chinese wisdom and its capacity to plan for the long term.

The 2016 G20 summit concluded on Monday with the adoption of a statement outlining the group's direction and development goals, and with the Hangzhou Consensus on facilitating global economic growth through comprehensive, open, innovative and inclusive long-term measures.
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is still not safe from junk status or recession despite recording a 3.3 percent increase in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2016, an economist said on Wednesday.

Richard Downing, chief economist with the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI), told Xinhua that the growth was above expectations but conclusions could not be drawn from quarterly figures.

The 3.3-percent quarter-on-quarter growth was above the 2.7 percent that had been expected by most economists.

Downing said, "We are still not out of the woods, but still there in the grass and it's not clear where we are going to. We cannot make conclusions basing on quarterly figures but needs a longer period. The SA Reserve Bank (SARB) said we will have no growth this year but we might get slight growth at the end of the year."

Statistics South Africa announced on Tuesday that the growth was mainly driven by mining and quarrying and manufacturing sectors. This was the first time since the last quarter of 2014 that the GDP has grown by more than two percent. The year on year growth in the second quarter of 2016 is 0.6 percent. The GDP have grown by 0.3 percent for the first six months of this year.

Downing said South Africa needs to increase investment and achieve more economic growth.

"We need to increase the investment levels to achieve a growth rate. The public sector is supposed to ensure that the environment is suitable for growth by providing infrastructure. They have to enhance the social, political and economic growth. The private sector has to provide investment and move the economy forward, create employment and increase the tax base," he said.

South Africa's business confidence is low and there is a need for the Treasury and SARB to work on that, Downing said.

The public spat between the Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and the country's elite police, the Hawks, is not good for the country, he said.

There have been fears that Gordhan might be arrested by the Hawks for some alleged misdeeds committed when he was in charge of the country's tax authority, the South African Revenue Service.

Downing said, "The Treasury is a sensitive area as it plays an important role in the country. The same as the SARB. There should not be uncertainty in these areas. There have to be stability to support growth."
LUSAKA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The governments of Sweden and Finland said on Wednesday that they will demand for refunds from a Zambia farmers' association after an audit reveals serious misappropriation of funds.

The two governments said at a joint press briefing that they will seek refunds from the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) after a second audit of the association revealed glaring misappropriation of donor funds.

"The findings in the report are of serious concern and constitute breach of agreement. As donors we will individually reclaim funds from ZNFU," David Wiking, Head of Bilateral Development Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy in Lusaka told reporters at the press briefing.

According to the audit findings, about 33,944,347 Zambian Kwacha (about 3.3 million U.S. dollars) was misappropriated in high level suspected fraud.

The funds, he said, should be paid within the shortest period of weeks and not months.

The two governments have also asked law enforcement agencies in Zambia to follow up on the matter.

The first audit of the association's accounts was conducted in 2015 but the board of the farmers' association rejected the finding, prompting the donors to ask KPMG to conduct a new audit in July this year.

The two governments suspended further funding to the association in February this year after revelations of misappropriation of funds.

Corruption watchdog, Transparency International Zambia, has welcomed the two government's move to seek refunds from the farmers' body.

Goodwell Lungu, the watchdog's executive director said the move was welcome because it will send a strong message to other sectors of the economy not to misuse public funds.

This is the second time that Sweden has expressed displeasure over the misappropriation of funds it provides to Zambia.

In 2009, Sweden froze 33 million dollars in aid for health programs in Zambia after revelations showed misappropriation of funds by public workers in the Ministry of Health.
NAIROBI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- African private sector should invest more in technology to boost Africa's agricultural renaissance, the CEO of Kenya's leading mobile phone firm told a regional agricultural forum on Wednesday.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said efforts to revamp and accelerate agricultural production in sub-Sahara Africa will require the concerted effort of both the public and private sector players.

"Solving the future challenge of producing more with less in a more sustainable manner is not mission impossible. The private sector can lead from the front by setting aside more resources for research and innovation," Collymore told participants at the ongoing Africa Green Revolution Forum.

He noted that private sector players will need to align their business growth strategies to the national development agenda. This he said will need to be done by developing and incorporating innovations that boost agricultural production to guarantee food security.

The alignment, Collymore added will involve investment in research programmes and rollout of information technology-based products and services that can enhance agricultural production.

The Safaricom CEO told the delegates that increasing agricultural production will require a fundamental shift towards a different growth path and a swifter transfer of new products or techniques into practice.

Presenting the Safaricom example, Collymore disclosed that a significant portion of the firm's 320 million U.S. dollars investment in network enhancement had been channeled to rural areas to facilitate clearer telecommunication delivery.

According to Collymore, as part of the firm's commitment to agricultural and rural development efforts, Safaricom is running full steam to ensure that 80 percent of Kenya will enjoy 3G mobile broadband network coverage by the end of the year.

"Such efforts are critical in advancing an agricultural renaissance as it will allow the building of Internet platforms that can foster research and farm to market linkages for contemporary farmers," Collymore said.

He noted that access to the Internet and mobile value added services including mobile banking solutions, will promote market access, as farmers can seize local and international opportunities.

Safaricom, he disclosed, has committed to partner with 23,000 public primary schools, which have been earmarked for connection to the Internet countrywide.

Millions of local farmers, he said, are already enjoying convenient micro-credit solutions delivered through the Safaricom Mshwari and KCB Mpesa mobile money platforms.

"We are not reinventing the wheel. Large scale farmers; in floricultural and horticultural fields are currently relying on mobile broadband Internet access, to exploit market opportunities and manage irrigation systems. Similar strategies, can easily be cascaded and customized for adoption by small-scale farmers," Collymore said.

He gave the example of Kilimo Salama ("Safe Agriculture"), an insurance product designed for Kenyan farmers to insure their farm inputs against drought and excess rain. The innovation was a result of a partnership between Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, UAP Insurance, and Safaricom.

"Kilimo Salama offers farmers who plant on as little as one acre insurance policies to shield them from significant financial losses when drought or excess rain are expected to wreak havoc on their harvests," he said.

"For Africa to become the world's bread basket, we must look at how to create Agribusiness, not just agriculture," said Collymore as he challenged governments to work towards ensuring stability to enable private sector investment in agriculture.

"Agriculture programs need to be farmer-centred and knowledge-based so that the full potential of farmers, both men and women, including small-holder and commercial farmers, can be harnessed in making food security and sustainable development a reality," he said.
Models present Huawei P9, a flagship smartphone of China's Huawei Technologies, at a product launch in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, May 5, 2016.(Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

BORDEAUX, France, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Three French startups received awards Monday evening for their products that could make everyday life better experience in the near future, joining previous winners of a national program designed to support innovative entrepreneurs.

The program, named Digital In-Pulse, was set up three years ago by Huawei France, in a bid to support innovative small and medium companies across the country and meanwhile reinforce cooperation between them and talents in Shenzhen, a coastal city in southern China where Huawei is headquartered.

Since 2014, nearly 30 French companies have benefited from the program, including financial support of up to 50,000 euros, business trips to China and personalized follow-ups from Business France, a government-affiliated business promotion body and Huawei's partner on this program.

Speaking at a ceremony in Bordeaux City hall for the three winners, William Lv, vice president of Huawei France, reasserted Huawei's promise to contribute as much as possible to the French economy and generate local jobs by supporting France's digital transformation.

"France should be proud of its innovation ecosystem and its high level education. FrenchTech is not only a label, but also an energy that France should support," he said.

This is the first time that the competition has been held in Bordeaux, led by Huawei in partnership with a bunch of local partners. A panel of seven professionals chose the three winning companies out of a total of 25 candidates.

GreenMe, a company established in 2012 in Landes, took the first prize, for its product that could continuously measure different factors of a workplace so as to make it more comfortable and efficient.

The company will receive 50,000 euros from Huawei and participate in the Digital In-Pulse Forum in China in October, an event that will allow it to discover the Chinese digital ecosystem and to build its own professional network in China.

The second and third prizes were awarded respectively to Cogniteev for its OnCrawl solution, which helps business operators discover errors on their website, and to Qucit for its mobile applications that calculate traffic flows in cities and predict congestions based on realtime data.

Alexandre Dugarry, president of GreenMe, said that the Digital In-Pulse program and his upcoming trip to China will accelerate the international development of his business. The chance to get a closer look at the Chinese market is especially valuable, he added.

Bordeaux Mayor Alain Juppe, who also attended the ceremony, thanked Huawei for organizing this competition, saying the program offers support to innovative French startups and link them to the international market and in particular the Chinese market.

The Huawei-sponsored innovation contest this year is staged in four French cities, including Lyon, Lille, Nice and Bordeaux, and 12 companies will be awarded.

The event connects the French digital industry with the Chinese one and the main topics covered by the competition, such as Big Data, smart technologies and connected objects are at the heart of research and development strategies of Huawei, a leading Chinese tech giant with branches across the world.

Chinese companies like Huawei have in recent years devoted great resources to developing innovative products or remodeling services based on latest technologies, but innovation is a buzzword beyond the business circle in China, as the country has been pushing to make technological innovation a new engine of global growth during its G20 presidency, observers say.
BERLIN, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- German industrial production dropped sharply in July, official data showed on Wednesday, feeding worries about a further cooling of the German economy.

Compared with the previous month, industrial output fell by 1.5 percent in July, said German federal statistics office Destatis. It was the sharpest drop since August 2014. Economists had expected a gain of 0.1 percent.

"Industrial companies continue to be cautious because of the sluggish development of global markets," said German Economy Ministry in a statement.

"The sharp drop will feed worries about a further cooling of the German economy," said Carsten Brzeski, chief economist at ING DiBa bank.

"Chances remain low that the former backbone of the German economy will quickly return to its old strength," he added.

The German economy expanded by 0.4 percent in the second quarter of 2016, following a growth of 0.7 percent.

On Tuesday, Destatis reported that the growth of German factory orders missed economists' expectation, suggesting subdued industrial activity in the autumn. Enditem
BRUSSELS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) mulls to unify the bloc's various certification procedures among member states on aviation security equipment and enhance its competitiveness in a global market worth 14 billion euros(15.74 billion U.S. dollars).

The European Commission, the bloc's executive body, proposed to establish a single EU certification procedure, it said in a statement on Wednesday, adding the move aims to end the current market's fragmentation due to national certification procedures.

The introduction of an EU certificate would allow security equipment approved in one member state to also be put on the market in others, the commission said.

The move was as well expected to increase the competitiveness of the bloc's security industry in global arena, which according to EU data, had an annual global turnover of 14 billion euros, of which 4.2 billion euros was in the EU alone.
BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police have brought 129 telecom fraud suspects back from Armenia, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced on Wednesday.

The suspects include 51 from the Chinese mainland and 78 from Taiwan. They are suspected of involvement in fraud cases in over 10 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland.

Armenian law enforcement detected suspicious activity by the suspects this year and reported their findings to Chinese police.

The suspects were seized when local law enforcement raided six dens on Aug. 20, said the MPS, adding that a large amount of equipment including computers and smart phones were found on site.

The MPS dispatched a working team to Armenia to deal with the case on Aug. 26.

An investigation found that members of the Armenia-based syndicate had been falsely presenting themselves as law enforcement officials to cheat people on the Chinese mainland through telephone calls. They were found to have defrauded people in more than 50 cases, conning them out of more than 7 million yuan (1.2 million U.S. dollars).

As all victims involved are on the Chinese mainland, the 129 suspects were brought back to the mainland to facilitate further investigation and ensure justice, the MPS said.

The MPS has designated police from Guangdong Province to investigate the case.

Mainland police have also informed Taiwan authorities of the cases according to relevant agreements between the two sides.

Telecom fraud has caused serious harm, said the MPS, vowing to continue the fight against the scams.

Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun on Tuesday urged efforts to enhance public awareness of such crimes and firmly curb telecom fraud to protect people's legitimate rights and interests.
GUANGZHOU, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- World leaders, international institutions, and company representatives attending the 2nd "Investing in Africa Forum" are calling for innovative ways to rejuvenate economic growth, which coincides with China's "prescription" for the world at the recent G20 summit.

"I think innovation and making better use of technology is going to be very helpful. I've seen it in Africa," said Haleh Bridi, director of external communications and partnerships at the World Bank Africa region, at the forum taking place on Wednesday in China's southern city Guangzhou.

Bridi said because of innovation, Africa has moved from being a continent where nobody has a phone to one where almost everybody uses a cell phone.

"This telephone revolution has really changed the face of Africa, and this can happen in so many other sectors, including in education, as you can get the top notch education online today," Bridi said.

To facilitate the growth of both China and Africa, the World Bank has been actively engaging in forming partnerships between the two parties, and will continue to use its convening power to create a more open environment for both, Bridi said.

As the world economy remains sluggish, leaders worldwide are looking for ways to boost growth. At the recent G20 summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave China's "prescription" for the world economy.

"We will continue to reinforce macro-policy dialogue and coordination, work in the spirit of partnership to promote mutual help and win-win cooperation, and focus our minds and energy to pursue strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth," Xi said.

Among the suggestions Xi gave to world leaders, innovation, openness, global economic governance and inclusiveness are the key.

To make economic globalization more inclusive, the Hangzhou summit has put the issue of development front and center in the global macro policy framework. The first action plan has been formulated for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Cooperation is in place to support Africa and the least developed countries in their industrialization.

"The China-Africa collaboration is moving beyond infrastructure development to more at the industrial development. We are looking at how Chinese entities may begin to put industrial facilities and help Africa develop its own production capacity, which is very important," said Oluniyi Robbin-Coker, Chairman of the Board at Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency.

Robbin-Coker said that Sierra Leone can learn from China's successful experience in transforming from a labor-intensive processing model to more industrial kind of processing model, and the transfer of technology, skills, and knowledge from China to Africa is a win-win.

"Innovation needs to take place on the continent, it's critical to borrow best practices and technology from other countries," said Robbin-Coker.

For Robbin-Coker, the Investing in Africa Forum itself is a sign of openness and inclusiveness that China tries to promote. At the forum, leaders from African countries are sending a collective message to their Chinese friends.

"Our message is clear: Africa is open for business. Africa is open to China in many ways," said Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa.
BEIRUT, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese parliament failed Wednesday in its 44th consecutive session to elect a new president for the lack of the constitutionally required quorum.

Speaker Nabih Berri called for a new session on Sept. 28 after only 41 MPs of the 128-seat parliament were present for Wednesday's session.

Lebanon has been without the head of state since the term of former President Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014.

According to the constitution, the required quorum is two thirds of the 128-seat parliament, and the president should be elected with two thirds of the votes in the first round and with a simple majority in the following rounds.

A sharp political division has hindered so far the election of a president.

Following the presidential vacancy, the March 14 western-Saudi backed camp announced the candidacy of the Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea to the post, and the March 8 Syrian-Iranian backed camp backed the candidacy of the Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun to the post.

The centrist Democratic Gathering bloc led by MP Walid Jumblatt announced the candidacy of its member MP Henri Helou.

But in a sharp move to end the deadlock, former PM Saad Hariri, leader of al-Mustaqbal Movement and the March 14 camp, launched an initiative to elect leader of the al-Marada Movement MP Suleiman Frangieh to the presidency.

This move was met with a sharp shift from Geagea who announced backing Aoun for the presidency.

According to the national pact, the president should be a Christian Maronite, the speaker a Muslim Shiite and the prime minister a Muslim Sunni.

Since the presidential vacancy, the government of Prime Minister Tammam Salam has been running the country, but is facing numerous problems including the resignation of the justice minister and the economy minister.
BRATISLAVA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak hopes the EU summit due to take place here on Sept. 16 will send out a strong message about the European Union's unity and power, at the same time making it clear it knows what people expect from it.

"The meeting should be informal in its course, content, while also different in its output. It should really start a debate about how to achieve a better EU that will be closer to people," stated Lajcak on Wednesday, adding the EU should invest in issues that people understand and care about.

"It will communicate in a language that people understand, because that isn't the case right now. I expect European leaders to identify with and unite on these issues," stressed Lajcak.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said the summit should provide clarity for all people living in the EU that despite the decision of British voters to exit the bloc, the EU is still vital and ready to take care of new and ambitious goals and to protect its people.

According to Fico, European leaders should also address migration, security, the fight against terrorism, investments, digitisation, and youth.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen in Vientiane, Laos, Sept. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here late Wednesday that China would like to deepen all-round cooperation and exchanges with Cambodia for stronger bilateral ties.

Li made the remarks while meeting with his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen on the sidelines of the East Asia leaders' meetings in the Laotian capital of Vientiane.

"China and Cambodia are good neighbors, good friends and good partners," said Li, adding that China backs Cambodia's efforts to preserve sovereignty and independence, maintain domestic stability, and promote economic development.

The Chinese leader also hoped that the two countries can make real progress in boosting their cooperation in industrial capacity, trade, agriculture, water conservancy, infrastructure, education as well as tourism.

He also wants the two countries to strengthen their coordination within the framework of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism in a bid to promote regional cooperation, stability and prosperity.

For his part, Hun Sen said his country appreciates China's assistance in helping improve the livelihood of the Cambodians.

He added that Cambodia is willing to join China in enhancing their high-level exchanges, expand practical cooperation, and help boost China's relations with ASEAN.

The Chinese premier arrived in Vientiane late Tuesday to attend the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 19th meeting of the leaders of ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea (10+3), and the 11th East Asia Summit. During his stay, Li will also pay an official visit to Laos.
STOCKHOLM, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Sweden's Appeal Court will determine Friday whether WikiLeaks-founder Julian Assange should be kept remanded in custody "in absentia", a Swedish prosecutor told a rare press conference on Wednesday.

Marianne Ny, who is Sweden's Director of Public Prosecution, is the chief prosecutor in the Assange case but she has rarely commented on it in public. On Wednesday, she broke her silence by calling a press conference together with her colleague, prosecutor Ingrid Isgren.

However, little new information emerged during the news conference, which instead focused on running through the history of events since Swedish prosecutors issued a European arrest warrant for Assange after allegations of sexual assault related to his 2010 visit to Stockholm to give a lecture. He denies those claims.

The press conference in Stockholm came ahead of an investigative report on the Assange case, scheduled to air Wednesday by Swedish broadcaster SVT.

SVT posted a preview clip of its documentary where Assange declines to discuss the rape allegations.

He says the "proper place for that is in a formal statement to the Swedish prosecutor. ... That's something that she has avoided for six years."

Assange has been staying at Ecuador's embassy in London for four years since applying for asylum to avoid extradition to Sweden. While Ecuador says it has approved a Swedish request to question Assange at the embassy in London, Marianne Ny said there had been no development since the beginning of August.

"We were told by the Ecuador government that they have accepted our request to interview Julian Assange at the embassy in London, but so far we have heard nothing from them," Ny said Wednesday.
LJUBLJANA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar has warned that a new refugee wave and the re-opening of the Balkan route could cause a conflict in the region, media reported Wednesday.

He made the warning when interviewed by the German weekly Die Welt, saying that Slovenia would find it hard to cope with potential new waves of migrants even thought the nation had successfully managed the first wave, according to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA).

"We managed to control the migrant flow, but I don't know if we would be able to manage such a crisis once more. As a small country with only two million people, we would not be able to take such an effort over and over again," said Cerar.

Cerar believes that the re-opening of the Balkan migration route would cause a "conflict -- both in Central Europe and the Western Balkans", the STA reported.

"If too many illegal migrants came, all countries will close their borders. This would lead to disputes," he said, warning that the "domino effect" would strongly affect economies and tourism of all countries involved.

The Slovenian prime minister also warned that Austria was already preparing to close its borders.

"Closure should take place on the borders of the Schengen zone. But this is not the idea of the countries of this area. This is why we need to do everything to prevent conflicts in the Balkans and the disintegration of Schengen," said the Slovenian prime minister.

"If we fail to solve this problem of migration within the EU and together with Western Balkan countries, then we don't have any common future," Cerar warned.

He criticised Greece for not doing enough to protect the external Schengen border during the first refugee wave, although it had received financial support and support in the form of police officers from other EU members.

"If Greece keeps failing to show responsibility and solidarity, then the remaining members of the Schengen zone will examine all possibilities very quickly. It is also about our existence," Cerar said in answering a question about a possible exclusion of Greece from the Schengen zone.

He explained that this did not mean that Europe would not receive any more refugees.

"Of course we will ... but if too many of them came, we would not have the capacity to integrate them and they would be pushed on the margins of the society," he said. Enditem
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 50 million children have been uprooted worldwide -- 28 million of them driven from their homes by conflicts not of their making, and millions more migrating in the hope of finding a better, safer life, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said here Wednesday.

Often traumatized by the conflicts and violence the children are fleeing, they face further dangers along the way, including the risk of drowning on sea crossings, malnourishment and dehydration, trafficking, kidnapping, rape and even murder, the UN agency said in a new report issued here, adding that in countries they travel through and at their destinations, they often face xenophobia and discrimination.

The new UNICEF report, "Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children," presented new data that paint a sobering picture of the lives and situations of millions of children and families affected by violent conflict and other crises that make it seem safer to risk everything on a perilous journey than remain at home.

"Indelible images of individual children -- Aylan Kurdi's small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneesh's stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed -- have shocked the world," said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake.

"But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger -- and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children," Lake said.

Uprooted showed that:

-- Children represent a disproportionate and growing proportion of those who have sought refuge outside their countries of birth: they make up about a third of the global population but about half of all refugees. In 2015 around 45 per cent of all child refugees under UNHCR's protection came from Syria and Afghanistan.

-- Twenty eight million children have been driven from their homes by violence and conflict within and across borders, including 10 million child refugees; 1 million asylum-seekers whose refugee status has not yet been determined; and an estimated 17 million children displaced within their own countries - children in dire need of humanitarian assistance and access to critical services.

-- More and more children are crossing borders on their own. In 2015, over 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries -- triple the number in 2014. Unaccompanied children are among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse, including by smugglers and traffickers.

-- About 20 million other international child migrants have left their homes for a variety of reasons including extreme poverty or gang violence. Many are at particular risk of abuse and detention because they have no documentation, have uncertain legal status, and there is no systematic tracking and monitoring of their well-being -- children falling through the cracks.

According to the new report, Turkey hosts the largest total number of recent refugees, and very likely the largest number of child refugees in the world. Relative to its population, Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees by an overwhelming margin: Roughly one in five people in Lebanon is a refugee.

By comparison, there is roughly one refugee for every 530 people in the United Kingdom; and one for every 1,200 in the United States. When considering refugee-host countries by income level, however, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Pakistan host the highest concentration of refugees.

Meanwhile, the report argued that where there are safe and legal routes, migration can offer opportunities for both the children who migrate and the communities they join.

An analysis of the impact of migration in high-income countries found that migrants contributed more in taxes and social payments than they received; filled both high- and low-skilled gaps in the labour market; and contributed to economic growth and innovation in hosting countries.

But, crucially, children who have left or are forcibly displaced from their homes often lose out on the potential benefits of migration, such as education -- a major driving factor for many children and families who choose to migrate.

A refugee child is five times more likely to be out of school than a non-refugee child. When they are able to attend school at all, it is the place migrant and refugee children are most likely to encounter discrimination, including unfair treatment and bullying.

Outside the classroom, legal barriers prevent refugee and migrant children from receiving services on an equal basis with children who are native to a country. In the worst cases, xenophobia can escalate to direct attacks. In Germany alone, authorities tracked 850 attacks against refugee shelters in 2015.

"What price will we all pay if we fail to provide these young people with opportunities for education and a more normal childhood? How will they be able to contribute positively to their societies? If they can' t, not only will their futures be blighted, but their societies will be diminished as well," Lake said.

Furthermore, the report pointed to six specific actions that will protect and help displaced, refugee and migrant children:

-- Protecting child refugees and migrants, particularly unaccompanied children, from exploitation and violence.

-- Ending the detention of children seeking refugee status or migrating by introducing a range of practical alternatives.

-- Keeping families together as the best way to protect children and give children legal status.

-- Keeping all refugees and migrant children learning and giving them access to health and other quality services.

-- Pressing for action on the underlying causes of large-scale movements of refugees and migrants.

-- Promoting measures to combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization.
By Christine Lagat

NAIROBI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Heads of state and government from several African countries on Wednesday renewed political commitment to hasten green revolution in the continent.

The leaders who spoke at the sixth Africa Green Revolution Forum in Nairobi agreed that political action, financing, policy reforms and technology adoption were key to revolutionize food production in Africa.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in his opening remarks said that a vibrant agriculture sector is key to socio-economic renewal across the African continent.

"Agriculture provides an avenue for decent jobs and incomes for key demographics like women and youth. The sector is eleven times more effective in reducing poverty," Kenyatta said.

Thousands of delegates from government, industry, academia and civil society are attending the sixth African green revolution forum that runs from Sept. 5 to 9.

The high-level forum will discuss and adopt sweeping declarations to advance food security agenda in Africa.

Kenyatta said that robust partnerships were an imperative to strengthen the capacity of African countries to implement continental instruments on advancing agricultural transformation.

He singled out speedy implementation of Malabo Declaration endorsed by African leaders in 2014 to revolutionize farming in order to boost food security and rural incomes.

"We pledged in Malabo to double agricultural productivity levels by 2025 and make it a multi-billion dollar industry. Therefore, we must integrate continental vision of agricultural transformation into domestic policies," said Kenyatta

He disclosed the Kenyan government will invest 200 million U.S. dollars over the next five years to ensure young farmers have access to finance, inputs and markets.

"The new financing will also support value addition and agro-processing," Kenyatta told delegates

Transformation of the agriculture sector in Africa is directly linked to economic growth, shared prosperity and peaceful co-existence.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame said private sector investments, adoption of improved crop varieties and streamlined value chains will boost productivity of the agriculture sector in Africa.

"A transformed agriculture sector will be the bedrock of Africa's future prosperity," Kagame remarked, adding that supportive policies alongside investments in energy and transport infrastructure will enhance productivity of agriculture sector in Africa. Enditem
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Wednesday strongly condemned recent terrorist attack in the Afghan capital that caused casualties.

Afghan officials said Taliban late Monday targeted an international humanitarian agency CARE International in downtown Kabul, triggering a gun battle that was over after 11 hours of fierce fighting with all the four attackers killed.

"We extend our profound condolences to the Government and the people of Afghanistan and the bereaved families of the victims of the terrorist attack. We also pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Pakistan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Pakistan reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all forms and manifestations," the statement said.

Care International says an armed group launched an attack in front of the main gate of the Kabul office of CARE International and that "damages sustained to the CARE compound." Enditem
WINDHOEK, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Namibian entrepreneur Bruce Salt will attempt to swim the English Channel in support of the Cancer Care Namibia Fund on Sept.27-28.

If successful, Salt will become the first Namibian man to cross the English Channel, a body of water that separates southern England and northern France, according to Sabmiller Namibia, a brewing and beverage company that will support Salt's plan.

The swim is considered as an endurance challenge with not only the 35-km plus distance, but also variable sea conditions including high waves, sea temperatures ranging between 6 to 15 degrees Celsius, jellyfish and ocean debris, according to the company.

Furthermore, the channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world with hundreds of tankers, ferries and other vessels passing through daily.

Meanwhile, for Salt's swim to be recognized, he is not allowed to touch the boat or make contact with another person for the duration of the approximately 14 to 18 hours swim. Enditem
WINDHOEK, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 120 experts from 11 African countries are expected to convene here a four-day HIV Viral Load Testing workshop.

Viral load testing is recommended by the World Health Organization for monitoring treatment in patients who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART).

The workshop scheduled for September 13 will be the first of its kind to be held in Namibia.

Clinical and laboratory experts in the HIV field will discuss and share strategies and country experiences in improving efficiency for increased HIV Viral load testing and uptake of results for patient management.

Namibia is one of the top three African countries in provision of viral load testing to people living with HIV who need the test.

Monitoring HIV treatment through viral load testing is important to detect treatment failure which can cause HIV patients to get sicker or even die from HIV. Enditem
JERUSALEM, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A mortar from Syria hit the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on Wednesday, causing no injuries, the Israeli army said.

"Moments ago, a projectile hit an open area in the northern Golan Heights," a statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson read.

No injuries or damages were reported, the army said, adding that it is looking into the circumstances of the fire.

Errant fire from the fighting in Syria has occasionally been spilling over to Israel, usually causing no casualties or damages.

On Sunday, the Israeli military struck Syria in retaliation to a mortar that landed in an open field in the Golan Heights.

"The IDF holds the Syrian government accountable for this blatant breach of Israel sovereignty, and will continue to act in order to safeguard Israel," the army said following the strike.

Israel occupied the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed the territory in 1981.

Israel had repeatedly declared it would not intervene in the internal fighting in Syria, amid the civil war that broke out in 2011. It did deliver medical treatment to hundreds of wounded Syrians who reached the border.

Israel had also been responsible for several airstrikes in Syria in the past several years, allegedly targeting convoys carrying weapons from Iran and Syria to the Lebanese Hezbollah militant organization, a staunch enemy of Israel.

The Jewish state remained quiet on its part on these attacks up until three months ago, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel carried out "dozens" of attacks across the border with Syria.
Children sit at the door in the Harjelah refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sept. 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Yang Zhen)

MOSCOW, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Wednesday expressed serious concern about the advance of Turkish troops and Ankara-backed opposition militias inside Syria.

"We draw attention to the fact that these actions are carried out without the consent of the legitimate Syrian authorities and without the approval of the UN Security Council, thus raising questions about the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Turkish actions could further complicate the situation in Syria, the ministry said, adding that it would have a negative impact on international efforts to develop a peaceful settlement platform, as well as the ongoing humanitarian aid in the war-raged country.

The ministry called Ankara to refrain from any steps that might lead to increased destabilization of the situation in Syria.

Turkish military on Aug. 24 started a cross-border operation against the Islamic State terrorist group and Kurdish groups related to the Kurdistan Workers Party, which Ankara labels as a terror organization.
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin before the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 4, 2016. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

MOSCOW, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The just concluded Group of 20 (G20) summit in China was held at the highest level of competency, the Russian G20 Sherpa Svetlana Lukash said Wednesday.

Speaking at a news briefing, Lukash noted that the most important result of the summit was that it embarked on encouraging the world economy development in the long run for the first time, instead of paying a lot of attention to "short- and medium-term incentives."

In this regard, the summit under China's presidency decided to focus on choosing the most effective ways of carrying out structural reforms and identifying new sources of economic growth, she said.

According to Lukash, the main success of the summit was the adoption of the Blueprint on Innovative Growth, a framework document, which defines the work plan of the G20 over the long term in terms of innovation, the potentials of the new industrial revolution and the digital economy.

The summit also stressed the importance of connecting developing countries and small and medium-sized enterprises to the existing and new global and regional trade associations, she noted.

The alignment of China's Belt and Road Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union is now a priority of bilateral relations, she said, adding that the cooperation between the two sides is consistent with the interconnectivity of infrastructure, one of the main themes of the G20 summit.

She also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the summit in a very warm and frank atmosphere.
KIEV, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Some 80,000 pigs have been slaughtered in Ukraine since the beginning of the year to prevent the spread of African swine fever, which is sweeping across the country, First Deputy Prime Minister Stepan Kubiv said on Wednesday.

"Whilst last year, a total of 57 cases of African swine fever were reported in Ukraine, in the first eight months of the current year, there were 108 cases," Kubiv was quoted as saying by local media.

In August alone, the virus was found on 24 farms in nine Ukrainian regions, he said, adding that the country's authorities are implementing a series of quarantine measures to halt the disease spread.

Since the start of the year, African swine fever has caused a direct loss of about 820,000 U.S. dollars to the Ukrainian farming sector, Kubiv said.

From January through August of 2016, Ukraine's pork exports have plunged 92.2 percent year-on-year to 1,523 tons due to the outbreak of the disease.

The African swine fever, a viral illness harmless to people but lethal to pigs, was first discovered in Ukraine in 2012. Enditem
JUBA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed in a road accident involving two buses along a highway in South Sudan on Wednesday.

South Sudan's deputy police spokesperson, Colonel Kwaicjok Dominic Amondot, told Xinhua that the head-on collision between two buses travelling to Uganda and South Sudan respectively injured 37 others.

The fatal accident occurred along the Juba-Kampala highway in an area called Pageri.

Amondot said among the dead are four Ugandans, three South Sudanese and one Somali national, adding 37 others are receiving treatment at the border town of Nimule.

"Eight people died in the accident which occurred at around 9 a.m. in Pageri village. Some 37 others are also receiving treatment at Nimule Hospital," Amondot said.

He said the investigators have not established the cause of the accident.

Gregory David, a passenger involved in the accident, told Xinhua that the two buses collided while attempting to dodge a pothole in high speed.

The Juba-Kampala highway is one of the most important trade route for landlocked South Sudan as it remained the only open road linking the young nation to other East African countries such as Uganda and Kenya.

But recent increase in gun attacks and looting along the road has reduced traffic. Unknown gunmen on Monday killed one person and injured four others on the same road following an attack on a Uganda bound bus. Enditem
TBILISI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that Georgia will become a member of NATO if all the requirements for membership were fulfilled.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili after the NATO-Georgia Commission meeting here, the NATO chief said that the alliance has a "remarkable, mutually supportive relationship" with Georgia and "the partnership is getting even stronger."

"We decided at the NATO Warsaw summit to reaffirm the decision we made in Bucharest that Georgia will become a member of NATO. But to become a member of NATO, Georgia has to meet the standards, requirements for membership," Stoltenberg said when asked about the timetable of Georgia's NATO accession.

"No one else has the right to interfere or try to veto that process and NATO will continue to enlarge," he said.

Georgia has great prospect for joining NATO, he said, adding that Georgia has all the necessary tools to move towards NATO membership, including the NATO-Georgia Commission, the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package,Joint Training and Evaluation Centre and presence of NATO experts in Tbilisi to help promote Georgia's defense reforms.

For his part, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili reiterated Georgia will continue its "consistent" reform efforts and "wait patiently" for the window of opportunity for joining NATO.

"Majority of Georgian population supports NATO membership. I want to reassure our partners that dynamic of this progress will be maintained and Georgia will achieve its eventual goal of joining NATO" , said the Prime Minister.

The North Atlantic Council led by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg started a three-day visit to Tbilisi on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Jens Stoltenberg will meet President Giorgi Margvelashvili and visit the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre outside Tbilisi, which was inaugurated in August 2015.
Students learn Chinese calligraphy during the China Day at St. George's School, Hertfordshire, Britain, June 16, 2010.(Xinhua/Zeng Yi)

LONDON, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 5,000 high school students in England will be more fluent in Mandarin Chinese by 2020 under a 10.3-million-U.S.- dollar excellence program announced Wednesday.

Hundreds of secondary school pupils at schools across England have begun intensive lessons in Mandarin Chinese as the first initiative of its kind is rolled out across the country.

Secondary school pupils will study Mandarin for eight hours a week over the course of the next four years through the program, a significant increase in the time pupils currently spend on the subject, said the Department for Education (DfE).

Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world, and is seen as important for young people in Britain to master in order for the country to remain globally competitive in the future, added a statement from DfE.

The program is being led by participating schools, supported by the UCL Institute of Education, in partnership with the British Council, with the first lessons in Mandarin beginning this week as pupils return from their summer break. There are 15 schools participating in the first wave.

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said: "A high level of fluency in Mandarin Chinese will become increasingly important in our globally competitive economy. As part of our drive to extend opportunity, we want to give young people the opportunity to study the language and to acquire fluency in both spoken and written Mandarin."

"The Mandarin excellence program helps us achieve this, offering intensive study in the language which will not only be personally enriching for students, but will also give them a significant advantage when they enter the world of work," said Gibb.

In addition to improving students' fluency in the language, the UCL Institute of Education, in collaboration with other providers, aims to have trained at least 100 new qualified Chinese teachers by the end of the program.

The Confucius Institute, based at the UCL Institute of Education, already has a network of 42 Confucius classrooms across England and supports schools in starting and developing the teaching and learning of Mandarin Chinese and the study of China across other areas of the curriculum.

Katharine Carruthers, director of the UCL Institute of Education (IOE) Confucius Institute, said: "Over the last decade, our work in schools has inspired increasing numbers of secondary school pupils to take up Mandarin Chinese. This program provides a real boost and unique opportunity for more motivated pupils to be on track towards fluency in Mandarin."

She added the program would also undoubtedly further Britain's relationship with China.

Mark Herbert, head of schools programs at the British Council, said: "Language skills are crucial for work and life in the global race, and Mandarin Chinese is one of the front runners when it comes to languages that matter most to the UK's future prosperity."

"If the UK is to remain competitive on the world stage, we need far more of our young people leaving school with a good grasp of Mandarin in order to successfully work abroad or for businesses here in the UK," said Herbert.
KIGALI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Top regional bankers are calling on governments to address Africa's infrastructure challenges stifling regional integration by among others repackaging infrastructure projects to attract funding.

Speaking at the Global African Investment Summit which closed in Kigali on Tuesday, the bankers cautioned that the fruits of integration will not be fully realized without proper infrastructure.

Jonathan Muga, head of Power and Infrastructure Finance (East Africa) at Standard Bank, pointed out that infrastructure financing is most of the times held up by the high risks associated with infrastructural projects.

Currently, he said governments spend 10 percent of the GDP on infrastructure and the significant part of this goes into transport, including roads.

"When it comes to private sector financing infrastructure, we tend to see that the gap between the expectations and the reality is critical. There is therefore a need for governments to restructure the packaging of many projects that require financing from the private sector," said Muga.

George Negatu, the regional director for Eastern Africa, African Development Bank, said while the East African Community seems better integrated on the continent, poor transmission lines, low access to energy, poor air transport, railways, and road networks are hampering trade competitiveness.

"Unless we are able to get improved regional infrastructure we are not going to achieve what we want," he warned.

Negatu also noted that high energy costs affect economic integration, limiting productivity of industry in the region.

"This in itself means that companies and industries in the region are not able to reap benefits of the global value chain," he said.

Negatu faulted the inconsistent or lack of harmonized policies and regulations to allow investments across the region.

There are different policy regimes and regulatory frameworks between countries hence hindering investment, Negatu said, calling for more friendly financial systems that can allow companies to borrow money to invest in long-term investments.

"Non-tariff barriers are also making it impossible for trade to happen. Unless we change this, regional integration will remain a wish," said Negatu.

The bankers urged regional governments to put in place creative financing mechanisms to address infrastructure development.

Edward George, Head of Group Research at Ecobank, said only one in four people in the COMESA region has access to energy and some of the countries tend to use alternative sources like hydro power which makes it complicated especially when it comes to drought seasons. Enditem
VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Rich countries have an obligation to help developing countries pursue a green growth strategy, visiting U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday.

Obama made the remarks while meeting with young people from across Southeast Asia in a "town hall" exchange in the historical town of Luang Prabang in northern Laos.

He said green growth strategy will reduce poverty while addressing greenhouse gas emissions contributing to the climate change.

The "town hall" exchange touched on a series of topics including climate change, health, environment, trade and economy.

The U.S. president called on young people of the region to actively contribute to solutions in the face of difficulties and challenges

He cited Alibaba founder and chairman, China's Jack Ma as an example of the dynamism that could see individuals rise to their potential through innovation and enterprise.
DAMASCUS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army killed 150 rebels during battles in the country's central province of Hama on Wednesday, state-run SANA news agency said, as activists reported an imminent release of prisoners from Hama's central prison, a monitor group reported.

The military forces killed the rebels near the town of Maardis in the northern countryside of Hama, said SANA.

The Syrian army lost control of Maardis a week ago, following a wide-scale rebel offensive in northern Hama, in a bid to attract the attention of the Syrian army to that area and lower the pressure on the rebels in the northern city of Aleppo.

A day earlier, SANA said the army units succeeded to wrest control over the western neighborhood in the town.

Meanwhile, the activists Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said as many as 85 prisoners are set to be released from Hama central prison within the next hours in exchange for the bodies of Russian pilots, whose aircraft was downed by the rebels in August in the countryside of the northwestern province of Idlib.

A second batch of prisoners will be released later, as part of the exchange deal, the UK-based watchdog added.

The northern countryside of Hama has returned under the spotlight after the rebels carried out repetitive attacks on government positions in that area.

The attacks are part of their efforts to get the army busy with more than one front to reduce the pressure on rebels in other parts of northern Syria.

Recent reports said the rebels in the northern province of Aleppo are reeling under fresh pressure by the Syrian army, which has recently closed the routes to the besieged rebel-held areas in the eastern part of Aleppo city.

The northern region in Hama is also close to the northwestern province of Idlib, a key stronghold for the rebels' Jaish al-Fateh, or the Army of Conquest.

SANA said the rebels there unleashed their attacks on Hama from areas close to Idlib.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (6th R) attends the 19th summit of ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) in Vientiane, Laos, Sept. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Wednesday that practical cooperation between ASEAN members and China, Japan and South Korea should be promoted steadily so as to safeguard regional peace and stability.

Li made the remarks while attending the 19th summit of ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and South Korea). ASEAN leaders as well as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye attended the meeting.

While embracing the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN+3 mechanism next year, Li made a six-pronged proposal on the mechanism's development to consolidate its role as the main channel of regional integration.

Relevant countries should strengthen financial security cooperation, deepen trade and investment cooperation, promote cooperation in agriculture and poverty reduction, advance inter-connectivity, innovate production capacity cooperation mode and increase people-to-people exchanges, Li said.

As for financial security cooperation, Li said that countries should learn a lesson from financial crises in order to maintain financial stability.

As to trade and investment cooperation, Li said China supports ASEAN's leading role in negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and hopes negotiations could be accelerated to promote free trade and convenience.

Regarding to agricultural and poverty reduction cooperation, the premier said China supports the strengthening of an emergency mechanism on rice storage and proposes to build a modern agricultural cooperation base and an East Asian animal husbandry exchange platform.

Concerning the inter-connectivity cooperation, Li called for more alignment between China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative with ASEAN's general guideline 2025 on inter-connectivity, adding that China is willing to deepen project cooperation with ASEAN countries with the assistance of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and other financing platforms.

Relating to innovating production capacity cooperation mode, Li said China, Japan and South Korea have their respective advantages in equipment manufacturing, infrastructure construction, capital and human resources, which could be used in cooperating with ASEAN countries.

China is also willing to work with Japan and South Korea to offer assistance to ASEAN nations on such fields as logistics and construction of supply chain to promote the economic integration in East Asia, he noted.

About people-to-people exchanges, Li said that China encourages its people to travel in ASEAN countries, calling for joint efforts to tackle the problem of aging population.

The Chinese premier arrived in Vientiane late Tuesday to attend the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 19th meeting of the leaders of ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea (10+3), and the 11th East Asia Summit. During his stay, Li will also pay an official visit to Laos.
TEHRAN, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday dismissed as "unconstructive" the recent allegations by the Arab League chief that Tehran is "interfering" in the internal affairs of Syria, Press TV reported.

The remarks by the Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul-Gheit against the Islamic republic is "groundless and unfounded allegations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying.

Reportedly, Abul-Gheit said in a recent interview that Iran has had a hand in creating the ongoing Syrian crisis.

The current situation in Syria is the result of the policies and interference of the governments that have been acting against the legal and established government of Syria, Qasemi said.

The Iranian spokesman stressed the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria as well as the Syrian people's right to determine their fate.

He also asked the Arab League chief to avoid what he called "unconstructive and unrealistic approaches" against Iran.

Instead, it would be better to help unity among regional nations and find effective solutions to the plight gripping in the Middle East, he added.

Iran, a major regional ally of the Syrian government in its fight against militant groups, has repeatedly acknowledged the presence of its military advisers in the Arab state.
BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's new normal opens up opportunities for South America, especially in terms of investments in large development projects and public-private partnerships, according to Juan Notaro, executive president for the Financial Fund for the Development of Countries of the Rio de la Plata Basin (Fonplata).

In an opinion piece published Tuesday in the La Nacion daily, the expert remarked that "China's new normal seeks a different balance between domestic consumption and investment, while seeking to consolidate the middle-class in cities, leading a change in its economy by prioritizing the areas of advanced knowledge and technology."

"China is a privileged commercial partner for Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay, all members of Fonplata," Notaro said.

In this context, he wrote that "China's new normal brings about an adjustment to the traditional export model for our commodities and opens opportunities for Chinese investment in large development projects and public-private partnerships."

According to Notaro, while the "new normal" will lead to smaller and more sustainable growth rates, China continues to be an engine for the global economy.

The expert concluded that regional platforms, such as Fonplata, could act as bridges for ambitious projects in partnership with China. "Beyond bilateral agreements with member countries, we see in our exchanges with China that there is great potential in working together through integrated platforms," wrote Notaro.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (5th L) attends the 19th summit between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations, in Vientiane, Laos, Sept. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China has vowed to form a closer community of shared future with Southeast Asian nations while commemorating the 25th anniversary of their dialogue relationship.

"If we say the past 25 years were a period of growth for the China-ASEAN relations, the upcoming 25 years will be a period of maturity, facing new opportunities as well as new challenges," Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told the 19th summit between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Laotian capital of Vientiane.

China, which established a dialogue relationship with ASEAN in 1991, was the first to ink the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and the first to become ASEAN's strategic partner.

In addition, China was the first country to voice support for the protocol of the treaty of Southeast Asia nuclear weapon free zone, while being the first to start free trade area negotiations with ASEAN.

"All these showcase China's steady resolution to develop relations with ASEAN" and "the two sides' strong will of cooperation and their vision to lead regional cooperation," Li said.

The Chinese premier lauded the development of the China-ASEAN relations in the past 25 years.

Mutual respect for each other's development path, consideration of each other's major concern, joint efforts to cope with difficulties and challenges, reciprocal trade relationship, principle of inclusiveness and disputes settlement through dialogue and consultation are experience and treasury the two sides have gained and should continue to cherish and carry forward, Li suggested.

FIVE-POINT PROPOSAL

The premier put forward a five-point proposals to further enhance China-ASEAN relations:

First, to better coordinate development strategies between the two sides, deepen cooperation in all areas within the 2+7 Cooperation Framework and in accordance with the third action plan for their strategic partnership, Li said.

Second, to establish a new platform for political and security cooperation.

China is willing to discuss to sign a treaty of good-neighborly friendship and cooperation as early as possible, so as to provide legal protection for a long-term friendship, Li said, adding that China supports ASEAN's efforts to establish a nuclear weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia.

The two sides should also have regular unofficial meetings between defense ministers to promote defense cooperation and promote a more substantial progress in the ministerial dialogue mechanism on law enforcement and security, he said.

Third, to further enhance and facilitate free trade and investment, jointly promote the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and interconnectivity, and deepen industrial cooperation.

Fourth, to make cultural and people-to-people exchanges a third pillar for China-ASEAN cooperation, further enhance cooperation in this regard with education and tourism as two priority areas, said Li.

China hopes the total number of exchange students could reach 300,000 in 2025 through a student exchange plan, he added.

Fifth, to jointly enhance regional cooperation, Li said, noting that the special fund for Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, which involves China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar, has been launched to support cooperation projects among sub-regional countries.

The Chinese premier also said that China stands ready to work with ASEAN to promote the comprehensive and in-depth development of their bilateral relations, and to make greater contribution to the lasting peace and common prosperity of the region and the world.

Calling China the most important cooperative partner, ASEAN leaders expressed gratitude for the positive role China has played in building ASEAN community and managing international affairs.

They voiced support for China's proposals in Belt and Road Initiative construction, production capacity cooperation and interconnection.

The leaders also hoped to speed up the implementation of an upgraded China-ASEAN free trade agreement and the negotiation process of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

FOUR DOCUMENTS

After the meeting, the two sides issued four documents, including a joint statement of the meeting, a joint statement on production capacity cooperation, a joint statement on the application of the code for unplanned encounters at sea in the South China Sea, as well as a guideline on senior diplomat hot line to cope with maritime emergencies.

In the joint statement of the meeting, the two sides reaffirm their mutual respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with international law and the principle of non- interference in the internal affairs of other states, and their commitment to promoting regional peace and stability.

China reaffirms continued support for ASEAN's integration process and ASEAN centrality, while ASEAN reaffirms that China's development is an important opportunity for the region, and supports China's pursuit of peaceful development. ASEAN countries also reaffirm adherence to the one-China policy.

The two sides agree to continue to promote cooperation in areas including defense and security, connectivity, environmental protection, sustainable development, management of land and water resources, and bio-diversity conservation, while addressing trans-boundary challenges.

In the joint statement on production capacity cooperation, the two sides emphasize cooperation in highly-complementary sectors based on their respective priorities, comparative advantages, and levels of development, and recognize the importance of capacity building, taking into account the different needs of ASEAN members on production capacity practices.

The two sides will support the cooperation by facilitating exchange of information on relevant policies so as to create a favorable business and investment environment for production capacity cooperation.

The guideline on senior diplomat hot line to cope with maritime emergencies stipulates the purpose, application scope and procedure of the hotline platform.

It will provide an instant and effective communication channel for direct discussion and coordination among senior diplomats from related countries.

SOUTH CHINA SEA ISSUE

Both China and ASEAN reaffirmed a full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and agreed to work substantively toward the early adoption of a code of conduct (COC) in the South China Sea based on consensus.

The two sides reaffirmed their respect of freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea under principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

According to the joint statement on the application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea issued after the meeting, the two sides recognized that Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and China are members of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) and have adopted the CUES.

The CUES, as a coordinated means of communication to maximize safety at sea, offers a means by which navies may develop mutually rewarding international cooperation and transparency, according to the document.

The leaders agreed to use the safety and communication procedures for the safety of all their naval ships and naval aircraft, as set out in the CUES.

China is willing to work with the ASEAN countries in dispelling interference, and properly handling the South China Sea issue according to the DOC and dual-track approach, Li said.

History and the facts have repeatedly showed that the South China Sea can only be peaceful and stable so long as the regional countries themselves get hold of the key to fixing the problems, he added.

For their part, the ASEAN leaders expressed appreciation for China's efforts in promoting the COC talks. They also insist on solving the differences over the South China Sea through dialogues so as not to allow these spats to overshadow the relations between the two sides.
Palestinian children and a mother stand in a rubbish-strewn area at the impoverished Jaramanah Camp for Palestinian Refugees in eastern Damascus, capital of Syria, on Aug.10, 2016. Thousands of Palestinian refugees fled Syria as the crisis has entered its sixth year with no solution in sight. Syria was a home to nearly 500,000 Palestinians ahead of the crisis. (Xinhua/Ammar)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 50 million children have been uprooted worldwide -- 28 million of them driven from their homes by conflicts not of their making, and millions more migrating in the hope of finding a better, safer life, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said here Wednesday.

Often traumatized by the conflicts and violence the children are fleeing, they face further dangers along the way, including the risk of drowning on sea crossings, malnourishment and dehydration, trafficking, kidnapping, rape and even murder, the UN agency said in a new report issued here, adding that in countries they travel through and at their destinations, they often face xenophobia and discrimination.

The new UNICEF report, "Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children," presented new data that paint a sobering picture of the lives and situations of millions of children and families affected by violent conflict and other crises that make it seem safer to risk everything on a perilous journey than remain at home.

"Indelible images of individual children -- Aylan Kurdi's small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneesh's stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed -- have shocked the world," said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake.

"But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger -- and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children," Lake said.

Syrian civilians from the town of Daraya prepare to be evacuated from the rebel-held town of Moadamiyet al-Sham on September 2, 2016 to be taken to a shelter in the government controlled town of Hrajela. (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO)

Uprooted showed that:

-- Children represent a disproportionate and growing proportion of those who have sought refuge outside their countries of birth: they make up about a third of the global population but about half of all refugees. In 2015 around 45 per cent of all child refugees under UNHCR's protection came from Syria and Afghanistan.

-- Twenty eight million children have been driven from their homes by violence and conflict within and across borders, including 10 million child refugees; 1 million asylum-seekers whose refugee status has not yet been determined; and an estimated 17 million children displaced within their own countries - children in dire need of humanitarian assistance and access to critical services.

-- More and more children are crossing borders on their own. In 2015, over 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries -- triple the number in 2014. Unaccompanied children are among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse, including by smugglers and traffickers.

-- About 20 million other international child migrants have left their homes for a variety of reasons including extreme poverty or gang violence. Many are at particular risk of abuse and detention because they have no documentation, have uncertain legal status, and there is no systematic tracking and monitoring of their well-being -- children falling through the cracks.

According to the new report, Turkey hosts the largest total number of recent refugees, and very likely the largest number of child refugees in the world. Relative to its population, Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees by an overwhelming margin: Roughly one in five people in Lebanon is a refugee.

By comparison, there is roughly one refugee for every 530 people in the United Kingdom; and one for every 1,200 in the United States. When considering refugee-host countries by income level, however, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Pakistan host the highest concentration of refugees.

Meanwhile, the report argued that where there are safe and legal routes, migration can offer opportunities for both the children who migrate and the communities they join.

An analysis of the impact of migration in high-income countries found that migrants contributed more in taxes and social payments than they received; filled both high- and low-skilled gaps in the labour market; and contributed to economic growth and innovation in hosting countries.

But, crucially, children who have left or are forcibly displaced from their homes often lose out on the potential benefits of migration, such as education -- a major driving factor for many children and families who choose to migrate.

A refugee child is five times more likely to be out of school than a non-refugee child. When they are able to attend school at all, it is the place migrant and refugee children are most likely to encounter discrimination, including unfair treatment and bullying.

Outside the classroom, legal barriers prevent refugee and migrant children from receiving services on an equal basis with children who are native to a country. In the worst cases, xenophobia can escalate to direct attacks. In Germany alone, authorities tracked 850 attacks against refugee shelters in 2015.

"What price will we all pay if we fail to provide these young people with opportunities for education and a more normal childhood? How will they be able to contribute positively to their societies? If they can' t, not only will their futures be blighted, but their societies will be diminished as well," Lake said.

Furthermore, the report pointed to six specific actions that will protect and help displaced, refugee and migrant children:

-- Protecting child refugees and migrants, particularly unaccompanied children, from exploitation and violence.

-- Ending the detention of children seeking refugee status or migrating by introducing a range of practical alternatives.

-- Keeping families together as the best way to protect children and give children legal status.

-- Keeping all refugees and migrant children learning and giving them access to health and other quality services.

-- Pressing for action on the underlying causes of large-scale movements of refugees and migrants.

-- Promoting measures to combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization.
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on governments and their partners, including in the private sector, to join hands to promote universal literacy and build peaceful, just, inclusive and sustainable societies -- a vision set out in the new global development agenda.

In his message to mark the International Literacy Day, the secretary-general said, "This year, the world has embarked on implementing the ambitious and transformational 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With its 17 universal, integrated and interdependent Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda is an action plan for people, planet, partnership and peace."

"Literacy stands at heart of the 2030 Agenda," Ban said. "It is a foundation for human rights, gender equality, and sustainable societies. It is essential to all our efforts to end extreme poverty and promote well-being for all people."

The SDGs, approved by world leaders here last September, served as the blueprint for the global development efforts for the years up to 2030.

"That is why the Sustainable Development Goals aim for universal access to quality education and learning opportunities throughout people's lives," he said.

While significant progress has been made over the past five decades, the secretary-general noted. "The world is still very far from universal literacy."

Therefore, the secretary-general called on governments and their partners, including in the private sector, to "join forces for universal literacy so we can translate the vision of the 2030 Agenda into reality and build peaceful, just, inclusive and sustainable societies."

In his message, Ban said that with the world becoming increasingly digitized and information rich, new opportunities and challenges are emerging, with more than 750 million adults illiterate, two-thirds of whom are female and including 115 million young people.

Some 250 million children of primary school age lack basic literacy skills and 124 million children and adolescents receive no schooling at all, Ban said.

Such obstacles to sustainable development can and must be overcome by developing and implementing the right policies, backed up by commitment and resources, the UN chief said.

"We need to ensure that those out of school get access to quality learning opportunities, we need to improve the quality of schooling, and we need to promote adult education and learning," he said.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary since the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed Sept. 8 as International Literacy Day in 1966 in order to actively mobilize the international community and to promote literacy as an instrument to empower individuals, communities and societies.

This year's theme is "Reading the Past, Writing the Future," and celebrates the past five decades of national and international engagement, efforts and progress made to increase literacy rates around the world. It also addresses current challenges and looks to innovative solutions to further boost literacy in the future, according to UNESCO.

Noting that this is the first year of implementation of the 2030 Agenda, UNESCO stated on its website that in this context, the vision of literacy is aligned with lifelong learning opportunities with special focus on youth and adults -- literacy is a part of Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals that make up the 2030 Agenda.

Goal 4 aims to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all," and its target is that by 2030 all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.

"The world has changed since 1966 -- but our determination to provide every woman and man with the skills, capacities and opportunities to become everything they wish, in dignity and respect, remains as firm as ever," UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said in her message for the International Day. "Literacy is a foundation to build a more sustainable future for all."

Meanwhile, Bokova also highlighted how those who are illiterate receive none of the benefits of globalization and suffer all its costs.

"These women and men are more vulnerable to ill heath, exploitation and human rights abuse. They are more likely to be unemployed and paid less," she said. "Unable to read or write, they are held back from their full potential, and whole communities are locked into vicious cycles of poverty that lay the conditions for violence and strife."

"Illiteracy remains synonymous with exclusion and poverty -- we must turn this around," she said.
Syrian refugees walk on their way back to the Syrian city of Jarabulus on September 7, 2016 at Karkamis crossing gate, in the southern region of Kilis. (AFP/Xinhua)

ISTANBUL, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's projected "offensive" against terrorist groups, including the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), raises the possibility of new cross-border operations in the near future that would include northern Iraq, analysts said.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim vowed on Sunday to pursue an "offensive" policy in the country's fight against terrorism, with a view to finding and destroying all terrorists.

"If we don't do this, we will have to continue living with the threat of terrorism," he said in a visit to troops tasked with fighting the PKK militants.

The PKK and the Islamic State (IS) are blamed for a spate of bombing attacks in Turkey in the past year that inflicted heavy casualties.

Ankara and the PKK have renewed fighting since July last year, shattering a two-year-old peace process, while the IS militants were declared to be cleared from the Syrian-Turkish border on Sunday after Turkey sent in military hardware and special forces on Aug. 24 for what it called Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria.

Analysts said the prime minister's speech indicates Ankara's readiness to conduct more cross-border operations, with the PKK camps in northern Iraq and Mosul most probably being the new targets.

The Turkish military are only flying warplanes now to bomb the PKK positions in Iraq's north.

"The introduction of this new strategy shows that Turkey has decided to expand its counter-terrorism operations beyond its borders, targeting terrorist organizations' nests," said Mehmet Seyfettin Erol, a professor of international relations from the Ankara-based Gazi University.

He told Xinhua that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the just-concluded G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, also signaled new possible cross-border operations in northern Iraq.

Erdogan told Obama that having a "terrorist corridor" on its southern border would not be acceptable for Turkey.

"The statement must be examined closely," Erol said, noting that Turkey's southern border does not solely consist of the Syrian border.

"We also have a border with Iraq in the south," he added.

In its Euphrates Shield operation, Turkey targeted as well Syrian Kurdish forces in its efforts to prevent Kurds from achieving autonomy or statehood in the northern part of Syria.

Anraka sees Syria's Kurdish Democratic Union Party and its military wing, the People's Protection Units, which have established cantons in northern Syria, as offshoots of the PKK.

In Iraq's north, the PKK has training camps mainly in Kirkuk, Hakurk, Zakho, Dohuk and Zap, which have come under constant air raids by Turkish fighter jets.

As he was returning from China, Erdogan referred to Mosul and Telafer, saying that the PKK wants to find a place for itself there, Turkish media reported.

Turkey seems more determined now to find and neutralize the PKK militants with its ground forces "wherever they are, in whichever cave and behind whichever stone," as the Turkish prime minister put it.

Ismail Hakki Pekin, former head of the intelligence department of the Turkish General Staff, said that effective cross-border operations require high-quality intelligence structure and developed intelligence sharing system with the neighboring countries.

"Ankara should launch cross-border operations if it could manage to supply maximum of information and with minimum number of units," said Pekin. "Otherwise the loss will be inevitable."

Turkey's intelligence unit, along with the military and police, is undergoing a revamp in the wake of a failed coup attempt on July 15.

Murat Bilhan, deputy chairman of the Istanbul-based think tank Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies, also cautioned that the more different fronts are opened, the bigger the loss is.

The former ambassador noted that the situation in Iraq is "different" and "very dangerous."

He argued that if Turkey's ground forces enter Iraq without having the consensus of other countries, the risk of Ankara's isolation could be irreversible.

"There is a big sensitivity of the international community in northern Iraq as it was the case in Bashiqa," Bilhan said, referring to Turkey's additional deployment of troops and tanks to the town north of Mosul in December last year, an episode that had strained relations with Baghdad.

Apart from PKK militants, there are also signs pointing to Turkey's willingness to move against Mosul to drive the IS out of the region.

Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, has been under the IS control since June 2014.

A high-level U.S. delegation visited Ankara last week to discuss details of the Mosul operation and Turkey's possible contribution, Daily Sabah reported.

According to the daily, Turkey offered intelligence cooperation, including aerial reconnaissance and logistic support, as well as humanitarian assistance and emergency landing service.

It is still not clear whether Turkish ground forces will be involved in the operation.

"In case of Mosul, Turkey should be even more cautious and not take any unilateral step," cautioned Bilhan. Enditem
A rickshaw puller reads newspaper while waiting for customers on the occasion of the International Literacy Day in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sept. 8, 2015. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on governments and their partners, including in the private sector, to join hands to promote universal literacy and build peaceful, just, inclusive and sustainable societies -- a vision set out in the new global development agenda.

In his message to mark the International Literacy Day, the secretary-general said, "This year, the world has embarked on implementing the ambitious and transformational 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With its 17 universal, integrated and interdependent Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda is an action plan for people, planet, partnership and peace."

"Literacy stands at heart of the 2030 Agenda," Ban said. "It is a foundation for human rights, gender equality, and sustainable societies. It is essential to all our efforts to end extreme poverty and promote well-being for all people."

The SDGs, approved by world leaders here last September, served as the blueprint for the global development efforts for the years up to 2030.

"That is why the Sustainable Development Goals aim for universal access to quality education and learning opportunities throughout people's lives," he said.

While significant progress has been made over the past five decades, the secretary-general noted. "The world is still very far from universal literacy."

Therefore, the secretary-general called on governments and their partners, including in the private sector, to "join forces for universal literacy so we can translate the vision of the 2030 Agenda into reality and build peaceful, just, inclusive and sustainable societies."

Pakistani children attend a class at a makeshift school on International Literacy Day in Lahore on September 8, 2015. (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO)

In his message, Ban said that with the world becoming increasingly digitized and information rich, new opportunities and challenges are emerging, with more than 750 million adults illiterate, two-thirds of whom are female and including 115 million young people.

Some 250 million children of primary school age lack basic literacy skills and 124 million children and adolescents receive no schooling at all, Ban said.

Such obstacles to sustainable development can and must be overcome by developing and implementing the right policies, backed up by commitment and resources, the UN chief said.

"We need to ensure that those out of school get access to quality learning opportunities, we need to improve the quality of schooling, and we need to promote adult education and learning," he said.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary since the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed Sept. 8 as International Literacy Day in 1966 in order to actively mobilize the international community and to promote literacy as an instrument to empower individuals, communities and societies.

This year's theme is "Reading the Past, Writing the Future," and celebrates the past five decades of national and international engagement, efforts and progress made to increase literacy rates around the world. It also addresses current challenges and looks to innovative solutions to further boost literacy in the future, according to UNESCO.

Noting that this is the first year of implementation of the 2030 Agenda, UNESCO stated on its website that in this context, the vision of literacy is aligned with lifelong learning opportunities with special focus on youth and adults -- literacy is a part of Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals that make up the 2030 Agenda.

Goal 4 aims to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all," and its target is that by 2030 all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.

"The world has changed since 1966 -- but our determination to provide every woman and man with the skills, capacities and opportunities to become everything they wish, in dignity and respect, remains as firm as ever," UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said in her message for the International Day. "Literacy is a foundation to build a more sustainable future for all."

Meanwhile, Bokova also highlighted how those who are illiterate receive none of the benefits of globalization and suffer all its costs.

"These women and men are more vulnerable to ill heath, exploitation and human rights abuse. They are more likely to be unemployed and paid less," she said. "Unable to read or write, they are held back from their full potential, and whole communities are locked into vicious cycles of poverty that lay the conditions for violence and strife."

"Illiteracy remains synonymous with exclusion and poverty -- we must turn this around," she said.
BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's ambassador to Argentina Everton Vieira Vargas said on Wednesday that he considers the relationship between the two main economies of South America as "strategic."

Writing in the Argentinean daily, La Nacion, on Brazil's independence day, Sept. 7, Vieira Vargas said that "since the September 7 celebration last year, crucial events have taken place for Brazil and Argentina, reflecting the interest of our societies in development and their commitment to democracy."

"In a context marked by changes and challenges, it is gratifying to see that both countries, people and governments, see our bilateral strategic partnership as an unchanging priority," the ambassador said.

Vieira Vargas added that Brazil was also "searching for solutions in an atmosphere of respect for democracy and institutions."

The new government of President Michel Temer assumed office "in strict obedience with the law, fulfilling the rules of Congress and the Supreme Court."

"The changes in leadership do not alter the priority given to the bilateral relationship. For Brazil and, I am sure, for Argentina as well, the strategic association between our countries is a state policy," Vieira Vargas said.

He added that he was happy to see that "the leadership of President Macri had opened new channels of dialogue, confirming his ability to turn political promises into reality."

After two years of recession, the ambassador said, predictions show the Brazilian economy will resume growth in 2017. This was very positive for Argentina as well, since it would lead to more trade, investments, jobs and better salaries, he added. Enditem
HAVANA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Two American Airlines flights left Miami Wednesday for Cuba's central city of Cienfuegos and the eastern town of Holguin among cheers and excitement from passengers and airline executives.

The American Airlines thus became the third U.S. airline to resume regular direct commercial flights to Cuba after 55 years of interruption.

American Airlines' flight 903 to Cienfuegos landed at 11:10 a.m. local time with almost 100 passengers on board and was greeted by water cannons, a traditional civil aviation ceremony to mark the beginning of a route. The same ceremony was held in Holguin a few minutes later.

Fernand Fernandez, American Airlines' vice president of global marketing, said the airline will also start services to the central cities of Santa Clara and Camaguey on Friday and to the island's main beach destination, Varadero, on Sept. 11.

"When I was a young man growing up in Miami, Cuba was so close but so far away. Today, American Airlines is bridging that gap," he said after the arrival of the inaugural flight to Cienfuegos.

American Airlines will have 56 weekly flights to these five Cuban cities and plans to start its Havana service later in the year. It is planning to offer four daily flights to Havana from Miami, home to the biggest Cuban-American community in the U.S., and one from Charlotte, adding up to 91 weekly flights.

On Aug. 31, JetBlue Airways became the first U.S. airline in 55 years to have regular direct commercial flights between both the United States and Cuba when one of its planes landed in the central city of Santa Clara.

Silver Airways, a small Florida-based carrier, launched a flight to the same destination the next day.

Restrictions still apply to U.S. citizens to freely travel to the island as tourists, who must go under one of 12 general licenses.

U.S. visitors to the island have increased substantially since both nations declared detente in their relations in December of 2014 and formally reestablished ties last year.

Under a deal signed by the two countries in February, up to 110 daily flights can leave from American cities for 10 Cuban destinations.

Flights to Havana were recently given final approval by the U.S. Department of Transportation and are set to begin in late November.
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is concerned with the new displacement of some 100,000 people in Hama governorate in central Syria, due to fighting between government forces and non-state armed groups, a UN spokesman told reporters here Wednesday.

The mass displacement took place between Aug. 28 and Sept. 5 from northern rural Hama and the north-western countryside of Hama toward neighboring villages and Hama City itself, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

"The UN and its humanitarian partners have delivered food, nutritional supplies, water and sanitation and other items for about 15,000 people on an inter-agency convoy that went to Hama on 4 September," he said. "Distribution of aid is being done in collaboration with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent."

The United Nations has also conducted field visits to two distribution centres to better understand the situation on the ground and continue planning humanitarian response, he added.

Hama's northern countryside has once again come under the spotlight after rebels repeatedly attacked government posts there.

The primary reason behind repeated rebel attacks is to keep the Syrian army busy on several fronts, which will reduce the army's pressure against rebels in other parts of Syria.

Recent reports indicate that rebels in the northern province of Aleppo are folding under pressure from the army, which has reportedly closed all entry ways into the rebel-held areas in the eastern part of Aleppo.
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday announced a cabinet shakeup, just days after the much-criticized visit of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Pena Nieto named Jose Antonio Meade to be his new Finance minister, after Luis Videgaray -- said to have been behind the invitations to Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton -- handed in his resignation.

As Finance Minister, Meade's first task will be to present the 2017 budget to Congress for approval in coming days.

Meade, who had been at the helm of the Social Development Ministry, has served as head of finance before, namely during the presidential term of Felipe Calderon (2006-20012), and has also served as minister of foreign affairs (under Pena Nieto) and energy (under Calderon).

Pena Nieto called on Meade to continue the government's policy of fiscal responsibility "to contain and stabilize the growth of the public-sector debt as a share of the gross domestic product (GDP)."

He indicated Meade will have to make cuts in 2017 public spending to ensure macroeconomic stability.

However, "it is up to the government to tighten its belt, without affecting the people," said Pena Nieto, adding "there will be no new taxes nor increases to existing ones."

Meade must also "give priority to investment projects and social programs that have been most effective in fighting poverty," said the president.

Taking over for Meade at Social Development will be Luis Enrique Miranda, formerly deputy minister at the Ministry of the Interior.

According to news reports, Trump's lightning visit to Mexico was widely seen as a diplomatic failure that only served to strengthen the candidate's standing among potential voters by making him seem more presidential.

Meanwhile, Mexico was criticized for appearing to meddle in the U.S. election process, and Pena Nieto was forced to repeatedly defend the decision to invite the candidates.

In a recent interview with a U.S. news network, Clinton said she would not accept the invitation, dealing another blow to Mexico.
by Xinhua writers Zhang Jianhua and Gui Tao

LONDON, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China is making "a big stride" in quality education and is moving towards education for sustainable development, a top UN official has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua in London, Irina Bokova, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), highlighted China's progress in reducing poverty and illiteracy and developing quality education for urban and rural areas.

"For obvious reasons, China as a country has an impact on many of the development goals in the world, with its dimensions, with its dynamic development, with its challenges and with its opportunities," she said.

Bokova said UNESCO recognizes the "huge strides" of China in alleviating poverty.

"China has made a huge effort to reduce illiteracy. China has been one of the champions of UNESCO'S framework of working against illiteracy...and China has shown leadership in this process," she added.

Bokova also noted that China has put a lot of emphasis on technical and vocational training. She recalled that, in partnership with Chinese and international institutions, UNESCO convened the Third International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Shanghai in 2012.

"I think this is one of the areas where China puts an emphasis in order to have sustainable growth and a more inclusive society," she told Xinhua.

In the interview, the UNESCO chief congratulated China and the United States on their recent ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change, a historic international legal document that outlines post-2020 global climate governance.

"I think China is moving towards education for sustainable development; this is something that we will strongly encourage, and we are ready to work with China," Bokova said.

She went on saying that China has been "a very interesting, encouraging case in point" with the use of new technologies and the open educational resources.

Last year, UNESCO and China's Ministry of Education jointly held the International Conference on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Post-2015 Education in eastern China's costal city Qingdao.

"We organized a big fair about the use of these new technologies," she recalled.

Bokova continued that "China is making a big stride in quality education and quality education for the rural areas."

UNESCO has given its patronage to the International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED) in Beijing, an important institute under the auspices of UNESCO for education in the rural areas, according to Bokova.

She said it is "a very justifying ambition" to bring the quality of education in rural and urban areas "at the same level".

"I am very happy to have this very strong partnership with China in education," she told Xinhua.
The 11th summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies concluded on September 5 with a G20 Leaders' Communique of the Hangzhou Summit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted and addressed the closing ceremony.

The Hangzhou summit had concluded a historic 29 achievements, which sets a Chinese monument for G20 development.

The results consist of five major aspects charting the course for the world economy, innovating growth patterns, improving global economic and financial governance, rejuvenating international trade and investment, and promoting inclusive and interconnected development.

The summit's achievements have absorbed most of the "Chinese remedies" and "Chinese propositions," which are distinct "Chinese elements" and provide powerful impetus for realizing a robust, sustainable, balanced and inclusive global economic growth.

This year's summit has left a "China mark" and injected "Chinese confidence" to the G20 mechanism, and it will set out from Hangzhou refreshed with a new path.

(Source: english.cctv.com)
I embarrassed my father

Cleveon St Rose, 22, made the request in the First Court before Senior Magistrate Indrani Cedeno, when he appeared to answer charges which arose from the alleged robbery.

However, despite St Roses continuous requests to enter guilty pleas, Cedeno refused to entertain them on the basis that the charges against him were laid indictably and the prosecution did not make any recommendations for the charges to be heard summarily.

I dont want to waste your time Maam, I want to plea guilty, St Rose said.

I done embarrassed my father with this. I accept the fact of what I did. I just want to go on with my life. St Rose, of La Romaine, and Michael Rollocks, 22, were jointly charged with the armed robbery of Chan Han Chen. It is alleged that they, armed with firearms, robbed Chen of $862 cash and four packs of cigarettes valued $120.

It is further alleged that the two robbed customer Nelson Charles of $140 cash and a cellular phone valued $120.

St Rose was charged individually with the possession of a Glock pistol and 12 rounds of ammunition. Rollocks was also charged separately with the possession of a Glock pistol and 22 rounds of ammunition. The offences are alleged to have taken place on September 1 inside Bamboo Supermarket located along the Southern Main Road, La Romaine near Bamboo Junction.

PC Franklin Blackwell of the San Fernando CID laid the charges.

Attorney Annlee Girwar, who represented both men, told the magistrate that St Roses girlfriend is three-weeks pregnant with his first child.

She added he has two pending matters for robbery with aggravation.

Girwar said Rollocks, a labourer, is the father of a five-year-old child and has a conviction for robbery and two pending matters. He lives at Southern Main Road, La Romaine.

Court prosecutor Cleydon Seedan objected to bail being granted to St Rose and Rollocks. Cedeno upheld the prosecutions objection and denied bail. The men were remanded into custody are scheduled to reappear in court next week Monday.

It is alleged that while the robbery was in progress, police received information and Cpl Christopher Emrith and PC Blackwell went into the supermarket where they arrested the men.

PCs Morris, Lange, Dhoray of the San Fernando CID as well as PC Ramcharan of the Hotspot Patrol Unit, subsequently visited the scene.

Police allegedly recovered the two Glock fully-automatic pistols fitted with extended magazines containing ammunition.
Father of drowned child to be charged with neglect

Josiah and his sister, Christine Gray, seven, were alone at their Serraneau Road, Belmont home after Jerome left for work about 7.30 am on Friday. Around noon, after heavy rainfall, the children went outside to play with several other neighbourhood children.

While playing, Josiah jumped into a large drain full of rushing water and was carried along into the East Dry River. His body was spotted floating in the Gulf of Paria opposite the Hyatt Regency in Port-of- Spain about 10am on Saturday.

Head of TTPS Port-of-Spain Division, Ag Senior Superintendent Jacob, noted that it is a bailable offence, and some time later, there would be an inquest into the death of the child.

I want to point out that by charging (Henry) the DPP is not saying that he is responsible for Josiahs death, but that he neglected the child, he said.

Jacob added that the police was trying to provide the necessary support for Henry, including offering him counselling from members of the Victim and Witness Support Unit.

We are trying our best in the circumstance, in his time of grief, but we still have the legal aspect of our job to do, he said.

Josiahs aunt, Joanne Henry, expressed appreciation to members of the Police. She told Newsday the officers were not rushing the investigation but taking their time to get the information correct, and were being kind to Jerome. She added that Jerome was not holding up well at all and, although they understood, the fact that he could not mourn his son with his family was upsetting to them all.

Joanne also thanked MP Fitzgerald Hinds for visiting the family and checking on them. Funeral arrangements are yet to be confirmed.
Teens death puzzles Las Alturas

Newsday understands that her family found her dead in one of the rooms of her Las Alturas home at about 5.30 am yesterday.

She was hanging from a vacuum cleaner cord.

A relative told Newsday that information reaching him is that Faith and her best friend had made a suicide pact. Some of her school friends noticed that she updated her Whatsapp status to read, Tonight is the night and the schoolmates told their parents about it. Reports are that one parent was attempting to reach Faiths parents early this morning but the call was not going through.

Neighbours described the girl as a lovable child. Newsday was told that she was the only child to her mother, Susanne.

You ever see a child and wish that you could have a child like that? Well that was Samantha in a nutshell, said one of the residents at Las Alturas yesterday. She was nice and helpful. And she did everything for her mother. She never raised her voice, you never saw her vexed or frowning, and you would never even hear her steupes. We are all in shock right now, because nobody knows why this happened. This was one child that God just put here then took away. Newsday understands that the girl was a student of St Francois Girls College in Belmont and, according to residents, she was a straight A student.

Newsday was told that news of her death spread quickly among the students of the school through social media.

Students are now expressing shock and sadness in light of her death.
Jail for stoning police vehicle

For that, San Fernando Magistrate Natalie Diop, yesterday sentenced Griffith to four months in jail.

Griffith made his first court appearance on Monday afternoon when he pleaded guilty. PC Aziz of the San Fernando Municipal Police Station, had charged him with throwing missiles and malicious damage. She dismissed the latter charge and adjourned the case to yesterday for sentencing.

Police said that on Sunday last, PCs Aziz and Nanan were proceeding in a marked police vehicle.

Upon reaching the corner of Penitence and Chacon Street, San Fernando, the officers heard a loud noise. Upon checking they saw an indentation on the vehicles right door. The officers then observed Griffith throwing another stone in the direction of the vehicle.

The court heard that the officers called out to Griffith who ran off. Police gave chase and arrested him a short distance away.

Upon arrest, he told police, Some men were following me. I did not know it was a police vehicle so I pelt them. Aziz charged him with the offences.

Diop noted that Griffith had been before the court on 24 matters, with 16 convictions which included jail terms and heavy fines. She added that the maximum jail term for throwing missiles is six months, hard labour.

She then sentenced him to four months in jail.
Election Petition appeals in October

Attorneys for the Opposition party filed its appeal of Justice Mira Dean-Armorers decision last Thursday.

The dates set side for the hearing of the appeals are October 17, 18 and 19. Election petitions cannot be appealed to the Privy Council.

In her judgement last month, Dean-Armorer had rejected the UNCs claim that the election should be invalidated because the Election and Boundaries Commission (EBC) was not allowed to extend the poll by one hour due to heavy rainfall in Trinidad.

While Dean-Armorer had agreed with the UNC that the EBC acted illegally by extending the polls, she ruled that its error did not materially affect the result of the election, in which Peoples National Movement (PNM) beat the UNC by a 23-18 margin.

In its notice of appeal, the UNC identified almost two dozen grounds on which they are challenging Dean-Armorers judgment.

The party claims that the judge erred in speculating over its decision to file petitions for only six marginal constituencies-San Fernando West, Tunapuna, St Joseph, Toco/Sangre Grande, Moruga/Tableland and La Horquetta/Talparo.

The petition for La Horquetta/ Talparo was dismissed before the trial of the petitions, as it was served on the successful PNM candidate Maxie Cuffie past the deadline required.
Plumber fined $5,000 for marijuana

He pleaded not guilty to the possession of the firearm and ammunition charges but guilty to possession of the illegal narcotic.

Court prosecutor Sgt Dianath Harricharan told the court that at about 8.30 pm on Sunday last, police intercepted a vehicle driven by Scott along Cipero Street, San Fernando. They searched him and found marijuana in his right front pants pocket.

Attorney Ainsley Lucky, who represented Scott, noted that his client cooperated with the officers.

On the charge of marijuana possession, Cedeno fined him $5,000 to be paid within two months or in default serve nine months in jail.

On the two other charges, she granted him $200,000 surety bail to be approved by a Clerk of the Peace with a cash alternative of $10,000. He will reappear in court on October 4.
Missing Tobago fisherman found in Grenada

Reports are that Richardson went out to fish at Plymouth Bay at about 6am. Other fishermen reported that they had seen his vessel, Stamina, off Buccoo at about 4 pm on Sunday but by 6pm when he didnt return to shore, a report was made.

Police and Coast Guard authorities were alerted and the Air Guard went in search of him.

Those searches proved futile.

However, on Tuesday evening, fellow fisherman, George Alexander, shared the good news.

My nephew Joel Alexander communicated with me and told me that they found him. Just around 5pm, my nephew called and said that one of the boats that went out on the search got him and he was safe. Alexander explained that based upon information received, Richardson ran out of fuel.
Moonilal: CEPEP a king-sized bed of corruption

According to Moonilal, the letter, titled Priority list for CEPEP contracts (amended) which he claimed was undersigned by Dillon in his capacity as the Minister of Parliament for Point Fortin, was sent to the Secretary of the CEPEP Tenders Committee on January 27.

Moonilal said the letter lists the names and contracting companies of nine contractors with strong recommendations from the Minister for them to be awarded contracts for projects within the Point Fortin constituency for which he is the MP.

These are companies being recommended by the Minister of National Security and MP for Point Fortin, said Moonilal, one Mr Edmund Ernest Dillon...now if ever there was a misnomer - Ernest. Dillon could not be contacted yesterday to respond to Moonilals claims.

The letter referenced a January 8 letter sent to the Committee which presumably had the original list of recommended names which was then being amended. CEPEPS board was appointed and sworn in on January 8.

Moonilal furthered his allegations against CEPEP, criticising an audit into the company as ordered by Public Utilities Minister, Ancil Antoine, earlier this year.

Moonilal claimed that the audit was performed by Nadia Khan Beckhoo of Deloitte and Touche who, he said, was also given a senior position with CEPEP.

Managing partner for Deloitte in Trinidad, Rikhy Rampersad, however, denied claims by Moonilal that Beckhoo was given a CEPEP position as Financial Manager. Rampersad assured Newsday in a telephone interview that Beckhoo was employed at Deloitte and Touche, but had taken a few days off to deal with personal matters.

We take client confidentiality very seriously, Rampersad said, but I could just tell you that she (Beckhoo) was never employed by CEPEP. She is an employee of Deloitte and has been for the past six to seven years. I do not know where he (Moonilal) would have gotten that from. She has never been on anyone elses payroll for the past six to seven years. Moonilal noted that he would be writing to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago to make a formal complaint against Beckhoo.

You cannot come in to the company under one ground and get a job, then you compromise the results of that. It is not fair. It is not impartial, it is not independent, Moonilal said.
House to debate Tax Bill

Fridays sitting will begin what is expected to be a hectic period of activity in Parliament till the end of the year. The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) legislation will be among the first pieces of legislation Government will be bringing to Parliament, after Fridays sitting. This legislation requires a three-fifths majority for passage. At last Thursdays post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General Stuart Young said he did not expect the Opposition to be a stumbling block or hurdle in having this legislation passed. Finance Minister Colm Imbert signed an inter-governmental agreement with US Ambassador to TT John Estrada in connection with ensuring TT is FATCA compliant by September 30. Imbert is also expected to present the 2016/2017 Budget in Parliament within the next few weeks. By law, the Budget must be passed by the House and Senate before October 31. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has said there will be Cabinet adjustments after the Budget. Rural Development and Local Government Minister Franklin Khan is also expected to bring local government reform legislation soon. Local government elections are constitutionally due by October.
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Traditional media is migrating towards mobile broadband networks to distribute their content on smart mobile devices. As smartphones get more powerful and users consume rich media on these devices, the announcement of the world's first demonstration of LTE (News - Alert) Supplemental Downlink (SDL) and a TV broadcast band by Qualcomm, Nokia (News - Alert) and Yle presents many opportunities for broadcasters, network operators and CSP's to deliver new generation services.





The demonstration showcased how SDL and Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) are able to coexist in the same band while addressing and supporting the proposal that has been set by the European commission to introduce new levels of flexibility in the Lower Ultra High Frequency Band.

The live demonstration took place at the Nokia Executive Experience Center in Espoo, Finland from 12 - 3 p.m. on September 2. One of the goals of the demonstration was to ensure DTT services will continue to function without interference from the LTE SDL in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) broadcast band. This type of broadcast is currently supported on 4G LTE networks, and as 5G begins to roll out in the next four years, media publishers and network operators will be able to optimize the available UHF frequency to deliver highly customized and personalized services to consumers.

Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president and president, Qualcomm (News - Alert) EMEA, said, LTE SDL will not only enable broadcasters to reach out to tablets and smartphones, but will also enable many new services, including contextualized and individualized advertising, on-Demand TV, and mobile payments.

Supplemental Downlink (SDL) was proposed by Qualcomm R&D's HSPA+ program to improve downlink capacity. The idea was to boost downlink capacity by utilizing unpaired spectrum as additional carriers along with the original paired downlink and uplink carriers. The concept was first demonstrated by Qualcomm at Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) (MWC) 2011. The company used unpaired spectrum from the L-band (1452-1492 MHz) with paired spectrum in the 2.1 GHz band.

The European Commission's proposal for flexible use of the UHF- licensed bands allows broadcasters and operators to collaborate in the optimization of the scarce spectrum resources. With LTE carrier aggregation operators can access this unpaired spectrum to increase downlink capacity. This is vital in allowing operators to cope with the growing asymmetric downlink traffic which is driven by video, user generated content and new media services, said Stephan Litjens, vice president, Nokia Innovation Steering.

Countries in Europe have been pushing the use of the 700MHz band for mobile communications as part of an overall EU strategy for the broadcast band. In the U.S., the same band was auctioned in 2008 to telecom operators as analog TV stations that used this spectrum transitioned to digital TV.

With smartphones being used for video conferencing and cloud services, as well as accessing rich media, this demonstration will go a long way to ensure traditional broadcasters and digital service providers can operate together with a multi-network distribution ecosystem.

Edited by Alicia Young
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The Broadband China strategy looks to provide the more than one billion people in the country with access to broadband speeds. Nokia (News - Alert) is playing an important role in this development by providing critical network equipment, software and services for telecom operators in China. Earlier this year, Nokia was responsible for providing the technology to power the huge 4G China Mobile network, which will serve more than 300 million subscribers. This time around, Nokia is assisting Jiangsu Telecom to deploy Carrier WAN-SDN core networks to give Internet data centers in China the solutions they need for improving their level of efficiency and flexibility.





While urban centers and other parts of the world may be considered large with a population of 10 million, in China there are regions with tens of millions of people. With so many potential users, urban data centers and WAN resources have to be used more efficiently while at the same time being able to have the flexibility to address demand at peak times.

The commercial Carrier WAN-SDN project will optimize the available resources by deploying Nokia's Network Service Platform (NSP) and 7950 Extensible Routing System (XRS) core routers to meet the data demands in Yangzhou, Changzhou and other cities in Jiangsu, a neighboring province of Shanghai. According to Nokia, this deployment will give Jiangsu Telecom greater control with a transparent view of Internet Data Centers (IDC (News - Alert)) in a unified manner and flexible management.

The Nokia NSP will give Jiangsu a more efficient way to define, provision, and activate network services across multiple layers, physical/virtual infrastructure, as well as equipment from multiple vendors. The company will now be able to create network services in less than half the time while provisioning them in seconds/minutes instead of days/weeks, this according to Nokia.

It will also be able to adapt and optimize networks in real time to get more out of its existing assets, while adding network awareness to on-demand service provisioning so networks assets can be used with the greatest level of efficiency. This includes service health awareness to dynamic network optimization so the services operators provide will always be up and running to deliver the highest service level agreements (SLAs) possible.

Some of the benefits Jiangsu Telecom will experience include, interoperability with equipment from multiple network vendors, automatic provisioning of all network layers, simplification of networks IT systems/OSSs to accelerate service creation, intelligent service instantiation to ensure services are mapped to the best available network assets and more.

As IDC network loads get heavier, operators are turning to cloud-based technologies to balance their network and make IDC management more efficient, flexible and seamless. Our industry-leading NSP and powerful 7950 XRS will let Jiangsu Telecom distribute its broadband resources intelligently and dynamically, and make its networks more agile, scalable and efficient, said Mike Wang, head of the joint management team of Nokia Networks China and ASB (News - Alert).

Nokia is playing an important role in the first commercial Carrier WAN-SDN deployment in China, as well as other telecom technical knowhow. And as the country continues to invest heavily in its Broadband China initiative, meeting the demand of its hundreds of millions of users will require outside expertise provided by Nokia and others.

Edited by Alicia Young
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Tunisias defense minister Tuesday in Paris warned his country may be retreat terrain for the Islamic State group militants fleeing the Libyan coastal city of Sirte as militiamen aligned with Libyas Government of National Accord (GNA) tighten their grip around the terrorist group.

The danger is real. Those who leave Sirte are heading south to eventually join Boko Haram, but some are also going west, said Farhat Hachani on the side-lines of a meeting between defense and military officials in Paris.

GNA forces have launched last assault against IS in Muammar Gaddafis hometown of Sirte to get rid of the terrorist group, which seized the city last year in June. The anti-IS campaign started in May and has received the aerial support from US airpower since the start of August.

Tunisia has become the North African country most targeted by terrorist attacks. IS claimed responsibility for three major terror attacks last year, which resulted in the death of 71 people, most of whom were foreign tourists.

Around 1,000 to 2,000 Tunisian citizens are said to be fighting for IS in Sirte. A UN report documenting movements of jihadists, has put the number of Tunisians fighting for terrorist groups in conflict zones, namely Libya, Iraq, and Syria at thousands.

Tunisia has been also facing repeated crossings on its soil by IS militants from lawless Libya. Authorities have built a sand wall and dug trenches along the border with lawless Libya.

Hachani in front of the threat called for an international coordination to monitor the jihadists movements.

There is no regional strategy. Neighboring countries are managing the day to day security and military question  but while there are terror laws, you need proof that a young person was in a camp or fighting in jihadist ranks, he said

We are in a decisive moment. The threats endanger all the region. We have to cooperate before the boat sinks.

The Tunisian officials warning was echoed by his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian who also indicated that as a result of lack of international coordination, Tunisia and Egypt will find themselves in danger.

What will happen tomorrow may indirectly present new risks for Tunisia and Egypt, Le Drian said.
Morocco is set to diversify its global partners with the recent joining of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN.)

The Moroccan Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nasser Bourita, signed the ASEAN accession document on the side-lines of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits, which is being held in Vientiane, Laos on Sept 6-8, Moroccos national agency (MAP) reported.

Moroccos move aims at diversifying partners and strengthening ties with Southeast Asian countries Bourita told MAP.

In recent years, Morocco has adopted various initiatives aiming at opening up to new political and economic regions and has been consolidating its strategic partnerships as key pillars of its foreign policy, Bourita added.

The TACs purpose is to promote peace and cooperation among the people of Southeast Asia and countries seeking to build strategic relations with ASEAN.
Moroccan authorities have announced this Wednesday the arrest of another terrorist cell composed of three members who were planning to carry out attacks in several cities in the North African kingdom.

The terrorists were nabbed in the cities of Oujda, Casablanca and Fez by the special units of Moroccos Bureau of Central Judicial Investigations (equivalent to US FBI.)

According to a press release issued by the ministry of the Interior, the brother of one of this new busted cell is a well-known ISIS member currently serving a jail term in Morocco for his involvement in a terror plot.

The arrest of these criminals has enabled Moroccan security services to foil a deadly terrorist scheme, which has reached an advanced stage of preparation.

Investigators say the terrorist group rented a house in the outskirts of the eastern city of Oujda. The police found in this home chemical material for explosives making, sharp weapons and ISIS flags.

Moroccan authorities are waging tireless war against Islamist extremists and fanatics. As the international coalition intensified its airstrikes against the terrorists in Iraq and Syria, the extremist group started moving to North Africa and particularly to Libya where the jihadists have enhanced their influence and presence.

Neighboring Tunisia and Egypt have already suffered numerous deadly attacks by militants of the Islamic State.

Morocco has worked out a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy that includes vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and counter-radicalization policies.

The North African country has placed counterterrorism at the top of its priorities following the Casablanca terror attacks in 2003 and the subsequent attacks of 2007 and 2011.

In 2015, Moroccos counterterrorism efforts mitigated the risk of terrorism but the country continues to face threats, largely from numerous small, independent violent extremist cells. Moroccan authorities have dismantled multiple groups with ties to international networks that included ISIS. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and ISIS continue efforts to recruit Moroccans.
Thanks, me. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Affordable Care Act has had a rough year, what with its unprofitable marketplaces, rising deductibles, fleeing insurers, and persistent lack of functioning death panels.

But for all of the ACAs troubles, the law has still drastically reduced the number of Americans who are too poor, sick, or unemployed to access health insurance. Which is to say, there are now far fewer people in this country who have to worry about financial ruin every time they cough.

According to new data from the CDCs National Center for Health Statistics, Americas uninsured rate fell to 8.6 percent in the first three months of this year, the lowest such figure ever recorded. At the time Obamacare went into law, that rate stood at 16 percent.

For the first time ever, America's uninsured rate has dropped below 9 percent. https://t.co/gG1ly19EWT pic.twitter.com/42H9fxbdYt  Sarah Kliff (@sarahkliff) September 7, 2016

That decline would have been even sharper if fewer GOP governors believed that providing poor people with federally subsidized health care is a violation of liberty: States that participated in the Medicaid expansion saw their collective uninsured rate fall from 18.4 percent in 2013 to 9.2 percent just three years later. The 19 states that opted out of Medicaid expansion saw a more modest (though substantial) decline from 22.7 percent in 2013 to 16.7 percent in 2016.

The data also reveals that when millennials arent killing car culture, entrepreneurship, and the bar of soap, they do their best to kill Obamacare. Americans 18 to 24 have an uninsured rate of 14.3 percent, while those 25 to 34 have one of 15.9  nearly double the rate of those 45 to 64.

Insurers were counting on the individual mandate to cow the young immortals into buying health-care coverage. The deal was supposed to be: If you stop turning away people with preexisting conditions, the government will make up for the cost of covering them by forcing a bunch of young people who never go to the doctor to become your clients.

But, for now, a lot of millennials are opting for the tax penalty over monthly premiums. And that poses long-term peril for the ACA, even as it continues to thin the ranks of the uninsured.
Youre welcome, Mr. Trump. Photo: Carolyn Cole/LA Times via Getty Images

Between Michael Says Who? and Katrina The Iraq War Was Illinois State Senator Obamas Fault Pierson, the competition to be Donald Trumps least-helpful supporter is stiff. However, today we were reminded that no ostensible ally has undermined the GOP presidential nominee as consistently as Dr. Ben Carson.



The famed neurosurgeon served up a fruit salad of awkward remarks in the spring, suggesting Trump may turn out not to be such a great president, acknowledging that he has major defects, and intimating that Trump illegally promised him a position in his administration in exchange for his endorsement.



Now hes adding fuel to questions about Trumps failure to disavow birtherism. Tuesday, on CNN, Jake Tapper asked Carson if he thinks Trump should acknowledge that all that birther nonsense was a mistake and to apologize so that African-American voters, to whom hes reaching out, might be more willing to listen to his message.

I think that would be a good idea, absolutely, Carson said. I suggest that on all sides. Lets get all of the hate and rancor out of the way.

Ben Carson: It would be a "good idea" for Trump to apologize for being a birther https://t.co/mLwMAQ8jRY https://t.co/2aCfwn0G8C  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 6, 2016

Throughout his campaign, Trump has said he would prefer not to talk about his suggestion that Barack Obama was not actually born in the United States  which he has never disavowed. Trumps only explanation for his uncharacteristic silence is that he feels the press is too focused on his effort to undermine the legitimacy of the first black president.

I dont talk about it, because if I talk about that, your whole thing will be about that, Trump told reporters on Monday. So I dont talk about it.

Hours after Carsons CNN interview, Bill OReilly asked Trump if he thinks birtherism hurt his image with African American voters. I dont even talk about it anymore, Bill, Trump reiterated. Very few [people]  youre the first one that has brought that up in a while, he added, erroneously.



It may seem odd that Trump keeps letting Carson speak on his behalf when all he does is call him out for all of the hate and rancor  but who else is going to stand up and point out that Hillary Clinton has ties to Lucifer?
Great fracking news! Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Historically, Americas oil and gas industry has shown a great fondness for the one major political party on Earth that believes climate change is a hoax dreamed up by effete tree huggers, grant-chasing scientists and/or the Chinese. Since 1989, the energy sector has devoted 60 percent of its $500 million in political donations to the GOP, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. This campaign cycle, Big Oil has been even more one-sided in its largesse: According to The Wall Street Journal, executives and employees of energy companies have directed 90 percent of their campaign donations to Republican candidates.

But when those energy execs look to the top of the ticket, their gaze shifts left. Per the Journal:

Individuals who work for oil and natural-gas companies donated $149,000 to Mr. Trumps GOP campaign through July 30, the end of the most recent fundraising period, compared with $525,000 to Mrs. Clinton.



The industrys executives and employees also have donated $470,000 to a fundraising account Mr. Trump established with the Republican National Committee, compared with $650,000 to a similar account Mrs. Clinton set up with the Democrats, according to new calculations provided to The Wall Street Journal by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

The oil industrys readiness for Hillary comes in spite of Trumps promises to repeal Obamas Clean Power Plan, put a moratorium on new environmental regulations, command TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline, and pursue a range of other policies ostensibly aimed at ensuring that our grandchildren get to watch our coastal cities get swallowed by the sea.

It appears that many energy executives have concluded that political stability is worth the price of greater regulation (even if ecological stability is not).

These are unsettling times that require a steady hand, the Houston Chronicle, a newspaper generally sensitive to Big Oils interests, wrote in its endorsement of Clinton. Thats not Donald Trump.

Employees at energy companies tend to agree. So much so, they gave nearly as much money to Bernie ban fracking now Sanders as they have to Donald Trump, donating $115,000 to the Vermont senator  just $34,000 less than theyve directed to the Republican nominee.
Mosquito killing in Miami. Photo: Emily Michot/Miami Herald via Getty Images

Good morning and welcome to Fresh Intelligence, our roundup of the stories, ideas, and memes youll be talking about today. In this edition, Trump shares more ideas on immigration, the world braces for a new iPhone, and the fight against Zika stalls. Heres the rundown for Wednesday, September 7.

WEATHER

Heavy rains in the Southwest could lead to flooding today. Storms and dangerous winds will continue to blow across the Midwest and the East Coast will be plunged back into a few days of high heat. New York City will be cloudy with temperatures in the mid-80s. [USA Today]

FRONT PAGE

Senate Fails to Pass Zika Funding, Again

Senate Democrats blocked a $1.1 billion package to fight Zika yesterday, after Republicans inserted language that would not allow any of the money to go to Planned Parenthood in the fight against the disease. Basically, the same thing happened in June. Finding funding for the fight against Zika will now be postponed until the end of the month, when Congress must pass stopgap-spending measures to avoid a government shutdown. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already spent all of the $222 million allocated to it for fighting the disease and may need to cancel desperately needed programs, like a mosquito-control endeavor in long-suffering Puerto Rico. [NYT]

EARLY AND OFTEN

Shocker: Trump Has Opinion on Womans Looks

Speaking to ABCs David Muir yesterday, Donald Trump said of Hillary Clinton, I just dont think she has a presidential look, and you need a presidential look. This isnt the first time Trump has attacked Clintons appearance, but he said its okay because she says things about me that are horrible.



Politicians Punish Duterte by Talking to Him Like a Child

Though the Filipino government said President Rodrigo Duterte regrets calling President Obama a son of a bitch, Duterte was scolded further yesterday. Hillary Clinton reminded the Philippines of a certain level of respect that is expected on both sides, and State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said that words matter. Still, the U.S. went to pains to make clear that no lasting damage had been done to the countries strategically vital relationship. [Reuters]



Trump Immigration Policy Still in Flux

Donald Trump has alighted on a new component of his constantly shifting immigration policy: refusing to grant visas  and something he calls little goodies  to any country that wont take back its undocumented immigrants with criminal records. He announced the new policy at a rally in Greenville, South Carolina, yesterday. [WashPo]

Trump Doesnt Think Being a Birther Is Such a Big Deal, Carson Does

Yesterday, Bill OReilly asked Trump if African American voters may take umbrage with his history of suggesting Barack Obama may be from Kenya. I dont know, I have no idea. I just dont bother talking about it, but I dont know, Trump responded. I guess with maybe some, I dont know why, I really dont know why. Ben Carson, on the other hand, in his role as worst Trump surrogate ever, took to CNN and called on Trump to apologize for his birther past. [Politico]

THE STREET, THE VALLEY

School Closure Leaves Hole in Wheel of Fortunes Commercial Breaks

Following recent pressure on for-profit colleges by the federal government, one of the countrys largest is shutting its doors. ITT Technical Institute announced yesterday that it would close all of its 130 campuses, which serve more than 400,000 students, after the government said it was no longer allowed to admit students receiving federal aid. [WSJ]

William Ackman Really Loves a Challenge

The activist-investor William Ackman alerted embattled burrito-purveyor Chipotle yesterday that his hedge fund is now the owner of 9.9 percent of the company  thats 2.9 million shares. Ackman is expected to begin his trademark heavy-handed approach at turning the company around as it struggles with fears over food safety and the arrest of one of its executives for cocaine possession. [Reuters]

An Interesting Time to Get Into the Pipeline Business

Canadian pipeline operator Enbridge agreed yesterday to buy Houstons Spectra Energy in an all-stock deal worth $28 billion. The resulting massive energy giant will be a dominant presence in North America, even as prices for oil and gas slip. [WSJ]

MEDIA BUBBLE

Cosmopolitans Joanna Coles Gets a Promotion

Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Joanna Coles is stepping down from the role shes held since 2012 to become Hearsts first-ever chief content officer. She will oversee all of Hearsts magazines both in the U.S. and internationally. Coles reportedly said, I love Cosmo but I just didnt have another sex position in me. [NYT]

Fox Settles With Carlson, Van Susteren Out

21st Century Fox and ex-Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson have reached a settlement worth $20 million in a lawsuit brought by Carlson claiming that she was repeatedly sexually harassed by her boss, the exFox head Roger Ailes  who recently stepped down following the controversy. She also got an official apology. Fox also announced that anchor Greta Van Susteren is leaving the channel, reportedly because she is troubled by the culture.

PHOTO OP

Whats So Funny?

Bill Cosby was spotted laughing before attending a pretrial conference on Tuesday, where a judge said he will stand trial for sexual assault beginning June 5, 2017. [CNN]



Bill Cosby. Photo: Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

MORNING MEME

We Have Our Prediction for Next Years Genius Grant

And we cant wait to hear all the remixes.

OTHER LOCAL NEWS

The Winner for Best Labor Day Barbecue

A tractor-trailer full of bacon  or rather, a variety of pork products including ribs  burst into flames on Monday while driving down the freeway in Cumberland, Maryland. There were no injuries but the fire burned for six hours before crews could put it out, and was smelled  with gusto were sure  all over the county. [Cumberland Times-News]



Speaking of Car Fires 

They say when your hearts on fire, smoke gets in your eyes. But it can also get in your eyes when you light your exs car on fire. Or, in the case of this Clearwater, Florida, teenager, when you light the car you think belongs to your ex on fire. Said teen is now in jail, with her ex driving around town in a not-on-fire car. [UPI]

HAPPENING TODAY

No Wonder Our iPhone Stopped Working Today

Apple is holding its annual event tomorrow where it will announce the next generation of its products. Expect a relatively minor update for the iPhone and the first ever upgrade of the Apple Watch. The iPhone may lose its headphone jack, so feel free to start freaking out. [The Verge]

Sony Takes From Apples Playbook, Calendar

At the same time as the Apple event, Sony is planning on holding a press conference to announce its next generation of hardware. For Sony, this announcement should include a VR headset, a new slim PS4, and even some details about its next console, code named the PS4 Neo. The whole thing will be livestreamed on Twitch. [CNet]

Candidates Come Very Close to Sharing a Stage

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will both appear at the first-ever Commander-in-Chief Forum, an event sponsored by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, on Wednesday night. The candidates will take the stage one after the other to answer foreign-policy questions. The forum will air on NBC and MSNBC. [NYT]
Jouvert Parade on September 7, 2015. Photo: Wendell Teodoro/Getty Images

This years JOuvert festival turned bloody again, with two people killed and at least four others wounded in shootings or stabbings in the predawn hours before the annual West Indian Day parade on Labor Day. Hours later, Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters that all options are on the table after heightened NYPD security measures failed to stem the violence.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that one of those options wont be cancelling the festival that about 250,000 people attend every year. JOuvert will continue, the mayor said. Its an event thats very important to the community  But were going to look at every conceivable way to make it safer.

So far, NYPD has made one arrest in connection to one of this years homicides, 20-year-old Reginald Moise, who is accused of firing the bullet that struck and killed 22-year-old Tiarah Poyau. According to the New York Post, a man approached Poyau on the street with friends and starting grinding against her. Poyau reportedly told the man to get off. He allegedly took out a gun and aimed it at her. Friends of Poyaus heard a gunshot and saw her on the ground, says the Post.



Tiarah Poyau Photo: Facebook

Based on the polices initial investigation, Moise tried to stash the gun at a friends house, but not before firing off two shoots into the walls of the apartment, shattering a mirror. When police arrested him, he had a cut on his hand, bandaged with a flag. Initial ballistics testing linked the shell casings near the festival crime scene with those in Moises friends apartment, reports the New York Times.



Police arrested Moise for drunk driving after he crashed into three cars a few hours after the shooting Monday morning. Moise reportedly told detectives that he didnt think the gun was loaded; he also allegedly told a friend before his arrest, I think I shot somebody on the parade route.

The other fatality, 17-year-old Tyreke Borel, was shot in the chest about a half-hour before Poyaus murder. Police do not think the two deaths are related, and are still searching for suspects. Borel was sitting on a bench when he was shot. A 72-year-old woman was also injured in the crossfire. Borels mom warned her son to stay away from the festival, she told the New York Daily News. He was just a lovely child who wanted to enjoy the Labor Day. I told him to be safe. But hes 17. He didnt want to stay home. Borel was set to begin his senior year of high school this week. He will be buried back in his native Trinidad.

The deaths come after the NYPD doubled the number of officers on patrol during the celebrations and installed about 200 overhead lights this year, new security measures introduced after two people were also murdered last year, including an aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo. Carey Gabay was shot in the head after reportedly being caught in the crossfire between two rival gangs. We took a lot of measures this year, de Blasio said. We have to take even more.

Local Brooklyn leaders are also debating the future of the festival. State Assemblyman Walter T. Mosley wrote on Facebook, that after long consideration, it is with a heavy heart that I call on a suspension of the JOuvet celebration. He explained that this celebration of cultural heritage has unfortunately become synonymous with gun violence. Brooklyn borough president Eric Adams pushed back against calls for cancellation, saying JOuvert will continue, even if the city tries to put the event on hold. Our job is to control that, he said, and make it safe.
Luis Videgaray. Photo: Molly Riley/AFP/Getty Images

A lot of people have had bad ideas in 2016. From the producers of that Ben-Hur reboot to your co-worker with the faux-hawk, weve all yielded to misguided impulses at some point in the past eight months.

But its possible that the very worst idea of 2016 belongs to Mexican finance minister Luis Videgaray. According to multiple local media reports, it was Videgaray who advised President Enrique Pena Nieto to have Donald Trump over for a visit.

Which is to say, it was Videgaray who decided that the deeply unpopular Pena Nieto could improve his public image by appearing with the Mexican peoples least-favorite American since James K. Polk  a presidential candidate who has accused the Mexican government of shipping rapists across its northern border, threatened to freeze all money transfers from the United States to Mexico until the nations taxpayers cough up a multi-billion-dollar ransom, and described the country as an enemy that America must FIGHT!

Last week, Trump took Mexico up on its offer and sleepwalked through an uncharacteristically banal press appearance with Pena Nieto. But the mere sight of the Mexican leader shaking hands with the demagogue set stomachs churning throughout Mexico (and also Air Force One).

And then, minutes after returning to American soil, Trump awoke from his brief spell of diplomatic sedation, to reassure the world that Pena Nietos government would pay for his monument to American xenophobia, 100 percent.

They dont know it yet, but theyre going to pay for it, the Republican nominee explained.

The Mexican president  who had praised many of Trumps broad policy goals hours earlier  was forced to assure his Twitter followers that they would not be funding Trumps wall. His electorate was not amused.

And now his finance minister  whom many considered the brains behind the administration  is unemployed.

If only Videgaray had paid more attention to the Republican nominees poetry.
Trump and Bondi in March 2016, discussing only FEC-approved topics. Photo: Michele Eve Sandberg/Corbis via Getty Images

Somehow, repeatedly bragging about his ability to buy off politicians is backfiring for Donald Trump. And, in another surprising twist, making a vague remark about whether he ever talked with Florida attorney general Pam Bondi about his improper $25,000 donation  which arrived as her office opted not to join a fraud investigation into Trump University  failed to put the controversy to rest.



Trump is facing new questions about his 2013 donation to And Justice for All, a super-pac supporting Bondis reelection, after the Washington Post reported last week that he paid a $2,500 fine to the IRS for making the donation from the Donald J. Trump Foundation. Trump had to reimburse the foundation from his personal account, as its illegal for charities to make political donations. The donation was also reported incorrectly to the IRS, which the Trump team claims was a clerical error.



Both Trump and Bondi strongly deny that the donation, which came days after her office said it was currently reviewing the allegations against Trump University, had anything to do with the decision not to open an investigation like the one thats still pending in New York. But Trump appeared to contradict Bondi on Monday. While her spokesperson admitted she personally asked Trump for a donation to her reelection campaign, Trump told reporters, I never even spoke to her about it at all. Shes a fine person. Never spoken to her about it, never.

That only added fuel to the controversy, as it was unclear what it referred to. Asked for clarification, Trump campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks told Politico on Tuesday, His comments were in reference to any discussion about Trump University  not the donation.

However, the Trump campaign could not elaborate on when the IRS fine was paid, when Trump and Bondi spoke, or what they talked about. I dont think this was a lengthy, memorable call, Hicks told the AP. Mr. Trump talks to a hundred people in any given day. So, I dont know if I will be able to provide that information. Thats not exactly a realistic or reasonable request.

Meanwhile, Bondi suggested that the Clinton campaign is behind the scandal, though shes faced pay-to-play allegations in local media since the contribution was first reported in October 2013. I will not be collateral damage in a presidential campaign, nor will I be a woman bullied by Hillary Clinton, she said on Fox Business Network. Hillary Clinton will not bully me.

Clinton has jumped on the controversy, saying it raises serious questions, but thats not the only reason that the story probably isnt going away anytime soon. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a liberal watchdog group, said it will file an IRS complaint against Trumps foundation on Wednesday, alleging that the candidate also broke a rule prohibiting self-dealing, which involves the head of a nonprofit using the charitys money to benefit themselves.

The Huffington Post reported that in addition to the $25,000 contribution, the $500 Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka each donated to Bondis campaign, and the $125,000 they gave to the Republican Party of Florida, Trump also hosted a fundraiser for Bondi in March 2014 at Mar-a-Lago, his resort in Palm Beach. The state party paid just under $5,000 for the use of the resort, while Trump has been known to charge his own campaign $140,000 for an event at the mansion.



And the New York Times took the opportunity to look back at Trumps long history of bending the rules on political donations and lobbying:



In the 1980s, Mr. Trump was compelled to testify under oath before New York State officials after he directed tens of thousands of dollars to the president of the New York City Council through myriad subsidiary companies to evade contribution limits. In the 1990s, the Federal Election Commission fined Mr. Trump for exceeding the annual limit on campaign contributions by $47,050, the largest violation in a single year. And in 2000, the New York State lobbying commission imposed a $250,000 fine for Mr. Trumps failing to disclose the full extent of his lobbying of state legislators.

Presumably the topic of Trumps unparalleled skill at influencing politicians will be migrating from his speeches to the list of things he just wont talk about.


Donald Trump could tell you his secret plan, but then hed have to kill you. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

On May 27, 2015, Donald Trump told Fox News he had a secret plan to defeat ISIS. Im not gonna tell you what it is tonight, he boasted. I dont want the enemy to know what Im doing. Unfortunately, Ill probably have to tell at some point, but there is a method of defeating them quickly and effectively and having total victory. In the ensuing months, the Republican nominee has revealed key details of his master plan. It involves such tactics as bombing the shit out of them, knocking the hell out of them (which, in keeping with Trumps doctrine of strategic ambiguity, may or may not be the same thing), sending in oil companies to take their oil, shutting down parts of the internet, sending in massive numbers of American ground troops, or possibly not using ground troops at all.

These ideas may seem ambiguous and contradictory, but that is exactly the point. True foreign-policy thinkers grasp the value of keeping the enemy off balance. As he explained in April, I have a great plan. Its going to be great. They ask, What is it? Well, Id rather not say. Id rather be unpredictable.

The most unpredictable element of Trumps strategy is the role of the generals. At times, he has denigrated their competence. I know more about ISIS than the generals do, Trump bragged last year. The generals dont know much because theyre not winning, he told CBS three months ago. And now Trump says he will go to these generals and have them devise a plan to defeat ISIS:

We are going to convey my top generals and give them a simple instruction, Trump told the crowd in Greenville, N.C., on Tuesday. They will have 30 days to submit to the Oval Office a plan for soundly and quickly defeating ISIS.

So, first Trump claimed to have a secret plan to defeat ISIS. Then he said the generals knew less than he does. Now he will ask the people who know less about ISIS than Trump does to come up with the plan that has already existed for more than a year. If this sounds confusing to you, imagine how confused the enemy must be. It means Trumps strategy is working.
With the bills passage, rape kits can no longer be destroyed. Photo: Ann Hermes/Getty Images

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives approved legislation that will change the way sexual-assault cases are handled. Known as the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights, the bill emphasizes the importance of survivors access to rape kits, which are key both in prosecuting a case and in preventing future assaults.

Among other things, it guarantees survivors access to rape kits, gives them the right to know about any test results from the kits, and prevents kits from being destroyed within a states maximum statute of limitations. It also ensures survivors wont have to pay for testing, and that theyre notified 60 days before their kit is set to be destroyed.

California representatives Mimi Walters and Zoe Lofgren introduced the bill to standardize the way sexual-assault cases are treated across the country.

The uneven patchwork of laws across the country and the lack of substantive rights for sexual-assault survivors prevent them from having full access to the justice system, Walters said on the House floor. Survivors of sexual assault have faced unspeakable trauma, and they should not face unnecessary barriers to justice.

The bill passed easily with bipartisan support. An almost identical bill passed in the Senate back in May, which means that technical difficulties between the two bills will be reconciled before the legislation hits President Obamas desk.
For the record, its still a crime in New York. Photo: Fabio Giavara/EyeEm/Getty Images

Masturbating in public may be gross, but Italys Supreme Court ruled that its not a crime  even if the perpetrator is doing it with the intent of being seen by other people.

According to The Independent, a 69-year-old man identified only as Pietro L was seen taking out his penis and practicing autoeroticism in front of students at the University of Catania. But although the local court ruled he should be sentenced to three months in prison and fined, the countrys highest court overturned the decision, saying, The act is not included in the law as a crime.

Now the case will reportedly go back to the lower court, where Pietro L will still be fined between $4,000 and $6,000  but he wont face jail time.

Lest Pietros case serve as inspiration, a friendly reminder: Its still illegal to masturbate in public in New York City.
The greatest kitchen-cleaning appliance youll ever own only costs seven bucks, is the size of your palm, and, like all of the great household items you dont yet own, comes from Japan and in the kind of whimsical packaging so aesthetically pleasing  wrapped in orange plastic, with a turtle on it  you wont even want to unwrap it. But when you do, I promise, youll never scrub the same way again. Its called the Kamenoko Tawashi. And I have Jenny Holzer to thank for it.

Maybe youve heard of her? Shes the artist of global renown who mounts massive, hilariously disarming text-oriented works in light, projecting her work on walls, buildings, LCD displays, and so on. As I learned from this 2009 story about her home life, Jenny Holzer, like me, is an overpacker. Jenny Holzer loves doing laundry but hates putting it away. Jenny Holzer wakes up at 8 a.m. She drinks tea and answers emails while I stall thinking about whatever scares me.

But my favorite thing I learned about Jenny Holzer? Her favorite household item:

My Japanese gold-and-silver bath and pot scrubbers. They are for scrubbing things, and they are the best. They look like what they are and stay that way despite all your personal grime.

Not only did that immediately register as one of the most Jenny Holzer things Jenny Holzer could possibly say, but I became obsessed with finding her Japanese scrubbers. While Im not sure I found the exact scrubber, I eventually happened upon the Kamenoko. As Id later learn, its got a rich, century-long history, and its since become one of the most common household objects in Japan. After ten minutes cleaning with it, youll know why. On first glance, its angry little brown fibers look like theyll do more damage to your hands than your pots. But fear not: Those fibers, made of hemp palm, soften under water, enough for you to get a cozy, ticklish hold on. And then they will proceed to absolutely obliterate any grime youll come across, on any surface. They clean easily. Theyre the best kind of gift, too  perfect for a Secret Santa, or a housewarming, in that youll buy the one thing people will actually regularly use for the rest of their lives. Your friends will thank you. Your pots will be clean. And the nature of your personal grime will change forever.

Buy It: $9 for one at Amazon (or $29 for a three-pack)

The Strategist is a series of smart, obsessive shopping guides from the New York Magazine section of the same name. Weve scoured the web to bring you the best of the best. Some of our latest conquests include rolling luggage, water bottles, umbrellas, Korean beauty products, white T-shirts, and a nail clipper. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Please note that all prices are subject to change.
when did kevin parker join?



the homosexuals are everywhere to promote Perfect Illusions. promote ha!

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I'm seeing them on Friday and I'm so excited!!!

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Yaaaay!!! Have a blast!

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they're so much fun live

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joe should hoe it up like nick did tbh. he is the superior jonai

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Joe doesn't need to hoe it up to sell his music ;)

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oh i know - his music is actually good. but i mean hoe it up for other reasons... like my interests and im sure youd love it too ;)



Edited at 2016-09-07 02:37 am (UTC)

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LOL. Yes, I'm on board for that.

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he is just so aesthetically pleasing. like he is so fucking pretty. his eyes. hid face im sure he got a donk. and he is apparantly the most well endowed joani

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I low key hate myself for loving their music so much

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I've slept with not one, but two joe jonas look alikes so....hold me sis

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I'm gonna need text recounts of these alleged dopplegangers plz & thx

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Yeah, I'm also gonna need the addresses of where you're meeting these Joe-lookalikes. :D

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I love Jinjoo's hair. And somehow Cole's look is growing on me? Idk

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i hate the guy that looks like an idiot

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joe looks cute and happy

good for him



[SPOILER]Fastlife >>> DNCE imo[/SPOILER]

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dont the have like 5 songs only?

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now i know i need sleep. i thought it said they released a magazine back in 1883

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wow fuck that bitch

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SLAY

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The Vons' cashier pretty much told her that she couldn't afford them and tossed her wallet back at her.





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Nothing I love more than cussing out racist retail workers. Saves me so much time in therapy.



"You wanna take your anger out on this pillow."

"Nah, I'm goonna hit up Bath and Body Works right quick."

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You're not only saving your time in therapy but also helping the world.

Thank you.

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It's a duty I don't take lightly.

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I'm a bartender and whenever I'm out and see someone being abused by a customer, if I'm not able to say something to the asshole (my anxiety won't let me sometimes) I will at least go out of my way to either try and say something nice or joke about it to the employee and/or if it applies leave a really big tip. I've been on the receiving end of some nasty people and it's always nice when someone else speaks up for me when I can't because I'll lose my job.

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Didn't something similar happen to Oprah? I recall a store refusing to even let her see a handbag.

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If i know my Oprah trivia the Hermes store actually just wouldn't open it's doors for Oprah (still horribly racist) but it was a random bag store in Sweden (or wherever Tina Turner lives) that wouldn't show Oprah a certain bag b/c "she couldn't afford it"

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i think it was hermes?

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I remember so many people using this as an example that racism is still very alive





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I hope that that cashier got fired tbh.

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I had something similar happen to me. I wanted to buy 30 $10 gift cards at Publix to hand out to homeless people and the girl told me she needed to see my money before she rung it in because "it would be a waste of my time if you can't afford it." I cursed her smooth the fuck out, and then told the manager off too. I took my money and went to McDonald's instead.

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Wow. What a bitch. I mean, if you were buying them it meant that you had the money.

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What ethnicity are you, if you dont mind me asking?

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Are you black, because Publix totally would do that to black people

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lmao wtf, did she think you were joking? also this is surprising coming from publix tbh, they're known for their good customer service, and I've never encountered anyone who was less than wonderful. that sucks.

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wtf? i dont wanna be offensive to people who work at supermarkets but its more likely that you make more money than her...



but also, thats also the case where you are prob gonna use a debit/credit card to pay for it rather than cash. did she expect you to show her your bank account balance?

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Dead funny i love u

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Yo, that's fucked up like what the fuck

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Wow. Good for you for not just leaving, but telling them to fuck off before.

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Publix employees are so rude sometimes. I remember I filled my birth control prescription a month early so I wouldn't have to rush over when my last pack was done. The old, white, male pharmacist started hounding me with questions about why I was here a month early, there's no way I'd already need my pack, he needs to know the exact day and month I refilled the last one. It was super invasive and really slut shamey honestly, the fuck you think I'm gonna do with my birth control but take it?

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I want to throw up.

A waste of her time?

She's on the damn clock working, does she consider doing her job a waste of time? Maybe she should go to school and/or put in the time and work and get a better career if she believes ringing up a customer (aka doing her damn job) is a waste of her time.



I can't understand how people can be so willfully ignorant and moronic.



I'm sorry that stupid crap happened.

What you were doing/did was awesome.



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what a ridiculous assumption that cashier made. it fucking gift cards!! you dont buy one if you dont have the money for it.

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lmao I would've left. no need patronizing a business that hires snobby, probably racist (lbr) employees.

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You don't know someone is racist when you're hiring. You can't judge a business based on the behavior of one employee, one time.

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Barns and Nobel (HOE DONT DO IT)

HomeGoods (WELL YOU JUST GONE STAY MAN, SUZAAAANE)

Best Buy (YES I CAN AFFORD THIS $1500 CAMERA, JESSICA, BUY YOU AINT GONE GET SHIT NAO)

Victoria Secret (YOU WILL ASSIST ME FOR 30 MINUTES MORE AND I WILL BUY NOTHING

Apple store in SOHO (JASON LET'S DO THIS RIGHT HERE JASON)

GAS STATION IN VIRGINIA (alkjfhalsjkh) CALL DERAY

Saphora (BITCH U TRRRIIIEEEDDD ME)Barns and Nobel (HOE DONT DO IT)HomeGoods (WELL YOU JUST GONE STAY MAN, SUZAAAANE)Best Buy (YES I CAN AFFORD THIS $1500 CAMERA, JESSICA, BUY YOU AINT GONE GET SHIT NAO)Victoria Secret (YOU WILL ASSIST ME FOR 30 MINUTES MORE AND I WILL BUY NOTHING #PETTYWAP Apple store in SOHO (JASON LET'S DO THIS RIGHT HERE JASON)GAS STATION IN VIRGINIA (alkjfhalsjkh) CALL DERAY

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Bless you 

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Am I missing something with this comment or are u high

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missing the context of this post?

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Did you not read the post?

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why don't you understand?

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ive flipped at the pharmacy people at cvs for being told my meds were ready when they werent. i never got good vibes from the woman in charge either so when she started having an attitude i gave it right back.

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I kind of want to know what happened w/ Jason.

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yesssss expose em

Sephora workers are usually bitches to anyone who doesn't enter in the store wearing expensive clothes or looking all $rich$ so no surprise to see them on your list





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wow what did the cashiers say? wtf i'm sorry

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Yes, let them suffer!

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I'm audibly cackling in tears. In TEARS! Incredible. Expose them !

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YES! Let them know. As someone who used to work at McDonald's NEVER pay for your sauce packets. Trust me, they will gladly give a white person it for free but charge a minority every time because the managers are assholes. Don't even try to feel guilty when they call you cheap for not copping up $0.15.

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#PETTYWAP



I'M SCREAMING

god bless u I'M SCREAMINGgod bless u

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Mmmm, Barnes and Noble, though. Don't tell me white people are out here thinking we can't read.

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GAS STATION IN VIRGINIA (alkjfhalsjkh) CALL DERAY



why does this kill me so

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lmaooooo killing meeeeeeeeee thanks for the much needed laugh

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wat happened in sephora?? omg. im white and i am always glared at in sephora as if im about to steal everything so i cant imagine what you went thru

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omg share your Apple Store story 

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Lol Suzanne @ HomeGoods. You're doing the lord's work

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lmao bless

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lmfao

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LMAO I used to work at HomeGoods, what'd they do that you needed to set them straight?

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this comment is legendary

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I haven't seen this movie but someone posted the shopping scenes on youtube and I LOVE it

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I'm one of the few who think Pretty Woman is overrated but I can't believe you haven't seen it.

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Kinda related but I loved how Leslie Jones, after being refused by all designers, went to the Ghostbusters premiere basically in the same dress. It was such a great, subtle fuck you.

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The grocery store?

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Ugh @ that cashier >:(



I hate employees like that but I get so much satisfaction when I report them to their bosses. I hope this one was fired tbh.

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White folk somethin else

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Eyebrows all over the world were raised when he said, There is no price war  after all, anyone with even a passing interest in the oil and gas industry over the past 25 months would disagree. But perhaps within those five little words uttered by Khalid Al-Falih is the revelation of a seminal change in Saudi Arabias intent for the upcoming OPEC meeting in Algeria, where informal talks on stabilizing prices will take place.

Since November 2014, OPECs meetings have been dominated by rumours, letters and outright calls in the press by individual members for production freezes to counter the catastrophic drop in oil prices. OPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, waged war on U.S. shale producers in a bid to topple them and rather than reducing production, went all out to flood the market and drown the competition. Instead of the quick death they would have hoped for, its been a long, slow and painful struggle, impacting on every oil producing nation in the world. In June 2014 the international benchmark was hitting heights of $115.71 per barrel. This week oil traded at $43.16 per barrel.

There have been rumours of deals to curb production involving OPEC members and also Russia, but all have come to nowt. The most recent attempt in April, a six-hour meeting, collapsed when Iran decided to stay at home. Omans Oil Minister Mohammed Al-Rumhy complained to the media outside, Until this morning we thought there would be a deal. We didnt know Iran wasnt coming.

We could, however, be arriving at the perfect storm, when events collide to create an opportunity. Things are a little different now for Iran, as Forbes reports; (It) is now closer to reaching its post sanction output levels of 4m bpd, increasing the odds of Iranian participation in Algiers. Its also cut prices right back to the bone in order to attain pre-sanction production levels of 4m bpd. It is important to note however, that Irans support  in public  for a production freeze will only include its own production when it reaches pre-sanctions output of 4m bpd. In July it hit 3.6m bpd. Related: Expert Commentary: Traders Turn A Blind Eye To OPEC Rumors

There is new support from Iraq for a production freeze, although you could be forgiven for getting caught out by that one. After all, on August 23rd Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi did tell Reuters that Iraq still hadnt raised production sufficiently. Who knows what went on between that statement and the next day, but on the 24th the deputy Oil Minister Fayyad Al-Nima popped up and said Iraq was now in a position to support measures to establish fair crude prices. Al-Abadi has cleared up any confusion by confirming what we all know: The drop in oil prices is causing volatility and this is harming Iraq because our revenues are based on oil. Our opinion is to freeze output to support prices.

Iraq wasnt the only one to change its mind. On the 26th Al-Falih said, "We don't believe any significant intervention in the market is necessary other than to allow the forces of supply and demand to do the work for us and was reassured that the market is moving in the right direction. According to Reuters this resulted in global marker Brent futures (giving) back some gains, slipping as much as 35 cents, or 0.7 percent, over 20 minutes, before recovering somewhat. Five days later Al-Falih said, The market is now saturated with stored crude at beyond usual levels and we dont see in the near future a need for the kingdom to reach its maximum capacity. Related: Major Oil Indicator Reaches Lowest Level Ever Recorded

As the saying goes, Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me and for that reason, having been publicly burned by both Russia and Iran on separate occasions, Saudi Arabia will be unwilling to go into any talks, informal or otherwise, looking like it is the one who needs a deal. But the Kingdom knows it cant go on like this forever. Last years all-time high budget deficit of 100bn is not likely to be breached this year (predictions put it at $87bn) but its vast foreign reserves (once as high as $737bn, but recently reported at $555bn) are being relied upon more than ever before and next month it is hoping to raise $10bn through an international bond sale. In an attempt to cut Russias ties to China, Saudi Aramco cut prices to China. But Russia is not the only force to contend with here - Iran is also eyeing up the Chinese market where it once (pre-sanctions) met 11 percent of the demand. Reza Yeganehshakib, a geopolitical and energy analyst told Forbes, Iran would like to take advantage of t

he forecasted increase of Chinas crude demand due to an increase in transportation fuel consumption and its petrochemical industries in the second half of the year.

So the hot topic in Riyadh will likely be whether it has the appetite to do battle with Iran and Russia in the same way it tried to defeat the U.S. shale producers. The country, no longer the worlds biggest oil producer, knows it is not untouchable, and to preserve the might of OPEC it is treading softly as The Telegraph puts it. Will the Algiers meeting bring change? We can but hope.

By Precise Consultants

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Russian President Vladimir Putin is keen to reach an agreement with OPEC to freeze oil production in hopes of prices regaining strength. With the U.S. shale boom supplying most of North America, OPEC has increased production to maintain their market share. This has caused massive price reductions, putting many countries at a loss. Two years ago crude oil was priced at around $100/barrel, but in todays inundated market it rests below $50.

Russia is struggling economically, as it leads the world in energy exports and oil comprises 40 percent of its revenue. The country is considering tax reforms on oil companies, potentially hurting the industry further. This could lead to job cuts and shutting down of decade old wells. President Putin is determined to repair his nations economy.

I would very much like to hope that every participant of this market thats interested in maintaining stable and fair global energy prices will in the end make the necessary decision, said Putin.

Irans sanctions were recently lifted, allowing it to reenter the oil market and resume production. World leaders agree that Iran needs to continue growth and shouldnt be included in this production freeze. To remain at the crippled production level would constrict Irans GDP growth, which is now being forecasted as high as 6 percent.

Back in April however, at a meeting in Doha, Prince bin Salman of Saudi Arabia complicated talks by expressing a desire to include Iran in the freeze. This halted the deal and more talks will be necessary before moving forward. Related: Can Norway Supply Europe With Gas Long-Term?

Saudi Arabia sees Iran as a competitor. If Iran is able to restore production to a level that is similar to that of before sanctions were imposed, Saudi Arabia could stand to lose some of its market share. Saudi Arabia produces over 10 million barrels/day and continues to steadily grow. Last month they set a record of 10.69 million barrels/day. Iran has been fixed at a level just below 3 million barrels/day but has quickly regained a footing. As of August Iran was producing 3.6 million barrels/day, an impressive amount having only been without sanctions since January.

The majority of OPEC countries are in agreement that Iran should not halt oil production. Seeing as this was a last minute change of heart, Putin believes Iran is only a minor setback and the deal will ultimately occur. OPEC is to have further informal talks on September 27th. President Putin plans to discuss the matter with Prince bin Salman at the G20 summit in China this week as well. Related: Limited Spare Capacity Could Lead To An Oil Price Spike

Other OPEC members such as Iraq, Nigeria and Libya are debating whether or not to halt production. A freeze doesnt offer many incentives and will result in a cut in revenue and increase in the unemployment rate. Terrorist groups have been attacking many pipelines, specifically in Nigeria, making production difficult as it is. Theyre too focused on restoring oil flow and raising revenue to be freezing levels. If Iran is allowed exemption its likely they will break off from the deal as well. These nations need to agree or the efforts of OPEC will be null.

If OPEC is successful in halting production, this could cause a price surge in crude futures. The organization is mostly in agreement aside from a few Middle East and African nations. If Putin is able to change the Saudis mind about Iran then talks will likely continue.

Brent crude oil futures currently rest at $46.83 and would rise significantly for a prolonged period if a production freeze were to occur. Investors should buy these futures prior to the next relevant OPEC meeting. According to OPEC, they produced 33 million barrels a day in July, a number that grows by several hundred thousand each month. Since 2014, when crude oil was at $100/barrel, OPEC and the United States combined have roughly raised production by 4 million barrels/day. If OPEC were to cap overall production levels at 33 million bpd the price of crude oil would likely rise 20 percent or more. Investors should bear this in mind as they make decisions on the space in the next few weeks.

By Michael McDonald of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Things are about to get very serious in the worlds top nickel-producing nation.

Thats the message this week coming from lawmakers in the Philippines. With the countrys mines minister strongly suggesting that next week could be D-day for miners here.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez said Monday that the new Philippines government has now completed a comprehensive review of mining operations across the country. A step that recently-elected president Rodrigo Duterte set in motion as part of a nationwide crackdown on the industry.

And according to Secretary Lopez, the results of the review are less than satisfactory.

Lopez told Reuters that numerous operations have been found lacking in terms of environmental compliance. And she affirmed that the government will be moving quickly to punish these operators  saying simply, There will be absolutely be more suspensions.

Those are not idle words  with Lopez and the Duterte government already having shut down a full 10 mines across the country over the last two months. And it appears that the operations targeted in this latest round of suspensions could be of an even greater scale.

Lopez was very blunt on this point, saying, There will be large-scale mines to be suspended. Suggesting that some of the operations to be shut are going to be major players in terms of production.



Related: Shell Starts Production In Ultra Deepwater Field In Gulf Of Mexico

All of this should be raising a lot of red flags for one metal: nickel. With the Philippines representing a full 21% of global nickel production  making it far and away the worlds top producer, as shown in the chart below.

(Click to enlarge)

Source: U.S. Geological Survey

To date, the majority of mines shut down by the new Philippines government have been nickel operations. And we could be about to see the most severe curtailment yet  with Secretary Lopez saying that the results of the mining review will be announced next week.

Watch for news then on which mines are being shuttered  and for an attendant rally in the nickel price, if it indeed turns out that major operations are on the list.

Heres to getting ready for the big one.

By Dave Forest

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG) said on Tuesday that it had agreed to buy independent company Yates Petroleum Corporation in a stock-and-cash transaction worth for US$2.5 billion, thus strengthening its presence in one of the lowest-cost U.S. shale plays, the Permian.

The terms of the deal stipulate that EOG issue 26.06 million common shares valued at US$2.3 billion and pay US$37 million in cash. Closing is expected to take place in early October 2016.

The acquisition raises EOGs position in the Permian Basin and adjacent plays to 574,000 net acres. The deal will also create a combined 424,000 net-acre position in the Delaware Basin, initiate EOGs foothold in emerging Northwest shelf plays of 150,000 net acres, and double the Powder River Basin position to 400,000 net acres.

Yates 1.6 million net acres across the western U.S. have proved developed reserves of 44 million net barrels of oil equivalent.

This deal really isn't about getting bigger. It's about getting better, EOG CEO Bill Thomas told investors on a conference call.

The Permian and the Marcellus are currently the two largest basins by production, with the Permian edging out the Marcellus by a hair. One of the reasons both basins are continuing to produce at high levels is the favorable well economics in the basins. According to KLR Group, breakeven prices are lower in the Permian and Marcellus than in other plays.

EOG Resources -- best-known for its other Texas shale operations in the Eagle Ford -- has recently boosted its fracking plan by 30 percent.

In the second quarter of 2016, EOG Resources increased its Eagle Ford premium inventory by 390 net drilling locations to nearly 2,000, and said it could further raise the number if it achieves cost reductions or well productivity improvement.

Now, with the Yates acquisition, EOG is shifting its focus to the more-cost-efficient Permian basin.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The blog ad industry has blackballed me and all of my websites because of my political views, so I can no longer support this site through ads. Accordingly, I have posted

my resume

for prospective employers to view.
The East Side will soon have a new fast-casual restaurant concept. This time, it comes in the form of a fast-casual poke concept thats been sweeping the nation.

FreshFin Poke, named for the famous Hawaiian dish poke (pronounced poh-kay) comprised of sliced, raw fish combined with various add-ins, could open at 1806 E. North Ave., next door to Insomnia Cookies, as soon as November.

The menu for the 25-seat restaurant is currently in development, but will include a variety of signature poke bowls, as well as fully customizable bowl options including white or green tea rice, ramen cucumber slaw or mixed greens, along with proteins like Ahi tuna, salmon, shrimp, tofu or vegetables and sauces including shoyu, garlic ponzu, unagi, yum yum, spicy ginger, Sriracha aioli and wasabi-soy. A selection of high-end iced and hot teas are also on the docket.

Nate Arkush and James Thomas are the business partners behind FreshFin. Originally from Michigan, Arkush graduated with a culinary degree from Austin Community College and went on to earn a bachelors degree in hospitality management, and an MBA. His experience includes managing Shulas Steakhouse, and recent work with the Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Chicago.

Arkush, who moved to Milwaukee with his wife just over a year ago, will act as both the Milwaukee operator of and chef at the East Side restaurant.

"Weve been loving the city and think its a great place to live and work," notes Arkush. "And were especially excited to introduce the city to a concept thats trending on the West Coast and across the country."

Arkush says he and Thomas, who is based in California, toured more than 10 poke concepts across the West Coast, working to nail down the concept theyd launch in the Cream City.

"As we traveled, we noted the popularity of the concept which is affordable, quick, healthy and highly customizable," he says. "There were lines out the door at nearly all of the places."

Arkush says their aim is to create a fun fast-casual atmosphere that appeals to a variety of clientele, including nearby college students and neighborhood residents.

Arkush says the restaurant plans to serve both lunch and dinner with tentative hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and potentially later on weekends.

Watch OnMilwaukee for additional details as they develop.
From David Swanson, Director of World Beyond War

I was very pleased to learn from Wolfgang Lieberknecht that the people of your two towns in central Germany, Treffurt and Wanfried, will be marching together this week with an orchestra from Russia and a message of friendship in opposition to the new Cold War.

I learned that your towns are seven kilometers apart but that until 1989 you were divided, one in East Germany, one in the West. It is wonderful to what an extent you have put that division behind you and made it part of known and regretted history. There is a piece of the Berlin wall displayed here in my town in Virginia, which otherwise displays primarily statues celebrating one side of a U.S. Civil War that ended over 150 years ago. The European Union, whose members assist in aggressive U.S. wars, has been given a Nobel Peace Prize for not going to war with itself.

But, as you know, the line of hostile division has simply been pushed east to the border of Russia. No longer is it the NATO vs. Warsaw Pact division that split your towns apart. Now it is the NATO vs. Russia division that divides people in Ukraine and other border states and threatens to bring down the world in a nuclear catastrophe.

And yet a Russian orchestra from Istra continues to travel to Germany every two years to build better relations. And you are hoping that your peace march will become a model for others. I hope so too.

There are still 100,000 U.S. and UK bombs in the ground in Germany, still killing.

U.S. bases violate the German Constitution by waging war from German soil, and by controlling U.S. drone murders around the globe from Ramstein Air Base.

The United States promised Russia when your two countries and towns reunited that NATO would not move an inch eastward. It has now moved relentlessly to the border of Russia, including by pushing for a relationship with Ukraine after the U.S. helped facilitate a military coup in that country.

I recently watched video of a panel on which the former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union at the time of your reunification told Vladimir Putin that all the new U.S. troops and equipment and exercises and missile bases are not meant to threaten Russia, rather they are just meant to create jobs in the United States. While I apologize to the world for such madness, and recognize that other and better and more U.S. jobs could have been created with peaceful spending, it's worth pointing out that people in Washington, D.C., actually think this way.

This Wednesday night, two candidates for U.S. president will discuss war, war, and more war on television. These are people who are never in the same room with anyone who imagines abolishing war to be possible or desirable. These are people whose every bellicose utterance is cheered by their sycophants and funders. They truly have no idea what they are doing, and they need people like you to wake them up with a bit of beautiful musical noise on behalf of peace and sanity.

At World Beyond War we are working to increase understanding of the desirability and feasibility of phasing out and replacing the entire institution of war preparations. We'll have a big event in Berlin on September 24th and hope you can come. Those of us in the United States look to those of you in Germany for leadership, support, and solidarity. We need you to take Germany out of NATO and kick the U.S. military out of Germany.

That's a pro-U.S. request, in so far as the people of the United States will be better off not paying, financially and morally, and in terms of hostile blowback, for the pieces of the U.S. war machine that are based on German soil, including Africa Command -- the U.S. military's headquarters for dominating Africa, which has yet to find a home on the continent it seeks to control.

The United States and Germany must both face down the rightwing tendencies to blame the victims of Western wars who try to flee to the West.

And we must, together, make peace with Russia -- a project for which Germany may be perfectly placed, and on which we thank you for taking the lead.
Reprinted from Consortium News

Traditional U.S. journalism and the American people are facing a crisis, as the preeminent American newspaper, The New York Times, has fully lost its professional bearings, transforming itself into a neoconservative propaganda sheet eager for a New Cold War with Russia and imposing a New McCarthyism on public debate.

The crisis is particularly acute because another top national newspaper, The Washington Post, is also deeply inside the neocon camp.

The Times' abandonment of journalistic principles has become most noticeable with its recurring tirades about Russia, as the Times offers up story after story that would have embarrassed Sen. Joe McCarthy and his 1950s Red-baiters.

Operating without any actual evidence, a recent Times article by Neil MacFarquhar sought to trace public challenges to official U.S. government narratives on world events to a massive "disinformation" campaign by Russian intelligence. Apparently, it is inconceivable to the Times that independent-minded people might simply question some of the dubious claims made by Official Washington.

Perhaps most stunningly, the Times sought to prove its point by citing the slogan of Russia's English-language television network, saying: "RT trumpets the slogan 'Question More.'"

So, now, presumably if someone suggests questioning a claim from the U.S. government or from the NATO alliance, that person is automatically a "Russian agent of influence." For a major newspaper to adopt such a position is antithetical to the tenets of journalism which call on us journalists to question everything.

The Times' position is particularly outrageous because many key claims by the U.S. government, including some used to justify aggressive wars against other countries, have turned out to be false. Indeed, the Times has been caught peddling some of these bogus claims, often fed to the "newspaper of record" by U.S. government officials or from think tanks funded by American military contractors.

Disinformation Conduit

Most memorably, in 2002, the Times pushed disinformation about the Iraqi government reconstituting its nuclear weapons program, a lie that was then cited by Vice President Dick Cheney and other senior officials to help stampede the American people behind the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Lesser known moments of the Times serving as a disinformation conduit include a discredited assertion about the 2013 sarin attack in Syria, in which the Times purported to show how the flight paths of two missiles traced back to a Syrian military base, only later to grudgingly acknowledge that aeronautical experts judged that the one missile found to be carrying sarin had a maximum range of about one-fourth the required distance.

During the 2014 Ukraine crisis, the Times accepted photographs from the U.S. State Department which purported to show Russian military personnel in Russia and then later inside Ukraine, except that it turned out that the photograph supposedly taken in Russia was actually taken in Ukraine, destroying the premise of the Times article.

Yet, the Times holds itself out as some paragon of objectivity. This delusion further underscores how out of control and indeed dangerous the Times has become as a source of U.S. government disinformation, while accusing others of spreading Russian disinformation which often isn't disinformation at all.

In its recent article, the Times cites reasonable questions raised by Swedish citizens about a proposal for the country entering into a military association with NATO and dismisses these concerns as proof of Russian government propaganda and lies:

"The claims were alarming: If Sweden, a non-NATO member, signed the deal, the alliance would stockpile secret nuclear weapons on Swedish soil; NATO could attack Russia from Sweden without government approval; NATO soldiers, immune from prosecution, could rape Swedish women without fear of criminal charges."

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The following letter is being delivered to the New York U.N. consulate office of every nation on earth:



flag

(Image by davidswanson.org) Details DMCA



This year's UN General Assembly comes at a critical moment for humanity -- 3 minutes to midnight on the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Doomsday Clock. Recognizing our country's primary role in this crisis, 11,644 Americans and 46 U.S.-based organizations have thus far signed this "Appeal from the United States to the World: Help Us Resist U.S. Crimes," which we are submitting to all the world's governments. Please work with your colleagues at the General Assembly to respond to this appeal.

The appeal has been signed here: http://bit.ly/usappeal The first 11,644 individual signers and their comments are contained in a PDF document here: http://bit.ly/usappealsigners

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States of America has systematically violated the prohibition against the threat or use of force contained in the UN Charter and the Kellogg Briand Pact. It has carved out a regime of impunity for its crimes based on its UN Security Council veto, non-recognition of international courts and sophisticated "information warfare" that undermines the rule of law with political justifications for otherwise illegal threats and uses of force.

Former Nuremberg prosecutor Benjamin B. Ferencz has compared current U.S. policy to the illegal German "preemptive first strike" policy for which senior German officials were convicted of aggression at Nuremberg and sentenced to death by hanging.

In 2002, the late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy described post-September 11th U.S. doctrine as "a call for 21st century American imperialism that no other nation can or should accept." And yet the U.S. government has succeeded in assembling alliances and ad hoc "coalitions" to support threats and attacks on a series of targeted countries, while other countries have stood by silently or vacillated in their efforts to uphold international law. In effect, the U.S. has pursued a successful diplomatic policy of "divide and conquer" to neutralize global opposition to wars that have killed about 2 million people and plunged country after country into intractable chaos.

As representatives of civil society in the United States, the undersigned U.S. citizens and advocacy groups are sending this emergency appeal to our neighbors in our increasingly interconnected but threatened world. We ask you to stop providing military, diplomatic or political support for U.S. threats or uses of force; and to support new initiatives for multilateral cooperation and leadership, not dominated by the United States, to respond to aggression and settle international disputes peacefully as required by the UN Charter.

We pledge to support and cooperate with international efforts to stand up to and stop our country's systematic aggression and other war crimes. We believe that a world united to uphold the UN Charter, the rule of international law and our common humanity can and must enforce U.S. compliance with the rule of law to bring lasting peace to the world we all share.
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I like smart people. I like to talk to them, listen to them, probe and challenge them. I like to find out if they are book smart or real smart  the former referring to education, and the latter referring to application. Im not much into book smart people  they tend to be one dimensional, reciting what others who came before them have thought and said. I am into real smart people  they are fascinating and most of them are multi-dimensional.

My personal physician is one of those people. Real smart. He is your basic Renaissance man  skilled in his chosen area of expertise and well read and thoughtful in a multitude of other areas. When he is curious, he studies. When he studies, he thinks. And when he thinks, wondrous thoughts flow with facts, rationale and unassailable logic. I am a generally healthy person so my annual physicals routinely morph into discussions of topical things. We do politics, religion, ethics, economics or whatever else is happening on that day. I am usually exhausted by the time we finish and I spend several days thereafter trying to put all that I have learned into workable order.

And that brings me to Dr. William Bud Pierce. When a friend of mine asked whether I would meet with Dr. Pierce, the Republican gubernatorial candidate I readily agreed. I like smart people and well educated people are a good place (but not the only place) to begin.

But lets not get ahead of ourselves. First, Dr. Pierce is a gentleman and a gentle man. He is warm, polite, and unpresumptuous. Those are assets in the difficult field of medicine that he has pursued  oncology. His patients are living with (some dying from) cancer  the diagnosis that most of us dread. They need someone that is not only knowledgeable but also compassionate.

Those are also assets in the difficult world of politics which requires advocacy, compromise and, most importantly, an understanding of the drivers from the other side. Dr. Pierce has demonstrated these qualities in the past  most notably in negotiating a compromise between doctors and trials lawyers regarding dealing with malpractice claims. An article by Chris Gray in the Lund Report noted in part:

Months of negotiations produced . . . the holy grail of medical-legal politics  an unlikely agreement between the two traditional foes  voluntary confidential mediation, administered by the Oregon Patient Safety Commission, where hospitals and doctors come clean about medical mistakes with patients and their families while reducing the need for court battles.

Bud was truly masterful at getting doctors and trial lawyers to work together, said Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, a Roseburg pediatrician and former CEO of Architrave Health, the parent company for the Douglas County coordinated care organization.

Doctors wanted to put a limit on lawsuits, tort caps  I knew that wasnt going to happen. I got people to work together and see what we could agree on, Pierce said. Its not traditional tort reform, but its great for patients, its good for providers, too.

Dr. Pierces achievement indicates an understanding that in politics change is incremental. While it is important to adhere to fundamental principles, it is equally important to ensure progress on difficult issues. It is emblematic of the old saw, Dont let perfect become the enemy of good. The good step taken today becomes the foundation for the next step tomorrow. Really smart people understand that, enunciate that and practice that. Dr. Pierce is a really smart guy.

Second, Dr. Pierce is unafraid to lose. That means that in pursuit of an idea he will not let his personal ambitions deter him in the pursuit of progress. It is more important to pursue solutions than it is to pursue an office. That also means that special interests wont control him. It also means adherence to an ideology wont blind him to the opportunities for progress. Dr. Pierce is a really smart guy.

Oregon faces significant challenges  challenges that have been ignored or made worse by over three decades of Democrat administrations. Challenges that have been made worse by the public employee unions who control the Democrat party and who have blocked reform and accountability at every turn.

Those major challenges include an unfunded future liability for the Public Employees Retirement System that now exceeds the biennial general fund budget. Earnings from current investments are declining thus exacerbating the situation. It is a problem that effects both state and local government as well as school districts. At the request of the public employee unions, legislation was enacted that mandated that employer contributions to PERS be made before any other payments, including additional teachers, new books, upgraded technology and everything else. School districts are robbed of the choice between more teachers or greater benefits for union members.

They include a failing public school system that has brought Oregon from one of the best states to one of the worst states in academic achievement in the public schools. Throwing more money at the problem has not resulted in any improvement. In fact, while the amount of money dedicated to schools has increased annually, the performance has decreased. And the teachers unions have resisted every attempt at reform including merit pay, charter schools, and teacher accountability.

And they include a failing public infrastructure  primarily highways and bridges. Oregon has spent billions on light rail with no appreciable reduction in traffic congestion. In the period of time since Oregons interstate highway system was built the population of Oregon, and particularly the Portland metropolitan area has doubled and yet not a single new lane of traffic has been added in the entire period. The result is that I-5, I-84, I-205 and Highway 26 are virtual parking lots at any time after 3:00 PM in the afternoon and not much better during the morning rush hours.

Those arent the only problems facing Oregon but those are the three that effect the broadest swath of citizens. Dr. Pierce has spent time thinking about those problems and crafting solutions. Those solutions can be found on his web page. And the best part of those solutions is that he did not have to call the public employee union bosses to see what he should think or say  unlike his opponent, appointed Governor Kate Brown (D).

Ms. Brown is the exact opposite of Dr. Pierce. She is not a likeable person. Her own party rejected her when she sought to become president of the Oregon Senate. Her handlers  the public employees union bosses  do the best to keep her away from gatherings where there are interchanges between her and the audience or reporters for fear that her personality will be on display. Ms. Brown is unimaginative in confronting Oregons problems. Her solutions are the same as the public employee unions  dont change, spend more money  after all, the largest amount of contributions to Ms. Browns campaign come from the unions.

Oregon is at a crossroads. Three decades of uninspired leadership by a succession of Democrat governors have resulted in the following:

Higher taxes

Higher spending

More public employees

Increased public employee benefits (healthcare and PERS)

Higher unemployment than the national average Lower income than the national average

Lower academic achievement in the public schools

Higher dropout rates in the public schools

Highest obesity rate in the West

Crumbling infrastructure

Massive spending on failed projects (think CoverOregon and the Columbia River Crossing)

Reduced transparency in government coupled with a myriad of scandals and conflicts of interest

What was once among the best governments in the nation has, under three decades of Democrat leadership, been reduced to Chicago  without the organized crime. One lackluster, uninspired governor after another  unless you measure inspiration by the amount of money they are willing to spend on the same old solutions.

Its time for a change. Its time for new solutions. Its time for a really smart guy. Take the time to meet Dr. William Bud Pierce.
If you are wealthy, you can secure a US Green Card or even buy a passport. Yes, citizenship rights that can either improve your international mobility, tax planning, and even family security. And there are perfectly legal ways to go about this purchase.

For more than 30 years, governments around the world have offered immigrant investor programmes, exchanging residency rights?or citizenship for a sizeable investment in their economies. The number of countries with immigrant investor programmes has increased dramatically in the past decade. In the European Union, about half of the member states now have dedicated immigrant investor programmes, including countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Latvia, Bulgaria, and Spain. In addition, new "citizenship by investment" programmes in the Caribbean and, more recently, in Malta have also gained traction. In fact, on August 31, India also announced a new investor visa programme where foreigners investing Rs 100 million($1.5 million) over 18 months, or Rs 250 million over three years, would be eligible to live in India for 10 years.

However, the most popular immigrant investor programmes can be found in traditional destination countries, such as the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, which issue several thousand visas each year to investors and their dependents.

The US leads the market, with 10,000 EB-5 visas issued in fiscal year 2015, while the UK issued around 1,600 investor visas during the same time period. Before Canada suspended its federal programme in March 2014, it issued between 2,000 and 3,000 investor residence permits per year.

The demand among prospective immigrant investors is also growing rapidly. For example, after two decades of relatively low numbers, the US's EB-5 immigrant investor programme has seen a significant surge since the 2008 global financial crisis, and for the first time, pushed the programme toward its annual cap of 10,000 visas in 2014. At the time of its termination, Canada's federal programme had a backlog of approximately 65,000 applications, with an estimated processing time of six years.

Currently, the Indian EB-5 investor market is the fourth largest in the world. The US awarded 111 EB-5 visas to Indian investors in FY 2015 (October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015). As LCR Capital and other US-government approved investment firms (known as "Regional Centers") create awareness across the HNI community throughout India, we expect the number of investors to increase substantially in the coming years.

Immigrant investors typically come from emerging economies (e.g. India, Vietnam, etc.) or from countries experiencing ongoing political or economic instability (e.g. China, Brazil, Russia, etc.). China is the major source country for immigrant investors, dominating programmes in the US, Canada, Australia, and European locations like Portugal. Investors' backgrounds vary by country. However, European destinations have proved popular with Russians, while the US tends to be favoured by South American and Asian countries. Tumultuous political events like the Arab Spring have also created a strong demand from wealthy individuals in North Africa and the Middle-East.

Many Flavours

Prospective investors seeking residency in developed countries, like the US, UK or Canada, usually decide to migrate because of a plethora of reasons.

 Better Educational and Professional Outcomes: The overwhelming recent surge in applications from international students (primarily from China and India), means the competition for acceptance into American universities is fiercer than ever. The most popular EB-5 investment option involves one of the parents (typically the non-breadwinner) becoming the EB-5 investor and sponsoring their child(ren). As US green card holders, the children will enjoy significant benefits, including (i) higher US university acceptance rates [not subject to international student quotas]; (ii) lower tuition costs, (iii) access to scholarships and (iv) expanded employment opportunities after graduation [not subject to annual H1-B annual visa lottery]. The spouse or children frequently take the role of principal applicant, as they are generally better placed to fulfil US residence requirements while the family's principal earner continues business activities abroad.

 Insurance Policy/Portfolio Diversification: Applicants may not want to emigrate immediately, but securing residence rights in a 'safe' country keeps this option open in case of future social, political or economic upheaval in their homeland. As with any other decision regarding a family's wealth, "residency risk" is worth evaluating and mitigating against.

 Visa-free travel: Businessmen and other frequent travellers can reduce the cost and time of applying for visas by gaining citizenship or residence rights in certain countries. The Passport Index firm recently published a report ranking the passports of all the countries in the world on the basis of their power. The US topped the list with 147 visa free countries. India, however, ranked 59 with Indian passport holders only able to travel to 58 countries (either without visa or through visa on arrival). The country list is based on the 193 members of United Nations. Chinese and Iranian nationals currently can travel without a visa to just 44 and 40 countries, respectively.

Immigrant investor programmes fall into two broad categories: those involving investments in the private sector and those requiring a transaction between the investor and the government.

Most countries include an option to qualify by investing in private-sector businesses. This is the only option available in the US, Singapore and the Netherlands. These programmes aim to create jobs by stimulating foreign investment. More recently, some countries have admitted applicants simply because they buy a private property in the country. The latter option has been popular among countries such as Latvia, Spain, Greece, and Portugal where property markets were badly affected by the late-2000s economic crisis. At LCR Capital Partners, we deploy EB-5 investments as growth capital in the US franchise industry, primarily in the quick service restaurant (QSR) sector, as well as in premier real estate projects.

In some countries, applicants give money directly to the government in the form of a non-refundable fee or low interest loan. Revenues can be spent on economic development projects and other government priorities. "Citizenship-by-investment" programmes are the best-known examples of this model, found in a handful of Caribbean islands and, more recently, in Malta. Other countries, such as the UK and Australia, admit investors who buy regular government bonds - a surprising policy choice since the transaction is thought to provide little economic benefit.

So, as a potential immigrant investor, what should you keep in mind?

One is the cost. Some countries, like the US, ask for investments in private-sector businesses, sometimes with the requirement to create?a certain number of jobs (the US programme requires a $500,000 investment that will create at least 10 American jobs per EB-5 investment). St. Kitts and Nevis, on the other hand, requires a cash donation of $430,000 to the government. Several of the newer programmes - particularly in the European Union - simply require wealthy individuals to purchase property for personal use. The chart above shows investment thresholds for a selection of investor programmes.

The second question to ask is: what status is on offer and do investors actually have to live in the country?

Most programmes grant temporary residence with a two-to-five-year pathway to full permanent residence, followed by citizenship. During this period, investors may need to spend a set period of time?in the country to extend their stay. A handful of countries, primarily in the Caribbean, offer immediate citizenship - a status that eliminates or minimises investors' need to spend any time in the country to maintain their status.

Third, what procedures ensure integrity and reduce the risk of abuse? Source of funds analysis as well as background checks typically verify that investors' funds come from a legal source and that the individuals have no criminal history.

In closing, international residence and citizenship planning has increasingly become a central part of prudent family planning and risk diversification for wealthy Indian families and individuals. Whether it is securing the best educational and professional opportunities for your children (US EB-5 investment visa) or securing a direct path to EU citizenship (Malta), it's important to assess the pros and cons of each country's investment immigration programme and match it to your own families' personal and professional objectives.

The writer is Co-Founder and CMO of LCR Capital Partners, a partner-owned, private investment firm.


As the art market becomes increasingly global, it is perhaps a natural progression that we should see a broadening of tastes. In the world of auctions, prices for works are dependent on what a collector is willing to pay for them and how far they are driven to bid when competing against other bidders, with new world records broken as a result and benchmark prices established. Previously focused primarily on art from their region and reflecting their heritage, South Asian millionaires and billionaires have been spotted bidding on and purchasing works by 'blue-chip' international artists, including Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Salvador Dal? in Sotheby's sales of Impressionist & Modern art; Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko and Yayoi Kusama in Contemporary auctions; and Peter Paul Rubens, Canaletto or Jan Brueghel in Old Master Paintings sales.

Indicative of this are the places held by both US- and UK-based Indian collectors on international museum boards, which reflect their personal taste for international art. Artistic boundaries and categories are no longer limitations when it comes to collectors building and curating their collections. Rather than strictly adhering to one particular collecting category, they are participating in the wider art market and gaining a greater understanding of a broader variety of the international art on offer. With exposure comes more interest.

There is one notable hurdle for India-based collectors in acquiring art over 100 years old and that is the Antiquities Act (1972). Once a work of art is considered to be an antiquity and is imported into India, it can never be exported. The taste for Impressionist art is ever-present in India, but if one were to import a work by Vincent Van Gogh dated 1916, the owner would be limited to selling within India only, should they decide to sell the work in future. This reality of Indian legislation could play a large part in why we are more likely to see a Chinese billionaire pay $170 million for a Modigliani than a person of Indian origin (POI).

Despite this broadening of taste, the art reflecting one's heritage holds an enduring place in the hearts of collectors, in large part due to its cultural resonances. For example, traditional Indian art - and by that I mean antiquities - can be incredibly nuanced and complex, with their connotations less accessible at first glance. For example, a court painting depicting two lovers may seem very decorative and enchanting to anyone glancing at the picture, but when you peel back the layers and take the time to explore what is really in front of you, there is more than what meets the eye. A common subject in miniature painting is the Hindu deity Krishna, who is often depicted with his lover Radha. Krishna's skin has a distinctive blue hue. Unless someone is familiar with this mythology, they might just see two figures who are enamoured with each other and not know that they are looking at one of the most revered and popular subjects. While a beautiful painting of a pair of lovers might be worth $1,000 to anyone who appreciates its aesthetics, a sacred depiction of Radha and Krishna, particularly in a famous scene from folklore, might be worth $10,000 to someone who understands more about what the miniature might mean.

To really delve into the mysteries and intricacies of such artworks is exciting and personal, so pre-existing knowledge and familiarity with such subjects is what fuels the prices and demand for this type of art. This explains why the majority of buyers at auctions for such works are predominantly South Asian or of South Asian origin. The same argument can be used to explain why Indian art collectors seemingly do not buy enough traditional European or North American art. An old master painting representing Susanna and the Elders would not carry the same appeal to someone who is not familiar with the historical Old Testament subject and would not be worth quite as much to them unless it was by a very famous artist. Then, the purchase of the work may be more closely related to the prominent stature of the artist rather than the actual composition.

If we look at collectors' taste for Modern art, it is worth looking back at 1947 when India and Pakistan both gained Independence from Britain and a quiet rebellion against traditional and academic styles of painting began. South Asian artists wanted to embrace the 'avant-garde' and be truly ahead of the times. Six young men, Francis Newton Souza, Sayed Haider Raza, Maqbool Fida Husain, Krishnaji Howlaji Ara, Hari Ambadas Gade and Sadanand K. Bakre banded together and formed the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group. These men as well as the other members that later joined or interacted with the group became the bastions of the South Asian Modern art movement and command some of the highest prices at South Asian Modern and Contemporary art auctions today. They ushered in new and revolutionary styles of painting with a direct link to European and American Modernism. Interestingly, upon first glance, a lot of their artwork can easily be mistaken for that of an American or European painter. Francis Newton Souza's painting The Deposition: Burial of Christ, 1963 is a strong example of this. Compositionally based on Titian's Entombment of Christ c. 1520, currently at the Louvre, and painted in a more cubist style, it is not apparent that the artist was born and brought up in India. By allowing this subject to be truly reborn in his own expressionistic vernacular, critics have compared Souza with the likes of Graham Sutherland and Francis Bacon. While the most expensive Bacon ever sold went for $142.4 million, the most expensive Souza has commanded a little over $4 million at auction. I am not trying to imply that an Indian would only buy a Souza because it is more affordable, but when an important and talented artist from your country of origin is creating something with a universal appeal, achieving fame on an international level and revelling in carefully curated exhibitions at major institutions, it is not surprising that such works would take pride of place in any prominent South Asian collector's home.

Another apt example is the Untitled painting by Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, regarded as one of India's most important modern abstract painters. Successful exhibitions at Gallery 63 in New York and Gallery One in London resulted in Gaitonde receiving a prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship in 1964 for a year-long stay in New York, including a stipend to travel to Bangkok, Tokyo and Hong Kong. He was greatly influenced and informed by the colour field techniques of painters such as Mark Rothko and Hans Hofmann. Although Gaitonde was one of the first Indian painters to be given an international solo retrospective, and his work has a truly global attraction, again, Gaitondes at auctions are purchased primarily by South Asians.

This phenomenon is not limited to South Asia but also among other regional fields of art. It is well known that buyers of Russian art are of predominantly Russian origin and so on and so forth. But while specialised works of art and antiquities will always appeal to those who know and understand the context surrounding them best, as the globalisation of the art market continues apace - and with the increased international acclaim that comes with blockbuster retrospectives at international museums - the appreciation of regional artists continues to grow at a heartening rate.

The writer is Senior Director, International Head of Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, Sotheby's International.


When Shrirang Sarda, Founder, Sarda Farms, forayed into the dairy business in 2013, he was keen on giving consumers the old-world experience of getting fresh milk delivered at their doorsteps - a luxury in today's times. He painstakingly bred a herd of 1,300 Holstein cows on his sprawling 11-acre farm in the outskirts of Nashik. He imported the sperms of Holstein bulls from Holland and injected the herd. The milk farm is completely mechanised - the whole process from milking the cows to aggregation and finally packaging is automated, with zilch human intervention.

"I was clear that when I foray into the dairy business, I will not get into the aggregation model (collecting milk from multiple farmers - a practice followed by most dairy manufacturers in India) which is prone to adulteration. I decided to have my own farm from day one," says Sarda. He spent months learning the best practices in dairy on the farms of Holland and Denmark.

The fresh, uncontaminated milk offering comes at an added cost because owning a farm and producing milk is far more expensive than buying from farmers. The cost of producing one litre of Sarda Milk is at least Rs 10 per litre more than sourcing from a farmer. Therefore, he decided to price the milk at a premium - Rs 90 per litre, as opposed to Rs 40 per litre from most other brands. Sarda has used design to convey a sense of tradition and heritage, rendering a premium look. The milk is packaged in glass bottles much like it used to be in the good old days, before the poly-pack milk trend began.

"We have been focusing a lot on customer experience and satisfaction"

The milk is delivered to a consumer's home directly from the farm, bereft of any handling by intermediaries, unlike the milk in pouches that is delivered four days after production. Alok Nanda, Founder and CEO, Alok Nanda and Company, which handles branding and communication for Sarda Farms, says the idea of using glass bottles came from the memory of milk being traditionally delivered in glass bottles straight from the farmer's home. "This implies purity," he says, adding, "Milk packaged in plastic pouches is about a two-decade-old phenomenon done to cut costs, and there are enough stories of contamination and adulteration of packaged milk."

The Premium Difference

Unlike most brands which sell their products out of retail stores, Sarda Farms reaches consumers only through invitation. So, if consumers of Sarda Farms recommend names of their acquaintances who could be prospective consumers, a personal invite along with a bottle of milk is sent out by the founder himself. In fact, Sarda says he has grown the brand only through word of mouth. "We were delivering it to only 180 homes when we started in 2013," he informs. The three-year-old brand now delivers to 6,500 homes in Mumbai and Nashik.

Fresh milk straight from the farm is a luxury many deem a necessity. The first thing that struck Rashi Srivastav, an interior designer, about Sarda milk was the glass bottle. However, what won her over was the promise of fresh, unadulterated milk. "Most of the packaged milk brands available in the market get to us almost a week after the milk is collected. With Sarda Farms, I am assured of getting fresh milk straight from the farms, and the milk is distinctly fresh," says Srivastav, adding that she is willing to pay any price to ensure her five-year-old daughter's nutrition needs are not compromised.

Like her, 35-year-old Shraddha Sharma, a homemaker who lives in the up-market suburb of Bandra in Mumbai, does not mind "paying a premium for purity". The premium milk brand is gaining popularity among prominent corporate head honchos as well as Bollywood A-listers. "We are adding at least 20 customers per day," Sarda claims.

The company has eliminated intermediaries by owning the entire supply chain from the farm to the consumer's doorstep. "We own 200-odd motorcycles in Mumbai through which the last mile delivery is done," Sarda says. The farm generates around 10,000 litres of milk per day which is delivered to consumers' doorsteps between 5 am and 7 am. "Our vans are air-conditioned; we also put glycol packs which keeps the milk cool for at least a couple of hours after it is taken off the vans."

Sarda also offers consumers personalisation by allowing them to choose from doorstep delivery, door-bell delivery and hand delivery.

The Economics

Sarda Farms is, today, a Rs 45-crore business. The company has launched its brand of ghee and curd, which are also priced at a huge premium - a 1 kg pack of Sarda Ghee is priced at Rs 900 (as opposed to at 1 kg pack of Amul Ghee, which is priced at Rs 390).

The company is yet to make profits, though Sarda is confident that it will be profitable in less than a year from now. Gaurav Tandon, formerly Senior Consultant of Consumer Practice, A.T. Kearney, says that the milk business is an expensive one to crack, especially when one owns his own cattle and also manages distribution. However, he believes, a cow farm makes better economic sense than a buffalo farm. "Cows have a longer milking cycle than buffaloes. Also, the milking process of buffaloes cannot be automated - the milking machines are designed more for cows."

There is a growing entrepreneurial interest in premium milk. Sarda has competition from brands such as Pride of Cows and Blissfresh - premium milk brands with the farm-to-home business model. While Blissfresh has been set up by former employees of Ratnakar Bank, Pride of Cows is an initiative of Parag Milk Foods, which owns the GO brand. "We started Pride of Cows to give an insight to the farmers we aggregate milk from about the best practices in milk farming," said Devendra Shah, CMD of Parag Milk Foods, in an earlier interview with Business Today.

While Tandon is certain that there is a market for premium milk, he recommends that Sarda Farms add "fortifications" to the milk to justify its Rs 90 price point.

Experts feel that scaling up a farm-to-home model would be an expensive affair and hence challenging. "Consumers are ready to pay a premium if the product is unique and desirable. However, scalability would be a challenge considering the need for consistency and relatively high costs in niche segments for small players where volumes may not justify," points out Devendra Chawla, Group President, Future Group.

Sarda is aware of the hurdles in scaling up a niche brand, and has chosen to get the system in place instead of mindlessly going on an expansion spree. The company, in the last six months, has launched a website and an app which allows customers to make payments, give feedback on the product online, and inform the company about dates on which they do not want milk to be delivered. "We have been focusing a lot on customer experience and satisfaction, for which we have invested generously in technology. In fact, the last few months have given us the highest growth." Sarda is leaving no stone unturned to make it a delectable experience for his consumers.


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Pakistan always been strong and today it is stable: General Raheel Sharif

ISLAMABAD: The army chief said that 50 years later, this day had also become the emblem of the sacrifices, steadfastness, and bravery of all those martyrs and heroes who successfully stood up to such enormous challenges as Operation Zarb-e-Azb and a decade-long war against terror. I want to make it clear to all enemies of Pakistan that Pakistan has always been strong and today it is stable.



Addressing a ceremony on Defence Day at the General Headquarters (GHQ), General Raheel said called for countrywide implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP).



Addressing the gathering, the COAS paid rich tribute to the martyrs and veterans of the 1965 War. Today we have gathered to pay tribute to those martyrs and heroes of the nation whose unmatched sacrifices, courage and sense of duty has enabled us to breathe in an independent and respectable country.



He said that the war of September 1965 was a glorious chapter of our national history that bestowed a new determination and unity upon the people of this country. The supreme valour of the men and officers of the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy has made this day the most distinguished day in the history of Pakistani nation, he said.



Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday stressed the need for lasting reforms in the system to break the nexus between corruption and terrorism.



The COAS said that for the past few years, the country was faced with the menace of terrorism and an unconventional war in which the nation and the armed forces had rendered countless sacrifices side by side. While terrorism has crumbled many countries around the world, Pakistan, by the grace of Allah Almighty, has valiantly fought these challenges.



He said that a few years ago, the country faced terror attacks almost on a daily basis. No part of the country, including defence installations, was beyond the enemys reach. The writ of the state had practically ended in many parts of the country. however, he said that as the COAS, he held full faith in the capabilities and resolve of the armed forces of Pakistan. It was this faith that encouraged us to launch Operation Zarb-e-Azb.



He said that the process of indiscriminate elimination of terrorists from the country  that was started two years ago in the form of Zarb-e-Azb  attained its laid-down military objectives.



He said that in this long voyage of success, the army had been aided by invaluable sacrifices rendered by the Rangers, Frontier Corps, police and Levies.



He said that during the war against terrorism, almost 18,000 innocent citizens and 5,000 officers and soldiers of the armed forces had laid their lives, while more than 48,000 Pakistanis had suffered serious injuries. We shall not allow the sacrifices of our martyrs go in vain.



General Raheel Sharif also urged scholars, intellectuals and the media to propagate the peaceful and universal message of Islam in order to eradicate the negative notions of extremism.



In order to root out terrorism, we must also remove such weaknesses in our criminal justice system which impede the complete eradication of terrorism. The evil nexus of heinous crimes, corruption and terrorism is a great impediment to achieving complete peace, and is a cause of social unrest. He said that effective and far-reaching reforms were needed to break this nexus.



For the operation to yield its full dividends, all stakeholders and institutions of the state must play their respective roles with utmost sincerity and commitment.



Reiterating that Afghanistan is our neighbour and brotherly Islamic country, he said that peace and stability there was vital to Pakistans own interest.



We desire peaceful relations with all our neighbours, but the fact can never be overlooked that the true assurance of peace in the region is the balance of power, the army chief said. Despite all external machinations and instigations, we are ever prepared for the defence of our borders and are capable to defend our dear homeland in all domains, may it be conventional or unconventional.
The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher,


The Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners, Ghana (IHRMP), has launched its maiden HR Star Awards at the HR Centre, Nyaniba Estates, Osu, Accra on Tuesday, 6th September, 2016.



Launching the Ghana HR Star Awards, the President of the Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners, Mr. John Wilson said, The managers of Human Capital cannot be left out if organizations want to develop and sustain a winning culture to succeed in these competitive markets.



The question is who should champion this and in what form? Hence, the Launch of the Ghana HR Star Awards by IHRMP, just like the other Professional Bodies have done.



The HR Star Awards will celebrate excellence in HR and recognize organizations and individuals who are currently pushing the boundaries of people strategy in Ghana, the President of IHRMP added.



Explaining the Awards categories, the Chairman of the Awards Committee, Dr. Edward Kwapong, who doubles as the Vice-President of the Institute said, The awards will come in 14 categories and will cover both the private and public sector, adding up to 28 awardees.







 Overall Outstanding Employer of the year (Private and Public)



 Overall Best HR Oriented organization



 Best organization in Employee Learning & Development



 Best organization in Industrial/Employee Relations



 Best organization in Employee Rewards Management



 Best organization in Employee Performance Management



 Best organization in Recruitment & Selection



 Best HR Practitioner of the year



 Most Successful Change Management Programme



 Best Talent Management Strategy



 Most Innovative Use of Technology



 Best Use of Corporate Social Responsibility in HR



 Best Workplace Diversity Strategy



 Most People-Focused CEO



The awards scheme shall be advertised to request for nominations from organizations and individuals across the country. The nomination form will be uploaded onto the Awards website.



The Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on 25th March, 2017.



The launch was attended by HR Practitioners, Sponsors and the Media.

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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New study co-authored by associate professor of management suggests that modern workplace technologies may be hurting the very employees that those technologies were designed to help. Credit: iStock/Aleutie

Earlier this year, France passed a labor reform law that banned checking emails on weekends. New researchto be presented next week at the annual meeting of the Academy of Managementsuggests other countries might do well to follow suit, for the sake of employee health and productivity.

A new studyauthored by Liuba Belkin of Lehigh University, William Becker of Virginia Tech and Samantha A. Conroy of Colorado State Universityfinds a link between organizational after-hours email expectations and emotional exhaustion, which hinders work-family balance. The results suggest that modern workplace technologies may be hurting the very employees that those technologies were designed to help.

Using data collected from 297 working adults, Belkin and her colleagues looked at the role of organizational expectation regarding "off" hour emailing and found it negatively impacts employee emotional states, leading to "burnout" and diminished work-family balance, which is essential for individual health and well-being. The studydescribed in an article entitled "Exhausted, but Unable to Disconnect: The impact of Email-related Organizational Expectations on Work-family Balance"is the first to identify email-related expectations as a job stressor along with already established factors such as high workload, interpersonal conflicts, physical environment or time pressure.

Previous research has shown that in order to restore resources used during the day at work, employees must be able to detach both mentally and physically from work.

"Email is notoriously known to be the impediment of the recovery process. Its accessibility contributes to experience of work overload since it allows employees to engage in work as if they never left the workspace, and at the same time, inhibits their ability to psychologically detach from work-related issues via continuous connectivity," write the authors.

They found that it is not the amount of time spent on work emails, but the expectation which drives the resulting sense of exhaustion. Due to anticipatory stressdefined as a constant state of anxiety and uncertainty as a result of perceived or anticipated threats, according to research cited in the articleemployees are unable to detach and feel exhausted regardless of the time spent on after-hours emails.

"This suggests that organizational expectations can steal employee resources even when actual time is not required because employees cannot fully separate from work," state the authors.

According to the study, the expectation does not have to be explicit or conveyed through a formal organizational policy. It can be set by normative standards for behavior in the organization. The organizational culture is created through what its leaders and members define as acceptable or unacceptable behavior.

"Thus, if an organization perpetuates the 'always on' culture it may prevent employees from fully disengaging from work eventually leading to chronic stress," says Belkin, associate professor of management at Lehigh's College of Business and Economics and coauthor of the study.

Organizational expectations

The authors looked at data collected from surveys of 385 participants from a wide variety of industries and organizations. The surveys were designed to measure organizational expectations, time spent on email outside of work, psychological detachment from work during off-work hours, level of emotional exhaustion and perceptions of work-family balance, among other factors. The largest industry groups represented were finance & banking (15 percent), technology (11 percent), and healthcare (8 percent).

In addition to the correlation between organizational expectations to monitor work email after-hours and emotional exhaustion as a result of the inability to "turn off," the researchers also found that people who prefer a strict separation of their work and family time have an even more difficult time detaching from work than those who are OK with blending work and home time.

"The anticipatory stress caused by organizational email-related norms is more dangerous for people who prefer highly segmented schedules," says Belkin.

The authors believe that this may be because people with less rigid separation between work and family time have "an easier time disconnecting since their personal preferences do not conflict with organizational expectations." Belkin and her coauthors believe that a high-pressure environment may eventually lead to emotional exhaustion for "low segmenters" as well.

Balance matters

The authors cite previous research correlating the absence of work-family balance to a number of detrimental outcomesfor both the individual and his or her employer:

The study says, "Satisfaction with the balance between work and family domains is important for individual health and well-being, while individual inability to successfully balance roles in those domains can lead to anxiety and depression, lowered satisfaction with both work and family roles, absenteeism, decreased job productivity and organizational commitment and greater turnover."

"As prior research has shown, if people cannot disconnect from work and recuperate, it leads to burnout, higher turnover, more deviant behavior, lower productivity, and other undesirable outcomes," said Belkin.

What managers can do

The results of the study provide insights into what managers can do to mitigate employee chronic stress and emotional exhaustion caused by organizational expectations related to email.

"We believe our findings have implications for organizations, as even though in the short run being "always on" may seem like a good idea because it increases productivity, it can be dangerous in the long-run," said Belkin.

The authors suggest that if completely banning email after work is not an option, managers could implement weekly "email free days." Another idea is to offer rotating after-hours email schedules to help employees manage their work and family time more efficiently.

The authors write: "By making descriptive and injunctive norms that emphasize balance between work and non-work domains salient, organizations should potentially decrease the email-related stress."

The benefits may go beyond employee well-being.

The study says, "Such policies may not only reduce employee pressure to reply to emails after-hours and relieve the exhaustion from stress, but will also serve as a signal of organizational caring and support, potentially increasing trust in management, work identification, job commitment and extra-role behaviors."

The authors suggest that future research on the impact of communication media on employee behavior and well-being include how organizational expectations may be contributing to the outcomes.
"If someone had obtained the same results with a new medicine, it would have been a worldwide sensation," says Stefan Lundin as he explains how the use of forced medication and mechanical restraints decreased in the new building that he helped to design for psychiatry at the Ostra Sjukhuset hospital in Gothenburg. He is now trying to understand, at a deeper level, why it worked.

To most people it is obvious that we are affected by our surroundings. But how does that happen? This is one of the questions that Stefan Lundin has been reflecting on extensively over the past few years.

Following a long, successful career as an architect at White in Gothenburg, he is now in the process of writing a doctoral thesis that investigates whether there is something that could be called "healing architecture".

In practice this question has already been answered; there are several examples of how healthcare buildings affect the results of treatment. One of these is the new building for psychiatry at the Ostra Sjukhuset hospital in Gothenburg, which replaced the old hospital, Lillhagens Sjukhus in 2006. Stefan Lundin was one of the architects responsible for that construction, which received an award for best healthcare building, Vardbyggnadspriset, in 2007.

"We were subsequently able to see clear differences between the old hospital, Lillhagens Skujhus, and the new building, for example regarding forced medication and mechanical restraints. The changes were fantastic. Staff spent less time on sick leave, and threats and violence decreased," he explains.

"Can we link this to the architecture? Yes, we should be able to."

There is not a great deal of research into these issues, and the need for a more theoretical understanding of what affects us and how has increased

"You could say that the key is to look for evidence for what has been experienced in practice, as has been done in the field of medicine. Harnessing the knowledge of architects like us and of people who work in healthcare."

This can help justify things such as higher costs. Provide arguments to the architects who will design the buildings and to the principals who have commissioned the work.

Stefan Lundin has been interested in theory for a long time. His degree project, which he did together with his wife and colleague Ulla Antonsson, also focused on this.

"It was a description of Swedish architecture from 1900 to 1930. We received positive feedback, and I could have envisaged continuing on that path."

But that's not what happened. After a four-month study trip to Greece and Italy, it was time to start work.

"Ulla had completed an internship at White and started to work there; after I while, so did I."

The couple climbed their respective career ladders in parallel and relatively quickly became leaders of a group each at the company.

"We talked about it recently. We must have been incredibly young. It was before we had children, because later when we were on parental leave we looked after each other's groups."

Eventually they also became partners in the firm  a career that could provoke a degree of envy, but it came at a price.

"They were extremely intensive years, with vast amounts of work and overtime. Being an architect is so much of an identity, a lifestyle. You don't work as an architect  you ARE an architect."

It all culminated in Stefan suffering from burnout.

"It has taken me a long time to recover."

Perhaps this has resulted in extra reflection on your professional role and what architecture should actually be for? An interest in the community surrounding the buildings? Well, that interest has been there all along.

"There was a time when I thought that everyone should become architects, as then you really learnt how everything is linked together; it would solve everything," he says smiling.

He describes his years of study at Chalmers. "We were part of a movement." It was the 1970s and Elias Cornell was a professor. Books were published such as Bostad och kapital [literally: housing and capital  a study of Swedish housing policy] and Rivningsraseriets rotter [literally: the roots of the demolition frenzy  about the past extensive demolition of buildings].

"One person who meant a lot to me at that time was photographer Jens S. Jensen and his photos from Hammarkullen [a residential area in Gothenburg mainly built in the 1960s and 1970s].

Stefan Lundin says that times have changed now. In that period the talk was of building affordable housing; now housing is built for affluent people.

"I find it hard to understand why more is not being built. It's needed, of course, and if I've understood it correctly, huge profits are made from construction."

One area experiencing something of a construction boom is the area in which he works: healthcare premises. This applies throughout the Nordics. And Stefan has become somewhat of a guru in this field.

"Not exactly a guru, but I do receive the opportunity to travel to a number of conferences and give talks," he says.

An important meeting took place at one of these conferences. "One of those decisive moments when paths cross," he explains. He met Roger Ulrich, an environmental psychologist who has been very significant to the thinking on how architecture can affect health.

"If I'd known how famous he was, I'd never have dared to approach him, but he has become an extremely important source of inspiration and an ambassador for this project."

Stefan Lundin now divides his time between his work at White and his work as a doctoral student at the Centre for Healthcare Architecture (CVA) at Chalmers.

"This gives me time to formulate and document my own findings, but also to study other people's research."

His studies are financed by White.

"We also earmark some funding each year for what we previously called Kunskapsbygget [knowledge building], but in this era of internationalisation it has been renamed White Research Lab. It is important for us as a company to stay updated with developments in research and to maintain contact with the academic world  both to enable us to do a good job, but also to identify skilled students.

Explore further Solving biological questions requires new education
As college students click, swipe and tap through their daily lives  both in the classroom and outside of it  they're creating a digital footprint of how they think, learn and behave that boggles the mind.

"We're standing under a waterfall, feasting on information that's never existed before," said Mitchell Stevens, a sociologist and associate professor at Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE). "All of this data has the power to redefine higher education."

To Stevens and others, this massive data is full of promise  but also peril. The researchers talk excitedly about big data helping higher education discover its Holy Grail: learning that is so deeply personalized that it both keeps struggling students from dropping out and pushes star performers to excel.

Yet, at the same time, they worry that the data will be misused, sold or stolen. Consider, for example, what might happen if data show that students who fit a certain profile struggle in a core course. Could those students be prevented from taking the class or pushed down a different path just because the data say they should?

Responsible uses

So earlier this summer, researchers at Stanford and Ithaka S+R, a nonprofit education consulting firm, brought together 70 representatives  mostly from academia, but also from government, leading nonprofits and the commercial education technology industry  to discuss some of the hot-button issues surrounding big data in higher education. The convening received financial support from several Stanford programs, including the Cyber Initiative, the Digital Civil Society Lab, the Institute for Research in the Social Sciences (IRiSS) and the McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society, as well as the Spencer Foundation.

The ideas that came out of that meeting, and a similar one that took place two years ago, form the basis of a new Stanford-hosted website, "Responsible Use of Student Data in Higher Education." The site launched Sept. 6.

"A university is meant to be a safe place for students to fail so they can learn, and we need to protect that," said Timothy McKay, an astrophysicist and the faculty director of the University of Michigan's Digital Innovation Greenhouse, which is developing cutting-edge ways of learning through technology. McKay attended the summer meeting at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in California.

Currently, formal rules governing what can and can't be done with student data are murky.

There are laws, both state and federal, and protocols that were established long before big data and the influx of outside companies into higher education. Unsure about what to do, many colleges and universities are restricting researchers' access to student data. At the same time, professors and students freely download apps or use online education services, often without their schools' knowledge.

"There's a lot of trepidation at most institutions about potential overreach and that leads to under-reach," said Martin Kurzweil, the director of the educational transformation program at Ithaka S+R. "So a lot of players are moving in to fill those gaps and it's not always clear how they're using student data."

That's where the Stanford/Ithaka partnership and website come in.

The idea, said Stevens, who also directs the Center for Advanced Research through Online Learning, is to provide colleges and universities with the resources needed to address the unanswered questions raised by big data.

"By nailing a bunch of documents about the responsible use of student data to an electronic tree, we want to start a national conversation," said Stevens, who has long pushed for ethical standards around educational data. He is co-founder of an interdisciplinary discussion series at Stanford GSE known as Education's Digital Future.

Standard of care for data

Ultimately, Stevens and others would like to see higher education develop a standard of care parallel to those that govern doctor-patient relationships. As part of that goal, attendees at this summer's conference drafted a set of voluntary ethical principles to help schools address big data's challenges.

The guidelines center on four core ideas. The first calls on all players in higher education, including students and vendors, to recognize that data collection is a joint venture with clearly defined goals and limits. The second states that students be told how their data are collected and analyzed, and be allowed to appeal what they see as misinformation. The third emphasizes that schools have an obligation to use data-driven insights to improve their teaching. And the fourth establishes that education is about opening up opportunities for students, not closing them.

For Stevens, his "aha!" moment about the need for a big data code of ethics came soon after "MOOC mania" struck higher education in 2012.

The sudden rise of MOOCs, or massive open online courses, and the deluge of data that followed were both thrilling and unsettling. He instantly saw the potential for a new multidisciplinary science that brings together experts in computer science, engineering, economics, sociology and psychology. He also realized nobody knew the right or wrong way to handle the information crush.

He sensed, too, how urgent it is for higher education to get in front of the issues.

"Academic self-governance is an important feature of American higher education," Stevens said. "I'd hate to wake up one morning and have these issues solely regulated by the government."

Kent Wada of UCLA, who attended both this summer's conference and its predecessor in 2014, agrees. "Everything is happening really fast and that's both great and horrifying," he said. "It's really critical that we look at these issues now."
Credit: iStock

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out why UC Berkeley has designated parking areas for Nobel Laureates: if there's one thing harder to snag than a Nobel prize, it's a parking space on a UC campus.

This is not just a UC issue: The experience of parking on college campuses across the country can often involve circling and circling in hopes of finding someone leaving, expensive permits or parking meters, or long walks from distant overflow lots.

"Traffic and the lack of parking are growing problems on college and university campuses as student car owners continue to outnumber available parking," said Susan Shaheen, co-director of UC Berkeley's Transportation Sustainability Research Center (TSRC).

Car sharing programs on campus could be a part of the solution. Researchers at the TSRC joined with Zipcar to ask people at universities across the U.S. and Canada how car sharing programs influenced their behavior. More than 10,000 students, faculty and staff at universities across the US and Canada participated in the survey, with students making up the 90 percent of the respondents.

The findings were promising:

The availability of car sharing allowed 30 percent of students who lived on campus to leave their personal cars at home.

Forty-two percent of Zipcar users on campuses said that they are less likely to buy a car in the next few years.

Thirty percent said they would have bought a car were it not for car sharing.

Credit: Zipcar and UC Berkeley

Not spending money on a personal car means more money for other things. The study found that over 40% reported saving money, around $20 in transportation costs each month on average.

Extra money is always welcome, particularly for students, but car sharing seems to have other benefits. Nearly 70 percent of those studied reported improvements to their quality of life, including access to more varied experiences, flexibility and independence.

"This first-ever study of Zipcar car sharing on college and university campuses shows that implementing an on-campus car sharing program can help to alleviate these concerns and improve the well-being of students, faculty, and staff, providing greater accessibility and mobility without the burden of circling for a spot, feeding a meter, or obtaining a permit," said Shaheen.

Quality of life benefits were reported across all regions of the US and Canada in the study, but were particularly high in rural parts of the western US, where college campuses can be more isolated.

While car sharing can provide additional freedom for those living on or near campus, the overall effect reduces the total number of miles driven by 1 to 5 percent, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 2.6 percent, according to the study. Other recent studies by Shaheen and colleagues at the TSRC have found similar effects from car sharing on a broader scale.

"The solution to campus parking isn't more spots and lots; it's offering smarter, more sustainable mobility options that give students the freedom to go where they want, when they want, without bringing a car to school," said Katelyn Bushey, director of university programs at Zipcar. "Sixteen years ago, we launched Zipcar at a single university, making it our mission to make campuses better places to live and learn. Now, we're at more than 500 colleges and universities in North America, and this study confirms that we've delivered on that mission."
Lucas Silva of the University of Oregon, standing at right, talks with colleagues while in the field on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau. His team found that climate change-induced thawing of permafrost is feeding a species of fir trees with soil nutrients and water, leading to rapid forest growth. Credit: Lucas Silva

Word of mouth from nomadic herders led Lucas Silva into Tibetan forests and grasslands. What his team found was startling: Rapid forest growth in tune with what scientists had been expecting from climatic changes triggered by rising levels of carbon dioxide.

Actual scientific findings to date, however, had been turning up declining growths in many forests in the face of climatic changes. Such had also been the case for Silva, who joined the UO's Environmental Studies Program and Department of Geography in August.

On the eastern Tibetan Plateauin an area where it was thought that "climatically induced ecological thresholds had not yet been crossed"Silva's team found that the increasing availability of soil nutrients and water from thawing permafrost is stimulating the chemistry of the wood in a species of fir trees (Abies faxoniana).

"Our results confirmed the reports of local herders and showed a recent increase in tree growth that has been unprecedented since the year 1760," Silva said. "These result demonstrate that under a specific set of conditions, forests can respond positively to human-induced changes in climate."

The findings were published Aug. 31 in Science Advances, an online, open-access publication of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Nomads had reported their observations to study co-author Geng Sun of China's Chengdu Institute of Biology in Sichuan, China. The research team traveled to the region in eastern Tibet where they found old-growth forests, smaller patches of trees and trees isolated on the perimeter of the forests.

"We wanted to take a long term view of changes in tree growth across this gradient," Silva said. "To do so, we combined tree-ring measurements with laboratory analyses to look for changes in growth as well as chemical signals of climatic change."

Those techniques provided a window on the history of the area's tree growth. Dramatic increases in growth have coincided with pulses of tree establishment just outside of the forest range but apparently not yet on a broader regional scale, he said. Growth was rapid between the 1930s and 1960s, but even more accelerated in the last three decades.

Research involving plants grown in controlled laboratory and greenhouse conditions have shown that rising carbon dioxide levels can speed plant growth, but field studies have shown that carbon dioxide-induced growth could not counteract the negative effects of rising temperatures and drought stress in many forest ecosystems.

The new findings, the researchers said, suggest that studying the synergy of soil-plant-atmosphere interactions might be the key to understanding the past and predicting future changes in forest productivity and distribution.

"Our findings could have important implications for the conservation and management of many different species," Silva said. "However, it is important to note that we sampled a very small area where forests and grasslands coexist. A comprehensive survey of changes in plant diversity throughout the region has yet to be performed."

Explore further Drought stalls tree growth and shuts down Amazon carbon sink, researchers find

More information: L. C. R. Silva et al, Tree growth acceleration and expansion of alpine forests: The synergistic effect of atmospheric and edaphic change, Science Advances (2016). Journal information: Science Advances L. C. R. Silva et al, Tree growth acceleration and expansion of alpine forests: The synergistic effect of atmospheric and edaphic change,(2016). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1501302
Jeremy Littau, assistant professor of journalism at Lehigh.

In July, videos of the fatal police shootings of Alton Sterlinga black man in Louisianaand Philando Castilea black man in Minnesotawent viral on social media. The immediate aftermath of the Castile shooting was first shared via Facebook Live, which is a type of mobile streaming video technology (MSVT) that allows users to stream live video to followers, similar to Periscope and Meerkat.

The real-time video of Castile's death reached over 5 million people within a week of its posting.

In a new study, Up, Periscope: Mobile Streaming Video Technologies, Privacy in Public, and the Right to Record, Jeremy Littau, assistant professor of journalism at Lehigh University, and Daxton Stewart, associate dean and associate professor in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University, examine the legal rights of people to record and live-stream and any potential right to be free from being recorded and streamed in public places.

The authors find that current laws protecting individual rights are insufficient to protect privacy when it comes to these technologies and that the First Amendment likely protects livestreaming activities of users.

"The Castile shooting is important not only for its content, but also because a Facebook user showed the public a new tool that it might not otherwise have known about or thought to use in a situation like this," Littau says.

"What happened in Minnesota is one of those incidents that serve as a harbinger for what is to come."

Because of the ease with which users are able to share live video streams, MSVTs have great potential to catalyze new privacy laws and policies, as legislatures, courts, citizens, and tech companies consider the balance between peoples individual's right to privacy and the public's right to free expression.

Littau says that mobile streaming technologies will soon completely change how the public views privacy. He predicts some entities will seek to carve out special exemptions for themselves.

"Our work already mentions situations where municipalities have tried to pass laws stopping citizens from recording police activities in public. It's completely unconstitutional, but that won't stop people from trying," he explains. "Exempting public officials and government workers from the laws that apply to everyone is not a new idea in the U.S. At some point a locality is going to try and make it a crime to live stream police actions on the street."

Services like Facebook Live break down the previous lag between information collection and information distribution, making potential privacy violations instantaneous and unavoidable, according to the research, which was published in print in Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly in June.

The researchers advocate that privacy challenges be addressed directly between by mobile streaming companies and their users via contracts. Attempts to strengthen privacy laws will likely be thwarted by First Amendment protections.

"Ultimately consumers of tools like Periscope and Facebook Live will shape the way they are used," Dr. Stewart says.

"If the developers do not place restraints on use, and do not provide tools for the community of users to monitor content, then it's likely we will continue to see them put to troubling uses such the teenager who live-streamed her suicide in France, or the young woman who live-streamed a friend being sexually assaulted earlier this year."

Stewart says the biggest challenge that the courts will face when these cases arise will be trying to fit old ways of thinking about privacy and public spaces into new tools that weren't even foreseeable when those approaches to privacy were developed. "In this study, we advocate for less legal restraint of recording and live-streaming public matters or government officials in public places, which clearly deserve First Amendment protection," he says. "But we also call for wisdom by users and tech companies in controlling the spread of materials that may be more harmful to private individuals."

More information: Stewart, Daxton and Littau, Jeremy, Up, Periscope: Mobile Streaming Video Technologies, Privacy in Public, and the Right to Record (June 1, 2015). Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Special Issue: Information Access and Control in an Age of Big Data, 2016. Available at SSRN: Stewart, Daxton and Littau, Jeremy, Up, Periscope: Mobile Streaming Video Technologies, Privacy in Public, and the Right to Record (June 1, 2015)., Special Issue: Information Access and Control in an Age of Big Data, 2016. Available at SSRN: ssrn.com/abstract=2730735
Democratic congressional candidate Mike Derrick's campaign reiterated Derrick's stance on a previous defense bill veto in regard to a new veto threat from the Obama administration.

The campaign of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, on Tuesday, issued a press release about published reports that the Obama administration has a strategy to veto the defense bill.

"The Obama administration should stop stop playing partisan politics at the Pentagon," the press release stated.

The press release asked if Derrick would support the President's veto.

Derrick has said of Obama's previous veto of a defense bill that the veto resulted in better over all legislation.

In a press release responding to the Stefanik campaign, the Derrick campaign said, "This attack is unfortunately just more empty, partisan rhetoric from Congresswoman Stefanik ...,"

Asked for a specific position on the potential veto, Drew Prestridge, Derrick campaign manager, said, "To her question, as it says in the statement, Mike Derrick will not put party or politics over principles like national security."

Prestridge later said referred The Post-Star to Derrick's response to the 2015 veto, which can be viewed here.

Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, is running in the 21st Congressional District against Stefanik and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello, a bread company owner and political activist from Hudson Falls.
Interesting numbers in a recent press release from the Salvation Army involving Price Chopper's annual school supplies drive.

"This years Back to School average expenses from the National Retail Federation (NRF) show that spending will increase to over $673 on apparel and accessories, electronics, shoes and school supplies for a family with children in grades K-12." That is an increase of more than $40 from last year."

The point, of course, was to get people to make donations at in-store displays at the Price Chopper stores in Glens Falls, Granville, Lake George, Queensbury.

But it's also an interesting number, and one we don't tend to think about, especially considering it comes only a few months before Christmas shopping. But unlike the holidays, this spending is even harder to limit. Much of it it spent by necessity.

This is the eighth year of the program, in which each Price Chopper store will have an in-store display to encourage shoppers to purchase school items while shopping in the store. All the school supplies collected will be donated to the local Salvation Army who will provide the supplies to area students. The campaign runs until Saturday.
The Whitehall teen who pleaded guilty in April to a federal felony for buying a fully automatic machine gun after telling an undercover police officer he wanted to execute minorities was sentenced Tuesday to 37 months in federal prison.

Smith's lawyer said he was encouraged to buy the guns by an undercover police officer.

Shane R. Robert Smith, 19, was also sentenced to 3 years on probation after his release from prison, which could occur in little more than two years with credit for time served. He could have been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

The sentence, handed down in U.S. District Court in Albany, was for Smith's guilty plea to a count of illegal possession of a machine gun. A federal investigation of Smith began when he aroused suspicions on online message boards for a Russian social media website, where he was trying to buy automatic weapons.

In social media postings and other communications, Smith repeatedly advocated violence toward members of racial and religious minority groups and listed his interests as guns, gunsmithing, building bombs, knives, guerrilla warfare, preserving my race and folk, and destroying the government, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Smith also attempted to form what he described as a militant terrorist group, or a hit squad, called the Silent Resistance Army that would be a true underground Aryan militant army with only men who are not scared to kill or die to make change happen, prosecutors said in a news release. He had also told investigators he planned to rob a Granville gun store.

On Aug. 6, 2015, Smith met with an undercover FBI agent in Whitehall and took possession of two machine guns, a silencer, a Beretta handgun, and 120 rounds of Green Tip ammunition, which is designed to penetrate body armor.

The guns were not loaded and were inoperable at the time. Smith was arrested after taking possession of the weapons.

Our Joint Terrorism Task Force identified Shane Smith as a potential threat and quickly worked to neutralize him so that he would not be able to carry out a hate-inspired act of violence, U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian said.

At the time of his arrest, Smith was on probation for a felony criminal mischief conviction related to a June 2014 spree of racist graffiti in the town of Whitehall. Smith was later sent to a 1- to 3-year state prison sentence for violating probation in that case.

Smith's lawyer, William Montgomery, wrote in a presentencing memorandum that Smith had a rough childhood, during which he was bullied, and had received mental health treatment since the age of 8. He said Smith initially sought to buy a legal MAC-10 but an undercover agent encouraged him to seek automatic weapons.

His conversations with the agent showed a detachment from reality with puffing and exaggeration on his part, Montgomery wrote.

Smith didn't have any army and hadn't made any efforts to start one and lacked the skills to make a suppressor or to modify guns as he boasted, his lawyer added.

It is respectfully submitted that the context of the various texts, emails and telephone conversations that the agent engaged the defendant Shane Smith in were the byproduct of persistent and suggestive calls made by the under agent to defendant Shane Smith, which were exacerbated by his age, immaturity, imagination and mental health status, Montgomery wrote.

Prosecutors, though, pointed out that Smith bought a book that explained how to modify a legal semiautomatic rifle into an illegal automatic one, and he had a pattern of "minimizing" his behavior.
A member of the North Warren Emergency Squad was taken to the hospital Sunday evening with non-life-threatening injuries after a Queensbury man crashed into his emergency vehicle on Main Street.
GREENWICH  A Vermont man is recovering from his injuries after his tractor-trailer flipped over Tuesday on Route 29.

William J. Butler, 60, of Fair Haven, was driving a 2007 International commercial vehicle west on Route 29 at about 1:15 p.m. in the area of 2359 Route 29 when he was unable to negotiate a curve in the road and overturned, police said.

The trailered vehicle lost its load, crashed into two street signs and a concrete retaining wall and pinned Butler in the vehicle, according to a news release from State Police.

Butler was extricated from the vehicle by EMS and complained of chest pains. He was taken to the Washington County Fairgrounds to be airlifted to Albany Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. He was listed in fair condition as of late Thursday morning.

The vehicle was from Earth, Waste & Metal based out of Rutland, Vermont. The company specializes in hauling waste, including from Washington County transfer stations.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but excessive speed is believed to be a factor.

Route 29 in the vicinity of the crash was closed for almost 10 hours to remove the vehicle and repair and investigate the scene. It reopened at 11 p.m. Tuesday.
BOLTON  After searching Wednesday, divers failed to locate the 42-year-old New York City man who apparently drowned Tuesday in Lake George.

The search was suspended just before dusk, according to Warren County Sheriffs Lt. Steve Stockdale. It will resume Thursday at around 8 a.m.

Dive crews are performing a grid search, according to Stockdale.

Hopefully, well be successful. Grid searches take a long time, he said.

The other three people who were with the victim are assisting in the search by pointing out landmarks they were near while they were swimming.

The party included the mans girlfriend, his son and his girlfriends daughter. The son was swimming with the father when he went under and was unable to rescue him, Stockdale said.

The man went swimming off a boat just north of Three Brothers Island when he experienced cramps.

He became distressed. The other people he was with on the boat attempted to reach him with floating life preservers, but he was unable to reach them, Stockdale said.

The four people were in a 16-foot rental skiff, according to Stockdale.

The Warren County Sheriffs Office, State Police and local fire agencies were dispatched to the scene.

After a couple of hours searching by divers, it became a recovery effort, Stockdale said.

Bolton Fire Chief Jeremy Coon said authorities received a call at 12:37 p.m. Tuesday about a man who went under the water and never surfaced.

The depth of water in that part of the lake ranges from 40 feet to 100 feet, Coon said.

Divers suspended the search after sunset on Tuesday.
FORT ANN  A man was killed Wednesday morning after his car was struck by another vehicle that crossed into the wrong lane.

The crash happened just after 7 a.m. on Deweys Bridge Road. The driver of a Jeep Wrangler was traveling east when she failed to keep right and crossed into the other lane. The vehicle struck a small Honda sedan that was traveling west, according to State Police Trooper Kevin Reppenhagen.

The driver of the Honda, a man about 30 years old, was killed in the accident.

The woman driving the Jeep was transported to Glens Falls Hospital with minor injuries. Police have not released the names of the drivers.

The cause of the accident was inconclusive. State Police said it is too early to tell whether there will be charges.

Deweys Bridge Road was closed for about five hours Wednesday while New York State Police reconstructed and investigated the accident scene and cleared the debris.

The West Fort Ann and Fort Ann fire departments responded to the scene, as well as Fort Ann EMS.
It was a range of emotions at the first day of school.

There were tears and hugs, pep talks and goodbyes.

Brittany Williams was crying at the sight of her 4-year-old son Lijah Williams starting kindergarten at Jackson Heights Elementary School in Glens Falls.

Lijah was eager to march into school  right after he reminded his mother when to pick him up.

He told me goodbye and told me to make sure I set my timer for 11:30 a.m., she said.

His father, Travis Williams, was happy that his son was celebrating a milestone.

Its exciting, very exciting, he said.

Other students were more apprehensive about starting the day.

Glens Falls parent Michael Kramer was trying to assure his 5-year-old daughter Lydia that everything would be all right in kindergarten.

I will be back in a couple hours to pick her up, and she had friends in her class this year, so she had no reason to be scared, he said.

His other daughter, Abigail, is a school veteran as she is entering second grade. She was eager to get back with her friends.

Even grandparents turned out for the occasion.

Dorie Tucker was on hand to see her 5-year-old grandson Levi Eager start school.

I drove from Lake George. I had to see this, Tucker said. This little guy was born in Alaska and I flew to Alaska to see that day, too.

Students were eager to share what they had done during the summer. First-grader Adele Squadere, 5, was extremely busy.

I forgot what we did, she said.

Her mother, Brittany Abbey, reminded her of all the activities. We swam. We went to the water park. We went to the beach.

Glens Falls and Hudson Falls were among 18 local school districts that began the year on Wednesday. Some schools started on Tuesday, and Thursday will be the first day for Corinth, Lake George, Queensbury, Schuylerville and South Glens Falls.

At Hudson Falls Primary School, parent Chad Signor was trying to take a picture of his 7-year-old son Mason, who was starting second grade.

Give me a good smile. Deal with the sun for a few seconds, he said.

They decided to move indoors to get the perfect shot.

Thanks for the memories, he said.

Staff was on hand to greet students.

Im excited for a new year, said teaching assistant Breanne Sprague.

Interim Principal Jim Polunci was noticing all the new footware when students walked through the doors.

I wish I had invested in sneaker stocks for all the new sneakers Ive seen, he said.

Polunci is beginning his 49th year in education. He has been serving at various school districts since his 2003 retirement from an Otsego County school district. He is currently filling in for April Struwing, who is on maternity leave and will be back in a month.

Polunci likes the feeling of the first day and the looks on students and parents faces.

Everybody is so anxious to get back to school, he said.
GLENS FALLS  Open Door Mission can begin renovation of the four-story building at 224-226 Warren St. for its new home now that Glens Falls Planning Board approved the site plan by a 4-2 vote on Tuesday.

Open Door Executive Director Kim Cook said renovation will be done in phases with a priority on renovating space for a soup kitchen and Code Blue shelter to provide overnight emergency housing on severe cold nights in the winter.

"The kitchen and dining room is one of the main concerns, as well as somewhere we can do Code Blue. We cant keep moving that around, she said.

Open Door, a Christian mission, now operates a soup kitchen on Lawrence Street in Glens Falls, and has operated a Code Blue shelter at various locations in Glens Falls and Queensbury the past three winters.

The mission will relocate its soup kitchen to Warren Street, and sell the Lawrence Street building.

Open Door plans to spend $5 million to buy, renovate and furnish the 224-226 Warren St. building, until recently a furniture store, for emergency and short-term housing, educational and recovery programs, a drop-in day program, food pantry, soup kitchen, chapel and possibly a health clinic.

The Open Door is under contract to purchase the building.

Planning Board member Peter Accardi, who voted no, said he is concerned The Open Door would be duplicating some services already provided by other organizations and agencies.

There was a tense moment when Accardi questioned how much the mission has raised for the project.

Im not sure, and Im not sure if its relevant to your consideration, said Mark Schachner, a lawyer for The Open Door.

Yes it is (relevant), said Planning Board Chairman Daniel Bruno.

Bruno said its the Planning Boards responsibility to make sure an applicant does not start a project and then leave it unfinished because of lack of funds.

What were going to tell you is that were not going to start a phase until we have the money to complete the phase, Schachner said.

Planning Board member Ronald Greene, who voted no, said he is concerned about erosion of the tax base because the building would become tax exempt.

Schachner said The Open Door is willing to discuss a payment in lieu of taxes arrangement if the arrangement applies to all nonprofit property owners in the city.

Were not insensitive to that, he said.

The Planning Board approved the site plan with conditions.

One condition is that The Open Door frost the windows on the north side of the building, and, if the neighboring property will allow it, plant a hedge row along the property line.

Planning Board members suggested this condition in response to comments from Pat and Bill Sennett, of 7 Platt St., who are concerned about neighborhood privacy.

Its right in our backyard, Pat Sennett said.

The couple submitted a petition signed by 27 residents in the 1st Ward neighborhood that oppose The Open Door locating there.

Pat Sennett said The Open Door facility is needed in the city, but the location is not appropriate.

Glens Falls 1st Ward Councilman Jim Campinell, speaking after the Sennetts, endorsed the project.

This is the neighborhood it belongs in, he said. We need to help them (the homeless) any way we can so we can assimilate them back into society.

The location is ideal because it is on the transit bus line, near the Warren County bike trail, and is walking distance from downtown, said Andrew Allison of AJA Architects and Planning of Glens Falls, a consultant on the project.

Other conditions the Planning Board imposed include Open Door leaders meeting with neighborhood residents, submitting additional details about the roof structure, submitting a prioritized list of construction phases, and consulting with the city engineer about water and sewer infrastructure.

Planning Board member Rachel Murray, who voted yes, said she understands the concerns of neighbors.

If I were in the neighborhood, I would be concerned about people just hanging out, she said.

Planning Board member Kathleen Doyle, who voted yes, said services The Open Door will provide are necessary.

Glens Falls has always been a caring community.  I think its a very good project, she said.

Planning Board member Ethan Hall, who voted yes said the construction plans are thorough.

This is a well submitted package, he said.

Cook on Wednesday released to The Post-Star letters of support for the project from SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy; Rich Jenks, chief financial officer of The Barton Group; and Lottie Jameson, vice president for regional planning and development of Adirondack Health Institute.

Open Doors track record speaks for itself and while it is disheartening to recognize that our community has substantial need, we must do every thing we can to pend the essential services to improve the quality of life for all citizens, wrote Duffy, the SUNY Adirondack president.
I started the first scrapbook shortly after my wife and I married in 1982.

Looking back now, it seems like an unusual thing for a 25-year-old man to do. For some reason, I thought it was important to chronicle the journey. The scrapbooks became our own personal museum and I looked at my role as that of family historian.

While there are the usual selections of vacation and Christmas photographs, we also included artifacts such as the wrapping paper and plastic bag my wifes engagement ring came in, programs of Broadway shows, tickets from my bachelor party and a greeting card that said simply: Youre engaged!

Thats how I proposed.

Later, there are photos of the first home we purchased, including the $100 canceled check to the real estate agent and a letter from the bank telling us how much we owed.

It took us seven years to fill that first scrapbook, four more years to fill the next and then another three to fill the third.

Then our son was born.

We now have 14 of them. Yeah, we took a lot of photos.

Its a great family collection capable of triggering a million memories, but it ended abruptly in 2007. The last entries include vacation photos, Little League action shots and a handwritten letter from my 11-year-old son on Fathers Day where he proclaims me the best dad in the world.

You forget those moments.

But then this tidal wave of technology overwhelmed us.

A few years after buying my first digital camera, I got tired of printing out the photos.

Then along came Facebook and the iPhone and printed images disappeared entirely.

I have almost no photographic prints from the past 10 years and the 15th scrapbook sits empty.

I suspect Im not alone, and I worry about what we are losing.

Downstairs I have a pile of family artifacts on the shelf  ticket stubs to my sons first Yankees game, his graduation program, college acceptance letters and a poignant letter from him during his first year of college when he thanked us for his childhood  Wow!

I suppose I am just being too sentimental, but I worry that those memories will be forgotten, like that Fathers Day note.

There were several times over the past 20 years when I tried to show my son his baby-faced parents as they prepared for a life together; where I implored him to look at our honeymoon photos and take in all the adventures we had before he became the center of our world.

But he wasnt ready.

So I put it back on the shelf with the other 13 scrapbooks, waiting for another day when he might have more time.

With both my parents gone, I now have so many questions about how they started their life together; about what they were thinking when they were married in a church in Mobile, Alabama, with only two strangers as witnesses; and what they hoped for the future.

There was just one photo taken of their wedding day.

They made no scrapbooks.

Maybe thats why I spent so much time on mine.

Someday those 14 scrapbooks will get passed on to my son, and hopefully his children, and I hope they can appreciate what I consider a life lived well. I think those scrapbooks convey who my wife and I are as a couple and individuals, and our goofy, lighthearted approach to the way we live our lives.

But I wonder if someone will ask: What happened after 2007? Where did they go? What did they do?

Will an entire generation have that hole in its history? And does it even matter?

Perhaps our Facebook pages will be preserved forever with a million meaningless selfies.

But what about that ultrasound image of my baby boy? Or the piece of ribbon that held the balloons my wife sent me after she found out she was pregnant? Or that letter my boy sent from college?

They trigger a million wonderful memories that live for me still.

My mission is now clear: There is another scrapbook in my future.

Ken Tingley is the editor of The Post-Star and may be reached via email at tingley@poststar.com. You can read his blog, The Front Page, daily at www.poststar.com or his updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kentingley.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) isnt really a free trade deal, its a way for global oligarchs to consolidate, grow and protect their enormous wealth. The investor-state dispute settlement system (ISDS) is perhaps the most nefarious and objectionable aspect of the deal, with this shadowy court system being used to accomplish the following for the super rich and powerful:

The whole thing is absolutely disgusting and epitomizes all that is wrong and unethical about the world today. As such, stopping the TPP from passage is probably the most important near-term challenge ahead for all of us who want to make the world a better place (or at least prevent it from getting much, much worse).

















According to US Defense Department officials, the USS Firebolt was forced to change course by Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Persian Gulf.

The Navys coastal patrol ship was operating in the Gulf on Sunday when it was allegedly approached by an Iranian attack craft that came within 100 yard of the US vessels. The Iranian craft sailed in front of the Firebolt, forcing the ship to divert its course. One Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the move as "unsafe and unprofessional due to lack of communications and the close-range harassing maneuvering."

Six other Iranian ships harassed the Firebolt before it was forced to change course. While crew members reportedly attempted to make radio contact three times, they received no response.

This is at least the fifth reported incident of its kind in less than a month. The USS Nitze was intercepted by four Iranian vessels while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz last month. Following this encounter, similar incidents occurred with the USS Squall, USS Stout, and USS Tempest.

The Pentagon described each encounter as "unsafe."













What a mess! In the crazy Syrian war, US-backed and armed groups are fighting other US-backed rebel groups. How can this be?

It is so because the Obama White House had stirred up war in Syria but then lost control of the process. When the US has a strong president, he can usually keep the military and intelligence agencies on a tight leash.

But the Obama administration has had a weak secretary of defense and a bunch of lady strategists who are the worst military commanders since Louis XV, who put his mistress, Madame de Pompadour, in charge of French military forces during the Seven Years War. The French were routed by the Prussians. Frances foe, Frederick the Great of Prussia, named one of his dogs, la Pompadour.

As a result, the two arms of offensive US strategic power, the Pentagon and CIA, went separate ways in Syria. Growing competition between the US military and militarized CIA broke into the open in Syria.

Fed up with the astounding incompetence of the White House, the US military launched and supported its own rebel groups in Syria, while CIA did the same.

Fighting soon after erupted in Syria and Iraq between the US-backed groups. US Special Forces joined the fighting in Syria, Iraq and most lately, Libya.





The well-publicized atrocities, like mass murders and decapitations, greatly embarrassed Washington, making it harder to portray their jihadi wildmen as liberators. The only thing exceptional about US policy in Syria was its astounding incompetence.

Few can keep track of the 1,000 groups of jihadis that keep changing their names and shifting alliances. Throw in Turkomans, Yzidis, Armenians, Nestorians, Druze, Circassians, Alawis, Assyrians and Palestinians. Oh yes, and the Alevis.





Meanwhile, ISIS was inflicting mayhem on Syria and Iraq. But who really is ISIS? A few thousand twenty-something hooligans with little knowledge of Islam but a burning desire to dynamite the existing order and a sharp media sense. The leadership of these turbaned anarchists appears to have formed in US prison camps in Afghanistan.

The US, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey armed and financed ISIS as a weapon to unleash on Syria, which was an ally of Iran that refused to take orders from the Western powers. The west bears heavy responsibility for the deaths of 450,000 Syrians, at least half the nation of 23 million becoming refugees, and destruction of this once lovely country.

At some point, ISIS shook off its western tutors and literally ran amok. But the US has not yet made a concerted attempt to crush ISIS because of its continuing usefulness in Syria and in the US, where ISIS has become the favorite whipping boy of politicians.

So, Turkey, a key American ally, is now battling CIA-backed Kurdish groups in Syria. Eighty percent of Turks believe the recent failed coup in Turkey was mounted by the US  not the White House, but by the Pentagon which has always been joined at the hip to Turkeys military.

This major Turkish-Kurdish crisis was perfectly predictable, but the obtuse junior warriors of the Obama administration failed to grasp this point.

Now the Russians have entered the fray in an effort to prevent their ally, Bashar Assad, from being overthrow by western powers. Also perfectly predictable. Russia claimed to be bombing ISIS but in fact is targeting US-backed groups. Washington is outraged that the wicked Russians are doing in the Mideast what the US has done for decades.

















The Obama administration disclosed to Congress on Tuesday that it transferred a total of $1.7 billion in cash through Swiss banks to Iran around the time American hostages were released this year, about four times the amount originally disclosed to the public, sources told Circa.

A source directly familiar with the briefing, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters, said the money was sent to Iran via Swiss banks on three dates; Jan, 17, Jan. 19 and Jan. 22.



The payments coincided with the release of a handful of American prisoners from Iran, including a Washington Post reporter.




Citing the UN Human Development Index report, the president said the report puts Ghana behind Cape Verde in West Africa in water and other human development indexes.

He was speaking on Metro TVs Good Evening Ghana Tuesday.

We are not lagging behind Ivory Coast. I normally dont like to compare but we definitely are not lagging behind the Ivory Coast. If you take the UN Human Development Indicators, aside from Cape Verde Ghana is second in the whole of West Africa in terms of water, in terms of all the various human indicators, he said.

The Ghanaian economy is projected by the International Monetary Fund to grow by 4.5 percent this year while the Ivorian economy is projected to growth at 8.5 percent.

Ivory Coast, the world top cocoa producer, has rebound from a decade of political turmoil to become one of the favourite destinations for investors in West Africa.

It has also enjoyed stable power supply over the last five years while the contrary is the case in Ghana, forcing some businesses to relocate to the French speaking country.

Nonetheless, president Mahama said the Ivorians have gone through what Ghana is experiencing currently, arguing that it is nothing new.

He noted that in time past when Frenching speaking nation was hit with power crisis, Ghana went to their aid.

He, therefore, sees nothing wrong if Ghana is today importing power from Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast has gone through its own period when they didnt have light. Weve had to exchange power at times when they dont have power. We have given them at times. When dont have they give us, and so its not something new, he said.

According to president Mahama, power is in short supply because of the demand for power, a position members of the opposition New Patriotic Party has said it cannot be true.

The NPP say the power challenge is a fiscal issue, saying the government is broke hence cannot buy crude oil and gas to power the countrys turbines.
But the NLC argues that the strike action is not in the interest of the ordinary Ghanaian.

We have filed a motion at the High Court, Labour Division, to get a court order to get them to resume work immediately Even though every worker is justified in pressuring the employer for better conditions of service and higher remuneration, they should also take note that they have a responsibility to ensure that people do not die needless deaths, the Executive Secretary of the NLC, Charles Adongo Bawa Duah told Accra-based Citi FM.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
The suspect is said to have escaped with the children after the incident, leaving her boyfriend in a pool of blood in their makeshift wooden structure at Taifa in Accra.

READ ALSO:

Narrating the incident, the Crime Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Chief Superintendent of Police Edward Kumi Faakye, told the Daily Graphic that the deceased, Moro Okai, was a driver who lived with Oparebea and her two children in the makeshift structure.

He said Okai had returned home from work at about 11p.m. but realised that his girlfriend was not at home.

The victim picked up a quarrel with his girlfriend when she returned home as he was not satisfied with the response given him.

Mr Faakye said the two began exchanging words which led to the girlfriend apparently using a knife to stab her husband, Okai.

She subsequently left the scene and escaped with her children to Suhum in the Eastern Region.

The victim, Okai was later sent to the hospital by his brother but was pronounced dead.
He said he followed the law in granting remission to the Montie three.

"I think that the overriding consideration must be that all arms of government must act constitutionally, I swore an oath on the 7th of January 2013 to abide by the constitution and so every action I take must be in consonance with the constitution.

"The young men were called before the Supreme Court for contempt and even before they were called before the court, they apologised and shown remorse, before the court also, they apologised. They asked for mitigation before the court, retracted and even after they were sent to jail they apologised again."

READ ALSO:

Speaking on Good Evening Ghana on Metro TV Tuesday, he said "I dont know what interest it will serve anyone the three extra months they would have served there. I did exactly what the constitution wanted me to do. I consulted the Council of State and they recommended that I activated my powers under article 72 and that is what I did. And so I think that I acted in the interest of the state."

Safifu Maase, the host, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn were released from prison following a remission of their sentences by President John Mahama.

President Mahama remitted their sentences on Monday August 22, a move that received a mixed reaction.

Some commentators saw the remission as a slap in the face of the Judiciary, while others said the President has only exercised his prerogative of mercy under Ariticle 72 of the Constitution.
Nana Akufo-Addo during his tour of the Central Region had indicated that as part of plans to industrialise and transform the Ghanaian economy, his government plans to help establish a factory in each of the 216 districts across the country if he comes to power.

READ ALSO: Election 2016

According to him, the setting up of these factories across the country will, not only, commence the rapid industrialization of Ghanas economy, but also, will result in the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs needed by the masses of unemployed Ghanaian youth.

But speaking at the SGL Inter-Political Party Forum in Accra Wednesday, the IPP flagbearer said: From 2007 to 11 June, 2016 he [Akufo-Addo] has not mentioned anything about one factory, one district. When we launched this on the 14 June then he started talking about 1-district,1-factory.

[They] looked at the nationwide and he turned it to one-district one factory...so he stole that idea from me Mr. Akpaloo said.

He argued that the NPPs version of his idea will not work because you dont just build factories. You have to look at so many factors.
Below are the points in the partys manifesto that they promise to fulfil when elected into power.

1.Give Power to the people for development.

The PPP explained that it will make decentralisation more effective. Ghana cannot grow if it continues to enjoy an elected dictatorship. The party in its manifesto says they will work to change portions of the Constitution to enable the election of all District Assembly Members and District/Municipal/Metropolitan Chief Executives to ensure local accountability, elimination of corruption and rapid development.

2. Strengthen Parliament to perform its legislative duties effectively

The PPP in its manifesto promises to remove portions of the constitutional provisions that allows Members of Parliament to also serve as Ministers of State. Concurrent with this objective will be a solid determination to give Parliament the facilities and resources needed to pass good laws and scrutinise the proposals submitted by the Executive effectively.

A PPP Administration will reduce the number of ministers of state to 40 and will rely on professional civil and local servants to ensure efficient administration, the manifesto added.

3. Provide better health care and cleaner environment

The PPP promises a cleaner and healthy environment. In their manifesto, they said they will provide emergency care throughout the country to save lives. Health education will be key in a PPP government. Public Health Nursing and Town Council functions will be back on the local government development agenda as we go for comprehensive decentralisation.

4. Attack crime and drug trade and corruption

In a country where the rate of crime keeps rising, the PPP promises to attack crime, the drug trade and corruption aggressively using leadership by example, being modest in government, passing and implementing the Right to Information Bill and ensuring an Independent Prosecutors Office exists separate from the Ministry of Justice. They promise to do this by strengthening agencies responsible for fighting crime in the society.

5. Create a just and disciplined society

In ten years the PPP expects to use science and technology to create a disciplined society. This just society will ensure the implementation of existing laws intended to make life profitable for every Ghanaian including persons living with disability. The National Identification Card system will be reintroduced to help in the use of database to fight crime, facilitate housing and planning, effective election management systems, licenses and permits etc.

6. Improve the performance of government

The party believes that if it holds every government official accountable for their actions it will help improve governance in the country. They also promise to perform better than previous governments if they emerge winners of the December polls.

7. Provide quality education for every Ghanaian child

The PPP promises to provide quality education for every Ghanaian child. They promise to provide every facility needed to ensure higher standard of education. They also said they will deploy Education Police to enforce the compulsory aspect of our policy.

8. Provide energy for industrialisation and rapid development

The key objective for the PPP in this sector is to bring solutions that meet domestic needs for industry and domestic use and make Ghana a net exporter of power again in four years. the party added.

9. Empower the diaspora

10. Create jobs
But there is the kind of non-traditional media being utilised by these political parties, where candidates and parties can speak directly to voters.

Social media! On social media, you will find that the major political parties have a created a vibrant presence.

Recently when President Mahama got 1 million followers on his Facebook page he released a video thanking his followers and Ghanaians in general.

The presidential nominee of the opposition New Patriotic Party also has a vibrant page. So does PPP's Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom. You find their pictures and videos of campaign tours on their pages.

In 2008 and 2012 even though social media was present most political parties did not utilise it as they are doing now.

A media and politics analyst, Dr Etse Sikanku believes this year will be different.

he told Pulse Ghana.

One school of thought has been that the number of followers or visits to ones social media page does not directly mean the person will win the election. Even though Dr Sikanku agrees with this thought he also argues that the vice versa can also happen. Speaking to pulse.com.gh he uses President of the USA Barack Obamas situation as an example.

The other argument has been that not all Ghanaians are on social media. Research by internetworldstats.com shows that Ghana has 7,958,675 Internet users as at June 2016 which is just about 29.6% of the population. 2,900,000 Facebook subscribers as at November 2015 with only 10.8% penetration rate.

Dr Sikanku argues that even though there are people from different demographic groups any effective communication team would consider that or tailor the methods to meet each audience. That is why we should be a little bit cautious about making conclusions about the effect of social media on elections. It might work with a certain demographic group it might not work with another demographic group.

Recently, President Mahama shared a picture that put a playful twist on his election campaign. And analytics showed the photos had a positive effect on social media -the picture gained Mahama, who is hoping for another term in office, 2,225,806 eyeballs.

Currently on Facebook the presidential nominee with most followers is President Mahama, followed by Nana Akuffo Addo and Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom.

Their vice presidential candidates together with other party members have been very active ensuring they propagate their partys messages to the social media users.

In as much as social media is a great tool for propagating campaign messages, it can cause chaos depending on how it is used. This could be the reason why the Inspector General of Police John Kudalor threatened to shut down social media during elections.

Even though that decision has been rescinded, social media users must be cautious what they put up. This includes the politicians and other users who comment on their pages.
According to the president, such claims are unfair since he has rather been castigated by Nana Addo and the NPP over the years.

He has criticised Akufo-Addo for "sleeping" during his tour of the Western Region when he said roads in the region are in a bad state.

He again attacked Akufo-Addo's character at a rally in Bimbila in the Northern Region, describing him as a "dictator" and a "divisive" figure.

He further told voters the NPP flagbearer is too "dangerous" for the destiny of the nation to be entrusted into his hands.

But speaking on Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday, President Mahama said that for four years he [Akufo-Addo] has described me as incompetent, for four years hes described me as visionless, for four years hes described me as a thief. He says when I come to power I wont steal your money what does that mean? It means I am stealing Ghanaians money.

Im a politician and I know its an occupational hazard; sometimes to have your opponents vilify you so I dont take it as anything, the president said.

The president sustained attack on the NPP leader follows a bitter internal party politics which led to the suspension of three national executives and the death of the party's Upper East Regional Chairman of the party.

The NPP has subsequently criticised the president for targeting Nana Addo for attack.

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, 25 August, Mr Boadu said the NPP is at peace.

The attacks, much to our bemusement, are being led by the commander-in-chief himself, our president. It is said that if you want to know the true colour of a person, see how he behaves when under pressure. President Mahama is now showing his true colours. Rather than addressing the myriad problems the country is facing, he has reduced his bid for re-election to a manifesto of lies and insults against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo," he said.

But President Mahama believes the main focus of the NPP flagbearer should be to unify the party ahead of the elections.
The President was speaking on Metro TV Tuesday. He argued that until Nana Akufo Addo explains his implementation strategy of his promises to the electorates his current style remains one that was primitive.

READ ALSO: PPP intensifies campaign

According to President Mahama even the one village one dam is a project they (NDC government) are already undertaking.

President Mahama was optimistic the NDC would win the December polls because the parties promises are realistic and achievable.
The Institute of Economic Affairs in partnership with Pulse Ghana is giving you the opportunity to do so with the #IWantToKnow Campaign.

The #IWantToKnow Campaign is aimed at getting questions from the average Ghanaian on the street on what they would want to ask the presidential candidates if they had the chance to meet them.

READ ALSO: IEA Report

Karen Hendrickson, Director of Advocacy and Programmes at the IEA said the campaign will be rolled out live in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi on Friday, September 9, 2016, where the team will be at the main Kumasi market to solicit from the people what they would want to ask their various presidential candidates.

The #IWantToKnow Campaign will also be live in Accra and Ho, she said.

Karen Hendrickson added that the IEA is hoping to reach and interact with a wider audience as the campaign will be using the various social media platforms to propagate its message.

Pulse Ghana will be bringing you a live Facebook broadcast from the event in Kumasi on this Friday 9th of September 2016 and the subsequent ones.
According to her, the political environment currently appears tensed and might degenerate into violence if the situation is not checked.

She said the commission has identified some 81 flashpoints in the country ahead of the elections.

READ ALSO: Election 2016

Speaking at a colloquium on peaceful elections in Ghana on Wednesday, September 7, chairperson of the EC, Charlotte Osei said the media should be blamed for allowing political analysts and serial callers to set the agenda every day.

 We are going into elections where one party believes it must win and the other believes it cannot lose. However, its a contest where there is going to be one winner and many losers so in spite of all the preparations and the experience we have, this election is beginning to look like a volatile event if we do not [manage the process better], she said.

The EC Chairperson added that: One of the key ways in ensuring peaceful democracy and a stable one is to have a strong independent media and Ghana is voted 26 out of the 180 countries in terms of press freedom. So although we have an independent and free media, the political discourse in the media especially in the local language is very [bad] and we have serial callers and political analysts, who set the agenda every day. Rather than creating the recipe for a stable democracy, even the strength of the media and their accessibility is beginning to create problems for our democratic culture.
No! We are not talking about way back in the 'abrab) ahy3ase3' days.

Remember when he visited the president of the United States of America, Barack Obama at the white house? Ghana first gentleman rocked a Kaftan with an impeccable black shoe that took all the shine from the first black president of the United States.

President Mahama also showed us all how to pull off a white white when he showed up in church with the first lady by his side. It was as if he was touched by an angel.

Then there is his time in Rome, where he wore the usual smoke weve seen him wear in the usual spectacular way.

So it was quite surprising when the president of Ghana showed up for his interview with Metro TVs Paul Adom Otchere on Good Evening Ghana in an unusual way.

Now, can we talk about President Mahamas oversized white shirt?

In a world and age where tailored shirts are the trends, showing up for your interview in an oversized shirt is so 1992, the days when BIG shirts were the new normal.

For the president of Ghana, getting a good tailor for his alteration should have been Koko like ELs popular song. However, it was difficult as finding meaning to M.anifests GodMC with respect to the white shirt President Mahamas white shirt for his interview.

Now lets stop the plenty talking. This is picture evidence.

Maybe, if politicians could stop throwing one this, one that around and enter into some mode for fashion inspiration, one man, one tailor could avoid all the dressing mishaps we see all over as they campaign for power.

Now go and sin no more as the 2016 Election approach.
The all round fashion brand is known to take inspirations from colours, retro, African arts and culture; hence the colourful, retro and afro centric theme in most of their pieces.

Didi Creations Ltd. is a fashion Company incorporated and based in the United Kingdom founded in 2012 by Tina Ndidi Ugo in her London home as a result of her knack for creating unique handmade/bespoke pieces.

ALSO READ:BEFFTA Award winning brand Bestow Elan set to showcase new collection

Didi Creations makes unisex style pieces, footwear, bags and accessories and only recently added a kiddies line.

Pan African Tanzanian Designer Mustafa Hassanali has already been unveiled as headline designer at the fashion event set to have over 70 designers presenting their latest collections.

The fashion initiative of the wife of Nigerias Vice President; Dolapo Osinbajo, STEP UP will also make a debut exhibition at the event where indigenous goods produced by the brand will be on display.

Mustafa Hassanali, Tina Lobondi, Nnooll, Caesar Couture, OSaunders, JAUA, Agatha Moreno, Victoria Grace and more designers are set to show their latest collections at the fashion week.

Details:

Date: 9th to 10th September 2016
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
According to Punch, three landlords were kidnapped by gunmen in military uniforms on September 1, 2016.

Also, on Monday, August 29, 2016, two landlords were kidnapped on their way to work around 11 am.

Some residents say it might be connected to a recent incident involving the arrest of a land grabber, Aaron by the officers attached to the Ojo police station.

According to reports, Aaron was later released, and he threatened to deal with residents of the estate for reporting him to the police.

A landlord in the area, who did not want his identity to be revealed, said The gunmen have obtained a list of rich landlords in the estate. So, they came again on Monday.

The first thing we noticed was that the female landlord, Nwaochei, was released by the gunmen. She came back home around 9.30pm. Her husband did not disclose how much was paid as ransom. He only confirmed that they paid a ransom.

While a part of the estate was celebrating with the family, gunshots suddenly rent the air on Ojezua Street.

The gunmen came into an apartment on the street to abduct a landlord, but the man had fled the house. So the gunmen took away the two boys working in his house.

I think the gunmen have informants among us. The commercial motorcycle riders and artisans are among the informants.
Narrating his ordeal, father of the victim, Mr Victor Asuquo, said that the unfortunate incident happened when the torrential rain transformed into flood and enveloped every available space in the area.

He expressed regrets that being a new resident of the area, it was difficult for his son to identify the drains from the road, saying this caused him (victim) to fall into the gutter.

He called on the state government to open up water channel for free flow of water in the area.

``When the alarm was raised that my child has falling into the flood gutter, it was too late as the water carry him far south into Ekpene Street, where he got drowned.

``I am appealing to the state government to do something about the flooding problem in Oron Local Government Area, as more harm may be caused during the few months of rain.

``Uyime was my last hope in life; the state government should come and assist me to take care of his siblings, `` he said.

Corroborating Mr Asuquo`s opinion, the landlord of the deceased, Mr Etim Asuquo, said that Oron is a flood prone area because of the unavailability of a functional drainage in the locality.

He maintained that successive governments had not paid serious attention to the ecological and environmental predicament of the people of the area.

He appealed to the state government to consider the urbanisation of Oron as a matter of priority.

He appealed to relevant government agencies to construct a bigger channel to control flood in the area.

In his remarks, Mr Anthony Bassey, the transitional Chairman, Oron Local Government Area, expressed shock at the unfortunate incident.

Bassey, however, said that the state government had concluded plans to urbanise Oron and other local government areas.
The man identified as Charles Carlson had checked into Ellyx Vile Hotel on African Line, Lekki Phase 1, the day before he was found dead.

His death was confirmed by SP Dolapo Badmos, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, who said they have been directed by the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, to solve the mystery surrounding his death.

She said, The matter was reported to the police by the manager of the hotel, identified as Vincent Owunke. The guest, Carlson, an American, it was observed did not pick calls to the intercom in his room and he did not come out for breakfast.

The police are investigating a case of sudden and unnatural death. The American was found motionless and hanged himself with a rope close to the door. The CP, Owoseni, has directed the case to be transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, for further investigation.
The landowner identified as Mr. David Agberemole is reported to have unleashed untold hardships on the tenants living on his property located at Uzea Community in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, for choosing to support a political party other than his.

Three of such tenants, Mr Sylvester Chukwuemeka, Okosun Christiana and Ogbeide Elizabeth have lamented their unfair ordeal.

Speaking in her native dialect (Esan), Christiana said, We dont have any problem, just party differences, he told us he wanted everyone in the house to support PDP, because he is a member of the party, but I refused.

I told him that I have been in APC for a very long time that even if the PDP is buying me a car I prefer to remain in the APC, and he said since that is my stand; I should consider myself evicted from his house."

Another of the evicted tenants, Chukwuemeka disclosed that his rents were up to date and that the landlord's actions went against the principles of fair play and justice.

I dont understand why the landlord will just decide to drive us out of his house because we are not supporting PDP. I pay my rent regularly and this is not fair to me.

The state government should come to our aid because I dont know when it became a crime to support a party.

He went on to call on all the relevant authorities to come to their aid even as the Acting Executive Chairman of Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Barr. Emmanuel Usoh has done by giving the evicted tenants some bags of cement and money to build their own houses.
ALSO READ: 3 dead as Igbo and Hausa battle in Imo State

The misunderstanding which resulted in fighting and bloodshed is yet to be understood.

Some of the youths are reportedly nursing varying forms of injuries inflicted with machetes and other dangerous weapons.

Officers of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad intervened in the situation, arresting some of the youths found at the scene of the incident.
Rosemary Adejesu, 38, who is a trader and her daughter, Onyinyechi, 18, residing in Ogba are now facing charges of conspiracy, breach of peace and assault, after attacking their Landlady identified as Mrs Christiana Ogundare for questioning their activities in her compound.

The Prosecutor, Insp. George Nwosu disclosed to the court that the accused converted their residence to a worship centre without the landlady's permission, disturbing other tenants whenever services were conducted on Friday nights and on Sundays.

After the tenants reported the issue to the Landlady, she came to the residence to warn the accused to seize the services but they refused.

The landlady was then forced to invite the police to intervene in the situation but as soon as the officers left, the accused and her daughter reportedly attacked the complainant. The incident reportedly took place on August 24 at their residence.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against her.
The complainant, Margaret Agwu, made the disclosure to the Igando Customary Court, Lagos State today, September 7, in divorce proceedings against her husband identified simply as Onu.

Margaret revealed that her husband had turned her into a punching bag, saying,

"He once punched me in my stomach and I lost my first pregnancy after a fight. I have lived every minute of my life in fear but I cannot go back to my parents because of the bride price."

The 45-year-old woman urged the court to annul her marriage of 33 years, also citing her husband's duplicity.

"When I was 12 years old, my husband came to my village to ask for my hand in marriage with a promise to my parents that he would send me to school.

"He also lied to my parents that he is a businessman that he owned a provision store and that he lived in a flat.

"My parents told him that they cannot release me for marriage because I was too young and besides I was still schooling.

"Onu told my parents that he will send me to school after the marriage, my parent agreed and he paid the bride price," she explained.

She went on to add:

"When I got to his house, I discovered that he was staying in one-room apartment, selling popcorn at the roadside.

"He also refused to fulfil his promise of sending me to school."

Margaret said she would have let go of her husband's deceit if not for the fact that he had turned into a brute, and beats her at the slightest provocation.

She also accused her husband of absconding with their five children about 16 years ago.

"When I called him after he packed out, he just told me that he was no longer interested in the marriage and since then he refused to pick my calls.

"His relations told me he relocated with the children to Port Harcourt. It is 16 years now that I have not seen nor heard from them.

"I heard that my husband gave our first daughter's hand in marriage without my knowledge and that she had given birth to a son."

The complainant further urged the court to return the N600 bride price paid on her head and dissolve the marriage, saying, "I am no longer in love and I want to move on with my life."

During a call placed to Onu on the phone by a court official, he said Margaret was no longer his wife.

The President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, admitted that the marriage had obviously hit the rocks.

"Throughout the duration of this case, the respondent refused to honour court summons, therefore, the court has no other choice than to dissolve the union.

"The marriage between Margaret Agwu and Onu Agwu is hereby dissolved from today, both parties are no longer husband and wife.
These modern-day Josephs, driven by love for their country or ambitions, risked their lives to secure a better future for their people.

Here are seven presidents who rose from prisoners to becoming the leaders of their nations.

1. Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi [India]

The first and only female Prime Minister of India, Indira was the daughter of the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. She first served as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977, before losing her seat to the Janata alliance.

She later won a bye-election in 1978 but was arrested along with her son Sanjay Gandhi by the Janata government on some trumped up charges but was released after the collapse of the Janata coalition.

In 1980, Indira Gandhi once again became Prime Minister but was assassinated by her bodyguards in 1984 for ordering the storming of the Harmandir Sahib as a countermeasure to the Punjab insurgency.

2. Fidel Castro [Cuba]

The son of his father's maid, Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz and his brother Raul were captured and sentenced to 15 years in prison, after their group "The Movement" staged a failed attack on the Moncada barracks on July 26, 1953.

Released in 1955 they traveled to Mexico, where they met Ernesto "Che" Guevara who helped them mount a series of successful military campaigns, that eventually led to the collapse of General Fulgencio Batista's government in January 1959.

Manuel Urrutia was then installed as president while Jose Miro Cardona became prime minister. But after just a month Miro resigned, and Castro was sworn in as prime minister at the age of 32.

ALSO READ: 10 powerful women

3. Dilma Vana [Brazil]

Daughter of a Bulgarian immigrant, Dilma Rousseff joined various guerilla groups which fought against the dictatorship in 1964 before she was captured, tortured, and locked up between 1970 and 1972.

The Mensalao corruption scandal in 2005, saw her become the Chief of Staff of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and in March 2010 she resigned to run for president.

Dilma Rousseff became Brazil's first female president in 2010 and was re-elected again in 2014, but was suspended by the senate for six months on 12 May 2016, before she was finally impeached on 31 August 2016.

4. Kim Dae Jung [South Korea]

Referred to as the "Nelson Mandela" of Asia, Kim Dae-Jung was arrested in 1980 and sentenced to death. But the intervention of the United States and the Pope John II, saw his sentence changed to 20 years in prison, then to an exile in the US.

In 1985, Kim returned to South Korea and was once again put under house arrest, before losing the first transparent elections held in a long time by dictator Chun Doo-hwan after succumbing to pressure.

Finally, after trying four times, Kim Dae-Jung defeated Lee Hoi-Chang and was sworn in as the eighth President of South Korea on 25 February 1998.

5. Nelson Mandela [South Africa]

A lawyer by profession Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela joined the ANC in the late 1940s, co-founded its Youth League and before being appointed President of the ANC's Transvaal branch.

He was sentenced to life in prison in 1962 for conspiring against the state after his militant group Umkhonto we Sizwe, launched a sabotage campaign against the government but was freed in 1990 after serving 27 years.

In 1994 Mandela became the first black President of South Africa after winning a multiracial general election. A true statesman, he only served one term before handing over the reins to Thabo Mbeki.

6. Patrice Lumumba [Congo]

Hailed by Malcolm X as the most impressive black man to ever walk the African continent, Patrice Lumumba was handed a 69-month sentence in 1959 for his anti-colonial fight but was released after serving only nine months and became the Prime Minister at the young age of 34.

He only lasted three months as Prime Minister before being ousted in a military coup fronted by Mobutu Sese Seko but orchestrated by the US, England, and Belgium their former colonial lords.

Lumumbas believed to have been shot multiple times, before his body was dissolved in acid, by the Belgian military in a bid to cover a full-scale investigation. Belgium later apologised in 2002 for its role in his death.

7. Olusegun Obasanjo [Nigeria]

Credited with bringing the civil war to an end, Olusegun Obasanjo first became the President of Nigeria after the death of Murtala Mohammed in the failed Dimka coup.

In 1995, Obasanjo an outspoken critic of the Abacha regime was arrested on trumped up charges of plotting a coup but was released after the sudden death of Abacha in June 1998.
One of the suspects, Muhammed Bulama, is said to be number 105 on the armys wanted list.

This was disclosed via a statement released by Army spokesperson, Sani Usman.

According to Usman, Bulama was arrested along side 2 other suspected Boko Haram terrorists; Ardo Abba Muhammed (elder brother to Bulama as claimed) and Muhammadu Kaigama, in Azare community, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, with the help of the local vigilantes in the town.

He said further that the trio were arrested riding on horseback and bicycle shepherding some sheep towards market.

Bulama also supposedly confirmed that his photograph was on the armys wanted list and further revealed that he specialized in rearing animals for the terrorist group.

ALSO READ: Army admits some officers are selling weapons to Boko Haram
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that others at the meeting included state governors, the Chief Justice of the Federation, Mohammed Muhmud and former Chief Justices including Lawal Uwais, Dahiru Musdafa, Alfa Belgore and Alooma Muktar.

NAN reliably gathered that the meeting might discuss the confirmation of the acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and appointment of new National Commissioners for the National Population Commission.

Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who are members of the Council, were not at the meeting when it started at about 11.08 a.m.
Abdulrahman Dambazau, the minister of interior, made the declaration in a statement signed by the acting permanent secretary in the ministry, Muhammadu Maccido.

The minister said that government was aware of the current economic challenges the nation was facing. He assured that appropriate steps were being taken to address the challenges.

The minister expressed optimism that the current economic difficulties would soon be over, urging all to continue to support the government in building a new formidable Nigeria.

He enjoined all Muslims and Nigerians in general to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his sustained efforts to diversify the economy and progressively accelerate the pace of economic recovery.

Earlier, a coalition of several Christian groups in Nigeria had queried the alleged declaration of public holidays to celebrate Islamic festivals by the Sultan of Sokoko, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III.
The coalition led by National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), ThisDay Newspaper reports, condemned the federal government over the declaration of September 12, 2016 as public holiday in commemoration of Eid-el-Kabir celebration by Abubakar III.

Speaking on behalf of the NCEF, Solomon Asemota (SAN), said it was very improper for the head of the Islamic faith in Nigeria to announce, declare or extend public holidays. stating that it smacks of usurpation of government functions."

ALSO READ: Sultan announces September 12 as Eid el-Kabir Day

Speaking further, Asemota said: We call on the federal government to rise to its task and cease abdicating its responsibilities to the head of a religion. We do not want what happened during the time of Abacha, when Sultan Dasuki was dethroned by Abacha to repeat itself. It should not be forgotten that apart from Christianity and Islam, there exist in Nigeria various traditional religions that are the foundation of our culture as Africans.

The federal government should continue to play its neutral, non-aligned role in the best interest of the nation. Meanwhile, we await the declaration of the Eid el-Kabir public holiday by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the coalition stated.

Other members of the coalition include Nigerian Christian Graduate Fellowship; Think Tank For The Body Of Christ; Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria; Association of Christian Schools in Nigeria; Students Christian Movement; Christian Professionals Forum; Ministers Prayer Network; International Christian Embassy Jerusalem; Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association and International Prophetic Ministerial Association (Inc. Worldwide College of Bishops and Ministers, Africa, UK and USA).
The article, which is a continuation from part one, reads:

Yet as hard as the Obama/Clinton/Kerry triumverate may try to cover it up, it appears that the message about the real situation in Buhari's Nigeria is beginning to get across to the world.

As a glaring example of this permit me to share the words of a strong Trump supporter, Republican Congressman Tom Marino, which were contained in a letter that he sent to Secretary of State John Kerry a few days ago.

Describing President Buhari as a former military dictator whose reign (as military head of state) was cut short by a coup, he stated that the President has continually shunned inclusivity in favour of surrounding himself with advisors and ministers from the north of the country and the region he considers home.

Congressman Marino ought to be commended. He has spoken the minds of millions of those who really care about what is going on in Nigeria from all over the world. He has written what the overwhelming majority of Nigeria's ruling and political elite believe but dare not say publicly out of fear of persecution and reprisals from their own government.

Most importantly Congressman Marino reflects the mind of Mr. Donald Trump, his party's presidential candidate, on this matter and indeed the views of the majority of deeply concerned American Christians.

This is welcome support for those of us that are fed up with Buhari's pro-north, pro-Hausa Fulani and pro-Muslim agenda. Congressman Marino has rightly observed the sad and shameful events that are unfolding in our country.

These are events that many of us warned the Nigerian people would end up happening if they made the mistake of voting Buhari into power during last years presidential election campaign. Though we were ignored, insulted, humiliated, persecuted, falsely accused and treated with contempt and disdain for speaking the truth, our words have proved to be prophetic. Today we are witnessing those ugly events that we warned about unfolding before our very eyes.

The bottom line is as follows: if we want Nigeria to stop charting this shameless and utterly dangerous course and if we wish to get off the "road to Kigali" we must pray alongside our American friends for Donald Trump to win the presidential election in November.
According to a report by Punch Newspaper, the arrest was made known by the state Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Yusuf, who said the arrest was a result of the success of the anti-kidnapping unit of the Kano State Police Command.

The Rano Area Commander was directed to relocate his office to the most affected axis to ensure effective supervision of the men deployed. Items recovered from the suspects included four fabricated AK47 rifles, nine motorcycles, two face masks, 96 cows, 33 sheep and one dog," Yusuf said.

ALSO READ: Indian businessman kidnappers arrested in Benue

Others recovered items, according to Yusuf, were 56 rounds of live ammunition, some quantity of drugs, two expended cartridges, two cell phones, a bow and arrow, axe and machete and N200, 000 cash.

Reports further revealed that the suspects who had been operating around the Falgore and Gomo forests, were apprehended in the Doguwa and Sumaila local government areas of the state on Tuesday, September 6, 2016.
Alhaji Sani Madugu, Comptroller of Customs in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto that N123.14 million was collected in corresponding period in 2015.

He said that the performance represented an increase of 17.7 per cent compare to the amount generated in the same period, the previous year.

Madugu said that the command had taken measures to ensure that duties were paid on all goods coming to through the area.

He said that personnel of the command had been properly equipped deployed to all routes used by smugglers in the area to check the illegality.
The SANs Mr Paul Erokoro and Ahmed Raji, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday that people do not have to go through jail for every minor offence committed.

According to them, it will decongest the prisons and forestall the incessant jailbreaks experienced in the country.

Mr Paul Erokoro, (SAN) told NAN that "those that cannot pay fines dont need to be jailed.

"They can work for their country or community; by participating in road constructions and cleaning the cities."

Erokoro called for amendment of the constitution to remove the Nigerian Prisons Service from the exclusive legislative list, to enable states have their own prisons for increased capacity.

He called for the domestication of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act 2015 to be applicable in the states,

Similarly, Mr Ahmed Raji, another SAN, called for the setting up of structures that would lessen the burden of the prisons to avoid reoccurrence of jailbreaks.

Raji said that remanding every convict in prison should be discouraged.

He also advocated use of non-custodial sentencing where by offenders could offer some community-related services.

``Instead of remanding people in the prison custody I think we can develop systems to free them.

``In developed countries, they have suspended sentencing subject to good behaviour," Raji said.
Saraki, who also condoled with Ibrus family, described him as a trailblazer who impacted lives positively.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said Olorogun Ibru, as he was fondly called, was a pioneer of great repute who contributed immensely in entrenching private entrepreneurship and business development in Nigeria.

Simply put, he was a trailblazer in the art of running successful business and transforming local concerns into internal brands. He started small, grew great and became an undisputed reference point in the nations business firmament and beyond.

He was a businessman, philanthropist, educationist and community leader whose unassuming and humble lifestyle often belied his immense achievement, great wisdom and uncommon managerial acumen. He practically transformed Agbarha-Otor, his hometown with several development projects.

I can say that he is one of the phenomenal personalities in our time who successfully immortalized themselves before bidding goodbye to this plane of existence. His likes are rare. He shall be sorely missed.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki was reportedly absent when the Council of State meeting started around 11:08 am on Wednesday, September 7, 2016.
Gabriel Ogbudje, one of the leaders of the Otugas Fire Force, was arrested along with an accomplice, Elvis Dweller Ejus in Edo State.

This was disclosed via a statement released by army spokesman, Colonel Sani Usman on Wednesday, September 7, 2016.

The statement reads:

Troops of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army have arrested a suspected national economy saboteur, Gabriel Ogbudje (an ex-militant leader), also the alleged leader of the Otugas Fire Force, a militant group threatening to attack Utorogu Gas Plant.

He was alleged to be responsible for the recent act of economic sabotage perpetrated on NPDC/Shoreline major delivery trunk line within Ogo-Oteri general area on the 26th of August.

The suspect has been on the run since he was declared wanted because of his public declaration as the leader of the militant group Otugas Fire Force and his subsequent declaration of the threat code named Crocodile Tear.

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The militarys comment was contained in a statement released by Acting Director, Defence Information, Rabe Abubakar.

The statement reads:

The Defence Headquarters wishes to alert the general public of the disturbing spate of how various militant groups are springing up in the Niger Delta with each of them hiding under regional agitation to commit all manners of crimes and atrocities.

The latest being the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) that claimed responsibility for blowing up NNPC oil pipeline few days ago. The same group has come out again, demanding residents living near oil and gas infrastructure to vacate their homes to avoid being caught in its next attacks.

The Defence Headquarters wishes to state, in clear term, that no group or individual has the right to threaten or force residents in any part of Nigeria to abandon their homes in obeisance to certain groups selfish and devilish interest.

It is more worrisome that despite the Federal Governments olive branch to broker peace and profer solution to the lingering Niger Delta problem, some groups are still fanning the ember of war. The military and other security agencies would remain focused, un-intimidated and will display professionalism in ensuring adequate security to lives and property.

While the Armed Forces respect the Governments negotiation with relevant stakeholders in the Niger Delta, the military exercise and operations in the area are not targeted at any group or meant towards making lives difficult for the inhabitants.

The ongoing exercise is geared towards enhancing civil-military relationship and building the confidence of the resident on the ability of the military to protect them. The exercise also demonstrates the strength of the troops to purge the region of criminals and economic saboteurs. The Armed Forces would not tolerate any form of criminality in that region.

The military and other security agencies wish to therefore re-affirm their total commitment to ensure security of lives and property, not only in the Niger Delta, but throughout the federation. We also solicit the cooperation of all the stakeholders, including the royal fathers, leaders and youths to achieve this feat.

ALSO READ: 4 soldiers drown in Niger Delta

We urge public, especially those residing in the Niger Delta, to discountenance the threat and request innocent citizens and those domiciled therein to go about their legitimate businesses.
In an electronic statement issued by its director of public enlightenment and awareness, Lucky Humphrey, the group noted that the presence of the military in the Niger Delta was crucial to rescuing the regions larger population who 'have become human pawns to a vocal minority made up of the militants and their sponsors.'

It stated that Nigerians of South-South origins must develop the courage to speak out against the atrocities being committed against them by militants who try to impose their decisions on the entire area without having held consultations with anyone on what they want.

It said the situation could have gone worse federal government succumbed to the blackmail of those resisting military presence in the Niger Delta under the pretext of calling for negotiation while what they were actually doing was buying time for their boys (militants) to mobilize and gather more weapons.

The militants who are not unaware of the global economic meltdown would have resorted to their old ways of kidnap for ransom but for the vigilance of the military. Had this happened, only the celebrity kidnap victims would get reported and attract security intervention while the poorer families would become prey to the small ransom kidnap syndicates that would operate freely.

This is why, contrary to the position of militants sponsors who could afford the media hype to claim the contrary, we salute President Muhammadu Buhari for the deployment of the military to the region.

It is in the same vein we advise our people who have been misled into taking up arms to discard them and structure their intervention for the Niger Delta within the framework of the legitimate platforms for expressing dissatisfaction by law-abiding Nigerians.

Unrepentant militants should note that the rest of the Niger Delta would move forward without them in the event that they suffer the consequences of refusing to disarm. We know from recent experiences that the arms they bear against the government are not for the general well-being of the Niger Delta population but for some narrow interest for which they are prepared to commit crimes, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the father of former militant leader, Government 'Tompolo' Ekpemupolois dead.

Thomas Osen Ekpemupolo passed on early hours of Wednesday, September 7, 2016 after alleged military brutality in May, 2016.
The group also said that it will not rest until the abducted girls are rescued.

We still mourn the tragedy of the loss of our brothers and sisters, but the bitter part of it is the abduction of over 50 girls by men of the Nigerian army, the group said via a statement.

The abduction of the girls took place immediately after the disastrous massacre at the residence of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, which is a shameful act that dented the image of the Nigerian military in the international arena.

In a situation where Nigerians and parents of the abducted Chibok girls relied heavily with the belief that the army can rescue their abducted children, the same army were caught in a new set of abduction paradox.

The distinction between Chibok girls abduction and Zaria abduction is that Chibok is related to a group that operates in anonymity, while in Zaria, the girls abduction was fully undertaken by uniformed men of the Nigerian army.

Females are precious species that are highly fragile and sensitive; that is the reason why we launched the #BringBackOurZariaGirls campaign; we hope to see the engagement of human right activists, socialists, feminist groups, and all sympathetic minds in the struggle for the freedom of our abducted girls," it added.

Members of the group clashed with the army in Zaria after an alleged assassination attempt on Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai.

Meanwhile, the Shiites have warned that there will be chaos in the land if their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky dies in detention.

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The comedy movie has been recognized as one of the films with the highest domestic gross in the territories of Bollywood, Nollywood and Hollywood, listed alongside "PK" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

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The actor took to his Instagram page to share the news with his followers.

"This is the first time ever that the Nigerian film industry which is one of the largest in the world, will be achieving such a tremendous success that will be registered by the 'Guinness World Records' since 1955 when it was first published. "I am dedicating this milestone in my career to all the casts and crew of 30 Days In Atlanta. Also to everyone who went to the cinemas to see the movie when it came out. Let's do it again with my new movie 'A Trip to Jamaica' premiering on September 25th, and showing across cinemas in Nigeria from September 30th."

The movie tells the tale of "Akpors: Sharp Warri boy" who wins a 30 days holiday for two to Atlanta, Georgia. He takes his cousin (Richard), an IT specialist on the all-expense paid trip.

The movie stars AY Makun, Vivica Fox, Lynn Whitfield, Karlie Redd, RMD, Ramsey Noauh, Desmond Elliot, Mercy Johnson, Rachel Oniga, Ada Ameh, Uti Nwachukwu, Kese Jabari, Majid Michel, and Juliet Ibrahim.

Directed by Robert Peters, "30 Days in Atlanta" was shot on location in Lagos and Atlanta, and was met with mixed to negative critical reception.

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The comedy movie grossed 76million Nairaseven weeks after it's premiere, went on to bring in a box-office total of over 137million Naira, making it the highest grossing movie in the Nigerian cinema history.

In February 2015, the movie was stolen and sold by a staff of Silverbird Cinemas and was released by Alaba pirates.
The 6th edition which kicks off September 30 through October 2, 2016, will offer audience films under the banner 'music makes the people.'

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"The Lights, Camera, Africa!!! Film Festival through its consistently bold representation of diverse African cinema shares its sixth edition with a theme that is perhaps the most appropriate motifs for its native city. Lagos is a shrine to rich and varying soundscape that embraces diverse art forms and diverse music. A physical statement, a motif for the communities it builds through the sounds that reverberate," the organizers said in an official press release.

"Music Makes the People will be a feast of vibrant sounds, rhythms, emotions and moving images as we dedicate three days to screening the best of emerging, fresh, independent African cinema and in particular celebrating the musical voice of film as an art form."

Over the years, the cultural fiesta has had support from Nollywood practitioners including Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, John Akomfrah OBE, Tunde Kelani, Pascal Ott, Ego Boyo, Kate Henshaw, Victor Ehikhamenor, Ed Keazor, Chika Anadu, Pierre Cherruau, Remi Vaughan-Richards, Lala Akindoju, O.C Ukeje, Debie Mangut, Shaibu Husseini and Jahman Anikulapo.
Idada revealed this in an exclusive interview with TNS. He also stated that Oboli copied his idea for her directorial debut, "Being Mrs Elliott."

ALSO READ:

According to the writer, Omoni Oboli shared her idea for "Being Mrs. Elliott" with him, but had no script for it. He was asked to work on it, but he declined as he was busy as at time of discussion. Following a lot of pressure from Oboli, Idala claims he worked on an incomplete film treatment, which he forwarded to her. When he was done with the projects that had him busy, he reached out to the Obolis, asking to work on the script. According to him, his request was declined as they claimed to be working on something else, and had moved on to another project.

Idada revealed that he watched the movie "Being Mrs Elliott" for the first time at the Nollywood Week Paris Film Festival, and noticed a lot of similarities between the movie and the drafted script he had forwarded to the actress.

In 2014, Idada was invited over by the Obolis, who told him about their new project "Okafor's Law." According to Idada, he 'let his guard' down, and shared ideas with Omoni's husband, Nnamdi Oboli. They offered him the scripting contract, which he accepted, and after much deliberation charged 750,000 naira. He demanded for a contract. "If I'm going to do it, this time, I want a contract," he said to them.

Idada accepted to write the script. "They didn't give me a dime. I went ahead and wrote this thing. So while I was writing, I had to travel to Kamapala. I traveled to Kampala and lost all I had written. I reached out to them and told them, 'this is the situation, but I will still write it.'

"So I rewrote the story. Meanwhile, I asked Omoni 'where is the contract.' Everyday there was a long story. They didn't send me no contract, they didn't send me no money."

According to him, Fabian Lojede advised him to write a contract himself, and forward to the Obolis. "I wrote the contract, and I called Nnamdi over the phone. I said 'Nnamdi, I have sent you the contract, let me know when you sign it. He said ok, 'I will get back to you.' No acknowledgment of this contract, these people just went blank.

After a month and a half with no response from them, he gave the script to a friend of his (Chioma), who loved the story. "In the contract I sent to them, I said to them, Okafor's Law is yours, but the story is mine, the characters, the log line is mine, everything is mine. If at the end of the day, you don't want to go ahead with the script, I will take everything and give you "Okafor's Law," because that's all you have contributed."

According to him, the Obolis found out about his deal with Chioma, and told people he stole their story.

"In 2016, they started shooting, and someone said to me 'they are shooting Okafor's Law." Then somebody brought the script, and Chioma said to me 'this is your script that they are telling.' When I read the story, I saw that it was my story. All she did was change the names, but it was essentially my story," Idada said.

Prior to that, he revealed that Chioma had started auditions for her own movie with the script, with actors like Beverly Naya, Zainab Balogun, Emmanuel Ikubese involved.

After the movie was selected for Toronto International Film Festival, Idada wanted to sue, but changed his mind, considering how it would make Nollywood look to the world.

According to Idada, he had decided to let go, but when he heard Oboli was going around and lying with his name, he decided to speak up.

ALSO READ: undefined

A star-studded movie, "Okafor's Law" stars Richard Mofe Damijo, Toyin Aimakhu, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Ken Erics, Ufuoma McDermott, Kemi Lala Akindoju, Yvonne Jegede, Halima Abubakar, Mary Lazarus, Uche Nnaji, Betty Irabor, Tina Mba, Gabriel Afolayan, and Funke Bucknor.

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Synopsis:

Chuks (aka Terminator) is an ardent player with the ladies. He enjoys the attention of women, including girlfriends from the past. He believes that once a man has had a woman, he forever has access to her.

When challenged by his friends to see if he can prove the universality of that theory with three ex-girlfriends from his school days within 21 days, he accepts it.

Turning on his best charm he sets off to try and prove himself, but his quest brings him to three women, Ifeoma (Fifi), Kemi and Ejiro, whose situations in life have changed drastically since school days. This challenge of their various new statuses makes his quest to win the bet more and more insurmountable as he tries to prove the immutability of the age-old law, Okafor's Law.

ALSO READ:undefined

Omoni Oboli is popular for hit Nollywood movies including "Being Mrs. Elliott," "Wives on Strike," "The First Lady," "The Figurine," "Anchor Baby" among others.

The Toronto International Film Festival, on Tuesday, August 16, 2016,undefinedwhich will screen as part of the City to City programme, including "Okafor's Law."

Jude Idada is a winner of AMAA best screenplay award, ANAA prize for Drama, Goethe Institut AfrikaProjekt and the first runner up of the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Check out eight things you should know about the movie.

1. Directed by Belinda Yang, the movie is a tapestry of three independent but mutually inclusive short films which reveal young individuals who are struggling with their illusions of the idea called 'love'.

2. This unfolds in three chapters: Slow Fade, Romance is still Overrated and Two Colours of Rainbow.

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3. The movie has been in post-production for nearly 2 years

4. The cast and crew arrived in Calabar and shot all the scenes in one day. They finished shooting 6am the next day, went back to their hotel and headed for Lagos. They continued shooting in Lagos till the next day.

5. RIO has a lot of special effects.'

6. They shot under water.

7. The movie has a fake rain in a scene.

8. Every single crew members except the DOP acted, and this is because the DOP was handling the camera.
The directive is contained in a statement by Muhammadu in Abuja.

Muhammadu further directed the Assistant Commandants-General in charge of Zone G, Benin and Zone E, Owerri, to move to the state to assist the deputy commandant-general.

He said that the deployment was to ensure a free and fair election devoid of violence and rancour.

He also ordered the five commandants from neighbouring states of Kogi, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa and Anambra to relocate to Edo for the poll.

The commandant-general approved the deployment of sniffer dogs, specialised units such as SWAT, CBRN, CTU, Undercover and Special Forces to protect critical infrastructure and national assets during the election.

He said the deployment was necessary as some criminal-minded individuals may want to take advantage of the exercise to ``carry out nefarious acts.

He advised the personnel to synergise with operatives of other security agencies to ensure a peaceful election, and warned them against unprofessional conduct.

"Any personnel caught or found involving in any act of misconduct will be dealt with in accordance to the law and ethics of the service, he said.

Muhammadu called on politicians to play by the rule, saying ``achieving victory is not a do-or-die affair.

"The winner should accept it in humility while the loser should accept it.

"There is always another time to achieve success.
This is contained in a statement signed by the partys National Publicity Secretary, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Adeyeye said that PDPs attention had been drawn to a shocking breaking news of the advice by the Police to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the election.

Police spokesman, Mr Don Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, made the call at a joint news conference with his counterpart of the DSS in Abuja.

He said that credible intelligence available to the agencies indicated plans by insurgent and extremist elements to attack vulnerable communities and soft targets in the country.

Awunah said that Edo was among the states being earmarked for the planned attacks by the extremists between Sept. 12 and Sept.13.

He said that while election was important, security agencies could not allow the peace of the country to be disrupted.

But Adeyeye said that the PDP was taken aback on the security advice coming a day after Buhari was present at the mega rally of the All progressives Congress (APC) in Benin.

According to him, the APC mega rally was concluded without any hitch.

"It is on record that INEC recently conducted a 'hitch free' senatorial bye-election in Borno which is a high-point of insurgency in the country but the security agencies saw no reason to call off the election.

"t is therefore lamentable to hear from these same security agencies that the election cannot hold in a state where the president and all the APC leaders and members had an uninterrupted rally.

"We are calling on the president to caution the security agencies and direct them to provide full security and also to desist from doing anything that will jeopardize this forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo.

"We are equally counting on INEC not to succumb to this false alarm by acting independently and holding election as scheduled, Adeyeye said.

He added that the PDP hoped that the advice from the security agencies was not in concert with the APC ``having seen the indices of losing the state election to the PDP".

"Finally, the PDP leadership led by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, calls on our members, teeming supporters, other Edo voters and the international community to remain law-abiding, Adeyeye said.

Meanwhile the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Mr Segun Oni, has said that the party would wait for INEC decision on the call for postponement of the election before making any pronouncement.

"When INEC talks, then we will react.

"INEC is the final authority on this matter. It is like an exam where a student cannot decide what he will score; so let us be patient, Oni told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Available information to NAN indicated that management of INEC had begun an emergency meeting in Benin, where it had already moved to for the election, on the development.
The governor made the comments via a statement released by media aide, Lere Olayinka.

The statement reads:

Edo people should not make the same mistake Nigerians made last year by enthroning the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The people should not just vote and go to sleep, they must make sure that their votes count and victory is ensured for Pastor Ize-Iyamu who is unarguably the best among the contenders.

If you believe in me and you are a voter in Edo State, give your vote to Pastor Ize-Iyamu, the man who has demonstrated the required capacity to lead Edo State to prosperity.

Opportunity to choose comes once in four years and the people of Edo State must grab this opportunity to change the fortune of the State for the better. Edo people should also be assured that Nigerians are now looking for a more meaningful change that is better than the APCs one chance change and Pastor Ize-Iyamu represents that meaningful change in Edo State.

Fayose also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the elections are free, fair and conclusive.
The presidential aide made the comments via a statement released on Monday, September 5, 2016.

The statement reads:

This government believes that Nigerians deserve to know the truth. People stole unbelievable amounts of money. The kind of money some of these ex-officials hold is itself a threat to the security of the state.

Since it is not money earned, they feel no pain deploying just anyhow to thwart genuine and well-intentioned government efforts. Sadly, even that which was not stolen was wasted. Government coffers were left empty, with huge debts unpaid and unrecorded (this government is working to quantify the amount owed).

Even the current high food prices can be traced to past deceit. For example, the previous government purchased fertilisers in 2014, worth N65 billion and left the bill unpaid. In 2015 the suppliers could not supply fertilisers which resulted in a low harvest, shortages and high food prices.

This government had to pay off the debt so that the suppliers could begin to supply fertilizers again.
Mr Nick Dazang, Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) had earlier on Wednesday advised the commission to postpone the election over planned attacks in some communities in the state and others by suspected insurgents.

The Force Spokesman, Don Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, raised the alarm at a joint news conference by the police and the DSS in Abuja.

He said that ``credible intelligence available to the agencies indicated plans by insurgent and extremist elements to attack vulnerable communities and soft targets.

Awunah said that Edo was among the states earmarked for the planned attacks by the extremists between Sept. 12 and Sept. 13.

He warned that while election was important, security agencies could allow the peace of the country to be disrupted.

Dazang told NAN that in the aftermath of the advice to postpone the election, INEC met with stakeholders in Benin to seek their views and inputs on the matter.

"We have consulted with the stakeholders, which are the political parties and their candidates as well as the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). We have finished the consultation with the stakeholders.

"What the commission has resolved after the meeting is that it will go back and consult with the security agencies to find out the detail, because they are the ones that initiated that communication.

"After that, the commission will meet and take a decision, Dazang said.

On the stakeholders reaction to the advice, he said ``they were overwhelming in support of going forward with the election as scheduled.

"Most of the political parties, too, were in support but some of the parties were of the view that we should be careful and get more details on the information, he added.
According to This Day, the group said the Sultan, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, had no right to announce that Muslims will observe the Eid el-Kabir on Monday, September 12, because it was against the constitution of the NCEF.

ALSO READ: Muslims to observe Arafah on sept 11

In a statement from Mr. Solomon Asemota, the chairman of the council, the groups said the Sultan had no right to declare a public holiday, adding that this action proves that the Buhari-led administration wants to create a religious divide in Nigeria.

We unequivocally wish to state that it is very improper for the head of the Islamic faith in Nigeria to announce, declare, or extend Public Holidays.

This is the function of the Federal Government and need not be abdicated. This kind of anomalous development has not been taking place in Nigeria until the advent of the Buhari Administration which has gone to great lengths to deepen religious divide and tension in Nigeria.

Again, we have no objection whatsoever to the Muslim Public Holiday but our concern is that in a secular society as enshrined in Section 10 of the Constitution, the responsibility of declaring or announcing a religious Public Holiday is vested in the Federal Government and such responsibility is sacrosanct.

We are not unaware of various manipulations and acts of impunity to transform Nigeria from a Liberal Democratic society to an Islamic Theocratic State. As we stated in our previous paper, the full membership of Nigeria in OIC, in 1986, by the Babangida Military Administration is tantamount to making Nigeria an Islamic state.

The nation is yet to resolve this unilateral imposition of one religion over the nation by an individual. We also conclude that the present distress in the nation, occasioned by religious intolerance and insurgency, from the development of Boko Haram to the evolving of fanatical Muslim assailants, like the Fulani herdsmen, derive from this unilateral and improper decision of the Babangida Administration."

"Even the sponsors and actors of the membership of Nigeria in OIC in 1986 were aware of the illegality of their action and as such, kept it out of public knowledge for 10 years until 1996 when Sultan Dasuki confirmed to the Pope that Nigeria was a full member of the OIC.

We wish to remind the present Administration that religion is a very sensitive and emotional aspect of Nigerians. The wisdom of the founding fathers of this nation to adopt Liberal Democracy as national ideology to accommodate all the divergent groups in the nation cannot be faulted.

Any attempt to distort that delicate balance in the Nigerian society shall produce nothing but destruction and devastation as the nation is currently witnessing. There is still time for religious extremists to desist before they push Nigeria off the brink of the precipice.

We also wish to appeal to the international community to remain circumspect before interfering in religious issues in Nigeria. Even when the Pope visited Nigeria, he ensured that he visited both Christian and Muslim leaders. We condemn, in all totality, the recent visit of the Secretary of State of USA, Mr. John Kerry in August. His visit was divisive, sectional and capable of misrepresentation."

ALSO READ: CAN slams US Secretary of State over visit to Sultan

"Foreign nations should be careful not to send the wrong signal that Nigeria is an Islamic Sultanate with the Sultan as the Supreme Sovereign. Nigeria is not an Islamic Theocratic State. It is a Democratic nation and authority is vested in the democratically elected Federal Government.

It is necessary to reiterate the call to the 386 indigenous ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to urgently convene a Conference to examine the emerging trend and threats in the nation and propose solutions that will sustain peace, progress and development in Nigeria. The Ethnic Nationalities are the owners of Nigeria and it is their responsibility to ensure that Justice, Equality, and Fairness prevail in this nation.

Finally, we call on the Federal Government to rise to its task and cease abdicating its responsibilities to the head of a religion. We do not want what happened during the time of Abacha, when Sultan Dasuki was dethroned by Abacha to repeat itself. It should not be forgotten that apart from Christianity and Islam, there exist in Nigeria various forms of traditional religion that are the foundation of our culture as Africans. The Federal Government should continue to play its neutral, non-aligned role in the best interest of the nation. Meanwhile, we await the declaration of the Eid-el-Kabir Public Holiday by the Federal Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," the statement read.
On Tuesday, the regulator raided shops of such persons engaging in this business at the popular Wuse Market in Abuja, and its environs and arrested the suspects.

Salisu Abdu, Head of the NCC's Enforcement Unit, said during the raid that the action was aimed at enforcing regulations on SIM regulation.

Today we have gone to MTN premises, now we are in Wuse market. The purpose of the exercise is to ensure unregistered SIM cards are not sold to the public.

For some time, NCC has been trying to apply the SIM regulation so that all SIMs are duly registered.

ALSO READ: NCC urges private sector to help fund ICT innovations

There is danger in selling unregistered SIMs, it compromises national security. We get reports that in so many locations in Abuja and across the nation unregistered SIM cards are being sold, Abdu said, according to a PM News report.

According to Abdu, this is not the first time the Commission is carrying out such an exercise, adding that it was regrettable that in spite of the NCC's efforts, unregistered SIM cards were still on sale.

The NCC executive said those arrested would be prosecuted and issued a warning to the public asking them not to have anything to do with agents that are not registered by the Commission.

For some reason, Abdu failed to mention how members of the public can recognize an NCC "registered agent," seeing as SIM cards are being sold in every nook and cranny of the country.
Felix Reagan, was allegedly found peering into a window of a nearby home; when he was taken into custody, he carried prescription pills, a driver's license and credit cards, all stolen from the home, and his pants had purple paint "consistent with the paint found on the dog," police said.
The love-struck young man arranged for 999 pomelo fruits in the shape of a heart since it was his love interest, Mumu's, favourite fruit.

The word 'Pomelo' which is the name of a fruit larger than grapes, also mean "you" in Mandarin.

The young man accompanied the fruits with his one-man show, flowers, and of course, some singing:

She is my idol. She likes eating pomelos, so Ive bought a lot of them for my proposal.

Sadly, Mumu rejected him, allegedly telling the heartbroken man, I dont like you. I have been treating you as my best friend. But Ill keep the pomelos.

ALSO READ: Man elaborate marriage proposal flops as girlfriend walked out because diamond is too small

As if that wasn't bad enough, bystanders who had witnessed the brutal heartbreak, proceeded to help themselves to the fruits.
Erin O'Flaherty, 23, represents the Midwestern state of Missouri, where she was crowned the first openly gay Miss Missouri in June.

"I certainly hope my presence will help people open up a little bit more. I'm very open about it," she told local media at the time.

"It's never going to be something I try to hide because I'm very proud to be a member of the LGBT community," she told the St. Louis-based Riverfront Times.

O'Flaherty, who owns a clothing store, said she represents a platform of suicide prevention. Contestants select as platforms causes that they aim to raise awareness of or promote.

She is slated to sing in the contest's talent competition.

"Through every major milestone of our nation's evolution, Miss America has provided a voice for women from all walks of life, and this year, we welcome our first openly gay contestant," said Josh Randle, chief operating officer of the Miss America Organization, in a statement.

"Miss America contestants continue to be the best and brightest in the country, and we proudly support each and every young woman who competes in our national program," he said.
The Taliban are battling to topple the Western-backed government of Afghanistan 15 years after they lost power in a U.S.-led military operation.

Overstretched Afghan security forces and their foreign military advisers have focused on blunting Taliban attacks in southern Helmand province and the northern city of Kunduz, besides battling Islamic State militants in eastern Nangarhar.

Many of the embattled police and soldiers around the Uruzgan capital of Tarin Kot are fighting with minimal reinforcements and often with insufficient food and ammunition, say regional officials.

"If there is no significant air support and ground reinforcement, Tarin Kot will collapse," warned Abdul Karim, head of the provincial capital.

Security forces have halted the Taliban advance about 2 km (1.2 miles) from the city's prison, whose prisoners the militants seek to free, officials suspect, using a tactic the Taliban employed when they briefly captured Kunduz last year.

In a posting online, the Taliban claimed to have overrun 15 government outposts, including a "strategic military base" in Uruzgan.

"All the surrounding areas of the capital are under tight siege and attacks of mujahideen," the group said.

Despite the Taliban offensives in Uruzgan, the NATO-led coalition, which declared its combat mission over at the end of 2014, said it had no advisers in the province, nor had U.S. warplanes conducted any air strikes in recent days.

The insurgents would not be able to break through security cordons, said Dost Mohammed Nayab, the spokesman of the provincial governor.

"The Taliban did whatever they could to get the capital city but they couldn't," he said. "We are ready to defend our province."

Taliban forces continue to threaten the Helmand capital of Lashkar Gah, where militants once again cut a major highway to neighbouring Kandahar, said Omar Zwak, the spokesman of the provincial governor.
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
Not just A Guy and A Grill anymore! A Guy and A Grill from the beginning.. A Guy and A Grill started actually in 2002 with an idea that I could operate a successful catering business in Muscatine and provide great grilled food to our industry and for personal events. I started in the commercial food industry in 1995 learning the basics of preparing for large events, setting them up and serving them. In 1999 I left a job I had worked at for 13 years to work for a mom and pop meat locker that I had been working part time at for 5 years. At this point the owners asked if I would start a catering business for them. I was excited to apply what I had learned as well as rise up to the challenge. I did every aspect of getting this business started from lining up suppliers and customers, to tweaking recipes I had learned to make them my own. I was head dish washer, cook, bookkeeper and you name it for this business. While I was doing this I was also putting in full time hours as a meat cutter at the locker. I enjoyed my time working there and I worked with some great people. I had to consider how long I would be able to keep this pace up so that is when I started to consider starting my own business. In 2002 I started planning how to accomplish starting my own business. I started saving and buying equipment with the hope of eventually being able to get a location and get started. For 2 years, with the help from my family, we would attend the various auctions around the area gathering up the equipment needed to start up. In October of 2004 I felt it was time to make the leap. A location was secured at 1210 Hershey Ave. The building actually was at one time associated with a meat locker. Roman Libby I believe. This was at the corner of Hershey and Green Street. I had a hard time trying to consider a catchy name to use for the business. At the time I started the business I was the only employee with a truck and a grill. My wife had a friend who was somehow related to some guys that started a moving business called 2 Guys and A Truck. She applied that to my business model and hence came the name A Guy and A Grill! I wish I could have been that clever but I have to give her the credit. I hit the ground running in November of 2004. When we took possession of the building it had no running water, drains, gas, equipment, or real electricity to speak of. It was a shell of a building with a furnace. I had already lined up my first catering for HNI in Davenport for 200 people to be served in 10 days. Well then the excitement started! I have to give a huge thanks to my Dad for putting in long hours with me to get things up and running as well as Jed Dahl for fabricating and helping to install the hood, Mike Busch and his dad for getting the plumbing squared away, Joe Hagerty for running the gas line and Jeff Williams for running the electrical needed to get going. Needless to say it was a little bumpy but somehow we got enough of the building and equipment set up to actually be ready to cook and serve the 200 people in Davenport on that 10th day. Of course it had to snow, really heavy and thick snow, the night of that catering to add a little more excitement to the mix. Well the food was served on time and was well received. It just kept going from that point. I operated by myself, as I had been doing at the meat locker, doing everything associated with the business including preparing, cooking, grilling, washing dishes and all of the things a small business owner can relate to when owning and operating a business. About a year into running the business I had the opportunity to hire my first employee. This allowed me to book more events. This also led me to getting another catering grill and van. Things continued to go well so another employee was added, then another grill and another van. Now I had the dilemma of keeping my employees busy when we werent catering. I had always wanted to try and sell our food to the public but I didnt want to do something and not be consistent on when and where you could get my food. Once I had the employees working I decided to put a grill in the empty lot, on the corner of Hershey and Green Street. We started grilling and selling food on Thursdays and Fridays. We did this in the rain, in the snow, and in the heat of the summer. This actually started to do really well for us. We called it The Corner Cookout. We moved our location a block away from our original starting point in 2008 to what used to be the Maid Rite. We have opened the restaurant 4 days a week serving lunch from 11-2 and now offer a lunch buffet. We have also added many more employees, and if you have driven by lately, many more vans and grills. We now have smokers and offer various smoked meats for sale on our buffet, caterings and for individual customers who may want a rack of ribs or some pulled pork. We do numerous events during the week as well as the weekend. We will travel to wherever we are asked to cook, grill and serve our customers. We have even catered to Des Moines! We have been voted Best Caterer in the Muscatine Journal Reader Poll annually since 2008. But our humble beginnings are remembered on the Corner doing our Corner Cookout. I may have gotten the ball rolling with A Guy and A Grill but none of it would continue to happen without a great group of employees and friends that help keep it going! Many other businesses have helped us out over the years and a big thank you to all of them also! We at A Guy and A Grill appreciate all of our customers past, present and future. We are honored to be allowed to be part of corporate events as well as intimate family functions. It means a lot when people trust us to provide meals for their co-workers, family and friends. We look forward to many more years of serving our customers in Muscatine, Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. John A Guy and A Grill Tuesday - Friday 11:00am - 2:00pm 1033 Hershey Muscatine, Iowa 52761 (563) 260-6229 www.aguyandagrill.com
A day after Walmart delivered a blow to Rock Island's plans for the former Watch Tower Plaza, city and economic development officials remained confident the site still can attract other retail.

"Our goal is definitely retail," Mayor Dennis Pauley said Wednesday. "We need retail to supplement our property taxes. We can't just keep raising taxes."

The city learned Tuesday that Walmart has decided not to build a store in Rock Island. The retailer cited consideration of various business factors, including "projected long-term financial performance of the store."

The decision came after almost four years of planning, negotiations and a $15 million investment by the city to clear the lot and relocate the former tenants.

According to Pauley, the city's community and economic development staff contacted its retail consultant late Tuesday to help it begin the process of recruiting other new retail to the 11th Street site.

"We just started working on it," he said. "We're getting all our feelers out there."

Despite the huge loss of a bringing a national retailer to the city's west-end, Pauley said the city's work has created a viable site for another big box or several smaller retailers.

"Now we have a clean site that is ready to attract development," he said.

As of Wednesday morning, Pauley said the city already was receiving calls and emails from residents, some offering suggestions and others critical of the city.

"We've had lots of people calling in with thoughts what they'd like to see there, such as a Meijer grocery store, or a Costco," he said. "We'll definitely research them."

Tara Barney, the Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce CEO, said the site's future became the topic of discussion Wednesday at a regular meeting between the city's and chamber's economic development staffs.

"It's a great site, and we're going to work very closely with the city of Rock Island on getting that site into a good productive use quickly because they've gone to extraordinary efforts to not only give us a great site to work with ... but to help some other businesses move into other spaces that give them stronger business models," she said.

Although the chamber had not been involved in the Walmart deal specifically and tends to leave retail projects to individual cities, Barney said it was an active part of helping relocate the previous Watch Tower businesses.

Pauley said those moves led to other new investments along 11th Street from a new Dollar General store to the new Black Hawk Commons Business Park, which includes Missman Inc.'s new headquarters, Black Hawk College Adult Learning Center and Chris Elsberg's State Farm Insurance office. In addition, Hill & Valley Premium relocated from Watch Tower to the Quad-City Industrial Center in Rock Island, retaining 140 jobs and adding another 25, he said.

Like Pauley, Barney indicated that the best use for the vacant 11th Street site is retail, largely, because of the sales tax it would generate.

"We were all very hopeful (for Walmart)," Barney said. "In Illinois, sales tax is a very important part of Illinois' funding source."

Unlike in Iowa, where the municipalities share sales tax on a per capita basis, "in Illinois, one city gets taxes from what is in their city," she said, adding they do share it with the state and county.

"I've got to give Rock Island credit for recognizing retail matters and for looking at their options," she said.

The city had estimated the new store would generate an estimated $1.4 million annually in sales tax as well as create 400 jobs.

Pauley said the city was counting on the tax revenue for the future in the next few years.

"I don't think we'll get one company to bring in that same amount of sales tax, but maybe several companies," he said.
The day after Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes performed at Codfish Hollow Barn in May, Tiffany Biehl should have been celebrating.

It was one of the biggest shows in history for Biehl, who owns the barn-turned-music venue, and it sold out several weeks early.

But it ended up being a dark day for Biehl. She woke up to find out her 4-year-old dog, named Garp, had died.

At Codfish Hollow, Garp was "a bit famous," she said.

"Many fans and people and even bands who have come out here for shows might not have known us, but they knew Garp," she said. "Everyone loved him, and he loved the barn shows.

A few weeks later, Biehl decided to celebrate his life by taking a plunge and throwing the barns first multi-day festival  she called it Garp.

"We loved him very much and wanted to honor him and all of the good things in life like food, music, art and friends and family, Biehl said. So, it just made sense to name the festival after him.

We have always talked about doing a festival. This is it.

The two-day festival, set for Friday and Saturday, will bring nearly 30 musical acts to Codfish Hollow Barn near Maquoketa, Iowa. About 700 tickets are available, and, as of Tuesday, "there's still plenty of room," said Sean Moeller, who left his post at Daytrotter last month and helped book many of the acts for Garp.

Last week, organizers announced a ticket price reduction  from a cost of $120 to $90 for a two-day pass.

On Friday, Biehl posted this on Codfish Hollow Barn's Facebook page:

"We sense the hesitancy out there in regards to the ticket price. We believe in this event so much that we don't want price to be an impediment to coming and enjoying this historical festival."

Moeller hand-picked bands to take part in the fest, which doubles as a birthday party for him and Marvin, who drives concert-goers on the hayrack ride from their parking spot to the barn.

When Garp died, Tiffany was pretty destroyed, Moeller said. So we came up with this idea to do a festival that was really a celebration of life and to keep doing it the same time year after year with the same name.

Some of these bands are having a great year, and some are just really special to us. A lot of these acts are making an exception to be here and going out of their way."

That goes for Matt Sharp, the original bassist of Weezer and The Rentals, who promises to play The Rentals' second album, Seven More Minutes, in its entirety for the first time. Another act, Terra Lightfoot is driving from Montreal to be there. LOLOs new album is released Friday, and shell celebrate by playing at Codfish Hollow Barn on Saturday.

That also goes for Guided by Voices; the bands guitarist Doug Gillard said, Yes, this will be special.

Gillard played in Guided by Voices from 1996 to 2004 and rejoined the lineup serendipitously about a month ago. The group needed a guitarist at a Cincinnati show, and Gillard was on a plane the next day.

It was something I wasnt expecting to come up, Gillard said of his return. And I thought it was going to be a one-time thing, but I decided I could keep doing it.

Gillard used to play in bands that opened up for Guided by Voices, which formed in 1987.

I was an admirer, and I was blown away by them, he said. Guided by Voices looms pretty large in the indie landscape and rock in general. Theres a lot about the band that is  dare I say it  legendary.

Thats the hope for Garp, overall  that it will be the start of something legendary.

"People will kick themselves if they're not there," Moeller said. "You don't have to know who is who that's playing; you'll walk away having had a beautiful weekend."
DES MOINES  Look for an Iowa history class coming to an elementary school near you if it's not there already.

That's the message Tuesday from Gov. Terry Branstad, one of Iowa's leading history buffs, and members of an advisory panel who recommend making an Iowa history requirement, which is already in the state's administrative code but not being enforced, part of a new social studies standard in classrooms.

"I believe the emphasis on our state's history needs to be a priority in our classrooms," Branstad told his weekly news conference held at the Jackson Elementary School on Des Moines' southeast side. "We do have a proud history and heritage, and we want to preserve that history and heritage so that future generations will know the wonderful things that Iowans have done throughout our history."

An Iowa History Advisory Council the governor established last year found that 53 percent of about 600 Iowa educators and stakeholders who responded to a survey indicated they are not including Iowa history in social studies classes, although it is required by state administrative rule. Council facilitator Stephanie Wager of the Iowa Department of Education added that about one-fourth of the educators surveyed weren't offered an Iowa history class when they were elementary students.

"This Iowa history problem is not just one for those who care passionately about the subject. It is a problem for all Iowans. Knowing about your community and your state helps make you a better citizen in your community," said Wager, who participated in Tuesday's news conference. "Preparing students to be good citizens is the original purpose of public education."

Wager and Branstad said they expect that new social studies standards being released this fall for public comment will incorporate the requirement. She said Iowa code currently requires schools to teach history sometime between first grade and sixth grade, but state officials haven't been enforcing the requirement.

"It's a difficult thing to have accountability around," said Wager, who noted the Iowa history unit is "suggested" by the department but added there is a "lack of communications" regarding the requirement that is in the Iowa code but not in the state's educational standards.

The advisory council  made up of a student, teachers, college professors, as well as members representing a wide range of history organizations  recommended the state develop recognition programs to celebrate Iowa history and awards that recognize outstanding Iowa history teaching.

Other proposals called for developing online Iowa history courses for high school and college students as well as K-12 social studies teachers; creating a variety of Iowa history curriculum materials that support new Iowa history standards and promote best practices in the teaching and learning of state and local history; and encouraging Iowa public and private colleges and universities to offer Iowa history classes and create professorships whose focus is Iowa history.

The new recommendations coincide with a $100,000 grant the Library of Congress recently awarded the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs in order to digitize primary source materials from both the Library of Congress and the State Historical Museum of Iowa. Department Director Mary Cownie said the project will focus on a range of topics in Iowa history, including the Underground Railroad, Herbert Hoover and Iowa's peacemaking role in the Cold War.
Aug. 1

1. Forgery with a counterfeit $100 bill was reported at the Isle of Capri, 1777 Isle Parkway.

Aug. 2

2. Toyota Camry collided with a Volvo XC60 and a Honda CRV at Kimberly and Lincoln roads, resulting in $20,000 in damage.

Aug. 4

3. Theft from a motor vehicle was reported in the 900 block of Chateau Knoll. A wallet and its contents, all valued at $40, were reported stolen.

4. A Dodge Ram collided with a Chevrolet Silverado at 3rd and Grant streets, resulting in $4,000 in damage.

5. A Chevrolet Silverado collided with a Honda Pilot at Learning Campus Drive and 18th Street, resulting in $5,000 in damage.

6. Jean Werner Oberlander, 32, 1004 Concord St., Davenport, was arrested at the Scott County Courthouse, Davenport, on suspicion of third-degree burglary and theft in an incident that occurred in the 2100 block of 23rd Street.

Aug. 5

7. Megan Ann Cox, 33, 5132 Ripley St., Davenport, was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in an incident in June on Interstate 74, mile marker 5.1.

8. Thomas Lee Lairmore, 50, Twin Bridges, 221 15th St., was arrested in the 1200 block of State Street on suspicion of public intoxication.

9. Neil Anthony Fishburn, 55, 2524 Crestview Drive, was arrested on warrant at the Scott County Courthouse and, in an incident that occurred at 59th Avenue and Emily Road, was arrested on suspicion of harassment, failure to obey traffic device, reckless driving, and failure to yield to emergency vehicles.

10. A Buick Regal collided with a Honda Civic on Interstate 80 East at mile marker 301, resulting in $3,800 in damage.

Aug. 6

11. A Chevrolet Silverado, a Ford F250 and a Jeep Wrangler all collided at the Grant Street on-ramp to Interstate 74, resulting in $3,000 in damage.

12. An Infinity FX35 collided with a guardrail on Interstate 74, resulting in $5,000 in vehicle damage.

Aug. 7

13. Joseph Ray Kroeger, 32, 1841 Pineo Grove Lane, Princeton, was arrested at Central Avenue Tap, 2604 Central Ave., on suspicion of assault while displaying a dangerous weapon and public intoxication. In the same incident, Chad Maurice Dettman, 44, 2545 Central Ave., was arrested on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia, interference with official acts and public intoxication.

14. Lasha Jean Nash, 23, 914 Tremont Ave., Davenport, was arrested in the 3200 block of Utica Ridge Road on a warrant and providing false identification.

Aug. 8

15. Quint William Wickett, 22, 26 Parklane Circle, was arrested at the Scott County Courthouse, Davenport, on warrant and on suspicion of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in an incident that occurred in June 2015 in the 1100 block of Highland Park Drive.

16. A Ford Econoline van collided with a Chrysler 300 in the 2900 block of South Hampton Drive, resulting in $1,500 in damage.

17. A Nissan Altima collided with a GMC Denali in the 4500 block of Utica Ridge Road, resulting in $250 in damage.

18. Credit card fraud of $10,266.88 was reported in the 5900 block of Star View Drive.

Aug. 9

19. Michelle Yvette Moore, 22, 127 E. 35th St., Davenport, was arrested at the Burlington Coat Factory, 1431 Kimberly Road, on suspicion of fifth-degree theft. In the same incident, Ciara Sharae Nunn, 26, 1317 Belle Ave., Davenport, was arrested on suspicion of fifth-degree theft and interference with official acts. Clothing valued at $60.93 was reported stolen and recovered.

20. A Cadillac collided with a Volkswagen Jetta at 12th and State streets, resulting in $1,000 in damage.

21. Theft was reported at Kwik Star, 2283 53rd Ave. Food valued at $11.96 was reported stolen.

Aug. 10

22. A Ford F150 collided with a Jeep Renegade at 15th and State streets, resulting in $11,500 in damage.

23. Theft from a motor vehicle was reported in the 300 block of 21st Street. Tools valued at $300 were reported stolen.

24. A Chevrolet 2500 pickup truck collided with a Chevrolet Silverado on Interstate 74 near Spruce Hills Drive, resulting in $9,500 in damage.

25. Tatiana Aneisha Love, 20, 1138 E. 15th St., Davenport, was arrested on warrant at the Scott County Courthouse, Davenport, and in an incident from March, was arrested on suspicion of unauthorized use of a credit card in the 6000 block of Shadowbrook Drive.

26. A Pontiac Vibe, a Pontiac Grand Prix, a Honda Civic, and a Dodge Ram pickup truck all collided at Interstate 74 and Middle Road, resulting in $39,000 in damage.

27. A counterfeit $20 bill was reported at Palmer Grill, 2999 Middle Road.

28. Nicole Marie Stogdill, 43, 2760 Tech Drive, No. 112, was arrested at the same address on suspicion of criminal mischief.

29. Fraud of $119.88 was reported in the 2100 block of Fairmeadows Drive.

30. A Kia Sorento collided with a Nissan Altima at Middle Road and 18th Street, resulting in $1,250 in damage.

31. A Toyota Rav4 collided with a Chevrolet Silverado in the 900 block of Middle Road, resulting in $7,000 in damage.

32. A Honda CRV collided with a Toyota Camry in the 900 block of Middle Road, resulting in $4,500 in damage.
Add U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos to the list of Illinois Democrats who are being mentioned as possible challengers to Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018.

Politico, citing "sources close to the state party," reported on Wednesday that Democrats have "recently set their sights" on Bustos as a possible contender.

The Moline Democrat, now in her second term, has seen her stock rise after winning re-election in 2014, a year when Republicans swept to victory in many other parts of the country.

She was mentioned last year as a possible Senate candidate, before giving way to Rep. Tammy Duckworth. Bustos also been traveling the country to try to get Democrats elected to the House. She is co-chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red to Blue" group, which seeks to win over Republican seats.

A Bustos spokesman, Jared Smith, said Wednesday the congresswoman is focused on working for her district's constituents and on electing Democrats to the House in November. Still, he had sharp words for Rauner. Smith said another Bustos goal is to help elect Democrats across the state to "go after the disastrous Rauner downturn agenda thats hurt so many working families."

Earlier this year, Bustos also publicly pressured the governor to commit state funding to a passenger rail connection between Chicago and Moline.

The project, which was awarded a grant for the project in 2010, was in danger of losing the grant. The governor committed state funds in June.

Bustos is one of a number of Democrats who have been mentioned as possible challengers to Rauner. The most prominent is Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who also has said he is focused on the 2016 election, not 2018.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Chris Kennedy, the son of the late Robert Kennedy, and former Gov. Pat Quinn also have been mentioned as possibilities.

Bustos has close ties to Durbin, so it isn't clear whether her name being mentioned is a sign of his level of interest. But, locally, political figures say they would welcome her interest.

"I think she'd have to be taken seriously," said Doug House, an ally and leader of the Rock Island County Democratic Party who also chairs the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen's Association. "She's demonstrated a work ethic that is of the highest caliber. Nobody is going to outwork Cheri.

Bustos, who has been a prolific fundraiser, won the 17th District seat in 2012, defeating incumbent Republican Bobby Schilling. She also defeated him two years ago.
East Moline police arrested an 18-year-old Davenport man late Tuesday after the Iowa State Patrol issued a warrant for his involvement in a crash that left a Valley Construction worker dead last week.

Sebon Cordell Reese was wanted on a charge of homicide by vehicle-reckless driving and eluding.

A team of four East Moline police officers arrested Reese without incident about 9:30 p.m. at an apartment complex near the intersection of 15th Street and 12th Avenue, Lt. Luke Blaser said.

The department received a tip about Reeses whereabouts and transported the teenager to Rock Island County Jail where Blaser said he is expected to waive extradition to Iowa.

He also is wanted on a probation violation in Scott County. Bond on the warrants has been set at $100,000 cash-only.

About 10:10 a.m. Thursday, the Scott Emergency Communications Center received a report of a reckless driver traveling at a high rate of speed on northbound/eastbound U.S. 61, according to a Scott County Sheriff's Office news release.

Deputy Gina Lieferman was in the area and saw the vehicle, a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis, driving east at a high rate of speed. She tried to turn around and pull over the vehicle, according to the news release.

The vehicle then entered the construction zone just east of Blue Grass and tried to turn off U.S. 61 at Coonhunters Road and struck Willie Nathaniel Holley, 62, of Rock Island, before coming to a stop off the pavement.

Further investigation revealed that prior to the crash, Reese came upon vehicles also traveling east and attempted to pass them on the left in the median and lost control of the vehicle.

Blue Grass Fire Department and Medic ambulance were immediately called to the scene of the crash.

Holley was pronounced dead at Genesis Medical Center-East Rusholme Street, Davenport.

Holley's memorial visitation is 2-5 p.m. Friday at the Colona American Legion, 312 Broadway St., Colona. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Milan, is assisting the family.

Reese and his 1-year-old sister also were taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Bettendorf School Board members worked Tuesday to get the district's auditing practices back on track by approving the 2014-15 document.

It was a unanimous vote, taken after board members questioned Maxine McEnany, Bettendorf's chief financial officer, and Michael Raso, interim superintendent.

"I want to be sure nothing will come back to bite us now," board President Pepper Trahan said to Raso.

Bettendorf's auditing process is five months behind other school districts in Iowa, and the work is being done at twice the cost originally budgeted.

School districts in Iowa are required by law to have their financial records audited. The process is necessary for the federal funding the districts receive; that's what, for example, helps pay for school lunch and breakfast programs.

Bettendorf is now what is called a high-risk district for the financial audits, and McEnany said it is in that category because the district "has a high dollar threshold" and uses money from both federal and state sources.

Trahan said the district took steps to turn the process around over the summer and wondered aloud if it is getting cleared up now, so the district soon can be considered "low risk."

Bettendorf is having difficulties with its auditing process because of a re-audit that was conducted for 2014. That revealed a list of changes required of the board, currently being addressed, and pointed out bookkeeping, conduct and other issues.

Board member Paul Castro said the 2013-14 audit had some of the same concerns in 2014-15.

"It seems like someone didn't get the message very clearly about conflicts of interest," he said.

One topic had to do with a math curriculum, purchased from College Preparatory Mathematics, or CPM. According to the 2014-15 audit, CPM uses professional development workshops, and some Bettendorf educators got involved with CPM as "teacher leaders."

In 2015, a teacher was a representative in a CPM booth at an educational conference and then was paid by CPM for her time as well as for a hotel room. Because the district originally paid for the hotel room, the teacher was to reimburse the district. Instead, she wrote a check for a different educational conference.

After an investigation, including with legal counsel, it was determined that teachers should not be paid for any work they did in behalf of CPM because it is a "restricted vendor." The district also has informed the teachers they are not to be "teacher leaders" outside the district.

Raso said this action involved more than one teacher in the CPM program.

Board member Mike Pyevich asked when the next audit would begin. McEnany said she had sent out six bid proposals for the fiscal year that ended in June 2016. One bid, from the Iowa Auditor's office, has been returned so far.

In a related action, the board unanimously approved revisions to the district's Employee Conflict of Interest policy. It will come back for a second reading, but the district hopes the changes will add clarity and accountability to the policy.
More development looks on the way in Bettendorf after its city council approved a preliminary plat addition to the industrial park.

Bettendorf City Council unanimously approved the preliminary resolution on Tuesday for Build to Suit, Inc., one the larger developers in both the Quad-Cities area and Iowa.

The 14-lot, industrial zoned property in question lies southeast of Crow Creek Road and Valley Drive, just north of US 67.

Built to Suit President Kevin Koellner said it was too early to say what will be coming to the industrial park.

"We won't know until we have the infrastructure setup," Koellner said. "We're in the process of looking into that right now, and that will go into the fall and winter."

Besides shoring up the site's infrastructure needs, a number of conditions need to be met before final approval of any development. Included in those conditions is addressing the wetlands that sit on a portion of the property, Community Development Director Bill Connors said.

Koellner and the developers will have to submit a revised letter of map revision and have storm water calculations and detention basin designs approved as well.

The City Council's decision falls in line with the planning and zoning commission, though some concerns were addressed during last month's meeting. After looking at the narrow nature of some of the lots on the plat, Commissioner Roy Wennlund questioned the feasibility of industrial use on the property.

Koellner indicated the lot size provided greater flexibility for parties interested in smaller structures and the configuration was similar to Bear Tooth Court, which allowed one user to buy multiple lots to construct larger buildings.

Although the council approved the preliminary plat, Connors said Koellner and the developers have also expressed interest in purchasing a lot in Bear Tooth Court, which may eventually lead to adjoining access.
CEDAR RAPIDS  Labor Day weekend can be a busy time for a political candidate, but 2nd Congressional District Republican hopeful Chris Peters made time to attend a campaign rally for candidate from another party running in another race.

It may seem unusual, but his attendance at a rally for Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson was just part of being an engaged Iowan, according to his campaign spokesman, Adam Sullivan.

After a picture of him at the rally was posted by a television reporter, Peters, a Coralville Republican challenging five-term Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack, issued a statement making clear that he was not there to endorse Johnson.

One of the many benefits of being an Iowan is seeing a wide range of presidential candidates, and I take full advantage of that, Peters said.

Peters has attended events for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama when they have been in Iowa, Sullivan said.

Seeing presidential candidate is a great privilege Iowans have, and Dr. Peters thinks we all should take advantage of it.

Although Peters is sympathetic to the Libertarian message, he has no plans to endorse Gary Johnson, Sullivan said.

Its not whether he will endorse Johnson that is of interest to 2nd District voters, according to Loebsack campaign spokesman Joe OHern. Peters is trying to side step the Iowa Republican Partys full throttled support of (Donald) Trump.

Peters is running on the Republican ticket, and its time for him to either stand up against a campaign that attacks Gold Star military families or join his fellow Iowa Republicans in embracing Mr. Trump, OHern said.

Thats the kind of rigid partisanship that frustrates voters, Peters responded.

Im an American first and foremost, not just a member of a political party, he said. My team and I are grateful for the passionate support of Republican leaders and the grassroots alike, but Ive been clear that Ill be an independent-minded leader in Congress. I won't blindly follow the party line like our current congressman does.

Its obvious the presidential nominating process is broken, Peters said, and as a Democrat super-delegate, Loebsack actively supports that broken system, instead of speaking out against it.

Like Johnson, Peters has switched parties. In 2010, the Army veteran and surgeon ran for the Iowa Legislature as a Libertarian. Johnson served two terms as the Republican governor of New Mexico before running on the Libertarian ticket.

Peters is not seeking the endorsement of the Libertarian Party of Iowa, which doesnt have a candidate in the 24-county southeast Iowa district that includes Scott and Muscatine counties. His campaign is not collaborating with the party in his bid to defeat Loebsack.

We have a lot of friends who are Libertarians, Democrats and independents, Sullivan said. A lot of those people will end up supporting us.

Peters is certainly not a favorite in the 2nd District where Obama won with 56 percent and 57 percent in 2012 and 2008, respectively.

But Congressman Loebsack was an underdog in 2006 when he defeated 30-year incumbent Republican Rep. Jim Leach, Sullivan said.

Its a very volatile year, very unpredictable, he said. So its just a question if we can get our message in front of enough people before the election.
DES MOINES  Iowa television viewers may have noticed the states U.S. Senate election has made its way into their homes.

The campaigns for that races candidates, Republican incumbent Chuck Grassley and Democratic challenger Patty Judge, spent part of Wednesday addressing the content of those ads  touting their own and denying the claims made in their opponents.

Grassleys newest campaign ad  which began running Wednesday in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, and will later run in other state media markets, the campaign said  plays up his work for the wind energy industry.

Grassley shepherded the 1992 legislation that created the wind energy production tax credit that industry officials say is largely responsible for the industrys success in Iowa, which now draws more than 30 percent of its electricity from wind.

The wind energy industry features more than 6,000 jobs in Iowa and roughly $10 billion in capital investments have been made in wind farms and manufacturing facilities, according to the Iowa Wind Energy Association.

Virtually none of that would be possible without Sen. Grassleys support for wind energy, particularly through the production tax credit, John DiDonato, vice president for wind development at Next Era Energy Resources, told reporters on a conference call hosted by the Grassley campaign.

Grassley campaign manager, Robert Haus, also pushed back at the Judge campaigns assertion that Grassley has not been a productive member of the U.S. Senate, and that he in fact has obstructed legislation as chairman of the chambers Judiciary Committee.

The committee has passed 27 bills, all of which had bipartisan support, 20 of which passed the full Senate and 12 of which were signed into law by the president, according to the Grassley campaign. Haus said Grassley also has worked on issues like human trafficking, opioid addiction and police safety.

In 2015 and 2016, with Grassley as chairman, the Senate Judiciary Committee reported 27 bills, according to data on the Library of Congress website.

The committee reported 26 and 65 bills in the previous two two-year sessions, both of which were under Democratic leadership. In the previous five sessions going back to 2001, the committee produced an average of 95 bills.

This is a man that starts work at 4:10 or 4:30 in the morning and doesnt stop until after dark, Haus said. His work ethic is unmatched, and his productivity is unmatched, period.

Judges campaign said according to its research Grassleys productivity is not altogether impressive, pointing to the committees legislative production prior to Grassleys leadership.

This is the kind of behavior that Iowans are sick and tired of, Judge told reporters on her own conference call. Chuck Grassley is no longer doing his job.

In 2015 and 2016, with Grassley as chairman, the Senate Judiciary Committee has produced 26 bills eligible for consideration by the full Senate, according to data on the Library of Congress website.

The committee has produced an average of 22 such bills in the three two-year sessions since 2011, two of which were under Democratic leadership. In the previous five sessions going back to 2001, the committee produced an average of 44 bills.

Judge also defended herself against a Grassley campaign ad that criticizes Judge for not volunteering to reduce her pay as lieutenant governor from 2007 to 2011 while the state felt the effects of the recession.

Judge returned the criticism to Grassley, saying criticizing his statement that he took a pay cut in the form of rejecting a cost-of-living increase.

Only somebody who has been in Washington, (D.C.), way too long would make that kind of argument, Judge said.

U.S. Senate salaries have not increased since 2009, when they were raised to $174,000.

Most polls on the race in Iowa have showed Grassley leading Judge by between 7 and 10 percentage points. A new poll published Wednesday by the liberal-leaning Public Policy Polling showed Grassley leading Judge, 49 percent to 43 percent.

That poll was commissioned by We Need Nine, an advocacy group pushing for the Senate to hold confirmation hearings on President Barack Obamas nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. Grassley has joined fellow Republican leaders in the Senate in refusing to consider nominees until a new president takes office next year.

The poll surveyed 827 likely Iowa voters on August 30 and 31, and has a 3.4 percent margin of error.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Amber Brackey recently transferred to the Sales Administration Department of Grain Processing Corporation (GPC) as Sales Operations Coordinator. She joined the company in 2011 as a Sales Administrator and most recently held the position of Human Resources Assistant with Kent Corporation, the parent company. Brackey has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Iowa Wesleyan College and is currently pursuing a Master degree in Business Administration and a Master degree in Organizational Leadership from St. Ambrose University.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Iowa State Patrol has issued a warrant for a Davenport man in connection with a fatal accident that occurred near Blue Grass last week.

Sebon Reese, 18, is wanted for homicide by vehicle-reckless driving and eluding. Bond has been set at $100,000 cash only.

Authorities are asking anyone who sees Reese to call 911, and not approach him. He is a black male, 5 feet nine inches tall and 142 pounds.

According to the accident report from Iowa State Patrol, Reese was traveling northbound on Highway 61 at a high rate of speed when he allegedly lost control and entered a construction zone on Sept. 1.

He then allegedly struck Willie Holley, 62, a Valley Construction employee, before coming to rest off the road near Highway 61 and Coonhunters Road.

Holley was pronounced dead at Genesis Medical Center East Rusholm Street, Davenport.

Reese is also wanted out of Scott County for probation violation, total bond $20,000.

Emily Wenger of the Muscatine Journal
Tonight showers and thunderstorms are likely. The chance of precipitation is 80 percent with new rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

A flash flood watch is in effect for the area until 1 a.m. Thursday.
1. Plenty of heat and buckets of rain

A good Wednesday to all. More heat and potentially heavy rains are on tap for this Hump Day.

Here are the weather details from the National Weather Service.

Showers and thunderstorms are likely later today. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a high near 88 degrees. Southwest winds will gust as high of 25 mph. Afternoon heat-index values again are expected to be in the 95 to 100 range causing some area schools to again dismiss classes early this afternoon.

The chance of precipitation is 60 percent with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

A flash flood watch is in effect until 1 a.m. Thursday with isolated flash flooding possible along and north of Interstate 80 through the morning.

The highest threat will be later this afternoon and tonight with urban flooding of streets along with area streams and creeks. Rainfall totals could be in the 3-5 inch range in some areas.

Tonight we can expect showers and thunderstorms, some of which could produce heavy rain. The chance of precipitation is 80 percent with new rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

2. Dangerous heat, humidity bring early school dismissals

Several area school districts will be dismissing classes early today at non-air conditioned facilities because of the weather. They include:

 Alwood

 Rockridge

 Kewanee Wethersfield

 United #304

 East Moline #37

3. Davenport teen arrested in death of construction worker

East Moline police arrested an 18-year-old Davenport man late Tuesday after the Iowa State Patrol issued a warrant for his involvement in a crash that left a Valley Construction worker dead last week.

Sebon Cordell Reese was wanted on a charge of homicide by vehicle-reckless driving and eluding. He was arrested without incident about 9:30 p.m. at an apartment complex near the intersection of 15th Street and 12th Avenue. Read more.

4. Walmart backs out of plan to build Rock Island store

5. 'It's apple time' for Davenport couple

Sitting around their breakfast table, Gary and Jane Weber realize one thing is missing  the apples. Its a quick fix. Gary goes to the backyard and grabs a few left over from the farmers market, including a Mollies Delicious that weighs more than a pound.

That looks better, Jane said Wanna cut one and eat it?

That likely will be the Davenport couples routine this week, as apple season officially starts up. Read more.

6. It's a boat, it's a car, it's both

Gary Sloat's car and boat must be the most-photographed in the Quad-Cities. And that's because his car and boat are one and the same.

"I dragged home an old Volkswagen, and I bought a derelict boat," Sloat said. "I started collecting parts about eight years ago. I'm a family guy, so I work on it 15 minutes at a time."

The result, as the license plate declares, is "Aquabug," which looks like a 1970s dune buggy with a boat motor on the back. Read more.
The father-son gun auctioneering team of Pat and Kevin Hogan dined with descendants of a former president to retrieve one of their most prized collections.

A knife presented to Theodore Roosevelt on his last day in office is among the nearly 3,000 items that will be auctioned Friday through Sunday at the Rock Island Auction Co., 7819 42nd St. W., Rock Island.

Kevin Hogan, the companys president, called the knife a national treasure, but his excitement to show off his company's inventory didnt stop there.

Their spring auction broke a record. An 1886 Winchester rifle that once belonged to a man who helped capture Apache leader Geronimo sold for $1.2 million, becoming the most expensive single firearm ever sold at auction.

Hogan said a handful of items available this time, including a Buffalo Bill rifle and a Heinrich Himmler pistol, could garner the same kind of attention as the Geronimo rifle, which sold for far more than it was expected to bring pre-auction.

Pat Hogan, founder of the company 25 years ago, said the stars aligned for this year's auction when he and his son got their hands on the collections of Robert Bretherton and Robert M. Lee, both well-known in gun circles.

Theyre two very astute collectors who had an unbelievable love affair with this stuff, he said.

The auction includes 350 Winchesters, 500 Colts, rare U.S. and foreign military arms and ornately hand-engraved antique weapons dating back to the 17th century.

Guests will be allowed to preview items in the companys showroom from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday. Kevin Hogan said that on Thursday, guests can see the guns, touch them, hold them and inspect them.

Among the highlights are:

Teddy Roosevelts knife

One of the prized possessions of this weekends firearms auction isnt a firearm at all.

The Hogans said they had known about Roosevelts knife for four years before they acquired it after sitting down with the 26th presidents great-great-granddaughters family.

Manufactured by J. Russell & Co. of Massachusetts with a handle crafted by luxury jewelry retailer Dreicer & Co., the knife was presented to Roosevelt by his friend James W. Gerard, a New York Supreme Court justice and later ambassador to Germany, as the outgoing president was about to embark on an African hunting trip.

The etched presentation inscription appears on the side of the 6-inch-long blade. The handle is sculpted in gold, with a frontier scene on one side and the U.S. presidential eagle and Roosevelts TR monogram inside a wishbone on the other. The pommel is a highly detailed eagle head with red garnet eyes.

The knife has been passed down for 107 years within the Roosevelt family; it was used by Roosevelts great-great-granddaughter to cut her wedding cake, according to the auctions records.

It is expected to bring $150,000 to $300,000.

I wanted to put it in there as priceless, because try to find something else like it, Kevin Hogan said. There is nothing else like it.

Chevalier Ira Paine Winchester

The Hogans spotted a Winchester Model 1866 lever action rifle once belonging to famous trick shooter Chevalier Ira Paine on an appraisal website.

We were there days later, because we knew it was a really important gun, Kevin Hogan said.

Featuring a solid German silver frame, the gun is decorated with detailed relief engravings of a hunter. The varnished walnut straight grip stock includes fine checkering on the forearm and wrist and is fitted with a shotgun buttplate.

Never before photographed and previously unknown, it is the only one known to come out of the Winchester factory thats factory engraved, Kevin Hogan said.

He said he traveled to the middle of nowhere to acquire the gun from a family that had it for 128 years. In the 1880s, William P. Loper received the rifle as a gift from famed exhibition shooter Chevalier Ira Paine while working as the general manager of Frank A. Robbins' Circus.

Paine is in the top echelon of famous trick shooters, up there with Annie Oakley, Hogan said, adding the rifles backstory makes up for its average appearance.

It looks plain, but when you start diving into it, its got a great story, he said. In our field, this is the most important find for Winchester collectors in the last 50 years. It is as rare as anything.

Its estimated price is $225,000 to $350,000.

Buffalo Bill Winchester

Manufactured in 1883, the special-order Winchester Model 1873 lever action short rifle is inscribed to 12-year-old Robbie Campbell Adams as presented by Wild West legend and showman William Buffalo Bill Cody. The rifle was shipped from the factory the same year that Buffalo Bill introduced his Wild West show, auction records state.

The inscription is inside a double line oval surrounded by scrollwork on the left side plate, while the right side plate has a detailed game scene depicting a hunter taking down a stag. The receiver has engraved scrollwork on a dot background while the rare, special-order 22-inch barrel is fitted with a combination beach front sight and an elevation adjustable rear sight.

Two blanks are all that have ever been fired in it, a letter from a previous owner stated.

The rifle is estimated to bring $175,000 to $300,000.

For a Winchester collector, even without the Buffalo Bill history, it is out of this world, said Joel Kolander, interactive production manager for Rock Island Auction.

Heinrich Himmler pistol

Several of the items the Hogans are auctioning this weekend represent some of the most horrific moments in history.

They have a rare kind of Heinrich Himmler pistol for sale, the sort a Nazi sniper couldnt get his hands on unless he racked up 100 confirmed kills.

The Model 38H J.P. Sauer & Sohn firearm is one of only five Himmler shooting prize pistols that were captured at the end of World War II, auction records state. This one has a high-polish blue finish with one small scratch mark on the left side of the slide on the forward end of the inscription.

The Dem Scarfschutzen presentation inscription is on the left side of the slide followed by an engraved facsimile of the signature H. Himmler. The pistol has checkered, black plastic grips with the encircled Sauer monogram on the left grip and the Nazi Eagle/N proofmarks on the right rear side of the frame.

Its estimated price is $75,000 to $110,000.

Gatling gun

This Colt Model 1883 Gatling gun with carriage was shipped to the U.S. Army on May 20, 1887, auction records state.

The crank-operated, 10-barrel gun fired standard issue rifle cartridges. It includes two donut shaped brass Accles drum magazines that were the most advanced feed method used on Gatling guns at the time. They held 104 rounds of ammunition but could be disabled if they were not kept immaculately clean or if they were dented by enemy fire or poor handling.

Some of the parts are not original, including at least one bolt and the retention nut on the back plate. There is a weld repair on the crank handle and some re-soldered seams on the magazines but has otherwise been restored and listed in good condition.

The Gatling gun was used in combat during the Spanish-American War of 1898 and paved the way for machine guns used later in World War I.

The estimated price is $140,000 to $200,000.
Based on recent statements by University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld as well as various members and representatives of the Iowa Board of Regents it would seem that there is some misunderstanding (or deliberate misrepresentation) of the nature, history, and significance of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). I would like to use this space to clarify what the AAUP is and does, and why their report on the selection of Harreld is far more serious than these statements imply.

The AAUP was formed more than a century ago by a handful of university professors from a variety of disciplines and universities who were concerned to protect academic freedom. In 1940, the AAUP clarified and codified what it meant by academic freedom, specifying that: Teachers are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of their resultsTeachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject [and] teachers are citizens, members of learned professions, and officers of an educational institution. When they speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline. Over the last half century, this statement has been endorsed by societies and associations representing every subject taught in the modern university, as well as the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the American Association for Higher Education and Accreditation.

But the AAUP doesnt only work to defend academic freedom, it also researches and recommends best practices and policiesregarding such topics as academic due process, professional ethics, and discriminationwhich have been honored, on the whole, by universities and governing boards for the entire history of modern American higher education. Including, it turns out, the policies and practices of selecting a university president. In 1966, the AAUP, along with the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and the American Council on Education, agreed on a statement, which specified that, Joint effort of a most critical kind must be taken when an institution chooses a new president. The selection of a chief administrative officer should follow upon a cooperative search by the governing board and faculty. Using this statement as their guideline, the AAUP concludes in their report on Harrelds hire that, the search was structured and engineered by the regents leadership from the outset to identify a figure from the business world congenial to its image of transformative leadership. Once such a person was identified, the rest of what followed was only an illusion of an open, honest search. Ultimately, the report concludes that the board acted throughout in bad faith, and not toward the faculty alone. The board allowed prominent administrators from major institutions of higher education to believe they were participating as candidates in an honest, open search when the process in actuality was being manipulated to reach a foreordained conclusion. It is difficult to see how anyone of intelligence and probity would permit himself or herself to be considered for a future presidency in Iowa.

Relatively few American universities and colleges are sanctioned or censured by the AAUP, and it is particularly rare for a states flagship public university to suffer such a public rebuke by an association that represents the interests of everyone who pursues scholarship and teaches there. Why would the Iowa Board of Regents risk such censure? The AAUP report has an answer. It concludes the problem is headstrong, thoughtless action by politically appointed regents who lack any respect for the faculties of the institutions over which they preside. It doesn't mention, but I will, that all these boards are appointed by Republican governors.

The AAUP has no enforcement powers. Its reports are only to inform the teachers it represents and the public they serve of whats happening in American higher education and to urge adherence to best policies and practices. However, it does conclude that any remedy must be found in an informed public opinion, in the expression of the publics sense that such actions by members of a governing board not only undermine the ideals and purposes of a university but also affront the citizenry the board ostensibly serves.

As for President Harreld, the AAUP recommends that we give him the benefit of the doubt. But the fact that he doesnt appear to know what the AAUP is makes one doubt the benefit of his selection.
A quartet of Illinois lawmakers toured the Quad-Cities Nuclear Generating Station on Tuesday, and although they said talks still are ongoing on a long-term energy bill, officials said there are some glimmers of hope.

Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Peru, and Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Rock Island, all toured the plant, along with officials from the Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce, representatives of area unions and others.

Reporters weren't allowed on the tour, but afterward, the legislators took questions.

Exelon Corp. announced in June that it planned to close its nuclear plants in Clinton, Ill., and Cordova, in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The decision could be reversed, however, if long-term energy legislation is approved by the General Assembly.

Talks are ongoing among energy interests and environmental groups. And while lawmakers did not breathe any insight into the specific issues on Tuesday, Radogno said there have been periodic reports of movement but no deal yet.

Koehler, who does not have a nuclear plant in his district, said downstate lawmakers like him need a reason to vote for an energy bill, and he suggested he was close to being given one.

"I think it's getting close," he said.

"What we saw here was a very job-intensive way to produce electricity, and it's very important because it is carbon-less," he added.

The Peoria lawmaker also pointed to a plan approved a month ago in New York that would provide $500 million in subsidies to the nuclear industry  along with pushing the state more toward renewable energy sources  as a possible template for Illinois. After the plan's approval, Exelon announced it was buying a nuclear plant in upstate New York.

"We've got to place a value on the different components of making electricity, and when you do that, then I think everybody can be a winner," Koehler said Tuesday.

Exelon says it has lost a combined $800 million at the Cordova and Clinton plants. Their closure would put 1,500 people out of work, including 800 in the Quad-Cities.

Critics of bills to help the nuclear industry in Illinois say that, overall, Exelon is profitable and doesn't need a bailout.

Lawmakers Tuesday said it is important that legislation be taken up when they go back into session in November. Anderson, who was a co-sponsor of a bill to help Exelon, said significant progress has been made in the past year on the issue.
CEDAR RAPIDS  Not that hes misses it, but Iowa 1st Congressional District Rep. Rod Blum has lost his title as the most vulnerable member of the U.S. House.

Hes now the second-most vulnerable House member, according to Roll Call, which covers Capitol Hill. The top spot has been taken by Florida Rep. David Jolly, who refuses to do campaign fundraising and is facing former Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican turned Democrat.

Roll Call said that with the national Republican Congressional Committee adding Blum to its Patriot Program and reserving television ad time in the 20-county northeast Iowa district, Blum slides down from first to second. It also cites his cash-on-hand advantage and ability to self-finance his campaign if he chooses.

As a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus in a district President Barack Obama carried twice, however, his re-election still looks daunting, Roll Call said Tuesday.

Blum, a Dubuque business owner who won an open-seat election in 2014, doesnt pay much attention to what Washington, D.C., pundits  particularly Roll Call, who got our race wrong in 2014  are saying this time around, campaign spokesman Jeff Patch said.

Citing a recent poll showing Blum leading Democratic challenger Monica Vernon of Cedar Rapids 50 percent to 43 percent, Patch said Blum knows he is in a strong position.

Vernon campaign manager Michelle Gajewski had no comment on the Roll Call ranking other than to call it so far from accurate.
CEDAR RAPIDS  That didnt take long.

Members of Congress returned to Washington on Tuesday after their summer work session and before the day was over both parties were accusing the other of playing politics.

It was an agreed upon issue between the House and Senate and, unfortunately, the Senate Democrats blocked it, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said this morning about the minority party refusing Tuesday to go along with a $1.1 billion plan to fight the Zika virus.

Senate Democrats played politics, she said on WMT AM 600. They just want to make it a political stance, which is very unfortunate.

Even though Iowa may seem a fairly safer place, Ernst said theres an urgent need for congressional action because Iowans are going into areas where Zika has been found and certainly if they are pregnant or thinking of being becoming pregnant we dont want them to be exposed to Zika.

She echoed charges fellow Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley, made Tuesday after Democrats refused to put up enough votes to bring the Zika funding bill to a vote. The vote was 54 to 46, six short of the 60 votes necessary for a floor vote on legislation.

It seems that the Senate Democrats want a political issue, not a solution, Grassley said.

A solution, Grassley added, would be for the Obama administration to redirect billions of dollars of available funds to the Zika response.

Democrats, he said, want to overlook the fact a majority of both chambers of Congress have agreed on significant Zika funding.

Instead, they want a blank check, knowing that wont happen, so they can pretend fiscal conservatives dont care about women and children, Grassley said. It doesnt make sense except as a political stunt.

Republicans are performing their own political stunts, according to Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Andy McGuire. Grassley and Ernst supported a bill that would shortchange Zika research and treatment because it would prohibit any of the funding to be used by Planned Parenthood.

It is disappointing to watch Iowas GOP Senators vote for a bill that would only partially fund the fight against the Zika virus and would punish women in Zika affected areas by limiting their access to health services, she said. It is not the time to play political games and attach partisan amendments to a bill that could literally save lives.

There was more at stake than the Zika response and Planned Parenthood funding, Ernst said.

The bill also contained funding for military construction, the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

If you think about Veterans Affairs, think about things going on in the VA, the improvements we need to make, making sure that we are caring for our veterans and providing them the health care they need, that was blocked a well, she said.

Unfortunately, rather than work across the aisle on these important measures, Senate Democrats continue to play politics at the expense of public health as well as the health and safety of veterans and our troops, said Ernst, who sits on both the Armed Services and Homeland Security committees.

Florida announced seven new Zika cases Tuesday, bringing the total there to 56, according to the state Department of Health. In Iowa, McGuire said, there have been 15 reported Zika cases.

Because of the Senate standoff, the Zika funding likely will be included in a fiscal year-end stop-gap measure intended to keep the federal government operating until Congress returns after the Nov. 8 election or longer.
My observations and sightings in nature.
The South Dakota Center for Enterprise Opportunity Womens Business Center at Black Hills State University will host the monthly Women in Networking lunch at the Spearfish Holiday Inn Swarm Room Tuesday, Sept. 20, from noon to 1 p.m.

Meetings are usually held on the second Tuesday of each month. Septembers meeting is on the third Tuesday. Septembers featured speaker will be Melissa Hampton, Rodan & Fields.

Registration for the monthly meetings ($15 and includes lunch) should be made by Sept. 15. Late registration or those without a reservation will be charged an additional $5.

On Thursday, Sept. 22, the SD CEO Womens Business Center will host Business Valuation: Valuation Methodologies and Tests of Reasonableness from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the BHSU Joy (Proctor) Krautschun Alumni/Foundation Welcome Center in Spearfish.

This workshop is for business owners, brokers, commercial real estate agents or lenders, anyone looking to buy or sell a business, or anyone seeking to learn how to value a business.

Presenter will be Ericka Heiser, a Certified Valuation Analyst at Ketel Thorstenson, LLP.

The workshop is free of charge, but because seating is limited, registration is required.

Reservations for both events can be completed online at BHSU.edu/SDCEO or by calling 605-642-6435.
All Jeff Merchant wanted to do was help his boy scout troop earn another badge.

Merchant, assistant scoutmaster for Troop 15 in Spearfish, read the Boy Scouts of Americas requirements for the Historic Trails Badge preservation project and thought, We could do that.

And so began a weekend-long project to restore approximately one-third of the 11-mile Rockerville Flume Trail. Those efforts would result in his troop becoming the first in South Dakota to receive a BSA Historic Trails Badge.

The Rockerville Flume Trail was built in the late 1870s. Basically, it was a man-made wooden structure that pulled water out of Spring Creek near Sheridan Lake into the placer mines in Rockerville, Merchant said.

Short wooden supports and tall trestles positioned along an 18-mile-long wood trough sent a continuous, gravity-fed water flow to the mines. The resulting operation pulled an estimated $20 million in gold from the area in just five years.

The trail caught Merchant's attention after researching ones in the Black Hills that had state or federal historic status. Merchant then reached out to Ben Schumacher, a US Forest Service Recreation/Trails technician at the Mystic Ranger Station.

The Pine Bark Beetle has kept us busy, and where we have problems (with trails), we cant keep up maintenance, Schumacher said. We have had to rely on other people for help, not just the agency.

When Merchant called to talk about the project, Schumacher jumped at the opportunity and approved the restoration plans.

The Rockerville Flume Trail, or Black Hills National Forest Trail #50, has a definite historical significance to the area, and we just didnt know exactly what kind of condition it was in, Schumacher said.

Merchant applied for a BSA Historic Trails Award and pitched the restoration idea to his fellow leaders and scouts. We gave safety classes to make sure we had the right equipment, and so the scouts were prepared and excited to begin, he said.

After multiple weather delays, the troop members and leaders, set out for Sheridan Lake on June 11. They camped overnight and began restoration efforts the following day.

We all had little Christmas tree saws and were ready to cut down any little trees in the way of the trail," said boy scout Joe Hovdenes, 13. "But about a mile in, we came to a huge tree that had fallen over the trail. It took all of us about 15 minutes to push it to the side.

The troop continued along Section 1 of the trail, working in the extreme summer heat. We took our tools and cleared the trail as best we could, Merchant said. If a tree growing in the trail was too big for us to cut down, we recorded the GPS coordinates so the forest service could address it later.

The troop was careful to leave any artifacts related to the Flume as undisturbed as possible, making the project a proper restoration rather than just a cleanup effort.

These guys were a big help to the forest service, Schumacher said. Using a report the troop compiled, we used their information to finish the trail work, making it better for future hikers. They did a fantastic job.

Hovdenes was happy for the opportunity to help. It was kind of cool to do, he said. We cleaned it up so its not a hassle for people to hike.

"Not a whole lot of kids get to do a project like this. They might just walk over it and walk away.

Boy Scout Troop 15 in Spearfish will receive their Historic Trail Badges at an Honor Ceremony this fall. For more information about hiking trails and the Rockerville Flume Trail #50, visit fs.usda.gov/activity/blackhills/recreation/hiking.
Belle Fourche-based Bureau of Land Management South Dakota field office staff members are looking forward to moving into new quarters at the Belle Fourche Industrial Rail Park.

The move tentatively is planned for mid October, according to South Dakota Field Manager Chip Kimball.

Kimball said that the new building and storage facilities is owned by a private company and leased by the federal General Services Administration.

When the construction on the new facility is completed by contractors, there will be a walkthrough. That's expected around the end of September.

She said that as the move begins, figured for about Oct. 17, the office will be in "moving mode."

She said the longtime offices at 310 Roundup Street may be closed "a maximum of three days" during move of telephone service and computer networks.

"It may be kind of a mess," she said.

The staff has been preparing for the move as much as possible while keeping up their regular work.

While the new offices may be the most obvious part of the move, the fenced storage at the new location is also a major part of, and reason for the move.

Currently the local office has storage of equipment at Fort Meade, at the office complex on Roundup Street and several other locations in Belle Fourche.

Except for some left at Fort Meade, "The rest of it will all be in the same place for the first time ever," Kimball said.

She added that when the move is completed and settled in, a grand opening will be planned for the community.

The South Dakota office manages over 274,000 surface acres and around 1.7 million acres of subsurface mineral estate in South Dakota.
Dawes County Treasurer Barb Sebesta came under scrutiny in an audit released by the Nebraska State Auditors Office Tuesday afternoon and could potentially face criminal charges.

The audit says Sebesta altered a check written by a taxpayer, failed to collect sales tax or sales tax forms in at least two instances, has failed to maintain trust balances in a timely fashion, and deposited bond forfeitures into the countys general fund rather than distributing them to the schools as required by law.

The Nebraska Auditors office conducted the surprise audit in Dawes County in August after the altered check was discovered, said Dawes County Commissioner Jake Stewart. It was reported to the state by the fraud division of First National Bank North Platte, he added.

The Dawes County Commissioners requested and paid for a state audit for the fiscal year 2011-12 after it became clear that errors were likely occurring in the Treasurers Office. The results of that first audit forced the county to make $38,000 in line item corrections because monies had been coded incorrectly to the wrong funds. A follow-up audit the next year by the state showed no significant concerns.

The audit released this week tells a different story.

The audit details the instance of check altering in a letter to the county commissioners, noting that when making a large deposit in May, Sebesta altered one of the checks in the deposit, changing it from $85.20 to $851.20 but did not alter the total balance on the deposit slip. When the First National Bank North Platte Proof Department noticed the discrepancy, it changed the deposit slip and sent Sebesta a notice of that correction.

When Sebesta received the correction notice from the bank, she told local branch personnel that she had altered the check without the customers authorization, and the bank made an adjustment so the taxpayer could recover the funds.

It should be noted that the alteration of a check in this manner is considered to be a form of forgery, the audit letter states.

Sebesta told auditors she was trying to clarify the proper amount for the banks when she made the change and did not verify it back to the receipts. The taxpayers motor vehicle tax receipt totaled $85.20 for two registration numbers.

By unilaterally altering a check submitted to her office, Ms. Sebesta risks not only collecting from the taxpayer an amount other than that actually due but also, depending upon the circumstances, facing possible allegations of forgery as well as potential removal from office and accusations of official misconduct, the letter states.

The audit also alleges that Sebesta improperly collected sales tax on at least two vehicles. The report detailed one incident in which a title for a pickup was issued in November 2015, with the registration issued in April. However, Sebesta allegedly did not collect the sales tax until June. The audit says Sebesta acknowledged that she knew it was in violation of state law to delay the collection of the sales tax but she was trying to help the purchaser, who was short on funds.

In a separate incident, Sebesta did not collect sales tax or a sales tax form for an all-terrain vehicle in July. Sebesta told auditors that she knew the owners and that the ATV would be exempt because it was to be used on a farm. She told the owners to bring in the sales tax form when they could.

On both of these occasions, Ms. Sebestas actions violated the express provisions of (Nebraska Statute) 77-2703. Ms. Sebesta does not have the authority to ignore that law by allowing vehicles to be registered or titled, as the case may be, without simultaneously receiving the required sales tax, the audit letter states.

In addition, auditors discovered that Sebesta has not followed up on trust balances in a timely manner. The Abandoned Vehicle Fund has $75 in it that should have been transferred to the General Fund a couple of years ago. The Tentative Inheritance Tax Fund is holding $40,446. In June, Sebesta attempted to transfer the money from the Tentative Inheritance Tax Fund to the Inheritance Fund but coded the entry incorrectly and the transfer did not take place. Sebesta failed to realize the transfer had been done incorrectly at the close of June and July, the letter says.

Finally, the Treasurers Office was dinged for improperly depositing $1,170 of bond forfeitures into the countys General Fund. Per the Nebraska Constitution, these funds are supposed to be distributed to the common schools.

The letter from the auditors office notes that several of the findings are potentially violations of Nebraska law. The information on those incidents has been forwarded to the Attorney Generals Office. Stewart said the commissioners will cooperate fully with the Attorney Generals Office and give them any additional information they may require.

The Chadron Record obtained a copy of the audit late Tuesday afternoon; by the time the audit was reviewed, the County Treasurers Office was closed and Sebesta could not be reached for comment. The Record will carry this story, with any updates available, in its print edition Sept. 14. The entire audit is attached as a PDF with this story.
For Pennington County Sheriff's deputies Bill Davis and Cody Rhoden, a weekend at the lake isn't about beaches, bikinis and barbecues. When they are on the water, it's all police business.

The Pennington Country Sheriff's Department started boat patrols of both Pactola Reservoir and Sheridan Lake this summer, a task previously performed only by officers from the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department.

Now, with a new boat on a new directive to push safety, the deputies start their days on the water early.

That held true on Sunday over the busy Labor Day weekend, where the officers were on patrol looking to keep boaters safe and in line with the law.

Boat patrols are done for the 2016 boating season, but will begin again next May. In their inaugural year of patrols, the deputies did not issue a single citation, only warnings.

They tended to patrol the most heavily populated areas, like Jenny Gultch where many people like to cliff jump, or shoreline campsites where loud parties can occur.

The thing they do the most, however, is make sure people know the requirements to possess safety equipment on their boats as dictated by state law.

"I would say our primary focus is safety checks," Deputy Davis said on Sunday. "Making sure that everybody has a life jacket, every boat has a flotation device and a fire extinguisher."

Once initial contact is made, Davis said the deputies can asses if there is a need to ask about any other violations that could occur.

Initial contact is positive, it usually involves the deputies stopping by a boat, offering stickers or tattoos if there are kids on board, and maybe even some small talk about how the fish are biting on the water.

After the boaters show they have all their safety equipment, the visit is usually over, unless the deputies think there is probable cause that other violations could be taking place.

"We're looking for things that could be a probable cause," he said. "Things like kids under the age of 7 not wearing life jackets, violations of wake zones or reckless operation."

They haven't seen, however, very many cases of boating under the influence of drugs or alcohol, which Davis and Rhoden said was one of the reasons the county started the patrol.

Davis said when he has been on the water, he has been mostly impressed with the way boaters use alcohol.

"It doesn't surprise me because we're highly visible, which is what we're supposed to be, so people won't be drinking heavily all day," he said. "We've run into plenty of boats that are having a celebration, but they have a designated driver for that reason, and that's not a surprise. It's the responsible thing to do and good to see."

There have been incidents in the past, however, of boating under the influence leading to a deaths on area lakes, including Pactola. In August 2015, Jody Kreycik was under the influence when he jumped a wave on his personal watercraft that hit a boat carrying 33-year-old Gabrielle Fisher, who was thrown overboard and drowned.

Kreycik was sentenced in May to five years in prison for second-degree manslaughter.

The deputies say most people want to be safe on the water, and are receptive to their patrols  with the exception of some grumpy anglers who would prefer to be left alone.

"A lot of people, when we're doing our safety checks, will thank us when we're done," Rhoden said. "In the past there has been some unsafe activity, so people are happy to see us out here."

This summer had its water tragedies that give the deputies motivation to continue their patrols. Two drownings, one in Pactola Reservoir and another at Sheridan Lake, took place during the 2016 summer season.

In those situations, the sheriff's boat can be used to recover the bodies, but the main focus of the patrols is to prevent tragedies like those.

One of the drownings came when a man fell off a paddle board, and did not have a life preserver in his possession.

"A lot of it is word of mouth," Rhoden said. "If one person gets stopped in a kayak because they didn't have a life jacket, maybe they tell their buddy and word gets around."

Davis said he has seen first hand that not many people know the law about having a life jacket in a paddle boat or kayak.

"We had the drowning earlier, and the same weekend we had the drowning we contacted four people on Sheridan Lake about that," he said. "So I don't think a lot of people knew."

As for the first year of the program, both Rhoden and Davis said they feel they accomplished their goals.

"Our main goal was to increase awareness of the little things, and increase our visibility so people can check themselves and keep themselves in check," he said. "We want them to see us and make sure they're doing the right thing, that was our goal, and I think we achieved that."
Trump's "hardening/softening" rhetoric on his immigration plans is a masterpiece of political vacillation. He makes Hamlet seem resolute.

One day he's "bad cop," next day he's "good cop," then the next day after that Trump is "I don't know cop." As residents of a state that is deeply steeped in the agriculture industry, which nationally draws much of its labor force from Hispanic immigrants, we have reason to be frustrated by Trump's inability to articulate a clear plan about how to deal with undocumented aliens.

Last year, the Pew Research Center concluded that 26 percent of this country's farming, fishing and forestry labor force consists of "unauthorized aliens," a number that should sober up a lot of Donald Trump's rabid supporters eagerly anticipating the deportation force he promised during the primaries.

Aware of this reality, South Dakota GOP Congresswoman Kristi Noem told a Rapid City crowd last week that "we're a country of immigrants." She added that we have to consider "how important those workers are to the agriculture business."

The American Farm Bureau Federation agrees unequivocally, noting that foreign farm workers do not take jobs from Americans, but actually create American jobs, by a ratio of 1:3, when totting up the numbers of jobs in value-added industries, marketing, retailing and so on. The federation supports "earned legal status for experienced, but unauthorized, agricultural workers."

Considering that about half the two million crop workers in the United States that, according to the Department of Agriculture, are unauthorized workers, the "overwhelming majority" coming from Mexico, the idea of systematically rounding up these folks and deporting them is a non-starter. The resulting chaos in agricultural production would be monumental.

The Farm Bureau's call for "earned legal status" for experienced workers certainly leaves room for interpretation as to how that status can be earned, but I read it as a reasonable approach to creating a pathway for documentation or citizenship while still residing in the United States and continuing to do the ultra-important work of crop production. Realistically, there doesn't seem to be a more practical way.

Yet Trump, in his Phoenix tirade last week, stated unequivocally, that "anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation." A year ago, while coalescing his enthusiastic following, he told NBC that he was immovable on this: "We will keep families together, but they have to go," he said. "They have to go. We will work with them, but they have to go, Chuck. We either have a country or we don't have a country."

Now that reality has intruded, the back-off from that hard-line position has exposed Trump as being either ignorant or a liar  or just a shameless political showman.

Over the holiday weekend, Rudy Giuliani, a once-great New York Mayor who has devolved into a political sock-puppet, told CNN that Trump no longer wants "mass deportations."

In other words, Giuliani confirmed that Donald Trump can not be trusted. As common a failing as that is among the political class, in this case it makes the leap from rhetoric to reality. Families are in limbo and farmers are left wondering about the status of their labor force. As Trump himself would say, not good.
Life sentence upheld for last Aum Shinrikyo sect leader

MOSCOW, September 7 (RAPSI) - The Tokyo High Court has upheld a lower courts ruling to sentence the last of the three principal Aum Shinrikyo sect leaders, Katsuya Takahashi, who escaped justice for 17 years, to life in prison, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday.

Takahashi has been charged with murder in the cults deadly sarin nerve gas attack in the Tokyo metro on March 20, 1995, which killed 13 people and injured more than 6,000 others. He also was accused of with other crimes connected with production of nerve gas VX and murder of sect undesirables. He pleaded not guilty. His defense insisted that Takahashi knew nothing about the essence of crimes prepared by the organization.

He was arrested in Tokyo on June 15, 2012. Another sect leader, Makoto Hirata, surrendered himself to the police at 11.50 PM on December 31, 2011, and Naoko Kikuchi was arrested on June 3, 2012. Hirata has been sentenced to nine years in prison and Kikuchi to five years.

Katsuya Takahashi joined the sect at its inception and served in the defense and intelligence department. He is believed to have been directly involved in preparations of the poison gas attack in the Tokyo metro in 1995, the murder of undesirable people and experiments with the VX nerve gas. In all, he has been charged on five counts.

Aum Shinrikyo (Supreme Truth) was set up in 1987 by Chizuo Matsumoto (aka Shoko Asahara). It combined Buddhist and Hindu meditation practices and apocalyptic teachings and was believed to have between 30,000 and 50,000 followers, with more than 10,000 members in Russia, where Aum was engaged in missionary activity and economic enterprise. The sect was banned worldwide in 1995, with Russia leading the crackdown.

In 1994, Aum Shinrikyo members dispersed sarin gas in Matsumoto, Nagano, killing seven people. After the March '95 attack on Tokyo, police arrested about 30 of the sect leaders, some of whom, including Shoko Asahara, were sentenced to death.

Now operating under the name of Aleph, the cult is still in business and is believed to have between 1,000 and 2,000 members in Japan.
Bankruptcy petition against large Russian industrial company dismissed

MOSCOW, September 7 (RAPSI)  The Sverdlovsk Region Commercial Court has dismissed a bankruptcy petition filed by Alfa Bank against large industrial corporation Uralvagonzavod without prejudice, the court documents read on Wednesday.

Reasons for declining to review the petition are unknown. Yet, during the previous hearings Uralvagonzavod asked court not to review the petition because of lawsuits filed with the Chelyabinsk Commercial Court over recovery of debts. Proceedings in those lawsuits have not been halted despite the bankruptcy petition. Next hearings in the lawsuits are set for September 27.

On June 10 Alfa Bank filed a bankruptcy petition against Uralvagonzavod.

In June the court also registered a bankruptcy petition against the corporation lodged by the Barnaul Forge and Press Plant.

On May 20 Alfa Bank announced that Uralvagonzavods debt before the bank reaches 10.5 billion rubles ($161 million) and additional $72.2 million. The total amount of arrears is estimated at $52.3 million.

Alfa Bank filed a similar petition against the Ural Plant of Transport Engineering, a subsidiary of the corporation.

Uralvagonzavod is heading the integrated structure that unites around 40 industrial enterprises, research centers and construction bureaus in Russia and Europe. It is among TOP-100 largest military-industrial corporations of the world.
Victims in Russian penitentiary embezzlement case demand $52.5 mln from defendants

MOSCOW, September 7 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko)  Victims in the embezzlement case against ex-head of Russias Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) Alexander Reimer have filed a civil lawsuit demanding repayment of 3.4 billon rubles ($52.5 million), RAPSI reports from the Zamoskvoretsky District Court on Wednesday.

Victims in their claim ask the court to collect from the case defendants 2.7 billion rubles ($42 million), the sum of caused damage, plus 721 million rubles (about $11 million) as interest for use of another's monetary assets.

According to indictment, Reimer and his accomplices conspired to embezzle monetary funds from the Russian state budget.

Charges have been brought against Reimer, his former deputy Nikolai Krivolapov, director of FSINs Information and Technical Support Center Viktor Opredelyonov. They were charged, depending of their role, with abuse of office and embezzlement committed through abuse of office. Krivolapov was additionally charged with illegal possession of ammunition.

According to investigators, between 2010 and 2012, Reimer and his accomplices embezzled over 1.2 billion rubles ($18.5 million) allocated for purchase of ankle bracelets for persons placed under house arrest. The procurement was pursued at an enormously overvalued price. Damage allegedly caused to the state budget was estimated at no less than 2.7 billion rubles ($42 million).

The case against Martynov was reviewed separately as he fully admitted his guilt in large-scale embezzlement in 2010-2012 over the purchase of ankle bracelets for the Federal Penitentiary System. Martynov cooperated with investigators and announced that he is going to compensate the government with delivery of 7,000 new ankle bracelets. Businessman is a head of NPF Meta company that was supplying bracelets for prison inmates.

On June 30, the Zamoskvoretsky District Court of Moscow sentenced businessman Nikolai Martynov to 3 years and 8 months in prison in relation to this case and fined him 500,000 rubles ($7,700).
Bill on liability for criminal actions by debt collectors reaches State Duma

Context State Duma passes bill to curb abusive debt collection practices

MOSCOW, September 7 (RAPSI)  Russian lawmakers have filed a bill, introducing criminal liability for physical abuse against debtors and their families by debt collectors, to the State Duma, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday.

According to the bill, such actions would be punished with a sentence that may reach up to 20 years in prison. Criminal liability is also proposed for violations against underage and inflicting death of a person.

"This legislative initiative is aimed at protection of the rights and interests of citizens, to prevent cases of abuse of power on the part of people carrying out debt collection service," a supplementary note for the bill reads.

Debt collection that involves spreading defaming information about debtors or members of their family is proposed to be punishable by a prison sentence that may reach up to 4 years in prison. Similar actions carried out by a group of people are proposed to be punished by 8 years in prison.

Same sentence term is proposed for harming property of a debtor. Debt collection involving violence or threat of violence against debtors and their families is proposed to be punished by 12 years in prison.

The bill was prepared by Just Russia party lawmakers Sergei Mironov and Oleg Nilov.

In January, a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the window of a wooden house in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk. A 2-year-old child was badly burned and sent to a hospital. The boy was saved by his grandfather, who also received injuries in the fire. The bomb was allegedly thrown by a collector seeking repayment of a debt. Shortly after the incident, a man was arrested and later charged with an attempted murder.

In late March, another incident took place in the Novosibirsk Region. Unknown persons, allegedly the collectors, broke into the debtors apartment. The woman became a victim of sexual violence; her minor child and husband were beaten.

From January to June 2015, about 22,000 complaints were filed by Russian citizens against unlawful acts committed by would-be collectors, former Human Rights Commissioner Ella Panfilova said earlier citing by the Interior Ministrys information.
America must return to conservative principles of less government,reduced taxes, less spending and a balanced budget! Cut,cap and balance!
Guwahati : Assam Minister of State for Revenue and Disaster Management Pallab Lochan Das has seeks peoples participation, help and stressed on mass awareness to mitigate any kind of disaster in the state.

Reiterating the responsibility of the Government to sensitise all section of the people to face any kind of hazards, Minister Das appealed all the related officials to work with dedication for the welfare of the society.

Participating in the 100 days target achievement of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) at NEDHI Convention Centre, Dispur on Tuesday Pallab Locah Das formally released the Flood Hazard Atlas for Assam State based on the data of 18 years from 1998 to 2015 and Atlas on Open Spaces of

Guwahati city.

He also formally launched the MIS Web Portal on search and rescue Operation and GIS Utility Portal.

It is noteworthy that these initiatives are part of the 100 days target which the ASDMA has achieved within the fixed date.

Beside, under Apartment Society Sensitization Programme in Guwahati City, the ASDMA has also covered 194 apartments in 72 days from June 13 to August 22 last.

Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam T Y Das highlighted about the target and achievement of the ASDMA.

The programme was also addressed by the Scientist of National Remote Sensing Centre of Hyderabad Dr. Srinibas Rao.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati, September 7 : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday said that Majulias prestige is the Assam's prestige and it will be upheld at any cost.

In an interaction with the media, Sonowal said that Majuli will become the nerve center of governance in the state and people will have to help in realizing the true potential of Majuli.

The Assam CM reiterated that there are lots of plans for Majuli and as the center of Satriya culture Majuli must be highlighted in the global stage with proper planning.

'A world class Cultural University to be set up in Majuli which will spread the essence of Satriya culture and preserve the Satriya culture through quality research,' Sonowal said.

The Assam CM also acknowledged the contribution of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika in highlighting the Satriya culture and giving it national recognition while he was the Sangeet Natak Academy Chairman. *

Sonowal revealed the plan for an Ayurvedic Hospital in Majuli which will encourage people to go for holistic approach to curing diseases.

'Setting up of organic industries in the coming days is also a thrust area for Majuli' Sonowal said.

Regarding the perennial problem of flood and erosion, the Assam CM said that a comprehensive plan has been made to go for dredging the whole Bramhaputra river with the help of World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

'A workshop in this regard was also held in Guwahati with the experts of Dredging Corporation of India. Dredging will greatly help in solving the erosion problem of Majuli in the coming days. To deal with flood in Majuli in an effective and quick manner, A Rapid Action Center of Water Resources Department will be set up so that flood management work can be expedited in crisis situation,'A Sonowal said.

Sonowal said that cabinet meeting in Majuli will herald a new era in development of the river island and such cabinet meetings will also be held in other backward places of the state in future to give momentum to

development.

The first state cabinet meeting will be held in Majuli on Thursday outside from Dispur.

'Good governance will be ensured by eradicating corruption at every level so that faith of the people remains in the government system,'A Sonowal said.

World largest river island Majuli will be declared India's first island district on Thursday.*

*(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)*
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 7: The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday strongly condemned North Korea'slatest ballistic missile launches and threatened "further significant measures" if it refuses to stop its nuclear and missile tests.

The U.N.'s most powerful body agreed to the statement hours after a closed-door emergency meeting called by the United States, Japan and South Korea in response to North Korea's firing of three missiles Monday that traveled about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and landed near Japan.

The council gave no indication of what "further significant measures" it might take if North Koreacontinues conducting tests and trying to enhance its nuclear capabilities.

The U.S., Japan and South Korea made clear after the council meeting that they want further action, but also didn't specify what.

The press statement urged all U.N. member states "to redouble their efforts" to implement sanctions against Pyongyang, including the toughest measures in two decades imposed by the council in March. Those sanctions reflected growing anger at Pyongyang's nuclear test in January and a subsequent rocket launch.

The council expressed serious concern that North Korea carried out the latest launches "in flagrant disregard" of its demands.

North Korea has repeatedly flouted Security Council resolutions demanding an end to its nuclear and ballistic missile activities and has continued to launch missiles, escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

It already has a variety of land-based missiles that can hit South Korea and Japan, including U.S. military bases in those countries. Last month, it successfully tested a submarine-launched missile and development of those missiles would add a weapon that is harder to detect before launch.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters after Tuesday's meeting that "the Security Council must remain unequivocal and united in condemnation of these tests and we must take action to enforce the words we put on paper  to enforce our resolutions."

President Barack Obama signaled at a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders in Laos that the U.S. would redouble its effort to choke off North Korea's access to international currency and technology by tightening loopholes in the current sanctions regime.

North Korea launched the missiles while China was hosting the Group of 20 economic summit, Power said. This once again showed the North's "blatant disregard" for U.N. sanctions and its international obligations "and its willingness to provoke and to threaten the international community with impunity," she said.

Power said North Korea has carried out 22 missile launches so far this year, and the latest hit "within 300 kilometers of Japan's coast."

With each test, she said, the North demonstrates further advancement of its ballistic missile program whose aim according to the country's leader Kim Jong Un is "to arm the systems with nuclear weapons."

Japan's U.N. Ambassador Koro Bessho said he was encouraged that in Tuesday's council meeting "there was much stronger show of unity" than in past discussions.

The tests not only threaten Japan's national security but the region and beyond, he said, stressing that the missiles were launched without any prior notification and could have hit planes or ships.

Bessho said Japan wants the council to consider further actions it can take "in unanimity, in unity, in bringing about change in North Korea's behavior."

South Korea's deputy U.N. ambassador Hahn Choong Hee said the international community should be united in sending a "clear and unequivocal message to North Korea that if they continue to provoke and violate their international commitments and sanctions, they will face much stronger and insurmountable and significant counter-measures from the international community."

What action the council takes remains to be seen and a lot depends on China, the North's neighbor and only major ally, though ties have frayed over the nuclear and missile tests and what many outsiders see as other provocations in recent years.

China's U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi, apparently annoyed that the latest missiles were fired during the G20, told reporters as he left the meeting that the council would work on a press statement. But he didn't mention any further council action.

Power said "there were very strong and numerous voices in the room for doing more" than another condemnation.

"So without getting ahead of the council we were also interested in increasing the consequences after this pattern of using these launches to advance the capabilities of the program," she said.

North Korea is banned from importing or exporting nuclear or missile items and technology as well as luxury goods and the March resolution expanded the list of banned items. It requires countries to freeze the assets of companies linked to the North's nuclear and missile programs.

The March sanctions, among other things, also require mandatory inspections of cargo leaving and entering North Korea by land, sea or air; a ban on all sales or transfers of small arms and light weapons to Pyongyang; and expulsion of diplomats from the North who engage in "illicit activities."
Binita Oli, who originally hails from a remote village in Rolpa is seen receiving dialysis service in Human Organ Transplant Centre, Bhaktapur, on Wednesday, September 7, 2016. Photo: RSS

KATHMANDU: A kidney failure patient from a remote village in Rolpa has appealed to members of the public for monetary help for her treatment.

Binita Oli, who originally hails from Ota VDC-8 of Rolpa, currently lives with her husband Lalsingh Oli in a rented-room at Byasi of Bhaktapur while her two daughters live with their grandmother in the village.

She has been receiving dialysis service at Bhaktapur-based Human Organ Transplant Centre for over a year now, which costs at least Rs 50,000 per month.

The Oli family who are already bearing a huge debt have been suggested by doctors for a kidney transplant, which would cost at least Rs 300,000 to Rs 500,000.

Having no source of regular income, their financial status is critical.

Anyone willing to lend a helping hand to ailing Binita is requested to contact Lalsingh at 9808686903 or 9841392960. RSS
Kathmandu, Nepal: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has refuted a news report published in various national and international media on Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping postponed his purported Nepal visit.

The news reports about the proposed visit of the Chinese President XI Jinping was postponed is baseless, the MoFa has said issuing a press statement on Wednesday.

It was stated in the news report that the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal informed the Foreign Ministry Secretary and high-ranking officials of Nepal.

The news report also states that the visit was postponed as Nepal lacked preparations for the top-level visit on its part. However, the MoFa has also refused the report.

It was also a baseless rumor that Nepal government was not making any preparations to that regard, states the press release.

It is expected that Chinese President Xi would visit Nepal while he is scheduled to attend a BRICS Summit along with the heads of state/government of Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa, on October 15-16 in New Delhi.

However, the Chinese government has not made official statement regarding the scheduled visit.

The report about the cancelation of visit before fixing the date to visit is taken importantly in the political and diplomatic levels.
JAJARKOT, Sept 7: Representatives from the Nalsing Gadh Hydropower Project Development Committee (NGHPDC) today called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at latter's private Secretariat in Baluwatar and submitted a memorandum to him, demanding incorporation of the project in the list of national pride projects.

The delegation led by former Home Minister also demanded an additional budget for the project, apart from making proper arrangement for the distribution of compensation for land acquisition for the project.

The government was urged to pay attention to the potentiality of the project to produce more than 1,000 megawatts of electricity as per the suggestion of experts, although the project is supposed to generate 410 megawatt electricity, NGHPDC Chairman Ganesh Prasad Singh said.

In response, PM Dahal said the project that could be constructed at a relatively cheaper cost and shorter time would be given due attention. RSS
Kathmandu, Nepal: The British Embassy announces the names of the winners of 2016/2017 Chevening Scholarships.

This year 13 Nepali applicants were awarded the UK Government's prestigious scholarships. These 13 scholars will fly to UK this month to study for a Master's degree in various UK universities.

The following are the names of the winners (in alphabetical order), subjects of their study and the universities that they are attending:

-Aman Shrestha MSc in Management (Entrepreneurship) at Durham University

-Amit Kumar Karna MSc in Energy and Society at Durham University

-Bhaskar Awasthi MSc in International Development: Poverty, Inequality and Development at University of Manchester

-Bishwaraj Bhattarai MSc in Sustainable Energy Systems at University of Edinburgh

-Ghana Shyam Khadka LLM in International and European Human Rights at University of Leeds

-Manoj Paudel MSc in Local Economic Development at London School of Economics and Political Science

-Dr. Nitin Nischal Bhandari MSc in International Health Policy at London School of Economics and Political Science

-Ravi Lal Sharma MSc in Tunnelling and Underground Space at the University of Warwick

-Ritu Mishra MSc (Eng) in Transport Planning and Engineering at University of Leeds

-Saurav Shrestha MSc in Building & Urban Design in Development at University College London

-Sushmit Sharma Bhattarai MSc in International Construction Management and Engineering at University of Leeds

-Tanuja Shrestha MSc in High Performance and Scientific Computing at Swansea University

-Vibek Manandhar MSc in Civil Engineering (with Seismic Design) at University College London

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

Chevening is a fully funded scholarships program which includes the following:

- university tuition fees

- a monthly stipend

- travel costs to and from the UK

- an arrival allowance

- a homeward departure allowance

- a thesis grant

- a grant for study materials

- a study travel allowance

- the cost of one visa application

- a travel grant to attend Chevening events in the UK





APPLICATIONS OPEN

We are accepting applications for 2017/2018 Chevening Scholarships via www.chevening.org/apply until 8 November 2016.

British Ambassador to Nepal, HE Richard Morris, said:

"The UK is home to many of the world's best universities. The Chevening Scholarship Scheme enables you to develop academically, professionally and personally while studying in the UK. The Scholarships are awarded to exceptional individuals with leadership potential, who want to learn and return to Nepal to share their knowledge and experience. If that describes you and you are interested in studying for a Masteras degree (one year) at a leading UK university, please apply."

Chevening Alumni Association Nepal Chairman Laxmi Kanta Poudel, who studied for an MA in Public Policy in the University of York in 1996/1997 under the Chevening Scholarship Scheme, said:

"It was an excellent opportunity for me to go and live in the UK for a year and acquire quality education from a reputed university. It helped me to become a global citizen by allowing me to learn about diverse international cultures. It provided me an opportunity to meet people from various countries and interact with them. I encourage qualified Nepali people to apply for this scholarship and contribute in their areas of interest in Nepal."





MORE INFORMATION:-

Visit www.chevening.org/faqs for detailed information on the eligibility criteria and award specifications.





ABOUT CHEVENING:-

Chevening Scholarships are the UK Government's global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations. The scholarships support study at UK universities

mostly one year Master's degrees for individuals with demonstrable potential to become future leaders, decision-makers, and opinion formers.

The Chevening Scholarship Scheme began in 1983. Chevening Scholars now come from over 160 countries and territories worldwide (excluding the USA and the EU), and over 1,500 scholarships were awarded in 2015/2016. There are over 44,000 Chevening Alumni around the world who comprise an influential and highly regarded global network.

The name 'Chevening' comes from Chevening House in Sevenoaks, Kent 'the joint official residence of the UK' Foreign Secretary.
Guwahati, September 6 : The Technology Incubation Centre (TIC), IIT Guwahati is organising a competition amongst the student community of the North Eastern region of India to encourage entrepreneurship.

TIC has invited applications from the students who have a promising and original idea about a plan that could create a sustainable social impact on

society.

Prof. Jatindra Kumar Deka, Faculty in-Charge, IITG-TIC, said that the IITG-TIC Innovation Competition is open to all bonafide students of any educational Institute of NE.

"Any student is eligible to apply for the competition if he or she has an original idea or work which have not been used for any other competition/commercial purpose before. The participant only needs a

bonafide student certificate from the concerned institute and a certificate about the originality of the work by the faculty mentor. The participant can then submit the proposal containing the idea of the innovation, its implementation, business model, commercialisation and its impact on the society, preferably within 2000 words.

The areas of innovative ideas are agriculture sector, healthsector, tourism, women empowerment and women safety, food processing and packaging, handicraft sector, non-conventional energy, cottage industry and ideas having impact on the society,'A Prof Deka said.

The interested students may send their proposal by post and the last date for receipt of applications is September 19, 2016. Cash prizes of Rs. 20,000/-, Rs. 15,000/- and Rs. 12,000/- will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners respectively.

Eight teams/individuals will be shortlisted by the panel of eminent juries from all the applications received and they will need to present their proposal in front of the juries within 20 minutes on September 29, 2016.

IITG-TIC will provide accommodation for two members of the participant team but no TA/DA will be provided.

All winner ideas will be incubated in the IITG-TIC subject to the fulfillment of IITG-TICas eligibility criterion. Interested student may visit www.iitg.ernet.in/tic for further information, added Prof. Deka.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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The Times of India - August 31, 2016

My father, an Indian who became a Pakistani national after migrating to the neighbouring country, often indulged into extensive discussions within his circle of erudite friends, mostly from journalist community, about the never-ending conflicts both the neighbouring countries faced off and on. Although he had left India as a teenager, he stayed deeply connected to his roots, which he preferred not to cut off even after he adopted Pakistan as his permanent residence. While he prospered and flourished breathing in the new country, he could not forget the scent of the soil, richly defused in his mind.

But his emotional attachment to his country of birth was not to be considered as a chink in the armour of patriotism, Pakistan, his adopted home, had conferred on him.

Womans Day Celebration with Shobha Karandlaje and Ramya in Vijay Karnataka Office

Recently when Ramya, a former MP visited Pakistan as part of a SAARC delegation of young lawmakers, more than her visit and the outcome of the meet, what created a furore and grabbed headlines in media were a few words of goodwill, she said on her return. aWhat I found (in Pakistan) was not hell but a country that is home to people just like us who happen to be ruled by a regime that does not inspire confidence,a her words, spoken to show gratitude towards her host country and carrying the power to go a long way in defusing tension and creating harmony between the two countries, were unfortunately, in the first place were taken as a rebuttal to a statement issued by the defence minister, Manohar Parrikar, who had recently said, agoing to Pakistan is same as going to hell.a

Sadly enough, the issue did not culminate here; it was further blown out of proportion when Ramya not just faced a strong social-media backlash but also encountered sedition charges filed by some NGO. People in the political circle, mostly from her rival party, believed her statement had hurt the sentiments of most Indians.

Kannada Sena activists protest

I am sure she had never imagined a mere statement issued to exhibit her positive experience and intended to generate some affability between the rival countries would end up eliciting a reaction reeking of jingoism at her home front. I admired the strong stance which the young minister maintained about her words; her refusal to withdraw her statement or issue an apology to her countrymen proved that her patriotic sentiments were far too sturdy and secure to be shaken by mere words, spoken to express courtesy and gratitude.

Hurling sedition charges at her, doubting her patriotism and giving an ugly political twist to her statement was akin to make her pay a heavy price for a non-issue, which seriously never merited this level of importance. It was rather a manifestation of hatred, harboured by group of people for the neighbouring country. aWould she have faced a similar situation, if the same words were used for some other country?a I wondered.

For those who have never visited Pakistan, the country is poorly perceived to be a place dotted with jihadi camps, where massive bomb blasts rock cities every now and then and hapless citizens live a battered, deprived life breathing in air smelling of gun powder and foul stench of flesh and blood. Gun fires, shooting, killing and every heinous form of crime and terrorism grip the place like a monster with myriad tentacles that suffocate any form civility and sophistication of people. In short, they are unfortunate dwellers of man-made hell.

I have had the first-hand account of such portrayal of the country of my birth as people often asked me questions which literally made me think if they would be able to stand by their thoughtless inferences, fashioned mostly by media, about Karachi, if ever they get a chance to experience the exuberance of the City of Lights.

For an Indian, if showing general goodwill towards other country, particularly Pakistan is tantamount to hurting the sentiments of fellow Indians, then how would one describe a situation when an Indian issues insensitive statements that hurt the feelings of Pakistani citizens? Naturally, nobody wants his/her country to be given the title of a hell or nightmare especially if they are the biggest sufferers of menace in the form of terrorism that ruthlessly wipes out cheerful innocent lives from their motherland.

When unnecessary negativity forces its way into rare show of amiability, the Indo-Pak strife gets further stimulated and the dismal scenario is promoted to higher limits where germination of any act of goodwill is obstructed.

Ramya was right, when she said, apeople there are like us.a People of Pakistan surely want their country to prosper and talked about in a positive way; they hate to be labelled as merchants of terrorism or architects of hell.
sacw.net - 7 September 2016

Abstract: I learned that Grandfather had breathed his last on the evening of September 8, 1982. I interject personal memories into the political and historical narrative, inviting biographical interpretation.

It wouldnat be remiss of me to admit that until 1984 Grandmother was a peripheral presence in my life. She was a benign, affectionate, slightly detached, and much lauded presence in Grandfatheras lifetime, but not at the center stage of my existence. It was later that Grandmother and I developed a delightful, enriching, and volatile relationship. At times, she and I would give each other the silent treatment, but there were also times when she and I would have absorbing conversations as the day would fade and the twilight evening would dispel any resentment that might have been lingering in the air.

I remember her as a self-assured, articulate, politically savvy, and elegant person, whose social and political activism didnat dwindle till very late in life. In the initial years of my coming to consciousness and getting to know Grandmother, she didnat seem racked by self-doubt. She maintained a firm conviction in the ideological platform from which she and her husband had launched an irrepressible fight against iniquitous monarchical and nation-state politics.

After the death of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, her older son, Farooq Abdullah, much to the gratification of the indulgent mother, was made head of government. The investiture of Farooq, indubitably, allayed whatever anxieties might have gnawed at Grandmother at Grandfatheras demise. At the time, there was a genuine fear that the death of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah would create an abyss that would cause an unredeemable political bankruptcy in the state, and regional aspirations would be asphyxiated by the politics of the Indian and Pakistani nation-states. Although the National Conference did have a substantive ideology and a mass base at the time, I would argue that the organization had become increasingly reliant on the cult of personality, particularly on the iconic status of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Grandmother, who had been his comrade in the years of political exile, well knew that his dominance and clout couldnat be replaced, but the strength of the mother-son nexus superseded her well-founded doubts. Subsequent to the formation of the cabinet under Farooqas leadership in September 1982, she ceased to be first lady but she retained her position as patron of the political organization founded by the Sheikh, and her counsel was held in high regard by the party cadre.

In her several visits to Kashmir in the late 1970s and early 1980s, an astute Kashmir observer, Bilquees Taseer, carefully noted that Akbar Jehan was agiven a share of the reverence which they [populace of Kashmir] always held for her husband. She was the person who could give him peace and solace in his tempestuous lifea (250). Bilquees Taseer was the widow of the renowned educationist Dr. Mohammad Din Taseer, and mother of the late Governor of the Punjab in Pakistan, Salman Taseer, who was assassinated in 2010 by his bodyguard for having opposed the arbitrary and notorious blasphemy law of Pakistan. I remember Bilquees Taseer rather fondly as Aunty Chris, an imposing, voluble, and politically astute writer. I think of her as one of the last vestiges of the British Raj. She would affectionately call Akbar Jehan aRuhi.a She would stay at Nedouas Hotel in Srinagar on her frequent visits to the Kashmir Valley. Nedouas Hotel was then owned and run by Salima Nedou, the widow of Harry Nedou aka Ghulam Qadir and sister-in-law of Akbar Jehan. At the time, Taseer was immersed in carving a sharply defined perspective of Kashmir for her forthcoming book.

She wrote about the unremitting dedication of Akbar Jehan to her husband in 1982, the year of the Sheikhas death. Taseer poignantly writes that on closer acquaintance, she found Akbar Jehan an astute, discerning, and insightful woman, awith all the politics of the State and of the Union at her fingertips.a Akbar Jehanas education, reading, and travel had broadened her horizons and having been immersed in momentous changes in subcontinental politics afor forty-nine years as a partner of an outstanding leader had all developed in her a sense of judgment, political intuition and wisdoma (112). She was affected with great wonder at Akbar Jehanas calm demeanor and tactful diplomacy with visitors of all hues and from all walks of life during her husbandas illness. She, Taseer notes, tirelessly supervised the ameliorative care of her husbandas illness, ano light task when visitors were pouring in all day. . . . Always she had to show patience, good temper, tact. Her tirelessness was amazing, for after all she is now not a young womana (89).

8 September, 1982, is a date that is indelibly etched in my mind for several reasons, some of which I have reassessed over the years. Grandfatheras illness had been causing a lot of concern to Mother and her older sister, who with the solicitude of dutiful daughters wanted to be by their fatheras side at all hours of the day. So, a couple of months before he died, I would go to his house everyday after school where I would find Mother taking care of household chores, supervising the servants, and administering medications to her father. I would spend my time in the living room adjacent to Grandfatheras bedroom, where I would assiduously do my homework and study the Quran with the Maulvi.

One afternoon, exhausted and disheveled after a particularly tedious day at school, I limped into the living room to see Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, sitting there with Grandmother and my aunt, Khalida. Mother, who has carefully and very deliberately avoided hobnobbing with political bigwigs for most of her life, was hovering outside the living room. I, a ten-year-old glamour struck child, was overwhelmed to see the Indian premier exchanging pleasantries with Grandmother and her older daughter, Khalida, and sitting close enough for me to touch her.

I followed my aunt Khalida, who gingerly tiptoed into Grandfatheras bedroom and gently whispered in his ear that Indira Gandhi had flown from New Delhi to Srinagar just to call on him and inquire after his health. Grandfather turned away and cynically said that she was there to see how much life he still had left in him and to make sure that he, indeed, was on his last legs. His cynical response, however, did not deter the rest of the family from escorting Indira Gandhi into his room, where she tactfully expressed her concern for the stalwart leader against whom she and her father had deployed every stratagem in the book and the unbridled power of the state.

The air was thick with tension, and Grandfather was guarded in his responses to the Indian premier, suspicion writ large on his face. Grandmother was a gracious hostess and made small talk, all the while giving cryptic answers to questions asked by Indira Gandhi about Grandfatheras health and prognosis. Grandmotheras diplomatic skills were lauded by those who knew her. She had the discernment to receive visitors with the utmost charm and civility, while keeping an adversary at armas length. Little did anyone know that the Indian premier was already orchestrating a rift within the National Conference and the irreparable division of Akbar Jehanas and the Sheikhas family, which she engineered not long after Grandfatheras death.

A few days after that much publicized and impeccably diplomatic visit, I was taking Math tuitions, one afternoon, in the tiny and sparsely furnished room just above Grandfatheras bedroom, which didnat do much to rid me of my Math dyslexia. I could hear an audible rattle through the window. Happy in my childas fantasy world of fairies and elves that would vanquish the monstrous mathematical and algebraic formulae that my tutor was badgering me with, I didnat realize that the audible rattling sound was Grandfatheras beleaguered breathing. Much to the chagrin of my tutor, I lost interest in my homework and looked through the window only to see everyone running helter skelter. Motheras cousin, Freddy, came bounding up the stairs to tell her that aPapaa was asking for her. The newspaper that Mother had been reading flew out of her hands, and she ran downstairs in disarray.

I, not being able to navigate my way through the agitated crowd that had gathered outside Grandfatheras bedroom, made my way to the house of Grandmotheras younger brother, Benji, which was a stoneas throw away. I pushed, shoved, and elbowed to make my way through the main gate, which was thronged by a multitude of people. The evening air was laden with the stifling heaviness of slogans; the piercing keening of women; and the swishing sounds of young boys flagellating themselves, marking their bodies with visible signs of bereavement. The frightening roar of vehicles, chaotic screams, unbearably loud sounds of mourning, and the frantic patter of running feet around Grandmotheras brotheras house shook me into a startled wakefulness at first light. I learned that Grandfather had breathed his last on the evening of September 8. His corpse, subsequent to the ritual cleansing, had surreptitiously been taken to Polo Ground in the wee hours of the morning, where it would lie in repose for the next two days. Senior politicians of different ideological orientations and senior administrators feared that taking Grandfatheras body to the Polo Ground in full view of the already overwrought and emotionally agitated people thronging the gate of his house would make it difficult to rein in sentiments and could further destabilize the already fragile situation.

I recall spending that entire day in a disoriented daze, running in and out of the womenas pavilion, where Grandmother, Mother, and Motheras older sister, who although distraught and utterly devastated, were forbearingly listening to the entreaties of the mourners to remain fortitudinous. Grandfatheras bedroom was denuded of his pain-filled eyes that had told thousands of stories of brutally crushed aspirations, his enchanting but melancholic smile, and his temperate presence. The defining presence of my childhood, much loved and just as much vilified, was no more! Death, the ever vigilant and cruel overseer had, once more, established its inevitability! There is no God but God! From God we come, and to Him we return!

The flags that flew at half-mast that day were symbolic of the diminution of the ideological underpinnings of a mass movement for Kashmiri nationalism, and of the mourning for an abraded Kashmiri identity. In that distressing, heartbreaking, and passionate atmosphere, Grandmother stood with her shoulders squared and employed religious rhetoric to remind the mourners in the front lawn of her house that even the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) could not escape the clutches of death, let alone an ordinary mortal. In a strong voice, she implored them to be patient and told them that the greatest tribute they could pay to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was to show the world that they were an evolving nation, capable of maintaining an enviable calm even in difficult times. I sat behind her on bended knees while she importuned the crowd of mourners to remain stoic, wondering, with the befuddlement of a ten year old child, how a sense of orientation, order, and clarity would ever follow the fluster and tumult of those few days!
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Oscar-winning director Clint Eastwood helms this big screen reenactment of the Miracle on the Hudson", when US Airways flight 1549 made an emergency landing on New Yorks Hudson River in January 2009. Tom Hanks plays Captain Chesley Sully Sullenberger, who successfully brought the plane to rest, saving all 155 passengers and crew on board, only to subsequently face heavy scrutiny for his actions. Shot mostly with IMAX cameras, Eastwood ensures the sequences of the fateful flight capture the danger and tension of that day, but when on terra firma Sully has little stowed away.

It has always been the unspoken truth of air travel that nobody survives a water landing. We dutifully follow the safety demonstration, locate our lifejackets, learn how to tie them properly and understand that rafts will inflate automatically once the emergency doors are opened. What nobody utters out loud is that the aircraft will most likely shatter into a thousand pieces on impact, and everyone inside will die horribly long before we have the chance to use our whistles. Except, on 15 January 2009, it actually happened.

After successfully not killing everybody on board, Sullenberger was hailed as a hero in the media, a sentiment shared by everybody on board and the American public in general. But the National Transport Safety Board challenged the pilot's decision to ditch his aircraft following a bird strike, rather than head for one of the numerous airports that their simulators tell them were within easy reach. After 42 years in the air, Sully found his career in jeopardy because of 208 seconds of flight time.

And herein lies the biggest problem with Todd Komarnickis script, adapted from Sullenbergers own book, Highest Duty. It is difficult to drag out three-and-a-half minutes of action to even a modest feature length, and at 96 minutes, Sully is thankfully modest. As a result, the film spends an inordinate amount of its running time documenting the decades of experience chalked up by its eponymous hero, as well as the emotional turmoil experienced by Sullenberger and First Officer Jeff Skiles during their NTSB hearings.

Like its protagonist, there is an understated, clinical efficiency to Sully that makes it an engaging, occasionally exhilarating watch, while never in any danger of breaking a sweat. Eastwoods direction is proficient yet anonymous, too often falling back on the spectacular scenery or his ever-reliable leading man to keep the film aloft.

Hanks delivers a performance of seemingly effortless composure that feels honest and naturalistic without ever pandering. From beginning to end, Sully is determined to pass any praise onto his colleagues and the rescue teams, while taking full responsibility for his questionable actions. Likewise, Hanks always appears generous and gracious onscreen, and may well garner awards recognition for his efforts.

Unfortunately there is little opportunity for the rest of the cast to make much of an impression, despite the best efforts of Aaron Eckharts formidable facial hair. As First Officer Skiles, he provides welcome support and camaraderie for the increasingly strung out Sully, but is never asked about his own experiences of the incident. Likewise, Laura Linney, as Lorraine Sullenberger, is relegated to tearfully cradling her telephone as she ogles her television, powerless to do anything but will her husband home safely.

In a city still licking its wounds from the horrific events of 9/11, the image of another passenger aircraft descending towards Manhattan must have triggered abject terror in all concerned. Eastwood leans into this imagery just enough, without it becoming gratuitous, and structures the film smartly, so the truth of what occurred - both in the cockpit and out on the water - is teased out as the enquiries unfold. What Sully lacks, however, is any legitimate sense of doubt or ambiguity to leave its audience guessing as we await the NTSB ruling. Even in IMAX, it would seem, 208 seconds of drama simply isn't enough.
Sergei Loznitsas Austerlitz very nearly drew a bad review from me yesterday, as I was still reeling from Malicks Voyage of Time: Lifes Journey. That was largely due to the fact that the Ukranian documentarean's film initially felt like a similarly self-indulgent piece that slowed time into an unsufferable lethargy. Fortunately, Loznitsas work always somehow seem to come good in the end.

At first, Austerlitz begins amidst a sea of people (just as Maidan did), and we observe them as if from the bushes at a frustratingly inert pace. Put frankly, the sensation this creates is not unlike the dissatisfaction of being in an endless queue at a theme park. Except were not at a theme park, were at the gates of one of the most unhallowed places on earth  a Nazi concentration camp where an estimated 70,000 people were held and an unknown number tragically ended their days.

It is this tension between tourist attraction and awful atrocity which this misanthropic documentary painfully tears apart as the documentary starts to get interesting. The absurd antagonism of what we see the visitors doing begins to become clear when the camera assumes Loznitsas trademark static pose before a gate, which has the words arbeit macht frei woven into its metalwork.

Immediately this iconic sign proves to be something of a flame to the moth, and like a flaneur we begin to judge the passing tourists. They are so confrontationally laid before our eyes, and the oddities of their behaviour are so enhanced by a carefully heightened diegetic soundtrack, it is hard not to develop negative feelings towards them. A barrage of cameras and iphones compete for a killer profile picture. Even a Jewish man stops to clutch at the gates bars, as if that were an image worth recreating. You begin to wonder with horror whether a comparable gate today might not read, selfies macht frei.

The next thing you come to question the most is the tourists choice of t-shirts (on what you might have thought would be a respectful visit). At first it seems just incidental ironic that a punky woman might wear a t-shirt with one arrow pointing up labelled The Man, and one pointing down titled The Legend. But before long, the decisions of one man to wears a t-shirt emblazoned Fuckin 99 Problems and of a woman to wears one saying Just Dont Care comes to demand much greater scrutiny.

This sort of stomach-turning irony continues throughout, as Loznitsa takes aim at various busy thoroughfares in the camp. Nevertheless, the way each scene lingers and out stays its welcome at times definitely causes your mind to wonder. Except I suppose that is exactly the documentarys accusatory point: as a generation, we seem almost incapable of stopping and paying the respectful attention that this camp deserves.

So just as with Maidan, at some point the cleverness of what the director is doing starts to sink in. Absurd and obscene as they are, the parallels he creates between the visions of what we see today and the visions of what we might have seen in under the Nazis slowly begin to present themselves. And this is something definitely encouraged by Austerlitzs vintage-feeling, black-and-white footage.

The way truck loads of tourists and guided tours ebb and flow round the camp definitely comes to seem not unlike how you would have imagined Holocaust prisoners were shuffled round too. Certainly the volume of people helps, and brings the horror to life in your imagination. Soon the minds eye also begins playing tricks, and the odd selfie stick begins to resemble a guards casually hostile rifle. You stop almost being able to look at the images in the same way.

The horror of the tourists' the actions and behaviour is never fully lost, though. In what was no doubt a very selective editing process, almost none of the visitors seem to be at all affected by the gravity of the attraction theyre visiting - except for about perhaps three minutes of footage that were allowed to make it in towards the end of Austerlitzs 94 minutes. And everyone seems in such a continual rush, as if they a shepherded round whilst they laugh, flirt and eat.

Whats more, the guides seem almost upbeat, just like any other walking guide you could get anywhere else in the world. But the documentary does have this wonderful tension where the little known facts the guides deliver do almost allow Austerlitz to fulfil an didactic purpose. It's just that there is always an antithetical force seeming to prevent that, as one guide begins to talk noisily over another in this almost industrialized chain of tourism. One guide even tells her group that, "if youre really quick we can have an even longer break." Another sounds a bit like hes unintentionally imitating Troy McClure from The Simpsons.

Perhaps, in truth, this is all uplifting evidence that life goes on. But the point is spelt out that the camp is now supposed to act as a reminder so that nothing like this would ever happen again. Upon leaving, not one individual seems changed by what they have seen, and it feels almost genuinely upsetting. Nevertheless, if youve been a fan of Loznitsas previous work, the troublingly Austerlitz should be for you.


At the ballot box this fall, residents of multiple Bay Area cities can expect to be voting on a record number of local ballot measures aiming to build more affordable housing for the homeless and provide more homeless services. All told, the measures total about $3 billion in new public funding for the cause, as the Chronicle reports, which means a whole lot of new money being thrown at a problem that will likely never take a quick fix.

This past June's SF Homeless Project highlighted the many reasons why our local homeless population appears unchanged over the last decade despite over a $100 million being spent annually in SF alone on homeless services, shelters, and housing. But the impetus for the media project itself, and the reason voters probably will support the upcoming ballot measures in SF, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Alameda counties, is as the Chron sums it up, "as the Bay Area tech economy ignites gentrification in formerly tatty neighborhoods, tent camps that were once in overlooked alleyways are rubbing up against people who arent used to them."

The measures include SF's Propositions J and K, a package that together will add 0.75 percent to our existing sales tax, bringing our total sales tax in the city to 9.5 percent, and which will potentially provide an extra $50 million a year for homeless services and housing  as much as $1.2 billion over the next 25 years.

Also: Alameda County's Measure A1, which is a $580 million bond for affordable housing focusing especially on the homeless and which will require a two-thirds majority vote; Measure K in San Mateo County which extends a 3-cent sales tax for homelessness funding; and Measure A in Santa Clara County which authorizes a $950 million bond for supportive housing, primarily for the homeless.

Additionally, and encouragingly, widespread discussion of homeless issues has prompted Governor Jerry Brown to sign off on a $2 billion bill to fund housing for the mentally ill and homeless.

Meanwhile, the city's newly installed head of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, Jeff Kositsky, just held a community meeting in the Mission last week, and C.W. Nevius for one found Kositsky "clear-eyed evaluation" of the current uptick in homeless complaints and problematic encampments refreshing.

He says there are two major factors in the increase in crime and violence in parts of the Mission District, which Kositsky says has more camping sites than anywhere else in the city. First, as many have said, development in Mission Bay and South of Market has filled in much of the open land that traditionally had been used for camping. Thats pushed tent dwellers to areas where homes and businesses are located. And second, he says the price of heroin on the street has dropped dramatically, making it a cheap alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, which are becoming harder to get. It is half the price it used to be, Kositsky said. There is a massive heroin epidemic in San Francisco. From there is it not hard to imagine the consequences. Heroin addicts need a daily dose, and they need cash to fuel the habit. Petty crime is a logical result.

This, Kositsky says, is the simple explanation for why Mission residents and business owners feel like the last year and a half things have been worse than ever, homeless-wise.

In addition to six more Homeless Navigation Centers set to open over the next two years, Kositsky is promising a new "triage center" opening in February or March that will, he says, be able to handle 100-200 people at a time.

Previously: Nevius Solves SF's Homeless Problem: Limit The Number We Help
The few places you'll find grizzly bears in California include the San Francisco zoo and our state flag: Fewer than 75 years after gold was first discovered in California, the bear was eradicated from the state, as the Valley Center History Museum writes. The last known specimen was shot in 1924.

That's a shame, says the Center for Biological Diversity. The group suggests that California is now ready to bring back its symbol, campaigning to reintroduce grizzlies into remote areas of the state.

Critics like the state's wildlife agency find the idea ridiculous, as the East Bay Times reports, and a number of citizens the paper spoke with appeared viscerally disturbed by the prospect. So, in order to grow support for their controversial proposal, the Center started with an ad campaign, one featuring candidates to replace the current bear on the California flag, would-be symbols of he state ranging from yogis to realtors to the large, hirsute gay male archetype known colloquially as "bears."

"The grizzly bear is an icon in California history," conservation advocate Jeff Miller tells the EBT. "There are serious issues to be addressed with reintroduction, but this idea should not be dismissed out of hand because of emotion." While there are no such bears in California, the contiguous US is home to the creatures, with an estimated 1,400 to 1,700 roaming remote parts of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and possibly Washington State  nothing compared to the estimated 50,000 that once inhabited the area.

A state Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson, Jordan Traverso, expressed her agency's concern to the publication. "We already have many problems with conflicts with wildlife," she said. "I cannot foresee us taking on the burden and extra cost of something like this." In addition to the ad campaign, the Center for Biological Diversity is pushing a petition, launched in 2014, for the department's support.

The Center for Biological Diversity clarifies that it isn't *really* hoping to put a new California stock character on the state flag, like the ridiculous one below. "Of course, we like having the grizzly bear on the flag," they write, "Its just time to bring it back to California too. Returning these incredible animals to remote portions of the state would be a key step in rewilding parts of California and saving one of Americas most iconic animals." In that vein, can we send types like this person off to the wilds of California?

Related: Video: Rare Sighting Of Momma Bear And Cubs Swimming With People In Lake Tahoe


For 20 years, the family of onetime Cal Poly student Kristin Smart has had no closure in her disappearance and presumed murder, and now the FBI and the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department have begun excavating sites on the campus in a new search for her remains. As CBS News reports, just as the fall semester is kicking off, a team began digging a three-foot-deep trench in a hilly area near a parking lot at the edge of the campus where Smart was last seen on Memorial Day Weekend in 1996. The sites, identified by cadaver dogs specifically trained to seek out very old human remains, were selected back in January as part of an ongoing reopening of Smart's case.

As the LA Times is reporting, the dig is especially conspicuous because, "The search is centered on the giant 'P' in a hillside sign that stands for Cal Poly." There are three dig sites altogether, and ABC News actually explains in the video below that the excavation is happening on the other side of the hill where the iconic "P" is painted.

Smart's case made national news at the time, and despite a massive search effort involving ground-penetrating radar, helicopters, and an army of volunteers, as well as continuing reviews of the case up through this year, her remains were never found and no one was ever charged in the case. The 19-year-old from Stockton went missing after leaving a party at an off-campus house at 2 a.m. on May 25, 1996. Tim Davis, a senior who had helped throw the party, discovered Smart passed out on a neighbor's lawn and along with Cheryl Anderson, another partygoer, escorted her back toward her dorm, Muir Hall. They were quickly joined by a fourth student who had been at the party, 19-year-old Paul Flores, who offered to take Smart the final part of the way because his dorm, Santa Lucia Hall, was in the same direction as hers on what's called Poly Hill. Anderson and Davis left Smart with Flores to go their separate ways, and Flores claims that he stopped at his dorm and let Smart walk by herself back to Muir Hall, but he was the last person known to have seen her alive.

While Flores is not mentioned by name by San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson, it's clear Parkinson is referring to him when he tells CBS News, "I would say its safe to say he's [still] a person of interest in the case."

There may be other suspects or persons of interest as well, and notoriously, convicted wife-murderer Scott Peterson was questioned and cleared in Smart's disappearance, because he was in fact a student at Cal Poly at the same time, and graduated in 1997.

Campus police were blamed at the time for not alerting outside authorities to Smart's disappearance or initiating a search soon enough because they believed Smart may have gone camping for the holiday weekend, which delayed them several days. This prompted the state legislature to pass the Kristin Smart Campus Safety Act of 1998, which sets clear guidelines for when campus police must call in outside authorities to investigate a violent crime.

As the LA Times recalls, Flores has flatly denied every allegation against him after being sued in civil court by the Smart family. He only once came close to incriminating himself in an initial interview with San Luis Obispo County district attorneys officials, when he "pulled his arms into his T-shirt, scrunched over at the waist in his chair and lifted his feet off the floor, as if moving toward a fetal position" and said, "If you are so smart, then tell me where the body is."

The latest lead came after the three cadaver dogs, two Springer spaniels and a German shepard mix trained on Civil War battlegrounds and sensitive to the scent of human decomposition, honed in on three sites on this hillside, where digging begins in earnest today.



Related: SF Teacher Missing In El Dorado National Forest Found Dead
Speaking with SFist in June on the topic of the enduring homelessness crisis in San Francisco, Art Agnos, who served as mayor from 1988 to 1992, classified "the development... of supportive and permanent housing" as "a major challenge... because the population it is designed for  alcoholics, drug abusers, the mentally ill, among others  [these constitute] the most unpopular group of needy Americans in our nation's modern history." Today, in the pages of the Chronicle, Agnos proposes one unexpected location, not for permanent housing but for temporary shelter, and it's a suggestion that's sure to get people talking: House homeless San Francisco residents aboard a naval vessel, where the "unpopular group" is perhaps less likely to be met with objection.

"My idea for a game changer is to immediately create a temporary Navigation Center operated by a nonprofit agency aboard a reconditioned Navy ship large enough to handle a large number of people," Agnos writes, referencing Mayor Lee's system of shelters that seek to house entire encampments of homeless people with relatively loose restrictions on them. Lee has promised Navigation Centers will house 8,000 homeless people during the rest of his term. In his editorial, Agnos also appears to criticize the current city tactic of sweeps that uproot encampments of homeless people, since "only when we can provide that housing on demand can we honestly say, No more living in street tents or sleeping in doorways, parks or under freeways.

Agnos didn't just dream this up, the former politician emphasizes: He presided over a similar system, albeit for just two weeks, during his tenure as mayor. "This is exactly what we did in San Francisco to temporarily house homeless folks after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake," Agnos recalls. In fact, for two weeks after that disaster, about 300 people from the SoMa area, homeless residents living in damaged SRO hotels, came aboard the USS Peleliu, a small aircraft carrier with a capacity of almost 5,000. The Los Angeles Times wrote in October 1989 that "The 39,300-ton Peleliu literally provided a safe harbor for hundreds of derelicts and other downtown denizens uprooted by the quake by turning its helicopter hangar into a huge dormitory." There were challenges, sources conceded to the paper. For example, "Because many of the homeless have substance abuse problems, the Red Cross said, two fully equipped detoxification vans are parked at the bottom of the Peleliu's gangway. Ship doctors are available twice a day to the homeless for sick call." The Navy also provided food for the temporary crew of the Peleliu at an untold expense.

Agnos isn't specifically proposing the city again use the Pelelieu, although it has been decommissioned and Agnos seems to think it could be brought into play. Instead, he's mostly using the ship as an example. In the push, Agnos sees allies in Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein, who are "on excellent terms with President Obama and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus."

Finally, it sounds like Agnos has been catching up on his Game of Thrones recently, quipping that "Winter is coming." He'd like to see this suggestion in action soon, perhaps timed to fleet week, he writes. What do we think?

Related: Former Mayors Dianne Feinstein And Art Agnos Discuss Root Causes Of Homelessness, Other Mayors' Failures


Having your bike stolen is an unpleasant San Francisco rite of passage, like stepping in feces of undetermined origin or having the 5 Fulton pass you by as you wait at the bus stop. But typically, those thefts happen when you leave your bike locked up at a rack, then someone like this guy shows up. But if you have your bike with you, grasped in your hands, it should be safe, right? Unfortunately, based on two crimes in the last 24 hours, wrong.

For example, it was noon Tuesday in the area of Pier 28, the Embarcadero-adjacent Pier you see as you're headed to the Hi-Dive. According to the San Francisco Police Department, a 19-year-old man was "standing next to his bicycle" when they say a man described as around 35 years of age "got on it and attempted to ride away."

When the bike's owner tried to stop the man from taking it, the suspect knocked the victim "to the ground," police say, then "fled on [the] bicycle in an unknown direction." As of Wednesday morning, police say that the thief remains at large.

Moving the clock forward by nearly 12 hours, and a second brazen bike heist occurred, this one at Seventh and Market Streets.

At 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, police say that a 17-year-old male bike rider was approached by a 24-year-old man who "showed a handgun hidden in his waistband" and demanded the teen's bike.

"Out of fear," police say, the kid handed over the bike and the suspect took off. But this story has a slightly happier ending, as shortly after that, according to the SFPD, officers caught sight of the suspect. He was arrested, police say, for the theft of the bicycle and was booked into San Francisco County Jail.

Previously: Video: Thief Steals Bike On Valencia In Broad Daylight
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service reported in May that consumer demand for organically produced goods continues to show double-digit growth, and organic products are available in almost 20,000 natural grocers and nearly three out of four conventional supermarkets. Milwaukeeans now have another organic option with the opening of Wisconsins first Fresh Thyme Farmers Market (470 E. Pleasant St.), a grocery store specializing in natural foods. The Milwaukee location opened in June in a 28,000 square foot space in the North End.

Fresh Thyme opened its first store in Mount Prospect, Ill. in April 2014 and has since grown quickly throughout the Midwest, currently boasting locations in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and now Wisconsin. The store offers a full produce department, a deli with vast grab-and-go options, bakery, meats, frozen foods, health and beauty, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements and beer and wine.

The Milwaukee Fresh Thyme market has a modern, open feel, artistically arranged with low shelving. Unique to the Milwaukee store is that customers can sip wine or beer while they shop, available from the bars within the store. This concept is the first Fresh Thyme store to offer this feature and has been well received in the Beer Capitol, said Dave Bernier, vice president of operations for Fresh Thyme. When you have a grocery store where you can drink a glass of wine and do your shopping, it usually goes over well, he chuckled. Milwaukee is currently the only store with a growler bar and a wine bar.

The Milwaukee store also has Fresh Thymes first coffee and juice bar, so shoppers can also enjoy a smoothie or latte while shopping. Bernier said the build-your-own hot sandwiches and pizza bar, the salad bar and the grab-and-go items are popular in the urban stores such as Milwaukee. We offer a huge selection of grab-and-go items for the dual-income families who dont have a lot of time, he said.

Fresh Thyme has its own line of snacks, beverages and packaged items. Their butchers make sausage fresh daily, with approximately 30 varieties available at any given time. The bulk area features about 400 items such as nuts, grains, candies, seeds, granola and flour. Bernier said the vitamins and supplements department is a huge draw, offering more than 5,000 items as more people shift toward alternative healthy lifestyles.

Although its a retail chain, Fresh Thyme is committed to forging connections to the local community, from stocking local products to partnering with local nonprofits. The Cultivate Community initiative donates to area charities. We like to be active in the community and do our part to be a good neighbor by not only selling groceries, but also being a part of the fabric of the community, Bernier said. The company hired more than 100 people from the Milwaukee area for its first Wisconsin store.

Wisconsin has been on Fresh Thymes radar and has signed on to additional locations in Greenfield, Kenosha and Brookfield. Theyre also considering Green Bay and Menomonee Falls for expansion. Fresh Thyme CEO Chris Sherrell spent the early part of his life in Wisconsin before moving to Phoenix, Ariz.

For more information, visit freshthyme.com.
Photo by Brian Turner, Flickr CC

Wisconsin has a hate crimes law on the books that is supposed to protect those who intentionally are targeted for a crime based on their race, religion, color, disability, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry.

But those speaking for victims of hate crimes say that the law isnt effective because victims arent willing to report their crimes, law enforcement officers dont take their complaints seriously and the bias apparently underlying the hate crime is often difficult if not impossible to prove in court.

The advocates spoke at last weeks public session in West Allis of the Wisconsin Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, which focused on civil rights and hate crimes in Wisconsin.

According to the FBI database on hate crimes, in 2014 Wisconsin had a mere 51 reported hate crimes, 28 of which were race based, nine targeted an individuals sexual orientation, six were religion-based, five were due to an individuals ethnicity and three were motivated by an individuals disability.

Eleven of those hate-based incidents occurred in Milwaukee.

The advocates say the FBIs number is wildly wrong and that the vast majority of hate crimes goes unreported. Reggie Jackson, board chair and head griot at Americas Black Holocaust Museum, testified that looking at more robust data sets shows that just one in 35 hate crimes is reported as such.

The huge underreporting of hate crimes makes us keenly aware that many victims find no confidence in the legal system to provide them justice when they have been victimized, Jackson said.

Who Is Protected?

Wisconsins law seems to protect those who are often targets of hate crime, but unlike some other states, it does not cover crimes motivated by gender, gender identity, age or political affiliation, according to data compiled by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Nor does the state mandate law enforcement training on hate crimes, the ADL found.

Federal law covers crimes motivated by race, religion, national origin and engaging in a federally protected activity, such as voting. It does not include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability, notes the Human Rights Campaign.

Stanislav Vysotsky, assistant professor of sociology and criminology at UW-Whitewater, told the committee that hate groups have a high profile in the media, but their members arent responsible for the most hate crimes.

The most typical hate crime is a crime that is committed by people who often are not highly committed hatemongers, Vysotsky said. These individuals are looking for something to do, people who otherwise commit assaults, intimidation and vandalism.

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Donald Downs, UW-Madison professor of political science, law and journalism, said that Wisconsin prosecutors apply the hate crimes law in a limited way so as not to run afoul of the First Amendment, since an individual cannot be punished for their beliefsonly their actions based on biased beliefs.

Wisconsins law is written as a penalty enhancer, meaning that prosecutors can increase the penalty for certain crimes if they were motivated by bias against a protected group. To get a hate crimes conviction, the DA must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the crime was directly motivated by, for example, racial bias or hatred of members of a certain religion.

Jackson, of the Black Holocaust Museum, said thats part of the problem. Jackson suggested scrapping the penalty enhancer in favor of a sentencing aggravator. As Jackson explained, penalty enhancers must go before a jury and be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Sentencing aggravators dont face those high barriers. Instead, a judge uses them to lengthen the guilty partys sentence.

A penalty enhancer is used as a tool to scare defendants into plea bargaining and is often dropped after a plea deal is made, Jackson said. On the other hand, a sentencing aggravator plays no role in the trial or plea bargaining phase. A judge can use it to impose a longer sentence during the penalty phase.

Jackson cited figures showing that whites are far less likely to see racial bias in a variety of contexts than African Americans do; whites are also more likely to serve on juries than African Americans. That combination of factors makes proving a hate crime in court very difficult, Jackson said.

White jurors may find it more difficult to believe racial bias was a cause of incidents in many cases, Jackson said.

But do hate crimes laws actually deter crimes based on bias?

Hardly, testified Arno Michaelis, a former white supremacist who is now an advocate for peace and tolerance via his nonprofit, Serve 2 Unite.

I can say with a lot of confidence that amongst members of violent, racist organizations, hate crimes [law] is not a deterrent, Michaelis said. I could not think of any of my peers back then who would have hesitated in the commission of a hate crime because of hate crimes sentencing. As a matter of fact, I think it would have been quite the opposite. If you are a hard-core white supremacist, being convicted of a hate crime would be a badge of honor. It would not be something to deter you from committing one.

Invisibility

Other participants discussed the impact of the hate crime law and societal biases on their own communities.

Karen Gotzler, executive director of the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, testified that the laws failure to recognize gender identity as a motivator for a hate crime is a major omission.

Of particular note is the physical assault and murder of many transgender women of color in the United States just in the past 18 months, Gotzler said. The numbers are increasing dramatically. These murders often are not reported as hate crimes and they are often not reported as crimes against transgender individuals.

Gotzler said that during a recent discussion group with 18 members of the LGBT community, all said they had been a victim of a hate crime, yet none had reported it.

These crimes go unreported due to victims fear of exposure or increased attention to their sexual orientation or gender identity, the public perception of wrongdoing by them as victims or even retaliation for reporting, Gotzler said.

She added that law enforcement officials arent willing to use the hate crimes statute as often as they should.

Many individuals in law enforcement express to our advocacy staff the belief that there will be insufficient evidence for prosecution and that hate crime reporting requires too much extra work on their part, Gotzler said. It is the experience of our staff at the center that many within law enforcement struggle to understand that these are legitimate crimes.

Thai Vue, executive director of the Wisconsin United Coalition of Mutual Assistance Associations, noted three high-profile crimes against Hmong individuals in Wisconsin. He said Wisconsinites need to be educated on the Hmong communitys importance to the U.S. during the Vietnam War as well as their culture and history.

Hmong worked hard for peace and freedoms, Vue said. I hope that building a greater awareness about the Hmong people gives you a greater chance to understand and greater tolerance.

We Need to Engage in Mindset Shifts

Can a hate crimes law actually prevent these crimes of bias from occurring? Not unless we make broader changes in our culture, said Serve 2 Unite co-founder Pardeep Kaleka.

Kaleka said that crimes targeting Sikhs have escalated since 9/11 in part because of widespread hatred toward immigrants and a lack of understanding of the Sikh religion and culture.

We have been an invisible population severely underrepresented in the social, professional and political reality of city, state and national politics, Kaleka said.

Kaleka is the oldest son of Satwant Singh Kaleka, the president of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, who was murdered along with five fellow Sikhs by Wade Michael Page, a white supremacist, on Aug. 5, 2012.

He said attacks on Sikhs and immigrants continue to occur. For example, during the Aug. 13 Sherman Park uprising, a BP gas station was set on fire. Inside were two workers, one of whom was a Sikh immigrant, yet the fire and looting of the station were not reported as a hate crime.

While the fire consumed this gas station, the crowd continued to loot, throw rocks, chant Fuck British Petroleum, Fuck the police, Black power, Kaleka testified. This attendant did not come out for 15 minutes while barricaded inside of a fire because he felt so threatened and intimidated. Afterwards, there was a very visible outcry for justice for police lives, for black lives. But I did not hear the same cry for Sikh lives, immigrant lives, Middle Eastern lives, indigenous lives. No mention of this constituting any kind of hate crime.

Kaleka said that besides addressing the hate crimes statute, policy-makers need to reduce bias by looking at its deeper root causes and the trauma they produce.

Understanding civil rights concerns such as hate, racism, xenophobia, homophobia [means understanding that they] are as much products of trauma as they are historical injustices; [they] therefore cannot be simply addressed by laws, Kaleka said. We need to engage in mindset shifts if we are truly to become effective.

Participants also suggested enhanced training for law enforcement on hate crimes and supporting community liaisons to encourage reporting of hate crimes.
Milwaukee Ald. Bob Donovans plan to hire 280 additional police officers and take a get-tougher-on-crime approach to public safety is being met with steady opposition.

The draft of Donovans Public Safety Action Plan, released two weeks after a Milwaukee police officer fatally shot Sylville Smith, has not yet had a public hearing and at least one influential Milwaukee Common Council memberFinance and Personnel Committee Chair Ald. Milele Coggssays she does not support it.

Whatever public safety so-called plan was released has never been voted on, is not something that the council legally or [in] any legislative way has ever endorsed to this point, Coggs said during Thursdays Common Council meeting. And I, Alderwoman Coggs, will state to you clearly here today on the record, I dont support it.

Coggs said the public should be able to weigh in on the plan and let it extend far beyond that to issues outside of the plan.

Coggs formally opposed Donovans plan in a highly unusual meeting of the full council on Sept. 1 in which one member representing protesters in the chambers was allowed to address council members.

Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton said it was the purview of the chair to allow the council to hear public testimony during a meeting of the full council. Just two members opposed the public testimony.

Markasa Tucker of Uplifting Black Liberation and Community (UBLAC) told the council members that when she read the plan she was disgusted by the recommendations.

We just wonder, when was the community going to be given a chance to weigh in on those things? Tucker said. Not after it was drafted and written.

She said the public would continue to speak out until they are given a chance to be heard by the council.

The people who are going to be affected need to be at the table, Tucker said.

Following Tuckers testimony, a Black Panther yelled out his opposition to the plan.

Either you listen to us or we will force you to listen to us, he said.

Donovan Opposes Public Testimony

Tuckers testimony is the first time the public has been allowed to weigh in on Donovans plan, the result of a few months of information-gathering in the Public Safety Committee, which Donovan chairs. The stated goal of those hearings, at which Donovan invited only government officials to speak, was to present a more effective and cost-efficient model to address crime, fear and disorder in the City of Milwaukee.

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Just two members of the council opposed allowing Tucker to speak on Thursday: Donovan and fellow tea party Ald. Mark Borkowski.

Its out of order, Donovan said. I agree with this council in the importance of community input in this plan and this effort to move forward. But this is not the vehicle to do it. I alsoI also am concerned because of this and this supposed protest here that good officers in this community were not honored for their heroism. That concerns me as well.

Donovan didnt acknowledge that he did not allow any public testimony in his committee on the plan.

What Im hearing is that it is unprecedented and that may be so, Ald. Chantia Lewis said in support of public testimony. But I also agree that what weve seen as of late in the city is unprecedented.

The plan hasnt been assigned to a committee yet, confirmed City Clerk Jim Owczarski, and no public hearings on the plan have been scheduled. The Public Safety Committees next meeting is Thursday, Sept. 8.

On Friday, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett told the Journal Sentinel he will add more officers to his proposed 2017 budget. His budget will be sent to the councils finance committee, headed by Coggs, which will sort through and amend the mayors budget before sending it to the full council for passage.

Brostoff and English Arrested

Thursdays Common Council meeting capped a week full of opposition to the plan and the MPDs handling of the fallout from the Aug. 13 Sylville Smith shooting in the Sherman Park neighborhood. The MPDs video footage of the shooting has not been released and community members continue to gather at Smiths memorial.

On Tuesday night, state Rep. Jonathan Brostoff (D-Milwaukee) and ACLU of Wisconsin organizer Jarrett English were arrested by police in riot gear while at the site of Smiths memorial. Both men were peaceful and were walking away from the scene when they were forced to the ground, involuntarily searched and placed in a police van. MPD released Brostoff after they discovered he is a state legislator and English was released quickly as well.

I think the command staff of MPD typically does a very good job with public relations and all those kinds of things, English told the Shepherd. I dont think the rank and file do so well at that. A lot of times, its the opposite.

He said the public should be more outspoken about the MPDs treatment of young black men.

I dont worry about me, English said. I worry about the 12 year old, the 14 year old, the 17 year old, typically people of color, typically young black men, who get harassed, who get thrown in vans all the time and detained for reasons unknown and theres nobody calling to find out if theyre OK. We have lots and lots and lots of traumatized youth who deal with this kind of situation every day and they have no recourse at all.

English spoke to the Shepherd after the Thursday meeting of the Fire and Police Commission, which oversees the MPD. The public is allowed to testify at the beginning of each meeting, but only about issues on the agenda. Smiths shooting, the public safety plan and police-community relations were not on the agenda.

Just three members of the public spoke: English, Wisconsin executive director of the ACLU, Chris Ahmuty and Cynthia Greenwood, who held up a sign saying Release the video right now and warned of more unrest if the video isnt made public soon.

Whats the best way to contain a riot? ACLUs Ahmuty testified before the FPC. Do you delay or stonewall the release of information that may harm the departments reputation and let speculation build until winter? Do you take steps to assure the public that justice will be done, despite our history and the law? Responsible officials are in a quandary. Irresponsible officials are another matter. Where does the oversight body, the board of the FPC, come down? What side are you on?

The ACLU has called for the MPD and state Department of Justice to release the dashboard camera and body camera video showing the shooting of Smith. Last week, the ACLU and 19 other organizations sent a letter to Common Council members opposing the public safety plan and asking for a commitment to the two listening sessions as well as more support for the Office of Violence Prevention.

We believe that the draft plans nearly exclusive focus on law enforcement solutions to public safety issues is painfully one dimensional, the Aug. 31 letter states. Law enforcement cant solve all the social issues facing society.
SIOUX CITY | Briar Cliff University will host the annual Sister Muriel Ford Lecture to shed a spotlight on human trafficking.

Sister Shirley Fineran, O.D.F., assistant professor of social work, will give the lecture at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 18 in the St. Francis Center on Briar Cliff's campus, 3303 Rebecca St.

The presentation on the dangers of human trafficking will focus on various ways young people are recruited into sex trafficking, indicators of vulnerability and exploitation, how to respond to possible victimization, and Iowa's and the nation's anti-trafficking legislation.

The event is free and open to the public. To complement the lecture, Briar Cliff will host an exhibit titled "Break the Silence," which will be on display Sept. 18-29.
CHARTER OAK, Iowa | A former Charter Oak-Ute High School teacher is facing sexual exploitation charges after investigators say she had sexual contact with a high school student in 2013.

Molly Katherine Tullis, 26, was charged July 13 in Polk County on a Crawford County warrant for sexual exploitation by a school employee.

According to court documents filed by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Tullis had sexual contact with a high school student on two occasions in October 2013 while teaching at the Charter Oak-Ute High School.

Tullis, a Mapleton, Iowa, native, graduated from Briar Cliff University in May 2013 with a bachelor of arts degree in music and a K-12 education endorsement.

The Iowa Board of Education Examiners website shows Tullis' license was revoked on Oct. 10, 2014, for having an inappropriate relationship with a student.

Tullis was arrested July 13 in Polk County on a Crawford County warrant.

She pleaded not guilty to the charge on Aug. 24. Her pretrial conference is scheduled Oct. 5, with a trial date set for 9:30 a.m. Nov. 8.
Wright, 32, was wanted by the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office since February for violation of her pretrial release for possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine.

The press release said she was brought into custody Tuesday morning by the Sioux City Police Department and members of Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force. She was located at a residence in the near north side of Sioux City following a tip.
IDA GROVE, Iowa | A unifying vote for two Siouxland school districts is being met with some opposition.

On September 13, residents in the Odebolt-Arthur and Battle Creek-Ida Grove school districts will vote for a reorganization plan that would combine the districts to make the Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove Community School District.

The two have been whole-grade sharing in grades six through 12 since 2009. Under the agreement, students attend middle school in Odebolt and high school in Ida Grove. Both towns have an elementary school for kindergarten through fifth grade. All current arrangements will stay the same. No buildings would close under the agreement.

Superintendent Terry Kenealy said reorganization will streamline some budget items such as program memberships and subscriptions, lead to one school board and one handbook and savings on property taxes.

He said sharing memberships would save up to $50,000 and a restructuring of health insurance could save up to $200,000.

Through a reorganization incentive, the combined districts would get a three year break on the state mandated uniform levy of $5.40 per thousand dollars of valuation. Over the three years, he said taxpayers in each district would see a combined savings of $700,000.

The big thing is, from my standpoint, is the stability this would add, he said.

He said by combining the two schools, however, the district would lose out on state incentives generated by sharing positions such as a superintendent, a business manager, a curriculum director and more.

The more positions shared, the more students are added onto weighted enrollment. Kenealy said the incentive currently generates about $138,000 per year at both districts. Even if the vote is approved, Kenealy said the districts will get the incentive in the 2017-2018 school year but not in 2018-2019.

Pat Hoefling, a member on the Odebolt-Arthur board, said he doesnt agree with reorganization.

Nothing is going to change, he said. The quality of education isnt going to change, nothing is going to change other than we are going to lose $138,000 a year.

Ryan Goodman, BCIG board member, said this will help the stability of both districts.

"From my perspective I think we are taking a good situation and making it much better and providing stability to plan for future, and our facilities and district as a whole," We can't strategic plan for five or 10 years without knowing what our future is at the school district."

The board under reorganization would consist of four members from the Battle Creek-Ida Grove area two from the Odebolt-Arthur area and an at-large member.

Kenealy said the representation was determined by the amount of residents in each district according to the 2010 census. Battle Creek-Ida Grove accounted for about 3,900 residents while Odebolt-Arthur had just more than 2,000.

The population of BCIG is quite a bit larger, he said. Thats why you get the different representation.

Hoefling said the new board organization has caused some concern for the Odebolt-Arthur community.

You dont want to give up your control as far as Im concerned, he said, adding that an unbalanced board could lead to an uneven playing ground.

O-A board president Joey Hoefling said so far, thats the been the biggest point of contention towards reorganization.

I think, at least what I gather, theres a lot of fear that the board is lopsided because of population and that type of thing, he said. We discussed, at length, board configuration at the board table and it was difficult to come up with one that all of us could live with.

But while there is opposition, Pat Hoefling and Joey Hoefling said that doesnt necessarily mean people want to do away with a sharing agreement.

Thats the biggest thing that we have to look at and weve discussedthat this is really two different scenarios, he said. The people who vote against reorganization are not against whole grade sharing.

The ballot also includes a vote to approve a revenue purpose statement for the district. Kenealy said this will only take effect should the reorganization pass with a 50 percent plus one vote. Additionally, voters will pick a fill-in for a vacant board seat on each board.

Should the vote fail, Kenealy said both boards will regroup and analyze the results and see if reorganization could be a possibly at some point in the near future. He said there could also be a discussion whether or not to continue the whole grade sharing agreement, but all that will be discussed after the election.

If approved, the reorganization will become effective July 1, 2017.
According to court documents, Cunningham-Fead and others were driving to Dale Park for a fight when they spotted Joseph Socknat in another vehicle and began to follow him. When that vehicle stopped for a red light at 11th and Pierce streets, Cunningham-Fead got out of his vehicle and shot Socknat in the chest and the leg, then got back in the vehicle and fled the scene.
SIOUX CITY | For five years, Courtland Clark was able to come and go as he pleased and enjoy his freedom.

In those same five years, the family of Tony "T-Bone" Canfield mourned his loss.

"You had five years of living your life. We've had five years of emptiness," Canfield's cousin Jenae Sides told Clark on Wednesday.

Clark, 30, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for his role in the May 1, 2011, shooting death of Canfield. Clark pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to interference with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.

Shortly before receiving his sentence, Clark apologized to Canfield's family and asked for their forgiveness.

"We planned to rob Mr. Canfield, but nobody was supposed to get hurt," Clark said.

Last week, Devery Hibbler, 26, of Dumas, Arkansas, was sentenced to 35 years in prison, and Robert Beaver, 35, of Sioux City, was sentenced to 20 years. Their sentences were spelled out in plea agreements the negotiated with government prosecutors.

Clark's sentence was left to U.S. District Judge Leonard Strand's discretion. The federal sentencing formula called for a sentence ranging from 30 years to life in prison. Strand granted Clark a reduction in his sentence because of his cooperation after his arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Forde Fairchild said Clark essentially confessed to the crime, confirming several facts of a case based mostly on circumstantial evidence.

"His confession dovetailed almost perfectly with the details we had in the case," Fairchild said at a press conference later Wednesday in which local and federal authorities explained how they solved the case.

Clark informed investigators that he, Hibbler and Beaver put on masks and went to Canfield's home at 1401 George St. to rob him of marijuana and money he had made from marijuana sales. Clark brought the gun, and Beaver beat and held Canfield's wife while Hibbler and Clark robbed Canfied.

When Canfield resisted and tried to escape from the house, Hibbler shot him once in the head on the front porch.

Police at the scene had no evidence to point at any suspects, Fairchild said. There was no DNA, no fingerprints, no gun left behind and no shell casings were found. A police search with canine units quickly went cold.

Fairchild credited "old-fashioned detective work" by Sioux City police and federal investigators with cracking the case.

"Every great break is the result of hard work and a lot of asked questions," he said.

In the months after Canfield's death, police asked anyone arrested on a drug or marijuana charge if they knew Canfield, bought marijuana from him or knew someone who bought marijuana from him. Sioux City police Capt. Marti Reilly said it's typical of officers to "cast a net," or ask people if they know anything about other unsolved crimes. Any little detail learned may lead to more information.

"When we have an unsolved homicide like this, everybody's working to get that little sliver," Reilly said. "Sometimes to get your foot in the door, you just need that sliver."

It was that constant questioning that led to a break in the case. Two people arrested for crimes unrelated to Canfield's death told police they had heard something about the three men who were involved.

At that point, police hadn't had any suspects. But those two accounts gave police the names of more people to question, leading to more interviews and more names. Through all those interviews, authorities identified Hibbler, Beaver and Clark as suspects. As the months went by, investigators traveled to several states gathering evidence -- jail records, receipts, work histories -- to corroborate what witnesses told them and build a case against the three men.

That work culminated with a federal indictment in April, nearly five years after Canfield was killed.
SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City woman was charged with first-degree robbery Friday after police said she broke into a home on Aug. 30 and assaulted a female resident who was inside, causing the resident to black out.

According to court documents, 24-year-old Bethany Raeanne Opheim entered a duplex in the 1600 block of Douglas Street around 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 30. Upon entering, documents say she assaulted a female resident inside.

Documents say the female victim retreated into a bedroom, where an acquaintance of Opheim's threw the victim onto a bed. Documents say Opheim punched the victim several times in the face, head and upper torso, causing her to go unconscious.

Documents say the victim woke up on her front steps and did not recall how she had got there. She was transported to the hospital, where she was treated and released with a head injury.

Opheim was arrested Friday charged with first-degree robbery. She is being held in the Woodbury County Jail on $25,000 bond.

Police are continuing to search for the acquaintance who assisted Opheim in the assault.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | St. Mary's Parish in Storm Lake has received its largest estate gift in years, thanks to two longtime parishioners of the church.

In late August, the parish received more than $533,000 from the estate of Leatrice McKenna, who attended the parish many years with her husband, Joseph Orton "Ort" McKenna.

The couple were well-known in Storm Lake for owning a downtown luggage and gift shop.

Leatrice McKenna died in March of 2015. Joseph, a 1934 graduate of St. Mary's High School, died in October 2009.

"The parish is extremely grateful to the McKennas for their foresight and their generosity to the church," said Timothy A. Friedrichsen, pastor at St. Mary's Parish. "Their example of planning ahead to make a significant gift to their parish to help us continue our mission of sharing the faith long after they are gone is truly inspiring."

St. Mary's is Storm Lake's only Catholic church. It is associated with a pre-K through 12th grade Catholic school.
SIOUX CITY | The two candidates for the Iowa 4th congressional district seat, Democrat Kim Weaver of Sheldon and U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, are working to determine if they will hold a public debate to air issues of the 2016 election.

Weaver's team told the Journal they would like to have up to three debates prior to the Nov. 8 election.

"To not have at least one would be an insult to the voters of the 4th District," Weaver's campaign manager David Kelso said.

Weaver is making her first run for elective office, while King is seeking and eighth term. When seeking re-election to the former Iowa 4th congressional district from 2004 through 2010, King did not debate his Democratic opponents. King shifted gears to debate former Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack in 2012 in several events and also debated Jim Mowrer in 2014, when running for 4th District positions.

Kelso said debates are "by far the best opportunity for voters to evaluate" the officeseekers.

"They see and hear the candidates, side by side, answering the same questions about the same issue," Kelso said.

Kelso said he expects King will participate in a debate.

"We're as offended as anyone by his outrageous and divisive rhetoric, and we disagree with him on policy almost across the board, but we don't take Congressman King for a coward," Kelso said.
DES MOINES | A group of 54 Iowans who are veterans of military service have announced their support for Democrat Hillary Clintons presidential campaign and will serve on a new Iowa Veterans and Military Families for Hillary leadership council that was unveiled Wednesday.

Council members include former Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell of Davis City, retired U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin of Cumming, at least nine current and former state legislators and the 2016 Democratic candidate in Iowas 3rd congressional district.

The Hillary for Iowa organization announced the list on the day Clinton and Republican rival Donald Trump were to participate in a commander-in-chief forum on NBC and MSNBC focusing on national security, military and veterans issues.

An NBC News/SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll showed Trump leads Clinton by 19 points  55 percent to 36 percent  among voters who are currently serving or have previously served in the U.S. military.

Both candidates have contended the other is unfit to be the nations commander in chief during campaign speeches in recent weeks.

On the campaign trail Wednesday, Trump laid out several proposals designed to update and upgrade Americas military, including asking top U.S. generals to present a plan to defeat and destroy ISIS within 30 days after he takes office.

Other ideas including asking Congress to eliminate the defense sequester and submitting a federal budget with money to rebuild the U.S. military, developing a state-of-the art missile defense system, modernizing naval cruisers, and conducting a thorough review of U.S. cyber defenses to identify vulnerabilities

In announcing the Iowa group Wednesday, Hillary for Iowa officials said Clinton has fought for veterans and military families throughout her career as a former secretary of state, U.S. senator and first lady, and has put forth a comprehensive plan to support veteran and military families as president.

She knows that we are stronger when we work with our allies around the world to keep us safe, and has put forward real plans to deal with the threat of ISIS and broader terror threats, according to the Hillary for Iowa statement.

Boswell, who spent 12 years in the U.S. House, 12 years in the Iowa Senate and more than 20 years in the U.S. Army -- including two tours of duty in Vietnam and two tours of duty on NATO assignments in Europe  said America's greatness requires diplomatic and military leadership within the complex world we live in.

He said he is backing Clinton and believes the nation and the world will be best served by her experience and steady hand to make the tough calls from the moment she takes office. She never backs down, she never gives up, and she's a fighter who knows how to win the tough fights, Boswell said.

In advance of the focus on security and military issues, Trump issued a letter Tuesday signed by 88 retired generals and admirals who support his candidacy. Clintons campaign countered by announcing the endorsements of 95 retired generals and admirals who back her presidential bid and pointed to Trumps criticism of a Gold Star family and war veteran Sen. John McCain.

Included in the Hillary for Iowa news release was a statement from Marc Wallace of Des Moines, a U.S. Army Intelligence Corps and Iowa National Guard veteran who is serving on Clintons leadership council, contrasting Clintons readiness as commander in chief versus Trumps qualifications.

Trump is erratic, vindictive and thin-skinned, Wallace said in the Hillary for Iowa statement. He praises dictators, trash talks America and threatens to abandon our allies. His dangerous rhetoric and dangerous policy proposals play into the hands of terrorists. Its not a choice between a Democrat and a Republican, but between a responsible leader like Hillary Clinton who will keep us safe, and a volatile man like Donald Trump who threatens our security.
Last week, an astounding new AP report revealed that a majority of the people outside of the government that Hillary Clinton met with as Secretary of State were high-level donors to the Clinton Foundation.

This latest development makes it clearer than ever that there must be a special prosecutor to investigate the corruption and pay-to-play between the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton State Department, and that the Foundation must immediately stop accepting foreign donations and shut down.

Whats worse, Republicans are renewing calls for Hillary Clinton to hold a formal press conference, which she hasn't done in more than 270 days. It's well past time for her to explain for herself her own unethical behavior. - Rachel Raak Law, Correctionville, Iowa
ELK POINT, S.D. | After a third day of searching, rescue crews were unable to find the body of a 23-year-old college student who disappeared Sunday along the Missouri River.

Tom Patterson, a Briar Cliff University student and wrestler from Frostburg, Maryland, disappeared around 5:30 p.m. Sunday while swimming with a group of friends across the Missouri River four miles southwest of Elk Point.

Crews from South Dakota and Nebraska searched for Patterson into the evening on Sunday, all day Monday and for several hours on Tuesday.

Union County Sheriff Dan Limoges said rescue boats pulled off the water early on Tuesday. He said swift waters prevented crews from sending divers into the river to check areas of interest.

Beginning Wednesday, he said, crews will switch to patrolling the river at different intervals of the day.

"Usually, a body can and usually will surface if it's able to within a three-day period," Limoges said. "We're reaching that point."

Patterson was an undergraduate student at Briar Cliff who graduated in 2015 with a bachelor of arts degree and returned to Briar Cliff to pursue an additional major. Patterson was an active member of the wrestling program.
Novembers election in Iowa will be a milestone for women, regardless of who wins. For the first time in history, Iowa voters will have an opportunity to vote for women on every level of the state ballot.

That information has been vigorously touted recently by the group 50-50 in 2020, an organization devoted to helping elect more Iowa women to office.

Officials from the group have been heartened, first by the number of viable female candidates on both sides of the political aisle in 2014 and now by the number of female candidates this year.

They should be. The members of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls (Iowa) Courier editorial board look forward to the day when all candidates can stand on their own merits as individuals and not on their anatomical makeup.

Theres no question a glass ceiling has existed in Iowa politics. Until 2014, when Republican Joni Ernst won a U.S. Senate seat, no woman in Iowa had won a federal race.

Jean Lloyd-Jones, a former state senator from Iowa City and a co-founder of the group, called the number of 2016 female candidates another step on the path to equity for women in Iowa government.

For nearly 100 years, since women in America got the right to vote, female candidates have been the exception, she said. But in November, not only will there be a woman running for president, Iowans will see a woman running for U.S. Senate, women running for U.S. House in two of the states four congressional districts and 58 women running for office in the Iowa House and Senate.

The group said 65 women are on the ballot. Twenty-seven of the candidates are incumbents. The figures were compiled by 50-50 in 2020 and based on filings with the Iowa Secretary of States office. It includes 50 women running in Iowa House races, 11 for the Iowa Senate and four races for the U.S. Senate and House.

The group was founded in 2010 and has a number of programs to further its goal such as holding training academies for women running for office. It says its the only bipartisan, issue-neutral group in the country working to elect women.

Its an obvious assumption that to have more female office holders, you have to convince more women to get involved and get them on the ballot. Thats why we support this groups efforts. There have been other progressive moves as well.

In 2009, Iowa became one of the first states to require gender balance on locally appointed boards and commissions. While there are some legitimate arguments both for and against such a requirement, it should have important benefits.

Service on boards and commissions leads to important experience in government dealings, perhaps eventually leading members to seek office.

The group says more progress is needed, and we agree. Fewer than a quarter of the states legislative seats are held by women.

Then, as always, its up to voters, who we would hope would vote based on the merits of competency in leadership, character, integrity and transparency.

Waterloo-Cedar Falls (Iowa) Courier
Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops and provides a portfolio of healthcare products worldwide. The company offers peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis, and additional dialysis therapies and services; intravenous therapies, infusion pumps, administration sets, and drug reconstitution devices; remixed and oncology drug platforms, inhaled anesthesia and critical care products and pharmacy compounding services; parenteral nutrition therapies and related products; biological products and medical devices used in surgical procedures for hemostasis, tissue sealing and adhesion prevention; and continuous renal replacement therapies and other organ support therapies focused in the intensive care unit. It also provides connected care solutions, including devices, software, communications, and integration technologies; integrated patient monitoring and diagnostic technologies to help diagnose, treat, and manage a various illness and diseases, including respiratory therapy, cardiology, vision screening, and physical assessment; surgical video technologies, tables, lights, pendants, precision positioning devices and other accessories. In addition, the company offers contracted services to various pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. Its products are used in hospitals, kidney dialysis centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, doctors' offices, and patients at home under physician supervision. The company sells its products through direct sales force, as well as through independent distributors, drug wholesalers, and specialty pharmacy or other alternate site providers in approximately 100 countries. It has an agreement with Celerity Pharmaceutical, LLC to develop acute care generic injectable premix and oncolytic molecules. Baxter International Inc. was incorporated in 1931 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various property and casualty insurance products and services in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, and Other. The Commercial Lines segment offers commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, and workers' compensation insurance products, as well as management and professional liability, marine, specialty industrial and commercial property, monoline general liability, surety, umbrella, fidelity, crime, and other commercial coverages. The Personal Lines segment provides personal automobile and homeowner's coverages, as well as other personal coverages, such as personal umbrella, inland marine, fire, personal watercraft, personal cyber, and other miscellaneous coverages. The Other segment markets investment management services to institutions, pension funds, and other organizations. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. markets its products and services through independent agents and brokers. The company was formerly known as Allmerica Financial Corp. and changed its name to The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. in December 2005. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Mike Karas (@mike.karas)(NEW YORK) -- The mystery couple captured in a stunning photograph during sunset at Yosemite National Park in California has been identified.



Michael Karas, a 31-year-old amateur photographer from Honolulu, Hawaii, snapped the gorgeous shot of the two people in a tuxedo and a wedding dress last Thursday while touring the park on vacation.



At the time, he had no idea who they were.



"I was shooting that area for sunset already when they walked out on the ledge," Karas explained on Instagram. "As someone who enjoys tying to capture life's amazing moments and landscapes I didn't hesitate to snap away. It was a surreal moment."



After taking the photos of the couple, Karas told ABC News he tried to "make it over to where they were" to share his photos, but by the time he got there, "they were already gone."



So he posted one of photos he took to his Instagram account the following day, in the hopes that social media users could connect him with the couple.



The photo quickly went viral, garnering thousands of likes. On Wednesday evening, the romantic mystery was finally solved.



"I had been back in Honolulu at my regular day job as an Allstate adjuster, and I was going about my day," Karas told ABC News today. "At the same time, I was trying to sift through all the comments I was getting on the photo to see if there was any word on the couple."



Later in the day, he said he confirmed that the couple in his photograph were Catherine Mack and Rick Donald, both actors who were once series regulars on the Australian TV series "Home and Away."



Karas was tagged by someone in the comments section of his photo that Mack re-posted to her Instagram account.



"This special moment was caught by Mike Karas who we don't know (at all)," Mack wrote in the caption. "[H]e was just taking a sunset shot and we happened to wander into it. Thanks for looking for us far and wide, you certainly caught our attention."



Karas said he was "so relieved and stoked" that Mack and her husband were "happy and excited about the photo." He added that he got in touch with Mack over the phone shortly after seeing her post.



Mack told ABC News today she "thought the whole situation was quite hilarious" and that she and Donald were "so happy to get his amazing photo."



"It was a really special day and special time in our lives," she said, adding that the photo captured a moment after their wedding, which was that day.



Both the couple and photographer are now gearing up for new adventures.



Mack said she and her husband were flying to Paris today and Karas said he had a trip scheduled to Moraine Lake in Canada in two weeks.



Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Gathering user feedback about your website or product visuals is becoming increasingly important for businesses. Thats why UpNable offers a few different options for businesses to test their user experience and gather feedback from targeted groups of consumers. Read more about the business and its offerings in this weeks Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does:

Providing market research and testing services.

CEO Iulian Nechifor told Small Business Trends, Our mission is to provide SMBs and small digital agencies with quick and affordable market research, user testing and UX testing. Users create tests, publish them, and our testers fill them out and give feedback to the users.

Business Offerings:

Three testing options.

Nechifor explains, There are 3 types of tests at the moment. 1. Glance test  an image is displayed for 5-10 seconds, afterwards the questions are displayed. 2. Feedback test  an image together with a small survey is displayed. 3. Choose one  A small A/B test between two designs.

Business Niche:

Targeting specific users.

Nechifor says, A user can select his exact target market using our system and only users in that demographic can see and take the test.

How the Business Got Started:

Because of the need for better targeting.

Nechifor explains, I was a marketing consultant for various startups. The lack of user feedback was a major issue in almost all projects I was involved so I had to use external tools. The tools I used lacked the targeting methods I mentioned above. I started talking to my fellow marketers and we all thought it would be a great idea to build something that helped us in this way.

Lesson Learned:

Theres always room for improvement.

Nechifor says, Even though we look good (from my point of view), I know that there is a lot to improve. Unfortunately, we didnt have the resources to change all that before the launch, so were just patching it along the way.

How Theyd Spend an Extra $100,000:

Growing the business and adding some fun.

Nechifor explains, In this order: 1. Design. 2. Growth Hacking. 3. New Office with a giant Jacuzzi pool in the middle of it.

See Also: Use These 5 Financing Options for Your Bootstrapping Startup

Company Motto:

Always give 100%, unless youre donating blood.

* * * * *

Find out more about the Small Biz Spotlight program

Images: UpNable

Top Image: CTO Andrei and Nechifor
Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now...
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
Booking photos via CalCoSO.

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md.

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: 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 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 so.md/expungeme.

Booking photos via CalCoSO.

(Sept. 7, 2016)The Calvert County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.WEEKLY SUMMARY: During the week of August 29 through September 5, deputies responded to 1,795 calls for service throughout the community.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-50277: On September 4, Deputy V. O'Donnell conducted a vehicle stop at S. Solomons Island Road/Parkers Creek Road in Port Republic on a vehicle he observed travelling with an expired registration plate. The driver,, was found to be in possession of cocaine. He was charged and arrested for Possession of a Narcotic with Intent to Distribute (cocaine), Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance-Not Marijuana (cocaine) and Possession of CDS Paraphernalia (baggies). He was also issued a traffic citation for driving a motor vehicle with an expired registration.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-49951: On September 3, while Deputy M. Trigg conducted a patrol check he detected the odor of marijuana emitting from a vehicle on E. Chesapeake Beach Road in Owings. He later determined the driver,, to be in possession of a prescription pill bottle, containing Percocet, with no affixed label. She was arrested for CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Percocet) and for CDS Prescription/Remove Label.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-49845: On September 2, at approximately 5:20pm, Deputy R. Wilson conducted a traffic stop at Silverwood Lane in Prince Frederick on a vehicle that failed to use a turn signal and had a missing rear brake light. The driver,, was found to be in possession of a deadly weapon and cocaine. He was charged and arrested for Possession of a Concealed Deadly Weapon (wooden bat), CDS: Possession with Intent to Distribute (crack cocaine) and Possession-Not Marijuana (crack cocaine).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-49834: On September 2, at approximately 4:45pm, Deputy C. Childress conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle he observed being driven unsafely. He determined, to be driving on a suspended license and in possession of a large quantity of prescription medications. She was transported to the Detention Center and charged with CDS: Possession with Intent to Distribute (Oxycontin), CDS: Obtain by Altering a Prescription and for CDS: Possession of Paraphernalia (prescription bottle).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-49830: On September 2, at approximately 4:00pm, Deputy M. Trigg received an alert for a vehicle being driven unsafely on Sherry Lane in Prince Frederick. He conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle being driven by, and discovered he was in possession of illegal drugs. He issued Primrose the appropriate traffic citations and transferred him to the Detention Center where he will be charged with CDS: Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotic (Oxycontin), CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Oxycontin), CDS: Possession with Intent to Distribute (Marijuana), CDS: Possession of Marijuana (10+ Grams) and CDS: Possession of Paraphernalia (baggies).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-49754: On September 2, at approximately 9:00am, Deputy A. Moschetto performed a traffic stop on a vehicle travelling on Pardoe Road in Lusby after observing the vehicle swerving all over the road. He made contact with the driver,, who was visibly impaired. He determined Perez to be in illegal possession of a drug. He was transported to the Detention Center and charged with CDS: Possessession-Not Marijuana (Alprazolam).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-49441: On August 31, at approximately 10:00pm, Deputy T. Buckler responded to 10th Street in Chesapeake Beach for a reported auto accident with possible injury. As he approached the vehicle, which came to a stop on the front yard of the reported address, he attempted to make contact with the occupants, who appeared to be unharmed physically but had difficulty speaking. A cigarette box was observed in the center console containing a vile with a yellowish liquid (Phencyclidine/PCP). The passenger,, was charged with CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (PCP) and transported to the Detention Center. The driver,, was transported by EMS to Calvert Memorial Hospital, whereby Deputy Buckler later submitted her an application for the same charges.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-49404: On August 31, at approximately 7:30pm, Deputy C. Fox observed a vehicle being driven unsafely in the area of Gordon Stinnett Ave/Bayside Road in Chesapeake Beach. The vehicle, driven by, finally pulled over in the parking lot of the PNC bank off Mears Avenue. Middledorf was arrested for CDS: Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (Alprazolam) and Possession of CDS Paraphernalia (straw). The passenger received a Criminal Citation for possession of CDS paraphernalia (straw) and was released.DISORDERLY CONDUCT CASE #16-49900: On September 2, at approximately 10:45pm, Deputy B. Pounsberry was called to assist Deputy J. Hardesty with a drunk and disorderly subject, attending a concert at the Rod & Reel Restaurant in Chesapeake Beach. After several attempts to resolve the situation with negative results, Deputy Hardesty placed, under arrest for Disorderly Conduct and Fail to Obey Reasonable/Lawful Order.WEAPON VIOLATION CASE #16-49861: On September 2, Deputy T. Mohler responded to Central Square Drive in Prince Frederick for the report of a vehicle failing to stop at a stop sign. While a traffic stop was conducted, it was discovered the driver,, was in possession of an illegal weapon. Wallace was arrested and charged with Possession of a Concealed Deadly Weapon (butterfly knife), Driving on a Suspended License and Possession a Suspended License.DAMAGED PROPERTY CASE #16-49581: On September 1, Deputy A. Woodford responded to a call for a destruction of property complaint. The victim reported that sometime between 11:30am and 12:45pm, someone scratched the hood of their vehicle while it was parked on West Ward Road in Dunkirk. There are no suspects at this time.BURGLARY CASE #16-49573: On September 1, Deputy A. Locke was called to Lake Shore Drive in Owings for a report of a burglary. The victim stated their home, which is under construction, was broken into sometime between 4:30pm on August 31 and 7:00am on September 1st. Multiple items were stolen, with no signs of a forced entry.BURGLARY CASE #16-49014: On August 30, Deputy J. Denton was dispatched to Dogwood Court in Port Republic for the report of a burglary. Sometime between 5:30am on August 29 and 5:30am on August 30, someone entered an unlocked shed and stole a Sentry safe, containing several items.THEFT CASE #16-49594: On September 1, Deputy G. Gott responded to the Sheriff's Office to speak with a victim who wanted to report a theft. The victim stated that sometime between August 1stSeptember 1st, someone stole a validation tab off of their vehicle. The victim stated although it was difficult to know when it took place, it most likely happened while it was parked on Williams Wharf Road, in St. Leonard.THEFT CASE #16- 49579: On September 1, at approximately 1:00pm, Deputy N. Buckler was dispatched to the Prince Frederick Walmart for a shoplifting complaint. A white female with blonde hair was seen placing clothing items in a Walmart bag and attempted to leave the store. A store employee was able to retrieve the bag of stolen merchandise from the suspect, who fled on foot.THEFT CASE #16-48931: On August 29, at approximately 5:40pm, Deputy J. Livingston was dispatched to the Chipotle Restaurant, on Dares Beach Road in Prince Frederick, for the report of a theft. An employee stated they had inadvertently left their wallet in the restroom and upon returning to retrieve it, discovered it missing.THEFT CASE #16-48920: On August 29, Deputy B. Pounsberry responded to Rector Lookout in Chesapeake Beach for the report of a stolen firearm. The complainant reported a brown 22 cal. Ruger, Bolt Action gun had been stolen while a moving company transported their property during a move from another State to Calvert County.
Jonathan Adrian Marshall, 45, of West Virginia. Booking photo via ChasCoSO.

LA PLATA, Md.

(Sept. 7, 2016)Charles County Sheriff Troy D. Berry said excellent police work led to the arrest of a suspect wanted in connection with two back-to-back robberies and the recovery of evidence linking the suspect to the crimes.On September 6 at 11:11 p.m., officers responded to a carry out pizza business in the 300 block of Smallwood Drive in Waldorf for the report of an armed robbery that just occurred. Officers made contact with employees who advised a lone suspect, who was armed with a gun, entered the business wearing a black mask, dark shorts, dark shirt, and yellow gloves and demanded money. The suspect struck the cash register several times, but was unable to obtain any money and subsequently fled. Officers canvassed the area and after a few minutes, Officer A. Bringley was flagged down by a citizen who reported a convenience store on St. Ignatius Drive was being robbed. Officer Bringley responded to the store and learned the clerk had just been robbed by a man matching the description of the suspect in the previous robbery.Patrol officers, a CCSO K9 team, and members of the Maryland State Police Trooper 2 helicopter unit set up a perimeter and conducted an organized, methodical search. After approximately two hours, the suspect was located hiding in a shed to the rear of a house on Bedford Court. The suspect was taken into custody and evidence related to both robberies was recovered. While canvassing the area, Officer J. Sapienza located both cash register drawers which had been stolen and a 9mm handgun believed to be used in the crimes.The suspect, Jonathan Adrian Marshall, 45, of West Virginia, was charged with armed robbery, first-degree assault, and second-degree assault.
BALTIMORE

(Sept. 7, 2016)A federal grand jury has indicted, andwith conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud arising from a nationwide fraudulent telemarketing scheme designed to ship unwanted and vastly over-priced light bulbs and cleaning supplies to thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations. The indictment was filed on June 30, 2016 and unsealed today upon the arrest of Andrew Stafford. Brian Keith Wallen was reported missing on April 28, 2016, and is still being sought by law enforcement.The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Postal Inspector in Charge Terrence P. McKeown of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division."Based in Maryland, the defendants allegedly cheated thousands of American businesses out of more than $50 million through a sophisticated scheme that involved sham sales of light bulbs and cleaning supplies," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. "According to the allegations, company employees followed a script that included sending unsolicited supplies, lying to victims, and repeatedly submitting fraudulent bills."According to the indictment, on March 24, 2003, Midway Industries, LLC and Johnson Distributing, LLC were incorporated in Maryland, each with the stated purpose to engage in the retail sale of light bulbs and cleaning supplies, among other activities. Between July 22, 2008 and April 18, 2014, Wallen and another individual incorporated additional shell entities, in Maryland and Florida. Midway, Johnson Distributing and the shell entities will be collectively referred to here as "Midway."According to the indictment, at different times the Midway companies were owned, in whole or in part by Wallen, who held the title of CEO. Andrew Stafford held the title of President. According to the indictment, Wallen and Stafford exercised supervision over the practices at Midway.The seven count indictment alleges that from 2007 through 2014, Wallen, Stafford, and the Midway co-conspirators fraudulently obtained millions of dollars from thousands of victim businesses by deceiving the businesses' into paying exorbitant prices for light bulbs and cleaning supplies, as well as paying for products that the businesses never ordered.Specifically, the indictment alleges that from about 2007 to 2014, Wallen, Stafford and other conspirators telephoned authorized representatives of businesses, who were often maintenance employees, on behalf of Midway companies. During these phone calls, the conspirators sought to conceal Midway's true locations in Reisterstown, Maryland and in Florida. According to the indictment, during the initial calls, Wallen, Stafford, and the conspirators promised national store gift cards to the authorized representatives to induce them to place initial orders, or to provide Midway with additional company information or personal information, like the authorized representatives' home address and personal phone number. The conspirators used the cell phone numbers and/or birthdays of the authorized representatives as "purchase order" numbers in order to lend legitimacy to later collections efforts.In addition, during the calls the conspirators allegedly made false statements, including: that the victim businesses had an existing business relationship with Midway; and that Midway would send a "half box" of light bulbs. In fact, the "half box" was a deceptive technique used to understate the volume and price of shipments, and disguise unwanted future shipments. Wallen, Stafford, and the conspirators allegedly did not divulge the price of any products, engaging in a practice called the "price blow-off," falsely telling the victim business that they did not have the price in front of them, but that it would be at the corporate discount. In fact, Midway did not offer a corporate discount.As long as the victims continued paying the Midway invoices, in subsequent calls Wallen, Stafford, and the conspirators allegedly misrepresented that the balance of the victim's order, or their "regular seasonal order" had recently been shipped, despite no order having been made by the victim business, and no actual shipment having yet been sent. The conspirators called authorized representatives under the guise of different Midway companies in order to repeat the process using a product other than light bulbs, often cleaning supplies.The indictment further alleges that when the authorized representative could not be reached, Wallen, Stafford, and the conspirators would simply send the product and an inflated invoice to the victim, without the victim placing an order. The conspirators referred to this practice as "just ship." If the authorized representative had quit, been fired, or even passed away, the conspirators sent a product and inflated invoice to the victim business knowing that the victim would be unable to dispute the validity of the order. This practice was referred to by the Midway conspirators as a "down the road." The Midway conspirators regularly sought the approval of Wallen and Stafford, as their supervisors, to engage in the practices of "just ship," or "down the road."According to the indictment, Wallen, Stafford, and the co-conspirators ordered the light bulbs and cleaning supplies from a company located in New Jersey (supplier). They instructed the supplier to ship the products to the victim without an invoice, and to send the invoices directly to Midway. Wallen, Stafford, and the conspirators then sent inflated invoices to the billing departments of the victims. The indictment alleges that the invoices sent to the victim businesses were regularly 900% above the prices Midway paid the supplier. After a victim had paid one invoice, Wallen, Stafford, and the conspirators sent invoices to the victim that were sometimes greater than 8,000% above the supplier's prices.When victims did not remit payment, the indictment alleges that the collections department at Midway repeatedly called the victims in order to force them to pay the inflated invoices. If the victim company continued to protest, the Midway collections department made false representations, including that an order had actually been placed with Midway, using as proof that the authorized representative had received a gift card, or provided his home address.If the victim threatened to contact law enforcement or the Better Business Bureau, Wallen, Stafford and the conspirators allegedly offered to revise the invoice to a discounted rate, or take back a product for either a "re-stocking fee" or "at cost," which was still substantially greater than the cost of the products purchased from the supplier.The indictment alleges that as a result of the fraud scheme, Midway sent fraudulent invoices to victim companies for more than $100 million and received more than $50 million in payments on those invoices.Wallen and Stafford each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the mail fraud conspiracy and for each count of mail fraud.The guilty pleas of co-conspirators Robert Chesser, age 46, of Dundalk, Maryland; Brandon Johnston, age 38, of Catonsville, Maryland; Alan Landsman, age 36, of York, Pennsylvania; Steven Phillips, age 64, of Pikesville, Maryland; Brandon Riggs, age 34, of Baltimore; and Thomas Wishon, age 54, of Cockeysville, Maryland, were also unsealed today. All six have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with their roles in the scheme, and are awaiting sentencing.An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.Anyone with information concerning Wallen's whereabouts is urged to call the Baltimore office of the FBI at 410-265-8080.Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of this fraud scheme is asked to complete and submit the Midway Victims Form to the email or mailing address on the form. Additional information can be found at the U.S. Attorney's Office website United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney and Harry M. Gruber, who are prosecuting the case.
Check out what our readers had to say about the latest headlines!

Gary Gobin - That's right Wilton Manors. Let's kill anything that is becoming popular in the city. It's what we do well. Though I think Wilton Manors also kills things with drama and conspiracy! There are ways to fund this. I call on the bars to chip in on the cost! They benefit too!

Mons Floen - Why is it on a Monday? Have it on Saturday. It's a weekend holiday party.

Robert E Knox - We in the LGBT community have lived with the [threat] of violence and potential deaths from gay bashing for generations and now people want to hide because of security costs? Basically you are allowing yourselves to be bashed back into the closets, giving into terrorism and putting us all at risk because some cheap and cowardly queens are proving that violence will stop us from living out loud and proud.

Jim Rickson - Well, Log Cabin Republicans do know a thing or two about a thing or two when in comes to "kowtowing."

Sumner Peirce - If only the Cabiners would just spontaneously combust.

Stephen Devine - Wow, racist xenophobic queer republicans... So not shocking.

Martin King - Shame on them......however, not surprised......the ad was paid for by "Florida" they could have donated the money to the victims of Orlando.......if the Broward County Log Cabin leaders had a "soul."

Byron Scott Jones - Paid customer parking is often a bad idea, especially if competing shops don't have it.

Kevin J. Clevenger - A parking garage at Hagen Park would alleviate so much of the parking issues in Wilton Manors. They have the space.

Joel S. Slotnick - One of the biggest complaints and unresolved issues in Wilton Manors is parking. A LONG TERM solution is a parking garage. Why do most everybody act like it's a non-issue? Don't complain when people start choosing to go elsewhere (that time will come) and try to blame the patrons lack of support when all the city management and officials do is make excuses.

Phil Lauderdale - Oakland Park looking better and better.
Check out our local news briefs!

Sharia Law?

A new ad by the Log Cabin Republicans attacks Hillary Clinton claiming she will do nothing for LGBT Americans.

Hillary will throw LGBTs under the bus, along with Jews, to curry favor with Muslims and kowtow to immigrants who uphold Sharia law, which condemns gays to death, denies equal rights to women and suppresses our freedoms of religion and speech. reads one line in the ad, which ran in last weeks issue of the Florida Agenda.

Andy Eddy, a member of the Broward County Log Cabin Republican Club, said the ad was approved by a committee. Futhermore, Eddy defended the positions expressed.

All you have to do is go online and see the hangings of gays and gays being pushed off buildings, Eddy said. Try going to Saudi Arabia with a copy of the South Florida Gay News in your hand and see how far you get.

James Basmajian, Vice President of the Dolphin Democrats, said the Log Cabin ad is misleading.

She will not throw us under the bus, Basmajian said. This is all about Muslim race baiting. Hillarys record on LGBT issues is spotless. She has always been a strong supporter of Israel and Jewish Americans.

The ad also claims Clinton will raise taxes on the middle class, open Americas borders to unskilled immigrants, defend late-term and partial-birth abortions, appoint Supreme Court justices that will undermine the Second Amendment, cripple law enforcement, push for trade giveaways and expand ObamaCare.

All they are trying to do is divide people, Basmajian said. This Log Cabin ad reflects the mean spirited and divisive tone of Donald Trumps campaign.

Gay Fort Lauderdale Chamber Receives Grant

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce was awarded a $5,000 grant at this years National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerces Business & Leadership Conference.

The 2016 Conference was held in Palm Springs, California last week and Keith Blackburn represented the Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

The annual conference provides a wealth of information and is extremely useful to the management and growth of our chamber, said Blackburn, President and Chief Executive Officer of the GFLGLCC. This year, we had about 18 members who attended the conference. For them, the focus was on building their business, networking, educational and matchmaker meetings with major corporations seeking business with LGBT business.

Funded by Wells Fargo Foundation, the grant, Blackburn said, will be used to fully launch the chambers Business Connect program.

This program aims to make tangible connections between members who share similar and complementary interests and needs, Blackburn said.

Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and Spa hosted last years NGLCCs Business and Leadership Conference which featured a presentation by financial advisor and author Suze Orman and CNN newsman Richard Quest. Blackburn said there are currently 52 NGLCC affiliate members.

Up next for the GFLGLCC is a quarterly networking luncheon, Sept. 13, hosted by the B Ocean Resort in Fort Lauderdale Beach. For more information, visit gogayfortlauderdale.com

Ceasar Loses Bid for Clerk of the Courts

Mitch Ceasar has returned the Broward Democratic Party, party officials confirmed Thursday.

Ceasar, a longtime Democratic Party boss, finished second in the partys primary election for Clerk of the Courts, collecting 34,966 votes (30 percent.)

Brenda Forman won the election with 50,866 votes (44 percent) with public defender Elizabeth McHugh finishing in third place with 30,334 votes (26 percent). Forman is the wife of current Broward Clerk of the Courts, Howard C. Forman.

Im looking forward to a new chapter of my career, Ceasar told SFGN on Wednesday evening as he attended a reception for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson in Plantation.

A practicing attorney in Broward County for more than 36 years, Ceasars return to the Democratic Partys apparatus was welcomed.

We have regained a passionate voice for democratic ideals, and I look forward to working with Mitch in the coming months, said Broward Democratic Party interim chair Cynthia Busch, in a news release.

SFGN chose Ceasar as one of this years Top 25 Straight Allies. It is unclear what his new role with the Broward Dems will be.
Check out the latest in lesbian, bisexual and transgender news!

Lesbian Couple Sues N.J. Over Fertility Health Coverage Law

(SFGN) A lesbian couple in New Jersey says they were unfairly prevented from getting health insurance coverage for infertility treatments, CBS News reports (http://cbsn.ws/2c2oe7X/).

Since marrying in 2013, Erin and Marianna Krupa have spent more than $50,000 on various infertility treatments in order to help build their family. But due to New Jersey state law, the insurance coverage which could have paid for all those treatments has been denied to the couple.

New Jersey is one of 15 states which requires insurance companies to cover fertility treatments. However, the couple was initially denied coverage because, under the wording of the New Jersey law, women their age are considered infertile if theyre not able to conceive after two years of unprotected intercourse.

Now the Krupas, along with another lesbian couple, have filed a federal lawsuit against the head of the state agency that regulates insurance companies, claiming the law discriminates based on sex and sexual orientation.

Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt, is sponsoring a bill to update the language of the insurance mandate to allow it to apply to same-sex couples.

Study Claims Bi Men Make Better Lovers

(SFGN) A recent study conducted by Deakin School of Health and Social Development in Australia reports that women in relationships with bisexual men believe them to be better lovers and fathers than heterosexual men, the Daily Mail reports (http://dailym.ai/2c6lXub).

The study, conducted by lecturer Dr. Maria Pallota-Chiarolli, interviewed 78 Australian women in intimate relationships with bisexual men. The findings from the study will be part of an upcoming book, Women in Relationships with Bisexual Men  Bi Men by Women.

Women interviewed were between the ages of 19 to 65 and had been in monogamous, open, or polyamorous marital relationships with bi men. Dr. Palllota-Chiarolli says she conducted the study in order to examine the negative stereotypes regarding bisexual men, that they are not trustworthy, more likely to have affairs and more likely to transmit STDs to their partners.

Many of the women praised the emotional depth, sexual intimacy and equitable gender dynamic of their mixed-orientation relationship, said Palllota-Chiarolli in a statement.

A common element among all the women in healthy and happy relationships was open communication with their partners as they designed, negotiated and maintained the ground rules and boundaries of their relationships.

Matt Bomer Faces Twitter Backlash over Trans Movie Role

(SFGN) Matt Bomer will play the role of a transgender woman and sex worker in the upcoming movie Anything, based on the Timothy McNeil play of the same name. The casting announcement sparked a backlash on social media over the casting of a cisgender male actor playing a trans woman.

Critics include actress Jen Richards, who auditioned for the role and responded on Twitter, trans musician Mya Byrne, who wrote an open letter to co-producer Mark Ruffalo in the Huffington Post (http://huff.to/2bX7kXG), and Sense8 actress Jamie Clayton.

In an excerpt, Byrne writes, "There are many qualified trans actors and writers who could have played in and advised on the construction of the scenes you're about to edit into a motion picture. They will lose more work because of this. We know you have good intentions. But those intentions have far-reaching after-effects that you, as cis men, don't experience."

Despite the call for Bomers role in Anything to be recast, Ruffalo says it is impossible because the film has already been shot.
Upon further review, it is becoming quite clear Indiana Governor Mike Pence is not a fan of the LGBT community.

Pence, the Republican Vice Presidential nominee, created international headlines last year when he signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act -- a piece of legislation permitting Indiana businesses to discriminate on the basis of religion. Now, as revealed by Right Wing Watch, we know Pence headed the Indiana Policy Review from 1991 to 1994, overseeing and penning several anti-gay letters.

In one letter Pence argues against allowing gays to serve openly in the U.S. military. Heres what he wrote:

Homosexuals are not as a group able bodied. They are known to carry extremely high rates of disease brought on because of the nature of their sexual practices and the promiscuity which is a hallmark of their lifestyle.

While Trump has made statements of affirmation towards gays and lesbians in regards to protections from terrorists, Pence has remained silent on LGBT issues altogether.

While head of the IPR, Pence also took issue with the Wall Street Journal participating in a job fair for gay journalists and doubted the objectivity of a gay journalist. In a piece -- titled The Pinked Newsroom  the IPR argued gaydom is a pathological condition that slants coverage.

The IPR contends: [T]he more extreme of the gay movement consider themselves members of a sexual determined political party.

Republican Presidential nominee Donald J. Trump selected Pence as his running mate just prior to the partys convention in Cleveland. While Trump has made statements of affirmation towards gays and lesbians in regards to protections from terrorists, Pence has remained silent on LGBT issues all together.

In February he was asked whether someone should be fired from their job because they are gay or transgender and Pence could not give a direct answer. In digging through the IPR archives, Right Wing Watch also found Pence was not thrilled with the Republican National Committees decision to give stage time to AIDS activists at their 1996 convention.

An endless line of pro-choice women, AIDS activists, and proponents of Affirmative Action, Pence wrote.
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Pride -- Kim Davis' Hometown Holds Its First LGBT Pride

(EDGE) It's been about a year since the defiant Kentucky county clerk made headlines after landing in the clink for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. At the time, Davis, who ignored the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on same-sex marriage and cited her religious beliefs for her naughty behavior, said she has "friends who are gay and lesbian" but was oddly absent when her hometown of Morehead, Ky. when it held its first LGBT Pride, New Now Next reports.



The [event] was organized by David Moore, one of the first people Davis denied a marriage license. After he finally married his husband last October he wanted to celebrate by creating a Pride parade in the town. Teaming up with Morehead Pride, an LGBT nonprofit in the town, and Morehead tourism board, Moore launched Eastern Kentucky's first LGBT event last weekend.



The show included performances from drag queens, including one queen who dressed as Davis. A number of activists and plenty from Kentucky's LGBT community showed up for the celebration.



According to Vice, Moore was accused of creating the event to spite Davis and her defiance from last year but he said she was the "catalyst" that sparked him to be open about his feelings on LGBT rights.



"There've been people who have been afraid to be allies, or people who have been afraid to not voice hatred, for fear of being labeled part of the LGBT community," Sheri Wright, an attendee, told Vice. "[Now] they're saying, who cares?"

National -- N. Carolina Transgender Restroom Trial Delayed

(AP) The trial over a North Carolina law restricting restroom access for transgender people is being pushed back by several months, attorneys challenging the law said Friday.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Joi Elizabeth Peake granted a request from the state's Republican leaders to delay the North Carolina trial while the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether to hear a Virginia case on transgender restroom access, according to a brief entry in the federal court docket.

James Esseks, an ACLU lawyer on the team representing three transgender residents, said the judge's order means the case will be pushed back from its November trial date until May 2017. Justice Department spokesman David Jacobs also confirmed in an email that the trial was being delayed until May.

The so-called HB2 law requires transgender people to use restrooms in schools and many other public buildings that correspond with the sex on their birth certificate, not their gender identity. Passed in March, it also limits other antidiscrimination protections for LGBT people.

The state's Republican governor and legislative leaders argue the law is needed to protect privacy and safety by keeping men out of women's restrooms. Transgender residents challenging the law say that restroom safety is protected by existing laws, while the North Carolina measure is harmful and discriminatory.

The Republican leaders had asked the court to halt the proceedings while the Supreme Court decides if it will take the Virginia case, which centers on a transgender high school student who is asking officials to allow him to use a male restroom.

Crime -- Calif. Teen Arrested In Connection to Gay Club Paintball Shooting

(EDGE) An 18-year-old teen boy was arrested in connection to a paintball attack that took place outside a gay club in Stockton, Calif., in June, CBS Sacramento reports.



Austin Richardson was arrested Monday and is the third teen booked in connection to the incident, which took place at Paradise Club. Patrons said they were shot at by paintball guns on the night of June 12. The attack happened the same night when 49 people were killed at the gay club Pulse in Orlando, Fla., which is the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.



Richardson was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and hate crime, the Stockton Police Department said, according to news station KCRA.



Brand Staples, 19, was arrested in connection to the paintball shooting in June. An unidentified 16-year-old suspect was also arrested.

Religion -- Gay Priest Suspended After Supporting Fired School Employee

(AP) A gay priest in New Jersey has been suspended after his continued support of gay groups and a woman fired from a Catholic high school for marrying her partner.



The Rev. Warren Hall came out last year after he was fired as a chaplain at Seton Hall University after posting support online for a group that promotes marriage equality.



He was later appointed to a parish in Hoboken, but Hall says Newark Archbishop John Myers suspended him Wednesday.



Kate Drumgoole, the former dean at Paramus Catholic High School, is suing for discrimination. The school is fighting the lawsuit and says its employees must abide by the tenets of the Catholic faith.



Newark Archdiocese spokesman James Goodness says priests promise to support church teachings.

HIV -- Karamo Brown and Deondre Moore are 'Positively Fearless'

(EDGE) From August 31-September 4 at Atlanta's 10th Annual Black Pride Celebration, activists Karamo Brown and Deondre Moore will take the stage to promote their new Positively Fearless movement, celebrating being Black, gay and HIV-positive.

Black men who have sex with men face an especially heavy burden, accounting for 59 percent of all HIV diagnoses among African Americans in the South. In fact, of all Black MSM diagnosed with HIV nationally in 2014, more than 60 percent were living in the South.



"As a black, gay, positive man living in Texas, these statistics are especially worrisome to me, but even more concerning is the fact that many of the positive men in our community aren't being honest with themselves, their families and their doctors about their status -- and taking steps to get on treatment," said Moore, who was diagnosed with HIV at 19-years-old. "When I was first diagnosed, I thought my status was a death sentence, but after educating myself, I quickly learned that by engaging in treatment, I can live a healthy and full life with HIV. So educating and supporting those who may be scared to address their diagnoses has become very important to me, and this campaign has given me a very exciting opportunity to encourage to be brave and take a proactive role in their health."

"By tweeting using the hashtag #PositivelyFearless, people can share their stories and tell others about a time when they chose to be honest, to be brave, to get tested, to tackle their diagnosis head-on, and to be open with their doctor about treatment," said Brown. "I'd encourage people to share this with their friends -- positive or not -- and tell them to get involved! Everyone can be fearless, and we can all be part of the solution."



Keep an eye on the Twitter handle @HIVWisdom for updates.

Crime -- Gay Fashion Student Gives Details of 2013 Beating That Left Him Blind in One Eye

(EDGE) Grisly details were given in Brooklyn court Wednesday by Taj Patterson, the gay fashion student whose brutal attack at the hands of a group of Hassidic men in December 2013 left him blind in one eye.

Patterson's testimony occurred during the trial of Mayer Herkovic, who is being tried for gang assault as a hate crime. Rather than have a trial by jury, Herkovic has opted for a bench trial.

According to a report in the New York Post, Patterson testified about being chased down a street in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn by a crowd of men with "side curls and yarmulkes."

"They caught up to me, and pinned me up against a gate," he said. "I was yelling for them to stop, asking why they were doing this."

Patterson, referred to a "middle man" and his two "flunkies" who did the beating.

Patterson told the court that he broke free with one arm and tried to defend himself. It was then that "the ringleader shoved" his thumb into Patterson's eye.

"Once the thumb was in my eye, I started screaming, and they kept punching me," Patterson told the court.

Patterson said that it was the same man who kicked him in the face, and said "stay down you fucking faggot." The same man took off Patterson's sneaker and threw it on a roof.

Forensics have placed Herskovic's DNA on Patterson's recovered sneaker.

According to Jewish Telegraphic Agency, of the four other alleged assailants who were part of the ultra Orthodox neighborhood watch group, two had the charges dropped and two others - Pinchas Braver and Abraham Winkler - pleaded guilty to downgraded charges earlier this month. Braver and Winkler each must pay the victim, Taj Patterson, $1,400 in restitution and perform 150 hours of community service in a "culturally diverse" neighborhood.

Photo: Facebook.

Politics -- Key Trump Campaign Operatives Found to be Part of Secretive Group with Anti-LGBT Members

(EDGE) Remember when the Trump campaign claimed to be pro-LGBT?



Hatewatch, published by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has obtained a copy of the 2014 membership directory for the ultra-conservative and secretive group Council for National Policy which lists Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway and CEO Stephen Bannon. Conway was listed as a member of the group's executive committee that year.



And while, CNP is not officially an anti-LGBT group, its membership reads like a Who's Who or the anti-gay and racist fringe.



Some of the extremists listed as members in this closely guarded document include people like Michael Peroutka, a neo-Confederate who for years was on the board of the white supremacist League of the South; Jerome Corsi, a strident Obama "birther" and the propagandist hit man responsible for the "Swift boating" of John Kerry; Joseph Farah, who runs the wildly conspiracist "news" operation known as WorldNetDaily; Mat Staver, the Liberty Counsel leader who has worked to re-criminalize gay sex; Philip Zodhaites, another anti-gay activist who is charged with helping a self-described former lesbian who kidnapped her daughter from her former partner and fled the country; and a large number of other similar characters.



SPLC writes:



"It's not known how their contacts within the CNP may have affected Conway and Bannon. But as the SPLC concluded in its May report on the CNP: "At a time of extreme political polarization in our society, in the middle of an ugly presidential contest which has featured an almost unsurpassed record of ethnic, racial and sexual insults and lies, Americans deserve to know who their ostensible leaders are mixing with as we collectively decide our country's future."

International -- Australian Prime Minister Urges Public Vote On Gay Marriage

(AP) Australia's prime minister on Wednesday urged his political opponents to allow Australians to endorse gay marriage through a popular vote instead of insisting that the divisive issue be put into lawmakers' hands.

Most opposition lawmakers, who support gay marriage, oppose the government's plan to ask the public in a plebiscite whether the Parliament should create marriage equality.

The opposition Labor Party, the minor Greens party and two independent lawmakers on Wednesday proposed bills that would allow the Parliament to decide the same-sex marriage issue without consulting the public. They all support gay marriage, but fear a plebiscite - an opinion poll that isn't legally binding - would prove divisive and potentially fail.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called on Labor leader Bill Shorten to endorse the plebiscite plan in the Senate, where the government holds a minority of seats. Labor has become the plebiscite's last chance after two balance-of-power minor parties ruled out support.

"If there is a plebiscite, a majority will vote 'yes' and if a majority vote 'yes,' you can be absolutely assured the Parliament will legislate it," Turnbull said. "We are setting out a way for that to be resolved. Mr. Shorten is standing in the way."

Turnbull agreed to hold the plebiscite in a deal with gay marriage opponents within his conservative Liberal Party. In return, those opponents backed Turnbull in an internal leadership ballot that toppled Prime Minister Tony Abbott a year ago.

Turnbull, a gay marriage advocate, had previously spoken out against such a public vote that could create painful divisions in Australian society.

Gay marriage lobbyists are generally opposed to the plebiscite, which they argue was initiated by lawmakers who hope it fails.

Some marriage equality advocates warn that a lost plebiscite could likely set back their cause for decades.

Politics -- Indiana Lawmakers to Discuss Ongoing LGBT Rights Debate

(AP) Indiana state lawmakers plan to convene Tuesday to discuss what recommendations should be made for the upcoming legislative session regarding rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.



The meeting Tuesday comes after efforts failed last legislative session when the state drew widespread opposition of a religious objections law that critics said amounted to an invitation to discriminate against gay people, the Indianapolis Star (http://indy.st/2bMiu1N) reported.



Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, said a compromise appears unlikely as neither LGBT advocates nor religious conservatives have budged from their stances.



"I'm hopeful but not too optimistic that we'll get some resolution to this coming out of the committee hearing," said Holdman, the panel's co-chair and author of last session's civil rights bill.



The Indy Chamber and advocacy group Freedom Indiana say they're focusing on familiarizing people with the discrimination that gay and transgender residents can encounter as well as helping cities develop ordinances to ban discrimination against LGBT people.



"We fully recognize this might be a longer-term play, and we need to really focus on educating the legislature and the general public on these issues," said Mark Fisher, an Indy Chamber lobbyist.



Last session, the Indiana Senate stopped a debate over extending civil rights protections to gay Hoosiers in housing, employment and public accommodations, with certain religious exemptions. Protections for transgender people weren't included.



The debate was led by Republicans after the sharp backlash over Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which appeared to some as an allowance for religious business owners to discriminate against LGBT people.



"If we could have an honest discussion and a real vote doing something positive, I, for one, would be interested in that," said Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, who is also on the panel. "But I'm not interested in teeing up a controversy that gets us nowhere and causes more damage to the state. That's the dilemma."
Brown Dwarf Size Comparison Carnegie Institution for Science

Cool brown dwarfs are a hot topic in astronomy right now. Smaller than stars and bigger than giant planets, they hold promise for helping us understand both stellar evolution and planet formation.

New work from a team including Carnegies Jonathan Gagne has discovered several ultracool brown dwarfs in our own solar neighborhood. Their findings are published in The Astrophysical Journal.

Brown dwarfs are sometimes called failed stars. They are too small to sustain the hydrogen fusion process that powers stars, so after forming they slowly cool, contract, and dim over time. Their temperatures can range from nearly as hot as a star to as cool as a planet and their masses also range between star-like and giant-planet-like.

Theyre fascinating to astronomers for a variety of reasons, mostly because they can serve as a bridge between stars and planets and how the former influences the latter, particular when it comes to composition and atmospheric properties. But much about them remains unknown.

Everyone will benefit from the study of brown dwarfs, because they can often be found in isolation, which means that we can more easily gather precise data on their properties without a bright star blinding our instruments, Gagne said, who is also a collaborator of the Institute for Research on Exoplanets (iREx) at Universite de Montreal.

Discovering new brown dwarfs will help scientists to better quantify the frequency at which they occur both in our solar neighborhood and beyond. Knowing the abundance and distribution of brown dwarfs provides key information on the distribution of mass in the universe, and on the mechanism of brown dwarf formation, for example, whether they form in isolation or instead are ejected from larger planetary systems.

To that end, the team, led by Jasmin Robert of Universite de Montreal, believed that although hundreds of ultracool brown dwarfs have already been discovered, the techniques used to identify them were overlooking those with more-unusual compositions, which would not show up in the color-based surveys generally used.

So they surveyed 28 percent of the sky and discovered 165 ultracool brown dwarfs, about a third of which have unusual compositions or other peculiarities. When talking about brown dwarfs, ultracool means temperatures under about 3,500 Fahrenheit or 2,200 kelvin

The search for ultracool brown dwarfs in the neighborhood of our own Solar System is far from over, said Gagne. Our findings indicate that many more are hiding in existing surveys.
NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 September 2016. NASA

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos landed their Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft in Kazakhstan at 9:13 p.m. EDT.

Russian recovery teams are helping the crew exit the Soyuz spacecraft and adjust to gravity after their stay in space. The trio will be transported by helicopter to Karaganda where they will split up, with Williams returning to Houston in a NASA jet, while Ovchinin and Skripochka are flown back to their training base at Star City, Russia.

Williams was instrumental in preparing the station for the future arrival of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft. The first International Docking Adapter was installed during a spacewalk by Williams and fellow NASA astronaut Kate Rubins Aug. 19. Outfitted with a host of sensors and systems, the adapters main purpose is to connect spacecraft bringing astronauts to the station in the future. Its first users are expected to be Boeings CST-100 Starliner and SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft, now in development in partnership with NASA.

During his time on the orbital complex, Williams ventured outside the confines of the space station for a second spacewalk with Rubins to retract a spare thermal control radiator and install two new high-definition cameras.

Together, the Expedition 48 crew members contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard humanitys only orbiting laboratory.

The crew members also welcomed five cargo spacecraft during their stay. Williams was involved in the grapple of Orbital ATKs Cygnus spacecraft in March, the companys fourth commercial resupply mission, and SpaceXs eighth Dragon spacecraft cargo delivery in April, and welcomed a second Dragon delivery in July. Two Russian ISS Progress cargo craft also docked to the station in April and July delivering tons of supplies.

The Expedition 48 trio launched to the space station in March 2016. With the conclusion of his fourth trip to the International Space Station, Williams has accrued 534 days in space, the most by any U.S. astronaut in history.

Expedition 49 continues operating the station with Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos in command. He, Rubins, and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will operate the station for more than two weeks until the arrival of three new crew members.

Shane Kimbrough of NASA and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch Sept. 23, U.S. time, from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

On-Orbit Status Report

46 Soyuz (46S) Undock and Landing: Jeff Williams, Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka are scheduled to undock from the ISS today at 4:51PM CDT and land in Kazakhstan at 8:14PM CDT. The ISS will be in 3-crew operations until the arrival of 48S on September 9, 2016.

Human Research Program (HRP) Collections: Flight Engineer (FE)-6 assisted FE-5 with HRP operations in performing blood sample collections and configuring the Refrigerated Centrifuge for the first set of sample load operations. FE-5 performed urine sample collections and processed the blood samples by setting up Refrigerated Centrifuge for two sample spins. The urine and blood samples were stowed in the Minus Eighty-degree Freezer for ISS (MELFI). These sample collections will be used to support the HRP: Biochem Profile, Repository, and Cardio Ox investigations.

Cardio Ox Ultrasound and Blood Pressure Operations: With remote guidance from the Cardio Ox ground teams, FE-5 assisted FE-6 in conducting an ultrasound scan after attaching the ECG Electrodes and marking the arteries followed by blood pressure measurements using the Cardiolab Holter Arterial Blood Pressure Unit. The goal of the Cardio Ox investigation is to determine whether biological markers of oxidative and inflammatory stress are elevated during and after space flight and whether this results in an increased, long-term risk of atherosclerosis risk in astronauts. Twelve crewmembers provide blood and urine samples to assess biomarkers before launch, 15 and 60 days after launch, 15 days before returning to Earth, and within days after landing. Ultrasound scans of the carotid and brachial arteries are obtained at the same time points, as well as through 5 years after landing, as an indicator of cardiovascular health.

Marrow: FE-5 collected breath and ambient air samples in support of the Canadian Space Agencys Marrow experiment. Marrow investigation looks at the effect of microgravity on the bone marrow. It is believed that microgravity, like long-duration bed rest on Earth, has a negative effect on the 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.

Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Piping Replacement: The crew replaced the WHC piping between the pump separator and the dose pump. This is routine preventative maintenance performed every 6 months.

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

MARROW Air Samples

HRF Samples Collection

HRF Insertion of Samples into MELFI

HRF Centrifuge Setup and Collection of Blood Samples

HRF Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration

Virus Definition File Update on Auxiliary Computer System (???) Laptops

BIOPLENKA. Removal from Thermostat and Transfer to Soyuz 720

Water Transfer from Soyuz 720 Kolos-?? to EDV

HRF Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration 2

USND2 Activation of Ultrasound Equipment

PRODUTSENT. Removal of Bioekologiya Case from Universal Bioengineering Thermostatic Container and Transfer to Soyuz

CASKAD. Removal of Bioreactor from ???-? No.04 and Setup in Anabioz incubator

Soyuz 720 Stowage Ops for Return

GoPro HERO3 camcorders adjustment and installation in Soyuz 720 prior to descent

Photography of Items for Return

ISS HAM Radio Sets deactivation in Columbus and SM

Fine Motor Skills (FINEMOTR) Experiment Ops

HRF Blood samples removal in preparation for cold stowage insertion

CASKAD. Deactivation of Anabioz Thermostat

CASKAD. Hardware Transfer to Soyuz 720

CARDOX Scanning

Measurements of Harmful Contaminants in SM Using CMS

Counter Measure System (CMS) Harmful Contaminant Measurements in SM

??? Maintenance

SM Ventilation Subsystem Preventive Maintenance. Group ?

CARDOX Measurements

HRF Equipment stowage after sample collection

CARDOX Post-ops hardware stowage

WRS Water Sample Analysis

Water Recovery System (WRS) WSTA Fill

CARDOX Ultrasound Scan Operations

CARDOX Photography

Soyuz 720 Stowage Complete Report

CARDOX Blood Pressure Operations

Photography of the external surface of Soyuz 720 [??] ?? hatch cover

CARDOX Blood Pressure Operations Closeout

HRF Refrigerated Centrifuge Closeout Ops

Downlink photos of the external surface of Soyuz [??] -?? Hatch Cover after completion of return cargo transfers

DOSETRK Saving data on iPad

Comm Config for Soyuz 720 Undocking and Descent

Comm check with Soyuz 720 via RSA2-S/G2

Soyuz 720 Activation

Closing Window Shutters 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14

SSPCM EXPRESS 7 Replacement Conference

Setup and Activation of ???? Equipment to conduct Hatch Closure TV coverage from MRM2

USOS Window Shutter Close

Water Resource Management, Condensate Tank Offload

ECLSS (RGN). WSTA Fill

TOCA Data Recording

TOCA Waste Water Bag (WWB) Changeout

Soyuz -MRM2 Hatch Closure

Hatch Closure TV Coverage

Soyuz 720-MRM2 Hatch Closure TV coverage

Soyuz 720  MRM2 Hatch Leak Check

ER7 Equipment Gathering

Downlink Video Data Hatch Closure Coverage from MRM2

Crew Onboard Support System (????) Hardware Deactivation and Closing Applications on CP SSC

Soyuz 720 ODF Ops; Undocking and Descent Ops

Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Tank R&R

Switching MRM2-?? PEV to CLOSED position

ARED Cylinder Flywheel Evacuation

ISTOCHNIK-M. Activation of Soyuz 720 TLM Recording Mode

Soyuz 720 Comm reconfig for nominal ops after landing

ISS HAM Radio Sets Activation in Columbus and SM

METEOR Rack Doors Open

Completed Task List Items

Lab/N2 LHA R&R  LAB1OS1, LAB1OP5, NOD2OP5

CPA Cap Restor

JEM Stowage Consolidation for OA-5 (In Work)

Ground Activities

All activities are on schedule unless otherwise noted.

46S undock/landing

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 09/07: Crew off duty

Thursday, 09/08: Express Rack 7 SSPCM R&R, EVA water conductivity test, ARED cable R&R, BEAM IMV flow measurement

Friday, 09/09: OBT 47S emergency drill, SABL relocate

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)  Off

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)  Standby

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Process

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab  Off

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3  Full Up
Soyuz TMA-20M NASA/Bill Ingalls

NASA astronaut and Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams returned to Earth Tuesday after his U.S. record-breaking mission aboard the International Space Station.

Williams and his Russian crewmates Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, landed in their Soyuz TMA-20M at 9:13 p.m. EDT southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan (7:13 a.m. Sept. 7, local time).

Having completed his fourth mission, Williams now has spent 534 days in space, making him first on the all-time NASA astronaut list. Skripochka now has 331 days in space on two flights, while Ovchinin spent 172 days in space on his first.

No other U.S. astronaut has Jeffs time and experience aboard the International Space Station. From his first flight in 2000, when the station was still under construction, to present day where the focus is science, technology development and fostering commercialization. Jeff even helped prepare the space station for future dockings of commercial spacecraft under NASAs Commercial Crew Program, said Kirk Shireman, ISS Program manager at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston. Were incredibly proud of what Jeff has accomplished off the Earth for the Earth.

Williams was instrumental in preparing the station for the future arrival of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft. The first International Docking Adapter was installed during a spacewalk by Williams and fellow NASA astronaut Kate Rubins Aug. 19. Outfitted with a host of sensors and systems, the adapters main purpose is to connect spacecraft bringing astronauts to the station in the future. Its first users are expected to be Boeings CST-100 Starliner and SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft, now in development in partnership with NASA.

During his time on the orbital complex, Williams ventured outside the confines of the space station for a second spacewalk with Rubins to retract a spare thermal control radiator and install two new high-definition cameras.

Together, the Expedition 48 crew members contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard humanitys only orbiting laboratory.

The crew members also welcomed five cargo spacecraft during their stay. Williams was involved in the grapple of Orbital ATKs Cygnus spacecraft in March, the companys fourth commercial resupply mission, and SpaceXs eighth Dragon spacecraft cargo delivery in April, and welcomed a second Dragon delivery in July. Two Russian ISS Progress cargo craft also docked to the station in April and July delivering tons of supplies.

Expedition 49 continues operating the station with Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos in command. He, Rubins, and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will operate the station for more than two weeks until the arrival of three new crew members.

Shane Kimbrough of NASA and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch Sept. 23, U.S. time, from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
Thu, 27.10.22 - 11:04

The temperatures will fall in the Murcia Region but the weekend still promises to be warm and sunny Autumn has ye...
We love coffee. We love beer. And boy do we love wine. A new cafe in West Seattle is set to open serving up all three, with the goal of becoming a neighborhood destination. To sweeten the pot theyll have select coffees from revered Nordic roasters, alongside a coffee menu anchored by local heroes Olympia Coffee Roasting Company. This is exciting news indeed for West Seattle, which will welcome these newbies Sound & Fog sometime this month.

As told to Sprudge by Justin Krebs of Sound & Fog.

For those who arent familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Sound & Fog is a specialty coffee bar in West Seattle that features great coffees and several beers on tap as well as extensive wine offerings. The goal of Sound & Fog is to become a neighborhood destination that provides amazing coffee and an approachable evening menu of beer and wine. Well have Olympia Coffee Roasting Company, a rotating local roaster, and a monthly while supplies last Nordic coffee pour-over option provided by Kaffe Box. The beer and wine will rotate as well.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

The space is going to focus on the bar which takes up about a third of the space. Its going to have a nice Shou Sugi Ban application that will contrast with all the white and grey in the space. There will be ample seating and we have giant windows that open onto what will become a future park (now its a temporary fire station).

Whats your approach to coffee?

Our approach to coffee is to keep it accessible for everyone and create a fun experience. There will be a standard menu of basics and multiple slow bar offerings as well as cold brew on tap and limited natural in-house syrups (i.e. sugar+water+1-2 organic ingredients). We want to focus on seasonal drinks but also allow for our customers to get creative and find what we can make thats right for them.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

For coffee Ill be using the following equipment; La Marzocco Linea PB two-group, Nuova Simonelli Mythos Clima Pro grinder, Mahlkonig EK 43 grinder, Marco Ecoboiler, Baratza Forte, and Kalita Wave for pour-overs.

Coffee: Serving Olympia Coffee Roasting Company as espresso and retail. Also serving a rotating local roaster and a monthly Nordic pour-over option provided by Kaffe Box out of Norway.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that youd like to mention?

Architect: Allied 8

Contractors: Plumb Level Square (They do all the Matt Dillon restaurants in Seattle.)

Whats the address?

4735 40th Avenue Southwest, Seattle.
Los Angeles supercafe Go Get Em Tiger officially opened its second location Monday in Los Felizthe third coffee shop from G&B/Go Get Em Tiger owners Kyle Glanville and Charles Babinski, both former United States Barista Champions.

While to some, Labor Day weekend heralds the end of summer, such notions were impossible to consider at the Hollywood Boulevard cafe on opening day, as the sun-soaked patio filled to overflowing with patrons. The space, immediately adjacent to Covell and Home State Tacos, continues the crawl of posh food & drink along this blockoffering both in the form of the already popular Go Get Em beverage menu and daylong food offerings. Coffees from 49th Parallel and Heart Roasters are joined by the cafes signature Fizzy Hoppy Tea, Almond Macadamia Latte, and fine teas from Song Tea, Kilogram Tea, and Red Blossom Tea Company.

Chef Ria Wilson (formerly of Sqirl, Canale) completes the team at this location along with a kitchen full of busymostly womencooks, hustling out brunch-biased items like toasts, thick BLTs with Filipino-style bacon, eggs with chorizo hash, and a seductively puffy and beguiling Dutch Baby styled pancake dubbed the LA Baby. Lighter fare like the Adobo Grain Bowl and an almond-sage chicken salad sandwich broaden the menu into afternoon cuisine. In-house pastries by Chelsea Scott, found at all the duos stores, are positioned right up front, like a bursting pluot pie with cinnamon-pecan crunch topping.

As always from this crew, the focus is as much on service as providing high-quality food and drink at high volume. For now, the bar is standing-room-only, with a lean-and-chat corridor layout that encourages both barista-customer and customer-customer interaction. Doors are cast open to the wide pationot that most of the sunshine doesnt already flood insideupon which longer-term visitors can stay and roost awhile.

If early observations are any indication, the already-bustling cafe may yet be Glanville and Babinskis busiest. Labor Day at Los Feliz was as busy as any big day at the pairs other two shops, reported Babinskinot too shabby for a first, not even full, day of business.
The Racing Under Saddle Ontario (RUS Ontario) riders will be hitting the road this Saturday for Sarnia's five-eighths-mile oval, as a RUS race will be featured on the Hiawatha Horse Parks 10-dash program.

The RUS contest has been carded as Race 5 on the program and a short, but exciting field of five trotters is set to head behind the gate at 8:12 p.m.

Eleven-year-old veteran Winzel is set to make his first under saddle start in 2016 for owner/trainer/rider Brittney Kennedy from Post 1. The duo raced together in 2015, but had yet to line up an under saddle race start since an impressive qualifier over Flamboro Downs back in May. Winzel is heading into the race off of a fifth-place finish at Flamboro in the Preferred 3 class on September 1 at Flamboro.

Don Wan Veeba is set to return with Danish rider Karoline Nielson for trainer Gord Campbell. The six-year-old gelding raced for the first time under saddle back on August 20 at Hanover Raceway and finished fourth. A regular at Hiawatha, the son of Thunder Road has posted a pair of wins since starting under saddle training. A slight miscue at the gate on September 3 looks to be redeemed this Saturday with a switch back to the saddle.

Four-year-old Angus Hall gelding Demand An Answer is set to make his debut as the sole maiden under saddle starter from Post 3. MAD Barn-sponsored rider Sarah Town has shown some luck with maiden RUS starters this season, as she has already posted wins for the Baillargeon and Arsenault Stables this season. Demand An Answer qualified for RUS back in May over Flamboro Downs with Town finishing second to Gracies Harmony. After nearly a month off, the Shane Arsenault trainee raced at Tioga Downs this past Friday and finished sixth after a break at the gate. Sylvain Filion qualified the gelding back at Mohawk this Tuesday and finished a very strong second in 1:56.3.

Gracies Harmony, who is the lone mare in the field, will start from Post 4 for regular rider Marielle Enberg and trainer Jim Tropea. The nine-year-old mare has earned more than $100,000 in career purses. She has posted a good under saddle season, as she won the $11,000 Battle of Waterloo Day RUS race at Grand River Raceway on August 1. After having made a break while under saddle on August 20 at Hanover Raceway, the duo will be looking to post a better showing this Saturday. If manners are on her side, Gracies Harmony and her Swedish veteran rider have been known to be very competitive under saddle.

Rounding out the field is the seven-year-old gelding Osprey Vision and rider Amber Lawson. Owner Dave Boughton is again training of the consistent trotter who, to this point, has under saddle earnings of over $2,000 in just two starts. The pair finished third on Industry Day and second at Hanover on August 20. The pair shows some very real talent against some very tough trotters and should not be disregarded for a top-place finish.

As RUS Ontario nears the end of its 2016 season, the organization would like to extend gratitude to the tracks, trainers, owners and fans that have made racing under saddle in North America a possibility so far as it grows to build its qualified horse and rider population for years to come.

To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Hiawatha, click the following link: Saturday Entries  Hiawatha Horse Park.

(RUS Ontario)
Moore Case Prompts Request for Changes in Alabama Law

MORGAN COUNTY, Ala., Sept. 7, 2016 / Standard Newswire / -- The Alabama Republican State Executive Committee recently overwhelmingly passed two resolutions requesting changes in the state's process for punishing judges and for mandates regarding the composition of the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC).

In light of the baseless charges filed against Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore by the JIC regarding his administrative order issued in January 2016, Alabama's Republican Party's executive committee asks that the state legislature enact a law to abolish the rule that judges are automatically suspended when charges are filed by the JIC. The resolution also calls for the election of all nine of the JIC members.

Represented by Liberty Counsel, Chief Justice Moore, who has been suspended from the bench since last April, faces a trial on September 28 to defend the six politically motivated charges filed against him by the JIC, all focused on his January 2016 Administrative Order.

"The current situation allows the JIC too much power and the ability to punish judges without due process," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "Chief Justice Roy Moore should have never been suspended from his bench from these baseless charges. The JIC has become an arm of the Southern Poverty Law Center and other politically-motivated groups. The JIC is not supposed to be politically biased but it has become so. The JIC needs to be reigned in."

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
Er is iets heel griezeligs aan de gang in Nederland. Dat wij geleidelijk aan in een totalitaire 'democratie' wegzinken wordt steeds ...
At the recent annual convention of Veterans for Peace, VFP Vice President Jerry Condon said The US peace movement has been demobilized by disinformation on Syria.

Disinformation and propaganda on Syria takes three distinct forms.

The first is the demonization of the Syrian leadership.

The second is the romanticization of the opposition.

The third form involves attacking anyone questioning the preceding characterizations.

There is a recent article which exemplifies all three of these forms. It is titled Anti-Imperialism and the Syrian Revolution by Ashley Smith of the International Socialist Organization (ISO). Its a remarkable piece of misinformation and faulty analysis. Because it is clear and well written, it is likely to mislead people who are not well informed on the facts regarding Syria. Hence the importance of critically reviewing it.

Technique 1: Demonize the enemy  the Syrian regime and its brutal dictator

Smith starts off posing the question: Are you with the Syrian revolution or the brutal Assad dictatorship? The way he frames it, its not a difficult choice: yay for the revolution!

Like these false options, Ashley Smiths article is a fairy tale devoid of reality. His bias is shown as he criticizes the Left for ignoring Assads massacre of some 400,000 Syrians. Included in this death count are 100  150 thousand Syrian soldiers and allies . Ashley blames Assad instead of the armed opposition for killing Syrian soldiers!

Another example of false propaganda is the discussion of the chemical weapons attack that took place on August 21, 2013 in outer Damascus. Neoconservatives speak of this event as proving Assads brutality  killing his own people  as well as the failure of President Obama to enforce his red line. Ashley aligns with the neocons as he says Barack Obama came under pressure to intervene militarily in Syria after the regime carried out a chemical weapons attack in a suburb of Damascus in 2013, but he backed a Russian-brokered resolution that protected Assad.

In reality, the Damascus sarin gas attack was carried out by an opposition group with the goal of forcing the U.S. to directly attack the Syrian government. Soon after the event, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity issued a statement reporting the most reliable intelligence shows that Bashar al-Assad was NOT responsible for the chemical incident. Later on, Seymour Hersh wrote two lengthy investigations pointing to Jabhat al Nusra with Turkish support being culpable. Investigative journalist Robert Parry exposed the Human Rights Watch analysis blaming the Syrian government as a junk heap of bad evidence. In the Turkish parliament, Turkish deputies presented documents showing that Turkey provided sarin to Syrian rebels. A detailed examination and analysis of all fact based stories in online at whoghouta.blogspot.com . Their conclusion is that The only plausible scenario that fits the evidence is an attack by opposition forces.

Ashley Smith accuses the Syrian government of widespread torture. His main example is the case of Syrian Canadian Maher Arar who was arrested by US authorities in collusion with Canadian authorities, then rendered to Syria for interrogation in 2002. Arar was beaten during the initial weeks of his interrogation in Syria. After ten months imprisonment, Syrian authorities determined he was not a terrorist and sent him back to Canada. Arar received an official apology and $10 Million from the Canadian government.

The most highly publicized accusation of rampant torture and murder by Syrian authorities is the case of Caesar. The individual known as Caesar was presented as a defecting Syrian photographer who had 55,000 photos documenting 11,000 Syrians tortured by the brutal Assad dictatorship. At the time, among mainstream media only the Christian Science Monitor was skeptical, describing it as a well timed propaganda exercise. In the past year it has been discovered that nearly half the photos show the opposite of what is claimed. The Caesar story is essentially a fraud funded by Qatar with for hire lawyers giving it a professional veneer and massive mainstream media promotion.

While western media routinely refers to Assad as a dictator, in fact he is elected and popular with the majority of Syrians. Although not wealthy, Syria was largely self-sufficient with a semi-socialist state apparatus including free health-care, free education and large industries 51% owned by the state. You do not see pervasive western fast food, banks, and other corporate entities in Syrian cities. In the wake of protests, the government pushed through reforms which ended the one party system. There are now political parties across the political spectrum. These are a genuine moderate opposition. The June 2014 election confirmed Assads popularity despite the denials of those who have never been there.

Technique 2: Romanticize the opposition  the Syrian Revolution

Ashley Smith echoes mainstream media which portrays the conflict as a civil war which began with peaceful democratic loving Syrian revolutionaries beaten by a brutal regime.

In reality there was a violent faction from the start. In the first protests in Deraa seven police were killed . Two weeks later there was a massacre of 60 security forces in Deraa. In Homs, an eye-witness recounted the situation: From the start, the protest movements were not purely peaceful. From the start I saw armed demonstrators marching along in the protests, who began to shoot at the police first. Very often the violence of the security forces has been a reaction to the brutal violence of the armed rebels. In the first two months, hundreds of police and security forces were killed.

Ashley and company listen to Americans and British citizens and mistakenly believe they are listening to real Syrians. Some of these people left Syria at age 3. Some of them have never lived in Syria. Thus you have fantasy portrayals such as Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War. A more realistic picture is given by a Syrian who still lives in Aleppo. He writes under the name Edward Dark and describes how he and his friends quickly regretted the take-over of Aleppo by armed groups in summer 2012. He describes one friends reaction as the reality was hitting home: How could we have been so stupid? We were betrayed!. And another says: Tell your children someday that we once had a beautiful country, but we destroyed it because of our ignorance and hatred. Edward Dark is a harsh critic of President Assad and Baath Party. He is also naive regarding the role of US Ambassador Robert Ford. But his description of early protesters and the arrival of armed opposition rings true and more authentic than the portrayal of Yassin-Kassab and Al Shami.

In fact many of the idealized Syrian revolutionaries promoted by the authors of Burning Country are trained and paid agents of the US and UK. The Aleppo Media Center which produces many of the videos is a US creation. The White Helmets which purport to be Syrian, independent and unarmed first responders are a creation of the US and UK. The banner boys from Kafranbel are another western funded operation. In her book about her time as Secretary of State, Clinton boasts of providing training for more than a thousand activists, students, and independent journalists (p. 464).

Why do the enemies of Syria create such organizations? Partly as a way to channel money and support to the armed opposition. Also to serve as propaganda tools to confuse the situation and generate support for the real goal: regime change. For example, White Helmets mostly work in areas dominated by the Syrian Al Qaeda. Unlike legitimate organizations such as the Red Crescent, they never work in areas controlled by the government. And they are also active on the propaganda front, continually pushing for US / NATO intervention via a no fly zone. The misinformation of Ashley Smith and ISO confuses unwitting people and helps the enemies of Syria in their drive for regime change.

In contrast with the romanticized delusions of Ashley Smith and the authors of Burning Country, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency gave an accurate assessment in August 2012:

 EVENTS ARE TAKING A CLEAR SECTARIAN DIRECTION. THE SALAFIST, THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND AQI ARE THE MAJOR FORCES DRIVING THE INSURGENCY IN SYRIA.

Technique 3: Attack Those who Question the Dogma  Youre an Assad supporter!

Ashley Smith does not criticize the NATO and Gulf states that are violating international law and the UN charter by funding and supplying a proxy army to attack Syria. Instead, he criticizes left groups who oppose the aggression. That is a sign of how far off track ISO is. They did the same thing regarding Libya and have evidently learned nothing from that disaster. Ashley Smith should go and tour Libya now to savor the revolution he promoted.

Ashley Smiths theme with respect to Syria (peaceful popular uprising against brutal dictator) is the same theme promoted by neoconservatives and the mainstream media. When they encounter a different perspective, they cry out, You are an Assad supporter!. Never mind that many genuine progressives do not say that. What we say is that its for the Syrian people to determine their government, not foreigners.

Smith criticizes the British Stop the War coalition for having adapted to Assad supporters and for giving a platform to allies of the dictatorship, specifically regime apologist Mother Superior Agnes Mariam. Smith is misinformed on this issue also, but it is doubly revealing. In fact, Mother Agnes was hosted on the tour by Syria Solidarity Movement. When she was in London, she was invited to speak at a Stop the War rally. To his great discredit, the keynote speaker Jeremy Scahill, who is closely aligned with ISO, threatened to withdraw from the conference if Mother Agnes spoke. Scahill has done great journalistic work exposing Blackwater and Drone Warfare. However that does not excuse the complicity leading to blackmail regarding a Palestinian Lebanese nun who has shown immense courage in promoting reconciliation and peace in Syria. However, that action is typical of some misguided socialist groups, the Muslim Brotherhood and their allies. Mother Agnes was verbally attacked and abused by these groups throughout her tour, which otherwise met with great success. Mother Agnes has lived in Syria for over twenty years. She consistently says that Syria needs reform, but you dont do that by destroying it.

Ashley Smith goes on to criticize the US Peace Council for recently sending a delegation to Syria and having the audacity to talk with Assad and his henchmen. He sounds like the right wing hawks who denounced Jane Fonda for going to North Vietnam in the 1970s. Smith displays a dogmatic and closed-minded view; what kind of international socialism does he represent?

Smith criticizes Green Party candidates Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka for remaining silent about Putins and Assads atrocities. This is another measure of how far off track the ISO is. They evidently are not aware of international law or they dont care about it. The Assad government has a right to defend itself against terrorist attacks which are sponsored, funded and supplied by foreign governments.

Syria also has a right to request help from Russia and Iran. But with tunnel-vision dogma, Ashley Smith and ISO do not care. They seem to be supporting instead of opposing imperialist aggression, violations of international law, and the death and destruction these have led to.

Ashley disparages the Syrian government and people who have continued to fight against the forces of sectarianism promoted by NATO, Israel and the Gulf monarchies. Ashley and ISO would do well to send some people to see the reality of Syria. They would find it very different than their fevered imagination or what they have been led to believe by fake Syrians and Muslim Brotherhood dogmatists.

Genuine progressives are not Assad supporters. Rather, we are opponents of imperialist aggression and supporters of international lawwhich says its the right of Syrians to determine who leads them. That would mean real Syrians, not those raised in or paid by the West.

Ashley Smiths Inaccurate Overall Analysis Ashley Smith gives a very inaccurate analysis of the overall geopolitical situation in Syria and beyond. He says The US has been seeking a resolution that might push Assad aside, but that above all maintains his regime in power. He goes on to say U.S. policy from the beginning has been to preserve the core of Assads state. Ashley believes the U.S. has retreated in general from outright regime change as its strategy in the Middle East. This is absurd. In reality the US and allies Israel and Saudi Arabia have been pushing for regime change in Syria for over a decade. In 2005 CNN host Christiane Amanpour expressed the situation bluntly: Mr. President, you know the rhetoric of regime change is headed towards you from the United States. They are actively looking for a new Syrian leader. Theyre granting visas and visits to Syrian opposition politicians. Theyre talking about isolating you diplomatically and, perhaps, a coup detat or your regime crumbling. What are you thinking about that? In 2007, Seymour Hersh wrote about the destabilization efforts in his article The Redirection In 2010, Secretary of State Clinton spoke of changing Syrias behavior and threatened President Assad is making decisions that could mean war or peace for the region . We know hes hearing from Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. It is crucial that he also hear directly from us, so that the potential consequences of his actions are clear. Secretary Clinton appointed Robert Ford to become US Ambassador to Syria. Ford was previously the chief political officer in Baghdad for Ambassador John Negroponte. Who is John Negroponte? He was Ambassador to Honduras overseeing the Nicaraguan Contras and El Salvador death squads in the 1980s. Negropontes arrival in Iraq in 2004 led to  the El Salvador option  (sectarian death squads) in Iraq. Since the conflict in Syria began in 2011 the US has spent many billions of dollars trying to overthrow the Syrian government or force it to change policy. The supply of sophisticated and deadly weaponry continues. In April 2016 it was reported that the US recently supplied 994 TONS of sophisticated rocket launchers, anti tank and other heavy weapons to moderate rebels who ally with the Syrian Al Qaeda ( Jabhat al Nusra recently renamed Jabhat Fatah al Sham). Ashleys theory that the US is intent on preserving the Syrian state and the US has given up on regime change is not supported by the facts. Ashley continues the faulty analysis by saying the U.S. is solely and obsessively focused on defeating this counterrevolutionary force (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria and the Obama administration has struck a de facto alliance with Russia. This is more theory without evidence. The US coalition was doing little to stop ISIS and looked the other way as ISIS went across the open desert to attack and occupy Palmyra. They were similarly looking the other way as ISIS sent hundreds of trucks filled with oil from eastern Syria into Turkey each day. It was not until Russia entered the scene in support of Syria one year ago, that the US coalition got embarrassed into actually attacking ISIS. As to a de facto alliance, this is what Russia has implored the US to do, largely without response. In the past two weeks the U.S. has threatened Russian and Syrian planes not to attack US ground forces inside Syria and refused to come to agreement with Russia that moderate rebels working with acknowledged terrorists are not moderate and can be targeted. The Obama administration is trying to prevent the collapse of the regime change project by stalling and delay. Perhaps they wish to keep the project alive for a more aggressive US policy. Hillary Clinton continues to talk about a no fly zone. Her allies in Congress have recently initiated HR5732 which will escalate economic and financial sanctions against Syria and assess the implementation of a no fly zone. Ashley Smith suggests that large portions of the US left have been avidly supporting oppressive regimes such as Syria and Iran. He mocks those on the left who suggested the Iranian green movement was US-influenced. His mockery is exposed as ignorance by none other than Hillary Clinton herself. In her book Hard Choices she recounts how they arranged for Twitter to postpone a system upgrade which would have taken the social media giant offline at a critical time, right after the 2009 Iranian election. Hillary and her group at the State Dept were actively promoting the protests in Iran. Dangerous Times Ahead Some middle east analysts have made the faulty analysis that Israel is not involved in the aggression against Syria. In reality, Israeli interests are at the core of the US policy against Syria. The Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. was explicit: Israel wanted Assad gone since start of civil war . He also said bad guys supported by Iran are worse than bad guys not supported by Iran. In other words, Israel prefers chaos and Al Qaeda to a stable independent Syria. Saudi Arabia is the other key U.S. ally seeking overthrow in Syria. With its close connections to the oil industry, military industrial complex and Wall Street, Saudi Arabia has enormous influence in Washington. It has been mercilessly bombing Yemen for the last 18 months and continues funding and promoting the proxy war against Syria. Both Saudi Arabia and Israel seek the same thing: breaking the resistance alliance which runs from Iran through Syria to Lebanon. They are in alliance with US neoconservatives who still dream of a new American Century where the US fights multiple wars to enforce its exceptional and sole supremacy. Along with some other countries, these are the forces of reaction violating international law and promoting the war against Syria. The tide is turning against the forces pushing for regime change in Syria. But they have not yet given up and may even escalate. Now is when progressives in the West need to raise our voices in opposition to this aggression. Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka can hopefully bring much more attention to this critical issue. Bernie Sanders and his supporters need to speak out against Hillary Clintons statements and plans. There are good people in ISO which does good work in many areas. We hope they will re-examine their assumptions, beliefs and actions regarding Syria. In the dangerous times ahead, we need them to be resisting the drive to war in Syria, not condoning or supporting it.
Introduction by Russ Baker:

As we watch President Obama being warmly welcomed in Cuba, we think back to the secret, shameful things done in the past by the US to undermine Castro, not counting the various assassination attempts. This report lays bare one of the more hair-raising schemes.

On March 13, 1962, the Joint Chiefs of Staff proposed to President John F. Kennedy that the United States attack itself  and blame Cuba. This is what is known as a false flag event.

This proposal came at the request of the CIAs Edward Lansdale who was in charge of the anti-Castro project.

Kennedy dismissed it as lunacy, certain to lead to war. This set him on a fatal collision course with the most powerful people in the country.

This little-known proposal, code-named Operation Northwoods, is highly relevant today. It provides a crucial backdrop to the murderous mindset of those whom Castro  and Kennedy  had angered. Moreover, we would be foolish to assume that the basic nature of institutions has changed. The temptation to engineer so-called false flag events may simply be too great to resist.

Was Northwoods an anomaly? Certainly not. Creating provocations to justify action  by making it appear you are only reacting  has long been a ploy of many governments, over time and throughout the world.

The United States has hardly been immune to the temptation to shape events, opinion, and historical trajectories: An explosion on the US battleship, The Maine, in Havana Harbor, may have been designed to build public support for the American takeover of Cuba; the Gulf of Tonkin incident , an attack blamed on the North Vietnamese to justify widening the Vietnam Conflict; Operation Gladio, in which terrorist attacks in Europe in the 1970s were blamed on leftists but engineered by right-wing networks supported by American intelligence. And WhoWhatWhy has covered the recent use of falsified atrocities to justify the overthrow of Muammar Qaddafi and the strategic grab of that valuable North African real estate.

So it is no surprise that many Americans do not trust their government when it assures them it was caught completely unawares by the 9/11 attacks. Because past is prologue, we would do well to learn the particulars of Northwoods.

Operation Northwoods: Planning Provocations and Deceptions against Cuba



We know that the Pentagon was capable of planning atrocities as pretexts for war from the series of documents known collectively as Project Northwoods.

Northwoods was a JCS [Joint Chiefs of Staff] response to a request from Edward Lansdale, who in 1962 was chief of operations for the anti-Castro Cuba Project, also known as Operation Mongoose.

Lansdale had asked for brief but precise description of pretexts which would provide justification for US military intervention in Cuba. (1) The JCS document, signed by JCS Chief Lyman Lemnitzer, obliged with a list of false-flag possibilities such as the following:

We could develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington. The terror campaign could be pointed at refugees seeking haven in the United States. We could sink a boatload of Cubans en route to Florida (real or simulated). We could foster attempts on lives of Cuban refugees in the United States even to the extent of wounding in instances to be widely publicized. Exploding a few plastic bombs in carefully chosen spots, the arrest of Cuban agents and the release of prepared documents substantiating Cuban involvement, also would be helpful in projecting the idea of an irresponsible government.

This was only one of nine paragraphs in an annex proposing a menu of (in its words) possible provocation and deception against Cuba.

[Ed: To read about more of these proposed engineered events, please go here.

That Lemnitzer would forward such a provocative document is not surprising. Only a few months earlier, in July 1961, he had joined CIA Director Allen Dulles in supporting a plan for a nuclear surprise attack on the Soviet Union in late 1963, preceded by a period of heightened tensions.(2)

Air Force General Leon Johnson later told the National Security Council that the JCS estimated a preemptive strike would result in at least 140 million fatalities in the USSR.(3)

One year later, in May 1963, another JCS document continued to write of engineering a provocation as a pretext for invasion and argued that the engineering of a series of provocations to justify military intervention is feasible and could be accomplished with the resources available.(4)

This document was prepared by J-5, the JCS Directorate of Plans and Policy, in response to a request [of March 25, 1963] from the Chairman of the JCS to provide comment and recommendation concerning the requirements for and desirability of fomenting a revolt in Cuba, giving consideration to the advantage of engineering an incident as an alternate cause for invasion.(5) This chairman was Kennedys choice to succeed Lemnitzer, Maxwell Taylor.

(Taylor is generally remembered as the advocate of a flexible response rather than massive retaliation to deal with international crises. But he is also the general who, from as early as 1961, was meeting with other hawks to get Kennedy to use military force in both Laos and South Vietnam.(6) Significantly, Taylor as JCS Chairman in 1963 was simultaneously promoting J-5 plans for escalated attacks, or 34A Operations, against North Vietnam.)

All this Cuban planning was in support of JCS OPLANS 312 (Air Attack in Cuba) and 316 (Invasion of Cuba). These were not theoretical exercises but actively developed operational plans that the JCS were only too eager to execute.(7)

(It is not generally realized that the blockade of Cuba, now enforced for almost a half century, began as the first step in planning for OPLAN 316.) (8)

In support of these plans, J-5 served as a workshop for manufacturing pretexts, or what we may call deep deception events. As James G. Hershberg wrote in 1990,

A review of Pentagon planning makes it clear that for a small circle of high civilian and military officials, the idea that the United States might deliberately provoke events in Cuba that could serve as a pretext for U.S. intervention represented a possible course of action, frequently invoked, rather than an unthinkable libel that had emerged from the paranoid fantasies of Havana and Moscow.(9)

At least one of the false-flag deceptions envisioned in the Northwoods document  Cuban shipments of arms which would be found, or intercepted, on the beach of another country  may have been implemented.

Venezuela announced in November 1963 that it had discovered on a Venezuelan beach a cache of Cuban arms, consisting of rifles, machine guns, and ammunition.

This was shortly after John F. Kennedy had asked CIA Director John McCone for evidence of Castros intervention in Venezuela that could be presented in a Public forum, such as the OAS [Organization of American States]. [Especially after the agreement with Khrushchev not to invade Cuba, Kennedy was obsessed with stopping a wider spread of Castroism in Latin America. His request for evidence, however, should not be interpreted as an invitation to manufacture it.]

CIA officers brought one of the cached rifles to the Kennedys, and Richard Helms reports that the president responded, Great work.(10) [Ed: To learn more about this episode, please go here.

References



1. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense, March 13, 1962 (Northwoods Document), 1, NARA # 202-10002-10404, 128, reproduced in Michael C. Ruppert, Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil (Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers, 2004), 595.

2. Notes on National Security Meeting, July 20, 1961, in James K. Galbraith and Heather A. Purcell, Did the U.S. Military Plan a Nuclear First Strike for 1963? American Prospect, Fall 1994, 88; cf. James W. Douglass, JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2008), 235.

3. Douglass, JFK and the Unspeakable, 23940.

4. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Courses of Action Related to Cuba (Case II), Report of the J-5 to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, May 1, 1963, NARA #202 -10002-10018, 21, http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=167&relPageId=21.

5. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Courses of Action Related to Cuba (Case II), Report of the J-5 to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, May 1, 1963, NARA #202-10002-10018, 4.

6. Gareth Porter, Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005), 265, cf. 148.

7. g., Memorandum from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to President Kennedy, November 16, 1962, JCSM-910-62, http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/msc_cuba186.asp: The Joint Chiefs of Staff are glad to report that our Armed Forces are in an optimum posture to execute CINCLANT OPLANS 312-62 (Air Attack in Cuba) (1) and 316-62 (Invasion of Cuba). (2) We are not only ready to take any action you may order in Cuba, we are also in an excellent condition world-wide to counter any Soviet military response to such action.

8. Telegram from the Headquarters of the Commander in Chief, Atlantic, to the Headquarters of the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, September 21, 1962, Foreign Relations of the United States , 19611963 [hereinafter FRUS], vol. 10, 108283.

9. Hershberg, Before The Missiles of October, 242.

10. Stephen G. Rabe, The Most Dangerous Area in the World: John F. Kennedy Confronts Communist Revolution in Latin America (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1999), 107.












The Net has described me as a 'mad scientist of RPG blogging,' and a 'Quixotic bastard' ... and also 'the most gonzo - and the grouchiest - old school DM.'









Began playing Dungeons and Dragons at the age of 15, forty-two years ago. I am a steadfast AD&D gamer, but I have made so many changes to the original system that my present model is something of a Frankenstein's monster of role-playing design. I continue to make new changes every day to my game's structure and function.
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The Columbia Rivers deep water port  with a future.

Thats the promo slogan for Port of St. Helens, which owns the Port Westward industrial area near Clatskanie. Building that future, though, has been fraught with delays and opposition, at least when it comes to Port Westward.

Three major energy projects havent panned out, and a proposed methanol refinery nearly identical to one planned in Kalama still is years away from fruition.

Proposals have fallen through or stalled amid crashing coal and oil markets and legal challenges. Yet Port Westward still represents a potential bright job growth in Columbia County, and outgoing Port of St. Helens Executive Director Pat Trapp still is optimistic about its future.

I think the port remains in an acceptable position to leverage its large land holdings and serve as a primary economic development agency for Columbia County, as well as for the northern part of the state, Trapp said.

Trapp, 57, recently announced his intention to retire next spring to focus on family commitments. During his six-year tenure, he oversaw a string of controversial proposals at the port, but ultimately he boosted the agencys revenue and, observers say, put the previously sleepy port on the map for potential projects.

Hes been able to bring the Port of St. Helens, our name, forward so that we have some more recognition than we had in the past. I think hes done a good job in representing the port, said Port of St. Helens Commissioner Paulette Lichatowich.

Trapp joined the port in 2011, bringing 30 years of Coast Guard experience with him. Since then, the port has undergone $30 million worth of infrastructure upgrades, and nearly all of its current rental buildings are full thanks to the addition of new and expanded leases. Portland General Electric added two new power plants at Port Westward, drastically boosting revenue.

He came in as director at a time when I do believe the port was struggling with several issues as far as development, said Diane Pohl, Mayor of Clatskanie. He brought kind of a new vision as far as getting a lot of the facilities in south county ready for lease and just kind of rejuvenating the area.

Except for last year, Port of St. Helens revenue has grown 13 to 15 percent annually since Trapp came aboard. Last year revenues fell 20 percent because of a drop in oil shipments at the Global Partners terminal at Port Westward, he said.

Not everyone was happy with Trapps willingness to deal with fossil fuel-based industries.

His legacy is essentially a failed attempt to turn (Port Westward) into a hub of fossil fuel exports, said Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky, organizer with Columbia Riverkeeper.

The environmental group was key in collaborating with local opponents to proposed coal projects at Port Westward.

Within a few years of Trapp taking the helm, there were not one, but two proposed coal projects in line for Port Westward at a time when other Columbia River ports were shying away from coal, Zimmer-Stucky noted.

And Port Westward jumped at the opportunity to site two of these coal projects, she said, referring to proposals by Kinder Morgan and Ambre Energy.

The Kinder Morgan project also raised questions about transparency, after the lease agreement was approved after just one meeting on the matter, Zimmer-Stucky said.

Trapp said the port wasnt as overly eager as fossil fuel opponents portray.

People dont recognize that Kinder Morgan and Ambre were not the first coal companies that came to the port. They were just the first that we felt could be successful, and had the resources, abilities and understood the impacts, and were willing to address them, Trapp said.

Kinder Morgan backed out of is Port Westward plans in 2013. Lighthouse Resources (formerly Ambre Energy) effort to build another export terminal took a blow when an Oregon agency rejected a developers permit at a related facility. (A judge recently ruled the agency acted lawfully in rejecting the permit, but Lighthouse Resources said it would appeal the decision.)

Efforts to rezone about 750 acres of land near Port Westward for potential industrial use have also been tied up in court from opposition from nearby farmers.

More than two years after its proposal, Northwest Innovation Works proposed $1.8 billion methanol refinery, which has yet to begin the permitting phase, has been placed on the back burner while the company focuses on its twin proposed facility in Kalama.

And plans to turn the Columbia Pacific Bio-Refinery into a major ethanol producer never panned out. After the facility went bankrupt in 2009, it was eventually taken over by Global Partners and switched to shipping crude oil with little public notice in 2012. But crashing oil markets forced the facility to temporarily close in January. It reopened this summer and is now handling ethanol.

Some oil opponents, though, are still concerned that changes in the markets could once again mean oil trains passing through towns, Lichatowich said.

Lichatowich and Commissioner Larry Ericksen were able to ride a wave of discontentment about the controversial projects to win elections in 2015.

In the past, our focus had been the mission of creating jobs, but I think weve seen that we need to have a broader perspective  that its not just about jobs. Theres other things that are important to the people of Columbia County, Lichatowich said.

Trapp, though, says the port shouldnt snub projects just because they are controversial.

The reality is both Washington and Oregon have very strict requirements, he said. If a company can come in and meet all those requirements  they ought to be given an opportunity to be part of the community, irrespective of whether someone likes the commodity or doesnt like it.
The investigation into the Aug. 17 West Kelso shooting in which a Kelso patrolman shot and killed a man who attacked a clerk, a customer and the officer himself is entering its final stages, according to authorities.

Chief Criminal Deputy Charlie Rosenzweig said much of the investigative findings have been sent to the county prosecutors office, which will make a determination whether the shooting was justified or whether charges should be filed. However, Rosenzweig said, the sheriffs office is still awaiting tests from the state crime lab, ballistics from the firearm and a toxicology report from the autopsy.

Rosenzweig said the prosecutor may or may not choose to wait for the additional reports before makiong a decision. Cowlitz County Prosecutor Ryan Jurvakainen could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The assault occurred at the Flying K mini-mart in West Kelso. The assailant, 27-year-old Omer Ismail Ali of Spokane, was pronounced dead at the scene. The man was a transient and had been contacted by law enforcement a few times before the incident, according to Cowlitz County Sheriff Mark Nelson. Ali was an emigre from Sudan.

The coroner ruled that Ali died of a gunshot wound to the chest with other significant conditions including a gunshot wound to the jaw and neck. His manner of death was ruled a homicide resulting from a violent altercation with law enforcement.

Authorities say patrol officer John Johnston shot Ali after he attacked a clerk, a customer and Johnston himself with a 4-foot-long wooden staff.

The clerk, customer and officer were treated and released from a hospital.
The Kelso school districts Indian Education program will be able to continue its full offering of cultural programs thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Muckleshoot tribe. The grant was accepted at Tuesdays school board meeting.

The grant comes from the Puget Sound tribes Charity Fund, which is financed by profits from the Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, and supports groups such as Washington state non-profits and schools. When looking for groups to donate to, the tribe makes education, culture and arts among its top funding priorities.

The grant is not automatically renewable, but Kelso schools have received it in the past.

Its been a few years since I applied, said Indian Education coordinator Shelley Hamrick. $5,000 goes a long way for us.

The funds will go towards cultural events for native students in the district as well as professional development for school employees that brings more cultural awareness, said Hamrick, who is based at Wallace Elementary.

Kelso will use the money to adopt the new Since Time Immemorial tribal sovereignty curriculum, which requires Washington state school districts to teach Northwest tribal history, culture and government. As teachers become more familiar with the content, lessons can be adapted to better reflect histories of specific local tribal communities.

Wallace Elementary has been the base of operations for the districts Indian Education program since 1997, when the school set aside a classroom for a resource center with a library of Native American reading material and cultural artifacts. The resource center also provides cultural kits for teachers to check out for their units that focus on Native American history.

Wallace has also been the site of culture classes for students in the Indian Education program for the past several years. The after-school classes will start back up on Sept. 13, thanks in part to the support the grant provides. Students will participate in drumming and singing together, among other cultural activities.
Sony India offered a great price cut on its popular Xperia Smartphones in India. The flagships of Sony under its Xperia brand including Sony Xperia X and Xperia Z5 Premium experienced a high price reduction of 21% and reintroduced by the parental company with newly slashed price.

Sony India on Monday announced the price reduction of its two exclusive models under Xperia flagship and gifted its admirers a golden opportunity to grab high-range models at around 21% lesser cost.

Sony Xperia X was launched in May this year with the price tag of Rs 48,990 and according to the recently discounted rate; Xperia X will be available at Rs 38,990. This new cost is lower at Rs 10,000, and it is the 21% lesser than the launched rate. Similarly, the Xperia Z5 Premium costs Rs 55,990 at the time of launch in October 2015. But now Sony has announced a reduced cost of Rs 47,990, which is around Rs 8,000 or 14% less than the real price.

Sony Xperia X is one of the most high-end Smartphones available in India today. Incorporated with features like 5-inch 1080p TRILUMINOS Display, Qualcomms Snapdragon 650 64-bit processor, 3GB RAM and 64GB ROM, 23 and 13-megapixel rear and front camera respectively, along with a 2,620mAh battery and 4G LTE support, Xperia X now can be purchased for Rs. Rs 38,990.

Similarly, Xperia Z5 Premium which is previously available for Rs. 55, 900 with ultra-modern specifications like 5.2-inch full HD screen, Qualcomms 64-bit Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor, 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM, 23-mp and 5-mp rear and front snapper respectively, is now available at 14% lesser cost.

With the new price tag, both gadgets are now out for auction from 1st September. According to the spokesperson of Sony, this newly declared price with slashed value is intended to get a major hike in companys sale margin.

Earlier this month, during the IFA 2016 in Berlin, Sony introduced its new Smartphone called Xperia Z5 which costs Rs. 52, 900.
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Judging by the volume of online chatter, there's a lot less buzz in China ahead of this week's expected launch of the new Apple Inc iPhone, and people on the street say they're more likely to "wait and see" what the latest device offers than rush out to buy. Posts on China's popular Sina Weibo microblogging site show the iPhone 6, which took China by storm in 2014 with its new, larger screen, attracted around 15 times more comments in the month before launch than this year's model.

The muted online anticipation for the iPhone 7 underlines the challenge Apple faces to revive growth in China, where an economic slowdown has slammed the brakes on what was once touted as the firm's next big growth engine. Apple's Greater China sales dropped by a third in April-June, albeit after more than doubling a year earlier, and revenue was down by more than a quarter to $8.8 billion - around a fifth of its total sales. Its 7.8 percent market share ranked fifth in China, trailing local vendors Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, OPPO, and Vivo, which together accounted for 47 percent, according to IDC data.

The California-based company's online stores for iBooks and movies was also closed in China after Beijing imposed strict curbs in March on online publishing, and Apple has been on the losing side of intellectual property battles here. Beijing student Wang Yue, 23, said she was in no hurry to buy an iPhone 7. "I'm looking forward to the launch, but I won't rush to buy anything," Wang, who uses an iPhone 6S that was launched last year, told Reuters. "I want to know what new functions it's got. My feeling is there are no real major changes from the 6S, so I think I'll hold off for a while."

Apple is widely anticipated to unveil the new iPhone 7 at an event in San Francisco on Wednesday. The company, which doesn't give a regional breakdown for its iPhone sales, didn't respond to requests for comment. Among half a dozen consumers Reuters spoke to most said they would first check out the new phone's functions or wait for the price to drop. Only one planned to definitely buy any new model.

"The word among consumers is the updates are not going to be revolutionary, but smaller changes," said Ben Cavender, Shanghai-based director at China Market Research Group, who described current consumer interest in China as "muted". More than anything else, the upcoming iPhone 7 may be a victim of the success of the iPhone 6.

China sales of the iPhone 6 soared in the first quarter of last year, helping drive up Apple's China revenues by 71 percent. A year later, weaker sales of the 6S contributed to the company's first global decline in iPhone sales and first revenue drop in 13 years - though globally the 6S was the top-selling smartphone in April-June, according to Strategy Analytics. The research firm estimates iPhone shipments in China will decline 20 percent in the second half of this year to 21 million from a year ago.

"Apple is struggling with consumer 'iPhone fatigue' in China, while competition from Huawei, Oppo and others remains fierce," said Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston. Weibo chatter in the run-up to the iPhone 7 launch has, however, topped levels seen ahead of last year's 6S launch. Some Chinese shoppers are even already eyeing a potential iPhone 8 model that could be launched with more significant changes next year, the 10th anniversary of the first iPhone.

"Because it's just one year, lots of people are choosing to wait for the iPhone 8," said Wang Bo, a finance worker in his thirties at a securities firm in Shanghai. "The changes with the 8 will be much bigger, which I think will be a drag on sales of the new phone this year." Wang, who uses both an iPhone 6S and a Huawei P9, said he plans to buy this year's new iPhone when it's released in China.

But convincing other shoppers in China - and the United States - to replace their smartphone is a tougher sell today than in 2014, when many Chinese were buying an iPhone for the first time. Concerns that Apple has hit "peak iPhone" have buffeted the firm's shares this year, with the stock price up just 2.35 percent, lagging the benchmark S&P 500 Index.

"The biggest thing that's changed since 2014 is that the iPhone is widely available," said Ben Thompson, who analyses the technology sector at Stratechery. "There's a lot more growth potential when people have their first chance to buy an iPhone, but that potential has now been realized."

Reuters
tech2 News Staff

Apple is in talks with Foxconn to make iPhones in India, according to sources of the Economic Times. Such a move would allow iPhones to become cheaper in India, and Apple could then start using India as an export hub. However, that would require setting up of an advanced supply chain, according to the Economic Times report. During his recent visit to India, Apple CEO Tim Cook had said that iPhones in India should be available at the same price point as the iPhones available in the US. Manufacturing in India would allow Apple to avoid paying the duties and levies that makes the devices so expensive here.

The Maharashtra government has been pro-active in getting Foxconn to open up plants in India. In May 2015, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the Foxconn facilities in Henan province in China, and began talks of a possible plant in Maharashtra. A delegation of Foxconn representatives scouted for land in the state. Back in Jun 2015, there were the first hints that iPhones could be made in India, based on the Maharashtra government inviting Foxconn to scout for locations for setting up an iPhone unit in the state.

In July this year, Foxconn rented out 2 lakh square feet in Navi Mumbai to make phones. It was reportedly in talks with Adani group, to set up an iPhone manufacturing unit at the special economic zone in Mundra, Gujarat. There have been no official statements from either Apple or Foxconn over any of these developments. During Tim Cook's visit to India in May this year, Cook and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed retailing and manufacturing in India. There is however, no confirmation as yet from either Apple or Foxconn over any concrete plans to begin iPhone manufacturing in India.
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MasterCard Inc said on Tuesday it had expanded its deal with payment processor PayPal Holdings Inc, which would allow customers to use PayPal's payment services in stores. PayPal's partnership follows a similar deal with MasterCard's larger rival Visa Inc in July as the company looks to expand its payments network.

PayPal will allow users to select a credit or debit card as the default payment method and share data on transactions made through MasterCard's tap-and-pay feature, which allows the shopper to wave a card or mobile phone over a reader to pay, the companies said in a statement. As part of the deal, MasterCard will allow PayPal users to withdraw cash from their accounts using a debit card and also waive the digital wallet fee it currently charges PayPal.

The two companies have an existing partnership for co-branded consumer credit cards in the United States and Puerto Rico. PayPal, spun off from e-commerce company eBay Inc last year, has focused on aggressive growth. The company's revenue in the second quarter rose more than 15 percent to $2.65 billion from a year earlier and the volume of payments it processes jumped 28 percent to $86.21 billion.

The partnership with MasterCard was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. PayPal is also in discussions with banks that issue cards, to explore new products and partnerships, the Journal report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of PayPal were slightly higher in premarket trading. Up to Friday's close of $37.07, the stock had risen 2.4 percent this year.

Reuters
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A U.S. space probe was cleared for launch on Thursday to collect and return samples from an asteroid in hopes of learning more about the origins of life on Earth and perhaps elsewhere in the solar system, NASA said on Tuesday. A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket was scheduled to blast off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to dispatch the robot explorer Osiris-Rex on a seven-year mission.

United Launch Alliance is a partnership of Lockheed-Martin and Boeing. Osiris-Rex is headed to a 1,640-foot (500-meter) wide asteroid named Bennu, which circles the sun in roughly the same orbit as Earth. Scientists estimate there is a one-in-800 chance that Bennu might actually hit Earth 166 years from now. Heating from the sun gently pushes the asteroid, and charting its path is among the goals of the $1 billion mission. The U.S. space agency also hopes Osiris-Rex will demonstrate the advanced imaging and mapping techniques needed for future science missions and for upcoming commercial asteroid-mining expeditions.

Osiris-Rex is expected to reach Bennu in August 2018 and begin a two-year study of its physical features and chemical composition. The solar-powered spacecraft will then fly to Bennu's surface and extend a robot arm to collect at least 2 ounces (60 grams) of what scientists hope will be carbon-rich material. "We're going to asteroid Bennu because it's a time capsule from the earliest stages of solar system formation, back when our planetary system was spread across as dust grains in a swirling cloud around our growing protostar," lead researcher Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona told a prelaunch news conference on Tuesday.

Inside the developing solar system, small rocky bodies were beginning to form, many of them studded with water ice and organic materials, which are key compounds that may have made Earth habitable or even given life its start, Lauretta said. If all goes as planned, the capsule containing samples from Bennu will be jettisoned from the returning Osiris-Rex spacecraft on Sept. 24, 2023, for a parachute descent and landing at the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training Range.

Osiris-Rex is the latest in a series of missions to asteroids that began with the 1991 flyby of asteroid Gaspra by NASA's Jupiter-bound Galileo spacecraft. Japan's Hayabusa 1 probe managed to return a few tiny grains of asteroid Itokawa to Earth in 2010, the first asteroid sample return mission. A follow-on mission, Hayabusa 2, is underway. The Osiris-Rex launch was set for between 7:05 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. on Thursday (2305 to 0105 GMT on Friday).

Reuters
tech2 News Staff

Samsung might just announce the Galaxy J7 Prime in India soon. The information comes after the company announced the smartphone in Vietnam last week. According to Mahesh Telecom, the smartphone will arrive with a price tag of Rs 18,790 which is similar to the Vietnamese pricing of VND 6,290,000.

The Galaxy J7 Prime is a slightly better tuned version of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016). The overall design and most of the features match the Galaxy J7 (2016). Specifications of the Galaxy J7 Prime include a 1.6GHz octa-core processor coupled with 3GB of RAM, a 5.5-inch full-HD (1920x1080 pixels) IPS display with 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and dual-SIM card support.

Other features include a 13MP rear camera with an f/1.9 aperture and LED flash, an 8MP front camera with an f/1.9 aperture, 32GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable via microSD slot and accepts cards of up to 256GB in capacity.

There's Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, a fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button and a 3,300mAH battery. In the connectivity department the phone offers 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, GPS/ A-GPS, Bluetooth v4.1, microUSB with OTG, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
tech2 News Staff

Samsungs Galaxy Note 7 issues dont seem to have ended with the worldwide recall of the Galaxy Note 7 devices. The FAA is now reportedly actively exploring the issue and might be considering a ban of the device on all flights.

The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is a US federal institution that regulates all aspects of American civil aviation. The recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices has put them in a tight spot.

Speaking to Gizmodo, the FAA said that, If the device is recalled by the manufacturer, airline crew and passengers will not be able to bring recalled batteries or electronics that contain recalled batteries in the cabin of an aircraft, or in carry-on and checked baggage.

The problem here is that the recall should have involved the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, which Samsung neglected to do. As a result of the unofficial recall, the FAA must now scramble to investigate the issue and determine if current Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices are flight safety hazards.

The report adds that Samsung has sold 1 million Note 7 devices and have to recall a total of 2.5 million devices. Affected consumers can expect refunds or replacements shortly. Since Samsung didnt issue an official recall, the devices are apparently still on sale.

So far, at least 36 Galaxy Note 7 devices have exploded or burst into flames.

As Gizmodo points out, the FAA recently banned hoverboards from all flights owing to the fire hazard that they represent.

At the time of writing, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has not been banned from flights.
Samsung has recalled each and every unit of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 that has been sold across the globe as reports of some of them having a battery cell issue surfaced. Samsung released the Galaxy Note7 in August this year with a host of innovative features but the devices started to shake the internet soon after its launch due to battery issues. Just two weeks after the Galaxy Note7 launch, the devices were pulled from shelves as the newly released Note7 devices exploded while charging.

Samsung acknowledged the situation and issued the first ever global recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note7 devices. Although just 35 phones out of 2.5 million Note 7 units were said to be affected, Samsung recalled the devices reiterating its commitment towards consumer safety. The programme was launched immediately after Samsung halted global sales of its new Note.

In an official statement, Samsung said:

Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue.



To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note7.

For customers who already have Galaxy Note7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks.

We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause in the market but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest quality products to our customers. We are working closely with our partners to ensure the replacement experience is as convenient and efficient as possible.

While this recall will be costly for the Korean giant, it will be probably worth it. Samsung has assured the existing customers that all Note7s will be swapped for new phones, regardless of when they purchased them. The company is putting its best foot forward for the benefit of its customers by replacing the Galaxy Note 7 for free which shows customers safety and confidence in its products as its highest priority.

@Technuter.com News Service
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HC releases full text of Ahsanullah Master killing verdict

The High Court on Wednesday released the full text of its verdict upholding the death sentences of six convicts and commuting those of seven others to life term imprisonment in the Awami League leader Ahsanullah Master killing case.

The copy of the 182-page full verdict, which was signed by two HC bench judges-- Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath-- on September 1, was released this morning.



On June 15, the HC upheld the death sentences of six convicts and commuted those of seven to life term in the case.



The bench passed the order after hearing an appeal against a lower court verdict that had sentenced 22 people to death and six others to life term jail in the case in 2005.



The six convicts whose death sentences were upheld by the HC are BNP leader Nurul Islam Sarkar, Nurul Islam Dipu, Mahbubur Rahman, Shahidul Islam Shipu, Kala Hafiz and Sohag.



The convicts whose death sentences were commuted to life term are Mohammad Ali, Syed Ahmed Majnu (fugitive), Anwar Hossain Anu (fugitive), Boro Ratan, Choto Jahangir, son of Abul Kashem, Abu Salam (fugitive), Mashiur Rahman Mishu (fugitive).



The court also acquitted seven condemned convicts--Amir Hossain, Boro Jahangir, son of Nur Hossain, Foysal (fugitive), Lokman Hossain Bulu, Rony Fakir (fugitive), Khokon (fugitive) and Dulal Mia.



Furthermore, the High Court upheld the life term imprisonment of one convict, out of six, in the case and acquitted four lifers from the charges as allegation brought against them could not be proved.



The lifer was Nurul Amin while the acquitted were Rakibuddin Sarkar alias Pappu Sarkar, Aiyub Ali, Jahangir, son of Meher Ali and Monir.



Later on July 17, the Supreme Court upheld the HC order acquitting 11 people in the case.



On July 14, the apex court extended till July 17 a stay order on the HC verdict on acquittal of the 11.



On June 21, chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice Hasan Foyez Siddique issued the stay on the HC's acquittal until July 14, following a petition filed by the government on June 20.



Criminals shot Ahsanullah Master, a former Awami League MP, to death at a rally at MA Mazid Miah High School ground at Tongi of Gazipur on May 7 2004.



Victim's brother Matiur Rahman filed a case with Tongi police station against 17 people the following day.



A Speedy Trial Tribunal on April 16, 2005 sentenced 22 people, including BNP leader Nurul Islam Sarkar, to death and six others to life imprisonment in the murder case.



Of them, two convicts died during the trial proceedings, while 17 are currently behind the bars and nine others are on the run.



The convicts later appealed to the High Court against the sentences.



The case documents were also sent to the HC as death reference for its approval.



The hearing on the appeals and death reference began on 21 January this year.



Of the 28 convicts, Ohidul Islam Tipu, who was awarded life term imprisonment by the lower court, did not file any petition against the imprisonment as he remained fugitive. -- Dhaka, Sept 7 (UNB)
Govt committed to ensure edn for all: President



Like other countries around the world, Bangladesh is celebrating the International Literacy Day (2016) today, marking the 50th anniversary of the World Congress of Ministers of Education on the Eradication of Illiteracy, held in Tehran, Iran in 1965.

Following the Tehran recommendation, UNESCO proclaimed September 8th the International Literacy Day. "Education for the 21st Century" is the global theme of this year, which is targeted to drive the global education 2030 agenda under Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs). Apart from the global theme, the Day in Bangladesh will be celebrated with the theme of "Reading the past, Writing the future".

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the day's programmes at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital at 10 am today. Bangladesh Betar will broadcast the programme live, which will also be available at www.betar.gov.bd. Different government and private institutions and organisations will also organise various programmes to celebrate the day in a befitting manner.

A colorful rally will be brought out at 7 am from the central Shahid Minar, which will end at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday gave separate messages marking the day. The president in his message said that the government is committed to ensure education for all to develop a skilled manpower. "Achieving literacy is not a mere thing, it makes people knowledgeable and skilled, which eventually contributes to build a healthy society and a developed nation", he said. Referring to the dream of Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the president called for a coordinated effort of all people of the society irrespective of their political and religious faiths to make Bangladesh a prosperous country. The prime minister in her message called upon all to work together to attain cent percent literacy to turn every citizen of the country into a human resource.

"Besides ensuring literacy, we would also develop manpower skilled in information communication technology (ICT) to achieve the Vision 2021 and 2041," she said. Referring to the different initiatives and programmes of the government under her leadership, the premier said that literacy rate surged to 71.0 percent, which was 45.0 percent seven and a half years ago. The prime minister said that her government put high priority to the target of the SGDs emphasizing on ICT-based standard education.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon also gave a message on the eve of the day, highlighting the target of SDGs for the education sector. "SDGs aim for universal access to quality education and learning opportunities throughout people's life," a UNIC press release said here, quoting the UN chief.

On the eve of the day, Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman told a press conference at his ministry that the government is implementing various programmes in the education sector with the major objectives of ensuring education for all and setting a standard in education.

The minister referred to the country's various achievements for promoting literacy and education. These include the UNESCO Literacy Award in 2012 and the "Tree of Peace" Award for Sheikh Hasina in recognition of her outstanding contribution to promotion of girls' and women's education.




Iran-Saudi war of words heats up ahead of Hajj

Saudi Arabia\'s ruling family are the custodians of Islam\'s holiest sites in Makkah and Medina.

AFP, Tehran :

The bitter war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia intensified Wednesday ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage from which Iranians have been excluded for the first time in decades.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on the Muslim world to unite and "punish" the Saudi government for its actions in the region.

"If the existing problems with the Saudi government were merely the issue of the hajj... maybe it would have been possible to find a way to resolve it and put it in the right direction," he told a cabinet meeting, according to the IRNA state news agency.

"Unfortunately, this government by committing crimes in the region and supporting terrorism in fact shed the blood of Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Yemen."

Iranians have been blocked from the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia, due to start Saturday, after talks on safety and logistical issues fell apart in May.

Earlier this week, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched a furious rebuke of the Saudi management of the hajj and holy sites, accusing the ruling family of "murder" over the deaths of nearly 2,300 pilgrims in a stampede during last year's event.

He was due to meet later on Wednesday with the families of some of the more than 400 Iranian victims of the stampede.

"The hesitation and failure to rescue the half-dead and injured people... is also obvious and incontrovertible. They murdered them," he wrote on his website Monday.

The head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council hit back at Khamenei's remarks on Wednesday, calling them "inappropriate and offensive... and a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj.

The head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council said that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks accusing Riyadh of "murder" over the deaths of nearly 2,300 pilgrims at last year's hajj were "inappropriate and offensive".

Abdullatif al-Zayani said the comments were "a clear incitement and a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj.

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia were already at rock bottom before the regional rivals started trading caustic remarks this week.

Khamenei described the Saudi royal family as "small and puny Satans who tremble for fear of jeopardising the interests of the Great Satan (the United States)".
Turkey ready to help any US initiative to capture Raqqa

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to attend the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China.

Reuters, Istanbul :

Turkey would be ready to join any initiative proposed by the United States to capture an Islamic State stronghold in Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said in remarks published on Wednesday, as Turkish-backed forces took more Syrian land from jihadists.

Obama floated the idea of joint action with Turkey to capture Raqqa during talks between the two leaders at a G20 summit in China, Erdogan said, according to Wednesday's edition of Turkey's Hurriyet daily.

Turkey launched an offensive in northern Syria on Aug. 24 to clear Islamic State from its border and to prevent territorial gains by the Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara believes has links to Kurdish insurgents fighting on its soil.

"Obama wants to do some things together concerning Raqqa in particular," Erdogan told reporters on his plane that arrived early on Tuesday, referring to Islamic State's de facto capital. He was speaking after meetings in China with Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders.

"We stated that would not be a problem from our perspective. We said, 'Let our soldiers come together, whatever is necessary will be done'," the Turkish president said, adding that a specific Turkish role would depend on further talks.

U.S. officials have welcomed Turkish efforts to dislodge Islamic State from Syrian strongholds but voiced concern when Turkish troops engaged fighters aligned to the YPG, a force Washington sees as a valuable ally in battling jihadists.

Turkish-backed forces clashed with YPG fighters in the initial stages of the two-week old Turkish incursion into Syria, but have since shifted their focus onto territory held by Islamic State and captured a string of villages.

Turkey's military said late on Tuesday that three Turkish soldiers were killed when two tanks were hit by rockets fired by Islamic State. Four others were wounded, it said.
Miscreants threaten Buddhist family

Chittagong Bureau :

The members of a family of the minority Buddhist community of the village Shilkup under Banskhali Upazila in the district are passing days amid fear of attack by some Muslim fundamentalists over the enmity of a land property.

It is alleged that a vested quarter is actively conspiring with an intention of creating communal conflict with this family since long.

It is reported that the members of the family of Debashis Barua of the village Shilkup have been harassed by some Muslim fundamentalists.

As a result, Rajib Barua, Sajib Barua and Tridib Barua, three sons of Debashis Barua, are now compelled to live in the city of Chittagong leaving their village home after being threatened by these fundamentalists. They are passing their days amid utter insecurity and fear.

Mentionable, some unidentified miscreants assaulted Debashis Barua physically in the city on 18 July, 2016 threatening to kill his three sons. He narrowly escaped from their hands.

A general diary (No.: 2089) was lodged with the Kotoali Police Station in the city in this connection on 31 July, 2016.

In such a situation Debashis Barua seeks adequate security measures for him and his family members from the authorities concerned.
Thailandkeen to invest in Bangaldesh

Mahbubul Alam, President, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry speaking at a meeting with Thai Business delegates at Bangladesh Conference Hall on Tuesday.

Chittagong Bureau :

Thailand is keenly desire to invest in the sector of electrical and electronics, automobile parts, power plants in Bangaldesh

This was disclosed by the Deputy Secretary General of Thai Investment Board Mr. Kawasang while exchanging views with the leaders of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Tuesday .

The visiting guest of Thailand said the location of Bangladesh is the heart of South Asia and suitable place for investment in this sectors . He also emphasized the multipurpose exports in between the countries and equalize the trade gaps . Chittagong chamber President Mahbubul Alam in the meeting said against the imports from Thailand of US dollar 741 million, Bangladesh only exports 40 million dollars and emphasized the increase of exports from Bangladesh to minimize the trade gaps.

President of Thai Bangladesh Business council Mr. Mingpant Chaya and the honourary consul of Thailand in Bangladesh Amir Humayun Mahmud chowdhury were present in it among others.

Among others, members of 18 members Thai trade team , chamber director Mahfuzul Hoque shah, Director of CPA(Planning) Jafar Alam, Senior Vice President of Frozen Foods Exporters Assocn Golam Mostafa, General Manager of Isphani Group Minhazuddin Ahmed spoke on the occasion.


Mahmudur gets HC bail

UNB, Dhaka :

The High Court on Wednesday granted bail to acting Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman in a case filed in connection with the plot to abduct and kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy in the United States.

An HC bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Zafar Ahmed passed the order after concluding the hearing on a rule issued earlier regarding Mahmudur's bail. Former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali accompanied by Advocate Tanvir Ahmed Al Amin argued for Mahmudur during the

hearing while Additional Attorney General Md Momtaj Uddin Fakir stood for the state. Tanvir told reporters that the court disposed of the rule and granted bail to Mahmudur. With this, Mahmudur has secured bail in all cases filed against him and there is no legal bar to his release, added the lawyer. Meanwhile, the deputy attorney general said they will file an appeal with the Supreme Court against the High Court order. Earlier on May 9 this year, a Dhaka court sent Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman to jail in connection with the case.

The case was filed with Paltan Police Station on August 3, 2015 for attempt to abduct and kill Joy, also the ICT adviser to the Prime Minister. Police arrested Mahmudur from his Karwan Bazar office on April 11, 2013.
Neo-JMB couples held

They had a plan to flee country

RAB team raided a hotel at Farmgate and arrested two couples for their suspected link to Neo-JMB on Wednesday.

Staff Reporter :

Rapid Action Battalion in separate raids arrested two couples suspecting their involvement with the Neo-JMB (Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh) from the capital and Narayanganj district on Tuesday night.

The detained persons are Md Aminul Islam, 34, his wife Nahid Sultana, 30, and Shariful Islam alias Mahmud, 18, his wife Marjiya Akter Shumi, 19, RAB official said.

RAB's Legal and Media Wing Director Mufti Mahmud Khan said "Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB-2 conducted a drive and picked up Mahmud, Shumi and Aminul from a restaurant near Ananda Cinema Hall in Farmgate around 12:30am."

Based on the information provided by them, we detained Nahid from a residence in Narayanganj's Fatullah area, the RAB official said.

Mufti Mahmud Khan said, "They had plans to flee abroad. The documents that were recovered proved that they were preparing to flee to Pakistan."

He also said Nahid and Aminul handled the post recruitment process of the New JMB and decided who would join which squads.

The name of one Sohel was up in their investigation, but they were not sure if this was that Sohel, who was identified by the law enforcers as the bomb supplier in the Gulshan attack, the RAB official said

He said, in primary interrogation, Aminul and Mahmud disclosed that they were trained with Golam Faizullah Fahim in different parts of country.

"Fahim, who was arrested on charge of attempted murder of a Hindu college teacher in Madaripur on June 15, had close relations with Aminul's family. He was killed in a "gunfight" with police on June 18," the elite force official said.


2 killed in city road crash

Staff Reporter :

Two people were killed when a bus hit a rickshaw in the city's Motijheel area at around 8 am on Wednesday.

The deceased were identified as Nur Jahan Begum, 55, an employee of an electronic goods marketing company and riskchawpuller Khokon Mia, 40.

Quoting family members of Nur Jahan and witnesses, police said Nur Jahan, hailed from Rangamati, was going to her Motijheel office by a rickshaw in the morning.

When she reached near Bangabhaban crossing at around 7:30 am, a bus of BTCL Paribahan rammed the rickshaw, leaving the rickshaw-puller dead on the spot and the passenger injured.

Nur Jahan succumbed to her injuries when she was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) at around 8:20 am. The bodies were kept at the DMCH morgue for postmortem.
Zia`s Swadhinata Padak removed from National Museum

Staff Reporter :

Authorities on Wednesday removed the "Swadhinata Padak" of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman from the National Museum.

"We removed Zia's crest and other accessories from the museum this afternoon. It along with other artifacts was in the storage of the museum," a director of the National Museum told The New Nation on Wednesday night requesting not to be named.

He said, the museum authorities removed the crest and accessories after a meeting with the government's high officials.

Earlier, the government decided to withdraw the Swadhinata Padak that was given to Ziaur Rahman in 2003 when BNP-Jamaat alliance was in power.

A Cabinet committee gave the Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) to Ziaur Rahman for his contribution during the Liberation War in 1971.

The Padak was kept at the National Museum.

Swadhinata Padak is the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh in recognition of any person's outstanding contributions in any field.
Jubo League man shot dead in Feni

Feni Correspondent :

A local Jubo League activist was shot dead by some miscreants at Madhuai Bridge area in Sadar upazila on Tuesday night.

The deceased was identified as Joynal Abedin, 42, a former member of Baligaon union unit Jubo League and son of Hafez Uddin of Dakkhin Madhuai village in the upazila. Mahbub Morshed, Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Model Police Station, said a group of miscreants intercepted Joynal while he was returning home riding a motorcycle from the district town and opened fire at him around 9:30 pm, leaving him critically injured.He was rushed to Sadar Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Police said miscreants might have attacked him over previous enmity.
8 BD men found chained, starving in Malaysia

Staff Reporter :

Eight Bangladeshis kidnapped earlier by a gang were rescued from a secluded house in Alor Setar City of Malaysia, says The Star, a Malaysia based national daily on Wednesday.



When they were found at about 1.30am on Tuesday, the men aged between 22 and 45, had their legs chained and were starving.



The Bangladesh victims believed to have been abducted in Sungai Petani on Aug 29 and in Perak, and a Myanmar national kidnapped from Kuala Lumpur.



Kedah police chief acting Comm Datuk Asri Yusoff said the gang's modus operandi was very simple.

"They would kidnap the victims, call their family members and threaten to kill them if a RM15,000 ransom was not paid.



"Some foreign suspects act as the interpreters to call the families.



"The ransom was transferred into the bank account of one of the local suspects via telegraphic transfer.

"The gang was also involved in a number of cases in Penang," he told reporters at the state police headquarters on Tuesday. The father of the 15-year-old suspect was also among those arrested, said Comm Asri, adding that two of the local suspects had previous records of kidnapping.



"We are looking for a local woman and a Bangladeshi man to help in investigations.



"We also seized 18 cell phones, two parang, several iron rods, a long chain with padlocks and a van from the premises," he said.



The suspects are under remand pending investigation for wrongful confinement under Section 342 of the Penal Code, the Kidnapping Act and Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, said Comm Asri.



Police, he added, were also trying to determine how many such cases they had been involved in.


Sudden ban on BD workers in Kuwait

I don`t see any reason behind the ban, no papers received yet: Expat Minister

Sagar Biswas :

In a sudden move, the government of Kuwait has imposed ban on recruitment of workers from Bangladesh following an increase of migrants' number in the middle-eastern country.

According to the Al-Anbaa newspaper, the Interior Ministry of Kuwait 'reintroduced' a ban on recruitment of Bangladeshi workers after months of reopening it under certain conditions that the employer must own a house and others.

Quoting a security source, the newspaper said: Assistant Undersecretary for Citizenship and Passports Affairs Sheikh Mazen Al-Jarrah made the decision on Monday after viewing statistics which showed that the number of the Bangladeshi community in Kuwait reached 200,000 last week.

Significantly, the concerned ministry and departments in Bangladesh were not fully aware about the ban in Kuwait, which is a country of world's sixth largest oil reserves.

When contacted, Minister of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Islam BSC told The New Nation on Wednesday night, "We've heard about it. But we did not receive any relevant papers from KuwaitHowever; we're discussing the matter in an urgent basis."

Do you know the exact reason behind the ban again? The Minister said, "No, I actually don't know the reason. So far as I think, we'll have to wait some time to get a full picture. We're trying to know the details."

It is not known whether Sheikh Mazen would reconsider his decision in the future or would announce more controls to regulate the recruitment of workers from Bangladesh, the Al-Anbaa also reported.

After a ban for long seven years, the Kuwait government reopened the market for Bangladeshi workers in the last week of April of 2014.

Sources close to the Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry said that all sorts of outdoor meetings, processions, blockade and other protest programmes are totally banned in Kuwait. It needs prior permission from the law enforcement agencies of the country to hold such programmes.

In 2006, Kuwait had stopped taking Bangladeshi workers raising different allegations against the migrants [of Bangladeshi], including involvement in crimes, attacking embassy officials, blockade and entering the country illegally.

After a long and hard lobbying, Bangladesh government got nod to send workers in 2014. And over 100 people so far have got job in an agricultural company following the procedure. Besides, several other companies have also finalized to take Bangladeshi workers for their projects in the meantime, the officials said.

"We've just got information about the news from media. We don't see any solid reason for banning Bangladeshi workers again. We'll sit in meetings on Thursday to take decision about the matter," Javed Ahmed, Additional Secretary, Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, said.

It is learnt that, Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait has taken stringent measures against visa-trading. At the same time, several other protective measures have also been taken to resist Bangladeshi migrant workers from committing crimes.

According to an estimation in 2014, Kuwait has a population of 4.2 million people; 1.3 million are Kuwaitis and 2.9 million are expatriates, while the Kuwaiti dinar is the highest valued currency in the world.


5 cops linked

Tk 29 lakh taken from Ctg businessman: Probe body formed for further investigation

Staff Reporter:

Five plainclothes policemen including a female assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in a primary investigation have been found involvement in taking extortion worth taka 29 lakh from a businessman of Chittagong.



According to Security Cell of Police (discipline) sources, police in it primary investigation found that AC Snigdha Akter, Inspector Abdul Alim, SI Motahar, ASI Ashraf, and Constable Rahmat were involved in extortion.



"Police Headquarters will take decision in this regard," says DMP Additional Commissioner Didar Ahmed.

Meanwhile, a five-member probe body has been formed to further investigate the incident, said Masudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the DMP.



The probe body has already carrying out investigation as they have been asked to submit the report within the reasonable time, the police official said.



"Police are verifying and examining the allegation of taking ransom money from Chittagong's businessman Akkas Ali after picking him up on charge of illegal drug trading from the city on February 28. If police personnel are found guilty they will have to face legal action," the police official said.



However, the five cops are still on duty as no decision has been taken against them, the DC said.



Replying to a query, he said the cops were earlier interrogated and they will also be interrogated further in this connection.



Akkas Ali filed two applications with the Home Minister and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and sought to take necessary steps against the DB officials, Police Headquarter sources said.Akkash was accused in an arm case, which was filed by a DB official on March 9 and he was released from the case by the intervention of Snigdha Akhter after five days of filing the lawsuit.



Earlier Akkash filed a General Diary (GD) with the Paltan Police Station as he was issued abduction threat, said Rafiqul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Paltan Police Station

According to the GD, Akkas Ali was picked up by DB officials led by Snigdha Akhter from the city's airport area on February 28 and he was beaten up for ransom Taka 80 lakh.



Akkas paid them Tk 20.40 lakh instantly. Later he paid more than Tk 10 lakh but the cops did not release him.
The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
ABC/ Ida Mae Astute(NEW YORK) -- Donald Trump said Tuesday evening that he will he will ask his top military officials to formulate a plan for defeating ISIS in 30 days.



On Wednesday, Trump is expected to unveil a plan to end the military sequester -- across the board budget cuts -- during a speech in Philadelphia.



In a briefing with the campaign, an aide previewed Trumps address to the Union League, also adding that Trump will begin a substantial increase in military spending, as the candidate has advocated before.



We are going to convey my top generals and give them a simple instruction," Trump told the crowd in Greenville, North Carolina. "They will have 30 days to submit to the oval office. A plan for soundly and quickly defeating ISIS. We have no choice."



Trump's address Wednesday will largely focus on military spending, presenting a contrast between what the campaign calls the adventurism of Democratic rival Hilary Clinton, and Trumps clear-eyed pursuit of the nations national interest.



Trump also laid out other plans for his first days in office, a rare display of specificity for the candidate.



"The change will begin my first day in office. Number one we are going to eliminate every single unconstitutional order and restore the rule of law to our land," he said. "Then we are going to begin implementing plans for construction of a wall along our southern border. In other words, we will build the wall."

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The government has extended until Jan. 17 the deadline for companies and individual taxpayers in declared disaster areas to file returns and make certain tax payments. The date applies to those who obtained an extension of the April 18 filing deadline for individual returns. That covers many company owners who report their business income on their personal 1040 returns.

The new deadline also applies to owners who make quarterly estimated tax payments. The next quarterly deadline had been Sept. 15.

Owners can learn more at the IRS website, www.irs.gov. Search for Louisiana flood relief.

The IRS is also relaxing some of the requirements of many 401(k) and similar retirement plans to allow employees to take loans or make withdrawals against their accounts that might otherwise be prohibited. Employers that make the distributions wont be considered as not complying with the federal rules governing these accounts.

The relief doesnt apply to all retirement accounts; employers should consult their plan administrators for more information.

More information is available on the IRS website.
President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war?

You voted:
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

Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ...

[For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien...

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

Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to...

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.

What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many...

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.

[BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm...

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.
CARBONDALE  City leaders in the home to Southern Illinois University didnt seem surprised by the enrollment numbers released Tuesday.

In fact, they were optimistic that change is coming.

On Tuesday, SIU released its official fall enrollment of 15,987 students for the fall, a 7.6 percent decline from the previous year. Dips in enrollment isnt new for Carbondale, as the enrollment has been steadily falling for several years except for a flat year in 2014.

I dont think that comes as any surprise because of the anecdotal stories we hear about students looking out of state because of uncertainty with the state budget, said Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Les ODell. I think a lot of the enrollment issues here can be attributed to Springfield and the out-of-state schools in the region stepping up their game to take advantage of that.

As for the business community, it has a role in making Carbondale a place people want to be, he said.

We can make sure the students that are here have a wonderful experience in Carbondale and Southern Illinois, he said. Because students are the best recruiters for other students. If they enjoy their time at SIU and in Carbondale, they will tell their friends back home.

Carbondale Mayor Mike Henry said the numbers were what he expected, but said SIU is on the right track.

They are reaching out to our local high schools in Southern Illinois and have people visiting them, which hasnt been done in the past, he said. I am like everybody else, I hope this is the low-water mark and that we can go up from here.

He said SIU has raised its academic standards for incoming freshman, meaning the students are capable of college work and will return the next year.

Carbondale City Manager Gary Williams also wasn't surprised, saying that with the state budget problems, things could be worse.

It is not the end of the world, he said. Not everybody will want to hear this, but this news presents a lot of opportunity.

He said there is a lot of focus in city hall and the City Council on how to make the city a more inviting and welcoming place.

It isnt solely SIU  but the fact they are the biggest economic engine, we are sensitive to the role we play to help them be more successful, Williams said.

Business owners weigh in

Jen LuDuc, owner of Jen's Joe in Carbondale, said the relationship between SIU and Carbondale has to continue.

If you look around, Carbondale is cleaning up some stuff, but the school is not separate from the community, she said.

Students need something more that would draw them to a particular place, and Carbondale doesn't have much of that, she said.

If SIU was smart, they would be working with the community to try and draw businesses that would cause students to be able to like stuff, LuDuc said.

Pryor Jordan, owner of Saluki Screen Repair, has a high student volume, but he isn't concerned. Yet, he understands further decline could be detrimental.

Saluki Screen Repair won't be hurt too much by the decline in enrollment because we're still growing, Jordan said. But if enrollment continues to wither away, it could affect lots of small business in Southern Illinois, including ours.

He said it doesn't do communities any good to point the finger at Springfield and say "you're the problem."

Local businesses need to think about how to turn recent SIU graduates into permanent Southern Illinois residents, Jordan said. For us, that means hiring recent graduates to fill management-track positions.

City efforts

Mayor Henry said the city will continue its downtown revitalization efforts, which will be funded by half of a 2 percent food and beverage tax amended this summer.

"We are the last university town in Illinois to revitalize our downtown, he said. By this time next year, the downtown will look significantly different.

He said the city is working on several beautification projects, including the installation of a monument at the entrance of the city. It will be similar to SIU's monument and will read Welcome to Carbondale  Home of Southern Illinois University.

"We want to brand Carbondale as the home of SIU, Henry said. We want people coming into this town and thinking about SIU when they are here.
In preparation for Carterville Free Fair, Cannon Drive will be closed from Cottonwood Lane to Greenbriar Road until Sunday, Sept. 11.

Carterville Free Fair began Wednesday with the weekly Farmers Market, which runs until 6 p.m. Childrens game Dollars in Straw will be at 6 p.m. today. Children will be split into two age groups, ages 4 to 7 and ages 8 to 12.

Thursday highlights will include Bingo from 5 to 10 p.m. in the Civic Center, and Little Mr. and Little Miss Carterville Free and Miss Carterville Free Fair pageants at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

Opening ceremony and ribbon cutting will be at 5 p.m. Friday, followed by helicopter rides, live music and a carnival. Carterville Chamber of Commerce 5K Twilight Glow Run/Walk will be at 7:30 p.m.

Highlights of Saturdays free fair schedule include a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. at the community building, parade at 10 a.m., ping pong ball drop at 1 p.m. followed by kiddie car race, and carnival, petty zoo, horse and pony rides, live music, helicopter rides and fireworks.

A complete schedule is available at visitcarterville.com.

 The Southern
MARION  As the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the rest of the United States nears, a Marion church will pay tribute.

The Sunday, Sept. 11, service, hosted from 5 to 6 p.m. at Cornerstone Church on 2705 Walton Way will include music from Marion High School Band, a mother-daughter cello and piano duet from Kara and Maya Benyas, and a speech from State Sen. David Luechtefeld.

With the city missing out on commemorating the 10-year marker of the attacks, John Pfeifer, member of Cornerstone Church and organizer of the event, said he approached Mayor Bob Butler in hopes of joining others in memorial to those who have died and lost loved ones during the Sept. 11 attacks.

"The paper I was at five years ago worked with the city of Twin Falls (Idaho) to do something similar for the 10th year anniversary," he said. "So (three weeks ago), I approached Mayor Butler and asked him if they had done anything or had anything planned for the 15-year mark and with his blessing we went about doing it together."

In agreement, Butler said the concept behind the event should instill a renewed spirit throughout the city and region.

"I thought it was a great concept and I know I've talked to the minister there at Cornerstone and he, of course, is enthused of the whole preceding," he said. "I believe it will be well attended and will infuse sort of a renewed spirit in the city and perhaps the area."

As a former history and government teacher before his years as state senator, Luechtefeld said he is pleased to be a participant to honor and pay homage to those it impacts.

"When (John) called and ask me to speak, I was willing to and I think it goes back to my feeling of history," he said. "There are certain things we all need to continue to remember and this is one of those things."
MURPHYSBORO  On Thursday, six candidates for Murphysboro's next police chief will be interviewed.

One of those candidates could succeed Police Chief Brian Hollo, who announced earlier this year that he is retiring in early October. Hollo joined the department in December 2013.

Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens declined to disclose the names of the candidates being interviewed.

The candidates will be interviewed by a committee comprised of Stephens; Sandra Ripley, the city's human resource manager; Barbara Hughes, city council member and chair of the city's Personnel committee; and Russell Brown, a city council member and former Murphysboro police officer.

After Tuesday's City Council meeting, Stephens said he hoped to have the city's next police chief hired and starting within two weeks, with enough time to learn from Hollo before he leaves in early October.

Hollo plans to retire Oct. 7. Before assuming the chief's post in Murphysboro a few years ago, he was a district commander for the Illinois State Police.

The Murphysboro Police Department has 16 full-time officers and about a dozen part-time officers and several auxiliary officers who help out at various events, the mayor said.
SPRINGFIELD  When former Gov. Pat Quinn held a news conference last week to announce his new plan for legislative redistricting reform, it raised some questions.

First, is his idea, which would put the Illinois Supreme Court in charge of appointing an 11-member commission once a decade to draw new district boundaries, constitutional? Second, is he wading into one of the most contentious issues in Illinois politics at the moment as a step toward a comeback bid in 2018?

Quinns announcement came just days after the high court blocked from the Nov. 8 ballot a referendum on amending the Illinois Constitution to take the General Assembly out of the redistricting process. In a 4-3 decision that split on party lines, the four justices elected as Democrats ruled that the proposal goes beyond whats allowed for petition-driven initiatives, which are limited to making structural and procedural changes to portion of the state constitution dealing with the Legislature.

Quinn said he believes his proposal would be found constitutional because  unlike the plan from the group Independent Maps, which included the state auditor general in its setup  his only involves the Supreme Court, which has a role under the current process.

In response to skeptics, Quinn points to his bona fides as the only person to have led a voter initiative that succeeded in changing the Illinois Constitution: the 1980 cutback amendment that reduced the size of the General Assembly.

I think people ought to pay attention to what Ive got to say, Quinn said in a telephone interview late last week. This is an area of law I know something about.

As for his future plans, the former Democratic governor wouldnt say definitively whether hes ruled out attempting a rematch with first-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Ive already run for office, Quinn said, adding that hes focused on the redistricting proposal and another referendum on term limits for the mayor of Chicago. Ill let the future take care of itself.

Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, said its clear Quinn doesnt intend to continue keeping a low profile as he did during his first year out of office.

If he wanted to not be in the public eye, he could easily do that, Mooney said. This is an extension of his long career as sort of Illinois political outsider slash gadfly, tilting at  windmills of various types and sometimes finding one that he takes down.

However, Mooney added: If the question is, Does he want to run for governor again? I have no idea. But clearly he wants to be involved; he wants to have an impact. This is his lifes work.  Hes not going to go away and write his memoir, apparently.

Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield, agreed that Quinn is clearly trying to remain in the spotlight.

Now, to what end? Redfield said, offering two possible scenarios: an attempt to rebuild an organization to push for political reform or an effort to lay the groundwork for a future bid for public office.

If its the latter, it seems doubtful that fellow Democrats would rally behind Quinn, Redfield said.

I dont know that a lot of down-ballot Democrats would view him as an asset in terms of being at the top of the Democratic ticket, he said.
Its always nice to look at Springfield now and then and see accomplishment. Its even better when that accomplishment is bipartisan.

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs visited The Southerns Editorial Board this past week to talk about a problem he saw with life insurance. Namely, that some companies were holding on to more than $550 million in unpaid claims since 2011.

Frerichs said when someone dies, sometimes there would be policies the beneficiaries wouldnt know about and, because they didnt directly ask the company about the specific policy, the money would just stay in the hands of a corporation and not the bereaved. So it boiled down to, Oh, we never gave you the money your mother put aside for you? Well, you didnt ask about it 

Yikes. Theres nothing wrong with wanting to make money, but this just felt really slimy. Its one thing if a company does their best to reach out to people, leaving multiple messages for them and the family just never claims the benefits. Its another to do this.

He gave the example of a woman who died in a car accident, leaving behind two children with learning disabilities. The children were adopted, but their new guardian had no idea their late mother had taken out an insurance policy to help pay for their needs, should anything happen to her. Well, the adoptive mother didnt ask, so no money.

Frerichs said another example of this tactic is when church members took out insurance policies for a pastor and the church, not telling them so it would be a nice surprise after they had passed away. No one from the church asked about it, so it was unpaid as well, until a church member found the policies on the unclaimed property check on the Treasurers website.

Frerichs claimed that some companies played coy so that unpaid claims would improve profit margins. When he audited companies to find if this behavior was taking place, there was some resistance to his efforts and some lawsuits with accusations that the office was overreaching its power.

The Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act required companies to use the Social Security Administrations Death Master File database to confirm payment of life insurance benefits.

A short time after Frerichs, a Democrat, met with The Southerns editorial board, our Republican Governor Bruce Rauner signed the act into law. Illinois is the 23rd state to pass such a law and they have been championed by Democrats and Republicans alike throughout the country.

We applaud Frerichs for championing the cause and we applaud Rauner for signing it into law. Supporting a law that makes sure families receive the money their deceased loved ones set aside for them seems like a no-brainer. Being the man or woman who scoffs at such a law seems like it could be political suicide. But even though supporting the law seems safe, its always nice in Illinois to see Democrats and Republicans agree on something and get it done.
South Carolina State University President James E. Clark will kick off the School of Business fall 2016 executive speaker series at noon today in the fourth floor auditorium of Belcher Hall.

Prior to his appointment as S.C. States 12th president, Clark served on the board of trustees for the university for a year.

Clark created Bang! Technology, which works with other entities to create new technologies. It also mentors young entrepreneurs as they work to develop new ideas.

As former vice president of a $1 billion division of AT&T, Clark converted the unit from a money-losing division into the most profitable division in AT&Ts computer business. He also worked with Gould Incorporated, General Electric, Gillette and Exxon International.

Clark served on dozens of boards and committees, including the Benedict College Board of Trustees for 18 years, the S.C. Technology Alliance Board, the University of South Carolina Research Foundation Board, the Lexington Medical Center Board and the Columbia Urban League Board. In addition, he served as executive director of the prestigious Bell Lab.

Clark holds a masters degree in management (marketing) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management and a bachelors degree in electrical engineering and computer science from M.I.T. Hes also studied in global leadership and senior management development programs at the University of Michigan and Indiana University.
South Carolina State University will celebrate its newest class of scholars by hosting its annual Fall Convocation at 3 p.m. today in Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

President James E. Clark will address the Class of 2020 as the keynote speaker. The ceremony marks his first convocation as president.

Clark began his role as the 12th president of the 120-year old university on July 1.

Demarco Poole, a Stone Mountain, Georgia native, will give remarks as freshman class president.

The convocation is free and open to the public.
Farmers and agriculture officials say the application process for state assistance following the October 2015 floods went smoothly.

Now the waiting begins for growers to receive payments for their crop losses.

Orangeburg County farmer Harry Wimberly lost his entire corn crop last year due to the floods.

He successfully filled out his farm aid application and has been told he qualified for assistance. He has been told payments will begin Oct. 1.

"That is all I know," he said, adding the application process went smoothly.

State lawmakers agreed in May to provide $40 million to help farmers after last October's torrential rains.

The S.C. Department of Agriculture says flooding wiped out $330 million worth of crops at harvest time, and farmers lost an additional $45 million because they couldn't plant winter crops in bogs.

Wimberly thought payments would arrive a little sooner, as corn has already been harvested and cotton and peanuts are quickly approaching.

"But I am happy it will come Oct. 1," Wimberly said. "When it comes, it will be well used."

South Carolina Farm Bureau President Harry Ott said on a scale of 1 to 10, the farm aid application process has been a 10.

"I have not gotten any complaints from farmers with any difficulty with the application process," Ott said. "The application process went smoothly."

It appears the process worked as it was designed to work, he said.

"I have not gotten anybody calling me and saying they thought they should have qualified and they did not," Ott said.

Ott expressed his appreciation to the S.C. Department of Agriculture, Clemson Extension and the S.C. Department of Revenue for working together to make the process function well.

"We are looking forward to the completion of the application process and are hoping farmers will be getting financial assistance soon," he said.

Calhoun County Clemson Extension Agent Charles Davis said he did not have any hard numbers on applications, but echoed Ott about the process.

"The ones who may have had the most problems are small vegetable producers or those who did not have a farm number as required by legislation," he said.

Farmers had until Aug. 15 to apply for the aid. The deadline to apply for assistance for Cherokee, Pickens and Oconee counties was Sept. 6.

The aid can cover up to 20 percent of losses, but no farmer can get more than $100,000.

To be eligible for the grant, farmers must have experienced a verifiable loss of agricultural commodities of at least 40 percent as a result of the October 2015 flooding.

A number of training sessions, including one in Orangeburg, were held throughout the state for farmers to help them with the application process.
The term legislative state gets thrown around a lot by people trying to describe the power structure for South Carolinas government. Its supposed to make the states gross imbalance of power seem like a reasonable alternative  a legislative state, as opposed to an executive state, sounds like a legitimate thing.

Another problem with the term, however, is that it implies the entire Legislature runs the state. In fact, a better argument can be made that a small group of legislative leaders runs it. Consider the recent controversy over the expansion of Coastal Carolinas stadium.

First, some context. Coastal Carolina University decided to move from the Big South to the Sun Belt Conference. In order to make this switch, university officials needed to increase the size of the schools stadium and wanted to issue bonds to cover the construction cost.

The Commission on Higher Education first had to approve the bond request, but the agency denied it  four times  citing insufficient funding to cover the bond debt and a board members own experience with the unforeseen costs of switching conferences. Normally that would be the end of the story. But thanks to that small group of powerful legislators in Columbia, Coastal Carolina will get its stadium expansion.

At the very end of the budget process, legislators slipped in two provisos (laws that expire at the end of the fiscal year) that allowed Coastal Carolina to circumvent the CHEs decision. The provisos were sponsored by Ways and Means Chairman Brian White, R-Anderson. In the Conference Committee for the budget, Senate Finance chairman Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, agreed to the House provisos. They were included in the final budget.

(Why Leatherman and White went out of their way to assist Coastal Carolina in this way is unclear  the school is not located in either lawmakers district. Its worth noting that CCU has spent $15,000 on lobbying in 2016.)

Gov. Nikki Haley vetoed the provisos, noting in her veto message that Coastal Carolina deployed an aggressive lobbying effort to bypass CHEs statutory responsibility to review and consider higher education capital projects, resulting in this proviso. She went on: The project, primarily funded by tuition-backed debt, nearly doubled in cost since its original proposal last fall.

The governors vetoes were overwhelmingly overridden in the House. In the Senate, one proviso was sustained  meaning the Senate agreed with the governors veto. But 10 minutes later, Senate leaders, evidently unhappy with the result, moved to reconsider  a parliamentary maneuver allowing the chamber to take up a veto again even though members already sustained it. Both White and Leatherman voted to override the vetoes in their respective chambers.

The next step for Coastal Carolina was to go before the Joint Bond Review Committee, a body made up entirely of legislators. The chairman and vice chairman of the JBRC are none other than Sen. Leatherman and Rep. White, respectively. The committee approved the bond proposal.

After it was approved by the JBRC, the State Fiscal Accountability Authority voted 3-2 to allow the project to move forward. Leatherman and White are on that five-member board, too; they accounted for two of the three aye votes.

In the end, White and Leatherman voted on the proposal no fewer than seven times. Four for White and three for Leatherman  and this doesnt include Whites own amendment that introduced the two provisos.

The governor, meanwhile  who, unlike White and Leatherman, is elected by the entire state, not merely by a single legislative district  only got to act on the measure twice: first with a veto, second with a vote on the SFAA. In both cases, she was outgunned by two legislative leaders.

Maybe the best term isnt legislative state after all. Maybe we should refer to South Carolina as an oligarchic state.

Consider Leatherman. The Florence lawmaker has at least 46 boards and commission seats he either serves on or can appoint to. On some boards he appoints more than one member  for example the powerful Judicial Merit Selection Committee, which nominates judicial candidates to the legislature for election.

A few years ago when the legislature passed and the governor signed a government restructuring bill that supposedly abolished the Budget and Control Board, lawmakers and other politicos cheered the historic victory for accountability. Judging by the CCU stadium controversy, however, the end results of the new restructuring law were (a) that the Budget and Control Board has a new name  its the SFAA now  and (b) that the oligarchy remains firmly in place.

But if youre a small university wanting to fund a stadium expansion, an oligarchy is just what you may need.
When Lexington County Sen. Nikki Setzler arrived in the state Senate in January 1977, times were much different than today.

Setzler was elected as a Democrat in county that was already considered a Republican stronghold in a state that was soon to make a fundamental shift to the GOP. But in 1977, state government, despite the election of GOP Gov. James Edwards in 1974, was firmly in the hands of Democrats.

In the state Senate, power and influence was not about party. Seniority ruled, and Setzler and other newly elected lawmakers took their place on the back row where they were expected to follow in political terms an old rule taught to children: You are to be seen, not heard.

Times have changed but Setzler survived as the GOP took over the Legislature, including the upper chamber. His senior status today in the Senate gives him power, as seniority is important. But political partisanship has changed the Senate, putting the top positions of power in the hands of Republicans.

On Sunday, Setzler issued a statement about the death of Greenwood County Sen. John Drummond at age 96, speaking as one of the remaining lawmakers who served with the last Democrat to hold the position of Senate president pro tempore.

Setzler said: It was my privilege to serve in the Senate with John Drummond. He was a true American hero of World War II who dedicated his life to serving his nation, his state and the people of Greenwood County. He was a statesman in every sense of the word who put his God, his family and his country above all else. Rest in peace, my dear friend.

As much as many will today see Drummond  and to some degree Setzler too -- as a symbol of the old order in the Senate, the man who represented Greenwood (he was from Ninety Six) for four decades was known to buck the system before time passed and he became the keeper of the Senate order.

As the Associated Press reported, Drummond got the nickname "Bulldog" not because he was loud, but because he was tenacious and would fight when he thought he needed to. The example cited came from 1967 when he got into a late-night fistfight about political districts with one of the chamber's leaders, the late Sen. Rembert Dennis, D-Moncks Corner.

Drummonds death brings to close an era when long-serving Democrats ruled state government  an era that was rapidly fading when he took over as Senate leader after the death of Orangeburg Sen. Marshall B. Williams in 1995.

Today, partisanship based on party is the order of the day, but with the Senates very own twist based on its rules and seniority system. A few members of the old guard remain  such as Democrat-turned-Republican and Senate President Pro Tempore Hugh Leatherman  and continue to have significant influence. But it seems to be only a matter of time before the Senate rules that they have championed are further altered to speed the legislative process so often delayed by a body that was intended to be deliberative.
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ABC News(WASHINGTON) -- Mike Pence says he believes President Obama was born in the United States. What about Donald Trump?



As you may recall, Trump embraced the fringe and widely discredited theory that Obama was born in Kenya and therefore not a legitimate president. Trumps involvement with what had been a fringe movement caused such a stir that the President Obama was forced to address it personally on April 27, 2011, speaking to the nation from the White House briefing room and producing a copy of his birth certificate proving, once and for all, yes, he was born in Hawaii.



Trump supporter Ben Carson said Tuesday it would be a good idea if Trump apologized for his embrace of birtherism but Trump has studiously avoided the issue since he launched his presidential campaign last year - just Tuesday telling Bill OReilly I dont even talk about it anymore, Bill, because I just dont bother talking about it.



But Trump did address the issue, at some length, in an interview with ABC's Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl at the beginning of the 2016 presidential cycle. And he left no doubt that his feelings on the issue had not changed.



The interview took place in Iowa in August 2013 as Trump was making his very first trip to the Hawkeye State as a potential 2016 presidential candidate.



At the time, not many people were taking the idea of a Trump presidential campaign very seriously. As a measure of his seriousness, I wanted to know if Trump still believed in birtherism. The question resulted in a spirited exchange where Trump stuck firmly to his support of the theory:



KARL: You said a lot of things over the years that people say just make you not serious. One of the big things is on the birth certificate 



TRUMP: Why does that make me not serious? I think that resonated with a lot of people.



KARL: But you dont still question that he was born in the United States, do you?



TRUMP: I have no idea.



KARL: Even at this point?



TRUMP: Well I dont know. Was it a birth certificate? You tell me. Some people say that was not his birth certificate. Im saying I dont know. Nobody knows. And you dont know either, Jonathan. Youre a smart guy. You dont know either.



KARL: Im pretty convinced he was born 



TRUMP: Pretty! Ah, pretty, pretty! You said pretty!



KARL: Im convinced, Im totally 



TRUMP: No no you said pretty 



KARL: -- totally without question that he was born in the United States.



TRUMP: Excuse me, Jonathan, you said you were pretty convinced. Okay? So lets just see what happens over time. But its not my issue, Jonathan.



KARL: Okay let me ask you something else 



TRUMP: My issue right now is much different, wait a minute. My issue is economic. Our country is being ripped apart by China and many other countries. Thats my issue.



KARL: But on this issue, people think that you were just out of line 



TRUMP: Well you just said you were pretty sure. And if youre pretty sure, thats not acceptable. Because you cant be pretty sure, you have to be 100 percent.



KARL: Im sure, Im 100 percent sure, for the record.



TRUMP: I dont think you are.



KARL: Well let me ask you this. Ted Cruz, born in Canada. Is he eligible to be president of the United States?



TRUMP: Well if he was born in Canada, perhaps not. Im not sure where he was born.



KARL: Oh he was definitely born in Canada.



TRUMP: Okay well then youll have to ask him that question. But perhaps not.



KARL: Ted Cruzs mother was an American citizen. Hes an American.



TRUMP: Look that will be ironed out. I dont know the circumstances. I heard, somebody told me, that he was born in Canada. Thats really his thing.



Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Political and cultural commentary from the perspective of radical common sense. Opposition to the AMERICAN BIPOLARCHY and ideological fanaticism in all forms. Don't take our word for anything: figure it out for yourself.
By Trend





Iranian companies, active in oil, gas, construction, pharmaceutical, car making and other industrial spheres will attend an exhibition in Baku, scheduled for September 19, Irans Trade Attache in Baku Mohammad Ebrahim Naghizadeh said during a press conference in Baku in September 7.

He added that more than 50 Iranian companies will attend the exhibition.

"In the meantime, a business forum will be held in Baku on Sep.20, which is the largest forum between the two countries ever," he said.

Naghizadeh went on to add that 300 companies from Azerbaijan and more than 150 from Iran will attend the event.

According to Naghizadeh, trade turnover between Iran and Azerbaijan has increased by 70 percent in the first half of 2016.

He didn't mention any figures about the current year, but Hassan Mortajeh, the director of Pars Pegah company, which hosts of the exhibition said that in 1H16, Iran exported $178.5 million commodities to Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, Hassan Motazez, the head of exhibition, also said that the upcoming exhibition and business forum, called "Iran Project 2016", will play a key role in improving ties between the two countries.

"Iran Project 2016" is aimed at studying Azerbaijan's market, he said, adding that Iran aims to have a win-win relation with Azerbaijan.

Iran gives priority to neighbouring countries in boosting economical relations during the post sanctions era. The sanctions over Iran was eliminated in January 2016.

According to The State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the country has increased imports from Iran by 58 percent to $77.347 million during Jan-Aug year-on-year, while it's exports to Iran increased by 113.53 percent to $28.340 million in 7 months.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

"Day of Azerbaijan" was held within the framework of international beauty contest "Miss & Mister Planet  2016" in Georgia, Trend Life reported.

Yusif Jafarli and Anna Granovskaya, who represented Azerbaijan at the contest, appeared before the jury in stunning national costumes and informed the audience about the rich and ancient culture of Azerbaijan.

Next, the guests enjoyed delicious meals of Azerbaijani cuisine.

The president of the project, Ekaterina Mgaloblishvili praised the organization of the event.

The 23-year-old, Yusif Jafarli is the winner of the national selection Miss & Mister Turkvision  2016.

The beauty contest organized by Suleiman and Orkhan Tanahirli was appreciated by all fashionistas. The final was attended by 15 young men and women who appeared before the audience in stunning evening dresses and summer suits.

This year, Yusif will also take part in Mister Universal Ambassador -2016, which will be held in Indonesia.

Anna Granovskaya previously worked as a model in Moscow.

Besides, the beauty will represent Azerbaijan at Miss Bikini Universe  2016 in Chine.
By Trend





President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today signed an order providing funding for a major overhaul of multi-apartment residential buildings in the city of Bilasuvar.

Under the presidential order, three million manats were allocated from the 2016 State Budget to Bilasuvar District Executive Authority for the overhaul of multi-apartment residential buildings in the city.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Deputy Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament, chairwoman of the Working Group on Azerbaijan-Switzerland Inter-parliamentary Relations, Bahar Muradova has met with a delegation led by President of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities Herbert Winter, Azertac reported.

Muradova described Azerbaijan as a tolerant and multicultural country.

"Jews in Azerbaijan enjoy every possible opportunity to get education in their own language, to develop their culture and play an active role in the life of state and society. Azerbaijani laws and realities pave the way for this," Muradova said.

Muradova further praised bilateral relations in a variety of fields between Azerbaijan and Switzerland.

She hailed both countries' opportunities and political will to promote this relationship. She stressed the importance of political, economic and humanitarian ties in strengthening the inter-parliamentary relations.

Saying it was his first visit to Azerbaijan, Herbert Winter noted that they were deeply impressed by the development of the country.

He noted that the aim of the visit was to get closely familiarized with the peaceful coexistence of various intercultural, ethnic and religious groups in Azerbaijan.

Winter also hailed the development of bilateral relations between Switzerland and Azerbaijan.

Previously, the delegation was received by President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

Modern Azerbaijan is a perfect worldwide example in terms of religious tolerance, multiculturalism and religious safety.

Being a Muslim majority country, Azerbaijan is a home to a big Jewish community, who is as many other religious centers, including Catholics, Protestants and members of the Russian Orthodox Church, live in safety here.

The countrys north region of Guba is home to Azerbaijan's largest community of Mountain Jews, who live in Krasnaya Sloboda (Red Town).
By Azernews





By Rashid Shirinov

The Azerbaijani Embassy to Belgium appealed to Chamber of Representatives of Belgian Parliament, Council of the Christian Democratic and Flemish Party, which Els Van Hoof belongs to, as well as the country's Foreign Ministry in connection with the illegal visit of Parliament members to the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Hikmat Hajiyev, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, made the statement while commenting on the visit of the Belgian Parliaments members to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, APA reported.

He said the visits of the Chairman of the Belgium Parliaments friendship group with Armenia, Els Van Hoof and member of the Chamber of Representatives George Dalman are private, despite the speculation on this trip organized by Armenia.

Hajiyev stressed that Els Van Hoof has very close ties with Armenia and the Armenian lobby: The Belgian Chamber of Representatives stated that this visit is in no way connected with the activities of the Chamber, the working schedule of the Chamber has no scheduled visits of Van Hoof to Armenia or elsewhere. The Secretariat of the party Christian Democratic and Flemish noted that they are not aware of this visit and the trip is a private initiative of the MP".

Hajiyev added that after appropriate clarification the names of these MPs will be included in the list of "undesirable persons".
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

The co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Azerbaijan by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Stefan Schennach and Cezar Florin Preda will visit Baku, the assembly reported on September 7.

An assessment mission of seven people, including two co-rapporteurs of the PACE Monitoring Committee on Azerbaijan will be set up in connection with the referendum to be held in the country.

The date of the co-rapporteurs visit has not been publicized yet.

September 26, 2016, was set as the date for the referendum on proposed changes to the constitution of Azerbaijan.

In a bill recently sent to the Constitutional Court, President Ilham Aliyev proposed amendments to 29 Articles of Azerbaijans current constitution. The changes envisage the extension of the presidential term from five to seven years, the establishment of the first vice-president and vice-president positions in the country as well as the abolishment of minimum age limit for presidential candidates, dissolution of parliament by the president.

Final results of the Referendum will be announced until October 21.

The last time changes to the Constitution were made seven years ago, following Constitutional referendum held in 2009.
MasterCard said on Tuesday it had expanded its deal with payment processor PayPal Holdings, which would allow customers to use PayPal's payment services in stores.



PayPal's partnership follows a similar deal with MasterCard's larger rival Visa in July as the company looks to expand its payments network.



PayPal will allow users to select a credit or debit card as the default payment method and share data on transactions made through MasterCard's tap-and-pay feature, which allows the shopper to wave a card or mobile phone over a reader to pay, the companies said in a statement.



As part of the deal, MasterCard will allow PayPal users to withdraw cash from their accounts using a debit card and also waive the digital wallet fee it currently charges PayPal.



The two companies have an existing partnership for co-branded consumer credit cards in the United States and Puerto Rico.



PayPal, spun off from e-commerce company eBay last year, has focused on aggressive growth.



The company's revenue in the second quarter rose more than 15 percent to $2.65 billion from a year earlier and the volume of payments it processes jumped 28 percent to $86.21 billion.



The partnership with MasterCard was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.



PayPal is also in discussions with banks that issue cards, to explore new products and partnerships, the Journal report said, citing people familiar with the matter.



Shares of PayPal were slightly higher in premarket trading. Up to Friday's close of $37.07, the stock had risen 2.4 per cent this year.  Reuters
Despite the strong performance and positive outlook of the GCC real estate market, the tools of the trade have not evolved much to keep up with the technological innovations dominating the world over, a report said.



The practice is nonetheless changing, with the digital wave making its impact on the sector, according to the report titled Disrupting Real Estate: The Impact of Technology and the Industrys Future released by Orient Planet Research, an Orient Planet Group venture.



The sector, the report notes, is now eagerly navigating its way through this digital transformation to optimize processes and achieve significant value increases.



The report was released in time for this years Cityscape Global which is set to take place from September 6 to 8 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.



Nahla Nana, research and innovation director of Orient Planet Research, is scheduled to speak about this topic during the event.



As older systems and traditional ways of doing business become less inefficient amidst todays evolving markets, many real estate companies are now combining their expertise with available modern digital tools to get ahead of their competitors, increase their efficiency and productivity, and most importantly, enhance the experience of their clients, Nana said.



Such a crucial move is fundamental, especially for organizations who want to remain relevant in a technology-centric, highly connected world. It is also in sync with the UAE and the rest of the GCC regions significant digital and smart transformation efforts. It pays to be attuned with modern trends for regional organizations to become globally competitive and maintain their edge.



The report examines various significant disruptive technologies for the property industry over the next decade and why regional real estate firms must be agile and flexible enough in embracing these innovations.



Beyond social media, the study specifically highlights technological trends that are automating brokerage, leasing tasks and activities as well as bringing down barriers between potential tenants and real estate owners. In particular, it examines how drones, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, virtual and augmented realities, 3D Printing, and blockchain processing are reshaping and reimagining the experience of both real estate brokers and investors.



Augmented reality (AR), for example, is designed to alter ones experience of an actual visual space. The report states that AR has been gaining more popularity in real estate marketing in recent years due to numerous factors, chief of which is promoting higher user engagement through visual interaction. A 3D creation of a property can be viewed using this technology, allowing users to check out various sections from different angles and not just the bits that a camera can capture.



Given that mobile applications with AR are easily available on modern mobile devices, the report notes that this is also the easier way to reach potential property buyers with all the information about available apartments and houses on sale.



Drones, on the other hand, make manual, ground-level photography of a market property unnecessary. Real estate firms can also do away with using helicopters and other aircrafts to capture aerial views of their properties. According to the report, they can utilize drones to do all these tasks not just to make a sale but also to take a range of data across large areas of ground. Through data gathered by drones, firms can now more efficiently compute insurance and property prices by identifying risk factors such as flooding, subsidence, or landslides.



The rise of smart cities in the GCC is spurring all these significant technological developments. While the region is fast catching up with their use, much still needs to be done to maximize their potential, Nana said.



Aligned with the regions vision for a technology-driven future and the sustainable smart city agenda of many of its states, our research offers a novel concept for residential and commercial real estate developers, among others, to use cutting-edge technologies - some of which are not yet available in the region - to elevate client experiences and improve customer satisfaction. We are the first in the region to offer a study tackling the impact of the latest innovations that could eventually yield significantly higher returns on investment for the entire real estate sector, Nana added.  TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has signed a deal with International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) to build a soil museum in Dubai, UAE.



The Emirates Soil Museum will be the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, said a statement from ICBA.



A unique hub for soil education, the museum is set to open in December, it added.

The facility will provide vital information on the critical role of soil in the natural environment and demonstrate the importance of soil in urban planning and how its the underlining measure to manage and secure food sources, said Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, the director-general of ADFD, after signing the agreement with Dr Ismahane Elouafi, the director-general of ICBA.



"At ADFD, we possess the expertise, know-how and resources to profoundly drive socio-economic growth, stemming from 45 years of experience and the successful development of 481 projects, 55 of which fostered expansions in the sector of agriculture and irrigation," he stated.



Dr Elouafi said: "As soil is a non-renewable resource, it is essential to ensure its preservation for food security and a sustainable future. This requires continued public awareness of the importance of soil and the negative impact of its unsustainable uses."



"Therefore, we are setting up the Emirates Soil Museum with support from the Government of the UAE, and in particular ADFD, so that the museum will serve as a repository of knowledge for scholars and the general public who are interested in soil preservation," he added.

The funding by ADFD will also equip the exterior landscape with interactive learning features, enhance the interior exhibits with augmented reality, advance learning modules, develop an engaging and user-friendly website for children and cover operating costs for 24 months.-TradeArabia News Service
Dubai Property Show, which will showcase Dubai realty to Indian investors, will return to Mumbai, India, this year in December, said event organisers.



The realty expo is being organised by Sumansa Exhibitions in partnership with Dubai Land Department. The popular exhibition, which will be held at the prestigious Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai, from December 9 to 11, will once again showcase Dubais premium properties catering to a wide range of budgets.



The interactive event brings together some of the biggest players in the emirates realty market under one roof, with properties ranging from budget to luxury apartments to villas to beach properties to furnished apartments and commercial properties.



Sultan Butti bin Mejren, director general of the Dubai Land Department (DLD), said: The Dubai Property Show takes the emirates finest real estate developers directly to the doorsteps of serious buyers.



The platform seamlessly brings in the right visitors, while we, along with Sumansa Exhibitions, provide developers the opportunity to create business which they had been missing. Indians have long since understood the worth of Dubai real estate as an investment haven since it gives them a very lucrative value for the money.



This demographic is extremely important for the Dubai market, providing a key investment group. In 2015 the number of Indian nationals investing in Dubai reached a highly significant figure of 9,748 people, with combined purchases reaching a staggering total value of Dh22.84 billion ($6.2 billion).

"So far in 2016, we have seen the number of investors reach 3,656 who have together spent Dh7.27 billion ($1.98 billion). The value of the Dubai market is greatly understood by this segment, which understands how it provides highly profitable returns on rent," added bin Mejren.



The exhibition will feature prominent real estate developers and consultants from Dubai and UAE. The bookings have already started and some of the confirmed participants include names such as DAMAC, Orion Real Estate, Seven Tides International, Herald Land, Morya Real Estate, Tanmiyat Global Real Estate Development LLC, Tamleek Real Estate (presenting Kempinski Residences), Seal Real Estate Registration Trustee and many more catering to various pockets and preferences.



Sultan Al Suwaidi, Sumansa Exhibitions said: Last year we got an amazing overall feedback from visitors as well as the exhibitors so it made sense to return to Mumbai. The city is the prolific business hub of India and among the top 6 billionaire cities globally with around 30 billionaires and 2,700 multi- millionaires. Mumbai is also one of the world's top 10 centres of commerce, and provides 70 per cent of capital transactions to India's economy. Moreover, the connectivity between Mumbai and Dubai gives the arrangement a tremendous boost with multiple airlines flying between the two destinations on daily basis.



Typically, Indians have been the most prolific buyers of Dubai real-estate in the past few years; as per the latest statistics by Dubai Land Department, the country tops the list of foreign nationalities share at Dh7.27 billion in the first six months of 2016 alone. In 2015, Indians invested Dh22.84 billion, which was a rise from Dh22.70 billion in 2014.



Visitors at the exhibition will get an opportunity to observe the Dubais real-estate market closely, make informed comparisons and address their concerns before closing the deal. Moreover, the event will be hosting a number of free seminars for visitors benefit, guiding them on topics such as Property Investment, Legalities and Financing.  TradeArabia News Service
The new wing of Zulekha Hospital Sharjah, UAE, was officially inaugurated today, creating an additional 31 in-patient rooms in the hospital.



The wing was opened by Prof Dr Robert S Warren, professor department of surgery and chief of surgical oncology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).



Greeted and accompanied by Dr Zulekha Daud, founder and chairperson of Zulekha Healthcare Group, Prof Dr Warren toured the new facilities alongside dignitaries including Taher Shams, managing director, and Zanubia Shams, co-chairperson of Zulekha Hospital, as well as Dr Adil Daud, professor from UCSF.



The new $4-million wing, which was completed in three months, will support the wide range of services now provided throughout the hospital.



The expansion brings the total number of beds available at Zulekha Hospital Sharjah to 150.



When Zulekha Hospital Sharjah opened its doors for the first time in 1992, the building featured a 30-bed set-up for patients with basic facilities in gynecology, obstetrics, surgery, medicine and paediatrics, said Taher Shams.



Today, we celebrate another milestone in our history for this multi-disciplinary hospital and diagnostics centre, and we are very much looking forward to opening the doors to our local community.



Recognised as a forerunner in the UAEs healthcare industry, Zulekha Hospital has garnered extensive recognition for its commitment towards quality care and sustainable business practices, receiving the prestigious Dubai Quality Award twice in four years, underlining its commitment to providing high quality healthcare to patients and society at large. -TradeArabia News Service


Top speakers and global professionals will highlight and discuss vital aspects of national security at the upcoming 2nd Annual Kingdom Security 2016, to be held in November, in Saudi Arabia.



The event will take place from November 2 to 3, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Riyadh.



Securing and safeguarding a nation in today's ever changing and challenging operating environment is an upward task. To succeed in achieving the suitable and determined security talent, which is capable and highly motivated to win. Properly trained personnel, along with best security process and systems are the right tools to gain success, said a statement.



The forth-coming event which is based on dealing with the issues and challenges that are related to the security aspects of the kingdom, will allow the participants and officials to learn and understand the benefits of the event, which includes tasks like acquiring, engaging, learning and gaining all the crucial aspects which would benefit and support the regions implementing these strategies to protect and develop their overall security standards.



The key subject areas which are taken into consideration during the two-day event are; discussions based on critical infrastructure protection, which concentrates on sectors like  physical, industrial, boarder, air and maritime securities. It also consists discussions on electronic warfare and cyber security aspects of the region.



Speaking about the vital aspects that will make the event more productive are the topics, which are discussed and debated amongst the participants with the guidance and experience of elite speakers and global professionals. The topics are drafted and based on the current issues, which are threatening the peace and harmony and postures a clear view on how to tackle them, it said.



The first day of the event will see an opening remark from Malcolm Smith CPP, SASOL and ASIS regional vice president  South Africa who is the head of group security, following it would be discussion on the Thwarting External Threats For A Safer Environment, which includes  Updates on Saudi Border Guard Development, Technologies used for Border Protection, Security trends of the Kingdom and its neighbouring regions, said a statement.



Also the participants will witness discussions on how to Prepare for a Crisis Situation on Critical Infrastructures, Terrorism and Proactive Security Measures for Oil and Gas Industry and a panel discussion on how to Enhance productivity via a robust industrial security programme.



To wrap up things on day one, discussions on Current and Emerging Threat Detection and Management, followed by sponsor speech on Why to integrate Fire Safety and Security.



The second day of the event holds even more vital and prominent topics to be discussed. It would be a keynote presentation on the need of the hour to increase professional awareness on security, analysis on critical infrastructure protection of internal security by using HR and security tools, promoting people powered innovation to strengthen critical infrastructure and to round up the first half session on day two would be discussions based on securing critical Infrastructure in remote locations and exploring the dynamics of emergency management and protection for ports, aviation and border security in the kingdom.



The second half of the day two session will include a 'Product Demonstration, Updates and trends of Armored Vehicles in the Saudi Arabia', 'What do we learn from the recent terror attacks from across the globe' and finally to conclude the day two session and the topics for discussions would be a speech on the use of 'Electronic Warfare Management Systems and a focus on its 3 pillars'.



The sponsors and partners of the event include: Dahua Technology  associate sponsors, TBS  the Bronze Sponsors, Bruker Innovation with Integrity  Networking partner, Supporting Association for the event will be International Foundation for Protection Officers and the event will be supported by the Institute for Global Security & Defense Affairs, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabia-based Savola, a leading company in the food and retail sectors, has launched its new identity which reflects the companys commitment to growth.



The new logo illustrates its future objectives aimed at achieving more progress and expansion both locally and internationally to further boost its successes and distinguished path, built on a solid foundation derived from its strong history, said a Saudi Gazette report.



The launch ceremony was held recently in Jeddah in the presence of its chairman of the board Sheikh Sulaiman Abdulkhader Al Muhaidib, board of directors, senior officials, diplomats from several countries, shareholders, and investors, it added.



Al Muhaidib said that the new logo is a reflection of the companys continued concern to achieve sustainable values which will be accorded to its partners, clients and noble society.



HE added that the company is an integral part of the society and will continue to provide its services to its customers in the kingdom, the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.
Egypt-based Sakr Group for Food Industries revealed that it plans to increase its exports this year following the inauguration of its new factory for the production of juices, said a report.



The company aims to double its exports of milk products and juices to reach $20 million in 2016, compared to $10 million last year, Ahmed Sakr, chairperson of Sakr Group, was quoted as saying by Daily News Egypt in a report.



He said that the inauguration of the new factory for the production of juices, which has an annual production capacity of 1 billion packages, will support the companys exports.



The company exports about 15 per cent of its production and Mauritania is considered the companys most important export market as it acquires 60-70 per cent of the companys total exports, added the report.
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Wednesday warned Russia against interfering with Western "democratic processes" and accused Moscow of aggressive behaviour aimed at eroding the international order.



He did not elaborate on what Russia might be attempting to do or whether he was referring to hacking attacks on Democratic Party organisations in the run-up to the US election on November 8, some of which officials and cyber security experts have blamed on hackers working for Russia's government.



The Kremlin has denied involvement in the hacks.



"We don't seek an enemy in Russia. But make no mistake - we will defend our allies, the principled international order, and the positive future it affords all of us," Carter said in an address to students at Oxford University.



"We will counter attempts to undermine our collective security. And we will not ignore attempts to interfere with our democratic processes."



Managing the relationship with Russia diplomatically is also critical as US Secretary of State John Kerry tries to work with Moscow to put an end to the Syrian civil war.



Carter sounded a pessimistic tone on diplomatic efforts between the two to try to agree a ceasefire and nudge the Syrian government towards a political transition to end the conflict.



"Today's news out of Syria is not encouraging. The choice is Russia's to make ... and the consequences will be its responsibility," he said.



Carter meets British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon in London later on Wednesday and is expected to stress the importance of keeping pressure on Russia following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.



The European Union is divided over whether to extend sanctions on Russia that have taken an economic toll on both sides. Ukraine fears it is losing Western support in its standoff with Russia, even though its troops and pro-Russian separatists are still fighting in the Donbass region.



Citing Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity, along with "unprofessional behaviour" in the air, space and cyberspace, Carter said: "Russia appears driven by misguided ambitions and misplaced fears."



"It lashes out, alleging that it fears for its own viability and future, even though no nation - not the United States, not the United Kingdom - seeks to defeat it or constrain its potential," he said.-Reuters
The UAE Space Agency has announced details of its National Space Sector Policy, which aims to build a strong and sustainable space sector that supports and protects national interests and related vital industries.



The document was approved on September 4 by the Council of Ministers, headed by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.



The space sector will contribute to economic growth and diversification, strengthening specialised Emirati skillsets and developing scientific and hi-tech capabilities. It also seeks to nurture and grow a culture of innovation and enhance the UAEs status on regional and global levels.



The introduction to the policy places emphasis on the UAEs historical relationship with space, highlighting an ancestral mastery of astronomy and navigation of land and sea. The foreword also underlines the strategic vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, which cemented the UAEs limitless interest and ambition in space, noting that Sheikh Zayed had met with a Nasa delegation from the Apollo team in the 1970s.



Since that time, the UAE has managed to establish economic principles, infrastructure and Emirati capabilities that have enabled the country to contribute to deep space exploration and led it to a leading position for space activity in the region.



The policy represents a major turning point in strengthening, organising and developing the national space sector in a sustainable manner.



These efforts began in 2014 with the founding of the UAE Space Agency  the regions first national space agency  and coincided with the UAE leaderships announcement of its intention to explore Mars and its atmosphere. The UAE Mars mission will launch in 2020.



The document outlines core principles for the space sector, which fall in line with the UAEs vision and strategic planning across other sectors. Space sector activities will be used to provide a better quality of life for all UAE citizens, as well as support national interests by providing security and improving crisis and disaster responses.



The principles within the policy also cover economic growth and diversification through continued development of space sector capabilities. In addition, the policy calls for strengthening the cooperation between government and private sectors on a local level, and establishing mutually beneficial international partnerships that adhere to international laws and treaties.



The policy compiles the UAEs goals and ambitions for space sector activity, including support for key industries and the development of a sustainable, competitive and diverse commercial space industry. Other goals include conducting space missions that will increase scientific knowledge, developing technologies and national capabilities and driving innovation. The policy also aims to promote a stable and sustainable space environment that supports commercial and government space activities.



The national policy identifies the basic enabling capabilities necessary for realizing its aims. These include an effective and appealing regulatory environment, continued outreach that highlights the importance of space activity, preparing Emiratis for specialization in the space sector and effective management of satellites in orbit. Other enabling capabilities include innovative state-run science and technology programs, cooperation and collaboration on national, regional and global levels, financial support and appropriate investments, in addition to supporting infrastructure.



Dr Khalifa Al Romaithi, chairman of the UAE Space Agency, said: The national space sector policy stems from the leaderships vision to become a leading nation in space sciences and to reach Mars on the states fiftieth anniversary.



Al Romaithi explained that the national space policy clarifies the UAE governments approach, ambitions and priorities for the space sector. - TradeArabia News Service
Daimler Commercial Vehicles Mena and Mercedes-Benz Trucks have reached a major milestone with the sale of the 100,000th Mercedes-Benz Actros in the Middle East and in North Africa (Mena) region over the past 20 years.



A special event was held recently at the Regional Center of Daimler Commercial Vehicles Mena in Jebel Ali, Dubai, where the 100,000th Actros Truck was ceremonially handed over to the customer Al Khaldi from Dammam, Saudi Arabia in the presence of Dr Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the board of management of Daimler AG and head of Daimler Trucks and Buses.



Saudi Arabia is the core market in the Mena region for Mercedes-Benz Trucks, with nearly 44,000 Mercedes-Benz Actros Trucks having been delivered since 1997, said a statement from Daimler.



This result is closely linked to the successful and long lasting business relationship between Daimler and its general distributor in the kingdom, Juffali Industrial Products Company (Jipco).



The milestone truck, a 4x2 tractor-head Actros 2041S, is part of a larger 200 unit order by Al-Khaldi, who is a long-lasting customer of Mercedes-Benz and Jipco.



Al-Khaldi, which was founded in 1972, is a major player in the fields of transportation and trading of petroleum, fuel stations and equipment leasing besides distribution of cement and chemical products.



The truck, which has been assembled at National Automobile Industry Company (NAI) in Jeddah, was handed over to Al Khaldi at the event attended by Sheikh Khaled Juffali, the vice chairman of EA Juffali & Brothers (Saudi Arabia) and Roland Schneider, the president and chief executive of the Daimler Commercial Vehicles Regional Center in Dubai.



On the achievement, Dr Bernhard, said: "Our Actros is the most successful heavy-duty truck in the world. About every 10th truck has been delivered to the Mena region: this underlines the importance of the region for Mercedes-Benz Trucks."



"With our regional centre, established one year ago, were even closer to our customers. We can react faster to their demands. This will further improve our market share in this region," he stated.



Schneider said: "Together with our strong and trusted partner in Saudi Arabia, EA Juffali & Brothers, we are always striving to exceed our customers expectations towards our premium products and services."



"The 100,000th Actros sold in the region represents the symbol of our mutual success and the trust of our customers in the Actros. This milestone makes us proud and truly encourages us to continue delivering high-quality products and customer services across the region," he added.



The truck is equipped with the Mercedes Powershift automated gearshift and Fleetboard Telematics system enhancing fuel efficiency, as well as Mercedes-Benz Accessories as design elements.



Sheikh Khaled Juffali said: "We are delighted to deliver this special truck to our esteemed customer Al Khaldi and we truly thank them for placing their trust into our premium products and customer services.



Sheikh Hamoud Al Khaldi, the chairman of Al Khaldi, said: "We decided to extend and modernise our fleet by another 200 Mercedes-Benz Actros, which will enlarge our fleet strength to 505 Mercedes-Benz Trucks."



"Low fuel consumption, reliability and a good support were key criteria for our latest buying decision  with the Actros and Juffali we found the perfect partners," stated Al Khaldi.



The business relationship between Al Khaldi and EA Juffali & Brothers Saudi Arabia dates back to the 1970s, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabia's Arabian Drilling Company (ADC) is considering bidding for Dalma Energy, sources told Reuters, in a deal which could value the land rig operator at more than $500 million.



US investment bank Goldman Sachs had been hired to arrange the sale of Dalma, which is owned by a consortium of investors through Saudi-based Al Qahtani Investments, two of the sources said on Tuesday.



ADC is interested in Dalma's assets including those in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Algeria, a third source said, adding that talks began about three or four months ago and the potential transaction is in the due diligence stage.



A deal is expected to be completed by the end of October, the third source added.



The first source said the transaction could value Dalma at more than $500 million.



Dalma Energy owns and operates 31 land rigs throughout the Gulf, Asia and Africa, according to its website, and lists a range of clients including BP, Saudi Aramco and DNO Oman.



ADC is a joint venture company 51 per cent owned by Saudi-based Industrialization & Energy Services Co (TAQA). The rest is controlled by oilfield services provider Schlumberger .



Dalma Energy did not respond to emails seeking comment, and Taqa was not immediately reachable for comment. In an emailed statement to Reuters, Schlumberger said it did not discuss mergers and acquisitions. Goldman Sachs declined to comment.



International oil companies have slashed spending and investment in the last two years due to the slump in oil prices, the impact of which has been felt throughout the energy sector.



Gulf-based rig contractors and oilfield service companies have been forced to accept often-steep cuts to their contracts with oil explorers, although activity has remained higher than in other parts of the world as Gulf producers - in particular Saudi Arabia - maintain production levels to keep market share.



Dalma was ranked the third-largest owner of land rigs in the Middle East and North Africa region, according to a statement published by one of its bank lenders when announcing a $313 million loan for the company in 2015.  Reuters
Italy-based Eni and BP, the UK energy giant have finished drilling two wells in the South Baltim field, located southeast of the Delta in Egypt, a report said.



The production of 350 million cu ft of gas daily from the project will be linked the national grid by the beginning of 2018, added the Daily News Egypt report.



Eni and BP aim to drill six wells in South Baltim at a depth ranging from 3,900-4,000 metres below sea level.



South Baltim reserves are estimated at 700 billion cu ft of recoverable gas, Daily News Egypt quoted a source as saying.
Russia and Bahrain have agreed to expand cooperation in liquefied natural gas (LNG), with Moscow considering LNG supplies to the kingdom.



The memorandum of understanding was signed by Russia's Gazprom and Bahrain's National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga holding) when Russia's President Vladimir Putin met Bahrain's His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa in Moscow.



"Co-operation in the energy sector is of mutual interest," documents prepared ahead of the meeting and seen by Reuters showed.



Russian state firm Rosgeologiya (RusGeology) and Noga have also signed a memorandum to strengthen their partnership in oil and gas exploration.



"The five-year programme for geological exploration offshore of Bahrain starting from 2017 has been prepared," the documents said.



They did not provide further detail on the projects.



Gazprom is currently developing its LNG sales and transportation and plans to increase its own production. It supplies LNG to more than 10 countries including China, India, Britain and the UAE. - Reuters
Global leaders called for greater collaboration in the oil and gas sector as well as an increased focus on operational efficiency ahead of the upcoming Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Adipec 2016).



The 19th edition of the annual event will take place from November 7 to 10 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).



The global energy landscape is witnessing a rapid change, influenced by economic challenges and efforts to reduce carbon emissions, which can be addressed by the emerging role of natural gas and renewables, said Patrick Pouyanne, chairman and CEO of Total, peaking ahead of his participation in the Adipec Global Business Leaders panel, where international CEOs will be gathering to address the challenges and opportunities facing the petroleum sector.



All of this makes it crucial that industry players operate not only more efficiently, but also more closely, in a spirit of cooperation.



Technology, innovation, research  they all play an instrumental role not only in managing this transitional period, but also in leveraging the many opportunities that it presents.



This is what makes Adipec an invaluable event for the oil and gas community, because it offers a global platform for stakeholders to collaborate and collectively address not only the imminent challenges in the energy sector, but the longer term picture that is starting to take shape. As CEO of Total, which aims to become the responsible energy major, Adipec is an event I would not want to miss, Pouyanne added.



Confirmed senior-level speakers at Adipec include Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and CEO of the ADNOC Group of Companies, who will be presenting the Opening Ceremony keynote; Rex W Tillerson, chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corporation, Patrick Pouyanne, chairman and CEO of Total; Bob Dudley, CEO of BP; Alexander Medvedev, deputy chairman, Management Committee, Gazprom; Vicki A Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Jeff Miller, president of Halliburton; and Paal Kibsgaard, chairman and CEO of Schlumberger .



Global Business Leaders sessions will be moderated by celebrated journalist John Simpson, BBC World Affairs editor, broadcaster, author and columnist, as well as oil guru Dr Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of the industry consulting group IHS Markit.



According to BPs latest Energy Outlook report, fossil fuels will remain the dominant form of energy powering global expansion for the next two decades, supplying around 60 per cent of the growth in energy demand, and accounting for almost 80 per cent of total energy supplies in 2035. The same report indicates that the fuel mix will witness a significant change, with gas emerging as a major energy resource.



Developing resilient strategies has become a top priority for industry leaders, who are increasingly looking at redefining their business approach in an effort to continue meeting the growth in demand while adapting to the evolving supply mix.



Jeff Miller, president of Halliburton, said: Hydrocarbons are, by far, the most affordable and abundant resource available for advancing the progress of human life and play an integral part in meeting the worlds growing demand for energy. 



Our industry is fuelled by continued investment in technology and innovation as we make better tools to increase barrels produced and decrease cost. At Halliburton, we collaborate and engineer solutions that maximise asset value for our customers. For us, collaboration is a way of life.



We listen to our customers, understand their drivers, and respond to their needs to deliver solutions that sustainably lower the cost per BOE. We look forward to discussing the many opportunities ahead for our industry at the Adipec 2016 Global Business Leader sessions and learning from other industry participants, Miller added.



Billed as the premier knowledge-sharing platform for movers and shakers in the oil and gas industry, Adipecs distinguished Conference Programme will bring together government ministers, CEOs, decision makers, world renowned luminaries, and experts to address challenges and opportunities across both technical and non-technical aspects of the industry.



The programme will feature a high-level Opening Ceremony and three Global Business Leaders panel sessions, offering a world outlook for the oil industry, shedding light on the developing role of gas and LNG, and providing insights on implementing effective leadership strategies.



Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation, said: Adipec is one of the premier oil and gas conferences, bringing energy leaders together from around the world. I am honoured to be participating at this years event and look forward to sharing ideas on how to address the most important challenges before our industry.



Adipecs anticipated Conference Program also features two Ministerial Sessions, eight Executive Panel Sessions, 8 Offshore & Marine Sessions, 8 Women in Energy Sessions, and 106 Technical Sessions.



Established as the worlds most influential exhibition and conference for the oil and gas industry, Adipec has a longstanding track record of bringing together globally celebrated luminaries and experts to discuss challenges and opportunities in the energy sector.  TradeArabia News Service
Omran today celebrated the official opening of Omans most popular natural tourist destination, Al Hoota Cave, following the implementation of broad enhancements to the visitor experience at the attraction.



Dr. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Saadi, Governor of Al Dakhiliyah, lead the opening ceremony joined by a crowd of officials, guests and school children.



Guests were welcomed by traditional Omani music at the reception and were given a tour of the new visitor center as they discovered the history of the cave at the enhanced interactive geological museum which showcases over 150 items of rock, wood, corals and other unique materials from the surrounding . They also had the opportunity to get an exclusive first look at the cave and ride the electric train  the only one of its kind in Oman.



Dr. Al Saadi said: Im very pleased to officially reopen the Al Hoota Cave for visitors to once again come and enjoy this natural wonder. Omran and the Ministry of Tourism have done a fantastic job to make this attraction an even better place for people to come and visit.



Eng. Khalid Mirza, director of Projects Development at Omran, said: We thank His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Saadi, Governor of Al Dakhiliyah for officially opening the attraction today. Omran worked exceptionally hard with the Ministry of Tourism to enhance the Al Hoota Cave experience and to be able to welcome the first visitors back is fantastic.



It was also fantastic to be able to have such an enthusiastic group of school children to be the first visitors to new Al Hoota Cave experience. There is so much to learn about Omans geology and animals here but in such a fun way."



But the most striking difference visitors will discover when they come is the renovated visitor centre. Its now fitting to such a first class attraction, and offers guests a complete family day out experience. Were looking forward to again giving the opportunity for both residents and tourists to come and discover one of Omans jewels, he added.



The school children visiting on the launch day were given a tour of the rich ecosystem.



They also participated in drawing activities organised by Omran during the event and were the first to experience the new four interactive stations with a live show of each phenomenon in the cave.



Alongside the official opening, the new website was also launched, featuring ability to book online and prepay for tickets. The enhanced Al Hoota experience will enable people to get the most from their visits and the ability to plan a visit online means people can book the elements of the visit they want, creating a bespoke experience.



Opening times are Saturday-Thursday (except Monday) from 9am-6pm and on Fridays from 9am-12pm and 2pm-5pm. - TradeArabia News Service
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) has expressed optimism for an agreement on a Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (Corsia) when governments meet for the 39th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) later this month.



The draft negotiating text for Corsia, published on September 2, 2016, broadly aligns with the aviation industrys call for a mandatory global carbon offset scheme as a tool to help manage the industrys emissions as it pursues its goal of carbon-neutral growth. Instead of being mandatory from the start, however, the draft text defines a voluntary pilot and implementation period (2021-2027) after which participation would be mandatory for all eligible States (2027 onwards).



I am optimistic that we are on the brink of a historic agreementa first for an industry sector at the global level. The aviation industry would have preferred a more ambitious timeline than is currently outlined in the draft text. However, what is most important is that the substance of the negotiating text will allow for meaningful management of aviations carbon footprint. Airlines support it and urge governments to agree when they meet at ICAO, said Alexandre de Juniac, Iatas director general and CEO.



Iata encourages governments to commit to their voluntary participation as soon as possible. Last years much lauded Paris climate change agreement was a combination of voluntary measures to which the vast majority of countries have already committed themselves. We expect no less of an outcome from the ICAO Assembly. The industry is ready. There is really no reason for governments not to volunteer. Indeed, the United States, China, Canada, Indonesia, Mexico, the Marshall Islands, and 44 European countries have already indicated their willingness to participate. Now is the time for other states to match their political leadership, by coming to the Assembly already committed to participate, even if the scheme is voluntary at the initial stage, said de Juniac.



Airlines are committed to environmental responsibility. But achieving it requires a partnership with governments. That is clear in the development of a global market-based measure such as CORSIA. And it is the same for day-to-day operations. Airlines are investing heavily in new technology, the development of sustainable alternative fuels and operational efficiency. Our message to the states attending the ICAO Assembly is that they must match our efforts. This is particularly the case with investments to modernise air navigation infrastructure which will bring cost-efficiency benefits along with improved environmental performance. Similarly, government incentives to commercialise sustainable alternative fuels are critical to unlocking their environmental benefits with increased production capacity and lower costs, said de Juniac.



Background



ICAO is the United Nations body charged with managing aviations climate change impact because of the complexity of emissions from any one flight which might occur over several countries and the high seas. As such, international aviation is not included in the agreement reached by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2015.



ICAO was mandated by its 191 contracting states at its 38th Assembly (2013) to present a proposal for a global market based measure to manage aviations carbon footprint at its 39th Assembly. That proposal is the Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).



In June 2016, an overwhelming majority of Iata member airlines reiterated their desire to see a single, global and mandatory carbon offset scheme be implemented from 2020. This would fulfill one pillar of the industrys four-pillar strategy on climate change which consists of:



1. Improvements in technology and the deployment of sustainable alternative fuels

2. Operational efficiency

3. Infrastructure optimization

4. A global market based measure. - TradeArabia News Service
Bollywood Parks Dubai, the worlds first Bollywood inspired theme park and part of Dubai Parks and Resorts, has collaborated with actor Hrithik Roshan to recreate the magic of Krrish for its 4D flying theatre ride Krrish: Heros Flight.



Hrithik Roshan will appear as the lead from his movie Krrish and guests of Bollywood Parks Dubai will be able to join the masked hero on the regions first panoramic flying ride that takes in some of Indias most famous landscapes.



The ride follows the life of Krrish, the superhero, who faces an elaborate conspiracy orchestrated by an evil genius.



Originally directed and produced by Rakesh Roshan, under the banner of Filmkraft Productions Pvt. Ltd, Krrish was conceived to be a film of global significance and a trendsetter in Indian cinema, with visual effects on par with those from Hollywood. Keeping in line with the movies cinematic brilliance, Bollywood Parks Dubai has collaborated with Prana Studios, who have been a part of various Hollywood projects in the past, including Transformers, Disneys Planes, Tron as well as Universal Studios latest attraction - Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Florida. Prana Studios collaboration with Bollywood Parks Dubai will bring world class digital imagery for the Krrish: Heros Flight ride, where visitors will get the chance to fight the villains alongside Krrish.



While shooting for behind the scenes video of the ride, ace cinematographer, Sudeep Chatterjee of Dhoom3, Chak de India, and Bajirao Mastani fame, said, This will be an amazing ride for Bollywood Parks Dubai.



The behind the scenes video will take Bollywood fans through the journey of the making of the Krrish: Heros Flight ride, while also showcasing the grandees of the Indian film industry who came together to ensure all the magic of Bollywood was captured in this ride.



Also seen working hard with the team at the shoot was action director, Shyam Kaushal of Slumdog Millionaire, PK and 3 Idiots fame who said: Hrithik Roshan is nothing short of a perfectionist and he has put his heart and soul into every shot.



Located at Bollywood Parks Dubai within Bollywood Film Studios featuring Hall of Heroes zone, visitors will experience a panoramic flying attraction based on simulation technology taking riders on a virtual tour over famous Indian landmarks while witnessing an epic battle with superhero Krrish.



This zone will also be home to a Bollywood movie production and a live stage show, based on the blockbuster Bollywood Movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Also part of the Hall of Heroes is the RA.One ride, which is a 4D multi-sensory theatre experience that will take the audience on a virtual thrill ride. - TradeArabia News Service
Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village
State Sen. Ogden Driskill, a Devils Tower Republican and leader in an effort to increase taxes on wind energy, said Tuesday hes open to carving an exemption for a proposed Carbon County project that is expected to become the countrys largest wind development.

If built, the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project would have 1,000 turbines, creating electricity for California, Nevada and Arizona. Over the construction period and the following 20 years, the project is expected to provide $780.5 million in property, wind energy and sales and use taxes to Carbon County and the state.

However, the projects developers have warned that if the Wyoming Legislature hikes the states wind energy tax, the project may not be completed. Construction is anticipated to begin at the end of the year.

In anticipation of the 2017 session, the Legislatures Joint Revenue Committee is studying taxation and ways to increase money to the state coffers at a time when revenues from fossil fuels are down. The committee will discuss at a meeting later this month draft legislation that would increase the wind production tax  currently $1 per megawatt hour, the nations only such levy on wind production.

The committee concluded that wind had been taxed at a lower rate than coal and natural gas. Lawmakers based their conclusions on a study that has been criticized by local government and renewable energy officials.

Driskill, a committee member and a proponent of raising the tax, said hes talked with officials from the Power Company of Wyoming, which is developing the Sierra Madre project, and from Carbon County. He said he is warming to the idea that the project should not be included in any tax increase.

They sent a crew up, he said of the Power Company of Wyoming. I met with them. Theyre great people. I enjoyed the visit with them. It definitely had an impact on me, and Ive had a lot from input from people down in that area of the state.

A Sierra Madre exemption could be viewed as a victory for Power Company of Wyoming and the 15,000 residents of Carbon County, which is named after coal reserves that havent been mined in a decade due to the depth of coal and expense of mining it.

Officials in the southern Wyoming county tick off the names of small communities that they say are economically depressed  Hanna, Elmo and Medicine Bow, for example  and could benefit from the project, both through construction and taxes, and if companies such as welding shops open to service the turbines.

Power Company of Wyoming, a subsidiary of Anschutz Corp., and Carbon County have been pressing the committee to reconsider the tax increase proposal. Gov. Matt Mead has said he opposes an increase in wind taxes, maintaining the state must first look at using its $1.8 billion rainy day fund.

A draft bill before the Revenue Committee leaves blank the amount that the wind production tax would increase, with the committee deciding the amount at the upcoming meeting  assuming lawmakers decide to move forward with the legislation.

Rep. Mike Madden, a Buffalo Republican who chairs the committee, said he is not interested in tying it to a wind production tax credit that the project may qualify for, as was discussed at a Revenue Committee meeting in May.

When we set it at $12 or $14, or half the production tax credit, that could be debilitating, he said. Im guessing it could be somewhere in the ballpark of $2 to $4.

It remains to be seen whether other wind energy producers in Wyoming can persuade lawmakers to stay away from tax increases. Twenty-one wind farms dot the Wyoming landscape. On a blustery day, they produce 1,412 megawatts of electricity. In addition to the Sierra Madre project, there are others in planning stages.

Kara Choquette of the Power Company of Wyoming said the federal permitting process is expected to finish soon on the Sierra Madre project, which would allow construction to start. If taxes are increased, the cost of electricity would be passed on to power users. Utilities in places such as California, which has a standard requiring 50 percent of electricity come from renewable sources by 2030, may ultimately pass on Wyoming wind for cheaper renewables from states without production taxes. That could derail the Sierra Madre project, she said.

If theyre looking out for the interest of their customers, theyre more likely to choose that lower-priced product, she said of utilities. Its like any business.

Carbon County Commissioner Leo Chapman said the tax is antithetical to economic diversity, which the state sorely needs after yet another energy boom has gone bust.

We need to look at our savings accounts, he said. We need to look at food taxes. They dont want to do that because that is votes. Theres always income taxes. I dont want to pay income taxes. When its raining youve got to do something. Quit picking the low hanging fruit.

The coal industry has contributed at least $2,690 to the political campaigns of members of the Revenue Committee, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics, which tracks contributions to state legislators.

The renewable energy industry hasnt contributed any money to committee members.
Thursdays Highlights</&h1>

Thursday support meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: 6:30 a.m., 917 N. Beech; 8:30 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 10 a.m., 328 E. A; noon, 500 S. Wolcott; 2 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 7 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, closed; 7 p.m., Shepherd of the Valley, public welcome; 8 p.m., 328 E. A; 8 p.m., 4600 S. Poplar, closed; 8 p.m., 917 N. Beech. Douglas: 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688.

Al-Anon: 7 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 7:30 p.m., 328 1/2 E. A (upstairs).

Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 8 p.m., 4700 S. Poplar (church basement), closed meeting. Web site: http://www.urmrna.org.

NAMI: 5:30 p.m., 133 W. Sixth St. Board Meeting, public is welcome to attend. Info: 234-0440.

Parkinsons exercise

Rocky Mountain Therapy is offering a Parkinsons exercise program. Join us from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays at Rocky Mountain Therapy, 2546 E. Second St., Building 500. These classes are open to anyone with Parkinsons or caring for someone with Parkinsons.

Thursdays class is tailored for the individual with more advanced Parkinsons and focuses on improving endurance, safety and managing symptoms. We are open to all ages and can tailor the class to meet varying exercise needs. The cost of the class is $5. To RSVP, call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Shannon.

Youth for Christ banquet

The Casper Youth for Christ annual banquet is at the Parkway Plaza. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $55 each or $100 per couple, includes a chicken, steak or veggie entree. Sponsorships for tables of eight are still available. Enjoy the hilarious and inspiring comedy of Kenn Kington. For more information, call 235-6650.

CY Back to School Night

Back to School Night for CY Middle School is 5:30 to 7 p.m.

KW 67 meets

Kelly Walsh Class of 1967 will be holding an organizational meeting for the 50-year reunion to be held on July 21, 22 and 23, 2017. We hope you can join us at 6:30 p.m. at 5409 East 21st. Street. For more info call 237-7885. Hope to see you then.

Stammtisch back

The Casper German Stammtisch starts meeting weekly back at the Wonder Bar each Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m., usually in the restaurant area. New this year  on the second Thursday of each month we will focus on speaking German! All ability levels are welcome, as long as they are eager to hear German.

Legion meets

The American Legion Post 2 will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. at 1831 E. 4th St. at the Casper Senior Center. All veterans and guests are welcome to attend.

The American Legion is the worlds largest veterans organization and is always looking for new members to help us support veterans, the youth and our community.

If you know a veteran, please suggest he come to a meeting and join us.

Veterans dont have to have been deployed to become a member.

Keeping our voice strong in Washington is imperative at this time when Congress sees Veterans benefits as unnecessary to the budget.

Join us in the fight to keep what so many have fought and earned through their service to this Great country.

For more information please contact us at casperlegion@juno.com or call the commander, Dean Welch, at 258-9120.

God bless our military and God bless the USA.

Beekeepers meet

The Natrona County Beekeepers invite you to learn about bees and beekeeping at 7 p.m., 328 W. Yellowstone. Parking is available in the lot to the west of the building, look for signs.

Pork and beans September food

The Wyoming Food for Thought Project is providing weekend food bags to nearly 600 children in Natrona County weekly. While all donations are appreciated and used, this year the staff has compiled a list of things to donate monthly, in order to stock the shelves of the pantry at the program center.

Here is a list of suggestions for the entire year: September, pork and beans; October, cereal; November, soup; December, canned chili.

Donations can be dropped off any time at Food for Thought drop site locations, which include Great Harvest Bread, eastside WAC, Reliant FCU, Mary Anns Beans, Casper College Library, Aspen Ridge Dental, and the Food for Thought Program Center, 900 St. John St.
A man who prompted Casper education officials to issue a safety advisory after he offered a ride to a student was only trying to be polite, authorities said Wednesday.

Investigators with the Natrona County Sheriffs Office tracked down the man and determined he had recently moved to the area after having grown up in a small rural community.

He had no ill intentions and was only trying to be polite by offering the student a ride home, the sheriffs office said in a statement.

The incident occurred Friday as a girl was walking home from her bus stop near Cole Creek Road. A man approached the student and offered her a ride, authorities said.

The girl declined the offer and continued walking. She later told her family what happened, and the encounter was reported to the sheriffs office and the Natrona County School District.

The district issued a safety advisory about the incident on Tuesday. In it, the district said the student took appropriate measures and reported the incident to an adult. It did not offer further details.

School officials advised parents to remind their children not to accept rides from strangers and to report anything suspicious to a bus driver, school worker, police or a trusted adult.
Wyoming schools made modest performance gains over the past year, according to new ratings released by the Wyoming Department of Education.

State superintendent Jillian Balow said that 21 more schools were meeting or exceeding expectations in the 2015-16 school year compared with the year before. The rankings included 334 schools in the state.

We are very proud of the improvement that we have seen at the school level and at the district level, and were excited to see what follows with continuing stability in Wyoming education and support from the state level, Balow said.

Balow attributed part of the rise to increased attention to underperforming students and schools.

One thing that schools are doing and have focused on rightly is that they have focused on ensuring equity and giving individual attention to students who are most in need, Balow said.

A significant change, whose effect will be seen more in coming years, was the passage in December of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaced the No Child Left Behind program.

Balow said the new law would give Wyoming more flexibility in how it measures performance and addresses underperforming schools. It also meant the department did not have to make federal accountability determinations this year.

Meanwhile, the districts are further along in aligning coursework with the states Common Core standards and in efforts to improve ACT scores. But Balow noted performance is based on an array of measures, including graduation rates.

School performance reports are a set of indicators that really is an overall snapshot of school performance, and dont lean or rely too heavily on one factor, one lever, over another, she said.

Among the states schools, the ratings report indicated that Fremont County School District 1 had one of the highest percentages of students exceeding or meeting expectations, with nearly 99 percent of students in those two categories.

The four of the lowest-performing districts were also in Fremont County, however. They largely serve the Native American population, including District 14, which saw 93 percent of its students only partially meeting expectations, or not at all.

Balow said she hopes the Every Student Succeeds Act will give the Education Department and the Legislature, more flexibility to deal with low-performing schools.

We recognize the uniqueness of Native American learners and hope in Wyoming through ESSA, and through our increased attention to student groups, that we can better address the needs of Native American learners, Balow said.

Balow noted there were some 400 attendees at a Native American learning conference in Fremont County this past year, which included both educators and community leaders.

Meanwhile, less than half the students in the states two largest school districts met or exceeded the states performance ratings. In Laramie County School District 1, 43 percent of students met or exceeded expectations, while 57 percent partially met or did not meet the performance benchmarks. In Natrona County School District, 42 percent of students performed in the upper two categories, while 58 percent fell below.

The performance ratings are issued under the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act. Schools serving grades three through eight are rated on achievement, growth and equity indicators, while indicators for high schools also include graduation rates, ninth-grade credits earned and Hathaway Scholarship eligibility.

Balow also spoke to the states budget downturn, saying she hopes it will not negatively affect the improvements in state education.

My biggest concern is that the budget conversations will overtake our school improvement conversations, and they just cant, Balow said.
BOZEMAN, Mont.  Montana environmental officials have once again asked a company for more information about its plan to mine for gold on the border of Yellowstone National Park.

The Department of Environmental Quality has asked Crevice Mining Group LLC to resubmit its application for the second time in less than a year.

The state says the most recent application was missing information, such as how the company will manage wastewater, the potential for acid drainage and how much land it will disturb.
Yellowstone National Park visitor numbers dipped slightly in August after a busy summer.

The park welcomed 1.5 percent fewer visitors this August than in the same month last year, according to a news release from the park.

But that number isnt indicative of this years overall trend: Visitor numbers from January to August were up 4.3 percent over the previous year, which was itself a record year for tourism in the worlds first national park.

The slight decline last month might be linked to fire activity south of the park, which closed the South Entrance for six days. Two of the parks five entrances  the West and North gates  recorded more vehicles last month than in August 2015.

There was also a significant uptick in the number of buses passing through the park. Sixteen percent more buses  thats 303 vehicles  entered the park last month than in August 2015.

Summer is typically busy at Yellowstone, but the National Park Service is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, which might be attracting more visitors than usual.

That increase has not come without challenges, as the recent uptick in visitors has correlated with a spike in deviant behavior. Some tourists have broken park rules and placed themselves in dangerous situations with the parks famous wildlife and rugged topography, leading to high-profile incidents.

A Canadian tourist made headlines when he placed a bison calf in his vehicle, saying it looked cold; the calf later had to be euthanized. A vehicle struck and killed a woman crossing the road to see an eagle. Another woman was knocked to the ground by an elk, while another ventured too close to a bear and her two cubs during a bear jam, or traffic jam triggered by wildlife.

The parks unique landscape was also the subject of a rash of incidents this summer. A man was sentenced to three days in jail and will pay fines for carving his initials into the parks historic Roosevelt Arch. Another tourist was fined $1,000 and a $30 court processing fee for straying from the boardwalk and collecting thermal water in the Mammoth Hot Springs area. A 23-year-old died when he stepped off the boardwalk and disappeared into an acidic hot spring. A teenager was burned after falling into a hot pool. A group of men veered off the boardwalk and stepped on the fragile thermal features of the Grand Prismatic Spring.

This phenomenon is hardly unique to Yellowstone: In July alone, law enforcement rangers handled more than 11,000 incidents at the 10 most visited national parks, the Associated Press reported.
NICARAGUA

Ex-Salvadoran leader granted asylum

MANAGUA  Nicaragua said Tuesday it has given political asylum to former El Salvador President Mauricio Funes, who has come under scrutiny back home for a truce with gangs during his administration and is also facing multiple legal cases.

The Nicaraguan governments official Daily Gazette published a notice announcing that Funes, his partner and three children have all been granted asylum. It said their lives and physical integrity are in danger as a result of fighting in favor of democracy, peace, justice and human rights.

Funes, a former journalist who was elected as a member of the leftist Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front party, is facing a civil prosecution back home for alleged illicit enrichment. Investigators argue that he and his family need to justify the origin of more than $700,000 in income.

YEMEN

Official: Rebels forced children to fight

SANAA  A Yemeni minister with the internationally recognized government on Tuesday accused the countrys Shiite rebels of forcing children to fight in Yemens civil war, saying the rebels have recruited as many as 4,800 boys over the past six months.

Human Rights Minister Ezz Eddin al-Asbahi also said the rebels known as Houthis have killed about 1,000 civilians in the conflict, and that more than 300 children have died.

International rights groups have accused the Saudi-led coalition, which is backing the government, of causing most of the causalities in Yemens conflict through airstrikes.

BRITAIN

Explosives found

in Northern Ireland

LONDON  Police say they have found large quantities of explosives after searching 12 properties in Northern Ireland.

The head of the Police Service of Northern Irelands crime operation unit said Tuesday that a significant amount of terrorist material had been uncovered in searches that began two weeks ago in the Larne area north of Belfast.

Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said the material included explosive devices, chemicals for use of bomb making, ammunition, and a firearm. A royal marine with connections to Larne was arrested last week and charged with terror-related offenses involving Northern Ireland.

GABON

Opposition: 50 to 100 killed after election

LIBREVILLE  Postelection violence in Gabon has killed between 50 and 100 people, the opposition presidential candidate said Tuesday, a toll much higher than the governments count of three in days of violent demonstrations against the presidents re-election.

Jean Ping has declared he is the rightful winner of the Aug. 27 vote, though election commission results showed President Ali Bongo Ondimba won by 1.57 percentage points. Clashes quickly broke out in this oil-rich Central African country after the results were announced last week.

It is difficult to independently verify reports of deaths, as the internet has been shut off since Aug. 31.

SOUTH AFRICA

Stateless children may apply for citizenship

JOHANNESBURG  A South African legal group says the foreign affairs office has decided to address the problem of stateless children by allowing them to apply for citizenship.

Lawyers for Human Rights says the decision came just before the Supreme Court of Appeal heard the case of an 8-year-old stateless child born in South Africa to parents from overseas. The Pretoria High Court ruled the child was a citizen. South Africa has argued that allowing a path to citizenship would mean too many children applying. But Tuesdays statement says the foreign affairs office withdrew its appeal and will create regulations within 18 months to allow other stateless children to apply for citizenship.

Wire reports
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  As Oregon officials struggle to license all sectors of the recreational marijuana industry before the end of the year, a top official of the agency that accredits labs that test pot says it is overwhelmed  a situation that could derail the rollout.

Gary K. Ward, administrator of the Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, emailed dozens of labs awaiting licenses, saying his agency's abilities to accredit them is "on the precipice of collapse ... because of the lack of resources and the last minute rush of cannabis labs with applications."

He said in his Aug. 26 email that he had asked for three full-time employees to handle cannabis testing lab accreditation, and received none.

Only three labs have been accredited to test cannabis by Ward's agency, known as ORELAP.

If labs aren't accredited, then marijuana growers and extractors won't be able to have products tested to be put on the market  which Oregon voters legalized in a November 2014 ballot measure  and retailers will have bare shelves. Many retailers are also awaiting licenses from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

"This has been extremely worrisome for the industry," Donald Morse, director of the Oregon Cannabis Business Council, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "I have spoken with people in all agencies ... and we've warned them for months this bottleneck was coming because of their inability get these accreditations done."

The Oregon Department of Revenue reported that as of July 31, it has processed $25.5 million in marijuana tax payments this year. New rules require testing by an accredited lab.

"The tax revenue will go from that to zero if we have no product to sell," Morse said.

Medical marijuana dispensaries are selling to both patients and so-called recreational users, but after the end of this year they won't be allowed to sell to recreational users. Retail shops will sell to them, but only products that have been tested by accredited labs for pesticides and other impurities, and for potency. Medical marijuana is required to be tested but the labs previously did not need to be accredited.

Jeremy Sackett, co-founder of Cascadia Labs, said he is awaiting accreditation and that an inspection by ORELAP is scheduled for next week. The company has one lab in the Portland area and another in Bend.

"It would be unfortunate if the State were not able to support and effectively implement the well-developed regulations that have been enacted," Sackett told AP in an email.

The Oregon Health Authority, which oversees ORELAP, said Tuesday in response to Ward's warning that it is committed to taking steps to ensure environmental laboratory accreditation "even with growing demand."

"Labs play a critical role in ensuring public health and OHA will find a solution to the challenges that the short-term increase in cannabis testing lab requests has caused," the health authority said.

Morse said Ward's "cry for help is a smart thing to do, because no one has been listening. He added that he hopes Gov. Kate Brown's office will step in and ensure the health authority gives sufficient resources to Ward's agency.

ORELAP also must accredit labs that test drinking water and other environmental substances. Lead has been discovered in drinking water in several schools in Oregon recently.

In his email, Ward also said a last-minute rush of cannabis lab applications, plus their difficulties in meeting new requirements, have contributed to his agency being overwhelmed.

___

Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/andrewselsky
Gary Hickey was a teen adrift when he took his first restaurant job, where he was paid, in part, with leftovers.

A few decades later, he is executive chef at Charro Steak and culinary director for the Flores familys 10 restaurants in Tucson, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

A year ago this month, Hickey was hired by Carlotta Flores, matriarch of the Flores dynasty of restaurants, including El Charro Cafe, the oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation by the same family in the United States.

Meats served at Charro Steak are from cattle raised naturally, without the use of antibiotics, steroids, hormones or GMOs (genetically modified organism) and Hickey likes to use ingredients native to Tucson and the Sonoran desert. He knows exactly who is providing each ingredient.

Just having those outlets nowadays is a lot better than when you didnt know who your growers were and you didnt know who your product came from, he said. Your supply chain is probably the most important lifeline a chef can have.

His accumulated knowledge of the restaurant business, from front room to bar to kitchen, is the result of learning on the job, starting with his first serious restaurant gig at the now-shuttered Keatons in the Foothills.

I had never worked at a professional kitchen like that, Hickey said.That restaurant was busy. It was crazy. I would come in and do the prep and serve and ask questions and I was bitten by it. It was a different kind of world.

He worked at a handful of Tucson restaurants through the 1990s, including Metropolitan Grill, City Grill and McMahons Prime Steakhouse. He then left Tucson, going to work for P.F. Changs, traveling throughout the west opening restaurants, but his mothers failing health brought Hickey back to Tucson in 2006. He was working as executive chef at Sullivans Steakhouse a year later when his mother died of lupus. Thats when Hickey took a time-out.

I took a step back, out of the kitchen, he said. I wanted to spend more time with my family and my daughter.

He spent a few years serving and bartending with no management responsibilities, spending time with my family and meeting a lot of cool people. I never really had the time to sit down and talk to regulars because I was in the back.

He returned to McMahons in 2009 to take a job as a front of the house manager and bar manager. A couple years later, he moved up to general manager. When the chef left, he added executive chef to his plate. A few months after Hickey left to work on another restaurant project, McMahons closed its doors.

Heart breaking is how Hickey describes the closing of Bob McMahons restaurant. I loved that restaurant so much. That man taught me more about food and how to respect meat and how to get the most out of everything you purchase. I had a lot of really good teachers in my life. They taught me how to respect food.

It was a natural segue for his career when Hickey went to work for the Flores family.

Im a pretty straight-forward kind of meat-and-potatoes guy and its done well for me now, Hickey said. Ive always been known as the guy who uses three or four ingredients. Use quality ingredients, treat them well and they will shine on the plate.

How did you get into cooking?

Out of necessity actually. I was an at-risk youth. I was living on the streets. I had to drop out of high school to get a job to get an apartment. I got my first job when I was 15 working at a Greek restaurant by the university. They were paying me under the table. I got to take home as much gyro meat at the end of the night as I wanted.

I just kind of got the bug from there. I moved up to a professional kitchen. Back in those days it was a little bit different than it is now. It was a motley crew of guys. The cook was a surly guy. There was the ladys man. You see these guys commanding 700 dinners a night and you want to be them.

Did you cook growing up?

I always cooked with my grandmother. My mom was a single mom and I spent a lot of time at my grandmothers house. We cooked every night. Saturday night was the special night. Wed go buy T-bones from a shop on the south side and cook them in cast iron with butter. Thats where I got my love for the steaks.

What did you learn about cooking from your grandmother that you still use today?

Layering of flavors. Also she used to make the stuffing for Thanksgiving that we had to help make every year. Me and my cousins would spend the night before hand picking the bread, not using a knife. She said it gave it a better texture.

What is the most common mistake people make when preparing meat?

Not enough seasoning and overcooking.

Whats the key to a good steak?

Lots of salt and fresh cracked pepper, if you have it. Kosher salt is the key. Kosher salt enhances the flavor of anything it is put on  it doesnt mask it  while pepper adds a layer of depth. So, those two work against each other to balance out your palette to flavor the meat.
Years ago they created Spice as a legal way to get high, an alternative to pot that you could buy at smoke shops.

The sales of this cheap, synthetic cannabinoid  also known as K2 and by other names  spiked in Tucson, causing havoc in some parks and neighborhoods. In these unfortunate spots, you can see Spice zombies tilting unconsciously around, sometimes falling to the ground.

Now, the local government wants to make Spice illegal  that is, even more illegal than it already is under state and federal law. The Tucson City Council is discussing at Wednesdays study session the idea of a new city code banning sale of these substances.

At the same time, the voters of Arizona are considering whether to make using marijuana legal for any adult over 21, not just for those with medical reasons. Well vote on that initiative in the November general election.

The coincidence of one movement toward prohibition and a simultaneous movement toward legalization raises big, confusing questions. The way we answer them could affect our neighborhoods, our families and our state in profound ways.

Here are a couple: Can you mix legalization and prohibition policies successfully? Will improved consumer education make the use of legalized drugs more tolerable?

Whats unusual about the Spice situation is that it is arguably a result of marijuana prohibition  and now were trying to prohibit it. Ive talked to users in central Tucson, and many say they turned to it because it was a cheap, legally available high when pot wasnt readily available, or cheap.

Over years, first the federal government and then the state government banned the compounds that are the active ingredient in the drug, but the makers, many of them overseas, simply tweaked the formula to turn their product into arguably legal incense bearing the wink-wink warning: Not for human consumption.

Now, City Council members Steve Kozachik, Richard Fimbres and Regina Romero are exploring the possibility of this new ordinance.

The main problem with Spice/K2  the synthetic cannabinoids  is not necessarily the psychoactive ingredients, its the additives people are putting in, Kozachik said. To the extent theyre sold with additives, the person using it has no clue what its being cut with.

Its true  users have told me they dont necessarily know how a package of Spice will affect them until they use it. And consumer education is one of the arguments of the pro-legalization side of our societal debate. But Kozachiks not arguing for improved labeling. Hes arguing for a citywide ban.

I spoke Tuesday with Roger Roffman, a professor emeritus of social work at the University of Washington in Seattle, who wrote the book Marijuana Nation: One Mans Chronicle of America Getting High from America to Vietnam. He is pro-legalization but recognizes that marijuana poses real risks for some segments of the population who should be warned.

One of the benefits of legalization will be, hopefully, more accurate consumer education put out there by public health officials, he said. Under regulation with the state of Washington as an example, the (marijuana) package labeling gives a good deal of information as to whats in the package.

Thats in a state that has legalized marijuana, of course. The same is not true of synthetic drugs, Roffman noted.

I want consumers of synthetic marijuana to be informed that this is a dangerous class of substances to be using, he said.

Overall, he said, the idea should be: Start with good labeling, then add to that consumer-oriented education about how to use the substance.

Its an idea that Demitri Downing, a Tucsonan who organized Arizonas Marijuana Industry Trade Association, explained simply: The concept of prohibition in and of itself is a dysfunctional model. What we need to be doing is educating, teaching good decisions, teaching moderation.

But Sheila Polk, the Yavapai County Attorney and leader of the anti-marijuana legalization campaign, made a worthwhile point on this education issue. In Colorado, where marijuana has been legal the longest, people often misuse the edible products made from its active ingredient. There are cookies and candies made of the stuff, and people often eat too much  not surprising considering that they are sweets.

And those selling drugs, legalized or not, are always trying to expand their markets to make more money, she said. With legalization, you can expect more use and more harms resulting.

Of course, misuse seems to go hand in hand with consuming mind-altering substances, whether theyre legal or illegal. Ive heard that occasionally people drink too much alcohol, for example.

So perhaps we can live within a mixed legal framework of prohibited and legalized substances  we already do, after all, when you take tobacco and alcohol into account. And maybe the best idea is not just educating consumers, but squashing those vendors who sell adulterated products or wont reveal what theyre selling in the first place.

If you can create a minor social crisis by retail sales of a substance marked Not for human consumption, then the problem is that government isnt doing its job.
Former state representative Frank Antenori is officially working to make "America great again."

The Trump-Pence Campaign announced Antenori, along with several other local Republicans, had joined the campaign as county chairs.

Antenori, who works at Raytheon, was named as one of chairs for Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties. While he is probably best known in Tucson, Antenori recently moved to Cochise county.

The other chair for the two counties is David Stevens, who spent eight years as an Arizona House of Representatives.

The Trump-Pence team announced campaign consultant Christine Bauserman would represent Pima County.

Bauserman has been volunteering for the Trump campaign for several months and helped to organize delegates loyal to Trump to send to the state convention.
PHOENIX  Gov. Doug Ducey is refusing to take sides in the latest dust-up between his partys presidential nominee and the states junior senator.

Im supporting Republicans across the board, the governor said Tuesday after being asked about Donald Trump sending out a pair of tweets this weekend blasting Jeff Flake. In one, the candidate called out Flake as weak and ineffective.

But Trump didnt start the latest spat.

The messages followed Flake appearing on Sunday talk shows saying he still could not commit to voting for the partys nominee and calling what Trump said in Phoenix last week about his immigration policy just confusing.

Ducey, for his part, wont intercede.

Were going to let the campaign play out, the governor said.

Well know in the next 60-plus days who the next president is, he continued. But you know where my support is.

And Ducey said that, whatever Trumps flaws, he considers the real estate billionaire a better alternative than Hillary Clinton.

The latest very public dust-up is a continuation of the rocky relationship Flake and Trump have had now for some time.

In July, Trump met behind closed doors with U.S. senators. When Flake stood up to introduce himself, Trump said, Youve been very critical of me.

Flake conceded the point, saying hes the other senator from Arizona, the one who didnt get captured. Flake had lashed out at Trump following a 2015 comment from the candidate that John McCain is not a war hero because he was captured during the Vietnam War.

I like people who werent captured, Trump said at the time.

It was at that July closed-door meeting that Flake first told Trump he was not sure he could back his partys nominee.

It got no better this weekend.

On a pair of talk shows Sunday, Flake repeated that he cannot commit to voting for Trump. And he took a specific swat at Trumps speech the prior Wednesday in Phoenix where the candidate said if he is elected there would be no path to legal status for any of the 11 million people in this country illegally.

Some people said it was a hardening, Flake said.

Some said softening, he continued. I say it was just confusing.

Flake

said that Trump could end up having Arizona do something it hasnt done since 1996: support a Democrat for president.

Arizona should still be a red state, Flake said. But Donald Trump, with the rhetoric that hes under and the characterizations of many of the states population, have put the state in play.

Trump wasted no time in responding.

The Republican Party needs strong and committed leaders, not weak people such as Jeff Flake, if it is going to stop illegal immigration, he tweeted Sunday afternoon.
Rain is falling across Southern Arizona in advance of Hurricane Newton, which weakened to tropical storm strength after making landfall in Sonora overnight.

It is still expected to bring heavy rain and some high winds to parts of Southern Arizona today.

The National Weather Service predicts the storm's center will arrive near Nogales at about 11 a.m., then near or east of Tucson by 2 p.m. today.

A flash flood watch is still in effect for all of Southern Arizona until 5 p.m., and a wind advisory remains in place, particularly for higher terrain in Santa Cruz and western Cochise County.

The weather station on the telescope ridge on Mount Hopkins east of Green Valley was recording gusts of 50 mph or more at 6 a.m.

Tropical Storm Newton was centered east of Guaymas, Sonora, at 6 a.m. with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, the National Hurricane Center reported .

It is expected to weaken further before entering Arizona near Nogales at about 11 a.m. Newton is then expected to curve northeastward and its remnants will be over the White Mountains of eastern Arizona by nightfall.

High winds and heavy rain are expected in areas directly in the storm's path.
Heavy rain and high winds are possible across the region today as the remnants of Hurricane Newton cross into Arizona.

On Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch and a wind advisory for most of Southern Arizona, including the Tucson area.

Rain totals of 1 to 4 inches are expected in places. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph are possible in valley locations, with speeds 5 mph higher in the mountains.

Strongest winds are expected along the international border, where the hurricanes main front is expected to arrive early Wednesday morning, the Weather Service said.

Newton was at hurricane force Tuesday morning when it blasted through the tourist meccas of Los Cabos at the tip of Baja California and proceeded north up the Gulf of California for an expected second landfall in southern Sonora.

Heavy rains associated with the storm caused flooding in Michoacan and Guerrero states Monday, according to The Associated Press. In its passage through Baja, it downed trees, knocked out power and drenched the southern tip of the peninsula with a foot of rain and 90 mph winds, the AP reported.

In Tucson on Tuesday, the city distributed sandbags to residents in flood-prone areas and weather forecasters warned that today could bring flash floods and high winds.

That all depends on the track the hurricane takes, forecasters said.

In his forecast, the University of Arizonas Mike Leuthold called for the heaviest rain to fall east of the Tucson area but warned that could change.

Only a 50-mile difference between locations can mean the difference between a half inch and 2-4 inches, Leuthold reported in his forecast discussion Tuesday afternoon.

What does seem certain is that some locations in southeastern Arizona are going to get a lot of wind and rain tomorrow.

He said he expected the hurricane to veer a bit east, losing wind speed over the mountains of Northern Mexico. If it stays west of those mountains, it could enter Arizona with sustained winds up to 50 mph, he said.

Rain was falling in Santa Cruz County on Tuesday afternoon and headed toward Tucson, said Mick Sherwood of the National Weather Service office in Tucson.

A flood advisory was issued as more than an inch of rain fell in the border region.

Those thunderstorms sprung from moisture pushed northward by the hurricane.

Rain is expected to continue into Wednesday evening, with clearing Thursday.
If you go

What: Talk on the centennial of Steward Observatory by University of Arizona astronomer Tom Fleming, followed by a star party.

When: 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 10

Where: Oracle State Park, Mount Lemmon Highway in Oracle. See website for directions: http://azstateparks.com/Parks/ORAC/

Admission: Talk and star viewing are free. Park admission is $7 per vehicle.

Info: Call 520-896-2425 for information and reservations.
The rain associated with a weakening tropical storm will gradually taper off Wednesday afternoon after a morning of drenching showers in Southeastern Arizona.

The National Weather Service said a flash-flood watch will remain in effect until 8 p.m. for the region; a flood warning is also in effect until 2:45 p.m. for south-central Santa Cruz County because of heavy storm runoff. The Nogales Wash is running at an elevated level causing some concern, the NWS said. Nogales has seen more than an 1 inch of rain today.

The NWS said Newton was not a tropical storm as it crossed into Arizona. It moved into the state as a remnant low, according to the latest public notice from the National Hurricane Center.

Rain totals in the Tucson metro area show between a half-an-inch to about 1 inches. The mountains around Tucson saw higher totals with Mount Lemmon recording about 2.5 inches of rain today, according to a rain gauge with the Pima County Regional Flood Control District. Some higher elevation gauges east of Tucson recorded more than 3 inches of rain today.

Green Valley has recorded about 1.3 inches of rain, according to flood control gauges. More than 3 inches of rain has been recorded today at Madera Canyon, south of Tucson.

The widespread rain should begin tapering off this afternoon, but some isolated storms with heavy rain are still possible this afternoon in the Tucson area.

Some reports of minor flooding have been reported, according to the NWS.

The rain has had another benefit, keeping Tucson temperatures in the 70s. The NWS said the high today so far was 77 degrees shortly after midnight and the storms have dropped the temperature the low 70s by mid-day.

The lowest maximum daytime temperature for this date is 77 degrees set in 1919. That means if the high today doesn't go beyond this morning's 77 degrees, it will break a 97-year-old record for the date, the NWS said.

The rain has affected some services and events today:

The Reid Park Zoo is closed today because of the inclement weather.
When NASAs only major concerns for the OSIRIS-REx launch on Thursday are some fluffy white clouds, you know the mission is in good shape.

The mission, led by the University of Arizonas Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, is scheduled to blast off at 4:05 p.m. Tucson time Thursday from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

After two years and more than 2 billion miles, OSIRIS-REx will rendezvous with asteroid Bennu, survey it, collect a sample, and send those space pebbles back to Earth.

Wind and rain shouldnt interfere with the launch, said weather officer Clay Finn during a televised pre-launch briefing Tuesday. There is a slight chance of cumulus clouds affecting visibility, Flinn said.

OSIRIS-REx has a 115-minute launch window Thursday. Friday and Saturday are viable backup dates.

Principal investigator Dante Lauretta said he isnt worried.

Im absolutely not nervous because we have a phenomenal team and they know what theyre doing, said Lauretta, who sported an OSIRIS-REx tie during the briefing.

Lauretta is a professor of planetary science at the UA, which is home to the missions Science Processing and Operations Center.

He said he is a bit anxious, but only because hes been working on the OSIRIS-REx mission for 12 years and he wants the opportunity to fly the spacecraft.

The $1 billion mission is a first for NASA  to return a sample of an asteroid to Earth.

Its target is Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid that scientists think is rich with ancient carbon. Bennu is a time capsule from the earliest stages of solar system formation, Lauretta said.

Scientists think the organic molecules that potentially exist on Bennu may hint at how life originated on Earth.

The mission will collect a sample about four years after launch. Before that, OSIRIS-REx must make a long journey through space.

It will spend a year in solar orbit before using the Earths gravity to propel itself toward Bennu. Once the craft reaches the asteroid, the suite of instruments on board will collect data and map out the space rock for a year and a half.

Then OSIRIS-REx will move in for the sample.

A specialized collection device on the end of a 10-foot robotic arm will give Bennu a brief high five. The device will release gas when it makes contact, propelling asteroid rocks and dust up into the collection chamber.

The sample will then be safely stowed, and the spacecraft will park itself nearby, awaiting the right time to head toward Earth.

Only the sample will touch down on terra firma. The main spacecraft will jettison the return capsule, which will gently parachute down to Utah after a speedy entrance into Earths atmosphere.

The mission is on-time and under-budget. It is unfazed and unaffected by the recent, nearby explosion of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, said Lauretta.

I am very confident that weve managed the risks and that we understand them and that this mission is going to succeed, he said.

The SpaceX rocket, which burst into a fiery inferno on the launch pad next to OSIRIS-REx, was a stark reminder of the risks of the business, he said.

It made us take a look again at everything weve done, he said.

The teams did an extensive walk-down of the pad area, said Scott Messer, the program manager for NASA missions at United Launch Alliance. Our Atlas V vehicle, as well as OSIRIS-REx, are safely buttoned up and secure.

The missions original principal investigator, Mike Drake, died in 2011. Lauretta took a moment to remember him during the briefing.

He was my friend, my mentor, and the visionary who brought me on to the program in 2004, Lauretta said.

I know hes still with us. Hes in our hearts and our souls and hes looking down on us today. Hed be proud, and hed be having the time of his life.

With all the seriousness surrounding the mission, Lauretta still has a childlike wonder when he thinks about what he and the team will be accomplishing.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself to convince myself that Im not dreaming this and its actually happening, and Im leading this mission, Lauretta said.
Well this was just inevitable

Sunday Night has reportedly struck a deal with Child Abduction Recovery agent Adam Whittington to tell his side of the story of the 60 Minutes saga.

The Courier-Mail has published pictures of Whittington and a Seven crew on a Gold Coast beach. It speculates the deal could be worth up to $1m (always just a guess-timate).

Whittington had always vowed to tell his side of the story, previously writing on Facebook, The world, like I was, will be shocked when you hear the truth!

Ironically Sunday Nights executive producer Hamish Thomson, who was appointed in July, is a former 60 Minutes executive producer. He departed Nine in May after Nine opted not to continue with Inside Story.

While he was running Inside Story, Thomson turned down Sally Faulkner story -before it later landed at 60 Minutes.

Adam Whittington left Lebanon in July after months behind bars and protests by family members outside Nines Willoughby base.

Whittington and Sally Faulkner still face kidnapping charges.

Yesterday former 60 Minutes story producer Stephen Rice settled his dispute with Nine after being dismissed.

UPDATED: Seven press release:

Sevens Sunday Night will this week air an exclusive interview with Adam Whittington, the head of Child Abduction Recovery International (CARI), who has returned to Australia.

Mr Whittington was released from prison in Beirut at the end of July after nearly four months behind bars over his involvement in the plotting and failed abduction of Brisbane mother Sally Faulkners two children from Lebanon, with an Australian television crew.

The interview with Sunday Nights Mike Willesee, Mr Whittingtons first on the failed child snatch, airs on Sunday at 8pm on Seven.

Sunday Night made no payment to Mr Whittington, his family or any other party for the interview. The fact that he wasnt paid will be disclosed in the program.
Help India!

By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net

New Delhi: Once again, Delhi and Lucknow will witness a show of solidarity and unity on eve of Eid-ul-Adha when people from Sunni and Shia sects will jointly offer Eid prayers.

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The Eid prayers are being organised by Shoulder to Shoulder Foundation a volunteer-driven organisation set up with the objective of bringing people of different faiths together.

The initiative was conceived by Haider Zaidi and Mazin Khan last year in Jamia Nagar, against the backdrop of growing hostility between the two sects in Middle east and elsewhere.

The event will be held at the Shah-E-Mardan in Delhi and Shahnajaf Imambara Lawns in Lucknow. The prayers will start at 8 am sharp on September 13.

People from both Sunni and Shia sects will together perform Eid prayers shoulder to shoulder behind the Imam belonging to Shia sect of Islam.

Shoulder to Shoulder defines itself believing that peace, unity, and tolerance essential for human existence and progress to be worthwhile.

By facilitating greater interaction among communities and by providing platforms for recognition of common goals, S2S strives to protect and celebrate Indias religious pluralism and cultural vibrancy, one of the organisers said.
Help India!

By TCN News

A woman from Karnatakas coastal district of Udupi, who was forced to work as a housemaid in a remote town in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after being duped by an Indian travel agent, has finally returned home safe thanks to the selfless efforts of activists of Indian Social Forum (ISF), an organization of Indian expats.

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Hailing from a middle class family in Udupi, Malathi Nayak had a dream of working in the Middle East to financially uplift her family. A travel agent promised her a job as a hospital nurse with all service benefits in Saudi Arabia.

However, after landing in Wadi ad-Dawasir, a small town located over 600 kms away from Riyadh, the national capital, she realised that she had been duped by the travel agent. She was actually sent there to work as a maid in her visa sponsors house and not as a hospital nurse.

However, she had no other option but following the order of the sponsor. She was literally kept under house arrest, as the sponsor neither gave her salary on time nor provided her a phone to contact her family members in India.

After nine months of ordeal as a housemaid, she managed to contact her family members in Udupi through phone and explained her situation. The helpless family members contacted Sandeep Shetty, an expatriate from Udupi, who is working in Jeddah and requested him to help her to return home. Shetty approached the ISF, which had helped several stranded expatriates in Saudi Arabia in the past.

A team of ISF comprising of Ismail Mangalapete, Shahul Hameed Vamanjooru and Sayed Abdul Haq then contacted the stranded woman and assured her of all necessary support. They also contacted Indian embassy in this regard. However, unable to face the mental torture in the house, she ran away and contacted the ISF members, who asked her to stay in the house of Abdul Raheem, an Indian expatriate from Namil Nadu in Wadi ad-Dawasir.

After constant follow up, the ISF activists managed to convince the Indian embassy in Riyadh the severity of the case. Following the intervention of the embassy, Malathi boarded an India-bound flight at Riyadh International Airport on September 3 and reached Udupi next day via Bengaluru.
G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum consisting of 20 major economies. Initially, the forum was developed in the year 1999 with a goal of studying and reviewing as well as promoting high-level discussion about issues related to policies for promoting international financial stability. This forum is important as it considers those issues, which are beyond the scope of any one organization. Members of the forum include 19 individual countries along with the European Union (EU), which is represented by the European Central Bank and the European Commission.

2016 G20 summit

G20 summit of 2016 was the eleventh meeting that was held on 45 September 2016 in Hangzhou. It was the first summit that was held in China. However, South Korea was the first Asian nation to host the event. Atthe summit, the members discussed the problem of tax evasion, and the importance of international trade as well as investments. They also discussed economic growth and the support for refugees.

G20 considered the importance of global growth

Atthe G20 summit, Xi Jinping, the Chinese President asked leaders to help in the development of guidelines on global economical growth and investment. Mr. Xi was of opinion that major economies have to work as an action team rather than just becoming a talk shop.

While pointing to the logo designed by the host country for the summit, Mr. Xi noted the importance of international cooperation. The logo had a stylized bridge having 20 green lines. He said that the G20 is like a bridge that is connecting people from all parts of the world. He also said that China wanted to improve even more stable, better relations with the new government of Britain after recent issues like Brexit between the two nations caused contention.

He considered the importance of improving cooperation in the areas of energy, investment, finance, and infrastructure.

Barack Obama, U.S. President, and Theresa May, British Prime Minister, also noted the importance of improving the lives of ordinary citizens. In the meeting, Mr. Obama and Vladimir Putin, Russian president, for the first time in a year in a meeting that was predictably frosty.
Halloween is celebrated throughout the world. But in the US, the celebrations of Halloween begin from the fourth week of October and last till the first week of November. No matter what is your cast, tradition, belief, or name, you would surely love the Halloween activities. According to a report, it is expected that Halloween spending would reach up to $7 billion this year. On an average, Americans and Europeans spend $70 million on special costumes. Without any surprise, Halloween is one of the most celebrated festivals all over the world. Here is a list of best places in the US where you can spend the Halloween holidays.

Salem, Massachusetts, USA

You can head to Salem anytime because it is an ideal tourist attraction. This Massachusetts town receives a large number of international visitors during the months of October, November, and December. People love to come here not only for Halloween holidays but also to enjoy Christmas festival. Here there is a lot to get amazed with. You can enjoy activities like guided tours of famous spots, fireworks, parades, or can visit a theme park. There are hundreds of hotels that accommodate the guests in an effective way. Usually, the accommodation in this US city is affordable, so people with a tight budget can find an ideal accommodation conveniently.

California, USA

California receives one of the largest numbers of visitors during the winter season, a report reveals.

For those who are looking for an unforgettable Halloween experience, there is no better option than California. This city has many beaches, restaurants, haunted sites, and unique places where you can spend quality time. Begin with Long Beach of California, and celebrate the Halloween night at Dark Harbor. Here you can explore the 3D ghosts, spirits, and monsters.

Dont forget to visit nearby restaurants if you feel hungry because here delicious food and beverages are served throughout the night.

Sleepy Hollow, New York, USA

Discover the joys of Halloween at Sleepy Hollow. It is an incredible tourist attraction in New York. Hundreds to thousands of visitors come here during the month of October.

For a family-friendly tour, you should visit the Lyndhurst Castle where the guided tours can make you feel excited. Here you would meet the 3D spirits. For children, Frankensteins Monster, and the Phantom of the Opera are the most exciting things. Some other activities are a haunted hayride, live dance performances, street fairs, and a special lantern tour of the city.
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In an apparent effort to entice Bernie Sanders supporters, Hillary Clinton blamed climate change for Hurricane Hermine, the first hurricane to hit Florida since 2005. At a rallyyesterday in Tampa, Florida, Clinton warned that more storms like Hermine were on the horizon despite all indicators pointing in the opposite direction. For those wondering if Clinton would be President Obamas third term, putting the climate above the stalled economy is further proof of her priorities.

At the rally, Clinton railed: Another threat to our country is climate change.

2015 was the hottest year on record, and the science is clear. Its real. Its wreaking havoc on communities across America. Last weeks hurricane was another reminder of the devastation that extreme weather can cause, and I send my thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by Hermine. You can view the clip in full here:

No, 2015 wasnt the hottest year ever

First, 2015 was a warm year because of a strong, naturally occurring El Nino, which elevated temperatures worldwide. It was also not the hottest year on record because the 1930s is still the reigning champ for hottest years since recordkeeping began in the mid-1800s. Since 2000, there has been no statistical warming as acknowledged by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes (IPCC) last assessment report, numerous journal articles, and 37 years of satellite temperature records.

Climate experts have noted there has also been no increase in extreme weather events, which include long-term droughts, heavy floods, accelerated sea level rise, more tornadoes, and specifically, hurricanes. In fact, Hermine didnt break the 11-year hurricane drought in the United States. No major hurricanecategory 3 or higherhas made landfall since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

And the first to strike Florida was Hurricane Wilma in October 2005, which devolved into a category 2 after it made landfall.

Hurricane hyperbole

Hermine, which peaked briefly as a category 1 hurricane before reaching land near St.

Marks, Florida, quickly devolved into a tropical depression as the storm flitted across Georgia and into the Atlantic Ocean. All the computer models projected a long-lasting, devastating storm over the busy Labor Day weekend up and down the East Coast. These are the same computer models predicting our climate in 75 years.

Labor Day weekend a bust

Because Hermine was such a rare happenstance after enjoying over a decade without a hurricane hitting Florida, the media covered it like it was an unnatural event. Couple that with the pessimistic (and wrong) forecasts, and many people abandoned their Labor Day weekend getaways.Millions stayed at home and coastal hotels stayed largely vacant. But major hurricanes should be occurring much more often even in a non-warming world.

The warm ocean water is their fuel, but this drought has been long-running and persistent.

Hillarys fundraising gambit

More troubling, while Hermine was forecasted to impact Long Island and New Yorks long expanse of coastline, Clinton was busily fundraising in the Hamptons, which was directly in Hermines path. But with hundreds of millions (of dollars) at stake, even Clinton gambled it wouldnt be a soaker. She also unveiled her new jet, which she took to Tampa rail for gun control and climate change.'

If Clinton was truly concerned about the climate, she would not have unveiled a new charter jet (a Boeing 737) before heading to Tampa.

Instead, she should have flown to Louisiana to bring much-needed attention the flood victims. But its not a battleground state so why should Clinton, as Louisiana's The Advocate noted, bother to visit their flood-ravaged state? Whether its talking points or actual beliefs, the facts are rarely on Hillarys side.
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Donald Trump has been up against critics and his political opponents since the day he announced his candidacy and no matter how much mud slinging came his way, it didn't amount to swaying his supporters against him. Now it seems Melania Trump is next in line. If you can't break down the candidate, why not go after his wife? Does anyone remember politics in the past ever getting this dirty? While Melania has taken an adamant stand that the horrific accusations aimed her way are not true, she has someone in her corner that may surprise you.

Megyn Kelly's got Melania's back!

Fox News personality Megyn Kelly recently went to bat for Melania as the rapid fire of reports were hitting the headlines in vast numbers last week and they continue today. So far the headlines reflect critics taking aim atMelania's immigration status from 20 years ago, her college degree, the borrowed words from Michele Obama's speech and a previous secret marriage. Then there are the decades old nude photos of a young Melania modeling that were posted online to add to all this taunting.

Megyn Kelly can't imagine why anyone would care about Melania's immigration status 20 years ago. Today she is an American citizen and she's not the one running for office. During a recent episode of the On The Kelly File, Megyn, Mike Huckabee, and Howard Kurtz (along with On The Kelly File reporter Trace Gallagher), all had their say about the ludicrous accusations Melania is up against, which was reported by Crooks and Liars.

Gallagher reported that there's no concrete evidence that any immigration facts were misrepresented by Melania Trump. Even after days of these claims, no one has offered up the proof, but there are some inconsistencies in the accounts given surrounding Melania's immigration process, Gallagher did say. Kutz called the Melania story "overblown" and offered "who cares" when it comes to the type of visa a young model had 20 years ago.

The modeling agency that Melania worked for during the time the visa she had was in question reported she was in this nation legally and the type of visa allowed her to work.

Nude photos and secret marriage accusations

Kelly did bring up the nude pictures of Melania when she was modeling 20 years ago. As Kurtz said, "she was a model, we know this about her." No one can figure out who was actually behind those pictures finding their way to the online world, but the consensus among Kelly and her panel is that it is all part of this war against Trump, which is now turned toward Mrs.

Trump. As Hollywood Life reports now there are questions about Melania being married before she married Trump, which is again another false accusation, according to the Trump camp.

Kelly went as far as suggesting that Melania being a "traditional wife and mother" has got the feminists hating her and making accusations. Both Kelly and Huckabee thought they should be talking about other things like Obama's college transcripts, which was Huckabee's suggestion. Kelly thought Bill Clinton should be the topic of conversation for those who want talk about spouses. Kelly, who has certainly had her fair share of sparring with Donald Trump, really stepped up to the plate to show she is fair and balanced by going to bat for Melania!
US President Barack Obama and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met informally on Wednesday in a holding room before attending a gala dinner at a regional summit in Laos, White House and Philippine officials said.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrives at the ASEAN Summit family photo while US President Barack Obama chats with the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah in Vientiane, Laos Sept 7. [Photo/Agencies]

The meeting came after Duterte on Monday called Obama a "son of a b----" and, while speaking to reporters, warned Obama not to question killings that have occurred during his crackdown on suspected drug dealers and users. More than 2,000 people have been killed in the crackdown since he took office on June 30.

That caused Obama to cancel a formal meeting scheduled for Tuesday. Obama, in turn, called Duterte "a colorful guy". On Tuesday, Duterte expressed regret over the remarks.

A Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Charles Joe, said it was a mutually agreed meeting, but that he had no details of what was discussed.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Pefecto Yasay told The Associated Press that the leaders had met:

"They met at the holding room and they were the last persons to leave the holding room. I can't say how long they met. It all springs from the fact the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong. The basis for this relationship is historical and both leaders realize this. And I'm very happy that it happened"

Obama and Duterte entered the dinner venue separately, and were seated far apart and did not interact with each other during the dinner that lasted an hour and 20 minutes.
Alibaba gives seminar to help Aussies leverage China's e-commerce Updated: 2016-09-07 10:01 (Xinhua)

SYDNEY - Successful Aussie brands with a local following have the greatest potential on China's e-commerce platforms as businesses leverage the Asian consumer market, a business breakfast heard as the two countries further trade links.

Australia on Tuesday signed a strategic collaboration agreement with e-commerce giant Alibaba to expand the variety of fresh products available for purchase while leveraging digital content to build "brand Australia."

The partnership is designed to allow more small- and medium- sized businesses to leverage the convergence of e-commerce and social media that have so far enabled Chinese consumers to spend almost A$500 billion ($381.98 billion) per annum through online shopping.

"Australia is a key market for Alibaba Group and we are excited to extend our collaboration with Austrade to cultivate successful Australian exporters that are capitalising on China's expanding middle class," Alibaba Australia and New Zealand managing director Maggie Zhou said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Online delivery of imported fresh food in China is becoming increasingly viable as a result of the improvements in last-mile cold chain logistics," Austrade's senior trade commissioner in China, Michael Clifton, said.

Alibaba is providing seminars and workshops to help suppliers understand the nuances of China's e-commerce market as it expands into Australia.

Alibaba Australia and New Zealand director of business development John O'Loghlen conceded trading on e-commerce platforms may be daunting for Aussie businesses.

But for the consumer, "it's wonderful" as the competitive marketplace allows price comparisons and full product transparency, O'Loghlen said.
China continues to be largest tourist source market of Sri Lanka Updated: 2016-09-07 15:29 (Xinhua)

COLOMBO - China remains the largest tourist source market of Sri Lanka, with over 27,000 tourists arriving in the island country in August, statistics from the country's Tourism Ministry showed here on Wednesday.

Nearly 200,000 Chinese tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka from January to August this year, a 32 percent increase from the same period last year.

Overall, tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose 11.8 percent from a year earlier to 186,288 in August 2016, with total visitors up 16 percent to 1.3 million.

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka hit an all-time high in July with the number of arrivals exceeding 200,000 in one month alone.
China's Belt and Road Initiative to stimulate Asian, global economic growth: Bangladesh economist Updated: 2016-09-07 15:32 (Xinhua)

DHAKA -- Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China could stimulate sustainable Asian and global economic growth, a leading Bangladeshi legal economist told Xinhua.

In an exclusive interview recently, MS Siddiqui, a professor at Dhaka's Daffodil International University, said the Belt and Road Initiative will connect countries that represent 30 percent of world gross domestic product (GDP), 63 percent of global population, and most of known energy reserves.

Promote infrastructure development

In particular, countries along the Belt and Road routes, especially those with underdeveloped infrastructure, low investment rates, and low per-capita incomes, could experience a boost in trade flows and benefit from infrastructure development, said Siddiqui.

The Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, in a bid to revive the historic trade routes by boosting cooperation between China and other nations.

The Silk Road Economic Belt revival project could involve more than 60 countries and regions.

According to the economist, Chinese investment in large infrastructure projects constitutes the basis of the China-led initiative, which consists primarily of infrastructure that facilitates east-west trade over land, such as railways, roads and pipelines.

China has committed a total of about $100 billion to a trio of new infrastructure funds, allocating $40 billion to the Central Asia-focused Silk Road Fund, $50 billion to the new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and $10 billion to the BRICS-led New Development Bank, he mentioned.

The vision document for the Belt and Road Initiative, goes well beyond just infrastructure, and envisions closer coordination of economic development policies, harmonization of technical standards for infrastructure, removal of investment and trade barriers, establishment of free trade areas, financial cooperation and "people to people bonds" involving cultural and academic exchanges.

Personnel exchanges and cooperation, media cooperation, youth and female exchanges, and volunteer services, are also major components of the initiative, he said.

"China would be able to better secure its energy and raw materials supply, which now predominantly gets shipped through the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea as China is gradually becoming more influential economically and diplomatically. Eventually it will shift geo-strategically from a 'low-profile' international strategy and take on a far greater role in global affairs."

With the Belt and Road Initiative, Siddiqui said China as "a new great power is trying to supplement the international economic order."

Opportunity for Bangladesh

"Bangladesh is in a strategic location between China, India and ASEAN countries and hence is well placed to be a trading and manufacturing hub. Bangladesh needs such increased connectivity with other economies in this region and China's Belt and Road Initiative will see the realization of this economic area."

He added that Bangladesh should seek more Chinese support to help develop more mega infrastructures and develop other facilities related to finance and technology.

"Following China's construction here of the multipurpose road-rail Padma Bridge, we are expecting China to help develop a deep sea port," the economist said.

Bangladesh also needs Chinese support on regional and global issues and has invited China to be involved in regional issues with other relevant countries, he said.

Siddiqui went on to explain that the current infrastructure and energy sector projects bottlenecking in Bangladesh transpired mainly from a shortage of long-term investments.

The Bangladeshi government's budgetary allocations and long-term financing from local and foreign enterprises including banks, non-banking financial institutions and insurance companies, were not sufficient for maintaining the required investment for these sectors, he said.

"Bangladesh will have to spend between $7.4 billion and $10 billion a year until 2020 to bring its power grids, roads and water supplies up to the standard needed to serve its growing population. In total, the country will require between $74 billion and $100 billion between 2011 and 2020, or between 7.38 to 10.02 percent of its gross domestic product to improve infrastructure."

BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar) economic corridors will increase trade, transport, tourism and investment for Bangladesh, due to its strategic location between India and China, he said.

"The availability and affordability of workers and its geographical location are important aspects of Bangladesh developing into regional hub, yet it urgently needs a port, and related infrastructure to boost connectivity with other nations through ocean and land routes. The Belt and Road Initiatives will open up numerous opportunities for Bangladesh," said Siddiqui.

Connecting world efficiently

He said Chinese investment in large infrastructure projects constitutes the basis of the Belt and Road Initiative and emphasizes the commercial and open nature of the modern version of this network, he said.

He further explained that the ambitious programs of infrastructure construction along the main Asia-Europe shipping route will also result in connecting the world more efficiently.

"Firstly, China is gradually becoming more influential economically, diplomatically and geostrategically in regions close to Europe, therefore stronger investment and trade relations between China and countries in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia are increasing China's stake in regional affairs, as friendly relations with Beijing increase," Siddiqui said.

"Secondly, the Chinese government has an increased ability to influence routes trade between China and the European Union. And in the long term it is likely that transport and supply chain routes involving Asia and Africa will increasingly bypass those of Europe," the economist concluded.
Kyrgyzstan has China's full support as attack is probed Updated: 2016-09-08 07:08 By MO JINGXI(China Daily)

China will continue to fully support Kyrgyzstan as it investigates the terrorist attack on the Chinese embassy there and arrests the perpetrators, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday.

Kyrgyzstan's National Security Committee has said that the suicide bomb attack in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek last week was ordered by Uyghur militants active in Syria and carried out by a member of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

Three embassy staff members suffered minor injuries in the attack and were taken to a hospital; the attacker died. China has condemned the attack and urged Kyrgyzstan authorities to quickly and thoroughly investigate the incident.

"I want to stress that the East Turkestan terrorist forces representing the (East Turkestan Islamic Movement) have planned and carried out many terrorist incidents targeting China inside and outside the country and committed bloody crimes," Hua said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

Since the attack, Chinese law enforcement departments have closely followed Kyrgyzstan's investigation process and provided necessary assistance as required, she said.

The suicide bomber, whose car rammed the gate of the embassy on Aug 30, was an ethnic Uyghur who held a Tajikistan passport under the name of Zoir Khalilov, the Kyrgyzstan security service said.

Five Kyrgyzstan citizens suspected of complicity in the bomb attack have been detained, and an international arrest warrant has been issued for two other Kyrgyzstan citizens living in Turkey, it said.

The East Turkestan Islamic Movement is a terrorist group that constitutes a serious threat to China, Syria, Central Asia and many other countries and regions, Hua said.

The group has been listed by the United Nations and the United Kingdom as a terrorist group.

"We will continue to keep in close communication with Kyrgyzstan and enhance anti-terrorism cooperation to firmly safeguard the safety of China, Kyrgyzstan and other countries in the region," Hua added.

Reuters contributed to this story.
Obama has job cut out to leave behind legacy Updated: 2016-09-07 07:40 By Shen Dingli(China Daily)

File photo shows US President Barack Obama holds a news conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US, August 4, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

US President Barack Obama is going to leave the White House and quite a few legacies, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, nuclear deal with Iran, and the reconciliation with Cuba, in four months. But he will also leave as many controversies behind.

In the United States, for instance, Obama's unprecedented legislation on healthcare has advanced the agenda of progressiveness, but it has also divided the US on partisan lines. Externally, his willingness to "reset" US relations with Russia has resulted in a treaty to further reduce nuclear weapons, but relations between Washington and Moscow have worsened due to Crimea crisis.

The same applies to the Obama administration's relations with China. Despite his initial earnestness to usher in a strategic dialogue with China, he has ended up weaving a network to counter China. Obama's rebalancing strategy to deploy some 60 percent of the US navy and air force overseas in the Asia-Pacific region is aimed at checking China's rise. And his Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is designed to boost US competitiveness in exports and investments, at China's cost.

Nevertheless, the legacy of Obama's rebalancing strategy will not last long. Whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton succeeds him, Obama's TPP is unlikely to be inherited in its current form by the next US administration. Trump, if elected US president, is more likely to put aside TPP.

In this sense, Obama's Asia tour, with visits to Hangzhou for the G20 Summit and Vientiane for the East Asia Summit, could be the beginning of the end of his rebalancing to Asia-Pacific strategy. Neither Obama's TPP and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership plans are likely to yield resultseven if Clinton succeeds himnor is the US military pressure expected to produce the results Obama expects.

Obama should have realized that as the second-largest economy, China is not a country that can be coerced into accepting unfair economic and political conditions.
Bank of China backs plan to build luxury high-rise condos in Queens Updated: 2016-09-07 10:56 By Paul Welitzkin in New York(China Daily USA)

An artist's rendering of the proposed Court Square City View Tower development in Long Island City, New York. Provided To China Daily

A Flushing, New York-based company has secured a $100 million loan to develop a high-rise tower in Long Island City in Queens, New York.

Citing property records, The Real Deal reported Tuesday that Jiashu (Chris) Xu, the founder and president of United Construction & Development Group Corp and United Plumbing, Heating & Appliance Corp, refinanced the Long Island City site with a $100 million loan from the Bank of China.

Xu's firm plans to build a 78-story tower at 23-15 44th Drive on the site that was acquired from Citigroup Inc for about $143 million in 2015.

Called Court Square City View Tower, the building will feature 660 luxury residential units and 100,000 square feet of commercial space, according to the United Construction & Development Group website. The architectural firm for the project is Goldstein, Hill & West Architects.

The project is expected to break ground in 2017. Xu is the founder and president of United Construction & Development Group Corp. and United Plumbing, Heating & Appliance Corp.

At the age of 18, Xu emigrated with his family from China to the US. Eventually he became the founder and co-partner of United Plumbing, Heating & Appliance, and a plumbing and heating distributor in Queens, New York.

In 1996, Xu founded his second company that later became United Construction & Development Group.

paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
Beijing displays charms in DC exhibition Updated: 2016-09-07 10:56 By Dong Leshuo in Washington(China Daily USA)

From left: Wang Rui, officer of branding and marketing at the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development (BMCTD); Li Xiangying, deputy district mayor of the Shunyi District Government; Karima Woods, director of Economic Development and Strategy at the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development of Washington; Theresa Belpulsi, vice-president of tourism and visitor services at Destination DC; Yu Ning, minister counselor at the Chinese embassy; Wang Yue, vice-chairwoman of BMCTD; and Lu Chuan, director of branding and marketing at BMCTD, at the unveiling ceremony of the Charming Beijing photo exhibition at Union Station in Washington on Tuesday. Yuan Yuan / For China Daily

Charming Beijing, a four-day photo exhibition displaying some 100 photos of the city's tourist attractions, opened Tuesday at Union Station in Washington.

The show, which features six distinctive themes of the ancient capital city, is being presented by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development (BMCTD) to celebrate the 2016 China-US Tourism Year and the Beijing-DC sister city relationship, which was established in 1984 and renewed in 2015 during the first China mission for Mayor Muriel Bowser of the District of Columbia.

"A record 273 million people visited Beijing in 2015," said Wang Yue, vice-chairwoman of BMCTD, "bringing an estimated $68.7 billion in revenue and 7.6 percent growth from the year before. Among the fastest-growing groups of tourists (are) from the US, who accounted for 694,100 visitors last year."

"Beijing's outbound tourists to the US have also increased significantly from 185,000 in 2014 to 260,000 in 2015, a 40.2 percent growth," Wang said.

"Many of them have had the opportunity to visit the beautiful Washington DC, a sister city of Beijing, and our strongest global partner in tourism development."

According to statistics released by the National Travel and Tourism Office and the US Department of Commerce, an estimated 2 million Americans have visited China annually in recent years.

In 2015, 2.5 million Chinese traveled to the US, a 20 percent increase over the previous year, and spent $24 billion traveling to US cities, national parks and other destinations.

"China remains our number one inbound overseas market, which is fantastic," said Theresa Belpulsi, vice-president of Tourism and Visitor Services at Destination DC. "We just reached an all-time high, over 300,000 Chinese visitors coming to Washington DC, and what's even more fantastic is that this is a 36 percent increase over last year.

"This is the fifth year in a row that DC (had) double-digit increases from China," Belpulsi added. "This is absolutely because of the wonderful relationship that we formed (with) China.

"One out of every nine Chinese visitors that come to the US comes to Washington DC," she said. "Now we have two flights coming from Beijing, so anyone else who wants to bring in another flight, we are more than happy to welcome it to Washington DC to keep this number growing."

A booming tourism market also brings trade opportunities.

"In 2012, the District of Columbia opened an international trade office in Shanghai, and we also opened our second international trade office in 2014 in Beijing," said Karima Woods, director of the Economic Development and Strategy Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.

"As the result of opening these two offices, we've been able to take a number of DC's businesses in addition to colleges and universities on trade missions to China," Woods said.

"Tourism has become increasingly important in the economy," said Yu Ning, minister counselor at the Chinese embassy in Washington. "And besides its economic functions, it connects two cultures."

Globalization includes not only capital flows but also personnel flows.

"It's harder for your guest to become your enemy," Yu said.

Yuan Yuan in Washington contributed to the story.

leshuodong@chinadailyusa.com
Thousands of Chinese rally in Paris to call for 'security for all'

Updated: 2016-09-06 09:57

(Xinhua)

Demonstrators hold signs at a rally of the Chinese community to raise awareness about recent attacks in Paris, France, September 4, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]

PARIS - Thousands of Chinese living in France marched Sunday in Paris to protest against insecurity and crimes targeting Chinese after a Chinese textile designer died after being attacked last month in Paris suburbs.

Police data showed about 15,000 people attended the rally on Sunday, the largest gathering of Chinese community since 2012.

Wearing white T-shirts, protesters waved French flags and chanted "Security for all"," Freedom, equality, fraternity and security." The wave of protests came after 49-year-old Zhang Chaolin died last month after five days in a coma. He had been mugged in the northern Paris suburb of Aubervilliers by three men who stole his bag.

"The Chinese community does not talk much. It is very discreet and here people have finally decided to say something ... The message at this protest is that all communities feel concerned," Veronique Yang,said a Sino-French journalist, adding: "we are citizens with full French citizenship."

Stephane Cheng, a French of Chinese origin said the reason for the rally was "to put pressure on the government so that our demands will better been taken into account."

"People need to feel protected by the French government when they come to France, and for us, it is still not enough," he added.

Caroline Zhang, a Chinese student who has lived in Paris for three years, does not dare to go out at night. "I am not reassured to go out because I have friends who are being robbed..." she said.

"The Chinese have reputation for carrying a lot of cash on them. But, we are targeted for nothing," she said.

In Sunday's peaceful protest, many French people joined Chinese protesters to express solidarity with them. John Pergouret, manager of Saphir Eurasia Promotion agency, said: "I have a network on WeChat where many Chinese tourists I work with were attacked. They feel insecure and

I'm demonstrating along with the Chinese community because we are all concerned."
Obama, Duterte meeting canceled after Duterte's insult Updated: 2016-09-07 09:40 (Agencies/Xinhua)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attends a welcome dinner at the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos September 6, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's planned meeting with his Philippine counterpart was canceled because the tone of the Philippine leader's rhetoric raised questions about the chances for a productive talks, the US State Department said on Tuesday.

"Words matter, and we want to see an atmosphere that is cordial and open to strong cooperation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said after President Rodrigo Duterte called Obama a "son of a bitch" and said he would not be lectured over extrajudicial killings in the Philippines' drug war.

Duterte said on Monday that the United States has no moral authority to give him a lecture on humans rights, warning he will not allow any country to interfere in Philippine internal affairs.

Duterte was reacting to a question that US President Barack Obama might raise the issue of alleged extrajudicial killings in the Philippines during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and related summits this week in Vientiane, Laos.

"I do not want to pick a quarrel with Obama but certainly I would not appear to be beholden to anybody," Duterte told a news conference in Davao City in southern Philippines before leaving for Laos.

Duterte also slammed the US for its human rights records in the past when it colonized the Philippines.

He said Obama must be careful of what issues that he raises at the summit.

Duterte is getting criticism for the mounting number of victims in killings of people allegedly involved in illicit drugs.

However, he said the campaign against illegal drugs will continue in spite of the criticism.

Philippine military and police continued to investigate a deadly blast that hit Duterte's hometown Davao City on Friday night. The attack claimed the lives of 14 people and injured almost 70 others.

Duterte vowed to remain firm in the resolve to combat terrorism.

Duterte later voiced regret for his language. The two had been scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Laos.
Game of Thrones producer to make Empress series Updated: 2016-09-07 10:56 By Amy He in New York(China Daily)

A new television series about Empress Wu Zetian, the only female ruler in China's history, will be developed and produced by the producer of the hit TV series Game of Thrones, but industry observers expressed skepticism about the show's potential to reach audiences outside of China.

Christopher Newman, producer at Game of Thrones that will wrap up after two more seasons, signed a deal with Starlight Media and K. Jam Media to develop and produce 13-episodes of Empress. It is budgeted for approximately $70 million, with production beginning in Sichuan in late 2017 and set for a 2018 premiere. The show will be offered to US broadcast networks.

Wu has often been depicted in pop culture as cunning, smart and a source of political force. She ruled during the Zhou dynasty

There are no details yet about the show, including whether it will feature a predominantly Chinese cast or what language the it will be in, and whether the story will be Westernized to appeal to a global market.

The format - one season, 13 episodes - is more similar to an American television one, but Michael Berry, professor of contemporary Chinese cultural studies at the University of Los Angeles, said the project is most likely targeting a Chinese audience.

"The 'American format' is a format that Chinese audiences are very accustomed to, thanks to the popularity of numerous American miniseries in China," he said.

"The act that it will be in this 'American format' does leave the possibility of the series to be re-introduced to the US market, but there is not any great precedent for foreign language [television] serials doing well in the US market," he added.

Having Newman attached to the project may bring credibility to the series, but the show's success will ultimately be determined by the quality of its production, he said.

Brian Bernards, professor at University of South California, said the show could potentially have a fantastical element to it, given what Newman did with Game of Thrones.

"While I still think that mainland Chinese audiences will be the primary target - as I believe they are for Zhang Yimou's new Great Wall film, despite the casting of Hollywood leads - there may be a secondary goal to tap into this niche fantasy market in the West," he said.

He added that China-Hollywood co-productions makes it more difficult to distinguish between Western and Chinese audiences and tastes.

The show comes at a time when companies are beginning to make more China-geared content in order to sell to Chinese audiences. AMC released Into the Badlands starring Daniel Wu, telling a story of a martial artist living in a dystopian future. Wu's star power in China helped AMC secure an international distributor that allowed the show to be aired simultaneously in the US and Asia.

US streaming platform Netflix created a China-centric show Marco Polo about the story of the explorer in China during the years of Mongol rule under the Yuan dynasty. The protagonist was played by an Italian actor and the cast heavily featured Asian actors.

Before the show aired, many saw it as a sign that Netflix was beginning to produce more content that would directly appeal to Chinese audiences.

amyhe@chinadailyusa.com
Experts call for synergy between EU and Chinese mega projects Updated: 2016-09-08 00:01 By Fu Jing in Brussels(chinadaily.com.cn)

Beijing and Brussels should find ways to extend the synergy between the three-year European investment scheme and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, in light of the European Union recently announcing it will enlarge the 315-billion-euro (USD 354 billion) scheme in terms of time and scale, say experts on China.

"For sure, it is positive for both sides to extend the synergy cooperation if Brussels has put that on the agenda," said Hinrich Voss, professor of international business at the UKs Leeds University.

Voss made the comment to China Daily after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker revealed the idea at the G20 summit, which was held last week in Hangzhou, the capital of Chinas Zhejiang province.

"I am now working on proposals to extend the plan, both in time and in scale," Juncker said, referring to the 2015-17 Investment Plan for Europe, which aims to trigger 315 billion euros of investment from a 21-billion-euro initial financial injection.

Juncker said the proposal was based on the smooth delivery of the scheme. As of July this year, a total of 116 billion euros in investment has been delivered. Though this is only 37 percent of the 2015-17 target of 315 billion euros, Juncker said he was satisfied with the plan because 200,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe now have better access to finance.

Partly because of these efforts, Juncker said economic growth in the euro zone had grown more quickly than in both the United States and the United Kingdom. He expects growth this year to be at 1.8 percent.

Beijing and Brussels agreed in mid 2015 to forge synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the European investment plan, to help penetrate trade and investment markets on both sides. In addition to the EU, more than 30 economies worldwide have already entered into agreements with Beijing on mega-project synergy.

While G20 leaders agreed in Hangzhou to deepen global cooperation on infrastructure construction, which is always seen by governments as part of the recipe for economic growth, China experts said Brussels should discuss with Beijing ways to further connect the two mega projects.

"I think it would be positive if Beijing and Brussels would work closely together on the ongoing synergy of the investment scheme and the Belt and Road Initiative," said Voss.

"Based on that, if the extension of the investment scheme (by the EU) is there, it can be further linked to the Belt and Road Initiative."

Voss said the UK exiting from the EU would not affect such cooperation between Beijing and Brussels and noted that such synergy would help bring in more investment, incorporating European and Chinese firms.

"So, we all have to see how this develops in the future but I think it is good to see that this is coming about, regardless of the UKs exit from the European Union," said Voss.

Zhang Haiyan, professor of studies into the Asian economy and director of Neoma's Confucius Business Institute in France, said it would be meaningful for both sides to set up a mega-project synergy platform but noted that Brussels and Beijing would need to push how this policy synergy could deliver tangible benefits for businesses on both sides.

"It is interesting to put these two mega-projects on one platform and try to cooperate, but I think it is not only needed at a policy level," Zhang said.

He would also like to see cooperation at the company level among businesses.

Zhang has called for more encouraging measures to be put in place to help Chinese investors from the private sector find expansion opportunities in Europe. Compared with the scale of European investment in China, Zhang said Chinese investment in Europe is still small, despite the fact that there has been a big leap in recent years.

"So, how to bring more Chinese investors to Europe, especially for those private businesses, is quite challenging," said Zhang, who has closely monitored the development of the Belt and Road Initiative in Europe.

In March, his business institute and China Daily co-organized a seminar in Paris to explore how European and Chinese investors should include "green and sustainable" elements in the Belt and Road Initiative. In August, President Xi Jinping put the concept of the "Green Silk Road" into the framework of this mega-project to better link Asia, Europe and Africa.

Bernard Dewit, from the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said it is true both China and the European Union have repeatedly encouraged two-way investment in recent years.

"For potential Chinese investment in Belgium and in many parts of Europe as well, we hope that more Chinese investors could finally make it," said Dewit.

Yao Yueyang, an intern with the China Daily European Union Bureau contributed to this story
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The talks between the Vietnamese and French Presidents on September 6__Photo: VNA

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Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and his French counterpart Francois Hollande agreed on various measures to boost the countries relations during their talks in Hanoi on September 6 morning as part of the French Presidents State visit to Vietnam.At the talks, the leaders shared the view that bilateral ties have been thriving across the board, stating the resolve to bolster the countries strategic partnership with a long-term cooperation vision so as to meet their common interests and concerns.They agreed to enhance all-level visits, especially at high levels, and bring into play coordination mechanisms in politics, economics, defense, science-technology, culture, and education-training.They emphasized that economic partnership remains a priority in bilateral ties, and the countries need to promote cooperation in key projects in infrastructure, energy, aviation, health care-pharmaceuticals, the environment, agriculture and food processing.President Hollande affirmed Frances commitment to continue ODA provision for Vietnam.The countries will continue creating a favorable environment for their enterprises to cooperate, invest and do business. Vietnam invited France to be the honorary guest at the 2017 Vietnam International Food Industry Exhibition (Vietnam Foodexpo).The Presidents agreed to foster science-technology linkages, particularly in renewable energy and satellite application, while boosting cultural, tourism and educational ties. They will provide optimal conditions for Vietnamese students to study in France and help the Hanoi University of Science and Technology to reach international standards.Vietnam and France will reinforce defense cooperation, especially through military equipment procurement and mutual visits by naval ships. France will help Vietnam in the UN peace-keeping operations and work with Vietnam to address traditional and non-traditional security issues.They also agreed to enhance coordination at multilateral forums like the UN, ASEAN-EU, Asia-Europe Meeting and the Francophone community. They will continue mutual support to promote Frances relations with Asian-Pacific countries and Vietnams cooperation with the EU.Vietnam highly values Frances role in the fight against climate change, particularly after the success of the 21Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21) held in Paris last year. Both sides will tighten connections in coping with global challenges, including climate change.At the talks, the Presidents clarified the importance of maintaining peace and stability and promoting regional and international cooperation. They reiterated the commitment to ensuring free navigation and aviation, stressing the peaceful settlement of East Sea disputes through diplomatic and legal processes, and with respect to international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.Regarding The Hague tribunals ruling on July 12, 2016, both sides affirmed the law-abiding principle at seas and oceans. They underlined the importance of fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), while supporting efforts to reach a Code of Conduct (COC) in the waters.At the end of the talks, Presidents Tran Dai Quang and Francois Hollande witnessed the signing and exchange of many documents and cooperation agreements between the two governments, their ministries, agencies and businesses.At noon the same day, the Vietnamese leader hosted a banquet in honor of the French President.
HCM CITY  Viet Nam has imported roughly US$2 billion of animal feed during the first eight and a half months of this year, down 6.2 per cent from the same period a year ago.

Most of the countrys imported animal feed and raw materials were imported from Argentina, China, the US and Japan, according to statistics released from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

So far this year through August 15, Viet Nam imported $1.95 billion of animal feed, a reduction of 6.2 per cent compared with the same period last year.

During the first 15 days of August, the country imported $141.87 million of animal feed, a reduction of 21.7 per cent against the same period last month, according to statistics.

Corn imports reached 194,800 tonnes, equivalent to $39.9 million, a reduction of 17.8 per cent in terms of volume and 16.5 per cent in terms of value compared to the first 15 days of July.

Soybean imports were recorded at 30,800 tonnes or $14.7 million.

During the first seven months, Viet Nams animal feed import value from Argentina was $820.5 million, an increase of 7.3 per cent. China is Viet Nams second biggest market for animal feed imports with a total value of $60.3 million in July, double increase against the previous month.

The US, the third biggest exporter of animal feed of Viet Nam, exported $46.07 million to the country in July, an increase of 73 per cent against June 2016.  VNS
HCM CITY  A delegation of business executives representing nine companies based in Turkeys Antalya city yesterday met with their counterparts in HCM City to exchange information and explore business opportunities.

They represent prominent companies that produce fertilisers, plant nutrition products, seeds and biological defence products.

Yonetim Kurulu Uyesi of the board of the Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Turkish firms want to understand more about Viet Nams rapidly growing fertiliser market and strengthen their relations with Vietnamese companies.

Viet Nam market is a promising market for us.

According to the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), trade between Viet Nam and Turkey has grown from US$1 billion in 2012 to $1.5 billion last year, with Viet Nam enjoying a surplus.

The two countries have set themselves a target of doubling trade to $3 billion this year.

Viet Nam exports mainly mobile phones and accessories, fibres and yarns, computers, electronic products and accessories, fabric, and rubber and imports machinery and equipment, milk and milk products, medicines, plastic products, and chemicals.

The business-matching event was organised by the VCCI in collaboration with the Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  VNS
A Vietnamese delegation visit an apple farm in Japan.  VNA/VNS Photo Gia Quan

HCM CITY  There is huge potential for Vietnamese and Japanese firms to co-operate in many areas, including use of information and communication technologies in agriculture and food processing, a conference heard in HCM City yesterday.

Kondo Boboru, CEO of Brain Works Group, said with their increasing incomes Vietnamese consumers are looking for quality food products.

With their ICT expertise, Japanese firms can join hands with Vietnamese firms to create a food value chain from production to consumption, yielding products of high quality and ensuring traceability.

In addition, Vietnamese firms can co-operate with their Japanese counterparts to build brands for their products, he told the media on the sidelines of the 52nd Asia Business Conference.

Viet Nam is in the top three countries in ASEAN in terms of investment opportunities, according to the CEO.

Besides, it is perceived by Japanese investors as a friendly destination.

Japan ranks among the top investors in Viet Nam though the number of Japanese companies investing in the country is low compared to those from South Korea.

He has been doing business in Viet Nam for 20 years and wants to promote tie-ups between the two countries businesses.

Organised by the Brain Works Group, the conference attracted nearly 150 Vietnamese and Japanese firms, including many Japanese firms in the fields of construction, ICT, real estate, agriculture, and food.

According to the Foreign Investment Agency, Japan was the third biggest investor out of 65 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam in the first eight months of the year, with US$1.46 billion, or 10.1 per cent of the total FDI.  VNS
HA NOI - Moodys Investors Service on Monday placed on review for upgrade the long-term credit ratings of seven Vietnamese banks.

Moodys has also placed on review for upgrade the baseline credit assessments (BCAs) and long-term counterparty risk assessments (CRAs) of these seven banks and of two more banks.

The institutions affected are An Binh Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ABB), Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), JSC Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam (Vietcombank) and Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Military Bank), as well as Sai Gon-Ha Noi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB), Sai Gon Thuong Tin Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Sacombank), Viet Nam Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank), Viet Nam International Bank (VIB) and Viet Nam Technological and Comml JSB (TCB).

The rating action reflects Moodys expectation that the more benign operating and economic environment for banks in Viet Nam (B1 stable) will lead to improvements in the banks credit profiles, and notably, their asset quality and profitability metrics, while also contributing to relative stability in their funding and liquidity.

The improvement in the operating and economic environment for banks has been reflected in Moodys change of Viet Nams macro profile to "Weak" from "Weak-." A macro profile captures the risks related to the banks operating and economic environment.

Despite the improvement, Moodys considers that the Vietnamese banking system remains undercapitalised against the backdrop of rapid credit growth and a high share of legacy problem assets, which are not always adequately disclosed on the banks balance sheets. Moodys expects that these challenges will continue to persist in the medium-term, despite some improvements.

Moodys expects to conclude the review of the Vietnamese banks within the next 90 days.

The BCAs and long-term ratings of Bank for Investment & Development of Viet Nam, Viet Nam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank and Viet Nam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank are not affected by this action. - VNS
HA NOI  Several Vietnamese air carriers yesterday signed agreements with European aircraft maker Airbus in Ha Noi to buy 40 airplanes during an official visit by President Francois Hollande.

According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Duong Tri Thanh, President and CEO of Vietnam Airlines, and Fabrice Bregier, Airbus President & CEO, in the presence of President Hollande and President Tran ai Quang, the national carrier Vietnam Airlines will buy 10 A350-900 aircraft, which will enable Vietnam Airlines to operate flights non-stop to the United States, carrying 305 passengers in a three class premium layout.

The carrier last year became the first airline in East Asia and the second in the world to operate the A350-900 XWB. It already has four aircraft in service, with another 10 on order for future delivery.

Thanh said the intent to acquire these additional aircraft reflected VNAs excellent experience with the A350 since it entered the carriers service last year.

"With its very long-range capability, economic fuel consumption and spacious cabin design, the A350 is the suitable aircraft for our proposed intercontinental routes to Europe and the United States. The start of non-stop transpacific services with the A350 is yet another example of the commitment we have at Vietnam Airlines to strengthen our position as one of the worlds leading international carriers," Thanh said.

The new generation aircraft is a crucial factor in ensuring Vietnam Airlines 4-star service quality, which could be upgraded to 5-star service in the near future.

On the same day, low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific, a joint venture between Vietnam Airlines and Qantas Airways (Australia), officially inked a contract with Airbus to buy 10 new generation Airbus A320 aircraft from Airbus.

The contract was signed by Jetstar Pacifics chief executive officer Le Hong Ha and Bregier. The aircraft, which will be delivered in 2017, will help Jetstar Pacific expand its domestic and international flight network. Jetstar Pacific plans to increase its fleet to 30 Airbus A320 between 2016 and 2020.

This order is a key milestone for our operation here in Viet Nam and beyond, said Ha.

These new aircraft will be used primarily to expand our international network. As competition grows in Viet Nam, we believe that the A320 and our value-based quality service will place us well to attract a growing share of the market," said Ha.

Bregier said, We are pleased to sign our first purchase agreement with Jetstar Pacific.

The order reinforces the position of the A320 as the single aisle aircraft of choice for airlines in Viet Nam. We look forward to developing further our partnership with Jetstar Pacific as it consolidates its position in the fast-growing South East Asian market.

Low-cost private airline Vietjet yesterday clinched a deal valued at some US$2.39 billion with Airbus to buy 20 more A321 aircraft.

"Vietjet is benefitting from the very significant economies that come from operating a single aircraft family. For busier routes, the A321 combines higher capacity with the lowest operating costs in its class, offering unbeatable efficiency," Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Bregier said.

"We look forward to further developing our partnership with Vietjet, including working with the airline to develop its new training facility," he added.

The airplanes will be delivered to Vietjet from 2017 until 2020.

Vietjet is the first airline in Viet Nam to operate as a new-age airline with low costs and diversified services to meet customers demands.

Currently, the airline operates more than 250 flights per day. It operates 50 routes in Viet Nam and across the region to international destinations, such as Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, as well as mainland China, Myanmar and Malaysia. It has carried some 25 million passengers to date.

Further co-operation in aviation

In a related development, Bregier announced several new collaborative agreements to further contribute to the development of Viet Nams aerospace sector.

These cover increased industrial work, a project to enhance the countrys air traffic management system and support for the development of academic courses at graduate and post-graduate levels.

Airbus said Ha Noi-based Nikkiso Viet Nam had been awarded four new packages to produce composite parts for wide-body programmes.

They include torque boxes and cargo door components for the A350 XWB, and parts for wing tips and wing trailing edges for the A330neo. The deal follows an initial package, in place since 2014, to produce composite panels for wing tip sharklets on the single aisle A320 Family.

Airbus also signed an accord with Artus Viet Nam, a subsidiary of Meggitt PLC, which has been supplying electronic and electromechanical equipment for Airbus aircraft since 1996.

Under the agreement, the two companies will evaluate a significant increase in the production of Airbus components to be supplied by Artus Viet Nam over the next 10 years, as well as committing to work together to stimulate the development of the aerospace sector in Viet Nam.

In the area of infrastructure development, NAVBLUE, Airbuss subsidiary dedicated to flight operations and air traffic management services, signed a letter of intent with Viet Nam Air Traffic Management to help enhance the efficiency of the countrys air traffic control system, especially around Ha Noi and HCM City.

Airbus signed two memoranda of understanding with the University of Sciences and Technology of Ha Noi (USTH), partner of the Vietnamese Academy of Sciences and Technologies.

One will see the company provide support and expertise for the creation of an aeronautics department at USTH, while the second covers the development of a specialised masters degree in safety management systems in partnership with Frances Ecole Nationale de lAviation Civile.

Bregier said: We are extremely pleased to take our relationship with Viet Nam to the next stage with these additional agreements. Viet Nam is one of the worlds fastest growing aviation markets and has great potential to develop a thriving aerospace business.

We look forward to increasing further our industrial presence in Vietnam in the coming years, as well as supporting developments in areas such as air traffic management, training and higher education.  VNS
HCM CITY  French and Vietnamese companies signed two trade agreements at the France  Viet Nam Business Forum held in HCM City yesterday to mark the visit of French President Francois Hollande.

Drug company Sanofi signed an agreement to extend and strengthen its partnership with Vinapharm. The new strategic partnerships covers all locally manufactured medicines marketed by Sanofi in Viet Nam and products exported to countries in the Asia Pacific.

The agreement is expected to take effect by year-end subject to government approval.

Vinapharm will invest in Sanofi Vietnam Shareholding Company, which owns a new, good manufacturing practices-certified facility.

The US$75 million plant will not only produce 150 million batches of drugs per a but also be a centre of excellence in the Asian region. It constitutes Sanofis largest investment in ASEAN member countries to date.

Sanofi has been present in Viet Nam for more than 50 years and has achieved the number 1 position in the pharmaceutical sector, Philippe Luscan, the companys executive vice president, global industrial affairs, and president in France, said.

This new agreement between Sanofi and Vinapharm will expand and enable easier access to healthcare for Vietnamese. This also reflects the strong economic and scientific relationship between France and Viet Nam in healthcare.

In the livestock sector, Neovia Viet Nam and their partners Grimaud Group and Le Boucher signed a partnership with the Animal Husbandry Association of Viet Nam to help improve quality set up a value chain to be called Le Pork Du Mekong.

Amid a strong demand for food safety and traceability, this collective and responsible commitment will enable the development of a pork production controlled at all levels.

More potential to come

At the forum, delegates agreed there is huge potential for companies from the two countries to expand co-operation, especially when a free trade agreement between Viet Nam and EU comes into effect in 2018.

French Minister of State for Commerce, Small-Scale Industry, Consumer Affairs and the Social and Solidarity Economy Martine Pinville said Viet Nam has the highest growth in the region.

Together with Singapore, it is the most open to foreign investors, she said, promising that France would walk hand-in-hand with Viet Nam during its development.

France would help Viet Nam wrap up the free trade agreement with EU after which co-operation between the two countries in many sectors like drugs, agriculture and food would become more convenient.

Nicolas Du Pasquier, president of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry Viet Nam, said Viet Nam needs to revamp its banking sector as well as public services to optimise its potential and attract investors, including from France.

He said the countrys dynamism has been evident since it began its oi moi.

With average growth of over 6 per cent a year, a stable economy and a growing middle class, the country needs to develop sectors like transportation, healthcare, education, and food to have products of better quality, he said.

Nguyen Thanh Phong, chairman of the HCM City Peoples Committee, said the citys doors are always open to French investors.

The citys relations with France have strengthened year after year, he said.

As of July France had185 projects in HCM City worth $848 million.

Trade between the city and France rose by 8.5 per cent last year to $746 million. - VNS
HCM CITY  Pham Thiet Hoa, director of HCM Citys Investment and Trade Promotion Centre, said the city was working to create the best conditions to attract more investors by developing a clean land fund, improving the quality of infrastructure, and expanding the number of industrial parks and export processing zones.

Speaking at an investment seminar yesterday in the city, Hoa said investment priority would be given to nine key sectors: transport (warehousing, port services, maritime logistics and import/export); finance (banking, insurance, credit); postal, telecommunications and IT; real estate; consulting services and science-technology; travel; medical services; commerce; and education and training.

Sectors with high-tech content and high added value, such as mechanical engineering, electronics/IT, chemicals/rubber and food processing, will also be given more emphasis.

Other areas the city plans to give priority to include the biotech industry, clean technology, energy savings, and the fashion and design industries.

Preferential policies will be created to attract investors to the Thu Thiem New Urban Area, Hiep Phuoc Port Urban Area, Binh Quoi-Thanh a Urban Area, and urban railway lines.

Pham Quoc Trung, a representative of the Management Authority for Urban Railways, said the city had 11 railway line projects, including metro, tramway and monorail lines, with total length of 229 kilometres.

Funds are needed for Metro Line No 2 (phase 2), Metro lines No3a and 3b, Metro lines No 4 and 4b, tramway No 1, monorail No 2 and monorail No 3.

Le Bich Loan, deputy head of the Saigon Hi-Tech Parks management board, said that all of the 300ha under the parks first phase had been leased, and the second phase of 613ha was now under construction.

The parks investment priorities are in the fields of microelectronics, semiconductors and ICT; precision mechanics and automation; biotechnology applied to pharmaceuticals and the environment, new and advanced materials and energy; and nanotechnology.

Preferential treatment for investors includes lower corporate income taxes for 15 years, and import duties and VAT exemption for imported goods.

Lam Nguyen Hai Long, director of Quang Trung Software City, the countrys first and largest software park, said that new QTSC branches were being planned. These would connect HCM City to other provinces and contribute to the development of Viet Nams economy and the IT industry.

The QTSC 2 project is slated to begin in 2017 with a total area of 250ha and total investment of US$1 billion. Key investors would be sought for a new data centre, and R&D and utility services.

Representatives from the citys Health Department also called for investment in Cu Chi General Hospital, Hoc Mon General Hospital, Orthopedic Hospital, Cancer Hospitals second facility in District 9, Tan Kien-Binh Chanh Hospital cluster projects and a pediatric hospital, among others.

The seminar was part of the Business Partner City (BPC) Conference 2016, with representatives attending from 14 partner cities, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Jakarta, Seoul, Melbourne, Auckland, Shanghai, Tianjin and Osaka.

Masayuki Inoue, director general of Osakas Economic Strategy Bureau, said by exchanging information, BPC partner cities would have more opportunities to develop trade and investment.

The Business Partner City network helps promote business interaction within the AsiaPacific region, contributing to economic development of each member city.

Business matching was organised in HCM City yesterday, where executives of more than 100 city-based businesses met with 28 counterparts from Japan, the Philippines and Australia in the trading, manufacturing and services sectors.

HCM City has 6,268 FDI projects, with total investment capital of $40.8 billion.

Singapore is the citys largest FDI investor, followed by Malaysia, British Virgin Islands, South Korea and Hong Kong.  VNS
HA NOI  Vietnamese should take the initiative to join business forums and participate in trade fairs and exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to understand the market, experts have said.

Besides this, Vietnamese trade offices abroad, including those in the UAE, need to provide enterprises with the latest market information on specific products they can offer consumers, Director of HCM City Trade and Investment Promotion Centre inh Thiet Hoa, said.

In order to tap into the market successfully, Vietnamese firms should pay attention to the preservation of goods to ensure their quality, while establishing effective supply chains which connect farmers, traders and logistics service providers, inh Cong Tuan, General Manager of Viet Nam-Dubai Tradehub (Vietgate) Co, which helps Vietnamese firms ship products to Dubai in UAE, said.

The UAE was described as a lucrative market for Vietnamese goods thanks to strong economic growth, low import taxes and huge consumption demand.

According to the Vietnamese Embassy in the UAE, bilateral trade between Viet Nam and the bloc topped US$6.2 billion in 2015 and was likely to grow 20-22 per cent this year.

Viet Nams major exports to the bloc included pepper, rice and coffee, followed by electronics and computer spare parts, textiles and garments, shoes and footwear, and seafood products.

Pham Trung Nghia, commercial counselor and head of Viet Nams Trade Office in Dubai, said Viet Nams agricultural products were increasingly winning the hearts of UAE consumers, with the Vietnamese dragon fruit dominant in the UAE market. Vietnamese bananas and pineapples were also increasingly being ordered. -VNS
HA NOI  At the Ministry of Industry and Trades first-ever auction on sugar import quotas yesterday, eleven firms won bids.

Viet Nam must import 85,000 tonnes of sugar this year, following its commitment to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The commitment includes 40,000 tonnes of raw sugar and 45,000 tonnes of refined sugar.

The first-time public auction was created to ensure transparency, the ministry said.

According to Phan Thi Dieu Ha, Deputy Director of the ministrys Import-Export Department, there were 22 valid bids out of 25 participants.

Three companies won bids for import quotas of raw sugar, namely Bien Hoa Sugar Joint Stock Company, Thanh Thanh Cong Tay Ninh Sugar and Sugarcane Company and Khanh Hoa Sugar Company, the three firms securing a total import quota of 39,998 tones.

Eight winners for import quotas of refined sugar included URC Viet Nam, Puratos Grandplace Viet Nam, Perfetti Van Melle, Coca Cola Viet Nam, Nestle Viet Nam, Vinamilk, Sanofi Synthelabo Viet Nam, and a member of Trung Nguyen Group.

For sugar within quotas, tariffs were set at 5 per cent on goods imported from ASEAN countries. From other countries, the tariffs were 25 per cent on raw sugar and 40 per cent on refined sugar.

For sugar outside quotas, tariffs were placed at 80 per cent and 85 per cent on raw and refined sugar, respectively.

Sugar prices have been on an upward trend since the years beginning, up between 20-30 per cent over the same period last year, due to drops in output of 2015-16 crop caused by drought and salt invasion, according to the ministry.

Previously, the Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed to import an additional 200,000 tones of sugar and received the Governments approval for an additional import quota of 100,000 tonnes, a move that augments the WTOs 85,000 ton quota and Hoang Anh Gia Lais 30,000 tonnes from Laos.

Sugar stockpiles were estimated to surpass 400,000 tones in July, according to Viet Nam Sugar and Sugar Association, which estimated that sugar imports and smuggled sugar might push supply surplus to 200,000 tones this year.

Vu Thi Huyen uc, the associations deputy president said that sugar output for the coming 2016-17 crop was expected at 1.4 million tones, 50 per of which was refined sugar. - VNS

Winners of sugar import quotas
HA NOI  Quang Ninh Province authorities have anounced a plan to build a second cable system on Yen Tu Mountain, famous for its beautiful landscape and Buddhist heritage.

According to the plan, the total length of the two new cable routes will be 2,200m. The destination landing station will be situated some 500m away from Buddhist King Tran Nhan Tongs statue and some 600m away from the ong Pagoda.

The project with a total investment of VN650 billion (US$2.9 million) is aimed at reducing traffic jams during the festivive days.

The Quang Ninh project has been supported by relevant agencies and the Most Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet from the Viet Nam Buddhist Shangha. Representatives from the agencies also contributed their suggestions to be incorporated in the document.

Deputy Chief of Ministry Agriculture and Rural Developments Administration of Forestry Cao Chi Cong, however, expressed concern about the project, saying it could affect the local forest .

Chairman of the National Heritage Council Luu Tran Tieu said the new cable system should not affect the pilgrims and landing stations should not be higher than Buddhist King Tran Nhan Tongs statue.

A Construction Ministry representative stressed that the new cable system should be designed keeping in mind tourists safety because the ong Pagoda is located in difficult terrain.

Buddhist King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), the third king of the Tran dynasty, ascended the throne when he was just 21. He is famed for defeating Mongol invaders twice during his 15-year reign.

The King abdicated the throne when he was 35 and spent the rest of his life on Yen Tu Mountain practising and propagating Buddhism. He founded the Truc Lam School of Zen and worked to unify different Vietnamese Buddhism sects into Vietnamese Zen Buddhism.

The Complex of Yen Tu Monuments and Landscape is located on the ong Trieu mountain range, at the intersection of the two provinces of Quang Ninh and Bac Giang.

The heritage site is mostly situated in a mountainous region, some 600m above sea level. With its peak at 1,068m above sea level.--VNS
HCM CITY  More than 200 garments for boys and girls created by foreign and local fashion houses and garment companies will be showcased at the first Vietnam Junior Fashion Week to be held in HCM City from September 22 to 25.

They will be mostly ready-to-wear clothes made of high-quality materials and offered at reasonable prices.

Talented designers like Kelly Bui and o Manh Cuong will first present collections.

Nearly 70 amateur models aged four to 12 will wear the clothes at the event.

The VJFW is  also a place to connect Vietnamese brand names and designers and customers, said Xuan Lan, a model and member of the event organising board.

The event will also offer participants the opportunity to promote their brand names and sales.

The process of choosing the models began last weekend.

We hope both children and parents will be entertained by our show, Lan added.

VJFW is organised by a group of fashion designers and stylists who want to encourage Vietnamese fashion houses, companies and designers to develop a childrens line of clothing.

It will be held at Gem Centre on Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1.  VNS

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HA NOI  Tran Ngoc Quyen, former Vietnamese Counselor in Germany, offered to the Ho Chi Minh Museum more than 100 documents and books in German and Bulgarian languages featuring the life of President Ho Chi Minh on the occasion of National Day.

They include 50 photos, 92 documents and five books detailing the leaders life and work - items that Quyen preserved for nearly 50 years.

This was the seventh time he offered the museum part of his collection of documents about the President.

47-year collection

Quyen, in his 70s, has spent nearly half of his life collecting and preserving documents and photos of President Ho, who he loves and respects deeply.

After the Presidents death in 1969, Quyen began to collect photos and documents about the President. He was a student at the TU Dresden University in Germany.

After his death, a Vietnamese student at Dresden University set up an altar so that students and local inhabitants could come to worship the President. The managing board of the university also organised ceremonies to commemorate him.

The photos of the two events were his first collected photos related to the President. He also bought many newspapers published in Germany to keep memories of the Vietnamese leader.

In my heart and the hearts of other Vietnamese, the President is a shining symbol of revolutionary ethics - a man who sacrificed and devoted his whole life to serving the revolution, the motherland and the people, he said. For me, he is immortal.

He also collected a number of the diplomatic documents that were exchanged between Viet Nam and Germany from 1950 to 1969.

He travelled everywhere in Germany  including flee markets - and met with friends, veteran journalists and well-known German photographers to build up a rich collection of documents related to the President.

During his travels, he discovered that at least three streets and six schools in Germany were named after the President.

He also translated some articles and poems from German into Vietnamese that were published in different newspapers in Germany, including the poem Ho Chi Minh written by famous German poet Ernst Schumacher in 1956. He also wrote his own essay entitled Nguyen Ai Quoc/Ho Chi Minh with Germany. The book was considered one of the first research books about relations between the President and Germany since the 1920s.

After he retired in 2004 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ha Noi, he came back to Germany four times to continue his research. Despite his advanced age, he learned to use the internet to read digital books about the President.  VNS
HA NOI  South Korean journalist Koh Kyong Tae will host a photo exhibition on the massacre committed by South Korean soldiers in Quang Nam Province during the American war in Viet Nam.

The exhibition will be held on September 9 at the Art Link Gallery, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea.

Some 20 photos taken by Corporal J. Vaughn and written material on the attack by the American army at Phong Nhat-Phong Nhi Village, ien Ban District in Quang Nam Province, which were made public by the United States government in 2000, will be the highlight of the exhibition.

Journalist Tae, born in 1967, used to work as the editor-in-chief of the Hankyoreh 21 weekly, among the first newspapers in South Korea to publish news of the massacre of ordinary people perpetrated by South Korean soldiers during the American war in Viet Nam.

The photo story is based on events from February 12, 1968, when South Korean soldiers attacked Phong Nhat-Phong Nhi Village. Corporal J.Vaughn and his comrades from the US Marines subsequently took over the area, where they found 74 people killed and 17 others injured. Many of the victims were women and children.

Vaughn took photos of the corpses, noted some simple captions under the photos and sent them to top leaders. His report and other similar reports were sealed with the highly confidential mark and preserved as top secret at the US national archives.

Some 32 years later, in 2000, these secret documents were made public.

Since then, Tae has returned to the village six times to visit those victims still alive, as well as family members who recognised pictures of their loved ones who died in the massacre. They provided him with more details of the incident.

Tae published a book titled "February 12, 1968, with all the stories. The book was printed by publisher Hankyoreh.

The photo exhibition titled Story of Phong Nhat - Phong Nhi Village in Seoul is on until October 1.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R)

HA NOI  The Prime Minister has just issued an instruction asking for strengthened discipline at all State apparatuses.

The instruction says that the Government has paid attention to improving administrative discipline, and building an enabling Government with transparency and integrity.

However, a number of agencies have not seriously observed the direction and administration of the Government and the Prime Minister. Many tasks outlined in the action plans, resolutions of the Government, decisions and directives of the Prime Minister, and other directing and guiding documents were not implemented in due time. Quality assurance was not maintained as requested.

Such limitations have affected discipline, the order of public administration and social order, creating a negative impact on the people and enterprises trust, the instruction says.

Thus, the Prime Minister called for improved service quality and credibility of the Government and authorities at all levels.

Ministries and sectors need to review their working procedures, asking their staff to follow their disciplines strictly.

A detailed working programme should be set up with work assignments given to staff properly so that efficiency can be improved.

The Prime Minister also asked for more inspections of the implementation of discipline at State apparatuses from both authorised units and from the people.

State employees are required not to take advantage of working time for personal matters and strictly follow the rules on morality and communications with people.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is in charge of enforcing the instruction and reporting back to the Prime Minister.  VNS
HA NOI  French President Francois Hollande addressed students and lecturers at the Viet Nam National University-Ha Noi (VNU-Hanoi) yesterday as part of his three day State visit.

France and Viet Nam have weathered some tragic periods, he said, but they have established a time-honoured relationship and have established cooperative ties for mutual development.

The President thanked Viet Nam for sharing sympathy with the French people throughout their difficulties with terrorism, and he stated that countries must unite to ensure global security. He noted that terrorism was no longer an issue of any single country but a global one.

When disputes arise, they should be solved through peaceful dialogues and negotiations, Hollande said, a stance he believes France and Viet Nam both share.

He also offered French support of Viet Nams active role in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

Regarding economic development, the French President appreciated Viet Nams open-door policy, saying that the country has been able to make use of its advantages for development while preserving its national culture.

He however also recommended that Viet Nam needs to develop hi-tech industries and pledged that France would continue to share advanced technologies with Viet Nam.

The President expressed hope that more Vietnamese students would choose to study in France. He suggested that furthering links between the two countries universities and offering more French teaching in Vietnamese universities would provide more opportunities for Vietnamese students to pursue higher education in Frances renowned school system. .

The President of VNU-Hanoi, Nguyen Kim Son, said the university had established and maintained cooperative ties with many French partners, including Ecole Polytechnique, University of Nantes and Paris-Sud University. The university also actively participates in multilateral co-operative programmes via the Francophone Community and the Francophone University Agency (AUF).

On the occasion of President Hollandes visit, the VNU-Hanoi and the Ecole Polytechnique also signed an agreement to boost their partnership in high-quality training.

The partnership between VNU-Hanoi and French partners has a firm foundationmainly, the historical ties between the university and Franceand VNU-Hanoi will make more efforts to strengthen this special linkage.

The VNU-Hanois predecessor is ong Duong (Indochina) University, which was the first western-style tertiary education model in Indochina and was established by the French in 1906. It is now one of Viet Nams leading training and research establishments.. VNS
VIENTIANE  In a speech delivered to the plenary session of the 28th ASEAN Summitwhich opened in Laos yesterdayPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc urged ASEAN member states to strengthen consultations and raise a common voice on regional issues directly impacting regional security and development.

The Prime Minister underscored the need to enhance ASEANs capacity and self-reliance and to uphold the blocs central role. In addition, he urged the summit to identify priorities towards the implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025 and action plans for each pillar.

On the political-security pillar, ASEAN needs to promote trust-building activities, preventive diplomatic measures, ASEANs code of conduct, and law abidanceespecially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Together, he said, ASEAN nations can contribute to peace and security by working closely together to prevent conflict risks in the region and to cope with non-traditional security challenges, particularly terrorism and cyber security.

In the economic field, priority should be given to facilitating trade, improving the business and investment climate, developing small- and medium-sized enterprises in added value and technological sectors, increasing coordination in macro-economic supervision and financial-monetary stability, he said.

The government leader called to intensify cultural exchange, personnel training, environmental protection, climate change response, and disaster control.

On bolstering connectivity and narrowing the development gap, he suggested developing road and railway networks, improving maritime and aviation capabilities, and bolstering the integration capacity of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam.

Toward the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN next year, the PM said Viet Nam vows to take practical and effective actions to do more for the bloc.

At the session, ASEAN leaders stressed the need to retain their unity and improve the efficiency of operating mechanisms in order to bring practical benefits for the blocs people.

Later, they held dialogues with representatives from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Council, the ASEAN Youth Organisation and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council.

In the afternoon the same day, leaders attended ceremonies to sign the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region, adopt the Master Plan on 2025 ASEAN Connectivity and the third phase of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan, and debut the Visit ASEAN@50 campaign logo.

Participants are due to attend the 29th ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN+1 Summit with China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and the United Nations, the ASEAN+3 Summit and the Mekong-Japan Summit today.

Meetings with Lao, Philippine leaders

PM Phuc had a cordial meeting with Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith of Laos in Vientiane yesterday, prior to the opening session of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related meetings.

PM Phuc reasserted Viet Nams support for Laoss ASEAN Presidency after speaking highly of the countrys success organising a host of activities.

The Lao PM pledged that his country would work with other ASEAN countries and dialogue partners to preserve the blocs unity and promote the outcomes of its conferences so to contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world at large.

The leaders showed their delight at the growing bilateral ties and agreed to ratchet up measures to optimise economic cooperation.

Following the opening session, PM Phuc had a meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the first ever between the two leaders.

They were delighted that the two countries relations had robust developments across the board, and they affirmed the importance of their bilateral strategic partnership.

President Duterte expressed his wish for broader cooperation within the strategic partnership as well as in combating human trafficking, protecting migrant labourers, and in cultural and social affairs. He also thanked Vietnam for helping his country ensure food security.

The leaders stressed the importance of maintaining peace and security, stepping up cooperation, and handling disputes by peaceful measures in compliance with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, in the East Sea and consented to work together for those goals.

The leaders also sought to reinforce the two countries coordination through the foreign ministries relationship and other cooperative mechanisms.

They agreed to prioritise stronger economic cooperation and facilitate respective investment.

The two countries will continue supporting each other when Viet Nam assumes the APEC Chair and the Philippines take on the ASEAN Presidency in 2017.

PM Phuc invited President Duterte to visit Viet Nam and the Philippine President accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Also yesterday, PM Phuc met with Lao Party General Secretary and President of Laos, Bounnhang Volachith, and Lao National Assembly Chairman Pany Yathotou.

PM Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary Volachith agreed that the two sides needed to focus on effectively implementing signed deals and agreements in the time to come, and co-ordinate to well prepare for the annual meeting of the two Politburos and the 39th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee, contributing to further strengthening and tightening the special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between the two Parties and States.

The two countries vowed to closely work together to organise activities for the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and the 40th year of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty in 2017, through which raising the awareness of the special relationship among people, especially younger generations, of the two countries.

In a separate talk with Lao NA Chairwoman Yathotou, PM Phuc called for the two NAs to intensify supervision to effectively implement high-level cooperation deals and agreements, especially those signed at the 38th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee, facilitating investment projects between the two countries.

The PM urged the Lao NA to continue supporting necessary changes and supplements to mechanisms, policies and laws with the aim of strengthening mutual cooperation in trade and investment between the two sides.

On his part, Yathotou requested that both sides increase co-operation and share information as well as experience in developing institutions and legal systems, and in supervising law enforcement.  VNS

 VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam and France are stepping up efforts to deepen their strategic partnership, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said at a reception for visiting French President Francois Hollande in Ha Noi yesterday.

The Party leader confirmed that Viet Nam always prioritises developing the friendship and co-operation with France, suggesting the two countries enhance multi-faceted collaboration, experience sharing, and mutual support at international forums while maintaining the current co-operation mechanisms.

He proposed France make further affiliation in potential fields such as economics, trade, investment, and technological transfer, especially in agriculture, as well as climate change adaptation, culture and education.

Both nations should strengthen co-ordination in dealing with global issues and in a joint effort to ensure regional peace, stability, and overflight and maritime security and freedom, he said.

President Francois Hollande agreed that the two sides would increase political ties, cultural exchanges and education, particularly the teaching of French in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam and France are set to promote co-operation in economics, trade, aerospace, renewable energy, agriculture, and food processing. The French President also showed support for the development of rapport among localities and Francophone communities and some applicable co-operation mechanisms in Africa and other regions in the world.

He shared international security challenges for Viet Nam and France and said he backed aviation and navigation freedom as well as the settlement of maritime disputes via peaceful means and international law.

The same day, the President was received by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, during which he said France wanted to ratchet up cooperative ties with Viet Nam and pledged to maintain official development assistance (ODA) provision for the Southeast Asian country.

He revealed that France would expand collaboration in the fields of climate change, information technology, culture and education while helping Viet Nam build and modernise cities and diversify energy resources.

He suggested the two countries legislative agencies increase high-level delegation exchanges and expressed his belief that the National Assembly of Viet Nam would provide the best legal assistance to implement effectively the bilateral cooperation agreements.

For her part, Ngan thanked France for helping Viet Nam build a climate change adaptation strategy and implement the UN Agenda through 2030.

She highlighted co-operation among localities as a unique feature in the bilateral relations, citing 38 French localities set up cooperative ties with 18 Vietnamese cities and provinces.

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho is actively preparing for the 10th co-operation conference between Vietnamese and French localities.

The top legislator thanked French parliamentarians for actively coordinating with Viet Nam at the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) and the seventh Asia-Pacific meeting of the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly (APF).

She suggested the French Government increase scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in France, noting that over 7,000 are pursuing education in the European country.

On the day, the two countries issued a joint statement on President Francois Hollandes state visit to Viet Nam from September 5-7, asserting economic co-operation continuously remains a prioritised pillar in the bilateral ties.  VNS
HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang hosted the newly-accredited ambassadors from Australia, Belarus, Sweden, Cambodia, and Singapore who presented their credentials to him in Ha Noi yesterday.

Meeting with Australian Ambassador Craig Chittick, President Quang said Australia is one of the leading trade and investment partners of Viet Nam and bilateral co-operation in defence-security, education-training, tourism and labour is thriving.

The President hailed Australian businesses for actively contributing to Viet Nams socio-economic development, especially in the fields of banking, oil and gas, construction, light industry, processing industry and services.

Greeting Belarusian Ambassador Anatolievich Goshin, he said the two countries should work to increase bilateral trade to US$500 million as agreed by their leaders.

He said Viet Nam would provide favourable conditions for the establishment of an automobile manufacturing joint venture in the country and help Belarus make inroads into other ASEAN member states.

"Viet Nam wants further collaboration with Belarus in economics, trade, defence, security, and crime prevention as well," he stressed.

During a reception for Swedish Ambassador Pereric Hogberg, President Quang said Sweden was among the first foreign countries to support Viet Nam in the oi moi (renewal) process.

With the long-standing friendship and advantages from the Vietnam  EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the bilateral trade and investment is expected to grow in the coming time, he noted.

He welcomes the Swedish Government to encourage businesses to invest in Viet Nam, especially in the fields of green technology, processing industry, energy, infrastructure, health care, information technology, and marine economy.

While receiving Cambodian Ambassador Prak Nguon Hong, the President confirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State always prioritise the development of traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia for the sake of the two peoples as well as regional and global peace, stability and development.

At a meeting with Singaporean Ambassador Catherine Wong Siow Ping, the President thanked the Singaporean Government for its valuable assistance to Vietnam in economic development. He reiterated Viet Nams consistent policy of enhancing strategic partnership with Singapore .

The new ambassadors expressed their confidence to fulfill their missions, contributing to expanding friendship and cooperation with Viet Nam.  VNS
inh La Thang, secretary of the citys Party Committee (R) receives President Francois Hollande in HCM City on Wednesday.  Photo nld.com.vn

HCM CITY  Leaders of HCM City yesterday asked for assistance in various areas from France during President Francois Hollandes visit to the city.

inh La Thang, secretary of the citys Party Committee, said the French President had helped promote the study of French language among Vietnamese students.

He said that Hollandes visit was a great honour for the citys people and its leaders, and showed the special relationship that existed between France and HCM City.

Several investment projects on infrastructure development, education and the economy have recently been launched between the two countries, according to Thang.

The city is also continuing to improve the investment environment to attract more foreign investors, he said.

"After this trip, I hope the President will create more favourable conditions for French enterprises to invest in HCM City in all areas. We are committed to assist the enterprises," Thang said.

Hollande said he was impressed after witnessing the dynamic development of HCM City, the countrys largest city and commercial hub.

He said that several Vietnamese-French artists and designers, who accompanied him during the visit, wanted to return and contribute to the countrys development.

The president said that he would like the French language to be a bridge for the exchange of culture and technology between the two countries.

Thang said the French language created linkages in economic and social areas and helped Vietnamese access Frances educational and medical know-how.

He suggested that France grant more scholarships to Vietnamese students to study in the country, adding that the relationship between the two countries was developing in various areas, especially after a strategic partnership was signed in 2013.

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Lyon City, for example, are two French areas that have cooperative activities with HCM City.

Numerous French enterprises have invested in the city, in the areas of infrastructure development, healthcare, education and cultural exchange.

Thang asked Hollande to continue the French governments Official Development Assistance (ODA) for infrastructure development, including metro construction, flood prevention, clean water supply and environmental pollution projects.

Hollande said that the countries new strategic partnership had resulted in several environmental and healthcare projects.

He said that France was willing to assist Viet Nam in sectors that use advanced technology.  VNS


Enterprises conducting false product advertising may be subject to legal liability in many respects, in particular, the risk of bearing criminal liability if the act of advertising shows sufficient signs to be considered a crime under the regulations.

Administrative sanctions

Administrative sanction is the most commonly applied sanction for advertising acts that violate law.

Depending on the type of violation and advertised product, enterprises conducting false advertising will be penalised with a monetary fine ranging from VN10 to 70 million.

Especially, for food, food additives, nutritional and dairy products, etc., enterprises will be subject to an addditional monetary fine of VN5 to 15 million for advertising products in a manner that is not in accordance with the documents on food safety or the regulation conformity announcement.

Apart from monetary fines, enterprises violating regulations must undertake remedial measures, such as correcting the information, removing, dismantling or deleting the advertisement.

Sanction for the acts of unfair competition

Currently, acts of false advertising have accounted for a high proportion of unfair competition cases. The violation can be related to advertising using fraudulent information, misleading clients about the price, quantity, quality and utility or imitating advertisements of other products to confuse the clients.

Enterprises that violate regulations may be fined VN60-140 million and will be subject to one or more additional sanctions, such as confiscation of material evidence, means of violation or profits earned from the advertisement. They may also be required to commit a public retraction.

Liability of damage compensation

Victims of false advertising include consumers and enterprises trading products that compete with the ones being advertised. In Viet Nam, enterprises commiting acts of false advertising may be sued in court in accordance with the procedures of compensation for non-contractual damage caused by the negative impact of advertising to consumers and other enterprises.

Since the claim for damage compensation is a right recognised by law to protect the legitimate interests of business entities and consumers, the liability for damages compensation may be simultaneously applied with other sanctions.

Criminal liability

If the false advertising shows sufficient signs of "fraudulent advertising" under the provisions of the Criminal Code, competent authorities will apply appropriate criminal sanctions based on the nature and extent of danger.

Offenders may be fined VN10 to 100 million, be subject to non-custodial reform for up to three years or be sentenced to imprisonment from six months to three years. In addition, offenders may be fined up to VN50 million and banned from practising or doing certain jobs for 1-5 years. -- PLF LAW FIRM
SEOUL  A fire has broken out at the second floor of a house in Gwangju city, the Republic of Korea , killing one Vietnamese man, the Yonhap news agency reported on Monday.

The incident occurred at 6:51pm on Sunday, while the victim was sleeping and his wife was going out for work.

According to the Vietnamese community in the region, the victim is Le Ba Luan, 32, from Bau Nang commune, Duong Minh Chau district, the southern province of Tay Ninh .

Witnesses said that they heard an explosion before seeing the fire and smoke from the living room and bedroom on the second floor of the house.

Investigations into the incident are underway.  Yonhap/VNS
Medical workers provide health checkup to the elderly. The country used to have a senior citizen of 60 years or above for every 11 Vietnamese back in 2010, which will reduce to one for only six by 2030.  VNA/VNS Photo An Hieu

HA NOI  Viet Nam will work with international organisations to develop a population policy agenda at the highest level as the country looks towards becoming an aged nation, said Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am yesterday.

The emerging Southeast Asian nation is known to have a rather young and energetic population, am said at a three-day biennial conference on the economic impacts of an aging population held in Ha Noi yesterday. Yet little were people aware that Viet Nam was soon to pass its golden population structure, where for every two or more people working there would be a dependent.

The country used to have a senior citizen of 60 years or above for every 11 Vietnamese back in 2010, which will reduce to one for only six by 2030, according to the Deputy PM.

And if such a trend keeps on, there will be one senior for every four Vietnamese 50 years from now, he said.

That would make Viet Nam a super-aged nation where more than one in five of the population is 65 or older.

If there are no changes to the population policy soon, the proportion of young and old people will be equal in the next 20 years, am said.

It was essential that the Government managed to build a strong social security system to prepare for the fast aging population in advance, he said, noting that at the same time it should work out solutions to integrate advanced technology into production so that seniors can still work as much as they can despite their age.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Yoriko Yasukawa, agreed that lifting the seniors burden towards society by maximising their contributions to the country would help to ensure a better future for the country.

Viet Nam is not outside the global trend of an aging population, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region where at least 1.2 billion people over 60 will reside by 2050. The figure, revealed at the conference, will be equal to about two thirds of the senior people around the world by that time.

According to HelpAge Internationals Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, Eduardo Klien, demographic changes in the region were and are having remarkable socioeconomic impacts to Pacific-rim nations.

Developing policies to prepare for such changes are important to sustain economic growth and improve the quality of life of the people.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Health has urged localities to take drastic prevention measures in response to an increase of Zika patients in Southeast Asian countries.

Localities are instructed to implement strong campaigns to eradicate mosquito larvae, a key source on the spreading virus said.

The health sector is required to increase surveillance and promptly test suspected cases for early detection and treatment. Medical stations must prepare enough beds, medicine and other infrastructure to be ready to receive Zika patients.

The diseases clinical symptoms, such as fever and rash, are similar to diseases such as rubella.

Local health sectors were urged to strictly follow the ministrys professional guidance on disease prevention. Doctors at hospitals with obstetrics wards have been trained to screen for microcephaly, an abnormal smallness of the head that is suspected to be caused by the disease.

Health clinics and hospitals should work with district health officials to provide counselling on the disease and methods of prevention.

More training should be given to medical workers at the grassroots level, and to task forces in case an epidemic breaks out, the ministry said.

At an online meeting between the health ministry and localities last week, they agreed to increase the application of quick tests to have prompt prevention and control measures.

Head of the ministrys Department of Preventive Medicine, Tran ac Phu, said institutes should set up plans to keep close watch on the Trioplex test used to diagnosis Zika virus cases in the early stage. The use of the test began this month.

Additionally, the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology will organise training courses for medical workers across the country to learn to correctly test patients.

Viet Nam has so far recorded three cases of Zika. The latest case was detected early last month.

Zika is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes. People with Zika virus often display symptoms including mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. These symptoms normally last from two to seven days.

There is a scientific consensus that the Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly in newborn babies and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Links to other neurological complications are also being investigated, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

WHO has announced that transmission of the Zika virus has slowed, but the risk remains significant.

At present, 70 countries and territories around the world have reported Zika cases, including those in Southeast Asian region.

Zika increase in Southeast Asia

Singapore confirmed 17 new cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection as of yesterday, said the Ministry of Health and National Environment Agency in a joint statement. The update brings the total number of Zika infections in Singapore to 275.

The first Zika case in Singapore was detected on August 27. The Philippines Department of Health confirmed on Monday that a woman from Iloilo City tested positive for the Zika virus, the sixth case recorded in the country.

Health Under-Secretary Gerardo Bayugo stated that the 45-year-old victim might have been infected with the virus locally, as she has no record of travel to countries where the virus has been detected. However, Bayugo clarified that there is still no confirmation of local transmission of the virus in the Philippines. According to him, five other cases have been detected since 2012, but these did not create an outbreak.

Thai authorities have stepped up surveillance after two pregnant women in Bangkok were found to have been infected with the Zika virus. The number of Zika cases this year has increased significantly compared to recent years. As many as 97 Zika cases were reported in the country in the first six months of this year.  VNS
UNITED NATIONS, United States  The UN Security Council on Tuesday issued a strong condemnation of North Koreas latest missile tests and threatened to take "further significant measures" against Pyongyang.

North Korea test-fired three ballistic missiles Monday as world powers gathered for a G20 meeting in China, with leader Kim Jong-Un hailing the tests as "perfect," and US President Barack Obama warning it would only up the pressure.

"These launches are in grave violation of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Koreas international obligations and UN Security Council resolutions," the 15-member Council said in a statement.

It called on North Korea to "refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions."

The council said it would "continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures" if merited and called on all sides to work to reduce tensions.

The document was adopted unanimously, including by Pyongyangs only ally China.

Earlier, the envoys from Japan, South Korea and the United States appeared before the press together to slam North Koreas missile program.

"With each test, each violation of UN Security Council resolutions -- and there have been 22 of them so far this year -- the DPRK demonstrates further advancement of its ballistic program," US envoy Samantha Power said.

"The Security Council must remain unequivocal and united in its condemnation of these tests."

UN resolutions bar North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology. Pyongyang has nevertheless conducted a fourth nuclear test and a series of missile tests this year in defiance of UN sanctions, prompting South Korea to announce plans to deploy a US anti-missile system to counter such threats.

North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006.  AFP
WASHINGTON  US Senate Democrats blocked a $1.1 billion bill to combat the Zika virus for a third time on Tuesday after Republicans inserted provisions that would end funding for a major abortion provider.

Returning from a seven-week break to the measure with which the last Senate session ended, Democrats voted unanimously to stop the legislation from moving forward and ending debate, opposing measures that would have blocked funding for reproductive health group Planned Parenthood and allowed Confederate flags to fly at military cemeteries.

The vote, which required 60 votes to pass in the Republican-controlled chamber, failed 52 to 46.

Democratic Senator Charles Schumer accused Republicans of loading the bill with "poison pill riders to assuage the hard right."

"Rather than continuing to work with Democrats, Republicans decided to appease a group so extreme that they didnt even want Zika funding to begin with," he said in a statement.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of partisanship.

"Its hard to explain why, despite their own calls for funding, Senate Democrats decided to block a bill that would keep pregnant women and babies safer from Zika," he said on the Senate floor before reintroducing the previously blocked measure.

The funding is now expected to be included in a bipartisan stopgap spending bill later this month.

Zika is spread by mosquitoes and sexual contact. A study out Tuesday said the virus may live in eyes and spread through tears.

Zika causes only mild symptoms for most people. But in pregnant women, it can cause microcephaly, a deformation in which babies are born with abnormally small brains and heads.

The disease has also been linked to a potentially fatal disorder known as Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can lead to nervous system problems such as weakness and paralysis.

President Barack Obama urged Congress to fund the fight against Zika last month after health officials expressed deepening worry about the spread of the virus with the first reports of local transmissions in Florida.

In the absence of a funding bill, the White House has been redirecting funds earmarked to fight Ebola, cancer and other diseases.

"Thats not a sustainable solution," Obama said. The delay for more funds "puts more Americans at risk."  AFP
A.J. (Jack) Davis will step down as dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech on June 30, 2017, at the conclusion of his second term as dean.

Davis will have led the college for 11 years. He was the colleges sixth dean since the college was established in 1964.

During his tenure as dean, the college has maintained top 10 national rankings in the majority of its programs. The college celebrated its 50-year anniversary with five publications focused on its successes during that period of time.

I have been privileged to serve the college alongside extraordinary faculty and staff during a time of significant success, said Davis. As I step down, I know their leadership in high-quality teaching, research, and engagement will continue, and even exceed past successes.

Jack Davis has been a great leader for the college and a great citizen of Virginia Tech, said Thanassis Rikakis, executive vice president and provost. The college is the third-ranked college nationally in architecture, and Jack has coordinated a Beyond Boundaries vision for the future of the college. We congratulate Jack for all his accomplishments and thank him for his highly successful leadership of the college. We look forward to working with him on developing some new and important Virginia Tech projects that can benefit from his leadership and experience.

Davis has nearly 40 years of teaching, research, and administration experience in design education. He received both his professional bachelors degree in architecture and masters degree in environmental design from Virginia Tech.

Davis joined the faculty in 1984 as an associate professor. He had previously taught at the University of Florida and then later at the Boston Architectural College. He practiced in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for the architectural firm of Cambridge Seven and Associates.

In 1993, Davis was on sabbatical to practice in Basel, Switzerland, for Suter and Suter, working in their international department, developing housing, university, and banking projects. In his practice he has been the principal designer on more than 30 large- and modest-scale projects and has won design excellence awards from the Virginia Society AIA as well as from and the Blue Ridge Chapter of the AIA and the Virginia Masonry Council.

Between 1989 and 2001 he was principal and co-principal investigator on more than $2.5 million in research grants. He is the architect of record for the College of Architecture and Urban Studies Research and Demonstration Facility, a laboratory research center for programs of study in the college.

Davis also served his college as chair of the Professional Program in Architecture, associate dean for academic affairs, and interim dean from 2006 to 2007.

The College of Architecture and Urban Studies is the only college at Virginia Tech organized into schools. Begun under the leadership of then dean Paul Knox, Davis continued to expand the school structure into the four schools the college has today.

In addition, Davis decentralized the financial organization to encourage increased entrepreneurial activities and self-reliance by the schools. During his leadership, the colleges endowment doubled.

Davis is the Reynolds Metal Professor of Architecture and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He became a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional in August 2007. He was selected by DesignIntelligence as one of the nations Most Admired Educators of 2009 and 2014 and is a Design Futures Senior Fellow.

Davis is the founding president of the 19-university consortium of Architecture + Construction Alliance (A+CA) and an international board member and former vice president of the Conseil International du Batiment (CIB).

In 2014, Davis was president of the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects for its 100-year anniversary. He organized and led the Virginia Accord Symposium focused on the next 100 years of Virginias built environment.

The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost will soon launch an international search for the next dean. Information on that process will be published in Virginia Tech News as it progresses.
Unequal Budget funding for the Yes vote wont give Australians equal say If you seek to ensure not all Australians get an equal say in the debate about an enshrined voice, then dont be surprised when millions of them cry foul about the integrity of the result.

Andrew Clennell looks ahead to the coming week in politics 02:31 Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell has assessed what is set to be seen in the coming week in politics.

Unfeasible and unrealistic to have small modular reactors in Australia: Bowen 12:41 Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen says even the Howard governments Switkowski report acknowledged that given nuclear energy is...

Industrial relations bill to create more strikes and less jobs 12:21 Shadow Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Michaelia Cash says the industrial relations bill introduced by the government on Thursday...
CEDAR FALLS  The City Council on Tuesday night approved providing land and a partial property tax exemption for a German company to relocate and expand in the Cedar Falls Industrial Park.

The council approved a development agreement with a property subsidiary of D. La Porte North America, which has been been located in the Industrial Park since 2009, to build a $1.2 million, 11,200 square foot industrial warehouse and office facility on about 1.5 acres at the southeast corner of Technology Parkway and Development Drive in an industrial park addition along West Viking Road.

The building will be owned by D. La Porte Properties and leased to D. La Porte North America, which will relocate from its existing leased space at 6122 Nordic Drive in the Industrial Park.

The company manufactures handles, latches and related components for the construction and agricultural equipment markets in North America, interim Cedar Falls community services manager Bob Seymour wrote in a staff report to Mayor Jim Brown and council members.

Customers include Deere, Case New Holland, AGCO, Bobcat, Volvo, Caterpillar and more than 60 other customers throughout the U.S., Seymour wrote.

The firm, headquartered in Wuppertal, Germany, started making construction and agriculture products 60 years ago and is now the major producer of these products for North America and Western Europe, Seymour wrote.

The company has now outgrown (its) rented space at 6122 Nordic Drive and needs to have a larger building that provides room for expansion in the future, Seymour wrote.

The city would provide the land to D. La Porte at no cost, consistent with our general industrial economic incentive guidelines, Seymour wrote.

The building would have a minimum valuation of $1.2 million. The city would provide a five-year partial property tax abatement, with 75 percent of the property valuation exempt from taxation the first year, declining in increments of 15 percent each year until the full valuation comes on the tax rolls. Over the five years, the company would have $85,000 in taxes abated due to the exemption, pay $104,500, and pay about $38,000 in property tax a year once the propertys full valuation comes on the tax rolls.

Frequent council speakers Jim Skaine and Larry Wyckoff questioned the need for the exemption. We have given away millions of dollars to these companies, Skaine said, and questioned such companies impact on city services.

City staff said the Industrial Park was designed to accommodate that kind of growth and city infrastructures such as sewer are designed with growth in mind.

Jerry Vance, D. La Portes Cedar Falls operations manager, said the business does not significantly contribute to the citys waste stream. He added, I currently have eight employees and if everything goes to plan I could have triple that in the next five to seven years. My goal is to grow with the city and eventually add more people.

Were a German-based company. We employ 200 people in Germany. Conceivably, in 30 years we could be that big in the U.S. He noted, after the council meeting, that his companys only U.S. presence now is in Cedar Falls.

Staff believes this project could serve as the catalyst for future development in this area, Seymour noted.

The company would like to start construction in October and have the building complete by next May, Seymour said.
BOONE  A La Porte City man was arrested Monday after police say he stabbed another man during a fight at the Boone Speedway.

Jeff Jason Davis, 47, of La Porte City was arrested and charged with assault with intent to inflict serious injury.

According to the Boone Police Department, officers were called to the Boone Speedway, 1481 223rd Place, for a report of a victim with stab wounds at around 12:47 p.m. Monday morning.

Scott Gregory Davis, 46, of Madrid, was found with multiple stab wounds to his abdomen, according to police. He was taken by ambulance to the Boone County Hospital and later to Mercy Hospital by air ambulance. His condition is unknown.

Boone Police didnt know if or how the two men were related.

According to police, both Jeff Davis and Scott Davis were involved in a fight, and Jeff Davis produced a knife and allegedly stabbed Scott Davis.

Jeff Davis record includes mostly minor traffic violations.

House, vehicle hit by gunfire

WATERLOO  Two teens have been detained and two guns were recovered following a shooting over the weekend.

Officers were called to the area of West Arlington and Cutler streets at about 1:55 p.m. on Sunday and found a vehicle, a garage and a home were hit by stray bullets, according to the police report. No injuries were reported.

Police recovered a .22-caliber rifle and a 9mm handgun, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department.

One 17 year old was detained for carrying weapons, trafficking stolen weapons and possession of marijuana. A second 17 year old was detained for carrying weapons.

Injured kayaker rescued in Elgin

ELGIN  A kayaker was injured after his boat overturned while traveling in flood waters over the weekend.

Authorities were notified the kayaker  27-year-old Alvin Colson of Platteville, Wis.  had been unconscious after his vessel flipped on the Turkey River north of Gilbertson Park near Elgin around 4:15 p.m. Saturday.

He had been paddling with family when he became lodged against a tree and flipped over, striking his head on rocks, according to the Fayette County Sheriffs Office.

Sheriffs deputies and Elgin firefighters and medics with Tri-State Ambulance hiked flooded woods for half a mile and found Colson stranded on an island in the river.

Police recover stolen rifle, vest

WATERLOO  Officers recovered a stolen military-style rifle and a bullet-proof vest when they raided a Waterloo home as part of a drug investigation last month.

The SA-15 rifle loaded with a 40-round magazine was discovered under couch cushions in the basement of 940 Riehl St., and court records indicate it had been reported stolen from Marion, Iowa.

The vest was in a bedroom closet, and police also found a 9mm Glock pistol, a .22-caliber Chiappa revolver and a .380-caliber Glock as well as marijuana.

Trayvonious Deontay Pendleton, 25, was arrested Sept. 1 for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver while in possession of a firearm in connection with the investigation. He was later released from jail.

According to court records, officers with the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force responded to a Fedex package with a suspicious odor Aug. 23. A Waterloo Police Department K-9 indicted the presence of drugs, and officers found a large amount of cash, including $20 bills that had been used in undercover drug purchases, records state.
WATERLOO  Two teens have been detained and two guns were recovered following a shooting over the weekend.

Officers were called to the area of West Arlington and Cutler streets at about 1:55 p.m. on Sunday and found a vehicle, a garage and a home were hit by stray bullets, according to the police report. No injuries were reported.

Police recovered a .22-caliber rifle and a 9mm handgun, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department.

One 17-year-old was detained for carrying weapons, trafficking stolen weapons and possession of marijuana. A second 17-year-old was detained for carrying weapons.
WATERLOO  Officers recovered a stolen military-style rifle and a bullet-proof vest when they raided a Waterloo home as part of a drug investigation last month.

The rifle loaded with a 40-round magazine was discovered under couch cushions in the basement of 940 Riehl St., and court records indicate it had been reported stolen from Marion.

The vest was in a bedroom closet, and police also found a 9mm Glock pistol, a .22-caliber Chiappa revolver and a .380-caliber Glock as well as marijuana.

Trayvonious Deontay Pendleton, 25, was arrested Sept. 1 for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver while in possession of a firearm in connection with the investigation. He was later released from jail.

According to court records, officers with the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force responded to a Fedex package with a suspicious odor on Aug. 23. A Waterloo Police Department K-9 indicted the presence of drugs, and officers found a large amount of cash, including $20 bills that had been used in undercover drug purchases, records state.

Pendleton had shipped the package to Fedex shipping center in Denver, Colo., court records state.
WATERLOO -- A 16-year-old who was with one of four people arrested on murder charges Friday afternoon received charges of his own after a brief foot pursuit.

Demond Deon Rollins, 16, of 209 Thompson Ave., was charged with carrying weapons, possession of a weapon by a felon, interference with official acts while carrying a firearm and possession of marijuana.

He was taken into custody with juvenile detention services.

According to Waterloo Police, Rollins was walking down Elm Street north of Courtland Avenue with Doncorrion Spates, 15, at about 4:50 p.m. Friday when police attempted to arrest Spates on murder charges in the death of Otavious Brown in July.

Both began to run away from officers, according to police reports.

According to the police report, Rollins allegedly was seen taking a handgun he was carrying and attempting to throw it on top of the roof of a garage located behind 423 Fowler St. The handgun instead hit the side of the roof and feel to the ground next to Rollins.

Rollins is the brother of Armand Rollins, 17, another one of the four arrested on murder charges in the death of Otavious Brown.
DES MOINES  A majority of Iowa voters think the U.S. Senate committee led by Iowas Chuck Grassley should hold hearings on the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy, according to a new poll published Wednesday.

Fifty-six percent of likely Iowa voters said the U.S. Senate should hold confirmation hearings on Merrick Garland, the judge nominated by President Barack Obama to fill the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy created by the February death of former Justice Antonin Scalia, the poll found.

The poll was conducted by the liberal-leaning Public Policy Polling and was commissioned by We Need Nine, an issue advocacy group pushing for the Senate to fill the Supreme Court vacancy.

The poll surveyed 827 likely Iowa voters on Aug. 30-31 and has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.

Since Scalias death, Republicans in control of the Senate, including Grassley, who chairs the Judiciary Committee that holds hearings on Supreme Court nominees, have said they will not hold hearings on any nominees until after a new president is chosen in the November election.

Grassley has held firm despite opposition from Democrats and liberal advocacy groups, saying he thinks voters should have a say in filling the Supreme Court vacancy by whom they elect for president.

Thirty percent of likely voters surveyed by Public Policy Polling said Garland should be rejected without a committee hearing.

The polling gap narrowed, however, when voters were asked when the Supreme Court vacancy should be filled. Half said the Supreme Court should be filled this year, and 47 percent said it should be filled next year after the new president takes office.

Forty percent of voters said Grassleys opposition to hearings on Obamas nominee make them less likely to vote for Grassley in his U.S. Senate re-election bid, while 26 percent said his stance makes them more likely to vote for him.

Polls on the U.S. Senate race in Iowa have steadily showed Grassley, a longtime Republican incumbent, leading Democratic challenger Patty Judge by seven to 10 percentage points.
WATERLOO  The city is working to move its yard waste dump site across town in time for leaf season.

Waterloo City Council members voted 6-1 Tuesday to approve relocating the leaf, brush and branch collection site to a new 18-acre lot north of Independence Avenue just east of Northeast Drive.

The current location near the sewage treatment plan on Easton Avenue, which has operated since 2002, must close because its in a Cedar River overflow channel and jeopardizes the flood control system.

The city expects to close the existing site Sept. 17 and open the new location Sept. 18, accepting material picked up in the curbside collection program and brought in person by residents.

Were trying to solve a difficult problem were in but were going to start developing this site, just so we can get through our leaf season, Councilman Tom Lind said.

Councilman Steve Schmitt voted against the measure after suggesting the two alternatives he was presented  the chosen site or the Black Hawk County Landfill south of town  were not convenient for residents.

The idea that theyre going to be driving halfway across the county to do this stuff I just think is absurd, Schmitt said. I cant believe there isnt a better, big picture, long-term solution to this than going clear to one side of the county or the other.

Public Works Director Mark Rice said he initially favored using the landfill composting facility, similar to most large cities in the state.

But he said the landfill had very limited hours, charged a fee to residents and would cost the city sanitation crews an estimated $400,000 annually in tipping fees as compared to the estimated $235,000 to manage a city site.

The location was selected because it was large enough, owned by the city and likely not in high demand from developers due to its location near the Northeast Industrial Sites sewage pre-treatment lagoon.

Im sure that the location is not going to be popular, Rice said. From what Ive heard from people whove been here a long time, the site we use today wasnt popular when it was selected.

Im just doing what I think is best and least expensive for the taxpayers, he added.

Rice said the access road to the site in the 2700 block of Independence Avenue has been widened already to handle traffic. The stopgap site this fall likely will be expanded and improved, including hard surfacing and a building, later.

An early engineering estimate put the overall price tag for an Iowa Department of Natural Resources permitted site at $1.84 million.

We will invite the DNR to come down, take a look at the site, tell us exactly what we need to do to build it correctly, he said.

Meanwhile, the City Council authorized $7,800 to lease a bulldozer to grade the piles of yard waste at the existing site before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inspects the levee system in October.

Rice said he believes the yard waste can be graded to an acceptable level without having to remove much of the material stockpiled on site now.
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BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, September 07, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- "We are delighted to announce that due to an unprecedented increase in business in our Hong Kong office, it is now necessary to appoint a CFO specifically for that region. We are getting very close to making the appointment from a short-list of candidates, all of whom come with the necessary qualifications to succeed in the role," said Victor Hermans, RDH Global's Chief Administration and Finance Officer.



"The growth that RDH Global has seen in the past year has taken us all by surprise and we see this appointment as just the start of implementing a senior personnel team in each of our locations to oversee and understand the varying specifics which each region has," added Hermans.



RDH Global currently have offices in Brussels, Hong Kong and Dubai to allow them to offer complete client services to Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle-Eastern based clients.



"Ultimately, our intentions are for each region to be specifically managed and overseen by senior personnel who are familiar with those regions and their particular demands. The regional senior personnel would then report to the senior partners with their business development proposals for each region. This, we believe, will allow RDH Global to develop and nurture further business from clients who specifically demand advice relating to their specific location," Hermans concluded.



We are RDH Global, established by Reuben Rosenthal, Marc Dumont and Samuel Hansen, who with their considerable personal experience in multiple platforms, each covering various classes, afford every client, at every level, the ability to find the right product and solution for their personal goals.



# # #
Sep 7, 2016 | By Nick

The University of Buffalo has hacked a 3D printer with a smartphone to highlight the potential for Intellectual Property theft from a companys own hardware.

3D printing has the potential to change the world and disrupt the whole manufacturing process, which we all agree is generally a good thing. It will render tooling and production lines, the very essence of mass production, completely redundant. It will give us on-demand manufacturing, slash transport costs and open up a world of possibilities with material science.

There are so many positives that we sometimes forget about the inherent dangers, but they are definitely there. If we only need the 3D model to produce a copy of a companys products, then there will be a real incentive to hack into the system.

Wenyao Xu PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Buffalos Department of Computer Science and Engineering, spends an inordinate amount of time trying to hack into the 3D printing ecosystem and has now found a way to hack the 3D printer without leaving a trace with a simple smartphone.

Wenyao Xu, PhD, assistant professor in UBs Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Many companies are betting on 3-D printing to revolutionize their businesses, but there are still security unknowns associated with these machines that leave intellectual property vulnerable, he said.

Most companies have some form of protection in place, with encryption, watermarks and simple alarm systems both foiling and flagging up brute force attacks. But Xu has shown that you dont need to break in to the system at all to steal the information.

The researchers reprogrammed a smartphone to measure the acoustic and electromagnetic waves that the 3D printer emits during the production process. With a relatively simple software program, they reverse-engineered the location of the print nozzle at any one time and mapped whole products.

Now the process isnt perfect. Even when the smartphone was just 20cm away from the 3D printer, which could arouse suspicions in the workplace, the team could only reproduce a simple doorstop with 94% accuracy. That number slipped to approximately 90% for complex medical and automotive parts.

The smartphones feedback also became increasingly unreliable as the distance to the 3D printer increased. When the team placed the phone 30cm away, then the accuracy rate dropped to 87cm. At 40cm, that figure dropped to 66%.

An employee in a position of trust could easily achieve gain this level of access and that leaves the door open for industrial espionage. The tests show that smartphones are quite capable of retrieving enough data to put sensitive information at risk, said Kui Ren PhD, co-author of the study and a professor in UBs Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

The answer may be obvious: ban smartphones from sensitive areas. With so many employees reliant on intranet access, though, and the increasingly common Bring Your Own Device policies, it may be impractical. Who would think twice about a phone charging on a desk in the modern age?

As most of the information for the hack came from the electromagnetic waves and distance was such a critical factor in the experiment, companies with mission critical prints may opt to seal off their 3D printers. If the 3D printers are kept at a safe distance and behind electromagnetic and acoustic shields, then this attack is simply impossible.

Increasing print speeds could also foil this form of industrial espionage on their own, as eventually the signals from the 3D printer will overlap and a smartphone simply wont be able to receive a clear signal that accurately reflects the position of the printer head.

Software-based solutions could also vary the print speed and companies could even create their own electromagnetic and acoustic interference patterns to effectively encrypt the 3D printers signals.

There are a number of options to protect against this one, specific attack. But if the University of Buffalo found a simple way to hack a 3D printer without actually hacking it, then there are almost certainly entry points we just havent considered. Determined Intellectual Property thieves will make it their business to find them and we are sure that the IT security industry is set for a revolution of its own to meet the challenges that additive manufacturing will present.

Were clearly going to have to reassess security as 3D printing becomes an integral part of the manufacturing process. Companies that invest vast amounts on R&D simply cannot allow cybercriminals to access their 3D models and steal their intellectual property, as if they have the design then they have everything.

Xus team will present their research at the 23rd annual Conference on Computer and Communications Security, organized by the Association for Computing Machinery, in Austria next month and the lecture comes with the ominous title: My Smartphone Knows What You Print: Exploring Smartphone-based Side-Channel Attacks Against 3D Printers.

It should certainly get the industry thinking about the vulnerabilities in every 3D printing system. Now we need to figure out how to patch them.

Posted in 3D Printer

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Joe wrote at 9/8/2016 3:44:31 PM:I think that they wanted more than just a view of what the output would be. Rather, they were seeking to obtain a re-creation of the G-code used to generate the part. My guess is that they could listen to the hum or electromagnetic field from the movement of the stepper motors, and deduce the sequence of steps.This is just silly wrote at 9/8/2016 1:58:21 AM:If your 20cm away from the printer, you could just video the print!




Tom Clynes in Nature:

On a summer day in 1968, professor Julian Stanley met a brilliant but bored 12-year-old named Joseph Bates. The Baltimore student was so far ahead of his classmates in mathematics that his parents had arranged for him to take a computer-science course at Johns Hopkins University, where Stanley taught. Even that wasn't enough. Having leapfrogged ahead of the adults in the class, the child kept himself busy by teaching the FORTRAN programming language to graduate students. Unsure of what to do with Bates, his computer instructor introduced him to Stanley, a researcher well known for his work in psychometrics  the study of cognitive performance. To discover more about the young prodigy's talent, Stanley gave Bates a battery of tests that included the SAT college-admissions exam, normally taken by university-bound 16- to 18-year-olds in the United States. Bates's score was well above the threshold for admission to Johns Hopkins, and prompted Stanley to search for a local high school that would let the child take advanced mathematics and science classes. When that plan failed, Stanley convinced a dean at Johns Hopkins to let Bates, then 13, enrol as an undergraduate.

Stanley would affectionately refer to Bates as student zero of his Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY), which would transform how gifted children are identified and supported by the US education system. As the longest-running current longitudinal survey of intellectually talented children, SMPY has for 45 years tracked the careers and accomplishments of some 5,000 individuals, many of whom have gone on to become high-achieving scientists. The study's ever-growing data set has generated more than 400 papers and several books, and provided key insights into how to spot and develop talent in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and beyond. What Julian wanted to know was, how do you find the kids with the highest potential for excellence in what we now call STEM, and how do you boost the chance that they'll reach that potential, says Camilla Benbow, a protege of Stanley's who is now dean of education and human development at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. But Stanley wasn't interested in just studying bright children; he wanted to nurture their intellect and enhance the odds that they would change the world. His motto, he told his graduate students, was no more dry bones methodology.

More here.
Mike Jay at Literary Review:

Across dozens of novels and well over a hundred short stories, Philip K Dick worried away at one theme above all others: the world is not as it seems. He worked through every imaginable scenario: consensus reality was variously a set of implanted memories, a drug-induced hallucination, a time slip, a covert military simulation, an illusion projected by mega-corporations or extraterrestrials, or a test set by God. His typical protagonist was conspired against, drugged, hypnotised, paranoid, schizophrenic  or, possibly, the only person in possession of the truth.

The preoccupation all too clearly reflected the authors life. Dick was a chronic doubter, tormented, like Rene Descartes, by the suspicion that the world was the creation of an evil demon who has directed his entire effort to misleading me. But cogito ergo sum was not enough to rescue someone who in 1972, during one of his frequent bouts of persecution mania, called the police to confess to being an android. Dick took scepticism to a level that he made his own. It became his brand, and since his death it has been franchised across popular culture. He isnt credited on Hollywood blockbusters such as The Matrix (in which reality is a simulation created by machines from the future) or The Truman Show (about a reality TV programme in which all but the protagonist are complicit), but their mind-bending plot twists are his in all but name.

more here.
Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever. ~Aristophanes





Free Rum Tasting and Cigar Rolling Workshop

Drop by Sip Bar & Lounge on Thursday at 7pm for a free tasting and presentation of Zacapa Rum, presented by Diageo Spirits expert Alex Velez. Once you've mixed and mingled, tasted the rum, and learned how it's made, stick around for a cigar rolling workshop, where you'll learn to roll your own. The event is free and open to guests 21 and older. Specialty featured cocktails will be available for purchase and served alongside complimentary empanadas. // 787 Broadway (North Beach), siploungesf.com







Yuzuki Japanese Eatery in San Francisco to Host Sake Class

Sake lovers who want to learn more about the Japanese elixir are in luck. Sake Sommelier and Yuzuki Sake Director Yoshihiro Sakro is teaching a Sake Brewing and Regionality class at Yukuzi Japanese Eatery this Sunday, from 4pm to 5:30pm. The $50/person workshop, designed for people who already have some basic knowledge of sake, includes sake and otsumami, aka "snacks to complement the sake." Call 415-556-9898 or email yoshi@yuzukisf.com to make reservations. // 598 Guerrero St. (Mission), yuzukisf.com







Small Batch Beer Pairing Dinner in Berkeley

Santa Rosa's HenHouse Brewing Company is bringing a batch of special beers to Berkeley for Comal restaurant's small batch beer pairing dinner next Tuesday at 6:30pm. The five-course meal will feature pairings such as King Salmon tartare served with HenHouse's Cracked Pepper Saison and braised duck enchilada matched with Honest Day's Work Red Rye Saison. The dinner will held in Abajo, Comal's private dining room, where guests will get a chance to meet HenHouse's Sayre Piotrkowski. Tickets are available online for $75/person, including food, beer and service charge. // 2020 Shattuck Ave. (Berkeley), comalberkeley.com







Manhattan Flights at Scoma's

Do you find it challenging to choose between bourbon and vermouth options when ordering a Manhattan? Scoma's Bar Director Matt Talbert has just the cure: a Manhattan Flight featuring three different house-aged Manhattans. The flight builds on Talbert's successful 1965 Manhattan, featuring Old Potrero Straight Rye, Punt e Mes, Angostura Bitters and Luxardo Cherry, barrel aged for 1,965 hours in charred oak cases in honor of the year the restaurant opened. The M4K Manhattan has been aged for a total of 4,000 hours in two different barrels, and the Three-18 aged in two different barrels before being bottle-finished with charred oak spirals. Try all three for $25. // 1965 Al Scoma's Way, Pier 47 (Fisherman's Wharf), scomas.com







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Lack of refining capacity, operational and maintenance problems, corruption, and theft, can also hinder market growth. Africa Oil and Gas Pipelines Market is fragmented into types and regions.

Africa is one of the fastest-growing economies, owing to the oil and gas reserves found in many parts of the continent. Africa produced around 9.5 million barrels per day (bpd), in 2011. It is estimated to produce around 12 million bpd till 2020.

The Brendon J Cannon Kisii University Nairobi proposed Uganda-Kenya Crude Oil Pipeline (UK COP) across Kenya. It is one of the three new pipelines installed for liquids for the region. This is expected to impel market growth in the coming years.

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UKCOP is expected to be one of the two crude oil pipelines to be constructed in East Africa. It is likely to export crude oil from countries like Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda to South Asia, China, and other markets.

On the basis of types, the pipelines are split into plastic pipes, steel pipes, and others. Steel pipes accounted over 80% of the total market in 2013, making it the largest segment. This segment is further fragmented into seamless, welded, and fitting pipes.

Welded pipes are the largest segment of steel pipes. Seamless pipes are anticipated to be the fastest growing segment.

Regions of interest in the market are Libya, Angola, Nigeria, Algeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Congo (Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Egypt, Chad, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Cameroon, and Mauritania.

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Sizable natural gas reserves have been discovered in Mozambique and Tanzania. Oil was also discovered onshore in Uganda and Kenya, in 2012.

Africa exported to around 20% of the worlds total crude oil, as it holds over 9% of the worlds proven oil reserves, in the year 2010.

Algeria is the third largest oil reserve in Africa. It is a net-exporter of petroleum products. According to Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Algeria had a total refinery capacity of over 652,510 bpd in 2011.

The key competitors are ArcelorMittal South Africa, British Petroleum (BP) plc, Sociedade Nacional de Combustiveis de Angola (Sonangol, the national oil company), Chevron, Sinopec, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

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Deloitte reported a revenue increase of 9.5 percent across its international network, for a total of US$36.8 billion in the fiscal year ending May 31, 2016.

The results represented Deloittes seventh straight year of revenue growth, while the growth rate of 9.5 percent was the highest in a decade. The firm saw growth in all five of its main businesses: audit, consulting, risk advisory, financial advisory, and tax & legal.

Growth was highest in Deloittes risk advisory practice, which increased 22.5 percent, thanks to demand for cyber and regulatory services. Deloittes consulting business grew 10.8 percent, while Deloitte Tax & Legal grew 10.0 percent in FY2016, the highest rate since FY2008. Deloitte hired 71,800 employees in fiscal 2016, growing the firms headcount 8.5 percent to 244,400 employees around the world.

Deloitte also spent $650 million on capital investment. It opened its fourth Deloitte University campus, this time in Singapore. The firm also set up a Financial Services Blockchain Lab in Ireland, created a Financial Crime Strategy & Response Network for financial institutions, and established a network of Cyber Intelligence Centers around the globe. In addition, Deloitte invested $200 million in various community and society initiatives.

Deloittes growth last year is a reflection of the tangible value and high-quality professional services we provide to our clients, said Deloitte Global CEO Punit Renjen in a statement. Deloitte takes pride in helping clients succeed in a global business environment marked by volatility and digital disruption and in our role as stewards helping ensure the proper functioning of global financial markets.
The Internal Revenue Service has issued final regulations redefining terms relating to marital status to include same-sex marriage for federal tax purposes, in accordance with Supreme Court decisions.

The rules reflect the Supreme Courts landmark rulings in the 2015 case of Obergefell v. Hodges and the 2013 case of Windsor v. U.S., legalizing same-sex marriage in every state and invalidating the Defense of Marriage Act. Back in 2013, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2013-17, which discussed issues related to the Windsor case, such as whether, for federal tax purposes, the terms spouse, husband and wife, husband, and wife include an individual married to a person of the same sex, if the individuals are lawfully married under state law. As the Windsor decision did not legalize same-sex marriage in every state, the revenue ruling also covered whether the IRS recognizes a same-sex marriage even in states that do not recognize the validity of same-sex marriages. The Obergefell decision wiped out that distinction, making same-sex marriage legal in every state.

Last fall, in response to the Supreme Court decision, the Treasury Department and the IRS issued a notice of proposed rulemaking, proposing to amend the regulations under section 7701 of the Tax Code to provide that, for federal tax purposes, the terms spouse, husband, and wife mean an individual lawfully married to another individual, and the term husband and wife means two individuals lawfully married to each other.

In addition, the proposed regulations provided that a marriage of two individuals would be recognized for federal tax purposes if that marriage would be recognized by any state, possession or territory of the U.S. Finally, the proposed regulations clarified that the term marriage does not include registered domestic partnerships, civil unions, or similar relationships recognized under state law that are not denominated as a marriage under that states law, and the terms spouse, husband and wife, husband, and wife do not include individuals who have entered into such a relationship.

The newly finalized regulations, published last Friday in the Federal Register, amend the Income Tax Regulations, the Estate Tax Regulations, the Gift Tax Regulations, the Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Regulations, the Employment Tax and Collection of Income Tax at Source Regulations, and the Regulations on Procedure and Administration.

The Treasury and the IRS received 12 comments on the proposed rules, including one commenter who suggested that the regulations specifically reference same-sex marriage so that the definitions apply regardless of gender and to avoid any potential issues of interpretation. The Treasury and the IRS, however, decided that the definitions in the proposed regulations should apply equally to same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples, and that no clarification was needed.
Underlying the importance of the Affiliates in todays digital marketing age, Ravi Bansal, Head Traffic and Content, LeEco, said that Affiliates have the potential to be as big as AdWords or FB, but the only thing stopping is the visibility to the advertisers. The way we have AdExchange, we could have an Affiliate Exchange. He was participating in a panel discussion on Anatomy of Perfect Affiliate Marketing at the India Affiliate Summit, organized by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), in association with VCommision.

The speakers at the two-day mega event were unanimous in their views that Affiliate Marketing is a key enabler today. Parul Bhargava, Co-founder & CEO, vCommission Media, in her address, mentioned that the affiliate network has been growing steadily in India despite the fact that it is still at a nascent stage. She underlined the importance of a strategic partnership amongst the various channels such as advertisers, brands, publishers, which could be a win-win for all the stakeholders.

In his address, Anurag Gupta, Founder & MD, DGM India, said that the Advertisers would need to recalibrate their affiliate strategy to derive best mileage out of the Affiliate Channel. This will continue to be one of the most cost effective channels of customer acquisition.

A whitepaper titled, Affiliate Marketing  What is the big deal, jointly prepared by IAMAI and Tata Strategic Management Group was also released on Day 1 of the event. Releasing the paper, Sourabh Gupta, Engagement Manager  Technology & Digital, TATA Strategic Management Group, said Industry often takes a myopic view on affiliate marketing by limiting it to sales. We, at TSMG believe that technology evolution would not only drive but also re-shape affiliate marketing in India. Companies across industries should re-align their conservative outlook towards affiliate marketing thus driving disproportionate results.

Speaking at the Summit, Milind Pathak, Chief Operating Officer, Madhouse India, emphasized that in todays connected world the modern marketer has to think beyond the obvious. He said: Affiliate Marketing is not only about getting the downloads; with technology moving towards programmatic, data intelligence and attribution, marketers today can identify the time when a consumer will convert and that to in real time. Marketers today can take all these innovations, combine them together and create a cracking campaign with effective strategy that will surge brand impact and customer engagement, at the same time driving a defined outcome, he opined.

Rohan Bhargava, Co-founder, CashKaro.com said that Cashback as a channel has helped e-commerce players to gain initial traction, spearhead their new customer acquisition model and do more business at reduced costs! For e-commerce companies, offering cashbacks/coupons has emerged as a popular alternative not just to attract new customers, but also to retain them. He mentioned that as per recent reports, cashback industry is growing at the rate of 62.9% with around 7.6 million unique users getting added every month and accounts for about 15-20% of total sales in the e-commerce sector. So, whether a company is small or in the Fortune 500, affiliate marketing is a valuable channel for attracting new business and retaining existing customers, he added.

In todays growing e-commerce era, Affiliate Marketing has become imperative. Affiliate Marketing is marketing third party products and being recompensed for each purchase, sale, click or revenue generated by visitors who have reached the Seller through the advertisements, vouchers or other incentives on website, mailers etc. One can easily work from home and earn big money through the Affiliate marketing channel and this Summit will highlight how one can earn from home by joining hands with the affiliates.

Spread across 2 days of networking & innovation, the Summit provided the industry fraternity the opportunities to hobnob with fellow Affiliates & Brands alike and visit the Affiliate Street, a section completely dedicated to Affiliate marketers. The two-day mega event was attended by more than 1600 delegates
IndiaMART, Indias largest online marketplace has appointed Amarinder S Dhaliwal, as its Chief Product Officer. In his current role at IndiaMART, Dhaliwal will work towards strengthening the user experience, creating a consumer centric brand and lead product innovation.

An IIM-Ahmedabad and IIT-Delhi alumnus, Amarinder comes with a rich experience of more than 20 years. Prior to joining IndiaMART, Amarinder was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Micromax YU, where he created and launched YU as an innovative mobile brand. He has also had an entrepreneurial stint as the co-founder and CEO for private label e-tailer DoneByNone.com. Apart from internet and e-commerce, Dhaliwals experience spans across media businesses, finance and investment banking in companies like Times Internet, World Wide Media, Powergen PLC and SBI Capital.

We are excited to have Amarinder on our team. With his entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial experience, Amarinder will spearhead the product innovations and development at IndiaMART. He is a key hire for us and we look forward to his leadership in ramping up our value proposition to cover all aspects impacting SMEs. He has successfully created and led highly engaging digital brands in the past and his expertise will help us in creating a globally competitive product experience for our users, said Dinesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, IndiaMART.

The B2B industry is at the juncture of internet revolution. In the past 20 years, IndiaMART has been leading this disruption. The company is looking at a robust expansion of its business and team in this fiscal.

Amarinder's considerable expertise in the internet space will be an asset as IndiaMART creates an ecosystem, thats at the intersection of commerce, payments and finance to serve millions of Indian SMEs that have come online. With his appointment, IndiaMART strengthens its ability to deliver best-in-class products to its growing user base," said Bhavani Rana, Partner, Amadeus Capital, investor of IndiaMART.

As a part of the top management, Amarinder has the responsibility of carrying ahead the organisations vision of to make doing business easy by focusing on enhancing the product utility and user experience, his key forte.

On his appointment in the new role, Amarinder said, Technology and internet are re-defining the B2B space. The B2B industry is moving at a fast pace and it comes with immense opportunities to innovate and grow. As internet becomes pervasive, the company is well positioned to leverage its understanding of SME needs as for a lot of SMEs their first brush with Internet was through IndiaMART. I am happy to join the strong leadership team of IndiaMART that has digitised millions of Indian businesses. The companys vision to build a customer centric brand excites me the most about my role.
Castrol India Limited, one of the leading automotive and industrial lubricant manufacturing and marketing companies in India, has announced the appointment of Kedar Apte as its new Vice President Marketing, effective 1 September 2016. Kedar joined Castrol India in September 2011 as General Manager for the Motorcycle engine oils category. During the last five years, he has managed multiple product categories and his last position prior to his new role, was as Head  Brand and Communications.



According to Shyam Balasubramanian, Regional Marketing Director, Asia & Pacific Region, Kedar has been responsible for successfully leading the launches of several pioneering brands like Castrol VECTON, Castrol CRB Mini-Truck and Castrol GTX ECO. His other significant contribution includes building a strong presence for the brand in the digital space through innovative on line campaigns.



In his new role as Vice President Marketing, Kedar will lead the marketing function which includes Brand Communication and Content, Sponsorships, digital marketing and consumer and customer engagement programmes. He will spearhead the on-going marketing strategy and continue to strengthen the Castrol brand through distinctive and exciting brand campaigns.

Commenting on the appointment, Omer Dormen, Managing Director, Castrol India Limited said, I am delighted to welcome Kedar as the new Vice President Marketing for the India business. Kedar is an experienced and dynamic leader and I am sure he will continue to strengthen the Castrol brand equity which has been built over the last hundred years in India. I am also looking forward to his valuable contribution to the overall business as a member of the Castrol India Country Leadership Team.



Kedar Apte  Vice President Marketing, Castrol India said, Castrol has been an integral part of the evolution of the lubricant industry in India and I am delighted to be part of the journey going forward. Castrol is acknowledged for its innovative marketing approach and I am eagerly looking forward to contributing towards the organization as it moves towards an exciting future.

Prior to joining Castrol, Kedar spent almost a decade with Hindustan Unilever in sales and marketing roles. Kedar is a mechanical engineer with a management degree in marketing from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai.


Close on the heels of the Da Da Ding campaign created for Nike India, and the recent digital and social new business win for the Delhi Tourism account, Wieden+Kennedy Delhi has announced its new leadership team.

Long-time W+K Delhi creative Shuchi Thakur has been appointed as Executive Creative Director for the agency. Thakur has had a hand in some of the best creative output this office has produced over the years, playing a key role in groundbreaking work for Royal Enfield and Make in India, amongst many others.

Partnering with Thakur as Executive Creative Director will be Molona Wati Longchar. Having worked on brands such as Incredible India, Nokia, Forest Essentials, Royal Enfield and IndiGo Airlines, Molona rejoins the W+K family after her latest role as a consultant with visual communications firm Design Stash. In addition, she helped set up Nebuzz.com, an online content portal celebrating the culture and creativity of the north-eastern states of India.

Commenting on her new role, Molona said, Its a great feeling to be coming back to W+K Delhi, and being a part of the vibrant and unique culture here. Shuchi and I have had a great working partnership in the past, and I could not be more thrilled about teaming up with her once again and leading the creative mandate together.

Joining Thakur and Molona to complete the Delhi leadership team is Sidharth Loyal, who has been appointed as Managing Director. Loyal is also returning to W+K Delhi after having worked in a range of roles at agencies across the Asia Pacific region, including DDB and Saatchi & Saatchi. His unique approach and vast experience gives him a great understanding of the communications business locally and abroad, and he looks forward to growing the India offering in his new role.

The communications business is going through a massive shift and what better place than Wieden+Kennedy to help drive and lead this change. Im really looking forward to partnering with my team and clients to further reinforce the agencys commitment to growth, by continuing to build a stellar creative product, said Loyal of his appointment.

He will be taking over the reins from current Managing Director Patrick Cahill. Cahills role has been to begin a new chapter for the Delhi office, and part of that will be a smooth transition to the new leadership team before returning to the US with W+K.

Karrelle Dixon, who oversees the whole W+K Asian operations as Director of Emerging Markets, added here, Building on the great momentum that Patrick and the entire office have created in the last year, it is hugely exciting to bring this team together. The chance to find a leadership team that understood the W+K culture and has the vision to further affect the creative landscape in India was an opportunity not to be missed, especially as we approach our 10-year anniversary in the country.
XIAMEN, China, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The award-winning American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China) delegation led by the Chamber's President Dr. Harley Seyedin arrived in Xiamen on September 6 to attend the 19th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT). The group, which continues to be a large delegation in its fourteenth year, and is comprised of representatives from U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C. and more than 150 executives including leaders from multinational enterprises, is heading for another successful and fruitful year at the fair.

At this three-day event, AmCham South China's CIFIT delegation will meet with government leaders from Hebei, Fujian, Jiangxi Province and the 2020 Winter Olympic Committee, aiming to explore business opportunities and potential for cooperation. The Delegation will also host the US-China Enterprises Cooperation Forum on the 9th, this year featuring Healthcare Investment & Innovation.

"CIFIT represents one of the largest and best platforms for investment and trade in the world, which has become a window of cross-investment to the world. Our Chamber and the members have been here for the past thirteen years and we owe the success of our delegation each and every year to the excellent organization and the high quality of arrangement and service provided by the CIFIT Organizing Committee. I want to offer my congratulations to the MOFCOM, Fujian and Xiamen leaders and the CIFIT organizing Committee for undertaking and delivering this highest level or professional excellence which brings us to the beautiful city of Xiamen every year," said President Harley.

President Harley also announced at the press conference that the Chamber has won the right to host the 2017 Asia Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC) Asia Pacific Business Summit which will be held in Guangzhou from April 19 to 22 in the coming year through fierce competition between the 29 Asia Pacific American Chambers of Commerce. Since this summit is hosted by a different AmCham each year, it represents a unique opportunity for Southern China, especially Guangdong, Fujian, Hainan Provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Hong Kong and Macau SAR which will be able to showcase their latest developments.

"APCAC is an 'Economic Power House', as it represents 29 American Chambers of Commerce from 22 economies in Asia Pacific, 15,000 member companies, 50,000 overseas American executives, 10 million employees, 400 billion U.S. dollars in annual FDI management and 500 billion U.S. dollars in annual trade," Harley said, "We firmly believe that the APCAC delegation which will meet with Southern China provincial and city leaders as well as visit many cities and districts and pursue investment opportunities will result in increase in cross-investment between the 22 economies that are covered by members of APCAC by tens of billions of U.S. dollars every year."

About The American Chamber of Commerce in South China

The American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating bilateral trade between the United States and the People's Republic of China. Certified in 1995 by its parent organization, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., AmCham South China represents more than 2,300 corporate and individual members, is governed by a fully-independent Board of Governors elected from its membership, and provides dynamic, on-the-ground support for American and International companies doing business in South China. In 2015, AmCham South China hosted nearly 10,000 business executives, government leaders and journalists from around the world at its briefings, seminars, committee meetings and social gatherings.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404807

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404808



To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amcham-south-china-delegation-returns-for-more-success-at-its-fourteenth-cifit-300323559.html

SOURCE AmCham South China
Amerigroup Louisiana has donated $10,000 to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank after the organizations Fraenkel Center facility was damaged during the recent flooding crisis. Amerigroups donation will support cleanup and food restocking efforts.

Amerigroup and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank have been working together to serve communities across Southern Louisiana for more than three years, and we have seen first-hand how critical food bank services can be for people in need, said Sonya Nelson, president of Amerigroup Louisiana. This recent disaster has directly impacted many of Amerigroups members, employees, families, friends and neighbors, so we felt an obligation to help Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank to get back on their feet and continue supporting Louisianans who need help.

Record levels of rain recently flooded the Greater Baton Rouge Food Banks 170,000 square foot storage facility and contaminated approximately 500,000 pounds of food. The food bank lost all food stored on lower levels of food racks and in freezers and coolers. Approximately four feet of water also damaged walls, furniture, computer equipment, records and more. The organization has begun cleanup efforts and is currently operating out of temporary facilities.

We appreciate Amerigroups generosity and commend their shared commitment to serving people in need in South Louisiana, said Mike Manning, CEO of Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. Their support illustrates a true commitment to helping neighbors, and we look forward to continued collaboration and success in transforming lives.

Amerigroup Louisiana is one of the states largest providers of Medicaid managed care services and serves more than 211,000 members across the state. Amerigroups mission is not only to serve its members, but to also offer social services supports that help transform entire communities. The Amerigroup Foundation also recently announced tens of thousands of dollars in grants made to organizations such as the American Red Cross, AmeriCares and Portlight Strategies to offer support to impacted Louisiana residents. The Amerigroup Foundation has also been matching all of its associate donations to its employee assistance fund and the American Red Cross at 100 percent through the month of August.

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Banks mission is to support people in need by providing food, education and other community resources. The parishes it serves include:

Ascension

Assumption

East Baton Rouge

East Feliciana

Iberville

Livingston

Pointe Coupee

St. Helena

St James

West Baton Rouge

West Feliciana

To learn more about the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, visit www.brfoodbank.org.

ABOUT AMERIGROUP LOUISIANA

Amerigroup Louisiana has been serving the state since 2012. We recognize the challenges low-income and underserved individuals face, and we tailor our programs to address them. Our health plan members are assured care that is not only accessible, but also accountable, comprehensive, integrated and patient-centered. Amerigroup Louisiana provides ongoing community relations and outreach to encourage members to become active participants in their health care. Also, through health education programs, members are empowered to choose and sustain healthy lifestyles. To learn more about Amerigroup Louisiana, visit www.myamerigroup.com/LA.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005036/en/

AMERIGROUP MEDIA CONTACT:

Denise Malecki

813-830-6986

denise.malecki@amerigroup.com
AMSTERDAM, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Atradius was recently awarded a license by the Korean Financial Supervisory Service to operate in South Korea, which will enable Atradius Trade Insurance Brokerage to receive proposals for export and domestic cover and service existing and new Korean accounts. Atradius will issue these policies locally with the support of the Seoul Guarantee Insurance Company (SGIC). This development increases Atradius' Asian footprint, to 14 countries in total, which are serviced through the various Asian branches and satellite offices.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150513/743985 )



Matthew Cockerill, General Manager of the Hong Kong branch of Atradius Credit Insurance N.V. and also responsible for the Korean and Taiwan markets, commented, 'It has taken a long time for this development to come to fruition, but I am pleased that we now have a physical presence in this important Asian market. This will enable us to support both local and multinational companies who wish to partner with Atradius in Korea.

The issuance of the license highlights the increasing interest in trade credit insurance in Korea, and at a time of high regional and global uncertainty, further reflects the growing opportunities that will develop in South Korea over the coming years.

A recent visit to Korea by Atradius' Chief Market Officer, Andreas Tesch, underlines the importance of this part of the world for Atradius, the second largest credit insurer globally. Mr. Tesch, who recently met with potential partners and existing global clients and viewed the new premises points out that South Korea's economy is one of the most diversified and technologically advanced in the world and is showing solid growth prospects. "Atradius will support our clients by developing the Korean trade credit market. We are looking forward to a long standing cooperation with Seoul Guarantee and expect to contribute to the Korean economy during good and challenging economic times."

About Atradius

Atradius provides trade credit insurance, surety and collections services worldwide through a strategic presence in 50 countries. Atradius has access to credit information on 200 million companies worldwide. Its credit insurance, bonding and collections products help protect companies throughout the world from payment risks associated with selling products and services on trade credit. Atradius forms part of Grupo Catalana Occidente (GCO.MC), one of the leading insurers in Spain and worldwide in credit insurance.

http://www.atradius.com
Fitch Ratings has affirmed the following ratings for Autoridad del Canal de Panama (ACP):

--Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'A';

--USD450 million senior unsecured notes at 'A'.

The Rating Outlook is Stable.

The ratings reflect ACP's solid revenue profile and low leverage levels. The Panama Canal offers unique connectivity to world maritime trade. Its resilience to economic downturns, solid competitive position supported by the canal's capacity post-expansion, and diversified revenue sources coupled with its robust toll-setting ability constitute strong rating drivers. Maximum projected net leverage at 1.5x in Fitch's rating case is considered low according to applicable criteria for its rating category. The strategic importance of ACP and the legal framework that provides the entity with autonomy allow for the credit to be rated higher than Panama's Sovereign rating, but is capped at three notches above it. ACP does not have direct peers, but compares favorably with other rated large intermodal transportation entities.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

Strong Strategic Asset for Global Trade Flows: The Panama Canal is a key player in global trade as it has a privileged geographical position. Approximately 2.4% of the world maritime commerce transits the Panama Canal. The Canal offers a unique connectivity to world maritime trade, linking two oceans, ports, rails and ancillary services adding value as the main transhipment hub in the region.

Legal Framework Support ACP's Autonomy: Constitutional and legal framework supports operational autonomy. ACP is the entity of the Panamanian Nation established under the Constitution with exclusive charge of operation, management, and modernization of the Canal. Fitch considers as credit positive the moderate reliance of the government of Panama on ACP's financial contribution as it represents approximately 2% of GDP. Fitch believes ACP will continue generating dividends and fees to the National Treasury of Panama. Moreover, the risk of government interference is adequately mitigated by ACP's institutional autonomy, and incentives are aligned to maintain the Panama Canal as a profitable entity. The rating incorporates ACP's long track record of managing profitable operations through different governments. Moreover, the rating reflects expectations that the Canal will continue to be managed under the same legal framework.

Revenue Risk - Volume: Stronger

Established Transport Asset in Competitive Region: ACP's operations have demonstrated resilience through global economic downturn periods. The revenue mix is exposed to global trade fluctuations and competitive forces, leading to a degree of volume volatility. The tonnage using the canal is also subject to maritime industry changes (size of vessels) and competition from alternative routes. Still, the canal provides unique connectivity and time savings to world maritime trade. The main route for the Panama Canal in terms of revenues is Asia-East Coast USA, which represented 39% of total toll revenues as of September 2014. The main competitor serving the Asia-East Coast USA is the Suez Canal. Another competitor for this route is the intermodal USA system. Post expansion, the Panama Canal is expected to regain any market share it lost to the Suez Canal.

Revenue Risk - Price: Stronger

Robust Toll-Setting Flexibility: ACP has successfully demonstrated a toll structure that periodically changes to capture the changing dynamics of maritime industry. A proactive approach in adjusting tolls in accordance with varying types of maritime segment schedules has provided stable cash flow generation. Shipping line consolidation to improve margins coupled with U.S. intermodal transport alternative may pose challenges to the canal's pricing flexibility.

Infrastructure Development/Renewal: Stronger

Big Ship Readiness and Modernizing Facilities: The expansion is expected to create economies of scale in maritime transport allowing 5,200-14,000 TEU vessels to use the new locks, up from current limit of 5,000 TEU capacity. With the USD5.4 billion major canal expansion, annual capital investments are expected to be back to historical asset replacement and upgrade levels in the intermediate term beginning with fiscal 2017.

Debt Structure: Midrange

Mixed Features: All of ACP's debt is senior pari passu, has adequate covenants and there is no material exposure to refinancing risk as just a relatively small portion of total debt corresponding to the issued bonds is amortized through bullet payments. On the other hand, most of the debt accrues interest at variable rates, which translates into uncertainty with respect to future debt service obligations. The combination of stronger, midrange, and weaker characteristics results in an overall assessment of Midrange for this attribute.

Debt Structure assessment was modified to Midrange from Stronger to make it consistent with other rated transactions within Fitch's portfolio.

Metrics:

ACP's leverage is low for the rating category and should not increase significantly in the future. In Fitch's base case, gross leverage is expected to reach its peak around 2x in 2016 and then decline to 1.5x by 2019, while net leverage remains stable at around 0.1x. In the rating case, gross leverage ratio is projected to increase to 2.5x, and net leverage to 1.5x, still in very comfortable levels for its rating category. Ratings are linked to Panama's Sovereign ratings. and capped at three notches above it.

Peers:

Among Fitch's rated transport portfolio there is no direct comparison for the Panama Canal. However, ACP's base case leverage, measured as net debt/EBITDA of 1.9x compares favorably with other large intermodal transportation entities such as: Harbor Department of Los Angeles ('AA'/Stable Outlook), Port Of Long Beach ('AA'/Stable Outlook) and McAllen International Toll Bridge system ('A'/Stable Outlook) which have net debt/EBITDA of 2.1x, 2.2x and 2.3x, respectively.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

Positive: A combination of ACP's financial performance according to base case expectations and a positive rating action to the Sovereign rating of Panama may result in a positive rating action.

Negative: A negative rating action on the Sovereign rating of Panama.

Negative: Although unlikely given current leverage, significant and sustainable deterioration in the company's credit metrics (margins, liquidity, and financial leverage) due to weaker than expected macro and business environment and/or more aggressive levels of capital investments or leverage could lead to a negative rating action. Moreover, a notable change in ACP's autonomy or operational ties with the government through adjustments to the legal framework could impact the rating.

SUMMARY OF CREDIT

The project for the design and construction of the third set of locks, the primary component of the canal expansion, was completed on June 26, 2016 with a small delay, as the target date was April 1, 2016. The delay was due to several factors such as contractor organizational issues mainly at the beginning of the work, contractor delays during the design and testing of concrete mixes, and unilateral temporary suspension of the work, among others.

In addition, in August 2015, water seepage was detected in one of the concrete sills of the new locks at the Pacific site (Cocoli). According to management, the seepage was due to a design flaw that has already been corrected. Grupo Unidos por el Canal, S.A. (GUPCSA) is the consortium responsible for the design and construction of the third set of locks. GUPSCA has filed numerous claims against ACP regarding this and other disputes related to the canal expansion. The outstanding claims are not expected to materially impact the financial position or the operations of ACP.

The third bridge across the canal on the Atlantic side is still under construction. The work began in January 2013 and is anticipated to be completed in 2017. Nonetheless, the construction of this bridge does not interfere with the canal's operations and has minimal impact in the project's financials.

On April 1, 2016, the anticipated opening date for commercial operations of the third set of locks, ACP implemented a new toll scheme. The new tolls are based on the expectation there will be fewer crossings in the canal but volume will increase because of the capacity of the New Panamax vessels and LNG tankers that can use it. This price strategy is expected to contribute to revenue maximization.

ACP's current liquidity, measured as non-restricted cash and marketable securities as of June 30, 2016 is USD 2.3 billion, which provides the company with comfortable liquidity headroom. Current liquidity is sufficient to meet the next debt payment of USD230 million due in 2019. According to the metrics reported by ACP as of June 2016, total debt to EBITDA and debt service coverage ratio are strong at 2.05x and 91.06x, respectively. As of June 30, 2016, ACP had USD2.75 billion of total debt, and net leverage ratio and total debt to EBITDA were 0.28x and 2.04x, respectively.

Additional information is available on www.fitchratings.com

Applicable Criteria

Rating Criteria for Infrastructure and Project Finance (pub. 08 Jul 2016)

https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/882594

Rating Criteria for Ports (pub. 20 Oct 2015)

https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/872725

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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 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.

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Fitch Ratings

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NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Summary



Global ethylene capacity will experience considerable growth in the next five years with increase from 172.68 MMTPA in 2015 to 227.46 MMTPA by 2020. Large capacity additions with more than 80 planned projects are expected to come online primarily in the US, China and Iran in the next five years. China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Rosneft Oil Company and Formosa Plastics Group are the top three companies by capacity additions expected to come onstream over the next five years.



Global ethylene industry is expected to spend around US$46.54 billion by 2020 for the upcoming projects. Russia, US and China are the top three countries by capital expenditure for projects by 2020.



Scope



Report provides information and insight on -

- Historic and forecast global ethylene capacity by region

- Ethylene planned plants details

- Global ethylene capacity by feedstock

- Capacity share of the major ethylene producers in the world

- Global ethylene capital expenditure forecast by region



Reasons to buy



The report will clarify -

- Understand the key trends in the global ethylene industry

- Understand the regional ethylene supply scenario

- Identify opportunities in the global ethylene industry with the help of upcoming projects and capital expenditure forecast

- Understand the current and likely future competitive scenario

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04042152-summary/view-report.html



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-ethylene-capacity-and-capital-expenditure-outlook---us-and-china-to-lead-ethylene-industry-expansion-300324140.html

SOURCE Reportlinker
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut and Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams returned to Earth Tuesday after his U.S. record-breaking mission aboard the International Space Station.

Williams and his Russian crewmates Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, landed in their Soyuz TMA-20M at 9:13 p.m. EDT southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan (7:13 a.m. Sept. 7, local time).

Having completed his fourth mission, Williams now has spent 534 days in space, making him first on the all-time NASA astronaut list. Skripochka now has 331 days in space on two flights, while Ovchinin spent 172 days in space on his first.

"No other U.S. astronaut has Jeff's time and experience aboard the International Space Station. From his first flight in 2000, when the station was still under construction, to present day where the focus is science, technology development and fostering commercialization. Jeff even helped prepare the space station for future dockings of commercial spacecraft under NASA's Commercial Crew Program," said Kirk Shireman, ISS Program manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "We're incredibly proud of what Jeff has accomplished off the Earth for the Earth."

Williams was instrumental in preparing the station for the future arrival of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft. The first International Docking Adapter was installed during a spacewalk by Williams and fellow NASA astronaut Kate Rubins Aug. 19. Outfitted with a host of sensors and systems, the adapter's main purpose is to connect spacecraft bringing astronauts to the station in the future. Its first users are expected to be Boeing's CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, now in development in partnership with NASA.

During his time on the orbital complex, Williams ventured outside the confines of the space station for a second spacewalk with Rubins to retract a spare thermal control radiator and install two new high-definition cameras.

Together, the Expedition 48 crew members contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard humanity's only orbiting laboratory.

The crew members also welcomed five cargo spacecraft during their stay. Williams was involved in the grapple of Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft in March, the company's fourth commercial resupply mission, and SpaceX's eighth Dragon spacecraft cargo delivery in April, and welcomed a second Dragon delivery in July. Two Russian ISS Progress cargo craft also docked to the station in April and July delivering tons of supplies.

Expedition 49 continues operating the station with Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos in command. He, Rubins, and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will operate the station for more than two weeks until the arrival of three new crew members.

Shane Kimbrough of NASA and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch Sept. 23, U.S. time, from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Check out the full NASA TV schedule and video streaming information at:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

Keep up with the International Space Station, and its research and crews, at:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

Get breaking news, images and features from the station on Instagram and Twitter at:

http://instagram.com/iss

and

http://www.twitter.com/Space_Station

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasas-record-breaking-astronaut-crewmates-safely-return-to-earth-300323470.html

SOURCE NASA
In a case brought by PhRMA that sought to invalidate voter signatures on the Ohio Drug Price Relief Act, the Supreme Court of Ohio issued a ruling on August 15th directing backers of the measure to collect an additional 5,044 voter signatures in support of the measure in ten days by August 25th.

Today, Secretary Husted certified the 10-day petition, writing, The Petition the Committee filed with this office on August 25, 2016 pursuant to the Courts ruling contains a total of 12,476 valid signatures on behalf of the initiated statute. Secretary Husted also forwarded the statute on to the General Assembly.

After several attempts over the past year to thwart a ballot measure known as the Ohio Drug Price Relief Act from ever getting on the ballot and placed before voters, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted today certified a 10-day petition submitted by the measures backers certifying an additional 12,476 valid voter signatures on behalf of the measure. Secretary Husted also resubmitted the language of the proposed statute to the Ohio General Assembly for its evaluation and consideration.

On August 15th, the Supreme Court of Ohio issued a ruling in a case brought by PhRMA that sought to invalidate voter signatures on the Ohio Drug Price Relief Act, a ballot measure that would lower drug prices for state programs in Ohio. In that ruling, the Court directed backers of the measure to collect an additional 5,044 voter signatures in support of the measure in ten days by August 25th.

Earlier today, Secretary Husted certified the 10-day petition, and in a letter sent to Donald J. McTigue, Esq., the attorney representing the proponents of the ballot measure, wrote, The Petition the Committee filed with this office on August 25, 2016 pursuant to the Courts ruling contains a total of 12,476 valid signatures on behalf of the initiated statute. The Ohio Supreme Courts requirements are thereby satisfied.

Secretary Husted also then resubmitted the proposed statute to the General Assembly. If the Assembly fails to act on the measure, backers may then collect an additional 91,677 valid voter signatures in order to place the initiative on the ballot, which backers hope to get on the November 2017 ballot.

We were confident that we had more than enough additional signatures in the ten-day petition to meet the requirements set forth by the Supreme Court of Ohio and we are pleased that the Secretary of State promptly carried out the Supreme Courts instructions," said Don McTigue, attorney at law with the firm McTigue & Colombo.

This ballot measure will compel Ohio officials to pay no more for drugs for state programs than what the Department of Veterans Affairs pays, said Tracy Jones, Midwest Regional Director & National Director of Advocacy Campaigns and a proponent of the Drug Price Relief Act. The General Assembly now has language of the measure for its consideration, the next step in the process of bringing this important issue before voters next year, should the Assembly fail to act on it.

The Ohio Drug Price Relief Act will amend Ohio law to require state programs to pay the same or less for prescription medications as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs1. Backers intended to have the initiative appear on Ohios November 2016 presidential election ballot, but obstructionistand backers believe, illegalmoves by Secretary of State Husted have forced the ballot measure proponents to aim for the November 2017 Ohio ballot instead.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 600,000 individuals in 36 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare

1 V.A. pricing is generally believed to be 20% to 24% lower than for almost any other government program.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160906006682/en/

OHIO:

McTIGUE & COLOMBO LLC

Don McTigue, Attorney at Law

614-263-7000

or

CALIFORNIA:

AHF

Ged Kenslea, Senior Director, Communications

+1-323-308-1833 work

+1-323-791-5526 mobile

gedk@aidshealth.org
Lost, found, repatriated

In early May 2016, Andy Fuller, a groundsman from Royal Air Force Honington, England, swept his metal detector over the soil of what used to be known as RAF Knettishall. Once designated as U.S. Army Air Force Station 136, the base was home to the B-17 Flying Fortress, an aircraft utilized for targeting naval installations, refineries and communication centers in key locations during World War II.



The historical grounds of RAF Knettishall -- last active in 1957 -- paint a picture of what occurred there more than 70 years ago. Only patches of the old runway and a few buildings remain as a reminder, with one of the buildings now featured as a museum for the 388th Bomb Group.



As he swept the grounds, Fuller reached down to find a slight glimmering object that was weathered from its years at rest. What he found was a small piece of metal bearing a name: Raymond Odom.



Dog tags are one thing all service members carry into battle with them. The tags from World War II were stamped with a military members name, rank and service number. These tags served as a form of identification for those who were killed in action, injured or otherwise unable to identify themselves.



Fuller had permission from the land owner, Collin Davey, to sweep the area and thats when he found the (single) dog tag, explained Julie Brown, a RAF Honington deputy meter officer. He then got in touch with Cpl. Ed Stanley, an armorer at RAF Honington, who then took it upon himself to research the history of the tag.



Stanley learned that Odom joined the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II on Feb. 23, 1943, with a delayed enlistment until March 2, 1943. Odom was assigned to the 388th BG at RAF Knettishall after graduating from the tactical training course July 31, 1943, at the Ohio Institute of Aeronautics.



During his research, Stanley discovered that Odom was alive, well and living in the U.S. He then proceeded to contact Odoms daughter, Debbie Ball, through social media.



When I first found out (one of) his tags had been found, I was excited because that was a part of my dad I knew very little about. I didnt even know his tags were lost, Ball explained. Dad never really talked about his experience in the war until recently, so I thought this would be a nice time to get the tags back to him.



After speaking with Ball, Brown contacted Senior Master Sgt. Brian Boisvert, the 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs superintendent, to officially hand over the dog tag to the U.S. Air Force, setting the repatriation plan in motion.

The presentation of the dog tag to the U.S. military was the first step in bringing the tag home. From there, it was shipped to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, not only because of the bases proximity to Odom, but also because it serves as home to the 8th Air Force, under which the 388th BG was subordinate.



My dad knows that his dog tag might have been found, but he has no idea what has been done to honor him, Ball exclaimed. Thats the part Im so excited about! He will be so humbled that the Air Force has put this much effort in the return of his tag and (put) together a display to be able to show (it) off!
Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile South Africa: Post "Post-Apartheid"? AfricaFocus Bulletin

September 7, 2016 (160907)

(Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note The "post-apartheid" period is now over, it seems. Whether one dates the change from the massacre of miners at Marikana in 2012, the death of Nelson Mandela in 2013, student protests in 2015, or the municipal elections last month, a generation has now passed since the high hopes of the first democratic elections in 1994. South Africans, particularly the generation known as the "born-frees," are coping with the realization that that political victory was only the beginning, not the achievement of the hopes for social and economic transformation so many had hoped and died for. As in other African countries a generation after the achievement of political independence, and in the United States a generation after the dramatic gains for political rights in the 1950s and 1960s, it is clear that centuries of history of oppression are still deeply embedded in current stubborn structures of inequality, as well as in the dominant culture. The number of years counted in a generation are generally taken as somewhere from 20 to 30. But changes in consciousness are uneven, and sharply marked by transformative events. Those experiences differ, of course, from country to country and continent to continent. But in the age of hashtags such as #BlackLivesMatter and #FeesMustFall, there are also striking convergences and linkages across continental boundaries. Yet the unequal balance in global media (including social media) means that the outside world is far less aware of the changes in South Africa than of the highly publicized events in the United States. Today's series of two AfricaFocus Bulletins, therefore, focuses particularly on South Africa. Another AfricaFocus Bulletin, not sent out by email but available on the web at http://www.africafocus.org/docs16/sa1609b.php, contains excerpts from a forthcoming chapter by Patrick Bond, focusing on the link between student protest in South Africa and the current heated debates about the government budget and economic priorities in South Africa. This AfricaFocus Bulletin includes, as is our normal format, several articles and additional links related to selected topics: recent protests by black girls against racist hair codes at elite private schools, analysis of the aftermath of the municipal elections, and the planned launch of a new progressive trade union federation. A new feature this week, however, consists of links to a Youtube playlist of highly recommended videos available for free watching, including two acclaimed feature films on the Marikana Massacre of 2012 (Miners Shot Down) and on the student protests of 2015 (The People Versus the Rainbow Nation) as well as shorter videos and interviews, such as the explosive speech by ANC veteran Sipho Pityana at the funeral of ANC leader Makhenkhesi Stofile in last August. You can find the listing below, with links to each video. But, if your time right now is limited, I suggest you save this email for later reading and go directly to Youtube to pick what to watch and save any you are interested in to "watch later." See "South Africa in the 21st Century in Video: A Youtube Playlist," available at http://tinyurl.com/hqpr255. Update September 10, 2016 Angela Davis, 17th Steve Biko Memorial Lecture, Pretoria, September 9, 2016 Watching these videos and preparing the playlist has been both enjoyable and highly informative for me, but it is also much more time-consuming than selecting written material from email and web. So I would much appreciate feedback on whether readers find any of the videos useful, and whether you would like similar playlists to be an ongoing feature for AfricaFocus. To provide feedback, after you have watched a video, please fill out this form: https://goo.gl/forms/skDu3L9MxgfpJIJj2 If you prefer audio to video, and have time to listen (a bit less than an hour), note that KPFA radio host Walter Turner interviewed me about South Africa after the municipal elections on his program Africa Today. For the discussion with Walter, focused on trying to understand South Africa's present situation in comparison to the parallels in the United States, visit the KPFA site at https://kpfa.org/program/africa-today/, and scroll down to the program for August 15, 2016. I'm not doing a form on this one, but if you listen, any feedback (email to africafocus@igc.org) would be welcome. For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on South Africa, visit http://www.africafocus.org/country/southafrica.php ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Zulaikha Patel: How we all wish we were you by Azad Essa Daily Vox, August 30, 2016 http://www.thedailyvox.co.za/zulaikha-patel-wish-we-were-you/ [For regular progressive coverage of South Africa, follow The Daily Vox on Facebook or subscribe to the weekly "Top of the Vox" at http://tinyurl.com/z5fvnpm] I don't think I have ever seen anything quite like it. The little girl  now known to all as Zulaikha Patel  standing in front of a row of three white males, refusing to back down, calling on them to follow through with their threats to arrest them  for their hair. "Take us all," she said, for half a dozen girls at the school. "They want to take us prison  take us all." It was an act of extraordinary courage that left us tingling. Who were these brave girls and how had they secured such resilience against authority? I watched the video on a loop on Instagram. Stolen moments from a protest that left me breathless. I think it was five times before I dared to blink. And still, there was an artistry in the execution of their defiance. A calmness that betrayed possible consequence. For Zulaikha  her resolve was as natural as the curls on her head and the light creases on her young face. It was earnest, determined and uncomplicated. Their actions were undeterred by mortgage payments and outstanding car loans. Unconcerned about the impact of her actions on "her career" or "that promotion". A free spirit, asking only for the right to be herself. The photo of her standing tall with steely eyes, arms outstretched and fists folded above her irresistible afro in a defiance of an antiquated, warped and racist policy will be studied and fluttered over for years to come. We learnt later that Zulaikha had been previously put in detention for her hair. That she had to leave three schools because her hair challenged the system. Her sister said she was continually mocked, her hair described as "exotic" and looking like a "cabbage". She would come home in tears. It is remarkable then that she didn't look for ways to mend the "problem". I know I would have. I know I turned a blind eye to any whispers or condescension from teachers or classmates at both primary and secondary school reserved for the few brown and black faces in the former Model-C schools I attended. I know I put on a purported civilised face each morning I entered that school and showed my true colours each afternoon back home or with fellow brown savages at the local madrassa. Then, as profiling at airports or certain cities continue to proliferate, so many of us are shifting our behaviours, assimilating, changing the way we curl our tongues so we fit in, or draw attention to ourselves. And if we protest, it will be decided after a cost-benefit assessment: based on time and place, potential to win and lose, energy levels and interest to take on the prejudice or let it slip. We are all in awe of Zulaikha, because we wish to hell we could have all been her, growing up. We wish we could be her, as a grown up. While so many of us were trying as children, and then as adults, to make the world work for us, we forgot that world already belonged to each and every one of us. We've been left so insecure and desperate to "make it", we've been wired to forgo anything, including ourselves. I wondered after watching the clip another five times: what if there hadn't been a video to record the sublime protest initiated by the girls of the school? The reported narrative would have never gone viral. It would not have brought the school to its knees, its policies into the spotlight. It might not have brought politicians and policymakers into the discussion. Zulaikha might have found herself immediately suspended, or expelled, maybe jailed. It might have all been in vain. We don't know, as per her sister's admission, how all of this attention will impact on Zulaikha. She is just a 13-year-old after all, acting on her own accord. And this is not a fight she was ever meant to fight. But she has provided a most memorable lesson. Justice, it turns out, simply needs people to speak out against injustice. And it's apt, that it would take a child to make us remember that. See also, for a description of the protest and its background, "Pretoria Girls High: A protest against sacrificed cultures and identities," by Greg Nicolson, Daily Maverick, August 30, 2016 ( http://tinyurl.com/hjqpzek). The Sun Also Rises: And the Darkest Hour is just before the Dawn John Matisonn Daily Maverick, 29 August 2016 http://www.dailymaverick.co.za - direct URL: http://tinyurl.com/grp9h3a [John Matisonn is the author of God, Spies and Lies, Finding South Africa's future through its past, and host of Cape Town TV's Between the Lines, a series of half-hour programs each featuring an interview with a key South African newsmaker or analyst.] [For a Youtube playlist of Between the Lines beginning in June 2016, visit http://tinyurl.com/jsotek5 - For links to selected interviews, see "South Africa in the 21st Century" below] I guess I'm cursed to be a contrarian. By late 1996 I could see that this democratic government so many had risked life and limb for would not be strong against corruption. I saw it first-hand when it sided against the honest in the first big corruption scandal of the ANC era, at the Independent Broadcasting Authority. Everyone else was optimistic, and I, an IBA councillor, was out of step. Now, as President Jacob Zuma's rank disdain for the people he governs has seen in some a spiral of despair, I feel positive. Why? Because August 2016 will go down in this country's history as a turning point. Zuma is not finished yet, but my crystal ball tells me that whatever damage he does before he goes, and there will be damage, politically speaking he is a dead man walking. The South African voter has awoken. And you can take that to the bank. Of course this may not be the end of the ANC. If good leadership, leadership with vision and integrity, takes the helm, the ANC obviously can rebuild. Too many people care about it to abandon it if given new reasons for hope. But every day Zuma remains in charge is a blessing to Mmusi Maimane and Julius Malema. For them, the president is the gift that keeps on giving. And from the day after Zuma goes, he will be like apartheid: Support Zuma? Who, me? Never happened! The cascade of good people coming out against Zuma and for Gordhan should bring tears of relief to the patriotic eye. Let's be blunt for a moment, like we know South Africans are at home: a lifelong Communist of Indian descent has the hopes and admiration of a grateful nation. His courage, smarts and sensibleness have brought out the best in leaders in every field and of every ethnicity. Not a day goes past without an icon of the struggle, or a gaggle of academics or a billionaire business leader, scathingly attacking the president. And Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has finally lifted his skirt. After a seemingly endless period of the unseemly grovelling necessary to stay in his job, he's given a limited idea of what we are asked to believe is the real Cyril: he backed Pravin Gordhan unequivocally at an ANC funeral. Don't bet the farm that Cyril will not cover those ankles again. Zuma retains the majority in the decision-making National Executive Committee, and Ramaphosa knows how to count. But for ordinary South Africans, either the ANC throws out Zuma, or voters continue to nibble away at the ANC's eviscerated credibility and votes. It will be a long time before all of us -- commentators, politicians, businesspeople, academics and the jobless -- digest the news of August 2016. Around 10 percent of the national budget, and hundreds of thousands of jobs, are no longer controlled by the ANC. Even in the unlikely event of a 2019 ANC recovery from these local election results, further losses will accrue in provincial and national legislatures. The ANC lacks the tools for opposition politics, except perhaps in Johannesburg, where the outgoing mayor, Parks Tau, retains his skills and moral compass. If Herman Mashaba messes up as mayor of Johannesburg, Tau's people will be back in 2021. That's in the future. For the rest of this decade, the defeated will have to adjust. The new metro governments have something going for them. That hunger and lack of entitlement, the feeling they have no God-given right to govern and everything to prove, may serve them well. Do not underestimate the prize: even if they do not get the ANC below 50% in 2019, think about the thousands of town councillors who lost their jobs this month, and the MPs and MPLs who know they will be unemployed in 2019. Think about the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of cadres whose guarantees of deployed positions just evaporated. They must prove themselves competent, or they're next. Those old enough will remember that apartheid slugger John Vorster's famous phrase: adapt or die. The adaptations to come will boggle the pre-August 2016 mind. Zuma seems determined to take out Paul Mashatile as ANC Gauteng provincial leader. He, Tau, and Gauteng premier David Makhuru represent the best in the ANC. Urban, urbane, modern and honourable. What will they do? The answer follows logic: some will stay ANC to the bitter end. But others will switch parties. It may still seem impossible to imagine, but when they are out in the cold, their choice will be fairly simple: DA or EFF. Perhaps COPE or the UDM will attract a few, but they lack the infrastructure or heft to make it on their own. The future is with three parties. Only in KwaZulu-Natal will the fourth, the Inkatha Freedom Party, remain in the running, though the age of its leader, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, and his failure to prepare for succession mean it too is on borrowed time. As in the white politics days of the United Party's Douglas Mitchell and before that the British imperialist Dominion Party, the languid politics of our tropical province will be slow to catch up. The country needs to move to debate that's more concrete. Probably nothing is more critical or central and essential to debate than reprioritising the national budget. That requires a public argument tied to what the government is actually doing as opposed to what it says it's doing. To give but two examples: Every government leader says we are prioritising infrastructure, but the companies that would be building infrastructure -- construction companies -- are staving off collapse because so little is being commissioned. Infrastructure brings jobs and growth, both short-term and long-term. Second, the government wants a zero fees increase because it is scared of students. But it hasn't offered a way to pay for it. Universities are a top priority. They provide the job creators (as opposed to the claim especially by the American right that cutting already low taxes on the 1% creates jobs). Where should the money come from? That is what the debate must be about. But first, a major step must be to cut the public sector payroll. If we don't we will be Zimbabwe -- where Robert Mugabe has stayed in power for 36 years by protecting public sector salaries at the expense of the economy. In 2016 that chicken (his party symbol is the rooster) has finally come to roost. This week, after he proved unable to meet the payroll yet again, he finally agreed to the cuts. That is the worst possible way to do it -- to cut when you have no money to redirect productively. What happened on August 3 may be the best possible outcome for a number of reasons besides giving the ANC a well deserved bloody nose. The fact that the transfer of power occurred largely peacefully is a good sign. That makes it more likely that the ANC will accept the next round of losses. As important, this slow easing of power away from the ANC is better than an overnight landslide, for this reason: South Africa is extremely hard to govern. Its complexity, managing unruly and compromised trade unions and increasingly confident traditional leaders, remain substantially the ANC's problem. So keep your chin up. Take the long view. The wheels of democracy grind slow but sure. The majesty of democracy is a wonderful thing to behold. South Africa will be back. China won't bring it back. America and Europe won't bring it back. Only we, South Africans, can and must. DM See also Sahra Ryklief, "South Africa's 2016 municipal elections  why the excitement?," GroundUp, August 23, 2016 ( http://tinyurl.com/jvbx4aw) "Zwelinzima Vavi's address to the FAWU [Food and Allied Workers Union] National Congress"

22 August 2016 [Brief excerpts from beginning of speech by the former general secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and convenor of the Steering Committee for a New Trade Union Federation. Full text available at http://tinyurl.com/j8b6roc] It is also a time of extreme hardship for millions of workers and thousands of your own members, particularly on the farms, where far too many employers still act as if apartheid had never ended. Poverty pay, casualisation, exploitation and racism are widespread and even getting worse, as the job-loss bloodbath continues. Entire industries are in danger of disappearing. Unemployment at 36% is among the highest in the world, and employers have been quick to exploit the desperation of the unemployed to find or keep jobs at any cost in order to drive down wages and working conditions. As well as outsourcing, casualisation of work and using labour brokers, the bosses are now waging a concerted campaign to sabotage collective bargaining structures and weaken the power of organised labour. Some, like Uber taxis, want to redefine all their workers as self-employed so-called 'partners', with no benefits or union rights. Inequality is widening globally, but South Africa remains the worst in the world, and it is still blatantly racial as the gap gets wider between the white, super-rich capitalist elite and the black working class majority, women in particular, who remain even more firmly mired in poverty, hunger and squalid living conditions. Wealth is shifting further into the pockets of the white capitalists. This widening inequality fosters a mood of growing anger and despair as the problems which the ANC keep promising to solve remain as bad as ever or get even worse. Community protests against the lack of basic services, corruption and unaccountable local officials have become so frequent that they rarely make the news headlines, except in traffic reports when they disrupt motorists travel plans! This is all aggravated by the unchecked explosion of maladministration, corruption and theft of our wealth not just by a few rogue families but the entire capitalist class and their political allies in the ANC, DA and other political parties. It is not just President Jacob Zuma and the Guptas who are plundering the wealth created by our labour, but the entire corrupt capitalist system of which they are part. More and more reports are leaking out revealing systematic tax evasion and money-laundering by big business. Millions of rands are disappearing from the country as investors put their cash where they will make the quickest and biggest profits, with no regard for the welfare of the people, the environmental price and least of all the conditions of their workers who produce the wealth in the first place. Big business is sitting on R1, 5 trillion in the banks and it blames this investment strike on 'uncertainty'. These are all the real reasons for the decline in the ANC vote and the record high number of abstentions on 3 August. Although it is still the biggest party, the ANC's vote dropped from 62.9% in 2011 to 54.4%. ... South Africa in the 21st Century in Video: A Youtube Playlist Videos selected by AfricaFocus Bulletin (http://www.africafocus.org) as key resources for understanding South Africa today. The full playlist is available at http://tinyurl.com/hqpr255 Miners shot down [Full documentary]

Award-winning 2014 film on the 2012 Marikana Massacre. 1 hour, 26 minutes

https://youtu.be/EN199WpXBmU Shutting Down the Rainbow Nation: #FeesMustFall by Africa is a Country

Short film on #FeesMustFall student protests. October 2015. 11 minutes

https://youtu.be/ksgrJyOrd7A The People Versus The Rainbow Nation

by MTV Base Africa

Feature film. May 2016. Inside look at students and the issues behind the protests.

1 hour, 2 minutes

https://youtu.be/Yu-1Wlo5_Hs Between The Lines Episode 1

by Cape Town TV

Interview with Sylvia Vollenhoven, June 2016. From rediscovery of history of the Khoisan to corruption and illicit financial flows in the mid-1990s.

26 minutes

https://youtu.be/uSZE05ZvIRg Between the Lines Episode 3

by Cape Town TV

Interview with Andrew Feinstein. June 2016. Corruption in the South African arms deal & the global arms trade. 24 minutes

https://youtu.be/2hUptxmxkhg Between the Lines Episode 6

by Cape Town TV

Interview with leading university educator Jonathan Jansen. July 2016. The state of South African higher education. Financial & policy neglect.

26 minutes

https://youtu.be/mS5pJ1sWUgI Between the Lines Episode 8

by Cape Town TV

Interview with #FeesMustFall activist Akosua Korenteng at University of Cape Town. August 2016.

26 minutes Between the Lines Episode 11

by Cape Town TV

Interview with election analyst Bob Mattes. August 2016. Data-based analysis of municipal election results. 24 minutes

https://youtu.be/Ef-KstOcqEI Full Speech: Sipho Pityana Attacks Jacob Zuma at Makhenkhesi Stofile funeral

by Tribe2Tribes

Devastating critique of regime corruption at funeral of respected ANC leader. August 25, 2016.

30 minutes

https://youtu.be/gWA1R986iOc "Sipho Pityana speech at Stofile funeral," News24, 2016-08-26. Background and partial transcript at http://tinyurl.com/glhkhgx

Full transcript available at http://www.biznews.com/sa-investing/2016/09/07/watch-anglogold-chairman-sipho-pityana-skewers-zuma-as-anc-bigwigs-look-on/ AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to subscribe or unsubscribe to the bulletin, or to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.org
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]inally, Cauvery River water gave some relief to Tamil Nadu (TN); however this action has left Karnataka in turmoil. TN was facing water crises much ahead of rains. If this year there wont be any satisfactory rains, then the state has to depend on neighbouring states. TN always had issues with water, sometimes its water scarcity, sometimes floods and Tsunami. This time its worst ever. Nature is unkind and government too is very inefficient in crisis management. Recently, we had seen water stagnation and lack of drainage which caused flood in Chennai. The torrential rains this time magnified the problem manifold. I hope the restoration plans by authorities take note of the need to revive/resuscitate the natural water bodies and do not yield to other pressures.

Like laymen, experts are also blaming the construction boom and unchecked cutting of mangroves. The fact is that only two small rivers are draining the rain water into the sea. The Buckingham canal mostly dumps the city rain water in the Adayar River. The Adayar River passes through the runway of the Chennai Airport causing the flooding at airport. The best way to tackle the periodical flooding and water scarcity is to divert the water from Adayar River west of airport by creating a weir and deepening the river and creating multiple canals like streets. Unless the water level in the rivers is kept low by diverging the rain water will not drain quickly from the city. Buckingham canal is an artificial canal built by British, so that they can ship Andhras products through Chennai port to their country. It is a canal which was built to loot Indian wealth.

Environmentalists said that the floods in Chennai are an impact of climate change and the unprecedented deluge that the city has witnessed is a reminder of increasing frequency of such freak weather events across the Indian subcontinent. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said that Chennai could have fared better if it had protected and preserved its natural water bodies and drainage channels. However, both the said problems are related to excessive construction which leads to poor recharge of groundwater aquifers and blocking of natural drainage systems. While, Chennai has been struggling to meet its water needs and has been even desalinating sea water at a huge expense, it allowed its aquifers to get depleted said the experts. CSEs research shows that Chennai had more than 600 water bodies in the 1980s, but a master plan published in 2008 said that only a fraction of them are in healthy condition.

According to records of the states Water Resources Department, the area of 19 major lakes has shrunk from a total of 1,130 hectares (ha) in the 1980s to around 645 ha in the early 2000s, reducing their storage capacity. The drains that carry surplus water from tanks to other wetlands have also been encroached upon. The analysis also shows that the stormwater drains constructed to drain flood waters are clogged and required immediate desiltation and Chennai has only 855 kms of stormwater drains against 2,847 kms of urban roads.

In November last year, the city had received 1,218 mm of rain, which was almost three times more than the average the city receives. A 2006 study by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune had said that extreme precipitation events were increasing in frequency and intensity in India during the period between 1950 to the 2000s. CSEs climate change experts point out that while detailed attribution studies needed to be done to find out more links between the Chennai catastrophe and climate change, existing scientific studies do establish the possibility of a connection.

Jayalalitha pointed out to her repeated requests for the formation of the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee. The sharing of waters of the Cauvery River has been the source of a serious conflict between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and 1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Princely State of Mysore. The 802 kilometres (498 mi) Cauvery River has 44,000 sq.km basin area in Tamil Nadu and 32,000 sq.km basin area in Karnataka. Decades of negotiations between the parties bore no fruit. The Government of India then constituted a tribunal in 1990 to look into the matter. After hearing arguments of all the parties involved for the next 16 years, the tribunal delivered its final verdict on 5 February 2007. In its verdict, the tribunal allocated 419 billion cubic.ft (12 cubic.km) of water annually to Tamil Nadu and 270 billion cubic.ft (7.6 cubic.km) to Karnataka; 30 billion cu.ft (0.8 cu.km) of Cauvery River water to Kerala and 7 billion cu.ft (0.2 cu.km) to Puducherry. The dispute however, appears not to have concluded, as all three states and Union territory deciding to file review petitions seeking clarifications and possible renegotiation of the order. Soon after the tribunal was set up, Tamil Nadu demanded a mandatory injunction on Karnataka for the immediate release of water and other reliefs. This was dismissed by the tribunal. Tamil Nadu, now went back to the Supreme Court which directed the tribunal to reconsider the states plea.

Karnataka was thus forced to accept the interim award and widespread demonstrations and violence broke out in parts of the state and Tamil Nadu following this. Thousands of Tamil families had to flee from Bangalore in fear of being attacked and lynched by pro-Kannada activists with the behest of the state government. The violence and show down, mostly centered in the Tamil populated parts of Bangalore, lasted for nearly a month and most schools and educational institutions in the city remained closed during this period.

That time too, Tamil Nadu was stalled over unbalanced water and floods across the state.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
India is on the path of becoming a pivot for high-tech world manufacturing even as global manufacturing growth is expected to remain low in 2016 due to weakened financial support for productive activities, a new UN report said.

The quarterly World Manufacturing Production report, published by the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) said world manufacturing output is expected to increase by only 2.8 per cent in 2016.

However, in contrast to recent years, there will be no breakout from the low-growth trap in 2016.

Growth performance was much higher in Asian economies, where manufacturing output rose by 6.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2016.

Indias manufacturing output, which achieved impressive growth rates in the last quarters, experienced a second slight decline in a row but the prospects for Indias manufacturing are conclusive, since India is on the path to becoming a pivot for high-tech world manufacturing, the report said.

According to the latest GDP data released in India, the manufacturing sector grew 9.1 per cent during April-June 2016, a slight decline from the 9.3 per cent clocked in January to March.

UNIDO also warned that lower industrial growth rates pose a challenge for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation, as encapsulated by Goal 9, which also aims to significantly raise the share of manufacturing in the economies of developing countries.

It further stated that manufacturing production is likely to rise by only 1.3 per cent in industrialized countries and by 4.7 per cent in developing ones.

In terms of growth rates for countries, the growth rate performance of China, the worlds largest manufacturer, is likely to further decline from last years 7.1 per cent to 6.5 per cent this year.

Russia and the US recorded marginal rises of one per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively.

In Europe, the uncertainty following the Brexit affected the growth rate performance in manufacturing in the second quarter of 2016, below one per cent for the first time since 2013.
The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to install mobile phone jammers in 12 sensitive jails in the state, Prisons Minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said on Wednesday.

During raids, besides many contraband items, the officials have seized mobile phones and SIM cards from jail inmates. Therefore, the state has sanctioned Rs. 71.29 crore for installing mobile phone jammers in 12 prisons, an official said.

The decision was taken following complaints by intelligence department and the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh regarding illegal use of cell phones by criminals inside prisons.

The 12 sensitive jails where heavy duty cell phone jammers would be installed include Firozabad, Aligarh, Etawah, Bulandshahr, Banda, Mainpuri, Moradabad, Jaunpur and Ballia along with central jail Bareilly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Vietnam before going to China. His visit will help promote better relations and trade with this gallant nation. This visit is the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years. He announced a new line of credit of $500 million for Vietnam to facilitate deeper defence cooperation. India and Vietnam share legitimate concern about Chinas growing military clout. Here is an example of how a nation can build itself by working sincerely and silently. Vietnam shipping is picking up and their crew are receiving training to compete in the international market. Their port development is also noteworthy. We are to emphasize our relations on basis of positivity and not any counter balancing vis-a-vis China. That will create animosity and will not be very helpful. There must be lot of sea borne trade between Vietnam and India.

India must also enhance trade with Myanmar. There are lot of infrastructural projects that both the nations can jointly undertake. Myanmar crew has been sailing on ships with Indians and others for quite some time now. Since competition will increase hence it is necessary that we must impart training to our officers and rate them according to merit. Sadly, we are not doing enough on this in a manner that enhances skills of our seafarers and promotes their health and stamina. The DG Shipping must pay attention to this issue to ensure that meaningful and useful training is being imparted in marine colleges. I have been teaching at such colleges for some months and I am yet to meet any surveyor from the DG Shipping. Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari must take a note of this. He should pay a surprise visit to such colleges whenever he finds time. Writing to DG Shipping is meaningless as they simply turn a blind eye towards this issue.

India must also boost trade with Sri Lanka. Plenty of sailing vessels used to operate between Tuticorin and Colombo. I am inclined to believe that same situation exists or has even improved. There was a time when we used to stop ship close to Dondra Head lighthouse and pick up vegetables, fruits and fish in exchange for empty drums etc. Now this task is prohibited due to TSS (Traffic Separation Scheme). Colombo had been a bunkering port for long and transshipment hub for containers. It is reported that India is developing such a port down south, which will become quite popular. Our working efficiency must improve. India must seek assistance of expert trainers from countries like Japan, Norway, Russia etc; to improve the quality of its work force. We still take our ships for repairs and dry docking to China simply because it is much cheaper and faster with highly skilled workforce. I always enjoyed visiting Chinese bars after work. Work hard and then enjoy that is life. Follow this principle.

Mahendra Singh

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressed regret on Tuesday for a tirade against Barack Obama in which he called the US leader a son of a w****.



While the immediate cause was my strong comments to certain press questions that elicited concern and distress we also regret it came across as a personal attack on the US president, a statement released by Duterte said.

The US and Philippine leaders were due to meet later Tuesday in the Lao capital of Vientiane at a gathering organised by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

But Obama pulled out of holding a bilateral meeting after Duterte launched a tirade against him ahead of the visit during a Monday press conference.

The acid-tongued former prosecutor on Monday warned he would not be lectured by Obama over concerns about a brutal war on crime that has claimed more than 2,400 lives in the Philippines.

You must be respectful. Do not just throw away questions and statements. Son of a whore, I will curse you in that forum, Duterte told when asked about his message for Obama.

Dutertes statement on Tuesday in Laos struck a much more conciliatory tone, saying both sides would hold face-to-face talks at a later date.

Our primary intention to chart an independent foreign policy while promoting closer ties with all nations especially the US with which we have a long standing partnership, the statement said.

We look forward to ironing out differences arising out of national priority perceptions and working in mutually responsible ways for both countries, it added.
Rathi, who hailed from Delhi, had died of multiple organ failure after Panwar allegedly threw acid on her in May 2013.

A special womens court on Tuesday convicted Ankur Lal Panwar for murder in connection with the Preeti Rathi acid attack case.

Special Judge A S Shende convicted Panwar under Sections 302(murder) and 326B (Voluntarily throwing acid) of the IPC and is likely to hear arguments on the quantum of sentence tomorrow.

Rathi, who hailed from Delhi, had died of multiple organ failure after hotel management graduate Panwar threw acid on her in May 2013.

According to police, Rathi had secured a nursing job with the Ministry of Defence at the INHS Asvini Hospital and Panwar was unhappy over it.

Police said acid was thrown on Rathi as Panwar was jealous of her career growth.

Outside the court, Panwars mother Kailash demanded a CBI inquiry claiming her son had been falsely implicated.

We have been implicated just because we were poor. I want a CBI inquiry into the case, she said.

Meanwhile, Rathis father Amar Singh Rathi hoped Panwar was awarded capital punishment.

It took 3 years for us to get justice but I am happy that it has been finally delivered. I hope he gets death sentence, he said.
A preliminary report released on Tuesday into last months Emirates airliner crash-landing in Dubai found that the pilot attempted to take off again after briefly touching down, and that the plane ultimately hit the runway as it tried to climb with its landing gear retracting.

One firefighter was killed responding to the accident, which destroyed the Boeing 777-300, but all 300 people onboard Flight EK521 managed to escape.

The accident was the most serious in Emirates more than three decades of operations, and was the second major air disaster for a Dubai government-backed airline in less than five months.

The findings released Tuesday in a 28-page report by the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority were broadly in line with an Associated Press analysis a day after the crash that was based on flight data, air traffic control communications and interviews with aviation experts.

Investigators found that the crew received a warning indicating wind shear  a sudden change in wind speed or direction  as the plane approached Dubai on its return from Thiruvananthapuram, India. As it neared the ground, a headwind started to shift to a tailwind and then back again.

The right landing gear hit the ground first, with the left following only three seconds later, according to the report. The nose gear stayed in the air.

A warning system alerted the crew of a long landing, indicating that the plane had not touched down where it was supposed to, and the plane took to the air again as the crew tried to make a second landing attempt.

Six seconds into the air, the crew began to retract the landing gear.

After making it only about 85 feet off the ground, the twin-engine plane began to lose altitude. Three seconds before impact, the crew tried to push the jet engines all the way from an idle to full power.

Cockpit warnings blared Dont sink, dont sink! as the engines began to throttle up.

It was too late.

With the landing gear still retracting, the back of the plane and then the engines hit the runway at 125 knots (144 mile per hour).

A fuel-fed fire broke out as the right engine was ripped off and the plane skidded on its belly before coming to a rest.
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on September 6 urged the public sector undertakings to create startup funds on the lines of private sector in order to promote innovation and nurture new ideas in the energy sector.

I am advising my CEO friends in PSUs that if Ratan Tata can put his private funds for startups and if Narayana Murthy can do that for new startups then why cannot you (do that), Pradhan said addressing a conference on methanol economy organised by NITI Aayog.

ONGC has already offered Rs 100 crore for startups. Can we create a synergy in innovation and this kind of startup fund. This can be a win win situation for all of us. Let us create a platform for our young Indians and scientific brains, he said.

On moving to methanol-based economy, he said, it is a ready made case of proven technology. A methanol-based economy can create a lot of employment and entrepreneurship. On this occasion, NITI Aayog signed a Statement of Intent with the Methanol Institute of the US to further work on the technology.

The raw material (for producing methanol) should be coming from the Indian market. If we could monetise the agriculture waste and bio waste in urban areas to energy then there will be two benefits  Sizeable reduction of health expenditure and our economy can be multi-fold, he said.

He further said: How do we reduce our import dependency. My ministry is ready to offer Rs one lakh crore business to scientific community. Now India is importing Rs 4.5 lakh crore worth of hydrocarbons. Technology is there. Blending of 85 per cent of ethanol in transportation fuel is possible.

He also said that petroleum consumption is increasing in the country. Last financial year, where the prediction of petroleum consumption was 7-8 per cent, the actual growth was 11 per cent. Petroleum need is growing in a bigger way. The rural India is emerging in a big way. Petrol consumption is increasing in hinterland of the country, he added.
Karnataka released 10,000 cusecs of water from the Krishna Raja Sagara dam to Tamil Nadu amid tight security, abiding by a Supreme Court order.

With a heavy heart, we have decided to release the water as directed by the apex court, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said. The Karnataka government on Tuesday decided to release 15,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 10 days, after a Supreme Court directive to alleviate the plight of farmers in Tamil Nadu.

Siddaramaiah added that all efforts would be made to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and other places as also for crops.

The protesters also cooked in large pots and played volleyball on the highway. The police have barricaded roads to Mandya, where schools and colleges have been closed till Thursday. Protests on the highway have affected traffic between two major cities, Bengaluru and Mysuru.

A farmer was rushed to the hospital after an attempted suicide in Karnatakas Mandya on Wednesday. The farmer had tried to commit suicide by jumping into a canal.

In Mandya, agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits have blocked Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had appealed to farmers to maintain peace and tranquillity and not to cause any damage to public property. Farmers are also planning a strike near the KRS dam site.

KSRTC officials in Mysuru said they were operating bus services on a limited fleet as the buses had not reached Mysuru from Ramanagaram and Mandya.

Nariman had offered that Karnataka would release 10,000 cusecs of water for six days only as a goodwill gesture. But the court took a view and asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs for 10 days, he said. To justify Narimans voluntary offer, he cited a similar instance in 2012, another distress year, when the SC had accepted the offer made by Karnataka, again represented by Nariman, to release 10,000 cusecs for 10 days. He said the then BJP government led by Jagadish Shettar released water without even consulting the opposition.

Defending this governments decision to release water, Siddaramaiah said even two other previous chief ministers, S M Krishna and Deve Gowda, had obeyed SC orders in this regard. He said Karnataka would move the SC again seeking modification of the order. Besides, he said, the state was hoping for a favourable direction from the Cauvery Supervisory Committee.
The US is likely to respond positively to Indias request for 22 unarmed high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean, sources have said.



The move comes after India was designated a major defence partner of the US in June.

Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama at the White House in early June, the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR) in February to Department of Defense towards purchase of 22 Predator Guardian UAVs.

The US government has not made a formal decision on it yet, but is believed to have started an inter agency process on the Indian request.

According to sources, the US administration believes that an approval of such a major military sale would help in sealing India-US defence relationship, bring in a new level of comfort between the two militaries and would be considered as a lasting legacy not only for India but also for the Asia-Pacific pivot of the outgoing president.

Officials believe the sale of predator Guardian UAVs would act as a force multiplier for Indias maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region; which of late has become one of the key American objective in the Asia Pacific region.

Top governmental sources confirmed that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had detailed discussions on predator Guardian UAV to fulfill maritime surveillance requirements.

Parrikar was in the US last week and held meetings with Carter at the Pentagon on August 29.

During the meeting, Carter is understood have assured Parrikar he would personally champion Indias request within the system, sources said.

Sources indicate along with the White House, the Pentagon and some influential members of the US are keen to complete the process as soon as possible before Obama leaves his presidency next January.

However, a section within the State Department have to be convinced that this is in the interest of the US national security as well. This maritime capability will be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy who has procured other advance technologies including Boeing P-8 aircraft.

The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not do not exist in the current Indian Navy arsenal.
NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad who received flak for taking law into his hands for supervising the beating of the accused responsible for molesting a 19 old girl defended himself and said that it was his responsibility to provide security to women residing in his constituency. He added that today women feel insecure in the city hence people must come forward to safeguard them. Awhad said an incident had occurred in Aurangabad where a girl was harassed by a stalker. The accused also used to torture the girls parents as her father committed suicide. Awhad wanted to avert the repetition of similar incident in his constituency hence he had intervened in this matter.

He said, A 19 year old girl who lived nearby my locality was harassed by a local goon since last four months. He used to click her photos at Marine Drive. As a result of this the victim was undergoing severe depression and she was under medication for overcoming stress. The girls father is a rickshaw driver and mother is employed as a maid.

Residents of Kalwa had approached Awhad and urged him to take action against the accused. The victim, who lives in a nearby locality and her alleged harasser were called on Monday night to Awhads office, where the accused was taught a lesson by the girl and the supporters of the Kalwa-Mumbra legislator, the post enclosed with the video stated. The alleged molester was handed over to the police after being punished by the victim, who is also a college student, the post said. The video had gone viral after the lawmaker uploaded the clip on social media.

If I had not taken this step then the victim may have ended her life. I also was worried that her father might commit suicide hence I intervened in this matter. Today women are not safe anywhere hence its our responsibility to provide security to them, said Awhad.

Everyday women have to undergo harassment and they also become victims of molestation incidents. Through this act, I wanted to teach a lesson to molestors who may rethink about committing such offences in future. The double standards of media is bothering me which publish stories without verifying facts, he added.

The molester was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday after the victim lodged a complaint alleging that he made sexual advances at her often and molested her, police said.

PSI AD Gangavane of Naupada police station said the youth has been booked under sections 354(a)(b) and 506 of the IPC and section 12 of the POCSO Act 2012.
India is 35 tanker-trucks short of the blood it requires for medical procedures, yet some areas of the country wasted blood because there was too much of it, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of government data.

The shortage was estimated at 1.1 million unitsas blood is measured, with a unit being either 350 ml or 450 mlin 2015-16, the minister for health and family welfare told the Lok Sabha, parliaments lower house, in July, 2016. We converted these data into tankers, assuming a standard tanker-truck of 11,000 lt and a 350 ml unit.

In percentage terms, India is 9% short of its needsthe shortage reducing from 17% in 2013-2014.

The 9% national shortfall hides local shortages and oversupply.

Bihar is 84% short of its blood requirements, more than any other state, followed by Chhattisgarh (66%) and Arunachal Pradesh (64%). Chandigarh had almost nine times the blood it needed, Delhi three times, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Mizoram, and Pondicherry twice, according to government data.

With no culture of blood donation, it isnt always available where and when needed

India has 2,708 blood banks, but 81 districts still lack one, according to government data. Chhattisgarh has the most districts without a blood bank (11), followed by Assam and Arunachal Pradesh (9).

[iframe src="http://public.tableau.com/views/blood-graph2-desktop/Dashboard1?:showVizHome=no&:embed=true"]

Blood donations are largely from and for the same community, said Zarin Bharucha, pathologist and chairperson of Federation of Bombay Blood Banks.

Rural areas find blood supplies harder to access. India has a huge rural population, almost 70%, and we need to be able to provide blood in the most remote areas also, Bharucha said.

Shortages may also be due to the fact that there is no central collection agency, leaving the logistics of collecting blood to single blood banks and local governments.

Some areas may collect too much blood at the same time, instead of doing it at a constant run.

This leads to two issues, said Bharucha. First, that area is likely to experience a shortage of donations in the future. In a country without a donation culture, if everyone donates at the same time, they wont show up for a while. Second, you might have so much blood that you wont need it. So, a part of it will be wasted.

[iframe src="http://public.tableau.com/views/blood-graph1-desktop/Dashboard1?:showVizHome=no&:embed=true"]

Between January 2011 and December 2015, 63 blood banks across Mumbai wasted 130,000 litres of blood, the Asian Age reported in May 2016, quoting a reply that right-to-information (RTI) activist Chetan Kothari received from the Mumbai District AIDS Control Society, which revealed that the blood was discarded because it was stored for too long.

Paying donors banned 20 years ago, but practice continues

World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on blood donations require all blood to come through voluntary donations from low-risk populations.

The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO), a division of the ministry of health and family welfare, running HIV/AIDS control programmes, reported that blood donated voluntarily increased from 54% in 2006 to 84% in 2013-2014.

Activists said this figure is misleading. They argue that NACO started counting family donations as voluntary, a practice that goes against WHOs definition of voluntary donation.

Paid donations were banned by a ruling by the Supreme Court in 1996, but the practice continues. Hospitals that are short of blood often ask a patients family to find what are called replacement donors.

Not everyone has a donor available, so they might land up getting a paid donor, someone masked as a family member who already knows the question they will be asked, said Bharucha.

Getting paid donors may not be safe: donors might either not be tested or provide a false medical history just in order to get paid, increasing the chances for the blood-receiver of getting a transfusion transmitted infection (TTI) such as HIV, hepatitis A and B and malaria.

Shortages of blood also lead to a black market. In 2008, 17 people were kidnapped for two-and-half years and forced to donate blood so that the kidnappers could sell it to blood banks and hospitals, some of which were accused of being complicit, the BBC reported in January 2015.

They were forced to donate blood three times a week. The Red Cross says blood should be donated no more than once in 8-12 weeks.

Since the need for blood is increasing, not least because the surgery field is improving and medical tourism is expanding, we need to spread awareness through the communities, said Bharucha. We need to create a culture of regular donations: giving blood every three months will increase blood supply as well as blood safety.

(In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@indiaspend.org)

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A legal battle has been reportedly avowed by a doctor who operates a private surgical clinic in Canada. It is said that the hearing will be done in British Columbias Supreme Court. There are fears spreading the word of mouth that the future of entire Canadas public health system may be in a lasting threat.

The case has been put up by Dr. Brian Day, who has a private surgical for-profit clinic in Vancouver. It deals with paying the price of certain health facilities on a private basis whereas these facilities are currently provided by government free of charges. The ongoing battles main agenda is time. Whereas the government takes a long time in assessing and then deciding that the patient should go for certain tests and treatments, the private health care systems will make this process extremely short lived. The case is currently challenging the ban on private health care system in Canada.

The case starts today in the provincial Supreme Court in the Pacific province of British Columbia. The case is seen as a potential model example of one that has the probability to get to the bottom of Canadas long admired universal health care system.

Under current laws, every Canadian is entitled to medically necessary services specified under the Canada Health Act, without charge. There have been many examples that will be quoted in the court that due to the wait and the lengthy procedure for the government approval, the patients either deteriorated in their health levels or died. Some of the private clinics which have opened in various areas across Canada say they can provide certain medical tests, such as MRI scans, much faster but for a price have given their full support in the help for changing the system.

Dr. Day says, People with money should be able to buy access to health care and is challenging the right to for-profit health care under Canadas Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Registered Nurses of Ontario (RNAO) expressed its opposition saying that all Canadians should be worried at Dr. Days actions and the challenges because the fundamental concept of care is based on the need and not on the ability to pay.

In a press release, Dr. Doris Grinspun, RNAOs chief executive officer said, This is an attack on our countrys health system, pure and simple. Brian Day believes and has always believed that the system exists for him and others to profit from it. Ask Canadians and the overwhelming majority considers our universal health system as part of our national identity,

RNAO president Carol Timmings, expresses her emotions saying, The path to improving our health system is not through compromising its core values, but instead through increasing universal access by using all health professionals to their full scope of practice, anchoring the system in primary care, creating stronger community care services and ensuring the use of evidence-based practice. Like all two-tier systems, Dr. Days ideas benefit only small elite, while substantially diminishing health outcomes for the rest of us.

The court case will begin today and whole of the health industry is looking forward to it.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2016 - The House and Senate hold a kick-off conference meeting Thursday to launch the process of reconciling sharp differences between competing versions of the energy bill that Congress hopes to finalize this year. Watch the potential fireworks starting 9:30 a.m. Washington time here.

If passed, it will be the first major energy bill since 2007. But important developments since then make passage tough. Various interest groups want the bill to address pressing issues ranging from the surge in U.S. oil and gas production, the need to upgrade the electricity grid and protect it from cybersecurity threats, and increased concern about climate change raising the stakes for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

One example of a special interest with very specific goals for what needs to be included in the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016 (S. 2012) comes from the National Association of Home Builders. NAHB charges that the Senate bill would ignore costs in promoting new energy-saving building codes while the House version would limit the Energy Departments code-writing authority and stop energy code costs from skyrocketing. The group calls on builders across the country to contact their members of Congress to ask them to support the House language that would put a stop to DOE lobbying efforts and ensure that any new energy code requirements are cost-effective.

The NAHB alert to members notes that under the House provisions, any DOE-supported code change proposal must be paid back within 10 years while alleging that the Senate version would support new building codes that will take 100 years to be paid back.

Another major bone of contention is that the Senate proudly boasts that its bipartisan legislation permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in a way that balances land acquisition with other conservation programs important to states. This contention is a red flag to Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah. As chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Bishop is a key conference committee player who has made it clear that he strongly opposes the Senates permanent LWCF re-authorization. He wants the fund reformed to shift the focus from major federal land acquisition programs to instead supporting urban recreation projects.

In an op-ed in August, Bishop blasted the federal government for unfettered federal land acquisition and acquiring millions of acres of land with little transparency, scant oversight and minimal local input. Calling for reform  not permanent reauthorization, Bishop says the 1965 laws original intent must be restored to support locally decided recreational opportunities close to home and end the federal governments powerful drive to acquire more and more land which he says results in less land available for schools and infrastructure as well as lost economic opportunity and diminished tax revenue.

Bishops strident opposition to permanent LWCF funding may be critical as such funding was considered a key to Democrats supporting the Senate energy bill.

Because so many different interests are competing for attention, expect strong opening statements Thursday from the 47 conferees who each will have two minutes to list their priorities and whatever they consider unacceptable. This initial conference meeting will not include consideration of any bill text or amendments.

Source: Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee

Ed Krenik, senior principal for government affairs at the Bracewell law firm in Washington, tells Agri-Pulse that the thorniest issues facing the conference committee are less focused on energy and more on the Land and Water Conservation Fund and addressing the California drought. Hes optimistic that if conferees succeed in either deciding or discarding the contentious LWCF and drought issues this month, then House and Senate staffers will be able to resolve more technical energy issues in October, allowing members to possibly finalize a bill when Congress returns for its lame duck session after the elections.

There have been reports that the Senate appointed its conferees only after the House agreed to drop its insistence on its bills most controversial provisions supporting fossil fuels. But Krenik says that as far as he can see, the House considers that everything is still on the table.

After his many meetings with House and Senate staffers over the August recess, Krenik says there may have been some type of an agreement between Senate Energy Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Maria Cantwell from Washington, the panels ranking Democrat, or with the Senate leadership, but he says I dont get the sense that the House has bought into that type of agreement.

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What happens next, Krenik says, depends a great deal on whats revealed Thursday  on whether the conference seems ready to move toward the Senates bipartisan approach or toward the Houses more majority-rules stance. Until that overall direction is decided, he adds, the staffers hands are tied because right now, staff is considering everything a member-level issue.

Another energy policy insider, like Krenik a former congressional staffer, is equally optimistic that an energy bill will be passed this year . . . and that it likely will succeed in updating energy policy because conferees will leave the Land and Water Conservation Fund and California drought issues for another time and other legislation.

Reflecting the fact that the Senate bill passed on a bipartisan 85-12 vote, with ayes from 42 Republicans and 43 Democrats and all 12 nays from Republicans, while the House passed its North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act (H.R. 8) in a largely party-line 249-174, Murkowski has dismissed the House bill as pretty much a Republican bill. So her goal remains to have the conference produce a final reconciled bill that will try to keep that bipartisan approach.

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 - The number of U.S. households where people dont get enough to eat dropped significantly last year, but the level of food insecurity still remains higher than before the 2008 recession, according to a USDA report.

The latest edition of the food insecurity report from USDAs Economic Research Service concludes that 12.7 percent of U.S. households  about 15.8 million  experienced food insecurity at some point in 2015, down from 14 percent in 2014 and an even steeper drop from a high of 14.9 percent in 2011.

The number of food insecure households skyrocketed after 2007. In that pre-recession year only about 13 million households were considered food insecure, but that number jumped by about 31 percent to 17 million in 2008.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack lauded the reports finding, calling the decrease a victory for the Obama administration.

"Today's report marks a significant benchmark in our battle against hunger and food insecurity, underscoring in clear terms that our nation's families and children are better off today than they were when the president took office in 2009, Vilsack said. In fact, today's report points to the lowest figures on record for food insecurity among children  a major achievement in our country's efforts to ensure every child has a safer, healthier future filled with unlimited opportunity.

The reduction in the level of children not getting enough to eat is a particularly bright spot in the report, said Jim Weill, president of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC).

The number of households with food-insecure children is now the lowest its been since these reports started in 1998, Weill told Agri-Pulse.

About 7.8 percent of U.S. households  roughly 3 million  were home to children who either struggled to get food or didnt get enough to eat in 2015, the USDA report concluded. Thats down from 9.4 percent, or 3.7 million households, in 2014.

Still, the report says about 274,000 households with children experienced very low food security conditions, where caregivers reported that children were hungry, skipped a meal, or did not eat for a whole day because there was not enough money for food.

While the numbers of people with not enough to eat are dropping, Vilsack stressed that federal food assistance programs are still vitally important.

The figures released today also remind us that our work to fight for access to healthy food for our nation's most vulnerable families and individuals is far from over, Vilsack said. We must work to preserve the critical Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which prevented millions of Americans from falling into poverty or becoming food insecure during the most difficult stretches of the recession.

Data in the report show that only about 59 percent of households that reported food insecurity participated in federal assistance programs such as SNAP, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) or free or reduced school lunches.

There are several reasons why the other 41 percent of households reporting food insecurity did not use the programs, Weill said, including the fact that many are just not eligible. State eligibility requirements differ widely for SNAP, he said, and when families fail to qualify for that program they often cannot get help in paying for school lunches for their children.

Also, many states have recently begun reinstating time limits on how long childless adults can receive SNAP. These people, officially called ablebodied adults without dependents, can only receive SNAP for three months in a three-year span if they do not meet work requirements.

Some of the survey-based numbers that came out today are likely off simply because people sometimes feel ashamed to admit they need the help in a society that often stigmatizes SNAP and other programs, Weill said.

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A lot of people who are eligible and who are participating do not like to tell the Census Bureau or other surveyors that they are participating in the programs, he said.

Food assistance programs raise millions of Americans out of poverty, Weill said, but stressed that improving federal aid is only part of the solution.

We know what it takes to end hunger in this country, so there can be no more excuses, he said. More must be done to raise employment rates and wages, and to protect and strengthen federal nutrition programs to ensure more low-income Americans get the nutrition they need for their health and well-being.

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016  Some 76 small businesses in 35 states will split $7.4 million in USDA funding for research projects related to agricultural issues, food security and natural resources.

USDA said the grants are being made through the departments Small Business Innovation Research program and administered by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. In a release, USDA said the funding is designed to encourage domestic small businesses to engage in high-growth research and development that has the potential for commercialization and could lead to significant public benefit,

Speaking to reporters Wednesday morning, Vilsack said the grants were part of an administration-wide effort to assist small business innovation and research.

Im excited about the fact that agriculture generally has been one of the more innovative aspects of our economy, Vilsack said. Weve seen incredible productivity over the course of my lifetime in agriculture and its, in part, spurred by innovation.

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Vilsack added that he hopes the grants will allow ideas for innovation to potentially get up to scale, to get commercial sized, and to get out in the market place.

Projects range from a new method for drying hay to developing more precise ways to track livestock through radio frequency identification to visual recognition technology for pests in crop scouting.

Applications are currently being accepted for the next round of SBIR program funding through Oct. 6.

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2016 - Lawmakers return to the Capitol for the first time since mid-July for a month-long session in which they must pass a stopgap bill to keep the government running until when the new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.

The continuing resolution is expected to extend until at least December, when House Republican leaders would like to pass a government-wide, omnibus spending bill in December. However, hardline GOP conservatives are pushing to delay any agreement on fiscal 2017 spending until the new president and Congress take office.

Much of the session is likely to be dominated by efforts by both parties to highlight issues that could play a role in the campaign.

The House GOP agenda includes several bills meant to showcase Republican promises to roll back regulations. One bill that the House will debate, the Regulatory Integrity Act sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., would require agencies to post information about proposed regulations on their websites.

We know the American people arent happy with the direction our country is heading, and they are desperate for an alternative vision, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a message to House Republicans.

One of the biggest issues pending in Congress other than the budget is an energy bill. Supporters had hoped Senate and House negotiators could reach agreement in time for Congress to pass the measure this month.

But time is running out and there are lingering disagreements over provisions that have little to do with energy, including the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the California drought. House Natural Resources, Committee Chair Rob Bishop, R-Utah, in particular, is resisting the Senate energy bill's provision for permanent re-authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

The House-Senate conference committee is scheduled to meet Thursday morning, giving members a chance to list their priorities and warn about potential deal-breakers. The result could be either an impasse, or what Senate Energy Committee Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski and the committees ranking Democrat, Maria Cantwell, hope for - agreement to drop the contested provisions and write an energy bill focused just on points of relatively bipartisan agreement.

Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Cantwell, D-Wash., say House Republicans agreed not to push for provisions that President Obama would veto.

Also this week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsacks Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21) is wrapping up work on a set of recommendations for promoting coexistence among biotech and non-biotech farming at local levels.

The eight recommendations in the draft report promote distribution of two documents the committee has prepared, one entitled "A Model for Convening Local Coexistence Discussions" and the other is "Factors for Farmers to Consider When You or Your Neighbor Are Growing an Identity-Preserved (IP) Crop."

Another recommendation suggests USDA consider seeking legal authority to provide incentives to farmers to develop joint coexistence plans. USDA lawyers told the committee it currently lacks the authority to offer such incentives.

The committee is chaired by Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.

Rural phone service gets some congressional attention this week, too. A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will hold a hearing Thursday on a bill, the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act, that would require intermediate providers to register with the Federal Communications Commission and comply with the agencys service quality standards.

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The bill is sponsored by Rep. David Young, an Iowa Republican who is in a tough re-election race.

President Obama is in Hangzhou, China, for the G20 summit until Monday, when he heads to Vientiane, Laos for a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Obama returns to Washington on Friday.

Heres a list of agriculture- or rural-related events scheduled for this week in Washington and elsewhere:

Monday, Sept. 5

Federal holiday

Tuesday, Sept. 6

4 p.m. - USDA releases Crop Progress report.

Wednesday, Sept. 7

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack hosts a national media call to announce new funding for rural small businesses.

USDAs Advisory Committee on Animal Health meeting, through Thursday, Williamsburg Room, 104-A, Whitten Building.

9 a.m. - USDA releases annual Household Food Security report.

Thursday, Sept. 8

USDAs Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC 21) meeting, through Friday, U.S. Access Board Conference Room, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 800

Vilsack speaks to the AC21 committee, the Community Anti-Drugs Coalition of America luncheon and the GreenGov Annual Symposium on energy efficiency.

Advisory Committee on Animal Health meeting continues.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman speaks at International Trade Commission centennial event.

9:30 a.m. - House-Senate conference committee meeting on energy legislation, 106 Dirksen.

2 p.m. - House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on rural telephone quality and reliability, 2123 Rayburn.

2:30 p.m. - Heritage Foundation hosts panel discussion, Addressing Agricultural Risk: Private Solutions, Not Government Intervention, Capitol Senate Visitor Center, Room 201

Friday, Sept. 9

Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture meeting continues.

8:30 a.m. - USDA releases Weekly Export Sales report.

Jonathan Harsch and Steve Davies contributed to this report.

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Assyrians in Europe to Gather for Inaugural Convention

Stockholm (AINA) -- Assyrians in Europe will gather for a pan-European convention for the first time on October 8 and 9. The convention will take place in the city of Gothenburg in the Swedish west-coast.

The program includes seminars, work shops, key note speeches by special guests and a fund-raising gala. The convention is organized by the newly established Assyrian Confederation of Europe, an alliance between Assyrian national federations in three Germany, Sweden and Belgium.

The aim of the Assyrian Confederation is to organize the Assyrian European community, numbering more than half a million. The convention, which is planned to become an annual event, will be held in different European cities each autumn.

Assyrians who wish to participate in the convention are encouraged to register via assyrianconfederation.com.
Kurdistan, Assyrians, Yezidis, and the Strange Consensus

I received this report from a correspondent who asked for anonymity. "Given Ricochet's educated readership," he wrote, "perhaps they might enjoy this more detailed perspective" on Kurdistan and the KRG's lobbyists in the West. I thought it was fascinating. If you have questions about it, I'll be happy to post his replies.

Arming the Kurds isn't sufficient to defeat ISIS, but it is necessary. The Kurds have proven time and again that they'll fight, while other "allies" cut and run -- leaving their equipment behind. (emphasis added)

The only armed forces [Peshmerga] that, so far, have stood up to the beheaders, the only ones capable of holding a front a thousand kilometers long, the only ones that have not yielded an inch of ground (and have even retaken essential strategic positions near Sinjar and above the Mosul dam)" (emphasis added)

Despite the danger and fear of attack, locals consistently were discouraged from leaving Sinjar by local KDP and Kurdish government officials who reassured civilians that the Peshmerga would keep them safe. A local KDP official...says that higher-ups in the party told representatives to keep people calm, and that if people in their areas of coverage left their salaries would be cut. Sarbast Baiperi, head of the KDP's Branch 17 in Sinjar, could be seen in KDP media and on Facebook posing with various weapons and claiming that "until the last drop of blood we will defend Sinjar."

Notices were distributed to the Assyrians of the Nineveh Plains by the KRG demanding full disarmament and relinquishing of weapons in July 2014, threatening severe punishment to anyone who did not cooperate.

In the early morning of August 3, Yezidi men, not Peshmerga, stood and fought thinking that the Kurdish forces would soon join the battle. When they realized that wasn't going to happen, many tried to escape over the mountain.

Baiperi was one of the first to flee Sinjar...He rolled out of town the night before the attack had even started because he heard IS was on its way to the outlying villagesAnd not only did he flee, but he fled in a single vehicle, telling no one but his guards.

Peshmerga, eager to flee first ahead of Yezidi civilians, refused requests to stay and protect Yezidis or at least leave them their weapons. They even reassured them that they should return to their homes where they will be defended. Some Peshmerga even started firing on Yezidis when their protestations grew forceful, killing some, in order to clear the way for their convoy of vehicles to pass unhindered.

In a move that disturbingly echoes the "nationality correction" policy of the former Baathist government, minority groups have reported that their members were forced to not identify themselves as a member of a minority community (the two registration options given are Kurd or Arab), in order to get access to education or healthcare

There are few things that unite the Left and Right in America, least of all when it comes to foreign policy. But in the wake of the Islamic State's rampage in the summer of 2014, a strange and virtually unquestioned consensus was accepted across the political spectrum. The narrative went something like this: The Iraqi Army, after over a decade of US training and investment, ran at the first sight of ISIS and abandoned billions of dollars of military hardware to the terror group. The Kurdish Peshmerga ("those who face death") meanwhile held their ground bravely and shielded their vulnerable religious minorities from the Islamic State's onslaught. Unlike the sectarian Iraqis, the religiously pluralistic Kurds defend Muslims, Christians, and Yezidis alike and deserve our full-throated backing. At last, the long-sought "local boots on the ground!" Speaking glowingly of Peshmerga performance against ISIS, National Review's David French wrote And the Huffington Post agreed:Anyone who has spent a modicum of time speaking with the displaced Yezidis in Iraqi Kurdistan knows these assessments are not only spectacularly false, but indeed a slap in the face to the victims of the horrendous genocide carried out by the Islamic State since 2014. What's most frustrating is that the truth of the situation is readily available to journalists and policy makers. However, a combination of herd mentality in the press, wishful thinking, and a brilliant PR effort by the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) all contribute to obfuscating the reality of the situation.Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, fell to a combined jihadist offensive on June 10, 2014. The total collapse of the Iraqi garrison was owed in large part to a combination of staggering incompetence and likely infiltration by jihadists. With then Prime Minister Maliki's government in total disarray, the KRG sensed an opportunity and seized the oil-rich city of Kirkuk virtually unopposed. In a single stroke, the Kurds preempted any possible move against the city by ISIS and all but put an end to the notion of Kirkuk being a "disputed territory" with the central government forever. Far from worried about the threat posed by the jihadists, KRG officials were ecstatic at Baghdad's misfortunes: "ISIL gave us in two weeks what Maliki couldn't give us in eight years" The Islamic State's routing of Iraqi forces in June proved advantageous in other ways for the Kurds. (It should be remembered that there were not yet open hostilities between the KRG and ISIS at this time) With Mosul firmly in jihadist hands, the remnants of the Iraqi security forces conducted a chaotic fighting retreat west towards Tel Afar and Sinjar, where Peshmerga units confiscated Iraqi heavy weapons as a condition of their retreating into KRG-controlled territory. The Kurds thus garnered a windfall of heavy weaponry and vehicles from the defeated Iraqis. Allegedly, several Iraqi officers were forced to don their traditional Arab dress and publicly admonished and humiliated by KDP (Kurdish Democratic Party) officials for their cowardice and flight. If this apocryphal story is true, it is rich with irony considering the events that would soon follow.Tel Afar fell a week later and by July, ISIS all but surrounded the Sinjar district on three sides. Sinjar's residents, many of them Yezidis, received this unwelcome news with a sense of foreboding. Nevertheless, the KRG refused to allow them to leave. As the Daily Beast reported In spite of the dire situation and the uncertainty about the Islamic State's next move, Baiperi's braggadocio might not have seemed all that unfounded. The district after all was a defensive planner's dream, being the location of Mt. Sinjar, an over 70km mountain range protruding from desert. Additionally, the KRG forces in the district were bolstered by the addition of many heavy weapons and vehicles looted from the Iraqi Army. Even in the event of an ISIS assault, the Kurdish troop presence and favorable geography at the very least meant a fighting retreat could be conducted while the civilians were evacuated. Inexplicably (or explicably depending on one's perspective), KDP authorities spent the month of July busily disarming Yezidis in Sinjar and Assyrian Christians in the Nineveh Plains, ostensibly to consolidate weapons for the collective defense. From Assyrian activist Max Joseph Assyrian Christians in Qaraqosh would be forced to flee in mid-August as the Peshmerga abandoned their fighting positions in the city. See Joseph's above article and The New York Times for more details on the Christians' plight.On August 3, Yezidis in the villages south of Mt. Sinjar, residents awoke to the sounds of mortars and machine guns. The dreaded ISIS invasion had begun. Even more devastating though was the fact that the Peshmerga had withdrawn in the hours before the attack without informing the residents. From Daily Beast again:Word quickly spread that Sinjar was defenseless and ISIS was already in the southern villages. What followed was a chaotic flight of residents up the foothills of Mt. Sinjar, many with nothing more than the clothes on their back in the scorching August heat. And of their fearless leader who had pledged protection?From Max Joseph again By the time many bewildered residents were even aware of the Peshmerga's withdrawal, ISIS had already occupied their villages. In the ensuing two weeks after the Islamic State's envelopment of Mt. Sinjar, the UN estimated upwards of 5,500 Yezidis were massacred with approximately 6,836 enslaved, of which the majority were women. Hundreds more perished from dehydration, starvation, and exhaustion while trying to flee up the mountain for sanctuary. With the massacres on the plains ongoing, another humanitarian crisis was unfolding on the mountain itself, where an estimated 50,000 Yezidis were now encircled by the Islamic State. The Peshmerga were nowhere to be seen, but this did not mean there was no fighting. Occurring simultaneously with the KRG's withdrawal was the arrival of soldiers from the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) from across the Syrian border. The PKK (a designated terror group by the US) linked up with small bands of Yezidi fighters in a desperate attempt to prevent ISIS from ascending the mountain. The addition of these battle-hardened and fanatical fighters was enough to tip the scales in the defenders' favor. At about the same time as the first airstrikes by the US on August 8, the PKK and its affiliates succeeded in opening a narrow corridor from Mt. Sinjar to the Syrian border through which over 35,000 Yezidis escaped on foot. "If it wasn't for the Kurdish fighters [PKK], we would have died up there" said a rescued Yezidi . The withdrawal of the Peshmerga is all the more tragic considering that the badly outmanned and outgunned Yazdis and PKK were able to stave off the complete conquest of the mountain. In December of 2014, the Peshmerga returned and succeeded in liberating the northern side of the mountain and lifting the four-month siege.The eviction of ISIS from the north side of the mountain and the subsequent liberation of Sinjar city to the south in November 2015 has had little effect on repairing the damage done by the Peshmerga's initial withdrawal. Whatever trust existed between the Yezidis and KRG before 2014 is irrevocably broken, and indeed the distrust is only exacerbated by the continuing actions of the government. Well before the genocide, Yezidis and other Iraqi minorities complained of an increasingly aggressive "Kurdification" program not dissimilar from Saddam's "Arabization" schemes. As Human Rights Watch reported in 2009,The report concluded "The goal of these tactics is to push Shabak and Yezidi communities to identify as ethnic Kurds." To this day, the KRG insists on always referring to Yezidis as "Yezidi-Kurds" and still shamelessly calls the Islamic State killings the " Shingal Genocide ," as if the massacres and mass rapes were motivated by geography and the Yezidi religion merely incidental. (The district is called Shingal in Kurdish and Sinjar in Arabic) In talking to hundreds of Yezidis, I have met very few who self-identified as Kurdish. (And contrary to what is often reported, not all Yezidis are native Kurdish speakers. The Yezidis in Bashiqa and Bahzani northeast of Mosul speak Arabic as their mother tongue.) Many Yezidis who retain a Kurdish identity are strident PKK supporters and favor the group's more pan-Kurdish ideology over the nationalism of the KRG. One man I spoke to gave what has become a common refrain: "Before the genocide, a lot of us identified as Kurds. We waved the Kurdish flag and the KDP flag. But after they abandoned us, never again. Now we're just Yezidis. They can go to hell." The true motives of the KRG's withdrawal from Sinjar will probably never be known. The government pledged a full investigation following the attack, but to this day nothing has materialized; no release of findings, no courts martials. Unsurprisingly, the betrayal has given rise to endless conspiracy theories. The preemptive disarming of the population, the orderly nature of the withdrawal right before the attack, and the lack of warning given to residents suggest to many a secret arrangement made between the KRG and ISIS. Might the Kurds have abandoned their unwanted minority in the hopes of returning to a much more demographically favorable environment after ISIS massacred the population? Or perhaps, as others suggest, the Yezidis were sacrificed in order to engender sympathy in the West and shame the US into backing the KRG in its long battle for independence? Or is staggering incompetence and cowardice enough to explain it? The lack of transparency in the government has only fueled speculation. Whatever the truth, there is no explanation that makes the Kurdish government look anything short of criminally negligent. In fact, it's impossible to say the KRG has not benefitted from the disaster. World opinion is virtually unanimous in its appreciation for the vaunted Peshmerga soldiers. Iraqi Kurdistan now counts on the backing of US Special Forces and air power (all beginning in the wake of the genocide) to liberate ISIS territory once belonging to Baghdad. And you shouldn't expect them to ever give up these newly acquired territories . Indeed, ISIS has given the KRG more than Maliki ever could.The Yezidis claim the latest genocide as the 74committed against the community in thousands of years, most of which occurred under the Ottomans. The UN report linked above estimates over 3,200 Yezidis remain under Islamic State captivity. Tens of thousands or more have fled from Iraq while hundreds of thousands remain in ramshackle camps scattered around Iraqi Kurdistan. Although the north side of Sinjar has been liberated for nearly two years, the return of IDPs has come at a glacial pace, albeit not for the reasons one might expect. The KDP is paranoid about Yezidis returning to Sinjar for [rightfully] fearing the party will lose political influence. After abandoning them to genocide, President Barzani and his party know the restless Yezidis will no longer be a reliable constituency in Sinjar. So the government has repeatedly dragged its feet in allowing a mass return of IDPs. Much easier to control desperate residents in the camps than in the wilds of Mt. Sinjar. A significant number of Yezidis are sympathetic to the PKK since its dramatic rescue of tens of thousands on Mt. Sinjar. In the ensuing two years, this has caused a further split in what is generally a conservative community. Knowing its radical ideology would be off-putting to Yezidis, the PKK has adroitly outsourced its role in the district to its all-Yezidi affiliate known as the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS). While many Yezidis embrace the PKK/YBS enthusiastically, others are suspicious of what is perceived as another Kurdish project to dominate Sinjar. Complicating matters further, a number of independent and vaguely nationalist factions have sprung up, creating what many Yezidis fear is a tinderbox waiting to be lit after ISIS is gone. President Barzani, in his typical boorish manner, has shown no interest in compromising on the KRG's claim to the district. On the marking of Sinjar city's liberation, he proclaimed , "We do not accept any other flag flying over Sinjar." And he dismissed the notion that the PKK in any way had participated in the liberation. (A Peshmerga fighter in Sinjar informed me this was nonsense and that the PKK had more or less liberated the city themselves while the KDP just took the credit afterwards. To be sure, these sorts of claims are difficult to parse especially when coming from a rival political party as in this case) Not to be outdone by himself, President Barzani met with several hundred Yezidi Peshmerga fighters in May 2016 where he demanded that the Yezidis take up arms and drive the PKK out of Sinjar . The soldiers present vocally objected to what would in effect be a Yezidi civil war, stating that they could never fight against the group responsible for saving thousands of their co-religionists. Whatever his intent, Barzani's speech caused panic among the Yezidi IDPs who feared internecine bloodshed. You would be mistaken in thinking that the neglect and harassment of Yezidis is simply confined to Sinjar. Yezidis live all throughout Iraqi Kurdistan, and the abuse is endemic. Almost every one of them can tell you a story of being accused of "devil-worship" by the police and accosted about why they won't convert to Islam. For all the government pretensions of claiming Yezidis as fellow Kurds, there is a tremendous difference in the way they are treated by authorities. Similar stories can be heard from other minorities like Kakai and Shabaks. These incidents are all very much at odds with the usual song and dance of KRG officials in the West. To see the PR spin in action, watch Dave Rubin's recent interview with Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman. Listen to what she says with some of the above stories in mind.The longer one peers into the abyss of Kurdish politics, the less clear cut and simple the answers become and the more obviously fraudulent the current Western narrative is about the KRG. For their part, the Yezidis do not agree on much, but they almost unanimously desire Sinjar to be under direct American protection of one form or another. Yezidis welcomed American soldiers and signed up by the thousands to serve with the coalition during the Iraq War. To this day, they view the US as the only fair player that can save them from the depredations of the Arabs and domination by the Kurds. You could scarcely find a more uniformly pro-American ethnic group in Iraq. It strikes me as foolish that we would dismiss such a steadfastly loyal minority like the Yezidis, however small, situated strategically on the border of Iraq and Syria. Instead, US policymakers and journalists have all decided to hitch their cart to the KRG horse; allowing themselves to be smitten by images of female warriors, foreign volunteers , and the superficial religious pluralism and equality peddled by the KRG . That the political class has fallen head over heels for Iraqi Kurdistan is in some ways more forgivable since, to borrow from Donald Rumsfield, we go to war with the allies we have and not the allies we want. But for journalists, it is nothing more than laziness and an unwillingness to do basic research and confront uncomfortable realities. We owe it to ourselves not to be blinded by our allies' propaganda and our own fantasies. But most of all, we owe it to the thousands of souls buried in Sinjar.
September 7, 2016

CAIRO  The water hyacinth is spreading, and Cairo is worried. Most measures taken to eliminate this plant have failed, and it threatens Egypt with an annual loss of 10% of its share of Nile waters.

The plants consume 3 billion cubic meters (792.5 billion gallons) of water yearly, which studies show is enough to plant about 100 new acres of land. Hamida Ali, the head of the Water Users Association of the Tetouan Sea Canal in Fayoum province, told Al-Monitor the hyacinths also impede water flow to canals and, in turn, to farms.

Though the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation already cleans the canal before the beginning of the summer crop season, farmers who are members of the Water Users Association often have to bear the expense of additional cleanings because of the hyacinths, Ali said.

The water hyacinth has existed in the Nile River since Muhammad Alis days in the 1800s, according to Salah Ezz, the head of the Nile River Protection and Development Department at the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.

This plant was not known in Egypt before Alis rule. It became popular during [Mohammed] Tewfik Pashas days, as it was used to decorate ponds in Egypts quarters, he told Al-Monitor.

He said that the Niles Aswan High Dam, completed in 1970, was a main factor that contributed to the plants spread. Floodwaters once flowed quickly to the Nile during the summer and took plants with them to the Mediterranean Sea. The floodwaters are currently stored in Lake Nasser to manage water use throughout the year.

The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation spends 35 million Egyptian pounds [$4 million] yearly  to remove the Nile water hyacinth from the river and from the Rosetta and Damietta sides, Ezz said.

He added, Fighting the plants presence is important to avoid the loss of 2 billion cubic meters from our Nile [water] share, as per the ministrys estimates.

The water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is commonly found in Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan. It is also common in the United States, Java Island and Australia. It spreads in the spring and summer and is dormant in the winter.

The Nile in Egypt provides a favorable environment for the proliferation of this plant due to the high concentration of chemical fertilizer residue that drains into the canal, as well as factory waste. Moreover, light seeps deep into the water, helping the plant spread rapidly, said Ahmad Fawzi, a professor at the Egyptian Desert Research Center and a water expert at the United Nations.

The water hyacinth is not entirely bad. It is used by some cities for its filtering properties and has even been studied by NASA.

There is a bubble in the plant root that attracts and collects all kinds of heavy pollutants from the river, Fawzi said. On the other hand, the plant consumes a lot of water and [contributes to] high evaporation rates, not to mention that it obstructs the river's water flow.

He added, Water hyacinth is present in all rivers of the world. There are three methods of dealing with this phenomenon: the chemical method, by spraying pesticides on the leaves; the biological method, by breeding specific organisms and certain types of fish that feed on it; or the mechanical method, by removing the plant from the water.

Ezz explained that the ministry will not use chemicals to get rid of the plant, given the impact on water quality. The ministry also refrained from using biological methods, since they take a lot of time and the water hyacinth grows quickly.

Fawzi called on the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation to include cleaning the Nile River in its water policy priorities. He recommends flooding the river with water from Lake Nasser  as much as 4 billion cubic meters  to remove the roots of the water hyacinth and harmful weeds and algae from the bottom of the Nile.

Given the current water crisis, we cannot afford to repeat the cleaning operations, but this has become necessary, he said.

The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is getting ready this year to open the New Valley Project to carry floodwaters, and it anticipates that those floodwaters will be larger than the actual storage size of Lake Nasser.

Egypt consumes about 105 billion cubic meters of water annually; it gets 55.5 billion cubic meters from the Nile, and the rest is covered by reusing agricultural drainage water and some groundwater. However, most groundwater in Egypt is not renewable, Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Ati told Al-Monitor in an April interview.

Haitham Awad, the former head of the irrigation and water hydraulics department at the University of Alexandria, explained that Egypt has not flooded the Nile since 2001 and makes up for it by launching the excess water from the Aswan High Dam during high floods in the New Valley Project.

The mechanical method to get rid of the water hyacinth is ideal. However, the plant is left on the side of the Nile to dry, which could result in its spread all over again on both sides of the Nile and in it, Awad added.

Given the water shortage, it seems Egyptian officials are unlikely to go along with the idea of flooding the Nile to wash away pollutants. However, a prominent source from the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the Nile is in desperate need of flooding, as reports show an increase in pollutants in its water. Meanwhile, it would be difficult to compromise 4 billion cubic meters of water, as Egypts Nile water share already is insufficient to meet the countrys needs for agriculture, drinking water and development projects.
September 6, 2016

An Egyptian was conducting a study on sewage systems back during the times of Khedivial Cairo (1867-1914). He had to apply for a permit from security authorities. Months later, his request was denied for national security reasons.

Ashraf El Sherif, a professor of political science at the American University in Cairo (AUC), narrated this story, explaining how research has always been a restricted field in Egypt, resulting in decades of stagnation. Because researchers collect information, they are perceived as spies in the eyes of both authorities and the public. With generations of politically and socially corrupt professors, along with the hostile environment, aspiring researchers often have to give up on their research or take it to different, more welcoming, shores.

We were not taught how to do proper research and how to write reaction, review and critique papers, Mohamed El-Gohari recalled, resulting in thousands of plagiarized theses or mere translations. Gohari, a researcher who previously worked at the governmental Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, describes the center as a grave of researchers where the work of young researchers is stolen and attributed to the big shots. Gohari later traveled to the United States to learn what he couldnt under the Egyptian educational system and is now a researcher at the Atlantic Council.

Restrictions not only impede political research, but also academic and scientific research as well.

Legally and constitutionally, the free flow of information is legitimatized. However, it is conditioned upon never threatening national security, which is an elusive concept, thereby widening the umbrella of that which can be deemed inaccessible, according to Sherif.

The security mentality governs every aspect of our lives. So regardless if you are researching [the architecture of] a building, homosexuality or religion, this security logic makes acquiring information and documents a gargantuan task, said Gasser Razak, the executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.

The gravity of the situation was brought under the international spotlight after the murder of Italian scholar Giulio Regeni. Researching labor unions, Regeni was followed by police officers before disappearing on Jan. 25 and reappearing 10 days later as a corpse bearing torture marks.

This approach is both associated with and a reinforcement of the centralization of power. The ideology posits that national security agencies are the guardians of the well-being of the state, and thus they are the only ones entitled to information, Sherif explained, adding that these agencies, namely the armed forces and national intelligence, refuse to be told how to do their jobs.

Indeed, following his research findings on how Islamic State affiliates have penetrated the ranks of the Egyptian army, researcher Ismail Alexandrani was locked up in November and faces charges of spreading false news aiming at damaging the national interest and disturbing the public peace."

[Authorities] do not deal with state agencies as political and social phenomena subject to scientific political and social analysis, said Sherif.

Alexandranis fate prompted several researchers to flee the country, including AUC professors. Emad Shahin, a professor of public policy at AUC who has also taught at Harvard and Notre Dame, was charged with conspiring with foreign organizations to undermine Egypts national security.

This ideology has a spillover effect into what Sherif called the little bureaucrats, i.e., employees in governmental agencies who are supposed to aid researchers, yet could be more fascist than security authorities, obstructing the process, sometimes for months on end.

To access the archives of official documents, one needs to apply for a permit from the security authorities. If the permit is denied, a researcher does not have the right to appeal, complain or inquire as to the reason behind the refusal.

Funds constitute another major obstacle in the face of research. While there is a shortage of local funds, receiving funds from foreign donors, universities or institutions is considered espionage. Fearing punishment if presumed an enemy of the nation, Nourhan Zaafarany, a doctoral candidate who majors in urban design and community development at Cairo University, had to abstain from applying for any funds or grants.

Furthermore, there is the issue of politicizing academia. Lack of academic integrity made way for professors with different political affiliations and views to meddle with research and fail or grade students unfairly. Some professors may cut out chunks of information to protect students from other judges that might stigmatize or fail students, Zaafarany stated. Guardianship reached the extent that thesis proposals were rejected or students lost their scholarships for their political activism, even on social media away from campus.

Interference with research is part of the pedagogical culture Egypt suffers from, elaborated Sherif. Although a student may be more advanced and updated than a professor, the professor deals with the student from the standpoint that he understands what the student doesnt. Doctor of physiotherapy Mohammed El Nahas had to develop a new method for treating post laminectomy syndrome (pain after back surgery) as part of his masters of physiotherapy at Cairo University. His thesis was refused, and he was instructed to use the traditional laser method. Nahas quit the program.

Lack of available information in Arabic, outdated official statistics, lack of transparency and bureaucracy further hinder research in Egypt, as listed by a number of researchers. Field research is a whole other bag of worms.

The political realm and the media direction of the masses against anyone looking into any topic asking actually anything makes it impossible to do any field research on the public realm, Zaafarany said. Cameras are unsafe to take out, usually sparking attacks by police or angry honorable citizens.

Political researcher and writer Nael Shama summed up the matter: People in Egypt, no matter how intellectual or advanced their education was, do not appreciate the value of research. It is treated as a hobby, not an essential asset to the advance of any nation.

On the rare occasion when a source does want to share information, concern drives them away. While completing his dissertation on Egypts foreign policy, subjects refused to talk to Shama or they regurgitated the official rhetoric. One diplomat told me to pass by after 10 years when he retires, and he would give me the information I need, Shama concluded.

Academic freedom no longer exists, Sherif said. Despite warning his students of the dangers of conducting research without exaggeration or oversimplification, he nonetheless gives them the freedom to choose. I would never plant in them the culture of fear.

In the end, Zaafarany had to change her case study from Cairo, a city she is passionate about researching, to Tunisia. She was so discouraged, she stopped her research for almost a year.
September 7, 2016

Israels Supreme Court has confirmed that 66-year-old ultra-Orthodox Israeli Eli Cohen will be extradited to the United States. Cohen was convicted by an American court of engaging in the forbidden sale of military equipment to Iran. According to the indictment, on two occasions in 2012 and 2013, Cohen sold spare parts for fighter jets, knowing that their final destination was Iran. He was accused of violating the ban on selling weapons to Iran, selling military spare parts without a license and conspiring to launder money, though he denied knowing that the equipment was intended to go to Iran.

Cohens story is incredible. He grew up in the central Israeli city of Netanya, was raised in the religious Zionist movement, served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces' Combat Engineering Corps and was wounded in the War of Attrition. He was later part of the team that developed the Merkava tank. In 1989, he founded a company that acquired and refurbished used military equipment for export overseas, with the permission of Israels Ministry of Defense.

Since then, Cohen has gotten into trouble more than once over the sale of military equipment to Iran. Remarkably, he always managed to elude any significant punishment. In 1992, Portuguese intelligence discovered that Cohen had met in that country with three Iranians to sell them arms. Cohen defended himself at the time by claiming that he was acting on behalf of the State of Israel. He was arrested in the United States in 1993 and charged with the illegal exportation of military equipment to Iran, but the case was resolved with a plea deal and Cohen was sentenced to half a year of house arrest. When tried for the same activity in Israel in 1997, he was acquitted of the charge of selling military equipment to Iran and only convicted of export violations. He received a light fine but served no jail time.

Cohen found himself in trouble again in 2000, when he was accused in Israel of selling armored personnel carriers and their engines to Iran. The indictment was eventually withdrawn when the prosecutor failed to prove the charges. In 2002, Cohen was investigated on suspicion of selling rubber brake pads for armored personnel carriers, but no indictment was filed against him. In 2004, he was investigated again in another incident involving military equipment and Iran, but once again, no indictment was filed.

During his years of selling old military equipment, Cohen also met the Premishlaner Rebbe, the leader of a Hassidic court based in Bnei Brak, and joined that ultra-Orthodox sect. Yisrael Cohen, an ultra-Orthodox journalist familiar with the Hassidic group, told Al-Monitor that Cohen maintains a position of respect within the group and even stands behind the Premishlaner Rebbe at the festive meals held every Friday night. He lives in a magnificent house that stands out dramatically from the local landscape. The house is situated right across from the synagogue in the Kiryat Herzog neighborhood of Bnei Brak. For years, Cohen was considered the most important benefactor of the Premishlaner Hassidic group, though Yisrael Cohen says that over the past few years he has managed to keep a lower profile.

One source in the Hassidic group told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Cohens status in the community has in no way been affected by the controversy. Most of the community doesnt really understand the significance of the charges, and they are very supportive of him, said the source. Eli Cohen is considered a good man who supports people. He is a very popular figure. The people are convinced that his version of events is absolutely true.

As district attorney in 1997, Avraham Pachter filed an indictment against Cohen. In a later interview with Haaretz, he said that he came under intense pressure from both Israeli and American intelligence not to treat Cohen too severely. There was enough evidence to put him away for 20 years for engaging in trade with the enemy, said Pachter.

According to veteran Israeli intelligence correspondent Yossi Melman, it is quite possible that over the years Israel has wanted to use Cohen for its own purposes and therefore ignored his activities. A person like this will generally come into contact with Iranians. It is possible that Israel thought that it could benefit from him in terms of intelligence, use him to recruit agents, etc., he explained. If that is the case, it is quite likely that Israel would not want to reveal the full extent of its involvement in the case. Cohen himself is reportedly convinced that the Israel government is using his extradition to make amends for a much more serious issue he has not named, sacrificing him on the altar of bilateral relations between the United States and Israel.

For years, Israel engaged in extensive trade with Iran. Commerce that began under the shah continued after the revolution despite the American arms embargo on the Islamic Republic.

A major scandal erupted in Israel in the 1990s when Israeli Nahum Manbar was caught selling equipment to Irans chemical weapons industry. Manbar was sentenced to 16 years in prison after he was found guilty of assisting an enemy state and providing it with information. In 2000, as a result of the Cohen incident, Manbar petitioned Israels Supreme Court, asking that the attorney general provide him with the details of Cohens 1997 plea bargain, among other things. He could not understand why Cohen, who was convicted of selling arms to Iran, avoided any serious punishment while he received a lengthy prison sentence. In a brief three-line ruling, the Supreme Court denied his petition.
September 7, 2016

During the 2015 hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, more than 2,000 Muslims lost their lives in a stampede in the city of Mina. Nearly 500 of the victims were Iranian pilgrims. One year later, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with the families of those who lost their lives and called for an international investigation into the stampede.

The events of Mina and the loss of life of Iranian pilgrims with parched lips under the scorching sun is a deeply sorrowful and unforgettable event, Khamenei said Sept. 7, calling the Iranians who lost their lives martyrs.

Reiterating figures presented by Iran, Khamenei asked why other governments have not raised issues with what happened in Mina. Saudi officials put the death toll in the 700s. The Pakistani government, a recipient of Saudi aid, ordered the Pakistani media not to criticize the Saudis' handling of the Mina stampede, which killed 83 Pakistanis. Mali, Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Egypt all lost hundreds of citizens as well. Iran's death toll, the highest of any country, inflamed tensions between the two regional rivals.

Hammering on Irans demands for new management of the hajj, Khamenei said, If it was not intentional, this level of mismanagement and incompetence  is a crime. He added that there was no guarantee that such an incident would not happen again.

Khamenei continued, The incompetence of the Saudis and their failure to provide security for the pilgrims in the house of God in reality showed that this government is not capable of managing the two holy mosques." Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina are the two holiest places in Islam.

According to Khamenei, a fact-finding committee comprised of Islamic countries and human rights advocates should investigate what happened in Mina. If the Saudis are certain of their claim of innocence, they should not silence people with money and they should allow a fact-finding mission to closely investigate, he said.

While the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran caused the two countries to officially sever ties, relations had already deteriorated to an irreparable point with the Mina stampede and its aftermath. Iranians were livid at the Saudi management of the hajj and response to the tragedy. According to Khamenei, the Saudis have not offered any apology for what happened. Some Saudi media outlets blamed Iranian pilgrims for causing the stampede while Iranian officials called for Saudi Arabia to give up management of the hajj, a great source of revenue and clout in the Muslim world. The fallout was so severe that according to Iranian hajj officials, the Saudis placed serious obstacles in front of Iranian pilgrims this year, causing them to miss the hajj for the first time in nearly three decades.

While Khameneis comments have been the harshest, other Iranian leaders and officials have also criticized Saudi Arabia. When the Saudi grand mufti said Iranians are not Muslims because they are descendants of Zoroastrians, usually mild-mannered Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded in a tweet that there is no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahabi [sic] top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach.

Even Irans President Hassan Rouhani and the rest of the political camp of Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who advocates better relations with the Saudis, has said that the Saudi government should be punished for Mina. Echoing Khameneis calls for management of the hajj to be revoked, Rouhani said that Islamic countries should cooperate to make sure an honorable hajj is conducted.
September 6, 2016

Like many Israeli officials, whenever Nir Barkat, the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem, wants to make a political splash among Israeli voters, he turns to the Palestinian arena, which is the gift that keeps giving. In April 2013, when Barkat was running for a second mayoral term, he turned to the Palestinian sector of Jerusalem to announce an ambitious project to create a cable car route connecting the Mount of Olives to the Western Wall. The goal of the cable car route is to physically unify East and West Jerusalem.

In October 2013, Barkat was re-elected as mayor. The project, which was supposed to begin two years later, seemed to have failed in 2015, when French company Suez Environment that was to take part in the project pulled out in March 2015 under the pretext of wanting to avoid any political interpretation. Another French company, Safege, which was to participate in the planning of the cable car project, also pulled out in March 2015, once the French realized that this was a highly controversial political plan and not simply a business project.

With his second four-year term coming to an end, Barkat is aiming for a much higher goal: that of the Prime Ministry. Barkat has now resurrected the failed project and has succeeded in getting political approvals of the relevant Israeli ministries. Speaking to Likud activists, Barkat is seen on a video uploaded on his Facebook page Aug. 25 displaying the route of the cable car that will run from the Mount of Olives to the edge of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif with stops at the Church of Gethsemane and in the Abu Tor and Silwan neighborhoods.

According to the Terrestrial Jerusalem website, the original cable car route would have a length of 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) with three spurs: the first would be 1,300 meters (0.8 miles) in length leading from the old train station in Abu Tor to an area adjacent to the ramparts of the Old City, between Dung Gate and the external containing wall of Haram al-Sharif. The second spur would be 1,000 meters in length linking the Old City to the Mount of Olives, near the Seven Arches Hotel. A third spur of 500 meters would extend from the Mount of Olives to the area adjacent to Gethsemane. Since 2013, the project has changed in length and number of spurs, according to Daniel Seidmann, an Israeli lawyer specialized in the current developments in East Jerusalem.

Politically, Barkat did not miss the opportunity to make strong right-wing points negatively affecting the Palestinians of Jerusalem. He declared to the Likud Party activists Aug. 25 that the cable car route was created specifically to show the world who really owns the city.

Ibrahim Dawud, the owner of the Mount of Olives Hotel in Jerusalem, told Al-Monitor that he has noticed an increase in land confiscation in the area around the hotel, which is adjacent to the Church of Ascension on the Mount of Olives. Israeli land officials have been targeting any open plot in the Mount of Olives area, he said. Dawud said that as far as he knows, none of the Palestinians in the Mount of Olives area have been consulted about this idea.

Dawud added that he doesnt mind the construction of a project that boosts tourism in the area, but such tourism projects must be organic and meet our needs, and should be executed in cooperation with the local Palestinian tourism industry. It should not be a mere political statement.

Seidmann told Al-Monitor that anyone following this project should ask the simple question of whether the Arab and Muslim world and European countries will countenance a cable car whizzing by Al-Aqsa Mosque, a mere 150 meters away. If Jerusalem were a theme park or supermarket of holy sites, a cable car might work. But the idea of the cable car running close to one of mankind's most unique assets  and a World Heritage site of the greatest significance  can only be deemed a crime against Jerusalem, he said.

Seidmann further pointed to the political ambitions of the Israeli mayor, saying, Mayor Barkat clearly intends to change the citys character by presenting the city as one with West Jerusalem, and Silwan and the Old City interconnected by the cable car project.

Palestinian officials have responded very forcefully against Barkats plans. Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, the head of the Higher Islamic Council, called for the immediate cessation of the project, which he says aims at Judaizing Jerusalem. Creating a cable car route that travels next to the walls of Al-Aqsa Mosque is a clear violation of the sanctity of the Islamic holy site, Sabri told the local Al-Quds website Aug. 17.

He added that the proposed cable car project is planned to be built on lands owned by the Islamic Waqf department.

Some in the Israeli media did not respond kindly to the cable car plans of Barkat. In an editorial dedicated to the subject, Israeli daily Haaretz criticized Aug. 25 the megalomaniacal projects of the Israeli mayor. For the sake of the city and its inhabitants, the mayor should involve himself less with self-promotion within Likud and megalomaniacal projects with a messianic flavor, and more with the question of how to act like the mayor of all of Jerusalems residents and to close this intolerable gap, Haaretz reported.

International criticism of Israeli settlement activities, including from the United States, could delay the implementation of this controversial project. But from past experience, Palestinians know that until there is serious painful pressure on Israel, it will be difficult to stop their continued meddling with Palestinian lands in the occupied areas.
September 7, 2016

The top Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmoud al-Zahar, left Gaza on Sept. 3 for the airport in Cairo through the Rafah border crossing, accompanied by a large delegation of some 50 Hamas officials. This appears to be the largest group of officials, activists and bodyguards ever to leave Gaza as a group. Haniyehs family members joined the delegation, too. Ahmad Bahar, a senior veteran Hamas official and the first deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was supposed to join the group, but sources in Gaza told Al-Monitor that Egypt refused to grant him a travel permit at the border and he was forced to return home.

The Egyptians closely scrutinized every name on the list submitted by the Hamas leadership, and all members of the delegation were required to undergo extensive security checks at the border. From there, they headed for the airport in Cairo and boarded a flight to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. At the Rafah border crossing, Hamas officials could see hundreds of Gaza residents  hungry and desperate men, women and children who had left Gaza for medical treatment, as the Egyptian authorities imposed on them difficult procedures for entering the Gaza Strip upon their return.

The departure of the Hamas delegation is additional proof of the dramatic changes underway that will determine the movements direction and future.

Haniyeh was joined by his wife and three of his youngest children. His son Abed, considered to wield significant influence within Hamas, stayed behind to look after his fathers interests and maintain his link with the Gaza security forces in his absence. As Al-Monitor reported in June, from the moment the head of the Hamas political bureau, Khaled Meshaal, announced that he would not seek re-election in the upcoming balloting for the movements leadership, the road was paved for Haniyehs succession. No one else has dared run against him, not even Hamas senior Mousa Abu Marzouk, who established the political bureau and saved it from annihilation at least twice in the past.

Elections for the movements leadership will be held at the end of the year, but Haniyeh is planning to relocate with his family and close associates to Qatar, from where he will conduct Hamas' affairs in the coming, most critical months in the movement's history.

It is not yet clear whether he plans to follow in the footsteps of Meshaal, who moved to Doha permanently after escaping from Damascus in 2012, or only to stay there through the election process, until he is officially declared the movements leader and the outgoing leadership hands over the reins. Meshaal has headed the political bureau and steered it since 1996.

Upon arrival in Qatar, members of the delegation will be invited for a welcoming meeting with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who has enabled the Hamas political bureau to operate from his country. But the important point is that by moving to Qatar for the next few months, Haniyeh will be able to come and go as he pleases  contrary to his situation in the Gaza Strip. Thus, he will be able to manage freely the bureau and engage in the campaign to raise money for Hamas in those countries ready to accept him.

The delegations first stop is Saudi Arabia, where they will fulfill their hajj duty in the holy city of Mecca. The planned pilgrimage enabled the Hamas delegation to get Egypts permission to leave Gaza with relative ease. Not all the delegation members will then head for Qatar; Zahar intends to travel to Tehran and meet Irans top spiritual leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. While Meshaal has in recent years been a persona non grata in Iran, and all attempts at reconciliation between the sides failed, Zahar is the only one among the top Hamas officials to have maintained ties with Iran.

The future direction of Hamas will be determined in Doha and Tehran. If Zahar succeeds in appeasing Iran, mending the deep schism created by Meshaal between Hamas and Iran and getting Khameneis blessing, the movements leadership can breathe easy and hope for the removal of the stranglehold crippling it in recent years, especially in financial terms. A tightening of the ties with Iran would invariably lead to the loss of Saudi support and restore Hamas former obligation to take its marching orders from Iran.

The military arm of Hamas has long been pressing the movements leadership to reconcile with Tehran as the only way to strengthen the organization with weapons and military equipment and to prepare it for a possible military confrontation with Israel.

If Iran sends Zahar away with polite words, and does not restore the relationship and the extent of its aid to previous levels, before the crisis between the sides, the burden will fall on Haniyehs shoulders. Sources in Gaza believe this is the reason Haniyeh left for Qatar at this time, well before the elections. He wants to put out feelers to all the Arab states to open up new channels of aid, including from Muslim foundations around the world.

Haniyeh and Zahar are two arrowheads heading in separate directions. The direction that yields the most impressive results will dictate Hamas future moves. In the event the movement fails in its efforts to substantially increase aid from Iran and Qatar, Haniyeh and Zahar will be forced to adopt a third, least preferable option: reconciliation with the Fatah movement and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

If Hamas is forced to turn to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for help, it will have to cede partial control of the Gaza Strip. This is one of the reasons why senior Fatah officials believe Hamas wants the PA to win many municipal districts in Gaza in the upcoming local elections slated for Oct. 8. Hamas leaders understand, as Al-Monitor reported recently, that the presence in Gaza of Fatah heads of councils could encourage the European Union to resume the infusion of money to Gaza. Now it seems that Hamas also hopes that such a presence will open up a window for Fatah-Hamas reconciliation.

The Hamas delegation has left on a critical mission to save the movement. If its leaders know how to read the map of tensions and different interests of various Arab state blocs, and to draw relevant conclusions for their movements future, they also know there is not much reason to be optimistic.
September 6, 2016

Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered perhaps his harshest comments against regional rival Saudi Arabia ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage.

During last years hajj pilgrimage, 472 Iranians were killed in a stampede in the city of Mina. More than 2,000 people were killed in the stampede, according to news agencies. Saudi authorities at the time denied the high death toll, claiming it was closer to 700 people. A number of prominent Iranian officials, including Irans former ambassador to Lebanon, were killed in the stampede.

In a statement addressed to all Muslims, Khamenei said that instead of apologizing for the stampede or allowing a Muslim international body to investigate what happened, Saudi authorities accused others of wrongdoing. In his response to the stampede, Khamenei accused Saudi officials of murder, saying that they left the injured with the dead rather than providing them with medical treatment.

The high death toll and accusations of mismanagement led to prolonged negotiations between the officials from each country over this years hajj. The two sides were ultimately unable to come to an agreement, and Iranian pilgrims were prevented from attending hajj this year. Saeed Ohadi, the head of Irans hajj and pilgrimage organization, accused Saudi Arabia of being domineering during those negotiations and creating obstacles. He said that Saudi Arabia dragged out talks over the issues of using Iranian planes, attendance of Iranian physicians and tracking devices for Iranian pilgrims. Saudi authorities accused Iran of wanting to hold protests during hajj.

For blocking Iranian pilgrims, Khamenei called Saudi rulers disgraced and misguided. He referred to Saudi muftis as impious and haram-eating  who blatantly issue fatwas against the Book and Sunna. Khamenei said those who accuse Iran of preventing its citizens from going to hajj are media minions of Saudi Arabia and are reporting lies. Khamenei added that Muslims should reconsider the management of hajj.

In response to Khameneis comments, Saudi Arabias top cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, accused Iranians of not being Muslims because they are descendants of Zoroastrianism, which was the dominant religion of Iranians before the conquest of Islam.

The two regional rivals are currently locked in a number of battles in the Middle East, supporting opposing and warring sides. There have been attempts to address some of the issues between the two sides, but little has been achieved. Iranian and Saudi officials traveled to France last month. The French had hoped to mediate a financial settlement for the Iranian victims of the stampede. According to Ohadi, Saudi Arabia still has not paid anything.

Before Khameneis speech, the website for former president and current head of the Expediency Council Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani published an interview in which he advocated for reaching out to Saudi Arabia. Rafsanjani recounted how he and former Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz were able to begin negotiations and address issues after Iranian-Saudi tensions had caused Iranians to miss hajj for three years in the late 1980s.

Conservative media websites immediately attacked Rafsanjani for presenting these comments just before the hajj pilgrimage and only one year after the Mina stampede. Dana website accused Rafsanjani of pursuing relations with Saudi Arabia and reaching out to a country that has conducted the most oppression against the rights of Muslims and Iran.
September 7, 2016

The nonidentification of female candidates names on some Fatah lists participating in the Palestinian local elections slated for Oct. 8 has sparked angry reactions on social networking sites. Several lists running in the local elections appeared online Aug. 26, not giving any of the names of the female candidates, however, as they were listed as sister or wife of.

Journalist Nour Odeh, the spokeswoman for the previous Palestinian government, wrote on her Facebook page Aug. 29, My name is Nour Odeh and women's names should not be left out. I will not vote for a list that deals with women in this manner. Period.

Odeh told Al-Monitor, All parties  left-wing or right-wing  favor conservatives and act cowardly when it comes to civil secular identity. There are those who tend to demonize the secular thought and civil state.

The director of the Women's Affairs Technical Committee in the Gaza Strip, Nadia Abu Nahla, agreed with Odeh and told Al-Monitor, Fatah started off as a secular national movement, but in recent years  and after Hamas took over Gaza  the movement has taken on a more conservative character and has become closer to the mainstream trends of society.

She added, In some areas where tribalism prevails, Fatah leans toward conservative trends to achieve political and social gains, whereas if we look at the Fatah lists in major cities, we see it closer to liberalism.

On Facebook, users launched a hashtag that translates into Our names should not be concealed," after the names of female candidates were not listed. It is, however, not the first time that female names are hidden on public announcements. Wedding invitation cards sometimes omit the names of the females invited because some men prefer to hide the names of their partners, and photographs of female martyrs sometimes show a rose instead of the face of the deceased woman.

Female activists and journalists used the newly created hashtag along with their names and the names of their mothers, sisters and friends on Facebook; men have been using this hashtag as well.

Abu Nahla said even though this reaction was limited to social networking sites, It managed to influence decision-makers and forced the Central Elections Commission [CEC] to issue a dismissive statement. I believe that many parties other than Fatah were going to opt for nonidentifying female candidates names.

The CEC statement issued Aug. 29 confirmed that it was expecting to receive nomination lists including the full names of all candidates, stating that the CEC is not responsible for some lists nonidentification of their female candidates.

Odeh said that what happened has led to a debate about the role and status of women in Palestinian society. This discussion is also expected to serve as a deterrent for electoral blocs to hide women's photographs in the electoral lists.

Ramadan Barakeh, the Fatah campaign coordinator in the southern Gaza Strip, told Al-Monitor, The names of our sisters are not hidden and the Fatah movement has a real partnership with women.

On Aug. 29, the lists that had initially hidden the names of the female candidates were republished with their full names, and it was not long before the Hamas-affiliated list of Gaza Hashem was announced, not only with the names of both female and male candidates, but also with their photographs.

The election campaign  which is due to commence on Sept. 24  started early, however, prompting the CEC to criticize this behavior that is contrary to the Local Elections Law of 2005.

In the runup to the upcoming elections, it is easy to notice the propaganda behavior of both Fatah and Hamas on social networking sites. Fatah is emphasizing the changes it has made in society, such as the Islamization process, the military achievements and the building of residential projects. While Hamas is using hashtags such as #Ready and #Before and after, Fatah has responded with similar hashtags on newly created Facebook pages that translate into We will vote for Fatah no matter what and We will build It. These accounts were quickly filled with posts about the movement's past, images of national emblems, songs accompanied with old videos and criticism of Hamas 10-year rule.

However, it seems Fatahs early campaign was not based on a well-thought-out plan as the movement failed to use technology effectively, unlike Hamas, whose media department was clearly keen to use technological means and produce the most modern videos, such as the one titled "Thanks Hamas" that highlights what is deemed to be Hamas accomplishments in the Gaza Strip, including the development of touristic areas. These, however, were widely criticized by activists on social media for not reflecting the reality on the ground.

Commenting on the competition, Fathi Sabah, the director of the Palestinian Institute for Communication and Development, told Al-Monitor, The early electoral campaign that violates the law has turned into a strong aversion of the other party rather than a democratic experience whereby each party accepts the other.

He said, The two parties are spreading fake logos and accomplishments, while each party is busy highlighting the disadvantages of the other."

He stressed that Fatahs campaign does not look convincing in Gaza, as the movement has failed to accomplish anything positive for a decade, knowing that the Palestinian Authoritys decisions, which include the nonpayment of the salaries of former government employees, have harmed the Gaza Strip.

Asked about the names of female candidates initially not appearing on the electoral lists, he said, Fatah wanted to show that it was more religious than its rival Hamas, which led it to face great opposition from independent people.

The electoral atmosphere in Gaza has taken on a more acute direction on the ground. Barakeh, who was physically attacked Aug. 29, said, I received a threat when I was at the CEC. An hour after the threat, a group of masked gunmen attacked me as I walked out of the CEC office. They kidnapped me, beat me and then pushed me to the ground. He said that the goal was to prevent him from carrying out his mission, which consists of coordinating Fatahs campaign in the southern Gaza Strip.

The current competition, both on the ground and on the internet, is only a small indication of what could happen when the elections draw closer.
September 6, 2016

Deputy Chairman of Hamas political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk said Aug. 29 during an interview on Algerian TV channel El Bilad that a Hamas representative office was opened in Algeria a few days earlier, without specifying the exact date. Hamas had submitted a request to the Algerian authorities, which approved and welcomed the idea. Hamas leader Mohammed Othman was appointed supervisor of the office affairs.

Hamas made its announcement during the official six-day visit of some of its leaders to Algeria, including Abu Marzouk, Othman and Hamas foreign relations chief Osama Hamdan. The Hamas officials met with Algerian factional, public and official figures during the visit, which took place Aug. 25-31 and included press conferences.

During the closing press conference Aug. 31, Abu Marzouk praised the support that Algerias people and government have shown for Palestine and the resistance, and for helping Palestinians under siege in the Gaza Strip.

Ahmed Yousef, the former political adviser to the deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, told Al-Monitor, By opening an office for Hamas on its territories, Algeria has officially acknowledged the movement. This is a huge political achievement for Hamas despite its shaky regional relations. Algeria constitutes a wide public base that sympathizes with the Palestinian people. I lived in Algeria between 2004 and 2006, and I realize the extent of solidarity between Palestinians and Algerians. Hamas has already implemented its political activities and collected financial donations to help Palestinians under the umbrella of the Algerian Movement of Society for Peace [MSP] that is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Palestinian Authoritys [PA] pressure on Algeria to close Hamas office will be fruitless.

Yousef expected that the PA would pressure Algeria, although it did not issue an official stance regarding the opening of an office for Hamas in Algeria. This is because the PA would not welcome such a step and might pressure Algeria out of fear that Hamas would compete with it in Algeria.

Hamas-Algerian relations did not surface overnight. Hamas leaders visited Algeria in the past, such as the head of its political bureau, Khaled Meshaal, in March 2007 and former Minister of Interior in the Hamas government Fathi Hamad in June 2009. In addition, former Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud al-Zahar, former official spokesperson for Hamas government Taher al-Nounou and member of Hamas legislative council Salah al-Bardawil organized a visit in May 2011.

Algeria also backed Hamas during Israels war on Gaza in 2008-2009, when it refused in January 2009 to consider the movement a terrorist group. In May 2013, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called for opening an official bureau for the movement in Algeria, to complement Algerias support for the Palestinian cause.

Hamas government in Gaza established in 2013 Mahfouz El Nahnah high school, which is named after the founder of Algerias MSP. Algerian convoys flooded to Gaza in 2014 in solidarity with the Palestinian people to offer humanitarian aid. Also, the Algerian Hospital backed by the Algerian Muslim Scholars  which is an Algerian nongovernmental organization that has good relations with Hamas  was opened in the Gaza Strip in 2010, and it treats thousands of Palestinian patients.

When Hamas announced opening an office in Algeria, Palestinians and Israelis alike had something to say. David Roet, the deputy permanent representative of Israel to the United Nations, tweeted Aug. 30 to voice his distress and described Algerias step toward Hamas as worrying and annoying.

An official at the Palestinian Foreign Ministry in Ramallah told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The PA trusts the decisions of Algeria, which respects the exclusive representation of Palestinians by the Palestinian Embassy on its territories. The latter caters to Palestinians interests in Algeria, regardless of their political affiliations. The PA, which does not meddle with the affairs of any Arab state, works on ensuring that there is no confusion as to Palestinians representation in any neighboring country.

Fatah spokesman Osama al-Qawasmi explained this diplomatic answer, saying Aug. 30 that Hamas is crossing red lines in Palestinian politics by opening an office in Algeria to replace the PLO. All Hamas attempts to eliminate the PLO are pointless.

On Sept. 1, Algerian writer Abdelhafid al-Izz wrote in an article for Dzayer Info news site that Algerias decision to allow Hamas to practice its activities on its territories is one of several decisions this fall within the scope of a new rapprochement between Hamas and Algeria.

Nagi Sharab, a professor of political sciences at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Algeria has made a huge step toward Hamas by allowing it to open an office there, and this is a political achievement for Hamas regionally. The office offers Hamas a window to communicate with the Algerian public opinion more freely, on condition that the movement does not overstep the Palestinian Embassys role there. The PA might pressure Algeria due to its positive step toward Hamas, out of fear of competition from the movement in Algeria. Therefore, Algeria might have to reassure the PA. The success of Hamas office in Algeria depends on its ability to present itself as a national Palestinian movement to Algerians rather than a political Islam current.

Hamas representation in Arab and Islamic countries is divided into three different categories. The first category includes countries in which Hamas has representative offices; for instance, Turkey, Qatar and Iran. The second category encompasses countries that refuse to welcome Hamas offices because they are at odds with the Muslim Brotherhood and consider Hamas one of its entities, such as Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The third category includes countries such as Indonesia, which refused Hamas demand to open an office there in December 2014 because the country has ties with the PA rather than the Palestinian organizations.

Although Hamas is honored to have received Algerias approval to welcome it officially on its lands through the movements representative office, Hamas is aware that Algeria might face regional and international pressure due to this positive step toward Hamas. The movement is not on good terms with many countries in the region and the world, and some, such as the United States, have even classified it as a terrorist group. Therefore, Hamas is likely to be cautious not to add pressure on Algeria and coordinate all its steps with the country to encourage other states to follow suit.
September 7, 2016

Written some 25 years ago, Tintin and Sinbad is an Iranian book by Mohammad Mirkiani that depicts the cultural invasion of the West through its main characters, Tintin, an adaption of the famous character created by the Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, and Sinbad, a fictional sailor of Middle Eastern origin. In the story, Tintins ship heads to the East to capture the land of Eastern stories, and Sinbad and his friends go to war with them. Their battle ends with the Eastern heroes victorious.

Tintin and Sinbad's story is now being turned into an animated film series titled War of Legends. Completion of the first episode followed the Aug. 8 public reading of a note written in November 1994 by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The message, unveiled by the Office for the Preservation and Publication of Ayatollah Khamenei's Works at a cultural event, reads, I always used to tell the same story. Its a pity that not many people believed it. Now all is good, and heres the evidence! The narrator of this story, who has witnessed everything with his own eyes, has told the story of Tintin and Sinbad. Now my job is easier! The only thing I need to do is to present a copy of the book to all children.

Ali Pourhosseini, heading the animation project at the FaraGostar Institute, told Al-Monitor, There were two major concerns about this project. One was to stand up to cultural invasion, while the second was to present a Western lifestyle. This meant that not only do Western characters invade and replace our characters, but they also interfere in our lifestyle. Our kids today dont get to be kids like they used to.

Pourhosseini said the film will consist of five episodes, and its main character is an Iranian boy from a fishing family who spends his adolescence, youth, middle age and old age with these heroes.

In the first episode, characters from the Near East go to war with those from the West, characters from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon or Palestine, for instance, Pourhosseini said. Episode two becomes more complex, as heroes from the Far East also come into play. The third and fourth episodes see the addition of characters from Europe, Australia, Africa  who have positive character developments.

In the fifth and final episode, the producers will show the end of the world according to the Shiite perspective. Pourhosseini insists that there is no favoritism shown toward either the Western or Eastern heroes in the work.

We have positive and negative figures in both worlds, he said. Therefore, we have tried to portray human society as a whole, meaning that we believe that at the end of the world, an offspring of Islams yield will come and bring about the alignment of pure and beautiful thoughts resulting in a world filled with peace. This is something that will happen at the end of the animation.

As in the book, the character Tintin symbolizes Western colonialism, while Sinbad represents Eastern resistance against colonialism. According Ali Kashefi Khansari, a journalist and critic of children's literature, their symbolism is accentuated more in the book than in the animation.

Familiarizing the kids of a country with the heroes of other countries and strengthening the sense of nationalism and belonging to ones own native culture in kids are definitely something good, Khansari told Al-Monitor. However, if this comes at the expense of creating a sense of hatred and animosity toward other nations, it is not admirable. I think this is why the author of the book decided to focus on just a few characters and not present a negative image of all Western peoples and countries. Taking this into account, one can say that this is an acceptable book, which wont trigger hatred and violence among nations, although the real Tintin, which we have come to know in the original story, is [also] not to the same degree a reflection of the Wests colonialism.

Mirkiani wrote Tintin and Sinbad in 1991 as a young adult book. It has been reprinted 11 times. This summer, it was the second highest selling book in Iran, behind the latest Harry Potter. Khansari primarily attributes the book's high sales to its current audience.

At the moment, the main audience for this book is adults, not children, he said. The book will only become popular in childrens literature when they know the characters. But the reality is that Iranian kids today are not familiar with Sinbad, Ali Baba and the magic lamp or with Tintin and Captain Haddock.

According to Pourhosseini, this is one of the main problems in making the animation series. We are living in an era where children have different tastes, he claimed. Today, Western companies and Hollywood have defined new characters for our kids. Therefore, to create a scenario in which it will have serious viewership, we had to review this book to see if there was room for updating. We spent two years working on this and began production in spring 2015. The first episode was completed about one month ago, and it is about 100 minutes long.

The FaraGostar Institute, founded 18 years ago at the seminary in Mashhad, is handling production. At first, we were just a dozen seminary students, and everything we did was a spur of the moment thing, said Pourhosseini. However, now about 60% of our colleagues are seminary students, and the other 40% have university educations. Financially, we are not linked to any organization. We have considerable productions that generate their own economic income [for the company].

Pourhosseini revealed that the decision to produce the animation was made two years ago, after members of FaraGostar met with one of the supreme leaders students at the Islamic Research Foundation of Astan Quds Razavi, the main charitable foundation in Mashhad. He gave us the book Tintin and Sinbad as a gift and said the leader had enjoyed reading it and suggested the idea of turning it into an animation, Pourhosseini said. By making this, we wanted to tell the world that we support the Guardianship of the Jurist. We were very young during the years of Irans Islamic Revolution and could not do much then, but now we have reached a point in terms of artistic taste and executive capabilities where we can say labaik [answer in the affirmative] to [Ayatollah Khameneis] invitation to [join] the fight against [Western] cultural invasion.

The cartoon will debut in Mashhad during Eid al-Ghadir, which falls on Sept. 21 this year. In Shiite tradition, the event marks the Prophet Muhammads appointment of Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor. Production of part two will begin at the same time. Ultimately, the work is expected to be dubbed in both Arabic and English.

We want to attract a global audience and therefore see this animation as something transnational, said Pourhosseini. What is wrong with us presenting the heroes of other nations, but in our own way, so we can convey through them the meanings we want?
September 6, 2016

A cannon shot roared into the night. The target was in the town of Bashiqa in northern Iraq, seized by the Islamic State (IS) in 2014. Seconds after the explosion, the clatter of a collapsing building echoed in the mountain.

For months now, the Turkish army has repeatedly targeted IS from positions they hold 15 kilometers (9 miles) northeast of Mosul.

The main goal of this base is to fight against Daesh [Arabic acronym for IS], one Turkish soldier told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. We deployed some fire-support vehicles, artillery, tanks and mortars, among other things, to destroy them, he added.

According to the soldier who was reading from a statement, Turkish troops deployed in northern Iraq have eliminated numerous targets, including 602 fighters, 416 buildings used by the Sunni hard-line group, 83 armored vehicles and 17 artillery positions.

Beyond its direct engagement against IS, the Turkish army is also training and arming Hashd al-Watani, a predominantly Arab Sunni militia created by Atheel al-Nujaifi, the former governor of Ninevah province and, along with his highly influential family, a close Turkish ally.

We train them for close quarter combat, which will take place in Mosul in the near future, the Turkish soldier said, adding that local fighters were all provided with AK-74s and ammunition.

In a country where the number of militiamen fighting for a religion, an ethnic group or a region seems to be growing by the day, Hashd al-Watanis leaders do not shy away from voicing their ultimate prize: capturing the IS de-facto capital in Iraq. Mosul is ours. If we get inside, all of it will be for us, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Tahma Talib, who is commanding Hashd al-Watani, told al-Monitor.

To be able to reach the outskirts of the city, Hashd al-Watani is working in cooperation with the Kurdish peshmerga, the army of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

According to peshmerga Gen. Bahram Arif Yassin, stationed at Bashiqa Mountain, the Kurdish forces will seize the town of Bashiqa and advance toward Mosul, paving the way for the Ankara-backed fighters.

We will recapture the area around Mosul. We will [stop] 2 kilometers [1 mile] from the city. And then, Yassin said, we will open a way for Hashd al-Watani to go inside Mosul.

Dismissed by Iraqi parliament members for corruption and alleged complicity with IS, Nujaifi has since found exile in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region. Like most Sunni leaders, Nujaifi initially opposed Kurdish autonomy, which he saw as a first step toward total independence.

Our relation with the KRG is not like before. We have a positive relationship now, Nujaifi told Al-Monitor, referring to the peshmerga and Kurdish de-facto President Massoud Barzani as allies.

We wait for the peshmerga to do their part, and then our role will start, he said. Now, Nujaifi argues that the Ninevah region should follow the lead of its Kurdish neighbors and transform itself into a semi-autonomous region as well.

Turkey, the KRG and Nujaifis partially colluding interests have led to a marriage of convenience to better secure their interests at the moment and eventually during the political vacuum that could follow Mosuls liberation, according to Renad Mansour, an El-Erian fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center.

He [Nujaifi] still considers himself as someone who will return, who will have a big homecoming in Mosul.  He seems to be sort of trying to fight a military war, a political war, and obviously he is getting a lot of support. So you have this really odd sort of triangle of Nujaifi, Barzani and Turkey working together, Mansour said.

Turkey wants to maintain some form of regional power in these parts. Particularly now, it will have to start using proxies even more.  Turkey needs to rely on allies, and typical allies Turkey has had in northern Iraq have been the Barzanis and also the Nujaifis, he added.

In 1994, a civil war erupted between the two main Kurdish factions in the north: the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which is the political party of the Barzani clan, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which was aligned with Iran and Ankaras long-time enemy, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). That war paved the way for an open-ended Turkish presence at several Iraqi bases with the KDP's tacit and gradually open cooperation, an analysis published by the Washington Institute stated.

Last December, when Turkey deployed an additional 150 troops and 25 tanks to positions close to IS-held Bashiqa without asking Baghdad for permission, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadis office called the action a serious breach of Iraqi sovereignty, and later threated to take the matter to the UN Security Council. It was Erbil that had reportedly leased Ankara the rights to the Bashiqa military camp.

While Ankara has been nurturing over the years an economically and politically profitable relationship with the KRG, it has been repeatedly pounding Kurdish groups in Turkey and Syria, including the People's Protection Units, one of the main ground forces battling IS.

Ankaras viewing a Kurdish state as a bigger threat than IS has led to numerous accusations of its tacit support for the self-styled caliphate.

On Sept. 4, the rebels  mainly Syrian Arabs and Turkmens fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA)  took control of the frontier between Azaz and Jarablus after seizing 20 villages from IS, the Turkish military said in a statement. But Turkeys perceived inability  or unwillingness  to clear until now its border to prevent the stream of foreign jihadists pouring into Syria from Turkey has been a cause of concern.

They have actually, some would argue, helped facilitate [IS] in Syria at a certain point  maybe not directly, but indirectly through porous border management. In any case, it seems like now the No. 1 priority for Turkey would be to limit the PKK, Mansour said.

While the Turkish-backed FSA aim at Syrian Kurdish fighters, Turkish-backed Hashd al-Watani is working in cooperation with Kurdish peshmerga as they advance toward Mosul. But the militia still needs to prove its military capability, said Gen. Sirwan Barzani, a nephew of Massoud Barzani and the commander of a 120-kilometer-long (75-mile-long) front line east of Mosul. They are not good fighters for an offensive, he told Al-Monitor, but they are from the region; they are good for holding [recaptured] ground.

With the support of Turkey, Nujaifis private army could soon demonstrate what it is capable of as the eventual battle for Mosul draws closer. But for Lt. Gen. Najim al-Jibouri, leading the Iraqi army offensive to retake IS' last stronghold in the country, Hashd al-Watani will have to follow his command.

The prime minister told us about Hashd al-Watani. He wants them to fight with us under the Iraqi flag, Jibouri said, not under any other flag.
September 6, 2016

The main determinant for Turkeys Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria, launched Aug. 23 in cooperation with Ankara-sponsored jihadi groups, was not the threat posed by the Islamic State (IS). Rather, it was the US support for the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which Ankara sees as an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Without American support, the PYDs armed wing, the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), would have failed to cross to the western side of the Euphrates to wrest Manbij from IS, and therefore the prospect of a Kurdish corridor from Afrin to Kobani would not have emerged to give Ankara sleepless nights. Turkey would not have been forced to send its troops to Syria, something it had long refused to do.

Ankara had favored IS over the PYD as its neighbor on the border, but the Unites States alliance with the PYD against IS came as a dramatic shift of circumstances that ultimately pushed Ankara to fight IS in earnest. And while this article was penned, news broke that the operations stated objective had been achieved  the Turkish forces and their allies, advancing both from the east and the west of the 90-kilometer (56-mile) border stretch between Azaz and Jarablus, had linked up on the 12th day of the operation, cleansing the entire border from IS.

How Turkeys intervention will proceed from now on is something that all regional actors must be curious about.

That a de facto safe zone is being created along the Azaz-Jarablus line is obvious. But how is this zone going to be secured as long as the IS threat, coupled with the prospect of a war of attrition, persists? Will the Turkish troops be forced to advance deeper toward al-Bab, down a corridor sandwiched between regime-held areas to the west and YPG-controlled areas to the east?

For Turkey, the Euphrates Shields main weakness is the shortcomings of the jihadi groups it has patched together under the Free Syrian Army (FSA) label. The resistance IS put up at al-Rai, halfway between Azaz and Jarablus, made it clear that those groups can hardly advance on the battlefield without close support from Turkish armored units. The Sept. 2 reports that IS recaptured four villages from the FSA at al-Rai were followed by Turkish armored units entering Syria from the same area and opening a second front the very next day. This timing was hardly a coincidence.

What happened at al-Rai is perhaps a small-scale model of how the Turkish military could be sucked in deeper into Syria. Moving farther south and with more troops to prop up the FSA each time it stumbles, the Turkish military could ultimately confront the Syrian, the YPG, the Hezbollah or the Russian factors, or several of them or even all of them simultaneously. This raises also the specter of Turkey bogging down in the Syrian quagmire. If the Turkish military finds itself caught in an inextricable war of attrition one day  and this is perfectly possible  proclaiming Turkey as stuck in a quagmire would become inevitable.

The volatile Aleppo equilibrium

The day the Turkish military and its allies took control of the entire Azaz-Jarablus line, Aleppos rebel-held section fell back under the siege of regime forces, which could have been a coincidence only.

Yet there is no coincidence to the fact that Damascus allies Russia and Iran have raised objections only to Turkeys attacks on the YPG in Manbij, while keeping silent on its operations in IS-held areas. This is a strong sign of a deal between the parties to let Turkish forces enter Syria to eject IS from border areas in return for handing Aleppo to the regime.

But the Turkish forces might fail at consolidating their line amid ongoing FSA shortcomings and IS threats. Such instability, in turn, could make Turkeys deal with the other actors on the ground unsustainable.

Then, if the possibility of a Turkish push farther south to eliminate a persisting IS threat materializes, this would give Turkey a greater say over Syrias future through the leverage of Aleppo, which its troops would be approaching from the east. It might even lead some in Ankara to start dreaming of conquests again.

We are faced with an intriguing paradox here: The main reason why the United States struck an alliance against IS with the PYD  the Syrian extension of the PKK, which Washington blacklists as a terrorist group  was Turkeys persistent reluctance to fight IS, crack down on IS cells on its own territory and secure its border with Syria. So it was Turkey that forced the PYD alliance upon the United States, and then the US-PYD alliance forced Operation Euphrates Shield upon Turkey.

Now Turkey has entered Syria to remove the threat it perceives from the PYD, overriding the Kurdish groups importance for the United States. As a result, Turkey is finally fighting IS. This, at first glance, might look like a highly favorable situation for US interests. Why bother to have the YPG against IS, after all, if the Turkish Armed Forces are there, still standing strong despite all the setbacks of the July 15 coup attempt? Yet things are not as they seem.

To start with, the United States and Turkey have very different priorities in Syria. The priority of the United States is to degrade and destroy IS, which makes the PYD not a problem but a solution. Turkeys priority, on the other hand, is to stop the PYDs expansion. So the United States cannot keep up the fight against IS relying on the Turkish military alone, for their underlying objectives diverge.

Relying on the Turkish military alone may lead to the collapse of Turkeys tacit deal with Russia and Iran, confrontation with the Kurds and Turkeys bogging down in a quagmire in Syria. It may ultimately make the war even more inextricable.

So if none of this is Washingtons intention, it is now faced with an extra liability  to make sure the Turkish troops fighting IS inside Syria at long last are not compelled to move deeper into Syria. In this context, cooperation with the YPG against IS becomes even more important than before, and the most likely prospect is that it will continue in harmony with new objectives.
September 6, 2016

If you were to ask me which national day is observed with the liveliest fanfare in Turkey, I would answer Victory Day. Celebrated annually on Aug. 30 to mark the day in 1922 when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk ordered the grand offensive against occupying Greek forces, it is popularly known as Army Day.

In recent years, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had declared the last week of August as Victory Week, making it even more prominent. In that week, we always had the colorful graduation ceremonies of army, navy and air force academies with newly commissioned lieutenants joining the TSK, parades in cities, visits to military installations, exhibits to introduce new weapons, concerts by military bands in city squares and shopping malls, and air shows. The TSK used those occasions to boost its visibility and add to its public prestige.

But this years Aug. 30 was a dismal, dull occasion. The daily Hurriyet in its Aug. 31 report noted this was the first Victory Day observed in the shadow of the July 15 coup attempt.

Photographs that accompanied news reports were unprecedented. All officers, including the senior ranks, coming to Ataturks mausoleum where the first ceremony of the day is always held had to go through identity and X-ray checks by the police, while a heavy presence of special operations police erected a veritable wall between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the military. No soldiers, apart from the guard detail of the mausoleum, were allowed to carry weapons, and security of the entire ceremony area was provided not by soldiers as usual, but by the police. Everyone noticed the heavy weapons of the police, including shoulder-launched, surface-to-air missiles that are used against, among other things, drones.

Moreover, the traditional military parade in Ankara that normally is an occasion for the Turkish military to show off its newest hardware was canceled because the parade ground was deemed insecure.

Many wondered what caused this years Victory Day to be observed so lifelessly. There were two basic reasons.

The first, without doubt, was security. Nowadays in Ankara many people remember the assassination of Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat in 1981 as he attended a military parade. Especially after the National Intelligence Organization issued warnings that there could be assassination attempts against top politicians, the government took steps to keep soldiers distant from politicians. This was an important indicator that the crisis of confidence between civilian decision-makers and soldiers has not been overcome and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government still doesnt trust the military.

Another reason for the uninspired celebration was the AKP elites' ongoing determination to suppress the rising secularist-Kemalist sentiment that emerged after the coup attempt. Aug. 30 has held major symbolic importance, as it brings to mind the "golden years" of the declaration of independence. For AKP people, however, it appears to be more important to ensure that the joy of Aug. 30 not overshadow the suppression of the coup attempt  a suppression they attribute to their supporters.

Many feel that a ghost we believed had long disappeared has made a comeback in Turkey. This is the ghost of political and societal polarization between conservatives, who want Islam to be prevalent in all facets of life, and dedicated secularists, who want the state to be free from what they perceive as shackles of religion.

After the failed coup, the debate over possible motivations and leaders resurrected the ghost and opened the way for a new wave of polarization in Turkey.

For secularists, who identify themselves as the "last soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" Ataturk, the cause of the coup attempt was the infiltration of the state and especially the military by a religious cult and the AKPs tolerance of this infiltration. According to dedicated secularists, the coup was foiled by Kemalists in the army, and Turkey has to revert to its "factory settings"  that is, to secularism, Kemalism and the founding values of the republic. This, above all, calls for urgent freedom from the pressure of religion on the state and society.

But to the generally pro-AKP, conservative-Islamist crowds that hit the streets on the night of July 15 and for days afterward, they are the guardians of democracy. Those who put their lives at stake confronting the coup plotters are the ones who foiled the coup. This segment says those who defended the democracy and state were conservatives, and they should dominate the state. According to this line of thought, Turkey must not remain a country where Muslims pay the price at tough times, but secularists enjoy life in good times.

This fault line between secularists and conservatives became undeniable in recent events: when a female, headscarf-wearing civil servant was assigned to represent the state in the ceremony of handing over all military hospitals to the Ministry of Health soon after the coup; the government changed the name of the 150-year-old Gulhane Military Hospital of Istanbul to Sultan Abdulhamid Hospital; retired Brig. Gen. Adnan Tanriverdi, notorious for his religious-conservative opinions, was appointed the chief adviser of the presidency on military and security affairs; and the government said female police officers can wear headscarves  and made sure they were visible during Aug. 30 observances.

Journalist Metehan Demir has been drawing attention to this growing polarization, which he said is political.

In Turkey, all political leaders grandstand to their own audiences. Even if senseless, they use narratives their bases like to hear. The polarization that was ignored for years is now flourishing. Perhaps this is all for the better, as Turkey is finally tackling unsettled accounts of years, Demir told Al-Monitor.

Demir is particularly concerned with the tendency to drag the army into debates on critical issues of the country. Tarik Celenk, a retired major and an important name of rightist ideology in Turkey, agrees with Demir. Political cadres that were seriously affected by the trauma of July 15, and the conservative majority that feels that they had saved the state on that night, have set as their primary target [to make] the state totally a civilian one.

Celenk said the reconciliation process most felt after the Aug. 8 Yenikapi-Istanbul peace rally, which assembled millions of people and all political parties except the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party, is not an organic one because it has not filtered down to the masses. It is not pleasant to see the government undertake reforms to impose civilian rule by telling secularists, We did it despite you and We made you bow. The government must abandon its prevailing perception of seeing anyone who criticizes it as a traitor, an enemy and separatist.

In short, the marginalized Victory Day further delineated the new fault line that appeared after July 15. The danger is that the TSK is in the center of the raging debate, which increases the danger of politicizing the TSK.
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September 7, 2016

WASHINGTON  US Secretary of State John Kerry had been expected to head to Geneva to try to finalize a deal with Russia to restore a nationwide cease-fire in Syria that could be announced later this week, but US officials cautioned Sept. 7 that the prospects for a deal again looked less likely, though they said the situation remains very fluid.

The Russian Foreign Ministry apparently announced that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kerry would meet in Geneva on Sept. 8-9. But State Department spokesman Mark Toner told journalists that while Kerry and Lavrov spoke by phone for 45 minutes Sept. 7, he had no travel yet to announce.

It was unclear if the conspicuous uncertainty over whether Kerry would travel to Geneva reflects genuine setbacks in the negotiations with the Russians, or is more of a negotiating tactic by one or both sides in the possible final stages of deal talks. "I think it's more needing to make sure we are all on the same page," a US official suggested. It's "still very fluid."

The outlines of what was described as a forward-leaning and complicated agreement between the United States and Russia have been reached, but there are still elements  technical details regarding implementation steps  that need to be finalized, American officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because the negotiations are still ongoing, said Sept. 6. When agreeing to something so complicated, unless all the many elements are in place, it is not complete, one explained.

We definitely want to make sure that we have a clear understanding on the way forward, how to implement this arrangement if we do come to agreement on it, what the clear steps are going forward to implement it and to make sure that its in our interests and in the interests of the Syrian opposition as well as the Syrian people, Toner told journalists at the Sept. 6 State Department press briefing.

The agreement  if it can be reached  aims to establish a nationwide cease-fire in Syria, while focusing US and Russian military operations against al-Qaedas Syria offshoot and the so-called Islamic State, bring in humanitarian aid and eventually restart UN-led intra-Syrian talks on a political transition.

But US officials warned that they had twice earlier thought they might be able to finalize the deal  when Kerry met with Lavrov on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hangzhou, China, last weekend and in Geneva last month  and both times came up short.

Indeed, anticipation of reaching a deal in Hangzhou was so high that US Syria envoy Michael Ratney sent a four-page letter explaining it to the Syrian opposition and rebel factions Sept. 3, and a press conference with podiums for Kerry and Lavrov was set up in Hangzhou the same day. However, by the time Kerry and Lavrov completed their meeting, there was only one podium, and brief comments by only Kerry when an agreement did not materialize. US officials said the Russians had tried to walk back elements of the deal they had previously agreed to, and the United States rejected the changes.

The frustrating negotiating experience and Russian-backed Syrian regime advances that threaten to besiege rebel-held eastern Aleppo have added to US wariness about Russian intentions and uncertainty over whether Russia really wants a deal at all; the talks have ebbed and flowed with developments on the ground in the 5-year-old conflict. Russia, in turn, has repeatedly complained that the United States had promised, but not followed through, to help separate moderate Syrian rebel factions from al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra since a US-Russian deal for a cessation of hostilities in Syria was reached in February.

US President Barack Obama alluded to gaps of trust after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a 90-minute pull-aside in China on Sept. 4.

We have had some productive conversations about what a real cessation of hostilities would look like that would allow us both, the United States and Russia, to focus our attention on common enemies, like [IS] and [Jabhat al-] Nusra, Obama told journalists at a post-G-20 press conference in Hangzhou on Sept. 4. But given the gaps of trust that exist, that's a tough negotiation, and we havent yet closed the gaps in a way where we think it would actually work.

Ratney, in the four-page letter in Arabic addressed to Representatives of the Revolutionary Opposition Factions in Syria (translated here by Al-Monitor), explained the goals of the anticipated agreement with Russia, and described the US-Russian negotiations as having been very difficult.

You have no doubt heard by now about the agreement we have nearly reached with Russia and that will be announced soon, Ratney wrote in the Sept. 3 letter. After long talks with the Russian side, we believe that these arrangements can  if implemented in good faith  restore the truce and stop the random attacks from the regime and Russia on civilians and the opposition, in addition to greatly reducing the violence in Syria and paving the way for the relaunching of a credible political process.

We believe that we are on the cusp of reaching an understanding with the Russians that can allay these fears, the letter states. We also think that this agreement should be stronger than the original [cessation of hostilities] agreement because it should prevent Russia and the regime from bombing the opposition and civilians under the pretext that its striking Jabhat al-Nusra.

Allow me to be frank with you: Dealing with Russia was very difficult, because it was very difficult to hold these talks with the Russians when they were killing Syrians daily, Ratney wrote. But the United States cannot pretend that Russia and its support for the regime do not exist. Just as Russia cannot pretend that the United States and our support for the opposition does not exist. Neither of us has any option but to deal with the other. And this means that the United States and Russia must address each others concerns.

This reality has led us to where we are now. There are things worrying us, namely the regimes ongoing attacks on the opposition, its brutal attacks on Syrian civilians, its lack of intention to implement the February 2016 cessation of hostilities and its neglect of the political process. As for Russias source of concern  which also concerns us  it is the presence of extremist groups and a branch of al-Qaeda in Syria that is now known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.

"The objective of the agreement that youve heard about is to address these issues.

The letter addresses specific questions:

"What have we agreed upon with Russia?

"The main features of the agreement are that Russia will prevent regime planes from flying, and this means that there will not be bombing by the regime of areas controlled by the opposition, regardless of who is present in the area, including areas in which Jabhat Fatah al-Sham has a presence alongside other opposition factions. In return, we offer Russia coordination from our side to weaken al-Qaeda in Syria. This coordination includes an understanding that there will not be bombings by the regime or random bombings by Russia.

What are our conditions before implementing the agreement?

"Before we implement any agreement, we told the Russians that they and the regime must stop attacks on the opposition and recommit to the cease-fire. We have set a high ceiling for conditions, including the withdrawal of the regime from Castello Road, ending fighting around Ramouseh Road, allowing for the entry of humanitarian aid to Aleppo through both Ramouseh and Castello Roads and ending all offensive attacks and operations in all parts of the country. We said that all of these things must happen before the United States and Russia implement any agreement.

The Russians told us that they agree to do these things, and thus we believe that they will for the regime to comply, but we have to test this matter  as we have said many times, an understanding with the Russians is not based on trust.
ChickfilA-Chicken-Biscuit.png

Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit. (Courtesy)

We scoured the web for some of the best deals and freebies:

Chipotle: Children 12 and under eat free every Sunday in September with the purchase of a burrito, bowl, order of tacos or salad.

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Air Wick: Take home an Air Wick Warmer for free while supplies last this week at Sam's Club freeosk locations.

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Denny's: The chain will give away free pancakes to kids ages 10 and under from 4 to 10 p.m. in September with the purchase of an adult entree.

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Long John Silver's: If you talk like a pirate at the restaurant on Sept. 19, you will receive a free piece of Alaskan whitefish or chicken. Dress like a pirate, and you'll get a free two-piece fish or chicken basket.

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Schlotzsky's: Download the Schlotzsky's Lotz4Me Guest Rewards Mobile App and enjoy a free small The Original sandwich.

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Chick-fil-A: Got an iOS or Android device? Download the Chick-fil-A app and set up an account through Saturday (Sept. 10) for your choice of a free Egg White Grill, Chick-n-Minis (3-count) or a Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit.

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Target: Text the word "bath" to 827438 and receive a $5 mobile coupon with the purchase of at least $25 in baby toiletries, bath toys and tubs.

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Staples: Click here for a coupon for a ream of paper for only 1 cent.

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Biofreeze: If you suffer from pain, Biofreeze is giving away free topical pain relief samples here.

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Nivea: Request a free sample of Nivea In-Shower Cocoa Butter Body Lotion.

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Did we miss a good deal? Let us know in the comments below or check back next week for more offers.
One of Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle's four technology initiatives has a new leader.

Jorge Garcia. (Courtesy photo)

GEOHuntsville, a nonprofit created by Battle to support geospatial workforce growth and economic development in the Rocket City, announced Monday that Jorge Garcia will succeed Chris Johnson as the organization's executive director.

Garcia recently retired as an assistant director over Directorate of Intelligence with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), where he oversaw the agency's intelligence functions, including its geospatial capabilities. He also previously worked as the director of the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC) in Quantico, Va.

"Mr. Garcia has proven to be an outstanding member of the GEOHuntsville board of directors, and we look forward to his leadership as executive director," Battle said.

Battle's other initiatives include Cyber Huntsville, Energy Huntsville and Bio Huntsville.
Southern Research is expanding its engineering division with the purchase of a Houston-based aerospace services company.

The Birmingham non-profit announced Wednesday that it has bought Curved Skies, a company that simulates high-altitude environments for aerospace development, such as the conditions that airplanes fly in. Curved Skies also performs risk reduction studies for commercial and government clients.

"With the acquisition of Curved Skies, NASA and our other government customers can now benefit from years of global operational experience focused on new engineering efforts," Michael Johns, vice president of the Southern Research Engineering division, said in a press release. "This extension is a significant step forward in our vision to support world-class engineering across our governmental, academic and industry efforts."

Southern Research - formerly called the Southern Research Institute - is engaged in drug discovery, drug development, advanced engineering research, and energy and environmental research. Southern Research also has facilities in Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Alabama Tourism Department's Year of Alabama Barbecue promotion has won a national tourism award.

The year-long celebration of Alabama's barbecue heritage has received the Mercury Award for best targeted marketing promotion from the the National Council of State Tourism Directors.



The campaign, which took place in 2015, featured a website, smart phone app, a traveling photo exhibit of legendary Alabama pit masters, a documentary film about the state's barbecue culture, a 128-page hardcover book and an Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame.

"After doing a social media survey of barbecue fans from across the state, we selected more than 75 restaurants in 52 cities to highlight for this campaign," state tourism director Lee Sentell said in a media release today. "It generated a great deal of pride and traffic within the state's barbecue community.

This is the fifth time in the last decade the Alabama Tourism Department has won the top award from the NCSTD, according to the media release. Previous awards went to the Year of Alabama Food, the Year of Alabama Arts, the Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns and the Year of Alabama Music.

Also, Sentell was also one of three finalists for state tourism director of the year, which was won by Vicki Varela of Utah.
This is the history of the Apache prison period, part of a series on the Mount Vernon/Searcy Hospital site near Mobile. An introduction and timeline, then-and-now photos and the history of Mount Vernon Arsenal, are linked at right.

On Sept. 4, 1886, after decades of fighting to keep control of Apache land, Geronimo became the last Indian leader to formally surrender to the United States. The legendary warrior, born in 1829 in Mexican territory that is now part of New Mexico and later forced into Arizona, soon would find himself confined at a southern Alabama military post. It would be his home for seven years.

Geronimo and more than 400 of his Chiricahua Apache followers - men, women and children - were brought to the site of Mount Vernon Arsenal near Mobile in 1887. Established in 1828, the arsenal had been seized by Confederates during the Civil War and, after reverting to the federal government in 1865, was redesignated as military barracks for the second regiment of the U.S. Infantry.

The Apaches initially lived in tents and later in cabins, creating a village during their seven-year stay. Steve Davis, historian for the Alabama Department of Mental Health, said while Walter Reed was in charge of the barracks as post surgeon, the Apache had few restrictions.

"They were free to roam and hunt as long as they were back to their assigned area by dark, at least while Reed was there," he said.

They were technically "prisoners of war," although they had not been charged with or tried for crimes, causing some Indian historians to describe them as early "political prisoners." Aside from their confinement, the Apache villagers seemed to dislike Alabama's humid climate.

According to the book "Geronimo and the End of the Apache Wars," edited by Charles Leland Sonnichsen, the Apaches were ready to leave when they were forced to Fort Sill, Okla., in 1894. One Indian said they disliked living in a place "no bigger than your thumb nail on which the trees were so thick that you would have to climb up to the top of a tall pine tree if you wanted to see the sun; and when you climbed down and went somewhere to sit and rest yourself, there was always something waiting to bite you."

Geronimo: The Celebrity at Mount Vernon

For decades, each time the Apaches were pushed from their land, and moved northward into the United States, Geronimo led retaliation raids on local villages. To white settlers, he was a murderous savage.

A 1894 article in The Morning News in Muncie, Ind., described public sentiment in condescending terms: "Uncle Sam has determined to give the worst Indian that ever stood in moccasins a chance to mend his ways, be a good redskin and own a farm, Geronimo, the chief of the Chiricahua Apaches, the most treacherous, brutal and warlike of the southwestern tribes, who has been confined in military prisons in Florida and Alabama for nearly eight years has behaved himself ..."

But to his people, Geronimo was the embodiment of a fierce warrior. He had earned their respect. According to Biography.com, Geronimo's raids increased in intensity after authorities in what was then Mexican territory attacked his village and killed his mother, wife and three children.

Because of the bloody raids that followed in both Mexico and the U.S., Geronimo was wanted by the government for decades before his 1886 surrender. He was imprisoned in 1877 but escaped in 1881. During his captivity at Mount Vernon from 1887-1894, he had a designated cell but he did not stay under lock-and-key behind its thick wooden door, Davis said.

"The urban legend is the cell and large door were only used when Gen. (George) Crook came to visit the barracks. I cannot find any primary source for that, but it seems logical," he said.

Newspapers published accounts of Geronimo's visits to Mobile. "I have read articles about Geronimo traveling by train to Mobile, unescorted, and attending grand balls in the city with great publicity in the social pages of the Mobile paper," Davis said.

He also met with Theodore Roosevelt. "While he and the rest of the Chiricahua remained under guard, Geronimo experienced a bit of celebrity from his white former enemies," the Biogrpahy.com article said. "Less than a decade after he'd surrendered, crowds longed to catch a glimpse of the famous Indian warrior. In 1905 he published his autobiography, and that same year he received a private audience with President Theodore Roosevelt, unsuccessfully pressing the American leader to let his people return to Arizona."

Apache Life at Mount Vernon

In his 1905 biography "Geronimo's Story of His Life" as reported by S.M. Barrett, Geronimo underscored the Indians' dislike for life at Mount Vernon. He wrote: "We were not healthy in this place, for the climate disagreed with us. So many of our people died that I consented to let one of my wives go to the Mescalero Agency in New Mexico to live. This separation is according to our custom equivalent to what the white people call divorce, and so she married again soon after she got to Mescalero. She also kept our two small children, which she had a right to do. The children, Lenna and Robbie, are still living at Mescalero, New Mexico."

Geronimo could not write in English, although he learned to write his name while at Mount Vernon, so he had his story recorded by Barrett while at Fort Sill, Okla.

However, the Apache children received educations while in Alabama.

"Many of the younger children were sent to school in Pennsylvania but two Catholic nuns started a school for the children at Mount Vernon," he said. "They often expressed their appreciation for Geronimo's support of the school and maintaining discipline. Miss Margaret Sheppard, one of the teachers, said she could not have conducted school without Geronimo's services."

The school building is no longer standing.

The captive Apaches hunted and cooked over fires and tried to live as they had before captivity. Their food, however, was supplemented by the U.S. government. According to historian Woody Skinner, who was quoted in a 1986 Associated Press article, Congress did not appropriate enough funding for food so the Army inducted many of the Apaches so they qualified for rations. Geronimo was not among the inducted.

The Apaches also buried their dead in secrecy, preventing military personnel from witnessing their traditions or the locations of burial sites. Today, the locations of the graves have not been confirmed by archaeologists but writings give clues as to their whereabouts, Davis said. The burial sites must be protected by law, according to Michael Panhorst, coordinator of Alabama Places in Peril. In addition, he said "the sites of two Apache villages of log cabins have been located and aspects of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act may be relevant to their management."

In 1894, the Apaches were relocated to Fort Sill, where they remained captive until 1914. Although they had been told they would be confined for only two years, they were held for 27 years before being assigned to a reservation. Geronimo did not live to see it. He died at the age of 79 in 1909 after falling from his horse.

After the Apaches left Mount Vernon, the site was no longer needed for the Infantry and was decommissioned. The property was transferred to the State of Alabama in 1895 and the site was unused until 1900, when it was designated for a mental hospital. The history of the site as a mental institution will be posted on AL.com Thursday, Sept. 8.
olivia wilson

Olivia Wilson of Huntsville, Ala. used her graphic design skills to open a stationery and invitation business, Ace & Bear, after choosing to stay at home after the birth of her daughter. (Submitted)

Olivia Wilson started her business almost by accident. After the birth of her first daughter, she and her husband agreed she would be a stay-at-home mom.

"When she would nap, I would put my graphic design skills to work, designing prints for her room, milestone announcements to send to family and fun little pieces for her album," said Wilson, who lives in Huntsville, Ala. "Shortly after her 6-month birthday, I began having friends and friends of friends contacting me for design work."

She realized she could work on a contract basis, from home. She soon launched Ace & Bear, a stationery and invitation company with products for sale on Etsy.com and in a local shop.

"It has been a fun journey that has allowed me to grow the business as I have time, on my own terms, while giving me the opportunity to be home with my girls."

Wilson is not alone. One-third of the American workforce now freelances in some fashion. More than half of all full-time freelancers are women, according to one recent study.

The way the traditional corporate world is structured "is not catching up to what the workforce's needs are anymore," said Stephenie Walker, publisher and managing editor of Rocket City Mom Media Group in Huntsville, Ala. "People are getting tired of waiting so they're creating their own structure."

Erin Bloxham Curtis said she has watched friends leave the workforce to be more available for their children, only to end up feeling isolated and looking for an outlet for their talents.

"I've watched this over and over again and thought, 'There has to be a solution,'" said Curtis, who is the program director at the Women's Business Center of North Alabama.

Curtis organized The Mompreneur Event, a workshop and networking event aimed at educating parents who are interested in starting a business or launching a freelancing career.

Women-owned businesses now represent 36 percent of all businesses, according to Forbes. The number of women-owned businesses jumped nearly 30 percent between 2007 and 2012.

Flexibility is the No. 1 reason parents leave traditional offices to strike out on their own, said Walker.

"That flexibility to work around family, and family around work, that's very appealing," she said. "An organized person can get a lot done if you can manage your time well."

AL.com asked parents why they chose to go into business for themselves rather than returning to the corporate world after having kids.

"I have been hooked on working for myself since I started freelancing as a financial analyst in the early 2000s," said Susie Fortner, a mom of two who now owns Flirtees, a custom t-shirt and clothing company in Huntsville, Ala. "Now, owning my own business is the only way I can feel really present in my children's life, cook supper most nights, and have the flexible schedule that I love."

Christa Landingham is the mother of 9-year-old twins. She left a corporate job to work as an independent contractor for a local company. She also homeschools her children.

"In the corporate world, I felt stuck. I hate to use the word cog, but I had no autonomy," she said. "My boss seemed supportive enough, but, let's be honest, there was always a bit of side-eye. Now, if I have a sick kid, we just fix a bowl of soup, turn on the TV and I can grab my computer and knock it out.

"Somehow that has made me working more and being more productive that I ever thought I would be, because the responsibility has shifted."

Better devices, apps, online talent-matching marketplaces and personal technology has made telecommuting in a variety of fields possible - and in some cases, more productive.

"The workforce is more mobile now than ever," said Walker. "We've got our computers in our pockets and our offices are our cars.

"If we're able to pick up and work while we're sitting on the ball field or sitting in the carline or during naptime, it makes working from home easier. We have the capability to work from anywhere now and people are taking advantage of it."

More than 40 percent of the American workforce will be freelancers, contractors and temporary employees by the year 2020, according to a study commissioned by software development company Intuit.

The Mompreneur Event, hosted by the Women's Business Center of North Alabama, was conceived to tap into that trend.

"If you're able to work for yourself, you're able to juggle a lot more," said Curtis. "The flexibility of being a mompreneur gives women and mothers the opportunity to be more present when they need to be."

The Mompreneur Event will be 8:30-noon tomorrow at Redstone Federal Credit Union (220 Wynn Drive). A limited number of tickets are still available. Scholarships are available. Tickets and more details are available at the event's website.

The Mompreneur Event will feature an assessment workshop, a moderated panel with North Alabama-area entrepreneurs who are moms, and a lunch with a featured speaker and Q&A session.
Four people have been arrested in Etowah County as part of what officials are calling a bust of a large-scale methamphetamine operation delivering the drug from the Atlanta area.

During a press conference this afternoon, officials with the Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit said the four were arrested for trafficking in methamphetamine last Friday.

Those arrested and being held in the Etowah County Detention Center are:

Albert Earl Schanlaub, 38, of New Ross, Ind., $75,000 cash bond.

Amy Cook, 34, of New Ross, Ind., $50,000 cash bond.

Steven Allen Villanueva, 35, of Altoona, $75,000 cash bond, and

Bobby Lee Clayton of Altoona, $75,000 cash bond.

Villaneueva already had an active warrant for his arrest for meth trafficking in Etowah County.

Deputy DEU Commander Phil Sims said the arrests came after a three-month investigation. During the course of the operation, officials seized 1 kilo, or 2.2 pounds of methamphetamine, along with $1,967 and one vehicle. The kilo has an estimated street value of $75,000, Sims said.

Agents learned that large amount of meth were being transported to the Etowah County area from the Atlanta, Ga. metro area.

"As the investigation developed, agents learned people from outside of Etowah County would come here and broker deals with certain individuals," Sims said. Investigators believe Schanlaub and Cook traveled from Indiana to Etowah County to meet with Schanlaub's brother, Villanueva, and Cook.

The kilo of meth was picked up in Atlanta and brought to Etowah County, where the arrests were made at a Gadsden motel.

Sims said the investigation is continuing and more arrests are expected.

"We believe this is responsible for a lot of meth being brought into our area," Sims said. "We estimate that they've brought in about 50 kilos a year."

Involved in the operation were Gadsden police, Etowah County Sheriff's Office, FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Alabama National Guard Counterdrug Program.
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(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

The Alabama House and Senate have much different plans on how to spend most of a $1 billion settlement with BP for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

This morning, a committee of three representatives and three senators will try to find a compromise.

The difference is how much Baldwin and Mobile counties, those most affected by the spill, would get for highway construction, and how much would go to Medicaid.

The bill passed by the House three weeks ago would give the coastal counties $191 million for two major road projects.

On Tuesday, the Senate stripped the road money from the bill and added $300 million for the Alabama Medicaid Agency over three years.

BP agreed to pay the state $1 billion over 18 years to compensate for economic damages from the oil spill, a settlement that is separate from other payments for environmental damage.

Both versions of the bill would capture the money up front with a bond issue, estimated at about $640 million, and use the annual BP payments to pay off the bonds.

The Senate plan would allocate $15 million of the bond issue money to Medicaid in 2017, $135 million in 2018 and $150 million in 2019.

The rest of the bond issue money, estimated at about $320 million, would repay the Alabama Trust Fund for transfers made to prop up the state budget since 2009.

The House plan would send $191 million to Mobile and Baldwin counties for improvements to the U.S. 98 route to the Mississippi line and extension of the Baldwin beach express from Interstate 10 to Interstate 65.

The House plan would allocate $449 million to repay the state's debts to the Alabama Trust Fund.

The early repayments of those debts would make available $70 million for Medicaid.

Sen. Bill Hightower, R-Mobile, who tried unsuccessfully to usher the House plan through the Senate on Tuesday, said there is room for compromise but that the plan must reflect the damage to the coastal counties.

"It's shocking to me that my colleagues in the north don't recognize that the oil spill hit the coast," Hightower said. "It really is. And I'm a relatively new legislator, so this is going to take me some time to get used to.

"But it isn't over yet folks. We're going to go to conference committee, we're going to try to work out a compromise, and maybe something will come out that will help all the parties."

Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, who offered the substitute bill removing the road money and sending $300 million to Medicaid, said the state budget is bound for a train wreck over the next couple of years.

Medicaid has estimated it will need $865 million from the General Fund in 2018 and $895 million in 2019.

That's up from $700 million the agency is slated to get from the General Fund in 2017, which was short of its $785 million request.

The failure of the lottery bill two weeks ago took away one option for covering at least some of those rising costs, putting more focus on the BP bill.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said he thinks a compromise today is possible, as long as it provides some money for the coastal counties, a substantial amount for debt repayment and money for Medicaid for more than one year.

"If they really want anything to work at all, they've got to come to the middle," Marsh said. "And I hope that's what will happen in conference. But if not, they could come back another day. Or if we do nothing, the BP money comes in year after year and we'll just deal with it."

BP paid the state the first $100 million of the settlement earlier this year and is slated to pay the next $50 million next year.

The bond issue estimates are based on using the remaining $850 million the state is due after that.

Today is the 11th of 12 possible meeting days in the special session, called by Bentley to shore up funding for Medicaid, which faces an $85 million shortfall and has cut payments to doctors.

The committee was scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. today. At that time, Rep. Steve Clouse announced the committee was in recess and would meet at 10:30 a.m.

Committee members are Reps. Clouse, R-Ozark; Danny Garrett, R-Trussville and John Knight, D-Montgomery and Sens. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattvill, Orr and Trip Pittman, R-Montrose.

Clouse and Pittman are chairmen of the House and Senate General Fund committees.
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(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

A compromise bill on Alabama's $1 billion BP oil spill settlement divides the money between state debt repayments, roads for Baldwin and Mobile counties and Medicaid.

A conference committee of senators and representatives approved the bill.

The House approved the compromise bill by a vote of 87-9, sending it to the Senate, which could give it final passage.

The bill faces opposition in the Senate, including from senators who want it to provide more money for Medicaid.

Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, said Medicaid should be a higher priority than debt repayments.

Lawmakers have today and one more day, if they choose to use it, in the special session.

Gov. Robert Bentley called the special session to boost funding for the state budget, with Medicaid the most immediate need.

Since the demise of the lottery bill two weeks ago, lawmakers have looked to the BP settlement as one way to help cover the rising costs of Medicaid.

The compromise bill would allocate $400 million to paying off state debts and a total of $120 million to Medicaid over the next two years.

It would also direct $120 million to highway projects in Baldwin and Mobile counties.

That's a compromise between the House version, $191 million for the coastal county roads, and the version passed by the Senate on Tuesday, which took out all the road money and sent $300 million to Medicaid over three years.

Lawmakers from the coastal counties have pushed for the road money because their counties caught the brunt of the 2010 oil spill.

Other lawmakers have noted that the $1 billion BP settlement is to compensate for economic damages to the state and that other settlement funds are intended to compensate for environmental damages.

Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, who chairs the education budget in the Senate, was the only one of the six members of the conference committee who did not sign the bill.

On Tuesday, Orr had successfully pushed for the Senate to approve the $300 million in BP money for Medicaid, which is expected to seek large funding increases in 2018 and 2019.

"We're looking at a fiscal cliff, and I don't think there's any disagreement about that," Orr said.

Medicaid requested $785 million from the General Fund for fiscal year 2017, but lawmakers overrode Gov. Robert Bentley's veto and approved $700 million.

Medicaid is expected to request $865 million from the General Fund in 2018 and $895 million in 2019.

The compromise bill would close the $85 billion gap for 2017 and provide $105 million for Medicaid in 2018.

Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose, chairman of the Senate General Fund committee, called the bill a good compromise. He said Medicaid funding has been a problem for a decade and the bill would help for two years.

"This does go a long way toward paying back the debt that was supposed to be repaid," Pittman said. "That's a big priority. It also helps bring back some money to the impacted counties based on the Deepwater Horizon disaster. And it also does provide some money for Medicaid, which is a very important part of our healthcare system."

Pittman was a member of the conference committee, along with Orr and Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville.

House members were Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, the House General Fund committee chairman, Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, and Rep. John Knight, D-Montgomery.

All but Orr signed the bill.

Updated at 1:32 p.m. to add comments from Sen. Trip Pittman and other information. Updated at 1:51 p.m. to add that House approved the compromise bill. Updated at 2:16 p.m. to say that bill faces opposition in the Senate.


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(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

A plan to spend most of a $1 billion oil spill settlement with BP on state debt repayments, Medicaid and roads in Baldwin and Mobile counties is on its way to Gov. Robert Bentley.

The Senate voted 22-8 to approve the bill after more than two hours of debate this afternoon.

The House approved the bill earlier today, with almost no discussion, by a vote of 87-9.

Bentley said late this afternoon he plans to sign the bill after reviewing it, calling it a big win for the state.

Senate Democrats had argued against the plan, saying it does not provide enough to Medicaid.

Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, proposed giving $100 million more to Medicaid and that much less to debt repayments.

Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, also an advocate for more money for Medicaid, said he supported Singleton's suggestion.

Sen. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, proposed appointing a new committee to negotiate on those changes.

But others, including Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said he thought the compromise was the best lawmakers could do.

The Senate voted 16-14 against the motion by Ross before voting again to give final passage to the bill.

Lawmakers adjourned to end the special session shortly after the bill passed.

The bill is a compromise between one the House passed three weeks ago and one the Senate passed on Tuesday.

It would designate $400 million to repay the Alabama Trust Fund for transfers to support the state budget since 2009.

Another $120 million would go to Medicaid in 2017 and 2018. And $120 million would go to highway projects in Baldwin and Mobile counties.

The total, about $640 million, is the estimated amount the state could get by selling bonds and dedicating $850 million in BP payments to pay off the bonds.

BP is due to pay the state $1 billion over 18 years to compensate for economic damages from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Bentley called the Legislature into special session to consider a state lottery and the BP bill to help support the state budget, especially Medicaid.

The lottery bill died two weeks ago. That raised the interest in the BP payments as a way to help cover the rising costs of Medicaid.

Medicaid received $700 million from the General Fund in next year's budget.

The agency has estimated it will need $865 million in 2018 and $895 million in 2019.

Updated at 5:54 p.m. to say that Gov. Robert Bentley plans to sign the bill.
state house mug by julie.JPG

(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

Alabama legislators debated today how to use a $1 billion oil spill settlement with BP, seeking common ground on how much should go to coastal counties and how much should go to paying off state debts and to Medicaid.

Senators made a key change after more than five hours of debate.

The Senate removed $191 million slated for road projects in Baldwin and Mobile counties and added $300 million for the Alabama Medicaid Agency over three years.

The changes came in a substitute bill offered by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, chairman of the Senate's education budget committee.

The Senate passed Orr's substitute bill by a vote of 21-9, sending the bill back to the House of Representatives, which passed a different version three weeks ago.

The House voted 100-0 not to concur with the Senate changes and to send the bill to a conference committee to try to reconcile the differences, which have staunch opposition from south Alabama lawmakers.

"The citizens of Baldwin and Mobile county suffered from that oil spill," Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, said.

The Senate later voted 24-1 to agree to send the bill to the conference committee.

The committee plans to meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesday

The House and Senate will convene at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Lawmakers have up to two days in the legislative session after today.

The BP settlement is the main issue remaining for the special session, called by Gov. Robert Bentley to raise money for the General Fund, especially Medicaid.

The failure of the lottery bill last month put the spotlight on the BP money as a way to cover at least part of Medicaid's rising costs.

The Senate spent the afternoon debating the bill by Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, which passed the House three weeks ago.

BP is due to pay the state the $1 billion over 18 years to compensate for economic damages from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. That is separate from other oil spill settlement funds for environmental damages.

Clouse's bill would authorize a bond issue estimated at $639 million and use the BP economic damages payments to pay off the bonds.

Clouse's plan would use $448 million of the bond money to pay back the Alabama Trust Fund for transfers used to prop up the state budget.

That would leave up to $191 million for road projects in Baldwin and Mobile counties, which caught the brunt of the oil spill damage.

The debt repayments in Clouse's plan would free up $70 million for Medicaid, which faces an $85 million shortfall in the year that starts Oct. 1 and has already cut payments to doctors.

The Senate today adopted an amendment by Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose, to give another $15 million in BP funds to Medicaid, which would fully close the $85 million shortfall.

But the big changes came later, when senators adopted Orr's plan to strip out all the road money and apply $300 million over three years to Medicaid.

Sen. Bill Hightower, R-Mobile, who was handling Clouse's bill in the Senate, asked the Senate to table Orr's bill, but his motion failed by a vote of 14-17.

Orr's bill would use $320 million of the BP money to pay off the state debts to the Alabama Trust Fund, $300 million for Medicaid and none for roads.

Hightower initially indicated he was prepared to filibuster rather than allow a vote on Orr's bill.

"The form of the bill as it is right now is sadly off course because it doesn't recognize the damage to the coast," Hightower said.

Orr, however, said the outlook is grim for funding Medicaid in 2018 and beyond unless lawmakers take action now.

Medicaid is slated to receive $700 million from the General Fund in the fiscal year 2017 budget, $85 million less than it requested.

According to the Legislative Fiscal Office, Medicaid expects to need $865 million from the General Fund in 2018 and $895 million in 2019.

"We're going to be right here in this very place in February and we do not have a plan," Orr said, referring to the 2017 legislative session.

The Senate later passed Orr's bill after adding an amendment by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham.

Smitherman's amendment is intended to restore Medicaid cuts in payments to physicians and to ensure funding for dialysis services.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, urged senators to send a bill back to the House to keep alive the chance of a resolution in conference committee.

Hightower, although opposed to Orr's bill, said he believed there was a chance for compromise.

Corrected at 9:18 p.m. to say that Sen Arthur Orr is chairman of the education budget committee.
A voting rights lawsuit filed Wednesday seeks to do away with the at-large elections of judges who sit on Alabama's three appellate courts, including the Alabama Supreme Court.

The at-large election system has been racially discriminatory towards African Americans, who make up more than a quarter of the state's population, according to the lawsuit that suggests election by single-member districts.

As a result of the at-large voting for the judges and justices, no African American has ever served on the state's criminal and civil appellate courts and only three on the nine-member Alabama Supreme Court in the past 36 years, the lawsuit states,

The at-large method "unlawfully dilutes the voting strength of African Americans and prevents them from electing candidates of their choice," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to declare that the use of at-large elections for the three appellate courts violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, halt the further use of at-large elections for those courts, and to require future elections for those courts to be conducted under a method of election that complies with the Constitution of the United States and the Voting Rights Act.

The lawsuit suggests several district methods - dividing the state into five districts for the state's criminal and civil courts of appeals and either nine or eight district plans for the nine-member Alabama Supreme Court.

Under an eight district plan, eight associate judges would be elected by district with the chief justice elected at-large statewide.

As a result of the at-large election method no African American has won an election to any of the three courts in the past 21 years and no African American has served on those appellate courts for the past 15 years, according to the lawsuit.

An African American has never served on either the Court of Criminal Appeals or the Court of Civil Appeals, the lawsuit states.

Three African Americans have served on the Alabama Supreme Court: Oscar Adams, appointed by the governor 1980 and who won election in 1982 and re-election in 1988; Ralph Cook, who was appointed to replace Adams and who was elected to a full six-year term in 1994; and John England, Jr. who was appointed in 1999. England and Cook lost in the 2000 elections.

"Approximately one-quarter of Alabama's population is African-American. African Americans have been prevented from participating fully in the election of Alabama's appellate judges because of the way those judges are elected," the lawsuit states.

Voting in Alabama is racially polarized and the state has had a well-documented history of voting discrimination, the lawsuit states.

"At different points in its history, Alabama utilized poll taxes, literacy tests, and discriminatory redistricting methods to restrict African Americans' access to the franchise," the lawsuit states. "A brutal attack on peaceful voting rights marchers at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 7, 1965, moved President Lyndon Johnson to propose the Voting Rights Act eight days later and to sign the Act just five months later."

The lawsuit also notes the significance of the cases the three appellate courts hear.

"Together, the three courts render enormously consequential decisions that profoundly affect the lives of all Alabamians," according to the lawsuit.

Nearly 63 percent of Alabama's prison population is black, lawyers for the plaintiffs say.

The plaintiffs are the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, and four African American residents and registered voters around Alabama: Sherman Norfleet, of Perry County; Clarence Muhammad, of Jefferson County; the Rev. Curtis Travis, of Tuscaloosa County; and John Harris, of Lee County.

"The Alabama NAACP continues to fight for equitable representation of all communities in our judicial system at all levels," Benard Simelton, president of the Alabama NAACP, stated in a press release Wednesday. "Alabama cannot continue to have a system that ignores segments of the community. We believe that a revised method of electing judges will lead to representation of all segments of the community."

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Montgomery by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in partnership with Alabama civil rights attorneys James Blacksher and Edward Still, Montgomery-based attorney J. Mitch McGuire, and with pro bono lawyers at Crowell & Moring LLP, and the firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.

"In 2016, Alabama's appellate courts are no more diverse than they were when the Voting Rights Act was signed more than 50 years ago," Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee stated in a press release. "It is time for the highest courts in the state of Alabama to reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. This lawsuit seeks to provide African-American voters an equal opportunity to elect judges of their choice, achieve long overdue compliance with the Voting Rights Act and instill greater public confidence in the justice system of Alabama."

Clarke also said during a teleconference with reporters that the lawuit makes clear that "voting discrimination is alive and well in Alabama."

Still stated that jurors are supposed to represent all of the adult population, "yet the state uses a system of electing appellate judges that insures those judges come from only part of the population."

Blacksher said in the telephone press conference this morning that Alabama is one of seven states that elect judges to their highest courts in partisan (multi-party) elections. Of those, five states elect at-large, he said.

If the lawsuit ended quickly in the plaintiffs favor, changes realistically couldn't come in time to affect this year's election of four judges on those courts, Blacksher said. The next election is in 2018 but Blacksher didn't rule out the possibility of mid-term elections.

"The fact that no African Americans are on the Alabama Supreme Court or any other office elected statewide sends a clear message that black Alabamians remain subordinate to whites in state government, just as the 1901 Constitution intended," Blacksher said in a statement also issued Wednesday morning.
7-13 hot.jpg

Hot temperatures and light winds will combine to raise ground-level ozone concentrations to unhealthy levels for sensitive groups in Jefferson and Shelby counties on Wednesday. (National Weather Service photo)

The combination of hot temperatures, low humidity and light winds was expected to impact air quality on Wednesday in the Birmingham metro area.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management issued a "Code Orange" air quality alert for Jefferson and Shelby counties.

Code orange means ground-level concentrations of ozone will be high enough to possibly affect sensitive groups -- mainly those with respiratory conditions or children.

Those groups are urged to limit their time outside during the late afternoon and early evening hours.

The general public is not expected to be affected.

To learn more about air quality and alerts click here.
James Henderson abortion clinic

Rev. James Henderson speaks to the media in May 2016 outside the Sparkman Drive abortion clinic in Huntsville. (Paul Gattis/pgattis@al.com)

( )

In the ongoing federal lawsuit filed by two Alabama abortion clinics, the state of Alabama argued in a lengthy filing that two abortion laws passed earlier this year should not be blocked by a judge.

The state legislature earlier this year passed abortion-related bills that outlawed abortion clinics located within 2,000 feet of public K-8 schools as well as an abortion procedure described by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, according to the court filing, as "gruesome."

Abortion clinics in Huntsville and Tuscaloosa, which perform 72 percent of the abortion procedures in Alabama, filed the lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson has scheduled a hearing for Oct. 4 in Montgomery to hear oral arguments on the laws. The judge issued a temporary restraining order in July that put the laws - scheduled to go into effect Aug. 1 - on hold until the hearing.

The abortion clinics also sought the preliminary injunction when asking for the temporary restraining order. A preliminary injunction could potentially extend the temporary restraining order.

The state made its case opposing the preliminary injunction in a 43-page filing on Aug. 30 along with 21 exhibits with a total of more than 100 pages.

The state defended the merits in the filing of the two laws passed by the legislature: prohibiting dismemberment abortions and the 2,000-foot school zone.

The state, represented by Attorney General Luther Strange, argued that the law on dismemberment abortions (also known as dilation and evacuation abortions) only prohibits those procedures in which the fetus' life has not been ended. The laws, according to the filing, "prohibits dismemberment abortion - a form of abortion where a living fetus is killed by tearing it limb from limb."

The state argued that there is no difference between dismemberment abortions and partial birth abortions, which are prohibited by federal law. Both procedures are "equally gruesome," according to Ginsberg, the filing states.

The dismemberment (or dilation and evacuation) abortion is still permitted under state law so long as the fetus' life has been ended before dismemberment.

Dismemberment abortions are rare in Alabama, according to the filing, with only 12 of 8,080 abortions performed in the state in 2014 using this method.

On the law providing a 2,000 barrier between abortion clinics and schools, the state cited a 2013 deposition from Dalton Johnson - owner of the Alabama Women's Clinic in Huntsville - as saying there would be as many as 150 protestors on the sidewalk outside the clinic on days when abortions are performed as well as many as 25 counter-protestors from the clinic.

The filing also said there are also public protests outside the Tuscaloosa clinic, citing previous testimony from Gloria Gray, administrator for the West Alabama Women's Center.

The Huntsville clinic is located within 2,000 feet of two public K-8 schools while the Tuscaloosa clinic has one school within 2,000.

"Although these particular groups are peaceful, abortion clinics have attracted

violence before," the filing said, pointing to bomb being set off outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham and an attempt to set the Tuscaloosa clinic on fire.

"The legislature reasonably determined that these activities should not occur across the street from a school."

The specifics of the law mandate that the Alabama Department of Public Health cannot issue a license to an abortion clinic within 2,000 feet of a school.
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Left: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives for a town hall, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Virginia Beach, Va. Right: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla., on the same day.

(Evan Vucci/AP and Monica Herndon/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

TAMPA, Fla. -- Hillary Clinton accused Donald Trump of insulting America's veterans and pressing dangerous military plans around the globe on Tuesday, seeking to undercut his appeal to service families in Southern voting battlegrounds. Trump declared "our country is going to hell" because of policies she would make even worse.

Clinton, addressing supporters in Florida, warned that Trump would lead the nation back to war in the Middle East. And to military vets and their families, she pointed anew to his summertime dust-up with the Muslim parents of a slain American soldier.

"His whole campaign has been one long insult to all those who have worn the uniform," the Democratic nominee said at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Republican Trump, trying emphasize his military support, released a letter from 88 retired generals and admirals citing an urgent need for a "course correction" in America's national security policy. It was aimed at rebutting Clinton's arguments that she would be best positioned to lead the military and reassuring Republicans who have openly worried that his provocative statements might undermine U.S. alliances.

"We believe that such a change can only be made by someone who has not been deeply involved with, and substantially responsible for, the hollowing out of our military and the burgeoning threats facing our country around the world," the military leaders wrote. "For this reason, we support Donald Trump's candidacy to be our next commander in chief."

Clinton pushed back, saying Trump has lagged in securing key military supporters compared to past Republican nominees including John McCain and Mitt Romney. She pointed to her endorsements from retired Marine Gen. John Allen, who blasted Trump at the Democratic National Committee, and former CIA deputy director Mike Morell.

"They know they can count on me to be the kind of commander in chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Trump," Clinton said en route to Florida. "They view him as a danger and a risk."

The conflicting messages came as the candidates prepared to appear at an MSNBC forum Wednesday night on national security. While they will appear separately and not be on stage at the same time, it could serve as a warm-up to their highly-anticipated first presidential debate on Sep. 26 in New York.

Campaigning in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Trump vowed to take aggressive action to help veterans at home and confront threats abroad including acts of terrorism from the Islamic State group. He was questioned by retired Gen. Michael Flynn, the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency who is a strong supporter.

"We are going to solve the ISIS problem," Trump said. "But we have to get back to building our country, because our country is going to hell."

Trump promised to fix problems at the Veterans Administration, which has grappled with patient care mismanagement during the Obama administration. Until those problems are resolved, he said he would allow veterans to seek treatment at private doctors or hospitals free of charge.

"Your government is going to pay your bill," he pledged.

Clinton's message was amplified by her running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, who promoted his own foreign policy credentials in a speech in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Kaine said Trump is misleading voters on his foreign policy views, asserting he was against invading Iraq despite statements to several news outlets at the time indicating otherwise.

Kaine, who noted his own son's service in the Marine Corps, is a member of both the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees.

Meanwhile, Clinton's campaign released a new television ad entitled, "Sacrifice," that shows military veterans watching some of the New York businessman's more provocative statements.

The spot includes clips of Trump claiming to know more about the Islamic State group than military generals, and his criticism of McCain, the Republican senator from Arizona and a former prisoner of war. The ad, which features former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland, a triple-amputee who served in Vietnam, also keys on Trump's assertion that he has sacrificed a lot compared to families who have lost loved ones in conflict.

"Our veterans deserve better," reads a line at the end of the ad, which is airing in Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

Republicans, too, have questioned Trump's capacity to serve as commander in chief. Dozens of GOP national security leaders released a letter last month warning that he would risk the nation's "national security and well-being."

Separately, Trump continued to face questions about his immigration policy a day after refusing to rule out a pathway to legal status for immigrants in the country illegally. He focused on his proposed border wall plan in a Tuesday interview with ABC's "Good Morning America."

Last week in Phoenix, he told a raucous crowd of supporters that there was "one way only" for immigrants here illegally to become legal -- to return home and get in line for official readmittance.
The sudden closure of ITT Technical Institute has left tens of thousands of students wondering if their time spent at the for-profit school was a waste, leaving them with nothing but debt and worthless college credits.

ITT announced Tuesday it was ceasing operations. The company has 140 locations in 35 states, serving about 45,000 students, including 1,600 at Alabama locations in Mobile, Madison and Bessemer. As many as 8,000 ITT employees will lose their jobs as a result of the shutdown, the company said.

The move comes after increased scrutiny from the Department of Education which claimed ITT encouraged students to sign up for federal loans while falsely promising employment opportunities. Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would no longer allow ITT to enroll new students using federal aid to finance their education.

"The school's decisions have put its students and millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded federal student aid at risk," said John B. King Jr., U.S. Secretary of Education. "Last week, the Department of Education took oversight actions to prevent ITT from continuing to add to that risk. When we made that decision, we did not take it lightly."

ITT reported almost $850 million in total revenue in 2015, roughly $580 million of which came from federal student loans. According to federal data, the average annual cost for attending ITT is $23,000, about $7,000 higher than the national average for not-for-profit public colleges. Nationally, only about 25 percent of ITT students graduate and more than 30 percent default on their student loans.

Student loans and ITT

Government officials said many of the students who are using federal loans to attend ITT will be eligible to have those debts discharged. You can see more information on that process here.

The Education Department is offering a series of national webinars designed for ITT students on Sept. 7 at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. EST. You can access the webinar link here.

What about ITT credits?

Aside from student loans, the other big question is what happens to the credits earned by students attending ITT. The Education Department said students - especially those close to graduating - may be able to transfer their credits to another institution.

On its own website, however, ITT cautioned it was "unlikely that any credits earned at the school will be transferable to or accepted by any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute."

ITT's website includes a list of articulation agreements with schools that accept its credits towards degrees. In the past, credits were able to be transferred to other ITT locations but since those are closing that's no longer possible. There are other for-profit schools that accept ITT credits but many of those - such as the nation's largest for-profit school the University of Phoenix - have been under fire for the same practices as ITT.

ITT has released a list of schools that offer similar programs but it's unlikely they will accept transfer credits.

King said he knows the news of ITT's closure will be discouraging to many but he urged students not to give up on their education.

"Higher education remains the clearest path to economic opportunity and security," he said. "Restarting or continuing your education at a high-quality, reputable institution may feel like a setback today, but odds are it will pay off in the long run."

Updated Sept. 7 at 11:58 a.m. to clarify that other for-profit schools accept ITT credits.
Veterans and active duty troops overwhelmingly support Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton, a new poll shows.

The NBC News/Survey Monkey poll showed 55 percent of voters who are currently serving or have previously served in the U.S. military support Trump as opposed to 36 percent who back Clinton. That compares to 48 percent of general voters in the same poll that said they support Clinton and 42 percent that back Trump.

Among general voters, 39 percent of those polled said they are either very confident or somewhat confident that Trump would be an effective commander-in -chief. Twelve percent said they were not too confident and 47 had no confidence at all.

Veterans and military members have more faith in the GOP nominee, however, with 53 percent saying they thought he would be an effective Commander-in-Chief.

In contrast, only 35 percent of military and veteran voters said they would be confident in former Secretary of State Clinton's ability to serve as Commander in Chief; 64 percent said they would not.

Clinton's numbers are better among general voters, with 46 percent saying they were either very or somewhat confident in Clinton's ability as Commander-in-Chief compared to 13 percent who were not too confident and 39 percent who weren't confident at all.

When it comes to the use of nuclear weapons, 44 percent said they thought Clinton would make the right decisions as compared to 24 percent who said the same for Trump. Trump had the edge, however - 40 percent to 39 percent - when people were asked who they thought would better handle veterans issues. Trump did even better with the handling of veterans issues among military voters, beating out Clinton 53 percent to 28 percent.

The poll was conducted online from Aug. 29-Sept. 4 among 32,226 registered voters, including 3,358 who have previously served or are currently serving in the U.S. military. It comes as Trump and Clinton ready for a Commander-in-Chief Town Hall on NBC and as both campaigns issued letters with endorsements from military leaders.
A Louisiana teenager vented on Facebook after a grocery store baker wouldn't write "Trump 2016" on a cake she ordered.

"Just left albertsons. The woman behind the cake counter just refused to make me a birthday cake because I wanted "Trump 2016" on it.... Did that really just happen?" McKenzie Gill's read.

According to KSLA, the cake was for Gill's 18th birthday party. The teen is so excited to vote in this year's presidential election, she said, that she is having a Donald Trump themed party.

"Trump is just someone I really look up to," Gill said.

"We just need an American flag cake with Trump 2016 on it, and right when I said Trump the lady just (makes face) kinda Trump? And she was like I can make you a flag cake but I'm not going to write Trump on it," Gill said.

A spokesperson from the store, located in Bossier City, released a statement to KSLA:

"We apologize to our customer in Bossier City for the situation regarding the cake that was requested. Our Bakery staff member misunderstood the training provided regarding copyrighted phrases, and incorrectly informed the customer we could not fulfill her request. We would be happy to provide the cake as the customer requested."

The Facebook post has been shared almost 200 times, and dozens of people have voiced their opinions in the comments.

"It's your job, we're not really going for your opinion on what you think of the candidates we were just wanting Trump 2016 on the cake," Gill said to the station.
Bad news for all those children who dislike flu shots.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is joining with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in recommending against the nasal spray vaccine this flu season, saying it does not effectively protect against the spread of the virus.

"The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children ages 6 months and older receive a seasonal flu shot during the 2016-17 season, as vaccination remains the best available preventive measure against influenza," the organization said in an updated policy statement.

According to the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the nasal spray vaccine - marketed under the name FluMist - did not protect against certain strains of the flu that were most prominent the past three seasons. The nasal vaccine's effectiveness among children 2-17 was 3 percent last year; the injected vaccine had an effectiveness rate of 63 percent.

FluMist, which makes use of a weakened form of a live virus, is the only influenza vaccine delivered nasally. In the past, it was recommended for any healthy people ages 2-49. FluMist, produced by Astra Zeneca subsidiary MedImmune, accounted for more than a third of all influenza vaccines given to children last year.

As a result of the recent findings, companies that distributed the nasal spray vaccine are not offering it to pharmacies and doctor's offices aren't ordering it. Flu vaccines are reformulated each year in anticipation of the strains that will be prevalent each year.

Health care providers should begin offering the flu vaccine to patients six months and older no later than October, the CDC said.

The concern now is children will balk at the idea of an injection and parents will opt out of the vaccination. That would be a mistake, according to Dr. Henry Bernstein of Cohen Children's Medical Center in New York and one of the authors of the AAP statement.

"Families want their children and themselves to be protected against influenza. Not having the option of receiving a flu vaccine intranasally or (via) a nasal spray is disappointing to some but I think that people recognize that flu vaccine is the best preventative measure that we have to protect everyone against influenza," Bernstein told NBC News.

Flu - which strikes the very young and the elderly the hardest - is blamed for as many as 5,000 deaths each year in the U.S.
You can find a McDonald's restaurant almost anywhere in America.

According to Bloomberg, there are more than 15,000 McDonald's restaurants throughout the U.S.- or about 5 of the fast-food chains per 100,000 residents -, generating more than $25 billion in revenue in 2015.

That's a whole lot of McNuggets.

Ohio comes in at number one on the list for the concentration of McDonald's - with 823 locations or about 7 for every 100,000 residents, according to 24/7 Wall Street. The most McDonald's-less state in the country is New Jersey, where there are 311 locations or 3.5 restaurants per 100,000 residents.

Alabama came in at 12th on the national list. There are 279 McDonald's locations in Alabama, or 5.8 locations per 100,000 residents.

And Dollar Generals? According to the Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based company, there are 654 Dollar General stores - and one distribution center - in Alabama. If you take just the stores in consideration, there are just under 14 stores per every 100,000 residents.

So it looks like Dollar General comes out ahead in Alabama. Not nationally though - the discount retailer trails the overall count for the fast food chain by about 2,500 locations.

Welcome to Wednesday's Wake Up Call. Let's see what's going on:

Former Playmate could face prosecution

A former Playboy Playmate could face prosecution for her photos of a woman changing clothes at a gym.

Dani Mathers posted the images to social media in July. The photos show a naked woman changing in a dressing room, along with the caption "If I can't unsee this then you can't either." Police had declined to prosecute Mathers on the grounds the woman was unidentified, however, the LAPD is reporting she has now stepped forward and is assisting prosecutors.

Mathers could face charges of dissemination of a private image, a misdemeanor punishable by six months in jail.

Ex-Stanford swimmer Brock Turner registers as sex offender

Brock Turner, the former Stanford University swimmer who spent three months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, registered as a sex offender yesterday in Ohio.

Turner, 21, will be required to register as sex offender every 90 days for the rest of his life. Turner's neighbors will receive postcards notifying them that a sex offender lives in their area.

Turner was released from a California jail last week after serving half of his six-month sentence. He must now serve three years of probation. Turner was convicted of the January 2015 assault and faced up to 14 years in prison but Judge Aaron Persky opted instead for the much lighter sentence saying a longer sentence would severely disrupt Turner's life.

Satellite owner wants free flight or $50 million

The owner of a satellite that was destroyed last week by an explosion at SpaceX's Florida launch site wants restitution - or a free flight.

Israel's Space Communication said it is seeking $50 million in restitution for the ruined communications satellite. It also said it could collect $205 million from Israel Aerospace Industries, which built the Amos-6 satellite.

SpaceX has not commented on any financial ramifications from the explosion.

Woman who received first face transplant dies

Isabelle Dinoire, the first person in the world to receive a partial face transplant, died in April at the age of 49.

Dinoire's death, recently disclosed by a French hospital, followed an undisclosed illness.

In 2005, Dinoire, then 38, received a face graft which included the nose, lips and chin of a brain-dead donor patient. The medication she took to prevent her body from rejecting the graft left her vulnerable to cancer and it is believed she died of the disease. Dinoire received the graft after her face was mauled by a dog.

Until tomorrow.
A Dothan man is accused of abusing an 11-year-old in his care.

Jamar Labrel Garner, 33, of North Lena Street, was arrested by Dothan police on Tuesday and charged with torture and willful abuse of a child under the age of 18, a Class C felony, arrest records show. His bond was set at $10,000.

According to the complaint, the alleged abuse took place on Aug. 23.

Due to the sensitive nature of the case, no other details have been released.

Garner makes his first court appearance today in Houston County District Court.
Egypts revolution was led by those for whom freedom was not a given but a dream.

When, in January 2011, young Egyptians took to Tahrir Square to demand the downfall of a dictator, Egyptian journalist and war correspondent Yehia Ghanem joined them, eager to understand what it was that drove these seemingly privileged young people to confront power. He joined their representatives as they embarked on negotiations with the government, he shared in their celebrations when Mubarak stepped down and he experienced their sorrow when the sentiments of the revolution were slashed with such tragic consequences for so many, finding himself standing trial in an Egyptian court. Read the rest of his series, Caged, here.

Cairo, Egypt  2009 to 2011 and beyond

I was at my sons school, waiting to talk to the headmaster, when I started a conversation with one of the pupils. He must have been 11 or so. What would you like to be when youre older? I asked him. It seemed a perfectly normal sort of question to ask a child.

He stopped to think before answering. Hmm, he began. When I grow up, I would like to be free.

It was 2009, a couple of years before Egypts revolution, and Id expected him to answer with a doctor, an engineer, or perhaps a teacher. But free? I was shocked.

In democratic countries, freedom is a given. But, in Egypt, it was something to aspire to, to dream of.

Freedom before food

It is often the aim of dictators to persuade those living under them that freedom is a luxury and that food, shelter and employment are, in fact, more important. But meeting such basic needs can never be guaranteed if you are not free and do not live in a free country.

When the Arab Spring began, it was triggered by young people who sought, first and foremost, freedom. They understood that only freedom could guarantee them food, shelter and the most basic right to life and physical safety.

When people spend their youths looking over their shoulders, fearing their countrys security apparatus, and with little hope of making a living, it creates a lethal cocktail: hopelessness mixed with indignity.

In Egypt, we could smell the revolution before it arrived. Poverty had reached unprecedented levels: at least 25 percent of people were living on less than $2 a day. It wasnt unusual to see people rummaging through dumpsters, waist-deep in rubbish, looking for something to eat.

We imagined that, when it came, the revolution would be led by the poor and the hungry.

So when, in the weeks before January 25, young upper class and upper middle class people filled their social media accounts with calls for a revolution, nobody thought much of it, least of all the government. The then president, Hosni Mubarak, mocked them in a speech addressing a rally of his National Democratic Party. Let them entertain themselves a bit, he said, as the rally erupted into laughter.

January 25 seemed like any other day  but it wasnt. Tahrir Square was filled  not with the poor and underprivileged  but by young people who had attended the most prestigious universities and drove the best cars. But here they were, giving up their comforts and risking their lives to confront the countrys 30-year dictatorship. From where did they get such conviction, I wondered.

Over the following days, I spent hours talking to them to find out.

Its true we belong to wealthy families and have many comforts, and with the opportunity to attend the most expensive universities both here, in Egypt, and abroad, one graduate from the American University in Cairo told me. However, we still feel the needs of the poor and underprivileged.

Morally and ethically we must fight for those who have less, said another young man. But that is not the only reason [why we are here]. Pragmatically speaking, if we turn a blind eye to our fellow Egyptians being victimised by a corrupt and tyrannical regime it will put our own lives at jeopardy sooner or later. If we turn our faces away from the agonies of the poor, those who represent the majority, it would not only be selfish but also self-destructive for when they explode, it will be hell.

I expected these young people, surrounded by soldiers, to yield within a matter of hours. But they remained.

By midnight on that first day, when the security forces had severely injured scores of demonstrators, I again expected them to disperse. But, instead, they offered flowers to those who beat them.

READ MORE: Egypts revolution through the eyes of Mohamed

As the night wore on, they never attempted to defend themselves, but rather reassured the soldiers that their aim was to defend them and their impoverished families. Two days later, after several demonstrators had been killed, they resorted to throwing stones at those who attacked them.

Within two days, tens of thousands of people had joined them.

Talking to the prime minister

On February 3, the government started to reach out to the young demonstrators. But their first encounter with a representative of the government was not, as is commonly believed, with General Omar Suleiman, the vice president and former minister of intelligence, but with Ahmed Shafik, the then prime minister. Id helped to arrange the meeting, which took place at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, next to Cairos airport, as the prime ministers office was located in Tahrir Square.

Fearing that they were facing annihilation as snipers started to target them, I told some of the demonstrators that I thought that they should compile their demands to present to the authorities. At first, they were opposed. Their only demand, they said, was that Mubarak should go.

But, eventually, two or three of them agreed.

I knew a university professor who had intelligence contacts and who I thought might be able to put us in touch with the prime minister. I asked the professor to come to Tahrir to witness what was unfolding with his own eyes. He asked me if I could guarantee his safe passage. The demonstrators agreed. Within an hour, he was standing, shocked, in the middle of the square.

He put us in touch with the prime minister, who agreed to talk. But for two days, the demonstrators argued among themselves about whether to go. Some feared that they risked arrest if they left the square.

The prime minister assured them that theyd be able to return to Tahrir after the meeting, which began at 11pm and went on until 5am.

Those representing the demonstrators were firm in the face of the prime ministers demand that they end their sit-in. They would remain until Mubarak stepped down and took his corrupt officials with him, they explained. Shafik remained polite throughout.

Two further sessions of talks followed, but they, too, resulted in nothing.

After 18 days, the army, which was already unhappy with Mubaraks efforts to pass the presidency to his non-military son, forced his resignation. I was live on TV when the news came through. On the monitor before me, I could see the scenes from Tahrir: there was shouting and screaming, firecrackers going off. I burst into tears on camera and, unable to carry on, removed my microphone and headed back to the Square.

With nothing but their determination, idealism and unity, the young demonstrators had withstood the police, the army as well as hired thugs to bring down a dictator. Even as some among them were killed and maimed, they remained peaceful but refused to relinquish their revolution, driven by their desire to shape their own futures and, in so doing, the future of their country.

Mistaking the man for the machine

But the demonstrators had mistaken the man for the machine, believing that in removing the dictator himself, they had also removed the system. They were soon proved wrong.

Within months, the dictatorship machine began rolling again: demonising the revolution, dashing hopes and carrying out massacres, forced disappearances and, eventually, convicting thousands of people on phony charges, sentencing some to death.

More than five years after the revolution, tens of thousands of people have been jailed, and Egypt is building new prisons to accommodate them all.

READ MORE: Inside Egypts prisons

It sometimes seems as though the older generations of Egyptians, those who have lived for decades under a dictator, have forgotten what freedom tastes like and failed to fight for it.

But I will always remember that 11-year-old boy whose dream for the future was simply that he would be free. There are many more like him. And they will have their way.

Chronicle of a Caged Journalist is a series of excerpts from an upcoming book.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policies.
Roma women launch campaign to end segregation in Czech schools and fight for equal opportunities for their children.

Brno, Czech Republic  Olga Polakova is a 32-year-old social pedagogue from Brno, the second largest city of the Czech Republic, with an estimated Roma population of 16,000. I just want my children to go to a good school. But when you are a Roma woman in the Czech Republic, thats not so easy, she says.

I experienced the problem myself when I was a child, Polakova explains. As a little girl, she loved books and learning. But her Czech was deficient because her parents only spoke Romani to her at home.

When she went to a Roma-only school, she found herself confronted with a teacher who did not correct her Czech, she says.

For example, she never explained to me that the Czech language has seven cases. So I continued to make mistakes. The school did not encourage me to use my brain or to think critically.

As a result, throughout her education, Polakova says she found herself constantly lagging behind her peers.





Together with a group of about 10 other Roma mothers, Polakova has launched a campaign called Go to a Good School to fight for better schooling for Roma children. In the Czech Republic, these children often go to Roma-only classes or schools.

But the big problem is that these schools often dont offer a sound education, Polakova says.

A 2015 Amnesty International report confirmed that Roma children in the Czech Republic are often sent to Roma-only schools and classes with lower academic standards than the rest of the country. Those who do attend ethnically diverse schools are often subject to bullying and harassment, according to the report.

The action group of Roma mothers is raising awareness among their own community and are broaching the subject with non-Roma parents and teachers.

I talk about this subject whenever and wherever I have the chance, Polakova said. Especially with non-Roma people. To open their eyes to whats happening. Schools often create separate classes because white mothers complain. These mothers dont want their kids to mingle with Roma children, because they think they steal, that they are dirty and dont behave nicely, which is not true.

OPINION: Why Roma kids dont fit in at Czech schools

Take it or leave it

In theory, the educational system isnt segregated, Polakova told Al Jazeera. Roma children have the right to go to white schools. But in practice, they are very often refused, she says.

Hoping to protect her daughter from undergoing the same childhood experience, Polakova enlisted her in a white school. At first, the girl was accepted, however, early on in the semester, she was transferred to a Roma-only branch of the school.

There was nothing I could do about it. When I complained, they said, Take it or leave it.

Normally, children in the Czech Republic go to school in their neighbourhood, says Anastazia Bikarova, a 34-year-old mother of three small children, and an active member in the campaign. For us, that automatically means that our child goes to a Roma-only school.

A theoretical option for the Roma mothers is to enrol their children in a white school in another neighbourhood, Bikarova told Al Jazeera.

But when a Roma mother tries to get her child accepted at a white school, she is refused and told that children are not allowed to enrol at schools outside the neighbourhood  or she is given some other excuse, for example, that there is no space, she says.

Addressing the problems of segregation

The mothers from Brno are not alone in their struggle for better education of their children. In 2014 the European Commission initiated infringement proceedings against the Czech Republic for systematic discrimination against Roma children in schools.

Amnesty International issued a press release earlier this month, citing unequal access to education in the country.

Roma children are not only sent to Roma-only schools and classes, but a disproportionate percentage of these children are being placed in schools for pupils with mild mental disabilities. An estimated 30 percent of Roma children are still educated in these so-called practical schools, compared with only 2 percent of their non-Roma counterparts.

Last year, the Czech government announced reforms: The curriculum for the so-called practical schools will be abolished as of this school year, which means that schools now have to teach students based on individual ability.

However, these practical schools continue to exist, and only around 205 Roma pupils will be transferred to regular schools this month.

Jarmila Balazova, spokeswoman for the Czech Ministry of Education, told Al Jazeera in an email that the new measures do not distinguish between children  on grounds of their ethnicity. Balazova added that: The Czech Republic intends to continue the principle of joint education without distinction of children, pupils and students according to their ethnicity.

READ MORE: Unfinished Business  Roma inclusion in Europe

The ultimate dream of the mothers from Brno is the abolishment of Roma-only schools entirely, but they understand this change could take some time.

The first step to solving our problem is better education in the Roma schools, says Dana Krokova, who works for the Czech NGO, IQ Roma Servis and is the coordinator of the action group.

Because even if a Roma child could get accepted at a white school outside their own neighbourhood, it would still be very difficult for many parents to commute with their children. So we are talking to school heads about better education and are also planning to talk to local politicians, Krokova says.

We are now only at the beginning. In the end, we would like to talk to the minister of education.

Finding the courage to speak up

To raise general awareness about the importance of abolishing segregation in the Czech school system, the mothers have started a campaign on Facebook called Together in one classroom.

The campaign consists of a series of photos of non-Roma parents holding signs that say they support the idea of Roma and non-Roma children going to school together.

We also talk about this subject to Roma mothers, says Polakova. Many of them do not even realise that their children are disadvantaged by the school system. They accept that what white people tell them is best for them.

The action group is also working to encourage Roma mothers to speak up and defend what they expect from teachers and the education of their children.

We explain to them that, as a mother, you can change things by becoming active, and that you can apply for a school other than the one in the neighbourhood.

As things are now, many Roma children are not ready to go to secondary school when they come from a Roma-only school, says Krokova. If the kids want to continue their education, they need to be taught proper Czech to begin with. Otherwise, they will end up unemployed and on social benefits.

I would love my children to have vocational training, Bikarova says. Because I didnt have this opportunity, and I know what that feels like.








As some of the accused head to a Bangladesh court, Al Jazeera looks at the aftermath of the epic factory collapse.

Saddam Hossain lost half of his right arm when the Rana Plaza complex collapsed on the next-door building where he was working.

More than three years after the deadliest incident in garment industry history drew international attention to dismal working conditions in Bangladesh, Hossain is relieved that shadowy factory bosses are going on trial.

He is also cynical that justice will be served, and for good reason: In a country where factories and fatalities are synonymous, no owner has ever been punished.

In Pictures: Recounting the horror of Rana Plaza

This is likely to change starting this month , when 41 defendants go on trial for murder, none more loathed than Sohel Rana, the owner of the eight-story structure on the outskirts of the capital whose reckless decision-making was emblematic of a corrupt, politically connected business elite that has long operated above the law.

Rana, the buildings former chief engineer, several factory owners and more than a dozen government officials initially faced charges of culpable homicide for ignoring warnings not to allow workers into the complex, but authorities upgraded the charges to murder due to the gravity of the incident, likening the deaths to a mass killing. Some of the accused will also face charges of violating building safety rules for illegally adding extra floors.

Every single member of the government wants justice for them, public prosecutor, Khandaker Abdul Mannan told Al Jazeera.

If convicted, he said they could face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Too extreme to ignore

While stern convictions may finally send the message that extreme recklessness can have legal consequences in Bangladesh, labour and human rights groups counter that scapegoating owners could shift responsibility away from the authorities and Western brands that abetted dangerous working conditions in the first place.

[The convicted] will be taking the fall for all of the parties that also bear responsibility: ruthless brands and retailers, heedless auditors, and the feckless government, says Scott Nova, executive director of the Workers Rights Consortium, a labour watchdog.

To the extent there is justice in this case it will only be because the event was too extreme for the government to ignore, he said.

No one disputes that the April 2013 tragedy that killed more than 1,100 people and left 2,500 others seriously injured was a turning point for the worlds second largest garment industry.

An unprecedented outcry compelled hundreds of western retailers to create a pair of international coalitions committed to carrying out inspections and improving fire and building safety at thousands of factories.

After years of resistance, a group comprising more than 150 mainly European companies such as H&M and Zara adopted the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, a five-year, legally binding agreement. Another block of North American companies, including Walmart and Gap, formed the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, which is non-binding but can impose financial penalties against suppliers that do not comply, or sever ties altogether.

On the labour side, factory workers successfully mobilised after the tragedy to raise the minimum wage from about $38 a month to $68.

Labour laws were also reformed, nominally allowing workers to organise and push for better conditions, and social media has gained currency as tool to share information about dubious working environments.

A prominent Bangladeshi supplier, who counts H&M among his clients, asserted that buyers who may have once turned a blind eye to violations have genuinely changed their mindset following Rana Plaza, investing more in safety upgrades and carrying out better audits of facilities to avoid another catastrophe that could jeopardise their bottom line.

At the same time, he noted: Our workers are much more informed.

Quick pledges, slow action

As global attention has moved on, labour and human rights groups insist that most western brands are woefully behind on delivering their promises. Nova pointed out that most of the buildings are still not safe enough because owners are dragging their feet and many brands are not fulfilling their obligations to help pay for renovations, notably on fire exits and vital structural repairs.

Among the factories covered only by the government inspection programme or by the Walmart-led Alliance, which requires factories to pay for their own safety improvements, the picture is worse, he added.

Both safety coalitions assert that they have helped factory owners secure loans and reduce the cost of fire safety equipment while acknowledging theres still a lot of work to be done.

On their website, the Accord says that although more than half of the problems at active factories have been confirmed as corrected, another 1,400 more are behind schedule owing to political unrest and a dearth of engineers.

In its first 2016 quarterly progress report, the Alliance touted a 90 percent reduction in garment factory fires and a threefold increase in its suspension of factories that have failed safety inspections. But the group conceded difficulty in adding fire doors, which are hard to come by in Bangladesh and must be imported.

What both groups still grapple with is the murky matter of sub-contracting.

Despite pledges made by top American and European brands to clean up their supply chains, the directly contracted factories they scrutinise amount to just a third of those operating in the country.

Another 5,000 sub-contracting factories, with an estimated three million garment workers are still without any oversight or safety improvements, according to an April report from researchers at New York University.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, the Alliance said that while authorised subcontracting is allowed, these factories must adhere to the same registration, inspection and training standards as member factories.

Whenever a member adds a new factory, it must first be inspected by the Alliance or Accord, have an acceptable plan to make necessary upgrades, and have made progress in doing so before it can begin production. This ensures that orders stay in inspected factories and warns members against adding unapproved factories.

Unauthorised subcontracting by any Alliance member is prohibited, and our members recognise the need to minimise the threat of unauthorised subcontracting, the Alliance said.

Off-book, outside the law?

In the vast recesses of the garment industry, however, some owners concede that orders are still farmed out to off-book, sub-contracted facilities to meet tight deadlines for fear of losing fast-fashion contracts . In a poor country where garment exports account for nearly 20 percent of the GDP, the resources and political will needed for enforcement are hard to muster.

Though global brands assert that they have strict policies against unauthorised sub-contracting, in reality, millions of workers at thousands of smaller factories are producing their goods, Sarah Leibowitz, the lead researcher on the NYU report, said in a public statement. Working in these factories is highly risky, yet virtually no international resources are being applied to them.

The enduring risks to garment workers are exacerbated by the fact that although labour laws have been amended to make it easier to form unions, abuse and intimidation makes it difficult in practice.

A 2015 Human Rights Watch report detailed workplace abuses including physical assault, forced overtime, denial of paid maternity leave, and failure to pay wages and bonuses on time or in full.

Those who dare try to push back are routinely fired or face threats and beatings at the hands of factory management or hired third parties, often with active government collusion.

WATCH: Fault Lines  Made in Bangladesh

Here again, foreign brands whose purchasing power gives them leverage in the industry for the most part, sit by and watch, says Nova. Bringing buildings up to code, and ensuring that workers can act collectively to protect themselves, are the twin guarantors of safety in a place like Bangladesh.

The Alliance maintains that it has formed a labour advisory group on all matters related directly to workers, and, along with the Accord, recently began training safety committees  elected groups in every member factory mandated by the government after Rana Plaza  to ensure workers voices get heard.

Additionally, a 24-hour hotline has allowed them to better address allegations of abuse, notably against those who have attempted to form unions.

None of this will make a difference to Rana Plaza survivors such as Hossain. Handicapped and racked by nightmares, the 31-year-old former salesman gave up on working in the city, unable to set foot in multi-story buildings.

Running low on the $15,000 the government paid him after the collapse, he is now looking for a clerical job in his village, with hopes that his disability will secure him preferential treatment under the states quota system.

His faith, however, does not extend to the countrys justice system.

Of course Rana should be convicted, he says, but we all know hes a very powerful man, with links to the higher-ups in government.

 Golam Mortuja contributed reporting from Dhaka.
A group of girls wearing headscarves start their day with a breakfast of traditional bread and salted tea at an orphanage located on the outskirts of Srinagar, the capital of India-administered Kashmir.

Presently home to 114 girls, Gulshan-e-Banaat  located 10km away from Srinagar  is one of the biggest orphanages for girls in the disputed region claimed by both India and Pakistan. Started in 2002, the orphanage is part of a local NGO which also runs 11 similar homes for children.

The number of orphans in Kashmir mushroomed dramatically with the beginning of an armed conflict against Indian rule in 1989.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed, and an estimated 10,000 disappeared during the past 25 years of the armed rebellion.

There are over 200,000 orphans in the Himalayan region, out of which 37 percent are said to have been orphaned during the conflict, according to a study conducted by Save the Children, a UK-based NGO.

Till 1989, the number of orphan boys was just 25 until the armed conflict took an ugly turn, Zahoor Ahmad Tak, chairman of Gulshan-e-Banaat, said.

Scores of similar homes started functioning during the early 90s when the armed conflict was at its peak. From 1993 to 1997 all the orphanages were packed with conflict orphans, he said.

Abida, a 17-year-old girl at the orphanage, aspires to qualify for the prestigious Indian civil services examination to become an officer.

This place has beautifully chiseled my life in a way that I would never have gotten if I had stayed at my own home. Every need of ours is taken care of besides imparting multi-disciplinary knowledge, religion, and homemaking, Abida told Al Jazeera.
Delhi, India  Sexual abuse, torture, drug addiction, harassment at the hands of thugs and policemen sums up life of street children in India. Delhis Balaknama newspaper  the Voice of Children, which is run by the street children has been working to highlight the plight of fellow youngsters.

The editor of Balaknama, 17-year-old Shambhu, washes cars during the day for a living. This newspaper is our voice to tell people, about what we go through and that even our lives matter, Shambhu tells Al Jazeera. People usually dont care about street children. Whether they are beaten up, raped or even disappear, it hardly creates a flutter.

The newspaper has four main reporters and 64 news gatherers who go around collecting the stories. They are known as Baatooni  the talkative ones. Unable to write their own copies, the Baatooni relate the stories to the main reporters who put them in writing for the issue.

The bilingual newspaper is the size of a tabloid with 5,000 copies published in Hindi and 3,000 in English. An NGO called Chetna funds the printing of the newspaper.

Whatever goes into publishing is our brainchild and editorial is fully independent, Shambhu says, adding that the that the NGO only plays a financial role.

Most of the children associated with Balaknama are rubbish collectors and do not attend school. Others take menial jobs at railways, bus stations, and roadside cafes. The reporters visit them at their workplaces to get their stories.

Follow Showkat Shafi on Twitter: @ShowkatShafi
Eid al-Adha is celebrated for four days but holidays in 2016 range from 12 days in Saudi Arabia to three in Pakistan.

The Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha will be celebrated on Monday, September 12 in Saudi Arabia and in most other countries, and on September 13 in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

These public holiday breaks for Eid have also been officially announced:

 Saudi Arabia: 12-day holiday break, which will include the days of the Hajj pilgrimage.

 Gulf Arab countries of Qatar, the UAE , Kuwait, Oman: nine-day public holiday from Friday, September 9 until Saturday, September 17.

 Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Sudan also announced a nine-day public holiday on the same dates as in the Gulf.

 Turkey: nine-day public holiday from Saturday, September 10 until Sunday, September 18.

 Bangladesh: six-day Eid holiday, from Friday September 9 until Wednesday, September 14.

 Azerbaijan, Tunisia, Morocco, Nigeria: four-day long weekend holiday, from Saturday, September 10 until Tuesday, September 13.

 Pakistan: three-day holiday from Monday, September 12 until Wednesday, September 14.

 Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Ghana: three-day long weekend holiday, from Saturday, September 10 until Monday, September 12.

To compare with the holidays of Eid al-Fitr in 2016, check here .

Why is Eid al-Adha 2016 not on September 11? https://t.co/zkAOPZPvaS pic.twitter.com/YRCc64071t  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 6, 2016

Local names

The Eid al-Adha festival, or Feast of Sacrifice, is locally also known as:

 Eidul Adha , as spelled in the Philippines legislation .

 Eid el-Kabir , as commonly referred to in Nigeria and Morocco.

 Tabaski, as referred to in Senegal and Gambia.

 Kurban Bayrami , as referred to in Turkey.

 Hari Raya Haji , as known in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

 Bakr-Id or Qurbani Eid , as referred to in the Urdu langauge, in India and in Bangladesh .
Its terribly annoying  not to say revolting  to read Western experts as they present a division of Syria as the best, most logical, or even the only solution to the civil war there.

I remember a few years ago when an academic drew a straight line through the map of Syria on CNN and, along with the host, agreed to partition the country. OK, so the guy had actually been to Syria  perhaps he felt somehow entitled to an opinion on the matter.

But what about those whove never even been to Syria and yet are so eager to prescribe partition of the country? No longer along one straight line but more along the lines of a Swiss cheese carving.





The problem with their thesis is not that partition in principle is blasphemous, unthinkable or improbable. Its rather how theyre so blase about the unity or division of other nations, and who is best served by such analysis.

You may or may not have noticed, but the pomposity about Syrias future comes primarily from present or past seats of empire, whether its Washington, New York, London, Paris or Moscow. Even non-Westerners get to feel imperial as soon as they teach, write or even reside in Western capitals, alas.

You just dont hear the same type of bombast about the casual partitioning of other states coming from Jakarta, Delhi or Brasilia.

A hundred years have passed since the original sin of partitioning the Middle East was imposed from outside the region, and theres no relief in sight. It seems the solution to bad partition is another partition. If partition doesnt work, more partition will.

Dividing Syria along ethnic and religious lines will create more - not less - conflict and violence. by

I have some news for those analysts: Syria is not the Balkans; and the Middle East is not Europe. Thats not to say that the partition of the former Yugoslavia is ideal. Without the European Union, time will prove its anything but.

Thats why dividing Syria along ethnic and religious lines will create more  not less  conflict and violence.

Treating Syria or Iraq, Libya, Yemen and other troubled Arab nations like the former Yugoslavia (which was divided into seven states) will produce dozens more fragile conflicting mini-states.

But even that isnt really my main point.

Of grave importance here is the fact that its the Syrian regime (and ISIL) thats busy reshaping and dividing the country through bloodshed and ethnic cleaning along sectarian or/and defensible lines.

In fact, its been going on for at least two to three years with the help of Iran and Hezbollah, and it will continue to go on for several more years if the Assad regime has its way. Even the last few ceasefire agreements have led to a degree of ethnic cleansing in places where the regime agreed to cease hostility.

In other words, what these brilliant experts are doing is rationalising through words what Bashar al-Assad and ISIL are doing through violence; hardly the role of an academic or a journalist.

The alternative to the failed imperial policies in Syria cannot and should not be its division. The larger coalition of Syrian opposition groups remain united and committed to a united Syria, as it must.

Marwan Bishara is the senior political analyst at Al Jazeera. Follow him on Facebook.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
An old friend like the Philippines no longer holds the US in the same regard as before.

Weve got a lot of planes, a lot of helicopters, a lot of cars and a lot of guys. If you are a host country, sometimes it may feel a bit much, quipped the United States President Barack Obama, trying to downplay an embarrassing commotion shortly after he landed in China for the G20 Summit.

The Chinese hosts controversially denied the American leader red-carpeted stairways upon his arrival, while his staff got into a shouting match with Chinese security officers, who blocked off the White House press corps on the tarmac.

In unprecedented show of defiance, one Chinese official went so far as shouting, This is our country. This is our airport.

Yet, the American leader sought to suavely stay above the fray and not make much out of the strange incident.

Instead, he focused on the positive side of his visit to China, where Beijing and Washington made huge headway in fighting climate change, particularly with the host ratifying the Paris climate change agreement.

Nothing, however, prepared him for what came next. Just as the Obama administration tried to recover from the diplomatic tussle in China, the global media headlines reported that the Philippines new President, Rodrigo Duterte, uttered expletives against the American leader, provoking uproar in Washington and around the world.

Under political pressure to draw the line, a besieged Obama decided to cancel his much-anticipated first bilateral meeting with the Philippines controversial leader.

Far from consolidating his legacy as the US first Asia-Pacific president, Obamas final visit to Asia was marred by controversies and a rude awakening to the regions shifting geopolitical sands.

Diplomatic meltdown

It didnt take long before the Obama administration had to grapple with the domestic reverberations of its partially unpleasant Asian trip.

Amid heated presidential elections in the US, opponents were quick to cash in on Obamas controversial visit to Asia, portraying the American president as weak and indecisive.

Eager to push back against criticisms of her party mate and former boss, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who has been portrayed by her Republican opponents as a candidate of continuity, stood firmly with Obama.

By standing up to the US on the human rights issue, Duterte signalled his country's independence and willingness to chart a new direction, for better or worse. by

When the president of the Philippines insulted our president, it was appropriate and a very low-key way to say: sorry, no meeting, declared Clinton during a campaign speech.

She didnt hesitate to bring up an emerging point of contention between Washington and Manila, specifically concerns over human rights under the new Filipino government, which has been waging a shock and awe campaign against proliferation of drugs and criminality.

And clearly the [US] president was going to raise concerns that are global about what is going on in the Philippines with extrajudicial killings of alleged drug dealers, that is now somewhere up near 2,000 killings, argued Clinton, drawing a relatively hard line on an issue that has divided Washington and Manila.

Post-colonial leader

The tough-talking and single-minded Duterte, who has promised to rid his country of crime and drugs within three to six months in office, has shown little patience for Western criticism.

He has also repeatedly expressed his desire for a more independent Philippine foreign policy, which is less reliant on the West.

While Duterte is no stranger to controversy, and is widely known as a foul-mouthed and plain-speaking politician, he couldnt help himself from uttering expletives after the media grilled him about his scheduled meeting with Obama, who explicitly promised to bring up the human rights issue with his Filipino counterpart.

OPINION: Barack Obamas Asia legacy in peril

Resorting to a highly nationalist rhetoric, tinged with anti-colonial exhortations, Duterte, shortly before his scheduled meeting with the American leader, dared the US to first get its own house in order before lecturing other countries about human rights.

Duterte cited gross inequalities in American societies, marginalisation of the African-American population, and historical injustices against Native Americans.

The Philippines is not a vassal state. We have long ceased to be a colony of the United States, said Duterte before embarking on his diplomatic debut during the latest Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.

The new normal

For almost a century, the Philippines, a former American colony, has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the US.

The two countries have a long-standing mutual defence treaty, dating back to the mid-20th century. It is one of the most intimate and enduring bilateral relations anywhere in the world.

And this explains why Duterte subsequently made a rare decision to issue a statement of regret, clarifying that his expletives were not directed at the American president, but instead a random expression of frustration over criticism of his human rights record.

OPINION: When superpowers court Rodrigo Duterte

The Philippine government expressed its interest in ironing out differences and scheduling a bilateral meeting with the American president at a more fortuitous juncture.

The new Filipino president, however, seems interested in a new foreign policy direction.

Amid an emerging post-American world, Washingtons closest Southeast Asian ally has sought to mend ties with Beijing and find a mutually satisfactory compromise in the bitterly disputed South China Sea.

By standing up to the US on the human rights issue, Duterte signalled his countrys independence and willingness to chart a new direction, for better or worse.

On its part, the Obama administration excruciatingly downplayed the incident, arguing that bilateral relations with the Philippines are still rock-solid.

But few could escape the impression that not only Asias rising powers like China, but also an old friend like the Philippines no longer hold the US in the same regard. This may very well be the beginning of a new global order.

Richard Javad Heydarian is a specialist in Asian geopolitical/economic affairs and author of Asias New Battlefield: US, China, and the Struggle for Western Pacific.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
The Investigative Units reporter discusses the Maldives governments crackdown following airing of Stealing Paradise.

The Maldives government has cracked down on opposition leaders and journalists following the airing of Al Jazeera Investigative Units latest documentary, Stealing Paradise.

The films finding implicates government leaders in a corrupt deal, including the sale of islands to international businessmen, and the laundering of $1.5bn.

Al Jazeeras Will Jordan discusses the reception of the film, including the support it has gained from many concerned Maldives citizens.
Health agency updates guidance on Zika, saying both men and women should now use protection or abstain for six months.

The World Health Organization has changed its advice to travellers returning from areas where the Zika virus is actively spreading, saying both men and women should now practise safe sex or abstinence for six months.

The new guidance is a change from the health agencys interim recommendation on June 7, which referred only to men and had a shorter timeframe of at least eight weeks.

The WHO said on Tuesday that the updated guidance applied to all travellers, whether or not they show symptoms of the virus.

The update was based on new evidence on Zika transmission from asymptomatic males to their female partners and a symptomatic female to her male partner, as well as evidence that Zika is present in semen for longer than thought, the WHO said.

Many people infected with Zika will not have symptoms, or will only have mild ones  a fever, rash and muscle or joint aches.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly  a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized  as well as other brain abnormalities.





The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last autumn in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly.

In adults, Zika infections have also been linked to a rare neurological syndrome known as Guillain-Barre, as well as other neurological disorders.

Sexual transmission of Zika had been reported in 11 countries by August, mainly through vaginal intercourse. There was a first documented case of a man catching the virus through anal sex in February 2016 and a suspicion of Zika transmission through oral sex in April.

On Wednesday, Malaysia confirmed its first case of the Zika virus in a pregnant 27-year-old woman.

INFOGRAPHIC: What is the Zika virus?

Last week, the country had confirmed the first imported case of Zika in a 58-year-old woman who had visited Singapore which itself stands at a risk of having patients infected with Zika and dengue fever.

As of Monday, the number of dengue fever cases in Singapore at 11,343 had surpassed the number of cases in the whole of 2015, at 11,286.

The new guidance came after doctors discovered the virus in the sperm of an Italian man 188 days after he first showed Zika symptoms.

In another Zika sufferer, the concentration of the virus in his semen was 100,000 more than that in his blood 14 days after he was diagnosed.

Evidence on persistence of the virus in semen and its infectiousness and impact on sexual transmission remains limited and the guidance will be updated again when there is more information, WHO said.

The health body advises that pregnant women should not travel to areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission, and has warned people travelling to the Paralympic Games, which starts on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, to take precautions against mosquito bites.

We think that the risk for travellers and athletes is low, but its not zero, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said.
Catalonia starts DNA project to identify some of the 114,000 who disappeared during Spains civil war and dictatorship.

Spains Catalonia region has launched the countrys first public DNA profiling project in a bid to identify some of the 114,000 people who disappeared during the nations civil war and subsequent dictatorship.

The issue is hugely sensitive in Spain, where rights abuses during the 1936-1939 conflict and the ensuing 36-year rule of dictator Francisco Franco remain uninvestigated for fear of reviving divisions.

READ MORE: Spains monument to Franco  a divisive reminder

Raul Romeva, who handles transparency matters in Catalonias regional government, described the initiative as a decisive step towards restoring historical memory.

It is a democratic duty that was long pending, he told AFP news agency on Wednesday.

This should have started 40 years ago, added Romeva, referring to Francos death in 1975 and the subsequent transition to democracy.

Under the programme, scientists will create a database for the DNA profiles of those related to people who disappeared.

For this, they will collect samples from remains found in mass graves, and try and find matches with the help of the Barcelona-based Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences.

A similar project has already been set up in Barcelona on a smaller-scale, but it is privately funded by two descendants of people who disappeared.

In the space of five years, they have collected 125 genetic samples from relatives, but have not been able to cross-check the data with any remains as they do not have access to mass graves.

READ MORE: Spain urged to confront Franco-era abuses

Relatives of those who were killed or disappeared during the time in question have long asked the government to start exhuming and recovering victims remains.

In 2007, under growing pressure, the then Socialist government passed a law calling for public funds to be provided to help cover the costs of exhuming remains, and the UN later urged Spain to do more.

However, little has been done since then, and Spains acting conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has even boasted of not having spent one euro to put the law into effect.
Egypt is holding the four men as political hostages, Hamas alleges, after photo emerges from Cairo jail.

Gaza Strip  The past year has been exhausting for Umm Abdeldaim Abu Lebdah, whose only son went missing in Egypts Sinai Peninsula in August 2015, along with three other young men.

I see the world through my sons eyes; his abduction has turned my life into a living hell, the 53-year-old mother told Al Jazeera.

The four men, members of a Hamas naval commando unit, were abducted by masked gunmen just outside of the Rafah crossing terminal in Egypt while en route to the Cairo airport.

Her son, 25-year-old Abdeldaim, had been bound for Turkey to pursue postgraduate studies in engineering. Families of the four missing men say that contact was lost on August 19, 2015, after gunmen stopped the bus they had boarded outside of the Rafah terminal.

Where they were taken from there remains unclear.

It is really mysterious that the bus was ambushed while it was escorted by Egyptian soldiers, and in an area that fully lies under Egyptian sovereignty, Mohammed Abu Libdah, Abdeldaims uncle, told Al Jazeera.

READ MORE: Egypts human rights groups decry forced disappearances

The crisis has fuelled tensions between Hamas, that rules the besieged Gaza Strip, and the Egyptian regime. For months, Egyptian authorities have denied any involvement in the mens disappearance, instead blaming armed groups in the Sinai.

However, a newly leaked photograph purports to show Abdeldaim and one of his friends, Yasser Zanoun, imprisoned at an Egyptian security facility in Cairo.





The apparent confirmation that they are alive has partially comforted the mens families, but their appearance in the photo  tired and half-naked in an overcrowded cell  was distressing, Abdeldaims mother said. After viewing the photo, she collapsed and was taken to hospital.

Two months earlier, Hamas had sent a delegation to Cairo to inquire about the four missing men. The delegation asked Egyptian intelligence officials to release their location, but the trip was to no avail.

Hamas parliamentarian Yahia Mousa told Al Jazeera that international organisations and foreign ambassadors  the identities of whom he would not specify  have also urged Egypt to resolve the situation, but little progress has been made.

The Egyptian attitude suggests that Hamas must pay a price in return for any information regarding the men, Mousa said, alleging that Egypt has indirectly acknowledged holding the men as political hostages, placing conditions on their release.

The conditions, Mousa said, are related to Egypts claims that Hamas has been supporting armed anti-government fighters in the Sinai  allegations that Hamas categorically denies. Egypt is pressing Hamas to join the Egyptian army in battling against the fighters, he said, noting: We are not willing to fight and clash with these groups on behalf of the Egyptian army.

According to local media outlets, Egyptian officials insisted that they do not know of their whereabouts, nor has any group claimed responsibility for their alleged kidnapping. However, several Arabic-language news outlets have cited an unnamed security official as claiming that the Province of Sinai  a militant group affiliated with the Islamic State  kidnapped the four men as a bargaining chip in negotiations for the release of 50 Egyptian Islamists said to be held in Gazas prisons.

Last June, an Egyptian court cancelled a previous ruling labelling Hamas as a terrorist group. This move raised speculation that relations between Egypt and Hamas might improve.

We call on the Egyptians to handle the matter quickly, and if they are sure that they have charges against our relatives, why not put them on trial in front of everyone? by Jihad, brother of Yasser Zanoun

The family of Yasser Zanoun expressed hope that the newly released photo could finally put an end to the crisis.

We call on the Egyptians to handle the matter quickly, and if they are sure that they have charges against our relatives, why not put them on trial in front of everyone? the young mans brother, Jihad, told Al Jazeera.

Yasser, who had been leaving Gaza for Turkey to obtain treatment for a severe leg injury, had been crossing the border during a rare opening of the Rafah terminal. His abduction has distressed the family, including Yassers four-year-old son, Mahmoud, who refuses to let his fathers photo leave his hand, Jihad said.

The families of the other two men  Husain Abu Zibdah and Abdullah Abu Jabin, who were not pictured in the photo  are uncertain of their fates. Husains six-year-old son, Islam, who is about to start school, expressed dismay that his father would not be able to accompany him on the first day.

We anguished over how to explain the situation to his young children, Husains brother, Anwar, told Al Jazeera.

READ MORE: Egypt army destroys dozens of Gaza tunnels

Over the past year, the four families have held several protests and mounted a public campaign to raise awareness of their plight, asking the Palestinian Authority (PA) to step in.

But the families were infuriated when PA President Mahmoud Abbas in December ordered former Justice Minister Saleem al-Saqqa to step down after Saqqa asked the Egyptians to investigate the disappearance of the four men.

Contacted by Al Jazeera, a spokesperson for the PA declined to comment on the case.

Families of the four men, meanwhile, fear that poisoned politics could cause the crisis to drag on indefinitely.

We want our sons back. It is unfair that we go through this adversity while they [Egyptian officials] calculate how they can get the most out of the crisis, Umm Abdeldaim Abu Lebdah said in a broken voice.
Islands court defies ruling of highest administrative court suspending ban on full-body swimsuit by dozens of towns.

An administrative court on the French island of Corsica has refused to lift a burkini ban that was introduced following a mass brawl on a beach, saying it was justified on public order grounds.

Frances highest administrative court last month suspended bans brought in by about 30 towns, ruling that the measure was permitted only if wearing the Islamic full-body swimsuit was likely to cause a public disturbance.

Nice, Cannes and several other towns on Frances Mediterranean coast have lifted bans following the Council of States ruling.

But the mayor of the Corsican village of Sisco brought in his ban after a confrontation between Moroccans and local residents in mid-August, which reportedly happened when someone took a photograph of a woman swimming in the sea wearing a veil.

More than 100 police officers had to intervene to break up the fight.

Strong emotions

The burkini debate comes after a number of deadly attacks in France claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group.

The court in Corsica ruled on Tuesday that the ban should be maintained because strong emotions persist.

The presence on a beach in Sisco of a woman wearing a swimming costume of the type targeted [by the ban]  could cause risks to public order which it is the town halls duty to prevent, the court in Bastia said, dismissing a challenge from the Human Rights League.





Siscos Mayor Ange-Pierre Vivoni said the ruling was a relief for me and local people.

He has told AFP news agency that he brought in the ban because he risked having deaths on my hands.

The tensions between the local community and Muslims in Corsica were demonstrated on Monday when two Muslim mothers wearing headscarves were accosted and prevented from entering a nursery school by two other parents.

The burkini bans have caused outrage abroad, but opinion polls in France show they have the support of a majority of the public.

In France, which counts a population of five million Muslims, burkinis are extremely rare and only a minority of Muslim women remain covered on beaches.

Unacceptable image

In a related development on Monday, Manuel Valls, French prime minister, criticised a New York Times article in which French Muslim women complained of discrimination and even persecution.

The US daily solicited the views of European Muslim women on the burkini debate, distilling more than 1,000 comments for the article.

The article, which appeared on Friday, painted an unacceptable image of France because it is false, Valls wrote in the French-language online edition of the Huffington Post.

He said France was proud that Islam is the countrys second religion. Millions of citizens of the Muslim faith or culture respect their duties perfectly and fully enjoy their duties.

One respondent told the New York Times she was afraid of having to wear a yellow crescent on my clothes one day, like the Star of David for Jews not so long ago.

Another said: French Muslim women would be justified to request asylum in the United States  given how many persecutions we are subjected to.

However, Valls saw an incredible reversal in comments that he said presented the burkini as an instrument of womens liberation, citing one respondent who said her sister could finally play with her children on the beach instead of sitting in the shadow.
President accuses EU observation mission of bias and insists that only the countrys top court can order a recount.

Gabonese President Ali Bongo has denied EU observers calls for a recount of last weeks disputed presidential vote, saying it was a matter for the countrys top court to decide.

On Tuesday, an EU mission observing the August 27 polls reported a clear anomaly in voting in Haut-Ogooue province, Bongos heartland.

Official results gave turnout in the province at more than 99 percent, with 95 percent backing the incumbent against rival Jean Ping.

I would also have liked them to have noted some anomalies in the fiefdom of Mr Ping. If we are raising anomalies, we have to be clear, balanced and raise all the anomalies that have been noted, Bongo told Frances RTL radio, in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.

What people should be asking me to do is apply the law. I cannot violate the law. As far as a recount is concerned  thats done at the level of the Constitutional Court.

READ MORE: Gabon opposition leader demands a recount

Bongo, whose family has ruled Gabon for nearly half a century, won a second term by a slender margin of fewer than 6,000 votes over Ping.

The opposition leader, however, says that the election was a sham and has demanded a recount  a call echoed by Manuel Valls, prime minister of Gabons former colonial power, France.

Post-election clashes between his supporters and security forces have resulted in the deaths of between 50 and 100 people, Ping said on Tuesday. The governments official casualty count stands at just three dead.

The parliament in the capital, Libreville, was also torched in protests over the result.

Calls for recount

Ping, a 72-year-old former African Union Commission chairman, has yet to announce whether he will challenge the election result in the Constitutional Court.

The deadline for doing so is 15:00 GMT on Thursday.





In their analysis, the EU election monitors said the number of non-voters and of blank and disqualified votes revealed a clear anomaly in the final results in Haut-Ogooue.

In an interview with Europe 1 radio, Bongo accused the EU observers of overstepping their mandate and said he too was preparing to challenge some of the results.

Ping committed fraud in his home constituency and others with the help of cyber-criminals, he told Europe 1.

Bongo, 57, is under increasing pressure at home and abroad after Justice Minister Seraphin Moundounga resigned on Monday, demanding a recount polling station by polling station.

Bongo also accused Ping of attempting massive fraud and said it was difficult to envisage dialogue with people who ask the Gabonese to go into the street to loot and destroy and burn things.
Petra Laszlo charged with disorderly conduct after she was filmed kicking and tripping refugees fleeing police.

Hungarian prosecutors have filed charges against a camerawoman who was filmed kicking and tripping refugees fleeing police near the countrys southern border with Serbia last year.

Petra Laszlo was charged on Wednesday for disorderly conduct after she kicked a young man in the shin with a swift kick of the sole of her right foot, and also kicked [a] young girl around the knee with her right foot, prosecutors said in a statement, according to Reuters news agency.





Prosecutors also said hat Laszlo had kicked towards a man carrying a child in his hands, but the kick did not reach the man, in one of the accusations she had faced during last years online furore.

The man carrying the child still fell, because  one of the policemen tried to catch and restrain him, and he lost his balance as he broke free.

According to prosecutors, there was no evidence of a racially motivated hate crime.

The incident, which occurred in September 2015, caused international outrage after footage of her actions went viral on social media.

Laszlo, who later apologised, was fired from her job at N1TV, a private right-wing television station in Hungary.

READ MORE: Hungary journalist to sue Syrian refugee she tripped

Laszlo was not immediately available for comment.

In a letter last year to Magyar Nemzet, a Hungarian daily, she had said that she was acting out of panic and felt under attack.





I am practically in shock from what I did, and what was done to me, Laszlo said.

I am not heartless [or] racist  I am a woman, a mother of small children, who has since lost her job, and who made a bad decision in panic.

Laszlos trial will be held in the southern city of Szeged.

Political tensions in Europe have been simmering over the regions refugee crisis.

Hungary will be holding a referendum on whether to accept European Union migrant quotas on October 2.
Annan to meet government officials and Rakhine leaders as part of bid to bring together Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya.

Kofi Annan, the former UN chief, will meet members of Myanmars federal government in Yangon to try to mend ties between Buddhists and the minority Rohingya.

Annan has been appointed to lead a commission to investigate a communal conflict pitting the ethnic Rakhine Buddhists against Myanmars Rohingya Muslim minority.

He has pledged to stay impartial as he leads the advisory commission.

To build the future, the two major communities have to move beyond decades of mistrust and find ways to embrace shared values of justice, fairness and equity, Annan said as he arrived in Sittwe, capital of Rakhine.

READ MORE: Who are the Rohingya?

Ultimately, the people of Rakhine state must chart their own way forward. We are here to help. We are here to provide ideas and advice.

However, local Buddhists gave Annan a hostile welcome in Rakhine.

Hundreds arrived at Sittwe airport as Annan landed to protest against his visit.

Many booed and shouted No Kofi-led commission as his convoy left the state capital airport.

Others held signs reading No to foreigners biased intervention in our Rakhine States affairs.

Healing wounds

Annan has been entrusted by Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmars new government, with the task of finding ways to heal wounds in the impoverished region.

It is not a PR stunt taken by Aung San Suu Kyi; there are pros and cons considering the high-profile personality of Kofi Annan, Maung Zarni, a human rights campaigner, told Al Jazeera.

It is a significant step within the military, the ex-ruling political party within the Buddhist majority, in one sense it is very significant because it represent or indicates that the Rohingya crisis is not longer internal, it has an international aspect.

Annan is meeting Rakhine leaders as well as visiting camps where tens of thousands of Rohingya languish in punishing poverty.

However, the regions largest political group, the Arakan National Party, has already ruled out meeting Annan.

Members of the nearly million-strong Rohingya community are largely denied citizenship and the government does not recognise them as an official ethnic minority.

Their appalling living conditions, including heavy restrictions on movement, have led tens of thousands to flee, many via treacherous sea journey south towards Malaysia.

Last week, Ban Ki-moon, the sitting UN chief, called on Myanmar to grant citizenship to the the group and respect their right to self-identify as Rohingya.

More than 100 people have been killed  the majority Muslims  while tens of thousands of the stateless Rohingya group have spent the past four years trapped in displacement camps with limited access to health care and other basic services.
Evidence of the extensive network of political corruption exposes a much deeper problem in the island nation.

Ten years ago was a time of optimism and change in the Maldives. Today is anything but.

Back then, Maumoon Abdul Gayooms grip on power was weakening. The long-time dictator had legalised political parties and decriminalised defamation. To many, it seemed that his flawed road map to democracy might actually work.

In 2008, the free and fair election of Mohamed Nasheed ended a 30-year dictatorship and a new constitution gave the impression that democracy was established. It wasnt.

The Maldives has had the same experience as other autocratic nations where the words democratic reform are pronounced. The reform process has been moulded to fit the interests of the political players and spawned a disfigured democracy.

Today, Maumoon Abdul Gayooms reclusive half-brother, Yameen, is in power. He has re-criminalised defamation, reintroduced the death sentence and undone many reforms.

Since he came to power, he has been bribing the MPs, the judges, lawyers and everyone else, says Mohamed Moho Latheef, a businessman who helped the president with his embezzlement. He is now on the run in the UK.

The whole system is corrupted, he says in secretly filmed video obtained by Al Jazeera .

Systemic change needed

Al Jazeeras investigation, Stealing Paradise , has revealed how the system was corrupted. It exposes the president and vice president coordinating the theft of millions of dollars from state coffers and then using part of the proceeds to buy complicity or silence. When it did not work, they used force.

The countrys anti-corruption commission was corrupted. The Auditor General and his family were threatened. The media was bought or bullied.

The system has completely failed, says Zaheena Rasheed, the editor of Maldives Independent, a prominent English-language news website. In such a small place where everyone knows everyone, its very easy to corrupt the entire system.

The last 10 years have destroyed Maldives, says Aishath Velezinee, a fiercely independent campaigner for judicial reform. I feel very sad to see that the people who have come up with hopes of democracy, the people who were really giving everything they had, their time, their life for years, to reform the system, are still going around calling for freedom and justice.

Velezinee blames Nasheeds four-year government, which was abruptly ended with his bloodless overthrow in February 2012, for failing to bring in the necessary safeguards for long-term democracy.

There seemed to be no attention to the necessity for systemic change and state building and those things that were in the constitution, she complains. It seemed like Gayoom goes out, a new president comes in, its democracy.

While criticising Nasheed for not introducing root-and-branch reform, she acknowledges that his power was undermined by a politicised judiciary. He also inherited a deeply entrenched, undemocratic system set up by his predecessor, based on patronage.

Gayooms system had everything, she observes. The laws could change depending on [the[ person. Jobs were created depending on [the] person and jobs disappeared, depending on [the] person. That system has not changed since Nasheed was removed in 2012.

Unholy alliance forms opposition

These disturbing developments in the Indian Ocean state are being closely monitored by the international community. In August, American and European governments spoke out about the fast-deteriorating situation in the Maldives expressing  concern about the erosion of fundamental freedoms and the institutions of democracy, including freedom of assembly and press. The United Nations also weighed in, describing the countrys new defamation laws as  crippling freedom of expression.

The political landscape now appears about as warped as the system on which it rests. On the one side, the isolated and paranoid president and his Progressive Party of the Maldives; on the other, the Maldives United Opposition, an unholy alliance of nearly all the out-of-power politicians, many of whom have questionable pasts themselves.

Nasheed has allied himself with Yameens two former vice presidents, Mohamed Jameel and Ahmed Adeeb.

Adeebs phone data reveals him to be a man willing to steal, bribe, hack, threaten and illegally purchase a weapon , among other things.

Despite all the evidence, Nasheed is still willing to call Adeeb a victim.

President Yameen can pluck and pluck any boy who is in his early 30s and corrupt him, he says. Hes just one of the victims. But of course we need to investigate who did what.

When we asked directly whether Adeeb was a victim or someone who should take responsibility for his criminal actions, the former president was ambivalent: Ive never found these things so black and white.

The failed systems architect

Adding to the complications, the elder statesman in the background, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, is the architect of this failed system and leader of the PPM. He has come out in opposition to his half-brother, fracturing the party.

He is in talks with Nasheed over an alliance. We understand Gayoom demanded $100,000 from Nasheed earlier this year, as part of those negotiations. He claimed the money would show goodwill. Sources say Nasheed paid at least one installment of $50,000, although he denies the allegation.

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication, but issued a tweet in response to the allegations.

I have never asked for nor received any money to join/support any political movement. Allegations contrary to this are totally false.  Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (@maumoonagayoom) September 7, 2016

Phone data from Ahmed Adeeb, obtained by Al Jazeera, also shows Gayooms two sons in receipt of large amounts of money from Adeeb, and a regular mixing of so-called party funds and money stolen from the state.

Gayoom himself writes to Adeeb on October 30, 2014, begging for money for party funds.

Dear NR Adeeb, he writes, today is last month n we need funds for salaries etc. Can u pls help? Thank u.

It is all evidence of a deeply damaged political system, borne out of a 30-year Gayoom dictatorship and now kept alive by a cabal of corrupt politicians and officials who, the evidence shows, are more interested in money than building strong, independent institutions that will keep the country clean.

The ones who lose out are the Maldivian people, whose money is stolen and dished out as bribes.

In no other country would you find that in one lagoon, you have an island that is catering exclusively to tourists with all the best services of the first world, says Rasheed. Then, right next to it, where the Maldivians live, its a slum.

Theres no fresh water. Theres no education. Theres no hospital. This is what its like for a majority of Maldivians, who live in the atolls. Then in the capital Male, you have sky-high rents but terrible services.

The crises of the past couple of years have shown us that we need a system that works for everyone, says Rasheed. We need checks and balances more than ever.
Parvez Imroz, a leading rights activist in Kashmir, speaks to Al Jazeera on the current unrest and its fallout.

Srinagar  Indian-administered Kashmir has been in turmoil since July 8 when rebel commander Burhan Wani was killed by Indian security forces.

More than 70 people have been killed and thousands wounded in the ensuing unrest, including hundreds with serious eye injuries from pellets guns fired by Indian security personnel, who have faced criticism for using excessive forces against the protesters.

The disputed region has mostly remained under a curfew since the unrest began.

An all-party delegation from New Delhi concluded a recent visit to the Himalayan region but no breakthrough could be reached on how to end nearly two months of deadly violence.

Al Jazeera spoke to Parvez Imroz, a leading human rights activists in the Kashmir valley, about the situation in the region.

Imroz is the founding president of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), which runs advocacy campaigns, documents rights violations and provides legal assistance to victims.

Al Jazeera: How do you see the Jammu and Kashmir state governments handling of the widespread protests in Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani?

Imroz: Everything is controlled by the police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) [paramilitary forces] on the streets here. The state government looks isolated as more Border Security Force (BSF) troops have been called in.

READ MORE: Why are young people protesting in Kashmir?

The state government doesnt seem to have any say in the decision making. Theyre struggling to have some face saving now, given the rising number of deaths and pellet- and bullet-injured people.

It is the Indian home ministry and defence ministry that is controlling things here and calling all the shots.





Al Jazeera: How do you see the role of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti?

Imroz: The present civilian uprising and widespread protests are beyond the expectations of government here. After [the] 2010 uprising, with the passage of time, the anger intensified. And it has been an unexpected uprising this time around.

The only fear [the] government of India had was that they never wanted people to come out in large numbers on the streets in Kashmir like they did in 2008 and 2010. But its happening again.

The politicians of ruling and opposition parties are also making contradictory statements, which further damages their credibility among people in Kashmir.

Al Jazeera: How is the current uprising different from the 2008 and 2010 mass protests?

Imroz: It can be seen as a continuation of the 2008 and 2010 uprisings. About 600,000 troops are not here to fight a few hundred militants but to control the population.

The Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party (PDP-BJP) coalition government has been on the offensive here since it came to power with agendas such as proposed Sainik [army] colonies, separate townships for [displaced] Kashmiri Pandits etc.

READ MORE: Kashmir  A story of defiance amid grief

People here had a feeling that the local PDP party in coalition with Hindu nationalist BJP had decided to go ahead with their divisive plans and policies.

Also, the treatment meted out by the BJP government to minorities elsewhere, including Muslims, weighed heavily on the minds of people here. The jingoistic corporate media further angered people here.

Al Jazeera: Do you think the prolonged period of curfews, snapping of mobile and internet services and other restrictive measures enforced by the government has further angered people?

Imroz: The more restrictions are enforced, and the more army and other paramilitary forces are called in, it is in a way the success of peoples struggle here.

The government doesnt really know what to do and how to control protests.





The state has become more vehement, firing bullets and pellets on unarmed people. But, despite all this use of force, people are organising these protests well, which was not the case in the early 1990s.

It was more of an emotional outburst back then.

And many young people who are now on the streets have not seen the fear and terror that was instilled by the government forces in early 1990s.

Now that element of fear is gone.

Al Jazeera: What do you think has been the governments response to the protests?

Imroz: The Indian troops here have realised that they are working in a territory where people are hostile to them and they are seen as an occupation forces.

And there is no accountability for them when they are involved in human rights violations here.

Lot of inquiries and probes were ordered in the past but then nothing happened.

Here the army, CRPF, and police force is convinced that they will get away after shooting bullets and pellets at unarmed people.

READ MORE: A journey into the heart of Kashmirs crisis

They have appointed commission of inquiries in the past for human rights violations but finally nothing substantial came out of those enquiries.

On the contrary, those involved in human rights abuses and killings in Kashmir have been rewarded and awarded by the state.

Al Jazeera: The CRPF recently informed the High Court that there will be more fatalities if pellet guns are banned. Do you think the use of pellet guns in Kashmir should be completely stopped?

Imroz: This is not logic to say that had they not used pellet guns, there would have been more deaths. What kind of logic is it?

Its unacceptable.





The number of injured is over 8,000 people till now and their numbers are rising with every passing day. And these people are crippled and will never be the same again.

At JKCCS, we have been documenting cases of previous torture and injured people. Many of these people later die, succumbing to their injuries.

I know a lot of tortured people who after five or six years of treatment died after going through painful and unsuccessful treatment for years.

More importantly, even a non-lethal weapon can be made into a lethal weapon depending on the person using it  CRPF and police have not exercised restraint here while using these supposedly non-lethal weapons on unarmed protesters.

Recently, the images of an injured and bloodied Syrian boy shocked the entire Europe. But when a 14-year-old Kashmiri girl, Insha Malik, was blinded in both her eyes by pellets, it did not rock the conscience of people and civil society in India.

Al Jazeera: How significant is the proposed visit by UN rights body chief and what should be expected of UNHRC teams visit to assess the human rights situation in Kashmir, if they are allowed to visit by the government?

Imroz: People and governments in other countries are getting to know about the undemocratic ways of [the] Indian state in Kashmir. And the recent attacks and sedition charges on international humanitarian organisations like Amnesty International India are also taken note of.

The image of the Indian state that is going out to the world is that of a right-wing, undemocratic state.

Sartaj Aziz [foreign affairs adviser to the the Pakistani prime minister] has welcomed UNHRC to Pakistan, but India has denied them access to Kashmir. Earlier India also did not allow the special rapporteur on enforced disappearance and torture to visit Kashmir.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has allowed them [the UN] access.

In 2008, the EU passed a resolution when mass graves were found in Kashmir, but [the] government of India rejected it.

The Indian government is obsessed with sovereignty. They feel even the K word cannot be discussed.

I think India will not allow [the] UNHRC team to visit Kashmir as it will further internationalise the Kashmir issue.

Even the International Committee of the Red Cross presence in Kashmir is limited to visiting a few detention centres once in a while, and that is it. They cant work on issues of disappearances, torture and missing people here.

In other countries, ICRC has even excavated mass graves, but they are not allowed to work on such issues in Kashmir.

Al Jazeera: How do you see the situation emerging from here?

Imroz: The use of force against protesters is likely to continue. But one thing is certain  this uprising has given [a] new dimension to the resistance in Kashmir.

The young generation is really controlling things on the streets.

In [the] 1990s, and even till early 2000, some people from here would go and openly talk to the Indian government on behalf of people, but that cant happen now because people here have realised nothing comes out of these talks.

But it remains to be seen how young people leading the protests will organise themselves and lead the struggle in the times ahead.
Officials from Iran, Saudi trade verbal blows after countries fail to reach agreement on this years pilgrimage.

Iran has urged the Muslim world to unite and punish Saudi Arabia as the bitter war of words between the two countries escalates ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

On Monday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticised Saudi Arabia over how it runs Hajj after a stampede last year killed more than 750 people.

He said Saudi authorities had murdered some of them, describing Saudi rulers as godless and irreligious.

This incident proves once again that this cursed, evil family does not deserve to manage the holy sites, Khamenei said.

In response, Saudi Arabias Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh said he was not surprised at Khameneis comments.

We have to understand that they [Irans leaders] are not Muslims, he told the Makkah daily. They are children of the Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is ancient.

Magi refers to Zoroastrians and those who worship fire. Predating Christianity and Islam, Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion in Persia before the Muslim conquest.

Custodian of Islams holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia organises the annual Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to is obliged to undertake at least once in a lifetime.

Millions of Muslims from around the world have already arrived in Saudi for this years pilgrimage, which culminates on Sunday.

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia hit a new low after the two countries failed to reach a deal on arrangements for Iranian citizens to attend this years pilgrimage.

At the leadership level, Saudi Arabia and Iran follow different branches of Islam  Sunni and Shia.

Iran boycotted the Hajj for three years between 1988 and 1990 after clashes between Iranian pilgrims and Saudi police in 1987 left around 400 people dead.

READ MORE: Saudi Arabia, Iran trade blame over failed Hajj talks

Diplomatic ties were restored in 1991, but relations have deteriorated in recent years, particularly over the countries support for opposing sides in the Syria and Yemen wars.

In January, relations were severed again after Iranian demonstrators torched Saudi Arabias embassy and a consulate following Saudi Arabias execution of a prominent Shia leader along with 47 terrorists.

If the existing problems with the Saudi government were merely the issue of the Hajj  maybe it would have been possible to find a way to resolve it, said Irans President Hassan Rouhani at a cabinet meeting.

Unfortunately, this government  by committing crimes in the region and supporting terrorism  in fact shed the blood of Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, Rouhani added.

On Monday night, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif joined the fray on Twitter.

Indeed; no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach.  Javad Zarif (@JZarif) September 6, 2016

Meanwhile, the head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council hit back on Wednesday, calling Khameneis remarks inappropriate and offensive  and a desperate attempt to politicise the Hajj.

Khaled Batarfi, senior columnist with the Saudi Gazette, told Al Jazeera that the rebuke to Saudi Arabia over last years tragedy contrasted with the remarks of Irans health minister, who said during a visit to the country at the time of the accident that Saudi authorities had provided all needed medical assistance and care to victims of the crush, including Iranian pilgrims.
The Philippines and Japan have both expressed serious concern over Chinas actions in the South China Sea at a regional meeting of Asian leaders in Laos.

Hours before leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met Chinas Premier Li Keqiang at the summit in Vientiane on Wednesday, the Philippines released photos purportedly showing Chinese vessels near a disputed chain of reefs and rocks in the South China Sea.

The Philippines said the images showed Chinese ships near Scarborough Shoal and that the vessels were capable of dredging sand and other activities required to build artificial islands.

We have reason to believe that their presence is a precursor to building activities on the shoal, Arsenio Andolong, the Philippines defence department spokesman, told AFP news agency.

We are continuing our surveillance and monitoring of their presence and activities, which are disturbing, he said.

We are gravely concerned.

Japans Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, also expressed concern about Chinas increasing muscular claims to dispute maritime territory in the South China Sea on Wednesday.

I am seriously concerned with the continuing attempts to change unilaterally the status quo in the East and South China Sea, Abe said in a statement released at the Asean summit.

Abe called for a peaceful settlement of the dispute between the Philippines and China over their competing claims in the sea.

China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts or all of the resource-rich South China Sea, making it a hot spot of regional tension.

Japans dispute with China is over uninhabited islands in the East China sea, known as the Senkakus in Tokyo and as the Diaoyus in Beijing.





China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes each year.

A UN-backed tribunal ruled in favour of the Philippines in July, declaring that Chinas claims to almost all of the sea had no legal basis and its construction of artificial islands in disputed waters was illegal.

China pledged to ignore The Hague ruling, calling it null and void.

Officials said the talks on Wednesday between the Asean leaders and Chinas Li went smoothly, despite the release of the photos by the Philippines just before the meeting.

Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry, also told a daily briefing in Beijing that there had been no change in the situation around the Scarborough Shoal and that China had not taken any new action there.

Given this situation, some people are hyping the situation by spreading that kind of information, she said, according to Reuters news agency.

Al Jazeeras Step Vaessen, reporting from Vientiane, said the Chinese denied anything unusual was occurring at the shoal, and harsh words were avoided when the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte addressed the Chinese premier in the Asean meeting.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry immediately said that these allegations were baseless and that nothing

has changed in the area, and that people who make these allegations, their intentions should be questioned, Vaessen said.





Duterte told the ASEAN meeting that the international dispute should be solved within the boundaries of the law, our correspondent added.

Basically, he was avoiding mentioning Julys arbitration ruling about the South China Sea which was in favour of the Philippines.

Artificial islands

Competing territorial claims in the South China Sea have long been a source of tension in the region, with China, historically, using deadly force twice to seize control of islands from Vietnam.

Concerns have intensified sharply in recent years as China has built artificial islands on reefs and islets in the Spratlys archipelago  another strategically important location  that are capable of supporting military installation and operations.

An artificial island at Scarborough Shoal would potentially give China a military base near where US forces regularly operate on the Philippine main island of Luzon, which is only 230km away.

US President Barack Obama is also in Laos for the regional meetings, which will conclude on Thursday with an East Asia summit.
Corruption claims have hit nearly 60 paradise island lease deals in the Maldives, but few have a story like the island of Maagau.

Its characters include the Italian distributor of Penthouse, a Maldivian gangster and a vice president, now jailed on corruption charges. It has entangled an Auditor General, now fired and facing numerous death threats. At its heart are several unusual payments for about $2.5m.

Unravelling what really happened is complicated, but some facts are clear. The Maldives government leased the island of Maagau in 2014. Next year, Baglioni Hotels, which sub-leased the island this year, will open a five-star resort under the slogan, Paradise with Italian grace. Ninety-nine water bungalows and a jungle spa are being built.

What is not clear is why on May 26, 2014, the Italian media tycoon who won the lease paid $2,249,913 to a company majority-owned by the family of the Tourism Minister. He says he was paying an acquisition fee for the island under instructions from the Tourism Ministry.

But another businessman also says he paid the acquisition fee directly to the government. Official records show the payment.

So either they paid twice or something else took place. Corruption suspected, read the Auditor Generals report, after he investigated.

Also unclear is how the lease was granted when it broke the law. Maagau was neither rented through a joint venture with the government, nor with an open bidding process. In theory, they are the only ways an island can be leased under Maldives law, but somehow rights were granted. Again, corruption is suspected.

In a written response, the Maldives government says there is no evidence in the Stealing Paradise report connecting President Yameen or current members of his government to any wrongdoing.

It notes that the claims already form part of a wider investigation initiated by President Yameen in February 2016. The government has asked Al Jazeera to provide any evidence which may be relevant to this investigation.

The Italian Job

Alberto Peruzzo built one of the largest publishing empires in Italy, before handing it over to his son Alessandro. Peruzzo Multimedia distributes hundreds of magazines and books, from Penthouse to The Art of Drinking.

Verified bank records obtained by Al Jazeeras Investigative Unit show that an Albertino Peruzzo transferred nearly $2.25m to a company majority-owned by the family the former Tourism Minister on May 26, 2014.

Peruzzo says he and his company have nothing to do with any bribe or with any other illegal action and that, if any illegal action occurred, they were the victims rather than the perpetrators. He maintains that he paid according to the directions provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Maldives Marketing & PR Corporation (MMPRC), which issued a receipt and the lease for Maagau.

However, a second Italian businessman, Gianandrea Tosi, says that he paid the government for the island lease directly, to its island leasing agency MMPRC, on behalf of Peruzzo. So both men claim to have made the $2.25m payment for the island.

Peruzzo says that he later transferred the lease to Tosi and took a stake in Tosis company New Mood Resorts.

New Mood then made a deal with hotel chain Baglioni and began work on a resort that will be managed by Tosi.

The Italian trio, Peruzzo, Tosis New Mood and Baglioni, had got a bargain. The island acquisition fee was $2.5m. Even if you add the mysterious second payment of $2.5m, that is still only half price, assuming you accept the former Auditor Generals estimate that Maagau could easily fetch up to $10m.

The Middleman, TC Dave

In 2014, Ahmed Adeeb was minister of tourism, with the authority to decide Maagaus price and purchaser. He rose to become vice president before being arrested and jailed on corruption and terrorism charges. Al Jazeera has received more than 10 gigabites of data from three of his iPhones, including hundreds of thousands of text messages.

They show there was another person involved in the Maagau deal, Ahmed Nasheed, who goes by the name of TC Dave. Several sources have told us that he is a gangster, but he is currently Commissioner of Sports. Back in 2014, he was an official at Maldives Ports Limited, making it hard to understand what role he played and why.

In August 2014 Tourism Minister Adeeb sent TC Dave a photograph of a tweet that leaked details of the Maagau lease. It was in the Maldivian language, Dhivehi, and said: Breaking: Andrea Tosi paid for the fraudulent deal for Maagau, Dhaal atoll through State Bank of India in two payments. The first one was US$2.5m for the gov and US$2m went to the ministers account.

Adeeb accused TC Dave of being responsible for the tweet:

From: Adeeb

Timestamp: 26/08/2014 12:25:07(UTC+0)

Bro tossi or ur guys are giving thiS info



From: TC Dave

Timestamp: 26/08/2014 12:26:15(UTC+0)

No dnt think so Few knws v made a deal. Bt figures??? N transactions??

From: TC Dave

Timestamp: 26/08/2014 12:34:32(UTC+0)

I cald my brother. He swears he ddnt tel anybody.

From: TC Dave

Timestamp: 26/08/2014 12:35:57(UTC+0)

Even v dnt knw da ful name of Tossi.

From: TC Dave

Timestamp: 28/08/2014 08:06:22(UTC+0)

Bro seems Tossi z da culprit

Later texts suggest there was a dispute between Tourism Minister Adeeb and the chief executive of New Mood resorts, Gianandrea Tosi. The minister and the businessman were in direct contact.

From: Gianandrea Tosi

Timestamp: 10/08/2014 08:29:53(UTC+0)

please arrange an extension for the deadline of sept the 18th for the master plan.please write me here for any news.best regards.Tosi

P.S. Till waiting for your trip details for Europe

It appears New Mood was under a deadline to carry out a survey, but had been unable to do so because local people had installations on the island that needed to be cleared. Tosi contacted Adeeb and begged for a deadline delay. When it did not come, he issued a warning that he was ready to take legal action.

From: TC Dave

Timestamp: 12/09/2014 18:20:09(UTC+0)

Bro.. Tossi z hiring a lawyer tomorrow. A single txt wud b fruitful i guess.

Adeebs secretary sent him a text message on the same day saying, Mr Tosi is here for a meeting with you. After that, the correspondence stopped. It appears Tosi got what he wanted.

Forged Letter

There is more than just a suspicious payment to a private company, a gangster middleman and a jailed minister. There is also the case of a forged letter from New Mood resorts.

It appears not to be part of the crime, but the cover-up. During Minister Adeebs embezzlement of $80m of Tourism Ministry funds, he transferred around $2.5m to his uncle. The Auditor General, Niyaz Ibrahim, noticed the transaction and began asking questions.

In an attempt to cover his tracks, Adeeb claimed that New Mood resorts had paid back $2.5m to the government on behalf of his uncle. Adeeb provided a forged letter that appeared to be from New Mood as proof and hoped it would explain away the missing money.

When New Mood told the Auditor General that the letter was a forgery, Adeeb turned instead to a pair of corrupt police officers: u guys need to focus on this auditor general, he wrote to them in August 2014. They agreed and put Niyaz Ibrahim under surveillance.

Blast it at any cost

Abdulla Didi, of the Special Operations section of the Maldives Police Service, replied: its on. n he is under survailence. His colleague, Saif Hussain, had also been spying on the Auditor General.

We checked that place. Lots of camera everywhere. Nt police . Mndf op is there. Hep office op. Cos the place is in red zone. Detail planning needs to be dne

Tourism Minister Adeeb was impatient. He wanted the case to go away as soon as possible. He replied, Ok but need to blast it at any cost.

sure.lets do it. came the reply from Didi.

Niyaz Ibrahim was shocked when he read the text messages shared between the tourism minister and secret police. He labelled their activities state sponsored terrorism.

How can they do this? he asked. Such a dirty government. I never imagined these things were going on at this level.

After releasing his report, Niyaz Ibrahim was dismissed from his role as Auditor General. He was replaced by the brother of one of the senior officials who helped Adeeb embezzle millions of dollars.

Baglioni Hotels told Al Jazeera that it is not aware of any corruption in relation to the island deal.

Gianandrea Tosi said New Mood Resorts say they have always been compliant with the laws and regulations of the Maldives and have never been involved in any illicit or illegal activities. They add that the relevant authorities in the Maldives have undertaken an investigation into the alleged issues and have not found any irregularities or wrongdoing on the part of New Mood Resorts.

Alberto Peruzzo says that he and his company have nothing to do with any bribe or with any other illegal action. He maintains that he paid according to the directions provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Maldives Marketing & PR Corporation, who issued a receipt.

Peruzzo added that any payments had the sole purpose of acquisition of the head lease for the island of Maagau. He stated that his company now owns a 38 percent stake in New Mood Resorts.

Ahmed Adeeb denies any wrongdoing. Abdulla Didi and Saif Hussain did not respond to requests for comment.
Assad must go after six months of talks, HNC says, adding it will reject any US-Russia deal that strays from its terms.

Syrias main opposition bloc has put forward a plan for a political transition and a ceasefire to end more than five years of civil war in the country.

The High Negotiations Committee (HNC) said on Wednesday that the proposed process would start with six months of negotiations aimed at setting up a transitional administration made up of figures from the opposition, the government and civil society.





President Bashar al-Assad would be required to leave office at the end of those six months, the bloc, which represents Syrias political and armed opposition factions, said at a meeting in London attended by foreign ministers from around the world.

The transitional body would then run the country for 18 months, after which there would be elections.

Chief opposition negotiator Riyad Hijab, who defected from the government in 2012 after being appointed prime minister, said the HNC would reject any agreement struck by Russia and the US if it largely differed from the HNCs terms.

If what the Russians and the Americans agree upon is very much different from what the Syrians aspire to, then we shall not accept it, Hijab said.

Reporting from the meeting in the UK capital, Al Jazeeras diplomatic editor James Bays said the plan was the most detailed blueprint that the opposition has come up with of the way they see things going forward.

READ MORE: Syria talks  Opposition says government dragging feet

Our correspondent noted, however, that it was unlikely that a transition based on the HNCs proposal would actually take place, as there was no prospect of any negotiations other than the talks in Geneva between the US and Russia.

In response to a question by Bays as to how the HNC will restart the diplomatic process, Hijab said: We have gone through rounds of talks and a political process in 2014 and unfortunately we failed.





The political process failed because there was a refusal to talk about the political transition by [UN Special Envoy to Syria] Staffan de Mistura. He knows that over the past few months the regime has refused to talk about a political transition and, practically, we do not have any negotiating rounds happening in Geneva because the regime was very rigid and absent.

We feel we have to move to a new phase, and the new phase cannot happen without a political transition and the political seriousness that will compel the regime and its allies.

Moscow and Washington, which have been involved in ceasefire negotiations in recent days, are backing opposite sides in the Syrian conflict.

US Secretary of State John Kerry was planning to fly to Geneva to hold talks with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Syria on Thursday, sources at the London meeting told Al Jazeera.

Kerry, who called in at the meeting, said there is a new map being drawn up between the US and Russia that would require the Syrian government not to fly over territory controlled by moderate rebels; areas where there are civilians; and regions with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham fighters, Bays reported.

In effect then, a no-fly zone in those areas, our correspondent added.

[Kerry] also said there will be a new and enhanced joint operations centre with the US and the Russians to control all of this, but added that he could not guarantee that the Syrian regime and Russia will actually stick to an agreement, if an agreement is signed, according to Bays.

Earlier on Wednesday, Adel al-Jubeir, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, which backs the HNC, said that he believed a deal between the US and Russia could be close.

There is a possibility of arriving at an understanding over the next 24 hours or so, he said.

Then we will test the seriousness of Assad and his allies in terms of complying to a ceasefire like this.

In a statement on Wednesday, the UK government, which hosted the London meeting, said that Assad was directly responsible for the crisis in Syria and called for a political transition.

The Syrian conflict began as a mostly unarmed uprising against Assad in March 2011, but quickly escalated into a full-blown civil war.

More than 280,000 Syrians have been killed throughout the five years of bloodshed, 4.8 million have fled the country, and 6.6 million have become internally displaced by the violence, according to the UN.
Officials say construction of UK-funded four-metre high, 1km-long wall in the French port will start this month.

Politicians, aid groups and activists have condemned Britains plan to build a wall in the northern French port of Calais in a bid to stop migrants and refugees from entering the UK.

The four-metre high, 1km-long barrier will be built on a port approach road starting this month, and should be completed by the end of the year, French interior ministry officials said on Wednesday.

The decision to build a wall in Calais is the latest wrong move in what is the ongoing scandal of the handling of the plight of refugees in northern France, Jean Lambert, a member of the European parliament and migration spokeswoman for Britains Green Party, said on Wednesday.

The UK government must get its act together, he said in a statement.

The wall, which will be funded by the British government under an agreement struck with France at a summit in March, will complement a security fence already put up around the port and entrance to the Channel Tunnel, officials said.

We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. Weve done the fence, now we are doing a wall, Robert Goodwill, the British minister of state for immigration, told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

Save the Children, a British charity, responded to the plan saying the government should focus on protecting the hundreds of vulnerable children trapped in the dangerous conditions in Calais, instead of building a wall.

The British government has promised to bring vulnerable lone children trapped in Calais to the UK. Its time now to make that promise a reality, Steven McIntosh, head of the charitys government relations, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Plans for the Calais refugee wall also caused a backlash on social media, with hundreds of people criticising the project and comparing it with a plan by Donald Trump, the US Republican presidential nominee, to build a wall along the border with Mexico if he is elected.

"Trump is a crazy extremist, saying he'll build a wall to keep people out and by the way we're building a wall to keep people out" #Calais  David Schneider (@davidschneider) September 7, 2016

UK Gov has just gone full Trump #CalaisWall #Disgrace.  Christina McKelvie (@ChristinaSNP) September 7, 2016

Who'd have thought UK/Calais would get one before #Trump UK minister confirms work to start on 1.9m #CalaisWall pic.twitter.com/V5UjqEoxOJ  Zora Suleman (@ZoraSuleman) September 7, 2016

Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, which represents lorry drivers who say they are affected by migrants and refugees attempting to board their vehicles in Calais, also criticised the plan, calling it a poor use of taxpayers money.

Funds for a wall, which is expected to cost $3m, would be much better spent on increasing security along the approach roads, he said.

Amber Rudd, Britains home secretary, said the wall was not a new initiative, but what mattered was making sure the French had the right amount of security to prevent illegals trying to get to the UK.

Home Sec: we're on track to meet our commitment to help the most vulnerable Syrian refugees: https://t.co/i5BVqqYJo5 pic.twitter.com/2Hp7QGZP3V  Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) September 7, 2016

She later published a statement on social media marking the first anniversary of Britains commitment to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees, saying Were on track to meet our commitment to help the most vulnerable Syrian refugees.

READ MORE: France to dismantle remaining Calais jungle in one go

The wall will be the latest barrier to go up around Europe as the continent struggles with its biggest refugee influx in decades.

Hungary has built a reinforced fence on its frontier with Serbia, and Austria has announced plans for a massive new barrier along its border with Hungary in a bid to shut down the route through the Balkans taken by migrants and refugees.





The wall in Calais was agreed following tens of thousands of attempted Channel crossings last year by migrants, officials said.

On Monday, French lorry drivers and farmers blocked the main routes in and out of Calais on Monday to call for the closure of the sprawling Jungle camp where thousands of refugees and migrants live in makeshift shelters.

An estimated 7,000 people are believed to be living in the camp, but charities say the number might be as high as 10,000 after an influx this summer.

Migrants from the camp sometimes use tree branches to create roadblocks to slow trucks heading for Britain. When the trucks slow down, migrants try to clamber on to trailers and stow themselves away for the journey to the UK.

Drivers say migrants and people trafficking gangs have also attacked their vehicles with metal bars in an effort to make them stop.

Calais refugees: We wont give up despite Brexit

Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister, promised during a visit to the Jungle last week to close the camp down as quickly as possible.

Refugees and campaign groups have urged the French and British governments to offer a durable solution for those who have fled war and persecution in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere.
Judge lifts police ban, days after president accused courts of recklessness for allowing rallies that turned violent.

Zimbabwes High Court has overturned a two-week ban on protests in the capital following a legal challenge from political activists.

Police banned rallies in Harare and the surrounding district on Thursday, after several violent clashes between police and anti-government protesters in recent weeks.

But Judge Priscilla Chigumba said on Wednesday that the official police note issued last week was invalid and curtailed citizens rights.





The court has said the ban was unlawful, lawyer Tendai Biti, a former finance minister who represented the activists, told journalists following the verdict.

Biti also said that the court had delivered a brave judgment that asserts the independence of the judiciary.

Zimbabwe has seen months of protests against alleged human rights abuses and the deterioration of the economy under President Robert Mugabe, who has ruled the country since 1980.

Al Jazeeras Haru Mutasa, reporting from the High Court in Harare, said some protesters were planning to go back to the streets as soon as this week.

Their message is that they are unhappy with President Robert Mugabe; they say the economy is being run down, and some even say its time for him to go.

Earlier this week, Mugabe accused the countrys judiciary courts of being reckless in allowing several anti-government protests that later turned violent.

We cant allow that to continue, [to have] these violent demonstrations unimpeded. No. Enough is enough, Mugabe said.

On Friday, a different court denied bail to 58 people arrested during protests on August 26 when riot police fired tear gas, beat up several people and blocked off the site of an opposition demonstration in Harare.

In the same demonstration, protesters threw stones at police while some set tyres ablaze and pulled down the sign for a street named after Mugabe.
We explore Asias organ black market, from the villages of Nepal to the Indian city known as the Great Kidney Bazaar.

In rural Nepal, an entire village shares a secret. Every family here has at least one member who has sold their kidney to traffickers.

Each year, international organ trafficking gangs convince 10,000 mostly poor people to give up a kidney. Sometimes the donors get paid for it, sometimes they dont. But the cost to their health can be devastating.

Most of their kidneys end up in India, often in Calcutta, which has been nicknamed The Great Kidney Bazaar.

101 East travels the kidney trafficking route, talking to the donors, police, brokers and doctors involved in this bloody black market.

Join the conversation @AJ101East
For 92-year-old Estelle Blakely, wearing makeup used to be a morning routine.

But once she was placed into a nursing home in Gainesville, she said she stopped caring about how she looked.

But Tuesday, she kept smiling as a UF graduate gently applied peach-colored blush and pink lipstick to her face.

After a brief conversation, Blakely said she felt like her old self.

This is a special treat, she said.

On Tuesday afternoon, volunteers with GlamourGals Foundation  a national nonprofit with a newly established branch in Gainesville  visited Blakely and about a dozen other residents of the assisted-living facility The Village at Gainesville.

Allison Wrieden, 22, a founding member of the branch, said giving makeovers to senior citizens can help them feel cared for and appreciated.

I figured a club like this that provides just a day of pampering from young college students would be the perfect opportunity to help make these people feel special, she said. I think a huge part of healthcare is just making the patient feel cared about.

At one end of the nursing homes common room, UF students Kruti Patel and Kylie Schmitt painted residents nails red, coral and glittery pink.

Patel, a 20-year-old UF nutritional sciences senior, said the groups visit  its first so far  made the senior citizens feel happy, a feeling that will hopefully last long after the blush and nail polish are scrubbed away.

I think its honestly uplifting just seeing how we were able to bring so much happiness to the residents day, she said.

Wrieden, who works at The Village, said visiting with her grandmother at a nursing home played a large role in her decision to found the branch over the summer.

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She said she saw the impact visitors had on the moods of the homes residents.

Although GlamourGals currently only has a handful of volunteers, Wrieden said she plans to visit more nursing homes around Gainesville.

Dorothy Chen, a Chinese immigrant who moved to The Village last week, said the visit was a nice change of pace from the monotony of assisted living.

After deciding between three shades, Chen got her nails painted Carefree Coral.

I never do this, just when they ask me to come, she said through a thick accent. I just come here because the color is so fun.

Jasmine Pointe resident Estelle Blakely, 92, admires her made-up face after receiving a makeover from GlamourGals chapter founder Allison Wrieden on Tuesday.
UFs Vice President for Student Affairs David Parrott addressed the Student Senate on Tuesday night.

During the Senate presidents report, Parrott, who began his term June 1, told senators he aims to put students first on the agenda during his time at the university.

Parrott introduced himself to the Senate and answered questions about his goals for UF.

He wants UF to have higher academics and still be accessible for all students, he said.

Putting those two things together are very, very important for me, Parrott said. Everybody gets a chance to excel.

Revisions to the 800 codes regarding Student Government finances were also passed at the meeting.

Charlie Brown Jr., the chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, said he was happy with the changes.

The revisions lower the number of SG Finance Office violations that student organizations can make while also lowering the number of days their accounts will be frozen after each violation.

Brown said the change should encourage organizations to follow the codes.

We were just making sure that the codes were as fair to all students involved, Brown said.

The revisions also raise the amount of money SG-funded organizations are allowed to spend on food at events from $3 per person to $3.50 per person, he said.

Its one of the main complaints that student organization leaders had, he said.

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TUESDAYS MEETING:

Funding for Pazeni Sauti Africa Choir approved; group received $100

Funding for Grandkids approved; group received $557.75

Revisions for 800 codes approved on first reading

David Parrott address the Student Senate on Tuesday Night.
UFs Supreme Court failed three petitions Tuesday after students spent two hours defending them.

During the meeting, Global Vote representatives argued on behalf of the petitions, which they filed after the court overturned amendments to the UF Student Body constitution in a June opinion.

The amendments overturned are the following: allowing remote online voting, reducing the number of Senate seats, reducing the amount of petition signatures needed from the Student Body to five percent from 10 percent and adding genetic information to SGs anti-discrimination policy.

UF SG Solicitor General Nick Smith, who had the opportunity to argue against Global Vote, didnt attend.

Austin Young, a co-founder of Global Vote, defended the first petition. He asked the court to reconsider its interpretation of the three-fifths approval requirement, in which the court ruled that three-fifths of students who cast a ballot must vote yes on an amendment for it to pass.

Young said abstention votes shouldnt be included with those voting yes or no on individual amendments, but Chief Justice Chris Tribbey said this wasnt written in the constitution.

It sounds to me like you want the constitution to say something other than it does, Tribbey said.

The court unanimously voted against the petition.

Tyler Richards, a co-founder of Global Vote, defended the second petition, which claimed that the power to ratify election results lies with Student Senate and not the judicial branch.

He argued that Senate has the sole authority to verify election results, and the Supreme Court cannot disqualify them.

The court never ruled the results were incorrectly verified, but rather that the results werent verified the way the constitution intended, Tribbey argued.

The second petition failed unanimously. The court argued it has the power to review Student Senate election decisions.

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Young defended the third petition, which stated the court doesnt have the authority to recall past amendments added to the constitution. According to the constitution, approved amendments become part of the constitution at 8 p.m. on May 1 following the Spring general election.

The court spent several minutes deliberating the third petition before ruling 6-1 to deny it, with Justice Jonathan Siragusa voting in favor of Global Vote.

The Summer ruling set a precedent that the court can change the constitution through interpretation, Young said.

One day well have online voting, he said. Its been a fight at least over a decade. When something has that kind of a movement behind it, one day itll come to fruition.
           2005     ..        




AR's Editor Joe Shea Talks About Elections On Iranian TV Bear Stearns Saved By Fed As Lehman Bros. Falters; Major Bank

Failure Looms Over Wall Street, Sends Markets Into 200-Pt. Dive Lie Upon Lie Five Years Into the Iraq War

The Administration Still Churns Out Lies by Randolph Holhut A Small Tragedy Even at 90, As Friends Turn Cool

She Knows the Show Must Go On by Joyce Marcel I'll Take Me Imagine John Wayne or Arnold

In Heels, Silk and a Girdle by Elizabeth Andrews Sen. Nelson Calls For New Fla. Primary; Gov Crist Backs 'Do-Over' Who'll Win? Ask Spock Spock.com Engine Predicts Winners

By Site Searches; It Can be Wrong by Jay Bhatti Chatting Up The Cat God Gave Me Dominion Over Him

But I Think He's a Non-Believer by Constance Daley Death of a Thug The Life and Horrors of Suharto by Andreas Harsono ___________________________ This Just In Sierra Club: McCain Ducked All 15 Key Votes On Green Laws (AR) A Work By AR's T.S. Kerrigan Is Chosen As 'Best Poem' By Wordpress Site Murder At Mile 63

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FREE Wi-Fi Paid Advertisement On Native Ground

AFTER 5 YEARS, WE'RE STILL LIED TO ABOUT IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Next week is the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And it is likely that sometime in the next couple of weeks, the 4,000th American soldier will die in Iraq. [MORE] Momentum

OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - It's 1931, and a 14-year-old girl is standing alone on a stage. She's small and lively with dark curly hair, widespread hazel eyes, slender wrists and an open, eager face filled with the wonder of performing. Her name is Rose, and one day she will be my mother. But now she is performing an Eugene O'Neill monologue called "Before Breakfast" for a ladies' club in a wealthy suburb of Long Island. [MORE] One Woman's World

COMFORTABLE WITH MYSELF by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I'm not sure but I think I may be socially incorrect. [MORE] On Native Ground

ENOUGH FOR A WAR, NOT FOR A PEOPLE by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Last week, the National Governors Assn. met in Washington, D.C. One of the tasks the NGA had on its agenda was to ask President Bush to increase federal spending on roads, bridges and other public works projects as a way to stimulate the economy. He rejected their pleas out of hand, claiming that infrastructure projects wouldn't offer any short-term economic boost. [MORE] Brasch Words

BEWARE THE SELF-REVERENTIAL PRESS by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Shortly before the primary votes this past week, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter called Sen. Barack Obama's surge to the Democratic nomination "inevitable." It also called for Hillary Clinton to "start her campaign for Senate majority leader." [MORE] Constance

A CONVERSATION WITH MY CAT Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Normally, when the cat starts his evening rant of meowing continuously until he makes his point, I just take it as long as I can, pick him up, and put him in the garage for the night. He doesn't want to go, but the meowing stops and I don't care if he likes it or not. [MORE] Momentum

OUT OF STRUGGLE, ART by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Here we are again at the crossroads of art and social change, having the opportunity to watch good and great films about the lives of women in support of the Women's Crisis Center. [MORE] Campaign 2008

HOW TO PREDICT SUPER TUESDAY II WINNERS? ONLINE SEARCH by Jay Bhatti NEW YORK, March 4, 2008, 7:00PM ET -- With the outcomes of the Texas, Vermont, Ohio and Rhode Island primaries to be decided tonight, how possible is it that online searching can predict who will win tonight's primaries? [MORE] One Woman's World

DON'T VOTE; IT ENCOURAGES THEM by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Call me angry and disgusted but don't call me un-American because I won't be voting come November. [MORE] On Native Ground

BUSH AND THE KEYBOARD COMMANDOS by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- As the days tick down toward the eventual departure of President George W. Bush from the White House, it's a hopeful sign that most Americans are no longer moved by his Administration's constant exploitation of terrorism for political gain. [MORE] Momentum

WHICH AMERICA DO YOU LIVE IN? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- It's a little confusing. [MORE] Make My Dat

THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] On Native Ground

FIDEL RETIRES: NOW THE COLD WAR IS REALLY OVER by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Maybe now, we can finally say the Cold War is over. [MORE] Make My Dat

THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] One Woman's World

POLITICS IS NO PARTY by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Are you having a hard time focusing your eyes? Do you have faint red spots all over your body? Is there a ringing in your ears and do you see wavy lines when you look at your television set? Do your hands shake when you try to hold a cup of coffee? And have you recently been forgetting what day of the week it is - or what year? [MORE] Make My Day

FOR BETTER OR WORSE ... A LOT WORSE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- "Marriage: It's Only Going to Get Worse." [MORE] Constance

YOU CALL THESE RIGHTS? by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- When you express an opinion you hope to persuade others to your point of view. It doesn't always happen but still, opinion writers try. [MORE] Momentum

THE BRIDGE WOMAN by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - Out there in America - yes, still - is a generation of women who were born in the 1940s, raised in the 1950s, and who came to radical consciousness in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I am one of them. Hillary Clinton is one of them. [MORE] On Native Ground

OBAMA AND MY GENERATION by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- I originally planned on voting for Dennis Kucinich in the Vermont Primary on March 4. [MORE] The Willies:

WARNING: THIS MEDICATION MAY MURDER YOUR FRIENDS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla. -- You've heard the warnings, haven't you? Stop Prozac and you may take a shotgun, an Uzi or an AK-47 and mow down your family and friends, or even a whole classroom full of your fellow students. You didn't? Well, that warning is not on the bottle, but like countless mass-murder incidents before it, Friday's shootings at Northern Illinois University, as well as the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 last year, was probably precipitated by the effect of stopping medications that suppress anger and other powerful emotions but do not relieve the underlying cause. Isn't it time we started warning people - or stopped prescribing these medicines? [MORE] One Woman's World

DON'T KNOCK ON MY DOOR by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I wish I could feel delight in my poet's mansion being like Grand Central Station all the time, but I can't. And I wish my place was such a place that someone would one day write: "Her door was always open and she always made you feel all fuzzy and warm in her presence. She could make a cup of coffee seem like a banquet." [MORE] Reporting: Panama

PANAMA'S VIOLENT LABOR UNREST INTENSIFIES Mark Scheinbaum PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb, 15, 2008 -- After just one day of relative calm, wildcat construction strikes by some members of Panama's largest union flared up again Friday morning, four days after a police sniper shot one worker. More than 140 demonstrators have been injured and at least 500 arrested, authorities say. [MORE] Brasch Words

TO STIMULATE ECONOMY, BUY A CHINESE-MADE U.S. FLAG by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Walking down Main Street, pushing a grocery cart loaded with clothes, toys, and appliances was Marshbaum. Fastened to the right front corner of the cart was an American flag tied onto a three-foot ruler. [MORE] Make My Day

THE TOOTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- To commemorate the death of noted shark exploder Roy Scheider, and the "Jaws" movies that resulted in Erik never setting foot in the ocean again, we are reprinting this column from 2003. Shark Experts 0, Sharks 1 [MORE] Momentum

THE WINTER OF MY DISCONTENT by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - As I write this, it's raining ice. Maybe a half a foot of snow and ice has already landed up here in the woods of Dummerston. Our cars are encased in it, and the door to the house is blocked. The satellite dish that brings in our Internet service quit about 20 minutes ago - frozen solid. [MORE] The Willies

AMERICA TO HILLARY: GET OUT! by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 13, 2008 -- Sen. Hillary Clinton has adopted the Rudy Giuliani strategy, and it's working - for Sen. Barack Obama. It turns out to be the strategy all Democrats are seeking - an exit strategy. But it's not for Iraq. It's for her exit from the race for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. [MORE] Constance

CONFESSIONS OF A DISAPPOINTED VOTER by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- A week ago at just about this time, I completed an article and was about to submit it as scheduled to The American Reporter. I was feeling rather elated, ready to show up on Super Tuesday morning, firmly touch the X next to Rudy Giuliani's name and get on with my day. He was my choice; he would get my vote. [MORE] Reporting: Florida

SIERRA CLUB SET TO SUSPEND FLA. CHAPTER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 10, 2008 -- The national Sierra Club is set to suspend its Florida chapter after years of divisive infighting, the president of the national club told Florida members in a letter delivered to some this weekend. It is the first time in its 116-year history that such a step has been considered by the club, according to news reports. [MORE] One Woman's World

PLANT A NEW WORLD THIS SPRING by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- For a little while, the men will just have to toss and turn in their fear-free-women beds. For a small space of time Hillary Clinton will just have to trudge on toward the White House without my faint applause in the background. [MORE] On Native Ground

VERMONT AND THE 5 STAGES OF CONSERVATIVE GRIEF by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- First, Vermont tried to convince the nation to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. [MORE] Make My Day

REBEL WITHOUT A TONGUE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Kids' brains work in amazing ways. At times, they can grasp complex concepts and make impressive discoveries. Other times, you have to wonder how we ever survived as a species. [MORE] The Willies

FOR DEMOCRATS, NOW IT'S ABOUT RACE, INCOME AND GENDER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Feb. 6, 2008 -- It's not a good time to be a Democrat. As the Super Tuesday results demonstrated, the presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has divided the partly along clear racial, income and gender lines - the very distinctions the party has sought to erase in principle but has emphasized in its pursuit of diversity. [MORE] Momentum

SUPER TUESDAY BLUES by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Super Tuesday has come and gone and I still can't get excited about the upcoming presidential elections. [MORE] The Willies

ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY, YOUR PUSH IS NEEDED by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 5. 2008 -- I'm expecting a sea change tonight. I believe that for the first time in this nation's history we will once and forever banish racism as the deciding factor in the destiny of African-Americans, and indeed adopt diversity as our path to the future. [MORE] Campaign 2008

AT 88, EVERY VOTE REALLY COUNTS by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 5, 2008 -- Pearl Turner will caucus for Mitt Romney tonight in Denver. [MORE] One Woman's World

STAND BY YOUR WOMAN by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- The black vote. The gay vote. The fundamentalist vote. The Hispanic vote. [MORE] An AR Special

SUSPECTS IN BENAZIR ASSASSINATION HAVE TIES TO MUSHARRAF by Ahmar Mustikhan WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When Gordon Brown this past Monday feted coup-leader-turned-President Pervez Musharraf at 10 Downing Street, Britain's new prime minister probably didn't ask the Pakistani dictator a question that is now on many minds: Did you order the murder of Benazir Bhutto? [MORE] Momentum

TO THE VERMONT DELEGATION: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR US LATELY? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt.  Back when President George W. Bush and Dick Vice President Dick Cheney were building up to their loathsome war in Iraq, very few people were brave enough to call the bullies' bluff. [MORE] On Native Ground

IF BUSH HAS HIS WAY, WE'LL NEVER LEAVE IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. - In his final State of the Union address on Jan. 28, President Bush cautioned against accelerating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, saying that it would endanger the process that has been made over the past year. [MORE] Campaign 2008

CLASH OF COMMENTS AND PROTESTORS AT CLINTON, OBAMA RALLIES IN DENVER by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 1, 2008 -- At least four presidential campaigns of both partiers rolled into in Denver this week ahead of the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday" primaries in 22 states, but it was the Democratic presidential contenders who drew the big crowds and duked it out Wednesday. If sheer numbers are any indication, Sen. Barack Obama - preceded by a buoyant and beautiful Caroline Kennedy - won the round handily. He is the overwhelming favorite to win the Colorado primary next Tuesday. [MORE] The Willies

WHY THE FLORIDA PRIMARY STINKS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Jan. 30, 2008 -- I was with my wife and daughter driving the back way from Miami home to Bradenton when we stopped at a McDonald's in Clewiston, the only big town along the vast shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state's precious freshwater reservoir. The McDonald's had three televisions at a central seating area, each tuned to a different network, and our table was in front of CNN as the very first election results started to pour in around 7:30PM. With them, almost as counterpoint, suddenly came such an overwhelming odor of cow plop that my wife started to throw up as we all ran to the parking lot. [MORE] Passings: Suharto

DEATH OF A KEMUSU THUG by Andreas Harsono JAKARTA - A few minutes after hearing that former president Suharto had died in his hospital bed, Marco, a militia leader in downtown Jakarta, raced to Suhartos house, wearing his jungle camouflage and began guarding the Suhartos residence on Cendana Street. [MORE] Constance

I REMEMBER YOU by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.. -- It seems to be more often lately that the sentiment is spoken but it's always been out there: "You never get over the death of your child." This is true. But the heartfelt expressions come from some who cannot fathom the notion of losing a child; their own child is who is in their mind, not another mother's child. [MORE]
Editor's note: An altered, longer version of this article will be published later this month on the Bain & Co. website.

How can banks better manage one of the costliest and most troublesome activities  complying with regulations? Increasingly, banks may benefit from working with "regtech" firms.

Consumer financial services products are being transformed by the fintech revolution, but automation, data innovation and other technological efficiencies can also benefit banks' efforts to comply with a growing regulatory burden and improve their internal governance controls.

Given the high stakes, however, banks should gain a better understanding of their regtech options and make a careful assessment of which high-priority objectives they are trying to accomplish in partnering with a regtech firm. They will need to bring regulators into the conversation before committing to such a partnership. And they must ensure that combining third-party technology and services with their internal processes does not create more system complexity.

Bain & Co. has identified more than 80 emerging regtechs. The rise of these firms should be welcome. Banks have been reducing their cost base for several years now. Many of the efficiency gains, however, have been offset by resources required to meet expanded regulatory requirements and to settle fines. We estimate that governance, risk and compliance (GRC) costs account for 15% to 20% of the total "run the bank" cost base of most major banks. GRC demand drives roughly 40% of costs for "change the bank" projects underway.

Banks have struggled to devise a robust and efficient approach to compliance by using their own legacy systems and GRC organization. Typically, the required data resides in different bank systems and is hard to extract in the appropriate structure or level of quality because that requires modern technology. For example, implementing online customer onboarding (which triggers know-your-customer regulations) through legacy systems can take two years at a cost of more than $10 million at some major banks, versus three months at $300,000 if handled through a regtech specialist.

Borrowing a biological metaphor, regtechs can provide brains, guts and backbone to improve GRC processes in a number of ways.

The regtechs' "brains" advantage stems from their expertise in extracting and structuring data, mixing it with unstructured sources and devising algorithms to derive insights. These firms extract and integrate data from banks' proprietary systems, third-party data providers and public sources. They design algorithms to crunch the data in automated, scalable ways. And they use machine learning to continuously improve the quality, precision and reliability of the insights that emerge.

Regtechs also provide the "guts," or processes for smart, standard-setting governance and control. By pursuing straigh-through processing and looking for ways to automate and simplify processes, they can reduce costs and pick up the pace of GRC.One way that regtechs can provide the "backbone" is through use of the cloud to provide solutions remotely and to manage and back up data. Banks pay only for the data they use, making it easy to add or remove service features. Another way is through standardized interface layers that allow data to flow in real time and help integrate third-party data network partners and solution providers.

Regtechs are providing tools to manage areas ranging from consumer protection to market conduct. The most advanced solutions provided by regtechs deal with know-your-customer efforts. For KYC, firms such as Clarient Entity Hub, Fenergo and kyc.com identify clients and counterparties during onboarding and recurring interactions. These vendors use highly standardized data structures, harness the bank's proprietary client data and match it against public information such as credit and criminal databases, commercial registers and social media in order to score clients with an advanced rule engine and ultimately file the client profile.

Emerging KYC utilities address inefficiency by splitting costs among many institutions and profiling a single customer once on behalf of all banks. At the same time, their approach could improve the customer experience. Bain's interviews with corporate customers reveal widespread frustration with banks' unclear KYC-related requirements, limited reuse of existing data, piecemeal requests for documentation and weeks-long delays for access after customers have requested an account. Half to three-quarters of onboarding requests never reach the final stage of account opening, our research found, which wastes time and effort and causes occasional embarrassment with customers.

Banks' partnership with regtechs will be significantly shaped by regulators, in the form of GRC standards and approval of proposed solutions. In parallel with their discussions with regulators, banks should also assess the following:

The cost of regulatory compliance over the next three to five years.

The level of functionality, complexity and efficiency of current technology, systems and data as the new requirements kick in.

Which regtechs could add value to the bank's technology and capabilities to close identified gaps or provide the best solutions.

And the best options for deploying regtech solutions, whether through a proprietary, hosted or cloud-based single-vendor solution or a partnership or joint venture.

Matthias Memminger is a partner with Bain & Co.'s financial services practice. Mike Baxter leads the practice in the Americas. Edmund Lin is the global leader of the practice. They are based, respectively, in Frankfurt, New York and Singapore.
First Financial Bancorp in Cincinnati has reorganized its senior leaders.

The $8.3 billion-asset company said in a press release Wednesday that Brad Ringwald will become its president of community banking. Ringwald, who had been president of corporate banking and specialty finance, will oversee the company's consumer, commercial and wealth management teams.

Paul Silva, a market president, was tapped to become the company's president of investment commercial real estate.

Rick Dennen was named president of commercial finance, overseeing the company's national lending businesses, First Franchise Capital and Oak Street Funding. Dennen was president and chief executive of Oak Street Holdings, a finance firm that First Financial bought last year.

Roddell McCullough, director of community development, will take on more responsibility helping determine the strategy for that area.

All four executives will start in their new roles on Oct. 1.

"We feel these changes to our senior leadership better align our teams and will allow us to more effectively execute our premier business bank strategy and business model," Claude Davis, First Financial's chief executive, said in the release.

First Financial has 101 branches in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
Laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through. Jonathan Swift

The more of the emails Hillary thought would never see the light of day seep into the public realm, the more it becomes clear that the United States is on the verge of becoming a banana republic, one of those tin-pot countries in which rich and powerful elites are exempt from the laws the "people" must obey or be prosecuted and jailed. These upper class thugs sock away millions of dollars stolen, one way or another, from their nation's people, while the citizenry is increasingly controlled and deprived. The world has always been chock full of such tyrants

As those emails are analyzed, it is no longer a matter of conjecture as to her criminality; she is a malevolent oligarch wannabe. She and her husband are shakedown artists of such an advanced degree that they make Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson look like kindergarten amateurs. They have become fabulously wealthy by selling access to the power and influence she wielded as Secretary of State and the presumption that she will become President. Their scheme was simple: pay the Clinton Foundation millions of dollars, as "donations," and she would do their bidding, from arranging invitations to state dinners, providing diplomatic passports, to approving lucrative contracts around the world and the sale of American-made arms to bad actors.

Favored donors also became very, very rich. Sprinkled among the Foundation's donor list is a host of treacherous players who operate by their own gangster rules, also known as Soros rules. The Clintons are grifters on a grand scale. Only 10 per cent of Clinton Foundation money goes to grants to charity while an unknown portion (the Clinton Foundation has never been audited) goes to staff salaries, travel expenses, and overhead, as well as lavish get-togethers where the high and mighty mix with the rich and greedy, for mutual benefit.

Generosity is not an aspect of Clinton character, for either spouse. Greed is their defining trait. And what is so abhorrent is that they feel entitled - to the wealth, to be above the law, to have the power to manipulate and regulate the rest of us.

What are Americans to think now about the FBI? It seems that the most prestigious law-enforcement institutions in the country have been thoroughly compromised by the Left; the DOJ since Obama took office and refused to prosecute the Black Panthers for voter intimidation and its refusal to reveal the facts of the Fast and Furious scheme that sent thousands of guns into Mexico, a perverse attempt to undermine our Second Amendment. The FBI's "investigation" into Hillary's private server and deleted emails was obviously a sham, not a real investigation at all. The notes of her short interview at which she was not even placed under oath, are a joke, the final confirmation of the sham theory. People are currently incarcerated for miniscule violations compared to Clinton's multiple subversions of the law.

How many other DC establishment lawbreakers are enjoying the spoils of their crimes, "guilty as sin, free as a bird"? (to quote Bill Ayers) Lois Lerner, for one. Perhaps Hillary's sway over the FBI has something to do with those 900 FBI files the Clintons confiscated when they left the White House. Maybe they have something on lots of DC swells and they use what they have. FBI Director James Comey is such a disappointment, as is Loretta Lynch (DOJ) and Jeh Johnson (DHS). They work for Obama and Clinton, not the American people. Of this there is no doubt.

Nor is there any doubt that Hillary is the "congenital liar" that Bill Safire (NYT) said she was twenty-four years ago. She is absolutely pathological; she lies even when the truth is out there for all to see. And now Tim Kaine lies for her, defends her betrayal of the law and the Constitution. He's become a pathetic lap dog, a deer in the Clinton headlights. While she avoids the press and their softball questions, she sends her surrogates out to spin and prevaricate for her, to pretend she is not what she is: criminally liable for countless violations of our national security laws, the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. She should have been indicted. She should not be running for the highest office in the land. No one should be defending her, least of all American voters. She does not care about them once they have voted. If she wins, she will go right back to selling American favor to the highest bidder.

Like a queen bee, Hillary has many sycophants: Huma Abedin, Cheryl Mills, Sidney Blumenthal, Julian Epstein, the Podestas, George Stephanopoulos, a horde of lawyers, and aging feminists. She has surrounded herself with people devoid of character, people with personal agendas that have nothing to do with the good of the nation. They all want only to protect their privileged status. They view the media as their personal propaganda machine and it is. There is no more legitimate journalism in America.

If elected, she will finish the job of transforming America. Not in a good way but by importing hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East, creating a larger dependent class than we already have, by granting amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants and mandating unrestricted borders, by further hamstringing American business, by increasing taxes on those who work. Our once world-class medical care will be further decimated for Hillary's long-favored single payer system; rationed health care. Hillary will further divide the population by race, class and impose the notion of gender "fluidity." She must not be elected. She has been a wasp and hornet long enough.
Joe Isuzu was a fictional spokesperson for the car company of the same name in the late 1980s, the poster child for pathological liars everywhere who made outrageous claims about the cars he was selling. Much as William Safire described Hillary Clinton in a 1996 essay in the New York Times, he was a congenital liar. But Joe Isuzu was fictional; Hillary Clinton is not, and is running for president. Be afraid, be very afraid.

The past as they say, is prologue. The lies Hillary told in the past were merely precursors to the present lies. Hillary lied about having one device and a private server for convenience. She had 13 devices and multiple servers, some physically destroyed. Perhaps her campaign song should be If I Had A Hammer. The setting up of the server, the switching of devices, some destroyed, some lost, implies intent to circumvent laws and regulations, no matter what FBI Director Comey says.

She lied about Colin Powell okaying her perfidy in advance. She lied about knowing what the C on classified documents meant, even though its the contents and not the markings that make them classified. She lied about sending and receiving and sending classified documents. She lied about turning over all work-related documents in her possession. She lied to the American people, she lied to the American people, and she lied to the FBI.

The mind harkens back to Scooter Libby, whose crimes included making false statements to the FBI in the case of the alleged outing of well-known CIA desk jockey Valerie Plame. If anyone has made false statements to the FBI, it is one Hillary Rodham Clinton. Saying you dont recall more than three dozen times doesnt past the Pinocchio test.

Plame was as noted a well-known desk jockey at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Hillarys lies and reckless carelessness included the transmission of emails containing the names of actual CIA operatives in the field involved in clandestine operations. As the New York Post reported:

Hillary Clintons e-mails included the names of CIA officers serving overseas and foreigners who are on the spy agencys payroll -- potentially endangering their lives, it was reported Monday. Its a death sentence, a senior intelligence-community official told the Observer. If were lucky, only [foreign] agents, not our officers, will get killed because of this. The paper said the intelligence community is in panic mode trying to determine which agents may have been compromised. CIA officials assume foreign agencies intercepted unencrypted e-mails stored on Clintons home server while she was secretary of state.

We may have forgotten about things like Whitewater, Travelgate, the Rose Law Firm and the death of Vince Foster. But they bear a remarkable resemblance to current events. As Safire wrote prophetically:

Americans of all political persuasions are coming to the sad realization that our First Lady -- a woman of undoubted talents who was a role model for many in her generation -- is a congenital liar. Drip by drip, like Whitewater torture, the case is being made that she is compelled to mislead, and to ensnare her subordinates and friends in a web of deceit.

The Clintons have made a career of making a fortune on the dime of a public they intentionally deceive and defraud, using their positions of power to enrich themselves at the publics expense. Before there was pay for play at the Clinton Foundation, perhaps the real reason for the private server and the deletion of 30,000 emails, Safire wrote of Hillarys amazing 10,000 percent profit in commodities trading which Hillary credited to astute reading of the Wall Street Journal. Safire commented:

We now know that was a lie told to turn aside accusations that as the Governor's wife she profited corruptly, her account being run by a lawyer for state poultry interests through a disreputable broker.

Before there was the email scandal, here was Whitewater, there was Travelgate, and there was the hiding of records from Vince Fosters office after his apparent suicide in a way eerily similar to Hillarys willful use of a private email server and the subsequent destruction of records under a Congressional subpoena. Safire observed:

Again, the lying was not irrational. Investigators believe that damning records from the Rose Law Firm, wrongfully kept in Vincent Foster's White House office, were spirited out in the dead of night and hidden from the law for two years -- in Hillary's closet, in Web Hubbell's basement before his felony conviction, in the President's secretary's personal files -- before some were forced out last week. Why the White House concealment? For good reason: The records show Hillary Clinton was lying when she denied actively representing a criminal enterprise known as the Madison S.& L., and indicate she may have conspired with Web Hubbell's father-in-law to make a sham land deal that cost taxpayers $3 million.

Hillary is the Joe Isuzu of modern American politics. Her actions past and present and her answers to the FBI demonstrate a pattern of criminal negligence, criminal conspiracy, a pattern of obstructing justice that make her unfit not only for the presidency. Maybe she can sell cars like Joe Isuzu, but would you buy a used car from Hillary Clinton?

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
If the law supposes that, said Mr. Bumble in Charles Dickens Oliver Twist, the law is an ass, an idiot. He could have been referring to U.S. court decisions that have allowed instigators or abettors of Palestinian terrorism to evade punishment for terrorist actions against the State of Israel and its citizens. The best that can be said of them is that the law on jurisdictional issues is still complicated, imprecise, and open to differences of opinion.

On August 31, 2016, a three-person panel of the Federal Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York by vote of 3-0 overturned a decision by a lower New York court that had imposed a $655.5 million verdict against the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

The case brought by a number of people, including some who had been injured by the attacks, has been going on a long time. A court has first awarded the plaintiffs the sum of $218.5 million in damages. The plaintiffs went further on the basis of the Anti-Terrorism Act that resulted from a previous Palestinian attack, the murder in 1985 of Leon Klinghoffer on the cruise ship Achille Lauro. The act allows American citizens who are victims of international terrorism to sue in U.S. Federal Courts, and for the tripling of damages already ordered.

Ten families had sued under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act asking for the two organizations, PLO and PA, to be held responsible for six bombings between 2002-4 in Israel in which 33 people, including four Americans, were killed and more than 450 wounded. The acts were attributed to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Hamas. A federal jury in Manhattan awarded the families of victims $218.5 million which was tripled automatically to $655.5 million under the provisions of Anti-Terrorism Act 18 U.S.C. 2333 (a).

The lower court, the Federal District Court in Manhattan under Judge George B. Daniels ruled on March 30, 2016 in the case Sokolow et al v. Palestine Liberation Organization et al, that the two Palestinian organizations, PA and PLO, were responsible for supporting six terrorist machine-gun attacks and suicide bombings in Israel. The district court refused the PLO request for summary judgment on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction.

Judge Daniels upheld the verdict of a jury that the PA and the PLO were liable under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act that allows U.S. citizens injured by acts of international terrorism to pursue the issues in federal court.

However, Judge John Koeltl, speaking for the Court of Appeals held otherwise. He admitted that the terror machine-gun attacks and suicide bombings that triggered the lawsuit were unquestionably horrific. Nevertheless, referring to a unanimously decided Supreme Court case, Daimler AG v. Bauman, January 14, 2014, the Court of Appeals rejected the argument that a U.S. court has jurisdiction over a foreign company because a subsidiary of the company existed in the U.S.

In that case the Supreme Court held that the U.S. Daimler Company (in California) could not be sued by Argentinian plaintiffs for injuries to union workers suspected of being agitators by its Argentinian subsidiary when that conduct took place entirely outside the U.S. The court could not exercise personal jurisdiction over Daimler. Neither could it exercise general jurisdiction because Daimler was not at home in California. The court held that general jurisdiction cannot be exercised over a foreign company when the members of a subsidiary are unrelated to the suit.

Implicitly in the Sokolow case, the Appeals Court held that an international organization, the PLO, cannot be sued for conduct occurring outside the U.S., and American courts have no jurisdiction in the issue.

The Federal Court of Appeals said that the Federal courts cannot exercise jurisdiction in a civil case beyond the limits prescribed by the due process clause of the U.S. Constitution, no matter how horrendous the underlying attacks or morally compelling the plaintiffs claims. It held the terrorist acts against Israel were committed outside U.S. territory, and that the lower court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case according to the due process clause.

The court also concluded that the terror attacks in Israel were not expressly aimed at the United States, or at Americans. The court decided it had neither general nor specific personal jurisdiction over the defendants.

The court argued that the terrorist attacks offered no basis to conclude that the defendants participated in these acts in the U.S. The plaintiffs had argued a number of points. One was that the attacks targeted U.S. citizens and they were efforts to influence U.S. policy to favor the PLO. Secondly, the court had jurisdiction because the Palestinians had a continuing presence in the U.S. The court did not accept these arguments. The attacks, it said, were not expressly aimed at the conduct of the U.S., but were fortuitous and random.

The fact that a U.S. citizen was killed does not confer specific personal jurisdiction because the actions were not aimed at the U.S. They had occurred outside the U.S. territory, and the attacks were not aimed specifically at Americans. The court held there was no connection between PLO lobbying and the terrorist attacks on foreign soil. The court therefore held that Palestinian lobbying in the U.S. was insufficiently related to the attacks.

The Appeals Court therefore dismissed the civil suit for lack of jurisdiction. The decision was a setback for the attempts to hold foreign entities liable in U.S. courts for damages for committing terrorist acts. The court ruled that the PA was not a sovereign state and did not have a base in the U.S. even though it had a mission in Washington and promoted its cause in the U.S. Palestine was the central seat of government for the PA whose authority was limited to the West Bank and Gaza. By this decision the court, rather surprisingly, provided terrorist sponsoring entities, the PA and PLO, with U.S. constitutional rights since they were not granted sovereign immunity as a state.

It is disheartening, even morally obtuse, that terrorists should have been protected by that technicality. The moral case for justice is overwhelming when one considers that the Palestinian attacks occurred in the street, inside a bus, and in a cafeteria at the Hebrew University.

In view of decisions that allow terrorists and supporters to evade punishment on the basis of the due process clause of the Constitution, either the Fifth or Fourteenth Amendments, two actions are necessary. The first immediate one is for the Sololow case to be reheard by the entire Court of Appeals and eventually appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The other is for Congress to pass a law that allows U.S. courts to have both general and specific jurisdiction over terrorist acts committed outside the U.S. when American citizens are killed or wounded. Standards of civilized morality must be upheld and evil terrorists must be given the punishment they deserve.
Fourteen years ago my life changed forever as I arrived in the United States, holding tightly to hope and a promise.

That promise was freedom and a dream of a better life.

I entered this beautiful country as a documented immigrant at the age of 18 in August 2002, almost one year after 9/11. After surviving 15 years of oppression under Sharia in Iran, I felt older than my years. I had seen too much and I knew all too well the suffering of those who were subjected to Islam. What I had witnessed and experienced had left my soul weary. But in America, I felt safe. I was able to breathe, and I could stop looking over my shoulder and living in fear.

I could now believe in miracles. Here I was, the newest member of the greatest country in the world. It was my rebirth into freedom. I was in a new place that viewed me as a human; someone of value to society. Finally, my life mattered. I was a daughter of liberty; a citizen of the U.S.A.

Ive never forgotten those who I left behind -- and I have dedicated my life to them. How could I turn my back on them, when I know all too well the vicious suffering women endure in Islamic-ruled countries?

At the age of 9, Quranic teachings and Islamic traditions forced me into womanhood. My thoughts, my actions and my life were no longer my own. From that moment on, I lost all rights as a person, as my instruction in preparation to marry and bear children became my only purpose in life. No longer would I be allowed in public without my hijab; prayer and submission would dominate my days. The life of a carefree child at play came to an abrupt and sudden end.

For the next 9 years, I would suffer terrible cruelty under Islam. Rape, lashings, arrests and beatings were my life because I was regarded as property to be handled rather than a human being to be loved. During those nine years, I was sold into marriage to a much older man who abused me terribly. A bruised body and broken bones became a common reality for me, and there was little I could do to stop it. Divorce was not an option. Islamic law offers women little support in abusive marriages.

I was trapped, like so many other young girls and women around me were. My silent screams of desperation would remain unheard -- until the day I decided I would rather die escaping than continue to live my life as a slave.

Fourteen years have now passed since I gained my freedom and began my mission to help and liberate those still trapped in Islamic countries. I do my best to be a voice for the voiceless who are still living a nightmare under the tyrannical rule of Islam.

I also fight for my fellow Americans. The present danger that Islam poses to this nation is very real, despite what our leftist government and media would have you believe. And because of the willful blindness and corruption within our government and media, America is now in grave danger vis-a-vis Islamic Supremacism and Jihad. I am witness to the hidden war between Islam and the West, and I see clearly, with great sadness and fear, that we are losing.

There are those voices amongst us that argue that Sharia is compatible with American life and can coexist harmoniously alongside the U.S. Constitution. Sorry, but I know Sharia. I know Islam. The coexistence of Sharia with the U.S. Constitution is impossible. And it is crucial to crystallize this fact and to expose exactly what Sharia is because it is now making significant gains on our territory.

Sharia severely limits individual rights, and every country ruled by Sharia forces its citizens to adhere to a strict code of living in accordance with the Quran, Hadith and the Supreme leaders ruling. The concept of free speech, for instance, is anathema to Islam. So is the notion of the individual. In Islam, it is Allah who dictates and defines the limits on acceptable and unacceptable actions. In Islam, it is the Quran that dictates the lives of the believers, and they have no freedom of choice in regard to anything they do.

Sharia denies its followers basic human dignity. In Islamic countries, women are second-class citizens, mere property, and denied many of the rights Americans take for granted. The right to initiate divorce, travel alone, or own property unless permitted by a man is denied to a woman in Islam.

Submission of the individual is also evident in Islams denial of freedom of religion. Under Sharia, you must practice Islam. Anyone born in an Islamic country is, by law, a Muslim, regardless of heritage. Attempting to change your faith is punishable by death.

In my homeland, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sharia is the law of the land. To speak out against it has dire consequences. Because of Sharia, Iran has one of the highest number of executions in the world. Reports and evidence of crimes against humanity come out of the Islamic Republic daily, many from released prisoners and their families. Patterns of torture, abuse and death of political prisoners are an undeniable truth.

I am saying all of this because today, as I look at what is happening in America, I see our freedom gravely threatened. Islam is at war with us, and it will stop at nothing in its deliberate and sustained attack on our freedoms. Islamization of the West is occurring at a very fast pace and one of the vehicles Supremacists are using to achieve it is the flooding of Western countries with Muslim refugees. Islamic Obama has opened the floodgates and Hillary intends to escalate the process.

Our leadership and media, meanwhile, perpetrate the lie that accepting these refugees is somehow about tolerance. It is not about tolerance  it is about our values being exploited by our enemies to assist us in cultural suicide and leaving ourselves vulnerable to jihadist attacks.

The dire danger to America lies in the lies told by our leftist government and media and the ignorance of many Americans about Islams true character and purpose. I fear that Americans have become blind to how precious and rare freedom is and how it must be protected and fought for without pause. I cant help but fear that what is coming to America is what came to my homeland in 1979 -- and I refuse to be silenced again. And because I refuse to be silent today, I know that certain Islamic forces have targeted me. But I will continue to speak out.

I tell you these things not to gain your sympathy, but to help you understand that our freedom is under fire. Our country is headed down a very dangerous path. The Left has succeeded in making resistance to Islamization appear to be racism and hatred. We must fight this malicious lie. We must fight to become well-informed and educated about Islam in order to defeat leftist and Islamist propaganda. By remaining silent, being afraid to be called names and ignoring reality, we will be surrendering our freedoms to the enemy.

Time is short. Every day that passes is one day we cannot spare. My hope for freedom and a better life was realized when I stepped on American soil fourteen years ago. But what frightens me is that the pernicious evil I escaped from is now coming here. I see it with my own eyes  and, catastrophically, this nation is sleepwalking like a zombie into disaster. I will not allow my freedom to be taken away again without fighting till my last breath. I hope my fellow Americans who love their country as much as I do will join me and other freedom fighters in our battle to save it.

Aynaz Anni Cyrus is an Iranian-American human rights activist and founder of Live Up To Freedom. She is the producer of The Glazov Gang and hosts its feature, The Unknown.
Barrel bombs of chlorine gas were dropped on a residential neighborhood in Aleppo, causing at least 80 people  many of them children  to suffer from breathing difficulties.

CNN:

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the attack, saying that medical sources accused regime warplanes of pounding the Sukkari neighborhood with barrel bombs "laden with poison gas." Harrowing footage distributed by the Syrian Civil Defense -- also known as the White Helmets -- shows small children and other victims being rushed to the makeshift Basel Aslan hospital in the arms of rescuers, gasping desperately for air as they are given oxygen masks. Such scenes are becoming all too familiar in Aleppo, part of which has been held by rebels since July 2015. Government forces in July encircled the rebel-held part of the city in a siege that cut residents off from basic supplies of food, water, fuel and medicine, spawning a humanitarian crisis. Rebel-held Aleppo has been pounded by the forces of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, backed by Russian air power. Several cases of chlorine gas bomb attacks also have been reported there.

Why isn't the U.N. imposing sanctions on Russia and Syria for using WMD on civilians? The White House says chlorine gas is not "historically" a chemical weapon. I'm sure the ghosts of tens of thousands of soldiers from World War I would violently disagree.

Chlorine gas is not banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention because of the hundreds of industrial uses for the product. But how the substance is employed should be the determining factor. The Syrians deliberately constructed a weapon that could deliver the gas and then dropped it on a civilian neighborhood. If there is any clearer violation of the chemical weapons treaty, I haven't seen it.

Syria's supply of chemical weapons was supposedly taken away by Russia. The fact that mustard and sarin gas were used in attacks on civilians gives the lie to that notion and implicates Russia in enabling these horrific attacks.

Gone and forgotten  Obama's disappearing "red line" regarding Syria's use of chemical weapons. Recall that Obama announced this red line without consulting the military or the State Department  incredible if you give it any thought. Putin stepped in to save him by getting Assad to agree to the transfer of his stockpiles to Russia, which also signaled Assad that there would be no interference from the U.S. if he chose to gas his enemies.

All lives lost as a result of Assad's flouting of international law and human decency are directly on the head of the U.S. president. His feckless, incompetent administration enables the bloodshed in Syria and the civilian deaths the world seems unable to stop.
Great Britain and France are set to begin construction of a wall in the French port of Calais to prevent refugees from swarming trucks bound for England, the immigration minister, Robert Goodwill, said yesterday.

The half-mile, 13-foot-high wall is part of a package of security measures seeking to stem the tide of illegal immigrants coming into Great Britain.

BBC:

Home Office minister Robert Goodwill said security was being "stepped up" as migrants continue to try to board vehicles heading to Britain.

But a lorry drivers' group called the wall a "poor use" of public money.

Work is expected to start this month, with the wall due to be finished by the end of the year.

The BBC understands it will not replace any existing fences.

The government refused to confirm the cost of the wall, but reports suggest a1.9m price tag - to be paid for out of 17m announced by David Cameron earlier this year.

Speaking to the Home Affairs Committee of MPs on Tuesday, Mr Goodwill said: "The security that we are putting in at the port is being stepped up with better equipment.

"We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We've done the fence; now we are doing a wall."

But Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, called the plan a "poor use of taxpayers' money".

He said funding for a wall "would be much better spent on increasing security along the approach roads".

Vikki Woodfine, of law firm DWF, works with many hauliers and said a wall "isn't the answer".

"It is simply a knee-jerk reaction that is unlikely to make a difference in the long run - particularly since the route to the Calais port is already surrounded by fences and barbed wire," she said.

She said the "real problem" was a lack of policing.

"Chaos reigns in the Calais region, yet hauliers are being fined up to 4,000 per migrant found in their vehicle," she added.

Many of the migrants living at the Jungle and other camps in northern France attempt to reach the UK by boarding lorries as they approach ports or the Eurotunnel.

Numerous fences have been built to protect the port, and the Eurotunnel terminal and train tracks on the other side of Calais.

On Monday, French lorry drivers and farmers blockaded the main motorway route into Calais in a protest calling for the closure of the Jungle.
The turmoil at Fox News extends well beyond the settlement ($20 million) and apology the networks parent company gave to Gretchen Carlson yesterday in the wake of her charges of sexual harassment against Roger Ailes, who has himself left the network (settlement: reportedly $40 million). Yesterday morning, Greta van Susteren tweeted:

From my Facebook page pic.twitter.com/9kZdRVjViZ  Greta Van Susteren (@greta) September 6, 2016

Note that van Susteren says that her discontent has been building for years. But she has also been a defender of Roger Ailes and had in her contract a key man clause that allowed her to end her employment in the event of a change at the top.

According to FNC media reporter Howard Kurtz:

According to a source familiar with the process, Van Susteren asked to renegotiate her contract after Roger Ailes resigned under pressure as Fox News chairman following a sexual harassment lawsuit. Van Susteren is one of a number of key Fox personnel whose contract included a key man clause allowing her to leave if Ailes departed. When those negotiations deadlocked, Van Susteren chose to invoke the departure option, the sources said. Her last show was Thursday, and the swiftness of events did not allow her to deliver an on-air farewell.

She is being replaced until Election Day by 73-year-old semi-retired Brit Hume, who is self-admittedly a little rusty. He is also an open skeptic of Donald Trumps candidacy, in contrast to van Susteren, who has been quite supportive.

Trump backers who insist he's a conservative should take this quiz. https://t.co/FPQnYiuY9t  Brit Hume (@brithume) January 27, 2016

So what lies ahead for Greta? Business Insider reports:

She added that she hoped "to continue my career in broadcasting."

Her future plans were not immediately clear. Politico media reporter Hadas Gold noted that Van Susteren liked a tweet about the cable channel HLN perhaps needing a new 9 p.m. host with a legal background:

INTERESTING tweet Greta just faved pic.twitter.com/hBBH4dJgqR  Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) September 6, 2016

As for Fox News, I predict more changes ahead. It could get rough.
The Obama administration is intent on bringing in as many Muslim immigrants classified as refugees as it can before the election. Is the United States the best place to settle those refugees?

First, what countries would be closest to the Muslim refugees home culture? Countries with large Muslim minorities almost universally have culture clashes that all too often result in terror attacks. This is common to countries around the globe, as witnessed in the Philippines, Australia, Thailand, India, Canada, Nigeria, Kenya, and multiple countries in Europe as well as the United States. Polling indicates that an unusually large number of Muslims worldwide support extremist groups like ISIS and terror tactics like suicide bombings. It would not be wise to relocate Muslim refugees into a non-Muslim country with this being the case. The host country would in effect be a target-rich environment.

In order to avoid such friction, it would be more prudent to settle Muslim refugees in Muslim majority countries. Consider this:

The Organization for Islamic Cooperation is composed of 56 Islamic states. It has 26 million square kilometers of land. That is nearly three times that of the United States and over six times the land mass of the entire European Union.

There are 1.5 billion people in the OIC. Ten million refugees would amount to 0.6% of their population.

Qatar is in the OIC and has the highest Gross Domestic Product per capita of any country in the world. The top 24 also includes OIC member states Brunei, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. OIC countries have adequate money as well as land area to provide for the Muslim refugees.

Most if not all OIC countries are in the eastern hemisphere. The eastern hemisphere is where the refugees are from. Therefore, it would be closer to home for the refugees than if we were to bring them to the other side of the planet for settlement in the western hemisphere.

The OIC has the land and money, but how could its members be persuaded to address the problem? The United States in particular spends a lot of foreign aid on many OIC countries. Pakistan and Indonesia both get U.S. foreign aid, and they both have large land masses and large Muslim populations. The U.S. State Department has plenty of diplomats who could persuade such countries to help.

The left should have no objection to this policy. President Obama said recently that racism is part of our DNA. Hillary Clinton said, Racism is Americas original sin. With this kind of a mindset, why on Earth would any self-respecting leftist want to bring Middle Eastern Muslims to a land like America? Im sure they would agree that it would be much more harmonious to move the refugees into tolerant, open Muslim societies so they would not suffer the discrimination that awaits them in the U.S. Right?

It is in the best interest of the United States to reduce immigration numbers from historical highs to a more manageable level. The refugees are part of this immigration wave. There are better places for Muslim refugees to settle than the United States. This is to the benefit of the refugee as well as the citizens of the United States.
Hillary Clintons now infamous What difference at this point does it make hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was a set-up job, according to the boast of her aide Philippe Reines in an email to Chelsea. Catherine Herridge of Fox News writes:

Newly released emails suggest a senior Hillary Clinton aide stage-managed her first hearing on the Benghazi terrorist attack by feeding specific topics Clinton wanted to address to Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, who at the time was acting chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. "We wired it that Menendez would provide an opportunity to address two topics we needed to debunk (her actions/whereabouts on 9/11, and these email from Chris Stevens about moving locations,)" Clinton media gatekeeper Philippe Reines wrote to Chelsea Clinton the morning of the Jan. 23, 2013 hearing. Click here to read the emails

Recall that at the time, her performance at the hearing was regarded as a triumph, with the assembled senators cowed into silence by her angry words. Only with the passage of time have people been able to examine her outburst in perspective and realize that it was a stunningly arrogant and callous thing to say about men who went to their deaths while she did nothing to send help their way for hours and hours and hours, as they struggled to survive until help arrived.

Ironies abound in the email, which was released only due to the efforts of Citizens United, which pursued a FOIA suit, not through the efforts of any law enforcement agency or politician. David Bossie, the head of Citizens United, has just joined the Trump campaign, to the consternation of many on the left. He has dogged the Clintons, investigating their chicanery since they moved from Arkansas to the White House, earning him the title of Hillarys Inspector Javert.

Senator Menendez, who later crossed Obama and coincidentally got himself indicted, accused of using the influence of his office to advance the business interests of a longtime friend and political supporter in exchange for luxury gifts, lavish vacations and more than $750,000 in campaign donations.

But at the time of the hearing, Menendez followed the script, for all the good it did him.

Of course, what he did is entirely different somehow from what Hillary did, getting Laureate University invited to a high-level meeting sponsored by the State Department.

Right out of the gate, the first hearing question from Menendez that day covered both topics referenced by Reines. Menendez asked for Clintons insights on the decision-making process regarding the location of the Mission. The senator added, can you also in your response, you touched upon it in your opening statement, but what actions were you and your staff taking the night of September 11 and into September 12?" The then-secretary of state had an answer on both fronts. She told the committee that "[Ambassador] Chris [Stevens] was committed to not only being in Benghazi but to the location," and that on the night of the attack, "I was notified of the attack shortly after 4:00 p.m. Over the following hours, we were in continuous meetings and conversations both within the department with our team in Tripoli, with the interagency and internationally."

For now, the Clinton camp is dummying up:

Fox News asked the Clinton campaign as well as Menendez's office if they coordinated before the 2013 Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing; what was meant by the term "wired;" and how the email exchange was consistent with the principle of independent congressional oversight. Both confirmed receipt of Foxs questions. The Senators office said they would not be commenting. The Clinton campaign said they would advise Fox if they decided to react to Reines email.

Of course, the idea that politics would play a role in a congressional hearing is not exactly new. But it is also embarrassing that a claim to have wired a hearing (implying directly that the outcome or at least the process was determined by Clinton herself) reinforces the narrative that the system is rigged, as Donald Trump puts it.
Tyrants throughout history have known that beheading their enemies and placing the heads on pikes at the gates of their capitals sends a powerful message to everyone else. Behave yourself as we dictate, and you may survive. Cross the king, and you are a dead man.

Something very similar, but updated and taken to a vast financial level, happened to ITT Tech, the privately owned trade school/university. As the Wall Street Journal explains, it crossed the king (in this case, the Obama Department of Education):

ITT Technical Institute folded on cue Tuesday after the Obama Administration issued a regulatory death warrant last month. ITT investors must be wishing they had ponied up for political protection like Laureate International Universities, the for-profit college that paid Bill Clinton $17.6 million to serve as its honorary chancellor. ITTs decision to close all of its 130 some campusesstranding 40,000 students and 8,000 employeescomes after the Education Department barred new enrollees from tapping federal aid, delayed loan reimbursements and raised its collateral by $153 million. ITT had a mere $78 million on hand at the end of June and no way of meeting the Administrations cash demand.

Note that these federal government actions are the product of bureaucratic discretion. The DoE demanded a ransom of an additional $75 million in order to stay in business. The point of the demand for collateral is to protect students and the taxpayers lending to them from a possible, at this point theoretical, harm arising from a collapse of the school. But the remedy merely cut to the chase and imposed the harm directly:

Department officials claim they are merely trying to protect students and taxpayers even though the SEC and CFPB allegations involve ITTs private loan program. Many ITT students wont be able to transfer to other schools, and the colleges closure means that nearly $500 million in student debt could be wiped out. ITT has put up only $90 million in collateral to cover discharged loans. Taxpayers would be on the hook for the rest.

There are a lot of interests involved in bringing down ITT Tech:

ITTs execution follows the usual pattern: A pack of regulators attack from all anglesi.e., the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, Securities and Exchange Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and state Attorneys Generaland try to run their target out of business before it can raise a legal defense. None of their charges have been proven in court. (snip) Although Education Secretary John King claimed that ITT could have stayed in business by taking corrective action, liberals appear to have plotted the companys assassination long ago. Rohit Chopra worked at the CFPB and the Center for American Progress before signing on as a special adviser to Mr. King in January. In June 2015 Mr. Chopra warned ITT shareholders that the department can revoke eligibility for federal student aid with minimal notice and that ITT may be forced to post even more collateral to maintain eligibility. . . . Unless ITT makes improvements to management culture, the board of directors, and executive compensation, it may be unable to survive over the long term. Immediately after the department imposed its lethal sanctions on ITT, Mr. Chopra departed for the Hillary Clinton campaign. Maybe hell be tasked to answer questions about the Clintons lucrative ties to Laureate.

Laureate had the good sense (attention: American business, this is the message) to pay 17 million dollars to the bank account of the family that controls the Democratic Party.

Mrs. Clinton requested that a Laureate representative be invited to a State Department dinner in 2009while the rest of the for-profit industry was on the Administrations menubecause it was the fastest growing college network in the world and founded by Mr. Becker, who Bill likes a lot. Laureate has 87 campuses in 28 countries, most in the developing world, so the State Departments imprimatur could be useful. Yet the Obama Administrations College Scorecard shows that its five U.S. campuses have graduation rates comparable to ITTs. However, student debt levels are higher$31,976 at Walden University and $43,417 at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego compared to about $26,000 at ITT schools. A report by the Senate Education Committee in 2012 found that Laureate devoted more of its revenues to marketing and profit (54%) than the industry average (42%). While progressives like Mr. Chopra howl about how companies determine executive pay and market-based incentives, Laureate says it seeks to align executives interests with those of our investors and be competitive in the industry. We know that Mr. Clinton was paid more than what regulatory filings show ITT CEO Kevin Modany has earned during the last five years (assuming no bonus this year). Laureate investors must have believed that the services Mr. Clinton rendered justified his rich remuneration. Readers can reach their own conclusions about for-profits and double standards.

Any business with an exposure to federal regulations (which includes every sizable business in the country) now understands that it exists at the sufferance of the politicians who control the federal bureaucracy. As a practical matter, this means Democrats only, for the federal bureaucracy is deeply politicized and attached to the party of big government for solid, practical, self-interested reasons.

This is banana republic territory, and we are already well into it. Your interests, my interests, and the interests of the ITT Tech students (some of whom face devastation of their career plans and finances) count for nothing.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky
Author Salman Rushdie spent two decades in hiding after the Iranian government issued a death sentence for his "blasphemy" in writing The Satanic Verses.

Almost the entire Western world came to his defense. But Rushdie believes that that wouldn't happen today.

Washington Times:

Now, Mr. Rushdie says in an interview with a French magazine, Western governments are too eager to appease Islamism, both at home and abroad. He was also sharply critical of President Obama for his reluctance to use the I-word when speaking of terrorism. Today, I would be accused of Islamophobia and racism. People would say I had attacked a cultural minority, the writer told Le Point magazine in an interview excerpted in the newspaper Le Figaro and translated with computer assistance by The Washington Times. He cited as an example of the change the handling of Charlie Hebdo, where an often scabrous satirical newspaper was threatened for years by Islamists and eventually numerous employees there were killed in a terrorist attack. Instead of responding to attacks against freedom of expression, voices were raised to decry blasphemy and to propose compromise with terrorism. There is no blasphemy in a democracy, Mr. Rushdie said. In the interview, the writer decried the reluctance of Western governments to use the words Muslim or Islam, preferring instead to attribute terrorist attacks to unbalanced people or to a generic thing like radicalism or extremism, even when the attackers themselves say Islam is their motive. You French use the Daesh label, which neutralizes things, while worldwide it is called ISIS movement, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, he said. Some of his fire also was aimed at the Obama administration and its repeatedly defended refusal (one often criticized by Republicans) to attribute terrorist attacks to Islam in any form. Nor does he spare Barack Obama for his stubbornness in not saying the word Islam in reacting to the attacks committed in its name. The author interprets this silence, in the end, as a mandated caution against offending Muslims and African-Americans, who often are attracted to Islam, Le Figaro wrote.

The very concept of free speech has been altered to make it a thoughtcrime even to mention certain minorities in anything but a positive context. This vastly expanded notion of "offensive speech" endangers traditional ideas of free expression where being offended is a secondary consideration to being able to say whatever you want to say without fear of having your speech suppressed.

I recall that Rushdie would come out of hiding to speak to liberal groups around the world, who took it as a point of honor to attend these gatherings to show support for the author. But he's absolutely right: today, he would be vilified and relentlessly criticized on social media.

One more important voice looking to tell the truth about the world is silenced.
The NeverTrump faction of the Republican Party and conservative movement is facing reality as the election nears. As Jared E. Peterson explained in detail yesterday, [t]he election of Hillary Clinton would mean final defeat for American conservativism  for at least a generation and almost certainly for much longer than that.

Compared to the personal benefit of maintaining theoretical moral superiority to the unwashed masses that chose Donald Trump as the GOP nominee, the downside of a Supreme Court majority utterly compliant with the demands and whims of the left is starting to change minds. As well, the degree of personal corruption of the Clintons is such that the specter of a presidency driven by the opportunities for various forms of bribery may be sickening some of those repelled by Trumpian rhetoric and style.

One of the first NeverTrumps to reconsider is Mark Levin, who occupies a crucial position in the conservative movement, as both a popular talk show host and as a legal and constitutional scholar of great importance. He may well be the most influential pundit among conservatives. Such is my regard for him that I am not really surprised at this change, nor by the timing of it, as the post-Labor Day campaign-in-earnest begins. The Conservative Review, founded by Mark Levin, explains:

Mark Levin made the big announcement Tuesday night on his radio show after methodically walking listeners through his rationale. At the beginning of the program, Levin made sure his real feelings were known. It was no secret that Levins first choice was not and is not Donald Trump. In fact, he boldly declared Tuesday that despite Trumps holding some conservative policies, Donald Trump is not a conservative  and hes not reliable. Levin reiterated his position that Sen. Ted Cruz wouldve been a far better choice to champion conservative principles as president. But thats not what happened and  at the end of the day, someone is going to be president.

You can listen to the endorsement:

Whos next? My guess is Charles Krauthammer, but who knows? Jonah, Kevin, and George, come on in; the waters fine.

If Donald Trump can improve his support among Republican voters to customary levels of 90%+, he has a far better shot at winning.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that members of Congress were briefed by the Obama administration on how the rest of the $1.7-billion ransom payment to Iran was accomplished.

The transfer took place in late January, with $400 million in cash being flown from Geneva to Tehran, after which several Americans held in Iranian prisons were released. Yesterday, after months of demands from Congress for information on how the remaining $1.3 billion was transferred to Iran, the administration came clean and admitted that the entire amount was paid in cash.

The Obama administration previously had refused to disclose the mechanics of the $1.7 billion settlement, despite repeated calls from U.S. lawmakers. The State Department announced the settlement on Jan. 17 but didnt brief Congress that the entire amount had been paid in cash. U.S. lawmakers have voiced concern that Irans military units, particularly the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, would use the cash to finance military allies in the Middle East, including the Assad regime in Syria, Houthi militias in Yemen, and the Lebanese militia, Hezbollah. Sanctions impair Tehrans ability to receive payments using the international banking system. The settlement resulted from a legal arbitration under way in the Netherlands since the early 1980s between the U.S. and Iran. At issue was a $400 million payment Tehrans last monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, made to a Pentagon trust fund just months before his government was toppled. The money was earmarked for airplane parts that were never delivered. Obama administration officials have said they believed the U.S. was set to lose the court proceedings in The Hague and would end up being liable for as much as $10 billion because of accrued interest. Republican lawmakers have argued the initial $400 million shouldnt be repaid to Iran and instead should have been used to compensate the victims of Iranian-backed terrorism. The bill introduced by congressional Republicans on Tuesday would block the Treasury Department from making any payments to Iran until Tehran returns the $1.7 billion to the U.S. and pays the American terrorism victims. Three dual U.S.-Iranian citizens are still being held in Iran. The U.S. government should not be in the business of negotiating with terrorists and paying ransom money in exchange for the release of American hostages, Mr. Rubio said.

That cash  untraceable and easily transported  is going to kill a lot of innocent people. It's expected that Iran will spread that cash among its surrogates like the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hezb'allah, the Lebanese terrorist group fighting with Russia in Syria to bolster the Assad regime.

The Iranians, already the world's #1 supporter of terrorism, just got a financial shot in the arm that will truly make them the bankers of choice for terrorists.
Despite the fact that Samsung recently stated its Galaxy Note 7 flagships produced for the Chinese market has no battery issues due to the fact that their batteries werent produced by Samsung SDI, the South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer still doesnt want to leave anything to chance. Namely, the company has just launched an online tool designed to check the IMEI number of Galaxy Note 7 units purchase in China, Hong Kong, and Macau. After inputting the IMEI number of their device, users in this region can see where their unit was produced and use that info to figure out whether they need to take advantage of the Galaxy Note 7 replacement program which Samsung announced immediately after issuing a recall of the faulty devices. In any case, if youve purchased your Galaxy Note 7 in China, Hong Kong, and Macau, you can input your IMEI number in the aforementioned tool and see whether its battery was produced by Samsung SDI. To find out your devices IMEI number, simply dial *#06#, or go into Settings > About Phone.

For the uninitiated, Samsung customers recently reported that certain Galaxy Note 7 models whose batteries were produced by Samsung SDI had a tendency to explode while charging. The tech giant is already in full damage control mode and has been offering replacements and issuing apologies to the affected consumers for several days now, though the situation is still far from being resolved. Luckily, the issue is not widespread and as of last week, Samsung stated that it has received only 35 reports about defective Galaxy Note 7 units. DJ Koh, the head of Samsung Mobile has also stated that the companys internal investigation resulted in a conclusion that 24 units on a scale of one million are affected by the aforementioned battery issues. Its also worth noting that not all of those 24 units are prone to exploding during the charging process.

For the time being, the consumer electronics manufacturer has suspended all sales of its latest phablet and is looking into resolving this situation as quickly and painlessly as possible. Unfortunately, it may be a while before all of the faulty units are replaced and its likely that a good portion of Galaxy Note 7 owners still arent aware of these problems as its been less than 24 hours since the last burning.
The Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy Note 7 are, according to many people, amongst the best-designed smartphones out there at the moment. These two devices sport curved displays up front, and it seems like other companies are planning to release such phones as well. Vivo had already introduced the Vivo XPlay 5, a smartphone with such a display, the Elephone S7 is right around the corner, and it seemed like Meizus PRO 7 will also come knocking soon. Leaks have been pointing to a September 13th launch event, but it seems like that event wont happen after all, read on.

Earlier today the Meizu PRO 6s leaked, and now the companys VP has something to say. Meizus Vice President, Li Nan, denied that Meizu plans to host a press conference on September 13th. His post is in Chinese, and even though our Chinese is quite rusty, he obviously says that the conference will not take place on September 13th, and in addition to that, he said that the PRO 7 will launch next year, which is quite weird. We do believe that the translation is quite accurate, but in case you want to make sure, you can always take a look at the original post by following the source link down below. It seems odd Meizu is ready to wait for next year in order to release this smartphone, especially considering the fact that the Exynos 8890 wont exactly be the current-gen SoC next year, as soon as Samsung introduced the Galaxy S8, the next-gen Exynos processor will come to play. So, it is possible that the company is not even planning to include the Exynos 8890 in the Meizu PRO 7. In any case, were waiting to get more info from the company.

For those of you who are not in the loop, rumors and leaks said that the Meizu PRO 7 will ship with a curved display, 4GB of RAM and Samsungs Exynos 8890 64-bit octa-core processor on the inside. Now, do keep in mind that the PRO 6s might still launch this year, as it was spotted this morning, so maybe Meizu intends to include the Exynos 8890 in the Meizu PRO 6s, and also throw a curved display on it? Thats not all that likely, but who knows, well have to wait and see what happens, though this certainly comes as a surprise.
Motorola has a storied history in the world of technology, from making car radios to bringing us the first consumer mobile phone, the company has certainly had its fair share of ups as well as downs. Practically disappearing from the smartphone game before being snapped up by Google, introducing the new Moto line of devices, and then being sold off to Chinas Lenovo. The brand continues to introduce new hardware, this year in the form of the innovative and modular Moto Z line of devices, but it seems as though the acquisition by Lenovo continues to have its effect on the Motorola of old. Earlier this year, Rick Osterloh left the company to join Google, and Jim Wicks, the man behind the Moto 360s look and feel also left earlier this year. Now, to round out the exodus is a third name, Head of Engineering at Motorola, Iqbal Arshad is leaving Lenovo.

Said to be the man behind the original line of Droid products, Iqbal has been an important member of the team ever since, and helped the pre-Google Motorola build and introduce innovative Droid products before moving on to the Moto line of Moto X and Moto G devices. Its unclear what, if anything, Arshad is moving on to and he made no hints in his letter to employees at Motorola saying that I was lucky to have been a part of the mobile disruption. As I figure out the next disruptive mission, I will take some time off while exploring at depth the intersection of new technologies and traditional industries. Arshad seems to be a quality talent that a lot of Silicon Valley firms would be more than happy to accept, but having spent so much time at Motorola making smartphones, its likely that hell want to move on to something else, which could open up a number of possibilities for him.

This is the third big departure that Motorola has suffered this year, and while its not 100% confirmed to be as a result of the Lenovo acquisition, the timing certainly is curious. As Lenovo continues to blur the lines on what exactly is or isnt Motorola these days, its likely that some are keen to move on to greener pastures as well as challenge themselves while working on something new entirely. No matter what, its hoped that Motorola can continue as a successful part of Lenovos overall business.
Five months after filing a gag order lawsuit against the US government, Microsoft won over some notable supporters to its cause. Namely, Google, Apple, Mozilla, and several other tech giants have recently signed an amicus curiae brief and put themselves at the disposal of the court in order to help Microsoft fight the governments tendency to issue suppression orders. Microsoft is adamant at stopping the government from demanding digital records of its customers in secrecy and is claiming that the governments gagging orders are violating the Fourth Amendment according to which people have the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.

This spring, Microsofts chief legal officer Brad Smith claimed that out of over 2,500 demands for user data sent to Microsoft by various government agencies in an 18-month period, over 1,700 didnt have an end date. In other words, more than two third of them had an indefinite gag order tied to them and Microsoft was prevented to even inform its customers that the government has obtained their digital data. This is Redmonds main proof that the government is violating the Fourth Amendment.

Apart from the aforementioned tech giants, Microsofts gag orders fight against Washington was also recently praised and supported by the media including the Washington Post and Fox News, as well as the US Chamber of Commerce and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Last but not least, even five former FBI and justice department officials have explicitly expressed support towards Redmonds lawsuit against the US government. Smith is not only happy but also amused by the colorful cast of entities which decided to support his companys lawsuit as he recently stated that seeing ACLU and Fox News on the same side is a truly rare sight.

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All in all, if Microsoft ends up winning the case, the company will do a huge favor to numerous other tech giants who have been fighting gag orders for years on a smaller scale. Googles transparency reports from last year specifically state that a lot of the suppression orders the company received from the government dont make sense and explicitly voice the tech giants intent to fight them.
A parent who lost his son in a 2011 crash in a car driven by a distracted driver has worked with Cellebrite, a mobile forensics company, to design and build a way of determining if a phone is being used at the time of an incident. By way of background to the product, which is being dubbed the Textalyzer, currently there is limited legislation to catch distracted drivers who have caused a crash. Current legislation relies on humans to admit that the driver was using his or her cell phone at the time of any incident and should the facts be in doubt, investigators can request access to phone and billing records, a process that can take many weeks. Even when a phone record is acquired, it may not show device activity at the time of an incident. It can show the call and text logs, and some companies are able to provide details as to what sort of Internet activity was taking place, but with many applications and services performing background Internet use this is circumstantial and does not necessarily prove the driver was doing something with a smartphone.

Cellebrites Textalyzer is a software package designed to connect to a smartphone and determine if the keyboard (including a touchscreen keyboard) was being used at the time of an incident. Cellebrite have designed this technology to be easy, simple to use and to maintain user privacy: the software attempts to identify if the device was being used without identifying what it was being used for. To do this, the Cellebrite software connects to a cell phone and studies the system logs to understand what the device was doing at the exact time. The device has already been built and legislation is currently being considered to give police officers the authority to the new software. If approved, this same software may quickly and easily be drafted for use elsewhere in the United States and ultimately the world.

The reason for revised laws is because currently there is a different mechanism in place should the police suspect a driver was distracted compared with if he or she has been drinking. For a suspected drunk driver, the suspect is asked to submit to a Breathalyzer or blood alcohol test and there are consequences if he or she does not agree to this: the driver could lose his or her license through refusing to submit. The proposed legislation is a nod towards making distracted driving the same stigma as drunk driving: the thought here is that many people would not drink and get behind the wheel, but are comfortable texting as they drive. Part of this is giving penalties to drivers who do not allow their device to be connected to, which in turn relies on the legal concept of implied consent. The new bill uses the same implied consent framework for the Textalyzer in that drivers could lose their license through not submitting their device for the test.

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There are very real issues associated with the technology, including privacy: although the Cellebrite software is designed not to know what the device was doing at the time, this could still be a point of contention. It is also unclear how device encryption could stop the Cellebrite technology from working: an encrypted device is going to refuse a connection to system logs. And lets not forget that the concept of assuming a distracted driver is using a mobile device is flawed: compared with cars from the 1980s, many modern machines can distract drivers with a number of electronic systems that seemingly rival the Starship Enterprise. We have built-in navigation, parking sensors, rear view cameras, digital climate control systems, energy management displays, media connections, infotainment units that include a touchscreen and numerous buttons plus much duplication in the form of steering wheel controls. A driver is just as likely to be distracted searching for a playlist on an iPod as when he or she might be catching a Pokemon in Pokemon GO.

Putting this to one side, currently distracted driving does not have the same image as drunk driving. In America, texting and riving has been banned in 46 states. A smaller number have made it illegal to use a handheld device whilst at the wheel. Penalties also vary depending on the location as theyre much more mild in South Carolina where there are no points given to drivers and fines start at $25. Unfortunately, advances into autonomous or semi-autonomous driving technologies make it easier for drivers to be distracted and, perhaps, get away with it. And as the time of writing, the legal framework is at best grey when it comes to catching and ultimately convicting drivers. Cellebrites new technology looks to be a step in the right direction.
According to a report that surfaced yesterday, several hundred of Dell Chromebooks acquired by the city of Providence, Rhode Island for students of the local high school were stolen on June 7th. The theft occurred somewhere in the FedEx distribution center and Cumberland police detective Jolene Alves confirmed that the FBI recently took over the case. Michael DAntuano, Providence School Department business manager stated that the Chromebook shipment never reached the department building and that the blame lies on FedEx.

The latest information released by authorities suggests that the thief impersonated a FedEx employee on June 7th, signed off, and proceeded to take away the shipment. Not surprisingly, DAntuano is upset with this turn of events and has stated that there is no way the School Department will pay for a product that was never received, adding that such a thing would be ridiculous. He also specifically stated that it wasnt school departments responsibility to pick up the shipment, once again implying that FedEx is to be blamed for the theft.

FedEx representative Lauren Doll refused to reveal details of the situation to the media and has simply explained that the media inquiries are related to an ongoing investigation that she cant comment on. However, she explicitly stated that FedEx is closely cooperating with the authorities and expressed hope that the case will soon be solved. Kristen Setera, FBI adviser for public affairs also refused to verify detective Alves claims that the FBI took over the investigation, though she also didnt deny it either. NBC reports that the thief stole around 700 Dell Chromebooks though its sources arent aware of exact models that were stolen. In other words, the stolen shipment is worth between $153,000 and $230,000. Superintendent Christopher Mahers spokeswoman Laura Hart refused to confirm that number and has simply added that shes certain the theft wasnt an inside job.

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The silver lining here is that Dell has already shipped more Chromebooks to the Providence School Department and that the shipment actually reached its intended destination this time. The departments information technology director Peter Santos already confirmed that the students have everything they need and that school is proceeding as normal.
Chen Jianbin. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chen Jianbin, who won two major awards at the Taipei Golden Horse Awards in 2014, returns to small screen.

On a recent Beijing event, the 46-year-old actor unveiled the backdrop of his latest TV series, Chinese-style Relationship.

Revolving on the Chinese recognition of guanxi, or networking, the 36-episode series explores the different ways of thinking between the West and East, through the perspectives from a middle-aged official and an overseas-educated designer.

The series will run on Beijing Satellite TV from Sept 8, with two episodes every night.

Chen said the script impressed him, for it applies a dark-humor narration to examine the middle-age crisis and ordinary people's struggles.

Chen won the best actor and best new director awards at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival for his directorial debut, A Fool, in which he plays the protagonist.

Related:

'A love for Separation': mid-August treat for Chinese audiences
(ANSA) - Rome, September 7 - The university of Cambridge has responded to Italian prosecutors' request and sent documents to Rome on Giulio Regeni, the Italian research student tortured and murdered in Cairo earlier this year, judicial source said Wednesday.

The documents were sent to Rome prosecutors after a request made following prosecutor Sergio Colaiocco's visit to Cambridge on June 6.

A second batch of documents will arrive in the coming days from Girton College where Regeni was working. Regeni, 28, was researching independent Egyptian trade unions for the British university. Egyptian friends of Regeni have said his work among union activists brought him into the cross-hairs of Egypt's security forces. Egypt has denied its intelligence or police had any role in the murder of Regeni, who disappeared on January 25 and whose body was found in a ditch outside Cairo on February 3 with multiple signs of torture on it. Egypt's prosecutor general is set to arrive in Rome for a third meeting with Rome prosecutors on the case, which has garnered headlines worldwide and spurred criticism of Egypt's authoritarian government. The day Regeni went missing was the heavily policed fifth anniversary of the uprising that ousted former strongman Hosni Mubarak. Human rights groups say the Egyptian regime has 'disappeared' hundreds of opponents.

Egypt has offered up a number of explanations for the young man's condition and his death - including a gay lovers' quarrel, a car crash, and a kidnapping for ransom gone wrong - none of which Italy has found convincing.


(ANSA) - Cairo, September 7 - Egyptian Prosecutor-General Nabil Ahmed Sadek and a delegation of investigators will travel to Rome "in the next few hours" to meet Rome Chief Prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone on the case of Giulio Regeni, the Italian research student who was tortured and murdered in Cairo, Egyptian newspaper Al Akhbar said.

"Sadek will present new information found in the inquiry to get to the truth about the researcher's death," it said.

Last month Italian officials said Egyptian and Italian prosecutors investigating Regeni's death would meet in Rome on September 8 and 9.

The meeting is being held on request of the Rome prosecutor's office, which is conducting the Italian side of the investigation.

Prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone and Egyptian Prosecutor General Sadek will attend what will be the third such meeting since the beaten, stabbed, burned, mutilated and partially unclothed body of Regeni, 28, was found dumped in a ditch on the outskirts of Cairo on February 3, a week after his disappearance on the night of January 25.

An autopsy subsequently revealed he had been tortured for days, and that someone ultimately killed him by snapping his neck.

Egypt has offered up a number of explanations for the young man's condition and his death - including a gay lovers' quarrel, a car crash, and a kidnapping for ransom gone wrong - none of which Italy has found convincing.

The first meeting between prosecutors and investigators from both countries took place March 14 in the Egyptian capital, and the second took place April 7 in Rome.

Italy broke off judicial cooperation after Egypt failed to provide meaningful information and called its ambassador to Cairo back to Rome.

Since then a new ambassador has been named, Giampaolo Cantini, but is still being kept in Rome.


(ANSA) - Turin, September 7 - The Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI) will "very probably" strike again "in the next few days" after seven members were arrested earlier this week, Turin-based anti-terror experts said Wednesday.

Investigators said Tuesday three bombs set by insurrectionists from the FAI "aimed to kill" first responders.

Seven suspects were arrested earlier yesterday on charges of subversive association with intent to commit terrorist acts in connection with two devices set June 2, 2006, at a Carabinieri police academy in the town of Fossano in Piedmont and a third bomb that went off March 5, 2007, in a pedestrian zone in Turin's Crocetta neighborhood.

The devices had been timed to go off at intervals in order to harm and kill as many first responders as possible, police said.

Five of the seven suspects were named as Anna Beniamino, 46, Marco Bisesti, 33, Danilo Emiliano Cremonese, 40, Alessandro Mercogliano, 43, and Valentina Spaziale, 39.

The other two suspects are FAI anarchists Alfredo Cospito and Nicola Gai, who were sentenced in 2013 to 10 years, eight months and nine years, four months respectively for kneecapping Ansaldo Nucleare SpA nuclear power plant design company ex-CEO Roberto Adinolfi in May 2012.

Also as part of Tuesday's operation, the bomb squad and canine units searched 30 individuals and 29 homes across nine Italian regions from North to South - namely Abruzzo, Campania, Emilia Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Piedmont, Sardinia and Umbria.

Another eight suspects were placed under investigation.

FAI is accused of carrying out some 50 subversive attacks in 13 years of activity, with the stated aim of bringing about the "destruction of the State and capital" by targeting the structures of "domination".

These included a 2003 package bomb sent to ex-premier Romano Prodi, an April 2013 letter bomb sent to La Stampa daily paper, and a device that exploded near a courthouse in the port city of Civitavecchia in January this year.


(ANSA) - Rome, September 7 - Italian troops guarding Iraq's Mosul Dam are in danger after a "specific and detailed" warning of an attack by ISIS militants, the Wikilao site said Wednesday, saying the troops were on maximum alert. It said the attack would be "the biggest attack ever conceived by the Caliphate" in Iraq. While there has been no "proclamation" of the impending attack, as is ISIS's practice, Wikilao said there was not a single attack planned but "a large-scale assault that they have been working on for months." It said "the machine for the operation has started rolling" even though the preparations were being conducted in high secrecy to maximise the surprise effect.

An Italian team is helping efforts to repair the dam before it collapses.


Yemen: minister, Egypt will host conference on aid in March In Sharm with humanitarian organizations and civil society

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, SEPTEMBER 7 - Egypt in March 2017 will host an international conference on humanitarian aid for Yemen, a country torn by civil war with thousands of victims, a minister of the Yemeni government was quoted as saying by the website of pro-government Egyptian daily Al Ahram.



''We are preparing a conference that will be held in March in Sharm el Sheikh - said the minister for social administration, Abdel-Raqeeb Fateh - to get aid from humanitarian organizations, civil society and other donors''.



The clashes in Yemen have opposed over the last two years Shiite Houthi rebels, supporters of ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the forces of president Abd Rabbo Mansur Hadi, backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition including Egypt. (ANSAmed).




(by Patrizia Antonini)

BRUSSELS - There are almost 50 million migrant children in the world: 28 million are fleeing war while millions of others are leaving their country in the hope of a better, safer life, according to the latest Unicef report.



The report describes the situation as the greatest movement of minors since World War Two. Called ''Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugees and migrant children'', it was prepared ahead of a United Nations summit on September 19 on refugees and migrants.



According to the report, children represent a ''disproportionate and growing'' percentage of those seeking shelter outside their home countries - half of the total number of refugees.



In 2015, about 45% of all refugee children under the protection of UNHCR came from Syria and Afghanistan.



Turkey is the country hosting the highest number of refugees in the world, probably children refugees as well. Compared to the local population, Lebanon has the largest refugee community as one in five people in this country is a refugee.



Great Britain, for example, has one refugee every 530 residents while the US has one every 1,200 residents.



However, considering the country in terms of income level, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Pakistan have the highest number of refugees.



The worst cases of intolerance towards refugees manifest themselves through xenophobic attacks: in Germany alone, in 2015, authorities monitored 850 attacks against refugees.



Out of the 28 million minors fleeing conflict, 10 million people are refugees, one million are asylum seekers and some 17 million are internally displaced, in desperate need of humanitarian assistance and access to critical services.



An increasing number of children cross the border on their own. In 2015, over 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries - three times more than in 2014. And unaccompanied minors are at highest risk of exploitation and abuse.



Some 20 million of small migrants left their homes for various motives, including extreme poverty and gang violence.



Many are at particular risk of abuse and detention, because they don't have documents, have an uncertain legal status and the state of their health is not monitored.



According to the Unicef report, in the case of legal and safe routes, migration can offer opportunities for both little migrants and communities welcoming them. An analysis on the effects of migration on countries with a high level of income reveals that migrants bring more than what they receive in fiscal terms and for welfare.



However, refugee children often don't have access to education: a small refugee is in fact five times more likely to be out of school than a native child. And when they are in school, they are more likely to be discriminated or victims of bullying.



Moreover, out of class, legal barriers prevent these minors from receiving equal services compared with native kids.



Anthony Lake, general director of Unicef, said unforgettable images of little victims like Aylan Kurdi's lifeless body on a beach and Omran Daqneesh bleeding on an ambulance seat have shocked the whole world.



''Each photo, each child is the symbol of millions of children in danger''.



For this reason, the UN agency outlined actions to be implemented, including protecting migrant minors, especially those travelling on their own, from exploitation and violence; halting the detention of kids who have applied for the status of refugee; not separating families; allowing kids to go to school, to access health care and other quality services; insisting on implementing measures to fight the causes of migrations; promoting actions against xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization.


Turkey: teacher fired after failed coup commits suicide Accused of being member of Gulen's network

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 7 - A teacher who was fired in Turkey as part of mass layoffs against suspected members of Fethullah Gulen's network blamed for the failed coup, committed suicide in the north-western province of Bilecik, local media reported Wednesday.



The 50-year-old man, identified as Mustafa Guneyler, was among the 28,163 teachers fired last Friday with a new decree on the state of emergency. His body, on which an autopsy will be performed, was found at home after relatives reported they had not heard from him since the news that he was fired. (ANSAmed)
BOLZANO - The Austrian government has reached an agreement on an ''emergency measure'' that would lead to a halt in asylum requests, the sending back of migrants to 'safe countries' and up to 2,200 soldiers patrolling its borders.



The 'Notverordnung' will last six months but could be extended three times, reports Der Standard. The newspaper says that it is not clear whether the measure will come into force when the limit of 37,500 is reached or before.

The agreement was reached after lengthy talks between the Social Democrats (SPO) and the centrist People's Party (OVP). Once it comes into effect, asylum requests will only be accepted under exceptional circumstances, such as the risk of torture in countries of origin or the presence of relatives in Austria, if the requester is in Austria and if their route to the country cannot be reconstructed. In all other cases, the migrants will be sent back to ''safe bordering countries''.

The emergency measure details the risks of unlimited immigration, from public security to unemployment and the healthcare and education systems. Der Standard reported that additional costs for asylum seekers totaled two billion euros this year alone and that one million people are waiting in Libya to head to Europe, while some 5 million people have fled Syria and there are at least 1.5 potential Afghan refugees. The institutional procedure to bring in the emergency measure will last around four weeks more and it is not yet certain when it will come into effect.

UNHCR, Amnesty International and Doctors without Borders have all criticized it..
(by Massimo Nestico)

ROME - The Italian interior ministry has approved a plan for the ''well-balanced'' redistribution of asylum seekers in all Italian cities - reportedly 2.5 every 1,000 inhabitants and 1.5 for the 15 largest cities.



The plan was discussed yesterday at the interior ministry at a meeting chaired by Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, with the participation of the president of the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI), Piero Fassino, police chief Franco Gabrielli and the head of the Department for civil liberties and immigration of the ministry, Mario Morcone.



There are 151,000 migrants currently hosted by the national reception system, a record number. Most of them (115,000) are housed in temporary structures and the constant flow of arrivals (the 121,000 threshold has already been surpassed this year) makes managing the phenomenon with order increasingly complicated. Many mayors are protesting because they say migrants are being allocated to their area by prefects without previous notice.



Fassino raised the issue with Alfano, calling for an improvement in the management of the redistribution of migrants and outlining a number of conditions to the ministry, first of all ''not turning mayors into mere recipients of inflows decided by prefectures''.



ANCI has also requested mechanisms of incentives for municipalities and the possibility of employing migrants in socially helpful jobs.



The plan proposed by Alfano takes into account only asylum seekers and refugees.



On average, 2.5 migrants should be distributed every 1,000 residents, dividing cities into three different categories: towns of up to 2,000 inhabitants, cities with over 2,000 inhabitants and metropolitan cities. In the first case, the maximum number of migrants assigned is five; in the last the number is 1.5 every 1,000 residents. Each city can ask to host more people of the number allocated under the plan.
( BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has defined as a ''very sensible step'' the fact that ''Germany, together with France and Italy'' has declared it is available, under the sponsorship of the European Commission, to ''forge a partnership with Niger and Mali'' on the migrant issue.



In a speech at the Bundestag, the chancellor added that ''90% of refugees that travel by sea from Libya arrive through Niger''.



This was stressed after defining the EU-Turkey migrant deal as a ''model'' to be replicated with countries on the southern shore of the Med like Egypt and Tunisia.



''It is necessary to find regulations with other countries'' and ''this agreement with Turkey'' is a ''model for other accord; with Egypt, with Libya, id one day there will be a reasonable partner in government, with Tunisia and other countries, where necessary'', said Merkel.



The EU-Turkey agreement, he continued, ''is in the interest of both sides; it is good for refugees who can remain close to home; it is right that we spend money for education and the life of refugees at the Turkish-Syrian border''.
TEL AVIV - In a report released on Wednesday, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) pointed to ways the Israeli occupation stifled the economies of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.



''Without occupation, the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory could produce twice the GDP (gross domestic product) it currently generates,'' the report said, adding that the very high unemployment in the areas would be reduced. It cited restrictions on movement, destruction of resources, the expansion of Israeli settlements and the confiscation of land, water and natural resources as ways in which the occupation deprives the Palestinian population of its rights to development.

The report noted that child morality levels are rising in Gaza for the first time in 50 years.


LONDON - Six months of a ceasefire and talks in which Bashar Al-Assad could stay on as president of Syria, followed by a handover of power to a national unity government for 18 months prior to elections, is a proposal made in London on Wednesday to end the war in Syria.



The proposal was put forward by an umbrella group representing Syria's political and armed opposition factions for a political transition. The plan was illustrated at the Institute for Strategic Studies by representatives of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which enjoys especially strong backing from Saudi Arabia.



The details weee to be discussed by the HNC and foreign affairs ministers from the group known as the 'Friends of Syria' (Paolo Gentiloni will be representing Italy).



The head of Saudi diplomacy Adel al-Jubeir was quoted by the BBC as saying that the plan would test the good will of Syria's strongest allies, Russia and Iran. Jubeir noted, however, that he was ''not optimistic'' that Russia and Iran were prepared to put the "necessary pressure" on the president "in order to comply with the will of the international community" and put an end to the Syrian war.


(ANSAmed) - LONDON, SEPTEMBER 7 - Great Britain has decided to build a barrier ''soon'' along a highway arriving at the port of Calais in northern France. The aim is to stop migrants from getting on lorries headed towards the UK, the BBC quoted Minister of State for Immigration Robert Goodwill as saying. Dubbed ''The Great Wall of Calais'' by British media, the barrier will be four meters high and will be one kilometer long.



It will run along both sides of the main highway near a camp that has become known as 'The Jungle', where thousands of migrants are staying. The project is expected to cost an estimated 1.9 million pounds (1.6 million euros) and is part of a 17-million-pound packet of measures with which the British government hopes to improve border control in collaboration with French authorities.



(ANSAmed).
Health system stakeholders in Peru and Canada have launched landmark collaborative arrangements to strengthen their ethical interactions. It positions them to more effectively address improper inducements and ensure patient interests while providing a foundation for relevant parties elsewhere in the Pacific Rim to build on this progress.

Peru and Canadas consensus frameworks bring together health agencies, associations, practitioners, hospital groups and patient organizations to jointly develop and adopt codes of ethics, drawing on principles established in APEC for the medical device and biopharmaceutical sectors.

The frameworks support ethics training across health systems, including for employees of small and medium enterprises. The aim is to open up greater opportunities for these businesses to participate in cross-border trade free from the high costs of corruption. The approach could significantly improve healthcare outcomes as well as bolster regional trade, job creation and economic growth.

The signing of Perus consensus framework by 22 parties took place during an APEC business ethics forum in Lima, ahead of a key meeting of Ministers from the region here on Friday to propel small and medium enterprise development. Canadas new consensus framework was also recognized by forum delegates.

Together, they will provide models to assist fellow APEC member economies in creating their own consensus frameworks. They also complement work in the region to achieve universal adoption of codes of ethics consistent with APEC principles. Both measures are guided by a targeted 2020 deadline.

The major stakeholders in Perus health system have agreed to a new undertaking for strengthening ethical business practices, noted Dr Patricia Garcia, the economys Minister of Health who witnessed the signing of its consensus framework. It is essential for the health industry to work in unison to build public trust and now we have a platform to achieve just that. We hope others will follow.

We welcome the steps taken by Peru and Canada to strengthen their health systems through the collective embrace of robust ethical practices, added John Andersen, Chair of the APEC Small and Medium Enterprise Working Group, which administers regional initiatives to drive small business growth. Momentum is building for comparable frameworks across the region that will allow more innovative companies to export their products and become trusted, sustainable operators, continued Andersen, who is also United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce.

The APEC-wide pursuit of public-private action to enhance business ethics in health systems was accelerated by Small and Medium Enterprise Ministers in Nanjing, China in 2014. Reaffirming unethical business environments as a barrier to small business growth, they called for the universal adoption of common, high standard business principles first detailed by APEC economies in Kuala Lumpur for the medical device sector and in Mexico City on the biopharmaceutical sector.

At the forum, it was also revealed that the number of biopharmaceutical and medical device industry associations that have adopted codes of ethics or code commitments in the last four years has doubled across APEC economies. These groups collectively represent over 18,000 enterprises, including nearly 10,000 small businesses, and are demonstrating notable implementation progress.

Aligned codes advance ethical collaboration, foster innovation and instill integrity in medical decision-making, explained Christopher White, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Advanced Medical Technology Industry Association and private sector co-chair of the informal APEC Kuala Lumpur Principles expert group, which has helped to guide the initiative.

From a patient perspective, APEC continues to serve a vital role in elevating high-standard ethical practices for health systems which facilitates access to lifesaving medical technologies across borders, concluded K.P. Tsang, Immediate Past Chair of the International Alliance of Patients Organizations and 2016 APEC Business Ethics for Small and Medium Enterprises Forum delegate.

For more:

See Perus consensus framework for ethical collaboration in the biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors here.

Canadas parallel consensus framework can be found here.

View new reports on code of ethics implementation by APEC Biopharmaceutical Industry Associations and APEC Medical Device Industry Associations.

# # #

For additional information, or to arrange possible media interviews, please contact:

David Hendrickson (in Lima) +65 9137 3886 at [email protected]

Michael Chapnick +65 9647 4847 at [email protected]

More on APEC meetings, events, projects and publications can be found on. You can also follow APEC onand join us onand
Emirates catering team in Dubai devised the new menu options and created them in collaboration with a local caterer in Japan.

First Class customers on Emirates flights to and from Japan can now experience traditional Kaiseki (multi-course meal) cuisine and Business Class customers have the option of a newly designed bento box.
Turkish Airlines launches flights to Seychelles

Seychelles becomes Turkish Airlines' third Island in the Vanilla Islands Group, with the addition of three weekly return flights to Mahe, Seychelles.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh informs overnight September 6-7 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime over 30 times by firing more than 370 shots from various caliber weapons at the Armenian positions across Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

On September 7 at 01:30, as a result of the violation of the combat service rules, soldier Arman A. Ghandilyan (born in 1997) was mortally wounded in one of the military units of the north-eastern direction of the NKR Defense Army.

Investigation is underway to clarify the details of the case.

The NKR Defense Ministry shares the grief of the loss and extends condolences to the family members, relatives and fellow servicemen of the fallen soldier.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Little time has left for the parliamentary elections in Armenia in 2017, meanwhile the upcoming elections of the local self-government bodies are the major developments in the interior political life of Armenia.

Compared to previous years this year much more activity is realized within the political figures and the society ahead of the LSG elections.

On September 18, 2016 LSG elections will be held in 317 communities of Aragatsotsn, Ararat, Armavir, Syunik, Tavush provinces.

On October 2, 2016 LSG elections are scheduled in 375 communities of Gegharkunik, Lori, Kotayk, Shirak, Syunik, Vayots Dzor provinces.

On October 2, 2016 municipal council elections will be held in communities of Gyumri and Vanadzor. In these communities the LSG elections will be held under the proportional system for the first time. The councils will be elected by respective lists, who in their turn will elect Community heads.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin attend a news conference at the Kremlin in Moscow April 29, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Although Japan is aligned with the United States and the two countries have formed a "united front" against Russia, it has not stopped Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from visiting twice this year the country suffering the consequences of the West's sanctions.

Abe met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the second Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Sept 2-3, which was initiated by Moscow to attract foreign investment to help develop its Far East.

Before leaving for Russia, Abe handed Japan's minister of trade, industry and economic affairs Hiroshige Seko the additional charge of the newly-created government department handling Tokyo's economic cooperation with Moscow. During his visit to Russia, Abe was accompanied by a 150-strong group of Japanese businesspeople, including Softbank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son and chairman of Japanese trading giant Marubeni, Teruo Asada.

Abe has suggested Japanese and Russian leaders hold annual meetings in the hope that increasing economic assistance would prompt Moscow to grant Tokyo concessions in the territorial dispute. Japan claims sovereignty over four Russia-controlled islands north of Hokkaido, which are called the Northern Territories in Japan and Southern Kuriles in Russia. And the territorial dispute has prevented the two sides from signing a peace treaty.

Abe has been courting Russia in the hope of resolving the territorial dispute and striking a peace deal. In its 2016 Diplomatic Bluebook, the Abe administration claims the development of Japan-Russia ties has contributed "to Japanese interests and to regional peace and prosperity". And at his meeting with Putin in Sochi, Russia, in May, Abe suggested a plan for economic cooperation, including investments in Russia's Far East.

Also, the two sides agreed to take a "new approach" to settle their territorial dispute but have kept the details confidential. Since it desperately needs continuous supply of energy, Japan stands to benefit immensely from close relations with Russia that has vast natural resources, including oil, gas and rare earth metals. Russia too needs foreign investments, especially to offset the impacts of plummeting oil prices and the sanctions imposed by the West after the Ukraine crisis in 2014.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Across the globe, nearly 50 million children have been uprooted  28 million of them driven from their homes by conflicts not of their making, and millions more migrating in the hope of finding a better, safer life, Armenpress reports citing UNICEF official website.

Often traumatized by the conflicts and violence they are fleeing, they face further dangers along the way, including the risk of drowning on sea crossings, malnourishment and dehydration, trafficking, kidnapping, rape and even murder. In countries they travel through and at their destinations, they often face xenophobia and discrimination.

A new report released on September 7 by UNICEF, Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children, presents new data that paint a sobering picture of the lives and situations of millions of children and families affected by violent conflict and other crises that make it seem safer to risk everything on a perilous journey than remain at home.

Indelible images of individual children  Aylan Kurdis small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneeshs stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed  have shocked the world, said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger  and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children.

Uprooted shows that:

 Children represent a disproportionate and growing proportion of those who have sought refuge outside their countries of birth: they make up about a third of the global population but about half of all refugees. In 2015 around 45 per cent of all child refugees under UNHCRs protection came from Syria and Afghanistan.

 28 million children have been driven from their homes by violence and conflict within and across borders, including 10 million child refugees; 1 million asylum-seekers whose refugee status has not yet been determined; and an estimated 17 million children displaced within their own countries  children in dire need of humanitarian assistance and access to critical services.

 More and more children are crossing borders on their own. In 2015, over 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries  triple the number in 2014. Unaccompanied children are among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse, including by smugglers and traffickers.

 About 20 million other international child migrants have left their homes for a variety of reasons including extreme poverty or gang violence. Many are at particular risk of abuse and detention because they have no documentation, have uncertain legal status, and there is no systematic tracking and monitoring of their well-being  children falling through the cracks.

The report argues that where there are safe and legal routes, migration can offer opportunities for both the children who migrate and the communities they join. An analysis of the impact of migration in high-income countries found that migrants contributed more in taxes and social payments than they received; filled both high- and low-skilled gaps in the labour market; and contributed to economic growth and innovation in hosting countries.

But, crucially, children who have left or are forcibly displaced from their homes often lose out on the potential benefits of migration, such as education  a major driving factor for many children and families who choose to migrate. A refugee child is five times more likely to be out of school than a non-refugee child. When they are able to attend school at all, it is the place migrant and refugee children are most likely to encounter discrimination  including unfair treatment and bullying.

Outside the classroom, legal barriers prevent refugee and migrant children from receiving services on an equal basis with children who are native to a country. In the worst cases, xenophobia can escalate to direct attacks. In Germany alone, authorities tracked 850 attacks against refugee shelters in 2015.

What price will we all pay if we fail to provide these young people with opportunities for education and a more normal childhood? How will they be able to contribute positively to their societies? If they cant, not only will their futures be blighted, but their societies will be diminished as well, Lake said.

The report points to six specific actions that will protect and help displaced, refugee and migrant children:

 Protecting child refugees and migrants, particularly unaccompanied children, from exploitation and violence.

 Ending the detention of children seeking refugee status or migrating by introducing a range of practical alternatives.

 Keeping families together as the best way to protect children and give children legal status.

 Keeping all refugee and migrant children learning and giving them access to health and other quality services.

 Pressing for action on the underlying causes of large-scale movements of refugees and migrants.

 Promoting measures to combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization.

Photo: AFP-Bulent Kilic
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. On September 7, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, in the Omar pass, press service of the NKR MFA informed Armenpress.

From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Gennadie Petrica /Moldova/ and staff member of the Office Peter Svedberg /Sweden/.

From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant of the Personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Jiri Aberle (Czech Republic) and Personal Assistant of the OSCE CiO Simon Tiller (Great Britain).

The Monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No violations of the ceasefire regime were registered.

From the Karabakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. All Armenian schools of Aleppo, Damascus, Latakia, Qamishli, Hasakah, Kessab are preparing for the launch of the new academic year on September 19, Editor-in- Chief of Aleppo-based Gandzasar weekly Zarmik Poghikian told Armenpress.

Despite certain domestic, economic difficulties during the war, the Armenian schools have always kept their doors open. Despite the difficult situation in Aleppo the educational institutions are making efforts in order for the Armenian pupil not to be deprived from going to Armenian school in any difficult situation. Everything possible is being done to ensure the pupils security. It is already 4 years the schools, which were located in the most dangerous zone of Aleppo, were transferred to safer regions, Zarmik Poghikian said informing that due to the reduction of the number of pupils, several schools were joined.

Zarmik Poghikian informed the national committee of the Armenian Diocese of Beria made a decision to make the 2016-2017 academic year unpaid for the National schools of Aleppo.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Republic (NKR) Bako Sahakyan visited the Getavan village of the Martakert region and took part in the solemn opening ceremony of the memorial complex devoted to the memory of freedom fighters from Getavan perished during the Artsakh Liberation struggle.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of Artsakh Presidents Office, the Head of the State highlighted the significance of such initiatives from the viewpoints of keeping the nation's devotees memory bright and patriotic upbringing of the younger generation. On the same day Bako Sahakyan was present at a "Hrashapar" ceremony held with the participation of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin the Second at the Gandzasar monastery.

National Assembly chairman Ashot Ghoulyan and other officials attended the events.
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Started in 1780 by Irishman James Augustus Hicky,  the paper was a mixture between tabloid and satire  rather unlike the more serious tone of newspapers in Britain at the time, which had just won the right to report on Parliamentary proceedings. Though Hickys Bengal Gazette was ostensibly concerned with political developments within the East India Company, Hicky primarily focused his coverage on the mockery of his personal enemies.
The University of Southern Californias report showed that women had just 31.4% of spoken roles in 2015s top 100 films, compared with 32.8% in 2008. Lesbian, gay or transgender characters accounted for less than 1% of speaking parts  or 32 out of 35,205 characters.
An Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore 2022 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in Singapore, compiled by the professionals at Dezan...
By: Dezan Shira & Associates

The Philippines has announced the implementation of Circular 91-2016 resuming field audits and other field operations of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). With effect from September 1st, the circular overrules a previous suspension of BIR field capabilities issued on July 1st under Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 70-2016.

Understanding the Previous Suspension

The suspension has been touted as a means of fine tuning the BIRs capabilities and increasing government revenue. Outlined under RMC No. 70-2016 the suspension has by all accounts been used to address lengthy processing times for audits and investigations, as well as a chance to investigate claims that authorities within the BIR were abusing their positions for financial gain. While suspension of audits and investigations were rolled out as part of this internal review, administration officials have constantly maintained that they have not been canceled outright.

Field Capabilities of the BIR

With the ban lifted, companies operating in the Philippines should assess their current state of compliance with Philippine taxation and understand that the capabilities of the BIR, which will once again be permitted. Key capabilities to be aware of include:

Issuance of Letters of Authority (LOA) : the official document which empowers a Revenue Officer to examine and scrutinize a Taxpayers books of accounts and other accounting records. LOAs may be delivered in person or via electronic means.

: the official document which empowers a Revenue Officer to examine and scrutinize a Taxpayers books of accounts and other accounting records. LOAs may be delivered in person or via electronic means. Issuances of Letters of Notice : prior to the issuance of an LOA, the BIR utilizes letters of notice to inform companies of an impending investigation. Following the receipt of a letter of notice, companies are prohibited from amending previous filings and returns.

: prior to the issuance of an LOA, the BIR utilizes letters of notice to inform companies of an impending investigation. Following the receipt of a letter of notice, companies are prohibited from amending previous filings and returns. Issuances of Mission Orders : allow regional tax offices to assign personnel to specific localities for the purpose of conducting spot checks on corporate tax compliance.

Implications for Tax Compliance

From the perspective of investment, resumption of tax audits should be viewed with cautious optimisim. While the tactics of the Duterte adminsitration have been critized as overhanded, the administrations commitment to reform has thus far proven genuine. Those conducting business in accordance with Philippine law will likely find the BIR to be more responsive following the internal review.

For those with open and pending BIR investigations, or otherwise unsure of the legality of their current state of compliance, it is highly recommended that a review of operations be conducted, and relevant government bodies be consulted with pertinent questions. Given the Duterte administrations propensity for shock and awe tactics and commitment to cracking down on tax evasion, it is likely that resumption of auditing could create serious liabilities for a select few.

For more information on the lifting of the BIRs audit ban or for assistance regarding taxation within the Philippines, please email asean@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com.



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 asean@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. 

Annual Audit and Compliance in ASEAN

For the first issue of our ASEAN Briefing Magazine, we look at the different audit and compliance regulations of five of the main economies in ASEAN. We firstly focus on the accounting standards, filing processes, and requirements for Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. We then provide similar information on Singapore, and offer a closer examination of the city-states generous audit exemptions for small-and-medium sized enterprises.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership and its Impact on Asian Markets

The United States backed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) includes six Asian economies  Australia, Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, while Indonesia has expressed a keen willingness to join. However, the agreements potential impact will affect many others, not least of all China. In this issue of Asia Briefing magazine, we examine where the TPP agreement stands right now, look at the potential impact of the participating nations, as well as examine how it will affect Asian economies that have not been included.

An Introduction to Tax Treaties Throughout Asia

In this issue of Asia Briefing Magazine, we take a look at the various types of trade and tax treaties that exist between Asian nations. These include bilateral investment treaties, double tax treaties and free trade agreements  all of which directly affect businesses operating in Asia.
by Pierre Balanian

The local ancient community, boosted by genocide survivors, strongly rejects the idea of emigrating. After pushing out Islamic State fighters, the city lives a serious humanitarian crisis. A Christian leader says "The world cannot forget us." Armenians mediate between Kurdish and government forces. Various groups are "determined to fight" Turkish troops.

Hasakah (AsiaNews)  Armenians in the Syrian province of Hasakah will remain in the city and strongly reject any notion of leaving. This is an ancient community, enlarged by the arrival of the survivors of the genocide perpetrated by Turks against Armenians in 1915. Many Catholic Armenians from nearby Mardin, the town in southeastern city Turkey that is birthplace of the Blessed Ignatius Maloyan, found refuge and salvation here.

Like in all diaspora communities, here too Armenians were able to integrate and blend in whilst maintaining their traditions, culture and Christian faith, alongside majority Muslim among whom they have lived in harmony and tolerance.

The war that has raged in Syria for five years has brought death, destruction, misery and insecurity, but this has neither shaken nor terrorised the members of the Christian community, determined to continue living in their own homes.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Rasmik Boghigian, a leader of the local community involved in organising aid activities in the city, reports that Hasakah is in the grips of a major humanitarian crisis."

Recent tensions" between Kurds and Syrian government forces for control of the territory "have worsened the situation." Now 80 per cent of the area "is in the hands of the Kurds", after it was taken from Daesh (Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, IS) and some extremist Islamic rebel factions.

At night the situation is more tense, whilst during the day fighting is less intense. Residents are making huge efforts to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. There has not been any electricity for six days; there is no food and medicine.

"I appeal to the world, said Rasmik Boghigian, to help residents right away, sending them basic necessities. For everyone, not just for the Hasakah Armenians. We saved the world from Daesh, and now the world cannot forget us."

Meanwhile, some news on the situation of Armenian Christians in Raqqa (the capital of the so-called Caliphate in Syria) have reached Hasakah and they are troubling. The church has been closed, and "to celebrate a Mass or a sacrament" it is necessary to "pay the jizya" - the Quranic tax imposed on non-Muslims in Muslim lands - equal to 7 and a half grams of gold. In addition, it is forbidden to ring bells, or sing sacred hymns at Mass, and "the sound cannot go beyond the wall of the church itself."

Mgr Boutros Marayati, Armenian Catholic Bishop of Aleppo, contacted by AsiaNews declined to comment. "Times dictate caution, the prelate warned, a virtue that is necessary now more than ever at a time of uncertainty and rapid changes."

About 64 Armenian families are left in Hasakah, mostly elderly people. Here too the church is closed. Here Armenians are trying to maintain a position of neutrality, performing on several occasions the role of mediators between Kurdish and government forces.

The two sides are now divided into two distinct areas. Christians are allowed to move from one area to another, a valuable thing in many cases for both sides. What is more, everybody has to go to nearby city of Qamishli for medical care because its health facilities are still relatively operational.

The future of this strategic Syrian province on the border with Turkey and Iraq that is 50 per cent Arab, 40 per cent Kurdish and 10 per cent Armenian remains uncertain. The ceasefire between Kurds and the Syrian government has established a more defined framework. Now the city is almost entirely under Kurdish control, with a symbolic presence of Syrian forces (10 to 20 per cent) in the province, especially, in the old town governmental and administrative buildings are located.

In addition to being strategically important  located between Turkey and Iraq , Hasakah is also considered Syrias granary. It also produces cotton famous around the world, and has oil fields.

In March, the Kurds declared the area an "autonomous region" with the city as an integral part of it. They have also taken control of nearby Qamishli and consider the city "an area from where regime forces must go". Meskin Ahmed, leader of the Kurdish autonomous region, said that the government must "recognise de facto autonomous administration."

Only one thing unites all the inhabitants of Hasakah: "No to Turkey's presence here." They are all ready and willing to fight tooth and nail around this slogan.
by John Mok Chit Wai*

Legislative Council elections saw the rise of new, brash student-based political groups. As Beijing warns against social disaster caused by secession, new lawmakers backtrack. Pro-democracy camp must find a new way to deal with the mainland. A public administration expert comments.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - The election result in Hong Kongs Legislative Council (LegCo) "is better than expected, but despite the good show by the opposition, the latter is too divided, and youth participation is still low, says John Mok Wai Chit, a teaching assistant in the Government and Public Administration Department at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in comments sent to AsiaNews.

The success of new localist and pro-independence political groups are the main novelty. Emerging out of the student movement, they want nothing to do with mainland China. Nathan Law, one of the newest and youngest LegCo members, got 50,000 votes riding on a pro-independence platform.

Beijing has warned civil society in the former British colony against the spectre of "social disaster" in the event of secession. The newly-elected lawmakers have responded by stressing that they want greater self-determination, not independence.

Traditional pan-democrats were disappointed, losing to the new, brash student-based groups. Still, historic figures in Hong Kongs civil movement like Lee Cheuk-yan and Alan Leong were re-elected. John Mok Wai Chits comment follows.

The result is better than expected, for the opposition camp succeeded in securing more than one-third of the seats, as well as more than half of the seats returned by geographical constituencies. This means that they can veto important bills and motions.

On the other hand, the opposition camp remains factious. Before, it was the pan-democrats versus the pro-establishment camp. But in this election, the localists won three seats, while three candidates proposing democratic self-determination also got elected. All of them are new faces.

Nathan Law, the youngest candidate ever elected in the history of Hong Kong, got more than 50000 votes on Hong Kong Island, while Eddie Chu got more than 80000 in the New Territories West. The voices demanding self-determination or even independence are surely galvanized. One can also expect that parliamentary resistance will become more sophisticated, and even more radical.

Some traditional pan-democratic parties suffered significant losses. Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood lost its only seat in the LegCo, while Labour Party's seats reduced from four to one. Civic Party secured six seats, but its total number of votes obtained, compared with the four years ago, dropped by 50000. The "traditional" pan-democratic camp needs to re-consider its approach in dealing with Beijing.

The pro-establishment camp continues to retain a majority in the LegCo. Yet, its composition has changed. The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong remains the largest party in the LegCo, but the not-quite-loyal Liberal Party lost all its geographical seats. Those widely believed to have received "blessings" from the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government, such as Eunice Yung of New People's Party and Junius Ho, came out victorious. One can see that the Liaison Office is becoming more open in manipulating Hong Kong's elections.

The total number of voters taking part increased, but most of them are the old instead of the young. This may show that the electoral machinery taking orders from the Liaison Office, or even Beijing, is determined in countering the possible growing political participation of the youth."

*Teaching Assistant, The Government and Public Administration Department, The CUHK
A new chapter has begun in the confrontation between the two main Muslim camps. For Saudi grand mufti, Iranians "are not Muslims." Iranian Foreign Minister slams Saudi Wahhabis as preachers of terrorism. A dispute over Iranian Hajj pilgrims triggered the spat with the struggle for supremacy within Islam and the Middle East in the background.

Riyadh (AsiaNews/Agencies)  A new chapter in the war  and not of words alone - between Riyadh and Tehran was written today, fuelled by the ban of Iranian pilgrims from Hajj, the greater pilgrimage, as part of the broader political and religious conflict between the two major powers in the Middle East.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Saudi authorities of "bigoted extremism" after Saudi Arabia's top cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, said Iranians  who are predominantly Shia  were "not Muslims."

The latest spat was triggered by a blistering attack on Monday by the Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, who called the Saudis infidels and blasphemers, small and puny satans in the hands of the US.

The Shia leader spoke a few days before the greater pilgrimage, the Hajj, which for the first time in 30 years will not see Iranian nationals because of a dispute between Tehran and Riyadh over visas and the direct flights between the two countries.

Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh, the grand mufti, said that Khamenei's accusations were "not surprising" because "They [Iranians] are the sons of the Magi," a reference to Zoroastrianism, a religion that once dominated Iran.

"We must understand these are not Muslims," he was quoted as saying. "They are the son of the Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one, especially with the People of the Tradition [Sunnis]."

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif reacted to the words of the Saudi grand mufti. "Indeed, no resemblance between Islam of Iranians and most Muslims, and bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric and Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif tweeted.

The clash over who gets to make the greater pilgrimage plays into the deep gap between Sunnis and Shias, who dont disdain using religion for political purposes.

Despite such competing views and positions, a recently developed common line views Wahhabism as a "deformation" of Islam that leads to extremism and terrorism.

At the same time, Iran (95 per cent Shia) and Saudi Arabia (90 per cent Sunni) are on opposite sides on many Mideast issues, from the Syrian conflict to the war in Yemen.

Making matters worse, the Saudis executed a Saudi Shia dignitary earlier this year, which was followed by the attack on the Saudi embassy in Iran and its subsequent closure.

Relations between the two Muslim powers were already at historic lows since September 2015, after a tragic incident during the last pilgrimage to Makkah.

A tragic brawl in Mina, near Makkah, killed thousands, 2,070 according to Reuters. Iran accused Saudi authorities of mismanagement and incompetence, claiming the incident was premeditated.

For Muslims, Hajj (pilgrimage) is one of the five pillars of Islam that every good Muslim should perform at least once in his or her life.

Saudi Arabia has often used its power to grant entry visas for political purposes. For example, Syrians have not been allowed to travel to the Muslim holy cities for many years.
by Victoria Ma

The coadjutor bishop, Msgr. Peter Shao Zhumin, has been kidnapped by the police to prevent him attending the funeral, as he is not recognized by the government. Three priests also kidnapped. The state authorities have banned the underground faithful from participating in the funeral. The late bishop had spent 16 years at hard labor and in jail.

Wenzhou (AsiaNews) - Msgr. Vincent Zhu Weifang, bishop of Wenzhou (Zhejiang) died this morning at the age of 90. He spent long periods in the forced labor camps (1955-1971) and in prison (1982-1988). He passed from the underground community to the official community in 2010 and was installed as bishop recognized by the government.

After the campaign launched by the Zhejiang government for the demolition of crosses and churches, the bishop launched a strong appeal to the authorities to stop the destruction and to the universal Church to pray for the Church in China.

Msgr. Zhu died of cancer, the funeral has been set for September 13 next. His body will be cremated and the ashes buried in the church cemetery.

He should be succeeded in the episcopacy by the coadjutor bishop, Msgr. Peter Shao Zhumin, who is not recognized by the government and who until now has been responsible for the underground community. From the canonical point of view Msgr. Shao is now the ordinary of Wenzhou, but many foresee many problems for him.

A source of the unofficial Church told AsiaNews that on August 23 Msgr. Shao, along with his secretary, were "kidnapped" by police and taken out of Zhejiang Province. According to a priest, the reason is clear: "The government does not want Bishop Shao to preside over the funeral of Msgr. Zhu. Since it was known that the 90 year-old bishop was sick, they acted ahead of time. In addition, they have already indicated a priest of the official community as head of the group of the official priests, perhaps because they want him to become bishop. But in that case it will be a cause of contention with the Vatican, which has already appointed Msgr. Shao as bishop with right of succession ".

Today, two other priests were "kidnapped" and taken away from Wenzhou and the province. The government also banned the priests of the underground Church from attending the funeral.

The diocese of Wenzhou has a history of strong division between the two Christian communities. It is estimated that there are about 100 thousand faithful in the Official communities and more than 50 thousand in the unofficial. There are about 70 priests equally distributed between the two branches.

Reconciliation is hampered by the personalities in the communities, but also by the government which tries to maintain its control over communities, dividing them as much as possible.

Despite this there have been a series of attempts towards reconciliation. Two priests (underground) of the diocese of Wenzhou, interviewed by AsiaNews, express their respect for the deceased bishop and describe Msgr. Zhu Weifang as a man of faith, committed to evangelization, attentive to mending relations between official and underground.

Msgr. Zhu entered the minor seminary in Ningbo at age 13 and then studied in Jiaxing and Fuzhou seminaries. In 1951 he went to study in Shanghai, in Xujiahui seminary. Ordained a priest on October 6, 1954, he was delegated to the pastoral work.

From 1955 to 1971 he was the victim of the Maoist campaigns against religious personnel and spent that time in a forced labor camp. He was arrested again in 1982 and remained in prison until 1988. Ordained bishop first secretly, in 2010 he became the official bishop of the diocese.
by Shafique Khokhar

Profound joy at the canonization on September 4 in the Vatican. Msgr. Arshad: "The Mother showed that serving others before ourselves defeats the evil of today." Priest and activist recalls the message of the Saint: love, a "language that everyone understands."

Lahore (AsiaNews) - The National Justice and Peace Commission (NCJP) of the Pakistani Bishops' Conference has expressed deep appreciation for the canonization of Mother Teresa. The organization pointed out that the "great little nun has struggled for years in the slums of Calcutta. She is a model and example of mercy and service for all human beings. With her work she has restored dignity to the human race". Msgr. Joseph Arshad, president of NCJP, said: "Saint Teresa is a model for all of us. The path that she showed us and the moral way in which she lived is a testament to humanity.

"We have to understand - said the bishop - that love is the most important thing and the teaching of Christ 'love thy neighbor' must be our only motto." Faced with a mindset permeated by selfishness and superficiality, the Mother has shown that "serving others before ourselves defeats the evil of today."



Fr Bonnie Mendes, Executive Secretary of the Office for Human Development of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC-OHD), tells AsiaNews about when he met the saint in Rome, at the General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis. "There were 400 delegates from around the world - he says - and everyone was anxious to see her. They wanted to be all in the front row. We wondered what message she had for us. Then the Mother began to speak. She has given us a message of love, because 'love is a language that everyone can understand.' " The priest recalls that everyone present wanted to shake her hand. "She was so frail in body but strong in will."

Michelle Chaudhry, director of Cecil & Iris Chaudhry Foundation, said that the "canonization of Mother Teresa was a moment of great joy for all. People already regarded her as a saint".
The head of Tibetan Buddhism sends a letter to Sister Mary Prema, superior of the Missionaries of Charity. In 1988 he met the saint in Oxford, and immediately realised that she was someone "exemplary". She revealed the true practice of love in her charitable activities.

Dharamsala (AsiaNews)  In a letter sent to Sister Mary Prema, superior of the Missionaries of Charity, the Dalai Lama expressed his appreciation for the saint of Kolkata and her canonisation.

The head of Tibetan Buddhism calls himself an "admirer" of Mother Teresa, whom he met for the first time in Oxford in 1988. The Dalai Lama recognised immediately that the Mother was an "exemplary person".

Today her work is carried out by the Missionaries, to whom the Buddhist leader offers his best wishes that they may continue to serve those in need. His message follows.

I rejoice at this recognition as an admirer of her dedicated service to humanity, particularly the way she cared for the poorest of the poor. I join you in celebrating her extraordinary life.

Meeting Mother Teresa it was clear she was an exemplary person. I was reminded of this when I made a special visit to the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata last year to pay tribute to her and the Sisters work. She revealed the true practice of love in her charitable activities. Although she is no longer physically with us, her spirit lives on in the work you all do.

In conclusion I take the opportunity also to express my abiding respect for the humanitarian service of the Missionaries of Charity, praying that it may continue as long as there are poor among us who need help.
In an official letter by its standing committee, the Bishops Conference gives its opinion on proposed draft legislation. The State intends to recognise religious organisations as legal entities with the right to set up their own schools. However, there are too many restrictions on religious activities and too many government requirements. The draft bill says nothing about building new churches.

Hanoi (AsiaNews/EDA)  In a long letter to the Communist-controlled National Assembly with respect to new draft of the law on beliefs and religions presented by the government on 17 August, the standing committee of the Vietnamese bishops' conference raises a number of issues.

Under the new law on religions, the Catholic Church will be recognised as a legal entity and will be able to open educational institutions; however, the bill does not mention the possibility of building new churches and it will allow the State to impose very demanding requirements to issue permits for religious activities.

The government asked religious leaders to send in their comments to the draft. The first Catholics to respond were the faithful of the diocese of Bach Ninh, who last week highlighted the shortcomings of the bill.

Since it was first presented in April 2015, the draft proposal has sparked protests from leaders of major religions. The law is in fact full of constraints on the registration of places of worship, staff, activities, programmes, making things almost impossible.

In the new letter, signed by Mgr Nguyen Van Kham, deputy secretary of the Bishops' Conference, the bishops appreciate "the fact that the National Assembly sought the opinion of religious organisations. This is an important point that shows a respectful attitude of legislators towards the organisations and people touched by the law".

Still, the bishops complain that the authorities did not provide enough time (18 to 31 August) to religious organisations to prepare their documented response.

The letter begins with a list of positive changes that distinguish the new draft from previous ones. First, it contains "the recognition of religious organisations and the institutions that depend on them as legal (rather than commercial) entities.

Secondly, it replaces the word "registration" with "communication" or "proposal" with respect to the activities of religious entity, thus lessening the despotic role of the state.

However, the bishops note that "it is not enough to change a word. One needs to replace a way of seeing and doing things [. . .]. Religious freedom is a fundamental human right and not a favour granted by the State".

The new draft law "underscores the right to complain and make accusations in matters of faith and religion."

The fourth positive aspect, the bishops add, is the recognised right of religious organisations "to set up educational institutions in accordance with the national education system." This "provides the opportunity for religious communities to give their contribution in the field of education and health, in the interest of the whole society".

After listing the positive points, the bishops' letter sets out a number of proposals to amend several articles, in order to ensure greater freedom and rights for religious organisations.

A crucial point is the demand by the state that communities register and communicate their activities well in advance.

"The state has this right, the bishops explain, but it must also provide a quick written response, and in case of refusal, the authorities must explain in detail the reasons for refusing. Organisations should also have the right to appeal.

At the end of the message, the bishops raise an issue not taken into consideration by the new law. "In section 57, they write, it refers to the restoration of religious buildings [. . .], but the bill does not say anything about the construction of new religious facilities."

As a way to meet the needs of the population, "we propose that wherever there are 50 to 100 people of the same faith that a new place of worship be allowed to be build."
They claim the gas was used during the raid in the Sukari area. At least 80 people injured, with severe breathing problems. However there is no independent confirmation of the news. Opposition leaders are meeting in London to seek a new transition plan. Even the Saudis are pushing for a truce.

Aleppo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Syrian government forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad would have dropped barrel bombs - containing chlorine - during raids carried out in recent days with helicopters and fighter jets, in an Aleppo suburb in rebel hands.

According to activists and volunteers active in the Sukari area, there are at least 80 people "mostly civilians" wounded due to the gas with choking symptoms and severe breathing difficulties, necessitating medical treatment in hospital.

The Aleppo Media Center, close to the opposition and armed rebels, reported the barrel bomb attack. However, so far there is no independent confirmation of the use of chemical components. Chlorine is a chemical compound used in the industrial production. But its use is banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CAC, Paris 1993).



It is not the first time that chemical weapons have been used in the context of the Syrian conflict,. In 2013 the government and rebels exchanged accusations and responsibility for attacks with chemical agents. The United Nations has opened several investigations following complaints of gas use, both by the regular army and rebel militias. The last of these dates back to August, when the UN experts denounced the use of chlorine gas on "at least two occasions" by the government army. These accusations were rejected by the Damascus government.

Earlier, in May, the Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPAC) had said, not without concern, that the Islamic state (IS) may be able to "make [their own] chemical weapons" in Iraq and Syria.



In previous years, the apostolic nuncio in Syria, Msgr. Mario Zenari, had lashed out against the use of chemical weapons. The bishop had also shown great appreciation for the US-Russia agreement for delivery and destruction of chemical weapons held by Damascus. Recently he had also denounced deaths and injuries among civilians, especially children, victims of the conflict and exploited by propaganda for war purposes.



Meanwhile, Syrian opposition leaders are preparing to meet today in London hoping it will culminate in a new political transition plan that can end the armed conflict. A war that, in five years, has caused 290 thousand deaths and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, with millions of refugees.



To High Negotiations Committee (Hnc), the main opposition group, supported by the Saudis, will be hosted by the British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson. This meeting will also include some foreign ministers of the Friends of Syria group. In these hours Riyadh has been moving diplomatically to try to reach a truce. A decision, perhaps the result of recent defeats suffered by the rebels on the battlefield, particularly in the Aleppo area.
by Mathias Hariyadi

The Catholic community was commemorating the 1,000 days since the death of a faithful, when two Muslims began to threaten and intimidate the priest and those present. Sent away, they returned with more people demanding the Mass be suspended. The priest forced to flee with his assistant.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Islamic extremists have forced the parish priest of St. Peter Purwosari, near Surakarta (Central Java), to suspend the Mass and to flee for his safety. Yesterday evening about 200 Christians had gathered to celebrate Mass in commemoration of the deceased. At one point, two Muslims, hidden in the crowd, interrupted the celebration threatening those present.

Celebrating Mass 1000 days after the death of a loved one is a tradition of Java Catholics, during which they commemorate their loved ones with a religious event that non-Catholics are also invited to attend. Usually the Mass is celebrated in the house of the family, but this time, given the great number of guests, the head of the village was asked for permission to use a public facility. The village chief, not a Catholic, had given approval and also sat among the faithful.

After the first reading of the Bible the two hecklers began to insult the priest and present. The police were able to remove them, but they came back with another group of people and continued to disturb the celebration.

One Catholic says: "Just after Communion they began to intimidate those present, including children, demanding that the Mass be interrupted. Eventually the priest, Fr. Adrianus Sulistiyono, was forced to flee along with his assistant".

It is not the first time a Christian celebration has been interrupted by force by Muslims in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim-majority country in the world. Inspired by the killing of Fr. Jacques Hamel in France, on August 28 last, a 17 year old attempted to stab a priest in the parish of St. Joseph in Medan (North Sumatra). In October 2015, in Yogyakarta, some radical Islamists blocked the recitation of a rosary.

The Islamic religious Wedi Klaten Kiai Hajj Susilo said that Muslim radicals also interrupt commemorations of the deceased made by Muslims, because they consider it heretical.
Canadians feel more connected and positive toward Asia than they did two years ago, and are more optimistic about future relations with the region, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canadas 2016 National Opinion Poll: Canadian Views on Asia finds.

Across a number of key metrics  from trade agreements to collaboration on education  Canadian support for co-operation with Asian partners has increased.

And in the case of China  Canadas largest trading partner in Asia and its second largest globally  Canadians have warmed to the country since 2014.

Nearly half of Canadians (49%) see the growing importance of China as more of an opportunity than a threat, while one-quarter (24%) say the Canada-China relationship is improving. Furthermore, 50 per cent of Canadians say they could probably be persuaded to support a closer economic relationship with China if more information was available.

Meanwhile, Canadians feel more connected to the Asia Pacific region than they did in 2014.

Over one-third (34%) of Canadians consider Canada part of the Asia Pacific region, up from just 22 per cent in 2014. This feeling of belonging to the Asia Pacific region translates into increased support for Canadian policies that advance economic and cultural engagement with Asia.

Our 2016 National Opinion Poll describes a Canada increasingly positive about trade and collaboration with partners in Asia. Canadians report warmer feelings than they did in 2014 toward China, India, Japan, and South Korea, while 61 per cent of Canadians agree we should open more provincial trade offices in Asia, up from 45 per cent in 2014. Similarly, support for cultural exchanges and education on Asia has jumped in the past two years  up from 53 per cent to 69 per cent for exchanges, and from 43 per cent to 59 per cent for education.

Overall, Canadians are more optimistic about Asia, its growth, and Canadas relationships with its member economies than they were two years ago. In 2014, for example, only 46 per cent of Canadians said Asia was important to their provinces prosperity; in 2016, that number jumped to 60 per cent. And 48 per cent of Canadians believe economic and political relations with Asia should be Canadas top foreign policy priority, up from 37 per cent two years ago. On the trade front specifically, almost half (46%) of Canadians support a free trade agreement (FTA) with China, up from 36 per cent in 2014. Support for FTAs is even higher for Japan (2016: 72%; 2014: 56%), India (2016: 55%; 2014: 38%), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (2016: 54%; 2014: 37%).

While optimism informs much of Canadian views on Asia in 2016, there are some aspects of engagement with Asia that Canadians still find disconcerting, particularly in connection with the Chinese governments policies at home and abroad. Nearly half of Canadians (46%) believe there will be a significant military conflict in the Asia Pacific in the next 10 years (up from 43% in 2014), with 65 per cent of Canadians citing Chinas growing military power as a threat to the region (up from 60% in 2014).

And while Canadians are relatively positive on private investment from Asia, they remain distrustful of foreign state-owned enterprises (SOEs) investing in Canada. That feeling is highest with China (only 11% support investment by Chinese SOEs in Canada), followed by Malaysia (13%) and India (20%).

KEY FINDINGS

Canadians are feeling more connected to the Asia Pacific region than they were two years ago, with one-third (34%) of Canadians identifying Canada as part of the Asia Pacific region, up from just 22 per cent in 2014.

Canadians also view Asia as increasingly important to their economic prosperity. In 2014, for example, only 46 per cent of Canadians said Asia was important to their provinces prosperity; in 2016, that number jumped to 60 per cent.

Support for provincial trade offices in Asia, for instance, is 61 per cent, up from 45 per cent in 2014. Likewise, support for placing emphasis on teaching Asian history and culture in schools is 59 per cent, up from 43 per cent in 2014.

Almost half (46%) of Canadians support a free trade agreement with China, up from 36 per cent in 2014. Support for an FTA is even higher for Japan (2016: 72%; 2014: 56%), India (2016: 55%; 2014: 38%), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (2016: 54%; 2014: 37%).

Canadians strongly (69%) support efforts by universities in their home provinces to increase exchanges and education ties to Asian schools.

There is also majority support for placing more emphasis on Asia in the classrooms of provincial education systems. Fifty nine per cent of Canadians support increased content focused on Asia, up from 43 per cent in 2014.

In Atlantic Canada, 74 per cent of respondents support increasing the number of student exchanges.

On the other side of the country, British Columbia is the most in favour of emphasizing education about Asia in the provincial education system, with 63 per cent of respondents supporting Asian content in the classroom, and more than 50 per cent supporting teaching Asian languages to high-school students.

Canadians views on China are increasingly optimistic on economic matters. Canadians have warmed on China since 2014, with almost half (49%) agreeing that Chinas rise is an opportunity more than a threat (43% disagreed), up from 41 per cent in 2014 (when 47% disagreed).

Canadians are also open to a closer economic relationship with China. Twenty per cent say they are supportive of Canada having a closer economic relationship with China, while half (50%) say they would be open to persuasion on closer co-operation if they had more information.

Close to half (48%) of Canadians think that strengthening economic and political relations with Asia should be Canadas top foreign policy priority, up from 37 per cent in 2014. However, Canadians are more comfortable engaging with Asia on some issues than others. Although most Canadians think a military conflict in the Asia Pacific will affect Canadian security, only four in 10 Canadians agree that we should commit to being more involved in regional security initiatives.

When it comes to human rights, however, Canadians are broadly supportive of Ottawa incorporating the promotion of human rights into foreign policy. Three-quarters (76%) say the government should raise human rights issues, rather than leaving these issues as a local concern for countries to address on their own. Also, most Canadians are willing to risk lost commercial opportunities, to some degree, if human rights concerns exist  51 per cent say Canada can afford to stop doing business with Asia over human rights concerns. Not surprisingly, a majority (59%) of Canadians agree that promoting democracy in Asia should be a major priority for the Government of Canada.
Photo caption: Jaffna University has partnerships with a number of medical schools around the world. One of these schools is James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. This photo was taken on the last day at Jaffna Hospital for two Australian medical students.Credit: Gayathri Naganathan

By Gayathri Naganathan

Special to The Post

I was born at the Vavuniya General Hospital in the winter of 1988, in a town that is often referred to as the gateway to the northern Vanni region. As so many other families before us, we fled Sri Lanka during the civil war, amid death, destruction and uncertainty.

We arrived in Scarborough, Canada, in the early 90s, in what would become the single largest Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora community outside of South Asia. I grew up speaking Tanglish (a blend of Tamil and English), eating string hoppers and spaghetti, and listening to A.R. Rahman and the Backstreet Boys.

In short, I am a third culture kid, a blend of the home we left behind in Jaffna and the home we worked hard to create in Canada. So as a Canadian medical student when I was presented with the opportunity to spend several weeks training in any field and in any country around the world, the natural choice for me was to go back home.

Having spent over two decades away, I didnt quite know what back home would mean on this first visit back. After months of phone calls, emails and planning, at the end of June, I arrived at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, ready to start my five weeks of electives in internal medicine and general surgery. Unsurprisingly, I spent the first few days overwhelmed by the experience.

I have been volunteering, working, and learning in hospitals for most of my life. For most, hospitals are places that cause anxiety and stress, but for me, they are often a place of familiarity and comfort, somewhere where I feel engaged and useful. Despite years in this environment, the Jaffna Teaching Hospital felt foreign to me. The wards, the equipment, the staff uniforms, the very rhythm of the place was completely alien.

Patient autonomy

The most obvious difference was that everything was done by hand. There was not a single computer in sight. Having worked in a health system that is increasingly digital, this was a big change for me. I also soon discovered that patient records are not kept locked away in a filing cabinet at the clinic or hospital.

Rather, the patients themselves carry their clinic books, lab reports and even MRI scans to each appointment with them. While cumbersome and running the risk of losing documents, this system gives full autonomy to patients over their personal health records and also allows for the mobility of those records from one site to the next.

Despite (or perhaps because of) this system, the consultants (in Canada, we call them attendings) are able to see a massive case load in a very short period of time. This was most obvious on clinic days where upwards of 40 patients were assessed, treated, and dismissed and/or given a date for follow up, all within the span of two to three hours. Its a whirlwind of papers shuffling, names being called, patients shifting in and out of the examination rooms, and notes hurriedly scrawled into clinic books.

I was equally stunned the first time I stepped into the casualty theatre  a carryover, it seemed, from Sri Lankas civil war, when trauma patients would flood into the hospital every day. Two tables, with one anesthetist each, for procedures that require general anesthesia.

All other procedures were conducted under local anesthesia on stretchers flying in and out of the large operating theatre. And, at the centre of it all, a group of dedicated and talented registrars and surgeons operate on everything from in-grown toenails causing infection to inguinal hernias, all using proper aseptic and clean protocols.

As a student, it was incredible to move from one table to the next and see so many different techniques and procedures happening simultaneously.

Controlled chaos

To me, this was controlled chaos. And this phrase echoed through my mind again and again as I proceeded through my weeks of training in Jaffna.

But beyond the differences, the language of medicine remained a constant thread to which I could hold. Human anatomy is the same the world over. And I marvelled as I watched my general surgery preceptor carefully reveal the facial nerves of a patient with a suspected tumour over his jaw bone. Like the branches of a tree, the branches of cranial nerve seven spread out across one half of the patients face, beginning to divide and separate just in front of the ear. It was like I was looking at a diagram in a textbook, the dissection down to the tumour was so precise and clean.

Acetaminophen too is the same all over the world. Whether we call it Panadol, Paracetamol or Tylenol, all three can be used to bring down a fever, all three can be used to relieve pain.

Moving mountains

Though the medicine was fascinating, the most enriching aspects of this journey to Jaffna were the people that I had the privilege of meeting. From the patients, nursing staff, and fellow medical students to the registrars and consultants who served as my teachers and mentors, the people I met throughout my five weeks at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital made the experience unforgettable. They worked to bridge the cultural and linguistic gaps between us, provided thoughtful and insightful answers to my questions, and facilitated opportunities to practice clinical skills and learn new techniques.

What do you do, for example, with a patient with diabetic foot ulcers who cant afford to buy shoes? Or having to label an otherwise medically fit patient as a poor candidate for kidney transplant because all such surgeries are done in the private sector and require hundreds of thousands of rupees to carry out?

I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to be a learner in Jaffna, and to speak to patients and practise medicine in my mother tongue, Tamil. I feel especially privileged to have met the dedicated, passionate, and talented physicians and medical students who propel medicine forward in Jaffna. Despite systemic barriers, low resources and a significantly complex patient population, they persevere, they innovate and they thrive.

As a teacher and friend from my general surgery elective in Jaffna so poignantly stated, We have the resilience gene. And I could not agree with him more.

Gayathri Naganathan is a second year medical student at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. She is a daughter of the Tamil diaspora and a proud third culture kid.

This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media (newcanadianmedia.ca).

See http://newcanadianmedia.ca/item/37930-medical-student-s-re-discovers-jaffna
Study: iPhone Has The Worst Signal When It Comes To Phone Calls

Trending News: iPhone Has The Worst Signal For Phone Calls, Study Finds

Why Is This Important?

Because this will bring Apple back down to size on their big launch day.

Long Story Short

As Apple prepares to unleash its shiny new iPhone 7 in San Francisco, an embarrassing study has found that the iPhone 6s provides the worst call quality and range of all major smartphones.

Long Story

The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco is preparing to host an Apple event that is expected to officially announce the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and updated Apple Watch, but on what should be a day of celebration for Apple lovers theres some slightly less good news.

A study in Europe, reported by the Independent, has revealed that the iPhone 6s is the worst major smartphone on the market when it comes to call quality and range, especially if youre left handed.

Research at Aalborg University in Denmark led by Gert Frolund Pedersen analyzed smartphone reception when being held in various different ways and the iPhone 6s finished bottom of the class.

The results suggested that while the iPhone 6s was excellent in "free space," so not being held by anyone, it started to struggle when being held in a hand, especially when put against a fake head and asked to do its job. Something of a problem given that you generally want to hold your phone when using it.

Various grips were trialled with generally indifferent results but the iPhone 6s performed worst in terms of call quality and range of signal when researchers imitated the grip of a left-handed phone user.

The reason for the poor performance isnt yet clear, but its somewhat embarrassing for Apple and the timing of the researchs widespread publication is far from ideal.

However, there are reports that the iPhone 7 is changing the way the antenna is built, which might solve the problems.

Lets hope this news of this embarrassing study doesnt filter through from the Nordic countries to San Francisco on Apples big day. At least they probably wont hear the news anyway as theyre all using iPhones

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

What makes the iPhone so weak when it comes to calling?

Disrupt Your Feed

Who cares, no one makes phone calls anymore anyway.

Drop This Fact

The iPhone 6s broke Apples sales record when more than 13 million iPhone 6s and 6s Plus phones were sold in the first three days of being available.
Apples top lawyer is striking back at the European Commission, saying the organisations numbers dont add up, just days after CEO Tim Cook blasted the Commissions demand for back taxes as total political crap.



In an interview with the German publication Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Sewell questioned how the Commission arrived at its numbers and also explained why Apple is fighting the decision.



We cannot understand where these numbers are coming from. We have paid more taxes than the Commission has indicated, Sewell said.



The European Commission ordered last week that Ireland recoup USD14.5bn in back taxes from Apple. It also alleged the company made illegal arrangements with the Irish government that allowed it to pay essentially nothing in taxes for some years.



We paid tax at the statutory rate of 12.5% tax on profits relating to our activities in Ireland. We dont understand where the Commissions figures are coming from, Sewell said.



Furthermore, Apple paid USD400m in corporate taxes in Ireland in 2014 while they also paid USD400m in current US corporate taxes on those profits, he said.



As has since been asserted numerous times, the European Commissions ruling potentially reduces Apples profits that can be taxed by the US.



We also accrued several billion in US corporate tax on a deferred basis. To get to this meaningless 0.005%, the Commission completely ignores the fact that the vast majority of these profits were subject to U.S. taxation, Sewell said.



The Apple general counsel strongly denied that the firms Irish operations exist only to avoid paying taxes.



We came to Ireland in 1980 when the company was expanding overseas and was looking for an extremely talented and well-trained workforce, he told the publication.



He noted that when Apple came to Ireland, it was still a very small company which started operations with 60 employees. Today , it employs 6,000 people in the country.



Sewell also denied Apple is paying relatively low taxes taking into account its enormous profits.



We pay tax on our activity in Ireland at the statutory 12.5%. We are the largest tax payer in Ireland, the largest tax payer in the US and the largest tax payer in the world. We paid $13 billion in tax last year and had a reported global tax rate of 26.4%, Sewell said.



This isnt an argument about how much tax we pay, but where we pay it. The European Commission appears to believe that despite the fact these profits are legitimately attributable to our head office in Cupertino and subject to tax on a deferred basis, they should be taxed in Ireland, he added.



Sewell also warned that Europe will become a less attractive destination for overseas investor because of the decision, asking the publication, Should the Commission reserve the right to decide on the tax policy of your country?



Tim Cook, in an interview with The Irish Independent, said last week that the demand on Ireland to recoup billions in back taxes from Apple is total political crap.



This conclusion that the Commission has reached has no basis in law or in fact. So I think it clearly suggests that this is politics at play, he said.



Saying that he thinks Apple was targeted, Cook also said that Ireland is being picked on and this is unacceptable.
Having been appointed in April of this year, Ashurst has announced the appointment of global managing partner Paul Jenkins as the firms WGEA pay equity ambassador.Speaking with Australasian Lawyer, Jenkins said his appointment reflects his commitment to improving gender equality in the business community at large.Being an ambassador includes making a commitment to analysing talent data, taking action to improve any inequalities, and taking a lead on proactive measures to ensure gender equality, he said.I will ensure a range of measures, such as learning and development opportunities, remuneration reviews, unconscious bias training and flexible work arrangements are upheld for all our employees to ensure these targets are met.Ashurst has a good track record for gender diversity, the only law firm to have the WGENs Employer of Choice Equality Citation for 15 years running.As a firm we have implemented [the] criteria into our policies, processes and initiatives to ensure it's embedded in our culture, Jenkins said.We must ensure we are challenging ourselves and implementing innovative programs and initiatives to foster a more diverse and inclusive culture.Ashurst has committed to three gender targets by 2018, when (as a minimum) it aims to have 40% of new partners each year be women, 25% of its senior management roles to be held by women and 25% of its equity partners to be women.As of 1 May 2016, the firm is currently approaching these targets with 38% female partner promotions, 18% women in senior management roles and 16% female equity partners.While there is no shortage of female lawyers in the legal industry, we see those numbers decrease when we examine the number of female partners and females in senior positions, Jenkins said.This is a large contributor to the gender pay gap and at Ashurst, we strategically made the decision to introduce gender targets to ensure we were committed to improving gender equality, and have measures in place to hold ourselves accountable.
Most historical impacts on native title are not going to be the subject of compensation; For native title agreements that have been entered into already, compensation has been paid, with the highest exposure to compensation being circumstances where native title rights were affected by acts that were allowed after arbitration; The State legislation and agreements allowing flow through of native title compensation to mining and other tenure holders is directed at the compensation payable in relation to specific tenure, whereas the compensation for native title is assessed by courts on a global basis; and Without minimising the impact of the decision or the importance of native title rights and interests, the quantum per hectare arising under the case is (including the component for injury to feelings of indigenous people) relatively modest.

(Opinion) -- The recent Griffiths v Northern Territory [2016] FCA 900 decision has been a landmark ruling in awarding compensation for the extinguishment of native title. The case has attracted immediate and expansive national press to the effect that a wave of other native title compensation claims were likely to exceed $1 billion dollars and that State Governments would claw back such sums from miners.While likely to be true to an extent, these headlines have overlooked key realities in the case:Significantly, native title compensation is applicable only to acts that impacted native title rights and interests where those acts occurred on or after 31 October 1975, the date that the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 came into effect. The vast majority of improved and therefore more valuable land in Australia was alienated by the Crown prior to 1 January 1975, outside the statutory protection of the Racial Discrimination Act and thus in a period where the States had the legislative power to acquire native title without compensation.In terms of resolving future acts on the basis of native title agreements, there have been no reliable statistics . Anecdotally, more than half and most likely over three quarters of future acts (i.e. grants made after 1 January 1994, the commencement of the Native Title Act 1993) have been compensated by miners and other proponents already. However, there are comparatively few agreements dealing with the period from 31 October1975 to 1 January 1994 despite the bulk of the uncompensated acquisitions of native title rights being attached to grant of rights in that period. It remains to be seen how many compensable acts occurred in that timeframe.Further, there is a potentially insurmountable problem as to the proposition that the States will seek recovery of compensation paid from the holders of relevant tenure. The States recovery legislation and agreements generally seek to flow through compensation payable in relation to the particular tenure held. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the tenure holder) the assessment of native title compensation does not work on that lot by lot approach. In Griffiths, the assessment of compensation was undertaken on an in globo approach. Put another way, the basis of the proposed government flow through approach is incompatible with the Court approach.That is not to say that the Government will not seek to levy a recovery for any compensation to which it is liable. However, it is more likely that the State will take the approach of recovering native title compensation though indirect mechanisms such as increased rents and fees applicable to relevant tenure. Instead of directly impacting miners or other tenure holders whose interests have affected native title rights and interests but who have not made a contribution to compensation, this approach will potentially spread costs across the industry.Finally, there are two observations to be made about the quantum.First, there does not appear to be a linear connection between the two types of impact  damages for loss of connection to country is likely to depend on the cultural importance of the land rather than its economic value. Accordingly, in Griffiths, the relatively modest compensation for economic value of the land ($512,000) is reflective of the limited value of remote and isolated land whereas the more significant component of solatium ($1.3M) is for loss of connection to country based on strong evidence of traditional connection.Second, the overall compensation (based on land area) is less than $1,400 per hectare. While not insignificant, if one considers the compensation agreements that have been entered into with private landholders and pastoralists, the quantum in question is not especially generous.Compensation in relation to native title rights will take some time to be ascertained and it is not yet clear where the ultimate liability will lie. It is also an irony of the system that compensation will likely be denied to the most heavily affected native title claim groups. For example, the Larrakia people of Darwin failed in their claim because of the impact of settlement, and are thus not entitled to any compensation. Additionally, destruction of native title rights in the most arable areas of Australia largely occurred in the 19and early 20centuries, well before the Racial Discrimination Act triggered the need to compensation native title holders for the destruction of their rights.By Marshall McKenna, pre-eminent native title practitioner and partner at Gilbert +Tobin.
A young woman who would never have been able to go to university in her native Iraq has revealed how moving to Australia has allowed her to gain a nursing degree.Six and a half years ago Maha Kamil arrived in Australia with her family as an Iraqi refugee and could not speak a word of English. Now she is about to graduate with a Bachelor's degree in nursing after a remarkable journey. She was inspired by a careers advisor at school to consider university, but she didn't even know what studying for a degree involved. But after attending an open day at the University of Sydney she felt able to make her momentous decision.She worked hard at school and went to another open day with specific questions to find out if she would be able to achieve her dream. 'I just fell in love. I knew this is where I belong. I fell in love with the atmosphere, the campus life and the vibe as well,' she said.'I had specific questions about where I wanted to be so I could narrow things down and know which degree to focus on. I also had other things in mind as I knew that I didn't only want to come here and finish a degree. I wanted to graduate and make a difference,' she explained.She has been able to make a difference by learning from others' experience, and sharing hers with others to help them create their own in the classroom and in her workplace. In the first year of her degree she secured a role as a paid undergraduate nursing student in a hospital, and has worked there ever since.She has also been involved in a number of programmes as a student ambassador and mentor, including having the opportunity to return as a student volunteer to the Fairfield Intensive English Centre where she first learned English.Juggling full-time study, working, and getting involved was a lot to manage, but receiving a Sisters of Charity scholarship made that balancing act easier. She was chosen to help establish a society for scholarship recipients within the nursing faculty. It gave her and other students the chance to meet scholarship donors and share how they have benefited from donors' generosity.Now, with graduation on the horizon, looking back on the time that has passed since her first visit to the University, all the hard work, and the many opportunities she has been involved in she want to encourage others to do the same.'There is no limit to the goals that you can set for yourself, and you can actually make them come true as a student. I know I've made myself proud. I hope that, at the end of my experience when I do graduate, I have made my parents and my friends proud. And then I want to go back to the school I've come from and tell them, 'well, you can do it.' That would make all the difference,' she added.
Travel to Norfolk Island because this is one of the best destination where you can peace and relaxation. We at cascade garden offer friendly accommodation. Contacts us for Norfolk Island apartments or book online your holiday package.



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CRDi

But before it got to reveal itself to the public, the South Korean manufacturer decided to surprise us with high-resolution photographs and a lengthy release on why the 2017 Hyundai i30 is labeled as a car for everyone.First of all, check out those lines, that grille, the shape and graphics of the headlights, the proportions! Its a real step forward from the old model, alright. The man behind Hyundais design efforts, Peter Schreyer, explains that to create a car for everyone, we focused on a wide range of different people. Hence the modern, evolutionary physique that wraps up the cabin.Speaking of the interior, the 2017 Hyundai i30 is a mix of improved ergonomics and a minimalist dash throned by an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Hyundai is adamant the all-new i30 makes driving comfortable for all passengers with segment-leading roominess. Figure for figure, thats 395 liters of cargo capacity, 883 mm of legroom in the rear, and 1.4+ meters in terms of shoulder room for both the front and rear occupants.The additional space comes as a result of a longer body, yet the same wheelbase as its predecessor. Two words: intelligent packaging. On the tech front, the highlight is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto complete with inductive charging for Qi-enabled smartphones. Modern passive and active safety features also abound, autonomous emergency braking included.In the high-octane corner, gasoline-fed powerplants include a 1.4-liter MPI four-cylinder with 100 PS (99 hp) and 134 Nm (99 lb-ft), a 1.0-liter T-GDI three-cylinder turbo with 120 PS (118 hp) and 170 Nm (125 lb-ft), and a 1.4-liter T-GDI turbo-four with 140 PS (138 hp) and 242 Nm (178 lb-ft) of torque.For the fuel economy-minded consumer, theres a 1.6-literturbo diesel available in three states of tune: 95 PS (94 hp) and 280 Nm (207 lb-ft), 110 PS (108 hp) and 280 Nm (207 lb-ft) of torque, as well as 136 PS (134 hp) and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft). As for swapping cogs, all engines come as standard with a 6-speed manual. A 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission can be had on the range-topping 1.4 T-GDI, 1.6 CRDi 110, and 1.6 CRDi 136.Sometime in the future, keen drivers will be treated to the Hyundai i30 N hot hatchback. Plenty of suck-squeeze-bang-blow fun included.
Now, another Model S driver believes he was saved a lot of trouble by the Autopilot while he was cruising down a highway in California . We don't know the real name of the Tesla owner, so we'll use his YouTube channel name instead, which is Privaterbok. Privaterbok, then, was driving his electric sedan down in the right middle lane of a four-lane highway with the Autopilot active.He can be seen approaching a car in the lane next to him to his left that was moving at a slightly lower speed. As he begins to undertake it, the driver of that car attempts to merge with Privaterbok's lane, oblivious to the fact there was another vehicle there. That's what happens when you don't constantly check your mirrors, so you know what's around you, and decide to switch lanes at the exact moment a car is in your blind spot.Here is Privaterbok's take on what happened: "Driving with moderate traffic, the car on the left lane didn't notice me on his blind spot when he shifted right. I'm still in shock about this, so I can't remember if I steered right, or Model S helped me steer the wheel. I only remember there is a chime warning sound and I immediately take the control and try to avoid the collision."To be honest, a good driver would not be in shock over a minor incident like this. But I'm not trying to suggest that Privaterbok is a bad driver - not at all. It's just that by using Autopilot, the impact of what would otherwise be considered a casual event is increased tenfold. He isn't sure whether the car avoided the crash or his reactions, but whoever it was, it might have done a better job.The Tesla only reacts when the other car crosses the lane marking, which might suggest it was the vehicle's systems kicking in. The Model S swerves right once, and after it becomes clear the other car hasn't changed its mind about merging, it swerves once again and only now applies the brakes. Again, an attentive human driver would have reacted sooner (you can see the wayward car moving steadily to the right for at least a full second before the system intervenes), and he would have done it better by reducing the speed and, thus, taking the vehicle off the collision course much safer than by swerving right.Technically, we have to agree with Privaterbok: the Autopilot did avoid the crash. Did it do it well enough? Well, no, not really, but then again, he doesn't have anyone to blame but himself. Had he been paying attention and keeping his hands on the wheel and foot on the pedals, he probably wouldn't have been in shock at the time he wrote that short text. But it's hard to do that with a car that can drive itself, isn't it?
SUV

This is precisely what we get to see in the piece of footage at the bottom of the page - you know us, we couldn't keep the motorized satisfaction to ourselves, so we had to share it with you.The Bentley Bentayga and Maserati Levante offroading action you see here takes place at the Ascari Race Resort in the south of Spain.At first, one might wonder what kind of event would bring these two high-riding lavish machines together. The hostilities were initiated by C.de Salamanca, a famous Spanish multi-brand dealer whose portfolio includes top-class names such as the ones we have here.After all, the two don't exactly share customers, so keeping an open-minded attitude is key to enjoying their no-asphalt episode, whether we're talking about their association or refraining from cringing when seeing the luxuriously trimmed machines being tasked with running offroad errands.And while a very small percentage of theclientele uses these vehicles in the manner seen here, which, by the way, would classify as light-to-moderate offroading, we'll all have to get used to the idea of seeing the exquisite badges getting dirty.While the Porsche Cayenne has been destroying stereotype for almost a decade and a half now, Lamborghini is now preparing for the 2018 launch of the Urus SUV. And even if we consider that we'll probably get to meet the LM002's spiritual successor over the web next year, it's still amazing how Sant'Agata Bolognese had to wait for so long before giving the green light to the project - the Urus concept bowed back in 2012 and has grabbed the production "slot" that could've gone to the 2008 Lamborghini sedan concept, remember?After quickly remind you that Aston Martin is also on track to delivering its first SUV, the DBX (production kicks off in 2019), we'll ask you to hit the "play" button below and enjoy the uber-special SUVs that are already on the market.
The news comes as a slight surprise to some, as one would expect Mr. Ecclestone to leave the helm for a new leader. Instead, reports from unspecified sources claim that the head honcho of the Worlds most expensive branch of motorsport will remain in the lead even after the takeover. All parties reportedly involved in the deal have declined to comment on the matter.The report comes from Automotive News , and the publication has also inquired about Ecclestones potential departure with multiple personalities involved in the sport. Among those that have confirmed Bernies presence at the next race, which will be held in Singapore, is triple world champion Niki Lauda.The Austrian driver confirmed that Ecclestone would be at the Singapore Formula 1 race, but declined to speculate on what will happen if the biggest shareholder will sell its stake to a third party.The move is seen as positive by some, which include Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Director Toto Wolf, who stated that the potential investor is good news for Formula One.Like others that were asked about the matter, Wolf, refused to provide his view on the topic. The possible departure of Mr. Ecclestone from the most prestigious branch of motorsport was announced by some as imminent , since the reported deal had already received a part of the claimed $8.5 billion deal.At the moment, the sale of Formula 1 is still unconfirmed by all official partners related to the matter. Liberty Media, the American corporation that is expected to buy CVCs controlling stake in Formula 1, is seen as a gasp of fresh air for the sport.The American group could bring a new way to monetize Formula 1, which some have complained that has difficulties in obtaining an adequate revenue from the digital environment.Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull, said that he hopes that the Monza GP was not Bernies last race in Formula 1 as the head of the sport, but he sees the potential deal as really exciting.In spite of the potentially positive view, Horner thinks that Ecclestone should stick around when the new investors come, so that he could guide them around the sport.
The British journo has recently been spending quite a lot of time inside 911s - after playing with the 991.2 Turbo S last month and releasing a short feature on his old Youtube channel (Chris Harris on Cars), he took to his similarly named Facebook page on Sunday to post the hilarious 911 R image you see here.Chris returned to Facebook yesterday to give the world the 991.2 Turbo pic to your right, accompanied by the following message: "Best car Porsche currently makes. (Including the 911R)."Shock and awe? Not really. After all, when we're talking about a Neunelfer edition you can't buy and one that would require monumental efforts to serve the purpose of a daily driver, it's not exactly surprising that this comes behind the do-it-all Turbo in the journalist's opinion.No, really, I'm not surprised at all and that's because, for instance, I've always found the 911 GT3 to be a better car than the GT3 RS. Sure, the track assets of the latter and the cult machine status deriving from them are sweet, but I prefer the balanced melange of the "standard" car - isn't the 911 all about the balance by definition?Returning to Chris Harris, his well-known love for Zuffenhausen machines seems to take strange forms recently. For one thing, if you check out the Youtube video below, it will all seem like he's praising the facelifted Turbo S.However, the full version of the clip, which is only available on the website of journalist's new "employer", Top Gear, you'll notice a different attitude. To be more precise, the journo seems to lose his usual uber-enthusiasm when talking to us from inside the Turbo S, but we can't show you that clip because TG won't allow for its videos to be embedded.In a move that's easier to understand, Chris recently intrigues many of his fans by talking about the track and value-for-money superiority of the Dodge Viper ACR over the GT3 RS while flogging the first around the Dunsfold test track. Once again, we only brought you the short, Youtube version of the footage, because TG...With Porsche engineers now working overtime to complete the development of the GT2 and the 991.2 GT3 , we shouldn't have to wait that long before seeing how these shape the Brit's taste for Porschas.P.S.: Perhaps non-linear opinions delivered by influential aficionados like Chris Harris will determine Porsche to change its current development direction, which seems to make the 911 more and more difficult to reach for the non-millionaire gearheads out there.
The open-air incarnation of the Maranello halo car has recently been spotted in Barcelona, with the gas-electric Fezza getting its own roads in the Spanish capital city, as you can see in the video at the bottom of the page.The purpose of the sunny visit is obvious once you check out the setup around the car, namely the filming of a commercial.However, we'll use this occasion to get our. Judging by the size of the single-panel element, this will be the leave-it-at-home kind, instead of being stored in the nose of the machine as the two-panel CF roof of the Lamborghini Aventador Roadster , for instance.There's no reason to fret about rainy moments, though, as Italian engineers and designers have come up with a foldable canvas roof for the velocity monster.One might wonder why the Prancing Horse doesn't feel any burden when it comes to parading model that hasn't had its public debut yet around Barcelona. Needless to say, the pace of the hypercar didn't get anywhere near its 217+ (350+ km/h) top speed, which matches that of the fixed-roof model.Well, for starters, the LaF Aperta has already been showcased over the web, with Ferrari being forced to release three press pics, along with a bit of info , after the vehicle was spied through the Maranello factory gates.Subsequently, the 950 hp (make that 963 PS, you metric system aficionados) Ferrari has been spotted out in the wild on multiple occasions we're talking about Maranello shots, as well as a Paris appearance).And while we're talking about the public debut of the sold-out-anyway limited edition, this will take place at the upcoming Paris Motor Show - the press days kick off on September 29. Remember, this hypercar should be a motorised birthday cake, celebrating 70 years of Ferrari road car history.
It will take you places, some of which might be quite scary, but in the end, it could also show you the inside of an emergency hospital. Or worse. How come? Well, it looks like some inventive drug makers have started selling Tesla -branded orange ecstasy pills because, you know, Tesla sells.And also because they're the most common at the Electric Daisy Carnival festival series, so somebody probably thought that having the world's most famous electric car brand on the trip-inducing pills would be a cute touch. Whatever the case, we'd be very curious to hear what Tesla Motors has to say about this. At the same time, in case these guys get caught, a copyright infringement trial from Tesla Motors is the last thing they need to worry about.Swiss drug research organization Safer Party tested the shield-shaped pills earlier this summer and found them to contain more than 230 milligrams of MDMA. What is MDMA? Glad you asked because it allows me to write the longest word I've ever typed in my life: it's (really) short for 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine.According to The Drive (and also, the Google), the usual dosage for this pills is roughly half that (between 100 and 120 milligrams of MDMA), which makes the Tesla pills that much more dangerous. All drug-fighting organizations are urging people to stay away from these drugs (it almost sounds like they're saying "take something if you must, but just stay away from these"), and UK-based The Loop even released an image. Not the the "orange, shield-shaped Tesla-branded pills" description wouldn't have been enough.The makers will probably issue a press release soon enough, or maybe launch a Twitter storm , saying the concentration has been halved and the pills are now "safe" to be consumed. Seriously, now, don't wait for that press release. And don't do drugs, no matter what car brand is stamped on the pills.
The 5008 remains a model of the C segment, and the crossover is now available in a seven-seat configuration . It is built on the Sochaux brands EMP2 platform, and it comes with the freshest i-Cockpit design for its interior.It will arrive at dealers by spring of 2017, but it will be available to order earlier. The public unveiling of this model has been scheduled for this years Paris Motor Show.The all-new Peugeot 5008 will be offered in four trim versions, out of which two will be mainstream models (Active and Allure), while the rest will be GT and GT Line models.These iterations of the 5008 will be differentiated in both design, handling, and engine offer. Peugeot will manufacture all 5008 models in its factory in Rennes, France.Concerning dimensions, Peugeots 5008 has increased in size when compared to the previous model . Its length has grown by 11 centimeters (4.3 inches), and it was all done to make room for more passengers.The French brand says the car remains conservatively proportioned, and that most of the length increase came from the wheelbase, which is now 2.84 meters long (9.31 feet).On the inside, the Peugeot 5008 has three rows of seats. The second and third rows have separate and folding seats. In the case of the middle row, it allows occupants to adjust inclination individually. The rear seats are removable, and they can also be folded to boost trunk space.According to VDA norms, it has a 1,060-liter trunk with both sets of rear seats folded, which is claimed to be the biggest in the segment. The front passenger seat can be folded if required, and the tailgate is operated electrically for more convenience.The dash features an eight-inch touchscreen unit for multimedia and climate controls, while the gauge cluster is fully digital and has a diagonal of 12.3 inches. The steering wheel is compact, just like recent models from the French automaker.You can observe that the design of the interior was simplified significantly for more convenience and elegance, according to the companys i-Cockpit philosophy.Customers will be able to order front seats with a multipoint massage system, a premium Hi-Fi system from FOCAL, panoramic opening glass roof, 3D connected navigation system from TomTom, and more. Peugeot is proud of the level of soundproofing applied to the new 5008, as well as its level of comfort. Peugeot will offer a broad range of driver assistance systems, from Hill Descend Control, to an Automatic Emergency Braking System. It also has Active Lane Keeping Assistance, Attention warning, high beam assistance, and speed sign recognition and suggestion.We almost forgot to mention the adaptive cruise control with stop feature, blind spot monitoring, parking assistance, and the companys Advanced Grip Control. Peugeot has yet to detail the engine range of the 5008.
Photo via Wikimedia.

The average fuel economy of vehicles sold in August fell 0.1 mpg to 25.3 mpg from July, according to the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

The decline likely reflects lower gasoline prices and an increase in sales of light-duty trucks, according to UMTRI researchers Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle. Fuel economy is down 0.5 mpg from the peak reached in August of 2014, but still up 5.2 mpg since October 2007 when the institute began monitoring.

The University of Michigan Eco-Driving Index (EDI)  an index that estimates the average monthly emissions of greenhouse gases generated by an individual U.S. driver  was 0.83 in June, up 0.01 from the value for May (the lower the value, the better). This value indicates that the average new-vehicle driver produced 17% lower emissions in June than in October 2007, but 5% higher emissions than the record low reached in both August 2014 and August 2015.
Infographic courtesy of Zipcar

Zipcar and the University of California, Berkeley's Transportation Sustainability Research Center (TSRC), released the findings of a first-of-its kind study of Zipcars carsharing service on North American college and university campuses.

The results show that carsharing programs enable 30% of students who live on campus to leave their car at home, according to the study.

Respondents also report saving money on transportation after joining Zipcar and having the freedom to go where they want, when they want, with the wheels they want.

"Traffic and the lack of parking are growing problems on college and university campuses as student car owners continue to outnumber available parking," said Susan Shaheen, co-director, UC Berkeley TSRC. "This first-ever study of Zipcar carsharing on college and university campuses shows that implementing an on-campus carsharing program can help to alleviate these concerns and improve the well-being of students, faculty, and staff, providing greater accessibility and mobility without the burden of circling for a spot, feeding a meter, or obtaining a permit."

More than 10,000 university students, faculty, and staff participated in the survey, with students making up 90% percent of the respondents.

Some key findings include:

- Thirty percent of on-campus students said they would have brought a car to campus if Zipcar wasn't available.

- More than 40% are less likely to buy a car in the next few years because of Zipcar.

- Eighty-two percent of students and 66% of staff/faculty are car-free.

- Nearly 60% use public transit at least once a month.

- After joining Zipcar, 81% bike the same amount or more and 86% walk the same or more.

- Nearly 70% of university Zipcar members say Zipcar has improved their quality of life, and the same proportion say Zipcar is important or very important to them.

- Two in five said they save money on transportation as a result of their membership, putting an average of nearly $20 per month back in their pockets.

"The solution to campus parking isn't more spots and lots; it's offering smarter, more sustainable mobility options that give students the freedom to go where they want, when they want, without bringing a car to school," said Katelyn Bushey, Zipcars director of university programs. "Sixteen years ago, we launched Zipcar at a single university, making it our mission to make campuses better places to live and learn. Now, we're at more than 500 colleges and universities in North America, and this study confirms that we've delivered on that mission."

Click here for more information on Zipcar's carsharing service at colleges and universities.
Mitsubishi Motors has been warned to cease the selling of eight of their models after it was discovered that they had exaggerated the efficiency of the fuel of two of its car models.

The investigation that was conducted by the transport ministry comes after the car manufacturing giant confessed to fabricating the efficiency of the fuel of not only two of its current models, but that of two cars that were established for Nissan as well.

Their declaration effectively put an end to sales of vehicles, which impelled an intense decline in the market value of the car manufacturing giant. The Pajero, Outlander and RVR SUV cars are just some of the various vehicle types that have been affected by the fuel efficiency scandal, according to BBC News.

"Our investigation confirmed that the fuel economy on eight models were as much as 8.8% and on average 4.2% lower than advertised," the transport ministry said in a statement. Mitsubishi Motors was then urged by the ministry to stop the selling of the eight models while presenting the accurate readings.

Back April, the Japanese firm admitted to cheating on some of their economy tests on several Japanese K-cars, with 600,000 of them affected by the falsification controversy, where it was made to appear that these vehicles were indeed fuel efficient, Auto World News previously reported.

The company's president Tetsuro Aikawa affirmed that he did not have knowledge whatsoever about the cheating until the Volkswagen dieselgate incited an investigation that lead to the discovery of the irregularities.

"The wrongdoing was intentional. It is clear the falsification was done to make the mileage look better. But why they would resort to fraud to do this is still unclear," Aikawa said, as he and company executives apologized before the media and claimed responsibility for the issue.

A few days later, the woes for the car manufacturing giant became worse when they further confessed to falsifying car fuel tests and have not properly complied with Japanese standards for the past 25 years.
Chevrolet is set to release a fuel-celled vehicle for the US Army. Working together, U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and General Motors is about to release a vehicle specially designed for US Troops and set to go out in October.

The teaser of the said vehicle features a high-clearance vehicle; expected that it is fully powered to fit the needs of the US force.

The vehicles will be fully powered by fuel cells. Fuel cells are a good technology that can act as an excellent source of heat and electricity for buildings and an electrical power source for electric motors. Fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, heat and water. The fuel cell will give the car instant torque delivery that is essential for off-road situations. Another pro is that the finished product will be a car that is nearly silent, a great addition to provide stealth mode for the car if needed.

GM and TARDEC are in agreement that gives the latter access to consumer technology and GM to have insight into fuel cell applications. This agreement is with the Department of Defense as they pursue the desire for commercial innovation paralleled with the increase in national security.

Furthermore, this project aims to target multiple areas as they launch. The fuel cell program will help the US Army's goals in electricity generation, water generation, paired with their need for a capable and quieter mobile capabilities.

It is also considered as a project to provide better vehicles and energy production in a more sustainable and greener way. This project can hit many targets at a single shot.

The fuel-cell army vehicles specifics are still and of course kept discreetly, but it is also possible that the results of the research will also produce products that are good for passenger vehicles in the near future.

In 2017, the first army cars are expected to be out for experimental duties.
Theres been a lot of talk lately about a shortage of pilots for both military and civilian jobs, and now the U.S. Air Force says it has to hire private contractors to fly its drones. The contract drone pilots are not allowed to fire weapons, but they can operate reconnaissance missions, according to a story in this weeks New York Times. The number of contract pilots is classified information, but Pentagon officials told the Times there are at least several hundred working in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This is opening up a whole new can of worms, Laura A. Dickinson, a George Washington University law professor who studies the outsourcing of war, told the Times. With drones, this is a new area where we already do not have a lot of transparency, and with contractors operating drones theres no clearly defined regime of oversight and accountability. Military officials told the Times its difficult to recruit drone operators because the work is stressful yet tedious, and the operators are sometimes targeted by enemies who claim the drones kill civilians.
The Weekenders off for another mini-vacation, this time to take in pilot-friendly events found on SocialFlight.com.The 10th Annual Triple Tree Aerodrome Fly-In in South Carolina kicks off Wednesday with arrivals throughout the day for a long weekend of workshops and seminars for GA pilots. EAA Chairman/CEO Jack Pelton will speak on a variety of topics on Friday, and AOPA President Mark Baker will hold a Town Hall meeting Saturday morning.

Show off your airplane and celebrate the birthday of the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum Saturday and Sunday in Hood River, Oregon. Arrive Friday for a pilots-only night and camp underwing. Weekend events for all include biplane rides, pilot seminars and a WAAM Restoration Shop Open House.

On Saturday in Rogers, Arkansas, Take Off for Kids will host a fundraiserthe Wright Flight Program of the Tailwind Aviation Foundation. Join in on a five-airport poker run, spot landing contest, flight timing contest and flour drop, all with prizes for the top participants.

The Brooks Field 85th Anniversary Historic Fly-In in Marshall, Michigan will honoramphibious aircraft with a free breakfast all amphibious PICs. The event, in conjunction with the citys historic home tour event, also features a car show and exhibits including Honor Flight, the Civil Air Patrol, Air National Guard and West Michigan Flight Academy, offering simulator time for kids.
7 September 2016 11:04 (UTC+04:00)

The Armenian armed units shattered ceasefire with Azerbaijan a total of 21 times throughout the day, Azerbaijan`s Defense Ministry reported on September 7.

Armenian armed forces, stationed in Barekamavan village of Noyemberyan region, Chinari and Ayqedzor villages of Berd region subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces located in Gaymagli village of Gazakh region and Kokhanabi and Agbulag villages of Tovuz region.

The ceasefire was also violated in Garagashli, Javahirli, Yusufcanli, Saricali villages of Aghdam region, Ashagi Veysalli, Ashagi Seyidahmadli villages of Fuzuli region, Mehdili village of Jabrail region as well as nameless hills in Goranboy and Tartar regions.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Two decades of talks mediated by the OSCE MG group have failed to produce a breakthrough, and the renewed hostilities in April 2016, the worst since the ceasefire deal signed in 1994, were assessed as the result of inactivity of the international community

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7 September 2016 17:13 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The state debt of Armenia amounted to 2.545 trillion drams ($5.36 billion) as of the end of the first half of 2016.

This was announced by Deputy Finance Minister, Chief Treasurer of Armenia Atom Janjughazyan in the Armenian Parliament while presenting the report on the implementation of state budget for the first half of 2016, Armenian Report stated.

A total of 2.309 trillion drams ($4.86 billion) of them made up the debt of the government, and 236.8 billion ($500 million) refer to the Central Bank. In the structure of government debt, external debt amounted to 1.892 trillion drams ($4 billion), while 416.7 billion drams ($877.8 million) made the inner debt.

Noteworthy, the forecasted GDP in 2016 amounts to 5.443 trillion drams. Thus, by the end of the first half-year the national debt amounted to 46.7 percent of GDP.

Earlier, Armenian experts warned that the increase in external debt of Armenia will continue till the end of the year.

The rate of economic growth in Armenia falls down on the background of the rising state debt,.

Thus, the economic growth in Armenia in the second quarter of 2016 made 1.5 percent, compared to reportedly 4.5 percent in the first three months of the current year.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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7 September 2016 13:01 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Iranian companies, engaged in oil, gas, construction, pharmaceutical, car making and other industrial spheres will attend an exhibition scheduled for September 19 in Baku.

Irans Trade Attache in Baku Mohammad Ebrahim Naghizadeh announced about this during a press conference on September 7, further adding that more than 50 Iranian companies will attend the exhibition.

"In the meantime, a business forum will be held in Baku on September 20, which is the largest forum between the two countries ever," he said.

Naghizadeh went on to add that 300 companies from Azerbaijan and more than 150 from Iran will attend the event.

According to Naghizadeh, the trade turnover between Iran and Azerbaijan has increased by 70 percent in the first half of 2016.

He didn't mention any figures, but Hassan Mortajeh, the director of Pars Pegah company, which hosts of the exhibition said that in 1H16, Iran exported $178.5 million commodities to Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, Hassan Motazez, the head of exhibition, also said that the upcoming exhibition and business forum, called "Iran Project 2016", will play a key role in improving ties between the two countries.

"Iran Project 2016" is aimed at studying Azerbaijan's market, he said, adding that Iran aims to have a win-win relation with Azerbaijan.

Iran gives priority to neighboring countries in boosting economical relations during the post sanctions era. The sanctions over Iran was eliminated in January 2016.

The State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the country has increased imports from Iran by 58 percent to $77.347 million during January-August year-on-year, while it's exports to Iran increased by 113.53 percent to $28.340 million in 7 months.

Azerbaijan's exports to Iran almost doubled to $14.4 million in the first quarter of 2016, while imports increased from $19.4 million in 2015 to $27 million in 2016.

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7 September 2016 13:15 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Azerbaijani government and the group of companies DP Worlds (Dubai Port World  one of the world's largest port operators) signed an agreement to provide consulting services for the establishment of a free trade zone in Alat settlement of Baku.

The document was undersigned by Deputy Economy Minister Niyazi Safarov, Director General of Baku International Sea Trade Port Taleh Ziyadov and President of the DP Worlds group Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem at the special ceremony on September 7.

President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on March 17, 2016 on the measures to create special economic area of a free trade zone type in the Alat township of Baku's Garadagh district.

Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, who addressed the meeting, noted that it is important to use Azerbaijans transit potential for ensuring the sustainable development of the country.

The minister said that Azerbaijan is thoroughly working in that direction and implementing significant projects.

Azerbaijan stands in the center of energy routes, the minister said. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) gas pipeline, originating from Azerbaijan, and construction of Trans-Anatolian Pipeline and Trans-Adriatic Pipeline increase the countrys significance. Moreover, the countrys potential as an international logistics center and a transport corridor also increases.

Speaking about transport projects, Mustafayev added that practical implementation of the North-South project has already been launched.

The minister said the first stage of the work to build the Baku International Sea Trade Port has already started.

Among the operations in the east-west direction, I would like to stress the development of shipping, railways, forthcoming completion of construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, he added.

At the same time, significant actions are taken to construct the North-South transport corridor, he said. Corresponding talks are being held with neighboring countries.

A railway is being constructed as part of the North-South project, the minister said. The railway will run up to the border with Iran by late 2016. A railway bridge over the Astarachay River will also be built.

Mustafayev added that in the future a railway will be built up to the Persian Gulf, which is a significant action to increase the transit potential of Azerbaijan as part of the North-South transport corridor.

The Minister further noted the creation of a free trade area in the Alat settlement will also be discussed during the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade-economic cooperation, Azerbaijan  UAE in November 2016.

Baku has everything necessary to become a focal point of Eurasia, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem noted during the meeting.

We want to turn Baku into a coordination center of Eurasia. We believe that you have the necessary components for this  high-tech and resources. And we have the experience. Combining all this we [DP World and Baku International Sea Trade Port] can become a single strong commercial structure, he said.

We want the commercial port not to be some kind of alternative for entrepreneurs, but become a necessity for businesses, as once we did in Dubai, Ahmed bin Sulayem noted.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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7 September 2016 15:55 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

The World Bank (WB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) are ready to render their support to Azerbaijan in the sphere of developing private sector and encouraging investments in the country, said Yan Van Bilsen IFCs regional manager in South Caucasus, while addressing a seminar dedicated to the investment environment on September 7.

The WB and the IFC have broad experience in support of private sector and encouragement of investments and are ready to render support to Azerbaijan, which has already succeeded in this direction, he said, underlining that private sector is one of the most essential elements of any economy.

Van Bilsen also highlighted the recent reforms, which are considered as important for the further improvement of business climate and are expected to boost entrepreneurial activity in the country.

We hail and support reforms, which are currently underway in Azerbaijan, and hope that our participation will allow to make the private sector of the country more attractive for both foreign and local investors, he said.

Van Bilsen further emphasized that one of the most important tasks is liquidation of possible obstacles for the flow of domestic investments, creation of equal conditions for both foreign and local investors, which it turn will lead to diversification of economy, increasing the number of working places and improving of fiscal balance of the country.

Azerbaijan is expanding its non-oil sector and seeking to stimulate business development including through private investments.

A joint mission of the World Bank (WB) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) is visiting Azerbaijan on September 5-9 to update the indicators of the country in Doing Business report.

The latest report of the WB and IFC Doing Business -2016 was released last year, and included 189 countries. Azerbaijan took 63rd place in the ranking with 67.8 points out of a possible 100.

Doing Business 2016, a World Bank Group flagship publication, measures the regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it, presenting indicators on business regulations that can be compared across 189 economies of the world.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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7 September 2016 17:39 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

Azerbaijan and Germany signed agreements on financing and special arrangements under the Program on support to protected areas of Azerbaijan: Zagatala  Balakan regions.

The agreements were signed by Azerbaijani Finance Minister Samir Sharifov, Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Huseyngulu Bagirov and KfW Development Banks Director for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia Eva Vitt.

Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov, addressing the meeting highlighted the importance of the cooperation with Germany and hailed projects, implemented in Azerbaijan by the German government and KfW Bank.

Main objectives of the project are preparatory works on the creation of the first Zagatala-Balakan biosphere reserve in the country, strengthening of infrastructure of Zagatala reserve, as well as implementation of measures on environmental protection.

The agreement on financial cooperation signed in November 2013 between Azerbaijan and Germany provided for the issuance of a grant worth some 4 million ($ 4.47 million). Implementation of the project, worth 4.5 million ($ 5.03 million) is expected to be launched in 2016 and completed by 2019.

The first biosphere reserve is planned to be created on the basis of two existing reserves. Zagatala-Balakan biosphere reserve will cover Zagatala (134,800 hectares) and Balakan (99,400 hectares) regions, located in the south-western part of the country at the border with Georgia and Dagestan.

Half of the financing, provided by the bank is meant for the administration of the future reserve, while another portion for the population of the area. Irreducible Revolving Fund under the administration of the reserve will be created in this regard. The Fund will provide for the issuance of micro credits (interest-free or at formal interest) for financing of minimization of humans impact on animate nature.

Moreover, participants also discussed works on construction of water facilities and sewerage systems in Ganja (Azerbaijan's second largest city) and Sheki as well as financing of the project. Implementation of the project will improve water supply and sewage services for approximately 500,000 residents in both cities.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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7 September 2016 10:43 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

YARAT Contemporary Art Space invites all literature lovers and fans to Literature Night on 7 September, 2016.

Young writers will express the inner resistance hidden in their hearts with the help of poems.

YARAT Literature nights' goal is organizing literature nights is to introduce wide public to new books and experimental literature forms. These events are often combined with theatrical performances and music. Once or twice per exhibition block.

The guests will be Nigar Mammadli, Huseynagha Aslanov, Nurane Nur, Parviz Seyidli and others. The event will be held at YARAT Contemporary Art Space. Entrance is free.

YARAT is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to nurturing an understanding of contemporary art in Azerbaijan and to creating a platform for Azerbaijani art, both nationally and internationally. Based in Baku, YARAT (meaning CREATE in Azerbaijani) was founded by Aida Mahmudova in 2011. YARAT realises its mission through an on-going program of exhibitions, education events and festivals. YARAT facilitates exchange between local and international artistic networks including foundations, galleries and museums.

A series of reciprocal residencies further fosters opportunities for global cultural dialogue and partnership. Educational initiatives include lectures, seminars, master classes, and the Young Artist Project ARTIM (meaning PROGRESS in Azerbaijani).

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7 September 2016 13:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

"Day of Azerbaijan" was held within the framework of international beauty contest "Miss & Mister Planet  2016" in Georgia, Trend Life reported.

Yusif Jafarli and Anna Granovskaya, who represented Azerbaijan at the contest, appeared before the jury in stunning national costumes and informed the audience about the rich and ancient culture of Azerbaijan.

Next, the guests enjoyed delicious meals of Azerbaijani cuisine.

The president of the project, Ekaterina Mgaloblishvili praised the organization of the event.

The 23-year-old, Yusif Jafarli is the winner of the national selection Miss & Mister Turkvision  2016.

The beauty contest organized by Suleiman and Orkhan Tanahirli was appreciated by all fashionistas. The final was attended by 15 young men and women who appeared before the audience in stunning evening dresses and summer suits.

This year, Yusif will also take part in Mister Universal Ambassador -2016, which will be held in Indonesia.

Anna Granovskaya previously worked as a model in Moscow.

Besides, the beauty will represent Azerbaijan at Miss Bikini Universe  2016 in Chine.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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7 September 2016 17:55 (UTC+04:00)

The GCC countries are currently looking at massive airport expansion and airport development projects which include international, domestic and military airports and the region is seeing a huge increase in the investments for the development and modernization of these airports at a cost of around $90 billion.

It is said that the Airport Council International (ACI), and the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) have predicted that airports in the Middle East are expected to handle over 400 million passengers by 2020 which is purely due to the development projects that have been planned for the region.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is looking at sophisticating and streamlining the aviation sector through major infrastructure development projects, privatization projects, and market liberalization.

Today the Kingdom is looking at modernizing the already existing airports as well as developing new airports of the future with technology that can handle the air traffic and the passenger flow with ease.

Hence, Nispana is proud to announce that we, along with GACA (General Authority of Civil Aviation) are hosting The Airport Modernization Summit which is scheduled to take place on the 2 - 3 October, 2016, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The 2-Day Summit will provide the main stake holders with an ideal platform to come together and listen to real-time case study presentations by global leaders, network with peers, exchange ideas and source some of the latest technology that can be used to modernize / privatize the existing airports and develop new airports of the future.

Nispana Innovative Platforms Pvt. Ltd., a global provider of the finest business intelligence solutions today provides business leaders around the world with real time competitive B2B platforms. Working towards providing a multi-dimensional business catalyst, focusing on re-education, networking and most importantly deal making opportunities for all attendees is what we strive towards. Complimentary to the product offerings we also are your compliance and accreditation specialists.



The company helps Global Corporate Buyers, Governments, Industrial Experts and Solution Providers respond to the challenges at hand and opportunities created by worldwide business drivers. We catalyze the process of business mergers, acquisitions and negotiations. We focus offerings through our dedicated integrated practice areas: Conferences, Summits, Exhibitions, and Trainings across Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. We organize high profile B2B summits and meets to address some of the issues faced by businesses globally in order to ensure that every one of our clients get maximum Return on Investment.

It works in various sectors such as Oil & Gas, Banking & Finance, Construction & Infrastructure, Defence & Aviation, Power & Energy, Transportation & Logistics, Environmental, Security, Healthcare & Pharmaceutical, Human Resources, Information Technology and Training Programs. Our Strategic Business Summits connect pre-qualified senior level decision makers with pre-qualified global solution providers and industrial experts to do business on one platform for a 2 day period. These business platforms provide our clients with access to a cutting edge agenda that addresses all their queries.

Nispana continues to cherish productive working partnerships with various government entities and organizations across Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. We also work closely with key figures in the media who continue to add value to our network globally.

Since the formation of Nispana in 2010 we have produced several successful events and have returned on true investment on both time and money. Nispana is currently headquartered in Bangalore, India and have our branch office in Dubai, U.A.E. A multicultural, dynamic and focused on business performance with elan is what Nispana delivers to you.
7 September 2016 11:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Azerbaijani Embassy to Belgium appealed to Chamber of Representatives of Belgian Parliament, Council of the Christian Democratic and Flemish Party, which Els Van Hoof belongs to, as well as the country's Foreign Ministry in connection with the illegal visit of Parliament members to the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Hikmat Hajiyev, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, made the statement while commenting on the visit of the Belgian Parliaments members to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, APA reported.

He said the visits of the Chairman of the Belgium Parliaments friendship group with Armenia, Els Van Hoof and member of the Chamber of Representatives George Dalman are private, despite the speculation on this trip organized by Armenia.

Hajiyev stressed that Els Van Hoof has very close ties with Armenia and the Armenian lobby: The Belgian Chamber of Representatives stated that this visit is in no way connected with the activities of the Chamber, the working schedule of the Chamber has no scheduled visits of Van Hoof to Armenia or elsewhere. The Secretariat of the party Christian Democratic and Flemish noted that they are not aware of this visit and the trip is a private initiative of the MP".

Hajiyev added that after appropriate clarification the names of these MPs will be included in the list of "undesirable persons".

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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7 September 2016 12:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Deputy Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament, chairwoman of the Working Group on Azerbaijan-Switzerland Inter-parliamentary Relations, Bahar Muradova has met with a delegation led by President of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities Herbert Winter, Azertac reported.

Muradova described Azerbaijan as a tolerant and multicultural country.

"Jews in Azerbaijan enjoy every possible opportunity to get education in their own language, to develop their culture and play an active role in the life of state and society. Azerbaijani laws and realities pave the way for this," Muradova said.

Muradova further praised bilateral relations in a variety of fields between Azerbaijan and Switzerland.

She hailed both countries' opportunities and political will to promote this relationship. She stressed the importance of political, economic and humanitarian ties in strengthening the inter-parliamentary relations.

Saying it was his first visit to Azerbaijan, Herbert Winter noted that they were deeply impressed by the development of the country.

He noted that the aim of the visit was to get closely familiarized with the peaceful coexistence of various intercultural, ethnic and religious groups in Azerbaijan.

Winter also hailed the development of bilateral relations between Switzerland and Azerbaijan.

Previously, the delegation was received by President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

Modern Azerbaijan is a perfect worldwide example in terms of religious tolerance, multiculturalism and religious safety.

Being a Muslim majority country, Azerbaijan is a home to a big Jewish community, who is as many other religious centers, including Catholics, Protestants and members of the Russian Orthodox Church, live in safety here.

The countrys north region of Guba is home to Azerbaijan's largest community of Mountain Jews, who live in Krasnaya Sloboda (Red Town).

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7 September 2016 14:51 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev received Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DP World Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem in Baku on September 7, Azertac reported.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem conveyed Vice President, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's greetings and congratulations on Azerbaijan's achievements in the economic sphere to the head of state.

He expressed his country's readiness to contribute to Azerbaijan's economy on a continuous basis.

He said he was impressed by the beauty of Baku, and hailed the fact that a large number of tourists from different countries visit the city. Ahmed Bin Sulayem noted that making investment in the development of the capital city was a farsighted step. He congratulated President Aliyev on this occasion.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem stressed the importance of achieving diversification of the economy in Azerbaijan at a time when oil countries were suffering from the crisis.

He as well expressed his confidence that the agreement to be signed today on Free Trade Zone-type economic zone, including the territory of Baku International Sea Trade Port would a success for the Azerbaijani economy.

President Aliyev recalled with pleasure his meetings with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum during his official visit to the country, and hailed the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

The head of state expressed his gratitude for the greetings of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and asked Ahmed Bin Sulayem to extend his greetings to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Saying the document which will be signed today with the DP World group of companies will contribute to the strengthening of ties between the two countries, the head of state expressed his hope that the new project would pave the way for the creation of extra jobs and growth in the GDP.

Hailing the large tourist flow from different countries, including the Gulf countries in Azerbaijan in recent years, President Aliyev underlined that Azerbaijan took the path of economic diversification, rapid development was achieved in all sectors, including industry, tourism, transport and agriculture.

"And all this created good opportunities for addressing problems at a time when the oil prices had sharply fallen down," President Aliyev said.

On the same day, the Azerbaijani government and the group of companies DP Worlds signed an agreement to provide consulting services for the establishment of a free trade zone in Alat settlement of Baku.

The document was undersigned by Deputy Economy Minister Niyazi Safarov, Director General of Baku International Sea Trade Port Taleh Ziyadov and President of the DP Worlds group Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem at a special ceremony.

President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on March 17, 2016 on the measures to create special economic area of a free trade zone type in the Alat township of Baku's Garadagh district.
7 September 2016 14:34 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Camal

Azerbaijan continues to show full solidarity with the people and state of Turkey, said Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

The minister made the remark at the 1263rd meeting of the Minister's Deputies of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on September 7.

Mammadyarov emphasized that from the very beginning, Azerbaijan expressed its serious concern and strongly condemned this crime [the military coup attempt] perpetrated by one group against the Constitution and democracy in brotherly Turkey.

By reiterating our solidarity with the People and State of Turkey we expressed our conviction that the situation would fully stabilize through unity of Turkish people and the state. Regretfully, the coup attempt took many lives, and by using this opportunity I extend my deep condolences to the families and loved ones of those perished while preventing this crime, the minister said.

Turkey plays an important role in enhancing and securing peace and sustainability in and beyond our region and therefore its own stability is of utmost importance for the entire region, believes the minister.

Azerbaijan enjoys strong strategic partnership with Turkey based on the will of our People and State and our shared values. Therefore, naturally the violent coup attempt against the legitimate government of the brotherly nation caused great anxiety in our society, he said.

Then, the minister said that Baku commends the Estonian Chairmanship for clear condemnation of the attempted coup and for visiting Turkey in the aftermath of the tragic events to express support for the leadership of Turkey and demonstrate solidarity with the Turkish people.

These acts were not only necessary for supporting the legitimate government in Turkey, but also for defending the common values the Organization stands for, he added.

We believe that this very important political support should be continued by providing Turkey with any assistance it needs in the post-coup period through the valuable mechanisms and tools the Council of Europe has at its disposal.

The minister is sure that the Council of Europe can play a constructive and important role in this process. Turkey has to enjoy full and unequivocal support of the members of international community. We have an obligation to stand with Turkey against the threat to its democracy, Mammadyarov emphasized.

The minister once gain reiterated that Azerbaijan stands by Turkey and expresses its unequivocal support for the government of Turkey in all its domestic and international endeavors.

The July 15 coup attempt occurred when rogue elements in the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically elected government.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said the deadly plot, which martyred at least 246 people and injured more than 2,000 others, was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen.

The General Staff of Turkish Armed Forces has said that 8,651 servicemen of the armed forces participated in the military coup attempt in the country. The rebels used 35 planes, 37 helicopters, 246 tanks and three vessels during the military coup attempt in Turkey.

President Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

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7 September 2016 15:48 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Hasanova

Three Azerbaijani judges - Kamalya Abiyeva, Latif Huseynov and Rovshan Ismayilov will represent the country in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said on September 7.

The names of these judges are listed in a letter sent to PACE Secretary General Wojciech Sawicki by the ambassador, permanent representative of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe, Emin Eyyubov.

The European Court of Human Rights is an international court set up in 1959. It rules on individual or state applications alleging violations of the civil and political rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Court monitors respect for the human rights of 800 million Europeans in the 47 Council of Europe member States that have ratified the Convention.

The Court is currently made up of 47 judges, one in principle for every State signed up to the Convention. They are elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and serve for six years. Judges sit on the Court as individuals and do not represent their country

Azerbaijan ratified the European Convention on Human Rights on April 15, 2002, as well as, the additional protocol abolishing the death penalty.

Azerbaijan became the 43rd member State of the Council of Europe on 25 January 2001.

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7 September 2016 17:52 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Hasanova

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has registered 846 observers for the upcoming referendum on the changes and amendments to the Constitution of Azerbaijan, CEC Head Mazahir Panahov said on September 7.

Panahov added that the polling stations have registered 37,429 observers.

In addition, Deputy Chairman of CEC Natig Mammadov said that the registration of League of Protection of Labor rights, Center for Aid and independent advice "For Civil Society", Independent Research Center ELS to conduct Exit Poll has a reasonable basis due to their necessary experience.

This question was put to the vote and they have been registered, Mammadov said.

The question of registration of Rey Monitoring Center will be reviewed at the next meeting of the CEC, he added.

September 26, 2016, was set as the date for the referendum on proposed changes to the constitution of Azerbaijan.

In a bill recently sent to the Constitutional Court, President Ilham Aliyev proposed amendments to 29 Articles of Azerbaijans current constitution. The changes envisage the extension of the presidential term from five to seven years, the establishment of the first vice-president and vice-president positions in the country as well as the abolishment of minimum age limit for presidential candidates, dissolution of parliament by the president.

Final results of the Referendum will be announced until October 21.

The last time changes to the Constitution were made seven years ago, following Constitutional referendum held in 2009.

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7 September 2016 11:38 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

The Islamic Republic of Iran, the third-largest producer in OPEC, supports any measures aimed at stabilizing the black gold market.

Irans President Hassan Rouhani announced about this following his meeting with OPECs new secretary-general Mohammed Barkindo, Ria Novosti reported.

He said that Tehran backs any efforts by OPEC to stabilize oil prices in case the measures are based on fair imposition of quotas on output.

Iran had suffered greatly under sanctions. Therefore it is vital for the country to make up its lost oil production, he said.

Barkindo, for his part, stressed that the role of Iran in OPEC is very high, underlining the importance of cooperation between the cartel members in the process of tackling problems that occurred in the market.

The sides also discussed the issue of putting ceilings on oil production, which will be discussed in the forthcoming Algeria meeting, scheduled for September 26-28.

Barkindo, who is trying to gain support for the plan of production freeze earlier met with Irans Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh and permanent representative of Iran in OPEC Hossein Kazempour Ardabili.

Iran, the country which possesses tremendous hydrocarbon resources, is currently recovering from years of sanctions, while majority of analysts say that the country is in the touching distance from reaching its pre-sanctions level.

Meanwhile, Director for International Affairs at NIOC (National Iranian Oil Company), Seyed Mohsen Ghamsari said that that Iran is ready to raise its oil production to 4 million barrels per day (bpd) in the next two to three months depending on market demand.

Rouhanis comments followed the agreement between Russia and Saudi Arabia, the worlds biggest crude producers, on certain measures to be taken with a view to stabilize the market, tackle weak prices and rein of oversupply.

Russias President Vladimir Putin earlier said that oil producers recognize that Iran deserves to complete its return to world markets, and it would be unfair to leave it on the sanctioned level.

The recent developments mounted speculation that OPEC nations and Russia may reach an agreement to freeze production.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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7 September 2016 14:21 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

Azerbaijan is among the countries that are interested in Pakistan's tenders for liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, Reuters reported citing Adnan Gilani, head of Pakistan LNG, a new state-owned company set up to manage procurement and supply of gas.

Pakistan plans to issue two international tenders for 750,000 tons per year of liquefied natural gas each in the coming month, he said, adding that firms from Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Qatar, the U.S. and Azerbaijan are interested in the tenders.



"We had over half a dozen participants bidding in our last international tender and expect more than twice that number this time around," Gilani said. He also added that the specifics of the tenders are being finalized, but they will probably be a 5-year and a 15-year offer. Gilani said that Pakistan would also negotiate separate intergovernmental LNG deals.

The Pakistani newspaper express tribune earlier reported that Baku and Islamabad agreed to ink intergovernmental deals in various fields, including supply of electricity, crude and refined oil products, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and LNG. The agreement was reached during the two-day 6th Session of Azerbaijan-Pakistan joint commission in Islamabad.

Both sides decided to jointly evaluate the possibility and support of the sides in oil and gas exploration and development projects in Azerbaijan and Pakistan. The two countries also agreed to facilitate talks and ink a MoU between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the Pakistan State Oil Company (PSO). SOCAR Trading S.A, SOCAR`s wholly owned affiliate would execute the relevant activities in the country.

Pakistan recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on December 12, 1991. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established on June 9, 1992.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Pakistan amounted to $1.8 million in the first quarter of 2016, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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7 September 2016 15:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

The UK and Iran have recently exchanged ambassadors for the first time since 2011, which was assessed as a sign of warming relations between the two countries.

Nicholas Hopton, previously British Charge daffaires in Tehran, was appointed Her Majestys Ambassador, while Hamid Baeidinejad, who earlier acted as director-general for political and international affairs at Irans Foreign Ministry, was appointed as a new Iranian Ambassador to London.

The upgrade in diplomatic relations gives us the opportunity to develop our discussions on a range of issues, including our consular cases about which I am deeply concerned, and which I have raised with Foreign Minister Zarif, the newly appointed British ambassador said.

London broke off relations with Tehran, shut down its embassy and withdrew diplomatic staff in late 2011, when Iranian students stormed the British embassy in anger at Britain's backing of sanctions against Iran, pulling down the UK flag and demanding the expulsion of the British ambassador.

Nearly two years after their diplomatic ties were severed, Iran and Britain agreed to appoint non-resident charges daffaires as a first step toward reestablishment of their ties.

The two countries began reestablishing diplomatic relations in 2015 and reopened their embassies in each others respective capitals, all affairs, however, have been so far managed by charges daffaires.

Iran, which has recently reentered the world stage, following years of sanctions is currently seeking to revive its energy sector by means of cooperating with major European companies.

Mehr agency earlier reported that National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and British Petroleum (BP), one of the worlds seven giant oil and gas companies have launched talks on inking an oil sale agreement. NIOCs Executive Director for International Affairs confirmed the talks saying in case of reaching an agreement, crude will be sold to BP to supply one of its refineries in South Africa or in other parts of the world.

Moreover, Deputy Oil Minister Rokneddin Javadi said that BP voiced readiness to invest in Iranian projects.

He said that BP seeks new gateways of cooperation and is aimed at transferring data and knowledge to the Islamic Republic.

NIOC and BP launched cooperation worth some $656 million on producing gas at the Rhum offshore gas field in Scotland in 2002, where daily production was estimated at 190 million cubic meters (mcm), however operations were halted in 2010, after introduction of the sanctions.

Britain was one of the first nations to send diplomats to Iran after the July 2015 signing of the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers in Vienna.

In a telephone conversation between incumbent British Prime Minister Theresa May and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on August 9, the two sides said mutual relations have developed positively since the signing of the JCPOA and that both sides should continue to advance the relationship, Press TV reported.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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7 September 2016 16:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Hasanova

Removal of the Russian embargo on Turkish agricultural products could be delayed for another two months, Anadolu Agency reported with reference to Turkish Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock Faruk Celik.

The minister noted that after the imposition of sanctions on Turkish products Russian consumers were forced to buy Turkish products at a higher price.

"Turkish food was arriving in the Russian market through Belarus and the Balkan states, Celik said.

The minister also stressed the importance of the recovery of the Turkish-Russian relations soon.

The Turkish side seeks to increase the trade turnover with Russia up to a record figure  $100 billion.

The trade turnover between Turkey and Russia amounted to $8 billion in 1H2016, while this figure was $10-11 billion in the same period of 2015.

Previously, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, commenting on results of his visit to Russia, said that Turkey and Russia can use their own national currencies in mutual trade since using national currencies instead of USD will benefit the countries more.

In turn, President Putin said that a session of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic relations with Turkey will take place in 2016.

We have to work hard to reanimate trade and economic relations, particularly, to pay attention to increasing investments, trade flows, implementation of promising projects, he noted.

The crisis in relations between the two countries began after the incident with the downed Russian plane. After the incident, the Russian president signed a decree on measures to ensure national security and launch special economic measures against Turkey.

Later after the months of enmity Russian and Turkish Presidents held a meeting in St. Petersburg which moved the relations to a positive phase.

Both sides stressed that they are aiming to cooperate with each other in different spheres, particularly to increase investments and trade flows.

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7 September 2016 17:02 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Turkey can arrest three MPs from ruling Justice and Development Party as part of the operation against the Fethullah Gulen movement, the Hurriyet newspaper reported on September 7.

Fethullah Gulen is accused of being involved in the July 15 military coup attempt in Turkey.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded. Erdogan also declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

The names of the MPs, suspected of having ties with the Gulen movement, havent been disclosed.

Reportedly, 48 more MPs from the ruling party are also suspected of having ties with the Gulen movement. However, the countrys authorities havent yet confirmed this.

According to Turkeys law, before being arrested, MPs should be deprived of parliamentary immunity. Under Turkeys Criminal Code, in order to initiate a criminal case, the prosecutors office should make an official request to the parliament, after which the parliaments law commission deprives the MP from the parliamentary immunity.

Currently, 317 MPs are representing the Justice and Development Party in Turkeys parliament.

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Thousands of Chinese rally in Paris to call for 'security for all' 2016-09-06 09:57 By (Xinhua)

Demonstrators hold signs at a rally of the Chinese community to raise awareness about recent attacks in Paris, France, September 4, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]

PARIS - Thousands of Chinese living in France marched Sunday in Paris to protest against insecurity and crimes targeting Chinese after a Chinese textile designer died after being attacked last month in Paris suburbs.

Police data showed about 15,000 people attended the rally on Sunday, the largest gathering of Chinese community since 2012.

Wearing white T-shirts, protesters waved French flags and chanted "Security for all"," Freedom, equality, fraternity and security." The wave of protests came after 49-year-old Zhang Chaolin died last month after five days in a coma. He had been mugged in the northern Paris suburb of Aubervilliers by three men who stole his bag.

"The Chinese community does not talk much. It is very discreet and here people have finally decided to say something ... The message at this protest is that all communities feel concerned," Veronique Yang,said a Sino-French journalist, adding: "we are citizens with full French citizenship."

Stephane Cheng, a French of Chinese origin said the reason for the rally was "to put pressure on the government so that our demands will better been taken into account."

"People need to feel protected by the French government when they come to France, and for us, it is still not enough," he added.

Caroline Zhang, a Chinese student who has lived in Paris for three years, does not dare to go out at night. "I am not reassured to go out because I have friends who are being robbed..." she said.

"The Chinese have reputation for carrying a lot of cash on them. But, we are targeted for nothing," she said.

In Sunday's peaceful protest, many French people joined Chinese protesters to express solidarity with them. John Pergouret, manager of Saphir Eurasia Promotion agency, said: "I have a network on WeChat where many Chinese tourists I work with were attacked. They feel insecure and

I'm demonstrating along with the Chinese community because we are all concerned."
7 September 2016 15:42 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Although there are many beautiful places around the world to visit, only some of these tourism destinations can cater to Muslims more than others, since many Muslims feel more comfortable in Muslim countries due to food, prayer or even security issues.

Mastercard and CrescentRating, a leading authority on Halal-friendly travel, published a report of the Global Muslim Travel Index 2016 (GMTI), which analyzes the trends and needs of Muslim travelers.



GMTI 2016 is the most comprehensive research done on the Halal/Muslim travel, tourism and hospitality market. It analyses 130 destinations across the globe to create an Index to benchmark destinations in the Muslim Travel Market.

Within the survey covering 130 tourist destinations, Azerbaijan, a Muslim-majority nation in the South Caucasus, has ranked 20th among the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The countrys incomparable historical and cultural heritage, as well as expertise in halal hospitality, allowed Azerbaijan to enter the list of the top Muslim holidays destinations. In Azerbaijan, where modernity and intellect meet Islam and modern cultures, Muslim visitors can have an unforgettable experience.

Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey occupied top places in the index.

The research also revealed that, in 2015, the approximate number of Muslim tourists in the world reached 117 million, what makes up about 10 percent of the tourist market. Experts expect that the index will grow up to 168 million people by 2020, comprising 11 percent of the total market, worth about $200 billion.

Asia and Europe became the two leading regions in the world, attracting Muslim travelers, occupying 87 percent of the market.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan welcomed a record high in the number of Arab tourists in 2016.

Those tourists from the Gulf countries, which once chose European countries, including Turkey for the rest, and spent there millions of dollars, now favor Azerbaijan as a tourist destination by force of instability reigning in many countries.

The country enjoying fascinating nature and captivating history, was able to upgrade its tourism potential in an effort to raise the non-oil sector of economy. Developing infrastructure, improving service sector, similarities in culture and most importantly safe leisure in the land embodying mixture of East and West are the main components that attract tourists to the Land of Fire.

Another reason for the rising number of Arab tourists is the introduction of a simplified visa regime from this year for citizens of Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and other countries.

Overall, in the first half of 2016, Azerbaijan was visited by 25,000 tourists from Arab countries, while the figure approximately 22,000 people or eight times more than in the same period of last year.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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Patent and market authorization for human hyperacute serum product



Krems an der Donau, Austria, September 07, 2016 / B3C newswire / -- OrthoSera GmbH, an orthobiologics company developing serum-based solutions for musculoskeletal indications announces that its proprietary serum technology is ready for human clinical use. Hyperacute serum, a variety of platelet rich plasma (PRP), has been shown to have superior effects compared to PRP in preclinical models of osteoarthritis and other degenerative diseases. OrthoSera has successfully applied for a US patent for the composition and the use of hyperacute serum in the regeneration of osteoarthritic bone.

For high resolution please click the image.

In order to bring this technology to the bedside OrthoSera has developed the hypACT device isolating a specific serum derivative (SPRF) from the patient in a closed system, which is then applied during a same-day-procedure. This product has now received market authorization in Europe through a certification process by TUV Rheinland.

"After the successful launch of BoneAlbumin as our first commercial product in the dental field late last year this is another important milestone for our company," comments Dr. Zsombor Lacza, CEO of OrthoSera GmbH. "Following market authorization we are now making our autologous hypACT inject device available for clinical use in order to further build on the strong preclinical results of our hyperacute serum technology."



About OrthoSera

With headquarters in Krems/Austria and subsidiaries in the US and Hungary, OrthoSera GmbH is a commercial-stage regenerative medicine company. The serum-based approach to address various degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis is expected to become a game changer in the orthobiologics market. OrthoSera puts special emphasis on designing simple and affordable protocols allowing a wider patient population to benefit from their solutions. The first commercial product BoneAlbumin, an innovative albumin-coated bone allograft, is currently marketed in Europe with a special focus on dental and orthopedic indications.



Contact

OrthoSera GmbH

Dr. Marion Ettenauer

Dr.-Karl-Dorrek-Strae 23-29

A-3500 Krems an der Donau

+43 664 77 883 16206

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.orthosera.com
Scottish Bakers has held an anniversary ball at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, Edinburgh to celebrate 125 years in the baking industry.

350 people attended the anniversary ball at the weekend, and tributes on the night were led by president Craig McPhie who said: The association is going from strength to strength and tonight is our opportunity to celebrate our success and indeed our fantastic trade.

Over the 125-year period, Scottish Bakers has been an integral part of its members businesses, providing specialist support services for bakeries of all sizes.

To mark the occasion, baker and judge of the Scottish Baker of the Year Competition Robert Ross spent over 400 hours baking and decorating a six-sided, intricate lace panelled cake.

Ross, who has worked in the industry for more than 50 years, said: The association means everything to me, so to create the cake was a huge honour and worth every minute of my time.

Scottish Bakers were also gifted their own tartan on the night by Carrs Flour Mill - reflecting the colours of the Scottish Bakers logo, the design is now included on the Scottish Register of Tartans.

Allan Burns of Carrs Flour Mills said: Its an incredible achievement to reach 125 years and something we should all be proud of.
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The Polk County Sheriffs office and the ATF are investigating the theft of dozens of guns from the Titan Arms store on South Florida Avenue early Sunday.

Suspects stole 26 firearms in two minutes



One customer lost rifle worth about $4,000



Sheriff criticized store for lack of good security



Sheriff Grady Judd said several thieves arrived at the store in a pickup truck and the theft happened fast.

They arrive with sledgehammers and break out the burglar bars. They entered the store. In two minutes they stole 26 firearms," Judd said.

"Those people knew what they were getting, said Lakeland resident Rusty Bullock.

Bullock said he had a gun worth about $4,000 stolen in the heist. The shop was working on the gun for him.

"And then to have some dirt bag go in there and steal my hunting rifle that I just had customized," he said, "that is real upsetting."

Investigators believe the suspects were driving an extended cab brown Ford pickup.

Sheriff Judd made a point of criticizing the security of the store. He said it had weak burglar bars, not much of a security system and the guns were on display on walls.

"I'll tell you right now right up front, our detectives are very frustrated with them. It was absolutely low hanging fruit for professionals," Judd said.

A representative for Titan Arms declined comment for this story.

Bullock said he is friends with the store owner.

"Instead of concentrating on lack of security and preventative stuff, lets concentrate on putting some guys in jail for trying to destroy this guy's life," Bullock said.

The ATF is offering a $5,000 reward in the case. The tip line number is 800-226-8477.
William McNarney didn't let his age stop him from attending President Bill Clinton's campaign event in Orlando on Wednesday.

Bill Clinton campaigned in Orlando on wife's behalf

Speech in Richmond Heights was sold out

Clinton touched on wife's immigration reform, debt reduction plans



Despite being a decade shy of voting age, William's mind is made up on who should be elected president in November  and he turned out to encourage others to vote for his choice.

"I would vote for Hillary Clinton," William said. "We are going to the front of the line to see if anyone else needs to sign up."

A sold-out crowd of about 300 people packed the Dr. James R. Smith Neighborhood Center in the Richmond Heights area of Orlando to hear Clinton speak. All were eager to hear just what he thinks his wife, Hillary Clinton, will bring to Central Florida.

But William wasn't the only one thrilled the president decided to pick this area of southwest Orlando to talk.

During Bill Clinton's speech, Juanita Riley made it clear that the former president wasn't just speaking for all Americans  he was talking directly to her.

"This election is about you," Bill Clinton told the crowd, as Riley cheered.

Through each point  talking about immigration reform, reducing the debt ceiling and coming up with a plan to reduce college debt  William danced, and Riley cheered.

"You should vote for Hillary Clinton, because she's the best change-maker I ever knew," continued Bill Clinton, who was introduced to the crowd by Chief Val Demings, the Democratic candidate for Florida's 10th Congressional District.

In the end, both said they left that much more excited about their candidate, saying Wednesday's rally will help get more people to the polls.

"His speech was awesome, where he talked about what he and Hillary would do together versus what Donald Trump could do alone," William said.

Spots reserved for mayor of Orlando for Bill Clinton's speech today pic.twitter.com/9Zwjw5xXDu  Christina Jensen (@CJensenNews13) September 7, 2016

Early Wednesday morning, several people were already in line to get in.

"I just like to come to these events every four years and listen to them speak," said Donald Butner, the first person waiting in line Wednesday. "It's basically history in the making."

Bill Clinton's stop in Orlando comes a day after his wife made a campaign stop at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

A new CNN/ORC poll released Tuesday shows Trump and Clinton are virtually neck and neck, with Trump leading Clinton by just two points  45 percent to 43 percent.

Meanwhile, the former president's campaign stop was the third time he has been to Orlando since March. Just last month, he made a surprise visit to the memorial outside Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

"(Bill Clinton) being here kind of sparks us all," Riley said. "I'm hoping that it will send a spark that will start a fire, because we need a fire, and it needs to burn in Florida."


An aspiring makeup artist should be expected to have high standards for senior portraits.

With hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram and Twitter, Bethlehem Central High School senior James Charles Dickinson told BuzzFeed News he requested a second set in order to get it right.
In celebration of 30 years of Don't Mess With Texas, the Orange Travel Information Center is celebrating with events from 2-4 p.m. Friday.

The travel center, 1708 Interstate 10 W., Orange, will feature activities such as Rope the Trash Cow, photo ops with celebrity cutouts George Strait and Matthew McConaughey, a prize wheel and more.
Throughout the United States, nearly 100,000 people die in hospitals annually from medical errors.

The Alternative Daily lays out 11 incidents of medical errors.

Here are four shocking medical errors from the report:

1. Patient receives wrong blood type during transplant surgery. Nearly a decade ago, a patient at Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Hospital received a heart and lungs transplant. However, surgeons allegedly donated the organs with the wrong blood type, which caused the patient's body to reject the transplant. Although the patient received a second transplant merely two week later with the correct blood type, the patient suffered severe and irreversible brain damage and passed away, The Alterative Daily reports.

2. Surgeons remove wrong organ. Surgeons removed a patient's right testicle mistakenly, rather than the left, at West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, according to the Los Angeles Times. The patient had metastatic testicular cancer in 1989 and underwent this surgery in 2006 after having pain in his left testicle. The consent form, which the surgeon signed, stated the patient's right testicle was to be removed, however.

3. A 13-inch metal retractor left in patient's abdomen. After having surgery to remove a 13-pound cancerous tumor at Seattle-based University of Washington Medical Center, surgeons left a 13-inch metal retractor in the patient's abdomen, Seattle PI reports. After discovering the item was left in the patient, surgeons removed the retractor and the patient did not suffer any long-term health consequences.

4. Patient is awake during surgery. In 2006, a patient underwent exploratory surgery so surgeons could identify the source of his abdominal pain at Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley, W.V. However, the patient felt surgeons cutting due to insufficient anesthetic. While a surgical team allegedly gave the patient paralyzing drugs, they did not give the patient general anesthesia until 16 minutes after the initial cut into his abdomen. The patient, suffered severe emotional trauma and killed himself in February 2006, according to The Alternate Daily.

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Many in the medical community were praising Pokemon Go for getting Americans off the couch and moving. But the craze may be short-lived, which may also shed light into the future of health apps, according to Healthcare IT News.

Here are four insights:

1. In mid-July, nearly 45 million people were using the app. That number is falling, with the app currently engaging 30 million users.

2. Boston-based Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers applauded the app after its July launch, saying the app had significant potential for both preventing and treating chronic conditions through promoting physical activity.

3. However, Pokemon Go's decrease in users falls in line with other health apps' popularity. For instance, a 2015 IMS Health study of mHelath tools found of the 26,684 apps in the Google Play for Android and Apple iTunes stores, users have downloaded 40 percent of the apps less than 5,000 times. The report cites the surplus of app options for the decrease.

4. Pokemon Go still has 30 million users, but it is unsure at this point whether the app will suffer a similar fate to countless other apps. The app's sudden popularity and decline does raise valid questions as to whether apps and devices are effective in engaging patients, according to Healthcare IT News.

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Is it just good PR? 5 highlights on the continuing controversy surrounding Mylan's EpiPen price hikes
Cleveland Clinic appointed Brian Harte, MD, president of Cleveland Clinic Akron (Ohio) General and the southern region, effective Sept. 26.

Here are five things to know:

1. Dr. Harte has previously served as president of Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, and president of Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.

2. Dr. Harte is a practicing hospitalist and formerly served as chairman of the hospital medicine department and the Medicine Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

3. He is an associate professor of medicine in the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University.

4. Dr. Harte is currently president of the Society of Hospital Medicine.

5. He will replace Janice Murphy, RN, who has been serving as acting president of Cleveland Clinic Akron General. Ms. Murphy will return to her role as COO for Cleveland Clinic's regional operations.
Chicago-based Health Care Service Corporation will provide buyouts to an undetermined number of employees over the age of 50 at its Blue Cross and Blue Shield subsidiaries, Crain's Chicago Business reports.

Here are four things to know about the buyouts.



1. HCSC owns Blue plans in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Montana and Illinois and will provide buyouts to eligible employees at all five subsidiaries.



2. The buyout is "a one-time voluntary separation plan with enhanced separation benefits to full-time employees in select divisions and job classifications," according to the report.

3. HCSC has not said if the voluntary buyouts will be followed by cuts if an insufficient number of employees accept the buyout. HCSC currently employs 19,000 individuals.

4. The corporation footed $65.9 million in losses last year throughout the five states and $281.9 million in 2014.

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A quarter of home healthcare workers and 20 percent of nursing assistants are uninsured, compared to less than 10 percent of all U.S. workers, CBS News reports.

New York City-based nonprofit Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute released a study Tuesday concluding that while demand for home healthcare workers will increase, unchanging wages and scant benefits will deter individuals from entering the occupation.

Although the rate of insured healthcare workers and nursing assistants increased 14 percent and 11 percent, respectively, following the Affordable Care Act's enactment, a gap in health insurance remains. Poor quality of work, including heightened risk of work-related injury  more than three times higher for nursing assistants than the average U.S. worker  extends this gap, according to the report.

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The federal government plans to take "enhanced measures" with China to combat the supply of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, as well as analogues of the drug.

President Barack Obama's administration said China has committed to targeting U.S.-bound exports of substances controlled in the United States, but not in China.

Additionally, federal officials said, the two countries agreed to increase their exchange of law enforcement and scientific information with a view toward coordinated actions to control substances and chemicals of concern. "We will continue to work with China bilaterally and multilaterally to tighten international scheduling and improve the capacity of states to monitor and analyze illicit synthetic drugs," they said.

The majority of fentanyl and its analogues that drug traffickers bring to the United States originates in China, according to U.S. authorities. Therefore, these are important steps in fighting the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic across the United States, they said.

Fentanyl is up to 50 times more potent than morphine, leading to large numbers of accidental overdoses. According to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from more than 12 states that track fentanyl-related deaths, the drug contributed to more than 9,600 fatal overdoses in those states since 2013. Prince Rogers Nelson, the musician commonly known as Prince, died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl.
Since 2007, the price of EpiPens has increased by more than 400 percent, forcing some patients to pay as much as $700 for the medication. Mylan, the Canonsburg, Pa.-based company behind the life-saving medication, is facing large scrutiny from the media, consumers and politicians over the company's drug pricing practices, with many calling for stricter price controls in the drug industry.

The current list price for a two-pack of EpiPens is $608. Mylan CEO Heather Bresch claims the company only receives $274 per two-pack sold, or 45 percent. She says the remaining $334, or 55 percent, goes to pharmacy benefit managers, insurers, wholesalers and pharmacy retailers, according to CNBC. Ms. Bresch blames a flawed healthcare system for the price hikes, suggesting the situation stems from more complex issues than just corporate greed.

Rita E. Numerof, PhD, is the co-founder and president of Numerof, a St. Louis-based global healthcare management consulting firm based in St. Louis.

As a healthcare business strategist with more than 25 years of experience, Dr. Numerof helps organizations develop and execute new business models that can thrive amidst major market changes. She has consulted with all the major players from academic and community health systems, insurers, and Fortune 500 pharmaceutical, device and diagnostics companies.

Dr. Numerof spoke with Becker's Hospital Review about the controversy surrounding the price of EpiPens and why Mylan may not deserve all the backlash it's endured.

Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Question: What was your initial reaction to the controversy surrounding the cost of EpiPens?

Dr. Rita Numerof: The fact that there was a controversy about it didn't surprise me at all. We've known for years that there are pharma products where the link between price and value has been broken. The broader concern that I have is that the general message has pointed to price controls as the answer. I don't think that is a wise move.

Q: Do you see Mylan's move to expand its drug discount program or offer a generic version of EpiPens as a steps in the right direction? Or simply anotheralternative strategiesy to keep prices high in the long run?

RN: I think it's an excellent decision on their part and a good strategy. Most people don't understand that pharmaceutical manufacturers are in a somewhat unique category compared to manufacturers of other products. When a pharmaceutical company successfully invents a product and gets it approved, they get a period of exclusivity to earn money back. For every product brought to market, there are a lot of other products that did not flourish. TSo there's a lot of risk involved in bringing new drugs to market.

At the end of the exclusivity period, other manufacturers are allowed to copy the product and compete with the original branded version. In the case of EpiPen, there have been several generic competitors that have come out, but for various reasons all failed, so EpiPen has had a commanding market share. Recognizing that it could be vulnerable at any point in time and knowing that buyers are constrained because no other options exist, Mylan made an "excessive" price hike to try to capture as much revenue as possible during this period. That's something companies in almost any other industry do all the time.

However, given the nature of the pharmaceutical industry, this type of pricing creates more of an uproar. The price hike is perceived as immoral and insensitive. So the introduction of a generic alternative is a way to maintain that pricing for some customers by segmenting the market.

Q: Do you think this media attention and the demand for more economic evidence and clinical value will make drug companies more accountable for their pricing strategies?

RN: I think that we have many pressures are moving us in the direction of more evidence that is focused on economic and clinical value. Any media attention on that is a good thing. The reality is that the FDA is requiring different kinds of evidence than what was required five or six years ago. I expect that will continue to change. The FDA is moving away from a sole focus on randomized controlled trials and now including evidence of how drugs will perform in the real world. I'm a strong proponent of transparency and tying payment to outcomes.

Q: In your opinion, what changes do you think need to be made in the pharmaceutical industry to prevent these types of price hikes?

RN: I think a balanced view on this is very important. It's not about putting in price controls; it's about stimulating good competition. The pharmaceutical industry needs a more market-sensitive regulatory apparatus in the FDA, which will encourage more competition and result in better regulation and pricing balance. We need a pricing apparatus that will encourage other manufacturers to move into difficult spaces. We need to rely on the moral compass of business leadership to keep the excesses of capitalism in check. I think if we don't do that, we'll end up with more pressure of government controls that will undermine the market and innovation of new drugs.

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VEXIM, a France-based company developing medical devices for the minimally invasive treatment of vertebral fractures, received regulatory approval to commercialize its SpineJack implant and Masterflow system in Australia.

Here are four highlights:

1. Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration approved the two devices.

2. VEXIM plans to commercially launch these two products in Australia by the end of 2016.

3. SpineJack is intended to restore a fractured vertebra to its initial shape and restore the spinal column's anatomy.

4. The Masterflow system offers a solution for mixing and injecting orthopedic cement to improve the accuracy of injection.
Arriving to appointments with a plethora of online research, Americans are embracing the self-diagnosis trend, according to Quartz. Google noted about 1 percent of the site's searches include medical symptoms.

A 2013 Pew study found 72 percent of Americans search online for health information, with 50 percent scheduling appointments because of their findings. Collectively, Americans spend at least $20 billion on unnecessary medial appointments annually.

Here are five insights:

1. Physicians report online research disrupts the diagnostic process, as these results often point to much more serious conditions. As patients consider the possibility of having more complex conditions, their anxiety levels increase.

2. Psychologists affirm people have the ability to imagine they are sick, when in fact they are not. This health anxiety, called cyberchondria, leads people to experience worry and agitation, which will lead to more physician appointments.

3. More physician appointments will often result in more intrusive procedures, in hopes of identifying a cause that may not exist. By undergoing these unnecessary procedures, patients increase their risk of iatrogenic deaths, which can be anything from a bad drug side effect to a medical error.

4. In 2009, Microsoft research scientists proved a correlation between online medical searches and an increase in health-related anxiety.

5. To combat this issue, experts suggest developing more intuitive search protocols for online medical questions as well as shifting the media and commercials away from topics that would boost health anxiety.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during a campaign town hall meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia, US, September 6, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - US presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are entering the final stretch of a knock-down, drag out campaign. While Clinton is favored to win, Trump could catch up if he plays his cards right.

The two campaigns have seen a flurry of activities in recent days, with both candidates hitting the campaign trail hard in a bid to shore up support among both their main supporters as well as independent voters.

In Tuesday's Real Clear Politics poll average, Trump trailed Clinton by 3.3 percentage points. While Clinton is a very unpopular candidate in the US, Trump's outlandish comments and bombastic bravado have gotten him into hot water with moderate voters.

While Trump has galvanized white, blue-collar men like perhaps no other Republican candidate in recent memory, the brash billionaire has turned off single women, independent voters and Hispanics - three crucial voting blocs.

The controversial candidate has in the past compared Mexicans to criminals and rapists, a remark that could end up costing him the election.

Trump has in recent weeks attempted to turn a corner by speaking and acting in a way that is more "presidential."

For her part, Clinton is nearly as unpopular as Trump, and polls consistently show that Americans do not trust her, as the Democratic nominee is constantly dogged by scandals.

Those include allegedly giving foreign donors to the Clinton Foundation special access to her while she was secretary of state. The foundation is run by Clinton, her husband and former president Bill Clinton, and their daughter Chelsea.

Clinton' s use of a private email account and server to conduct business while she was secretary of state, instead of using a secure, government-issued email account, is still being questioned by many. Critics have roundly blasted her for playing hard and fast with the nation' s national security secrets.

While Clinton is now holding a slight lead in the polls, the big question is whether Trump can catch up before the November elections.

To do that, the billionaire mogul needs to do everything he can to reassure moderate voters that he can be calm and cool on the spot, and needs to keep the attention off of him and make the election a referendum on Clinton, analysts said.

"Trump needs to quit making incendiary comments that upset mainstream voters. He often steps on his own message through rude statements that distract from his message about helping the middle class," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.
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Management at forecourt retailer Applegreen, which has four premises in Northern Ireland, has said it will make a decision next year about future plans for the company's business in the US, according to chief executive Bob Etchingham.

Applegreen, whose primary business is in Ireland and the UK, revealed that it had secured a lease on nine additional sites in the US that will stretch its American presence into Massachusetts. It has also signed a franchise agreement with retailer 7-Eleven.

The company now has six forecourts in Long Island in New York, and four of the sites in Massachusetts have been taken over since the end of June.

The firm has leased the sites from CrossAmerica Partners, a wholesale distributor of motor fuels and lessor forecourts for fuel retailers across the north-eastern US.

Mr Etchingham said Applegreen operations in the US were breaking even and not consuming much management time.

"We're still in learning mode in the US," he added.

"We're still developing relationships. We do want to continue to develop there, but we're doing it in a very measured and cautious fashion.

"We will look to make a decision as to whether we push on in the United States, probably sometime in the first half of 2017."

He was speaking as Applegreen reported a 7.4% rise in revenue to 556m (465m) during the first half of the year, while adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation was 15% higher at 13m (11m). The results were in line with analyst expectations.
Bombardier is facing "serious concerns" and is likely to rein in production of its flagship passenger jets in Belfast after it was revealed that the plane maker will deliver just half the number of planned CSeries aircraft this year.

The wings and part of the fuselage are made in Belfast, where the Canadian-owned firm employs around 5,000 staff.

But the company has now said it will deliver only seven aircraft this year, instead of 15, due to delays with engine maker Pratt & Whitney.

Former top Bombardier official Martin J Craigs said: "You can't take it as anything but a concern".

"You radically reduce volume, which means the unit price is more, and it doesn't mean good news for the bottom line."

"But it doesn't mean that their aircraft has become fundamentally bad."

He added the "only logical conclusion" was to rein back production in Belfast.

Bombardier had landed several much-needed orders for its CSeries planes - a programme that has run billions of dollars over-budget.

The manufacturer received $1bn from the Quebec regional government in a recent bailout.

This year, Bombardier signed a deal with Air Canada to sell it up to 75 of its CSeries passenger jets, while US firm Delta also ordered 75.

"(Cutting back production in Belfast) is the only logical conclusion that you could come to," Mr Craigs explained. "What's also troubling is that they are also cutting back production of other jets."

The ex-chief executive of the Pacific Asia Travel Association said that CSeries rivals, such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, were backed up with trying to fulfil orders.

He also claimed Bombardier needed "more innovative marketing to niche users", targeting other airlines and other buyers, aside from big-name airlines.

"(Bombardier needs to) stop depending on getting traffic from established hubs - don't depend on just the usual customers," he said.

"Unfortunately, the components are so expensive, there is no way they are going to build at this rate."

He claimed Bombardier should look at diversifying more in order to quell the impact of an issue like this.

"For reasons out the control of the hard work and expertise in Belfast, it would be a good time to have a good look at more diversification," he said.

Bombardier has said it has adjusted its "CSeries delivery forecast from 15 to seven aircraft as a result of delays by supplier Pratt & Whitney".

Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier commercial aircraft, said: "We are very pleased with the performance of the CSeries during its entry into service with our launch customer SWISS.

"The aircraft is meeting all expectations and clearly demonstrating that it is the best performing and most efficient aircraft in the 100 to 150-seat class.

"The CSeries engine is performing very well in service. We are working very closely with Pratt & Whitney to quickly address this supplier ramp-up issue and to ensure we have a strong supplier base to support long-term growth objectives.

"We are very confident in our production ramp-up plan, including our ability to meet our production goal of 90 to 120 aircraft per year by 2020."

Last month the manufacturer said it was bringing forward 95 planned redundancies.

More than 700 staff are due to go this year, with some 1,080 planned by 2017.

Last month, the Belfast Telegraph revealed Bombardier was moving some of its operations from Northern Ireland to cheaper countries, including Mexico and Morocco.
Co Down aerospace company Datum Tool Design has said a deal worth $1m with a Chinese firm could be followed by another two contracts in the territory.

The Ballynahinch firm, which works with big aerospace firms such as Bombardier and Airbus, announced a deal with X'ian Aircraft Corp.

Director Michael Maguire said the deal was its first direct order with a Chinese company - and that it is working on securing another two big orders in China.

It currently employs 23 people, and the deal will enable it to create 13 new jobs for skilled engineers. It specialises in designing composite tooling and recently invested 875,00 in its manufacturing operations.

Mr Maguire said: "A number of new aircraft programmes are being introduced to meet increasing demand for air travel and enhancing our manufacturing capabilities and workforce will enhance the scope to target emerging markets."

News of the contract came as HMRC figures showed exports from Northern Ireland surged by 9.5% over the last 12 months, with sales to the US accounting for the biggest increase.

But there was a fall of 6.5% between the first and second quarter, with the value of exported goods shrinking to 861m. According to HMRC, exports to non-EU countries such as China grew by 24% in the year ending June 2016, to reach 3.2bn. Firms from here saw their sales across the pond surge by 73.9%.

However, with only 2% of Northern Ireland businesses exporting - and industry giants like Bombardier and Almac accounting for 50% of all exports - it is understood that the US surge can be attributed to just one or two companies.

Sales to the Republic fell 2.5% year-on-year, and total sales to the EU were down 1.1%.

Exports of machinery and transport items - a category which includes bus builder Wrightbus - increased from 573m to 600m.

Finance Minister Simon Hamilton said the 9.5% increase was "hugely encouraging" - particularly given that sales by Scotland, England and Wales had slumped. He added: "This is a signal that the Executive's strategy of having a strong focus on exports and supporting businesses to expand into new markets is working."

Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Ann McGregor said: "The HMRC figures show a small decline in exports for quarter two of the year, mainly down to fewer pharmaceuticals being exported to North America.

"There seems to be no immediate fallout from Brexit or from the run-up to the referendum, which isn't surprising given the boost to exporters from the weaker pound."
Theresa May said she was 'pleased' to hear of the Gulf Cooperation Council's interest

A consortium of Gulf countries is the latest to indicate an interest in doing a trade deal with post-Brexit Britain, MPs have heard.

Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - a political and economic alliance made up of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman - are said to be seeking a free trade agreement with the UK.

During Theresa May's statement to the House of Commons on last week's G20 summit, former Conservative minister Crispin Blunt said Saudi Arabia foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir was in London and had met with MPs this morning.

"Is she as delighted as I am that he made clear to parliamentarians this morning that we can now add the GCC to the list of those parts of the world seeking an early free trade agreement," said Mr Blunt (Reigate).

Mrs May said she echoed these comments, adding: "I'm pleased that has been reiterated.

"It was an issue I discussed with the Deputy Crown Prince and I'm pleased the GCC are in that position too."

Mrs May had earlier told the House that India, Mexico and Singapore had already shown an early interest in negotiating trade deals with the UK.

Tory Tom Pursglove said every MP needs to "shout from the rooftops" for jobs and investment in the UK.

The MP for Corby, who backed Brexit, added: "My constituents' jobs are frankly not a matter of dogma."

Mrs May welcomed the remarks, adding: "What I think was very welcome was the way in which a number of countries were coming up to me through throughout the summit to say they wanted to be sitting down and talking to the UK about trade deals."
The Irish computer chip design business Movidius is being bought by Intel in a deal that is expected to be worth more than 300m (251m).

Movidius was founded in 2006 by David Moloney and Sean Mitchell. Its main activity is making chips that let machines 'see' and 'think' by giving them more power in smaller, unconnected units. That is now in massive demand, especially for use in unmanned drones.

After signing deals with Google, Lenovo and DJI, the Dublin company attracted the interest of other top-end tech firms that want to position themselves in the 'internet of things' sector.

Movidius chief executive Remi El-Ouzzane said: "I'm excited to announce the planned acquisition of Movidius by Intel.

"Movidius' mission is to give the power of sight to machines. As part of Intel, we will remain focused on this mission, but with the technology and the resources to innovate faster and execute at scale.

"We will continue to operate with the same eagerness to invent and the same customer-focused attitude that we're known for, and we will retain the Movidius talent and the start-up mentality that we have demonstrated over the years."

Last year, Google said that it would use Movidius's technology as part of its own 3D-mapping platform. The move means that Movidius chips could form part of a much wider adoption among phone and mobile device makers.

The deal comes as new figures show corporate deal-making slumped UK-wide in the run-up to the Brexit vote.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there was a 54% slump in successful 1m or more mergers and acquisitions between April and June, with 87 deals involving UK companies worth around 14bn.

It marks a sharp decline on the 190 deals completed in the first three months of the year valued at 69bn, which the ONS said was "unusually high".

The second quarter figures also show a 34% drop in deals and mark the latest sign that activity was hit by Brexit jitters.

Foreign deals with UK firms were their lowest for three years in the second quarter, with 20 deals, compared with 52 between January and March.
Joules boss Colin Porter said the firm will open 10 to 12 UK stores annually

The boss of newly listed retailer Joules has brushed off concerns of a Brexit slowdown on the high street as the firm notched up an impressive rise in full year profits.

Colin Porter said it was business as usual following Britain's decision to quit the European Union.

"For a few days after the announcement there was a bit of a slowdown, but since then it's been business as usual," he told the Press Association.

Mr Porter made the comments as Joules posted a 14.2% rise in revenues to 131.3 million and 41.5% increase in pre-tax profits to 7.5 million.

He added that the firm will continue to grow, opening 10 to 12 UK stores per year.

Overseas turnover increased 24.7% to 13.2 million, with international now representing over 10% of overall group sales. Joules has a strong presence in Germany and North America.

The company floated on London's junior market in May and saw founder Tom Joule pocket 40 million as he trimmed his 80% stake to below 50%.

Mr Joule founded the fashion retailer in 1989 and today it operates around 100 stores in the UK and Ireland.

Mr Porter added: "Group trading to date in full year 2017 has been in line with expectations and early feedback on our Spring/Summer ranges from our trade customers has been positive.

"The group has a clear growth strategy, underpinned by the consistent quality and design of our products and the skill and commitment of our enterprising team."
Michael O'Leary described politicians now working on taking the UK out of the European Union as 'headless chickens'

Ryanair is to base all 50 of its new planes outside the UK as the airline has "much more political certainty in continental Europe" in the wake of the Brexit vote.

Chief executive Michael O'Leary described politicians now working on taking the UK out of the European Union (EU) as "headless chickens" who have "no idea where they're going to finish up".

It came as the airline announced new routes from its Scottish bases including flights to Lisbon, Valencia, Palanga in Lithuania and Zadar in Croatia from Glasgow Airport.

Mr O'Leary said: "We're being very cautious about the amount of capacity we're allocating to the UK over the next two or three years until we get some kind of indication of what Brexit will look like.

"It's not because we're annoyed or anything with the UK, but we have much more political certainty in continental Europe than we have in the UK while they're all running around trying to work out what Brexit looks like.

"None of the new aircraft we take delivery of next year will be based here in the UK and already you can see the Brexit decision is costing real jobs, real visitors are being lost and real investment is being postponed.

"There's a bunch of headless chickens here, they don't know what they voted for and have no idea where they're going to finish up, so we have to be cautious with our expansion next year, which is a pity."

The airline expects lower growth over the next few years as Brexit negotiations take place but Mr O'Leary said he would begin investment and expansion in Scotland "the following day" if the Scottish Government scraps air passenger duty as planned.

The move could bring in up to 400 million in revenue from VAT receipts and create about 3,500 jobs, the chief executive said.

He added: "I'm always wary of politicians' promises, if you want to cut taxes then cut them now.

"You scrap it and we will begin the process of doubling our traffic the following day and I think we would go from five million to 10 million passengers within about two years.

"There's nothing but upside in this. I'd take my chances on Brexit simply because the prize of getting rid of 13 a passenger here is such a big one for us as an airline.

"We're selling 19.99 seats, of which 13 is going straight to the Treasury.

"All of a sudden you'd be doing 15 but none of that would be going to the Treasury in London, so we have lower fares and we get to keep more of the new airfares.

"That is what will enable us to massively increase traffic, tourism and jobs here."

Ryanair also announced new routes from Edinburgh to Barcelona-Girona, Ibiza, Milan, Porto, Warsaw and Vigo as part of its summer 2017 schedule.

At Prestwick, there will be new flights to Barcelona-Girona and increased flights to Ibiza, Tenerife and Palma.

Mr O'Leary said: " Customers can look forward to even lower fares when they make advance bookings for summer 2017.

"As our recent guidance confirmed, Ryanair expects average fares to fall by between 10% to 12% in the six months to March 2017."
Great British Bake Off's Michael Georgiou has become the latest casualty of the BBC show and has admitted he was "upset" to leave during bread week, as he prefers making bread to cakes.

The 20-year-old politics and economics student, who was this year's youngest contestant in the Bake Off tent, failed to prove himself across the three tricky challenges, despite using alcohol to try to woo the judges.

Following his departure, he said his worst moment on the programme was bread week, which came as a surprise to him.

He said: "I usually like making bread and I prefer that over cakes. It's my passion and that is why I was more upset at leaving in bread week than any other week.

"I have kind of got over it now, and I have since started getting into artisan breads and have been doing a lot of that since the show. I really enjoy it."

Georgiou also said he has a heightened desire to go into baking after graduating.

He said: "I am in my final year now and on leaving I want to go into the baking industry, although I would like to link it to writing, as I did journalism in my first year."

The third episode saw the 10 remaining bakers asked by judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry to complete the signature bake, with each of them having to create chocolate bread in the space of two and a half hours.

Georgiou struggled slightly with his creation - a chilli chocolate and chia seed loaf - which was described by Hollywood as a "pig's ear".

Tasting it, Berry was taken aback by the overuse of chilli, while Hollywood agreed the heat was "far too much", and that it was "slightly underbaked".

The technical challenge flummoxed all of the contestants, as Hollywood requested they make 12 dampfnudel - a German steamed bread that has never before featured on the series.

Georgiou was not alone in struggling to create the unusual bread dish and two accompanying sauces, but he came seventh overall.

The final task of the day was for the bakers to create their all-important showstopper, which was a savoury plaited centrepiece.

Georgiou cracked on with a family-inspired recipe based on his Cypriot heritage, complete with the flavours of olives, coriander and sun-dried tomato.

He also opted to give the judges a shot of strong Cypriot liquor Zivania, but the alcoholic addition failed to impress the judges and Hollywood spluttered after trying it.

Berry criticised his bake for being "not properly plaited", and remarked on the lack of glazing and definition.

Hollywood added that the classic flavours were "diluted" due to the mixture of flours used.

Tom Gilliford was awarded star baker for his ingenious creations, including a chocolate orange and chilli swirl bread and a unique showstopper comprising a bread serpent and hammer of Thor.

Hollywood commented that "the star baker on bread week has always gone on to the final", giving 26-year-old Gilliford high hopes of success on the show.

Northern Ireland's Andrew Smyth continues to impress

Aerospace engineer Andrew Smyth from Northern Ireland is hoping to follow in the footsteps of champion Nadiya Hussain.

The Co Down Rolls-Royce employee, who swapped jet engines for jellies and jam doughnuts, continued to impress judges in episode 3.

The former pupil of Sullivan Upper in Holywood, who now lives with friends in Derby, is the son of CBI Northern Ireland director Nigel.

Andrew is one of the remaining amateur bakers taking part in the BBC One show, where they will compete to earn the approval of judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.
Ross Kemp has admitted that his EastEnders comeback may well have been part of a midlife crisis.

The 52-year-old actor returned to his role as Grant Mitchell after more than 10 years for the death of his on-screen mother, played by Dame Barbara Windsor.

His reappearance in Walford came hot on the heels of a stint filming his documentary series Ross Kemp: Extreme World in Mozambique, and he said it was part of an exhausting year.

He told the Press Association: "I was in Colombia, back for two weeks over Christmas, then Syria and Iraq for three weeks, then back for two weeks, then Mozambique, then three days in EastEnders, where they worked me like a Trojan.

"I woke up on the second day, left home at 5am, got there for 6 or 7am, in make-up and on set for 8am, went to sleep at 12.30 in my little pod and looked up at the old strip lighting, and thought 'No, it hasn't all been a dream, I have had 12 years of making documentaries around the world and I have got my own company. I haven't just been here and suddenly woken up'."

He added: "I knew how I got there, it was a conscious decision. I wasn't getting offered any acting work - I'm too busy doing the documentaries and I want to raise their profile. I knew this would be an extraordinary year and I thought 'I've turned 50' and maybe this was my midlife crisis. I didn't go and buy a Ferrari or a Harley Davidson."

Kemp said he might still return to the soap, adding: "You shouldn't rule anything out. I don't think they have plans to bring me back, but you should never say never."
The Fifties were a landmark decade in the world of international fashion. In towns and cities across Europe and America, Teddy boys roamed the streets in search of girls in Christian Dior pencil dresses and bullet bras. From Paris' bustling Rue Cambon, Coco Chanel was already being touted as the greatest designer of all time. And in Co Down, one Robert W McCall opened an unassuming menswear store on Lisburn's Market Square, determined to provide for a growing population of working men made prosperous by peace time.

What in 1956 may have seemed a comparatively modest outlet - well-presented and stocked, but surely destined to struggle with the competitive capital so nearby - McCalls made an impression from the outset, and has since gone on to become one of our most successful family-run businesses.

Currently occupying two premises in Lisburn's busy town centre, McCalls has survived IRA bombings, hard-hitting recessions, changing trends and online shopping revolutions to celebrate 60 years of trading in 2016, and does so by once again being shortlisted for the Independent Menswear Retailer UK & Ireland at the prestigious Drapers Awards.

While other provincial clothes retailers have gone bust in recent times - Derry's Austin's, Ireland's oldest department store, for example, ceased trading abruptly earlier this year - McCalls has flourished, remaining relevant and profitable in the era of eBay to employ a third generation eager to do their visionary grandfather proud.

Director Alastair McCall - one of four McCalls currently running the shop at executive level, along with sister Jill and cousins Mark and Chris, all in their 40s - hopes it will be third time lucky when the Drapers Awards get under way on November 17.

"Our grandfather used to say, 'I enjoy making a sale, but true success comes from making a customer', and that ethos is as deeply ingrained in the company today as it was when it was started 60 years ago," says Alastair.

"Our mission statement, Stylish Wear - People Who Care, sums up our dedication to looking after our customers, so naturally we're delighted to be recognised as one of the top seven men's stores across the whole of the UK and Ireland, and the only one in Northern Ireland to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award. We reckon Robert would have been delighted to see how far we've come."

Robert W McCall was born in Armagh in 1912 into a farming family - Alastair recalls that he always kept a few cattle at home while running his clothes store, 'because you can take a man out of the farm' - but when it came time to fix upon a career, ultimately Robert saw fit to exchange tractors for tuxedos.

He learned to sew, measure, cut and sell by serving out an apprenticeship at TJ Walker's tailors in Armagh City, and in 1943 took up a full-time position at Robert Young's in Lisburn, managing the store as a means to opening his own.

"Robert was called 'the Boss' by family and staff alike," Alastair recalls. "A tall man with a firm handshake, a sharp haircut and a waft of cigar smoke always in tow, he was an impressive figure, always dapper, even in his 80s, often dressed in his favourite Magee three-piece tweed suits.

"He was a very down to earth man from a humble background and he got on with everyone. He was dedicated and hard working and even after his retirement he still took a keen interest in the business. His belief that the customer is king was and still is paramount in everything that we do at McCalls."

Jill Hanna remembers her grandfather as a handsome man, outgoing and courteous, someone with a lust for life and not just tailoring. "He had a love of sport, and I have great memories of watching Barry McGuigan on television late at night with him. So when Carl Frampton called into our store recently, I was a little star struck. It was great to shake his hand and I think RW would have enjoyed that too."

On August 5, 1981, an IRA bomb exploded on the premises of McCalls, badly damaging the interior and assembled stock but thankfully causing no serious injury to customers or staff. Seven years later, with the busy Christmas shopping season already under way, a second device tore through the store on December 7.

With the help of his two sons, Mervyn and Percy, though, Robert managed to rebuild, regroup and restock, and McCalls of Lisburn continued to trade as the worst of the Troubles came and went.

"There was never the threat of closer," Alastair says. "Thanks to Mervyn and Percy's hard work and resolve, we were able to weather those difficult times. We had great support from our loyal staff and our customers from all across the province. While retailing is tough, we've never been near to contemplating closure - the very reverse has always been the case. We have always risen to challenges and adapted."

They have needed to. After all, tailoring and the world of menswear in general have changed greatly since Robert W's heyday.

Suits today are much more affordable than they were in the Fifties, for instance, and customers are increasingly buying online, with many choosing to stay away from the high street altogether.

Alastair describes the evolution in the trade: "When our grandfather started the business, suits were all still individually tailored to the wearer, with each customer coming in several times for 'fit-ons' before the garment was finished. In the Sixties, off the peg 'readymade' suits became more common and therefore the shop expanded.

"Thankfully, Percy and Mervyn had great foresight and courage to build the existing menswear store in 1978, in spite of the ongoing Troubles, which was extended in 1987 and attracted customers from all over Northern Ireland. Today we even have some expats who live and work in London but buy their suits from McCalls.

"In 2005 we added a lift to the shop, which allowed for some of the top floor's offices to be converted, and now the wedding department occupies much of that extra space.

"We've added new brands to our offering, like Tommy Hilfiger, Gant and Ted Baker, which have been a significant draw for our modern customers. And we have been online since 1996, which has allowed us to sell into other parts of the UK, Ireland, Europe and beyond.'

Robert W's shrewd business sense has evidently passed down through the generations. Having cut their teeth working summers and evenings in the shop as children, all four current directors went on to graduate in business, and today combine skills in accounting, sales, IT and marketing to make the shop succeed.

"We all started on the bottom rung," says Jill.

"And we all went on to experience other businesses before coming back to work with the family. Our open plan office helps us all to keep in touch with what's going on in each department. As a family and as a business, we have a strong bond, and being brought up with the same values means we rarely differ in our opinion."

Perhaps inevitably, Robert's fondness for fashion has also transferred to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Alastair and co look forward to essential shopping trips in London as the highlights of their working year.

"When we are buying in London, we love to see the key trends coming through, and I can't wait for the new season's ranges to arrive and get my new wardrobe.

"My favourite at present is a large windowpane checked three-piece suit, which my niece Georgie loves. She calls it my Rupert the Bear suit. If you've got it, flaunt it, I say.

"Being born into family business is a bit like being born into a farm. It becomes a way of life very quickly and the children have all enjoyed being part of that - once they accept that working on Saturdays is normal, that is. The first 10 years are the hardest," he jokes.

"There are several fourth generation members of the family working part-time during the summer, and it's great to get a younger perspective on things. Their energy and enthusiasm is infectious. Robert always felt strongly about handing over the reins to the next generation."

McCalls has played a part in thousands of families' special days, with loyal customers returning for new threads ahead of births, deaths, marriages, christenings, job interviews and every milestone event in between.

And there have been lots of memorable episodes in the McCall story that deserve to be told.

"As you'd expect over 60 years and multiple generations, we've had our fair share of company romances, including one that led to marriage," says Alastair.

"One day our office manager took a call from Archbishop Desmond Tutu's secretary, who said he was flying in to Northern Ireland and needed to buy a jumper. As we have done for many customers over the years, we kept the store open late for him to come and buy a woolly pully to survive the Northern Irish summer.

"Really, business is about people. People are what make everything happen, from those who work here to those who shop here. The interaction with them is what makes life and business successful."

The next 60 years will bring with them many more memories, but for now the emphasis is on celebration, appreciating everything that has been achieved, and paying tribute to the man whose vision has long since been fulfilled.

"We're all very proud of reaching this milestone in our company's history," Alastair adds.

"To celebrate the anniversary, we went to the dogs, literally - a night out for the entire 40-strong team at Drumbo Park was enjoyed by all and I believe one or two might even have gone home with a few extra pounds in their pockets."
The Irish government is not underestimating anxiety in Northern Ireland about being taken out of the EU, a senior diplomat has said.

Dan Mulhall, the Republic's ambassador to London, also called for the region to be "front and centre" of imminent negotiations between Downing Street and Brussels on Brexit.

Appearing before a parliamentary committee in Westminster, Mr Mulhall said Northern Ireland was Dublin's "most acute" concern in relation to Britain's decision to leave the bloc.

"The Irish government does not underestimate the sense of disquiet now felt by many people in Northern Ireland at the prospect of the loss of their connection to the EU," he said.

Mr Mulhall told the House of Lords Select Committee on the EU that hard work was needed by all to avoid a hard border being erected between Northern Ireland and the rest of the island.

"Any effort to control the free movement of people across the Irish border, or indeed between Britain and Ireland, would be very damaging and I trust no one would want to contemplate such a step," he told the peers.

"I hope and trust that the particular circumstances that apply in Northern Ireland will be front and centre when it comes to the working out of the UK's future relations with the EU.

"When the UK does leave the EU, Northern Ireland will be in the unique position whereby almost all of its residents are entitled to citizenship of an EU country, Ireland, and we must be alert to the particular circumstances those Irish and EU citizens."
Red tape is barring officials from Dublin giving evidence to the inquest of missing teenager Arlene Arkinson, a coroner's court has heard.

Judge Brian Sherrard expressed dissatisfaction at continuing delays which are stalling the conclusion of the long-running inquest.

He told Belfast Coroner's Court: "I am disappointed that we are still at this stage having been in correspondence with An Garda Siochana for quite some time."

Fifteen-year-old Arlene Arkinson from Castlederg in Co Tyrone vanished in August 1994 after a night out across the border in Co Donegal.

She was last seen being driven off down a country road late at night by convicted child killer Robert Howard.

He was acquitted of the schoolgirl's murder in 2005 by a jury not told about his lengthy criminal history which included killing another teenager, Hannah Williams, in south London several years earlier.

Arlene's body has never been found despite extensive searches.

Howard remained the prime suspect in the unsolved case until his death in an English prison last year.

During the brief hearing the Arkinson family barrister Henry Toner QC said they too were frustrated by the hold-ups.

"The family are disappointed and disturbed at this," the lawyer said.

"Particularly after what they regard as the positive achievements that have flowed from the inquest.

"We call on An Garda Siochana and all other relevant authorities to produce results.

"Blandishments about co-operation mean nothing without results."

The full inquest formally opened in February after years of delay and dozens of preliminary hearings.

Testimony from Garda witnesses could bring the oral evidence sessions to a close.

Mr Sherrard said: "We should re-double our efforts concerning trying to get information and appearances from witnesses in order that we can properly put a full stop under hearing evidence."

However ongoing correspondence with An Garda Siochana and the State Solicitor's Office in Dublin has yielded little, the court heard.

Fiona Doherty QC, representing the coroner, said: "There are certain formalities that have to be gone through to allow for the sharing of information with you (coroner).

"These formalities are in hand. They are progressing but sadly not at the pace that you (coroner) expected or hoped for."

The most recent letter was sent to Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan last week but there has been no response as yet, it was revealed.

Mr Sherrard added: "If there is anything I can do to try and expedite this particular process, I am quite happy to meet representatives from An Garda Siochana or the State Solicitor's Office in an attempt to find a way through any red tape that seems to be barring their way."

The hearing has been adjourned until September 19.
Former Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said the Boundary Commission blueprint was "much more radical than anticipated"

The proposed changes to the Northern Ireland boundaries.

Redrawing Northern Ireland's parliamentary constituencies will "divide communities unnaturally", it has been claimed.

The Boundary Commission published a dramatic new design which would see our 18 constituencies reduced to 17 and many substantially changed.

It would see the number of MPs representing Belfast cut from four to three.

The Alliance Party has claimed "there appear to be some communities split unnaturally".

However, it has accepted a reduction of MPs for Belfast - with the present constituencies of south, west and north Belfast re-emerging in expanded form as north-west Belfast and south-west Belfast - as "inevitable".

"There is no justification for retaining four in the city," the Alliance Party has said.

"... but we will reserve judgment on the wider details while we consult with local party associations and other interested stakeholders."

Meanwhile, a veteran unionist criticised the proposals as "puzzling" and "peculiar".

Former Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said the Boundary Commission blueprint was "much more radical than anticipated".

And he said that his initial analysis pointed to the likelihood of increasing party pacts taking place in future elections.

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The former acting First Minister also challenged commissioners to show how they had given due attention to natural "local ties" in some of their decisions.

"We have not carried out any detailed analysis yet, but we have begun to look at these proposals," he said.

"It is puzzling that these proposals are much more radical than expected given that there were less changes the last time when the speculation was that the province would lose two seats.

"At first gIance I would agree this gives rise to the prospect of more pacts between the unionist parties. On the surface it would appear the proposed new constituencies and re-worked boundaries are likely to favour nationalists.

"The commissioners are required to take into account geography, community identification and local ties and existing boundaries, but I find that difficult to see in some of these proposals."

Sir Reg said that Coleraine, Ballymena and Lisburn have all been moved from their natural hinterlands under the Boundary Commission blueprint.

"And in north Belfast the whole of Rathcoole is being linked now with Larne by being moved into East Antrim.

"And then there is Ballybeen, which in local government terms is linked with Lisburn and Castlereagh, but for Westminster and the Assembly is now linked to North Down. These are peculiar choices.

"My initial conclusion is that areas are being linked which have no natural connection or historic linkage. It is certainly not what we were expecting."

The Commissions' proposals - part of a nationwide exercise - are designed to ensure that each constituency has an electorate of between 71,031 and 78,507 and it used the local government wards of the 11 councils as its building blocks.

The latest exercise comes three years after an earlier attempt was stymied by a fall-out in the previous Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government.

A lengthy period of consultation now follows, with an initial 12-week period for responses, ending on November 28. Revised proposals would then come next year.

The new constituencies are designed to be in place in time for the next expected General Election in 2020 and would be used for the Assembly poll a year later.
The chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said Europe-wide human rights protections should be cherished.

George Hamilton said he could not understand how anybody could argue with key parts of the European Convention on Human Rights like protection from inhumane or degrading treatment or torture.

Some in the Conservative Party support replacing the Human Rights Act which enshrined the convention in UK law with a new British Bill of Rights.

Mr Hamilton said: "It seems to me a pretty good idea for any democratic society to uphold for its citizens a right to a fair trial, prohibition from any inhumane and degrading treatment, prohibition from torture, to uphold the right of freedom of expression; freedom of religion is not a bad thing to have either.

"All of these rights and freedoms are things that I struggle to understand how people can argue with them in a progressive, liberal, democratic society."

The convention has legal force in the UK through the 1998 Human Rights Act.

Entitlements guaranteed under the accord are included in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, which ended the IRA and mainstream loyalist conflict.

Mr Hamilton was attending a meeting about human rights in Belfast.

He said leaving the EU did not mean withdrawing from the convention. That law is enforced by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, which is not an EU institution.

The senior officer said the convention had not been imposed on the UK by Europeans but was advocated by the 1950s British Government and legislators who wanted to protect people against unfettered state power. A British prosecutor of Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg was a high-profile supporter.

The chief constable said he found it ironic that a media or political message was being conveyed that the convention had been forced on the UK.

"That is not how I perceive it, I actually perceive it is as a tool, as a framework, as an instrument of upholding fundamental rights and freedoms that are actually, never mind the decision making model for me as a police officer, it protects me and my family and my community and I think that is something that needs to be cherished."

He could not comment if the UK Government or another legitimate authority decided to remodel the human rights framework and call it something else.

The senior officer added: "The European Convention of Human Rights is not an EU issue.

"It is much deeper and it is seated back in the 50s rather than anything to do with the common market or the European Union and I hate to see this narrative that because the UK are opting out of Europe there will be some sort of removal of the European Convention and the power of the European court."
Detectives are currently examining nearly 20 shooting incidents as part of wide-ranging inquiries into the MRF's activities.

Police and army officers may have concealed the truth about the suspected military killing of a woman in west Belfast for more than 40 years, the High Court heard.

Counsel for the family of Jean Smyth claimed the discovery of documents pointing towards undercover soldiers carrying out the shooting undermines the PSNI's ability to oversee a new impartial investigation.

The 24-year-old mother of one was killed by a single shot to the head as she sat in a car on the Glen Road in June 1972.

At the time the Royal Ulster Constabulary informed her family that it was probably an IRA gunman who opened fire. But records uncovered at the National Archives in Kew, London two years ago suggest the British army's Military Reaction Force (MRF) fired shots in the area and were allegedly involved in the killing, a judge was told.

Ms Smyth's family have issued judicial review proceedings amid claims the PSNI lacks the necessary independence to carry out a fresh probe.

Detectives are currently examining nearly 20 shooting incidents as part of wide-ranging inquiries into the MRF's activities.

In court on Wednesday Hugh Southey QC, for the family, said there was now fresh evidence linking the British state's own agents to the killing of an innocent citizen.

"There's material to suggest the MRF was involved in the systematic abuse of force," he said.

"There's a rigorous need for investigation in circumstances where there's reason to believe the truth has in the past been concealed both by army and police officers.

"It may well be the case that the family have not been told the truth for in excess of 40 years."

The barrister contended that the findings of two previous probes into the death were flawed.

That undermines public confidence in the PSNI conducting an impartial investigation, he claimed.

Referring to the army records, Mr Southey continued: "What the logs suggest is that there were complaints at the time by people in the neighbourhood that military personnel had been involved in the killing.

"So, it would appear the RUC should have been aware of those allegations." He insisted: "The issue for the court is whether or not a fair-minded observer would conclude there's a real risk of bias (in a new PSNI inquiry)."

The hearing continues.
A notorious armed robber, who 'found God' while serving a life sentence, was embroiled in a major street brawl involving the woman he married in a ceremony while on day release from jail.

Serial offender and born again Christian Joe Lockhart, who is out on licence after he served eight years of a life sentence for a terrifying robbery on a betting shop, was arrested after police responded to reports of violent clashes outside his marital home in Newtownabbey.

His wife Natasha was discovered lying injured in an upstairs bedroom. It is understood Lockhart also suffered serious injuries during the brawl involving at least five people.

Lockhart was later released pending reports to the Public Prosecution Service. However, the PPS has since decided not to pursue a prosecution due to lack of evidence.

The father-of-two, who has a long record of violence, is now estranged from his wife.

The pair tied the knot at the Clarion Hotel in Carrickfergus in February 2011 when Lockhart was granted day release for the wedding. Among the guests was his violent offender pal Ken Callaghan - a notorious murderer who strangled and then raped his dead or dying victim in east Belfast in 1987.

Lockhart and his wife became involved in a bloody brawl outside their home in Garton Way, Newtownabbey in the early hours of April 9. A row erupted inside the house amongst a number of people and then spilled outside.

Police were called to the scene. Lockhart and his wife both sustained serious injuries. Officers arrested Lockhart, but released him a few hours later.

A PSNI spokesman said: "Police investigated a number of allegations of assault at a property in the Garton Way area of Newtownabbey on April 9. A file was prepared and forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service who directed no prosecution in the case."

Last week the PPS contacted Natasha's family to advise them that nobody was going to be charged in connection with the incident due to insufficient evidence.

A family member told the Belfast Telegraph: "We are furious that nobody is going to be brought to justice for this attack. It is disgusting that this can happen and nobody is held accountable. Natasha was hospitalised with her injuries that included a broken nose."

However, the PPS said: "After careful examination of the evidence presented on a number of individuals reported to PPS by police, it was decided that there was insufficient evidence to bring a prosecution against any party. Whilst this decision may be disappointing, it was only taken after a most careful consideration of the case."

Since his release from jail, Lockhart has come to police attention on a number of occassions. He escaped being returned to jail last year for an assault on a police officer.

Lockhart was initially denied parole from jail amid concern he posed a threat to the public.

Lockhart received an automatic life sentence at Derby Crown Court in May 2003 for holding up staff at a betting shop while wearing a balaclava and holding a gun. He was ordered to serve a minimum six years behind bars and in August 2004 he was transferred from an English jail to serve out his sentence at Maghaberry Prison.

Lockhart had previously been the victim of so-called punishment shootings which had affected his legs, the court was told.

He had been "immersed in violence and alcohol" from an early age and had "an extensive record of criminal convictions" including many for violence.

While in prison he became a born again Christian and completed anger, alcohol and drug awareness courses.

Due to a High Court ruling, we are unable to publish images that would identify Lockhart.
Sharon Shoesmith has continued to defend herself against criticism as she appeared on television to talk about her book, Learning from Baby P.

The former director of Children's Services at Haringey went on BBC Two's Victoria Derbyshire programme yesterday to talk about her new publication.

Ms Shoesmith was the director when 17-month-old Peter Connelly died in London in 2007.

He died after social workers didn't notice he had received more than 50 injuries over the course of eight months, even though he was registered with social services as being '"at-risk".

Amid accusations that she is profiting off the death of Baby P, Ms Shoesmith spoke with the TV presenter about the recently published book which she wrote based on her PhD.

Early on in the interview, the social worker from Newtownabbey addressed the reports that she had received a large sum of money from a payout after her successful appeal in a lawsuit saying she was unfairly fired.

"There was never 600,000. There was a fraction of that, which I can't reveal because I've signed papers and people would be very ready to tackle me if I did say what it was," she said.

Ms Shoesmith was fired in 2008 after a series of inquiries and a national review of social service care. Children's minister Ed Balls fired her on live television, which Ms Shoesmith later contested in a lawsuit. She claimed her dismissal was decided under unfair circumstances.

During the interview yesterday, Ms Shoesmith remained on the defensive over her role in the State's failure to protect Peter.

"I'm not guilty," she said. "The serious issue here is how we responded to Peter's death."

She added that even though it is the natural reaction to blame someone other than the parents in cases like these, that may not be the answer.

"Simply blaming social workers isn't going to get us anywhere. In fact, it's making the situation worse," she said.

"The social work profession is just under siege all the time. It's become quite fragile."

She also claimed she was treated unfairly because of her position. She said one child dies every week and that should not affect the position.

"Are we going to sack a director of children's services every time a child dies? And where would that take us?" she said. "I don't want to say this lightly."

She claimed her book is not about blaming others involved.

"I don't blame. What you find in the book is a real emphasis on understanding," she said.

"I really set that out at the beginning, that we need to stand back and understand what happened here."

Piers Morgan also accused Ms Shoesmith of profiting off Baby P's death when she appeared on Good Morning Britain in June.
Some charges against a so-called loyalist supergrass accused of a catalogue of murders and paramilitary crime are to be dropped, it was revealed.

Gary Haggarty is no longer to be prosecuted for three alleged offences, understood to relate to possessing explosives and firearms, his lawyers said.

His legal team are also set to challenge the "propriety" of prosecuting a man they say worked as a state agent for some of the remaining 209 counts against him.

Belfast Magistrates' Court was told on Wednesday that a hearing to decide if the suspected Ulster Volunteer Force commander-turned police informer has a case to answer is scheduled for November.

Haggarty, 44, has been waiting to discover if he will stand trial since signing an agreement to become an assisting offender under the terms of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) back in 2010.

The north Belfast man was charged with a record 212 charges covering a 16-year period between 1991 and 2007.

The prosecution case against him runs to 12,000 pages, with his alleged offences including:

Five murders, 31 conspiracy to murder and six attempted murders.

Four kidnappings, six false imprisonment and five hijacking.

Twelve possessing explosives with intent to endanger life and 47 counts of having a firearm with intent.

Eighteen charges of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Three counts of arson, conspiracy to defraud and concealing the proceeds of criminal conduct.

Two charges each of directing terrorism and belonging to a proscribed organisation.

Seven counts of possessing money or property for the purposes of terrorism.

Haggarty, whose address is listed as c/o the Police Service of Northern Ireland, is believed to be living at a secret location in England.

He was not present for the latest stage in an ongoing court review of the case. A Public Prosecution Service (PPS) representative told District Judge

Fiona Bagnall that senior Crown Counsel is still working on issues in the case.

Defence barrister Martin O'Rourke QC then disclosed correspondence confirming "some of the charges will not be proceeded with".

Mr O'Rourke also took issue with "the propriety of some of the charges that have been brought".

Listing the case for a further review next month, Judge Bagnall said the defendant would again be excused from attending.

Outside court Haggarty's solicitor Ciaran Shiels, of Madden and Finucane, insisted a challenge will be mounted to some of the remaining charges proceeding to trial.

He said: "The defence forwarded written submissions to the PPS on May 4 dealing firstly with charges where we say the papers do not disclose a prima facie case.

"But also charges where there are issues in relation to the propriety of the charges at a time when the defendant was a state agent from 1993-2004."
A video has emerged showing death drivers putting their lives and the safety of their community at risk.

The video was posted on Facebook on Tuesday.

It shows two cars, thought to be stolen, being driven erratically in front of a group of youths.

The police then show up in an unmarked car and attempted to catch those behind the wheel.

One of those in a car can be seen making off on foot.

It's believed the incident happened in the past week in the Ross Road residential area off the Falls Road.

By Wednesday morning, the video has been viewed over 170,000 times.

Many have blamed the notorious 'Divis Hoods' group which has been blamed for numerous car thefts and death driving incidents.

It is not thought anyone was injured.

Police said they of the aware of video "showing an appalling example of death driving in the Divis area".

A police statement said: "Shortly after this incident was filmed, police responding to reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously in the Albert Street and Ross Road areas shortly before 4pm, arrested a 15 year old male.

"The two vehicles, a blue coloured Kia reported stolen in the Linenhall Street area of Belfast earlier that afternoon and a silver coloured Honda reported stolen in the Nutts Corner area earlier that day were subsequently recovered by Police.

"Later that evening, the police Auto Crime Team pursued, stopped and recovered three vehicles, one of which had been stolen in a burglary and made three arrests for a range of offences including, aggravated taking and driving away, dangerous driving, driving whilst unfit through drugs, possession of drugs and failing to stop for police."

Belfast councillor Tim Attwood said: "The behaviour on display here is reckless and dangerous in the extreme.

"Any one of the bystanders could have been injured as the cars are thrown around the street like toys.

"Im glad the police were able to respond quickly to the reports and I would encourage anyone with information about this criminal behaviour to come forward.

Sinn Fein West Belfast MP Paul Maskey has said a robust response was needed from the police and the courts to tackle car crime.

He said: "This shocking footage shows the complete disregard these car criminals have for the community in west Belfast.

"Thankfully no one appears to have been injured but unfortunately this community knows all too well the pain and misery car crime can have.

"We need to see a robust response from the PSNI in tackling car crime and the judiciary also have a key role in helping to eradicate this menace, particularly in the treatment of persistent offenders."

Local Policing Commander Chief Inspector Norman Haslett said: "There have been a number of recently reported incidents where vehicles have been stolen from properties elsewhere and then driven dangerously in the Lower Falls and in other areas of West Belfast.

"Local police officers and the specialist Auto Crime Team, supported by colleagues from our Operational Support Department and the police helicopter are responding to community concerns.

"We have and will continue to take stolen cars off the streets, arrest offenders and bring them before the courts  two further stolen vehicles were recovered by police only yesterday. Death drivers are nothing but a blight on the community of West Belfast and they have nothing to offer but death, injury and destruction. They have little or no thought for the local community or for the consequences of their actions which are reckless in the extreme.

"We are working with the community and have made progress, but we still need the local community to support us in addressing the underlying problems.

"We are committed to working in partnership with the community to reduce anti-social behaviour and death-driving. If anyone has any information linked to community safety issues, please contact us on 101 or anonymously through independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan said it is untrue that Ireland provided favourable treatment to Apple

Critics of Ireland's tax regime in the wake of Europe ordering Apple to pay 13 billion euro in back taxes are drawing outdated and unfair caricatures, the Finance Minister has said.

As the Dail was recalled early to debate the controversial ruling, Michael Noonan reiterated the Government's position that no sweetheart deal had been done with the iPhone maker.

"It is simply untrue that Ireland provided favourable treatment to Apple," the minister said.

Politicians are being asked to back the Government's decision to appeal against the order by a Brussels competition watchdog to recoup 13 billion euro.

The ruling by Commissioner Margrethe Vestager found that Ireland gave Apple a special tax deal which ultimately allowed the global brand to pay 0.005% tax in 2014 - 50 euro for every one million of profit.

Mr Noonan said: "The reaction to the European Commission's decision has, at times, painted an outdated and unfair caricature of Ireland's position on tax," he said.

"This is a caricature that is at odds with the evidence and which overlooks our proven track record in recent years.

"The facts show our constructive engagement at the international table, with matchless implementation of reforms ahead of many of our partner countries."

The debate is taking place on the same day as Apple launches its next generation iPhone in San Francisco.

In the wake of the ruling, Apple also confirmed it has made provisions on its balance sheets for 30 billion US dollars of "deferred" tax bills in the US.

Mr Noonan insisted that the tech giant, which holds about 230 billion US dollars in cash reserves, paid full taxes in Ireland and got no special treatment from Ireland's Revenue Commissioners.

"Ireland has done nothing wrong here. We have a proven track record in international tax reform and a matchless commitment to meeting the best international standards," he told the Dail.

"We should not see ourselves through the eyes of our detractors - those who would paint a cartoonish and negative image of Ireland."

Part of the wider debate is Ireland's generous corporation tax rate of 12.5%.

But Mr Noonan said that was founded on fairness, transparency, consistency and the rule of law, and he called on critics to to move on from myths and generalisations.

He said the European Commission ruling was encroaching on sovereign states' decisions on tax and contained contradictions on where Apple owed tax.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny also rejected claims of a sweetheart deal for one of the world's biggest companies.

"It is not how we do business," he said.

He described the Commission's ruling as "especially unhelpful" while efforts are ongoing internationally to reform what he said was a "broken system for corporate tax".

He also said: "If the situation in Europe is to be that tax rulings can be revisited and set aside by the Commission even decades after the event, investors will simply not know where they stand when they locate in Europe."

Mr Kenny said Ireland's membership of the European Union is not at issue.

Apple boss Tim Cook defended his company's attitude to tax and said it paid 400 million US dollars of corporation tax in Ireland in 2014 and another 400 million US dollars of similarly classed tax in America that year. He put its corporation tax bill at 26.1%.

The company has also insisted it will not abandon Ireland, where it has about 6,000 employees and is planning to build a huge data centre.

In Ireland, where a fragile Fine Gael minority Government is propped up by Independents, the appeal against the European Commission is supported by the main opposition party, Fianna Fail.

Leader Micheal Martin said: "The attempt to paint Ireland as a rogue nation on tax has been ongoing for decades.

"It is wrong on every level to claim that Ireland is competing unfairly."

Mr Martin highlighted corporation tax in France, where he said an official rate of 33% compares to the actual rate of 7.4%.

"The argument that Ireland is providing a tax-free, libertarian haven for multinationals is simply nonsense," he said.

"There is no doubt that abuses arose particularly in relation to what were termed 'stateless companies'; however, they were far from unique to Ireland and they have been addressed."

The appeal is opposed by Sinn Fein, the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit group and the Greens.

Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said Apple made 104 billion euro of tax-free profits over 10 years from 2003 by using Irish-incorporated firms Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe to book sales outside the US and move money into a "sort of untaxed Bermuda triangle".

"For too long this state has had its head in the sand when it comes to the global moves towards tax transparency and fairness," he said.

"This is our money."

Mr Doherty said it was a "cynical lie" to suggest that Brussels was attacking Ireland's corporation tax rate and that the case was fundamentally about equal tax treatment for all.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin, who supports the appeal, said the ruling by Europe was troubling.

"They know well that this is a problem that has its origins in the interaction of different tax codes on a global level," he said.

"And yet they seem to believe that Ireland, a small nation, should carry the reputational hit for correcting this problem."
Former Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) president Patrick Hickey last night refused to answer questions by Brazilian police over alleged ticket touting.

The Public Prosecutor's office in Rio de Janeiro has formally laid charges before a judge in relation to Mr Hickey.

The 71-year-old, who was arrested on August 17, may face charges alongside nine others, including THG director Kevin James Mallon (36).

A judge must now decide whether to accept or reject the charges, a statement from state prosecutors said, without specifying which individuals will face which charges.

Mr Hickey, who has temporarily stepped aside as OCI president, arrived at the Civil Police station in Rio yesterday evening at 3.24pm local time and left the station less than one hour later. Mr Hickey's family issued a statement saying he would not be answering any questions.

"Our dad, Pat Hickey, will not be making any comment in the police station," they added. "He will be invoking his right to silence because the Brazilian police have released documents to the media that Pat's lawyers have had no access to."

Speaking after the interview, detectives confirmed that Mr Hickey refused to answer any of the questions put to him.

"He stayed silent," said detective Aloysio Falcao. "We asked 14 questions, but he gave us only silence. Now we have one more step to take in our investigation, which will be explained on Thursday at a press conference."
Aussie-American TV producer Tara Foster, who is planning to cycle around Ireland on a push bike, has one very special request for Irish men.

Foster, 36, is planning an epic trip around Ireland with nothing but a 400 bicycle.

During her trip, Tara will be taking on challenges from the public through her Twitter feed.

When asked if she was hoping for any particular requests, there was one wish that she really wants to be fulfilled.

She really, really wants to be brought to an Irish wedding.

"I would be a great plus-one for a wedding, so if any guys want to send me an invite? It would be great. I'm going on this trip because I really want to have an Irish adventure and what's more Irish than a local wedding," she told Independent.ie.

If you're planning on asking the TV producer to be your date, you should know one small thing.

"However, there is a catch. I don't have any dresses or shoes with me for weddings. I had no room on the bike to bring them," she said.

Read more

Read More

Foster arrives in Dublin from Sydney on September 13. She is taking a few days to adjust from jetlag, then setting off on her journey from Wexford on September 18.

Her journey was partially inspired by Tony Hawks book - Round Ireland with a fridge.

She said: "Its been six months in the making. I met a person here in Sydney, who cycled from Sydney to Melbourne on a cheap bike for a wedding. Also, my favourite book is 'Round Ireland With a Fridge' by Tony Hawks, so I thought why not.

"I haven't got any bad reaction from my friends. One of them even said: 'that's not crazy, it's just very Tara.'"

There is no set route, but Foster is planning on travelling wherever her Twitter-feed takes her.

"I've quit my job to do this. I put it up on my Facebook, because I really believe in this adventure. I'll go wherever the Twitter requests take me, whether that's up the coast, or down the south or wherever."

A couple of Twitter requests have already arrived in Tara's inbox.

She added: "An armoured combat group in Galway have asked me to take part in one of their challenges, so I will be donning the armour and taking part in a sword fight. There has also been a request for me to do stand-up comedy."

When asked about potential safety concerns for travelling around Ireland alone on a push bike, she said: "I feel that the good people will outnumber the bad and i have always liked the Irish. I haven't met an Irish person i didn't like.

"That's why I'm so active on social media, I feel that it'll make me safe even though I'm going solo.

"I am excited to see Ireland for what it is as a local. When you're in a car, you kind of just see things glide. by. This is a great opportunity to see Ireland firsthand. Weather and all."

You can follow Tara's adventure on @Taraustralis
Defence Secretary Ash Carter criticised Russia for what he says is Moscow's "clear ambition to erode the principled international order" (AP)

US Defence Secretary Ash Carter has said that Russia "has clear ambition to erode the principled international order" through coercion and aggression.

"Russia appears driven by misguided ambition and misplaced fear," Mr Carter said in a speech to students at Oxford University.

He used the address to criticise Russia's "unprofessional behaviour" in Ukraine, Syria and cyberspace, and he accused Moscow of nuclear "sabre rattling."

Russia, he said, wants to sow instability beyond its borders, including in the Middle East. At the same time, he urged Moscow to take a more constructive role in Syria to arrange a lasting ceasefire.

"Despite the progress that we made together in the aftermath of the Cold War, Russia's actions in recent years - with its violations of Ukrainian and Georgian territorial integrity, its unprofessional behaviour in the air, in space, and in cyberspace, as well as its nuclear sabre rattling - all have demonstrated that Russia has clear ambition to erode the principled international order," Mr Carter said.

Also on Wednesday, the Kremlin said the latest round of US sanctions against Russia ran counter to potential cooperation on "sensitive issues" that President Barack Obama and President Vladimir Putin discussed during their meeting this week during an economic summit in China.

The US Department of Commerce has added 11 companies linked to the Russian arms sector to the sanctions list that the Obama administration compiled immediately after Russia's annexation of Crimea. The move restricts the companies' exports to the United States.

AP
Arrests send shockwaves through tight-knit community which is now wondering whether it should let young people participate in Rumspringa - a period when they can experience non-Amish life (AP file photo)

US police arrested more than 70 people in Ohios Amish country at an outdoor party that was expected to draw hundreds of Amish youth.

Concerned parents tipped off the Holmes County Sheriffs Office, warning of a huge party that was expected to bring in more than 1,000 Amish youth from neighbouring states.

More than 40 officers from surrounding counties raided the Hardy Township field late Saturday night and arrested 75 adults and juveniles for underage alcohol possession. Several received additional charges of resisting arrest. Two people were hospitalised for alcohol-related illness.

Had a couple undercover officers go in to look for underage drinking and drugs, Holmes County Sheriffs Capt Doug Hunter told Fox 8. They werent in there very long until they called and said, Hey, we have a lot of underage drinking going on.

The Amish are a Christian sect whose members shun modern convenience in favour of an old-fashioned farming life.

Party organisers rented the property from Clarence White, and charged $25 for entry. And while Mr White did offer security, he insisted that organisers did not ask him to verify the ages of the partygoers. Still, he believed he kept the Amish youth from danger.

It gives them a safe place. Theyre not out in the road, and everybody knows theyre going to party, Mr White said. They like to drink their beer and everything, so theyre going to party.

Amish leadership in the area are now calling into question the status of Rumspringa  a Pennsylvania Dutch term used for the time period in which unbaptised youth get to experience non-Amish life before deciding to commit to the church.

Were working with the Amish leaders of the churches and the community to try to keep their young children from doing this, Mr Hunter said, but its been kind of a heritage with the Amish to go out and do this kind of thing."
File photo dated 05/02/16 of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as Sweden's chief prosecutor has made it clear there is no immediate prospect of interviewing the WikiLeaks founder in London.

Swedish prosecutors are still waiting to hear from the Ecuador Government on when they can interview WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at their embassy in London.

Mr Assange has been living inside the Ecuadorian Embassy for over four years to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces a sex allegation, which he denies.

The Ecuadorian attorney general has delivered a document agreeing to a request by the Swedish prosecutor to question Mr Assange.

But Marianne Ny, Sweden's Director of Public Prosecution, said there had been no development since the beginning of August.

"We were told by the Ecuador Government they have accepted our request to interview Julian Assange at the embassy in London, but so far we have heard nothing from them," she told a press conference in Sweden.

"We are waiting to be told how and when the interview will take place and whether we will be able to be present."

She said it was normal in this kind of case to interview someone face to face and she could see no reason to give Mr Assange any "special treatment".

Mr Assange criticised holding the press conference ahead of a decision on Friday by Sweden's Appeal Court following a finding by a United Nations Working Group that his confinement inside the embassy amounted to arbitrary detention.

The UN panel called on the Swedish and British authorities earlier this year to end his "deprivation of liberty", respect his physical integrity and freedom of movement, and afford him the right to compensation.

In May, a Stockholm district court upheld an arrest warrant, but Mr Assange filed an appeal at Sweden's Court of Appeal, arguing that Sweden must comply with the UN group's findings that his deprivation of liberty was unlawful and that Sweden must release and compensate him for the harm caused.

Mr Assange said: "The prosecutor's state-funded press conference today appears to be a highly inappropriate attempt to place pressure on the courts.

"The press conference comes just 48 hours before the Court of Appeal decides on whether I should be freed following the UN's finding that the detention without charge against me is unlawful.

"The press conference also comes hours before an in depth expose on the case from Sweden's top investigative team is broadcast on Sweden's national broadcaster. By holding the press conference six hours before the broadcast journalists will not know what questions to ask."

WikiLeaks points out that the UK Government refuses to give any guarantees that Mr Assange will not be extradited to the United States for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks if he leaves the embassy.

The FBI and US Department of Justice informed a federal court in the United States that "prosecutive efforts" remain under way against WikiLeaks.
It would appear to the Anglican bishop Nicholas Chamberlain that we are now living in an age where everybody does that which is right in his own eyes and where God is left out of the plan for mankind.

The bishop said that his statement that he is gay would cause some ripples in the church. I can assure him that there will be no ripples among the true followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His teaching.

The bishop also said that his sexuality is part of who he is, but it is his ministry that he wants to focus on. That may be so, but he is certainly not following the Bible's teaching.

Many people today, including some Protestant clergy, condemn born-again believers for speaking out against homosexuality and lesbians. That is not true. What we are doing is warning them of the dangers of such acts.

All I can say to Bishop Chamberlain is, shame on you for misrepresenting the Gospel's true message. As for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who consecrated the new bishop, and the Bishop of Lincoln, Christopher Lowson, who appointed him, may the Lord of Heaven preserve us from your decisions.

Dr Billy Boyd

Newtownabbey
Many people are asking the question, "What relevance is God in today's society?" Is God dead, or is it that God's representative, the church, has lost its voice and is nearly dead due to being infected by the killer disease of compromise.

God's laws and teachings within the Bible are not there to control humanity, but rather to put in place guidelines which if followed guarantee a society where the poor are protected, justice cannot be bought, marriage and family life is cherished, workforces are not exploited, hunger is frowned upon and unjust wars, murder, jealousy, envy and coveting are done away with, truth is upheld etc.

Today, however, our world has abandoned God and the Bible, preferring instead to follow its own teachings and wisdom where life-threatening symptoms such as murder are common place, crime is rampant, truth is despised, justice for the poor virtually non-existent, homelessness on the increase and family life attacked. Hunger has increased alongside wars and conflicts around the world.

Unfortunately, over the past 100 years, the churches have been contaminated by a deadly virus called compromise. However, recent upsurges in employee levels has enabled the reopening of churches able to combat the infections of atheism, humanism and evolution that have resulted in humanity's decline.

Pastor Paul S Burns

Adullam Christian Fellowship Church, Belfast
Regarding Ulster Unionist MLA Jenny Palmer's comments that she wouldn't take in immigrants, no one is actually asking anyone to take in 'immigrants'.

When we talk about welcoming people to Northern Ireland, we are talking about refugees. This distinction is important.

Immigrants come here for work or for other opportunities; refugees come to escape conflict or terror. We should welcome both, but for different reasons and in different ways.

We should also note that no one has been asked to personally house any refugees in Northern Ireland.

Gemma Brown

By email
The PSNI has commissioned a research project to find out why Catholics are not joining the force

I used to work for the RUC. Not many people know that. It started when I was asked to take part in panel discussions the trainees at Garnerville in Holywood. I would often meet a Catholic priest and a member of a republican family there or a former loyalist prisoner.

These were formal discussions, under the supervision of officers, perhaps concerned to keep everything orderly and tame.

Most of the trainees then, as now, were Protestant, though the proportion was higher. Not that I knew exactly.

And most were male.

All were white.

The best part of the evening was when the bar opened, though I could only risk drinking if I had the UVF man to drive me home, and he was often obliging. The bar was called The Harp and Crown, which tells you something.

It was based on the RUC badge of the time, which featured an Irish harp with the crown over it. It represented past efforts to accommodate the symbols of our two communities.

This badge declared that this was an Irish police force as much, or nearly as much, as it was a British one.

The current obsolescence of that badge speaks to the failure of past efforts to include Catholics as comfortably as Protestants. And that, in itself is a worry.

Before the Patten reforms were ever implemented, those in charge of policing should have reminded themselves that this was an old problem, that there have been past efforts to resolve it and that there has been a history of failure.

Instead, they congratulated themselves on their imagination and magnanimity and proceeded with reform and the effort to include Catholics without any expectation that this could go wrong.

Then Owen Paterson made one of the stupidest decisions of a working Secretary of State in modern times.

He abandoned the provision that stipulated that half of all recruits should be Catholic, having decided that the momentum towards the full equality of representation of the two communities was sufficiently advanced to require no further assistance.

Since then, the representation of Catholics in the PSNI has fallen.

I got to know the RUC quite well. I actually think they are maligned in the way in which they are remembered.

I was invited to contribute to their training at Gough Barracks in Armagh and then at Maydown in Derry.

Once a fortnight, during the training period, I would find myself in a long armoured room, little bigger than the top of a bus, talking to about 15 'probationers'. On average one or two might be Catholic, though I would only know that if they introduced themselves as such, and two of them would be women.

We had magnificent rows sometimes. I never met a body of people that more readily expected to be misunderstood.

Since I only had each class once, in the following years I went through the entire recruitment.

Every RUC member joining at that time had to sit in front of me for two hours.

There was one, a woman, who slipped through and they called me back to give her a one-on-one lesson, which was awkward since I ran it as a discussion group.

I developed a powerful sense of the RUC of the time as a separate community. It was more Protestant in its membership, but it was more police than it was Protestant.

These were people who were as contemptuous, many of them, of the Orange Order and the unionist parties as they were of the nationalists.

They were also pretty contemptuous of their own leadership.

What they had in common was that they loved policing.

None of them had joined to fight the IRA or crack the heads of protesters or to advance a sectarian agenda.

Many of them joined the police because they had had family members who had been in the force too.

So, faced with the critical slide in Catholic numbers, following the pathetic inability of Owen Paterson to recognise how dangerous further decline would be, how are we to explain the disinclination of Catholics to join?

There can be many reasons for it, as many as there are young Catholic men and women who thought for a moment of joining and then dismissed the idea.

One might be the very dropping of the 50-50 rule. That sends the message that the PSNI is happy to have a Protestant majority, or at least that the Northern Ireland Office is happy with that.

Catholics getting that message may fear that they would never feel properly at home there, whatever the form of words used about how welcome their applications are.

There is also the lack of a strong tradition of policing here in the Catholic communities. There are few examples to follow, few parents to encourage sons and daughters to apply.

There is the danger, marginally greater for a Catholic than for a Protestant, while republican die-hards are still trying to kill police officers.

There is also the need to keep the job secret so as not to expose oneself or family members to risk.

These dangers apply in loyalist communities too, where many people get sidelined for joining or having a close relative in the PSNI, but Protestants also have more support for a decision to join, more friends and relations who would help and encourage.

Another problem is that 15 years ago, when the PSNI was being reformed, there was an atmosphere of greater hope in Northern Ireland. It wasn't just policing that was changing, it was the whole political culture.

What has followed has been a let-down. Then, some Catholics thought they were making a brave decision for the sake of creating a new Northern Ireland. Now, they might look around and see that the old division is still there and politics is governed by conservative and moralistic values.

Furthermore, policing is a community with its own history and its own grievances and its own sense of never having been properly appreciated, and any new recruit is either going to fit into that community, belong more to it than to the Protestant or Catholic community, or feel alienated by it.

The only way for that to happen for larger numbers of Catholics is for there to be more Catholics in the PSNI who have already made that transition from thinking of themselves as members of one community to thinking of themselves as peelers. There has to be a tipping point mass of Catholic membership and there just isn't.

What Paterson forgot when he made his stupid decision was a huge part of the problem here was Catholic community alienation from the police. He decided it didn't matter. Perhaps the damage is now done.

If we go back to 10% Catholic membership, we might as well give them back the harp and crown badge, and remind ourselves what it really stands for. It stands for a long history of failure to bring two communities together in the one police service.
Every year, the British Government releases secret papers relating to Northern Ireland under the 30-years rule, and as time goes by we get to know a little bit more about the truth behind the Troubles. It can be a fascinating insight into the workings of the direct rule administration.

Recently, the Government released a memo from a British civil servant, Stephen Leach, to a more senior civil servant, John Blelloch, who served as a deputy permanent secretary during the hunger strikes in 1981. He had a crucial involvement at that critical time with Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister. The memo confirms that a "good offer" was made that could have ended the hunger strike and saved four or maybe six of the republican prisoners.

The official Sinn Fein narrative of the hunger strikes is that Margaret Thatcher was the Iron Lady, inflexible and immovable throughout, who was by her very inflexibility directly and solely responsible for the deaths of the 10 republican prisoners who were on hunger strike in Long Kesh.

Richard O'Rawe, who was PRO of the republican prisoners in Long Kesh during the hunger strikes, has courageously put forward in his books Blanketmen and Afterlives an alternative narrative which disputes that and which is much more credible.

O'Rawe makes it abundantly clear that Danny Morrison of Sinn Fein told Bik McFarlane, the IRA leader in the prison, the terms of a British offer to end the hunger strike and that McFarlane then told O'Rawe and that both of them agreed that the offer was good. However, he points out that the hunger strikers themselves were never consulted on the terms of this "good offer". He argues strongly that Adams and a committee of leading republicans, for self-interested political reasons, refused this "good offer" from the British Government in early July 1981 and when it was repeated again on July 21, 1981.

The main reason for this, he suspects, was to ensure the safe election of Owen Carron in the by-election to fill the seat left vacant by the late Bobby Sands MP. If the hunger strike continued, electoral victory was assured.

If there was no continuing hunger strike, then the seat could have been lost to another nationalist candidate, or on a divided nationalist vote to a unionist, thereby depriving Owen Carron of victory. This would have prevented the emergence of Adams' political strategy for the republican movement. If that was the IRA strategy at the time, then it was both cunning and ruthless, involving the additional and unnecessary deaths of the six remaining hunger strikers.

This "good offer" was confirmed to intermediaries the Irish Commission for Justice and Peace (ICJP) by Adams at a meeting in a house in Andersonstown in early July 1981. This is also referred to in Leach's Government memo.

The commission confirmed that Adams admitted to them in July 1981 that a "good offer" had been made by the British Government through a back channel whose code name was Mountain Climber. Adams also warned the ICJP to stay out of the process.

Richard O'Rawe has kept track of previously released Government papers and says that they substantially support his narrative. The recent Leach memo reinforces his argument.

He believes that Adams should apologise to the hunger strikers' families and the wider community.

He is adamantly of the view that, "the British were broke, the hunger strike broke the British".

As O'Rawe succinctly puts it: "The hunger strikers broke Thatcher's resolve."

In essence, that's why the British made a good offer, which met almost in full four out of the five demands of the prisoners. The most important concession made was the right to wear their own clothes and not be forced to wear the prison uniform, the very symbol of criminalisation. Criminalisation of the IRA prisoners was at the centre of the hunger strikes.

For years now, the republican leadership has rejected O'Rawe's account and has systematically tried to discredit both him and his version of events.

Fearlessly, he has countered their arguments and refuses to be bullied by them. He and his family have had to endure persistent vilification and criticism.

He has continued to examine the evidence that has come out through Government papers to strengthen his arguments. He has challenged senior republicans to debate with him publicly, but they have refused.

He has supported the idea of an independent inquiry into the hunger strikes and would be willing to give evidence to it. Sinn Fein has refused to participate in such an independent enquiry. The party has even refused to go on TV with him to debate the issues arising from the hunger strikes.

Now he says that they should have, "A bit of humility after 35 years - it's the decent thing to do".

The problem is, neither Adams, nor Sinn Fein understand either humility, or the truth.
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Most of us are familiar with the old proverb about the rock in the river. When we are assailed by the raging waters of life, we are advised to be not a pebble, but a bouldersomething which not only resists the river, but changes its very course.

But that proverbial boulder doesnt always have to represent something positive, like strength or courage or perseverance. Sometimes, its vulnerability that changes the stream. September 9th, 2016 marks the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C., attacks which dropped not a boulder, but a mountain into the river of American politics, changing its course forever. And it isnt going away.

If the Vietnam War began the process of dispelling the notion of an invincible, messianic America established by John Winthrop in 1630, 9/11 finished it. For the first time, a sense of vulnerability permeated the most powerful country on the globe. For the first time, many Americans realized that our country was not universally beloved, not fortified beyond any attack.

What happened to the towers of the World Trade Center, twin symbols of Americas financial prosperity, had unprecedented effects on the U.S. economy, shutting down the stock marketsthe first time Wall Street had closed since the Great Depression. It didnt reopen until September 17th. The Dow fell 7.13 percent, losing 617.78 points in what was its worst one-day drop in history.

America wept. It prayed, it wailed, and its people unified like never before. And, together, they swore revenge.

War came. On September 20th, President Bush called for the beginning of the War on Terror, telling Americans that they should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen.

How true that was.

Weve been embroiled in the War on Terror for 16 years now, at the cost of nearly 2 trillion dollars and over 6 thousand American lives, as well as around 1.3 million lives globally.

But the costs, as steep as theyve been, dont end there.

In literature, there are certain experiences that nearly every protagonist goes through in order for a compelling story to be told. One of them involves the choice of how to respond to hardship. When the antagonists press in, when they begin to play unfair, and show themselves to be more powerful than expected, the protagonist has a choiceplay dirty, compromising all they stand for, or rise above, and risk the loss of something they love. Neither choice is necessarily the better one, and each has its own consequences. Its a hard choice that makes for great reading. In reality, however, its an agonizing process to undergo.

America experienced that very moment a little after 9/11. With clouds of smoke and ash still drifting in the air, we chose vengeance. We chose to call the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. acts of war rather than the actions of criminals. And that choice became the rock in the river of America.

Within two years of the attacks, there came the Department of Homeland Security, the TSA, and the Patriot Act. There came anti-Muslim demonstrations and the demonization of Middle-eastern culture. Deportations hit a record high or nearly 400,000 annually. Flying the friendly skies was no longer so friendly, and became known for long lines, body scans, pat-downs, and restrictive policies.

Government intrusion increased to unprecedented levels in the years after. Classified documents exposed by Edward Snowden in 2013 showed just how much privacy American citizens had lost since 9/11, revealing phone, email, and video surveillance programs focused both on citizens and foreign governmentsincluding our closest allies. This may seem reasonable in a world where a handful of men can kill thousands, but this surveillance, arguably, has gone too far. The NSA, in an extreme example, was revealed to be tracking the sexual habits of people they deemed radicalizers, in order to discredit them. This unmitigated gathering of information and its subsequently questionable use caused many Americans to greatly distrust the American government.

That distrust wasnt limited to the authorities. 9/11 also marked the beginning of a virulent xenophobia that swept through America, the echoes of which can still be heard today. The Muslim world was enduringly conflated with terrorism. Terms like towel-heads became common as the dehumanizing aspect of war took its toll on the American psyche. Islamophobic attacks increased by nearly 1,700 percent in 2001, going from 28 before 9/11, to 481 after the attacks. In the decade or so after the opening of the War on Terrorism, America was not at her best.

But even the most massive boulder is worn to nothing by persistent waters, and America has much to learn from what is one of its most traumatic experiences.

Respecting human rights should always be fundamental. No matter the conflict, no matter the scale, no people group should ever be wholly dehumanized. As weve seen in the stories coming from domestic Muslim communities, tales of oppression and violence and grief, weve found that they, too, are human. They are more like us than unlike us. Dividing the world into us and them is never helpful. We are all us. We would do well to remember that.

And after Snowdens 2013 revelations, the outcry to end invasive spying programs established after 9/11 has reached an all-time high. If we wish to balance safety and freedom, we must learn to live with a sense of vulnerability, to live with the knowledge that we there will always be danger, but that it is not worth donning the yoke of the absence of privacy.

Perhaps most importantly, we must learn that a more thoughtful, measured approach to war should be taken. War is, at times, necessary. To deny that would be naive. But rather than acting out of a sense of vengeance, we must act out of a sense of justice, carefully planning our approach from a place of emotion, but from one of reason.

As you think on the tragic events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, consider what youve learned in the subsequent years. Think critically. What you learn, and how you relate that to those around you, will mark the rest of history. Were still, even 15 years later, at a turning point in American politics and culture, and the choice of how we continue to grow and react remains ours.

How will history remember post-9/11 America? You decide.

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.
In many cases, outsiders looking in at the women in Islam perceive their role to be one associated with several negative connotations. These stereotypical stigmas force the women within the Islamic culture to be somewhat guarded because these social stigmas infringe on their culture and personality as an individual.

One of the most common misconceptions is that women live under some sort of oppressive dictatorship ruled by their husbands and fathers. Stemming from this misconception also lies the misunderstanding that women are forced into marriage and are severely oppressed by wearing a veil. While some of the basis of these ideas are true, theyre not oppressive of the women within the Islamic community. Instead many of these ideals are customary and are ingrained within the culture. The role of the Muslim woman is to raise the children and be a good wife. Women are encouraged to carry out all of these duties with a devotion and enthusiasm. However, isnt that what most cultures perpetuate women to be  domestic providers that supply a nurturing environment of unconditional love and devotion? Therefore, its not out of the ordinary for a woman to be perceived as the individual responsibility for planning family events, raising children, cleaning the house, preparing meals, and representing the family within social settings.

The Muslim community has progressed and moved forward with many modern views. The womans role is no longer just a mother and wife. Islam permits the women, within its culture, to voyage on the Hajj pilgrimage, to exercise the right to vote, engage in politics, to have a job and even run a business as the business owner. And women in Islam have embraced these rights by partaking in all of available platforms. Women within other cultures have also become more accepting with women becoming breadwinners within their household and have also got rid of social stigmas that have overshadowed the gender of women in general. While many spectators have focused on the women in Islam due to social stigmas and stereotypes, its important that outsiders also look within their own community before judging the role of women in Islam. Many of the misconceptions that we fixate on the Muslim culture are actually relevant within other mainstream cultures as well.

Another misconception is the role of education. Many people believe that Muslim women are not allowed to receive an education  which in fact couldnt be further from the truth. A basic of understanding of the life of Muhammad and knowledge of the wives of the Prophet reveal several examples of women excelling within their fields of knowledge. For example, The Prophets wife Khadijah was not only a businesswoman but a very successful one. The Muslim community encourages the role of women in Islam to be one that is educated and the Islamic world wants them to excel within their areas of interest and expertise. An important role of women in Islam is to educate themselves. Both on an academic level and within their culture. And across the board Muslim women are pushing the envelope and doing just that.

Moreover, Islam understands that its important to educate and nurture all genders because the Muslim community relies on the next generation to lead them. The Khilafah State is obligated to provide women with the highest level of education and view women as valuable citizens of the state. The role of women in Islam is viewed as vital and honorable.

Muslim women engaging in politics is not a new phenomenon, an early example of this is at the time of the Prophet Muhammad when the leaders of Yathrib sent a party of Bani Khazraj to pledge their allegiance to him. This group was comprised of 62 men and two women who pledged allegiance. The pledge of Aqabah is well known to have had both spiritual and political implications. The pledge was not only a declaration of accepting Islam but was a promise of political support and military protection. Later examples continue to support the idea of women in politics. In the early fourth century A.H, Um Muqtadir Billah, the mother of the Abbasid Khaleefah set up a tribunal for the purpose of settling people's petitions and lawsuits and placed one of her female courtiers as judge.

Yes, at first glance the idea of 62 to two appears daunting. But, think about it on realistic terms. Women were not viewed as equals in the United States from the beginning. Therefore, the idea that women were respected enough to engage in politics during this early time period is a huge break through. Furthermore, it may also reveal to outsiders looking in that the role of women in Islam is equalized in comparison to men. It could also be perceived that quite possibly the Muslim community is ahead of many other cultures  on the equality spectrum.

Allah says: "The believers, men and women, are protecting friends (Awliya) of one another; they join the ma'ruf (that which Allah commands) and forbid people form munkar (that which Allah prohibits); they perform salat, and give the zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have mercy on them. Surely Allah is All mighty, All wise" - TMQ At Taubah: 71

The role of women in Islam has continuously be projected as one that is worthless and not capable of being expressive on a political platform. However, that is not at all the case. History has revealed the progressive nature of the role of women in Islam. Furthermore, the Muslim women are continuing to push the envelope and reach new heights. Like other cultures, the idea of women achieving greatness is somewhat jaded because of the underlying social stigmas and stereotypes pre-existing. Its important that the role of women in Islam not only be to continue to break barriers and achieve greatness, but to breakdown the stereotypes that are hundreds and hundreds of years old. Once were able to do this as outsiders looking into the women of Islam then well be able to move forward as a whole.

Angela Guzman is a Writer at Large for Beliefnet and a contributor for the Huffington Post.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks to BenarNews during an interview at his office in Putrajaya, Sept. 6, 2016.

Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad, who held a landmark meeting this week with jailed de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim  his bitter foe  said it was "possible" that they could work together in a bid to oust scandal-tainted Prime Minister Najib Razak.

In an interview with BenarNews following their first meeting in nearly two decades on Monday, the ex-leader also indicated that the encounter signaled an end to their long-running feud, sparked by Mahathir's sacking in 1998 of Anwar as his deputy when he was prime minister.

Anwar was subsequently convicted for sodomy and corruption, and jailed for five years on charges that he said were part of a conspiracy plan by his former boss. Anwar was jailed again on new sodomy charges in 2015 by Najib's government.

Mahathir met Anwar in a court in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on Monday to back Anwar's legal challenge against Najib's implementation of a tough new national security law, which rights groups say could enable Najib's administration to trample over human rights and act with impunity.

"Possible...possible," Mahathir told BenarNews when asked whether he expected to work with Anwar again for the interest of the country, after photos of the two bitter foes smiling and shaking hands were splashed on social media.

"I'm working together even with people who were condemning me for corruption, for nepotism, for cronyism, etc. But those happened in the past," Mahathir said at his office at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya on Tuesday.

"If they are willing to be with me, work with me, I will work with them, because the main objective now is to get rid of this current government," he added.

Jailed Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim (left) and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad greet one another in a court room in Kuala Lumpur, Sept. 5, 2016. [Courtesy of Peoples Justice Party]

I cannot continue holding a grudge

Mahathir and a group that broke away from Najib's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) have sought registration to form a new political party  the United Malaysian Indigenous Party (Bersatu).

Anwar, on the other hand, has backed Mahathir against Najib over corruption allegations linked to the debt-ridden state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The 91-year-old Mahathir said he could not continue holding a grudge against Anwar despite his actions against Anwar when he was the prime minister.

"He was in jail during my time but subsequently he was released. The jailing again is not by me. I did not do that. I cannot continue holding a grudge, Mahathir said.

Well, I cant forever be against a person after he has served whatever wrong. I cant just hold it against him. It is not personal, he said.

Mahathir said he had gone to the court to give moral support to Anwar over his legal challenge.

"[Anwar] is challenging the legality of the [National] Security Council Act and I've written in my blog against the Security Council Act," Mahathir said.

"So, I met him and had quite a long discussion with him and his lawyer and we had discussion on the illegality and the wrong things about the Security Council Act."

Political calculation

Najib, facing resignation calls after being linked to a multi-million dollar corruption scandal, had pushed the National Security Act through parliament in December. After legislative approval, the bill did not get the customary assent from Malaysias king, who had asked for some changes. The law went into force in August.

The Mahathir-Anwar encounter was the first meeting after 18 years, 3 days...since 2 September 1998, Anwars wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail  president of the Peoples Justice Party (PKR)  said on Twitter.

Anwar, upon leaving the court, told reporters that Mahathirs presence to show support for the court application indicated that the leader supports reforms.

He showed his preparedness to come and pledged his support for the court application, and wished me well and success. And I presume, therefore, that he supports the reform agenda, Anwar was quoted as saying in videos on social media.

The next general election must be held by mid-2018.

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the Mahathir-Anwar meeting should arouse concern in Najib's Barisan Nasional coalition government.

In politics, friendships are not eternal and enemies are not enemies forever, he told BenarNews.

Political analyst Jeniri Amir from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak said that Mahathir would have "thought deeply about this political calculation, and knows the implication of his actions."

Melati A. Jalil contributed to this report
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By Bonnie Blankinship

At the Expand Your Horizons Fair on Sept. 14, students can learn about the many ways to take their education beyond the classroom  through study abroad, research with faculty, co-ops and internships, and service-learning experiences.

Even better, students can combine several of those aspects into their studies abroad, performing community service, conducting research or working with a foreign company. International Programs and Partnerships (IPP) is working with global partners to increase the number of opportunities, said Dr. Marcia Salazar-Valentine, IPP executive director.

BGSU students can participate in University-sponsored programs or any number of BGSU-approved programs from other institutions, said Dr. Nathan Richardson, chair of Romance and Classical Studies. He and Salazar-Valentine, along with Assistant Vice President for Student Career Success Jeffery Jackson, director of the BGSU Career Center and Student Employment, visited businesses and volunteer facilities around Madrid, Spain, this summer to begin forming new connections that will enable students from almost any major  from construction management to psychology to environmental science  to combine study abroad with their major course of study so they can graduate in the four years with all the required credits. Salazar-Valentine also visited BGSUs study-abroad in Salzburg, Austria. The plan is to expand these opportunities to other countries as well as Spain, she said.

It was a very fruitful trip, Jackson said. Our goal was to engage with companies and our BGSU program there to arrange additional opportunities for our students. We met with a major real estate company in Madrid and with multinational businesses including one that is a global leader in building and infrastructure development, and another in auditing, consulting, tax and advisory services. These companies are in international management and can provide excellent opportunities for our students. We hope to formalize agreements with them soon.

We want to build multiple opportunities for our undergraduates to experience a high-impact learning experience, and to connect with them early in their college careers so they can better make informed decisions about their career preparation. And we want to create global leaders  if youre only looking at things through the lens of the U.S., youre missing something. The students we met with in Spain were so excited about what they were learning.

Sometimes the experience is so life-changing that students return with new career goals in addition to having a much deeper understanding of other cultures.

Last year, Andrea Haas, a bachelor of fine arts major with a concentration in photography and a minor in German, combined her two skills teaching art to 15- and 16-year-olds in an Austrian high school, or gymnasium.

I had never planned to be a teacher, Ive always been a student, she said. Being on the other side of the classroom, I never realized how much went into teaching. With a new appreciation for the profession, she decided to become a teacher herself, as did Emily Dushek, who taught English to adults as part of her study abroad in Spain. The experience was so moving that she also decided to devote herself to teaching as a career.

Having that additional experience is invaluable in career terms, said Dr. Cordula Mora, director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship. I believe participating in research is the secret to success as an undergraduate, she said. Its very impressive what you can learn and accomplish when you engage in research and especially when you add to that study abroad. Its the perfect way to make yourself stand out when you apply to graduate schools or in the job market.

BGSU students studying abroad have looked at such topics as the role of women in Morocco, the British electoral system, math teaching and Buddhist principles in Thailand, migrant families and education in China, and many more. Some have traveled as part of a class, some as part of exchange programs in the spring or summer, and others as part of semester or yearlong stays.

Both Haas and Dushek also participated in the Embracing Global Engagement undergraduate conference on internships, service and experiential learning in study abroad. The third annual conference will be held this year on Oct. 5, where students will share their experiences.

There are so many opportunities in other countries, Richardson said. We have connections with womens centers, with immigrant services, with UNICEF, with government programs. And many of these service-learning opportunities for our students do not require a high level of language skills.

BGSU is working toward establishing internships and co-ops as well as service-learning activities so that students pursuing degrees in counseling, early childhood education and numerous other disciplines can earn credit while they are engaged in experiential learning activities.

The 17 BGSU students studying in Salzburg this past year had a variety of internships and service positions, ranging from working in a university office, on a farm, and in a bakery to teaching German in a refugee house and English in schools.

I have been astounded again how much students benefit from this experience, said Dr. Edgar Landgraf, director of the study abroad program in Salzburg that is part of the German, Russian, and East Asian Languages program. They learn as much about work environments in Austria as they learn about themselves and what they like and do not like to do. They also are asked to adapt, be flexible, overcome shyness, and develop problem-solving skills. And, last but not least, students improve their language skills and gain confidence in their ability to communicate in German in everyday situations.

Sophomore Ben MangasMalorie Spencer discovered her interest in translation. I worked at the International Office at the University of Salzburg, and doing so was a great opportunity to work on my German language skills by speaking with my co-workers, she said. I also truly value the translation experience I got when helping translate portions of the International Office webpage into English. I had never really thought about the possibility of working as a translator, and although I cannot envision doing that full time, I could certainly imagine doing occasional freelance translation work. I expected to get some experience with general office work and maybe to improve my interpersonal communication skills, but this experience gave me far more than just that.

Samantha Hudson volunteered teaching German at a refugee house run by the nonprofit organization Caritas, an experience that revealed a different side of life for the Bowling Green native. For all that Salzburg is a beautiful, wealthy, and well-kept city, it is still large enough for there to be beggars on the street and people who sleep under bridges. It is also a hub for refugees, many of whom are trying to make their way into Germany, she reported. Every time I came in, we chatted a little before the lesson. It was interesting to hear about their lives, and they seemed to appreciate having someone who listened.

Sophomore Ben Mangas, whose family farms near Deshler, Ohio, is a finance major with a minor in Spanish. He would like to eventually work with an Ohio bank or business in which he could combine his business and language skills, and would welcome an internship with a business in Spain.

Mangas spent the summer in BGSUs program with the University of Cardenal Cisneros, in Alcala de Henares, northeast of Madrid. Living with a host family and speaking Spanish from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep, youre immersed in the language and eventually the communication barrier is gone and you just say it, theres no translation going on in your mind. But beyond that, I felt my interpersonal communication skills developed. I learned to read body language, gestures, mannerisms, the proper volume for speech, and some of the regional dialects.

Its also a great experience for personal growth, he added. You cant be shy  you have to learn to speak up and ask when you need directions or answer questions people have. Youre representing your own culture and people often want to practice their English with you.

Along with education abroad, the Expand Your Horizons Fair, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union, will include the Career Center, the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship, the Center for Community and Civic Engagement and the Northwest Ohio Center for Excellence in STEM Education (NWO).




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.

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For Immediate Release, September 6, 2016 Contacts: Patrick Sullivan, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 517-9364, psullivan@biologicaldiversity.org

Greg Loarie, Earthjustice, (415) 217-2000

Jeff Kuyper, Los Padres ForestWatch, (805) 617-4610, ext. 1 Legal Victory Overturns Federal Plan to Open 1 Million Acres of

California Public Land to Drilling, Fracking LOS ANGELES Citing potential threats to water supplies and endangered wildlife, a U.S. district judge today overturned a federal plan to open more than 1 million acres of public land and mineral estate in central California to drilling and fracking. Todays ruling comes in response to a lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity and Los Padres ForestWatch, represented by Earthjustice. San Ardo oil field photo  Drew Bird Photography. This photo is available for media use. The court ruled that the Bureau of Land Management failed to analyze the risks of fracking and other dangerous oil and gas extraction techniques when preparing a resource management plan that would have allowed drilling on vast stretches of land in Californias Central Valley, the southern Sierra Nevada, and in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties. Todays ruling notes that BLM officials estimate that oil companies would frack 25 percent of new wells drilled on these lands. Yet the bureaus 1,073-page management plan contained just three brief mentions of fracking and offered no analysis of fracking pollutions threats to endangered species or Californias water supplies. Fracking blasts huge amounts of water mixed with toxic chemicals underground to release oil and gas. In 2013 a federal judge ruled that the BLM violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it issued oil leases in Monterey County without considering the environmental dangers of fracking. Following that ruling, the BLM has refrained from holding any lease sales in that area until it completes an environmental review of the risks of fracking. A similar outcome is expected following todays decision. This is a huge victory in the fight to protect our water and wildlife from fracking pollution and dangerous drilling, said Brendan Cummings, the Centers conservation director. The Obama administration must get the message and end this reckless rush to auction off our public land to oil companies. As California struggles against drought and climate change, weve got to end fracking and leave this dirty oil in the ground. A management plan for BLM land in central California that doesnt address fracking is like an emergency plan for San Francisco that doesnt address earthquakes, said Greg Loarie at Earthjustice. BLM cant just ignore the most important environmental issue on their plate. This ruling will protect public lands from the crest of the Sierra Nevada to the Central Coast from an influx of oil development and fracking, said ForestWatch executive director Jeff Kuyper. These treasured landscapes provide many benefits to our local communities and are too valuable to sacrifice for a few days supply of oil. Todays decision notes that the public lands at stake encompass numerous groundwater systems that contribute to the annual water supply used by neighboring areas for agricultural and urban purposes. A 2015 California Council on Science and Technology report found that fracking in California commonly employs dangerously toxic chemicals at shallow depths near drinking-water aquifers. The ruling also notes that these areas contain "extraordinary biodiversity." Of the 130 federally protected threatened and endangered animal species in California, more than one-third can be found in or around the areas under consideration for drilling and fracking. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
The transcriptional response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to cell wall stress is mainly mediated by the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway through the MAPK Slt2 and the transcription factor Rlm1. Once activated, Rlm1 interacts with the chromatin remodeling SWI/SNF complex which locally alters nucleosome positioning at the target promoters. Here we show that the SAGA complex plays along with the SWI/SNF complex an important role for eliciting both early induction and sustained gene expression upon stress. Gcn5 co-regulates together with Swi3 the majority of the CWI transcriptional program, except for a group of genes which are only dependent on the SWI/SNF complex. SAGA subunits are recruited to the promoter of CWI-responsive genes in a Slt2, Rlm1 and SWI/SNF-dependent manner. However, Gcn5 mediates acetylation and nucleosome eviction only at the promoters of the SAGA-dependent genes. This process is not essential for pre-initiation transcriptional complex assembly but rather increase the extent of the remodeling mediated by SWI/SNF. As a consequence, H3 eviction and Rlm1 recruitment is completely blocked in a swi3 gcn5 double mutant. Therefore, SAGA complex, through its histone acetylase activity, cooperates with the SWI/SNF complex for the mandatory nucleosome displacement required for full gene expression through the CWI pathway.

Autoren: Ana Belen Sanz; Raul Garcia; Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Pena; Cesar Nombela; Javier Arroyo Journal: Nucleic Acids Research Band: 44 Ausgabe: 15 Jahrgang: 2016 Seiten: 7159 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw324 Erscheinungsdatum: 06.09.2016
Mewing is a TikTok trend that has blown up in the last few months. It is claimed that it can help shape your jawline as well as cure other ailments by actively pressing your tongue to the roof
Web4Africa, a web hosting company, announces the launch of The Nigerian Mirror Project, a first of its type in the West African sub-region. The Nigerian Mirror Project, which is physically hosted in Nigeria and reachable at mirror.ng, aims to drastically improve the download and availability of free and opensource software in Nigeria.

Image by 123RF

Access to bandwidth in Nigeria is expensive compared to most parts of the world and a major contributing factor is the high cost of international transit. This is due in part to the fact that most of the content consumed by Nigerian internet users is generated outside the country making most bandwidth access essentially international.

Web4Africas aim is to reduce the high cost by bringing free and open-source content closer to end-users in Nigeria. Another benefit of this project is low latency. By bringing the content closer to the user, as we are doing in the case of the Nigerian Mirror project, the user experience is greatly enhanced with faster downloads.

Developers using opensource programming languages and users of Linux Operating Systems in Nigeria are among the direct beneficiaries of this project, provided their Internet Service Provider peers openly at the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).

The mirror is presently hosting the full repositories of Ubuntu and CentOS (both Linux Operating Systems), as a well as Python Package Index (a programming language), in Nigeria. The project has official recognition from CentOS and Ubuntu respectively as it has already been integrated into their official distribution network. Suggestions regarding which other Operating Systems and open-source software to mirror in Nigeria are currently being taken via email to admin (at) mirror (dot) ng.

We, at IXPN, are delighted by this initiative from Web4Africa to localise popular open-source content. It is the first of its kind in Nigeria. We commend them in their effort toward local Internet data hosting, which is the best way to drop the cost of internet access while improving user experience. IXPN totally aligns with the Nigeria Mirror Project and we call on other organisations to emulate this kind of project, so as to build a better Internet ecosystem for our country, says the managing director, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Muhammed Rudman.

This project, in addition to the immense benefits it brings to the Internet ecosystem in Nigeria, is one of our ways to give back to the local Internet community and is only a first step, says Oluniyi Ajao, managing director of Web4Africa.
Ericsson and Galaxy Backbone, the Government ICT shared services provider in Nigeria, has announced a partnership to design and deploy ICT based solutions and services supporting the delivery of efficient public services in the country.

Image by 123RF

This partnership is in keeping with the Nigerian Governments commitment to leverage ICT for job creation, improved security, economic diversification and social inclusion. It also supports the Minister of Communications vision to deploy e-Government as a tool to improve governance and efficiency in the delivery of quality public services.

Yusuf Kazaure, chief executive officer, Galaxy Backbone says: The transformative role of ICT for improved delivery of public services has become quite significant and in Nigeria Galaxy is at the forefront in terms of the provision of the infrastructure and services that empower MDAs to achieve their mandates through better service delivery to the citizens they serve.

Under the terms of the partnership, spanning three years, Ericsson will serve as advisor, systems integrator and implementation partner for ICT based solutions and services covering the transport, utility and safety and security sectors.

Ericsson will also manage all deployed solutions and services while building capacity within Galaxy Backbone and partner public parastatals ensuring that all deployments are eventually handed over to the government along with selected private sector players.

Johan Jemdahl, head of Ericsson Nigeria, says: A recent report by Ericsson and the Earth Institute at Columbia University on the impact of ICT on sustainable development, calls on governments to harness technology, investment and new types of partnerships to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This partnership with Galaxy Backbone touches upon all of these criteria and places Nigeria on a clear path towards meeting the needs of a growing economy using ICT. This partnership also supports our vision of building a networked society in Nigeria and we are excited to be partnering Galaxy Backbone on this journey.

Upon the finalisation of scoping the required solutions, all involved parties will jointly agree on the investment business models that best suit what is required to most efficiently roll out this new vision. Additionally, the inclusion of outside participation from third party investors will be discussed and finalised.
SAN FRANCISCO: Snapchat is expected to generate nearly a billion dollars next year, as marketers look to the vanishing messaging service to connect with young audiences, a research firm said on Tuesday.

California-based Snapchat will take in $366.7m in ad revenue globally this year, and $935.5m in 2017, according to estimates from eMarketer.

The forecast said that Snapchat revenue could nearly double the following year to $1.76bn.

"Advertisers are attracted to Snapchat for its broad reach among young millennials and those in Generation Z, which are valuable demographic groups for many businesses," eMarketer analyst Cathy Boyle said in a release.

Snapchat has broadened its array of video ads and ways that advertisers can sponsor image filters or lenses in order to target its young, internet-savvy users.

Snapchat estimates it has more than 100 million users globally of the service for sending videos, images and text messages which vanish after being viewed. Some reports say it generates 10 billion video views per day.

The service for sending messages that vanish shortly after being seen by recipients became a hit with teenagers and young adults.

About 59 percent of Snapchat's estimated 58.9 million in the United States are younger than 25 years old, and some 85 percent of them are younger than 35, according to eMarketer.

Snapchat introduced advertising at its service in 2015 and is still striving for sound footing to stand against established social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, especially when it comes to targeting ads and measuring results.

Snapchat currently gets 95 percent of its ad revenues from the US, according to eMarketer.

The share of Snapchat revenue from outside the US should grow to about 25 percent by the year 2018, eMarketer said, as the company expands ads to other countries, particularly in Britain where it is popular.

Source: AFP
COPENHAGEN - Danish toy maker Lego on Tuesday reported slower sales growth and falling profits in the first half as it hired more staff and sales stalled in the Americas.

Net profit fell to 3.49 billion kroner (469 million euros, $524 million), from 3.55 billion kroner in the same period last year.

Revenue growth was still in double digits at 11 percent to 15.69 billion kroner, but it increased at less than half the pace it did a year ago.

"Maintaining double-digit growth year on year through more than a decade is a testament to the never ending possibilities that children find in Lego play," chief executive Jorgen Vig Knudstorp said in a statement.

Earnings took a hit as the group grew its workforce by 3,500 employees -- meaning it now has 18,500 staff -- and invested in a new factory in China and also expanded existing manufacturing plants in Mexico and Hungary.

Sales grew by double digits in the European and Asian markets but were flat in the Americas.

"We have had three years where we've had some supply challenges in the US and what we needed to do on the back half of 2015 was to slow some of our demand levels in order to ensure that we didn't have shortages... at the end of December," chief financial officer John Goodwin told AFP.

The company was now working on marketing measures and with retailers to stimulate demand in the US market ahead of the holiday season, he added.

Among the biggest sellers were well-established lines like Lego City and Lego Star Wars, and a new product launch from this year called Lego Nexo Knights, a futuristic range that mixes medieval elements with science fiction.

Privately held Lego has outpaced the rest of the toy industry for several years, defying the rising popularity of mobile phones and tablets.

In the first half of the year, the company was the world's largest toy maker as its revenue surpassed US rivals Mattel and Hasbro, but in the past the Danish group has lost that spot during the all-important Christmas season.
According to the second quarter Maersk Trade Report, while South African container trade remains in negative territory, the second quarter of 2016 proved more encouraging than the first quarter. The report reveals the market contracted by 5% as opposed to the 10% decline reported in quarter one.

Weakened import demand

Container trade flows in and out of South Africa for the first half of 2016 showed a year-on-year decline of 7%, which Jonathan Horn, managing director of Maersk Line Southern Africa, a member of Maersk Group, attributes to a combination of reduced consumer purchasing and mining commodity demand being under pressure globally.

He explains that the Asian import market, in particular, was down, which is a sign that the weaker rand and lower consumer confidence has weakened import demand. Largely related to the lack of available consumer spend, the imports market has been consistently under pressure each month in the first half of 2016, recording an overall drop in demand of 7% (made up of an 8% decline in quarter one, followed by a 6% decline in quarter two), with trade from Asia, South Africas largest importing region, dropping steeply by 13%. Other trade lanes, by large, have also slowed down in this respect, with the exception of the Middle East which has seen moderate growth over the past six months.

Trade manager at Maersk Line Southern Africa, Matthew Conroy, mentions that one looming positive for the imports market is a small spike in demand that was noticed over July  particularly from Asia. Although this seemingly stronger demand is encouraging for future import trade, there is a question mark in terms of its sustainability.

Matthew Conroy

South African export market

Conroy says that South African exports in the first half of 2016 faired similarly to imports. The exports market saw a decline of 7% year-on-year, however, in recent months the trend appears to be improving. Following the steep decline in exports of 12% over the 2016 first quarter, quarter two only saw the market contract by 2%, with marginal growth reported for June.

The fact that the market grew in June, albeit marginally, signals some life in the South African export market. This growth is mostly on the back of rising mining commodity prices which is linked to rising China demand, specifically manganese and chrome. In particular, the quarter two selling price (versus quarter one) for manganese was up 42%, while the chrome price was up 54%.

Dirk Hoffmann, managing director at Safmarine in Southern Africa, a member of Maersk Group, says that refrigerated exports recorded growth of 1% for the first half of 2016. This market would have experienced more robust growth, but was hampered by the drought. However, considering that we are still in the midst of the citrus season, the full impact on the industry will not be fully known until September.

Conroy predicts that total exports will likely see flat growth in the second half of 2016, which is a considerable improvement based on 7% market decline seen in the first half. The export market is seeing a moderate uptick which we expect to continue for at least the next quarter. This is as a result of stronger demand for mining commodities, particularly from China, which makes up 45% of South African container exports.

2016 Q2 Maersk Trade Report infographic

Maersk Group cautiously optimistic

Overall, the Maersk Group representatives in South Africa hold a positive outlook, saying that while South African container trade is still in a fragile position, there is definitely more optimism to be found in the market compared to three months ago, although the pace of the improvement is slow.

In addition to the predicted moderate improvements for the export market, imports also seem to be turning a small corner based on the demand witnessed in July which has likely been further aided by the recent strengthening of the rand. However, in order to achieve sustainable economic growth, a higher level of consumer spend is necessary, which we are not yet witnessing (for example, automobile sales are still in decline). As such, for the remainder of the year, we are cautiously optimistic and anticipate a small imports market decline of somewhere around 2-4%, which is an improvement from first half 2016, he concludes.
As Starbucks makes its way into South Africa to start its foray onto the continent, local coffee supplier Vida e Caffe has set its sights on Africa. With 185 stores across South Africa, of which a significant number are positioned on Shell forecourts, the brand now plans to push itself further into Africa.

Announcing its development plans in four African countries, the homegrown coffee brand is experiencing a sharp uptake in international interest. Starting in 2012 with Mauritius, the brand now has 17 stores in Mauritius, Kenya, Ghana and Namibia with the additional four in the pipeline before the end of the year.

Craig Gravett, business development manager for International and Corporate, explains, Africa is an emerging market and we noted some significant opportunities with partners in Africa that had originally been based in South Africa and wanted to see how it might work outside of the country.

The brand's Africa stores are not owned or operated by Vida e Caffe but are all franchises, with a joint venture partner or master franchisee. Management teams then visit South Africa to go through the full training, which includes employing a set of standard operating procedures and audited standards, while Gravett visits the region on a regular basis, assessing training and new product development needs.

Understanding that each country and culture is unique is imperative. For instance, while coffee is traditionally perceived as a morning thing, in Ghana it is an evening pastime with the majority of stores trading to 10pm and 11pm at night. Then there is the approach to staff and labour and each skill set is different, plus working with what is available locally or imported. The recipe is simple but hard to get right  it needs strong working relationships with the right partner in the right region.

Store layouts are very similar to the South African market, as all designs are signed off here and often the store is manufactured in South Africa as it is sometimes tailor-made to the environment. The mall stores are similar to the high street, while some sit on the forecourt. We need to understand the audience first, so we apply an 80/20 principle - 80% has to be produced and then we allow an element of local product based on availability in country.

Its most popular African store to date is Bagatelle in Port Louis, Mauritius, with Ghana and Mauritius being the two biggest growth regions. The balance of stores are Namibia with two, Kenya with four, Ghana with seven and Mauritius with four stores Two new stores to be opened this year in both Ghana and Mauritius.

The brand has adopted a forward-thinking business model in a highly competitive environment, by blending high street outlets with forecourt stores, its African expansion and recently a drive into South Africa's corporates.

It is no secret that our environment is hotting up. However, we have been strategically planning for several years and our hard work is coming to fruition. We have the first mover advantage in a number of new business development areas. It is exciting to be involved with a South African brand that continually adapts as things evolve, concludes Gravett.
There is a collective breath-holding to see whether the uninterrupted power supply we've enjoyed for the last year or so is a flash in the pan. In reality, South Africa has been experiencing what can be described as at best an unreliable electricity supply and, at worst, as an energy crisis, since 2007.

Load shedding had become a way of life for most businesses and households for the past nine-odd years, thanks to some key operational blunders such as backlogs in maintenance and delays in construction of power stations.

Such an unstable power supply naturally has major impacts for the South African economy as it deters investment and stifles growth in all sectors of the economy. In fact, Lugisa Fuzile, director-general for the national treasury, has said that resolving South Africa's electricity crisis has the potential to add up to 1% to the country's growth.

Therefore, while it is clear that the electricity crisis needs to be resolved, the continued emphasis placed by the government on coal-fired power stations is worrying in the South African context.

Coal generation: an outdated approach

Presently approximately 90% of South Africa's energy generation is as a direct result of making use of coal. This figure is indicative of an outdated approach to energy generation in a world which is moving away from coal fired-power towards clean sustainable energy generation. One such instance is Germany, which announced that in October 2016 it will commence procedures to take ignite coal power stations off its energy grid.

There are extensive environmental reasons why renewable energy sources should be preferred to coal power generation. Further, it is difficult to argue that South Africa should not be making use of renewable energy generation when, in the context of, for instance, solar power, one considers that our 24-hour global solar radiation average is more than double that of Europe.

However, perhaps the most pressing reason for why emphasis should be moving away from coal-generated power relates to South Africa's present water crisis which, in the context of systemic regulatory mismanagement in the coal mining industry, is having social and economic impacts which rival those of the electricity crisis.

Water shortage

South Africa is a dry country with approximately 464mm of rainfall per annum, whereas the global average is approximately 860mm per annum. Therefore, water scarcity has always been a concern in South Africa and has historically been a cause for conflict between the country's two largest economic sectors, namely, mining and agriculture.

These tensions and South Africa's general position as a "dry" country are not aided by the fact that it is presently experiencing a national drought which has devastated the agricultural industry. This drought saw the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, earlier this year, declare eight out of South Africa's nine provinces to be drought disaster areas.

It is well known that both coal mining and coal-fired power stations require excessive amounts of water in order to operate. Moreover, coal-fired power stations require clean water and are often located in rural areas where even residents may not have access to clean water.

This is notwithstanding the constitutional right of all South Africans to have access to adequate water. Also, in light of the ongoing drought, coal mining operations, which are often located in areas of extreme hydrological importance, are now threatening the water security of entire communities and larger scale food security.

Regulatory mismanagement

The impact of coal mining and coal-fired power stations on water resources has been exacerbated by the department of water affairs awarding water use licenses and the department of mineral resources awarding coal mining and prospecting rights in relation to ecologically sensitive areas.

Further, the department of water affairs has been notorious for backlogs in awarding water use licenses which has, in multiple instances, resulted in mining operations taking place unchecked without the valid licenses. It is also worth noting that as a result of the solution to the national electricity crisis being directed at coal, there is undue pressure on the regulatory bodies concerned to ensure that all rights and licenses are awarded.

In addition to the above, there has been what the Centre for Environmental Rights, in its 2016 Report entitled: Zero Hour: poor governance of Mining and the Violation of Environmental Rights in Mpumalanga, identified as a lack of officials to monitor and enforce compliance. Thus, there is a systemic problem of rights and licenses being irresponsibly awarded and then compliance not been adequately monitored.

Therefore, it is not uncommon for mining and prospecting rights to be awarded in areas where there are serious water and biodiversity considerations. As a result of such rights and licenses being awarded, it has fallen to surrounding communities and civil society to lodge appeals and bring concerns to the attention of the relevant regulatory bodies.

This obligation to correct poor licensing decisions is an onerous burden to place on interested and affected parties who are often rural communities which have not been properly consulted or adequately informed of both their rights and the impact that such licenses will have on the surrounding environment and their day-to-day lives.

Civil society and communities

It is against the backdrop described above that the actions of various community groups and farmers are making an inroad and bringing considerations such as climate change and drought into the decision-making arena.

One such example of community action is that earlier this year Coal of Africa Limited, a listed coal exploration company, had its integrated water use license for the Makhado coking and thermal coal project suspended following an appeal launched by the Vhembe Mineral Resources Stakeholders group and other interested parties.

The company was granted a new order mining right in 2015, is intended to be an open-cast coal mining project in Limpopo. The water use license was suspended, notwithstanding the fact that in 2012 Coal of Africa Limited signed a memorandum of agreement with local farmers for the efficient use of water from the Nzhelele River.

In terms of this memorandum of understanding, the community and farmers gave up portions of their own water-use entitlements as the agreement sought to improve the stability of water supply to the Makhado Project. Therefore, notwithstanding the fact that there was an agreement between the two parties, on appeal, the water use license was suspended.

Conclusion

The proactive stance of civil society intersecting with corrective action by regulatory bodies is an encouraging step. Pushback and the spread of awareness by groups such as the Centre for Environmental Rights, are doing much to try and correct the impacts of coal mines and coal-fired power stations on water resources.

However, in order to properly protect South Africa's water resources and balance water needs with those of the country's electricity deficit, there will have to be a change of the government's approach to energy. This because for as long as the primary focus to resolve the electricity crisis is coal, the pressure to irresponsibly award mining rights and water use licenses will continue.

Continued reliance on coal and coal-fired power stations needs to be revisited for a number of environmental reasons, but in the wake of the ongoing drought and the continued threat to water resources, such reconsideration has become all the more urgent.
The mining industry, as the single-most important contributor to the South African economy for many years, has undergone a significant loss in status. Its contribution has shrunk to a third from its peak over 40 years. In 2013, the mining sector accounted for 8,3% of GDP directly, on a nominal basis, in contrast to the industry's peak in the 1970s where it contributed in excess of 20% to GDP.

In difficult market conditions such as these with extremely constrained capital markets, mining companies are increasingly looking for alternative forms of funding for expansion projects. Streaming has increased in popularly globally as an alternate form of funding in the mining industry.

South Africas minerals

The significance of South Africas mineral endowment is not in dispute. According to the head of CSRIs natural resources and environment research unit, Professor May Hermanus, who addressed the portfolio committee on mineral resources in June 2015, South Africa is the worlds richest country in five different minerals; namely platinum, which amounts to 87,7%; chromium, 72,4%; manganese, 80%; titanium, 65% and gold, 12,7%.

Mining is fundamentally intertwined with South Africas history and it remains important to the South African economy. There is no disputing that it will continue to be an important industry in the South African context for a long time to come, notwithstanding its current challenges.

Recent challenges

Everyone understands that the industry is facing severe headwinds. This is not only the case in South Africa, but globally. There are complex reasons for this and one of the principal reasons is the decline in global commodity demand and consequently prices.

The Chinese slowdown and reduction in demand for commodities has resulted in a global slump, an effect particularly felt in the commodities sector. China and to a lesser degree other emerging economies, such as the BRICS states, are reaching the end of their industrialisation process, which commenced in the early 1980s.

The commodity price supercycle form 2000 to 2010 led massive expansion in the sector with vast amounts of budgeted expenditure being allocated and spent on exploration. Expansion and lowering demand has left most minerals in an oversupplied state, further softening prices.

Corrective measures have been put in place and capital expenditure, particularly for exploration and new projects, has been significantly reduced as cost-saving measures have been imposed by many of the major mining companies.

Alternative funding needed

Mining companies often use commodity prices of what they produce in the forecasting of the cost of production and profitability of projects. As prices in commodities continue to sink to new lows, the economics of several projects which were conceptualised a few years ago appear increasingly less defensible.

It is in these difficult financial times that cash-strapped mining companies are looking at alternate forms of funding, in combination with other rationalisation measures such as portfolio optimisation and capital preservation to ensure the long term sustainability of mining projects in the current climate.

Traditional capital sources

Most basically, capital sources can be divided into two broad categories: share capital (being capital injected into the company by shareholders) and debt financing, which can be take the form of external debt by banks or other financial institutions and internal debt funding through for the example instruments such as corporate bonds. A capital raising by way of a fresh issue of shares (rights issue) is typically done at a discount to the trading price of the share.

Mineral/metal streaming transactions

As a consequence of this and the constraints on the capital markets generally, mining companies are increasingly looking to alternative forms of financing to achieve the necessary liquidity and operational restructuring. One such option is a mineral or metal stream, which is a form of forward purchase and sale of the metal or mineral being produced by a mine at a discount to the market price.

Simply put a stream is a mechanism whereby a mining company can receive the required capital upfront, which capital is then typically used for capex requirements (for example: an upgrade to an existing plant or developing a new mine or extending existing parts of a mine to follow an undeveloped part of an orebody) and which has no dilutive effect on shareholders.

The capital amount is typically paid in an upfront lump sum or in several tranches and is repaid by delivery of certain pre-agreed amounts of metal at an agreed price to the lender, discounted to the spot (market) price. Through such a transaction the lender gets exposure to physical metal at guaranteed volumes and assumes very few of the risks that are typically associated with an equity investment (i.e. a shareholder in a mining company).

This is something that in recent times has made streaming investments attractive to private equity firms for example. The lender in a streaming deal is in effect a partner (in a commercial sense) of the mining company. Their interests are aligned. This is in sharp contrast to third party funding, which typically prescribes a rigid repayment schedule, something which is difficult to meet in a cash constrained environment.

The agreement

Streaming transactions are not common in South Africa. They are however popular in other mining jurisdictions, in particular in Canada.

As it is in effect a funding transaction, security plays an important part of the transaction.

The classification of the transaction as debt or not is important and may have unintended consequences, including the breach of existing borrowing covenants and corporate financial ratings. Each transaction is different and needs to be evaluated individually, but not taking security over project assets as part of the transaction, may assist in the classification of streams as not being debt.

Some key terms of a streaming agreement include:

Pricing and deposits;

Timing of the upfront payment;

Security and inter-creditor arrangements;

Milestones and completion tests;

Term of stream;

Material adverse change;

Force Majeure;

Buy-back rights (buying back rights to the metal);

Rights of first refusal;

Top up payments or increased volumes of metal to be delivered if mine is underperforming;

Tax structure; and

Termination payments (return of deposit or NPV of stream).

Advantages

The advantages of streaming are clear. It is a non-dilutive form of funding, which allows a company requiring cash to retain control over its assets and operations. Furthermore the company retains flexibility to raise capital at a later stage either through debt or equity. The interests of the lender and the mine (borrower) are generally aligned.

The borrower does what it does best, namely mine, and the lender is able to avoid operational risk and leverage the upside of an increased price in the metal. It is expected that this form of alternative mine financing will gain popularity in South Africa in future in current market conditions.
With 300 hectares allocated for macadamia plantations to be completed in April 2017, the Amajingqi rural community in Willowvale is set for a socio-economic transformation. The project, spearheaded by East Cape Macadamia (ECM), is the second macadamia growing site in the Eastern Cape's coastal belt between East London and Bizana.

Ncera Macadamia Farming currently has 180ha planted out and employs 160 community members. Its 5-star nursery is approved by the Southern African Macadamia Growers Association and sells high qualify macadamia trees.

Starting out with Ncera Macadamia Farming outside East London 10 years ago, ECM is targeting a total of 4,200 hectares for new macadamia plantations in partnership with rural communities and emerging farmers.

ECM has a bold plan to plant one million macadamia trees over the next 20 years. With expertise in macadamia plantation development, processing and marketing, ECM partners with the community in target rural areas and forms an operating company, of which the community owns a 51% share. The project is based on a community-private partnership model through which government invests in infrastructure on behalf of the communities in order to develop the provinces macadamia industry.

Inaugurated chief of the Amajingqi Traditional Council, Chief Ngwenyathi Dumalisile, says: Not only does the community hold land usage rights and manage the 80-year land lease on behalf of the community, but 300 sustainable jobs will be created for the community, proceeds from profits will be ploughed back to the community, and the community also has the first right of refusal for procurement, jobs and skills transfer.

Upon visiting the Ncera Macadamia Farming project outside East London, we, as the Amajingqi Traditional Authorities, saw that the macadamia project is well-aligned to the aspirations of our own areas long-term industrial strategy, Kulo-Jingqi, explains chief Dumalisile. The areas three-pronged strategy focuses on education and skills development, agriculture and renewable energy, and is aimed at turning Amajingqi into a self-reliant and sustainable community. Hence, we welcomed the partnership with ECM to form the operating company, Amajingqi Macadamia Farming (AMF). Through AMF, we have been able to introduce upskilling initiatives and establish a foundation for a sustainable agricultural value chain in our area, explains chief Dumalisile.

Empowering the community

The areas population of about 9,500 residents live in impoverished conditions, with the youth making up 65% of the population and 54% being females.

AMFs field officer, Lwando Mnqweno, 35, is one of 93 Amajingqi residents that have been employed by AMF since the start of the project in 2015. I was unemployed for about five years before I joined the macadamia nut project. I could not make a contribution at home, and life was tough living with two elderly parents dependent on the social grant. In just over a year, I can see the positive change the project has brought to my life. So many others are also improving their lives now that we have a stable income, says Mnqweno.

AMFs field officer Lwando Mnqweno and Inaugurated Chief of the Amajingqi Traditional Council, Chief Ngwenyathi Dumalisile

I feel truly empowered as my involvement in the project is not limited to planting in the fields, but I also play a supervisory role now that we have commenced with the new planting season at the beginning of the month.

Before we started planting here in Amajingqi, we, as the community workers, were also trained in land preparation, planting, fertilisation up to harvesting. We also receive ongoing training from the Services SETA on subjects like new venture creation, project support services and business administration services, adds Mnqweno.

To date, a total of 100 hectares have been planted in the Amajingqi community. Community workers are preparing land in order to complete the additional 200 hectares earmarked for macadamia nut plantations in the Amajingqi area. The macadamia trees are sourced from the five-star Ncera Macadamia Farming nursery that has been accredited by the Southern African Macadamia Growers Association.

The young trees have already started changing the scenery and beautifying the landscape, says chief Dumalisile.

Unlocking rural wealth, harnessing the youth

ECM Chairperson Lindiwe Hendricks is optimistic that the project will unlock rural wealth and harness the youth human resource potential creation within the rural space. ECM has made tangible strides in building the first community-owned macadamia value chain in South Africa, says Hendricks.

Over the past ten years, we introduced a novel community-private partnership model that incorporates a long-term lease agreement, signed by the community and operating company, and which resolves rural land access constraints which tend to deter private sector investment.

The model, adopted by national government to implement the macadamia project in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, also puts specific focus on women and youth empowerment through skills transfer and wealth creation, Hendricks adds. Since macadamia trees last about 100 years, this guarantees earnings for rural communities from the leasing of their land as well as sustainable jobs in the growing and operations of the project, she ends.
NAIROBI, KENYA: Agriculture contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Africa has continued to deteriorate in the last five years. According to Rockefeller Foundation Africa managing director Mamadou Biteye, the agricultural sector in Africa has been diminishing as countries remain adamant in investing in the sector.

He says African countries are yet to invest 10 percent of national budgets in agricultural development as agreed in the 2003 The Maputo Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security.

"Only eight countries in Africa are investing 10 percent of national budget to agriculture development. Other countries are only doing three percent; there needs better leadership that will see the importance of agriculture to Africa's economy. These are some of the discussions expected in the AGRF this week," Biteye told Capital FM Business, as the sixth African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) kicked off in Nairobi.

Statistics from the World Bank indicate that agriculture contribution to GDP has gone down from 22.9 percent in sub-Saharan Africa to 17.1 percent. It is estimated that agriculture is Africa's largest economic sector, representing 15 percent of the continent's total GDP, or more than $100 billion (Sh10 trillion) annually. It is highly concentrated, with Egypt and Nigeria alone accounting for one-third of total agricultural output and the top 10 countries generating 75 percent.

Transforming agriculture

"There are many opportunities for Africa to transform its agricultural agenda. The continent imports agricultural products worth $35 billion (Sh3.5 trillion), which can be produced in the continent and it's set to hit $110 billion if nothing is done," said Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) President Agnes Kalibata.

Innovation and increased investments in agriculture are the major issues to be discussed at AGRF that runs from September 5 to September 9, 2016 in Nairobi. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett says the forum whose theme is "Seize the Moment: Africa Rising through Agricultural Transformation" will advance policies and secure the investments that will ensure a better life for millions of Africa's farmers and families.

He says over 1,500 delegates from across Africa will attend the event including Rwanda President Yoweri Museveni and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama. "The delegates will share their insights on how to create, align and leverage financial, technical, policy and market-expanding resources to develop game-changing and inclusive agribusiness models for Africa," he stated.

This year's event will consist of plenary sessions, break-out sessions, B2B meetings, the Africa Food Prize and informal networking opportunities.
The Commission on Restitution of Land Rights will re-direct resources that were meant for the lodgement of claims towards research and finalising land claims that were lodged by 31 December 1998.

Advocate Thami Mdontswa, the Deputy Land Claims Commissioner, said this when the commission briefed Parliaments Oversight Committee on Rural Development and Land Affairs on the implications of a recent Constitutional Court judgment on the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act on Wednesday, 7 September 2016.

On 28 July 2016, the Constitutional Court declared that Parliament failed to satisfy its obligation to facilitate public involvement in accordance with section 72(1) (a) of the Constitution.

The Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act 15 of 2014, which re-opened a new window for claims, was declared invalid, effective from the date of that judgment. The court ordered Parliament to remedy the fault within two years.

This means that new claims cannot be accepted from 27 July 2016 nor can be processed.

Advocate Mdontwa said the commission would prepare to settle all claims that were lodged by 31 December 1998 over the next 24 months.

The first point that we make is because now we are not receiving land claims, we are going to shift resources that were meant for the lodgement of claims to the research and the settlement of claims and in this regard, we are amending our target for research and we now intend to finalise the research of claims lodged by 31 December 1998 by the end of the current financial year, which ends on 31 March 2017.

We are also in the next two years going to be preparing for settlement of all of the claims that were lodged before 31 December 1998, he said.

The Advocate said that as part of the Constitutional Court order, the commission has been interdicted from processing claims that were lodged between 1 July 2014 and 27 of July 2016.

Claims received during this period are protected under the court order in that the commission is entitled to acknowledge receipt of such claims, but that they can only be processed after the old claims have been settled.

The commission would only be able to process those claims if Parliament enacts a new piece of legislation that will re-open the lodgement of claims by 27 July 2018 and then provide for prioritisation on how the commission would deal with the claims that were lodged by 1998.

Staff to be retrained

Mdontwa said about 99 lodgement staff members would be redeployed to deal with research and settlement of pre-1998 claims and where necessary they would be re-skilled.

He said the 14 lodgement offices in the country will be kept open to inform potential claimants who had not lodged claims by 27 July that they may no longer do so.

Mobile lodgement offices have been grounded and discussions are taking place to sub-let them.

The commissions communication strategy has been reviewed so that it can effectively communicate the implications of the Constitutional Court judgment to the public and inform new order claimants about the implication of the judgment on their claims.

The strategy will also be used to re-assure those that submitted their claims prior to 31 December 1998 that their claims are being prioritised.

He said all adverts, banners, pull-up or other visual communication, pamphlets and manuals have been withdrawn, and that the commissions staff have been instructed not to wear any apparel that calls for people to lodge their claims.
As China strengthens relations in South Africa, Chinese majority owned Yangtze Optics Africa Cable (YOAC) continues its efforts to facilitate opportunities for skills development between the two countries. Its activities are centred on Durban, where the company is mid-way through the construction of one of the biggest optical fibre cable manufacturing plants in South Africa.

Eight of the 120 South Africans to be employed by YOAC have travelled to China for skills transfer and training on fibre cable manufacturing in preparation for the launch of the plant in January 2017.

The training programme covers the full spectrum of fibre cable manufacturing from optic fibre colouring, secondary coating, stranding, sheathing to cable testing and quality control. On completion of their training in mid-September, the team will come back to South Africa to train the rest of the teams that will run the South African plant. YOAC has committed itself to a four-year skills development plan to expand local skills in specialist roles in optical fibre cable manufacturing.

A lesson in precision

Mohammed Rawat, a recipient of the training programme and maintenance manager at Yangtze Optics Africa Cable (YOAC) says, The optical fibre industry is totally different from the copper cables that we are used to. Although the industries are similar, the plant management, maintenance and technology used is much more advanced. The training has been intense. Interesting to note is the level of precision required in the manufacturing of optical fibre cable.

While copper cables have been a reliable medium in the past, optical fibre is the future, with speeds and capacity of orders of magnitude higher than copper cables, optical fibre will definitely change the way in which people and businesses connect, says Pieter Viljoen, CEO of YOAC. He notes that in the next few years, fibre optic network rollout will increase significantly, as developing countries invest in fibre networks as these are faster, and provide much more reliable connections than copper.

Market potential

With increased demand for fibre optic networks, there will be a need to train local people to set up fibre optical local manufacturing plants to supply the anticipated huge potential market, comments Viljoen.

Referring to the recent China (Guangdong) - South Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference, Viljoen reiterated that YOFCs efforts are aimed at further strengthening relations with South Africa, and ensuring that while Chinese companies invest in South Africa, they tap into local resources and empower and upskill people, and make sure that where there are skills gaps, solutions come from local people.

The new YOFC manufacturing facility comprises a R150 million investment by YOFC and its local joint venture partner Mustek Limited. The plant has manufacturing capacity of more than one million fibre kilometres, and will supply cable to Fibre to the Home (FTTH) service providers, to private sector companies, mobile telecommunications providers, and the public sector. The 15,000m2 manufacturing facility based at the Dube Trade Port in Durban is scheduled for completion in November this year, production will commence in December, and the plant is expected to be fully operational by January 2017.
Delegates at the Tourism, Hotel Investment, and Networking Conference ( THINC Africa ), currently taking place in Cape Town, applauded the news that Cape Town has five new air routes and four expansions. According to the CEO of Wesgro, Tim Harris, 400,000 new two-way seats are now available as the result of collaboration between the City of Cape Town, Cape Town Tourism, the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa), Wesgro and the private sector.

Tim Harris

This is only a start, he said. Were changing the face of business and tourism in the Western Cape.

Harris told delegates  including hoteliers, representatives from major global hotel groups, hotel investors, tourism operators and consultants  the routes included British Airways flying three times a week to Gatwick outside London, Lufthansa going to Frankfurt three times a week, Kenya Airways flights to Nairobi and Livingston, as well as an Airlink route to Maun in Botswana. Ethiopian Airways, KLM, and Emirates have expanded their flights.

Harris told delegates that he took an 18-month sabbatical after running the former leader of the Democratic Alliance, Tony Leons elections office in 2006. But instead of touring Europe, he visited 18 countries in Africa. During that trip, he realised that unlocking Africas tourism potential would help sustain the continent. From January to February in 2016, Africa had the second highest growth among all tourism regions, he said. And in the first quarter of 2016, South Africa ranked third out of all African countries.

Job creation

This meant it had enormous power to create jobs. Tourism is one of our top three priority sectors to develop jobs, he said. Developments in the Western Cape would contribute to job creation, he said. Tsogo Sun was building a hotel in the CBD while the V&A Waterfront was developing the Silo district, a mixed-use sustainable development that included a mid-range hotel.

Business tourism

Harris said the city was also contributing to business tourism with the increased capacity of the Cape Town International Convention Centre and the Century City Conference Centre adding another 1,900 places for guests.

Disruptors

He touched on the impact of disruptors such as Uber and Airbnb. Airbnb is doing well in Cape Town with over 130,000 guests in 2015, a 250% increase on 2014. It shows young tourists are coming to South Africa and adopting new technology, said Harris.

But, he added. From talking to Airbnb, it seems theyre helping grow tourism and not cannibalising the hotel trade. Young tourists are looking for authentic experiences and Cape Town is a place to innovate.
Despite some short-term challenges, Africa is open for business when it comes to hotel development with hoteliers of all sizes expanding their African footprint. This was the key message from Tim Smith, managing partner in HVS South Africa, at the opening of the Tourism, Hotel Investment and Networking Conference (THINC Africa) and launch of the 2016 African Hotel Valuation Index (HVI), currently taking place in Cape Town.

Image Source: Hotels.com - Cresta Riley's, Maun, Botswana

Theres a lot of business to be done Smith said. We need to build hotels with our heads and not just our hearts. We need to develop sustainable hotels not just in an environmental sense, but also for bank managers so they will continue to lend money to grow hotel and tourism businesses across Africa.

Climate for hotel development and investment remains sunny

Smith said major hotel chains such as Accor, Rezidor, and Hilton have substantial pipelines of hotels under development, as do smaller operators such as Azalai, City Lodge, Onomo, and Protea.

He said while short-term challenges such as the commodity slump and currency fluctuations were in play, as well as terrorism in North Africa, in the long-term, the climate for hotel development and investment remained sunny.

A growth in local tourism

Smith said while much of the business was about attracting dollars, pounds and yen, a major trend apparent in the data gathered by HVS for the HVI was the growth in local tourism. The HVI by necessity reports in US dollars (so as to allow a level of comparison between markets and because much investment is in US$) but, said Smith, many markets were showing a drop in value in dollars. It is increasingly important to look at performance in local currency as well as US$, he said. It will fluctuate, but as long as the trend is positive, new markets will evolve."

The third edition of the African HVI now covers 21 cities in Africa and 16 different countries, a 50% growth since the first publication in 2014. This growth, said Smith, was indicative of the ever increasing interest in the African hotel market and it illustrated improved transparency and increased access to data across the continent.

Newcomers show positive growth

Smith said while the top three markets remained the same as last year  Seychelles, Abuja and Addis Ababa  newcomers were showing positive growth. Cape Verde, said Smith, despite it not having an abundance of natural resources, was an example of how a stable political environment and working democracy can improve a countrys fortunes.

Botswana is a success story, said Smith and its hospitality sector is thriving. Both Marriot and Cresta are opening hotels in Gabarone and the World Bank has described the country as a development success story.

And South Africa? Despite the visa debacle of 2014, which saw massive drops in tourism numbers, particularly from China, which dropped 40%, Cape Town tourism grew by 22%. The currency exchange rate had a positive impact too. But, said Smith, in dollar terms, Johannesburg and Durban didnt fare as well, showing a 16% drop in 2015.
Do you want an idyllic escape from the city, but only have a weekend to work with? Based on a recent visit, I recommend Schalkenbosch Wine Estate in Tulbagh, as it's only 1.5 hours from Cape Town and will exceed your expectations if you're looking for some peace and quiet.

Youll feel enveloped in a storybook setting with the towering Witzenberg mountain range drawing closer and the bright yellow canola fields swaying in the wind as you drive up a dirt track to the estate. Catherine, one of the hosts who resides on the estate, along with her four friendly dogs will greet you warmly at the gate and hand over the keys to your self-catering cottage.

Accommodation needs met

There is a choice of three cottages on the estate. Cottage 3 is quaint and homely. Its simply furnished with a kitchenette, lounge with a built-in fireplace (firewood was kindly provided) and a bedroom that overlooks a small pond on the estate and the beautiful valley beyond. There is a private braai area and table right outside your cottage, so you can enjoy your dinner under the stars.

Id especially recommend you pack a picnic blanket to enjoy the stillness and sunset amongst the Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and other vines on the estate. Should you walk a further 2km or so into the vineyards, you will come across a large dam open for fishing. Further exploration of the hill by the dam will lead you to a wooden deck that provides the best vantage point of the valley - a highly recommended spot for sundowners. In the warmer months, you can also lounge by the pool on the estate.

Activities in Tulbagh

The richest trips involve making the most of your surroundings. While small, Tulbagh has much to offer during a two-day stay. For the oenophiles (or simply those who enjoy wine), there are several wine farms to visit in the area, starting with a tasting at The Barn at Schalkenbosch Wine Estate.

Plan your trip on the same weekend as the monthly Tulbagh Market at Druk My Niet Stud Farm. Here, you can enjoy live music and purchase a delicious pork baguette served straight from the spit! Freshly baked bread, fresh produce, craft beer, wine and a variety of childrens toys are also on sale at the market.

Visit the well-known waterfall situated close to the Tulbagh Market. Simply purchase a R10 permit at the Tulbagh Tourism Office in Church Street and brave the icy waters at this time of year or just perch on a rock and enjoy the sight of the cascading waters.

Finally, you can hire a bike for R150 for a half day from 10 Church Street. This will give you an opportunity to see the beautiful spring flowers up close. Definitely stop to take photos on your way!

Should you rather just relax and not do anything active over your weekend, Schalkenbosch Wine Estate really does provide the ideal setting for you to do so.

For more on Schalkenbosch Wine Estate, see their site www.schalkenbosch.co.za or Facebook page.
South Africa's top universities dropped several places in the QS World University Rankings as a result of "fee freezes" and "funding shortfalls".

The rankings were released yesterday, 6 September 2016, amid high drama when the University of Cape Town, which dropped 20 places in the rankings, made representations to the Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training, also known as the Fees Commission.

Police escorted UCT vice-chancellor Max Price from the premises after a heated 40-minute standoff with students. Proceedings were suspended as a result.

Students vowed to disrupt upcoming hearings in Gauteng and the Free State.

UCT dropped to 191st in the world for the 2016-2017 period. Wits University dropped 28 places to take 359th position.

Ben Sowter, head of research at QS's intelligence unit, said this year's rankings implied "levels of investment determined who progresses and who regresses".

Institutions are ranked according to, among other things, the quantity and quality of research as well as the reputation of academics and students.

He said South African universities had experienced funding shortfalls for several years and fee freezes would worsen the situation.

Sowter said it was inappropriate for universities to expect students to pay for the cost of research.

Commission spokesman Musa Ndwandwe said it would focus on "safety and protection of both people and property" at upcoming hearings.

At the start of yesterday's proceedings four police vans were stationed at the Centre for the Book, where the hearings were held.

Despite this students hurled abuse at Price and took his laptop.

They demanded that all students facing charges and disciplinary action, due to their involvement in the fees protest, be cleared.

Masixole Mlandu, who had been suspended from UCT, said Price and others should not "have the audacity to come and speak in such platforms" when they presided over anti-black and racist systems.

Before the disruptions, UCT and Stellenbosch University told the commission that fee-free universities were not feasible.

"Fee-free higher education for all in the current economic context is neither equitable ... nor likely to be affordable given other social priorities and the envisaged lack of meaningful economic growth over the medium term," Price said.

He added that government alone could not shoulder free education.

Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge

Url: http://biz.hosted.inet.co.za/inews/news/story/2a410719-9434-4b92-8960-4d9d69631a4c/withrelated/4
Creating a winning brand requires complete synergy of all channels and at all levels. It's made up of a combination of traditional and digital tools that exemplify the brand's values and core product offerings.

A business needs to be able to maintain its brand strongly within the current challenging environment. This not only influences customer perceptions about the brand, but also fuels conversation on how successful or unsuccessful it is.

Pride

Every business and organisation should pride itself on a strategy of listening first and putting its customers first. Partnering with great businesses is not only a matter of pride; its an opportunity to configure solutions and deliver these through networks that support these and other businesses in the towns, factories, communities and farms across the country.

Strategic direction

Like any large enterprise, we need to ensure that there is dual focus when running the business. Investment decisions, resource allocation and performance management are driven by key priorities and strategic objectives. We must ensure the reliability and repeatability of our processes and systems on an ongoing basis. Regulatory requirements are minimum standards; a duty of care extends throughout the entire workforce and its leadership.

Enabling technology

Fulfilling technology promises requires a collaborating network of IT and operations teams that manage transactional systems, channels and digital platforms 24/7. Technology is a key enabler for any business, big and small. Keeping clients data safe, systems working and connected, software cutting edge and innovative is key in this ever-changing environment.

Technology must be world class, reliable, easy to consume and the teams that look after it require consistent, decisive and experienced leadership.

Industry standards

Just as finance leadership is governed with accounting standards such as IFRS, so too the IT industry uses frameworks such as COBIT and CMMI. Board-level corporate governance frameworks such as King III includes a charter on IT governance, which sets out minimum standards for running the technology function in a large organisation. Many financial institutions are actively targeted by cyber-criminals so its also important that digital security keeps pace with innovation to protect the banks IT estate and the customer data, private information and economic value in its custody.

Fintech driving change

Technology assets have a natural lifecycle that requires planning and execution. The rise of so-called fintech industry globally has fuelled a renewed focus on innovative and intuitive software that offers frictionless and digitised processes. Customer expectations are being driven by exponential growth models that are disrupting industries from accommodation to transport; micro-service start-ups are using technology to challenge the asset-heavy incumbents.

In South Africa, the banking industry is anticipating this wave of change by setting up partnerships, incubators and funding vehicles that not only stimulates these job-creating businesses, but also gives the bank preferential access to these new technologies.

Growth and innovation

Innovation is integral to FNBs culture, over R45m has been paid out to employees in incentives for implementing ideas that keep the bank at the cutting edge. A business should be able to offer value-added solutions that will assist in driving the enterprise forward. All innovation should be implemented with customers in mind. It also needs to have a significant impact on the market and on the economic activity of organisations within that market. We need to be responsive to the shifting economy and create innovation best practices that will disrupt and influence the environment in which we operate.

Skills and partnerships

Business success is also due to a focus on skills and talent development across all its product lines, and especially in support areas such as HR, finance, risk and technology. Software enables business processes to work autonomously but its people who design, build, test and implement the IT systems.

Winning in business

The ultimate aim of any business is growth and profitability. We find that there is significant pressure from new entrants, markets are usually complex and their customers needs are constantly changing. Keeping abreast with new technologies in the fintech space will help create innovative platforms that will keep businesses going.

Tradition and values

The brand promise is an important element in any business. Coupled with values of pride, accountability, innovation, ubuntu and respect, it guides many business decisions in South Africa. We need to ensure that we maintain our traditions and values even in this changing and dynamic landscape.

FNB was voted as South Africas top Business Bank in the 2016 Sunday Times Top Brand Survey for the fourth year running
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA: The Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) has agreed with railway operators of Zambia and DR Congo to review operations among the three railways to facilitate movement of goods across the three national boundaries.

Richard Stupart via Wikimedia Commons - TAZARA Railway crossing a bridge near the Zambian-Zimbabwean border.

In 2013, Tazara, Zambia Railways Limited and Societe Nationale Des Chemins De Fer Du Congo Sarl signed an agreement to harmonise their operations. Now, the three companies have agreed to formulate strategies to maintain seamless operations.

"Due to inefficiencies and other challenges that characterised the railways in the past, many customers had abandoned the railways and there is now an urgent need to reassure customers that things have changed to win back their confidence," said three railway CEOs in a joint statement.

"To remain competitive and keep our institutions sustainable, it is necessary that we make known some of our challenges to our governments for their attention and resolution, where possible."

They also agreed that to win back the confidence of their customers, it was necessary to eliminate bottlenecks. The companies also agreed to come up with strategies to raise traffic volumes. Operations must be reviewed to make their services as attractive as possible to customers," the statement said.

The two Governments of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Zambia hold the shares of Tazara on a joint and equal basis.
On the next Biz Takeouts Marketing & Media radio show on Thursday, 8 September 2016, from 9-10am, show host Warren Harding takes a slightly different pace and looks at the newly launched online personal forex transfer service, ClickFX.

One of South Africas largest Forex intermediaries ForexPeople, has introduced ClickFX to offer a simple and cost-effective way to transfer Forex online.

The Forex market and the local regulatory environment can be quite daunting for an individual. ClickFX offers a friendly, intuitive and reliable way to get a great rate when buying or selling Forex.

We host Richard Beddow, chief executive officer of ClickFX, in the 2oceansvibe radio studio to discuss why it is no longer only the wealthy individuals who have access to an offshore portfolio. ClickFX proves that buying or selling Forex doesnt have to be complicated or expensive but can be as easy as the click of a button.

Tune into Biz Takeouts every Thursday from 9am-10am live from the 2oceansVibe Radio studio in Cape Town as we discuss the topics that matter in Marketing & Media.

How to listen

Comments or questions

Podcast

A podcast of the show will be available in the Biz Takeouts special section on Biz later during the week.
MADRID: Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica is working on a platform that could allow its clients to ask to be paid for the use of their personal data by internet titans like Google and Facebook, a company spokesman said Tuesday. The goal is to "let clients know what data internet firms have, so the client can decide what to do with them", the spokesman told AFP.

The company, which is amongst the five biggest telecoms firms in the world, plans to launch the platform in 2017, he added. The plan was presented by Telefonica chairman Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete on Monday in the northern city of Santander and it targets firms like Facebook and Google which profit by selling personal data to marketers.

The market for such personal consumer data is worth billions of dollars and its use by internet firms has come under fire from privacy watchdogs and consumers.

Last month popular messaging service WhatsApp said it would start sharing users' phone numbers with parent Facebook, a move which will allow for more relevant advertisements on the social networking site. The announcement sparked a flurry of articles in the press and online explaining how WhatsApp users could opt out of sharing account information with Facebook.

Telefonica, which provides mobile and fixed communication services primarily in the European Union and Latin America, reported a net profit last year of 2.75 billion euros ($3.07 billion).

Source: AFP
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith (2nd R) talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (2nd L) in Vientiane, capital of Laos, on Sept 6, 2016. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened its 28th and 29th summits here Tuesday in the Lao capital, with the theme of "Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community." [Photo/Xinhua]
Mara Delta is set to convert its Moroccan subsidiary into a real estate investment trust (Reit) by the end of 2016, as it looks to gain from tax savings created by the dispensation.

The pan-African property group wants its Moroccan assets to be managed in a separate unit in North Africa. Morocco is seen as being a widely separate market from other African markets by various global institutions.

"We have been aggressively pursuing the conversion of our Moroccan subsidiary for some time now," said Mara Delta CEO Bronwyn Corbett, speaking after the release of its full-year results to June.

"There are numerous direct and indirect benefits associated with a Reit structure, such as a more effective tax structure. Property Reits are well understood by the international market, which bodes well for our ability to attract additional investors," she said.

"Our strategy is to systematically expand across Morocco, and the Reit structure will allow for more cost-effective options ... Ultimately, we may list the structure on a recognised stock exchange to extract further value and opportunities for shareholders."

Moroccan Reit legislation requires an external asset manager to undertake the management of any Reit operating in the country.

"To address this, Mara Delta has formed an asset manager, Morocco Reit Management SA, as part of its conversion of the Moroccan Fund into a Moroccan Reit. Mara Delta will hold a 20% stake in the asset manager," the company said.

Grindrod Asset Management's chief investment officer, Ian Anderson, said creating the Reit structure for Mara's Moroccan assets would eliminate tax leakages from their income.

"One of the problems faced when acquiring properties in some non-SA jurisdictions is that taxes are usually paid before the income is remitted back to SA. That is currently the situation with Mara Delta's operations in Morocco," he said. "Creating a Reit which is exempted from paying taxes means there is no tax leakage to the Moroccan authorities before the net income is remitted to SA. At some point, Mara Delta could list the Moroccan Reit and raise capital from shareholders in other jurisdictions, including Europe."

Mara Delta declared a final dividend of 5.58 US cents per share for the year to June.

This represented distribution growth of 4.1%, in line with management's guidance of between 3% and 6% on the prior year's distribution.

Nesi Chetty, a fund manager at MMI Investments, said Mara Delta's performance had improved in the period.

"Things are looking slightly better now, and 4% plus growth is decent in the current environment. Still, it is tough to do deals in some of the African countries where they operate.

"Yields have come down on some of their office assets, but at least they are still raising capital at a slight premium to net asset value," he said.

Source: Business Day
LIBREVILLE, Gabon - Internet services in Gabon partially resumed Monday after a five-day blackout following days of violence and chaos sparked by President Ali Bongo's disputed re-election.

Image by 123RF

Post-election unrest has claimed at least seven lives in the oil-rich central African nation, ruled by the Bongo family since 1967. Ali Bongo's rival Jean Ping, a veteran diplomat who has held a top African Union job and served as foreign minister, has already vowed to challenge the result.

Bongo was declared victorious by a razor-thin margin of just under 6,000 votes, but Ping has insisted the vote was rigged and on Friday claimed victory for himself. He is calling for a recount - something the Gabonese authorities have so far refused to do.

On Monday, the internet was accessible but social media networks remained blocked, according to AFP journalists in the capital Libreville. Banks and shops re-opened in the seaside city and taxis returned to the streets. But many shops offered only limited provisions as the unrest stalled deliveries.

The violence after the announcement of the results on Wednesday has sparked international concern with top diplomats calling for restraint as rights groups raised alarm over the use of excessive force.

At least seven people have died, according to an AFP count, and some 800 people have been arrested in the capital. UN chief Ban Ki-moon spoke to both Bongo and Ping on Sunday and "deplored the loss of life", a UN statement said.

"He expressed concern about the continuing inflammatory messages being disseminated and called for an immediate end to all acts of violence in the country," it said.

Tensions remained high in the economic capital Port-Gentil and Total workers turned up for the first since Tuesday, a management source in the French oil giant told AFP. A Total worker said there had been gunshots heard in the city overnight.

"The refinery remains closed. The teams working round-the-clock are only there to ensure security," said an official at Sogara, Gabon's sole refinery jointly owned by the government and a clutch of major international firms. The troubles have also caused prices to rocket.

"Four chillies now cost 1,000 CFA francs (1.5 euros, $1.6) against 200 to 300 CFA francs earlier," said Andre, a resident from Lalala-a-gauche, a working class area in Libreville. "Things will really start heating up," he said, echoing a widespread fear in the capital.

The country had previously enjoyed relative political stability, mainly because former colonial power France helped Omar Bongo rule for 41 years. After he died in June 2009, his son Ali won an election but opposition media claimed he had essentially been installed by France.

Source: AFP.
The London International Awards (LIA) has announced that for the first time, attendees can purchase a seat for LIA's innovative three-day seminar in Las Vegas, Creative LIAisons from 11-13 October 2016. It has 50 seats available on a first-come basis at $2,500, excluding airfare and hotel costs. Attendees must be between the ages of 21 and 32.

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Nan Khin Aye Oo, the KPP Joint Secretary (2) who presented the paper told KIC News on 2 September that the KPP had submitted the motion because the public wanted to elect chief ministers who could make the authorities aware of their needs and difficulties they are facing.

She said: The public should know that there are very talented people in their own state. We want the public to have the right to elect such people. We submitted this paper because we want a bottom-up approach. The public wants this, we are only submitting what they want.

The KPP also called for elected state governments to hold legislative, administrative and judiciary power and for them to be responsible for issues relating to the state and resource sharing.

The Mon State Hluttaw (parliament) MP Dr Min Soe Linn, who also attended the peace conference, supported the motion but he also pointed out that for state chief ministers to be publicly elected the 2008 constitution would need to be amended.

U Ko Ni, a high court lawyer, said such a constitutional amendment could not happen without the approval of the Burmese military.

He said to KIC News: For the approval of the military representatives, the Commander-in-Chief needs to agree to it first. If the Commander-in-Chief doesnt agree to it, the constitution cant be amended. So, if the conference decides on something and the military changes its view based on that decision, the election of state ministers would be possible.

Under the 2008 constitution state and regional chief ministers are chosen by the Burmese president and ratified by parliament.

Seven KPP representatives attended the Union Peace Conference.

The party has one MP and had 117 candidates standing in the 2015 elections.

Reporting by Saw Thein Myint for KIC News

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
The Burma Human Rights Network has documented a reduction in food rations that can only lead to starvation and death. We are appalled by the current state of affairs and call upon the international community and UN agencies to review cuts to food, stated Kyaw Win of BHRN in a press release on September 7.

BHRN sources report that food aid has ceased for a significant number of people in the towns of Kyauktaw, Mrauk U, Min Bya and surrounding areas, referred to as Zone 1 by the humanitarian community. Specifically, one camp near Kyauk Phyu, one in Ramree, six around Min Bya, one in Myay Bon, 13 in Sittwe, 10 in Kyauk Taw, two in Mrauk U, four in Pauk Taw, and three in the Rathedaung area. In total, 41 camps have experienced cuts or have been informed they may face cuts in the near future.

BHRN has learnt that new rules have been (or will soon be) imposed on food aid recipients so that the most vulnerable, widows and widowers, and the disabled will have their rations ring-fenced as everyone else is set to lose their provisions altogether. Those fortunate enough to retain their entitlements will receive a monthly food ration consisting of 54 tins of rice (estimated 5kg), one packet of salt, seven tins of beans (estimated 2kg) and half a litre of cooking oil.

A resident of San Hto Tan village (which has a population of 750) told BHRN:

We were told that only widows and widowers, and disabled IDPs will get food rations, but another condition is only those who are living alone, so none of IDPs from this village qualified under these conditions.

A resident of PeikThae village (near Min Bya) told BHRN:

Even though some people are poor they are not getting food rations as their age is between 20 and 30; they were give[n] [the] reason that they are able to work for living ... but work opportunities are so scarce here and we are not allow to go anywhere.

In Da Tha village, local residents told BHRN that one man in his 50s had died recently due to malnutrition. Two villages in Rathedaung Township - Nyaung Bin Gyi and Ah NaukPyin - have reported to BHRN that they stopped receiving food rations in January 2016.

A resident of Kadi village in Ponnagyun Township told BHRN that many had resorted to begging:

Some villagers here are surviving without food rations since the beginning [of the humanitarian crisis in 2012]. They go out to other villages where [better off] people live, to ask for food donations and then they distribute among the people in this village.

BHRN says it is deeply concerned about the impact that these arbitrary cuts have had, and will have, on communities in which many families rely on food rations to survive. Restrictions on freedom of movement and access to employment opportunities mean that most of those affected are not self-sufficient and thus are likely to face a deterioration in their conditions of life once support ends.

The NGO claims that in addition to a lack of access to employment, many Rohingya villages are surrounded by Rakhine settlements; there have been many cases in the past in which Rohingya individuals have been attacked in Rakhine areas.

The distress and concern felt by the people BHRN have spoken to, as well their lack of means to independently support themselves, underlines the need for the responsible decision-makers within the UN and WFP to reassess the appropriateness of these moves.
He made the remarks to I.M.N.A. on the last day of the Union Peace Conference (Also called the 21st Century Panglong Conference) held at the Myanmar International Convention Centre in Naypyidaw from 31 August to 3 September.

He said: Everyone needs to find solutions to the political issue after signing an all-inclusive ceasefire. Both the military and EAOs need to announce a nationwide ceasefire.

He said that local government in states and regions where there is conflict have been facing difficulties so there needs to be an immediate ceasefire before the second Union Peace Conference is held in six months.

Fighting between the Burma Army and EAOs continued to break out in Karen, Kachin and Shan states while the Union Peace Conference was being held.

U Myint Soe, a retired general and member of the central executive committee of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) said to reporters: The Burmese military and the EAOs are those most involved. We need to understand why it [fighting] happened and who was involved. We cant just briefly say that there has been fighting. Eight groups have signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). Did the fighting involve any of those eight groups?

Daw Saw Mra Razar Lin, a central executive member of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), one of the eight EAOs to sign the NCA, said that in a democratic system the military should be under a civilian administration and that she had openly discussed the role of the military at the Union Peace Conference.

She said: Even though it has been written into the constitution one can deceive the public if the public does not know about it. Members of the public discussed this at the conference. The public has the ability to hear what it wants to hear. On a positive note, I believe that this conference has been transparent.

Papers from 72 representatives of different organisations, expressing their positions and views, were submitted to the Union Peace Conference.

Of those, five representatives were from the government, five were from parliament, ten from the military, 14 were from EAOs, 26 were from political parties, six were from ethnic groups and six were deemed to be relevant representatives.

National-level dialogues on regional and ethnic race issues are due to be held in October and November,bn in line with the timetable outlined in the framework for political dialogue.

The second meeting of the Union Peace Conference is due to be held in six months time.

Reporting by Min Thuta for I.M.N.A

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
The NCA vice-chairman, Nai Hong Sar made the comment to reporters at the end of the Union Peace Conference (the 21st Century Panglong Conference) which was held at Myanmar International Convention Centre in Naypyidaw from 31 August to 3 September.

The three groups taking part in the tripartite negotiations are: one group representing the Burmese Government, parliament and the military; another group representing the EAOs and a final group representing political parties.

Nai Hong Sar said: Representatives from relevant experts, womens groups and [the fields of] literature, culture and economics will be included in each group. It is not just us, the EAOs, but people who are close to us from various sectors who need to be involved.

Section 22 of the NCA states: Representatives from the government, the hluttaws (parliaments), and the Tatmadaw (Burma Armed Forces), representatives of the ethnic armed organisations, representatives from registered political parties, ethnic representatives and other relevant representatives shall participate in political dialogue that is based on an all-inclusive principle.

The Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) which represents16 EAOs and the Union Peacemaking Working Committee (UPWC) which represents the government, signed the draft NCA on 31 March 2015.

The Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) representing16 EAOs and the Union Peacemaking Working Committee (UPWC) representing the government signed a draft NCA on 31 March 2015

Nai Hong Sar said that because the government at the time had rejected ethnic leaders demands to amend some points in the draft agreement only eight EAOs went on to sign the finalised NCA on 15 October 2015. All the current members of the UNFC refused to sign the NCA.

The current members of the UNFC are: the New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), the Arakan National Council (ANC), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), and the Wa National Organisation (WNO).

In their opening speeches to the recent Union Peace Conference both the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the army Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said they were prioritising the signing of the NCA.

In her speech Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said: Some organisations have already signed the NCA, but there are also those that, for various reasons have not yet signed. As future political dialogue needs to be based on the NCA, our new government has been making every effort to bring about the participation of the non-signatories.

She said that the NCA is not only the first step towards peace, but also the first step towards the establishment of a democratic federal union.

Khun Okkar, the patron of the Pao National Liberation Organisation (PNLO), one of the EAOs that signed the NCA said: [EAOs] can only participate in future national-level political dialogue after this conference if they sign the NCA. They cant participate if they dont sign it.

During the Union Peace Conference ethnic people called for an amendment to the 2008 constitution, but the army said any amendments have to be in line with the current constitution.

Representatives of 72 groups submitted their views to the peace conference and all the speeches delivered during the conference, including one given by the UN Secretary General, were recorded.

Reporting by Min Thuta for IMNA

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
Sai Than Maung, a representative of SNLD in Kyaukme Township, said most are rural villagers who are currently staying with relatives in the city of Kyaukme. However, he said, others have left their homes behind to seek employment in Thailand or China.

Villagers are fearful of returning to their homes because of the uncertainty of the NCA, he told Shan Herald. In Tawsarng, for example, there are only Taang [Taang National Liberation Army] and Kachin [Kachin Independence Army] troops on patrol. The RCSS [Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army] and government troops cannot access that area.

In some villages, each house left one person behind to look after their property, Sai Than Maung said. But others left behind empty villages.

He added that some 200 high school students are currently sheltering at local temples so that they can attend the school. In addition, some 2,000 children are being housed with their families.

A senior monk from Aye Metha temple in Kyaukme Township, who wished to remain anonymous, told Shan Herald that some villagers have moved out from the temple to find jobs. But, some of them are still at the temple.

He said that they could not go back homes because their houses were burnt down.

Fighting between the TNLA and RCSS/SSA first broke out in November last year, only a month after the government led by former President Thein Sein signed the NCA with eight armed groups. Although the RCSS/SSA was among the signatories, the TNLA was excluded from peace talks. The Taang or Palaung militia was also absent from last weeks Union Peace Conference, hosted by Burmas de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, at which some 750 delegates were present, including representatives of most ethnic armed groups.

Sai Than Maung said that he was optimistic the Union Peace Conference, informally dubbed the 21st Century Panglong Conference, would bring positive change to the country.

We hope that positive things come from the Union Peace Conference, he said. However, the TNLA was not invited to participate, so things are still the same [on that issue].

He alleged that the TNLA continues to collect taxes in areas under its control, and that most common people are afraid to go back to areas under its sphere of influence.

People suffer as fighting continues, he said.
But a closer look at it revealed a controversial issue that has been endorsed by the State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, implying that Myanmar see eye-to-eye with Chinas stance on Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan ownership without reservation. This sort of official political position, especially where Tibet and Xinjiang are concerned, has never been made public, safe for the one China policy that has been in place for several decades.

The paragraph regarding this was written: Myanmar reiterated that it sticks to the One-China policy, understands and supports Chinas stance on the Taiwan issue, Tibet-related issues and Xinjiang-related issues.

While people readily are inclined to understand Suu Kyis political position to accommodate the big neighbouring countrys by bowing to the inclusion of this controversial phrase that says Myanmar endorsed the Chinese claims of undisputed ownership, from the moral and ethical point of view, it might be having a negative impact, specifically from the sovereignty and human rights violations facets.

Suu Kyi is admired for her staunch avocation of democracy and human rights, although she insisted that she is only a politician. But still forsaking universal human rights violations for only national interest that could tarnish, or even contradict, her steadfast, liberal democratic commitment might not be the way to go.

But before dwelling on this let us look at a bit more on the said controversial issue.

Tibet and Xinjiang

Quite a lot of people that this writer have known during the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) days as a Shan representative were openly quite disappointed, particularly those from Tibet and Xinjiang, also known as East Turkestan.

It is not a wonder that the feeling of being hurt and betrayed were unable to be suppressed, especially when it was coming from a person they deeply considered to be their own kind, ideologically and world outlook.

But let us look at a bit more on this politically and internationally charged Tibet issue that refuses to fade away, which has pitted international community against each other and been at odds with one another. Many have given in to Chinas claims under pressure reluctantly, but also due to the fact that the world in general has become increasingly interdependent politically, militarily and economically. Still there are many countries that choose to be against Chinas claims or opt to stay neutral, in order to be on the justified side of the history.

Due to the readily available data, only Tibet issue will be discussed here, although Xinjiang is also a controversial issue and not less important than Tibet.

Is Tibet a country?

The main thrust of the argument from Chinas perceptive is that Tibet was absorbed about 800 years ago during the Yuan Dynasty, becoming an inseparable part of China. It has not been a country since and no country has ever recognised Tibet as an independent state.

The position of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), which has ruled mainland China since 1949, as well as the official position of the Republic of China (ROC), which ruled mainland China before 1949 and currently controls Taiwan, is that Tibet has been an indivisible part of China de jure since the Yuan dynasty of Mongol-ruled China in the 13th century, comparable to other states such as the Kingdom of Dali and the Tangut Empire that were also incorporated into China at the time.

The PRC contends that, according to international law and the Succession of states theory, all subsequent Chinese governments have succeeded the Yuan Dynasty in exercising de jure sovereignty over Tibet, with the PRC having succeeded the ROC as the legitimate government of all China.

Furthermore, according to the PRC, successive Chinese governments have recognized Tibet as having its own unique culture and language; however, they believe that this situation does not necessarily argue in favour of its independence, because China has over 56 unique ethnic groups and is one of many multi-national states in the world. (Source: Tibetan sovereignty debate  Wikipedia)

But the Tibetan point of view is that Tibet was not ruled by the Chinese government prior to the 1950 invasion. In 1912, the 13th Dalai Lama  Tibets political and spiritual leader  issued a proclamation reaffirming Tibets independence and the country maintained its own national flag, currency, stamps, passports and army. It signed international treaties and maintained diplomatic relations with neighbouring countries. And that from a legal point of view Tibet remains an independent state under illegal occupation, a fact that China wishes it could whitewash from history.

The Tibetan, further consolidated their argument with a number of new findings related to Tibets sovereignty since the publication of The Case Concerning Tibet in 1998. Some refer to pre-1950 Tibet.

Original Tibetan text of Tibet-Mongolia treaty discovered

In 1913, shortly after the proclamation of independence, Tibet and Mongolia signed and sealed a treaty acknowledging their status as independent states. The absence of the original treaty texts enabled critics to shed doubt on the validity of the treaty, until 2007, when the original Tibetan text was rediscovered in Mongolia. This discovery proves that [t]he treaty is real; it does exist and it is signed and sealed by officials acting in the capacity of Minister-Plenipotentiaries of the Dalai Lama, with full authority to conclude it.That the Government of Tibet was able to enter into such international diplomatic relations adds weight to the argument that Tibet was rightfully an independent state at that time.

Tibetan Passport rediscovered

In 2003, Tibetans rediscovered a Tibetan passport in Nepal, providing important insight into the way in which Tibetans were able to travel as recognized citizens of Tibet in the years preceding the 1950 Chinese invasion of Tibet. The passport had been issued in 1947 by the Tibetan government to Tsepon Shakabpa, Tibets then Finance Minister. Friends of Tibet India, who were instrumental in the passports recovery, note that it has a message in hand-written Tibetan and typed English, similar to the message given by the nominal issuing officers of todays passports, stating that:

The bearer of this letter  Tsepon Shakabpa, Chief of the Finance Department of the Government of Tibet, is hereby sent to China, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and other countries to explore and review trade possibilities between these countries and Tibet. We shall,

therefore, be grateful if all the Governments concerned on his route would kindly give due recognition as such, grant necessary passport, visa, etc. without any hindrance and render assistance in all possible ways to him. The text and the photograph are sealed by the stamp of the Kashag [The Tibetan cabinet], and the page is dated 26th day of the 8th month of Fire-Pig year (14 October 1947).

Through the use of this passport, Tsepon Shakabpa was recognized as a Tibetan citizen and government official by a number of different countries.

UK Government Changes Position on Tibet

Since the tripartite Simla Convention of 1913 held between Britain, Tibet and China, the UK had maintained that Tibet was autonomous from China, under the vague and legally undefined concept of suzerainty  the idea that Tibet existed as a protectorate of some kind in relation to China, but was not a legal part of the Chinese sovereign state. However, in late October 2008, and without public debate, Britains then Foreign Minister, David Miliband MP, made a statement in which he changed the UKs position to one that recognised Chinas full sovereignty over Tibet. (Source: The Case Concerning Tibet  Update added by Tibet Justice Center, February 13, 2013)

Oppression and human right violations

According to Tibet Post International (TPI), in its 20 April 2016 report titled, Human Rights Violations in Tibet: Report 2013-2016, starting 1949, Tibet was invaded by 35,000 Chinese troops who systematically raped, tortured and murdered an estimated 1.2 million Tibetans, one-fifth of the countrys population. Since then over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed, and thousands of Tibetans have been imprisoned. According to different sources, it is estimated that up to 260,000 people died in prisons and labour camps between 1950 and 1984. Variety records show that between 1949 and 1979 the following deaths occurred under the Chinese rule:

173,221 Tibetans died after being tortured in prison.

156,758 Tibetans were executed by the Chinese.

432,705 Tibetans were killed while fighting Chinese occupation.

342,970 Tibetans have starved to death.

92,731 Tibetans were publicly tortured to death.

9,002 Tibetans committed suicide.

The Chinese regime enforces its control over every aspect through the threat and use of arbitrary punishments, at times including severe violence. Any act deemed to threaten its rule normal to become a criminal offence. However TPI also believes its efforts have increasingly become a strong voice to its targeted international readership. Reporters without Borders (RSF) ranked China (include Tibet) 176 out of the 180 countries on its Press Freedom Index 2015. Freedom House, in their annual Freedom in the World report release in 2016, has placed Tibet as the second worst place in the world for political rights and civil liberties. Tibet was amongst the worlds 12 worst countries, in 2015.

But despite such massive human rights violations, Dalai Lamas Middle-Way approach continues to be the policy of the exile Tibetan government, to which he has devolved the political decision-making power.

The Middle -Way Approach

On 10 March 2011, the Dalai Lama proposed changes to the exile charter to remove his position of authority within the organisation and devolve his political power to the elected leader, thus making the Kalon Tripa (Chief Minister or sometimes translated as Prime Minister) the highest-ranking officeholder. These changes were ratified on 29 May 2011, even though, according to Dr. Lobsang Sangay, there was a high level of anxiety among Tibetans over the Dalai Lamas decision to relinquish his own political authority.

On 27 April 2011 Sangay was elected as Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile and again for another five years on 27 April 2016, gathering a total of 33,876 votes (57.08 % of the total vote share) against the 24,864 votes (41.89% of the total vote share) of Mr Penpa Tsering, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament.

Sangay has emphasized the importance of seeking a peaceful, non-violent resolution of the Tibet issue. He has supported the Dalai Lamas call for a so-called Middle-Way approach that would provide for genuine autonomy for Tibet within the framework of Chinese constitution. Noting that China has established one country, two systems mechanisms in Hong Kong and Macau, he has argued that it makes no sense for China to continue to resist a similar solution for Tibet, which, he emphasizes, would be a win-win result.

According to Dalai Lama, Important Components of the Middle-Way Approach are outlined as below:

Without seeking independence for Tibet, the Central Tibetan Administration strives for the creation of a political entity comprising the three traditional provinces of Tibet;

Such an entity should enjoy a status of genuine national regional autonomy;

This autonomy should be governed by the popularly-elected legislature and executive through a democratic process and should have an independent judicial system;

This autonomy should be governed by the popularly-elected legislature and executive through a democratic process and should have an independent judicial system; As soon as the above status is agreed upon by the Chinese government, Tibet would not seek separation from, and remain within, the Peoples Republic of China;

Until the time Tibet is transformed into a zone of peace and non-violence, the Chinese government can keep a limited number of armed forces in Tibet for its protection;

The Central Government of the Peoples Republic of China has the responsibility for the political aspects of Tibets international relations and defence, whereas the Tibetan people should manage all other affairs pertaining to Tibet, such as religion and culture, education, economy, health, ecological and environmental protection;

The Chinese government should stop its policy of human rights violations in Tibet and the transfer of Chinese population into Tibetan areas;

To resolve the issue of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama shall take the main responsibility of sincerely pursuing negotiations and reconciliation with the Chinese government.

In a nutshell, the Dalai Lamas proposal could be summed up as follows:

The Tibetan people do not accept the present status of Tibet under the Peoples Republic of China. At the same time, they do not seek independence for Tibet, which is a historical fact. Treading a middle path in between these two lies the policy and means to achieve a genuine autonomy for all Tibetans living in the three traditional provinces of Tibet within the framework of the Peoples Republic of China. This is called the Middle-Way Approach, a non-partisan and moderate position that safeguards the vital interests of all concerned parties-for Tibetans: the protection and preservation of their culture, religion and national identity; for the Chinese: the security and territorial integrity of the motherland; and for neighbours and other third parties: peaceful borders and international relations. (Source: His Holinesss Middle Way Approach For Resolving the Issue of Tibet)

But so far China has refused to negotiate, citing that the real motive of Dalai Lama has always been separatism and independence from China.

Suu Kyi, Michael Aris and Dalai Lama connection

Suu Kyi met Dalai Lama in 2012 for the first time, while she was visiting United Kingdom, where she was praised by His Holiness, who is also a fellow Nobel prize laureates, for her courage and steadfast democratic commitment and human rights advocate of the people.

Dalai Lama later urged her repeatedly to fend for the oppressed Muslim population, including the Rohingya, for religious harmony to take place in Burma, to which she was said to reply to be a complicated issue, non-committally without elaborating.

Suu Kyi is no stranger to Tibet issue, as her late husband, Michael Aris was a Tibetologist, who was well-versed in matters encompassing Bhutan and Tibet. And as such, it could be taken that she is well-informed on the problematic surrounding Tibet issue.

Foreign policy blunder

Such being the case, a host of questions on why she has signed a Joint Statement containing such a sensitive moral and ethical question becomes an issue that could not be overlooked, particularly when she said that Myanmar literally would remain a neutral country, in dealing with the world at large. She was said to be enthusiastic of the pre-military coup, former Prime Minster U Nus foreign policy on non-aligned position forged at Bandung, in Indonesia.

Bandung Conference, convened in Indonesia, on April 1824, 1955, is the first large-scale AsianAfrican or AfroAsian Conference involving 29 countries, of which Burma is also a founding member, represented nearly one-quarter of the Earths land surface and a total population of 1.5 billion people was an important step toward the Non-Aligned Movement. The second conference in 2005, with 89 represented by their heads of state or government or ministers; and the third conference in 2015, with delegates from 109 Asian and African countries, 16 observer countries and 25 international organizations participation, were held respectively also in Bandung.

Of the ten point declaration that is still in force six are worth emphasizing, especially in view of conforming to neutrality. They are:

Respect for fundamental human rights and for the purposes and principles of the charter of the United Nations;

Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations;

Recognition of the equality of all races and of the equality of all nations large and small;

Abstention from intervention or interference in the internal affairs of another country;

Refraining from acts or threats of aggression or the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country; and

Respect for justice and international obligations.(Source: Bandung Conference  Wikipedia)

Seen from above mentioned neutrality criteria, it is hard to agree with China on human rights, racial equality and respect for justice point of view, no need to even invoke sovereignty and territorial integrity arguments, which are debatable in Tibet context.

Naturally, critical observation like whether Suu Kyi has yielded to the Chinese initiative; if it was a trade off to get China pressured the ethnic armed groups that it have influence to join the 21st Century Panglong Conference; to show the Chinese that Burma is not in the West camp and catering to United States China containment policy, among others, are also questions that come to mind.

But one thing is sure that she has abandoned her moral and ethical posture as an icon of democracy and human rights defender, and might be opting or trying to become a pragmatic politician, bent on realpolitik approach, at the expense of international human rights norm.

Suu Kyis rise to fame and prominence were due to her posture of democracy and human rights crusader, which have ushered her eventually into the present political office. But if she would pursue national interest, without paying attention to international human rights norm, her standing as a world stateswoman would be called into question, so do Myanmar as a respectable country.

To sum up, Tibet issue is a foreign policy blunder, from which she could have come out without having to make any concrete commitment, but has chosen to be led by the nose. The successive regimes, even including the military governments, have circumvented the issues of Tibet and Xinjiang.

But the damage has been already done, even if people are for now reluctant to blow it out of proportion, for fear that her good international standing would be tarnished and eventually bring her popularity down.

No one would like this to happen. Besides, everyone that has good will for Myanmar to achieve peace and prosperity wouldnt like Suu Kyi to fail either. We could only hope and pray that such foreign policy blunder would never happen again.
Sonam Kapoor Becomes Biker Girl For UNICEF Event In New Delhi Bollywood Wardrobe Kaustubha

On Teacher's Day Sonam Kapoor joined hands with UNICEF to launch World's Largest Lesson India programme in the capital. Sonam dressed up quite neatly for such a great event.

She picked a black biker outfit from the label Rahul Mishra. The biker jacket is enhanced with white floral work. The jacket is paired with a black pleated skirt with same floral work. Sonam paired this look with teal heels from Louboutin World heels.

The outfit is chic and effortlessly graceful. Namrata Soni who is the hairstylist for Sonam for this look has done a commendable job. She has added braids on the front section, side section and also in the ponytail.

Sonam has even added a white boxy clutch to this look.

All in all, we think Sonam has leveled up again with this gorgeous black look.

Earlier Sonam was also spotted wearing a Rajesh Pratap Singh gold jacket. She chose to wear this elegant jacket with her travel ensemble. Sheis wearing a white maxi dress with a lengthy gold tie-up jacket. Sonam further added ADIDAS white sneakers and Louis Vuitton handbag...

Sonam was also spotted wearing another popular label, Ashish N Soni. She wore an oversized black and white overcoat with a grey dress.
WASHINGTON  A federal judge in Puerto Rico has refused to temporarily halt a lawsuit in which bondholders claim Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla violated PROMESA by declaring a moratorium on constitutional debt payments after the law was enacted but before a control board was established.

The lawsuit, which was filed on July 20 by Delaware-based Lex Claims LLC and other companies that hold Puerto Rico's constitutionally backed debt, focuses on three actions the government took that allegedly violated PROMESA after President Obama signed it into law on June 30. They are seeking a declaration that the government violated PROMESA as well as an injunction halting the violations.

Puerto Rico fought the lawsuit claiming it should be stayed or temporarily halted under PROMESA. But Judge Francisco Besosa ruled on Sept. 2 that the stay doesn't apply to this lawsuit.

John Mudd, a Puerto Rico lawyer who has closely followed PROMESA, said the decision against the stay on litigation may be a first step toward an ultimate ruling that Garcia Padilla and the government infringed on PROMESA. The case will likely continue into October, he said, and there is a chance the seven-member oversight board created under the law could also weigh in on the government's cited actions before a ruling is handed down.

The plaintiff companies charge in their complaint that the governor's Executive Order 2016-30, which was also issued on June 30, violated a section of PROMESA that prohibits Puerto Rico from enacting new laws that either permit the transfer of any funds or assets outside the ordinary course of business or that are inconsistent with the constitution or laws of the territory between the date of the law's enactment and the time the oversight board and its chair have been appointed.

The complaint also claims that the commonwealth's fiscal year 2017 budget violates that section because it "makes huge transfers outside the ordinary course of business and diverts vast resources to purposes that apparently enjoy political favor but are indisputably junior to constitutional debt." The companies cite a roughly $800 million contribution to the pension system in the budget as well as about $250 million from the territory's general fund to "prop up its insolvent Government Development Bank."

"All of this is well outside the 'ordinary course of business' and flouts the Puerto Rico constitution, which expressly requires appropriations for full payment of constitutional debt," the companies said in their complaint.

They also allege that a commonwealth law enacted on July 20 that allows the commonwealth, without approval of the oversight board, to take on responsibility for debts owed to the GDB by other, independent entities violates Section 207 of PROMESA. That section says Puerto Rico cannot "issue debt or guarantee, exchange, modify, repurchase, redeem, or enter into similar transactions with respect to its debt" without getting the oversight board's approval.

The commonwealth responded to the complaint by arguing it triggered a provision of PROMESA that puts an automatic stay on debt litigation against the commonwealth.

"This is, in short, precisely the sort of bondholder litigation against Puerto Rico that PROMESA sought to halt for a temporary period to allow the commonwealth to stabilize its financial situation and to give the oversight board time to set up and review," the commonwealth said in a document filed with the court.

But Besosa's ruling that the stay did not apply was based mostly on considerations regarding the timing of the suit and whether the plaintiffs' requested relief claims could be considered monetary relief.

The first way a stay could be triggered is if the judicial actions "against the government of Puerto Rico  [were] or could have been commenced before the enactment of [PROMESA]," Besosa wrote in his order. He found that because the plaintiffs' complaint seeks an injunction enjoining commonwealth action that took place after PROMESA's enactment, the plaintiffs could not have brought the case before the enactment of the law and the case did not meet that requirement necessary to trigger the stay.

A suit could also be subject to the stay if it is a judicial action to recover a "liability claim" against the government of Puerto Rico that arose before the enactment of PROMESA, the judge said. The law associates "liability claim" with monetary relief, defining it as a claim that relates to liability, right to payment, or right to an equitable remedy for breach of performance if such breech gives rise to a right to payment, he said.

"In their amended complaint, plaintiffs expressly state that their lawsuit 'does not seek to compel payment on plaintiffs' bonds.' Rather, plaintiffs seek only declaratory and injunctive relief," Besosa wrote. "Thus, plaintiffs do not seek to recover a right to payment that arose before PROMESA's enactment" and the suit does not meet that requirement for a stay.
Ethiopian Airlines diversifies into hotel industry to sate growing demand for accommodation

In a bid to grow income and offer best airline package services to its customers, Ethiopias national carrier, Ethiopian Airlines is constructing a four star hotel costing $65 million.

Located near the airlines headquarters, the hotel sits on 40,000sqm plot of land.

The airline industry, and particularly Ethiopian Airline, has to expand in various business units that include availability of a standardized hotel near the airport to offer best airline package services to its customers. Bearing this in mind, and understanding the need to own such a hotel, Ethiopian Airline has decided to construct a four star hotel, said the airline in a statement.

The airline said the four Star hotel is underway matching the level of the airline and the needs of its customers. Upon completion the hotel will have four restaurants, including the largest Chinese Restaurant in Africa for Chinese tourists, two bars, and 370 rooms.

The hotel will have two swimming poolsone half Olympic size and one small size. It will also have gift shops, duty free shops, pastries, a meeting hall that can accommodate 2,000 people, three small size meeting rooms, and a large gymnasium.

The hotel, when open for service, will satisfy the need of our esteemed clients who would like to stay a day or more in the capital, it further said. According to the schedule set, the construction of the hotel will be completed in December, 2017. As can be seen, especially for citizens of Addis, the construction is growing day by day that will assure its timely completion.

In such short period of timeseven months since launchingthe construction of the hotel is being accelerated and 30 percent of the work is completed.

The hotel project is in tandem with the airlines 15-year growth road mapVision 2025which anticipates transforming the airline into the leading aviation group in Africa. As part of the Vision 2025 growth strategy the airline is undertaking massive infrastructure expansion projects, including a maintenance hangar, a state-of-the-art cargo terminal and a catering facility. The hotel construction project is one of these massive expansion projects.

The total cost of the hotel project is estimated at $65 million. A Chinese construction firm, AVIC, is the contractor while Molen Associates in partnership with Sileshi Consult, an indigenous consulting firm, is consultant of the project.

The issue of the management of the hotel upon completion is under discussion with Chinese Hotel Management Group. Ethiopian said the naming of the hotel will be made following Management Contract Agreement. The hotel is generally meant to supplement Ethiopian Airlines initiative to promote Ethiopia as one of the best tourist destinations on the continent.

www.ethiopianairlines.com




PANAJI (PTI): Vice Admiral A R Karve has stressed upon the importance of maritime domain in national security after inaugurating the 29th Naval Higher Command Course (NHCC) at the Naval War College (NWC) at INS Mandovi in Panaji, Goa.



Addressing the course participants and PhD candidates on Tuesday, Karve said that cooperation between friendly navies was essential to tackle emerging maritime threats in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).



The Admiral emphasised the need for continued higher learning of the theory and practice of war and said that "war is not extinct, however long the peace interlude may be."



The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command reminded the participants that the college provided them with a unique learning experience.



He strongly encouraged them towards 'continued scholarship' with the ultimate aim of finding optimal solutions to problems that confront us in the maritime domain.



Karve released the annual edition of the 'China Compendium' on this occasion. The publication is a collection of essays contributed by students of the 'Chinese Maritime Studies and Research Group' of the Naval War College.



"This event was unique as it included international officers of the First Regional Maritime Security Course (RMSC), which was kicked off three weeks ago. The event also marked the commencement for the second batch of PhD students of the NWC," a naval spokesman said in a release.



He said the duration of this iteration of the NHCC has been increased from 32 to 37 weeks.



"A total of 38 officers of the rank of Captain from the Navy, Colonel from the Army, Group Captain from the Air Force and Commandant from the Coast Guard are participating," the spokesman added.



"In addition, the five international participants of the RMSC have also been co-opted into the programme for the first eight weeks. During the course, participants carry out research on subjects of operational importance to the Navy, as also work towards their dissertation for the award of MPhil Degree in Defence and Strategic Studies," he said.




The Predator drone.

WASHINGTON (PTI): The US is likely to make a positive decision on India's request for state-of-the art unarmed Guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean.



The move comes after India was designated a major defence partner of the US in June.



Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama, at the White House in early June, the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR) in February to Department of Defense towards purchase of 22 high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian UAVs.



This was the first major request of arms sale purchase by India after Obama designated New Delhi as a major Strategic Defence partner.



The US government has not made a formal decision on it yet, but is believed to have started an inter-agency process on the Indian request.



According to sources, the administration believes that an approval of such a major military sale would help in "sealing India US defense relationship", bring in "a new level of comfort" between the two militaries and would be considered as a lasting legacy not only for India but also for the Asia-Pacific pivot of the outgoing president.



Officials in Washington believe the sale of predator Guardian UAVs would act as a force multiplier for India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region; which of late has become one of the key American objectives in the Asia Pacific region.



Top governmental sources confirmed that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had detailed discussions on predator Guardian UAV to fulfil maritime surveillance requirements.



Parrikar was in the US last week and held meetings with Carter at the Pentagon on August 29.



During the meeting, Carter is understood to have assured Parrikar he would personally "champion" India's request "within the system," sources said.



At General Atomics which has announced to open office in India this year, the effort is being spearheaded by Dr Vivek Lall who had also been instrumental in India's ability to procure advanced Boeing P8I aircraft for maritime domain awareness capability, they said.



Sources indicate along with the White House, the Pentagon and some influential members of the US are keen to complete the process as soon as possible before Obama leaves his presidency next January.



However, a section within the State Department have to be convinced that this is in the interest of the US national security as well. This maritime capability will be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy who has procured other advanced technologies including the Boeing P-8 aircraft.



The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not exist in the current Indian Navy arsenal.



Sources also said beyond the symbolism of this new title, this deal, estimated to be worth US$ 2 billion, will give meat to the bone to this designation and could be considered as a milestone in India-US defense relationship. In addition, it would create several hundred jobs in the US.



However, insiders said that a strong Pakistani lobby is working overtime putting strong resistance to the Indian quest trying to "confuse" the decision and opinion makers with armed drones that could be used against it.



But those pushing for this major arms sales deal which would ultimately go through foreign military sale (FMS) route stress that this is simply unarmed drones to enhance India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean. It has nothing to do with Pakistan.


Irish consumer sentiment improved in August, according to a new report.

The KBC Bank Ireland/ESRI consumer sentiment index increased to 102.7 last month, a 3.1-point monthly gain which reversed most of the 3.8-point drop seen in July.

The August reading is above the historic average of the sentiment series but only matches the average of the past 12 months.

The improvement in views on economic prospects in August largely reflected an easing in negative responses to this question (from 25% to 15% of those surveyed) rather than any dramatic recovery in positive responses (which rose from 41% to 45%).

While confidence measures for the US and the Euro area both posted modest declines for the third month in a row in August, the comparable UK survey reported a limited correction of a portion of the sharp fall seen in the immediate aftermath of the UK Brexit vote.

Commenting on the results Daniel Foley, ESRI, said: Consumer sentiment appears to have recovered somewhat after a fall in confidence following the Brexit referendum result, said the ESRIs Daniel Foley.

The results for the main index suggest that consumer optimism has moved back in line with its longer term trend following a brief slowdown in the last few months.

The improvement in consumers' expectations this month is being driven mainly by rising sentiment in relation to the general economic climate and future employment prospects.

The component relating to future unemployment increased by 9.9 index points this month reversing some of the loss observed last month.

The results in relation to the index of current economic conditions were not as optimistic with the index decreasing marginally by 1.9 index points.

The buying climate improved slightly this month compared to last month with an increase of 1.9 index points. There was, however a worsening perception of consumers financial situation compared to 12 months ago.

In addition, Austin Hughes, KBC Bank Ireland, noted: The recovery of most of the ground lost in July in the wake of the UK Brexit vote is encouraging but not entirely surprising.

The immediate economic fall-out from Brexit has been notably less traumatic than some consumers might have feared and with most indicators during the survey period pointing to the continuing health of the Irish economy, some rebound in sentiment from the July reading is understandable."

While the August sentiment reading suggests Irish consumers remain broadly positive in their thinking on the general economic outlook and their household finances, this survey and comparable confidence measures for a range of other countries also hint at a significant measure of unease on the part of consumers worldwide at present.

This owes something to increased uncertainty in light of unexpected events such as the outcome of the Brexit vote.

It also seems to reflect a sense of disappointment at the limited gains the average consumer has experienced from the improvement in economic conditions in recent years.
Fifty new jobs have been announced in Dublin by cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab.

The firm plans to invest 5m in the city to create a European R&D centre.

Recruitment has begun for the roles which will be filled over the next three years.

Head of engineering at Kaspersky Lab, Keith Waters, said that Dublin is an attractive place for international businesses to set up.

"They chose Dublin as a good location for various reasons," he said.

"It has become an IT hub, it can attract people from all over Europe, there's different ecosystems going on, there's lots of other security companies.

"It has become an excellent hub, it's a good place to do business, it's an nice city in itself as well."
Women from the International Freedom Battalion have posed for a picture in solidarity with women in Ireland fighting to repeal the 8th amendment.

The battalion are international volunteers who have travelled to Rojava to help the fight against Islamic State.
European Council president Donald Tusk said today that Brexit is a "very disorientating prospect" for Ireland.

Speaking outside Government Buildings after meeting Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Mr Tusk suggested the upcoming Bratislava summit on September 16 will be about forging a new direction after the Brexit result.

"You are a committed EU member," he said.

"Sooner or later your biggest trading partner and the country with which you share a long history will not be.

"The consequences of this are serious, and also for the situation in Northern Ireland.

"The Taoiseach and I are working together closely to ensure that your country does not suffer from a decision it did not make."

Mr Tusk said Ireland is and always has been a respected voice around the European table, adding: "Without Ireland's sacrifice and example the European Union would be in a worse situation now, and we know it."

Mr Kenny said Bratislava should be the start of a "new dimension" that looks to the future in Europe.

Neither leader would comment in any depth on Europe's ordering of Apple to pay Ireland 13bn in back taxes.

Mr Kenny said he explained the reasons for Dublin's decision to challenge the ruling - which was being debated in the Dail - while Mr Tusk said it was now a matter for the courts.

Mt Tusk said next week's meeting of EU leaders - the first without Britain - must confront the future "without taboos".

"People are turning against what they perceive as an irrational openness," he said.

"They see the world around them getting more chaotic."

Key issues are migration, terrorism and injustices linked to globalisation as key issues, said the EU council chief.

"We have to confront such issues with real and uniform political leadership," he said, adding that it was the collective responsibility of country leaders and not EU institutions.

"What must be delivered is a sense of security and order," he said.

"We in Europe cannot build a political community only on the concept of mandatory and total openness for everyone.

"The union also has to be about protection: protection of our freedoms; our security; our quality and way of life.

"Our goal is to regain the sense that globalisation is an opportunity and not a threat."

Mr Tusk said the Bratislava summit must show that the "political elites in Europe are not detached from reality".

The gathering in Bratislava has been billed as an informal meeting of the leaders of the remaining 27 member states of the EU.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has not been invited.

Mr Tusk has been on a whistle-stop tour of European capitals ahead of the talks in the Slovakian city.

Technically, EU leaders cannot start negotiations on post-Brexit Europe until Britain triggers the Article 50 mechanism for leaving, but Bratislava is widely expected to be a start of talks about the way forward.

"The Bratislava summit is not about Brexit per se - it is about bringing back political control of our common future," Mr Tusk said.
Dublin Bus services have ceased operating in the past hour ahead of 48 hours of industrial action.

The strike was due to begin at midnight but the company decided to recall the buses at 9pm so they would be in the depots by 12am.

Transport Minister Shane Ross says he has yet to be asked to meet the unions, but would be willing to do so.

However, he has warned that the Government will not be solving the dispute for them.

"The only way that the strike can be sorted is that the two sides get together across the table again and discuss a settlement. The Government is not going to be a soft touch for either management or unions and people shouldn't think that it will be."
Independent Alliance sources are dismissing claims the Government may collapse if junior minister John Halligan walks over a refusal to upgrade Waterford cardiac services writes Irish Examiner Political Correspondent Juno McEnroe.

A series of recent clashes between Waterford TD John Halligan and the Fine Gael side of the Government have now come to a head.

It has been reported this morning that Mr Halligan is ready to jump ship from the minority government if his demands to upgrade health services at Waterford are not met.

But the Irish Examiner has spoken to sources within the Independent Alliance who are shying away from supporting alliance colleague Mr Halligan.

This is not a hanging issue. But theres also money on the table for Waterford, why would he walk away? said one source.

There are leaks emerging of a HSE report into requests for cardiac services to be upgraded for the county.

It is understood the HSE report though questions services at the hospital instead of making the case for a second catherisation laboratory, as demanded by Mr Halligan.

Health Minister Simon Harris has said it is up to the health professionals to make decisions about services, not politicians.

But the threat by Mr Halligan to leave government could leave the minority administration on shaky ground if its total numbers of TDs are reduced.

Further talks between alliance members and Fine Gael ministers are now expected during the afternoon.
Update 10.15pm: TDs approve Government decision to appeal Apple tax ruling by 93 votes to 36.

Update 9pm: The Finance Minister says there was absolutely no political input into any arrangements between Apple and the Revenue Commissioners.

Michael Noonan says the tax agency always acts independently and was not directed by the Fianna Fail government of the day.

He was speaking as votes on a series of motions regarding an Apple tax appeal began in the Dail.

The Minister says there is no suggestion at all of politicians being involved in Apple's deals.

"I think that I should say first that there is no suggestion of any political input into those decisions by the government of the day, the Revenue Commissioners are independent and they decided on independent grounds that this was the decision."

Update 6pm: A Cabinet Minister has called Apple's tax setup in Ireland  not ethical - but insists it was still legal.

Katherine Zappone admitted to TDs she found it difficult to support the Government's appeal to the 13bn ruling.

However, she said that she is supporting the appeal for different reasons than her Cabinet colleagues.

The dealings with Apple, while they may be legal, are certainly not ethical, she said.

And indeed, my support is for reasons which are different from those of some of my Cabinet colleagues and, I would suggest, different to some of those in the Opposition.

Our response to the European Commission decision and its fallout must have a strong tax justice foundation.

The Dail has been debating the appeal all day and is due to start casting votes on it at around 8.30pm this evening.

[comment] Live video feed may not work across all mobile devices.[/comment]

Update 4.30pm: The Taoiseach Enda Kenny says Ireland has to send a clear and strong response to the profoundly wrong and damaging Apple tax ruling.

Mr Kenny says the Government is adamant nothing illegal was done and Apple didn't get any special treatment.

He said: "The Commission's conclusion that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to 13bn in a way that transgressed EU state aid rules is so profoundly wrong and damaging that it demands an immediate, a clear and a strong response."

Today's Dail debate is about rubber-stamping the decision made by Cabinet last week.

The Taoiseach attacked Brussels for what he said was a profoundly wrong and damaging ruling that couldn't be left unchallenged

"This is our sovereign right as a nation and we object to any attempts to restrict us making policies for our own people."

Though Green leader Eamon Ryan - who is against an appeal - warns against such talk.

Mr Ryan said: "We will not move on by setting all our guns aimed at Brussels or at the rest of Europe and pretending that we are white as the driven snow."

Sinn Fein and some opposition parties believe we should take the money and use it, but Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin says such an attitude would see other companies leave Ireland.

Mr Martin said: "It is a clear and present threat to Irish workers in the private sector, and the funding they generate for the services we all rely on."

Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit claimed Ireland was facilitating tax evasion, and questioned why there was a sudden drop in taxable income of corporations, "from 56bn in 2007 to 37bn."

Independent TD Mattie McGrath is also against the appeal, adding there is reputational damage.

Mr McGrath said: "We've a lot of washing to wash out here, and we've good dry days at the moment with sunshine for drying as well, and there is very much dirty linen to be washed."

The vote takes place at 8:30pm tonight - Stephen Donnelly continuing the break from his former Social Democrat colleagues - he will abstain, while they vote against.

Update 1.40pm: The appeal is opposed by Sinn Fein, the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit group and the Greens.

Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said Apple made 104bn of tax-free profits over 10 years from 2003 by using Irish-incorporated firms Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe to book sales outside the US and move money into a "sort of untaxed Bermuda triangle".

"For too long this state has had its head in the sand when it comes to the global moves towards tax transparency and fairness," he said.

"This is our money."

Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are trying to muddy the waters on #AppleTax case, says @PearseDoherty pic.twitter.com/zOKgTBTNfE  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) September 7, 2016

Mr Doherty said it was a "cynical lie" to suggest that Brussels was attacking Ireland's corporation tax rate and that the case was fundamentally about equal tax treatment for all.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin, who supports the appeal, said the ruling by Europe was troubling.

"They know well that this is a problem that has its origins in the interaction of different tax codes on a global level," he said.

"And yet they seem to believe that Ireland, a small nation, should carry the reputational hit for correcting this problem."

We caught up with Brendan Howlin in #Dail earlier to chat about tax justice and our record on closing tax loopholes. pic.twitter.com/kupitEbFL9  The Labour Party (@labour) September 7, 2016

Update: 10.50am: Enda Kenny has said that the Apple judgement will "damage" not just Ireland but other European countries and turn investors away if tax rules a decade old can be revisited writes Irish Examiner Political Correspondent Juno McEnroe.

Defending Ireland's tax laws, the Taoiseach said that real reform of tax laws were underway in Europe. But he led a strong attack on Brussels, saying: "It is not true that Apple was provided with more favourable treatment than others. There was no preference shown. The law was applied fully and appropriately, and Apple paid its taxes due in Ireland."

Appealing the EC 13bn tax decision would also send out an Important message for business and investors, he told this morning's Dail debate.

Overturning the tax ruling against Apple was essential but not just for Ireland, Mr Kenny declared: "The Commissions decision has done great damage to that goal, and not just in Irelands case.

"If the situation in Europe is to be that tax rulings can be revisited and set aside by the Commission even decades after the event, investors will simply not know where they stand when they locate in Europe.

"Have no doubt about it, that uncertainty will be weighed carefully in the minds of investors and will count against European countries  and not just Ireland - when they compete for mobile investment unless this decision is challenged and overturned and certainty is restored."

Colm Roddy holds a sign outside Leinster House in Dublin

Earlier: Finance Minister Michael Noonan has opened the Dail debate on the Apple judgement saying aggressive tax practices are no longer sustainable or acceptable writes Irish Examiner Political Correspondent Juno McEnroe.

Amid claims the day-long emergency Dail debate is a sham, he defended the decision to hold it saying the EU judgement on Apples 13bn tax bill was a landmark moment.

But Opposition TDs are up in arms over the fact that the full 130-page judgement from the European Commission is not being released for the debate.

Mr Noonan said this morning that, up until the decision from Brussels in recent days, that he had no idea about what the European Commission would decide.

Brussels had still also yet to publish its final decision on the tax liability for the tech giant.

The basis for the appeal against the Apple ruling is, according to the document circulated by the Department of Finance to TDs for todays debate, to defend Irelands tax system, to provide tax certainty to business and to challenge the encroachment of EU state aid rules into the sovereign member state competence of taxation.

The State has a period of two months and 10 days to bring an appeal. But the appeal may take several years.

Despite the appeal, Ireland is required by law to recover the alleged State aid from Apple, in a similar manner to how the Netherlands has been required to recoup taxes from Starbucks in a similar case. The Apple case involves recouping tax payments over a ten year period up until 2013. The calculated 13bn is also subject to interest. However, Ireland is not subject to any fines.

The Dail debate today is scheduled to run until 8pm this evening, followed by which votes will be held on amendments and the government motion for the appeal.

Mr Noonan also told the Dail this morning that the Government "did not give favourable treatment" to Apple and does not do tax deals with taxpayers.
Hillary Clinton has accused Donald Trump of insulting America's veterans and pressing dangerous military plans around the globe, seeking to undercut his appeal to service families in southern voting battlegrounds.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump declared "our country is going to hell" because of policies Ms Clinton would make worse.

Ms Clinton, addressing supporters in Florida, warned that Mr Trump would lead the nation back to war in the Middle East, and to military veterans and their families, she pointed anew to his summertime dust-up with the Muslim parents of a killed American soldier.

"His whole campaign has been one long insult to all those who have worn the uniform," the Democratic nominee said at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Republican Mr Trump, trying emphasise his military support, released a letter from 88 retired generals and admirals citing an urgent need for a "course correction" in America's national security policy. It was aimed at rebutting Ms Clinton's arguments that she would be best positioned to lead the military and reassuring Republicans who have openly worried that his provocative statements might undermine US alliances.

"We believe that such a change can only be made by someone who has not been deeply involved with, and substantially responsible for, the hollowing out of our military and the burgeoning threats facing our country around the world," the military leaders wrote. "For this reason, we support Donald Trump's candidacy to be our next commander in chief."

Ms Clinton pushed back, saying Mr Trump has lagged in securing key military supporters compared with past Republican nominees including John McCain and Mitt Romney. She pointed to her endorsements from retired Marine General John Allen, who blasted Mr Trump at the Democratic National Committee, and former CIA deputy director Mike Morell.

"They know they can count on me to be the kind of commander in chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Trump," Ms Clinton said en route to Florida. "They view him as a danger and a risk."

The conflicting messages came as the candidates prepared to appear at an MSNBC forum on national security. While they will appear separately and not be on stage at the same time, it could serve as a warm-up to their highly anticipated first presidential debate on September 26 in New York.

Campaigning in Virginia Beach, Mr Trump vowed to take aggressive action to help veterans at home and confront threats abroad including acts of terrorism from the Islamic State group. He was questioned by retired General Michael Flynn, the former director of the Defence Intelligence Agency who is a strong supporter.

"We are going to solve the Isis problem," Mr Trump said. "But we have to get back to building our country, because our country is going to hell."

Donald Trump has a problem looking at someone different from himself and actually seeing them. pic.twitter.com/LddoXYkBsf  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 6, 2016

He promised to fix problems at the Veterans Administration, which has grappled with patient care mismanagement during the Obama administration. Until those problems are resolved, he said he would allow veterans to seek treatment at private doctors or hospitals free of charge.

"Your government is going to pay your bill," he pledged.

Ms Clinton's message was amplified by her running mate, Virginia senator Tim Kaine, who promoted his own foreign policy credentials in a speech in Wilmington, North Carolina.

He said Mr Trump is misleading voters on his foreign policy views, asserting he was against invading Iraq despite statements to several news outlets at the time indicating otherwise.

Mr Kaine, who noted his own son's service in the Marine Corps, is a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees.

Meanwhile, Ms Clinton's campaign released a new television ad entitled Sacrifice, which shows military veterans watching some of the New York businessman's more provocative statements.

The spot includes clips of Mr Trump claiming to know more about Islamic State than military generals, and his criticism of Mr McCain, the Republican senator from Arizona and a former prisoner of war. The ad, which features former Georgia senator Max Cleland, a triple-amputee who served in Vietnam, also keys on Mr Trump's assertion that he has sacrificed a lot compared with families who have lost loved ones in conflict.

Republicans have also questioned Mr Trump's capacity to serve as commander in chief. Dozens of national security leaders released a letter last month warning that he would risk the nation's "national security and well-being".
SAN FRANCISCO: US tech titans looking to the future are seeing growth take a beating in the face of foreign...
MOSCOW: Russia is ready to supply up to 500,000 tonnes of grain to poor countries in the next four months, with...
PARIS: Iranians took to the streets around the country again on Friday to protest against the killings of youths in ...
Both major parties managed to bolster their coffers considerably ahead of the federal and ACT elections this year, new data from Elections ACT shows.

ACT Labor managed to raise $1.3 million in 2015-16 through big donations from the unions and its investment vehicle, the 1973 Foundation.

ACT Labor and the Liberals both received more than $1 million in total donations in 2015-16, new data shows. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

The Canberra Liberals were just shy of that figure, receiving $1.1 million, with significant gifts of money from the trust of major Liberal donor Paul Marks and the party's Victorian branch, which gave $15,000.

Elections ACT released its annual returns on Wednesday, which summarises receipts, gifts, payments and debts to each political party for last financial year.
Labor leader Bill Shorten's former policy director, Anna-Maria Arabia, will join the prestigious Academy of Science as its new chief executive in October.

A former general manager of Canberra's science tourism landmark Questacon, Ms Arabia, a qualified neuroscientist and former chief executive of Science and Technology Australia, also has 10 years "in the laboratory" that helped make her a prime candidate for the role leading the nation's top science academy.

New chief executive of Academy of Science, Anna-Maria Arabia. She is a former policy director to Bill Shorten and former General Manager at Questacon. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

After spending the past three years overseeing policy development for the federal Opposition, Ms Arabia said she had seen how deeply undervalued science was in Australian politics and society, a key problem she aims to help turn around in the new position.

"We still have a long way to go to raise the profile of science in people's everyday lives, as well as the long-term challenges the world faces - from ageing population to climate change and food and water security, science should be at the centre of our thinking," she said.
The newly-refurbed Drill Hall has launched a spring lecture program to celebrate, and first in the series is curator Michael Desmond, who is speaking this weekend on "history painting": "British artist Victor Burgin said that the consequence of modern art's disavowal of modern history is its 'almost total failure to be about anything of consequence'. He was commenting on the relative absence of history painting for nearly a century of Modernism from the 1890 to the 1980s. Burgin's comment is surprising given that history painting is one of the oldest genres, and, for many years, considered the most prestigious. Sophisticated Europeans from the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries deemed 'history painting' to be the supreme achievement in the visual arts. What happened to history painting and can it be relevant today?" Michael Desmond will be speaking on Sunday September 11, 3pm at the ANU School of Art lecture theatre on Level 2. Tickets at the door: $10/$5, or free for Friends of the Drill Hall Gallery. Visit dhg.anu.edu.au for more information.

Lines of Inquiry, that is. Seven Canberra artists, Dan Lorrimer, Anna Madeleine, Nicola McClelland, Phoebe Porter, Sabrina Baker, Chris Burton and Hannah Quinlivan, all of whom "use line in their own particular way to investigate their ideas" are showing works at ANCA Gallery. "The artists in Lines of Inquiry investigate line itself, and through the form of line, concepts ranging from personal communications, global mapping, and the rhythms of space and biological systems," says the gallery. "Common 'lines of inquiry' between the artists in this exhibition will link each work with the next, creating a linear flow from work to work around the gallery space." Lines of Inquiry opens September 14 at ANCA Gallery, 1 Rosevear Place, Dickson, and ends of September 25.

Remote Hill Tribes at the Bus Depot

Parisa Applegarth has a fascinating new show just opened at The Photography Room, featuring women of remote hill tribes in South East Asia, captured on camera during a trek through Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia in December 2014-January 2015. In Myanmar, she focused on seven hill tribes, each of which was distinct, despite being close together, with their own dress and customs. She found the tribes in Laos and Cambodia more technologically advanced than those in Myanmar, and had been commercialised by tourism. "Parisa's portraits reveal not only her subjects' wonderful emotions and lustre for life, but also Parisa's ability as a photographer to compose intimate and respectful portraits of people she has only just met," says the gallery. Women of Remote Hill Tribes in South East Asia, by Parisa Applegarth, is showing at The Photography Room at the Old Bus Depot, 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston Foreshore, on Sundays from 10am-4pm or by appointment, until September 25.

Landscape and rivers

Three artists opened new shows at PhotoAccess this week. Amy Dunn and Annika Harding, both painters, use photography as a starting point for creating  "a way of observing and documenting, experimenting and abstracting For these new works, they paint directly onto the photograph to explore how the artist or figure interacts with and moves through the landscape." Peter Ranyard, in River, has an intimate series of black and white photographs of remote New Zealand. "The journey taken across the landscape is what allows us to have a connection to place, people and narrative separate from the routine of our day-to-day existence," he says. Remembrance of travel and the interaction with the natural is romanticised and selective. River is a collection of images that explore the links we make to the landscape kept deliberately wild and accessible to only the few." And in New Paintings, Oscar Capezio uses "modest materials and photographic technologies" to create installations. "Through a constructed play of real action and digital imagery, the exhibition  consisting of a glossy catalogue and a staged environment - is designed to reflect on the networks through which a painting might circulate and have its effects," he says. All three exhibitions are showing at PhotoAccess, Manuka Arts Centre, Cnr Manuka Circle and New South Wales Crescent, Griffith, until October 2. Peter Ranyard and Oscar Capezio will be in conversation about their work on October 2 at 3pm.
Immediately after the plane took off, the report said, the captain and first officer heard an alert of "terrain, terrain". This usually means the plane is too close to the ground, however it was disregarded as the pilots could see nothing in their path.

Soon after autopilot was switched on at 410 feet (124 metres), air traffic controllers noticed the plane was turning left instead of right, crossing the path of other planes expected to soon take off.

When they asked the pilots what was happening, the crew realised tracking and navigation equipment had the error warning "GPS primary lost".

The crew flew the plane over the ocean east of Sydney while they spoke to air traffic controllers attempting to fix the problem. The plane soon lost autopilot and auto-thrust features, and the pilots decided to return to Sydney's Kingsford Smith International Airport - however they were unable to, as low-lying cloud and rain meant they could not physically see the runway on approach, which they now needed to do to land.

Air traffic controllers arranged for their counterparts in Melbourne to track the plane on radar and give constant directions on where to go until they touched down at Tullamarine Airport. The captain, who had 22,580 hours of flying experience, manually flew the plane to Melbourne. After one "go-around" and another "terrain" warning on approach, it landed safely at 2.03pm - 1 hour and 54 minutes after taking off.
A governmental move to 'close the superannuation gender gap' has been welcomed by Australia's largest superannuation funds.

On Wednesday, the government released the first tranche of super tax measures to benefit Australia's 3 million lowest income earners  2 million of whom are women.

The government hopes the low income super tax offset will help close the retirement savings gender gap. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The Low Income Super Tax Offset provides a rebate of up to $500 for low-income earners or part-time workers who pay more tax on super than their personal income.

Individuals with an adjusted taxable income of up to $37,000 will receive the refund into their superannuation account of the tax paid on their concessional superannuation contributions.
A former Queensland Nickel chief invoiced the company for private work he did on the side for Clive Palmer, the Federal Court has been told.

Ian Ferguson was the managing director of operations at Queensland Nickel's Yabulu refinery near Townsville before the company collapsed, with the loss of almost 800 jobs.

The managing director of operations at the Yabulu nickel refinery told court he was doing unrelated work for Clive Palmer on the side. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

He has told the Federal Court that while he was managing director he also had an oral agreement with Mr Palmer to do unrelated work, including property development.

Mr Ferguson said his own private company, Primeland Australia, invoiced Queensland Nickel for that work and those invoices were paid through the nickel company's payroll.
These results were consistent across a wide range of departments, from traditional white-collar fields such as sales and marketing to blue-collar sectors such as manufacturing.

The study, which was published in a 2012 edition of International Journal of Workplace Health Management, examined Replacements, a manufacturing services company in the US state of North Carolina where several dozen dogs are present on a typical day. The study found that employees who brought their dogs to work experienced significantly lower stress levels during the workday and that a sizable portion of pet-free co-workers viewed the dogs' presence as having a positive impact on their productivity as well.

Having dogs at work can boost productivity and workers' wellbeing, the study shows. But will dogs want to be at the office? Credit:iStock

First, some background. In perhaps the most famous study on dogs in the workplace, researchers at the Virginia Commonwealth University Center for Human-Animal Interaction found that having dogs around the office produced a wide array of benefits for both pet owners and their pet-less co-workers.

With a growing body of research suggesting that a dog-friendly office could have a real impact on employee well-being and productivity, it's no wonder that more companies are welcoming furry friends into the workplace.

The VCU study also supports the idea that dogs could help inspire buzz-wordy concepts such as collision and cooperation. "When there were dogs at the office, we found that people who normally wouldn't talk to each other did and that all of a sudden there was a connection and a feeling that they were part of a team," said Randolph Barker, a professor of management at the VCU School of Business and one of the study's authors. "The dog becomes a social lubricant."

Further studies support the notion that pets are natural stress relievers.

"Animals reduce activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is our primary stress response system," said Evan MacLean, Ph.D., an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona who studies the relationship between humans and dogs. "Stress can have a wide range of negative impacts on cognition, mood, and our interpersonal interactions. Keeping this system in check is critical for keeping us in the best shape to be creative, interactive, and productive."

Exposure to dogs could also increase the release of the hormone oxytocin, new research suggests. Although oxytocin is best known for its role in human and animal bonding, it has a wide range of effects related to overall health, sociability, trust, and how we generally get along. "With so much of our work depending on team dynamics and interactions in the workplace, these effects can be critical for well-being and productivity," MacLean says.

Of course, an office in which our canine companions run wild would also be extremely unproductive. Barker says organisations need to manager pets' presence effectively. That means talking to employees before dogs are introduced into the office and accommodating those who may have allergies or phobias.
When we go to the polls on October 15 to elect a new Legislative Assembly, the ballot paper for each of the five electorates in the ACT will present us with between 18 and 30 names. Five candidates are to be elected from each electorate, thus expanding the number of future MLAs from 17 to 25. The voting paper will require that we rank at least our top five candidates, and our vote will count for more if we can rank all of the candidates in our order of preference.

We are already being deluged with material from the candidates in our letterboxes and it is already clear that there will be a large number of independent and minor party candidates offering to manage Canberra's future for us. As voters, we know very little about most of the candidates. The material we receive in the letterbox and on the how-to-vote cards, and even on the party websites is largely trivial and insubstantial.

Election candidates bombard voters with material that fails to properly inform the public. Credit:David Hallett

In the past, we have left it to the political parties to decide who should represent us. The political parties are now somewhat on the nose and new ones seem to be forming every week. In a really healthy democracy it should be the voters, not the political parties who decide on who should be representatives, and to do that we need better information about them.

So how can we choose responsibly when vital political choices must be made about our city's future?
Malcolm Turnbull's government has risked another costly brawl with Japan by backing an international resolution to condemn Tokyo's slaughter of whales.

The Prime Minister has risked an awkward encounter with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a regional summit in Laos after Australia joined a bloc of 95 nations at the World Conservation Congress in Hawaii to demand a halt to whaling for so-called "scientific research".

Japanese whalers offloading a minke whale onto the Japanese whaling factory ship the Nisshin Maru in the Southern Ocean in February 2013. Credit:Glenn Lockitch/Sea Shepherd

However, even that is not enough for conservation groups, who want Australia to finally put a stop to the hunt in the Southern Ocean. A major global summit on whaling will convene next month in Europe.

The Hawaii resolution - which was also overwhelmingly supported by non-government organisations - called on Japan to revoke any "special permits" for whalers in the Southern Ocean and northern Pacific.
Former prime minister John Howard says female representation in Parliament is unlikely ever to reach 50 per cent because Australian women still carry greater responsibility for the care of children.

Speaking to the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Australia's second-longest-serving prime minister said a mainstream debate about the gender breakdown of politics must recognise the fact that the capacity of women to pursue careers in Parliament is sometimes limited by their family responsibilities.

Since the July 2 federal election, women make up 32 per cent of federal MPs - comparable with countries such Canada and New Zealand.

"I don't believe in quotas, as you know, and you can talk about targets and aspirations and goals and I would like to see an natural process whereby there are more women," Mr Howard said.
Killers could be kept in jail until they reveal where they buried their victims' bodies, under conditions being considered by a review of Queensland's parole system.

The "no body, no parole" laws were introduced in South Australia in July last year with calls for similar legislation in Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland, where independent speaker Peter Wellington threw his support behind a petition.

"No body, no parole" laws were introduced in South Australia in July last year. Credit:File/iStock

He pointed to the case of murdered schoolgirl Jessica Gaudie, whose family still had not been reunited with her body 17 years after her death.

Former solicitor-general Walter Sofronoff QC said a submission on the subject was one of several he'd received since he was appointed to head the review in August.
Trying to identify vulnerable youth at risk of radicalisation by Islamic State is like "finding a needle in a haystack", Victoria's peak Muslim body's spokesman has said.

IS this week issued a call to "lone wolf" followers to kill people "on the streets of Brunswick, Broadmeadows, Bankstown, and Bondi", sparking calls by Justice Minister Michael Keenan for the community to remain vigilant against attacks.

Kuranda Seyit, spokesman for the Islamic Council of Victoria, said: "it's important to understand the impact of the message that's coming from groups like Daesh is very minuscule in terms of its impact in the Muslim community.

"We have to just keep promoting the truest and most accurate interpretation of Islamic teachings."
A woman in Broome has walked in the footsteps of dinosaurs - quite literally - on one WA's most popular tourist hotspots, Cable Beach.

Bindi Lee Porth was walking along the beach on Sunday when she made the startling discovery.

Bindi Lee Porth stumbled across the dinosaur print on Cable Beach. Credit:Facebook: Bindi Lee Porth

"I went to put my foot down, and the best way that I could describe it is that I felt a very strong energy," Ms Porth told ABC Local Radio.

"When I'd taken my foot slightly off, I could see a bit of a hole, and I thought, 'This is a bit weird.'
Sittwe, Myanmar: Former UN chief Kofi Annan has been confronted by hundreds of protesters as he arrived in Myanmar to lead a panel tasked with finding solutions to the conflict between the country's Buddhists and minority Rohingya Muslims.

The plight of the Rohingya has raised questions about Myanmar leader and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's commitment to human rights and represents a politically sensitive issue for her National League for Democracy, which won a landslide election victory last year.

Demonstrators hold banners and shout slogans in protest of the arrival of Kofi Annan in Sittwe, Myanmar. Credit:AP

Local residents and Buddhist monks joined the protest overseen by dozens of police, despite rain in the north-western Rakhine State, challenging what they perceived as "foreigners' biased intervention" from the nine-member panel.

Jeers and chants denouncing the Rakhine State Advisory Commission panel intensified upon the arrival of Annan's plane. The crowd soon followed the convoy into town, where Annan delivered a speech and met with members of both the Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine communities during his two-day visit to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state.
Latest News Lendi Group settles $33.6 billion in FY22 Ambitious target of a deal a day for brokers

APRA announces new appointments The prudential regulator has a new chair, deputy chair, and members

The June 2016 quarter saw an increase in housing affordability according to new research released today, however first home buyers continue to be in decline.According to the June quarter edition of the Adelaide Bank /Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) Housing Affordability Report, the proportion of median family income required to meet average loan repayments decreased by 0.6% to 29.4% over the three-month period.In the 12 months to June, the proportion of median family income required to meet average loan repayments has decreased 0.9%.On a state-by-state basis, NSW is the most unaffordable state, with 35.4% of the median family income required to meet average loan repayments, followed by Victoria at 31%.The ACT is the most affordable jurisdiction, with just 19.4% of the median family income required to meet average loan repayments, followed by the Northern Territory at 20.9%.Over the June quarter, the Adelaide Bank/REIA report shows the number of new home buyers over the June quarter was 25,289, a 10.5% increase when compared to the March quarter.However, in year-on-year terms the number of first home buyers was 0.7% lower in the June 2016 quarter compared to the corresponding period 12 months ago.Adelaide Bank general manager Damian Percy said while the improvement in affordability is a positive, the yearly decline in first home buyers is a serious cause for concern.Of particular note is the continuing long term decline in the number of first home buyers. When you consider that modelling for adequacy of income in retirement typically assumes that people own their own home, this should be concerning to policymakers, Percy saidFirst home buyer numbers are on a glide-path to what is currently a two decade low. This trend will provide major challenges for future governments, ultimately impacting the number of people on public housing waiting lists and on supported housing. The time to fix government housing policy is now, not in ten, twenty or thirty years time, he said.According to the report, first home buyers now make up 14.3% of the owner-occupier market or 22.5% if refinancers are excluded.Over the June quarter, the report shows the total number of loans (excluding refinancing) was 12.7%, a 12.7% increase compared to the previous three months.Year-on-year the number of loans written in the June 2016 quarter was 8.6% higher than the three months to June 2015.Over the June quarter, the average loan size increased marginally by 0.1%, to $369,390. This represents an increase of 2.7% compared to a year ago.In terms of first home buyers, he average loan size to first home buyers decreased by 0.1% over the June quarter to $328,733.At the end of June, first home buyer loans were 0.8% higher year-on-year.
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It is a question of Commons decency.

Boerum Hill event space the Commons is hosting a talk by a 9-11 truther who believes the Sept. 11 attacks and War of Terror are a Jewish conspiracy, outraging patrons and neighbors who plan to picket the event and say theyll never go back.

The Commons has made itself a place where bigotry and demonizing historically oppressed groups  will be welcome, said Spencer Sunshine, a local resident and activist who used to frequent the space and was thinking about renting it for his own event before the controversy, first reported by blog the Jew School. I wont be patronizing anymore and I dont think anyone else should.

Sunshine and others were aghast to learn Christopher Bollyn  a raging anti-Semite, according to famed civil rights organization the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the author of two books on 911  is scheduled to speak on Wednesday about his belief that the attack was really the work of the Israeli-Zionist and neo-conservative cabal that controls our government and the media at the self-described progressive co-working space and cafe on Atlantic Avenue at Bond Street.

The leftist organizations that use the Commons as an office  including socialist magazine Jacobin, the Marxist Education Project, and anti-gentrification activist group Furee  published an open letter denouncing the talk, while others flooded its social media pages with complaints, including Councilman Brad Lander (DPark Slope), who tweeted that it was highly distressing to see the venue hosting an anti-Semitic conspiracy nut

The venue owner claims she wasnt aware of Bollyn or his opinions when a third-party organizer approached her about a cutting edge speaker appearing for the 15th anniversary of 9-11. But now she does, she has no plans to cancel the event, as she doesnt think thats the best way to confront racist thinking.

I never intended for the Commons to be a safe space at all times, the Commons founder Melissa Ennen wrote in a statement on the venues website. Nor was it designed to be a cozy cocoon for intramural debate among leftists. From the beginning my goal has been to foster discussion among disparate groups across a wide political spectrum.

Sunshine said he is all for different ideas, but anti-Semitic conspiracy theories are going too far.

Im happy with that space representing a diversity of political views but ethnic bigotry and hatred is crossing the line, he said.

Critics are planning to take their rage to the streets outside the Commons and protest before Bollyns talk, and one neighbor said he hopes they give him hell.

I am alarmed that Mr. Bollyns outrageous, abhorrent, and libelous theories on 911 are being presented as somehow progressive and I hope those in attendance challenge Mr. Bollyn forcefully, said Councilman Steve Levin (DBoerum Hill), whose district office is a block away.

Christopher Bollyn at the Commons, and protest against Christoper Bollyn at the Commons (388 Atlantic Ave. at Bond Street in Boerum Hill). Sept. 7 at 6 pm.
Kenya Power embraces WhatsApp to communicate with industrial customers

Kenyas power utility company Kenya Power has adopted the use of WhatsApp to reach its growing industrial customer base and facilitate effective service delivery.

Customers are divided into WhatsApp groups that provide a link between them and Kenya Power regional offices across the country.

The WhatsApp groups currently cover manufacturers in Kenyas major towns of Mombasa, Eldoret/Uasin Gishu, Kisumu, Central Kenya and Athi River/Machakos chapters of Kenya Association of Manufacturers, following an earlier agreement with the manufacturers umbrella body, with plans to extend to other areas underway.

Kenya Power is continuously seeking innovative ways of improving service delivery to customers. Among them is creating partnerships with industry groups in order to reach out to their members who are also our customers, said Kenya Powers Managing Director & CEO Dr Ben Chumo.

He added that the WhatsApp groups provide a convenient engagement platform with large power customers and create a forum for them to put across issues concerning power supply thereby enabling quick response from the Company.

Dr Chumo said that Kenya Power will continue to embrace new technology and ride on it to improve service delivery in order to adequately cater for the growing number of customers.

Large Power customers who are mainly industries account for about 60 per cent of Kenya Powers revenue generated from sale of electricity.

Kenya Power has also been installing outdoor meters for large power customers in a bid to deepen use of technology to enhance efficiency in service delivery.

The outdoor metering project involves installation of smart meters atop a pole to ease access by Kenya Power staff and reduce disturbance to customers during reading and inspection of meters.

Kenya Power was named the Worlds most socially devoted industrial company after answering more than 15,000 questions posed by its consumers on Facebook last year, according to a recent global study conducted by Social Bakers, an international social marketing and analytics firm.

A survey carried out by Ipsos in March ranked Kenya Power as the ninth most influential brand in a list of top 10 brands in Kenya.

www.kplc.co.ke
Guilty plea on tax charges for aide to NJ Senate president

Tony Teixeira was listed in a September 2021 state subpoena seeking details on payments from Sean Caddle, the man at the center of a murder-for-hire plot.
Construction services business SPIE UK, the UK subsidiary of French firm SPIE Group, has been sold to UK mechanical and engineering (M&E) specialist Imtech in a deal worth 43.4 million. SPIE UK, which operates from its base in Urmston, near Manchester, generated turnover of around 200 million last year. SPIE UK is one of the UKs top 10 M&E firms, providing a range of specia...continue reading
SURGE

Tamil Nadu's Growth Story

Sushila Ravindranath

Westland

352 pages; Rs 699



In 1960, the average person in Tamil Nadu earned Rs 334, lower than the average person in West Bengal, who earned Rs 390. By 2014, the average person in Tamil Nadu was earning twice as much as his counterpart in West Bengal. Tamil Nadu has gone from being the fourth poorest state among large states in 1960 to the second richest state today, in per capita gross domestic product (GDP) terms. The economic outperformance of Tamil Nadu over the last five decades is perhaps the most intriguing and inexplicable economic story of contemporary India. Does it have something to do with its quirky regional politics and its industry-friendly policies? Is it because of its persistent quest for an independent identity vis-a-vis the rest of the nation, starting with its anti-Hindi agitation in the '60s? Or is it just the fortuitous water of Tamil Nadu? These are questions that have long baffled political economists studying Indian states, including myself. When Sushila Ravindranath, a business journalist with decades of experience covering south India's businesses, launched a book tantalisingly titled Surge: Tamil Nadu's Growth Story, I looked forward to devouring it.
When Teruhide Sato announced the launch of in July and its reported $60-million corpus, it was passed off as just another announcement. Foreign investors had made a beeline for India for a while and there was an abundance of start-ups to be funded. Then came the great correction and very few investors stuck around. Entrepreneurs will argue that the storm has still not passed, but for a few players this is the perfect time to make strategic investments. has been one of them. Sato has made as many as 25 investments in India so far. From used-car marketplace Droom to industrial goods e-commerce website Industry Buying and Bangkok-based, Indian-run Zilingo, has stars in its portfolio. BeeNext, however, is not done. "We will do an investment a month until the end of this year," said Sato.
Grocery e-tailer plans to triple its revenue to nearly Rs 2,000 crore this year as it deepens its services in the 25 odd cities it has established a presence in nationwide.

had reported Rs 600 crore revenue in fiscal 2015, three times the Rs 178 crore it made in the previous fiscal.
At the recently held analyst meet at Infosys, company CEO Vishal Sikka made a candid confession that one of the disappointments for him had been that over the last two years the conversations he had with clients were not strategic or of a high level.
Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL), group company of Indian Oil Corporation is exploring the possibility for expansion at the Cauvery Basin Refinery (CBR), at Narimanam, in Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, which could be with an investment of up to Rs 22,500 crore.
State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has posted a 21.1 per cent decline in net profit for the June quarter to Rs 4,233 crore against Rs 5,368 crore in the year-ago period, owing to a drop in production.
Continuing his skepticism about new-age companies, Future Group Chief Executive Officer Kishore Biyani said on Wednesday that are too small to create jobs. He was speaking at The Economist India Summit in the capital.
Tata Motors' management and the registered employee union have been unable to agree over two months over a new wage agreement, its tenure, payment of dearness allowance (DA) and retirement age.
Shareholders of Anil Agarwals Vedanta Ltd are to convene in Goa on Thursday for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), to discuss the proposed absorption of Cairn India.
Apple Inc. on Wednesday will introduce new versions of its flagship smartphone, but it is unlikley that they'll include the kind of significant new features that Apple consumers are expecting. By far the most controversial feature, however, is the one that will be missinga 3.5 mm headphone jack.


Government on Wednesday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to lodge a strong protest over the "discourtesy" shown to India's envoy to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale.

"Pakistan High Commissioner was summoned today to the Ministry of External Affairs and conveyed the concern of Government of India by Secretary (West) (Sujata Mehta) on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Basit conveyed India's view on the discourtesy towards Bambawale by Karachi Chamber of Commerce that cancelled an event at the last minute. Bambawale was scheduled to speak at the event, invite for which was received and accepted by him a couple of weeks ago.

"He (Basit) also conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance," Swarup said.

Bambawale, who was on his first visit to Karachi after assuming charge in January this year, was told about the cancellation just half an hour before the event.

The organisers did not give a reason immediately for the cancellation. However, the Indian officials felt that Bambawale's comments on Monday on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir which was India's internal matter had "rattled the Pakistani authorities, prompting a cancellation".

During an interactive session organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Bambawale had taken a swipe at Pakistan over its interference in Kashmir, saying people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.
India on Wednesday signed an open skies agreement with Greece, the first after the finalisation of the civil policy in June.
directed the Tamil Nadu government to look into suggestions made in a PIL against mindless conversion of wetland areas so as to avert flooding in the city like last year.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan gave the directive while disposing of the petition which advocated amendment of Section 47-A of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1971 to impose certain conditions for preservation of the wetland areas.

Petitioner S D Premchand, former chairman of Madurantakam Municipality, while referring to last year deluge cited a news report which said one of the main causes of the flooding was that wet lands in the city had shrunk from 80 per cent in the 1980s to just 15 per cent now due to unplanned rampant urbanisation.

He contended that in order to prevent mindless misuse of lands adjoining water bodies like lakes conditions may be incorporated in Section 47-A of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1971.

He attributed the flooding last year to unauthorised constructions carried out by encroaching water bodies and near them.

The bench, referring to a full court judgement on the issue, in its order said what was classified as a water body area cannot be converted for any other use.

"Thus, in our view that approach would also equally have to be applied by keeping in mind the problem of conversion of wet land areas for urbanisation," it said.

"We would call upon the State government to look into the suggestions of the petitioner for amendment of the section to further subserve the intent of the amendment carried out on January 1, 2011 for preserving the wet land areas."

The petitioner had advocated an appropriate amendment could be considered to the effect that no development/construction should be allowed at any cost in wetlands.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Vientiane, Laos.

"Furthering the relationship with greatest potential 1st bilateral is w/special friend &valued partner,PM @AbeShinzo," Swarup tweeted.





Furthering the relationship with greatest potential

1st bilateral is w/special friend &valued partner,PM @AbeShinzo pic.twitter.com/c2ackG3YMB  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 7, 2016

Prime Minister Modi arrived on a two-day visit to Vientiane earlier today to attend the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit.

The friendship between India and Japan has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilizational ties.

Over the years, the two countries have built upon these values and created a partnership based on both principle and pragmatism.

Bilateral ties have been singularly free of any kind of dispute - ideological, cultural or territorial.

The relationship is unique and one of mutual respect manifested in generous gestures and sentiments, and of standing by each other at times of need.

The beginning of the 21st century witnessed a dramatic transformation in bilateral ties.

The global partnership formed the foundation for the strengthening ties in diverse fields, including identifying strategic convergences.

Economic relations between India and Japan have vast potential for growth, given the obvious complementarities that exist between the two Asian economies.

Japan's interest in India is increasing due to variety of reasons including India's huge and growing market and its resources, especially the human resources.

The signing of the historic India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and its implementation from August 2011 is expected to further accelerate growth of trade, economic and commercial relations between the two countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Laos's capital Vientiane on Wednesday to attend the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN-India Summit.

In his pre-departure message, the Prime Minister has said that is a key partner for India's Act East Policy, which is vital for the economic development of country's North-eastern region.

In a Facebook post, he said, strategic partnership with is also important for safeguarding and promoting India's security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region.

On East Asia Summit, the Prime Minister said, it is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region.

He also said, India's ties with the countries of South East Asia are truly historic and country's engagement and approach can be best encapsulated in just one word - connectivity.

"India wants to enhance physical and digital connectivity in the region, enhance people to people links and also strengthen institutional linkages and leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit of the people in the region," he said.

The Prime Minister will attend the 11th East Asia Summit on Thursday on whose sidelines, he will hold bilateral meetings with several leaders.

India's engagement with and the wider Asia Pacific Region has acquired further momentum following the enunciation of the Act East Policy by the Prime Minister.

Indian Ambassador to ASEAN Suresh Kumar Reddy told the media that the ASEAN summit is expected to set the agenda for further strengthening the ties which will help India to achieve its objectives for Socio-Economic Growth.

Reddy further said that the summit will provide valuable partners to India who can bring technology, resources and who can support Indian industries, adding that the areas in which further cooperation between India & ASEAN countries are required are Agriculture, Climate Change, Non-traditional security areas, and cyber crimes and strengthening connectivity.

During the summit, the world leaders will review the progress of implementation of the ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025.

The ASEAN leaders are scheduled to meet the heads of state, government of ASEAN dialogue partners which include China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia and the United States.
A recently released report of the Crime Records Bureau suggests that the police in various states are openly flouting the Supreme Courts direction scrapping Section 66(A) of the IT Act and are arresting people under the now defunct law. The report said 3,133 people were arrested under this section in 2015.
As Karnataka began release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu amid snowballing protests by farmers, the government on Wednesday said it was "inevitable" for it to comply with the Supreme Court order even though the state itself was facing "serious distress".

The Supreme Court would be moved seeking modification of its order to spare 15,000 cusecs of water for 10 days because of the difficulties in implementing it given that the live storage in four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin now was 46.7 TMC ft against their capacity of 104 TMC ft, the government said.

"It is inevitable for Karnataka to comply with the Supreme Court order in the interest of the state," top government sources said, adding, "constitutionally, it is not possible to defy it".

Officials confirmed that water was being let out since midnight last night, shortly after the all party meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who said the decision to obey the Supreme Court order has been taken with "a heavy heart" even though the state itself faced "severe distress".

The present live storage is 45 per cent against the live storage of 104 TMCFT in the Krishnaraja Sagar, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini reservoirs, the sources pointed out.

The legal and technical teams of Karnataka would work out the extent of change that the state should seek in the quantum of water release stipulated in the Supreme Court direction which asked Karnataka to provide 15,000 cusecs for 10 days.

The Cauvery Supervisory Committee, which has replaced the Cauvery River Authority to implement the order of the tribunal, would also be apprised of the difficulties.

Sources said the Supervisory Committee would visit both the riparian states to assess the "ground realities" and can adjust the current release of water against future releases.

Fending off the criticism of the legal team headed by Fali Nariman, the sources defended it, stating their advice on release was made so that the state succeeds when the main petition comes up for hearing before the court on October 18.

"It (main petition) is very important for the state. We have to succeed. The Supreme Court also asked Karnataka to live and let live. We cannot say no to it," the sources said.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai)'s consultation paper on voice over internet protocol (VoIP) has got wide-ranging responses from stakeholders. VoIP services are free internet-to-internet calls and cheap internet-to-phone calls. Incumbents have called the consultation process premature as VoIP is still in its nascent stage in India.
After getting tremendous response on Twitter, Uttar Pradesh Police is going to be the first state police force in the country to have its own Twitter-based grievances redressal service.

"DGP Javeed Ahmad and Twitter Vice President Rishi Jaitley and CEO Rahil Khurshid will launch the service from the state capital on Thursday," Additional Superintendent of Police, DGP office, Rahul Srivastava told PTI.



"UP will be the first state in the country, where Twitter will be used at all its police stations to redress grievances of people and to have better connect with them," Srivastava said, adding that earlier such service was launched in Bangalore but it was for limited area.

Twitter service has been launched by Centre for important departments like External Affairs, Railways and Commerce.

About the service, Srivastava said this is Twitter-based customer relation management platform in which through a software complaints would be forwarded to concerned districts a particular code will be generated for a complaint.

Through these codes, complaints will be later tracked, he said, adding, "It will also help command centre (in Lucknow) to know about the status of complaints on a click of a mouse."



With a view to have better connect with people and help them air their grievances and also to keep a tab on action taken by the police, DGP Javeed Ahmad had issued directives to all the police stations to open twitter accounts.

"The social media platform has become an important and effective tool to reach out to people and connect with them. Thus, it's need of the hour to adopt technology and use the platform," Ahmad said.

DGP has already asked district police chiefs to open twitter accounts in the name of the concerned district police and configure it with respective CUG mobiles of SPs.

"The updates of twitter thus will directly be monitored by the SPs and they will be able to feel the pulse of people and keep a tab on activities of their juniors too," the DGP said.

For uniformity, the district police have been asked to use design and header used by @Uppolice, which already has 45.9K followers.

The state police had last week organised a training session to familiarise the officials with social media and its benefits.
In a bizarre move just ahead of Bakri Eid, Haryana police is sniffing for in biryani, reports Times of India. The special task has been given by state government's Gau Sewa Ayog, to the police of Mewat, the only Muslim majority district of Haryana.
The Centre has decided the National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF) will manage a $2-billion fund for renewable energy. The NIIF would contribute $490 million to its corpus, an official said.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the April 1, 2017, deadline to roll out the goods and services tax (GST) was stiff, as there were a few hurdles ahead.


Indias harvest, which has been facing headwinds of late due to quarantine issues, could find a new market as Chinas plant quarantine and inspection body has agreed to undertake a survey of all the 19 rice mills registered with Indias National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO).
Government is reviewing FTAs that India has signed with trading partners after the industry voiced concerns about benefits of these pacts for domestic players.

Commerce and Industry Minister said many industry representatives have conveyed that free trade agreements (FTAs) signed earlier have not necessarily benefited Indian companies more.

She said one reason is inadequate awareness about those pacts.

"Our exporters have not had the opportunity to fully exploit the FTAs to their favour. As a result, many exports that could have happened to these countries (like Asean) have really not happened. That is one of the reasons," she said here at The Economist India Summit 2016 here.

"So, we are reviewing the FTAs, along with industry sectors. Industry is participating in it."

India has implemented these agreements with several countries, including Asean, Japan, Korea and Singapore. It is also negotiating similar pacts with several regions, including the European Union, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

For example, the domestic steel industry has time and again raised the issue of increasing imports from Japan and Korea and had demanded removal of this commodity from the purview of the FTA.

Talking about India's FTA with 10-nation bloc Asean, Sitharaman said the pact with this region was signed separately for goods and services.

Services is important for India as it contributes over 55 per cent to the country's GDP and unfortunately "India could not leverage its strength in services and get the benefits that could flow otherwise from the goods agreement (with Asean)".

India, the minister said, is negotiating in great detail the mega deal, Regional Comprehensive Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Asked about her recent meetings with the UK trade minister, she said Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox is keen to strengthen trade ties with India and India should have eventually an FTA with the UK.

"We have put in place a working group which will go into the details of this relationship in order to see where possibilities exist for furthering (trade ties)," she added.

She made it clear that FTA negotiations formally can happen only after the UK's exit from the EU.
The government on Wednesday said foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail trading cannot happen before farmers and retailers are provided enough resources to face market competition.
The sticking points between India and the US on an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, meant to replace refrigerant gases, remained largely unresolved during US Secretary of State John Kerrys recent visit to India. Meanwhile, the Indian government has moved to find domestic solutions using indigenous technology.
IDFC Bank, the newest lender in the country, is looking at an aggressive campaign to get individual depositors and lenders.
As many as 12 merchant have bid for stake sale by the government in various companies held through the Specified Undertaking of UTI (SUUTI).
As many as 88 retired US military generals and officials on Tuesday issued an open letter to bolster Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, praising his position on national security.

"For the past eight years, America's armed forces have been subjected to a series of ill-considered and debilitating budget cuts, policy choices and combat operations that have left the superb men and women in uniform less capable of performing their vital missions in the future than we require them to be," Xinhua news agency quoted the letter as saying.

"For this reason, we support and his commitment to rebuild our military, to secure our borders, to defeat our Islamic supremacist adversaries and restore law and order domestically," it announced.

"The 2016 election affords the American people an urgently needed opportunity to make a long-overdue course correction in our national security posture and policy," said the military figures in the letter.

In response, the Trump campaign called the endorsements a "great honour" in a statement.

"Under my administration, we will end the weak foreign policy of the last eight years, rebuild our military, give our troops clear rules of engagement and take care of our veterans when they come home," Trump claimed.

The letter comes days after a flow of endorsements from national intelligence, military figures and Republican national security experts for Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, who was the former Secretary of State during President Barack Obama's first term.

Recent polls show that the race between Trump and Clinton is tightening in the final push ahead of the general election in November.
Brazil's impeached president left the official presidential residence for the last time, flying to her coastal hometown as President Michel Temer jetted home from the G20 summit in China.

Symbolically marking the end of an era of 13 years in power for the leftist Workers' Party, Rousseff on Tuesday stepped out of the Alvorada Palace and into the blazing Brasilia sunshine, surrounded by some 100 supporters, former ministers and allied lawmakers.

Leaving the grounds, she got out of her car to greet supporters, who had scattered red and yellow flower petals at the entrance.

"I'm very sad, very sad, feeling like the country will be left a bit orphaned," said one supporter, 56-year-old retiree Cecilia Monteiro.

Rousseff, 68, then boarded an air force plane to the southern city of Porto Alegre, her adopted hometown, where more supporters were waiting.

Temer, her vice president turned nemesis, meanwhile arrived home from China and was expected to move into the presidential residence in the coming days.

Rousseff, Brazil's first woman president, was stripped of the presidency last week after a nine-month impeachment battle.

The Senate convicted her on charges of fudging the government's budget by taking unauthorised state loans. Unofficially, she was also taking the blame for a deep recession, friction with Congress and a massive corruption scandal that tainted much of the political establishment.

Temer, a centre-right political insider who broke his awkward alliance with Rousseff in March, has vowed to pass reforms to get the formerly booming economy back on track.

He will serve out the rest of Rousseff's term until elections in 2018.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is unfit and unqualified to be the president of the US, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton has said as she criticised his various policies.

"He (Trump) is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be president of the US," Clinton said at an election rally in Tampa where she unveiled a list of allegation against the Republican leader to buttress her point.

At a voter registration rally in Tampa, Clinton also criticised Trump's lack of policy proposals other than trillions in tax cuts to big corporations, millionaires and Wall Street money managers.

Highlighting the alleged dangerous vision for America of Trump, she said that his divisive policies would endanger the US at home and abroad.

Trump has no plan to combat ISIS and has frequently insulted US military, she said.

"His whole campaign has been one long insult to all those who have worn the uniform to protect our most cherished American values. And a man who is so wrong about our veterans isn't right to serve as our commander-in-chief," she said.

"As president, I have a very different vision. I will give our military everything they need when they're serving overseas. I will support them with care and the benefits that they need and deserve when they come back home, including job training and mental health care. I will work closely with our allies, not just to contain ISIS, but defeat them," Clinton said.

Clinton said her blueprint is building an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.

"We're going to make the biggest investment in new jobs since World War II. Infrastructure jobs like those here at the port. Our roads, our bridges, our tunnels, our ports, our airports, they need work and there are millions of jobs to be done," she said.

"And in addition to what you can see, what about our water systems, our sewer systems? We need a new modern electric grid to be able to take in clean, renewable energy that can then move us toward that future we seek," she added.

Islamic State (ISIS), she said, needs to be defeated.

"When it comes to fighting ISIS, he has been all over the map. You would have to literally map it out. He's talked about letting Syria become a free zone for ISIS. Look at the map, Donald. He's talked about sending in American ground troops. Not on my watch," she said.
Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton today intensified her call for rival Donald Trump to release his tax returns, accusing the billionaire of hiding something that might turn off voters.

Clinton had sharp words for the Republican nominee, saying Trump was "dead wrong" in saying that his tax returns were not the concern of everyday Americans, despite every major presidential nominee since Richard Nixon releasing their taxes before the election.

"I think it is a fundamental issue about him in this campaign that we're going to talk about in one way or another for the next 62 days, because he clearly has something to hide," Clinton told reporters on a campaign flight to Tampa, Florida.

"If he's going to pursue this campaign, he owes it to the American people to come clean and release those tax returns."

Trump's vice presidential running mate Mike Pence, the Governor of Indiana, said Sunday that he would release his own tax returns this week, but made it clear that Trump may keep his under wraps until after Election Day, November 8.

Trump has insisted that he will release his taxes, but only after the Internal Revenue Service completes its audit.

That federal agency has said Trump is free to release the returns whenever he wants.

The release of such returns has been a tradition of American presidential for a half-century, and Democrat Hillary Clinton and her running mate Tim Kaine have already released theirs.

Trump's failure to do so has fueled speculation that he fears some embarrassing revelation: perhaps that his fortune is far smaller than the $10 billion he speaks of, that he has donated far less to charities than he suggests, or that he has awkwardly close business ties to Russian interests and other foreign organisations and banks.

Clinton said there is a "growing" list of activities by Trump that raise questions about his behavior and judgment, citing his companies' bankruptcies and the many lawsuits against him.

She also pointed to the ongoing investigation of his Trump University, and the accusations that his foundation donated to a group close to Florida's attorney general as the official's staff was reviewing accusations that had been made against Trump's school in the suit.

And she highlighted a New York Times report that showed that companies owned by Trump owe some $650 million in debt, including to foreign banks.

"The list goes on and on: the scams, the frauds, the questionable relationships, the business activities that have stiffed workers," Clinton said.

Clinton also hammered Trump on his tax plan for America, telling a voter registration rally in Tampa that Trump was peddling "trillions in tax cuts" that would "explode the national debt" and help the one percent wealthiest elite while hurting everyone else.
Republican presidential candidate has said if elected in the November general elections, it would be a busy first day for him in the White House as he will be undoing the policies of previous government.

At an election rally in North Carolina yesterday, Trump said that he would spend the first day in the Oval Office in undoing the alleged dangerous policies of the current President Barack Obama.

This would range from suspending Syrian refugee resettlement, abolishing Obamacare, ordering renegotiation of NAFTA, eliminate Obama's executive orders and begin implementation of construction of wall.

"It's going to be a very busy first day," Trump said at an election rally in North Carolina. The change will begin my first day in office. First, we are going to eliminate every unconstitutional executive order and restore the rule of law to our land. Then, we are going to begin implementing plans for construction of a wall along our southern border. This will keep out the violent cartels and gangs, as well as their drugs that are poisoning our youth," he said.

"But that's just the beginning," he said adding that he will ask Congress to send him a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.

He will also instruct the Department of State to immediately suspend the Syrian refugee resettlement program and develop plans for the construction of a safe zone in the region, he said.

"I am also going to notify all countries that refuse to take back dangerous illegal immigrants who have committed crimes in this country that they will lose access to our visa programs if they continue to do so. This is the measure that is called for under current law, and I will enforce it," Trump said.

"Furthermore, I will direct every agency in government to begin identifying all wasteful job-killing regulations and they are going to be removed - this will include lifting the restrictions on American energy," he said.

"I will also notify our NAFTA partners of my intention to renegotiate the deal, and will withdraw from the TPP before it can be ratified. We are going to bring these jobs back to North Carolina," Trump said alleging that Hillary Clinton supported NAFTA, she supported China's entry into the World Trade Organization, and she supported the TPP.

"In a Trump Administration, we will negotiate trade deals on behalf of American workers - not on behalf of global corporations. We will work to ensure farmers in North Carolina have the tools they need to thrive at home and compete on a level playing field in foreign markets - and that means negotiating fair trade deals that put America First," he said.
Democratic presidential candidate Hilary Clinton is disqualified to seek the highest office in the US in the wake of new documents released by FBI in email corruption scandal, her rival Donlad Trump has said.

"The new revelations about from the just-released FBI documents make more clear than ever that she fails to meet the minimum standard for running for public office. If she applied for a low-level job at the State Department today she couldn't even get a security clearance," Trump said at an election rally in North Carolina.

"Her conduct is disqualifying," Trump said as he listed out his allegations against Clinton in the wake of the FBI report .

Emboldened by latest poll, which indicates that he has eliminated the popularity gap with the former Secretary of State, Trump said it is clear from the FBI report that lied about her handling of confidential information.

She repeatedly told the country that she understood the classified system, then she told the FBI she didn't understand that the letter "C" meant confidential in the documents she emailed, he said.

"On 39 separate occasions she said she couldn't recall details about her mishandling of classified information, and she couldn't even name one step she took to make sure foreign hackers couldn't get into her server. Keep in mind, that her insecure emails included emails about the drone program," Trump said.

"It's also clear from the FBI report that and her top aides knowingly destroyed evidence and covered-up their actions. After her private server was revealed last March, her staff deleted all the emails and wiped it clean using a software designed to prevent any recovery, called BleachBit," he said.

"They used hammers to destroy phones so they couldn't't be turned over later - and by the way, who uses 12 different phones in 4 years? The only people who use that many phones are usually involved in very, very shady activity," Trump said.

"People who have nothing to hide don't smash phones with hammers. People who have nothing to hide don't bleach their emails, or destroy evidence to keep it from being publicly archived as required under federal law," he said.

The billionaire from New York alleged that Clinton failed to turn over thousands of documents, then tried to shield her criminal conduct by having her chief-of-staff declare herself to be Hillary Clinton's private attorney.

"Hillary and her top aides told the FBI and others in related lawsuits that they couldn't recall or remember key facts hundreds of different times - and that's in addition to the guy who set up the server pleading the 5th. No one takes all the risks Hillary Clinton took unless they are trying to cover up massive crimes," he said.

"Hillary Clinton was using the State Department to dole out special favours and access to her friends and donors. It's called pay-for-play. One example of pay-for-play is what the Clinton's did in Haiti. But while Haiti has suffered, the Clintons and their pals have cashed in," he said.
Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday described as Pakistan's "jugular vein" and said Islamabad will continue to support the people of the Valley on the "diplomatic and ethical" fronts.

"We salute the great sacrifices of the people of for their right of self-determination. The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support on the diplomatic and ethical fronts," said the chief of army staff, addressing a ceremony held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi to mark the country's Defence Day.

General Raheel said Kashmir was Pakistan's "jugular vein" and praised people of the Valley for rendering "innumerable sacrifices".

The army chief asserted that "the defence of Pakistan is invincible".

"I want to make it clear to all the enemies that the defence of Pakistan already strong but now it has become invincible," he was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

On the challenges the country is facing, he said: "I want to make it clear that we are fully aware of all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of our enemies. Be the challenge military or diplomatic; on the borders or within the cities, we know our friends and foes all too well."

On Pakistan's ties with China, the army chief said the greatest example of a relationship based on mutual respect and principle of equality in the region is the Pak-China friendship.

"China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the paramount evidence of this relationship. I would like to assure that we shall not allow any external force to obstruct it and any such attempt will be dealt with iron hands," he said.

General Raheel said the Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists had achieved its objectives to confront terror, saying the armed forced will go to any limit to ensure Pakistan's security.

He praised the military, police and other law enforcement agencies for their "utmost efforts" to establish law and order in the country.

"There is a need to implement the National Action Plan and break the nexus between corruption and terrorism to fully consolidate the successes of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the entire country," he added.
Participation and exchange of young diplomats in various professional courses conducted by Foreign Services Institutes of countries should be encouraged, the second Young Diplomats Forum has recommended.

During the four-day forum held in the city, it was also recommended that the meeting should be made an annual event "in order to provide opportunities to young diplomats to foster excellent long-term functional relationships among nations".

The forum has also recognised the importance of digital technology and supported the use of joint official future digital platforms as tools for exchange of information and interaction.

"Youth exchange programmes must be supported in academia sports, science and technology as well as business. Regular interaction of young scholars and researchers working in the field of relations and its various dimensions should be encouraged," members of the BRICS Forum told reporters.

The Forum called upon the Diplomatic Training Institutes of BRICS nations to conduct foreign policy modules for the BRICS young diplomats to encourage better understanding of policies and cultural diversities, they said.

The Forum also welcomed the possible signing of a framework agreement between Diplomatic Academies of BRICS nations for sharing of expertise and experience.

"The signing would provide a platform for corporation between the Diplomatic Academies in an institutional manner and interaction among young diplomats," they stated.

Besides meeting senior ministers of the state government, the young diplomats participated in various programmes and met Speaker of the state Assembly.

India will host the two-day 8th Annual BRICS summit from October 15 in Goa with the participation of the heads of state or heads of government of the five-member states Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The United States has reaffirmed its strong support to Afghanistan following the deadly attacks in capital Kabul targeting a CARE NGO.

Deputy spokesperson of the US State Department Mark Toner condemned the attack.

"First of all, we strongly condemn the Taliban attacks on the ministry of defence yesterday in Afghanistan as well as today's attack against CARE International, which is an institution dedicated to helping Afghans build a better future," the Tolo News quoted Toner as saying.

On Monday afternoon, twin explosions took place outside the Ministry of Defence. The attack started off with a heavy explosion, which was thought to have been a car bomb. The gunfire took place throughout the night.

Toner also commended the courageous actions that were taken by the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in the aftermath of the attacks.

"They responded quickly and decisively to the incidents. And we'll - we're going to stand strong with our Afghan partners as they strive to improve citizen safety and security and work towards building a lasting peace in that nation," he said.

The Taliban militants group had claimed responsibility for the attacks, which rocked Kabul city.

Reports suggest that at least 41 people were killed and over 100 wounded in the first attack while one person was killed and six wounded in the overnight attack.
Welcoming India's growing role in the Asia-Pacific region, the US has said it will continue to work with other countries in the region for "addressing political and security challenges."

"We've elevated our ties with India across the board, and we welcome India's growing role in the Asia-Pacific,' Obama said in a major policy speech on Asia-Pacific region in Laos yesterday.

This is for the first time that a US President has visited Laos.

Obama said to keep the peace and deter aggression, the US has deployed more of its most advanced military capabilities to the region, including ships and aircraft to Singapore.

"And by the end of the decade, a majority of our Navy and Air Force fleets will be based out of the Pacific. And our allies and partners are collaborating more with each other as well. So our alliances and defence capabilities in the Asia Pacific are as strong as they've ever been," he said.

"We've also forged deeper ties with emerging economies and emerging powers. With Indonesia and Malaysia, we're promoting entrepreneurship. We're opposing violent extremism, and we're addressing environmental degradation," he said.

"With my recent visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, we've shown our commitment to fully normalising our relationship with Vietnam," Obama said.

"We've deepened our cooperation with regional institutions, especially here in Southeast Asia. And as part of our new strategic partnership with ASEAN, we've agreed to key principles, including that ASEAN will remain central to peace, prosperity and progress in the Asia Pacific," Obama said.

"The US is now part of the East Asia Summit, and together we've made it the leading forum in the region for addressing political and security challenges, including maritime security," he said.

Obama said the US has worked to build a constructive relationship with China.

"Our two governments continue to have serious differences in important areas. The US will remain unwavering in our support for universal human rights, but at the same time, we've shown that we can work together to advance mutual interests.

The US and China are engaged across more areas than ever before -- from preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, to our shared commitment to denuclearising the Korean Peninsula, to our historic leadership together on climate change," he said.

"So I will say it again: The United States welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful and stable and prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs, because we believe that will benefit all of us," he added.

"In other words, the US is more deeply engaged across the Asia Pacific than we have been in decades. Our position is stronger. And we've sent a clear message that, as a Pacific nation, we're here to stay. In good times and bad, you can count on the United States of America," Obama said.
The compensation package offered by foreign companies during the final placements of the 2016 batch of the flagship postgraduate programme (PGP) at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, (IIM-A) is up 39 per cent compared to last year. Referred to as the maximum earning potential (MEP), the highest international package offered this year stood at $153,568 against $110,284 a year ago.
Shares of were up nearly 2% after the construction major announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with University Grant Commission for the construction of new UGC Building Complex at JNU Campus, New Delhi.
The chief executive officer of Asia's largest vaccine maker said he will consider selling a stake to private equity investors as he hunts for acquisitions in preparation for a bout of consolidation to hit the industry over the next few years. Closely held vaccine maker Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. has the ability to raise as much as $3 billion through a combination of debt and equity, Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla said in an interview. He declined to say which companies he expects to come up for sale but added in an e-mail that no other vaccine firm in the developing ...
The Reserve Bank of India Annual Report offers some interesting data, which indicates credit disbursal patterns and more broadly, points to the sources of corporate funding. Overall, non-food credit offtake was pretty low in 2015-16, a continuation of the slow trends of the 2014-15 financial year.
The all-party delegation, chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, on Wednesday urged the Centre to take steps to ensure that education institutions, government offices and commercial establishments in the strife-torn the Kashmir Valley starts functioning normally.

Expressing serious concerns over the prevailing situation in the Valley, the delegation members opined that there should be no place for violence in the civilised society and asked the people of Kashmir valley to shun the path of violence.

"The delegation has appealed to the people of the state to shun the path of violence and resolve all issues through dialogue or discussion. The members have also asked the state government to take steps to ensure that educational institutions, government offices and commercial establishments start functioning normally. The government should take effective steps to ensure the security of citizens and provide medical treatment to the citizens and security personnel injured in the agitation," said Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh.

Singh further stated that the Home Minister is open to discussions with all stakeholders, who have anything to offer or give inputs to restore normalcy in the Valley.

Congress member and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, said that the Centre should formulate short term and long term policies to immediately restore normalcy in the Valley.

"We also asked the government to include those groups who have significant political presence in the state because without holding discussions or without their suggestions, we cannot move forward," Kharge said.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury asked the government to adopt dual-track policy for a permanent solution to the unrest.

He also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to start Indo-Pak dialogue during the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, which is going to take place in Islamabad in November.

"The Central Government should approach dual-track policy; one track should be focused on instilling confidence in the people and implement confidence building measure to weed out separatism. They should give assurances on five issues. One, there should be ban on pellet guns, it seems that an alternative to that, PAVA, shells have arrived and every day a batch is being sent in the state to withdraw from pellet guns. Two, they should provide proper rehabilitation, compensation to the victims of pellet guns. Three, if there is any allegation of excess use of force being implemented, they should investigate. Four, we asked the government to remove AFSPA from civilian areas and also give assurances in the regard. And, despite announcing employment schemes there has been no implementation at all, so announce some avenues to provide employment for Kashmiri youth," said Yechury.

"If the Prime Minister is going to SAARC summit, he should restart Indo-Pak dialogues," he added.

Ahead of the meeting, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag met the Home minister. Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi was also present during the meeting.

The development comes as Rajnath Singh yesterday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the situation in Kashmir after concluding his two-day visit to the state.

The Army Chief will visit Jammu and Kashmir later in the day to review the security situation in the valley.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stated that the Centre's purported decision to curtail funds provided to separatist leaders is in the right direction, as all are equal before the law.

"Everybody is equal in front of law, whether it is a political activist, a bureaucrat or anyone else. The Government of India must curtail their privileges like health, accommodation, foreign tours and security privileges," BJP State Secretary Er Ghulam Ali Khatana told ANI.

Responding to a question about the all-party delegation, Khatana said that the Government of India treats Kashmiris as their own people and they have every right to redress like any other Indian.

He further said, "The Prime Minister is following Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat," adding that the Kashmiris will understand the human approach of the government.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) chairman Harsh Dev Singh also extended support to the Centre's reported decision of curtailing privileges for .

"This is an appreciable move on the part of the government to curtail the facilities being provided to the and other Hurriyat leaders. We feel that they not only need to be curtailed but also need to be stopped altogether," said Singh.

He said that there is no reason to provide facilities to those who ferment trouble in Kashmir and support hate India campaign.

"Why should all these facilities of security, foreign trips, medical aid be provided to the people who are fermenting trouble in Kashmir and indulging in hate India campaign. This is highly unjustified. The Government of India should go ahead and withdraw all facilities at the earliest possible," he said.

Over question about the all-party meeting to be held on Wednesday to further discuss the course of action for Kashmir after Hurriyat leaders refused to talk to the all-party delegation, Singh said, "the report of all party delegation already having being submitted to the Prime Minister, we expect that something will come out."

"The Government of India needs to act immediately and appropriately to address and redress the crisis. We feel the meeting should be held immediately and concrete steps should be taken to bring back normalcy at the earliest," he added.

He said that already much loss of life has been suffered in Kashmir, so action is required as soon as possible.

"Already many lives have been, lost thousands have been injured and there is no improvement in the situation as on date. So the matter has got to be addressed on war footing and appropriate action taken at the earliest," he said.

Reportedly, the Centre is considering curtailing facilities like foreign trips, security and medical treatment, among other things, for in Kashmir, in a move to harden the government's stance against militants.

An all-party meeting will also be held on Wednesday to further discuss the course of action on the Kashmir issue.
Asserting that the all-party delegation represented the collective will of the Indian Parliament, the has asserted that by refusing to talk with the representatives, the Hurriyat has disregarded the collective will of the Parliament.

spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told ANI here, that the intention of the delegation was to heal the wounds, to understand the issues and to find amicable solutions.

"It's time for them (Hurriyat) to ponder that if they can talk to Pakistan and speak to then Pakistani High Commissioner, then why can't they look for a solution to the problems within the four corners of India's constitution? Because this is where the solution would be found, he said.

The all-party delegation will meet in the national capital on Wednesday and it will be chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh at 11 am in Parliament Annexe.

Rajnath on Tuesday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the two-day visit, which ended inconclusively as the Hurriyat refused to talk with the representatives.

Repelling the notion that the all-party delegation visit to Jammu And Kashmir was a "failure", the Home Minister had said the delegation will meet in Delhi to chalk out an action plan for the government on measures that it needed to take in future in Jammu and Kashmir.

The delegation was in Srinagar on Sunday and had visited Jammu before returning to Delhi.

Before winding up the visit, the Home Minister sent out a clear message to separatists, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral part of India. He, however, said as far as talks are concerned, doors are open to everyone who want peace and normalcy.

Divulging detail of the meeting in Jammu, the Home Minister said, "As many as 200 people comprising 18 delegations interacted with the all-party delegation. They expressed their concerns over the situation in Kashmir and were of the opinion that the problems in the Valley should be resolved at the earliest. Besides, they also merited the attention of the all-party delegation towards the problems of the Jammu region.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday filed chargesheet in special CBI court here against Hindu Janjagruti Samiti member Dr. Virendra Singh Tawde, in connection of noted rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case.

Tawde is has been accused of conspiracy and murder of Narendra Dabholkar.

He was arrested by CBI few months ago from Navi Mumbai near Mumbai, on the charge of Dabholkar murder case.

The Kolhapur police on September 2 took the custody Tawde from CBI to investigate his links in the murder of activist Govind Pansare murder, who was shot dead in 2015.

The appeal to hand over the Pansare murder case to CBI was rejected by Bombay High Court.

CBI also grilled Tawde's wife regarding the case but she was said that she knows nothing, as they are on the verge of getting separated.

Earlier, Dabholkar's son Hamid accused Tawde for conducting protests and conspiring against Dabholkar.

Meanwhile, Karnataka police is also investigating Tawde's involvement in scholar, rationalist and Sahitya Akademi Award winner M. M. Kalburgi murder case.

The police doubt that three of the case seems to be linked as they were murdered in the same way and was working for the same cause.

Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead on August 2013 while he was on a morning walk on the Omkareshwar bridge near the Balgandharva Rangamandir.

CBI took this case in May 2014 on the directions of the Bombay High Court.

Govind Pansare, known for his rationalist views, was shot also dead in Kolhapur on February 20, 2015.

His wife too was injured in the attack, while M. M. Kalburgi was shot dead on his doorstep in Dharwad on August 30, 2015.

All three - Kalburgi, Dabholkar and Pansare - had taken a strong stand against superstition and radical Hindutva forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the latest meeting that was called to review progress on the implementation of the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, reports suggest that the special security division for the protection of Chinese workers could not be deployed because provinces are yet to give the necessary authorisation for their deployment.

The provinces are said to be reluctant over some issues, which included seeing the geo-economic strategic initiative as a threat to their designs.

In the meeting chaired by the Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, officials of the National Highway Authority raised the issue of non-deployment of the Special Force on Thakot-Havelian project of the CPEC, reports the Express Tribune.

The officials added that one of the main issues that need to be addressed is whether the force's jurisdiction will be in the police station or the specific project area.

During the meeting, the interior secretary is said to have briefed those present that the provinces have not responded to the letters written to them on the rules of engagements of the armed forces in the execution of the CPEC projects.

Only Punjab is said to have responded to the letter, but a clear response wasn't given. It sought more clarifications on the matter.

The Planning and Development Minister said that one-week deadline has been given to Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to give a response to the Ministry of Interior.

He added that the committee also recommended Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call a meeting of the national steering committee on the CPEC.

Considered a part of China's One Belt, One Road initiative, CPEC, covers Balochistan and Sindh provinces and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In what looks like an honest remark, comedienne Amy Schumer has branded anyone who doesn't subscribe to feminism as "insane".

The TV star, in an interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis, branded women who dissent from the school of thought as ignorant. The show will air this evening, reports the Mirror.

"I think anyone who is not a feminist is an insane person," she declared. "I think they don't know what feminism means."

As opposed to how most of the female celebrity stars including Meryl Streep, Sarah Jessica Parker, PJ Harvey, Madonna, Bjork, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue and Katy Perry, argue feminism as a movement that frequently ignores men's issues, the 35-year-old 'Inside Amy Schumer' star strongly identifies with the word.

Schumer is currently in the UK as part of a standup comedy tour. The actress is reported to have said that she is also comfortable being described as both a feminist and a comedian.

"It just means equality for women. But I think that word has a whole different meaning for different people. So someone will say to me: 'You're not a feminist are you?'... Of course I am. Of course I want equal rights for women.... Feminism is just about women having social, political and economic equality," she said.

"I feel very comfortable speaking about myself as a comedian and a feminist because those are two things that I completely am. Those are two words that definitely define me," added Schumer.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Minister of State for Home Affairs on Wednesday hinted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, which believes in democracy, would very soon initiate action against the separatists attempting to divide the nation.

Disapproving the separatists snub to the all-party delegation, Ahir said that their behaviour was similar to the terrorists.

"Taking note of the perspective put forth by the Prime Minister for the nation's security, very soon a decision would be taken against them. Their security should be taken away. Their air service facility should be taken away," he added.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, however, said that it is yet to be decided as to what action would be taken against the separatists but stressed that the ruling dispensation's move would be as per the Constitution.

Ahir further said that the government has so far dealt with utmost patience while dealing with the separatists.

"But they are taking our patience as our weakness. We will prove that this is not our weakness and we're now geared up to take strict action against these separatists," he added.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is presently chairing a meeting of the all-party delegation, which visited Jammu and Kashmir recently to find a solution for restoring peace in the valley, in the national capital. The meeting is assessing the situation in Kashmir and will chalk out a future strategy.

Ahead of the meeting, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag met the Home Minister on Wednesday morning. Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi was also present during the meeting.

The development comes as Rajnath on Tuesday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the situation in Kashmir. The Home Minister had earlier expressed his displeasure over the decision of Kashmiri separatists to refuse talks with members of the all-party delegation, saying their behaviour defied the spirit of "Kashmiriyat" and "insaniyat". He said the "doors are wide open" for talks with anyone interested in peace and normalcy.

Ahir also condemned Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif's assertion that Islamabad would continue to support the people of the valley on the "diplomatic and ethical" fronts.

"We won't give any importance to what they speak. The Prime Minister did not name them but it is good that they understood that his assertion was directed at them.This is something not new as former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had used the same words on the international platforms," he said.

Making an intervention on terror financing at the last session of the recently held G20 Summit, Prime Minister Modi delivered a strong message on cracking down on terror emanating from Pakistan. "There are some nations that use terrorism as an instrument of state policy," he said.

"Indeed one single nation in South Asia is spreading these agents of terror in countries of our region," he added.
Terming the Hurriyat's move to not hold talks with the all-party delegation as 'unfortunate' and 'regrettable', the Congress gave out a clear message to "those seeking dismemberment of India", that any talks have to be held within the four corners of India's Constitution.

"It's unfortunate and regrettable because sincere attempts were made by the political parties when we debated this issue in both the houses of the parliament, twice in Rajya Sabha concerned over the developments in Kashmir , the turbulence, the violence hoping that reason will prevail, good sense will prevail," Congress leader Anand Sharma told ANI.

Asserting that Congress party insisted on all party delegation to go to Kashmir, he said that lack of response to not hold talks is unacceptable to India.

He insisted that youth of Kashmir valley return to mainstream and let normalcy be restored in the region.

"We were very clear and we remain very clear today that while we want our youth, our sons and daughters in the Kashmir valley to return to the mainstream, to make their lives, to make their stakeholder in future, to go to back to school, college and universities and let normalcy be restored," he added.

Sharma reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

"At the same time a clear message to those who seek dismemberment of India that any talks have to be within the four corners of India's constitution and also to remember that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh has acceded to India legally. They are integral part of this country," Sharma said.

Earlier, leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq shunned the offer to hold talks with the all-party delegation on Sunday that went to Srinagar, in a bid to hold meetings with all the stakeholders in the state.

However, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik met with the delegation.

With no meetings held with some separatists, an all-party meeting was held today in the capital to further discuss the course of action on the Kashmir issue.
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J. P. Nadda shall be leading the yoga session at the 69th session of the WHO Regional Committee of South-East Asia Region at Colombo today.

Carrying forward the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadda shall join Health Ministers of several nations in the yoga session, which will carry the message of the benefits of yoga across various nations.

Nadda is representing India at the 69th session of the WHO Regional Committee of South-East Asia Region at Colombo, where he has articulated the vision of Government of India in the area of universal healthcare and its roadmap for achieving the SDGs.

Nadda has highlighted the myriad achievements of the Health Ministry including Mission Indradhanush, MNTE and Yaws-free status of India in the various sessions at the meet.

Nadda also received the certificate for MNTE and Yaws-free India today. The certificates were presented by DG, WHO, Dr. Margaret Chan and DG, WHO-SEARO Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The all-party delegation, which visited Kashmir to find a solution for restoring peace in the Valley, will meet in New Delhi today and will be chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The all-party delegation will assess the situation in Kashmir and chalk out a future strategy.

Ahead of all party meeting, Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a crucial meeting in New Delhi yesterday, which was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP President Amit Shah, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and Party General Secretary Ram Madhav.

The meeting came close on the heels of Home Minister's return from Jammu and Kashmir after wrapping up his two day visit to troubled Kashmir.

Talking to reporters after the meeting Ram Madhav said, the meeting deliberated on the Kashmir situation and that future course of action will be decided after the all party meeting to be held today.

Yesterday, Home Minister briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in Kashmir and apprised him about the ground situation of the state assessed by the all-party delegation led by him.

Before winding up the visit in the Valley, the Home Minister sent out a clear message to separatists, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral part of India. He, however, said as far as talks are concerned, doors are open to everyone who want peace and normalcy.

Divulging detail of the meeting in Jammu, the Home Minister said, "As many as 200 people comprising 18 delegations interacted with the all-party delegation. They expressed their concerns over the situation in Kashmir and were of the opinion that the problems in the Valley should be resolved at the earliest. Besides, they also merited the attention of the all-party delegation towards the problems of the Jammu region."

Hurriyat leaders S.A.S. Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had refused to meet a group of the all-party delegation that went to Srinagar to hold meetings with all the stakeholders in the state.

However, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik met with the delegation.

The delegation was in Srinagar on Sunday and had visited Jammu before returning to Delhi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After chairing an all-party meeting on Wednesday on tackling the prolonged Kashmir unrest, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will meet President Pranab Mukherjee here.

The meeting will be held at 6 pm on Wednesday evening.

Rajnath will also be meeting Indian Army Chief Dalbir Singh and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi on Wednesday around 10: 15 am before meeting with the President.

This development comes after Rajnath briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday on the situation in Kashmir after returning from a two-day visit to the State.

"Briefed the Prime Minister on all-party delegation's visit to J&K and also apprised him of the situation in the State," Mr Singh said in a tweet after the meeting at the Prime Minister's residence.

The delegation concluded its visit on Monday with no breakthrough as the Hurriyat leaders refused to interact with the representatives.
New Delhi [India], Sept. 7 (ANI): St. Aloysius College in Mangaluru in coastal Karnataka is in the news for promulgating rules and regulations which restricts interaction between boys and girls in the college premises or in the town, besides restricting girls to leave the campus for afternoon food.

The new rule lays down that during breaks the girls should not visit the boys of other classes, and not apply mehendi except on the palm and not tie their hair in a high bun or low bun in the college premises. Most of the girls in the area have 'pigtails' which in Kannada is called 'Jaday'. So, there is restriction on their hairstyle too. The rule also says 'no-no' as far interaction between a single girl and a group of boys or a single boy and group of girls.

It amuses me to read about these new restrictions introduced in St. Aloysius College where I had done my intermediate course between 1947 and 1949. I was a little over 14 years old when I joined the college to attend what is now called 'plus two'. Of course, during those days St. Aloysius College did not admit girls.

St. Aloysius College is managed by the Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society. The college boasts of admitting students without discriminating against religion, caste, creed or gender.

Located on top of the Light House Hill in Mangalore, the college in the forties used to attract students from the present coastal Karnataka as also present coastal Kerala like Cannanore and Calicut which were, like Mangalore, part of old Madras Presidency. We used to be fluent in Kannada, Tulu and Konkani. Once we joined the college, we had to learn English as it was the medium of instruction.

For intermediate course, we had papers in English, Kannada, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. The classes were from ten in the morning till 1 and from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm. I remember that English was taught by V.N. Cyril and Algebra by Mr. Rasquinah and Geometry by Belle Bhujanga Rao. We also learnt Physics and Chemistry.

My classes used to be located on the second floor of the building, open to excellent breeze from the Arabian Sea shore. The seating used to be in alphabetical order and my seat was towards the end of the class. One day I managed to slip away from the class. In the next class, Mr. Cyril asked me to sit in the front row and on my either side two each of my classmates were accommodated. He challenged me to try and slip away from my class. That seating arrangement continued for succeeding English classes. There was no getting away from the strict discipline of the college.

Mr. Cyril later joined the Indian Postal Service and I used to interact with him when I was the Principal Information Officer and he was located in the Home Ministry. His son is now in the Doordarshan news.

The boys and girls rarely used to mingle those days in colleges or outside classes. Girls used to attend the St. Ann's Convent. The Government College in Mangaluru used to admit girls, but they sat in separate desks on one side of the room. Even libraries had separate sections. When dramas were staged, the boys used to dress as girls. During my graduation in Government Arts College, where co-education was allowed, the girls had separate desks and did not mix with the boys.

Our Principal, Prof Hashmi, chose me to play the part of Ophelia and Lady Macbeth in Shakespearean dramas. The only role that my girl college-mates were allowed was to give suggestions on my outfits including the requisite 'stuffing' I needed to give me a curvaceous female body!

Things have changed now; college going boys and girls intermingle both in the college and outside. Today there are many colleges in the district --- each taluka has one or two colleges. Even St. Aloysius College began admitting girls, but there are restrictions which have to be observed on interactions.

The Principal of Aloysius College, Fr Melvin M. Mendonca, has revealed this week that the restrictions against free interaction between girls and boys were announced during orientation programmes though not officially recorded in the college prospectus.

When asked for their reaction, some female students commented that they are okay "with the rules over make up as it does not go well with uniform" but "not allowing us for lunch in the afternoon is unfair. If boys can, why can't we" questioned a female student.

A Jesuit Roman Catholic Institution, St. Aloysius College, I feel will make efforts to continue with the restrictions. The last time I visited the college was about a decade ago, when I attended the annual get together along with another alumni of the institution, Mr. George Fernandes, who was the Defence Minister of India.

Looking back, the society in coastal district of South Kanara was considered cosmopolitan in outlook even in the forties. Some famous women scholars, social scientists and people who contributed to society from Mangalore include Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Dr Lalita Shastri and Padmavati Belle.

Mangalore is at once traditional and modern. St. Aloysius College will have to learn to change with the times.

[Mr. I. Ramamohan Rao is a former Principal Information Officer of the Government of India. He can be reached at raoramamohan@hotmail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday is set to hear the diesel vehicle ban case.

The tribunal had on July 18 asked the Delhi's transport authorities to cancel registration of diesel-fuelled vehicles that were older than 10 years.

Two days later, it asked the Delhi Government to first focus on vehicles older than 15 years.

The Centre was expected to oppose the tribunal's order to phase out more than 15 years old diesel vehicles in Delhi.

The Union Government had on July 29 challenged the NGT's order to phase out diesel vehicles, saying there was no legal provision for the move described by a carmaker as a "corporate death penalty".

The Supreme Court has also stopped registration of new diesel vehicles with engine capacity of 2000CC and above and ordered all diesel taxis to convert to compressed natural gas.

Vehicular emissions are among the main causes of air pollution and diesel one of the biggest contributors.
After the second alumni meet in Srinagar in May this year, NIT Srinagar has decided to establish the Delhi Chapter of the alumni connect.

The inauguration of this Delhi chapter will take place on September 17 at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The idea is to provide another strategic location and platform for its highly placed but geographically disbursed alumni to conveniently meet and contribute to their alma mater.

According to Rajat Gupta, Director, NIT Srinagar and Chief Patron of the alumni connect, the alumni have repeatedly expressed their desire to support fresh graduating students especially with training, placements and career counselling.

Yogesh Munjal, Managing Director, Munjal Showa Limited is the chief guest and K.K. Sharma IAS, Chief Secretary, Delhi Government is the guest of honour at the event.

During the half day event, Deepak Bhasin, Chairman of Alumni Connect Delhi Chapter confirmed that the alumni will also showcase their music and drama talents during the cultural evening.

Bhasin said that the Alumni membership is steadily growing and they are maintaining a database with active support of the institution.

It is interesting that the first ever Alumni meet was organised in May 2015 at Srinagar, 50 years after the first batch passed out in 1965.

The hugely successful event was inaugurated by Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra and attended by 300 alumni from various parts of India, U.S.A., Australia, Canada etc.

During that meet, the alumni had presented an ambulance to the institute and pledged monies for scholarships in addition to personal time to teach students on life and learning skills.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that his ministry did not receive any information that Chinese President Xi Jinping had postponed or cancelled the purported visit to the country.

"This is the issue we know nothing about. We will talk with the embassy officials about it," the Himalayan Times quoted Mahat as saying.

Earlier reports suggested that the Chinese President had postponed the visit citing lack of preparations on the Nepali side and a weak commitment for the One Belt One Road project.

"We do not know where they found the information from," he said, "I will also check it with my sources," Mahat added.

Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara had last month visited the northern neighbour as a special envoy of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and handed over Nepal's invitation to Xi on behalf of President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Mahara upon arrival from the trip said that Xi would pay a visit to Nepal soon.

The Nepal Government is expecting Xi's visit to the country in mid-October.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday arrived on a two-day visit to Vientiane to attend the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit.

Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted, "Greetings Vientiane! PM @narendramodi arrives in Laos for a packed 2 days of diplomacy"

"PM reaches Lao PDR to join ASEAN-India Summit & East Asia Summit," tweeted Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Besides attending the two Summits, Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of Japan, South Korea, Lao PDR and Myanmar.

In his pre-departure message, the Prime Minister said that ASEAN is a key partner for India's Act East Policy, which is vital for the economic development of country's north-eastern region.

In a Facebook post, he said strategic partnership with ASEAN is also important for safeguarding and promoting India's security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region.

Talking about the East Asia Summit, the Prime Minister said it is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region.

He also said India's ties with the countries of South East Asia are truly historic, adding the country's engagement and approach can be best encapsulated in just one word - connectivity.

"India wants to enhance physical and digital connectivity in the region, enhance people to people links and also strengthen institutional linkages and leverage the modern interconnected for the mutual benefit of the people in the region," he said.

The Prime Minister will attend the 11th East Asia Summit on Thursday.

India's engagement with ASEAN and the wider Asia Pacific Region has acquired further momentum following the enunciation of the Act East Policy by the Prime Minister.

Indian Ambassador to ASEAN, Suresh Kumar Reddy, told the media earlier that the ASEAN Summit is expected to set the agenda for further strengthening the ties which will help India to achieve its objectives for socio-economic growth.

Reddy further said the summit will provide valuable partners to India who can bring technology, resources and who can support Indian industries, adding the areas in which further cooperation between India and ASEAN countries are required are agriculture, climate change, non-traditional security areas, and cyber crimes and strengthening connectivity.

During the Summit, the leaders will review the progress of implementation of the ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Barack Obama will meet on Thursday on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos PDR.

The White House announced on Wednesday that the US President would meet PM Modi on Thursday afternoon in Vientiane, Laos.

Though the details of the meeting have not yet emerged, it is likely to be their last official engagement with President Obama's presidency set to end on January 20, 2017.

Prime Minister Modi reached Laos capital Vientiane today to attend ASEAN-India and East Asia Summit.

On the first day of his visit to Lao PDR, Prime Minister Modi met his Japanese Counterpart Shinzo Abe in Vientiane. The two leaders held discussions on making India-Japan ties stronger and more diverse, especially in the area of diversification of trade and investment ties.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in the meeting, progress of India-Japan Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement Negotiations, High-Speed rail project, Industrial Parks and cooperation in ship breaking were discussed. Swarup said the Prime Minister appreciated Japanese support in infrastructure development, technology upgradation and skill building.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Complying with a Supreme Court directive, the Karnataka government on Tuesday released water from the Cauvery to Tamil Nadu and will continue to do so for the next 10 days.

After an all-party meeting on the issue, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Tuesday evening that a decision had been taken that the state will release water as directed by the apex court.

He also said the state would approach the Supreme Court with a modification petition explaining its difficulties in implementing the court order, directing release of 15,000 cusecs per day to Tamil Nadu for next ten days.

He said they would seek change in it and also move the Cauvery Supervisory Committee.

Siddaramaiah added that all efforts would be made to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and other places as also for crops.

He appealed to farmers to maintain peace and tranquillity and not to cause any damage to public property.

Meanwhile, in Mandya, agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits have blocked Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway.

Tamil Nadu had moved court after Karnataka released far less water this year than was decided in 2007 by a court-appointed tribunal.

Meanwhile, TB Jaychandra, Karnataka Law Minister, has appealed to the public not to take law and order in their hands and to maintain peace.

"We know that the Supreme Court is the highest court in the country. We have to oblige to their orders. My appeal to public is not to resort to agitation and keep calm. They should cooperate with the state government," Jaychandra told ANI.

The apex court on Monday, directed the Karnataka government to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days to ameliorate the plight of farmers.

The apex court also directed Tamil Nadu to approach the supervisory committee within three days for the release of Cauvery water as per the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's (CWDT).


A day after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab observer Vijay Chauhan was accused of sexually exploiting his domestic help, Punjab Irrigation Minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon on Wednesday alleged that AAP people are not ordinary, and you will come to know gradually that they have links with such an agency, which is working to disintegrate the country, while demanding immediate investigation into the matter.

"AAP is involved in many scandals, every morning people in Punjab wake up to new scandal indulging AAP. Aam Aadmi Party people are not ordinary people.

Gradually, you will find their links with an agency, which is working to disintegrate the country. That is why the AAP members make videos of Lok Sabha and try to leak secret information," he added.

"Last week, a Delhi AAP minister was booked for being involved in a sex scandal, and now a Punjab APP leader has also been accused of sex scandal. The party has been caught in one or the other thing;- one day, they are caught taking bribe, while the other day, its ministers were being accused of sex scandal," added the SAD leader.

Dhillon further said, "Some of the AAP leaders have been involved in provoking religious beliefs in Sis Ganj gurdwara, and after demolishing a 'piao' (drinking water) somewhere, they are seen comparing the Harmandar Sahib with a broom. Besides, they are saying the water in Punjab should be supplied to Haryana."

"We support the poor and women, and demand immediate investigation be initiated," he said.

Earlier, AAP MLA Devender Sehrawat alleged that some AAP leaders in Punjab were sexually exploiting women.

AAP Barnala youth circle wing president Ravinder Singh Dhillon, grievances committee in-charge Ishar Singh Fauji and volunteer Makhan Singh Namol released an audio clip on Tuesday in which a ticket aspirant from Dhuri, Rajwant Singh Ghulli, was purportedly trying to convince a woman not to lodge rape charges against Chauhan.

In the clip, the woman was purportedly heard alleging that her "honour was compromised" and a male voice (allegedly of Ghulli) was telling her "not to spoil his chances." The volunteers alleged that the woman was later "paid off and sent to Amritsar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After issuing notices to the Delhi government and Municipal Corporations over the rising cases of Dengue and Chikungunya in the city, the Supreme Court today will hear a plea in the case, which accuses the state government of not being more vigilant.

The petitioner in the PIL has alleged that the concerned authorities have not been taking measures to prevent the disease and mosquito breeding despite 320 cases of Dengue reported in the year.

The plea also questions the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government as to why the sprinkling of medicines and fogging had not been carried out in affected areas.

Meanwhile, the municipal corporation has said in its weekly report that Delhi has recorded 284 new cases of dengue over the past week, in addition to 128 chikungunya cases.

With a 17-year old succumbing to dengue on July 21, the capital recorded its first casualty of 2016 to the vector-borne disease.

The deceased was identified as Farheen, who died at Lok Nayak Jaya Prakash Hospital at 1:46 a.m. where she was undergoing treatment.

Earlier, Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain said around 250-300 fever clinic corners would be set up in the hospitals, dispensaries and mohalla clinics by September.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sri Lanka off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake has been fined 30 per cent of his match fee for breaching the ICC code of conduct during the opening Twenty20 international against Australia in Pallekele last evening.

Senanayake was found to have breached Article 2.1.7 of the ICC code of conduct for players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his dismissal during an international match".

The incident happened in the fifth over of Australia's innings when Senanayake, after dismissing David Warner, made remarks which could have provoked a reaction from the Australia captain.

After the match, Senanayake admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Javagal Srinath of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC match referees. As such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

The charge had been laid by on-field umpires Ranmore Martinesz and Raveendra Wimalasiri, third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge and fourth umpire Deepal Gunawardene.

All Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of a warning/reprimand and/or the imposition of a fine of up to 50 per cent of the applicable match fee.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not resolving the Cauvery river issue, Congress leader Nagma vehemently said that the Centre should take a stand and resolve the issue at the earliest.

She said that Modiji should get out from his 'Mann ki Baat' and be more proactive in such issues and should also take some decisions. "While Rahul (Gandhi) ji has come to the surface and walked between people and talked to them, the PM is busy roaming around abroad," she told ANI.

"We stand by the people of Tamil Nadu and we'll definitely take this forward to our high command," she added.

She stated that the Karnataka Chief Minister is working as instructed by the Supreme Court. Since the case is sub judice, everyone needs to wait.

When asked about farmers seeking water from Karnataka on humanitarian grounds, she went into the past and talked about how they always did everything for the lower society when they were in power. But she didn't shy away from mentioning that if Karnataka gave water to Tamil Nadu, they will end up facing water shortage in their own state.

When the monsoon does not deliver to its full potential, neighbours turn foes in the Cauvery River basin in south India. The Cauvery riparian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are once again pitted against each other over the sharing of waters from the Cauvery river due to the weak monsoon that has left reservoirs in south Karnataka with less than the required amount of water.

According to Karnataka Law Minister T B Jayachandra, the reservoirs in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka has only about 51 TMC (thousand million cubic) of water at present, which is sufficient only for the drinking water needs of people in south Karnataka and not enough for release to Tamil Nadu.

With the Supreme Court directing the Karnataka government to release 15,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu in the next 10 days to meet the needs of the samba crop in Tamil Nadu, the Congress government in Karnataka finds itself in the same piquant situation as the BJP government did in the state in 2012.
Calling on Tamil Nadu to stop 'whining' over the Cauvery River, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday said that the state should instead desalinate sea water for drinking purpose as well as for irrigation.

"Tamil Nadu should stop whining about Cauvery River and instead desalinate sea water for drinking purpose as well as for irrigation," he said in a tweet.

The Karnataka government on Tuesday decided to abide by the Supreme Court directive to release 15,000 cuses of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 10 days.

However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reiterated that it was a distress year for the state and that Karnataka would approach the Supreme Court asking for a modification of the order.

Tamil Nadu had moved court after Karnataka released far less water this year than was decided in 2007 by a court-appointed tribunal.

Meanwhile, TB Jaychandra, Karnataka Law Minister, has appealed to the public not to take law and order in their hands and to maintain peace.

"We know that the Supreme Court is the highest court in the country. We have to oblige to their orders. My appeal to public is not to resort to agitation and keep calm. They should cooperate with the state government," Jaychandra told ANI.

The apex court on Monday, directed the Karnataka government to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days to ameliorate the plight of farmers.

The apex court also directed Tamil Nadu to approach the supervisory committee within three days for the release of Cauvery water as per the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's (CWDT).
The Uttar Pradesh police have today arrested the prime accused in connection with the attack on senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Brijpal Teotia and his convoy, who were fired upon by assailants.

The Police arrested Manoj from Uttar Pradesh's Muradnagar city.

Teotia and five others were shot at by unidentified assailants at Muradnagar in Ghaziabad on August 11. The assailants allegedly fired over 100 rounds of ammunition on his convoy.

Police have picked up large amounts of ammunition, including an AK-47 and two 9mm pistols from the crime scene.

Earlier during August, the Uttar Pradesh police had arrested four of the 12 people accused in the shootout at Teotia in Ghaziabad.

The remaining eight have been identified, the police said.

The BJP leader was returning to Ghaziabad after addressing a protest against the Bulandshahr gang-rape incident where mother-daughter duo were dragged out the car and were allegedly gangraped.

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Wipro Ltd. (NYSE

Headquartered in Oslo, NSB has extensive passenger transportation operations by way of the rail and bus, freight by rail, property management and development and train maintenance segments.

As part of the three-year agreement, Wipro will implement its Boundaryless Datacenter (BLDC) and LiVE Workspace solutions and utilize its next-generation delivery framework ServiceNXT to deliver services which will help NSB variablise their IT operations.

The proposed government-backed reforms in the Norwegian railway sector are expected to provide a fillip to the efficiency of the railways.

The Wipro-enabled back-bone of IT infrastructure services will enable NSB to achieve greater flexibility, scalability, cost efficiency and offer an enhanced end-user experience. It will also help the company become more future-ready and competitive, in keeping with the spirit of the reforms.

Trude stby Dahl, CIO, NSB Group, said, "This engagement is strategic to our continuity operations and we believe that Wipro is the best partner for us. With our Data Center and End User Support enabled by Wipro, we can drive cost reduction and efficiencies, and most importantly, bring about joint innovations to serve our customers better."

Carl-Henrik Hallstrom, Head of the Nordic Region, Wipro Limited said, "In order to keep pace with changes on the market, rising customer expectations and emerging technologies, enterprises must reinvent their traditional IT infrastructure and data center service capabilities. We are confident that Wipro's ServiceNXT framework offering will enable NSB to optimize, automate and manage its IT in an agile manner. Furthermore, this engagement reiterates our continued focus and investments in Norway and the Nordic region."

"We are delighted to partner with NSB in an engagement that will have a significant positive impact on the Norwegian transportation sector and the customer experience of millions of passengers. This is a prestigious engagement for us and we look forward to leveraging our transportation sector domain expertise, coupled with our deep infrastructure services capability and technology know-how," said Srini Pallia, President - Consumer Business, Wipro Limited.

NSB Group is a Nordic transportation group. Passenger transport by bus and rail and freight traffic by rail, property development and train maintenance are the main activities.

The bus operations in NSB Group are performed by fully owned subsidiary Nettbuss.

Passenger operations in NSB Group consist of NSB AS, with subsidiaries NSB Gjvikbanen AS and Tagkompaniet AB.

Freight: Freight operations in NSB are performed by CargoNet.

Real estate: ROM Eiendom AS develops, operates and maintains property.

Maintenance: Mantena AS operates the maintenance of rolling stock in Norway and Sweden

Tourism: The NSB Group is establishing a new area: Tourism. The will be based on the current tourism products Bergen Railway and Flam Railway. NSB has an ambition to take a leading position in the tourism market in the fjord segment in Norway.

Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better. Wipro delivers winning business outcomes through its deep industry experience and a 360-degree view of "Business through Technology." By combining digital strategy, customer-centric design, advanced analytics and product engineering approach, Wipro helps its clients create successful and adaptive businesses. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, Wipro has a dedicated workforce of over 170,000, serving clients across 6 continents. For more information, please visit www.wipro.com

Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements.

The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry.

Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.

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Bharat Forge rose 2.04% to Rs 889.30 at 12:20 IST on BSE after improvement in August orders for North America Class 8 trucks on month-on-month basis.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 32.04 points, or 0.11%, to 29,010.06.

On BSE, so far 2.16 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with average daily volume of 1.19 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 907 and a low of Rs 888.90 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,133.40 on 4 September 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 686.80 on 24 June 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past 30 days till 6 September 2016, rising 5.54% compared with 2.82% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 13.66% as against Sensex's 7.24% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 46.56 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

As per FTR release, preliminary North America Class 8 truck orders increased 34.62% to 14,000 units in August 2016 compared with 10,400 units sold in July 2016.

About 30% of Bharat Forge's revenue reportedly comes from North America truck market.

However, the Class 8 order activity for August was the weakest for that month since 2010 and down 35% in August 2016 over August 2015. Class 8 orders for the last twelve months have totaled 206,000 units.

Bharat Forge's net profit fell 37.7% to Rs 122.10 crore on 20.2% decline in net sales to Rs 888.76 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.

Bharat Forge is the flagship company of Kalyani Group. It is a global provider of high performance, innovative, safety & critical components and solutions to various industrial sectors including automotive, oil & gas, power, construction & mining, aerospace and rail & marine.

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Chennai Petroleum Corporation lost 0.82% to Rs 302.80 at 11:40 IST on BSE after net profit fell 49.25% to Rs 469.80 crore on 14.11% decline in total income from operations to Rs 9781.38 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.

The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 6 September 2016.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 31.95 points or 0.11% at 29,009.97.

On BSE, so far 3.90 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 3.17 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock was volatile. The stock rose as much as 2.19% at the day's high of Rs 312 so far during the day, which is a 52-week high for the counter. The stock lost as much as 3.19% at the day's low of Rs 295.55 so far during the day. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 6 September 2016, advancing 4.68% compared with 3.2% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, surging 54.39% as against Sensex's 8.22% rise.

The mid-cap company has equity capital of Rs 149 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

State-run public sector oil marketing firm Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) holds 51.89% stake in Chennai Petroleum Corporation as per the shareholding pattern as on 30 June 2016.

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Total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 5.9% in July 2016

Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global passenger traffic results for July showing an acceleration in demand growth over the previous five months. Total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 5.9%, compared to the same month last year, with all regions reporting growth. Monthly capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) increased by 6.0%, and load factor was 83.7% - just 0.1 percentage point below the record July high achieved in 2015.

"July saw demand strengthen, after a softening in June. Demand was stimulated by lower fares which, in turn, were supported by lower oil prices. And near record high load factors demonstrate that people want to travel. But, there are some important sub-plots to the narrative of strong demand. Long-haul travel to Europe, for example, suffered in the aftermath of a spate of terrorist attacks. And the mature domestic markets are seeing demand growth stall while Brazil and Russia contract," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO. July 2016 (% yoy) World share* RPK ASK PLF PLF(%-pt)# (level)$Total Market 100.00% 5.90% 6.00% -0.10% 83.70%Africa 2.20% 6.80% 5.30% 1.10% 72.70%Asia Pacific 31.50% 9.60% 8.20% 1.00% 81.20%Europe 26.70% 3.40% 3.60% -0.20% 86.50%Latin America 5.40% 2.90% 0.50% 2.00% 85.10%Middle East 9.40% 12.50% 15.10% -1.90% 78.60%North America 24.70% 2.80% 3.80% -0.90% 86.70%* % of industry RPKs in 2015, # Year-on-year change in load factor $ Load factor level

International Passenger Markets

July international passenger demand rose 7.1% compared to July 2015, which was an increase over the 5.0% yearly increase in June. Airlines in all regions recorded growth. Total capacity climbed 7.3%, causing load factor to slip 0.2% percentage points to 83.5%.

posted the strongest growth in July, with a 13.1% year-over-year increase; demand had dipped in June owing to the timing of Ramadan. Capacity rose 15.5%, causing load factor to drop 1.7 percentage points to 78.6%.July traffic rose 9.8% compared to the year-ago period. Capacity increased 8.6% and load factor climbed 0.9 percentage points to 81.7%. Reports suggest that Asian passengers are putting off traveling to Europe in favor of regional trips owing to terrorism fears: while traffic on Asia-Europe routes fell by 0.9% in June, international traffic within Asia rose 8.1%, which was a four-month high.saw July demand increased by 4.1% compared to a year ago, which was the slowest among the regions. Demand has been affected by the recent terrorist attacks as well as political instability in parts of the region: traffic has grown at an annualized rate of just 1.4% since March. Capacity climbed 4.7% and load factor dipped 0.5 percentage points to 86.7%, which was still the highest among regions.traffic climbed 4.8%, while capacity rose 5.1% with the result that load factor fell 0.3 percentage points to 86.1%. Seasonally adjusted volumes have risen at an annualized rate of more than 8% since March helped by transpacific and leisure traffic to Central America and the Caribbean.demand rose 7.5% compared to July 2015 as the upward trend in traffic resumed following a soft patch in the first quarter of 2016. Capacity increased by 4.2%, boosting load factor 2.6 percentage points to 85.3%.experienced a 7.4% increase in traffic compared to a year ago but this relates mainly to the strong upward trend in seasonally-adjusted traffic during the second half of 2015. Capacity rose 5.9%, and load factor climbed 1.0 percentage point to 72.4%, lowest among regions.

Domestic Passenger Markets

Domestic travel demand climbed 3.8% in July compared to July 2015, its slowest pace in 19 months. China and India are booming while more mature markets are stuck in neutral, and Brazil and Russia are sliding backwards. Domestic capacity climbed 3.7%, and load factor rose 0.1 percentage point to 84.0%.

Australia 1.10% 0.20% -1.60% 1.50% 81.10%Brazil 1.40% -6.80% -7.80% 1.00% 84.40%China P.R 8.40% 10.20% 9.70% 0.40% 82.10%Indian 1.20% 26.20% 20.50% 3.90% 84.50%Japan 1.20% 0.90% -0.80% 1.10% 66.70%Russia Fed. 1.30% -3.20% -7.50% 3.80% 87.30%US 15.40% 1.60% 3.10% -1.30% 87.20%* % of industry RPKs in 2015, # Year-on-year change in load factor $ Load factor level *Note: the seven domestic passenger markets for which broken-down data are available account for 30% of global total RPKs and approximately 82% of total domestic RPKs's traffic decline reflects not only the country's economic turmoil, but also the fact that, as airlines reduce services, options for travelers are being curtailed by fewer and less frequent air connections. August demand could see an uptick owing to the Olympics.domestic traffic has trended sideways for the past 18 months in line with underlying weak momentum in consumer spending. However, service reductions and shifts to smaller aircraft helped push up load factor 1.1 percentage points to 66.7%, an all-time July high.

"Passenger demand has broadly grown in line with the average of the past 10 years but the industry faces some potential headwinds, including lingering impacts from the series of terrorist attacks and the fragile economic backdrop. The environment in which aviation operates is dynamiceven volatile. Speed is of the essence. As an industry we must be prepared for rapid innovation in order to manage shocks and take advantage of opportunities as they arise," said de Juniac.

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Indoco Remedies was up 3.13% to Rs 331.35 at 14:18 IST on BSE after the company said that the US drug regulator issued six 483 observations after inspection at the company's Goa plant.

The announcement was made during trading hours today, 7 September 2016. Shares tumbled after this announcement. However, shares bounced back as the company added that all the observations are correctable and the company expects to complete the corrective and preventive actions within a period of 30 days.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 18.87 points, or 0.07%, to 28,996.89.

On BSE, so far 1.29 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with average daily volume of 6,341 shares in the past one quarter. Trading in the counter was volatile. The stock rose 12.15% at the day's high of Rs 360.35 so far during the day,which is also a 52-week high for the counter. The stock fell 7.53% at the day's low of Rs 297.10 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 244 on 25 February 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past 30 days till 6 September 2016, rising 3.31% compared with 2.82% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 13.47% as against Sensex's 7.24% rise.

The small-cap company has equity capital of Rs 18.43 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

Indoco Remedies said that US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) inspected the company's Goa plant II from 31 August 2016 to 4 September 2016. The injectable Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) filings triggered this inspection.

At the end of the inspection, six 483 observations were issued. All the observations are correctable and the company expects to complete the corrective and preventive actions within a period of 30 days. None of the 483s are related to data integrity issue, the company said.

An FDA Form 483 is issued to a firm at the conclusion of an inspection when an investigator has observed any conditions that in their judgement may constitute violations of the Food Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act and related Acts.

Net profit of Indoco Remedies declined 4.95% to Rs 19.79 crore on 15.79% rise in net sales to Rs 252.72 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.

Indoco Remedies is a fully integrated, research-oriented pharma vompany with presence in 55 countries.

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Key benchmark indices regained positive zone in mid-morning trade. At 11:16 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 20.46 points or 0.07% at 28,998.48. The Nifty 50 index was currently up 2.75 points or 0.03% at 8,945.75. The Sensex was currently trading a tad below the psychologically important 29,000 mark. The barometer index has alternately moved above and below that level in intraday trade so far.

The Sensex gained 89.82 points or 0.31% at the day's high of 29,067.84 in early trade, its highest level since 15 April 2015. The barometer index fell 49.92 points or 0.17% at the day's low of 28,928.10 in morning trade. The Nifty rose 25.70 points or 0.29% at the day's high of 8,968.70 in early trade, its highest level since 4 March 2015. The Nifty fell 23.40 points or 0.26% at the day's low of 8,919.60 in morning trade.

Meanwhile, data released by the stock exchanges showed that foreign funds made substantial purchases of Indian stocks yesterday, 6 September 2016. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1438.72 crore yesterday, 6 September 2016, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges.

In overseas stock markets, most Asian stocks were trading higher on reduced likelihood of an imminent interest-rate increase by the Federal Reserve, after data showed that US service-sector activity fell to a six-year low in August. US stocks closed higher yesterday, 6 September 2016, after surprisingly weak US services sector activity data lowered the chances the Federal Reserve will hike rates this month. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) yesterday, 6 September 2016, said its non-manufacturing purchasers manager index (PMI) index fell to 51.4 in August from 55.5 in July.

Closer home, the market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,284 shares rose and 963 shares declined. A total of 116 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.12%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.62%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

IT stocks rose. HCL Technologies (up 1.97%), TCS (up 0.14%), Infosys (up 0.64%), Tech Mahindra (up 0.47%), Hexaware Technologies (up 3.83%) and MphasiS (up 0.69%) rose. Oracle Financial Services Software (down 0.32%) and MindTree (down 0.55%) fell.

Wipro rose 0.86% after the company announced that it has won an IT contract from Norway's NSB Group, one of Norway's largest transportation groups. Headquartered in Oslo, NSB has extensive passenger transportation operations by way of the rail and bus, freight by rail, property management and development and train maintenance segments. As part of the three-year agreement, Wipro will implement its Boundaryless Datacenter (BLDC) and LiVE Workspace solutions and utilize its next-generation delivery framework ServiceNXT to deliver services which will help NSB variablise their IT operations. The proposed government-backed reforms in the Norwegian railway sector are expected to provide a fillip to the efficiency of the railways. The Wipro-enabled back-bone of IT infrastructure services will enable NSB to achieve greater flexibility, scalability, cost efficiency and offer an enhanced end-user experience.

Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) lost 2.1% after the company said India Ratings and Research has downgraded its Long-Term Issuer rating on the company to 'IND AA+' from 'IND AAA'. The announcement was made during trading hours today, 7 September 2016. Bhel said that India Ratings and Research has, simultaneously, removed all ratings from Rating Watch Negative (RWN) and a Negative Outlook has been assigned to all Long-term ratings. The removal of RWN follows the completion of the ongoing evaluation of Bhel's key business parameters. According to statement issued by India Ratings and Research, decline in Bhel's revenue for the period from FY 2013 to FY 2016, slow moving projects in the company's order book, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) margins turning negative and high debtors days led to downgrade of the company's ratings.

NBCC (India) rose 1.94% after the company said it secured contract worth approximately Rs 270 crore from University Grants Commission (UGC) for construction of new UGC building complex at JNU Campus, New Delhi. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 September 2016.

Realty stocks gained. DLF (up 1.43%), Indiabulls Real Estate (up 1.31%), Housing Development and Infrastructure (up 1.73%), D B Realty (up 1.32%), Unitech (up 14.53%), Godrej Properties (up 0.37%), Sunteck Realty (up 4.16%), Hubtown (up 1.14%) and Parsvnath Developers (up 1.19%) gained. Oberoi Realty (down 0.64%), Sobha (down 0.09%) and Prestige Estates Projects (down 1.38%) fell.

Jindal Poly Films lost 4.13% after consolidated net profit fell 39.3% to Rs 98.84 crore on 7.9% decline in net sales to Rs 1777.03 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 6 September 2016.

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Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could gain 24 points at the opening bell.

In overseas stock markets, most Asian stocks rose after surprisingly weak US services sector activity lowered the chances the Federal Reserve will hike rates this month. US stocks closed higher yesterday, 6 September 2016 as the odds of a September rate hike were lowered. Data released yesterday, 6 September 2016 showed the US Institute for Supply Management (ISM) non-manufacturing purchasers manager index (PMI) index fell to 51.4 in August from 55.5 in July. While levels above 50 still indicate expansion, it was the lowest reading since February 2010.

Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1438.72 crore yesterday, 6 September 2016, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 268.21 crore yesterday, 6 September 2016, as per provisional data.

TCS announced that it has unveiled new unemployment insurance system for the State of Mississippi. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 September 2016. TCS announced that the Mississippi, Rhode Island and Maine (MRM) Consortium has gone live with the TCS developed Unemployment Insurance (UI) Application for Benefits. Mississippi began implementation of the UI solution prior to the formation of the consortium, while the states of Maine and Rhode Island plan to adopt the solution in the near future. Mississippi's Unemployment Insurance program helps unemployed individuals throughout the state by providing monetary benefits to those who have involuntarily lost their jobs, while they look for new employment opportunities.

TCS has been helping several US states to modernize their systems that support unemployment insurance programs. TCS developed solution is a robust and highly scalable platform with the ability to easily control multiple functional requirements, such as support for online claims processing, adjudication, appeals and extensive tracking of all claims and payments.

Tata Motors in a press release issued yesterday, 6 September 2016 said it has received orders for supply of over 5,000 buses from 25 state/city transport undertakings across the country. This represents a healthy growth of over 80% plus compared to last year in the order book position of the company, Tata Motors said. Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors said that the company plans to execute these orders in the current financial year (FY 2017). The orders will definitely enable the company to further strengthen its leadership position in the commercial vehicles (CV) passenger space, Pisharody added.

Lupin announced at the fag end of the trading session yesterday, 6 September 2016 that it has received tentative approval for its Silodosin Capsules, 4 mg and 8 mg from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market a generic version of Allergan Sales, LLC's Rapaflo Capsules, 4 mg and 8 mg. Lupin's Silodosin Capsules, 4 mg and 8 mg are the AB rated generic equivalent of Allergan Sales, LLC's Rapaflo Capsules, 4 mg and 8 mg. It is indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Rapaflo had US annual sales of $228.7 million as per IMS MAT June 2016 data.

Tata Power Company turns ex-dividend today, 7 September 2016, for dividend of Rs 1.30 per share for the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY 2016).

Grasim Industries turns ex-dividend today, 7 September 2016, for dividend of Rs 22.50 per share for FY 2016.

Gains in auto, banking stocks and index heavyweights Infosys and HDFC triggered strong gains on key benchmark indices on the first trading session of the week yesterday, 6 September 2016 after resuming trade due to holiday yesterday, 5 September 2016. The Sensex jumped 445.91 points or 1.56% to settle at 28,978.02, its highest closing level since 13 April 2015.

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Extending strong gains from the previous session, the key benchmark indices drifted higher in early trade with the barometer index the S&P BSE Sensex hitting intraday high above the psychological 29,000 mark. At 9:21 IST, the Sensex was up 85.56 points or 0.3% at 29,063.58. The Nifty 50 index was currently up 17.95 points or 0.2% at 8,960.95.

In overseas stock markets, Asian stocks were trading on a mixed note. US stocks closed higher yesterday, 6 September 2016 as the odds of a September rate hike were lowered. Data released yesterday, 6 September 2016 showed the US Institute for Supply Management (ISM) non-manufacturing purchasers manager index (PMI) index fell to 51.4 in August from 55.5 in July. While levels above 50 still indicate expansion, it was the lowest reading since February 2010.

Closer home, the market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was strong. On BSE, 886 shares rose and 290 shares declined. A total of 50 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.34%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.5%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

TCS rose 0.04% after the company announced that it has unveiled new unemployment insurance system for the State of Mississippi. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 September 2016. TCS announced that the Mississippi, Rhode Island and Maine (MRM) Consortium has gone live with the TCS developed Unemployment Insurance (UI) Application for Benefits. Mississippi began implementation of the UI solution prior to the formation of the consortium, while the states of Maine and Rhode Island plan to adopt the solution in the near future. Mississippi's Unemployment Insurance program helps unemployed individuals throughout the state by providing monetary benefits to those who have involuntarily lost their jobs, while they look for new employment opportunities.

TCS has been helping several US states to modernize their systems that support unemployment insurance programs. TCS developed solution is a robust and highly scalable platform with the ability to easily control multiple functional requirements, such as support for online claims processing, adjudication, appeals and extensive tracking of all claims and payments.

Tata Motors shed 0.27%. The company in a press release issued yesterday, 6 September 2016 said it has received orders for supply of over 5,000 buses from 25 state/city transport undertakings across the country. This represents a healthy growth of over 80% plus compared to last year in the order book position of the company, Tata Motors said. Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors said that the company plans to execute these orders in the current financial year (FY 2017). The orders will definitely enable the company to further strengthen its leadership position in the commercial vehicles (CV) passenger space, Pisharody added.

Lupin rose 0.88% after the company announced at the fag end of the trading session yesterday, 6 September 2016 that it has received tentative approval for its Silodosin Capsules, 4 mg and 8 mg from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market a generic version of Allergan Sales, LLC's Rapaflo Capsules, 4 mg and 8 mg. Lupin's Silodosin Capsules, 4 mg and 8 mg are the AB rated generic equivalent of Allergan Sales, LLC's Rapaflo Capsules, 4 mg and 8 mg. It is indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Rapaflo had US annual sales of $228.7 million as per IMS MAT June 2016 data.

Grasim Industries shed 0.29% to Rs 4,694 after the stock turned ex-dividend today, 7 September 2016, for dividend of Rs 22.50 per share for FY 2016.

Tata Power Company slipped 0.89% to Rs 77.70 after the stock turned ex-dividend today, 7 September 2016, for dividend of Rs 1.30 per share for the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY 2016).

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Volatility struck bourses in morning trade as the key benchmark indices reversed initial gains. At 10:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was off 19.63 points or 0.07% at 28,958.39. The losses for the Nifty 50 index were higher in percentage terms than those for the Sensex. The Nifty was currently off 16.05 points or 0.18% at 8,926.95. The Sensex was currently trading below the psychological 29,000 mark after hitting an intraday high above that level in early trade.

The Sensex fell 49.92 points or 0.17% at the day's low of 28,928.10 in morning trade. The barometer index gained 89.82 points or 0.31% at the day's high of 29,067.84 in early trade, its highest level since 15 April 2015. The Nifty fell 23.40 points or 0.26% at the day's low of 8,919.60 in morning trade. The index rose 25.70 points or 0.29% at the day's high of 8,968.70 in early trade, its highest level since 4 March 2015.

Meanwhile, data released by the stock exchanges showed that foreign funds made substantial purchases of Indian stocks yesterday, 6 September 2016. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1438.72 crore yesterday, 6 September 2016, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges.

In overseas stock markets, Asian stocks were trading on a mixed note. US stocks closed higher yesterday, 6 September 2016, after surprisingly weak US services sector activity data lowered the chances the Federal Reserve will hike rates this month. Data released yesterday, 6 September 2016 showed the US Institute for Supply Management (ISM) non-manufacturing purchasers manager index (PMI) index fell to 51.4 in August from 55.5 in July. While levels above 50 still indicate expansion, it was the lowest reading since February 2010.

Closer home, the market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,100 shares rose and 899 shares declined. A total of 85 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.03%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.4%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

Wipro rose 0.88% to Rs 487.05 after the company announced that it has won an IT contract from Norway's NSB Group, one of Norway's largest transportation groups. Headquartered in Oslo, NSB has extensive passenger transportation operations by way of the rail and bus, freight by rail, property management and development and train maintenance segments. As part of the three-year agreement, Wipro will implement its Boundaryless Datacenter (BLDC) and LiVE Workspace solutions and utilize its next-generation delivery framework ServiceNXT to deliver services which will help NSB variablise their IT operations. The proposed government-backed reforms in the Norwegian railway sector are expected to provide a fillip to the efficiency of the railways. The Wipro-enabled back-bone of IT infrastructure services will enable NSB to achieve greater flexibility, scalability, cost efficiency and offer an enhanced end-user experience.

Metal and mining stocks rose as copper prices rose in global commodity markets. Vedanta (up 2.41%), JSW Steel (up 0.12%), Tata Steel (up 1.92%), Steel Authority of India (Sail) (up 1.65%), National Aluminium Company (up 0.21%), Jindal Steel & Power (up 2.72%), Hindalco Industries (up 1.29%), NMDC (up 0.75%) and Hindustan Copper (up 0.38%) edged higher. Hindustan Zinc fell 0.51%.

Copper edged higher in the global commodities market. High Grade Copper for December 2016 delivery was currently up 0.86% at $2.107 per pound on the COMEX.

Cement stocks fell. Ambuja Cements (down 0.11%), ACC (down 0.28%) and Shree Cement (down 1.23%) declined. UltraTech Cement rose 0.2%.

Grasim Industries was off 0.8% at Rs 4,670 as the stock turned ex-dividend today, 7 September 2016, for dividend of Rs 22.50 per share for FY 2016. Before turning ex-dividend, the stock offered a dividend yield of 0.47% based on its closing price of Rs 4,707.50 on the BSE yesterday, 6 September 2016. Grasim has exposure to the cement sector through its holding in UltraTech Cement.

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Syngene International rose 2.70% to Rs 485.10 at 9:31 IST on BSE after the company announced the establishment of an integrated, multi-disciplinary drug discovery and development center for Amgen, Inc in Bangalore, India.

The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 September 2016.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 24.83 points, or 0.09%, to 28,953.19.

On BSE, so far 8,396 shares were traded in the counter, compared with average daily volume of 26,251 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 494.05 and a low of Rs 477.90 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 486 on 31 August 2016. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 315 on 23 September 2015. The stock had outperformed the market over the past 30 days till 6 September 2016, rising 12.76% compared with 2.82% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 23.25% as against Sensex's 7.24% rise.

The mid-cap company has equity capital of Rs 200 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

This center, named Syngene Amgen Research and Development Center (SARC), will be Syngene's fourth such exclusive R&D center. Syngene already operates dedicated R&D centers for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbott Nutrition and Baxter Inc. The state-of-the-art dedicated center will be staffed by a team of more than 100 highly qualified Syngene scientists, working in close association with Amgen researchers around the world on the discovery and development of innovative medicines.

In addition to being customized to meet Amgen's functional requirements, the facility complies with the highest regulatory standards. Its design includes a range of environmentally-friendly features and flexible layouts, and is configured to minimize solvent and effluent waste with a strong emphasis on laboratory safety and green chemistry. Syngene has partnered with Amgen in a variety of discovery and development projects. With the establishment of SARC, this association now extends into a multi-discipline collaboration spanning capabilities in medicinal and process chemistry, biologics, bioprocess, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, bioanalytical research, and pharmaceutical development.

Net profit of Syngene International rose 28.33% to Rs 59.80 crore on 17.92% rise in net sales to Rs 269.20 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.

Promoted by Biocon, Syngene International is a leading India-based contract research organization (CRO) offering a suite of integrated and end-to-end discovery and development services for novel molecular entities (NMEs) across industrial sectors. Biocon holds 74.55% stake in Syngene, as per the shareholding pattern as on 30 June 2016.

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Tata Motors rose 0.42% to Rs 591.85 at 9:25 IST on BSE after the company said it has secured orders for supply of over 5,000 buses from 25 state/city transport undertakings across the country.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 42.85 points or 0.15% at 29,020.87.

On BSE, so far 1.17 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 9.62 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 594.50 so far during the day, which is a 52-week high for the counter. The stock hit a low of Rs 584.50 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 266 on 11 February 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 6 September 2016, advancing 14.14% compared with 3.2% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 27.91% as against Sensex's 8.22% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 577.44 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

Tata Motors in a press release issued after market hours yesterday, 6 September 2016 said it has received orders for supply of over 5,000 buses from 25 state/city transport undertakings across the country. This represents a healthy growth of over 80% plus compared to last year in the order book position of the company, Tata Motors said. Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors said that the company plans to execute these orders in the current financial year (FY 2017). The orders will definitely enable the company to further strengthen its leadership position in the commercial vehicles (CV) passenger space, Pisharody added.

Shares of Tata Motors were on a roll. The stock rallied 19.86% in eight trading sessions at its ruling price of Rs 591.85, from its close of Rs 493.75 on 25 August 2016.

Tata Motors' consolidated net profit declined 57% to Rs 2260.40 crore on 10.1% rise in net sales to Rs 64940.12 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.

Tata Motors is a market leader in commercial vehicles in India. The company's British unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) sells premium luxury cars.

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Wipro rose 0.66% to Rs 486 at 9:51 IST on BSE after the company announced that it has won an IT contract from Norway's NSB Group.

The announcement was made before trading hours today, 7 September 2016.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was almost flat at 28,978.08.

On BSE, so far 23,000 shares were traded in the counter, compared with average daily volume of 3.58 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 488.80 and a low of Rs 483.60 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 613 on 1 October 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 476 on 29 August 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past 30 days till 6 September 2016, sliding 12.07% compared with 2.82% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, falling 11.21% as against Sensex's 7.24% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 486.16 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

Wipro has won the IT contract from NSB Group, one of Norway's largest transportation groups. Headquartered in Oslo, NSB has extensive passenger transportation operations by way of the rail and bus, freight by rail, property management and development and train maintenance segments.

As part of the three-year agreement, Wipro will implement its Boundaryless Datacenter (BLDC) and LiVE Workspace solutions and utilize its next-generation delivery framework ServiceNXT to deliver services which will help NSB variablise their IT operations.

The proposed government-backed reforms in the Norwegian railway sector are expected to provide a fillip to the efficiency of the railways. The Wipro-enabled back-bone of IT infrastructure services will enable NSB to achieve greater flexibility, scalability, cost efficiency and offer an enhanced end-user experience.

On consolidated basis, Wipro's net profit fell 8.32% to Rs 2051.90 crore on 0.32% decline in net sales to Rs 13697.60 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q4 March 2016.

Wipro is a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better.

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At least 14 persons were killed on Wednesday in bombing of the Syrian town of Tadaf, controlled by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, in Aleppo province, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR).

SOHR said unidentified warplanes targeted the town, located southeast of the city of al-Bab, the main stronghold of the jihadis in Aleppo, Efe news reported.

A source added that the attack injured dozens, including women and children.

The bombings were carried out by Syrian and Russian aircraft, as well as Turkish and the US-led international coalition.

--IANS

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Tanzania to sign 400 MW power purchase deal with Ethiopia

Tanzania is set to sign a 400 megawatts power purchase agreement with Ethiopia which will cater to the countrys and regions power needs in the next 25 years.

The signing will be preceded by a meeting of 10 member states who form the Eastern Africa Power Pool. These states are Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eritrea and Tanzania.

"The Eastern Africa Power Pool has attained a new development as Tanzania works on the final details before signing the power transmission agreement with Ethiopia," said Felchesmi Mramba, Managing Director of state-owned Tanzania Electric Supply Company,

Mramba further added that the agreement will be followed by installation of power generation and transmission facilities that will not only foster economic integration but also cater for the region's power needs for the next 25 years.

"The Eastern Africa Power Pool project aims at enabling the East African Community (EAC) member states to identify sources of cheap electricity for increased power interchanges," said Mramba.

Ethiopia has made progress in hydro-power generation and also endowed with abundant renewable energy resources. Currently, Ethiopia generates 6,000 megawatts of power that can be accessible to neighbouring states.

Ethiopia has been exporting electricity to neighboring countries like Djibouti and Sudan, and the transmission line to Kenya is under construction. Burundi and Rwanda have also shown interest to import energy from Ethiopia.

www.tanesco.co.tz

www.eep.gov.et
Four workers died in a subway tunnel collapse in Iran's capital Tehran on Wednesday, official IRNA news agency reported early on Thursday.

Three Iranians and one Afghani citizen are among the dead workers who were busy doing construction activities in Kianshahr metro station in the capital, Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying.

In the accident that took place at 17.45 local time (1515 GMT), six other workers were injured, Morteza Moradipoor, deputy of Rescue Operation of Tehran's Red Crescent Society, told semi-official ISNA news agency.

The cause of the accident is unknown so far; but the investigations are underway and the results will be announced soon, according to the news reports.

--IANS

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A US judge on Tuesday set June 5 as the date on which comedian Bill Cosby will go to trial for sexual assault.

His accuser in this first trial is Andrea Constand, one of the more than 50 women who have come forward to accuse the comic of sexual assault, claiming that he attacked her in 2004, EFE news reported.

Judge Elizabeth McHugh, presiding in a court in Norristown, Pennsylvania, announced the trial date on Tuesday at the close of a preliminary hearing at which Cosby was present.

The 79-year-old actor -- much beloved nationwide before allegations of rape and sexual assault began to surface against him -- will face three counts of aggravated sexual assault, and if convicted he could face up to 10 years in prison, according to several Pennsylvania legal experts.

Cosby arrived at the Norristown court wearing a light grey suit amid a hubbub of media attention, with dozens of television cameras focusing on him.

In May, Judge McHugh opened legal proceedings against Cosby because she said sufficient evidence existed to place him on trial for drugging and molesting Andrea Constand in 2004 at his Philadelphia-area home.

Cosby, the star of the hugely successful sitcom "The Cosby Show", and other TV programmes, on several occasions has denied the accusations of sexual abuse and says that his sexual relationship with Constand was consensual.

Constand, now 43 and living in Canada, was not present at the preliminary hearings for the trial and a detective read in court the testimony she gave to police 11 years ago.

In that statement, Constand claimed that one evening in early 2004, Cosby drugged and raped her at his mansion in Chelteham, Pennsylvania, a pattern of behaviour that dozens of other women have said they experienced at the actor's hands, EFE news added.

Cosby's attorneys denounced the fact that prosecutors have not called Constand anew to testify so that they may cross-examine her, a request that the magistrate has previously denied.

The complaints of sexual abuse against Cosby date back to the 1960s, although those happened too long ago to allow him to be brought to trial on them, but Constand's case could be crucial in providing substantiation for sexual assaults allegedly suffered by dozens of women over several decades.

--IANS

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Veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, who is planning to make a biopic on well-known Indian biochemist Yellapragada Subbarao, says the project is still in the scripting phase.

"I'm busy working on the script and the whole process might take a few more months. As a filmmaker, I feel this is a very inspiring story to tell. Subbarao's contribution to the field of biochemistry is immense, and everybody deserves to know his story," Srinivasa Rao told IANS.

Asked if he has any actor in mind for the title role, he said: "It's too early to even discuss about it. It is only after I lock my script, will I think of approaching any actor.a

Known for helming several memorable classics such as "Pushpak", "Michael Madana Kama Rajan" and "Aditya 369", he hopes to take this project on floors next year.

--IANS

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Vijay Jayapal directed Tamil-English drama "Revelations" will have its world premiere at Busan International Film Festival next month. The director says such an honour is very special and the journey of his film has just begun.

The festival is scheduled to take place between October 6-15.

"It's a very special moment. Out of the 11 Indian films, ours is the sole Tamil film to have been selected. I had sent 'Revelations' to several film festivals across the globe and I believe its journey has just begun with Busan honour," Jayapal told IANS.

To be screened under the category of A Window on Asian Cinema, "Revelations" stars popular television actor Chetan and Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli, apart from two newcomers.

"It's an indie film; a drama about four people set in Kolkata. The film features 70 per cent dialogues in Tamil and the rest in English. When I set out to make the film, the intention was to only send it to film festivals."

"However, the Busan honour has changed my perception and if it goes to other fests too, I might think of releasing it commercially," he said.

Over the past few years, Tamil films such as "Kaaka Muttai" and "Kutrame Thandanai" made some noise at several film festivals across the globe.

Admitting it as a growing trend, Jayapal said the sole purpose of sending films to film festival shouldn't be to create buzz.

"The general perception is that film festivals are only for art-house films. What many filmmakers don't realise is that it's a big market to find potential buyers. I'm travelling to Busan next month and I hope to find a buyer for my film," he said.

"Revelations" marks the directorial debut of Jayapal who, leaving behind a plush corporate career, chose to be filmmaker and so far has four short films to his credit.

--IANS

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Construction of a UK-funded wall near Calais' Jungle migrant camp in France will begin soon, a minister said on Wednesday.

Dubbed the "Great Wall of Calais" by the media, the four metre wall will run for one km along both sides of the main road to Calais port, BBC reported.

Home Office Minister Robert Goodwill said security around the port was being "stepped up with better equipment", adding the wall will protect the road from disruption by migrants, thousands of whom are living at the Jungle camp.

According to the BBC, work is expected to start this month, with the wall due to be finished by the end of the year, and any existing fences will not be replaced.

The government did not confirm the cost of the wall, but reports suggest a 1.9 million pounds price tag -- to be paid for out of 17 million pounds announced by then British Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this year.

Speaking to the Home Affairs Committee of MPs on Tuesday, Goodwill said: "The security that we are putting in at the port is being stepped up with better equipment.

"We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We've done the fence; now we are doing a wall."

However, Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, called the plan a "poor use of taxpayers' money".

He said that funding for a wall "would be much better spent on increasing security along the approach roads".

Vikki Woodfine, of law firm DWF, works with many hauliers and said a wall "isn't the answer".

"It is simply a knee-jerk reaction that is unlikely to make a difference in the long run -- particularly since the route to the Calais port is already surrounded by fences and barbed wire," she said, adding the "real problem" was a lack of policing.

"Chaos reigns in the Calais region, yet hauliers are being fined up to 4,000 pounds per migrant found in their vehicle," she added.

Many of the migrants living at the Jungle and other camps in northern France attempt to reach the UK by boarding lorries as they approach ports or the Eurotunnel.

Numerous fences have been built to protect the port, and the Eurotunnel terminal and train tracks on the other side of Calais.

On Monday, French lorry drivers and farmers blockaded the main motorway route into Calais in a protest calling for the closure of the Jungle.

--IANS

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The Haryana Police has arrested seven persons, including a foreign national and three police personnel, in Fatehabad district on charges of involvement in drug trade, an official spokesman said on Wednesday.

The arrested included Nigerian national Eric, who was nabbed from the Janakpuri Metro Station in Delhi following a tip-off by the other arrested accused.

The others arrested in the case include Haryana residents Bansi, Sher Singh and Sanjay, the spokesman said.

"Police personnel Krishan Kumar, Mandeep and Praveen have been arrested for accepting Rs 20,000 each as bribe in lieu of releasing the accused," the spokesman said.

"During interrogation, Eric revealed that he was involved in selling heroin and smack in several states, including Haryana. He had come to India in 2015 and had lost his passport and visa after arriving," the spokesman said.

The police have seized 60 gm heroin from the possession of the accused.

The spokesman said more arrests could be made in the case.

--IANS

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Brock Turner, the former Stanford University swimmer who spent three months in jail after being convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, registered as a sex offender in the US state of Ohio on Tuesday morning, a sheriff said.

Turner registered as expected in Greene County outside Dayton after being released last week from a jail in California, CNN quoted Greene County Sheriff Gene Fischer as saying.

Turner is required to register as a sex offender for life, and had been expected to return to his family's home in Greene County after his release on Friday.

The 2015 assault drew country-wide attention three months ago, when Turner was sentenced and the victim's wrenching impact statement went viral. The brevity of Turner's sentence -- six months, with eligibility to be released after three -- sparked outrage against the judge and controversy over how the justice system treats sexual assault survivors.

Authorities say Turner, now 21, sexually assaulted a woman after both attended a fraternity party near Stanford in January 2015.

Turner was found guilty early this year of three felony counts: assault with intent to commit rape of an intoxicated or unconscious person, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person, CNN reported.

In the victim impact letter she read in court before Turner's sentencing, the woman described blacking out at the fraternity party and waking up in a hospital with pine needles in her hair, dried blood and bandages on the backs of her hands and elbows, her underwear missing.

She described finally learning what happened to her through news reports: how she was found unconscious behind a dumpster between two fraternity houses, her dress pulled over her shoulders, her bra pulled down, naked from the waist down. Two passers-by stopped when they saw Turner grinding against her unconscious body; he ran and they chased after him, pinning him to the ground until police showed up.

--IANS

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Terror organisations like the Islamic State (IS) and the Al Qaeda could rise only because governments of different countries funded them at one point of time or the other in their early days, Hardeep Singh Puri, veteran diplomat and former Indian Permanent Representative to the UN, said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a panel discussion on the launch of his book "Perilous Interventions: The Security Council and the Politics of Chaos" (HarperCollins) by Vice President Hamid Ansari here, Puri said that governments did not foresee how the IS and the Al Qaeda would become "hydra-headed" monsters when funding them while intervening in troubled spots in the world.

Calling for greater introspection in the procedure followed in mandating interventions of national sovereignties of countries by the UN Security Council, he said not enough discussions take place in the world's highest decision-making forum which alone has the power to decide on whether international intervention can be made or not in a troubled country or region.

"(But) the Security Council can take these decisions only through discussions," he said, and regretted that the due process of discussions were not followed in deciding on the Libyan intervention in 2011.

He gave the example of Iraq and said that the military action in that country in 2003 was "based on false surmises".

According to Puri, both Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and Saddam Hussein of Iraq enjoyed Western support for a long time but then when they fell out of favour, intervention was mandated on flawed premises.

Puri was the Indian envoy to the UN from 2009 to 2013, coinciding with the period in 2011-12 when India was a non-permanent member of the UNSC.

Releasing the book, Vice President Ansari said that it was a timely and well-written one.

"India has been a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council only on seven occasions since 1946, the last being the term 2011-2012," Ansari stated.

"For this reason alone, Ambassador Hardeep Puri's book has uniqueness for being 'an insider's account'," he stated.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was the guest of honour, talked about his personal association with Puri for 46 years and narrated some anecdotes from their shared past. Puri is also a member of the BJP though he holds no party or official position and remains an unofficial adviser on foreign affairs.

--IANS

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To expand the Indo-US cooperation in clean energy, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced on Wednesday four new partnerships with the Indian government.

First among these new partnerships, is USAID's commitment to work with the Bangalore power utility and US based company -- Innovari, to launch the first grid integration pilot under the "Greening the Grid" (GTG) initiative that that will strengthen India's power grid and manage large-scale integration of renewable energy.

"USAID welcomes and appreciates this historic opportunity to play a useful role in India's path forward," the USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia, Jonathan Stivers said after announcing the partnerships in a series of events, here recently.

"As part of the expansion of Indo-US bilateral cooperation, USAID will continue to support the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to help India transition to a high-performing, low-emission, energy-secure economy," Stivers said.

Under the next partnership, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and USAID agreed to expand their solar rooftop programme to an additional eight states and 15 utilities.

"In the expanded programme, USAID will also partner with MNRE to train 5,000 utility engineers, 1,000 bankers and entrepreneurs on installation and operation of best practices for solar rooftop systems," Stivers said.

In support of efficient energy usage, USAID also announced a partnership with the Ministry's public sector energy efficiency company -- Energy Efficiency Services Limited, to transform India's markets for super-efficient air conditioners.

To improve urban air quality through energy efficiency, USAID is partnering with the University of Chicago to support the efforts of the Government of India and Gujarat State Pollution Control Board to pilot a market instrument designed to reduce costs for industrial plants to comply with regulatory limits on emissions, and to provide incentives encouraging emission reductions.

During the two countries' "Joint Working Group on Combating Climate Change", USAID announced its collaboration with the Forest Survey of India (FSI) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, to strengthen the latter's capacity to predict forest fires and use high-resolution satellite imagery for forest resource assessment, and develop protocols for strengthening forest inventory.

This initiative will mobilise the scientific expertise of the US Forest Service.

During the first phase of this programme, USAID and MNRE supported the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh to introduce appropriate net-metering policies and regulations, and provided technical assistance to the state distribution utilities implementing solar rooftop programmes.

--IANS

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Delhi Police have arrested a 52-year-old man and his woman accomplice for running an international human trafficking racket, and rescued 26 women who were to be trafficked to Gulf countries via Sri Lanka, police said on Wednesday.

Shabin Shah, the kingpin, was arrested on Sunday from Roop Nagar in north district while his woman associate Bidya Lama, 34, was arrested from the same area on Saturday.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav said two Nepalese women had complained to the Crime Branch on September 1 informing "they were brought to New Delhi by Shah and Ramu Choudhary, both residents of Nepal, on the allurement of providing them jobs in Gulf countries and were kept in Mahipalpur area for more than 10 days in confinement".

The women alleged in their complaint that their passports were also seized by the accused and their movement was strictly restricted. The women somehow escaped from the flat in which they were confined and with the help of some Nepali contacts in Delhi reached the Nepal Embassy, which directed them to approach Delhi Police.

The officer said they were tracking the gang's activities following the complaint lodged by the two women and Nepal Embassy.

Following a tip off, the officer said, two separate police teams rescued 20 women from a rented house in Mahipalpur in south Delhi and four women from Roop Nagar.

Sixteen of the women are residents of Nepal while 10 belong to West Bengal, the officer said. Most of them were married and belong to poor family.

The officer said the gang was spread across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Oman and Kuwait.

"They use Delhi as the hub and transit point for this racket."

Shah has rented premises at Mahipalpur and Roop Nagar for receiving, lodging and transferring women. His associate Bidya Lama, a resident of West Bengal, used to work as a care taker of these premises and was an active member of the gang.

Shah informed police that he had been in the human trade business since 2011 and has trafficked more than 1,500 women to Gulf countries so far.

The gang used to target married, illiterate and poor women of Nepal, West Bengal and northeast India.

"The agents based in Nepal lure the women with providing employment in Gulf countries and handsome salary. The women are asked to get their passports made and arrange money for expenditure for the journey and employment. After crossing the India-Nepal border, these women got shelter in Shah's rented premises in Delhi," the officer said.

He said there was strict provision in immigration rules of India and Nepal for grant of employment visa of Gulf countries for illiterate and poor women, hence, agents preferred the Sri Lanka route and obtained tourist visa for these women and avoid the checking in India.

After reaching Sri Lanka, the women are sent to Gulf countries through employment visa. For this, the agents used to charge Rs 50,000 to 60,000 per woman for travelling to Delhi, visa for Sri Lanka, Gulf countries and air tickets for Sri Lanka and Dubai. After that, the women were provided jobs as house maids in homes or work in shopping malls, restaurants and hospitals.

"Shah used to get Rs 5,000 as commission every month for each woman employed in the Gulf," the officer said.

The officer said that Sri Lanka Police registered a case against Shah after they rescued 48 women from the clutches of this gang in Colombo in July.

--IANS

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Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot on Wednesday inaugurated a job fair for 'divyangjans' (differently abled people) here.

The two-day event, organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment at the Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped at Karkardooma, in east Delhi, will see the participation of around 30 private firms.

Speaking on the occasion, Gehlot said the government has taken many initiatives for the welfare of the differently abled as well as the weaker section of society, including extending scholarships to them.

The participating companies will assess each candidate as per their requirements and offer them employment.

Besides, the differently abled visitors will be given information relating to various employment schemes, training and scholarships offered by the government.

--IANS

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Bowing to the Supreme Court order, Karnataka on Wednesday began releasing Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu amid massive protests and demonstrations across the Mysuru region.

"We have started releasing water from early today to Tamil Nadu as directed by the Supreme Court despite facing hardship," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

Though the apex court on Monday directed the state to release 15,000 cusecs of water daily for 10 days to Tamil Nadu, 10,000 cusecs was let out from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir as 5,000 cusecs is expected to flow to Biligundlu, the measuring point at the inter-state border, by natural course (gravity) and other sources in the downstream.

"As decided at the all-party meeting on Tuesday, we are soon filing a petition in the apex court for modifying its order to reduce the quantum (15,000 cusecs) to 10,000 cusecs and the number of days to six from 10 days, which we offered to release on September 5 as a goodwill gesture in response to the apex court's observation on September 2 to adopt a policy of live and let live," said Siddaramaiah.

Karnataka has also decided to soon petition the Cauvery Supervisory Committee for sparing the state from releasing more water as the quantum in all the four reservoirs across the river basin was 46.8 tmcft on Tuesday, which will be barely sufficient even for drinking water supply to Bengaluru, Mandya and Mysuru.

The combined storage of water in Kabini, KRS, Harangi and Hemavathi reservoirs is 114 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) while the live storage is 104 tmcft.

The apex court set up the supervisory committee in May 2013 as a pro-tem measure for implementing the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal award, which the central government notified in February of 2013 and six years after the tribunal declared the award in February 2007.

The union Water Resources Secretary is the Chairman of the Supervisory Committee while the chief secretaries of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry are its members, besides officials from the Central Water Commission.

As 11,000 cusecs is equivalent to 1 tmcft and 15,000 cusecs is 1.36 tmcft, the combined reservoirs' live storage will decline to 33.2 tmcft after September 16 - from 46.8 tmcft on September 6 if 13.6 tmcft is released in 10 days.

A cusec, which is a measure of flow rate of water per second, is equivalent to a flow of 28.317 litres per second.

"With the southwest monsoon retreating and prospects of more rains in the catchment areas of the reservoirs being bleak, the quantum of water (33.2 tmcft) will be barely sufficient for drinking water supply to Bengaluru, Mandya and Mysuru and very little for irrigation of agricultural fields," admitted Siddaramaiah.

As per the tribunal's final award, Karnataka has to release 192 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu during a normal year, when the southwest monsoon rainfall is above normal.

"Due to weak rainfall in the catchment areas in the river basin, the four reservoirs have received 114.66 tmcft of water up to August 31 as against a normal flow of 215.7 tmcft, resulting in a deficit of 47.27 per cent," said Siddaramaiah.

Though the tribunal has provided for sharing of distress without giving the operational method or formula, the state released 33 tmcft of water till August on the basis of proportionality as specified by the tribunal.

"Ignoring the distress conditions, Tamil Nadu has sought 50 tmcft at the Central Water Commission gauge station at Biligundlu, which is applicable in a normal year and not in a distress year," a water resources department official told IANS.

--IANS

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Intelligence agencies have detained a Kashmiri man at the Attari border near here for carrying a badge of Pakistan-based terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen, security officials said on Wednesday.

The man, Hilal Ahmed, about 24 years old, was being questioned by intelligence agencies after officials of the customs department found the badge from his luggage during checking at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Attari, 30 km from here.

Ahmed, who had gone to Pakistan about 10 days ago through the Attari border, returned on Tuesday.

Security officials said further investigations were in progress.

The Hizbul Mujahideen is the oldest terrorist outfit spreading its separatist agenda in the Jammu and Kashmir state. The outfit operates from Pakistan.

--IANS

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will begin on Thursday a four-day tour of poll-bound Punjab where he will release the AAP's Farmers' Manifesto, it was announced on Wednesday.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader will address a public rally in Moga on the last day of his visit before returning to New Delhi.

"Arvindji will leave for Punjab tomorrow morning. He will hold a Kisan Rally in Moga on September 11 and leave for Delhi the same day," an AAP leader told IANS.

This will be Kejriwal's first visit to Punjab after the AAP removed its Punjab convenor Sucha Singh Chhotepur over issues of corruption.

Kejriwal will interact with AAP volunteers and members in Ludhiana who are said to be agitated over various issues, party sources said.

"Kejriwal will hear their problems and address them. His visit will certainly boost the morale of party workers," a source said.

Chhotepur on Tuesday accused the party's Delhi leadership of selling tickets for the Punjab assembly polls to undeserving candidates for crores of rupees.

The AAP, which has denied his allegations, has emerged as a major player in Punjab where elections are due early next year.

--IANS

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Three police officers and a helicopter pilot were killed when criminals downed an aircraft in Mexico's Michoacan state, officials said.

The helicopter was carrying out an operation in the Apatzingan region that has difficult land access, tweeted Silvano Aureoles, the governor of Michoacan.

The operation was focused on apprehending leaders of criminal cells, CNN quoted the governor as saying.

It was not immediately clear how the helicopter was downed.

Michoacan has long been a flash point in Mexico's drug war, and battles between criminals and security forces occur.

In May 2015, a shootout left 42 gunmen and one federal police officer dead, CNN added.

--IANS

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The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to install mobile phone jammers in 12 sensitive jails in the state, Prisons Minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said on Wednesday.

During raids, besides many contraband items, the officials have seized mobile phones and SIM cards from jail inmates. Therefore, the state has sanctioned Rs 71.29 crore for installing mobile phone jammers in 12 prisons, an official said.

The decision was taken following complaints by intelligence department and the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh regarding illegal use of cell phones by criminals inside prisons.

The 12 sensitive jails where heavy duty cell phone jammers would be installed include Firozabad, Aligarh, Etawah, Bulandshahr, Banda, Mainpuri, Moradabad, Jaunpur and Ballia along with central jail Bareilly.

--IANS

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Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "busy filling the pockets of industrialists and was least concerned about the poor".

The Congress leader, who spoke briefly with journalists after visiting patients of Japanese Encephalitis at the Gorakhpur Medical College, said Modi had done nothing to contain the disease which, he said, had assumed epidemic proportions.

Gandhi's visit to the hospital came ahead of his 6-km road show on the second day of his 2,500-km 'Kisan Mahayatra' in Uttar Pradesh.

He said the previous United Progressive Alliance government had allocated the maximum funds to battle Japanese Encephalitis in Gorakhpur and neighbouring areas.

Rahul Gandhi's roadshow began from the university square and he is scheduled to visit Sehjanwa, where he will address a 'nukkad sabha' (corner meeting).

He will also visit a Dalit colony and meet its residents. He is slated to partake of food at a Dalit household in the colony.

A large number of Youth Congress workers are participating in the road show, which is led by motorbike-borne supporters.

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in his first bilateral meeting here on the sidelines of the 14th India-Asean Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup quoted Modi as saying that his first meeting was with a special friend and a valued partner.

"Furthering the relationship with greatest potential 1st bilateral is w/special friend &valued partner,PM @AbeShinzo," Swarup tweeted.

Modi arrived in Laos on Wednesday to attend the India-Asean Summit and the East Asia Summit.

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama will hold a bilateral meeting on Thursday in Vientiane, Laos, in perhaps one of their last such meetings before Obama demits office in November.

The White House made the announcement of the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in its official announcement of the President's schedule.

"In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India," the White House said.

On Wednesday night, the two leaders along with Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah clinked glasses at a dinner gala thrown by the Laos Prime Minister in Vientiane.

The two leaders met just days ago, on Sunday in Hangzhou, China, during the G20 Summit where Obama praised the passage of the Good and Services Tax bill by the Indian Parliament.

--IANS

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Sahmat, an activist group based in Delhi, on Wednesday denounced the National Book Trust (NBT) decision to remove eminent historian Bipan Chandra's book "Communalism: A Primer" from its Hindi catalogue.

The decision to stop the reprint of the Hindi title of the 104-page book "Sampradayikta: Ek Praveshika" was taken last month.

The statement said: "Professor Bipan Chandra was not only one of India's foremost historians, but also one of the most uncompromising defenders of the secular and democratic cause in this country. As Chairman of the National Book Trust, he breathed a new life into it."

"We are shocked to learn that the very National Book Trust, over which he once presided, has revoked the reprint order for the Hindi version of his book 'Communalism - A Primer' and it is reported that the English and Urdu versions of the book are also being withdrawn," the Sahmat statement read.

"Such action on part of the NBT is a gross violation of freedom of views, and amounts in effect to the assumption that communalism is now the official doctrine of the country and no criticism of it or its practitioners can be permitted."

The statement added that such actions on part of the NBT in respect of Bipan Chandra's book portend the imposition of an authoritarian regime. "We, therefore, demand that the NBT remove its ban on the book and continue to reprint and publish it."

Among the signatories to the statement are academics like Irfan Habib, Romila Thapar, D.N. Jha, Prabhat Patnaik and K.N. Panikkar.

This is not the first time Bipan Chandra's work has been caught in a controversy. Earlier, the Delhi University too stopped the sale and distribution of the Hindi version of Chandra's book 'India's Struggle for Independence' after objections were raised over the terming of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh a "revolutionary terrorist".

The NBT, however, still lists 'Communalism: A Primer' in its English language catalogue.

--IANS

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Nearly 12 million children of the world's international child migrants live in Asia, according to a report released on Wednesday by Unicef.

In the report entitled 'Uprooted', the Unicef said that worldwide nearly 50 million children have been driven from their homes, including 28 million displaced by conflict, EFE news reported.

Asia is home to 39 per cent of all child migrants, with Saudi Arabia hosting the largest number in the region followed by Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Kuwait and Kazakhstan.

In 2015, of all children under the protection of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 45 per cent were from Syria and Afghanistan.

"Children of refugees and undocumented migrants are more likely to have their rights compromised than other children, including lack of access to health care and education, discrimination and risks to their personal safety," said Karin Hulshof, Unicef Regional director for East Asia and the Pacific.

Displaced children face several dangers during their journeys, including the risk of drowning on sea crossings, trafficking, kidnapping, exploitation, rape and murder. Once they arrive at their destinations they often face discrimination and xenophobia, the report said.

While a relatively low number of Asian children migrate from their country of birth, they face the most dangerous journeys in the world, as the journey across the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea is around three times more deadly than the Mediterranean routes into Europe, the agency said.

The journey claimed the lives of around 2,000 Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis between 2012 and 2015, it added.

Unicef estimates that in 2014 around 58,000 people attempted to make that journey, most from Myanmar and Bangladesh to several countries in Southeast Asia.

The report comes days before the UN hosts a summit on the refugee crisis at the General Assembly in New York on September 19, expected to be attended by heads of states and government leaders from around the world.

--IANS

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National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson Justice H.L. Dattu on Wednesday said the commission has proposed that lessons in human rights be included in the school and college curriculum.

"There is need to create awareness of human rights among people and human rights lessons should be included in school and college curriculum. The commission has given a proposal in this regard and we hope soon this will be followed," said Justice Dattu while speaking at a two-day open court hearing of the NHRC that began here on Wednesday.

The commission is taking up matters relating to atrocities on Scheduled Castes and other depressed sections of society.

On Thursday, the sittings of Division Benches will take place at the same venue. The matters relating to death in police action and of custodial deaths would be taken up during the session.

"The NHRC is trying to ensure social justice to the weak section of the society and this will be possible only when people become aware of the their rights. Our country is progressing but there is imbalance in social and economic upliftment. Poverty has made strong root. There is need to execute government schemes in a transparent way," Dattu added.

--IANS

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Japanese automobile major Nissan Motor Company Ltd has sold its stakes in three joint ventures with Ashok Leyland Ltd. to the Indian firm, it was announced here on Wednesday.

Both companies issued a joint statement to announce Nissan's exit from the three ventures.

The two companies have entered into a new agreement, whereby Ashok Leyland will continue to roll out light commercial vehicle models 'Dost' and 'Partner' under a licence from Nissan.

The two models are based on Nissan Motor's design, engineering and technology.

"Servicing and parts availability for customers will be ensured by a technical support arrangement. In addition, the two companies have agreed to continue a deal to procure Made in India parts to Nissan," the statement said.

"We are pleased to be moving forward into a new phase of our business with Ashok Leyland," Philippe Guerin-Boutaud, Nissan corporate vice-president in charge of the Global LCV Business Unit, was quoted as saying in the statement.

"Under the licensing arrangement with Ashok Leyland, the Indian commercial vehicle customers can continue to benefit from Nissan's engineering, wherein servicing and parts availability will also be ensured," he added.

"We have decided to acquire Nissan's stake in the three joint venture companies, and this will help focus our efforts to concentrate on our core business initiatives and our customers. We will continue our relationship with Nissan under the new arrangement," Vinod Dasari, Managing Director of Ashok Leyland, was quoted as saying.

However, the joint statement is silent on the enterprise valuation of the three joint ventures and the price Ashok Leyland -- a listed entity -- will pay Nissan for its stakes.

The first joint venture was for the manufacture of LCVs under Ashok Leyland Nissan Vehicles Pvt. Ltd., in which Ashok Leyland owns 51 per cent share while Nissan owns the rest.

The other two joint ventures are Nissan Ashok Leyland Powertrain Pvt. Ltd., the powertrain manufacturing company, owned 51 per cent by Nissan and 49 per cent by Ashok Leyland; and Nissan Ashok Leyland Technologies Pvt. Ltd., the technology development company, owned 50:50 by the two partners.

In February, Nissan Motor had sent a sent a notice to Ashok Leyland Ltd. to terminate its technology development joint venture Nissan Ashok Leyland Technologies Pvt. Ltd. over non-payment of royalty.

The termination notice was issued soon after Ashok Leyland sent a legal notice to Nissan Motor for using the equipment owned by another joint venture company to roll out cars instead of the LCVs.

Ashok Leyland had turned out four vehicle models from its partnership with Nissan -- Dost, Mitr, Partner and Stile -- while for Nissan it was only Evalia.

While Nissan put a halt to Evalia manufacture, Ashok Leyland stopped production of Stile later as the vehicle was not doing well in the market. However, Dost has been doing well for Ashok Leyland.

--IANS

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US President Barack Obama on a visit to Laos, a first for any sitting US President, said he believed the "US has a moral obligation to help the country heal".

Obama referred to America's secret and devastating bombing of Laos during the Vietnam War in the 1960s and the '70s, and announced that $90 million will be spent over three years for the removal of cluster bombs and other unexploded ordnance from the country's soil, BBC reported.

The US President did not offer an apology for the bombing which left more than 50,000 people dead.

Obama held a prosthetic limb as he toured the Cooperative Orthotic and Prothetic Enterprise (COPE) visitor centre here on Wednesday.

In his comments on Tuesday, he described Laos as the most heavily bombed nation in history.

Eight bombs a minute were dropped on an average during the Vietnam War between 1964 and 1973 -- more than the bombs used during the whole of World War II.

The US flew 580,344 bombing missions over Laos, dropping 260 million bombs -- equating to two million tons of ordnance, with many targets in the south and north struck time and again as part of efforts to isolate Communist North Vietnamese forces.

Ten of the 18 Laotian provinces have been described as "severely contaminated" by unexploded ordnance (UXO).

Mine-clearing agencies estimate that about 288 million cluster munitions and about 75 million unexploded bombs were left across Laos after the war ended.

They pose a significant threat to civilians because of both their impact at the time of use and their deadly legacy.

Laos is likely to ask for an extension to its commitment to get rid of UXO when convention member states next meet in August 2020.

Obama's announcement has been widely welcomed by aid agencies working to address the UXO problem in Laos, which include the Halo Trust, the Mines Advisory Group, Norwegian People's Aid, UXO Laos and Handicap International.

"Before the President's announcement I feared that the UXO operation in Laos would take hundreds of years," Mines Advisory Group country director Simon Rea told the BBC here. "Now I am optimistic this can be reduced to decades."

Likewise Halo Trust CEO James Cowan said the President's announcement will have a profound effect on the people of Laos.

Aid agencies have also gained access to Pentagon bombing records so that they can identify which areas of land -- mostly the Ho Chi Minh Trail in the south and the Lao Communist Party headquarters in the north -- were bombed and likely to contain unexploded bombs.

Obama is the first US President to visit Laos and has adopted a noticeably conciliatory approach towards his hosts. He said that the US bombings had destroyed "villages and entire valleys, killing countless civilians".

His approach has been welcomed by Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachit as a way of enhancing mutual trust between the two countries after the devastating war.

--IANS

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Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday said that people of will continue to get Islamabad's support on diplomatic front, adding that the country was strong even before, and now it has turned "unconquerable".

"I salute the people of for their undaunted sight for freedom. Pakistan will continue to provide Kashmiris with diplomatic and moral support. is our jugular vein," he said at Defence Day ceremony at General Headquarters, Rawalpindi.

Sharif said that it was the day to commemorate not only the martyrs of September 6 but also the sacrifices of those who bravely fought and won the unconventional war against terrorism over the last decade.

"I want to make it clear over all the enemies of Pakistan that our defence is impregnable today", he said.

In an obvious reference to India, he said, that Pakistan was completely aware of whatever overt and coverts conspiracies its enemies were hatching against it and reiterated the resolve to thwart all attempts at damaging the country.

"Pakistan knows how to keep friendships and deal with the enemies. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a clear example. Pakistan will deal with an iron fist with any threat to this project", he said.

--IANS

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The Pakistan High Commissioner's office here on Wednesday "rejected" the Indian External Affairs Ministry's complaint of "discourtesy" shown to the Indian envoy in Islamabad.

A press official in the Pakistan High Commissioner's office told IANS that "The office categorically rejects the Indian complaint and has conveyed to them that the cancellations of Pakistan High Commission events in India were becoming a routine."

Earlier, on Wednesday, Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned by Secretary (West) Sujata Mehta and "conveyed the concern of Government of India on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale".

Bambawale was scheduled to speak on Tuesday at an event at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce, the invitation for which was received and accepted by him a couple of weeks ago. But the event was cancelled at the last minute, India has maintained.

Rejecting the Indian claim, the Pakistan envoy's spokesperson maintained that the Karachi Chamber of Commerce Institute is an independent organisation and has nothing to do with the government.

He also maintained that Indian authorities had "not allowed" Basit to participate in various events in India.

Diplomatic ties between the two countries have plummeted since the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul militant commander, in Jammu and Kashmir on July 8. Pakistan has declared Wani a "martyr", and has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir problem.

--IANS

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A Pakistani minister on Wednesday demanded an apology from Bollywood filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker for misleading people through his movie "Mohenjo Daro", which was released on August 12.

The minister seems to have taken offence at the movie, which was yet unknown to sections of media.

Apparently, Sindh Minister for Culture and Antiquities Sardar Ali Shah was miffed with the film because the facts portrayed in the film were allegedly distorted. He claimed that the film is a mockery of a culture that is highly respected and is 5,000 years old.

He said the film is merely a "figment of the director's imagination" and that it has absolutely no connection with the civilization.

The minister demanded an apology from the makers of the film, adding that he was really upset with the makers, especially considering that Mohenjo Daro is a Unesco heritage site.

--IANS

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The Philippines on Wednesday denied the existence of any crisis with the US, after Washington cancelled a bilateral meeting following Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's insults to his US counterpart Barack Obama.

The meeting was scheduled for Tuesday in Laos, which was hosting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, summit and where the Philippines was holding parallel meetings with other member countries, including the US, Efe news reported.

The meeting was suspended after Duterte called Obama "son of a b...." in a press conference, where he rejected other countries' criticism of his violent anti-drug campaign, which has resulted in about 2,500 deaths in two months.

Since the cancellation, Manila has tried to downplay the situation and have been trying to normalise relations with its long-standing ally.

Phillipine Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the meeting between the two Presidents will be held in due course of time, and that the two leaders will see each other at the Asean dinner gala late on Wednesday.

Manila hopes that Duterte and Obama can meet informally before the meeting in Vientiane ends.

Duterte regretted insulting Obama on Tuesday in a statement, and expressed his deep regard for the US President.

In recent years, military cooperation has strengthened between the US and the Philippines, which is involved in a territorial dispute with Beijing over the sovereignty of several islands in the South China Sea.

The cancellation of the meeting, supposed to be the first interaction between the two leaders, was a major setback for bilateral diplomatic relations.

Although the two countries have been allies, their ties have deteriorated since Duterte won the presidential elections in May.

--IANS

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The Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested from Muradnagar the prime accused in last month's murderous attack on senior BJP leader Brijlal Teotia, an official said on Wednesday.

Accused Manish was nabbed near Manan Dhaam Duhai on the Delhi-Meerut Road, the official said adding that he was under electronic surveillance since the attack on the BJP leader on August 11 in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh.

Police said a US-made .30 bore carbine and cartridges were seized from the accused.

Manish is said to have fired the most number of bullets at Teotia, injuring him seriously. He is recuperating at a hospital in Noida.

The special task force, probing the attack on the BJP leader, has since taken Manish for interrogation to an undisclosed location in Greater Noida.

--IANS

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Rich countries have an obligation to help developing countries pursue a green growth strategy, visiting US President Barack Obama said on Wednesday.

Obama made the remarks while meeting with young people from across Southeast Asia in a "town hall" exchange in the historical town of Luang Prabang in northern Laos, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said green growth strategy will reduce poverty while addressing greenhouse gas emissions contributing to the climate change.

The "town hall" exchange touched on a series of topics including climate change, health, environment, trade and economy.

The US President called on young people of the region to actively contribute to solutions in the face of difficulties and challenges.

He cited the example of Alibaba founder and chairman, China's Jack Ma as an example of the dynamism that could see individuals rise to their potential through innovation and enterprise.

--IANS

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US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump leads his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by 19 points -- 55 per cent to 36 per cent -- among military and veteran voters, according to a poll issued on Wednesday.

The two candidates will each spend a half-hour on Wednesday night talking about their military readiness at an event for veterans and active service members, Xinhua news agency reported.

A sizeable number of these voters say they would not be confident in Clinton or Trump's ability to be an effective commander-in-chief of the nation's military, though a slight majority would be confident in Trump (53 per cent), the NBC News|SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll finds.

Overall, 47 per cent of voters who are currently serving or have previously served in the US military said they would not be confident in Trump's ability to serve as an effective commander-in-chief of the US military.

Among all registered voters, 59 per cent would not be confident in his ability to serve as commander-in-chief of the military and just 39 per cent would feel confident, the poll shows.

In contrast, just 35 per cent of military and veteran voters would feel confident in former Secretary of State Clinton's ability to serve as commander-in-chief. A large majority (64 per cent) would not be confident in her ability.

Among voters overall, a smaller majority (52 per cent) said they would not be confident in her ability to serve. Just 46 per cent said they would be confident.

Among voters overall, Trump does slightly better than Clinton (40 per cent to 39 per cent) on the handling of veterans issues. Among military and veteran voters, he does even better (53 per cent to 28 per cent).

Though Trump comfortably earns the support of military-affiliated voters overall, Clinton is perceived more favourably on the use of nuclear weapons (44 per cent) while a quarter of them said they would not trust either her or Trump to handle these issues, the poll shows.

Also on Wednesday, Clinton's campaign announced that 95 retired generals and admirals have endorsed her presidential bid, one day after a group of 88 retired generals and admirals signed an open letter backing Trump to reverse the "hollowing out" of the US military.

The Obama administration has been criticised for overseeing a shrinking of the Pentagon's budget -- a cumulative 15 per cent since 2011, according to a Politifact report.

The report attributes the reduced military budget partly to the removal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, and partly to sequestration: across-the-board cuts that automatically came into place when both parties failed to strike a spending deal in Congress in 2011.

However, Trump's advantage among military voters is nothing new, local analysts say, noting the military's political leanings have swayed to the right in recent decades, Xinhua news agency added.

In an informal survey by the Military Times earlier in 2016, 54 per cent of active duty troops, reservists, and National Guardsmen chose Trump over the former Secretary of State.

The latest NBC News|SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll was conducted online from August 29 through September 4 among 32,226 registered voters, including 3,358 who have previously served or are currently serving in the US military.

--IANS

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday suggested Turkey and the US are ready to drive the Islamic State from its Syrian stronghold of al-Raqqa.

Erdogan said his US counterpart Barack Obama floated the idea of joint action against the militants when they met at the G20 summit in China. BBC reported, quoting Erdogan as saying, Turkey would have "no problem" with such action.

Last month Turkey launched an operation inside Syria, targeting both the IS and Kurdish rebels.

Turkish-backed militia drove IS from the border town of Jarablus, but Turkey has also been concerned with checking the advance of Kurdish forces whom it regards as terrorists.

Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said Turkish forces might push deeper into Syria after securing a stretch of land along the border.

Canikli also said 110 Islamic State and Kurdish militia fighters had been killed since the operation began.

Russia, which is allied to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said it was "deeply concerned" by the Turkish advance.

Erdogan's comments on Raqqa were published in Turkish media. There has been no confirmation from the US.

"Obama wants to do some things jointly concerning Raqqa," Erdogan said. "We said this would not be a problem from our perspective."

"I said: 'Our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done,'" Erdogan added.

--IANS

ahm/rn

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US has reiterated that it wants accountability from Pakistan on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 166 lives.

"We've been very clear that we want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks, and as you noted, there were American citizens who lost their lives in that - those terrible attacks," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in Monday's daily press briefing in response to a question about Secretary of State John Kerry's mentioning about US' efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators behind the attacks in which six Americans were also killed.

Kerry was in New Delhi to attend the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue on August 30.

"We've long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation, and that includes the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan in that regard," Toner said.

"That continues; those efforts continue. As I said, we want to see full accountability for these terrible attacks."

The four-day attacks starting from November 26, 2008, were carried out by 10 terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit.

One of them, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and put to death under the Indian justice system while the other nine terrorists were killed by security forces.

On April 9, 2015, the foremost ringleader of the attacks, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, was granted bail in Pakistan against surety bonds of 200,000 ($2,000) Pakistan rupees.

--IANS

ab/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was visibly irked when an international moderator at a discussion she was participating in suggested there were "no major supermarkets in India".
The government on Wednesday ignored the hard-line elements within the BJP and the RSS, even as an all-party meet adopted a resolution to talk with all the stakeholders, including the separatists, in .
The BJPs 2014 Lok Sabha success was primarily the result of maximising its strike rate in a handful of states, mostly in north and west regions. Its plan for 2019 polls has factored in the law of diminishing returns catching up with the party in some of these states.
Hitting out at Lt Governor for seeking details of foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said such visits by his party ministers are comparatively less than that of their counterparts in other parts of the country.

Wondering since when the Lt Governor has started scanning ministers' foreign tours, he dared Jung to also seek such details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits.

Last week, the Lt Governor had directed General Administration Department of the Delhi government to provide details of all foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, their personal staff and other officials in the last 18 months.

Besides the duration of the stay and the expenditure incurred on foreign trips, the Lt Governor's office had also sought details of the "purpose" of the visits.

"Has he (Jung) also asked for details of foreign tours of Prime Minister? Since when has he started checking ministers' foreign tours?

"Foreign tours are undertaken by AAP ministers for only official purpose after the government's approval. We have travelled very less comparatively in the entire country. If we go abroad for personal purpose, we spend our money," Jain, who is considered close to the Delhi CM, said.

Government officials said Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Jain have travelled abroad four times each on government expenditure. Labour Minister Gopal Rai, along with Jain, had been to Sweden on a five day-knowledge trip.

Officials, however, clarified that sacked minister Sandeep Kumar had travelled to the US with family privately.

"Government's work is not affected if a minister goes for poll campaigning. When I was in Vatican, I was looking after my departments' works through WhatsApp. AAP ministers work all 365 days in a year.

"I work for 10 hours every day. In the previous governments, ministers used to come to office for only two hours once in a week," Jain claimed.

Sisodia is at present on a two-day visit to Goa where AAP is gearing up for Assembly elections. Kejriwal will be away from the national capital for nearly a fortnight for a throat surgery and to take stock of AAP's preparations in poll-bound Punjab.

He will undergo the surgery on September 13 to cure his chronic cough problem and rest there for 10 days.

"Before leaving for Bengaluru, the chief minister (Kejriwal) will embark on a 4-day visit to Punjab starting from September 8. He will meet party leaders and address a public gathering in Punjab," a government official said.
Even though the Karnataka government has released the stipulated quantity of water from Cauvery as ordered by the Supreme Court on Monday, protests on both the sides of the border continue. While farmers and certain groups are agitating in Karnataka, farmers in Tamil Nadu claim that the water released will not be adequate to save crops.

ALSO READ: What you need to know about the Cauvery dispute



Amid the protests, the Karnataka government on Tuesday evening decided to comply with the Supreme Court order, to release 15,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 10 days. Karnataka has earlier said that due to inadequate rainfall during the year, the water in the rivers is inadequate even for drinking and there is no question of sharing water for irrigation.
Days after demanding a full-time Home Minister for Maharashtra, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the concerns harboured by families of policemen in the wake of the recent attacks on police personnel in Mumbai.

The Chief Minister later said the government will consider all demands of the families of police personnel.

Uddhav, who met Fadnavis at the latter's official residence 'Varsha 'in posh Malabar Hill area of South Mumbai, was accompanied by a few Sena ministers and the families of policemen.

The police families residing in Worli's BDD chawl had expressed their anger over the attack on traffic cop Vilas Shinde, who was allegedly beaten up by two youths following which he succumbed to his injuries on August 31.

After the meeting, he told reporters that Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, is "capable and competent, but has been overburdened by work lately".

"I think the Home Department needs a separate minister to check attacks on police," he said.

"I demanded three things from the CM  safety of cops in state, proper implementation of law, and strict punishment to attackers," the Sena president said.

Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had also recently spoken against the incident and met the families of policemen.

Uddhav had recently said that the state needed a full-time Home Minister in the backdrop of the "deteriorating" law and order situation.

Sena ministers Subhash Desai, Diwakar Raote and Deepak Kesarkar were also present at today's meeting at 'Varsha'.

Kesarkar is the Minister of State for Home.

Later, Fadnavis said the government will consider all demands of the families of police personnel.

He informed them of various initiatives taken by the state government for police welfare, including full day salary for working on holiday, inclusion of police in PM Awas Yojna and provision of Rs 2,000 crore for police housing this year.

He also assured them of setting up of a committee to address their issues and inclusion of their family members in the panel.

The chief minister also informed that the government is working on some unique initiatives for police health, and to increase interaction between police and public.

A skill training programme for wives of policemen is also being planned.
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At least three persons were killed and another was injured today when their car rolled down into a 600 feet deep gorge in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.

The accident took place near Jasurgarh Chamba-Tissa road, about 400 km from here, police said.

The deceased have been identified as Satish Kumar (40), Ajay Kumar (45) and driver Sanjay Kumar (36), all residents of Bhalai village in Chamba district while the injured Sushil Kumar (62) hails from Kandi village.

The occupants of the ill-fated vehicles were returning from Chanjo.

Hearing the sound of the falling vehicle, the local villagers reached the spot along with rescue teams of police and local administration and recovered the bodies which were later taken for post mortem to a nearby village police said.

The next of kin of the deceased have been given an interim relief of Rs 10,000 and a case has been registered, police added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BSF has arrested four persons for their alleged involvement in a smuggling racket across the International border in West Bengal's Nadia district, a statement said today.

Acting on a tip-off on gold smuggling from Bangladesh to India, BSF troops under sector Headquarters Behrampur launched a special operation at the Fence Gate No 80 of Border Out Post Nandanpur within Karimpur Police Station limits of Nadia district, a Border Security Force (BSF) statement said.

A special BSF team intercepted a woman roaming around the fencing gate at about 12.30 PM. The personnel frisked her with the help of BSF Mahila Prahari and discovered she was wearing a waist belt.

Inside the belt nine gold biscuits, weighing around 982 gm were recovered, the statement said.

On questioning, the woman identified as Nirachan Sekh, led to the troopers apprehending two of her accomplices - Chhadek Sekh and Rahit Sekh - from near the international border.

"On the basis of her statement, Chhadek Sekh and Rahit Sekh were also apprehended near the IB in two different operations," it said.

Following this, the BSF conducted a joint operation along with a team from Karimpur Police Station at Rautbari and seized gold ornaments valued at over Rs 1.30 lakh, besides foreign and Indian currencies.

One woman was also apprehended from the house, the statement said, adding that all the four arrested along with their seized items, have been handed over to the police.

The BSF South Bengal Frontier has so far apprehended 17 gold smugglers and seized a total of 9,890 gm of gold approximately valued over Rs 2 crore this year, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four passengers were detained at the Renigunta airport today following suspicion over some liquid pain killer carried by them, police said.

The four, who were to board a flight to New Delhi, were detained after the pain balm showed traces of inflammable content during security check.

Police said they have sent samples of the liquid for forensic test.

The detained passengers are engaged in papaya fruit business with merchants in Koduru in Kadapa district, about 40 km from here.

While returning from a visit to the town, they had bought the pain killer, they said.

Police said further investigations are on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least five persons, mostly minors, were killed and 27 others injured today when a train derailed in Egypt's Giza area which is popular among tourists for Pyramids.

The train heading to the Upper Egyptian city of Aswan from here when its first three compartments went off the tracks at Ayat in Giza, killing five persons and injuring 27, most of them minors, Khaled Megahed, Ministry Of Health spokesperson said.

Around 20 ambulances rushed to the spot, Giza governor Kamal el-Dali said, adding that the cause of the accident was being probed.

Giza is home to the great Pyramids, one of the Wonders of the Ancient World.

The accident resulted in train services from Cairo getting affected.

The accident comes as Egypt prepares to celebrate Eid al-Adha which starts on Monday, with many Egyptians traveling to different cities to spent the holiday with their families and friends.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 59-year-old Rajasthan government engineer posted at Jodhpur House here who was accused of raping a minor girl at his official residence was arrested today, police said.

SN Mahipal was arrested in the morning from his residence, a senior police officer said.

The 13-year-old victim, hailing from Jharkhand was working at Mahipal's residence, situated behind Jodhpur House, and alleged that she was raped by him Monday evening.

The victim narrated the whole incident to her cousin.

Later, she was taken to Tughlaq Road police station by her brother to file a case against the accused.

According to her complaint, the accused was trying to woo her for the last one-and-a-half months got her new clothes.

The accused lived alone at his house in Delhi while his family stays in Rajasthan.

The girl was sent for a medical examination by the police and a case under section 376 (rape) of IPC and other relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act has been registered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three Haryana Police officials were among six persons arrested here today for their alleged involvement in drug trade.

Bansi, Sher Singh and Sanjay alias Sandeep were arrested for smuggling drugs and police personnel Krishan Kumar, Mandeep and Praveen were held for accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 each in return for releasing the accused, police said.

Twenty-five gram of heroin each was recovered from Bansi and Sanjay while 10 gram from Sher Singh, they said.

A case was registered under sections 217 and 221 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and sections of Prevention of Corruption Act against the men and the police officials, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Aam Admi Party leader Ashutosh will meet NCW chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam tomorrow after he was summoned for his controversial blog defending sacked party minister Sandeep Kumar over an "objectionable CD".

Ashutosh tweeted today, "I have decided to appear before NCW tomorrow as I have been asked by the panel, to present my views (sic)."



He will visit the National Commission for Women office at 11:30 am tomorrow.

NCW summoned Ashutosh for his blog on NDTV website titled, "The Sex Was Consensual, Private Act. Why AAP Punished Its Man."



In the blog Ashutosh, referring to Sandeep Kumar, asked, "What wrong has the man done?"



He wrote, "This video encompasses pictures of a man and woman indulging in a sexual act. The video clearly establishes that both individuals knew each other and consented to sex in a private space away from the public glare."



"...The question then is that if two consenting adults are physically involved with each other,is it a crime?"



While issuing summons Kumaramangalam said, "The summons are in response to what we feel is a very reprehensible and demeaning blog Ashutosh wrote, where he defended a man accused of rape."



She also said that Ashutosh was wrong to jump the gun and pronounce Sandeep Kumar innocent when a police investigation was on.

The NCW chairperson said it did not behove a party spokesperson to defend a party MLA accused of a sexual crime.

She had said, "The Commission has taken a note in the larger interest because we feel that as a spokesperson of a party that governs Delhi and a party whose members have been accused of many incidents of violence against women he should not be writing a blog like this which reeks of patriarchy and misogyny."



Ashutosh had on Monday taken to Twitter to attack NCW chairperson for issuing him summons. He had tweeted, "I hope Lalitha Kumarmangalam, member of BJP Nat Ex/chairman NCW is summoning every writer who wrote about consensual sex. NO pick and choose (sic).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An RTI activist set himself on fire in front of Raj Bhawan here, demanding Governor Ram Naresh Yadav, who demitted office this evening after end of his tenure, be arrested in the Vyapam scam, police said.

The activist, Manoj Tripathi, has not suffered major burn injuries, but he has been taken for medical examination, they added.

"Manoj, an RTI activist, poured kerosene and set himself on fire. Policemen deputed in and around Raj Bhawan immediately rushed and doused the flames in a few seconds. He might have sustained minor burns," Bhopal Inspector General of Police Yogesh Choudhary told PTI.

The activist was demanding the arrest of Yadav in the Vyapam scam, Choudhary said.

"I don't have much details about injuries caused to him and Superintendent of Police Anshuman Singh was personally looking into the case," the IPS officer said.

The IG denied reports that Manoj set himself ablaze in front of the convoy of Yadav (89) when he was leaving the Raj Bhawan for airport to catch a flight to Lucknow.

The activist has been taken for medical examination. Manoj will be booked for his act, he added.

Yadav, an UPA-appointee, managed to complete his full term but faced tough time when he was accused of rigging a forest guard recruitment test conducted by Vyavsayik Pariksha Mandal or MP Professional Examination Board, popularly called Vyapam, in 2015.

Madhya Pradesh Police's Special Task Force, which earlier probed the recruitment and admission scandal, had booked Yadav for alleged fraud and other criminal offences.

Thereafter, Yadav moved the MP High Court for quashing the FIR against him.

In May 2015, the HC quashed the FIR against him, holding he enjoyed immunity against prosecution while in office.

It remains to be seen if the CBI, now handling the high-profile scandal, will proceed against Yadav, a former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Governor O P Kohli has reached the Raj Bhawan and will take additional charge of Madhya Pradesh tomorrow.

Madhya Pradesh HC Chief Justice Rajendra Menon will administer the oath of office to Kohli, a Raj Bhawan official said.

(REOPENS BES30)



Meanwhile, SP (South) Anshuman Singh said as per doctors Manoj has sustained around 5 per cent superficial burn injuries.

"Manoj has been arrested and booked under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of IPC, as an inspector was injured while he was putting out the fire," Singh said.

"Manoj tried to set himself on fire as soon as the entrance gate of the Raj Bhawan opened to make way for Yadav's convoy to reach the airport," he added.
After Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Labour minister Gopal Rai will also remain away from the national capital for a fortnight as he will be attending a 14-day-long "Workers' Dialogue" in Chhattisgarh starting tomorrow.

"The Labour Minister will attend the 14-day Workers' Dialouge organised by AAP's Chhattisgarh unit. During the programme, which will be held Lok Sabha constituency wise, Rai will hear problems being faced by local people," said a senior government official said.

Kejriwal, who will tomorrow leave for poll-bound Punjab tomorrow to take stock of AAP's preparations, will remain out of Delhi for about a fortnight.

Soon after returning from Punjab, he will undergo throat surgery on September 13 in Bengaluru. He is expected to return to Delhi on September 22 or 23.

During this period, only three ministers--Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Home Minister Satyender Jain and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra--will be looking after the governance.

Earlier in the day, defending the frequent visits by Delhi government ministers to poll-bound states, Jain said the government's work is not affected when any minister goes to other states for campaigning.

"Government's work is not affected if a minister goes for poll campaigning. When I was in Vatican, I was looking after my departments' work through WhatsApp.

"AAP ministers work 365 days a year. I work for 10 hours every day. In the previous governments, ministers used to come to office for only two hours once in a week," he said.

Sisodia is at present on a two-day visit to Goa where AAP is gearing up for Assembly elections in 2017. He will be returning tomorrow.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Air China's in-flight magazine has advised London visitors to take 'precautions' when entering areas populated by "Indians, Pakistanis and black people", according to a media report.

Air China's 'Wings of China' carries a long feature on visiting London, with almost a third of the magazine dedicated to tourist attractions in Britain's capital and other famous towns such as Oxford, the CNBC reported.

The main article, titled "London the city of 'hat tricks'," covers Britons' apparent fondness for all kinds of hats.

Then, after a section on transport options and lifestyle and cultural activities in London, Wings of China offers some "Tips from Air China."



"London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people," China's flagship carrier advises, according to CNBC journalist Haze Fan who highlighted the snippet on London safety on her Twitter account.

"We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling," the advice states.

The advice is at odds with the London promoted by its Mayor Sadiq Khan, a British national with Pakistani parents, who in July launched a #LondonisOpen campaign and frequently blogs about his favorite places to eat and drink in his South London Indian-Pakistani neighbourhood of Tooting.

"This is offensive and I hope AirChina will remove this magazine and apologise immediately," Virendra Sharma, Labour MP for Ealing Southall, tweeted.

Chinese companies have been criticised previously for their depictions of various races. In May, a Chinese laundry detergent-maker apologised for an advertisement that showed an Asian woman shoving a dirt-smeared black man into a washing machine, only for him to emerge as a clean Asian man.

(Reopens FES 114)



Sharma demanded an apology from Air China for "blatant racism".

In a statement, Sharma said, "Today I have written in the strongest possible terms to His Excellency Mr Liu Xiaoming, Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China, to raise my concerns about reports of racism in their inflight magazine."



"I am shocked and appalled that even today some people would see it as acceptable to write such blatantly untrue and racist statements. I have raised this issue with the Chinese Ambassador, and requested that he ensures an apology is swiftly forthcoming from Air China, and the magazine is removed from circulation immediately," he said.

Sharma said he has invited representatives of Air China to visit his constituency of Ealing, Southall, to see that a very multi-cultural area is safe, and would be of great value for those visiting London to see.

"I will await their response, and if an appropriate one is not forthcoming I shall feel forced to question whether Air China is a fit company to operate in the UK," he said.
Bharti Airtel will roll out its latest 4G technology across 37 towns in Assam next week.

"We are currently testing the 4G signals in 37 towns. We are almost ready and will roll out the services commercially next week," a company source told PTI.

As part of the launch, the company is offering its customers free of cost upgrade to 4G services from 2G or 3G connections at present.

The official said Airtel will roll out the services in 37 towns in Assam, including Guwahati, Silchar, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tezpur, Tinsukia, Bongaigaon, Sibsagar, Nagaon, Lakhimpur, Barpeta, Duliajan, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Dhemaji, Golaghat, Gaolpara, Mangaldoi and Nalbari.

The company currently offers 4G services in all other north eastern states.

"We are inviting data savvy customers to be 4G ready with a simple switch to an Airtel USIM. We look forward to serving them with world-class services on India's widest 4G network," Airtel Chief Executive Officer (North East and Assam) Sameer Anjaria said.

Airtel 4G will allow customers to enjoy uninterrupted HD video streaming, fast uploading and downloading of movies, music and images, the company claimed.

The launch of Airtel 4G in Assam will be a part of 'Project Leap' -- Airtel's nation-wide network transformation initiative.

With a planned investment of Rs 60,000 crore over the next three years, 'Project Leap' is a strategic company initiative aimed at perceptibly improving its network quality and delivering the best customer experience.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Alan Cumming spent time with Syrian refugees during his visit to Lebanon.

The 51-year-old actor has joined hands with the UN Refugee



Agency to support the refugees fleeing war-torn Syria, as well as to research the crisis as a whole in the country that hosts over one million displaced and uprooted individuals, reported People magazine.

"At the end of one of the many unbearably heart-breaking stories of the violence, persecution and humiliation the Syrian refugees have escaped from, I threw my arms around a young woman who had just shared her world with me.

"Our translator, a young Lebanese girl who was also in tears, asked me how she should translate a hug, so I hugged her too. This trip has been life- changing. We all have a duty to do more to assist the resettlement and care of these people and to stand #WithRefugees," Cumming said.

During his two day long trip the actor traveled to northern and southern Lebanon to meet with refugees and listen to first-hand stories of those forced to flee their homes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Security personnel at the NSC Bose International Airport today went into high gear after three phone calls were made saying that the airport will be blown up.

While the first two calls were made to Lalbazar Police Control Room at around 1.15 AM, the third call was made to Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate.

Immediately after the first two calls, the bomb squad, sniffer dogs along with a CISF team, were pressed into action and the entire airport was thoroughly screened during the night, a senior police officer said.

However, "nothing was found", he said.

The first call was made to Lalbazar control room at around 1.15 AM by a man who said that he had got information that one person named Arshad, a human bomb, was planning to blow up the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, the officer said.

"The call was made from 3615188371 phone number. The male voice gave us another number (8697872895), saying that it was Arshad's number. He almost pleaded that a probe be launched quickly," a top officer of Kolkata Police told PTI.

The next call came 15 minutes later from the same number, claiming that a bomb was planted inside the airport and "it will blow up the whole place within minutes", he said.

At around 8.55 AM, another call was made to Bidhannagar Police Control Room, claiming that a bomb had been planted inside a cargo aircraft and "it'll go off any moment", a senior officer said.

The bomb squad, sniffer dogs and CISF personnel made a thorough check in the entire airport, the officer, said, adding passengers and their luggage were scrutinised and vehicles were not allowed to stay near the main entrance of the airport for more than two minutes, the officer said.

Later in the evening, a team of police from the



Bidhannagar Commissionerate detained one person from Dunkuni area for allegedly making a call this morning.

"Tracing the tower location of the call made at the Bidhannagar Commissionerate Control Room this morning, it was found that the phone was located in Dankuni and belonged to one person. We have detained him and questionning him why he made such a call," he said.

Kolkata Police officers said that the number from which the calls were made to Lalbazar Control Room was traced to Guwahati circle, "but the phone was switched off after the calls were made to the control room".

"We are looking into the matter. Efforts are made to locate the person there," a senior officer said.
The All Party Delegation (APD) that visited Jammu and Kashmir today pitched for dialogue with all stakeholders which the government reciprocated by saying it was prepared for discussions with all but made no reference to separatists Hurriyat Conference.

At the three-hour long meeting of the APD, which visited the state on September 4-5, demands were made for resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue, confidence building measures and a "dual track" approach for bringing peace in the restive Valley.

The meeting, chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who led the delegation, made it clear that there would be no compromise on national sovereignty.

The political parties appealed to the people of the state to shun the path of violence and resolve all issues through dialogue and discussion.

"The members of the delegation are of the opinion that there is no place for violence in a civilised society. There can be no compromise on issue of national sovereignty," the resolution, read out by Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh, said.

While the resolution requested the central and state governments to take steps for dialogue with all stake holders, Left Parties batted for resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue and announcement of confidence building measures like withdrawal of AFSPA from civilian areas.

Without making any reference to separatists including Hurriyat Conference, the APD statement asked the Central and state governments "to take steps for a dialogue with all stake holders". While some opposition leaders met Hurriyat Conference leaders lodged in various sub jails, hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani refused to meet them.

Asked whether separatists would also come under the purview of "stakeholders", MoS in PMO said the Home Minister is open for dialogue with "all stake holders". He did not elaborate.

To a similar question, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the separatist amalgamate is part of the "all stake holders".

Yechury said there was no discussion on the performance of Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir government but leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi said personally he felt that the PDP-BJP government has failed to handle the current situation, which continued for too long, leading to "the present mess".

"This is not the time to blame. This is the time to work unitedly for bringing peace in Kashmir," Yechury said.

Owaisi said in the APD meeting that a non-BJP and



non-Congress fact-finding team of political parties should visit Jammu and Kashmir to meet a cross section of people to ascertain the loss of lives due to violence.

While demanding release of those "illegally jailed" in the Kashmir Valley, the AIMIM leader said Union Home Minister should talk to the editors of four leading newspapers of Kashmir.

Yechury said government should follow up its Kashmir outreach initiative by taking concrete steps like former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had declared a unilateral ceasefire and held talks with militant group Hizbul Mujahideen.

Kharge said even though the government had announced that pellet guns would be replaced by chilli-based non-lethal ammunition PAVA, one man died yesterday due to the injuries by pellets.

Expressing serious concern over the prevailing situation in the state, the APD statement said the members of the delegation were of the view that there is no place for violence in a civilised society.

"There can be no compromises on the issues of national sovereignty," it added.

The meeting asked both the governments to take steps to ensure that education institutions, government offices and commercial establishment start functioning normally at the earliest.

They requested the government to take effective steps to ensure security for all citizens and provide medical treatment to citizens and security personnel injured in agitation.

Yechury and Owaisi said the Home Minister denied that there was a plan to curtail the security provided to separatist leaders.
Apollo Spectra Hospitals has partnered with Pune's hearing health care provider Quadio Labs to provide Internet-based audiometry services.

Together, they have introduced 'net audiometry' services at Apollo Spectra Hospitals at Tardeo and Chembur here.

Neeraj Dotel, CEO of Quadio Labs, said under this partnership, patients can walk into any one of the two hospital facilities in Mumbai and avail audiometry services via his company's audiologists over the Internet.

"Patients visiting the hospital would be connected to Quadio's team of audiologists sitting in Pune through a computer, following which they would remotely conduct the audiometry," Dotel said in a statement here.

He said net audiometry empowers audiologists to break the physical barriers of a brick and mortar hearing clinic and reach patients across geographies to conduct audiometry test for hearing impaired individuals.

According to WHO, hearing loss affects over 10 per cent of India's population of over 1.2 billion and is the second most debilitating disability in the country.

Dotel said as part of the partnership, Apollo Spectra will also be reaching to institutions like schools, traffic police personnel, bus drivers etc via 'net audiometry' to help detect any cases of congenital or other adult hearing loss and increase awareness.

(Reopens MDS15)



Meanwhile, Apollo Hospitals organised a condolence meeting in memory of Jayalalithaa.

"Today, a condolence meeting was organised at the Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, to pay tribute to our beloved Puratchi Thalaivi. #AmmaForever", the hospital said in a tweet.

State Principal Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan, Apollo Hospitals Managing Director Preetha Reddy were among those who took part in the meeting.
Arunachal Pradesh assembly today paid tribute to former chief minister Kalikho Pul who was found hanging at his official residence on August 9.

Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok and Chief Minister Pema Khandu led the house in paying tributes to Pul during the inaugural day of the two-day special assembly session convened to ratify the GST Bill.

Initiating the obituary reference to Pul, Thongdok described him as a statesman and said in his death the state had lost a great personality.

Khandu termed Pul's death as 'shocking' and said the state government had already constituted a committee headed by an IGP rank officer to investigate it.

"As soon as the committee submits the report, the matter will be discussed with all the members of the house," he said.

Responding to criticism from opposition BJP members who alleged political turmoil as the reason behind Pul's suicide, Khandu said after the Supreme Court verdict on Arunachal government, all Congress members supported his leadership, including the former chief minister.

"Pul had helped my father Dorjee Khandu during his tenure as chief minister in taking important decisions. During the (November) political development I was with him and even I resigned from the ministry to support him," Khandu added.

Appreciating Pul's efforts in the development of Anjaw district, which he represented, Khandu appealed to the people to support the family members of the departed leader in the by-election to the constituency.

Participating in the discussion, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein termed Pul as a good parliamentarian and the transition of Anjaw district started in 1995 when Pul became its MLA for the first time.

"Today the district could be replicated by others as a model district in terms of best road communication and infrastructure."



"His death has created a void in the state's political arena," Mein added.

Obituary reference was also made of Tumpak Ete who died in his Aalo residence on August 13.

The speaker called him a popular writer and composer besides an able administrator, while the chief minister said he always worked for the state's socio-economic development.

Mien said Ete as a social activist who was instrumental in documentation of the indigenous faith and culture.

The house observed two-minutes silence as mark of respect before it was adjourned for the day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter accused Russia today of sowing seeds of global instability and questioned whether Moscow genuinely wants a viable cease-fire in Syria.

In a hard-hitting speech at Oxford University, Carter emphasized deep skepticism about Russian intentions in Syria, even as US Secretary of State John Kerry prepared to fly to Geneva for more talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Their discussions last weekend, on the sidelines of an economic summit in China, failed to produce a nationwide cease-fire in Syria or a US-Russian military cooperation agreement.

Russia is a firm supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and their joint military operation has sometimes targeted the anti-Islamic State rebels backed by the Obama administration.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Kerry and Lavrov would hold their next round of talks Thursday and Friday.

"Unfortunately so far, Russia, with its support for the Assad regime, has made the situation in Syria more dangerous, more prolonged and more violent. That has contributed to what President Obama this weekend called the 'gaps of trust' that exist between our two countries," Carter said.

In last weekend's talks, top diplomats from the US and Russia, as well as President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, struggled to keep alive negotiations to end the bloodshed between US-backed rebels and Syria's government.

Obama expressed skepticism that an unlikely alliance between rivals would yield the breakthrough needed to end the 5-year-old civil war.

Carter urged the Russians to work with the US toward a political transition in Syria, though he sounded less than optimistic.

"Today's out of Syria is not encouraging," he said. "The choice is Russia's to make and the consequences will be its responsibility."



Intense fighting between Syrian government troops and insurgents in Syria's central Hama province displaced some 100,000 people over eight days between late August and early September, the UN's humanitarian agency reported today.

"Despite the progress that we made together in the aftermath of the Cold War, Russia's actions in recent years with its violations of Ukrainian and Georgian territorial integrity, its unprofessional behavior in the air, in space, and in cyberspace, as well as its nuclear saber rattling - all have demonstrated that Russia has clear ambition to erode the principled international order," Carter said.

Carter accused Russia of being driven by "misguided ambition and misplaced fear.

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In the latest in a series of incidents of attacks on policemen in Maharashtra, four youths of a Ganesh Utsav mandal allegedly tried to drown a sub-inspector in Kalyan township of Thane.

Raising the safety of police personnel as a matter of serious concern, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking protection to law enforcers and strict punishment to attackers.

Uddhav spelled out his concerns on a day when the purported video of a policeman being pushed into a lake and four youths of a local Ganesh Utsav mandal trying to drown him in Kalyan township of Thane district went viral.

The youths had earlier objected to being disciplined by police sub-inspector Niteen Dondu Dagale.

During immersion of the Ganpati idols last evening, Dagale (38), attached to Kolsewadi Police Station in Kalyan, was on bandobust duty at Teesgaon Talao of the town.

As he was controlling the crowd assembled for the immersion, some members of Jari Mari Ganesh Utsav mandal, who were asked to follow the queue system, objected to being disciplined and picked up a quarrel with Dagale.

Later, the youths allegedly pushed him into the lake. When Dagale struggled to come out of the water, one of the youths jumped in and again allegedly tried to drown him, but he managed to save himself by swimming out of the lake, police said.

The video also showed people indulging in revelry with no one coming to the rescue of the police officer.

The Kolsewadi Police has registered offences against the four accused under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) read with 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

A manhunt has been launched to nab the youths.

The Shiv Sena chief met Fadnavis at his official residence over the concerns harboured by families of policemen in wake of the recent attacks on police personnel.

The Chief Minister said the government will consider all demands of the families of police personnel.

The police families residing in Worli's BDD chawl had expressed their anger over the attack on traffic constable Vilas Shinde, who was allegedly beaten up by two youths following which he succumbed to his injuries on August 31.

Shinde was hit on head with a wooden plank allegedly



by a juvenile after he asked the latter for vehicle documents at a petrol pump in suburban Khar.

A day after he died, a helmet-less rider rammed into a traffic constable at Kurla in Mumbai when the policeman attempted to stop him at a nakabandi.

In another incident, a traffic constable was injured at a traffic junction in Thane when he tried to stop a vehicle on September 2.

Uddhav, who was accompanied by a few Sena ministers, including Minister of State for Home Deepak Keskarkar, and the families of policemen, later told reporters that "I think the Home Department needs a separate minister to check attacks on police."



"I demanded three things from the CM -- safety of cops in state, proper implementation of law, and strict punishment to attackers," he said.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray had also recently spoken against the incident and met the families of policemen.

Later, Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said the government will consider all demands of the families of police personnel.

He informed them of various initiatives taken by the state government for police welfare, including full day salary for working on holiday, inclusion of police in PM Awas Yojna and provision of Rs 2,000 crore for police housing this year.

He also assured them of setting up of a committee to address their issues and inclusion of their family members in the panel.

Fadnavis also informed that the government is working on some unique initiatives for police health, and to increase interaction between police and public.

A skill training programme for wives of policemen is also being planned.

(REOPENS BOM9)



Meanwhile, taking serious note of increasing instances of attack on police personnel in Mumbai and neighbouring districts, Maharashtra Police today appealed to people to restrain from such unprovoked behaviour and also warned them of consequences of indulging in such acts.

"I want to clarify that such incidents would not be tolerated at all and stringent penal actions would be applied to those found accused of resorting to such unprovoked behaviour. I want to assert, especially to the youths, that if they resort to such unprovoked behaviour then it will be almost impossible for them to get a job anywhere and they won't be able to get even passport clearances," Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra Police Satish Mathur said.

He described the spate of attacks on policemen as unfortunate and appealed to the people to respect their work.

"Our message is clear. We are not going to spare anyone involved in such cases. Attacking a policeman is equivalent to attacking whole society. Each policeman is like you and comes from you only. Hence respect their work as he is discharging his duties by setting aside or sacrificing his own commitments and social obligations," Mathur said.

The top cop also denied allegations that the police force was not acting tough on perpetrators due to "political patronage".

"There is no political pressure or political patronage at all on us. We deal such cases very firmly and as per the law. Even the Chief Minister has instructed me to take all possible measures against the accused in this case and all such cases," Mathur told reporters at a press conference here.

When asked about reasons of spurt in such cases, he said, "Largely it seems people are pissed with traffic enforcement due to rules imposed during congregational occasions. But people should think about it seriously and cooperate with the men in Khaki, rather venting out their aggression on them."



To a question on unruly behaviour of cops, Mathur said, "If people find the behaviour of a policemen unruly or objectionable, then there are many channels through which they can file a complaint against such erring police officials. But taking law into their own hands is not acceptable at all.
After tasting success in solar energy auctions which helped bring down tariffs, the government is looking to soon start bidding for the wind power sector, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.

"Solar power auctions have benefited immensely. It's (wind power auctions) on the way, its on the anvil. In fact I have just come from a meeting where I was telling my officers to speed that up," the New and Renewable Energy Minister said at a discussion at the Economist India summit here.

He further said: "Over the years, the wind people were so used to the feed-in tariffs that they were resisting it on the ground that its distributed all across small units, it won't work. But, I realise that pricing that you get out of these feed-in tariffs is never going to be the most optimal tariff."



Fortunately, the success of solar power tariffs has brought solar power prices down by 40 per cent in the last 12 to 17 months. It has become the benchmark for wind power, he added.

"So wind is suddenly started facing the wind of solar and their pricing is becoming unviable so now they are coming back to me and are ready and willing to go for the auctions," Goyal, who also holds the charge of Power, Coal and mines Ministries, said.

On high prices in the coal auctions impacting firms, he said: "I did not set the auction price. It was a free and frank and transparent and open auction. And everybody was free to bid who wanted the coal. I never asked the companies to bid a particular price more or less. I didn't interfere."



Taking a dig at the firms which bid in the auctions, Goyal said: "Private sector bid for that coal and they are so smart I am sure that they bid the right price... Now those smart people have bid for that coal, they pay for that coal.

"I think its a fair deal. You can't have a deal where the private sector is smart while they make money and they are not smart and it's my duty to bail them out when they lose money."



On increasing share of renewable energy in India's energy mix, the Minister said government has set a target achieving 40 per cent of installed capacity through renewables and reduce the carbon intensity of the GDP by 30-35 per cent by 2030.

Energy requirements of the growing economy would triple by 2030 and hence making the role of research, innovation and development key in addressing issues in a holistic manner, he stressed.

On climate change and India's role in it, Goyal said the country has its own development imperatives like bringing around 40 per cent of its population out of poverty, feeding the hungry, creating jobs and physical infrastructure.

India, though on path of reducing carbon intensity, would require some room in order to boost to its manufacturing sector, which in turn would ride on the back of coal generated power in the near future, he explained.

Goyal stressed that developed nations need to honour their commitments on helping developing nations with technology transfer and funding.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Marine authorities said an Australian man died after a large shark attacked him while he was kitesurfing in New Caledonia, a French island territory in the Pacific Ocean.

The 50-year-old man had fallen from his board into the water yesterday afternoon near the reef of Koumac lagoon when the shark bit deep into his right thigh, said Maritime Rescue Coordination Center Director Nicolas Renaud.

He said the man had arrived on Sunday for a vacation that was due to last about 10 days and had booked a cruise on a sailing vessel so he could do some kitesurfing.

Renaud said the crew from the sailing catamaran witnessed the attack and were able to drag the man back on board and administer first aid, but he later died.

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Minister of State for Defence Subhash Ramrao Bhamre today met his British counterpart Harriett Baldwin and discussed a wide-range of issues covering the entire spectrum of bilateral defence cooperation.

During the meeting, Bhamre reiterated India's resolve to enhance defence capability and improve its defence industrial base and invited greater British participation in the BJP-led government's flagship 'Make in India' programme.

"The meeting was held in very cordial atmosphere. A wide range of issues covering the entire spectrum of defence cooperation between India and UK were discussed at the meeting, including Indo-UK collaboration in joint research, development and production which has tremendous potential for growth," an official statement said.

Bhamre also drew attention to the challenges being faced by both sides due to increased terrorist activities globally as well as cross-border terrorism being faced by India.

"He emphasised that terrorism is a global phenomenon and a clear message must go to countries supporting terrorism. There could be no differentiation between good and bad terrorists. The UK minister acknowledged India's stand on terrorism and expressed UK's resolve to cooperate in the field of counter-terrorism," the statement added.

The minister highlighted India's "tremendous experience" in UN Peacekeeping operations worldwide and assured his UK counterpart of further strengthening Indo-UK cooperation in UN Peacekeeping operations.

Bhamre is in the UK to attend the UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial Conference 2016 to be held at Lancaster House in London tomorrow.

During the visit, he also interacted with British Indian MP Alok Sharma, minister of state for Asia and the Pacific in UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and discussed issues of mutual interests.

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BJP today held protest here against controversial minister Azam Khan for his "objectionable" statement against Bhim Rao Ambedkar dubbing the Constitution maker as someone who grabs land.

In his address at the inauguration of Haj House in Ghaziabad on Monday, Khan without naming Ambedkar had said, "All across Uttar Pradesh, there are statues of a person whose finger seems to say that not only does it own the plot of land on which it is standing, but also the plot towards which it is pointing its finger."



"The BJP held protests in the state capital and the similar protests were also stagged across the state," Uttar Pradesh BJP President Keshav Prasad Maurya said.

A BJP delegation led by Maurya handed over a memorandum to Governor Ram Naik at Rajbhawan demanding Khan's dismissal from the cabinet for "hurting sentiments" by making "derogatory remarks" against Ambedkar.

"We request to make such an arrangement that those making such statements against great persons should be brought to book irrespective of their stature," he said.

Maurya also attacked the Opposition parties for being silent over the remarks.

"The silence of BSP proves that it is hand-in-gloves with the ruling SP and Congress. BSP has not initiated any action against Naseemuddin Siddiqui for derogatory remarks against women and also not sent any representative for Kashmir talks. This shows the way in which the party is running," Maurya said.

Maurya alleged that BJP district president and other workers were injured in the lathicharge by police on protestors in Lucknow.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena threatened to hold a 'mahapanchayat' on the issue which will be attended by people from 150 villages if Khan does not tender an apology.

UPNS chief Amit Jani said if Khan does not apologise for the remarks against Ambedkar, a mahapanchayat will be called on September 25th.

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Britain is to begin work on 1.9- million-pound "new big wall" in French port of Calais, to block refugees and migrants jumping on to lorries to cross the English Channel via ferries and enter the UK illegally.

The four-metre-high wall, being dubbed the "Great Wall of Calais", is part of a 17-million-pound package of joint Anglo-French security measures to tighten precautions at the port connecting France and England, UK immigration minister Robert Goodwill told the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee yesterday, soon after scandal-hit Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz had resigned as its chair.

"People are still getting through. We have done the fences. Now we are doing the wall,"Goodwill told MPs.

"The security that we are putting in at the port is being stepped up with better equipment. We are going to start building this big new wall very soon as part of the 17-million-pound package we are doing with the French," he said.

Building on the 1-km-long wall along the Calais ferry port's main dual-carriageway approach road, known as the Rocade, is due to start this month.

The wall, estimated to cost the UK taxpayer1.9-million- pound,will be built in two sections on either side of the road to protect lorries and other vehicles from migrants who have used rocks, shopping trolleys and even tree trunks to try to stop vehicles before climbing aboard.

The aim is to add a further layer of protection against attempts to delay or attack vehicles approaching the port of Dover on the English side.

It is aimed at migrants in the camp called the "Jungle" in Calais, which is home to 9,000 migrants and refugees living in squalid tents and makeshift shelters.

Many of them have attempted to reach the UK by boarding lorries as they approach ports or the Eurotunnel which connects France and England.

Recently they began throwing objects at vehicles travelling to the port toslow traffic, so they can get on to lorries bound for the UK.

Earlier this week, lorry drivers, shopkeepers, farmers and police officers took part in a blockade of the main motorway in Calais demanding the Jungle be demolished.

Richard Burnett, chief executive of the UK's Road Haulage Association, called the wall plan a "poor use of taxpayers' money".

He said funding for a wall "would be much better spent on increasing security along the approach roads".

Work on the wall is expected to begin later this month.

It will be made of smooth concrete in an attempt to make it more difficult to scale, with plants and flowers on one side to reduce its visual impact on the local area.

It is due to be completed by the end of the year.

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CanFin Homes Ltd, sponsored by Canara Bank, today said it will raise Rs 3,000 crore by issuing bonds in tranches.

The decision was taken by the company's Board of Directors at a meeting held today.

"The Board also approved a proposal for raising of funds by way of issue of non-convertible debentures to the extent of Rs 3,000 crore in tranches on private placement basis," it said in a regulatory filing.

The company did not provide further details as to where it will utilise the funds that it plans to raise.

One of the leading players in housing finance sector, CanFin Homes, with 120 branches and 50 satellite offices, has 70 per cent of its branches in southern India while the remaining are in the north.

It offers housing as well as non-housing loans and also accepts deposits.

Shares of the company closed 1 per cent down today at Rs 1,648.35 on BSE.

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Haryana Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu today dismissed the allegations levelled against him by Congress MLA Karan Dalal as "false, baseless and intended to cause mischief and hurt."



The Minister warned that he would file a defamation case against the Congress MLA if he did not desist from making such allegations.

The minister said he was an honest politician and believed in serving the people in right earnest in keeping with the credo of the BJP Government, a press release quoted him as saying.

Dalal is making allegations just to stay in the news, he said.

Capt Abhimanyu claimed the BJP Government did not indulge in any kind of favouritism or nepotism during its 22-month regime and had followed the policy of zero tolerance towards corruption.

"As leaders like Dalal cannot digest this and do not have any issue to rake up or level any charge against the government, they are now levelling allegations on individuals which are divorced from truth", he added.

A privilege motion have been passed against the MLA in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha for this very reason", the minister said.

"Since the BJP came to power, there has been no instance of any member of his family receiving any kind of benefits, as alleged by Dalal.

"Politics and business are separate topics for him, and his businesses are being run by members of his family while remaining within the limits of law," he said.

Dalal knows neither the law nor decorum, and he should better seek legal recourse if he feels that some illegal activity is being carried out, he added.

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Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasing Tawde was today charged-sheeted by CBI for the 2013 broad daylight killing of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, who it allegedly considered a "Dharma Drohi" (traitor to religion).

CBI filed a charge sheet before Judicial Magistrate First Class, Pune, against Tawde, an ENT surgeon who gave up his practice in 2001 to become member of Sanatan Sanstha, levelling charges under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and murder.

"The motive for the murder of Narendra Dabholkar was allegedly the long enmity/hatred that existed between two private organisations. Narendra Dabholkar was the founder of a Satara (Maharashtra) based organisation (Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti ANS) and the accused (Doctor) was part of another other private organisation based at Kolhapur (Maharashtra)(Sanatan Sanstha)," CBI spokesperson said.

The agency has managed to piece together links of Tawde with Sanstha, shooter-killer Vinay Pawar and another person involved in criminal conspiracy Sarang Akolkar, who is wanted by NIA in Goa blast case. A Red Corner Notice is pending against him, sources in the agency said, giving details of charge sheet.

The crucial piece of evidence with CBI are emails of Tawde, besides testimony of some key persons whose help was sought in the murder of Dabholkar whose tireless campaign against superstitious practices resulted in Maharashtra enacting a law to check them, they said.

CBI said the campaign was seen by Sanatan Sanstha as against Hindu religion and the organisation described Dabholkar as "Dharma Dhrohi" (traitor to religion).

Tawde had allegedly tried to procure countrymade guns from UP and MP and even attempted to manufacture the weapons, they said.

Tawde was also accused of trying to procure foreign made



weapons, including assault rifles from Assam.

Sources alleged a few years back Tawde was pursuing an agenda of arming 15,000 persons with sophisticated weapons to "defend the religion" and even sanctioned that cadres may "indulge in loot and theft" to arrange the money for it.

Akolkar and alleged shooter Pawar are still absconding.

CBI sources said two days before Dabholkar was killed, an article had appeared in Dainik Sanatan Prabhat published by Sanatan Sanstha which carried the sketch of a person, denoting 'ANS' (Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti) of the rationalist, lying on ground with a flag piercing his chest and blood oozing out.

The sources said it could have been a signal to assassinate of Dabholkar.

Hindu Janjagruti Samiti is an affiliate of Sanatan Sanstha.

"In the ongoing investigation, searches were conducted on June 01, 2016 at Pune (Akolkar) and Panvel (Tawde), both in Maharashtra in the premises of two private persons, including a doctor and another private person who was absconding in Goa Blast case of 2009. Certain documents and mobile numbers and E-mails etc. Recovered during searches were scrutinised," the official said.

The agency is likely to file more charge sheets in the matter, the spokesperson said.

"Initial investigation revealed that the said doctor had allegedly conspired to the murder of Narendra Dabholkar with two other accused persons including an absconder. Further investigation is continuing to unearth the entire conspiracy and to reveal the identity of all known/unknown accused," she said.
The Centre has opposed the government's plan to build dedicated hospitals, hostels and schools for construction workers at a cost of Rs 1,160 crore through a cess collected for them from the industry.

Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya held an hour-long meeting with the Labour Minister Gopal Rai on the issue where the latter claimed that state has not spent a single penny on the plan so far.

"We had received complaints that the government has planned to use construction cess collected by them for programmes other than prescribed in the Act. Thus, it was necessary to ask them about that," Dattatreya told reporters after the meeting.

"They told us that they are working on a new model. We said if you want to construct hospital, school or hostel, then the state government can do it (from its funds). They said they will look into the Act and scheme."

According to Dattatreya, the Centre has received information that Rs 1,160 crore expenditure is provided for the Delhi government's plan to construct dedicated hostels, schools and hospitals for construction workers.

He spoke about the Delhi government having about Rs 1,900 crore under the construction cess account. These funds should be used for providing social security like insurance or pension and other benefits like scholarships to them, he suggested.

Dattatreya cited the rulebook, saying there is no provision for such spending on dedicated purposes under the Building and Other Construction Workers Act.

Backing up, he spoke of the Supreme Court ruling that has strictly asked the states to spend money as per provisions of the Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Cess Act, 1996.

Labour Secretary Shankar Aggarwal said, "They (the Delhi government) had taken a decision to create a dedicated infrastructure, but they have not spent a single penny on it. But we have not received anything (in this regard) in writing."

He added: "Under the Act they cannot create a dedicated infrastructure, but they can frame a scheme for the welfare of construction workers."

Under the Cess Act, developers are required to pay cess of one per cent of the total cost of construction incurred by the employer. The cess is levied for augmenting the resources of the Building and Other Constructions Workers Welfare Board.

After the meeting, Rai told reporters that he has urged the Centre to increase the minimum monthly wage threshold for subscription of retirement fund body EPFO from the existing Rs 15,000 on the lines of ESIC.

Yesterday, the ESIC board had decided to raise the ceiling from Rs 15,000 per month to Rs 21,000.

Rai was of the view that it is necessary to raise the limit in view of the decision to hike minimum wage by the Centre as well as the Delhi government.
With over five lakh posts of primary teachers lying vacant in government schools across the country, the HRD Ministry has decided to write to states requesting them to address this "serious issue" as early as possible.

"There are more than one lakh schools today which are manned by only one teacher. The teacher vacancy is a serious issue. And we are requesting all states, because recruitment is done by state governments, that they should recruit as early as possible," HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar told PTI.

"Therefore, I am writing to Chief Ministers and we will have a conference of education ministers and this will be an important issues," he said.

Officials said that the ministry is laying special focus on the issue of vacancies in schools because without proper infrastructure and manpower, raising the quality of education would only be a distant dream.

"The real long term solutions can emerge only through proper coordination and focus," one of the officials said.

Earlier, in written reply to a question in Parliament, the HRD Ministry had said that over 5.56 lakh of the 33.08 lakh sanctioned posts of primary teachers in government schools across the country have been lying vacant.

Officials said that the Ministry was also looking at the vacancies in the higher education sector as well.

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The Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday said media reports about the Centre mulling tough steps against separatist leaders of Kashmir was an attempt at "fooling and misleading" the people of India.

"These tactics are aimed at fooling and misleading the people of India and creating hysteria so that the attention of the people of India is diverted from the actual issue on ground and they are kept ignorant about it," a spokesman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said in a statement.

He said the Hurriyat strongly denounced the "rubbish and lies being spread against the resistance (separatist) leadership" through the media.

"It comes as no surprise to the people of Kashmir who are exposed to the real face of the so-called 'world's largest democracy' everyday and bear its brunt. They know how low it can stoop and how vengeful it can get," the spokesman said.

He asked the Centre to come out with details of the favours extended by it to the separatist leaders.

The spokesman said some separatist leaders were getting police personnel for security based on the threat assessment of the government.

"It is only JK Police personnel provided by the state based on their own threat assessment to the Mirwaiz after the martyrdom of his father Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq in 1990.

"Some police personnel are also provided to other members based on the police's own threat assessment to them," he added.

The spokesman said such "fabrications" to discredit the separatist leadership "may fool people in India" but will not achieve anything with the people in Kashmir.

"Neither will revenge tactics change the ground, reality in Kashmir nor will it help in resolution of the issue. It is a people's movement and Hurriyat represents and upholds their aspirations for self determination. The movement will be there with or without Hurriyat," he said.
The world's chemical weapons watchdog said today it was "disturbed" by the alleged use of toxic chemicals in Aleppo after dozens of people had to be treated for breathing problems in the Syrian battlefront city.

"We are disturbed by the recent allegations of the use of toxic chemicals in Aleppo," said a statement by the director- general of the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Ahmet Uzumcu.

"Such allegations are taken very seriously. The use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances is unacceptable," he added in a statement.

More than 70 people were left choking yesterday after regime helicopters dropped barrel bombs on a rebel-held district of the war-ravaged city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The bombs left people in need of treatment, the British- based monitor said, adding most were civilians.

The opposition Aleppo Media Centre said on its Twitter account that the Sukkari neighbourhood was the target of a chlorine attack.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman was unable to confirm the claim, but said no one was killed in the strikes.

A Sukkari resident told AFP a "very strong smell" filled the neighbourhood after it was hit by a barrel bomb and that he and others had difficulty breathing.

Both sides in Syria's complex civil war have traded accusations of attacks against civilians and use of unconventional weapons including chlorine and mustard gas.

Last month, an investigative panel set up by the UN Security Council said in a report that President Bashar al-Assad's forces had carried out at least two chemical attacks, one in 2014 and another in 2015.

But Syria's ally Russia said it had "very serious questions" about the report while the Syrian envoy to the world body, Bashar Jaafari, rejected the findings.

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China today accused the Philippines of spreading "rumours" as it refuted allegations by Manila that it has secretly begun work to build an artificial island at a crucial shoal in the disputed South China Sea after an international tribunal struck down Beijing's claims.

The Philippines released images today claiming to show Chinese ships preparing to build an artificial island on Scarborough Shoal, hours before leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Laos.

"The situation concerning Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal) is unchanged," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here, reacting to allegations by the Philippines.

"No new action has been taken by China. We should be on high alert on why those people keep hyping issue and spreading rumours about it," she said.

The Philippines said the images showed Chinese ships at the shoal last weekend which were capable of dredging sand and other activities required to build an artificial island.

"We have reason to believe that their presence is a precursor to building activities on the shoal," the Philippines defence department spokesman Arsenio Andolong said.

"We are continuing our surveillance and monitoring of their presence and activities, which are disturbing," he said.

The tribunal in its verdict on July 12 this year said the Philippines has exclusive sovereign rights over the area and struck down China's claims over almost of all of the South China Sea as invalid.

China rejected the verdict, questioning the legality of the tribunal even as the US said it is a valid judgement to be implemented by all parties concerned.

Besides the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan oppose China's claims and have counter-claims.

The images issued by the Philippines about China's new construction come immediately after the G20 and ahead of the crucial ASEAN meet in which Li, besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama are taking part.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, too, is attending the meeting as his country is part of the ASEAN.

A reclaimed island at Scarborough Shoal could provide China a military base close to the Philippines' main island of Luzon which is used regularly by American forces as it is about 230 kms away.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China would have become the second largest foreign owner of Australian farmland after the United Kingdom if the government had not vetoed the sale to Chinese interests of a major cattle empire, a report showed on today.

The Australian government released the first ever audit of Australian farmland ownership in answer to public concerns that too much agricultural land was being sold off to foreign interests, particularly China.

The report found that foreigners owned 13.6 per cent of Australia's 385 million hectares of farmland. The largest foreign buyer of farms was Britain, followed by the United States, Netherlands, Singapore then China.

But China would have been propelled to second place if the government had not prevented in May the sale of Australia's largest private landholding, S. Kidman & Co. Ltd., to China-based Dakang Australia Holdings. The Australian family-owned company is a collection of 10 cattle ranches, a bull breeding stud and a feed lot covering 101,411 square kilometers in four states.

Treasurer Scott Morrison, who vetoed the Kidman sale, said on Wednesday Australians could be confident that the government would not allow farm sales to foreigners that were not in Australia's interests.

The government had previously estimated the size of foreign farm holdings at 11.3 per cent in 2010 and 12.4 per cent in 2013.

Trade Minister Steven Ciobo said media debate over foreign investment in agriculture "unduly places a lot of attention and focus on China."



"The fact is that China is just not at the level where a lot of Australians would think it is, based upon what they're seeing portrayed in the media on a regular basis," Ciobo told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Mick Keogh, executive director of the Australian Farm Institute think tank, suspected China would rank higher among foreign owners if the agricultural assets were measured by value instead of area.

But even on the measure of area, he was surprised that China was not a larger investor.

"From all the discussions and all the noise, we would've thought that number was much higher," he said.

Foreign ownership of farmland is an increasingly sensitive issue in Australia, where many fear that Chinese- owned farms could supply Australian-grow produce to Chinese parent companies at discount prices or refuse to sell to Australian buyers.

Australia is the second favorite destination for Chinese foreign investment after the US, the Australian government said.

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China today vowed to work with other countries in the region to fight terrorism after Kyrgyzstan said a recent suicide bomb attack on the Chinese embassy in the Kyrgyz capital was planned by Uighur militants active in Syria and carried out by the East Turkistan Islamic Movement.

"The East Turkistan forces represented by ETIM conducted multiple terrorist activities in and outside China. They have blood all over their hands," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters here.

"We will firmly strike against them and safeguard the safety of Chinese people in foreign countries. We will work together with other countries to fight against terrorism and safeguard stability of the world," she said.

Hua's remarks came after the Kyrgyz government identified the al-Qaeda linked ETIM militants -- active in China's Muslim-majority Xinjiang province -- as the perpetrators of the August 30 attack on the Chinese mission in Bishkek that killed one person and wounded five others.

The Kyrgyz authorities said the attack was organised by Uyghur terrorists active in Syria and affiliated with Jabhat al-Nusra, an Islamist militant group fighting in Syria.

Terming ETIM as a well recognised terrorist force, Hua said it has been active in central Asia and Syria posing grave threat to not only to the China but also to other countries.

"To fight againstETIM is a core concern of China in the anti-terrorism cooperation with the rest of the world. We will strengthen corporation with other countries to fight against terrorism and safeguard the stability of China, Kyrgyzstan as well as other counters in the region," she said.

Militancy-hit Xinjiang is the home of Uyghur Muslims and has witnessed unrest over the increasing settlements of Hans in the province.

Many members of ETIM, who are drawn from Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province bordering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) and Afghanistan, have joined the Islamic State (IS) to fight in Syria, according to recent reports.

China apprehends that many of them may return to carry out attacks in Xinjiang and other parts of the country.

While China blamed it for the attack, the ETIM, a shadowy organisation has never claimed responsibility for the attacks.

In bid to curtail infiltration, China recently formed Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism involvingAfghanistan-China-Pakistan-Tajikistan Armed Forces to step up security along the borders. It is not clear why China omitted Kyrgyzstan from the border security mechanism.

Besides this the China-Pakistan border police also launched border patrols along the PoK-Xinjiang borders.

China has close security cooperation with Kyrgyzstan which is a member of the Beijing-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Besides China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan are its members.

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Democratic presidential candidate was not provided with a State Department Blackberry during her tenure as the Secretary of State in the first term of the Obama administration, a senior US official has said.

The clarification from the State Department comes days after the FBI in an investigation report on Clinton's email scandal said that she used as many as 13 different devices during her tenure as the Secretary of State.

"I can't really speak to how many devices she may or may not have had in her possession. What I would say is -- and we've said this before -- is that she never had or possessed or was provided with a State Department BlackBerry," Toner said when asked about the FBI's report in this regard.

"All we can say is that she was never provided with a State Department Blackberry. But of course, we always take these kinds of reports seriously. We always take security, obviously very seriously. But I just don't have any more information to share about what may or may not have been contained on those personal devices," he said.

Toner said, based on his personal experience with Clinton she "seemed a very vital and dynamic and healthy person".
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has rescued nine fishermen after their boat drifted away due to an engine failure.

"At 09.20 AM on September 6, the ICG aircraft intercepted distressed fishing boat - Shree Om Shakti Sai - with nine fishermen at 82 nautical miles, South West of Daman. The boat had been drifting due to engine failure since 10.50 PM on September 4," a Defence release issued here said today.

"ICG ship Sankalp, which was on area patrol, was diverted to provide assistance and it reached Datum at 6 PM on September 6. Food and water was provided to stranded fishermen," it said.

As per the release, ICGS Sankalp commenced towing of boat at 7.10 PM on September 6 and arrived off Mumbai at 12.00 noon on the next day for handing over of the boat along with its crew to Fisheries department.

"The crew of the boat are safe and healthy," it added.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today made an impassioned plea to investors, both foreign and those in the country, to invest in the state and assured them that her government would pull out all the stops to help and support.

"We will help. Give us the choice, we will give you all options. If you want to set up industry, the state government will give land from the land bank. Our land bank, land policy is ready. If you come, we will be happy," Banerjee said while addressing a business meeting in Munich.

Banerjee, who led a business delegation to Munich to explore investment opportunities, urged the German auto major BMW to consider investing in the state and said, "We have enough opportunities in transport sector. You will see with your own eyes the opportunities in Bengal," she said.

"If you think about India, first think about Bengal. Bengal is the gateway to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal. If you invest, you will get a ready market," she told the investors.

"If you want to invest, you have to set up one unit. Only ancillaries (industries) will not serve the purpose," she said.

Giving a personal touch to her fervent plea, the Chief Minister said, "please consider me as your sister. Consider Bengal as your home. Bengal is the destination".

State finance minister Amit Mitra, who had a meeting yesterday with senior management of the BMW in Munich had described it as a productive meeting.

"We told BMW that all options are open for them to invest in Bengal," he had stated.

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Fares of Delhi Metro will not be hiked immediately as the panel formed for recommending revision of fares for DMRC has sought three more months time for submission of its report.

Union Urban Development Ministry had notified a Fair Fixation Committee (FFC), headed by former Delhi High Court judge M L Mehta, for revision of fares for Delhi Metro in May-end.

It was given a three-months time to submit the report but now the Committee head has asked the government another three more months to submit its report.

"In a letter to Urban Development Ministry, the panel has sought three more months for submission of its report," Urban Development Ministry source said.

The other members of the 4th FFC are Urban Development Ministry Additional Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra and Delhi Chief Secretary KK Sharma.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been demanding that fares be hiked in view of increase in electricity tariff, which is a major component of the operational cost.

New fares can only be implemented on the recommendation of a committee on fare revision, set up by the Ministry of Urban Development.

Delhi Metro fares were last revised in 2009.

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Government has taken the final call on closure of Hindustan Cables Ltd (HCL) and the VRS compensation to employees will be paid as per the 2007 pay scales, Union Minister Babul Supriyo said today.

"Just held a meeting on HCL (Hindustan Cables Ltd) with Anant Geete (Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises). Sorry, the Cabinet has decided on HCL closure. Good is, packages will be as per 2007 pay scale," Supriyo, the Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, tweeted earlier in the day.

There are 1,500 employees in the sick company.

The Centre had decided to close CPSEs, including the Hindustan Cables Ltd, which were incurring losses over the last three years.

Set up in 1952 at Rupnarainpur in West Bengal, HCL has units in Hyderabad and in Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad.

According to the government policy, the Department of Heavy Industry has been undertaking appraisals of each loss-making CPS enterprise to assess the prospects of revival.

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The Cabinet's recent initiative to revive the construction sector will provide much-needed liquidity to developers by releasing the capital blocked in claims and also help them reduce debt and expedite execution, ratings agency Icra said.

"The recent initiatives put forth by the NITI Aayog and approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for revival of the construction sector are a key positive for the stressed construction sector," Icra Vice President Shubham Jain said.

Under the proposal put forward by NITI Aayog and approved by the CCEA, government agencies would pay 75 per cent of the arbitral award amount to an escrow account against margin free bank guarantee, in the cases where the award is challenged.

Jain said a major respite is likely to come in the form of the release of the much-needed liquidity in short term from long-pending claims, which would also help reduce the leverage of construction companies and enable them focus on improving execution.

"This way, while the dispute resolution process may continue, releasing 75 per cent of arbitral award to contractors (against margin-free bank guarantees) will help improve their liquidity, and project execution," he said.

Nearly Rs 70,000 crore claims are stuck in various stages of arbitration. For the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) alone, as of March 31, 2015, 113 arbitration cases and 83 court cases involving Rs 22,426 crore were pending.

As per CII, pending claims constitute close to 1.5 times the debt of construction companies with average settlement time for claims being more than seven years.

In the case of NHAI, out of a total of 347 arbitral awards, 89 per cent (309) were in favour of the contractor or concessionaire.

However, many arbitration awards are contested in the courts, and though most the arbitration decisions are upheld by courts, this leads to delays in realisation of claims.

According to Icra, nearly Rs 19,946 crore worth of claims



are filed by developers against the NHAI, while the authority has filed counter-claims to the tune of Rs 5,725 crore. Nearly Rs 1,603 crore worth of claims awarded by the Arbitration Tribunal are contested in court.

Stress in the construction sector is visible from the meagre 1.5 per cent growth in construction GVA (gross value added) in April-June quarter of 2016-17.

"Over the longer term, measures announced will also help in faster dispute resolution and lower blockade of funds in disputes," Jain said.

However, this would require a sizable fund outflow from the government departments or PSUs for payment of 75 per cent of the arbitral awards made in favour of construction companies but contested at the next level.

Jain further said the move towards EPC contracts from the conventional item rate contracts will also help lower disputes.
A special court here today held it had the jurisdiction to go into a money laundering case against Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh and his family, saying material on record showed that an immovable property was purchased in Delhi in the name of his wife Pratibha, out of the alleged proceeds of crime.

Taking cognisance on the charge sheet filed against LIC agent Anand Chauhan, Special Judge Vinod Kumar fixed the matter for further hearing on September 26.

"I have perused the complaint and the documents. I have specially asked Naveen Matta, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) to explain as to how this court has territorial jurisdiction to entertain this complaint, when all the transactions appear to have taken place in Himachal Pradesh.

"SPP has drawn my attention to part of the complaint... which describes that proceeds of crime were utilised for acquiring the entire basement and entire ground floor of a plot in Greater Kailash, Part-I, New Delhi, in the name of Pratibha Singh. SPP has drawn my attention to the flow chart which depict these facts more lucidly," the judge said.

After considering the submission made by SPP, the court said "since, as per the material on record, immovable properties in Greater Kailash, New Delhi, was purchased out of the proceeds of crime, I am convinced that this court has territorial jurisdiction to entertain this complaint."



The court asked the probe agency to provide a copy of the charge sheet and other documents to Chauhan, who is currently in judicial custody.

Enforcement Directorate had yesterday filed a charge sheet against LIC agent Anand Chauhan in a money laundering case involving Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and others.

The agency filed the final report before the court and informed it that probe into the case was still going on and it could file a supplementary charge sheet later.

The charge sheet was filed for offences under sections 3 (money-laundering) and 4 (punishment for the offence) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Act.

Chauhan, who is currently in judicial custody, was arrested from Chandigarh on July 9 under the provisions of PMLA as he was allegedly not cooperating with the probe.

The ED had earlier claimed that Singh "while serving as a Union minister, had invested huge amounts in purchasing LIC policies in his own name and that of his family members through Chauhan".

"Virbhadra Singh, while functioning as a Union minister during the period from May 28, 2009, to June 26, 2012, acquired assets, disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of Rs 6,03,70,782 and further tried to justify the same in the form of agricultural income.

"Pratibha Singh, wife of Virbhadra Singh, Chauhan, with whom Virbhadra Singh had signed the alleged MoU for managing his apple orchard, and Chunni Lal Chauhan, proprietor of M/s Universal Apple Associates, who purportedly showed purchase of apples from Shrikhand Orchard, have facilitated in justifying the disproportionate assets of Virbhadra Singh and thereby abetted the offence," the agency had alleged.
A crude bomb was hurled at a BJP office in the heart of the city here, with the party alleging that CPI(M) workers were behind the attack.

No one was injured in the incident, police said.

The incident occurred around midnight last night, shortly after BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan had left the office for Kozhikode, where preparations are on for the three-day National Executive and Council meeting from September 23 which is being attended by senior party leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party sources said.

At least four workers were on the top floor of the building, housing the office, when the bomb was hurled.

Though no one was injured, glass panes of the main entrance door were damaged in the incident, Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner S Sparjan Kumar told PTI.

The incident comes close on the heels of a series of sporadic clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers in the past few months in northern Kannur district.

Rajasekharan alleged that CPI(M), the lead partner of the ruling LDF in Kerala, had taken law into its hands and police was a "mere spectator."



"Violence of the CPI(M) is increasing each day. A BJP activist was hacked to death in Kannur recently and CPI(M) is behind it," he told reporters at Kozhikode.

"Despite so many incidents, CPI(M) leaders and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also holding the Home portfolio, have not condemned the series of attacks against BJP and its workers," he said.

BJP leaders P K Krishnadas and M T Ramesh slammed the CPI(M), saying the bomb attack against the party office should not be seen as an "isolated" incident.

"This is a calculated and well planned attack against the BJP and CPI(M) is behind it," they said. All flex boards in front of the office were also destroyed, Krishnadas said.

Television channels telecast a CCTV video footage showing a man riding a motorcycle minutes before the blast and police are on the lookout for him.

(REOPENS MDS2)



Meanwhile, CPI(M) said the BJP's allegations against it were "baseless" and it had no connection with the incident.

BJP's allegations are malafide, and people will reject them, the party said.

"The incident is highly condemnable. Anti-social elements connected with the incident should be immediately arrested", CPI(M) Thiruvananthapuram district secretary, Anavoor Nagappan, said in a statement.

The probe into the incident should be led by top level police officers, he said.

(Reopens DES5)



Meanwhile, state BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan said the party would observe tomorrow as 'black day' to protest against the attack.

Alleging that CPI(M) was behind the incident, he said "CPI(M) can not destroy our party with bombs and daggers. We will fight back to protect ourselves, if there is no other way".

Rajasekharan was here to attend a review meeting on the preparations for BJP's national council and national executive meetings scheduled to held from September 23 to 25.

He accused the CPI(M) of unleashing violence on BJP and RSS workers in Kerala and alleged that the Left party was not allowing others to function in the state.
Rejecting criticism of GDP numbers, Finance Minister today said the Central Statistical Office (CSO) is a professional organisation and its data is accepted by leading international oraganisations like the IMF.

"We have a convention in India and a practice, which the CSO has followed throughout. I don't think the professionalism of the CSO has even been called into question.

"They are a very responsible and professional organisation. They revise their methodologies and at the end of the day various international institutions most importantly the IMF accepts their data," he said.

Jaitley was responding to a question on a report in an international publication in which it was suggested that India's growth was 4.3 per cent if calculated on old methodology.

The CSO, which tabulates the data on national income, has estimated the growth rate for 2015-16 at 7.6 per cent based on the new methodology.

The GDP growth was 7.1 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year.

"Please don't forget once you revise it with effect to a particular cut-off date, and thereafter you use the same formulation and increases would be measured in the same formulations itself.

"And I think if you actually see the extent of activities going on in India, probably this kind of analysis, of course economists are free to make an analysis, would not be a very fair comment," the finance minister said.
Welcoming CBI's move to charge Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasing Tawde in the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, his son Hameed Dabholkar today said it is a positive step and demanded the others wanted in the case be arrested soon.

"It is a positive step. However, Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar are still absconding and CBI should arrest them as early as possible," he said.

Pointing out that CBI has still not been able to trace the bike and pistol used in the murder of Dabholkar, Hameed said the probing agency should recover these objects.

"Since both Akolkar and Pawar, who are Sanatan Sanstha members, are at large, they are posing as a danger to the society and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and CBI should now intensify their search and arrest them," he said.

Hameed also said if Sanatan Sanstha feels the absconding suspects (Akolkar and Pawar) are innocent, it should ask them to surrender in court and prove their innocence.

CBI has charged Virendrasing Tawde with criminal conspiracy and murder in connection with the murder of Dabholkar in 2013.

The Samiti is allegedly linked with Sanatan Sanstha, which had come under the scanner for the murder of another rationalist Govind Pansare in February 2015.

CBI sources said the charge sheet was filed against Tawde under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) among other charges.

The Bombay High Court in May 2014 had handed over the matter to CBI to probe the murder of Dabholkar.

On August 20, 2013, the anti-superstition activist was shot dead by two unidentified men while he was on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge here.

The agency had arrested Tawde in June this year.

Sarang Akolkar, an alleged follower of Sanatan Sanstha, against whom a Red Corner Notice was issued by Interpol in July 2012 in connection with the 2009 Goa blast case on NIA request, is also under the scanner of the agency.

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DDA has finalised a plan to build over 1,500 studio apartments in Dwarka for retired government employees and other senior citizens, part of which would be earmarked for ex-Navy personnel.

Spread over 12 acres, the land has been identified in Sector-16 at Dwarka where the apartments, measuring around 550 sq ft each would be constructed, DDA today said.

The project would be a "joint venture" between the Delhi Development Authority and the Navy and both have agreed "in-principle" to work on it, a senior DDA official said.

"Indian Navy had earlier approached us for allotment of land for an old-age home for retired personnel. But, DDA later thought of scaling up the project, while including them in it.

"So, we have both agreed in-principle on this and even the Authority has given in-principle approval to the project, but it will be put up for formal approval in its coming meeting," the official told PTI.

DDA owns the land and will also build these apartments. The joint venture would mean that "Navy would be managing the housing facilities, as they are efficient in it."



As per the plan, out of the nearly 1,550 apartments to be built in four years time, "about 200 of them would be earmarked for retired Navy personnel," he said.

"The remaining units would be available for retired employees of central and state governments, armed forces, teaching faculty of government universities and colleges and DDA employees of certain grade pay/pay scale. The exact quota for each category would be worked out later," the DDA said.

Once built, it would have metro connectivity and will be completely self-contained with retail, recreational and healthcare facilities, including nursing and ambulance services, it said.

"The facility would be architecturally designed specifically for the elderly with features such as anti-skid flooring, especially in bathrooms and toilets, hand rails, ramps," the urban body said.

The present cost of the land earmarked for the project is approximately Rs 180 crore at the rate of nearly Rs 37,500 per sqm. The total cost of construction would be about Rs 282 crore with each unit costing nearly Rs 18.23 lakh. "The total cost borne by DDA would, therefore, be nearly Rs 462 crore," the housing authority said in a statement.

Each allottee would pay an amount of Rs 2.2 lakh of which Rs 20,000 would be a one-time non-refundable registration fee and Rs 2 lakh would be adjusted at the time of allotment against the total premium, it said.

"Rs 8 lakh would be charged from each allottee at the time of allotment as a one-time premium.... If an allottee withdraws his/her membership and wishes to surrender the unit, Rs 1 lakh per year would be deducted proportionately from the one-time premium according to the number of years the unit was occupied," the DDA said.

10 per cent of the constructed area would be let out for related commercial facilities, it added.

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A Dalit youth today died during treatment at a hospital sparking protest here with hundreds of people belonging to the community staging a blockade along Tanakpur-Pithoragarh-Lipulekh highway close to India-China border, disrupting traffic along the route for two hours.

The youth was treated at the private nursing home run by an orthopaedist posted at Tanakpur government hospital after suffering a fracture in his right leg in a road accident on August 28, Champawat DSP Narendra Rautela said.

However, the youth complained of numbness in his right leg a few days later and the doctor referred him to a hospital in Barreily (Uttar Pradesh) for amputation of his right leg where he died during treatment, Rautela said.

The incident sparked tension in the area as hundreds of Dalits blocked the Tanakpur-Pithoragarh-Lipulekh highway close to India-China border for two hours, disrupting traffic.

However, the irate mob relented after the police intervened lodging an FIR against the concerned doctor and promised stern action against him.

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Dell Inc today said it completed its USD 67-billion deal to acquire EMC Corp, creating the world's largest privately-controlled technology company.

The new company -- Dell Technologies -- will comprise Dell, Dell EMC, Pivotal, RSA, SecureWorks, Virtustream and VMware. It employs about 1.4 lakh people globally and will be headquartered at Round Rock, Texas.

"This combination creates a USD 74-billion market leader... We have strategically aligned our capabilities where it makes sense to deliver integrated solutions in areas like hybrid cloud and security," Dell Technologies Chairman and CEO Michael Dell said.

The deal, which was announced in October last year, saw Dell and its partner investment firm Silver Lake raising over USD 40 billion in debt.

"We are at the dawn of the next industrial revolution. Our world is becoming more intelligent and more connected by the minute, and ultimately will become intertwined with a vast Internet of Things, paving the way for our customers to do incredible things. This is why we created Dell Technologies," Dell said.

He added that the company has the products, services, talent and global scale to be a catalyst for change and guide customers, large and small, on their digital journey.

Dell said the company's R&D efforts, with over 20,000 patents and applications pending, is fuelled by USD 4.5 billion in annual spends. It has 140,000 employees globally.

The announcement follows regulatory approval by China's ministry of commerce (MOFCOM). The companies have already received clearance from regulatory agencies in the US and other geographies.

"We are also privately controlled. We don't have to cater to short-term thinking that exists in the market, we can think in decades," Dell said.

Dell Technologies will be separated into three business units -- Client Solutions Group, Infrastructure Solutions Group and VMWare.

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Kerala cabinet today selected Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to provide initial consultancy services for the preliminary works of the proposed Kozhikode light metro project.

After getting Centre's clearance for the project, the consultancy for the entire project will be handed over to DMRC, it was decided at the Cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

To ensure early completion of land acquisition proceedings for the project, a Deputy Collector/Sub Divisional officer (Revenue) has been appointed, a press release said.

The state government has already appointed DMRC as consultant for the proposed light metro project at the state capital for which about 1,9893 hectares land will be acquired.

For Kozhikode project, 1,4474 hectares land will be acquired. To build the flyover for Thiruvananthapuram metro, 2.77 hectare additional land will be acquired and Rs 272.84 crore will be set apart for construction of three flyovers.

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A 55-year-old pulmonologist has been arrested for allegedly raping a patient at his clinic in southeast Delhi's Lajpat Nagar area, police said today.

Sushil Munjal sexually assaulted the 24-year-old patient on September 2 at his Lajpat Nagar clinic run by him and his wife, who is a gynaecologist, said a senior police officer.

The victim is a resident of Karol Bagh and was reportedly undergoing treatment for chest infection at the clinic.

She had visited the clinic for regular check-up last week, but was told that the doctor would not be able to attend to her as she was late, said the officer.

As she was about to leave, Munjal asked her to come to his chamber and the victim alleges that the doctor raped her there after his wife had left, he said.

The doctor had also threatened her to ruin her reputation if she disclosed the incident to anyone, police said.

The medical examination of the victim confirmed rape and the accused was arrested, the officer said.

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Previous governments had adopted a "defeatist" attitude by not constructing roads in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh as they felt Chinese forces could use them, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said today.

Speaking ad lib at a conference on 'Homeland Security, Smart Border Management' organised by FICCI here, the Minister of State for Home Affairs claimed an "unwritten" policy of the governments of the past was not to develop border areas.

He cited a statement made by L K Advani during a visit to Arunachal Pradesh when he was the deputy prime minister that India was making a "huge blunder" by neglecting its borders.

"I am talking about pre-1998. Our deputy prime minister L K Advani came to Arunachal Pradesh. He made a very important statement at Itanagar. He said India has committed a 'huge blunder' by neglecting its border," Rijiju, who hails from the northeastern state, said.

"Because the policy (previously) was don't construct roads in Arunachal Pradesh. If you develop roads the Chinese will come and use them in the time of crisis. That means you are a defeatist, you have a defeatist mindset. In Ladakh, don't construct good roads along the border because they may use it. So to protect our territory leave it underdeveloped... What kind of policy we had in India. Terrible!" he said.

"So, when Advani ji came he said it is very, very regrettable that this was the policy of the country," Rijiju said, adding people in border areas crave for development.

He mentioned that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had initiated Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna in far-flung areas of Arunachal Pradesh and quoted him as saying "it takes will power and not money to work for development".

Noting that border guarding is a challenging task, the minister said, "We have done a commendable job in managing our borders successfully. There were one or two incidents like Kargil but by and large we have managed our borders or at least made it look like we have successfully managed our borders. The government whoever is there.

Terming border management as most important subject,



Rijiju said it has not been able to draw the required attention of either the government or the people.

"I always feel that a country is as secure as its borders. And no matter how robust economic system we try to create within the country, if your border is not secured then you can understand what all robust arrangement we are talking about," he said.

The minister said it is not easy to secure 15,000 km of land and a coastal border of over 7,500 km.

He said the borders with Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan allow free movement of people unlike those with Pakistan and Bangladesh along which security needs to be strengthened further.

"We are trying to make the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh completely fool-proof and fenced so that other than those designated border posts, people cannot cross over at other places," he said.

Rijiju said despite best efforts, trafficking of humans and drugs is difficult to stop across these borders.

"I have tried to understand it over the past two years why we cannot stop it. In the Home Ministry we try to understand and I always insist that we have to stop it, the illegal infiltration," he said, adding "Our border guarding forces are trying their level best, still these incidents do not stop."



He called for setting up of a joint mechanism to deal with border issues.

"Pakistan has also to ensure that their people do not cross. If their military, agencies or organisations from the other side, if they keep making attempts 24 hours, then they will be successful. So it has to be a joint mechanism.

"Having said that, we shouldn't be dependent on them. That 100 per cent fool-proof security arrangement in the border area will be only if we can make the other country realise that it is the necessity for both the countries to ensure that," he said.
Ahead of his trip to India next week, Nepal's new Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' today sought views of the country's business leaders to be included in the economic agenda for his first foreign visit after assuming office.

During an interaction at his office, Prachanda sought the views of private sector businessmen on economic agenda for his visit scheduled for September 15-18.

At the meeting, the business leaders suggested the Prime Minister to raise the issues of implementation of Power Trade Agreement and Integrated Service Pass, service tax and operation of Gauriphanta border point, according to officials.

A joint delegation of Federation of Nepali Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Nepal Industries and Nepal Chamber of Commerce suggested the Prime Minister to focus on addressing the problems relating to trade and business sector between Nepal and India, according to sources at the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

The Prime Minister assured the delegation that the issues raised by them would be accorded high priority at the talks during the visit.

Prachanda said he would keep in mind national interest during his visit and focus on expediting the past agreements reached with India in various fields.

Nepal's relationship with India had soured after a months-long border blockade last year by ethnic minority protesters.

Kathmandu accused India of imposing an "unofficial blockade" on the landlocked nation in support of the Madhesis, who share close cultural, linguistic and family links with Indians across the border.

Nepal is heavily dependent on India for fuel and other supplies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
People forced from their homes by religious violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state gathered today to meet former UN chief Kofi Annan, as the envoy toured displacement camps during his peace mission.

Annan has been asked by the leader of Myanmar's new government, Aung San Suu Kyi, to head a commission tasked with trying to heal divisions between Buddhists and Muslims and alleviate poverty in Rakhine.

Annan's two-day visit to the western state, which is home to the minority Muslim Rohingya, got off to a shaky start yesterday when angry Buddhist nationalists protested against his "international interference".

But the Ghanaian diplomat's arrival today at several decrepit camps outside the state capital Sittwe, where tens of thousands of people, mostly Muslims, languish after being displaced by religious violence, was largely met with curiosity.

Crowds gathered to listen as community elders spoke of the hardships they face, such as severe restrictions on their movement and limited access to health care, work and education.

Rakhine has been effectively split on religious grounds since bouts of communal violence tore through the state in 2012, killing scores and forcing tens of thousands to flee.

"Our lives here are worse than those of prisoners," Aung Nyein, a 63-year-old Rohingya leader, told AFP after meeting Annan in Aung Mingalar, an impoverished Muslim neighbourhood which residents cannot leave without permission.

"We asked him to find the best solution for the future of Muslims here... We welcome anyone who comes to work for stability of Rakhine state," he said.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize winner, has come under pressure from international rights groups to find a solution for the Rohingya, a one-million strong group whom the UN considers to be one of the world's most persecuted people.

But at home she must contend with hardline Buddhist nationalists who revile the Muslim minority, describing them as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The hardliners protest at any move to grant them citizenship or even to utter the name "Rohingya".

The protracted conflict has cast a shadow over new freedoms in recent years as Myanmar emerges from decades of brutal army rule.

Annan is scheduled to discuss his visit at a press conference tomorrow in Yangon.

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Arjun Rampal is looking forward to the sequel of his two unconventional films "Aankhen" and "Rock On" and the actor is happy that the audience is accepting content over formula.

The actor, best known for his films like "Don", "Om Shanti Om", "Housefull", "Ra.One", says people want to invest in quality stories.

"Cinema is changing. Audiences have also changed, they have become content-driven, they don't want to get bored. Formula films have become redundant which is great. 'Aankhen' brought in a change, it was a different story," Arjun told PTI.

The 43-year-old actor will be seen in sequel of "Aankhen" that will be produced by Gaurang Doshi and directed by Anees Bazmee.

"It's a sequel and not franchise. The difference between franchise and sequel is that in a franchise you use the title and have different characters like 'Housefull'," he said.

"While in a sequel you retain some characters which is what we have done with 'Aankhen' and 'Rock On'. You add more characters and a different story. Unfortunately, we say it's a sequel in our country and it's not," he added.

"Aankhen" revolved around Vijay Singh Rajput (Amitabh Bachchan), a bank employee who after being fired from his job seeks revenge by organising a heist with the help of three blind men.

The "Om Shanti Om" actor and Big B will reprise their role from the original, the new additions to the sequel include Anil Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Regina Cassandra.

"It was an unconventional story but it was liked by audience. It was an unbelievable story of how three blind men rob a bank. It was portayed convincingly and in real way. It was a heist film but it was a family entertainer," Arjun said.

"The characters played by me and Amitji have changed over the years. There is a complete physical metamorphosis of my character," he added.

According to "Rajneeti" actor the makers of "Aankhen 2" will make use of technology.

"It took 14 years for us to make the sequel. During this time technology and VFX has changed a lot. VFX has become exciting and interesting thing today. We want to be visually appealing. We will be raising the bar with action," Arjun said.

Besides his films, Arjun has been in for his personal life but the actor says he does not bother to read what is written about him.

"I have never had any relationship with the media. It has always been a volatile relationship. I don't care. I have stopped reading newspapers," he added.

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Four migrant workers died today after they were run over by a suburban train here, Railway police said.

The workers belonged to a northern state. They were walking on the railway track near Chetpet railway station and did not notice the Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) train coming from behind, a senior Government Railway Police (GRP) said.

The workers were killed on the spot, the official said, adding investigation is on to ascertain their home state and details where they worked in Chennai.

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Describing the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with India as "complicated", Australian Trade Minister Steve Ciobo on Wednesday indicated that the deal was now not atop priority for his government in the short term.

"On India, this is a complicated negotiation. Although the original aspiration was to knock it over in 12 months, that hasn't been possible," Ciobo told a TV channel here.

"We're now in the process of undertaking a stock take about where negotiations are at," he said adding that "so I'll keep pursuing India, but that's not our key priority."

The minister said that the key priority in the short term for the Australian government was to sign a deal with Indonesia and in this term was to focus on what Australia can do with Indonesia.

Ciobo's comments came two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China.

The talks for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) or between the two sides started in 2011 in a bid to boost bilateral trade and investment.

Both sides were expecting to conclude negotiations by December 2015, however,there were differences in areas like duty cut on dairy products and wines.

Several rounds of negotiations have been completed for liberalising trade and services regime, besides removing non-tariff barriers and encouraging investments.
US intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden sought shelter among Hong Kong refugees after he leaked a huge trove of secret documents in the southern Chinese city, reports said today.

The former intelligence contractor had quit his job with the National Security Agency and travelled to Hong Kong in May 2013 where he initiated one of the largest data leaks in US history, fuelling a firestorm over the issue of mass surveillance.

Although Snowden stayed in an upscale hotel before the leak, little was known of his situation afterwards.

But a report today revealed he had been given shelter by the city's 11,000 asylum-seekers.

Many of Hong Kong's refugees are forced to live in slum-like conditions, the last place anyone would look for one of the highest-profile US fugitives.

The 33-year-old stayed with at least four refugees, according to a New York Times report. It added they were all clients of lawyer Robert Tibbo, who helped hide Snowden.

"It was clear that if Mr. Snowden was placed with a refugee family, this was the last place the government and the majority of Hong Kong society would expect him to be," Tibbo told the Times.

One Filipino woman with whom Snowden stayed, Vanessa Mae Bondalian Rodel, described him as "scared and very worried".

After she saw his story in local media, she described her shock. "Oh my God, the most wanted man in the world is in my house."



Other refugees from Sri Lanka said they were not worried about hosting Snowden, and felt he was taking a greater risk than they were.

One family told how he left money for them under a pillow before he left.

Snowden came to Hong Kong on May 20, 2013 and began a damaging series of leaks about the NSA eavesdropping of phones and computer systems that triggered concern from governments worldwide.

Media were clambering to find the whistleblower from the time he checked out of his five-star hotel on June 10 to the day he left the city for Moscow on June 23, escaping the clutches of US justice.

His high-stakes journey is the topic of "Snowden", a thriller directed by Oliver Stone which hits cinemas around the world in September and comes to Hong Kong in October.

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Amidst a debate in India over allowing GM crops, an American expert has said shifting to it can help India increase food production to fight hunger and global warming.

"Average yields will go down and GM crops is going to be one of the answers in fighting issues of climate change and population growth," Dr Julian Adams, professor in the departments of molecular cellular and developmental biology at the University of Michigan, told reporters here.

He said to ensure food security and fight hunger, the world has to increase food production by about 60 per cent by 2050.

Taking advantage of genetically engineered technology, scientists can change genes in the seed to make it more tolerant to floods, drought and heat.

Asked about its impact on biodiversity, Adams said the conversion from traditional farming to GM crop farming has "no affect" on biodiversity.

According to an estimate, he said if there hadn't been GM crops the world would have needed around 21 million hectares of arable land.

Carrie McMahon, Consumer Safety Officer of United States Food and Drug Administration, said over the last 25 years, 150 varieties of GM crops had been evaluated and were released in the market only after they were found to be safe for both humans and animals.

She said US Food and Drug Administration is working on sharing best practices in evaluation of GM food to scientists of other countries.

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Taking a U-turn, the CPI-M led LDF government in Kerala today decided to organise the annual Onam celebrations here on a grand note, including the colourful pageantry on the final day of the week-long festivities.

Announcing details of the Tourism Department sponsored Onam celebrations here between September 12 to 18, Tourism Minister A C Moideen said due to paucity of time for preparations, the government had earlier decided to skip the pageantry. But following demand from different quarters, it has been resolved to hold the impressive procession as usual.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would inaugurate the celebrations on September 12.

Perhaps for the time, persons from transgender community would participate in the cultural event organised as part of the celebrations in the city.

Decision of the government to do away with procession, which marked the finale of the festivities and also considered to be one of the major event to showcase the state's dance and arts form and culture, had invited flak from various quarters.

"We have taken the decision with good intention and there is no need for any row over the issue now," Moideen said.

The government had also come under criticism after it imposed restrictions on Onam celebrations in government offices during duty hours.

Security would be strengthened in the coming days in the city in view of the celebrations, he said.

Moideen said that the ninth-edition of three-day Kerala Travel Mart, considered to be the largest gathering of tourism, will begin on September 27.

A total of 57 foreign countries would participate in the trade event this year, including 10 first time participants.

China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Georgia, Chile, Greece, Iran and Botswana are the new participants, he said.

Stating that growth rate of tourism in the state has fallen in the recent days, he said discussions held in travel mart and trade generated would strengthen the brand image of state and help state's tourism industry grow even bigger.

To a question whether closing of bars below five star category following previous government's liquor policy had an adverse impact on tourism, he said, "Liquor policy alone was not the reason. There are some other factors also such as connectivity, competition and finding new markets.

(Reopens MES5)



Moideen said that there was no shortfall in the revenue or number of trouists visiting the state.

"Only the growth rate has come down", he said adding efforts would be made to rectify it.

Asked whether LDF government would change the liquor policy, he said that it was not a matter that could be decided by the tourism department.

A political decision has to be taken and ruling LDF has to take a decision, he said



Government would also take into consideration if demands in this regard was raised by the industry in the Mart, he added.
A senior government doctor posted at a civil hospital here has taken voluntary retirement from his job, citing "acute shortage of staff and poor working condition".

H Majumdar had been working in the hospital for the last one decade.

Talking to media, he said there was an acute shortage of doctors in the hospital for which he had to attend around 200 patients in OPD everyday, besides his indoor and other official duties.

He said that he felt he was not doing justice with the patients in such an atmosphere and that is why he decided to leave the job.

He claimed young doctors are not joining the civil hospital as they are aware of the "horrible" condition of their seniors here.

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The Gujarat police today for a second time took into custody Oscar Group of Companies chairman Pravash Rout in connection with several chit fund scam cases pending against him in a Valsad court.

Arrested by the Odisha police in June this year from New Delhi, Rout had also been taken on a 15-day remand by the Gujarat police in July-August.

Special Court Judge Santosh Mohapatra, dealing with cases pertaining to a chit fund scam, allowed the plea of the Gujarat police to take him on further remand of nine days as he had allegedly duped several people of that state.

Along with Rout, the Gujarat police also took the Oscar Group's managing director Muna Patra on remand for questioning. Patra was also arrested by the Odisha police earlier.

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With two deaths and over 1,000 confirmed dengue and chikungunya cases being reported in the national capital, Delhi High Court today asked the AAP government to inform it about the action they have taken to combat the vector-borne diseases here.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal directed Delhi government to place the record with regard to measures taken by them after it was told that they had failed to do so despite giving assurance to the court last year.

"What legislative (the power to make laws) measures you (Delhi government) have taken place on record before the next date of hearing, September 13," the bench said.

The court's direction came after it was informed by petitioner advocate Shahid Ali that Delhi government has failed to take action despite mentioning in their affidavit last year that they were in process of undertaking legislative measures to combat any future contingencies arising out of failure to meet necessary health standards by the hospitals and clinical establishments here.

The advocate made the submission during a hearing on his plea which accused the authorities concerned of not acting vigilantly and responsibly to control the diseases.

The civic bodies submitted that their public health departments were taking all measures for prevention and control of dengue, chikungunya and malaria in their jurisdiction.

"502 confirmed dengue cases, 560 chikungunya cases and two confirmed dengue deaths have been reported from Delhi. Out of these 138 dengue cases, 63 chikungunya cases and two deaths due to dengue have been reported from SDMC by September 3, 2016," South Delhi Municipal Corporation said in their affidavit.

They were responding to the PIL, which alleged that despite a large number of cases of dengue being reported this year, the authorities have not been "rising up and taking measures to prevent the disease or mosquito breeding".

"Delhi this year has been facing the worst dengue crisis in five years, as all the three civic bodies, particularly South Delhi Municipal Corporation, and the Delhi government have failed to discharge their statutory duties, though it is their responsibility to take preventive measures to control this disease," the plea has said.

The plea has not only sought an order to Delhi government



and statutory bodies to control the menace but also initiation of an inquiry as to whether they could have controlled the menace and prevented breeding of mosquitoes.

The plea also asked whether Delhi government has released enough money to the civic bodies to take measures to tackle the menace and why sprinkling of medicines and fogging have not been done in various areas.

The petitioner said the disease claimed its first victim on July 21 when a girl from Jafrabad in northeast Delhi died at Lok Nayak Jay Prakash (LNJP) Hospital here.

It has said "Okhla MLA Amannatullah Khan's sister-in-law died of dengue on August 12 at Apollo Hospital. A total of 91 cases were reported in July, six cases were recorded in May, while June witnessed 15. Thirty-four fresh cases were reported till August 20 since the last count and the total number of cases so far in the city is more than 320."



"Despite so many deaths, civic bodies have not been rising up and taking measures to prevent disease or breeding of mosquitoes and even safai karamcharis are rarely spotted in the areas...Because nearly 80 per cent of these areas are unauthorised," it has alleged.

Earlier, a similar plea was filed, in which the bench has already reserved its verdict.

The MCDs should be directed to urgently undertake special fumigation and sanitation drives and anti-mosquito breeding operations in their respective areas, the new PIL has said.
The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to file a report on the steps taken by it to rescue 62 fishermen stranded in Saudi Arabia and struggling there.

While hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Thirumurugan, a relative of a fisherman stranded there, the court had earlier said it was the Centre's duty to ensure the safe return of the fishermen through diplomatic channels.

When the plea came up for further hearing, a division bench of the court's Madurai bench comprising justices S Nagamuthu and Murali Dharmam, wondered why the central government needed more time to rescue the fishermen.

The counsel for the central government said the rules of that country regarding labourers were proving to be a hurdle, adding, all efforts are being made to rescue them.

The judges then asked what was the state government doing and why it had not filed any counter.

The counsel for the state government said fisheries department officials were in touch with central government officials.

The judges directed the state government to file the counter, and posted the case for further hearing to September 15.

The petitioner had submitted that his uncle K Sethu Raja and other fishermen had gone to Saudi Arabia separately since 2013 to work in the company of a man named Yusuf Khaleel in Al Jubail.

He alleged that the employer had cheated them and was refusing to return their passports. Even Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had written to the Centre to rescue them, counsel for the petitioner had said.

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The Patna High Court today granted bail to controversial RJD leader Mohammad Shahbuddin in a case of murder of a witness in the killing of two brothers in Siwan by bathing them in acid.

The bail was granted by Justice Jitendra Mohan Sharma to Shahabuddin in the case.

The petitioner's counsel Y V Giri told the court that the allegation against Shahabuddin in the killing of witness Rajiv Roshan was baseless as he was lodged in Bhagalpur jail since 2014 while the incident took place in Siwan the next year.

The RJD strongman and four-term former MP from Siwan is at present lodged in Bhagalpur jail.

In a chilling incident, two brothers were killed in Siwan in 2004 by bathing them in acid. Their elder brother Rajiv Roshan who was an eyewitness in the case was shot dead in 2015.

Giri claimed that his client has secured bail in all cases against him and would walk out of jail soon.

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Madras High Court today issued notice to the Tamil Nadu Government on a PIL challenging a recent amendment to an act providing for indirect election of Mayors of city corporations and heads of other local bodies.

First bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan ordered issue of notice to the Secretary of Municipal Administration and Water Supply (Elections) department and other authorities and posted the PIL to October 25 next for further hearing.

Petitioner Sundar Rajan, a voter of Guindy locality in the city, challenged the Tamil NaduMunicipal Corporation Laws (Amendment) Act (Act 8 of 2016), which provided for election of Mayors, chairpersons and presidents of local bodies by the councillors and not by people as was the practice so far. A bill amending the act was passed by the assembly in June last.

Praying the court to declare the Act 8 of 2016 as ultra virus of the Constitution, he also sought a direction to forbear the authorities from taking steps to conduct elections to the local bodies, which are due soon.

Petitioner submitted that there was inconsistency in the provisions of the amended act and TN Act 15 of 2011. Also, the amended act would defeat the intention of Article 243-R of Constitution providing for direct election to the posts.

It per se appeared to be unconstitutional and colourable exercise of power and had a hidden agenda of disturbing the secure tenure concept to the posts, the petitioner charged.

He also said a councillor takes care of his/her respective wards only while the head of the institution was expected to take care of the entire local body. He cannot be expected to devote his entire time and attention to his ward after election as Mayor, the petitioner argued.

Stating that the constitutional provision dealing with the election of Mayors was not similar to the Chief Minister and Ministers who serve simultaneously as MLAs, he said it was consciously decided to make the elections to the office of Mayor and Chairperson direct and not indirect.

Therefore the Mayor being the face of the institution and on whom the Constitution casts certain duties, his election or continuance can be left to a handful of councillors who could decide the fate at their whims and fancies or due to extraneous reasons, he said.

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Pulling up the City Corporation and Police authorities for allowing hawkers on the pavements in the city despite a sign board prohibiting them, the Madras High Court today summoned the concerned officials to appear before it on September 29.

The First Bench Comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan gave the direction on a PIL by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy.

Lambasting the police for their lethargic attitude towards the encroachers, the bench said, "how are you permitting hawking despite a notice board prohibiting hawkers? On one hand, authorities erect a board declaring certain areas as no-hawking zone, but, on the other, they permit hawkers to occupy the same platforms."



It directed Chennai Corporation and Police officials from the Flower Bazaar in the city, where hawkers have encroched pavements, to be personally present in the court onSept 29.

The petitioner alleged that the Police officials instead of removing the encroachers from the prohibited place, encouraged them for their personal benefits.

Ramaswamy submitted that in the guise of helping the poor, the Corporation and Police officials in George Town area allowed setting up of huts, with all facilities including electricity, stolen from the transformers, in Boradway bus terminus, which was against the decision of Hawking committee.

The high court on October 5 had modified its September 9



order saying the aspect of non-squatting zones were not inconsistent with the 2014 Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending Act which prohibits vending activities in non-vending areas.

The court noted that though the Act came into force on May 1, 2014, "there were several lapses in proper implementation of its provisions and consequently, no vending zones have not yet been declared".

It had also expressed a prima facie view that there can only be a scheme for entire Delhi, but had sought replies from Delhi government, NDMC and other corporations on whether there can be more than one scheme under the Act.

The applications filed today were moved in an earlier PIL by the Congress leader, through advocate Aman Panwar, seeking directions to the authorities not to evict street vendors till the Act was implemented and a scheme formulated for survey of the existing vendors and issuance of Certificate of Vending.
Tom Hiddleston won the best actor at TV Choice Awards but his acceptance speech, which he gave from the Australian set of "Thor: Ragnarok", was photobombed by his co-stars Chris Hemsworth and Edris Elba.

Hiddleston won the trophy for his role in "The Night Manager" and as he was speaking to the camera, Hemsworth walked into the shot and grabbed the trophy from his co-star.

"Oh, is that for us? For Home and Away, yeah? All the work I did on (it)... Thanks to everyone on Channel Seven. I loved working on Home and Away," Hemsworth said in the video carried by Nine .

Elba then butted in, complaining about his show "Luther" not getting nominated.

Hemsworth continued to talk about his show but did praise Hiddleston's show.

"Home and Away rocks! And so does The Night Manager," he said, patting the award winner on the shoulder.

Hiddleston signed off saying, "Ok, I guess I'll leave it there.

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSIL) and HDFC ERGO General Insurance today joined hands to offer discounted motor insurance policies to two-wheeler buyers across the country.

The tie-up comes ahead of the festival season that begins in October as both the companies want to leverage on the high demand around this time of the year.

"Our partnership with HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company will give our valued customers more convenience. They will get 40 per cent saving on insurance premium (own-damage) and near-cashless claim settlement with the convenient digital interface," Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Senior VP, Sales & Marketing, HMSIL said while unveiling the plan here.

The policy will offer near cashless repairs at over 4,650 Honda two-wheeler network outlets across India.

Customers will get benefit of unlimited claim settlement in insured period with optional zero depreciation benefit.

Also, it has a fully digital interface for all claim settlements across India with a fast turn-around time of three days and easy monitoring of claim settlement status on app.

"Through this alliance, Honda customers will get a robust online insurance support with instant policy issuance, backed with best in class services offered," said HDFC ERGO General Insurance Managing Director & CEO Ritesh Kumar.

Kumar said HDFC ERGO also offers long-term two-wheeler insurance cover for up to two to three years.

HDFC ERGO also provides robust online insurance support with instant policy issuance, which can also be monitored online or on mobile app.

HMSIL, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Honda Motor Company, Japan, is India's second largest two-wheeler company. HDFC ERGO General Insurance is a joint venture between HDFC Ltd and Munich (Germany) based ERGO International AG.

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Delhi High Court today asked the Centre how it could make Aadhaar card mandatory for students from minority communities to apply for various scholarships meant to benefit them.

The court issued a notice to the Centre and asked it to file a reply to the plea which claimed the policy of making Aadhaar card mandatory for applying for pre-matric, post- matric and merit-cum-means scholarships meant to benefit students from minority communities was "arbitrary".

"Why is this kind of instruction being issued? How can you (Centre) say that Aadhaar is mandatory? You take notice and the concerned officer shall file the reply by September 23," a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said.

The PIL, filed by West Bengal-based Nasimuddin educational and charitable trust, has alleged that the policy was arbitrary and discriminatory as it benefitted only those having Aadhaar cards.

Challenging the constitutional validity of the need for Aadhaar card and applying online for the scholarships, the plea alleged that it was a violation of Supreme Court's judgement which had said that Aadhar would not be mandatory for availing benefits of government's welfare schemes.

The plea said that Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have been notified as minority communities under Section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.

It claimed that the policy of "compelling" students to apply through online process "smacks of non-application of mind since the students most in need of scholarship might not have access to computer, internet or the requisite knowledge of online application".

The petition, filed through advocates Prashant Bhushan and Neha Rathi, referred to the July 14, 2016 communication of the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) which had asked the chief secretary or administrators of the states to advertise for the various national scholarships of the ministry.

It said the letter had asked the states to make Aadhar card mandatory for all students to apply for scholarships and also to apply only through the online process.

"Many students belonging to non-affluent families do not have online facilities or the means to avail the scholarships through online means. Similarly, many students do not have Aadhaar cards," the plea said.

"Such a rule forcing a student to apply only online and compulsorily submitting Aadhaar card is unconstitutional, arbitrary, unjust and violates Article 14 of Constitution," the plea said.

It has sought setting aside of the July 14 communication besides a direction to the government to allow students to apply for national scholarships through offline means.

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Actor Shia LaBeaouf says he did not enjoy working with legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg.

The "Fury" actor said the filmmaker is less of a director and more of a movie making company, reported Variety.

"I grew up with this idea, if you got to Spielberg, that's where it is. You get there, and you realize you're not meeting the Spielberg you dream of. You're meeting a different Spielberg, who is in a different stage in his career. He's less a director than he is a company," LaBeaouf said.

According to him, he did not have a scope to grow as an actor when he worked with the director.

"Spielberg's sets are very different. Everything has been so meticulously planned. You got to get this line out in 37 seconds. You do that for five years, you start to feel like not knowing what you're doing for a living."



The Oscar-winning filmmaker directed LaBeaouf in "Disturbia", "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and "Eagle Eye", but the actor said, "I don't like the movies that I made with Spielberg. The only movie that I liked that we made together was Transformers one."



The 30-year-old actor was specially disappointed by the poor critical reception the Spielberg-directed "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull" received in 2008.

"I prepped for a year and a half and then the movie comes out, and it's your fault. That hurt bad," he said.

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Congress chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh Sheila Dikshit today asserted that she is now a Brahmin as she married into a Brahmin family, in a counter to Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh's remark describing her as Punjabi.

She said a woman is known through the family she is married into and she is Brahmin as she married a Brahmin person.

"Amar Singh should know this fact. I am now a Brahmin," she said.

Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP, in a statement to a private channel had stated that Dikshit is not Brahmin but a Punjabi who married into a Brahmin family.

Dikshit, a prominent Brahmin face of Congress, was chief minister of Delhi for three terms and is being projected by the party as the chief ministerial candidate for the Assembly elections in Uttar Padesh slated to be held early next year.

The Congress leader who arrived here for a "27 saal UP Behal" yatra also lashed out at the separatists in Kashmir for "attempting to divide the country" and called upon the government to resolve the situation in the Valley at the earliest.

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Gearing up to open its first store in India by 2017, Swedish furniture major Ikea also plans to integrate its outlets with online trading to facilitate customers.

Besides, the company would explore cities such as Chennai, Pune, Surat, Ahmedabad for its expansion after setting up stores (first) in Hyderabad followed by Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Bangalore.

"We are rolling an e-commerce business in many countries of the world and we would also do that in India. We would start with building the brand with Ikea stores with good touch and feel...It would be combination of both and we would do both in India," Ikea India CEO Juvencio Maeztu told PTI.

On being asked that whether it would be an omni-channel system, he said: "Its more how can connect with the society through all the different touch points and we will do that in India."



IKEA has plans to open 25 stores by 2025 in different Indian cities with an aim to offer a wide range of home furnishing products.

"We are now building/studying a project in Mumbai and we are now looking for alliancing Karnataka and Delhi NCR," Maeztu said adding that Ikea is moving ahead in India as per its plan.

"We have started hiring for Hyderabad and we well in Mumbai," he said.

On being asked about further expansion, Maeztu said:" the next city would be Bangalore and Delhi NCR. From there we are keen to move to cities Chennai, Pune, Suart, Ahmedabad and we would keep growing like that."



Ikea, which has started construction of its Hyderabad store and has also bought land in Mumbai as part of its India expansion plan even as it scouts for more sites in Delhi-NCR, and Bangalore.

The company received government approval in 2013 for its Rs 10,500-crore proposal to open retail stores under 100 per cent FDI.

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An illegal arms factory was busted and a huge cache of firearms and explosives recovered at Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas district, police said today.

Acting on an information, police raided the house of Aftab Hussain last night and seized 101 firearms, including two 9 mm pistols besides nine kg explosives, Superintendent of Police Sunil Choudhary told reporters.

The illegal arms were supplied in South and North 24 Parganas districts, Kolkata and Bihar by Md Selim, the SP said.

Five persons, including Hussain, were arrested, he said and added that four of them were from Bihar.

On whether they have any link with any terrorist group, he said probe was on.

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Goa Tourism Department today directed immediate cleaning of sea shores after a number of Ganesh idols immersed in sea by devotees washed ashore.

Hundreds of idols were immersed at various inland water bodies and at sea shores last night by those devotees who celebrate the Ganesh festival for two days.

The number of immersions will go up in coming days on conclusion of five days, when most of the devotees bid adieu to their beloved deity.

"Several Lord Ganesh idols were seen floating on various sea shores, including Miramar, due to which the department has asked the beach cleaning contractors to clean up the shores as soon as possible," said Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar.

He said contractors have been instructed to keep the shores clean, as "seeing a defaced idol could hurts religious sentiments."



While those idols made from clay dissolved immediately in water, those made from plaster of paris (PoP) often wash back to shores.

State Environment Ministry had formed a group of law enforcement agencies to put a tab on bringing PoP idols to the coastal state.

With almost 70 per cent Hindu population, the Ganesh festival is celebrated with enthusiasm in Goa.

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India was today included among priority countries by the UK for striking post-Brexit trade deals by Prime Minister Theresa May, who also stressed on developing an "ambitious and bold" model of non-membership association with the EU.

May told the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) that India was among the countries that had expressed an interest in trade deals with the UK.

"As we leave the EU, we will forge our own trade deals. The leaders from India, Mexico, South Korea and Singapore said they would welcome talks to remove trade barriers. President Xi also made clear that China would welcome discussions about trade with the UK," she said.

May, who recently returned to the UK from the G20 Summit in China, had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines.

In reference to her government's plans on leaving the European Union (EU) in the wake of the June 23 referendum in favour of Brexit, the Prime Minister refused to provide a "running commentary" on her plans.

She said in her statement to Parliament: "On 23rdJune, the British people were asked to vote on whether we should stay in the EU or leave. The majority decided to leave. Our task now is to deliver the will of the British people and negotiate the best possible deal for our country.

"And I know many people are keen to see rapid progress and to understand what post-Brexit Britain will look like. We are getting on with that vital work... We will not take decisions until we are ready. We will not reveal our hand prematurely and we will not provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiation."



"And I say that because that is not the best way to conduct a strong and mature negotiation that will deliver the best deal for the people of this country," she said.

While giving no more details, she promised a specific British variant on non-membership association with the EU, one that would be "ambitious and bold".

"It is not about the Norway model or the Swiss model or any other country's model - it is about developing our own British model," she said.

The British premier also used her first parliamentary appearance after a summer break to embarrass Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn over the impending Labour party leadership election.

"Mr Speaker, what we do know is whoever wins the Labour leadership, we are not going to let them anywhere near power again," she said.

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Bullish on future prospects for the country's aviation space, the government today said it expects USD 6 billion investments in the airports sector and passenger numbers to see over 30 per cent growth in five years.

To boost the aviation sector, which has high growth potential, the government has come out with new civil aviation policy that among others, seeks to revive unserved and under-served airports as well as improve regional air connectivity.

India would see investments of "USD 6 billion in five years in airports (sector)", Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey said.

At current exchange rates, USD 6 billion would translate to nearly Rs 40,000 crore.

Speaking at the inauguration of the GAD Asia conference here, he said that out of the estimated total amount, around USD 1 billion would be used for reviving airports. About USD 3 billion would be for upgrading aerodromes owned by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), he added.

Further, Choubey said local air traffic may grow more than 30 per cent over the next five years.

During the January-July period this year, the number of passengers carried by domestic carriers jumped 23 per cent compared to the year-ago period.

In July alone, the domestic air passenger traffic soared nearly 26 per cent -- registering double-digit growth for the 24th consecutive month.

According to Choubey, there would be need for around 100 small aircraft in the next three years.

Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), the government seeks to revive un-served as well as under-served airports, among others.

Presently, around 75 out of 450 airstrips/airports have scheduled operations and revival of the remaining ones would be "demand driven", depending on firm demand from airline operators, as per the new civil aviation policy.

According to the policy, no-frills airports would be developed at an indicative cost of Rs 50-100 crore, without insisting on its financial viability.

Meanwhile, the government is looking to amend regulations with respect to certain aspects of leasing of aircraft.

Choubey said the Ministry would amend rules to "make sure lessors can take back aircraft in case of default in line with Cape Town Convention. It provides the protocol to be followed with regard to leasing of aircraft equipment, including the aircraft.

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The scenario of nutrition in India is still "not better" than many countries in south Asia though severe forms of malnutrition in the country have come down significantly, a senior nutritional pathologist has said.

"Severe forms of malnutrition has come down significantly except in some pockets of India. Stunting and wasting have shown a downward trend but is still not better than many countries in our region leave alone the world," former director of the National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research Dr B Sesikeran told PTI from Hyderabad.

"Severe forms of micro nutrient deficiency like Vitamin A deficiency, Iodine deficiency have significantly decreased though Iron deficiency and now Folic Acid, B12 and Vitamin D deficiencies still exist. Low birth weight incidence has come down significantly but in some southern states while some northern states still have a high incidence," Sesikeran elaborated.

The statement comes in the backdrop of the World Health Organisation (WHO) saying, in a recent report, that 2.5 million children in India die every single year due to malnutrition. It also stated that China has only seven per cent of its children under five years underweight, India has this number alarmingly high at 42.5 per cent.

The progress in reducing malnutrition has been painfully slow; the rate of reduction in malnutrition is less than two per cent per annum, the WHO has also stated.

Aimed to create awareness on the importance of nutrition for health, the country, like every year, is celebrating National Nutrition week from September 1 to 7.

Based on under five mortality in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat malnutrition is still an issue, the nutritional pathologist said.

When pointed out that results from National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 in 15 states and union territories indicate that fewer children were dying in infancy and early childhood, Dr Sesikeran said, "We are worse than Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in our region and better than Pakistan and Nepal - if that is a consolation.

"The IMR in MP, UP and Odisha are over 60. Compared to earlier years, yes we are relatively better but not good enough.

According to Dr Sesikeran, though the Centre was doing



"enough" in terms of investment but in terms of delivery there has not been "much happening".

In fact, the policies taken up by the Central government to tackle malnutrition in the country, Dr Sesikeran said would be "enough only if they are properly executed, monitored and owned by the MPs, MLAs, district and village-level administrators".

"Investment must be made for manpower to monitor and make people accountable as well as improve the Anganwadi work force or motivate them to show results. Very often the data generated itself is unreliable," Dr Sesikeran said.

Talking about overweight or obesity, which, besides, malnutrition has become another challenge, the nutritional pathologist said, "The fact that the under nourished and low birth weight individuals if they become less active and eat the wrong kind of foods in adolescence and adult life are prone to non-communicable diseases.

"Besides, the rapid urbanisation and the imbalance of physical activity and energy intakes have all fuelled this spurt in NCD is responsible for this epidemic."



According to the nutritional pathologist, the delivery systems for nutrition security should be improved to address the issue.

"Target the adolescent girls, educate people and fortify foods with micro nutrients to meet their daily needs. Regulation of high energy, high fat, high sugar and high salt foods both in organised and unorganised sectors, provide easy to comprehend food labelling etc could be some of the initiatives. And in addition, increase the avenues for physical activity in schools, colleges, public places, offices," Sesikeran prescribed.

Stating that though behavioural and lifestyle changes were basically the responsibility of the individuals the governments and legislation should facilitate and motivate the public to willingly comply and for this there should be an enabling environment.

"We need considerably more investment into peoples health and nutrition. What is being done is not enough when you compare with other nations who have overcome these problems," he opined.
Covestro AG, which was formerly a part of Bayer Material Science, sees India as a formidable part of its APAC (Asia Pacific countries) growth strategy, a senior company official said.

The German polymer major Covestro officially separated from the Bayer Group last year and has successfully established itself in the international capital market with a big stock market flotation.

"Covestro strongly believes in the APAC (Asia Pacific countries) region; especially India which has been witnessing a double-digit growth. India comprises roughly 20 per cent of our APAC revenues and it will be a formidable part of the Covestro growth strategy in the region," Covestro's Chief Financial Officer Frank Lutz told reporters here.

Though China accounts for over 50 per cent market share in APAC (Asia Pacific countries), the future growth will come from other countries, especially India, he said.

Covestro is looking at India as a growth driver in coming years and expects robust rise in demand for its polymers.

"India is a growing market and holds lot of promise. The three key industry verticals driving the growth for polymers and polycarbonates in India are automotive followed by IT and electronics and home furnishing. Automotive industry contributes approximately 25 per cent of our revenues in the country," Covestro India Managing Director Ajay Durrani said.

This one year of being an independent entity has helped Covestro evolve as a global manufacturer, he said.

Covestro supplies polymers especially polyurethanes and polycarbonates and other specialty chemicals to key industries around the world, such as the automotive, construction, electronics, furniture, sporting goods and textiles industries.

As part of major expansion plans, Covestro India had commissioned a second line for production of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) in Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu last year, thereby increasing the capacity of the site to 6,000 metric tonnes from its current capacity of 2,500 metric tonnes.

Durrani said, "The investment in Cuddalore is a testament to the confidence that the company has in the country. Bayer MaterialScience is now even better positioned to meet the strong global and local demand for TPU."



Over the past 12 months, Covestro AG has completed a complex transformation process.

Lutz, said the first year for Covestro as an independent entity has been busy with the materials manufacturer clocking a strong net year-on-year income growth of 51 per cent.

"The continued dynamic core volume growth stood at 7.7 per cent year-on-year. EBIDTA has also significantly improved by over 18 per cent and all debts taken from the parent company - Bayer have been repaid in full," he said.

Covestro has 30 production sites around the globe and employed approximately 15,700 people (full-time equivalents) as of the end of the second quarter of 2016.

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With its captivating music, the Santoor Instrumental Music group, led by artist Bipul Kumar Ray, wowed the audience during its performance at the India House here.

India's Ambassador to Egypt, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, welcomed Indian, Egyptian and foreign friends to the concert held in his house yesterday and mentioned that music is important as it is one of the ways that can connect people together.

He highlighted the preparation of the next edition of the mega cultural festival, India by the Nile, and said new musical, theatrical and dance performances will be invited to perform among Egyptian audiences.

The Santoor Instrumental Music group arrived to Egypt this week to participate at the Summer Festival organised by Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It gave its first concert in Alexandria on Monday, then they performed on Tuesday in the India house in Cairo.

Ray, one of the finest Santoor exponents of India, said this is his first time to perform in Egypt and he expressed his excitement about having Egyptian as well as Indian audiences during the special night.

He, then, introduced his four-member group to the audiences and started playing his meditative and soulful music that allowed the audience to experience the purity and beauty of Indian Classical Music.

The group will tour different cities in Egypt to give concerts. In addition to Alexandria and Cairo, the group schedule includes concerts in Minya Cultural Palace and Beni Suef Cultural Palace.

The Indian music group is visiting Egypt at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture and Bibliotheca Alexandrina and sponsored by the Indian Ministry of Culture.

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Infosys has trained about one lakh employees on 'design thinking' as the country's second largest software services firm looks to ramp up revenues from new technology areas.

"We have just finished training about 1,00,000 of Infosys employees on design thinking. My sense is we are entering a time when everyone will be expected to innovate because increasingly the work that we do, that can be specified, that can be articulated, will be done by AI," Infosys CEO and MD Vishal Sikka said at Citi Global Technology Conference 2016.

He added that the "new frontier" in such a scenario then becomes problem finding and not just problem solving.

Design thinking refers to solving traditional tech problems using newer, different and innovative methods.

The Bengaluru-based company, which has set an aspirational goal of achieving USD 20 billion revenue by 2020, is betting on new services like design thinking, solutions in artificial intelligence (AI) and intellectual property-led businesses to contribute at least 10 per cent of Infosys' revenue by then.

According to Infosys 2015-16 annual report, six of its board members, including chairman R Seshasayee, former Cornell University professor Jeffrey S Lehman and Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, have gone through "immersion sessions" where they were trained on design thinking and industry/market and technology trends.

Sikka said if IT companies can work with clients on areas that they find most strategic and innovate, "margins and profits follow from there".

"...There is no shortage of higher margin kinds of offerings in new areas, digital areas, digitisation of existing physical artifacts and so forth," he added.

Taking a dig at competitors without naming them, Sikka said "a lot of companies in our industry claim digital revenues and even implementation of salesforce.Com or mobile websites and so forth is somehow digital revenue".

"I don't understand why it is digital. People often ask me how much of Infosys revenues are digital and I tell them 100 per cent of it is digital because we write software for digital computer," he quipped.

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Indian Oil Corporation will on September 9 send seven tankers of diesel and kerosene to Tripura via Bangladesh for the first time to avoid fuel crisis in the North Eastern state, as the dilapidated condition of NH-44 in Assam has made the transportation difficult.

IndianOil-AOD, the company's North East division, will move kerosene and diesel from Betkuchi depot in Guwahati to Dharmanagar depot in Tripura in the first consignment through the neighbouring nation.

"In the first consignment, we will flag off seven tankers on September 9 from our Guwahati depot to Tripura via Bangladesh. It will carry 84,000 litres of kerosene and diesel," Indian Oil Corporation Executive Director (IndianOil-AOD) Dipankar Ray told PTI here.

The second consignment of 10 tankers will depart from Assam capital next week through Bangladesh, he added.

"Out of that, seven will be LPG tankers with 49 tonnes, while three Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant (POL) tankers will carry 36,000 litres of fuel to Tripura," Ray said.

During monsoon in May-June this year, Tripura faced unprecedented fuel crisis as supply was badly hit due to pathetic road condition of NH-44 at Barak Valley in Assam and thousands of tankers were stranded on roads for weeks.

The situation forced IOC and Tripura government to scout for alternate ways to supply fuel.

One of the options that the company already tested was roll-on roll-off, where tankers were transported by open rail wagons from Bhanga in Assam to Churaibari in Tripura, but IOC termed this system non-economical as transporting 24 tankers one way cost Rs 3.9 lakh.

NF Railway has made two trips with oil tankers so far and the company will use this mode only in extreme cases.

Meanwhile, IOC identified a road route via Bangladesh and everything was finalised along with signing of an agreement within just one-and-a-half months.

The distance for transporting POL and LPG from IOC's Betkuchi depot in Guwahati to Dharmanagar depot in Tripura via Bangladesh will be 366 km, including 126 km inside the neighbouring nation, against 386 km in the normal route through the Barak Valley.

The convoy will enter Bangladesh through Dawki point in Maghalaya and re-enter India at Kailashahar in Tripura.

As per the agreement, IOC will pay 1.02 Bangladeshi Taka per tonne per km along with 200 Bangladeshi Taka for entry and exit charges.

The MoU also says that at any point of time, not more than 160 tankers will be plying on Bangladeshi roads.

The company will have to pay in total around 1,500 Bangladeshi Taka to the neighbouring nation per vehicle, which will be about Rs 1,300 in Indian currency.

The agreement is valid till September this year, but will be reviewed and renewed after examining the success of the process in one month.

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A bitter war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia intensified today ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage from which Iranians have been excluded for the first time in decades.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blasted the "incompetence" of the Saudi royal family as he met with the families of victims of a deadly stampede during last year's hajj.

"This incident proves once again that this cursed, evil family does not deserve to be in charge and manage the holy sites," Khamenei said.

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia were already at rock bottom before the regional rivals started trading caustic remarks ahead of the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia, which is due to start on Saturday.

Iranians have been blocked from the event after talks on safety and logistics fell apart in May.

"If the existing problems with the Saudi government were merely the issue of the hajj... Maybe it would have been possible to find a way to resolve it," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said at a cabinet meeting.

"Unfortunately, this government by committing crimes in the region and supporting terrorism in fact shed the blood of Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Yemen," Rouhani said.

The week began with a furious rebuke from Khamenei, published on his website, in which he accused the Saudi royals of "murder" over the deaths of nearly 2,300 pilgrims, including hundreds of Iranians, in last year's stampede.

Saudi Arabia claims the death toll was only 769 -- despite data from more than 30 countries suggesting it was far higher -- and has refused to release the details of its investigation into the disaster.

But the head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council hit back today, calling Khamenei's remarks "inappropriate and offensive... And a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj.

Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, also waded into the dispute, telling the Makkah daily yesterday: "We must understand these are not Muslims, they are children of Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one."



"Magi" is a reference to the Zoroastrian religion that was prevalent in Iran before Islam, and is sometimes used as an insult against Iranians.

Jane Kinninmont, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the Chatham House think tank in London, said the world needed to pay more attention to the "cold conflict" between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

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Ireland's opposition today lashed out at a cabinet decision to appeal the EU's Apple ruling amid public support for the European Commission order to collect back taxes from the US tech giant.

"We want companies like Apple in Ireland... But this doesn't mean one should turn a blind eye to tax evasion or avoidance," Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said in parliament, which was recalled early to debate an issue that has divided the country.

"Tax is not just for the small man, it is for all," he said, Sinn Fein said on its Twitter account.

The European Commission last week ordered Apple to pay a record USD 15 billion in back taxes in Ireland, a move the US warned could damage hugely important transatlantic economic ties.

The ruling put Ireland in the strange position of refusing the windfall for fear of scaring away valuable investment and undermining a cornerstone of Ireland's economic policy for decades.

Ireland's two main parties, Prime Minister Enda Kenny's Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, which supports the minority government, are expected to back the appeal.

But Sinn Fein, the main opposition party which gained support in elections earlier this year on an anti-austerity platform, is set to oppose.

Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said Apple had operated "a sort of untaxed Bermuda Triangle" in Ireland following opinion polls that have shown majorities in favour of Apple paying the back taxes.

In his opening address, Finance Minister Micheal Noonan said the ruling had fed into an "outdated caricature" of Ireland as a tax haven and must be appealed to defend its international reputation and its future ability to attract foreign investment.

"The government's position throughout this process has been that the full amount of tax was paid in this case and no State aid was provided," he said.

"Ireland did not give favourable tax treatment to Apple: Ireland does not do deals with taxpayers."



Prime Minister Enda Kenny said the ruling had done "great damage" to Ireland's international reputation.

"The picture of Ireland painted by the Commission in this decision as a country prepared to play fast and loose with the law to gain unfair advantage could not be more damaging or further from the truth," he said.

Apple has had a base in the southern city of Cork since 1980 and employs nearly 6,000 people in Ireland, through which it routes its international sales totalling billions.

The European Commission said Apple paid an effective corporate tax rate of just 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014 - equivalent to just 50 euros for every million.

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Italian police said today they had busted a major credit and bank card forgery ring, which also ran a prostitution racket.

The group, made up mainly of Romanian nationals, had created a system to clone cards issued by "banks in Britain, the Cayman Islands, China, France, Japan, Panama, Peru, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the United States," said an Italian police statement.

This was done through so-called "skimming" - using highly advanced devices placed on ATMs, which can read data from users' magnetic strips and steal PIN codes.

The gang then used the proceeds to pay collaborating traders in a large number of fraudulent transactions in Milan and Monza in northern Italy, continental police agency Europol said in a separate statement.

A Monza court has issued arrest warrants for 12 Romanian citizens suspected of involvement in the gang, Italian police added.

Europol said in total 14 suspects were arrested, of whom seven were in Italy and Romania.

"Estimated losses incurred by the criminals' activities amount to several hundreds of thousands of euros," Europol added.

Italian police said the gang's ringleader "has strong roots within organised crime in his country of origin," and was often referred to as "the godfather".

The group also set up a prostitution network bringing young Romanian women into Italy.

Seven have been identified and they reportedly earned "an average of 700 euros a day for the criminal group," the Italian police said.

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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was at his witty best today as he recalled his long association with his party colleague Hardeep Singh Puri at the launch of a book authored by the former diplomat.

Noting that their friendship goes back 46 years, Jaitley praised Puri and joked that he was exactly like what is often said about a "good Sikh".

"A good Sikh, when he loses, he behaves like a winner and when he wins, he behaves like God. That sums up Hardeep's personality," he said as the audience erupted in loud applause.

He recalled that both involved in various academic and non-academic activities in Delhi University together.

Noting that Puri was always interested in public affairs, Jaitley mentioned that on one cold winter night of 1980 when the BJP was losing everywhere except in New Delhi where Atal Bihari Vajpayee won, he found his friend outside with a scooter.

"Our supporters were not seen. So when on a cold winter night I went there, the only other person I found familiar there was scooter...Hardeep Puri, an Under Secretary then. So we drove it from there together," he said at the launch of the book 'Perilous Interventions'.

When Puri spoke later, he corrected Jaitley saying he had upgraded from a scooter to a Honda car in 1980.

"In 1980, when we were outside a polling booth, it was outside Modern School, (Jaitley quips it was counting day)... it was counting booth, I had come back from my first posting and graduated from a two-wheeler scooter into a little Honda car. So I drove you from there to Pandara road, a restaurant where we had dinner before you proceeded home," he said.

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Japan is "seriously concerned" about Beijing's increasingly muscular claims in the South China Sea, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Asian leaders today.

Beijing insists it has sovereign rights to almost all of the strategically vital waters, where the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims.

It also has a simmering territorial row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

"I am seriously concerned with the continuing attempts to change unilaterally the status quo in the East and South China Sea," Abe said at a regional summit in Laos hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"I hope that both parties to the dispute in the South China Sea will abide by the ruling by the China-Philippines tribunal court, which legally binds the parties to the dispute, and it will lead to a peaceful settlement of the dispute," he added, according to a briefing by foreign press secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura.

The gathering in Laos is the first ASEAN meeting since an international court ruled in July that China's claims to the sea had no legal basis, and that its artificial island building programme in the waters was illegal.

It was a sweeping victory for the Philippines, which filed the case in 2013.

China has ignored the ruling, announcing penalties for "illegal" fishing in the sea and continuing its reclamation activities.

Japan's dispute with China is over uninhabited islands controlled by Tokyo. They are known as the Senkakus in Japan and as the Diaoyus in China.

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JD(U) on Wednesday said the Centre's move of collecting public feedback on the risk assessment report on GM mustards by an expert committee "reeks of non-serious intent" and demanded that the hybrid variety should not be approved for commercial release.

It argued Indian farmers have proved high yields can be obtained through sustainable agronomic processes and termed as false the claims of higher yield through the .

"The three GMOs (genetically modified crops), according to its developers, will have higher yields, but they have been silent about the fact that the has been engineered to be herbicide tolerant," the party said in a letter to Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave.

It said there is "enormous evidence" presented to the regulators by civil society groups to prove the higher yields claim is a "false" claim.

Earlier, the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP) of Delhi University had applied for Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC's) approval for environmental release of hybrid DMH-11 for the development of new generation hybrids.

GEAC, the country's biotech regulator, constituted experts sub-committee to examine the biosafety data on .

After the committee examined it, the report was placed on the Environment Ministry's website yesterday inviting comments from stakeholders within a period of 30 days.

The party said the GMOs have now been "cleared" by the sub-committee and only an assessment document, and not the full biosafety data, have been put out for public feedback.

"Everything about the process of collecting public feedback reeks of non-serious intent on a biased assessment that is pre-concluded," JD(U) said.

The letter was signed by MP Kaushlender Kumar, secretary Afaq Ahmed Khan and member national executive Aneel Hegde of the party which also held a demonstration at the Environment Ministry today.

JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had recently said he will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against commercial cultivation of GM mustard as it's "not good" for the environment and also mankind.

"In view of many issues including problems with the process of development of the GM mustard, lack of stringent regulatory scrutiny and the potential human and animal health issues and environmental problems, we urge that this GM mustard should not be approved for commercial release," the party said in the letter.

The party asked Dave to ensure GEAC's current processes are not "farcical" and also sought time with the Minster to discuss the issue in detail.

"No study has been done to assess whether there is a need for the product and whether it's useful for farmers or the consumers. The trait as engineered is to create ease of hybridisation thereby is beneficial only for seed producers," it said.

Anti-GM activists had yesterday accused the GEAC of undertaking a "meaningless" process of getting public feedback and demanded the full biosafety data be put out in the public domain immediately and at least 90 days time should be given for feedback.

"The bar gene in the GM mustard confers herbicide tolerance (HT) trait on the crop. In India various high- powered committees have strongly recommended against the use of herbicide tolerant traits.

"This is due to the various serious problems associated with the extensive use of herbicides. Also it is a labour displacing technology," the party said, adding that many leading mustard growing states have expressly prohibited even the field trials of this GM mustard.

The party said that according to the Swaminathan Task Force on Biotechnology (2004), the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee (2012) and the majority report of the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) appointed by the Supreme Court ( 2013), no genetic modification should be attempted for crops in their centres of origin and diversity.

"Therefore, this GM mustard should under no circumstances be approved for commercial release. In fact even open air field trials of this crop are risky as it could contaminate indigenous mustard varieties. World over the experience with contamination has been very bad," the party said.
Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today demanded imposition of Governor's rule in the state and said reorganisation is the only way out to solve all problems and promote peace.

"The situation in Jammu and Kashmir has crossed all the limits defined in the Constitution and promulgation of Governor's rule is the only way out," JKNPP founder and executive chairman of state legal aid committee, Bhim Singh told reporters here.

He appealed to President Pranab Mukherjee, to use his good office to impose Governor's rule in the state.

He also appealed to the president to advise Governor N N Vohra to take over governance of the state by invoking Section 92 of the J&K Constitution which empowers the Governor to impose Governor's rule.

"Reorganisation is the only way out to settle all problems in J&K and promote peace," he said.

Singh claimed, "entire J&K including Gilgit, Chitral, Askardu, POK as well as 20,000 square miles of J&K territory which has been illegally grabbed by China is legitimate territory of Jammu and Kashmir which acceded in 1947."



He said he shall take up this matter before the UN, if need be, to ensure that Jammu and Kashmir is fully integrated with India.

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Justice N. Authinathan was today sworn in as Judge of Madras High Court.

Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul administered the oath of office to Justice Authinathan.

Advocate General Muthukumaraswamy and other Bar leaders welcomed the newly sworn in Judge.

With this, the sitting strength of the high court will go up to 39, as against the sanctioned strength of 75.

Authinathan, Principal Sessions judge of Chennai who retired on January 19 this year, was elevated and appointed additional judge of the high court after a notification to this effect was received by the court from the Union Law Ministry Law on September 1.

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Amid protests, Karnataka has started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu complying with the Supreme Court directive asking it to release 15,000 cusecs per day to the neighbouring state for ten days.

"Karnataka has started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu to obey the Supreme Court directive asking the state government to release 15,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for ten days," a state water resources ministry official told PTI here.

He said the state started releasing water from midnight yesterday.

Meanwhile, protesters have intensified their agitation in Mandya and other parts of the state blocking several roads and forcing schools and colleges to shut down.

Complying with the Supreme Court direction, the state government yesterday decided to release water despite "severe hardships."



The court order directed an immediated backlash with agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits blocking the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway.

Mandya district, the nucleus of Cauvery politics, saw a bandh yesterday with protesters holding road blockades and dharnas at several places, as hundreds of security personnel -- including central forces -- were deployed in the Cauvery belt to maintain law and order.

"Despite severe hardships faced by the government of Karnataka, the state will release water as directed by the Supreme Court," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had told reporters after nearly a three-hour long all-party meeting convened by him here, yesterday.

Siddaramaiah had also said government would approach the Supreme Court with a modification petition, explaining its difficulties in implementing its order.

Noting that the 'samba' crops in Tamil Nadu would be adversely affected, an apex court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit directed Karnataka to ensure supply of water to Tamil Nadu.

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A Kerala-based NGO will on Wednesday receive the prestigious Confucius Prize for Literacy for its literacy-linked skill development activities at a ceremony in Paris.

The Jan Sikshan Sansthan (JSS), based in state's Malappuram, has bagged the award for its activities in the field of lifelong education and skill development programme in rural areas - aiming to help underprivileged individuals achieve better livelihood.

JSS Malappuram chairman and Rajya Sabha member P V Abdul Wahab and the unit's director V Ummerkoya will receive the award at the ceremony that will also mark 50th anniversary celebrations of UNESCO's literacy programmes, a statement said.

Education Ministers from UNESCO's member states are expected to attend the function, in which third edition of Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE 3) will be launched.

A panel discussion to identify inter-relations between literacy and other sustainable development goals will also be held.

According to the statement, the MP will present his views on implementing a programme adopting an inter-sectoral approach linking literacy with agriculture and other livelihoods.

He will also answer the challenge for such a programme and methods to overcome it during the panel discussion which will be moderated by Chakroun Borhene, Chief of Section, Youth, Literacy and Skill Development, and presented by Arne Carlsen, Director, UNSECO Institute for Lifelong Learning, it said.
Kerala Governor Justice (Retd) P Sathasivam today expressed concern over the attack on the BJP office here.

The Governor conveyed his concern to senior BJP leader and MLA O Rajagopal, when he brought the matter to the former's notice, a party release said here.

The Governor also informed that he had asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to take steps to end political violence in the state when they met at Rashtrapathi Bhavan during Onam celebrations last week, Rajagopal said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of BJP activists took part in a protest march against the attack.

BJP national executive member P K Krishnadas said the party would submit a memorandum to the Governor on September 15 highlighting the alleged "fascist" attitude of the CPI(M) led LDF government in the state.

Crude bombs were hurled at the BJP office at Kunnukuzhi in the heart of the city last night and the party alleged that CPI(M) workers were behind the attack.

No one was injured in the attack.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) denied BJP's charge and condemned the attack and wanted the government to arrest the "anti-social" elements behind the attack.

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Pempilai Orumai, a women-only labour union working in the tea plantation industry at Munnar in Kerala, will soon join Aam Aadmi Party after the latter promised to lend support to its demands, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti said today.

The union members recently met Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai. It will also work closely with the AAP-supported Shramik Vikas Sangathan.

Rai promised that the party will support Pempilai Orumai in its fight to upliftment the workers in the tea plantation industry.

The union's major demands are increase in wages, decent housing, bonus, discrimination at work place, equal access to government schemes and capacity building among others.

Bharti, in-charge of party affairs in Kerala, said these women labourers have been exploited by other established trade unions and political parties.

"Despite working in the tea plantation sector at Munnar for generations, most of them do not have their own house," Bharti said.

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A man wielding a knife attacked two Belgian police officers in the capital Brussels today but their body armour protected them and they were unhurt, the police said.

Police gave no immediate details about the suspect's identity or motives for the attack in a park in the Molenbeek district where several men linked to last year's Islamic State-claimed attacks in Paris lived.

The man was arrested by another patrol and is now in custody, police spokeswoman Julie Mampuy told AFP.

"Two patrolmen were attacked with a knife by a man while they were in the Bonnevie park in Molenbeek," police spokeswoman Julie Mampuy told AFP.

"They received several knife blows but they were protected by their bullet-proof vests and were fortunately not hurt," she added.

In August, a Belgian policewoman shot and killed a machete-wielding Algerian man who wounded two female colleagues in the city of Charleroi, south of Brussels.

IS claimed responsibility for that attack by a man officials said had been living illegally in Belgium.

Belgium has remained on high alert following deadly jihadist bombings in March that killed 32 people at Brussels airport and on the city metro which were also claimed by IS.

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Paying rich tributes and homage to Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla described her as one of the greatest humanitarians of the 20th century, an official statement said here today.

Lal Thanhawla, who was the chief guest at the "Blessed Mother Teresa Canonisation Celebration" function in the eastern metropolis last evening, spoke of her humility, piety and faith, her life and her unconditional love, devotion and service for the unloved, the uncared and the unwanted, the statement said.

He said Mother's canonization was matter of great pride not just for the Christian community but for the entire country and also for the people of Kolkata - her chosen home. The function was inaugurated jointly by former Chief Justice of India Justice Atlamas Kabir and former West Bengal Governor Justice Shyamal Sen, Kolkata Archbishop Thomas D'Souza, Missionaries of Charity Superior General Sister Mary Prema, representatives and leaders from other faiths also attended the function.

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Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has rebranded its electric mobility portfolio as Mahindra Electric aiming for a greater focus on technology and launch more electric models, besides supplying powertrains to other manufacturers.

Under the umbrella brand Mahindra Electric, the company will manufacture electric cars, license out electric vehicle technologies, electrify new and existing platforms and help deliver integrated zero emission mobility solutions.

"Besides powering our own vehicles, we will also be supplying such electric powertrains to others. It will give economy of scale to this business," Mahindra Reva Chief Executive Officer Arvind Mathew told PTI.

The company, which currently sells electric models like e20 and Verito, also plans to launch an electric version of its minivan Supro in the next 2-3 months.

Mahindra Supro is a 7-seater which is used both in cargo and passenger vehicle space.

When asked if the company is in talks with any of the domestic manufacturers to supply electric powertrains, Mathew said: "Not yet".

Besides, Mahindra Electric also plans to scale up its international business going ahead.

"We are trying to get into the Chinese market. In recent times, it has grown immensely. We would like to enter the market with a reliable partner there," Mathew said.

Mahindra is expected to power some of its new and existing vehicles with the latest electric drivetrain technology from Mahindra Electric.

"As the pioneer of electric vehicles and integrated mobility solutions in India, we have laid out a clear roadmap for the electrification of our range of vehicles to reduce emission and build an eco-system for electric mobility in India," Mathew said.

With the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India) scheme, the government has already set in motion a conducive environment which has led the company to expect a faster adoption of electric vehicles in the country, he added.

"I am confident that progressive government policies as well as speedy and adequate infrastructure development will enable us to embrace new technologies that are green and sustainable," Mathew said.

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Scientists, including those from India, have predicted the existence of a new fundamental particle - Madala boson - which may help solve the mystery of the elusive dark matter in the universe.

Using data from a series of experiments that led to the discovery and first exploration of the Higgs boson at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) in 2012, the group established what they call the Madala hypothesis, in describing a new boson, named as the Madala boson.

The experiment was repeated last year and this year, after a two-and-a-half year shut-down of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, said researchers at the High Energy Physics Group (HEP) of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

The data reported by the LHC experiments this year have corroborated the features in the data that triggered the Madala hypothesis in the first place.

"Based on a number of features and peculiarities of the data reported by the experiments at the LHC and collected up to the end of 2012, the Wits HEP group in collaboration with scientists in India and Sweden formulated the Madala hypothesis," said Professor Bruce Mellado, team leader of the HEP group at Wits.

The hypothesis describes the existence of a new boson and field, similar to the Higgs boson. However, where the Higgs boson in the Standard Model of Physics only interacts with known matter, the Madala boson interacts with dark matter, which makes about 27 per cent of the universe.

The theory that underpins the understanding of fundamental interactions in nature in modern physics is referred to as the Standard Model of Physics.

With the discovery of the Higgs boson at the LHC in 2012, for which the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded in 2013, the Standard Model of Physics is now complete.

However, this model is insufficient to describe a number of phenomena such as dark matter.

The universe is made of mass and energy. The mass that we can touch, smell and see, the mass that can be explained by the Higgs boson, makes up only 4 per cent of the mas-energy budget of the universe.

The rest of the mass in the universe is simply unknown, yet it makes about 27 per cent of the world around us.

The next big step for the physics of fundamental interactions now is to understand the nature of dark matter in the universe, said scientists including Deepak Kar and Xifeng Ruan, who have years of expertise at the LHC.

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Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray today met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and put forward his demand for a full-time Home Minister, following recent attacks on police personnel in the state.

"We are not demanding that there should be a separate Home minister merely because we have a penchant to do so. The police, society and the state want a full-time minister, a Home minister who can function efficiently," he told reporters after the meeting.

Thackeray met Fadnavis over the concerns harboured by families of policemen after the attacks.

Uddhav also sought stringent action against those involved in attempted drowning of a policeman during immersion of Ganesh idol in Kalyan in Thane district.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister said a committee will be formed to address issues related to police and families. Their family members will be included in this committee, he said.

Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, is "capable and competent, but has been overburdened by work lately," Sena chief said.

"I think the Home Department needs a separate minister to check attacks on police.

"I demanded three things from the CM -- safety of cops in state, proper implementation of law, and strict punishment to attackers," the Sena president said.

Thackeray, who met Fadnavis at his official residence 'Varsha 'in Malabar Hill area of South Mumbai, was accompanied by a few Sena ministers Subhash Desai, Diwakar Raote and Deepak Kesarkar and families of policemen.

Kesarkar is the Minister of State for Home.

The police families residing in Worli's BDD chawl had expressed their anger over the attack on traffic cop Vilas Shinde, who was allegedly beaten up by two youths following which he succumbed to his injuries on August 31.

Fadnavis said the government will consider all demands of



the families of police personnel.

He informed them of various initiatives taken by the state government for police welfare, including full day salary for working on holiday, inclusion of police in PM Awas Yojna and provision of Rs 2,000 crore for police housing this year.

He also assured them of setting up of a committee to address their issues and inclusion of their family members in the panel.

The chief minister also informed that the government was working on some unique initiatives for police health, and to increase interaction between police and public.

A skill training programme for wives of policemen is also being planned.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had also recently spoken against the incident and met the families of policemen.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said Ganpat Gaikwad, the independent MLA from Kalyan East who now supports BJP, had intervened in the Kalyan matter.

"This is a serious issue," he said.
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi NCR, Goa and Andhra Pradesh are rated as the top five of 21 sub-regional economies in ease of doing business in India, according to a new report.

"Maharashtra, Delhi NCR, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka, are also rated as the most competitive states," said Sasidaran Gopalan, Research Fellow at the Asia Competitive Institutes (ACI) here.

Five (Maharashtra, Delhi NCR, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka) states lead in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), accounting for 50-60 per cent of the total FDI inflow into the country, he said in a study done by the ACI which is part of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

But the government needs to balance the spread of FDI to other states, he pointed out.

Meanwhile, India's appreciating real effective exchange rates have not significantly affected FDI inflows over the last decade.

"The impact of real exchange rates on FDI in India has been rather negligible so far," Gopalan pointed out, citing the finding from a recently concluded study by ACI for 2000-2013.

The research study, however, also concluded that the volatility in Indian rupee "actually appears to induce more FDI into the country".

"That is interesting as it only reflects that most of the FDI coming into the country is meant to serve the domestic market," he pointed out.

He highlights the importance for India to focus on developing the financial markets and allow businesses to manage their activities in a more "freely floating" environment, he said.

Going forward, policymakers should be cautious of an appreciating real exchange rate as it could potentially conflict with India's stated objective of developing the country as a platform for export-oriented FDI to date, Gopalan said.

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Democratic presidential candidate Hilary Clinton is not qualified to seek the highest office in the US in the wake of new documents released by FBI in email corruption scandal, her rival Donald Trump has said.

"The new revelations about Hillary Clinton from the just-released FBI documents make more clear than ever that she fails to meet the minimum standard for running for public office. If she applied for a low-level job at the State Department today she couldn't even get a security clearance," Trump said at an election rally in North Carolina.

"Her conduct is disqualifying," Trump said as he listed out his allegations against Clinton in the wake of the FBI report.

Emboldened by the latest poll, which indicates that he has eliminated the popularity gap with the former Secretary of State, Trump said it is clear from the FBI report that Clinton lied about her handling of confidential information.

She repeatedly told the country that she understood the classified system, then she told the FBI she didn't understand that the letter "C" meant confidential in the documents she emailed, he said.

"On 39 separate occasions she said she couldn't recall details about her mishandling of classified information, and she couldn't even name one step she took to make sure foreign hackers couldn't get into her server. Keep in mind, that her insecure emails included emails about the drone programme," Trump said.

"It's also clear from the FBI report that Hillary Clinton and her top aides knowingly destroyed evidence and covered-up their actions. After her private server was revealed last March, her staff deleted all the emails and wiped it clean using a software designed to prevent any recovery, called BleachBit," he said.

"People who have nothing to hide don't smash phones with hammers. People who have nothing to hide don't bleach their emails, or destroy evidence to keep it from being publicly archived as required under federal law," he said.

The billionaire from New York alleged that Clinton failed to turn over thousands of documents, then tried to shield her criminal conduct by having her chief-of-staff declare herself to be Hillary Clinton's private attorney.

"Hillary and her top aides told the FBI and others in related lawsuits that they couldn't recall or remember key facts hundreds of different times - and that's in addition to the guy who set up the server pleading the 5. No one takes all the risks Hillary Clinton took unless they are trying to cover up massive crimes," he said.

"Hillary Clinton was using the State Department to dole out special favours and access to her friends and donors. It's called pay-for-play. One example of pay-for-play is what the Clinton's did in Haiti. But while Haiti has suffered, the Clintons and their pals have cashed in," he said.

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A man from Damni village here was booked for allegedly killing his wife over a petty quarrel, police said today.

38-year-old Chitaman Baraf had an altercation with his wife Bhimi (32) yesterday afternoon over a paltry issue and attacked his wife with an axe in a fit of rage, killing her on the spot, a district police official said.

The body was sent to a government hospital for postmortem, while a case has been lodged against the accused under section 302 (murder) of the IPC.

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A former deputy sarpanch of a village was killed by suspected Naxals in an insurgency-hit pocket of Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund district, police said today.

Khejan Sonwani (45) was shot dead late last night at his house in Khairat Kala village under Komakhan police station limits, Mahasamund Additional Superintendent of Police Rakesh Bhatt told PTI over phone.

As per preliminary information, three armed ultras stormed into his house in Khairat Kala, located around 125 kms away from here, on Chhattisgarh-Odisha border and pumped bullets into him, he said.

Soon after getting the information this morning, a police team was rushed to the spot and the victim's body was sent for postmortem, he added.

The assailants haddropped some pamphlets in which they claimed Sonwani was acting as a mediator in 'tendu' leaves procurement in forests of Chhatisgarh-Odisha border and siphoned off money in the deals, the ASP said.

Besides, they also claimed that the victim was acting as a police informer, he added.

A case has been registered in this connection, the ASP said, adding that efforts were on to trace the assailants.

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today held a meeting here with his cabinet colleagues over a likely announcement from the Central government on either the grant of special category status to the state or a special economic package for AP.

In New Delhi, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Y Satyanarayana Chowdary and Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh had a meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on the issue.

Chandrababu held the emergency meeting with some of his cabinet colleagues, discussing the happenings in the national capital.

Later in the afternoon, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to make an announcement on the things that are likely to be delivered to AP in accordance with the Reorganisation Act, 2014.

It is understood that Chandrababu has been invited to New Delhi this afternoon but there is no word from his office here on whether he will make it for the trip.

"Indications are that the Centre may announce a special package to the state. There is no clarity on whether it will grant special status as is being demanded," a CMO official said.

In Delhi, Satyanarayana Chowdary said the Centre wanted to refer the special status issue to the National Development Council.

"But we are insisting on special status without any reference to the NDC as it will only further delay the process," he said.

There is also stalemate over the establishment of a new railway zone at Visakhapatnam with the Centre pointing to objections raised by Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

In the event, there are talks now that a new railway zone may be set up with Vijayawada as the headquarters.

"The Chief Minister is in constant touch with our people in New Delhi on all issues. There will be some clarity later in the afternoon," the official said.

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Two soldiers were today injured as militants attacked their convoy in Kupwara district of Kashmir, Army officials said.

Militants fired on the army convoy at Handwara in Kupwara district, resulting in injuries to the two soldiers, the officials said.

They said the militants fled the scene after carrying out the attack.

An operation has been launched to track down the militants, they added.

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India and Japan today pledged to strengthen ties in the key areas of counter terrorism, civil nuclear cooperation, trade and investment as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe here.

Prime Minister Modi, in his talks at the National Convention Centre here, conveyed his condolences to Abe for the Japanese lives lost in the recent terror attack in Bangladesh in which 22 people were killed after Islamist militants stormed a cafe popular with foreigners.

Abe said Japan was not going to succumb to terrorism and expressed the desire to further strengthen cooperation with India in the area of counter-terrorism, External affairs Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup said of the nearly 45 minutes- long meeting.

Modi held talks with Abe after arriving in the Laotian capital to attend the ASEAN-India and the East Asia summits that will take place tomorrow.

The two leaders discussed further strengthening and diversification of trade and investment ties.

Prime Minister Modi noted that Japan had technology and innovation while India had the power of youth and a huge market, Swarup said.

The India-Japan partnership could, therefore, produce global products and be a win-win partnership for both, Modi said in his meeting with Abe.

The two leaders discussedthe upcoming Japanese industrial parks in India and the cooperation in the area of ship breaking.

They also reviewed the progress in the India-Japan Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement negotiations and the high-speed rail project, Swarup said.

Modi expressed appreciation for the consistent support rendered by Japan in India's infrastructure development, technology upgradation and skill building.

Premier Abe recalled that 2017 will mark the 60th anniversary of the Japan-India Cultural agreement. He hoped to see more Indian tourists visiting Japan.

The two leaders also discussed regional issues and international developments.

Abe said that he was looking forward to Modi's visit to Japan for the annual summit and expressed hope that it would promote a new era of Indo-Japan cooperation.

Modi also expressed condolences for the recent typhoon that hit Japan. He is also scheduled to meet leaders from Myanmar and South Korea for bilaterals while officials said there could be some "pull aside" meetings too during his visit here.

This is Modi's second meeting with Abe in less than six months. They had met on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in April.

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Rahul Gandhi today attacked the Narendra Modi government for "ignoring" the plight of people suffering from encephalitis in the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh.

"We (when in government) had sent funds for encephalitis treatment and control in Gorakhpur ...People are now complaining that the funds being sent have been stopped..On the one hand, Modiji (lays foundation stone of AIIMS) and on the other, funds are stopped," he said during a two-hour-long roadshow here.

The Congress Vice President, who visited the encephalitis ward at the BRD Medical College here, said while the UPA government had "moved a couple of steps forward" for checking the disease, the Modi government has "retracted two steps" in that direction.

Children continue to die of acute encephalitis syndrome and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in the area every year, he said.

Attacking the "suit-boot ki sarkar", Gandhi said, "If he (Modi) wants to run such a government, he can as he is the Prime Minister and we cannot stop him, but if he has waived loans of big industrialists, he will have to do the same with the poor and the farmers.

"You will also have to help the weaker sections...Farmers are dying, you will also have to help them. We have started this yatra for this purpose and will take it to Delhi," he said.

The Congress leader had yesterday kick started his party's election push in Uttar Pradesh, launching a 2,500-km "kisan mahayatra" while accusing Modi of "ignoring" farmers' problems. He had promised a loan waiver, higher support price and reduction in power tariff, if his party came to power in the state.

46-year-old Gandhi also hit out at Modi over his foreign visits.

"Janata trast hain, Modiji mast hain. Janata ro rahi hai,... Modiji mast hain (people are suffering, Modi is enjoying)," he said, adding that the Prime Minister was busy travelling to the UK, China, Japan and other places.

"I want to remind him that he is the Prime Minister of India, not of America...He should look at the plight of farmers here in Gorakhpur," he said.

Talking to reporters later, Gandhi said farmers were committing suicide as they continue to face the problems of water, fertiliser, power, loan and MSP.

He said farmers asked him to relieve them of their burden at his 'khaat sabha' in Deoria yesterday.

"Since Congress is not in power as of now, we cannot help them directly, but can help them through agitations. The main aim of this yatra is to pressurise Modi and his government to heed to the demands of farmers and the poor," he added.

The Congress leader interacted with the people during the roadshow covering around 15 kms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe after arriving here and discussed ways to strengthen strategic bilateral ties.

"Discussing stronger ties with Japan...PM Narendra Modi meets Japan PM Shinzo Abe," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted as the almost 45 minutes-long bilateral talks began.

Modi will attend the 14th ASEAN India Summit and 11th East Asia summit tomorrow. He will also have bilaterals with leaders of Myanmar and South Korea. There could be more "pull aside" talks tomorrow with leaders, officials said.

This is Modi's second meeting with Abe in less than six months. They had met on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in April.

Earlier, Japan's Kyodo agency reported that the two leaders are likely to discuss cooperation in the defence sector.

Japan's maritime self-defence force and the Indian and US navies conducted Malabar joint maritime security exercises in June and Japanese and Indian defence ministers agreed in July to repeat the joint drill next year.

The leaders are also expected to discuss investment and other economic cooperation, the report said.

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Making a strong pitch for farm loan waiver on the second day of his yatra in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi today accused Narendra Modi of "sitting pretty" when people were in "distress" and attacked him for his frequent foreign tours, saying he needs to focus on Indians as he was their Prime Minister.

The Congress vice president also took a jibe at the present system, when he said while people like industrialist Vijay Mallya, who run away without paying back bank loans worth thousands of crores of rupees were called "defaulters", farmers were dubbed as "thieves" for taking away cots.

He also asked the Modi government to run a dispensation that is for the poor and look into the plight of farmers who are "crying".

"Janata trast hai, Modiji mast hain. Janata ro rahi hai, kisan ro raha hai, aur Modiji mast hain" (The public is in distress, but Modiji is sitting pretty. The people, the farmers are crying, but Modiji is sitting pretty)," he said addressing a "khaat sabha" of farmers in Khalilabad.

Targeting Modi over his frequent foreign jaunts, Rahul said, "Modiji travels to England, sometimes he travels to China, Japan, sometimes to meet Obama. I want to remind him that he is the Prime Minister of India and not of America. He should come here and his focus should be the farmers."



He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi waived loans of Rs 1.10 lakh crore of "big industrialists and rich people" in the past two years, but forgot the plight of farmers who are carrying the burden of the entire country.

"We want to tell Modiji that if you want to run a 'suit boot sarkar', you can do so. You are the Prime Minister and we can't stop you. You should run a government for the poor. If you are waiving debts of big industrialists, you need to waive the debt of poor farmers too.

"You should come to the aid of poor and weak people. Our farmers who are dying, are being oppressed and suppressed, you should help them too...Don't forget the farmer, because the farmer is crying, big industrialists are not," he told farmers in Khalilabad as also Gorakhpur.

Attacking the BJP, he said, while Congress' opponents see farmers as poor people he felt that they are the "real power" of India.

He said there were numerous reports from states that farmers were committing suicide due to scarcity of water, fertiliser, indebtness, poor MSP for their produce and lack of electricity.

Seeking to strengthen the party's base in Uttar Pradesh ahead of next year's Assembly election, Gandhi kicked off a month-long 'mahayatra' during which he would traverse 2,500 kms listening to the problems faced by farmers and highlighting their plight.

He said Congress was not in power at the Centre and in the state and thus not in a position to help them directly.

"But we will raise their voice through agitation," he said.

Rahul said the farmers who are in "distress and dying"



needed to be helped and that he undertook the yatra to help reach the voice of peasants to Delhi.

"Is this justice? Should the farmer not get remunerative price for their produce? Should the farmer not get the right price for his 'blood and sweat' or should big industrialists get it instead?" he asked the farmers.

"In our 'khaat sabha', the farmers told us that the government should take their burden on its shoulders. There is no burden on big industrialists, but the farmer is carrying the burden of the entire country on his shoulders. That is why we started this yatra," he said.

Rahul also took out a roadshow in Gorakhpur and highlightied the state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh where farmers were only getting power bills but no electricity.

"Our only target is to put pressure on the Prime Minister and the NDA/BJP government and we want loans to be waived just as we wrote off Rs 70,000 crore loans (during Congress' tenure). We will put pressure on them. We will travel from here to Delhi and talk to farmers, listen to their problems and understand them and take them to Modiji," he said.

Congress has been out of power for the last 27 years in Uttar Pradesh, where Assembly polls are due early next year.

At the AICC briefing in New Delhi, party spokesman Ajoy Kumar targeted the Prime Minister, accusing him of being "unconcerned" over the indebtedness of farmers while waiving huge loans of industralists.

Claiming the plight of the farmers and farm labourers was worsening fast with 52 of them committing suicide on an average every day, Kumar said ministers in the Modi government say ending life has become a "fashion".

He alleged the government was not allocating adequate funds for the implementation of MGNREGA.

Rahul Gandhi also participated in a door-to-door campaign in Sahjani village, interacting with farmers there and listening to their problems. He also had food at the residence of a farmer Uday Raj Singh at the village.
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan today issued notices to seven accused of 2008 Mumbai attack case, including LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and the government on a plea to examine the boat used by the 10 LeT terrorists to reach the Indian coast.

"The Anti-Terrorism Court Islamabad today held Mumbai case hearing at the Adiala Jail Rawalpindi and issued notices to seven suspects and the prosecution to present arguments regarding inspection of Al-Fauz boat parkedat theport city of Karachi," a court official told PTI after the hearing.

He said both prosecution and defence lawyers would present their arguments on next hearing on September 22.

Last month the Islamabad High Court had set aside the verdict of trial court in Mumbai case for not allowing a commission to Karachi for inspection of Al-Fauz.

TheHC had termed the trial court's decision as "flawed and not in accordance with law" and allowed examination of Al-Fauz. The prosecution had pleaded that vessel should be made "case property".

Al-Fauz is in the custody of the Pakistani authorities in Karachi, from where the 10 militants, armed with AK-47 assault rifles and hand grenades, had left for India to carry out the Mumbai attack in November 2008.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency, the attackers used three boats including Al Fauz to reach Mumbai from Karachi.

It said the security agencies had also traced the shop and its owner from where the culprits bought the engine and the boat while a bank and a money exchange company were also traced which were used for the transaction of money.

The 10 LeT militants had left Karachi on the boat on November 23, 2008. En route, they hijacked another boat, killing four of its crew. They forced the vessel's captain to take them close to the India shores. The captain was killed when the vessel reached Mumbai's coast.

According to prosecution, all Pakistani witnesses have recorded their statements and trial cannot be concluded till recording the statements of Indian witnesses.

LeT operations commander Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead.

Lakhvi, believed to be the mastermind of the attacks, is living at an undisclosed location after getting the bail a year ago. Other six suspects are in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi. The case has been underway for more than six years.

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The US has sought more progress in the trial of 2008 Mumbai terror attacks being held in Pakistan and said it wants to see "accountability and justice" for the 166 people, including six Americans, killed in the incident.

"We've been very clear that we want to see accountability and justice in the case," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters yesterday.

"There were American citizens who lost their lives in those terrible attacks. We've long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation, and that includes the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan in that regard," Toner said in response to a question.

"We're making our concerns clear that they need to go after all the terrorist groups that are operating or seeking (safe) haven on their soil. And that's been our clear objective for a long time now. We've seen progress but we need to see more," he added.

The trial has been underway in Pakistan for more than six years.

The mastermind of the attacks, Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, lives at an undisclosed location after getting released from jail on bail over a year ago. The other six suspects are in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

The court proceedings have come to a halt as India is yet to send 24 witnesses in the case to Pakistan to record their statements in the trial court.

Pakistan says the trial cannot be concluded unless India sends the witnesses.

As many as 166 people were killed and more than 250 injured in the attack carried out by 10 LeT terrorists.

Nine assailants were killed while the lone survivor, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and later executed.

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Amid reports that a miffed Chinese President Xi Jinping has cancelled his proposed maiden visit to Nepal, the Nepalese government today said that there was no truth in the .

"There was no truth in the report about the cancellation of the proposed official visit by President Xi to Nepal," Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat told PTI.

Mahat's remarks came in response to reports that President Xi has cancelled his proposed visit to Nepal.

"We are expecting the visit of the Chinese President, though the date of the visit has not yet been fixed," he said.

According to media reports, President Xi has put off his Nepal visit, citing lack of preparations on the Nepalese side.

The reports also said Xi was unhappy with Nepal due to its pro-India approach and disinterest in fulfilling commitments made by former prime minister K P Oli during his visit to Beijing.

During his visit, Oli had signed the Transit Transport Agreement to improve the connectivity between Nepal and Tibet in a bid to end decades-old dependency on India for daily supplies.

However, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said they have no information about the cancellation of Xi's visit.

Last month Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara had visited Beijing as a special envoy of Prime Minister Prachanda and handed over an invitation by President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the Chinese president to visit Nepal.

After his return, Mahara had said the Chinese president accepted the invitation and he would visit Nepal soon.

The Nepal government was expecting the visit of Xi by mid-October, according to Foreign Ministry sources here.

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Netflix is moving ahead with the third and fourth seasons of drug drama "Narcos", which just completed its two seasons with the story of Medellin cartel chief Pablo Escobar.

Jose Padilha and Eric Newman will continue to serve as executive producers of the series.

The first season of the critically praised drama Narcos chronicled the rise of Escobar (Wagner Moura), while the second season dealt with his fall.

Moura's performance as the Colombian drug lord was one of the biggest reasons for the show's popularity but with the conclusion of his character's story, there were questions whether the series will continue.

But Newman said the drama, which is based on true events, was never just about the Medellin cartel and its leader.

"Narcos is about cocaine and cocaine continues beyond Escobar. I'll go as long as they'll let me go," Newman had told the Hollywood Reporter.

Javier Pena and Steve Murphy played DEA agents Pedro Pascal and Boyd Holbrook, who helped take Escobar down.

Pascal and Holbrook also serve as series consultants.

The end of second season sees the rise of rival gang Cali cartel and the announcement video also highlights the new cartel taking over, with leader Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela (Damian Alcazar) stepping into Escobar's place.

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A Delhi court has said that Pearls Group CMD Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, who is hospitalised in Punjab, need not be produced before it tomorrow in a case of alleged swindling of Rs 45,000 crore from over five crore investors to avoid the "unnecessary expense" of travel by a cardiac life- support ambulance.

The court's order came as it disposed Bhangoo's plea seeking either the cancellation of his production warrant or provision of an air ambulance due to his severe medical condition.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Charu Aggarwal said in case Bhangoo is discharged from the hospital in Mohali before September 8, the next date of hearing, he should be produced in the court subject to the permission of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which had granted him bail in another criminal case.

"If, however, the accused for any reason continues to remain in hospital till September 8, he need not be produced before this court on September 8 to avoid burdening the state with unnecessary expense to be borne by them in the travelling of the accused by advance cardiac life support ambulance as the case is in scrutiny," the court said.

It directed the hospital to send a report by tomorrow on the probable date of discharge of the accused and his medical condition to enable the court re-assess the circumstances and pass order to secure his presence in the case.

Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for Bhangoo, sought cancellation of the production warrant issued against his client earlier, saying he was in a hospital and not in a position to appear in court and the high court had ordered in June this year that the accused shall not be taken in custody by any other agency without its permission.

Bhangoo is in judicial custody in the cheating case lodged by CBI which has filed a charge sheet against him, his firms Pearl Agrotech Corporation Ltd (PACL), Pearls Golden Forest Ltd (PGF), and its promoters and directors Sukhdev Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Subrata Bhattacharya under various sections of the IPC and the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978.

The four accused persons, arrested on January 8 after two years of CBI probe ordered by the Supreme Court in the country's largest reported ponzi scam, are presently in judicial custody.

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Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today sought to reignite the debate on minority status of the Aligarh Muslim University, saying in his view it is "not permissible" for an educational institution getting tax payers' money to make religion-based reservations.

Without naming the university, he said Article 27 of the Constitution states that no person shall be compelled to pay any taxes, the proceeds of which are specifically appropriated in payment of expenses for the promotion or maintenance of any particular religion or religion's denomination.

He said the matter is sub-judice and if the Supreme Court delivers a "contrary" verdict then the issue will be discussed further.

He said people are free to run their madrasas and schools but cannot use government funds.

"Can a university, a college or a school set up by tax payers' money make religion-based reservation? In my view it is not permissible," he said.

In April, the NDA government had refused to challenge an Allahabad High Court order denying the Aligarh Muslim University the minority status.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had made it clear in the Supreme Court that the government is convinced that the 1967 Constitution Bench judgment, which had held that AMU was not "established" by Muslims, still held sway.

Addressing a gathering to mark 25 years of 'Adhivakta Parishad' here, he also hit out at those who talk of civil liberties and human rights while holding AK 47 rifles and bombs.

"What about the victims of terror...People, soldiers...You cannot talk about human rights with AK 47s and big bombs in your hand," he said.

He also questioned the "double standards" of human rights activists who did not protest the killing of 'kar sewaks' in the 1990s.

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Germany today warned Britain against negotiating free trade deals with non-EU member states before it quits the bloc, after Prime Minister Theresa May sought to drum up commerce agreements during a G20 summit in China.

"As spokesman of the German government, I am not going to judge who the British prime minister holds talks with," Steffen Seibert told journalists in Berlin.

But he stressed that "it is clear that an EU member state cannot hold bilateral talks on free trade deals with non-EU states as long as it remains a member of the EU".

Britain voted in June to leave the EU, but has not formally started the process to do so.

Berlin has repeatedly said that it and other EU members would not begin exit negotiations with London before it triggers the EU's Article 50 process to leave.

But May is under strong pressure at home to define what a post-Brexit world would look like, and one of her key challenges would be renegotiating Britain's access to world markets, an issue that Brussels currently undertakes on its behalf.

The British leader sought to use the occasion of the G20 to discuss free trade deals with non-EU states, meeting Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to discuss a possible agreement.

India, Mexico, South Korea and Singapore had signalled they would "welcome" talks on removing trade barriers, she said.

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The government today said it will not be possible to allow FDI in multi-brand retail trading in India unless small traders and farmers are "empowered" and can face market competition.

"At the moment, India can create several Walmarts of its own. We welcome anybody...But if some way this dialogue is moving towards, why not (FDI in) multi-brand retail in India? My answer is, 'not yet'," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said at The Economist India Summit 2016 here.

She was replying to the question as why to India is not permitting FDI in retail trade.

Explaining the "thinking behind" this, the minister said there is an issue of last mile connectivity, adequate infrastructure and financial inclusion of those segments such farmers and small traders.

These things were absent all the while but now this government is making every effort to bridge these gaps, she said.

"If only that happens, and if they (farmers and small traders) are adequately empowered to tackle the market themselves... But today we are trying to bridge those gaps. We are still not ready to have them and face a competition where there would not be a level playing field," Sitharaman added.

Although the current foreign direct investment (FDI) policy permits foreign players to hold 51 per cent stake in an Indian company, BJP had opposed foreign investment in this segment in its election manifesto.

The last government had cleared UK-based Tesco's proposal in multi-brand retail.

On a question that there are no big supermarkets in India, Sitharaman said: "Our supermarkets are friendlier than the faceless supermarkets I have been in the West."



She also said that the government is taking steps to improve ease of doing business in the country.

"There was a long list of archaic laws...Over 1,200 laws have been removed just unceremoniously and taken out of the system because you do not need them," she added.

On a question about a law on sedition, the minister said there is a discussion going on in court and "we will certainly be eager to hear about it".

"The freedom of speech even to the extent that critical appraisal of government has never been contained in India, never stifled in India," she said.

If there is problem with an act or a certain code in IPC, the government is willing to look at it, she said adding "but that can not be an expression to undermine the State itself".

Criticising the government is one thing, but nobody should undermines the State and the Constitution, she said.

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briefly met with Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte today, Manila said, two days after the firebrand politician branded the US president a "son of a whore".

The encounter took place just before a dinner during a summit of regional leaders in Laos, according to the Philippine delegation.

"They met at the holding room and they were the last people to leave the holding room. I can't say how long they met," Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, travelling with Duterte, told reporters shortly afterwards.

"I'm very happy that it happened."

Senator Alan Cayetano, one of Duterte's close aides travelling with him, also said the meeting took place.

However the White House had no immediate comment and the Philippines did not elaborate on what was said.

Obama cancelled yesterday's planned meeting with Duterte on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-hosted summit after the notoriously acid-tongued Philippine president launched a barrage of insults the previous day.

His outburst was in response to comments by Obama's aides that the US president planned to raise concerns about Duterte's war on crime that has claimed 3,000 lives in just over two months.

"You must be respectful. Do not just throw away questions and statements. Son of a whore, I will curse you in that forum," Duterte told reporters when asked about his message for Obama.

"We will be wallowing in the mud like pigs if you do that to me."

Obama initially responded by calling Duterte a "colourful guy", but then called off the meeting after the media reported heavily on the issue.

The snub was a spectacular setback for relations between the United States and Philippines, which are longtime allies and are bound by a mutual defence treaty to help each other in times of war.

Yasay sought to characterise Wednesday's meeting as proof the alliance was strong enough to withstand such hiccups.

"It all springs from the fact that the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong," Yasay said.

Nevertheless, Duterte's office earlier today released a statement saying he would sit next to Obama at the gala dinner.

"The media from all over the world, including from the Philippines, are up in excitement as each await the event where the two leaders will possibly say something positive," the statement from the presidential palace said.

However Obama did not sit next to Duterte.
US president Barack Obama today met a survivor maimed by American bombs covertly dropped on Laos decades ago after pledging to help clean up a country he said was still living in the shadow of war.

A day after announcing USD 90 million to survey and remove unexploded ordinance, Obama visited a US-backed NGO which helps provide prosthetics to the tens of thousands maimed by US munitions.

Between 1964 and 1973 a secret CIA-led operation to cut supplies to the Vietcong resulted in two million tons of ordinance being dropped on Laos - more than the combined total dropped on both Japan and Germany during World War Two.

Much of the country is still littered with deadly munitions, including millions of cluster "bomblets" that kill to this day.

"For many people, war is something people read about in books," Obama said while touring a facility where crutches and prosthetic legs of all sizes were strewn.

Among the people he met was Thoummy Silamphan who at the age of eight had a bomb rip though his right hand while he was foraging for bamboo shoots.

"For the people of Laos, this war was no secret," Obama said. "For the people of Laos, the war was also something that was not contained to the battlefield."



"For the last four decades, the people of Laos have lived under the shadow of war."



Obama has said that the US has a moral obligation to clean up, while refraining from offering a formal apology for a campaign the American people did not know about.

By increasing aid Washington wants to close an unedifying chapter of its history and build new ties with a small country that sits at heart of South East Asia.

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An Australian $70-million-dollar unfinished mega mansion dubbed Taj Mahal on-the-Swan, owned by Indian billionaire businessman Pankaj Oswal, in Australia's Perth is set to be torn down by the city council, amid allegations of unpaid taxes and violation of building code.

Pankaj and wife Radhika Oswal had planned to build the Indian-style mansion in Perth, where the Swan River meets the southwest coast. Had it been completed, the palace would have included seven domes, a temple, gym, swimming pool and parking for 17 cars.

The residence was said to emerge as Perth's most expensive home on the 6,600 sqm block of land in luxurious riverside suburb of Peppermint Grove for which the couple had already paid more than $22 million.

Its construction stopped in 2010 when Oswals' fertiliser empire collapsed and they left Australia amid allegations of unpaid taxes. They are now locked in a legal battle against the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group for allegedly undervaluing shares of their company Burrup fertilisers to recoup millions of dollars in loans.

The couple made an undertaking in State Administrative Tribunal last year to demolish the building by September 30 this year but till last month no preparations were made.

The council was owed 108,000 dollars in unpaid rates and Australian Tax Office has freezed the sale of the property over non-payment of taxes.

The demolition contract was now finalised and work was likely to start early next month, according to media reports.

The building is to be demolished also because it is dilapidated and unfinished in contravention of the council's building code.

The council has estimated the demolition cost at around 300,000 dollars and said it would pursue the Oswals to recover the costs.

The couple will continue to own the land.

Oswals are fighting the tax office and have separate legal cases against the ANZ Bank, who they are suing for damages over losses they incurred when the fertiliser plant went into receivership.
As part of Pakistan's efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's special envoy has briefed the Human Rights Council President and the ICRC President in Geneva on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.

Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Chairman Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly who is currently visiting Geneva as the Prime Minister's special envoy, briefed the "Geneva international community on the grave human rights situation" in Kashmir yesterday, a Pakistan Foreign Office statement said.

Leghari met the President of the Human Rights Council (HRC), President ICRC and other ambassadors to brief them about the "atrocities" being committed by the Indian forces "on the defenceless people" of Kashmir, the statement said.

"The alarming impact of pellet gun injuries leading to 'dead eyes' phenomenon on the peaceful protesters was also highlighted. He emphasised the importance of implementation of UN Security Council's resolutions that recognise Jammu and Kashmir as disputed territory and call for a free and fair plebiscite for the realisation of the right to self- determination of Kashmiris," it said.

Leghari is part of the 22 parliamentarians nominated by Prime Minister Sharif as special envoys to be dispatched to world capitals to highlight the Kashmir situation.

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The Orissa High Court today restrained the police till further orders from arresting Paralakhemundi MLA Kengam Surya Rao in the Gajapati district palace suicide case.

Apprehending arrest after his name appeared in an FIR pertaining to the sensational suicide of four siblings in Paralakhemundi of Gajapati district, the MLA had approached the high court last week, seeking anticipatory bail.

Seeking the case diary from the local police, Justice S K Mishra restrained the cops from arresting the leader in the case until further directions. The matter would come up for hearing on October 5.

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A Palestinian killed by Israeli police this week was not attempting a car-ramming attack on officers as had been initially claimed, police said today.

Police originally said they opened fire on Monday during a car-ramming attack targeting officers in the Shuafat refugee camp in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

One of the men in the car was killed and the driver was wounded, police said. There were no casualties among the officers.

Today, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said they were now investigating the driver of the car, Ali Nimr, 20, for manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, driving without a licence, driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless endangerment.

The manslaughter investigation indicated police were holding Nimr responsible for the death of his cousin, Mustafa Nimr, 27, who was shot dead by police.

An inquiry has also been opened by the Israeli justice ministry unit that probes police activity, Samri said.

Israel's Channel 10 television broadcast video of the incident that appeared to show shots being fired after the car was stopped, with Mustafa Nimr already on the ground either wounded or dead.

The two men were returning to the camp after buying pizzas, a witness told Channel 10 on condition of anonymity.

Haaretz newspaper reported that Mustafa Nimr's Jewish girlfriend and his brother were following them in a second vehicle.

It said Mustafa Nimr grew up in Shuafat but was living in the Tel Aviv area at the time with his girlfriend.

Haaretz quoted witnesses as saying the car did not endanger police and they were racing at the time.

The border police who opened fire had been in the camp for a separate raid, authorities said. Police carry out such raids regularly in search of weapons or wanted suspects.

In June, Israeli troops killed a Palestinian teenager after apparently mistaking his group for stone-throwers as they returned from a swim, sparking outrage and debate about the security forces' use of firearms.

Violence since October has killed 223 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, one Eritrean and a Sudanese.

Israeli forces say most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks.

Others were shot dead during protests and clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has faced accusations of excessive force in certain cases for allegedly shooting dead Palestinian attackers after they appeared to be subdued and posed no further threat.

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Panasonic India has set an ambitious target of more than doubling its revenue from smartphones this year to Rs 2,500 crore, from Rs 1,200 crore last year.

The Japanese electronics major had sold 20 lakh smartphones last year and plans to double the figure by aggressively expanding distribution network and launching more phone models, Panasonic India's mobility division head Pankaj Rana said.

"Last year, we had achieved Rs 1,200 crore turnover, by selling around 20 lakh smartphones. Our projected sales target for this year is Rs 2,500 crore, with 40 lakh smartphone sales. We have set a festival season target of Rs 600-700 crore alone," Rana added.

The Japanese company also plans to almost double its smartphone market share to 6 per cent, from 3-4 per cent last year.

It is lining up 35-odd models this year as against 22-24 last year. Of this, 14 have already been unveiled and 5-6 new models will be launched during the forthcoming festive season alone, he said, adding that all these models are 4G-enabled.

Rana said Gujarat is one of the leading markets for Panasonic's mobile business, contributing 10 per cent of sales in value terms. He expects this to rise to 12 per cent this year.

While Gujarat contributes 6-7 per cent of the total smartphone sales in the country, Panasonic enjoys around 10 per cent of this market, he claimed.

Panasonic makes smartphones in the range of Rs 4,000 to Rs 15,000.

"To double our sales target, we are expanding our distribution network. Last year, we were operating in 70-80 cities, now we are in over 500 cities," he said.

Rana feels that the government's policy reducing mobile sales online has instilled more confidence in the distribution channel.

"We have also added sales promoters, from 2,000 last financial year to 5,000 now, and plan to take it to 6,000-7,000 in coming months. Also, our retail presence has more than trebled to 20,000 outlets now, from 8,000 last year," he said.

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Prominent Patel businessmen in the city have decided to felicitate BJP leaders of their community in the presence of party chief Amit Shah here tomorrow.

BJP, which is struggling hard to regain the support of numerically strong Patidars in Gujarat after the community led by Hardik Patel launched the quota agitation, has made this event a prestige issue.

The party expects strong presence of the Patel community at the event, to affirm that the Patidars are with them in the run up to the 2017 Gujarat assembly elections.

While Hardik Patel-led PAAS has asked the community to oppose the felicitation programme, city-based prominent businessmen have formed a group called 'Patidar Abhivadan Samiti', to honour the new state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and Union ministers of Patel community.

"This felicitation of Patidar leaders is for the community, is for the state and is for the nation," said full page advertisements given in vernacular newspapers across the state by the samiti, inviting Patel community members to come in large numbers for the programme.

Apart from Shah, Chief minister Vijay Rupani and former chief minister Anandiben Patel will also be present at the event.

During the time of Patel quota agitation last year, Surat remained a hotbed of activities of those demanding the quota for the community.

"Lakhs of Patidar community members will remain present in the felicitation programme in Surat. Party national chief Amit Shah and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will also be present," state BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya said.

However, PAAS and Sardar Patel Group (SPG), have decided to oppose the programme.

"We have called upon our people to protest at the venue of the programme," a release by PAAS said.

Hardik is in Udaipur town of Rajasthan at present as the Gujarat High Court has ordered him to stay outside the state for six months as his bail condition.

SPG's Lalji Patel also said that they will boycott the programme and stage protest at the venue.

Shah's presence in the programme has led to allegations by quota agitators that it is BJP which has asked city businessmen to organise such a programme to win over the Patel community in the run up to the 2017 Gujarat elections.

Shah is also scheduled to address BJP workers meeting in Vyara town of Tapi district and inaugurate state BJP office in Surat city tomorrow.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has been invited by the Centre for a tripartite meeting on Mahanadi river water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh, today expressed willingness to join the proposed talks on September 17 in Delhi.

"The Chief Minister has proposed to join the tripartite meeting called by Union Water Resources Ministry on Mahanadi river issue between Odisha and Chhattisgarh in Delhi on September 17," a CMO statement said.

A perparatory meeting would be held under Patnaik's chairmanship at the state secretariat here on September 12 for detailed discussion on the river water issue, it said.

Amid the tug of war between the two neighbouring states over sharing of Mahanadi river water, the Ministry of Water Resources had asked Odisha government to suggest possible dates for a tripartite meeting to resolve the issue.

After a BJP delegation from Odisha met Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti in New Delhi about a fortnight ago, it was decided to invite the chief ministers of the two states to Delhi for a meeting on any date between September 10 and September 20.

The BJP delegation led by Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had expressed concern over the developments taking place over the Mahanadi issue and it sought assurance from the Centre that Odisha would get its due supply of water from the river.

"Bharti has assured us that the Centre would not allow any injustice towards Odisha," Pradhan had said.

Bharti had also told the delegation that she has asked officials of her ministry to ensure that Chhattisgarh shared all information sought by Odisha before the chief ministers' meeting.

Odisha has been accusing Chhattisgarh of unilaterally constructing projects on the upstream of Mahanadi river which caused decline in the flow of its water to the state.

The issue has meanwhile snowballed into a major controversy between the two states. The opposition in Odisha organised a state-wide bandh and the ruling BJD staged agitations against construction of projects on the river in Chhattisgarh.

The Centre had on July 29 convened a meeting of senior officials of both the neighbouring states. However, the issue remained unresolved as Odisha complained that Chhattisgarh was yet to share complete information on the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Varun Beverages, franchisee for soft drinks maker PepsiCo, has received Sebi's approval to raise over Rs 1,000 crore through an initial public offering (IPO).

Besides, leading logistics service and solutions provider, Seaways Shipping & Logistics has also got Sebi's nod to float an IPO.

and Seaways Shipping & Logistics had filed their draft red herring prospectuses with Sebi in June and March, respectively. The two firms got the regulator approval on August 31, as per the latest update. The IPO of entails sale of up to 25 million shares.

The initial public offer (IPO) of entails sale of up to 2.5 crore shares, including fresh issue of 1.5 crore shares and offloading of stake by the promoters.

Apart from fresh issue of 1.5 crore equity shares, there would be an offer for sale of up to 50,00,000 shares each by Varun Jaipuria and Ravi Kant Jaipuria & Sons (HUF).

Sources said Varun Beverages expects to raise more than Rs 1,000 crore through the IPO.

A portion of shares in the IPO would be reserved for eligible employees not exceeding 5 per cent of the post offer paid up equity share capital.

The global coordinators and book running lead managers to Varun Beverages offer are Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, Axis Capital and CLSA India. The book running lead manager is YES Securities (India) Ltd.

Varun Beverages, flagship company of R K Jaipuria Group, is a leading franchisee of carbonated soft drinks and non- carbonated beverages sold under trademarks owned by PepsiCo. It produces and distributes a wide range of products including Pepsi, D7UP, Evervess Soda, Tropicana Slice and packaged drinking water under the brand Aquafina.

The company has also been granted the franchise for Ole brand of PepsiCo products in Sri Lanka, according to its website.

Seaways Shipping & Logistics' IPO comprises fresh issue of shares worth Rs 80 crore and an offer-for sale of up to 64,45,224 equity scrips by the existing shareholders including IDFC Private Equity.

The company has reserved up to four lakh shares for employees in the public issue.

The proceed of the fresh issue would be utilised for capital expenditure, repayment of loans and for other general corporate purposes.

ICICI Securities, IDFC Bank and Karvy Investor Services will manage the IPO.
The released photos on Wednesday to back its claims that China had secretly begun work to cement control over a crucial shoal in the hotly contested South China Sea.

The release of the images, which claimed to show Chinese ships preparing to build an artificial island on Scarborough Shoal, came hours ahead of a meeting between Southeast Asian leaders and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Laos.

China this week insisted it had not launched any efforts to begin construction at the shoal, which has enormous strategic importance for Beijing's ambitions to control the sea and weaken US military influence in the region.

But the said the images showed Chinese ships at the shoal last weekend that were capable of dredging sand and other activities required to build an artificial island.

"We have reason to believe that their presence is a precursor to building activities on the shoal," defence department spokesman Arsenio Andolong told AFP in a text message.

"We are continuing our surveillance and monitoring of their presence and activities, which are disturbing."

China claims nearly all of the sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, even waters approaching the coasts of the and other Southeast Asian nations.

The competing territorial claims have long been a major source of tension in the region, with China using deadly force twice to seize control of islands from Vietnam.

Concerns have escalated sharply in recent years as China has built artificial islands on reefs and islets in the Spratlys archipelago -- another strategically important location -- that are capable of supporting military operations.

An artificial island at Scarborough Shoal would potentially give China a military base close to where US forces regularly operate on the Philippine main island of Luzon, which is just 230 kilometres away.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had said he did not want to anger China by highlighting the territorial row at the summit of regional leaders in Laos this week.

But the release of the photos came just a few hours before Duterte and other leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations met China's Li.

A UN-backed tribunal ruled in July that China's claims to almost all of the sea had no legal basis and its construction of artificial islands in disputed waters was illegal.

China has vowed to ignore the ruling.

US President Barack Obama is also in Laos for the regional meetings, which will conclude on Thursday with an East Asia summit.
A police constable was today suspended for alleged lapses in investigating the charges against Malayalam actor Sreejit Ravi who was arrested for indecent behaviour on a complaint from school students.

The constable has been suspended and departmental action will be initiated against three civil police officers and a Station House Officer after inquiry for allegedly delaying probe into the complaint of the students filed by their Principal, police sources said.

The action was taken following a report filed by District Collector of Palakkad pointing to the alleged lapse on the part of the constable belonging to Special Branch.

The actor had misbehaved with the students on August 27 when they were on their way to school, after which they filed a complaint to their principal.

Despite the Principal's complaint, there was allegedly some lag in initiating a probe into the incident following which the Principal complained to the District Collector who ordered Sub-Collector to file a report, on the basis of which action was taken.

The actor was arrested under IPC Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of women) and under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual offences) Act from a film shooting location at Ottapalam.

The students in their complaint had stated that the actor had taken their photo on his mobile and allegedly made indecent gestures while they were on their way to school.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The prosecution today demanded capital punishment for 26-year-old Ankur Lal Panwar, convicted for murder in the Preeti Rathi acid attack case.

Special Judge A S Shende, who convicted Panwar yesterday, heard the prosecution and the defence on the point of sentence. The court is likely to pass the order tomorrow.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam termed the case fit for death sentence, saying that it falls in the "rarest of the rare" category.

Objective of the sentencing is to deter criminals and like-minded persons from committing such crime, he said, contending that "the court would be failing in its duty if a just and appropriate punishment was not awarded".

Nikam submitted that the country has now become so conscious about crime against women that after the Delhi gangrape case of 2012, amendments were made to IPC.

Acid attack is a crime against women, he said, seeking an exemplary punishment for the convict.

Panwar did not commit the crime on the spur of the moment but it was a pre-planned attack, said the prosecutor.

"If he is given a lesser punishment and if he is released after completing the sentence, other girls would not be safe," Nikam said.

Meanwhile, the district legal services authority has asked the Maharashtra government to pay a compensation of Rs two lakh to Rathi's parents, besides another Rs 2000 for the expenses of her funeral. Her parents had applied to the authority for compensation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Protests continued for thethird consecutive day today in Mandya district and several parts of southern Karnataka as the state government released Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu obeying the Supreme Court's direction.

Protesting farmers entered into the flowing waters upto the waist-level in Srirangapatna near Mandya during which some of them fell ill.

Police said the sick farmers were treated as outpatients and discharged.

Vehicular movement between Bengaluru and Mysuru crippled as well as the highway was blocked at several places in Mandya district, the epicentre of the stir.

Six lorries with Tamil Nadu registration number were damaged in stone-pelting near an oil factory at Boothana Hosur in the district.

Activists of pro-Kannada group Karnataka RakshanaVedike, resorted to rail-roko in Belagavi and Bengaluru.

The Police have deployed heavy security at Krishna Raja Sagar dam area and other three reservoirs of the Cauvery basin area- Kabini, Hemavathi and Harangi.

Protests have been reported from several parts of the state including Bengaluru, Kolar, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Hassan, as also from few northern districts.

Transport services- both private and government- through Mysuru and Mandya remained suspended today also.

As the protests escalated, the Karnataka government said it has had to comply with the Supreme Court order though the state itself is facing "serious distress".

The Siddaramaiah government said it would move the Supreme Court seeking modification in its order to release 15,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu over 10 days because of the difficulties in implementing it.

It said the live storage in four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin is now at 46.7 TMCFT against their capacity of 104 TMCFT making the implementation difficult but "constitutionally, it is not possible to defy it (the Supreme Court's order)".

Officials confirmed that water was being let out since last midnight, shortly after the all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Siddaramaiah said the decision to obey the Supreme Court order has been taken with "a heavy heart".

The present live storage is 45 per cent against 104 TMCFT in the Krishnaraja Sagar, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini reservoirs, the officials pointed out.

Karnataka's legal and technical teams would work out the



extent of the change the state should seek in the quantum of water release stipulated in the Supreme Court direction which asked it to provide 15,000 cusecs of water per day for 10 days.

The Cauvery Supervisory Committee, which has replaced the Cauvery River Authority to implement the order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, would also be apprised of the difficulties.

Sources said the Supervisory Committee would visit both the riparian states to assess the ground realities and can adjust the current release of water against future releases.

Fending off the criticism of the legal team headed by Fali Nariman, the sources defended it, stating their advice on release was made so that the state succeeds when the main petition comes up for hearing before the court on October 18.

Meanwhile, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda whose party Janata Dal (Secular) is seeking Prime Minister's intervention will be meeting Narendra Modi on Friday evening.

Modi has given an appointment to Gowda to discuss the Cauvery issue, JD(S) sources said, adding, he will also be meeting advocates representing the state in the Supreme Court, including Nariman.
Making a strong comeback after a gap of three years, the alliance led by Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) tonight swept the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) polls.

Candidates of PUSU, National Students Union of India (NSUI Students Front), a breakaway group of Congress student body NSUI, and Himachal Students Association (HSA) won all the four seats of President, Vice President, Secretary and Joint Secretary, an election office spokesperson said.

Nishant Kaushal, who won the race for President got 843 defeating his closest rival Piyush Anand of Students Organisation of India (SOI) by 318 votes.

Avneet Kaur, who won the election for Vice President, bagged 3,296 votes as against 2,905 by Sabhya Jaswal of Indian National Students Organisation (INSO).

Ashiq Mohammad, narrowly won the closely fought election of Secretary as he received 3,381 votes as against 3,362 votes by Krishan Kumar of ABVP while Amit Kaushik who won the election for Joint Secretary received 3,576 votes as against 2,819 by Manvi Gandhi of ABVP.

Congress' student wing finished third while BJP and Akali Dal's student wing SOI and ABVP finished on second spot.

68 per cent of over 15,000 students exercised their franchise for the four posts.

"The elections were conducted peacefully," the spokesperson said.

Last year SOI had won the polls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Making a strong pitch for farm loan waiver on the second day of his yatra in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, Congress Vice-President said the Modi government should run a government for the poor and look into the plight of the farmers who are "crying".

He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi waived loans to the tune of Rs 1.10 lakh crore of "big industrialists and rich people" in the past two years while he forgot the plight of farmers who are carrying the burden of the entire country.

"In the past two years, Narendra Modi has waived loans of Rs 1.10 lakh crore. Not of small farmers but of big industrialists and rich people. If Modiji wants to waive loans of the rich, it is his decision. He is the Prime Minister and he can do so. We are not against it.

"We have only one demand. You should not run a 'suit-boot sarkar'. You should run a government for the poor. If you want to waive loans of big industrialists, then do it for farmers too. Don't forget the farmer, because the farmer is crying, big industrialists are not," he told reporters here.

He said there are reports from various states that farmers are committing suicide due to scarcity of water, issues of fertiliser, loans, MSP and power.

"In our 'khaat sabha', the farmers told us that the government should take the burden on their shoulders. There is no burden on big industrialists, but the farmer is carrying the burden of the entire country on his shoulders. That is why we started this yatra," he said.

Seeking to strengthen the party's base in Uttar Pradesh ahead of next year's Assembly election, Gandhi kicked off a month-long 'mahayatra' during which he would traverse 2,500 kms across the state to hear out the farmers and give voice to them in highlighting their plight.

He said Congress was not in power at the Centre and in the state, thus it could not help the farmers directly.

"But we will raise their voice through agitation," he said.

"Our only target is to put pressure on the Prime Minister and the NDA/BJP government and we want loans to be waived, just as we waived Rs 70,000 crore (during our tenure). We will put pressure on them. We will travel from here to Delhi and talk to farmers, listen to their problems and understand them and take them to Modiji," he said.

Congress has been out of power for the last 27 years in Uttar Pradesh, where Assembly polls are due early next year.
Jammu Citizen Forum, a body comprising of intelligentsia, intellectuals and common man today held a Mega Bike Rally in Jammu City in support of Indian Army and the security forces, who are fighting against the proxy war triggered by Pakistan in the Kashmir valley.

Carrying tri-colour, over 3,000 youth and school children from across the Jammu Province this morning reached Maulana Azad Stadium to participate in the rally held under the banner of Jammu Citizen Forum to highlight the role and sacrifices of our great and valiant army in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Forum members stated that it is the contribution of valiant officers and Jawans of Indian Army since the dawn of Independence that has helped in preserving and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.

The processionists amid slogans, 'Indian Army Zindabad,' 'vandematram' and waving national flag took out the rally to express support to the Army and security forces, who despite performing their duties in turmoil hit Kashmir valley are not being acknowledged.

The memorandum submitted to the Divisional Commissioner Jammu Pawan Kotwal read that the Civil Society Jammu feels privileged to place on record deep sense of appreciation of the people of Jammu Province to the sterling contribution of valiant officers and jawans of Indian Army since the dawn of Independence in preserving and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP's Tamil Nadu unit today said although the release of Cauvery water to the state by Karnataka as per the directive of the Supreme Court, came as a relief, it was not adequate to raise samba crops.

"The release of water from Cauvery following the Supreme Court order, though came as a relief, it is not enough to raise samba crops," party state President Tamilisai Soundararajan told reporters here.

Karnataka had started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from yesterday, complying with the Supreme Court directive to release 15,000 cusecs per day for 10 days.

Tamilisai said though Tamil Nadu has equal rights on Cauvery water, the state was in a "peculiar" situation that it has to get the water through legal process.

The state government should convene an all party meeting to discuss and find a solution to the vexed issue, she said.

The agitations in various parts of Karnataka in the wake of the Supreme Court directive were against national spirit, she said.

Following the agitations, people in both the states were put to a lot of hardship as inter-state buses were not plying, she said.

She said BJP has never extended support to the Kerala government's proposal to construct a dam across Siruvani river.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: The Rs 3,110 crore Resid Upgradation Project at Manali Refinery, undertaken by Indian Oil Group company Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd, has made 88 per cent progress, a top official said today.

"Your company is implementing a Resid Upgradation Project at its Manali Refinery at an estimated investment of Rs 3,110 crore. As part of the project, new units such as Delayed Coker Unit and Sulphur Recovery Unit are being set up", Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd, Chairman, B Ashok, said while addressing the shareholders at the 50th AGM here.

The project has achieved physical progress of 88 per cent as of August 2016, he said, adding that all efforts were taken up to achieve mechanical completion during the current financial year.

He said the delayed coker unit with revamped hydro-cracker is expected to be commissioned by the end of this financial year.

On the crude oil pipeline project, he said, "It was replacing the existing 30-inch diameter crude oil pipeline between Chennai Port and Manali Refiner with a new 42-inch pipeline with enhanced safety at a cost of Rs 258 crore."



"The project has achieved progress of 43 per cent as of August 2016 and is expected to achieve mechanical completion this year", he said.

On the steps taken up to revamp the Diesel Hydrotreater (DHDT) unit in line with Centre's plan to introduce BS-VI quality norms for petrol and diesel, he said, "Your company will revamp the existing DHDT unit and increase capacity from the existing 1.8 million tonnes to 2.4 millon tonnes per annum at a cost of Rs 455 crore."



For setting up the Gasoline Desulphurisation Unit to reduce sulphur content in petrol, he said the selection of the licensor for the Rs 497 crore project has been completed.

"Both the BS-VI quality upgradation projects are expected to be mechanically completed by September 2019", he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel was today chargesheeted by Delhi Police in a court here for allegedly rioting and causing hurt at the house of a realtor in an East Delhi colony in 2015.

The charge sheet filed before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Savitri named seven persons as accused in the case.

According to the FIR filed by complainant Manish Ghai, a local builder, AAP's Shahdara MLA Ram Niwas Goel and his supporters had allegedly raided one of his houses in Vivek Vihar on the night of February 6, 2015, a day before the Delhi Assembly elections.

The MLA had allegedly raided the house of Ghai accusing him of stashing liquor, blankets and other stuff for distribution ahead of the polls.

The AAP leaders had refuted these claims saying they had gone to the house with a police team comprising the local Station House Officer and Assistant Commissioner of Police among others after making a PCR call in this regard.

"As per the complainant, some labourers were staying at a house that was owned by him. He received a call from one of them at about 9.30 pm on February 6, 2015 about Goel and his associates forcibly entering the building and damaging the property," police said.

Ghai also alleged that the group broke almirah, drawers, kitchen items, window panes and mirrors in the house. When the labourers tried to resist, they were allegedly physically assaulted.

A case of rioting, trespassing, causing mischief and voluntarily causing hurt was lodged against the accused.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Terming April 1, a very stiff target, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said the government is "running against time" for the implementation of GST, but added that he would certainly like to give it a try.

The Centre is aiming to implement the landmark indirect tax regime, Goods and Services Tax, from April next year.

"We have kept a very stiff target and the reason is that there is a great national aspiration in support of a reform that GST is, and state after state within a period of 20-25 days have kept on ratifying it because they stand to benefit the most," Jaitley said here at the Economist India Summit.

The procedural formalities of collecting proceedings of all the states and sending it to the President for ratification are on, he said.

Once the assent is granted by President Pranab Mukherjee, the constitution amendment bill will have to be notified.

After notification and constitution of the GST Council, Jaitley said, there are obviously some pending issues, which the council will have to resolve.

"So we have the months of September and October and parts of November to do that. So there is a lot of work to do and if you are able to successfully transact those issues, then in the winter session of Parliament the central legislations, with some drafts in public domain, will have to be brought in.

"The states will have to pass their own legislations. Now if we look ahead, it's a very stiff target, we are running against time. I would certainly like to give it a try," Jaitley said when asked about the timeframe for implementation of the GST.

Jaitley added that the passage of central laws, GST Bill and the IGST, are among the important economic legislations for the government.

"But more important along with these legislations is I think if you ask me in terms of economic priorities even outside parliament I would say that certainly implementation of GST is the top priority...," he added.

Parliament has passed the Constitution Amendment Bill for introduction of GST. The requisite number of states also have passed the Bill.

GST will subsume most of the indirect taxes.

Reforms in the government budgeting like removal of



distinction in non-plan and plan expenditure, merger of Railway Budget with General Budget, focusing on outcomes through an improved Outcome Budget document, all needed to be reflected in the GFRs, it added.

The statement said the increased focus on Public Finance Management System (PFMS), reliance on the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to ensure efficient delivery of entitlements, introduction of new e-sites like Central Public procurement portal, government e-marketing (GeM) portal, non-tax revenue portal have also necessitated revision of the existing GFRs to keep them in tune with the changing business environment.

Noting that the objective was to make the GFRs facilitate efficiency while following principles of accountability and procedures of financial discipline and administrative due diligence, the statement said the new rules on non-tax revenues, user charges, e-receipts portal have been added in addition to the manner in which autonomous bodies are run.
Several hundred Russians living in Goa would cast their votes from the state in the elections to their country's lower house of Parliament, Duma, on September 15.

The office of Vikram Varma, legal counsel of the Russian consulate in Mumbai, at Porvorim village in Goa would turn into a polling station.

This is the second time that Russia would be allowing voting from a venue outside a consulate or the embassy in India. The first such polling was witnessed in Goa on December 4, 2011, when nearly 300 Russian voters cast vote, Varma told PTI.

The polling would be held under the observation of officials from the Russian consulate in Mumbai who would be bringing the ballot boxes.

Goa is a popular holiday destination for Russians with 65,000 to 70,000 visitors from the country arriving in the last tourist season.

"We are expecting nearly two hundred thousand Russians to visit Goa this year," Varma said.

Elections are being held for 450 seats of Duma. The voting in Russia is scheduled for September 18, but in Goa the voting would be held earlier as the ballot boxes are to be transferred to Mumbai and sent to Russia, he said.

According to him, there is a floating population of nearly one thousand Russians in Goa who are eligible to vote.

Russian consulate has also written to the Goa Chief Minister seeking his help in facilitating the voting.

"The foundation of a healthy democracy rests in enabling citizens to cast their vote. Keeping in mind this global principle as well as the strong friendship between the two nations, this would be the second time the Government of Goa has graciously assisted the Russian Government to enable Russians in Goa to cast their vote," Varma said.

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In a decision which could bring transparency in police functioning across the nation, the Supreme Court today asked the states and Union Territories (UTs) to upload FIRs on their websites within 24 hours of their registration.

A bench comprising Dipak Misra and C Nagappan, however, exempted police across the nation from uploading the FIRs on the websites if the offences were sensitive in nature and pertained to insurgency, terrorism and sexual cases including those lodged under the POCSO Act.

"The copies of FIRs, unless the offence is sensitive in nature, like sexual offences, offences pertaining to insurgency, terrorism and of that category, offences under POCSO Act and such other offences, should be uploaded on the police website, and if there is no such website, on the official website of the State Government, within 24 hours of the registration of the First Information Report so that the accused or any person connected with the same can download the FIR and file appropriate application before the Court as per law for redressal of his grievances," the verdict said.

The bench, which held that an accused is entitled to get a copy of the FIR at an earlier stage, said "it may be clarified here that in case there is connectivity problems due to geographical location or there is some other unavoidable difficulty, the time can be extended up to 48 hours.

"The said 48 hours can be extended maximum up to 72 hours and it is only relatable to connectivity problems due to geographical location."



The verdict came on a PIL filed by Youth Lawyers Association of India which had referred to an order passed by Delhi High Court asking the city police to upload the FIRs on its website within 24 hours of being registered.

The lawyers' body had sought pan-India implementation of the Delhi High Court verdict which was allowed by the apex court with certain modifications.

The apex court considered the apprehension of Additional Solicitor General Tusar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that accused may collude with police and ensure that FIRs do not get uploaded for taking benefit in the court of law.

"If an FIR is not uploaded, needless to say, it shall not enure per se a ground to obtain the benefit under Section 438 (provision for bail) of the CrPC," it said.

The extension of time in uploading the FIRs on sites was



granted when the counsel for states like Sikkim and Mizoram said due to difficult terrain and poor internet connectivity, it would be difficult to upload the FIRs within 24 hours.

Concurring with almost all the directions passed by the Delhi High Court in 2010, the apex court said, "an accused who has reasons to suspect that he has been roped in a criminal case and his name may be finding place in a First Information Report, can submit an application through his representative/ agent/parokar for grant of a certified copy before the concerned police officer or to the Superintendent of Police on payment of such fee which is payable for obtaining such a copy from the Court. On such application being made, the copy shall be supplied within 24 hours."



It also said a decision not to upload an FIR on the website shall not be taken by an officer below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or any person holding equivalent post.

"In case, the states where District Magistrate has a role, he may also assume the said authority. A decision taken by the concerned police officer or the District Magistrate shall be duly communicated to the concerned jurisdictional Magistrate," the apex court said.

Once the FIR is forwarded by the police station to the concerned Magistrate, on an application for certified copy on behalf of the accused, it shall be given by the concerned court within two working days, it said.

The bench said that sensitive FIRs in cases of terrorism, insurgency and sexual offences cannot be uploaded, clarified that these illustrations were "not exhaustive".

"The word 'sensitive' apart from the other aspects which may be thought of being sensitive by the competent authority as stated hereinbefore would also include concept of privacy regard being had to the nature of the FIR. The examples given with regard to the sensitive cases are absolutely illustrative and are not exhaustive," it said.
Senior lawyer and Padma Sri awardee Shyamla Pappu died here today at the age of 82.

The funeral will take place on Friday, her family members said.

Besides being a practicing senior advocate in Supreme Court, Pappu had been a member of the Law Commission of India in 2008-09 and participated in several conferences.

Remembering Pappu as a "doyen" of the Bar, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Dushyant Dave said, "She made a great contribution for the development of jurisprudence of Supreme Court in 1970-80s. In her death, the Bar has lost a great lawyer and a woman lawyer who achieved a lot. I pray that her soul rests in peace."



SCBA Vice President Ajit Kumar Sinha too praised her for her strong character saying "She was independent, friendly and an accommodating lawyer who had the courage to speak up and raise her voice."



Pappu, who became a Central Government Counsel in 1975, is credited with the drafting of the amendment of Divorce by Mutual Consent when there is an irretrievable breakdown of marriage.

She has argued in several important cases including the Mandal Commission report on reservation for backward classes.

A champion for women rights, Pappu was a part of several initiatives to get women their rights and awarded Padma Sri, the fourth highest civilian honour, in 2009, for her contributions to the society.

An alumnus of the Miranda House of the University of Delhi, she was a member of the Supreme Court Bar Association of India and a former member of the Independent Commission on Development and Health in India (ICDHI).

She has also served as a member of the Governing Council of her alma mater, Miranda House, during 1973-74.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A police inspector has accused a local BJP MLA of "continuous harassment" and threatened to commit suicide along with his family members if action was not taken against the legislator.

Following the SMS sent by Vidyanand Kale, the inspector attached to Badnapur police station, to Jalna district SP Jyoti Priya Singh in this regard recently, the IG of police (Aurangabad range) Ajit Patil today ordered an inquiry into the matter.

Kale accused Narayan Kuche, the sitting MLA from Badnapur constituency, of harassing and abusing him.

He claimed that the MLA had tried to pressurise him to release the sand trucks seized by police earlier and to delete the name of an accused in the case.

He said he had recorded the matter in a police station diary.

Kale also claimed that Kuche used abusive language against him and that his complaints to higher authorities fell on deaf ears.

"I had forwarded the complaint and evidence against Kuche to the offices of Maharashtra Chief Minister and the Prime Minister," Kale said.

On September 3, the police inspector sent a text message to the district SP stating that he and his kin would kill themselves due to harassment by Kuche.

According to sources, Kale had asked traders in Badnapur not to sell 'gulal' for ongoing Ganesh festival as it contains hazardous chemical. However, the traders complained against the officer to Kuche who in turn abused him over phone.

When contacted, Singh said she came to know about the matter on Saturday and would report the matter to the IG.

Kuche was not available for comment.

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Japanese ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu today called on Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma and the two discussed a number of issues related to Buddhist Circuit.

"Deepening cultural relationship with Japan, met with the Ambassador of Japan to India, Mr Kenji Hiramatsu," Sharma tweeted.

According to a source, many issues related to Buddhist Circuit were discussed between the them.

Japan, where majority of the population subscribe to Buddhism, is also investing in Buddhist circuit being set up in India as part of Tourism Ministry's Swadesh Darshan scheme, he said.

Under the scheme, the government plans to develop 13 theme based tourist circuits, namely Buddhist Circuit, North-East India Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit.

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President Omar al-Bashir today declared that peace had returned to Sudan's war-torn Darfur despite a deadlock in African Union-brokered ceasefire talks and persistent fighting that has driven thousands from their homes this year.

Bashir made the declaration in the North Darfur state capital El Fasher at a ceremony attended by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Chadian President Idriss Deby.

Qatar has hosted successive rounds of peace talks between the Arab-dominated Khartoum government and the ethnic minority rebels who took up arms in 2003 against Bashir's administration.

Talks in Doha in 2011 led to a peace deal with one small rebel faction -- the Liberation and Justice Movement -- and Wednesday's ceremony marked its implementation.

"We declare to all the people of Darfur and Sudan .. That we have implemented our commitments," Bashir said in a speech attended by crowds of thousands.

"Darfur is better today than yesterday. And tomorrow it will be even better."



Bashir, who vowed to develop the strife-torn region, stopped short of outright declaring an end to a 13-year conflict in Darfur.

"We will build roads and better education, health, water and electricity facilities... We will also undertake reconciliation among all Darfur tribes," Bashir said to supporters' cheers.

Many in the crowd carried pictures of Bashir and the Qatari emir.

Khartoum has repeatedly sought to declare an end to the conflict in Darfur this year, claiming that an April referendum backing the current five-state division of the region turned the page.

But the vote, which was boycotted by the rebels, was widely criticised by the international community and in June the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of an 18,000-strong peacekeeping force which the world body runs jointly with the African Union.

Khartoum had strongly opposed the extension but the Security Council said that persistent fighting between government forces and the rebels continues to drive thousands of civilians from their homes.

Up to 194,000 civilians have been displaced from the Jebel Marra area since mid-January, the UN said last week, adding to hundreds of thousands of displaced people already living in camps.

Two rebel groups -- the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army faction headed by Minni Minnawi -- have signed an African Union roadmap for a ceasefire but talks on its implementation broke down last month.

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A Swedish appeals court will decide next week whether to maintain an arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over a 2010 rape accusation, judicial sources said today.

A legal clerk will present the case to three Court of Appeal judges in Stockholm on Friday, and they will "most likely announce their ruling next week," a clerk told AFP.

The judges will decide whether to grant Assange's request to hear legal arguments on the European arrest warrant issued by Swedish prosecutors in 2010.

Prosecutors want to question him about the rape allegation, which he denies.

The 45-year-old Australian sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in June 2012 after exhausting all his legal options in Britain against extradition to Sweden.

Assange's lawyers have urged Sweden to respect a non-binding legal opinion by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which on February 5 ruled that his confinement in the Ecuadorian embassy amounted to arbitrary detention by Sweden and Britain.

A Stockholm district court found on May 25, "contrary to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, that Julian Assange's stay at Ecuador's embassy in London should not be considered a detention".

It said the arrest warrant against him needed to be maintained because "there is still a risk that he will abscond or evade justice".

Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny told reporters today she was waiting to hear from Ecuador about when an interrogation with Assange could take place in the embassy.

"We are waiting now to be told how and when an interview can take place and if we will be allowed to be present when it is being held," Ny said.

Ecuador said on August 11 a date would be set in "the coming weeks."



Quito has insisted that Sweden submit its questions for Assange in writing, and an Ecuadoran prosecutor would conduct the interrogation.

It is not yet known whether the Swedish prosecutor will be allowed to be present.

Ny defended herself against critical questions from reporters about why the case has dragged on since 2010 without any progress, insisting that Assange was to blame for the delays.

"Mr Assange hasn't made himself available, which follows from the proceedings in Swedish courts," she said.

She suggested the case against him was strong.

"I don't want to go into how strong the evidence is. I can note that all of the courts that have examined this case have concluded that there is reasonable cause to suspect a crime has been committed," she said.

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Syria's opposition set out detailed plans today for the transition to a democratic state without President Bashar al-Assad ahead of talks with ministers of EU, US and regional powers in London.

The broad-based High Negotiations Committee (HNC) proposed a six-month negotiating phase between the regime and the opposition.

The subsequent 18 months would see Syria governed by a transitional body, made up of opposition figures, current government representatives and members of civil society, according to a 25-page blueprint.

"Syria wants to see Bashar leave. If Bashar leaves will the fighting go on? No," HNC head Riad Hijab said.

The proposals, and the talks hosted by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, come after intense discussions by the United States and Russia over a possible path to end the five and a half year conflict.

An agreement was believed to have been close at the G20 summit earlier this week in China, but Washington then admitted no deal could be announced for the moment.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will attend the talks in London via videolink, but Russia is not represented.

"The aim of the meeting in London is to prepare a common position and make the case to the United States, while there are persistent rumours about the conclusion of a US-Russian deal," a French diplomatic source told AFP.

The HNC's plans are largely in line with existing international proposals for a post-war Syria, although unlike the so-called Vienna framework, they are clear about the president's future.

"The establishment of the Transitional Governing Body shall require the departure of Bashar al-Assad and his clique who committed heinous crimes against the Syrian people," it said.

The goal is "building a political system that protects freedoms, safeguards individual rights, and that is founded upon the principles of liberty, equality, citizenship, and justice", it said.

In an article in today's edition of The Times, Johnson urged Moscow to cease support for the Syrian president.

The British diplomat accused Assad of "barbaric military tactics" in the ongoing conflict and criticised Russia's "seemingly indefensible conduct" in backing him.

"The entire international community is committed, at least in principle, to getting rid of the Syrian dictator. Even the Russians have accepted that there must be political transition," he wrote.

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The Syrian government has begun releasing 169 prisoners in exchange for the return of the bodies of five Russian soldiers killed when their helicopter was downed, a lawyer said today.

"On Tuesday, 50 inmates including seven women were set free from Adra prison and 84 others from Hama prison," Michel Chammas, who represents many of them, told AFP by phone from Germany.

"Another 31 inmates at Homs prison were also informed that they are going to be let go but they still haven't been released. Four others held elsewhere should also be released," he said.

Those being freed had been accused of "terrorism", a term President Bashar al-Assad's government uses to describe all of its armed opponents.

Chammas, who tracks the cases of his clients from abroad, said the releases would take place in exchange for the return of "the bodies of five Russian soldiers that are in rebel hands".

Two officers and three crew were aboard a Russian military helicopter shot down on August 1 in the northwestern province of Idlib, which is almost entirely under the control of a coalition of Islamists and jihadists.

The attack was the single deadliest for Moscow since it intervened in the conflict in September 2015 in support of Assad, taking to 18 the overall number of Russian soldiers killed in the country.

Chammas declined to say which rebel groups were involved in the negotiations with the regime.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said 86 people had been released in the central city of Hama.

They had been accused of "terrorism" or involvement in anti-regime protests at the outbreak of Syria's conflict in 2011, said the Britain-based monitor, which has a network of sources on the ground in Syria.

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Actress Taapsee Pannu has revealed she has been approached for a biopic on Irom Sharmila, the civil rights and political activist from Manipur.

There were reports that she has been signed for the film, but the "Baby" star says she is yet to read the script.

"I have been asked, but we are figuring out time when will I go and listen to the script because I've been running around with these things (promotions). Once 'Pink' releases, I'll hear it and then see," Taapsee said in an interview.

Manipur's 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila had last month broken her 16-year-old hunger strike, the world's longest, and declared that she wants to become the chief minister so that she could repeal the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

On the charge of attempting suicide by means of a fast unto death in 2006 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, she has been arrested, released and then re-arrested from time to time.

During her fast, the 44-year-old rights activist was force-fed through a nasal tube to keep her alive at a government hospital, a room of which was turned into a jail for her.

She was also granted bail by a court in Imphal after she promised the magistrate to break her fast against AFSPA.

Taapsee says it is a big responsibility to take on the role of Irom Sharmila as she may face some backlash too.

"It is too big a responsibility in a lot of other ways. I have to analyse a lot of other things before I take that up. I don't want to face backlash, which it will get if I do that role. There are a lot of things I have to consider. So let's see," the 29-year-old actress said.

Taapsee is currently awaiting the release of her next film "Pink", also featuring megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

The drama-thriler, directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and produced by Rashmi Sharma and Shoojit Sircar, is scheduled to release on September 16.

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India's next four Poseidon-8I long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft could come fitted with domestically-made composite interior panels.

Tata Advanced Materials Ltd (TAML), a subsidiary of Tata Industries, has been awarded a contract from Boeing to provide composite interior closeout panels for the P-8 aircraft that cover the interior wall structure of the aircraft, a statement from the Tatas said.

The contract entails supplying interior panels on a global basis. However, industry sources said it is not clear if the Indian version of the aircraft would come fitted with TAML-made panels as they are not the sole providers.

The P-8 is designed for long-range anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare as well as armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

India had on July 27 signed an over USD 1-billion deal with American defence and aerospace major Boeing for procuring four additional Poseidon-8I. The contract is a follow-on order to eight P-81 planes already bought by India in a direct deal worth USD 2.1 billion with the firm.

Armed with deadly Harpoon missiles, light-weight torpedoes and rockets, among others, the Navy is extensively using the P-8I to keep a strict vigil over the Indian Ocean, which has seen numerous Chinese submarine forays, including docking of a nuclear sub in Sri Lanka.

TAML is currently under contract to manufacture the P-8 tail cone and auxiliary power unit door fairing out of India.

Additionally, TAML works for Dynamatic Technologies Ltd in support of the CH-47F Chinook, a medium-to-heavy lift helicopter and for P-8 cabinets.

Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd have established a joint venture in India to produce AH-64 Apache fuselages, coproduce aero structures and pursue integrated systems development opportunities in India.

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India's IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) was today recognised as a leader among 28 companies for the sixth consecutive year for its industry leading domain solutions, strong delivery and execution capabilities, according to a research-based report.

TCS was positioned as a leader across all four lines of the banking business which include credit cards, retail banking, lending and commercial banking, Everest Group said.

It analysed the capabilities of 28 leading Application Outsourcing providers, specific to the global banking sector.

These providers were mapped to the group's Performance, Experience, Ability Knowledge (PEAK) matrix, which is a composite index of a range of distinct metrics related to each provider's capability and market success.

"The disruption in the banking industry, which is driven by global macroeconomic uncertainties, digitalisation and growth in FinTech, is forcing service providers to focus beyond traditional IT services and create breakthrough value for their customers," said Jimit Arora, Partner, Everest Group.

"Sustained delivery excellence, significant breadth and depth of banking-specific solutions and services, credible investments in digital technologies, and the ability to deepen existing relationships have helped TCS maintain its position as a Leader for the sixth consecutive year in the Everest Group Banking AO PEAK Matrix," he said.

"Its an honour to be recognised as a leader in Application Outsourcing services for six consecutive years," said K Krithivasan, President, Banking Financial Services at TCS.

Last year, investments in the banking application services market was mainly driven by stricter regulatory norms, personalised banking experience and digital banking.

TCS enables banks to embrace changing technology realities by focusing on customer experience, risk and compliance management, digital and IT transformation.

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French police were holding two suspects today after finding several gas cylinders in a car near Paris's Notre Dame cathedral, sources close to the investigation said.

The Peugeot 607 was discovered abandoned at the weekend with its hazard lights flashing, the sources said.

The owner of the car and another person, who are both known to security services, were arrested yesterday and anti- terror investigators have launched a probe.

France remains on high alert for terror attacks. In November, suicide bombers and gunmen killed 130 people in Paris in a series of attacks claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

A bar employee working near the cathedral raised the alert on Sunday after noticing a gas cylinder on the back seat of the car, which had no number plates, a police source said.

That cylinder was found to be empty but five full cylinders were found in the boot of the car.

No detonators were found, police said.

The car was parked in a side street opposite the cathedral on the left bank of the Seine.

The car's owner was identified yesterday.

Notre Dame, a Gothic cathedral famous for its flying buttresses, stained glass windows and gargoyles, is one of Paris's most popular landmarks, attracting 13 million visitors each year.

The head of France's DGSI domestic intelligence service, Patrick Calvar, warned in May of a "new form of attack" in which explosive devices would be left near sites that attract large crowds.

Such attacks would create large numbers of victims without sacrificing suicide bombers, he told a parliamentary committee.

In July, 86 people were killed and dozens injured when a truck ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in the Mediterranean resort of Nice. IS said the driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was one of its followers.

Less than two weeks later, two young jihadists murdered a priest near the northern city of Rouen.

French security services are particularly worried about the danger posed by extremists returning from Syria, where they have been fighting with IS forces.

France's top prosecutor said last week around 700 French nationals were currently in Syria.

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French police were holding a couple with links to radical Islam today after gas cylinders were found in a car near Paris's Notre Dame cathedral, sources close to the investigation said.

The Peugeot 607 was discovered abandoned, with its headlights flashing, at the weekend in a part of the city which is hugely popular with tourists, the sources said.

Anti-terror investigators have launched a probe and the man and woman, both known to security services, were arrested yesterday.

The car's owner, known to authorities for his Islamist preaching in the past, was released on Tuesday evening.

France remains on high alert after a string of jihadist attacks, including last November's coordinated Islamic State (IS) assaults in Paris by gunmen and suicide bombers who killed 130 people.

A bar employee working near Notre Dame raised the alert on Sunday after noticing a gas cylinder on the back seat of the car, which had no number plates, a police source said.

That cylinder was found to be empty but five full cylinders were found in the boot of the car.

No detonators were found, police said.

Photographs of the metallic silver-coloured car after it was discovered showed its boot open and the gas cannisters placed on the ground in a quiet side street opposite the cathedral.

Florence Berthout, the mayor of the district where the vehicle was found, complained in a letter to Paris' police chief that the car was "illegally parked for over two hours, despite several telephone calls to police headquarters".

The criticism comes after authorities faced heavy fire for alleged security lapses in July, when 86 people were killed by an Algerian ploughing a truck into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the resort of Nice.

IS said the driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was one of its followers.

Less than two weeks later, two young jihadists murdered a priest near the northern city of Rouen.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the latest arrests came at a time of heightened vigilance for potential attacks, but added that "the intentions of those arrested" were as yet unknown.

Notre Dame, renowned for its flying buttresses, stained glass windows and gargoyles, is one of Paris's most popular landmarks, attracting 13 million visitors each year.

The head of France's DGSI domestic intelligence service, Patrick Calvar, warned in May of a "new form of attack" in which explosive devices would be left near sites that attract large crowds.

Such attacks would create large numbers of victims without sacrificing suicide bombers, he told a parliamentary committee.

French security services are particularly worried about the danger posed by extremists returning from Syria after fighting with IS forces, with 700 French nationals still in the country, according to France's top prosecutor.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three siblings, including two minors, have been arrested in connection with the killing of their elder sister who was a government bank employee here.

Superintendent of Police (City) Prasant Anand today said the arrested were 28-year-old and 16-year-old sisters and 12-year-old brother of Anita Besra (32).

On September 4, Anita's body bearing injury marks on the head and hands was found in a nullah and her father had registered a case against unknown persons under IPC section 302, Anand said.

Based on evidences gathered from neighbours at Sidgora here, police arrested the woman's younger sister, who confessed to her crime during interrogation.

She told the police that their parents' preference for Anita had led them to commit the crime.

The siblings felt their parents cared more for their elder sister, who was allowed to control their home and family funds. They attacked her while she was praying and while the two sisters pinned her down, the brother hit her with a hammer on the head, which caused her death, police said.

After committing the crime, the younger sister covered the body with a tarpaulin and concealed it on the roof. Around 3.30 AM the next morning the siblings dumped it in a nearby nullah, Anand added.

The woman had joined Golmuri branch of Punjab National Bank about a month ago, the police said.

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The blinding neon flashes followed by deafening thunder cracking across the night sky and the subsequent torrent on Monday brought smiles to the faces of 73-year-old Raman Yadav and 21-year-old Pawan Sharma in eastern Uttar Pradesh's floundering 'sugar bowl' Kushinagar.

The morning after farmers of Kushinagar and its adjoining Deoria districts, reeling under scanty rains for "three consecutive years", have warmed up, albeit with a healthy dose of scepticism, to Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's promise on the first day of his 2,500-long kisan padyatra that farm loans will be waived off.

On a leisurely stroll near Rahul's second 'khaat sabha' on Monday, Yadav, who is mulling to give Congress a shot in the next polls, speaks on with a careless abandon, providing pithy insights. His family owns 3 bigha land, which he says provide just about sustenance.

"Munde munde matir bhinna (perspectives differ from one person to another)," he says, when asked why a group of youth, huddled across the road, are rather willing to give "Modiji and Yogi Adityanath" a chance, "mainly" to bring down crime in the region.

But despite his personal liking for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sharma, who is in BSc third year, is somewhat receptive to Rahul's repeated assertions, in meeting after meeting, that Congress will ensure that farm loans are waived off like the UPA government had done in the fag-end of its first term.

"My father is a sugarcane farmer so I know the plight of their lot. But such promises (Rahul's) more often than not ring hollow. Modiji's promise on black money has also come out a cropper till now but at least we can see attempts being made," Pawan says.

Preparations for Rahul Gandhis Khat sabha at Dudhnath Baba Mandir maidan in Rudrapur. Photo: ANI

But the concern over "rising cases of crime" cuts across age groups as Ambika Chaudhary, in his early sixties, echoes Pawan's view that there indeed has been an "alarming spurt", especially of lootings and snatchings.

Rahul's 'kisan padyatra' outreach, which will meander across the eastern UP districts in its first leg, is aimed at gaining the support of these distressed farmers, which Congress believes will boost the party's prospects in the 2017 assembly election in the state.

No wonder, the Congress scion's chopper landed on a makeshift helipad at Pachladi Kritpura village, that houses a large number of sainthwar community people (OBC) battling bad crop fallout, of Deoria's Rudrapur constituency.

Rahul visited five houses in the village that lacks a pucca road and power supply is as elusive as the rains. He interacted with the familes of Hanskumar Singh, Pradyuman Singh, Sadasya Singh (brothers) and Om Prakash Singh, who in turn apprised him of the amount they owe in form of outstanding loan dues.

Kushinagar and Deoria were among the 50 districts that were declared as drought-hit by the Uttar Pradesh government last year.

One senior Congress leader, accompanying Rahul, explained the party's attempt to reach out to the farming community was crucial for it to even make a splash in the 403-member UP Assembly where it currently has a paltry 29 MLAs.

"The 2008 farm loan waiver had reaped the maximum dividends for Congress in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. In the same way, this could very well be our trump card. What cannot be overlooked is that the crisis of sugarcane farmers is real and the mills owe them thousands of crores," the leader says.

State Advisory Price (SAP) of cane has remained unchanged at Rs 280 per quintal in Uttar Pradesh, the country's second-largest sugar producer, for the last four years.

"I had to take a loan of Rs 25,000 this June due to successive years of scanty rainfall. Rahulji met me and assured me that he will ensure that this amount is waived off. I signed the mangpatra (charter of demand) in his presence," Om Prakash says.

The marginal farmer, a self-confessed Congress loyalist, also enthusiastically points out that Rahul also spoke to his daughter Archita.

"He spoke to me and I told him that I want to be a chemist. He wanted to know why not a doctor and I said because of lack of money," 16-year-old Archita says.

What was Rahul's reply, the reporters ask in chorus. "Wo kuch nahi bole," she walks off and so do the reporters.
Donald Trump's campaign is ending its practice of barring selected outlets from covering the Republican presidential nominee's events.

Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said the practice would end tomorrow.

The campaign had barred The Washington Post, Politico, Buzzfeed, The Daily Beast, The Huffington Post, Univision and others from covering his rallies, conferences and other formal campaign events.

"Revoking press credentials was imprudent, pointless, and offensive from the start," said Martin Baron, the executive editor of the Post.

"We're pleased to see the ban come to a long-overdue end."



Trump frequently uses the media as a foil and often complains about the press coverage he receives. He did so again today when explaining why he was ending the practice.

"I figure they can't treat me any worse!" Trump said in a statement to CNN, which first reported the ban's end.

The ban began in the early days of Trump's campaign last summer, when the celebrity businessman barred a reporter from The Des Moines Register from an event after the newspaper published an editorial calling for him to drop out of the race.

Last month, he threatened to expand it to The New York Times.

"Maybe we'll start thinking about taking their press credentials away from them," Trump said of the Times at a rally in Connecticut.

"When they write dishonest stories, we should be a little bit tough."



Trump did not follow through on that threat.

Journalists from the barred organizations were at times able to enter events as members of the general public, but they were sometimes escorted out after security recognized them as members of the media.

In July, a Post reporter was patted down at a Mike Pence event and forced to leave.

But Pence, Trump's running mate, said he would advocate reconsidering the ban.

Reporters from the barred outlets recently started taking part in what's known as the print pool, in which a single reporter from a group of newspapers and other outlets covers events that can't accommodate large numbers of reporters for all members of the group.

The end of the ban comes as Hillary Clinton, criticized repeatedly by Trump and Republican for not holding a formal conference in months, has also increased her level of access to journalists.

Starting this week, she has begun flying on the same plane the reporters who travel with campaign and held informal news conferences, known as gaggles, onboard her plane on Monday and yesterday.

Trump also allowed reporters onto his plane for one flight this week, but has not committed to traveling with reporters full-time.

That is a standard practice for the major party nominees for president, as well as the sitting president.

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With the race to the White House intensifying, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump have accused each other of trying to "hide something" from the public.

While Clinton charged Trump with not releasing his tax returns as he had to "hide something" from the people, the Republican nominee accused the former secretary of state of the same over the emails deleted by her during her tenure as the top American diplomat.

Clinton, 68, indicated she will make Trump's tax returns an election issue, saying the reality TV star is "dead wrong" if he thinks it is none of the American people's business as before entrusting a president with the country's finances they would want to know how the person handled personal finances.

"I just want to start by referencing something that Donald Trump told ABC . He said that the American people don't care about his tax returns. In fact, he has also said it is none of our business. I just think he is dead wrong.

"The reason presidential candidates, going back decades, have released their tax returns is because the American people want to know," Clinton told reporters travelling with her on the campaign plane yesterday.

"If they are going to entrust a president with the management of our country's finances, they want to know, how did this person handle his or her own finances, which is one of the reasons why we've released 40 years of tax returns," she said.

"It's especially important given what we are discovering, not from Trump himself, but from the kind of work that many of you are doing and your outlets are doing. What have we learned? We have learned that Donald Trump has been bankrupt in his company six times.

"He has been sued about 4,000 times. He has been accused repeatedly of fraudulent behaviour," she alleged.

"Truly, the list goes on and on, the scams, the frauds, the questionable relationships, the business activities that have stiffed workers, refused to pay small businesses. So clearly his tax returns tell a story that an American people deserve and need to know.

"And his continuing claim that he can't release his tax returns because he is under audit has been disproved repeatedly," she said.

Meanwhile, Trump, 70, attacked Clinton over the email controversy.

"When is she going to release her emails? Let her release her emails and I'll release my tax returns immediately," he told Fox last night.

Clinton in the past had said that she deleted some 30,000 emails which were personal related to things like yoga and marriage planning.

Trump says he does not believe this and has been seeking to find out those emails.

Clinton "probably knows how to find them", he said.

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Republican presidential candidate today vowed to strengthen US armed forces by increasing military spending by tens of billions of dollars, and said he would ask his generals for a plan to defeat and destroy the ISIS within 30 days of taking office.

In a major foreign policy speech in Pennsylvania, Trump said he will ask the US Congress to fully eliminate defence sequester and will submit a new budget to rebuild the military as soon as he assumes office.

Trump outlined proposals for an active army of around 540,000 troops, an air force of at least 1,200 fighter aircraft, a 36-battalion marine corps and a navy of 350 surface ships and submarines.

Trump also announced that he will seek to develop a state-of-the-art-missile defence system; will modernise naval cruisers to provide Ballistic Missile Defence capabilities and will enforce all classification rules.

Describing the motto of his foreign policy "Peace Through Strength", Trump said he wants to achieve a stable, peaceful world with less conflict and more common ground.

"I am proposing a new foreign policy focused on advancing America's core national interests, promoting regional stability, and producing an easing of tensions in the world. This will require rethinking the failed policies of the past," he said.

"We can make new friends, rebuild old alliances, and bring new allies into the fold. I am proud to have the support of warfighting generals, active duty military, and the top experts who know both how to win - and how to avoid the endless wars we are caught in now. Just yesterday, 88 top Generals and Admirals endorsed my campaign," said the GOP nominee.

Arguing that in a Trump Administration, US actions in the Middle East will be tempered by realism, he said the current strategy of toppling regimes, with no plan for what to do the day after, only produces power vacuums that are filled by terrorists.

"We should work with any country that shares our goal of destroying ISIS and defeating radical Islamic terrorism, and form new friendships and partnerships based on this mission. We now have an Administration, and a former Secretary of State, who refuse to say radical Islamic terrorism," he said.

"Immediately after taking office, I will ask my generals to present to me a plan within 30 days to defeat and destroy ISIS. This will require military warfare, but also cyber warfare, financial warfare, and ideological warfare - as I laid out in my speech on defeating Radical Islamic terrorism several weeks ago," he said.

"Instead of an apology tour, I will proudly promote our system of government and our way of life as the best in the world - just like we did in our campaign against communism during the Cold War. We will show the whole world how proud we are to be American," Trump said.



Attacking Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, Trump said her policies as Secretary of State left the Middle East in more disarray than ever before.

"...Sometimes it has seemed like there wasn't a country in the Middle East that Hillary Clinton didn't want to invade, intervene or topple. She is trigger-happy and unstable when it comes to war," he said.

Trump said early in his term, he will be requesting that all NATO nations promptly pay their bills, which many are not doing right now.

Only five NATO countries, including the US, are currently meeting the minimum requirement to spend two per cent of GDP on defence.

"Additionally, I will be respectfully asking countries such as Germany, Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia to pay more for the tremendous security we provide them. Finally, we will have at our disposal additional revenues from unleashing American energy," he said.

Trump proposed to rebuild the key tools of missile defence, starting with the Navy cruisers that are the foundation of missile defence capabilities in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

The Obama-Clinton administration tried repeatedly to remove our cruisers from service, then refused to modernise these aging ships, he said.

"We will start by modernising our cruisers to provide the Ballistic Missile Defense capability our nation needs; this will cost around $220 million per modernisation as we seek to modernise a significant portion of these 22 ships," he said.
Washington and Ankara are ready to work together to push Islamic State jihadists out of their de facto capital of Raqa in northern Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published today.

Erdogan said he had agreed with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in China to do "what is necessary" to drive IS out of Raqa.

"Raqa is the most important centre of Daesh," Erdogan told Turkish journalists onboard his plane as he returned from China, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"Obama wants to do something together especially on the issue of Raqa," he said. "I said there would be no problem from our perspective."



"I said 'our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done'," Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet daily.

Without giving further details, he said: "What can be done will become clear after the discussions."



Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's regime were pushed out of Raqa, which lies on the Euphrates River, in 2013, making it the first provincial capital in Syria to fall out of government control.

IS rapidly infiltrated the city, which is strategically located near the Turkish border, and declared a caliphate in 2014.

Ousting IS from the city would be a turning point in the conflict and mark a huge blow to the jihadists.

Erdogan's comments came two weeks after Turkey launched an ambitious operation inside Syria, sending tanks and special forces to back up Syrian opposition fighters and cleanse its frontier from IS jihadists and Kurdish militia.

Ankara-backed rebels seized the town of Jarabulus from IS militants within hours on the first day of the operation and Turkey says jihadists have now been removed from the entire border area.

But Turkey yesterday sustained its biggest loss of life in the operation to date, with three soldiers killed in an IS rocket attack on their tanks.

With the offensive still pressing on, the Turkish army said six more villages south of the town of Al-Rai had been retaken from IS jihadists yesterday, in a statement carried by state-run agency Anadolu.

Yet it remains unclear if the Syrian rebels backed by Turkey will proceed further south to take Al-Bab from IS jihadists and then Raqa itself, or to what extent the operation has US support.

Turkey has been alarmed by US support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a "terrorist" group linked to its own Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has been waging a bloody campaign against the Turkish state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Facing huge loan default cases and court summons in India, embattled businessman Vijay Mallya today took to a written statement to tell shareholders of United Breweries that the company will rework its product portfolio including with new launches.

In the statement, which was read out at UBL's Annual General Meeting here in his absence, Mallya also expressed displeasure over non-inclusion of alcohol in the new Goods and Services Tax (GST).

"UBL will continue to expand capacity either at its existing breweries or by acquisition or building of new ones where required," as per the Company's Directors' Report for the financial year ended March 31, 2016, which was also presented at the AGM.

The report also said in order to cater to increasing demand for its products, the company further expanded its capacity with the Greenfield Brewery near Patna in Bihar that had commenced operation during the course of the year.

It also said the company has acquired brewery assets in a strategic location near Shahjhanpur to further augment capacities in Rajasthan.

"This brewery commenced operations from February2016 following refurbishment and overhaul," the report added.

Mallya, who is said to be in the UK despite summons asking him to appear before the courts in India, further said in the statement that the EBITDA for the year under review stood at Rs 7,678 million as compared to Rs 6,584 million in the previous year, reflecting an increase of 17 per cent.

"The growth of EBITDA is the result of the volume growth, improved brand mix and effective management of input costs and fixed costs," Mallya said.

The beleaguered liquor baron also said the company was in talks with state governments with regard to taxes on alcohol beverages.

As per company directors' report, the company proposed a dividend of Rs 1.15 per equity share of Re 1 each for the year ended March 31, 2016.

The dividend declared for the previous year was Re 1 per equity share of Re 1 each, the report said.

UBL proposes to transfer Rs 295 million to the general reserve, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An UK court has acquitted a Nepalese Army Colonel of charges of torture and human rights violation during the country's decade-long bloody Maoist insurgency, Nepalese media reported today.

The Central Criminal Court in Old Bailey, London yesterday acquitted Col Kumar Lama of charges of torture and human rights violation during Nepal's civil war.

The United Kingdom had arrested the senior official of Nepal Army from London during his personal visit on January 3, 2013. The Old Bailey had held the preliminary hearing in the case on January 24 the same year.

The Court 6 of Old Bailey issued the final verdict and closed the case today, Himalayan Times reported.

"It has been learned that the Court 6 gave a clean chit to Col Lama for lack of evidences against him on torture charges," the report said.

"Col Lama has not decided yet whether he would file for compensation," the paper quoted a source as saying.

He faced trial on charges of inflicting severe pains to two detainees during the height of Maoist insurgency in Nepal in 2005. He is the first person to be tried outside Nepal for alleged human rights violation and war crimes in Nepal under the universal jurisdiction.

Col Lama, who was deputed to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, was vacationing with his family in London when he was arrested.

Earlier in August, the jury at the Old Bailey acquitted Col Lama of one of the two counts of torture he faced for the mistreatment of Karam Hussain. The jury, however, had not issued any verdict for the acts of alleged torture committed against Janak Bahadur Raut.

Hussein and Raut were Maoist supporters who were allegedly tortured by the Nepal Army in detention at the Gorusinghe Barracks, where Col Lama was in charge, the report said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A florist from a small town in northwest England today expressed his shock at being pictured in an ISIS propaganda magazine.

Stephen Leyland, who runs a Flower Stall in Cheshire, appeared in the dreaded terrorist group's new 'Rumiyah' magazine, that called for more lone-wolf attacks in the West targetting people like him.

The 64-year-old was unaware of unwittingly being on ISIS hit-list by his image being used from his website stevetheflowerman.Co.Uk, until he was contacted by counter-terror officers yesterday.

"It has come as a bit of a shock. When I was first contacted I thought it was a wind-up. I really don't know what to do. I'm not scared but I am concerned that the photo is in this magazine.

"I don't know any jihadis," Leyland told 'The Times'.

"They (counter-terrorism officers) said that the foreign secretary (Boris Johnson) had asked about it," he added.

Leyland describes himself as "The Flower Man" and an "old fashioned market trader" on his website.

The 38-page magazine is among a number of ISIS publications aimed at inciting extreme violence in the West.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ukraine today said it may deliver the world's largest jet, originally developed for the Soviet Union's abandoned space shuttle programme, to China within the next five years.

The first AN-225 Mriya (Dream) six-engine heavy lifter was built by the Antonov aircraft maker in the 1980s.

The company moved in 1952 from Siberia to Kiev and then fell into Ukraine's lap when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.

Antonov and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China signed a memorandum of understanding on August 30 to renew the plane's production in China under licence from Ukraine.

The only functioning Mriya jet last completed a large cargo delivery from the Czech Republic to Australia in May.

A second jet was only partially finished and has remained in Ukrainian storage for the past 28 years.

Antonov's China project coordinator Gennadiy Gabruk said the second plane would be fully upgraded and "under optimal conditions" delivered to China by 2021.

"This jet will be built using the basis of the basic framework we already have, but all the equipment will be new," Gabruk told reporters.

The memorandum of understanding foresees mass production of the Mriya by China under Antonov's licence if all the technical details are resolved.

China reportedly conducted covert work on its own shuttle programme before dropping the idea in the 1990s.

But the booming nation is keen to join the international space race and is reportedly considering a permanently manned moon base.

Such a project would need a vessel to transport people to and from Earth.

The Soviet Union developed the Mriya to help lift off shuttles that could compete against those being used by the United States.

Moscow conducted a successful test flight of an unmanned Buran orbiter from its Baikonur space centre in present-day Kazakhstan in 1988.

The Mriya was able to ferry the Buran fixed on top of the plane.

But a second flight planned for the early 1990s had to be scrapped because of the Soviet Union's disintegration and Russia's subsequent deep economic malaise.

China has not officially said what plans it has for the plane.

Some military experts believe that Beijing does not intend to employ the Mriya in a space programme but rather to use it as a heavy lifter for domestic and international projects.

Ties between Kiev and Moscow have been frozen since Russia in March 2014 seized Crimea after swarming the Ukrainian peninsula with troops and then overseeing an independence referendum the UN General Assembly condemned as "illegal".

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The UN has condemned the ballistic missile launches conducted by this week, warning of "further significant measures" against the reclusive country if it did not stop such actions.

"The members of the Security Council deplore all Democratic People's Republic of Korea ballistic missile activities, including these launches, noting that such activities contribute to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and increase tension," the 15-member Council said in a statementyesterday.

fired three ballistic missiles off its east coast on September 5. has conducted a series of missile tests this year. This is the fourth nuclear test since January.

The launches conducted on September 5 were in "grave violation" of the country's obligations under various resolutions it has adopted, the statement said.

The Council members said they will continue to closely monitor the situation and "take further significant measures in line with the Council's previously expressed determination" if North Korea did not stop such testings and launches.

The Council expressed serious concern that the country conducted the latest launches after a series of earlier ones - held intermittently on different occasions between April 15 and August 22 - in flagrant disregard of repeated Council statements.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea shall refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions," the Council noted.

In the statement, the Council members said they further regretted that North Korea is diverting resources to the pursuit of ballistic missiles while its citizens have great unmet needs.

The Council also called upon all UN Member States to redouble their efforts to implement fully the measures it had imposed on North Korea, particularly the "comprehensive" sanctions contained in previous resolutions, which among other points, expands arms embargo and non-proliferation measures, including small arms and light weapons, and enforces new cargo inspection and maritime procedures, including mandatory inspection on cargo destined to and originating from North Korea.
The US is likely to make a positive decision on India's request for state-of-the art unarmed Guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean.

The move comes after India was designated a major defence partner of the US in June.

Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama, at the White House in early June, the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR) in February to Department of Defense towards purchase of 22 high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian UAVs.

This was the first major request of arms sale purchase by India after Obama designated New Delhi as a major Strategic Defence partner.

The US government has not made a formal decision on it yet, but is believed to have started an inter agency process on the Indian request.

According to sources, the administration believes that an approval of such a major military sale would help in "sealing Indian US defence relationship", bring in "a new level of comfort" between the two militaries and would be considered as a lasting legacy not only for India but also for the Asia-Pacific pivot of the outgoing president.

Officials here believe the sale of predator Guardian UAVs would act as a force multiplier for India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region; which of late has become one of the key American objective in the Asia Pacific region.

Top governmental sources confirmed that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had detailed discussions on predator Guardian UAV to fulfil maritime surveillance requirements.

Parrikar was in the US last week and held meetings with Carter at the Pentagon on August 29.

During the meeting, Carter is understood have assured Parrikar he would personally "champion" India's request "within the system," sources said.

At General Atomics which has announced to office in India this year, the effort is being spearheaded by Dr Vivek Lall who had been also instrumental in India's ability to procure advanced Boeing P8I aircraft for maritime domain awareness capability, they said.

Sources indicate along with the White House, the Pentagon and some influential members of the US are keen to complete the process as soon as possible before Obama leaves his presidency next January.

However, a section within the State Department have to be convinced that this is in the interest of the US national security as well. This maritime capability will be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy who has procured other advance technologies including Boeing P-8 aircraft.

The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not do not exist in the current Indian Navy arsenal.

Sources also said beyond the symbolism of this new title, this deal, estimated to be worth $2 billion, will give meat to the bone to this designation and could be considered as a milestone in India US defence relationship. In addition, it would create several hundred jobs in the US.

However, insiders said that a strong Pakistani lobby is working overtime putting strong resistance to the Indian quest trying to "confuse" the decision and opinion makers with armed drones that could be used against it.

But those pushing for this major arms sales deal which would ultimately go through foreign military sale (FMS) route stress that this is simply unarmed drones to enhance India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean. It has nothing to do with Pakistan.
Asserting that Pakistan must target all militant groups, including those that target its neighbours, the US has said it is not planning any sanctions against the country for not taking actions against terrorist groups.

"Suggestive of any kind of sanctions, we're not there," the State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference.

He was responding to a query on a recent statement by the former US Ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad that the US now needs to seriously consider the option of imposing sanctions against Pakistan.

"I don't think we're even at that point," Toner said.

"I mean, we continue to have, conversations with the highest level of the Government of Pakistan and our basic point in all these conversations is that Pakistan must target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan's neighbours and eliminate all safe havens and that is what I was trying to convey to you as well," he said.

"What we've received in terms of response from Pakistan authorities is that they have assured of their intentions to do so. We have been encouraged by some of the steps they've taken, some of their recent counterterrorism operations along the border of Afghanistan and we're going to continue to work with them to increase those efforts and apply more pressure on these groups," he said.

Referring to the remarks made by the Secretary of State John Kerry during his recent trip to India and Bangladesh, Toner said the US has had very frank conversations with Pakistan's leadership and military leadership about the need to focus more efforts on those terrorist groups, all the terrorist groups rather, that are operating from within Pakistani soil, or territory rather.

"We continue to have that discussion with them. We have seen some efforts to make progress in that regard. We're going to continue to have those conversations with them as we move forward and it is in Pakistan's interest, it's in Afghanistan's interest to go after these terrorist groups, to route them out and to destroy them," he said.

"The ultimate goal is we want to see peace and stability in the region, and so that is going involve efforts on Pakistan's part as well as the ability of Afghanistan and the Afghan government to provide the stability and security to its own people. And that is our efforts we are focused on," Toner said.
With an aim to expand Indo-US cooperation, a US agency today announced five new partnerships in the fields of clean energy, environment and climate change to help India make the transition to a low emission and energy-secure economy.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced five new partnerships, four of which are with the government. The announcement was made by USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia Jonathan Stivers who was in Delhi to represent the agency at the second US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.

"As part of the expansion of US-India bilateral cooperation, USAID will continue to support Ministries of power, new and renewable energy, and environment to help India transition to a high-performing, low-emission, energy-secure economy," Stivers said.

He announced the partnerships highlighting that "USAID welcomes and appreciates this historic opportunity to play a useful role in India's path forward."



First among these new partnerships is USAID's commitment to work with the Bangalore power utility BESCOM and US-based company Innovari to launch the first grid integration pilot under the "Greening the Grid" (GTG) initiative.

GTG is a joint initiative of USAID and the Power Ministry to strengthen India's power grid to manage large-scale integration of renewable energy.

India aims to provide 24/7 power to all Indian households by 2020 by adding and integrating 175 gigawatts of renewable energy into the national grid.

Under another partnership, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and USAID agreed to expand their solar rooftop programme to an additional eight states and 15 utilities.

"During the first phase of this programme, USAID and MNRE supported the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh to introduce appropriate net-metering policies and regulations and provided technical assistance to the state distribution utilities implementing solar rooftop programs.

"In the expanded programme, USAID will also partner with MNRE to train 5,000 utility engineers and 1,000 bankers and entrepreneurs on installation and operation best practices for solar rooftop systems," a statement said.

USAID also announced a partnership with the power



Ministry's public sector energy efficiency company, Energy Efficiency Services Limited, to transform India's markets for super-efficient air-conditioners.

At present, less than five per cent of households have air-conditioners in India, but with rising demand for cooling and better comfort, the growth rate of air-conditioner sales is expected to accelerate to 30 per cent per annum over the next five years.

"To improve urban air quality through energy efficiency, USAID is partnering with the University of Chicago to support the efforts of the Indian government and Gujarat State Pollution Control Board.

The partnership is aimed at piloting a market instrument designed to reduce costs for industrial plants to comply with regulatory limits on emissions and to provide incentives encouraging emission reductions.

The first pilot under this partnership will be tested in Gujarat, the statement said.

It added that during the US-India Joint Working Group on Combating Climate Change, USAID announced its collaboration with the Forest Survey of India (FSI) under the Environment Ministry to strengthen the latter's capacity to better predict forest fires, use high-resolution satellite imagery for forest resource assessment and develop protocols for strengthening forest inventory.

This initiative will mobilise the scientific expertise of the US Forest Service, the statement added.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced five new partnerships, four of which are with the Government of India, to expand Indo-US cooperation on clean energy, environment and climate change.

During the US-India Joint Working Group on Combating Climate Change, USAID also announced its collaboration with the Forest Survey of India (FSI) to strengthen the latter's capacity to better predict forest fires.

This will also include using of high-resolution satellite imagery for forest resource assessment, and develop protocols for strengthening forest inventory. The initiative will mobilise the scientific expertise of the US Forest Service.

Among other partnerships is Greening the Grid, a joint initiative between USAID and Ministry of Power initiative to strengthen India's power grid to manage large-scale integration of renewable energy.

The project will be undertaken between Bangalore power utility BESCOM and US-based company, Innovari.

"As part of the expansion of US-India bilateral cooperation, USAID will continue to support the Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), and Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to help India transition to a high-performing, low-emission, energy-secure economy," said Jonathan Stivers, USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia.

Stivers is in Delhi to attend the second US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.

Under the next partnership, the MNRE and USAID also agreed to expand their solar rooftop programme to an additional eight states and 15 utilities.

In support of efficient energy usage, USAID also announced a partnership with the Ministry of Power's PSU Energy Efficiency Services Limited, to transform India's markets for super-efficient air conditioners.

Currently, fewer than 5 per cent of households have ACs in India, but with rising demand for cooling and better comfort, the growth rate of AC sales is expected to accelerate to 30 per cent per annum over the next five years.

To improve urban air quality through energy efficiency, USAID is also partnering with the University of Chicago to work with the Centre and Gujarat State Pollution Control Board to pilot a market instrument designed to reduce costs for industrial plants to comply with regulatory limits on emissions.

The first pilot under this partnership will be tested in Gujarat.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Drug firm Indoco Remedies today said the US health regulator has inspected its Goa plant and has issued six observations on account of violation of good manufacturing norms.

"The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) inspected the company's Goa Plant II from August 31, 2016 to September 4, 2016," Indoco Remedies said in a BSE filing.

The injectable abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) filings triggered this inspection, it added.

"At the end of the inspection, six 483s (forms) were issued. All the observations(483s) are correctable and the company expects to complete the corrective and preventive actions within a period of 30 days," Indoco Remedies said.

None of the 483s are related to data integrity issue, it added.

As per the FDA, "an FDA Form 483 is issued to firm management at the conclusion of an inspection when an investigator(s) has observed any conditions that in their judgement may constitute violations of the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act and related Acts."



Shares of Indoco Remedies closed 2.72 per cent higher at Rs 330.05 per scrip on BSE today.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US health regulator has warned Gujarat-based Pan Drugs that it will withhold approval of any new applications from the company for violations of norms, including data manipulation and infestation by rodents, birds and insects in buildings at its Vadodara plant.

In a warning letter to Pan Drugs MD and Chairman Kamal Pandya, US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) said the company's "methods, facilities, or controls for manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding do not conform to CGMP, your drug products are adulterated within the meaning of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act..."



Stating that the USFDA has already placed the company on Import Alert on December 8, 2015, the letter said: "Until you correct all violations completely and we confirm your compliance with CGMP, FDA may withhold approval of any new applications or supplements listing your firm as a drug product manufacturer."



The manufacturing norms violations cited by the USFDA included failure "to maintain the buildings used in the manufacture, processing, packing, or holding of a drug product in a clean and sanitary condition and to keep them free of infestation by rodents, birds, insects, and other vermin".

The letter further said investigators observed mold-like substances on the walls of the company's drug processing area, and accumulations of powder throughout the facility including gaps and holes in the walls of the facility around piping and air ducts.

The firm also failed to exercise appropriate controls over computer or related systems to assure that only authorised personnel institute changes in master production and control records, or other records, it added.

Moreover, the company's quality unit failed to identify data integrity issues in 11 batch production records reviewed by FDA investigator.

"Your production manager admitted that he falsified the signatures of other employees in the 'Prepared By', 'Reviewed By', 'Approved By,' and 'Authorized By' sections," the letter said.

Failure to correct these violations may also result in FDA continuing to refuse admission of articles manufactured at Pan Drugs, at the Vadodara facility into the US, it added.

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Shares of Ltd and Cairn India rose by up to 4 per cent in intraday trade today after the shareholders of mining conglomerate Resources approved merger of the two group firms.

However, Cairn India was trading flat on the bourses.

Ltd's scrip gained 3.79 per cent to Rs 180.70 on BSE.

Shares of Cairn India too rose by 3 per cent to Rs 209.20. However, later the scrip was down 0.12 per cent to trade at Rs 202.80 in the afternoon session.

Vedanta Resources yesterday said its shareholders have approved the merger of group firms Vedanta Ltd and Cairn India.

The development brings the firm led by billionaire Anil Agarwal a step closer to salvage merger of the cash-rich oil firm with its debt-laden parent Vedanta Ltd.

However, the real test for Agarwal is on September 12, when Cairn India has called a shareholders' meeting to seek approval for the company's takeover by its parent under a revised all-share deal.

That apart, Vedanta Ltd will also hold a meeting of its shareholders, secured and unsecured creditors on September 8 to seek their approval for the merger of Cairn India.
The ruling TRS in has rejected Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu's suggestion to officially celebrate 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' on September 17 and accused the BJP of trying to indulge in "divisive politics".

"Moderate people do not believe in the Liberation Day. We believe in a day where state was merged into the Indian union," TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samiti) MP Kalvakuntla Kavitha told PTI here.

Naidu had last week said that even though people all over the country celebrated and rejoiced the hard won freedom from British on August 15, 1947, those living in the erstwhile Hyderabad state had to wait for celebration till September 17, 1948, when the region was liberated from the tyrannical Nizam's rule and integrated with the rest of India.

"While the BJP has been demanding for the past many years for official celebration of the Liberation of Hyderabad State, it is unfortunate some political parties view even matters relating to the nation's integrity through the prism of vote bank politics," Naidu had said.

There should not be any kind of politics, leave alone vote bank politics, when it comes to unity and integrity of the nation, the senior BJP leader had said.

"Hyderabad Liberation Day is being celebrated officially on September 17 in some of the districts of Maharashtra and Karnataka and my suggestion to Telangana government is to follow suit. I hope it would respond positively to the suggestion," he said.

During the "autocratic" rule of the Nizam, Telugu language was discouraged as the medium of instruction in educational institutions, he had said.

Kavitha, the Lok Sabha member from Nizamabad, noted that even during the movement spearheading statehood demand for Telangana, TRS always used to celebrate it as a merger day, and hoist national flag in party office on that day because the "then Andhra government would not recognise this day".

"But then the BJP's view of thinking about it as liberation from the Nizam's rule does not have greater acceptance in Telangana society. It will be divisive to talk about that. But as a day of merger with Indian Union, we will certainly acknowledge it and celebrate it," she said, when her reaction was sought on Naidu's suggestion.

Responding to questions, Kavitha, the daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said: "The very survival of BJP...Extreme right-wing party it's divisive ... that's their only motto. They always call it a liberation day because it (Telangana) has been out of Muslim rule. We will not accept that."

"We always said our Nizam was certainly very good in lot of aspects and one or two things go wrong in everybody's rule. Babri Masjid (demolition) went wrong when Kalyan Singh was the Chief Minister. You can't dig up history and try to divide the society now. BJP has always been taking that view, and TRS is always been opposing it right from movement days.

"We say it's a merger day, not a liberation day. It's not a day to bring any differences between Hindu and Muslim communities in Telangana society," she said.

BJP Telangana chief K Laxman recently said the party national president Amit Shah would address a public meeting in Warangal district of the state on September 17 as part of the 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' being celebrated by the state unit.

"During the separate statehood movement, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, had said 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' will be celebrated in a grand manner on the lines of it being celebrated in some districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra," Laxman had said.

"But due to pressure from MIM (of Asaduddin Owaisi), this (TRS) government is not coming forward to celebrate it," he alleged.

"Hence, the BJP has decided to celebrate 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' on September 17 in nook and corner of the state," he had said.

The Hyderabad state, which was under the Nizam's rule, merged with the Indian Union on September 17, 1948, following a "police action".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, during his visit to Hyderabad on August 7, called upon BJP functionaries to take up the 'Tiranga Yatra' on motorbikes from August 15 to September 17 across the state.
A woman and her family members today protested outside the police commissioner's office here alleging police inaction against three men who had allegedly gangraped her last year.

The woman has filed a complaint against Rampal, Tannu and Praveen, who she alleged had raped her after taking her to visit a plot in Vrindavan last year.

She alleged that she was offered a spiked drink and then gangraped. The perpetrators also allegedly filmed the crime.

"They threatened me that they would circulate the video if I approached the police. Initially the police did not file my complaint. After I somehow managed to get the complaint filed, they started harrassing my 17-year-old daughter and are pressuring me to take back my complaint," the complainant said.

However, Faridabad police PRO Sube Singh rejected the woman's claims, saying that the woman herself was facing a criminal case and her protest was just an attempt at "diversion".

"We had registered a case against her under section 120 (b) in May last year. She had lured a minor girl to a room where her associate, one Mohan Tiwari, had raped the minor," he said.

"Later, both the woman and Tiwari were released on bail. She is creating a drama to divert the police investigation against her," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman undergoing treatment for dengue at a prominent hospital in Gandhinagar was allegedly raped by a doctor, police said today.

In her FIR, the woman claimed that a junior doctor raped her between August 31 and September 2.

The doctor, who has been identified by police, is attached to Apollo Hospital, located at Bhat area, where the alleged incident took place.

"The woman said in her FIR that a doctor who was treating her for dengue at Apollo Hospital raped her somewhere during three days before September 3. The matter is being investigated and no arrests have been made in this regard so far," Adalaj police said.

A case was registered against the doctor under sections 376 (C)(D) of the IPC for rape, police said.

Apollo Hospital said in a statement that they were fully cooperating with the police in investigation.

"The ward where the incident took place has 14 staff members working round the clock, and is equipped with CCTV cameras. We are co-operating fully with the police which are examining CCTV footages and carrying out investigation," Apollo Hospital PRO, Ankit Hingu said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Work on Dwarka Express Highway would begin by year-end as the Haryana government has handed over the project to the Centre, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

"Dwarka Express Highway is very important. Before December we will start work on that. This is the project from Haryana government and the Chief Minister has surrendered the project to us. We declared it a National Highway and will start work on this," the Road Transport and Highways Minister said this in reply to a query at Economist India Summit here.

The Minister said the project was stuck due to dispute between Haryana and Delhi governments but now Haryana portion has been completed and land acquisition in Delhi has started.

Also, he said, the government has planned 12 expressways across the country and work on would begin by the end of this year.

The Minsiter said the tenders will shortly be out for the Vadodara-Mumbai and Delhi-Jaipur etc projects which would be access-controlled expressways.

Also, he said, the government would complete the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways projects within 400 days as announced.

Stressing on the need to augment country's infrastructure, he said that the government would try to take the road building pace to 42 km a day by March 2017, from about 23 km a day at present.

(REOPENS BOM 9)



Meanwhile, in a bid to promote water transport, Gadkari today announced that his ministry has sanctioned building of passenger jetties at nine locations in the state, including Borivali, Gorai, Vasai, Bhayander, Virar, Manori, Ghodbunder and Malwan.

He said the Maharashtra government's original proposal was for developing the infrastructure at 69 places and promised that the remaining 69 will also be positively considered.

Gadkari also mooted the idea of installing a marina in the north-west suburb of Bandra, which can handle passenger movements.

The minister also appealed to Bombay High Court Chief Justice for an early hearing into a case where MbPT (Mumbai Port Trust) wants to take over the Radio Club, saying it has not come up for hearing in the last six years.

He said the Club, which hosts wedding receptions among other activities, is on MbPT land and it is time it was handed back so that the same amenity can be used for handling passenger ships.

The minister said a note on land use policy in major ports that will clear the decks for redevelopment in MbPT has been moved to the Cabinet and exuded confidence that it will tabled during the Winter Session of Parliament starting November 16.

Gadkari laid the foundation stone for the Rs 811-crore fifth oil berth at Jawahar Dweep at MbPT, which will add 22 MTPC capacity by accommodating larger vessels.

He also laid the foundation stone for a Rs 50-crore bunkering facility at MbPt and a Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) terminal for passengers at the Bhaucha Dhakka here.
Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang has received 'Pangkor Dialogue Award 2016' in Malaysia for the efforts made by the people of the state for environmental preservation and promotion.

The award was handed over to him last evening at a function at Ipoh city in Malaysia in the presence of leaders, academicians and personalities from various parts of the world, a release issued by CMO said here today.

Zeliang was awarded by the organisers- Institute Darul Rudzuan and Malaysian government.

The Chief Minister in his address recounted the efforts of the Naga people to make the state the Amur Falcon capital and how they, like many South East Asian societies, lived in close proximity with nature.

He also appealed to the people of Nagaland to continue environmental preservation and development and said the people should cooperate with the government to undertake mass tree plantation every year and preserve natural flora and fauna.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Domestic companies lead their Asian peers in strategy with 68 per cent of them saying that they have a full strategy in place now, against 57 per cent across the continent, according to a Microsoft study.

The Microsoft Asia survey  Asia Data Culture Study 2016  says 68 per cent of domestic businesses already have a strategy in place as against 57 per cent elsewhere in Asia who still do not have a full digital strategy.

Also, as much as 74 per cent of domestic companies have invested in training to enhance their employees' data skills.

But 88 per cent of Asian business leaders agree that it is important for their businesses to be data-driven for agility, says the survey that polled 940 C-suite executives from medium-to-large companies across 13 Asian markets including India.

Respondents were surveyed on their organisations' digital and data strategy, and readiness for the digital economy.

A vast majority of Indian respondents, at 90 per cent feel that the data culture should be driven top-down with a formalised role in the leadership team to drive successful adoption of data strategy. Most business leaders feel that the data culture should be led by the CIO, chief digital officer, and chief data officer.

The study ranks data visualisation, Internet of Things, cloud data storage, predictive data analytics and real-time analytics as the top five data capabilities that businesses will require in the next 12-18 months.

On leveraging IoT, domestic business leaders are more focused on smart R&D, followed by security management, and safety monitoring as their top priorities, says the report.

Even though 89 per cent of domestic businesses agree that they need to drive an agile data-driven business, they think their infrastructure capabilities are inadequate. This is expressed by 88 per cent across the continent.

Close to two-thirds (62 per cent) say their data are accessible across mobile devices now, while 67 per cent are confident that their existing data infrastructure is scalable with business growth and 72 per cent use data to predict future trends.

As much as 89 per cent of domestic businesses feel data-driven collaboration across the organisation needs to be enabled, against 87 per cent in Asia. Also 70 per cent are confident they have a clear data security policy that would prevent unauthorised leakage and threats, and 71 per cent also claimed that that they have a clear data governance plan to guide ownership, storage and use of data.

But when it comes to creating an analytical workforce, the local firms with only 77 per cent lag their peers across the continent at 84 per cent who understand the importance of having a data-savvy workforce.
In a setback to Essar Group promoter Ravi Ruia facing trial in a case arising out of the 2G scam probe, the Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected his plea to go abroad for business purposes, saying it does not want to take chances.

"We have allowed a person to go abroad but he never came back. He was no less big than you in monetary terms. We don't want to take chances now. We are now once bitten twice shy. We are not going to give liberty to anyone, a bench of Justices J S Khehar and Arun Mishra said without naming the person.

But the oblique reference was to business tycoon Vijay Mallya who has refused to return from London to face the loan recovery proceedings initiated against him by a consortium of banks.

The apex court dismissed the petition of Ruia who wanted to visit United Kingdom, United States, Canada and UAE for business purposes.

The bench said the final arguments in the case were over and judgment is awaited, and in such a scenario, it cannot allow Ruia to go abroad.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Ruia, said he cannot be allowed to suffer if some Mr X has cheated the court.

To this, the bench said it is because you are also similarly situated. He has also given the details of his assets and undertaking, but now he says I have sold my assets in India, the bench said.

Singhvi said that Ruia is an NRI and holds a residency visa of UAE and he has visited abroad 43 times for several reasons during the pendency of trial but never ever violated the bail conditions.

While giving details of Ruia's businesses in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Saudi Arabia, the senior advocate said his elder brother could stand surety for his return and can even go to jail if he does not return.

"Give us details of your businesses in India. We have access to your assets in India, not abroad", the bench said.

Singhvi said Ruia was accused for co-conspiracy in the case arising out of 2G scam and facing charges under section 420 of IPC and not Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). ``My case is at a higher pedastal. I have never violated any bail condition. I have a better track record,'' he argued.

Special Public Prosecutor Senior advocate Anand Grover opposed Ruia's plea and said he always wanted to be an exception and never followed the norms of giving details of his itinerary.

He said Ruia has never told what relation he has with Essar and always wanted to be treated differentially with other accused. The special public prosecutor further said that CBI was unsure whether he will ever come back as extradition these days is a very difficult task. What is offence in India is not an offence in other countries. There is no way we can bring him back, Grover said, opposing Ruia's bail plea.

Essar Group promoters Ravi and Anshuman Ruia, Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan, her husband I P Khaitan and Vikash Saraf are facing trial in the case, along with three telecom firms -- Loop Telecom Ltd, Loop Mobile India Ltd and Essar Tele Holdings Ltd. The five individuals accused, who are out on bail, have denied the charges levelled by CBI. The three firms have also refuted these allegations.

CBI had listed these accused in a charge sheet on December 12, 2011, alleging they had cheated the DoT by using Loop Telecom as a front to secure 2G licences in 2008. On May 25, 2012, the court had framed charges against all the accused under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with section 420 (cheating) of the IPC, while the substantive charge of cheating was made out only against Saraf.

In association with Mail Today Bureau


India will present proposals to the World Trade Organization on ways to ease trade in services, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday, as Asia's third-largest economy seeks to leverage one of its competitive strengths.

India cleared the way for a WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement covering goods in 2014, after tortuous talks in which it won a concession letting it stockpile strategic food reserves for its mostly poor population of 1.3 billion people.

New Delhi has often dragged its feet in the multilateral arena and been reluctant to cut bilateral free-trade deals because experience has shown its goods sector often cannot compete on international markets.

By contrast, country's services sector, including back-office operations for multinationals, is a big export earner and the idea of striking a similar multilateral deal on services first came up at a meeting of trade ministers in Paris in June.

"While there seems to be trade facilitation for goods, there doesn't seem to be trade facilitation for services, and that was a point I made in Paris," Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said at a business conference in New Delhi.

"This is a matter on which the WTO will now have to work," said Sitharaman, speaking on the sidelines of the Economist India Summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for freer trade in services at the recent Group of 20 summit hosted by China and, Sitharaman said, India will soon submit a paper to the WTO as requested at the Paris meeting.
A quirky tagline on an Indigo flight food packet set off a war of words mid-air between flight attendants of a private airline and a Gurugam-based businessman, leaving him "humiliated and cheated".

The traveler, Vinod Kumar, who had boarded a Pune-Delhi flight on September 1, told MAIL TODAY that he was shocked to read the tagline printed on the food-box served during the flight as it said: 'Buri nazar wale, rajma-chawal khale' (Have rajma-rice, you the evil-eyed).

"It was shocking and humiliating," said Kumar. "We pay for our comfort and here was this airline calling us 'evil-eye'. I was travelling with my sister who also felt insulted with the line."

He said he could not believe what was written and asked his sister, who was accompanying him, to confirm it. He even asked his fellow passengers to check what was written on their boxes, and said it was an embarrassing moment for him.

Kumar said that when he wanted to register a complaint over the matter in writing he was told by the flight attendant that there was no such on-flight provision.

Kumar said he would be filing a criminal case against the airline company and the Chennaibased food company Triguni Eze Eats which supplies the food box in flights.

The businessman said that first he had tried to take up the matter with the airline's office but their response had also not been satisfactory.

"The airline, after receiving my complaint, contacted me and agreed that what happened was wrong but they could not explain how they allowed such horrific lines printed on top of the packet," Kumar said.

Kumar says the incident has been a shocking experience because he had always relished 'rajma-chawal'.
Fifty-two-year-old Sanjay Ghodawat is a household name in Kolhapur. Starting out as a humble gutkha (chewing tobacco) seller in 1988, traversing the dusty villages and small towns of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa on a burly Tempo Traveller, Ghodawats business empire today is worth over Rs 1,000 crore, and spans sectors like wind power, agriculture, chemicals, packaging, edible oils, real estate, heavy engineering, textile and FMCG and, of course, the tobacco business. That transformation has also brought about a change in his transport - he now owns more than 100 luxury cars including his favourite Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, vintage Plymouth and Bentley. His fetish for cars is such that he has a 3,000-sq. ft service workshop at home that can cater to 15-20 cars at a time. And when the road ends, he also has a Eurocopter chopper at his disposal. "I have been hugely fond of bikes and cars," says Ghodawat. "My childhood collection of all sorts of high-end bikes and cars has now turned into one of real ones."

Ghodawat is a perfect brand ambassador of how luxury has seeped into even the smallest of cities in India. And of course, he, and Kolhapur, aren't the only ones. Right in the middle of the festive season in 2010, Aurangabad emerged as the luxury destination of the country. The small industrial town in Maharashtra, known for its acute water shortage, and the Ajanta and Ellora caves, witnessed a bulk deal of 150 high-end imported cars worth Rs 65 crore, with the who's who of the luxury industry seeking directions to the city. The event, in fact, heralded the trend of bulk luxury deals in India.

The Aurangabad Group, as they came to be known, comprising doctors, builders, industrialists and professionals from other fields, bought 13 top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz S Class saloons, 74 E Class sedans, 39 C Class, and 6 GL and 18 ML Class SUVs. The one-day blitzkrieg was not a coincidence. The buyers, in fact, wanted to draw investors' attention to the city and the bulk deal was one of the ways to do it. "The idea behind placing this large order was to bring Aurangabad on the global investment map," said industrialist Atul Save, one of the participants.

It is close to six years since the Aurangabad deal, and the appetite for luxury consumption in small towns has grown manifold since then. Despite limited presence of luxury brands at the retail level, a significant 45 per cent of all spending on luxury items comes from those residing outside the four metropolitan cities. From Surat or Vadodara in the West, and Jamshedpur and Ranchi in the East, to Ludhiana and Chandigarh in the North, and Coimbatore and Kochi in the South, there are many takers for the uber luxury spread in India.

Out of the Closet

With an acquired taste for exotic whisky and a curious fetish for high-end cuff links, 31-year-old Gurjeet Singh is one of this emerging breed of luxury consumers. He is a regular at New Delhi's posh Imperial Hotel. His immaculate dressing and polished demeanour help him blend with the surroundings. However, his relative discomfort with the Queen's language betrays his rural background. Singh hails from Jagraon, a small city close to Ludhiana in Punjab. The next-generation scion of one of the many industrial families of the state, his trips to Delhi are always punctuated by his shopping sprees - mostly linen shirts, silk ties (he never wears one, but purchases them for gifting) and of course, cuff links. "Punjab is known for its loud fashion sense, I like it more subtle. Delhi gives me that," he says, adding: "Sometimes I visit the city with no work... just to splurge. I don't shop with a set notion but brand is important and, if I like something, the price tag does not hold me back. We have our businesses and then we have land. We keep our business expenses in check, but do not believe in cutting corners when we shop."

It is obvious that beyond the glitz and glamour of the metropolis, small towns and cities are not bereft of wealth. In fact, everyone agrees that within large swathes of poverty, hidden pockets of wealth dot the length and breadth of the country - whether the land holders and large farmers of Punjab, West Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, or the diamond merchants of Surat, and the royals of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, or even the mining barons of Bellary and Goa, have deep pockets and a taste for the extraordinary. Yet, they have traditionally kept away from ostentatious show of wealth in small-town India.

"The rich in Kanpur, Lucknow, Indore or Ludhiana are the real affluent class that always had the money and evolved tastes. In metros you have the nouveau riche who have very recently become affluent, and the tendency with them is to splurge and show the world that they have arrived. Those who are traditionally rich do not need to show their wealth," says Abhay Gupta, Founder and CEO, Luxury Connect, adding: "They know about luxury and are aware of all the brands. They are also conservative and do not want to show off unnecessarily."

A part of the growth can, however, be attributed to better access to luxury brands. The high cost of opening and maintaining a luxury showroom in a prime location in Delhi and Mumbai does not translate into good business, if the luxury brand owners rely only on the just-arrived affluent class of the big cities. The concept of home shopping - where retailers organise trips for small-town clients to the metros - has, therefore, become a norm. The advent of e-commerce that virtually brings luxury shopping to your doorstep, has only whetted their appetites.

"The next level of luxury consumption will come from the interiors of India - from newer geographies in tier II and tier III cities," says Nikhil Mehra, CEO, Genesis Group. "We are waiting for the right infrastructure that can house international luxury brands in the environment that these brands require. Some new stores should open early next year, such as the Palladium in Chennai. We will be opening several of our stores there. At the moment, we also conduct a fair amount of home shopping for key clients outside the main metros. The teams fly in to service important clients, if they are unable to travel to our existing boutiques. Apart from that, the new wave will be the availability of luxury via e-commerce platforms," he adds.

According to a 2015 CII-IMRB report on the luxury buying pattern in India, 35 per cent of sales come from Aurangabad, Ludhiana, Kochi and Bellary. It also says that the growth rate of luxury consumption and conversion ratio of walk-ins at most luxury or hybrid malls are higher in tier II and III cities. "It is a reality. We sold luxury bags in Hyderabad online. We have sales in Pune, Surat and Jharkhand," says Priya Sachdev, Founder and CEO, RockNShop. "They buy everything - from accessories and ready-to-wears, to shoes and jewellery. Around 40 per cent of our sales are from tier II and III towns." A separate survey conducted by industry body Assocham last year said the Indian luxury market is growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 25 per cent and is poised to cross $18.3 billion in value terms by 2016-end. The survey revealed that growth is being fuelled by the rise in disposable income, brand awareness among the youth and purchasing power of the upper class.

"Luxury jewellery, electronics, SUVs and fine dining have grown beyond expectations, while apparel, accessories, wines and spirits have continued their strong growth in 2016," says D.S. Rawat, Secretary General, Assocham. "High Internet penetration across tier II and III cities, along with high disposable incomes shall lead to approximately 100 million transactions on the Internet by 2020. As a result, luxury consumption is going to increase manifold in the country."

Gods of Small Towns

The biggest challenges in any luxury business in India are high rentals and low conversion rates. The most appropriate place to set up a luxury store is always the most expensive plot of real estate. And, in an emerging economy like India, it puts businesses on shaky ground. Delhi's Khan Market, Connaught Place, Select City Walk or Mumbai's Peddar Road, Fort Fountain and Lower Parel that host most of the luxury stores, figure in the list of most expensive retail spaces across the world. The demand in just one city, howsoever big, rarely justifies that.

"Most people started getting aware of luxury around 2008 and, even then, the retailers had realised that a large part of the population interested in such items was from small towns and cities. In North, you had people from Ludhiana, Lucknow and Patiala, and later from Gwalior, Kanpur and Indore, frequenting luxury stores in metros. There were a handful of people who had the money but were in the closet," says Gupta of Luxury Connect, adding: "When the emporios started opening up, it became a shopping destination for them and slowly became a pattern. Retailers started organising shopping trips, bringing bus loads of customers from Ludhiana for shopping because, right from the start, it was a challenge to bring relevant people to the showrooms as the rentals were really high."

A 2012 McKinsey Global Institute study on cities around the world had estimated that 36 cities from India would find a place in the top 600 cities that will contribute 60 per cent to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025. The report also said that 20 Indian cities, including Ludhiana, Surat, Vijaywada, Vizag, Kochi, Coimbatore, Indore and Raipur, among others, would register GDP growth higher than New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Kolkata by 2025.

Yet, not everything is hunky-dory with luxury consumption in tier II cities. While a metropolis displays appetite for all kinds of luxury - from watches and apparels to cars, bikes and hotels - small towns often have a particular preference while remaining dispassionate about other forms of luxury. In the case of Aurangabad, the automobile extravaganza led to a rush of other luxury brands in the city. But, not all of them created a flutter.

"We have done some dumb things along with our smart moves. One of our bad decisions was to get into cities like Aurangabad, where 150 Mercedes were bought at one go. We went in without verifying (conducting a market survey of the luxury watches on offer) and had to shut the store within 18 months," says Yash Saboo, Founder, Ethos Watch Boutiques.

One size, truly, does not fit all.


In a landmark ruling that is bound to have far reaching consequences on the operations of several multi-national companies, a US Court of Appeals recently held that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) cannot compel Microsoft to disclose customer emails and communications, stored by the company on servers situated outside the US. The emails and communications in question are stored on Microsoft's servers in Ireland, and contained evidence relating to an ongoing drug and money laundering case in New York.

This decision overruled the previous verdict of a lower court, and was hailed by Microsoft and several technology corporations as a victory for the privacy rights of its customers. The case also attracted the attention of several foreign governments, particularly privacy regulators in the EU. Notably, during the trial, Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Data Protection asked the EU to formally support Microsoft. The DoJ's warrant, had it been upheld, threatened to nullify protections granted to EU citizens under national data privacy laws, and make any individual's information subject to seizure and scrutiny by the US Government.

Several lobbying groups and multinational corporations, including Apple, Accenture and Verizon had filed briefs in support of Microsoft's position. A verdict against Microsoft would have made it extremely difficult for US cloud providers and technology companies to sell their products and services in other countries. Users of US services would be concerned with the confidentiality of their data or records, and the threat of US state access.

The DoJ, for its part, argued that a federal legislation - the Stored Communications Act - empowered US law enforcement authorities to issue such warrants to US companies. Barring access, it was argued, would allow hackers, drug dealers and other criminals to escape prosecution in the US by deliberately moving information offshore.

Countering these arguments, Microsoft contended that these communications were held by it 'in trust', on behalf of its customers, and were beyond the reach of US regulators. Microsoft successfully argued that the actual disclosure of information takes place at the location where the information is stored, and not, in the case of remote access, where the information is reviewed. This would mean that the search and seizure would be subject to the laws of Ireland and not the Stored Communications Act.

Microsoft also convinced the court that a ruling in favour of the DoJ would open a Pandora's Box of worries, and would result in law enforcement authorities of foreign countries demanding information stored in the US. The court's decision to strike down the DoJ's warrant allows foreign citizens to rely on their national privacy laws, without fear of US law enforcement agencies exercising sweeping powers of investigation against companies to seize their private information.

Sajai Singh is Partner, and Yajas Sethlur is Associate at JSA, Advocates and Solicitors. Views expressed are personal


India on Wednesday inked a preliminary pact with Greece for bilateral Air Services Agreement that proposes to allow unlimited points of call for domestic airlines in the European nation.

Seeking to improve international air connectivity for Indian carriers, the government has been entering into air services pacts with many countries besides making efforts to re-negotiate existing agreements.

Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey today said India and Greece have signed an MoU for Air Services Agreement (ASA) under the 'open sky' policy.

"We have (proposed) to give six points of call and India will have unlimited points of call in Greece," he said on the sidelines of an event here.

Once inked, it would be the first such ASA with Greece, which is known for its tourist spots and scenic beauty.

According to Choubey, this is also the first MoU with a country under the provisions of the new civil aviation policy.

As per the policy, the government would enter into an 'open sky' air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries with territory located entirely beyond a 5,000 kilometre radius from New Delhi.

"Unlimited flights above the existing bilateral rights will be allowed directly to and from major international airports within the country as notified by Ministry of Civil Aviation from time to time," it said.

However, the points of call at other airports under the existing air service agreements would continue to be honoured till the same are renegotiated.

Meanwhile, the ministry would hold discussions with local airlines on bilaterals before starting negotiations with Dubai.

The ministry would have discussions with "domestic airlines on bilaterals before September 20... before negotiating seat entitlements with Dubai," Choubey said.

Last month, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju had said the government is ready to open negotiations with the Gulf nations in general and Dubai in particular to enhance the bilateral air traffic rights between the two markets.

"For the past two years, there has been a tremendous improvement in the utilisation levels of the bilaterals by our airlines with the Gulf nations. While it is 80 per cent for the region as a whole, with Dubai it is over 90 per cent now.

"And with the limits being reached, we are ready to open negotiations with them again. I think we should begin with Dubai shortly," he had said.

Between India and the Gulf, around 4.2 lakh seats are available every week, with Dubai leading the chart with 66,504 seats each per week.

For the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), the Civil Aviation Ministry expects to soon ink pacts with Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh, Choubey said.

Already, it has signed MoUs with Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jharkhand for RCS.
The wait has finally come to an end. In just a few hours from now, Apple will finally unveil the much awaited iPhone 7 along with the Apple Watch 2. Apple is holding a press conference at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco at 10 AM PT (10:30 PM Indian Standard Time), the event will be live streamed on Apple devices.

To live stream the keynote, Apple will use Apple's HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology, which can be streamed only on select devices.

The list includes iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Safari running on iOS 7.0 or later, a Mac with Safari 6.0.5 or later on OS X v10.8.5 or later, or a PC with Microsoft Edge on Windows 10. The launch can be live streamed via Apple TV as well and requires an Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation) with software 6.2 or later or an Apple TV (4th generation).

We will be live tweeting and updating the space with the latest news about the launch. Stay tuned.
The European Union aims to spur the roll-out of fast broadband across the 28-nation bloc by relaxing rules that force telecom companies to open up their networks to competitors.

Under planned reforms of the sector, national telecoms regulators will be required to take into account existing commercial agreements between operators when deciding whether to force them to allow competitors access to their networks, according to a document seen by Reuters.

Fostering investment in new fiber-optic networks, to meet rising demand for data services, is a major plank of the European Commission's reform of its 15-year-old telecoms laws.

National regulators will also have to weigh up the range of retail choices available to users to ensure that regulation is not more of a burden than necessary on operators' decisions to invest, the document says.

The costs of running optic fiber - which can deliver speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second - into households are high. Telecoms operators such as Orange, Deutsche Telekom and Telecom Italia have long complained that the current rules forcing them to open up their networks to competitors at regulated prices do not allow them get a decent return on investment.

According to the Commission's figures, 68 percent of homes in the EU have access to broadband with speeds of at least 30 megabits per second. Malta, Belgium and the Netherlands have the highest coverage while Italy, France and Greece have the lowest.

National regulators will be required to monitor the network investment decisions of operators and will have the power to sanction them if they deviate from their declared intentions without justification, the document says.

The aim is to protect operators who lay fast broadband networks first in areas where there is little financial incentive, such as rural areas, and where the arrival of a second operator would undermine the first's business case.

The Commission, the EU's executive body, will also seek to encourage operators to co-invest in shared rollouts of fiber-to-the-home by offering them lighter access rules in return.

Operators who adopt a "wholesale-only" model, whereby they sell access to their networks to other firms and do not offer consumers their own retail broadband packages, will benefit from lighter rules.

In a bid to coordinate how national governments allocate blocks of airwaves to mobile operators such as Vodafone, EE and Telefonica, the telecoms reform will allow the Commission to set a minimum spectrum license duration of 25 years, according to the document.

National authorities are loath to relinquish control over how they auction wireless spectrum, which they consider a national resource, and license durations vary across Europe, making it harder for companies to operate on a larger scale. Spectrum auctions can fetch billions of euros.

Once unveiled, the proposals will need to be approved by the European Parliament and national governments, meaning they are likely to undergo changes. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Ireland is missing a huge opportunity to strengthen the economy and create thousands of jobs through franchising.

Thats according to serial entrepreneur and franchisor Paul Teahan, who is calling on Government to proactively support the countrys budding franchise sector, ahead of Irelands first franchise expo - The Franchise Show - in more than three years.



Franchised businesses employ approximately 24,350 people through 2,975 different franchise units, across the Republic of Ireland according to a 2015 study by Ipsos MRBI for AIB and the Irish Franchise Association.



However, figures from the latest Irish Franchise survey, suggest the figures could be a lot higher, with 4,086 operating units on the island of Ireland, providing 42,927 full-time equivalent jobs and contributing 2.4 billion to the Irish economy to the economy.



While the outlook for franchising in Ireland remains strong, with 60% of franchise owners planning to hire more staff over the coming year, Mr. Teahan, Area Developer of The Interface Financial Group (IFG) franchise, believes it is only a fraction of the potential growth achievable if similar resources to those given to start-ups and foreign businesses, were applied to franchising.



The Interface Financial Group will be exhibiting at The Franchise Show in the RDS on 9th and 10th September.



Mr. Teahan states, "With little or no support from Government, franchising in Ireland demonstrated its resilience through the downturn and is now poised to grow strongly over the coming years. We are missing a huge opportunity to create potentially thousands of jobs because of a lack of support to the sector."

He added, "Theres no reason why we couldnt double the size of the sector, but more needs to be done to raise awareness of franchising as a viable business option for entrepreneurs and would be business owners, if were to make that a reality."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

About us
Global financial losses caused by cybercrime reaches at least 350 billion a year and is expected to reach 1.89 trillion by 2019 according to European Commission reports.

Cybercrime has led to the loss of around 150,000 jobs in Europe alone.

Data is the new cash, and cybercriminals can sell data many times on the dark web, without the victim even realising their data has been copied or compromised, says Paul C Dwyer, President of the International Cyber Threat Task Force (ICTTF).

This was the sentiment at the sixth International Cyber Threat Task Force Summit which took place today in Dublins Mansion House.



The ICTTF is a not-for-profit global project founded by the Irish cyber security expert, Paul C Dwyer. Its mantra is It takes a Network to Defeat a Network, and the objective is to link people together so that they can collaborate and share, in order to disrupt and defeat the cyber malefactors.

Now with nearly 4,000 members from over 100 countries, the ICTTF sixth annual Cyber Threat Summit explored the dangers facing companies and organisations, large and small. It provided a platform for consultants and experts from business and public sector organisations to discuss how to strategically deal with cyber threats.



Fourteen per cent of the cyber-attacks investigated in Ireland last year were via the supply chain. In other words, hackers identified a supplier as the easiest route to their target.

The Central Bank of Ireland has recognised this trend and advised all financial institutions that they must have robustassurance on the integrity of the security controls of their key suppliers.



In the survey from March last year, 57% of Irish people admitted to opening emails from people they dont know. Only 26% of Irish Internet users said they regularly changed pass-words and 75% of Irish surveyed used the same password across different sites and online services.

Victims of cybercrime here were slightly above the EU average. Nine per cent of Irish Internet users had been victims of identity theft, 10% fell victim to bank card or other online banking fraud and 7% suffered ransomware attacks, having to pay criminals to restore access to their own device.



Source: www.businessworld.ie

About us
This is a key housing market to follow since Phoenix saw a large bubble / bust followed by strong investor buying.



Inventory was up 3.4% year-over-year in August. This is the sixth consecutive month with a YoY increase in inventory, following fifteen consecutive months of YoY declines in Phoenix. This could be a significant change.



The Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service (ARMLS) reports (table below):



1) Overall sales in August were up 13.6% year-over-year.



2) Cash Sales (frequently investors) were down to 20.3% of total sales.



3) Active inventory is now up 3.4% year-over-year.



More inventory (a theme in 2014) - and less investor buying - suggested price increases would slow sharply in 2014. And prices increases did slow in 2014, only increasing 2.4% according to Case-Shiller.



In 2015, with falling inventory, prices increased a little faster - Prices were up 6.3% in 2015 according to Case-Shiller.



Now inventory is increasing a little again, and - if this trend continues in Phoenix - price increases will probably slow in Phoenix. Prices in Phoenix are up 1.6% through June (about a 3.2% annual rate) - slower than in 2015.





August Residential Sales and Inventory, Greater Phoenix Area, ARMLS Sales YoY

Change

Sales Cash

Sales Percent

Cash Active

Inventory YoY

Change

Inventory Aug-08 5,660 --- 1,004 17.7% 53,5691 --- Aug-09 8,008 41.5% 2,849 35.6% 38,085 -28.9% Aug-10 7,358 -8.1% 3,129 42.5% 44,307 16.3% Aug-11 8,712 18.4% 3,953 45.4% 26,983 -39.1% Aug-12 7,574 -13.1% 3,382 44.7% 20,934 -22.4% Aug-13 7,055 -6.9% 2,409 34.1% 21,444 2.4% Aug-14 6,431 -8.8% 1,621 25.2% 26,138 21.9% Aug-15 7,023 9.2% 1,588 22.6% 22,554 -13.7% Aug-16 7,975 13.6% 1,616 20.3% 23,318 3.4% 1 August 2008 probably includes pending listings
The chapel of Presidio La Bahia at Goliad. On Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, 342 captured Texans in James Fanning's command were marched away from the Old Spanish fort and massacred. Another 28 managed to escape and several were saved by a Mexican woman who became known as the Angel of Goliad. The photo is from 1936, Library of Congress.

Sam Houston, supreme commander of Texas forces, ordered James Fannin to destroy the Goliad fortress and join him at Gonzales. "We must not depend on forts," Houston wrote. "The roads and ravines suit us best." He would fight a war of movement, not try to hold fixed fortifications against superior forces. He would retreat and buy time until he was ready to fight.

Fannin, who held the strongest fortress and commanded the largest Texas army in the field, dithered. But if he dallied too long he could be trapped and destroyed like Travis at the Alamo. Gen. Jose Urrea was close.

While Fannin vacillated, Refugio settlers pleaded for protection as they prepared to evacuate their homes and join the exodus spooked by news of the Alamo and the approaching war.

Fannin sent a 29-man company, the Kentucky Mustangs, commanded by Capt. Amon King, to assist the families. King found them at the Refugio mission surrounded by 150 Texan-Mexican rancheros loyal to Santa Anna. He fought his way into the mission and sent a courier to Fannin asking for reinforcements.

Fannin dispatched the Georgia battalion of 120 men under Col. William Ward. At Refugio, Ward and King argued over who was in command; Ward was senior in rank but King said he was there first. King took his men to attack a Tejano ranch and before they could return they ran into Urrea's cavalry. They took cover among trees by the river a mile from town.

At the mission, Ward was surrounded by Urrea's army of about 1,000. A fierce battle raged on March 14 as Ward's men beat off four attacks. During the night the Texans slipped out of the mission to try to reach Victoria or Goliad, leaving behind their wounded with women, children and two caretakers. When Urrea's men entered the mission next morning they bayoneted the wounded and caretakers. One man, hidden under a mattress by the women, survived.

Amon King and 29 Kentucky Mustangs were captured and marched back to the mission. They were all shot. Their bodies were stripped of clothes and left for scavengers. The bones could be seen for a long time.

Fannin, tired of waiting for the return of Ward and King, on March 19 ordered 300 men at Goliad to load the wagons for the trip to Victoria. They left in a heavy fog, had trouble along the way, and made slow progress. They might have made it to the safety of woods near Coleto Creek but a wagon broke down and Fannin ordered a halt to let the oxen graze.

It was a terrible decision and they were caught in the open. When Urrea's cavalry was sighted, Fannin placed his men in a hollow square with artillery on the corners. There was furious fighting as Urrea's cavalry and infantry charged.

Herman Ehrenberg, one of the New Orleans Greys, said horses were running without riders while others were screaming and wallowing in blood ... The men were enveloped in such dense gun smoke they had to advance slightly from the square to see their targets ... The battlefield was covered with dead men, horses, guns, pieces of cloth, all kinds of objects.

During the night some wanted to make a dash for Victoria. This would have meant leaving 70 wounded behind, which most of them opposed. Fannin himself was among the wounded. They spent a miserable night without food and what little water there was had to be kept to cool down the cannons. A light drizzle in the night was not enough to ease their thirst. At daylight their position looked hopeless. Fannin surrendered.

They were marched back to Goliad and confined inside La Bahia. A week later, on March 27, Palm Sunday, nearly 400 Texas prisoners were told to get ready to march. They thought they were going to Copano, where they would board ships bound for U.S. ports.

Ehrenberg said the day was hot and close. They realized they were marching the wrong way, toward Victoria, not Copano, and it was strange that the soldiers escorting them were not carrying knapsacks for a long march.

A mile from the fortress they were stopped and told to kneel. The shooting began. After several volleys the Mexican soldiers fell on the wounded with bayonets and swords. At least 30 Texans played dead until they could make a mad dash for the San Antonio River.

Ehrenberg ran to the river, plunged in and swam to the other side. "I looked back at the place where my friends were bleeding to death. The enemy was still shooting and yelling."

At La Bahia 50 wounded prisoners were dragged outside and killed. James Fannin gave his watch to the Mexican officer in charge and asked to be shot in the chest, not the head, and be given a Christian burial. The officer took the watch, but had Fannin shot in the head and his body dumped with the others.

The coldblooded murder of helpless wounded and unarmed prisoners was done by the express and explicit order of Santa Anna, the head of the government. What did it prove? Except to confirm just how right the Texans had been to revolt against such absolute power in which the lives of individuals counted for so very little.

The bodies of the Texas were burned, as they were at the Alamo, in huge piles with layers of wood. The official Texas figure is that 342 men, Texans and Anglo-American volunteers, were slaughtered on Palm Sunday in Goliad. Another 28 escaped.

Several were saved through the intercession of a common-law wife of one of Urrea's captains. Her name is given as Alvarez or Alavez, Francisca or Panchita. This kindhearted woman intervened in behalf of Texas prisoners on several occasions. She saved the life of Reuben Brown, captured with Dr. James Grant, who was about to be shot. At Goliad, she pleaded with Col. Don Francisco Garay to save those he could and she hid several men in her quarters and later helped them escape. Her real name may be lost but she will always be known as the Angel of Goliad.

But if an angel was there that day, so was the devil.

(This is the seventh of eight columns on the battles of the Texas Revolution.)
COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Shovels planted in mounds of sand stand ready for use at the ground breaking of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's new Life Sciences Research and Engineering Building on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Corpus Christi.

SHARE COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi held a ground breaking for the new Life Sciences Research and Engineering Building on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Corpus Christi. Contributed photo Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi soon will be home to a new life sciences research and engineering building. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES State Senator Juan 'Chuy' Hinojosa and state Rep. Todd Hunter address the crowd during the ground breaking of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's new Life Sciences Research and Engineering Building on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Corpus Christi. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi held a ground breaking for the new Life Sciences Research and Engineering Building on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Corpus Christi.

By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times

Through research programs at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, students dabble in using cold plasma to kill cancer cells and sterilize food, studying lung functions of dolphins around the world and helping to restore oyster reefs, among other projects.

Now a $60 million expansion at the university will provide opportunities for expanded research in science, said Edward Proffitt professor and chairman of the department of life sciences.

"The extraordinary facilities that will be part of the labs in the new building will bring about a tidal wave in terms of the amount of research being conducted by our faculty and students," Proffitt said. "The new facility will allow (department of life sciences) to further leverage our already extensive cooperative research ventures."

University officials on Tuesday broke ground for A&M-CC's new life sciences research and engineering building that Texas A&M University System board of regents approved in September 2015.

During the event, officials announced a naming contest for the facility that will culminate Sept. 14.

A&M-CC President and CEO Flavius Killebrew said the expansion is yet another step toward the university's goal of becoming an emerging research institute. The university is classified as a doctoral-granting institution.

The three-story building will support some of the fastest growing programs in the college of science and engineering. The building will include six new instructional labs, 34 research labs and office space. The building will sit on the parking lot between the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies and the Early Childhood Development Center.

Funding for the facility was part of House Bill 100, which authorized the issuance of revenue bonds to fund capital projects at 64 institutions of higher education across the state.

State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and state Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, attended the event and voiced expectations for the creation of an industrial and civil engineering program and an unmanned aircraft systems program, respectively.

"We don't stop here," Hunter said. "This is just the beginning."

Twitter: @CallerBetty
COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Author Aspen Matis addresses freshmen girls about her about her experience of being raped in college during Texas A&M University-Kingsville's Javelina Girls Night Out on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in the campus' Memorial Student Union Building in Kingsville.

SHARE COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Texas A&M University-Kingsville freshmen girls listen to author Aspen Matis speak about her experience of being raped in college during the school's Javelina Girls Night Out on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in the Memorial Student Union Building in Kingsville. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Author Aspen Matis addresses freshmen girls about her about her experience of being raped in college during Texas A&M University-Kingsville's Javelina Girls Night Out on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in the campus' Memorial Student Union Building in Kingsville. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Texas A&M University-Kingsville freshmen girls listen to author Aspen Matis speak about her experience of being raped in college during the school's Javelina Girls Night Out on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in the Memorial Student Union Building in Kingsville. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Author Aspen Matis addresses freshmen girls about her about her experience of being raped in college during Texas A&M University-Kingsville's Javelina Girls Night Out on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in the campus' Memorial Student Union Building in Kingsville.

By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times

Aspen Matis spoke candidly about being raped two days into her freshman year of college.

A group of Texas A&M University-Kingsville freshman girls listened attentively as she detailed conflicting feelings for her aggressor when she was 18.

They kissed. They smoked pot together. He raped her.

She asked him to stay the night.

Matis, now 26, said the logic behind her desire to be vindicated by his affection is more common than she could have imagined. Learning that other victims once in her shoes needed to be reminded that they are loved was a pivotal moment in her decision to become an advocate for victims of rape, she said.

"That's the moment I realized I needed to verbalize these confusing emotions," she said. "When I realized I wasn't the only one."

Matis was the keynote speaker for A&M-K's second annual Javelina Girls Night Out event. She authored "Girl in the Woods," a book about finding solace in remote wilderness after being raped and dropping out of college.

The Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health and the offices of Student Activities and Student Health and Wellness sponsored the Tuesday event, which educates women about self-esteem, alcohol, exercise and nutrition, mental health and university resources. Del Mar College will host a Girls Night Out event Thursday, at which Matis also will speak.

Angela Knapp Eggers, senior director at the Bush institute, said Matis was chosen as a speaker because her message can help students prepare for their own safety. She also said having Matis share her story provides a platform to introduce resources available at campuses. Licensed professional counselors at the university were introduced to crowd during the event.

"Sexual assault is a disturbing topic at most campuses and bringing awareness and providing resources to prevent theses incidents is important," Knapp Eggers said. "(Freshman) come into this environment not knowing what to expect."

Twitter: @CallerBetty
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By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times

Another accused gang member was denied bail and two others waived their right to a bail hearing in the largest racketeering case in the federal Southern District of Texas since a 2013 prison scheme.

U.S. Magistrate Judge B. Janice Ellington denied bail for Pedro Gonzales, who goes by his gang name, "Grim," according to the indictment.

Ruben Saenz and Abelardo Pena went before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason Libby but did not seek bail. They could request a bail hearing at a later time.

A federal grand jury indicted the three men last month, along with 16 others. The 17-page indictment accuses the individuals of having gang ties and involvement in drug sales. Gonzales, Saenz and Pena are accused of being part of the gang and are charged with violating the Racketeer Influence Corrupt Organization statute, commonly called RICO.

Gonzales is identified as one of the gang's leaders and extortionists, according to the indictment.

In 2013, 32 people were indicted in a RICO case that accused inmates and former corrections officers of smuggling cellphones and drugs into a Beeville prison. Leaders were accused of using the cellphones to organize murders, attempted murders, home invasions and shootings. That was the most recent RICO case before this one, federal prosecutor Michael Hess said.

Six men in the case attempted to get bail Tuesday. Five were denied and one was granted $50,000 bail after his attorney argued his client was only suspected because he's friends with one of the accused drug distributors.

Twitter: @CallerKMT
Natalia Contreras/Caller-Times The tree of gold will be at the center court of La Palmera mall where shoppers can make donations of $1 for a gold leaf or $100 for a branch.

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By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times

While the trees outside shed their leaves for fall, La Palmera mall shoppers can turn one indoors gold through September.

As shoppers watch the tree grow with gold leaves and longer branches, they'll know pediatric cancer awareness is being spread in the community.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and La Palmera mall paired with the Ready or Not Foundation to kick off the Ready. Set. Gold campaign.

"So many people walk into La Palmera mall and we knew this would a great place to spread awareness," Ready or Not Foundation president Barbara Canales said during a news conference at the mall Wednesday. "More than 40,000 children are in cancer treatment each year and one out of eight will not survive. It's time to find a cure."

About 10,380 children in the United States under age 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2016, according to Cancer.org.

The tree of gold will be at The Centre Court of the mall where shoppers can make donations of $1 for a gold leaf or $100 for a branch.

On Thursday artists La Lisa Hernandez, Gilbert Cantu and Mayra Zamora will host a painting party by Vintage Easel at the mall's Centre Court and proceeds will go to campaign efforts and research.

"We'll be painting a tree and it's in the shape of heart," Hernandez said. "The heart is shining through the darkness and gold symbolizes pediatric cancer."

Hernandez said there are about 15 spots open for anyone who'd like to join and paint.

The mall will continue to host arts and crafts events from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays in September to raise awareness for pediatric cancer, Canales said.

Donations will be used to further cancer research at Texas Children's Cancer in Houston, the largest cancer center in the U.S.

A children's fashion show, which will feature Driscoll Children's Hospital patients will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 27.

Michael Kors shop manager at Dillard's and fashion show organizer Natalie Sanchez said the show is much more than a showcase of the clothes.

"Being part of this has made me more aware of the care and concern for health," Sanchez said. "This is all about raising awareness of the help that's out there. It's great to see the kids in the show that go through treatment overcoming some of their fears and challenges."

Twitter: @CallerNatalia

IF YOU GO

What: Hearts of Gold painting party

When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday

Where: La Palmera mall center court

Cost: $60

Information: www.readyornotfoundation.org

What: Children's Fashion Show

When: 2 p.m. Sept. 25

Where: La Palmera mall center court

Cost: Free

Information: www.readyornotfoundation.org
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By Fares Sabawi of the Caller-Times

Texas Parks and Wildlife experts confirmed Tuesday afternoon that elevated concentrations of red tide, an algal bloom, was discovered in the coastal waters of the Padre Island National Seashore.

The seashore staff took water samples at mile marker 0, 19 and 25, said Regional Response Coordinator Alex Nunez. All three samples showed red tide was present in the water.

The samples were taken after staff members noticed dead fishing washing up on the shore. Nunez said the tests suggest the bloom of red tide is localized to that area.

Red tide kills fish and causes respiratory problems for humans. It is a common occurrence around this time of year, Nunez said.

Last year, red tide was present in water samples at Horace Caldwell Pier, Bob Hall Pier and Packery Channel.

Nunez said the red tide disappears eventually, but that it "has to run its course."

Any beachgoers who notice signs of red tide should report their findings to Texas Parks and Wildlife by calling 281-842-8100.

Twitter: @Caller_Fares
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Whether the credit belongs to President Obama's leadership, aggressive regulation or forces outside his influence ranging from human ingenuity to Economics 101, there's no disputing that when he leaves office the world will be noticeably less greenhouse-gassy.

An Associated Press report on Page One of Monday's Caller-Times pointed out that regardless of who deserves credit, significant progress has been made during the Obama years in reducing the pollutants that are warming the world.

For example, in 2008, the year Obama won his first term, 48 percent of U.S. electricity came from coal. Now it's 30 percent, and it's less than the combined emissions-free output of nuclear and renewable energy (wind and solar).

Obama's policies have been coal- and petroleum-unfriendly and wind- and solar-friendly. But while coal has decreased, domestic oil and gas output has increased  so maybe it's just the natural order of things. The oil and gas industry is inclined to take the credit for its successes and that's only fair. Domestic production increased dramatically thanks to technological advances in exploration and extraction techniques. Obama inherited a country that imported two thirds of its oil. Today it imports less than half. And the industry could increase its output dramatically with ease were it not for artificially low prices resulting from deliberate OPEC overproduction in recent years.

Available natural gas is viewed as virtually limitless. Not only is it cheap but it's considered a clean source, especially compared with coal, which also is plentiful. The oil and gas industry makes a convincing argument that its ability to deliver a clean-burning product inexpensively has had more influence than government policy on the decreasing reliance on coal.

It wasn't so long ago that the concept of peak oil  the point at which the world would start running out of it  was considered a real thing. The industry, in no need of Obama's blessing, fracked that notion to smithereens during the recent boom that was put on hiatus by the price crash.

Obama has increased fuel mileage requirements for motor vehicles and energy efficiency ratings for appliances and buildings. Those are policies that industry officials see as indicative of "his war against fossil fuels," in the words of Sen Jim Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, the Senate's climate change denier-in chief. Those policies should be viewed instead as challenges that America can meet with the same kind of technological ingenuity that put the theory of peak oil to rest.

The fuel efficiency of today's vehicles and appliances would have been unimaginable a generation ago. The highway mileage of today's 6,000-pound SUVs and heavy-duty crew-cab pickups meets or beats the 2,000-pound early 1970s gold standard for fuel efficiency, the Volkswagen Beetle. We don't think it's cynical of us to doubt it would have happened without government intervention. Obama's benchmarks are just the next generation's standards for up-and-coming innovators to meet.

Whether government and industry have been working with or against each other, the transformation in where America gets its energy is progress deserving of applause. The next president, whether he or she believes in climate change or not, will preside over a country better equipped to deal with it.
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He was in a pinch, on a deadline and short on cash. So the employer hired undocumented workers.

Working day and night, they demolished a building that the employer ultimately would replace with a structure that would make him a lot of money.

When the workers complained about pay and dangerous conditions, the employer threatened to have them deported.

That employer: Donald Trump.

Reporting on this (how many of his supporters know this?), Time magazine quotes Trump's own associate as saying the Polish nationals doing the groundwork that preceded Trump Tower in 1980 were paid "starvation wages."

Illegal immigration is a scourge, unless it makes you money.

Listening to profiteers like Trump painting those horror stories about illegal immigration, it sounds to me like those high-profile sorts who, strumming Bibles to denounce homosexuals, later are found to be batting on both sides of the plate.

Hypocrites.

Adlai Stevenson had this to say about Trump's kind of politicians: The type who would "chop down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation."

It is sadly fascinating to see the ranks of the most alarmist people when it comes to this issue.

Recently the governing board of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department rejected a proposal by the federal government to use the shuttered Corsicana State Home for housing Central American children who came into the country illegally.

The objective: temporary shelter for the children until their relatives can take them.

Leaders in the city of Corsicana supported the idea as a way to use a facility whose closing hurt the local economy. But Texas Republican leaders, led by Gov. Greg Abbott, were more interested in posturing. They dare not be seen as capitulating to President Obama about anything, particularly immigration.

Pompously, Republican state Sen. Brian Birdwell said he would not "validate the mass influx of immigrants" manifest in this proposal, denouncing the president's "willful malfeasance" of immigration law. Harrumph.

Big words, small attitudes.

Of course, what this president is doing with these children, as with Syrian refugees, is what all developed countries do in times of humanitarian crisis. They help.

Texas Republicans know what Trump knows: Illegal immigrants are a serious problem unless big business can exploit them. And if they're dark-skinned adolescents, who wants them?

A newly released Gallup study of Trump supporters finds this: Those who are the most strident about immigration are the least likely to encounter an immigrant in their neighborhoods. In other words, they know not what they would demonize.

In the case of Latino immigrants, says the study, individuals in areas with heavy Hispanic populations, particularly close to the border, are more hospitable to them, and less hospitable toward Trump.

Reports Gallup, "Those who view Trump favorably are more likely to be found in white enclaves  racially isolated ZIP codes."

In other words, the likelihood that these people would ever encounter, or ever be impacted by, undocumented individuals is slim to none.

These Trump supporters are living a white-flight fantasy but have no reason to flee.

We don't need Gallup to tell us that in whatever case of stereotyping and alarmist generalizations, whether the objects of the generalizations are Mexicans, blacks, homosexuals, Muslims, or anyone else from a world of difference, people resolved to live in that world are more understanding.

Those who never interact with Muslims, who hardly ever see a black person except on ESPN, or who for all they know are surrounded by 100 percent pure churchgoing heterosexuals  those oblivious sorts are the most inclined to fear them.

So, Mr. Trump, when you build that wall, will you be using Poles? Mexicans? Syrians? Whom?

Longtime newspaperman John Young lives in Colorado. Email: jyoungcolumn@gmail.com.
| BY Ricki Green |

Audi Australia has today launched a major new brand campaign to redefine the companys reputation as an innovator ahead of a major new wave of product arriving Downunder.

Audi Australias managing director, Andrew Doyle, says the campaign takes a look back at Audis heritage as a technology pioneer to show consumers why the companys passion and commitment continues to drive innovation for the future.

Says Doyle: It details the aspiration, inspiration and sheer hard work of the people who build Audi vehicles, for the pleasure of those who own and drive them.

Weve spent more than 100 years striving to out-do every milestone, every piece of technology we have ever created, to deliver the best in premium quality and craftsmanship for our customer.

A three part television campaign, the new Audi brand advertising focuses on core values that include Challenges, referring to the companys future facing strategy which has seen numerous milestones reached thanks to advanced technology; Details which focuses on the companys legendary attention to detail and quality to create a luxury product that is greater than the sum of its parts, and Audi versus which combines the brands heritage as an innovator, and technological know-how to clearly demonstrate its Vorsprung durch Technik core message.

Says Doyle: Recent research undertaken by our brand showed us that luxury car buyers dont have a clear understanding of the way Audi has consistently challenged conventional thinking throughout the ages and this is what our new campaign seeks to address.

Were the youngest premium German brand in Australia and in a market as competitive as ours, reinforcing Audis rich and successful legacy in Europe is a message worthy of telling. We have consistently out-performed ourselves in terms of innovation and this campaign will help us to express our proud heritage.

The campaign idea is to explain how we compete against ourselves as a company (Challenges) how we focus on the premium nature of our business, how we deliver on customer expectations, luxury and craftsmanship (Details), and that we continuously look for our own challenges (vs) as a brand.

The campaign, voiced by Audi brand Ambassador, Richard Roxburgh, will be initially launched as three separate 60 second TV spots and followed up with a 30 second version of each. It will be supported with a strong social media buy, online video and in Hoyts Lux cinemas.

Audi Australias general manager of marketing, Kevin Goult said the creative executions did not require any new material to be shot.

Says Goult: Audi and the creative team at 303MullenLowe found that the archival footage was comprehensive, detailing so many innovations throughout the ages that nothing new was needed.

The reality was that we have been busy doing all of these great things for over a century.

Says Doyle: Weve enjoyed 11 years of consistent, sustainable growth in Australia, and now its time to take our next step forward with this major brand campaign.

Audis new brand television campaign kicks off on 7 September 2016.

Executive Creative Director  Richard Morgan

Copywriter  Harry Stanford

Art Director  Matt Smith

Head of Broadcast  Sean Ascroft

Group Business Director  Georgie McGarr
| BY Ricki Green |

ADMA, NSW 30Below is continuing its reputation for hosting leading professional networking events through its latest gathering: Revealing Briefs: Find Your Fit, held at M&C Saatchi Sydney HQ on Wednesday, September 14 6pm  8.30pm.

A legion of industry pros will be taking to the stage to uncover the tricks of the trade to nailing a snug fitting brief for every occasion. The lineup of speakers includes M&C Saatchi group head, Nick Russo and M&C Saatchi account director, Celeste Toffanello. Twitter head of brand strategy, Grant Baxter, MercerBell managing director, Julie Dormand, Vamp executive director and co-founder, Aaron Brooks, Tobys Estate Coffee Roasters communications manager, Meredith Young, will join Russo and Toffanello on the impressive speaker lineup.

When: Wednesday, September 14, 6pm  8.30pm

Where: M&C Saatchi Sydney, 99 Macquarie Street

Cost: $30, includes drinks and nibbles

Says Russo: 30 below is a fantastic opportunity to provide guidance and an inspired point of view. Great briefs lead to great work and great business results, so we want to empower those in attendance with tips and tools to help them confidently execute briefs, and achieve great outcomes.
| BY Ricki Green |

Internationally award winning photographers Mark Clinton, Michael Corridore, Tamara Dean, John Feely, Troy Goodall and Jouk Oosterhof have found a new home at Photoplay, as the production company unveils the launch of a new dedicated arm to represent high end artistic photographers alongside its film directors.

Cannes multi-award winning Michael Corridore comes to Photoplay as a previous winner of the Aperture Foundation Portfolio Prize and fresh from a group exhibition at the Obscura Festival of Photography 2016. His personal work has amassed an impressive global following and this year he won the Photobook Melbourne Photo Award and his film The Rip was shortlisted for a Cannes Lion Film Craft Award. Michael is available for both photography and motion work through Photoplay.

Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize and National Photographic Portrait Prize finalist Tamara Dean is equally excited to come on board and joins Netherlands-based National Portrait Prize 2015 nominee Jouk Oosterhof; highly sought-after lifestyle and outdoor photographer Mark Clinton  who has an impressive 140,000 plus followers on Instagram; this years Capture Magazine Emerging Australian Photographer of the Year and new Oculi member John Feely; and, Lurzers Archive of the Top 200 Photographers Worldwide listed New Zealand-based photographer Troy Goodall.

Heading up the new Photoplay Photography arm is partner and executive producer Alison Lydiard (pictured above, right with Photoplays Oliver Lawrance). Previously the general manager of Griffin Theatre Company and producer of Publicis Mojos Roche Contemporary Art Prize, she has also worked as a senior art buyer at Saatchi & Saatchi and as creative services manager at Y&R and brings a valuable agency-side understanding of what clients need. Producer Ross Colebatch, who has consulted to the Moran Arts Foundation and Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, supports Lydiard in the role.

Says Lydiard: Our photographers create their own individual image of beauty and provoke things differently. Im so excited to join forces with executive producer Oliver Lawrance and the Photoplay team who are visually arresting storytellers that understand the equal importance of narrative; whether it is across film or in photography and in new types of collaborative projects.

Says Oliver Lawrance, EP, Photoplay: Launching a photography arm of Photoplay is exciting yet it also feels like a natural progression from the kind of work we already do as narrative filmmakers, especially in the digital age, where storytellers are increasingly working across both film and photography. Im thrilled to have our photographers and film directors working in a creative space which encourages this kind of cross-pollination and collaboration from the outset.

The introduction of the photographers alongside the film directors at Photoplay sees the launch of their new website photoplay.co, designed by Christopher Holt.
| BY Lynchy |

Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesia has appointed SK Biswas to Chief Operating Officer, finalising its management line up and strengthening leadership in the market.

Biswas (pictured left) joins the business from Havas Media Group, where he held the role of Chief Strategy Officer for APAC and CEO for Indonesia and Thailand. He brings with him over 25 years experience in the communications industry, 12 years of which in senior leadership positions in emerging markets, managing creative, media and digital agencies.

Harris Thajeb, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesia, has built up a team of leaders to drive growth in this key market in Asia Pacific, and Biswas completes this leadership team. Other appointments in recent years include Iim Ibrahim, Chief Financial Officer, Masato Onno, Executive Vice President and Deciana Subono, Talent Management Director.

Commenting on the appointment, Dick van Motman CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Southeast Asia said, Weve seen Indonesia develop from a country with much promise to the strong business hub it is today. The new leadership team with SK Biswas as COO, will not just align but expand our capabilities to match the rapid transformation of the Indonesian market as it ascends into a priority market globally.

SK is a modern day brand builder who embodies convergence having worked in creative, media and digital. His broad experience in emerging markets will make him a great addition to the team to work with Pak Harris to usher in Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesia next stage of growth, van Motman added.

Thajeb said, In recent years, weve seen the company successfully integrate to become one of the biggest agency groups in the market and weve put in place some key people who have driven that growth. I am excited to bring in new talent such as SK to accelerate this momentum and encourage further innovation to grow our clients businesses as we grow our own.
| BY Lynchy |

Mars Chocolate in the United Kingdom is today launching a new series of adverts for the Maltesers brand that champion diversity and disability. The campaign goes to air for the first time on Channel 4 during tonights 2016 Paralympics Games Opening Ceremony.

The new ads, created by Mars Chocolate and AMV BBDO London, are the latest in the Maltesers Look on the Light Side series and were developed in response to Channel 4s Superhumans Wanted competition. Mars Chocolate UK and creative agency AMV BBDO London won 1 million pounds of the broadcasters commercial airtime for developing a bold, creative idea which puts disability and diversity at the heart of their campaign.
| BY Lynchy |

PR agency Red Agency has opened its first international office in Singapore. Red Agency Singapore will focus on PR, social media and content marketing, to drive agile and innovative solutions for clients in the market.

Red Agency is wholly owned by Havas and has taken on the former Havas Worldwide Siren PR operation, the integrated public relations consultancy founded in January 2010 and then acquired by the Havas Group in November 2011.

The move takes advantage of a realignment of talent and capabilities within the Havas Village in Singapore. The agency will look to bring the same success to the market that it has achieved in Australia with an overriding ambition to create campaigns that are deliberately shareable, powered by data and insights from the collective might of the Havas Village proposition.

Red Agency Singapore will already be managing a cross-industry client roster that includes Sony, Brocade, Sophos, TD Ameritrade, Tokio Marine, Sanofi-Aventis, Air France-KLM and UD Trucks. Additionally, a number of new clients will be announced in the coming weeks.

Red Agency Group CEO, James Wright (pictured above right), said, We believe the Singapore market has an increasing appetite for the type of work we do. We will be driving a lot of cross-fertilisation in knowledge, skills and client opportunities between the two markets. We want to bring our borderless creative approach to our clients in Singapore in order to provide them with an unfair advantage in market and deliver great business outcomes.

Red Agency in Singapore will be led by Allanjit Singh (pictured above left), who will retain his role as Managing Director, as well as Head of Social for the Havas Creative Group, allowing both entities to feed off synergies in strategic planning, ideation and performance measurement.

Singh said, The launch of Red Agency Singapore is a testament to the dedication across the Havas Village to deliver unblinkered thinking to our clients. This is our chance to renew our focus on data-powered strategy, compelling storytelling and results that make real business impact. The team and I are excited to become part of the Red team and energised by the prospect of being able to showcase the output of this process to the marketplace.

The team will collaborate closely with Havas Village sister agencies locally in Havas Media and Havas Worldwide to deliver on the global Havas Together strategy, an aggressive integration of creative, media, PR and digital.

Wright, who also has responsibility for the Havas PR APAC region, added, We have spent the last couple of months getting ready for this with training and pooling experiences from all the teams. Already we have received a lot of positive feedback to our market entry from clients and industry contacts. The team is super excited to get going.
| BY Lynchy |

Tiger Beers street food movement is back in a bid to continue its efforts to bring Singaporeans together to preserve our nations unique street food culture. Following the success of the first phase launched in April this year, BBDO Singapore and Singapores favourite brew Tiger Beer has embarked on the second phase of the movement to rally Singaporeans to show their appreciation and gratitude to the people behind our iconic local street food culture  our hawkers.

Tiger Beer is committed to championing our local street food heritage; we have to acknowledge the people who have worked hard to sustain this integral part of our culture. Knowing that their efforts have not gone to waste and that their food is enjoyed and appreciated is what keeps our hawkers going, says Venus Teoh, Head of Marketing, Asia Pacific Breweries (Singapore). And for all that they do, its time to say thank you.

As Tiger Beer enters the second phase of the street food movement, it hopes to remind Singaporeans of the hard work that our hawkers have invested to keep our street food culture alive, and give Singaporeans a platform to express their gratitude to these hawkers. Despite the labour-intensive nature of the job with exceptionally long hours, our hawkers still tirelessly bring Singaporeans their favourite local food at reasonable prices. However, how many of them actually receive the thanks they deserve? The focus of the second phase has Tiger Beer wanting our hawkers to see how much Singaporeans appreciate them and the food they create.

A little thanks goes a long way

The street food movement will kick off with two films, featuring two of our very own hawkers, which aim to jolt Singaporeans into realising how hard our hawkers have worked to provide us with our beloved local street food; encouraging and reminding Singaporeans to show their appreciation to their favourite hawkers. The behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the hawkers shows how they derive satisfaction from knowing that they have made Singaporeans happy, despite the physically tiring and often thankless job.

The first film titled Tiger Street Food  Cambridge Rd. Hong Kong Roast Pork has launched in conjunction with the street food movement. It tells the story of Mdm Wong Li Er, who gives out food coupons to the elderly twice a month for them to redeem meals at her stall, Cambridge Rd Hong Kong Roast Pork.

I dont have many skills, so I use food to give back to society and the needy. Its the best I can do, she says. When I see the smiles on their faces, it brings me so much happiness. Its a feeling money cant buy.

The second film Tiger Street Food  Truly Test Kitchen, to be released tomorrow, offers a different perspective, as it features 27-year-old foreign exchange banker-turned-hawker Deniece Tan, who decided to follow her passion and take over her dads business, Truly Test Kitchen.

Hawker food is so important to us Singaporeans, its such a large part of who we are. Theres so much joy and satisfaction when you see that you have made so many people happy.

By showing the sheer amount of effort that goes into making a dish the old-fashioned way instead of relying on mass production or short-cuts, the films also aim to deepen Singaporeans appreciation for our street food.

Singaporeans can play their part and get involved in the street food movement by:

. Taking a photo of their favourite street food experiences with their thank you messages and sharing them on their social media platforms with the movements hashtag #uncagestreetfood

. Giving back to hawkers with purchase of Tiger Beer

. Joining fellow Singaporeans at select coffeeshops islandwide to have a meal on Tiger Beer

At the end of the movement, the thank you messages on social media will be compiled and made into a video, which will be featured on Tiger Beers digital and social media platforms.

Through these celebrations, Tiger Beer hopes to rally Singaporeans to support the preservation of our dying hawker heritage and show their appreciation for our street food and the people who make it easily available to us.

Supporting our local businesses
| BY Lynchy |

More than one fifth of this years shortlisted entrants for the Warc Prize for Asian Strategy hailed from smaller markets including the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand. Nearly half of the 34 shortlisted entries came from India. This year, Warc received a record number of entries for the Prize.

Represented on this years list are local brands, including two travel and tourism brands: Diu Tourisms successful awareness-raising campaign through Ogilvy India and Onomichis memorable Cat Street View initiative through I&S BBDO/BBDO Japan that boosted visits to the city in Hirsohima Prefecture.

DDB Mudras campaign for Indian food brand Nutralite leveraged the popularity of Ganesh to encourage Indians to eat more healthily, while Leo Burnett Indias work for Bajaj Motorcycles honed in on Indians sense of national pride.

Multinationals such as Nestle, Mars, P&G, Lego, Vodafone, Amazon and Unilever are well represented in this years shortlist, alongside non-profits such as Make Love Not Scars, Love Yourself and The Akanksha Foundation, which was also shortlisted for the Warc Prize for Social Strategy and was featured in the 2016 Warc 100

.

This years shortlist demonstrates the very best in smart strategic thinking delivering awesome business results, said Sanjeeb Chaudhuri, Global Head of Brand and Chief Marketing Officer, Standard Chartered Bank and Chair of the judging panel. The wide range of brands, categories and markets represented is a fitting testament to the reputation within the industry that the Warc Prize for Asian Strategy has built since its inception in 2011, he added.

Agencies with a strong showing in this years shortlist include BBDO, BBH, McCann, MullenLowe and Ogilvy & Mather.
Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at 7:40PM

Despite issuing a global recall last week, Samsung is still a hot topic because of its defective Galaxy Note 7 flagship. Reports of a Note 7 spontanously exploding in a hotel in Austrialia and causing US $1,400.00 worth of damage.

My brand new Note7 exploded this morning while I was still asleep, it was plugged in and charging, he said. Phone completely fried, I cant eject the SIM tray to retrieved [sic] my SIM or the SD card. I was using original charger and cable if you are wondering. Charred the hotel room bed sheet and the carpet when I whacked it down to the floor, burnt one of my finger [sic] while doing that too.

Credit to Samsung, they gave the customer a loaner to replace his charred device and they apparently also covered all the damage done to the hotel room.

[Samsung] told me this is the first case in Australia, he added. I have gone to Samsung store and they gave me a loan device J1, and have been promised that they will take care of the hotel damages bill.

Stories like these are an unmitigated PR nightmare for Samsung. Specially after reports that it was the companies own SDI batteries that are causing the dangerous explosions. Everyone who has bought or is using a Galaxy Note 7 needs to heed the recall and either arrange a replacement or a refund. These phones are simply not safe until Samsung gives the green light to start selling them again. This recall isn't going to come cheap for Samsung, aside from casting doubt on the safety and quality of their batteries and phones, it will likely cost the company around US $1 billion to recall and replace the devices.

Owners of Note 7 devices are advised to go back to the retailer or carrier where they got their device or call Samsung at 1-800-SAMSUNG.

Source: Gizmodo
Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 2:51AM

Google might be looking for a way to improve security of its laptops. Mention of a fingerprint sensor for Chrome OS was spotted in the companys Chromium code repository. But it isnt clear yet how the feature might work with the operating system. It could make it faster to log into the device itself, access certain Google apps, or even to pay for items in the Google Play Store or third-party vendors. Google wont be the first one to try this out. A lot of the flagship smartphones have built-in fingerprint sensors and for the desktop/PC side you have Microsofts Windows Hello feature that uses biometric authentication as well. For now, Chrome Unboxed suggests Google might just be working on getting basic fingerprint scanning and then we can see from there.

Source: PCWorld
Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 10:19AM

image from Samsung Tomorrow

Samsung Canada announced the immediate availability of a Canadian Product Exchange for Galaxy Note7 owners. This exchange was launched in response to the recent announcement regarding reported battery cell issues with the Galaxy Note7 device.

"Samsung holds safety and consumer satisfaction as a top priority," says Paul Brannen, Executive Vice President, Mobile Solutions, Samsung Electronics Canada. "While there have been no confirmed incidents in Canada, Samsung is taking a proactive approach to address customer needs around the Note7 and immediately addressing any consumer concerns."

The Canadian Product Exchange will offer consumers the following choices:

Exchange current Galaxy Note7 device with a new Galaxy Note7 Exchange current Galaxy Note7 for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7edge through the carrier or retail outlet where they purchased their device

To register for a Galaxy Note7 Exchange, owners should visit:CanadaNote7exchange.expertinquiry.com to initiate the Galaxy Note7 product exchange.

Consumers experiencing any issues with their online registration can call 1-800-517-3507 to resolve any other questions or concerns.
wakes up every day not knowing how long his illness will allow him to keep rowing. Sometimes he starts shaking uncontrollably, that's when his rowing partner, Kathryn Ross, steps up and takes control as the pair set their sights on a
The platform states that: "Members of the Parliament or candidates should not accept money or services on the party's or their own behalf, above the amount of $3000 from any one source. Donations that are accepted must be held in appropriate Labor Party central banking accounts styled in the form: Australian Labor Party Campaign Account."
"When you do an explain and apologise press conference you have to have an explanation and he didn't. So he has to take himself out of the equation. My advice is he should take his lumps and go to the backbench."
The South African government is keen to privatise Broadband Infraco, which was set up in 2010 to build fibre networks in rural areas. Telkom, the 40% state-owned incumbent operator, has stopped talks about a takeover of the business, though earlier reports said a merger was highly likely.

DFA has confirmed to South Africas Business Day that it is keen to buy Broadband Infraco. Chief strategy officer Reshaad Sha told the newspaper: DFA has been concentrating on building metro networks, but to have large-scale coverage, we will need to partner with a player that has national, long-distance coverage.

In August, Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy told South Africas News 24 that a sale of Broadband Infraco would interest the mobile operator, which is part-owned by the Vodafone group.

The South African government has not confirmed that it is selling all of Broadband Infraco or even a stake in the loss-making company.

DFA is also looking beyond South Africas borders for further fibre projects, Sha told Business Day.
Franz shares the story of Flight 93 passenger Honor Elizabeth Wainio, a 27-year-old sales manager from Baltimore. Wainio telephoned her stepmother with a final message, They're getting ready to break into the cockpit. I have to go. I love you. Goodbye. COURTESY PHOTO

It's a tale of unspeakable evil, unbelievable tragedy and unforgettable heroism. And, 15 years after 9/11, it's a tale that needs to be told again and again by people like Rob Franz.

Best known in Chatham as one of the organizers of the annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day commemorations, Franz was recently featured on the front page of the New York Times for his work as an interpretive ranger at the Flight 93 National Memorial outside Shanksville, Pa. Though he still lives in Chatham in the winter, Franz recently accepted a permanent position with the National Park Service, helping visitors to the memorial understand the site's history and significance.

Shanksville itself is a very small town, Franz said in a telephone interview. The crash site is about two and a half miles from the town, part of the rolling Laurel Highlands of the Allegheny Mountains. The impact area is home to a stark memorial, a broad wildflower meadow, and a small grove of hemlock trees that marks the final resting place of many of the 40 passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93.

The memorial not only honors those who died, but tells their story. It's a story that Franz knows in great detail and can recite with military precision. On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners for a coordinated attack on American landmarks. At 8:46 a.m., Flight 11 flew into the north tower of the World Trade Center, and Flight 175 struck the south tower at 9:03. Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m.

Flight 93 was delayed upon takeoff, Franz said. It left the runway at 8:42 instead of 8:15 a.m., so the passengers and crew were in the air, with access to cell phones and outside news when the attacks unfolded. Four terrorists took control of the aircraft, telling those on board that there was a bomb on the plane and they were headed back to the airport. But because the flight was delayed, the passengers knew that their plane was on a suicide mission. Later, it became clear that the most likely target was the U.S. Capitol building.

The passengers and crew members called their loved ones and families. Then they did something remarkable.

They took a vote, Franz said. In a defiant final act of democracy, the passengers voted to attempt to overcome the hijackers. They did so, forcing the attackers to crash the plane before it reached its target: the nation's seat of democracy.

It's a very important story, he said. While the attacks in New York and Washington often come to mind first because of their real estate, Franz said, the Flight 93 story is unique.

We as a nation took a lot of solace, a lot of strength that the crew and the passengers on Flight 93 were able to stop the terrorists from completing their mission, he said.

As an interpreter at the national monument, Franz tells the story again and again, helping visitors understand not only the events of that day, but also the stories of the individuals who were on the plane.

It's like Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The adults that are there know why they are there, he said. A lot of what I'm doing is reminding them of things they already knew and filling in some of the blanks. But Franz also has the almost unfathomable task of explaining the site to children.

Each age is different, he said. Some children witness the emotions that their parents express when visiting the memorial: anger, fear and sadness. Franz said he wants youngsters to feel as comfortable as possible at the site, and he shares as much information as he feels he can. It's critical that they understand what happened so that, as a society, we don't forget.

It falls to them, Franz said.

Franz found the position in a listing of federal jobs in 2011, and visited the site.

I had to come just to find out what it's all about, he said. He applied for the job and was hired as a seasonal ranger. An experienced public speaker and a veteran of the U.S. Army, Franz was a strong candidate. When the memorial was seeking to fill a permanent ranger position, he applied and was hired.

Naturally, sharing the story of Flight 93 day after day takes an emotional toll.

I tell people that the emotion is there, and I guess when I don't have any emotion to it, maybe I should move on. I just can't let it overwhelm me, Franz said. He begins each talk by telling visitors that the site is a memorial that commemorates a tragedy. And he ends each presentation by telling them that the people that day demonstrated courage and strength.

And that's a good story, he said.
Photographed by Robin Babb

Last Saturday night (9/3), the Galen Weston Band opened for the Gipsy Kings at El Rey Theatre. Weston, the Toronto-based jazz guitarist, is currently touring for his debut album, Plugged In. His tour with the Gipsy Kings goes through several US and Canadian cities to promote the new record, and finishes at the Beacon Theatre in New York on September 10.

Plugged in features 10 new songs written by Weston, along with covers of Keith Jarretts Country and Jimmy Van Heusens Like Someone in Love. Weston, who's received glowing reviews from Downbeat Magazine and The Midwest Record, claims guitar influences such as Carlos Santana, Eric Johnson, and Pat Metheny.

Galen and crew laid down some solid tunes Saturday night, with serious shredding from Galen and Richard Underhill's masterful saxophone solos. The Galen Weston Band has come a long way from being a local Toronto bandnow that they've earned their national touring stripes, I look forward to hearing what they've got in store for the future.

Here's hoping the dudes come through our humble city again one day.
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
Sometimes its good to be reminded of just how good a car is by giving it go once more. In the case of the Mitsubishi Xpander, its the smal...
Volkswagen AG challenged the right of an Irish court to hear a case over cheating on diesel emissions tests as it fought to keep an employee from testifying for the first time in the scandal.

Paul Fogarty, a lawyer for VW, walked out of the courtroom to demonstrate that he didnt accept its jurisdiction, exiting as the first witness was called by plaintiffs lawyers suing the company.

The court has no jurisdiction to hear these matters, Fogarty said Tuesday at the hearing in Castlebar, Mayo, in western Ireland.

The case in the tiny courtroom, a three-hour drive from Dublin, has bigger significance in litigation throughout Europe where lawyers are seeking evidence that will support lawsuits against the carmaker. Law firm Hausfeld, which was involved in an American class-action lawsuit against Volkswagen, is working with Irish lawyers to gather material for cases in Germany, which has limited discovery rules compared with Ireland or the U.S.

A VW manager from Ireland had been scheduled to testify about an affidavit submitted to the court in July. Judge Mary Devins resumed the hearing after Fogarty walked out and the document was instead read out in court.

Nicolai Laude, a spokesman for Volkswagen, said he couldnt immediately comment. Fogarty said he may ask a higher Irish court to review the decision of the district court to hear the case.

Uneven Recoveries

European politicians and consumer groups remain unhappy about the limited compensation being offered to VW customers in the region compared with the U.S., where car owners are getting as much as $10,000 after their car is repaired or repurchased.

On Monday, European Union Justice and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Vera Jourova said almost all national consumer-protection organizations and authorities asked by the EU for feedback over the summer cited a lack of information provided by Volkswagen to consumers. She said shell meet this month national consumer-protection organizations, authorities and VW officials to collect more information.

The Irish case is being closely watched by plaintiffs and defense lawyers alike.

Michael Kremer, an attorney at Clifford Chances Dusseldorf office, said a group of corporate trial lawyers that meet regularly to talk about litigation trends discussed the Irish VW case last week.

Undermine German Rules

If the attempt to get more information via Ireland succeeds, it would be quite a boost for plaintiff lawyers, Kremer said. That would practically undermine the very restrictive German rules.

Volkswagens cheating on tests of smog-causing emissions has reverberated across the globe since it erupted at the groups car operations a year ago. Jourova announced plans in July to work with European consumer groups and regulators to pressure the company to give payouts to customers caught in the scandal. But despite Jourovas pressure, potential compensation or punishment of VW is out of her hands, instead coming under the remit of national authorities and courts.

In a report submitted to the court on behalf of the plaintiffs, Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, said consumers were injured in a number of ways. Unless the owners of the affected vehicles receive adequate direct compensation from Volkswagen, there is no economically sensible argument that these vehicles will not have reduced value, he wrote in the report.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
A 19-year-old woman in Florida has been arrested after she was filmed torching a white Honda Accord which she thought belonged to her ex-boyfriend.



Local police say the woman, Carmen Chamblee, faces a second-degree arson charge because of the deliberately lit fire.

In the footage released to the public, Chamblee can be seen trying to spread the fire which she set in the Accords trunk. She can then be seen casually strolling away as the fire begins to take hold and flames enter the cabin.

After footage of her was released online, a sheriffs deputy from the Pinellas County near Clearwater, Florida spotted Chamblee and arrested her before she was questioned by police.

She revealed to them that she thought the Honda was owned by a former boyfriend but in reality, it was owned by a complete stranger.

VIDEO
Polish startup Varsovia Motor Company is looking to join the big boys in the luxury segment with a newly unveiled concept car, dubbed Varsovia.



The vehicle, the name of which translates to Warsaw (Polands capital), has been designed by Kadler, a local design studio, that took inspiration from Sawa, a legendary mermaid depicted on the citys coat of arms, reflected in the hood ornament and other parts of the exterior and interior.

The futuristic styling continues inside, where focus was placed on transforming it into a luxurious office on wheels. The study has no front passenger seat, which was dropped in favor of two 90-percent transparent, 19-inch transparent displays that can be combined into a single 38-inch screen, once they fold down from the roof. These can be paired with the built-in computer with keyboard and mouse, and on-board tablet.

Rear seat passengers can use folded tables with a special stabilization mechanism, and in order to ensure increased comfort during journeys, the vehicle has what Varsovia calls an extended spa system, which integrates the functions from the lighting system with the audio-video system and a luxury seats.

The latter come with cooling, heating, and massage functions and, thanks to a range of sensors, can adapt to the users build and weight on their own, while other sensors, working in conjunction with a camera, recognize the passengers pulse and assesses if they are tired or excited in any given moment. From there on, the system will automatically select the hardness of the seat, favorite music and intensity and color of lighting, according to pre-defined preferences, set by the user, which makes the study the first vehicle ever that can automatically adapt to the passengers mood.

Another feature of the interior is that no element is made of plastic, as the company uses natural materials such as the already common leather and aluminum, combined with wood, silver and even mineral rocks. The parts that have the most contact with passenger hands are made of antiseptic materials, while the carpets and leather surfaces, which are exposed to pollution, have hydrophobic properties, preventing dirt from settling in.

Few details were released about the concepts powertrain, but the Varsovia says it runs on electricity, with an internal combustion engine acting as a generator to charge the batteries, which are built into the floor. The full electric range stands at 350 km (217 miles), but once the internal combustion unit kicks in, this rises to 850 km (528 miles). The company estimates that it can reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from standstill in less than 5 seconds.

Varsovia promises to present a full-size prototype during an international car show and considers producing it in a limited number of just 50 examples, after 2018. However, before low-volume assembly begins, the study has to be received positively by potential buyers.

PHOTO GALLERY
Photo: Contributed

A former Westbank First Nation chief has fired the first shot over the bow of current chief Robert Louie's administration.

Ron Derrickson, who was made Grand Chief by the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, was first elected WFN chief in the 1970s. He was re-elected five times.

In a letter to WFN band members posted on Facebook Sunday, Derrickson said he is running again because "it is obvious we are going backwards as a community.

"People have asked me to step up to try to get us moving forward again."

Derrickson cites what he calls the careless and wasteful use of band money. He points specifically at the private hospital proposed several years ago.

He called it a financial disaster, claiming it has cost band members more than $8 million.

"That's a debt of more than $12,000 a person or $50,000 for every family in Westbank," wrote Derrickson.

"This is scandalous, and we are still under the threat of more multi-million dollar lawsuits."

He also spoke of the chopstick factory project which he said ended in bankruptcy and financial losses for the community.

"The first thing I will do as chief is to bring in an executive committee of experienced business people to oversee the operation of band business. This committee will report directly to the membership.

"In the operation of the council, we have to ensure that expense accounts are kept within government guidelines. Recently, we saw a councillor rack up almost $18,000 in expenses in one month."

If elected, Derrickson said he intends to stay on for just one, three-year term.

Over that time, he said he will:

Fix what the current chief and council has broken

Make the community prosperous again  including restoring significant annual payments to all resident band members

Make sure the band has good business practices and a team that can carry them out

Derrickson, Larry Derrickson and Roxanne Lindley are all opposing Louie's efforts to win re-election.

Louie has been chief since 2002. He was chief previously from 1986 until 1996.

Elections for chief and council will be held Thursday, Sept. 15.
Contributed City of Penticton

Parking is on the minds of city hall staffers this week.

Studying the impact of paid parking on Okanagan Lake are among the items council will be discussing Tuesday evening.

The latter item will be the next step in the city's parking strategy, which suggests paid parking along Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake.

The proposed paid parking in those areas have been contentious for Penticton residents.

"We dont have enough information to accurately calculate the impact of metering Skaha Lake and Lakeshore and the impact of having a resident beach permit on the revenue of these two areas," a staff report reads. "Given this lack of information, we could proceed in one of two ways."

The first option would be to install the metres and monitor their impact in real time, which staff said would likely be revenue-positive.

However, staff wrote in the report that the revenue gain may not be significant enough for the study.

The second option, which is the staff recommendation, is to install the metres in the Okanagan parking lots in commercial areas and collect information specifically on those areas.

They could then extrapolate for the rest of the parking areas based on revenue received from the test areas.

In the report, staff noted concerns from citizens over paid parking at the lakes, and indicate that the test areas would give council some guidance over the cost-benefit of public opinion versus revenue gains.

The plan also includes expansion of resident-only parking. Staff mentioned petitions from several Penticton neighbourhoods to have resident-only parking in their area.

Staff are recommending to council that resident-only parking be implemented in the areas around the hospital and around downtown.

However, that could also mean a yearly charge for residents requesting a resident parking permit.

Tuesday's council meeting, which starts at 6 p.m., can be streamed live on Castanet by clicking on the image above.
Photo: Brenda Dorosz

A group of Osoyoos residents showed their support for the return of the city's high school this morning.

Osoyoos Secondary School was slated for closure after the last school year ended, but after a June funding announcement from the B.C. government and weeks of consideration, the school board decided not to close the doors after all.

What started with about 25 people outside the school at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning grew to about 45 to 50 people showing their support for the school.

Among those ranks were Mayor Sue McKortoff, a couple of councillors, local MLA Linda Larson and MP Richard Cannings, according to the rally's organizer Brenda Dorosz.

Dorosz said she would have liked to see more people at the rally, but said the crowd made up for lower numbers with high enthusiasm.

"The people we had there were very enthusiastic and celebratory, and that's what we wanted today," Dorosz said. "Everybody was just ecstatic that the school was open."

She said the students received the rally with their own excitement.

"Very excited, overwhelmed, there were a few tears, but tears of happiness," she said.

The group that Dorosz organized the rally with also donated donuts for each of the students to enjoy during their first day back.

"It was amazing, the school was just a happy, happy place," Dorosz said. "Months ago, it was just always sad every time you walked through the door."
Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo

The first of two advance polls in West Kelowna's city hall referendum will be held today.

Eligible voters in West Kelowna can cast a ballot from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. at the Westbank Lions Hall on Main Street.

At issue, whether the city will be allowed to borrow the money needed to construct a new city hall, part of a larger civic centre project.

The question on the ballot reads:

"Are you in favour of the City of West Kelowna adopting the City of West Kelowna City Hall Project Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 0234, 2016 to authorize the borrowing of up to Seven Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($7,700,000.00) to be repaid over a period not exceeding 20 years, for the construction of a new City Hall and related project work?

Both the yes and the no sides have been filling up the streets and boulevards with signs explaining their side of the issue.

The no side believes the city should use tax dollars for a water treatment plant and not a new city hall. They do not believe the city when it says water issues are paid for by users and that money is already being set aside for that.

The yes side believes the time is right to make such an investment. They believe the new complex, on Elliott Road, will help with plans to revitalize downtown Westbank.

A second advance poll will be held next Tuesday, with general voting day set for Saturday, Sept. 17.

All voters will register at the polling station on the day they vote by bringing with them two pieces of identification, one with a signature and one with an address, that verify who they are and where they live. Voters must be:
Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo

Several Okanagan wineries will get the royal treatment, of sorts, this week.

The province's royal representative, the Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, will present the 2016 Lieutenant Governor's Awards of Excellence in British Columbia Wines this week.

In all, she will present awards of excellence to a dozen wineries from West Kelowna to Osoyoos over the next three days.

All wineries in the province were invited to submit their wines for judging by a panel of wine industry professionals.

This year, 504 wines from 135 wineries were considered by a panel of nine judges. However, the 12 winners were all produced by Okanagan wineries.

One winery owner has been quoted as saying this is like winning the Stanley Cup.

Wines submitted had to be from 100 per cent B.C. grown grapes and produced within the province to be eligible.

Winning wineries include: Quails' Gate, St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery, Ex Nihilo Vineyards, Lunessence Winery & Vineyard, Haywire Winery at Okanagan Crush Pad, Red Rooster Winery, Ruby Blues Winery, Intersection Estate Winery, Hester Creek Estate Winery, Kismet Estate Winery, Gold Hill Winery, and Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery.
Photo: Contributed

Mexican authorities say gunmen shot down a police helicopter in western Mexico, killing the pilot and three officers.

The governor of the western state of Michoacan wrote on his Twitter account that a fourth officer was wounded.

Gov. Silvano Aureoles said the attack occurred Tuesday in a "hard-to-access" area near the Michoacan city of Apatzingan. The area has been a hotbed of drug cartel activity and was the scene of fights between the gangs and armed vigilante groups.

It was the worst death toll in an assault on a helicopter in Mexico since a May 2015 attack in the neighbouring state of Jalisco. In that incident, cartel gunmen shot down an army helicopter with a rocket launcher, killing 10.
Photo: Getty Images

A new report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada found use of the wrong fuel and inadequate supervision were to blame for a small plane crash near Thompson, Man., that injured eight people last fall.

Keystone Flight 408 left Thompson on Sept. 15, 2015, en route to Winnipeg, but had problems and turned around, crashing just short of the runway at the Thompson Airport.

Eight people on board were taken to hospital, including six passengers and two pilots.

The investigation concluded a fuel handling technician with little experience used the wrong fuel, and procedures that might have caught the mistake weren't followed.

Keystone Air had its air operator certificate cancelled last year.

The investigation found the flight was operating a series of trips to several northern Manitoba communities that day.

It landed in Oxford House and was scheduled to leave for Pikwitonei Airport, but the crew determined the weather made the trip too dangerous so they decided to fly to the Thompson Airport to refuel.

A fuel dealer was contacted to meet the flight, but the investigation found the chief pilot was too busy with post-flight duties to deal with the fuel handling technician, and handed off the job to the deputy pilot.

The deputy pilot noticed the technician was having trouble finding which fuel filler openings were for the main tank, so pointed them out. However, he did not specify what type of fuel was needed, and the technician used Jet-A1 fuel instead of the required AvGas fuel.

The report said the technician had about one month experience fuelling aircrafts and had only just begun to work without supervision.

He was required to present a fuel order form where the crew would have specified the fuel type, but the report noted the form was almost never used by the fuel dealers employees.

The report said when the crew started the engines, the remainder of the AvGas fuel was still being used by the plane, so the engines were performing normally.

Later, however, both engines started to fail. The plane then tried to perform a forced landing on Highway 391, but oncoming traffic foiled the plan.

The plane then landed in a partially cleared wooded area, with the cabin door forced open during impact with the ground.

The report said those on the plane sustained various serious injuries, but were able to help each other to exit the aircraft.

The TSB said a post-accident inspection found safety concerns and Keystones air operator certificate was suspended. After an in-depth review of the companys safety record, the Minister of Transport cancelled its air operator certificate in December 2015.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Rihanna says her new collection for Puma was inspired by Japanese street culture.

The pop star launched the autumn/winter 2016 Fenty Puma by Rihanna line on Tuesday at Foot Locker in New York City.

She says she remembers exploring fashion during her first trip to Japan years ago and leaving in awe.

Her edgy collection, mostly in black and white, includes loose sweaters and pants, dresses, skirts, sneakers and sneaker heels.

Fans screamed as Rihanna entered the venue, singing her songs that played in the background. She says she designed the line for her feverish fans.
Photo: The Canadian Press U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker, right, and prosecutors outside federal court in Los Angeles, Tuesday.

An unemployed motorcycle mechanic who gunned down airport screening officers at Los Angeles International Airport in a 2013 attack that sent passengers running for their lives pleaded guilty Tuesday to murder and 10 other charges.

Paul Ciancia, 26, pleaded guilty to all 11 charges in the rampage that killed one officer and wounded two others and a teacher who was headed for a flight.

Ciancia, who showed no emotion during the hearing, was spared the death penalty by entering the plea, but he faces a mandatory life term in prison at his sentencing on Nov. 7. He said very little, mostly answering "yes" and "no" to questions posed by a judge.

Survivors of the attack and the family of the officer killed cried as prosecutors explained in detail how Ciancia carried out the Nov. 1, 2013, shooting, motivated by anger about security measures imposed on airline passengers by the U.S. Transportation and Security Administration.

Security cameras captured Ciancia opening fire on TSA agent Officer Gerardo Hernandez at a document-screening podium, wounding the 39-year-old married father of two.

As Ciancia went up an escalator to the main security screening area, he saw Hernandez move and returned to fire several more shots at point-blank range, killing Hernandez.

Ciancia then stalked more victims with a semi-automatic rifle in Terminal 3.

TSA agents Tony Grigsby and James Speer, shot as they helped move passengers to safety, attended the sentencing and told reporters later about a scene of sheer chaos in the airport.

Speer, 57, said he helped a shell-shocked passenger moving slower than others run down a hallway. Just as he thought they were safe, Speer saw a teacher named Brian Ludmer get shot in the calf.

"A split second before I could say, 'Oh my God,' I felt boom, boom in the back and upper left arm. I was thrown forward from the blast," said Speer, who ran wounded into a convenience store to hide.

Speer, who survived a gunshot wound to the shoulder, said he was satisfied that Ciancia would spend the rest of his life in prison and called it "the next best thing" to a death sentence.
Photo: The Canadian Press

U.S. authorities took most humpback whales off the endangered species list Tuesday, saying their numbers have recovered through international efforts to protect the giant mammals.

Known for their acrobatic leaps from the sea and complex singing patterns, humpback whales were nearly hunted to extinction for their oil and meat by industrial-sized whaling ships well through the middle of the 20th century. But the species has been bouncing back since an international ban on commercial whaling took effect in 1966.

The moratorium on whaling remains in effect, despite the new classifications.

The National Marine Fisheries Service said it first had evidence to indicate there were 14 distinct populations of humpback whales around the world. It then said nine of these populations have recovered to the point where they no longer need Endangered Species Act Protections. These include whales that winter in Hawaii, the West Indies and Australia.

Before, the agency classified all humpback whales as one population. They had been listed as endangered since 1970.

"Today's news is a true ecological success story," Eileen Sobeck, assistant administrator for fisheries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said in a statement.

The whales will continue to be protected under other federal laws, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Vessels will continue to have to stay a specific distance away from humpback whales in Hawaii and Alaska waters.

A Hawaii fishermen's group that petitioned for delisting three years ago said it was happy with the decision.

"We just saw a lot of whales. So we thought this is a success in ocean management and we wanted to point that out to the world  that things are good with whales in Hawaii," said Phil Fernandez, president of the Hawaii Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition.

An estimated 11,000 humpback whales breed in Hawaii waters each winter and migrate to Alaska to feed during the summer, the fisheries service said.

Humpback whales are also found along eastern coasts of the U.S. and Canada. These whales, which winter in the West Indies, are not being listed as endangered. They number about 10,000, the fisheries service said.
Photo: City of West Kelowna

A submerged structure in Gellatly Bay has been bobbing in the water for some time now, and city officials don't know where it came from.

The City of West Kelowna's bylaw enforcement department is appealing to the public for information about the abandoned metal structure, that appears to be an overturned boat.

The vessel is moored to a buoy in the bay, but the city does not know who it belongs to.

The city has asked anyone with information about the floating hunk of metal to call bylaw at 778-797-8810.
The air cargo markets deceleration this year had a greater impact on third-quarter cargo revenues at American Airlines than its primary rivals, Delta and United Airlines. But the best revenue quarter in company history and a $483 million profit painted a positive financial picture that could be replicated in the final quarter thanks to resilient []
The Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based port terminal operator won a 30-year concession for the development of a multi-purpose project at the Port of Berbera in the Republic of Somaliland, the company said in a statement.



DP World won a 30-year concession for the development and operation of a multi-purpose terminal at the Port of Berbera in the Republic of Somaliland, the company said in a statement.

The Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based port terminal operator said the facility will serve as a new access point for the Red Sea and an additional hub in the Horn of Africa. DP World also operates terminals at the Port of Djibouti.

Under the concession agreement, which also includes an automatic 10-year extension, DP World will enter into a 65 percent joint venture with the government of Somaliland to manage the Port of Berbera. The company expects to invest a total of $442 million in the port, spread out over three phases of development.

The first phase includes construction of a 400-meter quay, a 250,000-square-meter yard extension, and the purchase of gantry cranes and reach stackers to handle containers and other cargo. Construction of the quay extension is expected to begin 12 months after the satisfaction of the terms and conditions of the agreement and take 24 months to complete.

The remaining investment funds will be phased in over time, depending on port volumes, but the port has the potential for long-term expansion with an additional 4.25 square kilometers of available land for the potential development of a free zone, DP World said.

We are delighted to extend our African footprint with a major investment in Somaliland. Investment in this natural deepwater port will attract more shipping lines to East Africa and its modernization will act as a catalyst for the growth of the country and the regions economy, DP World Group Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said in a statement.

Berbera will contribute to our continued growth in the developing markets of Africa in the years ahead. It is also a breakthrough in developing access to the sea for landlocked Ethiopia, the regions largest economy, he added. We look forward to bringing DP Worlds world class productivity enhancing, security, safety and environmental best practices in container terminal development and operation to Somaliland.

DP World Port of Berbera will offer East African importers and exporters a unique, additional world class deepwater port that will dramatically improve the competitiveness of their products in world markets and has the potential to transform the regions economy, added Dr. Saad Ali Shire, minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation of the Republic of Somaliland.
Guide to Choosing The Latest Mobile Accessories, Tips to Buy & Sell Its never hard to find the perfect mobile accessories to elevate your gaming, streaming, working experience. Learn the tricks to pick the best mobile accessories from screen-protectors, phone cases, and more Where to Buy Cell Phone Accessories? Learn where to buy mobile accessories in-store, online, and more. How to Clean Mobile Phone Cases Effectively? Learn the best way to keep mobile phone bacteria-free.

Each year, new phone models are coming out with bigger and better specifications. But, even if these mobile phones are now packed with software and hardware enhancements, youll still need an assorted of mobile accessories to complete the experience. Not convinced? Look on your mobile phone now, youve probably had the screen protector or phone cases attached, and most time, your wireless earbuds are all jammed in tightly in your ears. So, if you think mobile accessories are not essential, think twice! When theres demand, therell always be supplies. That said, youll find a wide range of mobile accessories, that can range from your essentials like the phone charger, wallet phone case to exotic upgrades like the cell phone tripod, and more. A good question to ask is, What are the best mobile accessories I should get? Assuming you already have some of the basic mobile accessories, however, were here to make sure you dont just settle for the basic. This guide serves the sole purpose to ensure youll find the perfect mobile accessories to elevate your mobile streaming or gaming experience. That said, youll find interesting mobile accessories that you dont even know it existed. Read on if youre interested to know how to take care of your mobile accessories, where to buy mobile accessories, and more. Dont worry, its free! Disclaimer Disclaimer This information provided should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any service providers or offering. This info is purely based on our reviews and insights. Please use the information responsibly. Should you have any doubts, please read the official rules and regulations provided by your services provider. CellularNews shall not hold any responsibility for your actions.

What Are The Different Kinds of Mobile Accessories? Mobile accessories can be interpreted easily as a supporting accessory to enhance your experience whenever youre using your mobile phone for entertainment or work. The types or genres of mobile accessories are indefinite. But we categorized some of the essentials that you shouldnt miss out on.

Mobile Phone Screen Protectors

Everybody knows how important it is a screen display to any electronic devices that needs the touch-screen function to operate. Thats especially when a mobile phone nowadays is so dependent on the screen display. Given that we use our mobile phone most of the time for streaming videos, browsing the internet, taking photos; a phone without a screen is almost defying the purpose of a mobile phone in the first place. With that much of the attention given to the screen displays, equal care should be granted too. A good way to start is by identifying the type of screen protectors, the materials, and its purposes. Though the typical reasons we all screen protectors are to avoid scratches from plaguing our phones screen. But, did you know there are also screen protectors that are here to withstand more impactful damages? Find out whats the best screen protectors you can get today! Types of Screen Protectors TPU Plastic Screen Protector Most of the time, screen protectors come in different forms and features distinctive functionalities that come with the pros and cons. Typically, protectors made from TPU Plastic aims to prevent light scratching on your phones. This kind of screen guard comes in the form of a thin plastic film with or without a color filter. It adhesive and its easy to install on your mobile phone. However, TPU plastic screen protectors tend to wear out faster, especially if youre rugged with your phone. Tempered Glass Screen Protector Dropping your phone is a common accident when it comes to mobile phones. Sudden movements can lead to your phone slipping-off of your hand or pockets accidentally. If you are looking for a TPU alternative, the tempered glass screen protector is the one for you. This kind of screen guard is the most durable out of the three. It can withstand scratches and fall damage. But if you drop your phone from an extensive height, the tempered glass will surely shatter. This is normal as it gives your phone that extra layer to protect the screen from damage. PET Plastic Screen Protector So, if your phone tends to slip off your hand frequently, the TPU material might not be the best choice. Instead, you should opt for the PET Plastic screen protector as its material is far more scratch-resistant. It wont cost much considering its durability. But the downside is, it is harder to remove as compared to TPU screen protectors. Another downside of TPU plastic is that it is not that resistant to fall damage. Disclaimer Disclaimer CellularNews may earn a small commission when you buy through the links on our site. Dont worry, it wont cost you anything extra. Do note that the prices may change from time to time. CellularNews shall not hold any responsibility as the listed product prices are beyond our control.

Purpose of Using Screen Protectors

Best Choice iCarez [HD Anti Glare Matte Screen Protector for Apples iPhone]  Check Latest Price Premium Pack MANTO Full-Coverage Tempered Glass Screen Protector for iPhone  Check Latest Price Best Value Supershieldz Anti-Spy Tempered Glass Screen Protector for iPhone  Check Latest Price Multi-Layered Screen Protector This type of screen protector is the best if youre seeking for extensive protection from knocks and scratches. As the name implies, this kind of screen guard has many layers for added protection. Its thick enough to withstand a stronger impact. The substantial layers are here to make sure your phone display is well-intact even if the screen protectors are shattered. Ultra-Clear Ultra-Clear variants protect your screen while also giving maximum clarity. If you crave a screen protector that protects without unnecessary tints, glares nor extra effects, this is a great fit. It serves the purpose and youll be able to see and feel your screen as if theres nothing is on top of it. Anti-Glare Screen Protector The anti-glare screen protector can help to reduce glares on your LCD screen. This type of protector can aid in reducing eye strain which is ideal for users whos using devices under bright light exposure. Typically, it features a matte finish coating thats perfect to reduce fingerprints left on the screen. It usually comes with anti-scratch coating and the non-adhesive backing leaves zero to non-sticky residues on the screen. The only downside for this type of screen protector is it tends to decrease the clarity. Privacy Protect Screen Protector Privacy protectors are made to shield your screen content from the prying eyes. Its created in a way to make your screen content less noticeable when the phone is tilted at an angle. If youre a business user who reads company data or personal emails on the go, you might want to opt for this. Mirror Screen Protector Mirror Screen guards allow an effect that is the same with chromed-out products. What it does is it allows your phone screen to produce a clear reflection as a mirror would. This is perfect for people who use their phone screens to act as a secondary mirror and is especially helpful when applying make-up or checking for facial irregularities.

How to Apply Screen Protectors Properly?

Theres only one reason why its hard to apply screen protectors  wrong techniques. Though many would have just preferred to seek professional help, you wouldnt have guessed that its surprisingly easy to just do it at home. Not only its cheaper to DIY, but its also far more convenient. All you need is the correct tools and skills to do it. However, we dont deny you might need some practice, but once youve got a hang of it, youll probably never want to look for any specialists anymore. One of the most crucial steps is by choosing the correct type of screen protector. Regardless if its anti-scratch or anti-spy protectors, all you need is to decide on a screen protector. The last thing you want is to peel and sticks your screen protectors over and over again. Once youve decided on a screen protector, heres what you need to stick them flawlessly. 1. Clean your screen with alcohol wipes. Make sure theres no fingerprints or dust on the screen before you attach the screen protector. 2. Once youre done, peel off only a quarter to half of the protective film off the screen protector to reveal the adhesive. Align the screen protector to your screens display, adjust accordingly before you stick it onto the screen. 3. Do not install the whole protector directly onto the screen. Instead, slowly make your way to adhere the screen protector from top to bottom to avoid air bubbles. We recommend you to use a towel to rub the layer as youre applying it. 4. Once youve placed the screen protector, you can remove the trapped air bubbles by pushing out them out of the screen. Do note that you might want to apply some force to get them out of the way.

Cables for Mobile phones

Mobile Phone Cables for Android Devices Type-C is now common especially when it comes to newer devices. This type of cable allows data to transfer faster from your device to its destination. USB-C cables also allow chargers to increase the power that they transfer to your devices. Type-C cables are also starting to replace audio jacks in some devices. Micro-USB is the most popular form of cables used on mobile devices. You can use this for charging phones, transferring data, and more. But, Micro-USB cables are being replaced by Type-C because of the better functionality

Mobile Phone Cables for iOS Devices USB-C technology is also used by Apple for its mobile devices. You can see it used on Lightning-USB-C hybrids as well as in Card Reader adaptors. With Apples popularity, third-party companies have also started selling their cables. Lightning cables are an Apple signature when it comes to mobile devices. You can use this cable to charge iOS devices and connect them to a Mac computer. Lightning cables usually come with a Micro USB or Type C end. It can also come connected to an adapter or other accessories such as cameras. Last but not least is 30-Pin to USB Cables. These have been a long staple to Apple products. Its purpose is for it to see use in the majority of Apple products.

HDMI Cables HDMI cables are what people use to connect smartphones with TVs and monitors. These kinds of cables are also used on gaming consoles and computers. HDMI allows the transfer of high-definition media from the input and the output. Some cables can be directly connected to phones while others need an adapter. To connect a phone to a monitor or tv, you should know what HDMI cable to get. If you prefer a direct connection, find an HDMI cable that is compatible with your phones input. Lightning, USB-C, Micro-USB, and even 30-pin ports need the proper cables. If you can find a cable that is the same as your phone, then its smooth sailing from there. Just connect the cable to your phones port and connect the HDMI end to your TV. But, if you cant find an HDMI cable for your phone, the next alternative is via an adapter. All you have to do is connect the adapter to your smartphone. Next, connect the HDMI cable to both the adapter and TV. Once thats complete, your phone is now connected to a TV or monitor. Another thing to take note of is doing research ahead of time. Your phone may not be capable of supporting HDMI features. Tips to take care of your cables

Best Choice Avantree Reusable Cord & Cable Organizer  Check Latest Price Premium Pack Bestfy Cord Organizer System Cable Management  Check Latest Price Best Value Waterproof Cable Management Travel Pouch  Check Latest Price Cables are one of the most replaced accessories when it comes to cell phones. Often, this is a result of multiple uses or the users negligence. One good way of protecting your cables is by storing them properly. Do not roll the cable around the charger or device when storing them. Instead, roll the cable around your palm and use a velcro strap to secure it. Another way a cable gets damaged is near its ends. This is a result of excessive usage and carelessly pulling on the cable. It can also be a result of animal bites especially pests that live in your home. One way of countering this is by wrapping a metal or plastic coil on the ends of your cables. This will prevent animals from gnawing on your cables. This will also prevent objects from scratching your cables ends.

Smartphone Projectors

Smartphone projectors are a way to elevate your next presentation or movie night. Connect your smartphone to a projector and enjoy visuals than what your phone will allow. Aside from watching movies or conducting office presentations, a projector offers more functionalities than you can imagine. The limits are only bound by what you can imagine doing with it. Learn whats the best smartphone projectors that worth its price tag. In case youre unsure whats the best way to fully utilize it, well show you how to use a cell phone projector precisely. Pick up the skill as we show you how to connect, to take care, and to make the best out of your investment in a projector.

Mobile Phone Holders & stands

We know its inconvenient to hold onto your mobile phone the entire time when youre streaming a movie or a video. Thats when a mobile phone stand comes in handy to save the day. Though its functionality might not be the most versatile, its helpful in many ways. Regardless if you need a cell phone holder to  keep your mobile phone in place, to secure its position for better navigation while youre driving, or for other purposes; its reliable enough to do the job for you. Phone holders can come in different sizes, colors, models, and distinct materials. Youll find compact phone holders that are easy to transport with, but, also with those that are bulkier to withstand the weight of your mobile for better stability. While there are plenty of options in the market, we narrowed down some of the best phone holders that are useful in the car or on your desk for you.

cell phone chargers

Chargers for phones and other mobile devices are now becoming a necessity. Thats especially when the world is now heading towards an age dominated by electronic gadgets. As good as they were, everything does have its lifespan. That said, even your mobile phone with a large battery capacity will be depleted. Thats when these chargers come in to save the day. With various demands nowadays, chargers available in the market come in different shapes, sizes, and compatibility. Some of these only work with a specific OS or USB type, while some are made to be adaptable that caters to a wider demand. Believe it or not, chargers feature more functionality than just its the primary uses. The most common one is the plug-in charger that you insert in a socket for it to work. However, some chargers can power-up your phones without inserting a jack or USB. The result? Youll find wireless chargers available for your convenience and solar-powered phone chargers for people who want to lessen their energy footprints. Then, you also have portable chargers and power banks. These devices will allow you to charge your phone whenever and wherever. In case of an emergency, these devices are your best friends. There are numerous types of chargers for different phones, getting one should be based on your preferences.

smartwatches

Before, watches were only used to measure time. Seeing what time it is or recording a lap was one of the few functions of a watch. But now, watches come with an assorted of functions including  the call function, navigation function, fitness tracking, and more. Though it still features the basic function to tell the time, these smartwatches are smarter in a sense to help you do things without the actual electronic gadgets. A fit for the current spectrum, smartwatches function more or less like smartphones. They can show notifications and allow you to answer calls anytime anywhere even underwater. How it works is pretty straightforward. All it takes for it to work is by connecting your smartwatch with the Bluetooth function. An additional function to your basic watches, smartwatches usually come with the function thatll allow you to stream music on-the-go. Aside from that, youll find a health tracker to monitor your vitals. The health analysis is especially helpful to help you understand how your body works and gives you a head up in case of any irregularities. But, not all smartwatches are made equal. Some run with a specific OS and can only connect to a specific model or brand of a mobile phone. An example of this is kids smartwatches that are made to track their whereabouts and safety or fitness trackers made for people who love the outdoors. Then, you have waterproof smartwatches that have similar features but are more for active people.

Fitness Trackers

Speaking of fitness trackers, these are devices allow you to sync the data to your mobile phone. Regardless its to tell the time or to analyze your daily activities. If smartwatches aim to be an extension of your device, fitness trackers is the best accessories to complement your mobile for your health. These trackers or bands are best to track your daily activities and to give you an overview of your health. The upshot? Not only its stylish, but it also works well to check your heart rate, calories burned even when youre at an absolute steady motion. A fitness band can also measure your speed and how efficient you move. Then, you can take note of all the measurements to see your improvements. So how do you connect a fitness tracker to your phone? Well, you can connect it via Bluetooth which will pair up with a corresponding app. Yes, you will most likely need to download an app if you want to sync your trackerunless specified.

cell phone Cases

Cell phone cases are not just for aesthetic purposes. They are also capable to function differently according to its feature. While most phone cases is made for the aesthetic purpose, others are built to have more resistance and can protect your phone from taking the knocks. Also, those mobile cases that can work as wallets, an extra battery pack, or make with a specific design to your everyday outdoor use. If youre interested to find out what are the best phone case brands to make your pennyworth, here it is.

how to choose a phone case?

When buying a case for your mobile phone, you should take into consideration a few things. First, you should know the sizes of your mobile phone and make sure the chosen ones are compatible with your phone. Another thing to consider is the material of the phone case. You pay for what you get, so dont expect a cheap phone case to last an eternity. That said, if youre those who are keen on searching for the perfect phone case for maximum protection and durable, opt for a rugged phone case or carbon fiber phone case. Though you might expect to pay a more premium price for its quality. However, if you prefer something that is more aesthetically pleasing, a rubber, silicone or plastic phone case might be something for you. A worthy note is that plastic phone covers arent that durable while silicone material phone case its more prone to dirt. As for convenience, a phone wallet is perfect for those who are always on the go. If youre into sports, opt for an armband phone case, its convenient and sturdy enough to accommodate your needs. A good way to protect your phone cases is to stay away from chemicals products. That said, detergent, perfumes and such are a big no. As for plastic phone case, try to keep them away from sunlight, itll deform the shape and leaving sticky residues on your mobile phone. Learn the correct way to DIY your phone case for the perfect phone case you ever wished for. Here are some of the reliable phone case brands we can recommend.

Luxy Lemon Luxy lemon features a wide range of mobile accessories that range from phone cases, wireless charging, lens protection, screen protectors, and more. One of the more popular products on Luxy Lemon is their battery phone case and it received overwhelmingly good reviews. So, try it and let us know what you think. Best LuxyLemon Phone CasesView Review Casetify Expect to find a huge range of phone cases, accessories on Casetify. Welcome home with your custom design phone cases, sling case, latest, and trendiest phone cases on Casetify. Its affordable and the quality wont disappoint. Best Casetify Phone CasesView Review Speck Speck prioritizes on quality. Though it might not have the trendiest and most aesthetically pleasing phone cases, Speck phone cases are sturdy and durable. Best Speck Phone CasesView Review

Razer Most Razer phone case comes with microfiber lining that can sustain the knocks. Made with high-quality silicone, PET plastic and more, Razers phone case features sleek, elegant yet presenting the gaming aesthetic every gamer craves for. Best Razer Phone CasesView Review

cell phone camera lenses

Cell phone cameras are getting more powerful with every new release. The gap between traditional and mobile photography is starting to lessen. But, that doesnt mean that these cameras can satisfy everyone. While on the bright side is there are plenty of mobile accessories like the camera lens kit to turn your passion for photography into a real thing without overspending on professional camera equipment. Depending on the effect that you want, there are a variety of lenses from  fisheye lenses, wide lenses, color filtered lenses, and more. Though a camera lens is supposed to accentuate your photographs, not every one of them does what its supposed to do. Find out whats the best camera lens you should be getting. We make sure these lenses are worth its price tag and its an investment that you wont regret. Dont worry, we explained the difference in all of these lenses just so you can pick and choose the perfect one to make your money worth.

selfie sticks & cell phone tripods

As important as having a great time while youre traveling or having a gathering, its almost essential to take a photo or two to capture these memorable moments. Not only its useful to help you refresh your memory, but its also fun and informative to share these moments with your friends and family. Though sometime you might not be traveling with a companion, a selfie and a tripod is all you need to take these photos with minimal help. All you need is to set up these gadgets and youre off to go. So, whether you fancy a selfie or to take some quirky photos of your travel adventures, they are here to save the day. Nowadays, selfie sticks and tripods come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and functions. Though most of them work more or less the same, still, there are some criteria you need to consider. Thats especially the material used, the functionalities, its convenience, and more. We rounded up some of the best tripods and best selfie sticks youll ever need for your phone. Whether youre taking a photo, videos, or anything of the sort, we got you covered. Say bye to those shaky and blurry photos with these tripods.

Best Bluetooth speakers

Whether youre looking to study, throw a party, or chill, speakers are a good tool to enhance the mood. These devices allow you to play your favorite songs and though some speakers require a jack to your phone while some dont. But with the advancement of technology, most speakers can be synced via Bluetooth. All you need is a stable connection and youre free to play any music any time anywhere. The good thing about this is that you dont need to spend on wires and cables. Plus, some Bluetooth speakers are also portable and you can use them whenever you want. The only downside on Bluetooth speakers is that you have to be aware that your device needs to be in a certain to function properly. When youre considering a Bluetooth speaker, its best to know its purpose. Is it outdoor or something else? Preferably, a waterproof speaker is more durable to withstand the harsh weather condition, while smart speakers like the Echo dot or Apple Home should be for indoor use. A portable compact Bluetooth speaker is best for outdoor camping or for traveling. Its much more convenient and the music quality is not too dubious.

Best headphones, headsets & Earbuds

If youre looking to listen to your favorite tracks with a little discretion, this section is for you. Whether you are working out, studying or just an audiophile, there is a listening gadget for you. Before we venture further, we have to discuss what is the difference between headphones, headsets, earphone, and earbuds The difference between a headphone and headset is that the latter features a microphone built-in to it. This allows you to take calls or use them when playing games with your friends. The difference between earbuds and earphones is that the former goes into the ear canal while the other stays out of it. If youre looking to see how wireless headphones work or wondering what are some of the best budget headphones you can get, we got you covered. Headsets, on the other hand, will allow you to take phone calls. While some gaming headsets are great to put in the mood for a challenge.

Bluetooth keyboards

Have you ever had trouble typing using your touchscreen? Do you want to type faster with veracity? Well, weve got a solution for you, Bluetooth keyboards! This kind of keyboard will allow you to type as if youre using a laptop or computer. This is also good for people who are having trouble seeing the keys in on small screens like mobile phones or tablets. All it takes for this mobile accessory to work is by connecting and pair your device with your mobile phone with the correct connection. This is especially useful when youre working on the go while youre commuting. In case you left your laptop back at home, you can access your business document on mobile and these keyboards are here to help you navigate your work more efficiently. Find the best Bluetooth keyboards here.

Best Mobile Gaming Accessories Mobile gaming has seen an increase during the past decade. Not only can we play RPGs and single-player games but now we can play more. MOBAs and shooters are dominating the mobile scene. Even industry giants are stepping in to take advantage of the increase in interest. You can even see mobile games being the center of Esports events across the globe. If youre thinking of stepping up your games, you might want to consider purchasing a few mobile gaming accessories to your arsenal. These include controllers, VR headsets, and gaming headsets.

Gaming controllers

Controllers will allow you to navigate games like traditional consoles. You can map out controls and have more emphasis on the action you want to perform. Not only that, but controllers will give you tighter inputs.

There are many controllers that you can use for your mobile phones. Some of these are even created for the OS of your choice. They can also be connected via wired connections or by Bluetooth. Here are guides for the best gaming controllers for Android users.

vR headsets

Another great advancement in mobile gaming is the addition of virtual reality compatibility. This allows you to play VR games or watch movies on your phones. Of course, the most important thing is for you to have a VR headset and your phone should be able to support VR features. Then, you can connect them via an app that your headset will need or install them into the headset. Once all that is done, you can now enjoy VR anytime and anywhere.

How To Buy Mobile Accessories? A good question to ask when youre doing your research on which mobile accessories are best is What do I need? Lets say if youre those who often drop your phone, a phone case might be a good idea. If not, are you those who are into mobile phone photography? If yes, a camera lens might be something for you. Ultimately, ask yourself which part of your mobile phone you want to upgrade and how urgent it needs to be upgraded. Determine the quality of the product First, find out the quality of materials used in the product. If what youre looking for is longevity and durability, then, you have to take a look at the materials used in making the product. Better materials produce a sturdier product that can stand bumps and bruises. But, expect that these items will go for a more premium price as compared to the basic ones. Do your research Another way of researching ahead is by reading reviews on e-commerce sites and YouTube. The more reviews an item has, the bigger the sample size. Remember, a product with a high rating from many reviewers is better as it is more reliable. YouTube reviews can give you a better visual review along with the reviewers opinions. Look for mobile accessories guides Look out for mobile accessories buying guides if you want to see the best choices for a particular product. You also can check the feedback from previous customers to get to know how the product performed. This is also a good way to have an idea of the sellers customer service. Where Can You Buy Mobile Accessories? When buying mobile accessories, the best way to go is by buying through online shops. You can visit an e-commerce site right now like Amazon and see their catalog. Amazon and other online stores allow readers to search the product and compare it to others. This a great feature that allows a consumer to see the pros and cons of buying a certain item. Online shops also have the specifications for each product. E-commerce sites also allow you to shop without leaving your room. Just browse their catalog via the internet and just add everything you want in your cart. Check out and all you need to do is wait for your package to arrive. Its simple, safe and you dont have to travel elsewhere.

How to Sell Mobile Accessories?

If you think about it, selling mobile accessories is a good idea. People will try to look for accessories that can help in their hobbies or protect their phones. There is also an endless supply of new accessories getting released. This is to cater to the latest smartphones that are being released to the public. The question now is, how to sell mobile accessories? Well, the best way is to do market research to gauge what people in your area are interested in. This is applicable if you are planning to market locally. You can take the results and start focusing on those products. Another way to sell mobile accessories is by using e-commerce sites and social media. Besides, you can also sell mobile accessories on sites like Amazon and eBay. Then you can make use of services such as Paypal to make the transaction faster and safer. But, if youre planning for a more interactive approach, you can make use of social media sites. Facebook has a Marketplace which will allow you to sell your items. You can also do it on Facebook groups that allow the selling of mobile accessories. Selling on Facebook will allow your customers to send you a message and you can respond in real-time. You can also create a page for your business if you dont want your profile to get bombarded. But, if you have a budget you can always build a simple website for your products. You can then promote your website on social media. Is the mobile accessories business worth doing? The answer can be Yes or No. Depending on how you see it, and what do you expect as a return. Generally, its easy to create a business out of selling accessories for phones and other mobile devices. You can either sell accessories youve made yourself or buy in bulk. Creating your accessories will allow you to control everything from the cost, raw materials, and labor. This type of strategy can start as a DIY project that you can do at home. For example, you can create or design cases for smartphones. Then, release these cases via batches so that it does not overwhelm you. Take more orders if you see an increase in demand and if you got more hands to help you. This will allow you to produce items faster and increase orders. Then, you can market an upcoming design youll release as part of your next line of products. There are plenty of ways to profit by selling mobile accessories. One of the ways is by increasing the designs or products for your upcoming releases as labor and capital go up. This will allow you to offer more products to patrons and attract new customers. Another way of selling mobile accessories is buying through wholesalers. You dont have to worry about the cost of raw materials and labor. All you have to do is buy phone accessories by bulk and you can then sell them for retail. An advantage of this option is that you can sell them right away. All you need to do is to reorder an item from a wholesaler if your stock is getting low. Otherwise, you can opt to be an authorized retailer of different brands which will give your business a bigger profile. So, is it worth it or not is down to how you interpret it? Some argue the mobile accessories business is great but some think otherwise.

How to Repair Mobile Accessories? Repairing or troubleshooting a mobile accessory is highly dependent on the product at hand. Of course, you cannot use a specific method for different products. If you are interested, our articles have stepped on how to prolong the lives of your mobile accessories. There are also videos online showing how you can repair certain accessories.

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(TNS)  Niel Smith would have finished his degree in less than a year.But Tuesday morning, he found out all ITT Technical Institute campuses were closing nationwide in the wake of devastating federal sanctions. He drove to his South Bend campus, but nobody was there to answer his questions: "Is there going to be any way for me to finish my degree? What's happening here?"Smith, 27, said he is left with $30,000 in student loan debt and credits for an information technology degree that likely won't transfer to another college."When I took out those loans, my goal was to get a degree," he said. "It wasn't my goal to stop halfway through and have to pay back something that I have nothing to show for."ITT Tech's closure disrupts the education of about 40,000 students across the country and leaves about 8,000 employees without jobs, said Carmel-based parent company ITT Educational Services Inc.But the shutdown was unsurprising to many who followed the recent unraveling of ITT Tech, which reached a critical point in late August. The U.S. Department of Education banned the school from enrolling new students who rely on federal financial aid -- ITT's main source of revenue -- and required it to put aside $247.3 million in case the school went out of business.Experts called it a death sentence. On Tuesday, ITT blamed its closure on those sanctions, calling them "unwarranted," "inappropriate" and "unconstitutional.""The actions of and sanctions from the U.S. Department of Education have forced us to cease operations of the ITT Technical Institutes, and we will not be offering our September quarter," ITT said in a news release. "We reached this decision only after having exhausted the exploration of alternatives, including transfer of the schools to a nonprofit or public institution."The sanctions came after ITT's accrediting agency threatened to withdraw accreditation. The Obama administration also has been ramping up its scrutiny of for-profit colleges, which led to the bankruptcy last year of Corinthian Colleges.In a blog post Tuesday addressing ITT students, U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said the decision to impose increased sanctions upon ITT was not made lightly, because federal regulators understood the possibility that the school would close."Ultimately, we made a difficult choice to pursue additional oversight in order to protect you, other students, and taxpayers from potentially worse educational and financial damage in the future if ITT was allowed to continue operating without increased oversight and assurances to better serve students," King wrote.Even as ITT bristled over the federal actions in its closure announcement, higher education experts say the blame lies with ITT."The department's actions were what ultimately precipitated the closure today, but the company put itself in this position through years of bad choices and management," said Ben Miller, senior director of postsecondary education for the Center for American Progress.State and federal investigations into ITT began in 2002. ITT currently faces fraud charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission and a lawsuit from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It has been under investigation by at least 19 state attorneys general.Trace Urdan, an analyst for Credit Suisse who follows ITT, said the Department of Education could have worked more cooperatively with ITT to keep it from closing, as it has done for nonprofit colleges.ITT said it had no opportunity for hearing or appeal of the sanctions. The company had asked for leniency and said it proposed alternatives that were not accepted, though ITT did not describe the terms it was seeking."Some of ITT's attitude is justified," Urdan said. "But it's certainly not the case that the Department of Education did this to them. They did this to themselves."Experts say there's still a market for for-profit education, but ITT's closure proves a diminishing patience for poor outcomes and financial instability."Overall, it's a pretty chilling move by the Department of Education," Urdan said. "For a lot of other schools, it will help make them more prudent in their financial decision-making for sure."ITT has operated for about 50 years, running more than 130 campuses across the country. It offered on-campus and online classes in business, nursing and health sciences, electronics and information technology. Last year, ITT generated $850 million in revenue, about $580 million of which came from federal student loans.Its Facebook page erupted Tuesday with comments from angry and confused students seeking their next steps.Recent ITT Tech students can file claims to have their federal student loan debts erased. Politico reported that current ITT Tech students and recent dropouts owe about $485 million in outstanding federal loans.But veterans have no recourse. The Post-9/11 GI Bill gives veterans 36 months of college tuition, plus expenses, to attend the school of their choice. It makes no accommodation for students who are enrolled in a school that closes.Byron Sumpter, a sergeant in the U.S. Army National Guard who attended an ITT Tech campus in South Carolina, said he learned of the school through a commercial. He thought what better way to use his military education aid than "go back to school and get a better job.""Now I can't get the education I was studying for," said Sumpter, 32, who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.He enrolled in the school's network system administration program in September 2015 and was set to complete school this coming June. Sumpter said he was looking into schools that would accept his credits."I'm still in shock, to be honest with you," Sumpter said hours after learning of the closure.In Indiana, six ITT campuses closed. On Tuesday, its headquarters off U.S. 31 in Carmel was dark and locked, its parking lot empty.ITT did not provide a figure on how many employees in Indiana would be affected by the closure. Most of its faculty worked part time, according to national data. In 2014, ITT employed 620 workers in Indianapolis.Gov. Mike Pence has asked the Department of Workforce Development to contact ITT Tech employees to assist them with job placement, according to the governor's office."ITT Tech's situation is due in part to the Obama administration's over-regulation, which is sadly killing jobs nationwide," Pence spokeswoman Kara Brooks said.Enrollment has plummeted in recent years. State records show nearly 12,000 students were enrolled at ITT's Indiana campuses in 2014. That number dwindled to just over 1,800 this year.Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers said the state is working to help students continue their education even if ITT credits don't transfer. Ivy Tech Community College, for example, said it doesn't accept ITT credits but is looking for ways to allow students to earn credit for past experiences and credentials, such as through prior learning assessments.The state is also seeking help for students who paid through private loans to attend ITT Tech, through repayment from ITT's line of credit or the state's $650,000 assurance fund, Lubbers said.To Anna Cobb, who lives on Indianapolis' east side, ITT Tech seemed like a good school, where the staff and faculty were polite and helpful as she pursued the college education that she had put off for a long time.At 41, she works in health care at a job that pays $8.25 an hour. She has a car payment that she didn't want and now a student loan she can't afford. She wanted a degree and a career in information technology, and she believed an instructor who said a couple of weeks ago that even though ITT Tech wasn't allowed to take new students, she would be fine."I guess I should've researched a little more," she said.
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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Dan Crawford | September 7, 2016 7:54 am



by Mike Kimel

Spotting BS as a Mechanism for Reaching a Wide Range of Conclusions  A Case Study

I was reading up on alternative ways to deal with terrorism and stumbled on something called the Aarhus model. It seems like much of Europe, the Danish city of Aarhus (population of about 320K) had a problem with first and second generation immigrants becoming radicalized. (I may have a post about that term, but for now Im willing to use it.) City officials in Aarhus came up with novel way to deal with the issue. Those who went off to fight for ISIS, instead of being prosecuted were welcomed back and given help finding jobs, apartments, etc. Detractors have called it hug a terrorist though the authorities in Aarhus claim it works.

The first article I found that mentioned the Aarhus model was this piece in NPR by Hanna Rosin dated July 15 of this year. I found this story Rosin relates interesting:

The nonviolent resistance movements of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi are the most well-known examples of this tactic. The Aarhus model is another. How did it unfold in real time? Consider the case study of a young man we call Jamal. Jamal is not his real name, and we dont usually use pseudonyms, but he asked us to not use his name. He doesnt want to be known as a person who almost became a terrorist. He wants a job and a life now. But that didnt seem possible for a while. Jamal was born in Somalia; his family moved to Denmark because Somalia was in the middle of a civil war. His was the only black family in the neighborhood and the only Muslim family, and his childhood wasnt easy. Kids called him names, asked him if he had the same blood as they did, and teased him. For a long time he just would fight back, but he knew he was disappointing his father. When he was a little older, Jamal decided to take a different tack. He tried to be the good kid. He studied and made jokes in class, and his stress eased. The teachers liked him, his classmates liked him, and he began to make Danish friends and even to feel more Danish. Then one day in high school, his teacher organized a debate about Islam. Jamal had just been on the hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, with his family, and he was infused with a newfound religious identity. And during the debate one of the girls started saying to the class that Muslims terrorize the West, and kill people and stone women. Jamal argued with her and eventually lost his temper, saying, People like you should never exist. After that moment, Jamals life went off the rails. The teacher told the principal, who told the police, who questioned Jamal about being a terrorist. Jamal had to stay home from school and miss his final exams. The police cleared him, but it was too late for him to redo his exams, so he had to redo some of high school. He was furious about it. Soon after the investigation, his mother died, and he blamed her death on the stress caused by the investigation. He began to feel rejected by the West. During that year, he ran into a group of fellow Muslims who had experienced some of the same discrimination. One of them had an apartment, and the group spent a lot of time there talking, praying and watching videos of Anwar al-Awlaki, a famous English-speaking imam. The friends talked a lot about jihad and making the trip to Syria. Two of the guys in the apartment began planning their trip. While he was living in that apartment, Jamal got a call from Link, who had heard about his case. Jamal cursed him out and tried to hang up the phone, but then Link did something Jamal didnt expect: He apologized, for the ordeal his fellow officers had put Jamal through. Hearing a policeman take responsibility for his life getting derailed really moved Jamal. He agreed to come into Links office. When Jamal got there, Link introduced him to Erhan Kilic, one of the first official mentors hired by the program. Kilic was a fellow Muslim who had also faced discrimination in Denmark as a child. But he had taken a very different path. He had decided to embrace Denmark as his country. He now had a wife and two daughters and a successful practice as a lawyer. Kilic relayed to Jamal the main message of the Aarhus program: If he chose to, Jamal could also find his place in Denmark.

Theres more, but the part I caused my BS detector to ring so loud I couldnt continue. It got set off by the casual use of the word discrimination. See, it isnt clear to me, from the set of events described that what happened was discrimination. We heard Jamals side of the story. It could be that the girl with whom he argued, and perhaps those who witnessed the argument saw something different. Perhaps they felt what they saw was an actual threat, one which merited investigation.

A second red-flag was the phrase Anwar al-Awlaki, a famous English-speaking imam. Technically, that is an accurate description, albeit one notable for what is left out. The full sentence that included that phrase is equivalent to Luigi learned the accident insurance business from Al Capone, a famous Italian-speaking musician. If you dont remember him, the famous English-speaking imam is described a bit better in this piece at the BBC .

The next story on the Aarhus model I stumbled on was by Michelle Shephard and published in the Toronto Star:

But 20-year-old Mohamed was the first on the police radar as someone vulnerable to Al Qaeda or like-minded groups. He had yelled at a woman in his class because she was criticizing Islam. And not just yelled. He said that she should be stoned for her comments. I was a young kid, without any knowledge about how to debate properly, so I threw a lot of words against them. Some of them were shocked, you know, Mohamed says. His outburst started a chain of events when the students contacted the principal, who contacted the police. The police handled it like it was an imminent threat; we have to deal with this guy as soon as possible, Mohamed says. They went to his home and his father, a Somali immigrant who had come to Denmark to give his children a better life, was furious. He called me and said, Come home right now,  Mohamed says. So I ran home and he yelled at me. What did you do? The police came here? They want to know something about you and you dont even want to tell me? And I say, I dont even know what is.  Mohamed went to the police station the next morning and was told he was under investigation. They searched his home as neighbours looked on; he was suspended and missed his exams. By the time he was cleared, his life was in tatters. That same summer his mother died of a sudden heart attack, and Mohamed turned to his mosque for solace. There, he befriended a devout young man who eventually took him to his apartment and introduced him to his friends. There were Somalis and Arabs. Then he introduced me and said, This is our brother, wed like to welcome him. He has experienced something I didnt want to wish for my worst enemy. I told them my story and they were in tears and warm and they welcomed me, says Mohamed.

So Mohamed from the Toronto Star is Jamal from NPR. Does he appear elsewhere? Why yes, he does. The next story I found him in was How I was de-radicalised by Tim Mansul at the BBC. It predates Rosins story by a year. In this one, we have Ahmed. Ill let you read the whole born in Somalia, grew up in Denmark, trip to Mecca, etc., yourself. Lets jump ahead:

But Ahmeds new faith got him into trouble at school. He abandoned jeans and T-shirts and took to wearing traditional Islamic dress. He became defensive and argumentative when the subject of religion came up. He acknowledges today that he could have handled things better, but at the time, he said, he responded aggressively because he felt he had a duty to defend his religion when he was being baited by his Danish classmates. They would say things like, You stone your women, you lash people who speak freely, and I felt I had to defend my religion, but I didnt know how to debate properly and it went out not correctly.

Heres the bit with the cops, and Hanna Rosins discrimination:

The reason you are here, he was told, is that your classmates are afraid, they think you are extremist and that you are capable of dangerous things. They think you have been radicalised in Saudi Arabia. Ahmed grins as he remembers all this. But it wasnt funny at the time  he had a vision of being put on the next flight to Guantanamo. I was shocked, he says and I had no words to defend myself. The police then told him they would need to search his home and that they would need the password to his email account and any other social media that he used.

I gave them everything and they searched my house and it was very humiliating to watch. When they left I was shocked and I was angry, he says. It got worse. All this had happened during the last week of school, and he had missed the end of year exams. The school, he told me, refused to allow him to sit them late. That gave me a punch in the face, and gave me the feeling this society is total racist, he says. They call me a terrorist? I will give them a terrorist if they want that.

And this:

Ahmed then told everything to his friends at the mosque. They were sympathetic, he says, and invited him home. There were long discussions about the hypocrisy of the West in its dealings with Muslims and Muslim countries. They watched a lot of jihadi videos online. Ahmed remembers in particular those that featured Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical American cleric of Yemeni descent, who was killed in a drone strike in 2011. He would say things like, We are at war with the West, the West will kill all the Muslims around the world if we dont stand up to them, and I was like, OK, and my friends were saying, Yeah, hes totally right.'

The BBC seems to describe the English speaking cleric a bit differently than NPR did, eh? The last paragraph quoted also sounds different than this from NPR:

The friends talked a lot about jihad and making the trip to Syria. Two of the guys in the apartment began planning their trip.

The BBC gives us a happy ending:

Ahmed graduated from high school and instead of going to Pakistan he went to university. He is about to graduate. He has also got married.

Mazel Tov!

We also find Mohammed (to be distinguished from Mohamed the Toronto Star) in the Minnesota Star Tribune. Ill skip ahead:

That summer, an acquaintance invited Mohammed to a gathering at an apartment in Gellerupparken, a largely immigrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Aarhus, and Denmarks lowest-income postal code. There, young men aired grievances about Danish society and watched the YouTube sermons of Anwar al-Awlaki, the U.S.-born Al-Qaida cleric killed in a U.S. drone strike that year. I felt at home, he told the Star Tribune. These guys took me seriously.

This site only has an abbreviated version of Jamal/Ahmed/Mohammed:

According to one young mans testimony of his experience with the Aarhus model, after he had become increasingly radicalized following a family vacation to Mecca, the police contacted his family and had him brought into the station. Instead of punishing him, however, he exclaimed that the police offered him a cup of coffee and told him they would be assigning him a mentor who better understood his frustrations than they did. The young man, whose name was Ahmed, was successfully dissuaded from joining ISIS, and has since graduated from a Danish University and gotten married.

Anyway, this is getting long, so lets start wrapping it up. What we learned seems to fit into a few different categories.

The first set of findings come from the hero of the story. According to whatever this guys name is:

1. He found religion after his father took the family on a Hajj

2. He felt his religion was being slighted and in response, he behaved toward a female classmate (and perhaps others) in a way that was perceived as threatening, and which he himself admits was at a minimum not the right way to react. One doesnt have to read between the lines to understand he was advocating stoning women and killing infidels as this prominent Aarhus cleric suggests.

3. He was investigated by the police

4. There are an awful lot of folks at the local mosque who feel they have grievances against Denmark and are willing to act on those perceived grievances. 5. The pissed off would-be jihadis consider it to be a provocation or at least discrimination when the cops investigate them for threatening a classmate.

We also know something more about Jamal/Ahmed/Moshe/Srinivasa/Jose Maria. Most of the articles mentioning him stress how important his anonymity is to him. And yet, the amount of information about him online should be enough to identify him to someone interested enough to look.

Additionally, we learn a bit about Hanna Rosin and NPR too, namely what Hanna Rosin is willing to write and what NPR will allow to be published (or perhaps aired is a better term). Publication of this piece was not viewed as a mistake by NPR; Rosin is now one of the hosts of an NPR show. If they had an issue with her description of the world, one assumes she would not be there any more.

Finally, we learn that despite the nice statistics, the Aarhus model is pretty much worthless, at least for achieving its stated intent of reducing the threat of terrorism. (It may achieve other goals, such as keeping city officials employed and/or funneling funding to low level miscreants to keep them from committing petty crimes.) Sure, the people running the program trot out statistics that sound like progress, but the fact of the matter is this: if all you see is the same dancing bear in every act, you definitely arent at the Greatest Show on Earth.
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Jeff Koinange Biography  All About His Age, Wife  Shaila Koinange & Family Jeff Koinange is a well-known Kenyan journalist. He currently hosts Jeff Koinange Live on KTN. Koinange has served as a journalist in the United States and has also worked for a few U.S. broadcasters. He was born in Kenya but attended college in the United States, which may explain his accent. There are several interesting ...

Caroline Mutoko Biography  Age, Daughter & House Caroline Mutoko is a Kenyan radio presenter, famously known for hosting a morning breakfast show on Kiss 100 FM. The station is based in Nairobi and ranks among the highly-rated radio stations in Kenya with online streaming services as well. Learn more about the Kenyan-born journalist. Caroline Mutokos Age and Bio Born on January 4, 1973, Caroline is ...

The Most Stunning News Presenter In Kenya Discloses Her Real Age  You Would Not Believe It In modern African societies, it is often regarded as impolite or outright lack of disrespect to ask a woman of her age. We also have seen celebrities lie about how old they are when asked their age. People, mostly women have refused to let people know their real age, despite being public figures. The few ...

Demystifying Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies Biography, Husband & Education Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian novelist, non-fiction writer, short story writer and actress. As a seasoned Nigerian writer, she has been called the most prominent of a procession of critically acclaimed young anglophone authors that is succeeding in attracting a new generation of readers to African literature. She has been making Nigeria proud in the global scene ...

Wole Soyinka  Biography, Wife, Children, Family, Quick Facts Professor Wole Soyinka, a great and brilliant Nigerian writer and political activist, who was the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The name, Wole Soyinka, is a household name both in Africa and beyond especially in the field of literature. With over 50 pieces of work, his writing includes poems, novels, memoirs ...

5 Most Vulgar Kenyan Radio Presenters It appears being vulgar is the real deal nowadays especially for the fact that the world is becoming more exposed and civilized. Sadly, but true, young people are constantly being exposed to images, discussions, and content that most people would deem detrimental to the African culture and moral statutes. This is because most of us ...

6 Sexiest News Anchors In Kenya Some news anchors have been stealing eyes every time they appear on-screen. Most of us hardly concentrate on the programme they present as our entire focus is usually on their striking physique and beautiful faces. It is common knowledge that Kenyan women are amazingly beautiful. From the celebrities to the everyday woman, they are all in ...

Interesting Oprah Winfrey Quotes To Keep You Motivated Oprah Winfrey is one of the worlds most powerful women in the media and business sectors. Her life is the typical success story that motivates and lifts ones morale. One amazing thing about this media mogul is her sincerity about past hurts, mistakes, healing, and success. The renowned talk show host and media personality is the first ...

Chinua Albert Achebe Biography- Family, Net Worth & Death Chinua Albert Achebe, of blessed memory, was a Nigerian prolific author best known for his inventive style of writing and simplicity of expressions. Famed as one of the finest writers Nigeria has ever produced, Achebe lived and died an international hero and a literary giant, who left behind unforgettable legacies and footprints in the sands of ...

Steve Harvey  His Wife, Kids & Height Steve Harvey is an American comedian, actor, radio and TV show host, producer and an author of different relationship advice books. Steve Harveys Early Life Born in Welch, West Virginia, on January 17, 1957, as Broderick Stephen Harvey, Steve was the last of five children. His family relocated to Cleveland when he was young and there, he attended Glenville High School from ...

Intriguing Things You Should Know About Danny Kokers Rise to Fame and Who His Wife Is Danny Koker is popular as the star of the History Channel reality TV series, Counting Cars. Prior to him appearing on the show, the TV personality was a musician who had embarked on a number of national tours with his rock group, Counts 77. He and his group have released quite a number of songs ...

Fun Facts You Didnt Know About Andy Cohens Rise to Prominence and His Partner Andy Cohen is one of Americas top media personalities who gained prominence after helping to bring the Bravo network back to life. He also hosted a couple of shows on the network, including the popular nightly series Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. After rising to the position of head of production and development at ...

Tracing Isha Sesays Career Until CNN, Her Worth And Why She Divorce Her Husband As far as journalists of African origin go, Isha Sesay is one of the most famous on the continent  and by extension, the world. The Sierra Leonean and British journalist has had a successful career since she joined the industry in 1998. In that time, she has worked for a host of major media ...

Open Secrets of How Joanna Gaines Balances Her Career With Being a Wife and Mother Joanna Gaines is the co-founder of Magnolia Homes, a business she runs with one goal: converting houses to homes. She doubles as the lead designer of the company which she co-owns with her husband, Chip Gaines. Lady Gaines gained massive popularity when she became a co-star with her husband on the HGTVs show, Fixer Upper. ...

Juicy Details of Ayesha Currys Love Story With Stephen, Her Family Members and Recent Pursuits When your husband is one of the greatest basketballers that the NBA has ever seen, then it bestows on you the status of a celebrity wife  and may not even demand that you do anything extra to maintain that status. However, Ayesha Curry, the wife of multiple NBA champion, Steph Curry, is not one ...

What Is Tarek el Moussas Ethnicity, Why Did He Divorce His Wife and Who Is He Dating? Tarek El Moussa has made himself one of the most recognizable men on reality television, especially to fans of HGTV. Thanks to his expertise in the world of real estate, Tarek has become a national star. But even to his hardcore followers, there are questions about Tarek El Moussa that remain unanswered, such as his ...

Fun Facts About Natalie Beckers Lonely Childhood and Eventual Career Success Natalie Becker is an actress of South African descent who became famous for her appearance in films like The World Unseen and The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. A multitalented individual, Natalie is also a television/radio presenter. She is also a co-founder of the Thought Leader Global Media which she runs together with ...

Top 3 Female CNN News Anchors You Didnt Know Were Africans CNN is one of the leading news agencies in the world. The satellite and cable news network was founded in 1980 by Ted Turner and has been one of the best sources of news for a number of years. It also boasts of the best journalists and presenters all around in media broadcasting. The company is a ...

Channels That Aided Katie Pavlichs Growth as a Journalist and All About Her Marriage To Friedson If you have ever come across any Fast and Furious featuring Barack Obama, it is the handiwork of Katie Pavlich. The book which claims to have exposed Obamas bloodiest scandal and the shameless cover-up thereof, has been earning Pavlich much praise and fame ever since it was published in 2012. Nonetheless, Pavlich is more famed ...

Is Oprah Winfrey Married? Husband, Children, Biography, House, Facts Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire philanthropist, talk show icon, producer, actress, and writer. The media icon famously dubbed The Queen Of All Media owns and hosts the highest-rated television program in the media circle. Read more about the powerful television star below. Oprah Winfrey Biography Oprah was born as Orpah Gail Winfrey on January 29, 1954, to a ...

Who Is Arsenio Hall, What Happened To His Talk Show and Why Do Fans Think He Is Gay? He is one of the funniest beings to have graced the comedy constituent of the American entertainment industry. Arsenio Hall has a reputation for the rib-cracking disposition always portrayed in his comedy roles. He is not just a comedian; he is also an actor and a former talk show host for his popular show, The ...

What Is Woah Vicky Famous For and Who Are Her Family Members? Like most social media celebrities in this digital era, Woah Vicky is one of those stars that have utilized the internet as a powerful tool to propel themselves to instant fame. The social media space, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc., offers lots of people the right opportunities and potentials to become superstars overnight. Not everyone achieves ...

Where Is Michael Strahan Since His Retirement From The NFL and Who Is His Partner? Michael Strahan is a retired American football player turned media personality. He played the defensive lineman position and holds the record for most sacks in a single NFL season. He also only played for the New York Giants throughout the entire 15-year professional career that saw him win a Super Bowl ring. In February 2014, ...

How Wendy Williams Went From Being a College DJ to Having Her Own Talk Show and More About Her Divorce Wendy Williams is a former radio personality, now talk show host, who is known for her outspokenness and brash no-nonsense attitude. She gained fame and notoriety for her on-air clashes with celebrities before moving on to host her own talk show. Since 2008, Williams has hosted the nationally syndicated television talk show, The Wendy Williams Show. ...

Who is Sunny Hostin? Her Husband, Family & Net Worth Sunny Hostin is no ordinary Latina  American lawyer but also a successful columnist, multi-platform journalist, and social commentator. A happily married woman and mother of two, Hostin is the Senior Legal Correspondent and Analyst for ABC News and co-host of ABCs popular morning talk show, The View. She is a legal expert popularly known as a former ...

Who Is Robert Costa and Is He Married, Who Is His Wife? Robert Costa is a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC who is regarded as being part of Americas next generation of journalists. The University of Notre Dame graduate, who is of Italian/Portuguese descent, has been lauded for his fresh political perspectives in an industry full of old heads. In addition to his work listed above, Costa ...

Team Valor Pokemon Go  7 Key Facts You Need To Know Team Valor Pokemon Go  The craze of the new game Pokemon Go is one that took the gaming world by storm sending teenagers and adults alike into a frenzy and one of its teams Team Valor, has proven to be instrumental in making it so. Before the game was created, Pokemon was a cartoon ...

Sheryl Underwood  Husband, Family & Net Worth She is known for her trademark smile which can be described as the brightest and broadest smile ever seen on planet earth. She is none other than Sheryl Underwood the comedian, actress, and TV host whose funny wits has left America in great awe. Although Sheryl has risen to become an important personality in the industry, ...

Team Mystic Pokemon Go: 7 Facts You Need To Know And Signs You Are One Team Mystic of the break out game Pokemon Go is a team that is full of sass and chivalry. With an enchanting monicker, Team Mystic stands out from the rest of its counterparts and deserves to take the crown as champion in the Pokemon gaming-verse. To be a member of this exceptional team of Pokemon battle ...

Exploring Guy Beahms Dr Disrespect Persona, Wife and Why He was Banned Permanently From Twitch Guy Beahm who is popularly known by his online alias  Dr DisRespect, is an award-winning Twitch.tv streamer. He has leveraged on the Twitch platform to become an internet personality that is quite widely known. His online success is just more proof that anyone who is good at what they do can attain celebrity status ...

Critical Facts About Lee Ann McAdoo  The Infowars Anchor Lee Ann Mcadoo is a conservative journalist and television host whose interests in conspiracies and astrology has established her as a famous American reporter. Often referred to as Wonder Woman, McAdoo is a reporter who works for InfoWars.com, a controversial right-wing website run by radio show host, Alex Jones. Who Is Lee Ann McAdoo? Lee Ann McAdoo was born on 7 ...

Millie Weaver  Age, Husband & Infowars Career Millie Weaver is an American model, journalist, political activist, and social commentator. The young and beautiful journalist rose to fame working as a reporter for a controversial right-wing website InfoWars.com. Also known as Millennial Millie, Weaver is a social media influencer with over 100,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel and over 35,000 followers on Twitter. Who Is Millie Weaver and What Is ...

Is Jessica Tarlov Married? What Are Her Height & Weight? Jessica Tarlov is an American political consultant, strategist, and analyst whose influential and regular TV presence has made a popular figure. A good example of beauty with brains, Tarlov has appeared on various TV networks, mostly the FOX News Network where she is known for her liberal views on political analysis and insights. She is also the senior director ...

Who Is Kelly Rebecca Nichols  Alex Jones Ex-Wife? Kelly Rebecca Nichols is the ex-wife of controversial American radio show host, Alex Jones. She got nationwide attention following her divorce and subsequent custody battle with her estranged husband. Nichols, who worked with PETAs public relations department, was herself no stranger to controversies as she was involved in several publicity stunts of the non-profit animal rights ...

Who Is Bree Morgan  Cole Sprouse Ex-Girlfriend And What Is She Up To Now? Although Bree Morgan became famous through the Instagram, she also sapped some dose of popularity from Disneys sweetheart, Cole Sprouse of the Sprouse brothers. She is not only an Instagram star but also a YouTube vlogger whose popularity has long exceeded the ordinary level. Bree is conspicuously prominent on the internet and has her digital savviness ...

Does Vanna White Have Husband or Children, What Is Her Net Worth / Salary? For over three decades, Vanna White has been a household name, famous as the co-host and letter turner of the iconic NBC game show Wheel of Fortune. The talented and beautiful television personality is also an actress with several TV series and films to her credit. Since making her Wheel of Fortune debut in 1982, she has become one ...

Liz Wheeler  Biography, Husband & Net Worth Liz Wheeler is the kind of girl who sets the room on fire whenever she comes around. In this situation, however, she sets our screens on fire each time she appears as the host of One America News Tipping Point. She is, therefore, a presenter, publisher, consultant and a member of the Board of Zoning ...

Betty White  Net Worth, Children & Husband The entertainment industry will remain indebted to personalities like Betty White who brought something extra to the table and kept the world entertained for donkey years. The comedienne, actress, and writer graced the big screens in the early 50s as a show host and has been a delight since then. She is the queen of ...

Is Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Dead or Alive, What Are His Net Worth & Education? Everyone will always remember Bill Nye as the Science Guy. Besides his TV show Bill Nye the Science Guy, he is well-known for his Netflix show Bill Nye Saves the World which started airing in 2017 as well as his appearances in many famous media projects as a science educator. The star studied mechanical engineering ...

Is Cesar Millan Dead, Who Is The Wife & What Is His Net Worth? Cesar Millan is the famous dog whisperer who often stirs up mixed emotions. The Mexican-American is precisely speaking, a dog behaviorist; he has been in the game for over 25 years. His Emmy-nominated television series, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan further pushed his method and tactics into the limelight. The series was produced from 2004 ...

Is Thomas Sanders Gay and Does He Have A Boyfriend? By the time Vine was shut down in January 2017, Thomas Sanders was already popular within and beyond the internet community for his heavy involvements on the online video hosting platform. After the tragic shutdown of Vine impacted on the growing career of the multi-talented personality, he immediately switched over to YouTube where he continued to upload ...

Is Shepard Smith Gay, Who Is The Boyfriend & What Is His Net Worth? There are only a few media personalities who are as bold and confident as Shepard Smith. Apart from his impressive stint at Fox News Channel which includes but not limited to his classic news delivery, upfront stance on virtually every issue and much more; he loves his job as much as he loves his personality. Smith ...

Is Milo Yiannopoulos Gay? His Husband and Net Worth Milo Yiannopoulos is a popular writer, journalist, polemicist, public speaker, and political commentator who is also known as the founder of The Kernel, an online blog. He has been said to be among the list of 100 weird and influential people in the United Kingdom. He appeared on this list as a result of personal beliefs and ...

Does Ryan Seacrest Have A Wife Or Girlfriend, What Is His Net Worth? From radio to television, Ryan Seacrest is a household name and a force to be reckoned with in showbiz. The radio personality, television host, and producer is best recognized as the host of the popular TV talent search contest American Idol. Heres how the media personality who always knew what his lifes ambition was and diligently pursued ...

Is Anderson Cooper Gay, Who is The Boyfriend or Husband? For many, the thought of becoming a millionaire by writing and talking about other people appears unachievable but this is the reality of the prominent American journalist Anderson Cooper who gathered millions of dollars for conducting accurate political analysis and other vital reports on TV. He is the main anchor of the CNN news show Anderson ...

Is David Muir Gay or Does He Have A Wife, What Is His Salary? David Muir is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works for the ABC broadcast-television network and anchors the ABC World News Tonight with David Muir program while also co-anchoring the magazine program 20/20. The Ithaca College graduate, whose show has become the most-watched newscast in America, has covered stories from all across America and the world; reporting ...

Joel Osteen  Divorce Rumors, Net Worth & Family Members Joel Osteen is an American Televangelist, Senior Pastor of Lakewood Church based in Houston, Texas, a husband and a father of two. He is an author of many books, seven of which are New York Times Best Sellers and his televised sermons capture more than 7 million viewers per week and 20 million every month ...

Who Is Todd Chrisley? What To Know About His Children, Gay Rumors & Net Worth Premiered on the USA network in 2014, Chrisley Knows Best is one of the most watched family reality TV shows in the U.S. The series which is currently in its sixth season is centered around U.S real estate mogul Todd Chrisley and his family. The show reveals Todd the patriarch of the Chrisley family as a strict dad who rules ...

Who Is Shannon Bream Of Fox News? Her Husband, Children & Net Worth Shannon Bream who hosts the iconic primetime program started her journalism career in the late 1990s debuting as the evening and late-night news reporter for the CBS affiliate, WBTV. The beauty from America currently works for the Fox News Channel and she is best known for anchoring the primetime program. She also hosts Americas News ...

Is Troye Sivan Gay, Who Is His Boyfriend and What Is His Net Worth? Troye Sivan is an Australian singer and songwriter best known for songs like Happy Little Pill, Youth, Heaven (with Betty Who) and The Boyfriend Tag (with Tyler Oakley) which have all garnered him different awards and ranked on the Billboard Charts. Sivan, who was born in South Africa but now resides in the United States, is ...

Did iDubbbz Have Cancer, Is He Gay and Who Is His Girlfriend Now? iDubbbz is one YouTuber who has made a career out of courting controversy. Renowned for his absurdist channels and comedy video series, the Los Angeles based personality is the owner of two channels, iDubbzTV, and iDubbzTV2, as well as the brains behind comedy video series such as Content Cop, Kickstarter Crap, Gaming News Crap, and ...

Inside Greg Gutfelds Love Story With Wife Elena Moussa and Why Fans Thought He Was Gay Greg Gutfeld is a seasoned American television producer whose career in the media industry has spanned over a decade. He is a man of many talents who makes extra income through comedy, journalism, and editorial works. Gutfeld regularly appears on Fox News Channel as a panellist and co-host of the political talk show The Five ...

Works That Made Bo Burnham A Household Name and How Much He Is Worth Now One of YouTubes first viral stars and the worlds most exciting young comedian, Bo Burnham, has always amazed critics and comedy aficionados alike. Often regarded as the Justin Bieber of comedy, thanks to his fresh looks, floppy blond hair and hoodies, he has a multi-faceted career bigger than many comedians twice his age. It wouldnt ...

Is Louie Anderson Gay And What Is His Net Worth? Louie Anderson has one of the most abstract faces in the industry and equally knows how to use it to his advantage. He is not only a stand-up comedian but also an actor and television host who is known for his distinctive comic wits. Some of his notable projects include Family Feud, where he was ...

Is Don Lemon of CNN Gay, Who is His Partner and What Is His Salary? Don Lemon has risen to become one of the most recognizable faces on CNN over the past few years. The fiery journalist, who anchors CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, is liked and somewhat disliked for his strong and candid opinions on a variety of matters that do not just include politics but also race, significantly, matters that ...

Is Rachel Maddow Gay, Who is the Wife and How Much Does She Earn in Salary? Rachel Maddow is an award-winning American journalist, political commentator, and television news anchor. She is best known for hosting the popular nightly TV show The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Prior to this, she hosted a talk radio program on Air America Radio from 2005 to 2010. As of now, the TV sensation co-anchors MSNBCs ...

Demystifying Pokimane  Her Real Name, Ethnicity & Boyfriend Like most social media celebrities in this digital era, Pokimane Thicc is one of those stars who took advantage of the internet to make a name for herself. Given the unlimited potentials which the social media space offers, many people have been instantly propelled to fame just by posting creative online contents. Not only has ...

A Breakdown of Kris Jenners Net Worth, Sources Of Income and Relationships Over The Years Standing outside and looking in, Kris Jenner looks like the oil that greases the wheels of the entire Kardashian/Jenner machine. She has been dubbed a momager and rightfully so because she seems to have had a part to play in the trajectory of each and every one of her daughters individually and the Kardashian brand ...

Pursuits That Brought Liza Koshys Fame To its Zenith and Her Love Life Since David Dobrik Liza Koshy is an American actress who has leveraged YouTube as a platform to promote her comedy while also serving as a television host on occasions. She is talented and funny and has gathered a lot of fans from around the world. Koshy started on Vine in high school and was able to get millions of ...

Alex Aiono Biography  Inside The Life Of The American Singer Not everyone who started from the streets has attained the heights where Alex Aiono is currently. His story could be referred to as the perfect definition of rising from Grass to Grace. He came into the limelight after he started out as a YouTuber, singer, and producer. One fascinating thing about the young YouTuber is ...

Virginia Vallejo Biography And Her Love Story With Pablo Escobar Virginia Vallejo can be referred to as one of the oldest whistleblowers in history after her involvement with Pablo Escobar which made her famous. Over the years, many questions have been raised about her relationship with the drug lord and why she endangered her life to be with him despite his notorious acts. The death ...

Princess Love Bio  Ethnicity, Real Name & Parents For many people, Princess Love is simply Ray Js wife but there is so much more to this feisty lady than meets the eye. She is a star in her own right and has many feathers on her cap. Princess Love is a reality TV star, a model, video vixen, and fashion designer. She and her ...

Who is Papa Franku Also Known As Filthy Frank or Joji, Where is He Now? The social media as we all know today has given people the opportunity to be creative and innovative and at the same time, make something of themselves. YouTube is one of the known social platforms we have today that makes it possible for people to express their God-given talents and post videos they created to ...

Who Is Molly Qerim, How Did She Become a Famous Sports Anchor and Who Is Her Husband? Molly Qerim is an American sports anchor popularly known for moderating First Take, a highly rated sports talk show, on ESPN. Prior to joining ESPN, Qerim hosted Fantasy Live and NFL AM on NFL Network. It is quite obvious that the widely acclaimed television personality is in a class of her own when it comes ...

Safiya Nygaard  Height, Parents & Net Worth Safiya Nygaard is an American YouTuber, writer, content producer, and director who is popular for posting makeup, beauty and fashion videos on YouTube. Her videos regularly top at least one million views, thanks to her lively character as well as her willingness to experiment with outrageous outfits and different beauty products. Here are the things to ...

The Rigors of Sunlen Serfatys Career Journey Until CNN and Fun Facts About Her Personal Life CNN correspondent, Sunlen Serfaty is an Emmy Award-winning journalist known for covering a broad range of breaking news stories, national news, and Washington politics. She has been able to garner widespread recognition for herself which even goes beyond the sphere of her work. Her profile also increased with the extensive work she did in covering ...

Demystifying Jazz Jennings Real Name, Boyfriend & Family Of One The Youngest Transgenders Jazz Jennings is an unusual personality who became famous as a transgender activist and was recorded as the youngest documented public figure to be seen as transgender. She is also a YouTube personality and spokesmodel for brands, her fans, and other transgenders. She fought for acceptance in her high school with her super supportive family for over ...

Inside Fred Armisens Life  Ethnicity, Romantic Relationships and Gay Rumors Fred Armisen is an award-winning American comedian, he is also a writer, an actor as well as a musician. He was a cast member of the legendary comedy show, Saturday Night Live for 13 years and also one of the brains behind the successful satirical show Portlandia. Find out more about this incredibly talented guy ...

Ed and Lorraine Warren Biography: Cases, Kids, and Family Life Have you ever woken up with fear you could not explain, or felt a strange presence that made the hair at your nape rise or even experienced strange occurrences around you? Well, these were some of the promptings that made the well-known paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren delve into trying to explain the ideas ...

Truth About Tony Romos Wife, Kids and Life Since His NFL Retirement Tony Romo grew from the field as a quarterback to the screens as an American Football Analyst. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the richest football league in the world (NFL) before retiring. As a junior, he was honored as an All-Ohio Conference Member, an Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and ...

Who is Brittany Venti, The Controversial Game Streamer and YouTuber? In recent times, many people live stream themselves playing video games. This has become a popular pastime on the internet and many highly skilled gamers have become internet celebrities through this means. However, some of them rather than becoming renowned for their gaming skills and great commentary, have become controversial and infamous. A good example ...

Rob Dyrdeks Family: His Kids And Relationship With Wife Bryiana Noelle Flores A multi-talented star and an elite pro skateboarder, Rob Dyrdeks success story began at a remarkably young age. Yet another proof that schooling doesnt always correlate with success, Rob has established himself not just as a phenomenal sportsman but also as a successful entrepreneur. Besides perfecting his skill as a natural talent on the board, ...

xChocobars  Biography and Everything You Should Know About Her Having distinguished herself and recorded massive successes in an industry notably dominated by men, it is very safe to say that Xchocobars deserves all the attention and cash she makes from her career. A household name on Twitch (a smart live streaming video platform), the online-gamer is popularly known for streaming classic games such as Stardew ...

Everything To Know About Mary Padian, Her Boyfriend and Net Worth Mary Padian is a famous American television reality personality best known for her involvements on the Reality show Storage Wars. She also has her own shop called Mary finds where she displays her antique collections. Since her childhood, Padian has been a creative learner. At the time, she used to create new items out of reusable ones and ...

Betsy Woodruffs Family Life: Is She Married or Related To Bob Woodruff? An old name in the world of journalism, Betsy Woodruff has warmed her way into the hearts of many with her impressive talents. Through hard work, Woodruff has carved a niche for herself in a very competitive field. Betsy has strong family and work values and is also an advocate for equal opportunities for everyone ...

Matpat (Matthew Patrick)  Wife, Height & Net Worth As far as internet business is concerned, Matpat remains one of the most dynamic and seasoned figures. He boasts a wealth of experience that has helped him in growing his business from one level of greatness to another. Like most successful people, MatPat started out small but today, he makes millions of dollars from his ...

Facts About Ricegum  His Girlfriend, Real Name & Net Worth Ricegum is an online gamer and YouTube sensation who ditched college; took advantage of the digital era, and made a name for himself on the internet. Though he began as a gaming YouTuber, Ricegum soon gained recognition as a controversial internet star following his many diss tracks. Here is everything you need to know about the youngster ...

Joy Taylor Once Married MLBs Richard Giannotti  Inside Look At Her Love Life and Family The erosion of the sexist idea that women have no business in sports broadcasting created a host of women celebrities who attained fame outside of modeling and acting. One of them, Joy Taylor, a radio personality and TV host for Fox Sports 1, has been in the industry since 2009, becoming one of the most ...

What To Know About Conan OBriens Wife, Kids & Family Today The name Conan OBrien is one that jumps right at you almost immediately you start talking about the most popular television hosts in the USA and this is no surprise because the man behind that name has risen to become one of the most admired men in the business. Known for hosting the late-night talk ...

David Letterman  Net Worth, Wife & Son In all of American, one man whose face has been seen frequently by late night TV talk show lovers is none but David Letterman. The comedian and TV show veteran has been hosting late night talk shows for more than three decades. His Late Night with David Letterman show began on February 1st, 1982 aired ...

Demystifying Sssniperwolfs Family Background And The Boyfriends Shes Had Since she launched her eponymously named channel in 2013, Sssniperwolf has been on the rise when it comes to video game influencers. She is one of the biggest names in the online gaming subgenre of YouTube videos. Real name Lia Shelesh, she started with Call of Duty: Black Ops II but has diversified with other ...

Lester Holt  Wife, Family & Net Worth Lester Holt is a multiple award-winning journalist, newscaster, reporter, and actor who has worked for notable media houses like WCBS TV, CBS, MSNBC and among others. His remarkable feat in journalism has endeared him to the hearts of many and earned him some awards and recognitions. Read on to get acquainted with his biography, ethnicity, ...

What Is Louis C.K. Doing Now, Where Are His Family And How Much Is His Net Worth? It is not easy to make it in comedy. It takes more than a funny bone and the ability to elicit a few giggles from a listening audience. For all the complexities that go into making a successful career in comedy, Louis C.K, the Washington D.C-born comedian, did it. For years, he was at the ...

The Progression of Hoda Kotbs Career, Her Ancestry and Family Life Hoda Kotb gained fame as a television host and news anchor for NBC. She anchors the shows signature show Today, and it has been an excellent vehicle for her skills in front of a camera. Kotb has won several awards, including Daytime Emmys and Peabody Awards. Simply put, she is one of the most successful ...

Jerry Seinfelds Family: All About The Amazing Comedians Wife and Kids Apparently one of the highly important entertainers in America, Jerry Seinfeld is a man of many talents. A very funny man, he is considered to be one of the most successful comedians in the USA who has been in the business as a professional rib-cracker for more than 40 years. As an actor, he has ...

The Rigors Of Sarah Silvermans Rise To Prominence And Rundown Of The Men She Has Dated A comedian, writer, and actress, Sarah Silvermans art and craft is as unique as you would ever find. Her poignant use of comedy to discuss social issues such as race, sexism, politics, and religion has gained her an impressive following. As unorthodox as her style is, so is her life experiences. She previously suffered from epiglottitis ...

Who Is Hannibal Buress, Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend & Why Was He Arrested? Making people laugh when they are tense or not in the mood is a tough order and to ply the trade, it must indeed take some guts and expertise, this is what the humor maker, Hannibal Buress has been able to achieve and sustain after his inital teething process. The African-American is a screen writer, stand-up ...

The Success of John Mulaneys Career Efforts Since His Work On Saturday Night Live and Facts About His Wife John Mulaney had been working as a professional comedian for years before Saturday Night Live changed his status for life and like many who are now his fans, you probably did not know of him then. However, that changed when he joined the sketch comedy show in 2008. Since then, he has been one of ...

Jeff Dunham  Wife, Children and Net Worth Ventriloquism is a very subtle method of making an inanimate object (like a puppet, doll or dummy) appear to be saying words which are actually coming from the person (holding the inanimate object). In effect, the individual throws his/her voice to the puppet and can even appear to be having a conversation with it. Not ...

Ellen DeGeneres  Net Worth, Wife  Portia de Rossi & Parents Ellen DeGeneres is an American female standup comedian who has proven that whatever a man can do, a woman can also do. Since her journey as a standup comedian started in 1981, she has held swirl as one of the finest comedians America and the world at large has seen. She is often referred to ...

Revisiting Joan Rivers Death  The Daughter, Husband & Net Worth She Left Behind Joan Rivers was a renowned American comedian, TV host, writer, and actress. Her brand of comedy consisted of scathing one-liners and no individual or topic is spared. She hosted her own talk shows in the 80s and 90s and was a pioneer for women in stand up comedy. She was the first woman to host a late night ...

The Struggles of Margaret Chos Childhood, How It Influenced Her Career Growth and Love Life Margaret Cho is best described as a comic star who knows how to maneuver everything related to life into a rib-cracking joke. She is also known to criticize every social and political problem, especially those involving race and sexuality. Apart from her talents as a comic actress, she does amazingly well as a singer and ...

Where Is Eric Bolling Today? Who Is His Son & What Is His Net Worth? Eric Bolling who was once a notable figure on Fox News, is an American TV personality, an author, and versatile Journalist. As a political and financial analyst/commentator, he anchored discussions bothering on finance for Fox Business Channel. Here is everything there is to know about his career, family, and allegations that led to his exit ...

Who Is Chelsea Handler and Does She Have A Husband or Boyfriend? Chelsea Handler is one of Americas top female comedians. She is also an actress, writer, television host, producer, and activist. She is known to be very outspoken even with things that are very personal. In separate interviews with The New York Times, Handler revealed that she had an abortion twice when she was 16. She has authored five books ...

How Did Laura Lee Achieve Fame, How Much is She Worth and Who is Her Husband? Laura Lee is a popular American YouTuber, make-up artist and beauty blogger. From posting videos of her makeup routines on Instagram, Lee has transformed into a beauty influencer and a YouTube sensation. Today, her YouTube Channel has over 630 million views and 4.5 million subscribers. Asides having millions of followers across all social media platforms, ...

Madison Gesiotto Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Measurements Madison Gesiotto is no ordinary woman; although she excelled in quite a number of pageants and competitions while she was in school, it is her views on politics and issues in America that has made her name known to most people. She possesses beauty and intelligence in a seemingly equal measure and has been able ...

Who Is Lil Tay? Parents, Brother, Sister, Age, Net Worth, Ethnicity Child stardom is nothing new in the entertainment world. With the advent of social media, we have seen more stars made from the internet than ever before, and Lil Tay is one of them. Her uploaded rap videos trademark is cursing, swearing, cash-throwing, and use of obscene languages. Her fame went wild after she dropped ...

What To Know About Tig Notaros Wife, Kids and Family Today Tig Notaro is an American stand-up comic star, writer, actress, and radio analyst. Since she started her career in 2001, she has become one of Americas best comedians, particularly when it comes to observational comedy. One prominent aspect of her routine involves her family, which includes a wife and two children. Interestingly, Tig Notaro is part ...

Who Is Chantel Jeffries? What To Know About Her Age, Ethnicity & Net Worth Chantel Jeffries is a lady of many talents. Beyond being celebrated as a DJ, she has fared well as a model, an actress, musician, and as an artist. She first rose to fame on Instagram where she has a large following. However, in recent times, she has hit the spotlight for her rumored relationships with some ...

Is Ellen DeGeneres Married, Who Is The Brother  Vance DeGeneres and Family Members? Ellen DeGeneres is one of a kind celebrity in todays world as she has used her wealth for the greater good for many people. She has served a host of famous awards shows like the Grammy, Primetime Emmy and Academy Awards. Moreso, she is probably one of the most decorated entertainment personalities around the world and ...

Carli Bybel Bio  Height, Boyfriend & Net Worth Video blogging is now on the rise and YouTube is the place where most of it happens. If you are a lady who cares about her looks or a guy who likes to help his woman out with her looks, then one person whose name rings a bell when it comes to giving beauty tips ...

Who Is Lexy Panterra? What To Know About Her Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth Lexy Panterra is one of the YouTube personalities whose breakout came through the Twerk dance videos she posted on her social media handles and YouTube which has so far generated over 13 million views for her. From there on, she created her LexTwerkOut workout program in 2014. She is sure very talented as she as moved ...

Who Is AnneMunition? What Is Her Ethnicity & Does She Have A Girlfriend or Boyfriend? AnneMunition is a professional gamer and content creator of American origin. She is one of the most sought-after streamers on Twitch  a popular online platform for watching and streaming videos, especially video games. AnneMunition has almost half a million followers on Twitch and her channel has accumulated at least 13 million views. Her favorite games ...

Norm MacDonald  Former Wife, Son & Net Worth Recently, 59-year-old former Saturday Night Live stand-up comic Norm MacDonald caused a not-so-funny stir when he expressed his personal opinion about the #MeToo movement speaking in defense of Louis CK and Roseanne Barr. Following the backlash of his actions, he is diligently doing damage control for his questionable opinion by posting a public apology on ...

Inside Iliza Shlesingers Life With Husband and How Much She is Worth Now Witty, spontaneous, and truly humorous, Iliza Shlesinger is an American comedian who is clearly proving that the stereotypical claim that women are not really funny is not only incredibly wrong but completely outrageous. Having been in the game for more than 10 years, Shlesinger has grown bigger with each step, stunning fans with her incredible ...

Who Is Nessa Diab? Details of her Parents, Ethnicity & Relationship With Colin Kaepernick Nessa Diab has gained more fame as the girlfriend of different footballers than in her career. She is currently with the popular National Football League (NFL) player, Colin Kaepernick, and has stood by his side during his most trying times. Also known for her mononym, Nessa, she recently engaged in a tweet battle with the ...

Samantha Bee  Inside the Life of Full Frontal Comedian and Presenter We have over the decades seen various brands of humor and personalities who have walked the ropes. One of the formidable forces in the world of comedy is no other than the iconic Samantha Bee of the Daily Show who now runs her own television show on TBS channel. She is a Canadian-American political commentator, ...

What Happened To Jessica Williamss Boyfriend And Which Are Her Best Works? Jessica Williams is a woman who has a lot of feathers in her cap  and keeps acquiring more. The former senior political correspondent of the comic Daily Show, who is also a comedian and actress whose recent movie appearance include starring as a playwright just recovering from a recent split with her boyfriend, Damon, and ...

Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian Nicole Byer, an American comedian, actress, and writer, made a name for herself after she played supporting roles on MTVs prank show Ladylike and the reality show Girl Code. The latter was a series that featured comedians who analyzed in minute details, all the issues that young women deal with daily, from period to dating, to weird friendship dynamics and questions about sex. Currently, ...

A Closer Look At Bart Kwans Ethnicity, Height & Personal Life Bart Kwan is one of few Asians who is known for being successful in the comic industry at an international level. His fame broke out after the YouTube channel which he created with his close pal Joe Jo garnered up massive followings. The talented duo has been running the channel since 2007 and their success ...

Heres How VanossGaming Achieved Fame Online, His Worth and Other Facts About The Gamer For many years, the decision to drop out of college to pursue an online career was considered to be foolish and self-destructive by conventional wisdom. It was no different when Evan Fong, popularly known as VanossGaming, dropped out of college to pursue a YouTube career. However, that radical move paid off, and he stands shoulder to ...

Desi Perkins  Ethnicity, Net Worth & Husband YouTube is littered with videos of makeup tutorials by different people but if you are interested in learning how to do your makeup like a pro, there is just one person on that platform who you must follow. She is none other than Desi Perkins! She is a popular make-up artist, Instagram star, and vlogger. Desi, ...

The Phases of Casey Neistats Pursuits and His Love Story With Candice Pool YouTuber, vlogger, filmmaker, and creator extraordinaire; these are just a few hats that Casey Neistat wears and the story of how he got here is incredible. A native of Connecticut, Neistat started out by making refreshingly-authentic short films and videos that featured content that was based on everyday life and called attention to serious issues. He ...

Connor Franta  Inside The Life of American YouTuber YouTube has produced a lot of young celebrities in modern times and Connor Franta happens to be one of them. Apart from being a YouTuber, the young American is also an entrepreneur, entertainer, and writer. His journey to fame began almost a decade ago when he started a self-named YouTube channel where he uploads content ranging ...

Rhett and Link  Bio, Who are Their Wives, Net Worth and Family Facts Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. Good Mythical Morning is the most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month. The show has featured guests such ...

A Walk Through The Maze of Ryan Higas Career Pursuits And Relationship With Arden Cho Ryan Higa is not only celebrated as a YouTube star, but he is also famed for appearing on television screens as an actor and comedian. Nigahiga, his Youtube channel, has gathered over 20 million subscribers and billions of views with his different comic acts, short films, and music videos uploads. With the rise in his career, ...

What to Know About The Shows That Made Craig Ferguson a Star and His Family Ties Rising to the top of your profession can sometimes be a hard and difficult process. It requires days and nights of working consistently hard to be better than what you were yesterday. It requires not giving up when all of your experiences seem to be pushing you to quit. It is because of these challenges ...

David Dobrik Married Liza Koshy for One Month  Inside His Family and Relationships David Dobrik is a YouTube sensation who has garnered fame not just for his vlogs but his love life too. Given his career as a YouTuber, his channel is one place where he shares his romantic escapades. With a cute boyish look like his, this Slovakian young man is definitely a good catch, and not ...

Merrell Twins Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Boyfriend One of the beautiful things about modern life is social media. As rudimentary as it might seem, it could turn out to be the greatest thing that would be invented in the next 50 years because of its impact on human life. Very few tools have revolutionized human behavior and culture as much as social ...

Who Is Bunny Meyer, Is She Married & What Is Her Net Worth? Bunny Meyer is a YouTube celebrity who has amassed over 8.8 million subscribers with 1.5 million viewers on her channel. She is popularly known as Grav3yardgirl and is one of the highest-paid YouTubers in the world. She initially started out as a fashion designer and later chose the path of a YouTuber. Grav3yardgirl has used her knowledge on fashion, makeup, ...

Ninja  Inside The Life of The American YouTuber and Internet Personality Ninja is a talented video game player known for his mastery of Fortnite and other seemingly difficult games he plays with ease. The video gamer made a career out of what is ordinarily the hobby of many people and has since then amassed a huge online following. Find out about him here, including the controversies that ...

What Is Eva Gutowskis True Sexuality and How Did She Rise So Fast As an Influencer? Ever since Eva Gutowski joined YouTube in 2011, it has been an interesting journey for her, moving from one milestone to the other. Backed by an army of young women and teenage girl fans known as Evanators, she has risen to become one of the most-talked-about personalities in the digital stratosphere. She has also leveraged ...

Emma Chamberlain Biography  Age, Height & Net Worth Before now, people in the entertainment industry could only achieve popularity after many years of dedication and hard work but since social media came into the scene, massive success and overnight popularity became possible. That is the story of Emma Chamberlain who encountered fame as a fifteen-year-old. Emma is one of the many young people who became ...

Anna Akana  Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth There is a new crop of YouTubers known by their different contents with a very strong uniqueness that stands every one of them out, some upload video games, some fashion while some others have comedy video contents to showcase on their channels. Anna Akana has used her platform to showcase her comedy contents to the ...

Revealing Truths About Lilly Singhs Ethnic Background, Family and Her Relationship With Yousef Erakat Lilly Singh is an Indian-Canadian YouTube personality, actress, and comedian also known as Superwoman. She kicked off her YouTube career in 2010 with the launch of her channel IISuperwomanII and followed it up with a vlog channel in 2011. This paved the way for her fame and success which led to a world tour. The ...

Who Is Andrea Constand, Is She Married and What Is Her Connection With Bill Cosby? Many people got sexually molested but could not voice out due to the stigma victims suffer and what will become of them thereafter. Very few of the victims danm every consequence to seek justice and bring the perpetrator to the book, like Andrea Constand. She never got any media buzz, not until her friend cum molester; ...

Who Is Lazarbeam (Lannan Eacott)? Here Are Facts You Need To Know Lannan Eacott became a person of interest after his YouTube channel, LazarBeam pulled him to the limelight. Initially, he started with uploads of Madden Challenge videos before deciding to build his own channel in January 2015. Within the space of three years, his YouTube channel had gathered over 7 million loyal subscribers. Today, he has not ...

Puzzling Facts About Wengies YouTube Success and More About Her Fiance Among the many YouTubers who have succeeded in winning the hearts of millions of people is Wengie. She is a Chinese-Australian YouTube personality, vlogger, singer, and voice actress. Wengie is famous for a lot of things, from her simple life hacks, DIYs, craft ideas to fun experiments, tricks and pranks. Her content portfolio also includes hair tutorials, diet & fitness tips, lookbooks, ...

Is Jeffree Star A Billionaire and How Much Does He Make On YouTube? If looks can be deceptive then theres no other person who proves this maxim better than Jeffree Star. A quick look at Stars pictures would likely leave you wondering whether or not to tag him a male or female. But who says being controversial has to be a curse? For Star, his looks have caught ...

The Place of Rosanna Pansinos Career Hats In Her Rise To Fame and Facts About Her Personal Life There are a few phrases that could summarize Rosanna Pansinos rise to fame. None of them can do it better than the famous axiom, no knowledge is lost. Her popularity YouTube comes out of her foray into other professions, specifically acting. Although acting now occupies one of the major professional hats in Rosannas resume, it was ...

Muselk (Elliott Watkins) Biography  Age, Girlfriend and Net Worth The new and best in-thing in terms of career is video gaming and we have over time seen young men and women make massive income from an activity that was purportedly designed to serve as a hobby or a relaxation activity. One of such individuals is the Australian-born YouTube Celebrity and Twitch streamer, Muselk, whose ...

PopularMMOs Biography: 5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know We have over the years seen social media millionaires, especially on the YouTube social platform. These celebrities cum millionaires have made names for themselves after carving out niches on the internet, and a typical example of one of such exciting media personality on the YouTube is American Minecraft gamer and YouTube star, PopularMMOs whose channel ...

Jason Nash Once Married Marney Hochman  What To Know About His Ex-Wife and Kids The now-defunct video-sharing app Vine was the path that led Jason Nash to fame. With it, he built an audience of over two million followers, which he parlayed into a significant YouTube career. That move has seen him become one of the most popular personalities on the internet, with the cash income to go with ...

Where Does Dantdm Live? What Do We Know About His Net Worth, Wife and Brother? Most parents buy video games for their kids to occupy their time leisure, while other parents frown at their kids when they play video games. Despite the disparity, every parent would be proud of their child if he/she eventually turns a celebrity or millionaire through playing video games like Dantdm. Biography of Dantdm Dantdm was born Daniel ...

LaurDIY  Biography: 5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTuber LaurDIY is the YouTube channel of Lauren Riihimaki which she created on December 1, 2011, when she was still a college undergrad with the sole aim of giving Do It Yourself (DIY) as well as practical fashion and beauty tips to her followers. She has used the channel to establish herself as a YouTube personality ...

Lachlan Ross Power  Bio And Family Life Of Australian The YouTube Star It is amazing the varied sources of income that the internet has made possible in this day and age. Internet fame can get its holder a whole lot of monetary and social benefits, but it must be noted that it does not come easy or cheap. For those who desire fame, content is the sacrifice ...

Alfie Deyes  Bio and Net Worth: Everything You Need To Know Alfie Deyes is one internet personality you definitely would like to know about. He boasts of over 10 million subscribers on three of his YouTube channels and has three bestseller books to his name. He is probably the most renowned young personality on YouTube today and his vlogging empire continues to grow by the day. ...

Colleen Ballingers Love Story With Husband Erik Stocklin and How Much She Is Worth Now Colleen Ballinger is an American comedian and YouTuber who is a very funny, adventurous, and highly talented woman. She is also an actress, singer, and writer. Collen is widely known for her work on YouTube where she posts content on her channel, Miranda Sings. The comedian has gained many subscribers over the years and has ...

Who Are The Dude Perfect Members and How Much Are They Worth? Entertainment in the 21st century can be digested in many forms and with platforms like YouTube, the creators and purveyors of entertainment have been democratized. Today, one of the most popular platforms to exhibit ones creative talents is YouTube, even though there are other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, who suffer in comparison to YouTube because ...

Who Is Rudy Mancuso, What Is His Earning Power and What Do We Know About His Girlfriend? Rudy Mancuso started his internet journey on Vine. He would later transition to YouTube where he solidified his place among the internets most beloved comedic creators. He is now regarded as one of the renowned internet personalities in the world, with a presence in mainstream TV and film projects like Comedy Centrals Drunk History and ...

Vsauce (Michael Stevens) Biography and Net Worth: All You Need To Know The advent of YouTube and the internet as a whole revolutionized how human beings consume information. With each passing year, the percentage of learning that is done in a traditional classroom decrease as a seismic shift to internet-based learning happens in our education industry. From open courses online to YouTube classes and videos, there are ...

How did Jake Paul Make His YouTube Big Break and Who is His Wife? One of the most interesting Social Media personalities of the 21st century is the young and popular Jake Paul whose elder brother is the famed Vine star, Logan Paul. Jake has utilized the power of the internet to bring himself to the limelight with a channel named JakePaulProductions that has amassed up to six billion ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About Reaction Time (Tal Fishman)  The American YouTuber Before 2015, the leading meaning of reaction time was the amount of time it takes to respond to a stimulus, until Tal Fishman started his channel, Reaction Time on YouTube and the dominant meaning changed. Today, a google search of Reaction Time would deliver Tal Fishmans videos and YouTube channel link with a few physics ...

Grace Helbig  Net Worth, Boyfriend and Family Life of The YouTuber Grace Helbig is an American internet personality, comedian, actress, and writer. She became popular due to her daily vlog series, DailyGrace, which ran on My Damn Channel from 2008 to 2013. Helbig is also popular for her own indie series on YouTube, ItsGrace, which she launched in 2014. Her vlogs which feature random stuff such as ...

Mark Wiens Bio  Ethnicity, Wife and Parents Food is a great way to connect with people. We all love to eat, if not for the pleasure of food, the satisfaction of quenching hunger, and the very process of providing and sharing that food is part of the strongest bonds that bind humanity together. Maybe it is our historical connection to food, where ...

Is Filthy Frank Dead, What Happened To Him and How Much Is He Worth? As George Kusunoki Miller, he was a nobody. However, as Filthy Frank, George was one of the most famous internet personalities on the planet. The Filthy Frank Show, a sketch series on his YouTube channel, TVFilthyFrank, was one of the platforms most influential creations. He is the reason a crazy dance song, Harlem Shake, made it ...

CaptainSparklez Bio  Net Worth, House and Cars of The Famous YouTuber Sometimes, what society wants from its citizens is quite different from what the citizens want for themselves. This is evident in the life and career of video blogger and American YouTube personality, Jordan Maron famous for his YouTube channel CaptainSparklez. He dropped out of school after discovering his talent in playing an online game called Minecraft. ...

Who is Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg)? Here are Facts You Must Know Canadian Youtube personality, Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg) originally started out polishing and designing nails even before it became a trendy culture in the social media. Simply Nailogica started out her showbiz career in her early days as a child actress, acting in commercials for game and toy companies. Aside from acting, she is blogger, vlogger, specializing ...

5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Huda Beauty In the world of entrepreneurship, it is interesting when an individual has a mentor who he/she looks up to, this yield more productivity on the part of the individual. The iconic and rich American beautician and makeup artist Huda Kattan nicknamed Heida is the founder of the Huda Beauty blog which is number one Instagram beauty blog ...

Is Dino MasterChef Gay? Details About His Ethnicity, Girlfriend, Where He Is Now Food, for the better part of the early years of human life, was nothing more than what we needed for survival. There was no artistry or curation to the method of cooking. The scarcity of food left no room for artistic expression until we figured out agriculture and we could make as much as we ...

Who Is Gabbie Hanna And How Did She Become Famous? As the world shifts to digital media and depends more and more on streaming services for its news and entertainment content, YouTubers have become one of the leading creators in the new media world. Their understanding of the online audience: how to create, maintain, and increase followers, are all handy skills that have primed them ...

Jacksepticeye  Height, Girlfriend & Net Worth Jacksepticeye is a YouTuber and actor who gained popularity with a series of gaming videos he uploads on his channel to the delight of millions of his subscribers. He is Known primarily for his comic video game series titled Lets Play and his vlogs. His channel was formerly ranked 46th in the list of most subscribed ...

Chris Heria Personal Details: About His Wife, Height & Ethnicity Background In this generation, keeping fit has become one of the major criteria for being hale and hearty. In fact, most occupations these days are majorly concerned with ones body mass, weight and looks. Unlike the past where most people have to register in a gym to keep fit, social media has made it quite easy ...

Everything You Need To Know About Game Grumps Gaming is becoming incredibly popular on YouTube these days with game vloggers make millions of dollars out of them yearly. One of the most popular up-coming gaming YouTube channels is Game Grumps. The Lets Play series was created in 2012 and celebrated its fifth anniversary on July 18th, 2017. In six years of its existence, the ...

Daithi De Nogla Biography, Girlfriend and Net Worth YouTube has created an avenue for many to make wealth and become famous from the comfort of their homes while having fun. Many have built a career out of the platform, uploading numerous videos that have earned them the admiration of viewers across the globe. For Daithi De Nogla, he is loved for his humorous commentary on ...

Does Phoebe Robinson Have A Boyfriend or Husband and What Do We Know About Her Family? Phoebe Robinson is a New York-based comedian, writer, and actress. She is best known as the co-creator and co-host of the WNYC Studios podcast 2 Dope Queens. Just like some other female comedians, she never had any original plans of becoming a stand-up comedian even though, according to her, she took a class on a whim at Carolines on Broadway. After ...

Who Are Lex and Alana from Listed Sisters? What Is Their Ethnicity & Is the Show Cancelled? America is a country built on diversity. Everywhere you look all over the country, a countless number of immigrants or children of immigrants have become an integral part of the fabric of the country. From entertainment to business, immigrants are creating a niche for themselves and climbing to the summit of their respective professions. One ...

Riveting Facts About Danielle Lombard And What She Is Best Known For The American entertainment industry is one that provides many avenues for aspiring hopefuls to express their talents and become famous. From films to television shows and game shows, there is no shortage of ways for men and women who desire fame to pursue and earn it in the United States of America. Another tested medium ...

Unearthing New Details About The YouTube Success And Personal Life of Alex Burriss of Wassabi Productions Wildly hilarious and truly audacious, Alex Wassabi is an American YouTuber who has become a very popular face on the video-sharing platform after having garnered millions of subscribers over the years by keeping people glued to his channel with his witty parody video releases. If you have always loved parody videos, there is every chance ...

Everything You Need To Know About H2O Delirious H2O Delirious whose full birth name is reported to be Jonathan Gormon Dennis has successfully kept himself mystified by hiding his face behind the masks leaving his loyal fans speculating who he really is for many years. The American YouTube star is easily identified by the Jason Mask Style with make-up which he wears on his ...

Who Is HolaSoyGerman and What Happened To Him? German Garmendia has certainly seen it all when it comes to internet success. His channels, HolaSoyGerman and JuegaGerman are in the top twenty most subscribed channel on YouTube. The Chilean YouTuber found a way to tap into one of the worlds greatest inventions and make a living from it. He has been able to build ...

Who Are Glenn Becks Family, What Is His Net Worth And What Happened To Him? The American political commentary space is filled with different personalities. A few of them, through their rhetoric, charisma, and resources have been able to build a large following of men and women who listen to them for insight and direction for various political and social issues in the United States. For Conservatives, the story is ...

Following Charissa Thompsons Rise Through The Ranks Of Sports Casting and All About Her Boyfriend Superstar TV host and sportscaster, Charissa Thompson, has been hailed as one of the highest-profile women journalists in America, and the reason is there for all to see. She has worked for popular establishments such as Versus, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, GSN, and Big Ten Network. She currently hosts the popular pre-game show, Fox NFL Kickoff, ...

Is Chris Kattan Gay or Does He Have A Wife? What Is His Net Worth? Chris Kattan is a popular American comedian and actor. He has appeared in several comic movies and TV series such as The Middle, A Night at the Roxbury and Bunnicula. Kattan is, however, most popular for his six-year stint as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. During his time on the legendary show, he ...

Everything You Should Know About the Rise of Insta Star Claire Abbott and Why She Gave It All Up A lot of young Americans have shot into the limelight for uploading different kinds of videos on YouTube. Some of these young stars include Connor Franta, Desi Perkins, Emma Chamberlain, the Dolan Twins (Ethan and Grayson), and Claire Abbott. The latter became a social media celebrity for uploading sexy bikini pictures of herself on social media. Apart from ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTube Channel  h3h3Productions H3h3Productions is a YouTube channel that specializes on Comic responses or reactions of other contents or trendy stories. The celebrity couple that created the channel has over time racked up sizable views for their commentaries and contents. Even though they had their own fair share of copyright cases, thankfully they scored an unprecedented victory in all ...

Lilypichu Bio  Height, Brother and Love Story With Albert SleightlyMusical Chang Like most popular internet celebrities, Lilypichu is one of those Twitch streamers who spend their lives on camera. From daydreaming about the possibility of becoming a full-time professional streamer, she grew to live out her dreams on the popular live streaming platform where people play games, make crafts, and showcase their day-to-day activities. Given the rise of ...

KSI  What To Know About His Girlfriend, Brother  Deji Olatunji & Net Worth Assuredly, when Internet inventors Vint Cerf and Bob Khan created the technological masterpiece, they probably did not know how massive the creation will be harnessed by many for different purposes including as a platform for earning money through content creation. One of such person who smiles to the bank regularly today for spending time creating ...

The Interesting Progression and Highlights of Carrie Keagans Career as a Host and Actress Carrie Keagan has garnered huge fame through her various stints on television. She is not just your regular TV host but one with a difference. Keagan has hosted several high profile events and TV shows, including VH1s Big Morning Buzz Live and Fox News Channels Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld. However, not many know she ...

The Gist On Elise Jordans Marriages And Her Rise To Prominence Political commentaries tend to be boring when it is handled by someone who does not have a knack for it. However, when you see the likes of Elise Jordan run the same commentary, you will have a lot of reasons to look forward to watching her again as the journalist is well-versed in the field ...

What Is Timmy Thick Best Known For and How Successful Is The Star? Thanks to the internet, many people whose talents would have ordinarily gone unnoticed have become famous. A very good example of this modern-day internet celebrity is Timmy Thick, an American social media star. He became popular on Instagram due to his penchant for posting raunchy pictures of himself. He also often posted videos of himself ...

What Does Heather Storm Do For a Living and Who Is She Dating? Reality Television is a great way to make a name for oneself as well as amass a fortune. Heather Storm can attest to this as she is one of those who have made a name and earned a lot from reality TV. She made her name appearing on shows like Car Fanatics, Awesome Autos, and, ...

Matt Carriker Biography  Net Worth, Wife & Height Unlike your regular veterinary doctor next door, Matt Carriker chose to spice up his noble profession with the unusual. Though he is known to many as a medical practitioner, Carriker is better renowned as a YouTube star and an animal lover. Having recorded huge successes on his various YouTube channels, the vet doctors name and ...

Jillian Mele of Fox News Career Achievements, Husband & Measurements There are quite a good number of presenters on radio and television who listeners and viewers may never wish to miss any of their shows because of their sensational golden voice, beauty or the special way or artistry they anchor their shows. Jillian Mele is one of such. She has been at the top of ...

Who is Gillian Turner of Fox News? Her Fiance or Husband and Net Worth Gillian Turner is well-known as a news correspondent for Fox News Channel but before she became a TV personality, she built an intimidating resume working for different institutions, including the American government. She served in different capacities at the White House National Security Council during the administration of former US Presidents  George W. Bush and Barack Obama. ...

Gloria Govan Bio  Age, Ethnicity & Height Even as Gloria Govan is famous as an American actress, author, a TV host, and reality television star, shes more popular as the wife of the former NBA player, Matt Barnes. She became known after appearing on the Florida version of the reality television series, Basketball Wives and later, Basketball Wives: LA  after Matt was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Sadly, ...

Michael Fishmans Interesting Start as an Actor and Why He Divorced His Wife of Many Years When one door closes, another one opens. As silly as that axiom may seem, it is the story of the resurgence of Michael Fishman, who plays D.J Conner on the popular show, Roseanne. Having played the character for several years as a child actor into his teenage years; when the show originally ended, Michael did ...

Who Is October Gonzalez  Tony Gonzalezs Wife? All You Need To Know October Gonzalez is a popular American TV host and media personality. Additionally, she is also a model. Gonzalez has hosted several TV shows such as Beat Shazam, Entertainment Tonight, and Rachel Ray. She has also featured in several reality TV shows. Gonzalezs fame is not just due to her profession but also because of her ...

Who Is Tony Berlin  Harris Faulkners Husband: His Children and Family Facts Tony Berlin is a popular American media guru. He has variously worked as a reporter, anchor, and producer for some of the biggest TV networks in America. They include CNN, CBS, NBC, and ABC (where he hosted the popular Good Morning America). Berlin has now diversified into public relations and owns his own PR firm. ...

The Progression of Gianna Tobonis Journalism Career and Details About Her Marriage to Kyle Buckley Gianna Toboni may not be your ideal newscaster but her unusual reporting is what made her a household name. The American journalist is renowned for her hard-hitting and authentic reportage. A motivator and activist for total press freedom, Gianna loves to explore pervasive cultural issues. Not only does this unique and ambitious journalist call for all ...

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The Progression of Howard Sterns Career As A Media Personality And Why He Divorced His First Wife Howard Stern is a legendary American radio host, who has also done some notable work as an actor, producer, author, as well as photographer. The radio personality achieved worldwide fame as a result of his self-titled radio program, The Howard Stern Show. As a professional radio personality, he has worked in different radio stations. Since 2006, ...

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Dissecting Charles Paynes Sexual Allegations, Its After Effects and More About His Wife Charles Payne had a respectable career as an analyst on Wall Street before he made the transition to television and became a contributor and later a host on Fox. In that time, his expertise has come under scrutiny, and he has been at the center of at least one major controversy. The major controversy in question ...

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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS. Newly appointed Ambassador of Armenia to the State of Kuwait was received by Emir Sheikh Sabah Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on September 6 to deliver his credentials.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia, greeting the guest and congratulating on the occasion of assuming the post, Emir Al-Sabah mentioned that he has a warm and respectful attitude towards the friendly Armenian people, some descendants of which live in Kuwait. Sheikh Sabah wished Ambassador Badeyan success in his mission.

Expressing gratitude for the congratulations and the kind wishes, Ambassador Badeyan mentioned it is an honor for him to represent Armenia in Kuwait and assured that he will spare no efforts to deepen and expand the bilateral partnership.

The Armenian Ambassador conveyed the warm wishes of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargayan to the Emir of Kuwait, who asked the Ambassador to convey his wishes to President Sargsyan.

The sides touched upon a number of issues of bilateral agenda at the meeting. In that context Ambassador Badeyan thanked Emir Al-Sabah for the caring attitude to the Armenian community in Kuwait which is an important link between the two friendly states.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. During the first sitting week of the 45th Parliament, Tim Wilson, the new Member for Goldstein and former Human Rights Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) acknowledged his Armenian heritage when he delivered his maiden speech in the House of Representatives, the Armenian National Committee of Australia informed Armenpress.

Wilson rose to political fame in Australia as an outspoken believer of true liberalism and has advocated for maximum "freedoms" as a think tank director and as Human Rights Commissioner in the past, and he pledged to do the same in Federal Parliament.

Wilson's wide-ranging maiden speech touched on his upbringing and family tree, as these speeches often tend to do. He referred to the bloodied past of his mother's father, who had to endure and survive the Armenian Genocide, which was a source of inspiration for Wilson.

He said: My maternal Grandpa left behind the genocide of his people. I never met him. He died before I was born. But I still see him everyday when I look into the mirror and into his dark and recessed Armenian eyes.




YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. While on a working visit to Argentina, the Armenian delegation led by Deputy Speaker of Parliament, head of Armenia-Argentina parliamentary friendship group Eduard Sharmazanov, including also MPs Sukias Avetisyan and Mikayel Manukyan, held a meeting with President of the Senate of Argentina Federico Pinedo on September 6, press service of the Parliament informed Armenpress.

The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament attached importance to the establishment of close cooperation with Argentina highlighting the role and significance of the parliamentary component. Eduard Sharmazanov said Armenia considers Argentina a friendly state, the vivid evidence of this is Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans recent visit to the Embassy of Argentina in Armenia on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the countrys independence.

The sides expressed hope the visit will boost the bilateral ties and will reveal the existing potential in the relations of the two states.

Eduard Sharmazanov said with satisfaction the cooperation of the two states in the international organizations is very productive: there is a mutual understanding on issues of mutual interest, as well as mutual assistance exists in the international platforms on supporting each others candidates.

Eduard Sharmazanov highly appreciated that in 2006 the Senate of Argentina adopted and condemned the Armenian Genocide by law. He said: By recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide the parliamentarians of Argentina say no to the Turkish denial policy. The Senates such stance proves Argentinas commitment to universal values since it is possible to prevent new crimes only by recognizing and condemning the crimes of the past.

In his turn, Federico Pinedo said he is proud to be the co-author of the bill on the Armenian Genocide.

Referring to regional issues, Eduard Sharmazanov condemned Armenias illegal blockade by Turkey, as well as Azerbaijans aggressive policy towards Nagorno Karabakh.

The sides highly appreciated the Armenian communitys important role in the formation and strengthening of the Armenian-Argentine relations.








YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. The meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council (SSC) was convened in Stepanakert (NKR) under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, press service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin told Armenpress.

At the opening of the meeting His Holiness conveyed his blessings to the clergy and lay members of the Council. He also conveyed his personal appreciation to NKR President Bako Sahakyan and His Eminence Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, Primate of the Diocese of Nagorno Karabakh for the invitation to hold the SSC meeting in the NKR on the occasion of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the NKRs independence. His Holiness stressed the importance of holding the Council meetings in various Armenian dioceses, which will promote awareness and further strengthen the spiritual life of the communities.

Our visit to Nagorno Karabakh is a pilgrimage for us: a land which holds the memories of our ancestors, and where there are many holy shrines. We are here to kneel down in this sacred sanctuary and offer our prayers to Almighty God for the welfare of Nagorno Karabakh and the prosperous life of the Armenians of NKR, Catholicos Karekin II said stressing that the Armenian Church, with its worldwide dioceses and communities has always been and remains by the side of the Armenians of NKR.

His Holiness announced that on the occasion of the visit, on behalf of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Dioceses of the Catholicosate of All Armenians, the Mother See again transfers five hundred thousand US dollars to the NKR for the needs of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.

His Holiness prayed that God keep the NKR in peace under His Holy Right Hand, granting a prosperous and tranquil life.

Reflecting on the Councils agenda, the Catholicos of All Armenians noted that the issues to be discussed are of great importance for the regulation of the activities of the eclesiastical structures of the Armenian Church, and effective organization of the Church's mission and progress. His Holiness expressed his appreciation to the SSC members for their dedication and commitment wishing effective outcomes to the work of the SSC meeting.

Before approving the agenda items, the members offered a prayer for the soul of the late Mr. Alberto Djeredjian (Diocese of Argentina of South America) a member of the SSC, who passed away on 05 August.

During the three-day meeting, agenda items include issues related to the National Ecclesiastical Assembly, Supreme Spiritual Council policies, revisions to the Ecclesiastical-Representative Assembly by laws, and reports on the religious institutions and activities of the Dioceses.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. More than 320 companies from Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh will take part in Made in Armenia-2016 Expo of Armenian products and services, Executive Director of Armenia Development Fund Karen Mkrtchyan said at a briefing on September 7.

A number of companies from different sectors will take part in the Expo. Over the last 25 years this is one of the largest events to show Armenias production potential. Over the past few months the Fund has carried out considerable works for organizing this event, and I can say we have reached the point that there is a great interest towards the Expo. We have more than 320 participants from Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, also from abroad, he said, Armenpress reported.

Business, as well as official delegations, investors from countries such as Russia, Georgia, Iran, several Arabic states will arrive in Armenia, he said.

Made in Armenia-2016 Expo aims to show the existing potential of Armenias industry, the development opportunities, to contribute to revealing new markets. Karen Mkrtchyan said the Expo is a good platform to establish business ties for implementing investment projects.

Made in Armenia-2016 Expo will be held on September 19-22 in Meridian Expo center.

This is the third year it is being organized by the Armenian Development Fund through the Armenian Governments assistance.
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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Access demanded by German parliamentarians to the Incirlik NATO airbase could be restored, says Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, He has warned through that any approval will depend on how Berlin "behaves", reports Deutsche Welle.

Ankara banned in June access to Incirlik by members of Germany's parliament, which has ultimate say over German troop deployments, in anger at the Bundestag's declaration that 1915 massacres of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces amounted to "genocide."

Cavusoglu told "Die Welt" Wednesday that if Germany "behaves as it's doing now we will consider it," - implying restoration of parliamentarian access.

"If Germany, however, tries to treat Turkey badly then that will not be the case," he said, adding that his country refused to be regarded as a "second class country."
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. While on a working visit to Argentina, the Armenian delegation led by Deputy Speaker of Parliament, head of Armenia-Argentina parliamentary friendship group Eduard Sharmazanov, including also MPs Sukias Avetisyan and Mikayel Manukyan, held a joint meeting with a members of Argentina-Armenia parliamentary friendship group of the Argentine Senate and Chamber of Deputies on September 6, press service of the Parliament told Armenpress.

Eduard Sharmazanov expressed hope the active contacts between the two Parliaments will positively affect the dynamic development of the bilateral relations.

He stressed the necessity of establishing close relations between the two parliamentary friendship groups. He said the mutual cooperation of the two friendship groups can have an impact in the establishment of the Armenian-Argentine cooperation in a number of sectors of mutual interest.

Eduard Sharmazanov invited Argentina-Armenia friendship groups to visit Armenia.

He also attached importance to the mutual assistance of the Armenian and Argentine parliamentarians in the international platforms.

Eduard Sharmazanov presented to the Argentine side the situation in Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact by stating: We live in difficult region full of challenges where from the one hand Turkey keeps Armenia in an illegal blockade over two decades, and from the other hand Azerbaijan with its criminal policy is a threat for regional security and stability. Everyone must understand that there is no alternative to the NKR peoples right to self-determination. The Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh has as much right to self-determination as any other countrys people. Nagorno Karabakhs international recognition is an imperative of the day.

At the end of the meeting a mutual cooperation agreement was signed between the National Assembly of Armenia and the Chamber of Deputies of Argentina.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Democratic reforms of Georgia, preparation for the parliamentary elections and prospects of deepening NATO-Georgia relations were discussed during the meeting of the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, press service of the Georgian Government reported.

The Georgian PM thanked the Secretary General for the visit to Georgia and indicated that Georgia considers it to be yet another sign of support of Alliance.

Particular attention was paid to the steps taken in the area of increasing the country's defensibility as well as NATO's important contribution in this area.

The parties noted that NATO-Georgia relations are gradually developing and decisions taken at the Warsaw Summit are a clear indication of this.

NATO Secretary General outlined the significant contribution of Georgian military personnel in ensuring international security.

The conversation also touched upon parliamentary elections scheduled this October. Prime Minister noted that the Government of Georgia will spare no effort to hold elections compliant with the democratic norms and international standards.

Deputy Secretary General of NATO Alexander Vershbow, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai, Head of the NATO Liaison Office, William Lahue as well as Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze, Minister of Defense Levan Izoria, Minister of Justice Tea Tsulukiani, Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Mghebrishvili, State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration David Bakradze, Ambassador of Georgia to NATO Alexander Maisuradze and Deputy Head of the Administration of Government Nino Kobakhidze attended the meeting.
As the 2016 Presidential campaign swings into its final two months, Chief John Ross Chapter, DAR Regent Jessica Dumitru announces a partnership between the chapter and Tennessee Secretary of State, Tre Hargett, in support of the Honor Vote program.



The Honor Vote program allows each Tennessee citizen to dedicate his/her vote to a veteran or a current active duty military member. While we often talk about the price of freedom and cite voting as one of our most important rights as U. S. citizens, Secretary Hargetts program allows us to take those words and translate them into action. The process is simple. Go on-line at GoVoteTN.com/honor and dedicate your vote to an individual whose service has earned that right for you. Then, you can go to your local precinct and cast your vote. We are encouraging all members of the DAR and all Hamilton County citizens to take one minute and consider the price of a vote, and then honor those who have paid that price.



If registered Tennessee voters join the Honor Vote program within the next month, each will receive a packet of information along with a button that can be worn when voting.



When asked about her favorite veteran, Regent Dumitru replied, My Dad, Tony Mines, is a Vietnam combat veteran. While Im always proud of his service, this Nov. 8, I can officially say Thank You, Dad for my rights and responsibilities as a citizen. Ill be casting my vote in his honor.


Celebrating jailhouse recovery Audio Article Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle Sears paid a visit to the Chesterfield County Jail last week, meeting with over 50 of the men and women participating in the HARP (Helping Addicts...

An icons legacy memorialized Audio Article Enon Library was dedicated in memory of the Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker on Friday, Oct. 21. Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Winslow, right, was joined by Walkers daughter, Patrice Walker...
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Armenia informs that local elections will be held in 373 communities of Gegharkunik, Lori, Kotayk, Shirak, Syunik and Vayots dzor provinces of Armenia. In 36 communities there will be held elections of only a community head, in 82 communities of only council members and elections of both a community head and council members will be held in 255 communities.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the CEC, the deadline for the registration of the candidates was 18:00, September 7. There are 687 candidates for community head, and 3114 for council member.
Cars.com will be spun off into its own public company, its owner Tegna said on Sept. 7, 2016. (Screenshot)

Chicago-based Cars.com is spinning off on its own as a publicly traded company.

Tegna, the Virginia-based television station owner which acquired the car shopping website in 2014, announced the move Wednesday. Cars.com will remain headquartered in Chicago and will trade under the ticker symbol CARS.

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The spinoff is expected to take place in the first half of 2017. Separating the digital company from its broadcast parent will position Cars.com for potential acquisitions in the auto trading sector, executives said during a conference call Wednesday.

"There's been enormous opportunities that have presented themselves over the past several months," said Alex Vetter, CEO and president of Cars.com. "Being a stand-alone company will allow us to look at those independently ... and pursue those with even greater focus. It really positions us in a much better way."

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In August, Cars.com closed the acquisition of DealerRater, an automotive consumer review website. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Cars.com was launched in 1998 by Tribune Co. (now Tribune Media), Gannett and other newspaper groups as a digital alternative to newspaper classified ads. Gannett bought out its partners in October 2014, acquiring the remaining 73 percent interest in Cars.com for $1.8 billion.

Cars.com has 1,308 total employees, with 859 based at its Chicago headquarters at 175 W. Jackson Blvd. The company is planning to move to larger quarters at 300 S. Riverside Plaza in June 2017.

When Gannett split into separate broadcasting and publishing companies in June 2015, Cars.com stayed with the broadcast parent, renamed Tegna.

Gracia Martore, president and CEO of Tegna, announced Wednesday she will retire when the Cars.com split is completed. Dave Lougee, who oversees Tegna's 46 TV stations, will succeed Martore.

Tegna also announced Wednesday it is exploring strategic alternatives, including a possible sale, for CareerBuilder, the Chicago-based online job site launched in 1995. Tegna owns 53 percent of CareerBuilder, with Tribune Media and McClatchy holding minority stakes.

"Tribune Media is fully supportive of Tegna's decision to pursue strategic alternatives with regard to CareerBuilder, including a possible sale of the company," Tribune spokesman Gary Weitman said Wednesday.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

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Spiffy Pictures co-founders David and Adam Rudman direct a remote recording session from their Highland Park offices with Taran Killam, star of their PBS cartoon "Nature Cat." Sept. 6, 2016. (Robert Channick / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)

When "Nature Cat" premiered last fall, the PBS Kids cartoon became a breakthrough hit for Spiffy Pictures, an aspiring television production studio with an unlikely address  the second floor of a Highland Park strip mall.

Spiffy, headed by brothers David and Adam Rudman, is still tucked away above a yogurt shop and a fitness studio. But with millions of viewers and several major deals in the works, the Highland Park natives may even find their way onto the mall directory.

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"It's all going to change," said David Rudman, 53. "The landlord is putting our name out front with the other people on the second floor, so our anonymity is coming to an end."

The company is definitely making a name for itself with "Nature Cat." The show is consistently ranked among the top five PBS Kids shows nationally since its premiere in November, according to the network. It also has more than 114 million streaming views through various online platforms.

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The show follows the adventures of Fred, a house cat who explores the great outdoors with a mouse, a dog and a bunny, voiced by "Saturday Night Live" stars including Taran Killam, Bobby Moynihan and Kate McKinnon. Inspired by Looney Tunes yet hewing to its mission of nature education, the cartoon series has proved a ratings success with its target audience  young children  while turning their parents into closet fans as well, the producers said.

Brothers David, left, and Adam Rudman, co-founders of Spiffy Pictures, conduct a remote recording session Aug. 24, 2016, from their Highland Park office with Taran Killam. Killam, a former "Saturday Night Live" star, voices the title character for "Nature Cat" but was in Vancouver, British Columbia, filming a movie. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)

"We really like to make our shows for everybody  for parents to enjoy as much as the kids," said David, the elder sibling, whose day job has long been playing Cookie Monster on PBS staple "Sesame Street."

A few years ago, the Rudmans would have been happy to make their shows for anybody.

Launched in 2003, Spiffy Pictures has created and produced several live-action projects including "Jack's Big Music Show" for Nickelodeon and "Bunnytown" for Disney. The Rudman brothers have collaborated professionally since the mid-'90s, doing quirky puppet shorts for Comedy Central and MTV.

Their amateur projects date back to the 1980s, when they began making videos with their friend, neighbor and future Spiffy business manager, Scott Scornavacco.

David Rudman led the way into children's television, landing a part-time job with "Sesame Street" while attending the University of Connecticut, learning about puppeteering from the show's creator, Jim Henson.

"It was like going to film school for me," said David, who went to work full-time for Henson upon graduation.

In 2000, he replaced the legendary Frank Oz as the primary voice and hands behind Cookie Monster, a role he still fulfills.

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Adam Rudman, 48, Spiffy's head writer, has a lengthy TV resume himself, working on everything from "Tom & Jerry" cartoons to "Cyberchase" for PBS before joining forces with his brother.

Spiffy pitched "Nature Cat" to PBS in 2009 from a series of hand-drawn sketches penned by David. The concept resonated with the network.

"When they came in with this show idea, we knew immediately that we wanted to do it, because it was funny," said Linda Simensky, vice president of children's programming for PBS.

Getting the show off the ground took years of tests and tweaks. The green light came in 2014, when PBS ordered 40 episodes for season one. The inaugural run will take the show into 2017, and renewal negotiations are underway.

Each show costs about $400,000 to produce. PBS is partnered with Spiffy on "Nature Cat," providing about 40 percent of the funding. Spiffy retains ownership of the show, including international distribution rights and merchandising.

Chicago public television station WTTW-Ch.11 signed on as co-producer with Spiffy, its first kids programming venture in nearly a decade. Its primary role is as a fundraising conduit for "Nature Cat," bringing in major sponsors including the Van Eekeren family, founders of Munster, Ind.-based Land O'Frost, and Capri Sun to help underwrite the cost of the show.

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The station also produces short nature "commercials" voiced by SNL alum Chris Parnell that appear in the show.

"It seemed like a natural partnership," said Dan Soles, senior vice president and chief television content officer for WTTW. "It's extra special for us because it is a Chicago-based show."

A typical 30-minute show includes two 11-minute stories. The storylines are created in conjunction with curriculum advisers, and are shaped into comedic scripts by the Rudmans. Then come individual recording sessions, often done remotely, with the animation added later by Toronto-based 9 Story Media Group.

"That 11-minute story probably takes a year," Adam said.

Original drawings of PBS star Nature Cat by David Rudman are seen at Spiffy Pictures' Highland Park office on Aug. 24, 2016. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)

A recent storyline found Nature Cat bitten by mosquitoes, sprayed by a skunk and stung by a bee on the way to visit a bat cave, causing him to temporarily abandon his friends and mission, before returning with a bit less bravado.

Simensky, who first worked with the Rudmans back in the '90s when she was in animation development at Nickelodeon, said the brothers have added a missing ingredient to children's television.

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"They're bringing a sense of humor to educational TV," she said. "A lot of people can be smart and a lot of people can be funny, but smart and funny is hard."

The brothers, dressed in matching blue polo shirts, directed a three-hour recording session recently from their modest offices, feeding lines and setting the scenes via Skype for Killam, who is in Vancouver filming a movie. Killam delivered the lines with manic gusto  three takes for each  as the Rudmans mouthed the words, punctuated with dramatic hand gestures and giggles.

"Great ... outstanding ... awesome," they told Killam after each line, only slightly less animated than their star.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RobertChannick
Client Ryan Phelan, left, is shown an apartment by Redfin real estate agent Alex Haried at 123 S. Green St. in Chicago's West Loop on Aug. 30, 2016. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

The Great Recession turned out to be a pretty good thing for Chicago's West Loop. Since 2008, when the housing market collapsed, the neighborhood emerged like a phoenix from the ashes as one of the hottest in the city. These days, the former urban warehouse and manufacturing district is the trendiest place to be.

"Post-recession, the West Loop has come around probably more than any other neighborhood," said Aaron Galvin, president at Luxury Living Chicago rental brokerage. "Even before the recession, it had some decent restaurants and some condos, but not the multifamily boom and not the restaurants and industry and technology coming in droves."

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"The neighborhood has the right mix of zoning that allows people to work, live and play within blocks, and it's only getting better," said architect Mike De Rouin, president at FitzGerald Associates Architects.

Depending on who does the mapping, the West Loop is bordered roughly by Ashland Avenue on the west, the Eisenhower Expressway on the south, the Chicago River on the east, and Grand Avenue on the north. Parts of that area also are known as West Town and Fulton Market. West Loop subneighborhoods include Greektown, Randolph Row and the Fulton River District.

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The attractions are many: Brand-spanking-new apartments with resortlike amenities, extensive restaurant and bar offerings, chic retail boutiques, easy walking to downtown and a web of major highways and public transportation stops. Novelty leisure activities are afoot, too. Bad Axe Throwing is opening its first Chicago indoor axe-throwing range this month at 165 N. Loomis St.

"A lot of times we see residential development leads the way, and slowly the commercial and retail sectors follow," said Gail Lissner, vice president at Appraisal Research Counselors. "Here we are getting tremendous settlement of all property types at the same time."

Client Ryan Phelan, left, is shown an apartment at 123 South Green Street in Chicago by Redfin real estate agent Alex Haried on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

Corporate America also is taking note. Google moved its Chicago offices into a former cold-storage building at 1000 W. Fulton Market in December. McDonald's will relocate its headquarters and 2,000 employees from Oak Brook to the site of the former Harpo Studios, 1058 W. Washington St., in 2018. More companies are expected to follow.

"A lot of those employees will stay in the suburbs and commute in, but you'll probably have a ton who move to the neighborhood or close to it," said Redfin real estate agent Alex Haried, who frequently works the area.

"We are going from sweatshirts to suits," said Susan Tjarksen, principal and managing broker at KIG, an institutional multi-family brokerage firm.

The housing stock is an eclectic, uneven mix. Sleek glass-and-steel apartment towers dominate, followed by smaller-scale vintage loft condominiums, a few new condos and a smattering of town homes. Single-family homes are rare and tend to cluster closer to Ashland Avenue.

From 2008 until now, 4,171 rental units were delivered in the West Loop, reports Appraisal Research Counselors. An additional 507 units are planned for 2017, and more are in the pipeline. These include the 350-unit Arkadia Tower apartments at 765 W. Adams St. and the proposed One South Halsted, a 492-unit apartment tower at Halsted and Madison streets; both buildings were designed by FitzGerald Associates Architects. Under construction by Related Midwest is 1035 W. Van Buren St., a 30-story mixed-use tower with 300 luxury apartments and 12,800 square feet of retail space, slated for completion in August or September 2017.

"There is a cool melding of all these different genres of people," said Related President Curt Bailey. "That talks to how immensely strong this market is. We're seeing the West Loop turn into one of Chicago's most mature neighborhoods."

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KIG recently brokered a joint venture to renovate and expand the Medical District Apartments and is working on a large mixed-use development; both projects are on Ashland. And the granddaddy of them all, the 2,346-unit Presidential Towers at 555 W. Madison, completed in the late 1980s, recently underwent a massive multiyear renovation.

New apartments are being rented almost as fast as the paint dries.

"During the first half of 2016, we leased 300 apartments in the West Loop," Galvin said. "All the units exclusively listed with us have been absorbed (leased) within one month of delivery. Five years ago, there weren't 300 new apartments available in the whole area."

Exterior of 123 South Green Street in Chicago to client Ryan Phelan on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

According to Chicago Apartment Finders, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the West Loop is $2,050. By comparison, the South Loop average is $1,850 and the River North average is $2,075.

Home ownership generally means condominiums, but few have been built in recent years. Lenders, many of who were burned by uncompleted megasize projects during the recession, became leery of financing them again. Savvy developers pivoted and revamped their condo plans into rentals like Marquette Cos. did with Catalyst apartments at 123 N. Des Plaines St. Belgravia Group, though, rescued a 24-unit luxe, feature-packed condo project at 23 N. Aberdeen St. and successfully completed three more.

Prices vary widely due to age and architecture. They range from about $200,000 for a small one-bedroom resale to over $2 million for a spacious new one with high-end trims and finishes. But buying anything is a challenge. Bidding wars are common, and buyers must move quickly. Last month clients of Haried offered $365,000 for a 1,400-square-foot two-bedroom condo listed for $350,000. They lost. A colleague's clients bid $375,000 for the same unit, and they lost too. The sellers received 14 offers.

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"For the past two years, it's been a very hard neighborhood to get something under contract," Haried said.

Redfin real estate agent Alex Haried, left, shows an apartment at 123 South Green Street in Chicago to client Ryan Phelan on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

According to Redfin, 320 West Loop homes sold for a median price of $400,000 during the three-month period ending July 31. During the same time period four years ago, the median selling price was $305,000. Of this year's sales, 303 were condos, 14 were town homes, and three were single-family homes. They were on the market for 41 days, and nearly half sold for over the asking price. When considering Chicago as a whole, the median home price was $285,000, and market time was 57 days.

Lynn Osmond and her husband moved to a West Loop loft condo 3-1/2 years ago. She enjoys the quiet street she lives on, walking to her job on Michigan Avenue, the nearby restaurants and the diversity of people and architecture. But as president of the Chicago Architecture Foundation, she has concerns about the rapid development, including the threat of modern construction blotting out local character and an influx of car-owning suburban employees in an already parking-deficient neighborhood. There's also the question of how to strike an appropriate balance of owners and renters, and what types of new businesses will best serve the community. Lack of green space is also an issue.

"I don't think any of it (the new development) is bad necessarily, but all these things are colliding together, and there isn't a comprehensive plan," Osmond said. "Things are happening by block-by-block decisions rather than a master plan of what works for the neighborhood and how to accommodate all the different uses."

A sign on South Green Street in Chicago seen on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016, announced a forthcoming development called Illume, which will have an address at 111 South Peoria Street. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

Resident Richard Dees, who also advocates for a master plan, is more direct. "The only things being built in the West Loop are luxury condos for $2 million-plus or small rental apartments," he said. "There is no affordable housing for normal people and families."

Dees is a board member at Monroe Manor condo association on the 800 block of Monroe Street, which filed suit against LG Development and the city over an adjacent approved condo project at 111 S. Peoria St. Both projects are low-rises. The group's primary complaints are about safety, health, and air and light quality as well as how new developments are green-lighted.

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"The courts will have to decide this one," Dees said.

At present, industry players expect further development of all sectors, and they agree the market is far from peaking. Apartments will remain popular, De Rouin said, pointing to demographics that suggest millennials, compared with previous generations, will live longer in apartments, with some opting for a lifetime of renting rather than owning.

"The bigger question today for developers is how to differentiate their apartment buildings from the competition," De Rouin said.

"I think we'll see more job growth, more bike lanes and another grocery store and more infiltration of street-level pedestrian retail, not big boxes," Tjarksen said. "We'll continue to see people who want to call that neighborhood home."

Pamela Dittmer McKuen is a freelance writer.

ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. At the initiative of the Armenian Development Fund a conference headlined Armenia as a gate to major markets will be on September 20. The Government will allocate over 26 million drams for its organization. Armenpress reports the draft decision is included in September 8 agenda of the Cabinet meeting.

Nearly 200 people will participate in the event, including participants from the EAEU member states and Iran.

The aim of the event is to introduce the potentials of Armenian economy, as well as to find new partners for local producers and enhance cooperation.
"Fighting in the air is not sport. It is scientific murder."

Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker

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John Barile turned 93 in July. Our interview took place at Symphony of Chesterton with his buddies Al Terzes and Herb Read at his side.

**

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"I grew up in Cicero, Ill.," Barile began. "It was a mixed neighborhood: Polish, Italian, Lithuanian and Irish. It was a very strong Catholic neighborhood. There were three churches: Irish, Polish and Lithuanian. Most us Italians would attend the Irish Catholic Church because English was spoken. That was not case at the Lithuanian and Polish Masses.

Were your parents immigrants?

"Yes, my mother came here when she was a year old and my father was 25. My parents actually stated out in a small coal mining town in Iowa. My father was a miner. We moved to the Cicero-Berwyn neighborhood when I was 5. My mother's family lived in Cicero. My ancestors were barrel makers. My last name means barrel in Italian.

"My parents were both from northern Italy, but my mother's family was close to Germany. My father's family was only 50 miles from France. Besides Italian and eventually English, my dad also could speak French and Arabic. My father loved America and said he would never go back to Italy."

World War II?

"I thought I could qualify for pilot training, so I applied. My father finally signed off so I could go. I was just short of 19. I passed the examination for Naval aviation. It took almost two years to get my wings. You had to learn how to land on the carrier and a lot of other practicing.

"In the latter part of my military time I joined the Fighting Squadron 38. I was trained to fly Hellcats. I flew both Wildcats and Hellcats. It was the Hellcat that was the newest claim to fame."

Tell me a little more about the Hellcat.

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"They were built for one person. A Hellcat has six 50-caliber machine guns and can carry six rockets under the wings. It also could carry a belly tank with extra fuel or a 500-pound bomb underneath. At that time, we did dive bombing. We chased submarines. That plane had the same firepower as a destroyer.

We were put aboard CVE115, the USS Bairoko. It was named after the Battle of Bairoko Straits in the Philippines. The Bairoko was part of the 7th Fleet. We ranged from Pearl Harbor, which was our base, all the way to Hong Kong. We were the first Hellcat squadron to fly off of a short carrier."

How short are we talking?

"It was only a 500-foot deck. Most decks are 800 to 1,000 feet. The big difference though, was the fact that those short carriers were built off of a tanker hull. We called them 'Kaiser Coffins.' The problem was they couldn't get up a lot of speed. Top speed was about 12 knots. Big carriers can sometimes go 30 knots.

"When there was no wind, it was difficult to land safely. The biggest problem that we ran into was we would crack tails. All they could do was throw the plane over the side. One time, four out of 10 of us came in with cracked tails. We would have to go back into Guam and get some more planes. By the time we were there it was getting toward the end of the war."

Post-World War II?

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"I felt like I wanted to get my education. I have a degree in business administration from Northwestern University."

Did you continue to fly after the war?

"Yes, I was in the Active Reserves for three years. I had a commercial license after that. I flew for pleasure. I could have gone to the airlines, but I didn't want to do that. It was a different kind of flying. I enjoyed the fighter. I don't think I'd have made a good bus driver."

What did you end up doing for a living?

"Well, I went to work for a company called Hull-Dobbs. They owned 50 automobile dealerships throughout the United States. I went into a management training program. After a while, I decided if I was going to be in the business, I was going to be a dealer. I worked around the clock for 10 years and saved every nickel. I got enough for a small down payment and ended owning the Ford dealership in Valparaiso for 51 years. I sold it off in October of last year."

Not that long ago, I interviewed a World War II vet by the name of Milford Christenson.

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"Oh, yeah. Milford is a good Chevrolet dealer."

**

Some wealthy people claim to have hit a home run during their working careers when in reality they were born on third base.

Not the case with Terzes (who was profiled in Sunday's paper) and Barile. They came from humble beginnings, served in and survived "The Good War," went to college and became successful through hard work.

Al Terzes and John Barile legged out inside-the-park-homers.

Jeff Manes is a freelance columnist for the Post-Tribune.

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jeffmanes@sbcglobal.net
A cocktail demo from Lost Lake's Paul McGee is just one of the things we're looking forward to at Taste Talks. (Dana J. Ardell / Chicago Tribune)

Taste Talks, a Brooklyn-born food festival returning to Chicago for its third year, has released its full schedule, and organizers have  not surprisingly  snagged some of the city's best chefs to lead talks, deliver demos and cook at intimate dinners.

This year's festival, coordinated by Jason Hammel from Lula Cafe, focuses on the future of taste.

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Scheduled for Friday, Sept. 30, to Sunday, Oct. 2, Taste Talks will be held throughout the city, starting with the Flavors + Sounds kickoff party at the Virgin Hotel. Hosted and curated by Hammel, along with Glenn Kotche, the drummer of Wilco, the party features several courses playing on tonal frequencies, taste and color, along with cocktails, wine and beer.

The weekend also includes Spiaggia's Tony Mantuano, exploring the forgotten history of Chicago restaurants, while New York-based chef Paul Librandt, in conversation with Tribune reporter Louisa Chu, will lead a discussion called "The Story and Emotions of Ingredients."

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Other highlights? Abe Conlon (Fat Rice), Sarah Grueneberg (Monteverde) and Paul McGee (Lost Lake) will demo their respective specialties: Macanese cuisine, pesto and cocktails. Stephanie Izard (Girl & The Goat), Brian and Jennifer Enyart (Dos Urban Cantina), Charlie McKenna (Lillie's Q, Dixie), Alpana Singh (Boarding House) and Andy Ricker (New York's Pok Pok) are just a few of the other megawatt names speaking over the weekend.

For anyone who has purchased an all-access pass, Saturday morning will start with a breakfast biscuit bar from Bang Bang Pie featuring sour cream biscuit sandwiches and drinks.

Other weekend events include a dinner celebrating oysters and bubbly, and a Sunday barbecue featuring food by Chris Pandel (Swift & Sons), Jason Hammel (Lula Cafe), Jared Van Camp (Leghorn Chicken), Charlie McKenna (Lillie Q's, Dixie) and Rachel Dow (The Betty).

Tickets to individual events and all-access passes are now on sale and can be purchased here

jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @joeybear85






Amy Schumer and Ben Hanisch arrive for the GQ Men of the Year awards Tuesday at Tate Modern in London. (Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images)

Amy Schumer and her boyfriend, Chicago furniture designer Ben Hanisch, made their red carpet debut Tuesday in London.

The couple, who went public with their relationship about eight months ago after meeting on a dating app, walked the red carpet for GQ's Men of the Year awards show. Schumer was named GQ woman of the year at the celebration, which also honored Ricky Gervais, Chris Pine and other bold-faced names.

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Schumer wore an asymmetric one-shoulder black dress, while Hanisch coordinated his suit and tie.

Schumer, 35, told Howard Stern last month that she and Hanisch, 30, are living together. They have attended other events together including the Critics' Choice Awards in January.

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Watch the latest movie trailers.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
Actress Katey Sagal attends FX's "Sons of Anarchy" event at Comic-Con in 2014. (Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)

"Sons of Anarchy" star Katey Sagal has joined the cast of the Chicago-set CBS pilot "Superior Donuts," Deadline.com reports.

Sagal will play a street cop whose beat includes the Superior Donuts shop in a gentrifying neighborhood in Chicago, according to Deadline. Sagal confirmed the news Wednesday on Twitter.

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"Superior Donuts" follows the relationship between the shop's owner (played by Judd Hirsch) and his new, young employee (Jermaine Fowler).

Megyn Price ("Rules of Engagement") played Sagal's part in the original pilot, but CBS executives ordered a new pilot with several parts recast, according to Deadline.

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The pilot is based on Tracy Letts' play of the same name that debuted at Steppenwolf Theatre in 2008. The donut shop in Letts' play is located in the Uptown neighborhood.

This is not Sagal's first turn on a Chicago-set production. She played Peggy Bundy in the comedy "Married... with Children," which aired from 1987-97.

RELATED STORIES:

Judd Hirsch to star in CBS pilot based on Chicago play

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Watch the latest movie trailers.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
Since Sadie Elledge's story went viral - she's the young waitress of Honduran and Mexican ancestry whose customers stiffed her on a tip, leaving a nasty note that read "we only tip citizens" - she's gotten plenty of attention. She's been interviewed by reporters and has received messages of support from customers and strangers alike.

Those reaching out include celebrities - the 18-year-old recently spent a day with "Jane the Virgin" actress Greice Santo, who orchestrated a pedicure-to-highlights makeover for Elledge in her hometown of Harrisonburg, Virginia. And rocker Axl Rose hooked her up with tickets for his Washington, D.C., concert with band AC/DC later this month.

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Santo started a charity called "Glam With Greice" to offer Hollywood-style pampering to women who have been victims of abuse or bullying, and had put out a social media call for nominations. "Someone forwarded me an article about Sadie," she said. "And I was taken aback. I'm Latina, too, and that this kind of thing is still happening in 2016 is unbelievable."

So last week, Santo and her squad picked up Elledge from her shift at Jess' Lunch and oversaw the kind of makeover that's usually accompanied by a jaunty pop song in a movie montage: picking out cute dresses at LeLa Boutique, getting the full gauntlet of beauty treatments at the Studio salon, and posing for glammy "after" pics. It was a particularly novel experience for Elledge, who had never been to a salon, Santo said.

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The transformation was supposed to culminate with Rose showing up to fly Elledge and a gang of family and friends to his band's concert in Florida that night, but Elledge had a family obligation and couldn't take him up on the offer. Instead, he called to invite her to his Sept. 17 D.C. show (Elledge said she and her granddad are "big AC/DC fans").

Santo, who started her charity after being bullied by a powerful (and unnamed) man, said she sees a makeover as more than skin-deep. "It's a way to take action, instead of just saying 'oh, I feel for you.' ... I want her to know that there are people out there who care about her," she said. And its effects last way after the mascara has been washed away, she said, by helping boost a woman's confidence.

"At first she seemed shy, but by the time we left the salon, she was smiling and giving everyone hugs," Santo said. "I knew it was the right thing to do."

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
Chicago has Nelson Algren. New Orleans has Tennessee Williams. Los Angeles has Raymond Chandler. But what of Naperville? What literary giant has immortalized the fifth-largest city in the great state of Illinois?

I mean beyond Money magazine, which rates Naperville as one of the best places to live. Beyond Kiplinger, which recommends this bit of DuPage County nirvana as a fine place to retire. Neither of these august publications, alas, are adept at chronicling the dreams and fears of the fevered souls that lay their heads some 35 miles west of the city of Chicago, and just south of the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, all safe in the knowledge that they are never far from a strip mall.

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That sad state of affairs is corrected  to some degree  with the arrival at Theater Wit of the play "Naperville," penned by Mat Smart, a bona fide son of the suburb. Set in a Caribou Coffee  a locale whose poignancy is intensified by the demise in Illinois of that woodsy, caffeinated chain  "Naperville" tells the story of several sad-eyed denizens of the town.

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At one table you've got the recently divorced Anne (Abby Pierce), a Waubonsie Valley High School graduate who is trying not to have peaked. At another you can find both Candice (Laura T. Fisher), who is coping with the loss of her sight, and her son Howard (Mike Tepeli), who is coping with being back in Naperville to take care of his mom. Add in a local churchgoing fellow named Roy (Charlie Strater), a barista named T.C. (Andrew Jessop), and the lattes are flowing into what passes for diversity in this particular Naperville nook.

Smart is smart enough not just to get trapped with his characters but to realize that a play about a city has to strive to find the essence, and the ironies of that setting. He homes in beautifully on one  Joseph Naper, the founder of the far-from-the-lake town that bears his name, was, in fact, a shipbuilder. One sick of the water, evidently, and deeply in love with the prairie.

This is no parody of the suburban life. Smart is no Bruce Norris; he's actually closer to Annie Baker in orientation and in his authorial interest in boomerang children and arrested-adult characters. Smart does not display Baker's radical experimentalism nor poetic nuance. But there is warmth and compassion in his writing of these struggling characters, as the actors and the director, Jeremy Wechsler, clearly understand.

In many ways, "Naperville" is refreshing. Not only do you sense the writer's appreciation for the eccentrics who, as you likely know, hardly are limited to big cities, but Smart actually goes so far as to construct an argument for moving back home and taking care of your mom. You might find it sentimental, but there's no doubting its celebration of maternal wisdom. Not in my experience, anyway. And you also get a sense of what might have been  in all of our lives. Naper, after all, was acquainted with Abraham Lincoln, for whom things did not stay on the prairie.

The play is better than this first Chicago production, which isn't always entirely believable and which tends to overemphasize the wacky and the whimsical at the expense of vulnerability. The show also moves too slowly  for a chatty, oft-melancholy play set entirely in a coffeehouse, anyway.

All that said, there is something likable about Naperville  not unlike the town and its people. If you live within its friendly confines, you'll find it worth braving the traffic on the Eisenhower. I think if you come and see it, there's a good chance you'll feel understood.

Chris Jones is a Chicago Tribune critic.

cjones5@chicagotribune.com

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"Naperville" - 3 Stars

When: Through Nov. 6

Where: Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.

Running time: 1:40

Tickets: $12-$36 at 773-875-8150 or www.theaterwit.org

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
Just as Hollywood has its seasonal calendar  summer blockbusters followed by more serious dramas and Oscar contenders in the fall and early winter  the book industry often reserves its heaviest hitters for release at this same time of year. In the summer, the theory goes, consumers are looking for a frothy "beach read." By the fall, we're ready for something with a bit more substance, including literary novels or nonfiction titles that might land on the shortlist for a National Book Award or a Pulitzer Prize.

But unlike Hollywood, which relies heavily on market research and the bankability of stars as predictors of a film's success (if not always its quality), the book world operates without a crystal ball. Market research is all but unheard of. Publishers acquire and release books based on their editors' tastes, which may or may not align with those of the reading public. Booksellers make their own judgments about which books to recommend and display prominently, which to let languish, which not to stock at all.

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Even so, a few titles manage to generate enough buzz to make themselves audible above the book-biz din. Here's a list of some of this fall's most anticipated books in fiction and nonfiction, including at least one with particular appeal to Chicago readers. Have at it.

Fiction

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"Hag-Seed" by Margaret Atwood (Hogarth, Oct. 11). In this metafictional retelling of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," the author of "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Oryx and Crake" offers a boomeranging meditation on the Bard's late masterpiece. "Hag-Seed" centers on Felix, a theater director, whose much-anticipated production of "The Tempest" is sabotaged, leaving him licking his wounds and plotting revenge in a hovel for years afterward. His chance for vengeance finally arrives when he stages the same play at a nearby prison with inmates as actors. But will it ensnare his old enemies? And will it contain, as Shakespeare's own play does, the seeds of mercy and second chances?

"A Gambler's Anatomy" by Jonathan Lethem (Doubleday, Oct. 18). No novelist of recent years has been less predictable than Lethem, whose genre-bending exploits ("Motherless Brooklyn," "The Fortress of Solitude") have produced a hybrid literature all his own. In his new novel, his 10th, the author seems to be channeling (and, as usual, transforming) both Thomas Pynchon and Ian Fleming. "The Gambler's Anatomy" follows Bruno Alexander, an international backgammon hustler and apparent telepath, as he traverses the globe in search of cash, love, sex, and, in the end, emergency surgery to save his life from the tumor that has appeared on his face and so obscured his vision that he has to look at the backgammon board sideways. His path leads him, ultimately, to Berkeley, where he first discovered his psychic abilities and where the vestiges of the local anarchist community are still anticipating the revolution  in short, just another day in Lethemland, as strange and wondrous in its way as anyplace imagined by L. Frank Baum.

"Swing Time" by Zadie Smith (Penguin, Nov. 15). The British author of "White Teeth" and "On Beauty" tells the dreamlike story of two biracial girls whose ambition to become dancers leads them in divergent directions and, ultimately, to an abrupt dissolution of their friendship in their 20s. One of the young women, Tracey, becomes a professional dancer, while the other, the unnamed and impressively thoughtful narrator, ends up as an assistant to a pop star. Spanning decades and geography from London to west Africa, "Swing Time" explores class, race, the nature of friendship and a rivalry that pits the physical against the cerebral.

"Moonglow" by Michael Chabon (Harper, Nov. 22). In his new, semi-autobiographical novel, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay," "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" and "Telegraph Avenue" delves into his own family history, delivering in the process an overview of some of the technological highs and ethical lows of the 20th century. Based on a weeklong confession by Chabon's dying grandfather in Oakland, Calif., several years ago, "Moonglow" promises to be the author's most searingly personal work yet  a tantalizing prospect from perhaps the most consistently excellent American novelist of the past two decades.

"I'll Take You There" by Wally Lamb (Harper, Nov. 22). We're accustomed to the strength and resiliency of women being celebrated in fiction by, well, women. But in his new novel, "I'll Take You There," Wally Lamb (author of the best-selling "The Hour I First Believed") lustily chimes in. His hero, the cinema scholar Felix Funicello, is visited one night by the ghost of a female film director from the silent era. Through the magic of the movies  and, perhaps more powerfully, of memory itself  Felix is plunged back into some of the most vivid scenes of his own past, all profoundly influenced by women, including his daughter and sister, whose struggles with feminism and its ideals have shaped all their lives.

Nonfiction

"The Sultan and the Queen" by Jerry Brotton (Viking, Sept. 20). With many of her trade routes cut off by the Catholic king of Spain in the 1570s and '80s, Queen Elizabeth I turned, with characteristic practicality, to the East, striking up unprecedented alliances with the shah of Iran, the king of Morocco and, mostly significantly, Sultan Murad III of the Ottoman Empire. The Protestant queen's flexibility led to a vast expansion of international trade around the world and an influx of Islamic influences in Europe that produced, among other artifacts, the candy industry and Shakespeare's "Othello." A delicious, nutritious meal of a book by the best-selling author of "A History of the World in 12 Maps."

"American Ulysses" by Ronald C. White (Random House, Oct. 4). The rampant corruption of his presidential administration may have blinded us to many of the great Civil War general's achievements before, during and after his time in the White House. That's the premise of this new biography by White, who draws fresh attention to some of Grant's most remarkable episodes  including his use of federal power to battle the Ku Klux Klan and his becoming the first president to call America's treatment of Native Americans immoral.

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"Al Capone: His Life, Legacy, and Legend" by Deirdre Bair (Nan A. Talese, Oct. 25). The National Book Award-winning biographer of Saul Steinberg, Samuel Beckett, Simone de Beauvoir and Carl Jung now turns her attention to Chicago's legendary gangster. Relying on "exclusive access" to personal testimony, archival documents and photographs never seen before, Bair also managed to secure the cooperation of several of Capone's descendants and the handful of living people who knew him. She debunks myths and fleshes out shadowy corners of Capone's life and legacy, including the events leading up to the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929.

"Genghis Khan and the Quest for God" by Jack Weatherford (Viking, Oct. 25). It's an unexpected connection, that of Genghis Khan  one of the bloodiest, most ruthless imperialists the world has ever seen  and the concept that people, including and perhaps especially conquered populations, should be allowed to practice the religion of their choice. This idea, born of the wily Mongol's shrewd perception that the gift of religious liberty could extend the life of his empire far longer than enforced conversion, in turn influenced generations of thinkers, including the American Founding Fathers and, in particular, Thomas Jefferson. Who knew? The author of the best-selling "Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World" did.

"The Feud: Vladimir Nabokov, Edmund Wilson, and the End of a Beautiful Friendship" by Alex Beam (Pantheon, Dec. 6). There's a reason that writers  in particular those who have Made It  are not generally known for their generosity, comradeship and bonhomie. There are several reasons, actually, as Alex Beam makes clear in this brief but lip-smacking account of the intimate relationship between Wilson, the grand vizier of American letters in the 1940s, and his onetime protege, the impoverished Russian emigre for whom Wilson paved the way toward a great literary career in the States. Things began to get dicey with the publication of Nabokov's wildly successful "Lolita," then erupted into open warfare when Wilson attacked his former friend's unwieldy translation of Pushkin's "Eugene Onegin." A study in literary egomania run amok, "The Feud" is simultaneously hilarious and sad, full of cautionary tales for any writer who allows himself to be taken under a protector's wing. It might not protect you for long.

Kevin Nance is a Chicago-based writer and photographer whose work appears in the Washington Post, USA Today, Poets & Writers Magazine and other publications. Follow him on Twitter @KevinNance1.
Geckos Adventures, an adventure travel company that specializes in small group trips for travelers 18 to 30-something, has come up with an interesting option for newly minted high school grads who are taking a gap year before heading off to college. They've packaged several of their tours to turn them into a mammoth 60-day exploration of Asia starting Jan. 1, 2017, in Delhi, India. Nearly the entire month of January is spent in India, hitting the usual highlights, such as the Taj Mahal and Amber Fort, as well as other areas, including the backwaters of Kerala and the beaches of Goa. From India, the gappers will move on to Nepal, then Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. A group leader accompanies participants, but this is a trip that's aimed at confident, independent travelers. The cost is $5,000 per person, which covers a wide range of lodging and transportation. Meals are extra, as is international airfare to and from the U.S. After completing the trip, travelers will get $500 toward their college tuition. Info: 855-832-4853, http://tinyurl.com/hwn3ofp

Pinball road trip

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Pinball wizards with lots of time on their hands can hit the road and tool around the U.S. thanks to a story and map on the Atlas Obscura website, which lists 37 pinball arcades that author Dylan Thuras thinks are among the country's best. Thuras starts the journey in Brooklyn, N.Y., at his local Sunshine Laundromat. Pinball machines sit across from the washers, but it's a back room that has the mother lode  23 classic machines and a bar to boot. In Roanoke, Va., the Roanoke Pinball Museum holds more than 50 machines, with some from the late 1940s. In Las Vegas, the Pinball Hall of Fame has more than 200 games, though not all are pinball. Thuras gives capsule views of what he thinks are the 11 best sites. An interactive map points to all of them, including Logan Arcade in Chicago. Read all about it at http://tinyurl.com/h5ly6af.

Touring Kiwi country

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Picturesque New Zealand has been a popular filming site for major movies, ranging from "The Lord of the Rings" to Disney's more recent "Pete's Dragon." Tourism New Zealand's website has links to a variety of tour packages aimed at putting rabid movie fans into locations used for their favorite film. An example is the New Zealand Disney's Pete's Dragon Adventure, priced from $2,499 per person, double occupancy. Among sites visited are Rotorua, the geothermal hotbed that was called Rotorua Redwood Forest in "Pete's Dragon." In Wellington, there's a visit to Weta Digital, which brought Pete's Elliott to life and has done a lot of work for other films. On the South Island, you'll find the mountains of Queenstown, which provided a backdrop for the dragon's flights. The package includes 10 nights' lodging and a six-day car rental, but airfare is extra. Check out this and other packages at http://tinyurl.com/jttr2u3.

Phil Marty is a freelance writer.

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Chicago officially surpassed the homicide toll for all of last year, reaching over 500 in total. By speaking to members of the community, the Tribune will continue coverage of this grim milestone. (Chicago Tribune)

Over the Labor Day weekend, Chicago hit that tragic number: 500 homicides.

Nearly all of those killed were black men, shot to death in alleys and on street corners by other black men. It's time to have a talk with African-Americans.

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It should be clear by now that no one is coming to our rescue. African-Americans have demanded that our police keep us safe. They can't. We have begged our elected officials to invest in our neighborhoods with jobs. They won't. We have lain down in the streets in protest, pleading for our men to stop killing each other. But they don't.

No one is saying that African-Americans should solely bear the responsibility for the violence. The senseless killing of residents in any part of the city impacts all of us in the long run. Chicago can only be its best when each part operates at its full potential. Police, the mayor and aldermen in the most violent wards should be held accountable, but African-Americans have the most at stake.

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Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says it's impoverished people, those without hope who are responsible for the city's surge in homicides. But contrary to what he says, this isn't just a social issue. It is also a police issue and an African-American issue.

After a violent holiday weekend, Chicago police Superintendant Eddie Johnson said Tuesday his department is doing its job. Sept. 6, 2016. (WGN-TV) (Chicago Tribune)

There's no denying that African-American men  the ones driving Chicago's homicide numbers  are disproportionately affected by unemployment, lack of opportunity and a long list of other injustices that flow from systemic racism.

Certainly, a man with a job who's able to take care of his family the way he's supposed to would be less likely to walk up and shoot another man in the head over something as trivial as a disrespectful Facebook post.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 41 A member of the Chicago Police Department looks around the scene of a shooting in the 3300 block of West Flournoy Street on Sept. 5, 2016, in the Homan Square neighborhood. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

But as African-Americans, we can't afford to sit back and blame the genocide of our community on societal woes. There are impoverished communities in every city and town in America  always have been  but residents aren't going around shooting each other to death at the rate we are in Chicago.

Do struggling black men in New York and Los Angeles have more hope than struggling black men in Chicago? I don't think so. The economic prospects for African-American men aren't much better there either. Yet Chicago has had more homicides this year than those two cities combined.

So there has to be something else to consider, something other than being poor that accounts for the senseless killings of people in Chicago day after day.

For one thing, criminals know they can get away with it.

If we are going to end the cycle of violence, African-Americans must make some tough choices about what we will sacrifice to save the lives of a generation. Boys are joining gangs younger and younger. What risks are we willing to take to keep our children away from their grip?

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Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Johnson and outgoing State's Attorney Anita Alvarez have talked about the revolving door of criminals who commit gun crimes, go to prison for a short period and hit the streets again packing illegal firearms. African-Americans have good reason not to trust everything these people say, but this is worth a listen.

Mandatory sentencing is a touchy subject for many African-Americans who fear, justifiably so, that there would be a disproportionate negative impact on blacks. But don't the repeat offenders responsible for this astounding murder rate of African-Americans cause as much harm?

It's easy to understand the opposition to a youngster convicted of simple possession of an illegal handgun getting locked up for years. But it's much more difficult to make a reasonable argument that convicted felons and street gang members caught with a gun shouldn't get the maximum sentence. Particularly repeat offenders.

As a community, we can't have it both ways. Either we want violent criminals off the street or we don't.

If a defendant is in need of mental health services, he should get it. If a young person is deemed suitable for intervention instead of jail time, then by all means, give it a shot. But under no circumstances should a repeat gun offender spend a few months in jail and then be allowed back on the street.

The other thing African-Americans have to do is to speak up. Police can't do their job without the community's help. If someone knows who shot little Johnny while he was sleeping in a car seat in his daddy's SUV, they shouldn't need a reward to turn him in.

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Yes, we are angry about the way African-Americans have been treated by law enforcement in Chicago, but we still must do what we can to solve these crimes.

Police also have to do their part.

We've heard that some police officers don't think City Hall has their back and they are nervous about making arrests in the aftermath of the Laquan McDonald shooting. There's no place for timid officers in a city under siege. There are lawful ways to get the job done without brutally violating the civil rights of citizens.

Most African-Americans are hardworking and law-abiding. Our taxes help pay the hefty salaries of police officers, most of whom earn $75,000 a year. And over the next four years, African-Americans will help finance more than $500 million in police pensions. We deserve the same protections as everyone else in the city.

There's a proven formula for fighting crime, and the main ingredient is community involvement.

Back in 2008, when police decided to clean up a troubled strip of Rogers Park, they enlisted residents to help. Police flooded Howard Street, making arrests for anything from felonies to misdemeanors. Meanwhile, residents walked the streets with spiral notebooks, recording suspicious activity. They noted dilapidated buildings, busted streetlights and even the color of gang members' shoelaces, the Tribune reported.

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We've seen the same thing happen on certain blocks in Englewood and other South Side neighborhoods, in Uptown and on the West Side. When the community stands up to them, these street bullies retreat.

Otherwise, this murderous virus is just going keep spreading until Chicagoans decide it's time for a cure.

dglanton@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @dahleeng
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton walks off of her campaign plane at Tampa International Airport on Sept. 6, 2016. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

Wasn't it just a few weeks ago that we were told that the presidential election was over?

It was so over that Hillary Clinton's staff eagerly anticipated measuring the White House drapes in anticipation of the Clinton Restoration.

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And Donald Trump kept shooting his feet off with that stupid and vulgar mouth of his, until only the stumps remained.

Reduced in stature, bitter, he wiggled those stumps in anger, shrieking at the unfairness of American journalism, a billionaire Trumplestiltskin going down.

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His political carcass was to be hauled off to some rendering plant, his bones to be boiled down for cosmetics for suburban independent women and for hair care products for those establishment Republican suits and the war party neo-cons who now back Clinton.

All Hillary had to do to win was protect her double-digit polling lead, and play prevent defense and avoid a formal news conference where she'd be asked tough questions.

You can see it, can't you, like a summer dream.

After her election, she's sitting on a big comfy pillow on her royal barge "The Wall Street," as it floats down the Potomac, while a great orchestra plays Handel's "Water Music" and she and Bill smile and wave, Queen Georgiana and the First Laddie with the federal hammer in their hands.

And Hillary's jesters in the Department of Justice, resplendent in harlequin costumes and curly toed boots, perform intricate medieval egg dances for the wonderment of the crowds, spilling not one single golden summer yolk.

But then summer did what summers do, and Labor Day passed, and reality entered into things doing what reality does, with teeth.

It bites.

And now a new CNN poll shows the race tightening, at least nationally, with Trump holding a thin two-point lead.

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So it's not over? This race has tightened?

Are the Democrats looking for a parking spot in Panic City? Not necessarily. But Democrats and establishment Republicans who loathe Trump might be chewing off a few fingernails.

Clinton's campaign is doing a remarkably fine job taking Trump's worst quotes and using them against him in devastating campaign spots in the battleground states. And she's doing well in those states where the Electoral College counts most in presidential elections. If the election were held today, Mrs. Clinton would most probably win.

But elections are about momentum, and that momentum could be turning Trump's way, and that's her problem, as these two disliked, flawed candidates wage a battle to define the future of America.

Perhaps that's truly why this race is so brutal, so angry, and why the worried American corporatist establishment cleaves to Hillary as Donald plays the insurgent in this insurgent year.

Borders and culture have been in play, and we limp on with a ridiculously low 1 percent economic growth rate, a number better suited for some Third World banana republic than the United States of America.

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We have an election with the establishment and Hillary on one side and Donald on the other, backed by the unemployed working class that once formed the backbone of the Democratic Party, before they were kicked to the margins in the new globalism and mocked as unlettered racists by the pundits.

Is it possible not to like Trump, yet also to loathe Clinton and the history of the Clintons and their lies and their parsing language and their contempt for the law, and worry what they'll do to the country? I think so.

But the way this plays out in the media, any slight nod toward Trump sets you up to be branded, angrily and publicly, as a bigot. It is a formulation that drives clicks for the legion of pro-Hillary writers, and it serves the Democrats well, but it also smacks of something else:

Of being herded by cowboys with cattle prods at the stockyards. And pushed too far, there could be a backlash in the chutes.

Clinton has many advantages. She's got Wall Street, not only its millions but its leverage. She has the Republican establishment that fears a Trump election will push it away from the great federal table (or trough).

A great advantage is that American media has openly waged war on her behalf. She has Hollywood magicians and the hedge fund boys, and Black Lives Matter and suburban moderate moms.

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How can they all live happily together under the Hillary umbrella? They can't, not for long. It's an impossible coalition for Clinton to hold. But it won't break until after the elections in November.

So what happened to Hillary? How could it be so close?

Here's what happened. Hillary happened to Hillary.

Her problem is that she has always been Hillary Clinton, understood to be a liar, the Democratic Nixon in pants suits.

And Americans were reminded again of what the Clintons are really about, with the release before the Labor Day weekend of the FBI report about her emails when she was Secretary of State:

Americans were reminded of her wheedling, the lies, her inability to recall when asked by the FBI. The lost phones and iPads  some smashed by a hammer. And those hundreds of State Department workers who kept their mouths shut about what she did, like patronage hacks at some machine run City Hall, and her staff's deletion of thousands of emails under subpoena.

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That's why the race has tightened. Americans were reminded about the true Hillary, and she can't have that.

And if you thought it was ugly before, just wait.

The Chicago Way podcast  radio-free Chicago in podcast form  with John Kass and Jeff Carlin. Guests: Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, and Tribune editorial cartoonist Scott Stantis. Listen here: www.chicagotribune.com/kasspodcast

jskass@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @John_Kass
October 29, 2022 11:04

The statement of the President of the Russian Federation inspires certain hopes. We anticipate that the vital interests of the Artsakh Republic will be fully protected. President Harutyunyan

In recent days, the attention of all Armenians, without exaggeration, is riveted on the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. A number of power centres submitted proposals to the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the key issues regarding the settlement.
Three great Chicago institutions - from west to east, the Field Museum [www.fieldmuseum.org], Shedd Aquarium [www.sheddaquarium.org] and Adler Planetarium [www.adlerplanetarium.org]. (Jose More / HANDOUT)

Three institutions on the Museum Campus are hosting a free open house for teens this weekend to draw more high schoolers to the lakefront museums.

The open house, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, offers Chicago-area teens with school identification free admission to the Adler Planetarium, Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium.

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The planetarium has hosted an open house for teens every fall for the past three years, but this is the first time it is joining forces with the Field Museum and aquarium with the aim of increasing attendance and exposure to teen programs, said Adler spokeswoman Jen Furey.

"It really is about getting teens excited about science and helping them do hands-on, minds-on science experiments to really get their minds flowing as to what they can do," Furey said. Ultimately, it's about encouraging teens to consider professions in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, she said.

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Last September, 50 students attended the planetarium's Fall Fiesta open house held on a weekday after school, she said.

On Saturday, teens at the planetarium can check out the telescope at the Doane Observatory, participate in a rocket engineering challenge and register for a workshop that teaches them how to design and code video games. Last school year, roughly 1,000 teens participated in Adler programs, and even more showed up to neighborhood events such as 'Scopes in the City, a free program that allows people to observe space using telescopes, Furey said.

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If space exploration isn't for them, teens can head to the Field Museum or Shedd Aquarium.

At the Field Museum, which is granting free basic admission to all Illinois residents Saturday, teens can visit the Grainger Digital Media Studio equipped with 3-D printers, design their own field notebook and learn about programs like curioCITY, in which scientists explore the connections between science and culture. For example, one curioCITY event last May centered on food and featured chef Graham Elliot and anthropologist William Parkinson.

At the Shedd, teens can meet a live lizard, spider and bird at the Teen Learning Lab, which is a space students can work on school projects and meet potential mentors. They also can explore the rest of the aquarium and find out more about its stewardship program.

The Shedd has hosted several teen events in the past, but the open house is the first joint Museum Campus event for the aquarium, according to Shedd spokeswoman Christina O'Connell.

"The goal is to promote teen spaces and programs on campus. We've encouraged our teens to bring a friend with them this weekend so new people feel comfortable attending," she said.

lvivanco@chicagotribune.com

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Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool and students comment on the opening day of classes at Walter H. Dyett High School for the Arts in Chicago. Sept. 6, 2016. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)

Freshmen walking through the doors of Walter H. Dyett High School for the Arts on the South Side experienced feelings similar to those of new high school students everywhere, a mix of first-day jitters and bashful excitement.

But for the Washington Park and Bronzeville neighborhoods, the first day of classes Tuesday at Dyett had deeper significance.

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Families living nearby once again have an open-enrollment high school in their neighborhood. Parents don't have to worry about their children taking buses or trains to far-off schools. And they don't have to send their kids to privately run charter schools if they want to take honors or Advanced Placement classes.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 8 Walter H. Dyett High School for the Arts' Principal Beulah McLoyd, in white, welcomes Sayisha Lloyd, in blue, and her daughter Chloe Williams, 14, right, to school on the first day of classes for Chicago Public Schools on Sept. 6, 2016. Lloyd's son Devin Williams, 11, left, came along to help drop his sister off for school. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

A first day of school at Dyett wasn't supposed to have happened this fall. But after a yearslong protest by community leaders that included a 34-day hunger strike, Chicago Public Schools reversed its decision to close Dyett at the end of the 2014-15 school year.

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"When you go to a middle-class white community you don't see charter schools, contract schools or alternative schools. You see effective, K-12 systems of educations in their neighborhoods. Our children deserve the same," said Jitu Brown, a community activist who took part the hunger strike.

"In order to get this completely renovated school where they've invested more than $14 million  look what we had to do," Brown said. "We had to risk our lives."

Dyett on Tuesday opened to about 150 freshmen with a new arts-focused curriculum and sparkling new amenities. The arts focus is in part a tribute to the school's namesake: Walter H. Dyett, a master jazz musician who taught at DuSable High School and was a mentor to noted musicians including Nat King Cole and Johnny Hartman.

The school has a new staff, including three full-time arts teachers specializing in dance, visual arts and digital media programs. Its library is filled with natural light and a new collection of arts books; a dance studio is lined with mirrors and barres; and a remodeled room with simulated stage lighting and darkened walls allows students to design theater and film sets.

"I know how to draw, but I want to do dance," 14-year-old Bria Safforld said as she left school Tuesday. She had gotten just a peek of her new school's dance studio but liked what she saw. "It had peace to it," she said.

Principal Beulah McLoyd greets students going back to class Sept. 6, 2016, at Dyett High School for the Arts. Community activist Jitu Brown was there to meet the students and give them school supplies. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

District officials initially expected to enroll 125 students, but they said it was able to recruit a freshman class of 150 pupils. Roughly 85 percent of Dyett's students are from the building's Chicago Public Schools geographic area, while others come from private and charter schools, administrators said. An enrollment of about 550 students is expected in three years, when the building reaches its full capacity.

It represented quite a turnabout from 2011, when CPS officials announced they would phase out Dyett over three years because of declining enrollment and academic performance. Former students say that during what were to be Dyett's last years, it was badly neglected  gym classes, for example, were administered online, with students answering multiple-choice questions about fitness.

Parrish Brown, Dyett's 2014 class valedictorian and an active participant in efforts to reopen the school, said that of the 125 or so students who started with him as freshmen, just 40 graduated. He said students worried Dyett would close before 2015 and so they transferred to places such as nearby Phillips High School, which is run by the Academy for Urban School Leadership.

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"I'm glad I stayed," he said. "I felt I needed to be there to stand up for my school. If a community on the North Side can have good education in their neighborhood, why can't we?"

Neighborhood schools have become a shrinking option for CPS students. More than half choose charter, magnet and other school options over their assigned neighborhood school.

That's especially true for high school. Last school year, nearly 76 percent of the district's high school students bypassed their neighborhood high schools, up from 73 percent in 2014-15, according to a Tribune analysis early this year.

Since Mayor Rahm Emanuel took office in 2011, the district has closed dozens of neighborhood schools and opened more charter and themed schools, such as military academies. Seven in 10 attendance-zone schools in Chicago drew fewer students from their neighborhoods in 2015-16 than they did in 2014-15, the analysis showed.

It's a trend Jitu Brown and his cohorts fought hard against in their work to save Dyett. During a tour of the school last week, Janice Jackson, CPS chief education officer, said administrators decided to give Dyett an arts-focused curriculum after realizing hundreds of students who live within Dyett's boundaries were expressing interest in district arts programs such as those at Curie and Senn high schools.

Dyett's new principal, Beulah McLoyd, was asked on that tour if there were any plans to commemorate the demonstrations that saved the school.

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"What we articulated was we wanted to capture the totality of Dyett's history," McLoyd said. "This school has a rich history. It started off as a middle school and it's gone through several iterations. So, what we committed to was honoring the entire legacy of the school."

Nia Taylor and Ladosh Bonner left school Tuesday with smiles, saying their classmates were friendly, the teachers were passionate and the classes were filled with interesting discussion.

Taylor, whose commute is just a short bus ride down King Drive, said it's important for her classmates to have the option of a quality open-enrollment school in their neighborhood.

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"Especially in this area, it actually gives kids a break," she said. "It's a real wake-up call for these kids. You have a chance to get your life together, in high school."

Taylor said she was fascinated by the story of the hunger strike that helped save the school, joking that she can't go five minutes without eating.

"We value our education more because of what people sacrificed," she said.

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Former city Comptroller Joseph Letke was a central figure in a notorious deal that sent millions of taxpayer dollars to a developer to supposedly turn a dilapidated truckers motel beside a strip club into a Holiday Inn with a regional conference center. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune 2013)

Authorities said a one-time south suburban political operative appears to have committed suicide in southern Indiana amid a lingering investigation into his role in a notorious development deal in Harvey.

Joseph Letke, 57, a longtime bookkeeper for several south suburbs, became a central figure in a deal that sent millions of taxpayer dollars to a developer to supposedly turn a dilapidated truckers motel beside a strip club into a Holiday Inn with a regional conference center.

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Instead, the money  borrowed on the backs of taxpayers there from 2008 through 2010  largely went into a black hole of accountability, with the hotel to this day left half-gutted and Harvey residents on the hook to make loan payments of more than $20 million, with little to no record of exactly where it went.

According to a source with the Floyd County sheriff's office who asked not to be named, deputies responded to his ex-wife's home just outside New Albany, Ind., on Aug. 31 and found Letke dead of an apparent self-inflicted wound from an unregistered 9 mm handgun.

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His ex-wife and two minor sons were home but not in the room of the house where the shooting occurred. Deputies found a five-page note believed to have been written by Letke and determined the death was a suicide from the evidence at the scene, according to the source.

Letke had last lived in a 4,800-square-foot home in Frankfort in Will County before it was foreclosed and sold last month, according to Will County court and sheriff's records. Authorities believe Letke had been living somewhere near Chicago at the time of his death and had come to his ex-wife's home just northwest of Louisville, Ky., to see his children.

Letke's accounting firm at one time handled the books for several south suburbs while he ran side firms that dabbled in developing real estate and helping towns arrange financing. He was a longtime donor to several area politicians. He sat on several area boards and briefly ran for a state Senate seat in 2012  pitching his government accounting expertise  before dropping out.

Court records show he struggled with bankruptcy and fought allegations of business improprieties, but he drew the attention of federal authorities in recent years for his lucrative role in the motel deal that prosecutors later labeled a "scheme" and "fiasco."

The Tribune exposed the development deal in 2013 as part of broader coverage in recent years of Harvey's high crime, subpar policing and insider deals that drained cash from the struggling south suburb of 25,000 residents.

Court records show that, as early as 2014, federal authorities thought enough evidence existed to reasonably believe a crime had been committed by multiple people, including Letke. And federal affidavits for search warrants alleged Letke collected $800,000 in fees from the deal as the suburb's bookkeeper, financial adviser and an accountant for the developer, who between rounds of getting city money asked Letke in an email to help the developer avoid jail.

Letke insisted to the Tribune he did nothing wrong and separately complained in court that authorities were trying to pressure him to cooperate amid his declining finances. There is no record in court that anyone has been arrested or charged, although court rules allow indictments to be sealed from public view while an investigation continues.

It's unclear what will happen to the federal criminal investigation with Letke's death. Joe Fitzpatrick, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, declined to comment on Letke's death.

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A source familiar with the federal investigation said the probe will continue.

Separately, federal authorities assessed civil penalties against Letke and the man who continued to employ him even after the Tribune exposed the questionable hotel deal: longtime Harvey Mayor Eric Kellogg.

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In 2015, Letke, a longtime donor to Kellogg, was fined nearly $220,000  which federal authorities have long refused to say if Letke ever paid, citing Letke's right to privacy. In May, Kellogg agreed to pay $10,000 and be barred from ever taking part in a municipal borrowing deal again.

Kellogg and Letke parted ways after the federal lawsuit, both saying they made the decision to end Letke's role overseeing Harvey's books. Kellogg has since repeatedly refused to answer questions about the deal under oath, citing his constitutional right to avoid giving answers that could be used to prosecute him.

Kellogg's spokesman, Sean Howard, declined to discuss the development deal and Letke's role in it except to say that the suburb offered its condolences to Letke's children.

The developer, Satish "Sunny" Gabhawala, has previously told the Tribune he did nothing wrong. Records show he is now part of a firm, Premier Hotel Group, undertaking a venture in Crawfordsville, Ind. Reached by phone, Gabhawala said he hadn't heard of Letke's death. When asked if he'd spoken with federal authorities, he said he hadn't "talked to anybody" and the "matter has been handled."

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He referred additional questions to his attorney, Steven Miller, who portrayed Gabhawala as a victim of the scheme in which Letke and Harvey siphoned off the borrowed money.

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The scene of a fatal fire in a two-story residence in the 5400 block of South Laflin Street early on Aug. 27, 2016, in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

One of the two people found dead following an arson in the Back of the Yards neighborhood last month has been identified, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Doris Anderson, 55, whose home address is unknown, was pronounced dead at the Cook County medical examiner's office at 6:41 a.m. Aug. 27 following the fire in the 5400 block of South Laflin Street, according to the office, which released Anderson's identity Wednesday. Anderson's cause and manner of death were still pending further investigation.

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Another person, believed to be a man, was found dead following the fire and remains unidentified. A 58-year-old man also was seriously injured.

Firefighters responded to the two-story home on Laflin about 12:40 a.m. Aug. 27, fire officials said at the time. Fire and police officials have both confirmed that the fire is being investigated as an arson.

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The 58-year-old man jumped from the second floor of the home and was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious-to-critical condition.
Chicago officially surpassed the homicide toll for all of last year, reaching over 500 in total. By speaking to members of the community, the Tribune will continue coverage of this grim milestone. (Chicago Tribune)

With shootings spiking on Labor Day, Chicago officially surpassed the homicide toll for all of last year, marking another alarming milestone for a city that has seen violence at its worst in two decades with still almost four months to go this year.

Through 5 a.m. Tuesday, the city recorded 488 homicides, marking a 47 percent increase from 331 for the same year-earlier period and exceeding the 481 total for all of 2015, according to official Police Department statistics.

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The number of shooting victims has topped 2,930, approaching the 2,988 total for all of last year, according to a Tribune analysis.

The Labor Day weekend came to a particularly violent end with 31 shot, nine fatally, between 6 a.m. Monday and 3 a.m. Tuesday, by the Tribune's count. Overall, 65 people were shot over the long weekend, 13 fatally.

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The Police Department's statistics do not include killings on area expressways, police-involved shootings, other justifiable homicides or death investigations that could later be reclassified as homicides. The Tribune's own database, which primarily uses data from the Cook County medical examiner's office, does include those, putting the total number of killings at 512 as of early Tuesday.

The surge in violence has come at a time of upheaval for the Police Department amid a monthslong investigation by the U.S. Justice Department in the fallout over the videotaped fatal shooting of black teen Laquan McDonald by an officer.

Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Tuesday his department is doing all it can to combat violence rooted in poverty and hopelessness.

"It's not a police issue, it's a society issue," Johnson told reporters outside police headquarters. "Impoverished neighborhoods, people without hope do these kinds of things. You show me a man that doesn't have hope, I'll show you one that's willing to pick up a gun and do anything with it. Those are the issues that's driving this violence."

Johnson pointed to the department's seizures of more than 6,000 illegal guns so far in 2016 as evidence that officers are out on the streets working hard. But he acknowledged that the fallout from the McDonald shooting video and the amplified distrust between the police and the African-American community haven't made it easy on officers.

"Of course, they're human, they're people," Johnson said. "So, of course, nobody wants to be the next viral video. These officers have families to take care of, too."

Month after month this year, homicides in Chicago have soared to levels not seen since the 1990s. The 92 homicides in August alone marked the most the city had seen for a single month since July 1993.

If this pace continues for the rest of the year, homicides are threatening to hit 700 by year's end. The last year with comparable numbers through the first eight months  1998  ended with 704 homicides.

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The city's violence continues to far outpace both New York and Los Angeles, whose populations far exceed Chicago. According to official statistics through late August, the most recent that are publicly available, New York and Los Angeles had a combined 409 homicides, well below Chicago's total at that point.

The Labor Day weekend began relatively quietly but saw its worst violence on Monday.

Among those shot was Crystal Myer, who was nine months' pregnant and was wounded in the abdomen at about 3:30 p.m. Monday in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. A killing had taken place on the same block less than a day earlier. No information on the baby was available. A man she was standing near was also shot and left in critical condition.

Early Monday, a retired Baptist pastor from East Chicago was shot to death on the back patio of the Senior Suites of Rainbow Beach, a senior housing complex near 77th Street and Exchange Avenue. The victim, Allen Smith, 80, often discussed  and sometimes argued  the finer points of Scripture with a fellow resident starting his own ministry. During their late-night talk Monday, the other resident pulled a gun, shot Smith and tried to flee in his motorized wheelchair, according to police and other residents. No charges had been filed by Monday evening, but a surveillance camera captured the shooting, police said.

Police officials have blamed much of Chicago's violence on the flow of illegal firearms through dangerous neighborhoods and an intractable gang problem. The gangs, once highly structured and hierarchal, have fractured into small factions. With social media, petty disagreements and personal disputes can quickly turn violent, crime experts have said.

"Previously, if there were gang disputes . . . we had more time to intervene and to stop these shootings because they would unfold over the course of days and weeks," said Arthur Lurigio, a professor of psychology and criminal justice at Loyola University Chicago. "Now they're unfolding over the course of minutes."

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Another factor contributing to the violence could be a drop in morale among Chicago police officers because of heightened scrutiny in the fallout over the McDonald shooting as well as a new state law requiring detailed reports be filled out for every street stop because of concerns over racial profiling. In interviews, officers told the Chicago Tribune earlier this year that they had taken a more cautious approach to their work, concerned they could end up in a viral internet video, sued or fired.

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So far this year, the bulk of the violence has been concentrated in neighborhoods on the South and West sides that have been plagued by decades of poverty, entrenched segregation, rampant narcotics sales and other social ills.

Through the first eight months of this year, all but one of the city's 22 police districts recorded increases, often sizable ones, in shooting incidents over the year earlier, according to Police Department data. Homicides rose in all but six of the districts.

The worst hit has been the Harrison District on the West Side, ranking No. 1 in both homicides and shooting incidents. But the Austin District, also on the West Side, has seen even larger percentage increases, more than doubling the number of its homicides and shooting incidents over the year-earlier period.

On the South Side, homicides have more than doubled in the Englewood District. The violence has also spiked in particular in the Chicago Lawn, Deering, Gresham and Grand Crossing districts on the South Side.

Chicago Tribune's Alexandra Chachkevitch and Elvia Malagon contributed.

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Chicago police officers investigate the scene of a shooting that left one person wounded near the intersection of West Douglas Boulevard and South Homan Avenue in Chicago on Sept. 6, 2016. (Alex Chachkevitch / Chicago Tribune)

Two men and a teenager were killed and at least nine other people were wounded in shootings between Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday across the city.

A 17-year-old boy died after being shot the Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side about 10:10 p.m., police said.

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The teen was standing on the sidewalk in the 3300 block of West Douglas Boulevard when an unknown male attacker walked up to him and fired shots. He was shot in the chest, right arm and face, and he was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead, police said.

About 4:50 a.m. Wednesday, officers responding to a report of a person down found a 21-year-old man shot to death in the 4400 block of North Albany Avenue, police said.

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A 25-year-old man was fatally shot in the Uptown neighborhood about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, said Officer Thomas Sweeney, a spokesman for Chicago police.

The victim was arguing with an unknown male assailant who shot him in the chest and leg in the 4500 block of North Kenmore Avenue, Sweeney said.

The 25-year-old was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Sweeney said.

In other shootings:

Most recently, about 1:20 a.m. Wednesday, a 30-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in the West Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side, police said.

The man was standing in a lot with a group of people in the 6200 block of South Vernon Avenue when a male attacker fired shots from a gangway, police said. The man was struck in the left buttocks and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition stabilized, police said.

About 1:05 a.m., a 27-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in the Portage Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side, police said.

The man was stopped in traffic in the 3500 block of North Laramie Avenue when he started arguing with someone in another vehicle. Someone fired shots, and the man realized he was struck in the knee. He managed to get to Community First Medical Center, where his condition stabilized, police said.

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About 1 a.m., a 21-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side, police said.

The man was walking on the sidewalk in the 3900 block of West Gladys Avenue when someone in a red SUV fired shots, striking him. The man suffered a graze wound to the left foot. He was taken to a hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

About 11:50 p.m. Tuesday, a 32-year-old man was shot during a robbery in the Lake Meadows neighborhood on the South Side, police said.

The man was in his vehicle in the 400 block of East 33rd Street when two male attackers approached him and announced a robbery. The man then heard shots and realized he got hit in the right hand. He drove to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

About 11 p.m., a 19-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side, police said.

The man was driving north on Halsted Street near 59th Street when a male attacker on the sidewalk fired shots, hitting him in the left arm. The man managed to drive himself to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

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About 9 p.m., two men were shot in their legs in the 7800 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, Sweeney said.

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A 38-year-old man was taken to Jackson Park Hospital, and a 31-year-old man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Sweeney said. Both of their conditions have stabilized.

About 4:45 p.m., a 16-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, police said.

The teen was in the 2600 block of West Crystal Street when a male attacker walked up to him and started a conversation. The attacker then shot the teen, hitting him in the right foot. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in good condition, police said.

Earlier in the Marquette Park neighborhood, a 71-year-old man was shot in the abdomen during a robbery on the Southwest Side.

The man was outside in the 7000 block of South California Avenue when two assailants on bicycles confronted him and demanded his wallet, Sweeney said.

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"When he refused, they shot him in the abdomen, '' said Sweeney, adding that the attack happened about 12:10 p.m.

The 71-year-old victim was taken to Holy Cross Hospital but was transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he remains in fair condition, Sweeney said.
A U.S. attorney's office news release says 67-year-old Sidney Hines pleaded guilty Tuesday in Tampa federal court. He faces up to three years in prison.

Court papers say Hines secured a HomeSaver Advance loan of $5,864 for his New Port Richey home in October 2008. Hines reportedly failed to make the payments.

Officials say Hines called a collection agency five times between March 2013 and December 2014. He claimed to be Durbin and said Hines' HSA loan had been paid in full and that the loan should be removed from his credit report.

Associated Press
A law clerk who was fired from her government job after allegedly impersonating a judge now faces a new opponent in this fall's Cook County judicial race.

Judge Maryam Ahmad filed papers Tuesday with the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners to wage a write-in campaign against the law clerk, Rhonda Crawford, in the 1st Judicial Subcircuit, which includes the South Side and some south suburban communities.

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Ahmad, whom the Illinois Supreme Court temporary appointed to the bench in 2014 to fill a vacancy, could not be reached immediately for comment. She had run for an elected position to the bench in the March Democratic primary but lost.

Crawford, who won an upset victory in a separate primary, was running unopposed in the Nov. 8 election until Ahmad declared her write-in candidacy. Crawford has not responded to messages seeking comment.

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Jacob Kaplan, executive director of the Cook County Democratic Party, said he was unaware of Ahmad's write-in campaign until contacted by the Tribune. He said the party would not be taking sides in the race, leaving that up to the local committeemen.

Kaplan could not recall the last time a write-in candidate won in Illinois. "It's a tough road to victory for write-ins," he said.

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans fired Crawford after learning that she allegedly put on a robe and heard three traffic cases last month at the south suburban Markham courthouse. Crawford had worked for Evans' office since 2011 and made about $57,000 a year.

The case, though, has become a major embarrassment for the Cook County judicial system, one of the nation's largest.

Cook County prosecutors have begun a criminal investigation into allegations that Judge Valarie Turner allowed Crawford to hear some of her cases. A real judge reheard the cases last week  driving with no valid license, driving with no proof of insurance and driving on the median  and dismissed all the violations.

Still, despite her dismissal and the investigation, Crawford, absent a felony conviction, remains eligible to be elected to the judicial post, which pays about $190,000 a year.

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Now she has an opponent, though Ahmad's candidacy is a long shot.

Ahmad, who received her law degree from DePaul University, currently hears cases in west suburban Maywood. According to her campaign biography, she practiced law for 15 years before her appointment to the bench, which ends Dec. 6.

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In response to a Tribune questionnaire, Ahmad said people would be surprised to learn that "I am a physique fitness bodybuilding competitor; a third degree black belt in Tang Soo Do karate, and the volunteer dishwasher at Truth Italian Restaurant in Bronzeville."

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A member of the Chicago Police Department looks around the scene of a shooting in the 3300 block of West Flournoy Street on Sept. 5, 2016, in the Homan Square neighborhood. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

Authorities on Wednesday released the identities of five of the 13 people killed in Chicago over Labor Day weekend, including a man shot to death while walking his dog in a South Side park on the holiday.

The identities of the other people killed over the weekend had already been made public.

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Paul Hamilton, 47, was pronounced dead at 8:01 p.m. Monday at Stroger Hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest in the 1200 block of West Marquette Road in Ogden Park, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which released Hamilton's information Wednesday.

Hamilton and Devon D. Reavley, 24, who was previously identified, were shot about 7:20 p.m. Monday in the park. Police said that Hamilton, who lived nearby in the 6600 block of South Loomis Street, had been walking his dog at the time of the attack.

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Reavley, of the 9600 block of South Calumet Avenue, was pronounced dead at 8:40 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The medical examiner's office on Wednesday also identified two 22-year-old men who were among five people shot in an attack in the Lawndale neighborhood on Labor Day. The attack took place in the 2700 block of West Lexington Street about 10:45 p.m.

Killed were Charles Smith III, of the 2700 block of Harvey Avenue in Berwyn, and DeQuan Trimble, of the 2700 block of West Polk Street, according to the medical examiner's office.

Smith, who was pronounced dead at 11 p.m. Monday at Mount Sinai Hospital, died from multiple gunshot wounds, and Trimble, who was pronounced dead at 11:19 p.m. Monday at Stroger Hospital, died from a gunshot wound to the torso.

The five people shot had been standing outside when someone in a silver minivan opened fire toward the group on a sidewalk, police said at the time.

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Also injured were a 17-year-old boy, a 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy, who was left in critical condition. All three suffered chest wounds, and the man also was shot in the arms, police said.

A 17-year-old boy shot to death in the South Shore neighborhood Sunday night was identified as Jamel Rollins, according to the medical examiner's office.

The boy was standing in the 7800 block of South Cornell Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Sunday when two male attackers walked up to him and fired shots, striking him in the back, police said.

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Rollins, of the 5800 block of West Fullerton Avenue, was pronounced dead at 11:46 p.m. Sunday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.

The fifth person identified Wednesday was Korry Rogers, 19, who was pronounced dead at 7:24 p.m. Sunday at Stroger Hospital following the shooting the in 5200 block of South Sangamon Street.

Officers responded to a call about a person shot on Sangamon Street around 6:15 p.m. and found the man shot there, police said at the time. The medical examiner's office determined following an autopsy that Rogers, of the 5600 block of South Throop Street, died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Editor's note: DeQuan Trimble's last name has been corrected from earlier versions of this article.
The co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Azerbaijan by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Stefan Schennach (Austria) and Cezar Florin Preda (Romania), will arrive in Azerbaijan.

September 7, 2016, 13:29 PACE co-rapporteurs to visit Azerbaijan

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 7, ARTSAKHPRESS: A decision was made, during Mondays Paris meeting of the bureau of the PACE Monitoring Committee on Azerbaijan, to set up a seven-person evaluation mission in connection with the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Azerbaijan, according to Haqqin.az news agency of the country.

This mission will comprise the two co-chairs of the said committee, and one member from each PACE political group.

PACE will select the head and the members of this mission.

The bureau also decided to evaluate the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) of the Council of Europe conclusion on the proposed Azerbaijan constitutional amendments.
Police are searching for a man wanted for sexual assault of a child in Albany Park. Sept. 7, 2016. (Chicago Police Department) (Chicago Tribune)

Police are searching for a man who sexually assaulted a child Monday evening in the Albany Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side.

The man approached a girl in a store in the 3300 block of West Lawrence Avenue around 7 p.m., according to a news release from the Chicago Police Department.

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He then grabbed the girl and sexually assaulted her, the release said.

The suspect is a white Hispanic man between 25 and 40 years old. The man was last seen wearing a gray T-shirt with a white circle on it and gray cargo shorts, according to the release.

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Anyone with information about this incident should call detectives at 312-492-3810. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to tipsoft.com.
We shouldn't be surprised by the coarseness spewing from Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who insulted President Barack Obama by calling him a "son of a whore." Vulgarity is Duterte's calling card. Miffed at the traffic jam that Pope Francis' visit to Manila caused in 2015, he called the pontiff exactly what he called Obama. He also once said he would castrate men who did not go along with his plan for mass vasectomies to deal with overpopulation. And at an election rally last spring, he joked about not getting a chance to rape an Australian woman, a missionary who in 1989 had been taken hostage, raped and killed during a prison riot.

What's more worrisome about Duterte is how he has overseen a vicious campaign of extrajudicial killings in the name of waging war against Philippine drug dealers and addicts. Local estimates put the number of people killed in his drug war at 2,400 in a span of two months. Police and vigilante groups are carrying out street executions, embracing what Duterte labeled his "shoot to kill" approach to drug dealing and drug use. The 71-year-old leader took office earlier this summer and hasn't been vague about his intent, telling a crowd in a Manila slum on the day of his inauguration, "If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself, as getting their parents to do it would be too painful."

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Obama was right to respond to Duterte's intemperate babbling at an Asian summit in Laos by canceling a bilateral meeting with the Philippine leader, who now says he regretted what he said. (The two informally met Wednesday at a dinner of world leaders and exchanged niceties.) But long after the summit, the U.S. faces a much trickier task in dealing with the Philippine leader. How hard should the U.S. come down on a government that jettisons due process, yet also serves as a vital ally in American policy toward China?

We think the answer is simple: The U.S. should get tough with Duterte. His bombastic populism has endeared him to a nation wearied by establishment politics and fed up with drug crime. But Filipinos for the most part are ardently pro-United States. Duterte's brutal drug war may be popular with Filipinos, but alienating the U.S. likely won't be. That's leverage Washington can use as it looks for ways to pressure Duterte to carry out his fight against drugs through lawful arrests and fair trials rather than by crassly flouting human rights.

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Filipinos know how vital the U.S. is to their effort to keep China from commandeering a crucial swath of the Pacific. China has been creating artificial islands in the South China Sea to justify its claim to territorial waters there  a charade declared illegitimate by an international tribunal in July in The Hague. Under Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, Manila bolstered an already strong military alliance with the U.S. as a counterpoint to China's actions in the South China Sea, allowing Washington to build military facilities at five Philippine bases.

Duterte has his own ideas about the South China Sea dispute, including the possibility of giving in to China's claim in exchange for China building a new rail line on the island of Mindanao, where Duterte is from. That may not sit well with the majority of Filipinos, given their wariness of China's actions.

We've seen Duterte's kind before  around the globe, presidential candidates often build election campaigns on reckless populist rhetoric. While Duterte's gutter talk is meant almost exclusively for domestic consumption, his lack of regard for human rights is something the West, and the U.S. in particular, shouldn't and can't ignore. The Obama administration and its successor have to let Duterte know that he risks a scaled-back relationship with the U.S. if he continues to allow extrajudicial killings  an estrangement that surely would hurt the Filipino leader's popularity at home.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
Chicago officially surpassed the homicide toll for all of last year, reaching over 500 in total. By speaking to members of the community, the Tribune will continue coverage of this grim milestone. (Chicago Tribune)

Chicago is but a few days away from its 3,000th shooting of the year.

At 2,930 and counting as of Labor Day, the first grimly inevitable milestone will be 2,988. That's the number of people shot here all of last year. Soon after will come No. 3,000.

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Tribune crime reporters keep a detailed spreadsheet, which shows 546 shootings since Aug. 1. That works out to be nearly 15 people shot every day  the majority on the West and South sides. Summer is always the most dangerous season in Chicago, but the violence this year is worse than it's been in two decades. The city's homicide total: about 500, most of them on this roster of shooting victims.

What does the chaos look and sound like? On Labor Day evening, from 10:45 p.m. to 11:09 p.m., the grid of West Side streets to the north and west of Douglas Park lit up with gunfire as if war zone firefights had erupted. The Tribune's Peter Nickeas, Alexandra Chachkevitch and Elvia Malagon chronicled 24 minutes of insanity.

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The first call, "five shots heard," drew police attention to the area of Lexington Street and California Avenue, on a block of row homes bookended by vacant lots. A dispatcher soon upped the urgency: "Fifteen to 20 shots, rapid fire." It was a drive-by shooting. Five males, ranging in age from 16 to 22, were standing on the sidewalk when someone in a silver minivan pulled up and fired. Four were hit in the chest, one in the arm and buttocks. Two of the men died. Somehow the shooter got the drop on five targets.

Minutes later, on the other side of Douglas Park, two men driving westbound on Douglas Boulevard were shot, one hit in the wrist, the other grazed in the back and arm. A third man standing on the sidewalk was hit in the left arm. The pair drove themselves to Mount Sinai Hospital. There was a bullet hole in the windshield.

Police were still trying to get a handle on those incidents  eight people shot in 16 minutes  when a dispatcher, as if speaking for the entire weary city, came on the radio: "You wanna hear some more bad news?" There was a third shooting, about eight blocks north, in the 3300 block of West Flournoy Street. Five gunshots, a woman and a man in a parked car hit, the woman in the back and arm, the man grazed on the neck.

Many of the night's victims were taken to the same hospital. "Surreal scene at Sinai," Nickeas tweeted from outside the emergency room. "So many relatives. People rolled up here from three different shootings." A nurse appeared every few minutes to give an update to one of the families.

A day later, Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who's been a cop in this city for 27 years  long enough to qualify for advanced degrees in sociology, psychology and economics  provided a pertinent footnote to the Labor Day weekend violence. "Impoverished neighborhoods, people without hope do these kinds of things," he said. "You show me a man that doesn't have hope, I'll show you one that's willing to pick up a gun and do anything with it."

Maybe that's more than a footnote. It might be a chapter, or the thesis. There can't be a simple explanation for why people shoot at each other, destroying themselves and their neighborhoods, can there? No, but gangs  these days, often with weak or no leadership  are at the heart of the violence.

Gang structure has atomized, creating block-by-block turf battles. Gangbangers shoot at each other over drug sales or factional rivalries, over petty insults on social media or over a pair of shoes. They fight and shoot perhaps because they don't care, or perhaps because fighting and shooting gives them something to care about. The shootings beget retaliatory shootings. Illegal guns are easy to find. So are targets.

It doesn't help that too many felons jailed for gun crimes get out of prison too quickly. What's made the situation worse is the tarnished reputation of the police over scandals such as the videotaped shooting of Laquan McDonald. Neighbors who don't trust the police are less likely to provide support and information.

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This is part of Johnson's street seminar. He knows he needs the city's residents to help him fight crime. Because these shootings aren't going to stop on their own.

By Wednesday afternoon, the year's tally had risen to 2,950.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to visit Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in October, haqqin.az reported quoting NRG.

September 7, 2016, 14:08 Israeli PM to visit Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 7, ARTSAKHPRESS: The newspaper noted that recently Israel even more often glances towards the Muslim states in general and the countries with the numerous Shiite population, in particular, therefore is very interested to strengthen relations with Baku.
Levail Smith had just cracked open a can of beer outside a Rogers Park laundromat on the Fourth of July two years ago when a Chicago police tactical officer pulled over his unmarked car and approached him.

Smith, a 45-year-old ex-Marine with a history of mental problems, walked away briskly, ignoring the officer's order to stop. In seconds, the chase was on.

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After a short foot pursuit, officers cornered Smith in the backyard of an apartment building, where witnesses said he shouted, "I have a gun!" Three officers opened fire, wounding Smith in the chest, leg and abdomen. The officers appeared stunned upon discovering he was actually unarmed, one witness told investigators.

Smith was one of five people shot by police  two fatally  over that holiday weekend in 2014, and all involved foot chases.

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An unprecedented analysis by the Chicago Tribune of every police shooting from 2010 through 2015, in fact, found that foot chases played a role in more than a third of the 235 cases that ended with someone wounded or killed.

About half of the pursuits began routinely  as police attempted to stop or question people for curfew violations, public drinking, thefts, disturbance calls or other minor offenses, the Tribune found. According to the analysis, nearly a quarter of those killed by police during foot chases were struck only in the back, a factor often cited later in civil rights lawsuits questioning the threat actually posed to officers.

Those same factors played out in the Police Department's most recent controversial fatal shooting  of Paul O'Neal, an unarmed black teen who was wounded in the back in late July after bailing out of a stolen car on the South Side and leading officers on a short foot chase.

Experts say changes in how and when officers are allowed to chase suspects on foot will likely be an outcome of the ongoing probe by the U.S. Justice Department of the Chicago Police Department. At least a dozen previous Justice Department probes of police departments over the past two decades have called for establishing specific guidelines on foot chases, and other cities have implemented policies on their own following controversial police shootings involving foot pursuits.

Federal investigators will be particularly interested in how police shootings have disproportionately affected minorities, according to the experts. While African-Americans made up 80 percent of all those shot by police in the six-year span examined by the Tribune, an even higher number of those shot during foot chases  94 percent  were black, the Tribune found.

Key numbers: A look at Chicago police shooting data from 2010 through 2015. (Jemal R. Brinson / Chicago Tribune) (Jemal R. Brinson/Chicago Tribune)

'Chasing bad guys'

With violence at levels unseen in decades, in part because of the proliferation of illegal weapons on the streets, Chicago police consider going after gun offenders as one of its most important missions. Indeed, police say they recovered a gun in 84 percent of the shootings by officers involved in foot pursuits, including four of the five shootings that Fourth of July weekend in 2014, according to the analysis.

"I don't know if we would be respected or effective if we stopped chasing bad guys," said Anthony Guglielmi, chief spokesman for police Superintendent Eddie Johnson.

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Some experts say setting guidelines on foot chases doesn't mean letting criminals run free. In fact, many departments have chosen to implement foot-chase policies to improve officer safety.

"It's a false choice to say an officer has unlimited ability to pursue subjects or we just let the bad guy go," said Matthew Barge, co-executive director of the Police Assessment Resource Center, which has helped craft and monitor policing reforms in cities across the country, including some pushed by the Justice Department.

But in a recent interview, Dean Angelo Sr., the president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, cautioned against trying to micromanage officers' split-second decisions, saying it could do more harm than good. With more than 7,000 illegal guns seized by Chicago police in 2014, according to department statistics, the threat of violence is real.

"If there's a (foot-chase) policy, then the officer has to call it in. It's got to be monitored," Angelo said. "They're going to want to know why you're chasing him. To have to get into 'Well, is this justified under the policy?' with someone listening in on the other end and deciding if you can continue, that would be crazy."

The data on officer shootings were released to the Tribune only after a seven-month battle with the city over its failure to fulfill public records requests. The department finally produced the data in July after the Tribune threatened to sue. Reporters then spent weeks comparing the data with information that was gathered earlier this year from the city's police oversight agency as well as with other records, including autopsies and court records.

The Tribune's analysis revealed case after case in which individuals being chased on foot allegedly turned and pointed a gun in the direction of officers, leaving police no choice, they said, but to shoot.

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Many of the shootings took place in Chicago's most dangerous neighborhoods and involved chasing suspects with long criminal records who faced certain prison time if they were caught with a gun. Of the five people shot over the 2014 Fourth of July holiday, only one, 14-year-old Pedro Rios, had a clean arrest record.

Police reported that a gun had been found in 68 of the 81 instances in which a civilian ran from police before being shot. And in at least 53 of those shootings, police said the suspect had pointed or fired a gun at the pursuing officers, according to the data.

In the 13 incidents in which the person shot did not have a gun, four listed no weapon at all recovered at the scene, according to the data supplied by the Police Department. A handful listed weapons such as knives or tire irons, while one case cited a suspect armed with a "board with nails" and another listed "unknown object" and a vehicle as the weapons involved.

In justifying the shootings, police often used boilerplate language, most frequently that the officer feared for his or his partner's life  a key requirement, under departmental policy, before police can open fire.

Experts on policing issues say that the Justice Department probe is likely looking at how often Chicago police officials used nearly identical descriptions of the officers' actions, particularly the "turned and pointed" language used in the dozens of shootings reviewed by the Tribune.

"When you see standard or canned language, that's good reason to be concerned," said Jonathan Smith, a former section chief of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, which is conducting the inquiry of Chicago police in the fallout over the court-ordered release of video of the shooting of black teen Laquan McDonald by a white officer.

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'Turned and pointed'

In the five shootings over a 36-hour period in the 2014 Fourth of July weekend, police said that three of those shot turned and pointed their weapons at officers during a foot chase.

That was the case with Rios, an eighth-grader who was crossing busy Cicero Avenue in the Old Irving Park neighborhood just after dusk on July 4 when two Chicago police officers in a marked squad car saw him holding his right hand to his side as though he had a gun, according to police reports. The officers made a U-turn to catch up to him, and Officer Nicholas Redelsperger, then a 16-year veteran of the force, got out of the squad car and called to Rios to stop and come over to talk.

Instead, Rios allegedly turned and pointed a long-barreled .44 Magnum handgun  later described by a police union official as a "Dirty Harry gun"  at the officers and took off running. Redelsperger chased Rios on foot past a low brick building on the northeast corner of Cicero and Berenice avenues while the other officer, Eric Bellomy, drove the squad car into the alley to cut off Rios' path.

Nearing the mouth of the alley, Rios allegedly turned again and pointed the gun at Redelsperger, who fired two shots, striking Rios twice in back, according to autopsy results. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:07 p.m.

The large silver revolver Rios was carrying was lying in the middle of the alley when evidence technicians arrived, according to police reports. Tests showed the gun had not been fired.

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Speaking to news outlets that night, Pat Camden, then an FOP spokesman, said Rios' own actions led to his shooting.

"It kind of shows you that there are people in the world who don't think right. If you point a gun at a policeman, you will get shot," Camden said. "You put your hands in the air, I guarantee you, you will be fine."

A pending federal lawsuit brought by Rios' family disputes Redelsperger's claim he was in fear of his life, noting Rios was shot in the back.

Similar allegations are often made in lawsuits against the city over police shootings  many of which have been settled for seven-figure sums. The Tribune's analysis showed that of the 30 people who were killed by police after a foot pursuit, at least seven had been shot only in the back side of their bodies.

Police, however, say an armed suspect can still pose a threat while running away. Speaking to reporters after the Fourth of July weekend shootings, then-Superintendent Garry McCarthy gestured behind his back, miming how a fleeing suspect was very capable of shooting at the officers chasing him while being wounded himself in the back by police.

In a ruling just last month, the Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates every police shooting, found that Redelsperger was justified in shooting Rios even though investigators noted that the officer's assertion that the gun was pointed in his direction couldn't be confirmed by witnesses or video.

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"It is undisputed that (Rios) was running away . . . both times the officer fired his weapon," the IPRA report stated. "Even if Rios did not intentionally point the gun at (Redelsperger), it is possible, if not likely, that (Rios) turned to see whether and how closely the officer was in pursuit, and, in so doing, gave the officer the impression that he was threatening use of the gun."

Attorney Mark Brown, who represents Rios' family, said it was "disheartening there isn't a higher level of scrutiny" when officers claim someone running away from them turned and pointed a weapon.

Attempts to reach Redelsperger and the other officers involved in the five Fourth of July shootings were unsuccessful, and the Police Department declined to make any of the officers available for interviews.

Laura Rios is seen at her home in Chicago on June 21, 2016. She is the mother of Pedro Rios, who was fatally shot at age 14 by Chicago police after a foot chase on July 4, 2014. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

'Pale as ghosts'

In examining foot pursuit policies in other cities, Justice Department officials often zeroed in on the pretext behind the stops. If minor offenses  such as trespassing and public drinking  touched off a large number of the chases, it raised red flags, according to Smith, who is now the executive director of the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.

The Tribune's analysis found that was the case in 40 of the 81 shootings by Chicago police that involved a foot chase.

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Two of the five Fourth of July shootings began with seemingly routine calls. The day after Rios was killed, tactical officer Roman Zawada and his partner were on patrol when they saw Neven Woods drinking in front of a boarded-up house in the Englewood neighborhood. When the officers got out of their car to ask questions, Woods took off running, according to police reports.

Woods, identified by authorities as a known gang member, jerked a .38-caliber revolver from his waistband and held it at a 90-degree angle at his side as he ran through the alley with Zawada close behind, according to police statements.

Zawada yelled for Woods to drop the gun and then, from about 5 feet away, fired a single shot into Woods' right buttock, according to records reviewed by the Tribune.

Police charged Woods, then 23, with being a felon in possession of a gun, assaulting an officer with a weapon, having a weapon with a defaced serial number and being an armed habitual criminal. The criminal charges are still pending, but IPRA has ruled the shooting justified. Woods' criminal defense attorney declined to comment, citing the pending case.

Just 24 hours earlier, a street stop that started under similar circumstances  drinking in the public way  ended with the shooting of Smith.

Tactical officer Timothy Manning, who like Smith is a former Marine, had worked until 3 a.m. the night before as hundreds of additional officers were put on the street to try to quell violence over the holiday weekend. Two hours into his second shift of the day, Manning spotted Smith with the beer and confronted him, according to court records. A lawsuit filed by Smith alleged Manning already had his hand on his gun as he approached.

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Smith, a 6-foot-6 slender man in fitted clothes, fled on foot. With Manning sprinting after him, Smith scaled a 6-foot fence and hid in the vestibule of an apartment building. Manning, a seasoned officer with nearly eight years of experience at the time, started ringing doorbells. When a tenant buzzed the officer in, Smith slipped through the front door and then ran through an apartment and down a flight of stairs leading to the backyard with Manning on his heels, according to police reports.

A handful of officers who responded to Manning's call for backup confronted Smith in the yard with their guns drawn. Witnesses said Smith had his hands down at his sides but was shouting, "I have a gun!" according to police reports and IPRA records.

Three officers opened fire, shooting at Smith a combined eight times and striking him in the chest, leg and abdomen. When officers approached Smith and discovered he was unarmed, a witness who was barbecuing in the yard next door told IPRA investigators, "They went pale as a ghost."

"They could not believe it  they showed remorse immediately," the witness said, according to a transcript of his testimony.

At the scene that day, Camden described the incident as a case of attempted "suicide by police." One of the officers who was there later told investigators Smith had said he was "tired of this life."

Smith underwent hours of surgery but survived. He was convicted on a trespassing charge, records show.

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Smith, whose experience in the Operation Desert Storm conflict left him with post-traumatic stress disorder, ran out of fear, his attorney Lance Northcutt said. Manning, meanwhile, told IPRA that he suspected Smith was armed and that he was reaching for his waistband when he pulled the trigger. Officers Hector Davila and Allen Finley told IPRA investigators they heard the gunshot and, fearing that Manning had been shot, they made the split-second decision to fire as well.

"The notion that he was one minute outside on a sunny day, drinking a beer and all of a sudden wanted to commit a suicide by police belies the facts," Northcutt said.

IPRA closed the investigation with no finding of wrongdoing. In July, the city settled a lawsuit filed by Smith for $450,000.

'Officer discretion'

The Justice Department has pressured at least a dozen other cities to examine guidelines on foot chases in recent decades.

Most of the changes have followed a set of recommendations first rolled out by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2003.

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In Las Vegas, officers are now required to weigh the physical danger of following a suspect into a confined space such as an abandoned building. In Portland, Ore., police must end foot pursuits if the subject they are chasing poses no immediate public threat, they lose the cover of their partner or they can identify the suspect and apprehend him later.

Often, under foot pursuit policies, officers must weigh the severity of the crime before beginning a chase. In Dallas, a foot-chase policy implemented several years ago after a controversial police shooting emphasizes that "flight alone does not constitute sufficient legal justification to detain or arrest an individual."

Amid the ongoing Justice Department probe in Chicago, IPRA has already called for a series of reforms including spelling out when it is appropriate for officers to chase suspects or to use deadly force during a foot pursuit. The recommendations were outlined in a report released after the agency concluded that there wasn't always evidence that suspects posed "an imminent threat to the officer or anyone else" before being shot.

"We have reviewed many cases in which the subject is fired upon while fleeing from the officer," the report noted.

Despite the growing chorus for reforms, change has been slow to come in police departments across the country, according to a national survey released last year by associate criminal justice professors Robert Kaminski of the University of South Carolina and Jeff Rojek of the University of Texas at El Paso.

Among the roughly 500 agencies that responded, just 15 percent reported that they had written foot pursuit policies.

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"(T)he vast majority of agencies left the decision to pursue to officer/deputy discretion," the authors noted.

While Chicago is among those cities without a formal policy, Angelo, the FOP boss, said there are already common-sense training measures on the books that take into account officer safety, such as not separating from your partner during a chase, especially if you don't have a radio. Still, he said, once a chase is on, adrenaline often takes over.

"I've been chasing someone and I don't have a radio," he said. "You just go. This is your job. He needs to get caught for whatever reason it is. And then you come back and you think about it and your partner goes, 'Man, where were you?' And (he) gives you a crack upside the head and says, 'What are you, stupid?' And it was stupid."

The Tribune's analysis found that many foot chases began with calls from residents who'd heard shots fired or saw an armed person roaming their neighborhood.

That was the case when Officer Lawrence Cosban and his partner responded to a pre-dawn dispatch call on July 4 about two armed males seen entering an apartment building in the Englewood neighborhood. They spotted Dominiq Greer standing in the street outside of the building. Cosban, a rookie with two years on the job, tried to interview the 23-year-old, but Greer ran across a commercial stretch of Vincennes Avenue, according to police reports. Cosban trailed closely behind.

Pedro Rios, 14, was killed July 4, 2014, by Chicago police officers, who say the teen was carrying a weapon. (Provided by family)

A security camera mounted overhead recorded Greer as he ran into a dark alley and tried to ditch the gun he was carrying. But Greer's attempt at hurling it onto a rooftop fell short, and the gun tumbled instead through the air before slamming to the ground and discharging.

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The video shows Greer stumble forward and try to steady himself on the asphalt with his hands before Cosban rounded the corner with his gun drawn.

Cosban told an IPRA investigator that he saw Greer on the ground and ordered him to raise his hands and stay still. When Greer allegedly didn't comply, Cosban fired eight shots, striking Greer seven times in the back, chest, legs and arms, police records show.

Greer, who survived, filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the police earlier this year, but in a bizarre turn of events, he was arrested by officers outside his lawyer's office and charged with first-degree murder in a 2015 slaying. IPRA ultimately ruled that Cosban acted within department guidelines.

A few miles from where Greer was shot, officers responded to another July 4 call of a person with a gun in the Gresham neighborhood. As officers approached the scene, they saw Warren Robinson, 16, walking down the street near 87th and Sangamon streets in a black hooded sweatshirt that matched a description given by the caller, police said.

Robinson ran down 87th and was chased by Officer Francisco Mendoza, who later said he saw him with a gun in his hand, according to police reports. As Mendoza turned a corner onto Sangamon, he saw Robinson crouched by a front porch apparently trying to blend in with a party going on at the residence. The teen then ran through a gangway and into the backyard, where he hid under a disabled car that was parked in back, according to police records.

Chicago Police at the scene of a shooting involving 16-year-old Warren Robinson in the 8700 block of S. Morgan St. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)

Two other officers, Michael Wagner and Armando Garza Jr., cornered Robinson under the vehicle and ordered him to drop his weapon. Instead, Robinson started to crawl out from under the car still holding the gun in his hand, prompting all three officers to open fire, according to police reports.

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According to an autopsy report, Robinson was shot 18 times. Eleven bullets riddled his upper and lower back, so many that the "paths of each individual bullet and wounds cannot be determined," the report stated. Seven more bullets penetrated the back of Robinson's shoulders, arms and forearms. He was pronounced dead on the scene shortly before 7 p.m.

A wrongful death lawsuit is pending in federal court. Michael Oppenheimer, the attorney representing Robinson's mother, did not respond to repeated calls for comment on the case.

At his news conference recapping the bloody weekend, then-Superintendent McCarthy said Robinson had pointed a loaded .38-caliber pistol at the officers numerous times. He bristled when a reporter asked whether the police bore some of the responsibility for citizens being shot.

"That's absurd, and quite frankly I'm outraged by it," said McCarthy, who a year and a half later would be fired over the Laquan McDonald shooting scandal. "Try taking a gun out of somebody's hands. Have you ever done it? It's a little difficult to do."

Chicago Tribune's Todd Lighty contributed.

acaputo@chicagotribune.com

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jrichards@chicagotribune.com

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
An Aurora man is going to prison for trying to kill someone in a gang-motivated shooting three years ago.

Armando A. Delgado, 20, of the 1000 block of Tollview Avenue, was sentenced Wednesday by Kane County Judge Linda Abrahamson to 28 years in prison.

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On July 6, Delgado was found guilty of attempted murder, a Class X felony. In addition, it was proven that Delgado fired the handgun used in the commission of the crime, prosecutors said. Delgado waived his right to a jury trial.

Kane County prosecutors presented evidence at trial that at about 9:15 p.m. Sept. 13, 2013, Delgado and another man were in Bluff Street Park on Aurora's near East Side. The victims' car drove past them westbound on Bluff Street and stopped at a stop sign at South Broadway. Both victims were seated in the front of the car. As the car waited for oncoming traffic to clear, Delgado and the other man ran toward the victims' car shouting gang slogans and flashing gang signs, prosecutors said.

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The other man waited behind the car while Delgado walked up to the passenger side of the vehicle and held a 9mm handgun to the passenger's head. The driver heard clicking from the gun, looked and saw Delgado's finger moving against the trigger. The driver immediately sped off before Delgado could fire a shot. As the car sped away Delgado fired multiple times, shooting out the passenger window. Bullet fragments were later recovered from inside the trunk and from the dashboard near the radio.

About 3 hours later Delgado was a passenger in a car that was stopped for a traffic violation. Officers determined that Delgado matched the description given by the shooting victims and took him into custody. Officers found in Delgado's pocket a spent shell casing that matched shell casings found at the Bluff Street scene of the shooting, prosecutors said. Also, Delgado's clothing tested positive for gunshot residue.

Delgado's sentence includes a mandatory 20-year enhancement because Delgado personally fired the gun used in the crime.

According to Illinois law, Delgado must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence.

He receives credit for 1,088 days served in the Kane County jail.
A man was fatally shot outside a 3-year-old's birthday party at a dance studio on Aurora's East Side Sunday. On Tuesday afternoon, the room was still decorated for the party. (The Beacon-News / Hannah Leone)

Outside her little sister's third birthday party in Aurora, 17-year-old Alexis Lucio watched her godfather dying.

She saw him get shot, and ran to him and held him in her arms where he fell on the street on Aurora's east side Sunday night.

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"His last words were 'I got hit, I got hit," Alexis said. "And he looked at me and he said, 'Take care of my baby.'"

Andres Ochoa, a 31-year-old Aurora man with a 10-year-old daughter and a boy due in December, died Sunday night after a shooting in the 600 block of High Street, according to Aurora police.

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Officers responded to the shooting at 10:30 p.m. and found Ochoa unconscious and unresponsive, apparently struck by gunfire, according to an Aurora Police Department news release. Paramedics took Ochoa to Presence Mercy Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

A man was fatally shot outside a 3-year-old's birthday party at a dance studio on Aurora's East Side Sunday. On Tuesday afternoon, police continued to investigate. (The Beacon-News / Hannah Leone)

Police learned Ochoa had been at a child's birthday party at a dance studio moments before the shooting.

Decorations from the party, themed for the Disney movie "Frozen," remained Tuesday afternoon in the room where the party was held. Pink, blue and purple balloons formed arches and clung to walls in the white-floored dance studio. Character cutouts were taped around the room and a purple sign read, "Happy Birthday!"

Reports state a disturbance occurred in the area near the studio before the shooting, according to police.

Alexis had been inside the party when the disturbance broke out.

"Little kids were running around outside and they came inside telling us (people outside) were arguing," Alexis said. "I went outside to see what was going on and I see the guys fighting."

Alexis tried to talk the men out of fighting with her godfather, she said.

"I was telling them that he doesn't need drama right now because my aunt was pregnant, she doesn't need more stress," Alexis said. "He kept fighting the other guys. He finally walked away. That's when he started running. One of the other guys that had a gun, when he was crossing the street, the guy shot at him. The first time, he missed, and that's when (Andres) started running faster and the guy just ran a little more toward him then started shooting him more."

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A man was fatally shot outside a 3-year-old's birthday party at a dance studio on Aurora's East Side Sunday. On Tuesday afternoon, the room was still decorated for the party. (The Beacon-News / Hannah Leone)

The gunman shot Ochoa from behind as he fled, Alexis said.

"I ran to Andy and I just held him until they came," Alexis said. "Everybody came outside and they just seen me holding him and then my mom came and she just started doing CPR on him until the paramedics came."

Alexis' mother, Maribel Lucio, is certified to perform CPR, and the first thing she did was check for a pulse, she said.

She was already on her way outside to bring the kids inside away from the fight. Then she heard the shots, heard her older daughter screaming, and ran toward the commotion.

"I saw him laying on the (ground) with my daughter," Lucio said.

She checked his pulse again. Her sister  Ochoa's partner  was crying for him not to leave her, not to leave their family, Lucio said.

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"We kept yelling out at him, 'You have a baby coming, please make it,' but nothing," Lucio said. "It can't be happening, now that she is pregnant, and he was so excited about the baby boy. I just can't believe it."

A man was fatally shot outside a birthday party at a dance studio on Aurora's East Side Sunday. On Tuesday afternoon, police continued to investigate. (The Beacon-News / Hannah Leone)

Police found two other people nearby who were treated for non-lethal, non-shooting-related injuries after the incident. They were "less than fully cooperative" with investigating officers, according to the news release.

Rigoberto Rivera was watching TV with his wife upstairs from the dance studio when he heard what sounded like a gunshot, then several more, then screaming.

He went outside, and said he saw lots of people crying.

Rivera has owned the building since 2001 but just moved in to the second-floor apartment last year, he said. Downstairs is a hair salon and a dance studio, which they also rent out as a party space.

Rivera thinks about 40 people were at the party when the shooting happened outside. It rattled him, but he still feels safe in his neighborhood, he said.

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"A kid's party. Kids. Just a girl, 3 years old," Rivera said. "This area is quiet. It's not like other places."

A man was fatally shot outside a 3-year-old's birthday party at a dance studio on Aurora's East Side Sunday. On Tuesday afternoon, police continued to investigate the incident. (The Beacon-News / Hannah Leone)

He didn't know the man who was killed, but those who knew Ochoa said he was an outgoing kind of guy, Alexis said.

Lucio trusted him to be her daughter's godfather. She had known Ochoa for about 14 years, and while he and her sister were not married, they were committed partners and parents, she said. He was like a brother-in-law to her, she said.

"My daughter would always look up to him," Lucio said. "He would give her good advice and always kept her in line."

That anyone would fire a gun near a children's party  let alone her 3-year-old daughter's party  is horrible, Lucio said.

"They have no respect for the children's life," Lucio said. "There were kids outside. Anyone could have gotten hit."

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The family is planning a private funeral service, Lucio said.

No one has been arrested in connection with the shooting, Aurora Police Sgt. Don Flowers said.

"Officers continue to search for witnesses and evidence," police said in a news release. "While the case is still in its preliminary stages, the shooting does not appear to be random in nature."

Police ask anyone with information about the incident to call Aurora police investigators at 630-256-5500 or Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at 630-892-1000. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to any arrests.

People also can submit tips through the Aurora Police Department's free My PD app available through iTunes, the Android Market or Amazon App Store.

hleone@tribpub.com

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Anthony Crespo (right) is the former principal of East Aurora High School who has been moved to a different job in the school district. Some parents are urging Crespo be returned to his job at the high school. (East Aurora School District / Handout)

Weeks after East Aurora School District 131 relocated its high school principal to a new position, parents urged the school board to return the former principal to the high school.

At a meeting Tuesday, five parents from an East Aurora High School Latino parents' group told the board Anthony Crespo had helped students and worked with the Spanish-speaking community. They handed over petitions with more than 400 signatures, including some they said were from students, expressing support for Crespo.

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"He got the time for us, and he got the time for the students," Diogene Gonzalez, who said he was one of the members of the Latino parents' group, told the school board.

Crespo, who had been principal at the high school for one year, is now principal of East Aurora's extension campus, which houses alternative programs. The former extension campus principal, Jessica Orstead, is now an assistant principal at the high school, and a former high school assistant principal, Marina Kosak, is now interim principal.

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East Aurora district officials made the announcement in mid-August, slightly more than one week before the start of the school year.

Tuesday night, interim Superintendent Mark McDonald declined to elaborate on why Crespo was relocated because he said the move was a personnel decision. He said he was impressed to see parents take the time to speak before the board, and he was pleased that they were engaged in the district.

The parents, most speaking through translators, told the school board Crespo had worked well with the Latino community, which was important in a majority-Latino school. Almost 85 percent of East Aurora High School's 3,875 students were Hispanic during the 2014-2015 school year, according to the most recent state data available.

Gonzalez said parents did not have concerns with the new interim principal, but were not pleased with Crespo's transfer. Crespo did good work in his first year, and he would have accomplished more with the school, students and parents if he had been given more time, Gonzalez said.

One mother, Rocio Fuentes, said she was not happy with the way Crespo was relocated and with the way it was communicated to parents. Manuela Galves said Crespo communicated with families, and "understood parents and students." Brenda Gonzalez said Crespo cared about students, and made a difference.

"Principal Crespo was achieving a lot of good things for the students and for the Latino parents," Liliana Nunez told the school board through a translator. "What was the cause of his transfer to another school?"

School board members did not elaborate on Crespo's relocation during their allotted time to talk after the public's comments, but several thanked parents for speaking before the board.

School Board President Annette Johnson said Kosak is bilingual and will likely continue working with parent groups. Board member Alex Arroyo said a lot of work "went on behind the scenes" regarding staff decisions.

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Twitter @srfreish
A Ministry of Defense (MOD) of Armenia delegation, led by Deputy Defense Minister Movses Hakobyan who also heads the MOD Logistical Support Department, has traveled to Moscow.

September 7, 2016, 14:34 Armenia deputy defense minister heads for Moscow

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 7, ARTSAKHPRESS: In the Russian capital city, the delegation will participate in the bilateral talks of Armenian-Russian technico-military cooperation, from Wednesday to Friday, the MOD informed.
A 77-year-old Mokena woman was fatally injured when her car, traveling in the wrong direction, crashed into an oncoming pickup truck in Kankakee County early Wednesday morning, police said.

Gwendolyn Davis was driving a 2013 Silver Toyota Corolla eastbound in the westbound lane on Route 17, west of Route 1, at the time of the crash, according to an Illinois State Police statement.

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About 5:46 a.m., Davis' vehicle struck a 2009 Red Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.

Both drivers were transported to St. Mary's Hospital in Kankakee. The driver of the truck sustained minor injuries, while Davis was pronounced dead at the hospital, the statement said.

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Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
A local businessman who was charged with a hate crime following an incident in downtown Flossmoor last month, has denied using racial slurs and claims he fired his gun only because he felt threatened.

Bryan Oedzes of Dyer, Ind., who was charged Aug. 30 with a hate crime and aggravated discharge of a firearm, said he has hired an attorney and will "let the facts play out" in court.

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Oedzes said he owns his own import/export business in South Holland but was helping at a local Flossmoor business the night of the incident.

A social media group has made threats against him as a result of the incident, he said.

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Deputy Police Chief Ted Kamleiter said there are no police reports of those threats but Oedzes did discuss the alleged threats with police.

Oedzes said he has been part of the Flossmoor community for 20 years, and loves its diversity.

"This hate crime is my biggest concern," he said. "I take that very seriously."

According to police, at 11:30 p.m. Aug. 22, police were notified that a man outside a Flossmoor restaurant was "yelling and screaming about someone trying to shoot him."

At the same time police got that call, Kamleiter said, a motorist came to the police station after witnessing a shooting outside the restaurant, the police report stated.

The victim was "intoxicated  upset and yelling," police said. He told police he got off the Metra train and was headed to Homewood-Flossmoor High School.

He was walking down the west sidewalk in the 1000 block of Sterling Avenue when he was confronted by Oedzes, who allegedly told him, "You need to get the (expletive) out of here. You don't belong here," according to the police report.

A Flossmoor police news release summarizing the incident said Oedzes "yelled a racial slur at the victim," but did not elaborate. Oedzes, who is white, said Tuesday that the other man was black.

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After telling the other man to leave, Oedzes allegedly pulled out a pistol and pointed it at him, and the victim told police he turned and ran toward the restaurant when Oedzes fired one shot, the report stated. The victim told police he saw Oedzes point the gun toward the sky, before he turned and ran.

Officers attempted to speak to the victim in more depth, but "due to his intoxicated state" he could not provide any more information, so they escorted him home with plans to interview him later, according to the police report.

Oedzes, however, said he had been working at a local business with a friend and had taken a break.On their way back from the break, they saw the man walking down the middle of the street, acting "very unusual" and making it clear he was "extraordinarily intoxicated."

"I wanted to make sure he got out of the street and didn't get hurt," Oedzes said. "Unfortunately, he approached us."

Oedzes said he has multiple sclerosis and is unable to physically defend himself, and he also was concerned for the safety of the woman accompanying him. He has a concealed carry permit from the State of Indiana, he said.

"We were faced with an imminent and serious threat," he said. "I asked him not to come any nearer, but he kept walking toward me. Once he saw I had a gun, he walked away."

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But Oedzes said he still did not feel safe, because he had to turn his back on the man to cross the street and return to the business where he had been working .

"I told him to keep his hands where I could see them. I didn't know what he was going to do. He was so intoxicated, he was talking incoherently," he said.

When the man came toward him, Oedzes said he fired a "warning shot, so he would know I was serious.

"I had no intention of hurting him. It was just to buy me some time and get him to leave," he said.

Kamleiter said that Oedzes has a concealed carry permit, but said it was issued by the State of Indiana, so he can only carry a gun inside the business, not outside in public.

Oedzes said he is due back in court on Sept. 21.

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slafferty@tribpub.com
The future development of Downtown Frankfort continued to be a hot topic Tuesday, with one resident urging village officials to designate a prime piece of property a perpetual green space.

Peg Donnellan lives near the 3.5-acre tract at 1 N. White St., which the village converted to a neatly manicured lawn after acquiring the former Fox Lumber site in 2009. Village officials made the $795,000 purchase with future commercial development in mind, and last year the site was considered for a private banquet hall against which Donnellan collected petition signatures.

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"Why can't we keep this green space?" she asked Tuesday night. "So many people want that to stay green."

Donnellan, co-owner of an Orland Park roofing company, seized on Mayor Jim Holland's comments last month that the some of former Fox Lumber site could possibly be earmarked as green space if development were approved elsewhere downtown.

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That came on the heels of public push back on a new proposal by another developer for a banquet hall on village-owned land at 11 and 19 N. White St. But Holland insisted his remark was merely a supposition.

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"Perhaps it should be green space," the mayor said. "But right now, we have stated  we have shown in plans  that that property is for sale for development, and we've stated very clearly that we bought the Fox Lumber property for the purpose of commercial development."

Holland said he's open to having a village committee study the issue, but said he didn't see the value in a green space designation that a future Village Board could easily undo if the property drew commercial interest.

Frankfort has acquired several downtown properties in recent years in the hopes of attracting commercial development such as shops, dining and office space.

The Village Board also voted Tuesday to approve a voluntary annexation requested by two families that want to build a pair of homes on a 4.68-acre property at 21655 S. 108th Avenue in Frankfort Township. The agreement includes a covenant spelling out how the owners will share maintenance responsibilities for the drive leading to the two houses.

Holland and the trustees also praised village police, public works crews and hundred of volunteers for another successful Fall Fest over Labor Day weekend that was buoyed by fair weather.

"There's not enough thanks to be said," Trustee Dick Trevarthan said. "It's amazing that Frankfort has that core of volunteers. They don't give up. They come back every year."

Patrick Guinane is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Governors State University announced Tuesday that it will close two business and trade centers that have been responsible for creating thousands of jobs.

The university will be closing its Illinois Small Business Development Center and its corresponding international trade center at the end of the year "as a result of the ongoing Illinois budget crisis," according to a university statement.

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"This was a difficult decision," university President Elaine Maimon was quoted as saying in the statement. "The Illinois SBDC has been the definitive resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the Chicago Southland."

The university, located in University Park, is facing a 70 percent cut in state appropriations for this school year, and has only a six-month stop-gap budget for next year, it said.

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"We must reallocate the funds currently used to match federal and state dollars to departments which will maintain our high quality of student service," Maimon said.

This follows a series of colleges and universities across the state that have made grave decisions due to state legislators' historic stalemate and failure to pass a budget.

"For more than 30 years, the Illinois SBDC at GSU has worked closely with entrepreneurs and small business owners to help jump start their business endeavors," according to the statement. "From providing assistance with business plan development to acquiring financial support and investment, GSU SBDC has been a cornerstone of the Southland's growing business community."

The center has helped created 4,650 new jobs, with 190 new business starts and 150 business expansions since 2001, it said.

"The work of the SBDC has resulted in $155 million invested in the region and an increase of $10.9 billion in export."

Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Marist High School workers were awestruck that one of their own has turned into a kind of worldwide celebrity overnight.

Last week, the staff at the city South Side school held a celebration reception for the Marist Director of Development Maggie McEldowney, who recently won Ireland's prestigious pageant, the Rose of Tralee.

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The event features Irish "Rose" women from Irish communities around the world, including Boston, Canada, New Zealand and even Abu Dhabi.

More than one million viewers tuned in to watch the festivities last month.

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"Everyone at Marist was thrilled for Maggie and we were so excited to welcome her back," said Patti Arvesen, director of marketing at the school. "It's certainly exciting to have someone with such an impressive title among us and it's been fun to celebrate her win alongside her. But she's still just our Maggie Mac, always low-key, humble and never seeking limelight."

Kerry Mullaney, who works in the same department as McEldowney, concurs that she's still the same Maggie with the crown.

"Being crowned the Rose of Tralee hasn't changed her at all," she said. "She still has her down-to-earth personality."

McEldowney, 27, a Beverly neighborhood native who graduated from Marist and the University of Illinois in Champaign, is the third Chicago resident to win the title in the pageant's 58 years.

"The crown's coming to Chicago. I'm so excited about it," McEldowney said in a statement immediately after winning the title. "I'm just beaming with pride because I know the people back home and the people I'm representing at my centre are very special."

McEldowney had to first compete to win the title Chicago Rose through the rose centre there.

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To qualify, women of Irish decent must be between the ages of 18 and 28 and never have been married.

McEldowney's grandmother was born and raised in County Derry, Ireland.

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She serves on the board of the Young Irish Fellowship in Chicago, which coordinates fundraisers that celebrate Irish culture.

McEldowney's job at Marist includes raising money for families who otherwise can't afford a Catholic education.

For the pageant she sang the Irish ballad, "A Little Bit of Heaven."

"I understand the tremendous impact a Rose can have on the lives of others and will continue that tradition wholeheartedly as the 2016 Rose of Tralee," McEldowney said in a statement.

Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Denmark has become the first country in the world to buy data from the Panama Papers leak, and now plans to investigate whether 500-600 Danes who feature in the leaked offshore archive may have evaded tax, the Guardian reports.

September 7, 2016, 16:38 Denmark becomes first country to buy Panama Papers

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 7, ARTSAKHPRESS: Denmarks tax minister, Karsten Lauritzen, said he has paid DKK9m (1m) for the information, which comes from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. He said an anonymous source approached the Danish government over the summer.

The source sent over an initial sample of documents and the government reviewed them. After concluding they were genuine, it secretly negotiated support for the controversial deal from political parties in parliament, the minister said.

Everything suggests that it is useful information. We owe it to all Danish taxpayers who faithfully pay their taxes, Lauritzen said, admitting that he had originally been very wary. He added: The material contains relevant and valid information about several hundred Danish taxpayers.

The Panama Papers, published in April, was the biggest leak in history. The archive includes 12.5m documents. There are details of offshore companies  half of them incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, a UK tax haven  as well as of secret beneficial owners.

An anonymous source, John Doe, gave the archive to the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung. An international consortium of journalists from 180 media organisations including the Guardian examined the leaked files, which featured several heads of state and politicians.

It is unclear if John Doe is the same source who sold information to the Danes. Lauritzen said he didnt know who the source was. The government communicated with him  or her  via encrypted channels, he said, after being put in touch by a tax authority in another country.
Oak Forest Police Chief Greg Anderson will retire from the city Sept. 18 after seven years in the job, the city said in a news release Wednesday.

Anderson previously served as deputy chief in Aurora and was chief in Campton Hills, a community northwest of St. Charles, before taking the chief's position in Oak Forest.

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In the news release, Oak Forest Mayor Hank Kuspa credited Anderson with enhancing Police Department procedures and using crime data to map problem areas in the city.

"He always asked the tough questions to get us thinking and keep us moving in the right direction," Kuspa said.

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Anderson's efforts resulted in the department receiving a certificate of accreditation last year from the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

The chief, in the release, said that he is proud of the department and, "all of the accomplishments and successes we have had while I have been chief." Anderson said that, after "36 years in law enforcement it is time for me to pass the torch."

The City Council will recognize Anderson's service at its meeting Tuesday, and an announcement regarding his replacement is expected to be made at that time.

Oak Forest also announced it has hired Dorienne Preer as human resources manager, who will begin Oct. 3. The hiring was approved by the City Council last month.

For the last 10 years, Preer has served as human resources director for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

Previously, human resources duties were handled by the city's clerk/collector, Scott Burkhardt, who retired July 1. David Neuman was appointed to the clerk's position and the city separated the elected clerk's position from the collector's job. The human resources manager will be paid $95,000 a year, but the hiring is cost-neutral to the city because the HR position replaces the collector, City Administrator Troy Ishler said.

mnolan@tribpub.com
Mark French, pictured in blue shirt, says farewell to parents and students as principal Fierke Education Center. (School Dist. 146.)

The principal of Fierke Education Center in Oak Forest plans to resign Friday to work at a school in Michigan, officials said.

Mark French has served as principal for nine years at the elementary school, which serves preschool through fifth grade at 535 Victoria Dr.

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Bret Pignatiello, assistant principal at Central Middle School in Tinley Park, will take over as interim principal on Monday. He will serve for the remainder of the 2016-2017 academic year, officials said.

The district will begin searching for French's permanent replacement in the winter, according to a news release from School Dist. 146.

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"We are sorry to see Mr. French go, but very excited for him as he takes this next step in his professional journey," Dist. 146 Supt. Jeff Stawick said. "He has touched the lives of many students who have passed through the halls of Fierke and he will certainly be missed."

Students and parents were notified of the change in a letter last month.

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Students were given an opportunity to bid their principal farewell and meet Pignatiello during an assembly on Tuesday. Parents had their chance to say goodbye to French and introduce themselves to Pignatiello at a coffee hour reception that evening

"Principal French has made some great friends in the community," said Keegan Kociss, a communications specialist for District 146. "He has a great reputation with the kids. Bret (Pignatiello) is well-liked too, though, and we think he's going to do great at Fierke."

French said he accepted an administrative position at a public school in southeastern Mich.

"It's a new exciting adventure, but it's bittersweet," French said. "When you've been at a school for nine years, you build a lot of relationships and love for people. While I am excited to begin this new adventure with my family, I will dearly miss my Fierke family. If I could have hand-picked an elementary school community to serve, I could not have chosen better than the Fierke community."

Pignatiello said he appreciated the new opportunity the district has given him

"The students, parents, staff, and administration have been extremely supportive as I transition from Central to Fierke," Pignatiello said. "Becoming a Stinger is both exciting and bittersweet, as I am leaving my (Central Middle School) family, where I have many fond memories and lasting relationships. I truly love everything about this district and its communities."

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Angela Denk is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.
America's future once again hangs in the balance

I wrote the letter below on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. I changed the anniversary dates to reflect the current anniversary. I feel it bears repeating. We again are involved in another crisis for our country  the election of a new president. There are so many controversies surrounding each candidate that make for confusion on the voters' part. Our future is dangling on a high wire. I envy my fellow citizens who believe they will be making the right choice. I am still undecided.

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Remembering  On Sept. 11, 2016, we will observe the 15th anniversary of the shocking attack on America. At that time, we gathered in churches throughout the country to pray, We knew deep in our heart that we were powerless without God. With the loss of so many loved ones we were reminded of the vulnerability of life. Our country came to a standstill and the love for our children, family, friends, neighbors and America were the most important things in our life. Our lives changed forever.

In the 15 years that have followed, America has suffered many tragedies. Each of these events has brought us together as an American family strong in character and in principle. In our heart and mind, we memorialize all of the loved ones lost on that day. We remember the first-responders and all those who worked so hard with great sorrow in their heart to search, rescue, recover and clear the debris. It saddens me to this day that many of the lost loved ones were not recovered. God grant them peace.

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One of the greatest assets of the American people is that they help in time of need and share in the sorrow of their fellow Americans. We may have been wounded by our enemies, but they cannot destroy our united spirit.

God Bless America and its people.

Marlene Jeziorski, Oak Lawn

What's on your mind?

The Daily Southtown welcomes letters to the editor. Email them to letters@southtownstar.com and include your name, address and phone number. Only your name and the town you reside in will appear with the letter. Please keep a letter to no more than about 200 words. The Southtown is not responsible for the accuracy of the opinions expressed in letters to the editor.
I hope the person who destroyed the Tinley Park fountain is held accountable in court, and not just receives a slap on the hand. Tinley, I'm sure, has insurance for stupid acts, but how about the judge have this joker pay restitution and some jail time? Only fair. And for the village, build the new fountain foolproof and idiotproof. It is a landmark in town.

Mike, Tinley Park

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Obama is doing the right thing by investing $90 million into a small country that the U.S had previously bombed and devastated. This will focus on a new partnership in the future. The doors weren't closed for a more functional relationship. Obama wants peace in the nations and he goes out of his way to achieve the tightest relationships.

Jada, Midlothian

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Students who are transgender should be able to use the locker rooms, but the locker rooms should be separate so that students feel comfortable. Most students don't feel comfortable in general changing in locker rooms in front of the same sex. It would be comfortable for everyone if transgender students had their own locker rooms.

Jasmine, Posen

Governors State University has announced the closing of two business and trade centers at the end of the year. The university is closing the two centers due to the Illinois budget crisis. Governors State must find the funds in order to maintain the satisfaction of the students. The Illinois Small Business Development Center, also known as the Illinois SBDC, has been the main center for smaller Chicago business owners and entrepreneurs for over 30 years. It is expected that there will be a decrease in the amount of jobs produced once the centers close. Many schools have made the decision to close after the failure to pass a budget.

Having another delay for Crete-Monee Middle School is ridiculous. There was already a delay for Crete-Monee High School because of the construction going on at the middle school. Both of the schools had to start two weeks later than my school, which means that graduation, prom and the last day of school will have later dates. I have a friend that goes to the high school and he has a younger sibling. Having that extra two-day delay has been difficult for the parents to watch the younger sibling, because the older sibling is at school. A decision had to be made and one parent stayed home while the other parent worked. However, since the school is not sure if it will open on Sept. 8 because of safety issues, there has to be a back-up plan for them again. I can't imagine how many other parents are dealing with this same conflict.

I hope I'm wrong, but I'm afraid too that Trump will lose. If he does, his assertion that "the system's rigged" was correct. If his loss does happen, it'll be on the complete "good ol' boys establishment" politicians  Democrats and Republicans who don't want their normal, cushy, do-nothing apple cart upset.

Bob, Oak Forest

Did anyone besides me see the beautiful meteor come in Tuesday night? It was an awesome bright blue white star that left a smoke trail behind it. Thank God it wasn't a planet-killer.

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Gene, Chicago Ridge

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The recent article about texting and using a cell phone while driving was a great reminder to those that still don't have the common sense and concern for other's (and their own) well-being. It was stated that fines range from $20 to $105. I sincerely feel those fines should start at $250.

Terry, Crestwood

The president of the Philippines is mad at our president for remarks about his tactics in drug enforcement. In response, Mr. Obama says, "Fighting drug trafficking is tough." Yes, he should do what our president does, commute the sentences of multiple prisoners who were convicted of trafficking, dealing and distribution of drugs. We always have a simple solution to our problems.

Oak Forest

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.
Nearly a year after securing a grant to outfit two ambulances with new power-load cot fastener systems, Carpentersville Fire Department officials recently learned more federal funding is on the way.

The department has been awarded $238,637 through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant, according to a news release from the village.

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The funding will be used to replace the department's aging self-contained breathing apparatus, or air packs. The village's required 10 percent match of $23,863, for a total of $262,500, will be used to help purchase 35 new air packs, which allow firefighters to safely breathe in smoky and other hazardous conditions, according to the news release.

"These air packs are for us to go into fires or carbon monoxide situations. Anything a normal person can't walk into, they enable us to do that," said firefighter Tony Ferreiro, who was instrumental in landing the village the grant.

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The fire department's equipment has reached its lifespan, he said.

"I saw an opportunity to get a grant so I jumped on it," he said.

The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants, according to the FEMA website, is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for the Carpentersville Fire Department to modernize its life-saving equipment with minimal impact on the village's budget," said Village Manager Mark Rooney in a news release.

Last year, the Carpentersville Fire Department received $61,819 in Assistance to Firefighters Grants, funding the Stryker Power-LOAD systems and cots. The battery-operated systems allow medics to lift and lower patients to ambulances with the touch of a button, helping to reduce the risk of back injuries.

Erin Sauder is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
Illinois Brews at Bowes Creek Saturday in Elgin will feature beers made in this state. The event is a fundraiser for the Elgin Parks and Rec Department youth scholarship program. (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News)

Elgin's Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting its sixth annual beer-based bash Saturday at the city-owned Bowes Creek Country Club to raise money for its Youth Scholarship Fund, this time with a unique, Land of Lincoln twist.

"This year the focus is on beers made in Illinois," Parks and Recreation Director Randy Reopelle said.

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The event has been rebranded as Illinois Beers at Bowes Creek, a change from Beer and BBQ @ Bowes. That change also means the late afternoon gathering is for those 21-and-over, with no activities for children offered as they had been in the past.

"From an operational standpoint, we decided it would be better to make the event for adults only," Reopelle said. "And, as far as we all know, this is the first event of its kind to focus exclusively on Illinois-brewed beers."

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Illinois Beers at Bowes Creek will exclusively feature brews made in this state. The event is a fundraiser for an Elgin Parks and Recreation Department youth scholarship program (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News)

The hope is the moves will draw a bigger crowd and prevent the late-summer gathering from going flat, Reopelle said. Already, the fundraiser has brought in a collective $62,500 over five years for the scholarship program. The fund provides recreational opportunities for children whose families cannot otherwise afford to have them participate in activities offered through the department.

The idea for the Illinois-only focus, Reopelle said, came from Elgin resident Richard Placko who is part of the St. Charles-based Silverado Home Brew Club.

"I suggested that focus back in the spring, because there has been such an explosion of new craft breweries in Illinois over the last couple of years that I felt that it would be nice to showcase stuff made locally to people living out in the Fox Valley area," Placko said. "There are hundreds of different beers being made locally right now."

According to Chris Jacobsen, there are 157 craft breweries in Illinois, with about 100 of those added over the past four years. Jacobsen, of Carpentersville is a graphic designer and marketing/advertising specialist by trade, who maintains the Hardcore Craft Beer website and related social media sites (hardcorecraftbeer.com) and produces beer-related events to educate and expose drinkers to the world of craft brew. He also works with Porter's Pub at Bowes Creek Country Club on its beer menu and programming.

Illinois Beers at Bowes Creek Saturday in Elgin is billing itself at the first-ever event of its kind to feature only been beers brewed in Illinois. (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News)

"A lot of the craft beer scene is leaning more toward a local focus, so a lot of these festivals  seemingly one scheduled every weekend at this point  have a fair amount of local brewers participating, but there are plenty of regional and national brands on the bill as well," Jacobsen said.

Jacobsen said planning an all-Illinois fest has been tricky because "although there are enough to make an entire fest, not all of them are available, have the capacity to do so, or don't have the prior support in that market to get their beer into the fest." And it's been a challenge to get breweries to commit.

"That's not a knock to say they aren't interested, but September is in the waning days of summer and essentially the closing of the main festival season," Jacobsen said. "It seems like everyone and their mother are trying to put together beer festivals these days so brewers have to be selective in which fests they can be a part of. On most festivals days, brewers are double booked and reps are hopping from one fest to another, or relying on the volunteer staff to pour their beers for them."

Still, Jacobsen said beers from 13 breweries  11 local and two Illinois breweries with national distribution  should be available Saturday.

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"This event is still more of a larger beer event and not quite a full blown festival scale just yet. There will be between 26 to 30 beers available. Most brewers will have at least two beers available. A few others, like Scorched Earth in Algonquin, donated three of it beers (Rugged Coalminer Porter, Saint Monty Dubbel, and Hickster Cream Ale)," Jacobsen said.

Noting some of the choices in store, Jacobsen said, "Arrogant Brewing  think Stone Brewing  recently released a pilsner called Wussie. I'd never expect Stone to make a pilsner, but they really nailed it. Solemn Oath is usually known for their Belgian IPAs, and they have a Belgian Pale Ale called Fun Sponge that will be there, and that is a wonderful and approachable beer. Lagunitas 12th of Never really stands out with loads of tropical fruits and citrus."

Silverado club members also will have nine different beers for the tasting, and Jacobsen said, "those guys always have some interesting libations. Home brewers have no rules and no boundaries, so creativity abounds."

"Our club will have a mix of fruit beers, IPAs, German styles (Marzen), English styles (Brown Ale) and even a sample of fermented pear juice (perry)," Placko said.

"What's fun about the Bowes event is meeting other beer enthusiasts and getting the chance to show off some of the beers we have made on our own," Placko said. "Often, craft breweries are focusing on IPAs because they make up 70 percent of craft beer sales right now, according to the Craft Brewer's Association. So our club can make great IPAs but also show off styles that most consumers never get a chance to try."

"There are a lot of great breweries throughout the country and it's just nice to know that Illinois brewers are known to make beer that is just as great as the rest of them," Jacobsen said. "People across the country have heard of Half Acre, Revolution, and Solemn Oath and regard their product to be just as good as any of the nation's other top breweries. Everybody has the same ingredients and tools to get the job done, so however you use them to make yourself stand out and get noticed, the folks in Illinois definitely know what they're doing."

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Illinois Beers at Bowes Creek runs from 3-8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the door for the "Ample Ale" package and $15 in advance and $25 at the door for designated drivers. In addition to samples available for those who are drinking, the price includes a take-home souvenir glass and food from the grill.

For information, go to ilbrewsatbowes.com/ or phone 847-931-6127.

mdanahey@tribpub.com
A live-in caregiver accused of stealing more than $100,000 from an elderly Highland Park couple was found guilty Tuesday by a Lake County jury.

Justina S. Kemokai was one of two caretakers charged in November 2014 with stealing more than $184,000 from the couple through unapproved ATM withdrawals, fraudulent credit card transactions and double billings for services rendered.

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The fraudulent activity, which dated back to 2011, was discovered by the couple's adult children during a review of their parents' financial accounts, police said at the time.

Kemokai, who has been out on bond since her arrest, was taken into custody by Lake County Sheriff's deputies after the jury verdict was announced. She is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 21.

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The jury found Kemokai guilty of three counts of financial exploitation of the elderly and three counts of financial exploitation of the disabled, according to Cynthia Vargas, spokeswoman for Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim. All six counts are Class 1 felonies punishable by four to 15 years in prison, though Kemokai also could receive probation, Vargas said.

Kemokai, of the 6400 block of South Stony Island Avenue, Chicago, also was found guilty of theft over $100,000, theft by deception over $100,000, forgery and unlawful use of a credit card.

The second caregiver, Laticia L. Lewis, 42, pleaded guilty to theft Aug. 29 without an acknowledgment of guilt, Vargas said. Lewis was ordered to make restitution of $60,759 and perform 100 hours of public service, Vargas said. She also was sentenced to 282 days in Lake County Jail, the amount of time that she'd served.

Lewis, of the first block of Oxford Drive, Carpentersville, was ordered not to have contact with the victims' family and to stay away from alcohol and drugs, as well as all locations where alcohol is sold, according to Vargas.

Highland Park police said in late 2014 they'd been contacted by family members that May regarding what appeared to be fraudulent activities in their parents' accounts. Their review of financial records revealed transactions that were inconsistent with their lifestyles and spending habits, police said at the time. Police conducted an investigation that led to the conclusion that two, separate live-in caretakers  who'd been independently contracted  were involved in financially exploiting the couple.

A family member said Wednesday that his father passed away in May of this year.

kberkowitz@pioneerlocal.com

@KarenABerkowitz
Red Oak Elementary School in southwest Highland Park will become a Spanish-English immersion academy starting in 2017 under a plan endorsed Sept. 6 by members of the North Shore District 112 school board.

Red Oak will serve kindergarten through fifth grade students enrolled in the district's dual language program from a combined Red Oak and Sherwood school attendance area.

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Dual language classes mix Spanish-speaking students learning English as a second language and English-speaking students gaining a foundation in Spanish from an early age.

Students who opt for a monolingual education would attend Sherwood, which is adjacent to Red Oak.

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The arrangement will be similar to the district's current practice of assigning monolingual students from the Oak Terrace attendance area to Wayne Thomas. Oak Terrace School in Highwood houses the district's largest Spanish-English immersion program.

The school board's Sept. 6 endorsement of dual language magnets allows district administrators to move ahead on redrawing school boundaries in light of the 2017 closing of Ravinia and Lincoln elementary schools. Also slated to close are Elm Place Middle School and the Green Bay Road Early Childhood Center. The boundary plan is to be presented Sept. 20.

School administrators first proposed the Red Oak magnet in late June. But in response to parents' concerns about segregating and marginalizing dual language families, administrators looked at other concepts, including offering both programs at Red Oak and Oak Terrace and instead splitting students among pairs of schools by grade level. Another option would have paired all elementary schools across the district, including Braeside and Indian Trail, and divided students by grade level.

"We thought it was our responsibility to really take some time and look at every alternative possible," said Superintendent Michael Bregy.

Board member Jacqueline Denham refuted the idea that a dual language academy would segregate students, noting the program is inherently diverse because it mixes native English and Spanish speakers.

"The core principle of dual language is to have a 50-50 split," said Denham, who was born in Mexico City and is fluent in Spanish, English and French. "That builds in diversity already."

President Michael Cohn said the magnet schools are the least disruptive option at a time when the community already must accept a great deal of change. Cohn said he could not have supported a grade-level split, particularly for only one area.

"I don't think that is what we are going for as a district," Cohn said of the disparity.

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Cohn noted that Oak Terrace School functions as a magnet school now with only 36 of the school's 538 students in monolingual classes. With Red Oak and Sherwood located on the same property, "I think this just makes complete sense," he added.

kberkowitz@pioneerlocal.com

@KarenABerkowitz
Park Ridge Police Chief Frank Kaminski gives a visitor a blue light (so residents can show their support for law enforcement) at the Cruisin Park Ridge car show on Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, in Park Ridge. (Tim Boyle / Pioneer Press)

Blue porch lights for positivity

As a community we need do something positive. There is so much negativity and hate. We need to support our police officers that serve and protect us. Let's change our porch lights to blue bulbs and turn them to show our solidarity. Its amazing how good it will make you feel.

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Robocall Strike Force, please help

I understand that Apple, Google, Microsoft, Comcast, and Verizon have joined more than two dozen other companies for the first meeting of a "Robocall Strike Force" at the Federal Communications Commission. My wife and I get at least half a dozen, usually more, of these annoying calls every day. I can't imagine the distress they cause the physically disabled, or people waiting for phone updates about sick relatives or family members who live far away. I pay for my telephone for my convenience, not so some unsolicited computer can annoy me day in and day out. I hope they find a way to end this plague.

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Thumbs up

Thank you, mayor, for trying hard to improve Waukegan. Previous mayors did nothing. We have clean beaches now, we have Scoop back for the third year in a row, we have citizens involved in local events, and we finally see some improvement. Keep it going, mayor.

Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Nice flowers

I want to thank the owners of the property in the 40300 block of Green Bay Road for the beautiful displays of flowers they have every year. I smile every time I pass by. And your fall pumpkins are amazing. Thanks for putting in all that great work.

A clearer understanding

Now I have a better understanding of some of the crazy ideas that come out of the Lincoln Center in Waukegan. It's the water.

Twitter @NewsSun

Editor's Note

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Talk of the County is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-4554 or email talkofthecounty@tribpub.com. For a continuously updating blog of Talk of the County comments, go to newssunonline.com/talk.
Stay on top of the news all day with the Tribunes web notifications. Well let you know  right in your web browser  when theres big breaking news happening, and also share our editors top picks so you see the best of what the Tribune has to offer.
With a delicate romance gradually turning into an engrossing drama, Taiwan-based director Midi Zhao brought the plight of Myanmar illegal migrants into the focus at the 73rd Venice Film Festival.

Zhao's "The Road to Mandalay", which premiered here on Sept. 5, would compete at Venice Days, an independent event devoted to high quality cinema taking place alongside the main competition since 2004.

The Chinese-language movie narrated the struggle of Lianqing and Guo, respectively played by Taiwanese actress Wu Ke-Xi and actor Kai Ko, who travelled illegally from Myanmar to Thailand.

Both young, and in search of a better life, they would become illegal migrant workers in Bangkok, and an almost unspoken love would slowly grow between them.

Yet, the approach with which the two characters face the hardship of their situation, build their expectations, and imagine their future, would gradually diverge up to reaching a surprising and dramatic end.

Dealing with such a sensitive and actual phenomenon, the Chinese-Burmese director wanted the story of Lianqing and Guo to stick to reality as much as possible.

"Since I started working on this story in 2009, I wrote some 10 versions of the script," Midi Zhao told Xinhua in an exclusive interview. "I interviewed about one hundred Burmese illegal migrants working in Thailand, and adapted the script according to their testimonies, to put details of their life in the movie."

On the other hand, the story was already very familiar to the director. Zhao explained that this story belongs to his own family's experience.

"My older sister went through the same path as the movie's female character," he added, and the same was for so many other families in Myanmar.

"The Road to Mandalay" provided the audience with a strong female protagonist, and not by chance. Zhao said the character of Lianqing was based on his sister's personality.

"Usually, in the Chinese tradition, men are those who go out, or abroad, to make a living for their family," he said. "Yet, in my hometown (in Myanmar), many men were drug-addicted, so it took to women like my mother or my sister bear that responsibility."

That was why his sister's image kept surfacing while the script was being written. "She was "tough", made money, and eventually allowed me to move from Myanmar... but in a safe way, and for studying," the director explained.

The Taiwanese actress spent a year living in a Burmese village, and working in a factory in Bangkok, to get herself into the role of this determined, yet gentle, young woman.

"The most important thing was to empathize: that is, to really realize how the life of illegal migrant workers is, and how they feel," Wu told Xinhua.

The second major task for her was to lower the dramatic performance.

"Midi asked me to be as much natural as I could. The female protagonist is like many other women in Asia: they are strong, but soft at the same time," Wu added.

"They carry a lot of responsibilities for their family, and bear discrimination and humiliation without cracking up."

Asked whether his movie might increase awareness on illegal migrant workers' struggle in Asia, the director gave a mixed response.

"In Asia, as well as in Europe, authorities worry about this issue, but since many countries in Southeast Asia are still developing, governments also have other big problems to tackle," he said. "Life is complicate, and there are many factors artists do not know well. As such, the only thing we can do is to express what we see in the society, spread it out, and try to explain."

"Watching a movie, however, someone might be touched, and empathize: in such a way, the movie might influence the way people look at this issue," Zhao concluded.
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The G20 Hangzhou summit, with its broad achievements, will help chart a clearer future course for the troubled world economy, State Councilor Yang Jiechi noted on Tuesday.

The summit, which concluded on Monday, adopted a communique that clarified the development direction, targets and measures of the group's cooperation, together with a string of specific action plans.

"The outcomes of the summit, many of which are of pioneering significance in the history of the G20, are expected to make the global economy regain its vitality," Yang told reporters in an interview.

The summit showed a spirit of partnership for major economies to jointly face up to the complicated challenges and their confidence in weathering the hard times, he said.

By offering the solutions of innovation and reform, the summit adopted the G20 Blueprint on Innovative Growth and formulated pragmatic action plans such as the G20 Action Plan on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to deliver the consensus.

Leaders discussed prominent issues affecting the global economy, including climate change and refugees.

"The Hangzhou summit has made major breakthroughs in extent and depth of outcomes, which sets a new global standard," Yang said.

As the G20 presidency country, China has proposed its solution and wisdom for global economic growth.

In a speech on Saturday, President Xi Jinping assured global business leaders with a vision that China, having reached a new historical starting point, will integrate itself into a new global growth blueprint.

Despite concerns over China's economic slowdown, Xi said at the Business 20 (B20) summit that China has the confidence and ability to maintain medium-high rate of growth.

"His remarks strengthened confidence in China's development and growth, and sent a strong signal that China will bring more opportunities to the world while ensuring its own development," Yang said.

In the speech, Xi listed a number of priorities in global economic governance, including ensuring equitable and efficient global financial governance and fostering open and transparent global trade and investment governance

Exclusive arrangements, closed governance mechanisms and fragmentation of rules shall be rejected, Xi said.

The president's elaboration on global governance showed China is devoted to contribute its concepts and wisdom to the world economic growth, Yang reckoned.

Yang said China will continue to push forward the comprehensive development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

With members representing more than 85 percent of global economic output and two-thirds of the world's population, G20 has an undeniable influence on managing the global economy.

With Hangzhou as a fresh starting point, Yang expects the group to play a more constructive role in future world growth.
The sluice gates of the Three Gorges Dam. [Photo/Xinhua]

Two Chinese companies are bidding for a major stake in Brazil's fourth largest energy generator Santo Antonio Energia SA, amongst other suitors such as a Canadian asset management company, according to sources quoted by Bloomberg.

The two companies, China Three Gorges Corp and State Grid Corp of China, are competing with Canada's Brookfield Asset Management Inc for 28.6 percent of shares in the Brazilian company, the report said.

The Santo Antonio hydropower plant has 3,150 megawatts of generating capacity, which is sufficient for 40 million people, according to its website.

The Santo Antonio Hydroelectric Plant is being constructed on the river Madeira in Brazil. When fully operational, the Santo Antonio plant will be the third largest power plant in Brazil in terms of electricity generation and the sixth-largest hydroelectric plant in terms of installed capacity.

Whether the Chinese companies are able to win the first-round tender remains unknown until the end of this week, but the move signals that more mergers and acquisitions are likely in the pipeline in the biggest economy in South America as the two countries are seeking deeper cooperation, especially in the new energy sector.

Hydropower is currently the largest source of power in Brazil, accounting for over 80 percent in the total energy mix, but the country also has very rich wind power resource, Lin Chuxue, the executive vice president of CTG, told media earlier in Beijing.

Both local and international investors are looking into opportunities in Brazil's northeast and southern regions for wind power development, he said.

"We will consider other possibilities of wind and solar power projects if the right time comes," he said.

Liu Zhenya, former chairman of the Beijing-based State Grid, said that South America has become a major target for the company's foreign takeovers because the foreign assets generally have higher returns with double-digit growth every year.

Liu Ximei, an assistant professor at North China Electric Power University, said that Brazil has the largest electricity market in South America with an open competition environment for investors.

"Currently, the US is a major foreign investor in the Latin American country, but China has competitive edges in terms of financing capability and project management," he said. "Chinese companies should work together in Brazil and form a united alliance, especially in the aspects of electricity development, infrastructure construction and heavy equipment manufacturing."
Brazilian airplane manufacturer, Embraer, has signed a contract to sell up to five E190 planes to China's Colorful Guizhou Airlines for a value of up to $249 million, the company announced late on Friday.

In a press release, Embraer said the sale was concluded Friday during a Brazil-China business seminar in Shanghai, attended by Brazil's President Michel Temer.

The deal includes the confirmed purchase of two planes and the right to purchase three more. The first two will be delivered in 2017.

Embraer also sealed the sale of two Phenom 300 private jets to Colorful Yunnan General Aviation.

Embraer's director-general Paulo Cesar de Souza, stated that this sale confirms China's growing interest in Embraer. He added that over the past 15 years, Embraer has delivered 230 planes to China.

"China has huge potential for us and...represents 12 percent of our income," commented de Souza, who highlighted that Temer was presented in order to send a message of trust to investors and promote the commercial interests of Brazilian companies.

Colorful Guizhou's chairman, Zhai Yan, also said that "we hope that the E190 fleet can help us build a sky passageway inside and beyond Guizhou Province, and eventually contribute to improving the connectivity of China's Southwest Region.
An undated photo of wild giant pandas. [Photo provided by WWF China]

A Chinese giant panda expert said on Tuesday that it is too early to downgrade the conservation status of the species after the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) took the species off its endangered list on Sunday.

The IUCN said in a report that the panda is now classified as "vulnerable" instead of "endangered," reflecting growing numbers in the wild in southern China. The union attributed the increase in population to decades of dedicated conservation efforts in China.

Zhang Hemin of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), widely known in conservation circles as the "father of panda," told Xinhua he felt it was still too early to downgrade their status.

"A severely fragmented natural habitat still threatens the lives of pandas; genetic transfer between different populations will improve, but is still not satisfactory; climate change is widely expected to have an adverse effect on the bamboo forests which provide both their food and their home; and there is still a lot to be done in both protection and management terms," Zhang said.

The wild giant panda population is broken up into 33 isolated groups, some with fewer than 10 individuals, severely limiting the gene pool. Of the 18 sub-populations consisting of fewer than 10 pandas, all face a high risk of collapse, according to Zhang.

Since 2010, the CCRCGP has focused on improving the captive breeding of giant pandas and on preparations for releasing captive-bred animals into the wild. According to Zhang, only when the wild population maintains steady growth without the addition of captive-bred individuals should the species be redefined as less endangered.

Zhang said the pre-release training of captive-bred pandas had improved substantially, helping them adapt to life back in their natural environment. In this way, the population has increased and their reproductive success is assured.

"If the conservation status is downgraded, protection work might slacken off and both the panda population and their habitat are more likely to suffer irreversible loss," Zhang said. "The present protection achievements will be lost and some small sub-populations may die out."

Disease also poses a threat. Canine distemper virus (CDV) affects a wide variety of animals including domestic dogs, primates and large cats. CDV caused the deaths of two pandas in northwest China's Shaanxi Province around the end of 2014.

"There is no specific remedy or vaccine for the disease," Zhang said. "Epidemic and disease containment work is vital for panda protection."

The IUCN listing as "vulnerable" instead of "endangered" did not mean that pandas no longer need continuous protection, said Shi Xiaogang of Wolong National Nature Reserve.

Shi said it was a cause for celebration that China's protection efforts had been recognized, "but as conservators, we know that the situation of the wild panda is still very risky."

Having worked with pandas for over 20 years, Shi and his colleagues mainly monitor wild pandas' activities, their health and reproductive status. Shi said he knows of innumerable practical problems in the protection of wild pandas. Human activities such as tourism and herb gathering can severely affect the wild pandas' habitat, he said.

No matter what the conservation status is, we will not change our attitude toward protecting these animals, he said.

At the last count, at the end of 2015, China had 1,864 giant pandas in the wild, up from about 1,100 in 2000. There are also 422 animals in captivity, according to China's State Forestry Administration.
China's central authority has issued a national action plan to reduce new disability cases by 2020 by promoting awareness and early screening, Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

China's Paralympic delegation chief Zhang Haidi (left) talks with other members participating in a flag-raising ceremony at Paralympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday.[Photo/Xinhua]

According to the plan, issued by the general office of the State Council, most women should be screened for hereditary conditions, and prenatal checkups should cover 60 percent of women over the next five years.

By the end of the five years, 85 percent of newborns and children will have been tested for disabilities. Moreover, in the same time span, 90 percent of eligible children will have received free vaccinations, the document said.

The document called for better safety supervision at production facilities and improved road traffic management to reduce disabilities resulting from injury.

Duan Leilei, director of injury prevention under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that of all the causes of injury and death of children, road traffic ranked second.

"Using child safety seats is the most effective way to protect children," Duan said. "China has been working on raising the awareness of parents. However, it needs joint efforts in the future. We should not only make parents realize the importance of safety seats but also inform them about the right way to use them. The government also needs to regulate the child safety seat market."

In addition, the document said support should be improved so that at least 80 percent of disabled people have access to basic care services by 2020.

Zhao Tizun, director of community-based Rehabilitation Department under China Rehabilitation Research Center, said basic care services for the disabled will require more qualified workers.

"Among the 85 million disabled, more than 50 million need help with rehabilitation. However, only 70 universities and colleges have related majors and no more than 8,000 students graduate every year. This can't meet the demand," Zhao said. "In the next five years, we should promote the establishment of rehabilitation universities."

Working committees for the disabled at various levels were urged to supervise and inspect the implementation of the plan. A final inspection will be carried out in 2020, the document said.
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South China's Guangdong Province has tightened quarantine and inspections to prevent the entry of Zika virus which has spread in some Southeast Asian countries.

Since the beginning of August, the inspection and quarantine bureau of the Guangzhou Baiyun Airport has carried out checks on 74 passengers with symptoms from Zika-hit countries or regions.

No Zika infection cases have been found, said the Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.

The airport alone has a daily average of 14 flights to and from Singapore, about 2,500 entry or exit passengers.

Current high temperatures and humid weather in Guangdong increased the likelihood of a Zika epidemic, said the provincial bureau.

Singapore had confirmed 17 new cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection as of Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 275.

Other Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Thailand, have also reported Zika cases.

The Baiyun Airport inspection and quarantine personnel provide free tests of Zika virus for passengers.

It advised citizens to be cautious of travelling to affected countries or regions.

Zika virus is acquired through bites from infected Aedes aegypti mosquitos. Common symptoms include fever, skin rash and joint pains.
Some Chinese college students are no longer enthusiastic about entering the labor market immediately after graduation, instead opting for travel, teaching in remote areas, spending time with their parents or examining the possibility of starting their own businesses.

An employment report on Chinese college students released in June 2015 showed that 92.1 percent of those who graduated in 2014 settled into a full-time job six months after graduation, though many others fell into the "slow employment" category.

According to the survey, 57.7 percent of respondents said the main reason for slow employment was that they couldn't find a satisfactory job. Yet others want to "look for development orientation in a rational manner and not be restricted by a job before identifying a direction" or start their own business, pursue graduate studies and freelance.

After graduation, Lai Qiang spent more than half a year traveling from Sichuan Province to Tibet Autonomous Region, then on to Gansu and Qinghai provinces by walking and hitchhiking. With no financial support, he worked part-time jobs along the way to support himself.

He earned no salary, but got to know his current girlfriend from Shanghai, who has the same interests. They decided to spend a year pursuing their travel dreams before planning their careers.

Hu Guangwei, a professor at the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, said college students today have diverse choices when it comes to employment. The old pattern of graduation followed by work, buying a home and then getting married are a lifestyle of the past, Hu added.

Making money is no longer so imperative for many graduates, who instead want to improve themselves or pursue higher levels of development. There are also many novel professions that promise quite different experiences from the traditional 9-to-5 office life, he noted.

"So long as they have the ability to make money on their own and not rely on support from their parents, these young people don't deserve criticism because of 'slow employment'," he said.
One of Cayuga County's state representatives has been recognized for supporting small businesses in his district and throughout New York.

The National Federation of Independent Business in New York announced that Assemblyman Bob Oaks is one of seven legislators who received the Guardian Award, the organization's highest honor.

According to NFIB, the award is presented to "elected officials who vote and stand up consistently in the interest of New York small business owners."

Oaks, R-Macedon, was one of six Republicans who received the award. The honorees included Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin, Assemblyman Bill Nojay and Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney, who is running for the 22nd Congressional District seat.

The lone Democrat receiving the Guardian Award is Assemblyman Robin Schimminger from the Buffalo area.

"These seven lawmakers have shown exceptional leadership and commitment to New York's small business owners and I am proud to present the NFIB Guardian Award to each of these deserving lawmakers," said Mike Durant, NFIB/NY's state director.

"Each recipient has shown the courage and resolve that small employers desperately need in Albany. As an organization, we are grateful to each of these members of the Assembly and look forward to continuing our work together helping move New York forward for small business."

Durant said in an interview with The Citizen that Oaks has been a leader in the Assembly Republican Conference, which has "committed to trying to make New York more hospitable for families and small businesses."

He added, "They're very outspoken against the minimum wage hike. They introduce bills and push legislation that will make New York more attractive for small business and to help keep them here."

The selection process for the award begins with the membership, Durant said. NFIB recently released its scorecards for the legislative session  Oaks' grade was 83 percent  and members review each legislators' marks.

From there, the Guardian Award winners are chosen.

"We sort of singled out some folks in the legislature that we thought should be recognized," Durant said.
China has brought a third of its list of 100 most-wanted corruption suspects back to the country from overseas, its top anti-graft body said yesterday.

The list of suspects subject to an Interpol "red notice"  the closest thing to an international arrest warrant  was issued in 2014. Since then, 33 of them had been caught, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement.

Over the past two years, since setting up a team to chase graft suspects across the globe, the commission has returned to China 1,915 suspects from more than 70 countries, along with 7.47 billion yuan (US$1.12 billion), it said. It gave no other details.

China has been seeking more international cooperation to hunt down suspects who had fled overseas since the government began a drive against deep-rooted graft almost four years ago.

It has turned to persuasion to get suspects back from countries such as Canada and the United States, where many corrupt officials are believed to have gone.

G20 leaders who attended the recent summit in Hangzhou agreed on a document on cooperation with regard to suspects who had fled abroad.

An important principle in the document was appropriate measures against "safe havens."

The commission's Liu Jianchao, director of its international cooperation bureau, said the principles agreed in the document would "help overcome political and legal barriers to treaties on extradition and criminal judicial assistance."

They will help establish a cooperation system involving law enforcers, prosecutors and diplomats, Liu said.

At an APEC meeting in Beijing in 2014, a declaration on fighting corruption described how extradition, judicial assistance and more flexible legal measures could be used to recover stolen money.

"Compared with that declaration, these principles will have more extensive influence," said Cai Wei, the bureau's deputy head.

Many G20 countries are popular destinations for corrupt Chinese officials and the measures should reduce the scope for criminals to hide out there and in the world at large, Cai added.

The document states that members will investigate, prosecute, and refuse entry to individuals sought by law enforcers in other G20 countries while helping one another recover stolen money.

There will be improvements to both public and private sector transparency.

G20 leaders also agreed to set up a research center in China to look at the issue of returning corrupt officials and their assets.

A communique said the center would "be operated in line with international norms."

Cai said the center would help China's global efforts to fight corruption. It would be based at Beijing Normal University and experts from other G20 countries would be invited to join and look at issues such as legal mechanisms for extradition.
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An overall view of the Forbidden City from distance. [Photo by Yang Dong/China.org.cn]

The Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, is likely to receive more visitors this year than was previously expected, the China News Service reported on Tuesday.

As the most popular tourist site in Beijing, the museum has tried hard to keep the number below 15 million annually over the past years. However, by the end of last month, it had already received more than 12 million visitors.

"It's very likely that we will exceed the cap of 15 million visitors this year," the museum's director Shan Jixiang said.

Last year, the museum set a limit on the number of daily visitors. No more than 80,000 people were allowed to enter the museum per day to help alleviate the problem of overwhelming crowds during the peak tourist season.

As for why there is still a significant rise in annual visitor inflow, Shan explained that after the announcement last year, more people chose to visit the museum in the low season, so despite the rise in total number, "there are no large crowds in the Forbidden City anymore."

The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. It is also the most visited museum in the world based on an attendance survey from 2014 compiled by The Art Newspaper.
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As many as 88 retired U.S. military generals and officials on Tuesday issued an open letter to bolster Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, praising his position on national security.

"For the past eight years, America's armed forces have been subjected to a series of ill-considered and debilitating budget cuts, policy choices and combat operations that have left the superb men and women in uniform less capable of performing their vital missions in the future than we require them to be," said the letter.

"For this reason, we support Donald Trump and his commitment to rebuild our military, to secure our borders, to defeat our Islamic supremacist adversaries and restore law and order domestically," it announced.

"The 2016 election affords the American people an urgently needed opportunity to make a long-overdue course correction in our national security posture and policy," said the military figures in the letter.

In response, the Trump campaign called the endorsements a "great honor" in a statement.

"Under my administration, we will end the weak foreign policy of the last eight years, rebuild our military, give our troops clear rules of engagement and take care of our veterans when they come home," Trump claimed.

The letter comes days after a flow of endorsements from national intelligence, military figures and Republican national security experts for Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, who was the former secretary of state during President Barack Obama's first term.

Recent polls show that the race between Trump and Clinton is tightening in the final push ahead of the general election in November.
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The head of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria warned Tuesday that Syrian civilians were bearing the brunt of an upsurge in violence since a ceasefire was brokered in February this year.

"Militarization of the conflict has risen significantly over the past six months. Parties need to refocus their efforts on protecting and relieving civilians while pushing for a political solution," Paulo Pinheiro explained.

"The brief pause in hostilities proved that when there is political will ... it's possible to lessen immediately the suffering of civilians," he added.

According to the commission's latest report, which covers the Jan. 10 - July 20, 2016 period, the dire humanitarian situation has been severely compounded by indiscriminate attacks on civilians, medical personnel, and civilian facilities.

Enforced disappearances, summary executions and other crimes committed by warring factions have also been recorded by the commission set up in 2011 to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in the war-torn country.

Syria's northern city of Aleppo has been particularly hard-hit by unprecedented levels of fighting as warring groups vie for control of eastern parts of the city.

"Unimaginable crimes are occurring in Aleppo where an already calamitous situation has plunged even further into barbarity," Pinheiro warned.

A rise in casualties has been recorded as a result of daily air strikes, the report explained, while ground shelling attacks have further worsened the desperate situation.

The report found that both pro-government forces and rebel groups were responsible for attacks targeting civilians and key civilian infrastructure, which have led to scores of deaths and injuries.

The commission noted that the radical group Islamic State has continued its deadly attacks in government-held areas such as Jableh and Tartous where hundreds of civilians have been deliberately killed, while Syria's Yazidi population has also continued to suffer at the hands of terrorist fighters.

With the violence showing no signs of abating, protracted sieges in Damascus, Rif Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Homs and Idlib governorates have meant that close to 600,000 civilians are trapped.

Talks seeking to broker a political end to the five-year conflict have been on hold since April.

Pinheiro reminded that bringing parties back to the negotiation table was the only viable way to end spiralling violence and human rights violations.

"There is no other way to reach peace than the negotiations coordinated by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura," he iterated.

The report will be presented at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council on Sept. 19.
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U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are entering the final stretch of a knock-down, drag out campaign. While Clinton is favored to win, Trump could catch up if he plays his cards right.

U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are entering the final stretch of a knock-down, drag out campaign. [Photo/Xinhua]

The two campaigns have seen a flurry of activities in recent days, with both candidates hitting the campaign trail hard in a bid to shore up support among both their main supporters as well as independent voters.

In Tuesday's Real Clear Politics poll average, Trump trailed Clinton by 3.3 percentage points. While Clinton is a very unpopular candidate in the U.S., Trump's outlandish comments and bombastic bravado have gotten him into hot water with moderate voters.

While Trump has galvanized white, blue-collar men like perhaps no other Republican candidate in recent memory, the brash billionaire has turned off single women, independent voters and Hispanics - three crucial voting blocs.

The controversial candidate has in the past compared Mexicans to criminals and rapists, a remark that could end up costing him the election.

Trump has in recent weeks attempted to turn a corner by speaking and acting in a way that is more "presidential."

For her part, Clinton is nearly as unpopular as Trump, and polls consistently show that Americans do not trust her, as the Democratic nominee is constantly dogged by scandals.

Those include allegedly giving foreign donors to the Clinton Foundation special access to her while she was secretary of state. The foundation is run by Clinton, her husband and former president Bill Clinton, and their daughter Chelsea.

Clinton' s use of a private email account and server to conduct business while she was secretary of state, instead of using a secure, government-issued email account, is still being questioned by many. Critics have roundly blasted her for playing hard and fast with the nation' s national security secrets.

While Clinton is now holding a slight lead in the polls, the big question is whether Trump can catch up before the November elections.

To do that, the billionaire mogul needs to do everything he can to reassure moderate voters that he can be calm and cool on the spot, and needs to keep the attention off of him and make the election a referendum on Clinton, analysts said.

"Trump needs to quit making incendiary comments that upset mainstream voters. He often steps on his own message through rude statements that distract from his message about helping the middle class," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

It's not too late for Trump, but he needs to shine during the upcoming presidential one-on-one presidential debates against Hillary. He not only needs to shine, but he needs to soundly and decisively defeat the Democratic candidate and trip her up on the stump, and cause voters watching nationwide to question her honesty and integrity.

"It is not too late for Trump but he will have to do something in the debates to change the current narrative that she (Hillary) is going to win," West said.

While experts look at the average of many polls to determine which candidate is in the lead, some individual polls have Trump leading Clinton by a small margin.

Indeed, a new CNN/ORC poll released Tuesday found that 45 percent of likely voters back Trump, and 43 percent back Clinton, with the rest supporting a couple of independent party candidates.

Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that in order to continue to close the gap in the polls, Trump needs to improve his standing among college-educated white voters.

This is a segment that has traditionally been split between Democrats and Republicans, but polls show that Trump is lagging far behind past Republican candidates like Mitt Romney and John McCain.

Certainly, appearing more "presidential" -even tempered and more balanced-will be important for Trump to reach out to this group. However, he continues to double-down on some positions, like immigration, that make it harder for him to continue to reach out to educated voters and other moderates, Mahaffee said.

Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told Xinhua that Trump needs to secure his position with core Republican voters and he also needs to gain considerable ground in most of the battle ground states by convincing voters that he is capable of governing.

In the final stretch, it is not too late for Trump to win the election, Zelizer said.

"It is not too late and it would be a mistake to discount him," he said.
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The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned the recent ballistic missile launches conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sept. 6, 2016 shows a fire drill of ballistic rockets by Hwasong artillery units of the KPA Strategic Force. [Photo/Xinhua]

On Monday, DPRK fired three ballistic missiles into eastern waters. These launches are in grave violation of the DPRK's international obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions, said the 15-nation Council in a press statement.

"The members of the Security Council deplore all Democratic People's Republic of Korea ballistic missile activities, including these launches, noting that such activities contribute to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and increase tension," it added.

The missile launches came less than two weeks after Pyongyang test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine off its east coastal town of Sinpo, where a submarine base is known to be located, on Aug. 24.

The submarine-launched ballistic missile test was conducted in an apparent show of force toward the annual U.S.-South Korea military drills, codenamed Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG), which had run from Aug. 22 to Sept. 2.

In the statement, the Security Council members also reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in North-East Asia at large and expressed their commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation.

"The members of the Security Council stress the importance of working to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula and beyond," it said.

"The members of the Security Council agreed that the Security Council would continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures in line with the Council's previously expressed determination," it added.
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Pakistan Defence Day was commemorated at the Embassy of Pakistan Beijing on Tuesday with traditional enthusiasm and solemnity. It was aimed at paying homage to martyrs of the 1965 war as well as to those brave souls who rendered ultimate sacrifice in the defence of Pakistan, including in the fight against terrorism.

Pakistan Defence Day was commemorated at the Embassy of Pakistan Beijing on Tuesday.

A reception was held at the Pakistan House to mark the occasion. General Zhang Shuguo, Chief of Political Department PLA Army was the chief guest. Senior generals representing PLA Air Force and PLA Navy also attended. Other prominent guests included Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps, Defence and Military Attaches, Chinese government officials, academics and members of the media. Representatives from defence industry organizations and enterprises and Pakistani diaspora in China also participated in the reception. General Zhang and Ambassador Masood Khalid along with Defence Attache Brig. Ahmad Bilal cut a cake on the occasion.

Addressing the participants, Ambassador Masood Khalid said "We commemorate this day to pay tribute to our valiant Armed Forces and their discipline, professionalism and patriotism, and who fought fearlessly and bravely to defend the motherland".

A group of Chinese artists sang Pakistani national songs, which were greatly applauded by the audience. Documentaries on Pakistan's Military and its contributions attracted special attention.

The large attendance at the occasion was a testimony of strong Pak-China relations and relations between two militaries. The event received extensive coverage in the local media.

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U.S. Rep. John Katko's campaign is using Colleen Deacon's own words against her in the first TV ad of the 24th Congressional District race that targets an opposing candidate.

The ad released by Katko, R-Camillus, is titled "Meet Colleen" and features a clip from an interview Deacon, D-Syracuse, conducted with "Capital Tonight" host Liz Benjamin in April.

Benjamin asked Deacon if she could be independent and split with Democratic leadership on a vote in the House of Representatives.

Deacon's response: "Well, I mean, I think, to be honest with you, I think a lot of what the Democratic platform is what I stand for. So I don't know necessarily why I would break away from ... why I would I want to break away from any of the issues, you know, anything specifically. I think that's what I would stand for."

Since that interview aired on Time Warner Cable News, Republicans have used it to claim that Deacon wouldn't be an independent voice in Congress for central New York.

When asked about Deacon's campaign in a July interview with The Citizen, Katko mentioned the "Capital Tonight" appearance.

"The one word that people in this district love more than anything else is bipartisanship, and that's not being bipartisan," Katko said. "That's going back to the ways that we've had the last several terms, which catapulted me into the position."

The new TV ad will begin airing immediately on Syracuse-area broadcast and cable stations. Katko's campaign said it will run simultaneously with another commercial starring two central New York businesswomen, including Mary Anne Giacona of Auburn.

The ad targeting Deacon is the fourth released by Katko's campaign. Deacon's campaign has released one ad during the general election campaign. She had three TV ads air leading up to the Democratic primary in June.

Katko is seeking a second term representing the 24th Congressional District, which includes all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties and the western portion of Oswego County.

Deacon, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's former central New York regional director, is aiming to unseat Katko.

The last incumbent to win the Syracuse-area congressional district contest was then-U.S. Rep. Jim Walsh in 2006. Since then, no incumbent has won in the past four elections.

Election Day is Nov. 8.
By Calla Wahlquist, The Guardian | Sep. 07, 2016

An AirAsia flight from Sydney to Malaysia ended up in Melbourne instead when the pilot entered the wrong coordinates into the internal navigation system, an air safety investigation has found.

The Airbus A330 was scheduled to leave Sydney international airport at 11:55 a.m. on 10 March 2015, and arrive in Kuala Lumpur just under nine hours later.

Instead, through a combination of data entry errors, crew ignoring unexplained chimes from the computer system, and bad weather in Sydney, it landed in Melbourne just after 2:00 p.m.

Melbourne airport is 722km southwest of Sydney. Kuala Lumpur is 6,611km northwest.

According to a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) published on Wednesday, the problem occurred when faulty earmuffs prompted the captain and first officer to swap their usual pre-flight checks.

Ordinarily, the report said, the captain would conduct an external inspection of the plane while the first officer stayed in the cockpit and, among other tasks, completed the position initialisation and alignment procedures.

On this day, however, the captain's ear protection was not available so he took over the cockpit tasks, which included entering their current coordinates, usually given as the coordinates of the departure gate, into the plane's internal navigation system.

The report said that the captain manually copied the coordinates from a sign outside the cockpit window into the system, and that later analysis showed a "data entry error".

"This resulted in a positional error in excess of 11,000km, which adversely affected the aircraft's navigation systems and some alerting systems," the ATSB said.

The report said the crew had "a number of opportunities to identify and correct the error" but did not notice it until they had become airborne and started to track in the wrong direction.

Those opportunities included a flag or message that flashed up on the captain's screen during crosscheck of the cockpit preparations, which the first officer later told ATSB investigators he had seen but not mentioned because it was "too quick to interpret"; and three separate chimes which, because they were not accompanied by a message from the computer, were ignored.

A fifth sign that something was wrong came in the form of an alert blaring: "TERRAIN! TERRAIN!" This was not ignored - both pilots said it had "startled" them. But, as that alert meant they were about to hit something and they could see the way ahead was clear, and as the busy runways at Sydney airport made the full response to such an alert "undesirable", they pressed on.

However, when autopilot engaged at 410 feet, it tracked the plane left, toward the flight path of another runway.

Both the captain and the first officer tried to fix the system but "attempts to troubleshoot and rectify the problem resulted in further degradation of the navigation system, as well as to the aircraft's flight guidance and flight control systems", the ATSB said.

They requested to return to Sydney but told air traffic control they were were only capable of making a visual approach - that is, landing without the assistance of their navigation systems.

Air traffic control replied that since the weather and visibility had worsened in Sydney, they should instead head to Melbourne.

The plane spent three hours on the ground in Melbourne fixing the problem before departing for Kuala Lumpur, where it arrived at 10:20 p.m. local time, six hours behind schedule.

The ATSB said "even experienced flight crew are not immune from data entry errors" and advised AirAsia to upgrade its flight systems to assist in preventing or detecting such errors in future.
RIGA - Latvia's major diary producer Food Union group said on Tuesday that it plans to further expand milk sale to China.

The group plans to export 300 tons of milk to China for 3 million euros, and next year to increase sales to 10 million euros, said the group's CEO Normunds Stanevics at a Tuesday meeting of the Latvian government.

Stanevics said that Food Union had been affected by the Russian food product embargo against the European Union as its sales fell considerably. Therefore Food Union focused on domestic market and worked actively on export markets, including China.

Last year, the first shipment of Food Union ice cream was sent to China, and this year the group's milk is being exported to this country. The group also started construction of a plant in China that is set to be completed in June 2017.

"China is a significant export market for Latvian dairy companies, but milk is not a product with added value. We should think about finer products. Therefore we plan to produce our Karums curds snack, yoghurt in China," said Stanevics.

He stressed that China can become a significant export market for Food Union, but Latvia should promote its image more. "In order to continue cooperation between Latvia and China, good intergovernmental relations should be formed, good official communication channels. China has to be informed that Latvia is one of the greenest countries in the world and we have good milk production traditions," he said.

Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis said much work has been done to promote Latvian products abroad and the work in this direction will continue.
Overall attendance at New York state parks is up this year, but two parks in Cayuga County saw the number of visitors drop from last year's levels.

State parks registered nearly 38.4 million visits from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office. That's up from 38.24 million last year.

In 2013 and 2014, state parks drew 34.12 million and 35.19 million visits, respectively.

Cuomo attributed the attendance boost over the past four years to investments in state parks. He launched the NY Parks 2020 program, which plans to invest $900 million in private and state funds between 2011 and 2020.

"This administration has made an unprecedented investment in our state park system, bringing new facilities, new energy and  as these numbers show  increased attendance during the summer season," Cuomo said in a statement.

At Cayuga County's state parks, one  Long Point State Park  had more visitors this year than it had in 2015. Long Point reported 27,563 visits this year, up from 25,219 last year.

Fair Haven Beach State Park, the largest of the three state parks in the county, had 188,709 visits between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. That's down from 210,155 visits in 2015.

At Fillmore Glen, the number of visits dropped from 74,618 in 2015 to 61,396 this year.

There tend to be year-to-year fluctuations in attendance, according to the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. While two of Cayuga County's three parks had drops in visitation, all three are up from the 2013 and 2014 attendance levels.

A shorter peak season may have affected attendance for some parks. The 2015 peak season was slightly longer  Memorial Day last year was early and Labor Day was later.
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Carl Rice, and Huang Guoren, chairman of Endian Leather Goods Co, with the company's smart schoolbag at the fair on Monday. [Weda/For China Daily]

A record number of Chinese exhibitors are taking part in the Birmingham Autumn Fair in central Englandan event that is seen as a pivotal opportunity to market Chinese brands in Europe.

Among the massive range of products on display, toys and furniture were particularly popular exports from China. Both witnessed a 10 percent growth in sales during the past year, according to Fenella Barber, director of the China-Britain Business Council, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the European Showcase for Brands of China, an event within the fair.

"We welcome amazing increases and encourage more in the future," she said.

This year's Brands of China is the 14th annual staging of the event in the UK by China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC).

About 180 Chinese companies have set up exhibition booths at the National Exhibition Centre for the fair, which started on Sunday and will continue until Wednesday. They are showcasing more than 1,000 products, including garments, suitcases, toys and household items.

The promotion comes at a time when many Chinese exhibitors are looking for ways to expand into European markets, especially the UK.

"Our counterparts here are time-honored and much stronger in terms of distribution channels," said Dirk Wu, an account manager at CubicFun Toys Co, a Guangdong-based toy company.

"Compared with easier success in the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine and Poland, it takes time for British distributors to acknowledge our designs."

Endian Leather Goods Co, an original equipment manufacturer, is another exhibitor in Birmingham to market its branded products, which it hopes to sell into the UK market.

"The mayor of Birmingham (Councilor Carl Rice) was taking a tour around the exhibition and was pretty impressed by what we can offer to kids here," said Huang Guoren, Endian's chairman, who displayed the company's newly-designed smart schoolbag.

The bag, with a GPS tracker attached, can reflect lights in the dark and even serve as life-preserver in the water, where it can float as much as 30 kilograms of weight.

"We have already been approached by some interested local distributors as well as e-commerce platforms," said Huang.

China is the UK's second-largest trading partner outside the EU. Bilateral trade amounted to $36.6 billion during the first six months, according to the MOC.

"The trade between the two countries is better than China's all-around foreign trade," said Zhang Bin, an economic and commercial counselor for China in the UK who spoke at the opening ceremony of the Brands of China event on Monday.

Citing the recent launch of direct flights between Tianjin and London and Huawei's commitment to invest 1.32 billion in the UK as evidence, Zhang said it is not likely that Brexit will cast a shadow over the China-UK economic relationship.
BRASILIA - Brazilian Minister of Finance Henrique Meirelles said Tuesday that the country's participation at the G20 has successfully raised investors interest in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Brasilia, Meirelles said "the interest to invest in Brazil is very high. This is an extremely promising sign as it shows the belief in Brazil's recovery and we are ready to seriously consider investment options."

The minister added that certain countries have also expressed an interest in advancing commercial negotiations with Brazil.

According to Meirelles, the Brazilian delegation also presented its priorities for the international agenda at the G20, including the fight for sustainable development. Additionally, all parties at the G20 were very interested in understanding Brazil's exact economic situation.

"We clearly laid out Brazil's current situation, what we have done and our proposals to make the Brazilian economy recover. It was a very important contribution," he explained.

During his visit to China, Meirelles said his country had $269 billion in infrastructure investment opportunities by 2019.

The trip to China was the first visit abroad by President Michel Temer and his team, after the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff.
The sluice gates of the Three Gorges Dam. [Photo/Xinhua]

China Three Gorges, State Grid vying with Canadian rival for stake in Santo Antonio plant

Two Chinese companies are bidding for a major stake in Brazil's fourth largest energy generator Santo Antonio Energia SA, amongst other suitors such as a Canadian asset management company, according to sources quoted by Bloomberg.

The two companies, China Three Gorges Corp and State Grid Corp of China, are competing with Canada's Brookfield Asset Management Inc for 28.6 percent of shares in the Brazilian company, the report said.

The Santo Antonio hydropower plant has 3,150 megawatts of generating capacity, which is sufficient for 40 million people, according to its website.

The Santo Antonio Hydroelectric Plant is being constructed on the river Madeira in Brazil. When fully operational, the Santo Antonio plant will be the third largest power plant in Brazil in terms of electricity generation and the sixth-largest hydroelectric plant in terms of installed capacity.

Whether the Chinese companies are able to win the first-round tender remains unknown until the end of this week, but the move signals that more mergers and acquisitions are likely in the pipeline in the biggest economy in South America as the two countries are seeking deeper cooperation, especially in the new energy sector.

Hydropower is currently the largest source of power in Brazil, accounting for over 80 percent in the total energy mix, but the country also has very rich wind power resource, Lin Chuxue, the executive vice president of CTG, told media earlier in Beijing.

Both local and international investors are looking into opportunities in Brazil's northeast and southern regions for wind power development, he said.

"We will consider other possibilities of wind and solar power projects if the right time comes," he said.

Liu Zhenya, former chairman of the Beijing-based State Grid, said that South America has become a major target for the company's foreign takeovers because the foreign assets generally have higher returns with double-digit growth every year.

Liu Ximei, an assistant professor at North China Electric Power University, said that Brazil has the largest electricity market in South America with an open competition environment for investors.

"Currently, the US is a major foreign investor in the Latin American country, but China has competitive edges in terms of financing capability and project management," he said. "Chinese companies should work together in Brazil and form a united alliance, especially in the aspects of electricity development, infrastructure construction and heavy equipment manufacturing."
Airbus Group SE won about $6.5 billion of orders from carriers in Vietnam, a nation that's likely to rank among the top 10 fastest-growing aviation markets in the next two decades.

State-owned Vietnam Airlines Corp signed a deal to buy 10 A350 wide-bodied aircraft worth about $3.1 billion in list prices, while affiliate Jetstar Pacific Airlines Aviation Joint Stock Co agreed to purchase 10 A320s for about $980 million, Airbus said in a statement. VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Co, Vietnam's only private airline, signed a $2.39 billion order for 20 more A321 planes, the low-cost carrier said in a statement separately.

The deals were signed on Tuesday in Hanoi in the presence of French President Francois Hollande, who is currently visiting the Southeast Asian country where VietJet estimates air travel has expanded at least 20 percent in the past three years. Vietnam Airlines is revamping its fleet as it adds international routes while also fending off competition from VietJet, which started operations in December 2011.

The A321s VietJet signed to purchase will be delivered starting 2017 through 2020, according to the emailed statement from the carrier. Late last year at the Dubai Airshow, VietJet had agreed to buy 30 Airbus A321 planes in a deal worth $3.6 billion at list prices. As recently as May, the private operator said it would buy 100 Boeing 737-Max 200 jets in an order worth $11.3 billion when US President Barack Obama visited Vietnam.

Bloomberg
Nathan Siy (right), a Canadian-born passionate motorcycle rider and CEO of Evoke Motorcycles, works together with his employee to fix a motorcycle. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Electric bicycles are likely to become increasingly popular in China, thanks to their convenience, affordability and low environmental damage.

Canadian-born Nathan Siy is a passionate motorcycle rider who four years ago spotted an opportunity to develop premium and high-powered electric bikes for the Chinese market.

"In China, electric bikes are a big phenomenon," said Siy, CEO of Evoke Motorcycles. "However, most e-bikes here belong to the low-end segment, while faster and more powerful alternatives are difficult to find."

For this reason, the entrepreneur set up Evoke in Beijing to design an e-bike that could resemble a gas-engine motorcycle, in terms of weight, performance and acceleration.

The company has spent almost three years designing its Urban S bike, an electric motorcycle that can speed up to 130 kilometers per hour, incorporating a battery that can power a 170-km ride.

Last year, the startup started selling its bikes on a small scale for 50,000 yuan ($8,000) each using an artisanal or non-mechanized manufacturing process.

"Our engineers are building around three to four bikes every month and there is a waiting list to receive the bikes," said Siy. "Our main problem is that we struggle to keep up with the orders."

Evoke, which has already secured two rounds of financing from local Chinese angel investors, is now looking to receive further investment in the next seven months to enter the mass-production phase.

"We expect to surpass the 50-unit mark next year or two later," said Siy. "However, if we manage to get the right partner, we can probably reach the industrial stage within two months."

That may well become necessary as the market for electric bikes is growing fast in China.

By 2020, the number of electric bicycles in China is expected to increase to 276.26 million from 199.8 million units in 2015, according to international consultancy Frost & Sullivan.

Retail sales of electric bicycles are estimated to grow to 124.73 billion yuan in 2020 from 82.19 billion yuan in 2015, said the consultancy.

"Demand for electric bicycles will keep increasing in China, due to continuous urbanization," said Neil Wang, global partner and China president of Frost & Sullivan.

According to Siy, the motorcycle market has traditionally been dominated by companies like Harley-Davidson but these brands are losing appeal as the younger generation of riders prefers high-tech and low-emission products.

High-tech here would mean Evoke's automatic response system that connects the bike with the company's server in case of an accident.

Evoke is also working on high-tech special gear such as helmets and jackets with sensors linked to the bike so that they can collect critical information in the event of a crash.
Shanghai-listed Yingkou Port Co Ltd is moving to invest in European transportation companies and is determined to seek a bigger share in the China-European Union logistics market, its chairman said.

Chairman Li Hezhong told China Daily that the company has prepared to invest billions of yuan in bidding for one "key railway terminal" in Europe. But, he declined to reveal specific names of the target companies.

Yingkou Port is one of the country's major hubs linking China and Europe, with six direct international cargo train services opened since the central government launched the Belt and Road Initiative.

"We share a great geographic advantage as the hub that connects both sea shipping and rail," said Li.

"And this new Sino-EU bridge helps us extend trade ties with Russia, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia and European countries on the route of the Belt and Road Initiative," he added.

Sources in the company said that its international transportation business increased 30.7 percent to reach 13,906 twenty-foot equivalent units in the first half of 2016.

"The Sino-EU cargo train service saves up to 30 days (transit) and $10,000 per TEU, which makes it very attractive for customers," according to Meng Yi, a manager from the port's international cargo train business office.

The company started the first cargo train last year, carrying mainly electronic products from the Republic of Korea, which went through Russia and Ukraine before reaching Slovakia in 15 days.

"Yingkou Port's cargo railway service offers another transport option to what was controlled by shipping and air flights in the past. It has elbowed into the logistics market with low cost but rather high speed," said Wang Jinyou, manager from Tianjin Cargo Train Lianjie International Logistics Co Ltd.

Industry insiders said that the traditional Sino-EU cargo service would take around 45 days by landing at Germany's Hamburg Port first and then shipping to other inland cities in Europe.

Quick and effective cooperation with the Russian railway network was responsible for the success of Yingkou Port, they said.
Huimin, a post-90s property consultant, stands at a housing sales office in Shanghai, September 1, 2016. [Photo/IC]

Huimin, a post-90s girl from South China's Fujian province, has been working as a property consultant since she was employed by a real estate company in Shanghai in December 2015.

Her job includes connecting with clients and introducing them to property projects at the sales office. Although well-paid, she has no weekends and needs to answer clients' calls whether she is on or off duty.

With a sales target around 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) per month, she has to sell more than 10 sets of houses every month.

Huimin wishes she can buy herself a house through efforts, she said in an interview with ic.eastday.com.
JOHANNESBURG - A South African researcher on Tuesday welcomed the outcomes of the G20 Summit, emphasizing that implementation is the key.

Asmita Parshotam, a researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, told Xinhua there are positive messages coming from the G20 Summit held in east China's city of Hangzhou on September 4-5.

"One of the most important developments of the G20 Summit this year was the dual ratification by China and the USA of the Paris Climate Change agreement. The fact that two of the world's largest powers signing the agreement is a hopeful sign for changing global economic governance," she said.

The longer-term vision of the G20 contained in the "Hangzhou Consensus" calls for more inclusive economic growth, trade and innovation, Parshotam said.

Parshotam said topics of discussion included improving the global financial regulatory system, stopping illicit financial flows, and addressing investment in infrastructure, all of which are important issues for Africa's development.

"As with all major conferences of this nature, whether talk is able to translate into actions will be gauged in the coming months," she said.

Confirmation of the importance of the multilateral trading system (WTO) was expressed, but whether this can translate into action remains to be seen, she added.

Parshotam noted that the G20 Communique appears to be quite high-level and arranged around five themes which are policy coordination; innovative economic growth; financial and economic governance; trade and investment and development.

Parshotam said the summit gave China an opportunity to explain and promote its model of economic development on a global platform. These include the Belt and Road Initiative and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Meanwhile, the South African Presidency issued a statement, saying the G20 Summit has emphasized on innovation, fair trade and investment as the fundamentals of sustainable and inclusive growth.

President Jacob Zuma said in the statement, "Our trade and investment policies should be designed to enable countries to improve competitiveness and gain access to markets, to successfully participate in the global economy."

Zuma said the Summit addressed the interest of the global South.
German auto giant Volkswagen AG will likely build a joint venture with Chinese automaker JAC Motors, a source close to the matter told China Daily.

JAC suspended trading at the Shanghai stock exchange on Sept 7 because "we are to sign a memorandum of important effects", the automaker said in a public notice.

A public relations manager at Volkswagen China confirmed that there was something going on between the two but did not specify what type of cooperation it was, merely saying that details would be released this afternoon.

Volkswagen already has two passenger joint ventures in China-FAW Volkswagen and Shanghai Volkswagen.

Some believe it might build a joint venture on commercial or new-energy cars with JAC because industrial regulations in China stipulate that one international automaker is not allowed to have more than two joint ventures in the same category.

The possible cooperation started after Premier Li Keqiang's visit to JAC in October 2015. Chinese media reported that JAC told Li of its intention to work with Volkswagen and Li agreed to send the message.
Measures will be put in place by the Chinese government to improve weak links, including poverty alleviation, infrastructure, urban flood prevention and boosting new growth engines to achieve more balanced and effective development.

The decision was made during the State Council executive meeting on Monday, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, as he heard a report by the National Development and Reform Commission on the country's efforts to improve weak links and measures to be taken down the road.

"The key to expanding demands and creating a proper context for China's structural reform is to improve its own weak areas," Li said. "China is still a developing country with huge development gaps between regions and also between rural and urban areas. We need to work hard to expand effective investment and make stronger efforts at improving weak links."

Improving the country's weak links is one of the major tasks of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), and was raised during the Central Economic Conference in Beijing in December.

Li said that reducing excess capacity, lowering corporate costs and improving weak links for better livelihoods of the people will be the government's core task in 2016, while maintaining economic growth within a proper range. It also plays an indispensable role in China's structural reform.

"Currently, we are still under pressure to maintain stable economic growth and create jobs, and our achievements in the first half of this year did not come easily," Li said.

Hydro-engineering and urban flood prevention infrastructure will be enhanced, and another 10 new flood prevention projects will be started this year. A total of 800 billion yuan ($120 billion) will be invested in railway construction, and construction of over 2,000 kilometers of underground pipeline will commence this year. Public facilities for the elderly will also be improved. Further support will be offered in developing agriculture, technological and equipment upgrading as well as nurturing new forces to drive the economy.

Also, areas such as civil airports, telecommunication and oil-gas exploration are to be open to private investors.

Han Xiaoping, chief information officer at China Energy Net Consulting Co, an industry consultancy in Beijing, said that bringing in social capital benefits both State and private companies in the field of oil and gas exploration.

"Profits in pipeline construction are very stable with long-term returns, so it is very attractive for privately owned enterprises. Once the capital is injected, it will not only speed up construction of the pipeline network, but it will diversify ownership and promote the efficiency of the total project," he said.
U.S. Rep. John Katko's push to pause U.S. commercial flights to Cuba until a security assessment of Cuban airports is completed has been backed by two U.S. senators, including former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio.

Rubio, R-Florida, and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, have introduced Katko's Cuban Airport Security Act in the Senate.

The measure would prohibit U.S. commercial flights to Cuba, which resumed last week, until a security review is conducted at all of Cuba's last-point-of-departure airports.

Katko, R-Camillus, introduced the bill in July after concerns were raised about the security equipment and personnel available at Cuba's airports. The Transportation Security Administration has since said that Cuban airports meet security standards, but Katko and other critics are skeptical.

"With so many serious security threats around the world, it is irresponsible to leave key aspects of our airport security in the hands of the anti-American, repressive regime in Cuba," Rubio said in a statement.

U.S. and Cuban officials reached an agreement earlier this year to resume commercial air service. There will be up to 110 daily round-trip flights daily between the two countries.

Last week, a JetBlue plane departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida and landed in Santa Clara, Cuba  the first commercial flight from the U.S. to Cuba in more than 50 years.

During an editorial board meeting with The Citizen, Katko detailed new concerns about air travel between the U.S. and Cuba. He said all of the employees at Cuban airports, including the clerks working for U.S. airlines, will be "communist government employees."

Rubio, too, is worried that airlines operating flights between the two countries won't be permitted to hire their own staff to represent them at Cuban airports.

"This increases the likelihood that someone on the inside seeking to harm the United States could gain access to sensitive flight data and controls," he said. "I have opposed commercial flight service to Cuba because it will only empower and enrich the regime, not the Cuban people."

Menendez echoed that sentiment.

"Since every Cuban airport worker is employed directly by the regime and its airports lack the technology and security capabilities we've grown to expect in the United States, I have serious concerns entrusting the Castro regime to protect the lives of Americans flying in and out of Cuba," he said.

Menendez and Rubio have been leading voices on issues related to restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba. Both men are children of Cuban immigrants.

Katko lauded the senators for supporting his bill. He's hopeful that the measure will advance through Congress this year.

"The Obama administration's rush to open regularly scheduled commercial air service between the United States and Cuba without taking proper precautions is negligent and I am optimistic that the House and Senate will move quickly on legislation to help address safety and security deficiencies," he said.
China's Paralympic delegation chief Zhang Haidi (left) talks with other members participating in a flag-raising ceremony at Paralympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday.[Photo/Xinhua]

China's central authority has issued a national action plan to reduce new disability cases by 2020 by promoting awareness and early screening, Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

According to the plan, issued by the general office of the State Council, most women should be screened for hereditary conditions, and prenatal checkups should cover 60 percent of women over the next five years.

By the end of the five years, 85 percent of newborns and children will have been tested for disabilities. Moreover, in the same time span, 90 percent of eligible children will have received free vaccinations, the document said.

The document called for better safety supervision at production facilities and improved road traffic management to reduce disabilities resulting from injury.

Duan Leilei, director of injury prevention under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that of all the causes of injury and death of children, road traffic ranked second.

"Using child safety seats is the most effective way to protect children," Duan said. "China has been working on raising the awareness of parents. However, it needs joint efforts in the future. We should not only make parents realize the importance of safety seats but also inform them about the right way to use them. The government also needs to regulate the child safety seat market."

In addition, the document said support should be improved so that at least 80 percent of disabled people have access to basic care services by 2020.

Zhao Tizun, director of community-based Rehabilitation Department under China Rehabilitation Research Center, said basic care services for the disabled will require more qualified workers.

"Among the 85 million disabled, more than 50 million need help with rehabilitation. However, only 70 universities and colleges have related majors and no more than 8,000 students graduate every year. This can't meet the demand," Zhao said. "In the next five years, we should promote the establishment of rehabilitation universities."

Working committees for the disabled at various levels were urged to supervise and inspect the implementation of the plan. A final inspection will be carried out in 2020, the document said.

Su Zhou contributed to this story.
Chinese scientists are developing a family of high altitude airships that can help with Earth observation, maritime monitoring and communication signal relays.

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences are working on the stratospheric airships, so-called because they are capable of conducting long-term operations in the stratospherethe second major layer of Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of 20 to 50 km.

According to the academy's development plan for the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), which lists 140 research and development priorities, researchers are to develop key technologies and techniques for controllable stratospheric airships and perform flight tests before the end of 2020.

"Our stratospheric airships will come in various sizes, and we have test-flown two of them already," said Wang Yuechao, director of the academy's Bureau of Major Research and Development Programs.

"The latest test took place in August, when we flew an airship and achieved our goals."

He said that almost all of the world's major powers are exploring high-altitude aerospace craft, with China among the top players in the field.

The academy's stratospheric airships can operate autonomously or be remotely controlled by ground personnel, according to earlier reports.

Solar-powered, reusable and unmanned, such vehicles can spend a long time aloft and serve a wide range of purposes. At least five nations, including the United States and Japan, are developing such systems.

Wang Ya'nan, editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said that compared with spacecraft and satellites, stratospheric airships do not need a launch pad and are convenient to retrieve and reuse. They also provide a wider view of the Earth and a much longer operational time than aircraft.

"Therefore, they provide a better platform for Earth monitoring and maritime surveillance," Wang said.

Moreover, because airships are closer to the Earth than satellites, they can act as a better hub for relaying communications signals.

"In addition, stratospheric airships are able to carry payloads that will be as much as 10 times that of a spacecraft," Wang said.

Zhu Ming, an associate professor at Beihang University in Beijing, said they could have many uses in the public sector.

"They have a lot of potential in environmental protection, disaster relief and weather forecasting," he said.
Hundreds of thousands of women choose to become domestic workers in Beijing. Most do the work because wages in the metropolis are higher than in other cities, but for some, the work offers an opportunity for domestic tourism and a chance to broaden their horizons in China's ancient capital.

Ding Surong is a retired primary school teacher from the outskirts of Hegang city, Heilongjiang province. The 60-year-old was once employed as a domestic worker in Harbin while her daughter attended university in the city, the provincial capital.

The single mother chose domestic work because she was under pressure as a result of supporting her daughter through university, but her decision to pursue the same line of work in Beijing was mainly due to her curiosity about the city.

"I wanted to hang around in Beijing," she said, adding that many zhiqing - young people from urban areas who were sent to the countryside around "the cultural revolution" (1966-76) - who worked on her farm now live in Beijing, as do many of her former students.

"It (domestic work) suited me well. There was no need for any further study, and working in a client's home was just like working at home. All you needed to do was cook and clean the house," she said. "I played around Beijing while working as a domestic helper. It was a very nice way to learn about local customs and practices."

Ding chose to only work for seniors. "I had been around children for more than half of my life, I didn't want to care for children anymore," she said, "Some of the seniors I worked for were intellectuals and veterans. I learned a lot from them."

During her seven years in the capital, she visited almost all of Beijing's major tourist attractions, but has also traveled to Xi'an in Shaanxi province and the northern port city of Tianjin.

Last year, Ding quit her job and went back to her hometown to help her daughter, who is planning to open a kindergarten.

When Jia Huifeng was laid off from her job as an accountant at a factory in Shanxi province in the 1990s, she became a businesswoman and then a domestic worker in Beijing in 2007.

"I had been thinking about coming to Beijing after I was laid off," said the 55-year-old. "Many people have to spend money on tourism and having fun in Beijing, but I can tour the city while working here. It's a lot of fun."
Despite their numbers continuing to rise, China's 20 million domestic workers have few ways of making their voices heard. However, a small group of domestic workers in Beijing is attempting to communicate through drama.

Most of the members of the Viola Lactiflora Drama Club are domestic workers. They hope to tell their stories through the plays they write, which are based on their experiences.

"Drama is a good way to express emotions," said Yan Chengmei, who founded the club in 2011. "Body language and good lines make it easier for people who know little about domestic workers to learn about the conditions they work in."

Yan, who also directs the plays, has sought outside help. "I invite scholars who care about domestic workers to give lectures," she said.

She recalled how a Chinese student from Harvard University contacted the group and introduced the members to a professor of performing arts from Duke University in North Carolina, and how the academic visited China and helped them rehearse Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Rehearsals are difficult to arrange, though, because most domestic workers only have one day off a week.

"Although we have nearly 100 members, only 10 to 15 can attend rehearsals regularly, so the actors have to be changed constantly," said Yan.

A lack of funds poses another challenge. "We try to get free rehearsal venues with help from friends and colleagues, and have to move constantly," she said.

The club has staged eight plays in theaters, but a lack of funding and high costs mean they can no longer afford to rent professional spaces. "I bargained with a theater in a Beijing suburb. They gave us a good price because they knew we were performing for a charity, but it still cost 7,000 yuan ($1,050) to stage a matinee and an evening performance," she said.

The rent in theaters downtown is more than 8,000 yuan for each performance, even those staged during the daytime, although volunteers help with the lighting and other jobs.

In addition to giving domestic workers a voice, the club also gives the women, most of them migrant workers, a sense of belonging.

Member Jia Huifeng has nicknamed the club the domestic workers' niangjia, literally "the home of the married woman's parents." In China, women traditionally tend to turn to the niangjia for help when they encounter difficulties.

"We call Yan our mother. Thanks to the club, we have a place to go on our rest days. We communicate, share our experiences and give advice to those who work for terrible clients. We can relax here," the 55-year-old said.
Domestic workers use edible oil to make soap during an activity to improve their household skills at a community in the Wangjing area of Beijing, on Sept 3. Wei Xiaohao / China Daily

Millions of women in China undertake household tasks for employers, but the hours are long and the use of informal contracts mean they are not protected by labor laws. Hou Liqiang reports.

In a windowless basement of a 30-story building, about a dozen female domestic workers were attending a meeting where they shared their employment experiences.

One of the attendees, a woman conducting market research for a local company, sparked a debate by asking the women if they had ever been subjected to verbal violence at work. The floodgates opened as the women related their experiences, while the researcher's attempts to change the subject were rebuffed.

Lying on the floor in a corner of the undecorated room was a blue-covered book called Let Destiny Go Away. There was no air conditioner in the 30-square meter room, and just one fan was working. Despite the stifling conditions, the complaints continued for more than an hour, interrupted only by the occasional sigh.

The scenario partly mirrored the situation of many domestic workers, who are depressed by their working conditions, even though they are relatively well paid.

In 2008, He Mingying, from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, became a domestic worker, lured by the decent salary and low entry qualifications. However, the 58-year-old former housewife said the family she worked for "deliberately made life difficult" and she regretted her decision.

"I made about 800 yuan ($120) a month, but sometimes I only had two days off. The family said they paid me 100 yuan more than another domestic worker they knew, so they expected me to do more work," she recalled. "Instead of using a mop to clean the floor, they asked me to clean it by hand with a cloth."

To make matters worse, the family's elderly mother had an unusual body clock, which meant she slept during the day instead of at night, and He had to cook and undertake other chores for her, despite having already completed a full day's work.

Even though China's labor laws limit the working day to eight hours and the working week to 44 hours, He found no relief, so she quit her job after just three months.

However, incomes have been rising for several years, and in Beijing live-in workers earn an average monthly wage of about 4,500 yuan. In 2014, domestic workers' wages rose 20 percent from the previous year. In the same year, the average monthly wage for yuesao - live-in postpartum care workers - in Shanghai rose to 10,532 yuan in December from 8,322 yuan in January, according to a report published in June last year by the Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services and the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation for the Ministry of Commerce.

Casual employment

"Instead of being in an employer-employee relationship, most domestic workers are in an agent-service provider relationship with domestic service companies. The contracts the two sides sign are not formal labor contracts and the clients are not legal entities so the two sides can't sign labor contracts. This leaves domestic workers unprotected by the labor laws," said Tang Binyao, an associate professor of social work at the University of Jinan in Shandong province.

Earlier this year, He sustained ankle injuries when she was hit by a taxi as she rode her electric bike to the home of her pregnant employer after helping her during a medical examination at the hospital. Her treatment cost 3,000 yuan, and He was forced to rest at home, which meant she couldn't earn. Instead, she received just 500 yuan as compensation from her employer.

The lack of legal protection means domestic workers are often troubled by wage disputes. Li Changze, a spokesman for Ayilaile, an agency that supplies domestic services, said wage disputes occur with about 2 percent of their clients. Although the workers usually turn to arbitration to resolve the problem, sometimes the amount is too small and it isn't worth it.

In one recent case, a client refused to pay 2,000 yuan to a domestic worker the company had dispatched, and repeatedly ignored their phone calls, despite the agency's size and renown - more than 70,000 domestic workers who serve more than 100,000 clients nationwide have registered with Ayilaile.

Tang said a small number of domestic services agencies are attempting to forge employer-employee relationships with their domestic workers. However, the cost can be high because the providers have to make social insurance payments for the workers, and many agencies are hesitant to adopt the model because of concerns about becoming embroiled in disputes about work-related injuries and damage to property.

In 2014, an estimated 20.34 million people were working in China's domestic services industry, a rise of 13 percent from the previous year, according to the ministry.

Chen Jiyan, a program officer for domestic workers at the Beijing Hongyan Social Work Service Center, said workers find it almost impossible to work for just eight hours a day, especially if they live at their clients' homes.

Sometimes the clients' habits can affect the workers in other ways, according to Chen: "Some seniors lead such frugal lives that they ask their domestic workers to cook very little, which results in the workers - usually women from the rural areas who are accustomed to large meals - going without sufficient food."

One woman who attended the experience-sharing meeting said a client asked her to wash all the clothing and bed linen by hand, even though the family owned a washing machine.

According to Chen, few domestic workers who live with their clients are given their own room. "Most have to sleep on temporary beds set up on balconies or in the living room."

"Some clients even ban their domestic workers from talking with the neighbors because they are afraid their privacy may be compromised," she said, adding that there is a widespread belief that the job is demeaning, which means many domestic workers keep their work a secret, even from their families.

Exceptional care

Although many employers treat their domestic help poorly, there are always exceptions. Jia Huifeng, from Shanxi province, was moved by her client's caring behavior.

Last year, when the 55-year-old needed emergency surgery after a heart attack, her employer of seven years not only changed her schedule to help Jia, but also hired a woman to assist her while she recovered. "My boss even canceled a business trip to Vietnam and came to the hospital to see me," she recalled.

Jia is like most of the women at the experience-sharing meeting, who were in their 40s and 50s. The organizer, Chen Jiyan, has met more than 1,000 domestic workers. "Only one of them was in her 20s, but there were several in their 30s," she said.

He Minying's daughter works 11 hours a day at a foot massage parlor, but makes far less than she would as a domestic worker. However, she won't be following in her mother's footsteps.

"She said she will never be a domestic worker because it's a job that many people look down on," her mother said.
Focus on industrial upgrades, technology breakthroughs, innovative system for research and foreign talent

China is accelerating efforts to make its capital a national high-tech innovation hub, as a leading example of the country's innovation drive, by achieving breakthroughs in key technologies and easing permanent residence procedures for overseas experts.

The decision was announced on Sept 1 after an executive meeting of the State Council, which was presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.

The meeting was a follow-up to the Guideline for Integrated Development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Cluster, released in April 2015 to balance regional development and ease Beijing's problems such as air pollution and traffic congestion.

The guideline said Beijing, as a national center for scientific and technological innovation, should upgrade its industries from low-end to medium- and high-end.

The meeting's promotional efforts focused on developing fundamental research frontiers in Beijing by taking advantage of its large number of universities and other higher educational institutes, according to a statement released after the meeting.

The meeting also called on the capital to speed up breakthroughs in key technology and cultivate an innovative system for research and development with international competitiveness in priority sectors such as smart manufacturing, biological medicine, clean energy and environmental protection.

The innovation drive will also include the neighboring regions of Tianjin municipality and Hebei province to support the city cluster's economic growth, according to the statement.

Building a national center for scientific and technological innovation will help make full use of the rich research and academic resources in the cluster, said Lian Yuming, president of the International Institute for Urban Development in Beijing.

In this process, enterprises should be at the center of innovation with the support of universities and research institutes to cater to market demand, Lian added.

The central government also announced promoting pilot practices aimed at easing green card rules to attract overseas talent in Beijing's Zhongguancun area to other regions, the statement added.

The Ministry of Public Security announced in January a pilot policy for Beijing, especially for the high-tech hub Zhongguancun that covers 488 square km and has more than 20,000 companies, to facilitate foreigners entering and staying in the capital.

On March 1, the policy, consisting of 20 new measures, took effect to target specific groups of foreigners: high-end professionals, overseas Chinese who graduated from foreign universities and hope to start businesses in Beijing, foreign students in the capital and foreigners who work for the city's entrepreneurial startups.

The policy marked the nation's second pilot program, after the Shanghai Technology Innovation Center was granted 12 favorable policies in July last year.

The move was anticipated to attract more high-level overseas expertise that could provide a steady stream of foreign talent for scientific and technological innovation in the capital.

The ministry's Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration said the pilot policy would meet the demands of Beijing to build a national center for scientific and technological innovation set by the guideline, as well as help boost the development of Zhongguancun.

Wang Huiyao, president of the Center for China and Globalization, said in a previous interview that Beijing's pilot policy would probably be adopted in other high-tech zones or free-trade zones such as in Tianjin.

Wang said overseas Chinese with a doctoral degree received in other countries will be given permanent residency, no matter how long they stay in the capital. Foreigners who have worked for companies in Zhongguancun for four years, with at least a six-month stay each year, will be given the permit as well.

Wang said the policy was of real benefit to overseas Chinese and high-end foreign talent as it lowered the threshold.

Previously the visa application process was a headache for international conference organizers. Now, visitors from some countries are allowed a 144-hour visa-free stay in Beijing, allowing more than enough time to attend conferences or travel, Wang added.
China International Fair for Investment and Trade has become a major platform, boosting cross-border investment and trade amid the new global economic climate.

During the 20 years since it was initiated in 1997, more than 30,000 trade agreements have been signed during the fair, introducing a more than $250 billion flow into China.

"CIFIT has now become a major part of China's global economic strategy," said Kandeh K. Yumkella, former director-general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and a key sponsor of the CIFIT.

As one of the leading high-profile investment promotion fairs in China, CIFIT has been recognized as the biggest worldwide event for investment and trade by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.

CIFIT was first held in September 1997 in Xiamen, a harbor city in Fujian province in East China. Its predecessor is the Fujian International Fair for Investment and Trade.

In the past 20 years, it has played a vital role in attracting more foreign investment. And it keeps on growing.

Statistics show that, at first, there were 36 delegations participating in the fair, but by 2015 the figure reached 56, with international delegations presenting during the most recent fairs.

Themed as "Bringing in" and "Going out", the fair backs China's economic policy in promoting investment and trade both at a national and international level.

In 1997, there were 6,200 overseas traders and visitors from 52 countries and regions participating in the fair. But after six years, participants exceeded 10,000 every year.

During the last 20 years, a total of 300,000 traders and visitors from 150 countries and regions have come to CIFIT, as well as more than 450 Fortune-500 companies and 3,200 multinational companies.

The exhibition area has also expanded from the first year's 28,000 square meters to 138,000 square meters in 2015.

Leveraging the opportunity brought by the fair, Chinese enterprises from more than 200 cities have ventured onto the global stage.

Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown once noted his pleasure that the UK has established a long-term cooperation with this grand fair.

"Britain held a series of promotional activities via the platform, and we look forward to more bilateral investment between China and UK," Brown added.

Meanwhile, CIFIT also created an information-releasing platform for policy, laws, investment environment, as well as international capital flow and projects.

It will provide a package of information supporting decision making for investment and trade.

More than 80 professional seminars have been held annually at CIFIT since the International Investment Forum was initiated in 2000.

It is recognized as one of the most authoritative strategic forums on foreign investment.

China's national leaders, foreign political figures, directors from international economic organizations, economists and prestigious persons speak at the forum.

More than 3,000 domestic and foreign guests delivered speeches at nearly 800 seminars during the fair in total. A large number of Chinese enterprises have attracted more overseas funds amid the publicity of China's new economic policy and popular investment spots during CIFIT.

Pascal Lamy, former director-general of the World Trade Organization once said: "I have known CIFIT for a long time. It shows China's image after reform and opening-up, and also delivers China's desire to cooperate with the world at a harmonious developing pace."

"CIFIT is conducive to the opening-up and development of different economic systems around the world. That's why so many international economic organizations come."

As CIFIT is enhancing its international influence, it draws thousands of media organizations from China and abroad. International cooperation and foreign funds also bring opportunities for regional development in China during the past 20 glorious years.

Last year, based on the theme of Belt and Road Initiative, CIFIT held activities such as New Silk Road Development Seminar and Maritime Silk Road Entrepreneurs Summit and Project Exchanging Conference.

Those activities built up a platform for cooperation among the countries and regions along the Silk Road.

In order to implement China's strategy to boost the country's western region and the campaign of the Rise of Central China, the 10th CIFIT held a conference to introduce the investment advantages of Western China.

This strengthened communication among developed eastern coastal regions and the other regions in China.

In addition, as Xiamen and Taiwan are located across from each other on the Straits, the fair's influence also expanded to Taiwan.

According to statistics from the organizing committee of the event, 85 business organizations and 4,280 entrepreneurs from Taiwan participated in the 18th CIFIT.

"China has made great achievements in the past 10 years. Especially in recent years, more and more overseas traders came to the fair, making the platform more beneficial to global traders," said Supachai Panitchpakdi, former secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.

"The platform is efficient and successful. As a sponsor of CIFIT, the UN Conference on Trade and Development will continue to support this grand international event, and support the overall development of the Chinese economy."

Besides investment and trade promotion, CIFIT has also inspired the exhibition industry in China.

Other investment fairs and exhibitions held in China have learned from the fair's success. CIFIT has created a new international investment pattern, driving a boom in the exhibition industry.

Li You contributed to the story.
An archway with Qiao Jie (Qiao Street) written on it in Liping county, Guizhou province, Sept 6, 2016.[Photo by Faisal Kidwai/chinadaily.com.cn]

Fancy a free Kindle? Take this Long March quiz.

Their faces were toward only one direction: front. Their eyes were fixed on only one thing: the gate. They were waiting for only one thing: their children.

And then they turned their heads sideways and a smile spread across their faces as the gate of the school opened and the children began rushing toward their parents.

The young students who started animatedly telling their parents about their day were standing meters away from an historic place: Qiao Street in Liping county, Guizhou province.

Dubbed the "most famous street of history and culture in China" in 2011, it was the site of the Liping Conference, the first meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China held on December 18, 1934, during the Long March.

The street, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), has an archway right at the entrance with the characters Qiao Jie written on it. It got its name as both lanes of the street merge into one at the other end and rise upward. In Chinese, qiao means rising upward and jie stands for street.

After the archway and the school near it, the street reveals rows of buildings dating back to Ming and Qing dynasties. Many of these ancient houses still have residents living in them while some have been converted into shops by enterprising businessmen who sell everything from local delicacies to ethnic dresses.

In the middle of these buildings is a museum built both to commemorate the Liping Conference and also to help tourists understand the event's significance. Opposite the museum is the actual site where the meeting was held. It still houses many relics such as telephone, chairs and tables of that period.

The State Council, or China's cabinet, listed it as one of the nationally protected historical and cultural sites of the country in 2006.

The street is a must-visit place not only for its historical roots but also for its ancient architecture, the numerous alleys where residents still live and shopping, especially for dresses, arts and crafts of Dong people.
Li to attend ASEAN-China Leaders Meeting and other key gatherings

Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Vientiane, capital of Laos, on Tuesday for a four-day visit to the Southeast Asian country, where he will attend the East Asia Summit and pay an official visit to Laos.

Laos assumes the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year and will host all ASEAN and East Asian summits, along with other high-level meetings.
Precarious security highlighted in capital before an international conference in Brussels

Afghan security forces ended an 11-hour standoff in central Kabul on Tuesday, killing the last gunman holding out after an attack that began when a car bomber blew himself up in a prosperous business and residential area.

Police sealed off the center of the city as they battled three attackers who barricaded themselves inside an office of the aid group Care International.

After hours of standoff, interrupted occasionally by sporadic gunfire, Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said Afghan special forces had killed all those involved in the attack in the Share Naw area of Kabul.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which took place just hours after Taliban suicide bombers killed dozens near the Defense Ministry.

The attacks highlighted the precarious security in the capital just a month before a conference in Brussels where international donors are expected to pledge continued financial support to Afghanistan.

After several hours of quiet overnight, gunfire could be heard as day broke.

Rafi Ullah, a security guard near the Care International office, was walking in the area when the explosion occurred.

"Right after the explosion, a huge flame rose and everything was covered with smoke, and then Afghan security forces arrived and blocked the area," he said.

City traffic was blocked in several places and schools in the vicinity were closed.

Officers killed

Hours before the attack in Share Naw late on Monday, 35 people were killed and 91 wounded when twin blasts in quick succession tore through a crowd in a bustling area close to the Defense Ministry.

The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for that attack.

An army general and two senior police commanders were among the dead, a Defense Ministry official said.

The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people. It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since at least 80 people were killed by a suicide bomber on July 23. That assault was claimed by IS group.

The Taliban's ability to conduct coordinated attacks in Kabul has piled pressure on the Western-backed government, which has struggled to reassure a war-weary population that it can guarantee security.

Afghanistan's foreign partners, concerned about the ability of the security forces to withstand Taliban violence, are expected to pledge support over coming years at the Brussels conference, three months after NATO members reaffirmed their commitment at a meeting in Warsaw, Poland.

Outside Kabul, the insurgents have stepped up their military campaign, threatening towns including Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province, as well as Kunduz, the northern city they briefly took last year.

Firefighters transport a wounded man after a suicide attack on Monday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Mohammad Ismail / Reuters

(China Daily 09/07/2016 page12)
ELBRIDGE  On a Monday night in 1984, Michael Caron dropped by the Elbridge Fire Department for drills. At 26 years old, he and his wife, Renee, had recently moved to town and met a few local firefighters, who encouraged Caron to check out the firehouse.

Now  two homes, three kids and four jobs later  there's one thing that hasn't changed: Caron still drops by the fire department one Monday a month.

The volunteer fireman earned his membership back in June '84, and for the next three years he responded to calls in the town and village of Elbridge.

"I always stayed behind the scenes and acted in a supportive role," Caron said. "I wasn't inside the burning buildings. I was on the outside, cleaning the roads after accidents, directing traffic... things like that."

But in 1987, Caron and Renee became homeowners in the hamlet of Memphis. And, despite the fact that their new house was actually closer to the Elbridge Fire Department, it was considered part of the Jordan Fire Department's district  which meant Caron had to transfer.

It was then  while also working full-time in the financial services industry  that Caron took his first fire police course, receiving special training to support firefighting efforts at emergencies.

"I became one of the fire police in Jordan and saw a few bad calls out on Route 31," he said, noting that his job was always to protect the scene. "But we got through it."

Caron spent three "wonderful years" at the Jordan Fire Department until 1990, when he and his wife decided to move their family back to the village of Elbridge  and his first firehouse.

Caron has been there ever since.

Now 59, he continues to serve as a volunteer fireman in Elbridge. In addition, he is the new president of the Onondaga County Volunteer Firemen's Association, a member of the Central New York and Northern Central Volunteer Firemen's Associations and the director of the Firemen's Association of the State of New York.

"In the fire service, it starts with your local fire department," Caron explained. "Then you have your county organization, then what they call 'sectionals,' and finally the state association. I'm involved on every level... but somehow I do manage to make it work."

Still, there was a stretch when Caron did not respond to calls. Rather, he was an emeritus member, attending monthly meetings and acting as a liaison between the village and the fire department.

And one of the things the village wanted, Caron said, was a park.

"When I came to this community... the only thing we had was a historical park in the village," he recalled. "So in 1992, I ran for the (Village of Elbridge) Board of Trustees and I told people I would do everything I could to build a park for this community."

Caron served on the board for eight years, taking a small step back from the fire department to focus on creating a park dedicated to former Elbridge firefighter and constable Seymour Loft.

"I was instrumental in getting the village and the town behind the project to build the park," he said smiling. "And at the time, I would try to keep the fire department informed as to what the village was doing."

After his second term as a trustee ended in 2001, Caron switched back to volunteer fire police, which he continues to do to this day. That is, when he's not working full-time as a senior financial representative in Syracuse.

"As volunteers, we're expected to get out of bed, stop whatever it is we're doing, get to the firehouse and do the job," he said. "But somehow the good Lord has always been able to allow me to adjust my schedules to make things work."

Still, Caron admitted it can be a struggle.

"Unlike paid firefighters, who are constantly exercising and doing the things they should be doing to take care of themselves, volunteers don't always have time to do that," Caron said. "It's not always easy when you're a volunteer because you're working full-time and doing all kinds of different things. And unfortunately, we (volunteers) often have heart attacks at calls because of that added stress."

That's why, as the newly elected director of FASNY, Caron is fighting for better benefits for volunteer firefighters.

According to Caron, recent research has found that all firefighters are more susceptible to cancer than the average person, but only paid firefighters are able to get cancer benefits. Volunteers are left out.

"That's one of the things that we're fighting really hard for (at FASNY)," he said. "Firefighters are breathing stuff in and then the cancer shows up many years later... and it's important to realize that volunteers are often risking just as much as the paid guys."

But for Caron, who celebrated 32 years as a volunteer fireman this summer, that risk has been worth it.

"I've always wanted to give back to my community and help those that are experiencing the worst day of their lives," he said. "And it's so good when we see the public support us when we're having one of the worst days of our lives... It's wonderful to know that the community stands behind the fire department as we stand behind them."
With the theme of "Smart city, wonderful life", the TM Forum Smart City InFocus 2016 is scheduled to be held in Yinchuan, capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region from Sep 7 through 9.

Government officials, leading entrepreneurs, scholars and experts from 66 countries and regions around the world will attend this forum. They will discuss the current situation and future of smart cities' development, around topics of top-level design, business mode, management mode, construction criteria and safety standards and legislation.

By hosting the annual event, "we will share the achievements of smart city construction, explore its development trends and inspire innovation to promote sustainable development and make life more wonderful", said Xu Guangguo, Party chief of Yinchuan.

Bai Shangcheng, mayor of Yinchuan, said the forum is a great chance for the world to share experiences and push forward smart city development.

"Yinchuan's achievements in building a smart city not only benefit citizens, but also stimulate new economy," Bai said, adding that Yinchuan could show the world its results in building smart city through this opportunity, and embrace the new era of internet, big data and smart cities.

Since 2012, 290 cities and counties in China have been listed in a pilot project o build smart cities. More than 500 cities have started building smart cities so far.

Yinchuan was enrolled in the project in 2013. Cooperating with Chinese IT giant ZTE, the city became "a model of smart city with high standard and full function" after two years' efforts, said local officials.

It has developed its unique mode in using multiple information and communication technologies in government affairs, transportation and environmental protection, which is now studied and copied by Ethiopia, India, Belarus and other countries.

Ning Jiajun, a member of the Advisory Committee for State Informatization, said that globalization, urbanization and informatization are some of the new trends in the world and are also the direction of smart city development in the next stage.

"The reason for the success of the Yinchuan model is because it has made innovation in the administration system, technologies and the way all elements integrate." He said.

Ma Jie, director of Yinchuan bureau of industry and information technology, told Xinhua News Agency that "Yinchuan has made a reasonable plan in top-level design to help prevent problems of investment, sharing and management in building a smart city".

He said Yinchuan has used the public-private partnership mechanism along with the capital market to solve problems of investment and management.

Last year, the Yinchuan forum attracted delegates from 46 countries and regions.

(China Daily 09/07/2016 page10)
As many as 150,000 retired military personnel, civil servants and public school teachers took to the streets in Taipei on Sept 3 to protest against the government's pension reform plans, which they said were an insult to their professions.

The massive demonstration, arguably the first by Taiwan's public sector workers, is the latest challenge to the island's new administration led by Tsai Ing-wen, also chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. Previous reports suggested Tsai's approval rating fell below 50 percent - from more than 70 percent - on her 100th day in office.

The crisis was triggered by the authorities' attempt to slash the generous pensions for retired public sector employees, whom they accused of stealing from society. Given that the three groups are traditional supporters of the opposition Kuomintang, such reform plans appear suspicious under the name of promoting social justice.
Tenor Yan Weiwen will perform at the upcoming concert commemorating the Long March. [Photo provided to China Daily]

As this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Long March, a special concert will be staged to pay homage to the Red Army.

With headliners, including Chinese tenor Yan Weiwen, soprano Song Zuying and baritone Liao Changyong, the concert, produced by the National Center for the Performing Arts, will see a joint performance by the NCPA Orchestra and the NCPA Chorus under the baton of leading Chinese conductor Li Xincao, who is the resident conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra.

In the early 1930s, the Kuomintang, the then-ruling party of China, launched a series of attacks against the Communist Party's Red Army in central and eastern China.

After losing in the fifth round of attacks in October 1934 to save its troops, the Red Army began a two-year "strategic retreat", now known as the Long March.

According to Yin Qing, the renowned Chinese composer and artistic director of the concert, the first half of the concert will see works inspired by the poems of Chairman Mao Zedong, which he wrote during the Long March.

For example, Loushan Pass, a famous poem written in 1935 by Mao, is about Loushan Pass, a place in Guizhou province, where a fierce battle took place.

The Long March, a poem which Mao wrote in 1935 when the historical march was almost ending, talks of some of the areas the Red Army traveled.

"These music pieces adapted from Chairman Mao's poems depict the hardships of the epic march and the heroic spirit of Red Army," says Yin, adding that the audiences will be taken back to the historic events during the Long March, including the battle at Xiangjiang River, which saw around 50,000 Red Army soldiers die, and the battle at Luding Bridge, which saw a small Red Army force brave gunfire to cross the bridge and attack enemy positions on the other sidesuccessfully securing a bridgehead for the army to cross.

Two music pieces selected from the original opera produced by the NCPA, titled The Long March, will also be performed at the concert.

Written by famed scriptwriter Zou Jingzhi and composed by Yin, the opera, which was directed by Tian Qinxin, one of China's most accomplished and pioneering drama directors, premiered in Beijing on July 1 this year.

In its first five-day run then, the opera attracted over 150,000 people.

Meanwhile, the second half of the concert will comprise 10 classic works from Suite of Songs for the Long March, which were written by Xiao Hua (1916-85) in 1965 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the end of the Long March.

Speaking about the works which will be featured in the second half of the show, veteran tenor Yan Weiwen says: "We grew up by listening to these poems and songs. I can still recall vividly when I first heard the tenor Jia Shijun (1930-2011) perform the Suite of Songs for the Long March. He was my idol."

NCPA vice-president Zhu Jing says the series of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Long March are the result of four years of planning.

Besides the original opera and the concert, the NCPA will also present performances jointly with the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts and an exhibition on the Long March.

If you go

7:30 pm, Sept 17 and 18. National Center for the Performing Arts, No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6655-0000.

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Domingo treat for Beijing fans
Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich receives the Honored International Writer award at the Beijing International Book Fair. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich, the 2015 Nobel laureate of literature, toured Shanghai, Beijing and Suzhou in August.

The last time she visited China was in 1989, as a member of a delegation from the Soviet Union. China has changed tremendously, she says.

"I am very much surprised to see your new houses and roads after going through the 30-year reform.We have also been reforming in the last 30 years, but it's still old houses, old airplanes and cars," she says.

"There is a saying in Europe: Don't talk about future; the future has already disappeared. Nothing you talk about will be realized. But here I see future and hope. And I admire you for that."

Earlier this year, her latest book, Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets was published in China.

During her visit, Alexievich, from a much cooler country, fell ill in the hot humid weather and had to cancel some plans, such as visiting ancient parks in Suzhou and the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Her trip was timed to coincide with the Shanghai Book Fair and Beijing International Book Fair last month.
Svetlana Alexievich. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Belarusian Svetlana Alexievich is the kind of writer who throws questions to reporters who are interviewing her.

"What do you personally think of my books?" The 2015 Nobel laureate in literature asks China Daily during her visit to Beijing. Her tone is soft and without any hint of aggression.

"I would really like to know more about Chinese readers' response to my works. In the West, they just can't understand. I suppose Chinese readers may have different observations," Alexievich says.

Jiang Xi, the Russian-Chinese interpreter who traveled with her on her China tour, says that Alexievich seems to have a pair of X-ray eyes. "She didn't talk much, but she can look through you after a brief exchange with you."

You write about secondhand time in the former Soviet Union. Will people there keep feeling they're living in "secondhand time"?

No one would like to return to the old era. They just want to live peacefully and what they care about are holiday tours to Europe and luxurious cars.

When you write nostalgically about the Stalin era, are you just reminiscing about the past or are you indicating your dissatisfaction with the present?

It's difficult to say because different people have different views about that.

What I do is offer another perspective into the history, a polyphonic angle. I never talk directly about the past eras. I just tell stories of people who lived then and there. Stories that are powerful enough to break the stereotypes and rigid views.

Among my interviewees, 90 percent say if they could choose they would like to live in a great country than a mediocre one. Elderly people have their own memories about the former Soviet Union and younger people learn about that from the older generation. And our textbooks are still from the Soviet Union.

How do you manage so much material you collect from hundreds of interviews, and how do you use them in your writing?

I've been interviewing and writing for 40 years. I know every house and who lives in it and I know about their life.

What I have been doing is really a big project. If you have a chance to get into my office, you'll see how it is piled and stuffed with material.

For each one of those stories you read in my books, I interviewed a person at least three times.

What I collect gradually became systematic in my mind and I feel I can build temples and churches out of them like architects do.

During my interviews, I notice women look at the past with sharply unique angles and they tell stories with different tones, with more details included. So I began to write about women's reactions to wars and history.

You left Minsk for Western Europe in 2000 and moved back in 2011. Why did you decide to return?

I'm based in Minsk now. It was disasterlike days when I was living overseas. I needed translators to accompany me.

I never thought of living outside for too long because I can't write a lot when abroad, because I could only do interviews online.

One surprise is that, when I returned, I didn't find my city had changed too much.

How do you think about China after this visit?

I actually was here some 20 years ago. It has changed dramatically, especially Shanghai. People here are living another kind of life. Their dress and food are finely made. I wish more Western people will come and see this.

Related:

Ten creative book stands at the Beijing Book Fair
A new bilingual book offers crucial references of the development of Christian churches in China. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Although some Italian priests famously came to China in the late 16th century, large numbers of Western missionaries only stepped into the country after the 1840s, when the Middle Kingdom was forced to open its gates to the Western world in the aftermath of the first Opium War.

The missionaries took myriad Chinese books and written records of their religious missions back to their home countries.

A new book released by the publishing house affiliated with the National Library of China now attempts to clarify the long-hidden history.

Last week, The Bibliography of Chinese Ancient Books Collected in Pitts Theology Library in Emory University was released in Beijing, offering detailed inventory of ancient Chinese books housed in the library, a repository of files relevant to the missionaries once stationed in China.

About 500 ancient Chinese books and Christian files in Chinese from the university in Atlanta, Georgia, are listed in the new book, published in both Chinese and English.

As a top US research institution on theology, Emory University got about 1,500 volumes of ancient Chinese materials in 1976.

The new publication mainly focuses on those in the university's Pitts Theology Library that are from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), according to Liu Ming, a researcher from the National Library of China who hosted the project.

"These books are not only crucial to figuring out the development of Christian churches in China, but significant references to study Chinese linguistics," Liu said at a symposium on the new book in Beijing last week.

For example, he cites that New Testaments written not only in Mandarin but in Chinese dialects like Fuzhou dialect and Shanghainese are found in the collection.

The oldest Christian book listed was published in Hong Kong in 1845. Some books in the bibliography were from the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722).

According to Wang Guohua, a researcher from the Pitts library, the publishing is part of cooperation with the National Library of China launched in 2014.

"The book is to provide references for professionals, and it's also to show the overseas communities' enthusiasm to protect those precious ancient books from China," she explains.

Zhou Yuan, director of the Eastern Asian Library at the University of Chicago, says tracing the circulation of such books after publication adds a dimension to history.

"These Christian books are perfect items to study intercultural communication and know history in a big picture," he says.

In 2014, China's national library kicked off its long-term investigation of ancient Chinese books scattered overseas. So far it has published three bibliographies of overseas collections of ancient Chinese classics, concerning Japan, Spain and Harvard-Yenching University in the United States.

Zhang Zhiqing, deputy director of the NLC, says these are all huge projects.

"North America's universities house abundant ancient Chinese books, but most of them don't have a complete bibliography of their collections," he says.

Though the collection at Pitts is not that big, it has a certain themeChristian history in Chinaand thus is a good example for more projects to come, Zhang explains.

Related:

The colors of nostalgia
Hu Qiuping gives her speech in Honolulu on Aug 27. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

At the Chinese Culture Talk debut in Hawaii, famous Chinese calligrapher Hu Qiuping shared her craft in a speech, The Charm of Chinese Calligraphy, in Honolulu on Aug 27.

More than 100 people from cultural, educational and economic circles attended the event. Among the prominent guests were Counselor Gu Jin of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, Chairman Li Zijian of the Hawaii Chinese Republican Coalition (HCRC) and Professor Jiang Song of the University of Hawaii. The speech also attracted much local media attention.

"Chinese Culture Talk is a great platform to show Chinese calligraphy, Gu said. It also offers an opportunity for Americans to know and love Chinese culture. Cultural exchanges have always played a significant role in our bilateral relations and hereby I hope this high-level talk can cement our friendship and strengthen multiculture in Hawaii."

Li and Jiang also weighed in. They both said they hoped there will be more cultural events, so Hawaiians have more chances to appreciate Chinese culture.

Hus speech was informative and entertaining. She introduced Chinese calligraphy from four aspects: its origin and development, its expressive power, its aesthetics and its Chinese female calligraphers. During her presentation, representative works of famous calligraphers were analyzed and assessed. She also shared her experiences as a calligrapher for more than 40 years. Her speech was interrupted from time to time by laughter and applause.
The Palace Museum in Beijing announced on Monday that it will hold two major exhibitions in Hong Kong next year to celebrate 20th anniversary of the region's return to China.

The World Rejoices as One: Celebrating Imperial Birthday in the Qing Dynasty, which was on display in the Palace Museum from October 2015 to January 2016, is about celebration items and gifts from former royal families.

The other show will be about the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the residence of the last eight emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The hall in the palace is closed for restoration until 2020; the exhibits in Hong Kong will include cultural relics that were housed there.

The two exhibitions are expected to open in Hong Kong sometime in late June.

The museum has also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television. That will include a series of fine-art exhibitions, forums and cultural creativity development with new technology.

Related:

Palace Museum to transform exhibition layout
White and Black, by Ding Fang. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

An exhibition titled "Beyond Image: the Oil Paintings from China", was held in Stockholm, Sweden, on Sept 1.

Ending on Oct 9, the event is a special event to celebrate the opening of the China Cultural Center in the city.

28 pieces of works from eight contemporary Chinese painters in different ages will be showcased at the painting exhibition.
To be or not to be: A crucial choice for our new legislators Updated: 2016-09-07 07:22 By Ho Lok-sang(HK Edition)

Now that the dust has settled, we have for the first time new legislators from among the young generation. Their rather radical past makes many worry about what is going to happen to our Legislative Council and whether the government will become more dysfunctional because of their insistence that others have to follow their ways. However, their accession to LegCo comes with new responsibilities. It is hoped that they will learn to be more pragmatic - not in the sense of compromising Hong Kong's interests in any way, but exactly the opposite. Former secretary for the civil service Joseph Wong Wing-ping recommended four young candidates who eventually all won a seat. They include Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Lau Siu-lai, Eddie Chu Hoi-dick and Raymond Chan Chi-chuen. Wong said he was impressed they were genuinely keen on working for a better Hong Kong. He said he might not agree with all their views, but that is not important.

I agree that being genuinely concerned about building a better Hong Kong should be paramount. A legislator who has his or her mind set on anything else does not deserve a seat. However, Joseph Wong mentioned only a necessary condition, not a sufficient one, for someone to be a good legislator. Assuming that all these young legislators are all genuinely concerned about building a better Hong Kong, they still need the humility to learn what is truly good for Hong Kong, and spare no effort in delivering it. More importantly, they need a mindset to work together with those whom they presently consider as adversaries or even enemies.

This brings to mind the story of Botswana. Stephen R. Lewis, Jr., an economics professor and former president of Carleton College in the United States, who had served as economic consultant to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and had advised Botswana's former president Ketumile Masire, spoke highly of democracy in Botswana. He was a guest speaker invited by Lingnan University's previous president Professor Edward Chen to speak to students there. Nathan Law is a Lingnan student, but he is too young to have attended that inspiring talk. I do hope he will draw insight from what I relate below.

Botswana has come to be known as "the African Exception". Its record of economic growth and political democracy stands in stark contrast to the rest of Africa. In 1999, Botswana's income per head was six times that of the rest of Subsaharan Africa and 60 percent of the world's average, up from 6 percent and 10 percent, respectively, in 1965. What is the secret?

Interestingly, Botswana has been ruled by the same party since its founding. An entry in Wikipedia reads: "Botswana is a one party dominant state with the Botswana Democratic Party in power. Opposition parties are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power. There is no reason to conclude that the Botswana elections are not free and fair." Like Singapore, there has been no party rotation, and the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) presently holds 45 out of 57 seats. According to Professor Lewis, this is because the ruling party is very happy to adopt whatever good proposals come from the lesser parties. The BDP certainly wants to stay in power, but serving the Botswana people well is the best way to stay in power. If the lesser parties have no real chance of gaining power, wouldn't they complain? According to Lewis' narrative, these lesser parties are performing their roles well by serving as the ruling party's advisers and critics.

What impresses me is that the BDP does not proclaim any "isms". Lewis says that the ruling party's sole concern is whether something will work in Botswana. In his opening speech to the first parliament, President Ian Khama noted: "The foreign policy of my government will be dictated by reason and commonsense Our first duty will be toward the people of this country rather than to any world political ideologies." Retired former president Masire echoed Deng Xiaoping's advice: "We do not care whether we are called capitalist or socialist What interests us is to see Botswana developed."

To be or not to be, that is the question. To be one who sets one's mind on the welfare of Hong Kong people, humbly learning and working hard to serve the interests of the SAR, or to be one who sets one's mind on gaining power and dictating one's will on Hong Kong people in the name of working for them. That is the question. The former is the enlightened way of democracy. The latter is the unenlightened path of dictatorship under the guise of democracy.

I am particularly worried by Youngspiration legislator-elect Leung Chung-hang's statement that he will block any policy that does not serve Hong Kong well, citing the Copyright (Amendment) Bill as an example. Is the copyright bill really a bad law? Who is there to decide? It was supported by many Hong Kong people too, including Winnie Tam Wan-chi, the chairperson of the Hong Kong Bar Association. Leung should learn that dictating one's will on others is dictatorship. I thought he stood for democracy!

(HK Edition 09/07/2016 page10)
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives in Vientiane to start his first official visit to Laos on Sept 6, 2016. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In Hangzhou, at the just-concluded G20 Summit, President Xi Jinping called on the participating global leaders to avoid making the meeting a "venue for empty talk", and instead build an "action team".

And positive actions are what we hope to see at the East Asia Summit now in session in Vientiane, Laos.

With the crisis-era sense of urgency gone, globalization stalled, and some members losing determination, it remains an open question if the promises and action plans made in Hangzhou will bear the anticipated fruit.

The summit in Vientiane, which convenes leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, as well as Australia, India, New Zealand, Russia and the United States, is the first test for those who have just left Hangzhou having vowed to act and collaborate.

Featuring all the key characters in the ongoing political and economic dramas in East Asia, in multilateral and bilateral settings, the Vientiane summit is a precious venue for meaningful discourse on regional priorities.

Over the years, the East Asia gathering has produced abundant rhetoric about the synergy called for at the G20 Summit, even the vision of an East Asia Economic Community. But optimism has receded lately as the territorial disputes have distracted and estranged the neighborhood.

For decent-looking outcomes, the participating leaders may subdue their divergences in Vientiane and present consensuses. But that is far from enough.

Xi's exchanges of goodwill in bilateral meetings with the Japanese, ROK and US leaders in Hangzhou cleared the way for substantive next-step communication. Now we need to see practical progress. What the countries can commit to together, under the "10+3" framework or beyond, will tell a lot about what we can anticipate in the years to come.

Beijing deems Premier Li Keqiang's trip to Vientiane, both for the summit and an official visit to Laos, as an important diplomatic move to cement ASEAN ties and promote regional cooperation, and it is willing to go the extra mile to make substantial headway.

Li is reportedly to table a series of proposals for regional cooperation, from financial security to poverty reduction to interconnectivity, and push the participating parties to recommit to the EAEC. Cooperative projects will prove essential to refocusing the region on development, a present and future priority for East Asia.

It would be even better if such projects can engage those parties not directly involved in the disputes, but which have been trying to take advantage of them, as this might help to de-escalate tensions.
A candidate shows her admission document at an independent recruitment examination only open to rural students. [Photo/IC]

Among the 4,380 students admitted by Peking University this year, more than 700 are from the less developed regions, the highest number in recent years. China Youth Daily commented on Tuesday:

Over the past years, many Chinese universities have stepped up their efforts to grant students from rural areas easier access and favorable enrollment policies. But rural students still find it difficult to enter the top universities, such as Peking University.

After the college entrance examination resumed in 1978, nearly one-third of the students at Peking University were from underdeveloped areas over the following two decades, but the ratio dropped to just 10 percent from 2000 to 2011, rising to less than 20 percent this year.

On the one hand, it is indeed easier for college applicants to pursue higher education these days, thanks to the enrollment expansion of Chinese universities. On the other hand, rural students are losing out in the contest to enter the leading colleges.

Although rural students have more opportunities to enter Peking University, it is also noteworthy that their "fast track" is mainly a result of preferential policies, not better high school and elementary education, or abundant educational resources.

In other words, educational fairness is yet to be achieved as there is still a large gap between the quality of urban and rural education, and this may continue to widen in the years to come if efforts are not made to narrow it.

Offering rural students easier access to top universities, in essence, is more of a compensation deal and unlikely to be a fundamental cure to the unfairness that exists in the education system.
Xu Yuyu [Photo/IC]

Following some recent high-profile telephone fraud cases, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has said telecom enterprises must fulfill their social responsibilities. Beijing News commented:

Xu Yuyu, an 18-year-old girl from East China's Shandong province, died of a heart attack after being defrauded of all the money her family had saved to pay for her university tuition fees.

Days later Cai Shuyan, a 19-year-old girl from South China's Guangdong province, committed suicide after being similarly defrauded of her tuition fees.

In another recent case, an unidentified faculty member from Tsinghua University in Beijing was swindled out of 17.6 million yuan ($2.6 million) by telephone fraudsters.

These cases and others have put the telecom companies in the media spotlight. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which is in charge of them, said on Monday that although most of the telecom enterprises behave in a proper manner "a few of them have failed in their supervision responsibilities".

But the real problem is far more serious than that. Some telecom companies have not implemented the law that requires real-name registration for users, which is illegal. This is a legal affair and the telecom companies concerned should be made to pay for that.

Some defend the telecom monopolies by saying they lack the technology to eliminate fraud. However, that defense is rather weak, because media reports show that some telecom companies have put leading local officials on red lists to make sure their numbers are immune to spam.

The ministry also said it will require telecom companies to better implement the real-name registration for all users, and those that fail to do this will not be able to expand. This is a good move, and we hope they will do more to push telecom companies to combat spam and fraud.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) members, some guest countries and international organizations pose for a group photo ahead of the opening ceremony of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, Sept 4, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

Delivering a speech at the inauguration of the two-day G20 Summit on Sunday, President Xi Jinping emphasized that all G20 members "face the problems squarely" and deliver "real action" not "empty talk" as they seek to resuscitate the global economy. The prescription, as he said in his Saturday speech at the B20 Summit, lies in the joint efforts to build an innovative, open, interconnected and inclusive world economy.

Although China stands at "a new starting point", it remains committed to deepening reforms in an all-round manner, pursuing an innovation-driven development strategy and green growth, delivering more benefits to the people, and increasing its interactions with the rest of world, Xi said.

Xi's two keynote speeches are perfect examples of China's increasing contributions to global economic governance. In other words, the country is using its pursuit of reform and opening-up to add fresh momentum to globalization, as well as the structural reform of the world economy.

Fifteen years after it joined the World Trade Organization, China has completed the process of integrating into the global market; China and the rest of the world are today highly interdependent. The just concluded G20 Summit in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, was China's latest attempt to provide both tangible and intangible public good for the international community.

Since the global financial crisis broke out in 2008 China has been the most powerful locomotive of the world economy, contributing about one-third of the post-crisis global growth. That is almost double the contribution of the United States, the world's largest economy.

To facilitate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda and ensure they are achieved by 2030, as proposed by the United Nations, Beijing is making preparations for the Assistance Fund for South-South Cooperation and will contribute $2 billion to it in the initial stages. It will also keep investing in less developed countries, while exempting the least developed countries from repaying the debts due at the end of last year.

On the institutional front, the Beijing-led Belt and Road Initiative, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and BRICS New Development Bank can play important parts in optimizing global governance. The AIIB has proposed a new approachof lean, clean and green governanceand the Belt and Road programs are aimed at improving regional connectivity in order to promote peaceful cooperation, inclusiveness and mutual benefit.

High expectations have been placed on China as the US implements its "rebalancing to Asia" strategy and the European Union faces multiple crisesfrom rising terrorist attacks to lackluster growth and the influx of refugees.

China is expected to live up to its reputation as G20 chair for this year by cooperating with other members to make global governance sustainable and efficient, especially because of the rising anti-globalization wave even in the West. For example, Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the US presidential election, has vowed to impose unreasonably high tariffs on Chinese goods if elected to the White House, and blamed globalization for unemployment and the security problems in the US. And he is not the only Western politician who thinks that way.

In such a political and economic backdrop, the G20 Summit has endorsed efficient global governance so that some developed economies don't relive the past of the G8 governance, which is partly responsible for the fragmented world trade order. Xi's speeches at the G20 and B20 summits have made the global governance mission clear. And the ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement by China and the US in Hangzhou on Saturday and their recent bilateral deals point to a promising start for the fulfillment of that mission.

The author is a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China.
Chinese President Xi Jinpingattends a press conference after the 11th summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 5, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

The G20 agenda was highlighted by the host nation's President, Xi Jinping. In his speech, delivered to the leaders of the 20 biggest economies in the world, he called for equality and unity: "All countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, must treat each other as equals. We need to help each other achieve sound development as we work to ensure our own development."

China contributes a lot to establishing the balance in the world and helping other developing countries by strengthening mutual economic and political ties. For example, today China is the largest trading partner of emerging countries like Russia, Brazil and India. The One Belt and One Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank(AIIB), with more and more countries willing to participate, also contribute to global welfare.

Innovation is another important theme that the president put forward in his speech. "Innovation holds the key to fundamentally unleashing the growth potential," he said. China is actively investing in high-tech sector development. The parallel to the USA's Silicon Valley is in Beijngs Zhongguancun. Chinas portion of global R&D jumped from 2.2 percent in 2000 to 14.5 percent in 2011.

The path of world economic development shows that openness brings progress and isolation leads to backwardness. To repeat the beggar-thy-neighbor approach will not help any country get out of the crisis of recession. It only narrows the space for common development in the world economy and will lead to a "lose-lose scenario", President Xi told the G20 leaders.

I think China poses a good example of how relationships with a neighbor should be built. China and Russia share the historic past and nowadays their mutual bonds are stronger than ever. China and Russia cooperate in many ways: agriculture, natural resources, infrastructure and technology, for example. This summit is also bound to bring more cooperation deals between the two countries.

President Xi stressed that actions speak louder than words. Summing up his speech, it is clear that what he is saying is what is being done. China has a lot to offer the world, and cooperation between the countries is needed to develop the potential to its fullest.
Hangzhou's Xianghu Lake features culture and natural landscapes, and is considered West Lake's "sister". [Photo by Xu Lin/China Daily]

Hangzhou's Xianghu Lake is often called West Lake's "sister".

Visiting the water body indeed enables travelers to understand Zhejiang province's history.

Xianghu Lake Tourism Resort offers a perfect platform for this.

Visitors can enjoy culture and leisure in scenic spots scattered along the banks, by foot or boat.

The Kuahuqiao Site Museum hosts an 8,000-year-old canoe and is shaped like one itself. The actual watercraft was repaired with tree sap by its builders.

It also houses pottery and prehistoric stone, bone and wooden artifacts.

Kuahuqiao culture's discovery pushed the known history of Zhejiang's civilization to eight millennia ago, 1,000 years earlier than previously believed.

The exhibition room is in the original sitebeneath Xianghu Lake's surface.

Machines monitor humidity, which is high given the location, and cracks in the canoe.

"It's tricky to prevent threats like mold and microorganisms," curator Wu Jian says.
The World Tourism Cities Federation's annual summit will be held in Chongqing over Sept 19-20.

This year's focus: sharing economy and world tourism city development.

Approximately 400 guests from 85 cities and 40 institutes worldwide are expected to attend, including 30 mayors and deputy mayors from member cities, such as Milan in Italy and Salonica in Greece, says Song Yu, secretary-general of the federation.

The federation will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to strengthen tourism exchanges with countries through the Belt and Road initiatives.

This year's event, jointly organized by the federation and the Chongqing municipal government, will set up a tourism investment session.

Reports on cities' efforts to develop global tourism and on Chinese tourists' consumption will also be unveiled at the summit.

The event will also see the selection of the host cities for the 2017 and 2018 summits.

WTCF, a nonprofit international tourism organization formed by more than 160 cities and tourism-related institutions, was established four years ago.

It won the World Travel Leaders Award at the 2015 World Tourism Market in London.

The organization aims to promote exchanges and cooperation among its members and the tourism industry.

Related:

A lake brimming with culture
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attends a welcome dinner at the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos September 6, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

US President Barack Obama canceled his first meeting with Philippines counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday after the blunt-spoken Duterte described him as a "son of a bitch", casting a shadow over a gathering of Asian leaders in Laos.

Duterte said hours later that he regretted his comments "came across as a personal attack" on the US president.

"President Duterte explained that the press reports that President Obama would 'lecture' him on extrajudicial killings led to his strong comments, which in turn elicited concern," the Philippines government said.

"He regrets that his remarks to the press have caused much controversy," it added in a statement released at the summit in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

The White House had earlier said Obama would not pull any punches on his concerns about human rights abuses in the Philippines, its treaty ally, when meeting Duterte.

Duterte responded to that with his "son of a bitch" comment to reporters on Monday before leaving to join fellow leaders of Southeast Asian and East Asian leaders for the summit.

Obama learned about the insult as he emerged from the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. At a news conference, he said he had told his aides to speak with Philippine officials "to find out is this, in fact, a time where we can have some constructive, productive conversations".

Hours later, his aides said the meeting had been canceled.

Soothing tensions

Moving quickly to soothe the tensions with Washington, Duterte said in a separate statement that he remained committed to Manila's alliance with Washington.

"Our primary intention is to chart an independent foreign policy while promoting ties with all nations, especially the US with which we have had a long-standing partnership," he said.

Reuters - Ap
Despite the best efforts of the Cuomo administration to keep it a secret, the anemic job growth connected with the governor's Start-Up NY tax break program is well-known by now.

Plenty of news stories came out in July after it was discovered that Empire State Development Corp., the agency in charge of Start-Up NY, posted an overdue report on the program on the Friday before a holiday weekend with no additional notice. The reason for the lack of typical Cuomo fanfare was obvious: the numbers were embarrassing.

Start-Up NY, hailed as transformative when signed into law in 2013, had resulted in 408 jobs created statewide in 2014 and 2015. State officials had promised thousands of new jobs from the program that provides 10-year sales and income tax breaks for companies that locate at or near participating New York colleges and universities.

ESD officials were quick to downplay the significance of the weak job numbers. They said the program can't be judged so quickly because it will take time to take root. More troubling, they've largely lashed out at any suggestion that changes need to be made.

Such a defensive reaction was suspect from the beginning, but it's even more questionable now after an analysis published over the weekend by the Times Union newspaper based in Albany.

One finding that particularly troubled us was the overwhelming lack of progress in central New York, where just 9 of the 408 jobs have been created. In fact, the same could be said for almost all of upstate New York. Well over half of the jobs  251  are tied to the New York City, Long Island and Buffalo regions.

It's also turning out that many of the companies touted as Start-Up NY participants in periodic press releases from the Cuomo administration are not actually setting up shop. Of 41 startups announced in 2015, just seven have actually launched.

These numbers are bad, and they're even worse when one considers the $53 million in state taxpayer funding that's been used to promote Start-Up NY.

Having said that, some of the fundamentals of the program have promise. It makes sense to incentive promising new companies to set up within the state by offering a less burdensome financial path and access to state-of-the-art facilities and some of the brightest minds in business, technology and science.

But that doesn't seem to happening. As the Times Union report shows, some of these potential employers are running into obstacles, such as restrictions on the types of jobs that qualify for the assistance. And many colleges and universities report receiving little or no guidance from the state on how to connect with potential start-ups and make the program work.

Just ask Assemblyman Peter Lopez, a Republican who represents an area that includes SUNY Cobleskill. That school has been tied to five Start-Up NY announced businesses promising nearly 230 jobs. As of now, though, just one employer with one job is actually off the ground.

"You created expectations without an organized structure," Lopez told the Times Union. "I look at these numbers and they're anemic for a reason."

It's observations like this that need to be taken seriously by ESD and other Cuomo administration officials. They need to acknowledge that improvements are needed, and then they need to work with host educational institutions, regional economic development leaders and the state Legislature to make the necessary adjustments.

If they take such an approach, the next Start-Up NY report could be one they'd actually want the public to see.
Zhang Lei works as general manager of China Mobile International UK Ltd. [Photo/ CHINA DAILY]

Zhang Lei is no stranger to leadership. At 29, the Chinese businesswoman was appointed general manager of Infosto Group's Beijing office, a Finnish online platform for classified information exchanges.

Today, she leads a team of more than a dozen people as general manager of China Mobile International UK Ltd in London.

"I could have chosen to stay in China and have a stable life, but I wanted change and more responsibility," said Zhang.

She's one of a growing number of Chinese women breaking through the so-called glass ceilingthe invisible barrier between men and women in the workplace that prevents many from reaching top jobs.

Zhao Shuo, managing director of Fushi Group, was lured to Europe from her job in Shanghai.

"The driving force for me to go overseas was a colleague who had come from Australia to join our team and she made more money than us," Zhou said. "In 2001, Greenwich University gave me an offer to study for an MBA, and the motivation was to make money and go back to China."

Fast forward 11 years and Zhao now runs her own company in London, helping Chinese families to buy properties in the UK.

"Now, we have clients in Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East coming to invest in the UK," she said.

Despite women like Zhang and Zhao climbing the ladder, men still dominate corporate boards and CEO roles, according to the World Bank Group.

Statistics from Grant Thornton show only 24 percent of senior roles are held by women globally, while a third of businesses have no females in management positions.

"In the telecommunications industry, there are many males and few females," said Zhang. "I think it's still a man's world."

She arrived in London in 2007 and was one of five people to set up China Unicom's European office.

She was appointed head of China Mobile's UK office in 2013 and is now responsible for the company's UK operations, as well as the growth of businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"A lot of women don't want this because their families won't support them, or encourage them to leave," Zhang says, highlighting a cultural hurdle experienced by a number of Chinese women.

Her husband, who works in satellite telecommunications in China, did not follow her to London, despite having been supportive of her career.

"It's my choice and my husband's choice," she says. "We're both happy in our jobs."

Having now spent nine years in London, Zhang says her job overseas has changed her views on work in many ways.

"My working style, the way we respect each other and the fact that there is no difference between the manager and junior staff, whereas in China they care more about hierarchy," she said.

According to Zhao, who also says she has many Western values, manager roles in China aren't perceived in the same way as they are in the UK.

"Inactivities that you attend outside of work in China, you need to have guanxi (personal relationships) to socialize with people and you need to drink (wine, beer or white spirits)I don't think women can handle it."

Unlike Zhang, Zhao's family relocated to London from China.

The businesswoman, who has an 11-year-old daughter, says she likes the challenge of having to balance work and family life.

"Sometimes, you have to go to meetings and events after work and you will miss something, like homework, but it's not that significant," says Zhao.

Monique Villa, CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of the global news and information provider, says having a job and caring for family is very "doable", and men today are helping more than ever.

The French national, who has transformed the foundation through programs and training aimed at empowering people, particularly women, says the gender gap at work has narrowed considerably.

"For women like me who started working in the 70s as a journalist at Agence France-Presse, you had no women in responsible jobs," she says.

"One of the top leaders of one company came into my office and asked my deputy, who was a man, 'Is it difficult to work under a woman?'" she recalls. "It's a question you would never be able to ask today, but in the 90s it was a question you could ask without people being horrified."

Samantha Vadas is a freelance writer who contributed this to China Daily
Beijing and Brussels should find ways to extend the synergy between the three-year European investment scheme and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, in light of the European Union recently announcing it will enlarge the 315-billion-euro (USD 354 billion) scheme in terms of time and scale, say experts on China.

"For sure, it is positive for both sides to extend the synergy cooperation if Brussels has put that on the agenda," said Hinrich Voss, professor of international business at the UKs Leeds University.

Voss made the comment to China Daily after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker revealed the idea at the G20 summit, which was held last week in Hangzhou, the capital of Chinas Zhejiang province.

"I am now working on proposals to extend the plan, both in time and in scale," Juncker said, referring to the 2015-17 Investment Plan for Europe, which aims to trigger 315 billion euros of investment from a 21-billion-euro initial financial injection.

Juncker said the proposal was based on the smooth delivery of the scheme. As of July this year, a total of 116 billion euros in investment has been delivered. Though this is only 37 percent of the 2015-17 target of 315 billion euros, Juncker said he was satisfied with the plan because 200,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe now have better access to finance.

Partly because of these efforts, Juncker said economic growth in the euro zone had grown more quickly than in both the United States and the United Kingdom. He expects growth this year to be at 1.8 percent.

Beijing and Brussels agreed in mid 2015 to forge synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the European investment plan, to help penetrate trade and investment markets on both sides. In addition to the EU, more than 30 economies worldwide have already entered into agreements with Beijing on mega-project synergy.

While G20 leaders agreed in Hangzhou to deepen global cooperation on infrastructure construction, which is always seen by governments as part of the recipe for economic growth, China experts said Brussels should discuss with Beijing ways to further connect the two mega projects.

"I think it would be positive if Beijing and Brussels would work closely together on the ongoing synergy of the investment scheme and the Belt and Road Initiative," said Voss.

"Based on that, if the extension of the investment scheme (by the EU) is there, it can be further linked to the Belt and Road Initiative."

Voss said the UK exiting from the EU would not affect such cooperation between Beijing and Brussels and noted that such synergy would help bring in more investment, incorporating European and Chinese firms.

"So, we all have to see how this develops in the future but I think it is good to see that this is coming about, regardless of the UKs exit from the European Union," said Voss.

Zhang Haiyan, professor of studies into the Asian economy and director of Neoma's Confucius Business Institute in France, said it would be meaningful for both sides to set up a mega-project synergy platform but noted that Brussels and Beijing would need to push how this policy synergy could deliver tangible benefits for businesses on both sides.

"It is interesting to put these two mega-projects on one platform and try to cooperate, but I think it is not only needed at a policy level," Zhang said.

He would also like to see cooperation at the company level among businesses.

Zhang has called for more encouraging measures to be put in place to help Chinese investors from the private sector find expansion opportunities in Europe. Compared with the scale of European investment in China, Zhang said Chinese investment in Europe is still small, despite the fact that there has been a big leap in recent years.

"So, how to bring more Chinese investors to Europe, especially for those private businesses, is quite challenging," said Zhang, who has closely monitored the development of the Belt and Road Initiative in Europe.

In March, his business institute and China Daily co-organized a seminar in Paris to explore how European and Chinese investors should include "green and sustainable" elements in the Belt and Road Initiative. In August, President Xi Jinping put the concept of the "Green Silk Road" into the framework of this mega-project to better link Asia, Europe and Africa.

Bernard Dewit, from the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said it is true both China and the European Union have repeatedly encouraged two-way investment in recent years.

"For potential Chinese investment in Belgium and in many parts of Europe as well, we hope that more Chinese investors could finally make it," said Dewit.

Yao Yueyang, an intern with the China Daily European Union Bureau contributed to this story
Premier Li Keqiang arrives in Vientiane, Laos, at the start of his first official visit to the country. He will attend several leaders' meetings. Rao Aimin / Xinhua

Li to attend ASEAN-China Leaders Meeting and other key gatherings

Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Vientiane, capital of Laos, on Tuesday for a four-day visit to the Southeast Asian country, where he will attend the East Asia Summit and pay an official visit to Laos.

Laos assumes the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year and will host all ASEAN and East Asian summits, along with other high-level meetings.

From Wednesday to Friday, Li is scheduled to attend the 19th ASEAN-China Leaders Meeting; the 19th ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea Leaders Meeting; and the 11th East Asia Summit, according to Liu Zhenmin, vice-minister of foreign affairs. The premier will meet with leaders from 10 ASEAN countries.

Top leaders from other countries, including Japan and South Korea, will be in Vientiane as well, along with US President Barack Obama.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relations and the 55th anniversary of China-Laos diplomatic ties. Experts said Li's visit will strengthen relations with ASEAN countries, especially Laos, which Li called "a good neighbor".

During the first half of this year, China-ASEAN trade volume hit $209 billion. China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner, while ASEAN countries, as a bloc, are China's third-largest trading partner.

The 13th China-ASEAN Expo will be held following the leaders' meeting later this month in Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which is expected to further boost bilateral trade and economic exchanges.

Li is expected to announce initiatives during the ASEAN-China Leaders Meeting to promote people-to-people exchanges with ASEAN countries by prioritizing education and tourism, while consolidating and deepening political security and economic cooperation, Liu said.

During the ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea Leaders Meeting, Li is expected to propose greater cooperation in several key areas, including financial security, trade and investment, connectivity, production capacity and people-to-people exchanges, Liu said.

At the East Asia Summit, he said, Li is expected to introduce China's policy of sticking to economic development and political security that reinforces stable and healthy development.

Wei Ling, director of the Institute of Asian Studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said the East Asia Summit should stress pragmatic cooperation and connectivity within the region and should address how to cope with nontraditional security issues such as terrorism.

Zhu Feng, president of the Institute of International Studies at Nanjing University, said China has strong influence with some ASEAN neighbors - particularly Laos and Cambodia. But the South China Sea issue might still be in the spotlight as Obama makes what is likely his final visit to an ASEAN country as president of the United States, Zhu said.

huyongqi@chinadaily.com.cn
VIENTIANE - Leaders from the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as China, Japan and South Korea meet in Vientiane Wednesday for the 19th ASEAN Plus Three Summit (10+3).

The ASEAN plus China, Japan, South Korea cooperation mechanism incorporates the ASEAN+3 as well as the ASEAN+1 framework. The latter stands for ASEAN's respective cooperation mechanism with China, Japan and South Korea.

The two frameworks were established in the late 1990s when ASEAN countries decided to enhance cooperation with other major economies of Asia against the backdrop of economic globalization.

The first ASEAN Plus Three summit was held in Malaysia in December 1997, a very important time when all countries in the region were facing an economic setback. The financial crisis was regarded as having provided the impetus for this summit.

The two frameworks, initially focused on economic cooperation, have expanded in recent years to the fields of politics, security and culture. Nowadays, they have developed into mechanisms of great significance in strengthening and deepening East Asia cooperation at various levels and in various areas, particularly in economic, social and political areas.

A total of 66 dialogue mechanisms at various levels have been established in 24 fields within the framework of ASEAN+3, covering diplomacy, economy, finance, agriculture, labor, tourism, environment, the fight against cross-border crime, health care, energy, telecommunications, social welfare and administration innovation.

Within the framework of ASEAN+1, great emphasis has been put on cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, information and communication industry, human resources development, mutual investment and development of the Mekong River Basin.

State leaders, ministers and other high-ranking officials from 10 ASEAN countries, China, Japan and South Korea meet annually to discuss cooperation and major international and regional issues.

Apart from the above-mentioned three countries, ASEAN has also carried out ASEAN+1 dialogue with some countries outside of the region on an aperiodic basis.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Joint Statement on the Application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea in the South China Sea

We, the Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Member States and the People's Republic of China met in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic on 7 September 2016.

Reaffirming our commitment to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the DOC, including the importance of the freedom of navigation and overflight, as provided for by universally recognised principles of international law including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS);

Recognising that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea region serves the fundamental interests of ASEAN Member States and China ("the Parties") as well as the international community;

Recognising that Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and China are parties to the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGs);

Recognising that Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and China are members of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) and have adopted the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES);

Recognising that Laos and Myanmar, though not members of the WPNS, affirm the significance of CUES in ensuring maritime safety;

Recognising that CUES, as a coordinated means of communication to maximise safety at sea, offers a means by which navies may develop mutually rewarding international cooperation and transparency;

Recalling that WPNS navies that choose to adopt CUES for naval cooperation do so on a voluntary and non-binding basis, and that CUES is also available for implementation by other navies on the same basis;

Hoping to further deepen mutual trust and cooperation among our navies through FINAL 2 of 2 the implementation of CUES;

HEREBY declare the following:

1. We reaffirm our commitment to CUES in order to improve operational safety of naval ships and naval aircraft in air and at sea, and ensure mutual trust among all Parties;

2. We agree to use the safety and communication procedures for the safety of all our naval ships and naval aircraft, as set out in CUES, when they encounter each other in the South China Sea; and

3. We affirm that this effort contributes to our commitment to maintaining regional peace and stability, maximum safety at sea, promoting good neighbourliness and reducing risks during mutual unplanned encounters in air and at sea, and strengthening cooperation among navies.
Joint Statement of the 19th ASEAN-China Summit to Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations

Towards a Closer ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership

We, the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the People's Republic of China, gathered on 7 September 2016 in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic, at the 19th ASEAN- China Summit to Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations;

Recalling with satisfaction the growth of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations over the past 25 years and our wide-ranging cooperation;

Recognising that ASEAN-China ties are among the most substantial and dynamic, bring mutual benefits, and contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity;

Reaffirming the importance of China's support for ASEAN integration as well as ASEAN's efforts in realising ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together, including through narrowing the development gap and enhancing ASEAN Connectivity, as well as maintaining ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture;

Reaffirming that the principles, shared values and norms enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Bali Declaration on ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations (Bali Concord III), the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and the East Asia Summit (EAS) Declaration on the Principles for Mutually Beneficial Relations (Bali Principles) as well as universally recognised principles of international law, will continue to guide ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations and friendly cooperation;

Reaffirming our mutual respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with international law and the principle of non- interference in the internal affairs of other states; and our commitment to promote peace and stability in the region;

Reaffirming that the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) is a milestone document that embodies the collective commitment of the Parties to promote peace, stability, mutual trust and confidence in the region, in accordance with the UN Charter and universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS);

Welcoming a series of commemorative activities to mark the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations and jointly celebrate the auspicious occasion;

Hereby agree on the following:

1. We are committed to enhancing the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership for mutual benefit, including through the full and effective implementation of the 2016-2020 Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on the ASEAN- China Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity.

2. China welcomes the establishment of the ASEAN Community, and reaffirms its continued support for ASEAN's integration process and ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture. China also welcomes the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN in 2017.

3. ASEAN reaffirms that China's development is an important opportunity for the region, and supports China's pursuit of peaceful development. ASEAN notes China's initiatives such as the "Belt and Road" and the 2+7 Cooperation Framework. The ASEAN countries also reaffirm adherence to one-China policy.

4. We will continue to strengthen dialogue and cooperation to enhance mutual understanding and friendship, promote defence exchanges and security cooperation to address common security issues, including combating terrorism, transnational threats and other non-traditional security challenges in pursuit of regional peace and stability through existing frameworks and mechanisms such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and other existing frameworks.

5. We welcome the adoption of the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the DOC on 25 July 2016 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. We reaffirm our respect for and commitment to the freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea as provided for by the universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS; and undertake to resolve the territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with the universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS. We also undertake to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability.

6. We remain committed to the full and effective implementation of the DOC in its entirety and working substantively towards the early adoption of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) based on consensus. We also welcome the establishment of the Guidelines for Hotline Communications among Senior Officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of ASEAN Member States and China in Response to Maritime Emergencies in the Implementation of the DOC, and the adoption of a Joint Statement on the Application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea.

7. We are committed to further deepening and expanding mutually-beneficial economic cooperation, including through the full and effective implementation of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) and Protocol to Amend the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Certain Agreements thereunder between ASEAN and China, and working towards the early and successful conclusion of a modern, comprehensive, high quality and mutually beneficial Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. We also welcome the adoption of the Joint Statement between ASEAN and China on Production Capacity Cooperation.

8. We will continue to strengthen cooperation in the area of connectivity that will bring mutual benefits, including through capacity building and resource mobilisation for the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 (MPAC 2025), exploring ways to improve connectivity between both sides by synergising common priorities identified in the MPAC 2025 and China's "Belt and Road" initiative, and encourage the active involvement of relevant multilateral financial institutions.

9. We are satisfied with the activities under the ASEAN-China Year of Educational Exchange, including the successful convening of the 9th ASEAN-China Education Cooperation Week and the 2nd ASEAN-China Education Ministers' Roundtable Conference, the 2nd ASEAN-China Youth Exchange Visit: Education and Leadership, and are ready to expand educational exchanges and cooperation.

10. We welcome the designation of 2017 as the ASEAN-China Year of Tourism Cooperation, and look forward to enhancing cooperation and activities between ASEAN and China with a view to boosting two-way tourist visits.

11. We will continue to strengthen cooperation in environmental protection, sustainable development and management of land and water resources, biodiversity conservation as well as address transboundary challenges; and strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the international climate change and other environment-related negotiations.

12. We reiterate our commitment to support and assist ASEAN's efforts to narrow the development gap between and among ASEAN Member States including through the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan III.

13. We welcome the successful convening of the 1st Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders' Meeting in Sanya, China, on 23 March 2016. We further welcome the strengthening of cooperation under existing Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, such as the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC), the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) and the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC) and other relevant sub-regional frameworks to support efforts to narrow the development gap in the region.

14. We reaffirm our commitment to further intensify regional cooperation in East Asia and remain engaged in discussions and continue coordination on an inclusive and rules-based regional architecture.
Chairman's Statement of the 19th ASEAN-China Summit to Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations

7 September 2016, Vientiane, Lao PDR

Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community

The 19th ASEAN-China Summit to Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN- China Dialogue Relations was held on 7 September 2016 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Thongloun SISOULITH, Prime Minister of the Lao DPR. The Summit was attended by all Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and H.E. Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. The Secretary- General of ASEAN was also in attendance.

2. We acknowledged that ASEAN-China relations are among the most substantial and dynamic, bringing mutual benefit and contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region. In this context, the ASEAN Leaders appreciated China's commitment to support ASEAN Community-building toward the realization of the visions and goals set forth in the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 as well as China's continued support for ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture through ASEAN-led processes, namely the ASEAN Plus Three, the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

3. We welcomed the significant progress of ASEAN-China cooperation made over the past twenty -five years and welcomed the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations and appreciated the series of commemorative activities held by the two sides to jointly celebrate the auspicious occasion. We adopted the Joint Statement of the 19th ASEAN-China Summit to Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations which reaffirms our collective commitment in further strengthening the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. We welcomed the significant progress achieved in the implementation of the Plan of Action to implement the Joint Declaration on ASEAN- China Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity for the period 2016-2020 which would further strengthen the deep and broad-based cooperation for closer ASEAN- China relations.

4. The ASEAN Leaders noted China's initiatives such as the "Belt and Road" and the 2+7 Cooperation Framework for further enhancing ASEAN-China relations, and looked forward to working closely with China to enhance cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual respect, benefit and consensus.

5. We reaffirmed our commitment to enhancing cooperation in the field of non- traditional security issues such as combating terrorism and extremism; illicit drug trafficking; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; trafficking in persons and cybercrime. The ASEAN Leaders also noted China's continued support in enhancing law enforcement cooperation through various initiatives and activities.

6. We expressed our commitment to strengthening security and defence cooperation through existing frameworks and mechanisms such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus).

7. We were pleased to note that ASEAN-China economic relations have maintained their strong momentum. China continued to be ASEAN's largest trading partner, with total bilateral trade at USD 346.4 billion in 2015. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows from China to ASEAN amounted to USD 8.2 billion in 2015, positioning China as ASEAN's fourth largest source of FDI.

8. We welcomed the entry into force of the Protocol to Amend the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Certain Agreements thereunder between ASEAN and China, for China and Viet Nam on 1 July 2016. We looked forward to the concrete outcomes of the negotiations on the Future Work Programme of the Protocol to contribute to the efforts in achieving the twin goals of two-way trade and investment of USD 1 trillion and USD 150 billion respectively by 2020.

9. We noted the intensification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations. Noting the immense potential of the RCEP to foster global and regional trade and growth, we urged our experts to redouble efforts toward achieving a modern, comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial economic partnership agreement.

10. We are pleased to adopt Joint Statement between ASEAN and China on Production Capacity Cooperation and convinced that it will provide opportunities to further strengthen economic and trade relations, including competitiveness of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the supply chains, which will further boost confidence and engagement of businesses from ASEAN Member States and China.

11. We take note of the upcoming 5th ASEAN China Ministerial Meeting on Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Cooperation which will be held on 10 September 2016 in Nanning, China. We wished the meeting could come up with recommendations to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Governments of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Government of the People's Republic of China on Strengthening Sanitary and Phytosanitary Cooperation to further realize the application of SPS measures so as to enhance the export and import of agriculture products between the two sides.

12. We noted with appreciation the continuing efforts to sustain the various initiatives identified in the China-ASEAN Science and Technology Partnership Program (STEP) that was launched in 2012. We recognized the contribution of the China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center in facilitating information sharing, resource matchmaking and other related services to encourage collaboration between ASEAN and Chinese enterprises and science parks. We look forward to the successful conduct of the 4th Forum on China-ASEAN Technology Transfer and Collaborative Innovation during the 13th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) which will be held on 11-14 September 2016 in Nanning, Guangxi, China.

13. The ASEAN Leaders appreciated China's continued support for enhancing connectivity within ASEAN and the region, through supporting the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025. We looked forward to the active involvement and contribution of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in promoting enhanced ASEAN and regional connectivity. We were further determined to maximise the utilisation of existing mechanism and committed resources as well as to explore cooperation to enhance connectivity between ASEAN and China.

14. We reiterated our commitment to further intensify cooperation in narrowing the development gap between and among ASEAN Member States. In this connection, we welcomed the successful convening of the 1st Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders' Meeting in Sanya, China, on 23 March 2016. The ASEAN Leaders' looked forward to China's support towards the implementation of the IAI Work Plan III (2016-2020).

15. We welcomed the successful convening of the 9th ASEAN-China Education Cooperation Week and the 2nd China-ASEAN Education Ministers Roundtable Meeting to commemorate the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations and as part of the ASEAN-China Year of Educational Exchange on 2 August 2016.

16. We noted that the endorsed Plan of Action of the ASEAN-China Memorandum of Understanding on Health Cooperation would complement the implementation of ASEAN Post 2015 Health Development Agenda for 2016 to 2020. Priority areas of collaboration included cooperation on prevention and control of communicable diseases; public health emergency response mechanism and capacity for mitigating health impacts of natural disasters; prevention and control of non-communicable diseases; human resource development for health; and, traditional medicine development.

17. We agreed to strengthen practical cooperation on disaster management, which includes emergency preparedness, risk reduction, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation, while taking into account the existing ASEAN agreements and mechanisms. We encouraged China's support for the realisation of the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disaster as One in the region and outside the region.

18. We also agreed to strengthen practical cooperation on environmental protection, climate change, health, sustainable natural resource management, and improve access to clean air, water and sanitation, while taking into account the existing ASEAN agreements and mechanisms. In this regard, we welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN-China Strategy on Environmental Cooperation (2016-2020) and looked forward to the ASEAN-China Environmental Cooperation Action Plan (2016-2020) to be formulated on this basis to push forward practical cooperation in relevant fields.

19. We acknowledged the role of the ASEAN-China Centre in facilitating trade, investment, tourism, education and cultural exchange between ASEAN and China. In this connection, we looked forward to the conclusion of the revised MOU on the establishment of the ASEAN-China Centre.

20. We underlined the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in, and overflight above, the South China Sea. We welcomed the recent adoption of the Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) We stressed the importance of the full and effective implementation of the DOC in its entirety.

21. We adopted the Joint Statement on the Application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea, and the Guidelines for Hotline Communications among Senior Officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of ASEAN Member States and China in Response to Maritime Emergencies in the Implementation of the DOC. We welcomed the elements of completing the implementation of Early Harvest Measures by the end of 2016, finishing the consultation on the COC outline in the first half 2017 under circumstances without disturbances and fast tracking COC consultations as contained in China's proposed Four Visions on the Code of Conduct (COC) consultations.

22. We welcomed the designation of 2017 as the ASEAN-China Year of Tourism Cooperation and looked forward to enhance cooperation and activities with a view to boosting two-way tourist visits and promoting greater people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China.
Leaders agree on guidelines for hotline,statement on code for encounters at sea

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (from left, 4th) and leaders from ASEAN members attend the 19th ASEAN-China Summit in Vientiane, Laos, Sept 7, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

China and Southeast Asian countries have agreed to guidelines for a senior diplomats' hotline to address maritime emergencies and issued a statement on applying the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea in the South China Sea.

The documents were important progress by China and ASEAN over the South China Sea issue, said observers.

The joint statement on the application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea in the South China Sea, and the guidelines for hotline communications among senior diplomatic officials between the two sides, were released by China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations after Premier Li Keqiang attended the 19th ASEAN-China Leaders Meeting.

The meeting was held on Wednesday in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

Li said he believed the documents will be of great significance in boosting mutual trust, reducing maritime risks and safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea.

The joint statement reaffirmed all parties' commitment to improving the operational safety of naval ships and aircraft and ensuring mutual trust among all parties, while upholding the China-ASEAN commitment to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

The final approval comes one month after the 13th senior officials' meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, which was held in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

At that meeting, senior diplomats from China and the ASEAN countries approved a guideline for a hotline to use during maritime emergencies as well as a joint declaration that the Conduct for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, signed in 2014 by more than 20 Pacific nations, applies to the South China Sea.

Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told a news conference after the meeting that documents about the hotline and the conduct for unplanned encounters would be presented to the ASEAN-China Leaders Meeting for final approval.

"China and the ASEAN countries have the desire to cooperate, which is most important. Mutual trust is still being strengthened after the South China Sea issue and other issues, which is good news," said Zhou Fangye, a researcher of Southeast Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Ruan Zongze, executive vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said the agreement made on Wednesday is a step forward by China and its Southeast Asian neighbors on cooperation and mutual trust.

Premier Li arrived in Vientiane on Tuesday to start his four-day trip to Laos, which is the ASEAN chair this year and hosts all ASEAN and East Asian summits.

Li also vowed to enhance practical cooperation with ASEAN countries while meeting with the leaders of the 10 ASEAN members, including Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Before the meeting, Thongloun and Lee joined Li and other leaders to slice a cake in a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations.

Since 1991, China has promoted bilateral relations and strengthened regional peace, stability and prosperity while sticking to win-win cooperation based on mutual respect, understanding, trust and support, Li said.

Contact the writers at huyongqi@chinadaily.com.cn
Chinas Relations With the West: Straight Line Decline

There are those who believe China's ongoing Party Congress will bode well for companies that do business in or with China. I am firmly convinced that the opposite is true and that it will used as yet another opportunity by China to show that it will not be cowered by the declining relations and sanctions/counter-sanctions between the United States / EU / Australia / Japan on the one hand, and China on the other. I see China using this Congress to let the world (domestic and external) know that it fully intends to fight back and fight back hard. In other words, this Party Congress will lead to China's decoupling from much of the world accelerating, not slowing down.
SKANEATELES  Skaneateles Village Police Department officers arrested four people for allegedly possessing marijuana in a vehicle while they were parked at Austin Park in village during the Labor Day Field Days over the weekend.

According to a news release from the police department, Keith Wicks, 22, of Skaneateles, Brianna Casper, 17, of Skaneateles, Madison Graham, 17, of Syracuse, and Avery LaPorte, 18, of Liverpool were each charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and issued appearance tickets for Skaneateles Town Court.

According to the release, the four arrests follow two other separate incidents in which officers arrested people who allegedly possessed marijuana during traffic stops in the village.

On Aug. 20, Emily Baker, 19, of Skaneateles, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and issued an appearance ticket for Skaneateles Town Court.

During a routine traffic stop, according to the release, the officer could smell marijuana coming from the vehicle, the operator of the vehicle admitted to having marijuana in her possession.

On Sept. 1, Hayden Walsh, 22, of Skaneateles, was stopped for speeding and subsequently charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and issued an appearance ticket for Skaneateles Town Court.

The officer could smell marijuana coming from the car, and Walsh admitted to having marijuana in the car.

Also in the release, Police Chief Dan Coon warned those who park their car and leave it unattended not to leave any valuables, such as pursues or electronic devices, inside the vehicle and instead to either take the items with them or put the items in the trunk.

He said the Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based gang connected to January vehicle break-ins at the Skaneateles YMCA and Community Center remain active in the area and has made hundreds of thousands of dollars from cashing stolen checks.

With the beginning of the school year this week, Coon also reminded drivers that that in the village the speed limit in school zones is 20 mph. He said the department will actively monitor speeds in the school zones.
Allegro acquires Pizza Hut Australia master franchise agreement





Australian private equity firm, Allegro, has acquired the master franchise licence for Pizza Hut Australia from its parent company, Yum! Brands.

The acquisition cost has not been disclosed.

Allegro acquired the franchise agreement with a local management buy-in team experienced within the fast food sector; Peter Rodwell, Lisa Ransom and Chris Leslie.

The acquisition comes at a time when Pizza Hut visitation rates have been falling. In August 2016, Roy Morgan Research reported that between 2012 and 2016, Pizza Huts average monthly visitors had fallen by 25 per cent.

Allegro founding partner, Chester Moynihan, said Allegros immediate focus for Pizza Hut Australia will be to strengthen the network across Australia through increased investment, resources and management focus.

Pizza Hut has been a household name in Australia since the early 1970s. It was one of the first pizza companies to home deliver in Australia and we want to revive this innovative legacy to enhance the experience for customers, Moynihan said.

This is a unique opportunity to leverage a recognised brand within a growing market segment. We see this is an exciting outcome for our investors as well as a growth opportunity for Pizza Hut franchisees and employees, he stated.

Outgoing Pizza Hut Australia General Manager, Graeme Houston, described the acquisition as an exciting change for how Pizza Hut operates in Australia.

This is an exciting step change in how Pizza Hut operates in this market which will accelerate growth and deliver Pizza Hut to more consumers across Australia, Houston said.

About the management buy-in team

Lisa Ransom will be Chief Executive Officer. She has worked in a variety of Quick Service Restaurant leadership roles across Australia and Asia in the past 20-years including at McDonalds Japan and Australia.

will be Chief Executive Officer. She has worked in a variety of Quick Service Restaurant leadership roles across Australia and Asia in the past 20-years including at McDonalds Japan and Australia. Peter Rodwell will take up the role of Executive Chairman. He has also worked in senior roles at McDonalds

will take up the role of Executive Chairman. He has also worked in senior roles at McDonalds Chris Leslie will be Chief Operating Officer. His background is in finance, restaurant operations and franchising.
Austrade and Alibaba strike ground-breaking agreement





Chinese consumers will find it easier to buy fresh Australian produce and goods with Austrade striking a ground-breaking deal with Chinese e-commerce giant, Alibaba.

As part of the agreement, a dedicated promotional channel for Australian companies will be created on youku.com, a Chinese video sharing site with 500 million active users.

Australian Prime Minster, Malcolm Turnbull, this week visited Alibaba headquarters in China to witness the signing of the agreement.

Austrades Senior Trade Commissioner in China, Michael Clifton, said the agreement would help introduce Australian brands to Alibabas 434 million online shoppers.

Online delivery of imported fresh food in China is becoming increasingly viable as a result of improvements in last-mile cold chain logistics, Clifton said.

Australia currently ranks fourth in sales volume on Tmall Global, Alibabas international online platform that allows direct sales to Chinese consumers, behind the United States, Japan and Korea.

The majority of Australian products sold online in China are vitamins and supplements, dairy items, breakfast cereals and beauty products.

Agreement builds on FTA

Access to online distribution channels complements the benefits granted to business by the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which came into force on 20 December 2015, reducing tariffs and further strengthening business cooperation between Australia and China, Clifton said.

Maggie Zhou, Managing Director, Alibaba Group in Australia and New Zealand, said the agreement would help more businesses access new markets through Alibabas platforms.

Alibaba Group plans to open an office in Melbourne later this year and the agreement signed with Austrade today represents a landmark moment for Australian companies, particularly SMEs looking to global trade for growth, Zhou said.

Alibaba will be providing a dedicated helpdesk to source Australian products, together with export development programs to be delivered in cooperation with Austrade, she stated.
(Photo : Getty Images) Used cars are displayed on a sales lot in San Francisco, California.

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RenRenChe, an online used car marketplace based in Beijing, recently announced that it has received more than $150 million in a new round of funding. RenRenChe received support from several investors including China Minsheng Investment, Prometheus Capita, Xinjun Capital, and HanFor Holdings. Existing investors like Redpoint Ventures, Sunwei Capital, and Ceyuan Ventures also joined in the latest funding round.



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According to China Tech News, RenRenChe was launched in April 2014. Since its initial launch, RenRenChe claims that it has been able to facilitate more than 200,000 used car transactions. In July, the company said that it was able to complete 18,000 transactions.



Less than a month ago, RenRenChe entered a partnership agreement with Taunchewang. The partnership would allow RenRenChe to create 1,000 offline automobile service centers to make its service available to the broader public, not just the online community. RenRenChe is also cooperating with Weizhong Bank, and PingAn Bank to facilitate auto loans for its users.



Despite RenRenChe's success in the online used car market, the company's market share is being threatened by both old and new players. Ride sharing giant Didi Chuxing recently expanded into the platform. Also, Guazi, an online used car trading platform owned by 58.com, recently closed a funding run amassing more than $204 million in capital. Due to the highly competitive nature of the market, no clear leader has so far emerged although some are speculating that with the entry of Didi Chuxing in the market, the company would emerge as the most dominant.



Before the recent funding run. RenRenChe received $85 million in a round of funding led by Tencent Holdings in August 2015. RenRenChe is currently valued at $500 million.



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Tagschina, used car dealer, RenRenChe, RenRenChe, renrenche news, renrenche funding
(Photo : Getty Images) U.S. President Barack Obama arrives on Air Force One for the 2016 G20 State Leaders Hangzhou Summit at the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on September 3, 2016 in Hangzhou, China.

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A state-run news outlet in China has slammed the Western media for being arrogant in the way they reported the airport row when U.S. President Barack Obama landed in Hangzhou for the G20 summit last week.



"The skirmishes between Chinese and US officials when US President Barack Obama arrived in Hangzhou for the G20 summit on Saturday have attracted undue attention from Western media outlets, dismaying Chinese netizens and observers who viewed the hype as fresh evidence of the arrogance of some in the West," the Global Times reported.



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There was a disagreement over security protocols on the tarmac when Obama landed in Hangzhou on Saturday followed by a heated exchange between Chinese officials and Secret Service Agents, at the West Lake State House, where the U.S. President met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jingping.



Obama's National Security Advisor Susan Rice was also involved in an argument with a Chinese official who stopped her from crossing a media rope as she made her way to the U.S. motorcade.



"Although Xi and Obama reached a long list of agreements on a wide range of topics such as the economy, security and climate change in bilateral talks, Western media did not seem to find these achievements as intriguing as the tiffs, into which they immediately read deeply," the publication added.



The media outlet also pointed out that many Chinese netizens concurred with China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, who said that criticized the manner in which the Western press covered the incident.



Hua said that the Western media fabricated stories and added their own presumptions without corroborating the facts. "This would only consolidate the impression that some Western media are arrogant and big-headed," she said.



The publication, however, seemed to be pleased with the way Obama recently played down the airport incident during a news conference when he asked the media not to "overcrank the significance" of the spat.



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TagsUS, china, G20, G20 summit, Obama, Barack Obama, Airport, Security
(Photo : Getty Images ) China has warned the Philippines against its attempt to 'hype up' the South China Sea dispute.

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China on Monday warned the Philippines against its attempts to "hype up" the dispute between both nations over territories in the South China Sea.



Beijing also dismissed Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's claim that China has started new construction work on the disputed Panatag Shoal ( Scarborough Shoal).



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China's Foreign Ministry has asked Manila to refrain from hyping up the situation in the South China Sea while acknowledging that the Chinese Coast Guard vessels and some fishing boats are operating in the region.



"The Chinese side has maintained the patrol by coast guard vessels in relevant waters and there have also been some fishing boats for fishing operations in the relevant waters and the situation have always been like that, and has not changed," China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.



On Friday, Duterte expressed "concern" over China's new construction on the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. "I think they are starting in (Bajo de) Masinloc and this will be another ruckus there. There seem to be new barges coming in and they suspect that's going to be another construction," he said.



In July, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against China in favor of Philippines in a long-standing territorial dispute over South China Sea. Beijing has, however, dismissed the ruling. The United States and Japan have repeatedly urged China to respect the ruling.



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TagsSouth China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, china, Philippines, Scarborough Shoal
(Photo : Getty Images ) Japan is supporting the Philippines over China in the South China Sea dispute.

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Japan on Tuesday announced that it would hand over five surveillance aircraft and two patrol boats to the Philippines.



The announcement came after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte at Vientiane, Laos on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.



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"Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to provide two large-sized patrol ships and lend up to five used surveillance aircraft to the Philippines," a Japanese government spokesperson said.



During the meeting, Abe assured Duterte of Japan's support in case the South China Sea dispute is discussed during the 29th ASEAN Summit. "If that issue is going to be raised here, expect us to be the first one to stand up to support you," the Japanese PM told Philippines President Duterte.



China has repeatedly asked Japan to stop interfering in the South China Sea row. Beijing has also accused Tokyo of hyping China's territorial disputes with the Philippines and other Asian countries over territories in the South China Sea.



In July, the-Hague based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against China in favor of the Philippines in a long-standing territorial dispute over the South China Sea. China continues to dismiss the ruling despite international pressure for Beijing to recognize the jurisdiction of the court.



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TagsSouth China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, china, Japan, Philippines
(Photo : Getty Images) A survey conducted by a research think tank showed the Chinese Coast Guard has been involved in most of the naval clashes in the South China Sea.

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The Chinese Coast Guard has been involved in a majority of the naval clashes in the disputed South China Sea since 2010, a survey conducted by a Washington-based research agency showed.



Bonnie Glaser, a security expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told Reuters that China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea heightens the risk of destabilizing the region with the Chinese Coast Guard getting involved in a majority of naval clashes.



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The research agency is involved in monitoring maritime law enforcement incidents in the strategic waterway.



Naval conflict



"While the risks of full-blown naval conflict dominates strategic fears over the disputed waterway, the danger of incidents involving coast guards should not be underestimated," said Glaser,



Based on the report by the research think tank, which was published on their website on Wednesday, the Chinese Coast Guard was involved in 30 incidents out of 45 recorded naval clashes and standoffs in the disputed sea since 2010.



The CSIS researchers said that while the incidents involved conflicts between states, the Chinese Coast Guard's actions should not be taken lightly.



"The evidence is clear that there is a pattern of behavior from China that is contrary to what law enforcement usually involves," Glaser told Reuters.



Violence



Glaser said based on their research, coast guards from smaller countries tend to employ violent tactics such as ramming boats and bullying in a bid to protect their maritime interests in the South China Sea.



"We're seeing bullying, harassment, and ramming of vessels from countries whose coast guard and fishing vessels are much smaller, often to assert sovereignty throughout the South China Sea," Glaser pointed out.



Part of the research included the violent standoff between China and the Philippines at the Scarborough Shoal in 2012 which led to China's eventual seizing of the shoal as well as the 2014 standoff between China and Hanoi.



Scarborough Shoal



This week, a swarm of Chinese coast guard ships and six vessels have been stationed near the waters of the Philippine-claimed Scarborough Shoal prompting Manila to file a diplomatic protest with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jinhua.



Zhao said there were no boats near the disputed shoal, but new photos taken by the Philippine Navy of the area showed that aside from Chinese ships, barges and dredges were also in the disputed maritime territory. The Philippine defense ministry said that China plans to build an artificial island on the contested shoal.



According to the recent international tribunal ruling, the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal does not belong to any country and that the area is the traditional fishing ground of Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese fishermen.



Philippine defense officials are set to re-file a diplomatic protest with Zhao using the photos in their possession to support their claim.



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TagsChinese Coast Guard, Center for Strategic and International Studies, South China Sea, Scarborough Shoal, Philippines, china
(Photo : Getty Images) China has reportedly cancelled President Xi Jinping's planned state visit to Nepal.

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An Indian media report suggests that China is upset with Nepal over a host of issues.



China has reportedly canceled President Xi Jinping's planned state visit to Nepal due to its disappointment with the Nepalese government. Beijing is apparently unhappy over Kathmandu's cold response to China's ambitious "One Belt One Road" initiative. President Xi was supposed to visit Nepal in October.



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"China is displeased with Nepal's apparent lack of preparedness and commitment to joining its One Belt, One Road project," Nepalese government sources told Indian Express newspaper. China's "One Belt One Road" project envisages the longest freight train route in the world. "Beijing is also upset with Nepal for not implementing the agreements and understandings reached between the two countries during former Nepal prime minister K P Oli's visit to Beijing in March," sources added.



China's decision to cancel Xi's visit to Nepal comes nearly two weeks after the country's newly elected Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal chose to make his first state visit to India instead of China. Nepalese Maoist party chief Dahal, who is popular known as 'Prachanda,' chose to make his first state visit to China instead of India during his first stint as premier in 2008.



Last month, the Nepal premier sent a special envoy to China as part of his government's efforts to improve bilateral ties with the largest Asian nation. Nepal's deputy premier and finance minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. He also invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Nepal.



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Tagschina, Nepal, President Xi Jinping, State Visit, One Belt One Road
(Photo : Getty images) The Philippines claims that China is set to start building facilities on a disputed shoal in South China Sea, based on recently released photos.

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The Philippines has released photographs showing Chinese coast guard ships near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.



The Philippines' defense ministry on Wednesday released photos of Chinese coast guard vessels near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Arsenio Andolong, the spokesperson for the Philippines' defense ministry, expressed "grave concern" over China's increased presence in the disputed region.



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"We believed that this is [a] precursor to [the] possible building of structures on the shoal," he said. The Philippines released the photos just hours before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit is set to take place at Vientiane, Laos. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is in Laos for the Summit.



Last week, Manila claimed that China has begun new construction work on the Scarborough Shoal. Beijing has, however, dismissed the allegations and accused the Philippines of 'hyping up' the situation in the disputed South China Sea.



"We should be highly alert against the mischief-making intentions of people who spread such groundless information in such situations," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Monday.



In July, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against China in favor of Philippines in a long-standing territorial dispute over South China Sea. China has dismissed the ruling, describing it as "null and void."



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TagsSouth China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, china, Philippines, Scarborough Shoal
(Photo : Getty Images) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte

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The apparent mental instability of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who automatically reacts to any criticism of his policies with a spate of unwarranted invectives against his perceived tormentors, gravely jeopardizes the future of the alliance defying communist China in Asia.



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That alliance championed by Duterte's more level headed predecessor, Benigno Simeon Aquino, saw the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and the United States draw closer together to oppose China's unlawful demands to own most of the South China Sea.



In suing and winning against China at the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the Philippines gave this alliance and the world the legal ground for opposing Chinese hegemony.



Since taking office in July, however, Duterte has insulted both U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg and U.S. President Barack Obama in the space of two months. He offended Goldberg, calling him "a gay son of a whore," and Obama, whom he scorned as a "son of a whore."



For good measure, he told Obama he was not an American puppet and dared the U.S. leader to apologize for atrocities committed against Filipinos by American soldiers during the Philippine-American War from 1899 to 1902.



The "crime" of both men in Duterte's eyes: both questioned the mass killing resulting from Duterte's war on drugs that resulted in the deaths of over 2,400 Filipino drug suspects in just two months.



About half of this grisly toll was inflicted by the Philippine National Police, whose stock excuse for killing suspected drug dealers is these people were shot to death after attempting to shoot it out with them. None of these men were apparently served warrants of arrest.



The rest of those killed were allegedly gunned down by "vigilante groups" many Filipinos suspect are also policemen masquerading as vigilantes.



Duterte warned during the presidential campaign his war on drugs would be bloody and he's apparently living up to that promise. He also said that instead of 1,000 dead criminals, the number might rise to 100,000 dead if he were elected president.



Duterte was once accused by the Aquino administration of being behind the "Davao Death Squad" that murdered dozens of suspcted drug dealers. Duterte previously admitted his links to the Davao Death Squad, however. Duterte was the former Mayor of Davao City in the southern island of Mindanao.



"Ako, ako daw death squad? (Me, I'm behind the death squad?)True, that's true," Duterte once said on Philippine radio.



Duterte also questioned Aquino's decision to buy 12 FA-50PH fighter jets from South Korea. The jets, costing $406 million, are the most expensive acquisitions under the Philippine armed forces' modernization program.



The first two jets were delivered to the Philippines in November 2015. The 10 other jets are to arrive before the end of the year. The jets, the first new fighters to arm the badly equipped Philippine Air Force in 40 years, will be used to patrol Philippine islands in the South China Sea.



Duterte, who was the former mayor of Davao City that was plagued by both the Muslim and communist insurgencies, said the jets can't be used to fight the rebels. In a fit of shortsighted pique, he said the two FA-50s delivered to the Air Force can't challenge China. The jets are only good for ceremonial fly-bys, said the uncomprehending Duterte.



"We only have what two FA-50s? Why did you buy that?" asked Duterte.



The Philippine ABS-CBN news network last April published a report that sought to explain Duterte's erratic behavior.



Why Duterte thinks the way he does was explained in a report prepared by a psychologist entered as evidence in annulment proceedings in 1988 filed Duterte's his former wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman. Zimmerman was married to Duterte in 1973 and separated from him in 1998.



The report by Dr. Natividad Dayan, former president of the International Council of Psychologists, concluded Duterte suffers from "Antisocial Narcissistic Personality Disorder."



This is a disorder characterized by "gross indifference, insensitivity and self-centeredness;" a "grandiose sense of self-entitlement and manipulative behaviors" and "pervasive tendency to demean, humiliate others and violate their rights and feelings."



Dr. Dayan's examination of Duterte said he's likely to be "a highly impulsive individual who has difficulty controlling his urges and emotions. He is unable to reflect on the consequences of his actions."



Among the features of this disorder is the "inability for loyalty and commitment, gross indifference to others' needs and feelings heightened by lack of capacity for remorse and guilt."



Duterte also tends to rationalize and justify his wrongdoings, said the report.



"For all his wrongdoings, he tends to rationalize and feel justified. Hence, he seldom feels a sense of guilt or remorse."



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TagsPhilippines, Rodrigo Duterte, china, Philip Goldberg, Barack Obama, Davao Death Squad, Davao City, ABS-CBN, Elizabeth Zimmerman, Dr. Natividad Dayan, Antisocial Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Bayer increases its acquisition bid for Monsanto





Less than four months after Monsantos board unanimously voted to reject the USD $62 billion acquisition bid by Bayer, the parties are again negotiating.

Bayer earlier described its offer as a mutually compelling transaction.

Monsanto, the US-based seed producer, has confirmed that German chemical and pharmaceutical giant, Bayer, has updated its offer to USD127.50 per share in cash, totalling approximately USD $65 billion.

At this early stage, both parties emphasise that there can be no assurance an acquisition will eventuate.

Monsanto is also examining other strategic possibilities in order to determine if a transaction is in the best interests of its shareholders.

Both companies are also long-established, Bayer more than 150 years of history, and Monsanto almost 120.

Monsanto is a seed producer and one of the worlds largest producers of genetically-modified (GM) crops as well as manufacturing herbicides and other related agricultural chemicals.

It its bid is accepted, Bayer will become the worlds largest producer of farming chemicals and seeds.
American flag set ablaze at school - and you won't believe how students react Guest Columnist | 06 September, 2016 by Todd Starnes / Fox News

HEBER CITY, Utah (Christian Examiner)  A reader alerted me to this incredible story of patriotism at a high school in Heber City, Utah:

Student Ben Schofield is known around Wasatch High School for his American spirit. He flies an American flag from the back of his red pickup truck.

"I think it's really important," Ben told Fox 13 in Salt Lake City. "It's not just the material part of the flag, it's the meaning behind it."

The other day someone set fire to Ben's flag in the school parking lot. Part of his truck was scorched by the blaze.

Some of his classmates saw what happened and rushed over to extinguish the fire.

"They pulled into the parking lot and they saw it on fire so they stopped and got it out and then they went and told the office," Ben told Fox 13 in Salt Lake City.

Police and the school district are investigating - they believe another student may be responsible. The motive is unclear.

The following day - students at Wasatch High School - decided to take a stand. Several dozen young people rallied at a nearby Wal-Mart. They wore red, white and blue and most proudly flew Old Glory.

Samantha Emmanuel, one of the participating students, said she and the others were appalled at the vandalism.

"There are thousands and thousands of soldiers (in) a couple different countries right now fighting for you to come to school and then you just burned (the flag) up like that?" student Samantha Emmanuel told television station KSL.

The young patriots boldly sent a message to those who might deface or desecrate the U.S. flag -- we will not be silenced nor will we be bullied.

And sure enough -- the day after his flag was desecrated, Ben showed up to school with the Star-Spangled Banner proudly waving on a post in the truck bed.

"We're just showing that we can fly our flags and we always will," Ben declared.

President Ronald Reagan once said that "freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction."

We owe a debt of gratitude to the moms and dads and educators in Heber City, Utah for raising up a new generation of patriots willing to defend freedom.

Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary, heard on hundreds of radio stations. Sign up for his American Dispatch newsletter, be sure to join hisFacebook page, and follow him on Twitter. His latest book is "God Less America."
Archbishop suspends LGBT activist priest 07 September, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |

NEWARK, N.J. (Christian Examiner)  The archbishop of the Newark diocese has suspended an openly homosexual priest and advocate for full LGBT inclusion in the church  including access to the rite of marriage.

LifesiteNews reported that the priest, Father Warren Hall, was suspended by Archbishop John Myers Wednesday after the priest issued a statement in support of former Catholic school guidance counselor Kate Drumgoole, dismissed from her duties because of her marriage to another woman. Drumgoole is suing Paramus Catholic High School, claiming it violated her civil rights.

Hall's support for Drumgoole is only the latest in a long list of pro-gay statements the priest has made. Hall was formerly a campus minister at Seton Hall University, but was reassigned by Myers and made a local vicar after he announced he was gay. He also continued to advocate for gay rights, posting images on social media favorable to LGBT causes and claiming that he hoped Pope Francis "lives long enough to replace every bishop who doesn't agree with him!!!"

Francis has made several statements suggesting the church may soften its stance on homosexuality, but the theologians of the church have repeatedly walked those statements back. They claimed the pope had been misunderstood and the church's doctrines on marriage, family and human sexuality would not change.

The suspension from the ministry means Hall may no longer call himself a priest or offer the Mass, according to the news service.

Hall announced his suspension via his Twitter account, blaming the dismissal on "my differences with the bishop." He then said the "Pontifex's reform" in the church  presumably an indication that he believes Pope wants to allow same-sex marriage  was taking too long.

The archbishop, Hall said, "doesn't believe you can be gay and Catholic." Myers, however, is standing firmly on Scripture and the teaching of the Catholic Church with respect its doctrines on human sexuality and marriage.

The archdiocese's Communications Director James Goodness told LifesiteNews that the archbishop would not discuss Hall's suspension because it was an internal personnel matter.

However, a news release from the previous week about the case with Drumgoole foreshadowed Hall's dismissal. While speaking of Drumgoole's firing, Archbishop Myers said the church has the right to define its identity and ensure that those who teach its members  especially young people  offer an authentic witness to Catholic teaching. When that doesn't happen, he wrote, the church is "free to take corrective steps to maintain the identity and integrity of her mission." Myers said that right is protected by the U.S. Constitution.

He also wrote that "many have equated, mistakenly, the Church's position of welcoming sinners (for we are all sinners) with the notion that we accept teaching and lifestyles contrary to the principles of our faith that can create scandal in our Church."

"Much has been said in recent days about respect, diversity, and mercy," Myers wrote. "For decades I have taught and written that the Church welcomes everyone and invites everyone to participate in the life of the Church to the degree that they honestly can, while sincerely respecting the teachings of the Church. The invitation to join the life of the Church does not include an invitation to alter or redefine what the Church believes and teaches, nor is it an invitation to allow others to define the identity, mission and message of the Church."
California legislators have passed a bill which targets undercover journalists such as the anti-abortion activists who secretly recorded conversations with Planned Parenthood officials and then released the videos online.

FoxNews.com reports that the bill now goes to Californias Democratic Gov. Jerry Browns desk for approval.

Planned Parenthood supports the bill which would level fines against groups like the Center for Medical Progress for their undercover journalism.

In California, it is already a crime to record and distribute a confidential communication without the consent of the involved parties, but the bill in question would add increased penalties.

In addition to fines, the bill would pave the way for undercover journalists to be prosecuted with up to a year in prison. The bill also specifically targets undercover conversations with health care providers.

Beth Parker, chief legal counsel for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, told the Los Angeles Times, With the Internet and the tremendous wildfire nature in which news can be spread now through social media, we need to have a crime against distribution by those in particular who did the illegal recording.

However, other organizations believe the bill would restrict fundamental rights. In June, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) argued against the bill:

We know of no legitimate governmental reason for singling-out disclosure of all health care provider communications for special criminal sanctions, making the bill vulnerable not only on First Amendment grounds but also on equal protection grounds, said a statement from the ACLU.

The editorial board of The Los Angeles Times added that The potential for unanticipated and unwelcome consequences is huge.

Photo courtesy: flickr.com

Publication date: September 7, 2016
Christian leaders in Russia have reportedly begun to be arrested after the passing of new anti-terrorism laws that ban evangelism outside of churches.

Sergei Zhuravlyov, a representative of the Ukrainian Reformed Orthodox Church of Christ the Savior, was reportedly arrested earlier in August while preaching to the St. Petersburg Messianic Jewish community. He was charged with violating the law that bans illegal missionary activity, according to The Christian Post.

He was accused of "fomenting negative attitudes toward the Russian Orthodox Church" and of being connected to the Ukrainian nationalist political party, a party that is banned in Russia.

Zhuravlyov has been released on bail and his case has been sent to court.

The new law, which was meant to be an anti-terrorism effort, prohibits the ministry of faith in any place that is not a house of worship.

"The new situation resembles the Soviet Union in 1929. At that time confession of faith was permitted only in church," Hannu Haukka, president of Great Commission Media Ministries, said in July. "Practically speaking, we are back in the same situation. These anti-terrorist laws are some of the most restrictive laws in post-Soviet history."

Violations of the law carry a fine of $75 to to $765, but organizations who violate could face fines up to $15,265.

Publication date: September 7, 2016
In Mark Twains classic story, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court, a denizen of nineteenth-century New England named Hank Morgan mysteriously finds himself thrown back into sixth-century England. The resourceful Hartford man, taken for a magician and sentenced to burn at the stake, recalls reading about a total solar eclipse that took place on that date in history. So he warns his captors that if they wont release him, hell blot out the sun. When Arthur and his court wont cooperate, Morgan dramatically delivers on his promise, terrifying their pre-scientific minds and earning himself a place at King Arthurs right-hand.

If you happen to find yourself tied to a stake on August 21st of next year, youll be glad to know that another solar eclipse is on the way. The so-called great American eclipse will plunge viewers from coast to coast into darkness for a dramatic three or so minutes as the moon comes between the earth and the sunalthough youll have to travel to a narrow strip from South Carolina to Oregon to see the sun fully disappear.

This rare event is more than just an amazing light show and a way of escaping execution by superstitious medievals. Its also one of the most dramatic pieces of evidence that our planet and solar system were not accidents, but were designed by God.

Sarah Chaffee at Evolution News and Views cites astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez and philosopher Jay Richards, who argue that our place in the cosmos is designed for discovery. Thats the subtitle of their book, The Privileged Planet, in which they document how vital total solar eclipses are to science.

For example, these phenomena were key in validating Einsteins theory of relativity, which predicted that gravity bends light. By observing stars that are invisible except during an eclipse, astronomers were able to watch the sun bend their light, making them appear out of place in the sky, and confirming Einsteins prediction. Eclipses were also how man first observed solar flares and coronal mass ejections on the surface of the sun. These phenomena are normally invisible to the naked eye, but appear briefly around the edges of the moon during an eclipse.

It turns out the conditions for this dazzling display are incredibly rare. The moon has to be just the right size, orbiting a planet just the right distance from its host star. And it so happens that although the sun is 400 times bigger than the moon, its also (coincidence?) 400 times further from us, meaning that the two objects appear roughly the same size in the sky. This allows the moon to block the sun in precisely the right way for scientists to study the solar atmosphere.

And of course, all of these conditions must be met on a planet that also supports intelligent life capable of appreciating the eclipse. The Earth, conclude Gonzalez and Richards, is uniquely suited as an observatory for such astronomical wondersalmost as if it were designed for that purpose.

Amazingly, many remain unconvinced. Writing at Phys.org, David Dickinson denies that all of this planetary engineering suggests intelligent design. He calls the many preconditions necessary for solar eclipses a happy celestial circumstance. In an article for the Wall Street Journal last year, I used a different term for our place in the universe: miracle.

Folks, ours truly is a privileged planet, and not just because its the only place in the known universe where life exists and thrives. Its also uniquely-situated to give us a front-row seat on some of the most spectacular and scientifically useful sights in the heavens. We were placed here to discover. And that fact eclipses even the wonder of watching the sun disappear.

BreakPoint is a Christian worldview ministry that seeks to build and resource a movement of Christians committed to living and defending Christian worldview in all areas of life. Begun by Chuck Colson in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on todays news and trends via radio, interactive media, and print. Today BreakPoint commentaries, co-hosted by Eric Metaxas and John Stonestreet, air daily on more than 1,200 outlets with an estimated weekly listening audience of eight million people. Feel free to contact us at BreakPoint.org where you can read and search answers to common questions.

Eric Metaxas is a co-host of BreakPoint Radio and a best-selling author whose biographies, children's books, and popular apologetics have been translated into more than a dozen languages.

Publication date: September 7, 2016
Two faith-based organizations have partnered together to provide and complete a 10-week leadership program on the intersection of church and community development.

Called the C2 Leadership Institute, the program was hosted by Korean Churches for Community Development (KCCD), and funded by a grant given by the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE). Six interns, including a high school student, college student, a pastor, and working professionals, were hosted by separate local church sites and met once a week with all together with Hyepin Im, the president of KCCD, from June 28 to August 25.

During those weekly meetings, interns were able to learn about potential partnerships that churches could form with leaders in the government, corporate, and media contexts, and were able to hear from guest speakers such as Artesia Mayor Victor Manalo, Los Angeles City Council member David Ryu, Los Angeles Times reporter Jaweed Kaleem, policy analyst from the Los Angeles Office of Immigrant Affairs Jessica Caloza, and Epic Movements executive director Margaret Yu, among others.

The C2 Leadership Institute was birthed out of a desire to equip churches with tools to partner with the media, to be engaged in advocacy and other works, and to equip them to be able to collaborate with government and corporate and other entities, said Im at the internship graduation ceremony held at Los Angeles City Hall on Thursday.

I was struck with awe at the power and potential for power that these interns hold in impacting the community, said Darlene Hutto, the director of grants and fellowships at the FTE. Its one thing to read a grant proposal, and another to see it embodied.

Our community awaits your leadership, Hutto said to the internship graduates.

KCCDs internship is one of thousands of programs for which the FTE has provided resources since its foundation in 1954. The FTE offers numerous fellowship opportunities for young adults who are nominated by their church or school leaders, including the Ministry Exploration and Mentoring Grants, and fellowships for doctoral students. It also offers grants for congregations and organizations, including the pastoral internship grant, mentoring for young adults grant, and vocational resources grant. Fellowships are mostly $1,500 per young adult, and grants are $10,000 each.
Mother Teresa, the acclaimed nun who served the poorest of the poor in the Indian city of Kolkata all her life, was canonized by Pope Francis in Vatican city.

"For the honor of the Blessed Trinity... we declare and define Blessed Teresa of Calcutta [Kolkata] to be a Saint and we enroll her among the Saints, decreeing that she is to be venerated as such by the whole Church," the Pope said on Sunday morning.

Thousands attended the canonization ceremony of Mother Teresa at St. Peter's square, which declared her as Saint Teresa of Kolkata.

"A saint is an exemplar of holiness for others. The processes of beatification and canonization do not make a saint, but recognizes the spectacular holiness of someone as a model for how to love God above all else and one's neighbor in God through Christ," John O'Callaghan wrote in an opinion on Fox News.

"I think, perhaps, we may have some difficulty in calling her St. Teresa: Her holiness is so near to us, so tender and so fruitful, that we continue to spontaneously call her Mother Teresa," the pontiff said in his unscripted remarks.

She fed and comforted thousands of those who were left to die on the streets of Kolkata at Missionaries of Charity which was established in 1950. She gave her life working for the poor till her death in 1997. The organization cares for former prostitutes, the mentally ill, sick and abandoned children, lepers, people with AIDS, and the aged. The charity home includes shelter for women, orphaned children, terminally ill patients, and people with leprosy. The institution also houses schools for street children.

"She bowed down before those who were spent, left to die on the side of the road, seeing in them their God-given dignity," Francis said. "She made her voice heard before the powers of this world, so that they might recognize their guilt for the crime of poverty they created. For Mother Teresa, mercy was the 'salt' which gave flavour to her work, it was the 'light' which shone in the darkness of the many who no longer had tears to shed for their poverty and suffering."

People had come from different parts of Europe and world, including from her home country Albania and the country of her residence, India, where she had spent most of her life.

She was beatified in 2003 by St. John Paul II.

She began her missionary work with the poor in 1948 and received basic medical training in the Holy Family Hospital, after which she started living in the slums. In 1949, she started a new community to help the poor.

In 1946, while travelling by train, Mother Teresa had an experience which she described as a "call within the call."

"I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. It was an order. To fail would have been to break the faith," she said.

That is when she decided she would leave the comforts of Loreto convent [her former congregation] to live with the poor.

"Our Lord wants me to be a free nun covered with the poverty of the cross. Today I learned a good lesson. The poverty of the poor must be so hard for them. While looking for a home I walked and walked till my arms and legs ached. I thought how much they must ache in body and soul, looking for a home, food and health," she is quoted as saying in one of her recorded memoirs.
A Virginia school board asked the Supreme Court in late August to hear its case and address how much authority federal officials hold in dictating regulation concerning gender and bathrooms in public schools.

An official from the Department of Education sent a letter to the Gloucester County School Board in January 2015, writing that the board must allow transgender to use facilities that align with their gender identities.

Gavin Grimm, the student at the center of the case, sued the school board, saying that requiring students to use bathrooms that do not align with their gender identities is discriminatory. A federal district court as well as the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the school board.

The school argues that the letter is about as informal an agency document as one can imagine The letter was not publicized; there is no evidence it was approved by the head of an agency; and it was signed only by a relatively low-level federal functionary.

In its petition, the school board requests for the justices to review the Auer doctrine, a precedent set in 1997 by which courts defer to a federal agencys interpretation of regulation, arguing that the Auer deference effectively gives an agency the power to invade the province of both Congress and the courts in determining federal law on all kinds of issues of interest to all kinds of constituencies.

By a 5-3 vote, the justice contended that Gloucester County is not required to modify its bathroom policies while the case is pending, putting on hold a previous ruling that required the school board to do so.

In May, the Obama administration issued a letter to all federally funded schools to ensure that students are given access to facilities, such as locker rooms and bathrooms, that are consistent with their gender identity. In the following months, 21 states sued the administration to halt the directive, according to the Washington Post.
Grand Canyon Salsa Festival is coming to Flagstaff. The Sept. 8-11 dance celebration will bring together some of the top professional dance talents from the local, national, and international performance and competition circuits.

Grand Canyon Salsa Festival is the first of its kind and largest Latin dance festival in northern Arizona that involves local community and hosts attendees from all over the world. For four days, leaders and innovators of various Latin dance styles will provide instruction.

The event starts on Thursday morning with the Grand Canyon National Park tour, featuring a picnic and dancing with the canyon as a dramatic backdrop. Thursday night, special guest instructor Mike Eskeldson from Oregon will host a special Cuban Rueda Workshop that will take place at the Tranzend Studio, 417 W. Santa Fe Ave., at 8 p.m.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday festival workshops with social dances and professional dance shows will take place at the Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort.

The festival will offer simultaneous workshops every hour for 6 hours a day for 2.5 days, for all skill levels from beginner to advanced. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn salsa, bachata, boogaloo - cha cha cha, zouk, kizomba, samba, pachanga and more.

Every night Thursday to Sunday, community members are welcome to come see some of the best dancers in the region and the world perform on a nightly basis and get out on the floor themselves till the early hours.

Tickets are available at grandcanyonsalsafestival.org.

Special needs kids invited to Stage Buddies

The innovative Stage Buddies program is back for its second year. This year's production will be of Rudyard Kipling's classic story "The Jungle Book." The program within Theatrikos youth arm TheatriKIDS pairs students with disabilities with seasoned youth actors. Auditions will be held today from 4-6 p.m. at the Doris Harper-White Playhouse, 11 W. Cherry Ave.

Stage Buddies is the brainchild of 16-year-old Areya Kugler who won a Viola Award for it in March. Kugler directed the inaugural Stage Buddies production "Alice in Wonderland" last year. "Alice in Wonderland" featured several special needs actors of various abilities. Two of the actors were non-verbal and played their lines using computer tablets. Kids are also needed for backstage work.

Students with disabilities and experienced youth actors are all invited to today's auditions. For more information, visit theatrikos.com or call 774-1662.
I had the privilege or reading a pre-release version of "God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church." Here are 20 quotes from the book, which you should pick up.
Local churches, ideally, are places of unity: striving to affirm their members shared identity and create a sense of belonging, whether through potlucks, small groups, or doctrinal statements. They also can be places of great diversitypoints of intersection where distinctions in culture, history, and even belief can lead to friction or celebration (or, more often than not, both).

For some church members, that diversity can be a frightening obstacle, prompting them to wall themselves off and hunker down in cultural and theological foxholes. For leaders like Chris Castaldo, though, the churchs variety is an invitation to charitable dialogueespecially between Protestants and Catholics.

A Long Island native, Castaldo was born and raised a Catholic before converting to Protestantism. He now serves as lead pastor of Naperville, Illinoiss New Covenant Church; however, equipping evangelicals for constructive interaction with Catholic friends and loved ones, as his site states, has long been a centerpiece of his ministry.

We asked Castaldo to share what hes learned about bridging the Protestant-Catholic divide. Heres what he had to say:

We read in John 1:14 that Jesus came full of grace and truth. So often, when we sit down with Catholic family and friends to discuss faith, we fall off one side of the horse or the other: Were either foaming-at-the-mouth pit bulls going for the jugular, or were so open-minded that our brains fall out. I think that our opportunity, our calling, is to be people of theological integrity who articulate clearly and cogently what the Bible teaches, and at the same time, just as we take the Bible seriously, to take people seriouslyto ...

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Phyllis Schlafly, who labeled herself a housewife, called 1964 one of the most productive years of her life: I was running the Illinois Federation of Republican Women; I wrote A Choice, Not an Echo; I self-published it; I went to the Republican convention; wrote a second book, The Gravediggersnow were in SeptemberI was giving speeches for Barry Goldwater, and in November I had a baby.

When Steve Inskeep, host of NPRs Morning Edition, announced the news of Schlaflys death, I assumed he would interview an academic happy to expose (with feminist animus) the hypocrisy of a woman who benefited from womens rights and also opposed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Instead, Inskeep talked with Penny Young Nance, CEO and president of Concerned Women for America. Nance described the legacy Schlafly has left for conservative women and, in her closing elegiac remarks, called Schlafly kind and strong.

Somewhat ruefully, I admire the woman who championed the role of homemakers. In the current culture, however, its a lot easier to be embarrassed by her. Her grassroots activism prevented adoption of the ERA, which passed both houses of Congress and was approved by 35 statesjust three short of the 38 needed for ratification. In a 1975 debate at Indiana University, Betty Friedan, author of The Feminist Mystique, declared that Schlafly deserved to burn at the stake for her opposition to ERA. In her 1987 book, Just a Housewife, feminist scholar Glenna Matthews practically dedicated her work to opposing Schlafly. (Feminists need to take a serious, sustained, and sympathetic interest in the home, Matthews writes, because it is too valuable an ...

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Christian Psychologist Offers Free Resource for Feuding Couples



LAKE MARY, Fla., Sept. 7, 2016 /



This free e-book is available exclusively at



"If you don't learn how to resolve conflict, your marriage will slowly die. It will choke on smoldering resentments and bitterness," Dr. Clarke says. "If you do learn how to resolve conflict, your marriage will be free to grow and thrive. It will be alive and refreshed with closeness and passion and joy and fun."



Dr. Clarke is author of nine books, including Married But Lonely and What Happened to Happily Ever After? He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Western Conservative Baptist Seminary. Dr. Clarke has also appeared on numerous television and radio programs including, Focus on the Family, the Christian Television Network, and LeSea Broadcasting Network.

Share Tweet Contact: Althea Thompson, 407-333-0600 ext 3406LAKE MARY, Fla., Sept. 7, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- One out of two marriages in America will end in divorce this year. Could the reason be that many loving couples fail at handling their inevitable conflicts? Christian psychologist and author David E. Clarke, PhD, releases a free e-book resource, The Conflict-Busting Formula, to help couples learn a new conflict pattern so their marriage can be free to grow and thrive.This free e-book is available exclusively at conflictbusting.com . With over twenty-five years of full-time private practice counseling experience, Dr. Clarke says every couple already has a conflict pattern, but it doesn't work. He challenges couples to take on his new method to see results."If you don't learn how to resolve conflict, your marriage will slowly die. It will choke on smoldering resentments and bitterness," Dr. Clarke says. "If you do learn how to resolve conflict, your marriage will be free to grow and thrive. It will be alive and refreshed with closeness and passion and joy and fun."Dr. Clarke is author of nine books, including Married But Lonely and What Happened to Happily Ever After? He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Western Conservative Baptist Seminary. Dr. Clarke has also appeared on numerous television and radio programs including, Focus on the Family, the Christian Television Network, and LeSea Broadcasting Network.
While Children Suffer, We Will Not be Silent -- Challenges Paul Cole of Christian Men's Network Contact: Lynn Scarborough, 469-992-3556



GRAPEVINE, Texas, Sept. 7, 2016 /



"CMN is more than a ministry, we are a human justice mission strategically focused to defeat fatherlessness, stop child abuse, and set men free who are trapped in sexual dysfunction," states Dr. Paul Cole, CMN cofounder and president. "We are fully committed to the imperative that every child deserves a loving dad."



CMN was cofounded by Maximized Manhood author Edwin Louis Cole in 1977. CMN books, curriculum and videos are the most widely used men's discipleship resources in the world. Pastors, churches, business leaders, government officials, school administrators, and prison chaplains find CMN materials remarkably effective in any culture or community. Dedicated men from all streams of Christianity are invited to Lions Roar on November 9-11, at Gateway Church in Grand Prairie, TX.



"The reason for gathering these influential leaders is to express practical answers to the issues that face our world. Leaders are coming from the rugged streets of West Baltimore, the rough and tumble favelas of Rio, the tumultuous Philippines, and more." states Cole. "Over 50 nations will be represented. We are captured by the mission, to bring life into a dying world, proclaim freedom to the oppressed and downtroddento give others hope."



Featured speakers include a host of church-builders and fathers in the faith such as Casey Treat, Peter Lowe, Alex Mitala, Dale O'Shields, Dennis Peacocke, Nick Caine, and more. They will join CMN's core team of Michael Murphy of Australia, Robert Barriger of Peru, Dale Bronner of Atlanta, Doug Stringer of Somebody Cares, Houston, Dwayne Pickett of Jackson, Jim Garlow of San Diego, and Leon Fontaine of Winnepeg.



In today's cultural confusion, the call for Christlike manhood has never been stronger, and the need has never been greater for men of faith to stand strong for their families, fight for the fatherless, and embrace their life "Mission." Lions Roar 2016 will focus on helping Christian leaders advance and expand their mission with strategies that include mentoring, youth camps, social media, building strong families and powerful social communities.



"The Mission is alive. The Mission is unstoppable. The Mission is Jesus Christ," Cole states. "It is important for men to remember the words of Jesus, that, 'You didn't choose the mission, the mission chose you!'" explains Cole.



The theme for the Lions Roar Global Men's Summit is "Mission!" Meetings will be held at Gateway Church, Grand Prairie, TX on Wednesday-Friday, November 9-11. Information can be obtained at 817-437-4888 or



*National Fatherhood Initiative, Statistics on Father Absence + Involvement; US Census Bureau 2012.

Share Tweet Contact: Lynn Scarborough, 469-992-3556GRAPEVINE, Texas, Sept. 7, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Experts attribute much of the suffering that children experience (poverty, drug addiction, hunger, health, lack of education, suicide) to father absent homes.* At Christian Men's Network (CMN) Lions Roar Global Men's Summit, November 9-11, 2016 a dynamic lineup of world leaders will strategize and advance the mission to reduce the worldwide epidemic of fatherlessness, sexual addiction, child abuse, and how to build strong men, families, and churches."CMN is more than a ministry, we are a human justice mission strategically focused to defeat fatherlessness, stop child abuse, and set men free who are trapped in sexual dysfunction," states Dr. Paul Cole, CMN cofounder and president. "We are fully committed to the imperative that every child deserves a loving dad."CMN was cofounded by Maximized Manhood author Edwin Louis Cole in 1977. CMN books, curriculum and videos are the most widely used men's discipleship resources in the world. Pastors, churches, business leaders, government officials, school administrators, and prison chaplains find CMN materials remarkably effective in any culture or community. Dedicated men from all streams of Christianity are invited to Lions Roar on November 9-11, at Gateway Church in Grand Prairie, TX."The reason for gathering these influential leaders is to express practical answers to the issues that face our world. Leaders are coming from the rugged streets of West Baltimore, the rough and tumble favelas of Rio, the tumultuous Philippines, and more." states Cole. "Over 50 nations will be represented. We are captured by the mission, to bring life into a dying world, proclaim freedom to the oppressed and downtroddento give others hope."Featured speakers include a host of church-builders and fathers in the faith such as Casey Treat, Peter Lowe, Alex Mitala, Dale O'Shields, Dennis Peacocke, Nick Caine, and more. They will join CMN's core team of Michael Murphy of Australia, Robert Barriger of Peru, Dale Bronner of Atlanta, Doug Stringer of Somebody Cares, Houston, Dwayne Pickett of Jackson, Jim Garlow of San Diego, and Leon Fontaine of Winnepeg.In today's cultural confusion, the call for Christlike manhood has never been stronger, and the need has never been greater for men of faith to stand strong for their families, fight for the fatherless, and embrace their life "Mission." Lions Roar 2016 will focus on helping Christian leaders advance and expand their mission with strategies that include mentoring, youth camps, social media, building strong families and powerful social communities."The Mission is alive. The Mission is unstoppable. The Mission is Jesus Christ," Cole states. "It is important for men to remember the words of Jesus, that, 'You didn't choose the mission, the mission chose you!'" explains Cole.The theme for the Lions Roar Global Men's Summit is "Mission!" Meetings will be held at Gateway Church, Grand Prairie, TX on Wednesday-Friday, November 9-11. Information can be obtained at 817-437-4888 or www.LionsRoar2016.com . Register today. Group Registration available.*National Fatherhood Initiative, Statistics on Father Absence + Involvement; US Census Bureau 2012.
Ratio Christi Announces Symposium for Cultural Engagement: 'Moving Forward in a Backward World'

Contact: Sheryl Young,

813-486-8594,

sherylyoung@ratiochristi.org



INDIAN TRAIL, N.C., Sept. 7, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Ratio Christi announces its Sixth Annual Apologetics Symposium and Student Retreat to take place Saturday and Sunday, October 15 and 16, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Theme: "Cultural Engagement: Moving Forward in a Backward World."



Keynote Banquet Speaker: Everett Piper, Ph.D., President, Oklahoma Wesleyan University.



Topic: "This is Not a Day Care: Answering the Absurdity"



Plenary Speaker: Carol Swain, Ph.D., Professor, Vanderbilt University.

The Symposium and Student Retreat, in conjunction with Southern Evangelical Seminary's National Conference on Apologetics, will encompass these topics and more: Cultural Engagement, Race Relations, Free Speech in Academia, and Overreach of Government into Religious Freedom.



Ratio Christi Campus Apologetics Alliance has over 170 chapters at colleges and universities in the U.S and abroad. The mission is to equip students and faculty to give historical, philosophical, and scientific reasons for following Jesus Christ. These chapters provide a friendly venue for atheists, skeptics, and adherents to any religion to investigate the claims of Christianity, discuss religious beliefs, and seek truth without fearing reprisal.



In the past two years, Ratio Christi has also started two new initiatives, already rapidly expanding: RC College Prep for high school students, now with 30 clubs, and RC Prof, a ministry to professors.



Dr. Piper is most recently known for exposing universities that allow a "victim mentality" which empowers students to shut down opinions that differ from their own.



Dr. Swain is an African American conservative professor of political science and law. She is vocal in contesting academic discrimination against professors with biblical worldviews and passionate about empowering others to have a public voice.



Ratio Christi President and CEO Corey Miller:

"The American church is rapidly moving into an age of exile. The increased Christianophobia requires a communicative rhetoric that is both culturally sensitive and spiritually bold if we wish to not only survive but also to flourish. We need to be smart in how we engage our culture with the truth of Christ."

This event is open to the public. Registration includes the options of attending SES Conference events, Ratio Christi Symposium, RC Student Retreat (for high school and college students), and the Benefit Banquet. Those interested in registering can visit the Ratio Christi website event page.



Media Representatives can obtain press passes to cover the Symposium and arrange interviews with Drs. Miller, Piper, and Swain before or during the conference by contacting Sheryl Young, Media Outreach Coordinator, sherylyoung@ratiochristi.org or (813) 486-8594.
The Holy Christian Orthodox Church Announces the Sainthood of Martin Luther King Jr. of Georgia Contact: Archbishop David J. Billings, III, 800-459-0991 ext 1010



SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Sept. 7, 2016 /



In June 2013, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was nominated for Sainthood by the HCOC, a convergence communion of churches comprised of over 4 million churches globally. The Holy Christian Orthodox Church, also known as the Communion of Churches embraces the Eastern Orthodox Church tradition of glorification, which differs from the Roman Catholic Church in terms of canonization, which is followed by beautification.



The Eastern Orthodox Church tradition is canonization to glorification. Glorification includes that the person in sainthood will get an icon. However, Martyrs require no formal glorification. The self-sacrifice on behalf of their faith and lack of evidence of any un-Christian behavior at the time of death is sufficient.



This icon depicts Martin Luther King, one of the martyrs of the Twentieth Century. He was an ordained minister of the Baptist Church. From 1955 until his death, he led a campaign of nonviolent resistance in the United States against racial oppression and injustice. The number he wears around his neck is from a "mug shot" taken one of the many times he was arrested by American police for resisting unjust laws. The prison bars behind him represent the occasions he was placed in jail, and also the oppression and slavery of Afro-Americans in the United States. The text on his scroll is from his speech in Albany, Georgia, on December 14, 1961. The Greek inscription by his head reads, "Holy Martin." Since the eighteenth century, the faith of African American Christians in America has been tied to the struggle for freedom. Martin Luther King renewed the bond between faith and political action like the Old Testament prophets. Although his life was threatened many times, he continued to expose himself to danger. He was shot on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.



The glorification ceremony on Friday, will include the unveiling of the Saint Martin Luther King, Jr. icon and the inclusion of the sainted martyr in the All Saints Day observance in Christian calendars around the world.

Share Tweet Contact: Archbishop David J. Billings, III, 800-459-0991 ext 1010SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Sept. 7, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Archbishop Timothy Paul, president of the World Bishops Council and Patriarch of the Holy Christian Orthodox Church (HCOC) and Christian leaders from across the globe, along with local and national civic leaders will gather together for the glorification of Saint Martin Luther King on Friday, September 9, 2016 at 6 p.m.In June 2013, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was nominated for Sainthood by the HCOC, a convergence communion of churches comprised of over 4 million churches globally. The Holy Christian Orthodox Church, also known as the Communion of Churches embraces the Eastern Orthodox Church tradition of glorification, which differs from the Roman Catholic Church in terms of canonization, which is followed by beautification.The Eastern Orthodox Church tradition is canonization to glorification. Glorification includes that the person in sainthood will get an icon. However, Martyrs require no formal glorification. The self-sacrifice on behalf of their faith and lack of evidence of any un-Christian behavior at the time of death is sufficient.This icon depicts Martin Luther King, one of the martyrs of the Twentieth Century. He was an ordained minister of the Baptist Church. From 1955 until his death, he led a campaign of nonviolent resistance in the United States against racial oppression and injustice. The number he wears around his neck is from a "mug shot" taken one of the many times he was arrested by American police for resisting unjust laws. The prison bars behind him represent the occasions he was placed in jail, and also the oppression and slavery of Afro-Americans in the United States. The text on his scroll is from his speech in Albany, Georgia, on December 14, 1961. The Greek inscription by his head reads, "Holy Martin." Since the eighteenth century, the faith of African American Christians in America has been tied to the struggle for freedom. Martin Luther King renewed the bond between faith and political action like the Old Testament prophets. Although his life was threatened many times, he continued to expose himself to danger. He was shot on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.The glorification ceremony on Friday, will include the unveiling of the Saint Martin Luther King, Jr. icon and the inclusion of the sainted martyr in the All Saints Day observance in Christian calendars around the world.
home World 100,000 Chilean pro-lifers gather to protest against abortion bill

About 100,000 pro-life protesters gathered in Santiago, Chile to participate in the "Celebrate Life" rally last Saturday.

Evangelical Christians and Catholics are challenging the pro-abortion bill pushed by Chilean president Michele Bachelet. The legislation will allow the termination of pregnancies for the unborn who were conceived in rape, those with medical conditions deemed to be incompatible with life, and cases which endanger the mother.

The Christian Democratic Party was criticized at the rally for its support for the bill. "It is a mockery that members of a party that calls itself 'Christian' dare to legalize the killing of the innocent," said Carmen Croxatto of Chile's Pro-Life Pro-Family Network.

Pro-life leaders made the promise that they will not vote for any candidate or party that supports the bill. Elizabeth Bunster of Chiles es Vida expressed her concern that even abortion in limited cases can end up with "horrific consequences."

"The Christian Democrats need to understand that if they don't stop this legislation, they will be responsible for the resulting deaths of the innocent, the suffering for women and the destruction which follows in abortion's path," she added.

Christian Democrats have previously opposed the legislation due to their concerns about the provision that allows abortion in cases of rape. Sen. Carolina Goic, the party's leader, surprisingly voted in favor of the bill.

Socialists have been vocal in their support for the bill. "We believe it's an atrocity to force an 11-year-old girl, victim of rape, to keep her baby, or to risk the life of a woman when her pregnancy can cause her death," said Socialist Party Sen. Fulvio Rossi.

The pro-abortion bill was approved by three out of five senators this Tuesday. The draft still needs to go through the constitutional commission before it can be debated in the higher chamber.

Reforming Chile's abortion laws was one of Bachelet's campaign promises when she ran for re-election in 2013. Abortion was legalized in Chile in 1930 but the dictator Augusto Pinochet banned the procedure in 1989.
home World Church of England's first gay bishop says he understands Christians who condemn his appointment

The Church of England's (C of E) first openly gay bishop has said he understands the intense criticism he has received from his brothers and sisters in Christ.

His appointment as a bishop in the C of E has received diverse feedback since it was first announced. The Bishop of Grantham, Nicholas Chamberlain, who is celibate despite being in a long-term same-sex relationship, in submission to Church rules, recently said to The Guardian, "There has been direct response a I've had a lot of emails a which has been concerned, or anxious, and even angry, but not very much of that and I do understand that."

Meanwhile, the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Gafcon), a conservative group of Anglicans worldwide, condemned Chamberlain's designation.

"There are aspects of this appointment which are a serious cause for concern for biblically orthodox Anglicans around the world, and therefore we believe that this appointment is a major error," read Gafcon's statement.

Chamberlain expressed his understanding regarding this statement, saying that he has read it and has listened to the news about it.

According to reports, he never meant to hide his gender. Then and now, Chamberlain shared that all he wants is to focus on and prioritize his ministry, his service to God and the people he is surrounded with. He said that he has done that and will continue to do so as a gay man.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has said to the BBC that he knew of Chamberlain's committed relationship with his partner. Chamberlain's appointment as a bishop was "made on the basis of his skills and calling to serve the church in the diocese of Lincoln."

Welby added, "He lives within the bishops' guidelines and his sexuality is completely irrelevant to his office."
home Faith Franklin Graham urges Christians to vote, says 2016 elections are the 'most critical in our lifetime'

Franklin Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, has encouraged Christians to vote in this year's U.S. presidential elections, because he considers the coming election as the "most critical in our lifetime."

"I'm not telling people who to vote for, but I am telling Christians to vote. I believe the election coming up in November is the most critical in our lifetime a so much hangs in the balance," he posted on Facebook.

Graham told Christians to encourage their friends and family to be informed about the candidates' platforms. Although he did not endorse a particular candidate, he referred to a page on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) that highlighted the differences between Democrats and Republicans.

"The question to ask is which one most closely aligns with biblical values," he added.

The website listed several key issues and gave a brief explanation about each party's position on the issue. Some of these include the sanctity of human life, marriage, religious freedom, federal judges, national defense, terrorism and immigration.

The younger Graham launched the Decision America Tour earlier this year as an effort to inspire Christians to vote. During his visit to Louisiana, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the two major political parties.

"I have zero hope in the Democratic Party but before you Republicans start high-fiving each other, I have zero hope in the Republican Party a or any other political parties. The only hope for our nation is the Almighty God," Graham announced.

While Graham has not endorsed anyone, he told Christians to vote for a candidate that will listen to them and give them a voice. Although Graham attended Donald Trump's closed door meeting with 900 pastors and political leaders last June, he insisted that he is not endorsing Trump.

The September issue of Decision magazine published by BGEA will feature the contrasting platforms of Hillary Clinton and Trump. Mark DeMoss, the spokesman for BGEA revealed to The Christian Post that the magazine had published election-themed editions in the past.
PHOENIX -- Gov. Doug Ducey is refusing take sides in the latest dust-up between his party's presidential nominee and the state's junior senator.

"I'm supporting Republicans across the board," the governor said Tuesday after being asked about Donald Trump sending out a pair of tweets this weekend blasting Jeff Flake. In one, the candidate called out Flake as "weak and ineffective."

But Trump didn't start the latest spat.

The messages followed Flake appearing on Sunday talk shows saying he still could not commit to voting for the party's nominee and calling what Trump said in Phoenix last week about his immigration policy "just confusing."

Ducey, for his part, won't intercede.

"We're going to let the campaign play out," the governor said.

"We'll know in the next 60-plus days who the next president is," he continued. "But you know where my support is."

And Ducey said that, whatever Trump's flaws, he considers the real estate billionaire a better alternative than Hillary Clinton.

The latest very public dust-up is a continuation of the rocky relationship Flake and Trump have had now for some time.

In July, Trump met behind closed doors with U.S. senators. When Flake stood up to introduce himself, Trump said, "You've been very critical of me."

Flake conceded the point, saying he's "the other senator from Arizona, the one who didn't get captured." Flake had lashed out at Trump following a 2015 comment from the candidate that John McCain is not a war hero because he was captured during the Vietnam War.

"I like people who weren't captured," Trump said at the time.

It got no better this weekend.

On a pair of talk shows Sunday, Flake repeated that he cannot commit to voting for Trump. And he took a specific swat at Trump's speech the prior Wednesday in Phoenix where the candidate said if he is elected there would be no path to legal status for any of the 11 million people in this country illegally.

"Some people said it was a hardening," Flake said. "Some said softening. I say it was just confusing."

Flake also described Trump's plan to build a border wall and have Mexico pay for it as unrealistic.

And he said that Trump could end up having Arizona do something it hasn't done since 1996: support a Democrat for president.

"Arizona should still be a red state," Flake said. "But Donald Trump, with the rhetoric that he's under and the characterizations of many of the state's population, have put the state in play."

Trump wasted no time in responding.

"The Republican Party needs strong and committed leaders, not weak people such as Jeff Flake, if it is going to stop illegal immigration," he tweeted Sunday afternoon.

Two hours later, Trump was back online, saying "The Great State of Arizona, where I just had a massive rally (amazing people), has a very weak and ineffective Senator, Jeff Flake. Sad!"
home World Pope Francis: Ignoring the suffering of others is a grave sin

Pope Francis urged Christians to recognize the suffering of others because it would be a grave sin to ignore it.

The pope added that the plight of those who suffer today should motivate Christians to offer new signs of mercy. He made the comments on Sunday, Sept. 3, to the pilgrims in Rome for Mother Teresa's canonization.

"I will never tire of saying that the mercy of God is not some beautiful idea but rather a concrete action," the pope said. "There is no mercy without concreteness. Mercy is not doing something good while passing by; it means involving yourself there where there is evil, where there is sickness, where there is hunger, where there is human exploitation," he added.

The pope and the pilgrims listened to testimonies of people who devoted their lives to serve others. Sister Mary Sally shared how she was filled with love and enthusiasm despite the violence in Yemen. She belongs to the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa, and the sole survivor of an attack at a nursing home that killed 16 people.

"We beg God to continue using our nothingness to make the church present in the world today through the mission entrusted to us by our Mother Teresa, even amid dangerous surroundings," she said.

Pope Francis told the audience that the Church cannot turn its back on those who are crying out for mercy. He thanked the volunteers for their work and acknowledged that they are "among the most precious things in the church." He also encouraged them to follow Mother Teresa's example before leading them in a silent prayer.

Around 120,000 gathered at St. Peter's Square the next day to witness the canonization ceremony of Mother Teresa. The pope highlighted her dedication to defend the life of the unborn and took note of her courage to confront powerful people.
home Faith Evangelicals come together to support relief projects for Italy earthquake survivors

Groups of evangelicals have joined forces to offer aid to the victims of Italy's tragic earthquake on Aug. 24 that claimed at least 294 lives.

Members of 40 global and national evangelical groups gathered together to discuss how they can extend relief to those in need.



The meeting was led by the Italian Evangelical Alliance (AEI), the Federation of Pentecostal Churches in Italy (FCP), together with the evangelical relief group Coevema and convened last Aug 29 in Borbona, near Amatrice.

The group will focus on emotional support, education, and outreach and aid for children and the elderly. This will be done in camps, schools and places where the survivors are staying.

In a statement titled, "'The Borbona commitment'," the group said: "When the media attention will decrease, and the emotional wave will fade, only a commitment before God will be able to produce perseverance in the action for the glory of God."

The evangelical group has agreed that division is not helpful and will only prevent what they want to accomplish.

"It is rather convenient to coordinate the efforts in order to bring together into a single stream the various initiatives, to be more incisive in the aid and bringing the comforting Word of God and show the Way of salvation," the statement read.

Through the the Borbona commitment, the group made a statement of faith, a confession of their initial inaction, and a unified commitment to help the victims.

There are an estimated 400 people who have been injured by the quake and almost 2,500 people lost their homes. An appeal to support those in need was launched by the Federation of the Evangelical Churches in Italy. Details on the fundraising campaign may be found here.
home World ISIS torture chambers for women discovered; Contraceptives, sexual stimulation and narcotic pills found

An ISIS torture cell for female prisoners has been found by fighters of the Manbij Military Council in Manbij, Syria.

"We found various kinds of pills, including sexual stimulation, contraceptives and narcotic pills which were used by the Islamic State group for torture," said Omar Mazerli, the military council group leader, to Arab24.

"They have very strange ways. This place was very hard to find and it is well hidden, but we got here with God's will and the efforts of the Military Council," he added.

The prison facility was said to have separate cells for groups and solitary prisoners.

A video showed the prison rooms to be in unsanitary condition. The fighters took footage of the disheveled blankets, mattresses and pillows, as well as dog bowls used as plates.

On the wall, an inscription in Arabic was translated as: "God, I have wronged myself, and no one forgives sins but you. Forgive me, you are forgiving and merciful."

Manbij is one of the towns that has been liberated from ISIS in the past month. The city was referred to as "little London" because of the considerable number of British jihadists in the area, a Sky News correspondent reported.

Women took off their niqabs and men shaved each other's beards to celebrate the liberation of the city.

Last March, the New York Times reported that ISIS fighters are forcing their female captives to ingest birth control pills before having intercourse them.

A 16-year old girl who was repeatedly raped revealed that she was given a box of pills every month and she had to swallow a pill everyday. Later on, she learned that these were birth control pills.

Many of the captured women were Yazidis. The women reported that ISIS uses several methods to prevent pregnancies. ISIS cites an obscure Islamic law that requires a man to make sure that a female captive is not pregnant before sexual intercourse.
Algerian Christian sentenced to 3 years in jail for 'insulting Islam'

An Algerian Christian convert has been sentenced to three years in prison for "insulting Islam" in a series of Facebook posts.

Slimane Bouhafs, 49, was sentenced on Tuesday by an appeals court in the Muslim majority country, after being arrested on July 31.

He was previously charged with blasphemy and sentenced to prison for five years on August 7; the maximum sentence for blasphemy.

Human rights campaigners are calling for his immediate release.

"Algerian courts have no business judging people's religious beliefs and opinions," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch (HRW).

"Algeria should urgently revise its penal code to stop criminalizing peaceful free expression, including views that may insult Islam and the prophet," she said.

The court's judgement said Bouhafs had "shared four distorted Koranic verses and photos offensive to the Prophet, as well as articles denigrating the Islamic religion," and that his conviction was on the basis of a series of online posts between May and June 2016.

These included "a caricature representing the Prophet Mohamed as a terrorist" and other posts "slandering Islam as a religion of intolerance and hatred."

According to HRW, Bouhafs shared on Facebook an open letter he had written to the secretary general of the UN, in which he denounced the "Islamisation of Algerian society" and the repression of Ahmadi Muslims and Christians.

HRW believes Bauhafs' rights were violated in court, and he was not informed of his right to a lawyer or the right to postpone his trial.

The Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights has also condemned Bouhafs' verdict.

There are just 39,000 Christians among Algeria's population of more than 40 million, which is predominantly Muslim. The country ranks 37th on persecution charity Open Doors' list of places where it is most dangerous to be a Christian, and the charity has said the government is coming under increasing pressure to implement more Islamic legislation by Islamist groups.

Conversion, or an attempt to convert someone, from Islam is illegal and Muslim converts are forced to worship in secret. Only Muslims may hold public assembly and churches are often denied registration.
Archbishop of Canterbury: Refugee children with UK family must be brought over immediately

The Archbishop of Canterbury has blasted the UK government over its failure to reunite unaccompanied refugee children in France with their families in Britain.

In the House of Lords on Tuesday, Archbishop Justin Welby contributed to a discussion on the government's plans to speed up the process for children in camps in Calais and Dunkirk.

"My Lords, the Question has been extremely specifically put about children who have families in this country; this is not about all unaccompanied children," the Archbishop said.

"My own diocese of Canterbury has taken on a staff member who is working in the Jungle, in co-ordination with a staff member taken on by the Catholic diocese of Arras. We are still having continual reports of delays for really quite young children who are not being brought across.

"Does the Minister not agree that where children  particularly young ones  have families in this country there is no reason why they should not be brought across within the day?"

The Minister of State at the Home Office, Baroness Williams of Trafford, responded: "My Lords, many of the children are coming here very quickly, but if any child has to stay over in the camp for any longer than it should that is one child too many.

"I commend the most reverend Primate on the work that Lambeth Palace is doing in taking its first family. We are clear that refugees in Calais should first of all claim asylum in France and then come over here through the Dublin process."

She said 120 children had come to the UK this year under the Dublin regulations, 70 of them from France.

Lord Alf Dubs, who himself fled Nazi Germany in 1939 and has been a prominent campaigner for child refugees, branded the situation "deplorable".

"My Lords, it cannot be in the best interests of any child to stay in Calais, in awful conditions with no proper safety or security apart from a few British NGOs. It is deplorable," he said.

"If the Minister would come to Calais  I was there last Saturday  she would see what I am talking about."

The debate comes as Unicef releases a new report today which accuses the UK government of putting children at risk of abuse and trafficking by not making it clear that children with family in the UK have a right to asylum.

"Today, nearly one in every 200 children in the world is a refugee. In the last few years we have seen huge numbers of children being forced to flee their homes, and take dangerous, desperate journeys, often on their own. Children on the move are at risk of the worst forms of abuse and harm and can easily fall victim to traffickers and other criminals" said Lily Caprani, Unicef UK deputy executive director.

"Many of these children wouldn't resort to such extreme measures if the UK Government made them aware that they may have a legal right to come to the UK safely and if they provided the resources to make that process happen before these terrible journeys begin." She added. "At the historic summits in New York this month, the UK has a chance to show vital leadership on this agenda."

The Report, Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children, reveals that 50 million children have been uprooted around the world, and 28 million of them driven from their homes. They make up about half of all refugees and more and more are crossing borders and making perilous journeys on their own.

Children make up 31 per cent of all refugees and migrants who have arrived by sea in 2016, Unicef said, and around 45 per cent of those stranded in south-east Europe.

Unicef urged the UK to take immediate action to offer more resettlement places to suffering children.
Atheists want Ten Commandments painting removed from Kentucky county clerk office

A group of atheists has asked a county clerk's office in Kentucky to remove a Ten Commandments painting, claiming it violated the Establishment Clause.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has sent a letter to Trigg County Clerk Carmen Finley regarding the painting which is displayed at the Trigg County clerk's office, which carries the words "God spoke these words" and includes a modern and revised list of the Ten Commandments.

"In McCreary County v. ACLU, the Supreme Court ruled that a modern display of the Ten Commandments in two Kentucky courthouses violated the U.S. Constitution," FFRF's Patrick Elliott told Finley. "The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a permanent injunction against such displays in 2010, finding that the counties acted with an impermissible religious purpose."

FFRF said the Ten Commandments painting would be viewed by an observer as an endorsement of religion.

It said the display sends a message that the county gives its stamp of approval. It insisted that the government has no business telling citizens which god they must have.

"How can nonbelievers feel welcome in the Trigg County clerk's office when they have such an obviously biblical message staring them in the face?" asks FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.

The Supreme Court, FFRF said, ruled in McCreary that "they proclaim the existence of a monotheistic god (no other gods). They regulate details of religious obligation (no grave images, no sabbath breaking, no vain oath swearing). And they unmistakably rest even the universally accepted prohibitions (as against murder, theft, and the like) on the sanction of the divinity proclaimed as the beginning of the test."

As a matter of policy, FFRF said, the county should not host a religious display.

"The First Commandment alone makes it obvious why the Ten Commandments may not be posted on government property," it said.
Christian executed in Iran spoke of meeting Jesus before his death

The moving last words of a man executed in prison in Iran a few days ago were of his profound faith in Jesus Christ.

The brother of Alireza Asadi, one of 12 people executed near Tehran at the end of August, has posted his last words on Facebook.

Asadi said the "best experience" he had was of meeting Jesus.

The post was circulated widely by Pastor Saeed Abedini, a naturalised US citizen who converted from Islam to Christianity in 2000 and became prominent in Iran's house church movement. He was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2013 in Iran and released in January this year.

Alireza Asadi, speaking to his brother Mohsen, one day before his execution, said all was going well.

He made clear his faith in life after death.

He said: "And Mohsen, I truly believe that there is a new season starting for me. And this new season is much, much more pleasant that the worldly life. This is what I truly believe.

"Even when I didn't repent I knew there is something. But now I believe surely about this new season and its existence. I can finally be in peace. I don't have any stress or bad feelings and everything goes well with me."

He said he was still not completely sure he would be executed.

He was with a group of about 10 people including four of his friends.

"We were crying from laughing a lot."

He said he had been talking to them of God and would continue to do so.

"For many of you it was a question if I am a Christian or not. But now I say that I am a Christian. And now I have one or two days til I will die. And I hope it will never happen to you guys. During these moments you forgive all the bad that has happen to you. But the most I want tell you is the best experience that I had. And that was meeting Jesus. And I don't want to force you guys, But please start to get to know Him. If you just read two sentences from the Bible, you will never leave it again."

His brother asked him how his faith had developed.

Asadi said: "When I ended up here in prison I realized that God is the true God. I wanted God to show himself to me."

He said Jesus was there when he needed Him.

"I needed peace, He was there. I lost many friends, but I know that I could find my comfort in Him. And when I commanded the devil to leave, I saw that the evil didn't dare to come near me anymore. I felt and saw that the name of Christ is the name above all names. And that the enemy doesn't have any authority over me anymore."

He said the majority of those facing the death penalty were using drugs.

"But only because of Him (Jesus Christ) I stayed on the right track. Instead of drugs I am exercising every day."

NCRI reported that the 12 individuals were executed in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj, north-west of Tehran on 27 August. UN expert and special rapporteur on Iran human rights, Ahmed Shaheed, had called repeatedly for the executions to be halted. He had said: "It is regrettable that the government continues to proceed with executions for crimes that do not meet the threshold of the 'most serious crimes' as required by international law, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is State party. It is also troubling that courts continue to issue death sentences in trials that not only breach international fair trial standards but even domestic due process guarantees."

He renewed a call for Iran to institute a moratorium on executions and to restrict use of the death penalty for the "most serious crimes", or murder. Nine of the 12 executed were named as Alireza Madadpour, Bahman Rezai, Arman Bahrami, Alireza Asadi, Mohsen Eslami, Hosein Bayrami, Mehdi Rostami, Amir and Alireza Sarkhah.
The main forest road that leads to Blue Ridge Reservoir (formally C.C. Cragin) is currently closed to vehicles due to construction traffic using the road.

Forest Road 751 is closed at Rock Crossing campground as improvements are made to the boat ramp by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Crews are building a retaining wall, widening the boat ramp area, constructing a disabled parking area and doing additional concrete paving of the ramp. These projects will provide safer and more efficient access to the reservoir for recreational boaters.

The road closure will likely continue until seasonal road closures are implemented, meaning Forest Road 751 will be closed until approximately April 2017.

People may visit the reservoir by foot by walking down Forest Road 751 to Rock Crossing Trail, which is the trail that leads down to the reservoir. However, no vehicles will be allowed on Forest Road 751 beyond Rock Crossing campground.

For more information about the reservoir status and Mogollon Rim Ranger District, contact the ranger station at 928-477-2255. To view the official closure order and map, please visit the Coconino National Forests forest orders web page at http://tinyurl.com/ForestOrders. Information about Blue Ridge Reservoir water levels can be found on SRPs website at https://www.watershedmonitor.com/CCCragin.aspx.
Christian students win dozens of converts to Christ on summer missions

Dozens of people around the world have given their lives to Jesus Christ as a result of summer missions by Christian students at one of the world's top Baptist seminaries.

Nearly 130 people in five countries converted after meeting members of five missionary teams sent by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary of Texas to Japan, Madagascar, Haiti, Canada and Thailand.

Keith Eitel, team leader in Thailand and dean of the Southwestern mission school, described prayer-walking near a mosque and handing out gospel tracts in Thai. One man, after receiving a tract, became puzzled, Baptist Press reported. He could not read the text because he was from Nepal.

Eitel explained the text to him. The man looked up and said: "I need to do this."

In total, 128 people professed Jesus as Lord as a result of the student mission, 99 in Madagascar alone.

In addition, seeds were planted for future decisions, and local leaders in the various locations were equipped for reaching the world for Christ. In light of such results, Eitel often ended his reports from the trips in which he participated with the phrase, "Praise the Lord!"

In Haiti, the students worked alongside Water4Nations and built three gravity-driven water purification towers to provide the community with clean water.

Student Jim Sprouse said: "On the Sunday before we left, I shared with many of the people in the community about how Jesus provides us with living water so that we never thirst again. These water purification systems become a springboard for the Gospel message."

Southern Baptists are the largest Christian denomination in the United States, with nearly 16 million worshippers. There have been recent reports of declining numbers, although church planting is at a record high.
Christians in Egypt reaching 'breaking point' after experiencing so much persecution

In the city of Minya on the banks of the Nile River in Egypt, some 40 percent of the population are followers of Christianity. Making up almost half of the population in the city, however, did not stop the persecution of Christians in this city.

According to a report by The New York Times, Christians continue to suffer from violence and humiliation in Muslim-dominated Egypt, where only 10 percent of the population believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

For Christians living in Egypt, there is a constant threat that their houses ans other properties will be burned down, and that they will be mugged while walking on the streets. Even churches are not being spared as they are desecrated, with hate graffiti written on their walls.

The New York Times also cited data from Coptic Christian officials showing how the Christian community has suffered 37 attacks in a span of three years. This does not include the 300 other attacks right after the Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted from power in 2013.

With these continued attacks, Bishop Makarios from the city of Minya fears the persecution is already too much for Christian believers to handle.

"We are at a breaking point," Bishop Makarios told The New York Times. "People can't put up with any more of this."

The relentless persecution being experienced by Christians, the bishop said, is making it difficult to follow the Coptic Pope Tawadros II's advice to shun protests for now.

For instance, a lot of local Copts were appalled with how an older Christian woman was recently stripped naked by a mob, on allegations that her son was having an affair with a Muslim. As it turned out, the accusations of the affair were all false.

"After that woman was stripped, we couldn't be quiet, not after that," Bishop Makarios said.

What especially angered Copts, he added, "is that officials came out denying the incident."

"Had they apologised or said they would follow it up, it would be different, but this was an insult to Egypt and the women of Egypt," he said.

What's more disheartening, according to Bishop Makarios, is that perpetrators of such attacks are being freed.

"Every one of them is released, not a single one has been punished, and that's what really upsets the Copts," he said. "So long as no one is punished, this is just going to get worse."
Church of French priest murdered by Islamists to reopen next month

The church where the French priest Father Jacques Hamel was murdered by Islamist terrorists in July is to reopen next month, the diocese has announced.

The church of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in the Rouen diocese will reopen on 2 October.

The objects left by well-wishers and mourners will become part of a memorial for the priest, said Eric de la Bourdonnaye, communications director of the diocese.

Services will begin again after a purification ceremony.

Five people were taken hostage and the priest was killed on July 26 by two extremists, Adel Kermiche and Abdel Malik Petitjean, who were both shot dead by police. Hamel had served the Church in the ministry for more than 50 years.

The Archbishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun, is preparing to launch a cause for the canonisation of Hamel which he hopes will be fast-tracked. Because Hamel is clearly a Christian martyr, he can proceed to canonisation without the need for miracles.

Archbishop Lebrun said: "The death of Father Jacques Hamel is the ultimate testimony of his faith in Jesus, he affirmed to the end. The holiness of recognition procedure... can not begin until five years after the death of the person. Formally, it is the bishop of the person's place of death to initiate the procedure. There is a local phase with a careful survey of the life and death of the person. Then the case is sent to Rome where [it is] studied before the Pope's decision."

British churches are among those that have been urged to be aware of security issues in the wake of the murder.
Faith and the Future of Labour: Leadership candidates Corbyn and Smith at faith hustings

With around a week left of the Labour Party leadership contest the battle lines are well drawn. The current leader Jeremy Corbyn remains popular with large numbers of new party members. Owen Smith, the Welsh MP challenging him to become the leader of Her Majesty's Opposition, has the support of the majority of Members of Parliament.

Neither of the men has spoken in any detail about faith during the campaign. Given that the Labour Party was founded by evangelicals, non-conformists, Anglicans, Catholics and the Jewish community amid with socialist, Fabian and Trade Union groups over a century ago, it was appropriate that the two men finally got round to debating in front of an audience mainly comprised Christians and other people of faith.

Corbyn and Smith used the occasion to speak about the Christian heritage of the Labour Party, though neither of them is a believer.

The debate, organised by the Good Faith Partnership in association with Christians on the Left, The Jewish Labour Movement and Sikhs For Labour, took place at Oasis  the church in South London where Baptist minister and social activist Steve Chalke is the pastor.

Corbyn and Smith traded blows, chaired by Tim Livesey  former Chief of Staff to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Labour Leader Ed Miliband. The capacity audience (and those in an overflow venue) were far better behaved than at previous hustings with no booing and a high level of respect for both candidates.

Corbyn began his remarks by speaking about the role of faith groups in providing charitable services such as food banks. He also addressed the rise in racism in post-Brexit UK  although seemed to lay the blame for it at the feet of the British press. He also addressed the refugee crisis suggesting "humanity and political solutions" were the answer. He received the largest response of the evening when committing to extending council housing.

Corbyn acknowledged the foundational role of the Church in the Labour Movement. "Christian and Jewish groups were involved in the party at the very beginning... the role of the churches, synagogues and other places of worship were incredibly significant," he said. Moving on to the present day, Corbyn lauded the work of churches and other faith groups in operating food banks and other vital community services.

"Our party has to have a strong and effective relationship with all faith communities  it cannot just be photo opportunities," he carried on. "It has to be a more serious engagement than that... I commit myself to doing that."

Moving on to address areas where faith groups have disagreed with some of Labour's politics in the last few decades Corbyn said, "Gay rights, abortion, the Satanic Verses and other issues like that... those conversations must take place. [We must allow] everyone's right to follow the faith of their choice... and [ensure] our young people to grow up and understand the basic tenets of all faiths."

The north London MP also addressed the issue of anti-semitism which has dogged his leadership. "[I am] obviously more than alarmed at allegations of anti-semitism," he said, before outlining the measures taken to address the problem. After hearing Smith promise a further review of the issue in the Labour Party, Corbyn said, "I am shocked at the idea that there would be anti-semitism. But it's very obvious there have been some incidents... We cannot abuse people on the basis of their faith... we recognise the right of the Jewish community to express itself."

After these remarks, we heard more of Corbyn's standard stump speech about investment in the economy and tackling inequality. These remarks and most of his answers remained general and there were no new policy suggestions.

Smith also waxed lyrical about the links between faith and Labour. He told of how he'd opened three church-based food banks in his community since becoming an MP six years ago. He also highlighted the historic links between the Church and the Labour Movement  especially in his home patch of South Wales where Nonconformist churches were essential to the growth of the party.

"I'm not a person of faith," he said, "but I have a deep understanding of the importance of faith... to our movement. Perhaps it's because I'm Welsh... In south Wales we've a deep understanding of solidarity... mutualism... these are central to my politics and the faith of so many others."

Warming to his theme, Smith carried on, "We need to rely upon faith... we need a deeper understanding of how we can build a deeper connection in our communities." Having heard opening remarks which highlighted the alienation many Christians and other people of faith feel in the Labour Party, Smith said, "Politics is still failing to understand faith properly... It's particularly hurtful when it is the Labour Party." Running short on time, Smith didn't outline how he propose to bridge this divide, yet he came out with the soundbite of the night describing Parliament as, "the pulpit of this country" before again stressing the need for Labour to be in power.

He also highlighted the rise in racist incidents since Brexit, before the greatest hits of his own stump speech including the introduction of a wealth tax  and the theme of his whole campaign  that Labour needs to be in power to achieve anything.

The event took a different form to many of the debates so far in the campaign in that it wasn't simply a straight discussion between the two candidates with a moderator.

Instead, a representative of each faith community had a chance to address the issues of concern to them. The Christian representative, Njoki Mahiaini, a member of Christians on the Left said, "Millions of Brits practise a faith... I love this party and have served it as a member and candidate." She said, "My identity as a Labour member is built on a stronger identity as a Christian... From [RH] Tawney to [Keir] Hardie to Catholic Social Teaching, we must be loathe to unpick the Christian thread running through our party." She also issued an appeal for party unity which was well received. "We must seek to remain a broad church... Faith communities can be amongst our closest allies as we take on whatever chaos or glory lies ahead."

Rabbi Danny Rich representing the Jewish community carried on the theme saying, "Faith matters to a large number of people in the UK... It should matter to the Labour Party and be seen to matter... Religious beliefs & practices play an important role in the stability and co-operative nature of communities."

Rich also addressed the issue of anti-Semitism  one of the main topics of the evening. "As a Labour member," he said "I cannot tell you how much it grieves me when I hear Jewish members tell me how they're feeling. Jews are not paranoid or manipulative. Their troubling experiences need to be heard at the highest levels of the Labour Party."

Follow Andy Walton on Twitter @waltonandy
Four Coptic Christian teens released after being sentenced for 'contempt of Islam' seek asylum

Four Coptic Christian teenagers who were released after being sentenced to five years in prison for contempt of Islam have fled to Switzerland to seek asylum.

The four boys' lawyer Ehab Ramzy told Egypt's Daily News that the four teenagers left Cairo for Turkey where they were allowed to stay five months ago. They then sought a humanitarian visa to Switzerland.

Ramzy said it was quite understandable that they were seeking sanctuary in Switzerland: "Anyone who felt he or she was in danger due to the influence of extremist ideas inside governmental institutions would do the same as these Coptic boys."

There was no travel ban on the teenagers and they were able to leave Egypt legally.

Ramzy defended their original actions: "They were expressing their views and opinions, not insulting a religion. Many figures have fled Egypt in the past two years, such as celebrated writer Fatma Naaot."

Three of the teenagers were sentenced to five years in prison each for contempt of Islam after they were seen laughing and mocking Muslim prayers in a 30 second video recorded on a mobile phone. The judge in the central Egyptian province of Minya sent the fourth defendant, who at the time was aged 15, to a juvenile detention centre.

At the time, Iman Girgis, a mother of one of the convicted students, Moller Atef, aged 15, told Associated Press: "My son was sentenced to five years for laughing. Is that possible? What kind of justice is this?"

Egypt, where 10 million of the 87.3 million population are Christian, is number 22 on the Open Doors World Watch persecution list. There is a small but growing community of Christian converts from Islam who bear the brunt of persecution, most often from family members, according to Open Doors.
If God is powerful, why can't I feel it?

Sometimes when I read the Bible, it feels as if I'm reading a book along the lines of Lord of The Rings or Game of Thrones. God's power is made so manifest in the occurrences that are recorded in His Word - mountaintops blazing, worldwide floods, nine plagues, angels killing legions of soldiers, water turned into wine, teleportation and all kinds of other miracles.

But we have to admit that at some point we take a look at all these miracles in the Bible and ask ourselves, did these things really happen? And if they did, why don't we see much of them anymore today?

Have you ever seen a miracle? I have to tell you that I see them on a daily basis. The way the sun rises and falls without fail, how the world never runs out of oxygen for me to breathe, the way our planet has been kept safe for such a long time from meteors and collisions with stars while other planets have been obliterated by some kind of cosmic disaster. Miracles occur every second of our life. Many times we're just blind to see them.

In Job 37:14, Job's friend Elihu tells him this: "Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God." He then goes on to talk about all the great and mighty things God does all around us so faithfully that we have become numb to the majesty of it all. He points to the clouds, skies, thunder, snow and winds saying it is God that commands them. Amazing!

Remembering how Israel was with God, they too got so used to seeing the miraculous things God did that they became oblivious to them. After God rescued them from Egypt and parted the Red Sea, within such a short span of time they started forgetting God's works and started worshipping a Golden Calf in replacement of Him, all while a great big fire was burning on the top of Mount Sinai!

The problem today is not the lack of evidence of God's power. We don't feel God's power not because it's not there but because we have become calloused to His wondrous works. That's what sin does to us. It takes our eyes off the prize that is Jesus Christ. Even that is a miracle in itself - that we were once lost in our transgressions and sin, but now we are assured of a life lived to the full both in this age and the age to come if we simply put our faith in Him.

God's power is more than manifest. We just have to change the lenses of our eyes and the content of our hearts. In Deuteronomy 7:18-19 God calls the Israelites to remember the deeds He did in Egypt to rescue them because they had become so used to them. Look around you today. Everything you see is a miracle that came only through the grace of God. Once we deserved instant death and a one way road to hell because of our sins, but because of Christ's love and compassion, we are now set free from sin and given this life. Can you feel that power now?
Religion, science and Brian Cox: How to have a conversation

Prof Brian Cox is a physicist and TV presenter who has a huge following because of his ability to make complicated science  well, not exactly simple, but at least less complicated. Watch one of his programmes and you come away thinking the mysteries of the universe aren't quite as mysterious as they were.

He's also an atheist, but not an angry atheist like Richard Dawkins. In fact, he's taking part this week in a clergy conference in the Diocese of Leeds with Prof David Wilkinson; they're both presenting papers on "science, the cosmos and human meaning".

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph about his new TV series, Human Universe  which starts on BBC 2 tonight  Cox talks about some pretty ultimate questions. "There may have been more than one Big Bang and probably, in these theories, there are an infinite number of universes being created all the time. So what does that mean? What does it mean that our existence is inevitable, that the universe may have been around forever?"

And he calls for a wider debate. "These things have not been discussed widely; they need novelists and artists and philosophers and theologians and physicists to discuss them."

Theologians? Yes. He has no religion himself ("I honestly don't think about religion until someone asks me about it") but he doesn't dismiss it out of hand. "Philosophers would rightly point out that physicists making bland and sweeping statements is naive. There is naivety in just saying there's no God; it's b------s," he says. "People have thought about this. People like Leibniz and Kant. They're not idiots. So you've got to at least address that."

What's welcome about Cox's approach is that he seems to understand  as Dawkins and other prominent atheist scientists don't  the limitations of science as well as its vast and wonderful explanatory power. And the limitations of science are paralleled by the limitations of religion: you can't use religion to account for the way the physical world works, as a sort of filler for the things you don't understand. You certainly shouldn't use it to provide alternative explanations for things that science can account for very well indeed, like fossils and the age of the earth. This is a view of science and religion that sees them as, following the scientist Stephen Jay Gould, Non-Overlapping Magisteria or NOMA: science and religion each do their things, and they get along just fine as long as neither encroaches on the other's territory.

But where does that leave the believer who wants to say that the universe belongs to God, that he is the ground of all being and the source of all life, and that the heavens tell out his glory?

Or to put it another way: how should a believer talk to someone who is fascinated by science, entranced by the wonders it reveals, awed by the natural world, but either dismissive of or indifferent to the idea that there's a God behind it all? And it's clear, just from the popularity of programmes like those Brian Cox makes, that there are very large numbers of people just like that. This world is quite enough; they don't see any reason to look for anything more.

So here are some suggestions.

1. Don't claim more than you ought

Science just does what it does. You can't disprove it by referring to the Bible, and you shouldn't try. Its aim is to provide a coherent account of how the universe works, from the spaces between atoms to the spaces between galaxies. God gave us minds capable of working out how things work, and that's a wonderful gift and privilege.

2. Rejoice in discovery

The wonders of the natural world aren't threatening to faith, they expand it. The more we know about the universe, the more our understanding of the greatness of God expands as well. It's like a child who loves her father because he's her father. As she grows up, she discovers he also has a career, that he's creative, influential, a friend, a husband, and her understanding and respect for him grows. The more we learn about the world, the more we honour God.

3. Look for connections

In his book Something More (SPCK), the former Bishop of Oxford, John Pritchard, writes of the sense of incompleteness and unanswered questions generated by, among other things, an ever-greater knowledge of the natural world. He says that a "reductionist, materialist view of our place in the universe leaves many human capacities without adequate explanation  above all, self-awareness and our capacity for love, creativity, wonder, evil, moral behaviour and transcendence".

None of the big questions require the existence of God to answer them, he says. "As ever, there's no compulsion. Nor would it serve God well if there were knock-down proofs of God's being, because that would remove our most fundamental freedom not to believe. But the questions that have teased serious thinkers for centuries might at least give us pause."

Identifying the big questions that science can't answer, and humbly suggesting that they are worth answering, is a way in to dialogue with people who might not have thought about them before.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Should we spend money on extravagant church buildings?

Romania is not actually classed as a poor country, but it's hardly a rich one. It has poor infrastructure, a lot of corruption, a stultifying bureaucracy and an ageing workforce. Having said that, it's getting better quite quickly.

But should it be spending 500 (420 million) on a new cathedral?

Now nearing completion, it will be absolutely huge. Its dome will be 120 metres high, making it the tallest Orthodox building in the world. It will seat around 6,000 worshipers, and include a soup kitchen able to feed 1,000 people, two hotels and parking for 500 cars.

To be fair, it is competing for attention with the monstrous House of the People designed by dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu. According to the Church, Bucharest needs a "representative National Cathedral" because every other Orthodox country has one and the one used at the moment is too small.

There are a lot of Orthodox Christians in Romania, and the Church isn't short of money. Hundreds of churches have been built since the fall of Communism, partly funded by a generous state (which also pays priests' salaries).

Still: 420 million is a lot of money.

Of course, Romania is not the only country to splash out on a grand church building when it might be argued money could be better spent. Funding arrangements were quite different, of course, but the stand-out example of an ecclesiastical vanity project is the Basilica of Yamoussoukro in Ivory Coast, one of the poorest countries in the world. Completed in 1989 and by all accounts absolutely stunning, it was the brainchild of the country's President Felix Houphouet-Boigny. It cost $300 million, doubling the country's foreign debt, and was built using 30 acres of marble from Italy and 23,000 square feet of stained glass from France. It has 7,000 seats, all individually air-conditioned, and hardly ever has more than a few hundred in the congregation; Yamoussoukro is a small town (Houphouet-Boigny's birthplace), grindingly poor, and the country doesn't have too many Catholics anyway.

But what do these cautionary tales of vast and expensive buildings have to teach us? When does a project ostensibly designed to honour God become fatally compromised by purely human considerations, such as national pride, personal ambition, vaingloriousness and a lack of common sense?

This isn't just a theoretical question. Anyone involved in a church community is going to come up against it sooner or later, though not on anything like the same scale. That's because doing anything lasting and worthwhile takes money, whether it's invested in a building or in a project. And sooner or later compromises will have to be made. Having this quality of carpet rather than that frees up so much money to do something else  give it away to missions, for instance. But what will the missions do with it? They have to make compromises too.

But why not take a a principled decision to build everything as cheaply as possible? The answer is that it might be a false economy, and that  to continue using buildings as an example  a cheap and shoddy building is off-putting to users and so counter-evangelical. And after all, many of the great churches of our own country might have been regarded as extraordinarily ambitious, not to say extravagant, when they were first put up.

So, to return to Bucharest via Yamoussoukro: what might we learn? There are good things and bad.

1. Don't be scared of spending money on beauty

Beautiful buildings and beautiful art can honour God, even when they're expensive. To see art and human need as being in competition is a false distinction. Beauty is a human need as well; our souls need feeding as well as our bodies. There will be times when a choice has to be made, obviously  and obviously, the body's needs have to be met first. But in the long run, they belong together.

2. Build for the future

Whether it's buildings, projects or people, we should be thinking about the next generation, not just our own. That means spending on quality, and laying foundations that will outlast us  and that takes money.

3. But acknowledge human sinfulness

William Golding's novel The Spire is set against the backdrop of the building of a cathedral spire, driven beyond the point of rationality by one man's ambition. The consequences are tragic. The Bible story of Babel has the same theme (Genesis 11:1-9): there's something in human beings that compels them to try to build higher than they can. But building  a church, a ministry  that is driven by pride, a desire to impress, a flawed human need to leave a mark on the world, or an assertion of the Church's power and influence, is not honouring to God, though he may mercifully bless the results.

It's hard to see God at work in some things his Church does. Visions can become corrupted by personal interest. We can begin by building for him and end up building for ourselves. The larger the dream, the greater our need for humility and prayerfulness.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Why Christians should talk about the devil

Don't be afraid to talk about the devil, Billy Graham told an enquirer on his regular question and answer page.

He was responding to a questioner who said: "I don't know if I'm right, but it seems to me that we used to hear a lot more about the devil than we do today. Was talking about the devil just kind of a passing fad?"

Graham replied that "Satan is real, and he is just as much at work today as he was a few decades ago. The Bible's warning is still true: 'Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour' (1 Peter 5:8)."

He continued: "While we should never make the devil the sole focus of our attention (for only Christ is worthy of that honor), we do need to be alert to his schemes and on guard against his attacks."

Satan's aim is to block God's plans in every way he possibly can, Graham said, often working in "hidden and subtle ways". The devil definitely exists, he said, and "he'll do everything he can to keep you from Christ and His will for your life".

He concluded by saying: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you" (James 4:7-8).

Graham's questioner probably had it right, though, when he said Christians used to talk more about the devil than they do now. Belief in Satan is less commonly expressed than it was. It may have something to do with Hollywood, and Christians' fear of seeming to say they believe in those ridiculous caricatures invented by the film industry.

We don't have to believe in the Satan of The Witches of Eastwick or The Devil's Advocate, or even Bedazzled. In fact, we can be sure he looks nothing like Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino or Peter Cook. And declining to picture him at all is a sign of spiritual maturity, because giving shape to something limits it (one reason the Hebrews so fiercely rejected images of Yahweh). Once we picture the devil as one thing  a goat-headed figure with a trident and red tights, perhaps  a lot of other things become less devilish: poverty, cruelty, racism, hunger, disease, selfishness, rage, spite; all the things that disfigure human beings in their relationships with each other and with God.

But when we lose the sense that evil can be truly personal, and that we face a spiritual adversary, we have lost a significant insight from Scripture and the experience of God's people down the ages. That's not to say it is necessarily helpful to think too much on this subject or to speculate too deeply. But neither is it helpful to imagine belief in the devil is a superstition from the childhood of the world which we have simply outgrown.

Famously, CS Lewis wrote in The Screwtape Letters: "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or magician with the same delight."

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Why the prosperity gospel is half right

God promises to bless you richly. Did you know that? We can be sure this is God's plan for you because Jesus pledges it, very firmly!

But what kind of prosperity does he guarantee? How does money fit into it? Are the prosperity gospel preachers so beloved in parts of the US  and to a lesser extent in the UK  correct? What does it all mean for you?

A rich young man once walked away from Jesus because he couldn't bear to part with his wealth  the one thing that was getting in the way of him following Christ properly.

This prompts a conversation in which Jesus warns his disciples: "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10:23). As he listens, Peter  ever the one to react in a slightly hot-headed way  starts to fume: "Look," he says, "we have left everything and followed you!" (v28). He and his friends had left behind ships and nets in Galilee. Did following Jesus just mean destitution? And in response Jesus says these things:

1. You will enjoy unique relationships. Jesus replies to Peter in this way: "Truly I tell you, there is no-one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age" including "brothers and sisters, mothers and children..."

Ever walked into a church for a first time (perhaps as a visitor, or having moved to the area) and left after the service having experienced a unique kinship and bond with others? I can remember having done this in places as diverse as the UAE, Israel and Tanzania. There's an instant intimacy that joins true followers of Jesus as family.

2. You will enjoy unique material blessings. Jesus lists not only relational blessings but physical ones too, mentioning "houses and fields" (v30) as part of what his disciples will receive "a hundredfold". Given the context in which Jesus is speaking  and indeed the rest of the New Testament  he plainly doesn't mean we'll all acquire ownership of 100 properties if we have to leave our home to work elsewhere for him.

As former Bishop Tom Wright says, this is talking about the fact that as believers, the homes of other Christians may well be opened up for us to share, use and enjoy in all sorts of contexts. This weekend our house, which is in a beautifully scenic part of Britain, will be a temporary home for a visiting preacher. Over the years, we ourselves have enjoyed lovely times away in stunning parts of the UK as fellow believers have opened their homes to us.

3. You will face unique suffering. But there's a challenge. Into the mix of blessings that he offers, Jesus throws in another word too  "persecutions" (v30). Following him, he says, will inevitably bring hardship in some way. In fact, as the apostle Paul later says, "everyone who wants to lead a godly life will be persecuted," (2 Timothy 3:12). Whether it is jibes or discrimination at work, or even physical torture or death, suffering will come in many and varied ways to all who follow Christ. We have been warned!

4. You will enjoy a unique intimacy with God. Pain is not the end of the story, however. The Christian faith is about suffering  then glory; about a cross  then a crown. After persecution, Jesus says, there is, "in the age to come, eternal life," (v30). This does not mean forever wafting round on clouds in some vague, floating, post-death existence. "Now this is eternal life," we read in John 17:3, "that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." It means intimacy with God, both now and infinitely more so in the age to come.

So the prosperity gospel preachers are half right: Jesus does promise his followers blessings. But this doesn't include guaranteed ownership of anything, nor an ever-expanding bank balance. What Jesus offers is far richer than that and far longer-lasting  but also much more challenging, with its warning of persecution.

A modern version of the 8th century Irish hymn Be thou my vision is worth reading prayerfully: "I need no riches, nor earth's empty praise: You're my inheritance through all my days; all of Your treasure to me You impart, High King of heaven, the first in my heart." And it concludes: "High King of heaven, when battle is done, grant heaven's joy to me, bright heaven's sun; Christ of my own heart, whatever befall: still be my vision, O Ruler of all."
To people like me  that is, proponents of free expression exasperated by the ideological bullying we see in collegiate life today  trigger warnings are catnip. The absurdity of it all, we cry! The spinelessness of faculty and administrators! The shameless pandering to the gossamer sensibilities of coddled, overgrown urchins! (Thats coddled (TM), by the way, because Im fairly certain the word is no longer used for anything other than complaining about youngsters.)

So when news got out last week that the University of Chicago sent a letter to incoming freshmen stating that the school did not support so-called trigger warnings, I was among those cheering the return to academic non-wussiness. After all, if I had to get through Ovids Metamorphoses, with its depictions of rape and kidnapping, not to mention the harrowing dactylic hexameter, shouldnt everyone have to?

In theory, yes. But the truth is I never read Metamorphoses, partly because I was too triggered by its rhythmic rules to actually take a course in classical Roman poetry. One thing I did learn in college, though, is the importance of intellectual integrity and open debate. And that is why, as much as it pains me to say it, Im beginning to wonder whether those of us who rail against trigger warnings are missing the bigger picture.

On the heels of the University of Chicago letter came a widely circulated essay on the website Medium by a social psychology professor arguing in favor of small advisories for students. The professor posed a simple question: Whats wrong with just asking students ahead of time if there are subject areas that might keep them from fully absorbing a lesson and, if so, giving them a heads-up? When used effectively, the essay argued, trigger warnings arent about censorship or excusing students from doing the work but, rather, helping them process the material in ways that work best for them.

That sounds reasonable enough, but its unlikely to get critics of campus identity politics to stop raving about trigger warnings. Thats because the term has become a stand-in for the much larger phenomenon of leftist groupthink masquerading as liberalism. Just as Columbia University student Emma Sulkowiczs mattress became the symbol of campus anti-rape activism, trigger warning is now shorthand for a wide constellation of student concerns and demands. But given what minor intrusions these advisories can be, at least in the big scheme of things, maybe they dont adequately capture the scope of the problem.

Ill say it again: Im opposed to trigger warnings on principle. But to my mind, theyre not nearly as troubling as the way some college students (a minority but a very vocal one) shut down important debate and discussion because the mere thought of it is somehow threatening. On many campuses, especially liberal arts colleges and especially in the humanities, conversations about provocative or sensitive topics appear to unfold less like conversations than recitations from a handbook  one that must be memorized and adhered to under threat of expulsion from polite campus society.

According to the handbook, campus speakers whose views diverge even slightly from those of the loudest campus activists deserve to be shouted down or dis-invited under the pretense that students do not feel safe in their presence. (For the record, the University of Chicago also made it clear that it would not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial.)

According to the handbook, administrators have to answer student demands ranging from renaming buildings to eliminating Shakespeare requirements to creating segregated safe spaces for students of many marginalized groups.

According to the handbook, what doesnt require protest is that self-identified liberal or even far-left professors outnumber self-identified conservative faculty members 5 to 1.

Apparently the American college campus, though probably more progressive and demographically inclusive than at any time in history, is really a bulwark of sexism, transphobia, post-colonial bigotry and just about any other social injustice you can think of.

Yikes. Merely laying out those examples triggered me. Any one of them strikes me as far more troubling than an instructor warning a class that The Rape of Persephone contains rape scenes. Thats why those of us whove been ranting about the extremism of campus activism might need to choose our battles and stop making the trigger warning our target. Its easy to make fun of, but its not the biggest threat to the future of liberal education. The biggest threat is that liberal is starting to mean its opposite. The warning signs are everywhere.
The departure of construction law firm Andrews Myers will leave about 20,000 square feet of space open at the 3900 Essex building.

The 12-story building, near Westheimer Road and Weslayan Street just south of Central Market, is owned and managed by Florida-based Accesso Partners.
Halliburton has taken a huge hit from the oil price collapse, but an executive with the energy services company said Wednesday the recovery will begin next year.

"We think we're past the worst right now," Eric Carre, Halliburton's executive vice president of global business lines, said at a monthly meeting of CREW Houston, an industry group for women in the commercial real estate industry.
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Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday that the White Oak Music Hall development team will not receive a new temporary permit for its outdoor stage.

Turner's statement suggests that unless the developers get a permanent permit and stage for its outdoor venue, the shows scheduled on that stage after Oct. 5 will not legally be able to be held at the new Near Northside music complex.

READ MORE: Expiring permit casts doubt on White Oak's outdoor concerts

Turner responded at a City Council meeting Wednesday to developers' comments in a Chronicle article in which developer Will Garwood indicated he planned to take down and then re-erect the temporary stage and request another 6-month temporary permit for the structure. The developers previously told the Chronicle that have "eventual plans" to build a permanent stage but planned to operate the temporary stage in the meantime.

Turner made it clear that plan would not work for his administration.

"No one is going to tear down a stage and come back and get a temporary permit," Turner said. "That's not happening.

READ MORE: Lynn Wyatt and more fete White Oak Music Hall's opening night

"They need to work on a permanent permit and I expect them to take the steps to do that."

Developers submitted plans last week for a permanent stage permit. Plans for such a structure were previously rejected five times for various problems including ingress/egress issues and sanitation facilities, city records show.

Residents who live near the venue at 2915 N. Main have complained about the sound from the outdoor concerts held over the summer on the outdoor stage, dubbed The Lawn. During one show in May headlining the Flaming Lips, the developers received a citation for violating the sound ordinance. Neighbors continue to complain about the window rattling shows.

Resident Mollie Oshman told Council that her house a mile away vibrates during the shows.

READ MORE: White Oak Music Hall opens indoor venues

"We are not unreasonable people. We are not anti-development or anti-music," Oshman said. "The outdoor nature of these venues is problematic. We ask you to enforce the minimum standards to protect us."

She also pointed to the Chronicle article referencing the temporary permit and called the developers' plan evidence that they are "on every level trying to go around the law." Several council members agreed that the practice appeared to be attempting to get around the rules.

Councilwoman Karla Cisneros, who represents the area, said her goal is to help foster a respectful relationship between the developers and the neighbors.

READ MORE: Call log shows complaints from White Oak Music Hall

"Houston is growing and changing," Cisneros said. "We want to make sure that it works for everybody, including people who were there first."

She added that she was disappointed the Chronicle article in Wednesday's paper indicated she did not respond to comment. She said she did not interpret the email sent Tuesday as a request for comment.

Councilman Mike Laster called the music hall "an impressive addition to the neighborhood" but "extremely large and overbearing in that area."

READ MORE: Sturgill Simpson sends his voice over White Oak Music Hall

"I can't imagine how they could have music outside and you not hear it," Laster said. "It continues to baffle me that in a city that is profoundly reasonable with business opportunities, it puzzles me why business operators choose particular operations. Anyone with half a wit of common sense would know this would cause a problem. ... I think you have heard enough goodwill we want to see this neighborhood sustained and owners do well without taking advantage of the neighborhood. Maybe we should make them move in."

Councilman Mike Knox quoted the comment from Garwood about taking down the stage and putting it back up and said that "the attitude of the business that is operating in that neighborhood" should be taken into consideration.

Turner mentioned several times during the council session that the Super Neighborhood that represents the Near Northside supports the White Oak Music Hall. The council and the developers entered into an agreement several years ago, but one stipulation was respecting the sound. The group has been working with the developers to address the concerns of the nearby neighbors.

READ MORE: White Oak Music Hall 'temporary stage' raises questions

"It is important that they be good neighbors," Turner said. "They have to act within the confines of our ordinances and be good neighbors. I've asked HPD to monitor the sound noise out there and take necessary steps to keep the noise level within the prescribed limits. They will take the necessary steps to get permanent permits and not operate on temporary ones ... It's not an open process. I have conveyed that to them.

"It's a situation where they are now there and everyone is going to have to find ways to live together as best as one can."

The temporary stage is part of the White Oak Music Hall complex. The development also includes an indoor venue with two stages and the Raven Tower, a bar and small music venue in a renovated warehouse.
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An Oregon gangster found guilty of using a sandblaster on a man to remove his tattoos and inflicting other torture will be older than 100 years before he is eligible for release from prison.

According to The Oregonian, David Ray Bartol, 45, was sentenced to 55 years for torturing his enemies in Oregon.

Bartol and an accomplice injected heroin into Nicholas Remington's neck in December 2012, the newspaper reports. Prosecutors said Bartol put a motorcycle helmet on Remington's head and shot at it with a gun. Prosecutors also said Bartol used an industrial belt sander to remove one of Remington's tattoos.

READ MORE: 79-year-old widow accused in death, dismemberment of husband

Police found Remington almost dead in the street, wearing only boxer shorts in December 2012, according to the newspaper. Remington survived Bartol's torture.

During his two-week trial over the summer, Bartol, with the help of accomplices, was also accused of kidnapping another man in February 2013 and torturing him in a spray-paint booth of an auto body shop, The Oregonian reports.

Police found Bartol's second victim, Ronald Murphy, with two gunshot wounds in his abdomen. Although Murphy was able to recover from the shooting, authorities told the newspaper he was found dead two years later in his car from a heroin overdose, in February 2015.

READ MORE: Police: man who shot 2 teens, killing 1, says he talked to the devil

According to prosecutors, Bartol attempted to kill the men because he thought they would 'snitch' on him.

Bartol was found guilty on 24 counts, including attempted aggravated murder, according to The Oregonian.

Before the 55-year sentence, Bartol was already serving 18 years in prison on a conviction for home invasion committed in January 2013. As The Oregonian noted, the existing sentence would make Bartol about 110 years old before he became eligible for release.

READ MORE: Woman who drowned infant in toilet has her sentence commuted

Bartol may not spend decades in prison however, as he may face the death penalty after being accused of stabbing another inmate to death in June 2013. According to The Statesman Journal, Bartol is facing murder charges after allegedly stabbing Gavin Siscel to death in the Marion County jail with a homemade knife. Marion County, Ore., includes the state capital, Salem.

The newspaper reports Siscel had been in jail for a week on a contempt charge after mouthing off in court. Authorities do not have a motive as to why Bartol stabbed Siscel.

Bartol is expected to go to trial later this month for Siscel's death, according to The Oregonian, but it is not yet certain whether the state will request the death penalty.
Is it progress that Houston's two art fairs, which staged competing weekends during their first five years, share the same dates this year?

Mark your calendars, art fans, for Sept. 29-Oct. 2., when you'll want to bounce from the Texas Contemporary Art Fair at the George R. Brown to the Houston Art Fair at Silver Street Event Space. The smart money would be on anyone who set up a shuttle service between them. Hasn't happened yet, as far as we know.
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Beyond the Pines Music Fest

Family-friendly music festival focuses on the military and benefits organizations that deal with PTSD, suicide awareness and animal rescue. Shooter Jennings, Aaron Watson and James Otto headline.

When: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday

Where: 2099 Lake Robbins, The Woodlands

Tickets: $45-$200; btpfest.com

Houston Jerk Fest

The festival includes a jerk cook-off, reggae and dance performances as well as arts and crafts. It benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

When: Noon-10 p.m. Saturday

Where: India House, 1500 McKinney

Tickets: $15-$50; houstonjerkfestinc.com

Fiestas Patrias

The Children's Museum commemorates Mexico's fight for freedom with a Fiestas Patrias event that includes a Mariachi band, Las Americas Ballet Folkorico and a reenactment of the "Grito de Dolores."

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday

Where: Children's Museum of Houston, 1500 Binz

Tickets: $12; cmhouston.org

Family Yoga

A class by Nia Moves yoga instructors will focus on calming, inner peace and physical strength.

When: 1-2 p.m. Sunday

Where: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney

Information: discoverygreen.com

Ganeshotsav Festival

Houston Maharashtra Mandal welcomes Ganpati Bappa through a traditional event exploring the culture of Indian Marathi culture.

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: VPSS Haveli, 11715 Bellfort Village

Tickets: $25-$30; hmmhouston.org

Family Movie Night

The family is invited to Baybrook Mall for a movie night under the stars. Families are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs for a screening of "Zootopia" on The Lawn across from Maggiano's.

When: 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday

Where: 1132 Baybrook Mall, Friendswood

Information: baybrookmall.com
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Pop-up performance

A multigenerational, reflective dance project, "Models for Movement," was developed in collaboration with Fonteno Senior Education Center, the University of Houston Dance Ensemble, and Chapman Dance and with the support of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. Movement themes for this preview performance are inspired by the work of artist Jae Ko and her current site-specific installation "flow" in CAMH's Zilkha Gallery.

When: 1:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: 5216 Montrose

Information: camh.org

'Honky Tonk Angels'

Three wide-eyed dreamers meet on a bus bound for Nashville and sing their way along the bumpy road to stardom. Produced by Stages Repertory Theatre.

When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saurday

Where: Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive

Information: milleroutdoortheatre.com

Beto & The Fairlanes

A cross-cultural blend of salsa, jazz, rock and Latin influences encourages audiences to get up and dance. Presented by Young Audiences, in honor of Hispanic Heritage month.

When: 11 a.m. Monday

Where: Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive

Information: milleroutdoortheatre.com

'Fantasia'

Show brings classical music and musicians to life as a cast of Disney-like characters featuring the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn.

When: 11 a.m. Tuesday

Where: Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive

Information: milleroutdoortheatre.com

Houston African Arts Festival

African culture will be celebrated with live performances, African cuisine, games, raffles and an African fashion parade at Jones Plaza.

When: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Where: 600 Louisiana

Information: haafestival.org
Cooking Girl has been open in Montrose only a year, but already one of its owners is ready to branch out with a new Chinese restaurant in River Oaks.

Yunan Yang, who opened the Montrose charmer in September 2015 with her sister Lily Luo, is planning to open Pepper Twins later this month at 1915 W. Gray, Unit A, in the former Nam Noodles spot. Yang is shooting for a soft Sept. 20 opening with a grand opening set for Sept. 23.

BAYOU AND BOTTLE: Four Seasons getting a new restaurant bar

She describes the menu at Pepper Twins as "country-style, organic Chinese" fare; an entirely new menu, different from Cooking Girl, although with a few of her first restaurant's dishes on the menu.

Without elaborating on the new menu much, Yang said she is excited to have more space to broaden the scope of Sichuan dishes that she couldn't accommodate at Cooking Girl (the snug restaurant at 315 Fairview has only one wok, she said; Pepper Twins will have five). Yang said she will use only the freshest and highest quality produce as well as Berkshire pork.

The immediate success of Cooking Girl came as a surprise to the owners, Yang said. "It's like a gift to me," she said. "I found people really enjoy how we make the food. We try our hardest to make the food delicious."

In a two-star review in July, Chronicle restaurant critic Alison Cook was impressed: "I've never tasted anything quite like Cooking Girl's remarkable yam with wood ear mushrooms. The dish is not what you might expect: It's made from white Chinese yams instead of the orange variety familiar in America, and the tubers can be eaten raw, which they are here, sliced thin and corrugated, bathed in a whisper of sauce flavored with glassy wood-ear fungus, with carrot batons for color and sweetness. It's a minor miracle of delicate textures, crisp yet curiously soft, a bit slippery, with a thread of umami savor running through it," Cook wrote. "The classic Sichuan dan dan egg noodles are good here, too, with their straight-ahead hot bean sauce, but the jelly noodles take you on a zippier ride. The kitchen exercises a certain restraint even to chile-and-pepper-spiced dishes like those dan dan noodles. They're plenty hot, but there's nothing extraneous going on. Mapo tofu arrives all silky bean curd and minimalist salty-hot sauce."

Yang said she named the restaurant Pepper Twins for her son and daughter, who although not twins, share one thing in common: a love for spicy Sichuan food.
Who says were still in a drought?

Yes, weve had a few dry spells the last few winters.

But how about those monsoons?

In contrast to the first 10 years of the new millennium, the last half-decade has been a virtual gully-washer when it comes to summer rain.

According the National Weather Service, of the top 10 wettest monsoons in Flagstaff since records starting being kept, four have been since 2010  and this season isnt even over yet.

In fact, the new normal seems to be a wet summer  El Nino, or not. And that means the rainfall year that ends Aug. 31 usually gets a finishing kick to put it over the top.

This past year is no exception. August rainfall came in at 6.34 inches vs. normal of 3.02 for the last 30 years or so. That meant the annual rainfall year that started Sept. 1, 2015, came in at 26.21 inches of precipitation, or 4.5 inches over normal.

Some years, though, we dont want a super-wet monsoon. We remember the downpours of 2010 that came just after the Schultz fire had denuded 15,000 acres on the eastern slopes of the San Francisco Peaks. It was the ninth wettest monsoon on record, but for the residents of Timberline-Fernwood it was about as bad as it can get.

In contrast, 2014 was another Top 10 monsoon year, and it came on the heels of the Slide Fire in Oak Creek Canyon. But the rainfall, although it added up, never came down with washout force in any single storm, and properties in the canyon emerged from the summer virtually unscathed by floodwaters.

Nobody on the Colorado Plateau is ready to stop worrying about drought  spring snowpack lasting into May and June is now the measure of healthy reservoir levels, and lately the timing has been off.

Just how much the changes in ocean currents and El Nino have to do with long-term climate change is still under study. But as we reported Tuesday, a field experiment in California with grasslands exposed over time to various warming scenarios doesnt show that more frequent rain from rising temperatures is a net plus. In fact, because of rising carbon dioxide levels and summer heat, grasslands in the experiment were more stressed and unhealthy than in a pre-climate change control group.

In other words, as the lead scientist on the project explained, anyone counting on natural systems to somehow neutralize the effects of human-caused climate change is likely to be wrong  at least for grasslands. Next to come will be similar experiments in jungles, mountain forests and semiarid ecosystems like the American Southwest.

For now, though, well appreciate the extra water this summer in the rain barrels, even if the mosquitoes seemed a little thicker than usual. And if Newton and a few more tropical storms drop in this fall, the 2016 monsoon just might move up from seventh place. Weve already got the raingear handy  now we need to remember to park the car at the high end of the driveway.
Police have released a sketch of a suspect in the fatal shooting of a man who was returning to his home with take-out dinner for his family earlier this year in southwest Houston.

The shooting happened about 11:50 p.m. May 5 in the 3400 block of Unity Drive near Skyline, according to the Houston Police Department.
Police are searching for a suspect in the shooting death of a 22-year-old woman Tuesday outside her home in southwest Houston.

The shooting happened about 7:30 a.m. in the 12100 block of Creekhurst near Keegan, according to the Houston Police Department.
Before fall classes began at the University of Houston, in front of groups of 700 to 900 new arrivals, students were role playing how to ask for a kiss and how to stop a potential sexual assault.

The role-playing exercises also included avoiding preconceived stereotypes, aiming to introduce new students to living in a racially diverse environment.

"The spirit of it is, we're here to take care of each other," said Richard Baker, assistant vice chancellor and vice president of the University of Houston's Office of Equal Opportunity Services. On preventing sexual violence, he said: "Coogs don't let Coogs do this to other Coogs."

New student orientation programs at UH and around Texas now cover material well beyond how to register for classes and where to find the university library.

These sessions apparently have ruffled feathers, in other parts of the country. The New York Times reported that a budgetary request for systemwide cultural training at the University of Wisconsin was called "wasteful...spending on political correctness" by Stephen L. Nass, a Republican state senator.

The Times also cited in an article Tuesday several examples of tips passed along to Clark University students in Worcester, Mass., including not asking an Asian student for math homework help and avoiding saying "you guys" to refer to a large group  a phrase that could exclude women.

Texas universities, meanwhile, address living on a diverse campus and reducing sexual assault. Officials said Wednesday that these sessions are particularly important because students may not have previously lived and worked with people from different backgrounds.

At the University of Texas at Austin, some of the material connected to diversity is displayed in performed dialogues and monologues to about 10,000 new students.

These may show a student making a generalization about a person of color, or making an assumption about a lesbian, gay or bisexual student, said Celena Mondie-Milner, director of new student services at UT. Facilities after the presentation allow students to talk about these interactions and share their own experiences, she said.

Its providing a very clear example of how youd encounter a situation, Mondie-Milner said. Its to give students a platform to process, reflect and think about where they are, about getting into their college years.

A second event  dubbed Longhorns Take Care of Each Other  focuses on campus safety, including sexual assault awareness, substance abuse and stalking. Both programs are required for all new freshmen and transfer students.

Sample schedules from the University of Houston and Texas A&M University show events that address sexual assault and campus culture. Each schools published materials indicate that the programs address student unity and respect amid diverse populations.

At Texas A&M University, the back-to-back sessions provided in one sample schedule are mandatory and for students only.

Safety meetings at UH this fall covered sexual assault  through the "Coogs Get Consent" session UH's Baker described  and the new campus carry law.

Students are notified that victims of sexual violence may find some of this material tough to hear, but Baker said that the university has no broad official policy on issuing "trigger warnings" if difficult content is ahead.

Diversity programs cover letting go of preconceived stereotypes and questions that could make students uncomfortable, like asking "where are you really from" to a nonwhite student, said Joey Ratcliff, UH's interim director of prospective and new student programs.

"Orientation is all about traditions and campus, but a part of that is the realization that you might be coming from a community that's really like you," Ratcliff said. "We have students coming from all across the world and all across the country."
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The deal was done Texas-style, with a handshake.

But as Pennzoil executives celebrated their pending acquisition of Getty Oil Co. in early 1984, another buyer was circling. Texaco, which traces its roots to the 1901 Spindletop gusher, made a sweeter offer. Getty accepted, and one of the ugliest corporate courtroom brawls in U.S. history was about to get underway.

When it was over, a Texas jury determined that Texaco had intentionally interfered with Pennzoil's deal and awarded a jaw-dropping $10.53 billion to Pennzoil. It was the largest civil verdict in the nation's history up to that time and perilously close to Texaco's market value of $13 billion.

"It was a remarkable case that two large oil companies would go head to head like that," said Harry Reasoner, long-time lawyer at Vinson & Elkins.

More Information TIMELINE Jan. 3, 1984 Pennzoil's board agreed to buy Getty Oil for $5.2 billion. A day later, the companies issued news releases announcing the deal. Jan. 5, 1984 Texaco board meets to make counter offer for $10.1 billion. Later that day, Texaco's chairman meets secretly with Getty Oil trustees and offers a higher price than Pennzoil. Texaco agrees to indemnify Getty Oilif Pennzoil bringsa lawsuit. Jan. 6, 1984 Getty board votesto withdraw its Pennzoil deal and sell the company to Texaco instead. Feb. 8, 1984 Pennzoil sues Texaco in Houston, alleging tortuous interference July 9, 1985 Jury trial begins and will last 4 months. Nov. 19, 1985 Jury in Houston awards Pennzoil $10.53 billion in damages, the largest verdict in U.S. history at the time. Dec. 10, 1985 Visiting state District Court Judge Solomon Casseb Jr. enters the jury verdict, adding interest, bringing the total to $11.1 billion. April 12, 1987 Texaco files for bankruptcy protection. Dec. 11, 1987 Texaco agreesto settle with Pennzoil for$3 billion. See More Collapse

One of the great mysteries was why Texaco didn't settle the case, said Reasoner, who handled subsequent appeals on behalf of Pennzoil. Companies usually settle disputes before they ever reach a jury - especially when so much is on the line.

Getty was prized for its extensive crude reserves, and in the early 1980s, as Pennzoil looked to expand its reserves, it eyed the company founded by the legendary oil baron J. Paul Getty. Pennzoil agreed to pay $5.2 billion to acquire just under half the company. Company leaders shook on the deal in New York, celebrated with champagne, and quickly issued press releases announcing the purchase.

Texaco, meanwhile, had recently drilled some dry holes and saw an opportunity to scoop up crude reserves estimated at 1 billion barrels. A couple of days after the Pennzoil deal was announced, Texaco swooped in to offer $10.1 billion. The Getty board quickly cast off Pennzoil, and issued another press release announcing the sale to Texaco.

Outraged, Pennzoil sent a telex to Texaco telling the company to lay off and asked a Delaware court to block the sale to Texaco. The judge declined, but suggested that Pennzoil might have reason to claim a contract that was already in place when Texaco came around with its checkbook.

Pennzoil chairman J. Hugh Liedtke prepared to fight. A long-time oil man who started his career as a lawyer doing deals in Midland for energy clients, he became partners in 1953 with another oil prospector, George H.W. Bush, to form Zapata Petroleum. Years later, after a series of mergers and splits, the company became Pennzoil, and Liedtke moved to Houston, according to the Petroleum Museum in Midland.

Pennzoil filed suit against Texaco in state court in Houston. Liedtke asked his friend, Houston personal injury lawyer Joe Jamail, to represent the company. By that time, Jamail had developed a national reputation for his fierce representation of grieving widows and injured workers, as well as his colorful language and aggressive style. Jamail was not a corporate lawyer; he usually sued corporations.

Jamail figured the way to win was to "keep it simple," according to his autobiography, "Lawyer: My Trials and Jubilations." At every turn, Jamail tried to transform a complicated and boring contract dispute into a sweeping morality play, by indicting the corporate takeover practices of New York lawyers and investment bankers, according to his book.

"I planned to hammer the point that Texaco stole this oil from Pennzoil and that made the company no better than a thief," wrote Jamail, who died last year.

It was a clash of ethical values between the old-style Good-Ol'-Boys of the oil fields and the new-style Good-Ol'-Boys of Wall Street, according to the book "Oil & Honor: The Texaco-Pennzoil Wars," by Thomas Petzinger, Jr.

The oil men valued friendships and honor and handshake commitments while modern bankers reveled in taking advantage of loopholes and ambiguities if they could get a better deal, explained Petzinger. To the Wall Street crowd, the deal wasn't done until the last "hereas and wherefore and thereupon" was recorded.

Representing Texaco was another Houston legend. Richard B. Miller, a Harvard Law School graduate who never finished high school or college, believed that he, not Jamail, was the nation's best trial lawyer. Texaco's confidence - some legal observers said arrogance - that it would win kept the company from seeking a settlement.

Neither Miller nor Texaco put up any witnesses to refute Pennzoil's claim that it was due damages - billions of dollars. Miller's thinking, according to a case summary from James W. McElhaney at Case Western Reserve University, was that arguing damages would imply Pennzoil had a contract and Texaco had interfered, according to McElhaney. Miller died in 2013.

The trial, which began in 1985, lasted four and one-half months. After two days of deliberations, the jury came back with its verdict, which grew to $11.1 billion with interest.

To appeal, Texaco had to put up an $11.1 billion bond - equivalent to nearly its entire market value. Despite being the nation's fifth largest corporation, Texaco couldn't afford it.

Company officials raised the possibility of bankruptcy, a move that led banks to demand immediate repayment of loans, Texaco's electricity provider to seek weekly payments, and investors to sell, according to "Oil and Honor." Texaco's stock fell hard and fast.

The company and its investors hung their hopes on Judge Solomon Casseb Jr. reducing the jury verdict. In a packed courtroom in December 1985, Casseb kept the jury verdict intact. Texaco ended up filing for bankruptcy and several months later, agreed to settle with Pennzoil for $3 billion.

The verdict and the size of the award had repercussions beyond the future of the two companies. The jury's finding that the handshake agreement in New York essentially amounted to a contract introduced a new caution among executives, undermining the word-is-my-bond style of doing business. After even casual conversations about business over lunch or drinks, executives became reluctant to shake hands immediately following the Texaco-Pennzoil case, according "Oil and Honor." The phenomenon became known as the "Texaco chill."

Today, neither company exists, but their brands live on. In 2001, Chevron Corp. bought Texaco. As for Pennzoil, its exploration and production business was sold to Devon Energy in 1999, while Shell now owns Pennzoil-Quaker motor oil.
AUSTIN -- Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, has started a push to allow local school districts to decide which assessments are appropriate for their students, but experts say his approach is misguided and would run afoul of federal law.

Appearing on Houston radio this week, Rep. Isaac said a quarter of the school year is being spent on preparing students to take a test. Instead of wasting 46 days a year drilling for a test, school districts should be able to pick a test they consider appropriate for teaching and learning.

"I think we really need to be focused on preparing them for their future, not just to take a standardized test," Isaac said. "My proposal will say, 'Let the school districts choose which test provider they want.' Let's take the contracts to the local level, not to this big centralized government in Austin. It's not working in DC. This approach to centralized government education is not working in Texas, clearly, with our current test provider."

No one is calling the administration of the state-mandated STAAR last year a success. The numerous glitches have led to a mind-boggling array of problems for school districts, with headaches from summer school to graduation. But Isaac sees problems to fix with STAAR beyond the test administration, down to the actual content of the test.

Such an approach, however, would violate the new Every Student Succeeds Act, experts said. When Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick talked about the federal government pulling funds over the transgender bathroom issue, school administrators were skeptical. This bottom-up test choice, however, would defy federal law. Tests can be substituted in high school, as long as they are a measure of career and college readiness, but that's not true for grades 3 through 8.

The full story can be found in the Quorum Report. Copyright 2016, Harvey Kronberg, http://quorumreport.com/index.cfm, All rights are reserved. This story is presented as part of the Houston Chronicle's collaboration with Quorum Report. For inside information on Texas politics and government and to sign up for real-time updates, go here.
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A League City woman charged with critically injuring a DPS trooper while allegedly driving drunk over the Labor Day Weekend was weaving through traffic at speeds that exceed 100 mph, prosecutors said Wednesday.

"I was amazed that he is still alive," Assistant District Attorney Alison Baimbridge said. "I was amazed that she is still alive as well, and with as minor injuries as she has."

Baimbridge laid out the case against 31-year-old Tuwanna Moore, a logistics supervisor at NASA, in a Harris County courtroom Wednesday.

Baimbridge said Moore was in a red Mercedes when she allegedly slammed into the stopped patrol unit of Trooper Chad Blackburn just before 2 a.m. Monday. She apparently hit the patrol vehicle with such force that her car flipped at least once while both vehicles spun around on the shoulder of the Gulf Freeway.

Moore, who is free on $100,000 bond, appeared in court but did not speak during arraignment. State District Judge Marc Carter prohibited her from drinking or driving and ordered that she wear an alcohol-sensitive ankle monitor while on bond.

READ MORE: DPS trooper in critical condition after suspected drunk-driving crash

Baimbridge told the judge that Blackburn remains in "extremely critical condition" in Memorial Hermann hospital downtown and still could die from his injuries, which included a broken pelvis, collapsed lung and internal bleeding.

Moore was arrested shortly after the wreck. Baimbridge said Moore was combative when she was arrested and her blood alcohol level was measured at .29 - more than three times the legal limit.

If convicted of intoxication assault of a peace officer, Moore could face a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Moore's attorney, Tony Wadhawan, said his client and her family are sad and remorseful about what happened.

"Their hearts and prayers are definitely with Officer Blackburn and his family," he said. "We are definitely hoping for a speedy recovery for him."

DPS troopers enhanced their patrols for drunk drivers over the Labor Day weekend. During the 2015 Labor Day holiday enforcement period, DPS troopers made 488 arrests for intoxicated driving.
The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District has started construction of its first school with a Katy address, a development that marks a significant expansion for the district located directly south of Katy.

Kathleen Joerger Lindsey Elementary School is being built inside of the Firethorne community on Katy's south side along FM 1463. The school will become the district's 24th elementary and will also be the first LCISD school inside of the 1,400-acre master-planned community.

"Our Firethorne families are thrilled," said Janet Burkett, the community's director of marketing. "They have had to travel so far for school. It will just be so much more convenient for them to be involved with the school. It's always good for a community to be close to a school."

The elementary is part of a 2014 voter-approved bond package worth $240.6 million. The package includes five elementary schools worth $121.9 million in total, as well as a new middle school and other upgrades.

Lindsey, whose namesake was chosen in April alongside the namesakes for the other new elementary schools, is considered by many to be a central figure in the history of Fort Bend County.

Lindsey was one of the first practicing female attorneys in the county. She helped found the Fort Bend Library System with 11 other women and also aided in establishing Richmond State School.

She's also celebrated for the charitable work she accomplished during her lifetime, including a $1.5 million contribution to Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Rosenberg for the building of a parish hall.

Lindsey died in 2015 at the age of 99.

"She was a true trailblazer," Burkett said. "We're thrilled to have her named because she loved children and education."

Not all have agreed with the namesake, however. When the names were chosen for the five elementary schools, district trustee Anna Gonzales pointed out that all of the names chosen were of white people, even though the district sits in one of the most diverse counties in the nation.

Specifically, Gonzales said the namesakes chosen disregarded the Hispanic community, which makes up about 45 percent of the district's student population.

Board President Kathryn Kaminski said then that the district has previously named schools in honor of Hispanics, and that the namesakes were chosen from a list that included community input.

Trustees could not be reached for a comment on this story.

The roughly 92,000-square-foot elementary will enroll 750 students and include 38 classrooms.

Lamar CISD, a 37-school district, is expected to grow to about 50,000 students by the mid-2020s, according to district spokesperson Phil Sulak. LCISD has about 30,000 students now.

Its expansion into the Katy area is a notable sign of growth for a district that covers much more ground than people realize, Sulak said.

"For the past 10 years, we thought about putting something up there in that area, and it's finally happened," he said. "If you're in Richmond or Rosenberg, it still feels small. But up closer to Katy, there are more subdivisions."

With 385 square miles of land, the district is one of the largest in Texas in terms of land mass, though much of it remains undeveloped .

The Firethorne subdivision began to be built in 2006, according to Burkett. It includes 150 acres of parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake and is home to the annual Katy Triathlon. The subdivision is split between homes zoned to Katy ISD schools and homes that are zoned to LCISD schools.

Lindsey Elementary will open for the 2017-18 school year and become a feeder school to Leaman Junior High School and Fulshear High School.
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Police say 20-year-old Kody Lott has confessed to wounding 13-year-old Makayla Smith and killing 13-year-old Lauren Landavazo in a shooting incident.

The shooting happened about 3:30 p.m. Friday in Wichita Falls as Smith and Landavazo were walking home from school.

Lott confessed to the crime Sunday, KAUZ-TV reports. He was pulled over around 1:30 p.m. in the 4700 block of Southwest Parkway and taken into custody.

Lott told police that he was frustrated with being single. He also said he'd planned the crime after talking to the devil. He was upset that the media called the incident senseless.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Wichita Falls Times Record News, Landavazo was shot 14 times.

The affidavit also states that 15 shell casings were found at the scene, all .22-caliber. Lott reportedly said that he used his stepfather's gun to commit the crime. He said he threw it into a field after the shooting but returned for it Saturday. He put it back in his parents' home so that they "wouldn't know it was gone and suspect him."

Lott is being held on one count of possession of a prohibited weapon, one count of murder and one count of aggravated assault. His bail is set at $4 million.
A 40-year-old Houston-area man arrested in Precinct 4 and whose case was later dismissed is suing Harris County and the District Attorney's Office, claiming malicious prosecution and that his civil rights were violated.

The news came as U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Houston) called for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Precinct 4's evidence-handling procedures.

David Bellamy, of Spring, was arrested on drug possession charges in June of last year. The DA's office dismissed his charges last month as prosecutors grappled with a growing evidence destruction scandal at the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office in which they say an evidence-room custodian destroyed nearly 8,000 pieces of evidence in January after being told to clean out the over-capacity room.

Bellamy was facing a 25-year prison sentence for a methamphetamine charge last month when his criminal defense attorney, Paul Morgan, learned on the eve of trial via an email from a Precinct 4 lieutenant that the evidence had been destroyed.

Constable Mark Herman said that after learning of the evidence destruction, he launched an internal affairs investigation and subsequently fired Chris Hess, the corporal allegedly behind the evidence destruction. He also said he is hiring an outside auditor to review the department's evidence room practices.

After the scandal came to light, the DA's office said that it was reviewing all Precinct 4 cases dating back to 2007 and that prosecutors have already dismissed Bellamy's case and at least 140 others and is reviewing more than a thousand other pending cases and 600 that have already been disposed.

Joe Jones, who is representing Bellamy in his case against Harris County, filed the suit in Harris County court Tuesday. Jones is seeking between $200,000 and $1 million in compensatory damages, according to the suit.

"It's really disappointing, that's what it is, that our system is being corrupted by people who are supposed to protect it," Jones said.

On Wednesday, meanwhile, Lee called for an investigation into the evidence destruction.

"An internal audit and lack of complete accountability will not suffice when thousands of lives have been jeopardized and likely ruined by the failure to protect the integrity and basic legal rights demanded within our criminal justice system," she said, in a statement her office released Wednesday morning. "The ability to receive unfettered justice in Harris County cannot be achieved until immediate action is taken to address and eliminate a deeply flawed and broken system of justice. Unacceptable and unlawful procedures and practices can no longer jeopardize the lives and liberty of countless individuals, or the future and integrity of the Harris County criminal justice system."
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Federal investigators are working with local authorities to untangle the destruction of what prosecutors say could be as many as 21,500 pieces of evidence by the Precinct 4 constable's office that led to erroneous jailing or convictions of more than 150 defendants.

Federal officials have the authority to investigate if they determine the loss of evidence led to wrongful incarcerations  a potential violation of federal civil rights laws.

RELATED: Scope of Precinct 4 problem remains unclear

"We are aware of the allegations, and are coordinating with local authorities," said Shauna Dunlap, an FBI spokesman. "If in the course of the local investigation, additional information arises indicating potential federal criminal violations, the FBI will take appropriate action."

Defense attorney Paul Morgan, whose case first drew public attention to the issue, called Tuesday for outside investigators to handle the probe, saying the Harris County District Attorney's office has a conflict of interest.

District Attorney Devon Anderson's public integrity section already is investigating problems that have affected both pending and recently prosecuted cases, but would welcome an outside audit and federal agencies' help as the scope of the problem continues to expand, said Jeff McShan, the office spokesman.

Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman, meanwhile, said he believes the agency's evidence problems are smaller than the DA has described and were limited to one "rogue employee"  Corporal Chris Hess.

In a press conference broadcast live from his office in Spring Tuesday, Herman painted a picture of a property room that was stuffed with evidence and a deputy who haphazardly cleaned out drugs, guns and other items over the course of weeks while other officers followed correct evidence destruction procedures.

BACKGROUND: DA's office dismisses 90 cases

Herman left open the possibility that Hess may face criminal charges.

"The problem was one employee and that employee has been fired," Herman said. "Whether it's accidental, negligent or intentional, the DA's office will find out. I assure you."

Calls to Hess' attorney, Burt Springer, were not immediately returned on Tuesday. But Springer said Friday that his client was wrongly singled out and blamed for the actions of an entire team of deputies who were not given clear orders. Springer said the errors were systemic and not Hess' fault.

Hess is a master peace officer who has been with Precinct 4 since June 1991, according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

Herman emphasized that though he, too, is a longtime Precinct 4 employee, he only became constable in May, when former Precinct 4 Constable Ron Hickman was named Harris County sheriff.

Herman said his own internal affairs investigation began in March when the agency discovered evidence had been wrongly destroyed in 26 open drug cases. He said his agency immediately contacted the DA's office and found out only then that the public integrity section already had begun investigating problems affecting three open drug cases.

His office has since reviewed 7,761 items destroyed by Hess, but claimed problems appear limited to 861 items in 470 cases. Much of the rest of the destroyed evidence included stolen property and items related to cases that had been closed, Herman said.

Herman said the DA's larger estimate of 21,500 pieces of evidence relates to the desire to audit Hess' work back to at least 2007. Herman said he has already contacted an outside auditor to assist in that effort and he emphasized that he did not believe other employees participated in inappropriately destroying evidence, though he said others have left the department.

As part of his own review, Herman said he found that Hess had never properly obtained court orders needed to properly destroy weapons or drugs, as required under the Texas penal code.

Springer could not be reached to comment on that allegation.

In two letters sent Tuesday to the U.S. Attorney and various local officials, defense attorney Morgan called for a federal investigation and for Harris County commissioners and other officials to conduct their own independent financial and performance audit so that Harris County leaders  and taxpayers  can determine how much evidence was wrongly tossed since 2007.

CONTROVERSY: Precinct 4 under criminal investigation

"My biggest concern that I have with all of this is that we have an elected DA that's playing politics with other elected officials," Morgan said in an interview with the Chronicle. "We can't trust her to investigate herself. We need to see how big the scandal is  and the right [entity] to get involved is the federal government."

Morgan's client was facing a 25-year sentence for a methamphetamine charge last month when Morgan learned on the eve of trial via an email message from a Precinct 4 lieutenant that the evidence had been destroyed.

Harris County commissioners did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Morgan's request for further audits. The Harris County Attorney's Office declined comment because the loss of evidence is already the subject of a criminal probe.

Herman said he welcomed an investigation by any other agency, but said his internal affairs division has not found wrongdoing by any others at the department.

"We've learned a good valuable lesson," he said. "Unfortunately, this guy was in a position where he could devastate a lot of people and he did it."

He noted that his agency recently passed an inspection in which the county's own auditors asked for officials to account for about 100 pieces of evidence out of the thousands that were in the property room.

Records show that Harris County Auditor Barbara Schott completed a review of Precinct 4 accounts in June  a review that included the evidence room. Among other things, the auditor suggested that large amounts of cash stored in the evidence room should be more closely monitored and perhaps deposited instead of being held. But her report did not reflect any missing evidence or other significant problems.

Auditors visited Precinct 4 in late 2015 to do their review and were not later told of the irregularities that were found in March or of Hess' firing, though they were still compiling their report at the time.

"We had no knowledge of that. I didn't learn about those things until it was in the news," said Mark Ledman, chief assistant of the Harris County audit division.

Staff Writer Gabrielle Banks contributed to this report.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office is reviewing all of the DWI cases analyzed by a lab worker for the past 10 years after her qualifications have come under scrutiny.

In a letter sent to Houston defense attorneys released Wednesday, prosecutors said Dr. Fessessework Guale has testified that she received her master's degree in science in toxicology, when in fact she received her masters of science in physiological sciences with coursework and research in toxicology.
A Belgian man who initially said he traveled to Houston to look at colleges Thursday is facing a federal child pornography charge after customs officials found images of a nude teenager on his electronic devices at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, according to a criminal complaint.

According to court documents, Ilyass Benlamkaddem later told customs officials reviewing his belongings at a secondary checkpoint he intended to visit Kingsville, Tex., and had traveled to Houston to visit a 16-year-old girl he had been communicating with for three years, according to an affidavit from a Homeland Security official. Benlamkaddem explained to an agent that the nude images of the girl on his devices were a result of Facebook video chats they had engaged in.
Residents of DeWitt have had their share of struggles to overcome in the last decade.

The towns woes go back to 2008, when Newell Rubbermaid, the owner of the Vise-Grip brand and its plant in DeWitt, announced production would be transferred to China and around 300 jobs would be cut.

The village sustained another major setback last May when a flood devastated the town, destroyed basements and forced an evacuation.

But today, things are looking up for the town of around 500 residents.

More than a year after the flood, things are returning to business as usual. While some families are still recovering following the flood, for most its become a memory.

Im pretty sure theres a lot of people not sure what theyre going to put back into their basements, said Village Board Chairman Randy Badman. A lot of basements are already put together and people are moving on. People feel good about not pulling up and moving out, but thats not the people of DeWitt. Theyve been through diversity before and stick it out.

I think everything is pretty much back to normal for the town and most people, too. Most everything is pretty well back to at least the level they want to have it back to.

Additionally, a Minnesota company purchased the former Vise-Grip factory, with plans to bring manufacturing back to DeWitt.

With a major employer locating to town and flood recovery efforts proving successful, town officials predict a bright future for the Sunland village.

Everybody is still excited about the whole thing, Badman said. I think its one of the greatest things in quite a while for DeWitt. I know theyre going to start out slow, but it should mean jobs for people in the area. This will be good for not only DeWitt, but the whole surrounding area.

It was announced in August that Malco Products Inc. intended to purchase the former Vise-Grip factory. The company celebrated the purchase with a block party on DeWitts main street that included food and live music.

Around 12 officials from the company traveled to DeWitt for the event.

Malco Products is based in Annandale, Minn., a town of around 3,300 residents.

According to the companys website, Malco got its start in 1950 when Mark W. Keymer, a young steel supply salesman, began to manufacture and market a pipe crimper he invented for use in sheet metal ductwork used with forced air heating systems.

More tools followed, including a first hand seamer to employ compound leverage, a time-saving hand notcher and a hand operated, snap lock punch to complete the basic sheet metal tool set.

The early product line of crimpers, seamers, notchers and punches has since been joined by hundreds of other specialty tools.

In addition to HVAC equipment, the company makes tools for automotive, fence and roofing work.

Company President and CEO Mardon Quandt has yet to specify exactly what people will be manufacturing at the plant in DeWitt.

Badman said the village has similar small-town values to the companys hometown, which was a selling point.

They are small town folks and thats one of the reasons why the chose DeWitt after finding out were a small town like they are with conservative values, Badman said. They have those same values. Theyre not a super large, conglomerate corporation thats going to blow in and do this and do that. Theyll take their time and do it right. I think thats great with the atmosphere that we have in DeWitt.

The DeWitt buildings roots can be traced to Danish immigrant Bill Petersen patenting a pair of locking pliers in 1924 and starting production at his blacksmith shop in DeWitt.

In 1985, the Petersen family sold to American Tool Company Inc. Newell-Rubbermaid bought the plant in 2002 and it has operated under the name of Irwin Industrial Tools, a company American Tool bought in 1993.
AUSTIN  The Texas Ethics Commission is backing off a long-running battle to force conservative powerbroker Michael Quinn Sullivan to comply with subpoenas as part of an investigation into his nonprofit's political activity.

Attorney General Ken Paxton's office, which is representing the commission, told a state district judge in Travis County on Tuesday that the campaign finance regulator is no longer seeking the court's backing to enforce subpoenas against Sullivan or his 501(c)4 nonprofit, Empower Texans.

The subpoenas are part of a "dark money" investigation launched in 2012 by the ethics commission into the campaign finance activity of Empower Texans. The group is allowed to make independent expenditures without having to disclose donors.

State regulators are investigating whether the nonprofit has coordinated with donors to accept or spend money to influence a state election and if it should have to register as a political action committee, which is required to release donor names.

The case also presents precarious optics for Paxton: his office has been defending state-issued subpoenas against a politically active nonprofit with vast clout in tea party circles and whose political arm contributed a total of $375,000 and guaranteed a $1 million loan for his attorney general campaign.

Sullivan, a prominent anti-tax and limited-government activist, had unsuccessfully tried to quash the commission's document demand in federal and state courts since first being issued in February of 2014. Accusing Sullivan of stonewalling the state's investigation, the commission filed a lawsuit last year asking a Travis County judge to enforce the subpoenas.

That request for the court to intervene, however, is now "moot," according to the commission's notice of nonsuit. Sullivan and Empower Texans, the attorney general's office says in a filing, made a "judicial admission" last month in a footnote of a related case saying the group raised $375 online during a period when a set of emails were sent that included a donate button. Those emails are the focus of the sworn complaints that prompted the commission's investigation.

The amount falls below the $500 threshold required under state law for a group to register as a PAC, which Sullivan's lawyers wrote in a filing is tantamount to "conclusive evidence that Empower Texans did not violate the Election Code."

"We told them it was less than $500 in 2014," said Trey Trainor, a lawyer for Sullivan and Empower Texans. "The footnote isn't a big revelation. It's an attempt to save face by the ethics commission to say 'we are just discovering this.'"

Natalia Luna Ashley, the commission's executive director, said the investigation into Sullivan and Empower Texans is still pending despite the agency dropping its subpoena lawsuit.

"The commission is going to continue to use the tools that the legislature has given to it to investigate complaints and enforce the laws ... in order to promote the public's trust in government," she said.

The move to dismiss the subpoena lawsuit marks an unexpected twist in the case, as the document demand has become a central issue in the commission's investigation. The commission has argued it cannot move forward without the documents and even accused Sullivan of destroying files after the subpoenas were first released.

And the issue has also continued to play out publicly: it's become somewhat of a ritual at commission meetings for Sullivan's lawyers and regulators to trade tongue lashings about the investigation and subpoenas (that's actually how the commission spent the first 20 minutes of its August meeting  watch here).

At one point, the commission was seeking the release of a wide range of documents from Sullivan and Empower Texans, including communications with donors, lawmakers and members of the state's executive branch, with the redaction of names. They also included "time records, calendars and diaries maintained by or for" Sullivan, along with two other employees of Empower Texans.

A federal judge in 2014 called the subpoenas "absurd," but refused to quash them. Negotiations have followed since then and several different versions of the subpoenas have been crafted, though Empower Texans argues the document demands are still too broad and the commission's investigation amounts to government intimidation.

In court filings, Paxton's office had vigorously defended the commission's power to execute subpoenas to investigate campaign finance matters. Last year, the attorney general's office in a court filing accused Empower Texans and Sullivan of "thwarting TEC's attempts to investigate (and potentially dismiss) the sworn complaints at issue because, ultimately, plaintiffs do not believe they have to comply with TEC's lawful power to investigate sworn complaints."

But Paxton's legal team over that time frame has also continually narrowed the scope of the commission's document demand.

At a court hearing in December, a lawyer for the attorney general's office told a judge in Travis County the scope of the commission's subpoenas had been whittled down to seek only minimal information "to measure how much money came in for a regulated activity."

In June, according to court filings, Paxton's office told Sullivan and Empower Texans in a related case they could satisfy what's being asked for in the subpoenas by simply affirming that there is no additional information to disclose or that the total amount of funds the groups raised was less than $500.

"Either response would preclude further proceedings under the filed complaint," the attorney general's office wrote.

The involvement of the attorney general's office in the subpoena lawsuit involving Sullivan is notable not only because of Paxton's close ties to Empower Texans.

Despite taking an active role in the ethics commission's legal sparring with Sullivan previously, the state campaign finance regulator sidelined the attorney general's office in its legal fights with the conservative activist in a separate case. The commission hired prominent Houston-based law firm Beck Redden for court action stemming from a $10,000 fine issued to Sullivan as part of an investigation that determined he violated state law by failing to register as a lobbyist. Sullivan's appeal is pending.

The attorney general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of Common Cause Texas, which works to strengthen ethics laws, said Paxton's office was right the first time when it argued a year ago that the documents being subpoenaed were needed in order for the TEC to make a final ruling in this case.

"This sudden about-face reeks of impropriety," he said, "and perhaps the worst part is that we may never get to the bottom of it all because the ethics commission lacks the powers it needs to do its job."
-- MUST READ: DOJ tells judge Texas is providing public, poll workers with misleading voter ID information, by the San Antonio Express-News David Rauf

The Obama administration is accusing Texas of undermining a federal court order that softened the state's voter ID law by releasing misleading and restrictive information to voters and polls workers ahead of November's election.

In a Tuesday filing, the U.S. Department of Justice says Texas officials have used press releases, a state website and training documents for election officials to narrow dramatically the scope of voters protected under an order signed last month by U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos.

The DOJ is asking Ramos to force Texas to "issue corrections" to already-published materials, change the wording of public education and poll worker information moving forward and to ensure television and radio ads accurately reflect the text of the Remedial Order. Texas told the DOJ, according to the filing, that the phrasing it is currently using to educate voters and train poll workers is consistent with Ramos' order.

-- About those polls  Few believe Texas has become a toss-up state, per the Chronicles Kevin Diaz. Is Texas really in play? Probably not, say operatives in both camps, though the Democrats tend to put a little more stock in the new poll than Republicans. The new Washington Post-SurveyMonkey poll mirrors many recent polls that give Clinton a slight edge nationally, though a new CNN poll released Tuesday showed her lead to have essentially evaporated. Until now, nobody had put Clinton with even a nominal lead in Texas.

-- From the Chrons Andrea Zelinski: Texas prekindergarten classrooms should have no more than 22 students and should aim for a student-to-teacher ratio not to exceed 11 to one, according to recommendations from the state's departments of education and child protective services.

The recommendations come as the Texas Legislature braces to return next January to face pressure from advocates who long have fought to institute class size limits within the controversial early education program and want to use Gov. Greg Abbott's interest in pre-K as leverage.

>> NAFTA does not deserve its bad rap, Houston Chronicle

-- Read Mayor Turners letter to the SBOE: In short, I find this textbook to be offensive. The purpose of instructional material is not to undermine our educational system, to push an ideological agenda or to disseminate inaccuracies, stereotypes and errors about our collective history. (Chronicle)

-- DMN editorial today endorsing Clinton: We don't come to this decision easily. This newspaper has not recommended a Democrat for the nation's highest office since before World War II  if you're counting, that's more than 75 years and nearly 20 elections.  We've been critical of Clinton's handling of certain issues in the past. But unlike Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton has experience in actual governance, a record of service and a willingness to delve into real policy. ($)

>> GOP faces choices on Zika, shutdown, impeaching IRS chief, AP

CAPITOL DAYBOOK

10 a.m. - Juvenile Justice & Family Issues (Dallas)

SPEED READ

EPA shuts down 17 wells in Osage Nation after Oklahoma quake, San Antonio Express-News

Former New Braunfels mayor arrested, San Antonio Express-News

Jury finds against union, awards $5.3 million in damages to cleaning firm, Houston Chronicle

NAFTA does not deserve its bad rap, Houston Chronicle

Dallas DA resigns: my health needs my undivided attention, Dallas Morning News ($)

City commission calls for $7M to address DNA testing backlog, Austin American-Statesman

The Big Picture: Painting White Supremacy, Texas Observer

Judge grants partial stop on North Dakota pipeline work, AP

Texas judge questions fairness of life without parole, Austin American-Statesman

Tilove: On the passing of the anti-feminist feminist Phyllis Schlafly, Austin American-Statesman

Ground broken for $60M complex at Texas A&M Corpus-Christ, AP

Oil companies are coming around to a carbon tax. Their politicians aren't, Houston Chronicle

Fuel spill, fire close Houston Ship Channel for 15 hours, Houston Chronicle

Texas appeals judge questions fairness of life without parole, Austin-American Statesman

RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE

-- Donald Trump, who has repeatedly denounced pay-to-play politics during his campaign, is now defending himselfagainst claims that he donated $25,000 to a group supporting the Florida attorney general, Pam Bondi, to sway her office's review of fraud allegations at Trump University, per the NYTs Steve Eder and Megan Twohey.

-- How to survive the coming 2016 poll crush, by the Chrons Bobby Cervantes. Whatever polls come out from now until November probably will show a tightening race nationwide. More Americans are going to tuning into the race now, and the series of debates this fall will draw millions of them to their TVs for the biggest audiences either candidate will get. As we wait for the next shock poll to be released, consider this spot-on analysis from the Huffington Posts senior polling editor, Natalie Jackson:

The polling averages are your best friend for the next nine weeks, she wrote. In the main chart for the presidential race, you can easily see when Donald Trump has come up in the polls and the race currently tightening, but also that Hillary Clinton has never trailed in the averages.

-- Focusing on national security today: Leaning heavily on her tenure as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton assailed Donald J. Trump s national security credentials on Tuesday, portraying him as a bungling businessman unequipped to serve as commander in chief.  Mrs. Clinton repeatedly referred to her experiences as the nations top diplomat  and enlisted her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, to do the same in his first national security address  to draw a contrast with Mr. Trump, per the NYTs Amy Chozick.
I recently traveled to Cairo for meetings with Egypts president and other prominent government and religious leaders. As my plane approached the country, I watched as the Mediterranean Sea touched the shore of the ancient land. I reflected on this extraordinary part of the world where the West meets the Orient, where the mythical Nile River fans into a delta, bringing life to the vast expanse of barren desert.

I thought of historic Egypt as well as the Christian tradition of how Jesus, Mary, and Joseph fled there after King Herod threatened their lives. I first made this trip decades ago while in college, and with some apprehension awaited to see what I would find today.

Egypt has gone through a major transition in the last five years. The demonstrations that began in Tahrir Square led to a chaotic situation in the streets, followed by the ascendency of the Morsi government and the Muslim Brotherhood. The subsequent destabilization of the country precipitated a military intervention later followed by the election of current President Sisi. As horrific as things are in the Middle East, it is hard to imagine the consequences if Egypt had lapsed into a spiral of chaos and power struggle. The traditional seat of culture and learning in the Arab world, Egypt has the largest population in the Middle East. It is home to Al-Azhar Universitya center of Sunni Islamic learningand a sizable Christian minority of around ten million. There is significant need of renewal of this important relationship.

My visit with President Sisi lasted two hours. We had an extensive dialogue about security, economic stability, and the value of pluralism in a region where minority rights are under siege. The President emphasized the importance of our military to military relationship and the vulnerability of his country. We talked about Egyptian operations in the Sinai to combat the local brand of ISIS. Egypt also faces severe security issues along its border with Libya. Another unique dynamic in the Middle East is Egypts security cooperation with Israel. The peace treaty between the countries has lasted nearly 40 years.

President Sisi attended the United States Army War College as have many other Egyptian military personnel. He has a strong attachment to that experience. When he inquired as to my thoughts regarding a developing problem with another country, I said: We dont like spit in our face. He respected that response.

In light of Egypts economic situation, I asked President Sisi about a somber speech he recently gave to his people on the subject. He is clearly laying the groundwork for the absorption of coming difficult economic reforms, a necessary antidote for regaining better economic opportunity. One point of important progress is a major recent expansion of the Suez Canal, funded by the Egyptians, that has largely escaped international recognition.

One of the principles of the United States is to uphold the value of human dignity as the necessary preconditions of an orderly, just and, secure society. When President Sisi was first elected, one of his early public actions was to appear on Egyptian television with the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Christian Church, and the Grand Imam, a prominent Muslim leader, where he stated: We are Egyptians. This simple declaration shatters the default mode of so much of the Middle East where sectarian and tribal allegiance overcomes a healthy national identity.

None of this should gloss over the internal troubles within Egypt. There are plenty of criticismsthe stagnation of the system, the progress on rights, the mayhem of the media, and a host of other difficulties. As in any relationship with a foreign power, there are differing perspectives and points of tension. We will not get everything we expect. But we should also recognize the necessity of this new stability as we progress toward better conditions.

At home we are justifiably anxious about security dynamics here and around the world, especially in the Middle East, where chaos and violence continue to metastasize. The key to resolving this threat, a threat to civilization itself, lies both in tactical military efforts with other nations but also the ongoing development of authentic strategic friendships when possible. Egypt is critical in this regardand in some ways is a forgotten friend.
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.
Canada to Open Seven New Visa Offices Across China CIC News Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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The opening of the seven new visa offices is expected to improve processing of visa applications, and reflects a commitment to strengthening the relationship between Canada and China.

In early September, 2016, the Canadian government confirmed a rumour that new visa offices would be opening in China. The seven new visa offices are expected to process applications from Chinese nationals for temporary stays in Canada. This may include applications for Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs), study permits, and temporary work permits. The offices are expected to open in 2017.

During an official visit to China by the Canadian Minister of Immigration, John McCallum, earlier this summer, five cities were suggested as future locations for visa offices: Chengdu, Nanjing, Wuhan, Jinan, and Shenyang. The exact locations of the seven future offices have yet to be disclosed.

The announcement came during Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus first official visit to China. Canada and China have taken concrete steps to improving trade and communication, and encouraging tourism is seen as an essential part of the relationship between the two countries. According to Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas envoy to China, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Canada grew 24 per cent in the first six months of 2016.

Chinese Tourism Boosting Canadian Economy

The recent increase in the number of Chinese nationals seeking to visit Canada has been attributed to increased mobility between the two countries. The summer of 2016 saw several new flight routes introduced between China and Canada  it is projected that up to 388,000 more seats on 4,559 flights to Canada will be introduced throughout 2016, representing an increase of 38 per cent in airline capacity. As of summer 2016, 11 Chinese cities offer flights to Canada. Adding flight routes is a proven method for boosting tourism: after a direct flight route from Beijing to Montreal was introduced in 2015, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Montreal rose by 200 per cent.

The government of Canada estimates that more than 500,000 Chinese tourists added more than $1 billion to the Canadian economy in 2015. As this looks set to rise to over $1.5 billion and support 10,700 jobs through 2016, is not surprising that the government wants to support this growth by ensuring a smoother application process.

To determine what you need to do to visit Canada, click here.

Chinese Nationals Continue to Choose Canada as Study Destination

China has been Canadas biggest source country for international students for several years, and this shows no sign of changing. In 2015 it was estimated that 141,000 Chinese nationals held Canadian study permits, boosting the Canadian economy by $3 billion and supporting thousands of jobs.

Prospective international students who wish to study in Canada may be encouraged by an approval rate of 83% for study permit applications in China. Almost half of the Chinese nationals who study in Canada pursue degree programs at a college or university. However, there is a growing sector of students who study at public or private secondary schools with a view to pursuing further post-secondary study in Canada.

Applications for short-term study in Canada made by Chinese nationals also grew by over one third in 2015, year over year. Students pursuing a study program that is less than six months in duration do not require a study permit. They may require a TRV, depending on their nationality.

To find out more about your options for studying in Canada, click here.

Stronger Relationship between China and Canada

Trudeaus first official visit to China has been watched with interest back home in Canada. After meeting with several top-ranking officials in China during his visit, it appears the relationship between the countries is better than ever.

I do believe that your current visit to China will have an important influence on further deepening the strategic partnership between our two countries, said Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the National Peoples Congress, when he met with Trudeau.

Trudeau replied that he hopes to build on the strong friendship between Canada and China, and talk about how we move forward in ways that will benefit both of our peoples.

Thousands of visitors, students, temporary workers, and new permanent residents come to Canada from China every year, and it is encouraging to see both the Chinese and Canadian governments increasing their support for the many Chinese citizens who wish to experience all that Canada has to offer, says Attorney David Cohen.

The opening of these new visa offices across is a clear sign of the deepening relationship between Canada and China. With this move, we can expect that Chinese nationals wishing to visit Canada for work, study, or tourism may find a smoother pathway in the near future.

To find out if you are eligible for Canadian immigration, please fill out a free online assessment today.

 2016 CICnews All Rights Reserved
Part I of a multi part series: The making and protection of the Clintons

Considering that Hillary Clinton, from the recently concluded email investigation, is charged with gross negligence, dereliction of duty, was recommended that she lose her security clearance, while pathologically lying to congress, the press and the American People; and even though she was not referred for indictment because she is a Clinton: Will you? 11.84% Vote for Hillary 78.78% Vote for The Donald 9.39% Vote for none of the above 245 total vote(s) Voting has Ended!

What should be the priority of the Federal Government after the "Pulse" massacre: Should we turn our attention toward destroying, earadicating ISIS as Candidate Trump suggests, or, as Democrats' President Obama suggests, broaden our efforts to effect stricter Gun Control laws to limit "Gun Violence?" 88.24% After many years of trying to degrade and contain the murderous ISIS, we should make it the nation's policy to destroy ISIS immediately. 3.68% Gun Violence in America can be eliminated by limiting access to guns for all American citizens. 8.09% I don't care either way; I just live here. 136 total vote(s) Voting has Ended!

Should Americans be thankful for North Carolinians setting precedent in taking a stand for their state's right to manage the safety of their public facilities, where separation of the sexes remains, or should they follow Bruce Springsteen's lead and boycott the state as bigots since they will not allow grown Transgender men to use the same bathrooms /locker rooms as pre-pubescent girls? North Carolina is right to control the separation of the sexes as a matter of decorum and safety. North Carolina is a bigoted state to not require that children of opposite sexes share the same public facilities with adults of the opposite sex, although misidentified - the Transgender. I generally prefer the natural environs of the vacant, although rather public, large tree. 236 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



After speaking this ultimate truth, I submit one more truth to you: Republicans, their candidates, and, especially, Donald J. Trump - Get over it and deal with it!Who knows when it truly began? Maybe it began when Richard Nixon was president. Remember Watergate. It was wrong and the Mainstream Media - the only media at that time - went after Nixon with great abandon, with Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein getting the lion share of the credit for their dogged determination. In the Watergate hearings, Republicans teamed up with the Democrats to prosecute the scandal and right a supposed wrong.After the success of bringing Richard M. Nixon down to his political knees, The Mainstream Media was emboldened, and after the disastrous presidency of Jimmy Carter, this Left leaning advocacy group went after Ronald Reagan with a vengeance, advocating their disposition to despise the affable Conservative, who still knew how to fight for principles.Now years later, Ronald Wilson Reagan, who enjoyed one of the most popular presidencies of the 20th century, and, remarkably, the Mainstream Media has now grown to accept Ronald Reagan as a successful president, but has, moreover, doubled down in their extra-partisan efforts to alternately praise the beloved Reagan, and to make sure another Ronald Reagan never again emerges as president of these United States.Accordingly, the genesis of a full bore, committed, card carrying Democrat media, took initial form during the presidential campaign of the charismatic Democrat nominee Bill Clinton in 1992. Almost immediately, the young, well spoken Democrat became the Mainstream Media's "fair haired boy".While Governor Clinton was sworn to serve the people of Arkansas, and even when a handful of the brave women came forward as victims, or co-dependent accessories of Bill Clinton's hedonistic philandering, and chronic infidelities, the Mainstream Media gave lip service to these scandals. Regardless of their journalistic ambivalence, the main stream press elected to provide the perfect stage to clear the air , allowing the Left leaning media to put this ugliness to bed for good. Watch how Lying Bill and Hillary work the media on this story, a story originally divulged by a "Super Market tabloid", and watch below how L. Hillary Clinton deals so callously with "Women's Issues", evoking the infamous Tammy Wynette reference This histrionic display of loyalty to a man that had summarily shunned her sexuality, her femininity time and time again, in favor of another woman, another conquest, whether consensual or not, was hard to watch and further manifests the abject hypocrisy of the Feminist Industry. This may be the one true talent of this Saul Alinsky disciple: Hillary Clinton, like a chameleon, will adopt the pragmatic colors of her surroundings to remain included in any unnatural situation, and then take control of it to her personal benefit - the principles and the rights of others be damned -While this absolute Democrat philosophy of "principles be damned" predominates their progressive mission, that political philosophy will never be integral to sustain the American Republic, it will only hasten its decline.However, for the Democrat media, it has long made for good Democrat press.
JOuvert, a pre-dawn festival before the start of Brooklyns annual West Indian Day Parade, has become notorious for gang-related violence and indiscriminate gunfire. In 2015, an aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo was randomly shot in the head and killed. This year, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYPD vowed to make JOuvert better than ever and safer than ever.

The NYPD doubled the number of police officers detailed to JOuvert to 3,400 and erected 200 powerful light towers along the parade route and nearby neighborhoods. Yet, the early morning festivitiesattended by 250,000 peoplewere again marred by violence. Four people were shot; two innocent bystanders were killed. Posters put up in advance of the weekend epitomized the mayors feckless anti-violence efforts: Do not shoot anyone. Do not stab anyone. . . . This year celebrate JOuvert and keep it safe.

Local politicians and community leaders have demanded that the celebration be cancelled, but de Blasio vowedone day after two predictable-yet-preventable murdersthat JOuvert will continue. According to the mayor, its an event that is very important to the community . . . which has gone on for decades and decades.

The mayor is wrong, and his representation of early-morning mayhem as cultural heritage is a confabulation. While the West Indian Day Parade has taken place regularly in Brooklyn since 1969, JOuvert in its present form is a recent innovation. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, JOuvert was celebrated desultorily, with small groups of people indulging in folkloric displays of wee-hour revelry. By the late nineties, JOuvert had become a large party in the Brooklyn Museum parking lot, where steel-pan bands would play as people danced. In recent years, though, the West Indian Day Parade has exploded into an event that draws millions of participants from the entire East Coast into central Brooklyn each Labor Day. JOuvert has become a massive, drunken pre-partyand an opportunity for rival gangs to settle beefs under cover of night.

The mayors revisionist history regarding JOuvert warped his discussion of the citys other major parades. De Blasio contended that the same process had to be gone through with the St. Patricks parade, with the Puerto Rican parade, we had long problematic histories for years. Its true that in 2000 there were mass attacks on women at the Puerto Rican Day Parade. In the early 1970s, the Young Lordsa Puerto Rican militant organizationthrew eggs at the governor of Puerto Rico and fought with the NYPD. Generally speaking, however, the parade has been peaceful.

The St. Patricks Day parade typically sees a handful of arrests for public intoxication and fighting. Arrests for weapons possession are rare. True, if you care to examine the police blotter for March 18, 1858, you will find that two men got stabbed in a brawl involving two opposing Irish factions. But, in recent years, at least, the St. Patricks Day parade hasnt been routinely accompanied by murder.

The West Indian Day Parade and its attendant JOuvert festivities, by contrast, have been characterized by significant violence. Shootings and stabbings have become so commonplace at these events that its remarkable when there isnt any serious violence. Mayor de Blasio has assumed a posture of denial and defensiveness regarding JOuvert, going so far as to insist that a quarter-million people came out and didnt participate in violence, against four people who did. Indeed, most people dont kill other people on an average day. No other city-sanctioned event comes with a tacit acknowledgement that at least a few New Yorkers will probably die before its over. Mayor de Blasio should face the reality of the ugly situation and shut down JOuvert.

Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Press Release:

Contact: McCrory Campaign Communications

McCrory Campaign Communications govpress@nc.gov

In his new ad, Democratic candidate for N.C. governor Roy Cooper focuses on a teacher who says she had to leave North Carolina to find a better-paying job in another state.The ad says Gov. Pat McCrory, the Republican incumbent whom Cooper is trying to unseat, proposed a budget for this school year that would've had the smallest percentage of state funding going toward education in 30 years. We rated that claim Half True in a previous fact check.But another Cooper claim caught our eye: The one he used to promote the ad online.Cooper tweeted along with a video of the ad.He said the same thing on Facebook, also adding in a jab accusing Republicans ofBut we wondered if it was actually Cooper who was using an election year gimmick here.First, a refresher on teacher pay.It doesn't come entirely from the state government. School boards are allowed to supplement local teachers' salaries, and all but a handful of North Carolina's 115 school districts choose to do so.Depending on the district in North Carolina, teachers can get a few hundred dollars a year or more than $6,000.So it's hard to attribute all of the responsibility for teacher pay, good or bad, to only the state government or only the county and city governments. However, the state does provide most.In the 2015-16 school year, according to estimates by the National Education Association, North Carolina was ranked 41st in teacher pay - just like Cooper claimed.However, take that number with a grain of salt. The NEA typically revises its salary numbers after a year, and that revision can sometimes make a difference in the rankings.In 2014, for example, the NEA estimated the average North Carolina teacher made $45,737 in 2012-13. It tentatively ranked the state 46th in the country.The revised numbers came out a year later. Even though North Carolina's average pay for 2012-13 didn't change, its ranking rose from 46th to 43rd because other states did change.So when the revised numbers for 2015-16 come out, North Carolina might still be ranked 41st. Or it might be a few spots higher or lower. We won't know until spring 2017, however, so for now we'll just go by the estimates.But is Cooper right with the more important part of his claim, that North Carolina has "fallen" to 41st under McCrory's leadership?No.McCrory was sworn in on Jan. 5, 2013, halfway through the 2012-13 school year. As we already mentioned, North Carolina was ranked 43rd that year.McCrory's first budget, for the 2013-14 school year, saw teacher pay drop to 47th in the nation. But teacher pay has only risen since then, even if only slightly.In 2014-15 average pay rose to 42nd, and in 2015-16 it was estimated to have risen again to 41st.So Cooper is clearly wrong about the ranking havingunder McCrory. It actually rose to 41st.Cooper's campaign pointed out that teacher pay was much higher when Cooper was in the state legislature - especially toward the end of his tenure when Cooper was one of the top Senate leaders. In the 1990s and early 2000s under Democratic legislators and a Democratic governor in Jim Hunt, North Carolina did rank much higher in average teacher pay.While the state never paid teachers as much as the national average, its ranking did break into the top half of states. North Carolina ranked 21st in average teacher pay during Cooper's last year in the Senate, in 2000-01, and it was 22nd the year before.But the ad doesn't talk about any of that, nor do the posts promoting it. The posts instead make the incorrect claim that the state's ranking has fallen under McCrory.We wondered if there was a different way the claim might have some truth to it. Maybe even though North Carolina's ranking rose, its average pay fell compared to the national average.That's possible. A state could rise in the rankings even while sinking further away from average, if the average is affected by outliers at the very top or bottom of the rankings.In 2012-13, the last pre-McCrory budget, the average North Carolina teacher made 81.6 percent of the national average. The most recent data we have is the NEA estimate for 2015-16, when the average North Carolina teacher made an estimated 82.6 percent of the national average.Like with the ranking itself, that's not much of an increase but it is still an increase - although it's lower than the 95.6 percent it reached during the last budget Cooper helped pass as a legislator.Our rulingCooper said North Carolinaunder Gov. McCrory.In fact, the opposite is true. North Carolina has risen to 41st in teacher pay since McCrory entered office. It's barely an increase, from 43 to 41, but it's still an increase.Since the claim contains a snippet of truth - that North Carolina is one of the country's lowest-paying states for teachers - but uses that to paint a misleading picture, we rate this claim Mostly False.
Achizitie de Servicii Tehnice de creare a plantatiilor forestiere de protectie din cadrul primariei Andrusul de Jos si a primariei Vadul lui Isac, r. Cahul
If you thought the bankruptcy of Gawker by billionaire Peter Thiel was a fluke, or that Gawker just got what it deserved, maybe you should think again. Other rich and powerful public figures already seem to be taking their cues from Thiels blueprint for destroying a news organization, and the entire media world could wind up paying the price.

In the few weeks since Gawker.com was forced to shut down thanks to Thiel, the same lawyers Thiel funded on behalf of Hulk Hogan and others have taken on two new rich and powerful clients: Melania Trump, the wife of the Republican nominee for president, and Roger Ailes, the disgraced former Fox News chief.

The Financial Times reported that Ailes is looking into a possible lawsuit against New York magazine and its investigative reporter Gabriel Sherman, who has received widespread acclaim for his thorough reporting on the myriad sexual harassment allegations against Ailes and Fox News. Melania Trump, meanwhile, has already sued the Daily Mail and an obscure blogger for $150 million over stories suggesting she once worked as a call girl.

Instead of worry, some journalists seemed to greet the news that Ailes may try to sue New York with anticipation. New York is different from Gawker, they say. It has deep-pocketed owners and insurance to cover legal costs (Gawker did, too, of course). Ailes will also open himself up to legal discovery if he files a suit, which could force even more newsworthy revelations. The Hogan case against Gawker was not a libel case, after all; it was about invasion of privacy. And besides, people have been suing news organizations for libel for decades and it hasnt caused any systemic damage thanks to First Amendment protections.

This is a dangerously short-sighted view. If the Gawker precedent does, in fact, embolden millionaires and billionaires to sue news organizations more frequently, it could have disastrous long term effectsand in some cases, it may not matter how absurd the lawsuits are.

First, insurance doesnt cover you forever. There is generally a cap on the amount in legal expenses or settlements that a policy will cover. While its certainly too early to tell if there will be a dramatic rise in lawsuitsespecially by extremely wealthy plaintiffsthat prospect has the potential to significantly raise the cost of insurance in the future. And if things get too ugly, theres no requirement for insurance companies to offer policies to media organizations (Gawkers insurance company, Travelers Insurance, is now claiming it shouldnt be on the hook for a second lawsuit in the Hulk Hogan case involving the leak of taped racist remarks by the former wrestling star).

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Yes, news organizations have faced libel suits for decades (and luckily, our country has the worlds most robust protections against them). But past libel plaintiffs have traditionally been looking for a settlement and/or a retraction.

What if people like Ailes and Trump, like Thiel before them, arent after that? Hogan structured his lawsuit to do maximum damage to Gawker, rejecting settlement offers with the sole purpose of forcing the company to spend as much money as possible. If the likes of Ailes and Trump take that routeafter all, they arent exactly hurting for moneylibel insurance is not going to be a savior. Less wealthy news organizations may be forced into the same corner Gawker was without ever losing, and thats not to speak of the damage such cases could do to nonprofit news organizations or independent freelance journalists.

Everyone seems to forget that, while the Hogan case itself was not a libel suit, the same lawyer subsequently brought multiple (absurd) lawsuits against Gawker that were based on allegations of defamation. If the Hogan suit didnt work, theres no telling how far those clients would have gone to slowly bleed Gawker to death, rather than decapitating it with one decisive blow.

To give you an idea of how expensive these lawsuits are, even for the winners, Mother Jones and its insurance company spent more than $2.5 million dollars defending themselves from a libel lawsuit from right-wing billionaire Frank VanderSlooteven though they won the case before it went to trial.

Journalists often start salivating at the thought of legal discovery in libel suits, given that the burden is on the accuser to prove the news organization lied, not for the news organization to prove it told the truth. But discovery can work both ways. Just ask Gawker how it went for them: the judge forced the company to allow Hogans lawyers to search its computers, and a bunch of embarrassing private chat messages were released to the public.

Then there are the costs well never be able to see. How many media organizations will spike stories involving controversial figures just to avoid years of legal hassle and skyrocketing legal bills? How many journalists will just not pursue those stories in the first place, knowing the extra layers of bureaucracy theyll have to fight through to get their stories published. And if there is a chance individual reporters are also on the hook, why would they risk their livelihood for a story to begin with?

It is true that all news organizations have truth on their side. If their reports are true (and sometimes even if they are not), ultimately they should be protected by the First Amendment. But Peter Thiel has shown that is not necessarily always the case, and we should all be worried that other multi-millionaires and billionaires might now be smelling blood.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Trevor Timm is the executive director of Freedom of the Press Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports and defends journalism dedicated to transparency and accountability. He is also a twice-weekly columnist for the Guardian, where he writes about privacy, national security, and the media.
When Scott Reinardy began studying the state of morale in newspaper newsrooms more than 10 years ago, he says, he was trying to take the temperature on job satisfaction and burnout in the profession. He didnt know the industry was about to enter a traumatic period of upheaval that would deplete the ranks of journalists around the country and force newspapers to reassess their mission.

In Reinardys new book, Journalisms Lost Generation: The Un-Doing of U.S. Newspaper Newsrooms, the University of Kansas journalism professor assesses the damage done in that tumultuous decade. In interviews with hundreds of journalists at small, midsize, and large newspapers, and surveys of thousands more, Reinardy collected data on job satisfaction and heard stories of uncertainty, anxiety, and burnout. Tens of thousands of layoffs and buyouts and an evolving, still unsettled business model have created what he calls a lost generation of journalists: those who have left the profession, voluntarily or not, and those who are left to pick up the slack in smaller newsrooms and try to forge a new path for the profession.

Reinardy spoke to CJR last week about his findings, and his views on what newspaper management should be doing in response. The following transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

What did your surveys and interviews with newspaper journalists tell you about the state of morale in the newsroom?

I was on sabbatical in 2014 and I spent time in a number of newsrooms conducting interviews. Going into these newsrooms was enlightening, to say the least.

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I dont use this word lightly, but I would call it an organizational depression thats occurring. There has been so much loss in those newsrooms. Journalists dont necessarily just lose jobs, they lose careers and some real self-identity.

I had many journalists who broke down and cried, who were so genuinely upset about what had happened to the profession they loved so dearly. It was really troubling.

So I dont have a statistical measurement for morale, but when you start walking into these newsrooms and talking to people who dedicated 20 years or 25 years or 30 years of their life to not only the profession but maybe even this individual newspaper, it was pretty telling to see how upset they were at what had occurred to their beloved industry.

Were there stories that you found especially compelling or surprising that came up in your interviews?

I talked to a gentleman who worked at a mid-sized newspaper. He was basically laid off twicehis job was cut twiceand he survived.

When he started talkingIm like a dead man walking; Im like, on death row. It was a union paper, and it was the usual rule of last one in is first one out. So when they started making cuts, he was among the bottom five on both occasions. The first time he lost his job, somebody ended up leaving the paper and he was able to stay on. The second time he was going to lose his job, an older gentleman volunteered to take a buyout and leave, and that saved his job.

And we talked about, Whats your future? I mean, youre still here and youre still working.

He said, Yeah, but I probably wont ever take another newspaper job, and I dont know how long this one will lastalthough he was very aware he was no longer among the bottom couple of people on the totem pole.

I was talking with a young lady who worked at a larger newspaper. Out of college she got the job she loved. She was a copy editor and designer, did great work amid continuous cuts at the paper. But her level of burnoutand she self-identified for burnoutshe said, You know, I was having migraine headaches, I was sick all the time. She said the stress level and the things that had changed and the obligations in the newsroom had changed so much, it wasnt the job I really loved anymore. And there were more cuts coming. And she went to her boss, and her boss said, I dont think youll be cut, I think youre OK. But there was a threat that she may have to go back to night work instead of day work, when she had two small children.

When she left the paper, her health immediately improved, migraines went away. She now works in media relations for a school district, and loves it. She said, I miss the newspaper dearly and that work, but I just know thats not my life anymore. So those things really stick out.

Who makes up this lost generation that you write about in your book?

I think at the very least there are three lost generations. One are certainly those who lost their job and perhaps their profession in the layoffs and the cuts. The second, I think, are the older journalists. The culture has changed so drastically and the workloadthe way newspapers cut their staff but continue to try to produce at the same rate they previously had. And then adding in the technology: We want you to shoot videos or take photos or post online. And the social media aspects: Youve got to tweet X amount per day, you have to blog X amount. That culture has changed dramatically, so the older generation is feeling, certainly, some loss.

And then the younger generation is coming in and not really sure of the direction or the culture of the newspaper; theyre trying to figure it out. They come in with different perspectives. They can handle the multimedia and the social media, but then we have to talk about quality and depth of reporting. Are they just being driven to get more clicks and not worried about doing that second or third or fourth interview to make the content better? Im not sure. And Im not sure that generationin talking with peopletheyre not getting a lot of guidance from the older generation because the older generation is just too darned busy to instill some of the qualities and the mission that had previously been established.

So you have several generations that are trying to find their ways, and its challenging. And you have a gap in there as well. There are journalists between 35 and 45 who are leaving the professionprimarily women. Theres a generation gap that certainly changes the dimension of what the newsroom looks like and what the news looks like, quite frankly.

You have a chapter in the book about how women journalists in particular have been affected by the newsroom exodus. What stood out to you about the experiences of women in the newsroom?

The numbers alone were startlingthe number of women in my 2014 survey [of 1,686 respondents from 142 newspapers] who said they did not expect to be in journalism within the next five years or were unsure. Three quarters of female journalists were looking elsewhere in terms of a long-term career or looking toward family, or looking toward another opportunity, at moving out of the newsroom.

That is going to have a tremendous adverse effect on the journalism being produced. We need those multitude of voices in those news meetings saying, Wait a minute, what about this issue, what about that issue?representing different ideas. And thats the same with minority groups as well. We need more diversity, and quite honestly, unfortunately, I think with the smaller newsrooms youre going to end up with less diversity.

So its certainly a difficult situation for every newsroom to recruit that diversityand to have women move into managerial positions where theyre making editorial decisions and having a serious effect on the news and the news outcomes.

What did you find is taking place in these newsrooms in the wake of layoffs, and what happens to the quality of the journalistic output?

As I talked about in the book, I dont define quality. I let the journalists talk about quality on their terms. I think thats far more important. Because when journalists are saying, Look, were not doing as well as we used to, that to me is really a red flag. If theyre saying it, it must be true.

I think were in a position, unfortunately, where newspaper journalists have been put in newsrooms that arent quite equipped to produce what they used to produce. I recently was talking with a publisher and he said, Well, the number of people in a newsroom doesnt necessarily equate to good quality. I said, You know, Im not going to argue with you. However, I have many people who are telling me differently. And you cant expect the same rate of production, along with additional responsibilities through technology, without something giving way. And unfortunately, what thousands of journalists are telling me is its the quality.

In the wake of layoffs, are there ways for management and staff to more effectively make the transition to a smaller, Web-focused newsroom and avoid these pitfalls of low morale and lower quality?

My suggestions in the book were extracted from newsrooms that were working well and from what other journalists were telling me. I think one of the biggest mistakes that has been made is a local newspaper will continue to proceed as it always has proceeded without taking into account the resources, the number of people in the newsroom who can produce that content. It was, OK were going to blog because we should blog and we should connect with audiences, instead of considering, OK, why are we blogging?

Ive talked with a lot of journalists who have said, You know, they come in with a new initiative and tell me to do it, and Ill do it, but Im not sure why were doing it. It can be an endless aspect of chasing one technology or one idea after another instead of formulating a real plan of action that says, Were going to do it like this, this is why were doing it, and here are the economic implications and the quality implications of what were doing.

In talking with the people who are successful and have happy newsrooms where people are working hard and there are high levels of satisfaction and low levels of burnout, they had plans; they stepped back and said, You know what, weve got to really assess what were doing.

Personnel is the most vital and important aspect of any industry. If youre just going to grind them up, its not going to end well for anybody.

Photo credit: Jon S., via Flickr

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Deron Lee is CJRs correspondent for Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. A writer and copy editor who has spent nine years with the National Journal Group, he has also contributed to The Hotline and the Lawrence Journal-World. He lives in the Kansas City area. Follow him on Twitter at @deron_lee.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is investigating possible safety problems with guns manufactured by at least two companies.

Remington Arms Co. and Glock Inc. have filed lawsuits to fight Healeys efforts, saying she is overstepping her authority, according to a story published Thursday in The Boston Globe.

The lawsuits reveal that the Democratic Healey invoked her powers under the states consumer protection law to demand safety-related complaints from customers and the companies responses.

Healey says Glock firearms are prone to accidental discharge and is concerned the company may have been warned about the problem and failed to act.

As the chief law enforcement officer in Massachusetts, we are seeking that information to better inform our residents and to protect them from any safety or manufacturing issues with guns sold here, Healey spokeswoman Cyndi Roy Gonzalez said.

Glocks lawsuit says Healey is attempting to harass an industry that the attorney general finds distasteful and to make political headlines by pursing members of the firearm industry.

Healey responded in court papers that Glocks contention that she is politically motivated is incorrect and irrelevant.

Remington argues that Healeys investigation is unreasonable and excessively burdensome because she is seeking product files from across the nation, even though less than 1 percent of the files relate to Massachusetts customers. The company says her investigation is a violation of consumer privacy rights and would harm the business.

Healey has not yet responded in court to Remingtons suit.

The investigation is not Healeys first battle with the gun industry. In July, she sent an enforcement notice to gun sellers and manufacturers clarifying what constitutes a copy or duplicate weapon under the states assault weapons ban. She said some weapons are modified slightly to get around state law. The crackdown was criticized by gun rights advocates.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A Missouri woman who has lived with a hypodermic needle lodged in her back for nearly seven years has been awarded a $507,000 judgment in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that a St. Louis County jury last week sided with Claudia Ball after a four-day trial.

In 2011, Ball sued Dr. Catherine Doty and the Allied Physicians Group LLC, which ran the now-closed Breakthrough Pain Relief Clinic in Chesterfield.

Ball accused the doctor of negligence for embedding an inch-and-a-half needle in her back during a 2009 injection treatment for bulging and degenerative discs.

Balls lawyer says efforts to extract the needle have failed.

Ryan Gavin, an attorney for Doty and Allied Physicians Group, said his clients are disappointed in the verdict and plan to appeal.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Used incorrectly, laser pointers can damage the retina of the eye and may cause some irreversible vision loss, according to researchers who treated four boys for these injuries.

Doctors, teachers and parents should be aware that this can happen, and limit childrens use of laser pointers, the authors write.

This was initially thought of as a never event, that never happened, said senior author Dr. David R. P. Almeida of VitreoRetinal Surgery, PA, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But we have four cases so it does happen sometimes, though its still unusual.

The authors report on two 12-year-olds, one nine-year-old and one 16-year-old who came to a medical center with central vision loss and blind spots within hours to days after looking into or playing with a green or red laser pointer.

In one case, the boy looked at the reflection of a laser pointer in a mirror. Two others simply pointed the lasers at themselves, and the fourth was engaged in a laser war with a friend.

The researchers report in Pediatrics that three of the boys had potentially irreversible, although relatively mild, vision loss. One boys vision continued to worsen two weeks after the injury and eventually decreased to 20/40 best corrected visual acuity in both eyes, which is at or close to the limit for obtaining a drivers license in most U.S. states.

Long-term outcomes for these patients will be pretty mild vision loss, Almeida said.

Males may horse around with things more, or we just happened to have boys in our series, Almeida told Reuters Health by phone. Injuries could be just as likely for girls.

He advises parents to be careful about where they buy laser pointers, as some retailers may not list the power rating or may list it incorrectly, and to limit use for kids under 14.

Most consumer laser pointers fall under class II or class IIIA level of safety according to the American National Standard Institute, with a power output of five milliwatts or less. But class 3B or class 4 level lasers may emit up to 500 milliwatts or more and these lasers may cause immediate eye hazard when viewed directly, Almeida and his coauthors write.

Retinal tissue in the back of the eye leads to the brain, and it has no ability to regenerate after tissue loss, Almeida said.

One patient developed bleeding and needed an injection in the eye, which can be particularly unpleasant for children, he said.

Kids may use laser pointers as long as they avoid improper use, Almeida said.

Unsupervised use of these laser pointer devices among children should be discouraged, and there is a need for legislation to limit these devices in the pediatric population, he and his coauthors write.
Health officials are trying to determine why theres been a dramatic increase in the number of people in Texas each year who contract a foodborne illness thats often linked to produce imported from Mexico and other warmer climes.

Although there have been outbreaks in several states in recent years, including one in 2005 in Florida that sickened nearly 600 people, cyclosporiasis infection rates returned to normal levels after the sources were contained.

But in Texas, the number of cases shot up from 44 in 2012 to 351 in 2013 and has remained in the triple digits ever since, with 200 in 2014, more than 300 last year and more than 100 so far this year, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

State and federal health officials say an increasing amount of produce thats imported from tropical and subtropical regions  where the parasite that causes the illness is endemic  is likely contributing to the recent outbreaks. Some in the past few years were traced to tainted produce from Mexico, but officials havent found a common source for this years cases in Texas, said Christine Mann, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Its very challenging for epidemiologists to investigate foodborne outbreaks, Mann said, explaining that investigators must consider myriad factors like the travel itinerary of people who become ill.

She said there are other circumstances that could be driving up the number of cases, such as the outbreaks raising more awareness of the disease, leading to additional testing for it and more diagnoses. And given its long border with Mexico, Texas could be consuming more imported produce than other states, raising the risk of infection, Mann speculated.

There are more than 250 different food-borne diseases, but cyclosporiasis is among the most common that are closely tracked by health agencies. It often spreads when human feces contaminated with the cyclospora parasite come into contact with water or produce. Those sickened can suffer from diarrhea, cramps, fatigue and vomiting. The Food and Drug Administration last year banned imports of some fresh cilantro from Mexico after an investigation found feces and toilet paper in growing fields there.

The cilantro, imported from the Mexican state of Puebla, was linked to 2013 and 2014 outbreaks of stomach illnesses in the U.S., and health authorities also suspected cilantro from the region was responsible for additional cases in Texas and Wisconsin last year.

No other state in recent years is seeing as many cases as Texas. Florida had its 2005 outbreak, which was linked to basil from Peru, but it typically gets a few dozen cases per year. California recorded about two-dozen cases, total, in the past four years, and Arizona has had just five since the start of 2015.

Seattle attorney Bill Marler, who represents people sickened by contaminated foods, said the boom in Texas cyclosporiasis cases is unusual because the parasite isnt commonly found there.

As weve been importing more food from places like Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala where cyclospora is endemic, were starting to see more cases in the United States, said Marler, who built his national reputation representing victims of a 1993 E. coli outbreak at Seattle Jack in the Box restaurants.

The federal government estimates that about 52 percent of fresh fruit and 22 percent of fresh vegetables are imported. Food safety advocates question whether regulations in other countries are adequate to protect U.S. consumers and whether U.S. regulators are equipped to deal with the influx.

Theres a widespread concern that the FDA is getting overwhelmed by all the imported food coming in, said Thomas Gremillion, director of food policy at the Consumer Federation of America.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that, aside from E. coli infections, there were no significant changes in foodborne infection rates last year compared to the three previous years. But Gremillion said the status quo is pretty grim, citing CDC statistics showing that approximately 48 million Americans are sickened by food-borne illnesses each year and 3,000 die.

The FDA in November released rules that will require importers to be more accountable for the safety of food they bring into the U.S. market. For instance, certified inspectors will conduct food-safety audits on foreign food processors.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Volkswagen AGs agreement with California to resolve unfair competition claims tied to the companys emissions-cheating scandal won final approval from the federal judge overseeing hundreds of lawsuits in the U.S.

Californias consent decree is part of VWs more than $16.5 billion in settlements with car owners, dealerships and regulators in the U.S. over the sale of diesel vehicles armed with devices to beat pollution tests. The carmaker will pay $86 million to California, home to the largest share of the almost 600,000 cars on U.S. roads rigged to cheat tests.

The deal will help pay for research grants, consumer protection programs and the cost of the investigation by California Attorney General Kamala Harriss office, according to the final judgment signed Thursday by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco. No more than 20 percent of the funds can be earmarked for a single recipient.

The deal also prohibits VW and Porsche from advertising, selling, leasing or distributing in California any vehicles containing the so-called defeat devices used to cheat pollution tests. The carmaker will have to report back to the California attorney general annually for five years on its efforts to meet the terms of the deal.

Consumers Tricked

Volkswagen tricked consumers seeking to purchase an eco-friendly car by misleading the public about the level of harmful pollutants their so-called clean diesel vehicles were emitting, Harris said in a statement on July 7, when the $86 million deal was announced. We must conserve and protect our environment for future generations and deliver swift and certain consequences to those who break the law and pollute our air.

VWs settlement costs could expand if it fails to remove 85 percent of the cars from U.S. roads by June 2019. Of the 475,000 2.0-liter engines that must be fixed or repurchased, owners 210,000 of those cars have already registered to participate in the settlement. Most of those owners and lessees have so far opted for the buyback.

The German automaker also faces lawsuits by investors and criminal probes in the U.S., Germany and South Korea.

The U.S. case is In Re: Volkswagen Clean Diesel Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2672, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco).

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Press Release:

WASHINGTON, NC The success of the initial run of the Beau-Fitt program at Beaufort County Community College means that it is returning for a second year. The program will kick-off once more on September 20 at the Washington Waterfront Festival Park from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Dance instructor Christine Winstead will help move the participants at the opening event. Community members, students and BCCC employees are welcome, and can receive new fit bands.BCCC students, employees and community members are a little slimmer today thanks to the progress made through the Beau-Fitt program. BCCC received a $150,000 grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to put in the IM-FITT natural walking trail and three fitness stations with outdoor exercise equipment. The MDC Trust granted another $25,000 to build a forth station and host the Healthy Speaking Series, where community members came to learn cooking or take exercise classes.The program served 124 people, 21 of them students, 72 faculty and staff and 31 from the community. Participants could opt to wear a fit band and have a health assessment before and after participating in the program. Forty-six participants opted to do so, the majority of which were faculty and staff at BCCC.The participants learned healthy eating habits, won prizes on the fitness trail, practiced yoga and cross-fit. During the eight-month period, they took 54 million steps total, the equivalent of walking around the planet. The top walker was Serena Sullivan who took over two million steps. Twenty-three participants took over a million steps. The top weight loss was Jennie Singleton, who lost close to 40 pounds. All the participants combined lost 150 pounds.An average of 28 people per day walk the new fitness trail. BCCC's IMFITT one-mile fitness trail with exercise stations is open to the public, and there is information at each piece of equipment about how to use it and what muscle groups are targeted.The Beau-Fitt program is an initiative to help improve health outcomes community-wide in Beaufort County. According to a 2014 community health assessment, Beaufort County has higher rates of mortality from lung and prostate cancer, stroke and heart disease than the North Carolina average. The program hopes to excite community members about healthier eating and physical fitness.For more information about BCCC's fitness trail and a schedule of events for the Get Beau-Fitt Campaign, visit www.BeaufortCCC.edu/IMFITT , or contact Ron Baldwin at (252)940-6278 or BCCC Special Projects Coordinator Julia Crippen at (252)940-6271 or Julia.Crippen@BeaufortCCC.edu.
Beachwood Police vehicle.JPG

Beachwood police investigated a matter in which a man stole bags containing items purchased by another person at Beachwood Place.

(file photo)

Disturbance, Chagrin Boulevard: At 3:35 a.m. Sept. 3, a clerk at the BP gas station/convenience store, 25705 Chagrin Blvd., called police after seeing two women pushing each other.

Police eventually charged three women -- a third woman was a passenger in one of the women's car --for various infractions.

One woman was driving with a suspended license, and another was found to be wanted on a warrant issued in Macedonia. Another citation was issued for an open container of alcohol in a car.

The women involved were 21 and 22, from Cleveland, and 21, of Euclid.

Disturbance, Auburn Drive: At 8:30 a.m. Sept. 1, a patient pushed an employee while at the Cole Eye Institute, 2000 Auburn Drive. The patient apologized and was escorted off the property. No charges were filed.

Assault, Cedar Road: At 9:20 p.m. Sept. 1, a customer, a Cleveland woman, 27, assaulted an employee of Winking Lizard, 25800 Central Parkway.

DUS, I-271: At 2:50 a.m. Sept. 2, police stopped a motorist for speeding on Interstate 271 northbound. It was found that the motorist, a Willoughby Hills woman, 26, had a suspended driver's license.

Parking violation, Cedar Road: At 11 a.m. Sept. 2, an officer cited a Lyndhurst man, 70, for parking in the lot of Beachwood Place mall, 26300 Cedar Road, while illegally using a handicap parking placard. The placard was confiscated.

Theft, South Woodland Road: At 11:20 a.m. Sept. 2, it was reported that someone stole a cell phone from a Mandel Jewish Community Center member. It was found that the phone was stolen by a University Heights boy, 17. The phone was returned and the boy was banned from returning to the center.

Theft, Cedar Road:

At 2:40 p.m. Sept. 3, police arrested a Cleveland man, 22, who stole bags containing purchases made by another person at Beachwood Place. The suspect was further charged with falsification and possession of marijuana.

Theft, Chagrin Boulevard: Just after noon on Sept. 3, a woman made off with $65 worth of merchandise she stole from Sally Beauty Supply, 24205 Chagrin Blvd.

Theft, Cedar Road: Just after 2 p.m. Sept. 6, police arrested a Cleveland woman, 46, who stole items from several stores at Beachwood Place. The items stolen had a total value of $67.

The woman was apprehended as she ran from the mall. She was further charged with receiving stolen property, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The paraphernalia included a plastic tube containing crack cocaine, an item containing suspected heroin, and a straw that had on it drug residue.

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ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- The wife of a Cleveland Heights police officer told her best friend that her husband held a gun to her back during a domestic dispute, according to Rocky River police records.

"She told me a gun was put in her back," the friend wrote in a statement to police. "She was afraid for her life."

The friend's written statement is part of police reports from an Aug. 5 incident at Cleveland Heights police Lt. Sean Corrigan's Rocky River home.

Officers responding to a report of man with a gun threatening to kill himself ordered Corrigan to the ground at gunpoint outside the Elmwood Drive home, according to police reports. Corrigan was handcuffed without incident and taken to University Hospitals for evaluation.

Two of the Corrigans' children -- ages 6 and 11 -- ran to a nearby friend's home. The Corrigans' 8-year-old child was already at the friend's home for a sleepover, according to police reports.

When officers asked Corrigan's wife about the friend's statement she repeatedly denied that Corrigan pointed a gun or threatened her.

"He did not at any time touch me with a gun or point it at me," Corrigan's wife, an attorney, wrote in a statement to police.

Corrigan was unarmed when officers arrested him, but he directed police to an unloaded black Sig Suaer 239 .40-caliber pistol and a magazine loaded with seven rounds inside the home. Investigative reports show the gun was Corrigan's Cleveland Heights Police Department-issued weapon.

Corrigan has been a Cleveland Heights police officer since July 2005, his wife told police. He has been on paid administrative leave since the Aug. 5 incident.

Officers observed Corrigan's wife was crying and shaking.

She frantically begged for help in a 911 call to police.

"Please help me, please help me," she said to the dispatcher. "My husband, he's a Cleveland Heights police officer. He's got a gun. You have to help me."

She said she was sure Corrigan had shot himself during the eight-minute call.

"I ran," Corrigan's wife said. "I'm hiding in someone's backyard."

911 Corrigan

Corrigan's wife and children had moved into the Rocky River home a few days before the incident. Corrigan stayed in the family's Cleveland Heights home that was for sale, according to police reports.

Reports show both Corrigan and his wife told police Corrigan had come to Rocky River to apologize following an argument earlier that day.

Corrigan's wife told police the two struggled for a gun inside Corrigan's Mercedes convertible. When Corrigan pulled the gun away from her, she ran from the car and called police, she said.

Corrigan told police he was trying to keep the weapon away from his wife and he was not trying to kill himself.

Corrigan, 44, pleaded no contest to a charge of disorderly conduct persisting, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, Aug. 30 in Rocky River Municipal Court.

Judge Brian Hagan ordered him to take part in a diversion program that includes undisclosed treatment and probation. The judge also ordered Corrigan not to consume any alcohol, to stay out of the city of Rocky River and to pay fines and costs totaling about $425.

The judge granted Corrigan's wife's request to lift a no-contact order so the couple can discuss their children, counseling, and the sale of the family's home.

Corrigan is a son of the late Cuyahoga County Probate Judge John Corrigan and brother of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Peter Corrigan.

If you wish to discuss or comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section.

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Cleveland Heights Police Car

Three teenagers are facing juvenile charges in a pair of robberies that happened in Cleveland Heights.

(File photo)

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio - Three teenagers face juvenile charges in a pair of robberies that happened in Cleveland Heights.

The incidents happened within a three-hour period Saturday but do not appear to be related, police said.

Two 17-year-old boys are accused of attacking a 19-year-old man just before 4 p.m. outside Gas USA on Noble Road near Monticello Boulevard, according to a police report.

The victim had just left the gas station when the teens pushed him into a parked car and began hitting him. They stole a pack of cigarillos and other items before leaving in a black Oldsmobile Alero, the report says.

The victim, who had several cuts and bruises on his face, identified two of the attackers as the 17-year-old boys. Detectives are still working to identify the third attacker.

Police filed robbery charges against the 17-year-old boys in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court.

A 15-year-old boy is also accused of stealing a 12-year-old boy's bicycle shortly before 8 p.m. near the Noble Elementary School playground, according to a police report.

The victim said several boys threw him off his Huffy bicycle and began hitting and kicking him. The victim was not hurt but was distraught when officers arrived, the report says.

Officers found the 15-year-old boy at the playground. He first denied being involved in the attack and provided a fake identity to the officers. The boy then tried to run, but officers caught him near the intersection of Noble and Montevista roads, the report says.

The 15-year-old boy is charged with robbery and obstructing officials business in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court.

Detectives are working to identify the other teens involved in the robbery.
cookingcircleveletty (1).jpg

Vel Scott of Cleveland and Etty Valinaamat of Israel cooked together here to celebrate a new food-related partnership of ideas between the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.

(Debbi Snook, The Plain Dealer)

Visiting Israeli cook Bat Zion Yona picked up a piece of Josie Peric's savory, Croatian-style strudel and gave it a taste.

"It's good, very good," she said. "I've only had sweet strudels before, but this is good."

Josie Peric made her own savory strudels for the community event, then helped Vel Scott chop vegetables for a stir fry.

Down the buffet table at the falafel tray, Cleveland cook and community organizer Vel Scott nibbled on the chickpea sandwich made by Yona and the other Israelis, enjoying the sesame seed sauce and marinated vegetables, but especially the freshly made pita bread.

"It tastes like the Parker House rolls my mother used to make," she said.

All this would be enough for a simple exchange of cultures if it were not part of a much bigger picture. Jewish Federation of Cleveland and the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation recently held the private party at the Slovenian National Home to celebrate their growing relationship. Each hopes to build abilities and understanding between them, with food as a major player.

Already, the federation's largest tutoring program takes place at Case Elementary School in the traditionally Eastern European neighborhood near East 55th Street and Superior Avenue in Cleveland. The foundation also shares community building tactics it learned from Bridge to the Future, a program it supports in Beit Shean, its sister city in Israel.

Oren Baratz, the federation's vice president for external affairs, said it's part of a belief that citizenship "bears a responsibility beyond the larger Jewish community."

Hence, St. Clair-Superior's adoption of two earlier federation-inspired "cooking circle" programs including a "Cook with a Cop," where police and residents worked together on a meal in the Slovenian home's kitchen.

"Cooking together is a way to break down barriers," said Michael Fleming, a former chef who heads the neighborhood organization. His group also sponsored a similar person-to-person event among black and white residents of St. Clair-Superior.

In both of those sessions, talk of religion and politics were off the table. Other lively conversations took place, Fleming said, while participants came up with the idea to cook smoked European-styled sausages with collards.

Fleming would also like to adopt, "Tables & Tales," another Israeli practice he learned from the federation, where home cooks host meals for tourists. The program has grown in Beit Shean, said Baratz, where some 15 cooks have made food, shared cultures and helped build a tourism industry in a city known for its antiquities.

Fleming said he knows there's a mountain of regulations that might stand in the way of such a program here, but he holds out hope of launching it someday. Neighborhoods are not just top-down government entities, he said.

"Many things happen in Cleveland because of word of mouth."

Hanna Agiv, Etty Valinaamat and Bat Zion Yona - the cooks who visited Cleveland for the celebration party - have participated in Tables & Tales.

Valinaamat said she likes the way the program builds relationships.

"People love to talk with us," she said. "They pay us, but they come back."
AKRON, Ohio -- A jury on Tuesday convicted a Parma man of sex trafficking of children for having sex with a teenage girl who advertised her services on Backpage.com.

Richard Purnell, 55, was found guilty following a multi-day trial in federal court in Akron. The jury began deliberating Friday and reached its verdict Tuesday morning.

U.S. District Judge John Adams will sentence Purnell on Dec. 13. He faces at least 10 years in federal prison and is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Purnell was arrested in May after agents found his number in the phone of Ronnie Pratt, a Cleveland man who acted as a pimp for the 14-year-old girl with whom Purnell had sex.

FBI agents posted an ad online using the same username as the victim. Two hours after the ad was placed, Purnell responded, thinking he was texting the girl. He set up a meeting at his house for the next day.

Purnell, who testified during the trial, argued that he did not know the victim was under the age of 18. The U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release that the girl told Purnell she was 14.

The girl also told investigators that Purnell picked her up from a foster home in Canton in November.

A criminal complaint filed against Purnell says he sent and received 5,854 text messages and talked on the phone more than 200 times with numbers used on Backpage.com ads.

More than 1,000 of those texts were sent in conversations with three underage girls, the complaint says.

"Those who prey on our children, whether selling them or buying them, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent the law allows," U.S. Attorney Carole Rendon said in a statement. "We are gratified Judge Adams ordered the defendant into custody so he can continue serving what we expect will be an appropriately lengthy prison sentence."

Ed Bryan, Purnell's federal public defender, said he was disappointed in the verdict. He said his client firmly believed that the teenager was older than 18 and that the verdict is a "warning to others that you can't trust these services to advertise what they say they are advertising."

Pratt, 23, pleaded guilty in June to three counts of sex trafficking of children. He will be sentenced Sept. 26.

The U.S. Attorney's Office has prosecuted several human-trafficking cases in the past few years. Purnell's case is the first one in which a "customer" is charged with sex trafficking.

The federal statute allows authorities to charge anyone who solicits a child for sex with the same crime as somebody who recruits or advertises the services.

An investigative committee co-chaired by Ohio Sen. Rob Portman is investigating Backpage.com. Portman has accused the website of being complicit in child prostitution.

A federal judge has ordered website personnel to comply with a subpoena to produce documents to show how, if at all, the website works to screen ads for sex with children.

Updated with quotes from the U.S. attorney and Purnell's lawyer. Also updated to modify the description of his conduct.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments section.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Two men face federal drug charges following their arrest Saturday in bust that saw state and federal officials seize more than 200 pounds of cocaine on Cleveland's East Side.

Antonio Navarro-Gaytan, 64, and Alejandro Cota-Luna, 28, each face a drug-conspiracy charge. Agents from a Drug Enforcement Administration task force found the cocaine in a secret compartment below a semi trailer in a parking lot in the 17800 block of St. Clair Avenue.

Their arrest came after California DEA agents tipped off local agents about a large shipment of drugs headed to Cleveland, according to a criminal complaint.

Both men declined to make statements to investigators after their arrests, the complaint says.

They made their initial appearances Wednesday afternoon in front of Magistrate Judge William Baughman. Preliminary and detention hearings are scheduled for next week.

Both men spoke through a translator and were appointed attorneys. The U.S. Attorney's Office says both men are Mexican nationals.

The complaint says Navarro-Gaytan was stopped at the U.S.-Mexico border in April 2010 while hauling a trailer with cement patio furniture and nearly 40 pounds of marijuana. He was not criminally prosecuted by U.S. officials at the time.

The bust is the largest cocaine seizure in Cleveland in more than a decade.

Terry Gilbert, Navarro-Gaytan's court-appointed attorney, said he did not know enough about the case to comment. Carolyn Kucharski, Cota-Luna's federal public defender, declined to comment.

According to the complaint:

After California agents passed on information, law enforcement here surveyed the address and the semi that was westbound on the Ohio Turnpike. Agents saw Navarro-Gaytan and Cota-Luna meet up with the semi when it arrived at the St. Clair Avenue address.

Both men worked beneath the truck with what appeared to be a hidden compartment.

A Highway Patrol trooper stopped the car later on Interstate 90 for speeding. When questioned, both men gave different stories.

Troopers searched the car and found tools they believed were used to open and re-seal the secret compartment. They also found a ledger that, while mostly written in Spanish, had the address where the men met up with the semi.

Agents let them go and got a warrant to search the semi on St. Clair Avenue. They found 92 bricks of cocaine. Each weighed a little more than two pounds.

After this discovery, both men were arrested at a hotel near Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comment section.
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."
WASHINGTON  An American Indian tribe succeeded Tuesday in getting a federal judge to temporarily stop construction on some, but not all, of a portion of a $3.8 billion four-state oil pipeline, but their broader request still hangs in the balance.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said Tuesday that work will temporarily stop between North Dakota's State Highway 1806 and 20 miles east of Lake Oahe, but will continue west of the highway because he believes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lacks jurisdiction on private land. It wasn't immediately clear how long of a stretch on which work will stop.

He also said he'll rule on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's challenge of federal regulators' decision to grant permits to the Texas-based operators of Dakota Access pipeline, which will cross North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois, by the end of Friday.

A weekend confrontation between protesters and construction workers near Lake Oahe prompted the tribe to ask Sunday for a temporary stop of construction. Four private security guards and two guard dogs received medical treatment, officials said, while a tribal spokesman noted that six people  including a child  were bitten by the dogs and at least 30 people were pepper-sprayed.

Dakota Access attorney Bill Leone said during Tuesday's hearing that if it weren't for the stoppages, the section in question would be finished by the end of this week.

Standing Rock Sioux tribal chairman Dave Archambault II issued a statement after the ruling, saying: "Today's denial of a temporary restraining order ... west of Lake Oahe puts my people's sacred places at further risk of ruin and desecration." Attorney Jan Hasselman with Earthjustice, who filed the broader lawsuit on behalf of the tribe, noted the tribe will "know more by the end of the week about where we're heading."

A spokeswoman for Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners didn't immediately respond to telephone messages requesting comment.

Leone also said in court that there were two more attacks on crews in North Dakota on Tuesday. Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said law enforcement officers pulled back from responding to a report of 150-200 protesters gathered at a construction area on private land because they determined it wasn't safe to response.

He said some protesters had hatchets and knives, and two secured themselves to heavy equipment. No pipeline workers were at the site, and no arrests have been made.

Over the weekend, workers allegedly bulldozed sites on private land that Hasselman said in court documents was "of great historic and cultural significance to the tribe." The tribe's cultural expert, Tim Mentz Sr., said in court documents that the tribe believes there are human remains in the area and that it wants "an opportunity to rebury our relatives."

"The elders say that reburying can help deal with the loss and hurt of disturbing these graves," he said.

Lawyers for Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners filed court documents Tuesday morning denying that workers have destroyed any cultural sites and asking the judge to reject the tribes' request for a temporary work stoppage. The company said it "has taken and continues to take every reasonable precaution" to protect cultural sites.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers didn't oppose the tribe's most recent request, with Assistant Attorney General John Cruden saying in court documents that "the public interest would be served by preserving peace."

The tribe's outstanding lawsuit attempts to halt construction of the pipeline, which is due to be finished this year. The suit says the project violates several federal laws, including the National Historic Preservation Act, will harm water supplies on the reservation and downstream and disturb ancient sacred sites.
Bruce "Buck" Nelson appreciates a good adventure.

He's hiked the Continental Divide, Pacific Crest and Appalachian trails. He's canoed the length of the Mississippi River, hiked and hunted his way across Alaska and spent 70 days living off the land on Admiralty Island, home to 1,600 brown bears.

Since late March, the 58-year-old retired smokejumper from Fairbanks, Alaska, has been retracing the steps and paddle strokes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition the hard way  under only his own power.

Here's a quick recap. Nelson departed St. Louis on March 24, walked to Yankton, S.D., and then started paddling against the current of the Missouri River. When the river's push or the wind was too strong, he pulled his boat upriver while walking along cobbled banks. At places like Great Falls, he used a cart to portage his boat and gear around obstacles. At Three Forks, where the Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin rivers join forces to form the Missouri, he ditched the boat and started walking. He climbed Lemhi and Lost Trail passes, strolled the length of the Bitterroot Valley and hopped over the divide to the Lolo Motorway.

Nelson emerged from the Bitterroot Mountains recently and walked from Weippe to Orofino, Idaho, where he got back in his kayak.

Then he paddled into the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers and nosed his kayak onto Greenbelt Boat Ramp. He then planned to rest a day and to shove off for Astoria, Ore. A more detailed synopsis of his Lewis and Clark Trip and his other adventures is available at his website http://bucktrack.com/.

Perhaps the first question is why? What is it about epic journeys that appeals to him?

"It's something I have always enjoyed; since I was a kid I liked to go out into the woods for several days at a time," he said. "My brother and I would go out and we would call it living off the land. We would go out for two or three days and not bring any food."

The fact that such journeys are difficult makes them even better.

"Just the simple challenge aspect of it is fun to me," he said. "Some people say: 'Why would you do something so hard?' but that adds a lot to the satisfaction of the trip to me. It's just satisfying completing something that is difficult."

Nelson grew up on a farm in Minnesota and started fighting western wildfires when he left home. He's lived in Fairbanks for 35 years and has been retired since 2008. Now he plans and executes adventures and sometimes writes books or produces videos about them.

He authored "Alone in the Fortress of Bears," about his 10 weeks of fishing, foraging and hunting on Admiralty Island, and DVDs about hiking and hunting in the Brooks Range of Alaska.

His Lewis and Clark trip came about on a whim. Nelson was planning to hike Idaho's Centennial Trail after slogging north from Arizona to Nevada. But he read an account of somebody paddling the Missouri, something that had long been in the back of his mind since a float down the Yellowstone River, one of its tributaries.

"I found a couple of accounts of people who had paddled up the Missouri, and I figured if they could do it, I could probably do it too, and I figured it would be fun to retrace the whole route of Lewis and Clark and to do it by walking and paddling similar to what they did."

So he changed his plans and thus far the trip has been good. Fighting currents and wind as he headed up the Missouri has been the most daunting aspect. His least favorite part has been the suspicion he has garnered in some people.

"In the East it's so unusual to see people walking around that several times people called the police to report, 'Somebody was walking down the road and you better check them out,' " he said. "I am normally not looked at as a possible criminal, and I didn't really enjoy that."

Finding three bison skulls on the Missouri ranks as his favorite experience. He also enjoyed kayaking past the famous White Cliffs in the Missouri Breaks section of the river. The best hiking was near the western edge of the Lolo Motorway, where a trail leaves the gravel road and passes through huge cedar and ponderosa pine trees.

"Nobody was on the trail, just a lot of deer and whatnot had been using the trail, so that was pleasant."

Even the days when he has walked along highways with cars and trucks roaring past have been enjoyable.

"So much of it is about attitude, like walking down the Bitterroot Valley. I could have been cursing the fact there were cars nearby, but instead I looked the other way and looked at the mountains and the horses and things. It was fun. I have enjoyed it all."

Along the way friends have met up with him and helped him get supplies, or provided him with a home-cooked meal and a place to grab a shower. An old smokejumping buddy delivered his kayak to Idaho. But most of the time he has had only himself for company.

"I never get lonely," he said. "That makes me an unusual person, and it makes it a lot easier to do trips like this."

With his return to the kayak it would seem the hard part of the journey is mostly over. But still ahead are dam passages and dealing with the famous wind of the Columbia River Gorge.

"People always theorize about what is dangerous and they always want to warn me about bears and lunatics and snakes and whatnot, but there are very few things more dangerous than water if you are not careful, so that is what I respect."

He figures he'll approach the Columbia River Bar where the river meets the Pacific Ocean, around Sept. 15. He hasn't decided if he'll attempt to kayak the notorious stretch of water. In the meantime, he'll make his way downriver on a schedule that's all his own.

"I like to do trips like this myself. It's such a major advantage to go at your own pace, to go fast when you are in the mood and to go slow when you are in the mood," he said. "Pacing is so important and the freedom is important. You give up a lot of that when you team up with someone."
A Native American tribal chairman said his people were "disappointed" that a company agreed on Tuesday to temporarily halt construction of an oil pipeline only in some but not all parts of North Dakota where the tribe says it has sacred sites.

After violent clashes over the weekend between protesters and security officers near the construction site, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and a neighboring Native American tribe had asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Sunday for a temporary restraining order against Dakota Access, the company building the pipeline.

U.S. Judge James Boasberg said on Tuesday he had granted in part and denied in part the temporary restraining order, and that he would decide by Friday whether to grant the tribes' larger challenge to the pipeline, which would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw permits for the project.

A group of firms led by Energy Transfer Partners is building the 1,100-mile (1,770-km) pipeline. The $3.7 billion project would be the first to bring crude oil from Bakken shale, a vast oil formation in North Dakota, directly to refineries in the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman David Archambault II said in a statement the ruling puts the tribe's "sacred places at further risk of ruin and desecration."
Just when Kevin and Angie O'Brien think they've seen it all, something new surprises them. Like the order to move a pond's worth of koi fish around the world. "A lot of times a fish can only go as long as they have air in their bags," said Kevin O'Brien, CEO of PetRelocation.com. "We've also shipped diabetic ferrets to Egypt, where we had to stop them three or four times just for insulin shots."

The O'Briens have organized moves for thousands of pets since 2003, including a "therapy turkey" and a "pleasure pig." Their YouTube channel shows the joyful reunions with owners who consider pets part of the family, not to be left behind.

Employees at PetRelocation.com's headquarters in Austin, Texas, don't leave their pets behind even when they come to work. Dogs have the run of the place. There's a gong that someone hits every time there's a new sale, and Kevin O'Brien has separated teams by geographical region to compete for prizes. It's all very Austin.

However, the company had a heartbreaking beginning. "It's not a story that we tell very often, but 16 years ago we went on vacation, and one of our dogs was shot and killed," said Angie O'Brien. The couple started thinking about creating a safe and loving doggie day care. Not long after, Kevin needed to relocate to Austin to work for Hotjobs. The two packed up the truck and moved from California with a dog and cat. "About halfway, we were in Las Vegas, we decided we wanted to ship the cat back," he laughed. "It was so loud, and she was screaming." That's when they got the idea of a pet relocation business, something no one was doing in 2001.

Leveraging real estate

Kevin and Angie OBrien founded PetRelocation in 2003 out of their home Jeniece Pettitt | CNBC

First, however, came the doggie day care, which required a loan for about $100,000 to purchase a house. "To qualify for the bank loan I had to remain at my Hotjobs employment," he said. "I literally quit Hotjobs the day we signed on that house." The O'Briens needed to rezone the house from residential to commercial, and they worked with Austin officials to do just that. Rezoning immediately made the property more valuable, so they sold the building and used the profits to find a second location and fund the business. Leveraging real estate to grow the business is a pattern they've repeated five times.

In 2003, they started focusing on pet relocation, with Angie working out of their bedroom. Neither of them knew the first thing about the logistics of moving live animals around the world. "I think in the beginning when you don't have anything to lose, you're not worried about business plans, you're just diving right in and just doing it," she said. That's not to say there weren't moments when it looked like they might fail. Angie said they received an eviction notice a few weeks before they were able to turn the business around. She didn't tell her husband about it. "I thought it's not going to help him if he knows." She also grew worried when one of their first relocation jobs was to Thailand, before they were incorporated. "I was thinking, 'Oh my gosh, if something goes wrong with this, we could lose everything," she said. "Not that we had that much to lose."



PetRelocations headquarters in Austin, Texas. Jeniece Pettitt | CNBC

One thing they also learned was the importance of branding. At first, the company was called O'Brien Animal Transportation, and Kevin was cold-calling companies as the owner. "There were big corporations in the world that needed our help." But he wasn't getting much of a response, so he changed the name to PetRelocation.com to give it "a more corporate feel." Then, Kevin stopped calling himself the owner, and instead became the "head of sales." The response was dramatically better. "We started realizing that it was something the world needed, it was what we loved to do, it was what we were good at," he said, "and people started to pay us for it."



Zebras, naked mole rats, poisonous dart frogs

PetRelocation has moved thousands of pets since 2003, including hamsters, turkeys, pigs and ferrets. Jeniece Pettitt | CNBC

The O'Briens have never taken any outside money, and they didn't take a salary until 2009. Companies like Facebook, Pepsi, and Chevron now utilize their services to help move employees. They've also moved pets for military service members, and in 2005 they worked with T. Boone Pickens to relocate 1,000 animals from shelters after Hurricane Katrina. Over the years, they've moved zebras, naked mole rats and poisonous dart frogs, often using professionals who are experts in those breeds.

"What we do is hard," said Kevin. It carries a lot of risk. "There are other countries and cultures that don't accept the household pet like we do, and will euthanize on sight if all of the documents are not correct," he said, adding such cases are very rare.

The OBriens' pug comes to work with them everyday. Jeniece Pettitt | CNBC
Swedish payments start-up iZettle, a rival to U.S.-based Square , has acquired Intelligentpos a start-up that turns iPads into sales terminals. iZettle makes card readers that can attach to smartphones and tablets in order for small merchants to process payments. It does not charge for the devices but only takes a cut of the transaction - between between 1 percent and 2.75 percent -- depending how much the business the trader does. But now the company wants to target a new area of growth  larger businesses with about 10 to 15 employees, rather than the sole trader running a coffee shop for example, and this is where it hopes Intelligentpos will help. Intelligentpos turns an iPad into a point of sales (POS) solution. The company has been working with iZettle for the last two years to integrate the Swedish firm's card readers with its POS software. So when people buy Intelligentpos's software, they can accept payments via iZettle's card terminal.

Johan Jeppsson | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Jacob de Geer, chief executive of iZettle, said takeover talks had been ongoing for 12 months and finally came to fruition this month. "With this acquisition, we move away from the typical owner-operated business to the bigger business where you have up to 10 or 15 employees. Moving up to small businesses is incredibly exciting," de Geer told CNBC in an interview ahead of the announcement. iZettle did not say how much it paid for the company. Intelligentpos is a nearly four-year-old start-up based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and says it has thousands of customers, mainly U.K.-based, and transacts about 500 million euros ($558 million) through its system every year. The start-up will remain based from Edinburgh and chief executive Robin Knox told CNBC the company will "continue operating as an independent unit" within iZettle.



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The U.K. is iZettle's biggest market and the acquisition will help it offer a new service across the 12 coutnries it operates in. The Swedish start-up, which is reportedly valued at around $500 million after a 60 million euro funding round last year, is the market leader in Europe, transacting about 3 billion euros this year.

Square threat?
The failure of Vietnam's government to reverse a longstanding ban on locals in casinos may be detrimental to foreign investment in the sector, analysts cautioned. In its latest draft decree this week, the Ministry of Finance maintained that only foreigners and Vietnamese with foreign passports can access casinos, according to local media reports. Earlier this year, a request was submitted to revise the rule, sparking hopes that the newly installed government, led by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, would loosen the strict regulations.

A motorbike taxi driver waiting for clients in front of the Crown Casino run by Silver Shores International Resort in the Vietnamese central coastal city of Danang HOANG DINH NAM | AFP | Getty Images

Local newspapers said the ruling was based on social concerns regarding gambling addictions, money laundering and other illicit activities.

"We were thinking the government would allow locals to play low-stakes games at least; this announcement is tighter than expectations," said Michael Kokalari, head of Vietnam research at CIMB. Speculation was also rife that officials would implement an entry fee for locals, akin to Singapore's policy, or impose a minimum net worth requirement in order to deter low-income individuals from gambling. "On the surface, this [Monday's news] is clearly bad news for international integrated resort (IR) developers who viewed Vietnam as one of the prized global greenfield opportunities," said Grant Govertsen, founding partner of Macau-based research firm Union Gaming Group, in a note. "It kills any interest for large gaming companies to invest in IR projects," echoed Shaun McCamley, head of Asian operations at management consulting firm Global Market Advisors. Home to a youthful and educated population, the Southeast Asian nation has long been touted as a bright spot in the global gaming market amid a downturn in Macau, the world's largest casino hub. Nearly 60 percent of the Vietnam's population is under 35 and the number of university graduates has spiked 60 percent within the last decade, according to a May note by market research firm Nielsen. Moreover, Boston Consulting Group expects the middle and affluent class to more than double in size between 2014 and 2020, from 12 million to 33 million. "Vietnam was viewed as a potential great investment opportunity should the government allow locals. Las Vegas Sands has been the most visible and vocal major gaming developer who has an interest in Vietnam," pointed out Govertsen.



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Working on Wall Street isn't just a man's game, in life or on the big screen. The new financial drama "Equity" puts female characters front and center  and women who work in the industry say many of the protagonists' career struggles are true to life. "Equity" follows veteran investment banker Naomi (Anna Gunn) as she fights to be seen as a rainmaker at her firm, bringing a tech start-up public with the help of junior banker Erin (Sarah Megan Thomas). Problems mount ahead of the IPO, and the two become embroiled in a securities fraud investigation launched by prosecutor Samantha (Alysia Reiner). The movie premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and opened nationwide in August. Women take the lead behind the scenes of "Equity," too, writing, directing and producing the film.



We talked to several women in business about aspects of the movie that they felt accurately portrayed some of the issues women face in the workplace, and in the finance industry in particular. Dorie Clark, author of "Stand Out." She is an adjunct professor of business administration at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, and a speaker and consultant for clients including the World Bank and Morgan Stanley.

Melissa Fisher, author of "Wall Street Women." She is a visiting assistant professor of social and cultural analysis at New York University.

Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and co-founder of digital advisor service Ellevest. Her prior roles include president of Bank of America's global wealth and investment management division and chief executive of Citigroup's personal wealth management division.

Lindsey Smith*, a mergers and acquisitions specialist with one of the Big Four accounting firms. (*Not her real name. She asked that her name be withheld to avoid running afoul of the compliance department.)



Anna Gunn stars in Equity. Source: SonyClassics

One of the compelling things about the movie, Fisher said, was that many of its plot points relating to career advancement and the glass ceiling are realistic  with the result that there wasn't a happy ending for many of the characters. "It speaks to workplace issues that have been going on for a long time," she said. For Smith, watching the movie generated one example after another of situations she's found herself in over the years, from inappropriately flirtatious clients to put-downs from the boss about her "confident" behavior. "I thought it was extremely accurate in terms of what was portrayed about the challenges that we women face at work," she said.



Assertive, or aggressive?

Some of the recurring themes:

Throughout "Equity," protagonist Naomi has to walk a fine line: Acting as confidently as her male colleagues generates reprimands from her (male) boss that she's rubbing people the wrong way; holding back makes her seem like she's failing to compete. He makes clear that others' perception of her behavior is what ultimately loses her an expected promotion. "[Naomi's] boss keeps saying it's not her year," Fisher said. "That's not unusual, being blocked by a male boss." Women make up 43 percent of the financial services industry, but only 20 percent of senior roles and 9 percent of CEOs, according to a 2016 report from the World Economic Forum. Many are stuck in midlevel roles. And old habits die hard. In a recent Pew report, 56 percent of men say that the obstacles that make it harder for women to get ahead are largely gone, compared with 34 percent of women who think so. Krawcheck said she came to the realization that to have her opinion count, she  unlike her male colleagues  had to come armed with research and numbers. "I worked for years to figure out how I could speak so I could be heard, and I never thought of it as a gender issue," she said. "But as time goes by, I realize it actually was."



Anna Gunn stars in Equity. Source: SonyClassics







Pregnancy
BUTTE  A father and son bow hunting for elk in the Big Hole Valley on Sunday got more than they bargained for  an encounter with a grizzly bear. The hunters backed off and surrendered the cow elk they had shot to the bear.

At 12:16 p.m. on Sunday, the Beaverhead County Sheriffs Department took a 911 call from the hunters, who were on the Gibbonsville Road about 10 miles west of Wisdom in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

The hunters, from the Bitterroot drainage to the west, told Deputy Sheriff Kyle Malkovich and Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden Regan Dean that after they shot the elk, they began to follow the blood trail to the animal when a grizzly bear came into the area and started to parallel them.

Beaverhead County Sheriff Franklin D. Kluesner said that when the bear huffed and growled at them, they made a wise choice and retreated, leaving the elk behind for the bear.

The hunters saw the bear and believe it was a grizzly. Based on its behavior, we believe its highly likely to have been a grizzly bear, Kluesner said.

The most prudent thing to do was definitely surrender the elk.

Kluesner said encounters with apex predators like grizzlies and mountain lion are more common with bow hunters because they often mask their human scent and use elk calls to attract game  which also will attract predators. If a bear smells a human, they will likely shy away, Kluesner said, but if that scent is hidden, bears become more of a factor.

Beaverhead County, Montanas largest, stretches more than 300 miles from southeast to northwest. Much of its 5,772 square miles is remote mountain country  perfect bear habitat. Located squarely between two grizzly-bear ecosystems  one in northern Montana and one to the southeast, in Yellowstone  Beaverhead County is a place where the two subgroups of bears will likely come together as the populations continue to recover.

Grizzly bear encounters have been more frequent in other areas of the county like the Centennial Range. The upper Big Hole Valley had not had a confirmed grizzly sighting for about a century until this year, when two sightings were confirmed  not including Sundays incident.

Much of the Big Hole Valley is very remote country, Kluesner said. Other than hunting season and firewood cutting, theres very little human activity.

But elk hunting season has just started, he said, and theres a lot of fall left before these bears go into hibernation.

Kluesner reminded hunters to carry bear spray. And If you encounter a bear, he said, the best thing is to walk slowly in the opposite direction from the bear, trying not to make any aggressive gestures or movements, or make eye contact.

And try not to run, he said. They are predators and running away can trigger a predatory response.

If a bear comes up on you suddenly, he said, its recommended to curl up in a ball.

The forest is a beautiful place, he said, But it can be very dangerous. We just need to find a way to share it with the bears.
Even for China, where companies have struggled with race issues in their marketing previously, the latest inflight magazine from the country's flagship airline will likely come as a shocker.

Air China 's Wings of China carries a long feature on visiting London, with almost a third of the magazine dedicated to tourist attractions in Britain's capital and other famous towns such as Oxford. The main article, titled "London the city of 'hat tricks'," covers Brits' apparent fondness for all kinds of hats.

Then, after a section on transport options and lifestyle and cultural activities in London, Wings of China offers some "Tips from Air China."

"London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians,Pakistanis and black people," China's flagship carrier advises. "We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when traveling."
Airline stocks helped the Dow transports rise more than 1 percent Wednesday, after Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines both reported encouraging figures.

Delta said on Wednesday that the airline remains focused on returning to positive unit revenue growth, a key industry metric.

"We have a lot of signs, reasons to be optimistic," Delta Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said in a Reuters report, which cited a conference call with investors.



Jacobson said, however, that Delta is on track for an 18 to 19 percent operating margin in the current quarter, slightly below prior guidance of 19 to 21 percent. The company said a power outage that shut down computer systems in August would probably result in a $150 million drop in pretax income.



Joseph DeNardi of Stifel Nicolaus said the lowered margin outlook was in line with expectations.


Users of one particular porn site may have unwittingly exposed more than they intended, after an alleged breach compromised chats and user IDs.

The names of nearly 800,000 people who allegedly use the Brazzers porn forum were leaked online, exposing not only the apparent identities of some users but also their public conversations.

The data breach is said to contain 790,724 email addresses, usernames and passwords, according to Vice's Motherboard, which first reported the data dump.

The outlet also said it worked with security researcher Troy Hunt to verify some of the information, including contacting some users.



TWEET

A representative for Brazzers did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. However, Matt Stevens, a spokesman for the company, told Motherboard the breach appears to match a 2012 incident on the forum when he said it was managed by a third party.

More from NBC News:

Porn site blocks North Carolina visitors over controversial LGBT law

The Brazzers Forum currently displays an "under maintenance" message

Are Russian hackers behind US election system hacks?



"The incident occurred because of a vulnerability in the said third-party software, the 'vBulletin' software, and not Brazzers itself," Stevens told Motherboard.

He added that "corrective measures" were taken after the incident to protect users. The software company he named did not immediately respond to a request from NBC News seeking comment.

Users who want to know if their information was included in the leak can check HaveIBeenPwned.com, where they can enter their username or email address.
The data above focus on specific types of funds: growth equity, value equity, and core equity (a mix between growth and value). Apple was the single most sold stock in two of those three groups.



"Some investors and asset managers may be starting to believe Apple's big growth days are behind them," said eVestment's Mark Scott. "Some of its latest product releases have had changes and improvements that to many industry watchers and consumers seem more incremental than revolutionary." EVestment's figures covers over 65,000 institutional portfolios, giving the company deep insight into their trading behavior.

Scott said the recent lack of amazing product launches could be a problem for institutional investors, "and something that's making them rethink the position of Apple in their portfolios."

Meanwhile, JJ Kinahan of TD Ameritrade told CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Tuesday that retail traders have actually been buying Apple's shares in August.

That's one reason Wednesday's product announcement is going to move markets. Shareholders big and small were watching, ready to trade.

But while Wednesday's event was under way, Apple's stock was flat, down 0.35 percent.
Apple CEO Tim Cook dismissed the EU decision to levy billions in back taxes on the tech giant's Irish operations as "political crap." Cook could be right, but not for the reason he thinks, or a reason that would offer stock investors much comfort. If overseas tax authorities don't target more offshore cash hoards, Apple may have a point that the target seems to be on its back. What could prove the Apple CEO right is the $2.4 trillion that more than 300 of the Fortune 500 companies keep in overseas tax havens. If global tax authorities come after more of the massive global cash stockpile, investors in many popular stocks will face a risk to profits they have long been taking for granted.

A customer enters the new Apple store in Covent Gardens, London. Suzanne Plunkett | Reuters

The $2.4 trillion estimate comes from Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ), a watchdog group that has been critical of the corporate use of tax havens. It's not science, but that's not the fault of the nonprofit: The disclosure from corporations over use of offshore tax havens is extremely limited. Matt Gardner, executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a partner organization to CTJ, has done the work of searching through corporate filings for the tax information. The limited disclosure in 10-K filings that is now available requires public companies to list their overseas subsidiaries and how much of their cash has been reinvested abroad. That level of disclosure took a permanent subcommittee in 2013 to make it happen, and Gardner said, "It tells you nothing at all about how the money is invested, whether it is sitting under a bed or whatever." Within the group of 303 Fortune 500 companies that disclose this information, roughly one-sixth disclose whether they paid tax paid on profits. The Securities and Exchange Commission only requires a company reveal how much they would pay upon repatriation of assets or indicate that "it's too hard to figure out," Gardner said. Yet he added that the SEC is growing more skeptical of this free pass and that is one reason he thinks more Fortune 500 companies are estimating tax liability. Fifty-five companies in that group of 303 go the extra step of estimating what they would pay in taxes upon repatriation. Of those, CTJ estimates that 27 are "likely holding a substantial amount of profits in tax havens," Gardner said. Apple discloses an implied tax rate of 30 percent. The CTJ reached this conclusion because these 27 companies disclose they would pay 25 percent or more on repatriation, implying they have paid 10 percent or less so far. "We are arbitrarily asserting that an aggregate foreign tax rate south of 10 percent means that a large chunk of these profits must be in tax havens," he said.

Corporations that upped offshore profits by $5 billion or more

Company 2015 unrepatriated income ($M) 2014 unrepatriated income ($M) Change Apple 200,100 157,800 42,300 Pfizer 193,587 175,798 17,788 Microsoft 108,300 92,900 15,400 Gilead Sciences 28,500 15,600 12,900 Danaher 23,500 11,800 11,700 Google 58,300 47,400 10,900 Chevron 45,400 35,700 9,700 Medtronic 27,837 20,529 7,308 IBM 68,100 61,400 6,700 Oracle 38,000 32,400 5,600 Cisco Systems 58,000 52,700 5,300 Sealed Air 5,100 0 5,100



(Source: Citizens for Tax Justice) There are some companies that would likely pay next to nothing upon repatriation, because they pay high tax rates overseas. Gardner gave as an example oil and gas companies doing business in Scandinavian countries and subject to tax rates overseas as high as 35 percent. But it's the other end of the spectrum, like Apple, which indicate they would pay close to 35 percent, which is "itself an indication of how little tax you paid," Gardner said. The flip side of the argument is that the real problem is the U.S. corporate tax code. "The public behavior of the Apple CEO again and again is, 'We will bring it back when you fix the tax code." Ireland is not even the biggest part of the tax haven picture. Using Internal Revenue Service data, CTJ found that American companies keep a majority of profits in 10 tax havens. In some cases, U.S companies are reporting subsidiaries in tax havens with cash hoards that dwarf the nations' GDP. U.S. company subsidiaries reported earning $46 billion in the Cayman Islands in the most recent year for which data is available. The problem: The GDP of the Cayman Islands is $3 billion. Ireland is more reasonable by contrast, with U.S. multinationals reporting $135 billion in profits within an Irish economy that is $225 billion. "Apple is one of the biggest and most profitable and has a bigger stash of offshore cash than almost anybody. But Apple is not alone," Gardner said. Gardner conceded that "in all of these cases, it's smoke not fire," but that is due to the fact that disclosures are so limited. "For the 200-plus companies that don't disclose tax on repatriation, it's totally possible that some or even all of this cash has really been reinvested in meaningful ways in these countries. I doubt it very much, but it's totally possible," Gardner said. He said it is more likely for companies that have a substantial overseas retail presence, which requires store construction, and the same goes for manufacturing facilities.

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Jon Lukomnik, head of the Investor Responsibility Research Center, which works with boards of directors, said that the EU decision against Apple covers multiple years, so it is not just about this year's rate or next year's rate but also about retained earnings and liabilities on the balance statement. Even with limited disclosures, Lukomnik said investors can monitor another sign that would indicate company concern about its current overseas tax practice. In the wake of the Apple decision, many companies are going to have to reexamine the reserves they hold to see if they need to increase them, as well as improve disclosure of potential EU tax liabilities, Lukomnik said. "I believe the standard on tax reserving is whether the entity is more likely than not to be correct in its tax treatment. Given the EU move against Apple, and really against Ireland and therefore any of the individual nations that make up the EU, the border of where 'more likely than not' is has moved," he said. "If the reserves go up, it may mean the audit committee has determined the tax rate used over the past few years was understated, which would be a signal to equity investors that the tax rate may go up this year or next," he added.

Apple is one of the biggest and most profitable and has a bigger stash of offshore cash than almost anybody. But Apple is not alone. Matt Gardner executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

How good are your profits?
Britain is going to build a huge concrete wall in Calais, France, in the hope of stopping refugees and migrants getting into the country through the Channel Tunnel, according to reports.

A number of British media outlets, including The Guardian and The Telegraph, reported that Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill told lawmakers on Tuesday that Britain would pay for a 4 meter-high, 1 kilometer-long (13 foot-high, 0.6 mile-long) wall along the carriageway that leads into the Calais ferry port.

People hoping to live in Britain have long secreted themselves on trucks going into the port and through the tunnel from France. Many of the stowaways reportedly come from the Jungle, a large camp used by refugees and migrants that is near the port entrance. An existing fence has not prevented migrants and refugees from attempting to get onto trucks using the carriageway.

According to reports, the new wall will cost 2 millionpounds ($2.6 million) to build, a cost that will be covered by Britain.

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The U.K.'s Institute of Directors, along with Cass Business School and the Chartered Quality Institute, assessed corporate governance based on several factors including board effectiveness, accountability and shareholder relations, as well as how the company was perceived by investors and customers. Companies at the bottom of the pile included Rolls-Royce, Berkeley and Tesco.

British American Tobacco, Unilever and Diageo have been named as top performers in an annual review of corporate governance among members of the FTSE 100 .

The purpose of the report is to help company directors understand what makes up good governance, according to Ken Olisa, chairman of the report's advisory panel.



"In order to perform well in our rankings, companies have to score well across a range of areas, including board structure, financial performance, remuneration and transparency," explained Olisa in a press release.



"Despite the setbacks corporate Britain has endured this year, it still has an enviable global reputation for good governance. The range between the top and bottom companies on our list is narrow, indicating that directors could improve their governance substantially by focusing on limited problem areas."



Good governance is not just important for public relations. New research from Hermes Investment Management published this week finds that shares of companies with poor governance underperformed well-governed firms, returning 0.3 percent, or 30 basis points (bps), less to shareholders.



"Two years on from our original study, which also showed a discrepancy of 30bps per month between well and poorly governed companies, this research highlights that the 'governance premium' is well and truly entrenched," said Geir Lode, head of global equities at Hermes, in a press release.



"Furthermore, our latest study demonstrates that the premium holds true across different geographies and sectors  albeit with a few caveats  proving the almost universal power of effective corporate governance."



British American Tobacco was placed first in the IoD governance rankings.



"For us, high standards of corporate governance are a fundamental element that underpins the sustainable, long-term growth of our business, and we are very pleased to see this commitment being recognised in the IoD report," Simon Cleverly, group head of corporate affairs at British American Tobacco, told CNBC via email.
China's economic transformation has truly been one of the most dramatic in modern history. Per capita incomes have risen six-fold in just over a decade, the country has accumulated the world's largest pile of foreign exchange reserves and its economy has left its Japanese counterpart in the dust to become the second-largest in the world, second only to the U.S. China's dominance in trade has been a key driver of this metamorphosis and economists at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have put out a report outlining the progress as well as some of the challenges confronting China as the economy continues to evolve. Here are some charts from the IMF that chronicle key developments in China's trade sector:

Exports market share

China now accounts for more than 12 percent of world exports, more than any other single country in the world, according to the IMF.

Nominal exports grew by an astounding 17 percent on average each year from 1990 to 2012, helped by China's ascension to World Trade Organization member in 2001.

Global economic powerhouse

China accounts for 10 percent of the world's imports and a surge in demand for commodities from Chinese factories has underpinned growth in countries that supply raw material to the country, including Australia and Brazil. According to the IMF, China now accounts of two-thirds of Asia's imports of intermediate goods, 25 percent of capital goods exports from Japan and Korea, and nearly half of the region's exports of intermediate goods. On the other hand, China has managed to widen its trade surplus with advanced economies.

Rising wages

China's export boom initially began by shipping cheaply produced goods to the rest of the world. Abundant labor meant wages were low, allowing manufacturers to stay competitive by pricing goods more attractively compared to global peers. It has been estimated that there are 270 million migrant workers in the 10 coastal provinces that account for 90 percent of China's exports, and millions more laboring in Chinese inland provinces and rural areas, according to the IMF. That era is coming to an end, however, as the working age population declines and then starts shrinking rapidly, according to the fund. This trend has been reflected in a rise in unit labor costs in China compared with countries in Southeast Asia, and this should further reduce China's competitiveness in more labor-intensive industries over time.



Increased sophistication

China is responding to this development by moving up the value chain and producing more sophisticated products. According to the IMF, domestic value added has grown sharply, and especially so in "knowledge intensive" production. An increase in value added is, by definition, GDP growth, and the sharp increase in total value added has powered economic growth. The share of processing trade  the process of importing all or part of the inputs of a product and then exporting the assembled product  in total exports has fallen to a third from over half in the early 2000s. "Since processing exports, by definition, are more reliant on foreign value-added than other exports are, the relative decline of this sector strongly suggests that China is moving up the value chain by replacing its reliance on sophisticated imported inputs with domestic production," the IMF said.


"History is on Ackman's side. Sometimes that is all that matters. I still believe that there will be a chance to get into this stock at a lower price, because the current quarter likely won't be anything to write home about," the " Mad Money " host said.

When Cramer compared the pattern of the three worst health scares in recent history  Jack in the Box in 1993, Taco Bell in 2006 and the KFC Chinese food contamination incident  he found that investors should buy the stock before the anniversary of the bad news to catch the bottom.

Looking back in history, Jim Cramer says Bill Ackman is right about Chipotle .

If it comes closer to that level, I think you should join Bill Ackman and invest in the stock of this once great and soon to be great again restaurant chain.

Cramer expects the analysts to upgrade Chipotle after it reports knowing that numbers will improve going forward. That is why Ackman had to move, Cramer said.

"I said to buy Chipotle at $400, and I reiterate that statement. If it comes closer to that level, I think you should join Bill Ackman and invest in the stock of this once great and soon to be great again restaurant chain," Cramer said.

Many investors will now focus on what Ackman will say to Chipotle's management. In addition to his new 9.9 percent stake in the company, he also will speak to Chipotle management about possible changes.

Ten years ago, Ackman tried to get McDonald's to re-franchise its stores to improve profit margins. Then five years ago, the managers at Brazil-based investment group 3G invited Ackman to be involved in taking Burger King private while adopting the re-franchising theory.

"I think that Ackman can certainly push for Chipotle to go to a franchise model from its wholly-owned structure, but that won't be received well as current management likes to keep tight control over its business," Cramer said.

Ultimately, Cramer says that buying Chipotle's stock right now is a bet that health scares are behind it.

The next quarter coming up will mark a year since Chipotle's health incidents, which tends to indicate a bottom based on the history seen with the other restaurant chains hit with health problems.

Investors aren't like a hedge fund manager like Ackman, so they have more flexibility. That is why Cramer advised to wait for Chipotle at $400.

"American people tend to forgive and forget. Soon Chipotle will be forgiven, the illnesses will be forgotten, and the stock will be ready to run, maybe not to the heights we saw before its 40 percent fall from grace, but certainly to levels that will make it worth betting on," Cramer said.
Because Montana does not acknowledge medical marijuana cards from other states, a Washington state man was arrested Saturday.

James Lawrence Rowse, 65, appeared in Yellowstone County Justice Court Tuesday and was charged with felony criminal possession with intent to distribute and misdemeanor criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.

Justice of the Peace David Carter released Rowse on his own recognizance and ordered him placed on GPS monitoring.

Rowse was arrested by Montana Highway Patrol while traveling east on Interstate 90. Rowse was pulled over near mile marker 451 for going 76 miles per hour in a 65 miles per hour zone.

The trooper asked Rowse to exit his car because the trooper smelled marijuana in the car.

Rowse was heading to a business meeting in Colorado and was bringing along personal use marijuana as well as samples for his Colorado clients. Rowse also had a medical marijuana card out of Washington state. Rowse was not over the three ounce possession limit for Washington medical users.

Medical marijuana cards from other states are not recognized in Montana.

Rowse works for People of the Medicine, a medical marijuana dispensary in Washington. Rowse is a medical marijuana consultant for Native American tribes.

Rowse now faces up to 20 years in prison.
Democrats have consistently resisted reforms that would modernize the Federal Reserve, bringing much needed transparency to what most Americans consider an impossibly opaque institution. While such reforms promise increased accountability, Democrats falsely claim that a better disciplined, more predictable, and clearly communicated monetary policy would jeopardize the Fed's independence.

Only a flat Earth society could support the lack of discipline, predictability, and transparency in a bureaucracy. Democrats, instead, are opposing promising reforms to create a smokescreen for something much more nefarious - a partisan takeover of the Federal Reserve.

How, one might ask, can the Fed be taken over? The answer comes from Congressional Democrats, who are simply following the corporate raider's playbook.

After establishing an ownership toehold, raiders pressure boards to favor their own interests over others. Through a Trojan-horse provision, the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 lit the fuse toward this end, tilting the process by which Federal Reserve District presidents are appointed in favor of candidates who instinctively lean toward accommodative monetary policies.

Before Dodd-Frank, all directors for each Federal Reserve District participated in the nomination of candidates to succeed their outgoing president. Dodd-Frank, unbeknownst to many, recklessly amended Section 4 of the Federal Reserve Act to silence Class A directors during this process.

Class A directors are commercial bankers who are elected by bankers to represent the interests of bankers. Those interests hardly include shrinking economic opportunity. Indeed, as people whose business frequently relies on making fixed-rate loans, these directors maintain the strongest of interests in a sound monetary policy that simply eases the way for goods and services (including labor) to find their most promising opportunities.

This alignment of incentives and insulation from Washington's politics help rationalize why district bank presidents have tended to serve as dutiful stewards of sound monetary policy  a strategy that the first person to chair President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers characterized as "compassionate," since it is "the most likely to permanently improve conditions for the poor."

When Dodd-Frank disenfranchised Class A directors, the consequences were extremely predictable. For example, it is unsurprising in this light that recent District appointments in Dallas, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis saw doves replace more hawkish presidents.

Striking this obscure section from Dodd-Frank could put monetary policy and our economy on a better track. But rather than embrace the promise of increased opportunity that such a repeal offers, Democrats are doubling down to completely silence interests in price stability and institutionalize a far more centrally controlled monetary policy.

Recently, the Democratic Party Platform spelled out a plan for eliminating Class A directors altogether from District boards, and disenfranchising any of the Districts' shareholding banks from the election of directors. Democrats falsely claim this will preserve the Federal Reserve's independence, but governance experts see it for what it is  a naked grab for central control.

Should this coup succeed, District Bank directors would be selected not for their interest in increasing economic opportunity wherever it shows promise, but rather in channeling resources to where they maximize political favor.

Worse than a pretense of knowledge, the Democrat's platform demands a duplicitous straightjacket, consigning people to partisan dependence instead of reliably supporting their opportunity to flourish.

Americans typically rebound in short order from recessions, even those associated with financial crises. Unfortunately, this time is different. Already, Dodd-Frank has negatively impacted and restricted what Americans can and cannot do. If those who favor giving even more power to the central planners to achieve their goal, history will show that Dodd-Frank served as the lynchpin for creating an even less informed and more distortionary monetary policy.

Sound monetary policy facilitates commerce wherever it shows promise. But when monetary policy is manipulated to favor certain interests, it leaves savers and investors guessing about where they can create real value. If Democrats were truly interested in maintaining an independent Federal Reserve, they would abandon their veiled attempt to take over the Fed. Failing to do so will fundamentally compromise not only our nation's monetary policy, but also the ability to break out of the weakest economic recovery of our lifetimes.
Donald Trump is now welcoming all media to cover his campaign.

Trump's campaign confirmed to CNBC on Wednesday that the media blacklist is being removed. The Republican presidential nominee had banned several outlets from covering his campaign for perceived bias, including The Washington Post, Politico, The Huffington Post and Buzzfeed.

Politico reported that some reporters would attend Trump events as members of the public, but occasionally were thrown out once security realized that they were journalists.

Trump has been outspoken against the media but seems to be lightening up his stance against some outlets. Last week, the campaign announced the print press pool  where organizations work together to gather news and distribute it to all members  could include several previously blacklisted organizations like BuzzFeed.

Disclosure: CNBC parent company NBCUniversal is an investor in BuzzFeed.


Investment bank Goldman Sachs has banned its high-ranking employees from contributing money to certain campaigns including that of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, according to reports in Politico and Fortune. The online politics magazine reported Tuesday that the bank had expanded its political restrictions to partners of the firm. It cited an email that was sent out last week by the bank telling its employees about its rules on political activities.

Politico reported Goldman sent an email saying that beginning September 1, partners would not be allowed to engage in political activities or make "contributions to candidates running for state and local offices, as well as sitting state and local officials running for federal office."



Donald Trump Ty Wright | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The policy change is meant to prevent employees from violating pay-to-play rules and to minimize damage to the firm's reputation from any potential violations. Pay-to-play schemes involve campaign contributions or other payments made by investment advisers to state and local government officials in an attempt to influence the awarding of lucrative public contracts, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Goldman Sachs was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. The penalty for failing to comply with this rule can include fines and a temporary ban on the firm from conducting business with governmental clients, Politico reported. The email cited by Politico does not mention Trump's name but the business magazine Fortune said it had obtained a copy of the memo in which Goldman specifically mentions the Trump-Pence campaign as one partners cannot support any longer.

Banned donations include those to any federal candidate who is also a current state or local official, Fortune reported. This would rule out the Trump/Pence ticket, it noted. Pence is the sitting Governor of Indiana.
U.S.-listed shares of GW Pharmaceuticals surged more than 23 percent on Wednesday following a report the British company is working with an investment bank following other drug makers expressing interest in an acquisition.

GW hired Morgan Stanley to help handle the overtures, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The pharmaceutical company, however, is currently not interested in a sale and there is no guarantee a deal will happen, sources said.

Sources said the identity of potential buyers could not be established. The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential, Reuters said.

GW spokesman Stephen Schultz told CNBC the company does not comment on rumors or speculation. A spokesperson for Morgan Stanley did not immediately respond for CNBC's request for comment.

GW may be more appealing to larger drug companies due to its key cannabis-based Epilepsy drug, Epidiolex.

GW's U.S.-listed shares have gained more than 49 percent year-to-date including Wednesday's sharp upward move.
Here's all you really need to know if you're trying to figure out the oil market: Iran and Saudi Arabia are at war. Everything else is secondary.

No, Iran and Saudi Arabia are not in a head-to-head war on an actual battlefield. But they are at war just the same, and the battle is being fought with more intensity now, on more fronts, and with more proxies than ever before. And one of the fiercest battlegrounds is oil, where Iran's post-nuclear deal/relaxed sanctions re-entry into the entire global crude market has given Tehran a new weapon to against its rivals in Riyadh.

And that weapon came out of its case Wednesday when Iran decided to interrupt the budding Saudi-Russian reduced production deal and announce that it's not going to reduce production at all. In fact, it sure sounded like Iran will do whatever it can to make up for any supply losses to the overall market.

That pumped the brakes on the modest crude rally and now the entire Saudi-Russian deal is more in doubt than ever. That's too bad for the poor saps who bet big on oil based on the news of that production pact.

That means Iran is willing to endure losing oil revenues in return for hurting Saudi Arabia more. And since Iran can now legally sell more crude on the open market than it has in decades, it's actually not sacrificing all that much revenue compared to the never-sanctioned Saudis.

And, of course, the suddenly cash-strapped and budget-conscious Saudis aren't including arming themselves and their closest allies in their recent cost-cutting efforts. Saudi Arabia has not only been arming itself with newer and more numerous weapons systems, it's been lending money to its fellow Sunni nations like Egypt and the smaller Gulf states so they can arm up more as well.

All of this is a result of the Obama administration-led nuclear deal with Iran, which the rest of the Middle East has interpreted as definitive proof that the Iranian mullahs are closer and more likely than ever to get nuclear weapons.

Just this week, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei blasted the Saudis for their maintenance and management of the Islamic holy sites in Mecca. This is a standard complaint Shia Iran makes against the Saudis every time it wants to signal yet another ramping up of the conflict between the two nations. And the conflict is really just a continuation of the real war in the Middle East that's been going on and off for the last 1,400 years. Every violent or cold political, or financial act made by a Muslim country or even an Islamic terror group is somehow connected to the Sunni-Shia conflict. And the commodities markets are no exception.

So if you're watching the oil markets, all you need to do is wait to see a Saudi move to manipulate prices be quickly countered by the Iranians. And similarly, anything Iran does in connection to the United States, including the recent spate of provocative Iranian patrol boat harassment of U.S. Naval ships in the Gulf, is often not really so much about the U.S. as it is about Iran's dispute with the Sunnis in Saudi Arabia or Saudi clients elsewhere.

President Obama clearly wanted to balance America's involvement in this Sunni-Shia conflict by pushing so hard for the nuclear deal with Iran. In light of our many decades of friendship with the Saudis, the White House seemed to think this would improve out fortunes in the region. But as the aggressive Iranian actions in the Gulf and its already questionable adherence to the nuclear deal rules prove, all the nuclear deal has produced is more instability.

That instability currently includes oil prices that simply cannot sustain a rally for going on two years now. And while many American consumers surely like that result when they visit the gas pump, they may like it a lot less if a depressed oil market brings the world closer to an actual Middle Eastern war. Because no matter how isolationist the next presidential administration promises to be, there's simply no way a wider war in a region with so many of our allies will be something the U.S. can stay out of for long.
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Some employees are missing out on doctor's visits and flu shots.

A recent paper from the Employee Benefit Research Institute analyzed a large manufacturer between 2009 and 2014 with a high-deductible health-care plan. The study did not name the company. Across the board, workers who enrolled in the high-deductible plan saw the doctor less. This was a problem especially for lower-income employees. Under a high-deductible plan, workers can use a tax-advantaged health savings account to cover qualified medical expenses. A high-deductible plan has an annual deductible of at least $1,300 for singles or $2,600 for families, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Out-of-pocket expenses cannot exceed $6,550 for individual plans or $13,100 for families. These arrangements have become more popular as employers attempt to rein in the cost of coverage.



The manufacturer at the center of the study introduced a high-deductible plan with an HSA as an option for workers in 2009. By 2013, about a quarter of employees were enrolled.

Lower income=fewer doctors visits

Researchers found that the frequency with which workers in the high-deductible plan visited their doctors and sought certain preventive services varied based on their income. "People don't understand how the plan works," said Paul Fronstin, director of the health research and education program at the Employee Benefit Research Institute. "Because of higher deductibles, lower income people cut corners on going to the physician," he said.

In the study, those who earned less than $50,000 averaged 1.5 visits to medical specialists, while individuals who made $125,000 or more averaged 2.1 visits. "The one consistent finding in every study on HSAs is that people cut back on healthcare," Fronstin said. "That's a concern."



Learn how to use your health-care plan

Paying out-of-pocket seems to be enough to dissuade workers from seeking even preventive care. This is a mistake, as plans are required to cover these services free of co-payments, co-insurance or deductibles, as long as an in-network provider is used. "When people start to become ill, it's important to educate them to go early and use low-cost providers, including walk-in clinics," said Carolyn McClanahan, director of financial planning at Life Planning Partners in Jacksonville, Florida. Get the most out of your health care coverage with the following suggestions, said certified financial planner McClanahan, who began her career as a physician. Get your annual checkups early in the year : If any problems surface, you can treat them and meet your deductible before the year ends.

: If any problems surface, you can treat them and meet your deductible before the year ends. Consider low-cost health care alternatives: See if your plan offers access to a nurse triage call service. They can provide guidance on whether an issue is serious enough to warrant a visit to the doctor.
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Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny told CNBC on Wednesday he is confident of winning the appeal against the European Commission's ruling on Apple 's taxes. The country's premier spoke to CNBC a week after the European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, ruled that Ireland had granted Apple undue tax benefits. This is illegal under EU rules and the commission ordered the Irish government to recover up to 13 billion euros ($14.6 billion)  plus interest  from Apple. Ireland opposed the ruling on fears that it would jeopardize its policy of wooing foreign businesses to relocate there Ireland will appeal the ruling to provide "clarity and certainty," Kenny told CNBC in Dublin. Apple also plans to appeal. "I am confident the appeal will succeed because what has happened here is that the European Commission has made a finding with regards to state aid rules, which crosses the threshold into tax competency, which is a matter for each individual country," Kenny told CNBC on Wednesday.

Enda Kenny Louisa Gouliamaki | AFP | Getty Images

Ireland's low corporate tax rate of 12.5 percent makes it a popular European base for U.S. multinationals, particularly in technology and health care. The commission's complaint is not that Ireland has a low corporate tax rate, but that it offered special treatment to Apple  which Kenny denied.

Nonetheless, the Irish Department of Finance has already said the Irish Revenue Commission will have to collect the sum from Apple and place it an escrow account.

"In Ireland here, the Revenue Commission have always been completely independent of the state since 1923 and they are quite adamant and quite clear that there was no preferential treatment and no special deals, no sweetheart deals and that Apple paid the taxes that were due on their profits generated here in this country," Kenny told CNBC. The European Commission says the tax arrangement offered to Apple by Ireland meant it paid an annual tax rate varying between only 0.005 percent and 1 percent. Kenny said the commission was levying an "unprecedented" amount on Apple and that some of the alleged back taxes could actually be due to other European countries or the U.S. "It is mirage money in many ways that is not ours to spend," he told CNBC, adding that Ireland could not become the "collector general for the world."

Pedestrians walk with a dog near Apple Inc.'s campus in Cork, Ireland. Aidan Crawley | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The special sitting of the Dail comes after considerable protests by both Apple and the Irish authorities over the EC decision, which was made on the basis that low tax rates for Apple subsidiaries based in Ireland constituted illegal state aid. This has been hotly contested by the U.S. technology giant, which has had operations in Ireland for more than three decades.

The country's Department of Finance said in a briefing paper sent to members of the Dail, Ireland's parliament, that its Revenue Commission would have to collect the sum and put it into an escrow account, ahead of a key debate on Wednesday on whether or not to appeal the decision.

Ireland's government has admitted that it will have to accept a 13 billion euros ($14.6 billion) payment from Apple ordered by the European Commission, despite well-publicized resistance to the award from its politicians.

The Department of Finance is insistent that the actions which led to Apple paying an effective corporate tax rate of 1 percent on its European profits in 2003, which fell to 0.005 percent in 2014, were legal under Irish tax law.

"The European Commission doesn't have responsibility for taxation matters," John Paul Phelan, chair of the Dail's Budget Committee, told CNBC Wednesday.



Tim Cook, Apple chief executive, has dismissed the ruling as "political crap", but recently said that Apple is planning to repatriate some of its $215 billion overseas cash back to the U.S. next year.

Ireland, where corporation tax is 12.5 percent, has built a reputation as a tax haven over many years, but this has become particularly controversial in the post-credit crisis world, after its bailout by the European Union, and amid growing international scrutiny of multinational companies' tax affairs.

"The government has always had a head-in-the-sand approach when it came to Apple," Pearse Doherty, finance spokesperson for opposition party Sinn Fein, told CNBC Wednesday.

Many Irish residents want to keep its low-tax status to attract investments, according to a poll released Monday for RTE, Ireland's national broadcaster, which showed that 62 percent of respondents supported the Irish government appealing the decision.

"Ultimately Irish people realise how important multinational investment and jobs are to this economy. Between one in six jobs is dependent on a multinational employer. It is core to our economic model and it is important the government defends this economic model," Fergal O'Brien, chief economist at IBEC, told CNBC Wednesday.


London is the place to be for businesses and individuals in search of fresh opportunities although Singapore is hot on its heels, according to PwC.

The U.K. capital emerged as the top global city for the second consecutive occasion and even extended its lead against rivals, according to PwC's biennial "Cities of Opportunity" report.

"London has the tools for a changing world, which increasingly determine global success or failure in an urban world driven by knowledge and connectivity," PwC analysts said in the report.

The report assessed 30 global cities based on 10 economic and social health indicators, including transportation and infrastructure, ease of doing business, demographics and livability, technology readiness and cost.

Singapore was the runner-up and the only Asian city in the top five, flanked by Toronto in third, then Paris and Amsterdam.
When Yellowstone County Clerk of District Court Kristie Boelter suggested to County Commissioner John Ostlund that he didn't understand why she needed to fill a supervisory position, it was, in fact, Boelter who was clueless about why hiring one was the wrong thing to do.

Ostlund remained firm and did the right thing, especially when it was hard to take a lecture from an elected official so clearly intent on not doing the job the voters elected her to do.

You may remember that Boelter lost her job in the June primary election to fellow Republican Terry Halpin. Boelter's tenure has been marked by plenty of gaffes, miscues and questionable administration. You may remember that Boelter was warned by the Yellowstone County Attorney's Office that it could not and would not defend her actions when she said she may require office personnel to issue marriage licenses to gay couples over one clerk's religious objections. Never mind the fact that she had enough staff to honor the request without forcing someone to do it.

And, Boelter scrubbed a Facebook comment once when she suggested that judges were corrupt. During the election, plenty of questions were raised about how well the office has been run during her tenure.

Then, in what is probably the most questionable and unprofessional act while in office, after she was unseated, she started spending less and less time in the office, telling her staff they could reach her via email. Moreover, she was going to be spending more time focusing on her next career move.

All of this is important because it not only illustrates a poor pattern of professional behavior, but it also helps put Ostlund's actions in context. Montana voters cannot easily remove elected officials, nor can they force them to do their jobs without recall  both not really possible in Boelter's case. Instead, she will, by law, draw a pay check and set her own hours, working as much (or as the case may be) as little as she wants with little more accountability than her own conscience.

The taxpayers are probably getting taken for the remainder of her term, or at the very least, not getting their money's worth. That's why it's not shocking that Ostlund rightfully stopped hiring another supervisor, at least not without Halpin's help.

It would seem like another supervisor would only do some of the work that Boelter should be doing. We can't help but wonder if the reason that Boelter is so passionate and insistent is because she wants someone to delegate work to, since she is a lame duck.

If a supervisor is hired, it should be with the blessing and the help of Halpin, the clerk-elect. After all, she will be the one who will be supervising this person and whomever is hired must work well with her since Boelter will be out of office in a few months.

Keep in mind this isn't the first case of Ostlund stopping a hire. He didn't do it because of the questions raised by Boelter's email to staff in which she said she'd be working less. Ostlund also rejected a similar position before Boelter took office. Good for Ostlund for pointing that out and doing the right thing.

Finally, when Ostlund suggested Boelter meet with Halpin, Boelter refused. That act alone demonstrates a pettiness and lack of professionalism that led to her ouster from office.

Right now, we can only look forward to Halpin's arrival in the office and meanwhile thank Ostlund for not letting this decision slip by.
Oil's struggles continue and according to one expert, investors shouldn't expect the commodity to break through $55 for a few years.

The problem lies with the oil glut as supply continues to outpace demand. Despite recent optimism around talks between Russia and Saudi Arabia that could result in reduced output, Dennis Gartman, editor of The Gartman Letter, doesn't see the supply issue easing.

Gartman's main focus has been on the oil futures curve, and that the contango has been widening as of late. Contango is the difference between oil contracted for near-term delivery and crude slated for delivery further in the future.

"There will be no freeze of any consequence," Gartman said Tuesday on CNBC's "Futures Now." "The contangos continue to widen, which tells you that there is an abundance of supply in the market. As long as the contangos continue to widen, as crude oil bids for storage, prices are going to head lower."

Even if Russia and Saudi Arabia formally agreed to put a cap on crude production in the future, Gartman sees U.S. oil producers continuing to flood the market.

"It's only the utterly incompetent drillers who can't make money at these prices," said Gartman. "So, the amount of crude oil that's going to come out of the Bakken, out of the Permian, out of Eagle Ford, is just going to be very large."

"The Saudis, the Iranians and the Russians have nothing they can say to us to tell us to stop our own production and we won't," he said.

As a result, Gartman believes that oil's supply concerns mean the commodity's price will be capped.

"The reality is we're going to be stuck for several years between $35 on the low end, and $55 on the high," he said.

Oil was up more than 1 percent midday Wednesday.
Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill rose 5.7 percent Wednesday, a day after Bill Ackman's Pershing Square disclosed a 9.9 percent stake.

"We welcome their investment, and appreciate the confidence they've expressed in our brand, differentiated offering, visionary leadership and strong growth opportunities," Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold told CNBC.

The investment is a validation that the burrito chain could bounce back after its series of foodborne illness outbreaks last year, according to three Wall Street analysts.

"This provides Chipotle with a prominent key shareholder, one that is likely to use its voice pro-actively," Mark Kalinowski, a Nomura analyst, wrote in a research note Wednesday.

However, the appearance of the activist investor may not be enough to spark a short-term turnaround for the company.

"We see no quick fix to what CMG really needs, a revitalization of top line, and activism's traditional tools for restaurants  spinoffs, refranchising, asset sales and cost cuts  don't appear to offer short-term opportunities, leaving few obvious quick levers to pull," Morgan Stanley analyst John Glass wrote in a research note Wednesday.

Still, he said, Ackman's investment could spur Chipotle to "hasten their turnaround efforts, which appear to have stalled."

The company received a boost from its Chiptopia program, which ends Sept. 30, during the second quarter, and the chain announcednew promotions last week that will run for the next month aimed at college students and families.

Glass noted that there are five potential activist moves for the restaurant chain: expanding its board, improving management's breadth of expertise, focusing on profit margins, curbing new unit expansion to increase cash flow and to either aggressively expand new food restaurant concepts or divest them altogether.

"The typical activist 'playbook' in restaurants has called for a combination of refranchising, cost-cutting and leverage," Credit Suisse analyst Jason West wrote in a research note Wednesday. "However, in our view, these options are less appealing in [Chipotle's] case given a high current valuation, lack of franchising historically, and since [Chipotle] would be selling stores that are significantly diminished relative to historic peak volumes and profits."

West said he expects Pershing to focus on improving the chain's sluggish sales.

"While CMG's sales recovery has been frustratingly slow and we see no silver bullets for a turnaround, Pershing's investment provides some validation of the long-term power of the brand," he wrote.
"Bluster is part of Duterte's brand, and defending his nation in colorful terms will likely further endear him with voters," explained Phillip Orchard, analyst at intelligence firm Stratfor.

Since taking office on June 30, the 71-year-old has insulted international politicians, diplomats and organizations while defending his crackdown on crime and drugs.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's vulgar language may resonate with voters at home but it's causing ruptures abroad, leaving political pundits wondering just how long his firebrand diplomacy will last.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte walks up the stage for the opening of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane on September 6, 2016.

On Monday, though, he went a step further, calling U.S. President Barack Obama a "son of a b****" - a comment that prompted Washington to call off a bilateral meeting with Duterte at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Laos.

The leader's controversial remarks and hardline stance have earned him the nickname of "Asia's Donald Trump" and now, it appears both politicians may share another similarity. The Republican presidential candidate appears to have softened some of his rhetoric and policy positions in hope of appealing to the wider electorate, and Duterte may have to follow suit, albeit for different reasons.

"He's new to the job. At some point, he's likely to conclude that abiding by decorum and diplomatic norms generally would make it easier to get what he needs from the international community and that these kinds of outbursts only intensify the international spotlight," Orchard pointed out.

The Philippines' former United Nations (UN) envoy Lauro Baja mirrored that view.

"I think the president should be advised on the art of diplomacy and the implications of the strategic importance of approaches to the intricacies of international relations," Baja told local news outlet ABS-CBN on Tuesday.

Aside from Obama, Duterte has also slighted Arab culture, Pope Francis, the UN and the body's chief Ban Ki-moon, the Catholic Church, and U.S. ambassador to Manila Philip Goldberg. During his former role as Davao City mayor, he also joked about raping an Australian missionary and burning the Singaporean flag.

But none of his remarks have cost the Philippines any serious damage yet.

"Duterte is not representative of the Philippines at large, though he does echo the positions of a vocal minority," Gregory Poling, a fellow with the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said. "He was elected on a domestic populist platform, not because he is in step with the Philippine electorate on foreign policy."
HELENA  A former Montana legislator has agreed to pay $19,599 to the state to settle allegations that he took illegal corporate contributions from a dark-money organization not required to disclose its donors or spending.

The agreement between former Rep. Dan Kennedy, R-Billings, and Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl is the sixth of nine cases against Republican candidates accused of taking illegal contributions during the 2010 primary elections that have been resolved by settlement or in court.

The amount Kennedy agreed to pay is the same amount a jury earlier this year found that Rep. Art Wittich took in in-kind contributions from the corporate groups affiliated with the anti-union National Right to Work Committee. Wittich's case was the first of the nine to go to trial.

Kennedy represented a Billings district in the Montana House from 2011 to 2013. His 2010 primary opponent, Debra Bonogosfky, filed a complaint with Motl's office alleging that Kennedy broke campaign finance laws.

Motl concluded that Kennedy was among 14 Republican candidates who received a package of services from organizations affiliated with the National Right to Work Committee. The package included campaign advice, thousands of voter mailings, website design, voter data and other services.

Motl filed civil lawsuits against the nine candidates he knew about before the time limit to prosecute the 2010 cases ran out.

As part of the settlement, Kennedy acknowledged that he received the services but said he did not know at the time they came from paid staff of the National Right to Work Committee. He wrote in a sworn statement that he received the services from corporations run by Christian LeFer, who ran an organization called Western Tradition Partnership.

"While I can see my mistake best by hindsight I also accept my responsibility for not determining the nature of these groups before accepting the paid services they were offering me," Kennedy wrote in the statement.

National Right to Work Committee officials and LeFer have declined to return calls for comment on the allegations by Motl. A separate lawsuit against the group and its affiliates is pending.
With so many leaks ahead of Apple 's iPhone event  which kicks off in San Francisco at 10 a.m. PDT  there are no shortage of predictions for the new iPhone, and Apple watchers may be struggling to keep up the excitement.

Enter Apple Event Bingo.

The brainchild of Ireland-based intellectual property lawyer Brian Conroy, Apple Event Bingo is the product of months spent trawling through Apple's patents. The goal is to enable anyone to follow along with CEO Tim Cook's product announcements on stage, from their couch in Ireland, Milwaukee, really anywhere in the world.

The company is widely expected to unveil the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, an updated Watch and a handful of product updates. Among Conroy's top predictions, which he lays out here  based on his patent research  are that Apple may introduce a so-called iris engine, smart button, touch bar, Airpods and an Airpods case. These are some of the features and products included in Apple Event Bingo, which you can print to play here.
An employee works at a steel factory in Dalian, China. China Daily | Reuters

A lot of major investors want clues on China's economic "transition," and many analysts say the country's steel sector is the one to watch. Steel is seen as emblematic of the worst of China's economy: A heavily state-supported manufacturing industry that is deep in debt, influenced by Beijing, and which dumps its excess production onto other countries' markets, distorting prices around the world and crushing non-Chinese competitors.

"Steel is still useful because it's essentially a reform indicator," said Brian Jackson, senior economist at IHS Markit in Beijing. This week, the G20 meeting ended in Hangzhou, China, with the multinational organization calling for cuts in global steel capacity. The G20 did not specifically name China, but the country accounts for about half the world's steel production  up from roughly a third in 2008.

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Chinese companies ramped up capacity several years ago in anticipation of a demand surge that didn't materialize completely, resulting in mounting losses for the industry in China. For the country's steel companies that issue bonds, total losses exploding from 678 million yuan ($101.7 million) in 2014 to 150 billion yuan ($22.5 billion) in 2015, according to China data firm Wind Information. Wind data also showed that for those steel companies, debt holdings have an average expiration of just 18 months from now, and 82 percent of that debt issuance is being used to pay off old debt rather than directly supporting business operations. Other parts of China's economy have their own struggles with debt, but the steel sector has the highest proportion of debt rollover and the shortest average maturity. The dominance of short-term loans reflects banks' view of high risk in the steel sector, said Jiming Zou, vice president and senior analyst at Moody's in Shanghai. Moody's has had a negative outlook on Asia's steel industry  including India, Japan and others  since July 2015, given slowing demand from China's manufacturing and property sectors, and overcapacity that keeps steel prices low and hurting profits.

Signs of progress?



Source: China Iron & Steel Association, Moody's Investors Service projection "There's little doubt that this is a big issue," Jackson said. "If this was a strictly private sector  then you'd have a debt crisis on your hands."

The difference for China is the government's control of the economy, making the steel sector an area to watch not necessarily for imminent collapse but as a sort of litmus test. China's government is in the middle of a massive effort to transition the economy from a manufacturing-based one to a consumption-driven one. While doing so, authorities must manage a delicate balance between cutting back the loss-making steel industry and maintaining social stability with jobs and tax revenue for the governments in those regions. Recent headlines have appeared to indicate Chinese progress in making the steel sector more efficient. Dongbei Special Steel defaulted on a short-term note earlier this year. The number of firms in the broad ferrous smelting and pressing sector fell by more than 1,500 between 2012 and 2016, with the majority in iron and steel smelters, according to IHS Economics.



This summer, steel giants Baosteel and Wuhan Iron & Steel also said they are in talks to restructure together, potentially uniting the world's fifth and eleventh-largest steel companies by production, according to worldsteel.

"By consolidating the steel industry through the merger of large steel companies, they can reduce capacity and improve the competitiveness of the steel industry," Moody's Zou said. But as a recent surge in government lending to the industry tapers off, and as profitability falls, Zou and other strategists expect prices to go only lower from here. "The medium-term outlook is negative," said Atul Lele, chief investment officer at Deltec International. "As that stimulus washes through, there will be less demand." "The economic transition that was in China was not transitioning as planned because of the stimulus in the steel sector," he said.



'These reforms have literally been pledged for 15 years'
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America's addiction to painkillers has become an epidemic. Since 1999, deaths from opioids  drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone  have quadrupled, killing 78 Americans every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of these addictions and overdoses started with a doctor's prescription. The amount of prescription opioids sold in the U.S. has also quadrupled in the same time frame.

Chronic pain affects more than 100 million Americans, more than the total affected by heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined, according to the Institute of Medicine, so it is no wonder that doctors are prescribing more opioids than ever before. But diagnosing pain can be a daunting task for doctors.

"It is challenging to determine the true level of the patient's pain because somebody may say their pain is 8 out of 10 ... but somebody else could have the exact same level of pain that has a different chemical makeup and they might say that their pain is only a 5 out of 10." said Dr. Karim Abdollahi, an orthopedic surgeon in Laguna Beach, California. "It's very subjective."





In July, President Barack Obama signed into law the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act to address the opioid crisis, which authorizes $181 million each year in new funding to fight the epidemic. But one private company is hoping its new technology could help. Brian Meshkin founded Irvine, California-based Proove Biosciences in 2009. The company developed a portfolio of tests that can determine someone's pain profile and tolerance to different pain medications to give doctors more information before prescribing medication.

"The zero to 10 scale or smiley faces and sad faces is how we diagnose the most prevalent and the most expensive health-care condition in the United States," Meshkin said. "There's a lot of irrational decision-making. So our business is all around improving those important and sometimes life-threatening decisions."

From a simple cheek swab, DNA and genetic information can be analyzed in combination with clinical assessments from the patient to evaluate pain tolerance, assess patient drug metabolism, predict response and risks to opioid and non-opioid pain medication, and identify predisposition for opioid dependence. It gives doctors clear evidence on what works and what won't for their patients.



Dr. Abdollahi shows off his Proove test, which shows he has a low risk of becoming addicted to opioids. CNBC

Meshkin said the company is quickly growing and has sold 30,000 tests. With each patient, the algorithm becomes more precise. But only about 300 doctors in the U.S. are using the test so far. Abdollahi has been using the Proove test since last year. He said he was skeptical at first, but after using the test for months, Abdollahi says "it works" and now he administers the test to at least a hundred patients each month.

He explained that someone's genetic makeup, the amount of enzymes and specific receptors they have, contribute to how a person can metabolize medicine. So a genetic test that breaks down that information for him, makes prescribing painkillers a lot easier. Before the Proove test, he said, it really was just a guessing game.

"Knowing what kind of genetic makeup a patient has before we start giving them medications would go a long way to prevent opioid addiction," said Abdollahi. "I'm sure other doctors will catch on. It may become one of the tools that everyone would be expected to use before dispensing medications."


The U.S. transferred a total of $1.7 billion in cash to Iran in order to settle a long-running dispute over a failed 1979 arms deal, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The WSJ said late Tuesday that U.S. President Barack Obama's administration sent $400 million in cash to Iran in January, with two more subsequent shipments of similar amounts, totaling another $1.3 billion, according to congressional officials briefed by the U.S. State, Treasury and Justice departments.

"The cash payments  made in Swiss francs, euros and other currencies settled a decades-old dispute over a failed arms deal dating back to 1979," the WSJ reported.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals CEO Joseph Papa on Wednesday told CNBC he is "never going to say never" to selling core assets like Bausch & Lomb.

"Would we have to look at something if someone came forward with something? Of course we would, because we're a public company and we have over $30 billion of debt," he said in an interview with "Closing Bell."

However, those core assets  like dermatology and eye care  are "critically important" to the future of the company, he added.

Therefore, the company will focus on selling non-core assets, which he said could yield proceeds up to $8 billion.

The embattled drugmaker has seen its stock plunge about 90 percent since its record high last August after questions about its steep drug increases and unorthodox business practices. Papa took the reins of the embattled company in May.

Valeant is being investigated for its pricing practices and patient assistance program by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the U.S. Attorney's offices in Massachusetts and New York. It is also facing shareholder lawsuits.

Papa said the company has hired a new general counsel and said, "We're going to work very closely with all the investigations and resolve them expeditiously."

He also noted the company will be faced with potential legal bills in the future, which will take some time to resolve.

"In the meantime, we're going to continue to grow  our earnings for the company and we're also going to look at these asset sales. So we think we can work our way through this in a very practical way," said Papa.
DEER LODGE  A handyman and probationer has pleaded guilty to killing a Deer Lodge man and his mother during a confrontation over the theft of 1,700 ounces of silver in a plea agreement that recommends he be sentenced to life in prison.

David Wayne Nelson, 53, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of deliberate homicide for the October 2015 deaths of Greg Giannonatti, 57, and Beverly Giannonatti, 79, Powell County Attorney Lewis Smith said.

Prosecutors agreed to dismiss a charge of theft and two counts of obstructing justice and the state agreed not to recommend any parole restrictions.

District Judge Ray Dayton ordered a pre-sentence investigation and returned Nelson to the Powell County jail, Lewis said. A sentencing date has not been set.

The Giannonattis were reported missing in late October 2015, beginning a monthlong investigation that ended when Nelson confessed to stealing the silver from Greg Giannonatti, traveling to Missoula and selling it for $26,000 and killing the Giannonattis on Oct. 24 or 25 during a confrontation over the theft.

Nelson said he put their bodies in the back of the mother's pickup, covered them with a tarp and disposed of them northwest of town. He told investigators he cleaned up the house, dumped other evidence in another location and drove Beverly's pickup back to her house.

After confessing, Nelson led investigators to the bodies.

Autopsies determined Greg Giannonatti was hit in the head with a hammer about a dozen times while Beverly Giannonatti was strangled and suffered a spinal fracture.

Officers recovered most of the money Nelson received from the sale of the silver.
KPIX in San Francisco reported on Sept. 3 about an 18-ounce gold nugget that was discovered in central California last week.

It may not be 145 ounces, but its still quite a find.

A Modesto, Calif., man discovered an 18-ounce gold nugget in a river about 60 miles outside of Stockton, Calif., last week, according to San Francisco CBS affiliate KPIX. Oscar Espinoza reported the find to a friend on the afternoon of Aug. 30.

With gold valued at around $1,345 per ounce, that could mean the nugget has a spot-prie value of around $24,210. One would think, as a chunk of gold pulled right out of the ground, it could carry value well beyond simply its weight.

The find comes only a couple of weeks after it was reported that a 145-ounce nugget was unearthed in Australia.

Connect with Coin World:

That nugget, found by an Australian man who has spent his weekends the past 10 years prospecting for gold with a metal detector, is valued at about $190,282.

Here's the full news segment on the California nugget from KPIX:
September 6, 2016

 NASA astronaut Jeff Williams safely landed back on Earth on Tuesday night (Sept. 6), setting a new, potentially long-lasting record for the most time spent in space by an American.



Williams, along with Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, departed the International Space Station at 5:51 p.m. EDT (2151 GMT) and touched down three hours later on the steppe of Kazakhstan aboard Russia's Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft.



At the point of their landing, at 9:13 p.m. EDT (0113 GMT or 7:13 a.m. local time, Sept. 7), Williams added 172 days to his four-spaceflight career, bringing his total time off the planet to 534 days, 2 hours and 48 minutes. The previous record holder, Scott Kelly, logged a three-flight total of 520 days, 10 hours and 30 minutes in March.



Landing about 90 miles (146 km) southeast of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan, Williams, Skripochka and Ovchinin were met by Russian recovery team members, who helped the astronaut and two cosmonauts out of their capsule and into chairs to begin their readjustment to gravity.







Jeff Williams, Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka are seen after landing on Soyuz TMA-20M on Sept. 6, 2016. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The crew's trip home marked the official end of the space station's Expedition 48 and the start of Expedition 49.



"We've enjoyed a great stay up here over the last almost six months," stated Williams during a change of command ceremony on Monday (Sep. 5). "We especially enjoyed our stay with the entire crew of Expedition 48."



"I appreciate, Jeff, your efforts as the station's commander. You really did much to ensure success of the expedition," said Anatoly Ivanishin, commander of Expedition 49.



In addition to Ivanishin, remaining on the orbital laboratory are astronauts Kate Rubins of NASA and Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Three more Expedition 49 crewmates are scheduled to launch on Sept. 23. Cosmonauts Andrey Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov, together with NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough will arrive on board Soyuz MS-02, the second of Russia's new line of upgraded spacecraft.



Williams, Skripochka and Ovchinin arrived at the station on March 18. During their 172 days in orbit, the astronaut and two cosmonauts conducted hundreds of experiments and technology demonstrations, highlighted by the deployment of the first human-rated expandable habitat, the BEAM or Bigelow Expandable Activity Module.



They also helped with the arrival of several resupply ships, including SpaceX's Dragon capsule, Orbital ATK's Cygnus resupply freighter and Russian Progress capsules.



"This is a very significant time, in my opinion, in the life of the space station," remarked Williams. "Going into the full utilization mode  being that orbiting laboratory that we've always said it was going to be  and just broadening what is going on here on station in ways that I hoped for, and for a period of time, I have to confess, I wondered if we were going to see it to fruition."



"Now I am confident we are going to see the exploitation of the International Space Station and take full advantage of the opportunities that it gives for all humankind on Earth."







Soyuz TMA-20M undocks from the International Space Station, as captured by an exterior mounted HD video camera. (NASA TV)

During his stay, Williams also performed two spacewalks, totaling almost 13 hours. Joined by Rubins for both extra-vehicular activities (EVA), Williams helped to install the first international docking adapter to support Boeing's CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX's Dragon commercial crew vehicles, as well as retracted a radiator that serves as a part of the station's cooling system.



This was Williams' fourth flight to the station and third long- duration stay. His first mission on the space shuttle Atlantis in 2000 preceded the space station's first expedition crew taking up residency.



"The International Space Station now spans, it occurred to me this week, generations," Williams said Monday. "We're in the second generation of crew and flight controllers and engineers and all the disciplines [that] it takes to make this work."



"And the outlook is good. We're looking forward to another generation, perhaps," Williams observed. "There is nothing in the history of spaceflight that comes close to that  the generational effort, especially in the international setting."







The Soyuz TMA-20M mission patch. Click on the image to see all of the Soyuz TMA-M emblems from 2010 to 2016. (collectSPACE)

Williams now ranks 14th for time spent in space among all space explorers worldwide. That list is topped by Gennady Padalka, who has spent more than 878 days in Earth orbit on five spaceflights.



The only other NASA astronaut approaching Williams' U.S. record, Peggy Whitson, was expected to surpass his 534 days during her next expedition beginning in November. A recent change in landing dates however, will mean she will return to Earth in April 2017 three days shy of the title.



For Skripochka and Ovchinin, the landing marked the end of their second and first flights, respectively.



Williams, Skripochka and Ovchinin traveled a total of 72.8 million miles (117.2 million kilometers) during 2,752 orbits.



The Soyuz TMA-20M crew will now part ways. Skripochka and Ovchinin will return home to Star City, Russia, located near Moscow. Williams will fly on a NASA jet to Houston.
Authorities are still trying to unlock the mystery of how a Great Falls woman ended up shot to death in the trunk of her car earlier this month. A spokeswoman with the FBI said officials are awaiting lab testing results before they reveal any more information about Rita Maze's death. Maze was found dead on Sept. 7 in her closed trunk with a 9mm handgun and two spent shell casings at her side, according to court documents. She died of a single gunshot wound.Before she died, Maze allegedly called her family and said she had been struck on the head at a Wolf Creek-area rest stop and stuffed into the trunk of a car. An officer who later called Maze's cellphone said someone answered, and then the officer heard gunshots, then silence, court documents say. Authorities found her body more than 300 miles away outside of Spokane. Reports of the alleged abduction made headlines internationally, though officials later indicated they were skeptical of that narrativeAuthorities are calling the incident a death investigation, not a homicide. Authorities ruled out a person of interest who was initially being sought in connection with the case.
HELENA  A group of state lawmakers is still asking if having a contractor form a strategic plan to address the high rate of suicides among Montanas American Indian children is the best way to fix the problem.

A member of the State-Tribal Relations Interim Committee questioned last week why a company contracted to create an American Indian youth suicide prevention plan left elders out of the process. This spring, the same group of lawmakers urged the state Department of Health and Human Services to look at ways to send money to the tribes and local programs instead of hiring a company to form a plan.

Kauffman & Associates Inc. is the contractor the state hired to develop the plan. In a letter asking for nominations for people to serve on a coalition, Kauffman asked people to submit the names of elected leaders, health directors or community members with experience in the area of youth suicide, as well as a youth representative. The letter encouraged diverse nominations including women, veterans and LGBT tribal members.

What it left out, though, was elders, said state Rep. George Kipp III, D-Heart Butte.

The letter went to tribal chairmen and health facility leadership from Montanas eight tribes and five urban areas with American Indian populations.

The contractor did not identify our main counselor, educator, (or) adviser, Kipp told the committee. In this foremost issue, in order to resolve issues and plan things out, (one of the things) Native communities take into great consideration is elders.

Kipp told Richard Opper, director of the state Department of Health and Human Services, this was a critical oversight. Kauffman was hired by the state with $100,000 set aside from the $250,000 written into the states main budget bill last session to address Indian youth suicides. The funding lasts until 2017.

In our Native community these are individuals that have the most weight, the most influence, the most knowledge, Kipp said. The definition of elders is not old person. Elder is a person that has previously experienced certain items.

Iris Heavy Runner Pretty Paint, who is a project liaison for Kauffman, said Thursday that tribes should and are encouraged to have elders participate on the coalition. The letter, she said, just didnt use the word elders when listing examples of people to nominate.

There are so many different titles and roles that everyone can play, Pretty Paint said. So many of these individuals serve multiple roles in the community. Elders are a key element of our resilience.

This year Montana retook the title of the state with the highest suicide rate in the nation, said Karl Rosston, the states suicide prevention coordinator, last week.

Native Americans contribute quite a few lives to that suicide rate in Montana, Kipp said.

A report produced by a team that reviews every suicide in the state showed that the rate of suicide among American Indian children ages 11-17 is 26 percent. Its 7 percent for white children in the same age group.

Lawmakers on Wednesday also rehashed why DPHHS brought in an outside company at all.

This past spring, the interim committee sent a letter to Opper asking him to strongly reconsider hiring a contractor. The committee's letter said it believed money would be better spent if given directly to tribes to support programs at the local level.

State Rep. Alan Doane, R-Bloomfield, revisited the issue last week, asking if any Montana companies submitted bids.

We have double-digit unemployment on many reservations, Doane said. Sending 40 percent of this money to Washington state to study the problem  Im just curious why that money couldnt have stayed in state and created jobs here if were going to create jobs with this money.

The selection of a contractor went through the states standard process, said DPHHS spokesman Jon Ebelt. Only one other company applied, B. Kuzmic Consulting in Kalispell. Kauffman's bid was $99,235.

Opper told the committee that the state has to pick a contractor based on several factors, including experience and the cost plan they submit.

Kauffman has been working on youth suicide and substance abuse prevention since 2000 and has worked with Montana tribes in the past, including a year-long intensive model on suicide prevention on the Blackfeet reservation, where Pretty Paint grew up and is an enrolled tribal member.

A plan is critical to any success, Pretty Paint said. Without a strategic plan, without an inventory, we continue to be fragmented. We do good work when we have plans.

Pretty Paint said nominations for committee members are starting to come in from the tribes. By late October or November Kauffman will hold a two-day training. It is required to submit the strategic plan to DPHHS by February 2017.

State Rep. Edward Greef, R-Florence, questioned the need for a contractor at all. Opper said the tribes were more comfortable working with a contractor instead of DPHHS.

Kipp said the states efforts to combat suicide can often fall flat on the reservation. He used a billboard on his reservation that advertises the number for the states suicide hotline as an example

I looked at that and thought in my community theres all sorts of dead spots out there, he said. Families often cant afford cellphones for their children. Thats a major thing you have to take into consideration.

Kipp also questioned state agencies previous efforts on the reservations. For three or four decades now agencies are involved in our issues, and theyre not having any effect, he said.
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DOUGLAS  Worries about a possible explosion caused authorities to close a highway in northeast Wyoming after a gas pipeline ruptured and began spewing gas Tuesday.

Converse County Sheriff Clint Becker says the buried line broke a few hundred yards east of Wyoming 59 about 13 miles north of Douglas.

Nobody was hurt. Becker says the gas didn't catch fire or explode. He says nobody was digging in the area so the cause isn't immediately apparent.

Becker says the highway was closed around 7 a.m. and reopened around 9:15 a.m. after workers purged gas from the line.
Three takeaways from Missouri's game at South Carolina

Missouri football took on South Carolina on the road Saturday. Here's what to know about the SEC contest.
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Greeces largest informal refugee camp, near the northern Greek village of Idomeni, is being cleared of refugees by Greek authorities. Idomeni is a small village near the border with Macedonia that became the most-used crossing point for thousands of people who crossed into Greece from the Turkish coast over the last year. Greek authorities began evacuating the site early Tuesday morning.

The village was attractive to migrants because it has a rail link leading to Macedonia and Central Europe. When Macedonia shut its border this year, it caused a humanitarian logjam at the site. As recently as March, the camp was home to more than 14,000 people, most of them from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. The numbers at the camp have slowly dwindled as people have moved on and found other places to live. The camp currently holds more than 8,000 people.

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Idomeni quickly became a symbol of Europes closed border policy for migrants and refugees. Thousands camped there for months in the hope of eventually being able to reach the continents wealthier countries. Health, food and sanitation problems were exacerbated by bad weather and intermittent violence. Greek authorities regularly sent in cleaning crews and provided portable toilets, but conditions continued to worsen. Last week, Doctors Without Borders pulled its team of doctors and medical workers from the camp temporarily for security reasons.

Hundreds of refugees are now being relocated by bus to newly built organized facilities set up by the army and local authorities. More than 700 police officers were deployed in the operation. Police divided up people according to their nationality and started with refugees living in tents inside the camp. They will steadily progress outwards toward those on the outskirts, near the Idomeni railroad tracks. Aid organizations are already moving their on-the-ground operations to the new facilities.

Once moved, people can apply for asylum and wait for their claims to be processed. Under the terms of a March 18 agreement between the European Union and Turkey, migrants and refugees in Greece before midnight on March 20 will be relocated. Those arriving after midnight on March 20 are subject to a fast-track asylum process that will return them to Turkey if their asylum claim is rejected. The authorities say that the evacuation could last more than a week.

Greek authorities also moved to dismantle the areas of the camp that have been cleared. As refugees and migrants waited to board the buses holding big plastic bags filled with their belongings on their shoulders, bulldozers began erasing the tent city. There were no reports of violence at the camp during the evacuations.
Libyan-American businessmen Kamal Eldarat, 59, and his son, Mohamed Eldarat, 34, have been acquitted of charges in the United Arab Emirates that they supported militants in Libya. The verdict was handed down on Monday in the UAEs highest court. Two other defendants, a Libyan-Canadian, and a Libyan national, who had been caught up in the same security sweep in 2014 also were acquitted Monday.

The Eldarats, who had lived and worked in the UAE for two decades with no problems, have been detained for 21 months. The father and son were targeted because they had taken aid to Libya, the country of their birth, during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Days after the UAE sent its warplanes to Libya for air strikes against Islamist forces in 2014, 10 men with Libyan roots, including the Eldarats, were arrested in the UAE.

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The Eldarats were originally charged with providing financial and material support to armed terrorist groups in Libya under the UAEs 2014 Anti-Terrorism Law. Prosecutors dropped those accusations in March. However, they were still accused of giving supplies to groups in a foreign country and did not have official permission to collect donations, charges that could have netted them each 15 years in prison. They spent many months with no access to lawyers and no regular visits from officials at the U.S. embassy there.

Amal Eldarat, the daughter and sister of the defendants, heard of the ruling in a call from a U.S. embassy observer in the courtroom. The two businessmen were not immediately released, but taken back to prison. The family is relieved at the verdict but have expressed concerns about the continued detention.

The imprisonment of the two U.S. citizens had drawn criticism from human rights groups. The men were held in prisons for 505 days without charges. The family told reporters that the two men had confessed to various crimes after being tortured with beatings, waterboarding and electric shock. The United Nations special rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, said in February he found credible evidence they had been tortured in custody.

UAE officials denied the men had been mistreated. The UAEs embassy in the US released a statement saying the men are entitled to all of the due process guarantees under the constitution and laws of the United Arab Emirates in accordance with international fair trial standards.

The State Department and White House both raised the case with UAE officials, straining relations between the United States and the Gulf country. The UAE is a U.S. ally in the international coalition fighting the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The US state department declined to say whether President Obama raised the Eldarats case with UAE president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, whom he met on April 21 for the US-Gulf Cooperation Council summit.
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, who is accused of spray-painting equipment Tuesday at a Dakota Access Pipeline work site, will face charges for her action, Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said in a press conference.

Stein was part of a group of 150 to 200 people who protested at the construction site, where two protesters attached themselves to bulldozers and some construction equipment reportedly was vandalized.

Though no arrests were made as a result of Tuesday's actions, Kirchmeier said the sheriff's department is "working up the information through the states attorneys office to pursue charges (against Stein)." One possible charge could be for trespassing and another for vandalism, though it's not yet known whether these would be felony or misdemeanor charges.

According to the Morton County Sheriff's Department, the protest took place at around 10:30 a.m., and protesters gathered at a construction area at County Road 35 and Highway 6, 2 miles east of Highway 1806.

The incident is actually still ongoing as we speak, Kirchmeier said Tuesday afternoon. Since we did not respond immediately to that location because of the situation ... we have information that they can just release themselves and its no big deal.

About 25 law enforcement officers responded to the protest site, where no Dakota Access Pipeline workers were working. Kirchmeier said officers saw some protesters on horses, masks and some carrying hatchets and wearing goggles.

Law enforcement officers were "pulled back from the area because it was determined that, at that point, it was unsafe for them to go into the situation," Kirchmeier said.

At this point ... I dont believe that we need to go in there and have physical altercations with the protesters, he said.

On Saturday, the Morton County Sheriff's Department said three private security guards working for the Dakota Access Pipeline were reportedly injured after about 300 protesters entered the work site. One guard was transported to a Bismarck hospital, but refused treatment.

No arrests have been made as a result of the incident that occurred Saturday or Tuesday.

We are actively investigating these incidents, either by video or social media to identify people that have taken place in this, Kirchmeier said. We will pursue charges as needed.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault II compared illegal actions taken by protesters, like those that bound themselves to equipment, to Rosa Parks refusing to give up her bus seat during the Civil Rights movement: "It was illegal but it was the right thing to do."

Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, director and chairman of the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services Advisory Committee, said at the press conference his department has recently spoke with members of Standing Rock Indian Reservation and the Sacred Stone Camp about maintaining safety and "dispelling rumors."

We need to work together, everyone, that is committed to a peaceful solution to what is going on right now, to work together so that we can marginalize the agitators," Dohrmann said.
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By Wayne Risher

Another Memphis area warehouse and distribution specialist is adding thousands of workers in the runup to peak shopping and shipping season.

Versant Supply Chain said Wednesday it would hire 1,800 to 2,000 workers over the next 60 days for warehouses around the area.

The company announced a job fair 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 17 at 8680 Swinnea Road in Southaven.

A company official wasn't available to say whether the jobs are full-time, part-time, seasonal or permanent.

It's the second big hiring push announced by a distribution center operator this summer.

Radial Inc. said in July it would hire up to 3,000 workers at 5461 Davidson Road in southeast Memphis to meet holiday season demand. A Radial official said the company was expecting a 10-fold increase in demand related to Internet shopping.

Transportation giants including Memphis-based FedEx and its chief rival, UPS, typically add tens of thousands of workers for peak season, but their hiring forecasts aren't expected for another couple weeks.

Last year FedEx hired 55,000 seasonals companywide, including more than 500 for the FedEx Express Memphis world hub. UPS, which has a substantial Memphis presence, added 90,000-plus nationally.

Versant traces its origin to Katt Worldwide Logistics, formed in Memphis in 1999. A private equity firm associated with Penske Corp. bought controlling intererest in Katt in 2006 and the company was rebranded as Versant in 2011.

An email from Versant recruiting manager LeAnn Willard said the company is hiring for locations in Memphis, Southaven, Olive Branch and West Memphis.

The job fair will feature tours and on-the-spot interviews and processing.

The company has a job line at 901-601-3560 and online application form at www.myMEMjob.com .
In this Sept. 1, 2016, file photo, South Korea's Hanjin Shipping Co. container ship Hanjin Montevideo, top, is anchored outside the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif. (Photo: Damian Dovarganes, AP)

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By Mike Snider, USA TODAY

Troubled South Korean firm Hanjin Shipping has been granted temporary bankruptcy protection in the U.S.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John Sherwood on Tuesday ordered a hearing for Friday for the world's seventh largest ocean shipper. Hanjin filed for bankruptcy in South Korea last week and is seeking similar protections in dozens of countries globally to prevent seizures of ships and cargo.

With its assets frozen Hanjin, which handles about 8% of all U.S. cargo, is faced with its ships not being allowed to unload or take on cargo, as dock workers and tugboat pilots are concerned about not being paid.

The crisis for the shipper is creating "a ripple effect" that could impact retailers' shelves come the crucial holiday shopping season. "U.S. bound cargo is already being delayed at origin ports and Hanjin ships loaded with cargo idle unable to enter U.S. ports, containers are being detained on arrival clogging already congested ports and preventing merchandise from reaching store shelves," Retail Industry Leaders Association President Sandra Kennedy said in a letter last week to Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Federal Maritime Commission Chairman.

"We are entering peak season  when the entire shipping industry must work together to get gifts on shelves for holiday shoppers  our priority should be getting these ships unloaded," several U.S. House members of the Congressional Ports Caucus urged Pritzker Tuesday in a letter of their own Tuesday. Many of the caucus members represent the Long Beach and L.A. ports affected by the Hanjin situation.

The U.S. bankruptcy judge's ruling happened on the same day that Hanjin Group, a large, family-dominated conglomerate that also owns Korean Air, said that it would provide $90 million -- including $36 million from Chairman Cho Yang-ho -- to help resolve transport disruptions.

Hanjin Shipping company has posted net losses annually since 2011. Last week, creditors led by the Korea Development Bank rejected a Hanjin Group proposal to rescue the shipping firm by spending $447.2 million, far short of Hanjin Shipping's debts of more $5 billion.

Port workers and labor union officials in the South Korean port city of Busan held rallies Wednesday urging government, creditors and the Hanjin Group to save the shipping company. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho, the country's top economic policymaker, said Wednesday that he expects the crisis to ease this week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
September 7, 2016 - Memphis Police Department Officer Edrick Braxton appears in court on charges of aggravated sexual battery and official misconduct. (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal)

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By Katie Fretland of The Commercial Appeal

Memphis police Officer Edrick Braxton appeared Wednesday in Shelby County Criminal Court where Judge Chris Craft explained his charges of aggravated sexual battery, official misconduct and oppression.

Grand jurors charged that Braxton, 46, had sexual contact with a woman by force or coercion on June 27. The indictment said he was armed with a weapon or led the victim to believe he had a weapon.

"If you were found guilty of this offense, I would have to sentence you to somewhere from 8 to 30 years in prison," Craft said.

Braxton is also charged with committing an unauthorized use of official power while a public servant, according to the indictment.

His attorney, Dewun Settle, said Braxton maintains his innocence.

Braxton remains relieved of duty, said Memphis police spokesman Louis Brownlee. Braxton joined the Memphis Police Department in 2010. He was indicted early last month and posted $10,000 bond.
Bill Gibbons

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By Kayleigh Skinner of The Commercial Appeal

Newly appointed president of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission Bill Gibbons unveiled details for a five-year crime reduction plan to the Rotary Club of East Memphis Wednesday.

Concrete plans are still in the works, but Gibbons said he hopes the "Operation Safe Community Plan" will launch with support and collaboration from local government and law enforcement leaders like Mayor Jim Strickland, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings, Shelby County Sheriff Bill Oldham, he said. Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich will chair the effort and members of the crime commission will be involved in moving the plan forward, he said.

"It's got to be a plan that all of the major stakeholders buy in to," he said.

The former commission of the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security spoke broadly about the plan to rotary members at the Racquet Club of Memphis. With proper support from local leaders, he hopes the plan will roll out later this fall, he said.

The plan will focus on decreasing crime in five ways, he said.

To be successful, it needs to address violent street crime caused by gang activity, drug trafficking and illegal gun possession on the streets, Gibbons said.

The plan also needs to decrease incidents of domestic violence, often a "driving force behind violent crime" in the city and county, he said.

The third component will involve reducing the amount of repeat offenders in the criminal justice system. The plan should design a way to "increase the odds that they can move in the right direction and be productive members of our community" by providing assistance finding jobs and adequate training so men and women are able to keep jobs, he said.

Another piece involved reducing juvenile crime by figuring out ways to reduce the number of youth who commit crimes and providing rehabilitation to those that do so less juveniles re-offend, he said.

Finally, the community needs to step up, he said. "We have got to get more citizen involvement in this effort," Gibbons said.

When asked by a Rotary Club member how this plan would combat crime if larger systems like education and health care were not involved, Gibbons acknowledged there is much work to be done.

"In the long term, we need to fix everything from education to teen pregnancy to other issues," but the commission is focused on providing a direct, immediate impact on crime with strategies that are connected to some part of the criminal justice system and are measurable, he said.

"We're not trying to have the answer to everything," Gibbons said.

Gibbons will also involve the new Public Safety Institute at the University of Memphis, which he leads. The institute will evaluate what is working with the plan and help local law enforcement use data to deploy officers in a way that has a maximum impact, he said.

The commission will also seek feedback on the community action plan from former New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and his consulting firm, whom the crime commission hired in July.

Kelly's hire has prompted discussion about whether MPD will start using a stop and frisk policy in police work. Prior to his talk with the rotary club, Gibbons told reporters the practice was "misapplied and misunderstood."

"Frankly, the (U.S.) Supreme Court has set forth the standards that police officers have to use when they detain someone and when police officers pat down someone," he said. "The supreme court has been very clear in what standards have to be used and it's a matter of making sure that police officers are trained appropriately to use those standards."

He added that the phrases has not come up at all in his meetings with Kelly.

"Really in my meetings and discussions with Mr. Kelly we have been talking about broader strategies and policies, not tactics," he said. "... whether or not it's a tactic or practice to be used here in Memphis is obviously a decision for the police director and his command staff to decide."
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By Jody Callahan of The Commercial Appeal

At least two suspects were in custody and a police officer was slightly injured after a chase that began in West Memphis and ended in a collision on an exit ramp in Memphis late Tuesday.

The incident began a little before 9 p.m. when the West Memphis Police Department alerted Memphis police that they were chasing robbery suspects over the bridge. The chase ended when the suspects crashed into another vehicle at the Riverside Drive exit, officials said.

Two suspects were taken into custody in the crash. One West Memphis officer twisted his back after the chase ended, WMPD Capt. Joe Baker said. It was uncertain if anyone else was injured.

The exit ramp was shut down during the investigation late Tuesday.
April 29, 2016 - Memphis International Airport and city police officers cordoned off an area outside Southwest Airlines baggage claim, after a man drove onto the property and stated he had been shot at a nearby gas station. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

Crime Report Shelby County 911 - A Crime Report SHARE April 29, 2016  Memphis International Airport and city police officers cordoned off an area outside Southwest Airlines baggage claim, after a man drove onto the property and stated he had been shot at a nearby gas station. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal

Travelers arriving at Memphis International Airport on Friday afternoon got a rude greeting to the city: the sight of yellow crime scene tape and police officers investigating a shooting.

Airport spokesman Glen Thomas said a man had apparently been shot elsewhere and made his way to the airport.

"We had a man drive onto the lower drive and pulled up and told a traffic officer he believed he had been shot at a nearby gas station," Thomas said. At that point, police officers and paramedics were called.

The gas station was the Mapco at Winchester and Airways, according to Memphis police spokeswoman Sgt. Karen Rudolph. The victim was taken to the Regional Medical Center in noncritical condition, she wrote in an email.

An airport police supervisor wouldn't comment and a Memphis police officer at the scene said a supervisor wasn't available to speak.

Police were routing people around a section of the lower-level driveway, right by a door to the Southwest Airlines baggage claim. Passengers arriving in Memphis typically collect their luggage inside, then emerge to get taxis or meet family and friends picking them up. A dark Yukon SUV was visible near the baggage claim door, its left side damaged.

The crime scene proved a jarring contrast to the tourist-friendly image of blues music and barbecue that the airport works to project. That said, the shooting appeared to have caused little disruption to airport traffic.

Other than police working in a small area and reporters filming the scene, everything at the airport seemed normal.

Passenger Courtney Roland was waiting inside the baggage claim area a few feet from the crime scene outside. She said she'd arrived earlier from Houston and was waiting for her parents so she could attend a wedding in Huntsville. She'd seen the police officers but said she hadn't been aware of a shooting until a reporter told her. "They've done a good job of keeping everyone calm and collected," the 27-year-old said.
Mud Island River reopened Wednesday, a day after an armed robbery in which employees were bound and a shot was fired.(Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

SHARE September 7, 2016  Mud Island employee Amanda Glen drags a pressure washer hose across the Memphis map at the Mud Island River Museum as the museum reopened after a brazen robbery attempt Tuesday. According to officials, most, if not all, of the money has been recovered after the robbers dropped it during the getaway. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

By Tom Charlier of The Commercial Appeal

The Mississippi River kept flowing as usual  the scale-model of it known as the Riverwalk, that is  and Justin Bieber crooned from loudspeakers as Mud Island River Park reopened to visitors a day after a brazen, chaotic robbery of the park office forced the closure of the city-owned amenity across from Downtown Memphis.

Although no arrests or major developments were reported in the investigation Wednesday morning, officials said there apparently were only three robbers  not five, as witnesses initially reported. Officials also said that during their escape the robbers lost much of the cash they had taken.

"It appears that most, if not all, of the money has been recovered," said Benny Lendermon, president of the Riverfront Development Corp., the nonprofit firm that manages the park for the city. He declined to say how much money was involved.

The robbery occurred at about 9 a.m. Tuesday  an hour before the park was set to open  as the men broke through three locked doors and entered the office, where cash from park cash registers was kept. The robbers, at least one of whom was armed, tied or taped up two office employees.

The robbers had entered the park through the north gate, which is staffed by security personnel, in a vehicle described as a black Toyota SUV just as fishermen preparing for this week's Mississippi River Monsters Catfish Tournament were arriving. On their way out of the gate, the men were ordered to halt by security officers and other park employees who had been notified of the robbery. The robbers instead fired a shot and fled.

No one was struck and there were no serious injuries during the entire incident.

Lendermon said cash from the robbery was found in "several different places." Noting the difficulty of getting in and out of the facility, he said the park office is "a very strange place to rob."

After the park reopened for normal 10 a.m.-5 p.m. hours Wednesday, Lendermon said RDC officials hadn't noticed any difference in attendance.

Visitors who spoke to a reporter said they weren't concerned about safety in the park.

"I'm not worried because if something happened yesterday, it won't happen again today. We feel safe," said Bernd Knuettel, 55, who lives near Frankfort, Germany, and was visiting family members living in Memphis.

Donna Cole, 83, who lives in Rantoul, Illinois, had tried to visit the park with her two daughters, Terri Folk, 61, of Junction City, Ohio, and Vanessa Tylka, 59, of Memphis, on Tuesday but couldn't because of the robbery.

"We saw the police and tape and everything and turned around," Folk said.

But the three were glad they were able to visit Wednesday.

"I think it's gorgeous. Very educational," Cole said.
September 6, 2016  Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings pulls a smoking pipe out of a peanut butter jar during a City Council committee meeting while demonstrating what some small-scale means in real terms regarding marijuana. Rallings opposes a City Council proposal to loosen penalties for small-scale marijuana possession. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

SHARE September 6, 2016  Memphis City Councilwoman Jamita Swearengen passes a bag of marijuana to fellow Councilman Berlin Boyd as Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings talks during a City Council committee meeting where Rallings tried to demonstrate what small-scale means in real terms regarding marijuana. Rallings opposes a City Council proposal to loosen penalties for small-scale marijuana possession. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

By Ryan Poe and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY NETWORK  Tennessee

Memphis City Council members would solve a problem that doesn't exist if they approve an ordinance decriminalizing some marijuana possession, Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich said Tuesday.

Prosecutions of marijuana charges almost always involve other charges, often gun-related, Weirich told council members in committee. She said her office prosecuted about 300 marijuana-only cases last year and such prosecutions have decreased in recent years.

The idea that people are sitting in jail because they were caught with a small amount of marijuana is "false," she said.

"It's a very, very, very small piece of the docket and the cases we handle on a daily basis," she said.

The Memphis pot ordinance received the first of three readings Tuesday, putting it on track for a final vote as early as Oct. 4.

The ordinance, sponsored by council member Berlin Boyd, would let officers choose to charge people 18 and older for possession of a half-ounce or less or marijuana under a city ordinance punishable with a $50 fine or community service instead of under the state's criminal law.

Tennessee law states that people caught with one-half ounce of marijuana or less face a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings, also present for the meeting, said he and Nashville Chief of Police Steve Anderson have communicated almost daily about similar ordinances wending their way through each city's legislative process.

Rallings and Anderson expressed similar concerns to council members Tuesday in Memphis and Nashville, questioning whether a half-ounce of marijuana was too much to be considered "casual" possession.

In an email to Metro Nashville council members, Anderson said one-half ounce of marijuana is a greater quantity than some people realize  enough, he said, to create 50 marijuana cigarettes, commonly called "joints."

"This amount of the drug has the ability to produce a high level of intoxication multiple times to many persons," Anderson wrote.

Rallings made his point regarding the amount allowed under the proposed ordinance by passing out bags of pot to council members in Tuesday's committee meeting, leading council member Worth Morgan to quip "Everyone keep your hands above the table."

Anderson recommends the "small amount" limit on the local legislation be reduced to 1/32 of an ounce, or approximately one to two "joints"  and "certainly no more than one-sixteenth of an ounce."

Rallings said he hopes the council will wait to see if and how Nashville implements a similar ordinance.

Anderson, like Rallings, initially opposed the ordinance, but both have since moderated their opposition, and Anderson even said in an email to council members that he was "neutral" on the topic after changes to the Nashville ordinance.

Both ordinances originally said violators "shall" be issued a citation for a civil penalty of $50, but were tweaked Tuesday to clarify officers have the discretion whether to issue a civil citation.

But Rallings said he has deeper philosophical issues with decriminalizing marijuana as well.

"I'm still concerned about the message we're sending the kids," he said.

Responding to Weirich and Rallings, Boyd defended the ordinance as protecting people  especially younger people  from criminal records that could follow them through their lives.

"What I'm saying to young people is, if you make a mistake, you have an opportunity not to have a black eye," he said.

He pointed out many people and organizations  including the NAACP, ACLU, Memphis-based Just City, and the state legislative black caucus  support the ordinance as a way to reduce the disproportionately high marijuana arrest rates in the African-American community.

The Nashville ordinance received the second of three council votes Tuesday night.

Supporters have argued the ordinances would simply create a "local parallel ordinance" to the state law, likening the decriminalization measure to Metro's law for littering, which has less severe penalties.
March 04, 2015 - Commissioner Walter Bailey, Jr., speaks during discussion surrounding the resolution approving a contract amendment with Aramak Correctional Services, Inc., during the Shelby County Commission's committee meeting.Shelby County Commission's committee meeting. (Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)

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By Linda A. Moore of The Commercial Appeal

Shelby County Schools board members could get a $10,000 pay raise through a proposal under consideration by county commissioners.

The Shelby County Commission's education committee discussed a pay raise ordinance Wednesday, but sent it to the full commission without a recommendation.

Sponsored by commissioners Walter Bailey and Heidi Shafer, the ordinance would raise school board member pay from $15,000 to $25,000 and the board chairman's pay from $16,000 to $26,000.

The school board's work is "herculean," Bailey said. "They've got a job that I wouldn't envy."

Shafer cited the success the board has had, in particular with the Innovation Zone school turnaround model, which is outperforming the state's Achievement School District model.

The school board is putting in the hours and seeing results, she said.

Funding for the increase, which would total $90,000 for the nine board members, would come from the school board's budget but no budget amendment was included in the ordinance, said Harvey Kennedy, county chief executive officer. School board budget amendments must be approved by the county commission.

Some commissioners opposed the pay bump, as the school board considers cuts to employee and retiree benefits.

"I'd like to see where that's going to go before we start giving raises to the school board," Commissioner George Chism said.

Most school board members have other jobs, Chism said, but the staff members retired with certain assurances that they would be taken care of.

The board's current pay was last raised in 2014. Board members had previously been paid $4,200 a year, an amount that was set in 1988.

The County Commission and Memphis City Council members are paid $29,100 annually.

The full commission will address the ordinance in the first of three readings on Monday.

In other news Wednesday, Mayor Mark Luttrell introduced to the commission Kathryn Pascover, his choice for county attorney.

Pascover specializes in employment law with the Ford Harrison firm and was formerly assistant director of law with the city of Akron, Ohio.

If approved by the commission, Pascover would replace Ross Dyer, who is now a judge with the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Western Section.
How long does someone need to live in Memphis to be mayor? It's complicated
Top education officials met Wednesday at the United Tribes Technical College's annual Tribal Leaders Summit to discuss what's at stake under the the new federal education law.

The Every Student Succeeds Act, passed in December, is a rewrite of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 to allow for more state control over education.

Ahniwake Rose, executive director of the National Indian Education Association, told the audience the rewriting of North Dakota's state plan should be considered extremely important for Native Americans.

Why is this such a big deal? she said. Thats because Indian people have never been included in the development of a state education plan.

Rose sat on a panel at the summit's education discussion on Wednesday, which also included Lucy Fredericks, director of Indian and multicultural education for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction; Ann Marie Bledsoe Dawnes, acting director of the Bureau of Indian Education; and Nancy Greene-Robertson, secretary and treasurer of the Spirit Lake Tribe, Fort Totten.

The Department of Public Instruction will host a tribal consultation meeting Oct. 21 at the state Capitol to talk with tribes and other tribal organizations about the development of the North Dakota state plan, according to Fredericks.

Native American students comprise 10.6 percent of North Dakota's total enrollment, Fredericks said.

Its very important we hear from our tribes  and that we include (their input) in our state plan for North Dakota," she said, adding that the state will submit its plan in March.

Kirsten Baesler, state superintendent of public instruction, has formed a 40- to 50-person ESSA planning committee, which has met three times and will meet again within the next seven months to prepare the states application.

New provisions under ESSA include the use of a "school dashboard," and there will no longer be annual yearly progress reports, which will allow multiple factors to be used when summarizing a schools measure of quality.

Rose, who encouraged tribal members to step forward and talk with educators about what they'd like to see in the plan, said the National Indian Education Association is creating a consultation guide.

The association also recently hired a tribal policy employee, who will be monitoring state implementations of ESSA.

We have come up with a list of about 11 states that were going to be investing in highly, and North Dakota is one of them," Rose said.

This is a huge change for us, and were going to be doing as much as we can to make sure that your voice is heard really loud and clear, and to make sure that its a coordinated effort because our kids ... theyre so migratory. Theyre going from (Bureau of Indian Education) schools, to a charter school, to a public school, and theyre hopping back and forth; theyre going from reservation to non-reservation land," she said. What can we do to help preserve a continuity in their education system?
A verse of scripture, a cross, three candles and some faded flowers lay on a tree root across from the Durant, Miss., home of Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill. Both nurse practitioners were found dead in the house Aug. 25 by a clinic employee and a Durant police officer. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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By Associated Press

DURANT, Miss.  The wife of a Mississippi man charged with killing two nuns says she and her husband argued and he left their home a few days before Sisters Paula Merrill and Margaret Held were found stabbed to death in a nearby town.

Marie Sanders told The Clarion-Ledger newspaper that her faith is sustaining her as 46-year-old Rodney Earl Sanders faces capital murder charges.

In an interview published Monday, Sanders said her husband left their Kosciusko home after the argument and it wasn't unusual for him to stay in a shed behind a relative's home across the street from the sisters' house in Durant, a town about 15 miles west of Kosciusko.

Held and Merrill, who worked for decades as nurse practitioners in some of the poorest parts of Mississippi, were found fatally stabbed Aug. 25 in their home. Sanders said her husband wrestled with demons, including seeing his mother killed when he was 5.

During her husband's initial court appearance Aug. 29 in Durant, Marie Sanders broke into sobs and apologized to relatives of the nuns. Some of them hugged her and whispered to her.

"They told me they love me, they love (Rodney), they said God forgives," said Marie Sanders, who married her husband in 2012. "That was the hardest thing. I didn't think I could make it because I didn't know how to say I'm sorry to this family because that was such a great loss. These were women of God. ... For them to embrace me the way they did and tell me that they appreciate me, they love me, God loves me, they forgive, the sisters would want them to forgive ... that was a hard pill to swallow."

Capital murder under Mississippi law is a killing committed along with another felony. The nuns' religious orders have spoken against execution, and the district attorney has not said whether she will pursue the death penalty against Rodney Sanders, who is charged with two counts of capital murder, one count of burglary and one count of grand larceny.
September 7, 2016  Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves speaks Wednesday at the DeSoto County Economic Development Council Quarterly Luncheon at Whispering Woods Hotel and Conference Center in Olive Branch, Miss. (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal)

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By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal

Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves made his case for education reform Wednesday in a county where some reform measures, such as charter schools, draw a tepid response thanks to a strong public school system.

But Reeves, named "Education Reformer of the Year" in June by a group that pushed reform issues, told a DeSoto County gathering not all Mississippi students are so lucky.

"I believe that every kid in DeSoto County has the opportunity for success," Reeves told the DeSoto County Economic Development Council quarterly luncheon at Whispering Woods Hotel and Convention Center in Olive Branch. "But I also know that every kid in Mississippi doesn't have the opportunity to grow up in DeSoto County. And so the reforms we have in place are designed to deal with every kid."

Reeves, a Republican, offered his views on education in the context of a broader discussion about job development. He said having an educated workforce is a key component to attracting jobs.

Empower Mississippi, which pushed for reforms such as charter schools, honored Reeves in June as its top education reformer. The group was widely credited with defeating several DeSoto County legislative incumbents and replacing them with candidates more supportive of charter schools and other reform measures. The group also helped defeat the Initiative 42 school funding proposal considered by voters last year seeking to force more state funding of public education. The proposal had strong backing from DeSoto school leadership.

Reeves, though, clicked off how he believes the state is moving in the right direction on education and how funding is, in fact, growing for schools.

"In the current year's budget, education spending is up a little over $400 million over what it was when I took office five years ago," Reeves said. "Of that, a little over $275 million is for K-12."

Additionally, Reeves said the state increased spending a little more than $125 million for community colleges and higher education.

Reeves said the state also has improved education by addressing the thorny issue of school consolidation. He noted that 152 districts in the state's 82 counties have been whittled to 139 districts since he took office.

Charter schools have gained little traction in DeSoto County, where the countywide public district  the state's largest  has an A rating from the state. The bigger issue locally is state funding to public schools under the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, which has received full funding only two years since it began.

Supt. Cory Uselton, like former Supt. Milton Kuykendall, says the chronic underfunding by the state hits a high-growth district like DeSoto especially hard. The district has avoided teacher cutbacks but has made significant cuts in non-classroom positions through consolidation and attrition.
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By Clarence Page

Rest in peace, Phyllis Schlafly. I respected her for her leadership skills, even when she campaigned against almost all of the causes that I supported.

I also was often bewildered by her contradictions. In that I was not alone. Schlafly, who died Monday at age 92 in her home in St. Louis, was the quintessential anti-feminist leader in the 1970s, yet she lived a life that embodied in many ways the feminist dream.

She was a proud wife and mother but also a lawyer who built her own media empire, wrote or edited 20 books, published a monthly newsletter, wrote a syndicated newspaper column (a colleague!), produced radio commentaries, anchored a radio talk show and maintained stardom on the college lecture circuit.

To me she was the anti-feminist feminist. She founded the Eagle Forum, a potent social conservative group, denounced feminism as promoting "power for the female left" and called "oppression by the patriarchy," among other feminist arguments, a "ridiculous idea."

Yet she maintained the view that a woman's most important job was to be a wife and mother  even as she publicly thanked her wealthy lawyer husband, Fred Schlafly, who died in 1993, for saving her from "the life of a working girl."

Instead he enabled her activism by employing a full-time housekeeper to help them to raise their six children. Nice.

Hypocritical? Of course, she believed in equal pay for equal work, she said. But she opposed the government "intrusion," in her view, that the Equal Rights Amendment would bring  including, she argued, the drafting of women into the military.

False as I believe that argument to be, I cannot deny that Schlafly's rallying of opposition to ERA in 1972 until it died a decade later was a breathtaking demonstration of how much power one determined woman can leverage against a major cause  and win.

The ERA merely declared that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." Schlafly's campaign killed that seemingly innocuous amendment by linking it in the public mind to coed bathrooms, gay rights and the draft.

But as a politically aware African-American kid, I felt Schlafly's influence as early as 1960. She was one of the "moral conservatives" whom I saw on TV in full revolt at the Grand Old Party's convention against a civil rights plank that called for "aggressive action" against segregation and discrimination.

As a politically aware African-American kid, I saw access to jobs, housing, education, lunch counters and  not the least important to 12-year-old me  amusement parks hanging in the balance of that debate. Much of today's conservative GOP began in that year's ideological conflict between the party's moderates and right wing.

Four years later, Lyndon B. Johnson's Civil Rights Act of 1964 would be enacted  with the crucial help of moderate Republican votes against Southern Democratic segregationist opponents. But Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona voted against it on the same states' rights principles that Schlafly held, and Schlafly loved him for it.

She also achieved national fame that year with her first book, the self-published "A Choice Not an Echo," which attacked the GOP's Eastern liberal Rockefeller elites for ignoring Goldwater's grass-roots heartland conservatives. It sold more than 3 million copies.

Goldwater won the GOP presidential nomination that year but lost in a November landslide. A liberal resurgence virtually exiled Schlafly and her allies from power in the party. But she wasn't done. Her Eagle Forum and its allies staged a comeback that led to the election in 1980 of another veteran of Goldwater's movement, Ronald Reagan.

If much of this factional infighting sounds familiar, children, think of Donald Trump, whom Schlafly endorsed, as today's leader of grass-roots conservatives against today's GOP establishment.

The last time I saw Schlafly speak, she was rallying the Conservative Political Action Conference after Mitt Romney's 2012 defeat.

The GOP establishment's "autopsy" called for more outreach to minorities, liberals, women and the young. Schlafly scoffed at that. As delegates roared their approval, she called for them to knock on more doors and rally GOP conservatives who had stayed home.

That sounded like folly to me in light of population changes. But it turned out to be Trump's path to the nomination. Whether it takes him all the way to the White House, I expect Phyllis Schlafly's influence to shake up our nation's political scene for years to come.

Contact Clarence Page at cpage@tribune.com.
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By Josh Rogin

Both the Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton campaigns are announcing the support of retired senior military officers they say validates their respective candidate's bona fides to be commander in chief. But not only are these endorsements ineffective, they risk further damaging the balance of political-military relations in our country.

Tuesday, the New York Times published an article announcing that 88 retired military officers signed a letter supporting Trump. The actual link to the letter was broken, but it doesn't really matter. Few voters will have heard of any of them, except for perhaps retired Lt. Gen. William G. "Jerry" Boykin, who was disciplined for making anti-Islam remarks while in uniform and who likened the war on Islamic extremism to a Christian battle against Satan.

Not to be outdone, the Clinton campaign told reporters Tuesday that vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine would give "a major national security address" in North Carolina that afternoon, and a spokesman touted the endorsements of retired generals Bob Sennewald (former commanding general, U.S. Army Forces Command) and David Maddox (formerly commander in chief, U.S. Army-Europe). Last week, the Clinton campaign bragged about the endorsement of former deputy assistant secretary of defense James Clad.

The endorsements don't seem to be swaying military voters, who are disapproving of both Trump and Clinton. Polling of active-duty military service members shows that the rank and file preferred Trump over Clinton by about a two to one margin earlier in the summer, but that Clinton closed that gap to about 10 points in August after Trump attacked a Muslim Gold Star family that spoke out against him. One informal poll of troops had both candidates trailing Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson when his name was included in the survey.

Nevertheless, the campaigns can't help but indulge in trotting out as many former flag officers as they can find. The most egregious examples were at the Republican and Democratic national conventions. Trump's military cheerleading team was led by retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, who led chants of "Lock her up." Clinton's top military surrogate was retired Gen. John Allen, whom Trump later called a "failed general" because he was in charge of coordinating the campaign against the Islamic State.

Two former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, retired Gen. Martin Dempsey and retired Adm. Mike Mullen, have called on their former colleagues to refrain from becoming overtly partisan and damaging civil-military relations. Current chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford has issued a similar warning to troops still serving.

Top experts on the issue are calling on both campaigns to end the tactic before the line between the military and politics is blurred further.

"The military is not a partisan prize and it should not be used for this," said Dr. Mackubin Thomas Owens, a retired colonel in the Marine Corps reserves and dean of academic at the Institute of World Politics. Allen and Flynn "were not introduced at the conventions as John or Mike, they were introduced as generals," Owens said. "So the idea was more or less trade on their military experience. And I think that's very destructive of civil-military relations."

Owens wrote a chapter on military-civil relations in a new book called "Warriors and Citizens," which was edited by retired Gen. James Mattis and former Bush administration national security official Kori Schake. Schake said that Allen, Flynn and the other retired flag officers are taking advantage of the fact that public support for elected political officials has plummeted while public support for the military remains high. But by presenting themselves as representatives of the military, they are hurting the independence of those still serving.

"That makes it harder for active-duty people to be persuasive with their elected political leadership," she said. "Flynn is by far the worst offender."

It's true that the involvement of senior retired military figures in presidential politics is not new. Gen. Douglas McArthur gave the keynote speech at the 1952 Republican convention. Retired Adm. William Crowe endorsed Bill Clinton in 1992, shielding him from charges of draft dodging. In 2000 and 2008, both candidates lined up former flag officers, some of whom were rewarded with plum jobs in the winning side's administration.

But in this election cycle, the partisanship and breathlessness of the retired generals and admirals has reached new heights. Voters should be reminded that military experience or lack thereof doesn't correlate to a president's success in national security. Abraham Lincoln famously said his only military experiences before he became president were "many bloody struggles with mosquitoes." Both campaigns should instead focus on explaining what policies they would implement to solve the nation's real security challenges. More photo ops and more letters signed by more retired generals just do more harm than good.

Josh Rogin is a columnist for the Global Opinions section of the Washington Post.
Google is now providing more information to website owners whose online properties are temporarily blocked as unsafe by its Safe Browsing technology as a way to help them fix the identified problems faster.

Google Safe Browsing is a technology used by Google's search engine, the Google Chrome browser, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Android to steer users away from websites that host malicious or deceptive content.

On the back-end, Google uses robots to scan the web and build a list of websites that host malware, harmful downloads, or deceptive ads and pages. Software developers can then plug into an API to integrate this list into their own applications.

The problem is that many websites hosting malware or bad ads don't do so intentionally but were hacked by attackers. The owners of those websites can ask Google to rescan their properties and have them removed from the Safe Browsing blacklist once the security problems have been corrected.

Unfortunately, the review process is not always straightforward, because some website owners might not completely understand the issues affecting their websites and often fail to completely clean the malicious content.

To help reduce the number of such cases, Google has now updated the information available in its Search Console service to provide clearer explanations about six types of security issues that could be detected on a website, the Google Safe Browsing Team said in a blog post Tuesday.

"These explanations give webmasters more context and detail about what Safe Browsing found," the team said, "We also offer tailored recommendations for each type of issue, including sample URLs that webmasters can check to identify the source of the issue, as well as specific remediation actions webmasters can take to resolve the issue."

Webmasters are encouraged to proactively register their websites in the Search Console even if those websites have never been affected by a security issue. This will save them time when something does happen because Google will send notifications through the service as soon as Safe Browsing detects a problem

Google estimates that more than a billion users are protected by its Safe Browsing technology, and more than 60 million of them encounter Safe Browsing warnings on a weekly basis. As of May, webmasters took around 60 days on average to clean their websites once they were notified of a compromise, according to Google's data. This is an improvement from a 90-day average response time in May 2015.
For a very long time, Google has focused on building its own productivity software to serve everyone from consumers to massive enterprises, and then locking people into its core experience. That all changed on Wednesday.

The company announced that it's partnering with Box to let users of the enterprise cloud storage and content services platform edit documents with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, but keep them stored inside Box.

It's a vast departure from the company's previous direction, which required people to store files edited with Docs inside Google Drive. Google said that the company is working on turning its Docs productivity suite into an open platform, and is open to working with other storage providers in a similar way.

Google Drive will still remain the default storage system for Docs, Sheets and Slides, even as the company pushes its open platform strategy.

The move provides security advantages for shared users of Box and Google Docs. Administrators will be able to manage access to documents using the same Box management console that they're used to, while still letting users work with the Docs suite.

It's also a boon for end users, who will be able to find documents from Google's productivity suite in the same cloud storage system where they keep other files.

In order to use Google Docs with Box, enterprise customers will need a paid Google Apps subscription. Consumers will be able to use Box as the storage service for Google Docs for free.

The move is emblematic of Google's heightened enterprise focus under the leadership of Diane Greene, the executive vice president of Google Cloud Enterprise. Greene has been instrumental in forging partnerships aimed at appealing to large businesses, something that Google hasn't always succeeded at.

Other recent moves have included an expanded partnership with Okta focused around providing enterprises with identity management services.

Google and Box will also work together on making Box content available in Google Springboard, an artificial intelligence-powered assistant aimed at giving employees the information they need from a variety of services, including Gmail, Google Calendar and third-party services like Box.

The two companies haven't said when the fruits of their partnership will actually appear. But the move means that both companies' products could become more appealing -- enterprises using Google Apps might be more likely to subscribe to Box, and vice versa.
During construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline project in North Dakota, no discoveries of cultural or archaeological artifacts have been reported by the company, nor have any been observed by third-party inspectors contracted through the North Dakota Public Service Commission.

PSC members defended their permitting process during a Wednesday meeting, citing correspondence between the North Dakota State Historic Preservation Office and the company building the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners LP.

Their discussion followed last Saturdays clash between opponents of the pipeline and private security personnel at a construction site. The company began work at the site Saturday morning, a day after Standing Rock Sioux Tribe leaders filed papers in court seeking a halt to construction, saying numerous cultural artifacts had been found in an area near the site where hundreds are camping in protest.

Paul Picha, chief archaeologist for the State Historical Society of North Dakota, said no staff from the Historic Preservation Office have gone to the site following last weeks statements by the tribe regarding artifacts. Arrangements are still being made for staff to visit the site and conduct an investigation.

Were currently evaluating the situation, said Picha, emphasizing that the State Historic Preservation Office believes all proper due diligence was conducted through its involvement with the state and federal permitting processes.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is a sovereign nation, not a member of the public or a stakeholder. As such, we are due a meaningful consultation in this matter, not simply a generic opportunity to comment in a public meeting, Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault said in email comments to the Tribune.

Archambault said the PSC and Dakota Access havent satisfied tribal concerns so far and said the company has desecrated cultural artifacts and remains.

If protection of historical artifacts is actually a priority of the Commission, as it says it is, then it should be equally outraged by actions of Dakota Access Pipelines construction company that have led to the criminal desecration of our sacred places, Archambault said. This is an assault on our people. Our fight isnt over until our people, our resources and the graves of our ancestors are protected.

The Dallas-based companys partner, Dakota Access LLC, continues to work on the 1,172-mile, 30-inch diameter pipeline. When completed, it will originate in western North Dakota near Stanley and end near Patoka, Ill.

A total of 509 cultural sites and artifacts were found along the route in North Dakota during the surveying process. The companys survey work included conducting a field study along the proposed route inside a 400-foot-wide environmental survey corridor.

The companys mitigation plan and preliminary report were accepted by the State Historic Preservation Office earlier this year.

Commission Chairwoman Julie Fedorchak said theres the chance when dirt is moved that artifacts may be found. When that happens, they have to stop construction, and they have the archaeologists come in, she said.

A U.S. District Court judge is to rule by Friday on a lawsuit by the tribe seeking an injunction.

On Tuesday, the judge ordered a halt to construction east of Highway 1806 just north of the reservation boundary for 20 miles across to the east of the Missouri River. Construction to the west of the river was allowed to continue, providing a partial victory for both sides until Fridays ruling.

The project has drawn hundreds of protesters from tribal groups and activists from across the country. A section of the pipeline is planned to be bored under the Missouri River and run less than a mile from the tribes reservation boundary.

Tribal leaders and groups have been staging protests over the pipeline for more than a month, citing concerns over potential contamination of the Missouri River if the pipeline were to rupture. The issue of cultural sites has also loomed large.
The U.S. Department of Defense must pump up its cyber capabilities, including its offense, as part of a huge planned expansion of the military, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Wednesday.

Trump, repeatedly criticized in the IT community for a lack of a tech policy agenda, called for new investments in cybersecurity during a speech focused on military programs. The businessman didn't put a dollar figure on the new cybersecurity investments but mentioned them as part of a proposed multibillion-dollar expansion of the U.S. military.

Trump will ask military leaders and federal agencies "to conduct a thorough review of United States cyber defenses and identify all vulnerabilities -- in our power grid, our communications systems, and all vital infrastructure," he said during a speech in Philadelphia. "We will invest heavily in offensive cyber capabilities to disrupt our enemies, including terrorists who rely heavily on internet communications."

Under Trump, the U.S. will make it a priority to develop both defensive and offensive cyber capabilities at U.S. Cyber Command, he said. U.S. cyber operations will "recruit the best and brightest Americans," he added.

Trump also used the speech to repeat his criticism of rival Hillary Clinton's decision to use a private email server while she served as secretary of state. "Hillary Clinton has taught us all how vulnerable we are to cyber hacking," Trump said.

A recent FBI report said one email account on the Clinton server was hacked in 2013.

Investments in cybersecurity and in the military will create new jobs and the "technologies of tomorrow," Trump said. "America must be the worlds dominant technological powerhouse of the 21st century, and young Americans -- including in our inner cities -- should get these new jobs."

Trump's military plan includes spending money on more than 70 new ships and more than 70 new fighter aircraft, plus expanding the U.S. fighting force by 50,000 people, or about 10 percent. He didn't talk about how he would pay for that expansion.

While many members of the U.S. tech community have questioned Trump's tech policy plans, Clinton has released a detailed tech policy agenda.
Nick Timothy has become the Brummie Rasputin. So say some Tory MPs, according to the latest Mail on Sunday. That paper quotes a senior Cabinet minister (has a junior one ever given a quote?) who complains of Timothys Rasputin-like influence over Theresa May.

Timothy finds himself in distinguished company. Denis Healey (no skulking behind the word senior for him) once described Sir Keith Joseph, distinguished Conservative thinker and somewhat less successful minister, as a mixture of Hamlet, Rasputin and Tommy Cooper.

Joseph was also known as the mad monk, a term apparently first applied to him by Chris Patten, with reference to the 1966 Hammer horror film Rasputin the Mad Monk, in which the title role is played by Christopher Lee.

Many Tories, especially those of a wet disposition, claimed Margaret Thatcher was too influenced by Joseph. Forty years on, the same kind of people assert May is too influenced by Timothy, who is said, partly on the basis of his writings for ConHome, to have turned her against Chinese investment in Hinkley Point, and in favour of allowing more grammar schools.

Rasputin was the drunken, dissolute, peasant mystic who was held in the highest esteem and affection by Alexandra, the last Tsarina of Russia, and was accused of exercising, through her, a malign, indeed disastrous influence on Tsar Nicholas.

In more recent times, David Camerons brilliantly imaginative adviser, Steve Hilton, of whom like Joseph not every Tory approved, was sometimes referred to at Westminster as the pint-sized Rasputin.

The Mail on Sunday was quick to note some of the salient differences between Rasputin and Timothy:

Unlike Rasputin, known for his sexual and drunken excesses, Timothy, 36, is a clean-living modern romantic: engaged to German Nike Trost, he is reportedly learning German in her honour.

Rasputin was illiterate: Timothy is highly literate. Rasputin operated in an autocratic monarchy which was about to be overthrown by a revolution, leading to the murder of the Tsar, Tsarina and their children, and the establishment of a communist dictatorship which lasted for 70 years. Timothy works in a parliamentary system which allows for peaceful change.

There is really no similarity between the two men, apart from their beards. In July, when I profiled Timothy for ConHome, I suggested in all innocence that his beard makes him look like Lord Salisbury, the great Tory Prime Minister.

The verdict of others is less favourable. For when one wishes to attack a leaders judgement, but finds it too dangerous to do so, the established method is to go instead for the leaders evil counsellors who have led him  or in this case her  astray.

When the leader is a woman and the adviser a man, the temptation to bring up Rasputin becomes irresistible. We live in a profoundly rude political culture, where without a second thought we exaggerate our opponents faults out of all recognition.

This is a very good thing. Freedom of speech must include the freedom to make grotesquely insulting and tasteless claims, or it becomes a prissy and inhibited pretence of free speech.

We should be able, if we wish, to call someone a Quisling who is really nothing like Vidkun Quisling, profiled on this site in March this year. He, by the way, had been awarded the CBE, so signed himself Quisling CBE when he telegraphed Neville Chamberlain in October 1939, urging Britain to make peace with Germany.

An even odder detail leaps out of Rasputins life. He was murdered by a member of the Bullingdon Club. Not for the last time, the audacious spirit displayed by that nursery of statesmen and criminals was displayed before a wider public.

What had Rasputin done to deserve this? A lot. For although almost every detail of his life is contested, there is no doubt that by the end of his life he had become immensely unpopular, and was the despair of Russian monarchists.

In the last two and a half years of his life, before he met his end in December 1916, there had been at least ten attempts to kill him.

He was born into the peasantry in January 1869 in Pokrovskoe, a village on the Tura River in western Siberia. Only two of his parents nine children survived and he never went to school, for there was no school.

At the age of 12, his mystical gifts first became apparent. In what follows I have relied heavily on the short account of him by Frances Welch, which is by far the most enjoyable introduction to him in English, for although she does not pretend to definitive knowledge, she avoids the paralysing indecision which afflicts some historians, and she includes many of the absurd and earthy details which are considered beneath the dignity of history.

When Rasputin was near, the family cows produced more milk. He cured a lame horse by placing his hand on its hamstring and throwing his head back. He was soon able to predict when a stranger was on the way: an hour after his announcement, a stranger would appear in the distance.

All his life, he was able to make implausible statements which turned out to be true. He also beat up the village bully, who was called Boris.

At the age of 18, he got married to a local woman. They had six children, of whom three survived.

Within a few years, he became a religious wanderer. In 1892, he spent several months in a monastery. He had shafts of insight which impressed senior members of the Russian Orthodox Church, although an increasing number were disgusted by him.

For he also became a shameless molester of women, frequenting bath houses which functioned as brothels and making innumerable indecent propositions, often while in an advanced state of drunkenness.

Religiosity and fornication were for him indissoluble. He ate only with his hands and smelled like a goat, for he seldom washed, though after eating he would present a greasy finger to his female followers and say: Lick it clean.

After years of use as a napkin, Welch tells us, his straggling beard was festooned with decaying food.

At the age of 33, he travelled all the way to Kiev, and had his first encounter with members of the upper classes. The aristocracy were prone to welcome his rudeness as a mark of integrity.

In 1905, he met the Tsar and Tsarina for the first time. They led isolated lives, communicating with each other in English. Alexandra deeply disapproved of the Russian aristocracy, which she found immoral, and dominated her husband, Tsar Nicholas, whom she loved but considered little better than a child.

She was the daughter of Grand Duke Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt and Alice Maud Mary, a daughter of Queen Victoria. In Russia, she had few friends, and was terrified that her son Alexei, who had inherited from her the painful and incurable disease of haemophilia, was going to die.

Rasputin seemed able to ease Alexeis symptoms, or even, during recurrent crises, to save his life. Alexandra was convinced of this, which made it impossible, over the next 11 years, for Nicholas to banish Rasputin: a course often urged upon him by wiser counsellors. As Welch observes:

Amid the fripperies of life at Court, there was always a call for an uncorrupted straight-talker, a character like Queen Victorias John Brown. Indeed, one of the Imperial familys closest companions, Lily Dehn, compared the Tsarinas faith in Rasputin to Queen Victorias in Mr Brown. Inevitably the Tsarinas worship of the peasants was encouraged by Rasputin who claimed: Great is the peasant in the eyes of God.'

By 1912, Rasputin was one of the most hated men in Russia, and even most members of the royal family detested him, though the Tsarinas children, who had no friends of their own age, followed her lead and were very fond of him.

When the First World War broke out, Rasputin was recovering from an assassination attempt, but warned: If Russia goes to war, it will be the end of the monarchy, of the Romanovs and of Russian institutions.

Like many of his prophecies, this turned out to be true. But as Russia lurched from one disaster to another, Rasputin became more and more unpopular. The Tsar took personal command of the army, leaving the Tsarina to hire and fire politicians under Rasputins influence.

The slander spread that she had slept with him. This was a lie, but letters which she had written to him, and which were stolen and published before the war, contained sentimentalities which were all too suggestive: I wish to fall asleep on your shoulder. I love you. I believe in you. I kiss you warmly.

A caricature published in 1916, entitled Russias Ruling House, showed a vast, dark picture of a frowning, bearded Rasputin, his hypnotic eyes gazing straight at the viewer, while the Tsar and Tsarina sit like two tiny, feeble children on his lap, smiling weakly at each other, completely dominated by this mountebank.

Harold Williams, a brilliant New Zealand linguist who was at this time in Petersburg, reported to the British Government, which was watching developments in Russia with growing concern: It seems impossible that the fate of such a huge Empire should remain much longer at the mercy of the plotting of a hysterical woman with a depraved peasant.

Prince Felix Yusupov, a member of Russias richest family and married to the beautiful Princess Irina, niece of the Tsar, agreed that the situation had become impossible, and hatched a plot to kill Rasputin. Before the First World War, Yusupov had studied Forestry and English at University College, Oxford, where he was elected to the Bullingdon.

He befriended Rasputin, and lured him at midnight to an underground room at his palace, where poisoned wine and food had been prepared. The poison had no visible effect, so Yusupov shot Rasputin.

But Rasputin was still not dead, and ran into the courtyard. Here he was shot again, and died. The conspirators dragged him back into the house. Yusupov shot one of his own dogs, to explain all the blood.

He and his accomplices then wrapped up Rasputins corpse, took him to a bridge over the Neva River and dropped him through a hole in the ice.

One of Rasputins galoshes was found the next morning on the bridge. Two days later, his body was discovered, for the conspirators had neglected to attach weights to it.

The Tsarina was inconsolable. She and the Tsar attended Rasputins funeral, which had to be held in private. Within months, the Russian Revolution had begun, the Imperial family was overthrown, the grave was desecrated and the corpse was at length incinerated.

Rasputins life has since been commemorated in a series of lurid books, films and even operas.

One trusts nothing remotely like this will ever happen to Mr Timothy, or indeed to Mrs May, and that any plots by members of the Bullingdon Club, at least two of whom have recently been overthrown though another has become Foreign Secretary, will be of a more pacific nature.
Amy Gray is the Conservative candidate for Mayor of Hackney.

How many times have Conservative activists walked down leafy streets that vote Labour, SNP or UKIP (or in past years, Lib Dem) and said with exasperation These should be Conservative voters!. But how often do we say that of streets in our inner cities? As a party we should feel the same frustration when failing to engage voters in the inner city as we do when failing to win over the areas we view as our natural territory.

When I told people outside London that I was our Parliamentary candidate in Hackney North and Stoke Newington last year, I never quite got used to hearing that I was brave  as if I was engaged in a battle with voters. The problem is that battles are between opposite sides, and the voters in Labour, SNP or UKIP-held constituencies arent our opponents  in Hackney theyre my neighbours.

Im standing for election again in Hackney, this time to be the Mayor of the borough, because the people in Hackney need to know that our party cares about their lives and because our party needs to represent every part of our great nation.

In her first speech from Downing Street, Theresa May laid down a gauntlet when she said that life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise. Disraelis idea of two nations endures but we are, however, sometimes in danger of misidentifying them as Tory versus Labour, or right and left wing, or even public and private sector. In truth it boils down  as Disraeli said  to the have nots and the have lots.

The Conservatives must have a message to unite both nations which is compelling for every borough and constituency in the country. In Hackney that means Ill be talking about the need for more affordable and social housing, more school places (which free schools and academies can deliver), safer streets and more support for small businesses  all things which bring those two nations together.

A lot of people in Hackney are just the kind of people the Prime Minister identified as the voices that will guide her Government, people for whom life is not easy. But its an outdated and mistaken perception of inner London to see it as a monolithic area of trapped and needy people. Life is not easy for some, thats true, but Hackney is a very young borough with many recent arrivals from other countries or other parts of the UK, and they do believe things can change for them and their families  partly because theyve seen big changes locally already. Things may be tough at the moment, but people in Hackney are full of enterprise and aspiration, meaning that they share Tory values and are receptive to our messages if we can reach them on local issues.

We need to listen carefully to everyone but there is a special obligation on politicians to listen to those who didnt vote for them. This is an important part of the social contract that all citizens have with the Government but its also an essential quality of any party that aspires to win elections to attract more support.

What wont help anyone in the inner cities is listening to Mr Corbyns Labour Party. My opponent in Hackney North last year was Diane Abbott (one of Corbyns Core Group according to his offices leaked list). Our constituency neighbour to the west is Corbyn himself. The voices of Corbyn, Abbott and their comrades are not the voices of either of our two nations, but the death cries of a sect whose leaders are relics of a bygone era and whose followers place purity of belief above real power to improve peoples lives. The Labour Party under Mr Corbyn has nothing to offer the British people, let alone the people of Hackney.

North and East London have undergone dramatic changes over the past decades. Only a decade ago, Hackneys reputation was mixed at best; now its schools get among the best results in London, businesses are thriving and its the best place to live in London (though I would say that). This transformation is what makes Corbyn and Abbotts stagnation so surprising, especially when there are some in the Hackney Labour Party who know the world has changed.

The outgoing Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe, understood that a wealthier Hackney was the best way to improve services for all. Its just a shame that his ideology stopped him from embracing pragmatic solutions to school shortages like more free schools  and yet didnt stop him embracing some dreadful planning decisions. Meanwhile Meg Hillier, MP in Hackney South and Shoreditch (Core Group Hostile), is now chair of the Public Accounts Committee and playing a serious role in holding the Government to account. Thus the two Hackney MPs provide a neat microcosm of Labours current travails.

With Labour having nothing to say to the people of Hackney, the Conservative Party has a unique opportunity over the next four years. We are generally a Party that shuns ideology in favour of pragmatism, but without many MPs in the inner cities our Party isnt always able to hear the voices of places like Hackney. Thankfully, we have Conservative councillors here and were determined to build on their work, hopefully with a Conservative mayor and then to win more council seats in 2018.

We should never have let Labour get away with seeing such areas as theirs and our rapidly growing group of local activists wont let that happen. Its my belief that a greater attentiveness to areas of Labour dominance will not just produce pragmatic policy responses for the inner cities but will allow us to see patterns across the whole country. Inner cities, coastal areas, small and garrison towns and post-Brexit rural communities all face challenges in which the Government, be it local or national, has an important role to play. In Hackney, Im determined to show that the Conservative Party is the party for all of the UK.
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a Statement on the G20 Summit in China. But before I turn to the G20, I would like to say something about the process of Brexit.

On 23rd June the British people were asked to vote on whether we should stay in the EU or leave. The majority decided to leave. Our task now is to deliver the will of the British people and negotiate the best possible deal for our country.

And I know many people are keen to see rapid progress and to understand what post-Brexit Britain will look like. We are getting on with that vital work. But we must also think through the issues in a sober and considered way. And as I have said this is about getting the kind of deal that is ambitious and bold for Britain. It is not about the Norway model or the Swiss model or any other countrys model  it is about developing our own British model.

So we will not take decisions until we are ready. We will not reveal our hand prematurely and we will not provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiation. And I say that because that is not the best way to conduct a strong and mature negotiation that will deliver the best deal for the people of this country.

And as the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union told the House on Monday, what we will do is maximise and seize the opportunities that Brexit presents. And that is the approach I took to the G20 Summit.

This was the first time that the worlds leading economies have come together since the UKs decision to leave the EU  and it demonstrated the leading role we continue to play in the world as a bold, ambitious and outward-looking nation.

Building on our strength as a great trading nation, we were clear that we had to resist a retreat to protectionism and we had conversations about how we could explore new bi-lateral trading arrangements with key partners around the world.

We initiated important discussions on responding to rising anti-globalisation sentiment and ensuring that the worlds economies work for everyone. And we continued to play our part in working with our allies to confront the global challenges of terrorism and migration.

So let me take each in turn.

Mr Speaker, trading with partners all around the globe has been the foundation of our prosperity in the past  and it will underpin our prosperity in the future.

So under my leadership, as we leave the EU, Britain will seek to become the global leader in free trade. At this Summit, we secured widespread agreement across the G20 to resist a retreat to protectionism, including a specific agreement to extend the rollback of protectionist measures until at least the end of 2018.

The G20 also committed to ratify by the end of this year the WTO agreement to reduce the costs and burdens of moving goods across borders. And it agreed to do more to encourage firms of all sizes, in particular SMEs and female-led firms, to take full advantage of global supply chains.

Britain also continued to press for an ambitious EU trade agenda, including implementing the EU-Canada deal and forging agreements with Japan and America. And we will continue to make these arguments for as long as we are members of the EU.

But as we leave the EU, we will also forge our own new trade deals. And I am pleased to say that just as the UK is keen to seize the opportunities that leaving the EU presents, so too are many of our international partners, who recognise the attractiveness of doing business with the UK.

The leaders from India, Mexico, South Korea and Singapore said that they would welcome talks on removing the barriers to trade between our countries. The Australian trade minister visited the UK yesterday to take part in exploratory discussions on the shape of a UK-Australia trade deal. And in our bi-lateral at the end of the Summit, President Xi also made clear that China would welcome discussions on a bi-lateral trade arrangement with the UK.

Mr Speaker, as we do more to advance free trade around the world, so we must also do more to ensure that working people really benefit from the opportunities it creates.

Across the world today, many feel these opportunities do not seem to come to them. They feel a lack of control over their lives. They have a job but no job security; they have a home but worry about paying the mortgage. They are just about managing but life is hard. And it is not enough for governments to take a hands-off approach.

So at this Summit I argued that we need to deliver an economy that works for everyone  with bold action at home and co-operation abroad. That is why, in Britain, we are developing a proper industrial strategy to improve productivity in every part of the country, so more people can share in our national prosperity through higher real wages and greater opportunities for young people.

And to restore greater fairness, we will be consulting on new measures to tackle corporate irresponsibility. These will include cracking down on excessive corporate pay, poor corporate governance, short-termism and aggressive tax avoidance  and giving employees and customers representation on company boards.

At the G20, this mission of ensuring the economy works for everyone was echoed by other leaders and this is an agenda that Britain will continue to lead in the months and years ahead.

Together, we agreed to continue efforts to fight corruption  building on the London Summit  and do more to stop aggressive tax avoidance, including stopping companies avoiding tax by shifting profits from one jurisdiction to another.

We also agreed to work together to address the causes of excess global production in heavy industries, including in the steel market. And we will establish a new forum to discuss issues such as subsidies that contribute to market distortions.

Mr Speaker, all of these steps are important if we are to retain support for free trade and the open economies which are the bedrock of global growth.

Turning to global security, Britain remains at the heart of the fight against Daesh and at this Summit we discussed the need for robust plans to manage the threat of foreign fighters dispersing from Syria, Iraq and Libya.

We called for the proper enforcement of the UN sanctions regime to limit the financing of all terrorist organisations  and for more action to improve standards in aviation security, including through a UN Security Council Resolution which the UK has been pursuing and which we hope will be adopted later this month.

We also agreed the need to confront the ideology that underpins this terrorism. That means addressing both violent and non-violent extremism  and working across borders to tackle radicalisation online.

Turning to the migration crisis, Britain will continue to meet our promises to the poorest in the world, including through humanitarian efforts to support refugees, and we will make further commitments at President Obamas Summit in New York later this month.

But at the G20, I also argued that we cannot shy away from dealing with illegal migration, and I will be returning to this at the UN General Assembly. We need to improve the way we distinguish between refugees and economic migrants. This will enable our economies to benefit from controlled economic migration, and in doing so we will be able to get more help to refugees who need it, and retain popular support for doing so.

This doesnt just protect our own people. By reducing the scope for the mass population movements we are seeing today  and at the same time investing to address the underlying drivers of mass migration at source  we can achieve better outcomes for the migrants themselves.

As part of this new approach we also need a much more concerted effort to address modern slavery. This sickening trade, often using the same criminal networks that facilitate illegal migration, is an affront to our humanity and I want Britain leading a global effort to stamp it out.

Mr Speaker, when the British people voted to leave the European Union, they did not vote to leave Europe, to turn inwards or to walk away from the G20 or any of our international partners around the world. That has never been the British way. We have always understood that our success as a sovereign nation is inextricably bound up in our trade and our co-operation with others.

By building on existing partnerships, forging new relationships and shaping an ambitious global role, we will make a success of Brexit  for Britain and for all our partners  and we will continue to strengthen the prosperity and security of all our citizens for generations to come.

And I commend this Statement to the House.
Mandan City Commissioners Tuesday temporarily waived a deadline for police officers using vacation time during the protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline, near Cannon Ball.

The commission also extended the timeline the city's police chief and two deputy chiefs can use compensation time off beyond their regular administrative duties to assist Morton County in monitoring the protest sites and camps near construction sites.

Mandan Police officers have temporarily been ordered to take no vacation during the protest and they may assist the county, said Deputy Police Chief Jason Bier.

City ordinance allows vacation hours up to 120 hours to an employee's anniversary date, but any more than that are lost. Commissioners extended the vacation time deadline by six more months.

Police Chief Jason Ziegler and Deputy Chiefs Bier and Paul Leingang have assisted during the county's declared state of emergency.

"The added work for our officers also made it difficult to use their vacation hours they have accrued," Bier said.

The ban on vacation time is to ensure the police has enough staff available for emergencies, he explained.

Bier said the city department's time and expense will be compensated by Morton County and he assured the police department continues to provide full service to the city.

City ordinance allows exempt employees like the police chief and deputy chiefs to accrue up to 60 hours of comp time by Dec. 31. However, Bier said with the unknown timeline of the county's declared emergency, the police administrative staff may also run out of time to meet that. Under a motion made by City Commissioner Shauna Laber, the time of the extension for the comp time will hinge on the length of the declaration.

Morton County Human Service Director Wendy Bent estimated that the county owes the city at least $15,992 in compensation hours since Aug. 19, but said actual compensation costs are still being calculated.

Ziegler will be asked at a future city commission meeting to outline how much compensation the city is due for lending its officers, chief and deputy chiefs and give an update on how lost vacation time and comp time will be made up.

Junior High apartment site

A 39-unit affordable housing project proposed for the former Mandan Junior High building garnered a special tax break and support from the Mandan City Commission Tuesday for a Bank of North Dakota interest buydown.

Its new developer Commonwealth Companies of Fond Du Lac, Wisc. was allowed to lock $20,000 per year in payments for five years in lieu of property taxes for the old school building at 406 Fourth St. N.W., Mandan. The project, known as the La Sagrada Familia Apartments LLC, would be paying 36 percent below normal property taxes at that rate. The project is being defined as a renovation project by the developer.

The payments in lieu of taxes were approved at $20,000 for years 1-5 with a 3 percent annual escalator or inflation factor for years six through 15.

Commissioners also approved loaning $83,186 to La Sagrada Familia

Apartments LLC for the local share of a Flex Interest Buydown to lower interest on project financing and the remainder of the local match to be provided by Community Works North Dakota.

Commissioners also agreed to a variation on the required parking spots from two lots per apartment unit to 1 1/2.

The project was first presented by Spirit of Life Catholic Church as a means to provide affordable housing for working families via the Mother Teresa Outreach LLC. The church-based outreach program has approved the sale of the property with Commonwealth Companies of Fond Du Lac, Wisc. to form an LLC to create the affordable housing project while the outreach program still provides services to low-income tenants.

City Business Development Director Ellen Huber said the project will be for profit, but it will still provide affordable housing at the site.

The proposal is to fund the project at a zero interest repayable loan for 25 years.

Cheryl Hansen, a board member for the Mother Teresa Outreach and church employee, said the Mother Teresa Outreach will still provide needed services to help stabilize the families for the family housing at the apartment site, but the Commonwealth Companies will oversee the business portion of the building.

Hansen credited Commonwealth Companies with partnering with similar affordable housing projects in Minnesota.

Budget

Commissioners also approved its preliminary 2017 budget of $30.1 million, about $928,000 less than the 2016 budget.

Though property tax revenue is projected at $198,000 more, much of the new revenue will be covered by a new construction base and exempt properties coming onto the tax rolls.

No new positions have been added to the 2017 budget.

The budget will offset a $686,000 reduction in State Aid sales tax and $396,000 less in state gas tax funds by transferring $500,000 in State Hub Funds to the general fund, $170,000 from city sales tax revenue, $170,000 from the BNSF settlement funds and $50,000 from the water and sewer utility funds.

The homeowner of an average house valued at $250,000 having a 13 percent valuation increase in Mandan won't see a property tax increase. However, the average homeowner will see their utility bills increase by $17 per year.

The final budget hearing is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Mandan City Hall.

Municipal Judge

Commissioners agreed to negotiate with Morton County to lease office space for the municipal judge at the Morton County Courthouse because there is a security system there.
Conservatives  Often in Office but Not in Power

The Conservative Party and the wider conservative movement is much better at winning elections or referendums than exercising power. To quote Norman Lamont, the former is often in office but not in power. By contrast, the Labour party understands power and patronage, and even out of power manages to control much of the agenda. The Left comprehends and supports the power of quangos, independent advisory bodies and academia. They have created what is best described as a stakeholder-bureaucrat nexus to drive government. Independent stakeholders advise expansion of government power, spending, and offer politically correct viewpoints on issues like climate change, diversity and immigration, national sovereignty, obesity, welfare, etc.

Such stakeholders either receive direct support from government, or government makes clear their influence, helping them obtain private finance. Academics tend to sit on the left, obtain funding from left-leaning bodies, and in return provide an evidence base to suit. When was the last time you heard an independent charity or a quango calling for government cuts or deregulation?

The bodies funded by or publicly feted by DEFRA tend to espouse climate change radicalism and impractical environmentalism (recall Owen Paterson and the Environment Agency clashing on flooding), those by the Business Department want more intervention, those by DCLG want more local government and housing spending, those by the Department of Health want more NHS spending and greater lifestyle interventions etc.

In addition, most policy experts either start on, or move to, the left, or at best the centre, because many jobs are in left wing roles or are controlled by left wingers, so the conservative pool shrinks and even neutral bodies tend to take up politically correct policy stances (e.g. the RSPB takes a firm line on grouse shooting while remaining quiet on halal slaughter).

The net result is that Conservative Ministers with a few advisers are always massively outgunned in terms of information, press and media coverage, and those who grasp the detail of policy. Not only that, but the majority of neutral civil servants are constantly being pushed by stakeholders toward left-wing actions and attitudes, on top of the negative incentives that also exist for them to build up their empires by expanding government power.

Different experts, not fewer experts

Ahead of the referendum, I argued we had often ended up in thrall to political and economic experts who presented their personal viewpoints as scientific and verifiable truths. This was not an argument to get rid of experts. It was to point out the establishment expert class of policy advisers, commentators, civil servants, and others has strong biases (i.e: pro-EU even in the disaster cases of the ERM and Euro).

What the Right needs to combat this are different experts who believe in conservative viewpoints  a smaller state, national sovereignty, are not automatically politically correct and so on. There are a few effective think tanks, such as Policy Exchange or the Institute of Economic Affairs, (whose Paragon project in particular deserves praise as a comprehensive attempt to reimagine what a smaller state could look like). But they are tiny compared to the bureaucrat-stakeholder nexus, and even they often tend to be un-strategic in their approach.

Most Conservatives are far too unwilling to ask: are they one of us? It is no coincidence that Margaret Thatcher, who was prepared to ask it, managed to get some of her radical ideas through (though less than her supporters claim). But even Thatcher refused the advice of her first Policy Unit head, John Hoskyns, who warned that without supportive radical experts in Departments to fight conventional thinking, her government would be out-maneuvered. (A mistake that led to the ERM disaster where officials intellectually captured her Chancellor and Foreign Secretary and turned them against her).

It was typical that when Francis Maude, who tried to reform government, said he was creating a Contestable Policy Fund (which was difficult to obtain, only provided matched funding, and has somewhat dried up), he gave the first funding to the IPPR, a left-wing think tank, to show lack of bias. Labour would not have been so generous.

Mays Government Needs External Allies to Succeed

Theresa May and her Government are at the height of her powers. They need to use it to create a framework that will serve her and her Cabinet as things get more difficult over the next few years. Her Ministers need to ensure they have independent policy advice, bodies that support change, stakeholders that can help provide a positive media narrative, and a way of keeping tabs on the detail of what reform means and how policy is playing out on the ground.

The New Schools Network  A Case Study to be Replicated

There is an outstanding case study  the New Schools Network (NSN). Without this there would have been no Free Schools policy, and academisation, which relied on many of the same arguments, would have been slower. Baroness Evans, now in Cabinet, and Theresa Mays right-hand man Nick Timothy, both have experience of the NSN. While Michael Gove behaved badly in the leadership election, he managed to push through a radical programme at Education in the teeth of massive entrenched opposition. He should be used as a source of knowledge to help the rising stars create similar bodies  many of whom, such as Liz Truss or Sajid Javid, have the gut instincts and intellectual capacity for reform, but who will need external support on top of internal advisers.

Bodies such as the New Schools Network should be replicated in helping spending Departments to drive policy on the ground, provide independent advice, feedback from the front line, and assistance with developing an independent but supportive media voice. Officials, advisers and Ministers will always need external expertise: what we need are conservative-minded experts. In addition, existing quangos need to either be abolished, or if they are genuinely necessary, to be monitored more effectively rather than often driving against Government agendas.

Journalists may obsess about who said what at Mays first Cabinet, or how to define May against David Cameron in terms of social reform, but if you really want to know if May will succeed or fail, look at whether she and her Government use the next six months to abolish the Lefts stranglehold on expertise and build an alternative support network, or squander this opportunity.
Davidson presses attack as Labour and Lib Dems withdraw support for Sturgeon

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has hit out again at the First Minister as the aftershocks of Brexit continue to be felt north of the border, according to the Scotsman.

Ruth Davidson has attacked the SNP for trying to exploit the EU referendum to revive their separatist agenda  has been joined, perhaps surprisingly, by her Liberal Democrat counterpart.

In a stinging attack in the same paper Willie Rennie  who made a memorable contribution to Mays pro-Union fightback in the Scottish Parliament elections by unexpectedly winning North East Fife  explained that his party was withdrawing its support for Nicola Sturgeons exploration of the options.

He claims that far from exploring all the options the SNP have been exploring only one, independence, and that the Lib Dems would not support the Nationalists if the Holyrood vote on the First Ministers position were held again. Labour will also oppose a second independence referendum.

Dugdale attacks Scottish Conservatives as the Brexit party

The Conservatives were much criticised by the SNP for refusing to back that vote at the time, and Labours Kezia Dugdale has now attempted to brand them Scotlands Brexit party, according to the Herald.

Predictably, the charge is nonsense: most Tory MSPs backed Remain, and that Davidson herself was one of the most nationally-prominent Scottish campaigners on that side of the argument.

But it does highlight the fact that there isnt a Brexit party in the Scottish Parliament, despite four in ten Scots backing that position. Another reminder that Scotlands political class can fall seriously short of speaking for Scotland.

Scottish Nationalists falter as polls refuse to shift

Sturgeon is herself discovering this as Scottish voters, despite the doom-laden certainties of many Remain campaigners, stubbornly refuse to swing into the separatist camp, as Theresa May has pointed out.

Indeed, Lord Ashcrofts polling suggests that more SNP voters prioritise controlling immigration than retaining single market access, and even a former leader denies the case for a vote.

Meanwhile, the partys much-vaunted National Survey has landed Sturgeons husband Peter Murrell, the SNPs Chief Executive, in hot water after experts expressed concern that it may breach both data protection legislation and electronic marketing regulations, the Daily Express reports.

The First Minister is planning to draw up a bill for a second referendum that can be introduced immediately, but this is a red herring: such a poll needs Westminster authorisation and negotiations, and the Government must not allow itself to be bounced.

Welsh Conservatives criticise Jones snub to Cardiff Airport

Wales Online reports that the First Minister of Wales has come under fire from the Tories for his failure to use Cardiff Airport for a recent visit to the United States.

Carwyn Jones, the Labour leader, was on a visit to three American cities  Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Chigaco  to sell Wales to the world. Yet he opted to fly from Heathrow which, his Conservative opponents point out, is in England.

Andrew RT Davies, the Tory leader, argues that Jones cannot excuse himself with the fact that there arent any direct flights to the US from Cardiff because, in his words: flying from London isnt direct when it first entails a two-and-a-half hour drive to London.

In the Conservatives defence, Jones administration has nationalised the airport and spends public money promoting its (indirect) links to the US. Lets hope this critique is rooted in prudent concern for public finances, and not a parochial aversion to the UKs premier air hub because its on the wrong side of a line on a map.

First draft of Ulster boundary review looks like boost for Sinn Fein

The boundary commission have released their first plans for cutting the number of seats in Northern Ireland from 18 to 17, and the News Letter reports that they look like bad news for unionists.

Amongst the proposals are a reduction of Belfasts four iconic seats to three, with Belfast West broken up and divided between North and South and tipping both those seats (currently held by the Democratic Unionists and SDLP) towards Sinn Fein.

East Londonderry would also absorb much of Sinn Feins Mid Ulster constituency to become a new, likely nationalist Glenshane, although this might be compensated for by the creation of a unionist West Antrim seat, and Fermanagh and South Tyrone would also grow to absorb more nationalist areas.

Whilst no parties have made formal announcements yet, the DUP have apparently already indicated that FST  captured by the Ulster Unionists from Sinn Fein at the last election and a psychologically-important western win  is an area of concern.

Combined with the loss of the redistricted East Londonderry, the result could be to push the unionists farther east on the Provinces electoral map, a win for Sinn Fein that both the DUP and UUP will want to avoid.
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All figures in % of GDP

And here, it underlines, Central to this challenge are the twin bottlenecks of municipal finance, i.e. lack of tax revenues to provide urban services, and infrastructure finance for transport, electricity, communications, water supply, and sanitation in support of production.

Pointing out why quick urbanization would pick up, the report says, In India, between 2000 and 2005, urban employment grew at a rate of 3.22 per cent compared to rural employment, which grew by 1.97 per cent.

It believes, Urbanization can play a key role in eradicating rural poverty. Research in India found that an increase of 200,000 in the urban population resulted in a decrease of 1.3 to 2.6 per cent in rural poverty. Overall, these urban-rural linkages were behind a reduction of 13 to 25 per cent in rural poverty in India between 1983 and 1999.

The report says, mega-regions  such as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)  will come to play an increasing role in various dimensions of prosperity, the report says, at a time when due to external and domestic factors the economy decelerated, one of Indias strategic initiatives was to transform the Delhi-Mumbai highway into an industrial corridor.

The DMIC involves industry and infrastructure in a 150-200 km band on either side of a 1,500 km dedicated railway freight line. Approximately 180 million people, or 14 per cent of the population of India, will live there. The idea is to develop an industrial zone, with eco-cities spanning across six States, together with industrial clusters and rail, road, sea and air connectivity.

Plans include 24 market-driven cities comprising regions with special investment regimes and industrial zones. The scheme places a whole new meaning on the scope and scale of urban economic corridors, the report underlines.

A new study by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), World Cities Report 2016: Urbanization and Development  Emerging Futures has regretted extremely low levels of aggregate municipal expenditures in India, which happen to be of the worst in the world. With only 1.1 per cent of GDP, municipal expenditures in India compare very unfavourably with OECD countries, but even with other BRICS countries such as Brazil, Russia and South Africa. In Latin America, several countries have significantly changed their municipal financial systems, the report says.Pointing out that Colombia, previously a highly centralized country, could give a good example on how to raise municipal expenditures, the report says, it has gone through different phases of decentralization, beginning in the late 1970s.The report says, With a new constitution in 1991, more responsibility was delegated to the municipalities, accompanied by a dramatic increase in transfers from the central to the local level, so that by 1997, municipalities expenditures were almost seven per cent of national GDP.Poor municipal expenditures in India, the report suggests, is particularly regrettable, as urban areas contribute more than 60 per cent of GDP and an extra 300 million new urban residents are projected by 2050, leading to a call by the Indian Government to build 100 new cities over the period.While this would mean a major challenge for climate change, the report says, this would necessitate building denser, low-energy, low-infrastructure cities.
The State Health Departments discovery of radioactive waste violations is both encouraging and disconcerting.

Its encouraging the state is catching the violators, but disconcerting that some companies or employees are trying to get around the law after so much focus on the issue over the last few years.

The photos and film of abandoned shacks filled with radioactive waste wont soon be forgotten. Companies need to abide by the law.

IHD Solids Management was ordered to remove nearly 950 tons of material from its site north of Alexander and undergo a third-party inspection of the landfill. The radioactive waste was detected during inspections in May and June.

Secure Energy Services and Gibson Energy WISCO, both in the process of applying for expanded permits under North Dakota's new rules that allow up to 50 picocuries of radioactive oil field waste in specially permitted landfills, also were found to have illegal material on site. Both the companies illegal materials were in much smaller quantities than IHDs.

The discovery of the illegal material comes after the states controversial decision to increase the allowable level of radioactive waste from 5 picocuries to 50. The states also allowing landfills to apply for permits to handle the higher level of radioactive material. The State Health Council held a new meeting on approving the higher levels after it was decided the council didnt give appropriate public notice of the first meeting to approve the change.

Since the states in the process of changing the rules and going through the permitting process for landfills, we would think the companies would want to be good citizens in the interim. They should be able to take the waste out of state a little longer.

One reason the state caught the violators was the recent purchase of radiation monitoring equipment so it can monitor radioactive waste landfills. The health the department's waste management division recently tested all 12 oil waste landfills. This should give companies warning that the state has improved tools for enforcing the law.

While all three companies have removed the waste and taken steps to improve the monitoring of their waste disposal, there are troubling aspects to the situation.

Gary Ebel, of Buckhorn Energy, told reporter Lauren Donovan that the violation raise some questions. "How much has been buried and how long has this been going on? They're required to know the regulations," said Ebel. He suggested violators be required to test "clean" for a couple of years before the state gives them a permit to handle radioactive waste under the new rules.

One upcoming change that should help: All oil field waste landfill operators will soon be required to monitor every load that comes in for disposal, instead of landfill operators depending on the waste generator to certify that loads meet the rules.

Also disappointing is the states apparent decision not to fine IHD for violating its permit conditions, deciding the cost of removing and hauling the waste away was enough of a deterrent. The Tribune Editorial Board feels there should be fine, that violating the rules should result in some punishment. It also reflects how seriously the state takes the issue.

The states to be commended for improving its monitoring abilities. It needs to be vigilant and take a tough approach to offenders. Radioactive waste remains a concern to many residents and they need to see the state being active in enforcing the law.
GRAFTON -- Seat harnesses tightened. Ear plugs in. Doors shut.

The engine comes to life and the blades above start spinning. Within a few minutes, a Black Hawk helicopter carrying more than a dozen people lifts above Grand Forks International Airport on its way to the North Dakota National Guards Camp Grafton Training Center.

That ride was the first leg of a trip to provide area employers and others a firsthand look at National Guard operations Thursday.

The outing was organized by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a U.S. Department of Defense program that seeks to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers, according to its website. The guests included business owners and managers, a nonprofit employee, an education leader and a member of Sen. Heidi Heitkamps staff.

Among the participants were winners of the Patriot Award, which recognizes workplace supervisors efforts to support employees serving in the National Guard or Reserve. That could be through flexible scheduling, providing time off before and after deployment and granting leaves of absence, according to the ESGR.

Supervisors from Reliance Telephone, Holiday Inn Express and Suites, the Community Violence and Intervention Center and Furniture Mart USA won Patriot Awards and were represented on Thursdays trip to Camp Grafton. Reliance Telephone also received an Above and Beyond Award, according to the ESGR.

When you know you have to deploy and your employer has your back, that youre going to come back to your job and youre going to be treated just as well as when you left, thats really encouraging, said Jill Holwerda, chairwoman of the ESGRs Grand Forks region.

A grand tour

The group received a tour of the Regional Training Institute at Camp Grafton, which is located just 5 miles south of the city of Devils Lake. Its primary mission is to train engineers whose responsibilities range from carpentry work to blowing up obstacles for incoming infantry, said Maj. Raymond Ripplinger.

They also train North Dakota Army National Guard officer candidates and culinary specialists, Ripplinger said.

We dont train basic training soldiers here; we train soldiers who have been in the National Guard for a number of years who have to go in and reclassify in a different job setting, he said. Weve had soldiers who have been in the military for 10, 20, 30 years come through here and learn a new skill, depending on whats going on in their unit.

The group received a tour of classrooms, lab and shop space, along with a windshield tour of the campus. The trip was rounded out with a few rounds on the virtual firing ranges at Camp Grafton.

For employers such as Reliance Telephone CEO Dave Hangsleben, the trip offered an opportunity to see what the Guard is about. He, however, credited his employees for picking up the slack when another employee has to miss time for National Guard duty.

We always feel an obligation to our country, Hangsleben said.
Charges have been filed against Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and her running mate, Ajamu Baraka.

On Tuesday, the Morton County Sheriff's Department accused Stein of spray-painting equipment Tuesday at a Dakota Access Pipeline work site, located south of Mandan.

Stein and Baraka are charged with criminal trespass and criminal mischief, both Class B misdemeanors, and warrants have been issued for their arrests.

According to an affidavit filed in Morton County District Court on Wednesday, law enforcement officers viewed a video of Stein spray-painting "I approve this message," on equipment. Officers also saw a video of Baraka painting the word decolonization."

Stein, who is next scheduled to hold a rally in Chicago, did not respond to an email from the Bismarck Tribune seeking a response to the charges, but she did post a comment on Twitter: "I hope N.D. presses charges against the real vandals who bulldoze sacred burial sites."
An HIV diagnosis is no longer a death sentence in the Western world, so it's easy to forget that the so-called "gay plague" felt like the end of the world at one point. We had a sneaking suspicion that the reality of watching all your friends die from a mystery disease was a lot more disturbing than Rent let on, so we spoke to "Peter," an HIV-positive gay man who lived in San Francisco at the height of the AIDS crisis, back in the late '70s and early '80s. He told us ...

5 The Pre-AIDS Gay Scene Wasn't a Constant Orgy

Thomas Alleman/The San Francisco Sentinel

You may want to sit down for this: There may not be as much sex in something as Hollywood has implied.

"One characterization I've always found inappropriate is the notion that pre-AIDS gay culture was a period of nonstop sex and that the epidemic brought that all to a screeching halt," Peter says. "In reality our lives were more varied and the change was more subtle and non-immediate (for example, SF's bathhouses didn't close until 1984), and even life in the urban gay ghettos was more complex than some of today's romanticized depictions imply. And while it's true that many of us tended to plan our lives around sex (or availability for sex), that didn't just vanish in 1981."
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A former government official of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation accused of accepting bribes and kickbacks from a construction contractor has pleaded guilty to federal charges in North Dakota. Randall Phelan was an elected representative of the governing body of the Three Affiliated Tribes from the end of 2012 to the middle of 2020. Investigators say Phelan used his official position to help the contractors business by awarding contracts, fabricating bids and managing fraudulent invoices. His trial had been scheduled to begin Tuesday. Phelan and two others were originally charged with receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from the bribery scheme on the oil-rich Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The contractor has pleaded guilty to bribery.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Danny Heinrich, the man who led authorities to the remains of Jacob Wetterling, admitted in U.S. District Court Tuesday, Sept. 6, that he abducted and killed the 11-year-old boy some 27 years ago.

Heinrich described during a court hearing what happened the night of Oct. 22, 1989, the last night Jacob was seen alive.

Asked whether he abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered Jacob, Heinrich said: Yes, I did.

The 53-year-old Annandale, Minn., man made the admission after pleading guilty to one federal count of receiving child pornography that could send him to prison for 20 years.

He will not be charged in Jacobs death due to a plea deal made with prosecutors and agreed to by the Wetterling family.

He recalled handcuffing the young boy and putting him in the backseat of his car after he stopped the 11-year-old at gunpoint as he rode his bike home along a rural road in St. Joseph, Minn., with his brother and best friend.

What did I do wrong, he said Jacob asked him, before crying and begging Heinrich to take him home.

I said, dont cry,' Heinrich said.

He later told the court how he impulsively shot and killed the 11-year-old with a revolver in a panic after he said he saw a police car drive by without any lights on.

He used a Bobcat to dig a grave and bury him. He took the machine from a nearby construction company. When he returned to the grave site a year later, Heinrich said he could see Jacobs red jacket.

He took the coat and Jacobs remains and reburied them across the highway, Heinrich said.

Jacobs mother, Patty Wetterling, sobbed as Heinrich recounted the details of the night that has for so long remained a mystery.

Heinrich had been charged with 25 counts of possessing and receiving child pornography; he pleaded not guilty to those charges in February and was set to go to trial in October.

Heinrich last year was named as a person of interest in the Jacobs abduction.

The 11-year-old St. Joseph boy was taken from his bicycle on a rural road near his house while he, his brother, and his best friend were riding home after renting a movie. He was never seen again.

Heinrich has not been charged in that case. But last summer authorities searched his house for ties to the boys disappearance.

Heinrich had been under increasing scrutiny as authorities have revisited Jacobs abduction and investigated a string of sexual assaults on preteen and teen boys near Paynesville in the mid- to late 1980s.

Jacob was taken less than a mile from his home in St. Joseph, which is about 20 miles from Paynesville. Heinrich lived in Paynesville with his father at the time of the abduction.

Retested DNA evidence last year linked Heinrich to the 1989 kidnapping and sexual assault of Jared Scheierl in Cold Spring, nine months before Jacobs abduction. The Pioneer Press typically doesnt identify victims of sexual assault, but Scheierl has spoken publicly for years about his case.

Authorities have long suspected a link between Jared and Jacobs cases, leading them to circle back to Heinrich.

Heinrich also admitted in court Tuesday to abducting and sexually assaulting Scheierl.

Last week Heinrich led a team of FBI agents and state and county investigators to a pasture near Paynesville where Wetterlings skeletal remains were buried, according to a source with direct knowledge of the search. Investigators revisited the site again Friday for crime-scene purposes.
FARGO -- Luke Jordan started his 4,600-mile hike across Americas north country in late March at Lake Sakakawea in central North Dakota in what he described as extreme cold.

Then it snowed almost every day, he said.

That was three years ago that the Lowell, Mich., man, who is one of 12 people so far to hike the entire North Country National Scenic Trail, accomplished his feat at age 22 after he graduated from college.

Hes now 25 and working for the National Park Service in Lowell, in an office next door to the trails national headquarters.

Jordan is one of only six that has hiked the trail in one fell swoop. The other six have done it in sections.

He reached the end of his journey from North Dakota to New York at the Vermont border after hiking 475 miles in North Dakota and 850 miles in Minnesota and then through Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania before reaching New York.

About 66 percent of the trail that weaves across mostly public lands through the prairies of North Dakota and the forests of northern Minnesota is complete

Its the longest of the 11 national scenic trails in America, and Jordan had his share of adventures and beautiful scenery during the hike that took him until mid-October -- about seven months.

The best part, he said, was meeting the people.

He stayed with some of them along the way as they would invite him into their homes, but he said he found places to camp about 70 percent of the time and stayed in motels or homes the other 30 percent.

He decided on the North Country Trail because he thought it was unique, different and much-less traveled, compared to more well-known trails like the Appalachian Trail that is completely built and runs 2,190 miles through 14 states from northern Georgia to Maine.

Carrying his 40-pound backpack, Jordan said the main problems along the route were peoples dogs (mostly in Ohio), heat exhaustion on the hot summer days, the mosquitoes (mostly in Michigan), that extreme cold in North Dakota to start the trip and traffic when he had to take to the paved roads where theres no trail.

I almost got hit by a couple of semis in Ohio, he said.

Trying to piece together a puzzle

The small paid staff who has been working since 1980 on developing the trail are busy trying to fill in the large gaps yet on the trail so there isnt a need for the road miles.

That involves working with private landowners, as much of the trail developed already is on public lands such as national forests and state lands.

Although North Country trail development director Andrea Katchmark said four of five private landowners say yes to an easement, there are those next door who arent interested.

Most of our time in recent years has been to negotiate with private landowners and its very time consuming, said Katchmark, who also works in the national office in Michigan near Grand Rapids.

Its like trying to piece together a puzzle, she said.

She said with little funding, most of the easements are donated although they have paid in some places.

It also requires a lot of volunteers, like Tom Moberg of Fargo who serves as the trail associations national board president.

The volunteers help to keep the trail mowed or marked in such places as Walcott and Colfax, small towns just west of Abercrombie where the trail crosses from North Dakota into Minnesota.

Often the trail can be just a mowed grass foot path as little is paved, although some segments are crushed gravel.

Moberg, who will end his three-year term as president when the the trail association has its annual celebration in Fargo on Sept., 14-17, said there are about 60 members of the Dakota Prairie Chapter from Cass, Richland and Ransom counties.

He said they have been working hard on a volunteer basis to complete about 80 miles of trail from Fort Abercrombie to Lisbon. Their work has mostly involved mapping, building, mowing and marking a foot path through the prairies and sandhills in southeast North Dakota. About 45 miles of the trail are off-road, with 35 on-road miles that they try to keep to gravel or minimum maintenance roads.

Spectacular views

The trail winds through some of the most beautiful scenery in the six states.

In North Dakota, its no exception. Moberg said many people think of northern Minnesota when they talk of beautiful scenery, but there is a lot to offer in North Dakota, too.

Theres some really unique beauty, Moberg said.

The purpose of the trail, he said, are to allow the public to see the natural, historic, scenic and cultural resources in America. Thus, many are designed to highlight these treasures.

Matt Davis, the regional trail coordinator who is responsible for North Dakota and Minnesota and works out of his home in Detroit Lakes, said for example the trail goes by North Dakotas only waterfall in the Sheyenne State Forest near Fort Ransom and through Maplewood State Park in western Minnesota where the spectacular fall colors will splash through the rolling hills of the forestland in the coming weeks.

Hes also trying to work on developing the trail further in central North Dakota along Lake Sakakaweas shoreline where some spectacular views could be added.

Davis said some people enjoy the walk through the prairie, but there are also some fairly boring stretches such as along a path of about 130 miles following a canal that was part of the Garrison Diversion water project that was supposed to bring water from the Missouri River to eastern North Dakota.

Of the 475 miles of the planned trail in North Dakota, Davis said 250 miles are completed. In Minnesota, 600 miles out of the 850 miles have been developed.

Davis has high praise for volunteers such as Moberg and others who selflessly give of their time to work on maintaining the trail.

Some of the volunteers dont even like to hike, he said.

Davis and others involved find it exciting to work on building the trail that people will likely be enjoying 100 years down the road.

And it might take years and years to get the trail completed so people like Jordan wont have to take to the roads and deal with traffic while on a day, week or yearlong hike.
FARGO -- A Spirit Lake Nation man will spend 14 years in prison for running over another man with a vehicle, resulting in his death.

Lance Robertson, 27, pleaded guilty in federal court to second-degree murder for the death of 18-year-old Larse Azure Jr. of the Spirit Lake Nation. A judge handed down the sentence Tuesday in federal court and ordered him to pay more than $14,500 in restitution.

The sentence stems from a Dec. 19 incident, when Robertson used a 2004 Dodge Durango to run over Azure on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation, investigators said. After consuming a large quantity of alcohol at an Oberon, N.D., bar, Robertson drove about 14 miles to Fort Totten, N.D., where he picked up five people, including Azure, so they could drive around the reservation and drink, according to court documents.

Robertson drove the pickup when his passengers told him he should let someone else drive due to concerns of erratic driving, according to court documents. He then stopped the vehicle on Indian Service Road 6 and turned the pickup off.

Video captured during the incident reveal passengers pleaded with Robertson to give them the keys, according to court documents. One said they were cold, with the temperature being described as 3 degrees below zero.

Within a half-hour, an argument broke out between Robertson and his brother, who struck Robertson, according to court documents. Everyone except Robertson eventually exited the pickup.

Braxton Luger told investigators he then heard Robertson yell, Youre all dead, as he started the pickup and put it into reverse. Driving the vehicle forward toward three people, Robertson then ran over Azure, according to court documents. The other two ran into the ditch.

Robertson did not stop as he drove away from the scene.

Azure was taken to CHI St. Alexius Health in Devils Lake, where he died at 3:50 a.m.

Robertson had faced first-degree murder and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, but a plea agreement lowered the murder charge and dismissed the assault charges.
MORTON COUNTY  A law enforcement consultant who trains police dogs is among those condemning the use of guard dogs at a pipeline protest site and says she plans to file a complaint about the dogs owner.

Jonni Joyce of Martin, S.D., who has trained professional dogs since 1988, watched video from Saturdays protest at the Dakota Access Pipeline site and called it a dark day for her industry. Some protesters reported being bitten by the dogs, and video from Democracy Now! shows a German shepherd with its mouth covered in blood.

Taking bite dogs and putting them at the end of a leash to intimidate, threaten and prevent crime is not appropriate, Joyce said. It was absolutely appalling.  For a private corporation to utilize dogs in this fashion is reprehensible.

A Dakota Access spokeswoman declined to comment Tuesday about security personnel or the use of dogs.

The Morton County Sheriffs Office continues to investigate Saturdays conflict between a few hundred protesters and private security personnel at a pipeline construction site west of Highway 1806. Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said Tuesday the investigation could lead to charges on both sides.

Frost Kennels of Hartville, Ohio, acknowledged on Facebook the company was involved in Saturdays incident. Owner Bob Frost did not respond to messages from Forum News Service seeking comment.

On Facebook, the business said We were simply patrolling an area protecting equipment and we were then ambushed after a fence was torn down and workers and dogs hospitalized.

Kirchmeier said authorities didn't know about the use of dogs until receiving a 911 call from security.

Its a private company protecting their personnel as they see fit," he said.

The sheriff's office is investigating injuries caused by the dogs, Kirchmeier said.

The injuries that happened against the security people or protesters, have not been brought to our attention at this point," he said.

Three security officers were injured but were not hospitalized, the sheriff's office said.

Joyce said she plans to file a complaint this week with the Ohio Department of Public Safety to determine if Frost Kennels is in compliance with Ohio laws.

Its evident by the manner in which they were working the dogs and deploying the dogs that they do not have training, Joyce said.

Frost Kennels and Bob Frost are not licensed by the state of Ohio to furnish guard dogs or provide security services, said Geoff Dutton, executive director for Private Investigator Security Guard Services through the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

However, Dutton said he doesnt believe the states laws would apply to guard dogs being used in another state.

Keith Rowan, owner of Pro Dog Security in Grand Forks, said hed like to see the State of North Dakota Private Investigation and Security Board look into what occurred Saturday.

Rowan, a former K-9 officer for the Grand Forks Police Department, said his security firm has drug detection dogs but never would have used patrol dogs in the manner used at the pipeline site.

It reminded me of the civil rights movement back in the 60s, Rowan said. I didnt think it was appropriate. They were overwhelmed and it just wasnt proper use of the dogs.

Francine Johnson, executive director for the Private Investigation and Security Board, which licenses private security firms, did not return calls Tuesday.

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota also has criticized the use of dogs, as well as pepper spray, against protesters on Saturday and has urged state officials to treat everyone fairly and equally.

Some protesters have questioned why deputies didnt intervene when they arrived Saturday. Kirchmeier said Tuesday the agency's goal is making sure everyone is safe, including officers.

"We're not going to put them into a situation to where injuries could happen or if they're not at a point where they have to escalate the use of force, it is not worth it at that point," Kirchmeier said.

Its unclear if other private security firms were involved Saturday. Donnell Preskey, spokeswoman for the sheriffs office, said the agency does not have the name of the firm.

The firm 10-Code Security has provided security for Dakota Access in Morton County, according to documents filed in federal court. Its unknown if the company was involved on Saturday and the firm did not return calls Tuesday.

G4S Secure Solutions issued a statement Tuesday that the company was not involved Saturday. G4S is working with Dakota Access to provide fewer than 10 unarmed security officers to remote sites, but G4S was not present at Saturdays incident and the firm has not used dogs, a spokeswoman said.

Forum News Service reporter Mike Nowatzki contributed to this story.
Channel programs News

CRN Exclusive: Samsung Channel Trailblazer Richard Hutton Has Departed

Kyle Alspach

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Richard Hutton, who has spearheaded the growth of the channel partner program at Samsung Electronics America since its infancy, stepped aside as director of channel marketing at the company last week, sources said.

Hutton joined Samsung Electronics as senior channel marketing manager in 2005, at a time when the company lacked a major indirect sales initiative and had few products focused on businesses.

Samsung now partners with several thousand resellers and has a broad product portfolio for businesses  including a range of large-format displays and work-oriented mobile devices.

Hutton, who was featured a number of times as one of CRNs Channel Chiefs, declined to comment. A Samsung Electronics America spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

[Related: Samsung Channel Chief Touts Increased Focus On Selling Through Partners]

Traditionally focused on selling to consumers, Samsung Electronics hired Hutton to head its channel program following his tenure at distribution giant Ingram Micro, where he'd worked in purchasing sales and marketing.

While building up the channel program at Samsung, Huttons efforts including putting tools in place for sales enablement of channel partners, he said in connection with his selection as one of CRNs 2015 Channel Chiefs.

"Overall, we've added better resources from a tools and human resources standpoint to achieve what we set out to do with the channel," Hutton said during the XChange 2015 conference, hosted by CRN parent The Channel Company.

"If the channel doesn't sell our products, we don't sell our products," he said at the time.

Hutton had served as director of channel marketing at Samsung since 2012 and had most recently reported to Carmel Coscia, vice president of marketing and demand creation.

Coscia, who previously headed worldwide marketing programs and demand generation for mobile at SAP, joined Samsung in July, according to her LinkedIn profile.

SAP veteran Kevin Gilroy joined Samsung Electronics America in August 2015 as executive vice president overseeing the companys business-to-business division.

Huttons departure follows an evolution of Samsungs channel efforts as it pushes into generating more business-to-business sales of mobile devices. For instance, Samsung said in June it would make unlocked Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones available through distributors including Ingram Micro, Tech Data and Synnex.
Networking News

Verizon, Qualcomm Team Up To Deliver Full IoT Package To Businesses, Developers

Gina Narcisi

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Verizon's Internet of Things platform, ThingSpace, will be integrated into chipmaker Qualcomm Technologies' low-power modem in an effort to serve up an all-inclusive IoT offering, the companies said Tuesday.

The partnership between the two companies will help Verizon go up against competing carriers getting into the IoT space. The offering combines an IoT developer platform with wireless connectivity on Cat M1 hardware that will help reduce IoT costs, which can help businesses scale more quickly. The solution also eliminates the need for multiple providers, a big barrier to IoT adoption, according to Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Verizon.

Via the new collaboration, Verizon's software-based ThingSpace developer platform will be embedded within Qualcomm's MDM9206 Category M LTE modem. The solution will also use Verizon's 4G LTE network for building, deploying and managing customized IoT applications across a wide range of use cases, including asset tracking, security and industrial control, Verizon said.

[Related: Verizon CFO Shammo Announces Retirement, Will Be Succeeded By Wireless, Wireline Unit CFO Matthew Ellis ]

Connected devices use a very small amount of data, and device manufacturers looking for connectivity will seek the provider that can offer the best deal, or a flat rate, said Adam Edwards, CEO of Sandy, Utah-based master agent Telarus, a Verizon partner.

Carriers will need to differentiate themselves by going beyond touting their network strength and coverage, Edwards said.

While the major carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon, are heavily investing in the IoT space, startups and smaller providers such as CradlePoint are also giving the incumbents a run for their money. That's because these providers are offering connectivity for smart devices at an attractive price point, he said.

"I think its a smart move," he said. "If Verizon is creating a platform that can do IoT from soup to nuts, it's going to be a lot stickier than just managing the wireless side."

The combination of Qualcomm's Cat M1 LTE modem and Verizon's ThingSpace platform will let developers and businesses quickly create and manage IoT applications for connected devices running on 4G LTE. This will also let companies handle firmware management and device diagnostics in real time, two common issues with IoT deployments, according to Verizon.

The combined platform will simplify IoT and allow partners to focus on the business needs of their end customers, Telarus' Edwards said.

"I think a lot of the value of the partner will be the relationship, rather than the technical know-how for IoT," he said.

The ThingSpace IoT platform will be available for OEM integration on Cat M1-based solutions in early 2017, the carrier said.
In putting together awareness programs for dozens of clients, the potential to integrate phishing simulations always comes up. For the most part, it seems like a staple of awareness programs. But when the concept of phishing is raised, I always ask, Why?

Yes, the question potentially costs me money. Also while most people perceive the phishing simulations as a direct way to decrease phishing susceptibility, the decrease might not be relevant or significant. So when I looked at a recent CSO article that asked security experts what they thought success meant when it came to phishing simulations, I was a frustrated.

[ Check out these 11 phishing prevention tips for best technology practices, employee education and social media smarts. | Get the latest from CSO by signing up for our newsletters. ]

The comments from security experts mostly focused on a reduction in clicking on simulated phishing messages. I assume people believe that if fewer people click on a simulated phishing message, fewer people will click on a real message. That is not necessarily the case. This discussion is actually much more complicated than it appears, and it involves dispelling many myths and specious beliefs about phishing.

What is security success?

Before looking at success in phishing simulations, we must first consider what is success for overall security efforts. First off, there is no such thing as security. The dictionary defines security as freedom from risk. There will always be risk, so security is unattainable. An implementable definition of security is risk management.

Risk management is essentially the act of cost effectively mitigating loss. In short, security efforts are successful if you reduce your loss by more money than your security countermeasures cost. For example, if you invest $500,000 in anti-malware software, and you reduce the costs of loss due to malware by more than $500,000, your security program is successful. If you reduce loss by less than $500,000, your program, or at least anti-malware, failed.

There is a general problem with this measure, as most organizations do not adequately track security-related losses. Without the appropriate metrics, it is hard to prove that your security efforts were a success. However, the principle is straightforward. If you plan in advance, you should at least attempt to gather the appropriate metrics.

The problems with phishing simulations

There are several critical issues with implementing phishing simulations. The first one is the actual receipt of the messages. With all services, you have to white list the messages to ensure they get to the recipients. So, you are testing people with phishing messages that they would never receive, as the white listing is implemented to avoid the messages getting sent to spam files or from being deleted, before reaching the recipients.

Then there is the fact that just because a user does not click on one phishing message, it doesnt mean they will not click on others. Some people might not click on cat videos, while they would click on a shipping message.

Then there is the sophistication of phishing messages to consider. I can purposefully manipulate the user response rate, if I choose. For example, if I want to show success in the program, I can create a very sophisticated message that uses inside information and is related to some timely event, and get a very high response rate. I would then follow it up with a more generic phishing message, such as a shipping message with poor grammar, and would get a very low rate.

The referenced article states that if phishing simulations get a 10 percent response rate, the effort is a success. As the previous paragraph highlights, a 10 percent response rate can mean little in actual effectiveness, depending upon the simulated phishing message used. However, even if you assume it is the most sophisticated simulated phishing message ever, that means that a significant number of people within an organization will still respond to the message.

More frequently, users begin to recognize the simulated phishing messages and do not respond, not because they are more aware of phishing concerns, but because they are aware of the simulations. Another common occurrence is that if one person detects a phishing message in an organization, they may then warn their coworkers about the message. The coworkers will then know to proactively delete the messages. In more than one simulation I was involved in, companies proactively warned employees that they will receive a simulated phishing message within a given time period for political reasons.

Phishing messages require technical failures to be successful

While security professionals seem to attribute responses to phishing messages as a demonstration of poor security awareness, it is actually a much more complicated issue. Again, there had to be a technical failure for messages to get to the user. More important, just because a user responds to a message, it does not mean that there should actually be a loss.

Click throughs to malicious websites can be blocked. Malware can be prevented from installing. So even if a user exercises poor awareness, there should not be a loss related to the user actions, as the attacker was prevented from achieving their intended goal.

What is phishing awareness success?

Given that reduced responses to simulated phishing messages is not a good measure of success, and even when there is success, you do not know if it equates to a loss, a different metric has to be utilized. To determine that, you have to understand the losses that occur due to phishing.

As real phishing messages typically intend to get people to either download malware or give up credentials, measures of related incidents should be used to determine the success of phishing reduction measures. You are looking for actual measures of phishing success.

The two primary attack vectors for malware is phishing messages sent to users, or unsafe web browsing. Both attack vectors target poor awareness. The losses related to malware are a better measure of phishing awareness than simulated phishing messages.

In the ideal world, you know the cost per malware incident. Assuming that the malware incidents on the network have decreased, you can attribute a legitimate value to the reduction of malware incidents. The reduced loss can be attributed to your awareness efforts, which might or might not be due to phishing simulations.

If the number of malware incidents increases or remains the same, or the severity of malware incidents increases, you then need to determine why that might be the case. It is conceivable that simulated phishing attacks will have no impact on reducing actual losses.

If your organization has other ways of tracking losses that can be specifically attributed to user related actions, or phishing, you can consider incorporating them.

Other benefits of phishing simulations

While I admit that I do not see a direct correlation for phishing simulations to decrease actual phishing susceptibility, there can still be benefits from the simulations. They do however have to be executed correctly to have an impact.

Phishing simulations can get people talking about phishing and security in general. They are made aware of the fact that they can be tricked, so they are more aware of the fact that they can fall victim to an attack. Most people think it will never happen to them. Simulations can create a teachable moment. How the awareness program uses the teachable moment then becomes critical.

If you have samples of actual phishing messages that were used to attack your organization or other organizations in your industry, it could be very beneficial to use those messages in the simulations. If users take an inappropriate action, they can receive the appropriate training, and hopefully decrease susceptibility to similar phishing messages in the future.

Phishing simulations also allow organizations to see how people react to potential phishing messages. Depending upon organizational policies, the desired reaction is to report the phishing message, so that the security team can triage the message, prevent other users from taking an undesirable action, and respond if it is determined that another employee responded to the message. In order for a security team to respond appropriately, they must know about potential attacks in progress, and a simulation might give the team an idea of the overall exposure and improvements that need to be made in reporting awareness.

It can be argued that success with phishing simulations has little to do with the actual number of people who do not respond to a message, but the number of people who properly report the messages. Phishing simulation success could be determined by the number of people who not only do not respond to the message, but also properly alert the appropriate authorities to the existence of the message.

How not to perform phishing exercises

Sometimes phishing simulations do more harm than good. Some organizations send out phishing messages too frequently, which disenfranchises the employee base. What is too frequently? That is hard to determine, but from personal experience, it appears that anything more than once a month is definitely excessive and can irritate your employee base.

If you highlight the Gotcha aspect of phishing, it makes people feel demeaned. Security already has negative connotations in most environments. You do not need your phishing program to further alienate people. Consider that phishing is a teachable moment, as is being pulled over by a police officer for speeding. It takes skill to avoid the leaving people with negative impressions, especially when people are told that if they continue to respond to phishing simulations, they may face disciplinary action.

Summary

The issues involved with phishing simulations are clearly much more complicated than people perceive them to be. While it appears that most consumers of phishing simulations are simply looking for a reduced response rate, there are many more issues to consider. Response rates are far from a definitive sign of phishing prevention given all of the potential variables.

There are more issues to consider that are related to psychology, compliance, regulatory, privacy, employee use of personal devices, among others. It can be specific to the culture of the organization, or the industry as a whole. What is important to consider is again that phishing simulations involve many more concerns beyond how many click on the messages.

In the ideal world, you would be able to equate phishing simulations to reduced financial loss. This requires a level of planning that most security teams do not implement. It is however critical to try to do so, if you intend to actually improve your entire security efforts. In the meantime, the cost of malware incidents experienced by the organization is a metric to consider. And as discussed, you must also consider not just a reduction in response rates, but an increase in reporting rates as a true sign of success.

Phishing simulations seem to be misapplied and improperly marketed, with an exaggerated value. It does not have to be that way. Minimally though, even if it doesnt provide a positive return on investment, please make sure that you properly implement simulations in a way that dont cause more harm than good.

Ira Winkler, CISSP can be contacted at www.securementem.com.
On February 14, 1929, one of the most infamous gang killings happened in Chicago: the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

On this day, seven men associated with the Irish gangster George "Bugs" Moran were shot down by men wearing police uniforms, history.com writes.
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Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) Exchange Rate Dips as Soft US Dollar Triggers EUR Rally

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As the week continued the Pound US Dollar exchange rate hit a seven-week high, with GBP/USD advancing beyond 1.34.Major risk events dominated market movements in the global currency markets during yesterdays afternoon session. Our leading analyst takes a look at the drivers for this price action below Another surprisingly poor set of US data, out just before the close of the European equities session, triggered significant movement for the Pound Sterling (currency : GBP) against the Euro (currency : EUR) as well as the US Dollar (currency : USD).Hopes had been relatively high for Augusts ISM survey of the services sector of Americas economy. Julys version had printed at a more than respectable 55.5 and a marginal drop to 54.9 was the consensus expectation amongst analysts for last months edition. When the result printed at a lowly 51.4, support for the Greenback slumped, sending the Pound Dollar exchange rate up to 1.3444 GBP USD - its highest level since the night of Britains European Union Referendum vote on 23rd June.The disappointing data set from the States re-enforced the impression generated by last Fridays below par US jobs figures that activity levels in the worlds premier economy are beginning to cool and the upshot sent the Euro US Dollar exchange rate up to as high as 1.1256 EUR USD.These concerns regarding the state of Americas economy had the attendant effect of strengthening Euro (EUR) exchange rates via arbitrage funding as investors shifted out of the Buck, and this in turn saw the Pound Euro (GBP EUR) exchange rate fall back towards the 1.1900 GBP EUR threshold.Elsewhere, movement for the Pound against the petro-currencies continued to be driven by changes in the price of a barrel of Brent Crude oil. Mondays session had seen the price of a barrel of Brent Crude spike by over 5% as investors priced in the news that Russia and Saudi Arabia are set to hold talks aimed at forcing the price of Black Gold higher. Brent Crude remained towards the top end of its recent trading range yesterday, oscillating either side of the $47 threshold, meaning that both the Canadian Dollar (currency : CAD) and Norwegian Krone (currency : NOK) continued to enjoy sustained support.

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The power of population, wrote the Rev. Thomas Robert Malthus in 1798, is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man. In other words, unless population growth is checked by moral restraint (refraining from having babies) or disaster (disease, famine, war) widespread poverty and degradation inevitably result. Or so thought Malthus and many other intellectuals of his era.

Unfortunately, methods of population control range from the unpleasant (disease, famine, war) to the downright horrifying (abstinence).



Malthus preferred the horrific route, believing that self-control was preferable to plagues, mass starvation, or even artificial birth control. He did allow, however, that abstinence was unlikely to be effective on a wide scale.

Despite Malthus disdain for artificial birth control, his work influence the English social reformer Francis Place (17711854), whose neo-Malthusian movement became the first to publicly advocate for the widespread use of contraception.

Places view became so dominant in Britain that by the late 1870s, the term Malthusian became associated with arguments made in favor of preventive birth control. For instance, the Malthusian League (1877-1920) was a secular anti-poverty organization which advocated for the abolition of all penalties against public discussion of contraception since over-population was, they argued, the chief cause of poverty.

In a 2007 Acton Commentary, Michael Matheson Miller made clear why this Malthusian (or neo-Malthusian) assumption is in error:

The idea that population growth causes poverty comes from the ubiquitous zero-sum-game fallacy: the idea that the economy is a pie with only so much to go around. But the economy is not a pie  economies can grow, and population growth can actually help development. A growing population means more labor, which along with land and capital are the main factors of production.

Most everyone recognizes now how increases in population can lead to economic growth. Unfortunately, some bad ideas never die. In 1798, Rev. Malthus thought that too many babies would lead to starvation. In 2012, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius thinks that too many babies increase the cost of health care.

Recently Sebelius gave testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee. As James Poulos explains,

It all could have been just another run through the controversy surrounding the provision of contraception, religious liberty, and freedom of conscience. But Rep. Murphy took a different tack. He wanted to know, under future rules, who pays for contraception provided by insurance companies to employees of religious organizations. Theres no such thing as a free service, he intoned. Now, Sebelius could have answered in a variety of ways. What she said, however, was: The reduction in the number of pregnancies compensates for cost of contraception. Incredulous, Murphy asked: So you are saying, by not having babies born, we are going to save money on health care? Again, Sebelius could have responded in any number of ways, such as directly confronting Murphys point. Instead, she said: Providing contraception is a critical preventive health benefit for women and for their children. Predictably, the line has set off alarm bells for Catholics and others already embroiled in a nasty dispute  lets not say war  over the scope of contraception mandates and subsidies. And Sebelius has handed a knobby stick to conservatives, regardless of denomination, who have long been seeking to prove that Obamacare can only limit costs by limiting the number of human lives needing care.

Poulos does a superb job of explaining where this type of reasoning leads:

Conceptually, rhetorically, Sebeliuss position  which is, as yet, the administrations position  can be readily cast as an outmoded form of 70s-era pessimism about human growth and flourishing. For the administration, it appears, real healthcare reform means realizing that were better off with fewer of us  a lot fewer. Research from the Brookings Institution that backs up Sebeliuss claims shows that so-called evidence-based pregnancy prevention interventions save taxpayer money and reduce abortion rates. That sounds great, until you observe that the Brookings study pegs the number of unwanted pregnancies in America as about one in two. The administration is heading toward an unenviable moment: choose either to explain which unwanted fetuses are worse for America than others, or concede that wed all be better off, fiscally as well as socially, if we cut the current birth rate in half.

I wonder which option theyll go with?
These real PA creatures could become cryptids if we don't save them
MOBILE, Ala. - The Second Annual Gulf Coast Steinway Society Music Competition for piano and voice will be Saturday, Oct. 15 at University of Mobile. A total of $7,225.00 in cash prizes will be awarded, plus three scholarships to a summer performing arts program in Germany.

The competition is held annually to award talented young piano and voice students and also to give them an opportunity to perform and work with master teachers.

A master class will be held Oct. 14 at noon and a guest artist recital held at 5 p.m. in Martin Hall featuring Dr. Manuel Matarrita, a two-time winner of the National Music Award in Costa Rica. Matarrita is dean of the music school and professor of piano at the University of Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica.

To compete, piano and voice students should register online by Monday, Sept. 20, at www.gulfcoaststeinwaysociety.org. Application/membership fee is $35.

Participating students must be a resident of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana or Mississippi, or study with a teacher who resides in one of the four states. The piano teacher must be a Gulf Coast Steinway Society Member.

The Gulf Coast Steinway Society is a non-profit organization formed by Steinway Artist Dr. Kadisha Onalbayeva, UM associate professor of piano, and Steinway and Sons NYC, among others. The Society promotes fine music through education and piano performance along the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The competition is for students in middle school, grades 6-8; high school, grades 9-12 with an age limit of 18 years old; and college level, who must be undergraduate students.

Participants are required to perform two pieces - contrasting and master style. Award winners will be selected on the basis of their performance. The students' teachers are encouraged to attend.

Three cash awards will be given for each category. Also, the International Performing Arts Institute, a professional training program for musical theatre, opera and collaborative piano located in the Bavarian Alps, will award one musical theatre scholarship of $2,975, and two collaborative piano scholarships of $2,425 each. Now in its 11th year, IPAI trains young artists for careers in the opera and musical theatre industry. UM musical theatre professor Bruce Earnest directs the international program.

The Oct. 14 recital at 5 p.m. with Dr. Maneul Matarrita and the Oct. 15 student competition from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. are open to the public. University of Mobile is located off I-65 at Exit 13, at 5735 College Pkwy., Mobile, AL 36613.

Guest artist and Costa Rican pianist Matarrita is a soloist and collaborative artist whose performances have taken him to the most important venues in Costa Rica, as well as 15 nations including the United States.

Since 2006, he has participated regularly as official pianist in the "Concurso Internacional de Canto Ciudad de Trujillo" which takes place in Peru. He has performed on albums of Latin American piano music and music for piano by authors of Costa Rica, and is a published author.

Matarrita has a Bachelor of Music and Licenciatura in piano from the University of Costa Rica, a Master of Music in piano from The University of New Orleans, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from Louisiana State University.

University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's and master's degree programs in over 40 areas of study. Founded in 1961, University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For more information about University of Mobile, visit the website at www.umobile.edu or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
Check it out: Fun things to do this weekend in Lake County

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The Student Government Association unanimously passed its budget for the 2016-2017 school year, which totaled about $210,000.A

SIX MOST EXPENSIVE ITEMS ON THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT BUDGET

The budget was slightly modified from last yearas. Funds for the Model United Nations were cut, since there is no longer an active chapter on campus. Cabinet and general operations funding were also decreased.A

The top spending items on the budget remained largely the same from last year.A

Student travel still received the most funding, with $105,000 allotted for undergraduate and graduate travel. Any current student or student group may apply for a travel reimbursement for an academic or leadership related trip. The student government can approve up to 70 percent of the requested amount. If the funding is not all used, it is deposited back into the student fee fund, where it is reallocated to other campus programs, according to Natalie Moore, vice president of student government.A

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FULL STUDENT GOVERNMENT BUDGET 2016-2017

Also appearing on the budget is tuition for student government executive members. The president, vice president, speaker of the senate and chief justice all receive a full tuition scholarship up to 12 credit hours, totaling $37,000. The scholarship can be combined with any other U of M scholarships an officer may have.A

aTruthfully, I didnat run for SGA president for the tuition,a Jared Moses said. aI already had a scholarship, but we all work way more than the required hours. I think itas just a nice thank you for all of the work the officers do.aA

Jonathan Capriel Jared Moses, student president, and Natalie Moore, student vice president.

The executive officers also receive parking in the Zach H. Curlin parking garage and are paid biweekly. The parking and pay make up $15,890 of the total budget.A

In times when officers are not available to work, $12,400 is allotted for two student workers to staff the student government office.A

aWe want to make sure that someone is in the office at all times,a Moses said. aWe want to be available to all students.aA

In another service to students, funding for a smartphone safety application was also approved. Last year, the funding was used for development of the application. This year, $12,000 will be used for its launch. The application will be available to students later in the year as a streamlined way to contact campus police.A

About $8,000 was allotted to send a delegation of U of M students to the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature, a state-sponsored student government that contributes to state legislation.A

Student government has also restructured money used for initiatives that the president, vice president and committees take outside of the senate and judicial branch, according to Moore.A

aIn the past, we havenat had breakdowns of cabinet money,a Moore said. aLast year, that money was hardly touched. Now, weave restructured it to give it more importance. We cut what wasnat needed and really delegated it.a

This year, student government plans to use the money for numerous campus events, including a voter registration drive, events held with the Office of Multicultural Affairs and a collaboration dinner with registered student organization presidents.A

Student government does not have an allotment specified for independent senate spending.A

aThe senateas job is not to program,a Moore said. aThe senateas role is to write legislation to make a recommendation to the university in hopes that the money will come from other departments in the university. If the senate decides on something that they want to fund this year, thatas something weall definitely need to budget for in the future.aA

This yearas budget was reviewed by Moses and Moore before they presented it to the Student Fee Committee, which is comprised of both students and faculty members.A

The committee approved a fixed amount for student government. Moses and Moore made adjustments to the original budget to ensure it would stay within that amount before proposing it to the Student Government Association, where it was passed.A
For many international students, moving to the United States is a huge adjustment. Theres culture shock with new food, laws, living circumstances and different learning styles.

While most of them transition well, there are some who have a difficult time overcoming the challenges that occur in a foreign environment.

Sometimes teachers look at me differently after hearing my name, Lebanese biology major Mohammed Basma said. There are times when they seem as if they dont really want to talk to me, but are very comfortable talking to a student who shares their same culture.

Basma said he was bullied in high school for having a different background. He said his teachers would also give him harsher punishments than his white friends. However, he said it made him stronger.

Basma said he loves the University of Memphis and is not afraid to stand up for himself anymore.

Ebrahim Allouzi, a sophomore whose family is from Jordan, said he was shocked by the prices on campus. He said that in Jordan, a small bottle of water is equivalent to 30 cents in the United States.

What really shocked me was being told that I couldnt get a free refill on the cup of water that I paid for at Subway in the Art building, Allouzi said.

Allouzi said he also is confused about understand the social dynamics on campus.

People here in America try to climb the social ladder so hard, Allouzi said. Its crazy how much people desire to be accepted by others. I actually used to be that way. But, after my freshman year, I learned that its just better to be myself.

Yanal Elayan, a junior biology major from Jordan, said one of his biggest challenges was getting his credits transferred to the university.

When I moved to the United States, a lot of credits didnt get transferred into the biology program, so I had to retake those classes, Elayan said. Knowing that I needed to graduate was an even bigger struggle. In Jordan, chemistry is one big subject, but in America its broken up into different parts.

Despite his difficulty with transferring credits, Elayan said he enjoys his social experience at the university, thanks to the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

I feel cool and comfortable here because of the involvement zone, Elayan said. Ive made so many friends by hanging out in there. I think that its important for international students to take advantage of that center and get involved with clubs.

Brenda Cowans, administrative associate of International Student Services, said a majority of the students that she sees rarely need assistance with things like living arrangements. She said many of them receive help from student organizations in Multicultural Affairs, which are more than willing to show them the ropes.

However, some students such as Fatuma Abdullahi, a junior international business major from Somalia, find it difficult to get connected. Abdullahi said she is often misperceived at school.

People see the way that I dress and always assume that I am hot because of my scarf and skirt, but Im actually not, Abdullahi said. I understand that a lot of people are ignorant to different cultures and backgrounds. So, I actually like taking the time to inform them about what is correct.

Abdullahi said even with the common misperceptions she experiences, she is still a happy and motivated student. Im not ashamed to be who I am, Abdullahi said. I just continue to wake up and strive to be better every day.
The Crown Prosecution Service is meant to be one of the guardians of the British public. Its duty is to tackle criminality without bias, regardless of the background of either perpetrator or victim.

Its guiding spirit should be the famous, blindfolded figure of Justice that stands on top the Old Bailey, reflecting the ideal that were all equal before the law.

But, as a barrister myself, I fear the service is sliding towards the status of a noisy pressure group in the grip of feminist dogma.

Barrister Laura Perrins, pictured, claimed the concept of everyone being equal before the law is being undermined by a noisy pressure group in the grip of a feminist dogma

Perrins argues the famous blindfolded figure of Justice on the top of the Old Bailey, pictured, represented the best traditions of the legal system including 'innocent until proven guilty'

No longer the stern, impartial bulwark of our legal system, it now appears to be increasingly driven by fashionable politics and ideological fads.

Thats certainly the outlook that shines through the CPSs annual report on Violence Against Women And Girls, published earlier this week. In triumphant language, the document spells out a lengthy catalogue of success for the modern feminist agenda.

More than 100,000 defendants were prosecuted for domestic abuse, with over 75,000 convicted  the highest volumes ever recorded, reads one passage.

Domestic abuse, rape and sexual offences now account for nearly 19 per cent of our workload, an increase over the past six years from just under nine per cent, declares another.

Much of this focus on offences against women has been driven by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, who took up her post in November 2013, and has since been regularly embroiled in controversies over her decisions, such as her refusal to prosecute the late Labour peer Lord Janner on multiple allegations of paedophilia.

But it is her attachment to a doctrinaire brand of feminism that is the most disturbing feature of her CPS leadership.

Perrins claimed under the current Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders, pictured, men facing rape allegations must show what steps they took to ensure they had consent

Perrins said there is a perception that crimes against women are dealt with more harshly than crimes against men and suggested the CPS is in danger of losing its sense of purpose

This is the public official who stated last year that any woman who wakes up in bed with a man, with no memory of the previous evening because of drunkenness, should go to the police if there is the slightest suspicion that an assault may have been committed. In the same politically correct tones, she has published complex guidelines on sexual consent which, she boasted, take us well beyond the old saying that no means no.

In Ms Saunders brave new world, a rape suspect may have to show the steps he took to establish that consent was fully and freely given, which rather inverts that age-old British tradition: innocent until proven guilty.

Hardline feminists may be glorying in Ms Saunderss tenure. The rest of us should surely be concerned that the organisation is in danger of losing its sense of purpose and proportion.

I am not, of course, arguing that crimes against women should not be prosecuted with the full rigour of the law. In the name of genuine justice, such an approach is essential, and it is true that in the past, prosecutors often ignored offences such as rape within marriage and domestic violence.

Perrins claim new legislation outlawing Female Genital Mutilation was not necessary as the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act covered the issue. She said the first case involving London doctor Dhanuson Dharmasena failed after the jury acquitted him in only 25 minutes

But what profoundly concerns me is the CPSs lack of balance.

Amid all the eagerness to celebrate the prosecution of offensive tweeters and misogynistic bloggers, the questions have to be asked: are similar resources being put into the fight against other crimes, such as theft and burglary?

Is the same energy devoted to incidents where men are overwhelmingly the victims? Grievous bodily harm, for example?

The feminist lobby likes to talk grandly about gender equality, but the reality is that in this focus on womens rights, men increasingly receive a raw deal.

In practice, the CPS  and much of the rest of the political establishment  now gives the impression that offences against women are treated with more robustness than those against men.

We see that in the rash of new legislation designed to meet the demands of the feminist creed.

Indeed, the CPS report this week is full of references to recent laws, including the Malicious Communications Act (under which revenge porn cases are prosecuted) and the offence of controlling and coercive behaviour, which is aimed at domestic abuse.

Yet most of this legislation is not necessary, since personal abuse and harassment are already against the law. Was the recently introduced Modern Slavery Act  designed to fight people-trafficking, where most of the victims are female  really necessary? We already have a barrage of anti-slavery legislation that covers these sorts of crimes.

The feminist lobby is endlessly demanding new laws to signal their virtue and campaigning zeal, and the CPS, under Alison Saunders, is only too happy to accommodate them.

A prime example is the legislation against female genital mutilation (FGM). There was no need for yet another Act, for this vile form of misogynistic torture was already covered by a host of measures, such as the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

Predictably, it has had no impact beyond garnering favourable headlines from progressive newspapers such as The Guardian.

There has not been a single successful prosecution. The only attempt to bring charges  against London doctor Dhanuson Dharmasena  was a farcical case that rightly ended in humiliating failure when the jury acquitted him in just 25 minutes.

There is also an element of hypocrisy about the CPSs action in areas like this. After all, the organisation is fully signed up to the political establishments loud demand that we should all embrace multi-culturalism and celebrate diversity.

As a result of this prevailing mood, any challenge to any ethnic minority practice, however odious, was treated as a form of racism. It is little wonder that, in this climate of political sensitivity, alien customs like FGM, domestic servitude, human trafficking and forced marriages all flourished.

This approach reached its nadir in the Rotherham child abuse scandal where, for more than a decade, predatory Muslim gangs were allowed to attack and groom vulnerable white girls with impunity because the authorities were too fearful of accusations of Islamophobia.

With this shameful record, its a bit rich of the CPS to now posture as the champion of female emancipation. The CPSs strategy is not only unfair to men, who are, in fact, by far the biggest targets of crime, but it also undermines the concept of due process under the law, one of the pillars of our justice system.

When referring to offences against women, Alison Saunders and her underlings peddle political jargon about the problem of so-called victim-blaming  where a woman is blamed for a sexual assault against her  as if the only reason more prosecutions are not secured is because the criminal justice system is insufficiently feminist. Such an insidious approach ignores the age-old notion of establishing the burden of proof.

A rape suspect sometimes walks free, not because of victim-blaming by the defence, but because hes genuinely innocent.

But perhaps the biggest disservice of all is done to women themselves. The CPS appears determined to create a mood of infantilised hysteria, where threats lurk for women around every corner, where masculinity is nothing but a reservoir of violent anger.

Ms Saunders said on Tuesday that social media had built a new landscape for controlling, sexually motivated or other forms of inter-personal offending.

Yet the internet has also been a tremendous force for liberation, helping modern women to enjoy more choices and freedom than in any previous generation.

With this relentless message, the CPS seems to want to trap women in victimhood, whipping up fears and exaggerating dangers. There is something offensive about its urge to sweep all kinds of crime, from brutal rape to nasty texts, into one vast category of female misery.

The shallowness at the heart of this outlook was highlighted recently by a CPS campaign against rape which compared sexual consent to having a cup of tea. You wouldnt force or pressure someone into having a cup of tea, and you can tell when someone wants a cup of tea or not, said Ms Saunders in pushing the initiative.

Thats the naive quality of argument and poor leadership we have to endure in our legislation.

This weeks intellectually flawed report simply reinforces how badly her service has lost its way.
As a New Zealand poll says 59 per cent of Kiwis want to ditch the Crown, the Queen announces a visit by Prince Harry. Will he charm them out of Republicanism? He tickled Jamaica's then PM, Republican-minded Portia Simpson-Miller, on a 2012 visit.

He'll also visit six countries where his granny wears the crown, including Antigua, Grenada and St Vincent which have never received a visit from Harry's father, their next king. Is Charles doing enough to keep the Commonwealth on board?

As a New Zealand poll says 59 per cent of Kiwis want to ditch the Crown, the Queen announces a visit by Prince Harry

Embarking on a new tour in October, Petula Clark, 83, says it is in her contract to have an ironing board, an iron and a bottle of port in her dressing room, explaining: 'I like to iron my own clothes before I go on stage  I find it therapeutic.' The port is to ward off chills, no doubt.

Sounding as if he knows what he's talking about, political activist Douglas Murray, 37, a bachelor, reflects in The Spectator on the fate of Labour MP Keith Vaz, 59: 'Other than getting rent boys it is hard to imagine many other routes to happiness for Vaz in the whole gay area.

For although one does not want to rub salt into wounds, if you have the appearance of [Danger Mouse sidekick] Penfold (pictured), the condescension of a cat and the physique of a care bear, even being a chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee won't help you get much in the way of gay totty.' Unduly harsh, surely.

Ex-Tory MP Norman Fowler's debut as the new Lords Speaker this week reminds colleagues of when there were three bigwig Normans on the Conservative benches  Messrs Lamont, Tebbit and Fowler. They were known as Little Norm, Big Norm and Nice Norm. Now he's Lords Speaker, shouldn't Fowler be reclassified as Bigger Norm?

Tory MP Sir Nicholas Soames, 68, takes against shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry's latest hairstyle, asking Twitter followers: 'Does anyone know the name of Lady Nugee's Islington hairdresser person?' (Emily's the wife of barrister Sir Christopher Nugee).

'One of dear Lady Nugee's female colleagues has just told me she keeps her chewing gum in it.' To give him his due, Sir Nicholas takes criticism as well as dishing it out. He didn't contradict the woman friend who described his amatory approach as 'like a wardrobe falling on you with the key sticking out'.

Former Labour MP and diarist Chris Mullin describes, in his latest memoir, daily life as a junior minister in environment secretary John Prescott's (pictured) vast department in 1997

Former Labour MP and diarist Chris Mullin describes, in his latest memoir, daily life as a junior minister in environment secretary John Prescott's vast department in 1997, in particular, ministerial meetings: 'They consisted mainly of [Prescott] slumped in an armchair, tie askew, one leg over the arm of the chair, giving vent to a stream of consciousness about whatever had hit him on his way into work that morning.
Standing down at long last as chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, Keith Vaz says he is genuinely sorry. But sorry for what?

In his next breath, the married father of two makes clear he is not apologising for his truly disgusting behaviour with rent boys and drugs.

Nor is he sorry for having been at the centre of repeated controversies involving money, dishonesty and exploiting his influence to help crooked associates.

Keith Vaz, pictured, made it clear he was not apologising for his behaviour with rent boys

No, he is sorry only because recent events have made it impossible for him to carry on without distractions!

But then who could expect remorse from the egregious Mr Vaz? Far more astonishing is the reaction of MPs, who have expressed sadness and regret over the departure of this monster of depravity.

Meanwhile, the BBC has presented the affair as if the true scandal is Press invasion of Mr Vazs privacy, suggesting the public had no right to know about his hypocrisy, rank immorality, conflicts of interest and apparent disregard for the law.

To decent people everywhere, the only mystery is why it took him so long to stand down  and why he remains an MP and member of both Labours ruling executive and the Commons joint committee on national security.

We all know the political class has lost touch. But has it entirely lost its moral compass too?

NINE IDIOTS, TOTAL CHAOS

Claiming preposterously that climate change is racist, nine white protesters aligned with the Black Lives Matter campaign bring London City Airport to a standstill, holding up hundreds of passengers and costing untold sums in lost business and police time.

Leave aside serious security concerns over how they were able to gain access to the runway, where they chained themselves to a tripod, causing dozens of cancellations and all-day delays.

Why on Earth were the authorities so tolerant of these predominantly middle-class exhibitionists, who pathetically model themselves on campaigners against racist police atrocities in the US?

Protesters ludicrously claimed at London City Airport that Climate Change was racist against black people as a group of nine people shut down the runway for several hours

Heaven knows Britain doesnt do everything right. But mercifully, police shootings of unarmed black people are almost unheard of here. Hence, perhaps, yesterdays bid to switch the focus to the ludicrous claim that air pollution discriminates against minorities.

Instead of negotiating for six hours, shouldnt police have dragged these idiots off the runway in three minutes flat?

CRASS COMPARISONS

In a speech as deranged as it was distasteful, the UNs High Commissioner for Human Rights likens the communication methods of outgoing Ukip leader Nigel Farage with those of the sadistic mass murderers of Islamic State.

Not to be outdone, former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown compares Conservative Brexit supporters  who speak for 17.4million voters  with Adolf Hitlers blood-soaked paramilitaries, the brownshirts.

True, Mr Farage is not everybodys cup of tea. But what has he ever said or done to deserve comparison by the UNs Zeid Raad Al Hussein with Islamist terrorists, whose idea of getting their message across is to post videos of cold-blooded shootings and beheadings?

And by what perversion of civilised debate can Lord Ashdown liken Brexiteers to Nazi thugs?
Princess Martha Louise of Norway has spoken out about her divorce which shocked a nation, one month after making the announcement.

The daughter of Norway's King Harald, who is parting ways from her husband of the past 14 years, Ari Behn, admitted she is going through a 'very painful period' in her life and that the process is 'difficult and tedious'.

Princess Martha Louise of Norway has opened up about her divorce from husband Ari Behn (the couple are pictured in Stockholm for a Swedish royal wedding in June 2015)

Princess Martha Louise in Trondheim, Norway in June. In August, she announced that the couple have grown apart and said that they 'feel ashamed' about their impending divorce

On a webinar on Soulspring, which she co-founded with business partner Elisabeth Nordeng in 2007, she wrote: 'I have the position I have in Norway, which means I have to share the things happening in my life whether positive or negative.

'And, as you know, Im going through a divorce, which is a very painful period in my life.'You can work at being more honest with yourself, and then deal directly with your unique and deep feelings.' However the webinar has since been taken down.

The 44-year-old mother-of-three added: 'Of course, it is difficult and tedious, but it also means that you can process it and recover fasterWithout that knowledge, I would not be here now.'

In August, Martha Louise announced that the couple have grown apart and said that they 'feel ashamed because we can no longer create the common safe harbor for our children'.

Princess Martha Louise ties the knot with Ari Behn in 2002 in Trondheim. The couple have three children together: Maud Angelica, 13, Leah Isadora, 11, and Emma Tallulah, eight

The pair lean in for a kiss at their 2002 wedding. In a candid statement last month, Martha Louise said: 'Life does not always go smoothly. Both Ari and I have experienced this'

'It is a very painful period in my life': Martha Louise and Ari (far left) join the Danish Royals on King Carl Gustaf of Sweden's 70th birthday in April this year

The couple married in May 2002 and have three children together: Maud Angelica, 13, Leah Isadora, 11, and Emma Tallulah, eight.

In a candid statement last month, Martha Louise said: 'Life does not always go smoothly. Both Ari and I have experienced this.

'These days we were mainly apart. We are ending the marriage but we are remaining together in parenthood.

'We have tried everything for a long time and we still cannot be where we were before, making it impossible for us to continue.

'We feel guilty because we are no longer able to create the safe harbour that our children deserve.

Martha with daughters Maud Angelica, Leah Isadora, and Emma Tallulah in 2014. She said she felt ashamed 'because we can no longer create the common safe harbor for our children'

'But we hope and believe that we will manage to hold on to friendship through what lies ahead.

'We pray and hope that we get peace in this sensitive process. Children need time to digest, grieve and find new footing  each one separately. We are just people, too.'

The royal household also said in a statement that they will share custody of their daughters.

The princess will also keep the couple's home in Lommedalen and their summer estate of Bloksbjerg in Hanko.

Alongside her royal duties, the princess has written books in which she claimed to have had contacts with angels, while Behn is a writer.
Shes now 43 and a TV journalist but has become pregnant in the new film

Bridgets back again! The new film finds her 12 years on from the last happy ending, having broken up with sober Mark Darcy and seen him marry someone else.

Shes now 43, getting on surprisingly well as a TV journalist, but is flaky enough to end up pregnant (a lucky strike given her age) and confused.

This happens after another fling with Darcy (despite him being married) and Bridget ends up clueless about whether he or another lover is the father of her surprise baby.

Of course the movie is a sure-fire hit for a girls night out, with Renee Zellweger rolling out the old goofy charm.

Those of us who read the latest novel about Bridget by her creator Helen Fielding (Mad About The Boy) may be momentarily baffled because in that story she married Mark, he then died, and she was left widowed with two young children and plenty of money, pretending to write a screenplay based on Hedda Gabler without actually knowing who wrote the play (Hen rik Ibsen) or being able to spell it.

She spends most of that book cougar-ing around with a much-younger lad she meets on Twitter, before finding true love again.

But well happily forget all that, and enjoy the completely different vision in this new film. For Bridget may break all rules: shes a legend, a famous icon, a key totem for modern womanhood.

Patrick Dempsey, Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth pose for the screening of 'Bridget Jones's Baby' - the latest in the series in Paris

Except that she isnt, not really. Instead, I would bravely affirm that the woman is a disastrous role model for modern women.

What Fielding has created, and entertained us with since 1995, is a joke, an absurd literary comic character.

Bridget was created at the request of an editor (male), who, it is said, wanted her to write a real diary  middle-aged men always love to think about sexy, young, single women-about-town.

But Fielding, very wisely, devised a fictional self instead: an exaggerated comedy figure.

Bridget is in a grand tradition of fictional fools: the equivalent of Mr Pooter in George and Weedon Grossmiths 1892 novel Diary Of A Nobody, or P. G. Wodehouses Bertie Wooster, or the lads in Hollywood farce Dumb And Dumber.

She obsesses about her weight but eats at random, smokes, drinks heavily, is chronically late for work because she cant decide which tights to wear, and cant organise herself enough to cook a meal for friends.

Miss Jones, of course, is basically well-meaning and kindly inclined, says Libby Purves

She worships the troubled but glamorous Princess Di as a role model, votes Labour without the slightest understanding of economics or law  lazily announcing that being Left-wing stands for sharing, kindness, gays, single mothers and Nelson Mandela.

She is a sucker for self-help books but has no interest in serious reading, culture or current affairs: indeed, her high-flying journalist job in the new film seems wildly unlikely if youve read the original Diaries novels, in which she cant even catch a plane or string two sentences together when she gets a scoop interview.

Above all, Bridget defines herself entirely by her ability to get a man: one not only attractive and free from white socks and novelty sweaters, but rich enough to take her on ritzy mini-breaks and eventually turn her into a Smug Married.

Perhaps it is no accident that she first roamed the land in the years when the Duchess of York was in her racketiest phase. Remember her? The dim, jolly Fergie who hung out in ski resorts, married a prince, messed it up, took up with dodgy men, got caught, and was for ever trying to lose weight. Pure Bridget.

But Miss Jones, of course, is basically well-meaning and kindly inclined. She puts up with being dismissively treated and patronised by her men. Indeed, in this way, shes rather an old-fashioned figure from the days when chaps said Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever.

The makers of the newest Bridget Jones film are hoping to capitalise on the previous success of the series

The biggest irony in the original 1996 book is that author Helen Fielding borrows the outline of Jane Austens Pride And Prejudice, in which Elizabeth Bennet at first thinks Mr Darcy is a snotty stand-off, but comes to love him.

The joke here is that Bridget is nothing at all like Elizabeth Bennet, the intelligent, witty, restrained and cultured elder sister. Instead, she is a dead ringer for Lydia Bennet, Elizabeths youngest sister whos only interested in dressing up, chasing soldiers and ends up needing to be rescued by Darcys money.

Yet while we laugh happily at our modern Bridgets pratfalls and misunderstandings  its a comedy after all  at the same time we keep hearing or reading about women who identify with her, who say: I am Bridget!

These women celebrate the idea of getting well into your 30s while still able to think only about chaps, chardonnay and calories. But consider this, you never hear men saying: I am Bertie Wooster! Mr Pooter! Oooh, I do identify with that thick Jim Carrey character in Dumb And Dumber! They just laugh at these fictional characters and move back to real life.

But you do hear grown-up women, some approaching 50, boasting of being Bridget Joneses. Even though, frankly, very few of them are.

Women have to earn respect these days, using brains and judgment whether at work or deep in family responsibilities.

Bridget Jones in the original film 'Bridget Jones Diary' which was released in 2001

Love is important, but past the age of 25 not many sane women read multiple self-help books like credulous Bridget and her friends. And once past 30, most of us are pretty good at identifying a smarmy cheat. Even if he does look like Hugh Grant (in his heyday).

The problem is that identifying with Bridget is just another insidious example of female self-deprecation, a sense that its wrong to value yourself and be assertive about things that you know  whether in the workplace, or running a family home and looking after a community.

Claiming to be Bridget is clinging to a reassuring sense that everything will be all right if youre basically nice and unthreatening.

The cosy legend is that however stupidly you behave, however much money and time you waste; however drunk, nicotine-stained, obsessed with your appearance and pointlessly lovesick you are, its all OK. Because youre a lovable person underneath.

Bridget married Mark Darcy in the second film - 'The Edge of Reason'

It is a very British idea, as comforting as hot cocoa and a slice of cake.

Compare the Jones legend with an American film such as Legally Blonde in which the ditzy heroine, crossed in love, doesnt lie around sobbing drunkenly on her friends and scoffing mini Swiss-rolls.

She rolls up her sleeves and works day and night at her books, often on an exercise bike, to become a Harvard-educated lawyer.

We British love the comedy of personal hopelessness: the idea of a likeable twit who gets away with it.

But men dont think Bertie Wooster is a role model, and women who take Bridget Jones as one are frankly getting it wrong.

W e all have an occasional Bridget-moment  wrong clothes, horror at having just eaten too much, dating a disastrous man  but to have more than one or two a week would be disastrous. It would also be very unusual.

Everybody is entitled to behave like a twit in their teens, and perhaps for a while at university, but such immature behaviour generally peters out afterwards.

Look around you at the Bridget generation  any age between 30 and 50  and from school-gates to reception desks to boardrooms you will see competent, busy, responsible women juggling complicated lives, doing their hair and make-up in a hurry or not at all.

They probably have a few secret romantic sorrows but are realists, nursing ambitions and hopes for something more than just a chance to collapse on a broad manly bosom and have someone pat them and say: There, there, you pretty little darling, dont worry.

No, the truth is, the Bridgets are dinosaurs now.

For real women today, the determined new TV Queen Victoria is more likely to be their heroine than poor lost Princess Diana.

In pop culture, they watched the decline of the brilliant, hard-drinking, disastrously lovelorn Amy Winehouse and saw that its better in the long run to be a beadily well-organised Taylor Swift or a cheerfully chubby Adele.

So they say to their daughters, as they head off together for a riotous night at the movies: Enjoy Bridget. Just dont BE her.
Here Ms Skaros shares their incredible story of survival

After a year spent in hospital, thankfully he too overcame the disease

Then her three-year-old son Samuel was diagnosed with leukaemia

After surgery, chemo and radiation therapy, she went into remission

A mother and son have fought to stay alive after they were both diagnosed with cancer.

Sydney mother-of-two Christina Skaros was in remission from stage three breast cancer when her youngest son, seven-year-old Samuel, was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Little Samuel faced five operations within the first week of being diagnosed, but remarkably both he and his mother made it through.

Christina Skaros, 46, and her seven-year-old son Samuel (pictured together) both overcame cancer

Ms Skaros, 46, first knew there was something wrong when she found a lump in her right breast six years ago.

Doctors diagnosed the mother from Marrickville, in Sydney's inner west, with cancer and she faced the prospect of undergoing gruelling chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

'I was advised that there may be possible secondary cancer in the ovaries so reluctantly I had them removed,' she said.

Ms Skaros was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2010. Here she is pictured with her son Samuel (left) and Kristopher (right)

Little Samuel was just three years old when he was diagnosed after coming down with a fever

The surgery meant she would not be able to have another child, but she was determined to be there for her two boys.

'I looked at my children who were three and one at the time and decided I was already so blessed to have children,' she said.

'I wanted to be here with them.'

The intensive treatment left her in remission, but the fight was not over for the Skaros family.

Samuel came down with a fever before becoming unresponsive and suffering facial paralysis

When Ms Skaros' son Samuel was just three-years-old, he started to feel sick.

'It was a cold day but even rugged up, he was shivering. That night he had a high fever and I couldn't get it down,' Ms Skaros said.

'When I returned to him after a few minutes, he was unresponsive and presented with facial paralysis to his whole left side.'

Samuel, left, had, five operations within the first week of being diagnosed with leukaemia

Little Samuel was rushed to Sydney Children's Hospital after vomiting and being struck by a fever of 40C.

Doctors ran blood tests and performed a lumbar puncture, confirming cancer.

'He had five operations within the first week of being in the hospital,' Ms Skaros said.

'I was delirious and told the doctors to do whatever they needed to do to fix my son.'

'I was delirious and told the doctors to do whatever they needed to do to fix my son,' Ms Skaros said

Samuel stayed in hospital for a year.

The chemo made him so weak he could no longer walk, as his tiny muscles started to waste away.

Ms Skaros barely left her son's side, but her absence took its toll,

Her eldest son Kristopher, just five at the time, struggled to accept his mum's absence.

Charity organisation Camp Quality helped the family through the incredibly tough period

Camp Quality put on a puppet show at Samuel's preschool to help explain to the other children he had cancer

'He thought that I didn't love him anymore and that was quite painful,' she said.

'He had just started Kindergarten and I felt guilty about missing his milestones.'

Charity organisation Camp Quality proved invaluable for the family.

Through them, Kristopher was able to go on a weekend-long camp with other children.

'Before, I felt like he was missing out on life. His life was on hold because his brother was sick,' Ms Skaros said.

'But he came back from that trip a happier child. He was more relaxed and not as angry.'

'They've allowed my children to be normal. To forget the sickness, the sadness, and the heartache of cancer,' Ms Skaros said of the charity

Today Samuel is just like any other child his age and is happy and healthy

The charity also put on a puppet show at Samuel's preschool to help explain to the other children that his baldness was due to cancer.

'They've allowed my children to be normal. To forget the sickness, the sadness, and the heartache of cancer,' Ms Skaros said.

Now that she and Samuel are cancer free, Ms Skaros spends her time giving back to the charity that gave so much to her.

She raised $900 through a Dine at Mine fundraising dinner, a figure she plans to match.

'You wouldn't know he had cancer by looking at him,' Ms Skaros said

Now seven-year-old Samuel is enjoying life as a healthy Year One student.

'You wouldn't know he had cancer by looking at him. Before, I had to take the pram everywhere because he would get easily exhausted. Now he can hop, skip, and climb the stairs,' Ms Skaros said.

'There are a lot of children, a lot of friends we've made, that haven't survived.
Oscar Riddell, 18, painfully binds his breasts flat before he leaves the house for school in the morning.

Incredibly uncomfortable in the body he was born with, he goes to great lengths to disguise his feminine physique.

A year ago Oscar plucked up the courage to tell his family he is transgender, although he has known it himself for as long as he remembers.

Hailey and Oscar: Oscar Riddel (right) says he never really felt comfortable as female Hailey (left)

Brave decision: Oscar 'came out' as transgender in a letter to his mother a year ago

Oscar was born as Hailey Riddell in the United Kingdom and moved to Australia about 10 years ago.

He has always identified as a male and his mum remembers him crying when she tried to put him in a dress.

The hardest part about coming out as transgender was the fear of ridicule from his teenage schoolmates in the small Victoria town of Shepparton, he said.

He told Daily Mail Australia: 'The first few days at school were the hardest. I cut my hair and I came in a male uniform after wearing a dress my entire life.

He said that on the second day of his transition he got punched, but after that it got better. 'All my friends stuck up for me and my teachers were supportive as well,' he said.

Tough choice: Oscar says it was only when he hit puberty that it dawned on him that he was not a boy

Uncomfortable: Oscar says he never felt comfortable with a female body and his mum remembers him crying when she bought him a dress

Before he braved the schoolyard as Oscar he faced the nerve-wracking proposition of coming out to his parents.

'I wrote my mum a letter because I didnt know how to tell her. I wanted her to have the time and space to process it,' he said.

'She was fine. I think she already thought something along those lines.

'My dad accepted it as well. He went through a time where he felt like he was losing a daughter - he didnt know what to do.

'But he moved from Alice Springs to be with me and wanted to support me at all my appointments with my gender counsellor. He's really supportive.'

Certain: Hailey is pictured with a date at the school ball. Oscar says he has never doubted his desire to be male

Bullied: Oscar says he was punched after transitioning, but said his friends and teachers have been supportive

Last week it was revealed that a four-year-old child in NSW was transitioning their gender in preparation for kindergarten.

There is still heated debate about whether a child so young is able to fully comprehend the consequences of the decision.

But Oscar says that as a child the same age, he can remember intuitively knowing he felt like a boy.

'I never really realised that I wasnt a boy. When I was six I didnt think anything of gender. It was only when I hit puberty that it dawned on me I wasn't a boy.

'I was completely with the family's decision.

'And to medically transition you need to wait until youre 18 anyway. You can take puberty blockers which delay it for a while  but these only extend your childhood.'

Oscar is hopes to raise $10,000 on Go Fund Me for chest reconstruction surgery that he says will remove his breasts and boost his self-esteem.

He is also undergoing testosterone hormone treatment, which will slowly lower his voice and halt female bodily functions such as menstruation.

After the surgery he will no longer need to avoid swimming and he will be free to wear singlets and slim-fitting shirts, he said.

Every transgender person experiences body dysmorphia [an almost obsessive dissatisfaction with their body].

'I didn't like my voice for example. I wasnt able to order food at a restaurant or talk to friends.

'But I love to order Subway now  I can go in without having to worry about my voice too much.'

No more worries: The best part about hormone therapy was the lowering of his voice and Oscar says he now loves to order food at restaurants

Self-esteem: Oscar is saving for a double mastectomy, which he is hoping to have before he starts university. He is pictured as Hailey before he came out

Oscar is scheduled to have the double mastectomy to remove his breasts 10 days after his final exam in November.

He is hoping for a fresh start when he heads to university next year, where he plans to study psychology or biomedical science.

'I want to be comfortable everywhere and not be conscious about everything I buy,' he said.

He is also looking forward to other things, such as swimming with his little brother or chucking his breast binder in the bin.

He said he chose the name Oscar because it could not be shortened and was as far away as possible from his old name, Hailey.

'It's just a really random name. I wanted a name that couldnt be shortened.
Her rising career as a model and actress has seen Cressida Bonas gain access to some of the most exclusive events in London.

And last night Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend made the most of her VIP status as she partied late into the evening at a launch event in Mayfair.

Cressida, 27, seemed in high spirits as she left the party at an Italian bar and club, jumping into a black cab with a posse of pals.

Cressida Bonas enjoyed a night our in Mayfair on Tuesday, pictured taking a taxi home with friends following a launch event

The model showcased her usual flair for bohemian style as she stepped out in a loose white floral dress paired with wooden heeled sandals.

Keen to stick to her boho vibe Cressida kept her golden locks down in a tousled style for last night's event.

She kept her accessories to a minimal opting for a pair of simple gold hoop earrings and a silver bangle.

The actress and model attended the launch of the QP Lounge bar in Dover Street where she showcased her usual bohemian style

The ex-girlfriend of Prince Harry seemed in high spirits as she left the event later that evening

Earlier in the evening Cressie, as she is known to her friends, posed for photos as she arrived at the event at the launch of the QP Lounge.

Cressida, who dated Prince Harry between 2012 and 2014, is likely used to being in front of the camera thanks to her flourishing acting career.

The Leeds University graduate, who is thought to have been introduced to Prince Harry by their mutual friend Princess Eugenie, appeared in ITV period drama Dr Thorne earlier this year.

Cressie, as she is known to her friends, was likely glad of her comfortable sandals after she made her way to her taxi following a long night

Cressida, who dated Prince Harry between 2012 and 2014, is likely used to being in front of the camera thanks to her flourishing acting career

The model continued laughing a joking with her pals as she made her way home on Tuesday

And, in December this year, she will star in her fourth feature-length film, supernatural horror The Bye Bye Man.

In 2014, Cressida starred in Vanity Fair's International Best-Dressed List, and was shot modelling a plunging Burberry gown by acclaimed fashion photographer Mario Testino.

Her grandfather, Edward Curzon, was the 6th Earl Howe, godson of King Edward VII, a World War II naval officer and later a conservative politician.




A woman who started dating her transgender boyfriend while he was still a woman is now helping to raise funds for his gender reassignment surgery.

Claire Edmead, 20, from London, wanted to help her boyfriend Isaac Talbot, also 20, after he admitted to that he was transgender in November 2015 - despite having lived as a woman for all his life.

When the couple first got together in 2014, 'tomboy' Isaac was dressing in male clothes and had short hair but was still using his female birth name - which he prefers to keep private - and was in denial about his transgender status.

Claire Edmead (left) wanted to help her boyfriend Isaac Talbot after he admitted to that he was transgender in November 2015 - despite living as a woman for all his life

But Claire, a drama student at The Royal Central School Of Speech and Drama, gave Isaac the confidence to come out by giving him masculine compliments and calling him 'handsome' and 'her boy'.

And Isaac, an illustration student at Norwich University of the Arts, came out as transgender to Claire for the first time in a drunken phone call after a late night 'epiphany'.

Isaac said: 'I had always been a tomboy and never felt comfortable in my body or in feminine clothes, but I hadn't accepted that I was transgender.

'But Claire was so good - she sussed me out before I did. She always referred to me with gender-neutral pronouns like they instead of "he" or "she".

Isaac living as a woman aged 15 (left) and after coming out as transgender (right)

Isaac, now 20 as a baby. He said: 'I had always been a tomboy and never felt comfortable in my body or in feminine clothes, but I hadn't accepted that I was transgender'

Isaac as a little girl. He said as a youngster he was known to favour his cousin Jai's action figures and video games over his own 'girly' toys but also loved climbing trees

'She started calling me her boy and giving me typically male compliments like telling me I was handsome. It was the first time ever I really felt like I could accept a compliment.

'Then one night I'd been having pre-drinks with friends at uni and I had this epiphany moment - this sudden realisation of something I had known for so long. It was crazy how it all just became so clear.

'I got straight on the phone to Claire and declared it to her while she was half asleep. She just said 'okay'. It was so nonchalant like I'd asked her to get some milk from the shops. It was amazing.'

Isaac aged 15, before coming out as transgender. He came out to Claire for the first time in a drunken phone call last year following a late night 'epiphany'

At 16, Isaac was still living as a woman. He first met Claire in 2012 but the pair didn't get together until more than two years later during the Christmas holidays

Claire first met Isaac at the 2012 Paralympics where they both volunteered through schemes with their secondary schools.

Despite instantly fancying him, Claire's shyness meant she was too scared to speak to Isaac - even when he turned up at the same sixth for college as her that September.

But love blossomed between the students when they were both home from university for Christmas in 2014 and Claire finally mustered up the courage to tell Isaac how she felt.

Claire and Isaac now. Despite instantly fancying him, Claire's shyness meant she was too scared to speak to Isaac - even when he turned up at the same sixth for college as her

Love blossomed between the students when they were both home from university for Christmas in 2014 and Claire finally mustered up the courage to tell Isaac how she felt

Describing the moment he came out to Claire, Isaac said: 'I got straight on the phone to Claire and declared it to her while she was half asleep. She just said "okay". It was so nonchalant'

Their relationship meant Claire had to come out in her own way to her parents, informing them she was 'gender blind' - meaning she is attracted to people regardless of whether they are male or female.

After Isaac came out to Claire as transgender the couple started researching the process of getting hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery.

But Isaac was devastated to realise he faced a very long wait to even get the wheels in motion on the NHS as he cannot afford to pay for the treatments privately.

So Claire set up a JustGiving page to support Isaac's transition which she initially tried to keep secret but later told him about when he had the same idea.

The couple now. Claire also had to come out to her parents, informing them she was 'gender blind' - meaning she is attracted to people regardless of whether they are male or female

New start: After Isaac came out to Claire as transgender the couple started researching the process of getting hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery

Bump in the road: Isaac was devastated to realise he faced a very long wait to even get the wheels in motion on the NHS as he cannot afford to pay for the treatments privately

Loving girlfriend: Claire set up a JustGiving page to support Isaac's transition which she initially tried to keep secret but later told him about when he had the same idea

The couple have a fundraising target of just 700 despite this being a fraction of the 6,000 Isaac needs for initial surgery as they didn't want to ask people for too much.

Claire said: 'I think you can fall in love with anyone. It doesn't matter if they're male or female, if you're attracted to who they are then that's all that matters.

'My parents completely understood when I told them and they absolutely love Isaac. We're so lucky to be surrounded by such supportive families.'

'It works out better Isaac knowing about the fundraising because I hate keeping stuff from him and now we can share it with loads of people.

'Friends have been in touch saying how amazing it is that I'm supporting him but it's just what you do when you love and care for someone.

Isaac now. The couple have a fundraising target of just 700 despite this being a fraction of the 6,000 Isaac needs for initial surgery as they didn't want to ask people for too much

Lucky: Isaac said, 'My family have been so supportive and I am very aware how lucky I am to have that because so many people don't'

Isaac living as a man. He said: 'I was never into typically girly things. I hated my own dolls and I only had a sister so I loved it when I'd go to Jai's and I could play with his toys instead'

'I want to see him as happy as possible. He'll only be completely happy and comfortable when he's transitioned.

'And I am just so honoured to be going on this journey with him. I can't wait to see him become the person he should be.'

Isaac has now come out to his family and said they have all been 'incredibly accepting'.

He said as a youngster he was known to favour his cousin Jai's action figures and video games over his own 'girly' toys but also had a reputation for coming home with a torn skirt from climbing trees.

Speaking about her boyfriend, Claire said: 'I think you can fall in love with anyone. It doesn't matter if they're male or female, if you're attracted to who they are then that's all that matters'

Claire added: 'My parents completely understood when I told them and they absolutely love Isaac. We're so lucky to be surrounded by such supportive families'

Isaac said: 'My family have been so supportive and I am very aware how lucky I am to have that because so many people don't.

'My little sister is only 11 so she makes mistakes sometimes and still refers to me as "she" but it is just because she's young and in the habit of doing it.

'Whenever she is with her friends she is so good at introducing me as her brother. It makes me really proud.

'My relationship with my cousin Jai has even got better since I came out. He and I were always so close as children - I loved playing with his toys and it just really makes sense that now we can be guys together.

'I was never into typically girly things. I hated my own dolls and I only had a sister so I loved it when I'd go to Jai's and I could play with his toys instead.

Claire (right) said of her boyfriend: 'I want to see him as happy as possible. He'll only be completely happy and comfortable when he's transitioned'

Claire (left) said: 'And I am just so honoured to be going on this journey with [Isaac, right]. I can't wait to see him become the person he should be'

Moving forward: Isaac has now come out to his family and said they have all been 'incredibly accepting'

Isaac (right) said: 'Having gender reassignment is the be all and the end all. It would mean everything for the outside to finally reflect what's inside'

'I never wanted to have long hair or wear female clothes. When I was really young my parents tried to put me in skirts but they stopped after I kept coming home with them torn from where I'd been climbing up trees.

'It started from such a young age. Some of my earliest memories are of me being confused about why I couldn't do 'boy things' or use the boys' toilets.

'It all makes so much sense now but I shut down that part of myself for so long out of fear of being 'weird' or getting bullied at school.
Ivanka's brother Donald Trump Jr. took all five of his children on a school run with his wife Vanessa on Tuesday

Jared and Ivanka are also parents to a two-year-old son, Joseph, and a five-month-old baby boy, Theodore

The mom returned to her apartment with her daughter a few hours later after the little girl's half-day at her new school

Ivanka and Jared were all smiles as they held Arabella's hands while climbing into a SUV to the school, where tuition tops $33,000 per year

The couple's daughter was wearing a plain pale blue polo shirt and a navy skirt, part of the dress code for her Manhattan-based private school

Ivanka, 34, and Jared, 35, were photographed leaving their Park Avenue apartment on Wednesday morning

Ivanka Trump's daughter Arabella is celebrating a major milestone  her first day of kindergarten.

The 34-year-old mom and her husband Jared Kushner, 35, each held one of their daughter's hands as they walked the five-year-old out of their Park Avenue apartment on Wednesday morning.

And while Arabella is used to dressing up in floral dresses and tulle ballerina skirts, the little girl was sporting a pale blue polo shirt and a navy skirt, part of the uniform for her private Manhattan-based school  where tuition tops $33,000 per year.

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Major milestone: Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner took their daughter Arabella to her first day of kindergarten this week

Look of love: Ivanka was all smiles as she and Jared took their five-year-old daughter to school

White ankle socks, a pair of black Mary Jane sneakers, and a large navy backpack completed her first day of school outfit, and her mom undoubtedly helped her pick out the final touches to her uniform.

Ivanka and Jared, who celebrated their daughter's fifth birthday in July, were all smiles on her big day.

The businesswoman looked ready for fall in a gray crewneck sweater tucked into wide leg pants featuring a white strip down the legs.

Uniform: Arabella sported a plain pail blue polo shirt and a navy skirt, which are most likely a part of her school's dress code

Big day: The couple appeared to be heading in to work after dropping their daughter off

Doting dad: Jared, 35, held the door of their Park Avenue apartment as his wife and daughter trailed behind him

Ivanka accessorized the look with an oversize black handbag and chunky gray suede heels from her eponymous collection.

Meanwhile, Jared sported a crisp white button down that he wore untucked over a pair of khaki pants. He completed his casual work look with a pair of white sneakers and a slim briefcase.

Both of them appeared to be heading into work after taking Arabella to her first day of school. Their two-year-old son Joseph was absent, but it is likely that he is on a different schedule than his big sister.

Added touches: The little girl also wore a large navy backpack and black Mary Jane sneakers

Classy lady: Ivanka looked ready for fall in a gray sweater tucked into wide leg pants

On their way: The doorman from their building helped escort the family to their driver's SUV

Of course, Arabella and her parents weren't waiting at a bus stop or shuffling her into their own car. The kindergartener was pictured hopping into an SUV with her parents, who had a driver take her to school on her first day.

A few hours later, Ivanka and Arabella were back at their apartment after her half-day orientation at her new school.

Ivanka carried Arabella's backpack, which features cat ears and whiskers, as she took her upstairs to their apartment before heading back downstairs.

The busy mom hopped back into the SUV that dropped them off, undoubtedly making her way to work.

First day jitters? Arabella happily held on to both her parents as she walked out of their apartment

Looking relaxed: Jared dressed casually in a white button down that he wore untucked over a pair of khakis

No bus stop here: Ivanka helped Arabella get into the SUV before they headed off

The day before, Ivanka's brother Donald Trump Jr. took all five of his children on a school run with his wife Vanessa.

The couple's two eldest children, nine-year-old Kai and seven-year-old Donald III, were prepared to start their first classes of the new semester.

Arabella has clearly been excited about school for a couple of days now. Over the holiday weekend, Ivanka took to Instagram to share an adorable photo of her little girl striking a pose in a pink tulle ballerina skirt paired a white T-shirt featuring a colorful design splashed across the front.

Gentleman: Jared made sure Ivanka and Arabella were comfortable in the backseat

Going for a ride: Before they left, Jared hopped into the front of the car

Back so soon? A few hours after they left, Ivanka and Arabella returned to their apartment

'Modeling potential first day of school outfits. Soon I will need to break it to her that this will not comply with dress code,' Ivanka captioned the image.

And while today was Arabella's big day, Ivanka made quite a splash herself when she strutted to work on Tuesday in a form-fitting pink pencil dress from her eponymous collection.

Ivanka donned the flattering frock and a pair of pale pointed-toe heels for her first official day back to work after the Labor Day holiday.

Helping hand: When they returned home after her half-day of school, Ivanka walked Arabella to their door while holding her backpack

Stylish kindergartener: Arabella's adorable backpack features cat ears and whispers

On her way out: After bringing Arabella upstairs, Ivanka left her apartment for the second time

Busy mom: Ivanka hopped back in the SUV as she most likely headed to work for the day

Although, she did make a brief appearance at Ivanka Trump HQ on Monday after spending some quality time with her baby boy Theodore.

Ivanka completed her look with a white and gold clutch that she held in her right hand as she sashayed into work.

Later that day, Ivanka joined her father Donald Trump as he held a town hall in Virginia Beach.

The entrepreneur kicked off the start of her work week on Monday by having an impromptu dance party with her baby boy Theodore  who couldn't stop giggling.

Family affair: Ivanka's brother Donald Trump Jr. took all five of his children on a school run with his wife Vanessa on Tuesday

Walking the walk: Ivanka sported a figure-hugging pink dress on her first official day back to work after the holiday weekend on Tuesday

Showing support: Ivanka, who appeared at her father Donald's town hall that night, has been a regular feature at her father's campaign events

Tiny dancer: Ivanka snapped this image of her daughter Arabella showing off a potential back-to-school outfit over the weekend

Although she spent Sunday with her three children, the busy mom cut the long weekend short and ended up going to work on Monday despite the holiday.

And while most people struggle to get back into the daily grind after their time off, Ivanka was all smiles as she filmed herself dancing with her five-month-old son that morning.

In the clip she posted to Instagram, Ivanka can be seen asking Theodore, 'You want to dance?' before swaying her hips back and forth.

Moving and shaking: Ivanka filmed herself dancing with her baby boy Theodore on Monday morning

Cuddled up: Ivanka and Jared also have a two-year-old son, Joseph (right), and a five-month-old baby boy, Theodore (left)

'Giggle, giggle, giggle,' Ivanka says as she energetically bounces her son around. The little boy can't stop smiling, and throughout the short video he can be heard gleefully laughing and gurgling.

Just two hours later, Ivanka was sporting wet hair and plain white T-shirt in her office.

'Laboring on Labor Day. In the office,' she says in another clip, which she shared just two hours later.
The star also talked about originally turning down Quantico, her upcoming Baywatch movie, and her ideas about feminism

Though she now likes to be the 'best version' of herself, she still doesn't rely on her looks

It can be difficult to believe gorgeous Hollywood stars when they say they were uncool in school and didn't think they were pretty, but Priyanka Chopra insists that is her story.

Of course, she went on to win the Miss World competition, star in dozens of Bollywood movies, and headline the hugely successful ABC show Quantico, but nevertheless, the 34-year-old said it took some time to recognize the beauty in herself.

'I didnt even know I was beautiful until  I dont even know it now,' Priyanka told Refinery29, attributing her Miss World win to other attributes. 'I dont think I was the most beautiful girl in the world. I think I won because I was well-spoken and I was decently turned out. The stars aligned that day. But I taught myself to be the best version of myself over the years.'

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Gorgeous: Priyanka Chopra posed for a photoshoot for Refinery29

Self-doubt: The 34-year-old admitted that she didn't used to think she was beautiful

It probably didn't help her self-esteem that she had a rough time in high school. Though she grew up in India, she moved to the US for a few years and attended high school in Newton, Massachusetts, where she was bullied. She didn't head back home to India until her senior year.

In fact, she didn't even push herself out into the pageant world  her mom did. While Priyanka was applying for college scholarships, her mother submitted photos to the Miss India competition, and the dutiful daughter decided to go along with it.

But even though she she's earned accolades thanks to the fact that she's gorgeous, she doesn't rely on her good looks.

Good thing she did! She now stars on Quantico  a gig she almost didn't take because of the time commitment

No boxes: Though she now more easily recognizes her beauty, she said she doesn't want to be known for it

'Beauty has nothing to do with me,' she said. 'I was born with it. But I dont want to be known by the fact that Im beautiful. I want to be known for the fact that Im an achiever. Not even an actor. I dont want a label. I dont want a box. I want a legacy.'

Though she doesn't want it to be her identifier, it certainly helped kickstart her career. After winning Miss World, Bollywood came calling, and she had a successful film career in India for over a decade before landing Quantico.

Interestingly, Priyanka didn't even want to take the TV role at first, figuring it would be a 'long commitment' and she was too busy filming movies in India. Ultimately, though, she liked the script so much, and ended up needing to convince the producers that she could take on a all-American role.

Changing her path: When she was a teenager, her mom entered her in the Miss India competition while she herself was applying for college scholarships

Success: She went on to win Miss World in 2000, which soon spun into a Bollywood career

'Im not even Indian-American,' she explained. 'Im from another country. I speak Indian. I think Indian. I look Indian. I really had to wrap my head around who Alex was, to convince not just the writers, but the American people that Im an American girl.'

The actress also has a role in the upcoming Baywatch movie, where she'll play a couture-wearing villain named Victoria. She said getting to play the bad guy was 'so much fun'.

With American film and TV roles, her star is on the rise in the US, which means sometimes she notices paparazzi trailing her. However, she said she isn't 'hypocritical enough' to get annoyed by them. Plus, there's an upside to it: She no longer needs to save photos of herself, since any pictures she needs  from red carpet snaps to childhood throwbacks  can be found with a quick Google search.

Truth: Priyanka also talked about feminism, explaining that all feminist want is equality in treatment, not hating men

Priyanka also talked about feminism in her Refinery29 interview, bringing up the subject several times.

'Feminism needs men to understand that we dont want to berate you or kill you or hate you. We just need you to stand by us,' she said. 'Thats what feminism is. Dont judge me for being me, just like you dont judge the boys. Thats all we want  equality in treatment.'
It's been four years since the Duchess of Cornwall adopted her two Jack Russells, Beth and Bluebell, from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

And today saw Camilla make her return to the shelter that raised her two pet pooches - in order to open a new multi-million pound hospital in south London.

Camilla, wearing a blue paisley chiffon dress, met staff alongside Staffies as she toured operating theatres and training facilities at the charity.

Camilla was not short of friends today as she met dogs and their handlers at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in South London

The Duchess, 69, quipped she was going to 'take some of them away' with her after meeting pooches like Nancy the Terrier, Peanut the Pug and Mickey the German Pointer.

In fact, she insisted Mickey had 'a very charming face'.

However, Winston the British Bulldog may have been a bit too enthusiastic in his attempt to catch the Duchess of Cornwalls attention.

The eight-year-old pedigree, who was handed into Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in London by his poorly owner, decided to cuddle up to Camilla - but ended up putting his head up her skirt.

A bulldog named Winston seemed especially fond of the Duchess - sticking his head up her skirt when greeting her

The royal was pictured cooing over a Dachshund as she took her tour of the dogs home

Camilla seemed impressed by this small terrier who stood on its hind legs before the Duchess

Despite his very distinct breach of royal protocol, the animal-loving royal roared with laughter at Winston's antics and even gave the pup an affectionate pat on the head.

Typical dog, head up the skirt, she laughed.

Winston also took part in a canine guard of honour for the Duchess as she arrived at the home to open its new Veterinary Hospital and Centre of Excellence.

Camilla told MailOnline that although she would love to get another, she wasnt sure that her two girls would be that accepting.

The Duchess visited the shelter today in order to open a new multi-million pound hospital

While there she met with Paul O'Grady who filmed a TV series at the home called For The Love of Dogs

Weve had to have a bit of extra training and will probably be in to have some more, she admitted.

But why would you go out and buy a dog when you can come to Battersea and rescue one?

I am literally having to hold myself back and stop popping one in my bag, they are all so gorgeous. But I think three would be a little but too much and Im not sure my two girls would be that accepting of a stranger.

Camilla admitted that she was tempted to adopt another dog but didn't think her 'girls' would like it

The Duchess adopted her two Jack Russells, Beth and Bluebell, at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home four years ago

In a closing speech Camilla urged the crowd to 'take one away' with them referring to the dogs

Both Paul O'Grady and the Duchess appeared to be getting along famously at today's event

Ill just have to persuade everyone else to go and get one!

They also met Peanut the luck pug who was rehomed a year ago. Theres something very special about pugs, theres a good lot of snuffling, she said.

Paul O'Grady joined the Duchess on her visit, saying they 'work miracles' at Battersea and that the stigma around adopting rescue dogs was diminishing.

He told the Press Association: 'I'm part of the brickwork here now. I've adopted four dogs.

The Duchess also met three Chelsea Pensioners, who get to visit the dogs and cats as part of an outreach programme

When Audrey Merton told the duchess that she had met Prince Charles, Camilla asked if she had 'stroked him too'

'Rescues are always so loving and so grateful - they make wonderful companions. I always tell people thinking about getting a dog to adopt.

'Before this opened they only had two operating tables here, I don't know how they managed. This place is a great British institution.'

As it receives no government funding, he urged people to donate money to the home, adding: 'I always tell my friends to leave a couple of bob in their will, I'm like the Grim Reaper.'

In a closing speech, the Duchess said: 'I just want to congratulate everybody on the wonderful job they are doing here, it's known all over the world.

The Prince of Wales was left wincing at the sound of a smoke detector when he came face to face with a giant fire alarm mascot

'The British are besotted by dogs and cats, they are the best companions in the world. I urge all of you to take one away with you.'

The Duchess also met three Chelsea Pensioners, who get to visit the dogs and cats as part of an outreach programme. They talked of their shared love of canines, with Camilla telling them 'stroking dogs always makes me feel better'.

The Duchess enjoyed a risque joke with Audrey Merton, 85, who served with the WRAC for 22 Years, who told her she had previously met her husband, Prince Charles.

Youve met my husband. You didnt stroke him too did you? Im sure he would have loved that! the duchess said with a chuckle and a wink.

Elsewhere in the capital Prince Charles visited Shadwell Fire Station to reopen the building in celebration of 150 years of London Fire Brigade

Charles also watched a firefighter perform a demonstration with a water hose

She also teased Audrey about being one of just 14 women among 300 men at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.

Well you have a very good life she laughed. You must be spoilt for choice.

Audrey said she wanted a permanent pet at the Chelsea infirmary instead of just visits, adding: 'I'd have one tomorrow if the matron would let us.'

Ex-Corporal Bob Leece, 90, said it was a 'great honour' to meet the Duchess.

As part of his duty of reopening the station Prince Charles also unveiled a plaque

The Prince of Wales presented eight firefighters with commendation certificates

The new hospital will house 32 veterinary staff who will perform around 70 operations per week while an attached centre of excellence gives more space for training and events.

Last year, the home said it cared for nearly 5,000 dogs and more than 3,000 cats across its three centres in south London, Berkshire and Kent.

The charity opened in 1860 and has looked after three million animals since then, according to trustee chair Amanda Burton.

She added that the 'modern, state-of-the-art' facilities would help keep the home going for another 150 years.

Charles made a special effort to thank the fire crew for the work they did in London

Elsewhere in the capital Camilla's husband Prince Charles was celebrating 150 years of the London Fire Brigade.

The Prince of Wales was left wincing at the sound of a smoke detector when he came face to face with a giant fire alarm mascot.

Charles was re-opening Shadwell fire station in east London in celebration of 150 years of the London Fire Brigade when he encountered the five-foot fire safety character.

The aptly-titled Mr Noisy - shaped like a round white smoke alarm - was holding a real fire detector in his hand which he set off several times, prompting Charles to react to the intense high-pitched tone.

During his tour of the station, Charles watched a firefighter drill and met cadets

The heir to the throne met children from nearby Blue Gate Fields Junior School who were learning about the importance of smoke alarms from education officer Ruth Lawrence.

Ruth told the Prince: 'I hope you have one installed,' to which Charles replied: 'Yes I have'.

As the prince heard from the pupils about the best way to prevent fires happening in the home, Ruth added: 'Spread the word to your family as well.'

The royals are already well aware of the devastating impact a fire can have. The Queen was left distraught in 1992 when her beloved Windsor Castle went up in flames after a curtain caught fire on a spotlight.

The prince appeared to be in high spirits as he enjoyed a tour of newly rebuilt station

The Prince of Wales accompanied by LFB Director of Operations David Brown during his visit

During his tour of the station, Charles watched a firefighter drill, met cadets and was introduced to Sherlock - the brigade's dog detective whose job it is to sniff out whether a fire has been started deliberately.

The four-year-old black cocker spaniel - who looked a lot like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's dog Lupo - received a pat on the head from the royal visitor.

The fire investigation dog was wearing special red boots - which protect its paws from glass and other sharp objects when searching fire scenes.

Charles also presented eight firefighters with commendation certificates for saving the life of a man from a serious fire in a Walthamstow flat last year.

Charles, seen here chatting with cadets, was quick to reassure the staff that he had a fully working fire alarm fitted in his home

He thanked the fire crew for the work they did in London, saying: 'Nothing gives me more pleasure than to unveil this plaque and reopen this fire station.

'And at the same time just to say my warmest congratulations to all of you who are involved on a daily basis in helping to keep London safe and to tackle so many of the really difficult situations that occur.

'We are, I think, incredible lucky to have people like yourselves prepared to carry out these very difficult tasks and rescues and dealing with appalling fires. Thank you for everything you do in this city.'

Shadwell fire station, which first opened in 1937, has been revamped with modern facilities. The history of firefighting in Shadwell dates back to the 1800s, when a parish pump was situated at St Paul's churchyard.

London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said: 'There have been firefighters in London since the great fire of 1666, but it was only in 1866 that the London Fire Brigade was officially formed.
Women are called on to make many tough choices during their lives: Marriage or the single life? Family or career? Face or figure?

Then, last Sunday, we were forced to make another torturous decision: dark, dangerous, hairy and sweaty; or charming, erudite, cultured and polite? I am, of course, talking about Ross Poldark versus Lord Melbourne.

Until recently, the thought of another dose of Aidan Turner as the stormy Poldark on BBC1 was enough to have me cancelling Sunday night plans and block-booking a pizza delivery for the next eight weeks.

Last weekend Victoria pulled in 5.2 million viewers compared with Poldarks 5.1 million - with more women preferring Rufus Sewell as Lord Melbourne to Aidan Turner as Poldark

But that was before Rufus Sewell, as Melbourne, entered my living room - and fantasies - in ITV drama Victoria.

Now, for all I care, Poldark and his rusty scythe can take a running jump into his tin mine. In the battle between bad boy and gentleman, there can only be one winner.

And it seems Im not alone. Last weekend more people tuned in to see Sewell looking manly, yet thoughtful, in his velvet frock coat and top hat than they did to see Turner being gruff and grumpy in his ruffled shirt and tricorn hat.

Victoria pulled in 5.2 million viewers compared with Poldarks 5.1 million.

Having already experienced two episodes of the irresistible Sewell, 48, playing a tortured toff with a twinkle in his eye, there was no way he was being binned for the beefcake with a bad attitude on the other side.

Prince Albert, played by Tom Hughes (pictured) - of whom we will see much more this weekend on Victoria - is young and good looking, but he is also spoilt, boorish and arrogant

When it comes to film and television, muscle-bound hunks are two-a-penny. But dashing, well-mannered ones are a rarer breed, and all the more likely to set a ladys heart a-fluttering.

Better yet, after years of every hunk immediately stripping down to their pants in a bid for ratings - from Poldarks topless scything to Tom Hiddlestons bottom in The Night Manager - its refreshing to return to old-fashioned, bedroom-door-closed masculinity, where the real appeal is in whats left unseen.

On paper, Poldark should be the victor in the battle for the Sunday night sex symbol slot. He is younger; he has the body of a Greek God; he has long, wild hair and is prone to grabbing his wife and kissing her passionately.

But he is also brutish and sexist and talks to his lovely wife Demelza in the same tone that he speaks to his pet dog.

If Ross and Demelza had a row he would storm off to the tavern, get drunk, have a fight and flirt with a wench.

Brooding: Ross Poldark has previously captured the attentions of many an audience

Contrast that with Melbourne, who is chivalrous but never patronising, kindly but never wet and far more likely to sit down and write a love poem to heal a rift.

The closest we got to seeing flesh was when he undid the top button of his shirt at the end of the day.

What he has is power and presence coupled with perfect manners, a soothing tone, and the steadying hand of experience.

Much has been made of the on-screen chemistry between Jenna Coleman, who plays young Victoria, and the hauntingly handsome Sewell.

#Lucky Jenna got to spend hours gazing into his cat-like green eyes and marvelling at those cheekbones, so razor-sharp she could crack walnuts on them.

Lord M (as Victoria affectionately calls him) was on horseback and wearing breeches and riding boots when he arrived for his first audience with Victoria. A leading man in a saddle is catnip to female audiences - and I was hooked.

It was long expected that Turner - who plays Ross in the drama - would go shirtless during the BBC programme, after the success of the first series when he showed off his rippling torso

Poldark is also a horseman but he rides dangerously, like the wind. Melbourne rides slowly with grace and poise.

In the first episode virginal Victoria is warned that Lord Melbourne is known for stealing hearts and every woman watching at home must have been thinking: Cor. What I wouldnt give for mine to be one of them.

The series opener of Poldark showed him facing charges of wrecking, inciting a riot and murder. The only time he allowed Demelza out of the house was to take her to his ex-girlfriends home - and, even then, he stormed out in a huff after five minutes. How tiresome.

Any woman who has ever dated, lived with or been married to a moody man will know the short temper and sulking quickly goes from sexy to irritating.

But Melbourne is a hopeless romantic. As he told Victoria: I am a rook. I mate for life.

Flexing his ripped muscles, Poldark sent viewers into a frenzy as he hacked away at rocks - but it was not enough to entertain viewers from ITV who chose to instead tune in to watch Victoria

He also declared that every lady deserved to be loved, honoured and cher-ished. Music to any womans ears.

Writer Daisy Goodwin has Victoria falling hopelessly in love with Melbourne. When Victoria - speaking as a woman - declared her affection for him in the third episode, she was speaking for all women.

He rejected her offer - adding forbidden fruit to his charms.

Historians insist that in real life such a relationship never happened and that Victoria saw Melbourne only as a father figure.

However, the monarchs relationship with her Prime Minister was close enough for gossips to refer to her as Mrs Melbourne.

The real Lord Melbourne was, apparently, a bit of a dirty Bertie - an Eton-educated aristocrat with a penchant for spanking and for other ministers wives.

Fans of BBC's Poldark were delighted after 33-year-old leading actor Aidan Turner whipped off his shirt to reveal his toned torso as the period drama returned for a second series. However, it still didn't help the BBC win the TV ratings war - with ITV's Victoria attracting the most viewers

But that is largely glossed over in the TV drama, where Sewell portrays Melbourne as a tormented soul, still deeply in love with his late wife Lady Caroline Lamb, even though she had scandalised their marriage by having an affair with Lord Byron.

As for Prince Albert, played by Tom Hughes - of whom we will see much more this weekend - what a poor second best.

Yes, hes young and good looking, but he is also spoilt, boorish and arrogant.

A liberal amount of artistic licence, probably with American audiences in mind, has been employed for this production

I highly doubt, as we witnessed in episode one, that the Queen got trollied at her Coronation Ball and had a screaming match. But who cares? Because we could witness Lord M being chivalrous, commanding and caring.

He advised her to stop knocking back the champers and gallantly intervened when a roguish Russian prince was trying to grope her on the dancefloor.

As well as baring his chest in last night's show, Turner was also involved in another steamy scene when his character Ross made love to wife Demelza, played by Eleanor Tomlinson

Pulses were racing as Turner's character Ross made love to wife Demelza

The scene stopped just short of Victoria being shown throwing up, but if she had then Lord M would be the type to hold back her hair and then give her a mint.

Ross Poldark would have grabbed her by the wrist, marched her home and sulked for a fortnight.

When Poldark vents his anger he takes an axe to a pile of logs. Melbourne retreats to his library with a whisky and Shakespeare.

I doubt Ross has ever read a book in his life. Even when he writes letters to his wife he gets bored after the first sentence and angrily screws it up in a ball.

Lord Melbourne sent Victoria a telescope so she can gaze at the stars, he grew her an orchid in his greenhouse and he accompanied her to the opera.

No wonder she looked so forlorn when he turned down her offer of marriage.
Keeping out of the sun has become a simple age-

Last week, a woman the same age as me - but who was sporting a burnished, nut-brown tan - expressed incredulity over my youthful appearance.

How do you do it? she demanded. Your skin is so even - you havent a single age spot, or wrinkle. Youre 45, but look 20 years younger. And your complexion just glows!

There was an awkward silence. Then her child piped up: She looks younger because your skin is burnt. Out of the mouths of babes.

Actress Renee Zellweger looked incredible at this weeks premiere of Bridget Joness Baby, her jet sheath dress juxtaposed with swathes of radiantly creamy flesh

Nothing ages the skin like the sun. And keeping out of it has become the simple, age-resisting solution that has taken Hollywood by storm.

Where only a couple of years ago, red-carpet events were filled with celebrities bronzed to within an inch of their lives, now parties and premieres are awash with the pale and interesting.

Take actress Renee Zellweger, who looked incredible at this weeks premiere of Bridget Joness Baby, her jet sheath dress juxtaposed with swathes of radiantly creamy flesh.

The 47-year-old has attracted attention for her ageless looks, and her pallor is a significant part of it. The woman gleams.

Meanwhile, fellow Hollywood beauties Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, Uma Thurman, Nicole Kidman and Christina Hendricks are heralding the return of old-school alabaster glamour, reminiscent of a time when female stars always boasted milky skin, so that their complexions shone in black and white.

Michelle Dockery and Eleanor Tomlondson are famous snowy complexion advocates

Moore has long been confident in her own (ivory) skin, while Kidmans appearance at this years Met Gala was as luminescent as ever: an expanse of snowy arm and bosom, set off by a fairy-style frock.

And Blanchetts pallor is a key element to her elegance, as displayed at this years Oscars ceremony, where her lavish mint confection was teamed with skin reminiscent of vanilla ice cream.

Even former tan enthusiasts Charlize Theron and Catherine Zeta-Jones are getting in on the act.

Charlize ditched her customary golden glow for a pale gleam at this years Oscars, while Catherine traded her membership of the mahogany fan club for a pearly presence at Januarys Dads Army premiere.

Of course, it is understandable that older stars may appreciate the benefits of a youthful pallor. But even younger stars are turning their noses up at tans.

Michelle Dockery is a famous snowy complexion advocate, as are the lovely Elizabeth Debicki, Keira Knightley, Emma Watson and Emma Stone.

Nothing ages the skin like the sun. And keeping out of it has become the simple, age-resisting solution that has taken Hollywood by storm

Meanwhile, Carey Mulligan opted for a delicate, gothic wanness at the Suffragette opening in October.

In Blighty, Eleanor Tomlinsons Demelza is back on our screens in Poldark. Forget Aidan Turners naked torso, it is Eleanors complexion that has us sighing.

The rest of the Cornish peasantry may bear hides as leathery as lizards, however the goddess Tomlinson is all milky-skinned loveliness, without a scrap of foundation in sight.

Nor does the actress feel any need to hit the gravy granules for the red carpet.

At the recent Poldark screening, her alabaster presence proved achingly beautiful, even including a pair of perfectly pale pins - legs being the area where the prettily pallid do sometimes buckle and crave colour.

Elizabeth Debicki showed off her snowy complexion in the Night Manager (pictured)

This trend marks a return to a passion for pallor that existed for centuries - millennia, even.

Snowy skin was traditionally used to sort the sheep from the goats, with whiteness a matter of class.

Before the 20th century, stainless skin was a token of aristocratic leisure, and tans the badge of a peasant lifestyle irredeemably beyond the pale.

FADING AWAY The proportion of Brits using fake tan fell to 13 per cent last year from 17 per cent in 2014, Mintel analysis shows Advertisement

In the Twenties, for the first time in history, these class associations were reversed: suddenly, it was the factory-bound masses who were pasty, while the beau monde globe-trotted and bronzed.

These days, with tans available to all, whether via an easyJet flight or a bottle, the worlds most beautiful no longer want them - deeming them too banal, too obvious, something to leave to the satsuma-hued cast of reality show The Only Way Is Essex.

Then there is the youthfulness factor. Wherever we sit on the skin colour spectrum, we are born (relatively) pale and even-complexioned, a situation that only changes as our faces become weathered with age.

By returning our skins to their pre-UV damaged milkiness, we immediately make ourselves look younger.

Today, every skincare brand thats worth its salt boasts a complexion-evening range

Twenty years ago, the lightening products that existed largely issued from America and Asia and felt vaguely racist - a la Michael Jacksons terrifying skin-whitening attempts.

Today, every skincare brand thats worth its salt boasts a complexion-evening range, and we have a new generation of anti-pigmentation products that promises to restore complexions to their youthful flawlessness.

Mintel reports that more than a third of the beauty products launched this year in Britain carry some form of brightening or illuminating claim.

Make-up wise, Becca, Hourglass and Tom Ford all sell excellent pearly skin-brightening primers. Even the typically teak-coloured Victoria Beckham has included a bright white Flash Illuminator in her hotly anticipated new limited-edition range for Estee Lauder.

In June, consumer analysts Technavio forecast that the global skincare products market would exceed $147 billion (around 110 billion) by 2020, with skin-lightening products for younger-looking skin leading the way - and noting that men had caught on to the phenomenon, too.

Cate Blanchett is heralding the return of old-school alabaster glamour, reminiscent of a time when female stars always boasted milky skin

Meanwhile, those women who have already tarnished their skins with sun damage are seeking out intense pulsed light (IPL) to rid themselves of the evidence, not least because topical products fail to have massive effect.

The approach can be effective, however it can render older, thinner skins curiously egg-like in appearance. Better by far to avoid damage in the first place with SPF 50 sun protection.

Theres another thing about pale skin - there is an element of smugness about it. Without the security blanket of a tan - fake or otherwise - to hide behind, youre showing the world that you have truly amazing skin

The best can be had from La Roche-Posay, Lancome and Creme de la Mer. Plus, as every make-up artist will tell you, these shields also lend your complexion a supernatural gleam in photos.

And theres another thing about pale skin - there is an element of smugness about it.

Without the security blanket of a tan - fake or otherwise - to hide behind, youre showing the world that you have truly amazing skin.

I speak as one of these insufferables. Ive had a tan only once in my adult life, entirely by accident.

While other Eighties teenagers basted themselves in oil and foil, I larded myself in sun block - a petrol blue gunk, lending me a sheen akin to a dead fish. (Happily, the technology has moved on).

For my pains, I was nicknamed moon face, vamp and goth girl. At school, the boys trailed after me humming along to The Addams Family theme tune.

Still, if the upshot of this is that I still get asked my age when buying alcohol, then bring it on.
A French woman who received the world's first face transplant died of a cancer that was not related to the anti-rejection drugs she was taking, doctors have revealed.

It was announced yesterday that Isabelle Dinoire, 49, who underwent the historic operation in 2005 after being maimed by her dog, had died in April following a long illness that was thought to be linked to the medication.

Following the surgery, Ms Dinoire, from Valenciennes, northern France, suffered from many complications related to the strong immunosupressant drugs all transplant patients have to take, to stop her body from rejecting the graft.

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Medical miracle: Mother-of-two Isabelle Dinoire was left disfigured after she was mauled by her pet Labrador at her flat in Valenciennes, France, in May 2005, and later underwent the world's first face transplant. Above, Ms Dinoire three months (left) and a year after the surgery

Before the attack: Ms Dinoire, pictured a year before she underwent the procedure. She would later speak of the psychological torment she suffered in the years after the operation

Personal struggles: Ms Dinoire, pictured in 2009, four years after the historic transplant

She battled cancer, infection, diminished kidney function and high blood pressure at the Amien-Picardie University Hospital where she received the transplant.

However, doctors have today said that in January of this year, they discovered a rare malignant tumour, which was beyond the remedy of any available treatment, which caused her death.

But in a statement, the hospital said that the tumour 'cannot be scientifically linked to immunosupressant treatment.'

It also added that she died on April 'surrounded by her loved ones and medical team.'

Donor: Maryline St Aubert, a schoolteacher who reportedly hanged herself

Ms Dinoire, a divorced seamstress, was left disfigured with her face nothing more than bloody shreds of flesh when her beloved pet Labrador, Tania, mauled her in an attack at her flat.

A degree of mystery still surrounds the events of May 2005, of which Ms Dinoire had no memory. Last year she admitted she was depressed and had taken sleeping pills to help her rest after a tough week. Media reports later suggested she had tried to kill herself.

After taking the medication, she became ill and collapsed, and while she was unconscious her beloved pet attacked her, causing facial injuries of almost unimaginable horror.

Ms Dinoire, who didn't feel the attack, said Tania had never bitten anyone before the incident, and believed that she was trying to save her.

Writing in her diary, which was published in France as an autobiography called Le Baiser d'Isabelle, or Isabelle's Kiss, she recalled: 'When I woke up I tried to light a cigarette and I could not understand why I couldn't put the cigarette between my lips - it was then that I saw a pool of blood and the dog beside it.

'I went to look at myself in the mirror, and there I could not believe what I saw - it was horrible.'

Hours later at Valenciennes Hospital she looked at her reflection, describing what she saw as 'the face of a monster'.

Lifelong treatment: Ms Dinoire, pictured being taken from the operating theatre in Lyon in a video grab from footage released by surgeons following the operation. The mother-of-two had to take powerful immunosuppressant drugs just to stop her body rejecting the transplant

Rebuilding: The graphics show the reconstruction of the nose, lips and chin with the arteries pictured red, veins are blue, nerves are yellow and muscles are dark red

On the advice of specialists at Amiens Hospital, where she was transferred, she was advised to wear a surgical mask that covered her face. The cover made her an easy target for strangers who thought she was obsessed with germs.

It was a month after the attack, in June 2005, that Ms Dinoire approached by Professor Jean-Michel Dubernard, who proposed making medical history by performing a face transplant.

Professor Dubernard and Professor Bernard Duvauchelle, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, led the team during the groundbreaking 15-hour surgery.

A triangle of face tissue from the donor's nose and mouth were grafted on to Ms Dinoire.

But Professor Dubernard said after carrying out the operation: 'Once I had seen Isabelle's disfigured face, no more needed to be said.

Scars: A photograph of Ms Dinoire's face released after the surgery. From the start, the patient struggled with the idea of taking another woman's face

World's first: Ms Dinoire was heralded a medical miracle when doctors successfully replaced her nose, lips and chin, with those of Maryline St Aubert. Above, the operation

'I was convinced something had to be done for this patient.'

After the transplant Ms Dinoire said she was determined to make a success of her life, learning to eat and speak and also wanting to be able to kiss.

But soon after the operation there were signs that her body had rejected the new tissue. Doctors controlled the problem by increasing the doses of the immuno-suppressants which she had to take for life.

Ms Dinoire soon regained sensation back in the transplanted face, learning to smile a year after the surgery. But she regularly suffered graft rejection.

In November 2014, Ms Dinoire's immune system started rejecting the graft and she reportedly lost partial control of her lips, despite the anti-rejection medicine. She had a new operation in January this year which was able to fix some of the damage

Personal battle: At a press conference after the operation, pictured, Ms Dinoire admitted she struggled with her new identity. She later said the face was 'half me and half her'

However, she continued to battle with psychological problems connected to the surgery.

Speaking three years after the transplant, she admitted that she remained uncertain as to whose face she looked at in the mirror every day.

She said: 'It's not hers, it's not mine, it's somebody else's.

'Before the operation, I expected my new face would look like me but it turned out after the operation that it was half me and half her.'

While doubts might now be cast over the lasting personal effects of the transplant, the operation was 'an unquestionable surgical success', said Dr. Jean-Paul Meningaud, who heads the reconstructive surgery department at the Henri Mondor Hospital south of Paris. Some 15 similar procedures have taken place since 2005.

In 2006, surgeon Peter Butler, of the Royal Free Hospital in London, was given permission by the NHS ethics board to carry out full face transplants in Britain.

Attention: The Daily Mail had an exclusive interview with Miss Dinoir in December 2005 when she spoke of plucking up the courage to look in the mirror for the first time after surgery

But Dr Meningaud, who has been involved in seven of France's 10 face transplants, is now arguing for suspending the procedures so that the medical community can take stock of whether the long-term benefits are worth the physical and psychological toll they take on patients.

Speaking of Ms Dinoire, he said: 'The results were very good in the medium term, but the long-term results were not so good.'

He said that face transplant recipients were having more difficulty with anti-rejection medication than doctors initially predicted, and are requiring more follow-up surgery.
It's long been said that cold, damp, weather can make aches and pains worse.

Now doctors investigating whether there really is a link between the weather and pain believe it's more than just an old wives' tale.

Bad weather - particularly rain and a lack of sunshine - can make chronic pain worse, initial findings of a large study suggests.

Medics have asked thousands of sufferers across the country to take part in their research by providing data using their mobile phones.

Bad weather - particularly rain and a lack of sunshine - can make chronic pain worse, initial research using a mobile phone app has found

And they hope that soon the information could be used to provide a daily pain forecast, in a similar way that the pollen count is now included in weather forecasts.

The Manchester University study involving more than 9,000 people who suffer chronic pain found a link between the number of sunny days plus rainfall levels and changes in degrees of pain.

As the number of sunny days increased from February to April, the amount of time spent in severe pain decreased.

But pain levels increased again in June when the weather was wetter and there were fewer hours of sunshine, the University of Manchester-led project found.

The interim data review focused on Leeds, Norwich and London, asking long-term pain sufferers to record their daily pain symptoms on a special app.

The app also independently captures hourly weather conditions using the smartphone GPS, joining pain data with real-time local weather events.

Pain levels were found to increase during cold and wet weather and decrease when there were more hours of sunshine, A University of Manchester study has found

Professor Will Dixon, a rheumatologist and clinical epidemiologist at the University of Manchester, said the early results were encouraging but urged more people to take part in the study.

He said: 'Once the link is proven, people will have the confidence to plan their activities in accordance with the weather.

'In addition, understanding how weather influences pain will allow medical researchers to explore new pain interventions and treatments.

'To work out the details of how weather influences pain, we need as many people as possible to participate in the study and track their symptoms on their smartphone.

'If you are affected by chronic pain, this is your chance to take do something personally - and easily - to lead to a breakthrough in our understanding of pain.'
Two elementary school students in California have been diagnosed with leprosy, officials claim.

The disease, also known as Hansen's, is an incredibly rare condition caused by slow multiplying bacteria which can destroy sufferers' eyesight and all sensation in their skin.

It is most typically associated with Asia and the Middle Ages, when and where the disease was most prevalent.

But to the horror of parents in Jurupa Valley, an hour's drive from Los Angeles, the infectious condition appears to have reached the West Coast.

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Two students at Indian Hills Elementary School in Riverside, California, have reportedly been diagnosed with leprosy. Scores of families kept their kids at home after hearing the news

WHAT IS LEPROSY? Leprosy, also known as Hansen's, is an incredibly rare condition. It is caused by slow multiplying bacteria (Mycobacterium leprae) which can destroy sufferers' eyesight and all sensation in their skin. The disease is spread through prolonged or repeated contact with an untreated patient - specifically, contact with their saliva or nasal mucus. It mainly affects the eyes, the upper respiratory tract, and the skin. Symptoms can appear as late as 20 years after a person has been infected. Patients are treated with a combination of antibiotics, and studies suggest antibiotics can protect healthy people from catching the disease. Advertisement

It is not clear whether the two patients are related, nor whether they recently traveled abroad.

According to the county's disease control director Barbara Cole, neither are hospitalized; both are at home near school in west Riverside County.

The Jurupa Unified School District informed families at Indian Hills Elementary School about the unconfirmed cases in a letter sent on Friday.

They insisted the diagnoses cannot be confirmed for a few weeks, but the district is doing everything possible to monitor and control the risk.

Parents were also issued with fact sheets explaining the disease, how it is transmitted, and how it is treated.

Leprosy is spread through prolonged or repeated contact with an untreated patient.

Specifically, it is spread through contact with their saliva or nasal mucus, which contains the infectious bacteria Mycobacterium leprae (or, M. leprae).

The disease mainly affects the eyes, the upper respiratory tract, and the surface nerves of the skin, which can eventually destroy the sensation in, for example, the feet, hands or face.

Symptoms can appear as late as 20 years after a person has been infected.

Patients are treated with a combination of antibiotics, and studies suggest antibiotics can protect healthy people from catching the disease.

As of 2014, there were fewer than 200,000 cases of the disease globally.

Jurupa Valley District Superintendent Elliott Duchon said classrooms at the school have been disinfected.

But she insists no further action is needed since schools are not a likely place of infection.

The disease is most typically associated with Asia and the Middle Ages. But to the horror of parents in Jurupa Valley, an hour's drive from LA, the condition may have hit the West Coast

'Even if the cases were confirmed, leprosy is not easily transmitted to others, and we dont feel like theres a risk in the school setting,' Duchon said.

'It's not a highly contagious disease.'
GAUTIER, Mississippi -- A fugitive wanted for murder in Lauderdale County was captured in Gautier Sunday after the vehicle in which he was riding was spotted on U.S. 90 in Biloxi.

Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson said Tuesday an investigator learned that Diamonte Deron Scott, wanted for murder and attempted murder in Lauderdale County, could be in the Gulfport area.

Investigators learned Scott was in the area of U.S. 49 in Gulfport and after several hours of searching, located the black Ford Focus in which they believed Scott was riding in traveling east through Biloxi.

Officers were able to determine Scott was in the vehicle, which subsequently turned onto Interstate 10, still traveling east. Harrison County officers requested assistance from both the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and the Gautier Police Department.

The vehicle ultimately turned off I-10 onto Gautier-Vancleave Road, where officers attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle continued on for about 1/8 mile before finally coming to a stop.

Peterson said as officers approached the vehicle, a heavy odor of burned marijuana could be detected and Scott was found riding in the front passenger seat.

Criminal record checks were conducted on Scott and the other two people in the vehicle and the check confirmed that Scott was listed in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as a wanted fugitive.

A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a Davis Industries double-barrel pistol in the glove box. Scott was taken into custody and transported to the Harrison County Adult Detention Facility. He is being held without bond pending extradition to Laudedale County.
Three recent developments have transformed geopolitics in Asia.

Firstly, United States Secretary of State John Kerry announced an US-India-Afghanistan trilateral axis to protect regional security.Pakistan was pointedly left out.

Secondly, the Indian government reaffirmed its clear-sighted new policy on Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).

Recent developments on the international stage have transformed India's role in the geopolitics of Asia with China and Pakistan becoming increasingly isolated by their neighbors

A firm but nuanced policy on Balochistan, which comprises 44 per cent of Pakistans territory, will yield strategic dividends.

Thirdly, the G-20 meeting in Hangzhou, China, earlier this week re-emphasised Indias pivotal role in Greater Asia.

From Egypt to Vietnam, Indias geopolitical arc of influence now rises up from the Middle East to the Central Asian Republics, dips through the Indian Ocean, and sweeps across the South China Sea.

United States Secretary of State John Kerry in Delhi has announced a US-India-Afghanistan trilateral axis to protect regional security

US support

The US is fully on board with this strategy of Greater Asia and Indias pivotal role.

Washington has little choice. China presents a growing threat to US economic and military hegemony.

Chinas GDP is already larger than Americas in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) terms.

Even at current exchange rates, Chinas economy is well over half of Americas and will surpass it within the next decade.

Chinas defence budget ($146 billion) is dwarfed by Americas $600 billion annual military spending but Beijing is catching up fast.

Washington needs a strong counter to China in Greater Asia, and India fits the bill.

That is why Kerry repeated President Barack Obamas homily in Delhi: The India-US relationship is the defining partnership of the 21st century.

Without the trust of its neighbours, China is relatively isolated. A predicament it shares with Pakistan.

Islamabad is no trusted by virtually all its neighbours: Iran, Afghanistan, India and - though it doesnt share a border - Bangladesh.

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks as Secretary of State John Kerry and other officials look on during their meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the G20 Summit

China is similarly not trusted by its neighbours: Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines and other littoral states.

Beijings cavalier disregard of the award against it by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) based in the Hague, Netherlands, in its maritime dispute with the Philippines shows the contempt with which it treats international law.

Chinas rhetoric against the award under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has damaged its international reputation.

In Pakistan, China has a like-minded ally. Countering the China-Pakistan axis needs a calibrated strategy by Indian policy-makers.

In Pakistan, China has a like-minded ally. Countering the China-Pakistan axis needs a calibrated strategy by Indian policy-makers.

The first step was to ring-fence and neutralise traditional Pakistan allies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following Prime Minister Narendra Modis visits to both counties.

The unity of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) over Kashmir too has been broken.

Syria recently rejected the OIC line favouring Pakistan and publicly declared that India should solve Kashmir in any way it wants.

This was the outcome of a successful visit to Damascus by the Minister of State for External Affairs, MJ Akbar.

Stong Relations: Prime Minister Theresa May and her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on the second day of the G20 Summit

Anxious Pak

The visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fateh el-Sisi to India, on his way to the G-20 summit in China last week demonstrates the success the Indian government has had in eroding the support Pakistan traditionally received from the Middle East.

Pakistan is anxious that the lifeline to its economy, the $46-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), goes through without a hitch.

But there are two problems. The first is the mounting insurgency in Balochistan where the CPEC begins at Gwadar Port and traverses through several hundred miles of hostile Baloch territory.

Pakistan has committed 10,000 security personnel to guard the corridor in Balochistan to allay Chinese fears of terror attacks by the Taliban.

Over 8,100 of these men are already in place guarding an estimated 9,000 Chinese working on CPEC projects in Balochistan.

The second problem is Gilgit-Baltistan, formerly known as the Northern Areas. It is six times larger than the rest of POK. Its people are constitutionally citizens of India.

The CPEC passes through Gilgit-Baltistan on its way to Xinjiang, Chinas large restive province.

The people of Gilgit-Baltistan have been protesting the appalling conditions in which they live. They have little infrastructure and no freedom.

Modi waits: the Indian government has reaffirmed its clear-sighted new policy on Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

China concern

The Chinese are hyper-sensitive about Islamist terrorism being exported to Xinjiang which has a significant Muslim population.

China has warned Islamabad that most of the terrorists infiltrating into Xinjiang are trained in POK and receive sanctuaries there.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar (a former ambassador to China and the US) has recognised the need to recalibrate Indias foreign policy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President, Xi Jinping before a bilateral meeting in Hangzhou, China

The Prime Ministers Office has endorsed a proactive strategy on Balochistan, POK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Pressure on China can now be built in two ways: One, from the rapidly evolving India-US strategic partnership; and two, from Indias growing influence with littoral countries in the South China Sea, especially Vietnam, which the PM pointedly visited a day before the G-20 summit in China.

India has many other aces up its sleeve, including building closer economic ties with the first anti-Beijing government in Taiwan since the mid-1990s (led by the countrys first woman prime minister, Tsai Ing-wen) as well as hosting more free-Tibet conferences in India.

Pakistan, as a vendor state with terrorism as its principal regional export, and China, as a violator of international legal strictures, form a natural axis.
Cow protection officials in Haryana are facing criticism over claims they ordered police to check whether vendors in Muslim-majority Mewat are serving beef in their biryani ahead of Bakri Eid later this month.

Maharashtra Congress functionary Shehzad Poonawalla filed the complaint against the Haryana government and the Gau Sewa Aayog (Cow Welfare Commission) of the state on Wednesday.

In his letter to the Union Home Ministry, a copy of which was also sent to the Haryana chief minister, he dubbed the move "unconstitutional" and "communal".

Reports of beef consumers and transporters being beaten up by vigilantes have surfaced from different parts of India over the past few months

Meanwhile, Gau Seva Ayog chairman Bhani Ram Mangla told Mail Today that the move had come in response to several complaints from the Muslim-majority district.

We are doing only what is lawful. When the state is under a law that prohibits cow slaughter and beef consumption, and such complaints come to the government, should not the government act on them and try to find the truth? Mangla said.

He added that samples had already been taken from nearly 10 places in the Ferozepur-Jhirka segment of the district and sent to a university lab in Hissar.

The head of the task force and a veterinary doctor went to collect the samples which have already been sent for forensic testing, Mangla said.

Maharashtra Congress functionary Shehzad Poonawalla filed the complaint against Haryana government over claims police are checking biryanis for beef

Mangla added that the issue is not communal and the state is acting on a genuine complaint. If there is a complaint regarding a grocer, does the government not go and investigate? he said.

Poonawalla asserted that the move was in continuation of several past events whereby people from the Muslim community had been targeted on the pretext of either consuming or transporting beef.

But Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police in charge of the task force to check cow smuggling and slaughter gave Mail Today a contradictory account.

Poonawalla told India Today that certain state governments had been sheltering and goading communalism in the name of cow protection

DIG Bharti Arora said: There is nothing to check biryani in Mewat. The state had made a cow protection task force and I head it.

"What we are doing is holding workshops across the state to educate police personnel about the new law with regard to cow protection that the state has formed. We have already covered nine districts.

Meanwhile, Poonawalla told India Today that certain state governments had been sheltering and goading communalism in the name of cow protection.

He demanded that the minority commission direct the Haryana government and Haryana police to call off the "unconstitutional biryani policing aimed at terrorising minorities."
An inmate is pinned down on the ground, his feet held up and locked in bamboo sticks by fellow prisoners.

Unbearable screams pierce through the large hall as a deputy jailer unleashes a flurry of blows on his bare soles.

However, this diabolical act does not take place at a secretive torture cell of an autocratic regime or in Americas notorious Guantanamo Bay military detention camp.

A special investigation by India Today has unearthed brutality from inside a prison in the Kasna jail of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh

A special investigation by India Today has unearthed this brutality inside the fortified walls of a prison 30 kilometres from Delhi - the Kasna jail of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

The probe has caught on tape footage suggesting a vicious cycle of atrocities and corruption in the jail that authorities in UP advertise as a 'model facility'.

India Todays incisive investigation has found its anything but model.

Akram Khan, then a deputy jailer, was filmed beating the soles of an inmate with a club, a degrading and oppressive torture technique common in Middle Eastern countries.

Khan was assisted by lifers, who held the feet of the victim in bamboo poles, and chief warden Shoorveer Singh Yadav.

The probe has caught on tape footage suggesting a vicious cycle of atrocities and corruption in the jail that authorities in UP advertise as a model facility of its kind

A former inmate of the Kasna jail, Ajay Bholaram, told India Today such brutality is routine in the prison. Bholaram also alleged prison staff brutally yanked his toenail off.

Inmates, he claimed, were subject to foot whipping if they didnt bribe the jail authorities. Corruption, he insisted, was rampant in the Kasna prison.

And India Today's investigation corroborated his claims.

The probe recorded a prisoner slamming another to a pillar. The victim was then stripped to his underpants and beaten with a truncheon, under the orders of a jail guard, who was seen counting his daily bribes.

Footage from inside the jailhouse showed guards were given free rein to wantonly abuse prisoners with beatings.

The probe observed commodities, which inmates should be provided free, were sold at premium prices

Several senior inmates were seen participating in the foot flogging of another prisoner, who sobbed and begged his tormentors to stop.

Senior jail officials were also found to have developed their own mechanisms to dodge external scrutiny.

Staff were heard making announcements on the public address system to warn inmates about an imminent inspection.

They are told to hide cash and contraband.

India Todays investigation found compelling proof of deep-rooted corruption in the Kasna jail, where outside vendors ran a makeshift market in the compound.

The probe observed commodities, which inmates should be provided free, were sold at premium prices.

Prohibited things like cigarettes were available at Rs 30 a piece. Liquor, insiders say, could be bought for anything between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,500 a bottle.
Nothing can make up for the memory of a rotten holiday.

But while you can't control the fact that it may have rained every day, or found yourself consigned to bed after a dodgy meal, you can get your money back if your airline, train firm or ferry company let you down.

So if your summer break was ruined by delays, strikes or cancellations  or if the holiday you booked wasn't as advertised  now is the time to fight back.

Long wait: This week, as many as 75,000 British Airways passengers were hit by delays after a computer glitch made check-in desks grind to a halt at airports across the world

Hours waiting at the airport

Sadly, because of Britain's congested airports, delays are common.

Just this week, as many as 75,000 British Airways passengers were hit by delays after a computer glitch made check-in desks grind to a halt at airports across the world.

And yesterday a protest on the Tarmac at London's City Airport caused around 100 planes to arrive or leave late.

Airline watchdog the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recently reported that 7 per cent of all easyJet flights at Gatwick  around 1,680 out of 24,598  arrived more than 60 minutes late between January and March this year.

In addition, 5 per cent left more than an hour late. So the chances are you may have been hit by some kind of delay on your travels this summer.

However, you are protected from airline delays or cancellations.

The problem is that some companies routinely try to wriggle out of paying customers compensation by using a loophole that says they don't have to pay out if the reason for the delay was an 'extraordinary' or 'unforeseen' circumstance that was out of their control.

In reality, this often just means there was a technical problem with the plane or the flight you are taking, or even the one before yours which caused it to arrive late.

So where do you stand?

Under European Commission Regulation 261/2004, you are entitled to up to 600 (502) in compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

The only exception to this rule is if the delay is caused by so-called extraordinary circumstances such as bad weather, strike action or the kind of protest seen at City Airport yesterday.

A technical fault does not count as extraordinary  that's been the case ever since a Supreme Court ruling in 2014. Most airlines will allow you to file a claim on their website.

Or you can call the firm's customer service number and ask how to make a claim.

You will need all your flight details, booking confirmation details and boarding passes.

The key is to mention the EC Regulation and the Supreme Court case that involved Jet2. Use this phrase: 'In light of the Supreme Court's decision in Jet2 v Huzar, I am seeking compensation under EC Regulation 261/2004 for my disrupted flight.'

If the airline rejects your claim, you can take your complaint to an independent dispute service  there are three for airlines.

The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution will look at complaints if you travelled with firms including British Airways, easyJet, Thomson and Thomas Cook. Call 020 7536 6099. There is no fee if you win, but if you lose you'll have to pay a 25 administration charge.

The Retail Ombudsman covers firms including Ryanair and Turkish Airlines. There is no fee. Call 020 3540 8063.

If you flew with Swiss, Lufthansa or Germanwings, go to German website Soep.

You can complain at soep-online.de/request-form-flight.html

If your airline has not signed up to an ombudsman service, you can ask the CAA to investigate your case for free. Call 01293 567171 or email infoservices@caa.co.uk

Know your rights: If the last train of the night is cancelled, or you miss it because your connecting train was delayed, the train company has an obligation to get you home

Your train was held up

If the last train of the night is cancelled, or you miss it because your connecting train was delayed, the train company has an obligation to get you home.

Under section 43 of the National Rail's Conditions of Carriage, the train company must 'either arrange to get you to that destination, or provide overnight accommodation for you'.

That's good for future reference, but don't despair if it has happened to you already.

It may be that you didn't know the rules, or that when you arrived at the station there were no staff around to help you.

You can still claim a refund, though. To get one, you'll need to file an expenses claim on a form usually found on the rail company's website. Or you can pick one up at a ticket office. Attach copies of any receipts and include a brief description of why you are claiming.

On the form, remind the company it is obliged to assist you in the event of a cancellation as outlined in National Rail's Conditions of Carriage section 43.

There is no law setting out when you are entitled to compensation if your train is delayed. Train companies are private firms and each decides how long you must be delayed before it will pay out.

National Rail  which oversees all train lines  says customers must be able to claim compensation if they arrive more than an hour late.

But it also says that Grand Central, Great Western Railway and South West Trains are the only companies that stick to this 60-minute rule.

If you are travelling with any other train company, such as Virgin or Great Northern, you can claim compensation if you are delayed over 30 minutes.

To claim, you need to submit a form online or in the post. Most firms do this through a Delay Repay compensation scheme.

Keep hold of all your receipts and make a note of the time you arrived at your destination.

If you don't have it any more  as most likely it was gobbled by a machine at a ticket barrier  you should be able to use your receipt or credit card statement.

Ferry firm hit by union walkout

Ferries can be hit by strike action and bad weather, too.

There is no rule that says ferry companies must give you a refund if you can't catch a ship due to a strike, but firms are starting to wise up to what customers want.

A spokesman for Brittany Ferries, one of the biggest carriers between England and France, says it will first make every effort to re-route you to your destination by sending your ferry to a different port.

But if you are not happy with its suggested route, it will offer you a full refund of your ticket price. Call 01752 648 000 or email customer. feedback@brittanyferries.com

It says most big ferry companies now have the same policy, but there is no guarantee.

The likelihood is that if you didn't want to wait for the next ferry to run, you could lose the money you've paid for your ticket.

If the delay is not down to strike action, you may be entitled to compensation under Article 19 of EC Regulation 1177/2010.

The reason for the delay must have been within the firm's control, so includes staff shortages or a routine technical fault. The minimum payout is 25 per cent of your ticket price.

To be eligible, your delay must be at least one hour if your journey is up to four hours long, two hours if it's between four hours and eight hours, three hours between eight and 24 hours and six hours if it's over 24 hours.

If the delay is double these times, you will get 50 per cent of your ticket price. The firm must pay you in cash, not vouchers, if you request it.

You didn't get your booked seat

Some airlines are refusing to refund the cost of a reserved seat because their terms and conditions state they can never guarantee you'll get the seat you choose

Money Mail receives a steady stream of complaints from readers who have paid extra to reserve a specific seat on a plane and then been made to sit somewhere different. This is usually because they've tried to reserve the seats with extra leg-room.

In some instances, airlines are refusing to refund the cost because their terms and conditions state they can never guarantee you'll get the seat you choose.

One company claims this is because you may be travelling in a different plane to the one shown in the seating map you use to choose your seat from when booking online.

However, James Daley, managing director of consumer rights group Fairer Finance, says: 'Under consumer law, companies cannot get away with charging you for something they then don't deliver.'

Make a formal complaint to the airline and demand a full refund of your seat reservation fee.

Say the fee you paid for that particular seat was a separate charge on top of the ticket price.

Add that you were not just requesting a seat in the same way anyone travelling on a plane can do when they check in.

This principal also applies to train journeys. If you've booked a particular seat and cannot sit there, complain to the company.

Say that under section 41 of National Rail's Rights of Carriage you are owed a partial refund as your seat reservation wasn't honoured.

There's no rule setting out how much you will get back as private rail firms can decide this for themselves.

You'll need proof of your ticket reservation. If you can, take a picture of the seat number you ended up sitting in on your phone.

Thousands of British holidaymakers travel to France on Eurostar every summer  and sadly delays, when they happen, can be long

Your Eurostar trip was spoilt

Thousands of British holidaymakers travel to France on Eurostar every summer  and sadly delays, when they happen, can be long.

However, Eurostar has a very good reputation for paying compensation.

You'll need to have been delayed by at least an hour to get anything. For delays between 60 minutes and 119 minutes, you can claim a refund for 25 per cent of the price of your single ticket.

For a delay of more than two hours, you can get a 50 per cent refund.

However, if you're willing to accept a voucher for a future trip, Eurostar will give you more if your delay was over three hours  up to 75 per cent of the ticket price.

These payouts are protected under Article 17 of EC Regulation 1371/2007. If you ask, you'll often be directed to a section of the Eurostar website called 'Disruption Compensation' to claim a voucher.

Don't be put off, you are allowed to claim cash. You'll find the page to claim in cash at prr.eurostar.com

There are no restrictions on when you can claim.

You are entitled to compensation even if the reason for the delay  such as bad weather, strike action or disruption due to the recent migrant crisis  is out of Eurostar's control.

For further information, call 03432 186 186 or email traveller.care@eurostar.com

A missed ferry as a result of a traffic jam could be a valid reason for a travel insurance claim

. . . And if you got stuck in a jam

If you're stuck in traffic and miss your flight or ferry, you may be able to claim on travel insurance.

Insurers typically expect you to factor in extra time for delays when planning your route to the airport or ferry terminal.

However, if something extraordinary happens that causes severe delays  such as the collapsed pedestrian bridge on the M20 last month  the Association of British Insurers says the firm should honour your claim.

Check the small print of your travel policy to ensure it covers you for missed departures.
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Hitler sits gnawing on a human bone, blood dripping from his mouth; a flaming Nazi Swastika on the end of a branding iron is aimed at planet earth; and a terrifying SS 'ape man' roars on the field of battle. These extraordinary images form part of the astonishing propaganda campaign that helped Britain and its allies to win the Second World War.

From a poster urging good citizens not to keep any kind of diary, to the image of a beautiful but determined brunette Ruby Loftus leaning over machinery in a factory in Newport, they capture an unparalleled moment in British history.

The images were found on posters, in books, illustrated magazines, pamphlets, and postcards - in various languages, different styles and aimed at all ages. They were distributed through the UK and the world by the long-defunct Ministry of Information, which played a key role in the government's extensive propaganda campaign which hoped to win hearts and minds during the war years.

From Sierra Leone to Greece, and from Russia to Australia, the Ministry of Information was frantically pumping out pro-government messages - whether it was warnings of being enslaved by the advancing Nazi hordes, reminders not to spill state secrets or uplifting proclamations that promised the Allies were winning the war.

Some were so successful, we still know their catchphrases today. Others barely made a mark.

And now they have all been brought together in Persuading the People, a fascinating new book by historian David Welch, who sorted through the archives at the British Library to find the best examples of Britain's propaganda to give readers a fascinating insight into Britain's war of words.

Clear message: Hitler sits on a pile of skulls, representing all the people he had killed in his war on Europe. Entitled Maneater, this cartoon was actually from The Spirit of the Soviet Union but was made into a poster in Britain. 'When we became allied with the Soviet Union, we started to use their propaganda to show how the Russians viewed Hitler,' explained Welch

Scarred: A burning Swastika attempts to stamp its authority on the world in this pamphlet, which came with the rallying text ALL Britons will rally to the call  crying with a united voice IT SHALL NOT HAPPEN HERE!. 'What is important here is the moment in time this came out - Britain was virtually alone, but they were saying we are not going to stand for it,' said Welch

Recycled: This image first appeared during World War One, but reappeared two decades later decorated with swastikas. The ape, explains Welch, was an important image in 20th century propaganda. 'The apeman was uncivilised and barbaric,' he added. 'It is always a powerful image'

Support: This art deco style poster was one of Welch's favorites, showing an archer shooting a British warplane towards Japan, backed by tanks and boats. 'The target is beautiful because it is the rising sun of the Japanese flag,' he said. 'It was released right at the end of the war - a reminder that Britain was continuing to fight, it was not just a war in Europe'

Secrets: This poster was one of the most successful and best-remembered campaigns, Careless Talk Cost Lives. This poster, Welch acknowledges, is not as well known as the 'whispers' message, but had an important role. 'It was not just about speaking, it was also what you write. A diary is something you might be more open with. They were concerned agents might gain access to these diaries, which could provide them with very detailed information'

Hero: This picture shows Ruby Loftus screwing a the breech ring of the Bofors gun - a skill which her pre-war male colleagues had taken nine years to learn, but she had done in two. 'It's probably the most iconic image of a woman at work,' he said of the painting, mean to inspire. 'The focus on her eyes, and everything - the skill, the mechanics she is using so expertly, it is beautiful'

Pride: 'The colours are so beautiful on these posters,' Welch says of this series, produced by Transport for London of the city's bombed buildings standing defiant amid the rubble. 'Historically, TfL have always contributed to the war effort, producing posters of beautiful landscape in the First World War. These were pictures to keep the British peoples' morale up'

Evil web: Both the British and Americans were not adverse to reducing the Japanese to racial stereotypes in their propaganda, says Welch. 'You were often seeing them as vermin, as spiders, rats,' he said. This particular poster shows the Japanese as a spider, with its web of evil - actually the flag - spreading out off the page

Morale: It wasn't all about deriding the enemy. Sometimes it was about reminding them who had the upper hand - like this one, which showed the sheer support of the allies. 'This was to send to allies all over the world. They all look so determined'

International: Posters were not just for the British. This one was created just before D-Day, and shows the French playing a role in their own liberation from the Nazis. 'Even though, of course, there was the Vichy French, this was a great incentive for the French freedom fighters. It was saying they would not be seen as the vanquished, but as liberators'

Dual meaning: It wasn't just to raise morale, however. Positive posters could also be used to destroy it - like this one, showing the Allies' man power. It was translated into German and dropped into the towns and cities. Note, says Welch, the positioning of the British standing at the front - even ahead of the Americans

Mistake: 'We didn't see so much against the Italians - they were very much the junior partners of Hitler,' Welch explained. 'It would normally be Mussolini if anything. This was quite a detailed pamphlet, which shows Italy before the war, and Italy then. Basically, they picked the wrong side'

Thanks: The war was very much an international effort, and some of the posters thanked the countries supporting the British - like this one, aimed at Sierra Leone. There was, says Welch, a series of campaigns to encourage those living overseas - including ones where pictures of the spitfires they had helped make were sent back, as 'their' planes

Terrifying: However, in case you weren't convinced by the thanks, there were also posters warning of what might happen should the British not win the war, like this one. 'This is very different propaganda than what was aimed at countries like Australia and Canada,' Welch said

Protectors: And posters like these reminded those living in British-controlled parts of Africa who was protecting them. The bright colours were particular to these posters in West Africa. 'This is part of a series of posters  some of which have a real imperial element that would be considered offensive and even racist now, said Welch

Violence: African soldiers were also part of the war effort - this one has both an English and Swahili slogan, and is unusual because it depicts the horrors of war

Juxtaposition: Despite the sombre picture, this is actually an uplifting poster, reading Two years ago the British Empire was aloneToday four-fifths of the world are united against the Axis tyranny'. 'This one is a real throwback to the First World War propaganda,' said Welch

Hope: This detailed pamphlet - complete with stickers on the back, packed with helpful facts - was also dropped over Europe, to show resistance fighters how the British were responding. 'It's one of those you open up. One side is saying yesterday, when we were under fire, and today, when we have all guns blazing,' explained Welch

Winning: This poster - which starts with a subdued, scared lion and ends with a roar - was also distributed overseas, showing how Britain was becoming more confident in its fight against the Nazis. This - with its simple images and lack of words - was found to be one of the most successful posters of the entire campaign

Warning: This pamphlet was distributed in Greek, but translated into many languages. 'This was a striking pamphlet in black and white. I thought it was quite interesting what it was showing - you can see what Hitler did in the beginning of the war, and then what was happening to the Germans at the end'

Helping hand: The Ministry of Information used this series of posters to encourage the Home Front 'These posters were made at a time in the war when we had just won our first victory. Everything had been going against us until then - and this reflects the growing confidence of Britain,' explained Welch

Poisoned: The Nazi's manipulation of children came in for particular attention from the Ministry of Information, including this poster showing how they were turned from innocents into 'ruffians'. Welch says the brainwashing of children struck a particular chord in Britain. 'The idea was that small children were not being turned into better citizens, but military killers'
Miss District of Columbia and Miss Tennessee were declared the winners of the first night of the Miss America competition preliminaries Tuesday.

Cierra Jackson, Miss District of Columbia, won the swimsuit competition, while Miss Tennessee, Grace Burgess, topped the talent competition with a rendition of the Eagles classic 'Desperado.'

The event was the first of three nights of preliminary competitions at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, leading up to the new Miss America being crowned during Sunday night's nationally televised finale.

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Miss Tennessee, Grace Burgess (left) and Miss District of Columbia, Cierra Jackson (right) won the first Miss America preliminaries in Atlantic City on Tuesday

Jackson (pictured) won the swimsuit competition, while Burgess took the top position in the talent competition when she sang the Eagles classic 'Desperado'

Contestants compete in the evening gown portion of the Miss America pageant on Tuesday. There will be two more preliminaries before the televised finale on Sunday

The contestants participate in the swimsuit portion of the Miss America pageant. Jackson called her swimsuit win a 'blessing'

Burgess chose the well-known crowd pleaser 'Desperado' by The Eagles as her talent performance, delivering it with a slight country tilt, earning one of the loudest ovations of the evening.

She said she had been rehearsing the song for several years with her uncle, a gospel musician in the Nashville area, who died of lung cancer while they were working on the arrangement.

'I felt it was up to me to try my best to carry on his legacy,' she said. 'I know he's looking down and smiling on me with a big grin on his face.'

Jackson called her swimsuit win 'a blessing.'

'You let your light shine and let other people see what happens,' she said.

Although they didn't win, the other contenders put on quite a show.

Miss Rhode Island, Shruti Nagarajan, performed a Bollywood fusion dance in which she employed a facial mask, while Miss Ohio, Alice Magoto, sang 'Astonishing' from 'Little Women.'

Miss Mississippi Laura Lee Lewis sang 'A Piece Of the Sky' from 'Yentl,' and Miss Colorado Shannon Patilla sang 'Something's Got a Hold On Me.'

Miss Nebraska, Aleah Peters, showed off her baton-twirling skills during the talent section

Miss Iowa, Kelly Koch, chose 'dance' as her talent

Miss Oregon, Alexis Mather, chose to sing opera as her skill

Miss New York, Camille Sims, also lent her vocal talents to the show's roster of events

With 52 women vying for the crown, finding a way to stand out from the crowd is imperative, and contestants traditionally incorporate their home state into a humorous introduction of themselves.

'From the state that gave you your first phone exchange - America, can you hear me now?' asked Miss Connecticut Alyssa Rae Taglia.

'From the state with the highest number of lightning strikes in the nation, I'm comin' in hot!' said Miss Florida, Courtney Sexton.

'Whether it's baked, mashed or fried, I'm one hot potato!' boasted Miss Idaho, Kylee Solberg.

And Miss Massachusetts Alissa Musto offered: 'From the state that brought you bands like Boston, The Cars and Aerosmith, I'm here to rock and roll!'

The contestants take part in the gown portion of the show

More stunning ball gowns are on display during Tuesday's preliminaries

The contestants also strutted their stuff in swimsuits

Miss Indiana, Brianna DeCamp, leads the pack during the Lifestyle and Fitness portion of the first night of Miss America Preliminaries

But it wasn't all quips: Each contestant also offered up a deeper cause that they hoped to promote if they were declared Miss America.

Bullying, suicide prevention, support for the military and helping both children and the elderly figured prominently in the contestants' onstage interviews.

Musto, Miss Massachusetts, has a pageant platform that calls for placing pianos in schools and community centers, in order to help foster a communal love of music.

'One piano can create 1,000 musicians,' she said. 'Anyone can play them and anyone can listen.'

Miss Michigan, Arianna Quan, spoke about immigration and helping people show pride in their heritage.

'As we've all seen with this election year, a talk about immigration has been extremely painful,' she said.

Beijing-born Quan said she hopes to 'provide tools to Americans to celebrate their backgrounds.'

'Let's face it,' she continued, 'unless you are Native American, we are all the sons and daughters of immigrants.'

Host Dena Blizzard (left) stands with Miss West Virginia, Morgan Breeden as she takes a no-bullying oath while presenting a no-bullying message during the on-stage question portion

Contestants show off their sparking evening gowns
A former police chief dubbed 'The Tajik', trained by the US in anti-terror tactics, has been made the new ISIS 'Minister of War', it has emerged.

Gulmurod Khalimov, once an elite police commander in the central Asian nation of Tajikistan, defected to join the terror group last May.

Washington last week offered a reward of up to $3million for information leading to the location, arrest, and conviction of the militant, who had gone through special forces training in both Russia and the United States.

Gulmurod Khalimov, once an elite police commander in the central Asian nation of Tajikistan, defected to join the terror group last May

Now it has emerged that the extremist has been promoted through the ranks of ISIS, to the position of Minister of War.

An security source told Iraqi News: 'The Tajik has been appointed as the successor to the dead terrorist Tarhan Batirashvili who also known as Abu Omar al-Chechani.

'The Tajik Golmurud Khalimov was elected as the first military commander in ISIS. The organization did not announce it officially because it fears that once mentioned, there might be a series of air strikes against them.'

This morning, it emerged that Tajikistan's security services are investigating unspecified threats of action this month purportedly made by Khalimov.

The US government has described the extremists as a 'key leader' of ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

Washington last week offered a reward of up to $3million for information leading to the location, arrest, and conviction of the militant, who had gone through special forces training in both Russia and the United States

Two security sources told Reuters that this week servicemen in Tajkikistan, a country bordering Afghanistan and seen by the West and Russia as a possible conduit both for militant Islamists and drug runners, started receiving text messages on their mobile phones in Khalimov's name.

In these messages, he promised to 'congratulate' them on the 25th anniversary of independence celebrated on September 9, the sources said. Security services were investigating the matter.

The evident threats come on the first anniversary of an attempted coup staged by then deputy defence minister, General Abdukhalim Nazarzoda. He died fighting pro-government troops shortly afterwards.
A top British scientist committed suicide amid fears the 32-year-old CEO of Theranos was about to fire him - because he was having trouble getting her one-prick blood tests to work, his wife has claimed.

Cambridge graduate Ian Gibbons was head scientist at the Silicon Valley bio-tech firm when he started finding issues with the technology which made Elizabeth Holmes the richest self-made women in America, with a net worth of $4.5billion in 2015.

According to an investigation by Vanity Fair, Mr Gibbons was having problems getting Holmes' methods to work, but was pressured to back the company during a lawsuit and throughout its massive expansion.

His wife Rochelle said he killed himself ours after Holmes had called him in for a meeting. He had recently been diagnosed with cancer and feared he was about to lose his job.

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Ian Gibbons committed suicide because he feared the 32-year-old CEO of Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes (pictured) was about to fire him - because he was having trouble getting her one-prick blood tests to work, his wife has claimed

But Theranos maintain that Gibbons was hardly in their office because of his health problems and had told people connected to the company their products were ready for the commercial market.

Holmes' fortune plummeted to zero overnight amid allegations the blood-testing company she founded in 2003 produced inaccurate tests and was being investigated by federal agencies, including the FBI.

The scientist (pictured) was having health problems at the time of his suicide

They had said they could use their Edison machines to get comprehensive test results on a patient in four hours with just a finger prick of blood - at a cost of just $30 a time. But in July they were banned from running the tests for two years.

Scientists were even using other lab machines to retrieve results. An investigation by the Wall Street Journal in October, 2015 - that sparked Holmes' downfall - said only 15 of 190 tests done in 2014 were carried out by Theranos' Edison machines.

While the young Stanford drop-out hired streams of marketing specialists and entrepreneurs to make the firm more money, Gibbons desperately tried to find a way to fix the problems.

He was employed as chief scientist in 2005, but was diagnosed with cancer a short time later.

In 2012, Theranos also decided to sue Richard Fuisz, an old friend and neighbor of Holmes's family, alleging that he had stolen secrets that belonged to Theranos.

Fuisz's lawyers then issued subpoenas to executives at the firm who had 'proprietary' aspects of the technology.

They had said they could use their Edison machines to get comprehensive test results on a patient in four hours with just a finger prick of blood - at a cost of just $30 a time. But in July they were banned from running the tests for two years

Gibbons was asked to testify, but he didn't want to. There is a chance he may have had to reveal to a court his concerns with the technology and the fact he was still trying to get it work.

He was also concerned he would harm the people who worked alongside him, Vanity Fair reported.

Holmes allegedly grew frustrated with Mr Gibbons and his unwillingness to testify.

She had been warned the technology wasn't ready, but she was still preparing to open 'Theranos Wellness Centers' in dozens of Walgreens across Arizona.

However, other employees within the company said it was ready. Gibbons also, allegedly, told executives the machine could be put in stores.

President of Baume & Mercier, Rudy Chavez presents the Under 30 Doers Award to Founder & CEO of Theranos Elizabeth Holmes during the Forbes Under 30 Summit in October 2015. Forbes have since re-estimated her wealth at zero

Rochelle told the magazine: 'Ian felt like he would lose his job if he told the truth.

'Ian was a real obstacle for Elizabeth. He started to be very vocal. They kept him around to keep him quiet.'

Channing Robertson, who was responsible for bringing Gibbons to the company, said the scientist told him a different story.

'He suggested to me on numerous occasions that what we had accomplished at that time was sufficient to commercialize,' he said.

A few months later, on May 16, 2013, Gibbons got a call from one of Holmes' assistants, asking him to come to a meeting in her office the next day.

'Do you think she's going to fire me?' he asked his wife. 'Yes,' she replied.

Hours later he tried to commit suicide. He was rushed to the hospital but died from his injuries a week later.

When Rochelle called Holmes's office to explain what had happened, the secretary offered her sincere condolences.

Holmes is seen talking to former President Bill Clinton during the final session of the Clinton Global Initiative in September, 2015

Later that day she got call from someone at Theranos asking her to immediately turn over any information that might be deemed confidential.

Heather King, the company's general counsel, told the Wall Street Journal that Gibbons was 'was frequently absent from work in the last years of his life, due to health and other problems.'

Theranos disputes the claim that its technology was failing.

After Dr. Gibbons's widow spoke to the newspaper, a lawyer representing Theranos reportedly sent her a letter threatening to sue her if she continued to make 'false statements'.

In June, Theranos Inc was sued.

The firm were accused of endangering customer health through 'massive failures' that misrepresented the accuracy and quality of its blood tests, according to court papers.

The proposed class action was brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by the law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP.

The complaint accuses the company of breach of contract, false advertising and consumer fraud, among other claims.

It estimated that thousands of consumers could be eligible to join the lawsuit, citing Theranos' claims that it had performed more than 6 million tests.

In an emailed statement, Theranos called the lawsuit 'without merit', and said it 'will vigorously defend itself against these claims'.

Theranos last week notified U.S. federal health regulators that it voided results from its Edison blood-testing devices for two years, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

The company informed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that it has issued tens of thousands of corrected blood-test reports to doctors and patients, nullifying some results and revising others, the Journal reported.

Theranos once touted its Edison device as a ground-breaking technology able to test blood from just a pinprick.

Holmes' estimated wealth last year was based entirely on her 50 per cent stake in Theranos, Forbes reported.

As a result of the allegations, Walgreens severed ties with Theranos. Holmes' aim had been to put her machines in 8,200 stores across the country.
Valentine confessed in Facebook video he had shot his ex-wife

The 15-year-old died; his ex-wife survived but was critically wounded

Valentine shot his ex-wife and teenage son at home Tuesday, police said

Authorities are looking for Earl Valentine of Norlina, North Carolina

Authorities are looking for a man accused of shooting his ex-wife and his 15-year-old son, killing the teenage boy, before recording a confession on Facebook live.

Earl Valentine kicked in the door of Keisha Valentine's home in Norlina, North Carolina on Tuesday and shot her before killing his son Earl Jr., police chief Taylor Bartholomew said.

Valentine posted a video on his Facebook page admitting to his ex-wife's shooting, Bartholomew added.

'She lied on me, had warrants taken out on me. She drug me all the way down to nothing,' Valentine said on the video. 'I loved my wife, but she deserved what she had coming.'

'I know a lot of y'all are going to be disappointed in me, but it was something that had to be done.

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Valentine posted a video on his Facebook page admitting to his ex-wife's shooting. A still from the video is seen above

Authorities are looking for Earl Valentine (pictured in an old mugshot), who is accused of shooting his ex-wife and his 15-year-old son, killing the boy, before recording a confession on Facebook Live

Tragedy: Earl Valentine (left) allegedly shot his ex-wife Keisha Valentine (right) and then confessed on Facebook

Dead: Earl Valentine Jr. (left) was allegedly shot dead by his father Earl Valentine

The post has since been removed. The chief said a domestic protection order was in place but expired last month.

The chief said he later talked to Valentine on the phone and described him as 'cold and callous' and showing no remorse for the shootings.

'We actually got a call from the young victim with a dying declaration that his father had shot him and his father also shot his mother,' Bartholomew said according to WTVR.

Valentine said he was on his way to Richmond, Virginia, to kill other family members, according to Bartholomew.

These relatives have been placed under police protection, authorities said.

Authorities are now looking for Valentine from Richmond to South Carolina.

The FBI Fugitive Task Force and US Marshals are involved in the case. Valentine should be considered armed and dangerous, authorities said.

Valentine is facing a first-degree murder charge in his son's death.
She woke her boyfriend who kicked the intruder out of the house

The woman initially thought it was her boyfriend sleeping next to her

Woman woke to find a man licking her private parts in February 2015

A man has been jailed for two years for breaking into a woman's home and licking her private parts as she slept next to her boyfriend.

Joseph Taouk, 35, broke into the Potts Point home in inner-city Sydney at 3.30am on February 9, 2015, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.

She thought it was her boyfriend but after 20 seconds or so realised it was not him.

She slid her hand across their bed and when she felt her partner still next to her, grabbed his arm, dug her fingernails in and whispered: 'Someone is there.'

A man has been sentenced to two years in jail for licking the bottom of a young woman in her Sydney home

'What the f**k. Who are you?,' the partner said.

'sorry, sorry I thought this was the boarding house. The front door was open,' Taouk replied.

The boyfriend then took Taouk to the front door and returned to find his girlfriend sobbing.

Taouk had left her feeling scared, terrified and physically sick but she didn't want to tell police.

However, she did tell her stepfather, who took her to Kings Cross police the next day.

Hours later, police found a 'nervous and sweating' Taouk walking around the area.

Taouk pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman and the aggravated break and enter into her home.

Jospeh Taouk, 35, explained in an apology letter he was mentally ill and 'was just following voices' after he was jailed for two years on Monday

On Monday he faced a NSW District Court judge who sentenced him to a minimum of two years in jail.

Taouk was caught by police after his DNA was found on the woman's pyjama pants and he was captured on CCTV footage on the couple's street.

The judge read an apology letter from Taouk which explained he was mentally ill and 'was just following voices'.

'I am sincerely sorry towards making the victim feel so disgusted and violated and wish none of this had ever happened,' Taouk wrote.

'I am so sorry with all my heart and hope the victim is getting better with her life, no woman deserves that in her life.'
thumbnail_Financial Readiness.jpg

Ocean Springs High School was honored Tuesday as a Banner School in Financial Readiness. Pictured at the presentation in Jackson are (left to right) Jean Massey, Mississippi Department of Education, Selena Swartzfager, Mississippi Council on Economic Education President, Ocean Springs superintendent Bonita Coleman, OSHS principal Vickie Tiblier, OSHS teacher Jim Zipperer, OSHS teacher Lamenda Hase and Brad Marley, chairman of the MCEE board of directors.

(OSHS photo)

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Ocean Springs High School was honored Tuesday as a 2016 Banner School in Financial Readiness.

Presented by the Mississippi Council on Economic Education and the Mississippi Department of Education, the two-year designation is awarded to schools whose students demonstrate economic and financial preparedness for life beyond school.

"This recognition happened because of the efforts put in by our economics teachers to work with this program and to prepare our students to excel in economics and financial literacy," said OSHS principal Vickie Tiblier.

During the previous school year, OSHS students earned the Overall EconSummit Team Award at the 7th annual International Economic Summit at Mississippi College in Clinton.

In addition, OSHS teacher Angela Sanders was honored by the MCEE as the 2015 Economics Teacher of the Year.
to try and treat her

A young woman suffering a rare condition has revealed the sound of her family chewing at dinnertime sets her off into a blind rage.

Marina Sergeant, 24, was diagnosed with misophonia when she was 16-years-old after she found herself screaming at her Brisbane schoolmates to 'stop eating like pigs' before storming off to finish her lunch with her iPod headphones on.

The bizarre condition causes sufferers to spiral into rage or panic after hearing certain sounds such as snoring, chewing and even breathing.

'I'm scared off by people eating or people tapping something and I have to walk away or scream,' Ms Sergeant told Daily Mail Australia.

The bizarre condition misophonia causes sufferers to spiral into rage or panic after hearing certain sounds such as snoring, chewing and even breathing (stock image)

Ms Sergeant said she once yelled at a stranger in a shopping centre after becoming anxious hearing them eat.

'It was like the sound was heightened and in my mind, I said it quietly, but I actually said it out loud,' she said.

'They gave me the worst look in the world'.

The 24-year-old said her symptoms have become progressively worse as she's gotten older.

Sounds made by others eating, drinking, playing with their fingernails and scratching causes Ms Sergeant to panic.

She also struggles with the sound of children sucking on their fingers and has to walk away to keep from yelling.

In 2014, Ms Sergeant sought help from a doctor who laughed at her symptoms and was unable to treat her.

Sounds made by others eating, drinking, playing with their fingernails and scratching causes Ms Sergeant to panic (stock image)

Common triggers include chewing, breathing, sniffling, typing on keyboards, plastic wrappers crinkling, dogs barking, television sounds, pen clicking, texting, snoring and sneezing

The Brisbane woman then logged onto Google and managed to find a misophonia forum and contact details for audiologist Nolene Nielson.

Dr Nielson is researching visualisation techniques to try and treat the rare condition.

WHAT IS MISOPHONIA? The word misophonia literally translates to 'hatred of sound'. But sufferers are only sensitive to certain sounds and have immediate negative emotional responses. They may become enraged, defensive, try to escape the trigger noise or spiral into a panic attack. Common triggers include chewing, breathing, sniffling, typing on keyboards, plastic wrappers crinkling, dogs barking, television sounds, pen clicking, texting, snoring and sneezing. Advertisement

Ms Sergeant said after just a couple of months of treatment she has been able to join her family at the dinner table for the first time in years.

People suffering misophonia are sensitive to certain sounds and have an immediate negative emotional response to hearing these sounds.

They may become enraged, defensive, try to escape the trigger noise or spiral into a panic attack.

Common triggers include chewing, breathing, sniffling, typing on keyboards, plastic wrappers crinkling, dogs barking, television sounds, pen clicking, texting, snoring and sneezing.

Some sufferers are also sensitive to others making the relieved 'ahh' sound after drinking or burping.

People with misophonia will often avoid situations where they know trigger sounds will occur such as offices, parks and food courts.

People suffering misophonia are sensitive to certain sounds such as chewing and sniffling and have an immediate negative emotional response to hearing these sounds
An angry father has hit out at his daughter's school for sending her home - for wearing the wrong trousers.

Ellen Renwick, 15, from Gateshead, was told her tight-fitting trousers breached the uniform policy at the Thomas Hepburn Community Academy.

But her father Bruce says the school has been heavy-handed in their approach, adding that he was unable to find other styles in the shops as they had all sold out.

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Ellen Renwick, 15, from Gateshead, (right) with friend Emma Warwick, was told her trousers breached the uniform policy at the Thomas Hepburn Community Academy

Mr Renwick said he received a call from the school on Tuesday morning saying about 100 girls were being sent home for wearing the wrong uniform.

The school did not provide an exact number, but said a 'very small number' of girls arrived in trousers which did not match uniform guidelines and were sent home to get changed.

However, Mr Renwick said he had spent a day looking for suitable trousers, adding that Ellen's trousers were 'deep black' and did not look like jeans.

He said: 'I found the best pair I thought were possible because the stocks were very low in her size. She generally needs a skinnier type because she has long legs.'

Bruce said he went to the school to speak to teachers and was told his daughter's head of year that she could attend lessons this week as long as they got Ellen new trousers by Monday.

But he said the school said that Ellen could only stay if she remained in isolation.

Her father Bruce says the school has been heavy-handed in their approach, adding that he was unable to find other styles in the shops as they had all sold out

The school said a 'very small number' girls arrived in trousers which did not match uniform guidelines and were sent home to get changed

Bruce said: 'They're offering isolation or go home when I asked for a week to find alternative trousers, it's just wrong.

'I'm really worked up by about this, my daughter's got a perfect record at school.'

A spokesman for Thomas Hepburn Community Academy said: 'We have started a new school year and are ensuring that all our students are in full uniform.

'Details about the uniform and the need for students to adhere to the uniform policy were sent to all parents in July.

But Mr Renwick said he had spent a day looking for suitable trousers, adding that Ellen's trousers were 'deep black' and did not look like jeans

He said the school said that Ellen could only stay in school if she remained in isolation

'Today, a number of students have come to school wearing the wrong uniform. A small number have gone home to change into the correct uniform, with parental agreement.

'However, there are some girls who came to school wearing the wrong trousers and those students have been given until next Monday to address this. The uniform is a black or grey skirt or trousers - not fashion trousers or leggings.

'We have found it necessary to exclude a very small number of students for poor and unacceptable behaviour, which has nothing to do with non-adherence to the uniform policy.
The family of a woman who was killed in a suspected murder-suicide at the hands of her estranged husband while their daughter slept in another room have said they don't want the father's family caring for the child.

The bodies of Tasmin Bahar and Dave Pillay were found in the bathroom of a home they previously shared in Smithfield, in Sydney's west, on Father's Day on Sunday.

As Ms Bahar's mother and sister travel to Sydney from Bangladesh, her cousin has revealed the family is upset that the three-year-old is in the care of Pillay's relatives.

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Dave Pillay (left) is believed to have killed his former partner Tasmin Bahar (right) while their three-year-old slept in the next room on Father's Day

Ms Bahar's (pictured) mother and sister travel to Sydney from Bangladesh and hope to get custody of her daughter

'We don't want our little angel being looked after by that murderer's family,' Dorin Hussain told the Daily Telegraph.

'He took Tasmin from us  and now his family has got ... (the child), how is that right?'

Ms Hussain added that her cousin's sister and mother want to get custody of the little girl as soon as possible.

Earlier it was revealed Pillay had a violent past, with a cousin of Ms Bahar claiming the man had held a knife to his daughter's neck just weeks earlier.

On Monday, Sifat Sharmin Ruponty, said this incident caused Ms Bahar to end her six-year relationship with Pillay.

'He actually took a knife in my niece's neck and that is when my sister decided that she cannot live with the man anymore,' Ms Ruponty told Channel Seven.

Ms Bahar, 35, moved out of the house several weeks before her death as Pillay had reportedly started physically threatening her and their child, on one occasion with a knife

Ms Bahar's cousin Sifat Sharmin Ruponty (pictured) alleged that Pillay had threatened his young daughter just five weeks earlier by holding a knife to her throat

'That is when she stepped out of the house.'

According to another of Ms Bahar's cousins, Dorin Hussain, she had just started to 'smile again' when she was murdered, the Daily Telegraph reports.

'She is the sweetest, kindest girl who would never hurt a soul. She went to see Dave on Father's Day to be nice to him and she's ended up paying with her life,' Mr Hussain said.

'What makes me sad is that she finally was smiling again. She had moved into a new place and was talking about how she was going to decorate it.

'She was happy and looking forward to the future.'

Ms Bahar, 35, was warned by her family not to return to the property, but she wanted to give Pillay an opportunity to spend time with his daughter for Father's Day.

The young girl was found unharmed, sleeping in the next room when a male relative made the gruesome discovery and contacted police. Another of Ms Bahar's cousins said she was just starting to 'smile again' after leaving her partner

The bodies were found inside a bathroom of a home the couple previously shared in Smithfield

The couple's daughter had moved to a nearby apartment with Ms Bahar when they separated.

'We told her not to go... but she went for Father's Day,' sister Sharagin Bahar told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'She wanted Dave to see her daughter,' she added.

The young girl was found unharmed, sleeping in the next room when a male relative made the gruesome discovery and contacted police.

Homicide detectives are investigating the possible murder-suicide and have confirmed they are not seeking 'other parties' in relation to the deaths.

Homicide detectives are investigating the possible murder suicide and have confirmed they are not seeking 'other parties' in relation to the deaths

Sharagin, who lives in New York, said she was travelling to Australia via Bangladesh and planned to take custody of the young orphan.

'I am so lost. I just want to take my niece into my custody, I want her with me. I'll take care of her. I'll do whatever is best for her.'

A neighbour said his wife had heard the young girl screaming for her mother before the two bodies were found.

'My wife raced downstairs and said 'John, the little girl has come out screaming, yelling mummy',' John Araco told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Ms Bahar's sister is travelling to Australia to take custody of the three-year-old orphan

'It seemed very quiet so I didn't think anything of it until the police came,' he added.

He said the couple had been living together for three years, but their relationship had become noticeably strained over the last six weeks.
In a beauty market worth billions, many players have made wild claims about the age-defying properties of their lotions and potions.

But few have been so daring  perhaps even crazy  to assert that their cream can banish wrinkles in seconds. For 50.

Such were the outlandish claims of My Perfect Eyes that it found its TV ads being reported to watchdogs.

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Now you see it, now you don't: A deep wrinkle below the woman's left eye (left) vanishes one minute after the cream is applied. A pot of My Perfect Eyes costs just 50

Many cynics then sat back and waited for it to get a dressing down. But remarkably, the Advertising Standards Authority has instead given the product the thumbs up. It ruled that the cream really does smooth out wrinkles around the eyes  although only temporarily.

Importantly, there are no claims to rejuvenate the skin. Instead, the cream, which costs around 50 for 200 applications, effectively creates a temporary see-through film that tightens the skin as it dries.

This film then continues to work its magic for up to ten hours, giving a more youthful appearance, before everything drops again.

The product is made by an Australian firm, which claims it is loved by A list stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Brad Pitt and Juliette Binoche. The TV ad for My Perfect Eyes featured testimonials from customers and a voiceover making the claim that it appears to temporarily reverse time. A time lapse sequence showed the cream visibly tightening the bags under one eye over just 60 seconds.

Line free: Sarah Jessica Parker is said to be a fan

And photographs of a woman before and after using the product showed that the puffiness under her eyes and her crows feet wrinkles had decreased. A UK dermatherapist, Dr Hugo Kitchen, was then heard praising the performance of the cream based on detailed before and after scans. The manufacturer, The Perfect Cosmetics Company, which sells the cream through Amazon and TV home shopping channels, presented evidence from a trial to verify the creams effects.

A skin consultant also agreed that it worked. The ASA said: The consultant confirmed that the product contained ingredients which dried out when applied to the skin and formed a film. That process tightened the skin which made wrinkles appear to reduce dramatically. The consultant confirmed that those ingredients had an immediate effect, which was temporary, but its effect could last for several hours.

The clinical trial involved a ten- hour study with 24 people where one eye was treated with the cream and the other was not. The ASA said: The study reported an improvement in a significant majority of subjects with fine lines and wrinkles, as well as swelling. In addition, the study showed that in 50 per cent of the subjects, the treated eye was assessed to be markedly better than the control eye, at all three time points.

We considered the effects seen were down to use of the product.

Significantly, in a ruling published today, the ASA said: We concluded the claim made by Dr Kitchen, which was accompanied by the before and after photos, did not misleadingly exaggerate the effects of the cream.
There are hundreds of Islamic State sympathisers in Australia and an attack at an iconic landmark could be worse than the Sydney siege, a terror expert has warned.

The terrorist group called on lone wolf attacks at sites and suburbs including Bondi, Brunswick, the MCG, SCG and the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday.

Deakin University counter-terrorism expert Greg Barton said Australians needed to put the terrorist propaganda into perspective and 'not succumb to the hype'.

He described Islamic State's call-out as more a 'hopeful Hail Mary gesture' than a real threat.

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Islamic State online newsletter Rumiyah (pictured) has published calls for its followers to commit lone-wolf attacks at Australian landmarks

Deakin University counter-terrorism expert Greg Barton (pictured) said the call-out was more of a 'hopeful Hail Mary gesture' than a real threat

'It's not a specific threat. It's not a game changer,' he told ABC radio.

'We have popped up in a way that is disproportionate to our size, we have been in their sights for some time and there are hundreds of people in Australia who are sympathetic to them,' Prof Barton told News.com.au.

'They would like [an attack] in Australia because the Lindt Cafe siege got a level of international coverage a similar incident in another place wouldn't have gotten, if it had occurred in Turkey, for example.

'But they want something bigger because Man Monis was someone they didn't know.'

Islamic State online newsletter Rumiyah published calls for its followers to commit lone-wolf attacks at Australian sites earlier this week.

'Stab them, shoot them, poison them, and run them down with your vehicles. Kill them wherever you find them,' the newsletter said.

The rant was posted less than a week after the purported death of Islamic state spokesman Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, who had previously released a message about Australia

Federal counter-terrorism assistant minister Michael Keenan said while the security threat is worse than two years ago, the nation's security agencies are prepared.

People shouldn't be worried about heading to AFL finals games at the MCG in coming weeks, Mr Keenan said.

'People need to be assured that our agencies have the capability to protect us and we take appropriate measures to make sure any footy final or any place where a lot of people are gathering do have appropriate protections,' he told Nine Network on Wednesday.

Mr Keenen said Islamic State had an effective propaganda machine to spread its message in western countries.

'Australia is not going to be immune from that,' he said.

But changes to counter-terrorism laws give police and intelligence agencies more powers to intervene earlier if they were concerned about the possibility of attacks.

Malcolm Turnbull said as Islamic State loses territory in Syria and Iraq, the group will resort to terrorist attacks outside the Middle East.

The Prime Minister, who is attending a meeting of south-east Asian leaders in Laos, admitted there was a 'real threat' of terrorism on Australian soil, News.com.au reported.

Terror experts have assured AFL fans to feel safe at the finals at the MCG (stock image) in coming weeks

Islamic State released a call-out for lone-wolf supporters in Australia to attack iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House (stock image from May, 2015)

He said the IS call highlighted the necessity for strong regional co-operation on security.

'Sharing of intelligence is more important than ever before,' he told reporters.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton urged the public not to be alarmed and said Australians 'shouldn't be fearful of going out on to the streets in relation to terrorism.'

Mr Ashton said while there would be increased police numbers at the AFL finals played in Victoria, that was always going to be the case compared with home-and-away games.

He said additional measures are unlikely to be put in place.

'If people are planning on going to the footy this weekend, they can do so confidently,' he said.

Mr Ashton said the national threat level 'probable' hasn't changed.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews implored people to continue going about their business.

'That's a sign of strength and sends a very clear message that we will not be intimidated by these sorts of cowardly threats,' Mr Andrews said.
Plans to introduce 'spit hoods' to stop prisoners attacking officers were suspended by Britain's biggest police force last night.

Scotland Yard was forced to halt the deployment in London after an intervention from City Hall.

Senior officers must now explain why the equipment is necessary to Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan and his policing team.

Plans to introduce 'spit hoods' (pictured) to stop prisoners attacking officers were suspended by Britain's biggest police force last night

The Metropolitan Police Service was planning to start using spit hoods in 32 detention areas in a pilot scheme next month.

It said it had taken the decision in February to trial the mesh hoods, which stop spitting and biting, after private consultations in Newham, East London.

A number of other forces use the gear, which campaigners claim breaches the rights of suspects.

The Met had previously opposed their use with some chiefs expressing concerns the hoods were reminiscent of those used at Guantanamo Bay.

There have been claims they have been used unnecessarily, including on children and disabled people.

Lawyers have also raised fears that officers might not be able to see whether suspects are breathing if their face is covered.

The hoods were thrust into the public eye in July when British Transport Police officers were filmed using one on a man at London Bridge station.

The independent police watchdog is now investigating whether this was justified.

Sussex Police came under fire after it emerged that officers had used a spit hood, handcuffs and leg straps on an 11-year-old girl.

The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, has called for the use of the hoods to protect police.

The Met said their use would be recorded in the same way as other protective equipment such as restraints, pepper spray, batons and Tasers.

But Oliver Sprague of Amnesty International said: 'We're relieved that the Met Police has decided to put the brakes on what was a very controversial decision.

'What's urgently needed now is detailed national guidance on how these restraints can be used, the exact models which are used by all forces and assurances that this barbaric equipment will be used only when absolutely necessary.'

Senior officers must now explain why the equipment is necessary to Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan and his policing team

Martha Spurrier of Liberty said: 'A spit hood is a primitive, cruel and degrading tool that inspires fear and anguish.

'The suggestion that officers need to be able to cover people's faces and heads is as far-fetched as it is frightening.

'Spit hoods belong in horror stories, not on the streets of a civilised society.'

A Met spokesman said the force had been closely monitoring the 'national use and development' of spit hoods.

He added: 'There are now a number of forces where spit guards are used both operationally in response to incidents and in custody.

'The Met has a duty of care to its officers and staff  the issue of spitting and biting is a real problem, particularly in a custody environment, and is a significant health risk.'

He added that a pilot had been agreed to begin next month but 'with a new administration' in City Hall this would be delayed.
said 'sale is contrary to the national interest'

Chinese own less than one per cent of Australia's agricultural land

Chinese own less than one per cent of Australia's agricultural land  with the total foreign ownership at 13 per cent - a new government report has revealed.

The first Treasury register of foreign ownership report, which was published on Wednesday, showed that just 13.6 per cent of all agricultural land was owned by overseas entities, and less than one per cent belonged to China.

However if the the government had of approved the $370 million sale of the 10 million hectare cattle empire S. Kidman and Co to a Chinese company in April, China would have placed second highest on the register.

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The Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land report was created to establish how much of Australia's land was being sold to overseas buyers. This is the breakdown per state

Treasurer Scott Morrison blocked the Chinese company buying Australia's largest cattle station owner, concluding that its planned purchase was 'contrary to the national interest.'

Officially known as the Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land, it came was created to establish how much of Australia's land was being sold to overseas buyers.

The final results showed that despite foreign investment was continually rising, Australians still owned more than 85 per cent of agricultural land.

This first register of foreign investment focused on the 385 million hectares of Australian agricultural land available.

Brunette Downs Cattle Station on the Barkley tablelands in Australia's Northern Territory is a huge agricultural area. Thirty per cent of the Northern Territory was sold off overseas

Final results showed that despite foreign investment was continually rising, Australians still owned more than 85 per cent of agricultural land.

TOP FIVE OVERSEAS LANDOWNERS 1. United Kingdom 7.1% 2. United States 2% 3. The Netherlands 0.77% 4. Singapore 0.48% 5. China 0.38% Advertisement

The United Kingdom topped the pole for overseas landowners in Australia with 27.5 million hectares or seven per cent.

In second place on the register was the United States, followed by the Netherlands with almost three million hectares, and Singapore next with nearly two million hectares.

Within Australia itself, it was Queensland that finished up as the state with the largest land size owned by foreign interest at 17,658 million hectares in total.

But as an overall percentage of total agricultural land it was quite a way behind the Northern Territory that sold off 30 per cent overseas.

In April Treasurer Scott Morrison (pictured) blocked the Chinese company wanting to buy Australia's largest private landholder as its planned purchase is 'contrary to the national interest'

Tourists help muster cattle across the world's largest working cattle station at Anna Creek in South Australia - part of Kidman's portfolio

China is in fifth position with 1.5 million hectares in the new report - less than 0.5 per cent of total agricultural land across the country. This could all have been very different however.

The S. Kidman and Co portfolio is the largest private land holding in Australia and covers about 1.3 percent of the nation's total land area, and 2.5 percent of its agricultural land.

The group of 10 cattle stations covers 101,411 square kilometres throughout four states and territories in Australia.

At the start of this year Chinese firm Dakang Australia Holdings Pty Ltd lodged a $370 million bid to buy the company.

But Mr Morrison blocked the move saying that his 'preliminary view of the proposal that has been put to me is contrary to the national interest.'

Earlier this month, Dakang lodged a $370 million bid to buy S. Kidman and Co

Riders mustering cattle on the Great Australian Cattle Drive in South Australia held on Anna Creek station

He said he was concerned that the size and significance of the Kidman portfolio being sold as a single entity put it out of the reach of a local buyer.

'I have concerns that the form in which the Kidman portfolio has been offered as a single aggregated asset, has rendered it difficult for Australian bidders to be able to make a competitive bid,' Mr Morrison said at the time.

While the preliminary review found the sale process followed a satisfactory commercial practice that offered opportunity to Australian parties to make an offer, it also found there was significant domestic interest in Kidman.

'Australia welcomes foreign investment, however we must be confident that this investment is not contrary to the national interest,' Mr Morrison said.
A suspected chlorine gas attack in Aleppo yesterday has hospitalised dozens of people, including 37 children.

Syrian activists and rescue workers claimed that government aircraft dropped chlorine bombs on a crowded neighbourhood in the rebel-held part of the contested city.

Shocking videos and photographs showing sobbing children in oxygen masks gasping for breath were released last night, and one hospital said at least 71 people had been admitted with breathing difficulties.

Activists claimed forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad dropped bombs containing chlorine gas on rebel-held areas in Aleppo, Syria hospitalising dozens of people including 37 children

Last month there were two reports of the use of chlorine gas in Aleppo, but the government blamed rebels and said they have not used chemical weapons during the bitter conflict

Accusations involving the use of chlorine and other poisonous gases are not uncommon in the countrys civil war, but both sides have denied using them.

Fatal in high concentrations, the gas can cause lung damage and severe breathing difficulties in lower doses. Other symptoms include vomiting and nausea.

Last month there were at least two reports of suspected chlorine attacks in Aleppo, but the Syrian government blamed the opposition for using the gas.

Following the latest attack, a medical report from one of the hospitals in the besieged eastern part of the city claimed at least 71 people, including 37 children and ten women, were treated for breathing difficulties and a dry cough.

The report added that their clothes smelled of chlorine, and said that ten of the patients including a pregnant woman  were in a critical care unit.

Rescuers reported smelling chlorine on the clothes of some of the victims who suffered breathing difficulties after the latest barrel bomb attacks in the besieged city of Aleppo

Ibrahem Alhaj, a member of the Syria Civil Defense first responders team, said he got to the scene in the crowded al-Sukkari neighbourhood shortly after a helicopter dropped barrels containing what he said were four chlorine cylinders.

He said he had difficulty breathing and used a mask soaked in salt water to prevent irritation.

Mr Alhaj, who said at least 80 civilians were taken to hospitals, added: Most of those injured where women and children. It is a crowded neighbourhood.

Journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem also wrote on Twitter: Nasty chlorine attack in Aleppo I can feel it in my chest.

Last night the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 70 people in al-Sukkari had suffered from breathing difficulties after a barrel bomb attack. But the organisation said it could not ascertain if chlorine gas was used.

In August, a team of international inspectors determined that the Syrian government and Islamic State militants were responsible for chemical attacks carried out in 2014 and 2015. But the UN Security Council failed to agree whether to impose sanctions on the government, in line with a 2013 resolution authorising that such sanctions can be militarily enforced following the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Kristin Smart, 19, of Stockton, was last seen in the early morning of May 25, 1996

Police and FBI agents have started excavated a site on the edge of California Polytechnic State University in the hope of finding the remains of a student who vanished more than 20 years ago.

Kristin Smart, 19, of Stockton, was last seen in the early morning of May 25, 1996, while returning to her dorm after a party near the campus.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said: 'We're not sure where this is going to take us.

'Obviously, we want to be as optimistic as possible and we hope that this leads us to either Kristin or evidence of Kirstin.'

The site, in hilly terrain next to a campus parking lot, was one of several identified in January by dogs specially trained in detecting the scent of old human remains.

The location was disclosed because of its high visibility but the other sites are being kept secret because 'we do not want to tip our hat to the possible suspect or suspects out there,' Parkinson said.

He added: 'We have developed this lead over the past couple of years and have been working on it. This lead was determined, or developed, after a comprehensive review of the entire case.'

The dig, expected to last about four days, was timed to occur while classes were not in session at the university

A sign outside the James R. Murphy, Jr. law office in Arroyo Grande, California, offers a reward for information in the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said: 'Obviously, we want to be optimistic as possible and we hope that this leads us to either Kristin or evidence of Kristin'

The dig, expected to last about four days, was timed to occur while classes were not in session at the university.

Around 25 FBI agents and more than two dozen sheriff's deputies were expected to take part in the excavation, using more sophisticated technology than was available 20 years ago.

According to the FBI, Smart was last seen alive around 2am on May 25, 1996, by a fellow student, Paul Flores, who told police he parted company with her about a block from her dorm.

Flores had reported her missing the next day but other students thought she had gone camping so officers did not declare her missing for three days.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department and the FBI have renewed a search for the remains of Kristin Smart at sites on the California Polytechnic campus

Excavation work continues at Cal Poly as the FBI and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office look for the remains of Smart at sites on the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo

The San Luis Obispo Tribune newspaper reported that cadaver dogs homed in on Flores' dorm room during the investigation, specifically the mattress of his bed, and he was questioned by police in June 1996.

But he was not arrested or charged in connection with the case.

Smart's parents sued Flores and the university for wrongful death, but that lawsuit remains on hold because police records have been sealed during the criminal investigation, the paper said.

Smart was officially declared dead in 2002.

Sean Ragan, FBI special agent in charge of criminal investigation, remains hopeful of finding the remains of Smart, who was declared dead in 2002

Asked if Flores was a suspect, Parkinson said, 'I would say it's safe to say he's a person of interest in the case.'

The sheriff also said it was 'probably accurate' that authorities were now no closer to making any arrest than they were previously.
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Eerie photos show the idyllic rural farmhouse the Tromp family abandoned after they fled on a bizarre road trip.

Runaway father Mark Tromp is set to be reunited with his wife Jacoba, 53, and their children Mitchell, 25, Riana, 29, and Ella, 22, in the coming days after they abandoned their farmhouse in Silvan, east of Melbourne, last week.

The four-bedroom farmhouse still appears to be deserted more than a week after the family ran away after Mr Tromp feared their lives were in danger.

Mark Tromp is set to be reunited with his wife Jacoba, 53, and their children Mitchell, Riana, and Ella in the coming days after they abandoned their house in Silvan, east of Melbourne

Riana, Mark, Jacoba, Mitchell and Ella fled their family home on August 29 after Mr Tromp started to fear their lives were in danger

The family are believed to have purchased the two-storey house and farm nine years ago for $810,000.

There is still no explanation as to why the Tromp family abandoned their Silvan home on August 29 and headed to NSW, panicked and with no apparent destination in mind.

The family left everything at home including all mobile phones, tablets, passports and credit cards.

Keys were found in the ignitions of their cars and the house was unlocked.

When police later searched the farm, they found the house left in a state of chaos.

They had been rifling through financial records relating to their berry farm before they abandoned the house.

The Tromp family home appeared to be abandoned on Wednesday after Mr Tromp said he hoped to reunite with his wife and children in the coming days

The family are believed to have purchased the two-storey house and farm nine years ago for $810,000

Mr Tromp said on Tuesday he hoped to reunite with his wife and children so they could get back to life working on their farm

Mr Tromp and his children left the home unlocked when they fled on August 29

Photos have since emerged of the four-bedroom farmhouse where the family lived before they fled when Mr Tromp started to fear their lives were in danger

Their son Mitchell has told baffled neighbours 'I just don't know what happened' after news of their family's disappearance emerged.

Mark Chapman, a neighbouring fourth-generation berry farmer who works with Mr Tromp, said the family were undergoing serious renovations to their house and speculated it could have been a factor in the breakdown.

'It's just so strange for a pretty straight family and everyone affected,' Mr Chapman told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Chapman described the father as a 'workaholic' who was very devoted to his the earthmoving business and red-currant farm.

His wife was known by neighbours as someone who would pop around, have a cup of coffee and say hello.

She had been 'very focused' on managing the red currant farm and was passionate about promoting the fruit, making it into jams and sauces.

Ella Tromp is famous for her love of horses and there are a number of equestrian jumps in the backyard for her.

When police searched the farm last week, they found the house unlocked and left in a state of chaos. They say the family had been searching through financial records

Their son Mitchell said they fled the 18-acre orchard after their parents became convinced someone was after them

The home features a swimming pool and an 18-acre berry farm where the family worked

Mark Chapman, a neighbouring fourth-generation berry farmer who works with Mr Tromp, said the family were undergoing serious renovations to their house and speculated it could have been a factor in the breakdown

In the summer months the entire family would work on the farm seven days a week. The pressure of cranking up the farm by fertilising and starting to irrigate was just about to heap itself upon the family.

The farm was dormant through winter with the main picking season being about December.

'As far as the farm goes it's actually a quiet time of the year - now's when the pressure starts (the beginning of Spring)

The family supply their red-currants to a local cooperative who sell them on to major supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths.

Their son Mitchell told police the family fled the 18-acre orchard on August 29 after their parents became convinced someone was after them.

'I've never seen anything like it. It's really hard to explain or put a word on it but they were just fearing for their lives and then they decided to flee,' he said.

'It was a build-up of different, normal, everyday events - just pressure - and it slowly got worse as the days went by.'

NEIGHBOURS BAFFLED BY TROMP FAMILY'S SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE Baffled neighbours say they have no idea what triggered the Tromp family's sudden disappearance but said they had been undergoing major renovations. Mark Chapman is a neighbouring fourth-generation berry farmer who works with the Tromps as part of a group who sell the areas products to Coles and Woolies Mark Chapman is a neighbouring fourth-generation berry farmer who works with the Tromps as part of a group who sell the areas products to Coles and Woolies. He speculated that the serious renovations on their idyllic country farmhouse could have been a trigger for the family. Its just so strange for a pretty straight family and everyone affected, Mr Chapman said. The pressure of cranking up the farm by fertilising and starting to irrigate was just about to heap itself upon the family. The farm was dormant through winter with the main picking season being about December. As far as the farm goes its actually a quiet time of the year - nows when the pressure starts (the beginning of Spring),' Mr Chapman said. Neighbours are already pitching in to help with the farming season about to enter a critical time and Coby and Riana Tromp still in hospital. Mr Chapman said he would sit down with Mitchell and work out what needs to be done. Things need to be done on the farm and if they arent done their crop will fail, he said. 'If it was the pressure of running two business that got them perhaps we can make the farming business easier for them. The family need to start fertilising and starting to irrigate. Mr Chapmans father, Gordon, said another next door neighbour, Roger, had been looking after Ella and Mitch since they returned home. Advertisement

Ella Tromp (left), 22, has been charged with stealing a car after her 'paranoid' father Mark (right) encouraged her family to flee their Victorian home

Riana Tromp (left) and her mother Jacoba (right) are being treated in a mental health facility in Goulburn

Mitchell Tromp and his sister Ella have returned to their home at Silvan, where they addressed media on Sunday morning

The three adult children left their parents in NSW a day after they fled their Victorian home.

Mitchell went first, getting out in Bathurst, and making his way back to Victoria.

The others headed to Jenolan Caves, 150km west of Sydney, where Ella and Riana left their parents and headed to Goulburn.

The sisters then split up and Ella went back to the family farm to feed her horses.

Riana was found 'catatonic' in the back of a ute and taken to Goulburn Hospital and police were called.

Mrs Tromp was found in Yass Hospital in an emotionally poor state. She was later moved to Goulburn Hospital, where her and Riana remain.

Mr Tromp, was reported missing last week and found in Wangaratta five days later, apologised on Tuesday for any hurt and concern caused by the bizarre manhunt.

He said the family would be reunited soon and hopefully begin to make sense of their 'ordeal' as they begin to return to a normal life on their berry farm.

Mr Tromp said the family are recovering from a mental illness and were receiving 'appropriate assistance'.

Ella has since been charged with stealing a car and possessing proceeds of crime and is due to face Ringwood Magistrates' Court next April.

Mark Tromp (right) was picked up by police on Saturday night and flipped the bird at media when he was released from custody
PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- The Pascagoula-Gautier School District will be hosting its first Super Saturday of the school year, Mad Scientist Super Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Aaron Jones Family Interactive Center.

Those in attendance can expect science experiments led by Chevron, Ingalls Shipbuilding, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, and science teachers in the Pascagoula-Gautier School District, Girl Scouts as well as exhibits from State Farm Insurance and Excel by 5.

According to superintendent Wayne Rodolfich, Saturday's event is an innovative way for kids to become excited about STEM related fields.

"The Aaron Jones Family Interactive Center is a great place for all children to come and play together as a family," Rodolfich said. "For Mad Scientist Super Saturday, we will have a number of business and industry represented who will be doing different science experiments with the children. It's a way to make science fun, exciting, and most importantly, hands-on, for the children through our partnerships with our local business and industries. This Super Saturday is one of our most popular themes with our children."



A new addition to this year's Mad Scientist event is Toddler Town, a play area for children ages 0 to 5.

Other themed rooms include the Pirate Ship Room, Lego Land, Main Street featuring a grocery store, fire station, 'U Build It' Center and Bank, wetlands room, block room, STEM room, virtual reality and black light room, iMac Lab and flight simulator room.

The Early Beginnings/Excel by 5 Lending Library will also be open.



Super Saturdays are open free to the public and is open free of charge to children and their families regardless of where they live, not just kids who live in district.

All children must be accompanied by an adult. The center is located at 1415 Skip St., across from Pascagoula High School. For additional information, citizens can call 228-938-6418.
Delays in bringing child refugees to Britain is leading them to risk abuse or even death at the hands of people smugglers, a major report warns today.

Hundreds of unaccompanied child refugees  many of whom have the right to come here under family reunification laws  are languishing in the Calais Jungle and other perilous camps.

Yet just 100 children have had their asylum cases transferred to the UK in the past year under the family reunion rule.

Unicef warned children held at the Jungle camp outside Calais are at greater risk of being abused by people smuggling gangs and urged the British government to allow them to join family members who might have already made it into Britain to build a new life

Lily Caprani of Unicef UK warned 'children on the move are at risk of the worst forms of abuse'

In a comprehensive report into the plight of child refugees today, Unicef warns that more must be done to ensure they are not stranded or take further risks.

Lily Caprani, the deputy executive director of Unicef UK, said: In the last few years we have seen huge numbers of children being forced to flee their homes, and take dangerous, desperate journeys, often on their own. Children on the move are at risk of the worst forms of abuse and harm and can easily fall victim to traffickers and other criminals.

Many of these children wouldnt resort to such extreme measures if the UK Government made them aware that they may have a legal right to come to the UK safely and if they provided the resources to make that process happen before these terrible journeys begin.

The Unicef report warned that children often arrive in the EU traumatised, having witnessed conflict and violence at home. They risk drowning on sea crossings, malnourishment, dehydration, trafficking, kidnapping, rape and murder on the way, according to the report, Uprooted.

Once they arrive, they often face prejudice and discrimination with EU countries tightening their immigration rules, closing borders and limiting access to some migrant children.

Seven out of ten children seeking refuge in the European Union in the first half of this year have fled conflict zones in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, Unicef warned.

Last year there were 88,265 asylum claims by unaccompanied children in the European Union, of which only 3,045 were in the UK (3.4 per cent).

Border closures and the fear of being turned back have intensified the dangers that children face in reaching Europe.

The report came as the Archbishop of Canterbury called on the Government to speed up reuniting children living in the Calais Jungle with family in the UK.

The Most Rev Justin Welby warned of continual delays in bringing across really quite young children.

He told the House of Lords: Where children have families in this country would ministers not agree there is no reason why they shouldnt be brought across within the day.

But Home Office minister Baroness Williams of Trafford said many young children were coming to Britain very quickly and it was one child too much if a child had to stay in Calais for any longer than it should.

She told peers refugees in Calais should first claim asylum in France and insisted: We all want the same thing for these children - for them to be safe and to be in an environment thats in their best interests, certainly away from the Jungle in Calais.

This Government is working tirelessly with the French Government in ensuring those processes are expedited as quickly as possible.

But Labours Lord Dubs, who fled the Nazis as a child on the Kindertransport scheme and helped force the Government to say it will take more children, called the situation deplorable.

He told ministers: It cannot be in the best interests of any child to stay in Calais in awful conditions, no proper safety, no proper security.

Lady Williams said primary responsibility for the migrants in Calais lay with France but Britain continued to work with French authorities to improve family unification processes and would shortly be sending another official to work on the issue there.

Transfer requests were generally processed within 10 days and children transferred within weeks with over 70 children accepted so far this year.
'as long as all your bases are covered'

Texted her she could stay the

A teacher had a secret sleepover with his 13-year-old student and shared multiple text messages with the mentally unstable teenager before she took her own life.

Reiha McLelland's heartbroken father has revealed the disturbing relationship his daughter formed with disgraced former teacher Sam Back while he taught her at Gisborne High School in New Zealand.

An inquest into her death has heard Mr Back, 42, had a sleepover with Reiha while her parents were kept in the dark.

Her father Bruce has read his original police statement claiming text messages from Mr Back suggested was 'sexually grooming her,' the NZHerald reports.

Gisborne teenager Reiha McLelland, 13, took her own life in 2014

Sam Back, 42, had a sleepover with the mentally unstable teenager without her parents' knowledge

Reiha's grieving father Bruce McLelland learned the extent of the 'excessive' text messages Mr Back sent his daughter after her death in 2014.

'He's an absolute mongrelI'll try to be dignified but these teachers are ... I can't really say what they are,' Mr McLelland said in an emotional hearing with wife Hinemoa by his side.

Mr McLelland's read his original statement to police said it appeared '[Back] was sexually grooming herHe had really worked on her and developed a strange bond.'

The parents learned about the relationship when they caught Reiha sneaking out at night and found her carrying her passport in a nearby car with Mr Back and his partner Angie Mepham.

In one text message Mr Back told the 13-year-old he could stay at his home 'as long as all your bases are covered'

The parents learned about the relationship when they caught Reiha sneaking out at night and carrying her passport in a nearby car with Mr Back and his partner Angie Mepham (pictured)

An inquest into Reiha's death has shed light on the disturbing relationship with her disgraced former teacher

Reiha's grieving father Bruce McLelland (pictured) said Mr Back is an 'absolute mongrel'

The inquest also questioned the involvement of Ms Mepham, who was in regular contact with the teenager via text messages.

In one text message the 13-year-old asked Mr Back if she could stay the night at his home, to which he replied 'as long as all your bases are covered.'

He also sent her what was described by Mr McLelland as a 'love letter.'

Mr Back was deregistered from teaching by the Education Council, after a nurse walked in on him 'cuddling' her on a hospital bed, according to Stuff.

The council said the teacher, who moved to New Zealand from Canada in 2004, held substantial influence over Reiha as she suffered from mental health issues.




Twin infants died after their mother was struck in the stomach by a stray bullet that forced her into labor.

Lakira Johnson, 21, was leaving a store in Northeast Washington when she was shot around 10pm on August 30, the Washington Post reported.

Johnson, who was five months pregnant, went into labor on Saturday at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center where both babies died.

Lakira Johnson (back right), 21, was leaving a store in Northeast Washington when she was shot about 10pm on August 30. She's pictured with her mother, Cassandra Johnson (left) and her sister Ebony Johnson (right) along with her other two children ages three and seven

Lakira Johnson's mother said her daughter unexpectedly went into labor and the twin girls were born alive. She said they live long enough for them to be named Heaven and Nevaeh. Lakira (right) is pictured with her sister Ebony

Her mother, Cassandra Johnson, told the Post on Tuesday that her daughter unexpectedly went into labor.

She said the twin girls were born alive and lived long enough to be named Heaven and Nevaeh, which is Heaven spelled backwards.

The babies were taken to the medical examiner's office but the cause of their deaths is still pending.

Cassandra Johnson told the Post that her daughter underwent surgery to repair damage caused by the bullet.

She said the bullet had barely missed her daughter's uterus.

'She is in a lot of pain,' her mother said.

Lakira Johnson, who has two other children, ages three and seven, had walked to a nearby store in the 1300 block of Brentwood Road NE to get a cheesesteak, her relatives told the Post.

Police said Johnson was a bystander who was not targeted by the gunman.

A man also was shot and critically wounded.

Johnson, who was five months pregnant, went into labor on Saturday at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center (pictured) where both babies died

Police said the incident occurred in the near a store in the 1300 block of Brentwood Road NE. Authorities said Johnson wasn't the gunman's target and it's possible the shooting was in retaliation for earlier violence in the city. Pictured is the area where the 21-year-old was shot

Investigators are in the process of trying to determine if the shooting was in retaliation for earlier violence in the area.

Police put the ages of the twins at 21 to 22 weeks before they were born, which is younger than what most doctors would consider viable.

Although no arrests have been made, police are trying to determine what charges could be sought if someone is arrested.

Currently, at least 38 states have fetal homicide laws. At least 23 states have fetal homicide laws that apply to the earliest stages of pregnancy.

But DC doesn't have any fetal homicide laws.

Some states require the fetus to be viable before prosecutors are able to seek charges.
Prince Charles gave a speech to mark the 500th anniversary of the Royal Mail

Prince Charles issued an impassioned plea to protect the art of letter-writing yesterday, warning that it was under mortal threat in a world of texting and social media.

In a reference to Twitter, the royal derided the 140 characters or less culture  saying the logical ordering of thoughts in proper, grammatically correct prose is in fact rather important at the end of the day.

Charles, who was speaking at an event to mark 500 years of the postal service, is a notoriously keen writer of letters whose missives to politicians have been dubbed black spider memos after his distinctive handwriting.

The prince even jokingly alluded to his reputation as an obsessive scribbler, describing himself as someone who relies on the well-aimed letter  and relishes the ones in return.

In his speech to long-serving Royal Mail workers and executives, he said: Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps your greatest service is the way that Royal Mail, by its very existence, defends the written word.

In these days of texting and various social media apps, the well-constructed sentence is under mortal threat!

So on behalf of letter-writers; of isolated communities; of the eager and expectant on Valentines and other equally special days; and, indeed, on behalf of dear old Santa Claus himself, I can only offer my heartfelt thanks and warmest congratulations on a job conspicuously well done by you all. You are, as they say, a national treasure.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall unveil a penfold postbox for the anniversary

Charles is a notoriously keen writer of letters whose missives to politicians have been dubbed black spider memos (pictured) after his distinctive handwriting

Clarence House also released a letter that the prince had written to the Royal Mail congratulating it on half a millennium of national service.

In the letter he appeared to drive home his point, writing: If I may say so, your contribution to the well-being of our country goes far beyond enabling a level of contact which shrinks geographic distance between families and friends, and also brings together the business opportunities which have made Britain great.

In you, the written word itself has a staunch defender, reminding us that well-constructed and properly thought-through prose will always endure, whatever the vagaries of fashion.

In a more light-hearted moment Charles proved that he was still a cool royal rider as he jumped on an antique motorbike, the only survivor from a fleet that was introduced in 1933 to deliver GPO telegrams.

The grinning prince threw his leg over the BSA B33 and even cheerfully bounced up and down as if testing its suspension.

According to Julian Stray, senior curator at the Postal Museum in London, his bike was part of a 50cc fleet made by the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) in the early 1930s. Motorbikes were eventually phased out by the 1960s.

Charles has sought to influence public debate by writing his black spider memos to ministers on matters that are close to his heart.

He was accused of meddling in Government policy through his prolific correspondence, expressing views on issues from the environment and farming to architecture and town planning.

Prince Charles tries a BSA 500cc motorbike used for delivering telegrams in the 1930s as part of celebrations to mark Royal Mail's 500th anniversary

Prince Charles is said to have sent 1,000 letters a year at peak periods in his life

Many Labour ministers under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were said to dread the arrival of one of the princes letters.

Charless interventions have proved controversial given that he will have to remain politically neutral when he takes the crown.

In a memo to Mr Blair in April 2001, the heir to the throne described himself as an interfering busybody as he lobbied the then prime minister to vaccinate cattle during the foot-and-mouth crisis instead of culling animals.

Last year, 27 letters he sent to ministers between September 2004 and April 2005 were published after a decade-long legal battle over their release that went to the Supreme Court.
A terrified puppy was nearly swallowed up by quicksand before his owner rescued him on a walk on the beach.

Paul Stott, 51, was walking three-month-old Chihuahua called Dave on Seaton Sluice Beach, Northumberland, when his girlfriend Kyla Holmes, 49, spotted the dog disappear into the sand.

The pair were able to haul the completely submerged puppy out to safety and then Kyla filmed Paul using a dog ball launcher to probe the pit, with the sand going up to his shoulder.

Scroll down for video

Paul Stott (left), 51, was walking three-month-old Chihuahua called Dave on Seaton Sluice Beach, Northumberland, when his girlfriend Kyla Holmes (right), 49, spotted the dog disappear into the sand

The pair were able to haul the completely submerged puppy (left) out to safety and then Kyla filmed Paul (right) using a dog ball launcher to probe the pit, with the sand going up to his shoulder

Father-of-two Paul, from Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, said: 'People need to know what to look for and how to identify one of these holes as they are hard to spot but there are signs.

'At first we were just pleased to have got Dave out OK. He was fine, he just shook it off and went on his way. I think we were more shocked by it than him.

'However as we walked away we realised how dangerous it really was. I thought if small children who could easily end up in it, or other dogs. Even horses walk on that beach and their legs would go down it.

'So I went back and filmed myself putting my arm in to see how deep it was, I couldn't believe it.

'My arm went in it five feet but I didn't touch the bottom. It was definitely deeper than that. It was two or three feet across too.'

The incident happened on Saturday morning when Paul was out walking Dave as usual with Kyla's three dogs.

The dog had run on ahead when Kyla spotted him disappear into the sand.

Paul, a regional sales manager, said: 'He went underneath the sand completely and disappeared. If Kyla had not seen him go under we would not have known where he was.

'He made no sound and he was just gone. He would have just disappeared without a trace.

'Kyla rushed over and stuck her arm in and pulled him out. He had been completely submerged but he was fine. It was very lucky.'

Father-of-two Paul, from Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, said: 'People need to know what to look for and how to identify one of these holes as they are hard to spot but there are signs'

Paul said: 'I saw a similar one the day before but didn't realise what it was. I think there will be others out there on that beach.

'I bet if I went down today I would find one. People need to be on the lookout.

'I think it was due to low tide and water trying to get back out to sea. .

'It looked like a puddle but was bubbling or rippling a bit as water came up from it. There was also water flowing away from it down to the sea with no obvious source above it.'

Paul reported the incident to the local coastguard.

Adam Turner, Senior Coastal Operations Officer for the UK Coastguard, said: 'Our advice is always the same if you become stuck in mud or quicksand: Stay calm, try and spread your weight as much as possible and avoid moving. Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

'Anybody trapped should also discourage other well-meaning members of the public from attempting to rescue them because without the proper equipment they could become stuck too.'

The incident happened on Saturday morning when Paul was out walking Dave as usual with Kyla's three dogs

A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: 'A significant part of the UK coastline could be categorised as soft ground. This will be mainly mud or quicksand.

'In either case it means that the foreshore is low lying, open to the elements, tidal and not accessible to unaided conventional vehicles.

'The UK Coastguard uses the generic term 'mud rescue' to cover mud, quicksand and any other substance on the shorelines from which a casualty needs rescuing.

'Our specific techniques and practices are designed to cope with mud, sand and quicksand.

'Unlike mud, quicksand is not obvious to the eye and there is generally little or no warning of the transition from firm sand to quicksand.

'Pockets of quicksand are always on the move and will be different positions with every successive tide.

'People can find themselves in soft ground either when the surface is so soft that they simply sink to a point where movement becomes impossible, or they break through a layer of relatively firm mud into a soft bubble described above.
By GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY U.S. POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Republican Donald Trump seized on recent FBI disclosures to accuse Hillary Clinton of knowingly destroying evidence as part of a cover up that consists of massive crimes  and cited her arsenal of Blackberries as part of his indictment.

Campaigning in Greenville in battleground North Carolina Tuesday evening, Trump repeatedly referred to revelations from an FBI report on its investigation of Clinton Friday afternoon  including the numerous times Clinton said she couldnt not recall key details about her email server.

One of those revelations was that Clinton cycled through 13 different mobile devices starting in 2009.

The only people who use that many phones are usually involved in very, very, and I mean very shady activity, Trump said.

Republican Donald Trump blasted Hillary Clinton for using 13 different mobile phones over just a few years as he once again hammered her for her email scandal in Greenville, North Carolina

They used hammers to destroy phones so they couldnt be turned over later  and by the way, who uses 13 different iPhones in four years? Trump said, in reference to Clintons Blackberry and other mobile devices that were destroyed.

The FBI notes revealed that a Clinton aide used a hammer to destroy devices that were cycled out.

No one takes all the risks Hillary Clinton took unless they are trying to cover up massive crimes.

Then Trump turned to Clintons repeated memory failures during an FBI interview.

Hillary and her top aides told the FBI and others in related lawsuits that they couldnt recall or remember key facts hundreds of different times  and thats in addition to the guy who set up the server pleading the Fifth, Trump said, in an apparent reference to former Clinton campaign aide Brian Pagliano.

Trump brought up Clinton's collection of mobile devices  although he referred to iPhones instead of blackberries

He spoke earlier in Virginia on Tuesday, where he said Clinton had 'acid washed' her emails, in reference to the use of of BleachBit technology

Trump campaigned with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who said of destruction of emails and phones: 'Criminals do that'

Trump spoke in North Carolina and Virginia Tuesday. On Wednesday he plans to speak on foreign policy in Philadelphia

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump directs his daughter Ivanka to the microphone during a campaign rally in Greenville, North Carolina

Trump spoke earlier in Virginia Beach to a crowd with many veterans. He said Wednesday night that he will order generals to deliver a report on how to defeat ISIS within 30 days of his taking office

What are we gonna do with this guy? What happened? He pleaded the Fifth. Where is he? Is he living? Where is he? He pleaded the Fifth and that was the end, we never heard about him again. Ill tell you. This is like a Third World country folks, Trump told a crowd.

This is like  do we bring it out  Watergate, only its worse, Trump said.

The audience repeatedly burst into chants of Lock her up, though at one point Trump inserted: Lets do better than that  lets win on November 8th.

As he did at an afternoon rally, Trump went after Clinton for a private companies use of software that destroyed archived emails, only this time he referenced the software by name, BleachBit, instead of calling it acid wash.

She bleached her emails. Nobody even heard about it before and nobody does it because its a very expensive process called BleachBit, Trump said.

Then he joked about about the Clinton camps earlier claim that the private emails dealt with yoga and Chelsea Clintons wedding  and asked why you would acid wash or bleach the emails if theyre about a wedding.

The only people who use that many phones are usually involved in very, very, and I mean very shady activity.

And now shes running for president, Trump said  leading to a chorus of boos.

People who have nothing to hide dont smash phones with hammers. People who have nothing to hide dont bleach their emails, never heard of it, or destroy evidence to keep it from being publicly archived as required under federal law, Trump said.

A day after Clinton released a book of proposals, Trump blasted his rival: She never talks about policy, he said  instead only doing hit jobs on Donald Trump.

Trump continues to bristle at Clintons attacks on his temperament to serve as president.

I think my single greatest asset of any assets I have is my temperament, Trump said.

This is a phony group of lying people and tell her we want to hear about your policy on jobs, on illegal immigration.

He continued to try to work the moderator in advance of an interview with Matt Laure during a candidate forum this week.

He said Clinton is being protected by the media and that he hopes NBCs Matt Lauer will question her about it at forum this week

Were hoping Matt Lauer will ask about it on Wednesday night to her when he does the town hall, Trump said. Because she is being protected by the media, by the press like nobody ever has been protected in the history of this country.

Trump also brought up Clinton Foundation post-earthquake activities in Haiti, and reports that Hillary Clintons brother Hugh Rodham benefitted from subsequent deals.
Melissa Mead with her son William before the one-year-old died

Sick patients will be encouraged to type their symptoms into a website to get an NHS diagnosis under a controversial expansion of the 111 hotline.

The web-only triage system  to be announced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt today  will encourage patients to enter their symptoms onto a computer or smartphone.

In reply, they will then receive tailored advice on a screen from a 111 worker or a call-back from a medical professional.

But critics said a website can never replace a proper diagnosis by a doctor  and warned patients lives may be put at risk.

They said a seemingly minor problem can quickly escalate into sepsis or meningitis  and only a trained doctor could spot the signs.

The NHS 111 service, which will run the system, has already come under huge criticism for its non-emergency telephone service.

That service, which was set up with the aim of reducing pressure on hospitals and cutting costs, has been responsible for a string of blunders and fatalities.

Last night, the Royal College of GPs urged Mr Hunt to proceed with extreme caution over the plan, warning against a step that might distance patients from healthcare professionals even further.

Experts said that pushing patients online risked alienating those who are not tech-savvy. And others warned that a simple typing error could put someone at risk.

The Health Secretary will announce the pilot scheme at the NHS Innovation Expo in Manchester today, insisting the programme will offer patients greater choice. Officials insisted the website would only be used for less serious problems, and stressed that GP services and telephone advice would still be available.

However, there are concerns that expanding the 111 non-emergency service online could prove dangerous.

The Mail revealed in January that William Mead, a 12-month-old baby, died of sepsis after a 111 call hander failed to realise how ill he was. Most 111 staff, who use scripts to give advice over the telephone, are not medically trained.

The service even employs teenagers who have just finished their GCSE exams, a Mail investigation revealed earlier this year. Williams mother, Melissa Mead, last night said she had serious concerns over plans to expand the service online.

Williams mother, Melissa Mead, last night said she had serious concerns over plans to expand the service online. Her son William (pictured with her and his father, Paul) died of sepsis after a 111 call hander failed to realise how ill he was

The danger is that people think my symtoms arent that that bad  I will go online, when they should really ring 999, she said. It completely removes any human interaction  and that opens up a massive can of worms.

The website will be launched next April in a pilot programme that will be tested by clinicians and patients for safety before it is rolled out more widely.

It is part of a drive to digitalise the NHS. Patients will also be able to register with a GP, access healthcare records and order prescriptions online. A league table of each local health areas performance for dementia, diabetes, cancer and maternity services is also to go online.

Mr Hunt said last night: We live in the age of the smartphone, and we want the NHS to reflect that.

This is a way of supplementing patients seeing their doctor in a more conventional, face-to-face setting, and crucially it will give people more choice and the opportunity to access healthcare in a way that works for them.

But experts are concerned.

Dr Maureen Baker, of the Royal College of GPs, said asking patients to use an online tool when they are ill in lieu of describing their symptoms to someone over the phone, who is trained to ask the right questions, should be approached with extreme caution.

The web-only triage system  to be announced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (left) today  will encourage patients to enter their symptoms onto a computer or smartphone (right)

It is not yet clear exactly how the online service will work. But a previous online system used by the health service  the NHS Choices Symptom Checker  missed one in eight emergencies, according to a Harvard Medical School study published in the British Medical Journal last year. Researchers found that its algorithm, which asked patients their symptoms and then advised them what course of action to take, correctly identified 87 per cent of emergencies  missing 13 per cent.

Phil Booth, coordinator of the medConfidential campaign group, last night warned that that simple typing mistakes  or even British understatement  could leave patients exposed.

How people talk via text and how they talk to their doctor are very different, he said. There is a huge amount of training that goes into a doctor interpreting what someone says  even over the phone.

Using data better is vital, but if you ignore accountability and privacy concerns you get national failures. If you do them right, you get successful projects. Its unclear which way these will go.

Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, added: Many older people are not internet users and others may simply feel unsure about using online services.

A Department of Health spokesman said: We are clear that this new service will be thoroughly tested with doctors and patients to ensure both safety and effectiveness before its rolled out.

We also know many people Google symptoms already  this service will give an authoritative source of information run by the NHS and linked to clinicians.
Hillary Clintons traveling press corps amused themselves Tuesday evening by rolling oranges inked with questions for the candidate from the back of the plane to the front, where she was seated with her staff.

They missed several times, and one of the small, round fruits burst before they successfully made contact.

The question: Who would you rather have dinner with? The options: Trump or Putin. Several minutes later the orange rolled back with a circle around Putin.

Juicy question: On Tuesday a member of Hillary Clinton's press pack rolled this orange to her, asking who she'd rather have dinner with - Trump or Putin. It rolled back with 'Putin' circled

Press aide Nick Merrill clarified after the fact that Clinton did not personally circle Russian President Vladimir Putins name.

He intercepted the fruit - technically a clementine - just before it reached the Democratic presidential nominee.

Merrill explained that he then drew the circle around Putins name after Clinton remarked in response to the question that she'd once had dinner with the foreign leader.

The plane, which has been dubbed Hill Force One, made its first flight Monday morning, carrying reporters, campaign staff and the candidate to Cleveland, Ohio.

Both days its been in operation Clinton has breached the press zone at the start of the day to deliver a morning greeting.

Each day shes also held an informal question-and-answer session with press on the plane.

On Tuesday, before taking off for Tampa, she huddled with the photographers assigned to her and posed for a picture with them.

In the air, reporters pulled out the clementines theyd sneaked onto the plane and began posing their questions to the candidate.

Hill Force One: Clinton and her press team on her plane, which was dubbed 'Hill Force One.' An aide answered the question after she said she'd once had dinner with Putin

The orange bowling game dates back to Republican president Ronald Reagans campaign plane.

Nancy Reagan used to practice her strike by rolling oranges from the front to the back and would celebrate when she made a direct hit at the tail end of the carrier.

Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton have participated in orange bowling in previous election cycles.

Republican Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence joined in the fun in early August. His press corps asked him to name his favorite Sixpence None the Richer song.

Pence wrote, Christmas for Two, #HillarylovesNickelback.'

The Nickelback joke was a throwback to Ted Cruzs presidential campaign, when a protester repeatedly showed up with signs claiming the Republican was a fan of the band, which is often mocked in pop culture for producing bad music.
Britain's dairy farmers are facing a crisis due to falling demand - because health professionals are treating milk and dairy products 'as the enemy', an expert has warned.

David Dobbin, chief executive of United Dairy Farmers - a co-operative group of producers - said younger generations are drinking far less milk than their parents and grandparents did.

He said a 'three-a-day' campaign is going to be launched to promote the nutritional benefits of dairy products in a bid to turn the tide.

Young people are shunning milk, butter and cheese because these have been treated as 'the enemy' by health professionals, an industry chief has warned

Speaking at the European Federation of Animal Science conference in Belfast, Farmers Weekly reports, he said: 'In the past children consumed a lot of dairy, but todays children and teens dont necessarily eat it.

'Its a demographic time bomb. If we dont address the problem now, then we are facing a fall-off in demand for dairy.'

And he added: 'The problem we face is that we have some health professionals who see dairy as the enemy.

Worrying: Fewer young people are consuming dairy products after years of them being stigmatised by health professionals, a conference in Belfast has been told

If we can win the hearts and minds for consumers then it will create life-long habits for dairy consumption David Dobbin

'People wrongly assume that dairy is bad for them because of its fat content, without considering the other nutritional benefits it offers.

'We have to fight that.'

The new campaign to promote dairy consumption is being launched by the Global Dairy Platform, which works to promote the industry around the world.

The dairy industry must fight back against falling demand, farmers have been told

Despite concerns about demand, Mr Dobbin said producers have the potential to increase production by 2.5 per cent a year.

He said one challenge the industry has to overcome is ensuring prices are consistent to ensure stability.
A teen P-plate driver has hit back after she was shamed on social media for 'texting on her phone and swerving all over the road'.

Bunbury high school student Chloe Richardson, 17, had been driving north on the Mitchell Freeway to Perth for the first time on Father's Day when she admits she forgot to check her blind spot as she went to change lanes.

She pulled back into her own lane when she realised another car was behind her, but was soon all over social media pages where she was wrongly shamed for using her phone while driving, Ms Richardson has claimed.

Chloe Richardson, 17, had been driving north on the freeway to Perth for the first time and ended up being shamed on social media for her driving

Ms Richardson responded to the accusations in a post to her Facebook page

A photograph of her car showing the number plate was circulated online with a disparaging caption accusing her of driving while on the phone.

'I can 100 per cent say I did not even look at my phone,' Ms Richardson wrote on Facebook.

The 17-year-old said people should stop to consider whether they know the facts before they post something on social media.

'The thing about all this that has upset me the most is that people who are writing the negative hurtful comments are adults accusing me of something that was false and had no facts,' Ms Richardson told Daily Mail Australia.

'...And to think as a new driver they should be looking out for you not humiliating you.'

Ms Richardson responded to the accusations in a post to her Facebook page.

A photograph of her car showing the number plate was circulated online with a disparaging caption accusing her of driving while on the phone

'She's almost hit a car already. She's all over the road and has the serious potential to ruin someone's Father's Day forever maybe even yours,' the complaining woman wrote

'So hello everyone, I am the driver of that little red car that has been posted and shared all over Facebook ... 'That I was texting on my phone' 'Swerving all over the road' 'I could ruin someone's Father's Day' she wrote on Facebook.

Ms Richardson reiterated she 'did not even look at my phone' and there was 'no harm done' when she forgot to check her blind spot.

'It was purely my first drive to Perth.'

Ms Richardson admits she forgot to check her blind spot as she went to change lanes. She pulled back into her own lane when she realised another car was behind her (stock image of a freeway)

The photograph of her car appeared in closed Facebook group Mandurah Q&A, which is made up of about 18,000 local people.

'I don't usually do this, but if this is your daughter driving the little red car with a red p plate tell her to stop bloody texting while she's driving,' the original poster complained.

'She's almost hit a car already. She's all over the road and has the serious potential to ruin someone's Father's Day forever maybe even yours.'

Ms Richardson's mother told Daily Mail Australia she was still being cyber-bullied by adults.




New York City

Cuba

Tanzania (African Safari)

Australia (Outback and Sydney)



Free Classes at the Canon Learning Centers

Yes...I survived my fifth Olympic Games, and made it home safe and sound. No Zika virus and no equipment losses! And now that this monumental event is past me, it is time to start planning for the next year. And what a great year it is going to be! Working with M&M Photo Tours and UDesign Photo Tours, we have some unbelievable trips coming up.Each one of the workshops has limited space, since we want to keep the groups small, so don't wait too long to reserve a spot. If you have watched any of the videos of me teaching photography, you know that I am very passionate about the art, but I also like to have a lot of fun. These trips combine both of those elements. We shoot and laugh a lot.Here are the details:How would you like to spend the day together shooting photos in New York City? We are going to take a small group of people around the city to capture photos and learn. When we are done, we will head up for a rooftop Australian BBQ and a photo editing discussion. We have 2 half day sessions, or a combined price for a full day together. This also includes gift bags with a lot of photo goodies for you.Date: October 19, 2016Capacity: 12 peoplePrice: $225 for half day and $450 for full day (includes meals)You have undoubtedly seen the news that Cuba is now open to American citizens, as long as you are part of an approved group. Well...with the help of M&M Photo Tours, we have that approval and are doing a photo tour of Cuba this December. You should come along and experience this amazing country before it is overrun with all the new western influences!Dates: December 12-21, 2016Capacity: 14 peoplePrice: $6800This will be my second safari with M&M Photo Tours, and if it is anything close to the last one, it will be epic! You can see some of the photos from our last safari [here](http://www.jeffcable.com/tanzania2016). We just had 2 spots open up for this trip. Regardless of whether you are a beginner or a professional photographer, you will come home with amazing photos.Dates: January 14-28, 2017Capacity: 2 spots left for a total of 8Price: $13,000This trip is going to be totally unique, in that it combines 4 days in the outback and 5 days in Sydney for the annual Vivid Lights show. What excites me most about this trip is the ability to capture amazing nature images and night photos in the same photo tour. Come join me in one of my favorite places in the world.Dates: May 24th - June 4th, 2017Capacity: 10 peoplePrice: $5290Along with the photo tours, I am also presenting at the Canon Learning Centers in Northern and Southern California this month.Sept 13, 2016Canon Learning Center6pm-8pmPhotographing the Olympics in Rio - FREE Sept 28, 2016Canon Learning Center7pm-9:30pmPhotographing the Olympics in Rio - FREE Sept 29, 2016Canon Learning Center7pm-9pmPhotographing the Olympics in Rio - FREE I will also be teaching a night photography walk where we will be shooting in the Costa Mesa area. There is a $49 charge for this.Sept 27, 2016Canon Learning Center6pm-10pmNight Photography Walk - $49
You would have thought a senior member of the Royal Family had just died, such was the dolefulness at Westminster when Keith Vaz finally quit as chairman of the Commons home affairs select committee.

Across the land, corks were popping, ragged cheers broke out and the great unwashed were thinking about ruddy time.

But the Establishment was aghast. Use rent boys as much as you like; if you are chairman of a parliamentary committee, your name will be polished until it gleams like a brass knob.

We accepted his resignation with regret, said Tory MP Tim Loughton, who will chair the committee temporarily. Mr Loughton (E Worthing & Shoreham) said sadness or regret three or four more times, his face inflated into a puffball of sombre statesmanship.

Business as usual: The 59-year-old Labour politician, seen standing, made an appearance on the Commons benches, asking a question about Britons fighting for Islamic State

In his resignation statement Mr Vaz said that 'those who hold others to account must themselves be accountable'.

His chin dropped to his chest to convey the tragedy of it all.

Sadness? Oh come off it, Tim. Delight, relief, cackling disbelief, a frisson of scandal: such words would surely have been more truthful. You would never think that, behind the scenes, Mr Loughton is one of the most superbly scabrous gossips of London SW1.

He and some other members of the committee were performing their obsequies in the atrium of Portcullis House, one of Westminsters main concourses.

Television lights burned brightly. Rubberneckers abounded. Yummy, yummy publicity! Ancient David Winnick (Lab, Walsall N and, for years, no admirer of Vaz) pushed his neck forward.

Either that or Mr Loughton was being photo-bombed by a tortoise.

Mr Loughton was soon sweating like an onion but he was not going to give up a slot on rolling news. No way! On and on he went.

Great was the gravity, the grief. Lear himself, rending his garments at the death of Cordelia, would have been pressed to match such sorrow.

Keith Vaz, pictured leaving home for the Commons today, has resigned as chair

Mr Loughton went on about Mr Vazs achievements, his public service, his devotion to Parliament.

Quite how he overlooked the appalling oilers evasions, pretensions and tawdry associations, it is impossible to say.

Some reporter on Sky News was soon intoning about the tributes paid by MPs to the departed Vaz. Strike up the Chopin funeral march, somebody. Muffle the church bells.

Dear oh dear. There has been, in the political firmament, a weird, shaming reluctance to see Vaz for what he is.

If he had been filmed saying anything politically incorrect he would have been shunned like a biblical leper.

But allegations about rent boys in a druggy setting by a married Privy Counsellor in a sex-flat bought with cash? Pish! How deplorably vulgar of the public prints to consider this untoward.

Chuka Umunna (Lab, Streatham) was standing beside Mr Loughton. Someone asked if he would be the committees next chairman.

Mr Umunna said, in so many words, that a funeral was no time for such careerist contemplations. But his lips twitched with the hints of a smile. Oooh, Chuka, dear, I do believe you espy an opportunity!

As for Jeremy Corbyn, he wafted aside the Vaz scandal almost as something from another world  not his concern at all.

He was more interested in appearing at a leadership-campaign event with 1980s band UB40. You may remember them: anti-Thatcher protest reggae songs, most sounding the same.

Like the Labour Party, they have had a few splits of late.

A few of the bands members, all tweezered hairdos and pingy eyes, were on parade to support Mr Corbyns re-election bid.

They kept moaning that things were not as good as in the old days.

Mr Corbyn made a brief speech about the arts. Good for him. Tory leaders have been shamefully uninterested in the arts for years.

But, as can happen with Lefties, they drew the wrong conclusions. Artistic excellence is often about individual talent.

Yet Mr Corbyn and his UB40 friends attacked grammars and insisted state schools should be comprehensives.

When there is a vacancy in the UB40 line-up, do they not hold auditions? If selection is OK then, why not in schools?

Time to step aside: Sources have said that it would be 'absolutely impossible' for the former minister to continue in a role that monitors crime, migration, sexual exploitation and drugs policy. Pictured, Mr Vaz with one of the Eastern European escorts
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As property prices continue to soar in Australia, buyers are now able to consider a real sea change by purchasing their very own island for the cost of a house in Sydney.

Ninth Island, located in the Bass Straight between Melbourne and Tasmania, is on the market for $1.68 million, just months after it was last sold.

Or if something in north Queensland is more to your liking, St Bee's Island, off the coast of Mackay, is also up for grabs as the owners are selling their 20-year lease.

The owners of St Bees Island off the coast of Mackay, in Queensland are selling their 20-year lease

Ninth Island, located in the Bass Straight between Tasmania and Melbourne is also on the market

Ninth Island is occupied by penguins (right) while St Bees Island has a healthy population of koalas (left)

St Bee's Island is a two hours away from Mackay by barge, and boasts a north and south house on the island, which is populated by koalas.

The owners purchased a 20-year lease in 2009 and renovated the properties, however have decided to return to mainland living.

'The property was in a distressed state when they bought it', listing agent Keir Kreis, of LJ Hooker Brisbane told Commercial Real Estate.

They've done it up and they're of the view that now is a good time to sell, although they're not in any particular rush,'

Secluded St Bee's Island boasts two properties, which have been recently renovated

The owners purchased a 20-year lease in 2009 and did up the north and south houses

The leasehold is for 4.5 hectares of the 1100 hectare island, the majority of which is national park.

It is also home to many koalas - which are one of the last population of the animals that don't have chlamydia.

Further south, Ninth Island is available for the price of a house in Sydney's booming property market.

Situated in the Bass Straight between Melbourne and Tasmania has been listed for $1.68 million.

In March the island, famed for its penguins and a Tasmanian winery named after it, was bought for $1.2 million.6

It previously failed to sell at auction in January, the ABC reported.

Tasmania's most famous wine Ninth Island is named after the island

The island is visible from the winery (pictured)

The 160,390 square metre island, which offers ideal views for dolphins and seabird watching, can be reached via small boats and helicopters.

It is about 1.3 km long and 550 meters wide.

Famous Tasmanian winery Ninth Island is named after the island, because of the view of it from the mainland.
to have offered him $1 million to appear on rival show

Channel 7 will air an in-depth interview with child recovery specialist Adam Whittington about the bungled 60 Minutes kidnapping in Lebanon - but the station denies he was paid a six-figure sum to reveal all.

Pictures of Mr Whittington, his family, and a Sunday Night film crew at a Gold Coast beach were published by The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday.

The program's executive producer Hamish Thomson told News Corp Australia that Mr Whittington, who was bailed from a Lebanese jail in late July, wanted to tell his side of the story, but he was 'not paid a cent'.

Adam Whittington, the child recovery specialist at the centre of the 60-Minutes kidnapping attempt in Lebanon, is reported to be filming a tell-all with Chanel 7's Sunday Night

Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner with her two children. An attempt was made to abduct the kids from their grandmother on a Beirut Street in April

The paper, without citing a source, earlier reported rumors the interview with the 60-Minutes rival was worth between $750,000 and $1 million.

Seven Network said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia there was no payment to Mr Whittington, his family or any other party for the interview - something which will be reiterated during this week's program.

The story comes amid reports that former 60 Minutes producer Stephen Rice was paid nearly $1 million by Nine Network after he was sacked over the botched abduction of Sally Faulkner's two children on a Beirut street.

Mr Rice's confidential $1 million settlement took the network's bill for the fiasco to more than $3.5 million, The Daily Telegraph has reported.

Channel Nine is believed to have paid Ms Faulkner's ex-husband Ali Elamine $US500,000 to settle the civil dispute and a similar figure to its lawyers in Lebanon.

The attempt to snatch the kids contributed to a $7 million blowout in legal fees for Channel Nine last year, the network said in its annual statement last month.

Former 60 Minutes producer Stephen Rice (right) and reporter Tara Brown (left) were charged a briefly jailed over the attempted kidnapping

Mr Rice was fired despite an internal review by the Nine Network recommending to the board that no staff member should be singled out for dismissal.

The experienced journalist, who has twice won a Walkley Award for his reporting, hired workplace lawyer John Laxon to challenge the decision that saw him ousted.

The 60 Minutes team, including Mr Rice and reporter Tara Brown, were charged with not reporting a crime for their role in the kidnapping drama and briefly imprisoned.

A Lebanese judge laid kidnapping charges against Ms Faulkner and Mr Whittington, whom were also jailed.

The 60 Minutes crew is pictured with Nine news boss Darren Wick (second right) after their release from jail last month. Mr Rice (second from left) was sacked after by the network
Andrew Nash, 13, took his own life in 1974 after coming home 'out of sorts'

After 13-year-old Andrew Nash took his own life, a now-notorious paedophile Marist brother turned up to his house and asked his mother whether the boy had left a note.

More than four decades later, the Newcastle boy's 90-year-old mother believes the brother had been sexually abusing her son at the Marist Brothers high school in Hamilton, north of Sydney, a royal commission has heard.

Audrey Nash on Tuesday recalled pulling over a taxi driver and telling him to get an ambulance and a priest after finding her son hanging in his bedroom in October, 1974.

Three priests and three Marist brothers including Andrew's class master Brother Romuald turned up, she said.

Marist Brother Francis William Cable, who is charged with abusing 21 boys, arrived to a 13-year-old students home after he committed suicide to make sure there was no note which can be used as evidence, a royal commission has heard

Brother Romuald, whose real name is Francis Cable, asked whether Andrew had left a note or said anything.

'I said 'no',' Ms Nash told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Tuesday.

'Then they got in a little huddle.... and had a little chat, and then they left.'

Both Ms Nash and one of her other sons, known as CQT, testified they believe the brothers came to their house to make sure no damning evidence was left after Andrew's death.

Ms Nash says she can remember Andrew being out of sorts when he came home late one evening around six months before his death.

Andrew Nash, 13, (pictured), returned home late one evening after school and appeared to be out of sorts, the Royal Commission heard

He said he'd been to Bar Beach, where it was later revealed Brother Romuald had abused other boys.

'I have been left feeling empty,' said Ms Nash, who added she gave her whole life to the Church.

'I also feel so stupid that I used to fear and revere these people.'

Ms Nash said she was never visited by the brothers after Andrew's funeral.

She said she went to speak to another priest about her suspicions of abuse in 2012.

'Look Aud, it's been going on forever,' she recalled him saying.

'The Romans had their little boys, the Greeks had their little boys and the English aristocrats had their little boys.'

The royal commission has heard children were raped and groped at Andrew's and CQT's high school, Marist Brothers at Hamilton.

Audrey Nash (pictured), the boy's told the Royal Commission the brother had been sexually abusing her son

CQT said many of the teachers could be described as 'sadistic thugs' and that one brother kicked a kitten that walked on the school grounds so hard that its 'guts' came out

He said numerous suicides by students over the years had affected the community.

'It feels like wave after wave of the kids dying from the 1970s until now,' he said.

The royal commission public hearing is examining how Maitland-Newcastle Catholic authorities dealt with allegations of abuse by Brother Romuald as well as men known as Brother Patrick and Brother Dominic.

It was presented with a list of 154 Marist brothers proved or accused of sexual abuse relating to the period from 1980 to 2015.

The hearing is expected to continue on Wednesday.
Animal conservation groups are scrambling to revive the numbers

Many died in blaze or fled to habitats leaving them vulnerable to predators

Marsupial's population in Western Australia town slumped from 500 to 39

They shot to fame on social media for their smiling faces in a craze dubbed 'quokka selfies'.

But the unofficial mascot of Western Australia's Rottnest Island has less to smile about with new data showing the devastating impact the 2015 Northcliffe bushfire had on the marsupials' numbers.

Before the fire, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) analysis shows, the area was home to 500 quokkas, but now only 39 can be accounted for.

Quokkas, the unofficial mascott of Western Australia's Rottnest Island shot to fame on social media for their smiling faces

Quokkas are largely found on the Rottnest Island, but mainland populations still exist in South Western regions such as Northcliffe, which was rocked last year by huge bushfires.

Many quokkas had died in the fire and surviving populations fled to surrounding areas, leaving them vulnerable to predators.

Ecologist Karlene Bain said quokka numbers could be revived there if threats were well managed.

'The surviving quokkas are highly vulnerable to predators and other threats, so active management of the area is needed to help them survive,' she said.

The 2015 Northcliffe bushfires have wreaked havoc on the quokkas populations

Many quokkas had died in the fire and surviving populations fled to surrounding areas, leaving them vulnerable to predators

Animal conversation groups are scrambling to revive the numbers

Dr Bain said there were now some 10,000 on Rottnest Island and another 10,000 in WA's southwest.

Their main predators were feral cats and foxes, although feral pigs were also known to disrupt their habitats by eating vegetation.

'The main challenge is to make sure their movement patterns are not disrupted in the long term,' Dr Bain said.
Three siblings will share a birthday after a mother gave birth to her third child on the same date in just as many years.

Lauren Stevenson from Dickson in North Dakota, USA, had child number three on September 1, having given birth on that date the previous two years.

'A healthy baby boy and the fact that he came on September 1, the doctors, the nurses, my husband and I- we just couldn't believe it,' Ms Stevenson told ABC News on Wednesday.

Lauren Stevenson (pictured) from Dickson in North Dakota, USA, had child number three on September 1, having given birth on that date the previous two years

Henry Lee Stevenson (centre with mother) was born to Ms Stevenson (left) and father Seth (right with son) on Thursday. The new-born shares the same birthday as his sister Tommie Lee, one (left with mother), and brother Axel Lee, two (right with father)

Henry Lee Stevenson was born to Ms Stevenson and father Seth on Thursday.

The new-born shares the same birthday as his sister Tommie Lee, one, and brother Axel Lee, two.

Dr William Lowe of CHI St. Alexius Health in Dickinson delivered all three of the Stevenson babies and said the rare event was a career first.

Ms Stevenson said when she has tried to celebrate her children's birthdays in the past she had been in hospital giving birth, but this year there would be a party.

'I think for their birthdays we can have one big party. If they can share together, we can do one big birthday cake.'

Senior Lecturer in Statistics at Australian National University told Daily Mail Australia the chances of giving birth on the same date three years in a row is about 7.5 in a million.
The Obama administration has admitted paying $1.7billion to Iran entirely in cash to settle a decades-old aborted arms deal.

The payments were made on January 22 and February 5, officials said, weeks after the release of four American prisoners detained in Tehran.

Officials previously admitted flying $400million in pallets of Euros, Swiss francs and other currency to Iran on January 17, the same day the prisoners were released.

The Obama administration has admitted paying Iran $1.7billion entirely in cash to settle a decades-old debt over an aborted arms deal (pictured, part of that payment)

Officials had admitted handing over $400million in cash on January 17 if four Americans jailed in Tehran were released, but now say an additional $1.3billion was also paid in cash

While administrations officials have denied the money was paid in ransom, they have admitted the payment was contingent on the prisoners being freed.

Now sources have told the Associated Press that the remaining $1.3billion was paid in cash too.

Treasury Department spokeswoman Dawn Selak blamed the unusual payment on 'the effectiveness of US sanctions', which she says mean Iran is completely isolated from the international banking system.

But opponents say the untraceable cash could easily be funneled to terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, which Iran is known to support.

The news emerged at a closed-door briefing held for officials from the State, Justice and Treasury departments on the payments, according to a Capitol Hill aide familiar with the session.

The $1.7billion represents money America owes Tehran following a 1970s arms deal with the shah's government that fell apart following the revolution there.

America refused to deliver $400million in arms to the new Islamic government, but held on to the money as well.

The remaining $1.3billion is interest that Tehran has charged on the money over the past 30 years.

The money came from a little-known fund administered by the Treasury Department for settling litigation claims.

Opponents of the deal, including Donald Trump, have lambasted the deal - saying the cash could easily be funneled to terrorist groups such as Hezbollah

Obama administration officials continue to deny the $1.7billion constitutes ransom, despite admitting that delivery was dependent on the Americans being released

The so-called Judgment Fund is taxpayer money Congress has permanently approved in the event it's needed, allowing the president to bypass direct congressional approval to make a settlement.

The U.S. previously paid out $278 million in Iranian claims using the fund in 1991.

On Tuesday, Republicans announced their support for legislation that would bar payments from the Judgment Fund to Iran until Tehran pays the nearly $55.6 billion that U.S. courts have judged that it owes to American victims of Iranian terrorism.

'President Obama's disastrous nuclear deal with Iran was sweetened with an illicit ransom payment and billions of dollars for the world's foremost state sponsor of terrorism,' said Marco Rubio, the bill's primary sponsor.

Ed Royce, representative from California and the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also introduced a bill that prohibits cash payments to Iran and demands transparency on future settlements.

'All of this was done in secret, hidden from the American people and from Congress,' Royce said of the cash payments to Iran.
A former Kings Cross kingpin has faced court because he entered a casino after he'd been banned by police.

Bill Bayeh, 61, was charged in August with 'excluded person enter casino' after he allegedly entered The Star in Pyrmont in June.

Mr Bayeh appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Court on Wednesday and told reporters he'd been sent a letter explaining the ban but it had not provided a reason, Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Bill Bayeh, 61, has faced Downing Centre Courts in Sydney on Wednesday

He is pictured leaving the court after he allegedly entered The Star casino despite a police ban

He will return to court on October 5.

Mr Bayeh, once known as 'Billy the Boss', admitted in March to ripping up a piece of paper which had the words '1 litre to 3 litres' written on it, which police believed was a drug code.

He had been forbidden from entering Kings Cross, except to visit his business interest, strip club The Love Machine, after he was jailed for 15 years.

Police approached him in Kings Cross last February, believing he was in breach of that condition.

Upon searching him, police found the piece of paper.

Mr Bayeh pleaded guilty in March to assaulting Geoffrey Edelsten's ex-wife, intensive care nurse Leanne Nesbitt, in February last year.

He was given a 12-month bond in April over the incident, when he made threats involving a dildo to her.
Cringeworthy poems allegedly written by a former Conservative Party leader to his ex-press secretary have been read out in a High Court defamation trial.

Married New Zealand politician Colin Craig wrote the poems to woo Rachel MacGregor, the High Court heard.

One of the poems read out during the trial was entitled, 'Two of Me'.

Married New Zealand politician Colin Craig (left) allegedly wrote poems to woo Rachel MacGregor (right)

'There is only one of me, it's true. But I wish this were not the case,' it read.

'Because I wish that I could have you. If instead of one man, I was two.

'That would be one for all the others. And one of me for you.'

Another poem allegedly outlined 10 things Mr Craig liked about Ms MacGregor, the New Zealand Herald reported

Part of it said she was 'beautiful... your eyes are lovely, you look unbelievable in your new dress, your lips are so amazing to kiss'.

Mr Craig was taken to court for defamation by Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams.

Another poem allegedly outlined 10 things Mr Craig liked about Ms MacGregor

Mr Craig was taken to court for defamation by Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams (pictured)

Mr Williams claims Craig made false statements about him during a doorstop last year and in a pamphlet sent to more than 1.6 million homes in New Zealand.

But Mr Craig hit back and said Mr Williams was the one who was making 'false accusations' about him in an attempt to topple him as Conservative Party leader.

One of the accusations was sexual harrassment claims made by Ms MacGregor.

Mr Williams read the letters the former press secretary had shared with him to the court as he wanted to show the jury he was 'telling the truth'.

He also showed the jury Mr Craig's signature at the bottom of the letters to 'make it absolutely clear under oath that none of the material I have just read to you as far as I am aware is fabricated in any way'.
The widow of one of the police officers shot dead in Baton Rouge back in July has revealed she is pregnant with his child.

Dechia Gerald, 38, the wife of officer Matthew Gerald, said she discovered the news after taking a pregnancy test around two weeks after he was killed by Gavin Long.

Gerald believes she fell pregnant on July 12, just five days before her husband died, on a rare night off he was given during nightly protests in the city over the shooting of Alton Sterling by police.

Scroll down for video

Dechia Gerald, 38, the wife of slain Baton Rouge officer Matthew (left with daughter Fynleigh) says she is pregnant again with his child

Gerald believes she fell pregnant on the night of July 12 while her husband was spending a rare evening at home amid nightly protests in the city, five days before he died

She described the child, whose sex she did not reveal, as a 'blessing from God', saying her two daughters actually predicted the pregnancy before she knew.

Gerald said Dawclyn, nine, first mentioned pregnancy while she was trying to find clothes to wear to her husband's memorial service.

She told WAFB: 'She said, "Mommy, I don't know why you're complaining." She said, "Because you're pregnant," and I said, "Girl hush, don't say that kind of stuff".'

A few days later, when she was bathing three-year-old Fynleigh, she recalls: 'Fynleigh told me the same thing. However this time, she told me that Jesus told her that there was a baby boy in my tummy.'

Around a week after that, Gerald said she brought a home pregnancy test to a family gathering, and discovered she was indeed expecting.

Gerald (pictured at her husband's funeral service) said that while it upsets her that her husband will never know his new child, she considers the baby a 'blessing'

Gerald, a Black Hawk operator who survived three tours of Iraq, died on July 17 after being shot at a gas station in Baton Rouge by fellow veteran Gavin Long

She added: 'I wanted to cry but at the same time, it's kind of exciting but then the flood of knowing all of the firsts that he would miss with that one.'

While it does upset her that her husband will never know his third child, she described the baby as 'a final reminder' and said she is grateful for the blessing.

Gerald died alongside fellow officer Montrell Jackson, 32, and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Brad Garafola, 45, on July 17 in Baton Rouge.

The men were gunned down at a gas station by Long, 29, a former Marine.

Gerald was also a former member of the military, serving three tours of Iraq before joining the police force nine months prior to the shooting.
He also uploaded photos of his detailed sleeve tattoos in Chinese script

He has assets frozen, including his Pullenvale property and his BMWs

Tim Meehan is accused of having his law clerk steal

A prominent Queensland lawyer accused of stealing more than $160,000 from his own firm has an obsession with martial arts, the gym and Chinese script tattoos.

Tim Meehan, who represented Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Peter Cowan, is accused of having his law clerk, and alleged mistress, Xanthe Larcombe-Weate, 24, help him put clients' money into his own bank accounts.

On Wednesday, Mr Meehan fronted Brisbane Supreme Court and had some of his assets frozen, including his Pullenvale property and he and his wife's two BMWs.

The criminal lawyer has posted a number of photos to his Facebook page of himself free fighting in the Japanese martial art jiu-jitsu, wearing the traditional uniform called a gi.

Tim Meehan, who represented Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Peter Cowan, is accused of having his law clerk help him put clients' money into his own bank accounts

He also shared a number of photos of his sleeve tattoos he had inked in 2015 with the names of his four children written in Mandarin

The criminal lawyer has posted a number of photos to his Facebook page of himself free fighting in the Japanese martial art jiu-jitsu, wearing the traditional uniform called a gi

He also shared a number of photos of his sleeve tattoos he had inked in 2015 with the names of his four children written in Mandarin.

Mr Meehan also shared a gym selfie in August of last year showing his toned thighs, saying leg day has slowly become his 'favourite day'.

The prominent lawyer has been accused of depositing $164,000 into his own bank account over the last financial year while $11,000 was allegedly put into accounts for Ms Larcombe-Weate during the same period.

Mr Meehan and Ms Larcombe-Weate were allegedly having an affair and used text message exchanges to organise the movement of money, The Courier Mail reported.

The allegations are detailed in court documents that were filed by Bosscher Lawyers in an urgent bid to freeze the assets of Mr Meehan and his wife.

The prominent lawyer has been accused of depositing $164,000 into his own bank account over the last financial year

Mr Meehan also shared a gym selfie in August of last year showing his toned thighs, saying leg day has slowly become his 'favourite day'

The criminal lawyer has posted a number of photos to his Facebook page of himself free fighting in the Japanese martial art jiu-jitsu, wearing the traditional uniform called a gi.

The prominent lawyer has been accused of depositing $164,000 into his own bank account over the last financial year

Criminal lawyer Tim Meehan (far left) and his law clerk mistress Xanthe Larcombe-Weate, 24, (right) allegedly stole more than $160,000 from their law firm

In an affidavit, firm boss Michael Bosscher said Mr Meehan was employed by the practice from late November 2011.

But he and Ms Larcombe-Weate were sacked last month following revelations there had been 'ongoing theft' by Mr Meehan and the young woman, upon the completion of an internal investigation.

'During the meeting in which (Mr Meehan) was presented with these allegations, and in which I provided him with a copy of my findings, he admitted to stealing from the practice,' the affidavit reads.

The internal documents describe the scale of the theft as 'significant and easily traceable'.

'If I were appearing on behalf of either at a sentence I would submit that 'the theft was blatant, unsophisticated and was always going to be discovered'.'

In an affidavit, firm boss Michael Bosscher said Mr Meehan (pictured at jiu jitsu) was employed by the practice from late November 2011

Mr Meehan (right) and Ms Larcombe-Weate (left) have not been charged in regards to the missing money

Mr Meehan is known for his role representing Daniel Morcombe's killer, Brett Cowan, who is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of the Sunshine Coast schoolboy

The firm's investigation showed clients didn't seem to be affected as funds had been provided for work performed and not future work.

Mr Bosscher appeared in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday, when Justice David Boddice granted the order.

'I am satisfied that there is a basis to infer that if steps were not taken ... there is a danger that there would not be available assets to meet any judgment given by this court,' Justice Boddice said.

The matter will return to court on September 16.

A Queensland Police spokesman said neither Mr Meehan nor Ms Larcombe-Weate, who did not appear in court on Wednesday, had been referred to police.

Mr Meehan and his mistress Ms Larcombe-Weate were both sacked from their roles at Bosscher Lawyers, following allegations they swindled the firm

Mr Meehan is known for his role representing Daniel Morcombe's (right) killer, Brett Peter Cowan (left)
He stepped down from in July and received a $40 million payout

Former Fox News president Roger Ailes didn't pay any of the $20 million settlement in a sexual harassment lawsuit against him, his attorneys have revealed.

21st Century Fox agreed to pay the sum to former network anchor Gretchen Carlson and apologized to her on Tuesday.

Her lawsuit named Ailes, not Fox News, as a defendant. But Ailes' attorneys told the New York Times Tuesday he had not contributed a dollar to the payment.

Ailes resigned from Fox News in July after Carlson went public with her allegations. He hasn't spoken out publicly since.

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Former Fox News president Roger Ailes (pictured in July) didn't pay any of the $20 million settlement in a sexual harassment lawsuit against him, his attorneys have revealed

Carlson (pictured) claimed in the lawsuit that Ailes cancelled her show when she rebuffed his sexual advances. Ailes says he will not be paying any portion of the settlement

'We sincerely regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect that she and all our colleagues deserve,' the statement from 21st Century Fox, Fox News' parent company, reads.

Carlson claimed in the lawsuit that Ailes cancelled her show when she rebuffed his sexual advances.

Ailes' attorneys have denied the allegations against him.

Now a source has told CNN Money that Fox made payouts to a 'handful' of women over alleged harassment by Ailes.

The insider added that the payouts were 'substantially' smaller than the one made to Carlson, but did not reveal the exact number or their total value.

More than 20 women spoke with the lawyers about inappropriate behavior by Ailes with some retaining legal counsel, CNN reports.

21st Century Fox agreed to pay the sum to Carlson (left) and apologized to her on Tuesday. Ailes (right) resigned in July and hasn't spoken publicly since

Carlson issued a public statement through 21st Century Fox, saying she was 'gratified' with the 'decisive action' on Ailes.

'Im ready to move on to the next chapter of my life in which I will redouble my efforts to empower women in the workplace,' she said.

In exchange, Carlson has agreed to drop the lawsuit against Ailes and will not bring up any new suits against the company or any of its employees.

Carlson voluntarily dropped the lawsuit against her former boss in a new court filing, Reuters confirmed.

It was also announced on Tuesday that Ailes-supporter Greta Van Sustern is leaving the network. Her hour-long spot on the network will be filled by Brit Hume, Fox News senior political analyst.

Like many anchors at the network, Van Sustern had a clause in her contract allowing her to renegotiate her contract if Ailes left the network. She decided to exercise that right, and when the negotiations deadlocked, she decided to leave.

'Fox has not felt like home to me for a few years and I took advantage of the clause in my contract which allows me to leave now,' Van Sustern said in a statement.

FULL STATEMENT FROM 21ST CENTURY FOX AND GRETCHEN CARLSON'S RESPONSE 21st Century Fox is pleased to announce that it has settled Gretchen Carlsons lawsuit. During her tenure at Fox News, Gretchen exhibited the highest standards of journalism and professionalism. She developed a loyal audience and was a daily source of information for many Americans. We are proud that she was part of the Fox News team. We sincerely regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve. Ms Carlson issued the following statement: I am gratified that 21st Century Fox took decisive action after I filed my Complaint. Im ready to move on to the next chapter of my life in which I will redouble my efforts to empower women in the workplace. I want to thank all the brave women who came forward to tell their own stories and the many people across the country who embraced and supported me in their #StandWithGretchen. All women deserve a dignified and respectful workplace in which talent, hard work and loyalty are recognized, revered and rewarded. Advertisement

Fox News is settling the lawsuit on behalf of Ailes, just two months after the longtime CEO and president of the network was forced to resign in the wake of the allegations.

After Carlson went public with her claims against Ailes in July, several other women spoke to outside lawyers hired by Fox News with similar stories of sexual harassment.

Carlson co-anchored Fox & Friends for seven years before she left to anchor her own one-hour program for the network. That show, The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson, was cancelled this year. She tweeted on July 6 that she was no longer with the network, and that day she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Ailes.
MMA fighter Marcus Kowal and partner Mishel Eder said goodbye to their 15-month-old son Liam Tuesday night as the life-support machines that had kept his body alive after a hit-and-run accident in California Saturday were switched off.

Kowal, who is from Sweden, posted a final photograph on Facebook showing his son's tiny, scratched hand with the caption, 'Good night bebisen (baby), you'll always be with us. Pappa alskar dig (Daddy loves you).'

Eder also shared a snap showing her holding her son's hand next to a soft toy and said: 'Saying good bye to my light, my love before he goes to save lives. This pain is unbearable. Liam, I love you. Hug your children, kiss them always. Don't lose patience. Laugh with them often. Get off your phones and play games. #rememberliam"'

The day had been made even more stressful for Kowal by a series of desperate calls from parents hoping they could harvest Liam's organs for their own children.

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Loved: MMA fighter Marcus Kowal posted this on his Facebook page Tuesday. It reads: 'Good night bebisen (baby), you'll always be with us. Pappa alskar dig (Daddy loves you)'

Eder also shared a snap on the GoFundMe page showing her holding her son's hand next to a soft toy and said: 'Saying good bye to my light, my love before he goes to save lives. This pain is unbearable. Liam, I love you. Hug your children, kiss them always'

Tragic: Liam Kowal (pictured center, with mom Mishel Eder and his father) had his life support turned off Tuesday night. He had been left brain-dead after a hit-and-run incident Saturday

Accused: Donna Marie Higgins (left), 72, allegedly struck Liam and his 15-year-old aunt, who is alive but 'seriously injured.' Kowal (right) said there was now 'a void' in his 'soul'

KOWAL'S PAINFUL REQUEST Earlier Tuesday, Kowal pleaded on Facebook for his followers to stop handing out his phone number to parents in need of donated organs: 'Please, I beg of you: for you that have my cell phone number, do not give it out to hopeful strangers that have children in need of organs. Please. 'We are dealing with enough right now - I cannot take on other people's pain. 'I've received 100s of messages from hopeful parents and I can't even continue to write "I'm so sorry, his organs have already been donated." Let alone, tell a crying mother over the phone. 'I wish I could do more but I can't. My baby's organs have been donated and I beg of you, please, please do not give out my number. Let us mourn in peace.' Advertisement

In a post on Monday, Kowal said that Liam's organs would be put up for donation and asked to be put in touch with hopeful parents.

But on Tuesday he asked his friends to stop handing out his cell phone number, saying that he had received hundreds of messages from hopeful parents, and having to turn them down was taking its toll on his well-being.

'We are dealing with enough right now,' he said. 'I cannot take on other people's pain.'

Liam was just 15 months old when a 72-year-old woman drover her car into his stroller Saturday, according to police.

The boy and his 15-year-old aunt were within the boundaries of a crosswalk in Hawthorne, California, when Donna Marie Higgins, 72, drove into them then fled, cops claim. Marcus Kowal was also present.

On Sunday Kowal wrote on Facebook: 'About an hour ago, our baby was declared brain dead. He tried to fight so hard. He even died at one point but they brought him back. He's a little fighter.'

'His heart is still beating but his brain is no longer working,' Kowal continued. 'Our hearts are broken and there's a void in my soul but we will get through this.'

Heartbroken: Liam was in his stroller when he was hit in what police say was a drunk-driving incident on Saturday. He had internal injuries and was left brain dead and on life support

Liam and his young aunt - identified as the sister of Kowal's partner, Mishel Eder on a GoFundMe page - were hit on Saturday afternoon.

She was hospitalized with serious injuries, including some to her legs, while Liam was found still strapped in his stroller, not breathing and with no pulse.

He was taken to Harbor UCLA Medical Center with internal injuries, and eventually declared brain dead there.

Witnesses followed Higgins in their own cars then blocked off her escape routes until cops arrived, Hawthorne Police said.

Begging: On Tuesday Kowal asked his Facebook followers to stop handing out his cell phone to parents in search of organs, as it was too painful to keep disappointing them

She was given an on-the-spot sobriety test and was arrested on suspicion of felony hit and run and felony drunk driving.

Higgins posted bail, but Hawthorne Police Department said in a statement that it is planning to pursue addition charges against her.

Killed: Liam suffered internal injuries, was not breathing and had no pulse when paramedics arrived Saturday. He was later declared brain dead at Harbor UCLA Medical Center

Sweet dreams: Kowal posted this photo of Liam on Friday; he had hopes his son might follow in his footsteps

On Monday Kowal also asked for help finding a recipient for Liam's organs - a post he would later regret.

'This isn't easy to write but Liam is going to donate his organs, so that his little heart can make another child live and another set of parents not have to go through what we have to.' he wrote.

'We were told that we can donate to someone we know. Therefore, I am writing this post to ask if there is a child out there we know that needs a heart or any other organ.

'It hurts to write this but Liam loved to share and the person we were going to raise him to be would love to help someone else.'

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for the Kowals and as of Tuesday night had raised over $110,000.

Marcus Kowal, who is from Sweden, has five fights on his record according to Sherdog.com, scoring three wins and a draw since 2009.

He is the CEO of Systems Training Center Encino.

Donation: Kowal wrote this message Monday, saying he hoped to be put in contact with parents who needed organs for their child. But he ended up receiving hundreds of calls
A retired Anglican priest was swindled out of 230,000 by a solicitor and his wife who befriended her through a church choir, a court heard.

Elderly Jane Waugh fell into poor health and thought she had found carers in Giles and Clare Scott, who were seen as pillars of the local community.

But the couple allegedly ripped off the 78-year-old while Mr Scott had power of attorney over her financial affairs.

They were robbing Peter to pay Paul as they tried to maintain their luxury lifestyle after running up tens of thousands of pounds of debt, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Retired Anglican priest Jane Waugh, 78, from York, fell into poor health and thought she had found carers in Giles and Clare Scott (pictured above) but they swindled her out of 230,000

Mr Scott, 63  a former partner at Langleys solicitors in York  stole a total of 231,446 from her accounts.

The lawyer has admitted to fraud and theft charges against the retired priest and three other elderly victims. His wife, 62, is accused of overcharging the vicar for carer services, which involved doing her shopping, making her meals and taking her to appointments.

Mrs Scott denies lying in order to trade in Mrs Waughs Ford Focus in part payment for a new car for herself.

She has pleaded not guilty to six charges of transferring criminal property amounting to 50,890.

She blames the entire affair on her husband, telling the trial she wanted to cry when she learned of the fraud.

All Saints Church in Brandsby, North Yorkshire, where Clare Scott met priest Jane Waugh

The court heard she was totally shocked to learn her husband of 40 years owed tens of thousands of pounds on credit cards and other debts.

Mrs Scott became friendly with the retired vicar after meeting her through a local church around 20 years ago. The couple, from Stearsby, North Yorkshire, then became better friends with Mrs Waugh when her husband died.

But prosecutor Philip Standfast said they abused the trust she placed in them.

Elderly Jane Waugh (pictured) fell into poor health and thought she had found carers in Giles and Clare Scott, who were seen as pillars of the local community

He said: Clare Scott must have known about the perilous state of the familys financial circumstances and she must have known that the large sums of money transferring into and out of their joint account was being used to pay for their high spending lifestyle and did not come from her husbands legitimate income.

It was obvious that these sums of money were the result of her husbands criminal conduct.

Mrs Scott acted as carer for Mrs Waugh and is accused of levying unreasonable, exploitative fees for her work, sometimes charging twice for the same job.

She claimed she made out accounts of how much time she had spent working for the retired vicar and gave receipts for her expenditure to her husband. He then arranged for the money to be paid to his wife.

She claims she did not check that the amounts she received tallied exactly with the amounts she submitted.

Mr Standfast said that while Mr Scott earned 3,500 a month, mortgage repayments on two properties belonging to him and his wife came to 1,800 a month, and they often spent 5,000 a month.
Baffled neighbours say the stress of major renovations on the Tromp family home may have triggered their bizarre disappearance.

Runaway father Mark Tromp and his wife Jacoba had been renovating their idyllic farmhouse in Silvan, east of Melbourne, for two months before they fled a week ago with their three children.

Neighbour Mark Chapman, who works closely with the family as a fellow berry farmer, said they had been fitting out a new kitchen and turning a garage into a living space.

Mark Chapman, a neighbouring berry farmer, said the family were undergoing serious renovations to their house and speculated it could have been a factor in the breakdown

Mr Chapman told Daily Mail Australia the renovations could have been a factor in the family's breakdown.

There is still no explanation as to why Mark, Jacoba and their three children Mitchell, 25, Riana, 29, and Ella, 22, abandoned their home on August 29 and headed to NSW, panicked and with no apparent destination in mind.

There is speculation documents were everywhere in the house when police examined the house last week because Mrs Tromp had been looking for documents for a quality assurance audit.

The family left everything at home including all mobile phones, tablets, passports and credit cards.

Riana, Mark, Jacoba, Mitchell and Ella fled their family home on August 29 after Mr Tromp started to fear their lives were in danger

The Tromp family home appeared to be abandoned on Wednesday after Mr Tromp said he hoped to reunite with his wife and children in the coming days

Mark Chapman is a neighbouring fourth-generation berry farmer who works with the Tromps as part of a group who sell the areas products to Coles and Woolies

Keys were found in the ignitions of their cars and the house was unlocked.

Their son Mitchell has told baffled neighbours 'I just don't know what happened' after news of their family's disappearance emerged.

'Its just so strange for a pretty straight family and everyone affected, Mr Chapman said.

Mr Chapman described the father as a 'workaholic' who was very devoted to his the earthmoving business and red-currant farm.

His wife was known by neighbours as someone who would pop around, have a cup of coffee and say hello.

She had been 'very focused' on managing the red currant farm and was passionate about promoting the fruit, making it into jams and sauces.

The Tromp family had been fitting out a new kitchen and turning a garage into a living space for two months before they disappeared last week

Ella Tromp (left), 22, has been charged with stealing a car after her 'paranoid' father Mark (right) encouraged her family to flee their Victorian home

Riana Tromp (left) and her mother Jacoba (right) are being treated in a mental health facility in Goulburn

Mitchell Tromp and his sister Ella have returned to their home at Silvan, where they addressed media on Sunday morning

The pressure of cranking up the farm by fertilising and starting to irrigate was just about to heap itself upon the family. The farm was dormant through winter with the main picking season being about December.

As far as the farm goes its actually a quiet time of the year - nows when the pressure starts (the beginning of Spring),' Mr Chapman said.

Neighbours are already pitching in to help with the farming season about to enter a critical time and Coby and Riana Tromp still in hospital.

Mr Chapman said he would sit down with Mitchell and work out what needs to be done.

Things need to be done on the farm and if they arent done their crop will fail, he said. 'If it was the pressure of running two business that got them perhaps we can make the farming business easier for them.

The family need to start fertilising and starting to irrigate.

The pressure of cranking up the 18-acre berry farm by fertilising and starting to irrigate was just about to heap itself upon the Tromp family

Mr Tromp and his children left the home unlocked when they fled on August 29. They had been renovating their home for two months

Mr Chapmans father, Gordon, said another next door neighbour, Roger, had been looking after Ella and Mitch since they returned home.

The family fled their home for NSW after Mr Tromp feared someone was after them.

The three adult children left their parents in NSW a day after they abandoned their Victorian home.

Mitchell and Ella eventually headed back to the farm separately, while Riana was found 'catatonic' in the back of a ute in Goulburn in NSW.

Mrs Tromp was found in Yass Hospital in an emotionally poor state. She was later moved to Goulburn Hospital, where her and Riana remain.
The graduate student who was gunned down at a New York Caribbean culture festival was allegedly murdered after telling a man to stop grinding against her.

Tiarah Poyau, 22, was shot in the face after she told the man, 'Get off me', while walking with friends during the J'Ouvert festival in Brooklyn, police sources said.

Reginald Moise, 20, was taken into custody in connection with her death after he allegedly made statements that implicated himself to two people.

Tiarah Poyau, 22,was allegedly gunned down gushed on during the J'Ouvert festival in Brooklyn after she told a man to stop grinding against her

Poyau had been walking with three friends early Monday morning when she was shot in the eye 'at close range' around 4.15am, according to the New York Post.

Authorities said Moise was driving drunk and had a Caribbean flag wrapped around a bloodied hand when he was arrested on Tuesday morning.

Moise, who has five prior sealed arrests, allegedly called a friend after the shooting and told them: 'Would you mind if I put my gun into your apartment?'.

Poyau, 22, was shot in the face after she told the man, 'Get off me', police sources said

He then told another friend: 'I think I shot somebody on the parade route. I didn't know the gun was loaded', according to police sources.

Moise allegedly fled to to his girlfriend's apartment following the shooting.

It was there he drunkenly fired two shots into a mirror, which caused the injury to his hand.

One of the bullets entered the home of a neighbor, who then notified authorities.

Moise then fled into his car and crashed into several parked vehicles, losing one of his tires, before he was stopped by police around 8am on Tuesday.

Police said they discovered the gun that killed Poyau at Moise's girlfriend's apartment, with tests confirming it matched to a shell found at the murder site.

Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said Moise told investigators he thought he shot somebody, saying: 'The gun went off, I'm not sure'.

Moise has been charged with second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment.

Meanwhile, no arrests have been made in the murder of 17-year-old Tyreke Borel.

Reginald Moise, 20 of Brooklyn, was arrested in connection with the Labor Day fatal shooting of Poyau. Bronx teenager Tyreke Borel, 17, (right) was also killed on violent morning

Borel, of the Bronx, was shot in the chest about 3:50am near Empire Boulevard and Flatbush Avenue durin the festival.

He was taken to the hospital, where he died.

Poyau was shot just a block away 30 minutes after Borel was shot, police said. She died at the hospital.

The aspiring accountant and was interning at top-five firm PwC in New York and getting her Master's of Science at St John's University, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Online, Poyau talked about her drive to become an accomplished professional  as well as her passion for traveling.

'This young lady is just a stellar person,' Boyce said. 'No issues in her life whatsoever, and none before either.'

Moise, who has five prior sealed arrests, apparently made statements that implicated himself in the shooting (pictured) to two people

The bloodshed (pictured) happened during a a carnival celebrating Caribbean culture held before dawn each Labor Day

This year, the JOuvert parade cemented its reputation for violence and bloodshed.

The shootings came amid unprecedented precautions taken by police to ensure safety a year after Governor Andrew Cuomo's aide was killed by a stray bullet at the early-morning celebration.

In a news conference on Monday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that 'all options are on the table' when answering questions concerning the future of J'Ouvert and if it might be canceled following the two tragic deaths, the New York Post reported.

'Im not going to go into detail until we do a full review,' he said.

'Were going to look at the whole situation with the NYPD and community,' de Blasio added.

People on a parade float play music during J'Ouvert, ahead of the annual West Indian-American Carnival Day Parade in Brooklyn

A man holds up a fake rifle during J'Ouvert, ahead of the annual West Indian-American Parade

City Councilman Brad Lander said that it's 'pretty clear that big changes are needed'.

'Im open to canceling it next year,' he added.

Police say they're investigating whether the shootings are related. No arrests have been made on Borel's shooting.

A 23-year-old woman was also stabbed in the area, but police said she refused medical attention.

A 72-year-old woman was shot in the hand and the arm at the same location and was taken to a hospital in stable condition, police said.

The NYPD had planned to double the number of officers patrolling the neighborhood where a procession of steel drums and costumed revelers was set to kick off at 4am for J'Ouvert.

The tradition originated in the Caribbean and is celebrated in several North American cities with West Indian communities, including Boston and Toronto. The name, J'Ouvert, means daybreak, put together from the French words 'jour' and 'Ouvert'

Police arrived at the scene where Poyau and Borel were gunned down Monday celebrating Caribbean culture in the hours before the city's annual West Indian Day Parade

The department also added 42 new security cameras to watch over an estimated 250,000 revelers and illuminated this year's celebration with 200 light towers.

For the first time, organizers of the parade were required to get a permit.

Police, in conjunction with community groups, also distributed fliers with a blunt message.

'This community will no longer tolerate this violence. Do not shoot anyone. Do not stab anyone,' the leaflets said.

The changes come a year after Cuomo's aide Carey Gabay, 43, was shot in the head as two street gangs exchanged gunshots during J'Ouvert festivities.

He was immediately placed in a medically induced coma but eight days after the shooting, doctors declared him brain dead.

Borel was shot in the chest at around 3.50am Monday in Brooklyn during J'Ouvert, the New York Police Department said

The bloodshed came amid unprecedented precautions taken by police to ensure safety at an event routinely marred by violence

Leaflets were released reading: 'This community will no longer tolerate this violence. Do not shoot anyone. Do not stab anyone'

The changes come a year after Carey Gabay, a 43-year-old lawyer who had worked for Gov Andrew Cuomo

Gabay was a lawyer who had worked for Cuomo and was deputy counsel of the state's economic development agency.

Earlier the same morning, a Bronx man, Denentro Josiah, was stabbed to death during festivities.

In 2014, a man was fatally shot and two people wounded during the celebration.

Organizers say the early morning festivities that led to what is now J'Ouvert started in the 1980s.

The tradition originated in the Caribbean and is celebrated in several North American cities with West Indian communities, including Boston and Toronto.

The name, J'Ouvert, means daybreak, put together from the French words 'jour' and 'Ouvert.'
He has placed particular emphasis on trying to heal wounds inflicted by the secret war US waged on Laos

For Obama, the visit serves as a capstone to his effort to bolster relations with south-east Asian countries

He also met a survivor maimed by American bombs covertly dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War

' to clean up millions of unexploded bombs

Obama paid tribute to Laotian culture and said US had an '

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Hitting the tourist trail, President Obama toured a Buddhist temple and enjoyed a refreshment from a coconut during his historic visit to Laos.

Making the first trip to the nation as a sitting president, Obama paid tribute to Lao culture and said the US would fulfill its 'profound moral and humanitarian obligation' to clean up millions of unexploded bombs.

The president also met a survivor maimed by American bombs covertly dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War.

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President Obama drank from a fresh coconut along the banks of the Mekong River in the Luang Prabang, Laos

Obama enjoyed the refreshment during his tour to Luang Prabang in the north of the country during his historic tour

Pleased to meet you: US President Barack Obama gestures a traditional greeting to a local as he tours alongside the Mekong River in Luang Prabang

Obama and US Ambassador to Laos Daniel Clune enjoyed a drink from a coconut as they walked along the Mekong River

People take photos of U.S. President Barack Obama as he tours a shopping area near the Mekong River

U.S. President Barack Obama is photographed after shopping in Luang Prabang, Laos

President Obama paused in the Ho Raj Rod, or Carriage House, as he toured the Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist Temple

Obama visited Luang Prabang in the mountainous north, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was a hub for Buddist faith during the Lan Xang kingdom starting in the 14th century.

His first stop in the city was Wat Xieng Thong, a 16th century complex of ornate gold buildings known as the 'Temple of the Golden City'.

Greeting the temple monks, Obama tried to shake hands with about 20 boys in bright orange robes, but was informed by his guide they weren't supposed to shake hands.

Instead, he posed for a group photo before heading to a shop to buy gifts for daughters Sasha and Malia.

After emerging with three bags, Obama went to a nearby coconut stand and drank from one of the fruits through a straw.

Taking questions later from young Southeast Asians at a town hall-style event, Obama said the US could be a great force for good but has been constrained by the fact that many Americans know too little about other countries.

He said: 'If you are the United States, sometimes you can feel lazy and think, you know, we're so big, we don't really have to know anything about other people. That's part of what I'm trying to change.'

Obama visited victims of amputations due to accidents caused by unexploded bombs dropped by the US during Vietnam War

The president has pledged to spend $90million over the three years to help clear the unexploded bombs in Laos (pictured: he meets with ordinance detectors)

For Obama, the visit serves as a capstone to his long-term effort to bolster relations with south-east Asian countries long overlooked by the US.

It is part of Obama's efforts to shift US diplomatic and military resources away from the Middle East and into Asia to counter China's dominance in the region.

He has placed a particular emphasis on trying to heal wounds inflicted by the secret war the US waged during the Vietnam War.

For nine years, the US dropped more than 270million bombs in Laos during the so-called 'Secret War'.

In shirt sleeves and black socks, Obama looked in awe at a large golden ship adorned at the bow with dragons, staring straight at the dragon's mouth

The tour is part of Obama's efforts to shift US diplomatic and military resources away from the Middle East and into Asia to counter China's dominance in the region

Obama greets monks at the Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist temple during his historic tour of the country

Locals waved from shops and open air cafes, shook hands with the president and recorded the spectacle on their cellphones

Obama has placed a particular emphasis on trying to heal wounds inflicted by the secret war the US waged during the Vietnam War

The bombings were part of a CIA-run, secret operation aimed at destroying the North Vietnamese supply routes along the Ho Chi Minh trail and wiping out its communist allies.

They also left a trail of devastation in the country, which US planes used as a dumping ground for bombs when their original target was unavailable and planes could not land with explosives.

One-third of the bombs failed to explode and across the country, more than 20,000 people have been killed or injured by bombs since the war, many of them children.

The president has pledged to spend $90million over the three years to help clear the unexploded bombs still littering the fields of Laos.

The US has contributed $100million to the effort in the last 20 years, as annual deaths have fallen from more than 300 to fewer than 50, the White House said.

For nine years, the US dropped more than 270million bombs in Laos during the so-called 'Secret War'

Obama toured the Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) Visitor Centre in Vientiane and has pledged to spent $90m over the next three years to help clear the unexploded bombs

Touring a rehabilitation center in Vientiane, the capital, Obama said: 'For the last four decades, Laotians have continued to live under the shadow of war. The war did not end when the bombs stopped falling.'

Speaking to one survivor, Thoummy Silamphan, who uses a prosthetic after losing a hand to one of the bombs, he told him: 'I'm inspired by you'.

The Lao government has said it would increase efforts to recover remains and account for Americans missing since the Vietnam War.
Australian apartment prices will fall by 15 to 20 per cent in just two years, according to AMP Capitals chief economist Shane Oliver,

But not everyone in the property market agrees with the economists insights.

Apartment prices predicted to fall within two years in cities across Australia

Dr Oliver told investors on Tuesday there was a massive multi-dwelling building boom going on in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth which made apartments more vulnerable than houses.

Theres a real risk of oversupply, he said.

I wouldnt be surprised to see outright price falls in apartments in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

AMP Capitals chief economist Shane Oliver (pictured) said 'there's a real risk of oversupply'

Dr Oliver said his prediction would vary from 'location to location

FACT BOX TITLE Sydney's average apartment price is currently $783,000 Melbourne's average apartment price is currently much lower at $436,000 Brisbane's average apartment price is also a lot lower than Sydney's, sitting at $487,750 Perth's average price for apartments currently sits at $450,000 Advertisement

Dr Oliver told buyers they would be better off waiting until the dust settles to see if there are any opportunities to buy apartments with a lower price tag.

But Dr Olivers views were not mirrored by Ray White Residential Director of Sydney CBD Michael Lowdon.

No ones got a crystal ball, but (we) wont see prices fall, Mr Lowdon said.

While the real estate director disagreed they would fall, he said he also did not see property prices keep going up as theyve done.

'Obviously if you are buying in an area where there are lots of cranes around, the price falls are going to be greater,' Dr Oliver said.

My view is that we have pretty much seen the main peek of the market.

I think (prices) will plateau out.

Dr Oliver told The Australian Financial Review his forecast would vary from location to location.

Mr Lowdon said more housing supply is needed in the Sydney CBD

Obviously if you are buying in an area where there are lots of cranes around, the price falls are going to be greater, he said.

He said Melbournes concentration of cranes were high in its CBD, but Sydneys apartment construction was more spread out across the city.

Residential Director of Sydney CBD said Sydneys apartment market rested on its development in the next couple of years.

Mr Lowdon said there will be pockets 'where (the market) could be over spiked'

There are going to be potential pockets where (the market) could be over spiked, but there hasnt really been new stock in the Sydney CBD market for about two or three years, Mr Lowdon said.
A couple have been charged after allegedly keeping a woman as a slave in their home for eight years.

Kumuthini Kannan, 48, and Kandasamy Kannan, 52, from Sri Lanka, have been charged with one count of possessing a slave and one count of exercising ownership over a slave.

They allegedly kept a woman in their home in the Melbourne suburb of Mount Waverley between July 2007 and July 2015.

Sri Lankan born couple Kumuthini Kannan, 48, and Kandasamy Kannan, 52, have been charged after allegedly keeping a woman as a slave in their home for eight years (stock image)

Defence lawyer Sam Norton said the crime 'simply didn't happen' when the pair appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

'The complainant went from saying there's no crime to, "I've been held as a slave",' Mr Norton told the court.

'We have a situation where her version shifts 180-degrees.'

The court heard the woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - had a meeting with Australian Federal Police on September 24 last year, and also spoke with Border Protection officers.

She had been 'polite but guarded' prior to the September 24 meeting, the court heard.

She attended Box Hill Hospital on September 23, 24 and 29 and is currently in Australia on a justice visa.

A woman was allegedly kept as a slave in their home in the Melbourne suburb of Mount Waverley between July 2007 and July 2015 (stock image)

The two co-accused will face a committal hearing on May 8 next year and are not in custody (stock image)

A social worker will give evidence at a committal hearing next year.

'Her health is improving,' the prosecutor told the court.

Mr Norton said the accused deny the allegations the woman was kept as a slave.

The two co-accused will face a committal hearing on May 8 next year and are not in custody.
An AirAsia X flight bound for Malaysia ended up in Melbourne after the pilot entered the wrong data into the flight's computer.

Flight 223 which was bound for Kuala Lumpur at 11.55am on March 10, 2015 is said to have turned the wrong way and had to be guided to Melbourne.

A report published on Wednesday by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau revealed the captain entered the wrong longitudinal position into the A330's computer.

An AirAsia flight bound for Malaysia ended up in Melbourne in March 2015 after the pilot entered the wrong data into the flight's computer

A graphic showing the expected track of AirAsia flight 223 in green, and path it took in blue

The position was reportedly out by 11,000km which adversely affected the aircraft's navigation systems and some alerting systems.

The aircraft turned left instead of right after takeoff and Air Traffic Control at Sydney Airport's International Terminal had to hold up an aircraft on another runway when the AirAsia flight turned in its path.

The mistake with the longitudinal position wasn't noticed until the aircraft became airborne and began tracking in the wrong direction.

The crew reportedly elected to discontinue the flight, but couldn't return to Sydney because the weather had deteriorated, so the aircraft was diverted to Melbourne where it landed at 2.03pm.

The plane then spent two hours and 50 minutes on the ground in Melbourne, before departing for Kuala Lumpur with the same captain and cabin crew.

A report published on Wednesday by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau revealed the captain entered the wrong longitudinal position into the A330's computer. The position was out by 11,000km

In the report it said the aircraft wasn't fitted with an upgraded flight management system that would have prevented the data entry error via either automated initialisation or automatic correction of manual errors.

Due to the large data entry error remaining undetected, the navigation system did not initialise relative to the aircrafts actual position prior to take-off.

AirAsia X told Daily Mail Australia that had taken the following corrective actions immediately after the incident, and prior to the publication of the ATSB report.

The aircraft turned left instead of right after takeoff and Air Traffic Control at Sydney Airport's International Terminal had to hold up an aircraft on another runway when the AirAsia flight turned in its path

'All AirAsia X aircraft have been fitted with upgraded flight management systems since the incident,' a spokesperson said.

A training bulletin and package for flight crew that emphasises correct operation and alignment of air data and inertial reference system has also been developed.

The spokesperson also said briefing all pilots on internal investigation findings and reviewing recovery procedures would be undertaken.

'AirAsia X would like to stress that we have in place robust management systems to monitor and prevent similar incidents from reoccurring.'
The only survivor of the Pulse nightclub massacre who was still hospitalized has been released, officials say.

Orlando Health announced Tuesday afternoon that all 35 victims who had been hospitalized at Orlando Regional Medical Center have now been discharged.

The condition of the last hospitalized victim fighting for their life had been upgraded from critical to guarded on August 16.

Hospital officials will not release further details about the survivor in accordance with 'the patient's wishes,' the Orlando Sentinel reports.

Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured more than 50 others at Pulse nightclub in Orlando

Omar Mateen (pictured) killed innocents in Pulse gay club as their family and friends tried desperately to get help from emergency services

Two days after the June 12 shooting, six victims had remained in critical condition.

Despite doctors' fears that the death toll could go higher, all of those six patients have survived.

The attack killed 49 people and injured more than 50 others, making it the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

The gunman, Omar Mateen, was killed by police after a three-hour standoff.

The 29-year-old from Port St. Lucie in Florida barricaded himself in a bathroom, taking several people hostage.

People are pictured here waiting outside the emergency entrance of the Orlando Regional Medical Center hospital shortly after the shooting in June

Family members are pictured waiting for word from police after arriving down the street from Pulse Orlando nightclub in Orlando on Sunday June 12

On Tuesday, one survivor recounted her terrifying story.

Patience Carter, 20, from Philadelphia said she has to imagine she was a witness rather than a victim to help her move on from the attack. She had been in Orlando for less than 24 hours when she visited Pulse nightclub with her friends Tiara Parker and Akyra Murray.

They were dancing and celebrating Murray's academic accomplishments when Omar Mateen fired shots in the club.

Patience Carter, 20, was among the 53 people who were wounded during the June 12 shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. She broke down after recounting the attack in vivid detail

Miss Carter and Miss Murray ran out of Pulse once they heard gunfire, but went back into the club to look for Miss Parker.

She hid in a bathroom and when Mateen started shooting, Jason Josaphat, a stranger, shielded her from gunfire.

Miss Carter and Miss Parker had non-lethal injuries, but Mr Josaphat and Miss Murray did not survive.

'Each day is a struggle', she told NBC News. 'Each day is an up and down emotional roller coaster, just remembering the faces of people that are no longer here.

'Dancing with that person, to watching that person bleed, that's a huge impact, changes your life forever.
Lee Robert Moore (pictured), a former Secret Service officer who was fired for allegedly sexting with underage girls while stationed at the White House has moved to Florida to face criminal charges

A former Secret Service officer who was fired for allegedly sexting with underage girls while stationed at the White House has been moved to Florida to face criminal charges.

Lee Robert Moore, 38, is accused of trying to solicit sex from an undercover agent he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

On Tuesday he appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, on the charges he tried to lure a local girl into sexual activity.

There are few details on the case that have been revealed, the Sun Sentinel reports.

Moore, who was based at the White House, has been locked up since he was arrested in November on a related federal charge in Delaware.

Moore's attorneys say their client was recently moved to a Florida jail so he could face the most serious allegations against him first.

Prosecutors in Delaware say Moore sometimes engaged in online sex chats while on duty at the White House.

According to the Sun Sentinel, prosecutors say the 38-year-old: 'sought to use mobile technology to sexually exploit multiple minor, teenage girls from one of the most secure places on the planet.'

Moore (pictured), 38, appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, on the charges he tried to lure a local girl into sexual activity

Moore, who was based at the White House, has been locked up since he was arrested in November on a related federal charge in Delaware (stock image)

'He did so while in the presence of other highly trained law enforcement officers and just yards from the President of the United States, his family, and senior administration officials he was then protecting. ... The brazen and self-absorbed nature of his conduct is simply breathtaking,' prosecutors continued.

Moore, who is married and a father, barely spoke during his court appearance on Tuesday.

His lawyers said he chose to move to Florida to have those charges dealt with first.

'The charges brought against Mr. Moore in the Southern District of Florida are much more serious than the charge pending against Mr. Moore in the District of Delaware. Mr. Moore would like to resolve his case in the Southern District of Florida prior to resolving the case pending against him in the District of Delaware,' his lawyers wrote.

It is expected he will remain behind bars until the conclusion of his cases.
A pregnant mother is recovering in hospital after her Indian in-laws poured acid on her bump in an attempt to fry the baby after a prediction it would be a girl.

The 27-year-old victim - named as S Girija by police in Nellore, eastern India - collapsed in agony when her husband's mother and her sister-in-law poured a powerful acid on her baby bump.

Investigators believe that the women were attempting to kill both Girija and her unborn child after an astrologer said she was expecting a girl.

A pregnant mother is recovering in hospital after her Indian in-laws poured acid on her bump in an attempt to fry the baby after a prediction it would be a girl

The 27-year-old victim - named as S Girija by police in Nellore, eastern India - collapsed in agony when her husband's mother and her sister-in-law poured a powerful acid on her baby bump

Investigators believe that the women were attempting to kill both Girija (pictured, right) and her unborn child after an astrologer said she was expecting a girl

Police have confirmed the victim's mother-in-law is on the run, but her husband and his father, who were not named in reports, have been arrested in the attempted murder investigation.

Girija already has an 18-month-old daughter and police believe she was attacked to stop her husband fathering a second girl.

The attack came just days of the victim's mother-in-law had consulted a fortune teller over the baby's gender, according to local reports.

Medics say she has severe burns over 30 percent of her body.

Police have confirmed the victim's mother-in-law has vanished, but her husband and his father, who were not named in reports, have been arrested in the attempted murder investigation

Girija already has an 18-month-old daughter and police believe she was attacked to stop her husband fathering a second girl

A senior officer told local media: 'We are waiting for chemical analysis report.

'It appears that they mixed a chemical in kerosene and poured it over her.

'We are on a look-out for Girija's mother-in-law.'

Many Indians from rural or traditional backgrounds believe female children are worth less than boys.
Boris Johnson has said the war on Syria 'shames humanity' after meeting leaders of the opposition to President Bashar Assad at the Foreign Office.

The Foreign Secretary held talks with the Syrian High Negotiations Committee (HNC) today, hours after demanding the Kremlin abandon support for the dictator and help end the war.

Mr Johnson condemned Assad's 'killing machine' and made clear the president could have no role in the country's future.

His intervention - which comes amid claims that Syrian forces have been dropping chlorine bombs on the city of Aleppo - marks a shift in tone from Mr Johnson.

Boris Johnson said Russia's support for Assad was 'indefensible' as he met the leaders of Syria's opposition at the Foreign Office today, pictured

Mr Johnson greeted the opposition leaders in the opulent surroundings of the Foreign Office today as diplomatic efforts to tackle the Syrian civil war continued

In March he complained that efforts to build a viable government-in-waiting had 'not worked' and hailed the role of Russian troops in protecting the ancient city of Palmyra.

Writing in The Times today, Mr Johnson said: 'Even the Russians have accepted that there must be political transition.

'But then the Russians are also employing their military muscle to prevent him (Assad) from losing and to keep him in power.

'When the Russians are asked to explain this seemingly indefensible conduct they reply with one stubborn question: the question with which we began. What then? What follows Assad?'

Mr Johnson highlighted the Syrian High Negotiations Committee (HNC) plan for a six-month negotiating phase between the regime and the opposition with a total ceasefire and humanitarian access.

This would be followed by an 18-month period of transitional rule with a mix of opposition figures and current government and civil society representatives, he said.

But he insisted the plan had to see Assad removed from power and elections held.

Mr Johnson hosted a meeting of members of the High Negotiations Committee of the Syrian Opposition (HNC) and foreign ministers at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

'There will be people meeting in London who have direct experience of running Syria, but who utterly reject the Assad-style police state,' the Foreign Secretary wrote.

'They want to create a new country in which there are checks and balances in government and in which the rights of women and minorities are respected.

'Their ambition is to ensure a safe space, free from terror, to which migrants can return.

'Above all, the High Negotiations Committee does not represent the victory of one sectarian group over another or the transfer of power from one faction in Syria to another.

A UK delegation including peers was heavily criticised yesterday for meeting Assad (pictured centre) in Damascus yesterday

'They propose a gradual transition.'

He added: 'There is still a chance that this vision can be made to work. If the Russians and Americans can together create a ceasefire, then the talks can restart in Geneva with the difference, perhaps, that all sides will by then have seen at least the scaffolding of a post-Assad Syria.'

In a column for the Daily Telegraph in March - when he was still Mayor of London - Mr Johnson wrote: 'For the last few years we have been engaged in an entirely honourable mission to build an opposition to Assad that was not composed simply of Isil. That effort has not worked, not so far.

'It has been Putin who with a ruthless clarity has come to the defence of his client. If Putin's troops have helped winkle the maniacs from Palmyra, then (it pains me to admit) that is very much to the credit of the Russians.'

Vladimir Putin has used Russia's military might to shore up the Syrian dictator amid threats from rebels and Isis-linked groups

That would allow the HNC, the 'broadest-based' opposition group in Syria, to bring forward its plan for a post-Assad Syria that is 'democratic and pluralistic' but which does not want to 'sweep away all the existing structures of the state'.

Mr Johnson's comments ahead of the Westminster meeting could be seen as a signal that the Government is ready to offer stronger backing to the Syrian opposition.

A delegation of British peers were heavily criticised yesterday for meeting Assad in Damascus.
Steven Durdek Jr, 23, raped and killed his next-door neighbor and then set her body on fire in Manchester, Connecticut

A predatory killer who raped and murdered his next-door neighbor then wrapped her body in a blanket and set it on fire has been sentenced to 115 years in jail.

Steven Durdek Jr, 23, crept into the Sarah Kelloway's home in Manchester, Connecticut, through an unlocked window before committing the horrific crime and later bragging about it on Facebook.

According to police he posted pictures of his 56-year-old victim on his Facebook page. The images showed a naked woman lying on a bed in a position similar to how Ms Kelloway, a mother of four, was found by officers.

Prosecutor David Zagaja said Durdek also sent a Facebook message to his close friend John Paul Torres at 4.26am on the night of the murder pleading: 'Yo, we need to talk ASAP.'

Durdek later removed many of the posts after his interview with police.

Ms Kelloway's body was found with her clothing pulled up over her breasts on January 18, 2014, the Hartford Courant reports.

Her hands, feet and groin area were more badly burned than other areas, which Prosecutor Zagaja said suggests the killer was trying to destroy evidence of his assault.

Victim Sarah Kelloway, pictured, was targeted by the predatory attacker, prosecutors believe

Durdek crept into the third-floor apartment where Ms Kelloway was living, pictured

Next to her body was a broken sculpture vase and an ash tray which police say was used to hit her over the head.

WFSB reports Durdek has a long criminal history and he was quickly linked to the crime thanks to DNA on a doorknob in Ms Kelloway's third-floor apartment.

He was found guilty of murder, felony murder, first-degree burglary, first-degree sexual assault, first-degree arson and tampering with evidence on Tuesday.

All charges will have to be served consecutively rather than concurrently making the total sentence 115 years.

Ms Kelloway's family members hugged outside court on Tuesday after Durdek was sentenced to 115 years in jail

Hartford Superior Court Judge Hunchu Kwak said Durdek had 'forfeited his right to live in society'.

As he was convicted, Durdek continued to protest his innocence. 'These things aren't true,' he claimed.
People will not be allowed to empty raw waste with one kilometre of land

New Zealanders are set to be banned from going to the bathroom in the ocean unless they are a kilometre away from the shore.

New environmental rules, which are expected to take full effect in 2022, will mean anyone on a boat will no longer be able to dump their raw waste in the Marlborough Sounds unless they're a thousand metres from land.

Boat owners on the water of the popular South Island boating spot are furious with the new rules, according to the Marlborough Express.

People who decide to head out on the water at New Zealand's Marlborough sounds won't be able to go to the bathroom unless they're a kilometre from land

Ian Logan, 68, lives on his boat Eluder and has been boating since he was a three-year-old.

'What's the issue with pissing over the side? How many fish, birds, seals, whales are there? We're no different,' Mr Logan said.

The current rules mean boat owners have to go 500 metres away from land to go to the toilet - or dump their raw waste.

But Mr Logan says the extra 500 metres will limit people who head out on the water for recreation.

'If you find someone who is using a launch at 20 litres per hour it is a costly way to empty your toilet,' he said.

'I think it is good the way the rules are at present because you have got to have some restrictions, you cant have an open slather people have gotta be made to sit up and think where they are doing their thing.'

The one kilometre restriction in the narrow waterways will prove difficult according to sailors who spend time in the waterways

However the one kilometre restriction in the narrow waterways will prove difficult.

'When you go out there to empty a toilet it would make life difficult because of the narrowness of the sound.'
A mother wants to move her 12-year-old son out of his Bristol school after he was banned from wearing 48 Clarks shoes - because staff said they look too much like trainers.

Nicola Ingerfield is angry that her 'model pupil' son Alfie was told he had a week to buy new shoes by teachers at Mangotsfield School.

Ms Ingerfield said she spent almost 400 on new uniforms for her two children - including the shoes for Alfie - over the summer and cannot afford to buy another pair of shoes now.

The 43-year-old says she believed the Clarks Harlem Spin leather shoes were in line with the school's uniform policy.

Alfie (left) wore his Harlem Spin shoes from Clarks to Mangotsfield Academy, Bristol, on the first day of term, but teachers told him they looked like trainers and fell foul of uniform rules. Clarks advertises the shoes as 'perfect for school' and Alfie's mother Nicola (right) is angry

She said : 'I can't believe they said they look more like trainers. The shoes are made from leather and look very smart.

'Clarks advertise them as school shoes and everyone I've spoken to agrees they don't look like trainers.

According to Ms Ingerfield, the deputy head teacher told her that if Alfie returned in the same footwear next week, she would make him wear borrowed shoes.

'He has always been a model pupil - he has never got into trouble in his life,' she said.

'I'm looking into whether I can transfer him, I'm so angry about the way they are treating him.'

The lace-up shoes are in Clarks school shoes range and are described on its website as having 'a casual look that's perfect for school and the playground'.

However, another mother who wrote a comment on the Clarks website has experienced the same problem as Ms Ingerfield.

'Megan' from Oldham, Greater Manchester, wrote: 'Our school has rejected these shoes as being too much like a trainer. Subjective but there you go.'

Nicola (right) is now considering taking Alfie (wearing his new shoes) out of Mangotsfield Academy in Bristol. She says she can't afford to buy him a pair of replacement shoes

Mangotsfield Academy introduced a new uniform this year for its pupils and says clear guidance was issued to all parents back in May. Head teacher David Spencer says part of the reason was to make it easier for parents who feel pressurised to buy expensive branded items

Mangotsfield School introduced new smarter uniforms this year after becoming an academy sponsored by the high-flying Castle School, in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire.

The head teacher, David Spencer, said the school worked hard to ensure parents knew the standard required by sending them a 'very detailed uniform brochure' in May.

He said many parents got in touch before the summer to seek advice on the suitability of footwear.

'Ultimately, we want to make it easier for parents who can feel pressurised into buying very expensive branded items,' he said.

Mr Spencer explained that the school provided financial support to parents who requested it and would look to reimburse them if shops won't take back shoes bought in good faith.

The head teacher added: 'Insisting on high standards of dress, we feel, sets students up in the best possible way for life after school and is part of raising expectations even further.'

Yesterday, police were sent to the gates of Hartsdown Academy in Margate, Kent, after the headmaster sent home 60 children for not wearing the right uniform - on his first day in the job.
One of Britain's most exclusive hotels, Claridge's, has submitted plans to build a massive 'iceberg' basement which would include a swimming pool, wine cellar and in-house chocolatier.

The five-star Mayfair venue, popular with the rich and famous, has lodged its plans with Westminster city council for a five-storey 1,800sq m extension.

This is equivalent to about 20 houses; the average UK home being 85sq m (925 sq ft).

The news comes as ministers have been told to crack down on the construction of super-rich luxury basements to stop the 'horrific' disturbance they cause neighbourhoods.

The new basement would have a floor area of over 19,000 square feet - 23 times the size of the average British home

One of Britain's most exclusive hotels, Claridge's, in Mayfair, has submitted plans to build a massive 'iceberg' basement which would include a swimming pool, wine cellar and in-house chocolatier - along with a spa and in-house laundry

They are referred to as 'iceberg' basements because such a large portion of the house is sited underground.

Documents reveal that Claridge's, part of the Maybourne Group, wants to add the basements beneath the Art Deco wing of the Grade II-listed building.

CALLS TO BAN MEGA BASEMENTS In March, Labour's Lord Dubs urged the Government to give local authorities greater power to block applications and said the developments do not just impact on rich areas. He insisted the basements were not just being built in rich areas such as Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster but also in poorer neighbourhoods in Wandsworth, Southwark and Camden. He said ministers could change the law with a 'stroke of the pen' by amending the current Housing and Planning Bill going through Parliament. But ministers rejected the calls, insisting councils already had the power to deal with disturbances. Earlier this year Rachel Johnson, the Mail On Sunday columnist and sister of former London Mayor Boris Johnson, launched a campaign to stop her Notting Hill neighbours building an iceberg basement in their 7million home. Advertisement

The hotel, situated on the corner of Davies Street and Brook Street in central London, maintains that the addition of the facilities, which would also include an in-house laundry and spa, are 'must-haves' for a modern hotel, according to The Times.

This would reduce the number of delivery vans needed by the hotel, causing less disturbance and noise in the area, the group added.

'Claridge's is excited about our future development plans to put in place state-of-the-art, sustainable technology and systems which will further enhance services for our guests, staff and neighbours, taking this iconic Mayfair hotel's vision into the next century,' a spokeswoman for Claridge's told MailOnline.

Those opposed to the construction of mega basements include actress Joan Collins, who lives in Belgravia and has previously described her street as a building site.

Queen guitarist Brian May is also not a fan of the extensions and wants the law to be changed.

May, 68, said that the building of multi-level 'iceberg basements' is turning Kensington, west London, into a 'hellhole'.

Claridge's, which opened in 1856, was granted permission in 2007 for a double-height basement to store machinery such as air-conditioning units housed at the top of the hotel - where it intends to build two more storeys of suites and bedrooms.

The Maybourne Group also owns the Berkeley and Connaught hotels and is majority owned by Qatar's Constellation Hotels.

It says the depth of foundations required would be the same regardless of whether it had a two- or five-storey basement.

Documents reveal that Claridge's, part of the Maybourne Group, wants to add the basements beneath the Art Deco wing of the Grade II-listed building

'Westminster city council supports the right kind of growth and is not against all basement development but they must be carried out in a way that is considerate to local residents and the environment,' Robert Davis, Westminster's deputy leader and cabinet member for the built environment, told The Times.

A consultation period closes next week.

Last month, the council, which receives around 150 basement applications a year, banned the construction of multi-storey basements under houses.
A Muslim woman fined for driving while using her phone claims she was using it to listen to the Koran in a bid to cure her toothache.

The woman, who refused to shake hands with police officer Patrick Vermeulen on religious grounds, was pulled over after being spotted on the A27 the Netherlands not wearing a seatbelt and with a phone to her ear.

As well as insisting she wasn't making a call on the phone, she also claimed she wasn't strapped in because a doctor had told her not to use seatbelts for medical reasons.

A Muslim woman fined for driving while using her phone claims she was using it to listen to the Koran in a bid to cure her toothache

The woman, who refused to shake hands with police officer Patrick Vermeulen (pictured) on religious grounds, was pulled over after being spotted on the A27 the Netherlands not wearing a seatbelt and with a phone to her ear

As well as insisting she wasn't making a call on the phone, she also claimed she wasn't strapped in because a doctor had told her not to use seatbelts on medical grounds

After police made the driver pull over, Mr Vermeulen approached the woman in the car at a motorway service station.

It was all captured by a film crew shooting a fly-on-the-wall documentary called Wegmisbruikers, which translates to 'Road Offenders'.

The woman refused to shake hands with the officer, citing religious grounds, and repeatedly demanded that the camera be turned off.

The officer, a recurring TV star in the show, explained to the woman that the TV crew had the right to film on public roads and went on to explain that he had pulled her over because he had seen that she was using a phone without a hands-free device.

She said listening to the Koran was the best way of curing her toothache.

The woman had also failed to fasten her seatbelt, claiming that she had permission from a doctor not to do so for medical reasons.

Eventually, her pleas fell on deaf ears and she was fined for driving without using a hands-free device and a record was made in the police system that she had been attempting to fraudulently make use of a doctor's note.

It is unclear whether or not she was fined for having failed to fasten her seatbelt.
The family of a mother who was strangled and buried in a suitcase by her businessman husband after she uncovered his affair with the babysitter, have spoken of their grief for the first time.

Nixiann Downes-Clack, 27, a mother-of-one, was killed by Alexander Clack, 34, on their fifth wedding anniversary, after she threatened to leave.

The ex-pats appeared to have a perfect life, after moving from Kent to the Caribbean paradise island of Grenada in 2009.

Death: Nixiann Downes-Clack (pictured left, with her daughter, who is now four) was killed by Alexander Clack (right) on their fifth wedding anniversary, after she threatened to leave

But Mrs Downes-Clacks aunt Kim Downes-Szmyglewska, of Peckham, South East London, has revealed the darker side to the seemingly idyllic marriage.

He was very controlling and we later found out very abusive towards Nixiann, mother-of-three Ms Downes-Szmyglewska, 39, recalled.

She wasnt allowed to go and see me and her family. I always knew something was not right but she would make excuses and defend him.

I know she suffered and it makes me feel sick to think about what happened to her, such an inhumane way to die, its disgusting.

Mrs Downes-Clack was born on Grenada, but moved to the UK aged 11 to study and lived with Ms Downes-Szmyglewska.

Ms Downes-Szmyglewska, the daughter of her mothers sister, was technically her cousin, but she always called her 'Aunt,' because of their age gap.

Aged 16, Mrs Downes-Clack joined Southwark College in Lewisham, South East London, to study travel and tourism, meeting prison officer Clack, 24, when she turned 20, on the social networking site MySpace.

Within weeks, shed fallen completely under his spell, Ms Downes-Szmyglewska said. Id never seen her like that before. She was smitten, but I couldnt help feeling protective.

Return home: Mrs Downes-Clack was born on Grenada, but moved to the UK aged 11 to study

Mrs Downes-Clack started regularly staying over at Clacks flat in Croydon, South London, and soon she moved in with him.

Our daily phone calls and regular meetings stopped. He didnt even want to meet her family, Ms Downes-Szmyglewska recalled.

They moved to rural Kent, away from everyone Nixiann knew. She didnt want to go, but Alex seemed to have cast a spell on her.

Claims: Mrs Downes-Clacks aunt Kim Downes-Szmyglewska (pictured) has revealed the darker side to the marriage

Then, a year later, in March 2009, Mrs Downes-Clack announced they were moving back to Grenada.

The couple married on June 17, 2009, before moving to the upmarket southern region of Lance Aux Epine, running a successful recruitment firm together.

But neighbours grew suspicious when they heard screaming and crashing sounds coming from their home.

When Mrs Downes-Clacks mother, Linda Downes-McQueen, now 49, asked her daughter about rumours of domestic abuse, she made excuses  despite being seen with broken bones and bruises.

Although her family suspected Clack was violent, Mrs Downes-Clack insisted they had a passionate sex life and were happy.

She fell pregnant in March 2011 and when little Anna (not her real name) was born in December that year, she said Clack was a doting dad.

When their girl turned one, they hired a 17-year-old childminder, so Mrs Downes-Clack could go back to work.

Soon afterwards she discovered that Clack had seduced the teenager, having sex in their marital bed.

The final straw, something inside Mrs Downes-Clack snapped.

Nixiann called me on June 16, 2014, saying she wanted a divorce, remembered Ms Downes-Szmyglewska. I hoped with his awful betrayal, Alexs spell had finally been broken and Nixiann would leave him.

Early days of the relationship: Mrs Downes-Clack joined Southwark College in Lewisham to study travel and tourism, meeting prison officer Clack, 24, when she turned 20, on MySpace

But when our call ended, I felt worried and texted her saying, "Be careful. I am really scared hes going to do something really bad to you".

The next day, on her fifth wedding anniversary, Mrs Downes-Clack was due to meet her mother.

Mrs Downes-Clack discovered that Clack (pictured) had seduced their 17-year-old childminder, having sex in their marital bed

When she didnt show up, her family frantically called her mobile, but got no answer.

Ms Downes-McQueen even tried Clack, who said he didn't know where his wife was.

Instinct told me something terrible had happened to Nixiann, Ms Downes-Szmyglewska said. Tragically, she was right.

Mrs Downes-Clacks body was found five days later and Clack was arrested and charged with non-capital murder.

He had flown into an angry rage after collecting his wife from work, when she had threatened to leave him.

Back at the house, hed beaten her black and blue, before strangling her in front of their two-year-old daughter.

Then hed shoved her lifeless body into a suitcase  driving it to a hilltop overlooking Grenadas picturesque capital St Georges.

There, hed buried the case in a three-foot-deep-ditch.

The court heard how he had cheated on her, seducing their 17-year-old babysitter in their marital bed.

At his trial at Grenada High Court in November last year, he pleaded not guilty to non-capital murder.

I felt sick to my stomach, thinking of how Nixiann must have suffered. How traumatised Anna must have been. Ms Downes-Szmyglewska said. The man was a monster.

Clack was found guilty of Mrs Downes-Clacks murder by a 12-member jury, on December 23 last year.

I felt sick to my stomach, thinking of how Nixiann must have suffered Kim Downes-Szmyglewska, aunt

Chief Judge, Justice Paula Gilford, said she was not convinced that he was remorseful.

On February 1 this year he was sentenced to 67 years and six months in prison.

Desperate for answers, Ms Downes-Szmyglewska visited Clack in jail.

My heart was broken, but I desperately needed to ask Alex why he did it. she said. When I asked him why hed killed her, all he said was that he just lost it.

Anna, now four, is living with her grandmother.
Arts body says: 'The freer the trade the more successful art market can be'

Government urged to repeal EU directive that entitles artists or heirs to royalty payment every time a work is sold

Leaving the EU will give Britain's art galleries a competitive advantage over their European and American rivals, experts have said in another sign that the reality of Brexit is defying expectations.

Cutting ties with Brussels will allow ministers to repeal an EU directive that entitles artists or their heirs to a royalty payment every time a work is sold for more than 1,000.

Experts say the levy delivered a significant hit on living British artists when it was introduced, with market share falling from 36.4 per cent to 15.6 per cent between 2008 and 2013, allowing the US to overtake the UK.

Over the same period, France's market share increased by 1.1 per cent.

Leaving the EU could boost Britain's art galleries as it will allow ministers to repeal an EU directive that entitles artists or their heirs to a royalty payment every time a work is sold for more than 1,000. Above, Francis Bacon's Three studies of Isabel Rawsthorne is auctioned at Southerby's, one of Britain's most famous galleries, in 2013

Since June's shock Brexit vote, three international galleries have chosen to open new exhibitions in Britain, defying gloomy expectations that the country's leading role at the centre of the global art market would be under threat.

Anthony Browne, chairman of the British Art Market Federation, the organisation that represents large auction houses and antique dealers, told The Times that the Government could use the Brexit vote to give London a competitive advantage over rivals in New York, Switzerland and Hong Kong.

He said the uncertainty over leaving the EU had initially caused anxiety in the industry but said forecasts had exaggerated the negative impact of the vote and galleries were now hopeful Brexit would bring advantages.

Mr Browne explained: 'The freer the trade the more successful our art market can be.

'I think there's huge potential. One has to now say: what are the opportunities? Too often EU single market harmonisation has been pushed through without regard to how it affects competition outside Europe.'

He added: 'The fact that [new galleries are opening] suggests that some of the anxieties expressed before the referendum were exaggerated.'

However some experts have warned of the detrimental affect of losing out from the EU financial investment fund. Antony Gormley's The Angel of the North (pictured) received 150,000 from the European Regional Fund

The royalty paid to artists - also known as droit de suite as the levy was copied by the EU from French law in 2006 - applies up to 75 years after the artist has died and was seen as having a detrimental affect on London as it encouraged buyers to take their business to rival galleries in New York or Hong Kong.

But experts have warned that British artists could be outweighed by the loss of EU financial investment in major artistic projects.

Antony Gormley's The Angel of the North received 150,000 from the European Regional Fund.

Arts dealer Thaddaeus Ropac is opening a 1,500sq metre exhibition room at Ely House in Mayfair. He represents artists such as Antony Gormley.
A woman fighter dubbed the 'Kurdish Angelina Jolie' for her resemblance to the Hollywood superstar has died fighting ISIS, it has been claimed.

Asia Ramazan Antar was among the ranks of the all-female Women's Protection Units - a Kurdish group battling ISIS near Syria's border with Turkey.

But reports have emerged that the 22-year-old brunette has been killed in a fierce clash with the terror network in northern Syria.

A woman fighter dubbed the 'Kurdish Angelina Jolie' (pictured) for her resemblance to the Hollywood superstar has died fighting ISIS, it has been claimed

Antar was born in 1996 and joined the kurdish YPG in 2014.

She is said to have been involved in a number of key battles with ISIS in northern Syria before she was killed.

A message on the 'We want Freedom for Kurdistan' Facebook page said she was 'martyred in a battle against Daesh'.

The 22-year-old brunette has been killed in a fierce clash with the terror network in northern Syria. Smoke rises from an explosion during fighting in the border town of Karkamis

Her death has yet to be independently verified while some reports claim she was killed during a clash between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition.

According to Iran Front Page, Antar was a 'renowned' Kurdish fighter.

The Women's Protection Unit (YPJ) is an all-female branch of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), who fight ISIS in the Kurdish areas of Iraq and Syria.
British holidaymakers in Spain were left stunned after they discovered a vending machine that sold sex toys.

Stuart and Debbie Norris from Sidcup, Kent, had been in the Costa Brava with their two young daughters aged 15 and nine, when they spotted a row of machines in the seaside resort of L'Estartit.

But as they got closer to the machines they realised that as well as having the usual drinks and snacks on offer, one of them was also full of sex toys.

Stuart and Debbie Norris from Kent, had been in the Costa Brava with their two young daughters, when they spotted the machine in the seaside resort of L'Estartit

The couple then had to shield their young children's eyes away from the items in the machine.

Mr Norris, a builder, said: 'Well it is quite shocking, we had to hide the girls' eyes when we realised what is was.

'Its right on the main street so anyone can go over to it. Its next to another machine selling snacks.

'We'd only gone over to get a Wagon Wheel.'

While fellow parent, Louise Freeman, a mother-of-four added: 'It is not the sort of thing you expect to see in a family resort.'

As they got closer to the machine they realised that as well as having the usual drinks and snacks on offer, the machine was also full of sex toys

But it isnt only sex aides on offer.

There is also a mechero soplete  a lighter  and a trituradora metalica grinder + pipa - a tool used when smoking a pipe.

The Costa Brava is a popular destination for British holidaymakers heading to Spain.
Five-year-old Sufi died after falling down two concrete stairs at his Victorian primary school

A five-year-old boy, known as Sufi, has died after falling down two concrete stairs at his primary school.

Sufi was critically injured after falling on the external steps of Wodonga South Primary School in Victorias north at about 4.30pm on Tuesday.

The boy was treated by paramedics at the scene, but suffered a cardiac arrest after being taken to Albury Base Hospital in NSW, but died shortly afterwards, reportedly of a head injury.

Police are satisfied the death of the five-year-old Sufi is a 'tragic accident' and is not treating the incident as suspicious.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Simfendorfer said police were still investigating.

'The exact circumstances of what he was doing before and during the incident that led to his death are still under investigation,' he told the Seven Network.

He said Sufi was from a large devout Muslim family that had been left 'extremely devastated', they had moved to Wodonga from Ballarat earlier this year.

Principal Clint Eckhardt described the incident as a 'tragic accident'.

'This news has had a profound impact ... and I know that our community will band together and support each other throughout this time,' he said in a statement on Wednesday.

The boy was critically injured after falling on the external steps of Wodonga South Primary School in Victorias north at about 4.30pm on Tuesday

He said the school would offer support to anyone needing it over coming days.

The five-year-old was described as happy and healthy with no prior medical conditions.
A suspected child killer who had to be extradited back to the UK after fleeing the country on police bail has now been given bail again.

James Watson, 35, from Peterborough, was arrested in connection with the murder of six-year-old Rikki Neave earlier this year.

He was released on bail but then absconded to Portugal before brazenly taunting police with galling snaps of him 'living it up' abroad.

Officers worked to bring him back to the UK - where Watson has now been bailed for a second time.

James Watson, 35, fled Peterborough for Portugal while on bail after being arrested in connection with the murder of Rikki Neave in 1994. Following a campaign of taunts directed at police, the fugitive was apprehended and brought back to the UK where he has now been bailed again

Cambridgeshire convict posted a series of photos taunting law enforcement officers as he enjoyed life in the sun. He fled to the continent in a friend's motorhome

Convicted arsonist Watson, was first arrested in April over the unsolved murder of Rikki Neave in 1994 following an investigation by cold case detectives into the youngster's murder.

The schoolboy was found dead in woodland close to the estate where he lived in Peterborough, where former fugitive Watson also grew up.

A post-mortem examination revealed that the young boy had been strangled to death.

Watson, a father-of-one, remained on bail since his arrest earlier this year.

He fled from a Northampton hotel before smuggling himself onto mainland Europe in a motorhome.

Watson was later apprehended in Lisbon, where he maintained his innocence.

The self-confessed cop hater served six years for fire-bombing a police station.

Tragic schoolboy Rikki was found strangled in a wood near his Peterborough home in 1994. He was just six years old

Before police caught up with him, he sent a string of provocative photos to pals showing him drinking beer, sun-bathing and even posing nude.

And in a message, he angrily accused police of trying to frame him for the murder, 'hounding' his family and fiends and making his life a misery.

He said: 'The best thing is I don't even have a passport.

'I just walked out of our country.

'Me and a mate left the UK in a mobile home.

'Booked it on the ferry, drove on and that was that. No checks, nothing.'

Officers from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit travelled to Portugal to bring Watson in.

They worked with National Crime Agency and Policia Judiciaria to bring the fugitive back to the UK.

Watson inside the friend's motorhome which he used to travel from Dover to the continent in a bid to escape UK authorities. In a message he highlighted how easy his escape was, saying he 'just walked out' of the country

Watson was previously given a indefinite sentence in January 2009 for an arson offence.

He was sentenced for causing 800,000 of damage by setting fire to the British Transport Police's headquarters in Peterborough city centre.

Ruth Neave being arrested over the murder of her son in 1994. She was aquitted of the crime two years later, and was shocked at the news of Watson's arrest in April of this year

He was given a five year minimum tariff and released at the end of July 2015, after serving six years.

At the court hearing into his sentencing Peterborough Crown Court heard that Watson had a hatred of authority since childhood, after feeling let down by those responsible for his care.

Rikki's mother Ruth Neave was acquitted of murder in 1996.

She spoke after news of Watson's arrest in April - the first arrest in 20 years.

Mrs Neave said: 'I am very anxious about all of this.

"I am under a lot of pressure and I have had to get some sedation to calm my nerves because they have been shot to pieces.'
Around 50 young pupils have been sent home from school after breaching 'Gestapo-style' uniform rules - but can you tell which child made it through the gates in these photographs?

Police were called to Hartsdown Academy in Kent after a huge number of students were refused entry to the school on new headteacher Matthew Tate's first day.

And this morning, a further twenty students were denied access to the school for uniform breaches, bringing the total to around 50.

Furious parents could also be seen approaching Mr Tate - who today argued that he was still 'doing the right thing'.

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Three Hartsdown Academy pupils, Kim Hopper (left), William King (centre) and Aleasha Williams (right) all turned up for school - but which one was let in?

Matthew Tate (pictured), the new head at Hartsdown Academy, was today confronted by parents as a further 20 children were sent home this morning

More pupils at the school in Kent were sent home this morning after breaking uniform rules

But it seems the outraged mothers and fathers of children at the school seem to have a case as it's difficult to tell who is breaking the rules.

Many children were sent home on the first day of the new school year after they were judged to be wearing cardigans, the wrong socks and the wrong shoes.

Three students, William King, Aleasha Williams, 11, and Kim Hooper all go to the school but two were forced to make changes to their uniform after being stopped at the gate.

William, a Year 7 student, was hit by a car last September and wears trainers because of his joint pain after he had his hip replaced following the incident.

But despite his mother pleading with the school to let her son carry on wearing the comfortable shoes, he was told to remove them.

His furious mother, Sharon, lodged a complaint with Ofsted and was particularly upset as her daughter - who is in Year 11 - wears Nike Air Max trainers because she suffers from hypermobility.

She assumed her son would be allowed to wear the trainers - like his sister - because he too had a legitimate reason to do.

Meanwhile, 13-year-old Kim Hooper was turned away at the school gates after being told her cardigan was 'wrong' - despite buying it from the school's uniform store.

She had left her black blazer inside the school over the summer holidays but wasn't allowed inside to retrieve it.

William (left), a Year 7 student, was told to remove the trainers he was wearing - despite his mother saying he was using them because of an injury. Kim (right) was sent home for wearing a cardigan

The youngster was also was sent home for wearing black shoes in what her mother said was a 'draconian show of force'.

Her father Dave Hopper sent her to school wearing exactly the same 'unacceptable' shoes that she was wearing yesterday, claiming that her outfit 'fully complies' with the uniform policy.

Aleasha Williams, 11, was the only student out of the three pictured who was allowed to enter the school

Yesterday he wrote a letter to Mr Tate, saying: 'Kim will return tomorrow wearing the very same outfit as it fully complies with your clothing policy, should she be sent home again we will require a full written detailed explanation listing the exact reasons for her refusal of entry,' reports Kent Online.

And out the three pupils pictured, the one who was allowed to enter her school was 11-year-old Aleasha Williams.

But she was still upset despite being let in because many of her friends had been held up at the school gate.

Her mother Sian, 32, said: 'I took Aleasha to the school gates and there were angry parents and crying children everywhere - it was heartbreaking.

'They were turning away children even though they were wearing black shoes.

'When the school has allowed previous years to wear trainers and shoes with buckles, it's not fair to target these pupils on their first day and make them go home.'

Defiant head teacher Mr Tate today stood up for his policy and wanted to send a 'clear message' that he is standing by the majority of the children and parents.

He told BBC Radio 4: 'I had two year 11s talk to me yesterday and say that when they went to school in year seven in perfect uniform they got bullied by other children because of the fact they were doing the right thing.

'We need to send a clear message to those people and I'm standing by the majority of our children and parents, those parents who stood up to their children, who were trying to force them down into buying trainers.'

Mr Tate said today that they ranged from one pupil arriving in a full tracksuit to some wearing 'wholly inappropriate' skin-tight trousers, jeans, and skirts, while others were turned away for wearing black trainers.
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These are the abandoned buildings that have been left to ruin and are now completely overgrown as nature creeps in to reclaim them.

Windowsills, sinks and entire rooms are becoming home to plants now the human inhabitants have moved out.

And it is only a few chairs, mirrors and cabinets that give clues that people once called these places home.

The sun peeks through the trees and vines covering a balcony of an abandoned building discovered by student Thomas Windisch

Mr Windisch has travelled across Europe discovering abandoned buildings and barns that have been conquered by nature

A single chair and a lamp stand alone in the middle of a living room of an empty house that has been taken over by plants

A sink still attached to the outside wall of an abandoned building now appears to have turned into a pot for plants to grow in

But Mother Nature has long since erased all trace of humans from the buildings, which are scattered across Europe.

Thomas Windisch, an Austrian student from Graz, travelled to the UK, Italy, Croatia, Belgium, and Germany to take the pictures.

The 33-year-old said: 'The idea was to show how Mother Nature turns dead buildings into living places again.

'No matter what the building is made of, nature always finds a way in. As soon as the roof is gone, seeds and water do their work and ivy breaches through every crack and broken window.

A large conservatory that once would have been a place to soak up the sun has now been overgrown with ivy

The floorboards and interior of this building as completely collapsed and has been replaced with overgrown plants

'The ceiling shots are my favourites because they look a bit surreal. So do the overgrown greenhouses and the wash basin in front of the brick wall.

'They are all different places, a selection of hospitals, villas, greenhouses or industrial sites.

'I started exploring places like these a few years ago. I always liked to travel around and discover new things.

'Many of them are simply breathtaking. The special mood of the light and the minute details make these places very special to me.'

Mr Windisch, an Austrian student from Graz, travelled to the UK, Italy, Croatia, Belgium, and Germany to take the pictures

A conservatory is the perfect place to grow plants but the leaves here have become overgrown and become out of control
The all-white group brought airport to a standstill for six hours yesterday

Five men and four women charged after protest at London City Airport

Adam Elliott-Cooper, 29, 'blacked up' while on a holiday to St Lucia

A senior member of Black Lives Matter once 'blacked up' and joked about being in 'the minstrels'.

Oxford student Adam Elliott-Cooper, 29, covered his face in mud while holidaying in St Lucia and even copied Al Jolson's 'jazz hands'.

A picture was posted on Facebook and a friend asked him if he 'was trying to be black' and he responded: 'I was actually going for the dark skinned asian look'.

It came as nine Black Lives Matter supporters including a film producer cousin of Ralph Fiennes, a former Oxford University student and an organic farmer, were charged following Tuesday's protest at London City Airport.

Holiday snap: Oxford student Adam Elliott-Cooper, 29, covered his face in mud while holidaying in St Lucia and and even copied Al Jolson's 'jazz hands'

Joke: This is Black Lives Matter campaigner Adam Elliott-Cooper, 29, covered his face in mud and said he pretended to be 'in the minstrels'

Flights in and out of London City Airport were disrupted this morning after a group of Black Lives Matter demonstrators marched onto the runway and lay down on the tarmac (they are pictured above)

The all-white group have been charged with aggravated trespass and being unlawfully airside following a six-hour stunt on Tuesday which saw demonstrators chain themselves to the Tarmac over the UK's 'racist climate crisis'.

The incident triggered huge security concerns amid reports the demonstrators managed to get airside by sailing a blow-up dinghy across the Royal Docks.

Film producer Natalie Fiennes, 25, a cousin of renowned actors Ralph and Joseph, has been charged.

In 2009, she joined a so-called Climate Camp in a flowery Cath Kidston tent on Blackheath after finishing her A-Levels at elite Westminster School.

The former LSE student also previously occupied the university to demand free education and lectures to be open to the public, a protest she blogged about on the Guardian.

She lives with fellow LSE graduate Ben Tippet, 24, in a multi-million pound six-bed house in leafy Wandsworth, south London. He was also charged.

Her father is Peter Guilford Fiennes, an author who wrote To War with God about his First World War army chaplain grandfather Edward Montmorency Monty Guilford.

Among those charged are Plane Stupid anarchists William Pettifer, 27 and Esme Waldron, 23, who caused mayhem at Heathrow last year when they chained themselves to a van and parked it across the main tunnel to the terminals 1, 2 and 3.

Pettifer, a worker on an organic farm in Radford, Somerset, and Waldron, a student from Brighton, were fined 200 after the blockade caused four hours of disruption and led to 75 people missing their flights.

Starry relations: Former LSE student Natalie Fiennes, pictured in her Kath Kidston tent, who is a Black Lives Matter supporter and cousin of actors Ralph, right in Harry Potter, and Joseph of Shakespeare in Love fame

Two of the nine people who have been charged over the protest at London City Airport are Esme Waldron and William Pettifer, anarchists from Plane Stupid

Dozens of police officers were at the airport in an attempt to move the protesters from the runway. Scotland Yard said it did not know how many officers were involved in the operation

Dramatic pictures from the operation show scores of officers and police vehicles surrounding the protesters on the runway, one of whom was sat perched atop the wooden tripod dressed in black. Officers approached him with a set of aircraft steps before giving him a helmet and a set of aircraft steps to help him down (pictured)

Actor Richard Collett-White, 23, from Kempston, Bedfordshire, who is also among those charged, was the Junior Common Room president at Oxford's Exeter College when it was closed indefinitely because of the mess.

Alex Etchart claims to have been involved with and inspired by Occupy London and Balcombe anti-fracking Community Camp

He was also a member of the Oxford University Association Croquet Club and a member of Oxfordshire Green Party.

Sama Baka, 27, Sam Lund-Harket, 32, and Alex Etchart, 26 - who all live in a houseboat on the River Stort, Roydon - have also been charged.

Mr Lund-Harket has spoken at Global Justice Now rallies alongside Friends of the Earth and given talks on world development for LSX Occupy.

The environmental group occupies areas of London, most notably St Paul's Cathedral in November 2011.

Meanwhile, Mr Etchart is a community musician and founder of XX - Experimental Experience, a creative theatre group that performs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

According to his website, he has been involved with and inspired by Occupy London and Balcombe anti-fracking Community Camp. He is also part of Dragonflies Theatre which ran the Chemsex Monologues last month.

Last year he directed an opera about sex workers, featuring real-life burlesque dancers and others who work in the sex industry.

When asked by the MailOnline why he became involved with the protest, he replied: 'Because Black Lives Matter.'

The remaining person is Deborah Francis-Grayson, 31, from Slough.

She was one of six anti-fracking protesters who locked themselves to a fire engine outside Cuadrillas oil exploration site at Balcombe, in August 2013.

The five men and four women have been released on bail to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday next week.

The protesters were arrested on the tarmac after bringing the airport to a standstill in a protest over the UK's 'racist climate crisis'.

The mayhem began yesterday at 5.40am when protesters chained themselves to a tripod in the middle of the tarmac to campaign against the UK's 'racist climate change', cancelling dozens of flights and delaying several more.

Richard Collett-White, 23, pictured second from right, who is also among those charged, was the Junior Common Room president at Oxford's Exeter College when it was closed indefinitely because of the mess. He was also a member of Oxfordshire Green Party

Police spent several hours 'negotiating' with those responsible as they waited for 'specialist resources' to unlock them, causing chaos for passengers.

It was only after six hours that all the protesters were successfully removed from the site and taken into police custody.

According to the protest group, the demonstration focused on the airport's expansion plans, which they claim will favour the 'wealthy' passengers and ignore the local population of Newham, the borough in which the airport is based.

After arriving on the site, the group released a statement saying black people are '28 per cent more likely to suffer air pollution' and that the airport was allowing a 'wealthy elite' to fly around the world while migrants are drowning in the Mediterranean.

It said: 'Recently London City Airport was given approval to expand its capacity, a move that consigns the local community in Newham to further deterioration of their environment.

'The average salary of a London City Airport user is Euro 136,000 and 63 per cent of them work in business, finance or other business services. It is an airport designed for the wealthy.

'At the same time 40 per cent of Newham's population struggle to survive on 20k or less.'

It added : 'Our climate crisis is a racist crisis.'

Police arrived at the airport minutes after the demonstration began, but it was several hours before any arrests were made. Scotland Yard had insisted they had to wait for specialist teams to arrive with bolt cutters before taking action.

After hours of trying to talk with the activists, officers moved in on the site at around 9.30am and made seven arrests.

However, only two of the protesters were unchained and it was another two hours before all nine were removed from the runway.

The all-white group were charged this morning with aggravated trespass and being unlawfully airside in the airport. Police are pictured at the scene yesterday

Dramatic pictures from the operation show scores of officers and police vehicles surrounding the protesters, one of whom was sat perched atop the wooden tripod dressed in black.

According to a witness, he was smoking cigarettes, taking pictures and joking with officers until his arrest.

He was eventually taken away from the site after officers gave him a helmet and wheeled him over a set of aircraft steps to help him down. The runway reopened just after midday, but delays continued throughout the day.

Black Lives Matter, whose international movement was set up following the murder of black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida four years ago, has carried out several demonstrations over the past few months.

The group brought the M4 - and other roads around the country - to a standstill in August in a co-ordinated day of action aimed to target those going on holiday and getting to work.

During that day of action - which coincided with the fifth anniversary of Mark Duggan being shot dead by police in Tottenham, North London - protesters lay down in the middle of the road near Heathrow and brought trams to a halt in Manchester.

Activists also chained themselves together to block the route to Birmingham airports, while in the centre of Nottingham, four protesters lay across tram tracks.
The body of a linedancing pensioner who was allegedly murdered alongside her husband by an Albanian asylum seeker has still not been found, police said today.

Retired insurance clerk Sylvia Stuart, 69, has been missing since her husband Peter, 75, was found dead in a stream in woodland next to their isolated home in Weybread, Suffolk two months ago.

Former Albanian asylum seeker Ali Qazimaj, 42, has been charged with murdering the retired couple - even though Mrs Stuart's body has never been found.

Today, opening an inquest into their deaths in Ipswich, Suffolk, Coroner Dr Peter Dean described the case as 'somewhat unusual' and 'very, very sad'.

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Retired insurance clerk Sylvia Stuart, 69, has been missing since her husband Peter, 75 (pictured together), was found dead in a stream in woodland next to their home in Suffolk

Mr Stuart, a retired key operator, and his wife were last seen alive on May 29 when CCTV images showed them going into a farm shop.

Detective Inspector Kevin Hayward, of the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team, said the couple's daughter Christy Paxman, 41, had visited them at their home between 6pm and 7pm on May 28.

Mrs Paxman, of Quorn, Leicestershire, was told during the following week by friends and neighbours of her parents that they had not been seen around or at their local line dancing club.

Mr Hayward told an inquest in Ipswich today that Mrs Paxman then reported her parents missing on the morning of June 3.

Police found the body of a man, wrapped in black material, in a stream in woodland close to the couple's home at around 7pm the same day.

Mrs Paxman identified the body as being her father and a post-mortem revealed he had died of multiple stab wounds.

Albanian asylum seeker Ali Qazimaj, 42, of Essex, was extradited from Luxembourg to the UK. He is charged murdering the couple

Qazimaj, who used to live in Tlbury, Essex, was identified as a suspect on June 6.

Mr Hayward said: 'Both forensic and passive data secured by officers provides sufficient tangible evidence to indicate that Ali Qazimaj is responsible for both murders.

'It is believed that Peter Stuart and Sylvia Stuart died between May 28 and June 3.

'Inquiries to establish if Sylvia Stuart is still alive have been negative and to date her body has not been found despite extensive inquiries.

'Suffolk Constabulary were satisfied that there was evidence to charge Ali Qazimaj.'

The inquest heard how Qazimaj had fled the UK before being found in Luxembourg and extradited back to the UK.

He has denied both murders and is due to stand trial at Ipswich Crown Court on January 20, 2017.

Suffolk coroner Dr Dean opened and adjourned the inquest until a later date.

He said: 'All the evidence is that Mrs Stuart is also deceased. I will not ask to go into the facts, but clearly the Crown Prosecution Service have also been persuaded.

The couple went missing from their home in Weybread, Suffolk last month. The body of Mr Stuart (left) was later found. Mrs Stuart (right) remains missing but police believe she is dead

Happily browsing in a farm shop, these are the last known movements of murdered line dancing enthusiast Peter Stuart and his wife Sylvia, whose body has never been found. They are seen at Goodies Farm Shop in Pulham Market, Norfolk, on the morning of Sunday May 29

'It is a very sad set of unusual circumstances as the body of Mr Stuart has been found and the body of Mrs Stuart has not been found.

'But as we have heard, all of the evidence is that she is also sadly deceased and a person has been charged with both of the murders.

'At this time, I would wish to offer my condolences the family of Mr and Mrs Stuart and all those close them.'

The couple's son-in-law Steven Paxman, 61, who is married to their daughter Christy, was initially arrested on suspicion of murder before being told no further action was being taken against him.
A male model's career has been ruined after his face was injected with wax by a Filipino transgender beautician in a botched 8 nose job.

Ellowe Alviso, from Manilla in the Philippines, had been featured in dozens of catalogues and dreamed of becoming a professional catwalk star - but can now only find work as a disfigured Halloween extra.

The 24-year-old visited a beautician to give him a 'more western looking nose' and had the procedure - including a 'chin job' - in February 2015.

Male model Ellowe Alviso (right) says his career has been ruined after his face was injected with wax by a Filipino transgender beautician in a botched 8 nose job. Police have issued an arrest warrant for transsexual beautician Euge Edward Udangan (left)

Ellowe Alviso, from Manilla in the Philippines, had been featured in dozens of catalogues and dreamed of becoming a professional catwalk star - but can now only find work as a disfigured Halloween extra. He is pictured after an operation aimed at fixing the problem

The 24-year-old (pictured before the operation) visited a beautician to give him a 'more western looking nose' and had the procedure - including a 'chin job' - in February 2015

But within weeks the area became infected and after seven operations Alviso now has a permanently mangled nose and horrific scars.

Police have issued an arrest warrant for transsexual beautician Euge Edward Udangan who carried out the treatment.

Meanwhile, Alviso has to scrape a living by painting his face and dressing up as ghouls to entertain people near his home in Manilla.

He said: 'I used to be a model and I was going places. I just wanted to improve my features and have a more western looking nose.

Within weeks the area became infected and after seven operations Alviso now has a permanently mangled nose and horrific scars. He is pictured working as a Halloween extra

Ellowe Alviso (left) can now only find work as a disfigured Halloween extra

Ellowe said he paid 500 Philippine peso (8) in February 2014 for what he thought was a collagen solution to be injected into his nose

He also had a cleft chin job as part of the budget package - a procedure to remove the dimple down the middle of a masculine chin to make it smoother. He is pictured after undergoing corrective surgery

'Now the only gig I can get is at Halloween parties. I don't even need to wear a mask as I already look like a horror movie creature.

'I want to look beautiful and handsome again. Then I can get work and help my mum and my family with money.'

Ellowe said he paid 500 Philippine peso (8) in February 2014 for what he thought was a collagen solution to be injected into his nose.

He also had a cleft chin job as part of the budget package - a procedure to remove the dimple down the middle of a masculine chin to make it smoother.

Alviso's modelling career boomed at first and he landed several new jobs.

But shortly after he experienced pain in his nose and when he asked doctors to check, they found a toxic cocktail of wax, petroleum jelly and sealant crammed inside.

Alviso (right) has to scrape a living by painting his face and dressing up as ghouls (left) to entertain people near his home in Manilla

Ellowe Alviso's modelling career boomed at first and he landed several new jobs. His scars are shown above

After he experienced pain in his nose, he asked doctors to check and they found a toxic cocktail of wax, petroleum jelly and sealant crammed inside

The area became infected and Alviso has since had seven operations in under two years after the concoction spread to other parts of his neck.

The grueling surgery has slowly removed the junk and repaired some of the damage, but Alviso has been left with permanent unsightly scars across his misshapen nose and chin.

When Alviso asked the transsexual beautician to pay for half the medical expenses, he claims she threatened to kill him.

He added: 'She cursed me and threatened my life. She accused me of tarnishing her reputation.

'My modelling career has gone down the drain. I could have been a superstar but now I have to do Halloween work.

When Alviso asked the transsexual beautician to pay for half the medical expenses, he claims she threatened to kill him

Alviso has since had seven operations in under two years after the concoction spread to other parts of his neck

Police have issued an arrest warrant Euge Edward Unangan - who uses the girl's name Kasheca Magallanes - but she has gone into hiding. Ellowe is pictured as a Halloween extra

'The beautician ruined my dream, my life, my personality and my family. I want the police to catch her so she cannot do this to anybody else.'

Police have issued an arrest warrant Euge Edward Unangan - who uses the girl's name Kasheca Magallanes - but she has gone into hiding.

The arrest warrant states: 'To any officer of the law. You are hereby commanded to arrest the person of Euge Edward Unangan @ Kasheca Magallanes of Brgy, Canlubang, Calamba City, Laguna and who are charged with the illegal 'illegal practice of medicine or violation of RA No 2382' and bring him / her / them as soon as possible to dealt with according to law.
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The women's ministry at Beaverton Christian Church, 13600 S.W. Allen Blvd., is taking registration for its fall Connections program that provides support for women in any season of life.

"This year we will be offering weekly morning and evening Bible study options for women," said Shari Swanson, Beaverton Christian's director of women's ministries. "We strive to provide a bridge to Christ along with friendships, encouragement and support for your life and faith journey."

The groups meet at the church on Wednesdays during the school year beginning on September 21. The new Bible study, "Finding God in the Psalms," will be offered on Wednesday mornings from 9-11:30 a.m. or Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

"Connections is a great place for women to get grounded in God's Word, and grow closer in relationship with Him and others," Swanson said. "If you are a mom looking to connect with your mommy tribe, a working woman looking for some deeper friendships, or if you are retired and looking for a place to belong, Connections is the place for you."

The cost is $20 per term or $40 for the entire year. Registration is required for the Bible studies and is available online at bcc.org/women or at the church office Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Childcare is available at $20 per family for the fall term by reservation only.

In addition to the Bible studies, the women's ministry holds an annual spring retreat, fellowship events and local and global outreach opportunities.

"Whether you're a mom of young children, an empty nester, grandma or a working woman, we have a something for you," Swanson noted.

The women get together once a month on a Friday evening to play Bunco or other table games. All you need to do is bring a snack to share. Donations are accepted to off-set the cost for prizes but not required.

The women's outreach program is looking for women to be a part of providing meals to families in need, sewing clothing for children in Haiti and serving overseas on a short-term mission trip.

For more information on any of the women's ministry programs, please contact Shari Swanson at sharis@bcc.org.
Daniel Green (pictured) denies one charge of rape and is on trial at the Old Bailey

A stockbroker accused of raping a woman after a cocaine-fuelled night out today insisted she only started crying because his penis is so large.

Daniel Green, 26, allegedly forced himself on the 29-year old woman after he spent the evening drinking in the City of London.

Green and his colleagues are said to have brought the alleged victim and her friend back to the fourth floor of their StratX headquarters, near Monument, for a wild bash.

But the woman crawled under a desk to go to sleep until she was able to catch the first train home because she did not have enough money for a taxi, the Old Bailey heard.

Green told the court he had ended up in the empty office because he was looking for a place to charge his phone.

The stockbroker said he and the alleged victim complained about a friend who had 'ruined the evening' by claiming her cocaine had been stolen when in reality she just did not want to share.

He said they had consensual sex but she started crying because his penis is too big and added that he has had problems during intercourse in the past.

Green said: ' She was touching me, she unbuttoned my shirt and she was touching me, also we were still kissing.'

He said the pair had taken off all of their clothes and were lying under a desk in the 'spoons' position when he tried to have sex with her.

The court heard she then rolled back and he thought he was hurting her after seeing a tear on her face.

He quickly jumped back and said "Oh f***, are you crying?", the court heard.

Green added: 'I always have difficulty when it comes to having sex with girls.

The woman says she was raped after she went to an office block in Abchurch Lane in the City

'The last relationship I had we didn't have sex a lot, if we did manage to do it would cause her pain and we wouldn't be able to have sex for a few weeks.'

The court heard Green tried to have sex with the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, twice but she said: 'Can you leave? Just leave, just go.'

He said he grabbed his clothes and fled the office and that the whole incident had taken less than two or three minutes.

Green said that earlier in the evening while in a club he had asked the complainant if she was okay, saying 'that's just the kind of guy I am'.

And while he continued to give evidence today, Green said that woman could be making up the rape claim just because he is a stockbroker.

Asked what he had done to 'deserve' the allegations, he said: 'Maybe it's being a stockbroker, if you want to put it that way.

'There isn't any good thing attached to that kind of work - also maybe the fact that it was a one night stand for a woman with a career.'

Green continued: 'There was a lot of drinks and a lot of alcohol and a lot of cocaine, maybe she's done it before but cocaine does weird things to people - when they are coming round, when they are on cocaine and when they are not on cocaine.'

He said he first thought she might be attracted to him a week before the incident while out partying in Brixton, south London, but admitted he hadn't asked for her number.

Green said they had shared a series of glances and touches over the course of the evening but CCTV from one of the bars they visited showed they had danced together for less than a minute.

In her evidence, the alleged victim said: 'I absolutely didn't consent to sex with Daniel, it was rape and I was trying to get away.

'I didn't shout out for someone to come and help me, my focus was in trying to get away.'

She estimated the whole incident lasted about a minute-and-a-half, and said Green had been making sexual noises during that time.

Prosecutor Timothy Forster told Green: 'You said "sh*t, she's crying" not even "you're crying" as if she's not even worthy of talking to, as if she's a piece of meat.'

The court heard the alleged victim and her friend were out in the City on Friday May 15 last year.

They met up with Green, who had been working for StratX for only a week, and his colleagues at a bar. The group had all been drinking and taking cocaine.

The alleged victim said she had drunk three glasses of red wine, taken three pinches of cocaine and one line of cocaine while out.

In the early hours of Saturday morning one of the revellers suggested they should continue the party back at the StratX office, in Abchurch Lane, where the group continued drinking, taking cocaine and listening to music.

Jurors heard the complainant did not have her bank card or enough money for a cab and had decided to rest until she could catch the first train home.

The Old Bailey in London (pictured) heard that the alleged victim started crying because of Green's large penis

Laying in the foetal position under a desk when she felt Green grabbing at her legs before ripping off her trousers and knickers.

After the alleged attack, the complainant phoned a friend, who in turn called police.

But when officers arrived, Green had gone and was later tracked down at his home nearby.

Jurors heard he gave a prepared statement denying the alleged rape and made a similar statement in November last year.

James Reilly, defending, told jurors that 'in the real word, things happen in the heat of the moment'.

On why Green stopped, he said: 'He had a very large penis, he thought he was hurting her. He has had problems before with his partners.'

He suggested the woman became depressed as the euphoric effects of three lines of cocaine wore off after sex with Green which was 'probably painful' and 'did not go particularly well'.

But Mr Forster, prosecuting, said the defendant was suddenly 'in this world where everyone was drinking and taking cocaine' and that he might have wanted to 'impress people'.

The barrister said the defendant had been jealous that the alleged victim's female friend was getting close to another StratX worker and had acted because he was 'frustrated and humiliated in front of his new work colleagues'.

Green, of Prospect Hill, Walthamstow, east London, denies a single charge of rape on May 16 last year.
A teen Apex gang member has been sentenced to less than three years in prison for an ice-fueled car crash that killed a mother-of-two.

Amanda Matheson, 47, died in a Melbourne hospital last November, three days after the 16-year-old drove on to the wrong side of Governor Road in the Melbourne suburb of Mordialloc and slammed head on into her car.

The boy pleaded guilty to nine charges, including dangerous driving causing death, failing to assist at a serious accident, and car theft, The Herald Sun reports.

A teen Apex gang member has been sentenced to two years and 10 months in youth detention for the ice-fueled, car crash that killed Amanda Matheson, 47 (pictured)

The teenager had been speeding in a stolen BMW, was high on methamphetamines and using Facebook on his mobile phone at the time of the crash.

The boy told a youth justice worker he hadn't been using the mobile and had been sleep-deprived from using ice, according to a pre-sentence report.

The Children's Court judge refused to accept the story, according to the Herald Sun.

The BMW the teenager drove was also used in a carjacking three days earlier in which suspected Apex thug Issac Gatkuoth pointed a shotgun at a terrified driver's head.

The 16-year-old was six weeks into a 12-month probation order for car thefts, aggravated burglaries and a police pursuit when he fatally hit Ms Matheson.

At the time of the accident the boy was reported as saying that the victims of his crime deserved to be targeted as they were rich.

'I do it for fun because I'm bored. If they (the victims) can afford a nice car, they can afford to fix it,' the 2015 report quoted the boy as saying.

After fleeing the scene the boy was arrested by police at a nearby McDonald's.

Ms Matheson died in a Melbourne hospital last November, three days after the 16-year-old drove on to the wrong side of Governor Road (pictured) in the Melbourne suburb of Mordialloc

The teenager had been speeding in a stolen BMW, was high on methamphetamines and using Facebook on his mobile phone at the time of the crash that killed the mother-of-two

The BMW the teenager drove was also used in a carjacking three days earlier in which suspected Apex member Issac Gatkuoth (pictured) pointed a shotgun at a driver's head

The teenager was sentenced to two years and 10 months in youth detention, his behaviour following the mother-of-two's death was described by the judge as 'selfish and utterly shameful'.

'Even allowing for an element of panic, you thought only about yourself,' she said.

After the tragic accident a witness said the boy had walked over to him and said: 'Can you give me a lift, bro?'
An Egyptian lawmaker has insisted women should undergo genital mutilation because the country's men are sexually weak - and cannot meet increased demand in the bedroom.

Elhamy Agina argued in favour of the brutal practice claiming it would succeed in reducing 'sexual desires' of women in Egypt.

The politician said Egypt's population of men suffered from 'sexual weakness' claiming the country was 'among the biggest consumers of sexual stimulants that only the weak will consume'.

An Egyptian lawmaker has insisted women should undergo genital mutilation because the country's men are sexually weak - and cannot meet increased demand in the bedroom (file picture)

According to the English-language local news website, Egyptian Street, he added: 'If we stop FGM, we will need strong men and we don't have men of that sort.'

He said it was therefore better for women to undergo FGM 'to reduce a woman's sexual appetite' - an act, he argued, that would encourage women to 'stand by their man'.

Last month, Egypt's government said it would ask parliament to approve a draft law that would increase jail terms for those who perform female circumcision.

Female circumcision, or female genital mutilation, was banned in Egypt in 2008.

But the practice involving the partial or full removal of the external sex organs, ostensibly to control women's sexuality, remains widespread, especially in rural areas.

In Egypt, the procedure is practised by both Muslims and Christians.

Under the current law, those who practise FGM can be sentenced to jail terms of between three months and two years.

But the bill which the government hopes parliament will endorse would see those convicted of female circumcision jailed for between five and seven years, a statement from the prime minister's office said.

The government also proposes that those convicted be given jail terms with hard labour if the procedure leads to the death or permanent physical disability of the women being circumcised.

Elhamy Agina argued in favour of the brutal practice claiming it would succeed in reducing 'sexual desires' of women in Egypt. The country's capital, Cairo, is pictured above

FGM can cause lifelong pain, including extreme discomfort during sexual intercourse, serious complications during childbirth and psychological trauma.

Activists say the campaign to end the practice may have suffered a setback with the 2011 overthrow of president Hosni Mubarak, whose regime imposed the ban.

Some Islamists argued that the ban was a legacy of his autocratic rule which should not be enforced.

The government bill also calls for anyone who forces a female to undertake the procedure to be jailed for between one and three years.

In May, an Egyptian teenager who had undergone FGM died of complications.

Her mother, the doctor who carried out the procedure and two other people have been accused of 'involuntary manslaughter' and are to face trial.

In January 2015, a doctor was sentenced to two years in jail for involuntary manslaughter and three months for practising female genital mutilation, after a 14-year-old girl died during an operation he performed. He served only the three-month sentence.
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has banned the country's citizens from using sarcasm in their everyday conversations.

Satire directed towards the regime and even indirect criticisms of leadership will not be forgiven, sources in the North have said.

Mass meetings organized by central government authorities have been used to issue the warnings.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has banned the country's citizens from using sarcasm in their everyday conversations

'One state security official personally organized a meeting to alert local residents to potential "hostile actions" by internal rebellious elements,' a source in Jagang province, which lies along the border with China, told RFA's Korean Service this week.

'The main point of the lecture was "keep your mouths shut",' the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The same message was delivered in a meeting held in neighboring Yanggang province on August 28, a source in the province said.

Among the phrases outlawed by Kim Jong-un are 'this is all America's fault', which could be seen as a criticism if spoken ironically.

The official leading the meeting warned those present against being 'dragged into internal hostile behavior'.

The source added: 'This habit of the central authorities of blaming the wrong country when a problem's cause obviously lies elsewhere has led citizens to mock the party.

Another blacklisted expression is, 'a fool who cannot see the outside world,'.

The phrase has been used widely by government workers in Pyongyang who were shocked at Kim Jong-un's no-show at celebrations held in Russia and China to mark the end of the Second World War.
Donald Trump has opened up a double-digit lead over Hillary Clinton among registered voters who are active and former military servicemen and women.

A new NBC/SurveyMonkey poll shows the Republican presidential nominee leading his rival by 19 points.

The news comes on the day Trump is set to deliver a speech about military policy, and as the two candidates are sparring over which has the support of more retired generals and admirals.

Fifty-five percent of active and former military members support Trump, while 36 percent back Clinton, according to the new poll, released Wednesday morning.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, shown Tuesday with retired U.S. Army general Michael Flynn in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is far ahead of Hillary Clinton among veterans and active military service members

Clinton, shown Tuesday aboard her campaign airplane, has unveiled a list of 95 retired military flag officers who back her

Trump has opened up a big lead among registered voters who say they have served in the U.S. military at some point

And 64 per cent say they lack confidence in Clinton's ability to be an effective commander-in-chief. Forty-seven percent say the same about Trump.

Military voters also gave Trump a 52-28 edge on his ability to handle veterans issues, a platform that has been part of the Republican's campaign stump speeches for more than a year.

Both candidates will participate in a Commander in Chief forum in New York City on Wednesday night, hosted by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

The unprecedented event will air on NBC and MSNBC at 8:00 p.m. Clinton will appear first, following a coin toss, giving Trump the enviable chance to rebut her during the second half of the hour.

They will take questions from NBC's Matt Lauer and an audience full of veterans and active service members.

Clinton unveiled a list of 95 retired generals and admirals on Wednesday who are endorsing her.

That list one-ups Trump's, which included 88.

Trump has made veterans issues a major part of his campaign, and is set to deliver a speech Wednesday morning about military policy

The NBC/SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll samples the opinions of 32,226 adults who fill out surveys on the online platform and say they are registered to vote.

The new numbers are limited to 3.358 registered voters who say they have served in the military at some point.

While SurveyMonkey says it has access to a pool of nearly 3 million Americans, it may not be a representative sample of U.S. voters since less than 1 per cent of the nation's population has any chance at all of being surveyed.

SurveyMonkey itself reports that 'the biggest challenge of non-probability sampling is recreating the same kind of non-biased results that probability sampling gives you.'
A Flybe air stewardess has won a landmark sexual discrimination case against the airline because they refused to negotiate her working hours after she gave birth.

Cabin crew manager Emma Seville, 44, previously worked full-time on fully flexible working hours, which meant she could work any 22 days in a month.

But after giving birth to her baby boy Ted in August 2015, she applied to return to work part-time when her nine months of maternity leave ended this spring.

Victory: Before having her baby boy Ted, mother Emma Seville (both pictured) worked full-time on fully flexible working hours, which meant she could work any 22 days in a month

Ms Seville, of Birmingham, requested a fixed pattern of a pre-arranged 11 days a month so she could organise childcare for her son.

However, the proposal was rejected by Flybe bosses who told her she could only come back if she worked any given 11 days a month.

She took the battle to a tribunal and claimed her employment arrangements put female workers at a disadvantage compared to male employees.

The hearing was regarded as a test case with the possibility of the flexible scheme being adapted by women cabin crew members of other airlines in future.

And on Monday, tribunal judge Lynne Findlay found in her favour and agreed she had been placed at a disadvantage following a three-day hearing.

The judge described Ms Seville as enthusiastic and said cabin crew work was dominated by women mainly of child-bearing age.

Sitting at Birmingham Employment Tribunal, Miss Findlay added: This placed women at a disadvantage compared with men.

Both parties will now have six weeks to come to an agreement on a settlement and discussions will also begin to mutually agree Ms Sevilles working hours.

Proposal: Ms Seville, of Birmingham, asked FlyBe for a fixed pattern of a pre-arranged 11 days a month so she could organise childcare for her son

The tribunal judge said if they failed to agree in that period she would decide what amount to award at another tribunal hearing.

Today, Ms Seville said: They point-blank refused. They told me that a significant part of the workforce was already on fixed hours and they couldnt get any more people in that pot because it would have a detrimental effect on the business.

I was feeling desperate. It was a very difficult time. You would be waiting for the rotas, anxiously holding your breath to see what you would be getting.

Ms Seville appealed the decision internally with Flybe, where she has worked for 13 years, but again was told she could only go back on a flexible rota.

She added: My only option was to go to a tribunal. I felt let down. I felt I had given 13 years service.

'My individual situation and my loyalty were not taken into consideration. I was absolutely ecstatic and delighted but not just for me.

Defence: Flybe said her request for flexible hours had been considered but that it could cause problems. They also said the airline had a fixed rota system and that shifts could be swapped

Its a great victory for the whole workforce. I was the first person to bring this to a tribunal.

'It has been 12 months of hell but I knew it was absolutely the right thing to do.

Ms Seville won her claim for sexual discrimination against Flybe but lost her other legal claim for flexible working hours against the airline giant.

She told the tribunal panel she had problems engaging nurseries to look after her baby because of the unusual working hours.

Flybe had rejected Ms Sevilles request for flexible working hours and opposed both legal claims at the tribunal.

They told the tribunal her request for flexible hours had been fully considered but that it could cause problems.

They also said the airline had a fixed rota system and that shifts could be swapped.
Britain's first ever university computer is getting a reboot, 70 years on, with the help of some its original technicians.

The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC) was the first computer to ever enter service at a university, running its first programme at the Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory in May 1949.

It was one of the first practical general purpose computers, capable of performing 650 instructions per second, effectively computing more than 1,500 times faster than the mechanical calculators it replaced.

One of the country's first ever computers (pictured) filled an entire room at Cambridge university. The EDSAC ran its first programme in May 1949

Cambridge graduates Liz Howe (left), Joyce Wheeler (centre) and Margaret Marrs worked on the EDSAC computer when it first came to the university in 1949. The group met last week to share their memories of life as the country's first computer scientists

Joyce Wheeler (pictured working on the original EDSAC in the 1940s) Designed in 1947 by a team lead by computer pioneer Sir Maurice Wilkes, the original EDSAC operated for almost 10 years at the Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory

Last week the team working on the reconstruction project were visited by a team of EDSAC veterans - some of the engineers who worked with it in Cambridge in the 1950s.

Joyce Wheeler, then an astronomy postgraduate student, and Margaret Marrs, an EDSAC operator, were joined by Liz Howe, an operator of EDSAC 2, and shared their memories of life as Cambridge's first computer scientists.

Speaking about the project Joyce, 85, said: 'It is amazing, it brings back so many memories.'

Some of her work with the device including working out differential equations to learn the internal temperatures of stars.

Joyce Wheeler, then an astronomy postgraduate student, and Margaret Marrs, an EDSAC operator, were joined by Liz Howe, an operator of EDSAC 2 visted the project that is costing around 250,000 but is being carried out by volunteers who are working for free

She said the problems were 'quite difficult to solve' and only made possible by the EDSAC.

Andrew Herbert, leader of the EDSAC project, said: 'In reconstructing EDSAC, photographs and some documentation have been available, but it has been essential for the team to get into the mindset of the original creators to be able to fill in many unrecorded details.

'Thankfully the EDSAC veterans have confirmed that the guesses that we've had to make have been correct.'

Designed in 1947 by computer pioneer Sir Maurice Wilkes, the original EDSAC operated for almost 10 years at the university, contributing to three Nobel Prizes in the process.

A Cambridge physics graduate, Wilkes worked on radar systems during the Second World War, before leading what would become the Cambridge Computer Laboratory.

The original EDSAC was designed in 1947 by computer pioneer Sir Maurice Wilkes. The working reconstruction (pictured) was built to mark the projects 70th anniversary

Liz Howe (left), an operator of EDSAC 2 joined Joyce Wheeler (centre), who was an astronomy postgraduate student at Cambridge in the 1940s, and Margaret Marrs (right), a former EDSAC operator visited the project at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes

Now, to mark its 70th anniversary, it is being reconstructed at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes.

The reconstruction project is costing around 250,000 but is being carried out by volunteers who are working for free.

Speaking about the memories of the original technicians Mr Herbert said: 'The most fascinating aspect of their recollections is the social history of day-to-day working with an early computer.

'Working boundaries were obviously much more flexible then and we learned how the engineers worked very closely with the operators and users.

'But it was certainly tough for the first programmers - they really were thrown in at the deep end and had to teach themselves the new skill of programming.'

Joyce Wheeler said: 'There were notes describing EDSAC and I remember going to the lab to read it all through and to do the exercises at the back.

'They were very important in learning how to programme.'
His best friend Travis Simmons swam out to him and gave him first aid

A Houston man was attacked by a crocodile while spearfishing in Mexico.

Jonathan Yoboy Schoeneman had been working as a scuba diving instructor in the country for the past nine months.

But in his spare time, he loves spearfishing - but his favorite hobby turned deadly when he was attacked by the crocodile in a lagoon in Cancun on Thursday, Click2Houston reports.

Schoenemans best friend Travis Simmons heard him calling for help.

Jonathan Yoboy Schoeneman (left, in hospital, and right) was attacked by a crocodile while spearfishing in Mexico

Simmons swam out to his friend and managed to get him back to their boat, where he administered first aid.

Schoeneman sustained serious injuries, including numerous lacerations to the face and head as well as a broken jaw, Simmons said.

He sped to the nearest marina and Schoeneman was taken to hospital by ambulance, according to a post on a crowdfunding page.

According to the YouCaring page, Schoeneman spent eight hours in surgery and was put in an induced coma.

Schoenemans best friend Travis Simmons (pictured together) heard him calling for help

Schoeneman is pictured swimming in the lagoon shortly before the reptile attacked him

On Tuesday, he was brought out of the medically induced coma and he was breathing on his own, an update on the page said.

He has fought hard and his life is no longer in danger as long as the bacterial infection stays at bay, it said.

They will monitor his improvements over night and hopefully remove him out of ICU tomorrow and into a private room.

Schoeneman spent eight hours in surgery and was placed in an induced coma, but he has now been brought out of it and is breathing on his own

The page has raised more than $4,000 to cover the cost of transporting him back to Houston so Schoeneman can begin his recovery.

Hes recovering really well, Schoenemans brother told Click2Houston.

The family are hoping he is well enough to travel home at the end of the week.
Hillary Clinton flexed her military might on Wednesday morning as the presidential candidates prepared to take part in a forum on veterans affairs and national security.

Clinton's campaign put out an updated list of retired generals and admirals backing her bid for the White House, bringing the count up to 95.

On Tuesday Donald Trump released a letter from 88 retired generals and admirals saying he should be the next commander in chief.

Clinton brushed off the accomplishment and noted that she was up to 89 - but 'who's counting' - and said her support from military brass outpaced every non-incumbent Democrat to seek higher office.

Trump's count is far below the Republicans who competed against President Barack Obama for the honor, she said.

Hillary Clinton flexed her military might on Wednesday morning as the presidential candidates prepared to take part in a forum on veterans affairs and national security

Donald Trump has received the backing of 88 retired military figures. Clinton said Wednesday she has the support of 95

The candidates will each spend a half-hour tonight talking about their military readiness at an event for veterans and active service members that is airing on NBC.

The 'Commander-in-Chief Forum' is co-hosted by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America organization. It begins at 8 pm Eastern.

Scores of retired generals and admirals came out in support for Trump on Tuesday.

'These are our fighting generals. There are actually a lot more to come,' Trump told a crowd in Virginia Beach that was stacked with ex-military members.

Clinton counterattacked, speaking to reporters for the second day in a row who were traveling with the Democrat on her campaign plane.

She said Republicans John McCain and Mitt Romney had between 300 and 500 retired officers in their corner.

But heres whats important: I now have more endorsements from retired flag officers than any Democrat, other than an incumbent president, has ever had. Compare where Trump is with where both Romney and McCain were,' Clinton said, diminishing Trump's letter.

She added, Im doing better than any Democrat. Hes doing worse than recent Republicans.'

In addition to flag officers, We have many national security professionals. And a lot of the people who are endorsing me have never endorsed before, or they certainly have never endorsed a Democrat,' Clinton stated.

Clinton said of Trump at a rally in Tampa, Florida, later that afternoon, 'His whole campaign has been one long insult to all those who have worn the uniform to protect our most cherished American values.

'And a man who is so wrong about our veterans isnt right to serve as our commander in chief,' she stated.

In a letter published on Tuesday, 88 former military figures - including a Holocaust survivor - said they trusted Trump to 'rebuild our military, to secure our borders, to defeat our Islamic supremacist adversaries and restore law and order domestically.'

The letter did not mention Hillary Clinton by name but it took a sideswipe at the former secretary of state, saying that the army needs someone who has not been responsible for 'the hollowing out of our military'.

'For the past eight years, America's armed forces have been subjected to a series of ill-considered and debilitating budget cuts, policy choices and combat operations that have left the superb men and women in uniform less capable of performing their vital missions in the future than we require them to be,' it went on to say.

The Obama administration has been criticized for overseeing a shrinking of the Pentagon's budget - a cumulative 15 percent since 2011, according to Politifact.

Politifact attributes the Obama administration's reduced military budget partly to the removal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, and partly to sequestration: across-the-board cuts that automatically came into place when both parties failed to strike a spending deal in Congress in 2011.

The letter was a boost for Trump and comes the same day as a CNN/ORC poll put him two points ahead of his rival - but Clinton came back with her own list on Wednesday, and it was longer

Trump cheered the endorsement news on his website.

'It is a great honor to have such amazing support from so many distinguished retired military leaders. I thank each of them for their service and their confidence in me to serve as commander-in-chief,' he wrote.

'Keeping our nation safe and leading our armed forces is the most important responsibility of the presidency.

Trump said if he's elected, 'We will end the weak foreign policy of the last eight years, rebuild our military, give our troops clear rules of engagement and take care of our veterans when they come home.

One signatory to Trump, retired Major General Sidney Shachnow, is the only Holocaust survivor to become a U.S. army general.

'We can only Make America Great Again if we ensure our military remains the finest fighting force in the world, and that's exactly what I will do as president.'

The letter was a boost for Trump and comes the same day as a CNN/ORC poll put him two points ahead of his bitter rival.

The signatories also hit back at repeated claims from Democrats that the businessman is volatile and impulsive and so not to be trusted with nuclear codes.

'He has the temperament to be commander-in-chief,' Major General Sidney Shachnow stated, according to Trump's website. Shachnow is the only Holocaust survivor to become a U.S. army general.

Clinton responded with her own list on Wednesday that included General Lloyd 'Fig' Newton. The retired four-star general was the country's first, black Thunderbird pilot.

'Given the challenges we face around the world today, and the rhetoric we are hearing from some at home, I feel I have a moral imperative to come forth and endorse Secretary Hillary Clinton for President,' Newton said in endorsing Clinton.

He stated, 'This is not about Democrat or Republican, this is about who is best qualified to lead the country in this complex world we live in.

'Hillary Clinton is the only candidate that has the experience, temperament, critical thinking and level-headed leadership to keep America safe and our partnerships strong. She has my vote in November.'

The issue of defense has become a hotly fought topic between Clinton and Trump. The Democrat presidential hopeful on Tuesday released a new TV advertisement meant to undercut Trump's military support titled Sacrifice.

The ad shows military veterans watching some of Trump give some of his most provocative statements, including his claim to know more about ISIS than military generals, and his criticism McCain, a former prisoner of war.

It also features Trump's claim that he sacrificed 'a lot' for his country as he faced off with a Gold Star family.

'Our veterans deserve better,' reads a line at the end of the ad, which is airing in Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Nevada and Pennsylvania.
An experienced Australian kitesurfer killed by a shark in New Caledonia is being remembered as a 'remarkable' man who loved the ocean.

David Jewell, 50, was bitten on his right thigh and suffered a heart attack when he fell into the water inside the reef off Koumac on Tuesday, according to a statement from the South Pacific territory's government.

Rescue crews responded to a distress call from the Discovery catamaran crew at 3.48pm. However, Mr Jewell from Fremantle in WA, was pronounced dead by a doctor in the port of Koumac at 5pm.

David Jewell, 50, is being remembered as a 'remarkable' man who loved the ocean after he was killed by a shark in New Caledonia

His death has shocked those close to him: 'To die from a shark attack whilst kitesurfing is testament to Deejay the pioneer: forever exploring, fearless, and full of joie de vivre,' one heart-broken friend posted on Facebook.

Mr Jewell was living in Switzerland where he established several cafes and eateries including Cookie Restaurant in the village of Villars.

Adventure business Offshore Odyssey's chief executive and 2015 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Gavin McClurg, said the 50-year-old was bitten on day two of the trip 'by a shark of unknown size and type while kitesurfing close to shore'.

'Our friend's death is a terrible loss. He was a remarkable man who clearly loved the ocean,' Mr McClurg said.

'We will always remember him fondly and mourn his passing.

'We hope that the love of family and friends will comfort and strengthen them in the difficult days ahead.'

His death has shocked those close to him: 'To die from a shark attack whilst kitesurfing is testament to Deejay the pioneer: forever exploring, fearless, and full of joie de vivre'

New Caledonia's Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre head Nicolas Renaud said the man 'suffered a deep bite to the thigh from a big shark' but could not confirm the species involved.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said consular assistance is being provided to the family of the man.

'Out of respect for the privacy of the man's family, we will not be making further comment,' the DFAT spokesperson said.

The 50-year-old was bitten on day two of the trip 'by a shark of unknown size and type while kitesurfing close to shore' (stock image)

New Caledonia's Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre head said the man 'suffered a deep bite to the thigh from a big shark' but could not confirm the species involved (stock image)

It is the second fatal shark attack in the French-speaking territory in six months.

A 69-year-old woman died on April 11 after she was attacked by a tiger shark at Poe Beach, according to local newspaper Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes.

The newspaper reported kitesurfer Pierre de Rotalier had part of his heel torn off by a shark in June, while a 31-year-old man was bitten on the forearm by a shark in February. Neither attack was fatal.

French national Yves Berthelot, 50, died in May last year when he was repeatedly bitten by a bull shark while snorkelling south of the archipelago.
Many Americans are used to describing their heritage in terms of fractions  half this, a quarter that, an eighth of the other.

But if you asked actress and producer Eva Longoria about her identity, shed say Texican, to describe her Mexican-American family from Corpus Christi, Texas.

When she took a DNA test for the PBS program Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates Jr., the results showed her a much more complex story.

Good-Bye Spain, Hello Wild West

Gates was able to help trace the Longoria family back to 16th-century Spain, when a dispute over land inspired Lorenzo Longoria to travel to the New World.

Over 150 years later, in 1767, the king of Spain gave Pedro Longoria 4,000 acres of land in what is now Texas, just north of the Mexican border.

After the Mexican-American War in 1848, her ancestors endured more conflicts over land with Anglo-American ranchers. Such an argument resulted in the stabbing death of her great-great-grandfather Ponciano Longoria in 1913.

Was Dad Right All Along?

Despite generations of history on this continent, Longoria said her father always calls her family Spanish.

When I go to Spain, I feel a connection, but I feel more at home in Mexico  maybe just because its closer and its what I know, the Desperate Housewives alumna told Gates in an interview excerpted from his Faces of America book in The Huffington Post.

In my family, I am the one who claims Mexico ancestry the strongest. Every time they ask, Where are you from? my dad says, Spain. Dad, were from Corpus Christi. Were not from Spain; were from Texas. He would always talk about our ancestors, and I never really understood that when I was younger.

Surprising DNA Test Results

The DNA test revealed that both Longorias were correct. According to Evas genetic markers, she is:

70 percent European

27 percent Native American

3 percent African

Regarding her DNA results, Longoria told Gates:

I thought the percentages would be flipped. I mean, the Spanish conquistadors were the minority when they conquered and eventually overtook the society of Aztecs and Mayans. I guess I thought I would be a little more native, because, like I said, I feel closer to Mexico. But this makes sense.

Another surprise revealed on that Faces of America episode: Because the Native Americans descended from people who migrated from Asia about 16,000 years ago, Longoria found that she is actually distantly related to Chinese-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Are You Right About Your Ancestry?

Do you know where you come from? Taking an AncestryDNA test could help you find out.

Discover not only what continent your ancestors came from, but more specifically where in any of 26 different regions around the world your genes come from.

And your results could help you find distant family members through a database of more than 2 million people (and growing) who have also taken the test.

New discoveries about your family await.

 Sabrina Rojas Weiss
Donald Trump's campaign manager said Wednesday that she has never seen Roger Ailes at Trump Tower, throwing cold water on reports that the ousted former Fox News boss has been helping the Republican prepare for next month's presidential debates.

'I'm at Trump Tower every day. I'm the campaign manager. I've never seen Mr. Ailes there,' Conway said on 'Good Morning America.'

'I saw him one time for lunch recently  when he was at lunch,' she added.

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for a clarification about whether Conway dined with Ailes, or only 'saw him' at an unrelated lunch.

'I'm at Trump Tower every day. I'm the campaign manager. I've never seen Mr. Ailes there,' Donald Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said Wednesday, batting down claims that the ousted former Fox News boss is advising the Republican nominee

Ailes (right) left Fox News amid accusations, settled for $20 million this week, that he had systematically sexually harassed and then demoted former co-anchor Gretchen Carlson (left)

The question of whether Ailes is part of Trump's political inner circle has taken on new significance after 21st Century Fox settled for $20 million an Ailes-related sexual harassment lawsuit brought against Fox News by former anchor Gretchen Carlson.

Ailes' lawyers insisted on Tuesday that he didn't pay a penny personally.

Conway said Wednesday that Ailes may be a telephone Trump-whisperer, but it's not on her radar.

'I don't know,' she said, 'because Mr. Trump speaks to many people on the phone when I'm not there.

'They've known each other probably for 30 years I would think, pre-FOX News and pre-presidential politics.'

Ailes resigned from Fox News on July 21. Three sources close to the Trump campaign told The New York Times four weeks later that Ailes would be helping the Republican nominee with debate prep.

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has known Ailes for more than three decades, raising the possibility that they could just be making social calls with each other

Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks quickly denied the report at the time, telling NBC News it was 'not accurate.'

'He is not advising Mr. Trump or helping with debate prep. They are longtime friends, but he has no formal or informal role in the campaign,' Hicks said.

An official association with Ailes could be public relations poison for Trump.

But the former Fox News boss is a seasoned presidential campaign professional, working for Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and then bringing conservative messaging to mainstream broadcasting with Fox News.

Trump stood up for Ailes after Carlson's claims were made public, including when fellow Fox News host Megyn Kelly told investigators that Ailes had made unwanted sexual advances a decade earlier.

'I can tell you that some of the women that are complaining, I know how much he's helped them, and even recently. And when they write books that are fairly recently released, and they say wonderful things about him. And now, all of a sudden, they're saying these horrible things about him,' Trump said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' after Ailes resigned.

'It's very said because he's a very good person. I've always found him to be just a very, very good person,' Trump continued. 'And, by the way, a very, very talented person. Look what he's done. So I feel very badly.'
Contaminated drinking water, farm chemicals that cause mental illness and a shared psychotic disorder.

These are the theories that are being used to explain the Tromp family's bizarre decision to flee their Victorian home.

Speculation about the cause of the paranoid family's off-grid holiday has been rife since news of the family's ordeal first broke - and police are still working to find out what caused them to leave.

Investigators have been confronted with a number of wild theories and while they accept son Mitchell's insistence the family's bizarre breakdown was spurred on by escalating 'business and personal matters', the exact trigger has not been determined.

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The Tromp family, pictured, have all been found following a paranoia-fueled holiday which saw them all separate over the course of a week

There has been much speculation into what caused the family to leave their home in Silvan, Melbourne (pictured)

Ella and Mitchell Tromp, pictured, were quick to leave their parents and older sister Riana to return home

Toxins in the water

Officers are giving the family a break after their ordeal  but police sergeant Mark Knight admitted to being questioned about toxins in the water.

'I got asked on the night by certain people "is there something in the water"?' said police Sergeant Mark Knight.

This follows suggestions the family consumed water tainted with drugs, poisons, heavy metals or coal seam gasses.

Mr Knight hit back at the rumours as he pointed out Ella Tromp made him a cup of tea at the family home while under questioning on Tuesday night - saying he is still mentally sound.

'I said no, I'm sitting here drinking here a cup of tea - and I haven't taken off or had any delusional thoughts.'

The family are on the same Silvan water supply as most of Melbourne. The dam services up to 80 per cent of the population, according to Yarra Water.

Mark Tromp pictured here with his daughter Ella was the last to be found

THE TROMP FAMILY'S OFF-GRID VACATION Monday, August 29 The Tromp family abandon their redcurrant farm in Victoria and flee the town in their family station wagon without any bank cards or mobile phones. Son Mitchell, 25, is found to have a mobile phone and it is thrown from the vehicle east of Melbourne. Tuesday, August 30 Mitchell becomes concerned with his parent's 'delusional' behaviour and leaves the family trip at Bathurst before boarding public transport home. Mark, 51, his wife Jacoba, 53, and their two daughters Ella, 22, and Riana, 29, continue travelling to the Jenolan Caves. Ella and Riana allegedly steal a utility truck and leave their parents in Goulburn. The sisters become separated in the regional town and Riana is found in a catatonic state hiding in the back of a local man's utility truck. The 29-year-old was taken to hospital and treated for a stress-related illness. Ella started travelling back to the family home in the stolen vehicle. Police visit the family farm after the couple are reported missing. Wednesday, August 31 Ella and Mitchell arrive home separately and are met by police. Officers spot the family station wagon in Victoria's north-east and a man, believed to be Mark, flees the vehicle and runs into a nearby park but is not found. Thursday, September 1 Jacoba is found 'dazed and confused' in Yass after separating from her husband. She was taken to a local hospital to be treated for a stress-related illness. Mitchell reveals his parents were paranoid and afraid when he abandoned the trip. Friday, September 2 Jacoba was transferred to Goulburn hospital where Riana is undergoing treatment. Saturday, September 3 Mark was found wandering the streets near the Wangaratta airport in 'good health' and was taken into police custody. Monday, September 5 Ella Tromp charged with theft of a motor vehicle and possessing the proceeds of a crime. Riana Tromp's charges dismissed under the Mental Health Act. Tuesday, September 6 Mark released a statement apologising for the drain on resources caused by the family's week. He did not reveal what caused them to become distressed. Wednesday, September 7 Investigators reveal they will call for charges against Ella Tromp to be dropped. Advertisement

Poisoned by farming chemicals including pesticides

Other popular theories which have come to light since Mark Tromp was found safe and well in Wangaratta last week.

These include the family being poisoned from by-products of farming or that they all fell ill to shared delusional psychosis.

'Can't help wondering what they've been spraying their crops with, and whether this paranoia could be related to some form of poisoning from the chemicals?' Aileen May commented on a thread about the family.

'I agree,' wrote Roby Parkinson, 'So called organic pesticides imported from china and some organic farmers were ceased for years because of the DDT and organophosphates found on their crops.. These chemicals can cause this.. ive googled pesticide symptoms and its all there (sic)'

Mitchell Tromp first denied mental illness which is one of the key speculations

Shared psychotic disorder experienced by the family

It has been widely speculated that the family could have been suffering from a shared mental disorder leading up to their off-grid holiday.

These speculations followed a report by the Goulburn Post which mentioned an internal document circulated by police referencing shared delusional schizophrenia.

And the Herald Sun earlier speculated it could have been a condition known as folie a deux.

The condition almost always occurs in tight-knit families between partners and siblings who could be otherwise socially isolated.

People affected by the condition fall into a cycle of reinforcing each other's paranoid delusions.

The couple's family, including their children, have reinforced how tight-knit they were.

They worked together on the family farm and had unbreakable friendships.

Mitchell has since revealed was caused by a 'health episode' after denying mental illness was a factor days earlier.

Riana Tromp is still receiving care at a mental facility in Goulburn - but some people think the ordeal was a stunt for television

Stressful renovations

Neighbours suggest daily struggles including renovations on the family home could be to blame  after Mitchell Tromp continued to claim the family derailed after a build up of normal pressures.

Mark Chapman, a neighbouring fourth-generation berry farmer who works with Mr Tromp, speculated the serious renovations on their idyllic country farmhouse could have been a trigger for the family.

'It's just so strange for a pretty straight family and everyone affected,' Mr Chapman told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Chapman said neighbours want to help the family with the upcoming season

The stresses of farming

Mr Chapman described the father as a 'workaholic' who was very devoted to his earthmoving business and red-currant farm.

Neighbours are already pitching in to help with the farming season about to enter a critical time.

Mr Chapman said he would sit down with Mitchell and work out what needs to be done.

'Things need to be done on the farm and if they aren't done their crop will fail,' he said.

'If it was the pressure of running two business that got them perhaps we can make the farming business easier for them.'

Neighbour Mark Chapman, pictured, thinks stress from renovations could be responsible for the family's breakdown

Elaborate money-making hoax

One of the most popular theories presented by the general public was that the ordeal was merely an elaborate set up to 'cash in' lucrative media deals.

'Expect the paid interviews to start soon, and a book out in 6 months. All a manufactured sham to get attention and money,' Jeff Perkins wrote on social media.

And many others agreed with him listing magazines and television programs as possible platforms for the family to tell their stories, while making money going forward.

'Wonder how much Womans Day will pay for their story,' Brian Arthur wrote.

Patricia Tovey replied: 'Brian Arthur it has been suggested the going price is $250k.'

As did Tove Hamilton: 'Brian Arthur If they had financial difficulties it may even have been orchestrated just to get money from TV and magazines! Those deals can be quite lucrative!'

Some people have speculated the father's fear was real and people were actually out to get them

It has been widely speculated that the family could have been suffering from a shared mental disorder leading up to their off-grid holiday (Mitchell and Ella pictured)

No psychosis people sent to hurt the family

Other people believed Mr Tromps fears must have been real and there were really people looking to hurt him, his wife Jacoba and their three adult children.

'It sounds awfully suspicious. I'd be willing to bet these people have some really nasty people after them. They sound like they're scared of something,' said Melanie Healey.

'If I had a crystal ball I think it would tell me that he borrowed money from the wrong people,' David Carson said.

'It definitely sounds like a deal gone wrong & there in fear of there lives. With them all splitting up to the point of stealing a car & hitching a ride in distress (sic),' said Kirsten Mordacz.

Police were quick to dispel Mr Tromps fear in the early stages of the investigations and claimed there was never anyone out to get the family.

Other opinions aired by the general public include extra terrestrial intervention (Riana Tromp pictured)

Alien abduction

A small portion of conspiracy theorists tracking the Tromp familys nightmare week have offered the very wild theory that extra-terrestrial forces could have been at play.

'I can't stop relating their story to people who experienced being taken by alien,' speculated Mahdia Poulad.

'It's obvious folks. ALIENS!!!!!!!!!' Mark Smith said.

Adnil Nerak Htims questioned the idea as well: 'Aliens????'

The family of five are yet to reunited, mother Jacoba and eldest daughter Riana are receiving mental health help in Goulburn, father Mark is in the care of his two brothers and Ella and Mitchell the youngest Tromps are back on the farm.

It has been speculated the family could have have suffered from a condition known as folie a deux - a shared psychologial disorder (Mark Tromp pictured)

Police across New South Wales and Victoria were involved in looking for Jacoba and Mark Tromp after their children reported them missing after they deserted the family holiday on Tuesday, August 30.

Mitchell left his family first - leaving at Kelso near Bathurst. Riana and Ella left next - stealing a car from Jenolan Caves to get home to Melbourne.

The girls split up in Goulburn - Riana was found on Wednesday morning in the back of a stranger's ute. She was 'catatonic' and taken to a mental health facility.

Jacoba separated from her husband in Wangaratta, Victoria, and wandered into a Yass hospital, hundreds of kilometres away, on Thursday.

She was mentally distressed and is now being helped by the same mental health services as her eldest daughter.

The search for Mark Tromp continued, Mitchell and Ella appeared on television urging him to make contact.

On Saturday he was found near the Wangaratta airport by police. He was interviewed and released into the care of his brothers.

Mark Tromp has since released a statement calling for privacy.

Police are continuing to investigate what made the family leave their home.

Jacoba Tromp, pictured, is currently receiving mental health care in Goulburn alongside her eldest daughter
Bill Cosby's legal defense team is blaming racial prejudice and 'a barrage of new accusers' for the criminal sex-assault charges lodged against the actor in Pennsylvania.

During a pretrial conference hearing Tuesday, a Montgomery County judge set a June 5 trial date for the felony sexual assault case involving the 79-year-old actor.

The case going to trial is over a 2004 encounter at his home near Philadelphia with former Temple University employee Andrea Constand.

He was charged with drugging and molesting Constand, and this is the only criminal case stemming from dozens of claims of sexual misconduct.

After the hearing, defense lawyer Angela Agrusa faulted the media for not investigating claims by dozens of other women who have come forward in the past decade.

Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt has meanwhile issued a statement blaming lawyers for the women for 'the trampling of Mr. Cosby's civil rights.'

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Bill Cosby's legal defense team is blaming racial prejudice and 'a barrage of new accusers' for the criminal sex-assault charges lodged against the actor in Pennsylvania. Cosby is pictured above with his spokesman Andrew Wyatt on Tuesday

During a pretrial conference hearing Tuesday, a Montgomery County judge set a trial date for June 5 for the felony sexual assault case. Cosby is pictured above with Wyatt on Tuesday

After the hearing, defense lawyer Angela Agrusa faulted the media for not investigating claims by dozens of other women who have come forward in the past decade. Cosby is pictured above Tuesday

The statement says Cosby has been 'no stranger to racial discrimination and hatred' throughout his career.

Attorney Gloria Allred rejected accusations by Wyatt that her representation of several women accusing the comedian of drugging and sexually abusing them was built on racial bias and prejudice.

Allred wrote in a statement that several of the women she represents are African-American and she thinks their voices should be heard.

Allred has held numerous press conferences with women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, although it is not clear whether she represents any of the 13 women prosecutors want to testify against the comedian in the criminal case.

She represents a woman suing Cosby, claiming he forced her to perform a sex act at the Playboy Mansion around 1974, when she was underage.

The case going to trial is over a 2004 encounter at his home near Philadelphia with former Temple University employee Andrea Constand (left). Cosby was arrested in December on the charges and is pictured right in his mugshot

Allred wrote that ultimately the Pennsylvania case is about whether or not Cosby is guilty.

The comedian arrived to the Montgomery County Courthouse laughing with a wide smile on his face as he was pictured getting out of a black SUV with assistance from his legal team who have claimed he is blind for the past few months.

He clutched an aide's arm as he walked, but his eyes appeared less milky and he seemed more engaged and animated as he spoke with his legal team before the hearing.

Cosby has denied any wrongdoing, but prosecutors can introduce evidence of other acts, even though no charges were brought in those cases, to show a pattern of behavior.

Prosecutors said they reviewed accusations made against Cosby by about 50 women and concluded 13 should be allowed to testify.

Wyatt has meanwhile issued a statement blaming lawyers for the women for 'the trampling of Mr. Cosby's civil rights.' Cosby is pictured above right and Wyatt is left on Tuesday

'An individual who, over the course of decades, intentionally intoxicates women in signature fashion with the intention of sexually assaulting them cannot also be mistaken about whether or not these women are consenting to the sexual abuse,' prosecutors wrote in their motion.

The judge postponed hearing arguments on the filing during Tuesday's hearing to allow the defense team more time to review the copious material.

Constand told police that Cosby drugged and molested her. Legal experts have said a judge might allow as evidence similar allegations against Cosby in which drugs or alcohol were involved.

Cosby's lawyers meanwhile asked that prosecutors not be allowed to use a telephone conversation recorded by his accuser's mother and other evidence at his trial.

Wyatt's statement said Cosby has been 'no stranger to racial discrimination and hatred' throughout his career. Wyatt and Cosby are pictured above laughing before the hearing on Tuesday

The tape was to be played in the hearing Tuesday afternoon while the judge mulled over the issue.

Cosby in the conversation described the sex act as 'digital penetration' but refused to tell Gianna Constand what pills he had given her daughter.

The defense argued that Cosby did not know he was being recorded, and that the tape should not be permitted at trial under Pennsylvania's two-party wiretap law.

District Attorney Kevin Steele will fight to use both the phone call and a lengthy deposition from Constand's lawsuit at trial.
Police in Germany have set up a migrant crime unit specifically designed to target asylum seekers.

The four-man team has been sent into action in the town of Bietigheim-Bissingen, 14 miles south of Stuttgart, to deal with the rise in violence, sexual assaults and robbery involving migrants in Germany.

Dubbed 'Multiple Offender Immigrants', the task force is using contacts in asylum homes to track and arrest criminals, and have already bagged three arrests.

Police in Germany have set up a migrant crime unit specifically designed to target asylum seekers. Pictured are migrants outside Salzburg gathering in the rain on the bridge over the River Saalach which connects Austria and Germany

The four-man team has been sent into action in the town of Bietigheim-Bissingen, 14 miles south of Stuttgart, to deal with the rise in violence, sexual assaults and robbery involving migrants in Germany. Pictured are protesters waving German flags, alongside a banner saying 'Rapefugees Not Welcome'

An Algerian, Moroccan and Somalian have all been arrested by the unit and the specialist officers are hunting a Georgian man, according to local paper Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung.

They are all suspected of topping up their asylum allowance with money made from stealing electrical goods from local homes.

Ludwigsburg police chief Frank Rebholz stressed the team did not seek to criminalise migrants, and added: 'We are concerned with intervening as early as possible in serious cases, anticipating emerging criminal structures, and working with judicial and immigration authorities to develop a comprehensive basis for decisions.

The force had seen an unprecedented rise in migrant crime last year, according to local sources, which prompted the formation of the team.

Those being targeted are mainly multiple offenders from North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans.

Police in Germany have come under increased pressure for their handling of the New Year's Eve Cologne sex attacks where 2,000 men were involved across various cities but that the bulk of the crimes were committed in Cologne (pictured) and Hamburg where 600 and 400 sexual assaults on women were reported respectively

The introduction of the unit has been given the thumbs up by prosecutors with director of public prosecutions in Stuttgart Siegfried Mahler telling Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung, 'We welcome the reunification of the police investigation for multiple offenders among immigrants.'

Deputy director of public prosecutions authorities in Heilbronn Martin Renninger, followed suit, saying it was a 'correct and important step'.

One aim of the migrant crime team is to work with various police forces and prosecutors to speed up the deportation process.

Police in Germany have come under increased pressure for their handling of the New Year's Eve Cologne sex attacks.

A leaked report in July revealed a staggering 1,200 were sexually abused in German cities during New Year's Eve celebrations.

The police document stated 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.
A search is underway for a 32-year-old woman who reportedly jumped off the Carnival Ecstasy cruise ship near The Bahamas in the early hours of the morning.

The U.S. Coast Guard received reports that the woman, who has not been named, was seen going overboard at around 2.30am on Wednesday.

She was wearing a white dress with a pink floral print when she fell from the 11th deck, approximately 27 miles southwest from Freeport in The Bahamas, the Coast Guard said.

The woman reportedly jumped from the 11th deck (pictured above) of the ship on Wednesday

Jennifer de la Cruz, a spokeswoman for Carnival Cruise Line, said the woman was seen jumping from the ship, according to the Miami Herald.

'The companys CareTeam is providing assistance and support to the missing guests family on board and our thoughts and prayers are with her and family and loved ones during this difficult time,' de la Cruz said.

The Coast Guard has deployed a helicopter, an airplane as well as boats to search for the missing woman.

De la Cruz said that the ship's personnel helped with the search until the Coast Guard released it to continue on its journey at 9am, Local 10 News reports.

The ships last port of call had been Nassau, Bahamas, on Tuesday and it is scheduled to return to Charleston, South Carolina, on Thursday.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange says his organization could put out 'teasers' of the explosive material he claims it has on Hillary Clinton as soon as next week.

'The first batch is reasonably soon. We're quite confident about it now,' he told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Tuesday evening.

He also accused Clinton of 'lying' to the FBI about misidentifying the classified markings she saw in several of her emails.

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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange says his organization could put out 'teasers' of the explosive material he claims it has on Hillary Clinton as soon as next week

'The first batch is reasonably soon. We're quite confident about it now,' he told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Tuesday evening.

He also accused Clinton of 'lying' to the FBI about not knowing what the classified markings she saw in several of her emails meant. He held up a cable she signed off on that contained the same marking as evidence

Assange has been promising another damaging document dump since Wikileaks published emails in late July that showed Democratic Party officials colluding to keep Clinton's primary opponent, Bernie Sanders, from winning the nomination.

He says Wikileaks has 'quite a lot' of information in its possession, some of which is 'significant,' and it will be released in batches for maximum impact.

A second email release has yet to manifest itself with just two months until the election, though.

Pressed by Hannity to provide a timeframe for the next breaking news event, Assange gave a vague reply.

'Tricky question, Sean,' he said, before telling the Fox host, 'We might put out some teasers.'

Assange told Hannity, 'I dont want to promise anything because you have to see how the formatting goes. But we might put out some teasers as early as the next week or the week after.'

He went on to excoriate Clinton for telling the FBI that she didn't know what the lower case 'c' in parentheses meant in emails she received while she was secretary of state.

According to notes from her interview with the authorities that were released by the FBI last Friday, Clinton said she believed them to be paragraph markers, given that the emails lacked a classified heading.

The '(c)' in those emails stood for 'Confidential,' which is a classification level.

'Everyone in positions of government and in Wikileaks knows it stands for classified confidential,' Assange told Hannity.

The Wikileaks boss, whose been posted up at the Ecuadorian embassy in London for four years as he seeks to clear his name in a Swedish rape case, said Clinton would have known that.

His organization has already released thousands of cables, he said, where she signed off on documents that included the marking.

'It's absolutely incredibly for Clinton to lie. She is lying about not knowing what that is. But it's a bit disturbing that James Comey goes along with that game.'

The source of Wikileaks' information on Clinton is unknown. Government officials and the Democrat's presidential campaign believe that Russia instigated the cyber theft. Clinton has stopped short of claiming the Russia's government is meddling in the presidential election to aid Republican candidate Donald Trump

The source of Wikileaks' information on Clinton is unknown. Government officials and the Democrat's presidential campaign believe that Russia instigated the cyber theft. Assange won't say.

Clinton has stopped short of claiming that Russia's government is meddling in the presidential election to aid Republican candidate Donald Trump, who has taken foreign policy positions that are aligned with the Kremlin's. She came close on Monday but had to quit her response when a coughing fit cropped up.

When she resumed questioning 20 minutes later she declined to speculate further on the foreign adversary's desire to keep her out of office.

Assange came at Clinton in a double-barreled assault last week, calling the former first lady, senator and cabinet official 'a demon' who 'will put a noose around our necks' if she takes the Oval over her insinuations that Russia is using Wikileaks as its puppet.
cheese, he returned to the restaurant, only to leave again

After going to his mother's house and downing vegetable oil and Parmesan

The father of 'cannibal killer' Austin Harrouff broke down on Dr Phil as he called his son a 'happy boy', but said in the weeks before he allegedly attacked a couple in their garage, he had become 'real serious'.

Dr Wade Harrouff told Dr Phil he learned of the brutal attack when he received a call from police at 2 a.m.

'Police said, "We found Austin." I was relieved,' Dr. Harouff told Dr. Phil in the exclusive interview.

When they informed him his son was in the ICU, they said: 'He's killed two people and eaten them. And the blood that you see is not his own.'

Dr Harrouff also revealed more details of his 19-year-old son's behavior the night he allegedly stabbed a middle-aged couple to death with a knife and a broken vodka bottle in an exclsuive interview with Dr. Phil that airs today.

Austin Harrouff came out of the coma he had been in since the alleged attack two weeks ago, and police are trying to piece together what happened the night John Stevens and his wife Michelle Miscon were killed on August 15.

Dr Harrouff said he had 'no idea whatsoever' that his son, a Florida State University sophomore and member of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, was capable of what he's accused of doing.

Dr Wade Harrouff has revealed to Dr Phil more details of the night his son, Austin Harrouff, allegedly killed John Stevens and his wife Michelle Miscon

Austin Harrouff is accused of stabbing the middle-aged couple to death with a knife and a broken vodka bottle

'He's always been the kindest, caring kid I've ever seen,' he told Dr Phil. 'He always wanted to help people. I called him the happy boy. The last two weeks he started not being happy. He started being real serious.'

Austin Harrouff has been under armed guard in St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach for 11 days since the attack that stunned the nation.

Dr Harrouff said his son had been eating with him and his daughter in Duffy's restaurant in Jupiter, Florida, when he got angry and left.

From there Austin made his way to his mother Mina's house, according to a spokesman for the Dr Phil show, where he attempted to drink vegetable oil.

His mother forced him to mix with with Parmesan cheese before he wolfed that down, after which he left, Dr Harrouff said.

Mina was so concerned about her son's behavior that she then called 911, telling police that he had been acting erratically and claiming to have superpowers.

Dr Harrouff said that his son was 'extremely dehydrated' because the family had just taken a four-hour walk together.

He said that his daughter brought Austin back to the restaurant, adding that he grabbed his son by the collar and said 'What's wrong with you?'.

'You could see it in his eyes he was totally embarrassed,' Dr Harrouff told Dr Phil, holding back tears. 'He reared back and Carrie said, 'Stop right there', and he looked at Carrie with an embarrassed face and stopped. Then he left.'

It was at this point that Austin Harrouff left the restaurant and attempted to walk back to his father's house.

Dr Harrouff said he had 'no idea whatsoever' that his son, a Florida State University sophomore, was capable of what he's accused of doing, after storming off from a family dinner in Jupiter, Florida, on August 15 (pictured)

Officers say Harrouff, who they believe overdosed on synthetic drug flakka, randomly attacked Stevens and Mishcon (pictured together above) after dining with his father and sister at Duffy's restaurant

Police say it was on that walk that Harrouff stabbed Stevens, 59, and wife Mishcon, 53, to death in their garage, before eating part of Stevens' face and abdomen.

Dr Harrouff, who has said his son's alleged attack is due to mental illness, also told Dr Phil that the teen's personality completely changed two weeks before the killings.

Fighting back tears, the prominent dentist added: 'I'm deeply sorry for what my son did to those people.

'And I'll apologize for him, because my own son would have never done that... He's such a good person.

'He would never knowingly do something like that. I'm truly sorry to those people.'

Officers say Harrouff, who they believe overdosed on synthetic drug flakka, randomly attacked Stevens and Mishcon after dining with his dad and sister at Duffy's restaurant in Jupiter on August 15.

After her son stormed out, mother Mina called police, telling them: 'My son has kind of taken off and I'm concerned about his own safety. He's acting a little strange.'

'It seems like he's a little delusional,' she added. 'There's this recent change that we're noticing. He was out to dinner with his dad today and he took off.

'He says he feels immortal and like a super-hero. I don't know what's going on with him. The only thing he has on is a switch-blade type pocket knife.'

Cops say Harrouff used a switchblade he was carrying along with a broken vodka bottle from the garage to stab the couple to death.

Harrouff is also accused of stabbing neighbor Jeff Fisher in the back when he came over to investigate after hearing Mishcon screaming.

After butchering the couple, police say Harrouff ate part of Stevens' face and abdomen and consumed caustic chemicals found in the garage.

Harrouff's father broke down on Dr Phil as he spoke about his son. He said in one clip that his son was the 'kindest, caring kid'

Cops said that Harrouff appeared to have ingested caustic chemicals found in the garage of his victims (pictured) before he was subdued and taken to hospital

When officers arrived, they say it took several shots from a Taser, a police dog and four officers to subdue Harrouff, who was showing abnormal strength.

Investigators also say that, while on his way to hospital, Harrouff boasted that 'you won't find any drugs in my system.'

Cops have confirmed that, once the teen is released from hospital, he will be charged with murder.

Officials said that Harrouff, 19, a rising sophomore at Florida State University and a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, will be charged with two counts of first degree murder and one of first degree attempted murder as soon as he is well enough.

Stevens's family has called for the death penalty.

In the month leading up to the attack on the Stevenses, Harrouff posted 41 YouTube videos, progressively getting more and more bizarre.

In one, he said: 'I've got a psycho side and a normal side. I've lost my mind. Help me find it.'

In another clip, posted last month, Harrouff walks through a house toting a semi-automatic pistol. He then looks down the gun's barrel after pretending to pull the trigger.

In the last video, posted four days before the attack he talked about using drugs for his bodybuilding.

'I used to think that I needed steroids to be a bodybuilder. To be this thing. To be this symbol. To be this lie,' he said.
The eight others will learn their fate in September and October in court

Leah Gigliotti is the first to be sentenced and faces 13 years in prison

The pair were forced to hand over their cash and credit card pin numbers

Leah Gigliotti now faces 13 years behind bars for her role in the brutal kidnap

A New York woman has admitted to her role in the kidnapping and torture of two college students late last year.

As part of an agreement with prosecutors, Leah Gigliotti pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of second-degree kidnapping and was sentenced to 13 years behind bars.

Gigliotti is one of nine people charged in the December abduction of two University of Rochester students.

She was indicted in January on kidnapping, assault and gang assault charges. In court on Tuesday, Gigliotti admitted to driving to meet the two victims, both male college seniors, with the promise of taking them to an off-campus party.

Instead, they were driven to a house where they were held for 40 hours, tortured and sexually assaulted.

An indictment says the pair, both 21-year-old business majors, were 'terrorized repeatedly' as they were tied up, beaten with clubs and punched as the gang demanded they handed over cash and the pin numbers to the credit and debit cards.

One of the men even had a gunshot wound from a .22-caliber rifle in his leg.

In August, suspect Jesus Castro-Ubiles, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree kidnapping along with a criminal use of a firearms charge. He will be sentenced on October 5.

The other seven indicted, Alcaraz-Ubiles, Samantha Lee Hughes, Dennis Perez, Inalia Rolldan, Ruth Lora, Elliot Rivera, and Lydell Strickland, will face charges on September 20 and October 31 for crimes as far ranging as sexual assault, kidnapping and robbery, reported 13WHAM.
Two men have been burned alive after being accused of using black magic to kill four villagers.

The victims were beaten up and then set on fire on Monday when they returned to their village in the eastern state of Orissa after fleeing in the wake of the accusations.

Seven people have been arrested over their murders.

Santosh Kumar Mishra, deputy police chief of Gajapati district, said: 'They had returned to the village and were caught by the mob.'

Two men have been burned alive after being accused of using black magic in India

He explained: 'They were accused of killing four villagers, including a child, using black magic.'

Experts say belief in witchcraft remains widespread in some impoverished and remote areas of India, where occasional incidents of human sacrifices have also been reported.

Elsewhere, a 25-year-old man was allegedly killed in Thane, in west India, after he was beaten by three men to rid him of 'evil spirits'.

Thane Police PRO Sukhada Narkar told the Indian Express: 'The man was subjected to torture by a priest, his son and a transgender. They all beat him severely with sticks, rods, belt on the pretext of getting evil spirits off him after keeping him captive for hours. He died on the spot.'

All three have been arrested.

More than 2,000 people were killed in India on suspicion of witchcraft between 2000 and 2012, according to the most recent figures from the National Crime Records Bureau.

Many of the victims were women.
Carolyn Hood's lawyer says his client 'can't get out of her wheelchair'

Carolyn Hood's 57-year-old son, William Minton, has been charged with capital murder and abuse of corpse in the slaying and

A 79-year-old Alabama woman has been charged with helping her son in the murder and dismemberment of her husband whose body parts were found nearly two years ago.

A Baldwin County grand jury indicted Carolyn Hood on Tuesday on a charge of aiding and abetting a capital murder in 87-year-old Kenneth Bryan Hood's death in November 2014.

The elderly widow, described by her attorney as an invalid, was arrested at a home in the 100 block of Perry Hill Road in Montgomery.

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Merry widow: Carolyn Hood, 79, is pictured smiling in her booking photo after her arrest on a charge of aiding and abetting a capital murder in the death of her husband in 2014

Brutal patricide: William Minton, 57 (left), is accused of killing his stepfather, 87-year-old Kenneth Hood (right), and carving up his body with a saw

Officials believe the victim was killed on November 6, 2014, in the Foley home he shared with his wife and her grown son, 57-year-old William Minton.

A Baldwin County Sheriff's investigator testified in court last year that Minton slammed Kenneth Hood in the head with a dumbbell bar handle during a heated argument.

He then allegedly dragged the man's body into the garage, where he proceeded to carve it up using a reciprocal saw he had purchased for that task, reported Al.com.

Video courtesy of WKRG

Mr Hoods naked and headless torso was found three days later a few miles from where a severed arm and hand had been discovered in a creek.

Police divers later found the victims severed head and other body parts. He was identified using his pace-maker, investigators said.

The man's torso was discovered by a local resident who had been enjoying a walk on a Sunday morning. He alerted authorities after initially mistaking the gruesome find for an animal carcass.

The hand and arm were found by a neighbor living near the Magnolia River. That persons dog pulled the arm from the river and the resident found the hand in a flowerbed.

Motive revealed: A prosecutor says Hood and his stepson got into a heated dispute over the money that the octogenarian had been lending to his wife's relatives

Kenneth Hood's stepson, William Minton, faces capital murder and abuse of corpse charges in the death of his stepfather. His trial is scheduled for December.

The 57-year-old is listed on the Alabama Sex Offender Registry after being convicted in 1996 for four counts of sodomy and child molestation of a 14-year-old victim in Georgia.

District Attorney Hallie Dixon previously said that Kenneth Hood and Minton had clashed over money that the elderly man had been lending to the relatives of his wife.

In the wake of Mrs Hoods arrest Tuesday, prosecutor Tara Ratz said that even though the widow was not the one who struck the fatal blow, she was 'complicit' in her husband's murder.

The station WKRG reported that the womans attorney, Jeremiah Giles, described his elderly client as basically an invalid and said that she can't get out of her wheelchair.

Carolyn Hood was ordered held at the Baldwin County Jail on $100,000 bond. She was expected to be arraigned Wednesday and then transported back to her nursing home in Montgomery.
If youve spent any time reading up on education in New Orleans (including Education Weeks own coverage ), you will have come across a quote or two from one of the citys most vocal education advocates: Karran Harper Royal.

She has long advocated on behalf of public school parents in New Orleans, and, since Hurricane Katrina, become a forceful voice of opposition to the proliferation of charter schools in the city.

(Here she is talking to Education Week about whether education has improved in New Orleans over the past 10 years.)

Now, Harper Royal is getting involved in a very different debate unfolding in the nations capital: Whether Georgetown University, which recently announced it would give admissions preference to the descendants of slaves it sold in 1838 to help keep the university afloat, is doing enough to atone for its past participation in slavery. The preference in admissions will also extend to the descendants of slaves whose labor benefited the university.

Harper Royal and her husband are both descended from Georgetown University slaves, and shes part of a group of 500 others who are lobbying the university to go even further in its efforts to make amends for its sale of 272 slaves to plantations in Louisiana. She writes in The Washington Post :

We are committed to organizing all of our Georgetown brothers and sisters in a sustained movement to reconcile the nation with the legacy of slavery. Our goal is to unshackle the hearts and minds of those who were never physically in bondage but who still live and work today under that terrible system's vestiges. This is the beginning of a huge conversation in this country, and we want to help our Georgetown family be a pivotal player in it. We have invited Georgetown to partner with us to support a new organization, the GU272 Foundation, to promote reconciliation, education and uplift for the descendants and all of mankind. We want this foundation to serve as a model for other institutions and result in meaningful actions to address the legacy of slavery and its aftermath." "... For descendants who go on to attend Georgetown, the university must offer scholarships, not just a leg up in admissions. The foundation we partner with Georgetown to create will support the educational aspirations of descendants regardless of where they go to college. Our ancestors' lives propped up the university generations ago at a time when most students didn't pay tuition. If Georgetown is going to atone for its part in slavery, descendants shouldn't have to pay, either."

Harper Royal goes on to say that the university should also support efforts to identify more descendantsa task she has personally found to be made somewhat easier by the fact that it was run at the time by Jesuit priests who kept meticulous records.

You can read her full article in The Washington Post, here .

Related stories:
from her father just before she vanished

driver and if there's another person in car

A car that may belong to Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski was caught on a neighbour's CCTV camera the day she went missing.

A resident who lives near the Ristevski family's house in Avondale Heights recently gave the footage to police, reported the Herald Sun.

Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski (pictured) has been missing since June 29

The footage is said to show a car resembling the one owned by Ms Ristevski, who has been missing since June 29.

Although analysis of the footage reveals it may be too blurry to make out the driver or if there is another person in the car, police may be able to use video-enhancing technology to zoom in on the driver and determine who it was.

Ms Ristevski's husband Borce claims she left the family home to 'clear her head' after the couple had been arguing about money.

Information about the footage comes as it was revealed Ms Ristevski had received part of a $360,000 share of an inheritance from her father in the months leading up to her mysterious disappearance.

The 47-year-old woman had a slice in a $360,000 share of an inheritance from her father

The inheritance was split between the 47-year-old woman and her brother after their father Joseph Williams died at the age of 78 in December 2014, The Australian reported.

The pair were the only beneficiaries of their father's will after he passed away with an estate of $368,492. His assets were equally distributed to his two children after his funeral and legal expenses were paid for.

It's not clear when the Melbourne siblings received their money from the inheritance but lawyer George James Bouhalis, who acts for the family, said the pair secured their share in the estate at the end of 2015.

Mr Ristevski (right) with his daughter Sarah leave a press conference after pleading for information last month following the mother's disappearance

Mrs Ristevski was last seen leaving her Avondale Heights property in Melbourne's north-west on the morning of June 29 after having an argument with her husband Borce over finances.

And more than two months on, details have emerged Mrs Ristevski's phone had 'pinged' near Gisborne on the day she went missing.

Her phone was tracked on the Calder Highway, about 20 kilometres from her phone, while her husband's phone was reported switched off for two hours that day.

When Mr Ristevski was questioned by detectives about his whereabouts, he reportedly failed to mention taking her car for a drive down the highway to assess a faulty fuel gauge.

He told police that after hitting a bump in the road the fuel problem had fixed itself and he subsequently returned home.

Mr Ristevski initially claimed she walked away from their home 'to clear her head' after they had a bitter dispute about money.

There is no suggestion Mr Ristevski was involved in his wife's disappearance.

Details emerged Mrs Ristevski's phone 'pinged' near Gisborne on the day she went missing

The Melbourne property where Mrs Ristevski was said to have left before she disappeared

A missing poster of the mother spotted on a pole just across her Avondale Heights home

It has also been reported that her husband made an admission to family members that he believed his wife may have been abducted.

Her brother-in-law Vasko Ristevski claimed he believed the mother had secretly fled to China or the US with a fake passport in an effort to hide from her family.

However, Mrs Ristevski's aunt Patricia Gray has slammed claims, saying she believed her niece may have been murdered and 'discarded like a piece of rubbish'.
Republican Donald Trump's presidential campaign is ending a media 'blacklist' that kept reporters from several disfavored publications from getting credentials to his rallies and campaign events.

The lifting of the blacklist, which was reported by CNN Wednesday, comes after internal pressure from Trump's new campaign team and running mate to back off on the ban.

'I figure they can't treat me any worse!' Trump told the network, which itself has been the subject of some of Trump's media criticism during the campaign.

Reporters from the Washington Post, BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, Politico, the Des Moines Register, and the Daily Beast have been subject to the ban at various times.

In the case of the Post, the publication took to having reporters enter Trump rallies with the public while having other reporters monitor his events on TV.

WELCOME BACK: The Trump campaign is lifting it's media 'blacklist,' after barring reporters from certain publications from his rallies

Reporters from the banned outlets usually got emails telling them the events were full, but the Trump campaign acknowledged the ban was in place.

Trump has railed throughout the campaign against the 'dishonest media,' whom he regularly calls out for criticism during his rallies  often prompting a chorus of boos from the crowd.

Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said soon after he joined Trump that he would look into the ban. He told talk host Hugh Hewitt in late July, 'Were going to have those conversations internally and I fully expect in the next 100 days were going to continue to be available to the media, whether theyre fair or unfair.'

New campaign manager Kellyanne Conway also pushed for the lifting of the ban.

Trump regularly slams the 'dishonest' media at his campaign events

GLASNOST: New campaign manager Kellyanne Conway advocated for rolling back the ban

Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, predicted in late June that the campaign would be available to the media, whether 'fair or unfair'

Trump defended the ban in June, but told CNN he wouldn't maintain it if he won the White House.

'In my case, I'm a person running for office. I rent these large arenas, so I have an option,' Trump said. 'When I'm representing the United States, I wouldn't do that. But I would let people know if somebody's untruthful.'

Trump said he had 'great respect' for some members of the press,' even as he defended the ban.

'But when people write false stories  when they write lies, when they write stories that have no bearing on the truth, when they say things that are so wrong, and they know they're wrong, and they tell me that they know they're wrong, but they refuse to change them, then I say, they're not going to come anymore.'
The Prime Minister has warned Australia and the wider Southeast Asia is at risk of an ISIS expansion.

On Wednesday, Malcolm Turnbull said because the terror group had been suffering losses in the Middle East it would look to Australia and surrounding nations to attack.

He has been in Laos for the East Asia Summit and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] summit, where he called for improved co-operation and intelligence sharing in the region, the Courier Mail reported.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reviews Lao honour guards as he arrives at Wattay international airport the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summits in Vientiane, Laos

Mr Turnbull warned of ISIS turning its attention to Australia and Southeast Asia

'[ISIS] wants to expand its presence in Southeast Asia, and that is of concern to all of us ... they will attempt to seed fear and division in our communities.'

He also said the nature of threats had changed, 'not least online propaganda and encryption'.

At the summit, an updated ASEAN-Australia Joint Declaration on terrorism was adopted, it was reported.

As global leaders met in Laos' capital for further talks, Mr Turnbull said 'peace and stability' were essential for continued economic growth for developing countries such as Laos.

The Australian Prime Minister warned ISIS would 'attempt to seed fear and division in our communities'

Malcolm Turnbull arrives at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane on September 6

He also discussed territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Reiterating that Australia was not a claimant, Mr Turnbull said it was nevertheless playing a role in encouraging all parties to create a Code of Conduct in the waters - something that has remained elusive for more than a decade.

'Our interests are wholly and solely with tensions be allayed, disputes being resolved and tensions being settled,' he told reporters in Vientiane, Laos.

'There's no doubt that we're living in an increasingly complex and dynamic region, as we can see from developments in the South China Sea,' he said.

He proposed a special ASEAN-Australia Leaders' Summit for 2018.

The summit, which would bring together leaders from South-East Asia, would aim to deepen economic ties through closer links between ASEAN and Australian businesses, and bolster strategic partnership on issues such as counter-terrorism.
Vows to 'enforce all classification rules' in shot at Hillary Clinton

Would boost active Army by 61,000 to 540,000; add 77 ships to get the Navy to 350; push for 1,200 Air Force fighter planes

Trump is calling for a boost in defense spending in a speech to Philadelphia's Union Club

Said sometimes there almost wasn't a country Clinton didn't want to 'invade, intervene in, or topple'

Said in speech that unlike the former secretary of state, he 'will emphasize diplomacy, not destruction'

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump blasted Hillary Clinton as 'trigger happy' and 'reckless' in a tough speech on national security in Philadelphia where he also called for a substantial defense buildup.

'She's trigger-happy and very unstable. Whether we like it or not, that's what's going on. She's also reckless,' Trump told a crowd at the Union League of Philadelphia.

The real estate mogul went after the former secretary of state in what Clinton believes to be her own wheelhouse, saying, ' Unlike my opponent, my foreign policy will emphasize diplomacy, not destruction.'

'Sometimes it seemed like there wasn't a country in the Middle East that Hillary Clinton didn't want to invade, intervene in, or topple,' Trump said, referencing Clinton's vote for the Iraq War.

Trump ran through a litany of global problems from Libya to Syria. 'This is Hillary Clinton's legacy, failure and death,' he said, reading prepared remarks from a teleprompter.

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Donald Trump clobbered Hillary Clinton as 'trigger-happy and unstable' on Wednesday as he outlined a 'peace through strength' military buildup platform

Trump called for a defense boost Wednesday in Philadelphia, a day after speaking to a military crowd in Virginia Beach

Trump spoke at the ornate Union League in Philadelphia and was introduced by retired Army General Michael Flynn

'Including veteran health care costs  and this was just announced and read over the last number of weeks  the price of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will total approximately $6 trillion,' Trump said.

'We could have rebuilt our country over and over again. Yet after all this money was spent and lives lost, Clinton's policies as secretary of state have left the Middle East in more disarray than ever before. Not even close.'

'Had we done nothing, we would have been in a far better position,' Trump continued. Meanwhile, China has grown more aggressive and North Korea more dangerous and belligerent than ever.'

Trump returned to relations with Russia, a country he wants to partner with in the campaign against ISIS.

'Russia has defied this administration at every single turn. Putin has no respect for President Obama and has absolutely no respect for Hillary Clinton,' the candidate said.

Trump clobbered Hillary Clinton as he made the case that he would make a better military commander-in-chief

After blasting Clinton, Trump called for a buildup of the nation's military forces

Then he connected Clinton's 'reckless' behavior in the world to her private email server, calling her 'so reckless, in fact, that she put her emails on an illegal server that our enemies could easily hack, and probably have.'

Trump also called for a substantial boost in Defense spending, with more ships, fighter aircraft, and men and women serving in the Army.

'Theyre old  theyre tired,' he said of aging vessels.

Trump laid out his remarks in a speech at the Union Club of Philadelphia.

According to a fact sheet released by his campaign, Trump wants a 350 ship Navy, and increase of 77 vessels over the current level.

Trump called for a 350-ship Navy, an increase of 77 vessels over today's fleet

Trump wants an active duty Army of 540,00

Trump said the average aircraft in service by the military was 27 years old, and said a second generation of pilots were flying B-52 bombers flown by their fathers

He wants an Active Duty Army of 540,000, an increase in 61,000, and a Marine Corps of 36 battalions. There currently are 32 Marine infantry battalions.

The proposals are meant to 'upgrade and update America's military,' according to the campaign.

Trump wants Congress to 'fully eliminate' the 2011 budget sequester, which includes automatic cuts. All the changes would require getting legislation through the Congress.

Trump on Tuesday spoke woefully about the size of the Navy, noting it was the fewest ships since World War I.

The call for the build up recalls Ronald Reagan's call for a 600-ship Navy. Trump's 350 ship level has been promoted for years by GOP defense hawks, though budget hawks whose primary focus is trimming spending have balked at the idea.

Former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig called the push for a buildup 'sloganeering and lacking in 'strategic thought,' Politico reported in 2015.

Trump also wants a 'state of the art' missile defense system. A campaign aide said Tuesday it would be a sea-based system. Some defense hawks want to put in place a more robust system to better counter the potential missile threat from North Korea and other adversaries.

SEA POWER: Trump wants a 350-ship Navy

BOOTS ON THE GROUND: Trump called for an active duty Army of 540,000

NOT SO FEW BUT PROUD: Trump also called for 36 Marine batallions

'One of Mr. Trumps first commands after taking office will be asking the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and all relevant federal departments, to conduct a thorough review of United States cyber defenses and identify all vulnerabilities  in our power grid, our communications systems, and all vital infrastructure,' according to the fact sheet.

Trump also is asking generals to provide him with a plan to defeat ISIS within 30 days after he takes office.

He wasn't as specific about how he'd pay for the buildup.

He called for 'common-sense reforms that eliminate government waste and budget gimmicks, and that protect  absolutely protect  hard-earned benefits for Americans.'

Trump said he would 'reduce' the size of the federal bureaucracy through 'responsible workforce attrition.'

He called for paring back 'improper government payments' estimated to cost $135 billion per year, while clawing back unpaid taxes estimated at $385 billion. Trump didn't say whether he favored increased IRS funding or audits to bring in the unpaid taxes.

'We can also stop funding programs that are not authorized in law,' Trump said, saying Congress spent $320 billion funding 256 expired laws.

'The military will not be exempt either. The military bureaucracy will have to be trimmed down,' Trump said. 'We have to create that strength, and sometimes we have to reduce bureaucracy. it just gets in our way.

Trump was to speak at the august Union Club of Philadelphia

Promoting the Marine Corps and Air Force increase, Trump's camp cited the conservative Heritage Foundation. It said the Army increase is 'what the chief of staff has said he needs.'

In a shot at Hillary Clinton, Trump's camp said he will 'enforce all classification rules, and enforce all laws relating to the handling of classified information.' Trump has previously called for an investigation of Clinton by a special prosecutor to begin 'immediately.

Trump is Trump set to deliver another speech Wednesday to New York's Conservative Party, again with a national security theme. He also participates in a forum on security on NBC tonight.

The crowd at the Union Club was more buttoned down than those who gather for Trump's big rallies.
Investigators will recommend charges against Ella Tromp be withdrawn over her alleged theft of a car to drive home from the family's ill-fated holiday, the policeman leading the investigation has said.

Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal new details of the investigation into the Tromp family's delusional meltdown after all five of them were successfully found in different parts of the country after the family became paranoid.

Ms Tromp, 22, returned home to Silvan, east of Melbourne, in a ute she allegedly stole. She was charged with theft of a motor vehicle and possessing the proceeds of crime at Monbulk police station, east of Melbourne, last Tuesday evening.

Investigators will recommend charges against Ella Tromp (pictured) be withdrawn over her alleged theft of a car

The Tromp family, from left, Riana, Mark (back) Jacoba (front), Mitchell, and Ella

Investigators questioned her for hours - including at the family's idyllic country home - from about 8.30pm until about midnight.

She made the police a cup of tea at the Silvan farmhouse and was asked several times: 'What happened?' with investigators examining everything from how she made the cup of tea to the consistency of her answers.

'What we do is we want to see a bit of normality from her,' said Sergeant Mark Knight. He ran the local investigation into the family's disappearance and personally knows the family, who farm red currants and run an earthmoving company.

'She got home and she was presenting in a way and we wanted to see what she was like,' Sgt Knight said.

Father-of-three Mark Tromp (pictured) was released into the care of his two brothers on Saturday night

Mitchell Tromp (25) was first to leave the family as they travelled interstate

'So she offered a cup of tea so we thought, we'll see... we're looking at things, how long it takes her to make a cup of tea, how she makes it, what water she uses?' (The last comment a joking reference to conspiracy theories there may have been 'something in the family's water').

WHAT'S IN THE WATER? Sgt Knight dismissed a conspiracy theory there may have been 'something in the water' at the property which led the family to becoming delusional and paranoid. He said he got asked after questioning Ella Tromp whether the family's water had been contaminated. 'I got asked on the night by certain people is there something in the water?' 'I said no, I'm sitting here drinking here a cup of tea - and I haven't taken off or had any delusional thoughts.' The family are understood to be on the same Silvan water supply as most of Melbourne. According to Yarra Water, the Silvan Treatment Plant supplies up to 80 per cent of the city's water at one time. Advertisement

Under questioning, Ms Tromp offered answers that were consistent to those her sister, Riana, 29, had given New South Wales police investigators, Sgt Knight said. Riana was found in the back of a ute by a Goulburn man on August 30.

Ella - a horse-loving girl who spoke to the media last week - was released into the care of her uncle. Investigators are compiling a report which will recommend to prosecutors her charges be withdrawn, Sgt Knight said - although prosecutors will ultimately decide what to do.

Ms Tromp is listed to face Ringwood Magistrates' Court next April.

Local police have not spoken to her father Mark Tromp yet, with investigators saying they are giving him and his family a break to recover from their ordeal. Sgt Knight could not say for certain what triggered their meltdown.

Mitchell Tromp, the family's 25-year-old, has said the family were under mounting business pressures.

Father-of-three Mark Tromp was released into the care of his two brothers on Saturday night after being found on the side of the road near Wangaratta. He was accompanied by his Monbulk police officer brother, Ken.

On Sunday, he was taken into hospital for a day of medical assessment, Sgt Knight said. Mr Tromp is now understood to be in the care of his family - but police said he was not in Melbourne.

Riana Tromp (pictured) is still in Goulburn Hospital with her mother, Jacoba

Sgt Knight, who knows Mr Tromp, was one of the first people to be called out to the home in Silvan more than a week ago.

'It was probably the most bizarre, most unusual situation I've worked into,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Jacoba Tromp

'Picture this: keys in the cars, front door wide open, passports, telephones, business papers everywhere.

'It wasn't ransacked it was orderly - but there were business papers everywhere.'

Sgt Knight said he expected Mr Tromp will call him.

'He'll ring me, because he knows I want to speak to him'.

'He said to his brothers the other day to say hello, to thank Mark and his team.'

Mr Tromp is expected to be asked key questions - like where, why, who, how and when.

Mr Tromp is said to be 'progressing well now'.

Family matriarch Jacoba and daughter Riana remain at Goulburn Hospital, a NSW Health spokeswoman confirmed.

The family home was deserted Wednesday.
A three-year-old boy will likely have some of his fingers and part of his foot amputated after contracting a life-threatening bacterial infection.

Perth toddler Chevy Ryder was immunised for one strain of the potentially deadly disease meningococcal A - but he was later struck down with the illness, going from a healthy little boy to fighting for his life in a hospital bed within hours.

Young Chevy had complained of being tired and having an upset stomach - an early symptom of meningococcal B, The West Australian reported.

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Perth toddler Chevy Ryder (pictured) had dark spots appeared all over his tiny body after contracting the deadly disease meningococcal B

Hours later dark spots appeared all over his tiny body, his organs began to fail and his parents Stephanie and Jake Ryder were told to 'expect the worst'.

'Definitely thought we were going to lose him,' Mrs Ryder told 7 News.

The distraught parents were told their son would have a 20 per cent chance of survival - and he spent up to a month in an intensive care.

'I couldn't stop putting scenarios in my head about life without him,' his mother said.

The boy went from a healthy little boy to fighting for his life in a hospital bed within hours

His terrified parents were warned by doctors to 'expect the worst' after his organs failed

Despite the heartbreaking ordeal, his parents Stephanie and Jake Ryder are happy he's alive

The young boy is expected to lose some limbs on one hand and half of his right foot.

'It's almost like this little boy that I have created isn't whole anymore because he's losing parts of him,' Mrs Ryder said.

'Then I think about his future and how is he going to survive without them.'

His parents are calling on the government to allow free vaccination on meningococcal B in a bid to stop other families from suffering the same distress.

But despite the heartbreaking ordeal, his parents are just happy he's alive.
Keith Vaz still holds a string of powerful posts despite quitting as Home Affairs Select Committee chairman over a rent boy scandal

Keith Vaz is clinging on to his membership of the prestigious privy council and has yet to resign from another key parliamentary committee despite the prostitution scandal.

The married Labour MP finally quit as chair of the Home Affairs Committee yesterday after allegations surfaced about his use of rent boys.

However, he has indicated that he will not step down from a range of other senior posts he holds in public life.

The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) today confirmed that the MP had not contacted them to resign his place.

He was installed on the committee - which scrutinises the government's strategy -due to his status as chair of the home affairs committee (HASC).

But a spokesman for JCNSS said: 'Keith Vaz will not automatically come off JCNSS after stepping down as HASC Chairman.

'This will require a motion on the Floor of the Commons.'

There is also no sign that Mr Vaz will give up his membership of the privy council - which entitles him to receive secret briefings, attend meetings with the Queen, and be addressed as 'Right Honourable'.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen has kept up the pressure on Mr Vaz with a demand for new inquiries into his conduct

Aides to Jeremy Corbyn today insisted the Labour leader did not think Mr Vaz needed to stand aside from the party's ruling NEC.

They stressed the scandal was 'personal' and Mr Vaz did not appear to have done anything illegal.

Tory backbencher Andrew Bridgen - who has insisted Mr Vaz is 'not fit' to be an MP - has already asked the parliamentary standards commissioner, the police and charities commission to investigate the former minister.

He is also set to ask standards commissioner Kathry Hudson to look into allegations that Mr Vaz failed to declare free stays at a Mayfair hotel.

The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner's office confirmed it had received a complaint about Mr Vaz.

Meanwhile, three senior Labour MPs are set to battle it out for the chairmanship of the powerful Home Affairs Select Committee.

Committee member Chuka Umunna will stand for the post and former Cabinet minister Yvette Cooper is also considering a run at the job, which is decided by a vote of MPs.

Chuka Umunna, the former shadow business secretary, is to run for the committee job and believes he has the support of colleagues on the group to be the continuity candidate

Another former minister, Caroline Flint, has already indicated she will seek the job.

The committee had been chaired by Mr Vaz since 2007.

Mr Umunna believes he has the support of many of the existing committee members and will offer continuity to carry on the cross-party group's work.

A friend of the Streatham MP said: 'Having consulted colleagues and been approached by colleagues from both sides of the House he has decided he is going to put his name forward.'

Mr Umunna believes that as Mr Vaz was the only MP from an ethnic minority to chair a select committee it is 'important for the BME community' to continue to have representation at a senior level on the cross-party groups.

Former ministers Yvette Cooper (left) and Caroline Flint (right) have also been linked with a run for the vacant post

Ms Cooper is not a current member of the committee but would bring her experience as a former shadow home secretary to the role.

The former Labour leadership contender is considering it and 'colleagues have suggested she should stand', a Westminster source said.
Female firefighters have been included in a South Australian charity calendar for the first time.

The two women, 32-year-old Carly White and 31-year-old Catherine Yates, feature in the latest version of the Metropolitan Fire World Police and Fire Games Club calendar, reported Adelaide Now.

They said they hoped it would help get rid of the stereotype that only firefighters were men.

Female firefighters have been included in a South Australian charity calendar for the first time. Pictured is 32-year-old Carly White who said it would be nice for people to see women firefighters as normal

Ms White, who has a four-year-old son Noah, said she got involved as a dare after being nominated by her fiance.

She said she had received huge support from her family and the public.

'It would be nice to normalise females as firefighters in the media and for people to see women as firefighters as normal.'

Ms Yates used her experience as a circus performer and rigger to pose upside down wrapped up in a fire hose, holding a fire hat in one hand.

She said the calendars were traditionally a male dominated thing and by women getting involved it showed anyone can do anything.

'Hopefully it makes girls think outside the square of what they can achieve, whether its becoming a firefighter or a mechanic or any other male dominated job,' she said.

Catherine Yates, 31, (pictured) also featured in the calendar, using her experience as a circus performer and rigger to pose upside down wrapped up in a fire hose holding a hat in one hand

Club president Neil Mangelsdorf said they had an open door policy and it was time to allow women in the calendar.

Money raised from sales of the calendar goes to funding firefighters competing in the World Police Fire Games.

It also supports TeamKids, the Women's and Children's Hospital Foundation.
They remained in the field for a number of days before being found

Lightwine admitted to killing her son and says she was high on meth

A drug abusing woman who was found with the body of her disabled son in a field in late August was charged with murder on Tuesday.

Kimberly Lightwine from Missouri was charged with second-degree murder and elder abuse of her 19-year-old autistic and blind son Austin Anderson.

She was discovered with a broken leg by a farmer in a field in Polk County on August 29 in her underwear while Anderson, who had the mind of a young child, was found dead close by dressed in a diaper.

Social media photos of Lightwine and Anderson together suggest they had a loving mother and son relationship

Lightwine was next to a vehicle, lying face down and waving her hands in the air when law enforcement officers inspected the area after being alerted of the situation, court documents say.

Autopsy results show the son had a swollen brain probably caused by dehydration and could have gone into shock after not taking a vital medication.

Investigators say the young man may have died as early as August 26.

Lightwine repeatedly told officers, while on route to the sheriff's office in the town of Bolivar, that she killed Anderson.

After being formally questioned said she and her son had been lying in the field for a couple of days but she couldn't remember how long for.

She also told detectives that she drove to the field and was a high on methamphetamine throughout the ordeal.

Anderson had the mental age of a elementary school child despite being 19-years-old. He suffered from autism and was blind

'I'm a terrible mother. I got high, and I got depressed, and I think I am going to throw up,' she said, according to the probable cause statement.

Lightwine told her son 'get out of the car and go reach for help,' the statement says.

'Put your hands in front of you for help, and God is going to take care of you.

'I don't know how many days, I don't know how long he'd been on the ground, he cried for me,' she said.

Anderson had trouble walking according to police and he kept calling 'mom' in the field but she pushed him back.

'No you don't want to love me, please let God take you,' she told her son, according to documents.

Lightwine could face up to 50 years in prison if she is found guilty of the murder of her son and elder abuse. She was high on meth during the ordeal

'I just blocked it out. I just kept thinking that God or somebody came and got him and took him where he needed to be.'

The statement said that the suspect climbed on her Ford Expedition car and yelled 'you mother(expletive), I'm sick of your (expletive). ... Come and bring it on' after police arrived at the scene.

In a police search of a motel room in Bolivar, where Lightwine and her son were staying, deputies found Anderson's medication and a substance that tested positive for meth.

Should Lightwine be convicted of her charges she can face between 10 and 30 years for murder and up to 20 years for elder abuse, according to KY3.
Successful: Beau Jessup, 16, from Edge, Gloucestershire, has so far suggested names for 221,000 Chinese babies in six months

A 16-year-old British schoolgirl has earned 48,000 giving Chinese babies English names, after hearing about children called Gandalf and Cinderella.

Beau Jessup from Edge, Gloucestershire, has so far suggested names for 221,000 Chinese babies in six months and her unusual business is booming.

Beau, who is the daughter of Loose Women panellist and The Bill star Lisa Maxwell, set up SpecialName.cn after spending time in China where she was asked repeatedly to suggest an English name by friends expecting a first child.

All Chinese babies are given a traditional Chinese name at birth, which is written in Chinese characters and used for all government documents.

But there has been a growing demand in the last 20 years to adopt an additional English name that can be read, pronounced and printed in English.

This would be for use on email and for study and business in the West, but these names were chosen at school by an English teacher or even by pupils.

Family: Beau is pictured with her mother Lisa Maxwell and father Paul Jessup (left) at two film premieres in London in March 2008 (left) and October 2009 (right)

Entrepreneur: Beau set up SpecialName.cn after spending time in China where she was asked repeatedly to suggest an English name by friends expecting their first child

Cheltenham Ladies College pupil Beau said: When I went to China I kept being asked to name babies for my parents' friends.

They explained an English name is vital because you can't use a Chinese name on email or a university application to the UK. Your English name stays with you for life.

But I also heard lots of examples where people had chosen culturally inappropriate English names they'd heard from films or read online.

It made me realise there was an opportunity to help Chinese people get it right from the start.

To solve the problem Beau developed Specialname to suggest culturally appropriate English names to prospective parents based on their ideals and aspirations for their child.

SpecialName: The website invites parents to select from a list of 12 personality traits including sensitive, honest and confident, to best describe their aspirations for their baby

Decision time: The site analyses choices of personality traits and suggests a shortlist of three culturally-appropriate names

English identities: All Chinese babies are given a traditional Chinese name at birth (Pictured: A file image of a mother having given birth in Beijing in 2008)

It reflects the Chinese tradition for creating unique names for their children.

The website invites parents to select from a list of 12 personality traits including sensitive, honest and confident, to best describe their aspirations for their baby.

The site then analyses the choices and suggests a shortlist of three culturally-appropriate names.

The shortlist is presented along with their meaning and a famous namesake such as Grace Kelly or Catherine Middleton.

The site then shares the shortlist of suggested names with friends and family via messaging giant We-Chat - China's equivalent to WhatsApp with more than 600million users - inviting help in making the final choice.

The naming service costs the equivalent of 60p for three names and takes just over three minutes from start to finish.

Red carpet actress: Maxwell is pictured at the National Television Awards in London in October 2002 (left) and at the BBC TV Centre in the capital in November 2005 (right)

On screen: Maxwell plays Detective Inspector Samantha Nixon (right) in a 2004 episode of ITV police drama The Bill alongside Peter Cavanaugh (left), played by Peter O'Brien

Chat show: Maxwell (second left) appears on ITV panel show Loose Women in 2009 with (from left) Andrea McLean, Sherrie Hewson and Jane McDonald

After making their choice, users are sent a naming certificate to keep. Parents are also encouraged to post their babys picture on the website.

CASE STUDY: HOW ONE USER CHOSE A 'GENEROUS' NAME SpecialName user Songbu Wang, who chose her son's English name using the service, after being said she used the site to increase her son's life chances. My friends told me SpecialName was very useful, so I decided to have a try. I chose Nathan because it sounds strong, what's more, I have seen the definition from my SpecialName certificate; Nathan means generous. I think a good man should be generous, then women will like him. I hope my son isn't a jealous guy. She added: I think English name can influence my child's life. I hope he can have more opportunities to learn English, to work with foreigners or go aboard to open his eyes. I think no matter working or studying or making friends with foreigners, a good English name is a good start. Advertisement

The site has grown, now averaging 27,000 visitors and earning 16,000 in sales per month. More than 17million babies are born every year in China.

China remains the world's largest population, with over 1.3billion people and the lifting of the One Child policy in 2015 means parents are now able to ensure two babies have culturally appropriate names.

Beau says she is proud to play a part in so many happy occasions and plans to use the money she has earned so far from the site to help pay for her university fees.

She added: There are babies being born every day and they all need a Special Name. I like the idea of providing a service that enhances such a happy occasion.

I have a target to reach which will allow me to pay for my university fees and writing the text for the site was really good practice for my Mandarin GCSE.

I spend two hours a day talking to my customers asking how I can make the service better and about an hour making improvements.
Name that year:

An entertainer-turned-politician upends presidential politics. Republicans are intent on downgrading the U.S. Department of Education from cabinet status. And a new media outlet begins covering K-12 education from a national perspective.

Answer: 1981.

Thats the year Republican Ronald Reagan succeeded President Jimmy Carter, leading to the Reagan administrations early-term effort to dismantle the still new Cabinet-level Education Department. And that is the year that saw the debut of Education Week.

The lead story in the very first issue of Education Week, on Sept. 7, 1981, carried the headline, Far-Reaching Shift in Federal Role Urged by Bell .

The copyrighted story by Eileen White began this way: Details of a tightly-guarded memorandum on the future of the U.S. Education Departmentsent to the White House early last month by Secretary of Education Terrel H. Belloffer a precise blueprint not only for downgrading the year-old department to the status of a sub-Cabinet-level foundation, but also for engineering a fundamental realignment of the federal role in American education.

The 91-page memorandum, a copy of which has been obtained by Education Week, asserts that the Federal Government does not have responsibility for education, the story continued.

That was 35 years ago on Wednesday. Of course, the Education Department would not be downgraded, and Reagan later helped launch the modern school accountability movement with his administrations A Nation at Risk report.

In 2006, on the occasion of Education Weeks 25th anniversary, Jeff Archer captured the early impact of the newspaper and its more lasting influence on education policy debates.

Ever since [its founding], the newspaper has made the case that K-12 education is an issue worthy of a national dialogue, Archer wrote in Education Week. What happens in Washington affects what happens in classrooms across the country. What happens in one state or district matters to others. And education is a field of powerful ideas, institutions, and people.

In doing so, Archer continued, the independent weekly helped write the first draft of the history of an intense period of change in education, including the decline of busing for desegregation, the rise of the standards movement, debates over teaching methods and educator training, and the resurgence of the federal role.

This year has brought further reflection on the impact of Education Week in what is now a vastly different media landscape.

In January, the annual Quality Counts report, which grades the states on accountability issues, published its 20th edition. In this piece I wrote , Ronald A. Wolk, the founder of Education Week and of the Quality Counts report, offered his recollections of the beginnings of the highly anticipated annual report, including how the effort almost ended up in the lap of a another publicationU.S. News & World Report.

Meanwhile, in May, Virginia B. Edwards, the longtime editor of Education Week and the president of its parent organization, Editorial Projects in Education Inc., announced her plans to step down after leading the newspaper into the digital era.

Here is a video of Edwards chatting with Education Week Video correspondent Lisa Stark:

Edwardss departure took effect Aug 1, when Michele J. Givens, the publisher and general manager of EPE, became president and chief executive officer.

Around that time, Joshua Benton, the director of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University, a think tank founded to help the news business figure out its future in the internet age, told me in this story that what Education Week has that is most valuable is a direct relationship with its readers, and a very defined audience that is of interest to advertisers.

Id rather be in [Education Weeks] shoes than in the shoes of a middling, mid-market daily newspaper these days, said Benton, who was an award-winning education beat reporter for The Dallas Morning News, a daily considered well above middling.

After 35 years, the debates over standards and accountability, school governance, teacher preparation, and the proper role of the federal government, have not been settled. And Education Week is still around to help lead the coverage and the conversation.
A former train worker has allegedly been caught 'upskirting' again a month after avoiding jail for filming women using a disabled toilet at a Sydney station.

Sacked Sydney Trains employee Michael Szafranek, 53 , was given a nine-month suspended jail term after admitting to filming women in the toilets at Rockdale Train Station last month.

The father-of-two has been accused of 'upskirting' a 22-year-old woman at Caringbah Station in the south of Sydney on Tuesday morning, 7News reports.

Sacked Sydney Trains employee Michael Szafranek, 53 , has allegedly been caught 'upskirting' again, after avoiding jail time last month for filming women using a disabled toilet

The 53-year-old told a Sydney court he was 'relieved' to be caught last month, when he avoided an immediate jail term.

Szafranek's illicit filming was discovered when a female commuter at Rockdale Station asked him for directions to the toilet and spotted the hidden camera recording her in the bathroom in February.

Szafranek will now face court once again in September after being accused of recording up the skirt of a woman at Caringbah Station.

Sydney Trains has sacked the 53-year-old with NSW Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance saying Szafranek 'has no place in one of our organisations'.

Szafranek's illicit filming was discovered when a female commuter at Rockdale Station asked him for directions to the toilet and spotted the hidden camera recording her
Human traffickers were caught trying to smuggle 17 migrants across the border by packing them into a mini van.

The migrants were not allowed to leave the vehicle during the trip from the Romanian - Hungarian border area to Vienna.

They were even ordered to defecate inside the vehicle if they needed to relieve themselves.

The Mercedes Vito van was spotted by a car driver on the A4 motorway in Schwechat, in the south-east of the Austrian capital and stopped by police.

Officers also pulled over a Fiat Punto which drove ahead of the minivan to scout out the route.

Police stopped this mini van carrying 17 migrants - who were not allowed to defecate during their journey from the Romanian-Hungarian border area to Vienna

In the Vito, a 19-year-old human trafficker from Egypt was found along with 17 migrants from Syria and Afghanistan, which included children and a baby.

Officials found the migrants kneeling and squatting on the floor of the van.

They had been squeezed together in a tight area of only 50sq feet and police had to administer first aid for some of the exhausted migrants.

It was also reported the parents of an eight-month-old baby girl were forced to give her sedatives, as the criminals were afraid her screams could jeopardise the smuggling operation.

The migrants were squeezed into this van and they included children and a baby

Migrants paid the traffickers 5,000 euros each, while the smuggling of a child cost 2,500 euros.

The trip would have earned the criminals a total of 75,000.

The Fiat Punto was driven by two Syrian people smugglers aged 20 and 37.

The three men were arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and were taken to a prison in Korneuburg while they await trial.

Last year, in a case that shocked the world, 71 migrants were found rotting in an abandoned truck on an Austrian motorway.

The victims included eight women and four children.
Police body camera footage has been released showing the moment a New Mexico was cop by a wanted man during a foot pursuit.

The officer stopped the suspect, 34-year-old Anthony Baca, last week on a bicycle in Clovis for a minor violation and attempted to make an arrest for an outstanding felony warrant.

However Baca then fled, starting a short chase.

As seen in the body cam video, the officer pulls out his taser to try and stop Baca, who opens fire as he runs away.

Chase: The officer stopped the suspect, 34-year-old Anthony Baca, last week in Clovis, New Mexico, for a minor violation and attempted to make an arrest for an outstanding warrant

When Baca gave chase, officer Chris Caron pursued him and went to taser the suspect

The footage shows Caron falling to the ground after he was shot in the leg, with his weapon drawn. He did not fire at the suspect

A bright light is seen in the night camera footage before the officer falls to the ground and radios for help, News Channel 10 reported.

The officer is heard saying that his leg is injured, but he was not immediately sure if he had been hit.

A bullet had struck the officer, identified as Chris Caron, in the leg.

Caron was treated and released at Plains Regional Medical Center.

Baca fled the scene. He was then was arrested the next day and charged with felony assault on a peace officer.

Clovis officer Chris Caron (right) stopped Anthony Baca (left) on a bicycle for a minor violation and attempted to make an arrest for an outstanding felony warrant

He will also face evasion charges once he is located.

When he was initially stopped, Baca was wanted for failure to appear in court.
The Tory revolt against Theresa May's drive to bring back grammar schools grew today as ex-universities minister David Willetts (pictured) said selective schools failed disadvantaged children

The Tory revolt against Theresa May's drive to bring back grammar schools grew today as ex-universities minister David Willetts said selective schools failed disadvantaged children.

He urged the Prime Minister to abandon the idea of lifting Tony Blair's ban on new grammar schools because evidence showed they benefited rich families at the expense of social mobility.

The intervention from Lord Willetts, who was in charge of higher education in David Cameron's government and is now chair of the influential Resolution Foundation thinktank, comes after a confidential document revealed the Cabinet is split over the plans to bring back grammar schools.

The file, photographed being carried uncovered into No 10 yesterday, reveals Education Secretary Justine Greening raised concerns over plans for new grammar schools and wants the proposals to be downgraded to one of several options as part of the Government's consultations for school reform.

She only wants to pursue the 'option' after existing selective schools are reformed, according to the document, dealing a blow to Mrs May's ambition to lift the 18-year ban on new grammars, which she wants to pursue as part of her social mobility agenda.

But Lord Willetts, speaking on the Today programme today, urged Mrs May to scrap the proposals. 'I'm afraid that was the evidence then and it still is the evidence,' he said.

'It's a very serious problem in these selective systems: they do tend to be captured by the better-informed, more affluent parents.

Theresa May, seen today leaving Downing Street for PMQs, is thought determined to pursue a new wave of grammar schools

'They're doing the right thing for their kids but the trouble is social mobility suffers as a result.

'If you look overall, not just in Britain but around the world, at those school systems we admire that have got high performance and high standards, from Shanghai to Finland, by and large they don't put their effort into trying to pick which kids they educate; they put their effort into raising standards for all the kids.'

Lord Willetts said the Government should instead look at rolling out the reforms carried out in London to the whole country, echoing Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw.

He said: 'When it comes to the best education policies we should look at the evidence and we've got some very good evidence close to home: look at the transformation of schools in London.

USE A FOLDER! THE LATEST ACCIDENTAL LEAK OF OFFICIAL PAPERS IN FULL The memo leaked today reads: 'The con doc says we will open new grammars, albeit that they would have to follow various conditions. 'The SoS's clear position is that this should be presented in the con doc as an option and only to be pursued once we have worked with existing grammars to show how they can be expanded and reformed in ways which avoid disadvantaging those who don't get in. 'I simply don't know what the PM thinks of this, but it sounds reasonable to me and I simply can't see any way of persuading the Lords to vote for selection on any other basis.' Advertisement

'Those are really tough areas in London where they're actually achieving higher educational standards than in Kent and without selection.'

The memo that accidentally exposed Cabinet divisions on grammar schools policy was written by the senior civil servant at the Department for Education. It admits it is not clear whether Mrs May would back an initial reform programme.

But Jonathan Slater, the department's permanent secretary, warned it could be the only way to get a change to the law on grammar schools through Parliament.

A significant minority of Conservative MPs would be likely to oppose a new wave of grammar schools and further problems would be likely in the House of Lords.

Labour seized on the revelations as letting the 'cat out of the bag' about Mrs May's plans for a new wave of grammar schools amid a row over whether the new Prime Minister will reverse a ban on new selective schools imposed by Tony Blair.

Mr Slater's memo, who is also thought to have been the official who was carrying the documents, insists the plans to reform the 163 existing grammar schools first are 'reasonable'.

Following the release of the image, the Mrs May's spokeswoman said: 'Both the Prime Minister and the Education Secretary have spoken in recent weeks what our approach is, which is building a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

An unnamed official was photographed walking into No 10 today with papers revealing the Government plans a consultation document saying 'we will open new grammars' and present it as an 'option' to follow the expansion and reform of existing selective schools

'That's why we are looking at a range of options to make sure that children can access a school that lets them rise as far as their talents will take them and we'll set out policies in due course.'

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: 'The cat is out of the bag: behind closed doors the Tories are planning a return to the bad old days of grammars, ignoring all the evidence which has told us time and again that they do not aid social mobility.

'As Michael Wilshaw said yesterday, with every grammar school you open you create three more secondary moderns with it.

'It's a policy which reveals the truth of this Tory Government: caring only for the few at the expense of the majority.

The official carried the exposed papers into No 10 during today's Cabinet meeting

'The Tories have overseen a school places crisis, the highest rate of teachers leaving the profession in a decade and over half a million pupils in super-sized classes.

'These issues should be her priority, not harking back to a golden-age that never existed.

'Labour is committed to an education system for everyone, not just a select few.'

Mrs May backed the expansion of a grammar school in her own Maidenhead constituency while she was Home Secretary.

It was reported after she entered No 10 she would end the existing ban on new selective schools.

But in her first major TV interview since becoming PM on Sunday, Mrs May refused to be drawn on whether she would push through a new wave of grammar schools.

Opening new grammar schools would be politically highly controversial and there is sufficient resistance amongst Tory MPs to make passing new laws in the Commons a challenge.

Education Secretary Justine Greening, pictured arriving for Cabinet today, was known to be considering schools policy for the new government but today's document revealed new details

JUST 163 GRAMMARS ARE LEFT IN ENGLAND AFTER BLAIR'S BAN Grammar schools select their pupils via an exam set for primary pupils at age 11. Only those who pass the test are allowed in with everyone else left scrambling for other places. The schools are generally seen as better for academically-minded students but were criticised for decades for fuelling social divides. Grammar schools were almost completely wiped out by the New Labour government of Tony Blair. Mr Blair banned the creation of any new grammar schools and there was a continued shift toward comprehensive education including pupils of all abilities. There are now just 163 grammars left in England, Tory activists have long called for Mr Blair's 1998 ban to be overturned. Advertisement

Asked three times by the BBC's Andrew Marr whether she would back new grammar schools, Mrs May said: 'What I'd like to see Andrew is ensuring an education system, regardless of where people are, regardless of the school they're going to, that is ensuring they're getting the quality of education that enables them to take on those opportunities.

'Because when I talk about a country that works for everyone it's about ensuring that whatever people's talents are, it's about how far people's talents can take them.'

The memo leaked today reads: 'The con doc says we will open new grammars, albeit that they would have to follow various conditions.

'The SoS's clear position is that this should be presented in the con doc as an option and only to be pursued once we have worked with existing grammars to show how they can be expanded and reformed in ways which avoid disadvantaging those who don't get in.

'I simply don't know what the PM thinks of this, but it sounds reasonable to me and I simply can't see any way of persuading the Lords to vote for selection on any other basis.'

Theresa May refused to be drawn on her grammar school policy during a TV interview on Sunday, pictured

A string of Government plans and secrets have been revealed on Downing Street in recent years.

In January, an event on Syrian refugees due to take place in Davos involving the Queen of Jordan was exposed to photographers.

Perhaps the most famous example of all was Cabinet Office Minister Oliver Letwin being photographed disposing of papers in St James Park.

It was reported last year a new sign had been put up just inside the famous No 10 door warning people Downing Street was a 'public highway' frequently inhabited by press photographers.

As recently as last year, a 'sensitive' document about the possible privatisation of Channel 4 was snapped as an unnamed official arrived in Downing Street.

The revelation of the document caused embarrassment for the Government after ministers have repeatedly denied it is being considered, makes the case for 'extracting greater public value' from the channel 'focusing on privatisation options in particular.'

Revealing the latest gaffe, photographer Steve Back - who has repeatedly snapped secret documents over the years - said: 'I've lost count of the times I have told people to get folders in No10, this seen this morning as Cabinet underway.'
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying it is 'obvious' she is the right choice for president.

Schultz, 63, who was born in Brooklyn, backed his fellow New Yorker during an interview at the CNNMoney American Opportunity conference on Wednesday.

'I think it's obvious Hillary Clinton needs to be the next president,' Schultz told the network.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz (pictured in March 2016) has publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying it is 'obvious' she is the right choice for president

'I think we're all rightfully concerned about the promise of the country and the American dream. I think this election cycle has unfortunately created such divisive and vitriolic behavior, the likes of which we have probably never seen before.

'I'm hopeful that after the election, and hopefully Hillary Clinton will be elected president, that we will begin to see a level of unity and people coming together.

'I am optimistic and positive about the future of the country, and mainly because I have such faith in the American people.'

The self-described life-long Democrat also said Clinton has the 'life experience and professional experience' to become commander-in-chief.

'I think it's obvious Hillary Clinton needs to be the next president,' Schultz said during an interview at the CNNMoney American Opportunity conference

'I'm hopeful that after the election, and hopefully Hillary Clinton will be elected president, that we will begin to see a level of unity and people coming together,' Schultz said

Schultz also refused to rule out running for office himself one day during the interview.

When asked if he would consider running for president, the coffee mogul replied: 'I'm still a young man... I would never say never, but this is not the right time.'

The Starbucks CEO had not endorsed a candidate before Wednesday, however he had still been outspoken during the campaign.

The Starbucks CEO also said Hillary Clinton has the 'life experience and 'professional experience' to become commander-in-chief

In February, he slammed the race, describing it as: 'something none of us has ever seen before, which I would label as almost a circus of yelling bombastic attacks, of a lack of respect, of a lack of dignity.'

He did not direct the comment at either party specifically, but it was made just days after Donald Trump called Republican rival Ted Cruz a 'p***y' during a campaign stop.
British Airways pilot Captain James Bedforth, 51, died from deep vein thrombosis following a delay in his hospital treatment

A coroner is writing to the Health Secretary after a former Concorde pilot died from deep vein thrombosis following a delay in his hospital treatment.

British Airways pilot Captain James Bedforth, 51, should have been treated 'within an hour' on arrival at hospital after collapsing at home, according to an expert.

Instead he was only medically assessed two-and-a-half hours after admission at Barnsley District Hospital and had to wait for blood-thinning drugs which could have saved his life.

The Sheffield inquest heard the normally fit and healthy BA pilot had experienced a shortness of breath at Shanghai, China, the day before he flew back and collapsed.

The hearing was also told that the pilot, who was married to Catherine Bedforth, 54, had visited the hospital two months previously with a pain in his leg.

But Coroner Chris Dorries said he was not given a full leg scan which 'might have provided valuable treatment'.

Despite medical investigations in accordance with NICE guidelines, blood clots in his lower left leg were not detected and he was discharged only to be re-admitted on June 29, 2015 - only to die a day later.

Sheffield coroner Mr Dorries is writing to the Health Secretary about the case and inviting him to consider 'whether further, up to date, research might now be appropriate into the potential benefit of lower leg scanning.'

Mr Bedforth, 51, was an experienced and fit and healthy Concorde pilot (pictured)

He also criticised the hospital for not giving Captain Bedforth 'safety net' information after his first admission outlining that symptoms such as shortness of breath should result in immediate medical attention 'or his life could be in danger.'

Doctors were aware his record of flying could raise the odds of him contracting DVT but two experts told the inquest that the delays in his treatment were 'significant'.

Anaesthetist Dr Ye Myint, who has written guidelines on treating DVT patients, said the pilot should have been seen within an hour.

He told the inquest: 'My personal opinion is that the delay may have changed the outcome.'

Dr Julian Humphrey, an emergency medicine consultant at the hospital, said there were 'significant delays' in Captain Bedforth being seen by a doctor.

Mr Dorries said the hospital did have an information sheet to give to patients but he was 'less than convinced' from the evidence he heard that the pilot had been given one.

Captain Bedforth did not mention the shortness of breath he suffered in China to anyone including his wife Catherine, 54, until he collapsed at home in the village of Wortley, near Barnsley.

The coroner said: 'Clearly Captain Bedforth was a very intelligent man who found himself in China in the midst of a long-haul flight.

'I'm sure he was the type of person that had he been told about the shortness of breath issue, he would have acted upon this immediately.

'Wherever he was, whatever the local services were, his company had arrangements in place that would have given him decent quality medical advice when he needed it.'

However Dr Rhona Maclean, an expert in thrombosis, told the inquest she did not believe Captain Bedforth would have survived even if he had been seen immediately and treatment started.

Pathologist Yota Kitsanta said a blood vessel in the pilot's brain had become swollen because of a blockage caused by debris from a blood clot.

It was unclear whether this was from the DVT in his left calf or from a secondary thrombosis caused by that condition.

In reaching his conclusions, the coroner said: 'I am reinforced in my suspicions about a lack of detailed 'safety-netting' because I consider it unlikely that a senior pilot of Captain Bedforth's experience would have placed himself on duty on the flight deck of an aircraft if he had considered himself likely to collapse or thought himself potentially seriously ill.'

The experienced British Airways pilot used to fly Concordes for the company (stock photo)

The Sheffield inquest heard that the pilot had visited the hospital two months previously with a pain in his leg but was not given a full leg scan

He said he formed the view that the pilot 'had not realised the seriousness of his breathlessness.'

The pilot was given a blood-thinning drug at more than three hours after admission on the second occasion which Dr Fletcher said should have been given two hours post-admission 'at the very latest'.

But Mr Dorries said he could not say the pilot would have survived if treated earlier.

The pilot was given too much blood-thinning medication which led to over anticoagulation

The pilot was given too much blood-thinning medication which led to over anticoagulation and this led to a fatal brain haemorrhage.

Mr Dorries recorded the cause of death as cerebral haemorrhage due to a significant pulmonary embolus and paradoxical embolus to the brain (treated) due to deep vein thrombosis.

He considered whether negligence played a part but decided that none of the issues raised would have prevented the pilot's death.

He recorded a narrative conclusion and added: 'Captain James Michael Bedforth died at the Barnsley Hospital on 30 June, 2015 in consequence of the treatment given to him, seemingly in accordance with the hospital protocol, for a pulmonary embolus including a paradoxical embolus to the brain.

'While there were some delays in the provision of treatment these cannot be shown (to the necessary standard) to relate to the cause of death.'
Polish leader warned Europe's homogeny could cause rise in pop culture

He insists national and religious identity are still relevant after UK's EU exit

'the moment is now'

European leaders have called for a 'cultural counter-revolution' to fix what they see as a crisis of values plaguing the European Union.

Populist leaders of Hungary and Poland insist Brexit provides an opportunity for change, warning homogenising the continent would destroy national identities and see a rise in American and popular culture.

'The moment is now - a cultural counter-revolution is possible,' Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban told delegates gathered this week at a regional economic forum in the southern Polish mountain resort of Krynica.

'The moment is now - a cultural counter-revolution is possible,' Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban told delegates gathered this week at a regional economic forum in the southern Polish mountain resort of Krynica

Mr Orban added: 'People don't change, national and religious identity still have their place.

'There's no European identity that could replace them,' he said late on Tuesday.

According to Orban, over the last 20 years European elites have insisted 'it wasn't modern to be a Pole, Hungarian, a Czech, a Christian or other believer.

'They proposed a new identity - the European identity - but Britons have said "no".

'They want to be British'.

Populist leaders of Hungary and Poland insist Brexit provides an opportunity for change, warning homogenising the continent would see a rise in American and popular culture

European leaders have called for a 'cultural counter-revolution' to fix what they see as a crisis of values plaguing the European Union

Britain voted to leave the EU in June in a referendum driven in large part by worries about immigration, economic uncertainty and a perception that an out-of-touch Brussels elite was making the rules.

Jarolsaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's governing right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party called Brexit part of a 'crisis of European consciousness'.

He insists that deep EU reforms are needed to tackle problems plaguing the bloc, including ones stemming from the 2008 global financial crisis as well as eurozone debt and the migrant crisis.

Germany's 'position of hegemony' is also cause for concern, according to Kaczynski.

'Change is the only solution,' he said.

'These changes must be rooted in a cultural counter-revolution reminding us that Europe has a wealth of European cultures.'

Attempts to homogenise Europe's diversity risked the rise of 'pop culture, American culture,' he warned.

Other Central European leaders including the Czech and Slovak prime ministers have also urged reforms that would give national parliaments a bigger say in the EU.
David Ray Bartol (pictured) was handed the 55-year sentence on Tuesday after a jury found him guilty of all 24 counts against him, including attempted aggravated murder

A Krude Rude Brood gangster has been sentenced to 55 years in prison after torturing and almost killing two men.

David Ray Bartol, 45, was handed the sentence on Tuesday after a jury found him guilty of all 24 counts against him, including attempted aggravated murder.

Prosecutors said Bartol had tortured the two men, both linked to his gang, in two separate incidents because he had issues with them.

Both were dumped and left to die on the streets of southeast Portland, Oregon  but managed to survive, according to Oregon Live.

A two-week trial heard that Bartol and at least one other accomplice tried to remove Nicholas Remingtons tattoo with an industrial sander.

Remington also had a motorcycle helmet placed on his head which was then shot at with a gun and heroin injected into his neck, the court heard.

He was not breathing and wearing only boxers when Bartol dumped his body on the street in December 2012.

But he was found by a police officer and survived.

Then, less than two months later in February 2013, Bartol and a number of accomplices kidnapped Ronald Murphy.

Murphy was tortured in the spray paint booth of an auto body shop, apparently to contain the blood, according to Oregon Live.

His unconscious body was dumped on the street nearby.

Murphy sustained two gunshot wounds to his abdomen and spent months recovering.

He died of a heroin overdose two years later in February 2015.

On Tuesday, prosecutors had asked for Bartol to be sentenced to 60 years.

Multnomah County Circuit Judge Michael said a lengthy sentence was justified because Bartol was deliberately cruel and caused lasting injuries.

His 55-year sentence comes on top of an 18-year sentence he is already serving for two home invasions.

Authorities said he broke into two homes in the Salem area not long after torturing Remington and Murphy.

He shot one victim in the chest in one case and in the other, pointed a gun at a mans forehead.

He also faces the death penalty if he is found guilty of aggravated murder for allegedly killing an inmate with a shank at Marion County Jail in June 2013.

That trial is set to begin later this month.

Bartols attorneys argued that their clients below-average IQ, purportedly due to fetal alcohol syndrome, is to blame for his impulsive decisions, according to Oregon Live.
The widow of a police detective who tragically suffered a fatal heart attack during the father-daughter dance at a wedding has urged the public to get their hearts checked.

Tim Buchanan, 54, and his wife Jeni had traveled from South Carolina to Costa Rica to watch their daughter Michele get married on September 3.

But what should have been a day of joy for the family turned to tragedy after Buchanan suffered a heart attack during the dance and died.

Since then, his widow Jeni Buchanan, a wedding photographer, says the family have been 'overwhelmed' with the outpouring of public love and support.

But she said she also wanted to use the tragedy as an opportunity to encourage others to get their hearts tested.

Jeni Buchanan (pictured with Tim in Costa Rica for the wedding) says the family have been 'overwhelmed' with the outpouring of public love and support after her husband died of a heart attack

Michelle Howard's (pictured left with new husband Luis Diego Granera) dream Costa Rica wedding turned into a nightmare after her father Tim Buchanan (right) suffered the fatal heart attack during the father-daughter dance

' If you know Tim, you would know that he wouldn't want any kind of hoopla about anything, but he can't argue right now, so let me pass along this message from our family,' she wrote in a touching Facebook message.

'Family was the most important thing to him, to the point that he ignored his body telling him something was wrong.

'He should have gone to the doctor, but he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to attend our daughter's wedding. Every one of us wish he was still here and hadn't ignored the signs that something was wrong.'

Buchanan issued a challenge in her husband's honor; for anyone who hasn't had a physical in more than year to get tested - and to encourage their friends and relatives to do the same.

Buchanan issued a challenge in her husband's honor; for anyone who hasn't had a physical in more than year to get tested - and to encourage their friends and relatives to do the same

Friends say Tim and Jeni Buchanan 'adored' each other and the couple had renewed their wedding vows in Paris in 2014 - on their 20th anniversary

'If it's been more than a year since your last physical, I challenge you to call your doctor and make an appointment NOW.

'We need to all take better care of ourselves, for Tim's sake,' she added.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family, who are still in Costa Rica as they try to make arrangements to bring Tim home to South Carolina. It has already raised more than $16,000.

Family friend Jenn Lewis, who set up the page, said the couple had been very excited to travel to Costa Rica for their daughter's wedding before the family suffered an 'unimaginable loss'.

'During the wedding, after the father-daughter dance, Tim had a heart attack. Sadly, he didn't survive it.

'I can't even imagine the shock and pain that Jeni and her family are experiencing right now. Our hearts are broken for Jeni and their entire family.'

Lewis added that she had been 'overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support for Jeni and their family' after passing the halfway mark of their $20,000 goal in just 24 hours.

Buchanan (third from left) is pictured with the family in Costa Rica including Michele (second from right) and his son-in-law Luis (third from right) shortly before the wedding

'Thank you for being there for Jeni when she needs it most,' she added.

Buchanan served with the York County Sheriff's Office in Rock Hill, South Carolina for almost two decades.

The forensics investigator had just been promoted to detective in the division in February.

'All of our hearts are saddened about the loss of this great law enforcement officer,' Sheriff Bruce Bryant said. 'Tim dedicated almost 19 years to this profession as an outstanding deputy, forensics investigator and most recently detective in computer crimes. His talents will be sorely missed.'

Jeni Buchanan had shared a photograph of her and her husband sharing a kiss at their daughter's wedding moments before he died.

'You never know when the last time will be the last time! ' she posted alongside the picture on Facebook the following day. 'Little did I know just a few hours later we would lose him.'

Buchanan (pictured with his daughter Michele Howard previously) had flown into Costa Rica with his family to attend the wedding

Buchanan (pictured with Michele) served with the York County Sheriff's Office in Rock Hill, South Carolina for almost two decades

The picture was accompanied by a touching message to the beloved husband and father.

' Tim came into my life at a time when I was broken to the core and held me up and built me into a strong person. Over the years we raised four amazing children, cared for my little brothers when they needed us the most and had even had the honor of a beautiful grandchild.

'He was the most beautiful soul I have ever known and I will never be the same without him.'

Buchanan's daughter and her husband-to-be Lius Diego Granera met back in 2013 when Howard, an environmental science graduate, studied abroad in Costa Rica for her last semester of college.

She stayed with a Costa Rican family which was where she met future husband Luis Diego.

The couple were living together in the Central American country but planned to return to the states after their wedding to start a new life in Seattle, Washington.

But not before they held a small celebration of their vows back in Howard's home town of Rock Hill, South Carolina - something her father never got the chance to see.

Tim Buchanan leaves behind his wife Jeni, mother Clara - who also flew to Costa Rica for the wedding, and his four children.

Facebook has been flooded with tributes to the 'kind' and 'patient soul' who died so unexpectedly.

The newlyweds (left and right) had met back in 2013 when Howard, an environmental science graduate, studied abroad in Costa Rica for her last semester of college

The couple were living together in the Central American country but planned to return to the states after their wedding to start a new life in Seattle, Washington

'Absolutely gut wrenching,' wrote Mandie Thomas Miller to his widow. 'All I know is what I saw in your pictures together, and that was unconditional and beautiful love. Hugs, love, and light.

Susan Jackson Kelly also mentioned the special bond the married couple shared.

'I'm just so so sorry,' she wrote to Jeni. 'The way you loved each other unconditionally was an example to all of us, even just via Facebook. Praying for you!!'

Friends of Tim described him as a 'great man and a good friend.'

His cousin Ruth Trissel added: 'Tim was a very kind, patient and gentle soul. Cherish and hold on to all the great memories you made.
But Philippines officials confirmed that the two leaders did meet on the margins of a regional summit in Laos

Obama has now opted to meet the South Korean President instead

Duterte had earlier warned Obama not to ask about extrajudicial killings during a planned meeting in Laos or 'I will swear at you'

Philippine officials say their president, Rodrigo Duterte, met informally with President Barack Obama in a holding room before attending a gala dinner at a regional summit.

The brief meeting Wednesday night took a little sting out of the soured relations caused by Duterte's intemperate language in referring to Obama earlier this week as a 'son of a bitch.' That caused Obama to cancel a formal meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Pefecto Yasay told reporters, 'I am confirming that they met.'

There was no immediate confirmation from the White House.

Scroll down for video

President Barack Obama appears to have turned the other cheek after the Philippines president called him a 'son of a bitch,' granting the fellow leader a meeting anyway

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte expressed regret over his 'son of a bitch' remark on Tuesday in Laos

Obama (top right) was photographed near Duterte (bottom left) on Wednesday in Laos while the U.S. president chatted with the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah

Yasay told The Associated Press that the leaders 'met at the holding room and they were the last persons to leave the holding room. I can't say how long they met.'

'It all springs from the fact the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong,' he said. 'The basis for this relationship is historical and both leaders realize this. And I'm very happy that it happened.'

Obama and Duterte are in the Laotian capital along with other regional leaders for the summit.

Duterte had expressed 'regret' for his vulgar language in a statement read out by his spokesman on Tuesday.

He said his 'strong comments' to certain questions by a reporter 'elicited concern and distress; we also regret it came across as a personal attack on the U.S. president.'

Duterte, dubbed 'The Punisher' had earlier warned Obama not to ask about extrajudicial killings during a planned meeting in Laos or 'I will swear at you.'

President Barack Obama on Monday became the first sitting US president to step foot in the isolated Southeast Asian nation of Laos. Obama and Duterte were supposed to have a private meeting but after Duterte's remark Obama indicated that he was having second thoughts

He made the remarks Monday before flying to Laos, where he will attend a regional summit.

Duterte had been scheduled to meet Obama separately. But Obama indicated that he was having second thoughts about that meeting.

He said both sides mutually agreed to postpone the meeting.

Even though Duterte's latest comment does not amount to an apology, the expression of regret is a rare instance when the tough-talking former mayor has expressed contrition for his remarks that often slide into profanity.

'We look forward to ironing out differences arising out of national priorities and perceptions, and working in mutually responsible ways for both countries,' the statement said.

The flap over Duterte's remarks started when a reporter asked him how he intends to explain the extrajudicial killings of drug dealers to Obama.

More than 2,000 suspected drug pushers and users have been killed since Duterte launched a war on drugs after taking office on June 30.

In his typical foul-mouthed style, Duterte responded: 'I am a president of a sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony.

'I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions.

More than 2,000 suspected drug dealers and users have been killed since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a war on drugs after taking office on June 30 this year (pictured a man's dead body after police reported drugs being sold in the area)

Policemen investigate at a crime scene where a body lies dead on the ground after authorities received a message from a concerned citizen of the existence of a drug den in the area

'Putang ina I will swear at you in that forum,' he said, using the Tagalog phrase for 'son of a bitch'.

Duterte has also cursed the pope and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

'Who is he (Obama) to confront me?' Duterte said, adding the Philippines had not received an apology from the US for misdeeds committed during its colonization of the Philippines.

He pointed to the killing of Muslim Moros more than a century ago during a US pacification campaign in the southern Philippines, blaming the wounds of the past as 'the reason why (the south) continues to boil' with separatist insurgencies.

Last week, Duterte said he was ready to defend his bloody crackdown on illegal drugs, which has sparked concern from the US and other countries.

Duterte said he would demand that Obama allow him to first explain the context of his crackdown before engaging the US president in a discussion of the deaths.

Obama had indicated earlier that he was going to bring the issue up, saying he would address the need to approach the drug trafficking war in a 'way that is consistent with basic international norms'.

But Duterte warned that he is a leader of a sovereign country and is answerable only to the Filipino people.

Now Ned Price, a National Security Council spokesman, said: 'President Obama will not be holding a bilateral meeting with President Duterte of the Philippines this afternoon.

'Instead, he will meet with President Park of the Republic of Korea this afternoon, September 6th.'

The mother of a suspected drug user who was killed by police in an operation in Manila breaks down in tears

Last week, the number of people killed since July 1 reached 2,400: about 900 died in police operations, and the rest are 'deaths under investigation'. A boy's devastated father is overcome with grief as authorities remove his son's body

Duterte has also made it clear he will take no lecture on human rights from Obama, when in the United States he alleged 'black people are being shot even if they are already lying down'.

Last week, the number of people killed since July 1 reached 2,400: about 900 died in police operations, and the rest are 'deaths under investigation', a term human rights activists say is a euphemism for vigilante and extrajudicial killings.

Duterte has been unapologetic in his war on drugs, telling a news conference on Monday that 'plenty will be killed' in his campaign.

Philippine police SWAT personnel take position as they serve a search warrant to a resident in relation to drugs at an informal settler house in Pasig City, suburban Manila on September 5

Duterte has been unapologetic in his war on drugs, telling a news conference on Monday that 'plenty will be killed' in his campaign

'Until the (last) drug manufacturer is killed we will continue,' Duterte said before leaving for the regional summit in Laos.

Duterte won elections in May and immediately promised a law-and-order crackdown on drugs.

'These sons of w****s are destroying our children. I warn you, don't go into that, even if you're a policeman, because I will really kill you,' the president told an audience during a speech in the country's capital, Manila.

Duterte made it clear he would pardon police if they were charged with human rights violations for carrying out his merciless orders.

Nearly 60,000 Filipino drug addicts surrendered themselves last month to the government after Duterte urged citizens to 'go ahead and kill' drug dealers and users.
A kindergarten teacher who allowed a student to be taken from the classroom by a woman claiming to be the childs mother, who then sexually assaulted the girl, is not entitled to immunity from legal liability, a federal appeals court has ruled.

In short, we conclude that it is shocking to the conscience that a kindergarten teacher would allow a child in his care to leave his classroom with a complete stranger, says a unanimous opinion by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, in Philadelphia. Exposing a young child to an obvious danger is the quintessential example of when qualified immunity should not shield a public official from suit.

The case stems from a day in January 2013, when a woman named Christina Regusters entered the classroom of kindergarten teacher Reginald M. Littlejohn at W.C. Bryant Elementary School in Philadelphia. She claimed to be the mother of a child identified in court papers as N.R. or Jane. Littlejohn asked for identification and verification that Jane had permission to leave school. But despite the fact that Regusters could not produce any documentation, the teacher allowed her to take Jane.

Regusters sexually assaulted the child later that day, and a city sanitation worker found Jane on a playground after hearing her cries. Regusters was convicted of kidnapping and sexual assault charges and is serving a 40 years-to-life prison sentence, according to the Harrisburg Patriot-News . (Hat Tip to How Appealing .)

Janes family sued the Philadelphia school district, as well as Littlejohn, alleging that the teacher violated the childs 14th Amendment substantive due-process right to be free from bodily injury under a state-created danger theory of liability.

The school district argued that there was no constitutional violation, and even if there was, Littlejohn was entitled to qualified immunity. (The teacher has since died, but his estate is still subject to any damages in the suit.)

Although it is often difficult for plaintiffs to win on the state-created danger theory, both a federal district court, which refused the teachers request for immunity, and the 3rd Circuit court found this to be a relatively easy case.

In its Sept. 6 decision in L.R. v. School District of Philadelphia , the 3rd Circuit panel affirmed the district court and agreed that the teacher was not entitled to immunity.

The appeals court rejected the defendants arguments that Littlejohns alleged actions were a series of inactions, such as a failure to obtain identification from Regusters or a failure to follow school district policy.

The court said this argument failed because in a kindergarten classroom, the teacher acts as the gatekeeper for very young children who are unable to make reasoned decisions about when and with whom to leave the classroom, the 3rd Circuit court said. Viewed in this light, Jane was safe in her classroom unless and until her teacher, Littlejohn, permitted her to leave.

Thus, this case was different from ones in which the courts had rejected state-created danger, including a 3rd Circuit decision in 2013 that refused to hold school officials responsible for bullying of a student by other students, the panel said.

Here, it was foreseeable that releasing a young child to a stranger could result in harm to the child, the court said. This inherent risk is not only a matter of experience as a teacher in charge of a kindergarten classroom, but ... it is also a matter of common sense.

The suit by Janes family goes back to the district court, but schools everywhere are free to remind their teachers about the common sense lesson.
It was the bloody conflict that was omitted from the Martin Scorsese movie 'Gangs of New York'.

But the Tong Wars were as brutal as any that were dramatized in the Oscar-winning film, according to a new book.

The four Tong Wars raged on and off more than 25 years and left dozens of people dead as bodies piled up in Chinatown in Manhattan.

During the tit-for-tat killings, one of the Tongs - the Chinese word for gang - was tortured to death with meat cleavers by murderers who cut his nose off.

In another incident, gang members were shot dead and two civilians were killed during a mass execution at a theater.

The four Tong Wars betwen Chinise gangs started in 1900 and raged on for 25 years in New York. Pictured above are members of the Hip Sing Tong, including National Secretary Eng Ying 'Eddie' Gong (center), in 1933

Tongs - which is Chinese for gangs - often used six-shot derringers, meat cleavers and other weapons (pictured above) when things turned violent

And in another event, a 22-year-old white missionary was caught up in the mayhem when she was strangled by her lover in Chinatown.

The Tong Wars saw men armed with hatchets executing their rivals and open warfare on the streets of New York that corrupt police were powerless to prevent.

According to Tong Wars: The Untold Story of Vice, Money and Murder in New York's Chinatown, by Scott D Seligman, the gangsters wore pinstripe suits, fedora hats and had their collars pulled up.

Their weapons of choice included a six-shot derringer and the meat cleaver.

Seligman tells for the first time how the gangs of Chinatown were as brutal as their more famous Italian or Irish counterparts.

The Tongs flourished in the late 1800s as New York became more popular for Chinese immigrants, who had previously migrated to California.

In 1870, however, California enacted laws preventing them from working on public projects and authorizing cities to relocate them outside of their boundaries.

But not even the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which banned further immigration from Chinese laborers for ten years and banned those in the United States from obtaining citizenship discouraged more from coming.

Chinatown developed in an area south of Canal Street in Manhattan in a neighborhood that until then had been occupied by Irish immigrants.

The Chinese lived in cramped apartments where landlords had built extra floors into high ceilinged rooms to cram in an extra set of beds.

In 1875 the New York state census recorded only 157 Chinese people in the the city. In reality, however, there were were much more, and by 1880 the New York Times estimated the real number to be at 4,500.

By that time there were an estimated 300 Chinese laundries in the city with many other Chinese working in restaurants, cigar makers and other skilled trades.

But there was also a criminal element who ran the illicit gambling parlors and opium dens, writes Seligman, a former congressional legislative assistant who is fluent in Mandarin.

The most powerful Chinese immigrant at the time was Tom Lee, who came to America when he was 14 having been born in Guangzhou

By 1884, Tom Lee was thought to be running 16 gambling establishments in Little China, the precursor to Chinatown. Pictured above are documents from a gambling house

The most powerful Chinese immigrant at the time was Tom Lee, who Seligman calls a 'a crafty man with no small levels of ambition' who came to America when he was 14 having been born in Guangzhou.

He was sent to New York by the Six Companies, San Francisco Chinatown's supreme governing body, a fraternal organization in the United States was an umbrella group of different agencies.

Such agencies were referred to by the name 'Tong', meaning chamber. Another word for them was 'triad', which is more commonly used today.

With the authority of the Six Companies, Tom Lee was effectively put in charge of the Chinese community in New York in the 1870s.

He was a social climber and realized the value of connections outside his community, especially at City Hall and the police department.

Tom Lee courted them with gifts, and in September 1881, he arranged a picnic on Staten Island for 50 Chinese residents and a handful of invited - and influential - guests.

He became known as the 'Mayor of Mott Street' and was the most important figure in the Chinese community.

in 1880 Tom Lee founded his new organization, the Loon Yee Tong, whose name translates as 'Chamber United in Friendship', a mixture of trade union, fraternity and advocacy group, that served as a sort of Chinese Masonic lodge.

The initiation ritual involved suspending a sword over a recruit's head as he recited 36 oaths of allegiance. His finger was pricked and a drop of blood was put into some wine which was drunk by all in the room to symbolize brotherhood.

'Loyalty and obedience were valued above all else,' Seligman writes.

By 1884 Tom Lee was thought to be running 16 gambling establishments in Little China, the precursor to Chinatown; Gamblers paid $8 per table per week with a third going to him and the rest given to the police.

Violence properly kicked off in Chinatown violence properly began on August 12, 1900, in the hallway of a tenement at 9 Pell Street (Pell and Doyers intersection pictured above)

The first mark of violence on Pell Street (pictured) occurred when four On Leong gunmen ambushed a Hip Sing laundryman who was in Chinatown for his usual Sunday visit

In current day, Pell Street - pictured at its Doyer intersection - is bustling with shops and restaurants

Lee also made money from using his police contacts to keep cops away from opium dens or giving the owners a warning they were about to be raided.

He was also not afraid to have rivals killed if it suited him.

As Seligman writes, it was Tom Lee's other gang, the On Leong Tong, and the Hip Sing Tong, its bitter rival, that would cause the first of the Tong Wars.

The Hip Sing Tong started in San Francisco and translates as 'Chamber United in Victory'.

The organization made a fortune from smuggling people into the US for $200 a time and were also known as the 'Highbinders'.

One report from the time said they were a 'famous secret society of thugs and murderers...who haunt the dirty basements'.

While Tom Lee had always paid some of his earnings from gambling to the police and politicians, the Hip Sing Tong kept it all for themselves and were far more mercenary.

As Seligman puts it: 'The On Leongs were selling protection from the police. The Hip Sings were selling protection from themselves.'

The Hip Sings were led by Young Mock Duck, who claimed to have been born in San Francisco in 1879 but there were no records to back this up.

Seligman writes that he looked 'slim and delicate, almost girlish in demeanor' but his appearance belied how he had the 'spirit of a tiger'.

In the years to come Mock Duck achieved almost mythical status and children in Chinatown came to believe that he had supernatural powers like being able to see around corners, deflect bullets from his skin and read people's minds.

During the 1980s the On Leongs and the Hip Sings fought a PR war with both sides accusing the other of criminality through newspaper reports planted with friendly journalists.

Tom Lee ocial climber and realized the value of connections outside his community, especially at City Hall and the police department, who he often paid off. Pictured above, police detectives read a newspaper during the Tong Wars

The violence properly began on August 12, 1900, in the hallway of a tenement at 9 Pell Street when four On Leong gunmen ambushed a Hip Sing laundryman who was in Chinatown for his usual Sunday visit.

The killer, Sin Cue, and three others were arrested and soon after police learned that the plan had been to kill four Hip Sings, but the others had escaped.

The Hip Sings responded by putting a $3,000 bounty on Tom Lee's head.

Tom Lee told a friend: 'They are after me now', adding: 'Some day I go like that', with a snap of his fingers.

The Hip Sings finally got their revenge when Sin Cue visited Pell Street that September with his friend Ah Fee.

They were ambushed by six armed Hip Sings who threw pepper in their faces and beat them with an iron bar.

During the carnage the Hip Sings, including Mock Duck and henchman Sue Sing, fired a gun and a stray bullet hit a female passer by and slightly injured her two children.

Ah Fee was shot twice and died of his injuries.

Mock Duck and the four other Hip Sings were put on trial but before the case began Sin Cue, the man who would have been the prosecution's key witness, died after his home was set on fire, causing him to leap off the balcony to his death.

The blaze was started when a pan of cooking oil was left on a burner in a restaurant below - and looked extremely suspicious.

Mock Duck's first trial resulted in a hung jury but a white witness revealed they had been given a note saying that if they gave evidence they would 'die to-day'.

The Hip Sings were led by Young Mock Duck (pictured), who claimed to have been born in San Francisco in 1879

It read: 'Pepper in your eyes and bullet in your heart. You no go alive...best thing you die so you make no more witness for Chinese.'

The note was signed, 'One, Two, Three', which appears to have been a Tong-related code.

Mock Duck would appear before judges dozens of times after this but on each occasion the police could never make the charges stick

In November 1904 he survived an assassination attempt when he was shot twice as he came up some steps from the basement of 18 Pell Street.

Mock Duck's assailant, an On Leong called Lee Sing, calmly walked toward him from over the road and opened fire at close range.

The second bullet grazed him and the first lodged in his stomach having bounced off his belt, a deflection which saved his life.

Police later learned that there had been a secret meeting of the On Leong Tong in which lots were drawn to see who would kill Mock Duck.

By this stage the press began to call the fight a 'Tong War' for the first time.

The New York World newspaper said it was 'quite as deadly as the Italian Mafia or the Black Hand'.

Later that month, after Mock Duck was released from hospital, the two Tongs exchanged gunfire in what the New York Sun called a 'regular highbinder six-shooter war dance on the Bowery' .

Police recovered battle gear from the Hip Sings which included four coats of armor including one vest made of steel rings woven together which was resistant to bullets - which caused deep alarm among law enforcement.

Innocent bystander John Baldwin, a white man who was drinking at a saloon on the Bowery was shot and died of his injuries.

By 1904, the press began to call the Chinese gang violence a 'Tong War' for the first time. Pictured above is the On Leong Tong headquarters

This sparked an unprecedented level of attention from the city and police, so both Tongs turned to means other than violence to disrupt the other.

Over Christmas two On Leongs posed as out of town laundrymen and lured 15 Hip Sings to a gambling den - then reported them to the police.

When the officers arrived the On Leongs pulled an iron ring which opened a trap door in the floor, sending all the Hip Sings plunging into two feet of water below.

The cops eventually got in and arrested them all.

In January 1905 the next body fell - this time another Hip Sing.

Huie Fong was ambushed on Mott Street by a man who blasted three shots at him from close range.

According to a newspaper report, a police detective who was two doors away rushed to the scene and found Huie Fong 'flapping like a landed trout' which blood gushing from the two holes in his chest.

Soon after the On Leongs declared that for every time one of their properties was raided based on a tip from the Hip Sings 'there would be another dead Hip Sing'.

The Hip Sings responded by putting up red signs reminding people of the $3,000 bounty on Tom Lee's head.

The On Leongs retaliated by crushing the skull of Ching Gon, a Hip Sing who had moved out of Chinatown. He died of his injuries.

The Hip Sings' response was to shoot dead Lee Yu, a senior On Leong and one of Tom Lee's cousins.

Seligman writes that this left the Hip Sings 'jubilant' as they thought they finally had the better of their rivals.

What proved to be a 'watershed' moment in the war was the massacre at the Chinese Theater on Doyers Street.

On August 6, 1905, several Hip Sing men entered Chinese Theater on Doyers Street and fired more than 100 bullets, executing four On Leongs and two civilians

The slaughter was shocking because it happened on what was considered neutral ground where On Leongs and Hip Sings could go and enjoy a play without the fear of violence.

On August 6, 1905, several Hip Sing men entered the theater during a performance of a Cantonese drama called 'The King's Daughter' and threw firecrackers on stage, causing the actors to flee.

During the chaos they opened fire and executed four On Leongs in a hail of more than 100 bullets that shattered windows and split benches.

Two civilians also died, showing that Chinatown was not safe for outsiders, including whites.

There were two who did it get away, though. The first was Sing Dock, who was known as the 'Scientific Killer' due to his forensic approach to murder. The other was Yee Toy, known as 'Girl Face' for his effeminate features.

The On Leongs did not even wait a week before seeking revenge and set upon Hop Lee, a laundryman who was a Hip Sing and friend of Mock Duck, with a meat cleaver.

Seligman writes: 'Hop had been asleep, police said later said, when five On Leongs forced his door, dragged him from his bed and stretched him out.

'They might have killed him with one blow but instead chose torture. The man wielding the cleaver delivered repeated blows to his body and his head. And in an act of pitiless savagery, he severed Hop Lee's nose from his face'.

Hop Lee lived long enough to identify two of his attackers.

As Seligman points out, New Yorkers had lived through gang wars before and knew one when they saw it.

The national press also took note and that theater massacre sparked endless features about how New York was in the midst of a crime wave.

Also among those becoming anxious was Shah Kai-Fu, the Chinese consul general in the US, who paid a call to the New York District Attorney to ask him to stop the warfare.

In 1909, conflict among the Tongs escalated over the murder of Bow Kum (left), a 21-year-old Chinese woman. She had fled enslavement in San Francisco and found a new lover, Chin Lem (right), before she was killed

During the coroner's inquest into the Chinese Theater massacre, Mock Duck gave evidence and claimed that he was nowhere near the property on the night.

Witnesses said they saw him there - he was arrested but posted bail and no charges were eventually brought.

A ceasefire signed in 1906 by both Tongs lasted three years until the most high-profile murder of all happened.

In 1909 the killing of Elsie Sigel, a 22-year-old white missionary, stopped most whites from going to Chinatown and once again changed how the city saw the Tong Wars.

Sigel was the granddaughter of a Civil War hero and was strangled with a curtain cord and dumped in a trunk above a chop suey restaurant.

Her decaying remains were found a week later.

The murder was said to be a crime of passion reportedly committed by a Chinese waiter called Leon Ling, with whom she had been having an affair against her parents' wishes - he was never apprehended.

That year, as Chinatown business struggled with 70 per cent less visitors than before, the conflict among the Tongs escalated over the murder of Bow Kum, a 21-year-old Chinese woman.

She was found in her bed having been slashed across her torso and gored twice in her heart with a 7-inch hunting knife.

She had fled enslavement in San Francisco to Lau Tong, a known murderer who was in the Four Brothers, another gang.

When Lau Tong heard she was in New York he confronted Chin Lem, an On Leong laundryman and her new lover, but he refused to pay $3,000 for her and would not hand her back. The details of the crime remain unsolved.

Tom Lee died on January 10, 1918, when he was 76 years old. Hundreds of people came out for his funeral

Seligman says that the killing led to an 'out-and-out war' between the Four Brothers and the On Leongs that broke out in September 1909 when a Four Brothers laundryman was shot outside the On Leong head office.

During the carnage two Four Brothers men in their 70s were shot dead in a room on Pell Street.

Next to die was Ah Hoon, a comic and an On Leong supporter who had in the past mocked the Hip Sings.

He was gunned down despite having a police escort as he feared for his life.

The killers waited until he was home and shot him as he left his front door to wash himself at the washstand across the hall.

In Tong Wars: The Untold Story of Vice, Money and Murder in New York's Chinatown Scott D Seligman gives a history of the gang-torn area

The violence lasted until 1911 and saw The Hip Sing aligned with the Four Brothers to take down the On Leongs, their old adversary.

A raid of an opium den on Seventh Avenue led officers to find letters that revealed a massive opium ring throughout major cities, which led the FBI to investigate.

The Third Tong War erupted in 1912, and by 1913 many of the gambling and opium dens were shut down, but that was not the end of the Tong Wars.

A fourth in 1925 when Chin Jack Lem, a senior On Leong, defected to the Hip Sings.

Shortly after a Hip Sing laundryman was shot dead in Brooklyn and in the days after there were similar reports of violence in Chinese communities in Pittsburgh, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit and Milwaukee.

In New York, a 30-year-old On Leong and a 64-year-old On Leong were butchered; the latter had nearly been decapitated and his body was covered with 14 slash marks.

Fearing a return to the bloodshed of the early 20th Century Joab Banton, the New York County District Attorney, called in the federal government to start an unprecedented crackdown on Chinese immigrants.

During raids carried out over the next week or so, they arrested anyone who looked Chinese with little regard for their rights.

The crackdown worked and finally brought an end to the Tong Wars.

As Seligman writes: 'No other immigrant group had ever been targeted the way the authorities were going after the Chinese.

'Italian and Irish emigres had fought their share of brutal gang wars, but nobody had ever rounded them up for wholesale expulsion.
There is no guarantee that patients won't be harmed by the planned junior doctors' strikes, the NHS boss said today.

Simon Stevens, NHS England chief executive, said 'no good' will come for patients from the escalation of industrial action, which will see five-day walk-outs by trainee doctors in October, November and December.

The knock-on effect for patients from the forthcoming strikes will be 'far greater' than previous days of action where medics withdrew labour for a day or two at a time, he warned.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens (pictured) said 'no good' will come for patients from the escalation of industrial action, which will see five-day walk-outs by trainee doctors in October, November and December

Earlier this week, junior doctors suspended a five-day strike planned for next week after health leaders raised concerns over patient safety.

Mr Stevens told the NHS Expo event in Manchester: 'We did say to the BMA that the notice period for action next week was entirely inadequate based on what our local hospitals were telling us.

'We have also, as has happened at other points during this dispute, gone out to hospitals and asked them for their assessment to the extent to which patients can be kept safe, not just in what would have been next week's action but the subsequent actions proposed as well. Those responses we received yesterday evening and we are assessing those.

'But we should be in no doubt that it will not be possible to ensure there will be no harm to patients, even with several weeks' notice, if we are talking about multiple weeks of up to 50,000 doctors not being available for emergency care at hospitals across this country.

'The vital importance of junior doctors to the NHS can never be under-estimated and so it is not just about the notice period, it is about the impact that action would have.

Junior doctors are still planning to stage five-day walk-outs by trainee doctors in October, November and December

'I don't want to say more until we've had a further chance to go back to hospitals and ask them to refresh the assessments that they have done, but no good for patients will come out of the kind of action that is still on the table.'

He added: 'What it means is that patients who needed their outpatient appointment or their operation are having those deferred and, where it is a day or two, then the hospitals have been able to cope, but when it is repeated, blocks of perhaps five days at a time, then the potential impact for urgent care, and the knock-on for patients with very substantially high-risk conditions is far greater.'

Last week, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced that training medics would stage a series of strikes by withdrawing labour, including emergency care, for a week each month until the end of the year. The first wave of strikes was supposed to start on September 12.

The union called off the first round of industrial action but said further strikes scheduled for October 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11, November 14 to 18 and December 5 to 9, will go ahead and see junior doctors withdrawing labour between the hours of 8am and 5pm.

The Government and BMA remain at loggerheads over the new contract for junior doctors, which the Department of Health says will help to provide a seven-day NHS.

But yesterday a poll revealed public support for junior doctors in the dispute is plummeting, with 48 per cent opposed to the planned five-day strikes and just 34 per cent in favour.

Public support for junior doctors in their dispute with the Government over a new contract is plummeting, a YouGov poll revealed yesterday

The YouGov survey shows the public is turning against junior doctors over the bitter dispute with the Government over the proposed new contract, with 42 per cent saying doctors are right to strike - down from 53 per cent in April.

Now 38 per cent of the public believe strike action from junior doctors is unjustified - up from 29 per cent in April.

Six strikes have already taken place across England during the lengthy dispute, causing disruption to hundreds of thousands of patients who have had appointments and operations cancelled.

In May, it looked as though a breakthrough had been reached in the dispute after both sides agreed to a new deal.

Then in July, the Government announced that it would impose a new contract after junior doctors and medical students voted to reject the deal brokered between health leaders and the BMA.
Posters have been put up in college dorms instructing students 'How to be a (Better) White Ally' and claiming every white person is racist.

The signs spotted at Pomona College in Claremont, California, say every white person has 'unconsciously learned racism' and should acknowledge their 'privilege'.

'Your unearned advantage must be acknowledged and your racism unlearned,' the warning reads .

Further, the poster claims that white people should 'just listen!' rather than explaining their own perspective.

The group behind the poster also states that white students should 'apologize if you've offended someone' and insists words such as 'sassy', 'riot', 'exotic' and 'ghetto', are 'racially-coded'.

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Posters have been put up in college dorms instructing students 'How to be a (Better) White Ally' and claiming every white person is racist. The signs spotted at Pomona College in Claremont, California, say every white person has 'unconsciously learned racism' and should acknowledge their 'privilege'

It goes on to read: 'Everyone is problematic and even the most educated and well-intentioned people will screw up,'

The sign, seen by the Claremont Independent, then gives three steps for white allies to follow: 'Remember, just because POC [person of color] #1 isn't offended by something, does not mean that POC #2 will not be offended by it either.'

The poster goes on to state that 'social justice is about BOTH elevating oppressed groups and simultaneously unpacking the privilege of dominant groups. These aspects are equally as important!'

DailyMail.com has contacted Pomona College for comment.

Further, the posters spotted at the school (pictured) claim that white people should 'just listen!' rather than explaining their own perspective. The group behind the poster also states that white students should 'apologize if you've offended someone'

It is not known who put up the posters.

Pomona College had last year that white students were not allowed to attend, Campus Reform reported.

But the school's website states that 'Pomona College seeks to maintain an environment of mutual respect among all members of its community'.
A Bronx courtroom erupted in cheers Wednesday morning when a judge agreed to dismiss all charges against a local cab driver in connection to the beating death of his wife's would-be rapist.

Mamadou Diallo, 61, was arrested in May and initially charged with manslaughter for killing Earl Nash with a tire iron after the 43-year-old ex-convict attempted to rape Diallo's wife, Nenegale, inside their couple's apartment.

The manslaughter charge was later downgraded to assault, and Diallo was released from jail on his own recognizance in June.

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Free man: Mamadou Diallo, 61 (center), left a Bronx courthouse a free man Wednesday after prosecutors dropped all charges against him in the beating death of Earl Nash

Diallo (left) was arrested in May and initially charged with manslaughter for beating to death his wife's would-be rapist (pictured right in mugshot)

Wife speaks out: An emotional Nenegale Diallo, 51, said prosecutors made the right decision because Mamadou came to her defense

Earl Nash's family later wrote a letter to prosecutors asking to clear Mr Diallo of all charges in the case.

Relatives of the slain man wrote in part that they were praying Mrs Diallo recovers from the trauma of the attack carried out by Nash, whom they described as schizophrenic, and said they were hoping to 'bring some closure' to the woman's family.

Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark told the court Wednesday morning that the statement from the Nash family played a key role in the decision to free Diallo.

'This case was a tragedy for all whose lives intersected in that Bronx building on the night of May 30, 2016,' Clark said, according to ABC 7 New York. 'We waited for three months for the autopsy results, and after a thorough investigation as well as discussions with the deceaseds family we have determined that no grand jury action is warranted.

New chapter: The Bronx cabbie said he plans to renew his TLC license and get behind the wheel so he could support his family

hugs and kisses: Nenegale Diallo embraces her husband's lawyer, Anthony Michales, outside court Wednesday morning

'We are dismissing the charges against Mamadou Diallo.'

Bronx Supreme Court Justice Marc Whiten accepted the district attorneys recommendation and officially dropped the charges against Diallo, causing the man's supporters in the audience to erupt in cheers.

A short time later, a beaming Mr Diallo walked out of the courthouse a free man.

Im happy for the American justice, and its the best way in the world, thats what I say, he he was quoted by the New York Post as telling reporters outside court.

His 51-year-old wife tearfully expressed gratitude to the prosecutors for dropping the charges against her spouse.

Surveillance footage from inside the Claremont Village building shows a shirtless Earl Nash, 43, (pictured) who appears to be trying to pull his pants up, pacing by the elevator after fleeing from Diallo's apartment

Spotting Nash, Mamadou Diallo charged at the half-naked ex-con, furiously striking at him again and again with a tire iron

Grisly aftermath: The apartment elevator where Diallo, 61, had beat Earl Nash, 43, to death, on Monday was left covered in blood

'I think they did the right thing because he was defending me, that's a what a husband does,' Nenegale Diallo was quoted as saying by the New York Daily News.

The couples daughter, 30-year-old Binta Diallo, rejoiced at her father's newly regained freedom and thanked the Nash family for playing a pivotal role in the dismissal of the charges.

We feel sorry for their son and we really appreciate it, she added. Im hugging my dad the whole day. Im so happy.

In the wake of the deadly confrontation, Mamadou Diallo, originally from Guinea, said that Nash left him little choice after he attacked Diallo's wife on May 30, leaving her bloody and naked.

'I do not want to kill that man,' Diallo told the New York Post after he was released from custody. 'I'm not happy because I know a man died and I know they put my name with somebody who died.'

Police said that Earl Nash, who has a lengthy criminal recorded that included 19 arrests, slipped inside the Claremont Village apartment complex around 10pm on May 30 by following a resident in.

He knocked on a number of apartments asking for water before Diallo's wife opened the door thinking it was her son.

In the wake of the deadly confrontation, Mamadou Diallo, pictured in court in June, said that he didn't want to kill Nash but he left him little choice after he attacked Diallo's wife

No doubt: Supporters react as Diallo, 61, leaves Bronx Criminal Court after being released from jail in June

Nash forced his way in, locked the door behind him and started taking off his pants, according to police reports.

When Nenegale Diallo offered him money, he reportedly said: 'I don't wan't money. I'm going to rape you.'

Nash struck Nenegale in the head with a chair before tearing off her clothes after she tried to run to the door for help.

He also attacked her sister in the assault, which continued for 20 minutes until the two women were able to fight him off for long enough for Nenegale to call her husband.

Diallo, a livery cab driver, was in a car outside the building.

Unlikely supporters: Family of Earl Nash (left and right) have penned a letter to prosecutors asking to clear Mr Diallo of all charges in the case. The relatives wrote they were praying Mrs Diallo recovers from the trauma of the attack

Upon his release, Diallo (pictured here in June) praised the American justice system as 'the best in the world'

He rushed inside and found Nash on the sixth floor, where his wife was naked in the hallway.

The two men scuffled inside the elevator, which was left splattered with blood after Diallo fractured Nash's skull with a tire iron in an attack that was captured on surveillance video.

Nash died at Lincoln Hospital from 'severe trauma to his head and body' about three hours later, according to police. In late August, his death was ruled a homicide.

Having regained his freedom, Mamadou Diallo says he wants to renew his TLC license so he could go back to driving a livery cab, reported CBS New York.

The man's lawyer, Anthony Michaels, told the Post the Bronx District Attorney's Office plans to help the family find a new apartment so they could put this 'nightmare' behind them.




A woman accused of setting two blankets and a control panel on fire during a jetBlue flight to Puerto Rico has been arrested by the FBI.

The woman, identified as Idializ Gomez, used a lighter to burn the items during a flight on Tuesday that departed from New York, the agency said on Wednesday.

She was taken into custody and charged with destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities after landing in the southern coastal town of Ponce.

A woman accused of setting two blankets and a control panel on fire during a jetBlue flight (stock photo) to Puerto Rico has been arrested by the FBI

Gomez had boarded Flight 745 from John F Kennedy International Airport on Tuesday at approximately 12.43am, according to the FBI.

During the flight she used a lighter 'to ignite and successfully damage two blankets and a portion of the in-flight control panel of the seat next to hers,' the agency said.

After the plane landed at Mercedita International Airport in Ponce at approximately 4.31am, she was detained by police before being placed in FBI custody.

If convicted, Gomez could face up to 25 years in prison and it was not immediately clear if she had an attorney.

JetBlue Airways told Daily Mail Online in a statement that the incident is under investigation and that they are cooperating with law enforcement.

U.S. federal regulations allow passengers to carry one lighter in their carry-on baggage.
Children between the ages of three and nine will now have their fingers scanned when they enter the Walt Disney World theme parks in a bid to combat fraud.

The new requirement is in place to help block the use of stolen and shared tickets, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

Older children and adult visitors have already been having their fingers scanned for years.

Children between the ages of three and nine will now have their fingers scanned when they enter the Walt Disney World theme parks in a bid to combat fraud. File photo

But younger children's tickets were more easily transferable because they had no finger images attached to them.

Disney introduced scanners which use 'finger geometry' - pictures of several points on people's fingers - more than 10 years ago.
Three people have died after two planes smashed in mid-air over Georgia.

The aircraft were trying to land at the West Georgia Regional Airport in Carrollton, around 45 miles west of Atlanta, when they collided on Wednesday.

The small airport is not operated by air-traffic controllers.

Three people have died after two planes smashed in mid-air as they were trying to land at the West Georgia Regional Airport in Carrollton, Georgia

The small airport is not operated by air-traffic controllers. Pilots communicate with each other and decided when to take off and land

Pilots communicate with each other and decided when to take off and land, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.

Carroll County Fire Chief Scott Blue says a pilot who saw the crash from the air told authorities it appeared that both planes were attempting to land simultaneously 'and one came on top of the other.'

However, Blue said investigators have not confirmed those details.

The fire chief said wreckage from the planes was so mixed together that first responders initially thought the debris all belonged to a single aircraft.

Blue says authorities have not yet identified those who died.

A fire official says a pilot who saw the crash from the air told authorities it appeared that both planes were attempting to land simultaneously 'and one came on top of the other'
Hours before fired 49er Bruce Miller was arrested for assault, a manager at a San Francisco restaurant says he had to kick him out after the player got in a fight over a sandwich.

The manager of Tommy's Joynt, Eddie Martin, said Miller had no money and wanted sandwiches from guests and started a fight at the restaurant, though no one was hurt.

'I believe he wanted their sandwiches. The guests were great. They were very calm and amused by the situation,': Martin told The San Francisco Chronicle.

Later Monday police were called to a hotel after Miller tried to enter the room of an elderly couple, attacking the 70-year-old man who was staying there and his son, who came to his father's aid.

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Drunk and bloodied: CCTV has emerged showing showing former San Francisco 49er Bruce Miller stumbling from a drunken fight that had him kicked off the team at the weekend

Sandwich fight: Miller is said to have engaged in a fight with customers at this restaurant, Tommy's Joint, a few hours before his arrest for assault

Surveillance footage emerged Tuesday showing Miller stumbling from the drunken fight. He was later arrested and subsequently kicked off the team.

Police said the tight end went to the Fisherman's Wharf Marriott on Columbus Avenue about 2:45 a.m. and tried to get a room, but was told there were none available.

He then went and knocked on a random room. Inside the room was an elderly couple, who told Miller he was in the wrong room.

Miller then allegedly attacked the 70-year-old man and his 29-year-old son, who was staying in the next room and ran out when he heard the commotion.

CCTV footage taken from the hotel across the street, where Miller stumbled following the fight, show the 248-pound player bleeding from the head. He was wearing jogging pants and a tank top.

According to staff at the Travelodge hotel, Miller was slumped over vomiting before police found him

Arrest: The CCTV also shows Miller being taken into custody. He was charged with elder abuse, assault, battery and threats

Both the son and father were sent to a hospital for their injuries. At least one of the men hit Miller, causing an injury to his forehead.

Police were called to the Marriott but Miller had left by the time cops had arrived.

According to the owner of the hotel across the street, Miller walked around aimlessly for some time, clearly intoxicated.

'He went back there, and he was trying to throw up over there,' the owner told KRON4.

'He couldn't, and he came outside this way, and he sat down here and he started vomiting over here.'

Football player Bruce Miller was arrested early Monday after he allegedly punched a 70-year-old hotel guest and his son. He is pictured left in a June 2015 mug shot from a domestic dispute

The 49ers tight end reportedly attacked the two men at a Marriott Hotel in San Francisco, California, on Monday after he randomly knocked on their door

The 49ers acknowledged 'the media report regarding Bruce Miller' before issuing a tweet announcing his release

The responding officers then found him at the Travelodge hotel across the street and arrested Miller, who was highly intoxicated.

He was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, elder abuse, threats, and battery.

He was also charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

Miller was booked into San Francisco County Jail, however was released on Monday after posting $78,000 bail.

However, even before he was released, the San Francisco 49ers announced they were cutting ties with the five-year veteran.

Miller had spent Sunday with friends at the Palm House restaurant, where he posted a photo to his Instagram with the caption: 'Sunday's are for the boys.'

Mille posted this photo of himself and two friends at the Palm House restaurant on his Instagram on Sunday afternoon, hours before his arrest

In 2015, Miller underwent a court-mandated course on domestic violence after he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor disturbing the peace.

He was accused of shoving his then-fiancee during an argument.
Mohammed Hussain Syeedy is accused of playing a key role in the killing of the imam

A former Manchester United steward told a jury he did not suspect a known ISIS sympathiser had bludgeoned an imam to death just moments after he left his car.

Mohammed Hussain Syeedy, 21, is accused of being a getaway driver for Mohammed Kadir, 24, in the murder of 71-year-old Jalal Uddin in a children's play area in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on February 18.

Both men are said to have targeted Mr Uddin because he used a form of healing involving amulets, known as taweez, which IS consider 'black magic' and punishable by death.

Syeedy admits he and Kadir had been following the Bangladeshi national in his car on the night of the murder.

However he claims his associate wanted to dupe Mr Uddin into giving him a taweez book so they could present it to the rest of the community and argue it was dangerous.

The pair spotted Mr Uddin after he earlier visited his local mosque for evening prayers.

Mohammed Hussain Syeedy (left) is accused of being the getaway driver following the killing of imam Jalal Uddin

Former John Lewis department store call centre worker Kadir, of Oldham, got out of the car and followed him into a nearby park, Manchester Crown Court heard.

According to Syeedy, Kadir returned barely 90 seconds later 'acting normal' and explained to him he did not approach Mr Uddin as two men were nearby.

Cross-examining, Paul Greaney QC asked Syeedy: 'You know he intended at the very least to have a conversation with Jalal Uddin and you knew that Kadir was an ISIS sympathiser.

Jalal Uddin, 71, was killed in a children's play area in Rochdale, Greater Manchester

'But it didn't occur to you that Kadir might have had something to do with this?'

Syeedy replied: 'No, not at all. I have not known Kadir to be violent.

'I knew he had those ISIS views but all the time I knew him he never expressed any views to me personally.'

Syeedy met Kadir face to face in Oldham in the early hours of the following day after he said he heard various rumours in the community about what had happened to Mr Uddin.

He said the aim of the journey was to persuade Kadir to help the police with their inquiries.

Mr Greaney suggested otherwise and put it to him: 'You were discussing how to get away with the murder the two of you had carried out.'

Syeedy said: 'Of course not ... my head would have fallen off. I have never been in trouble before, I have never laid a finger on anyone.'

Mr Greaney said: 'You didn't lay a finger because your job was to drop him (Kadir) off and and you knew what he was going to do.'

The defendant said: 'I knew he was going to get a taweez.'

Mr Greaney said: 'Kadir is a sympathiser of Isis and they hate magicians. He follows Jalal Uddin into the park, Jalal Uddin was killed in that park, he leaves Rochdale straightaway.

'He is saying to you "I am not telling anything to the police" and "don't say anything to anyone". At that stage were you not suspicious?'

Syeedy said: 'No, it didn't occur to me.'

Prosecutors claim Syeedy (left) is an ISIS supporter and helped Mohammed Kadir kill the imam

The Crown say Syeedy is also an IS supporter and intentionally assisted and encouraged Kadir to inflict multiple injuries, probably with a hammer, to Mr Uddin's head and face.

Kadir boarded a flight three days later from Manchester to Copenhagen in Denmark followed by a connecting flight to Istanbul.

His whereabouts are unknown although it is thought he could have travelled to Syria.

On Tuesday, Syeedy told the jury he was 'friendly' with taxi driver Alan Henning, 47, who was abducted while on an aid convoy to Syria in December 2013 and taken hostage.

He said he had met him at various charity events, that his older brother was 'really close' to Mr Henning and that he was 'disgusted' that IS murdered him.

Syeedy, of Ramsay Street, Rochdale, denies murder.

Defendant was a friend of Alan Henning, who was murdered by Jihadi John, jurors told

Syeedy, accused of having 'ISIS beliefs', was friends with Alan Henning, who was killed by the jihadists in Syria the court heard yesterday.

His older brother was 'a close friend' of Mr Henning, who was murdered by Jihadi John in 2014, after being kidnapped on an aid convoy in 2013.

Jurors were shown pictures with Syeedy's brother alongside ISIS victim Alan Henning, who was murdered by Jihadi John in 2014

Jurors were shown an image of Mr Henning with the defendant's older brother, who went on the Al Fatiha aid convoy to Syria together in 2013 on the Rochdale to Syria aid convoy.

Syeedy went on a similar trip in 2013, but did not attend this one.

He told the court: 'I also knew Gadget (Mr Henning) through charitable events which I also participated in. My older brother was really close to Gadget.

'He was not a Muslim. He was helping the people of Syria. Unfortunately he was killed by ISIS members.'
A fire in a second floor flat has set balconies above it alight as 50 firefighters try to bring the blaze under control.

The fire in Garland house in Brixton Hill, south London, broke out around 6.45pm.

Flames could be seen spewing out of the second floor flat of the seven storey new build block causing four balconies above it to catch alight.

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A fire in a second floor flat has set balconies above it alight as 50 firefighters try to bring the blaze under control

Flames could be seen spewing out of the second floor flat of the seven storey new build block causing four balconies above it to catch alight

There are no reports of any casualties at this stage.

London Fire Brigade tweeted: '10 fire engines & (sic) over 50 firefighters are tackling a flat blaze on Hicken Road in Brixton.'

No-one was hurt after a fire broke out a block of new flats in south London.

London Fire Brigade tweeted 'Fire in Brixton block of flats is now under control. No reports of any injuries.'

Kathryn Jeffery, 30, told the London Evening Standard: 'I heard this bang and looked round and there was smoke pouring out of a first floor flat, and flames as well.

'There were no fire engines around, I was looking in my phone for my bag to call the fire brigade, but another girl had her phone in her hand and she called them.

'We'd just seen it explode, it must have been going for a while to build up that heat, I think we heard the window exploding.'

London Fire Brigade tweeted: '10 fire engines & (sic) over 50 firefighters are tackling a flat blaze on Hicken Road in Brixton'
In a sweeping and damning ruling issued Tuesday, Connecticut Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher ordered the states legislature and department of education to, within the next six months, come up with a new school funding formula, teacher evaluation system, and standards to close the notorious achievement gap between the states urban poor and more-affluent suburban children, according to the Associated Press.

Beyond a reasonable doubt, Connecticut is defaulting on its constitutional duty to provide adequate public school opportunities because it has no rational, substantial, and verifiable plan to distribute money for education aid and school construction, Moukawsher said. He ordered the state to submit its proposed reforms within 180 days.

The superior court is below the states supreme court. The state will likely appeal the ruling to the states supreme court.

Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloys office told the local media that he was still reviewing the ruling.

The ruling, which sprouted from a lawsuit filed 11 years ago by a coalition of education advoates, went far outside the realms of typical school funding lawsuits, which usually rule on whether the way the state distributes education money is both equitable and adequate.

Increasingly, in recent years, districts lawyers are using states recently adopted standards and the reams of data departments have collected from standardized tests to prove that school funding formulas crafted by legislators prevents teachers from meeting legislators own expectations.

Often times, teachers, principals, and education department officials are placed on the witness stand, allowing for more than just funding formulas to be scrutinized by courts. I wrote about this trend in June after Texas Supreme Court upheld the states funding formula as consitutional, while admitting its education system was wanting.

In Connecticut, a coalition of cities, towns, local boards of education, parent groups, and public school students alleged that the state isnt meeting its constitutional obligation to provide an adequate education to all of its public school students.

In his 254-page ruling, parts of which he read from the bench (local reporters said it lasted two hours), Mouskawsher described the states funding formula as confusing and inconsistent; its standards as inadequate to prepare students for colleges and career; and its teacher evaluation system as an ineffective tool at weeding out the states worst teachers, who happen to teach in the states worst-performing schools. It also said the state needs to change the way it provides services for students with special needs.

Mark Boughton, the mayor of Danbury, said the ruling was unprecedented.

This is a sweeping indictment of the education system in Connecticut, he said, according to the Hartford Courant . He left no stone unturned.

Washington Legislators Defend School Funding Progress

Meanwhile, in Washington State, where the state supreme court made a similar ruling in 2012 for the states legislature to overhaul its funding formula, legislators told the court that it was trying its hardest to respond to the courts order. The courts hearing was in response to a filing made by Randy Dorn, the states superintendent, who told the court that the only way to force the state to properly respond to its ruling would be for the court to do something extreme such as shutting down the public school system. The court last year levied a $100,000-a-day fine on the legislature until it comes up with a new formula, a move Dorn described as weak.

The state this year came up with a plan for a plan to fix the funding formula by the end of its 2017 legislative session.

Its laudable to try to make sure the pressure is on the legislature to ensure we deliver by the 2018 deadline, state Rep. State Representative Chad Magendanz, a Republican, told the court, according to the Associated Press. But the threat of closing schools two years in advance of the 2018 deadline is premature. Its putting kids in a situation where they feel like fish in a blender.

Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics.
It was a photo that tugged at the heartstrings of people the world over - a healthy twin hugging his sick brother for the first time following their birth.

But the family of the two Florida boys featured in that touching shot have now confirmed that Hawk Buchmeyer, the brother struggling with a rare disorder, has died.

Hawk was born with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, a hole in the diaphragm enabling a baby's organs to move into his chest. The condition affects about one in every 2,500 babies.

This photo shows Mason Buchmeyer hugging his twin brother, Hawk, for the first time, 11 days after their birth. Hawk, who was struggling with a rare disorder, tragically died in hospital

'Our hearts are saddened this morning as our sweet little man was called home to be with Jesus,' Hawk's family wrote in a Facebook post on a page created for the kids.

'He went very peacefully and we know he's no longer suffering.'

Hawk, who had undergone numerous surgeries since his birth, was being treated at Shands Children's Hospital at The University of Florida in Gainesville, Fox News reported.

Mason and Hawk's parents, Brandy Guettler and Tommy Buchmeyer, created the Facebook page for the twin brothers to keep family and friends updated on the condition of the newborns.

The photo that was posted of Hawk being hugged by his brother, Mason, was taken 11 days after they were born, and was the first time the two had touched since leaving the womb.

According to the family, as soon as Mason felt Hawk, he reached over, grabbed his brother's arm and smiled.

The Facebook photo has since been shared over 6 million times.

The twins were born at a St. Lucie County hospital in August, but Hawk (pictured) soon required several surgeries for his rare condition

The heartwarming photo of Hawk and Mason went viral after their family posted it to Facebook

His mother, a nurse from Fort Pierce, says it was actually Mason who needed calming down the night the photo was taken.

'He was actually getting really fussy,' Brandy Guettler told CBS 12.

'And the nurse said why don't you try laying him down next to Hawk. I said 'Can you do that?' So we laid him there and all of the sudden as soon as he felt Hawk, he reached his arm out and grabbed him and just started to smile.

'The two of them knew they were there for each other.'
The parents of an autistic and blind 17-year-old boy are accused of severe neglect and child abuse in Colorado after the 88-pound teen was hospitalized in poor health where doctors likened him to a 'concentration camp' survivor.

Police arrested David and Vanessa Hall, both 52, late Tuesday in Longmont on suspicion of felony child abuse and negligent serious bodily injury to an at-risk person, the Times-Call reported.

'Colorado law not only makes the protection of children a top priority, but it imposes heightened duties on persons in a position of trust with regard to caring for a child  and that includes parents,' Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett said.

After a deeper investigation into the family's background is conducted, Garnett said he expects to file charges early next week.

David (left) and Vanessa Hall (right) , both 52, were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of felony child abuse and negligent serious bodily injury to an at-risk person

Police say they 'severely neglected ' their 17-year-old autistic and blind son. The teen (pictured above in an undated photo) weighs only 88 pounds and doctors likened his condition to that of a 'concentration camp' survivor

The teen, who is not being identified because of his age, is improving.

The father took his son last week to United Hospital and said he thought the teen had lost consciousness while in the shower as a result of being sick with the flu.

David, who has worked as a taxi driver, said that he estimated his son had lost about 15 pounds over two days because he was much 'thinner than normal.'

He said that he also noticed the boy was not as active over the last few weeks.

However, doctors at the hospital said the teen was suffering from 'severe malnutrition, hypovolemic shock, a stage 3 sacral pressure sore and kidney failure, according to the affidavit,' the newspaper reported.

They also found that the teen 'lacked seven basic vitamins and minerals, a condition which the team of doctors said they have never observed.'

Doctors at the local hospital said the teen (pictured above in an undated photo) was suffering from 'severe malnutrition, hypovolemic shock, a stage 3 sacral pressure sore and kidney failure'

A doctor at the hospital described his condition as 'being consistent with someone who would have been in a concentration camp for several years,' the arrest affidavit stated.

The teen is going to require at least four weeks of intensive medical intervention that will be followed by six months of being monitored closely with nutritional care before he would be at an appropriate weight, doctors say.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17-year-old boys should weigh between 110 pounds and 200 pounds depending on their stature and height.

A police detective who visited the boy at the hospital noted that he looked younger than his actual age, had sunken eyes, little to no muscle tone and was pale.

The arrest affidavit stated that the couple (above) had not taken the boy to see a doctor in the past eight years, he hadn't received dental care and did not have in-home assistance.

The arrest affidavit stated that the couple had not taken the boy to see a doctor in the past eight years, he hadn't received dental care and did not have in-home assistance.

The boy had also not had any formal schooling since attending a special education class when he was five years old, when his parents said they became aware of his blindness and autism.

The Halls told cops that the boy was a 'picky eater' who ate up to 500 calories worth of cheesy cracker-type snacks, yogurt and subsisted on seven to eight sodas a day, the arrest affidavit stated.

Police say that the boy would use a jug next to his bed in the Halls' trailer as his bathroom.

When authorities searched the family's home on August 31, medical records found showed that the boy weighed 90 pounds when he was eight years old.




Ministers are powerless to demand an increase in the lenient sentence handed down to Anjem Choudary, it emerged last night.

There was a public outcry yesterday after it emerged that the notorious hate preacher could be released after serving less than half his five-and-a-half-year jail term.

But a legal loophole means the case cannot be reviewed by the Attorney General and sent to the Court of Appeal to be lengthened.

Amjem Choudary was yesterday jailed for five years, and could be released after serving half his sentence, prompting critics to say he was treated too leniently

Under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, members of the public can call for a sentence to be increased. However, Choudarys crime of supporting Islamic State, under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, is not covered by the rules.

The Conservatives have promised to correct the discrepancy, but even if they do, it will be too late to change Choudarys sentence.

Conservative MP Philip Davies has said his constituents believe the sentence is 'a joke'

Tory MP Philip Davies said: It is extraordinary that this isnt considered serious enough to fall under the Unduly Lenient sentencing scheme.

'The Government needs to sort this out. Ive had so many people in my constituency today say they think this sentence is a joke and Anjem Choudary should have got longer. They believe its derisory.

Yesterday, Attorney General Jeremy Wrights Office said it had received more than 20 complaints calling for Choudarys sentence to be increased.

Last year a total of 136 cases were referred to the Court of Appeal and 102 criminals had their sentences increased under the scheme.

Some 38 of the cases involved sexual offences, 18 robbery and 14 firearms offences. Sentences for serious assault, burglary, manslaughter and murder were also lengthened.

Ministers are planning to add more offences to the Unduly Lenient Sentencing scheme as part of a commitment contained in the 2015 Tory manifesto.

Hate preacher Amjem Choudary (left) was jailed yesterday alongside his deputy, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman (right)

A spokesman for the Attorney Generals office said: The sentence of Anjem Choudary is for offences not covered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme and the Law Officers therefore have no legal power to request the Court of Appeal increase his sentence.

Under current rules, Attorney General Jeremy Wright is not able to request a review of Choudary's sentence

'We have committed to extending the scope of the scheme so that a greater number of offences can be considered.

Choudarys network was linked to atrocities including the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby and the 7/7 London bombings.

The 49-year-old extremist received thousands in benefits while inspiring hundreds of extremists to carry out terror attacks or become jihadists in Syria.

But he and his accomplice Mohammed Rahman were only convicted of supporting murderous terrorist group Islamic State.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has been named as a 'KGB agent in Syria in the 1980s' according to documents released by a whistle blower.

Israeli media has reported that Abbas was a KGB agent in Damascus in 1983 according to documents smuggled out of Russia by former archivist Vasili Mitrokhin.

According to the documents, Abbas was codenamed Krotov, or 'mole'.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left, has been named by the Israeli media as a spy working for the KGB in Damascus in 1983 according to documents smuggled out of Russia

The Jerusalem Post said in 1983 the Soviet Union's ambassador to Damascus was Mikhail Bogdanov, who is currently trying to organise a summit in Moscow for Israel and Palestine.

Mitrokhin defected with thousands of KGB documents in 1991. His information was responsible for uncovering several Russian spies in the west.

On a visit to Poland yesterday, Abbas said he was due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Moscow later this week.

Abbas's name was held in files by Vasili Mitrokhin who was a senior KGB archivist who defected to the West in 1991

However, that meeting has been deferred.

Abbas and Nethanyahu exchanged a brief handshake last year at a global climate change conference in Paris but have not held a public working meeting since 2010.

Speaking in Warsaw, Abbas said on Tuesday that he had accepted an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to a meeting with Netanyahu on September 9.

He said: 'I was to go directly from here to Moscow to meet Prime Minister Netanyahu.

'Let me declare once again that I will go to a meeting set in Moscow or in any other place in the world because dialogue is the only way of returning to peace talks that would allow our independent state to live in peace alongside the state of Israel.

It was not immediately clear how serious the proposed meeting had been. Both men have expressed readiness to meet, but they have not been able to agree on the agenda of any meeting.

Abbas has said that he would only meet Netanyahu if Israel freezes settlement construction on occupied lands claimed by the Palestinians and carries out a previously agreed-on release of Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu has rejected the terms and said a meeting should take place without conditions.

Abbas had due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a summit in Moscow

The summit had been arranged by Vladimir Putin's Middle East envoy Mikhail Bogdanov

In the West Bank city of Ramallah, the visiting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Abbas had 'agreed in principle' to the meeting. Bogdanov, who met with Netanyahu on Monday, said the Israeli leader had welcomed the Russian efforts but no date was set while an agenda is set.

'We continue working on the date and the form and the content of the meeting,' he said.

A senior Palestinian official said the Russian envoy had told them Netanyahu rejected the Palestinian conditions for a meeting, leaving it in doubt. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing the contents of a closed diplomatic meeting.

Any meeting between the two men would represent a breakthrough of sorts. The last round of peace U.S.-brokered peace talks broke down nearly two-and-a-half years ago without any progress. But with Abbas and Netanyahu at odds on nearly every major issue between them, chances for substantial progress would seem slim.

Netanyahu was traveling in the Netherlands on Tuesday.

At a press conference with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, he reiterated his position of readiness to meet Abbas for direct talks without preconditions, including in Moscow. He said that he relayed that message again to Bogdanov.

'The main question is, of course, is Abu Mazen (Abbas) willing to meet without preconditions? We hear different versions of that. Just yesterday, Palestinian spokesmen said they are willing to meet, but that they have conditions - prisoner release and they want to know what the outcome of the talks will be and so on,' Netanyahu said.

'If Abu Mazen (Abbas) is willing to meet without preconditions for direct talks, I am ready anytime, I have been calling on him to do so for almost seven years, if he agrees to do so, there will be a meeting,' he said.

There was no immediate comment on the Moscow meeting.

If a meeting were to take place, it would reflect the growing Russian influence in the Middle East. The Russian military has sent forces to Syria in recent months to back Syrian President Bashar Assad in his battle against various rebel groups. Israel, while largely staying out of the war, maintains close contact with the Russians to avoid any clashes between the two countries' air forces.
Donald Trump has offered to publish his tax returns after months of pressure over keeping them secret - but only if Hillary Clinton reveals all her emails.

The Republican candidate said that he would happily release the returns, even though they are under IRS audit, if his rival came clean on her emails.

Trump made the offer in an interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, in what appears to be a tactic designed to turn the heat back on Clinton.

Both candidates have been dogged by questions over the issues, although Clinton's secret server scandal has proved to be a far more durable line of attack.

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Challenge: Donald Trump used an interview with Bill O'Reilly on Fox News to throw down the gauntlet to his rival about each of their secrets

Although she tried to move on from the scandal over using her own 'homebrew' email server and account at the State Department, she has been hit by revelation after revelation about it and its contents.

Democrats believe that they can embarrass Trump by highlighting his refusal to publish - and that if he does, his returns will contain material which could torpedo his chances of winning.

Trump was challenged by O'Reilly over the move by his vice presidential running mate Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana, who announced said Sunday that he would release his own tax returns this week.

'Nobody cares about it except some of the folks in the media. Nobody cares about it,' Trump said.

'But just so you understand I'm under audit and when the audit's complete I'll release my returns.

'I don't know when that's going to be. I have no problem with it, it doesn't matter.'

'How can she talk about my tax returns? She has 33,00 emails that she deleted. She probably knows where to find it. When is she going to release her emails?

'Let her release her emails and I'll release my tax returns immediately.'

He added: 'The fact is you get very little information from a tax return.'

On the trail: Donald Trump has been criticized by Democrats for not releasing tax returns

Show us the emails: Hillary Clinton deleted thousands of emails - around half the contents of her server - before she handed over the rest. Their contents have proved embarrasing

Clinton had on Tuesday intensified her call for rival Donald Trump to release his tax returns, accusing the billionaire of hiding something that might turn off voters.

Clinton had sharp words for the Republican nominee, saying Trump was 'dead wrong' in saying that his tax returns were not the concern of everyday Americans, despite every major presidential nominee since Richard Nixon releasing their taxes before the election.

'I think it is a fundamental issue about him in this campaign that we're going to talk about in one way or another for the next 62 days, because he clearly has something to hide,' Clinton told reporters on a campaign flight to Tampa, Florida.

Trump had previously insisted that he will release his taxes, but only after the Internal Revenue Service completes its audit.

That federal agency has said Trump is free to release the returns whenever he wants.

The release of such returns has been a tradition of American presidential politics for a half-century, and Democrat Hillary Clinton and her running mate Tim Kaine have already released theirs.
Labour's high command was accused of despicable hypocrisy over grammar schools last night after it emerged that Jeremy Corbyns top team had all benefited from the education they provide.

Mr Corbyn and his party are planning to oppose plans for new grammar schools in the Commons and seek to kill them off altogether in the Lords, where the Government does not have a majority.

His education spokesman said Theresa Mays plan to open new grammars showed the Tories care only for the few at the expense of the majority.

Yet Mr Corbyn and his top team all either attended grammar schools themselves or their children went there.

Labour's high command was accused of despicable hypocrisy over grammar schools after it emerged that Jeremy Corbyns top team had all benefited from the education they provide

Mr Corbyn (centre) attended a grammar school and so did his hard-Left shadow chancellor John McDonnell

Mr Corbyn attended a grammar school and so did his hard-Left shadow chancellor John McDonnell.

Other grammar attendees include shadow health secretary Diane Abbott, leader of the Commons Paul Flynn, shadow business secretary Jon Trickett and shadow local government secretary Grahame Morris.

Mr Corbyns chief spin doctor, Seamus Milne, sent his son to the Tiffin School in Kingston upon Thames and his daughter Anna to the nearby Tiffin Girls School. The grammar schools are rated among the best in the country.

Tory MP Nigel Evans said: The Labour Party is stuffed to the rafters with people who have benefitted from a grammar school education and who now wish to deny that form of education to a new generation of young people.

Everyone knows that grammar schools provide an excellent education and to block new grammars is going to deny perhaps the only opportunity that many young people living on sink estates have of getting an excellent education.

It is despicable that they should use their privilege, born of a grammar school education, to deny other people the same.

Labour attacked the Prime Ministers plans to revive grammar schools within minutes of the details being made public.

Other grammar attendees include shadow health secretary Diane Abbott

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: The cat is out of the bag: behind closed doors the Tories are planning a return to the bad old days of grammars, ignoring all the evidence which has told us time and again that they do not aid social mobility.

She added: Its a policy which reveals the truth of this Tory Government: caring only for the few at the expense of the majority.

Mr Corbyn also made plain that he was against more grammars. He said: I am in favour of young people being taught together of differing abilities because that helps them to develop at their own pace but also helps everyone to understand the abilities and values in each other.

Whilst I have often heard many Conservative politicians talk about bringing back the grammar school I have never, ever heard any Conservative politician ever call for the return of the secondary modern school.

Mr Corbyn attended the Adams Grammar School in Newport, Shropshire, offering day and boarding education - but left with two E grades at A-Level. His son, Ben, also attended a grammar.

During the first Labour leadership contest last year, Mr Corbyn said that he divorced his wife of 12 years because she refused to send their son to a failing comprehensive school.

Mr Corbyn said he felt very strongly about comprehensive education and could not agree to send his son to a grammar. The issue came to a head in 1999 when couples son Ben was only offered a place at a comprehensive which had been placed on a list of failing schools.
TV doctor Dawn Harper was yesterday forced to apologise after recommending a discredited and potentially dangerous procedure to a radio listener.

Speaking on LBC's Health Hour, the This Morning and Embarrassing Bodies star advised the caller to try ear candling, rather than syringing, in an attempt to clear their ears of wax.

Ear Candles have become increasingly popular in recent years and are hollow tubes coated in wax which are inserted into patients' ears and then lit at the far end.

Dr Dawn Harper, left, has been criticised for recommending the controversial 'ear candling' technique for removing ear wax but opponents claim it can cause permanent hearing loss

Advocates of the procedure claim that the heat from the flame melts and loosens the ear wax and creates negative pressure that 'sucks' the wax into the candle.

But while many still champion the use of ear candles the practice has been widely discredited and has even been linked to hearing loss.

Dr Harper's advice prompted a backlash and saw her branded 'dangerous' and a 'quack'.

@emrys_myrddin tweeted during the broadcast on Tuesday night: '@LBC @DrDawnHarper WHAT ON EARTH r you doing recommending ear candling live on air?an unsafe quack product.

Adding: '@LBC @DrDawnHarper @clivebull You really need to retract your advice, it's dangerous and misleading.'

Another listener branded her a 'dangerous quack'.

Dr Dawn, 53, was quick to apologise to listeners adding: 'It was recommended to me by an ENT (ear nose and throat) surgeon but seems to have fallen from favour. I'll discuss next week.'

Edzard Ernst, an expert in the study of alternative medicine and former professor at the University of Exeter, has published an article entitled 'Ear candles: a triumph of ignorance over science' and said there is no evidence they work.

He said a study of ear candles show that its 'mode of action is implausible and demonstrably wrong' while there was 'no data to suggest that it is effective for any condition'.

He added: 'The inescapable conclusion is that ear candles do more harm than good. Their use should be discouraged.'

He also points to a number of cases in which patients suffered injuries from the practice, including one woman, from London, who suffered hearing loss and another who burned a hole in her ear.

Ironically since the publication of Professor Ernst's paper in 2004 ear candles have become more, not less, popular.

The manager of St James' Beauty, a clinic that provides the treatment in London, said: 'Everybody says they do work. Quite a lot comes out of the ears which is amazing.

'People say their sinuses improve and their senses are better.

'We don't have very many, about one a month. But it does have a strong following because it's been around for such a long time.'

Lynne Hatcher, a complementary health practitioner from Wolverhampton, claims ear candles are 'a pleasant and non-invasive treatment of the ears, used to treat a variety of conditions'.

Writing on her website she adds: 'This is an ancient and natural therapy handed down by many civilisations. It is believed that the Ancient Greeks used ear candles, initially probably for cleansing, purifying and healing on a spiritual basis, but much later on a purely physical basis.'

A spokesperson for Dr Dawn said: 'Dr Dawn was discussing the issue of ear wax following a call from a listener. She gave her professional advice which included using drops to soften the wax and the use of electronic devices to remove wax or removal of wax under direct vision with a special microscope in ENT clinics.
Posing on the beach, this is the former parliamentary aide who paid Keith Vazs rent boys.

Yesterday it emerged Daniel Dragusin, a 31-year-old Romanian, is also linked to the hotel where the MP got freebie rooms to meet young men.

Mr Vaz faces a string of questions about the role of fixer Mr Dragusin, who was in hiding last night. His involvement in the sex and drugs scandal came to light when it emerged a payment of 150 was made from Mr Dragusins bank account to the account of a male escort. There is no suggestion Mr Dragusin was aware the money was for the Eastern European prostitute to have sex with the married MP.

Goa: Keith Vazs aide Daniel Dragusin pictured on the beach with a House of Commons bag

Since arriving in Britain eight years ago, Mr Dragusin has worked as Mr Vazs chauffeur and as a parliamentary aide to the MPs long-time friend, Lord King of West Bromwich, until Lord Kings death from a heart attack in 2013.

The Romanian was entitled to a parliamentary pass, prompting more questions for Mr Vaz, who was pictured with him on the Commons terrace in 2011.

Pictures on social media showed the young aide on holiday  using a distinctive green House of Commons carrier bag as his beach bag  in 2012 in Goa, a region of India where Mr Vaz is revered as a VIP.

Mr Vaz (pictured yesterday) and Mr Dragusin trusted each other, an associate said

Mr Dragusin now lists himself on LinkedIn as working at diabetes charity Silver Star, which was founded by Mr Vaz. The charity says its funds were not used to pay the rent boys, but no one has explained why Mr Dragusin paid them.

In a further twist, the Romanian lives with a woman who works at the Washington Mayfair hotel, where Mr Vaz enjoyed the company of young men. Maria Costache, 32, runs her own cleaning business and in 2013 also became executive and human resources assistant at the hotel, where yesterday the manager said she was not at work. There was no answer at the pairs rented apartment in Harrow, North-West London.

An associate said Mr Vaz and the Romanian trusted each other. It was always as if Keith was really looking after Daniel, not a normal employer-employee relationship, he told The Times. They seemed to be quite close, put it that way, in the sense that Daniel was doing a lot of work for Keith, and Keith was looking after him.

From 2008 to 2010 he worked as a chauffeur for Express Rent-a-Car. He later became Mr Vazs driver, and was occasionally allowed to borrow a fancy car, said the associate. He was often driving Keiths car when he was not on duty. Daniel presents himself quite well and is very helpful.
Barack Obama might be making history as the first sitting US President to visit Laos, but he's doing it minus his wedding ring - as photographs from Wednesday show.

While Michelle Obama remains in the US, her husband has been doing the rounds at the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit since Monday.

But his speech to a group of youth leaders at a town hall conference was notable for the wrong reason when it was noticed he'd slipped off his wedding band, The American Mirror reported.

Ringless: Barack Obama was seen at this town hall meeting for young leaders in Laos Wednesday without his wedding ring. He is currently attending the ASEAN summit

Empty fingered: Obama was also seen on a tour of the sights, again without his ring on. Michelle Obama is currently in the US and will meet young poets at the White House Thursday

He was also pictured Wednesday on a tour of the sights - including a visit to the Mekong River - again minus the ring.

Exactly why it was missing isn't known - although in May of this year he was criticized after he allegedly slipped the ring off his finger before shaking hands with Argentinian youths.

Some suggested that he made the surreptitious maneuver in order to avoid having the band slipped off his hand by the young men.

The ring was seen back on his finger Wednesday at a gala dinner for ASEAN summit attendees.

Michelle Obama is currently in the US, and is scheduled - along with rapper Q-Tip - to host five young poets at the White House Thursday, as part of the National Student Poets Program.

This isn't the first time that Obama has been seen in public without his wedding ring.

In 2010 eagle-eyed reporters noted the President's bare fingers shortly after returning from a trip to Africa.

He explained that it was off being repaired. He had been wearing it during the trip.

It also disappeared for a few days in March, July and August of 2015.
For many people, the announcement that pandas are no longer endangered would be a welcome announcement .

However China has complained about the animals being removed from the endangered list by a global watchdog.

The country's State Forestry Administration said on Monday that it was too early to downgrade the giant panda's conservation status, reports the People's Daily Online.

The administration claimed that their achievements 'would quickly be forgotten', insisting that pandas remain classed as 'endangered'.

Success! The giant panda has been taken off a list of endangered animals around the world

Unhappy: However China has complained saying that their achievements would be forgotten

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced the change in a report which claimed that conservation efforts had worked so well that the animal can be removed from the list.

The panda has now been downgraded to 'vulnerable' instead of 'endangered'.

However China's State Forestry Administration said: 'If we downgrade their conservation status and our protection work is reduced, our achievements would quickly be forgotten.'

The precious bears, which are native to China, have been used as precious diplomatic gifts by the Chinese government to countries around the world - with births in captivity seen as a cause for celebration.

The first 'panda ambassadors' on record were given by the Republic of China government to the United State of America in 1941 for their help in saving the Chinese refugees, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Between 1957 to 1982, the Chinese Communist government gave 23 pandas to nine countries , including United Kingdom, Japan and North Korea.

Good news! Conservation experts say the giant panda is no longer endangered in the wild

A big achievement: Animal groups have hailed the recovery of the giant panda

The IUCN Red list has nine categories ranging from 'not evaluated' to 'extinct'. In terms of conservation status, the next to levels lower than 'vulnerable' are 'not threatened' and 'least concerned'.

The IUCN report said the wild panda population jumped to 1,864 in 2014 from 1,596 in 2004, the result of work by Chinese agencies to enforce poaching bans and expand forest reserves.

It also warned that although better forest protection has helped increase panda numbers, climate change is predicted to eliminate more than 35 per cent of its natural bamboo habitat in the next 80 years, potentially leading to another decline.

Animal groups hailed the recovery of the bamboo-munching, black-and-white bear that has long been a symbol of China and the global conservation movement.

Intensive conservation efforts have helped the numbers of wild giant pandas to bounce back

Scientists expect the giant panda's habitat - bamboo forests - to shrink in the coming decades

The Chinese government and the World Wildlife Fund first established the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan province in 1980, the world's earliest and largest panda reserve.

Wild panda numbers have slowly rebounded as China cracked down on the skin trade and gradually expanded its protected forest areas to now cover 1.4 million hectares (5,400 square miles).

International groups and the Chinese government has worked to save wild pandas and breed them at enormous cost, attracting criticism that money could be better spent saving other animals facing extinction.

But the WWF, whose logo has been a panda since 1961, celebrated the panda's re-classification, saying it proved that aggressive investment does pay off 'when science, political will and engagement of local communities come together.'
Penalties for Intent to Distribute Prescription Drugs

Prescription drugs can save lives. Then can also be addictive and potentially deadly. And the line between legitimately filling a prescription and abusing the system to sell pills for profit is sometimes so thin as to be invisible.

So what's the difference between having the prescription pills you need and having enough prescription pills to open up an illicit pharmacy? Here's what you need to know about criminal prescription drug charges and penalties.

Elements of the Crime

Legal possession of prescription drugs becomes illegal possession of prescription drugs with the intent to distribute in three elements:

Possession -- Prescription drugs, while legal, are still considered to be controlled substances, so possession can be illegal without a prescription or in quantities that exceed a valid prescription; Intent to Distribute -- While it's difficult to get inside the mind of an alleged drug dealer, an intent to distribute prescription drugs can usually be inferred when the person has more drugs than he or she would need for personal use; and Possession With Intent to Distribute -- Simple drug possession without the intent to sell them, or the idea to sell drugs without having the drugs themselves, don't, by themselves, constitute the crime of possession with the intent to distribute; prosecutors must prove that both conditions existed at the same time in order to convict someone.

Penalties for the Crime

Drug crime penalties can vary widely, depending on the jurisdiction, the amount of drugs involved, and the person's criminal history, among other factors. A conviction under federal controlled substances laws could land you in prison anywhere from 10 to 30 years (or more), depending on federal sentencing guidelines.

States can also vary their penalties and punishments depending on the type of drug and amount. For example, California's drug laws can include sentences from 1 year in jail up to five years in prison. While many factors can exacerbate sentencing, like whether you forged a prescription or were involved with others in a conspiracy to sell, there are some ways the penalties for possession of prescription drugs with the intent to sell can be lessened. Many states are setting up specialized drug courts that can help addicts and first-time offenders avoid long prison sentences.

If you've been charged with any drug crime, you should contact an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.

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She has since been dubbed 'prettiest

A soldier working during the G20 summit in China has been hailed as the 'prettiest bodyguard' on China's social media sites.

As the world leaders met to discuss important issues in Hangzhou, China's social media was more focused on a bodyguard that had caught a lot of people's attention.

The woman has been identified as Shu Xin from southern China's Guiyang city, reports the People's Daily Online.

Stunning: Shu Xin is a soldier in the People's Liberation Army and is said to be in her 20s

'Gorgeous': Shu Xin has been labelled the 'prettiest bodygurard' on China's social media. She was allegedly guarding the car used by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in the picture

Internet users have identified the woman in the pictures as a female soldier from the People's Liberation Army.

She is reported to be born in the 90s but no other information has been revealed.

Shu shot to fame after a picture of her working at the summit was released by Xinahua News Agency in an article called 'Who is the most powerful bodyguard for leaders at G20'.

In the picture, Shu was allegedly guarding outside the car used by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

In 2013, she was named one of the 10 most beautiful People's Liberation Army soldiers.

Chinese media says that she loves to sing and dance in her spare time and once won second prize in the Yancheng singing contest.

Beauty: In 2013, Shu was also named the 'most beautiful' People's Liberation Army soldier

People have been discussing the woman's looks on China's social media site Weibo

People have been discussing the woman's looks on China's social media site Weibo.

One user wrote: 'She's absolutely gorgeous! She looks great even without makeup.'

While another commented: 'Marry her. She will make sure you get home safely at night.'

And one user said: 'Can she fight? Guess she is there just to maintain order.'

Gorgeous: Shu Xin was working as a bodyguard at the G20 summit when she was spotted
A cancer-stricken seven-year-old has finally received a vital blood chord transplant after her parents gave birth to three sons in order to save her.

The couple decided to have children in order to save their first born daughter's life after she was diagnosed with Thalassaemia, reports Huanqiu, an affiliation of the People's Daily Online.

The operation which took place in June has been confirmed as successful.

Tragic: Qian Qian was just one year old when she was diagnosed with Thalassaemia. She was pictured kissing her youngest brother, whose cord blood was used in her surgery

Thalassemia is a disorder in which red blood cells contain reduced amount of haemoglobin

In 2007, 25-year-old Zhuang Wei was working in Shenzhen when he met his future wife.

Two years later his wife gave birth to Qian Qian.

When Qian Qian was just six months old, her face was yellow and she showed signs of illness.

The couple took her to hospital for examination where she was diagnosed with Thalassaemia.

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder in which the red blood cells contain a reduced amount of haemoglobin, or in severe cases, a lack of haemoglobin in the cells.

Doctors told them that she would need regular blood transfusions.

She was receiving blood transfusions in Shenzhen when doctors told her that these transfusions would not be a permanent solution. The only way to full recover would be a cord blood transplantation.

And the best source of a blood cord that matches is by a sibling.

A long search: The couple decided to continue having children to try and find a match

Saddening: However the first two sons were not a match and Qian Qian needed tranfusions

The wife hurried to have another child however their son was not a correct match.

Then they prepared to have another child and when their second son was born, it was also revealed that he was not a match.

Zhuang Wei found work in Shenzhen while Qian Qian's grandparents had to take care of his wife and their children.

The cost of treatment for their daughter had continued to rise and the couple were struggling to afford to raise their three children.

Success at last! However when their third son was born, he was found to be a match

Happy result: In June Qian Qian underwent a transplant and is said to be doing well

They came to the decision to stop trying for a child for a year. Then at the end of 2014, they welcomed their third son, and finally it was a match.

When the son was born, they collected the chord and preserved it for a year.

Then in June this year, the transplant was made.

According to her parents, Qian Qian and her new brother are very close and she often cuddles him.
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The 'world's largest bar' is set to open to the public next month, housing thousands of revelers in central China's Hunan province.

The new bar which resembles a lotus when seen from above, is located in southern China's Zhangjiajie and will be able to host up to 3,800 guests over an area of 225,000 square feet, reports the People's Daily Online.

The dome consists of some 10 steel tiles weighing 500 tons and can be opened and closed in just nine minutes and 45 seconds.

Drinks please: An aerial view of the world's largest lotus shaped retractable dome in Zhangjiajie, China's Hunan province

There's going to be a big party! The bar named Genting is set to open on the evening of September 10

Almost at an end? On April 24, the company completed on the main part of the building for the giant bar

The bar is set to open on September 10 and has been named Genting.

Zhangjiajie Cloud Top Culture Industry Development Co. Ltd has invested 220 million yuan (24 million) into the project.

Chinese media are dubbing it the world's largest bar.

Now that's very clever! The lotus shaped roof can open and close in the space of nine minutes and 45 seconds

Where the party's at: The owners have signed a deal to encourage international acts to play the bar and music venue

Nearby tourist sites: The bar is a short drive from Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the UNESCO world heritage site

Customers visiting the bar will be treated to a range of attractions and cool features including futuristic lighting, projections and even robot waiters.

A cooperation agreement has also been signed with Hunan Provincial Musicians Association to establish the bar as an international music venue.

The bar is a short drive from Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the UNESCO world heritage site that is said to have influenced the scenery in the popular science fiction film Avatar.

Nice! Customers will be treated to a range of attractions and cool features including futuristic lighting and robot waiters

Special: Zhangjiajie Cloud Top Culture Industry has invested 220 million yuan (23 million) into the project, due to open this August
The chief executive of Israeli satellite operator Space Communication Ltd said on Tuesday he wants to see 'several safe flights' from SpaceX before using Elon Musk's space firm again to launch one of his company's satellites.

In an interview with Reuters, Spacecom CEO David Pollack also said he does not know what caused the explosion last Thursday that destroyed a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket along with his company's $200 million AMOS-6 communications satellite.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation by SpaceX and agencies of the U.S. government overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration.

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The AMOS-6 communications satellite was aboard a Falcon 9 rocket which exploded during a test fire in Florida last week, destroying the rocket and its cargo (pictured left to right)

SATELLITE FIRM CLAIMING DAMAGES FROM SPACEX The Israeli owners of the destroyed AMOS-6 satellite have reportedly been hard hit by the loss. In a press conference on Sunday, Spacecom said it could seek $50m from SpaceX following the explosion on the launch pad last week. AMOS-6 was supposed to provide home internet for Africa and the Middle East. In addition, Facebook had signed a deal with Eutelsat to lease broadband capacity from the satellite as part of its efforts to increase internet connectivity across the African continent. Advertisement

'They have not yet discussed with us what they found,' Pollack said, referring to SpaceX.

'I don't believe that there is even the slightest chance that (the problem) was coming from the satellite ... but still nothing can be ignored. They have to look at everything.'

Spacecom said on Sunday that SpaceX owes it $50 million, or a free launch, as a result of the explosion.

Asked what SpaceX had to do to give him confidence to use the company again, Pollack replied: 'I don't know how many, but several safe flights.'

Pollack said Spacecom does not have a satellite it could put aboard a launcher soon.

'We don't have a satellite, so I believe until we are ready to fly they will have some safe flights,' he said. 'In principle, I think that Falcon 9 is a nice launcher.'

Facebook and Eutelsat had planned to use the AMOS-6 satellite to expand internet access in Africa.

SpaceX is owned and led by technology entrepreneur Musk, who is also chief executive of electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc and chairman of solar energy company SolarCity Corp.

The explosion occurred as SpaceX was fueling a Falcon 9 rocket on a launch pad in Florida in preparation for a test-firing of the booster's first-stage engines.

No one was hurt in the explosion. SpaceX said it was not yet releasing images or details about launch pad damage.

SpaceX also declined to discuss Spacecom's claim for compensation.

'We don't disclose contract or insurance terms,' SpaceX said in an emailed statement on Sunday.

Pollack said he was watching television on a JetBlue flight from New York to Orlando and saw images of the accident.

'I saw the smoke after the explosion, but the Cape is a big place. It took a little bit until I realized it was us,' Pollack said.

Elon Musk's private space venture could face a bill of 37m following the explosion, however, the private firm has said it will not disclose terms of its contracts or insurance

Spacecom said SpaceX could face a 37m ($50m) bill or have to offer a free launch after its communications satellite was destroyed by an explosion on the launch pad in Florida last week. Pictured is a Falcon 9 rocket launching from Cape Canaveral in March this year

The loss of the AMOS-6 satellite, which Spacecom had intended to operate for at least 15 years, is presenting the company with financial and operational challenges, Pollack said.

Pollack said Spacecom was not insured for revenue that would have been generated from AMOS-6 leases to companies, including Facebook and Eutelsat.

The company said it expects to receive money from an insurance policy purchased by satellite builder Israel Aerospace Industries to pay off bonds sold to finance the satellite.

Pollack said he is looking at options to buy services on other companies' satellites to fill the gap until an AMOS-6 replacement can be built and launched.
After months of anticipation, Apple is set to unveil its long-awaited iPhone 7 at 6pm BST (1pm ET) in San Francisco this afternoon.

Although Apple is notoriously secretive, almost every detail of the new device has already been revealed if a major leak is to be believed.

The new features are expected to include a waterproof design, two new colours, and wireless headphones.

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Images recently emerged from designer Martin Hajek, who 3D printed mock ups of the iPhone 7 based on renders circulating online (pictured are the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Pro models)

WHEN IS THE LAUNCH AND HOW CAN YOU WATCH IT?

Apple has sent out media invitations for an event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco today at 10am local time (6pm BST).

For those without an invitation, Apple will also be live streaming the event on its website for Apple devices, or Windows users can watch on Microsoft's Edge browser.

The event will not be available on Android devices.

The image on the invitation used is of coloured dots, which could represent new colours available, or may portray water droplets, suggesting the phone will be waterproof.

The event will be held in San Francisco at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, and could also see the release of new MacBooks and a second generation Apple watch

APPLE HOPES IPHONE 7 WILL BOOST DECLINING SALES Apple is counting on the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to reinvigorate its flagging smartphone sales. Despite recently announcing the sale of its billionth iPhone, the Cupertino tech giant has seen iPhone sales in decline as smartphone users wait longer to upgrade. The company is attempting to tackle a rare drop in revenue with its updated handsets, by enticing reluctant customers to upgrade to the new technology. Advertisement

WHAT ARE THE RUMOURED NEW FEATURES?

A detailed rundown from KGI Securities analyst Min-Chi Kuo, who has a good track record of correctly relaying information on Apple hardware before it launches, was obtained by Mac Rumours and confirms many of the predicted features of the iPhone 7.

Here are the features that are expected to arrive on the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus smartphones.

NO HEADPHONE JACK

It appears Apple really will be taking the unpopular step of completely ditching the headphone port on its next-generation handsets.

The technology firm is said to be bundling 'EarPods' with a Lightning connector, as well as a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter in the box.

iPhone owners will also be able to use wireless Bluetooth headphones.

Getting rid of the traditional headphone port will free up more room for a new speaker, and possibly a new sensor to improve Force Touch operation - Apple's touchscreen and haptic feedback technology.

Apple is controversially dropping the headphone jack in favour of its lightning port. This leaked image shows what the iPhone 7 might look like without the headphone jack

RUMOURS FOR THE IPHONE 7 No headphone jack - The technology firm is said to be bundling 'EarPods' with a Lightning connector, as well as a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter in the box Airpod headphones - a leading analyst has revealed Apple will also unveil its own wireless headphones, called AirPods, at the event New colours - A 'dark black' model will replace its Space Grey finish. This will sit alongside the silver, gold and rose gold finishes that have been popular parts of previous line ups Water resistance - Apple is set to introduce IPX7 water resistance, which already exists on its first Apple Watch model More powerful chip - The current A9 chip could be replaced with an updated A10 processor made by TSMC, which could run at speeds up to 2.45 GHz Dual lens camera - A long-rumoured feature, the dual-lens rear camera is said to be coming to the iPhone 7 Plus, but not to the smaller iPhone 7 Redesigned home button - the home button could be overhauled to make it fit flush against the chassis, which is a result of the new water resistant design Wide colour display - The new iPhone is expected to include the wide colour display technology that was introduced on the iPad Pro Stereo speakers - The earpiece receiver could be upgraded at the top of the device to work as a speaker Curved screen - Earlier rumours have suggested that at least one of the new iPhone models will include a curved display Advertisement

AIRPOD HEADPHONES

Apple is expected to bundle a set of headphones with the iPhone 7 that have a wired, lightning connector.

Ms Kuo told clients: 'Apple will likely have its own-designed Bluetooth-like communication chip and launch own-brand Bluetooth headphones targeting the high-end market, with Beats positioned in the midrange market,' according to AppleInsider.

With its own custom 'Bluetooth-like' chip, Ms Kuo believes Apple could use proprietary low-power wireless communications for other functions beyond headphones, including smart home accessories and an intelligent automobile.

Last week, a Russian filing revealed that Apple is also developing new wireless headphones called 'airpods' to sell alongside its current 'earpod' headphones.

A mockup of the new AirPod, which Apple could reveal tomorrow alongside the iPhone 7.

NEW COLOURS

Apple will be adding a 'dark black' model to replace its Space Grey finish.

This will sit alongside the silver, gold and rose gold finishes that have been popular parts of previous line ups.

They will also be joined by another new colour described as 'glossy piano black'.

Previous rumours have also suggested that a dark blue finish will be introduced, but there is no mention of this in the latest report.

'We expect the iPhone 7 to come in piano black, dark black, rose gold, gold and silver,' says the report obtained by Mac Rumours.

The iPhone 7 is said to come in five colours. Apple will be adding a 'dark black' model to replace its Space Grey finish. This will sit alongside the silver, gold and rose gold finishes that have been popular parts of previous line ups. Pictured are concept images

'Only the piano black model will have a glossy finish.

Given high production barriers, large-storage models may have first priority in adopting piano black casing in the initial stage.'

WATER RESISTANCE

Apple is set to introduce IPX7 water resistance, which already exists on its first Apple Watch model.

This should allow the new phone to be submerged up to three feet (one metre) for up to 30 minutes.

Apple is set to introduce IPX7 water resistance, which already exists on its first Apple Watch model. This should allow the new phone to be submerged up to three feet (one metre) for up to 30 minutes

This would mean that the new handset would survive in the rain, or a brief spell in the shower, but is unlikely to survive a long dunk in a swimming pool.

MORE POWERFUL CHIP

Apple could be replacing its current A9 chip with an updated A10 processor made by TSMC, which could run at speeds up to 2.45 GHz.

This could mean a substantial boost to existing processing speeds leading to faster loader of apps.

DUAL-LENS CAMERA

A long-rumoured feature, the dual-lens rear camera is said to be coming to the iPhone 7 Plus, but not to the smaller iPhone 7.

Leaked images show a new dual lens rear camera that is said to be heading to the larger iPhone 7 Plus, but which will reportedly not be included on the smaller iPhone 7

The double camera is said to take brighter pictures and will also be capable of merging two photos together to provide the best image possible.

An improved LED flash will also be included on the rear camera, along with an ambient light sensor, says the report.

REDESIGNED HOME BUTTON

Apple is said to be overhauling the home button to make it fit flush against the chassis, which is a result of the new water resistant design.

While the button will no longer be clickable, the phone is said to include haptic feedback, to mimic the response of a clickable button.

A concept image shows what Apple's new iPhone 7 handset might look like with a new home button and no traditional headphone port

WIDE COLOUR DISPLAY

The new iPhone is expected to include the wide colour display technology that was introduced on the iPad Pro.

Influenced by the digital cinema industry, the tech is designed to improve colour saturation for a punchier and more realistic picture.

Early concept images show what the new iPhone 7's rumoured chassis design

STEREO SPEAKERS

Apple is rumoured to be upgrading the earpiece receiver at the top of the device to work as a speaker.

This would improve the audio by providing a stereo experience when the handset is held in landscape.

CURVED SCREEN

Earlier rumours have suggested that at least one of the new iPhone models will include a curved display.

This now looks unlikely - but it is expected to appear on the 2018 model.

Rumours suggest that the iPhone 7 will be cased in curved glass made from liquid metal. Artist Martin Hajek created this concept images ahead of the iPhone 6 launch, based on similar rumours at the time

This would put it head-to-head with the Samsung Galaxy Edge S7, which was released earlier this year and features a display that curves around the edges of the handset.

'The standout features will be a dual-camera system on the larger iPhone, a re-engineered home button that responds to pressure with a vibrating sensation rather than a true physical click and the removal of the devices' headphone jack,' reports Mark Gurman from Bloomberg.

RUMOURED UPDATES TO THE APPLE WATCH Thinner watch face - the second generation could be thinner by 40 per cent Better screen resolution - AMOLED screen will be replaced with a Micro-LED display More on-board storage Longer battery life Wireless chip - allows for basic communication tasks without the need to be paired to iPhone Video camera - this will allow FaceTime video calls rather than just audio New models - new materials could be on the cards, such as titanium, platinum and perhaps even Liquidmetal New band materials - a recent patent application has been filed for a strap that has light fibres woven in, meaning you'll be able to get notifications from your wrist all the way around Advertisement

WHAT ELSE IS EXPECTED TO BE REVEALED AT THE EVENT?

As well as the iPhone 7, Apple is expected to unveil the Apple Watch 2 at the event.

While the first generation watch launched at a starting price of $349 (299), Apple recently dropped the price down to $299 (225).

On their website, Tech Radar say: 'Introducing the Apple Watch 2 at this new price from the get-go would put the gadget in more hands and on more wrists.'

However Apple does not regularly do price drops, and many of the suggested new features of the Apple Watch 2 could actually see an increase in the cost.

In terms of visual features, the Apple Watch 2 could be thinner by 40 per cent.

Despite this change, there are not likely to be many other changes to the original square screen design.

The screen resolution, data storage and battery life are all expected to get a boost.

A new wireless chip could also allow for basic communication tasks to be handled without a paired iPhone, and the same technology may also mean that lost Apple Watches could be found using Wi-Fi.
They are vast, icy worlds composed almost entirely of dense clouds of gas.

But the giant planets Neptune and Uranus could also have cores composed of exotic materials.

Scientists studying the strange compounds that form at the high pressures found in the hearts of these icy gas giants claim they may have interiors made from strange crystals.

Among these compounds are the highly unstable substance orthocarbonic acid, also known as Hitler's Acid due to the Swastika shape the atoms form.

Neptune (left) and Uranus (right) are the third and fourth largest planets in our solar system, composed mainly of gas and ice. The huge pressures inside their cores, however, are high enough to cause the gas to form weird and unusual compounds, scientists have found

EARTH'S CORE HAS A CORE Geologists have discovered that the Earth's inner core - previously thought to be a solid lump of iron - may in fact have its own even smaller core within it. Using the seismic waves that reverberate across the planet after earthquakes, researchers have been able to gain new insight into what lies at the centre of our world. The findings could mean that our understanding of Earth's interior, and its history, will need to be rewritten. Scientists found that rather than a solid ball of iron lying within the molten mass of the outer core, the inner core changes in structure about half way through. They discovered a distinct inner inner core that is about half the diameter of what was believed to be the solid inner core, which is about the size of the moon. Professor Xianodong Song, a geologist at the University of Illinois, said the structure of two inner cores could help reveal new details about how the Earth first formed. Advertisement

At the huge pressures that exist at the centre of these frozen gas giants  more than four million times the pressure at sea level on Earth  strange organic 'plastics' also begin to form beneath their thick atmospheres.

Professor Artem Oganov, head of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology's computational materials discovery laboratory, who conducted the work along with his colleague Dr Gabriele Saleh, said: 'The smaller gas giants - Uranus and Neptune  consist largely of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

'We have found that at a pressure of several million atmospheres unexpected compounds should form in their interiors.

'The cores of these planets may largely consist of these exotic materials.'

The researchers, whose work is published in the journal Scientific Reports, used algorithms that predict crystal structures and compounds that form at high pressures.

They have previously shown that unknown variants of salt that have far more sodium and chlorine atoms than normal can form at pressures that exist in the interiors of so-called super-Earths.

They have also found that exotic new oxides of magnesium, silicon and aluminium can also form at these high pressures.

However, the team decided to look at what would happen when organic molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are subjected to these pressures.

These are the main elements that are found in the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune.

Professor Oganov said: 'This is an extremely important system because all organic chemistry 'rests on' these three elements, and until now it had not been entirely clear how they behave under extreme pressures and temperatures.

Uranus is formed of mainly hydrogen, helium and methane, but towards the centre of the planet, the huge pressures created by the gas piled above can cause it to form strange unstable types of acid around the core, which is formed of rock (illustrated)

Among the strange compounds the researchers predict may occur in the interiors of Neptune and Uranus is orthanocarbonic acid, also known as Hitler's Acid due to its shape (illustrated). It is almost impossible to synthesis in the laboratory as it is extremely unstable

RECREATING THE INSIDE OF PLANETS WITH LASERS Scientists have recreated the conditions found deep in the core of giant planets and super-Earths. They say the work could reveal the material properties that determined planets' formation and evolution processes - and help identify planets likely to hold life. The team at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California used laser-driven shock compression and ultrafast diagnostics and were able to measure the melting temperature of silica at 500 GPa (5 million atmospheres), a pressure comparable to the core-mantle boundary pressure for a super-Earth planet (5 Earth masses), Uranus and Neptune. Advertisement

'In addition, they play an essential role in the chemistry of the giant planets.'

Neptune's core is thought to be subject to pressures up to eight million times that of Earth's atmosphere.

The core of Uranus is thought to reach around 7.9 million times that of Earth's atmosphere.

Professor Oganov and his team found that at pressures above 93 gigapascals  about 930,000 times Earth's atmosphere  methane begins to decompose.

Instead it forms heavier hydrocarbons and at pressures above 400Gpa  four million times the Earth's atmosphere, several new substances began to form.

These include an unusual clathrate  a lattice of hydrogen and methane that is capable of trapping other compounds within it.

They also found that carbonic acid becomes thermodynamically stable. This substance normally needs strong acids for its synthesis and can only exist in a vacuum at very low temperature.

These may form thick layers that form around the rocky metallic cores of Neptune and Uranus.

The pressures inside Neptune could create a thick layer of orthocarbonic and carbonic acid around the rocky core (illustrated)

The research also predicts tht carbonic acid, another unstable hydrocabron based acid, will form a layer beneath the water ocean thought to exist beneath the icy crust of Europa (illustrted), the moon that orbits the solar system's largest planet Jupiter

This formed at around 0.95GPa  around 10,000 times the Earth's atmosphere  which is thought to be similar to the pressures found inside the icy moons like Europa, which orbits Jupiter.

'It was previously thought that the oceans in these satellites are in direct contact with the rocky core and a chemical reaction took place between them,' said Professor Oganov.

'Our study shows that the core should be 'wrapped' in a layer of crystallized carbonic acid, which means that a reaction between the core and the ocean would be impossible.'

Jupiter's satellite Europa is thought to have an ocean of liquid water beneath its icy crust (pictured) and could even host life

When the pressure rises to 44 GPa, the scientists' models predicted that carbonic acid is converted into a polymer  a type of plastic  which remains stable until 400GPa.

At 314 GPa, carbonic acid and water also react to form orthocarbonic acid, a molecule that has yet to be produced successfully in laboratories as it is so unstable.
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A set of stunning photographs that reveal the natural beauty in science are set to go on show to the public.

The 100 incredible images are the shortlisted entries for the Royal Photographic Society's International Images for Science competition and highlight how important photography is for academics.

The shots form a dazzling display of the world's best scientific photography from various disciplines and from scientists all over the world.

This striking image shows a microscopic snapshot of citric acid and perfectly shows how photography can capture the technicolour beauty of the scientific world

THE COMPETITION The competition has been running since 2011 and has proved very successful. This year the society received more than 2,500 entries from students, amateur and professional photographers and medical photographers. The exhibition, supported by technology giant Siemens, will be showcased for five weeks at The Crystal in the Royal Victoria Docks, London from September 14 before going on a UK tour. The five competition winners will be announced next Tuesday. Advertisement

Some of the unusual images include an x-ray of a pregnant fly, a stonefish with its prey inside and translucent ants eating sugar laced with food colouring.

Photography skills play a crucial role in medicine, forensic science, engineering, archaeology, oceanography, natural history and many more areas.

Among the highlights is a beautiful image by Don Komarechka of a frozen bubble that looks like a glowing crystal ball.

The magical bubble was created by mixing washing up liquid with invisible ink and lit with ultraviolet flash to make the invisible ink fluoresce and become visible.

A photo by Steven Gschmeissner shows in spectacular detail the structure of a skin wound early in the healing process with red and white blood cells visible as well as platelet clots. It was taken with a coloured scanning electron microscope.

There is also a photo of one of the smallest 3D sculptures ever made, a surfing girl that measures just 150 micrometres tall, taken by Stefan Diller.

The sculpture was made by nano-artist Jonty Hurwitz using a 3D printing technique called multiphoton lithography which tightens polymer resin with infrared light one 3D pixel at a time.

One photographer shot a balloon with an airsoft gun and captured it in 66 micro-seconds to show the affect of the pellet on the rubber, with incredible results

A polarized light was used to capture a glimpse of the internal workings of a pregnant daphnia water flea. The tiny planktonic crustacean lives in various bodies of water including freshwater lakes, pond, streams and rivers

Another by Anup Deohar called 'Warrior of the grassland' shows a male fan-throated lizard comically on its hind legs with a stick looking like it is patrolling its territory.

There are also images of a fist punching water, flash floods shaping the walls of a canyon, sawfly larvae springing out on a leaf to make themselves look bigger to predators and a swarm of Pacific sea nettle jellyfish.

Gary Evans, curator of the exhibition, said: 'Science is absolutely everywhere around us and it can be a source of wonder.

'You don't have to know maths, physics, chemistry in detail to look at these stunning photographs and think 'that's really cool'.

This floral photograph shows a false colour x-ray of Hellebore (Helleborus orientalis) flowers and is among the 2,500 entries received by the Royal Photographic Society for this year's competition

This coloursnap snap shows a microscopic image of polyps from a colony of Obelia. The marine dweller is related to jellyfish and coral and is found in oceans around the globe, except for the high-arctic and Antarctic sea

Seasonal flash floods resulting from thunderstorms have shaped the walls of this canyon as the water, containing abrasive sand particles, follows cracks in the sandstone to form an intricately shaped interior

A electron microscope captured this image of the formation of calcium carbonate crystals. The photograph is one of the entries in the Royal Photographic Society's International Images for Science competition which has been running since 2011.

'They stand on their own as beautiful photos but it's amazing to be able to present images that have a science story behind them.

'If people come along to the exhibition and just appreciate them as beautiful pictures that's fine but if they then read the caption and learn just a tiny bit of science then that's a bonus.

'We are very happy that we had even more entries this year and particularly more entries in the 17 and under age group.

'We had a wider range of styles of picture this year too. We have more showing science as an everyday thing.

'Hopefully we can encourage people to look at the world around them through the eyes of science - botany, chemistry, engineering and so on.'

An example of astrophotography, this fantastic celestial shot shows the Andromeda Galaxy, a spiral galaxy that is located approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth and can be spotted in the night sky on a clear night

This beautiful shot shows a family group of gorillas and is in the running for one of the five winning spots which will be announced next Tuesday as part of the annual photography competition

This unusual close-up photograph captures one of the smallest 3D sculptures ever made - a model of a surfing girl, measuring just 150 micrometres tall - just 0.15 of a millimetre

A great shot of a greenbottle fly, which is found mainly in the Southern Hemisphere, blowing a bubble

A swarm Pacific sea nettle jellyfish (Chrysaora Fuscescens) forming a striking underwater snapshot

This composite shows the developmental stages of a cuttlefish at 24, 26 and 30 days and the last image is of a juvenile

This photographer has stuck close to home with an intricate cross section of a human brain

A close-up shot of a birch leaf shows six birch sawfly larvae with distinctive black and yellow markings

This gruesome image was taken using a micro-CT scan of a stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa). The stonefish is shown in yellow and prey inside its stomach is captured in green

This alarming extreme close-up shows plastic pollution in found eyeliner, which appears as tiny blue squares

This coloured electron microscope image shows the detailed structure of a skin wound early in the healing process

A photo of frozen bubble created by mixing washing up liquid with invisible ink looks similar to a crystal ball

This light microscopic image shows vascular bundles, which appear to look like tiny faces, which carry water up the stem of the Papyrus Glyphs, a plant that was used for making the paper in Egyptian scrolls

Ants are shown ingesting sugar solution laced with blue food colouring, which shows through their translucent bodies

A false-coloured photograph of Selaginella leaves, also known as club moss, shows stunning blues and yellows

A super-extreme close-up shows the double compound eyes of male Bibio marci or St. Mark's fly

Droplets of condensation on a spider's web reflecting the flowers that appear behind it

A black and white shot uses high speed flash photography to capture a person's fist plunging into water

A coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of vicia flower shows the flower's rich purple hue

This monochrome image combines technology with nature and shows a heat plume rising from a camping stove

A freeze-frame of a common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) shows pollen being dispersed from the flower

This mind-boggling image of a fusion reactor appears to be a nod to Dutch artist M.C. Escher, famous for his puzzling artwork Ascending and Descending, showing a never-ending staircase

A male fanthroated lizard, which are known for being highly territorial, fiercely guarding his territory

A long exposure on a bridge draws the eye to the distance, the stars of the Milky Way, and the infinity of space

This graphic shot shows the visceral nature of a woman giving birth by natural caesarian section
Amateur 'biohackers' who tinker with the genetic make-up of living organisms could develop new types of biological weapons, a leading academic has warned.

Professor John Parrington, a molecular biologist at Oxford University, claims cheap gene editing tools are becoming widely available around the world.

This is giving DIY scientists the chance to genetically alter organisms like bacteria and yeast to give them properties not seen in nature.

Genetic modification by biohackers (stock picture) could be misused to create harmful bacteria or viruses. If these were to escape or be used as bioweapons, they could cause widespread harm, which has raised fears in the security services

BIOHACKING THE BRAIN A pair of wealthy Americans are apparently looking for brain implants on the black market that will allow them to communicate with each other using the power of thought. That's according to presidential candidate Zoltan Istvan who believe that in a few decades, we could all be plugged into an AI 'matrix'. 'Eventually, this type of technology will allow us to be connected 24/7 to the internet and on social media,' he told the DailyMail.com. 'This is the beginning of the hive mind, where everyone is interconnected to one another.' Advertisement

While most of these are harmless activities, such as developing tests to identify fish being sold in restaurants or to create yeasts that will imbibe craft beer with new flavours, there are growing concerns this could be misused to cause harm.

The FBI is so concerned about the activities of biohackers it has set up a special branch within its Weapons of mass Destruction Directorate to engage with them.

Speaking at the British Science Festival in Swansea, Professor Parrington said there were concerns within the scientific community and security services that it could be used to create a new type of deadly virus or bacteria.

According to the Independent, he said: 'Who knows what will happen in the future. There's some disquiet among the security service about where this is all leading as you might imagine.'

There is a flourishing biohacking community in many parts of the world with amateur groups getting together to develop home-made approaches to studying biology.

For example, one group in London have been working to develop 3D printing that combines fruit juice and cellulose made by bacteria.

The CRISPR gene editing technology has hearlded a new era in the ability to edit and modify the genes of living organisms. Some biohacker groups have adopted the technology (CRISPR-CAS9 complex illustrated) to modify yeast and plants

Last year Nature reported that biohackers were also using cutting edge techniques like the gene editing tool CRISPR, which amateur scientists are already using to modify yeast and plants.

For example one group are attempting to engineer yeast to produce a protein found in milk called casein to create a new type of vegan cheese.

HOW DOES CRISPR WORK? CRISPR-Cas9 technology precisely changes target parts of genetic code. Unlike other gene-silencing tools, the CRISPR-Cas9 system targets the genome's source material and permanently turns off genes at the DNA level. The DNA cut  known as a double strand break  closely mimics the kinds of mutations that occur naturally, for instance after chronic sun exposure. But unlike UV rays that can result in genetic alterations, the CRISPR-Cas9 system causes a mutation at a precise location in the genome. When cellular machinery repairs the DNA break, it removes a small snip of DNA. In this way, researchers can precisely turn off specific genes in the genome. Advertisement

Others want to fiddle with yeast to alter the flavour of beer, which apparently one group based in London is already attempting.

Biohackers in Japan hope to reintroduce a gene into blue carnations sold in Japan to revert them back to their natural white state.

But the FBI has concerns about how this might be used and is attempting to engage with scientists working in this area to help establish ways of tackling potential risks.

Supervisory Special Agent Edward You from the FBI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate said last year: 'Synthetic biology poses some incredible benefits, but there are some risks involved too.

'Now is the time to be able to identify the vulnerabilities and then start setting up mitigation measures.'

In 2010, Mr You warned that as technologies for editing genomes and conducting biological research become less expensive, the risks involved will increase.

There are fears that as gene editing technology becomes cheaper and more readily available, it could be used to tweak the genes of infectious diseases (influenza virus pictured) to create new pathogens that could be used as bioweapons

He said: 'You're having the barrier of entry to do something mischievous, or actually outright nefarious, getting lower, so individuals or groups will be able to conduct potential harm more so than before.'

However, Professor Parrington, author of The deeper Genome and Redesigning Life, said creating new forms of harmful bacteria or viruses was not as simple as it first seems.
Since it was sunk by a Nazi ship in 1940, the whereabouts of HMS Tarpon has remained a mystery.

But 76 years on, Danish divers have discovered the Royal Navy vessel, 70 miles from the coast of Denmark.

The submarine was discovered in March this year, and new broadcast footage has brought pictures of the wreck to the world for the first time.

Divers who discovered the wreckage found that the engine room hatch was still shut but very damaged

T-CLASS SUBMARINES T-class submarines were designed in the 1930s by the Royal Navy. Their size of around 1325 tonnes was kept down to allow more hulls to be built within the tonnage restrictions of the London Treaty. The submarines had very powerful torpedoes, carried all their fuel internally and were constantly being improved throughout the war. Boats specifically intended for the far east had extra fuel tanks fitted to increase their range. Advertisement

HMS Tarpon was a T-class British submarine that left from Portsmouth in April 1940 to attack German merchant ships supplying weapons to Nazi-occupied Norway.

The submarine was sadly destroyed five days after it set off by a heavily armed German merchant vessel, killing at least 50 men on board.

Despite knowing the rough area where the submarine sunk, its wreckage remained undiscovered, until earlier this year.

The wreckage was found around 70 miles northwest of Thyboron by Gert Normann Andersen, a Danish museum owner, and Dr Innes McCartney, a marine archaeologist from the University of Bournemouth.

Both the propellers were present on the submarine, despite severe destruction where it appears that the vessel was hit by a depth charge

Divers found that both the propellers were present on the submarine, despite severe destruction where it appears that the vessel was hit by a depth charge.

They also found evidence that the submarine had been in battle, with two torpedo tubes empty.

German naval records suggest that HMS Tarpon had fired twice at a German merchant ship, both of which missed.

The submarine showed evidence that it had been in battle, as two torpedo tubes were empty, and much of the outside was damaged

The German ship used sonar technology to detect the submarine, and dropped depth charges, sinking the vessel within a matter of hours.

Footage of the wreck has now been released by DR3, a Danish TV station.

Dr McCartney told The Guardian: 'No one even knew it was there.

'It looked very bad. They had depth charged it on several occasions. The damage was so severe it would have flooded in seconds.'

A satellite image of HMS shows the huge submarine. The researchers have no plans to return to this site

A total of 57 British submarines were sunk in the second world war, including HMS P311, which was recently discovered off the coast of Italy, and the S-Class HMS Simoon, which was found off Turkey.

Speaking to The Guardian, Sheila Summer, who was just 11 months old when her father died on the submarine, said: 'It never crossed my mind that it would be found.

'It was thought-provoking to see the wreck on the bottom and to know my father had been in there.'

The researchers have no plans to return to the wreckage, and Dr Innes wrote on Facebook: 'It is the grave of 59 submariners and deserves to remain unspoiled. The position will not be divulged.'
Ants may be more resilient than you think.

A group of 100,000 ants trapped in a nuclear bunker in Poland have started their own kind of colony.

This is in spite of being trapped in the cold with limited food and light.

A group of 100,000 ants trapped in a nuclear bunker in Poland have started their own colony. Having, somewhat unfortunately, built their nest over the ventilation pipe of an old nuclear weapon bunker, every year a large number of the wood ants fall down the pipe

THE BUNKER COLONY The insects can scale its 7.5-foot-hight (2.3-metre) walls but the ants never walk across the ceiling. This means they are unable to reach the ventilation pipe to make it back home. The colony was first discovered in 2013 and when researchers, led by Professor Wojciech Czechowski at the Museum and Institute of Zoology in Warsaw, checked up on the ants last year they found the population had grown. The confined space within the bunker has not been the only obstacle the ants have been facing in their underground trap. On top of lacking food and light, the 'colony' also had to deal with the low temperatures between the 3.3 foot (one-metre) thick concrete walls. Throughout the whole year it was no more than 10 C (50 F). Advertisement

The tricky situation came about as a result of where they chose to place their home.

Having, somewhat unfortunately, built their nest over the ventilation pipe of an old nuclear weapon bunker, every year a large number of the wood ants fall down the pipe.

Unable to return to their colony, the ants are trapped in the bunker in Templewo, near Miedzyrzecz in western Poland - close to the German border.

But instead of perishing, they have already upped their numbers to rival big, mature natural colonies, while carrying on with their basic activities of nest maintenance, constructing and moulding.

This unique population was described in the open access Journal of Hymenoptera Research by the team led by Professor Wojciech Czechowski, from the Polish Academy of Science.

This is not the first case of ants building a new colony in strange places.

A colony of black ants was found in the chassis of an immobilised car, where the insects built their nest from mud and dry plant remnants stuck to the vehicle.

This case is unique because the ants were trapped in the bunker (pictured). The insects can scale its 7.5-foot-hight (2.3-metre) walls but the ants never walk across the ceiling. This means they are unable to reach the ventilation pipe to make it back home

HOW MANY ANTS ARE THERE? According to the estimates, the researchers counted at least several hundred thousand workers, arguably close to a million. An estimated two million ant corpses covered the bunker floor. When the researchers went back to the bunker in 2016, they found the mound's damage, caused on their previous visit, had been repaired. This meant the population still managed to maintain their nest almost as if they were leading a normal life. Advertisement

But this case is unique because the ants were trapped in the bunker. The insects can scale its 7.5-foot-hight (2.3-metre) walls but the ants never walk across the ceiling.

This means they are unable to reach the ventilation pipe to make it back home.

The colony was first discovered in 2013 and when researchers, led by Professor Czechowski, checked up on the ants last year they found the population had grown.

When the researchers went back to the bunker in 2016, they found the mound's damage, caused on their previous visit, had been repaired.

This meant the population still managed to maintain their nest almost as if they were leading a normal life.

'These ants gathered together and did what ants do,' Professor Terry McGlynn, an entomologist at the California State University Dominguez Hills, who was not involved in the study, told New Scientist.

'They built a nest and eked out an existence.'

The confined space within the bunker has not been the only obstacle the ants have been facing in their underground trap.

On top of lacking food and light, the 'colony' also had to deal with the low temperatures between the 3.3 foot (one-metre) thick concrete walls. Throughout the whole year it was no more than 10 C (50 F).

Because ants continue to fall into the trap, the 'colony' population increases even though they are not reproducing. An estimated two million ant corpses covered the bunker floor (pictured)

The severe conditions within the bunker made reproduction effectively impossible.

Although the scientists did undertake a special search for larvae, pupae, empty cocoons or queens, they found nothing. Nor did they find signs of male offspring.

Because ants continue to fall into the trap, the 'colony' population increases even though they are not reproducing.

An estimated two million ant corpses covered the bunker floor.
#USImmigrationLaw: 5 Facts About Illegal Immigration Laws

While it comes as no surprise to recent immigrants, the United States has rather strict immigration laws. For undocumented immigrants, also called "illegal immigrants" or "illegal aliens," the legal system can be scary.

Below are five important facts about US immigration laws relating to undocumented immigrants.

1. Undocumented Immigrants Can Seek Asylum

If an immigrant is seeking asylum from their home country due to persecution for political, religious, or personal beliefs, they may seek permanent residence status by filing for asylum. The caveat to filing for asylum: there is a time deadline.

Asylum applications must be filed within one year of the most recent entry into the country. This deadline can be extended when there are "changed circumstances" or "extraordinary circumstances." However, these exceptions must be supported by evidence and the delays must not be unreasonably long.

2. Undocumented Immigrants Are Not Untaxed Individuals

Just because a person is an "illegal immigrant," that doesn't mean they don't pay taxes. Between sales tax, gasoline tax, and so-called sin taxes (e.g. taxes on gambling and cigarettes), there's hardly a person, legal or not, in the country that can escape taxes. Remember those two things that are certain in life? They apply to everyone, even undocumented immigrants.

3. Undocumented Immigrants Can Have Documents

While there are millions of undocumented immigrants, there are a large number that actually had valid documents upon entry. Visitors travelling to the US as tourists or on business are not physically forced to leave when their documentation expires. While the authorities can physically deport a visitor whose papers have expired, most holdovers either seek permanent residence status or continue on as undocumented immigrants unbeknownst to the authorities.

4. Undocumented Immigrants Can Sue in US Courts

Undocumented immigrants are often bullied because they fear deportation for filing suit or participating in a court action. Even an individual that doesn't have citizenship, residency, or documentation showing they are legally in the country, has the right to sue. The US courts allow citizens and foreign individuals and entities to seek relief through the court if the dispute originates in the US or involves US parties. The worry over deportation due to filing suit should be addressed on a case by case basis by a qualified attorney.

5. The U-Visa for Victims of Crime

When undocumented immigrants are crime victims and assist authorities by providing information or testimony against the perpetrators, they can qualify for a U-Visa. A U-Visa authorizes an immigrant to become a resident and to legally work. The path to getting a U-Visa is not simple, requiring that the immigrant was exposed to a serious crime or was the victim of serious crime, such as human trafficking, torture, murder, or domestic violence.

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Microsoft pulled its $8 billion bid for Slack earlier this year in order to give its own messaging service more attention.

Now, it has been revealed that the software giant is developing a new work chat app under the umbrella of Skype.

Called Skype Teams, the service may look familiar to Slack users, with channels and direct messaging, but it will offer Threaded Conversation that mimics Facebook Comments.

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It has been revealed that Microsoft is developing a work chat app under the Skype brand. Called Skype Teams, the new service may look familiar to Slack users, with channels and direct messaging, but it will offer Threaded Conversation that mimics Facebook Comments

SKYPE TEAMS FEATURES MSPoweruser has revealed that Microsoft is working on a direct Slack competitor under the Skype brand, according to people familiar with the matter. Skype Teams will offer channels and direct messaging for users, two services found with Slack. However, what separate the two is that Skype Teams simplifies and organizes message replies. Called Threaded Conversations, users can reply to a message in a channel just by clicking the reply button and will be displayed similar to Facebook or Disqus Comments. Users can schedule meetings, share documents and file papers. Skype Teams also lets teams send emojis, GIFs, memes and more to spice up their workday. Advertisement

Back in March, news surfaced that Microsoft was mulling over an $8 billion bid to acquire Slack, which was sitting at a $3.8 billion valuation at the time.

However, Microsofts co-founder Bill Gates and CEO Satya Nadella killed the deal early, arguing that the money should be invested into Skype.

And Mehedi Hassan with MsPoweruser has revealed that Microsoft is working on a direct Slack competitor under the Skype brand, according to people familiar with the matter.

This new addition is believed to be packed with similar features found in Slack, but Microsoft has added a few of there own to standout.

Users will have the ability to chat in different groups within a team, which with Slack is known as channels.

And team members can converse with each other via Direct Messages.

However, what separates the two is that Skype Teams simplifies and organizes message replies.

Called Threaded Conversations, users can reply to a message in a channel just by clicking the reply button and will be displayed similar to Facebook or Disqus Comments.

Microsoft is still keeping true to Skype and plans to implement some of the services core features, such as video calling in both the channels and privately.

And to make the app more business friendly, the software tycoon has added tools that allows users to schedule online meetings and share files, notes, etc.

Slack (pictured) is a cloud-based tool that focuses on helping teams communicate better. Back in March, news surfaced that Microsoft was mulling over an $8 billion bid to acquire Slack, which was sitting at a $3.8 billion valuation at the time

To make the app more business friendly, Microsoft has added tools (left) that allow users to schedule online meetings, share presentations, etc. The app will also work with external services (right), specifically Office 365 and OneDrive

Microsoft has been steadily developing chat bots this year and MSPowerusers believes the firm will use technologies from its Bot Framework to work with Skype Teams.

Since this new service will be based on Skype, users should also expect to have access to some of the same features that made the messaging app so popular.

Microsoft plans to work with external services, specifically Office 365 and OneDrive, which is something Slack currently supports  the firm uses Google Drive, Dropbox and more third-party services.

The report also states that Skype Teams will include a feature called The Fun Picker, which will let users make chatting more colourful. Users can add emojis, GIFs from Giphy, Memes and more vibran media to spice up their workday

The report also states that Skype Teams will include a feature called The Fun Picker, which will let users make chatting more colourful.

Users can share emojis, GIFs from Giphy, memes and more vibrant media to spice up their workday.

There will also be a sidebar for quick access to the many features Skype Teams will offer and Microsoft series such as a Chat tab, a Teams tab, a Files tab  among others.

Skype Teams is currently being tested internally and Microsoft is planning to release it to the web and in a Windows app.
The rise of the internet of things has brought about a new era of personal security, especially for the super rich.

Artificial intelligence and connected smart devices now allow wealthy homeowners unprecedented control over their properties, with high-tech cameras and locking systems to help regulate exactly who goes in or out at all times.

But, while some have taken to extreme safeguarding measures, with rooms that can seal themselves off during a break in, and even plans for emergency evacuation via helicopter, lack of cyber security still leaves many customers sitting ducks, experts warn.

Artificial intelligence and connected smart devices now allow wealthy homeowners unprecedented control over their properties, with high-tech cameras and locking systems to help regulate exactly who goes in or out at all times. A stock image is pictured

HIGH-TECH HOME SECURITY Rich homeowners are turning to technology to keep their properties safer than ever. Facial recognition systems can learn regular visitors to pinpoint a stranger, and alert owners of their presence. Along with this, many have deployed smart shutter systems to seal off certain rooms in the event of a break in, and blast proof windows. Homeowners also use fingerprint-activated locks, which can control exactly when, where, and for how long certain individuals have access to the house. Advertisement

Wealthy homeowners in London are turning increasingly to smart technologies to keep their properties secure, the Financial Times reports.

This is especially the case for those moving from areas with higher security considerations, including Russia and eastern Europe.

Many are turning to artificial intelligence systems and facial recognition to monitor their homes, including devices from Paris-based start-up Netatmo, which learns to recognize regular visitors based on facial cues.

If an unknown visitor is detected, the owner will be alerted through a mobile app and can even view the person in question.

Machine learning has also made it possible for cameras to distinguish between a possible intruder and movement that may just have been caused by an animal.

As progress continues on deep learning algorithms, which Google and Facebook have both turned their sights on, capabilities in this domain are expected to improve to make homes even safer.

And, some of the sharpest security measures play out right at the front door, experts say.

Heyrick Bond-Gunning, chief executive of security company S-RM, tells FT that fingerprint-activated locks are a must.

Despite the high-tech measures taken to protect physical property, the experts say many still remain lax in their cybersecurity. Cyber criminals carry out roughly 83 percent of internet security attacks using just guesswork and information from social media

For those who employ staff around the house, programmable keys can control exactly when, where, and for how long these individuals will have access to the house.

Along with this, some homeowners are equipping rooms with security shutters, which quickly block off certain rooms in the event of a break in, FT reports.

Some have even added vinyl polymer coatings to their windows, making them blast resistant.

But, the experts warn that these defences dont keep you safe against hackers, who can easily gain access to home devices to monitor emails and other accounts.

Cyber criminals now carry out roughly 83 percent of internet security attacks using just guesswork and information from social media, Bond-Gunning tells FT.
Mercedes-Benz has transformed a van into a mobile distribution center - complete with drone parking.

Teaming up with drone startup Matternet, the concept 'Vision Van' acts as a landing and launch pad for Matternet M2 delivery drones that can carry up to 4.4 pounds for 12 miles on a single charge.

These drones connect to Mercedes-Benz van's on-board and cloud-based systems that automatically loads items into the drone with the help of robotic shelving systems.

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Mercedes-Benz has transformed a van into a mobile distribution center. Teaming up with drone startup Matternet, the concept 'Vision Van' acts as a landing and launch pad for Matternet M2 delivery drones that can carry up to 4.4 pounds for 12 miles on a single charge

DELIVERY WITH VISION VAN Using software and robots, packages are scanned, sorted and placed in specific racks, which are then loaded on to the truck with a driverless handling vehicle. Unlike Amazon and Google, Mercedes designed its method to work alongside human workers, which steer the van using a joystick and still delivery packages on foot. Matternet's new M2 drone sits on the roof above a door that opens when its time to deliver a package. Robotic shelving systems find the package for the drone and lock it inside a cargo area. And the drone is designed to track the van if it should relocate. If the package can be delivered by a human, the same system locates the parcel in the back of the van and sends it to the front for the driver to grab. Advertisement

'With the Vision Van from Mercedes-Benz Vans we provide an idea of future generations of vans: the intelligent automation technology connects the entire process, from loading and transportation by road through to delivery to the consignee,' said Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, in a statement.

'This makes it easier for the deliverer to do business and rapidly reduces the delivery time for end customers.'

Although drone delivery isn't a new idea, Mercedes' concept seems to be more practical.

Other firms, such as Amazon and Google, designed their aerial vehicles to travel back and forth to warehouses in order to pick up and drop off packages, which in the end can be time consuming.

The German car maker's innovation also does not push human employees out of a job, but creates an environment where they work side-by-side.

Vision Van is an all-electric vehicle that combines a range of innovative solutions for last-mile delivery in urban and suburban areas, which is the movement of goods from a fulfillment center to the final destination.

'Equipped with an electric drive system, the Vision Van not only operates locally emission-free, it also moves almost silently,' Mornhinweg.

'This means that it can be operated in cities even during times when there are traffic restrictions or for late-night deliveries in residential areas.

'This gives our customers the possibility of offering new services to their customers.'

Vision Van is an all-electric vehicle that combines a range of innovative solutions for last-mile delivery in urban and suburban areas, which is the movement of goods from a fulfillment center to the final destination

Vision Van has about 100 horsepower and can drive for 168 miles on one full charge. The German car maker's innovation also does not push human employees out of a job, but creates an environment where they work side-by-side

Mercedes-Benz describes how it envisions the typical day would play out for a ride-along employee of the Vision Van team.

Packages are scanned, sorted and placed in assigned special racks by automated machines,

And then these racks are loaded onto the van by a driverless handling vehicle.

AMAZON WILL BEGIN TESTING DELIVERY DRONES IN BRITAIN Amazon plans to test its delivery drones in Britain, meaning customers in the UK could soon receive their packages from the internet giant by air, rather than post. The move is the result of a deal with the British government and could see customers in the UK trial the new service before those in the US. The partnership aims to understand how drones can be used safely and reliably, and identify the best regulations to put in place. Amazon got British approval for three new types of tests: Flying drones (one shown) that are no longer within sight of their operators in rural and suburban areas. But Starship Technologies could be the firm to take over ground deliveries The plan is for Amazon's PrimeAir service to eventually deliver small packages weighing up to 5lbs (2.27kg) in 30 minutes or less. The world's biggest online retailer, which has laid out plans to start using drones for deliveries by 2017, said a cross-government team supported by the UK Civil Aviation Authority has provided it with the permissions necessary to explore the process. Flights will begin 'imminently,' according to The Mirror. Amazon got British approval for three new types of tests: Flying drones that are no longer within sight of their operators in rural and suburban areas, having one person operate several highly automated drones and testing devices to make the drones able to identify and avoid obstacles. During the test the drones will be only allowed to fly an altitude of 400ft (122m) and kept away from operating near airport flightpaths. Advertisement

The employee enters the Vision Van through an automatic door and uses a joystick to steer it along their route - the vehicle also runs silently and free of local emissions.

Vision Van has about 100 horsepower and can drive for 168 miles on one full charge.

Once the driver reaches a deliver destination, the robot shelving system inside of the van locates the specific package and passes it up front where the human worker can grab it.

Mercedes-Benz describes how it envisions the typical day would play out for a ride-along employee of the Vision Van team. Packages are scanned, sorted and placed in assigned special racks, which are then loaded onto the van by a driverless handling vehicle

The employee enters the Vision Van and uses a joystick to steer it along their route - the vehicle also runs silently and free of local emissions. And Matternet M2 drones are position on the roof and ready to get to work

Mercedes feels this process saves time, as the driver does not have to run to the back of the truck and sift through hundreds of packages.

And setting up the drone for a delivery is also automated.

Underneath the positioned rooftop drone is a port that opens up when a package is ready for delivery, and the small parcel is fitted inside a cargo area of the aerial vehicle before it takes off.

Underneath the neatly positioned rooftop drone is a port that opens up when a package is ready and the small parcel is fitted inside a cargo area of the aerial vehicle before it takes off. The Matternet M2 drone is capable of dropping and reloading a payload and battery without human interaction, and can track the van if it moves to a different location

The Matternet M2 drone (pictured) is capable of dropping and reloading a payload and battery without human interaction, and can track the van if it moves to a different location. It can carry up to 4.4lbs for 12 miles

The Matternet M2 drone is capable of dropping and reloading a payload and battery without human interaction, and can track the van if it moves to a different location.

Matternet has been running drone deliveries for medical supplies in countries for the past year in countries including Switzerland, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
An extensive spa offering many treatments and a gym are just two of the added extras in the luxury spot

Waiters can even be called with a button both in the restaurants and by the pool for the ultra lazy getaway

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Until now I had always considered adult only hotels to have something of the risque about them.

I had imagined them filled with enamoured couples feeding each other strawberries, dancing on the beach at sunset, massages a deux and champagne in bed.

You can of course do all these things at Amare Marbella Beach hotel in the south of Spain it turns out - and you dont necessarily need to have that special someone to share it with although it might help.

The hotel, which only opened in February of this year, attracts groups of friends as well as solo travellers and couples looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enter a cocoon of elegance and calm

Spacious rooms boost a sheer expanse of white and a sea-view balcony, not to mention little bowls of sweets  the perfect pick me up after a flight  and yep, strawberries

The hotel, which only opened in February of this year, attracts groups of friends as well as solo travellers and couples looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enter a cocoon of elegance and calm.

And you dont have to travel far to achieve it, with Malaga airport just a two-and-a-half-hour flight from London and the hotel a 45-minute taxi transfer  its the ultimate tranquil weekend getaway.

The fruit-infused water on arrival and the large, airy open space of the lobby looking out onto the beachfront instantly relaxes me. And thats before Ive even got to my room.

The minute I slot my key card in classical music starts to fill the contemporary room - of course it does, I think to myself as I take in the sheer expanse of white, the sea-view balcony and the little bowls of sweets waiting for me  the perfect pick me up after a flight  and yep, strawberries.

But its when I climb into the shower that the adult element comes fully creeping back to me though: the cubicle is made entirely of glass and juts out into the bedroom with just a thin curtain to pull across one side.

While I sadly have no other half to share what could well be a Hollywood-worthy scene, I content myself with brazenly pulling aside the curtain and enjoying the view of the blue sky and sea across the bed as I lather in the shampoo. Its a far cry from the peeling ceiling and mouldy bath in my rented house in London.

Each restaurant at the hotel encompasses a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere with the menus ensuring quality food and variety

The Amare lounge a modern space with a chill-out area and bar - opens up onto the pool where sunbeds of all shapes and sizes greet you

It's easy to forget your troubles with a view like this be it with friends or a partner - just remember your sunscreen!

During the day, the Amare Pool is the perfect place to relax and unwind. The spacious sunbeds come with a call button that is conveniently linked to a watch worn by the staff, ensuring that every whim is catered for

Refreshed, I head down to the restaurant in the Amare lounge for lunch  a modern space with a chill-out area and bar which opens up onto the pool.

The menu offers so many tempting options that it is nigh impossible to choose but eventually I plump for a starter of guacamole, hummus and pitta bread twinned with sparkling sangria. Is it terribly naive of me to admit I had previously thought sangria could only be red and still?

The guacamole is some of the best Id had in a long time, but nothing could prepare me for the rack of mouth-watering BBQ ribs which just fall off the bone  thankfully avoiding any inelegant bone gnawing and messy sauce smearing. A glass of crisp, local white wine rounds off the perfect first Marbellan meal.

And should you need anything else, no awkward gesticulating at a waiter is needed, you quite simply push a button on the table and a server will magically appear  ideal if youre trying to enjoy a romantic moment and dont want to ruin it by yelling across the room in Spanish-accented English in the hopes that the barmen will understand better (or is it only my mother who does that?).

After all that indulgence I haul myself to the beachfront. The vast sun loungers are laid out so snugly in twos I can't help think that, like the showers, they really would be better shared. Not to mention they are incredibly comfortable (not like those nasty plastic ones youre forced to shell out 20 for to some beady-eyed, monosyllabic man in budgie smugglers on other European beaches).

The exclusive Amare beach area offers comfortable sunbeds, massages on the beach and as the sun sets, guests can enjoy the chilled out sounds of the resident DJ, who plays a set every afternoon

Guests will also experience special events, such as the Amare evenings, with performances and acrobatics, vibrant Cuban nights and romantic Full Moon Evenings

The Amare Beach restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Marbella. This beach side restaurant offers tasty tapas, the freshest seafood, as well as wood-fired pizzas and gourmet burgers

It is bizarre but entirely welcome not be surrounded by wailing children. Instead one simply lies and listens to the waves crashing gently onto the beach and the cries of the fishermen out on the promenade (which would explain the abundance of fresh sea-food on all the menus).

For those feeling adventurous of an afternoon, the hotel also offers rather fetching bikes, complete with wooden, faux-rustic bicycle boxes. Sadly, being the same height as the average UK 12-year-old boy I am unable to use them without my feet dangling off the ground. It is the only point of the holiday when I wish the hotel offered kids versions too.

Before dinner I make my way up to the Belvue Rooftop Bar  the only one of its kind in Marbella, offering unrivalled, panoramic views of the Mediterranean. I was told its the perfect sunset-watching location (no doubt perfect for smug couples looking for that selfie moment) but I am much more intrigued by the mist settling atmospherically upon the mountains behind the hotel.

Dinner is served buffet-style in the Mare Nostrum restaurant, which offers Mediterranean fusion cuisine throughout the day. Inviting fire pits are dotted around the room, which is designed in cool white and blue hues and looks out on to the sea.

Everything about the urban, sophisticated interior of the hotel  with steel and glass making up the three-dimensional shapes and curves used throughout the building - reflects the Mediterranean landscape.

Again here I am spoilt for choice with food. Helpful chefs are on hand to whip up the options du jour, be it fresh pasta with a range of sauces, or succulent langoustines, cooked to perfection before your eyes. Mini salads and cold sides are also on offer. The hotel in general appears to like tiny things, I observe, as dessert too is an enchanting collection of tiny cakes as well as an abundance of fresh fruit.

Eventually, exhausted from travelling, the decadent meals and the too-easy-to-drink wine, my bed beckons. I am delighted to find it has been already turned down, with gentle mood lighting glowing. Resisting the temptation to pillage the excellently stocked mini bar I ready myself for sleep.

While the enormous white bed is very comfortable, it is somewhat irksome to be able to hear quite so much activity in the next-door room. Fortunately in my case it is just a lone female clip-clopping around in her heels and opening drawers, but what if it had been a couple, enthused by the Flamenco Evening downstairs (just one of the musical performances laid on by the hotel) settling in for a night of passion? Thank goodness Id had the forethought to bring ear-plugs.

The Mare Nostrum Restaurant serves a fantastic breakfast buffet in the morning and Mediterranean fusion cuisine throughout the day, using only the freshest local ingredients

During the evening, entertainment is on offer to suit every guest, such as themed parties, live music and a mojito or two

The evenings are perfect for enjoying signature sundowners with incredible panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea, from the only rooftop bar in Marbella, Bel Vue

Opposite the sea are impressive mountains - atmospheric when the mist settles upon them

The rooftop bar is worth the trek to the top of the building for its delicious selection of cocktails

Those who do enjoy some late-night fun will be glad to know that breakfast continues until 11am and is definitely worth going to. Name a breakfast food and it is probably on offer - from classic fry-up fare to local cheeses and honey as well as jugs of glorious fresh orange juice, all of which can be enjoyed on the outside terrace.

For tourists looking to get out and about the traditional charm of Marbella old town is a mere five minutes walk away while the glittering glam of party town Puerto Banus is just a short taxi ride from the hotel.

But for those who just want to make the most of Amare (the word itself mingling the Spanish terms for love and the sea) theres plenty more to do, be it swinging in the poolside cushioned chairs and ordering cocktails, relaxing in the VIP The One lounge for those lucky enough to have upgraded (its worth it for the help-yourself booze), or heading down to the gym and spa.

Needless to say I myself instantly eschew the gym  I have come abroad to find peace not sweat and exercise (at least not alone) so I head down to explore the pool and jacuzzi as well as the sauna and the steam room before heading to a candlelit Aromas of Andalusia Massage.

I have to say its name is somewhat misleading as I can't smell any of the lavender, olives and citric fruits it purported to be using and despite asking the masseuse to use more force, it remains a somewhat bland experience throughout - perfectly pleasant, but perhaps not worth its hefty 80 plus price tag.

But when the time comes to leave I was loathe to leave my bubble of harmony and return to the toil and strife of the real world. You mean I cant summon people at the touch of a button?

Amare has certainly got my blessing. But perhaps next time Ill go with a dashing young man and put that glass shower to its proper use.

Those who do enjoy some late-night fun will be glad to know that breakfast continues until 11am and is definitely worth going to. Name a breakfast food and it is probably on offer

The spa at the hotel includes a hydrotherapy circuit with professional treatments and massages, as well as relaxation areas and a Turkish bath

Relax, kick back and indulge in an array of rejuvenating and restoring spa treatments at the Germanie de Capuccini Spa
A Malaysia-bound AirAsia X plane which took off from Sydney ended up in Melbourne instead after the pilot entered the aircraft's wrong longitudinal position, safety officials revealed on Wednesday.

The Airbus A330-300 left Sydney en route to Kuala Lumpur on March 10 last year but air traffic controllers went on alert after it began flying in the wrong direction, having been spotted on the wrong runway earlier.

They radioed the crew but attempts to fix the problem only led to 'further degradation of the navigation system, as well as to the aircraft's flight guidance and flight control systems', the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said following an investigation.

An AirAsia flight mistakenly travelled to Melbourne instead of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia due to a series of errors (stock image)

The pilot, who had been flying A330s for 18 months, decided to return to Sydney but bad weather forced him to fly manually to Melbourne, where he landed safely, it said.

'The ATSB found that when setting up the aircraft's flight management and guidance system, the captain inadvertently entered the wrong longitudinal position of the aircraft,' it said.

'This adversely affected the onboard navigation systems. However, despite a number of opportunities to identify and correct the error, it was not noticed until after the aircraft became airborne and started tracking in the wrong direction.'

The ATSB also found that the plane was not fitted with an upgraded flight management system that would have prevented the data entry error.

'The flight crew attempted to troubleshoot and rectify the situation while under heavy workload,' the ATSB said.

'Combined with limited guidance from the available checklists, this resulted in further errors by the flight crew in the diagnosis and actioning of flight deck switches.'

The incident, which took place in March 2015, was was confirmed by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) on September 7 this year, following an investigation (stock image)

The low-cost Malaysian carrier has since shared the incident with all its pilots and developed a new training manual for its flight crews, the ATSB added.

The Malaysian group suffered its first fatal incident in December 2014, when AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crashed in stormy weather off Indonesia with 162 people on board.

That followed two Malaysia Airlines incidents in the same year which left more than 500 people dead, raising concerns among some travellers about the safety of the country's carriers.
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A former passenger ferry that used to transport up to 150 people at a time before it was converted into a quaint houseboat has gone on the market.

The Sheppey Queen has had a varied past that has seen it move around the country from the Isle of Wight to Scotland, Cornwall to London and but has now gone full circle back to Faversham in Kent.

Old photos show the vessel once crammed with travellers with barely any room to move, but it is now a comfortable home on the water for anyone who wants to try out their sea legs.

From the top the 50ft boat looks very much like it might have in its former life as a ferry, with a deck running all the way round

Below deck it has a saloon with a kitchen area that has all the amenities needed including a fridge, kettle and sink, a dining area, seating bench and a bath

The Sheppey Queen has had a varied past that has seen it move around the country from the Isle of Wight to Scotland, Cornwall to London and but has now gone full circle back to Faversham in Kent

The boat is being sold by agents Geering & Colyer for 108,000 but does not come with a mooring so whoever buys it will need to find somewhere to keep it or head out on the open sea.

Sheppey Queen was built in 1946 to replace a boat that was sent to help the war effort at Dunkirk but did not return.

From 1946 to 1948 the boat ferried pleasure trippers around the Swale, carrying up to 120 people within a three-mile radius of the Isle of Sheppey.

It was then bought by two boatbuilding brothers from Scotland, William and James Bald Fergusson, who sailed the ship up the east coast, through the Caledonian Canal to the Holy Loch by Dunoon.

The ferry comes complete with a bespoke wooden bath, although anyone soaking in the tub would need to crane their neck for a sea view from the port holes

There is also a separate toilet and a cabin on the other side of the engine room. Pictured (left) is the kitchen and (right) an area to unwind

The boat is being sold by Geering & Colyer for 108,000 but does not come with a mooring so whoever buys it will need to find somewhere to keep it or head out on the open sea

The Sheppey Queen then spent ten years ferrying up to 150 people to the western islands, including Arran, and along the Clyde river.

After that it was owned by a Cornish fisherman and a farmer in the Scilly Isles before becoming a ferry for the Ford factory, running workers back and forth across the Thames from Erith to Dagenham, for 20 years.

It also ran as a 12-person passenger ferry from the Isle of Wight in the 1980s, with the family who owned it living onboard.

Owner Alexandra Whittall, who bought the boat in 2000, has spent years researching the little boat's colourful past and even met Raymond Wilson, who built the boat when he worked at the Sittingbourne Ship Building Company.

From the top the 50ft boat looks very much like it might have in its former life as a ferry, with a deck running all the way round.

Below deck it has a saloon with a kitchen area that has all the amenities needed including a fridge, kettle and sink, a dining area, seating bench and a bath. There is also a separate toilet and a cabin on the other side of the engine room.

Old photos show the vessel once crammed with travellers with barely any room to move, but it is now a comfortable home on the water for anyone who wants to try out their sea legs

Sheppey Queen was built in 1946, funded by Admiralty money, to replace the Silver Queen, a boat that was sent to help the war effort at Dunkirk but did not return. From 1946 to 1948 the boat ferried pleasure trippers around the Swale, carrying up to 120 people within a three-mile radius of the Isle of Sheppey

Whittall, 50, a nutrition consultant who runs a mobile catering company, said: 'I fell in love with Sheppey Queen and I have spent the last 16 years restoring Sheppey Queen to some of her former glory.

'She has been surveyed every five years, and each time, good works have been carried out on the hull and framework. This year she is 70.

'She is a strong and beautiful vessel. Quite unique.

'The last 16 years, have been some of the most magical that I have ever lived. It is undeniably hard work, attempting to restore a classically built wooden ship but every moment has been worth it and I feel proud of myself for achieving it.

The Sheppey Queen then spent ten years ferrying up to 150 people to the western islands, including Arran, and along the Clyde river

'Sheppey Queen is still a cruising vessel, I've lived onboard for 14 years.

'Her below decks have not been converted but have been adapted to various uses over the years.

'I've worked to create very comfortable living quarters so that you can cast off and catch the tide at any given moment.

'There's a 12v electric system that provides what I need when I go to sea and the bath has a manual pump so you can still have a bath even when you are in the middle of the sea.

'I find the history fascinating and love the fact so many people have travelled and had fun on this boat.

'It has been a really hard decision to sell but I got married two years ago and it's time for me to move on to a new adventure with my husband.
Tourists are being told to avoid areas of London 'populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people' in a Chinese airline's in-flight magazine.

Wings of China, the in-flight magazine for Air China, made the 'racist' comment in a travel article on the UK capital.

The article, printed in both English and Chinese, said: 'London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people.'

The article in the latest issue of Wings of China magazine was printed in both English and Chinese as pictured above

Chinese journalist Haze Fan tweeted a picture of the advice after reading the magazine while travelling with colleagues on Tuesday

Air China is Asia's third largest airline and operates twice daily flights between London and Beijing.

Chinese journalist Haze Fan tweeted a picture of the advice after reading the magazine while travelling with colleagues on Tuesday.

Ms Fan said she is a 'big fan' of London, having lived in the city for a year doing a masters course.

In the tweet she asked Mayor of London Sadiq Khan what he thought of the article.

People immediately responded on social media, calling the phrase - which is repeated in both Mandarin and English in the magazine - 'racist.'

Wings of China, the in-flight magazine for Air China, made the 'racist' comment in a travel article on the UK capital (file photo)

The article continued: 'We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling.'

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting which has one of the largest Indian and Pakistani populations in London, said: 'My initial thoughts were that the comments were outrageous.

'I think that it is offensive to Londoners and I would like to see it removed. I would also like to ask the airline why they thought these precautions needed to be taken.

'Why they feel they needed to warn people of something that is not reflective of London at all?

'I think it is offensive to all Londoners, not just the ethnic minorities mentioned.

The article said: 'London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people' (file photo)

'We pride ourselves on having a wonderfully diverse community, and this may mean people come here with a different idea, it is worrying that some may arrive concerned.

'I am going to be writing to the Chinese Ambassador to invite him to visit Tooting in London, where all races live side by side. Then they can see how we live and our wonderfully diverse community.'

Virendra Sharma, Labour MP for Ealing Southall, added on Twitter: 'This is offensive and I hope AirChina will remove this magazine and apologise immediately.'

According to government agency VisitBritain, more than 270,000 Chinese people visited Britain in 2015, up 46 per cent on 2014, and they spent 586 million in total (up 18 per cent on 2014).

It's not the first time a Chinese company has been caught up in a race row over advertorial or commercial content.

In May a Chinese cosmetics company had to apologise for a detergent advert which showed a black man being put in a washing machine and emerging as a smiling, clean, Asian man.

The campaign was widely criticised as 'the most racist commercial ever'.
The squeamish should look away now.

A photojournalist on assignment in Arctic Siberia is responsible for thousands of watering eyes this week, thanks to a picture he posted online of his feet covered in a swarm of mosquitoes.

Amos Chapple, from New Zealand, captured the image after a day spent trekking through the Russian wilderness, and it has now been viewed more than 40,000 times.

Amos Chapple, from New Zealand, has been in Siberia covering the illegal mining of mammoth tusks. One day he took his socks off and in a minute his feet were covered in more than 100 mosquitoes

The insects had proved problematic throughout his trip, but the issue escalated during a brief pit stop he made to dry out a pair of socks he was wearing.

He said: 'I was covering the illegal hunt for mammoth tusks in Arctic Siberia and one difficult-to-photograph aspect of life up there was the mozzies.

'After I fell in a river I pulled off my socks to squeeze the water out and this started to happen.

'I kept my feet out for about a minute before taking the photo. [A] little vision of hell.'

Men are using illegal methods to hunt for tusks from extinct woolly mammoths in Arctic Siberia

The photographer spent several days in the country documenting how men are using illegal methods to hunt for tusks from extinct woolly mammoths for an article.
along with other stunning shortlisted entries

Here Mail Online Travel reveals the five incredible

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The winners of a national photography competition to find Britain's ultimate seascapes have been revealed.

One of the UK's oldest maritime charities, the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, which provides financial support to former seafarers and their dependants, was on the lookout for striking images that illustrate the awe-inspiring British coastline.

From photographs of ships and harbours to seafarers and coastline, they received almost 800 entries from across the UK with the winning and shortlisted images focusing on a range of subjects including abandoned wrecks, fisherman hauling in their nets and lone beachgoers standing against an empty shore.

Chief executive, Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, Malcolm Williams said: 'We created the competition with the aim of finding an image that best portrays our country's enduring relationship with the sea, in order to raise awareness of the Society's work.'

He added: 'We have had some outstanding entries from across the UK which not only encapsulate that enduring relationship, but also acted as a platform for people to celebrate their own special piece of our coastline.'

The overall winner was a picture submitted by David Lyon of huge waves crashing into the path of a ferry in Newhaven, East Sussex - ironically named Nice Day for a Cruise. Here Mail Online Travel reveals the five incredible winners along with other stunning shortlisted entries.

David Lyon won the competition with his ironically named photograph Nice Day for a Cruise, taken in Newhaven, East Sussex, picturing the onslaught of huge waves crashing into the path of a ferry

Rev Dr Richard Hainsworth, winner of the people and the sea category competition, submitted this striking image of a lone man out at sea, named Solace taken at Crosby Beach in Liverpool

Fishing gear and a dramatic skyline at Beadnell Harbour in Northumberland was snapped by Alan Warriner, making him the winner of the industry category in the UK's ultimate sea view photography competition

Forgotten by Alex M Iacobet, featuring two abandoned beached ships on a stony shore won him the ships and wrecks category

Rev Dr Richard Hainsworth won the coastal view category with his image of Talacre Lighthouse on the north coast of Wales

Shortlisted entries

Jen Thorpe's playful photo of a crab's claw sticking out of a piece of wood in Eastbourne is called Hide and Seek

William Allen aptly called his picture In the Shadow of Giants as he photographed a towering oil rig in Belfast Harbour

Alessio Putzu took this magical photo of Durdle-Door in Dorset with the iconic arch framed by the vivid colours of the sunset-filled sky and the turquoise sea

The stately, solitary figure of St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, was snapped by Alan Warriner

Brian Whitehead took this vibrant image of the Sailors Church and Harbour Mission and the Smack Boys Home at Ramsgate Harbour in Ramsgate, Kent

Selsey Life Boat Station in Selsey, Chichester, looks almost cinematic in this black-and-white photo by Carole Baker

David Head photographed a rocky outcrop and sea stack known locally as Charlie's Garden in Collywell Bay, Seaton Sluice, on the Northumberland coast

Like something from the legends of King Arthur, Ballycotton in Ireland possesses a spell-binding quality in Dave Keeley's picture

Gary Solomon entitled this image of the lone man Solitude, taken while in Hunstanton, Norfolk

As its name suggests there does indeed seem to be something ethereal about this image of Holy Island in Northumberland by Gary Soloman

Rocks dominates this photo of the Portcoon Jetty west of the Giant's Causeway - a mass of basalt columns at the northern coast of Ireland - snapped by William Allen

Taken from an unusual angle, Stephen Hornsey wittily named his photo of Steetly Pier in Hartlepool as Piering Out

Stephen Hornsey took this image, called 199 Steps - for obvious reasons - in Whitby, North Yorkshire, at dusk

The serenity of Isle Ornsay Lighthouse in Scotland is depicted as beams of light break from the clouds in this image by Rev Dr RIchard Hainsworth

Fisherman drag their vessel on to the beachfront in this aptly named image, Coming Ashore by Paul Turner photographed in Hastings, East Sussex

The pebbles on this Devon beach appear to show a myriad of colours under a cloudy sky in Nigel Martin's picture of a storm brewing in Brixham
She's the affable actress who was named Australia's most popular TV personality in 2013, picking up the coveted Gold Logie award.

And according to her Offspring co-star TJ Power, Asher Keddie shares the same star qualities of America's sweetheart and Oscar-winner Julia Roberts.

Speaking to The Herald Sun about his experiences working with both actresses, TJ said: 'With Asher, people respect her on set because she's good at her job. It is the same with Julia.'

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Comparing: Actor TJ Power has explained the similarities between his Offspring co-star Asher Keddie and former Eat Pray Love co-star Julia Roberts

Similar: According to TJ, Asher (L) and Jula (R) both 'respect' people on-set and are seasoned professionals

He continued: 'She comes on set, introduces herself if she doesn't know someone, is there to work but wants to make sure everyone is having a good time.'

TJ is most well-known for his role in the 2010 soul-searching flick Eat Pray Love, starring alongside Julia and Javier Bardem.

The drama school graduate returned to Australia recently to pick up the role of Will Bowen on the Network Ten series.

Hollywood break: TJ's most well-known overseas for his role in the 2010 film alongside Julia and Javier Bardem

New blood: TJ joined the Offspring cast in its sixth season and plays the role of handsome lawyer Will Bown

Despite early trailers promoting his character speculating he might be a new love interest for Asher's character Nina Proudman, a plot twist revealed the handsome lawyer to be the half-brother of Nina, Billie (Kat Stewart) and Jimmy (Richard Davies).

TJ's comments come just days after Asher's own admission that she's difficult to work with due to her different method of learning the script.

'To be honest, I'm not an actor who learns lines by rote,' the blonde actress told Nova radio.

Secret identity: Will's identity as Nina's (Asher Keddie) half-brother was revealed during their father Darcy's (John Waters) funeral

Sea change: TJ returned from the US to pick up the role on the popular Network Ten show

'It must be godawful working with me, actually!'

Revealing her co-stars might find it frustrating, the Melbourne-based star said: 'I'm probably infuriating to work with, particularly in Offspring, because I'm in pretty much every scene so I need the other actors around me to be able to pull of the spontaneity of that character.'

Meanwhile, previous claims published in New Idea revealed a rivalry between Asher and Kat, who plays her on-screen sister.

Difficult? Asher recently admitted she's difficult to work with because she's 'not an actor who learns lines by rote'

'The thing everyone is noticing is the strain between Kat and Asher,' an insider said.

It's gone to the next level. You can cut the tension with a knife.'

The source added: 'It's awkward to say the least... Asher and Kat are always very professional but life on the set is far from perfect.'

The actresses were forced to tackle the claims head-on weeks later during an appearance on The Project to promote the show.

Rivalry? Reports surfaced earlier this year of a feud between Asher and her co-star Kat Stewart, with an insider claiming the pair don't get along on-set

Quizzed about the allegations that they don't get along on-set, Asher said: 'She [Kat] has no filters. That's why she's so difficult to work with.'

'We're actually being quite shocked it's taken so long to come out,' the blonde beauty sarcastically said before questioning Kat: 'I think it's really obvious, don't you?'

Kat, 43, was quick to respond, saying: 'It's not chemistry, it's my acting.'
No, Not Every Car From Colorado Is Smuggling Pot

Colorado legalized recreational marijuana use a few years ago and neighbors of the Rocky Mountain State lost their collective minds. Nebraska and Oklahoma sued Colorado, hoping the Supreme Court would clamp down on the state's new pot laws. And apparently Kansas cops have just been pulling over every car with Colorado plates, claiming that just having license plates from a weed-legal state was grounds for detention and search.

But the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals isn't buying it, nor was it buying two Kansas Highway Patrol officers' claims of immunity for calling drug-sniffing dogs to a traffic stop, just because the driver had Colorado plates.

Where You From?

Kansas Patrolmen Richard Jimerson and Dax Lewis pulled over Peter Vasquez in 2011 (back when Colorado was just a medical marijuana state), ostensibly because they couldn't read the temporary tag taped inside his tinted rear window. Instead of merely issuing Vasquez a warning for the obscured tag, Jimerson and Lewis, after learning Vasquez was driving from Colorado to Maryland, requested a drug dog to search the vehicle. The search turned up nothing.

Vasquez sued the officers, claiming they violated his Fourth Amendment rights. Jimerson and Lewis defended their actions, claiming that, among other things, "Vasquez was a citizen of Colorado, driving alone on Interstate 70 from Colorado through Kansas." A district court was convinced, and granted the officers immunity.

The Fourth Amendment, Gone to Pot

The Tenth Circuit was less than impressed with that line of reasoning:

As we have said previously, "that the defendant[] [was] traveling from a drug source city--or . . . a drug source state -- does little to add to the overall calculus of suspicion." Such a factor is "so broad as to be indicative of almost nothing." Moreover, our fellow circuits have concluded the state of residence of a detained motorist is an "extremely weak factor, at best" in the reasonable suspicion calculus because "interstate motorists have a better than equal chance of traveling from a source state to a demand state."

The judges reversed the district court's ruling, and stripped the officers of their qualified immunity, allowing Vasquez's case to proceed. But they weren't quite done. In some language that could prove critical for citizens, officers, and courts outside the Tenth Circuit's jurisdiction (Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming) the court noted the ridiculous results that could flow from the officers' arguments:

...Currently, twenty-five states permit marijuana use for medical purposes, with Colorado, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and Washington, D.C. permitting some recreational use under state law. Thus, the Officer's reasoning would justify the search and seizure of the citizens of more than half of the states in our country. It is wholly improper to assume that an individual is more likely to be engaged in criminal conduct because of his state of residence, and thus any fact that would inculpate every resident of a state cannot support reasonable suspicion. Accordingly, it is time to abandon the pretense that state citizenship is a permissible basis upon which to justify the detention and search of out-of-state motorists, and time to stop the practice of detention of motorists for nothing more than an out-of-state license plate.

So there you have it, cops: you're going to have to do a little bit better than a pot-friendly-state license plate if you want to justify a drug dog search.

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Oprah Winfrey has managed to avoid the altar during 30 years of togetherness with Stedman Graham thus far and, contrary to one recent report, she intends to keep it that way.

The 62-year-old media mogul took to Twitter to shoot down a claim that she and her 65-year-old beau were planning a 'dream wedding' followed by a '$4 million honeymoon.'

Oprah felt compelled to say something after friends congratulated her on setting the date and then wanted to know why they hadn't gotten an invitation.

Setting the record straight: Oprah Winfrey took to Twitter to shoot down a claim that she and her 65-year-old beau were planning a 'dream wedding' followed by a '$4 million honeymoon'

No wedding bells: The 62-year-old media mogul felt compelled to tweet the truth after friends congratulated her and wondered why they hadn't received a wedding invitation

'6 people who know me well have called today congratulating me or surprised they weren't invited to my wedding,' Oprah tweeted, adding with emphasis: 'IT' s NOT TRUE!!(sic)'

The rumours seemed to start after Star Magazine published a story last week in which a source revealed how Oprah - in the midst of an epiphany - consented to be Stedman's wife.

'Oprah was making breakfast for Stedman when he casually made a joke about getting married,' the publication quoted the source as saying.

Happily unmarried: Oprah and her 65-year-old beau have been going steady for about 30 years; they were all smiles as they attended an event last year

'It suddenly dawned on her how Stedman has never asked her for anything or pressured her in any way, and how she's been able to do whatever she wants.

The source told Star: 'That's when Oprah connected the dots and realized it was her turn to show how much she cares about what he wants. I heard she said "yes," and Stedman couldn't believe it. He thought she was joking with him.'

However, a few of Oprah's closest did 'believe it' too and so Oprah felt obliged to say that no wedding was in the works.

Proposal: The former talk show queen revealed that Stedman (pictured with her in 1986) proposed a few years into their relationship but that she never really wanted marriage

She knows her own mind: Oprah (pictured with Stedman in 1989) said last year, 'I don't want to be married, because I could not have the life that I created for myself. I couldn't do it'

Oprah and Stedman started dating in 1986 and, as the OWN boss revealed in a Super Soul Sunday chat with Shonda Rhimes last year, her partner did pop the question several years ago, but that the thought of marriage just didn't agree with her.

'The moment he asked me to marry him I was like: "Oh God, now I actually have to get married?"' Oprah said.

'What I realized is, I don't want to be married, because I could not have the life that I created for myself. I couldn't do it.'

When her friend Tina Turner wed Erwin Bach in 2013, Oprah had to tackle the subject once again.

'Untraditional': Oprah said that Stedman 'would tell you that had we married, we would not be together today... he's a traditional man and this is a very untraditional relationship'

'Tina was like, "Oprah, you need to do this. You need to do it." I was just thinking, "Well, OK, would things really be different?" And no, I don't think so,' Winfrey told Access Hollywood.

'If you ever interviewed (Stedman), he would tell you that had we married, we would not be together today.

'Because he's a traditional man and this is a very untraditional relationship.

Svelte: Oprah was looking fit and fabulous in designer wear at the premiere of OWN's Queen Sugar after dropping 26 lbs on the Weight Watchers food plan

'I think it's acceptable as a relationship, but if I had the title "wife," I think there would be other expectations for what a wife is and what a wife does.'

While she won't be putting on a wedding dress, Oprah is looking fit and fabulous in designer wear after dropping 26 lbs on the Weight Watchers food plan.

In fact, Oprah told People that she's so trim that Stedman can swing her up in his arms - a fantasy that was inspired by a sexy scene from her network's new original drama series Queen Sugar.
During a recent interview with 60 Minutes she described her children as her 'best friends'.

And Roxy Jacenko's daughter Pixie and son Hunter comforted the 36-year-old on Tuesday night after the PR dynamo underwent radiation the day before on Monday.

Roxy took a sweet selfie of the trio cuddling up in bed together.

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Precious! Roxy Jacenko, 36, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a sweet snap cuddling up to two-year-old son Hunter and five-year-old daughter Pixie

'Willing participant @huntercurtis14 @pixiecurtis,' Roxy captioned the sweet snap, which she shared with her 126,000 Instagram followers.

The entrepreneur was seen planting a kiss on her toddler son's cheek, as she cuddled up in a lush bed, alongside daughter Pixie.

Clad in their own cute set of pyjamas, the trio looked a picture of content.

Her world: Just one week prior, the media personality took to the site to share another bedtime snap with Hunter

Roxy often takes to Instagram to share loved-up snaps with her precious children.

Just one week prior, the media personality took to the site to share another bedtime snap with Hunter.

The mother-son duo were seen side-by-side as they prepared to start their day.

'Discussing important matters @huntercurtis14,' she jokingly captioned the adorable pic.

Getting big! Roxy's two children Pixie and Hunter were pictured playing together in an earlier snap shared to Instagram

Family time has been even more of a priority for the Sweaty Betty founder after recent health woes.

Late last month, Roxy, Hunter and Pixie, enjoyed a family jaunt in Hong Kong.

The mother-of-two documented their trip on social media in a series of envy-inducing snaps after opting to celebrate Pixie's August 16 birthday abroad.

Family time: Roxy, Hunter and Pixie recently enjoyed a family jaunt in Hong Kong

Challenges: This year marks the first birthday that Pixie celebrated without her father Oliver, who was sentenced to two years jail in NSW Supreme Court in June, following his insider trading conviction

Pixie's birthday this year was the first that she celebrated away from her father Oliver.

In June, Oliver was sentenced to two years jail in NSW Supreme Court, following his insider trading conviction.

Roxy revealed in June that she found a lump on her left breast and recently underwent breast cancer surgery and radiation treatment on Monday.
He was infamously arrested after slapping Alan Cumming's bottom and causing a ruckus at a Broadway performance of Cabaret in 2014.

And Shia LaBeouf has admitted he has quit drinking due to the fact it sends him 'haywire' and almost 'f***ed up' his life.

The Transformers star also admits he has attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings as he tries to get a grip on his problem, though he refuses to label himself an addict.

Pictured left, this booking photo was released by the City of Austin after Shia LaBeouf's arrest in October 2015. Pictured right, LaBeouf attends the screening of 'American Honey' at the annual 69th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 15, 2016

That took bottle: Shia LaBeouf admitted he has been attending AA meetings in a new interview

The 30-year-old told Variety: 'You dont touch it. Alcohol or any of that s*** will send you haywire. I cant fk with none of it. Ive got to keep my head low.

'That s*** almost f***ed up my life.

Opening up: Shia spoke about his troubles in the new issue of Variety

'I got a Napoleonic complex. I start drinking and I feel smaller than I am, and I get louder than I should. Its just not for me, dude.'

And the multimillionaire said he turned to the bottle around the same time he suffered a run of poor reviews following turns in Transformers, Wall Street 2 and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Shia, who is worth an estimated $10million, said: 'Part of it was posturing. I never knew how to drink. I never liked to drink, but I knew you had to drink.'

Indeed he appeared to credit his A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints co-star Robert Downey Jr, who became infamous for his drink and drug-fuelled antics in the late 90s, for inspiring him to take up boozing.

The volatile actor, who is currently in Prague filming a movie in which he plays a young John McEnroe, said: 'It was a weird post-modern fascination with the f***-ups.

'When I met Robert Downey Jr, I was like, "Man, you got all this f***ing texture. How do I do this? How do I build texture?"'

Napoleonic complex: Shia admitted he suffers from classic small man syndrome when drunk

Bad boy: Shia was arraigned at a NYC court after slapping Alan Cumming's bottom and drunkenly causing a ruckus at a 2014 Broadway performance of Cabaret

Sensitive Shia also complained that it is impossible to follow the advice of his one-time mentor Steven Spielberg, who told him not to read his own press.

He whined: 'Theres no way to not do that. For me to not read that means I need to not take part in society.

'It was easier for actors before the Internet. The generation previous to mine didnt have the immediate response.

Inspiration? Shia seemed to suggest he took up drinking in an attempt to get some of the Iron Man star's 'f***ing texture'

Bizarre behavior: He famously wore a paper bag on his head at the Nymphomaniac premiere in Germany back in 2014

'If you were Mark Hamill, you could lie to yourself. You could find the pockets of joy, and turn a blind eye to the sh-t over there.'

But he believes his drinking did have a positive side, as it helped him land edgier roles. He said: 'I dont think Id be working with the directors Ive been working with if I had not fked up a bit.

'They wanted a f***ing fireball. They wanted a loose cannon. Im learning how to distill my "crazy" into something manageable, that I can shape and deliver on the day.'

It appears the new, more mature Shia, who is now engaged to his English girlfriend Mia Goth, still has plenty of rough edges.

Settling down: Shia is now engaged to his English partner Mia Goth

For he attacked both Stephen Spielberg and Michael Bay, men who made him an international star.

Speaking of the much-maligned Bay, he said: 'Mike is an artist. People dont realize how dope that dude is.'

'Hes got to get a little ballsier with his moves. Hes trying to toe the line and be James Cameron, but James Camerons are dying.

'I dont know what hes chasing, but that version of director is dead. If Mike is to sustain, hes got to get f***ing weird.'

However he reserved his harshest words for the legendary ET director, who he worked under on Crystal Skull, and who also executive produced Transformers and Eagle Eye.

Friendly criticism: Shia slated his old director Michael Bay for 'trying to toe the line'

An artist in disguise: Despite his most famous work being Transformers Shia says Bay is 'dope'

He said: 'You get there, and you realize youre not meeting the Spielberg you dream of.

'Youre meeting a different Spielberg, who is in a different stage in his career. Hes less a director than he is a f***ing company.'

And he passed the buck for Crystal Skull's dismal critical showing, saying: 'I prepped for a year and a half, and then the movie comes out, and its your fault. That s*** hurt bad.'

Biting the hand that feeds him: He said Steven Spielberg is 'less a director than he is a f***ing company'
He struck up an unlikely friendship with Hollywood actor Robert De Niro in the South of France last month.

And Noel Gallagher, 49, has now revealed that the acclaimed actor had no idea who he was, despite the duo dining together for eight hours.

He told the Daily Star: 'I sat next to him and Ive got to say he didnt have a clue who I was. As he was leaving, he said, Write down the name of that band again that you were in.'

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Who are you? Noel Gallagher, 49, revealed that Robert De Niro, 73, had no idea who he was, despite the duo dining together for eight hours in the South of France last month

The rocker - who last year expressed a desire to break into acting, failed to hide his excitement when he met the Taxi Driver star, 73, which was only fuelled by his lengthy stay.

'We had this lunch that started at one oclock in the afternoon... and he left at about eight or nine. He was there for about eight hours,' he told the publication.

'If I ever have the pleasure of meeting him again, he'll just go, "I've never met this guy".'

And clearly not believing his company for the endless dinner date, Noel asked his wife Sara MacDonald to snap photo evidence which he shared to social media and revealed he quizzed him about his iconic films, such as Raging Bull.

New music for De Niro: The ex-Oasis frontman revealed to the Daily Star: As he was leaving, he said, Write down the name of that band again that you were in

While Noel has made his fame as part of the Manchester formed band with his brother Liam Gallagher, De Niro has garnered an enviable career with flicks such as The Godfather Part II and Mean Streets.

Robert was also honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the 22nd Sarajevo Film Festival in August.

Already the recipient of a Golden Globe, two Oscars and was nominated for another five Oscars, he was praised for his extraordinary contribution to the art of film.

Success: Robert was recently honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the 22nd Sarajevo Film Festival

Talented: Already the recipient of a Golden Globe, two Oscars and was nominated for another five Oscars, he was praised for his extraordinary contribution to the art of film

The event also saw him present a restored version of his 1976 film Taxi Driver - in which he starred as loner Travis Bickle.

The talented movie star also followed his French getaway with a trip to Corsico, Italy.

He was joined by his wife Grace Hightower, five-year-old daughter Helen and 19-year-old his son, by De Niro's previous relationship with model Toukie Smith, along with his girlfriend.
She has previously hit out at being called plus-size, slating the label as 'ludicrous'.

But Robyn Lawley has now insisted she no longer cares what people say about her.

The Australian model, who has dropped from size 16 to a size 12 over the past four years, told Yahoo7: 'I'm at the point where you can call me whatever you want, I don't really care.

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'I don't care': Model Robyn Lawley has insisted she does not mind being labelled 'plus size'

'I don't care what size anyone is, you have to do it for yourself and for your health but this constant care just for visual, I think that's the sad part and what is ruining so many women, and creates that vicious binge-eating cycle.'

Robyn, who has forged a successful career thanks to her curves, acknowledged that she had slammed the term 'plus-size' in the past.

'I have spoken against it, I think it's just stupid because I think it's only detrimental in the effect that if someone else looks at my body and sees that tag then they hold their own body accountable,' she said.

Changing shape: The Australian model has dropped from size 16 to a size 12 over the past four years, pictured (left) in 2014 and (right) last month

Brunette beauty: Robyn has forged a successful career thanks to her curves

The brunette beauty, who started modelling at the age of 16, has been open about her struggles with her weight in the past.

Back in 2012, she spoke to the Daily Mail's You magazine about how she would do 'anything' to lose weight so she could model.

'I started cutting the calories and going for secret runs at night. I couldnt get to the size I needed to be,' she said.

'When I went to castings I couldnt fit into the sample-size clothes and suffered guilt, anger and frustration.'

Noticeable change: She has surprised her fans by losing a significant amount of weight

Trimmer: The model has kept her fans updated with a series of pictures showcasing her more slender figure

She admitted that her weight yo-yoed for years, adding: 'Thats a sign that something is not right in your head.'

At the time of the 2012 interview, the 6ft 2in model revealed that her weight varied between 12st 7lb in the summer and 13st in the winter.

Robyn was referred to as a size 16, but since then she has surprised her fans by losing a significant amount of weight, dropping to around a size 12.

Battle: The brunette beauty, who started modelling at the age of 16, has been open about her struggles with her weight in the past

Curves: The mother-of-one's weight has fluctuated over the past few years

In 2015 she posted a shot on Instagram flaunting a noticeably trimmer tummy.

Since then she has kept her fans updated with a series of pictures showcasing her more slender figure.

In her interview with Yahoo7, Robyn also spoke about the 'guilt' of being a working mother.

She has a one-year-old daughter Ripley with her partner Everest Schmidt.
They are one of the few successful Hollywood love stories.

And Tom Hanks and his wife of 28 years Rita Wilson, looked as in love as they took to the red carpet for the premiere of Sully in New York on Tuesday.

Hanks looked dapper in a black suit and grey tie as his wife stunned in a floor length black gown.

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Hollywood's number one: Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, of 28 years proved they were more in love than ever as they took to the red carpet for the premiere of Sully in New York

Hanks and Rita have four children together, Colin, 38, Elizabeth Ann, 34, Chet, 26 and Truman Theodore, 20.

Rita tied her dark blonde locks back as she opted for a full face of make-up and flashy, long earrings.

Her dress had white floral designs on the top half of her dress, as she accessorized with a leather high waisted belt and chic black clutch.

The couple that dresses together: Hanks looked dapper in a black suit and grey tie as his wife stunned in a floor length black dress

The man of the hour: Hanks stars as Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger in the Hollywood blockbuster

Old Hollywood glamour: Rita tied her dark blonde locks back as she opted for a full face of make-up and flashy, long earrings

Clint Eastwood, who directed the film, walked the red carpet with his girlfriend Christina Sandera. The pair were also decked out in black outfits.

Allison Williams attended the premiere wearing an off the shoulder striped blouse and a pair of fitted black trousers.

She tied her long brunette tresses into a middle parting and a low ponytail.

Pretty: Her dress had white floral designs on the top half of her dress, as she accessorized with a leather high waisted belt

Long time: The couple have been married since 1988 and have four children together

Cheeky: The striped blouse showed off a lot of skin as she turned and posed from the back

Matching: Clint Eastwood, the director, pictured with his girlfriend Christina Sandera

Simple but stylish: Eastwood went for a classic black suit but added a velvet green tie to it

Allyn Stewart, who produced the movie, was also in attendance in a jumpsuit and sparkly shoes.

Sully follows the story of Chesley Sullenberger, who became a hero after gliding his plane along the water in the Hudson River, saving all of the airplane flights 155 crew and passengers.

The cast in this biography, drama includes a very impressive Aaron Eckhart, Anna Gunn, Laura Linney and Mike O'Malley.

The real Chesley Sullenberger and his wife Lorrie made sure to attend the NY premiere too.

Real life vs actor: Chesley Sullenberger (L) walked the carpet with Aaron Eckhart (R)

Looking chic: The producer of the show Allyn Stewart also walked the carpet

More famous faces: Alan Kaplan pictured here with Tierney Sutton

Real life stars: Chesley Sullenberger (L) pictured with his wife Lorrie Sullenberger (R)

Celebration: Hanks and Chesley greet each other on the red carpet

Arrivals: The two men embraced each other before hitting the red carpet

Still from the movie: Hanks and Aaron pictured together in Sully

His life story: Hanks pictured with the real life Sully

Picture time: Chesley and Eastwood smile for a photo at the premiere

Here come the boys: From left to right Aaron, Chesley, Eastwood and Hanks

Family affair! Lorrie and Chesley with their two daughters
Penelope Cruz was a guest on the popular Spanish show, El Hormiguero, in Madrid on Tuesday.

The stunner visited her home country in order to help raise funds to aide in research for leukemia in children.

For her appearance, Penelope was joined by two young cancer survivors.

A heart of gold: Penelope Cruz, 42, visited El Hormiguero in Madrid on Tuesday in order to help raise funds to aide in research for leukemia in children

Penelope looked classy and chic in an all-black ensemble.

The 42-year-old wore a fitted cardigan decorated with a white print, which she paired with dressy trousers.

Penelope added a pair of T-strap heels that featured a bow design. She completed her look minimal jewellery, including a standout watch.

Guests of honour: For her appearance, Penelope was joined by two young cancer survivors

Right at home: Penelope looked overjoyed as she sweetly hugged little Alba in her arms

Asking for help: The Layover actress encouraged her one million Instagram followers to do their part in helping the fight against leukemia in children

Written in Spanish (translated in English below), the Layover actress encouraged her one million Instagram followers to do their part in helping the fight against leukemia in children.

In the selfie, the actress cuddled up to two young survivors, little Alba and Lucas.

'I'm so happy to be presenting here a El Horminguero, with two angles like Alba and Lucas, with my documentery ##soyunoentrecienmil. Let's go for that scholarship! It's so easy just text UNO to 28014. These children deserve our help and attention.'

Mum: This fundraiser most certainly hit close to home for the Escobar star, who has two children of her own

Her hubby: In July 2010, Penelope wed fellow A-list actor Javier Bardem, 47, in the Bahamas

This fundraiser most certainly hit close to home for the Escobar star, who has two children of her own.

In July 2010, Penelope wed fellow A-list actor Javier Bardem, 47, in the Bahamas.

In 2011, the brunette beauty gave birth to son Leo, followed by daughter Luna in 2013.
She often takes to Instagram to show off her musical and dancing abilities.

And Wednesday was no different as Imogen Anthony took to the site to show off her piano skills, as she covered Cold Chisel's hit Khe Sanh.

The post comes just a day after the 25-year-old was seen busting out a move to an Alanis Morissette song in just a T-shirt and underwear following her Burning Man experience.

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Hitting the right note! Imogen Anthony, 25, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a short clip of her covering Cold Chisel's hit Khe Sanh on the piano

This time covering up in a black coat, a barefoot Imogen was pictured showing off her impressive musical skills at a glamorous two-toned piano.

Concealing her pink-haired locks behind a black cowboy hat, the glamour model was heard belting out a few lyrics at the end of the short clip.

'And that's how you Khe Sanh Motherf****r!,' Imogen captioned the video, referencing the Cold Chisel hit.

'Did you know that I'm trained in piano? Obviously not in singing so ignore that horrible part at the end. I am used to foot pedals though,' she continued.

Impressive: This time covering up in a black coat, a barefoot Imogen was pictured showing off her impressive musical skills at a glamorous two-toned piano

A video posted by IOE NHN (@imogen_anthony) on Sep 5, 2016 at 4:48pm PDT

Busting a move: Kyle's girlfriend was seen on Instagram dancing in her T-shirt and underwear to Alanis Morissette's 1995 hit, 'Hand In My Pocket' on Tuesday

Not shy: With her hair in loose tousled curls, the fashion designer was seen mucking around in front of the camera, shaking her hair and pouting

The post comes just a day after the fashion designer took to Instagram to share a video of herself dancing in her T-shirt and underwear to Alanis Morissette's 1995 hit, Hand In My Pocket.

With her hair in loose tousled curls, Imogen was seen mucking around in front of the camera, shaking her head and pouting.

Pulling up her black T-shirt, she revealed her underwear and appeared to be wearing minimal makeup with just lip liner and lipstick.

Topless: Imogen certainly dared to bare while at the Burning Man festival over the past weekend

Over the past weekend, the girlfriend of Kyle Sandilands joined a handful of celebrities heading to Burning Man festival in the US, and went topless in one clip shared to Instagram.

She concealed her modesty with her hands placed across her chest, while simply wearing a pair of skimpy black briefs, layered with a shredded skirt.

'TOPS OFF - LIBERTYYYY!! You can walk around nude if you want too, I love it! (sic),' Imogen captioned the snap.

Flashing the flesh: She shared a video in which she danced about at Nevada Black Rock Desert while going topless

In the video she smiled for the camera, saying: 'Where else can you do this? Nowhere. Burning Man, Burning Man'.

Asking Kyle to film her, Imogen was seen dancing provocatively for the camera, with not much around her except decorated RV's.
We're constantly being told that the 'brow is back' thanks to the influence of celebrities from Cara Delevingne to Lily Collins.

But Nicole Trunfio looked as though she may have taken the bushy eyebrow trend to the next level when she stepped out at a New York Fashion Week event on Tuesday.

Her completely unplucked look was in stark contrast to her usual arched perfection, leading to speculation that she may have been too busy to indulge in grooming time.

Bushy: Nicole Trunfio looked as though she may have taken the strong eyebrow trend to the next level when she flaunted unplucked brows at a NYFW event on Tuesday

The Australian model, who has a one-year-old son, Zion, with her musician husband Gary Clark Jr, still looked as stunning as ever at the Target and IMG kick-off event.

She opted for a subtle smokey eye with a slick of red lipstick for maximum impact.

Nicole flashed a cheeky glimpse of her black lingerie in a sheer boho-inspired dress at a the launch party.

Bold brows: The Australian model still looked as stunning as ever at the Target and IMG kick-off event

Big change: Her unplucked look was in stark contrast to her usual arched perfection, leading to speculation that she may have been too busy to indulge in grooming time

She paired the pale pink dress with thigh-high beige suede boots for the star-studded event at The Park at Moynihan Station.

The mother-of-one was joined at the event by A-listers including Emily Ratajkowski - who has also embraced the strong eyebrow trend.

Eyebrows have been enjoying a moment in the spotlight over the past two years.

During the Fall New York Fashion Week in February, models in many of the shows sported full, enviously bushy brows that looked like theyd never even heard of a tweezer.

Trend-setter: We're constantly being told that the 'brow is back' thanks to the influence of celebrities like Cara Delevingne (pictured)

Natural beauty: Cara is largely to thank for the strong eyebrows trend that shows no sign of diminishing

While others flaunted barely there eyebrows - by using a bleaching technique.

The point of the trend is to let the eyebrows do whatever they were born to do and then exaggerate it.

Supermodel Cara Delevingne is largely to thank for the strong eyebrows trend that shows no sign of diminishing.

Since she sparked the beauty trend when she exploded onto the scene in 2009, other celebrities including actress Lily Collins have taken up the mantle.
New Bachelor Nick Viall said he feared he was 'incapable' of saying 'I love you' as he broke Jen Saviano's heart on an emotional Bachelor in Paradise finale.

While his three fellow male contestants got down on one knee and proposed to their other halves, a sobbing Nick told Jen she deserved someone better than him after she declared her love for him.

'I felt like I wanted to say I was in love with you, but something in my heart said I can't and I feel like sometimes you wish you could tell your heart what to do. If I could, I would tell it to choose you,' he wept.

'I just feel like something's telling me to say goodbye. I'm sorry. My biggest fear is that I'm going to regret it. I just feel like you deserve better than me.'

Not a happy ending: New Bachelor Nick Viall said he feared he was 'incapable' of saying 'I love you' as he broke Jen Saviano's heart on an emotional Bachelor in Paradise finale

Jen made it clear she was hoping for a proposal from Nick before coming face to face with him on the beach.

She told the camera: 'The way he kisses me and looks at me is intoxicating and terrifying and amazing, but Nick has his guard up from his past.'

'This is his third show and the past two he got his heart broken at this point and he doesn't want that to happen again.'

'I'm ready for that next step in my life. I'm ready to be a wife and a mother and that's what I want with Nick.'

Hope: Holding his hands, Jen told Nick: 'You've been through this before and you've been hurt before and just the fact that you're still here and that you've let down your wall at all makes me feel like you see potential in this'

Not feeling the same: Nick, however, looked to the floor before letting a devastated Jen down and sending her packing in a waiting limo

Holding his hands, Jen told Nick: 'You've been through this before and you've been hurt before and just the fact that you're still here and that you've let down your wall at all makes me feel like you see potential in this.'

'I've fallen in love with you and I want to continue to fall if you're willing to catch me.'

Nick, however, looked to the floor before letting a devastated Jen down and sending her packing in a waiting limo.

'He just threw away something that could have been great. It makes no sense,' she said tearfully.

'I'm mad at him. I just don't get it. I know he's had his wall up but he was starting to let it down and I just feel like he's going to regret it.'

Her response: 'He just threw away something that could have been great. It makes no sense,' she said tearfully

Regrets: Nick, who was unveiled as the new Bachelor in a shock announcement last week, said: 'I just hope I didn't make a mistake'

Nick, who was unveiled as the new Bachelor in a shock announcement last week, said: 'I just hope I didn't make a mistake. The only thing I knew for sure with Andi and Kaitlyn was that I had no regrets. I can't say that now.'

'It's impossible to not have those insecurities and thoughts that maybe it's me. Maybe I have that wall up or maybe I'm in my head too much.'

'Hearing her say that she's in love with me made me want to say it back. The scary part is feeling like I'm incapable of saying "I love you" to anyone. Right now that's the biggest hurdle that I have to get over. There's no guarantees and no assurances that anything will work out. Sometimes I just feel like my heart's in knots and I can't untie it.'

Silver lining: There were happier final rose ceremonies for the other three couples, however, as Evan Bass, Grant Kemp and Josh Murray all got down on one knee

There were happier final rose ceremonies for the other three couples, however, as Evan Bass, Grant Kemp and Josh Murray all got down on one knee.

Evan told Carly Waddell: 'My love for you has only got stronger. It's the most amazing, inexplicable, mind blowing thing that I just never in a million years thought I would get.'

'I feel like my heart beats to your soul. I want my kids to see the love that we have and I want them to know what an amazing woman you are.'

Over-the-moon: Carly, who expressed fears that Evan would break her heart like Kirk DeWindt did last season, said: 'You make me want to be fearless. You are fearless in the pursuit of love'

Preparing for their future: 'I can't wait to leave here holding your hand and start a home with you,' she said

Carly, who expressed fears that Evan would break her heart like Kirk DeWindt did last season, said: 'You make me want to be fearless. You are fearless in the pursuit of love. You were fearless in the pursuit of me. I can't wait to leave here holding your hand and start a home with you.'

An emotional Evan continued: 'I want to leave here and I want to start a life with you and I want you to be my wife.' Producing a Neil Lane ring, he asked: 'Carly Waddell, will you freaking marry me?' and Carly said yes.

It was later revealed that Carly plans to move in with Evan in Nashville in December.

He's ready! An emotional Evan continued: 'I want to leave here and I want to start a life with you and I want you to be my wife'

Perfect couple: Producing a Neil Lane ring, he asked: 'Carly Waddell, will you freaking marry me?' and Carly said yes

At ease: Grant, who was plagued with 'unanswered questions' before the final rose ceremony, was reassured when Lace Morris declared her love for him on the beach

Grant, who was plagued with 'unanswered questions' before the final rose ceremony, was reassured when Lace Morris declared her love for him on the beach.

She told him: 'I thought to myself "I can't keep running. Why am I running?" and that's when I realised, "I love this guy". I know we have something good and I'm ready to move forward.'

Referring to their 'couple name', which they both got tattooed on their bodies, she said: 'I love you Grant Kemp, but I love Grace more.'

Grant told her: 'I can't picture my life without you, I want a future with you, I want babies with you, I want to build a life with you and I want that to start today.'

Sobbing, he produced a ring and Lace agreed to marry him. She has since moved into his house in San Francisco.

His vision: Grant told her: 'I can't picture my life without you, I want a future with you, I want babies with you, I want to build a life with you and I want that to start today'

The big question: Sobbing, he produced a ring and Lace agreed to marry him. She has since moved into his house in San Francisco

Their happily ever after: The last couple to get engaged were Josh and Amanda Stanton

The last couple to get engaged were Josh and Amanda Stanton.

Amanda told Josh: 'When I came here I was questioning that my idea of love even existed and after meeting you I know first-hand that it does.'

'The thought of welcoming you into our little family makes my heart so full and I know that Charlie and Kinsley are going to adore you just as much as I do. I can't wait to leave you and just do real life with you.'

Josh, fighting back tears, said: 'I walked down those steps the first day and I saw you and my life totally changed forever. I never really knew what true love was - I thought I did in the past but I didn't  until I met you.'

Crying, he added: 'I'm so excited about meeting your two girls and I promise I will love them just as much as I love you.'

Recalling the past: Josh, fighting back tears, said: 'I walked down those steps the first day and I saw you and my life totally changed forever'

She said yes! Both Amanda and Josh were clearly shaking as he pulled out a diamond ring and she accepted his proposal

Both Amanda and Josh were clearly shaking as he pulled out a diamond ring and she accepted his proposal.

Josh has since moved in with Amanda and her daughters in Orange County.

At the end of Tuesday night's finale it was also revealed that Daniel Maguire and twins Emily and Haley Ferguson are still single, while Caila Quinn and Jared Haibon decided to just be friends after leaving Paradise together.
British artist Rebecca Moss went aboard the Hanjin Geneva container ship for a "23 Days at Sea Residency." But the company that owns the ship went bankrupt on August 31, and ports all over the world have barred Hanjin's ships because the shipping line is unable to pay the port and service fees.

The ship is now just sitting in the Pacific Ocean near Tokyo, and the captain has told everyone on board to conserve food and water.

The Vancouver Sun interviewed Moss about the situation.
The Real Housewives of Auckland cast made their television debut last month.

And while it may seem that there isn't much that would shock the sassy and glamorous women, some of the cast members were left jolted when Julia Sloane began awkwardly talking about sex toys.

Anne Batley Burton said she was left 'horrified' after Julia pulled out some toys, before she touched a penis ring and said to camera: 'I hope it's been sterilised.'

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Say what? The Real Housewives of Auckland's Anne Batley Burton (pictured) said she was left 'horrified' after Julia Sloane talked about sex toys on the show

'She starts waving this thing around and I just thought, how does this thing even work,' Anne said, in a clip from Tuesday night's episode shown on Stuff New Zealand.

'I foolishly put my finger out and I thought why did I just do that for....how disgusting is that! What's the matter with her?,' she added.

Louise Wallace meanwhile said she also wasn't impressed with discussion because she thinks intimate things should be kept between partners.

She doesn't feel awkward! Julia Sloane is seen here laughing as she informed Anne and the girls

'I hope it's been sterilised': Anne touched a penis ring and immediately regretted it

Julia then pulled out some vibrators that further shocked the women.

At the start of the clip, she said the lesson was to 'educate Anne.'

The show premiered on Foxtel's Arena last month.

What is that? Michelle appeared shocked during the group get-together

Are you kidding me? The jaw-dropping moment left her stunned

The women are certainly characters. Anne was made a Dame de l'Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne - or, Dame of Champagne - in 2007. She has been importing the luxurious drink to New Zealand for 16 years.

But she also has a second passion - her beloved 'pussies'.

Anne is the Chair of the New Zealand Cat Foundation, and houses about 150 stray cats in a purpose built cat sanctuary on her property in west Auckland. She has dubbed the sanctuary the 'Pussy Palace for Pensioners'.

Unimpressed: Louise was equally unimpressed by the discussion about sex toys

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia recently, Anne said she is 'aggressive' in her fight for animal welfare.

'I have a huge heart where I want to help animals, and in particular cats, but all animals, and I hope that's how I am portrayed on the Real Housewives,' she said.

Anne cremates her cats after they die, and their ashes sit in wooden boxes on the mantelpiece.

In unaired footage, the activist claims she wanted to be cremated with their ashes when she passes away.

Julia meanwhile is a businesswoman who also writes children's books.

Louise owns a theatre production company and used to work in TV.

The other castmates are fashion designer Angela Stone, PR agency owner Gilda Kirkpatrick and former model Michelle Blanchard.
The actress, model, and mother-of-two is also a fashion designer.

Eva Mendes attended her own New York & Company Spring Summer 2017 runway show at Academy Mansion in New York City on Tuesday just as Fashion Week kicked off.

The 42-year-old busy beauty put her svelte physique on display in a lace mini dress from her collection as she proudly watched other models flaunt her new line.

Crimson lady: Eva Mendes attended her own New York & Company Spring Summer 2017 runway show at Academy Mansion on Tuesday in NYC just as Fashion Week kicked off

Eva opted to wear a long sleeve version of the 'Maria Dress' which retails for around $80 dollars on New York & Company's website.

The feminine burgundy frock featured sheer lace sleeves and a black contrasting collar neckline.

Eva, who just gave birth to her second daughter in April, showed off her trim figure with the fit and flare silhouette.

Her lean legs were also on display with the shortened hemline although they were stylishly covered up in a printed pair of semi-sheer stockings, which were also wore by all of the runway models.

Thrifty! The 42-year-old busy beauty put her svelte physique on display in a lace mini dress from her collection. A short sleeve version of the design retails for roughly $80 dollars

Proud: As the models walked down the runway in Eva's designs it was obvious she was really happy with her collection

The Lost River star teamed the ladylike look with coordinating crimson Mary Jane pumps which buckled around her ankles.

Eva, who also runs her own cosmetics line Circa Beauty, added large gold hoops and played up her natural good looks with minimal mascara and a glossy pout.

The brunette beauty pulled her long locks back into an up 'do leaving only a section down in front to frame her face and topped the style off with a chic wide headband.

Looking slim! The mom-of-two, who just gave birth to her second daughter in April, showed off her trim figure with the fit and flare silhouette

Details! The actress added large gold hoops and a headband to her brunette tresses. She also donned matching Mary Jane pumps and wore printed stockings similar to the runway models

As the models walked down the runway in Eva's designs it was obvious she was really proud of her collection.

Eva showed off a small smile as she stood along the sidelines during the show.

Later, the designer beamed from ear to ear as she took the catwalk for a customary bow and a roaring applause.

Fall fashion: A model walked down the runway in a layered burgundy look and sported similar sheer tights as Eva

New collection: Other models strutted down the catwalk during Eva's show for New York & Company

Eva promoted her collection and fashion show on Instagram on Tuesday.

The shared video shows a model in a brown and white keyhole curve-hugging frock mid strut.

She captioned the social media post with: 'So many beautiful women showing off our latest looks. Hope you love it!'

All about stripes! Another model showed off a printed green frock with a black collar neckline similar to Eva

Beaming beauty: The designer grinned from ear to ear as she took the catwalk for a customary bow and a roaring applause

On Sunday she shared another Instagram post of herself modeling her own designs in a magazine advertisement for New York & Company.

Eva added the caption: 'On trend.'

The actress and Ryan Gosling, 35, surprised fans when they welcomed daughter Amada Lee in April, after keeping the pregnancy under wraps.

Backstage: Eva posed with motivational speaker Lizzie Velasquez

The very private couple, who began dating in 2012 after meeting on the set of their drama The Place Beyond The Pines, are also parents to daughter Esmeralda Amada, who turns two next week.

Eva gave birth to Amada less than two weeks after the death of her older brother Carlos, and told Latina magazine she relied on family to help her through the emotional time.

'Losing my brother brought our family closer, and we were already close to begin with,' she said.

'And then they were there for me when Amada was born. We had a funeral service for (Carlos) and that same week I had the baby.

'So it was really, really intense and obviously beyond heartbreaking, but also kind of beautiful,' the Miami-born star said.

Meanwhile, New York Fashion Week will resume through September 14.

'Hope you love it': Eva shared a video of the runway promoting her new collection and fashion show on Instagram on Tuesday
She welcomed her first child with boyfriend Eddie Murphy in May.

And actress Paige Butcher showed off her stunning post-pregnancy figure on Tuesday night as she supported her beau at the premiere of Mr. Church in Hollywood.

The 37-year-old beauty donned a super tight checker-print mini dress which showed off her flat tummy and seemingly endless legs.

Stunner: Paige Butcher looked sensational at the Mr. Church film premiere on Tuesday night just four months after giving birth to her first child

A high neckline and long sleeves kept the look super chic and she teamed the frock with towering strappy heels and a box clutch.

Eddie, 55, opted for all black and kept his sunglasses on at the indoor event.

Indie drama Mr Church hits cinemas September 16 tells the story of a black man (Murphy) who helps to raise a white child after her mother is diagnosed with cancer, but who forbids her from learning anything about his own life.

The actor recently explained to The Hollywood Reporter why it took him so long to get back to filming.

Hot date! The 37-year-old beauty was joined by boyfriend Eddie Murphy, 55

Golden girl: The actress showed off her long legs in a skintight dress and stiletto heels

Still going strong: Paige and Eddie have been dating for four years after meeting on the set of the film Big Momma's House 2 in 2006

'I haven't been in the movies the last five years because I was giving the audience a break.

'After a while, the audience needs a break and you need a break too.

'You start taking each other for granted... the next thing you know you're starring in (2002 flop The Adventures Of) Pluto Nash.'

The couple welcomed Izzy Oona Murphy on May 3. It's Paige's first child, and Eddie's ninth.

Eddie and his former wife, Nicole Mitchell, 47, have five children together - Bria, 25, Myles, 22, Shayne, 21, Zola, 15, and Bella, 13.

So shady: Eddie donned a silky black shirt and trousers and hid his eyes behind sunglasses

Supporting dad! Eddie got lots of love from seven of his nine children at the event

Pop of colour! Eddie's co-stars Britt Robertson and Lucy Fry were simply glowing in their elegant looks

The Shrek actor also has a 26-year-old son, Eric, with his ex-girlfriend Paulette McNeely and a 25-year-old son Christian, from a previous relationship with Tamara Hood.

The comedian also has an eight-year-old daughter, Angel, with Spice Girls star Mel B.

Paige and Eddie have been dating for four years after meeting on the set of the film Big Momma's House 2 in 2006.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Arsenio Hall were spotted catching up at the event

Looking sharp: Another star of the movie Thom Barry looked snazzy in a blue suit and tan shoes
Every parent knows the true depths of sleep deprivation.

And Ben Affleck certainly looked the part of the overworked father as he caught a flight out of Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 44-year-old had just brought a long day to an end after he reunited with estranged wife Jennifer Garner to see their three kids off for the start of fall semester.

Daddy tired: Ben Affleck certainly looked the part of the overworked father as he caught a flight out of Los Angeles on Tuesday

The Batman V Superman star sported his favorite leather jacket, a graphic T-shirt, and jeans for the casual day of travel.

He has been holding down the fort the past week while his estranged wife attended the Telluride Film Festival.

But Ben and Jennifer reunited on Tuesday as they made sure their three children got off to school safely as the fall semester kicked off.

Feeling it: The 44-year-old had just brought a long day to an end after he reunited with estranged wife Jennifer Garner to see their three kids off for the start of fall semester

No fuss: The Batman V Superman star sported his favorite leather jacket, a graphic T-shirt, and jeans for the casual day of travel

The married duo - who announced their intention to divorce last year - were pictured outside the school gates in their Brentwood neighbourhood.

The 44-year-old actor looked a little weary and sported a checked shirt with jeans.

Jennifer on the other hand looked ready for another workout in cropped leggings and a cropped sporty jacket.

The actors share three children - Samuel, four, Violet, 10, and Seraphina, seven.

Early start: The 44-year-old actor teamed jeans with a checked shirt for the morning school run while Jennifer looked sporty in her workout gear

The duo, who share Samuel, four, Violet, 10, and Seraphina, seven, were pictured outside the gates of their children's school in Brentwood.

Jen was in Colorado over the weekend promoting her indie movie Wakefield in which she stars opposite Bryan Cranston.

The Breaking Bad star plays Howard Wakefield, a man who suffers a nervous breakdown that causes him to leave his wife, played by Jennifer, and his children to live in an attic for several months.

Staying close: The duo announced their intention to divorce last year after 10 years of marriage

Fit mum: The 44-year-old actress looked great in her workout gear and some funky blue trainers

Mom's the word: Jennifer was later seen with her daughters

The co-stars will most likely be heading up to the Toronto Film Festival on September 13 for its premiere of Wakefield.

Ben has had a busy couple of weeks too, the actor has been away shooting Justice League in the UK but was back for daddy duties while Jennifer headed to Telluride.

Ben and Jen split in June 2015 after 10 years of marriage and have been committed to co-parenting their three young children.
She's been busy one shooting one film and getting ready to see another one released next month.

But on Tuesday, Jennifer Connelly was just being herself as she strolled to dinner with husband Paul Bettany and their two children Stellan, 13, and Agnes, five, in New York City.

Jennifer's ensemble was decidedly simple and she may have breezed by without a double take save for that bandaged finger on her right hand.

Family outing: Jennifer Connelly cradled a bandaged finger while going out for dinner with husband Paul Bettany and their children Agnes and Stellan in NYC on Tuesday

The 45-year-old actress cradled her injured digit tenderly while walking down the sidewalk with her brood.

Jennifer, however, kept her focus on her kids and English husband, and even clutched the family's umbrella in the event of rain.

The brunette beauty was dressed down in black trousers with a black crew-necked jumper and sensible patent leather shoes.

On the mend: While it's not known how the 45-year-old actress injured her finger, it appeared to be well looked after

Multitasker: Jennifer managed to carry her navy trench coat and Paul, 45, carried their daughter on his shoulders and the children's coats on his arm

Simple things in life: The couple's son Stellan played toss with the umbrella

A navy trench coat was slung over her arm in the event of a late summer downpour.

Paul, also 45, looked casually cool in faded denim jeans and a beige cardigan buttoned over a white T-shirt.

He had the children's coats folded over his arm and kept a hand on the couple's daughter.

R&R: After a busy summer filming Granite Mountain in New Mexico, Jennifer is enjoying family time in NYC before she begins promotional work for American Pastoral due out October 28

Mommy mode: Jennifer looked prepared for the autumn weather as she clutched the umbrella

Not too far to go: The family continued on their way down the sidewalk

At one point, Paul treated Agnes to a ride atop his shoulders while Jennifer and their son Stellan looked on.

Jennifer is also mom to son Kai, 19, from a previous relationship with photographer David Dugan.

Jennifer, meanwhile, spent much of the summer in New Mexico filming the upcoming drama Granite Mountain opposite Miles Teller and Jeff Bridges.

The film tells the story of a crew who fought the devastating wildfire in Prescott, Arizona that claimed the lives of 19 of the group.

Nature lover: Paul glanced up at the green-leafed trees

Granite Mountain is slated for release on September 22, 2017 in the US.

Jennifer is also looking forward to the October 28 US release of American Pastoral co-starring Dakota Fanning and Ewan McGregor, who also directed.

American Pastoral follows a hardworking man (McGregor) whose life is turned upside down by his daughter's radical political beliefs.
He's been on the market since his split with Phoebe Carpenter last year.

And on Tuesday, NRL bad boy Mitchell Pearce attended the Sydney Roosters Awards night with his new girlfriend Zoe Grant.

With the function being the pair's first red carpet appearance, the busty beauty left heads turning as she showed off her toned torso in a cut-out gown.

And they're off: NRL bad boy Mitchell Pearce attended the Sydney Roosters Awards a night with new girlfriend Zoe Grant on Tuesday

The black one-shoulder ensemble hugged tightly around her slender frame and cut off at an angle from the knee.

While wrapping his arm around the stunner, Mitchell dressed to impress in the team's iconic navy blue suit and red, blue and white striped tie.

He showed off an unshaven face, while gelling his short locks with a spike.

Zoe captioned the loved up snap, which she shared on Instagram: 'Last Night With This Great Sort @mitchpearce_7.'

The first time: Their first red carpet event as a couple comes a month after they were spotted locking lips in Bondi, east of Sydney

She loves it: While the pair rarely share snaps of one another on social media, Zoe's is filled with her flaunting her headturning bikini-clad figure

The pair first revealed their romance last month after being spotting locking lips while lazing beachside in Bondi, east of Sydney.

Earlier this year Mitchell was stripped of the Sydney Roosters co-captaincy and suspended from their leadership group following the humiliation of his drunken antics.

After footage of him simulating sex with a dog was released to the public, he was handed an eight game suspension and $125,000 fine.

The video, which was filmed by another person at the party, also showed the 27-year-old sportsman apparently urinating on himself and trying to kiss a woman.

Road to happiness: Earlier this year Mitchell was stripped of the Sydney Roosters co-captaincy and suspended from their leadership group following the humiliation of his drunken antics

Tough times: After footage of him simulating sex with a dog was released to the public, he was handed an eight game suspension and $125,000 fine (pictured)

Following the series of events, he spent a month at a rehabilitation centre in Thailand to tackle his drinking demons.

Speaking on his return from Thailand, Mitchell admitted he had 'humiliated' himself.

'I totally humiliated myself and a lot of other people. I'm not hiding from anything. I'm here to cop whatever comes,' he told reporters.

'I also wanted to thank everyone who has given me support. I haven't had a phone or TV for four weeks... I received a lot of text messages today which meant the world to me.'
Michael Douglas, 71, has admitted that he proposed to Catherine Zeta-Jones, 46, at the turn of the millennium so that he'd forget his anniversary.

Joking that her first answer had been 'no,' the Hollywood moviestar regaled ITV Lorraine's Ross King with the romantic tale on Tuesday morning, in LA.

Actor and producer Michael is making his West End debut on Drury Lane - to pay homage to Catherine's three-year residency with 42nd Street - next month, but he now admits that he thought he'd never work again after cancer.

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Tell-all: Michael Douglas spoke to Lorraine's Ross King in LA on Tuesday about his wife, and life after cancer

'Half of the interest is to go backstage and see where Catherine spent that three years,' Michael said of his forthcoming Evening With Michael Douglas event, which takes place at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London in October.

Michael met Welsh actress Catherine in France the year before they wed in November 2000, and they have now been married for 16 years.

On his romantic proposal, he recalled: 'I proposed to her in Aspen, it was Dec 31, 1999, so I would never forget.

'Both of us were sick as dogs because we had flu. I proposed to her at the turn of 2000,' then he laughed: 'She said no...'

Happy couple: Michael explained how he first proposed to his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones (here in February) back in 1999

The duo - who have two children together Dylan, 16, and daughter Carys, 13 - are now 'really, really happy,' she recently said, despite reports of a split in 2013.

The family were rocked by Michael's cancer diagnosis in 2010 but he is now five-years cancer-free after undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment for throat cancer five months later.

'I thought I'd never work again,' he confessed. 'When you are waiting to find out if you are cancer free or not.

Contemplative: He admitted that he believed he would never work again after his cancer

Choose life: The Hollywood star admitted that he is choosing what to do more selectively now

'You go through your chemo, your radiation and you've lost a dramatic amount of weight and once this is all processed once this is all done, there is that moment you go back in to be tested and all that to find out whether you're in good shape or not so sure there is always a moment.'

Asked if he had changed through the treatment, he continued: 'Well I don't know if it's everything that happened but certainly you get older.

'And if you've had a cancer bout, you don't take time for granted you kind of choose more selectively how you are going to spend your time. You just kind of get on with it, don't you.'

Throwback: The couple have been together since 1999 and now married for 16 years

Support network: The beauty (here together in June 2014) has supported the Hollywood actor through his battle with cancer

Michael is also welcoming his son Cameron, 37, - his son from a previous marriage to Diandra Luker - home from prison in 2016.

He said: 'Cameron coming out of prison doesn't have anything to do with my cancer and surviving that.

Michael went on to say: 'He's doing great and I'm sure he'll talk about it when he's ready to tell his side of the story.

'He spent seven years in prison as a non-violent drug offender, two years on solitary and I'm sure he'll speak about it when he's ready.'

Welcoming him home: This year, Michael welcomes his son Cameron (here in 2003) home from prison and now says he's 'doing great'
Jeremy Renner has agreed to pay his ex-wife more money in child support, after she claimed he had fallen behind with payments.

The Avengers star has agreed to pay Sonni Pacheco around $16,000 in support for his three-year-old daughter Ava, along with another $24,000 for her lawyer and accountant, according to TMZ.

The 45-year-old actor and the Canadian model and actress were married for just ten months before Sonni filed for divorce back in December 2014.

Issues: Jeremy Renner, pictured in Venice last week, will pay more money to his ex-wife in child support

The couple have been through something of an acrimonious split, with Pacheco claiming Renner had fallen behind in support payments.

According to the website, she has also made several claims against the actor, alleging his house is unsafe for their daughter as Jeremy has a gun collection, with one of the weapons behind a bar while out in the open.

The model also said that the pool needs to be properly fenced off to prevent any accidents.

However, an insider for TMZ refuted the claim, saying the pool was child-protected and all the weapons were locked up while Sonni lived in the home.

Claims: Jeremy Renner's ex-wife Sonni Pacheco has said that the A-list actor owes $48,367 in child support for their three-year-old daughter, Ava, according to a Monday report from TMZ; here the actor is seen with his child at Disneyland in CA in October

Back in July,she claimed the A-list actor owes $48,367 in child support for Ava. Pacheco also claimed that Renner has not been paying half of Ava's preschool tuition, which amounts to $800 a month, according to court documents seen by TMZ.

The Town star had previously agreed to pay Pacheco, a model and actress from Canada, $13,000 a month for their daughter as part of the settlement they made in their split, according to the website.

Pacheco has asked the court to force the Captain America: Civil War star, who shares custody of the child, to pay the back money she claims he owes for both the child support and preschool fees.

Sonni shared with the court a text message The Bourne Legacy star sent to her questioning why she continued asking him for money.

He wrote to Pacheco, 'I'm not sure why you keep coming after more money here Sonni. I don't have the cash to give you. I'm sorry you can't figure out how to care for [the child] with over 300k.'

The Academy Award-nominated actor, 45, and Pacheco welcomed Ava in March of 2013 and tied the knot 10 months later, in January of 2014. But the marriage would not last long, as Pacheco wound up filing for divorce just 10 months later, in December of 2014.

Egg-cellent: Sonni and Ava posed for this adorable shot in Los Angeles this past March

In addition to the child support and preschool fees, Renner also agreed to fork over 5 percent of whatever he makes in a year past the $2.3 million mark. Renner, who's worth about $35 million, does not have to pay Pacheco spousal support as part of their prenuptial agreement.

Renner last year admitted that the nasty split had taken a toll on his physical and emotional health, telling ABC News, 'I haven't slept more than four hours a night in the past week, my skins breaking out. Ive got dark circles under my eyes. Im dehydrated. I look like s***.'

Red carpet regular: The actor, who's worth approximately $35 million, has to pay his ex-wife 5 percent of whatever he makes in a year past $2.3 million; here he is seen in April

The American Hustle actor said in the June 2015 chat with the network, 'I felt pretty insecure walking into a photo shoot this morning, and I was running late because I had just gotten out of my fourth deposition for the divorce.'

Renner, who is more than 20 years older than Pacheco, met the beauty in Vancouver on the set of Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol.

In addition to modeling and stand-in work, Pacheco also worked as a Monster Energy Drinks girl at one time.
They filed divorce papers in October after just two-years of marriage.

But despite citing irreconcilable differences as a motive for their abrupt separation, Halle Berry, 50, and estranged husband Olivier Martinez, also 50, are reportedly in no hurry to finalise proceedings.

TMZ claim leaked legal documents reveal the former couple are yet to make further steps in a bid to end their marriage, 11-months after separating.

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Still married: They filed divorce papers in October, but despite citing irreconcilable differences as a motive for their abrupt separation, Halle Berry and estranged husband Olivier Martinez are reportedly in no hurry to finalise proceedings

The website alleges that a court clerk has issued Halle and Olivier with a warning that failure to take further action will result in the case being dismissed.

Sources close to the couple claim they are happy to remain married for the sake of son Maceo, two, and Halles eight-year old daughter Nahla  the Oscar winner's only child with her former partner, French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry.

The fresh claims follow recent reports that Olivier 'never wanted the divorce and still doesn't.'

Last chance? The website alleges that a court clerk has issued Halle and Olivier with a warning that failure notified to take further action will result in the case being dismissed

'If Halle wants to call it [divorce] off, Olivier would be fine with it because he never wanted the divorce in the first place,' a source told the magazine.

'To get a divorce and share custody of Maceo is not a situation that Olivier wants to be in, adding that 'he also wants to be around Nahla like before. He cares about Nahla like if she were his own.'

The source added: 'The divorce is still being finalized, and there is no change for now. But there seems there might be a slim chance that they decide to stay married. There is still a lot of love between them.'

Happy as they are: Sources close to the couple claim they are happy to remain married for the sake of son Maceo, two, and Halles eight-year old daughter Nahla  the Oscar winner's only child with her former partner, French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry

Halle and Olivier certainly looked close during a family holiday with their children in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in March.

Just five months after separating the actress was seen lounging next to the French actor with her hand on his bare chest and right over his heart, a soft smile forming on her face while he gazed back at her adoringly.
She has been dazzling in various glamorous gowns after appearing in a number of movies.

And Australian actress Rebel Wilson cut a more casual figure when she stepped out in a double denim ensemble in West Hollywood on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old Pitch Perfect star showed off her famous curves in a chambray button-up shirt which she paired with grey denim trousers.

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Casual outing: Rebel Wilson rocks double denim in skintight denim trousers and a chic chambray top as she steps out in West Hollywood

She added a pop of colour to her casual outfit with pink ballet flats and a bright orange and pink handbag slung over one arm.

Rebel pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail and opted for a natural palette of make-up to highlight her striking features.

She completed her off-duty look with a pair of large shades.

On a mission: The 36-year-old Pitch Perfect star showed off her famous curves in a chambray button-up shirt which she paired with grey denim trousers

Rebel looked to be in happy and content spirits as she strutted down the footpath pulling a subtle smile.

And the western Sydney native has much to celebrate after securing a number of acting gigs, including a few new projects.

She is set to reprise her role as Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect 3 alongside Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Hailee Steinfeld and Elizabeth Banks.

Rebel is also starring in another comedy, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Grinner: Rebel looked to be in happy and content spirits as she strutted down the footpath pulling a subtle smile

It is a remake of the 1988 comedy in which two down-and-out con men engage in a 'loser leaves town' contest.

Meanwhile, Rebel has secured praise for her cameo role in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, which hit theatres on July 22, and reunites Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley.

Jennifer said Rebel improvised many of her lines, but that some were too racy to make the final cut.

'She was so filthy, absolutely terrible,' Jennifer told Nine's 60 Minutes.

'You'd write lines and then you'd realise she'd mentally discarded those lines and come up with something much funnier. But filthy.'
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He got a tattoo of a black bird as a symbol of his origins, last month.

And on Tuesday, 5 Seconds Of Summer's drummer, Ashton Irwin reflected on his upbringing in Australia.

The 22-year-old took to Instagram to share two images of himself posing alongside two children plastic toy vehicles.

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Bringing back memories: 5 Seconds Of Summer's drummer, Ashton Irwin reflected on his upbringing in Australia on Tuesday

The international star stood beside the cars with slouched shoulders while dressed in a ripped singlet top, which showed off his muscular arms.

Ashton teamed the casual top with the band's signature black skinny jeans and leather ankle boots.

His recently cut locks fell flat over his forehead while he hid his eyes with dark shaded sunglasses.

Throwing it back: The 22-year-old took to Instagram to share two images of himself posing alongside two children plastic toy vehicles with the wording: 'I used to fit in this...'

Alongside the two images, he captioned them: 'I used to fit in this...'

Last month, Ashton celebrated the success of 5 SOS with a new tattoo laced with symbolism.

He revealed the meaning behind the black bird with its wings outstretched on the back of his neck by sharing an image on social media.

During an interview with the Kyle and Jackie O show, Ashton explained it is a condor, from California where his father is from, and reminds him of his origins.

'It represents bravery': Last month, Ashton celebrated the success of 5 SOS with a new tattoo laced with symbolism

'With moving away from Australia and trying to make it overseas in this band, it represents bravery and I'm proud of where I am at the moment and excited about where I'm going,' he said.

No stranger to tattoos, Ashton shared a photo of his latest mark, accompanied by lyrics from the movie High School Musical.

'In the wise words Zac Efron "we're soarin, we're flyin",' he joked.

'I've wanted to get this for so many reasons for a long time... Ignore the high school musical comment, I couldn't help myself (it was calum's idea),' he finished the caption.
Shes bounced back into undeniably great shape following the birth of her first child with comedian husband Patrick Kielty.

And the slender physique was well in evidence as Cat Deeley made a guest appearance on American talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The presenter, 39, looked stunning in a thigh-skimming slip dress that showcased her toned legs as she made her way into the Hollywood studio for a chat with the host on Wednesday evening.

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Looking great: The slender physique was well in evidence as Cat Deeley made a guest appearance on American talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Her elegant outfit was accentuated with a pair of sassy silver heels, while accessories were pared back on the night, with Cat opting for a single silver necklace.

In keeping with the simple nature of her ensemble the British presenter styled her tousled hair with an easily maintained centre parting.

Her make-up was also subtle, with understated red lipstick and the merest hint of blusher providing an added splash of colour.

Opening up: Cat was in great form following the birth of her first child with Kielty in January - but she admitted deciding on the boy's name led to arguments with her husband

Cat was in great form following the birth of son Milo, her first child with Kielty, in January - but she admitted deciding on the boy's name led to arguments with her husband.

She told Kimmel: 'We did fall out a little bit over the name - we left the hospital without a name. The baby was just called baby Deeley, which p****d my husband off anyway.

Let's talk: Cat enjoyed a candid chat with host Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday evening

'I like quite simple names but he likes names that are a bit out there. He actually loves Val, but my thing is hes got to have a full name in case hes a lawyer or doctor.

'So there was a whole thing and for a whole week after we left the hospital there was no name and we werent talking to each other. It was awful, it was just horrific.'

Cat eventually decided on her son's name, taken from a character in 1951 Gene Kelly movie An American In Paris, after being given an ultimatum by her frustrated mother.

Wall of silence: Cat admitetd that she and husband Patrick didn't speak for a week while choosing their son's name

'He has an art dealer friend and shes called Milo,' she said. 'So she said "Why not call him Milo? Milos a boys name."

'So we looked it up on the Internet and hes an Olympian God who saved somebody.'

The presenter added that her son is growing fast, telling Kimmel: 'Hes a monster of a boy  I think Ive given birth to a Laker.

'Hes huge, hes like an 11-month old baby right now. Im hoping that when Im old hes going to look after me.'
He is down to his final four contestants on The Bachelor Australia.

And in the latest promo for the reality series, Richie Strahan is grilled by the beauties' families during home visits.

While sitting across from Olena Khamula's father and sister, the 31-year-old confessed to her relatives: 'I picked Olena up on a motorbike.'

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Let the grilling begin! Richie Strahan is grilled by the families of the final four Bachelor contestants during home visits in latest promo

With a look of shock displayed across her face, the model's younger sister quickly reacted: 'My father is going to kill you.'

Following the intense exchange of words, Richie is filmed holding a pair of pads while Olena's father boxes with him in the family's backyard.

Upon arriving at Alex Nation's home in Melbourne, the single mother gushed in the voice over: 'I am so excited to show him my home town.'

Gutsy: While sitting across from Olena Khamula's father and sister, the 31-year-old confessed to her relatives: 'I picked Olena up on a motorbike'

Hot water: With a look of shock displayed across her face, the model's younger sister (M) quickly reacted: 'My father is going to kill you'

Letting it all out: Following the tense exchange of words, Richie is filmed holding a pair of pads while Olena's father boxers with him in the family's backyard

As he sat at the dining table, along with her mother, father and sister, Richie was slammed with questions.

Alex's dad bluntly asked: 'Do you think this is a good way to select a woman you are going to spend the rest of your life with?'

He later added, 'Have you ever cheated on a woman, ever?' leaving Richie and Alex looking on with little emotion.

Not stopping him: Alex's dad bluntly asked: 'Do you think this is a good way to select a woman you are going to spend the rest of your life with?'

Stunned: He later added, 'Have you ever cheated on a woman, ever?' leaving Richie and Alex looking on with little emotion

Lost for words: Her sister questioned the hunk on his ability to be a role model to Alex's five-year-old son, saying: 'Have you been around kids much?'

Her sister also questioned the hunk on his ability to be a role model to Alex's five-year-old son.

'How do you feel about becoming an instant family?,' she asked, before adding: 'Have you been around kids much?'

Later on, her mother added in the voice over: 'If Richie doesnt treat Alex right, he will have our whole family to deal with.'

The big moment: Next up was Western Australia with Nikki Gogan's family

Tough: While having a beer together, the beauty's brother asked: 'Is Nikki your number one choice or what?'

What will he say? During a private sit down with her sister, she added: ' Do you feel like you are falling in love with her?'

In Western Australia Nikki Gogan's brother questioned the male's intentions, asking: 'Is Nikki your number one choice or what?'

During a private sit down with her sister, she added: ' Do you feel like you are falling in love with her?'

Rachael Gouvignon's brother kept it plain and simple during a dining experience with Richie, asking him, 'What is going to separate Rachael from the others?'

The Bachelor Australia's home visits will air on Network 10 on Thursday, September 8 at 7.30pm.
She previously confirmed that her wedding to Luke Hunt is still on.

And on Wednesday, Samantha Harris revealed her domestic side as she prepared a healthy seafood dish for her future husband.

The 26-year-old model was seemingly impressed by her own cooking skills as she joked that she could be a contestant on reality TV cooking show MasterChef Australia.

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Multi-talented: Samantha Harris, 26, showed off her culinary skills on Wednesday, as she prepared a healthy seafood dish for her future husband Luke Hunt, 30

'Tonight's dinner in the Harris/Hunt household - Masterchef here I come,' she wrote alongside an image of salmon with vegetables.

The couple, who got engaged six years ago, were reunited in June after Luke, 30, was released from the St Heliers Correctional Centre in New South Wales, where he served two years for dangerous driving causing the death of a grandfather.

A few weeks after Luke's release, Samantha revealed that they were still engaged.

True love: The couple got engaged six years ago and were reunited in June following Luke's jail release

'Things are going very slowly, but surely,' she previously told The Daily Telegraph adding that she's thrilled to have Luke home.

'It is great. Life has been really good.'

The pair, who met at a Gold Coast shopping centre seven years ago, appear to be going strong despite having been apart since 2014.

The wedding is on: Samantha previously confirmed that she will proceed with wedding plans to Luke

Looking ahead: The Indigenous model was separated from Luke for two years after he was jailed for dangerous driving which caused the death of 78-year-old Kenneth Lay

During that year, Luke pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, which caused the death of 78-year-old Kenneth Lay after it was revealed that he was driving at 95km/h in a 60km/h zone.

Luke and Indigenous model Samantha were travelling to the gym in Narweena, Northern Sydney at the time when the commodore they were driving in crashed into Kenneth Lay's Hyundai Lantra.

He was sentenced to four years behind bars of which he served two and in addition, he was disqualified from driving for six-and-a-half years.

Happy again: She is thrilled to have her fiance home and the pair is planning a future together

Bright future: Samantha and Luke have not yet publicly revealed a wedding date

At the time, Samantha expressed her devastation.

'I am beyond devastated with what has happened and for the Lay family. It is still so raw, having lost my partner,' she said after the verdict.

'I need time to process and get used to not having him in my life for now.'

Wow: Earlier this week, Samantha teamed up with Westfield Carindale, where she was first discovered over a decade ago, to model a collection of designer fashions curated by herself

Samantha, who was discovered as a model at age 11, was pictured flashing her diamond sparkler during a brunch date with Luke on Thursday.

The couple was recently rumoured to be scouting potential wedding venues in Byron Bay after Samantha was spotted around town.

She has since denied the reports saying, 'I was just there enjoying Byron.'

Earlier this week, Samantha teamed up with Westfield Carindale, where she was first discovered over a decade ago, to model a collection of designer fashions curated by herself.

Smoking hot: She oozed confidence and glamour during the shoot




He's tall, dark, handsome and ready for Love- Georgia Love that is!

This week, Channel 10's The Bachelorette released a promotional video for the upcoming season featuring firefighter Cameron Cranley.

In the short clip, which was shared to the official Bachelorette Facebook page, Georgia is seen swooning as she lays her eyes on Cameron outside the Bachelorette mansion.

Smitten! In a short clip to the official Bachelorette Facebook page this week, Georgia is seen swooning as she lays her eyes on Cameron Cranley outside the Bachelorette mansion

'Oh my god!' screeched Georgia as she copped an eyeful of the suited-up specimen approaching her.

'My name's Cameron. I'm 26 years old. I'm a firefighter,' Perth-based Cameron said to the camera.

'I want to get married and I really want kids,' he said as a montage of his appearances on upcoming episodes played.

Will she win Georgia's heart? 'My name's Cameron. I'm 26 years old. I'm a firefighter,' Perth-based Cameron said to the camera

Suave: Cameron appeared outside the Bachelorette mansion wearing a slick black suit and matching tie, while accenting his look with a white pocket square

Cameron appeared outside the Bachelorette mansion wearing a slick black suit and matching tie, while accenting his look with a white pocket square.

Also in the clip, footage of Cameron dressed in full firefighter garb is played alongside several shots of the Bachelorette hopeful looking casual in a T-shirt.

It comes after photos surfaced of Cameron posing shirtless and oiled up in a photo shoot for the 2016 Perth Firefighters Calendar.

Laid back: Also in the clip, footage of Cameron dressed in full firefighter garb is played alongside several shots of the Bachelorette hopeful looking casual in a T-shirt

It comes after photos surfaced of Cameron posing shirtless and oiled up in a photo shoot for the 2016 Perth Firefighters Calendar

Alongside the image, which was posted to social media back in May, many females struggle to contain their excitement over the former sportsman's body.

'Come to mumma, just love the 6pk,' writes one Facebook user.

Another posts: 'Oh yes...good morning. I've already flipped Cam.'
He's recently been spotted locking lips with a mystery brunette in London looking a far cry from his swashbuckling Poldark alter ego in denim jacket and jeans.

But Aidan Turner was back in his breeches on Monday as he returned to film the third series of the hit BBC drama.

Sporting a brown tricorne hat teamed with a long blue coat, waistcoat and white cravat, the 33-year-old actor showed off his riding prowess on set.

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Prowess: Aidan Turner was back in his breeches on Monday as he returned to film the third series of the hit BBC drama

Despite the series being set in Cornwall, cast and crew were shooting in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, with new character Morwenna (Ellise Chappell) who plays Elizabeth's cousin, also spotted on set holding a baby.

Ellise is one of three major new characters filming the third season - joining Harry Richardson and Tom York playing Demelza's brothers Drake and Sam.

Morwenna finds herself in George Warleggans employment as a governess to support her sisters and widowed mother, according to the BBC.

Taking the reins: Aidan showed his horsemanship on his black and white mount

Third season: Aidan and the rest of the cast have begun filming the next series, just as the second season airs on the BBC

It's all too much: It looked like the long days on set might be taking something of a toll on the actor

And action! Aidan prepared to snap into Poldark mode as the cameras rolled

The channel doesn't give too much away about the forthcoming series, only to relay that it's set in 1794, with the 'French revolution casting a great shadow over life in Cornwall.'

Although the third series is clearly well underway, television viewers have only just digested the first episode of the drama which aired on Sunday.

Going head to head with ITV1's Jenna Coleman costume drama Victoria, the episode won 5.1 million viewers, with ITV's offering garnering marginally more at 5.2 million.

The ratings may well have suffered from the head to head clash, despite Aidan stripping off to reveal his famously ripped torso in the episode.

Decked out: Ellise Chappell as Morwenna was dressed in a floral dress and hat for filming

Prestigious: Ellise joins the leading female cast members Heida Reed and Eleanor Tomlinson who play Elizabeth and Demelza respectively

Newcomer: Morwenna will be seen by viewers in the third season where she works as a governess

The successful first series followed soldier Ross Poldark, who returns home from the American War of Independence to find his father dead, estate ruined and former lover married to his cousin.

He then sets out to regain his village and control of the mines lost during his time in battle, with the help of his newly enlisted housemaid Demelza.

Aidan has experienced a steady rise in his career since appearing in The Hobbit and now Poldark.

Back in breeches: Aidan looked especially dashing in his costume

Star of the show: Aidan's heartthrob status has meant an increased interest in his personal life

High spirits: Aidan seemed to relish the horse scenes involving his character

His heartthrob status has meant an increased interest in his personal life, with legions of female fans disappointed after spotting him locking lips with a mystery brunette a few days ago.

According to Mirror Online, an onlooker said of the new couple: 'He was really into her. He didnt care who saw them.

'They had a natural rapport and were having a great time.'

Aidan split from his long term love Sarah Greene last November with the Being Human star refusing to offer any details of the split or the reasons behind it.

Stunt double: The actor also had a second identically-dressed Ross Poldark on set

Getting some help there: A crew member provided some riding assistance

Hats off: Poldark's newest governess was clearly getting into the role, nannying a baby

It's a hit: Aidan recently confessed that the cast knew by the third episode that the show was a success with viewers

Aidan has starred as the lead alongside redheaded actress Eleanor Tomlinson since its first season began March 2015.

Talking with Sara Cox in a Radio 2 interview about the show's huge success last Friday, Aidan admitted he had an inkling early on that they were on to something good.

He said: 'By the second or third episode we knew. People were tuning in and enjoying it, and it was hitting the tabloids so we knew early on.'

After its initial intrigue the show only went from strength to strength - rising in popularity particularly after Aidan's infamous shirtless appearance.

Historical: The third season will be set in 1794, according to the BBC

Back in costume: Despite season two only just airing on the BBC, the third series is already shooting

Doubling up: Blink twice and onlookers would miss Aidan's stunt double

Stripping off while labouring in the fields as his soldier character Ross, Aidan exhibited his impressively ripped torso - with a picture of his muscles soon going viral after the episode.

However Turner himself admitted that his character's baring of skin was not intentional, but was actually his own idea for practicality.

Speaking to The Mirror, the star, admitted: 'It was probably a huge mistake. But Poldark's out in the fields, it's a really hot day, there's a lot of work, and it wouldn't have made sense with a top on.'

'It was never supposed to be sexually provocative.'
Roxy Jacenko has denied claims she was involved in a violent public dispute with her estranged father Nick in May.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Nick Jacenko and his fiancee, fashion designer Lisa Ho, claim the PR Queen verbally and physically assaulted her father on the streets of Sydney, hitting him around the head.

The 36-year-old has firmly denied the allegations to Daily Mail Australia, after it was revealed that police are investigating the incident.

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Hot water: Roxy Jacenko has denied claims she was involved in a public dispute with her businessman father, Nick Jacenko in May

Nick Jacenko and his fiancee, fashion designer Lisa Ho (both pictured), claim the PR Queen verbally and physically assaulted her father on the streets of Sydney

'There is no basis for these allegations. I can only attribute such comments to a sad quest for public notoriety by my father Nick Jacenko and Lisa Ho,' she told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday.

Mr Jacenko, who is engaged to Ho, told the Telegraph he crossed paths with his daughter, her now jailed husband Oliver Curtis and his ex-wife Doreen Davis, while out to dinner in the upscale suburb of Woollahra.

Curtis, who is now jailed for insider trading, reportedly told Mr Jacenko and Ms Ho to 'just keep walking' when the two parties walked past each other on the street.

The couple claim Roxy then grabbed the collar of Mr Jacenko's T-shirt and hit him around the head as she verbally abused him.

'She was screaming, 'You should be ashamed of yourself' over and over,' Mr Jacenko said, explaining he was unsure what his daughter was referring to.

Ms Ho also claims the mother-of-two repeatedly hit her in the head and neck with her fist.

Rival: According to the Daily Telegraph , the PR Queen verbally abused her estranged dad in the streets of Sydney (pictured with granddaughter Pixie)

Mr Jacenko, who is engaged to Ho, said he crossed paths with his daughter while out to dinner

Mr Jacenko's ex wife Doreen Davis (pictured with Roxy in March) was also reportedly involved in incident

'I asked Ollie (Curtis) to tell Roxy to let go of my scarf so we could move on. I told him "I can't move - she has a hold of my scarf",' she said.

According to the Telegraph, Mr Jacenko's ex wife Ms Davis was also involved in incident, reportedly striking his head causing his glasses to fall from his face.

Ms Ho also alleges that Ms Davis physically attacked her too, a claim Ms Davis denies.

A police spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Telegraph that an incident occurred in Woollahra and because both Mr Jacenko and Ms Ho submitted written statements, an investigation is ongoing.

The moment: Mr Jacenko told the publication he cross paths with his daughter and her husband Oliver Curtis as he headed out to dinner at nearby Pizza Moncur

Mr Jacenko was out to dinner with partner Lisa Ho (pictured) when the couple ran into Roxy and her husband Oliver Curtis in Sydney's east

In December, Ms Ho was pictured with a brand new white Bentley from bespoke car dealer Trivett Bespoke in Alexandria, said to be a gift from Mr Jacenko

The incident isn't the first family feud Roxy has faced.

In 2008, police took out an Apprehended Violence Order against her then-schoolgirl sister Ruby after she allegedly slapped her in a Kings Cross nightclub.

The sisters are estranged and have not been in contact since.

The latest family feud is part of a series of unfortunate events that have made for a challenging year for Roxy.

In June, her husband Oliver was sentenced to two-years jail in the NSW Supreme Court after he was convicted of conspiracy to commit insider trading.

Speaking out: The Sweaty Betty owner (right) said the claims against her and her mother (left) were 'inaccurate and defamatory'

The following month, Roxy revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and she recently underwent surgery.

Ms Ho has also faced her own share of heartache after her fashion empire collapsed in 2014, reportedly leaving her $17 million in debt.

But in December, the 53-year-old was pictured with a brand new white Bentley from bespoke car dealer Trivett Bespoke in Alexandria, said to be a gift from Mr Jacenko.

On 18 June 2013, administrators confirmed Lisa Ho Group, including all Lisa Ho stores across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, were pulling down the shutters for the last time.
Australian actress Melissa George is reportedly in hospital following an alleged assault by her partner of four years, Jean David Blanc.

According to French website Purepeople, Melissa, 40, was taken to Cochin hospital in Paris after turning up at the police station at around 3am on Wednesday morning.

The star - who shares two sons with 48-year-old Jean David - was allegedly suffering from bruising to her face and complaining of pain and feeling faint.

Shocking: Melissa George has allegedly been hospitalised following a domestic incident concerning her French partner of four years, Jean David Blanc (pictured in May 2016)

M6info reports: ' According to statements by the actress ... she was assaulted by her companion.

'The police were called last night to intervene in the centre of Paris.

'In shock, Melissa George, had a swelling of the face and complained of pain, nausea and dizziness.'

The site claims there are no reports of the French businessman being arrested or charged over the alleged incident.

What happened? French website Purepeople reported that the 40-year-old actress contacted the police and was taken to hospital with facial injuries following the alleged altercation

MailOnline has contacted a Paris police spokesperson, who confirmed reports the actress has been hospitalised.

Jean David is a businessman, writer and film producer, famed for founding cinema service organization AlloCine.

The couple first met in 2011 at a BAFTA after-party, before entering into a relationship in 2012.

They welcomed their first child, a son named Raphael, in February 2014 and a second son, Solal, in November last year.

Family life: The couple first met in 2011 at a BAFTA after-party, before entering into a relationship in 2012

Melissa was previously married to Chilean film director Caludio Dabed.

When announcing Solal's birth on social media, Melissa publicly gushed over her longtime de facto.

'Thank you to my love, Jean David, for giving me the best gift in my life. I love you,' she wrote at the time.

Melissa most recently starred as Dr. Alexandra Panttiere in the NBC medical drama, Heartbeat.

Unfortunately, the show flatlined and was canceled by the network back in May following poor ratings and a negative critical reception.

She rose to fame in Home And Away in the 90s, before landing recurring roles in Alias and Grey's Anatomy.
Jessica Gomes announced earlier this week that she will be featuring on the cover of Collective magazine.

And on Wednesday, the David Jones ambassador found herself in hot water after it was discovered she was modelling a designer gown sold by rival department store, Myer.

On the cover, the 27-year-old stuns in a Daniel Avakian gown which features a plunging neckline as it falls loosely over her slender frame.

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Trouble: David Jones ambassador Jessica Gomes has found herself in hot water after she modelled a designer gown sold by rival department store, Myer for a magazine cover shoot

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the write-up about the Australian stunner features stories about 'game changers, thought leaders, rule breakers and style makers.'

The publication reported 'ambassadors [for department stores] usually sign an exclusivity clause barring them from wearing designers from a rival store.'

The picture-perfect shot was reportedly taken in Byron Bay one month before Jessica walked the red carpet at the David Jones Spring/Summer Fashion Launch in Sydney.

Trouble: According to the Sydney Morning Herald , the write-up about the Australian stunner features stories about 'game changers, thought leaders, rule breakers and style makers'

The famous fashion designer seemed to not care about the rival between the two department stores, sharing the image of the model to his Instagram account.

He wrote alongside it: 'Stunning! The stunning @iamjessicagomes wearing our Annalise Robe on the cover of the current issue of @collectivehub.'

Days earlier she proved Jessica shared a behind-the-scenes snap from the shoot, showing off her figure and ample cleavage in the garment.

The model offered fans a glimpse of her sexy lingerie and endless pins when her black billowing maxi dress came undone in a racy behind-the-scenes snap.

Lingerie and legs: Days earlier she proved Jessica shared a behind-the-scenes snap from the shoot, showing off her figure and ample cleavage in the garment

She was seen standing on a wooden balcony, with a beautiful view of the Byron Bay countryside in the background.

The top half of the her dress was left opened, showing off her cleavage in a sexy, lace bra the model was sporting.

Jessica captioned the picture, 'P A N D A // Behind the scenes snap from @collectivehub on stands now.'

In early August, Jessica was in Australia to visit her hometown of Perth and also to walk in the David Jones Spring Summer launch, which took place in Sydney.

She then traveled back to the USA to spend time with her godson, fellow model Nicole Trunfio's son Zion in Los Angeles.

Following, the model shot in Malibu with popular Australian photographer and model, Margaret Zhang.
Hamish Blake is on a mission to make his lovelorn co-host Andy Lee the next Bachelor Australia after he split from his long-time girlfriend Rebecca Harding earlier this years.

But during Wednesday night's edition ofThe Project, the 35-year-old singleton, who was on the show to promote his new children's book, Do Not Open This Book, told fans that he wasn't interested in the lucrative position.

In fact, he would turn the opportunity down.

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'Absolutely no': Andy Lee denied he will be the next Bachelor as he promotes his children's book on The Project

'Hamish has been sending this alight for as long as possible. Absolutely no! That would be my answer,' he said after he was questioned by Carrie Bickmore on the rumours.

However, the intrusive questions didn't stop there.

'Is that because you are not a bachelor and you are with Delta Goodrem,' co-host Peter Helliar asked.

'Yes, the lie factory at New Idea have been pushing that as well,' Andy said.

'You do have innocent eyes!' Peter than joked.

Author: Andy has released a children's book called Do Not Open This Book which was dedicated to his nephew

The rumours to become the next Bachelor began after 2Day FM co-host confirmed that he had split from his much-younger girlfriend, Rebecca, 25.

The radio star revealed the pair had parted ways 'a little while ago', during his popular Hamish & Andy radio show, in August.

Speaking to his co-host Hamish Blake, he said 'Bec and I broke up a little while ago.'

Where it started: The rumours to become the next Bachelor began after 2Day FM co-host confirmed that he had split from his much-younger girlfriend, Rebecca, 25

The revelation about the pair's break-up came when the duo began talking about kissing.

They were discussing the 'slug', where one goes to kiss someone and they let their 'tongue go limp in their mouth', and then pull back and say 'you have been slugged!'

Andy said he no longer has to worry about the 'slug' because he was single.

'I am worried about you (Hamish) because you know that Bec and I broke up a little while ago. And so she was the only one that was going to slug me,' he explained to his radio co-host.

'Your still a chance to get slugged by your wife,' he turned to tell Hamish, who is married to former beauty blogger, Zoe Foster-Blake.

Recovery time: Rebecca and Andy went on post break-up holidays after their split

Meanwhile, It seems that following their split, Rebecca and Andy went on post break-up holidays.

Rebecca was posting pictures of herself holidaying in Bali, while the 2DayFM presenter enjoyed a road trip around Europe with his friends during his holiday period from hosting duties with Hamish.

Rebecca, who usually likes to share snippets of her weekend activities with Andy, has not shared any photos of the pair together since early June.

And there was certainly no mention of Rebecca in Andy's holiday updates his Twitter page.

Andy and Rebecca went public with their relationship in January last year.

Former flames: Andy and Rebecca went public with their relationship in January last year




She is known for her signature long raven locks.

But Ariel Winter was unrecognizable in an Instagram photo she shared on Tuesday while posing for a 'secret' photo shoot in a curly blonde wig.

The 18-year-old actress showcased her stems and derriere in a sheer tulle skirt which left little to the imagination.

Wigged out! Ariel Winter was unrecognizable in an Instagram photo she shared on Tuesday while posing for a photo shoot in a curly blonde hairpiece

The Modern Family star sported the bob with a deep red lip while flashing a coy smile at the camera.

She sprawled across a rug and perched her arm on a stack of small pillows while posing seductively.

'Shhh #secretshoot #magazine #blonde #tb,' the award-winning actress captioned the image.

On a lighter note: The 18-year-old actress ditched her signature raven locks for the platinum blonde bob

While the image did not appear to be a throwback as she used the '#tb' hashtag, Ariel oozed old Hollywood glam so it was likely a nod to the era.

Meanwhile, the teenager has a busy time ahead.

She is filming season eight of ABC's hit comedy Modern Family which will return to the small screen on September 21.

Additionally, the talented teen is working on Dog Years with Burt Reynolds and Chevy Chase about an aging, former movie star whose glory days are far behind him.

Upcoming: Ariel is filming season eight of ABC's hit comedy Modern Family which will return to the small screen on September 21

Ariel is also due to start her first year at UCLA in the fall, revealing her choice of college on Instagram in April.

The actress, who has been home schooled since the second grade, told E! News in May 2015 that she planned to become a lawyer.

'I would love to continue acting but it's definitely important, I think, to go and do something else as well,' she explained. 'You never know if something's not going to work out.'
His naked torso and daring deeds have helped Poldark to shoot to success.

But it seems that even Aidan Turner needs a helping hand at times, as the actor was seen switching places with a stunt double ahead of some horse riding scenes, in Gloucestershire, on Monday.

Sat astride a towering black charger, the 33-year-old star initially filmed some shots riding himself, but it seems the rest of the scene called for a more experienced hand.

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High-ho Silver! Aidan Turner sat atop a horse to film horseriding scenes for Poldark in Gloucestershire on Monday, but he soon traded places with a stunt double

Keeping them in the Pol-Dark? Sat astride a black charger, the 33-year-old star initially filmed some shots riding himself, but it seems the rest of the scene called for a professional's touch

In-between takes the actor, who starred in fantasy action romp The Hobbit, clambered down off of his steed - making way for a stunt double.

Dressed in identical outfits of dark indigo great coats, waistcoats, breeches and boots, the two were impossible to tell apart.

Though it seems that the production staff were keen for Aidan to do some riding, the stunt man was clearly expected to do some of the more dare-devil moments on camera.

A cunning switch: In-between takes the actor, who starred in fantasy action romp The Hobbit, clambered down off of his steed - making way for a stunt double

Aidan, who plays the lead role of Captain Ross Poldark, looked in high spirits, and could be seen smiling as he worked through the scene.

Though the cast and crew may have been forgiven for mixing him up with his stunt man, as the mystery man was the star's doppelganger.

Despite the series being set in Cornwall, cast and crew were shooting in Tetbury with new character Morwenna (Ellise Chappell who plays Elizabeth's cousin) also spotted on set holding a baby.

Seeing double! Dressed in identical outfits of dark indigo great coats, waistcoats, breeches and boots, the two were impossible to tell apart

Ellise is one of three major new stars filming the third season - joining Harry Richardson and Tom York, who play Demelza's brothers Drake and Sam.

Morwenna finds herself in George Warleggans employment as a governess to support her sisters and widowed mother, according to the BBC.

The channel doesn't give too much away about the forthcoming series, only to relay that it's set in 1794, with the 'French revolution casting a great shadow over life in Cornwall.'

Prowess: Aidan Turner was back in his breeches on Monday as he returned to film the third series of the hit BBC drama

Taking the reigns: Aidan showed his horsemanship on his black and white mount

Third season: Aidan and the rest of the cast have begun filming the next series, just as the second season airs on the BBC

It's all too much: It looked like the long days on set might be taking something of a toll on the actor

And action! Aidan prepared to snap into Poldark mode as the cameras rolled

Although the third series is clearly well underway, television viewers have only just digested the first episode of the drama which aired on Sunday.

Going head to head with ITV1's Jenna Coleman costume drama Victoria, the episode won 5.1 million viewers, with ITV's offering garnering marginally more at 5.2 million.

The ratings may well have suffered from the head to head clash, despite Aidan stripping off to reveal his famously ripped torso in the episode.

Decked out: Ellise Chappell as Morwenna was dressed in a floral dress and hat for filming

Prestigious: Ellise joins the leading female cast members Heida Reed and Eleanor Tomlinson who play Elizabeth and Demelza respectively

Newcomer: Morwenna will be seen by viewers in the third season where she works as a governess

The successful first series followed soldier Ross Poldark, who returns home from the American War of Independence to find his father dead, estate ruined and former lover married to his cousin.

He then sets out to regain his village and control of the mines lost during his time in battle, with the help of his newly enlisted housemaid Demelza.

Aidan has experienced a steady rise in his career since appearing in The Hobbit and now Poldark.

Star of the show: Aidan's heartthrob status has meant an increased interest in his personal life

His heartthrob status has meant an increased interest in his personal life, with legions of female fans disappointed after spotting him locking lips with a mystery brunette a few days ago.

According to Mirror Online, an onlooker said of the new couple: 'He was really into her. He didnt care who saw them.

'They had a natural rapport and were having a great time.'

Aidan split from his long term love Sarah Greene last November with the Being Human star refusing to offer any details of the split or the reasons behind it.

Getting some help there: A crew member provided some riding assistance

Hats off: Poldark's newest governess was clearly getting into the role, nannying a baby

It's a hit: Aidan recently confessed that the cast knew by the third episode that the show was a success with viewers

Aidan has starred as the lead alongside redheaded actress Eleanor Tomlinson since its first season began March 2015.

Talking with Sara Cox in a Radio 2 interview about the show's huge success last Friday, Aidan admitted he had an inkling early on that they were on to something good.

He said: 'By the second or third episode we knew. People were tuning in and enjoying it, and it was hitting the tabloids so we knew early on.'

After its initial intrigue the show only went from strength to strength - rising in popularity particularly after Aidan's infamous shirtless appearance.

Historical: The third season will be set in 1794, according to the BBC

Back in costume: Despite season two only just airing on the BBC, the third series is already shooting

Stripping off while labouring in the fields as his soldier character Ross, Aidan exhibited his impressively ripped torso - with a picture of his muscles soon going viral after the episode.

However Turner himself admitted that his character's baring of skin was not intentional, but was actually his own idea for practicality.

Speaking to The Mirror, the star, admitted: 'It was probably a huge mistake. But Poldark's out in the fields, it's a really hot day, there's a lot of work, and it wouldn't have made sense with a top on.'

'It was never supposed to be sexually provocative.'
The Fall has gripped viewers and critics alike since it first premiered in 2013.

And Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan were back together at last, promoting the highly-anticipated third series of the crime drama on Wednesday.

The on-screen rivals joined forces for the event, with both stars looking impeccably stylish at the central London event.

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Third and final series: Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan were back together at last, promoting the highly-anticipated new series of The Fall in London on Wednesday

Gillian, 48, looked amazing in a simple black, pleated dress with a low neckline and a midi cut.

She kept her attire simple, rounding off the look with black strappy heels and a leather watch.

The X-Files favourite starred her blonde bob in loose curls and kept her make-up natural for the occasion.

Chic as ever: Gillian, 48, looked amazing in a simple black, pleated dress with a low neckline and a midi cut

Classic vibes: She kept her attire simple, rounding off the look with black strappy heels and a leather watch

Cunning killer: Gillian plays detective Stella Gibson, on a mission to catch serial killer Phil Spector (Dornan)

Casual: Jamie was handsome as ever in a baby blue shirt and bright blazer, dressing down the look with dark trousers and lace-up shoes

Jamie, 34, was handsome as ever in a baby blue shirt and bright blazer, dressing down the look with dark trousers and lace-up shoes.

Gillian plays detective Stella Gibson, on a mission to catch serial killer Phil Spector (Dornan).

The second series ended with a major cliff-hanger as Spector shot in the arms of Gibson.

Terrific trio: The pair posed alongside The Fall's writer and creator, Allan Cubitt

Going out in style: The upcoming series, which will air this autumn, is expected to be the last

Leading ladies: Aisling Franciosi, Valene Kane and Aisling Bea also attended the photocall

Not long to wait: Valene (L) plays Rose Stagg, the ex-girlfriend of Spector, while Aisling Bea (R) joins the cast for series three

All smiles: Aisling Franciosi plays babysitter Katie Benedetto, who develops a crush on Jamie's character

The last words uttered in the finale were Gillian shouting, 'We're losing him', as the troubled killer lies fighting for his life.

Teasing fans about the upcoming series, Jamie said his character is taken to an 'unexpected place' during an interview on The One Show.

He said: 'It goes in quite an unexpected place in series three, without giving too much away.'

The Northern Irish heartthrob also praised the show for 'changing his life', saying, 'I'm forever grateful'.

In conversation: The pair took part in a Q&A following the screening of the first episode of series three

All smiles: Gillian beamed as she fielded some tricky questions during the press conference

Animated: The Fifty Shades Of Grey star spoke passionately about the show

Why so serious: The mood was intense during the screening at the BFI Southbank
She's been putting on a stunning sartorial display over the last three nights at the British, French and now German premieres of Bridget Jones's Baby.

And Renee Zellweger, 47, pulled out the stops once again on Wednesday night when she walked down the red carpet to promote her latest movie offering in Berlin.

She looked incredible, wearing a very daring dress which was slashed right to the top of her thigh and tied in place with a bow.

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The thigh's the limit: Renee Zellweger wasn't afraid to flash a little leg as she attended the premiere of Bridget Jones's Baby in Berlin on Tuesday night

Earning her air miles: She's been putting on a stunning sartorial display over the last three nights at the British, French and now German premieres of her latest movie offering

Showing off her golden limbs, Renee flashed her winning smile at the photographers as she sashayed along in the highest of heels by Christian Louboutin.

Zellweger - rocking a David Webb 'Ball' bracelet - wore her ombre blonde locks down in pretty curls which framed her face and opted for minimal make-up.

Her one-shoulder gown showed off her slim figure and she was soon joined by her two leading men, Colin Firth, 55, and Patrick Dempsey, 50.

Her one-shoulder gown showed off her slim figure and she was soon joined by her two leading men, Colin Firth, 55, (right) and Patrick Dempsey, 50 (left)

She's so giggly: At one point, Renee appeared as though she was trying to make Colin giggle as he posed with a straight-face

Words: The trio were almost dwarfed by the size of the branding which sat behind them

The men looked incredibly dapper in their smart attire and they all cosied up together for a lovely series of snaps.

At one point, Renee appeared as though she was trying to make Colin giggle as he posed with a straight-face.

They were later joined by the movie's director, Sharon Maguire.

Bridget Jones' Baby is due for release on September 16.

She's got it going on: Zellweger - rocking a David Webb 'Ball' bracelet - wore her ombre blonde locks down in pretty curls which framed her face and opted for minimal make-up

Bridget Jones' Baby catches up with Bridget who is now working a news producer, with awards under her belt and a more balanced approach to life than in the previous two movies.

However, her life is about to be turned upside down once again, as she discovers she's pregnant.

And Bridget is unsure whether the father of the child is the faithful Mark Darcy, (Firth), or the dashing American Jack Qwant, played by Greys Anatomys Doctor McDreamy (Dempsey).
She wowed the judges with her intricate gingerbread pub last week, but Candice Brown was almost undone by the curse of being star baker.

For the 31-year-old suffered a dramatic 'fall from grace' on the Great British Bake Off, serving up raw dough, a collapsed chocolate loaf and an ill-tempered tantrum.

The glamorous PE teacher's rapid decline saw her come dangerously close to becoming yet another contestant to be eliminated just a week after being top of the pack.

Candice Brown suffered a dramatic 'fall from grace' on the Great British Bake Off, serving up raw dough, a collapsed chocolate loaf and an ill-tempered tantrum

However, it was Michael Georgiou, the show's youngest contestant, who was judged to have fared the worst in an eventful bread week.

The 20-year-old became the third baker to leave the tent, having failed to win over Paul Hollywood with a Cypriot-inspired showstopper.

However, the attention was all on Miss Brown, thanks to the emotional meltdown she had when her chocolate, salted caramel and pecan brittle brioche did not turn out as planned.

Sensing she was having trouble, three of her fellow bakers offered to help take her bread out of its tin, but when it collapsed she screeched: 'Oh no, I've squashed it'.

She was then heard muttering 'it looks horrendous' and scrunched her face up, before burying her head in her hands.

The judges shared her concerns, with Hollywood saying: 'It has collapsed, which makes it look a mess, but it is down to the eat on this.'

The glamorous PE teacher's rapid decline saw her come dangerously close to becoming yet another contestant to be eliminated just a week after being top of the pack

Sensing she was having trouble, three of her fellow bakers offered to help take her bread out of its tin, but when it collapsed she screeched: 'Oh no, I've squashed it'

When cutting into the bread, he highlighted that it was not cooked through, and said: 'You can see that the dough is still raw inside. With all the love in the world I'm not going to eat it.

However, Miss Brown was unable to keep her emotions in check, as she cried when given the criticism and said she was embarrassed.

Hollywood quickly added: 'There's nothing to be embarrassed about! What it is is you tend to fly out there with lots and lots of things going inside. Rein it in a little bit, and slowly get your baking absolutely spot on.'

Despite finishing third in a complex technical challenge, which required the ten bakers to make a German dish of steamed dough balls, called Dampfnudel, Miss Brown looked bound to leave after struggling with her two-tier showstopper.

Her plaited rye loaves, which were filled with mozzarella and olives, were criticised as the pattern was not distinct enough and the bread was too close-textured.

When cutting into the bread, Hollywood highlighted that it was not cooked through, and said: 'You can see that the dough is still raw inside'

However, it was Michael Georgiou, the show's youngest contestant, who was judged to have fared the worst in an eventful bread week

And the top loaf drew even more criticism, with Hollywood saying: 'The top one is a mess though, when it comes to flavour, dough development, plaiting, proving, baking  all of it.'

His comments prompted Miss Brown to say 'ta-da everybody' to the other bakers, and it looked as though she would be leaving the tent.

She would by no means have been the first to be eliminated the week after being crowned star baker, as the award has sometimes been considered a curse.

Last year Marie and Mat were eliminated a week after being given the accolade, and several contestants have seriously struggled after being voted the best in the tent.
She's never one to shy away from flaunting her incredible figure.

So it was no surprise to see Amanda Holden making a show-stealing appearance in a sexy cut-out gown at the Animal Hero Awards on Wednesday night.

Arriving at Grosvenor House in London for the ceremony, the 45-year-old Britain's Got Talent judge ensured all eyes were on her thanks to her skin-tight dress.

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The lady is a vamp! Amanda Holden making a show-stealing appearance in a sexy cut-out gown at the Animal Hero Awards on Wednesday night

Channeling a vampy look for her stint on the red carpet at the event sponsored by a the RSPCA and a national newspaper, Amanda opted for a sparkling Aloura London black gown.

Featuring cutaway sections on the waist, the Porstmouth-born star drew attention to her trim and toned figure.

The dress also featured a thigh-high slit, which allowed Amanda to flash her gym-honed legs.

Shimmering style: Arriving at Grosvenor House in London for the ceremony, the 45-year-old Britain's Got Talent judge ensured all eyes were on her thanks to her skin-tight dress

Flashing some flesh: Channeling a vampy look for her stint on the red carpet at the event , Amanda opted for a sparkling black gown

She teamed the gown with a pair of towering black stilettos from Charlotte Olympia that only served to further define her figure and limbs.

Ensuring that focus wasn't shifted off of her eye-catching garment, the Wild At Heart star chose to go for a minimal amount of accessories.

Wearing her long blonde locks coiffed and styled into waves that lapped at her shoulder, the actress ensured her famous features were framed and highlighted.

Cut it out! Featuring cutaway sections on the waist, the Porstmouth-born star drew attention to her trim and toned figure

A cheeky peak: The dress also featured a thigh-high slit, which allowed Amanda to flash her gym-honed legs

Hostess with the mostess: Amanda was hosting the event

Opting for a natural and flesh-toned make-up palette, Amanda subtly plumped up her lips with a slick of lip gloss and picked her eyes out with eyeliner.

But Amanda wasn't the only glamorous arrival at the awards, as the likes of Made In Chelsea's Lucy Watson, Ferne McCann and Ashleigh Butler and Pudsey the dogs.

The Animal Hero Awards recognise and celebrate the most inspiring examples of bravery, dedication and resilience in the animal world.

A glamorous arrival: Amanda wasn't the only glamorous arrival at the awards, as the likes of Made In Chelsea's Lucy Watson - accompanied by her boyfriend James Dunmore

Here come the girls: Ferne McCann and Amanda's fellow BGT judge Alesha Dixon were also at the awards

Look who's walking! As was Ashleigh Butler and Pudsey the dogs

Strictly floral: Strictly Come Dancing's Laura Whitmore arrived in a floral suit

She's a treasure: Antique's Road Show's Angela Rippon was also on hand
Johnny Depp's next chameleon acting challenge will reportedly be playing the late detective Russell Poole in a thriller about the unsolved murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.

According to Screen Daily, Good Films producer Miriam Segal will introduce an adaptation of Randall Sullivan's 2003 book LAbyrinth to buyers at this week's Toronto Film Festival.

Before his 2015 heart attack, Poole's year-long investigation theorized that three police officers and Death Row Records CEO Marion 'Suge' Knight were responsible for the 1997 shooting of the 24-year-old rapper (born Christopher Wallace).

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Next role! Johnny Depp's next chameleon acting challenge will reportedly be playing the late detective Russell Poole (R) in a thriller about the unsolved murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.

LAbyrinth will be helmed by filmmaker Brad Furman, who also directed The Infiltrator, Runner Runner, and The Lincoln Lawyer.

The who-done-it flick is the 53-year-old Oscar nominee's first casting since his abuse allegations and divorce from Amber Heard.

On August 16, a judge dismissed the 30-year-old actress' restraining order and domestic violence case against Depp following their $7M settlement - which is being donated to charity.

According to Screen Daily: Good Films producer Miriam Segal will introduce an adaptation of Randall Sullivan's 2003 book LAbyrinth to buyers at this week's Toronto Film Festival

Conspiracy? Before his 2015 heart attack, Poole's year-long investigation theorized that three police officers and Death Row Records CEO Marion 'Suge' Knight (R) were responsible for the 1997 shooting of the 24-year-old rapper (3-L)

Maestro: LAbyrinth will be helmed by filmmaker Brad Furman (R), who also directed The Infiltrator, Runner Runner, and The Lincoln Lawyer

The Alice Through the Looking Glass actor currently co-stars with his 17-year-old daughter Lily-Rose and ex-partner Vanessa Paradis in Kevin Smith's horror-comedy Yoga Hosers.

Meanwhile, Open Road Films will soon release director Benny Boom's biopic on Tupac Shakur called All Eyez on Me featuring Demetrius Shipp Jr., Danai Gurira, and Kat Graham.

Pictured January 9: The who-done-it flick is the 53-year-old Oscar nominee's first casting since his domestic violence allegations and August 16 divorce from Amber Heard

Family affair: The Alice Through the Looking Glass actor currently co-stars with his 17-year-old daughter Lily-Rose (R) and ex-partner Vanessa Paradis in Kevin Smith's horror-comedy Yoga Hosers
This embattled rapper could find herself behind bars if she skips her next court appearance.

Azealia Banks did not show up to her court case in New York on Wednesday, and the judge was less than impressed, according to the New York Daily News.

The 25-year-old controversial star was meant to appear to face charges for allegedly attacking a bouncer at a New York City nightclub last year.

Warned: Azealia Banks (pictured in court earlier this year) did not show up to her court case in New York on Wednesday, and the judge was less than impressed warning a bench warrent will be issued if she does not show next time

The rapper is charged with misdemeanor assault, attempted assault and disorderly conduct after the incident at the Up&Down in Chelsea on December 16, where she allegedly bite a female bouncer on the breast.

Travel issue: Azealia's lawyer Stacey Richman said her client had missed her flight

Azealia's lawyer Stacey Richman was in the courtroom but said her client had missed her flight from Los Angeles.

She told the court - according to NY Daily News: 'She missed her flight.

'She was supposed to take the red eye in last night.'

The rapper has missed previous court appearances due to health reasons so the judge made it clear this would not be happening again.

Ordering Azealia to be court at the end of the month, Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Kathryn Paek, said this was her last chance.

Scene stealer: On the few times Azealia has appeared at court, she has ensured there was no missing her from taking to selfies to lashing out at photographers outside the building

'If your client is not here in court on that date, a bench warrant will be issued,' the judge said.

On the few times Azealia has appeared at court, she has ensured there was no missing her from taking to selfies to lashing out at photographers outside the building.

Her court case followings the star's arrest last December for allegedly punching a female security guard, who was escorting her out of the club, and biting the guard on her breast.

Serious allegations: The rapper is charged with misdemeanor assault, attempted assault and disorderly conduct after the incident at the Up&Down in Chelsea on December 16, where she allegedly bite a female bouncer on the breast

The bite caused 'redness, swelling and bruising' and 'substantial pain', according to the criminal complaint, but the woman declined medical attention at the scene.

The rapper is infamous for her Twitter rants against other rappers, as well as politicians - she once suggested Sarah Palin be gang-rapped.
Britain, not China, top foreign landowner in Australia

Contrary to perceptions, British investors own far more agricultural land in Australia than Chinese nationals, an inaugural foreign land register showed Wednesday as the government warned against the rise of protectionist sentiment.

The sale of valuable farmland to foreigners, particularly through Australia's biggest trading partner China, has been a sensitive issue in recent years.

Earlier this year, Australia knocked back the sale of the country's biggest private landowner, cattle firm S. Kidman and Co., to a Chinese-led consortium citing national interest with part of the holding overlapping a military testing range.

The sale of valuable farmland to foreigners, particularly through Australia's biggest trading partner China, has been a sensitive issue in recent years William West (AFP/File)

It followed warnings from politicians with rural constituencies against selling farming land to overseas interests amid worries about the nation's food security.

In a bid to soothe concerns, the government last year tightened scrutiny on overseas investment in agricultural land and vowed to be more transparent about who owns what.

Its first public report on the issue showed 13.6 percent of all Australian agricultural land, or 52.1 million hectares (129 million acres), is in foreign hands, with the preferred method of investment through leasehold.

Of that, more than half is held by British investors, followed by those from the United States, the Netherlands and Singapore.

China only owns 0.38 percent, despite growing anxiety about Chinese ownership, sparked by the sale last year of Australia's largest dairy farming business -- Van Diemen's Land Company -- to a Chinese buyer.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, China would have ranked second if it had been approved to take control of the 10 million hectare Kidman cattle empire.

The register showed that foreign ownership is growing, according to Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce.

He said previous estimates by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found 12.4 percent of land was foreign owned in June 2013, which was up on a December 2010 survey estimate of 11.3 percent.

"This common perception that the level of foreign ownership has been increasing seems confirmed," he said, adding that the land register would provide more accurate data in the years ahead.

Treasurer Scott Morrison said foreign investment was integral to Australias economy, contributing to growth and creating jobs, and warned against protectionism.

"With more than Aus$3.0 trillion (US$2.3 trillion) worth of foreign investment in Australia today, we cannot afford to risk our economic future by engaging in protectionism," he said.

But he acknowledged that "the community must have confidence that this investment is in the national interest".
Nearly 50 million children throughout the world are 'uprooted,' forcibly displaced from their home countries by war, violence or persecution, UNICEF has revealed.

In its analysis of global data, UNICEF found there were also one million asylum seekers whose refugee status is pending and approximately 17 million children displaced within their own countries lacking access to humanitarian aid and critical services.

Children are also increasingly crossing borders on their own: more than 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries last year, tripling 2014's numbers.

Displaced Iraqi children stand outside a tent at a camp southwest of Baghdad, in May this year

Some 20 million other children have left their homes for various reasons including gang violence or extreme poverty.

'Indelible images of individual children - Aylan Kurdi's small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneesh's stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed - have shocked the world,' United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund Executive Director Anthony Lake said in a statement.

'But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger -- and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children.'

UNICEF added: 'Many are at particular risk of abuse and detention because they have no documentation, have uncertain legal status, and there is no systematic tracking and monitoring of their well-being - children falling through the cracks.'

Children at the Mungote Internally Displaced Persons camp in Kitchanga, Democratic Republic of Congo

A Syrian migrant and her children prepare to board a dinghy to cross the Aegean Sea to the Greek island of Lesbos from the Ayvacik coast in Canakkale earlier this year

UNICEF pointed to children accounting for a 'disproportionate and growing proportion' of people seeking refuge outside their birth countries.

Children make up about a third of the world's population but about half of all refugees.

In 2015, about 45 percent of child refugees under the UN refugee agency's care came from Syria and Afghanistan.

UNICEF urged authorities to end the detention of children migrating or seeking refugee status, abstain from separating families, allow child refugees and migrants access to health services and to promote measure that combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization.

The international body will take up the issue of migration in two late-September meetings on the sidelines of this year's UN General Assembly.

'We'd like to see some clear commitments and practical measures,' UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Justin Forsyth told journalists in New York.

'The burden sharing of this crisis is not fair: the greatest burden is supported by neighboring countries or the poorest countries.'

Forsyth said the upcoming summits are 'not enough to solve the problem,' but they remain 'critical.'
Pain lingers one year after hajj tragedy in Saudi

Despite being emotionally scarred by the death of two childhood friends during last year's hajj stampede, Muhammad Sani has still returned to Saudi Arabia for another pilgrimage.

The Nigerian pharmacist, 46, says his faith remains unshaken even after the deaths of at least 2,297 pilgrims during the hajj stoning ritual last September 24.

A year after the worst disaster in hajj history, Sani is among more than 1.4 million foreign pilgrims expected at this year's pilgrimage after the kingdom quietly made safety improvements.

Muslim pilgrims touch the golden doors of the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Ahmad Gharabli (AFP)

The event, one of the largest gatherings in the world, starts on Saturday.

"I miraculously escaped unhurt, but the incident has left a scar in my heart that will never heal," Sani said after arriving in the kingdom with his wife.

He and others are making the journey reassured within themselves that death can come anywhere -- stampede or not -- and with the expectation that safety has improved.

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which capable Muslims must perform at least once, marking the spiritual peak of their lives.

This year's pilgrimage also follows a July suicide bombing which killed four security officers outside Islam's second-holiest site, the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.

No one claimed responsibility, but Islamic State group adherents have carried out other blasts in the kingdom.

The bombing drew condemnation across Islam's Sunni-Shiite divide, unlike the stampede which sparked foreign criticism, particularly from Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran which reported the largest number of dead at 464.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday resumed Tehran's tirade, questioning Saudi Arabia's right to manage Islam's holiest sites.

- Probe results not revealed -

He said the Saudis did not prosecute those at fault for the stampede, accused them of showing no remorse, and said they "refused to allow an international Islamic fact-finding committee".

This will be the first time in almost three decades that pilgrims from the world's major Shiite power will not join the hajj.

Iran sent 60,000 pilgrims last year but in May the two sides -- at odds over a series of regional issues -- said they could not agree on their participation this time.

One contentious matter was security following the stampede.

Saudi Arabia says that Iranian pilgrims are still welcome if they come from other countries.

The stampede happened as pilgrims made their way to the Jamarat Bridge for a symbolic stoning of the devil in Mina, east of Mecca's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site.

Pilgrims blamed the stampede on police road closures and poor crowd control, but Saudi officials said pilgrims had not followed the rules.

Although Riyadh stuck with a death toll of 769, data from foreign officials in more than 30 countries gave a tally almost three times higher.

Saudi Arabia announced an investigation, but no results have ever been revealed.

The response contrasts markedly with what happened following another tragedy just before last year's hajj.

Officials have put 14 people on trial accused of negligence and other charges after at least 109 pilgrims and others died when a construction crane collapsed on the Grand Mosque.

"They have not been transparent about it as they have with the crane incident, and that would only make you conclude that the blame was more on the authorities than on the pilgrims," said a source closely following the stampede case.

- More high-tech this year -

After the tragedy, King Salman, who holds the title "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques", ordered "a revision" of hajj organisation.

Public statements and Saudi press reports show that changes have been made even though no one was ever blamed for the stampede.

The Arab News daily reported that roads in the Jamarat area were expanded and some pilgrims' accommodation relocated.

More space was freed up when government facilities were moved out of Mina, Saudi Gazette reported.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umra is also taking a high-tech approach to improving safety.

For the first time, pilgrims will receive electronic bracelets storing their personal information.

The timing of the Jamarat stoning has been restricted, and the hajj ministry says surveillance cameras and other electronic controls will monitor crowd flow, comparing it with computer projections.

Pilgrims say they have already detected other changes, including speedier processing at the airport.

"We notice a huge improvement in the services and care," said Asi Wat Azizan, an official with the Thai delegation.

"We are not afraid of any accidents," said Najwa Hassan, a Sudanese pilgrim.

Saudi Arabia "is already taking action" to ensure last year's tragedy will never recur, said Indonesia's top official overseeing the hajj, Abdul Jamil.

Oumou Khadiatou Diallo, a Malian pilgrim who survived the stampede but saw seven people die around her, says God has called her to return despite the trauma she suffered.

"I hope that the safety is going to be improved," she said before leaving Bamako for Saudi Arabia, burdened by her memories.

"I think of all the dead from last year. What I saw often comes back to me, and that hurts."

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which capable Muslims must perform at least once, marking the spiritual peak of their lives Ahmad Gharabli (AFP)

This will be the first time in almost three decades that pilgrims from Iran, the world's major Shiite power, will not join the hajj Ahmad Gharabli (AFP)
Native people's rights violated in name of 'conservation': UN

Some of the world's leading conservation groups are violating the rights of indigenous people by backing projects that oust them from their ancestral homes in the name of environmental preservation, a top UN expert said this week.

UN special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz's latest report documents killings, evictions and lands being used for resource extraction without native consent -- practices that affect millions of indigenous people across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

"Projects supported by major conservation organizations continue to displace local peoples from their ancestral homes," said Tauli-Corpuz, who gave a series of talks on her findings at the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress in Honolulu, the globe's largest gathering of conservation leaders.

Traditional indigenous lands tend to be particularly precious because they make up less than one quarter of the Earth's land surface but contain 80 percent of the planet's biodiversity Raphael Alves (AFP)

While she refrained from naming names in her report, she told AFP the groups include the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"They know who they are," she said in an interview on the sidelines of the IUCN meeting, which has drawn 9,000 heads of states and environmentalists to Hawaii for a 10-day meeting.

"From the reports I have received, these big conservation groups are some of the main groups that should account for what has happened."

- Tigers or people -

In the past year, Tauli-Corpuz traveled to Honduras, Brazil, and to the Sami people in the Arctic regions of Finland, Norway and Sweden.

In Honduras, she met with an indigenous Lenca activist, Berta Caceres, four months before she was killed in March 2016 "because of her protests against the Agua Zarca dam project, even though she had been awarded precautionary protection measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights," said the report.

In Brazil, Tauli-Corpuz expressed deep concerns about "killings and violent evictions of the Kaiowa Guarani peoples in Mato Grosso (that) continue to take place."

One of the main threats to the rights of the Sami people is the "increased drive to mineral extraction and the development of renewable energy projects," added the report.

According to the Rights and Resources Initiative, a non-governmental organization that backs indigenous rights, other rights violations remain unresolved too, include the eviction of local people in India's Kanha tiger reserve, even though evidence suggests people and tigers can co-inhabit the same area.

Nepal's Chure region was declared a conservation area in 2014 without consulting the leaders of the indigenous communities, who represent a population of five million people.

Local people have also been forced from their homes in Cameroon and Kenya.

Native people "are best equipped to protect the world's most threatened forests, and have been doing so for decades," said RRI Coordinator Andy White.

"Yet many conservation organizations and governments still treat them as obstacles to conservation rather than partners."

- Expanding problem -

Indigenous territory is increasingly being included in "protected areas," which have nearly doubled over the past two decades, from nearly 3.5 million square miles (nine million square kilometers) in 1980 to six million square kilometers in 2000, said the report.

Traditional indigenous lands tend to be particularly precious because they make up less than one quarter of the Earth's land surface but contain 80 percent of the planet's biodiversity, it said.

Certainly, the areas in question are ultimately managed by governments.

But conservation groups "are the ones that facilitate the money," Tauli-Corpuz said.

"They can do much more in terms of putting more pressure on the governments."

- 'Old story' -

Conservation's negative impact on indigenous people is "a constant and recurring theme since the establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples in 2001," said the report.

Indeed, the issue dates even further back, to when the United States violently expelled Native Americans from lands that were designated as Yellowstone National Park in 1872 and Yosemite National Park in 1890.

"That is an old story, and that is not the story that we as conservationists are trying to make happen today," said John Robinson, executive vice president for conservation and science at the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"If you look at the special rapporteur's report, she is mostly just talking about history."

But Tauli-Corpuz, an indigenous leader from the Kankanaey Igorot people of the Cordillera Region in the Philippines, disagreed.

"They say it is an old issue, it is like history. I say of course not," she told AFP.

"That is precisely why I am making the report. Because it continues up until the present."

- New challenges -

World Wildlife Fund Director General Marco Lambertini called the report an "important contribution to advancing good practice on indigenous rights in conservation."

"WWF is committed to working in collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities for the preservation and sustainable use of the natural resources," he added.

Conservation International's chairman and CEO Peter Seligmann agreed.

"Bottom line -- it is a core basic human right to make the choices and decisions of your own landscapes," he told AFP.

"I don't think there are any exceptions to that."

Tauli-Corpuz plans to present her report at the UN General Assembly later this month, in the hopes of pressuring governments to cease rights abuses.

In the meantime, she said conservation groups "are not doing enough" to support indigenous rights.

"All this talk about conserving nature, sometimes it is just talk," she said.

People attend the funeral of murdered indigenous activist Berta Caceres, in La Esperanza, on March 5, 2016, Honduras Orlando Sierra (AFP/File)

Indigenous territory is increasingly being included in protected wildlife conservation areas, which have nearly doubled over the past two decades, from nearly 3.5 million square miles in 1980 to six million square kilometers in 2000 Aditya Singh (AFP/File)

A Brazilian native from the Guarani Kaiowa ethnic tribe who suffer "killings and violent evictions", according to UN special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz Christophe Simon (AFP/File)
AFP opens North Korea bureau

Global news agency AFP has opened a bureau in North Korea, becoming one of only a handful of foreign media organisations to have a permanent presence in the one of the worlds most isolated states.

The Agence France-Presse office in Pyongyang, which was inaugurated late Tuesday, will primarily file videos and photos to thousands of clients around the world.

"The opening of this bureau fills a gap in the AFP network of some 200 bureaus in 150 countries," said Emmanuel Hoog, Chief Executive and Chairman of AFP, who was in the North Korean capital for the official opening.

Chief Executive and Chairman of Agence France-Presse Emmanuel Hoog hangs a company sign on the door of the news agency's bureau in Pyongyang, North Korea on September 6, 2016 Kim Won-Jin (AFP)

AFP is committed to freedom of information and freedom of expression, which form part of its founding values, Hoog said during a meeting with Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) president Kim Chang-Gwang.

The new bureau is the product of an agreement signed earlier this year between AFP and KCNA, North Korea's official news agency, that will also allow AFP to regularly send teams of foreign text, video and photo journalists into North Korea.

As part of the agreement, a North Korean photographer and a videographer, trained by AFP and working under the supervision of its Asia regional management, will produce visual content that will be edited by AFP.

AFP becomes only the second international news agency, after the Associated Press (AP), to establish a full-time presence in North Korea.
Rituals of the hajj

Muslims from across the world have gathered in Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj pilgrimage to take part in the following rituals:

- Ihram: Pilgrims wear special outfits, which for men is a two-piece white seamless garment. Women wear loose dress, generally white, with only the face and hands exposed. During this period, pilgrims must abstain from sex and quarrels, not use perfumes, and not cut their hair or nails.

- Once in Mecca, pilgrims perform Tawaf, or circumambulation, seven times counter-clockwise, around the Kaaba, a black masonry cube in the centre of the Grand Mosque.

Muslim pilgrims touch the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Ahmad Gharabli (AFP)

- Pilgrims then walk seven times between two stone spots at the mosque, emulating a search for water by Ibrahim's wife Hagar in a ritual known as Sa'i.

These rituals are considered the Umra, or lesser pilgrimage, and come ahead of the hajj's main rites, which start on Saturday, when pilgrims head to Mina, around five kilometres (three miles) east of the Grand Mosque.

- On Sunday, pilgrims gather on the hill known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy) and the surrounding Mount Arafat plain, 10 kilometres southeast of Mina, where they remain until evening for prayer and to read the Koran.

- Stoning the 'devil' -

- After sunset, pilgrims leave for Muzdalifah, half-way between Arafat and Mina, where they stay at least until midnight. They gather pebbles to perform the symbolic "stoning of the devil".

- Monday marks the start of the Eid al-Adha feast, when pilgrims return to Mina for the first of three daily stoning rites. Traditionally, seven pebbles are thrown at a post representing the devil, emulating the actions of Abraham.

Since 2004, it has been replaced by walls to accommodate the rising numbers of pilgrims and to try to avoid a repeat of deadly crushes at the site.

- After the first stoning, sheep are slaughtered and the meat distributed to needy Muslims, symbolising Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael on the order of God, who provided a lamb in the boy's place at the last moment.

- Men then shave their heads or trim their hair while women cut a fingertip-length of their locks. After that they can end their Ihram and change back to normal clothing.

- They then return to the Grand Mosque in Mecca, circumambulating seven times around the Kaaba, and again performing Sa'i.

- The pilgrims then return to Mina to continue the stoning ritual for two or three more days.
Web TV aims to boost youth interest in African farming

With the logo of his internet TV station on his black T-shirt, Inoussa Maiga energetically plucks corn stalks in northern Burkina Faso for a programme on farming in Africa.

Maiga, 30, launched Agribusiness TV in May in the Burkinabe capital Ouagadougou, determined to change poor opinions about agricultural work held by African youth and to help develop the continent.

"All those who went to school up to a certain level consider going back to the land as a failure, as something demeaning. Yet -- and we see it every day in our broadcasts -- there are many opportunities for young people," he says.

Inoussa Maiga launched Agribusiness TV determined to change poor opinions about agricultural work held by African youth Ahmed Ouoba (AFP)

In Bagre, 245 kilometres (150 miles) north of the city, Maiga has found one of the unusual topics he likes to promote: a teacher who gives classes in maths while raising pigs and growing maize, rice and groundnuts.

Other characteristic subjects are a woman in Benin with a degree in banking and finance who works in a "man's universe of crop production" and an inventor of helpful machines for agricultural cooperatives in Togo.

The TV channel, available on the web and mobile phones, has steadily garnered a network of correspondents in Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali and Togo, with Mauritius next on the agenda.

- 'Maximum age of 40 -

The editorial stance of Agribusiness TV has clear rules.

Features focus on people of "a maximum age of 40" who have a "pretty interesting" background in farming, stockbreeding and other "different links in the food chain", Maiga explains.

Programmes can cover "food processing, green jobs, everything related to the environment and the business of sustainable agriculture".

"We want people whose careers can inspire other people," says the broadcaster, who set up the enterprise with his wife Nawsheen Hosenally.

Himself the son of a peasant farmer, Inoussa studied at the University of Ouagadougou, where he specialised in communications for development before founding Agribusiness TV.

He seeks "above all to showcase young Africans who are courageously committed to agriculture, who invest in the area, and possibly to bring a different outlook among young Africans to this sector," he says, calling it "the motor for the development of African economies".

- 'Massive youth unemployment' -

"When you look at the economic structure of our countries, you see that it's in agriculture where one can create the most jobs and fight massive youth unemployment," adds Inoussa.

"We want to spotlight young people who are doing interesting things. We seek to motivate and encourage those who would like to start out in agriculture. May this inspire them!"

Inoussa's work won support from the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), a joint institution of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states and the European Union.

The CTA provided funding worth 58,000 euros ($65,000) to help launch Agribusiness TV. Inoussa came up with a further 65,000 euros from his own communications firm.

Hosenally also works full time on the channel. She translates material into English and deals with technical aspects of putting broadcasts online and managing social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

The founders surpassed their aims during the first year, with 45,000 fans on Facebook and about 800,000 viewers for their broadcasts. The website is bilingual, full of videos and a blog.

But on a continent where internet access remains patchy, the founders of Agribusiness TV are happy to make their videos available to various associations to be shown in rural settings.

"We project videos ourselves when we're invited to conferences or meetings with players in the rural world," says Inoussa, who hopes that his channel will benefit from the gradual progress of the internet in Africa.

"Every day, at least 15 people get in touch with us asking for the contact details of such and such an entrepreneur to whom we devoted a video," Hosenally says.

"We're also encouraged by the messages and the comments we receive each day," adds Inoussa.

"These are videos that inspire people, we get a lot of feedback from the entrepreneurs we meet. Some of them tell us about contracts they have signed thanks to our work.

"All this gives hope."

Agribusiness TV is available in French and English on dedicated apps for smartphone at www.agribusinesstv.info.

Inoussa Maiga launched Agribusiness TV with his wife Nawsheen Hosenally in Ouagadougou in May Ahmed Ouoba (AFP)
Obama meets survivor of US bombs in Laos

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday met a survivor maimed by American bombs covertly dropped on Laos decades ago after pledging to help clean up a country he said was still living in the shadow of war.

A day after announcing $90 million to survey and remove unexploded ordinance, Obama visited a US-backed NGO which helps provide prosthetics to the tens of thousands maimed by US munitions.

Between 1964 and 1973 a secret CIA-led operation to cut supplies to the Vietcong resulted in two million tons of ordinance being dropped on Laos -- more than the combined total dropped on both Japan and Germany during World War Two.

US President Barack Obama tours the Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) center in Vientiane on September 7, 2016 Saul Loeb (AFP)

Much of the country is still littered with deadly munitions, including millions of cluster "bomblets" that kill to this day.

"For many people, war is something people read about in books," Obama said while touring a facility where crutches and prosthetic legs of all sizes were strewn.

Among the people he met was Thoummy Silamphan who at the age of eight had a bomb rip though his right hand while he was foraging for bamboo shoots.

"For the people of Laos, this war was no secret," Obama said. "For the people of Laos, the war was also something that was not contained to the battlefield."

"For the last four decades, the people of Laos have lived under the shadow of war."

Obama has said that the United States has a moral obligation to clean up, while refraining from offering a formal apology for a campaign the American people did not know about.

By increasing aid Washington wants to close an unedifying chapter of its history and build new ties with a small country that sits at heart of South East Asia.
China under pressure at Asia summit over sea row

Beijing came under pressure at an Asian summit Wednesday over its "illegal" island-building in the South China Sea, after the Philippines produced photos it said showed fresh construction activity at a flashpoint shoal.

Any artificial island at Scarborough Shoal could be a game-changer in China's quest to control the South China Sea and raises the risk of armed confrontation with the United States, security analysts say.

Beijing insists it has not started building at the shoal -- a move that could lead to a military outpost just 230 kilometres (140 miles) from the main Philippine island, where US forces are stationed.

An artificial island at Scarborough Shoal could be a game changer in China's quest to control the South China Sea, according to security analysts Ritchie B. Tongo (Pool/AFP/File)

But the Philippines released images which it said showed Chinese ships in the area that were capable of dredging sand and other activities required to build an artificial island.

A US administration official questioned the Philippine's claim, telling AFP the United States had not detected any unusual activity at Scarborough Shoal.

"Chinese Naval and Coast Guard presence in the vicinity of Scarborough Reef was within the levels we've observed there over the past several months," the official said.

The photos were released during an annual summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos, and the bloc voiced alarm.

"We remain seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some leaders on the land reclamations," said a joint statement at the end of their two-day summit.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in trade passes annually, even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations.

The competing territorial claims have long been a major source of tension in the region, with China using deadly force twice to seize control of islands from Vietnam.

- Illegal island building -

Tensions have escalated sharply in recent years as China built islands and airstrips on reefs and islets in the Spratlys archipelago -- another strategically important location -- that are capable of supporting military operations.

The United States has reacted to that build-up by sailing warships close to the new islands, and sending warplanes over them, deeply angering China.

A UN-backed tribunal ruled in July that China's claims to most of the sea had no legal basis and that its construction of artificial islands in the disputed waters was illegal.

But Beijing vowed to ignore the ruling.

China took control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012 after a standoff with the Philippine Navy, and has since deployed large fishing fleets while blocking Filipino fishermen.

Expanding that presence with a military outpost is vital to achieving China's ambitions of controlling the sea, according to security analysts.

US officials fear any Chinese military airfield at the shoal would enable Beijing to enforce a threatened air defence identification zone in the sea.

An outpost at the shoal would also put Chinese fighter jets and missiles within easy striking distance of US forces stationed in the Philippines.

US President Barack Obama reportedly directly warned his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a meeting in March not to push ahead with any island-building there.

- Conflict risk -

The United States, which is a treaty ally of the Philippines, has repeatedly said it does not want to fight a war over the shoal.

But military skirmishes cannot be ruled out if China does start to build an island, according to security analysts.

"We could witness a physical confrontation between Chinese Coast Guard and Filipino vessels backed up by the US Navy," Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor at Australia's University of New South Wales, told AFP.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had said he did not want to anger China by highlighting the row at the ASEAN events.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Obama and leaders from other regional powers are also in Laos this week for separate meetings with ASEAN.

But the release of the photos came just a few hours before ASEAN leaders met Li, in what Duterte's spokesman said was a deliberate move.

The ASEAN statement warned that further land reclamation could escalate tensions, and called for respect for United Nations' maritime laws.

Yet the statement did not explicitly call on China to abide by the July ruling, reflecting divisions in ASEAN.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has repeatedly said he does not want to pressure China, his most important ally, over the issue.

Obama had planned to discuss the sea issue during a meeting with Duterte on the sidelines of ASEAN.

But he cancelled after the volatile Philippine president called him a "son of a whore" for expressing concern about Duterte's war on crime which has claimed 3,000 lives.

Manila's foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay said the two leaders had a brief, impromptu meeting as delegates gathered for a gala dinner on Wednesday.

The White House described the meeting as a "brief discussion" that "consisted of pleasantries between the two."

Disputed claims in the South China Sea Adrian LEUNG, Gal ROMA (AFP)

Pro-China protesters gather in Hong Kong to protest against the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague against Beijing's claims in the South China Sea, on July 14, 2016 Anthony Wallace (AFP)

China took control of Scarborough shoal in 2012 after a standoff with the Philippine Navy, and has since deployed large fishing fleets while blocking Filipino fishermen
Defiant Gabon president hits back at EU poll criticism

Gabon's Ali Bongo on Wednesday rejected criticism of his disputed presidential election victory, accusing EU observers of bias towards his rival and insisting that only the country's top court could order a recount.

Oil-rich Gabon has been in turmoil since the August 27 poll, in which Bongo's rival Jean Ping also claimed victory.

Several people have been killed in violence triggered by the results, which showed Bongo winning a second term by a wafer-thin margin of some 6,000 votes.

Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba came to power in 2009 after the death of his father Omar Bongo who had ruled the oil-rich central African nation for 41 years Marco Longari (AFP/File)

On Tuesday, an EU election observer team reported a "clear anomaly" in voting in Haut-Ogooue province, Bongo's heartland.

Official results gave turnout in the province at more than 99 percent, with 95 percent backing the incumbent.

Reacting to the criticism, Bongo, 57, told France's RTL radio: "I would also have liked them to have noted some anomalies in the fiefdom of Mr Ping.

"If we're raising anomalies, we have to be clear, balanced and raise all the anomalies that have been noted."

The opposition has accused Bongo of rigging the vote and called for a recount -- a call echoed by Manuel Valls, prime minister of Gabon's former colonial power France.

A defiant Bongo ruled out any new tally unless the Constitutional Court ordered one.

"I cannot violate the (electoral) law," he insisted.

"African governments are often accused of not respecting the law. For once we're respecting the law and we're being told to circumvent it, it's strange," he said.

Ping has yet to announce whether he will challenge the election in the Constitutional Court. The deadline for doing so is 1500 GMT on Thursday.

In their analysis, the EU election monitors said the number of non-voters and of blank and disqualified votes revealed a "clear anomaly in the final results in Haut-Ogooue."

In an interview with Europe 1 radio, Bongo accused the EU observers of "overstepping their mandate" and said he too was preparing to challenge some of the results.

- 'Chaos will not take hold' -

Bongo is under increasing pressure at home and abroad after Justice Minister Seraphin Moundounga resigned on Monday demanding a recount "polling station by polling station."

Ping's campaign coordinator Rene Ndemezo Obiang reiterated the demand on Wednesday.

In the chaos following the result, opposition demonstrators clashed with police and the country's parliament was torched.

Ping, 73, has called for a general strike but the appeal seems to have garnered little support.

"Mr Ping's call went unheeded...it failed," Bongo declared, vowing: "Chaos will not take hold."

Bongo accused Ping, a former African Union Commission chairman, of attempting "massive fraud" and said it was difficult to envisage dialogue with "people who ask the Gabonese to go into the street to loot and destroy and burn things."

Several people have died since the violence erupted in the central African nation, which has been ruled by the Bongo family since 1967.

According to an AFP count, the post-election chaos has claimed at least seven lives.

Gabonese authorities have reported three killed and 105 wounded, with the government saying some deaths had previously been incorrectly attributed to the clashes.

Bongo dismissed as "fanciful" a claim by Ping's camp that between 50 and 100 have died but said that "around 100" had been hurt in the violence.

Some 800 people have been arrested in recent days in the capital Libreville, with the authorities accusing them of looting, while lawyers say they are being held in "deplorable" conditions.

Gabon, a country roughly the size of Britain but with a population of 1.8 million, has known only three presidents since it won independence from France in 1960.

One-third of its population lives in poverty, even though the country boasts one of Africa's highest per capita incomes -- $8,300 annually -- thanks to its oil wealth.

Presidential elections in Gabon: national results and by region Alain Bommenel, Paz Pizarro, Jonathan Jacobsen (AFP)

Gabonese opposition leader Jean Ping gives a press conference at his residence in Libreville Steve Jordan (AFP/File)

Several Gabonese have been killed in post-election violence triggered by the results Marco Longari (AFP/File)
Southeast Asia's leaders in the global spotlight

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations has been hosting a gathering of world leaders this week as the region faces a raft of democratic, human rights and good governance challenges.

Here are the leaders of ASEAN nations and issues surrounding their rule:

- Brunei -

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 70, is one of the world's richest men thanks to his 49-year absolute rule over tiny oil-rich Brunei Noel Celis (AFP)

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 70, is one of the world's richest men thanks to his 49-year absolute rule over tiny oil-rich Brunei. His luxurious lifestyle is legendary yet in 2014 he introduced a strict sharia criminal code that includes severing of limbs and death by stoning for various crimes. No such punishments are known to have been invoked yet.

- Cambodia -

A former Khmer Rouge soldier who defected from the brutal regime, Hun Sen became prime minister of Cambodia in 1985 and has held onto the post ever since, forging close links with China. The wily politician, 64, maintains he has brought stability to a once-ravaged nation. But he is also regarded as an authoritarian figure who has manipulated the nation's fragile democracy to cement his rule, while allowing corruption and rights abuses to flourish.

- Indonesia -

Joko Widodo, 55, is Indonesia's first president from outside the political and military elites. The 2014 election victory of the former furniture trader fuelled hopes of a new era in the world's third-biggest democracy. But he has struggled to push through reforms in a country still dominated by figures from the era of dictator Suharto.

- Laos -

Thongloun Sisoulith, for years Laos' foreign minister, rose to the premiership in 2016, a year of major diplomatic activity and rare international scrutiny for the cloistered communist nation. The landlocked nation has been one of Asia's fastest growing economies of the last decade. But it remains notorious for rights abuses, endemic corruption and the state's vice-like grip on the media.

- Malaysia -

Najib Razak, 63, has been leader since 2009 of Malaysia's nearly six-decades-old ruling coalition, which has overseen rapid economic growth but has long been accused of repressing dissent and favouring the Muslim majority.

The criticisms are at fever pitch under Najib, whose administration has responded to electoral setbacks by moving to curb basic civil liberties and harassing critics. Najib is also accused of involvement in the theft of billions of dollars from a state-owned fund, which he denies.

- Myanmar -

Aung San Suu Kyi, a former political prisoner and Nobel laureate, in April took the helm of Myanmar's first civilian government in half a century after championing a lengthy struggle against junta rule. The 71-year-old faces the tough task of bringing prosperity and peace to a poor country ravaged by its military oppressors.

- Philippines -

Rodrigo Duterte, 71, won an election landslide in May for a six-year term as president of one Asia's most chaotic democracies. Under fierce scrutiny for rights abuses in a war on drug crime that has claimed almost 3,000 lives, and his plans to give ex-dictator Ferdinand Marcos a hero's burial.

- Singapore -

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 64, son of Singapore's late founding father Lee Kuan Yew, has been at the helm of the affluent nation since 2004. The People's Action Party that he leads won a fresh five-year mandate in last year's general elections, extending the party's uninterrupted rule spanning nearly six decades. But while much admired for its economic success, Singapore's government has been criticised by human rights groups for clamping down on political freedoms.

- Thailand -

Prayut Chan-O-Cha, a former army chief who seized power in a 2014 coup after a decade of political turmoil, heads the most autocratic Thai government in a generation. The 62-year-old career soldier is an ultra-royalist ally of Bangkok's conservative elite, which has tried to tamp down a populist movement in the provinces loyal to ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

- Vietnam -

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, elected in April by the rubber-stamp parliament, is seen as a competent technocrat and a sturdy apparatchik in the conservative communist leadership. The party has little tolerance for internal dissent and routinely jails critics.

Myanmar's State Councellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi attends the 19th ASEAN-Japan Summit in Vientiane on September 7, 2016 Ye Aung Thu (AFP)
Activist investor Ackman discloses stake in Chipotle

Activist investor Bill Ackman has disclosed a nearly 10 percent stake in Chipotle, and said that he wants to open discussions with the US fast food chain's management.

According to a document filed Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ackman and his Pershing Square fund now hold 9.9 percent of Chipotle stock.

Ackman, who has a reputation for involving himself in the affairs of the companies he invests in, said in the filing that his fund intends "to engage in discussions" with Chipotle's management, board and other stockholders and interested parties.

Chipotle, which specializes in Mexican-inspired food, has plunged in value in recent months because of repeated food safety issues at its restaurants Andrew Renneisen (Getty/AFP/File)

The subject of those discussions, according to the filing, "may relate to the governance and board composition, business, operations, cost structure, management, assets, capitalization, financial condition, strategic plans, and the future of the issuer."

The chain, which specializes in Mexican-inspired food, has plunged in value in recent months because of repeated food safety issues at its restaurants.

Ackman's filing said his fund believes Chipotle is undervalued but that it "has a strong brand, differentiated offering, enormous growth opportunity, and visionary leadership," making it an attractive investment.
Tehran-Riyadh war of words hots up as Iranians miss hajj

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Saudi authorities of "bigoted extremism" late Tuesday in an increasingly bitter war of words over Iran's exclusion from this year's hajj pilgrimage.

Javad Zarif was responding to a claim by Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, that Iranians were "not Muslims".

"Indeed, no resemblance between Islam of Iranians and most Muslims, and bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric and Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif tweeted.

For the first time in almost three decades, Iranians have been blocked from the annual hajj pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia Ahmad Gharabli (AFP)

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was due to meet later on Wednesday with the families of some of the more than 400 Iranian victims of a stampede that killed nearly 2,300 pilgrims at last year's hajj.

He published a scathing open letter on Monday, accusing the Saudis of failing to protect pilgrims.

"The hesitation and failure to rescue the half-dead and injured people... is also obvious and incontrovertible. They murdered them," he wrote.

For the first time in almost three decades, Iranians have been blocked from the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia after the regional rivals failed to agree on safety and logistical issues.

That has sparked acrimonious exchanges ahead of the start of the hajj on Saturday.

Khamenei described the Saudi royal family as "small and puny Satans who tremble for fear of jeopardising the interests of the Great Satan (the United States)", and called on the Muslim world to end its management of the hajj.

The grand mufti responded on Tuesday, telling the Makkah daily: "We must understand these are not Muslims, they are children of Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one."

"Magi" was a reference to the Zoroastrian religion that was prevalent in Iran before Islam, and is sometimes used as an insult against Iranians.
IS claims deadly attack on Turkish soldiers in Syria

The Islamic State group has claimed a rocket attack that killed three Turkish soldiers in Syria, its first deadly attack on Turkish forces since they crossed the border two weeks ago.

"Soldiers of the caliphate... targeted two tanks belonging to the apostate Turkish army with guided rockets," the group said in a statement circulated on social media late on Tuesday.

It said the tanks were destroyed and "a number of Turkish soldiers" killed.

Turkish tanks move along a road near the Syrian village of al-Waqf, some 3kms south of Al-Rai, a border town with Turkey Nazeer al-Khatib (AFP/File)

A senior Turkish official said three soldiers were killed and four wounded in the attack south of the border town of Al-Rai.

They were the first Turkish losses to IS since Ankara launched its offensive on August 24.

One Turkish soldier was killed in an August 27 rocket attack that Ankara blamed on the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

Ankara has said that its offensive in Syria is aimed against both IS and the YPG, which it regards as an extension of the outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency in southeastern Turkey for three decades.
Gulf states accuse Iran of trying to politicise hajj

Gulf Arab states accused Iran on Wednesday of trying to politicise the hajj after its supreme leader lashed out at Saudi authorities over their management of the annual pilgrimage.

The head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council said that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks accusing Riyadh of "murder" over the deaths of nearly 2,300 pilgrims at last year's hajj were "inappropriate and offensive".

Abdullatif al-Zayani said the comments were "a clear incitement and a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj.

Saudi Arabia's ruling family are the custodians of Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina Khaled Desouki (AFP/File)

This year for the first time in almost three decades Iranians will not join the annual pilgrimage to the Muslim holy places in Saudi Arabia after talks on logistics and security fell apart in May.

The verbal sparring between the two regional rivals -- who have no diplomatic relations -- has intensified ahead of the start of the pilgrimage on Saturday.

In a scathing open letter published on Monday, Khamenei accused the Saudis of failing to protect pilgrims and called on Muslim countries to strip Saudi Arabia of the right to manage the hajj.

"The hesitation and failure to rescue the half-dead and injured people... is also obvious and incontrovertible. They murdered them," the Iranian leader wrote.

Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, countered that that Iranians were "not Muslims", prompting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to accuse Saudi leaders of "bigoted extremism"..

Zayani said the Gulf Arab states "reject the unjust media campaign and the successive declarations of senior Iranian leaders against the Saudi kingdom".
Iran-Saudi war of words heats up ahead of hajj

A bitter war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia intensified Wednesday ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage from which Iranians have been excluded for the first time in decades.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blasted the "incompetence" of the Saudi royal family as he met with the families of victims of a deadly stampede during last year's hajj.

"This incident proves once again that this cursed, evil family does not deserve to be in charge and manage the holy sites," Khamenei said.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the Saudi government was acting with US support to "shed blood in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Bahrain"

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia were already at rock bottom before the regional rivals started trading caustic remarks ahead of the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia, which is due to start on Saturday.

Iranians have been blocked from the event after talks on safety and logistics fell apart in May.

"If the existing problems with the Saudi government were merely the issue of the hajj... maybe it would have been possible to find a way to resolve it," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said at a cabinet meeting.

"Unfortunately, this government by committing crimes in the region and supporting terrorism in fact shed the blood of Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Yemen," Rouhani said.

- 'Inappropriate and offensive' -

The week began with a furious rebuke from Khamenei, published on his website, in which he accused the Saudi royals of "murder" over the deaths of nearly 2,300 pilgrims, including hundreds of Iranians, in last year's stampede.

Saudi Arabia claims the death toll was only 769 -- despite data from more than 30 countries suggesting it was far higher -- and has refused to release the details of its investigation into the disaster.

But the head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council hit back on Wednesday, calling Khamenei's remarks "inappropriate and offensive... and a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj.

Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, also waded into the dispute, telling the Makkah daily on Tuesday: "We must understand these are not Muslims, they are children of Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one."

"Magi" is a reference to the Zoroastrian religion that was prevalent in Iran before Islam, and is sometimes used as an insult against Iranians.

Jane Kinninmont, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the Chatham House think tank in London, said the world needed to pay more attention to the "cold conflict" between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

This week's verbal attacks "are an indication that the tensions that really ratcheted up earlier this year are still unresolved," she told AFP.

"Particularly when it comes to the pilgrimage and religious discourse, then it has quite damaging effects on sectarian relations around the world."

- A history of violence -

The two dominant Middle Eastern powers follow different branches of Islam -- Shiite and Sunni -- and vie for regional dominance.

Iran boycotted the hajj for three years between 1988 and 1990 after clashes between Iranian pilgrims and Saudi police in 1987 left around 400 people dead.

Diplomatic ties were restored in 1991, but relations have deteriorated in recent years, particularly over the countries' support for opposing sides in the Syrian and Yemeni civil wars.

In January, relations were severed again after Iranian demonstrators torched the Saudi embassy and a consulate following the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

Around 60,000 Iranians took part in last year's hajj, but the two sides could not reach an agreement on this year's pilgrimage.

A former senior US foreign policy official, John Hannah, last month cited Gulf sources in an article for Foreign Policy magazine, saying that "the Saudis did in fact go out of their way to make Iranian attendance difficult."

"(The) Saudis were insisting that the Iranians be kept in a closed camp, effectively barred from co-mingling and socialising with participants from other countries, often considered an essential element of the hajj experience," Hannah wrote.

His claims could not be independently verified. Saudi Arabia says Tehran made "unacceptable" demands, including the right to organise demonstrations "that would cause chaos".

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef reiterated those concerns on Monday, saying Iran wanted to "politicise hajj and convert it into an occasion to violate the teachings of Islam, through shouting slogans and disturbing the security of pilgrims."

Saudi Arabia's ruling family are the custodians of Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina Ahmad Gharabli (AFP/File)

Iran was fiercely critical of the Saudi response to a deadly stampede during the 2015 hajj, which killed some 2,300 foreign pilgrims, including an estimated 464 Iranians
No tears for Mao: 1976 death an imperial fall

The death of Communist China's founding father Mao Zedong 40 years ago this week was akin to the demise of an emperor and helped pave the way for the modern nation, says one of the few Westerners in Beijing at the time.

Ragnar Baldursson, a young Marxist from Iceland, was a student in Beijing in September 1976 when, after a year of upheavals, authorities announced the unthinkable -- Mao was dead.

The end of Mao's rule -- which saw the death of tens of millions from persecution or starvation -- opened the way for massive economic reforms that would lift vast numbers out of poverty and end decades of isolation.

The end of Mao Zedong's rule, which saw the death of tens of millions from persecution or starvation, opened the way for massive economic reforms Fred Dufour (AFP/File)

"China today is a product of that period," Baldursson, today a diplomat at the Icelandic embassy in Beijing, told AFP.

In 1975 he was one of the first handful of western students admitted to study in China since the Cultural Revolution began roiling the country nine years previously.

He entered the Beijing Foreign Languages Institute to study philosophy at a time when portraits of the Great Helmsman were ubiquitous and Maoist slogans blared from loudspeakers every morning to wake students.

He himself fell asleep "dreaming of Mao", said Baldursson, who published a memoir, "Nineteen Seventy Six", earlier this year.

He was the youngest member of the Marxist-Leninist Organisation of Iceland, and came to the People's Republic on a Chinese government scholarship.

Young radicals at the time "thought that Mao's China could be the solution" to Europe's social problems, he said, but for him, Maoism "was more an intellectual exercise".

Once in China he quickly became frustrated that professors stubbornly avoided political topics.

A foreign contemporary of his at the school, Peter Peverelli of the Netherlands, told AFP the institution echoed with "many political slogans" that foreigners struggled to understand, and whose political significance was unclear.

Peverelli spent a week in a people's commune in the countryside and Baldursson was invited to visit a model factory. The workers, he recalled, professed fierce nationalism but the tools that were supposedly "made in China" bore Western brand names.

Nowadays urban China is unrecognisable from that era -- its teeming, towering cities transformed by the capitalism introduced under Deng Xiaoping in the decades following Mao.

- 'Year of the fire dragon' -

In the Chinese calendar 1976 was the "Year of the Fire Dragon", and the traditional designation heralded an era of political upheavals.

One million Chinese -- joined by Peverelli -- gathered in Tiananmen Square in April to pay tribute to late premier Zhou Enlai after his death earlier in the year, and to denounce Mao's circle in biting poems.

It brought the infighting between reformers and the "Gang of Four" led by Mao's wife to a head. The giant plaza was violently cleared on April 5, and Peverelli recalled that universities soon saw an outbreak of slogans attacking "capitalist" Deng Xiaoping.

In September, after a summer marked by the massive Tangshan earthquake -- whose shockwaves shook Beijing buildings -- students were stunned by the solemn announcement that Mao had died on September 9.

"It was difficult to conceive of a China without Chairman Mao. People looked grim but I didn't see anyone crying, unlike after the death of Premier Zhou," wrote Baldursson in his book. "Instead everyone was quiet. We were in shock: Mao's omnipresence was an inalienable part of New China."

An order to make wreaths led to the stripping of every branch on a cypress hedge on campus. Foreign students then went to pay their respects before Mao's remains.

"His face did not look good. It was bloated and the colour of his skin looked off," Baldursson recalled.

A month later, Hua Guofeng had the Gang of Four arrested and took power. Baldursson was in Tiananmen Square to see the new party chief hailed by crowds at the entrance of the Forbidden City.

"Standing in the midst of the crowd, I had a revelation: I was witnessing a crucial moment of China's history -- a dynastical shift," he wrote.

"A new emperor was being enthroned," he said. The surrounding jargon was Marxist, but "the scenario didn't fit the Marxism-Leninism that I had studied".

Restaurants and shops in his neighbourhood ran out of beer. "It was sold out because of the fall of the Gang of Four, the comrade serving us explained. People had been celebrating."

The nature of the transfer epitomised Mao's "failure to bring about a break with China's imperial past", he wrote.

Even so, he told AFP, "Mao cleared the ground for the changes that later happened, even though it was definitely not in accordance with his political dogma."

Mao Zedong, born in 1893, was the leader of the Chinese Communist Party from 1935 until his death in 1976 and led the country's communist revolution
Turkey says favours joint US operation to oust IS from Raqa

Turkey on Wednesday said it was in favour of a joint operation with the United States to oust Islamic State (IS) jihadists from their de facto capital of Raqa in northern Syria.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published Wednesday in Turkish media he had agreed with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in China to do "what is necessary" to drive IS out of Raqa.

Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli then said after a cabinet meeting that Turkey looked "favourably" on such an operation and talks were in progress between the two countries' militaries.

The Islamic State group took control of the Syrian city of Raqa after pushing out government troops in 2013 - (Welayat Raqa/AFP/File)

"Raqa is the most important centre of Daesh," Erdogan told Turkish journalists onboard his plane as he returned from China, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"Obama wants to do something together especially on the issue of Raqa," he said. "I said there would be no problem from our perspective."

"I said 'our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done'," Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet daily, without giving further details,

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's regime were pushed out of Raqa, which lies on the Euphrates River, in 2013, making it the first provincial capital in Syria to fall out of government control.

IS rapidly infiltrated the city, which is strategically located near the Turkish border, and declared a caliphate in 2014.

Ousting IS from the city would be a turning point in the conflict and mark a huge blow to the jihadists.

- 'Look favourably' -

Canikli confirmed that the Raqa issue was on the agenda but emphasised that no final decision on an operation had been taken yet.

"Mr President (Erdogan) told Obama that as Turkey we look favourably carrying out such a joint operation," he said.

He said both sides agreed to hold technical talks and "as of now talks between militaries are continuing."

The new focus on Raqa came two weeks after Turkey launched an ambitious operation inside Syria, sending tanks and special forces to back up Syrian opposition fighters and remove IS jihadists and Kurdish militia from its frontier.

Ankara-backed rebels seized the town of Jarabulus from IS militants within hours on the first day of the operation.

Loaded with luggage and possessions, hundreds of civilians began returning to Jarabulus on Wednesday, forming long queues at the border gate outside the Turkish town of Karkamis, an AFP photographer said.

Canikli said that a 772 square kilometre (300 square mile) area had been cleared from IS fighters and was now under control of pro-Ankara fighters. Turkey would supply electricity and water to Jarabulus by Monday, he added.

He said the operation against IS "could gain some degree of depth" with Turkey still pressing for a no-fly zone on the Syrian side of the border.

But Turkey on Tuesday sustained its biggest loss of life in the operation to date, with three soldiers killed in an IS rocket attack on their tanks. One soldier had been killed in an attack blamed on Kurdish militia last month.

With the offensive still pressing on, the Turkish army said six more villages south of the town of Al-Rai had been retaken from IS jihadists on Tuesday, in a statement carried by state-run news agency Anadolu.

- 'No step back'-

Turkey has been alarmed by US support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a "terrorist" group linked to its own Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has been waging a bloody campaign against the Turkish state.

"We need to show we are present in the region," said Erdogan. "If we take a step back, terror groups like Daesh, PKK, PYD or YPG will settle there."

Erdogan said that after the G20 he was optimistic of the chances of a ceasefire between opposition forces and Assad's regime, in time for the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday, which gets under way next week.

Canikli said that 110 enemy forces had been killed in the Turkish operation so far, including both IS and YPG fighters. It is not possible to independently verify the figures.

Raqa was first taken by Islamists in 2013 with IS declaring the city its capital in 2014

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2nd-L) said he had agreed with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting to do "what is necessary" to drive IS out of Raqa Saul Loeb (AFP/File)
Rival Boko Haram groups clash in NE Nigeria: sources

In-fighting has broken out in Boko Haram after the Islamic State group announced a new leader of its Nigerian affiliate, according to reports in the country's remote northeast.

IS said last month that Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram's founder Mohammed Yusuf, had replaced Abubakar Shekau at the head of the designated terrorist organisation.

But Shekau then insisted he was still in charge of the Islamist group, whose insurgency has killed at least 20,000 people since 2009 and forced more than 2.6 million from their homes.

Sources say there have been deadly skirmishes between Boko Haram's factions led by Abubakar Shekau and IS-backed Abu Musab al-Barnawi respectively

Sources in northeast Nigeria now say there have been deadly skirmishes between the two factions, even as Nigeria's military seeks to finally rout the rebels in a sustained counter-offensive.

Last Thursday, several fighters from Shekau's camp were said to have been killed in two separate gun battles with IS-backed Barnawi gunmen in the Monguno area of Borno state near Lake Chad.

Nigeria's military declined to comment on the reported in-fighting when contacted by AFP.

- 'True jihad' -

Mele Kaka, who lives in the area, told AFP: "The Barnawi faction launched an offensive against the Shekau faction who were camped in the villages of Yele and Arafa.

"In Yele, the assailants killed three people from the Shekau camp, injured one and took one with them, while several were killed in Arafa," he said by telephone from the state capital, Maiduguri.

The attack prompted residents of Arafa to flee, he added.

Fighters from Barnawi camp had the previous day attacked gunmen loyal to Shekau in Zuwa village in nearby Marte district, killing an unspecified number, Kaka said.

"The Barnawi fighters told villagers after each attack that they were fighting the other camp because they had derailed from the true jihad and were killing innocent people, looting their property and burning their homes," he went on.

"They said such acts contravene the teachings of Islam and true jihad."

- Ideological split -

Shekau has led Boko Haram since the death of Mohammed Yusuf in police custody in 2009, waging a deadly, indiscriminate guerilla war that has overwhelmingly targeted civilians.

Suicide bombers have repeatedly hit busy mosques, churches, markets and bus stations while hit-and-run raids have destroyed remote villages, killing and maiming residents.

Thousands of people, many of them women and young girls, have been kidnapped, including more than 200 schoolgirls, who were seized from the Borno town of Chibok more than two years ago.

Shekau has justified the attacks in ranting video and audio monologues against the secular state, those who support it and anyone who does not share his radical interpretation of Islam.

He pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in March last year, changing the group's name to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Experts, however, suggest the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians as well as Shekau's "dictatorial" style, including secret killings of dissenting commanders, have caused a rift.

Shortly after his nomination, Barnawi made a pointed critique of Shekau's leadership, lambasting him for targeting ordinary Muslims.

- Gun battle -

News of the factional clashes have been slow to emerge because of the destroyed telecommunications infrastructure in northeast Nigeria, and restricted access.

A civilian vigilante assisting the military against Boko Haram said there were sporadic clashes between the opposing fighters.

The three incidents described by Kaka were "very possible", said Babakura Kolo.

"I don't have news of the clashes but it is not surprising if they did occur because there has been similar in-fighting among the two Boko Haram camps," he added.

Two weeks ago, there was a fierce gun battle in the Abadam area of Borno state, near the border with Niger, where Shekau's fighters were routed, he said.

"It was a deadly fight and Shekau's fighters were forced to flee," he said.

Hundreds of residents of the villages and their herds taken hostage by the fleeing fighters were allowed to go about their normal lives by the Barnawi faction, Kolo added.

In an August 8, 2016 video, Abubakar Shekau vows to fight on, shrugging off an apparent split in the hardline jihadist group

A video purportedly released by Bokom Haram in August 2016 shows what is claimed to be girls allegedly kidnapped from Chibok in April 2014
US intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden sought shelter among Hong Kong refugees after he leaked a huge trove of secret documents in the southern Chinese city, reports said Wednesday.

The former intelligence contractor had quit his job with the National Security Agency and travelled to Hong Kong in May 2013 where he initiated one of the largest data leaks in US history, fuelling a firestorm over the issue of mass surveillance.

Although Snowden stayed in the five-star Mira Hotel before the leak, little was known of his situation afterwards.

Snowden, a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA, revealed details of top-secret surveillance conducted by the United States' National Security Agency regarding telecom data

Snowden was hidden by his lawyers in the rundown Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong (pictured)

But a report Wednesday revealed he had been given shelter by the city's 11,000 asylum-seekers.

Many of Hong Kong's refugees are forced to live in slum-like conditions, the last place anyone would look for one of the highest-profile US fugitives.

America's most wanted fugitive was dressed in all black and disguised in a dark hat and glasses when his lawyers smuggled him to poverty-stricken districts such as Sham Shui Po.

The 33-year-old stayed with at least four refugees, according to a National Post report. It added they were all clients of lawyer Robert Tibbo, who helped hide Snowden.

'It was clear that if Mr. Snowden was placed with a refugee family, this was the last place the government and the majority of Hong Kong society would expect him to be,' Tibbo told the Post.

One Filipino woman with whom Snowden stayed, Vanessa Mae Bondalian Rodel, described him as 'scared and very worried'.

After she saw his story in local media, she described her shock. 'Oh my God, the most wanted man in the world is in my house.'

Before he released the documents and became America's most wanted fugitive, Snowden stayed at the five-star Mira Hotel in Hong Kong

He was disguised in a black outfit and smuggled into the slums of Hong Kong to hide out for two weeks

Other refugees from Sri Lanka said they were not worried about hosting Snowden, and felt he was taking a greater risk than they were.

One family told how he left money for them under a pillow before he left.

Snowden has since sent sent each of the refugees US$1,000 each for the danger they put themselves in.

'They had a hundred chances to betray me while I was amongst them, and no one could have blamed them, given their precarious situations. But they never did,' Snowden told the National Post.

'If not for their compassion, my story could have ended differently. They taught me no matter who you are, no matter what you have, sometimes a little courage can change the course of history.'

Snowden came to Hong Kong on May 20, 2013 and began a damaging series of leaks about the NSA eavesdropping of phones and computer systems that triggered concern from governments worldwide.

Media were clambering to find the whistleblower from the time he checked out of his five-star hotel on June 10 to the day he left the city for Moscow on June 23, escaping the clutches of US justice.

In July 2014, Snowden was reunited with his long-term girlfriend Lindsay Mills in Russia.

Edward Snowden stayed with at least four refugees in Hong Kong after his leak of documents in 2013, according to a National Post report

He never meant to call Moscow his home but his passport was cancelled mid-flight meaning he could not travel to South America as he'd planned.

In July 2014, Snowden was reunited with his long-term girlfriend Lindsay Mills in Russia.

The dancer joined Snowden after it emerged he wasn't going to be heading back to the States anytime soon.

His high-stakes journey is the topic of 'Snowden', a thriller directed by Oliver Stone which hits cinemas around the world in September and comes to Hong Kong in October.

Earlier this year, s peaking via Skype from Russia, Snowden told an audience of supporters in New Hampshire that he is willing to be extradited to the United States if the federal government would guarantee he would get a fair trial.

He faces US charges that could land him in prison for up to 30 years.

'I've told the government I would return if they would guarantee a fair trial where I can make a public interest defense of why this was done and allow a jury to decide,' Snowden told his audience.
Sudan's Bashir claims peace returning to Darfur

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir declared on Wednesday that peace was returning to war-torn Darfur despite a deadlock in African Union-brokered ceasefire talks and persistent fighting that has driven thousands from their homes this year.

Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur, made the declaration in the North Darfur state capital El Fasher at a ceremony attended by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Chadian President Idriss Deby.

Qatar has hosted successive rounds of peace talks between the Arab-dominated Khartoum government and the ethnic minority rebels who took up arms in 2003 against Bashir's administration.

Sudan's president Omar al-Bashir delivers a speech at the airport in the North Darfur state capital El-Fasher during a ceremony to declare an end to 13 years of conflict in the region, on September 7, 2016 Ashraf Shazly (AFP)

Talks in Doha in 2011 led to a peace deal with one small rebel faction -- the Liberation and Justice Movement -- and Wednesday's ceremony marked its implementation.

"We declare to all the people of Darfur and Sudan .. that we have implemented our commitments," Bashir said in a speech attended by crowds of thousands.

"Darfur is better today than yesterday. And tomorrow it will be even better."

Bashir, who vowed to develop the strife-torn region, stopped short of outright declaring an end to a 13-year conflict in Darfur as he was expected to announce earlier.

"We will build roads and better education, health, water and electricity facilities... We will also undertake reconciliation among all Darfur tribes," Bashir said to supporters' cheers.

Many in the crowd carried pictures of Bashir and the Qatari emir.

Khartoum has repeatedly sought to declare an end to the conflict in Darfur this year, claiming that an April referendum backing the current five-state division of the region turned the page.

But the vote, which was boycotted by the rebels, was widely criticised by the international community and in June the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of an 18,000-strong peacekeeping force which the world body runs jointly with the African Union.

- New displacements -

Khartoum had strongly opposed the extension but the Security Council said that persistent fighting between government forces and the rebels continues to drive thousands of civilians from their homes.

Up to 194,000 civilians have been displaced from the Jebel Marra area since mid-January, the UN said last week, adding to hundreds of thousands of displaced people already living in camps.

Two rebel groups -- the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army faction headed by Minni Minnawi -- have signed an African Union roadmap for a ceasefire but talks on its implementation broke down last month.

A third rebel group, the SLA faction headed by Abdelwahid Nur, has not signed the roadmap.

The JEM announced on Wednesday that it would release all prisoners it had captured during fighting with government forces.

"The movement will coordinate their transfer to Khartoum," it said, without explaining the timing of its announcement.

Bashir too announced a similar initiative at the ceremony.

"I order the authorities to immediately release all those children who have been detained among the rebel groups," he said.

Bashir also urged Darfur civilians and armed groups to surrender their arms.

"We will collect arms from the civilians," Bashir said, warning that those who refused to surrender their weapons would be firmly dealt with.

Neighbouring Chad has been a major player in the Darfur conflict.

It was a key supporter of the JEM while Khartoum supported Chadian rebels but, after both countries' capitals came under attack in 2008, the two governments mended fences.

Bashir, who has mounted a brutal counter-insurgency against the rebels, is wanted by the ICC on war crimes and genocide charges related to Darfur, which he denies.

At least 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to the United Nations.
Palestinian killed by Israel forces was not an attacker: police

A Palestinian killed by Israeli police this week was not attempting a car-ramming attack on officers as had been initially claimed, police said on Wednesday.

Police originally said they opened fire on Monday during a car-ramming attack targeting officers in the Shuafat refugee camp in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

One of the men in the car was killed and the driver was wounded, police said. There were no casualties among the officers.

The Palestinian Shuafat refugee camp (right) behind the controversial Israeli separation wall in east Jerusalem on July 14, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP/File)

On Wednesday, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said they were now investigating the driver of the car, Ali Nimr, 20, for manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, driving without a licence, driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless endangerment.

The manslaughter investigation indicated police were holding Nimr responsible for the death of his cousin, Mustafa Nimr, 27, who was shot dead by police.

An inquiry has also been opened by the Israeli justice ministry unit that probes police activity, Samri said.

Israel's Channel 10 television broadcast video of the incident that appeared to show shots being fired after the car was stopped, with Mustafa Nimr already on the ground either wounded or dead.

The two men were returning to the camp after buying pizzas, a witness told Channel 10 on condition of anonymity.

Haaretz newspaper reported that Mustafa Nimr's Jewish girlfriend and his brother were following them in a second vehicle.

It said Mustafa Nimr grew up in Shuafat but was living in the Tel Aviv area at the time with his girlfriend.

Haaretz quoted witnesses as saying the car did not endanger police and they were racing at the time.

The border police who opened fire had been in the camp for a separate raid, authorities said. Police carry out such raids regularly in search of weapons or wanted suspects.

In June, Israeli troops killed a Palestinian teenager after apparently mistaking his group for stone-throwers as they returned from a swim, sparking outrage and debate about the security forces' use of firearms.

Violence since October has killed 223 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, one Eritrean and a Sudanese.

Israeli forces say most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks.

Others were shot dead during protests and clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip.
Obama 'whore' slur no bar to Philippine leader's popularity

Despite foul-mouthed tirades, international outrage and a public spat with Barack Obama, Rodrigo Duterte is the most popular politician in the Philippines.

As the politically incorrect president enters the third month of his six-year term, the Asian nation's slums are drenched in blood from a brutal anti-drug campaign that has seen police and shadowy assassins kill nearly 3,000 people.

But 71-year-old Duterte is riding high on record approval ratings, with the acid-tongued and irascible grandfather shrugging off repeated controversies including unprovoked and obscene attacks on the United Nations and the US president, whom he this week called a "son of a whore".

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attends the ASEAN Summit Retreat during the second day of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Vientiane on September 7, 2016 Ye Aung Thu (AFP)

Critics said he was a dictator in the making, but 16 million people voted the former state prosecutor into office earlier this year, a landslide win fuelled by widespread disgust at conventional politicians in a raucous, corruption-ridden democracy.

"He is probably saying things ordinary people would not say because they are fearful or ashamed," political scientist Antonio Contreras told AFP.

"It's hard to explain. It's a machismo thing," said Earl Parreno, from the Manila-based think tank Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, explaining that Duterte represented many people's hope for genuine change.

"Despite his missteps, his insults... what they want really is for him to be given a chance to do something that will have an impact on their lives," Parreno told AFP.

That sense of hope is embodied by Irving dela Cruz, an IT manager who spends at least two hours getting to work through Manila's gridlocked traffic.

"Okay, I don't like his attitude, his swearing, his womanising, all his negative traits. But what he has done and what he continues to do outweighs everything," the 39-year-old told AFP.

"He is transparent, nothing about his personality is faked, and he represents the common man. I feel safer actually," dela Cruz added.

Parreno said Filipinos generally backed Duterte's bloody anti-crime crackdown not because they were ignorant of their rights but that they were more concerned about their personal safety.

"They really think we need this kind of action," he said. "It is sometimes embarrassing but that is the mind of the masses."

- Scrambling for selfies -

Manila pollster Pulse Asia said 91 percent of Filipinos supported Duterte in their last popularity survey in July, more than a month after he took 38 percent of the popular vote in the landslide May election. There have been no other surveys since then.

Rights groups, church leaders in the mainly Catholic nation and some lawmakers have joined the US and United Nations in condemning the extra-judicial killings.

"This is a national emergency and the Philippine government particularly President Duterte are instead cheerleading and praising this campaign ... It's absolutely appalling," Phelim Kine, of Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera.

"Lawyers, human rights activists understand these things but ordinary people on the streets are not likely to be familiar with that," Contreras said of concerns over democratic rights.

"They (victims) are painted to be criminals, they are demonised as drug addicts," he told AFP.

Duterte's popularity -- or notoriety -- is extending beyond Philippine borders as he makes his first foreign trip to a summit in Laos this week, according to his spokesman Martin Andanar.

Some foreign ministers as well as delegates at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting have been scrambling to take selfies with the Filipino leader, Andanar told reporters Wednesday.

"In spite of the colourful language that he uses, the Asians in the region seem to be able to get -- and there seems to be an empathy towards -- him," Ernesto Abella, another Duterte spokesman, added.
Indonesia vows 'war' after haze investigators held

Indonesia vowed Wednesday to "wage war" against illegal land burning after officials were detained and faced death threats from a mob allegedly trying to stop them investigating smog-belching fires.

The incident, which saw seven investigators held by a 100-strong gang allegedly hired by a palm oil company, has highlighted the difficulty faced in tackling the raging blazes that cloak Southeast Asia with haze every year.

The fires and subsequent smog occur annually to varying degrees on Sumatra island and the Indonesian part of Borneo during the dry season, and are started to cheaply clear land for palm oil and pulpwood plantations.

A helicopter from Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency conducts water-bombing operations to put out forest fires in Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra province on August 3, 2016 Abdul Qadir (AFP/File)

But 2015's were the worst for years and saw large parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore cloaked in choking smog for weeks. They have not been as serious so far this year.

The seven-strong team were detained by the mob in Riau province, on Sumatra island, on Friday after taking photos of land that had allegedly been cleared with fire by a company called Andika Permata Sawit Lestari (APSL).

The mob -- suspected to have been hired by APSL -- threatened to beat them, kill them and dump their bodies in a nearby river. They were finally released unharmed after 12 hours when police intervened.

Indonesia's Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar has condemned the incident, saying it highlights how companies form murky alliances with local communities to burn land and protect their plantations.

After meeting the head of the national police on Wednesday, Bakar said: "I have the police chief's backing to wage war against forest and land fires."

Police chief Tito Karnavian said a joint police and ministry team would carry out investigations in Riau.

Under fierce pressure from its neighbours, Indonesia has pledged to take more action and has arrested over 460 people so far in 2016 over forest fires, more than double the number detained last year.

But activists say the latest case highlights how under-resourced officials and security forces are often no match for the massive companies that are accused of setting the illegal fires.
As Obama caps Asia pivot, Thailand seen as missing piece

President Barack Obama attends a farewell dinner with Southeast Asian leaders Wednesday, capping eight years of careful courtship that has created new friends, but left links frayed with America's oldest regional ally -- Thailand.

When Obama looks around the gala dinner table in Vientiane, he will find a bevy of new partners.

His engagement with former Communist foes in Vietnam and now Laos is slowly easing the bloody burden of history, in much the same way as his opening to Cuba.

US President Barack Obama (L) and South Korean President Park Geun-hye (R) hold a meeting in Vientiane, Laos, on September 6, 2016 Saul Loeb (AFP)

More striking still will be the presence of Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent much of the last three decades held prisoner by a brutal military junta.

Obama's engagement with Myanmar -- a country he has twice visited -- has butressed a political transformation, helping convince the generals to share power with Suu Kyi's democratically elected government.

"Just sitting back and criticizing countries has a limit in terms of what it can achieve," said Ben Rhodes, an Obama aide who has worked closely on the US' policy to Myanmar.

Where George W. Bush routinely skipped meetings with Southeast Asian heads of state, Obama -- perhaps unsurprisingly for someone who spent a chunk of his childhood in Indonesia -- has been a regular visitor.

- Bouquets and brickbats -

But the trips have not all been plain sailing, as Obama was reminded this week when he was labelled a "son of a whore" by firebrand Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte.

Yet experts say it is Thailand that represents the starkest failure to leverage US diplomatic power in the region.

Two military coups in quick succession have damaged relations with Bangkok, a treaty ally and regional powerhouse whose relations with Washington date back more than 180 years.

The US has not been able to prod the generals into restoring elections or easing controls on dissent.

Notoriously prickly junta leader, Prayut Chan-O-Cha, has also frequently bristled at US criticism of the darkening human rights environment in his country.

Even the smallest diplomatic slight, perceived or imagined, has the ability to sour relations further.

When Prime Minister Prayut talked to Obama on the margins of the US-ASEAN summit in Sunnylands, California, this year, US and Thai sources said the junta leader felt bridges were being rebuilt following the coup.

But on landing in Bangkok he was furious when told a mid-level State Department official had publicly berated his government's human rights record.

A Thai official told AFP that public opinion in his country could ultimately swing against the United States.

For their part, US officials point out that Thailand's latest coup left Washington with little room to manoeuvre.

"We did the bare minimum we had to do under the law," said one former Obama official, referencing a near $5 million cut in military aid immediately after the last coup in 2014.

But the US has not scrapped wider military co-operation, including annual war games held by the kingdom.

Still, some American officials worry that Thailand is being pushed too far towards its powerhouse neighbour China.

That could be particularly damaging given the context of a "once in a century reordering of political and economic power in Thailand," driven by a looming royal succession, according to Ernest Bower, a Southeast Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

With army power entrenched by a new constitution, the military are set to be a key player in the new political order.

The Thai military used to be "partnered almost exclusively with the United States and that is changing," said Des Walton, a former defense attache in Bangkok.

"They are expanding relations notably with China and Russia," he said. "At face value I don't see how that is consistent with US interests."

- Too late for Obama -

Thailand remains strategically pivotal to US regional interests.

"If you go from Korea all the way down to Thailand there is a huge swath which is basically all China, where the United States doesn't have access to mainland Asia. Thailand is it," he added.

But fears Thai public opinion could swing against the United States, may be premature.

While royalist conservatives hiss at any US condemnation of the junta, wider trade, education and diplomacy links remain strong.

Beijing does not criticise the junta, but it has so far failed to deliver on several gilded promises of support for major infrastructure projects.

Some in Washington believe that provides an opportunity for rapprochement.

But it may be too late for Obama.

"I think only presidential intervention would make a difference and that is not going to happen with the Obama administration," said Bower.

The White House says another pull-aside meeting with Prayut is unlikely to take place in Laos, even if they are in the same dining room together.

Factfile on the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations Laurence CHU, Gal ROMA (AFP)
Ireland backs appeal against EU Apple tax ruling

Ireland's parliament battled through an ill-tempered debate on Wednesday to vote in favour of appealing a European Commission ruling ordering the country to collect billions of euros in unpaid taxes from tech giant Apple.

Parliament voted 93-36 to support the appeal against the ruling that Ireland must collect 13 billion euros ($15 billion) from Apple.

The decision followed a heated debate in Dublin during which Prime Minister Enda Kenny asserted the EU ruling "could not be allowed to stand", insisting Ireland had "played by the rules" when it came to its tax treatment of Apple.

Ireland's Prime Minister Enda Kenny stands alongside the Irish national flag, and the EU flag, as he speaks during a joint press conference with European Council President Donald Tusk outside government buildings in Dublin on September 7, 2016 Paulo Nunes dos Santos (AFP)

The Commission ruled last week that Apple had received favourable tax terms that amounted to state aid -- illegal under its rules.

Ireland's decision to challenge the ruling reflects fears that accepting the windfall could scare away international investment, undermining a reputation for business-friendliness that is a cornerstone of the country's economy.

Kenny has refused to distribute the 150-page European Commission report to lawmakers, citing "commercial sensitivities".

Gerry Adams, leader of opposition party Sinn Fein, spoke out against the appeal.

"We want companies like Apple in Ireland," he said. "But this doesn't mean one should turn a blind eye to tax evasion or avoidance."

The Commission's ruling against Apple was met with a warning from Washington that the move could damage hugely important transatlantic economic ties.

Ireland's two main parties, Kenny's Fine Gael and the opposition Fianna Fail, which supports the minority government, backed the appeal.

But Sinn Fein, which increased its support in elections earlier this year on an anti-austerity platform, vehemently argued that to do so meant "defending the indefensible".

The party's finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said Apple had operated "a sort of untaxed Bermuda Triangle" facilitated by Ireland.

Opinion polls reflected the divisive nature of the ruling with many people arguing in favour of Apple paying the back taxes.

The government claims Apple has paid the full amount due to the Irish state from 2004 to 2014 and denies it gave it "selective treatment".

The European Commission meanwhile says Apple paid an effective corporate tax rate of just 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014 -- equivalent to just 50 euros for every million.

- 'Damage' to Ireland's reputation -

Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the ruling had fed into an "outdated caricature" of Ireland as a tax haven and must be appealed to defend its future ability to attract foreign investment.

"The government's position throughout this process has been that the full amount of tax was paid in this case and no state aid was provided," he told parliament.

"Ireland did not give favourable tax treatment to Apple: Ireland does not do deals with taxpayers."

Noonan also said other countries had indicated a willingness to support Ireland's appeal in the European courts.

Kenny said the ruling had done "great damage" to Ireland's international reputation.

"The picture of Ireland painted by the Commission in this decision as a country prepared to play fast and loose with the law to gain unfair advantage could not be more damaging or further from the truth," he said.

Apple has had a base in the southern city of Cork since 1980 and employs nearly 6,000 people in Ireland, through which it routes its international sales totalling billions.

The debate coincided with the much-hyped launch in San Francisco of Apple's latest-generation products, designed to cement its place as the world's most valuable company.

Among other innovations, the company unveiled two upgraded models of its flagship smartphone and improvements to its Series 2 watch.

EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager ordered Apple to pay a record 13 billion euros in back taxes on August 30, 2016 John Thys (AFP/File)

Protesters demonstrate outside the parliament buildings in Dublin in support of the EU ruling to take 13 billion euros in taxes from Apple Paul Faith (AFP/File)
Bosch 'helped conceal' Volkswagen's emissions cheating devices

German car parts maker Bosch helped develop and conceal the so-called defeat devices used by Volkswagen to cheat on emissions tests, lawyers acting for US plaintiffs said in newly released court documents.

Both firms are being targeted in a mass lawsuit by US car owners affected by the "dieselgate" scandal, which erupted last year after VW admitted to installing manipulating software in 11 million vehicles to make them appear less polluting during lab tests.

Bosch "played a critical role" in the scheme to evade US emissions requirements, lawyers wrote in a San Francisco court filing seen by AFP Wednesday.

Bosch "played a critical role" in the scheme to evade US emissions requirements, lawyers wrote in a San Francisco court filing seen by AFP Wednesday Bernd Weissbrod (DPA/AFP/File)

The document says Bosch wrote to VW in 2008 and demanded that it indemnify Bosch "for anticipated liability arising from the use of the Bosch-created 'defeat device'", which it knew to be illegal.

Volkswagen refused the request but Bosch nevertheless continued to develop the cheating software, it said.

Bosch also "concealed the defeat device in communications with US regulators once questions were raised about the emission control system".

"Bosch was a knowing and active participant in the decade-long illegal enterprise to defraud US consumers," the lawyers claimed.

While Bosch had been named in the class action lawsuit before, the updated court filing lays out the first detailed allegations against the Stuttgart-based company.

A Bosch spokesman said the firm was still working on a formal response to the accusations.

"Bosch takes the allegations of manipulation of diesel software very seriously," he told AFP.

Bosch is also facing legal woes at home, with prosecutors in Stuttgart also investigating its possible role in the scandal.

Bosch previously said it was carrying out its own internal inquiry into the controversy and that it had set aside funds to cover the fallout from any potential legal claims.

Volkswagen has already agreed to a roughly $15-billion settlement to compensate owners of some 480,000 cars in the United States.
8 Kurdish rebels killed in northwest Iran: state media

Eight members of the rebel Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) have been killed in clashes with security forces along the Iraqi border, state media reported Wednesday.

Border guards fought the group overnight and into Wednesday morning in the northwestern province of West Azerbaijan, the IRNA news agency said.

The clashes lasted several hours, and the security forces did not sustain any casualties, a local governor told IRNA.

Iraqi soldiers look out along the border with Iran at a military border installation near the Iraqi town of Khanaqin on January 27, 2009 Filippo Monteforte (AFP/File)

The KDPI, formed in 1945, is the oldest Kurdish political party in Iran.

Now mostly based in Kurdish areas of Iraq, it has fought on-off insurgencies demanding independence from Iran, stepping up its armed rebellion after a crackdown by the Islamic authorities in the wake of the 1979 revolution.
Taiwan protests over Armenia deportations to China

Taiwan protested Wednesday after Armenia deported 78 Taiwanese fraud suspects to China, the latest such deportation to spark a dispute with Beijing.

The suspects had been held since August 26 by Armenian police, who confiscated their passports and telecom equipment while concealing their whereabouts from lawyers, according to Taiwanese authorities.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), its top China policy-making body, said it immediately lodged a protest with Beijing after being notified of the deportation.

Relations between Taiwan and China have grown increasingly frosty since Tsai Ing-wen (C) and her the Democratic Progressive Party came to power Sam Yeh (AFP/File)

"We have repeatedly demanded the Chinese side not to deport our people to mainland China. The Chinese side's action again disregarded our call ... and further hurt the feelings of Taiwanese people," it said in a statement.

The MAC said it would continue negotiating with China to secure the suspects' return to Taiwan to face trial.

Armenia's actions are the latest in a series of deportations of Taiwanese to China, with Taipei accusing Beijing of "abducting" citizens from countries that do not recognise the Taiwanese government.

Analysts see the deportation cases as a Chinese bid to pressure Taiwan's new Beijing-sceptic leader Tsai Ing-wen, who took office in May.

But Beijing insists that Taiwanese fraud suspects should be sent to China to face trial because their telephone fraud crimes largely target mainland Chinese.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said it protested at the Armenian government's actions and vowed to report the incident to international human rights organisations.

"Due process is lacking in the investigation of the case... the Armenia government has seriously violated human rights and international legal principles and precedents."

Kenya deported dozens of Taiwanese accused of fraud to China last month and in April after they had been cleared of the charges.

Amnesty International has said the Taiwanese face potential "human rights violations" if sent to the mainland.

Taipei has also protested at the recent deportations of Taiwanese fraud suspects from Malaysia and Cambodia to China.

Relations between Taiwan and China have grown increasingly frosty since Tsai and her the Democratic Progressive Party came to power.
E.Guinea leader's son to stand trial over French fortune

The son of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea's veteran ruler will go on trial in France on charges of plundering his country to fund a jet-set lifestyle in Paris, judicial sources told AFP on Wednesday.

Teodorin Obiang, currently vice president, is accused of using the proceeds of corruption and embezzlement to fund an array of eye-popping purchases, from private jets and top properties to pop star Michael Jackson's famous white glove.

The trial, whose date has not yet been set, will be the first arising from a series of landmark investigations in France into the alleged ill-gotten gains of a handful of African leaders.

Equatorial Guinea's vice president Teodorin Obiang is accused of using the proceeds of corruption and embezzlement to fund an array of eye-popping purchases Abdekhak Senna (AFP/File)

And with Obiang unlikely to attend the proceedings, the trial "may be symbolic more than anything," a source close to the case said.

Prosecutors will show Obiang, now 47, amassed French assets worth several tens of millions of euros between 2007 and 2011, "either directly or through front men or shell companies", a source close to the investigation said.

Obiang was agriculture minister for his father Teodoro Obiang Nguema in the tiny central African nation at the time, earning a government salary of under $100,000 (89,000 euros) a year.

He will face charges of laundering the proceeds of corruption, embezzlement, misuse of public funds and breach of trust.

- Dire poverty despite oil -

Equatorial Guinea has become sub-Saharan Africa's third-biggest oil producer in recent years, with oil revenues accounting for more than 70 percent of national income.

But the wealth has not trickled down. While per capita national income stands at over $10,000 for a population of less than a million, more than half the people live on less than two dollars a day.

In 2012, French authorities swooped on the Obiang family's six-storey mansion on Avenue Foch -- one of the most upmarket addresses in Paris -- seizing it along with a fleet of luxury cars including two Bugatti Veyrons and a Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Police also took away van loads of valuables, including paintings by famous artists, a $4.2-million clock and wines worth thousands of euros a bottle.

The investigation was launched after Transparency International and Sherpa, an NGO that campaigns against economic crimes, filed a complaint against him.

Obiang, who was charged in 2014, has tried unsuccessfully ever since to have the proceedings quashed, and in June Equatorial Guinea lodged a complaint against France before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

US authorities have also pursued Obiang junior, accusing him of racking up more than $300 million through embezzlement, extortion and money laundering.

In October 2014, he was forced to turn over more than $30 million in ill-gotten gains -- including a Malibu villa, a Ferrari and Michael Jackson memorabilia.

He managed however to hang onto the white glove Jackson wore during his "Bad" tour.

Other leaders under investigation in France include Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso, the late Omar Bongo of Gabon and Francois Bozize, former president of the Central African Republic.

Obiang's father, who has ruled the former Spanish colony with an iron fist since 1979, is Africa's longest-serving leader, extending his rule in April when he was re-elected with 93.7 percent of the vote.

He promoted his son to vice president in charge of defence and national security in June.
Zellweger keen to play Bridget Jones right to old folks' home

Actress Renee Zellweger said Wednesday she was up for playing hapless British singleton Bridget Jones's misadventures right to the nursing home.

"From a selfish perspective it could be a lot of fun to see her improvise her way through motherhood and whatever else might follow," the American star told AFP as the third film of the hugely popular character's amorous misadventures opened in Paris.

The Texan actress had earlier dropped a heavy hint that a fourth comedy in the franchise may be in the pipeline after "Bridget Jones's Baby" was greeted with warm reviews after its world premiere in London on Monday.

Actress Renee Zellweger dropped a heavy hint that a fourth comedy in the Bridget Jones franchise may be in the pipeline Niklas Halle'n (AFP/File)

Her co-star Colin Firth, who plays smouldering but uptight human rights lawyer Mark Darcy, was even more enthusiastic -- although another movie would see him dicing with death.

"I would be quite something to span a lifetime," said the actor, the eternal object of Bridget's affection. "I can't quite believe we are still here 16 years after the first (film).

"The trouble is that I am under sentence of death," he joked, referring to how Darcy was killed off aged 51 by Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding in her last book "Mad About the Boy".

- Back from the dead? -

"Helen Fielding has a contract out on me," Firth added. "Unless we can stretch the idea that Mark Darcy dies when he is 98 then I'm done for. But I would love for it to go on... to watch this lot grow old."

Fielding, who created the chardonnay-swigging everywoman character in a newspaper column in 1995, had Darcy die after he drives over a landmine.

But after an outcry from fans -- including actress Gemma Jones who plays Bridget's mother in the films -- Fielding has alluded to the fact that fictional characters can come back from the dead.

He would not be the first character to do so in the series, with another of Bridget's paramours unexpectedly rejoining the land of the living at the end of the latest film.

Twelve years after the last film, "Bridget Jones's Baby" finds our luckless heroine as a successful television producer.

But at 43 Bridget is resigned to "spinsterdom" until she finds herself pregnant after falling into bed with Darcy shortly after a muddy and drunken tryst with a handsome American internet billionaire, played by Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey.

While Zellweger's British accent is as impeccable as ever, Firth said his repressed stiff-upper-lipped upper-class character wasn't anything like him.

"I do not come from Mark Darcy's background. I don't come from that sort of privilege," he told reporters. "I am not a brilliant human rights lawyers, or even brilliant.

"I don't have his noble agenda and hopefully I am not as constipated as he is," he joked.

"I don't think Darcy is very representative of modern Britain... even though I have found a lot of work through him. Ironically as a schoolboy I thought I would never, ever wear a suit. So my career" playing a succession of upper-class types including Britain's last king "has been one of irony", he said.
Zimbabwe court lifts ban on Harare protests

Zimbabwe's high court on Wednesday overturned a two-week ban on protests in the capital Harare after a challenge from activists involved in a surge of demonstrations against President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe has vowed to crack down on the protests, which have erupted over recent months as Zimbabwe has been pitched into deepening economic crisis.

"The court has said the ban was unlawful," Tendai Biti, a lawyer and opposition party leader among those who brought the case to court, told journalists.

A street vendor flees with his goods as Zimbabwe opposition supporters clash with police in Harare on August 26, 2016 Wilfred Kajese (AFP/File)

"The judgement is a very brave judgement. We are very proud that the court recognised the power it has (and) importantly that courts will adjudicate matters without fear and favour."

Mugabe, who has routinely crushed dissent since he came to power in 1980, last week criticised the country's courts after several anti-government protests turned violent.

Judges authorised an opposition demonstration in Harare on August 26 which degenerated into clashes between opposition supporters and security forces.

Mugabe later blasted judges for "reckless" rulings allowing demonstrations against his rule, saying he hoped they had "learnt a lesson".

Zimbabwe has suffered economic collapse over the last 15 years, with 90 percent of the population now not in formal employment.

The cash-strapped government has been slow to pay the salaries of public sector workers, including the military, while banks are running out of cash.

- Violent protests -

"The judgement is progressive. We are excited," Stendrick Zvorwadza, a protest leader and long-time critic of Mugabe, said after judge Priscilla Chigumba made her ruling.

"Like we have always been saying this (campaign) symbolises peace."

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who have represented scores of arrested protesters, said the ruling against the police ban on protest was "a victory for activists".

On Friday, another court denied bail to 58 people arrested during the August 26 protests when riot police fired tear gas, beat up several people and blocked off the site of an opposition demonstration in Harare.

Protesters fought back, throwing stones at police while some set tyres ablaze and pulled down the sign for a street named after Mugabe.

The demonstration -- which had been authorised by a court -- was to demand electoral reform before 2018 when Mugabe, 92, plans to stand for re-election.

Promise Mkwananzi, leader of the Tajamuka ("We are agitated") protest group, was also arrested at the protests and was denied bail when he appeared in court on public violence charges.

The last elections in 2013 were won by Mugabe in a vote the opposition said was rigged.

The High Court in Harare, pictured on August 26, 2016, ruled that a ban on protests is unlawful Zinyange Auntony (AFP/File)
Somalia khat ban angers growers, traders and users

The rattle and honk of trucks carrying bales of the leafy narcotic khat have not been heard in Mogadishu since the government announced a surprise import ban this week.

Users, vendors and traders have been left bemused and angry by the unexplained government directive.

"You can't just say khat is banned without giving reasons or offering alternatives for people who depend on the trade," said Naciimo Abdiweli, a mother of five who sells the herbal stimulant at one of the many stalls dotted around the Somali capital.

A group of men chat in the empty Miraa market in Mogadishu on September 7, 2016 following an import ban on "miraa", also known as khat, annouced by the Somali government earlier in the week Mohammed Abdiwahab (AFP)

Khat -- also known as miraa -- is a red-stemmed, green-leafed plant that has a mildly amphetamine-like effect when chewed, akin to one too many espressos.

Among Somalis it has long had social, cultural and religious uses but it is also frequently abused.

Traditionally, chewing was an afternoon activity for men, but increasingly they are also chewing in the morning, evening and throughout the night.

Addicts commonly spend all their money on bunches of leaves and waste hours in a stupor, green drool trickling from between brown-stained teeth. Doctors in Somalia have linked dependency to psychosis and paranoia.

- No explanation -

On Monday Somalia's government banned aeroplanes that are carrying khat from entering Somali airspace.

While it is enjoyed in Somalia, khat is grown in neighbouring Ethiopia and Kenya, both of which have large farming communities relying on its export for their livelihoods.

Contacted by AFP, Somalia's transport minister Ali Ahmed Jama Jangeli refused to give any reason for the ban. No explanation has been offered by any other government officials, leaving traders like Abdiweli at a loss.

"We've been told the government stopped flights bringing khat from Kenya and the market is empty now, but we don't know the reason," she said.

The Somali decision has upset Kenyan growers too.

"This is a big loss to us," said Dave Muthuri, chairman of the Kenya Miraa Farmers and Traders Association.

"Farmers are crying because of the loss they are incurring. It caught everyone off-guard," he added.

This week their crops -- which must be transported fresh before the leaves wilt -- have languished in sacks in Meru, where it is grown in Kenya's centre, and at the nation's Wilson Airport from where it is flown to Somalia.

Muthuri said no khat had left Kenya since Monday and that dozens of tonnes of the plant were going to waste. In Mogadishu, at the receiving end of the khat supply chain, business has ground to a halt.

"We are sitting on empty tables at markets waiting for news, but it seems the government does not want to talk to us openly about why they've stopped this business," said Ahmed Ugaas, a khat trader.

- Ban can't last -

But while some are concerned by the social damage done by khat, others believe it helps keep the volatile city calm.

"I believe that khat consumption played an important role in maintaining tranquillity," said Mohamed Abdisalam, a grocer.

"Most of the gunmen go and sit chewing every day from 11 in the morning, can you imagine what they will do when they don't have khat? They will go onto the streets and cause havoc!" he predicted.

Khat is banned in the US, Canada and most of Europe -- all places with large diaspora Somali communities.

But no government or authority has ever succeeded in banning it in Somalia, not the military dictatorship, the warlords nor the Islamic extremists.

"It's a matter of days and then business will be back to normal", said Zakariye Mohamed, a regular khat consumer untroubled by the interruption in his supply.

"The military regime [of Siad Barre] was mightier than this government but they could not succeed in banning it. Even Al-Shabaab, who kill people, could not stop it," he said. "This thing is very tricky."

Khat -- also known as miraa -- is a red-stemmed, green-leafed plant that has a mildly amphetamine-like effect when chewed, akin to one too many espressos Zacharias Abubeker (AFP/File)
Years of turbulent Iran-Saudi relations

Iran has called on the Muslim world to punish the Saudi government for its handling of the hajj pilgrimage, from which Iranians have been excluded.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that the "cursed, evil" Saudi ruling family did not deserve to manage Islam's holiest sites, after a stampede in September 2015 killed around 2,300 foreign pilgrims, including hundreds of Iranians.

Relations between the regional rivals have often been fraught since the Islamic revolution toppled the Shah of Iran in 1979.

Tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims pray in Mecca, Saudi Arabia Fayez Nureldine (AFP/File)

Here is a look at some of their main differences:

- 1987: Clashes in Mecca -

Security forces in Mecca crack down on an illegal protest by Iranian pilgrims during the war between Iran and Saudi-backed Iraq. According to an official toll, 402 people are killed, including 275 Iranians.

The Saudi embassy in Tehran is sacked and Riyadh sets quotas for the annual hajj that provokes a three-year boycott by Iranians.

In April 1988, Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia breaks off diplomatic relations with Shiite Iran. They are restored in 1991.

- 1997: Smoothing over differences -

The election of reformist Iranian president Mohammad Khatami in May 1997 leads to improved relations with Saudi Arabia. He makes a historic visit there in May 1999 and seeks better relations with Arab neighbours in general.

In 2001, the two countries agree to cooperate against drug and people trafficking, terrorism and money laundering.

- 2003: Shiites come to power in Iraq -

The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 sparks fresh tension by removing the ruling Sunni Ba'ath party in Baghdad and allowing majority Shiites to take over.

Saudi Arabia is also worried about increasing Iranian influence in Lebanon, where Tehran oversaw the creation of the Hezbollah Shiite militia in 1982.

- 2011: Riyadh sends troops to Bahrain -

In March 2011 as Arab Spring demonstrations sweep the Middle East, Riyadh sends Saudi soldiers to neighbouring Bahrain where protests by the Shiite majority have broken out.

Riyadh accuses Tehran of stoking tension in the Sunni-ruled island state.

In October, the United States accuses Iran of plotting to assassinate Saudi ambassador Adel al-Jubeir, a key advisor to King Abdullah. Tehran claims the US is trying to fuel a new crisis.

- 2012/2015: Syria and Yemen -

Riyadh and Tehran square off again in 2012 amid the crisis in Syria. Iran backs President Bashar al-Assad and provides him with military forces and funds to battle Sunni rebels. Hezbollah becomes a crucial ally of Assad.

Saudi Arabia backs Syrian rebels, most of whom are Sunnis, but also joins a US-led coalition fighting the Sunni extremist group Islamic State.

Saudi foreign policy becomes more assertive in January 2015 when the new King Salman names his son Mohammed as defence minister.

In March 2015, Riyadh forms a Sunni Arab coalition of 34 nations to intervene in Yemen, where Tehran is supporting Shiite Huthi rebels.

Iran's July 2015 nuclear deal with the West causes more Saudi concern. Differences between the two countries over crude oil production levels contribute to a sharp drop in prices.

- 2016: New crisis -

On January 2, Saudi Arabia executes Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was a driving force behind 2011 protests in the country's Eastern Province.

That infuriates Iran, which had already accused Saudi officials of incompetence during the 2015 hajj.

Riyadh breaks off diplomatic relations with Tehran on January 3.
Lavrov, Kerry to hold Syria talks this week

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart John Kerry will meet Thursday and Friday in Geneva to try to hammer out a deal on cooperation in Syria, Moscow said.

But Kerry's spokesman would not confirm the meeting Wednesday, suggesting that last-minute negotiations were continuing.

The two top diplomats agreed to a "personal meeting" after "working on the remaining details for an agreement" on fighting jihadists and pushing forward the peace process in the war-torn country in a phone call, a Russian statement said earlier in the day.

Russia and the US -- on opposite sides in the five-year conflict in Syria -- have been trying to thrash out a deal in recent weeks to revive a ceasefire on the ground Louai Beshara (AFP/File)

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner confirmed that Kerry and Lavrov had spoken by telephone for 45 minutes but would not say whether they had agreed to meet again as soon as Thursday.

"I don't have any travel to announce at this time," he said.

"I can say that the secretary remains committed to continuing efforts to try and resolve the remaining or outstanding issues in order to reach an arrangement on Syria," he added.

That arrangement, he said, would "put in place a durable cease-fire, a cessation of hostilities, provide humanitarian access to all areas and lead to a resumption of talks."

Russia and the United States -- on opposite sides in the five-year conflict in Syria -- have been trying to thrash out a deal in recent weeks to revive a ceasefire on the ground and coordinate strikes against the Islamic State group and other jihadists.

Presidents Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama held talks Monday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China but failed to bridge their differences.

Russia is flying a bombing campaign in support of strongman leader Bashar al-Assad, while the United States backs rebel groups fighting to oust him from power.
Dell finalizes huge EMC deal to become tech titan

US computer maker Dell said Wednesday it completed the acquisition of data storage firm EMC, creating the largest privately held technology group with a range of computing services.

The completion creates a new firm called Dell Technologies and finalizes a record $67 billion deal for EMC, which will help the struggling PC maker accelerate its efforts in cloud and mobile computing.

Dell founder and chairman Michael Dell, who took the computer maker private in 2013, said the new firm would be better positioned to compete in the evolving technology landscape.

Michael Dell created Dell Technologies from his dorm room at the University of Texas and led it to become a global heavyweight Mandel Ngan (AFP/File)

"We are at the dawn of the next industrial revolution," he said in a statement.

"Our world is becoming more intelligent and more connected by the minute, and ultimately will become intertwined with a vast Internet of Things, paving the way for our customers to do incredible things. This is why we created Dell Technologies. We have the products, services, talent and global scale to be a catalyst for change and guide customers, large and small, on their digital journey."

Dell Technologies will be offering a variety of services for enterprises including cloud computing, data analytics, mobility and cybersecurity. It moves Dell further away from its origins in the personal computer market, which is shrinking.

Michael Dell created the company from his dorm room at the University of Texas and led it to become a global heavyweight known for direct service to customers.

He led a $24.9 billion buyout to take it private as it attempts a transformation amid diminishing PC sales and the shift to mobile computing.

While Dell Technologies remains private, EMC shareholders received a new tracking stock to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange which represents the outstanding shares in software virtualization firm VMware, which had been a unit withing EMC.
Q+A on Scarborough Shoal, a flashpoint in South China Sea

The Philippines accused China on Wednesday of secretly preparing to build an artificial island on Scarborough Shoal, a tiny and remote outpost in a contested area of the South China Sea.

Doing so risks a military confrontation between China and the United States. Here are five key questions and answers about the shoal and why it is so important.

- What is it? -

An artificial island at Scarborough Shoal could be a game changer in China's quest to control the South China Sea, according to security analysts Ritchie B. Tongo (Pool/AFP/File)

A small ring of reefs that lie about 230 kilometres (140 miles) from the main Philippine island of Luzon and 1,000 kilometres from the nearest major Chinese landmass, Hainan island.

It is rich with marine life that fishermen from the Philippines, China and Vietnam have tapped for generations.

Although it is in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), China and Taiwan also claim it falls within their sovereign territory, part of a broader territorial row across the South China Sea.

- If it's so small and remote, why is it important? -

China has moved aggressively in recent years to cement its claims to most of the South China Sea, assert military control over the waters and thus weaken US influence.

China has built artificial islands in the Spratlys archipelago, a strategic location in the southern part of the sea. Those islands could become military outposts.

Because of its position, another military outpost at Scarborough Shoal is seen as the last major physical step required to secure control of the sea.

An outpost at the shoal would also put Chinese fighter jets and missiles within easy striking distance of US forces stationed in the Philippines.

The shoal also commands the northeast exit of the sea, so a Chinese military outpost there could stop other countries navies from using the vital stretch of waters.

- What's happened there in the past? -

The shoal became part of US territory when the Philippines became an American colony through the Treaty of Paris in 1898. It was transferred to the Philippines upon independence in 1946.

The Philippine navy then used it as a gunnery range for joint exercises with US forces, who had permanent bases nearby on Luzon island until 1991.

China took effective control of the shoal after an April 2012 stand-off with the Philippine Navy, and has since blocked Filipino fishermen from entering the shoal.

A UN-backed tribunal ruled in July that China's claims to the sea had no legal basis. It also ruled that China blocking Filipino fishermen at the shoal was illegal.

- What happens next? -

China has vowed to ignore the tribunal's ruling and press on with artificial island building. Yet it has in recent days denied doing any construction work at the shoal.

US President Barack Obama reportedly warned Chinese President Xi Jinping directly against building an island at the shoal, establishing a so-called "red line".

However China may seek to quickly build the island before Obama ends his eight-year term in January, according to John Blaxland, a security expert at the Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific.

Blaxland said China may seek to take advantage of what they perceive as a "weak" president.

"They (China) may well calculate now is the time to do it because they won't meet strong resistance," Blaxland told AFP.

- Is there really a risk of military confrontation? -

China has proved it is willing to use deadly force to enforce its claims in the South China Sea.

China gained control of the Paracel Islands in 1974 following clashes with the South Vietnamese Navy that left about 50 Vietnamese troops dead.

Vietnam and China fought a naval battle on Johnson Reef in the Spratlys in 1988 that killed about 70 Vietnamese military personnel.

Washington does not want to get into a war with Beijing, but it may be drawn into a conflict, according to Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor at Australia's University of New South Wales.

"We could witness a physical confrontation between (the) Chinese Coast Guard and Filipino vessels backed by the US Navy," Thayer told AFP.

Disputed claims in the South China Sea Gal Roma, Adrian Leung (AFP)
Goldman Sachs bars partners from donating to Trump

Goldman Sachs has barred partners from donating to some US political campaigns, including the Trump-Pence presidential ticket, according to a company memo seen by AFP on Wednesday.

The Trump-Pence campaign was one of several cases listed as prohibited because of 2010 US regulations intended to block donations to state and local officials that could sway the awarding of government investment business, said the memo, which was dated August 29.

The memo barred donations to Trump-Pence because vice presidential candidate, Mike Pence, is governor of the state of Indiana.

A Goldman Sachs memo barred donations to the Trump-Pence campaign because vice presidential candidate, Mike Pence, is governor of the state of Indiana Mark Makela (Getty/AFP)

The restriction does not extend to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who does not currently hold office, or to her vice presidential nominee, US Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia.

"The policy change is meant to prevent inadvertently violating pay-to-play rules," said the memo, which was provided to AFP by a person familiar with the matter.

"The penalties for failing to comply with these rules can be severe and include fines and a ban on the firm from doing business with government clients in a particular jurisdiction for a period of at least two years."

Goldman partners also cannot donate to state and local officials or candidates, state and local party committees, such as the Democratic Party of Virginia, or to inauguration or transition committees for newly elected state and local officials.
Syria opposition makes new push for transition

Syria's opposition on Wednesday made a fresh call for a transition to democracy without President Bashar al-Assad, as France threw its support behind new Russia-US talks aimed at ending the war.

The opposition's proposal during one-day talks in London came as the world's chemical weapons watchdog said it was "disturbed" by the alleged use of toxic chemicals in the battleground city of Aleppo.

Moscow said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart John Kerry, whose countries back opposing sides in the brutal civil war, would meet Thursday and Friday in Geneva to try to reach a deal on cooperation in Syria.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad addressing the new parliament in Damascus HO (Syrian Presidency Facebook page/AFP/File)

The pair have agreed to a "personal meeting" to work out an accord on fighting jihadists and pushing the peace process forward, according to the Russian foreign ministry.

But Kerry's spokesman would not confirm the meeting, suggesting last-minute negotiations were ongoing.

The talks come after US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin failed to reach a deal to stem the violence on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in China.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, attending the London talks, said he backed new US-Russia discussions.

"We are supporting the process, although we want a genuine ceasefire," he said.

With prospects for peace elusive, the broad-based opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) -- holding talks with its foreign allies in London -- proposed a six-month negotiating phase with the regime.

The opposition hopes new talks would result in an 18-month transition that would see Syria governed by a transitional body made up of opposition figures, current government representatives and members of civil society, according to a 25-page blueprint.

The HNC and its predecessors -- weakened by years of conflict, regime advances, the spread of jihadists and what some have branded a disconnect from the grim reality on the ground -- have made similar calls since early in the war.

Its proposal came even as armed rebels faced enormous pressure on the ground, particularly around Aleppo where regime forces backed by the Russian air force have completely encircled opposition-held neighbourhoods.

The group's plans are largely in line with existing international proposals for a post-war Syria, although unlike a 2015 agreement hashed out in Vienna, they are clear about Assad's future.

- 'No role' for Assad -

A transition, HNC says, "shall require the departure of Bashar al-Assad and his clique who committed heinous crimes against the Syrian people."

HNC leader Riad Hijab, speaking in London ahead of the talks, insisted that regime leaders who killed Syrians "cannot have a role in the future of Syria and in this transitional phase at all".

Hijab, a former Syrian prime minister who defected to the opposition in 2012, blamed the failure of previous peace talks on "a refusal to talk about the political transition".

The proposal came as the conflict raged relentlessly and on multiple fronts.

On Wednesday the world's chemical weapons watchdog condemned the alleged use of toxic substances in Aleppo, once Syria's economic capital, after dozens of people had to be treated for breathing problems.

"Such allegations are taken very seriously. The use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances is unacceptable," Ahmet Uzumcu, head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said in a statement.

More than 70 people were left choking Tuesday after regime helicopters dropped barrel bombs on a rebel-held district of Aleppo, according to a monitoring group.

France's Ayrault said the UN Security Council should condemn the Assad regime and IS "for their continued use of chemical weapons".

- 'Barbaric military tactics' -

Writing in The Times newspaper, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, the host of Wednesday's London talks, urged Russia to cease its support for the Syrian president.

Johnson accused Assad of "barbaric military tactics", blasting Russia's "seemingly indefensible conduct" in backing him.

"The entire international community is committed, at least in principle, to getting rid of the Syrian dictator. Even the Russians have accepted that there must be political transition," he wrote.

"But then the Russians are also employing their military muscle to prevent him from losing and to keep him in power."

The talks in London also involved foreign ministers from Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Italy, as well as representatives of Germany and the EU. Kerry took part via video-link.

The Syrian war, which began as a pro-democracy revolt in 2011 but morphed into a multi-front conflict after the regime unleashed a crackdown, has killed more than 290,000 people and forced more than half the population to flee their homes.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (front row 2ndL), and Chief Negotiator for the Syrian Opposition, Dr Riyad Hijab (front row 2ndR), stand with members of the Syrian High Negotiations Committee during their meeting at The Foreign Office Leon Neal (POOL/AFP)
Apple eliminates headphone jacks in new waterproof iPhones

Apple is out to make a splash with new waterproof iPhones and a smartphone game starring Nintendo's beloved "Mario", but it has raised eyebrows by eliminating headphone jacks in a push for wireless.

The iPhone 7 and larger iPhone 7 Plus, with sophisticated camera technology, improved water resistance and other features, were shown off to applause on Wednesday at an Apple event in San Francisco.

The flagship devices with boosted memory capacity will be sold at roughly the same price as the models they replace, starting at $649 for the iPhone 7 for US customers, with deliveries in 25 countries beginning September 16.

The removal of the headphone jack, requiring audio to be delivered via Apple's proprietary "lightning" connector or by wireless, may upset some consumers Stephen Lam (Getty/AFP/File)

But gone is the traditional headphone jack, requiring audio to be delivered via Apple's proprietary "lightning" connector or by wireless -- and that may ruffle feathers.

Lightning connectors were designed from the outset to handle high-quality audio, Apple vice president Phil Schiller told the audience, addressing concerns about the headphone jack removal.

"It comes down to one reason: courage, the courage to move on," Schiller said of the decision to get rid of the traditional headset port.

"Our smartphones are packed with technologies and we all want more, and it is all fighting for space in that same enclosure. Maintaining an old, single-purpose connector just doesn't make sense."

Apple wireless "AirPods" and adaptors to plug wired headsets into Lightning ports will come with iPhone 7 models, according to Schiller.

The 3.5mm analogue jack for wired headsets dates back more than a century, and it was time for someone to "break from the past and start pushing people into the future," Creative Strategies analyst Tim Bajarin said after the event.

Apple may be setting the stage for a dramatically different iPhone model to debut next year on the 10th anniversary of the smartphone first introduced in 2007, Bajarin said.

"It could be a first step for Apple making this completely wireless, and maybe next year a new iPhone with wireless charging," the analyst said.

- 'Super Mario Run' -

Revered Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto was a surprise guest at the Apple event, unveiling a new "Super Mario Run" game heading for the iPhone by the year-end holidays.

"We want as many people of all ages to be able to play Super Mario Run," Miyamoto said.

"We plan to release it at a set price, and then you can play to your heart's content." The price was not disclosed.

Apple, Nintendo and game maker Niantic used the event to announce the wildly popular Pokemon Go would be available for Apple Watch users later this month.

Pokemon Go has been downloaded more than 500 million times and billions of kilometers have been walked by players since it was made available free in early July, according to Niantic Labs, which created the game.

- Getting wet -

The new-generation iPhones and Apple Watch boast the ability to get wet without getting ruined.

"The first Apple Watch was splash-proof, the Apple Watch Series 2 is swim-proof," Apple chief operating officer Jeff Williams said during the presentation.

The new smartphones come with Apple seeking to reverse declines in sales of the iPhone in an increasingly saturated global market, and boost its Apple Watch.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said the new smartphones take advantage of the latest iPhone software, iOS 10.

The iPhone 7 Plus, Apple's version of a "phablet," includes dual cameras to improve optical performance and photo quality.

While Apple has touted total iPhone sales of one billion, the number sold in the quarter ending June 25 fell 15 percent from a year earlier, highlighting concerns over growth for the key profit driver.

Analysts were split on whether new iPhones would help Apple regain momentum.

"I believe Apple did enough to keep the base happy with upgrades and arguably did enough to attract some Android users," said analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy.

"The iPhone 7 is a completely new phone."

But Neil Saunders of the research firm Conlumino said the iPhone 7 "is not radically different to the previous incarnation." and that the new features "are unlikely to be persuasive factors in determining whether consumers upgrade or stick with what they have."

- Moving forward on watch -

On the wearables front, the new Apple Watch Series 2 will also feature GPS, allowing people to gather fitness data during an outdoor workout.

Sales figures for the smartwatch are not disclosed by Apple, but surveys show enthusiasm has faded since last year's release.

Apple saw a 56.7 percent year-over-year drop in sales of the device in the past quarter, research firm IDC said.

"Apple has rethought the Apple Watch significantly since its first release," said Jackdaw Research chief analyst Jan Dawson.

"Its original emphasis on apps and communication has faded into the background as health and fitness features have come to the fore."

Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the new iPhone 7 during an event inside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California on September 7, 2016 Josh Edelson (AFP)

Apple wireless "AirPods" and adaptors to plug wired headsets into Lightning ports will come with iPhone 7 models Josh Edelson (AFP)

Apple and Nintendo jointly announced that "Super Mario Run" specifically developed for mobile will hit the App Store this year Josh Edelson (AFP)
Russian fighter in 'unsafe' intercept of US spy plane: Pentagon

A Russian fighter jet flew dangerously close to a US spy plane over the Black Sea on Wednesday, the Pentagon said, although Moscow quickly insisted the encounter was within "international rules."

A Russian Su-27 Flanker jet made an unsafe, close-range intercept of a US P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine and intelligence plane conducting "routine operations" in international airspace, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said.

A US defense official, speaking earlier on condition of anonymity, told AFP the Russian plane flew within 30 feet (9 meters) of the P-8A before closing to just 10 feet.

A Russian Su-27 Flanker jet made an unsafe, close-range intercept of a US P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine and intelligence plane, like the one pictured here in 2013 Clark Pierce (US Navy/AFP/File)

"These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions, and could result in a miscalculation or accident," Davis said.

However, Moscow said the intercept was conducted "in strict accordance with international rules" because the Americans were trying to snoop on Russian army exercises.

The Russian defense ministry said in a statement that it dispatched Su-27 jets to check out US P-8 Poseidon planes as they "twice tried to get close to the Russian border over the Black Sea without their transponders turned on."

"After the Russian fighters got close to the spy planes for visual confirmation and to determine their wing numbers, the American aircraft changed course sharply and flew away," the statement said.

"The Russia pilots acted in strict accordance with international rules for flights."

US Navy aircraft and ships routinely interact with Russian craft in the area, and most encounters are conducted safely.

"However, we have deep concerns when there is an unsafe maneuver," Davis said.

Relations between Russia and the West are at their worst since the Cold War over Moscow's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine and alleged fueling of a separatist conflict in the former Soviet republic.

Washington and Moscow have reported an uptick in similar mid-air incidents between their forces as Russia flexes its muscles and the US-led NATO alliance beefs up its forces in Eastern Europe.
Obama meets Duterte after 'whore' slur

Barack Obama met briefly with Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, their two governments said, days after the firebrand politician branded the US president a "son of a whore".

The encounter took place just before a dinner during a summit of regional leaders in Laos, officials indicated.

"They met at the holding room and they were the last people to leave the holding room. I can't say how long they met," Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, travelling with Duterte, told reporters shortly afterwards.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte (C) met briefly with US President Barack Obama before dinner at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-hosted summit in Laos Ye Aung Thu (AFP)

"I'm very happy that it happened."

In a terse statement, the White House said only that "Obama had a brief discussion with President Duterte before the ASEAN Gala Dinner in the leaders' hold space."

"The exchange consisted of pleasantries between the two."

Obama cancelled Tuesday's planned meeting with Duterte on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-hosted summit after the notoriously acid-tongued Philippine president launched a barrage of insults the previous day.

His outburst was prompted by US assertions that Obama planned to raise the issue of Duterte's war on crime that has claimed 3,000 lives in just over two months.

"You must be respectful. Do not just throw away questions and statements. Son of a whore, I will curse you in that forum," Duterte told reporters when asked about his message for Obama.

"We will be wallowing in the mud like pigs if you do that to me."

Obama initially responded by calling Duterte a "colourful guy", but then called off the meeting after the international media reported heavily on the issue.

The snub was a spectacular setback for relations between the United States and Philippines, which are longtime allies and are bound by a mutual defence treaty to help each other in times of war.

The two countries also appeared to clash over the meaning of satellite imagery showing Chinese activity on a disputed reef off the coast of the Philippines.

Releasing the images Duterte's government said they had evidence China was taking steps to begin dredging -- a major escalation.

The White House tried to play down the claim, saying it believed Chinese activity in the area was at the same level as previous months.

Yasay sought to characterise Wednesday's meeting as proof the alliance was strong enough to withstand such hiccups.

"It all springs from the fact that the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong," Yasay said.

Nevertheless, Duterte's office earlier Wednesday released a statement saying he would sit next to Obama at the gala dinner.

"The media from all over the world, including from the Philippines, are up in excitement as each await the event where the two leaders will possibly say something positive," the statement from the presidential palace said.
Taliban threaten to overrun another Afghan city

The Taliban toppled security outposts on the edge of the southern Afghan city of Tarin Kot on Wednesday, officials said, threatening the third provincial capital in recent weeks.

The insurgents crept within seven kilometres (four miles) of the capital of the restive poppy-rich province of Uruzgan, prompting urgent calls from officials for reinforcements and air support.

The Taliban advance comes as the insurgents threaten to capture Lashkar Gah in neighbouring Helmand province, and northern Kunduz city, which the militants briefly seized last year in a stinging blow to Afghan forces.

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish rejects the "propaganda campaign", saying the Taliban would be flushed out from the city's outskirts Rateb Noori (AFP/File)

"Some security checkpoints fell to the Taliban without much resistance from security forces," said Haji Baridad, a tribal elder in Tarin Kot, raising a concern echoed by other local residents.

"If they continue to flee, local people will be forced to take up arms ourselves to defend the city."

But Dost Mohammed Nayab, the provincial governor's spokesman, dismissed the charge, insisting the Taliban will not be allowed to breach Tarin Kot's outer defences.

"The Taliban did capture some outposts and came within seven kilometres of the city, but they are being pushed back with the arrival of new commando forces," Nayab told AFP.

"These reinforcements are not enough but more are expected to arrive," he said.

Nayab added that six security forces had been killed in the last two days of fighting, while reporting 36 Taliban fatalities.

Speculation swirled that the Taliban were seeking to advance on the city's prison to free captured militants, repeating a tactic used when they overran Kunduz last year.

Seen previously as a rural militant movement capable only of hit-and-run attacks on cities, the Taliban have demonstrated an alarming new push into urban centres in recent months.

The deteriorating security highlights the struggle of Afghan forces, stretched on multiple fronts, to secure remote provinces such as Uruzgan, where Australian, Dutch and American troops fought for years.

As the Taliban edged closer to Tarin Kot, they promised on social media to show leniency towards government forces who surrender unconditionally.

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish rejected the "propaganda campaign", saying the Taliban would be flushed out from the city's outskirts.

As Afghanistan's conflict worsens, it is estimated more than one million people will be displaced by the end of the year, UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said, calling on the international community to scale up its support.

"Families have lost their homes and livelihoods. Displaced people are living in tents, unable to feed their children and have had little or no formal education," he said on Wednesday.
US runs after Russia, seeking Syria peace plan

After five years of bloodshed and more than a quarter of a million dead in Syria, US Secretary of State John Kerry is once more going to meet his Russian counterpart to secure a peace plan.

And he doesn't appear to have a Plan B.

Moscow says Kerry and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will talk again in Geneva on Thursday -- US officials say only that they hope to meet "very soon."

Syrians walk through the rubble following a reported air strike by Syrian government forces in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Bustan al-Qasr Baraa Al-Halabi (AFP/File)

But their last meeting was only on Monday and this trip will just be the latest in a series to Moscow, Vienna and Geneva since Russia's military intervened in Syria last year.

Washington hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin will back a deal to restore the ceasefire that the UN Security Council had already endorsed in February, only for it to fall apart.

But critics of US President Barack Obama's administration say Kerry has gone into the negotiation with little in the way of leverage, giving Moscow the upper hand.

"It's a very simple situation," James Jeffrey, a former senior diplomat and deputy national security advisor to president George W. Bush, told AFP.

"As Kerry has often said, he needs a Plan B. He was never given a Plan B by the president," said Jeffrey, now a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

US officials have never publicly confirmed what Kerry had in mind when he floated the idea of a Plan B for Syria in Congressional hearings earlier this year.

But dissident US diplomats signed a letter calling for deeper American military involvement in the conflict, to force Syria's Bashar al-Assad to the negotiating table.

Obama, elected on a vow to bring an end to the Bush-era war in Iraq, has been loath to be sucked even deeper into the conflict, leaving Kerry's diplomatic track the only option.

Kerry is trying to persuade Russia to force Assad to observe a ceasefire in return for closer US-Russian cooperation against the Islamic State group and the Al-Nusra front.

Then, with no barrel bombs falling on besieged civilian communities and the jihadist groups on the back foot, a UN-mediated political settlement might be possible.

But in theory much of this was already agreed by the 23-nation International Syria Support Group, chaired by Kerry and Lavrov, and adopted by the UN Security Council.

Any new deal, US officials admit, will be less than the failed nationwide cessation of hostilities and talks on a political transition that Moscow has already accepted.

But still, Kerry meets with Lavrov several times a month.

Hopes were raised when the pair saw each other at the G20 in Hangzhou, China on Sunday and then again on Monday.

- Finish line? -

"We weren't quite to the finish line on this, so we need to go back to capitals and do more work," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Tuesday.

"And hopefully we'll reach an agreement, but no promises."

Washington's allies in the region, led by Saudi Arabia, have long been skeptical or even hostile to the outreach to Russia -- seeing it as handing a lifeline to Assad.

Now even Western officials are rolling their eyes at the diplomatic to-and-fro, complaining that Kerry seems to have put too much stock in his negotiating talent.

One Western diplomat said: "Something is not working, when you see all the hours of talks between Kerry and Lavrov and compare that to the results.

"You can't just go into talks declaring 'I want a deal at any price,' even if you think it," he complained.

Jeffrey noted that Obama and Kerry had been successful in negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran through a combination of diplomacy, sanctions and a credible threat of force.

"This is not happening in Syria, because the president does not give Kerry the tools to say 'OK, if you don't do X, we're going to do Y'," he argued.

Some observers are even more critical.

"Kerry's trips would be a bit ridiculous, if they weren't so dramatic for Syria," said Joseph Bahout, a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"You get the impression that America is running after Russia. What has the United States become?"

- Various Plan Bs -

The US administration's supporters insist talking is much less risky than any military escalation, but critics argue that the constant diplomatic shuttle is not cost-free.

By agreeing with Moscow to "de-conflict" Syrian air space, Washington has removed the fear that Russian jets may bump into US jets over the frontlines, Jeffrey said.

"And so this gives them the assurance to continue with their mayhem against the Syrian people," he said.

"And also," he warned, "as long as there is talking, it gives the administration an excuse not to consider the various Plan Bs."

Syria and Iraq: zones of control Sabrina BLANCHARD, Thomas SAINT-CRICQ, Simon MALFATTO, Jean Michel CORNU (AFP)

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, on August 26, 2016, as they met in Geneva for an expected push towards resuming peace talks for war-ravaged Syria Martial Trezzini (POOL/AFP/File)
UN: Fears of conflict in Western Sahara rise

Tensions in the Western Sahara region remain high between Moroccan troops and fighters of the Polisario independence movement, UN officials said Wednesday amid growing fears of a full-blown conflict.

"The situation remains tense in the Guerguerat area of Western Sahara inside the buffer strip," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, adding that "any resumption of hostilities, with the potential to have wider regional implications, remains of significant concern to the UN."

Tensions flared recently after Morocco began road construction in the area south of a buffer zone separating the two sides.

A confidential UN report last week accused both Morocco and the Polisario Front of ceasefire violations in Western Sahara after they sent security forces and fighters into the buffer zone Farouk Batiche (AFP/File)

The construction has been met with resistance by Polisario Front fighters, who are separated from Moroccan troops on the opposite side of the land strip by some 120 meters (yards), the UN spokesman said.

The UN is "actively engaging with the parties and key member states to urge restraint and identify options for an acceptable solution to the current crisis," Dujarric said.

The Polisario Front's UN representative, Ahmed Boukhari, said he had met Wednesday with the head of the Security Council, New Zealander Gerard van Bohemen, to "inform him in detail" about the situation in the Guerguerat area, "which represents a breach in the terms of the ceasefire."

The situation "threatens the prospects of a peaceful solution to the conflict and poses a direct threat to the region's stability and security," Boukhari said in a statement.

He called on the Security Council "to assume its responsibilities to avoid that the situation unilaterally created by Morocco doesn't lead to a scenario of conflict open to unpredictable consequences."

A confidential UN report last week accused both Morocco and the Polisario Front of ceasefire violations in Western Sahara after they sent security forces and fighters into the buffer zone.

The situation is being monitored by the UN mission known as MINURSO, which set up a patrol near the tense area.

MINURSO was established in 1991 after a ceasefire ended a war that broke out when Morocco sent troops to the former Spanish territory in 1975 to fight the Polisario Front's ethnic Sahrawi rebels.
Open race as Clinton-Trump showdown hits home stretch

Will Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump move into the White House when President Barack Obama leaves in January 2017?

The final sprint to the November 8 election is on. Here are five points to consider with two months to go.

Polls tight but favor Clinton

Hillary Clinton (L) and Donald Trump are in the final sprint to election day

The latest poll, conducted by CNN/ORC, shows a dramatic tightening in the race with 45 percent of likely voters favoring Trump, compared to 43 percent for Clinton.

The results made a splash but a study of the electoral system and the US map presents a slightly different image.

The presidential election is effectively the sum of 50 state elections, with each candidate gunning for a majority of 538 electoral votes, or 270, divided among the states.

With two exceptions, states award all of their votes to the candidate who wins there -- and from the look of things, Trump has a tough road ahead.

The real estate mogul must win a number of battleground states where victory is far from assured -- Iowa, Virginia, New Hampshire, Ohio, Florida and North Carolina.

But he must also lock in all the traditionally Republican states, several of which -- namely Georgia, Texas and Arizona -- look as if they might snub the unconventional candidate, a major worry for the Trump camp.

An Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite News poll released Wednesday showed that the two candidates are neck-and-neck in the western US border state: Clinton held a slim advantage among likely voters, 35.1 to 33.5 percent for Trump.

A survey of 50 states (and more than 74,000 registered voters) released this week by the Washington Post also laid out the challenge facing the 70-year-old Trump.

He trails badly among college-educated white voters, a demographic that is typically a Republican strength. In 2012, Mitt Romney won the group 56-42 percent over Obama.

And a final bit of bad news for the bombastic New Yorker: averages of national polls, regardless of the group doing the compilation, show Clinton leading Trump.

Not a done deal

After a catastrophic August for Trump, some analysts predicted an easy road for Clinton, 68, leading straight to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

But the latest figures are clear. Trump is not out of the race, in fact, he has even gained some ground.

Nate Silver, the guru of American electoral statistics, said the central question is "whether the race has settled into a four-point Clinton lead, as the polls have it now, or is continuing to trend toward Trump."

If Clinton's lead remains about four points around the time of the first debate on September 26, then Silver said she could be "reasonably" confident that the presidency will be out of Trump's reach.

Unloved candidates

In poll after poll, one thing remains constant: these two candidates are extremely unpopular.

According to the CNN/ORC survey, 54 percent of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of Trump, and 56 percent of Clinton.

Another telling indicator: only 46 percent of Americans say they're very enthusiastic about the presidential campaign, compared to 57 percent in 2012 and 60 percent in 2008.

Email scandal refuses to die

The Justice Department said in July that it would follow a recommendation from the FBI and not prosecute Clinton following an investigation into her use of a private email account during her time as secretary of state.

The Democrat hoped that would close the book on the embarrassing affair, which she has called a "mistake."

But the scandal just won't go away. FBI chief James Comey was called to testify in front of a Congressional committee, and last week published the notes of his investigation.

The investigation notes delighted the Trump camp, which has played up the fact that Comey said Clinton had been "extremely careless" in sending classified information via her personal email account.

Trump: presidential or provocative?

Trump debuted a different look last week at a joint press conference with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, appearing calm, measured and statesman-like.

Perhaps a glimpse of a new, more presidential Trump?

Hours later however, the candidate delivered a fiery speech on his hardline immigration views, loud rhetoric lapped up by his mainly white supporter base.

Shifting tone from one day to the next, his mercurial temperament makes it a nearly impossible task for political analysts to measure the way American voters view him.

Averages of national polls, regardless of the group doing the compilation, show Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump Brendan Smialowski (AFP/File)

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has a 54 percent unfavorable raiting Mark Makela (Getty/AFP)
38 dead, 92,000 left homeless by Niger floods

At least 38 people have been killed and more than 92,000 left homeless since June in disastrous floods in Niger, the United Nations said Wednesday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the deaths, up from a previous government toll of 14, followed torrential rains in August.

More than 26,000 livestock have been lost and more than 9,000 homes destroyed, the UN said, citing government figures.

Niger is in the midst of its annual rainy season, having struggled to overcome a severe food crisis caused by drought Boureima Hama (AFP/File)

Authorities and NGOs have already given out aid to more than 50,000 people, the UN added, with many of the homeless sheltering in schools and public buildings.

Despite being in the middle of the desert, Agadez in the north and Tahoua to the west are among the worst hit regions, along with Maradi in the south.

Niger is in the midst of its annual rainy season, having struggled to overcome a severe food crisis caused by drought.
NASA set to launch first asteroid dust-retrieval mission

The US space agency counted down Thursday to its first mission to collect dust from an asteroid, the kind of cosmic body that may have delivered life-giving materials to Earth billions of years ago.

The unmanned spacecraft, known as OSIRIS-REx, is poised to blast off at 7:05 pm (23:05 GMT) atop an Atlas V rocket in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The weather forecast is 90 percent favorable for liftoff.

The $800 million mission will travel for two years on a journey to Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid about the size of a small mountain.

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on board is rolls out of the Vertical Integration Facility to Space Launch Complex 41 on September 7, 2016 Joel Kowsky (NASA/AFP/File)

Bennu was chosen from the some 500,000 asteroids in the solar system because it orbits close to Earth's path around the sun, it is the right size for scientific study, and it is one of the oldest asteroids known to NASA.

"For primitive, carbon-rich asteroids like Bennu, materials are preserved from over four and a half billion years ago," explained Christina Richey, OSIRIS-REx deputy program scientist at NASA.

These "may be the precursors to life in Earth or elsewhere in our solar system."

OSIRIS-REx's main goal is to gather dirt and debris from the surface of the asteroid and return it to Earth by 2023 for further study.

Learning more about the origins of life and the beginning of the solar system are key objectives for the SUV-sized OSIRIS-REx, which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security-Regolith Explorer.

The mission should also shed light on how to find precious resources such as water and metals in asteroids, a field that has generated increasing interest worldwide.

"We are going to map this brand-new world that we have never seen before," said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator and professor at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

Using a suite of cameras, lasers and spectrometers, "we are really going to understand the distribution of materials across the surface of that asteroid," he added.

"We are a trailblazer for that kind of activity because our science requires it."

The spacecraft is expected to reach Bennu in August 2018 and spend two years studying it before it begins the sample collection attempt in July 2020.

- 'Gentle high five' -

NASA hopes the solar-powered OSIRIS-REx will bring back the largest payload of space samples since the Apollo era of the 1960s and 1970s, when American explorers collected and carried back to Earth some 800 pounds (360 kilograms) of moon rocks.

The collection device, known as the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), should pick up about two ounces (60 grams) from the asteroid, but in tests so far it has generally picked up five times that amount.

TAGSAM contains a type of reverse-vacuum mechanism that was invented by a Lockheed Martin engineer who tested the concept a decade ago using a red plastic Solo cup in his driveway.

The spacecraft will not land on the asteroid, but will get very close and reach out with an arm like a pogo-stick for a quick, three-to-five second maneuver.

Rich Kuhns, OSIRIS-REx program manager with Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, described the movement as a "gentle high-five."

The sample collector will shoot a bit of compressed air at the asteroid and gather the dust it kicks up in a container.

"Three-quarters of the sample will be set aside for future researchers -- for the science questions we haven't figured out to even ask yet," said Gordon Johnston, an OSIRIS-REx program executive at NASA headquarters.

NASA has also promised four percent of the sample to its major partner in the effort, Canada, and another half-percent to Japan.

- Orbital nudges -

Yet another aim of the mission is to measure how sunlight can nudge asteroids as they orbit, a phenomenon known as the Yarkovsky effect, so scientists can better predict the long-term risk of asteroids like Bennu colliding with Earth.

In 2135, Bennu is expected to pass just slightly within the moon's orbit, a "particularly close approach (that) will change Bennu's orbit by a small amount, which is uncertain at this time and which may lead to a potential impact on Earth sometime between 2175 and 2199," NASA said.

However, the risk of a collision during this 24-year period is low -- just 0.037 percent, or a one in 2,700 chance.

- Past missions -

It was the Japanese space agency JAXA that first proved sample collection from an asteroid was possible.

JAXA's Hayabusa spacecraft crash-landed into the surface of its target asteroid and managed to return a few micrograms of material in 2010.

In December 2014, JAXA launched a follow-on mission, Hayabusa 2, that should reach the asteroid Ryugu in 2018.

The Hayabusa 2 spacecraft is supposed to place a small lander named Mascot on the space rock's surface, and return asteroid samples by 2020.

OSIRIS-REx mission Philippe MOUCHE (AFP)
Number of child refugees, migrants projected to rise in US

NEW YORK (AP)  More than 127,000 children will come to the United States from abroad this year as refugees or unauthorized migrants, up from less than 100,000 in 2015, a research group estimates.

Child Trends, in a report being released Wednesday, projected that about 37,500 children will be designated as refugees and 90,000 will enter the country without authorization, with or without a parent.

According to Child Trends, children who arrive as refugees have favored status for support services and will be eligible for citizenship after five years, while children who are apprehended at the border face possible detention and varying custody arrangements.

The report said an estimated 1 million children not apprehended at the border are living in the U.S. as unauthorized immigrants, often lacking legal representation or access to social services.

"While these children have the potential to make vital contributions to our communities, many have faced or will face trauma that, without intervention, can have lifelong negative impacts." the report said.

Child Trends said most of the arriving children face a range of continued risks after arriving in the U.S. These include discrimination and bullying, challenges in school, problematic conditions in detention centers, and the risk of being released to sponsors who are not adequately screened or monitored.

Child Trends recommended that legal representation be provided to all children during asylum processing and deportation hearings. It also said law enforcement personnel and Border Patrol officers should have specific training in working with child victims of human trafficking.

"Children are coming in with very serious needs and have a precarious kind of existence while we sort out their future," said David Murphey, author of the Child Trends report. "There's a bewildering array of agencies and offices that these children and families pass through."

In recent years, the vast majority of children arriving as unauthorized migrants have been from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, fleeing rampant crime and gang violence, while the largest number of child refugees have been from Iraq, Burma, Somalia and Syria.

The Child Trends report was sent in advance to the U.S. State Department, which expressed its commitment to protecting child refugees. It cited the Central American Minors program, which allows parents lawfully in the U.S. to request that their children in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras be considered for refugee status  "a safe, legal, and orderly alternative to the dangerous journey that some children have undertaken to join their parents."

According to the department, of the more than 10,000 Syrians admitted as refugees so far during this fiscal year, about 60 percent are children.
Lawsuit: Ballot rewrite on medical marijuana misleading

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Oklahoma Republican Attorney General Scott Pruitt's rewrite of a proposed ballot question on medical marijuana is intentionally misleading and could confuse people into thinking they were voting to fully legalize marijuana in the state, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The lawsuit was filed with the state Supreme Court on behalf of Oklahomans for Health, a group that gathered enough signatures to have the question placed before voters.

"Thousands and thousands of signatures were collected from voters of Oklahoma," attorney David Slane said after he filed the lawsuit. "No elected official has the right to rewrite these ballots in such a way that he would try to unfairly influence voters. Scott Pruitt has a habit, a pattern of doing this."

Attorney David Slane, right, files a lawsuit with Polly Engelbert, left, deputy clerk, Oklahoma Supreme Court, on behalf of Oklahomans for Health, alleging that that Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt rewrote a proposed ballot question to mislead and confuse voters into thinking they were voting to fully legalize marijuana in the state, in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Slane said he believes the rewrite was crafted in such a way as to encourage Oklahoma voters to reject it.

Pruitt was not available to comment on his rewrite of the ballot title, and a spokesman said his office was still reviewing the lawsuit.

"The Attorney General's Office received the lawsuit late Tuesday afternoon and will begin the process of reviewing the challenge," Pruitt spokesman Lincoln Ferguson said in a statement.

The original wording of the ballot title developed by its supporters makes clear that a yes vote legalizes the licensed use, sale and growth of marijuana for medicinal purposes and must be approved by a physician. Pruitt's version begins with the line: "This measure legalizes the licensed use, sale and growth of marijuana in Oklahoma. There are no qualifying medical conditions identified."

Last month, the Supreme Court rewrote the ballot titles of two criminal justice initiatives and said in a ruling that Pruitt's rewrites of the two questions were "misleading and partial."

In 2014, Pruitt joined with Nebraska's attorney general to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to declare Colorado's legalization of marijuana unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court later rejected that challenge.

Supporters wanted to get the medical marijuana measure on the ballot in November, but they did not submit the signatures in time to finish the approval process. It likely won't be on the ballot until 2018.

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Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy

Attorney David Slane, right, and attorney Philip Winters, left, leave the Oklahoma Supreme Court after filing a lawsuit on behalf of Oklahomans for Health, alleging that that Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt rewrote a proposed ballot question to mislead and confuse voters into thinking they were voting to fully legalize marijuana in the state, in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Rihanna launches new fashion collection for Puma

NEW YORK (AP)  Rihanna says her new collection for Puma was inspired by Japanese street culture.

The pop star launched the autumn/winter 2016 Fenty Puma by Rihanna line on Tuesday at Foot Locker in New York City.

She says she remembers exploring fashion during her first trip to Japan years ago and leaving in awe.

FILE - In this May 22, 2016 file photo, Rihanna arrives at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. Rihanna says her new collection for Puma was inspired by Japanese street culture. The pop star launched the autumn/winter 2016 Fenty Puma by Rihanna line on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016 at Foot Locker in New York City. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

Her edgy collection, mostly in black and white, includes loose sweaters and pants, dresses, skirts, sneakers and sneaker heels.
LG has unveiled the first phone to ship with Google's new Android Nougat software, in hopes of appealing to people who like to take and share photos and video.

The new V20 phone comes on the eve of a San Francisco event where Apple is expected to launch new iPhones.

Nougat is already available as a free upgrade on some Google phones under the Nexus brand.

In this Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016, photo, the LG V20 is demonstrated in New York. The most visible changes include the ability to run two apps side-by-side. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

LG'S V20 SPECS Snapdragon 820 processor Android 7.0 Nougat OS Higher-quality audio playback and recording Improved image stabilization when recording video Advertisement

The V20 would be the first with Nougat already installed.

Other phones aren't likely to get Nougat for a while because individual phone makers and wireless carriers have to tweak and test the new software first.

Many of the Android improvements in Nougat are 'under the hood' and thus largely invisible, such as tweaks to reduce battery consumption and cellular data use.

The most obvious changes include the ability to run two apps side by side, something Samsung and LG have offered on their phones on a limited basis.

Nougat will also let people reply to messages within notifications, something Apple already offers on iPhones.

In this Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016, photo, the two camera lenses are displayed on the LG V20, in New York. One lens is for taking regular pictures and the other has wide-angle capability to capture more of a scene. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Meanwhile, the V20 promises higher-quality audio playback and recording, with reduced background noise, according to LG.

The company also says it also improved image stabilization when recording video.

LG spokesman Frank Lee described the V20's target audience as 'storytellers.'

In this Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016, photo, the LG V20 is demonstrated in New York. The South Korean company is unveiling the first phone to ship with Google's new Android Nougat software, one the phone maker hopes to appeal to people who like to take and share photos and video. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

The LG V20 is demonstrated in New York.

Like LG's G5 phone, which it released in April, the V20 will have two lenses on the main camera  one for regular pictures and one with a wide angle to capture more of the scene.

Unlike many other top-line phones, the V20 features a replaceable battery.

The V20 is expected in South Korea this month, with other markets, including the U.S., to follow. LG didn't immediately announce prices.

Apple also plans to update its phone software this month.

The update, iOS 10, will come with new messanging and photo features and more detailed notifications on the lock screen.

Existing iPhone users will be encouraged to upgrade for the software for free.

New iPhones expected to be unveiled Wednesday will come with iOS 10.
Mexico: Gunmen shoot down police helicopter, killing 4

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexican authorities say gunmen shot down a police helicopter in western Mexico, killing the pilot and three officers.

The governor of the western state of Michoacan wrote on his Twiiter account that a fourth officer was wounded.

Gov. Silvano Aureoles said the attack occurred Tuesday in a "hard-to-access" area near the Michoacan city of Apatzingan. The area has been a hotbed of drug cartel activity and was the scene of fights between the gangs and armed vigilante groups.
China vetoed from becoming 2nd biggest Australia farm owner

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  China would have become the second largest foreign owner of Australian farmland after the United Kingdom if the government had not vetoed the sale to Chinese interests of a major cattle empire, a report showed on Wednesday.

The Australian government released the first ever audit of Australian farmland ownership in answer to public concerns that too much agricultural land was being sold off to foreign interests, particularly China.

The report found that foreigners owned 13.6 percent of Australia's 385 million hectares (1.5 million square miles) of farmland. The largest foreign buyer of farms was Britain, followed by the United States, Netherlands, Singapore then China.

But China would have been propelled to second place if the government had not prevented in May the sale of Australia's largest private landholding, S. Kidman & Co. Ltd., to China-based Dakang Australia Holdings. The Australian family-owned company is a collection of 10 cattle ranches, a bull breeding stud and a feed lot covering 101,411 square kilometers (39,155 square miles) in four states.

Treasurer Scott Morrison, who vetoed the Kidman sale, said on Wednesday Australians could be confident that the government would not allow farm sales to foreigners that were not in Australia's interests

The government had previously estimated the size of foreign farm holdings at 11.3 percent in 2010 and 12.4 percent in 2013.

Trade Minister Steven Ciobo said media debate over foreign investment in agriculture "unduly places a lot of attention and focus on China."

"The fact is that China is just not at the level where a lot of Australians would think it is, based upon what they're seeing portrayed in the media on a regular basis," Ciobo told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Mick Keogh, executive director of the Australian Farm Institute think tank, suspected China would rank higher among foreign owners if the agricultural assets were measured by value instead of area.

But even on the measure of area, he was surprised that China was not a larger investor.

"From all the discussions and all the noise, we would've thought that number was much higher," he said.

Foreign ownership of farmland is an increasingly sensitive issue in Australia, where many fear that Chinese-owned farms could supply Australian-grow produce to Chinese parent companies at discount prices or refuse to sell to Australian buyers.
Missed opportunities detailed ahead of personnel agency hack

WASHINGTON (AP)  It was time to purge the hacker from the U.S. government's computers.

After secretly monitoring the hacker's online movements for months, officials worried he was getting too close to critical information, so they devised a plan, called the "Big Bang," to expel him.

Trouble was, with all their attention focused in that case, they missed the other hacker entirely.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is photographed Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Washington. It was time to purge the hacker from the U.S. governments computers. After secretly monitoring the hacker's online movements for months, officials worried he was getting too close to critical information and devised a plan to expel him. Trouble was, with all their attention focused in that case, they missed the other hacker entirely. A new congressional report provides previously undisclosed details and a behind-the-scenes chronology of one of the worst-ever cyberattacks on the United States, laying out missed opportunities before the break-in at the OPM exposed security clearances, background checks and fingerprint records. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

A congressional report provides previously undisclosed details and a behind-the-scenes chronology of one of the worst-ever cyberattacks on the United States. It lays out missed opportunities before the break-in at the Office of Personnel Management exposed security clearances, background checks and fingerprint records. That intrusion  widely blamed on China's government  compromised personal information of more than 21 million current, former and prospective federal employees; led to the resignation of the OPM director; and drew outrage over changing explanations about its severity.

The report by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform faulted the personnel agency for failing to secure sensitive data despite warnings for years that it was vulnerable to hackers. The report concluded that the hacking revealed last year could have been prevented if the agency had put in place basic, required security controls and recognized from an earlier break-in that it was actually dealing with a sophisticated, persistent enemy.

"We had literally tens of millions of Americans whose data was stolen by a nefarious overseas actor, but it was entirely preventable," Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the committee chairman, said in an interview.

"With some basic hygiene, some good tools, an awareness and some talent, they really could have prevented this," said Chaffetz, R-Utah.

The agency's acting director, Beth Cobert, said in a statement that OPM disagrees with much of the report, which she said "does not fully reflect where this agency stands today." She said the hack "provided a catalyst for accelerated change within our organization," including hiring new cybersecurity experts and strengthening its security.

The committee's top Democrat, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, said he could not support the report because of "several key deficiencies." He said some of the criticism was unfair and that the report failed to properly address the role of contractors in cybersecurity.

The government discovered the first hacking in March 2014. A Homeland Security Department team noticed suspicious streams of data leaving its network between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m.  the online equivalent of moving trucks hauling away filing cabinets containing confidential papers in the middle of the night. The government's Einstein intrusion warning system detected the theft.

"DHS called us and let us know, 'Hey, we think this is bad,'" Jeff Wagner, OPM's director of information security operations, told officials investigating the hack, according to the report.

For the next few months, the personnel office worked with the FBI, National Security Agency and others to monitor the hacker to better understand his movements. Officials developed a plan to expel the hacker in May 2014. That effort included resetting administrative accounts, building new accounts for users who had been compromised and taking offline compromised systems.

"The risk of kicking them out too early had come and gone," Wagner said, "and now the risk was becoming having them in too long, and we didn't want to keep them around any longer than we had to."

The problem was far from solved.

Unknown to the experts, a second intruder posing as an employee of a federal contractor had infiltrated the system weeks before the "Big Bang" and created an undetected foothold. That hacker used a contractor's credentials to log into the system, install malicious software and create a backdoor to the network.

Over the next several months, the hacker moved unchecked through the system and stole sensitive security clearance background investigation files, personnel files and, ultimately, fingerprint data.

That breach went undetected until April 2015, when an OPM contract employee discovered suspicious activity on the network. Officials traced the flow of stolen material back to an internet address that had been registered to Steve Rogers, the alter ego of Captain America, indicating a spoof account. By then, sensitive information on millions of American workers had been compromised.

The report also faulted the personnel office for failing to quickly deploy security tools from an outside firm to detect malicious code and other threats. Once used, the tool from Cylance Inc. of Irvine, California, "lit up like a Christmas tree," indicating it found malware throughout the federal computers, a Cylance engineer is quoted as saying in the report.

"Could they have done better? Absolutely," Cylance founder and chief executive Stuart McClure, said in an interview. "But once they had been definitively convinced there was a breach, they took it very seriously."

The congressional report said OPM officials misled the public about the scope of the breach and also by saying the two breaches were unrelated when, instead, "they appear to be connected and possibly coordinated."

"The two attackers shared the same target, conducted their attacks in a similarly sophisticated manner, and struck with similar timing," the report said.

Though the U.S. suspects the hack was an act of Chinese espionage, the House inquiry did not go into great detail about who was responsible. It mentions that the data breaches discovered in April 2015 were likely perpetrated by the group "Deep Panda," which has been linked to the Chinese military.

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Associated Press video journalist Dan Huff contributed to this report.

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The Latest: Philippine official says Obama and Duterte met

VIENTIANE, Laos (AP)  The Latest on President Barack Obama's historic visit to Laos (all times local):

8:15 p.m.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay says President Barack Obama has met briefly with new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on the sidelines of a summit in Laos.

From left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and U.S. President Barack Obama, stand at their seats as they arrive at the ASEAN Gala Dinner at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

There was no immediate confirmation from the White House.

Yasay says the two met in a holding room used by leaders attending a summit dinner. He says the interaction shows that the relationship between the two allies is strong.

Details about what they discussed weren't immediately available.

Obama and Duterte had been scheduled to hold their first meeting Tuesday. But Obama canceled it after Duterte called Obama a "son of a bitch" and threatened to swear at him if he brought up concerns about extrajudicial killings of drug dealers and users in the Philippines.

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8 p.m.

President Barack Obama is having dinner with leaders of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during a summit in Laos.

Obama and the other leaders entered wearing long-sleeved shirts of different colors. The shirts are a tradition at the annual summit.

Obama was seated six seats to the right of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The two had been scheduled to hold their first meeting Tuesday but Obama canceled it after Duterte crudely insulted him.

Obama sat next to the sultan of Brunei and chatted with him as reporters were briefly allowed in.

The leaders raised red wine glasses for a toast before watching a musical performance involving flowers and tiny flags.

___

3 p.m.

President Barack Obama is blaming the failure to win passage of a multinational trade agreement on the fact that it's political season in the U.S.

He says it's always difficult to get things done when lawmakers are in the midst of campaigning for re-election.

At a Q-and-A session with Southeast Asian youth leaders, Obama says he thinks Washington will refocus after the election on why the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement is so important.

Obama strongly supports the agreement between the U.S. and 11 other countries to reduce tariffs on thousands of goods, but there is strong resistance to it in Congress.

Republican leaders of the House and Senate have suggested the prospects for passage this year are dim. Both major presidential candidates also oppose TPP.

Still, Obama says he believes "we'll get it done."

___

2:45 p.m.

President Barack Obama says the United States focuses on improving human rights in other nations when he travels abroad because it has learned that if you don't respect all people or religions, then it results in conflict.

Obama is speaking to about 350 young leaders from the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries during his visit to Laos.

Obama says critics complain that the U.S. shouldn't be meddling in other people's business and that America has its own problems to confront.

But Obama says the U.S. is seeking to promote principles that rise above any individual religion, nationality or race.

He says "not everybody in America agrees with me on this by the way. I'll leave it at that."

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2:30 p.m.

President Barack Obama says Americans can get "lazy" and insular, and he hopes his presidency has helped broaden their worldview.

Speaking to a group of young leaders from across Southeast Asia, Obama says the U.S. "is and can be a great force for good in the world." But because of its size, he says Americans "haven't always had to know about other countries."

In the United States, Obama says, "sometimes you can feel lazy."

The president says he's tried to change that by deepening connections with other parts of the world, particularly fast-growing Asia.

If Americans aren't engaging and learning, Obama says they'll miss opportunities and get "left behind."

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2 p.m.

President Barack Obama says Southeast Asia means a lot to him and that driving around Laos reminds him of his childhood.

Obama is telling young people at an event in Luang Prabang that he lived in Indonesia as a boy and his sister is half Indonesian. His brother-in-law is Malaysian and Obama's late mother spent much of her life in Southeast Asia, helping women make money by selling handicrafts and developing small businesses.

The president says his commitment to deepening America's ties to the region is very real.

Obama notes that he's the first American president to meet regularly with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

He's also telling the young adults that they will build the future of the Southeast Asian region and the world.

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12:40 p.m.

President Barack Obama is touring a Buddhist temple that's an important symbol of Lao heritage and culture.

His first stop was a carriage house at the Wat Xieng Thong temple in Luang Prabang.

Dressed in shirt sleeves and black socks, Obama looked in awe at a large golden ship adorned at the bow with golden dragons.

Obama said "it's gorgeous" when reporters accompanying him asked his opinion.

Construction of the temple began in the 16th century when Luang Prabang was the seat of Lao royalty. The temple was used for coronations and was under royal patronage until 1975, when the monarchy was abolished. It is one of Luang Prabang's most popular tourist destinations.

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12:15 p.m.

President Barack Obama is continuing his historic visit to Laos with a trip to the city of Luang Prabang.

Located in mountainous northern Laos, the city is on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Obama plans to tour a Buddhist temple, before opening himself up for questions from young Southeast Asians at a town hall-style event at a local university.

Upon arrival at the airport, Obama shook hands with the officials who were on hand to greet him.

And with a slight bow, he accepted flowers from Miss Luang Prabang. She bowed back.

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10:55 a.m.

President Barack Obama says Laotians have been living under the "shadow of war" for four decades.

Obama is touring a rehabilitation center in Laos that treats victims of bombs the U.S. dropped during the Vietnam War. Obama says the U.S. dropped some 270 million cluster bombs, including 80 million that never exploded and remain a threat.

He says the war wasn't contained to the battlefield because the bombs have killed farmers and of children who thought they could be toys.

The president says the U.S. has a profound moral obligation to help clean up the unexploded bombs. He's touting $90 million the U.S. will spend over three years to aid the cleanup effort.

Obama is also telling the survivor of one of the bombs that he's inspired by him.

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10:45 a.m.

President Barack Obama is touring a rehabilitation center in Laos that treats survivors of bombs the U.S. dropped on the country during the Vietnam War.

Obama's visit to Laos is the first by a sitting U.S. president. He's touring the U.S.-funded Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise center in the capital, Vientiane.

Obama plans to meet with injured survivors and be briefed by center officials.

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. dropped hundreds of millions of tons of explosives, including 80 million bombs that never exploded. Obama has announced the U.S. is roughly doubling financial help for bomb-clearing efforts to about $90 million over three years.

U.S. President Barack Obama drinks from a fresh coconut along the banks of the Mekong River in the Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

U.S. President Barack Obama waves as he poses for a group photo with leaders of ASEAN and their spouses, and key dialogue partners ahead of the gala-dinner for on going 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and other related summits at National Convention Center in Vientiane, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

U.S. President Barack Obama stands at his seat as he arrives at the ASEAN Gala Dinner at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

U.S. President Barack Obama, leaders of ASEAN, their spouses, and key dialogue partners walk for gala-dinner after posing for a group photo for on-going 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and other related summits at National Convention Center in Vientiane, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)
Weakened Newton brings rain, humidity to Southwest

PHOENIX (AP)  Less intense remnants of Tropical Storm Newton brought rain, powerful winds and uncharacteristically high humidity to desert cities in Arizona on Wednesday after pummeling the Mexican resort city of Cabo San Lucas and killing four people.

About 2 inches of rain fell in the border city of Nogales and nearly an inch in Tucson. In both cities, dozens of people picked up sandbags faster than they could be filled in anticipation of the storm. However, both places only experienced minor flooding thanks in part to the rainfall's moderate pace.

"We did everything we could to be ready. Thank God nothing happened," said Alejandro Barcenas, director of Nogales' Department of Public Works.

Firemen removed a palm tree felled by Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. Newton slammed into the twin resorts of Los Cabos on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula Tuesday morning, knocking out power in some places as stranded tourists huddled in their hotels. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Newton also was packing less of a punch than expected in New Mexico. Western portions of the state were not getting the 3-4 inches of rain that forecasters initially feared, according to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. Officials said flash-flood warnings could be dropped by late Wednesday. However, Gov. Susana Martinez activated the state's Emergency Operations Center in case of more severe storms.

The most noticeable shift in the weather from Newton occurred in the form of muggy conditions that seemed more fitting of New Orleans or Miami than the desert. The humidity in Phoenix and Tucson was actually equal to or higher than Miami and New Orleans on Wednesday.

The desert region is more prone to getting monsoon thunderstorms at this time of the year that stir up dust storms or rain.

"It's not our typical monsoon patter at the moment, that's what makes it more unusual," said Emily French, a meteorologist in Tucson. "But it's not unheard of for southern Arizona to have gotten hit by tropical storms before."

Newton was rapidly weakening as a tropical storm after slamming the resorts of Mexico's southern Baja as a hurricane and making landfall on the country's mainland. The U.S. National Hurricane Center had warned of "life-threatening flash floods and mud slides, especially in mountainous terrain," for Arizona and New Mexico.

The hurricane's death toll rose to four Wednesday after two more bodies were found near the coast of the Baja California peninsula, according to the Los Cabos municipal civil defense council. The boat had set out from the port of Ensenada and was bound for Mazatlan. One crew member of a shrimp boat that capsized Tuesday near Cabo Pulmo, north of Los Cabos on the Gulf of California, remains missing. Two bodies had been recovered earlier near the site where the boat capsized in heavy seas caused by the passage of Netwon.

Mexico changed its earlier hurricane warning to a tropical storm warning for the coast of the country's mainland from Guaymas to Puerto Libertad.

The Mexican government also discontinued all tropical storm warnings for the Baja California Peninsula.

Newton first came ashore near the Los Cabos resorts Tuesday morning as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 90 mph (150 kph), pelting the area with torrential rain as residents sheltered at home and tourists huddled in hotels. The storm broke windows, downed trees and knocked out power, but the area was spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when it was walloped by a stronger storm.

After passing over the resort area, Newton headed northward up the peninsula's sparsely populated interior and then over the gulf during the night. Early Wednesday, its center was about 55 miles (85 km) northwest of Hermosillo, Mexico, or and about 180 miles (285 km) south-southwest of Tucson, and moved north at around 18 mph (30 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (90 kph).

About 14,000 tourists were in Los Cabos during the storm, tourism officials said, and visitors began venturing out after Newton passed.

"Just trying to make it through the day, with a little help," Mark Hernandez, a visitor from California, said as he raised a can of beer at one of the few bars open in Cabo San Lucas. "We pray for the city of Cabo San Lucas. It was a rough one as you can see."

Palm trees were toppled along the town's coastal boulevard and some windows were broken. But there was calm in the city as firefighters cleaned refuse from the streets during the day.

In 2014, Los Cabos suffered heavy damage to homes, shops and hotels when it was hammered by Hurricane Odile, which hit as a Category 3 storm.

"You know, it could have been a lot worse and I think we are very fortunate that it wasn't as bad as Odile," said Darlene Savord, a tourist from California. "I think that we are very fortunate and blessed."

___

Associated Press writer Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.

While a steady rain envelops the metro area, umbrella-wielding students use a crosswalk on 6th Street, east of Park Avenue near the University of Arizona campus, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in Tucson, Ariz. Less intense remnants of Newton brought rain and cooler temperatures to Southwest Wednesday as the tropical storm crossed the border from Mexico into southern Arizona. (Mike Christy/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

This NOAA satellite image taken Wednesday, Sept. 07, 2016 at 01:00 AM EDT shows Hurricane Newton moving northward up the Baja Mexico coast. Widespread showers with a few embedded thunderstorms can be seen across parts of Arizona and New Mexico due to the outer rain bands. Newton is expected to weaken to a Tropical Storm as it makes landfall over far northwest Mexico. An area of showers can be seen across the northern Intermountain West, while weakening showers can be seen across the Pacific Northwest. The West Coast remains dry and clear, while mostly cloudy skies can be seen across the Rockies. (NOAA/Weather Underground via AP)

A bicyclist on the University of Arizona mall shields herself from the rain with a poncho on campus, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in Tucson, Ariz. Less intense remnants of Newton brought rain and cooler temperatures to Southwest Wednesday as the tropical storm crossed the border from Mexico into southern Arizona. (Mike Christy/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

People help a tourist move his car after it became stuck in the sand, after the passing of Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. Hurricane Newton shattered windows, downed trees and knocked out power in parts of the twin resorts of Los Cabos on Tuesday, but residents were spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when they were walloped by a monster storm. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Students walk through a deep puddle across from the Henry Koffler building on the University of Arizona campus, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in Tucson, Ariz. Less intense remnants of Newton brought rain and cooler temperatures to Southwest Wednesday as the tropical storm crossed the border from Mexico into southern Arizona. (Mike Christy/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

Two men shovel sand deposited by Hurricane Newton, from inside a restaurant in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 6 2016. Hurricane Newton shattered windows, downed trees and knocked out power in parts of the twin resorts of Los Cabos on Tuesday, but residents were spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when they were walloped by a monster storm. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A couple walks next to an advertisement toppled by Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday Sept. 6, 2016. Hurricane Newton shattered windows, downed trees and knocked out power in parts of the twin resorts of Los Cabos on Tuesday, but residents were spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when they were walloped by a monster storm. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A man recovers belongings after the passing of Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. Newton slammed into the twin resorts of Los Cabos on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula Tuesday morning, knocking out power in some places as stranded tourists huddled in their hotels. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A couple of persons work on sweeping the debris left by Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday Sept. 6, 2016. Hurricane Newton shattered windows, downed trees and knocked out power in parts of the twin resorts of Los Cabos on Tuesday, but residents were spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when they were walloped by a monster storm. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A man shovels mud inside a restaurant damaged by Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Newton's winds Tuesday morning were around 90 mph (150 kph) and the storm is expected to still be a hurricane when it makes its second landfall on the northwest coast of mainland Mexico early Wednesday. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Venezuela pets go hungry as economic crisis deepens

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)  Carlos Parra used to love waking up to see his pet albino boxer, Nina. Now, seeing her skeletal body on the floor next to his bed has become a daily reminder of the economic crisis engulfing Venezuela.

His other dog's thick fur barely hides her ribcage as Parra struggles to feed his pets after losing his job at a shoe store.

"It's terrible to sit and eat, see them watching me with hunger, and not be able to do anything," said the 30-year-old.

In this July 21, 2016 photo, an abandoned dog pokes his head out from under a door at the private shelter Funasissi, in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. As the country's economic crisis deepens, food shortages and rising poverty are forcing once-middle-class Venezuelans to do the unthinkable and let their pets starve, or abandon them in the streets. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

As Venezuela's economic crunch worsens, food shortages and rising poverty are forcing once middle-class Venezuelans to do the unthinkable: let their pets starve or abandon them in the streets.

No figures are available, but activists and veterinarians say they are seeing a growing number of dogs and cats abandoned at parks, shelters, and private clinics.

In Caracas it has become common to see purebred dogs rummaging in the trash or lying outdoors, filthy and gaunt, in posh neighborhoods.

The animal protection and control center in the capital's Baruta neighborhood saw as many as 10 animals abandoned each day this summer, head veterinarian Russer Rios said. Up to about a year ago there were almost none.

"Now people just leave them here because they can't take care of them," Rios said.

Shelters are running classes teaching pet owners to look for food substitutes in the hopes of helping them maintain their pets through the crisis. At one private shelter in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, a popular alternative for dogs that would never have been considered in better times is chickenfeed.

"We have to give it to them because there's nothing else," Katty Quintas, a part owner of the Funasissi shelter, said as three skinny cats looked on hungrily from the top of a refrigerator. The shelter is now home to more than 200 cats and dogs.

One of the country's largest animal shelters is run by Mission Nevado, a government program set up by socialist President Nicolas Maduro and named in honor of independence hero Simon Bolivar's four-legged sidekick, dubbed "Nevado" for its white, snow-like fur. Program veterinarian Angel Mancilla said the shelter, which currently houses about 100 cats and dogs, has collapsed under the influx.

"We're crying every day. You leave each day feeling traumatized," Mancilla said.

Pet owners say the price of dog food has more than doubled in recent months to $2 a pound, more than a day's pay for those earning the minimum wage.

In August, as Parra and his parents in the central city of Barquisimeto struggled to get by on his father's $23 monthly pension, he turned in desperation to a Facebook group that donates dog food to families that cannot afford it. But he received just one bag of food, enough to last a few weeks. He said he feels like he's choosing each day between feeding himself and his parents, or his beloved pets.

"Sometimes we go to bed with empty stomachs," he said. "It's really hard."

The problem is also affecting zoos and racetracks. Zoo workers in Caracas say they do not have enough food for large mammals like tigers and tapirs.

This spring 72 horses died from starvation or malnutrition at the Santa Rita racetrack in the western city of Maracaibo, which was closed due to problems with criminal gangs.

The National Institute of Racetracks said the horses died because owners and trainers were not feeding them.

Some pet owners who can't bear to watch their animals waste away are looking for others to take them in.

Caracas homemaker Maria Galindo is offering Princess, her 5-year-old golden retriever, for adoption. So far the dog has survived on scraps the neighbors give her.

"We're very sad to have to give her up, but the crisis is not giving us another option," Galindo said, looking at Princess' bones sticking out from her yellow fur. "You're thinking, 'If I give the dog something to eat, what will I feed the children?'"

___

Fabiola Sanchez on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fisanchezn . Her stories can also be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/fabiola-sanchez .

In this July 23, 2016 photo, abandoned dogs gather for feeding time at the private shelter Funasissi, in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. No figures are available, but activists and veterinarians say they are seeing a growing number of dogs and cats abandoned at Venezuela's parks, shelters, and private clinics. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this July 23, 2016 photo, an abandoned dog so skinny his ribcage is visible waits to be fed at the private shelter Funasissi, in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. Forced to choose between feeding themselves or their beloved cats and dogs, middle class Venezuelans are abandoning their pets in the streets in never-seen-before numbers. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this July 21, 2016 photo, Katty Quintas, part owner of the Funasissi animal shelter, plays with her pet dog Sissis at the private shelter in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. A popular food substitute for dogs, that would never have been considered in better times, is chickenfeed. 'We have to give it to them because there's nothing else,' said Quintas. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this July 23, 2016 photo, Dexis Casadiego, a veterinarian and part owner of the Funasissi animal shelter, caresses an abandoned dog at the private shelter in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. No figures are available, but activists and veterinarians say they are seeing a growing number of dogs and cats abandoned at Venezuela's parks, shelters, and private clinics. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this July 23, 2016 photo, Katty Quintas, part owner of the Funasissi animal shelter, comes across an abandoned dog rummaging in the trash in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. In Caracas it has become common to see purebred dogs rummaging in the trash or lying outdoors, filthy and gaunt. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

This July 21, 2016 photo shows a stethoscope and a wall decorated with the diplomas of veterinarian Dexis Casadiego, in her home which she has converted into the private animal shelter Funasissi, in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. The shelter is currently home to more than 200 cats and dogs. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this July 23, 2016 photo, Dexis Casadiego, a veterinarian and part owner of the Funasissi animal shelter, examines an abandoned cat at the private shelter in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. No figures are available, but activists and veterinarians say they are seeing a growing number of dogs and cats abandoned at Venezuela's parks, shelters, and private clinics. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this Aug. 21, 2016 photo, a man and his pet dog attend a protest march to bring attention to the growing number of pet abandonments, and to demand a price reduction of pet food, in Caracas, Venezuela. Pet owners say the price of dog food has more than doubled in recent months to $2 a pound, more than a day's pay for those earning the minimum wage. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this July 23, 2016 photo, three rescued cats watch from the top of a fridge as their food is prepared at the private shelter Funasissi, in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. The economic crisis that is leading to widespread shortages and hunger among Venezuelans is also taking its toll on the country's four-footed inhabitants. Forced to choose between feeding themselves or their beloved cats and dogs, middle class Venezuelans are abandoning their pets. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this July 23, 2016 photo, Dexis Casadiego, a veterinarian and part owner of the Funasissi animal shelter, grooms an abandoned dog at the private shelter in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito, Venezuela. In Caracas it has become common to see purebred dogs rummaging in the trash or lying outdoors, filthy and gaunt, in posh neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this Aug. 21, 2016 photo, a woman and her pet dogs take part in a protest march to bring attention to the growing number of pet abandonments, and to demand a price reduction of pet food, in Caracas, Venezuela. Pet owners say the price of dog food has more than doubled in recent months to $2 a pound, more than a day's pay for those earning the minimum wage. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A singular lighthouse and its unique keeper are celebrating a milestone.

Boston Light, the nation's first and oldest lighthouse station, turns 300 on September 14 and Sally Snowman, the Coast Guard's last resident keeper, is helping with celebrations.

Events are planned for downtown Boston's waterfront and other parts of mainland Massachusetts. The lighthouse's beam  visible for 27 miles  will even be ceremonially re-lighted at sunset.

Boston Light, America's oldest lighthouse, sits on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor on August 17 2016

'How many things established 300 years ago are still functioning as they were intended to be?' Snowman said to a reporter making a recent visit. 'It was a major aid to navigation in 1716, and that's exactly what it's doing today. For me, that's mind-boggling.'

The 65-year-old former college instructor has been keeper for 13 years and is the light's first female keeper.

The Coast Guard has phased out resident keepers at all light stations save for Boston Light because Congress in 1989 mandated the Guard specifically staff and keep the light public in perpetuity.

Sally Snowman, the keeper of Boston Light, wears Revolutionary-era clothing as she speaks about its history on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor

Snowman steps from the keeper's house on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor

Snowman unties a dock line at Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard's last manned station will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its first lighting on September 14

Snowman, dressed in the Colonial dress and bonnet she wears on lighthouse tours, said she loves the solitude her job often affords.

'Island living is something that suits my personality,' she said. 'I'm an introvert by nature, and I've always been able to entertain myself. It's no problem to just leave me here. Just airdrop my food, and I can stay here forever.'

Snowman and her husband, James Thomson, a volunteer assistant keeper, live on Little Brewster Island from April to October with a rotating cast of volunteers, some of whom also spend nights on the island which is about nine miles from downtown Boston.

This photo shows the iconic Boston lighthouse circa 1905

Boston Light and the 1859 duplex keeper's house are pictured in this image

The lighthouse is seen here circa the early 1780s, from a painting by Capt. Matthew Parke

Boston Light has been a central part of Snowman's life.

The Weymouth resident, who holds two doctorate degrees and taught at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, started volunteering there over 20 years ago and became a paid civilian employee in 2004.

She and Thomson married on the island in 1994 and have written three books about the lighthouse.

A spiritual person who drums, chants and meditates on the island, Snowman said she often senses spirits and other ghostlike presences. It's not surprising, she said, since Boston Light's first two keepers drowned and many more perished in nearby shipwrecks over the years.

Snowman also believes she was a keeper in a past life.

'The first time I went up there, I just felt like I had done it a thousand times before. There was just something intuitive about it,' she said of the lighthouse tower, which was built by the British, destroyed by them during the Revolutionary War and rebuilt by the new American nation in 1783.

Snowman gives a tour of the gear room inside the lighthouse on Little Brewster Island

The keeper looks out from the lantern room while standing next to the Fresnel lens

Snowman waves to a cruise boat from Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor

Time on the island is roughly divided between busy tour days and quieter weekdays.

Friday through Sunday, guided tours swell the roughly 3-acre island's population. More than 200 people visit or work there on a given summer weekend, Snowman said.

Monday to Thursday, Snowman and a pair of volunteers typically do routine cleaning and maintenance in the 89-foot lighthouse tower, as well as the keeper's residence, fog signal building, cistern building and boathouse.

'We're in a marine environment, so we need to keep on top of things,' Snowman said.

But even with the regular routine, she admitted, it's easy to slip into island time.

'Everything is done just a little bit slower. If it's really hot in the middle of the day, we take a siesta. We work earlier in the day or work later into the evening,' Snowman said. 'We don't have the hum of the mainland, the cars and the noise level of humanity. What we have is the wind and the sea and seagulls.'
Maryland, Arkansas win 2nd night Miss America prelims

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP)  Miss Maryland and Miss Arkansas won preliminary contests Wednesday in the second night of the Miss America pageant.

Miss Maryland Hannah Brewer won the swimsuit competition, while Miss Arkansas Savvy Shields won the talent portion by jazz dancing to "They Just Keep Moving the Line," a song from the former TV show "Smash."

It was the second of three nights of preliminary competition at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall. The new Miss America will be crowned during Sunday night's nationally televised finale.

Miss America contestants wave to the crowd during the opening of the second night of Miss America Pageant Preliminaries at Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in Atlantic City. The new Miss America will be crowned during Sunday night's nationally televised finale. (Ben Fogletto/The Press of Atlantic City via AP)

Here are some highlights from Wednesday night:

____

THE WINNERS

"We were just whispering to each other that it's so unreal," Shields told reporters afterward. "Every girl here is so talented."

"And fit and beautiful," added Brewer.

Shields said she thinks she made a connection with the judges during her dance performance to the "Smash" song  a television show about a Broadway production that was canceled after two seasons, leaving many fans, including her, in mourning.

"One of my favorite things about dance is connecting with the audience," she said. "Hopefully we got to tell our story a bit."

As far as "Smash," Shields still has the soundtrack in her car.

____

STATING IT

With 52 women vying for the crown, finding a way to stand out from the crowd is imperative, and contestants traditionally incorporate their home state into a humorous introduction of themselves.

"The city of North Pole is in my state, so now you know where your letters to Santa go!" announced Miss Alaska Kendall Bautista.

"From the Mile High state, home of the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, I'm here to keep the winning streak going!" said Miss Colorado Shannon Patilla.

"From the only place in America close to paying women equally, catch up, America!" said Miss District of Columbia Cierra Jackson, who won Tuesday night's swimsuit competition.

And Miss Nevada Bailey Gumm offered, "Over 80 percent of my state is owned by the federal government, so America, you might as well have me, too!"

____

SUCH TALENT

Jackson, Miss District of Columbia, got a rousing ovation for her rendition of "Natural Woman," the Carole King song made most famous by Aretha Franklin.

Miss New Jersey Brenna Weick sang "Someone Like You" from" Jekyll & Hyde, Miss Minnesota Madeline Van Ert sang and played the piano on "What a Wonderful World," and Miss New Mexico Stephanie Chavez went all-Jersey with a version of Frank Sinatra's "That's Life."

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SAY IT

Supporting the military, helping children and seniors figured prominently in the onstage interviews some of the contestants gave.

Miss Nebraska Aleah Peters spoke of combating cyberbullying by thinking twice before reposting something potentially hurtful to someone.

"We need to become aware of what's happening to that person behind the screen who's hurting every time we share that cruel content," she said.

Miss Iowa Kelly Koch spoke of her group Pinky Swear that raises money for the families of kids with cancer.

"It pays for those mortgages and car payments so all their attention is on these children who have cancer," she said.

Miss Oklahoma Sarah Klein's platform is helping military service members "from deployment through employment."

"The greatest casualty is being forgotten," she said. "They have done their part and now it's time to do ours."

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The competition was held at Boardwalk Hall in the city where the pageant began in 1921 as a way to extend the summer tourist season beyond Labor Day weekend.

It includes contestants from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

On Tuesday night, Miss District of Columbia Cierra Jackson won the preliminary swimsuit competition, while Miss Tennessee Grace Burgess won the talent portion by singing The Eagles' "Desperado."

The 2017 Miss America will be crowned Sunday night.

Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC

Contestants take the stage for the swimsuit competition during the second night of preliminary competition in the Miss America pageant on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in Atlantic City. The new Miss America will be crowned on Sunday. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Miss Arkansas Savvy Shields, left, and Miss Maryland Hannah Brewer, right, speak with reporters after winning preliminary competitions on the second night of the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Shields won the talent competition with a jazz dance, and Brewer won the swimsuit competition. The next Miss America will be crowned Sunday night. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Miss Alabama Hayley Barber waves to the crowd during the opening of the second night of Miss America Pageant Preliminaries at Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in Atlantic City. The new Miss America will be crowned during Sunday night's nationally televised finale. (Ben Fogletto/The Press of Atlantic City via AP)

Contestants take the stage for the evening gown competition during the second night of preliminary competition in the Miss America pageant on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in Atlantic City. The new Miss America will be crowned on Sunday. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Judges applaud after the National Anthem is sung at the second night of the Miss America Pageant Preliminaries at Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in Atlantic City. The new Miss America will be crowned during Sunday night's nationally televised finale. (Ben Fogletto/The Press of Atlantic City via AP)

Contestants take the stage for the evening gown competition during the second night of preliminary competition in the Miss America pageant Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016 in Atlantic City. The new Miss America will be crowned on Sunday. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Miss Tennessee Grace Burgess, left, and Miss District of Columbia Cierra Jackson, right, speak with reporters after winning preliminary competitions in the first night of the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. Burgess won the talent competition by singing The Eagles' "Desperado." Jackson won the swimsuit competition. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Contestants in the swimsuit portion of the Miss America pageant compete on the first night of preliminary competition in Atlantic City, Tuesday Sept. 6, 2016. Tuesday night is the first of three nights of preliminary competition lasting through Thursday. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
Philippine gov't defends decision on hero burial for Marcos

MANILA, Philippines (AP)  The Philippine Supreme Court on Wednesday extended its temporary ban on the burial of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at a heroes' cemetery after a hearing at which some justices questioned whether President Rodrigo Duterte abused his executive power and violated laws by allowing the entombment, which is opposed by the Marcos regime's human rights victims.

The court gave both sides 20 days to submit statements before making a ruling. An earlier court order temporarily halted the burial until Sept. 12 while the cases were being heard.

Solictor General Jose Calida defended Duterte's directive, saying it is within the president's power and a political issue that the court should not rule on. He said Marcos as a former president and war veteran who was not dishonorably discharged from the military is qualified to be buried at the military-run cemetery.

Anti-Marcos protesters holds slogans in a rally outside the Philippine Supreme Court in Manila, Philippines to coincide with the oral arguments following petitions filed by various civil society groups opposing the hero's burial of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Heroes Cemetery on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Lawyers for the Philippine government and heirs of Marcos said Wednesday the late dictator is qualified to be buried at a heroes' cemetery as a former president and war veteran despite opposition from his regime's human rights victims. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Burying a dictator accused of massive rights violations and corruption at the Heroes' Cemetery has long been an emotional and divisive issue in the Philippines, where Marcos was ousted by a "people power" revolt in 1986. He flew to Hawaii, where he lived with his wife and children in exile until he died in 1989. His body was flown back to his hometown in 1993, where it has been displayed in a glass coffin. But his family wants his remains transferred to the Heroes' Cemetery.

During Wednesday's hearing, about 200 supporters of the late dictator picketed outside the court, some carrying a streamer that said "Bury the dead, follow the law." Another group of activists opposing the burial held up a banner that said "Marcos is no hero!" and chanted "Marcos, Hitler, Dictator, Puppet!"

Calida said the cemetery is not reserved for heroes, saying its name is a misnomer because there is no standard defining who is a hero. Burying Marcos there would not confer him the title of hero, he added.

He said the court should give Duterte latitude to exercise his political discretion and carry out his campaign promise to bury Marcos there for what he said would be national healing.

Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno pointed out that there is no such thing as untrammeled executive prerogative. She also said public funds cannot be used to fulfill a political promise.

Calida said Duterte's campaign promise has become a policy to promote national healing.

"In light of executive, legislative and judicial pronouncements that characterize President Marcos as a dictator, plunderer, human rights violator, can you explain how his burial in the Heroes' Cemetery can further the policy to hold and keep the cemetery sacred and hallow or with people to be esteemed?" Justice Alfredo Caguioa asked.

Calida said those descriptions were used for Marcos as a president and not as a military officer.

The head of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines also testified on a study by the commission that showed Marcos' military record from World War II was fraught with myths and lies, including about receiving U.S. medals.

___

This story has been corrected to fix spelling of justice's name to Caguioa instead of Caguiao.

A supporter of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos holds a fan near anti-Marcos counterparts as they hold a rally outside the Philippine Supreme Court in Manila, Philippines to coincide with the oral arguments following petitions filed by various civil society groups opposing the hero's burial of Marcos at the Heroes Cemetery on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Lawyers for the Philippine government and heirs of Ferdinand Marcos said Wednesday the late dictator is qualified to be buried at a heroes' cemetery as a former president and war veteran despite opposition from his regime's human rights victims. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Self-described Ohio psychic accused of stealing $1.5M

MENTOR, Ohio (AP)  A self-described Ohio psychic is accused of stealing more than $1.5 million in cash, jewelry, gift cards and cars from several clients.

Gina Miller was indicted on Tuesday on 28 charges including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, aggravated theft, telecommunications fraud and securing writings by deception.

The alleged incidents happened between August 2001 and September 2015 at Gina's Psychic Studio near Cleveland.

Prosecutors say Miller stole from 11 people. She allegedly told the victims that harm would come to their families if they refused to pay her.

Court records show investigators seized Louis Vuitton (LOO'-ee vee-TAHN') purses, iPhones and computers, as well as Rolex watches and other jewelry.
Peace but extreme poverty in isolated region of Afghanistan

WAKHAN, Afghanistan (AP)  Saeed Beg and his family live in a two-room mud house with no electricity or running water, no bathroom, no kitchen and no furniture apart from a few threadbare rugs and a couple of thin mattresses.

With his mother, wife and five children aged from 8 months to 14 years sitting alongside, he describes life in the Sarkand valley of Afghanistan's far northeastern Wakhan corridor as "very difficult." As he talks, the face of a child laying kindling on the roof to dry appears in the pentagonal hole in the ceiling  typical of the homes of Ismaili Muslims, supported by five pillars. The hole lets in the fading evening light, and when Beg's wife Azalma sets a fire, the smoke curls up toward the velvety-blue, starlit sky.

Beg describes how he exchanges his sheep and goats for food  rice, cooking oil, salt  in the barter system that is the main form of financial transaction here in the shadow of the Hindu Kush.

In this Aug. 18, 2016 photo, Saeed Beg, third right, and his family sit in their home during an interview with The Associated Press, in Sarkand village, Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. Beg and his family live in a two-room mud house with no electricity or running water, no bathroom, no kitchen and no furniture apart from a few threadbare rugs and a couple of thin mattresses. Beg describes how he exchanges his sheep and goats for food -- rice, cooking oil, salt-- in the barter system that is the main form of financial transaction here in the shadow of the Hindu Kush. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)

"We do it because there is no money," he says. "We don't have any income, and if we don't do it, my kids will go hungry. We'll all be hungry all the time."

He looks at his boys, snotty-nosed but healthy, their clothes dirty but enough to keep them warm as they tend the livestock after school. Beg wants them to grow up to work for the government "so then they can feed me."

The Wakhan corridor, which has been named Afghanistan's second national park, is the country's most  perhaps only  peaceful region. But it is so poor, even for Afghanistan, that people get food on credit or barter for it, and children go barefoot during the long, harsh winters. The Ismaili Shiite Muslim community here also fears being targeted by the nearby Sunni Taliban  so much that many women in Iskashim, the town at the mouth of the valley, have started to wear the all-covering burqa.

Wakhan, in Badakhshan province, is an aberration of 19th century geopolitics, split east to west in 1873 to create a buffer between the Russian and British empires. Afghanistan confirmed the new border 20 years later, and Wakhan has been mostly forgotten ever since. Ask any Afghan where it is, and they make a fist with their thumb protruding like a hitchhiker; the thumb represents a landlocked peninsula that ends at a 76-km (47-mile) closed border with China, sandwiched between Tajikistan to the north and Pakistan to the south.

An unmade road cuts along the southern bank of the Amu Darya river that divides Afghanistan from Tajikistan. The valley is overlooked by perpetually snow-capped peaks that ensure punishing winds and night-time temperatures close to zero even during the short summer.

On the Tajik side, the road is sealed, and electricity lines feed villages with bright yellow satellite dishes on the rooftops. On the Afghan side, the region is home to around 17,000 Ismailis, followers of the Aga Khan, one of the world's wealthiest men and their hereditary spiritual leader for 49 generations. For the past century, the Aga Khans have been better known in the West for their glamorous lifestyles, including a penchant for marrying models and movie stars, a love of horse racing, and a custom of receiving their body weight in gold as annual tribute from their impoverished followers.

Here in Wakhan  where the largely Tajik people are known as Wakhis and speak a Pamiri dialect called Wakhi  paper money is almost useless. Villagers measure their wealth in livestock, and grow wheat for bread and oats for their animals. This year a blight has turned the wheat ears red and the bread black, forcing people to use more livestock to barter for food. It's a long and arduous drive for truckers bringing in rice, so the price is triple that in the capital, Kabul, almost 400 kilometers (250 miles) southwest.

The main street of Wakhan's administrative center of Khandood is lined with shops  wooden shacks on stilts, most padlocked shut. A few young men, most wearing salwar khameez and plastic shoes, hang around, as there's not much else to do. Some ride by on donkeys.

Mohammad Ayub took over his shop from his father; it's been in the family for 50 years, he says. He sells biscuits, cigarettes, brake fluid, 50-kilogram sacks of rice from Kazakhstan, and locally-grown red onions  or he would if he had any customers.

Even people who have jobs are not paid regularly, he says. So he gives them what they need on credit  which means he has to shop on credit too.

"No one has any money," he says. "Everyone here owes everyone else. Sometimes I'll accept produce, like sheep, rice, flour, tea, sugar, whatever people have."

Fatima Roshan is conducting a basic necessities survey in 18 of the 42 villages in the Wakhan corridor for the World Conservation Society. She's been into the homes of people who never eat meat, don't know what clean water is and go months without washing.

Many men in the corridor marry, she says, "three, four, five times, one woman after another because their wives die in childbirth." For their part, the women fear pregnancy, thinking they will die during or after giving birth.

While the level of poverty here is breathtaking, things have improved in recent years. Foreign governments and organizations have funded bridges, irrigation channels, reforestation projects, schools and a clinic. The list of donors only emphasizes the Wakhan's almost complete reliance on the largesse of the outside world.

For lack of any other opportunities, many young Wakhi men join the armed forces, according to Shah Ismail, whose ancestors have represented the Aga Khan for hundreds of years.

"The people here feel ignored, isolated and hopeless," he says. "There are no human rights, equality or justice for the people of the Wakhan."

The local authorities are trying to change things. Two years ago, the Kabul government named the Wakhan a national park. According to district governor Nasratullah Nayel, many locals were concerned the declaration meant their land would be taken away. So this month officials are travelling through the valley to convince people that the national park will attract tourists and create jobs.

Nayel concedes that with only 100 tourists a year, it will be a long time before any economic benefits start to flow.

In the meantime, he says, his administration is dealing with other consequences of poverty, including rising opium addiction. Opium production, worth up to $3 billion a year, helps fund the Taliban insurgency. As opium gradually makes its way into the Wakhan, the number of addicts is growing, Nayel said.

He is hoping the Taliban-led insurgency that has reached Badakhshan does not come to the valley too. Just 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Ishkashim, the town at the entrance to the valley, the Taliban and other criminal groups control the world's oldest lapis lazuli mines, in Warduj district. According to mining officials, the Taliban make millions of dollars each year in protection money paid by the gangs who smuggle the rare blue stone to Pakistan.

The presence of the Taliban so nearby has further isolated the valley by making the road between Ishkashim and the rest of the country impassable. It has also instilled a fear that insurgents may target villagers simply because they are followers of the Ismaili branch of Shiite Islam, widely considered a cult by other Muslims.

Shah Langar, uncle of Shah Ismail, says an influx of foreign tourists may attract the Taliban's attention. Sipping salted tea in his wooden house in Qazideh village, he says the Tajik government closed the border bazaars, where traders from both countries could meet for business, more than 10 months ago amid security concerns.

"It generally hasn't had a huge effect on us because the people here don't have anything anyway, we often go without tea, rice, sugar," he said. "The government never does anything for us. We are in a forgotten corner of Afghanistan."

This Aug. 15, 2016 photo, shows an ariel view of the snow-capped Pamir mountains in the Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. The Wakhan corridor, which has been named Afghanistans second national park, is the countrys most -- perhaps only -- peaceful region. But it is so poor, even for Afghanistan, that people borrow food and children go barefoot during the long, harsh winters. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

In this Aug. 16, 2016 photo, a family works in their wheat field, in Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. The Wakhan corridor, which has been named Afghanistans second national park, is the countrys most -- perhaps only -- peaceful region. But it is so poor, even for Afghanistan, that people borrow food and children go barefoot during the long, harsh winters. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)

In this Aug. 18, 2016 photo, a teenager sits next to a closed shop, in Qazideh village, Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. The Wakhan corridor, which has been named Afghanistans second national park, is the countrys most -- perhaps only -- peaceful region. But it is so poor, even for Afghanistan, that people borrow food and children go barefoot during the long, harsh winters. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)

In this Aug. 18, 2016 photo, a teenage girl takes care of her animals in Qala-e Panja village, Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. The Wakhan corridor, which has been named Afghanistans second national park, is the countrys most -- perhaps only -- peaceful region. But it is so poor, even for Afghanistan, that people borrow food and children go barefoot during the long, harsh winters. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)

In this Aug. 18, 2016 photo, Saeed Beg, third right, and his family sit in their home during an interview with The Associated Press, in Sarkand village, Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. Beg and his family live in a two-room mud house with no electricity or running water, no bathroom, no kitchen and no furniture apart from a few threadbare rugs and a couple of thin mattresses. Beg describes how he exchanges his sheep and goats for food -- rice, cooking oil, salt -- in the barter system that is the main form of financial transaction here in the shadow of the Hindu Kush. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)

In this Aug. 18, 2016 photo, Saeed Beg, right, walks towards his home in Sarkand village, Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. Beg and his family live in a two-room mud house with no electricity or running water, no bathroom, no kitchen and no furniture apart from a few threadbare rugs and a couple of thin mattresses. Beg describes how he exchanges his sheep and goats for food -- rice, cooking oil, salt -- in the barter system that is the main form of financial transaction here in the shadow of the Hindu Kush. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)

In this Aug. 19, 2016 photo, shopkeeper Mohammad Ayub speaks in his shop during an interview with The Associated Press, in Qazideh village, Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. Ayub took over his shop from his father; its been in the family for 50 years, he says. He sells biscuits, cigarettes, brake fluid, 50-kilogram sacks of rice from Kazakhstan, and locally-grown red onions -- or he would if he had any customers. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)

This Aug. 15, 2016 photo, shows part of the town of Ishkashim along the Amu Darya river that divides Afghanistan, right, from Tajikistan, in Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. The region is home to around 17,000 Ismailis, followers of the Aga Khan, one of the worlds wealthiest men and their hereditary spiritual leader for 49 generations. But it is so poor, even for Afghanistan, that people borrow food and children go barefoot during the long, harsh winters. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

In this Aug. 16, 2016 photo, a villager reaps wheat, in the Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. The Wakhan corridor, which has been named Afghanistans second national park, is the countrys most -- perhaps only -- peaceful region. But it is so poor, even for Afghanistan, that people borrow food and children go barefoot during the long, harsh winters. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)

In this Aug. 18, 2016 photo, a villager stands in front of closed shops in Qazideh village, Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. The Wakhan corridor, which has been named Afghanistans second national park, is the countrys most -- perhaps only -- peaceful region. But it is so poor, even for Afghanistan, that people borrow food and children go barefoot during the long, harsh winters. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)

In this Aug. 17, 2016 photo, a tman leads his animals in Qala-e Panja village, Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, far northeastern Afghanistan. The Wakhan corridor, which has been named Afghanistans second national park, is the countrys most -- perhaps only -- peaceful region. But it is so poor, even for Afghanistan, that people borrow food and children go barefoot during the long, harsh winters. (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)
It took an act of Congress, but World War Two pilot Elaine Harmon has finally been laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

Harmon died at the age of 95 in April last year.

She was one of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), a group of women who flew military aircraft on non-combat missions during the war so that men were freed up for combat.

The women were not granted military status at the time they served, but received retroactive status as veterans in 1977.

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Veteran WASP Elaine Harmon (right), is finally being laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Her daughter Terry (left) is pictured after an event with members of Congress on the reinstatement of World War Two's female pilots at Arlington National Cemetery in March

And for many years, WASPs were eligible to have their ashes placed in urns at Arlington.

Last year, though, Army officials concerned about limited space at the cemetery ruled WASPs ineligible for inclusion at Arlington.

A memo from then-Army Secretary John McHugh concluded that Arlington never should have granted eligibility to WASPs in the first place. Harmon's family fought the rule.

In December, an AP article about the family's campaign prompted widespread criticism of the Army for excluding WASPs. A petition on change.org received more than 175,000 signatures.

Air Force Capt. Jennifer Lee (right) kneels as she presents an American flag to Terry Harmon, (center) during the burial services for her mother

Capt. Lee (center) salutes during during burial services for World War II pilot Elaine Danforth Harmon, at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday

In May, President Barack Obama signed legislation allowing WASPs in Arlington.

The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., herself a retired Air Force pilot who was the first female fighter pilot in U.S. history to fly in combat.

On Wednesday, Harmon's ashes were laid to rest after a funeral service with military honors.

The family had kept her ashes in a bedroom closet while they worked to get Arlington's exclusionary policy overturned.

Members of the Air Force Honor Guard begin to fold an American flag during burial services for World War II pilot Elaine Danforth Harmon

Harmon's ashes were laid to rest at a funeral service with military honors. Above, Air Force Honor Guard carry her remains in an urn on Wednesday

Harmon's granddaughter Erin Miller said dozens of family members are in town for Wednesday's service, which comes more than a year after her grandmother's death in April 2015.

'It sounds funny, but we're all kind of excited,' she said. 'In a way, we've already grieved, and this now is about closure.'

Eligibility for in-ground burial at Arlington, which has severe space limitations, is extremely tight, and not even all World War II veterans are eligible for burial there.

Obama signed a bill awarding WASP members the Congressional Gold Medal for their service in 2009. Above, Obama with some of the pilots in July that year, including Harmon (far left)

'Every American should be grateful for their service, and I am honored to sign this bill to finally give them some of the hard-earned recognition they deserve,' President Obama said in 2009. Harmon is pictured left

But eligibility for above-ground placement of ashes is not quite as strict.

Kate Landdeck, a Texas Woman's University history professor who has researched the WASPs, said roughly 1,000 women served as WASPs while the program was in effect from 1942 to 1944. Thirty-eight were killed.

Fewer than 100 are still alive, Landdeck said. The youngest is 93.

The women, who test-flew repaired military aircraft, trained combat pilots and towed airborne targets that other pilots fired at with live ammunition, received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009, but the campaign to get them into Arlington exposed even more people to WASPs' role in history.

'No one knew who these women were in the 1990s,' Landdeck said.
Southeast Asia issues a non-rebuke to China

VIENTIANE, Laos (AP)  A summit of Southeast Asian countries issued a mild rebuke of China on Wednesday over its expansionist activities in the disputed South China Sea, and indirectly urged it to show restraint and not raise tensions.

In a victory for Beijing's diplomatic, economic and military clout, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations couldn't even get all of its 10 members to agree that China was responsible for building islands in the disputed and resource-rich sea.

A statement issued at the end of the ASEAN summit said in regard to the South China Sea, "We remain seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments," without elaborating. It did not mention China by name.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, left, shakes hands with Philippine's President Rodrigo Duterte, right, as Laos' Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, watches during the 19th ASEAN-China summit, in Vientiane, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. The Philippine government has released what it says are surveillance pictures of Chinese coast guard ships and barges at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea just hours before the Chinese premier attended a regional summit with Southeast Asian leaders. Officials say Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte plans to ask Chinese premier Li Keqiang at the summit in the Laotian capital on Wednesday whether the vessels were on another island-making mission on the Scarborough Shoal. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

The statement said the summit "took note of the concerns expressed by some leaders on the land reclamations and escalation of activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region."

China has recently developed shoals and coral reefs into seven islands with massive land reclamation work. Some of the islands have airstrips capable of handling military aircraft.

The use of the phrase "some leaders" in the statement underscores the fundamental problem ASEAN has had in dealing with China  not all of its members are willing to scold it. Cambodia remains firmly in China's camp, as is Laos to a large extent, preventing any robust statement from the consensus-bound group.

The issue of ownership of territories in the South China Sea has come to dominate ASEAN summit meetings in recent years. China claims virtually the entire sea as its own, citing historical reasons. That has pitted it against the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, all members of ASEAN.

On July 12, an international arbitration tribunal ruled against China's claims, saying they were illegal. It also rebuked China for forcibly preventing Filipinos from fishing in their traditional areas.

Beijing has rejected the ruling and continued its activities. The ASEAN statement made no mention of the tribunal.

On Wednesday, the Philippine government released what it says are surveillance pictures of Chinese coast guard ships and barges at disputed Scarborough shoal in the South China Sea.

It was an apparent attempt to publicize its concerns before ASEAN leaders met with Chinese Premier Li Kequiang in the Laotian capital in a side summit.

The Philippines is concerned that China may plan to turn the shoal into another man-made island.

But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China has not done anything to alter the circumstances surrounding the shoal.

"What I can tell you is that the situation in waters near Huangyan Island remains unchanged and China hasn't made any new moves," Hua said in Beijing, using the shoal's Chinese name. "We should be highly alert against the mischief-making intentions of people who spread such groundless information in such situations."

New Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has taken a more conciliatory approach than his predecessor to rebuild relations with China, and has said he would not raise the long-simmering territorial dispute in an adversarial manner that might upset Beijing.

Relations were severely strained under Duterte's predecessor because of the conflict.

The U.S. military has also expressed concern over the possibility that China might turn Scarborough into another island, something that would give Beijing's forces greater control over a swath of the South China Sea used as a passageway to the Taiwan Strait.

This combination of Sept. 3, 2016 photos provided by the Philippine Government shows what it says are surveillance pictures of Chinese coast guard ships and barges at the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. China has built seven such islands in the disputed, resource-rich sea, alarming neighbors and rival claimants, including the Philippines. (Philippine Government via AP)
House moving toward showdown over impeaching IRS chief

WASHINGTON (AP)  The House is moving toward a showdown vote this month over whether to impeach IRS chief John Koskinen. But with no chance the Senate would actually remove him from office, Republicans stood divided over the effort's wisdom in the shadow of this fall's presidential and congressional elections.

With GOP leaders eager to send lawmakers home to defend their seats by September's end, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he hoped to reach compromise with the White House and Senate Democrats over legislation temporarily financing the government until Dec. 9 and combatting the Zika virus.

Agreements would avert the possibility of an Oct. 1 government shutdown certain to annoy voters, and address a disease whose initial spread in South Florida has become a political issue in that election battleground state.

FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2016 file photo, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. The House will vote as early as next week on a conservative effort to impeach IRS chief John Koskinen. But congressional GOP leaders still must decide how to avert a federal shutdown and finance federal efforts to contain the Zika virus, even as the approaching elections pressure them to avoid riling voters. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Until now, both efforts  including $1.1 billion for Zika  have been bogged down by partisan Senate fights. Democrats want GOP-sought defense increases to be matched with domestic program boosts and have opposed Republican language blocking Zika prevention and treatment money for Planned Parenthood clinics in Puerto Rico.

"We're looking for a way forward and I'm hopeful and optimistic that we'll be able to do that" so the full Senate could consider legislation next week, McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters.

Vice President Joe Biden planned to join Democrats at a news conference Thursday to pressure Republicans to also address issues like the burden of student loans and President Barack Obama's March nomination of Merrick Garland to fill the Supreme Court vacancy. But it was clear Congress will focus on must-pass issues before leaving for the campaign's final stretch.

Republicans said House GOP lawmakers will meet next Thursday to discuss what to do about conservatives' impeachment demands. Conservatives say Koskinen impeded a congressional investigation of how the IRS improperly treated tea party groups seeking tax exemptions years ago.

Conservatives seeking his impeachment are using a procedure that would let them force a vote, but some said they'd wait until after next week's meeting to do so.

"It warrants that kind of action for the behavior the IRS and Mr. Koskinen used," said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, whose members have pressed the effort.

The House has voted only 19 times to impeach federal officials: Two presidents, 15 federal judges, a senator and a Cabinet member. Only eight, all judges, have been convicted and removed from office by the Senate.

House GOP leaders have shown meager enthusiasm for impeaching Koskinen, and its prospects are uncertain.

"Members are going to vote the way they want to vote on this," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters. "You have members on both sides of this."

Many Republicans consider it a tough vote they'd rather avoid. They say impeaching Koskinen risks making GOP lawmakers look overly partisan, potentially alienating moderate voters, but voting "no" would anger conservatives whose support they'll need in November's elections.

Some Republicans are considering trying to instead have the House Judiciary Committee consider the impeachment, delaying the issue until after the election.

"If you were to impeach and dump this right into the Senate, throw it in their hands right before a very contentious election, is that something they want to deal with right now?" said moderate Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa.

No. 2 Senate GOP leader John Cornyn of Texas said he'd wait to see what the House does.

With a two-thirds majority required for impeachment conviction in the Senate, Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., all but dared Republicans to stage such a trial, saying, "Everyone knows the man is not going to be impeached."

Conservatives' impeachment resolution accuses Koskinen of not answering congressional subpoenas, lying to Congress and other offenses.

Koskinen was not with the IRS when it conducted intensive investigations of tea party organizations years ago, acts for which it apologized in 2013. He was at the Capitol Wednesday for separate meetings with moderate and conservative House Republicans.

"I don't think there's a serious case to be made" against him, Koskinen said in a brief interview.

Federal funds keeping agencies open expire Sept. 30. Many conservatives oppose a temporary extension until only December, when a post-election, lame-duck Congress could make final decisions on next year's budget.

So negotiating with Democrats could give GOP leaders the votes they would need without conservatives to pass a temporary bill. That would leave final spending decisions for the post-election lame-duck Congress.

___

AP congressional correspondent Erica Werner and AP writers Andrew Taylor and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, following a meeting with House Republicans. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Republican Donald Trump is unveiling a plan for a major increase in defense spending as he works to convince skeptics in both parties that he's ready to lead the world's most powerful military.

The New York businessman, who has struggled at times to demonstrate a command of foreign policy, will outline plans to 'add substantially' to the nation's arsenal of submarines, ships and combat troops in a Wednesday morning speech in Philadelphia, according to a briefing provided by his campaign. Trump's address comes hours before his national security acumen is tested at a 'commander in chief' forum on NBC.

The appearances mark an intense, two-day focus on national security by Trump, who has offered tough rhetoric on the nation's challenges abroad but few details.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump smiles after speaking to an overflow room during a campaign rally, Tuesday. He speaks about national security in Philadelphia on Wednesday

'I think my single greatest asset, of any assets I have, is my temperament,' Trump declared in North Carolina on Tuesday, fighting to undercut arguments that his erratic disposition is a major liability.

Democrat Hillary Clinton repeated just such an attack on Trump's ability to command America's military.

'They know they can count on me to be the kind of commander in chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Trump,' Clinton said en route to Florida. 'They view him as a danger and a risk.'

While Clinton and Trump will be featured at the Wednesday night forum, they will appear at separate times and will not face each other on stage. The forum could serve as a warm-up to their highly anticipated first presidential debate, scheduled for Sept. 26 in New York.

Trump was set to deliver another speech Wednesday evening, at the convention of New York's Conservative Party, also expected to feature a heavy national security focus.

Trump plans to call for billions in new defense spending, and his campaign said no need for structural budget cuts to pay for it

Trump spoke to a military crowd in Virginia Beach on Tuesday, where he also met with military spouses

Trump appeared with Lt. General Mike Flynn as he focuses on national security and defense

A late morning address at Philadelphia's Union League will outline his plans to eliminate deep military cuts, known as the 'sequester,' enacted when Congress failed to reach a budget compromise in 2011.

A Trump adviser, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share details ahead of the speech, said Trump would ensure the additional spending is fully paid for. The adviser did not explain how, but suggested there would be no need for structural budget cuts to pay for the billions of additional military spending over 10 years.

Beyond new spending on troops and naval assets, Trump will also call for additions to sea-based missile defense.

Trying to emphasize his military support, Trump's campaign released a letter on Tuesday from 88 retired generals and admirals citing an urgent need for a 'course correction' in America's national security policy. It was aimed at rebutting Clinton's arguments that she would be best positioned to lead the military and reassuring Republicans who have openly worried that his provocative statements might undermine U.S. alliances.

'We believe that such a change can only be made by someone who has not been deeply involved with, and substantially responsible for, the hollowing out of our military and the burgeoning threats facing our country around the world,' the military leaders wrote. 'For this reason, we support Donald Trump's candidacy to be our next commander in chief.'

On Tuesday night, Trump promised to convene his military commanders soon after taking office with 'a simple instruction' aimed at the Islamic State group. 'They will have 30 days to submit to the Oval Office a plan for soundly and quickly defeating ISIS,' he told North Carolina voters.
G-20 summit yields hopes for better China-Japan relations

BEIJING (AP)  Four years after they went into a nose dive, tense relations between China and Japan may finally be headed for a return to some semblance of normalcy.

Those hopes rest largely on a meeting Monday between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with Xi telling Abe that it was time to "put aside disruptions" and bring ties "back on the normal track," according to China's official Xinhua News Agency. By all accounts, Abe responded positively at their closed-door session, held on the sidelines of the summit of Group of 20 industrialized nations in the Chinese city of Hangzhou.

Following up, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida welcomed an agreement made at the meeting to speed up talks on an early implementation of a sea and air communication system aimed at avoiding mishaps. The two countries have also agreed to hold preparatory talks next week in Hiroshima on resuming discussions on the joint development of gas deposits beneath the East China Sea.

FILE- In this Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, file photo, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, poses with China's President Xi Jinping for a photo before a group photo session for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province. Four years after they went into a nosedive, tense relations between China and Japan may finally be headed for a sustained return to some semblance of normalcy. Those hopes rest largely on a statement by Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting Monday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that it was time to put aside disruptions" and bring ties back on the normal track. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

While acknowledging movement on those issues, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Wednesday that China's approach remained unchanged.

"Japan should meet China halfway and strive to create the conditions and atmosphere for the resumption of negotiations," Hua told reporters at a regularly scheduled news conference.

Optimism about relations comes despite ongoing rancor on the Chinese side, met by alarm and worsening public sentiment in Japan.

Much of that revolves around a dispute over a chain of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that are controlled by Japan but claimed by China. The dispute has elevated the islands to the status of sacred territory that must be recovered by China to erase a national shame.

Tensions spiked in 2012 after Tokyo nationalized the islands  known in Japan as the Senkaku and in China as the Diaoyu  leading to violent anti-Japanese riots in China and a freeze in most official contacts. As Beijing fumed, Japanese businesses began reconsidering their massive investments in China, upping the ante for all concerned.

Relations improved slightly in 2014, when the sides announced a four-point agreement on getting ties back on track, but exchanges have proceeded at a glacial pace since then.

To a degree, Xi's comments to Abe at the G-20 summit may also have been aimed at preventing tensions from overshadowing a prestigious gathering, said Shi Yinhong of Beijing's Renmin University, one of China's best-known international relations scholars.

"China wanted to ease relations with Japan, while Japan wants to ease the pressure. As for how it will develop in the future, I can't draw any conclusions as yet," Shi said, emphasizing that there have been no shifts in their fundamental stances on the issues that divide them.

Monday's remarks by Xi grew out of the momentum toward better ties that began in 2014, which, while offering much potential, remains "very fragile," said Da Zhigang, director of the Center of East Asian Studies of the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences in northern China.

"I think we're seeing a 'new normal' in China-Japan relations, wherein we'll see a long-term trend of co-existence, competition and communication," Da said. "Both China and Japan admit the existence of differences, but hope to put them under control in a rational way."

Managing, rather than resolving, tensions may be the only way forward. Much of China's displeasure with Japan is rooted in a sense that the country has never properly atoned for its brutal invasion and occupation of much of China during the World War II era.

China has long fulminated over the portrayal of that history in school textbooks in Japan, and has lately expanded its list of complaints to the Japanese navy's routine presence in the South China Sea, saying Tokyo was involving itself in a dispute between China and its neighbors over ownership of the strategic water body. Having broadened the mandate of the Japanese self-defense forces, Beijing sees the conservative Abe as pushing ahead with a militarist agenda.

Japanese public opinion, meanwhile, remains highly critical of China, partly due to fears of China's economic rise, as well as its increasingly assertive military and diplomatic posture.

None of those issues appear likely to be resolved anytime soon, something Xi appeared to acknowledge in his remarks to Abe.

"Both sides should bolster their sense of responsibility and crisis awareness, and work to build on the positive elements of bilateral ties while putting a lid on negative ones," Xi said.

Ultimately, the two nations and their current leaders will have to accommodate each other for years to come. Xi is expected to remain as China's president at least through 2023, while Abe will remain head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party at least through 2018.

The next major opportunity to test the state of relations will come in November at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru, when Abe and Xi will likely meet again.

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Sorry kids: Docs urge flu shots, not nasal spray, this year

WASHINGTON (AP)  Kids may get more of a sting from flu vaccination this fall: Doctors are gearing up to give shots only, because U.S. health officials say the easy-to-use nasal spray version of the vaccine isn't working as well as a jab.

Needle-phobic adults still have some less painful options. But FluMist, with its squirt into each nostril, was the only ouch-free alternative for children, and has accounted for about a third of pediatric flu vaccinations in recent years.

The problem: Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in the past few years, FluMist hasn't protected against certain influenza strains as well as regular flu shots. Baffled scientists can't explain why.

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2014 file photo, a sign telling customers that they can get a flu shot in a Walgreen store is seen in Indianapolis. Kids may get more of a sting from flu vaccination this fall: Doctors are gearing up to give shots only, because U.S. health officials say the easy-to-use nasal spray version of the vaccine isn't working as well as a jab. Needle-phobic adults still have some less painful options. But FluMist, with its squirt into each nostril, was the only ouch-free alternative for children, and has accounted for about a third of pediatric flu vaccinations in recent years. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

The CDC says FluMist should not be used in the U.S. this year. Tuesday, the American Academy of Pediatrics agreed and urged youngsters to roll up their sleeves for a shot.

"We're saying, 'Shoot, now we've got to do the poke again,'" said Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson of Seattle Children's Hospital and the AAP. But, "we know the flu vaccine is the best shot at prevention and protecting those who are vulnerable from serious and even life-threatening infections from influenza."

Swanson has tricks to help ease tears and anxiety, like numbing the skin or distraction techniques like telling the youngster to cough on the count of three, coinciding with the poke. Sometimes the youngest feel braver by going first to show up older siblings. Swanson makes her own vaccination a family affair, parents and kids getting the shot together.

But her top advice: Parents, don't lie and tell your kids the shot won't hurt. Instead, tell them "it might hurt a bit but it doesn't last long and you can do this."

The FluMist mystery isn't the only vaccine news. Seniors are getting a new option made with an immune booster in hopes of more protection. Here are some other things to know:

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WHO NEEDS FLU VACCINE

The CDC urges a yearly vaccination for just about everyone starting at 6 months of age.

Flu is most dangerous for people over age 65, young children, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions such as asthma or heart disease.

But it sometimes kills even the healthy and young. The CDC says on average flu kills about 24,000 Americans each year, including about 100 children.

If mom gets a flu shot during pregnancy, the vaccine also helps protect her baby during its first six months of life.

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WHEN TO GET THE SHOT

Vaccinations are getting under way as shipments arrive at grocery stores, clinics and doctors' offices. Despite the FluMist problem, the CDC expects enough to meet the typical U.S. demand, between 157 million and 168 million shot doses.

Flu typically peaks in January or February but there's no way to predict when it will begin spreading, and it takes about two weeks for full protection to kick in.

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WILL I GET SICK

Flu shots are made with killed flu virus, so you can't get the flu from them. But they're not perfect; CDC says they reduce the risk of flu by 50 percent to 60 percent. Sometimes people still catch the flu but generally have a milder case than if they'd gone unvaccinated, or had flu-like symptoms that were caused by a different virus. And occasionally, a strain starts circulating that wasn't included in the vaccine recipe.

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WHAT HAPPENED WITH FLUMIST

Earlier studies had suggested FluMist actually protected youngsters better than shots. It's not clear why, although FluMist is the only vaccine made of live but weakened flu virus.

So it was a surprise when CDC said earlier this spring that scenario was flipping and FluMist was failing against certain strains. One theory is that it has to do with a change in the nasal spray's recipe to incorporate four strains of influenza instead of three.

"Having this scientific puzzle really bothers everybody," said Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The FluMist recommendation could change for future flu seasons if researchers figure that out.

It's still legal to sell FluMist, which is approved for ages 2 to 49. Manufacturer AstraZeneca said it plans to make a limited amount available in the U.S. in response to some health provider requests.

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OTHER LESS OUCHY OPTIONS

Two less ouchy gadgets are only for adults. A version of Sanofi's FluZone can be given "intradermally," using tiny needles to penetrate the skin instead of muscle. And a version of Seqiris' Afluria vaccine can be given in a needle-free device called a jet injector that forces the vaccine into a stream of fluid that penetrates the skin.

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WHAT'S NEW FOR SENIORS

People ages 65 and older are especially vulnerable to flu's dangerous complications because they tend to have more underlying health problems and standard flu shots don't work as well with their waning immune systems.

One alternative to standard shots is Sanofi's High-Dose Fluzone, containing four times the usual anti-flu ingredient. This year seniors have a second alternative, Seqiris' Fluad with "adjuvant," the first U.S. flu vaccine to contain an extra compound designed to rev up the immune system's response to the shot.

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THE COST

Insurance covers most flu vaccinations, often without a co-payment. For those paying out of pocket, prices can range between $32 and $40.
Ancient Karkemish sees modern war on Turkey-Syria border

The tourist gate and ticket house are ready at the ancient city of Karkemish, where Turkish troops crossed last month into Syria and ousted Islamic State militants from the border.

Despite Syria's civil war, archaeologists on the Turkish side of border-straddling Karkemish unearthed sculptures, mosaics and other artifacts in relative safety although sporadic gunfire and shelling was occasionally audible from the Syrian side. Now they plan to open the remains of the strategic city from the Hittite era to the public next year, despite the proximity of conflict in neighboring Syria.

Such are the modern fortunes of Karkemish, which dates back thousands of years and was excavated before World War I by British archaeologists including T.E. Lawrence, later known as Lawrence of Arabia. A century later, the area was demined and a Turkish-Italian team started work at the site controlled by the Turkish military.

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014, file picture, a worker touches hieroglyphs at an archaeological site outside Karkemish, Turkey, meters away from the Turkey-Syria border and the Syrian city of Jarablous. Despite Syrias civil war, archaeologists on the Turkish side of border-straddling Karkemish unearthed sculptures, mosaics and other artifacts in relative safety although sporadic gunfire and shelling was occasionally audible from the Syrian side. Now they plan to open the remains of the strategic city from the Hittite era to the public next year, despite the proximity of conflict in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)

Then came Turkey's Aug. 24 military incursion into Syria from the Karkemish area, which could ease security worries about the archaeological park on the Euphrates. Its opening, delayed several times, is scheduled for May 2017.

"The situation is definitely more favorable to tourism," said Nicolo Marchetti, a professor of archaeology and art history of the Ancient Near East at the University of Bologna and project director at Karkemish on the Turkish side.

The February construction of a protective, mile-long (1.7-kilometer) wall on the border, stretching from the train station of the modern town of Karkamis to a railway bridge built by Germans a century ago, was required for the tourist project, Marchetti said.

The prefabricated wall "can be removed swiftly if peace breaks out," he said.

The remains of the citadel and inner town are on the Turkish side, where the most valuable archaeological items of Karkemish lie. But part of the ancient outer town is in the Syrian town of Jarablus, held by IS militants until Turkish ground forces occupied the area.

Marchetti expressed concern about what he called "a void of responsibility" for protection of archaeological heritage on the Syrian side of Karkemish.

Turkey is a party to a 1954 Hague agreement calling for the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflict.

Syria's lawlessness has already fueled widespread looting of artifacts, some of it by IS militants who have also destroyed ancient statues and structures, notably in the ancient town of Palmyra. Russia built what it called a "temporary" military encampment inside a zone that holds the UNESCO world heritage site in Palmyra after militants were driven out earlier this year.

In western Syria, Syrian government forces have used archaeological sites, cutting holes in mounds dating from ancient communities and using them to protect tanks and personnel from any attack from the other side, according to Dan Lawrence, a lecturer in the archaeology department at Durham University in Britain.

A lot of archaeological material on the Syrian side of Karkemish is especially vulnerable because it is just below the ground surface, said Lawrence, adding that he saw video of Turkish tanks moving through Syrian areas where he worked before the civil war.

"Anything you do in that area will have a massive impact on the archaeology," he said.

IS fighters tried to dig a large ditch through the Syrian side of Karkemish earlier this year, but a U.S.-led coalition aircraft destroyed their bulldozer, said Marchetti of the University of Bologna.

Echoing complex conflicts in the region many centuries ago, Turkey supports U.S. airstrikes against the IS while seeking to thwart U.S.-backed Kurdish forces, which are also fighting the Islamic extremists.

The Bible's Jeremiah refers to Karkemish for a battle there in which the Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar II, defeated the Assyrians and their Egyptian allies.

In 1516, long after Karkemish's demise, Ottoman imperial forces defeated Mamluk troops at the battle of Marj Dabiq near Aleppo, opening the way to Ottoman conquests in the Middle East. The battle's date was Aug. 24, 500 years to the day before Turkey sent troops into Syria.

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Follow Christopher Torchia on Twitter at www.twitter.com/torchiachris

FILE - In this June 17, 2010 file photo, a land mine expert works in mined land in the Karkemish archaeological site at the Turkey-Syria border in Gaziantep province, Turkey. Despite Syrias civil war, archaeologists on the Turkish side of border-straddling Karkemish unearthed sculptures, mosaics and other artifacts in relative safety although sporadic gunfire and shelling was occasionally audible from the Syrian side. Now they plan to open the remains of the strategic city from the Hittite era to the public next year, despite the proximity of conflict in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this June 17, 2010 file photo, a land mine expert works in mined land in the Karkemish archaeological site at the Turkey-Syria border in Gaziantep province, Turkey. Despite Syrias civil war, archaeologists on the Turkish side of border-straddling Karkemish unearthed sculptures, mosaics and other artifacts in relative safety although sporadic gunfire and shelling was occasionally audible from the Syrian side. Now they plan to open the remains of the strategic city from the Hittite era to the public next year, despite the proximity of conflict in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014, file picture, Nicolo Marchetti, a professor of archaeology and art history of the Ancient Near East at the University of Bologna gestures near the ruins of the expedition house of Lawrence of Arabia, who worked at Karkemish between 1911 and 1914, at an archaeologic site outside Karkemish, Turkey, meters away from the Turkey-Syria border and the Syrian city of Jarablous. Despite Syrias civil war, archaeologists on the Turkish side of border-straddling Karkemish unearthed sculptures, mosaics and other artifacts in relative safety although sporadic gunfire and shelling was occasionally audible from the Syrian side. Now they plan to open the remains of the strategic city from the Hittite era to the public next year, despite the proximity of conflict in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014, file picture, Nicolo Marchetti, top right, a professor of archaeology and art history of the Ancient Near East at the University of Bologna, walks at an archaeologic site outside Karkemish, Turkey, meters away from the Turkey-Syria border and the Syrian city of Jarablous. Despite Syrias civil war, archaeologists on the Turkish side of border-straddling Karkemish unearthed sculptures, mosaics and other artifacts in relative safety although sporadic gunfire and shelling was occasionally audible from the Syrian side. Now they plan to open the remains of the strategic city from the Hittite era to the public next year, despite the proximity of conflict in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014, file picture, birds fly backdropped by a building with the Islamic State group flag on top, in the Syrian city of Jarablous, seen from an archaeologic site outside Karkemish, Turkey. Despite Syrias civil war, archaeologists on the Turkish side of border-straddling Karkemish unearthed sculptures, mosaics and other artifacts in relative safety although sporadic gunfire and shelling was occasionally audible from the Syrian side. Now they plan to open the remains of the strategic city from the Hittite era to the public next year, despite the proximity of conflict in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014, file picture, a worker touches hieroglyphs at an archaeological site outside Karkemish, Turkey, meters away from the Turkey-Syria border and the Syrian city of Jarablous. Despite Syrias civil war, archaeologists on the Turkish side of border-straddling Karkemish unearthed sculptures, mosaics and other artifacts in relative safety although sporadic gunfire and shelling was occasionally audible from the Syrian side. Now they plan to open the remains of the strategic city from the Hittite era to the public next year, despite the proximity of conflict in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
Syrian opposition to unveil plan for political transition

LONDON (AP)  Syrian opposition leaders are set to unveil plans for a political transition ahead of a Friends of Syria meeting in London.

The High Negotiations Committee scheme is set to be made public Wednesday in a session at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. The goal is to end the long-running civil war inside Syria with a political settlement that could be implemented with international support.

Foreign ministers from the Friends of Syria group hosted by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will meet later Wednesday to discuss ways to curtail the fighting, which has helped spawn a huge refugee crisis.
Alaska pot regulators poised to approve retail licenses

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  The board regulating Alaska's fledgling legal marijuana industry is expected to approve licenses this week for the state's first retail marijuana outlets.

The state's Marijuana Control Board also is expected to discuss whether certain retail stores will be given permission to have areas where customers can light up  a key issue since tourists and others would otherwise be prohibited from doing so in public.

Here is a look at where Alaska stands on marijuana sales:

FILE - In this June 9, 2016 file photo, Alaska Marijuana Control Board member Brandon Emmett of Fairbanks, right, and Cynthia Franklin, director of the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office, are shown at the board's meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. The board regulating Alaska's fledgling legal marijuana industry is expected to approve licenses this week for the state's first retail marijuana outlets. Alaska's first marijuana retail shops are expected to open by the end of 2016. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)

Q: WHAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR?

A: Regulators have been writing rules for the industry since last year, after a voter initiative approved recreational use of marijuana by those 21 and older. The Marijuana Control Board has approved about 50 licenses for marijuana business operators so far, but no licenses have been approved yet for retail outlets.

Starting Wednesday, the board will consider dozens more license applications, including requests from people who want to open stores to sell marijuana and those who want to manufacture marijuana products.

Q: WHEN WILL I BE ABLE TO BUY MARIJUANA AT A RETAIL STORE?

A: That's not clear.

Retail stores should open by year's end, but the timing will depend in part on when stores have a supply of marijuana approved by laboratories that is legal for sale, said Cynthia Franklin, director of the state Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office.

The marijuana board has focused first on licensing people to grow marijuana and the labs that will test it.

The next step is to approve the retail outlets and product manufacturers.

Q: WILL ALASKA ALLOW POT CAFES?

A: That is one of the biggest unanswered questions that the Marijuana Control Board has before it.

Earlier this year, it proposed allowing cannabis shops to sell marijuana for use at the shops  like bars sell alcohol.

But the board retreated from that stance in July after one member expressed concerns and proposed a narrower plan that would allow people to buy marijuana products to smoke, inhale or consume in food, like a brownie, in an authorized store and go into a separate area to partake. They would be allowed to take resealed unused portions with them.

The board has been trying to find a way to accommodate tourists. Public consumption is banned except for in authorized stores, and the proposed rule for onsite use has yet to be finalized.

Franklin said many people who have submitted comments on the proposal oppose allowing people to smoke marijuana in authorized stores.
Police ID West Virginia man killed in shooting with officers

SPENCER, W.Va. (AP)  Authorities in West Virginia have identified a suspect they say fired at officers before being fatally shot.

State Police spokesman Lt. Michael Baylous tells news outlets 65-year-old Bernard Cottrell was killed in the Tuesday afternoon shooting. Cottrell lived in Reedy in Roane County, about 55 miles northeast of Charleston.

Baylous says at least one trooper had accompanied a Roane County sheriff's deputy serving a petition for a mental health evaluation when they encountered Cottrell driving and pursued him.

Baylous says Cottrell fired at officers when the pursuit ended and officers fired back, killing Cottrell. No officers were injured.
Sweden prosecutor: Assange rape case hinges on interrogation

STOCKHOLM (AP)  Swedish prosecutors will have to drop a six-year-old rape investigation against Julian Assange unless they find a way to interrogate the WikiLeaks founder at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, a top investigator said Wednesday.

Ecuador recently said it has approved a Swedish request to question Assange at the embassy, where he has been holed up for four years, but prosecutors said the details remain to be worked out.

"We are now awaiting information on how and when the questioning will take place, and whether we will be allowed to be present," Director of Public Prosecution Marianne Ny told reporters in Stockholm.

Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny speaks during a press conference on the Julian Assange case at the police headquarters, in Stockholm, Sweden, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Swedish prosecutors are set to give an update on the rape investigation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for four years. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT via AP)

Ny said prosecutors would prefer to interrogate Assange in person, but would also accept to send a list of questions and let Ecuadorian officials handle the questioning, as the South American country has proposed.

The rape allegation stems from Assange's visit to Sweden in 2010. He denies the allegation as well as other less serious allegations of sexual misconduct against two women for which the statute of limitations has expired.

Chief prosecutor Ingrid Isgren said the questioning is crucial to the case, which has turned into a diplomatic back-and-forth involving Sweden, Britain and Ecuador.

"We will not be able to indict Julian Assange if we are not able to interview him first," Isgren said.

She said Swedish law requires prosecutors to question a suspect and inform him of the suspicions against him before filing a formal indictment.

Assange sought shelter at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012 after British courts rejected his attempts to fight extradition to Sweden.

Assange fears that if he is extradited to Sweden he will be sent to the United States to be prosecuted for WikiLeaks' publication of secret documents, including reams of U.S. diplomatic cables. Prosecutors working on the Swedish case have had no contact with U.S. authorities, Isgren said.

The news conference with Ny and Isgren came ahead of an investigative report on the case, scheduled to be aired Wednesday evening by Swedish broadcaster SVT.

The broadcaster posted a preview clip where Assange declines to discuss the case, saying the "proper place for that is in a formal statement to the Swedish prosecutor. ... That's something that she has avoided for six years."

Ny initially refused to interview Assange at the embassy, demanding that he come to Sweden. She agreed to do so only after a Swedish court told her to speed up the investigation.

"We feel that the only viable option to get some progress is to conduct the interview in this manner," Ny said.

The statute of limitations for rape is 10 years in Sweden, meaning it would expire in 2020 if prosecutors haven't filed an indictment by then.

FILE - In this Feb. 5, 2016, file photo, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange stands on the balcony of the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. Swedish prosecutors are set to give an update on the rape investigation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for four years. The news conference with prosecutors Marianne Ny and Ingrid Isgren comes ahead of an investigative report on the case, scheduled to be aired Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016 by Swedish broadcaster SVT. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)
South Korea: Hanjin to resume work in Long Beach this week

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Korea's top economic policymaker said Wednesday that he expected Hanjin Shipping vessels marooned offshore of Long Beach, California, will be able to offload cargo this week.

Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said at a government meeting that he expects the cargo crisis caused by Hanjin's slide toward bankruptcy will begin to ease this week, according to a ministry statement.

South Korea's biggest ocean shipping line says it is seeking protection from its creditors in dozens of countries. A U.S. federal judge has temporarily granted Hanjin's request for protection from its creditors and scheduled a hearing for Friday. South Korea's government expects a ruling in Hanjin's favor, said Kim Hyun-jung, an official at the foreign affairs ministry.

Workers from port-related organizations in Busan city shout slogans during a rally to plead with the government and creditors of Hanjin Shipping Co. to map out measures to save the troubled shipper in front of the Hanjin group Chairman Cho Yang-ho's office in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Hanjin Group said Tuesday it will inject $90 million, including $36 million from its chairman Cho's personal assets, to help resolve disruptions to container cargo transport caused by Hanjin Shipping Co.'s financial troubles.The banners and headbands read "Save Hanjin and Busan port". (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Hanjin's creditors rejected a rescue plan for the shipping company and refused to provide more funds. The move sent retailers and other companies worldwide scrambling to get at cargo on Hanjin vessels that have been stranded outside ports.

While Hanjin Shipping has over 6 trillion won ($5.5 billion) in debt, it also needs to pay mounting fees to resolve the cargo crisis that sent shockwaves to the global economy ahead of the fall shopping season. Hanjin Group, the parent of the cash-strapped ship liner, has promised $90 million to help relieve the cargo crisis by covering some of those costs.

Local media reports said Wednesday that a South Korean court has asked Hanjin Shipping's main creditor, the state-owned Korea Development Bank, for emergency funding.

Port workers in Busan and Hanjin Shipping labor union officials held rallies Wednesday, urging the government, creditors and Hanjin Group to save the shipping company.

Workers from port-related organizations in Busan city scuffle with police officers during a rally to plead with the government and creditors of Hanjin Shipping Co. to map out measures to save the troubled shipper in front of the Hajin group Chairman Cho Yang-ho's office in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Hanjin Group said Tuesday it will inject $90 million, including $36 million from its chairman Cho's personal assets, to help resolve disruptions to container cargo transport caused by Hanjin Shipping Co.'s financial troubles. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Workers from port-related organizations in Busan city scuffle with police officers during a rally to plead with the government and creditors of Hanjin Shipping Co. to map out measures to save the troubled shipper in front of the Hajin group Chairman Cho Yang-ho's office in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Hanjin Group said Tuesday it will inject $90 million, including $36 million from its chairman Cho's personal assets, to help resolve disruptions to container cargo transport caused by Hanjin Shipping's financial troubles. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A worker from a port-related organization in Busan city stands during a rally in front of a line of riot police to plead with the government and creditors of Hanjin Shipping Co. to map out measures to save the troubled shipper in front of the Hajin group Chairman Cho Yang-ho's office in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Hanjin Group said Tuesday it will inject $90 million, including $36 million from its chairman Cho's personal assets, to help resolve disruptions to container cargo transport caused by Hanjin Shipping's financial troubles. The headband reads "Save Hanjin." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Workers from port-related organizations in Busan city shout slogans during a rally to plead with the government and creditors of Hanjin Shipping Co. to map out measures to save the troubled shipper in front of the Hajin group Chairman Cho Yang-ho's office in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Hanjin Group said Tuesday it will inject $90 million, including $36 million from its chairman Cho's personal assets, to help resolve disruptions to container cargo transport caused by Hanjin Shipping's financial troubles. The banners and headbands read "Save Hanjin and Busan port." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Germany considers new charges against extremist suspect

BERLIN (AP)  German prosecutors say they're reopening their investigation of a man suspected of joining the Islamic State group after his name surfaced on one of the organization's recruitment questionnaire forms, leaked and published earlier this year.

Duesseldorf prosecutor Ralf Herrenbrueck told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper Wednesday that a slightly changed version of Ugur S.'s name and his correct birthday and date of travel appeared on one of the forms.

S., whose last name wasn't given in line with German privacy laws, was acquitted earlier this year of extremism-related charges for lack of evidence. Herrenbrueck, who couldn't immediately be reached for comment, says the case is now being examined by federal prosecutors to determine whether new charges can be brought.
The Latest: Newton loses steam in Southwest

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico (AP)  The Latest on tropical storm Newton as it moves over Mexico toward U.S. border (all times local):

1:55 p.m.

Tropical storm Newton appears to be packing less of a punch upon its arrival in the American Southwest from Mexico.

Two men shovel sand deposited by Hurricane Newton, from inside a restaurant in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 6 2016. Hurricane Newton shattered windows, downed trees and knocked out power in parts of the twin resorts of Los Cabos on Tuesday, but residents were spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when they were walloped by a monster storm. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque says western-central New Mexico is not getting the 3-4 inches of rain that forecasters initially feared would come Wednesday.

Meteorologist Kerry Jones says between 2-3 inches have fallen in Catron County's more mountainous areas.

But other areas have only received between half to three-quarters of an inch.

Jones says flash-flood warnings could be dropped late Wednesday.

Gov. Susana Martinez, however, activated the state's Emergency Operations Center in case of more severe storms.

Southern portions of the state were hit with heavy rains in the past two weeks.

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3:15 a.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Newton has made landfall on Mexico's mainland and weakened to a tropical storm on its way to the U.S. border with potentially dangerous rains for Arizona and New Mexico.

The storm's maximum sustained winds early Wednesday are near 70 mph (110 kph) with rapid weakening expected as the center moves inland.

The storm is centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) southeast of Bahia Kino, Mexico, and is moving north near 17 mph (28 kph). The Hurricane Center says Newton's forecast track will take it into southeastern Arizona in the afternoon.

It's the second landfall for Newton. The storm came ashore near Mexico's Los Cabos resorts Tuesday morning as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 90 mph (150 kph).

Firemen removed a palm tree felled by Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. Newton slammed into the twin resorts of Los Cabos on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula Tuesday morning, knocking out power in some places as stranded tourists huddled in their hotels. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

People help a tourist move his car after it became stuck in the sand, after the passing of Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. Hurricane Newton shattered windows, downed trees and knocked out power in parts of the twin resorts of Los Cabos on Tuesday, but residents were spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when they were walloped by a monster storm. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A couple walks next to an advertisement toppled by Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday Sept. 6, 2016. Hurricane Newton shattered windows, downed trees and knocked out power in parts of the twin resorts of Los Cabos on Tuesday, but residents were spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when they were walloped by a monster storm. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A man recovers belongings after the passing of Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. Newton slammed into the twin resorts of Los Cabos on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula Tuesday morning, knocking out power in some places as stranded tourists huddled in their hotels. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A couple of persons work on sweeping the debris left by Hurricane Newton in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tuesday Sept. 6, 2016. Hurricane Newton shattered windows, downed trees and knocked out power in parts of the twin resorts of Los Cabos on Tuesday, but residents were spared the kind of extensive damage seen two years ago when they were walloped by a monster storm. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Austria probes alleged Turkish cyberattack on Vienna airport

VIENNA (AP)  Austrian police investigating a failed cyberattack on Vienna's airport say they are looking into the authenticity of a claim of responsibility from a Turkish nationalist group.

The hacker group "Aslan Neferler Tim" or "Lion Soldiers Team" says it launched last week's attack in response to the "racism" of airport authorities.

The group's tweet was alluding to the refusal of officials to issue a group of Turkish nationals emergency visas that would have allowed them to leave the airport and overnight in a hotel after their flight was grounded for technical reasons

The hackers describe themselves as responding to attacks against "Islam and the (Turkish) nation." Austria wants the EU to break off membership negotiations with Turkey.
10 Things to Know for Thursday - 8 September 2016

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Thursday:

1. TRUMP PROMISES HUGE BOOST IN MILITARY SPENDING

The GOP candidate's plan calls for major increases in the number of active troops, fighter planes, Navy ships and submarines.

The new Apple AirPods are demonstrated during an event to announce new products on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

2. KERRY, LAVROV AGREE TO TALKS ON SYRIA

The U.S. secretary of state and Russian foreign minister will meet for extended discussions on ending the 5-year-old civil war.

3. WHAT'S COME AS A SURPRISE TO ECONOMISTS

Fear of a meltdown was the biggest weapon in the campaign to stop Britain from leaving the EU. But so far the economic indicators have been stable.

4. SAY GOODBYE TO THE IPHONE'S HEADPHONE JACK

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus won't have the analog jack that's been a staple for decades in just about every consumer electronics device that can play audio.

5. STRENGTH OF OKLAHOMA EARTHQUAKE UPGRADED

A new measurement puts the weekend temblor at magnitude 5.8  the most powerful quake ever recorded in the state.

6. WHO'S STEPPING DOWN IN WAKE OF TRUMP VISIT

One of President Enrique Pena Nieto's closest advisers resigns in a move seen as linked to the unpopular decision to invite the billionaire businessman to Mexico.

7. YOSEMITE ADDING 400 ACRES OF MEADOWS, FOREST

It's the national park's largest expansion in nearly 70 years. Officials say the new land will be preserved as habitat for protected wildlife.

8. WHICH COUPLES ARE SPLITTING MORE OFTEN

The divorce rate among U.S. adults ages 50 and older doubled between 1990 and 2010, a study shows.

9. 'EAT PRAY LOVE' AUTHOR GOES PUBLIC WITH RELATIONSHIP

Elizabeth Gilbert, who split from her husband in July, says she's in love with her best friend, a woman who was recently diagnosed with incurable cancer.

10. ANDY MURRAY BOUNCED OUT AT US OPEN

The No. 2 seed drops seven consecutive games after a let call caused by a loud noise in the arena's speaker system, and loses in five sets to Kei Nishikori.

This undated photo provided by The Trust for Public Land shows Ackerson Meadow in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Visitors to the park now have more room to explore nature with the announcement on Wed. Sept. 7, 2016 that the park's western boundary has expanded to include Ackerson Meadow, 400 acres of tree-covered Sierra Nevada foothills, grassland and a creek that flows into the Tuolumne River. This is the park's biggest expansion in nearly 70 years, and will serve as wildlife habitat. (Robb Hirsch/The Trust for Public Land via AP)
Hungarian camerawoman indicted for 2015 assault on migrants

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP)  The camerawoman who was filmed kicking and trying to trip migrants near Hungary's border with Serbia in September 2015 has been indicted for breaching the peace, Hungarian prosecutors said Wednesday.

Petra Laszlo, who later apologized for her actions while also trying to justify them, was fired by the right-wing N1TV after footage of her actions went viral on social media.

Laszlo said at the time that she panicked as refugees and migrants broke through police lines near her position and she felt under attack. She kicked a boy and a girl and later tried to trip a man carrying a boy.

FILE - In this Tuesday Sept. 8, 2015 file photo taken from TV, a Hungarian camerawoman, center left in blue, kicks out at a young migrant who had just crossed the border from Serbia near Roszke Hungary. Petra Laszlo, the camerawoman who was filmed kicking and trying to trip migrants near Hungarys border with Serbia in September 2015 has been indicted for breaching the peace, Hungarian prosecutors said Wednesday Sept. 7, 2016. (Index.Hu. via AP/File) HUNGARY OUT

Laszlo later told Russian newspaper Izvestia that her life was "ruined" by the incidents which took place Sept. 8, 2015, and she was considering moving to Russia.

Gabor Laszlo, the camerawoman's husband, said in an email that on the advice of their lawyer, they would have no comment until the court's verdict. The trial will be held in the southern city of Szeged.

Zsolt Kopasz, the chief prosecutor of Csongrad County, said in a statement that after a thorough investigation, it was determined that there was no "reasonable chance" for Laszlo's actions "to cause injury."

"No data emerged which would have indicated that the conducts of the accused were motivated by ethnic considerations or by the migrant status of the victims," Kopasz said.

The man Laszlo tried to trip, and who fell while trying to pull away from police at the border, was later identified as Osama Abdul Mohsen, a soccer coach from Syria. He and part of his family settled in Spain, where he was working for a Spanish soccer club.
What a contrast: Obama's soft diplomacy, Trump's brash style

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP)  President Barack Obama sipped from a coconut Wednesday on the banks of the Mekong River. He pattered through a Buddhist temple in his socks. He led his motorcade through a lush mountain city popular with backpackers and ex-pats and ruminated on multiculturalism and his childhood in Indonesia.

If there was a single day that demonstrated just how different Obama is from Donald Trump this might have been it.

Presidential trips can be mobile personality tests, character-revealing for the leader driving the show. Obama's valedictory tour through Asia this week  a roller coaster of legacy-burnishing moments, snafus, diplomatic misses and adventurous tourism  has been no different. It's repeatedly displayed the president's cool head, his diminishing celebrity, his global worldview and his post-presidency dreams for what he's said could be a life with more "relaxed" travel.

U.S. President Barack Obama drinks from a fresh coconut along the banks of the Mekong River in the Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

But this trip has also shed light on one of the contenders for the job. From across the Pacific, Trump has shadowed Obama with characteristically blunt and mocking criticism of the president's bruising moments. And he's made clear that where Obama runs cool, he would run hot.

Even where Trump has been quiet, the comparisons are inevitable and striking.

On Wednesday, Obama, the cerebral son of an anthropologist, quietly studied Buddhist statues in a centuries-old temple in Luang Prabang, the northern Lao city Obama made his second stop in a historic first presidential trip to impoverished, landlocked Laos. As required, Obama left his shoes at the door. He later popped out of the motorcade for a staged stop at a coconut stand in a dusty, busy shopping district. Before entering a tiny gift shop adorned with paper lanterns he bowed his head, hands pressed together in the traditional greeting.

The president cast the trip as a return to his childhood in Indonesia,

"It's very familiar to me," he told a group of young people from across Southeast Asia. That was at a town hall meeting where he espoused the benefits of multiculturalism and chided Americans for too much looking inward.

"If you are the United States, sometimes you can feel lazy and think, you know, 'we're so big, we don't really have to know anything about other people,'" Obama said, adding that Americans will be left behind if they follow a path of cultural isolation.

Obama views this outreach as part of a soft-diplomacy campaign to win young people's affection for the U.S. across a region he considers critical to putting a check on Chinese dominance. He made a point of telling the audience that he was raised in part in Indonesia. Laos, he said, "reminds me of my childhood."

Trump, the brash son of a big-city builder, has shown no signs of prioritizing such Obama-style soft diplomacy.

On his only foray on the global stage of the campaign, Trump zipped to Mexico City for a trip that lasted only a couple of hours. He did no sightseeing nor made any other effort to examine the country's culture.

Trump's personal travels have largely consisted of extensive trips for business, which includes golf courses, properties and other projects across the world. But the self-proclaimed clean freak has long bragged about his aversion to vacations, outside of time spent at his own luxury resorts, golfing at his golf clubs and retreating to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida in the winter.

But Trump's most striking contrast may be in how he deals with the leaders on the world stage. The Republican made clear earlier this week he wouldn't have tolerated the tarmac trouble Obama endured, when Air Force One landed Hangzhou, China, last week for a summit and wasn't met by the usual lofty staircase. Obama exited from a rear door.

White House officials cast the incident as a snafu. Trump said it was snub. He said he would have turned the plane around.

That sort of impulsiveness would certainly add a new element of unpredictability to world affairs and diplomacy. Obama has shown no such appetite for drama. Even this week, when Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called the president a "son of bitch" ahead of a meeting, Obama played it cool. His canceled a sit-down with the new president, but met with him later, privately, ahead of a dinner for leaders at a regional summit in Vientiane.

Obama spent three hours at the dinner, where he and the leaders wore matching silk shirts, posed for group "family photos" and sat through a performance of traditional dance. Trump has suggested he won't be game for that sort of ceremony.

"We should be eating a hamburger on a conference table," he's said of the expense and ceremony of state dinners.

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Jill Colvin in Washington and Josh Lederman in Vientiane, Laos, contributed to this report.

U.S. President Barack Obama is given flowers as he arrives on Air Force One at the Luang Prabang International Airport, in Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, en route to Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

U.S. President Barack Obama pauses in the Ho Raj Rod, or Carriage House, as he tours the Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks to an audience during the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) town hall meeting at Souphanouvong University in Luang Prabang, Laos on Wednesday, September 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)
Police video shows slaying suspect breaking cuffs, escaping

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP)  A police chief showed video Wednesday of a Nevada homicide suspect breaking a set of handcuffs before climbing onto a chair to remove a ceiling tile and escape from a North Las Vegas police interview room.

Alonso Perez is seen twisting and muscling the hinge of the handcuffs attaching his right wrist to a metal bar on a table bolted to the floor of the North Las Vegas police office he escaped last Friday.

"He torques it to the point, using some of his body weight, that it snaps the hinges," Police Chief Alexander Perez said. The police chief and the suspect are not related.

This Friday, Sept. 2, 2016 photo provided by the North Las Vegas Police Department shows Alonso Perez handcuffed to a table in a police interview room where he was awaiting questioning in a homicide investigation. On Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, authorities said he remained on the loose, four days after he broke his metal handcuffs and escaped from custody. (North Las Vegas Police Department via AP)

In the video, Alonso Perez returns to his seat, where the police chief said he sat calmly with his wrist on the bar when a police detective checked on him. When he was alone again, Alonso Perez climbed into the ceiling to make his escape.

It was another 25 minutes before detectives realized he was gone, the police chief said.

Alonso Perez was still wearing ankle chains and the broken cuff on his right wrist when he dropped back down from the ceiling into a hallway, exited a door and stole a work truck that had been left idling in a nearby parking lot, Alexander Perez said.

Police said a witness told investigators he thought the truck thief was limping.

The truck, emblazoned with a rental company name, was recovered a few hours later abandoned in a neighborhood several miles east of downtown Las Vegas.

That wasn't far from where the 25-year-old suspect was re-arrested late Tuesday, when police and FBI agents arrived at an apartment not far from where the truck had been found, the police chief said.

Alonso Perez didn't resist arrest, and the police chief said another person in the apartment wasn't charged with a crime.

Alonso Perez, who also uses the name Alfonso Perez, is the suspect in the Aug. 27 shooting death of Mohammed Robinson outside a McDonald's restaurant in North Las Vegas.

Alonso Perez wasn't armed when he was arrested, and wasn't still wearing the handcuff and ankle chains. The police chief said detectives are still looking for the weapon believed to have been used in the slaying.

Witnesses have said the fatal argument began with angry words about Robinson not holding a door open for a woman.

Perez was held overnight at the Clark County jail in Las Vegas pending court appearances Thursday on use of a firearm, assault and domestic battery charges in a separate case, according to court records. It wasn't immediately clear if he had a lawyer.

Murder, use of a firearm, escape and auto theft charges were added Wednesday, the police chief said. Alonzo could face an initial court appearance on those charges Friday.

The police chief said the escape involving broken handcuffs from a police interview room was the first in his 25 years as an officer in North Las Vegas. He said an internal investigation is looking at mistakes made. The detectives handling the interview on Friday are still on the case.

But the chief said he has already ordered one policy change for when detainees are left alone in interview rooms. "Someone will monitor the video at all times," he said.

The escape was the second reported this year from a police station in the Las Vegas area.

In April, Ivan Mayoral-Lizarraga fled from a Las Vegas police substation during questioning in a stolen vehicle investigation. He was arrested about two weeks later, and pleaded guilty to felony home invasion, assault with a weapon and escape charges. Mayoral-Lizarraga is serving two to five years in state prison.

This undated jail booking photo provided by the North Las Vegas Police Department shows Alonso Perez, 25. A police chief showed video Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, of the Nevada homicide suspect breaking a set of handcuffs before climbing onto a chair to remove a ceiling tile and escape from a North Las Vegas police interview room last Friday. Perez was re-arrested late Tuesday, when police and FBI agents arrived at an apartment not far from where the stolen truck he abandoned earlier had been found, the police chief said. (The North Las Vegas Police Department via AP)

North Las Vegas Police Chief Alex Perez holds a news conference Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in North Las Vegas, Nev. Chief Alex Perez spoke about Alonso Perez, a homicide suspect who had been on the loose for more than four days after breaking his handcuffs and escaping police custody. (AP Photo/John Locher)

This undated jail booking photo provided by the North Las Vegas Police Department shows Alonso Perez, 25. Police say Perez, who also uses the name Alfonso Perez, is a homicide suspect who escaped from custody at a police detective bureau while awaiting questioning about the Aug. 27, 2016, shooting death of a 31-year-old man at a McDonald's restaurant. Authorities said Saturday, Sept. 4 that the Ford F-150 pickup truck had been found but Alonso Perez remains on the loose. Perez is described as Hispanic, 6-foot-3 and having a goatee. He also has an "Air Jordan" tattoo on his neck. (The North Las Vegas Police Department via AP)
China to assist Kyrgyzstan with embassy attack investigation

BEIJING (AP)  China said Wednesday that it would assist Kyrgyzstan in apprehending those behind a suicide car bombing on the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek last week that has been blamed on members of a group seeking independence for China's far western region of Xinjiang.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing has been providing help to its Central Asian neighbor throughout the investigation into the Aug. 30 incident, which killed the bomber and injured three embassy employees.

"China will continue to support Kyrgyzstan with utmost effort to thoroughly investigate the incident and bring the assailant to justice," Hua said.

Kyrgyz authorities identified the attacker as a member of the Turkic Muslim Uighur (pronounced WEE-gur) minority group native to Xinjiang. It said he was a member of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, acting on the orders of Uighur militants in Syria linked to the al-Nusra Front, which has ties to al-Qaida.

Hua said China would further boost anti-terror cooperation with the international community, including Kyrgyzstan, "in a bid to maintain the peace and tranquility of every nation in the world, including China."

Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked former Soviet republic, has a predominantly Muslim population that is considered moderate in outlook, along with a large exile Uighur population.

The Chinese regularly have blamed separatists and religious extremists for attacks in Xinjiang and elsewhere in China. Al-Qaida and the Islamic State group also have threatened to attack Chinese targets in retaliation for alleged repression of Uighurs and other Chinese Muslims.
Myanmar's Rohingya minority welcomes Kofi Annan mission

SITTWE, Myanmar (AP)  Members of Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority expressed hope Wednesday that a visiting panel led by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan will help end the discrimination and violence they face at the hands of the country's Buddhist majority.

Annan is a member of an independent commission set up last month by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi's government to help find solutions to a communal conflict in the western state of Rakhine that has seen widespread abuses and violence by Buddhists against Rohingya.

Many Buddhists in Rakhine and across Myanmar consider Rohingya to be Bangladeshis living in the country illegally, though the ethnic group has been in Myanmar for generations. Hundreds of Rohingya were killed and tens of thousands forced to flee their homes in 2012 unrest in Rakhine state, and many continue to be confined to squalid camps there.

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, second left, listens to a Rohingya religious and community leader as he is explained the situation in the Internally Displaced People's camps as the Rakhine Advisory Commission visits a camp in Thetkabyin village, outside Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state. Annan is visiting as part of a commission set up last month to help find solutions to "protracted issues" in western Rakhine state, where human rights groups have documented widespread abuses by majority Rakhine Buddhists against minority Rohingya Muslims. (AP Photo/Esther Htusan)

Rohingya residents, including community leaders who met Wednesday with Annan, said they have faith in the nine-member advisory commission headed by the former U.N. chief. Members of the Rakhine community, however, protested Annan's arrival Tuesday, saying they oppose foreign meddling.

Annan on Wednesday visited the Rohingya community in the Aung Mingalar quarter of Sittwe, where Muslims are kept in a gated area and not allowed to go outside. Annan later visited Rakhine and Rohingya camps in Thetkabyin village outside of Sittwe. More than 100,000 people in Rakhine state live in displacement camps, the majority of them Rohingya who were forced to flee their homes after the 2012 rioting. Outbreaks of violence directed by Buddhists against Muslims later spread to some other areas of Myanmar, but were generally contained.

Journalists were not allowed to attend the community meetings, but some people who participated described them afterward.

Aung Thein, a leader of the Aung Mingalar community, said the commission members spoke of their ideas for Rakhine's future and hopes for cooperation from all sides.

"We trust this commission. We trust any organization that is trying to help us here and we welcome them here," he said.

A fellow community leader, Hla Kyaw, said he believes Annan's panel "will be a fair commission because they have included Buddhists and Muslims in the commission. What we want is to live together as brothers and sisters in this community. We don't know if the Rakhine community will ever accept living together as before."

"Because of the conflict, we have been suffering for more than four years," he said. "We really welcome that Kofi Annan is leading the Rakhine Commission and we trust that they will be able to solve the long, complex situation here."

In a six-day trip, the commission is supposed to address human rights, ensuring humanitarian assistance, rights and reconciliation, establishing basic infrastructure and promoting long-term development plans.

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan greets Rohingya community leaders as he arrives to the Internally Displaced People's camp in Thetkabyin village, outside Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Annan is visiting as part of a commission set up last month to help find solutions to "protracted issues" in western Rakhine state, where human rights groups have documented widespread abuses by majority Rakhine Buddhists against minority Rohingya Muslims. (AP Photo/Esther Htusan)

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, second left, listens to a Rohingya religious and community leader as he is explained the situation in the Internally Displaced People's camps as the Rakhine Advisory Commission visits a camp in Thetkabyin village, outside Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state. Annan is visiting as part of a commission set up last month to help find solutions to "protracted issues" in western Rakhine state, where human rights groups have documented widespread abuses by majority Rakhine Buddhists against minority Rohingya Muslims. (AP Photo/Esther Htusan)
Couple held after gas canisters found near Paris' Notre Dame

PARIS (AP)  A criminal terrorist investigation has been opened in Paris following the discovery of a car parked near Notre Dame Cathedral with seven gas canisters and pages written in Arabic inside, prosecutors said.

The Paris prosecutor's office revealed Wednesday that a couple it described as radicalized a 34-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman was arrested a day earlier and transferred to Paris to be questioned in the case.

The car found near the famous cathedral on Sunday morning had its license plates removed and hazard lights on. That evening, its owner went to the police to report that his is radicalized daughter was missing but without saying his car had also disappeared, the prosecutor's office said.

FILE - In this March 27, 2016 file photo, a French Police officer stands guards as worshipers arrive for the Easter mass at Notre Dame Cathedral, in Paris. Police officials say Wednesday Sept. 7, 2016 a terrorism investigation is under way into seven gas canisters found in a car parked near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The car was discovered Sunday morning along the Seine River, with no one inside and no license plates but with the hazard lights on, the officials said Wednesday (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

Police briefly detained and questioned the car owner before letting him go, the prosecutor's office said. His daughter still is being sought, the office said.

The man and woman arrested in a highway rest area near the southern town of Orange on Tuesday already were known by French security services for their alleged links with "radical Islamism," prosecutors said.

The prosecutor's office would not say why investigators suspect them in the case nor whether the couple might have been in contact with the car owner's daughter.

The papers written in Arabic are being analyzed, the prosecutor's office said.

It said it has opened an investigation under suspicion of a "criminal terrorist association".

Two others officials, speaking on condition of anonymity since the investigation is ongoing, said an employee of a bar near Notre Dame Cathedral flagged the car Sunday morning as it was parked along the Seine River.

No one was inside, but police found six canisters filled with gas in the trunk and an empty canister on one of the seats.

No detonator or ignition materials were found in the car, the prosecutor's office said.

In addition to the car owner, three other people were briefly detained and questioned in the case before being released, it said. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said it still was not clear why the car was abandoned or what the alleged intentions were of those under arrest.

Cazeneuve said there have been 260 arrests linked to extremist networks since the beginning of the year "and a significant number of these people were preparing attacks."

In a an interview with Le Monde newspaper earlier this week, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said an increasing number of teenage girls have been radicalized, with "very worrying profiles," ''very harsh personalities" and "sometimes terrorist plans that, intellectually, start to be brought to completion."

Molins said 35 minors  23 boys and 12 girls  are being investigated under preliminary charges, nine of whom have been detained.

France is on alert after a deadly string of Islamic State group attacks and threats against landmarks.

Algeria-linked extremists used gas canisters filled with nails during attacks on Paris in the 1990s.

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Poland probes financial scam that could see Tusk testify

WARSAW, Poland (AP)  A Polish parliamentary commission on Wednesday opened an investigation into one of the country's biggest financial scams that could see Donald Tusk  the former prime minister and current European Union president  called on to testify.

The scam was operated between 2009 and 2012 by a couple and deprived 19,000 people  many of them elderly  of savings worth some 850 million zlotys ($219 million).

The committee plans to question state authorities of the time. Observers say that could include Tusk, who led the government at the time. The parliamentary commission is led by a member of the ruling conservative Law and Justice party, rival to Tusk's party.

Members of Poland's special parliamentary commission that is to investigate a 2009-2012 major financial scam are gathered for the first session in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. The 'Amber Gold' pyramid scheme, which deprived some 19,000 people of savings worth some 850 million zlotys (US dollar 219 million). Observers say European Council President Donald Tusk, who was Poland's prime minister then, could be asked to testify. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Its findings could lead prosecutors to open new investigations into the scam.

Law and Justice, which took power in the fall, blames Tusk and his government for many social ills, such as an inefficient legal system and uneven economic development across the country.

The "Amber Gold" financial scam was a pyramid scheme that exemplifies these ills, the party leaders say. In its electoral campaign the Law and Justice vowed to bring those guilty to account.

The married couple who ran the scheme, identified only as Marcin P. and Katarzyna P., are on trial.

People were lured by promises of 10 percent or more interest on their deposits. They were put off guard by the fact that the nicely-looking "Amber Gold" offices were often located next door to respectable banks, while its ads resembled those of existing financial institutions.

Commission head Malgorzata Wasserman said the investigation's aim is to determine why government, banking, justice and security authorities failed to stop the scheme or effectively warn citizens against it.

Marcin P. had a number of suspended sentences for fraud before he started the "Amber Gold" scam and it remains to be explained why he had not been put in prison then.
Officer shot 7 times cleared to return to full police duty

PHILADELPHIA (AP)  Police say an officer shot seven times near Philadelphia earlier this summer has been cleared to return to duty.

Christopher Dorman was shot in the face, leg and groin in Folcroft while responding to a report of a possible drug deal in June.

The Folcroft Police Department tweeted on Tuesday that he has been cleared to return to full police duty. His first shift is scheduled for Friday night.

Dorman and another officer received Commendations for Valor last month for acting courageously without regard for their own safety while battling with an armed adversary.

Donte Island faces charges including attempted murder and aggravated assault in the shooting. He remains jailed. A hearing in his case is planned later this month.
Laos temple town excited it's on world map with Obama visit

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP)  Growing up in Wisconsin, Son Inthachith's classmates in school had no idea where his native Laos was. Thanks to President Barack Obama, not only is the little landlocked country on the world map but so is Inthachith's sleepy hometown of Luang Prabang.

The town of about 50,000 people, known to a relatively small number of international tourists for its stunning temples and quaint streets, welcomed Obama on Wednesday as he made a side trip from the capital, Vientiane, where he is attending a regional summit on Thursday.

"President Obama is giving Laos the highlight it needs," Inthachith, 42, said, choking up with emotion. "I think it's going to bring more investment, more people interested."

U.S. President Barack Obama walks from Sim, or main building, which houses a large Buddha statue, with Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs Luang Prabang Mrs. Vanpheng Keopannha, as he tours the Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Inthachith left Laos as a boy and ended up in Madison, Wisconsin, part of a post-Vietnam War refugee exodus from the communist nation. But he returned to Luang Prabang in 2006 to start a company that connects visiting students with volunteer rural development projects.

During the war the U.S. secretly bombed Laos in an attempt to destroy communist trails from neighboring Vietnam. More bombs were dropped on the country than on Germany and Japan combined in World War II.

Obama visited Wat Xieng Thong, or Temple of the Golden City, a tourist destination because of its architecture, history and artwork. Construction of the temple began in the 16th century, when Luang Prabang was the seat of Lao royalty. It remained under royal patronage until 1975, when the monarchy was abolished.

Inside the temple grounds is a large golden barge, adorned with golden dragons at the bow. Obama looked in awe at the structure, staring straight at the dragon's mouth. Then he walked to the back wall of the temple to look at a line of large golden statues.

"It's gorgeous," he said.

Obama also held a town-hall meeting with 350 young leaders from the 10 countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, which is hosting him at Thursday's summit.

The hour-long question and answer session that followed was remarkable for Laos, where top officials in the one-party state are inaccessible and not answerable to the common people. Even the open expression of opinions and free questioning of leaders is unheard of.

Chan Ti Da, 22, was excited at being in the same room as Obama, even though she didn't get called on to ask a question. The Vientiane resident said Obama's emphasis on youth was striking.

"I am so very proud that he is the president of the USA but he also cares about youth to be the priority to develop the country," she said.

Ret Thaung, 28, of Cambodia was inspired by hearing Obama address how to balance environmental and economic concerns  an ongoing fight for her and a conservation group she belongs to, Fauna & Flora International. Biodiversity conservation can be a tough slog, but Thaung said "the U.S. could influence my government to be way more eco-friendly."

Thaung's work involves protecting endangered Asian elephants. When she was told that Obama joked about riding an elephant  a practice some consider abusive  during his Vientiane speech Tuesday, she replied, "We're trying to (create) awareness (among) people not to ride elephants."

U.S. President Barack Obama stands before temple monks with Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs Luang Prabang Mrs. Vanpheng Keopannha as he tours the Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

U.S. President Barack Obama walks through Ho Raj Rod, or Carriage House, as he tours the Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

U.S. President Barack Obama pauses in the Ho Raj Rod, or Carriage House, as he tours the Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

U.S. President Barack Obama looks to audience members seating behind him on stage as he speaks during town hall with Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) at Souphanouvong University in Luang Prabang, Laos, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
US says strikes kill 4 al-Shabab members in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP)  The U.S. military says it killed four members of the extremist group al-Shabab during a counterterrorism operation in Somalia this week.

The U.S. Africa Command says Monday's strikes came in response to an attack by a "large group of armed al-Shabab fighters" on the joint operation by the U.S. and Somalia.

The U.S. says the two strikes near Tortoroow were made in self-defense.

The United States has used drone strikes against al-Shabab in this Horn of Africa country. The U.S. earlier this year confirmed that a drone strike killed senior al-Shabab military commander Abdullahi Haji Da'ud in May.
Official: Georgia officer shoots suspect after being stabbed

ALBANY, Ga. (AP)  Authorities in southwest Georgia say a police officer shot an assailant after being stabbed while responding to a call about a suspicious person.

Albany police spokeswoman Phyllis Banks said in an emailed statement that the officer and suspect were taken to a local hospital Wednesday morning. She did not say how badly either person was injured.

Banks said the officer was dispatched after someone reported a suspicious person at about 5 a.m. Wednesday. She said the officer was stabbed by a person with an unknown object and the officer then shot the attacker.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to investigate. GBI spokesman Scott Dutton said he did not immediately know the conditions of the officer or suspect.
Austria threatens Hungary with court action over migrants

VIENNA (AP)  With Austria's limit on asylum seekers nearing, its interior minister threatened Wednesday to take Hungary to the EU's highest court over refusal by Budapest to accept migrants turned back by his country.

Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka's comments marked a sharp turn in Austrian tactics, reflecting the failure of months of attempts by his country to persuade Hungary to accept migrant returns.

The warning comes as Austria's government moves closer to passing a law that would shut its borders to asylum seekers once their number reaches 37,500 this year. Government statistics show nearly 29,000 people had applied for asylum in Austria this year by the end of July.

Sobotka suggested that unless Hungary changes its mind, Austria would go to the International Court of Justice over the issue. He told state broadcaster ORF that any country "permanently breaking the law (must) ... reckon with consequences."

EU law says that refugees are the responsibility of the member country where they first entered Europe. But that rule has been suspended for Greece, the point of arrival for most migrants, because the court has ruled that overcrowding and other conditions there do not meet human rights standards.

Hungarian officials say, however, that returnees who entered Austria from their country are not their concern, citing the rule mandating that countries of first entry are accountable.

The draft law that would cap the number of migrants allowed to seek asylum this year at 37,500 was finalized Tuesday and now will undergo a four-week review period by NGOs and rights organizations before it is put to a parliamentary vote by the center-left government. Parliamentary approval is expected.
US Coast Guard searches for cruise ship passenger in Bahamas

MIAMI (AP)  Authorities searched in the Bahamas for a U.S. citizen who went overboard from a cruise ship before dawn Wednesday.

The U.S. Coast Guard said Rina Patel, 32, of Interlaken, New York, had been on the 11th deck of the Carnival Ecstasy as the ship passed near the island of Grand Bahama.

Carnival Cruise Line reported she apparently jumped overboard. A statement from the company said emergency procedures were initiated immediately and the crew began to search for the woman.

Coast Guard aircraft and two ships were searching an area about 27 miles (about 43 kilometers) southwest of Grand Bahama.
Scientists in the UK discuss sex robots and digital intimacy

LONDON (AP)  Sex robots  discuss. That is precisely what scientists and academics are doing at a British conference also covering all-too-modern issues like digital intimacy and older Facebook users.

The Human Choice & Computers conference in Manchester starting Wednesday is focusing on the "constantly evolving intimate relationships" between humans and technology.

University of Oslo Professor Charles Ess says social robots, such as mechanical dolls, "may well be able to offer good sex on demand." But adds that human virtues need to be cultivated "to avoid becoming identical with the machines that serve us."
6 suspected militants killed in Russia's Dagestan

MAKHACHKALA, Russia (AP)  The Russian interior ministry says six people have been killed in the restive region of Dagestan in clashes with security forces.

Police spokeswoman Fatina Ubaidatova said Wednesday three suspected militants were killed in the region's capital, Makhachkala, and three more in the town of Izberbash, southeast of Makhachkala. Residents were evacuated from residential buildings in both towns where the suspects had holed up and opened fire with automatic weapons on the police.

The dead militants were suspected of various crimes including an attack on patrol officers and an attempt to blow up a railroad, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said in a statement.
Police: Man hits girlfriend for refusing tattoo of his name

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP)  Police say an Iowa man attacked his girlfriend with a hammer because she refused to let him tattoo his name on her chest.

The Sioux City Journal reports (http://bit.ly/2cqzDyG ) that 28-year-old Jonathan Michael Boggs has been charged with aggravated domestic assault and going armed with intent.

Police say Boggs of Sioux City had been dating the woman for about a month when, on Friday, he suggested the tattoo. She refused, an argument ensued and she tried to leave the house. Boggs stopped her from leaving, threatened to kill her with a hammer then assaulted her with the tool.

Boggs was being held Tuesday in the Woodbury County Jail on $10,000 bond. His lawyer did not respond to a call Wednesday morning seeking comment.

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The Latest: Emails show Powell advising Clinton on emails

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Latest on the U.S. presidential race (all times EDT):

10 p.m.

The top Democrat on the House Oversight committee has released a 2009 email exchange in which former Secretary of State Colin Powell advised Hillary Clinton on the use of personal email.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks with 'Today' show co-anchor Matt Lauer at the NBC Commander-In-Chief Forum held at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier Intrepid, New York, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The exchange occurred two days after Clinton was sworn in as secretary of state.

Powell wrote that he had "a personal computer that was hooked up to a private phone line ... so I could communicate with a wide range of friends directly without it going through the State Department servers."

Powell said he "even used it to do business with some foreign leaders."

Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland released the email on the eve of a House Oversight hearing in which Republicans are expected to focus on Clinton's use of a private email server.

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8:57 p.m.

Donald Trump says, falsely, that a court system "almost doesn't exist" in the military.

The Republican presidential candidate knocked the military's judicial system when asked his plan to reduce sexual assaults in the military.

In fact, the U.S. military has an extensive justice system that has its roots in the U.S. Constitution. The individual branches of the military have their own police and investigative and prosecution services, and they enforce a set of laws known as the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Critics have said the military's justice system has poorly served victims of sexual assault, but it is not true that system practically "doesn't exist" as Trump said.

He said that "nobody gets prosecuted" in the current system. And he vowed to come down "very very hard" on the issue.

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8:55 p.m.

Donald Trump says that he's studying up on foreign policy to prepare for the complex issues he'll face if he's elected president  but he didn't say how.

Trump said during a presidential forum Wednesday night that that he's spending "a lot" of time preparing and "doing a lot of things."

He says he's been "meeting constantly" with people, including generals, and says he thinks he's "learned a lot."

He also says he has "a common sense" that will help him make decisions on foreign policy.

Trump also notes that he's been partly running his business while campaigning and has "a lot of hats right now."

He insists he'll be prepared on Day One, "one hundred percent."

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8:54 p.m.

Republican nominee Donald Trump is once against praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him a "leader" and saying Putin has "great control over his country."

Trump was asked at a presidential forum how he would de-escalate tensions between the U.S. and Russia if he's elected to the White House.

Trump says he thinks he'd "have a very good relationship with many foreign leaders," including Putin.

Trump has been criticized in the past for seeming to heap praise on Putin and other strongmen. But Trump was unapologetic on Wednesday night, saying he was happy to take a compliment from Putin. He says if Putin "says great things about me, I'm going to say great things about him." Trump added, however, that Putin's compliments would not influence his decision making as president.

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8:48 p.m.

Donald Trump says he was shocked by one thing he learned at a classified intelligence briefing  but he won't say what it was.

The Republican presidential nominee said at Wednesday's national security forum that he has learned that leading Democrats "did exactly the opposite" of what experts recommended in several instances. He said he did not learn anything, however, that changes the way he viewed his policies.

Presidential nominees in both parties get regular intelligence briefings to ensure they're prepared to serve as commander in chief immediately if elected.

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8:41 p.m.

Republican Donald Trump says he has regrets as a politician.

He wishes he had won the Republican presidential nomination "in a nicer manner." But he says voters shouldn't worry about his temperament or judgment as commander in chief.

The Republican presidential nominee made the comments during Wednesday night's forum on national security.

He cited his recent trip to Mexico as an example of his ability to serve as commander in chief.

He noted that the Mexican officials who arranged the trip were forced out of government in recent days. He saw that as a good thing. He said, "That's how well we did."

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8:39 p.m.

Donald Trump is once again incorrectly claiming that he was opposed to the war with Iraq before the invasion.

Trump said during a presidential forum Wednesday that he was "totally against the war in Iraq" because he worried it would destabilize the Middle East.

That position is contradicted by an interview Trump did with Howard Stern in September 2002. He said then that he supported the invasion, saying: "Yeah, I guess so."

The GOP nominee was also asked what experience he's had to prepare him to serve as commander in chief.

Trump says he's "built a great company" with plenty of international experience.

He adds: "I think the main thing is I have great judgment."

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8:31 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is promising never again to send ground troops into Iraq.

The Democratic presidential nominee said the same of Syria.

Clinton made the comments during a Wednesday night forum on national security.

She noted that roughly 200,000 troops were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan when she took over as secretary of state.

She declared, "We are not putting ground troops into Iraq ever again."

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8:29 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is again saying that her vote in favor of the Iraq war was a mistake. But she's arguing that her opponent has not taken responsibility for his support of the war.

At an NBC "commander-in-chief" forum Wednesday, the Democratic nominee stressed that her 2002 vote was a mistake and said it was important to learn from it. She also asked to be judged on her entire record and argued that Republican Donald Trump had also voiced support for the war at the time, but "refuses to take responsibility."

Asked about whether her "hawkish" foreign policy, Clinton also said that she views "force as a last resort, not a first choice." She also again argued that she and Trump held similar positions in the past on Libya, saying that taking action in that country was the right decision.

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8:27 p.m.

Hillary Clinton says she has a comprehensive plan to cut down on the epidemic of soldier and veteran suicides.

Speaking at a presidential candidates' focum, Clinton says. "We've got to remove the stigma" of mental health problems.

She says she wants to assure people serving that reporting a menatl health issue won't be a black mark against them.

And she says more also has to be done to combat drug and alcohol addiction.

The Democratic nominee is also assuring that she'll do more to improve veterans' healthcare.

She says, "I'm going to focus on this. I'm going to work on everybody. And we're going to fix the problems" withthe Department of Veterans Affairs.

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8:24 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is defending the Iranian nuclear deal.

She said at Wednesday night forum that Iran was "on a fast track" to acquiring the material necessary to make a nuclear weapon before the deal was signed.

The deal, Clinton said, "put a lid on their nuclear program."

She insisted the U.S. is not "being played" by Iran.

Clinton said the deal allows enough insight into Iran's actions to ensure they're following the rules.

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8:20 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is trying to assure voters that she was careful in her handling of classified information as secretary of state.

Clinton says, "I did exactly what I should have done and I take it very seriously. Always have, always will."

Clinton was asked by a veteran during a "commander in chief forum" hosted by NBC how she could be trusted, given her use of a private email server as secretary of state.

Clinton insists she never used an insecure system to handle classified material designated and marked with clear headers.

She says that she "communicated about classified material on a wholly separate system" and "took it very seriously."

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8:00 p.m.

Democrat Hillary Clinton says none of the emails she sent or received had a header that clearly marked "top secret."

The former secretary of state addressed her use of private email during a forum Wednesday night on NBC.

She noted that she has years of experience dealing with classified material dating back to her time as a senator. Classified material usually has a heading marked "top secret," she said.

She insisted that none of the messages sent or received on her private server had such a heading.

Clinton conceded that some of the messages included references to the covert drone program. But she said there was no discussion of "covert actions" that were being considered in the messages.

She also said there was no evidence her email server was hacked.

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7:00 p.m.

Donald Trump is once again predicting victory in New York State, despite polls showing rival Hillary Clinton way ahead.

Speaking in front of the Conservative Party of New York in Manhattan, the GOP nominee told the crowd Wednesday evening that, "We're going to win this state. It's going to shock people."

Trump spent much of his time on stage discussing one of his earliest projects: His work on the Wollman Rink in Central Park. He said that that he would use the same skills he used to rebuild the skating rink to rebuild parts of the state that have faced economic hardship.

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6:00 p.m.

FBI Director James Comey has told his colleagues that the decision to not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton was not a close call.

In an internal memo Wednesday, Comey says "the case itself was not a cliff-hanger" and that there was not a prosecutable case "despite all the chest-beating by people no longer in government."

He also struck back against criticism that the FBI had timed for political reasons its release last Friday of documents related to the investigation.

He says the documents were released once they had been cleared for release. He says more documents will be released, "no matter the day of the week."

The memo was first reported by CNN.

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5:53 p.m.

FBI Director James Comey has told his colleagues that the decision to not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton was not a close call.

In an internal memo Wednesday, Comey says "the case itself was not a cliff-hanger" and that there was not a prosecutable case "despite all the chest-beating by people no longer in government."

He also struck back against criticism that the FBI had timed for political reasons its release last Friday of documents related to the investigation.

He says the documents were released once they had been cleared for release. He says more documents will be released, "no matter the day of the week."

The memo was first reported by CNN.

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5:32 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says Donald Trump can be trusted to oversee the nation's nuclear weapons if he wins the presidency.

McConnell was asked at his weekly press conference if he feels confident that Republican nominee Trump can be trusted "with his finger on the nuclear button."

Trump gave a speech Wednesday calling for major increases in defense spending.

"I didn't hear the speech today, but the answer is yes," McConnell said in response to the question about nuclear weapons.

McConnell said he agrees with Trump that the nation's defense is underfunded.

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4:18 p.m.

The nation's largest investment bank is barring its top employees from contributing to certain political campaigns  including Donald Trump's White House bid. But the policy does not bar those employees from contributing to Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign.

That's because the new rules, which went into effect last week, prohibit partners at Goldman Sachs from donating to state officials who are seeking federal office. That applies to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump's running mate, so Goldman Sachs partners can't contribute to the Republican ticket.

But Clinton and her running mate, Tim Kaine, meet neither of those criteria, meaning top employees can contribute to the Democratic ticket.

The policy is meant to remove any implication of a "pay for play" scandal, according to a memo obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

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4:13 p.m.

The nation's largest investment bank is barring its top employees from contributing to certain political campaigns  including Donald Trump's White House bid. But the policy does not bar those employees from contributing to Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign.

That's because the new rules, which went into effect last week, prohibit partners at Goldman Sachs from donating to state officials who are seeking federal office. That applies to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump's running mate, so Goldman Sachs partners can't contribute to the Republican ticket.

But Clinton and her running mate, Tim Kaine, meet neither of those criteria, meaning top employees can contribute to the Democratic ticket.

The policy is meant to remove any implication of a "pay for play" scandal, according to a memo obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

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4:01 p.m.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein is wanted on a warrant in North Dakota after she allegedly spray-painted construction equipment during a protest against the Dakota Access pipeline.

Stein was charged Wednesday in Morton County with misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass and criminal mischief.

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Egyptian court orders release of street performers

CAIRO (AP)  An Egyptian court on Wednesday ordered the conditional release of four members of a satirical street performance group whose selfie-style video clips mocked President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, according to two defense lawyers.

Lawyers Mahmoud Othman and Ahmed Othman told The Associated Press that the release order did not mean that the case has been dropped, and said prosecutors could still appeal the release.

The lawyers said the judge has ordered their release on condition that the four report to local police stations daily.

The performers, whose group is called "Street Children," were arrested in May and faced several charges, including inciting terror attacks, street protests and attempting to overthrow the government.

Clips by the group released on social media networks shortly before their arrest were entitled "El-Sissi, my president, made things worse," and "Leave"  a chant that was popular during the 2011 uprising that forced autocrat Hosni Mubarak to step down.

Other clips mocked the president's habit of ending speeches with "Long live Egypt!" and his reference in an address earlier this year to advice by his late mother "never to covet what belongs to others."

Street Children is part of a street-based art, music and graffiti movement born out of the 2011 uprising and fueled by liberal youths opposed to the rule of either Islamists or the military. Authorities in recent months have sought to clamp down on the movement, closing a popular arts center in downtown Cairo and cancelling some street art festivals.
Air China slammed for 'racist' magazine article about London

LONDON (AP)  Air China has come under fire in Britain for an article in its in-flight magazine that tells visitors to take precautions in areas of London with large ethnic-minority populations.

Haze Fan, a producer at CNBC, tweeted a photo of part of the bilingual Mandarin-English article from the Wings of China magazine. It said in English that "London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people."

Labour Party lawmaker Vivendra Sharma, who represents a diverse London district, said Wednesday that he had written to China's ambassador to Britain, demanding an apology for the "blatantly untrue and racist statements."
Starbucks moves into "content creation" with digital series

NEW YORK (AP)  Starbucks wants to tell stories about inspiring Americans, marking the coffee chain's latest push to deepen its relationship with customers and cast itself as a positive force on social issues.

The coffee chain says it is moving into the world of "content creation" with its series of text, video and podcasts on subjects including a former NFL player who helps disabled veterans. The company says it is aiming for the quality level of The Washington Post and The New York Times.

Starbucks says it will promote the "Upstanders" series in stores and on its mobile app over the next 10 weeks. CEO Howard Schultz said the app, which accounts for 25 percent of Starbucks transactions, is a "treasure trove" that can give content considerable exposure.

FILE - In this Wednesday, March 23, 2016, file photo, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz speaks at the coffee company's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. Starbucks is venturing into the world of content creation with stories about inspiring Americans it says will help balance the cynicism fueling media coverage of the presidential election. The coffee chain, which is known for chiming in on social issues, says its positioned to give its Upstanders series a big stage through its popular mobile app. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Schultz said that retailers need to evolve to be more "experiential," and that he believes Starbucks will continue to pursue original content.

Moving into original content could give Starbucks more control in burnishing its image on social issues. The company has long touted its health and education benefits for employees, for instance. And last year, it had employees write "Race Together" on cups in the wake of protests over police killings of black men. The move was criticized as opportunistic and inappropriate coming from a company better known for pricey lattes, but such efforts have nevertheless fostered Starbucks' liberal image.

Schultz said the changing "rules of engagement" means businesses now have to show customers they're giving back to the community. He also gave a strong endorsement to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, citing on CNN the "vitriolic display of bigotry and hate" on the "other side." He didn't rule out running for office himself at some point.

Many companies have been trying to bypass news outlets and become a direct source of information, sometimes hiring "brand journalists" to create stories about themselves. Coca-Cola runs a "Coca-Cola Journey" website, for instance, and Chipotle gained praise for its animated videos depicting itself as a more wholesome alternative to traditional fast food.

Schultz said the Upstanders series is not branded content or marketing because it's not about Starbucks. But the push is nevertheless a way for the company to try and connect directly with customers with a feel-good message.

The challenge is that there's so much content available online that it's difficult for anyone to get noticed, said Allen Adamson, founder of the Brand Simple consulting firm. He also noted that marketers have to walk a fine line when commenting on social issues, so that they don't risk losing customers.

"If you take a stand on almost any issue today, half the room will be applauding you and half the room will be booing you," Adamson said.

Still, Adamson said creating content is a way for companies to try to reach fragmenting audiences. And the Upstanders series is meant to be uplifting, without making political statements.

Schultz said Starbucks had been "offered lots of money from other media companies" to feature their content on the company's app, citing movie trailers as an example. The company said a previously announced deal to feature select New York Times stories on its app is still in the works.

Rajiv Chandrasekaran, a Starbucks public affairs executive and a former Washington Post correspondent, said he applied the same standards to the Upstanders series that he would have while he was a reporter.

"We're really trying to create the sort of stories that would stand on their own on the Washington Post and New York Times website," he said.

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AP Technology Writer Mae Anderson contributed to this report.

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Follow Candice Choi at www.twitter.com/candicechoi

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News / National

by Staff Reporter

Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri has urged police officers countrywide not to "box" and always quarrel with their wives, but to encourage them to be part of the development process within the force by starting income generating projects, the Herald reports.He said this during the ZRP 2016 Kuyedza Women's Club annual show in Harare last Friday.The main focus of the club is on income generation and self empowerment projects.Chihuri, who is also the president of Kuyedza Women's Club, said it was his wish that every wife of every police officer should join the club."It is really my wish that any police officer who marries should encourage their wives for development. Why should you box your wife and leave others to develop so that you become envious of what they are doing? It is my wish that I would love to see every wife married to a police officer become a member of Kuyedza Women's Club," he said.Chihuri applauded the senior officers commanding provinces urging them to continue nurturing their juniors."We thank the officers commanding provinces. May you continue to grow and nurture your officers. The idea is not only to develop the individual, but we also want to develop the families and bring synergies, oneness and unity of purpose to our family members."A confused house, a house full of quarrels can never produce a proper police officer who can work," he said.
The Latest: Feds: Judge shouldn't let Roof ask mercy of jury

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP)  The Latest on legal proceedings in the trials of Dylann Roof in the Charleston church shootings (all times local):

10:50 a.m.

Federal prosecutors say Dylann Roof should not be allowed to ask the jury for mercy in his upcoming trial in the Charleston church shootings.

In documents filed Tuesday, prosecutors say that while a defendant can ask a judge for mercy, appeals courts have held a defendant doesn't have a right to do so before a jury passes its sentence.

The prosecutors say U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel should not allow Roof to do so.

Roof's death penalty trial on hate crimes stemming from the June 2015 killings of nine parishioners at Emanuel AME Church begins in November. Gergel has ordered 3,000 prospective jurors to report to be screened.

Roof's attorneys have repeatedly said he is willing to plead guilty and serve life in prison if prosecutors don't seek the death penalty.

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7:40 a.m.

A South Carolina judge is ordering 600 prospective jurors to report in January for the state murder trial of the man accused in the Charleston church shootings.

Twenty-two-year-old Dylann Roof faces death penalty trials in both state and federal court in the June, 2015, slayings of nine black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church.

In a Tuesday order, Circuit Judge J.C. Nicholson says the first of the jurors should report to the Charleston County Courthouse Jan. 17. His order says the trial will begin on or after Jan. 30.

Meanwhile, Roof's federal trial on hate crimes and other charges is set for November.
Court rules bridge conspirator list can be kept from public

PHILADELPHIA (AP)  A list of unindicted co-conspirators in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case should not be released before trial, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.

The decision from a three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia overturns a lower court decision to release the list to a group of media organizations including The Associated Press.

A federal judge in Newark ordered the list released in May only to have a person identified as John Doe file to block publication of the list. He claimed it would brand him a criminal even though he wasn't charged in the indictment last year that alleged two former allies of New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie orchestrated traffic jams near the bridge in September 2013 as political payback. Jury selection in their trial is set to begin Thursday.

The judges concluded that the letter was part of the general discovery process, meaning it was not protected by the First Amendment or the common law right of public access.

The appeals court judges wrote in their decision that public access to judicial documents is a respected tradition but has limits.

"That is so even in a case affected by heightened public interest. The time may come, perhaps at trial, when the information in the Conspirator Letter ought to be made public, but that time is not here yet," the judges wrote.

An unindicted co-conspirator is someone who was involved in a conspiracy in some way but hasn't been charged, usually because he or she is cooperating with a government investigation or because prosecutors feel they don't have enough evidence to gain a conviction.

Bruce Rosen, an attorney representing the media companies, said they are disappointed by the decision.

"We continue to believe that the public is entitled to the list of unindicted coconspirators under the First Amendment," Rosen said.

Jenny Kramer, an attorney for John Doe, said they are "very gratified that the court adopted our arguments and prevented disclosure of highly prejudicial material to which there is no public right of access."

Federal prosecutors argued against releasing the list, and U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman made a rare appearance to argue in court in front of the appeals panel in June.

Media organizations filed a motion with the court in Newark in January seeking access to the co-conspirator list, claiming it was part of the public record in the criminal case.
House panel subpoenas VA over Denver hospital, artwork

WASHINGTON (AP)  Demanding explanations for a $1 billion cost overrun, a House panel Wednesday issued a subpoena to the Department of Veterans Affairs for documents on how the cost of a Denver-area VA hospital ballooned to almost $1.7 billion.

That figure was nearly triple earlier estimates.

The subpoena by the House Veterans Affairs Committee also seeks documents related to millions of dollars spent on artwork and ornamental furnishings at VA offices nationwide, including more than $6.4 million spent on the Palo Alto, California, health care system.

FILE - In this July 1, 2015 file photo, Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson speaks near construction for the VA hospital during a news conference, in Aurora, Colo. A House committee will vote on whether to issue a subpoena to the Veterans Affairs Department demanding the agency turn over documents that could explain how the cost of a Denver-area VA hospital ballooned to almost $1.7 billion, nearly triple earlier estimates. The Veterans Affairs Committee scheduled a vote for Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, on a subpoena for documents gathered by a VA internal inquiry called an administrative investigation board. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

The chairman of the veterans panel, Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., said it was "unfortunate that VA's continued lack of transparency has led us to this decision" to issue the subpoena, but contended that lawmakers had little choice.

"We will not accept VA trying to pull the wool over the eyes of this committee and the American people for poor decision-making and waste of funds," Miller said.

The subpoena was served Wednesday and gives the VA until Sept. 28 to respond.

The subpoena is at least the fourth the House panel has issued since 2014 amid continuing frustration over the VA's performance following the wait-time scandal that led to the ouster of the VA secretary and a $16 billion overhaul approved by Congress.

Veterans on secret waiting lists faced scheduling delays of up to a year, and as many as 40 veterans died while awaiting care at the Phoenix hospital, according to an investigation by the VA's inspector general.

Miller and other Republicans say the VA has been slow to fix problems and should have fired some employees for wrongdoing.

The GOP-led panel approved Wednesday's subpoena by voice vote. Democrats objected, saying they worried that documents related to the Aurora, Colorado, hospital could jeopardize agency whistleblowers who have helped officials learn the true scope of the cost overruns at the facility, considered one of the biggest boondoggles in the agency's history.

Miller and other Republicans said the committee has a track record of protecting whistleblowers and the subpoena will not lead to the release of personally identifiable information.

The committee has been seeking documents related to the Denver hospital for months. The VA gave Congress a summary of an internal inquiry, but not the supporting documents, despite repeated requests from lawmakers.

The summary hasn't been made public, and the VA has not complied with an open records request from The Associated Press to release it. Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson has said making the documents public could have a chilling effect on future internal investigations.

The summary, in conjunction with the other information provided to lawmakers should "provide sufficient information to inform the committee about how the (investigation) was conducted, the reasons for its conclusions and rationale for corrective actions that the department has taken to ensure that there is no repeat of the missteps made on this project," Gibson said in an Aug. 19 letter to Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo.

Coffman, whose suburban Denver district includes Aurora, is in a tough re-election race. "Veterans and the American people deserve answers on what drove over $1 billion in cost overruns and years of delay" in completing the hospital, he said.

Panel chairman Miller said he has been seeking documents related to art contracts for more than year, following reports that the VA's Palo Alto Health Care System spent more than $6.4 million on artwork and other furnishings, including two sculptures that cost nearly $500,000.

The subpoena seeks information on purchases of artwork and ornamental furnishings nationwide since 2010.

VA spokeswoman Walinda West said in a statement that while department officials "must be stewards of taxpayer dollars, we also know that providing comprehensive health care for patients goes beyond just offering the most advanced medical treatments. Artwork is one of the many facets that create a healing environment for our nation's veterans."

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Associated Press writer Dan Elliott in Denver contributed to this report.

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AP Explains: Why do US, Iran often face off in Persian Gulf?

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  The U.S. Navy again has accused Iranian patrol boats of harassing an American warship in the Persian Gulf, this time with a Revolutionary Guard vessel nearly causing a collision with the USS Firebolt. Why does this keep happening?

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HEAVY US MILITARY PRESENCE

FILE- In this Monday, July 2, 2012 file photo, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard speedboat escorts a passenger ship, unseen, near the spot where an Iranian airliner was shot down by a U.S. warship 24 years ago killing 290 passengers. The U.S. Navy again has accused Iranian patrol boats of harassing an American warship in the Persian Gulf, this time with one Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessel stopping right in front of the USS Firebolt and nearly causing a collision. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

The U.S. Navy has had a regular presence in the Persian Gulf since the end of World War II. It ramped up its involvement in the region after Iran's 1979 revolution, which toppled the U.S.-backed shah and alarmed Washington's Gulf Arab allies. The 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq brought even more American forces to the region. Today U.S. ships patrol the Gulf and its narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly a third of all oil traded by sea passes. Iran views the U.S. presence as a provocation.

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PAST CONFRONTATIONS

During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, Iran mined portions of the Persian Gulf and several commercial ships sank. In 1988, the USS Samuel B. Roberts struck a mine and nearly sank. That sparked a daylong naval battle between Iran and the U.S. in which American forces attacked two Iranian oil rigs and sank or damaged six Iranian vessels. A few months later, the USS Vincennes in the Strait of Hormuz mistook an Iran Air flight heading to Dubai for an attacking fighter jet, shooting down the plane and killing all 290 people onboard.

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AFTERMATH OF THE NUCLEAR DEAL

The hard-liners who dominate Iran's security forces were largely opposed to the landmark nuclear deal that President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate, reached with the United States and other world powers last year. Police have arrested a number of dual citizens on security-related allegations since the deal was struck, and there has also been an uptick in provocative acts at sea. The U.S. Navy has recorded 31 instances of what it describes as "unsafe and/or unprofessional interactions" with Iranian forces this year alone, compared to 23 in all of 2015.

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ROCKET LAUNCHES AND SAILOR SEIZURES

The provocations cited by the U.S. Navy were largely blamed on Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary force charged with protecting clerical rule. Iranian speedboats fired rockets near U.S. warships and commercial traffic in December, and an Iranian drone overflew an American aircraft carrier in January. Iran also briefly seized 10 U.S. sailors in the Gulf at gunpoint in January after their boats drifted into Iranian territorial waters.

In Sunday's incident, the Guard's fast-attack boats came within some 450 meters (500 yards) of the USS Firebolt, with one stopping right in front of the coastal patrol boat, said Cmdr. Bill Urban, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain. Urban said the USS Firebolt turned and missed the boat by only some 90 meters (100 yards).

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RISKS REMAIN AMONG THE WAVES

For the U.S. Navy, each "unsafe" Iranian action "creates a significant risk for our ship's commanding officers, who have mere seconds to decide on appropriate actions to take to defend their ships and crew," Urban said Wednesday. Iran has vowed to continue its patrols, has blown up replicas of U.S. vessels in drills and says it can close the Strait of Hormuz at will.

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As some states curb high fines, Oklahoma's go even higher

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  When riots erupted two years ago in Ferguson, Missouri, some of the tension in the black community was blamed on the city's use of court fines and fees that burdened many low-income people with debts they could not pay.

Since then, Missouri has reduced the maximum fines for traffic tickets and other violations and limited the share of city budgets supported by fees. California and other states also adopted reforms, offering amnesty to some indigent offenders with large debts.

Oklahoma made changes too, but its lawmakers went the other direction. They increased dozens of fees covering all criminal and traffic offenses, hoping to more than double the share of state revenue harvested from the same source five years ago.

In this Friday, Aug. 26, 2016 photo, Lisa Devaughn prepares a salad at her restaurant job in Oklahoma City. Devaughn, released from prison in April after serving nearly four years for forgery, found herself arrested within days of her release for warrants issued while she was in prison. She was processed through four separate county jails and now finds herself owing close to $1,000 a month in various supervision and other fines and fees, which is more than her take-home salary from a job at a local restaurant that pays $10 an hour. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

"Public safety is a core function of government, and we need to find some way to fund it," said Republican Rep. Scott Biggs, a former prosecutor who supported the increases. If defendants "didn't commit these misdemeanors or felonies, they wouldn't be paying any of it."

Under the plan, fees and fines will generate more than 5 percent of state revenue, up from 2.2 percent in 2011. Comparable spikes are rare, although it's hard to track different systems. No agency gathers national data on state-by-state fine revenue.

Behind the move is Oklahoma's miserable financial condition. The state faced a $1.3 billion budget hole this year because of the energy industry's slump and the Republican Legislature's earlier income tax cuts, which sharply reduced revenue. Many state programs absorbed deep cuts.

Also, wringing more money from offenders makes for good politics in a conservative law-and-order state. But the idea still has a few catches.

It's not clear how much more money can be extracted from people who usually have little to begin with. The average parolee in one nonprofit's post-release program earned $10.25 an hour, barely covering living expenses. And arresting nonpayers puts them back in prison at state expense, at an average of $40 per day, or $17,100 a year, for minimum-security inmates.

For many defendants, it's "so much money, they just can't afford it," said Bob Ravitz, who has headed the Oklahoma County Public Defender's Office for nearly 30 years. "I couldn't even afford it, and I make a pretty good living."

In low-income black communities, many people resent police for writing violations with spiraling fees.

However, "A lot of their frustration is pointed in the wrong direction," said Democratic Rep. Mike Shelton of Oklahoma City, who is black. "Unfortunately, it's all become a money game, and you have to lay the blame in the lap of the Legislature for continually cutting taxes and not properly funding agencies."

Oklahoma has more than 60 different fees aimed at criminal defendants, ranging from a $5 Bureau of Narcotics fee in marijuana possession cases to $3,000 in drug trafficking cases, aside from the penalties assessed by judges.

A separate tier of fees applies to defendants ordered to attend classes in parenting, anger management or other remedial action.

The Legislature this year doubled the court costs assessed in traffic cases to $20, in misdemeanors to $30 and in felonies to $50. That's on top of any fines. The measure is designed to raise another $2.2 million annually.

Filing fees were hiked 25 percent for custody and alimony cases, and fees for "dispute resolution" were tripled for all civil suits. Even in a single case, the layers of fees pile up.

Tim Yarbrough, 56, who recently completed a two-year prison term for drug possession, still owes more than $5,000, the result of 19 separate one-time fees, $40-per-month in supervision costs and other charges.

"It's like a ball and chain. I drag it around every day," said Yarbrough, who was waiting to use a computer at a downtown library to apply for jobs. He needs to find work that will both pay his bills and pay his fines.

Lesa Devaughan, released in April after serving nearly four years for forgery, said she now owes close to $1,000 a month in supervision and other fees after being processed through four different county jails. Her restaurant job pays $10 an hour.

"I don't want to go back to jail," said Devaughan, 49, who shares a modest two-bedroom apartment with a roommate. "I just got a new job where I'm stable enough to pay something."

The fee dilemma is on display in courthouses every day where those who fall behind go before a judge.

At a recent docket before Oklahoma County District Judge Ray Elliott, one man said he was a single father trying to make his child support payments and get his children in school and had no money left. A woman facing jail time for a drug charge said her father spent all they had bailing her out of jail.

Elliott, a former prosecutor who once sentenced a woman to life in prison for shoplifting, said he can't just send them all back to jail.

"If it's only a matter of paying costs, they're going to get a chance," Elliott said. "Probably two."

Mike Boring, district attorney for four rural counties in western Oklahoma, acknowledged the problems and said many prosecutors are uncomfortable with any practice that forces them to rely on criminal cases for money to run their offices. But, he added, operations like his need to make up for lost state funds.

Yarbrough convinced a judge to delay his payments until January.

"I try not to get overwhelmed by my past, because I know the end result is I go back to prison," he said. "And then when you get out, you still owe, but then you owe more."

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Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy .

In this Friday, Aug. 26, 2016 photo, Oklahoma County Judge Ray Elliott poses for a photo in his courtroom in Oklahoma City. Elliott, a former prosecutor with a no-nonsense reputation said he's almost always willing to work with criminal defendants if they show some inclination to comply with court-imposed requirements. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In this Wednesday, July 13, 2016 photo, Tim Yarbrough signs up to use a computer at the Oklahoma Public Library in Oklahoma City. Yarbrough, who recently completed a two-year prison term for drug possession, still owes more than $5,000, the result of 19 separate one-time fees, $40-per-month in supervision costs and other charges. Criminal defendants in Oklahoma can easily rack up several thousands of dollars in mandatory fees and court costs that often keep them locked in a cycle of poverty. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In this Wednesday, July 13, 2016 photo,Tim Yarbrough is pictured during an interview in Oklahoma City. Yarbrough, who recently completed a two-year prison term for drug possession, still owes more than $5,000, the result of 19 separate one-time fees, $40-per-month in supervision costs and other charges. Criminal defendants in Oklahoma can easily rack up several thousands of dollars in mandatory fees and court costs that often keep them locked in a cycle of poverty. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In this Wednesday, July 13, 2016 photo,Tim Yarbrough is pictured during an interview in Oklahoma City. Yarbrough, who recently completed a two-year prison term for drug possession, still owes more than $5,000, the result of 19 separate one-time fees, $40-per-month in supervision costs and other charges. Criminal defendants in Oklahoma can easily rack up several thousands of dollars in mandatory fees and court costs that often keep them locked in a cycle of poverty. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In this Wednesday, July 13, 2016 photo,Tim Yarbrough is pictured during an interview in Oklahoma City. Yarbrough, who recently completed a two-year prison term for drug possession, still owes more than $5,000, the result of 19 separate one-time fees, $40-per-month in supervision costs and other charges. Criminal defendants in Oklahoma can easily rack up several thousands of dollars in mandatory fees and court costs that often keep them locked in a cycle of poverty. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In this Wednesday, July 13, 2016 photo,Tim Yarbrough is pictured during an interview in Oklahoma City. Yarbrough, who recently completed a two-year prison term for drug possession, still owes more than $5,000, the result of 19 separate one-time fees, $40-per-month in supervision costs and other charges. Criminal defendants in Oklahoma can easily rack up several thousands of dollars in mandatory fees and court costs that often keep them locked in a cycle of poverty.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In this Wednesday, July 13, 2016 photo,Tim Yarbrough is pictured during an interview in Oklahoma City. Yarbrough, who recently completed a two-year prison term for drug possession, still owes more than $5,000, the result of 19 separate one-time fees, $40-per-month in supervision costs and other charges. Criminal defendants in Oklahoma can easily rack up several thousands of dollars in mandatory fees and court costs that often keep them locked in a cycle of poverty. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In this Wednesday, July 13, 2016 photo, Tim Yarbrough looks at job sites on a computer at the Oklahoma Public Library in Oklahoma City. Yarbrough, who recently completed a two-year prison term for drug possession, still owes more than $5,000, the result of 19 separate one-time fees, $40-per-month in supervision costs and other charges. Criminal defendants in Oklahoma can easily rack up several thousands of dollars in mandatory fees and court costs that often keep them locked in a cycle of poverty. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Mexico's finance secretary resigns after Trump visit

MEXICO CITY (AP)  One of President Enrique Pena Nieto's closest advisers and confidants, Finance Secretary Luis Videgaray, resigned Wednesday in a move seen as linked to the unpopular decision to invite Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to visit Mexico.

Pena Nieto has taken responsibility for inviting Trump, but a former government official familiar with the workings of the administration said Videgaray would have played a preponderant role in the decision. Newspaper columnists in Mexico have reported Videgaray was behind last week's visit, after which Pena Nieto was criticized for not being forceful enough in rejecting Trump's proposals and comments about Mexico.

Videgaray "was the architect" of Trump's visit, because he was the adviser that Pena Nieto had "the most reliance on, and was closest to," said columnist and political analyst Raymundo Riva Palacio.

Mexico's Finance Secretary Luis Videgaray looks down as President Enrique Pena Nieto announces Videgaray's resignation at Los Pinos presidential residence in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. One of Pena Nieto's closest advisers and confidants, Videgaray handed in his resignation, in a move observers said was linked to the unpopular decision to invite Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to visit Mexico. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)

Even Trump himself said Videgaray's resignation was related to his visit. Trump told a televised U.S. national security forum Wednesday night that "the people that arranged the trip in Mexico have been forced out of government. That's how well we did."

Videgaray acted as Pena Nieto's campaign manager during his 2012 election campaign and has been seen as the architect of many administration policies. He led Mexico's Treasury Department and is sometimes referred to as treasury secretary or minister, but because he oversaw budgets and fiscal policies, his role was closer to that of a finance secretary.

He has shared both in the president's triumphs and embarrassments. In 2014, Videgaray acknowledged he had bought a house from the same government contractor that sold a mansion to Pena Nieto's wife, Angelica Rivera, in the administration's deepest scandal.

Pena Nieto thanked Videgaray for leading financial reforms during a ceremony at which the president announced he was accepting the resignation. He did not announce a new post for Videgaray.

"He has been an official very committed to Mexico, and very loyal to the president," Pena Nieto said.

Former finance secretary Jose Antonio Meade, who has since served as foreign relations secretary and social development secretary, will replace Videgaray. Luis Enrique Miranda Nava will take over the social development post.

Pena Nieto said Meade will be in charge of turning in a primary budget surplus for next year, meaning government spending will have to be less than revenues, not including interest payments on debt.

In comments to local media, Meade defended the president's meeting with Trump, saying it had lowered the risk of confrontations and helped moderate some of Trump's policy proposals, especially his vow to change the North American Free Trade Agreement. Pena Nieto has said the meeting was needed to build bridges in case Trump is elected.

But Pena Nieto was ridiculed for not confronting Trump more directly during the visit about him calling migrants from Mexico criminals, drug-runners and "rapists" and promising to build a border wall and force Mexico to pay for it. The wall proposal has been criticized widely and fiercely in Mexico.

Speaking at a town hall last Thursday where he fielded questions from young people, Pena Nieto sought to defend the decision to invite Trump to visit.

He said the easier path would have been to "cross my arms" and do nothing in response to Trump's "affronts, insults and humiliations," but he believed it necessary to open a "space for dialogue" to stress the importance of the U.S.-Mexico relationship.

"What is a fact is that in the face of candidate Trump's postures and positions, which clearly represent a threat to the future of Mexico, it was necessary to talk," Pena Nieto said hours after his annual state-of-the-nation report was delivered to congress. "It was necessary to make him feel and know why Mexico does not accept his positions."

Pena Nieto acknowledged the "enormous indignation" among Mexicans over Trump's presence in the country and repeated that he told the candidate in person that Mexico would in no way pay for the proposed border wall.

The president came under fire for not responding to Trump's mention of the wall during a joint news conference after their meeting Aug. 31, something he has since sought to correct.

A day later, Trump tweeted that Mexico would pay for the wall. Pena Nieto fired back his own tweet saying that would "never" happen.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, also invited to visit by Pena Nieto, said this week that she won't be coming to Mexico before Election Day. She called Trump's quick stop in Mexico City "an embarrassing international incident."

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Associated Press writer Paul Haven contributed to this report.

Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, right, embraces Finance Secretary Luis Videgaray after accepting Videgaray's resignation at the presidential residence of Los Pinos in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. The Treasury Ministry gave no reason for the resignation, but it came in the wake of Pena Nieto's widely criticized meeting with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the Mexican capital last week. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)

Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, left, swears in his new Finance Secretary Jose Antonio Meade, center, and his new Social Development Secretary Luis Enrique Miranda, during a ceremony at the Los Pinos presidential residence in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. The changes in Pena Nieto's cabinet come amidst a truckload of criticism after Donald Trump's brief visit last week, with many Mexicans complaining that the president was poorly advised by the people around him. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)
Man-made climate change about doubled the chances for the type of heavy downpours that caused devastating Louisiana floods last month, a new federal study finds.

Using two different sets of measurements and computer model runs simulating thousands of years, scientists found a clear sign of global warming in the rain that triggered the flooding that killed at least 13 people, damaged 150,000 homes and cost at least $8.7 billion.

More than 26 inches of rain fell in one week, with nearly a foot in just one day, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Danielle Blount kisses her three-month-old baby, Ember, as she feeds her and wait to be rescued from floodwaters by members of the Louisiana Army National Guard near Walker, La. Man-made climate change about doubled the chances for the type of heavy downpours that caused devastating Louisiana floods in August 2016, a new quick federal study finds.

Because the downpour was less than a month ago, this study  a collaboration by NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab, Princeton University, the Dutch weather agency and the private science-and-journalism Climate Central  has not been peer reviewed yet.

Still, it has been accepted by the journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences and will be peer reviewed live online over the next couple months.

The Associated Press contacted 11 outside experts and most of them praised the science and conclusions of the study.

'The global warming signal is present in these numbers,' said study lead Karin van der Wiel, a NOAA and Princeton University researcher and meteorologist.

'For a precipitation event of this size to occur on the central Gulf Coast, the odds have increased by at least 40 percent and most likely doubled.'

After the floods, the question was raised: Did global warming play a role? Climate Central's World Weather Attribution team brought in NOAA and others because of their high-quality computer models that had already been running data, said Climate Central chief scientist Heidi Cullen.

The team uses methods that National Academies of Sciences says are fair and accurate to determine if global warming played a part in weather disasters.

FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2016 aerial photo, Army National Guard vehicles drive on a flooded U.S. Route 190 in Robert, La., after heavy rains inundated the region. More than 26 inches of rain fell in one week with nearly a foot in just one day, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (AP Photo/Max Becherer, File)

Sometimes they have found a climate change connection; other times, such as in German floods and Brazilian drought, they have not.

The computer simulations run over and over again, comparing scenarios in which man-made greenhouse gases trap heat and others mirroring current conditions and other scenarios.

The scientists concluded that climate change turned a once-every-50-year situation somewhere on the Gulf to a once-every-30-year-or-less situation, and the odds of such downpours increased anywhere from 30 percent to more than 240 percent.

FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2016 file photo, David Key looks at water out of his master bedroom windows in his flooded home in Prairieville, La. Key, an insurance adjuster, fled his home as the flood water was rising with his wife and three children and returned today to assess the damage. Man-made climate change about doubled the chances for the type of heavy downpours that caused devastating Louisiana floods in August 2016, a new quick federal study finds. 'We are now actually able to objectively and quantifiably say yes climate change contributed to this event,' Climate Central Chief Scientist Heidi Cullen said of last month's Louisiana downpours. 'It's unequivocal.' (AP Photo/Max Becherer, File)

The most likely figure is about a doubling, but van der Wiel said they can see is at least a 40 percent increase.

'We are now actually able to objectively and quantifiably say 'yes, climate change contributed to this event,'' Cullen said of the Louisiana downpours.

'It's unequivocal.'

In this Aug. 16, 2016 file photo, residents survey the flood water on Old Jefferson Highway at Bayou Manchac in Prairieville, La. The flooding killed at least 13 people, damaged 150,000 homes and cost at least $8.7 billion.

Most outside experts  including six who contributed to the National Academies of Science report that looked at climate attribution studies  praised the science and results.

FILE - In this Aug. 14, 2016 file photo, people arrive to be evacuated by members of the Louisiana Army National Guard near Walker, La., after heavy rains inundated the region. Man-made climate change about doubled the chances for the type of heavy downpours that caused devastating Louisiana floods in August 2016, a new quick federal study finds. 'We are now actually able to objectively and quantifiably say yes climate change contributed to this event,' Climate Central Chief Scientist Heidi Cullen said of last month's Louisiana downpours. 'It's unequivocal.' (AP Photo/Max Becherer, File)

The national academies panel chairman, retired Admiral David Titley, a Pennsylvania State University meteorology professor, said the Louisiana study followed the guidelines the academies set out and uses observations, models and physics to come to its conclusion.

'It's an excellent study,' said Columbia University climate scientist Adam Sobel, who was on the academies report team.

'These are top established researchers and the GFDL model is one of the best in the business for this purpose.

'The methods are appropriate and very thoroughly and clearly explained as are the assumptions necessary to draw the conclusions.'

National Center for Atmospheric Research senior scientist Kevin Trenberth said the study seems to come to the right conclusions, but misses the role of super warm seawater and 'off the charts' moisture in the air, some of which was natural due to El Nino and about one-third from man-made climate change.

FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2016 file photo, Danny and Alys Messenger paddle a canoe away from their flooded home after surveying the damage in Prairieville, La. Man-made climate change about doubled the chances for the type of heavy downpours that caused devastating Louisiana floods in August 2016, a new quick federal study finds. 'We are now actually able to objectively and quantifiably say yes climate change contributed to this event,' Climate Central Chief Scientist Heidi Cullen said of last month's Louisiana downpours. 'It's unequivocal.' (AP Photo/Max Becherer, File)
Sam Iacobellis, who led rollout of B-1 bombers, dies at 87

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP)  Sam Iacobellis, the Rockwell International engineer who met President Ronald Reagan's challenge to deliver 100 B-1 bombers as fast as possible in the early 1980s to challenge the Soviet Union, has died.

His son, Sam Iacobellis Jr., said his father died Sept. 3 at a hospital in San Luis Obispo from complications of a stroke. He was 87.

The Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/2bTH2dr ) called Iacobellis' mandate one of the toughest manufacturing assignments of the Cold War. Under his supervision, in just six years Rockwell delivered all 100 of the bombers below budget and on schedule, playing a key role in Reagan's plan to bankrupt the Soviets with a military buildup they could not match.

"Sam was an icon of the aerospace industry," said Donald Beall, former Rockwell chairman.

Russians were in awe of the B-1, designed to fly a few hundred feet off the ground near the speed of sound, and were unable to duplicate its capabilities, said Robert Cattoi, former chief engineer at Rockwell.

"A group of us from Rockwell were in Krasnoyarsk (Russia), having dinner with some of their astronauts and Air Force generals, when one of them asked me, 'Do you know Sam Iacobellis? If you see him, tell him he was far more responsible for ending the Cold War than he might realize. We didn't have the resources to match it,'" Cattoi told the Times. "It was the straw that broke the camel's back."

To meet Reagan's plan, Iacobellis had to build an entire new assembly complex in Palmdale, California, create a supply network that extended to nearly every state and create a trained workforce of 40,000 within less than two years, according to the newspaper. It was the kind of buildup that typically would take an aerospace firm more than a decade to execute.

"We worked like we were on the front line of the Cold War," Iacobellis said in a 2001 interview with the Times.

By the time he retired from Rockwell, Iacobellis was one of three chief operating officers, in charge of the company's rocket engines, aircraft and spacecraft operations, including the space shuttle program.

Iacobellis was born in 1929 in Fresno, California, the son of Italian immigrants. He graduated from California State University, Fresno, with a degree in mechanical engineering. He joined North American Aviation, which Rockwell later acquired, starting as a draftsman. He later received a master's degree in engineering from University of California, Los Angeles.
NATO chief: Russia has no say on Georgia membership issue

TBILISI, Georgia (AP)  NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has dismissed claims that NATO is dragging its feet on Georgia's bid to join the alliance for fear of enraging Russia.

Stoltenberg visited Georgia Wednesday to meet with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. Asked about the role of Russia in NATO's decision-making over Georgia, he said it is only up to NATO members and Georgia to decide and "no one else has the right to interfere or try to veto that process."

However, he didn't give any indication of when the former Soviet republic could expect a membership in the military alliance.
Minister: Turkey thwarted some 230 Kurdish militant attacks

ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Turkey's deputy prime minister says authorities have foiled close to 230 Kurdish rebel attacks in the past few weeks, including 19 would-be suicide bombings.

In a news conference following a Council of Ministers meeting Wednesday, Nurettin Canikli told reporters the security forces and intelligence officials had thwarted as many as 229 attacks between Aug. 15 and Sept. 7. Canikli said they included 155 planned bombings  39 of them involving car bombs.

In addition, Turkish authorities arrested 24 suspects who were allegedly preparing to launch attacks, he said.

Turkey has been rocked by a series of deadly car bombings targeting police or military facilities blamed on militants linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.
Opinion / Columnist

Zimbabwe faced ugly scenes of violent demonstrations at the hands of political opposition elements and their appendages. The demonstrations, which caused untold mayhem in the country, were staged in protest against the introduction of Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, which seeks to regulate imports of selected goods into the country, intended introduction of bond notes into the economy and alleged police brutality among a long litany of demands and allegations. Demonstrations over the same issues were also held by Zimbabweans who are resident in the Diaspora. More demonstrations are also planned to coincide with the United Nations General Assembly scheduled to be held in New York City in the United States of America from 13 September 2016.The demonstrations, which would be mainly staged at the Zimbabwe United Nations offices in the United States of America, are calculated to embarrass President Mugabe who will be attending the General Assembly together with other world leaders. One of the organisers of the protests in the USA, Chiwoniso Mpofu, was quoted urging Zimbabweans to come on 21 September and heckle President Mugabe as he addresses the General Assembly. "Wednesday 21 is very important because this is the day Mugabe is going to give his speech and address the GA" gloated Mpofu.On the other hand Evan Mawarire of the shadowy #ThisFlag movement "is planning to stage protests daily with Saturday and Wednesday being the major days" in the USA. Shuttle buses will carry demonstrators from various locations to the venue of the demonstrations. "Accommodation is all in place for those travelling from Boston, Massachusetts, Virginia, Texas, Indiana, Philadelphia and Washington DC. Some protestors are booked at The Courtyard Newark Downtown, 858 Broad Street Newark NJ 07002 under the name Zimbabwe Family Reunion Group", boasted one of the organisers of the demonstrations.Speakers who will address the demonstrators include musician, Thomas Mapfumo, Tajamuka/Sijikile leader, Promise Mkwananzi, Patson Dzamara of the Bring Back Itai Dzamara movement and Dr Noah Manyika of the Build Zimbabwe shadowy group. Organisers claim that thousands of people will participate in the demonstrations.The demonstrations, scheduled to be held in New York, are calculated to have Zimbabwe put on the Security Council's agenda so that the Council would impose United Nations Chapter seven sanctions on the country. However, Chapter seven sanctions are reserved for governments which threaten international peace and security which is not the case with the government of Zimbabwe. Under these sanctions, the Security Council can authorise usage of force on the sanctioned country. So, with the hostility being exhibited daily on Zimbabwe by the USA and its allies, Zimbabwe risks the danger of being bombed to ashes by these war mongers if they get an iota of approval from the Security Council. However, this will not happen as Zimbabwe's friends, led by Russia and China, will block such a nefarious development as they have done in the past.In Zimbabwe, opposition political groups are planning to intensify violent demonstrations; during which they will intensify their provocation of law enforcement agents. This is calculated to invite over reaction from security agents which will be used to justify calls for intervention of the United Nations in Zimbabwe.The malcontents who are organising these protest do not care what will happen to their country, even if it is bombed to ashes by American and British bombs. The shameless charlatans are only interested in lining their pockets with ill gotten money from sponsors of the regime change agenda.So, the multimillion dollar question is who is sponsoring these demonstrations both in and outside Zimbabwe? A lot of money is needed to feed, transport and accommodate "thousands of people" in American Hotels in preparation for the demonstrations. Where does Mawarire get the money for his family's upkeep as his current occupation is planning daily protests in his quest to malign his country? The cry boy is not employed in the USA but has the financial muscle to organise demonstrations.The broke former Chimurenga guru, Thomas Mapfumo, has joined the fray obviously for financial gain as his music carrier is currently in dire straits away from home.Is it not an open secret that sponsors of the regime change agenda, fronted by the British and American governments, have ordered their puppets in Zimbabwe to come together, if they are to receive any funding from their masters, and cause anarchy in the country in pursuit of their wicked agenda? So, the answer to the above question is very apparently clear.--------------Chadzimura Mhute
Obama, Duterte meet despite Filipino leader's crude language

VIENTIANE, Laos (AP)  President Barack Obama and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met informally on Wednesday in a holding room before attending a gala dinner at a regional summit, Philippine officials said.

The brief meeting took a little sting out of the soured relations caused by Duterte's intemperate language in referring to Obama earlier this week. That had caused Obama to cancel a formal meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay told The Associated Press that the leaders had met.

US President Barack Obama waves to the media as he arrives for the gala dinner of ASEAN leaders and its Dialogue Partners in the ongoing 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and other related summits at the National Convention Center Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016 in Vientiane, Laos. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

"They met at the holding room and they were the last persons to leave the holding room. I can't say how long they met. It all springs from the fact the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong. The basis for this relationship is historical and both leaders realize this. And I'm very happy that it happened."

Obama and Duterte are in the Laotian capital along with other regional leaders for the summit. All of them made their way through the holding room before heading to the banquet hall.

According to a White House official who would not be named discussing the private meeting: Obama had a brief discussion with Duterte before the ASEAN Gala Dinner in the leaders' holding space. The exchange consisted of pleasantries between the two.

On Monday, hours before arriving in Laos, Duterte told Philippine reporters he wouldn't accept questions from Obama about extrajudicial killings that have occurred during his crackdown on suspected drug dealers and users. More than 2,000 people have been killed in the crackdown since he took office on June 30.

"I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. Putang ina, I will swear at you in that forum," Duterte said, using the Tagalog phrase for "son of a bitch."

On Tuesday, Duterte expressed regret over the remarks, but the damage was done.

A Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Charles Joe, also said Obama and Duterte met in the holding room. He said it was a mutually agreed meeting, but that he had no details of what was discussed.

Obama and Duterte entered the dinner venue separately, and were seated far apart and did not interact with each other during the dinner that lasted an hour and 20 minutes.

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Portland homeless crisis sows dissent in tolerant city

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  There have always been homeless people in Portland, but last summer Michelle Cardinal noticed a change outside her office doors.

Almost overnight, it seemed, tents popped up in the park that runs like a green carpet past the offices of her national advertising business. She saw assaults, drug deals and prostitution. Every morning, she said, she cleaned human feces off the doorstep and picked up used needles.

"It started in June and by July it was full-blown. The park was mobbed," she said. "We've got a problem here and the question is how we're going to deal with it."

In this Sept. 1, 2016 photo, "Mohawk" Craig Alexenko sits on top of refuse cleared out of a homeless encampment along the Springwater Corridor during a police sweep in southeast Portland, Ore. The city of Portland has declared a "homeless emergency" as skyrocketing rents, an affordable housing shortage and a lack of shelter beds has led to encampments all across the city, including the one where Alexenko has been living. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)

The city is booming, and the homeless are more visible than ever before. Skyrocketing rents, cripplingly low vacancy rates and a severe shortage of affordable housing are forcing Portland to re-examine its live-and-let-live attitude in a place where residents have long been tolerant of everything but intolerance.

And in a city where the mayor says "unhoused" instead of homeless and where tent camps have names like Dignity Village and Right 2 Dream Too instead of Skid Row and The Jungle, residents are wondering if Portland needs to rethink its strategy as a permanent solution seems ever-more elusive.

"The city doesn't have a coherent approach to ... really enforcing any type of rules about where people can camp," said Chris Trejbal, who lives near a homeless camp called Hazelnut Grove.

"It's been a disaster. There's no leadership."

The issue peaked this year when Portland declared a homeless state of emergency and Mayor Charlie Hales made it legal to sleep on city streets.

At the same time, Portland welcomed 1,000 new residents a month and the average rent has increased about $100 a month. The metropolitan area needs 24,000 more affordable housing units; vacancy rates are some of the lowest in the nation.

"It's white hot, people want to move here and live here, as well they should. It's an amazing city . but our zoning and our planning process is really behind the curve in terms of providing flexible and affordable living arrangements," said Mayor-Elect Ted Wheeler. "It has not caught up with the new reality."

Part of that reality is the nearly 1,900 unsheltered people who camp from Portland's downtown core to its rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods to the forested areas along the urban fringe. A one-night count last year found the overall number of homeless people hasn't increased significantly, but the number of chronically homeless has risen steadily to make up about half of the total population.

Portland has earmarked $250 million for affordable housing and has a $250 million housing bond on the November ballot.

The city has also joined forces with Multnomah County to tackle the crisis head-on with $43 million in funding; leaders in a new coalition want to cut homelessness by half in three years.

Yet there is a potent belief that the city isn't doing enough because homelessness suddenly seems everywhere.

There aren't enough short-term beds while Portland works at long-term solutions. When one camp is shut down, another pops up.

After letting up to 500 homeless people live for months along a 21-mile bike trail in southeast Portland, the city cracked down and last week uprooted a network of tents, some of them stuffed with armchairs and couches.

Neighbor LaDawna Booze had called police repeatedly to report drug use, theft and excessive noise there.

"I haven't been out in my own yard in a few years. I feel like I'm watched everywhere," she said. "It's changed my life."

Booze isn't alone. The issue was a constant in this spring's mayoral campaign and it dominates the local news. Since June, 5,000 people have called a hotline to complain about homeless camps, according to The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Hales, who dropped out of the race for re-election, has struggled to find a common ground between upset business leaders and homeowners and homeless advocates, who feel the city is shuttling the homeless around with no plan.

He was sued after announcing his "safe sleep" policy, but the city was sued again last month after commissioners voted to proceed with plans to turn a vacant industrial warehouse into a 400-bed homeless shelter.

Suggestions to house the unsheltered in a mothballed jail have been slammed for symbolically criminalizing homelessness but a state land use board killed a plan last week to move a city-sanctioned tent village to industrial land.

"You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't so you'd better 'do,' because no good deed goes unpunished when it comes to homelessness," said Hales, who ended the 'safe sleep' policy after six months.

Those on the streets are craving answer as the cold and rain of a Portland winter approach.

Deitra Schmer moved into an RV when the city swept the Springwater Corridor. She has nowhere else to go and says she couldn't keep her job as a certified nursing assistant because she had no stability.

"You can't move every 10 days or every three days and keep your job. It just doesn't work," she said. "Not to have to worry about where I'm going to lay my head  that's my biggest issue."

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Follow Gillian Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus

In this Aug. 10, 2016 photo, a boy walks into a homeless encampment along the Springwater Corridor bike and pedestrian trail in Portland, Ore. The city of Portland has declared a "homeless emergency" as skyrocketing rents, an affordable housing shortage and a lack of shelter beds has led to encampments all across the city. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)

In this Aug. 10, 2016 photo, Deitra Schmer watches as her granddaughter, Andrea Brown, brushes her hair and grandson Adrian Atkinson, right, looks on in Schmer's tent in a homeless encampment along the Springwater Corridor bike and pedestrian trail in Portland, Ore. The city of Portland has declared a "homeless emergency" as skyrocketing rents, an affordable housing shortage and a lack of shelter beds has led to encampments all across the city. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)

In this Aug. 10, 2016 photo, Deitra Schmer, standing, and her grandchildren Adrian Atkinson, left, Andrea Brown, middle, and Jordan Otey, listen as friend Terry Daniel talks about the planned police sweep of the homeless encampment where Schmer lives along the Springwater Corridor in Portland, Ore. The city of Portland has declared a "homeless emergency" as skyrocketing rents, an affordable housing shortage and a lack of shelter beds has led to encampments all across the city. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
AG intervenes in university suit against school paper

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  Kentucky's attorney general turned up the pressure Wednesday on the state's flagship university to release documents regarding a sexual harassment investigation of a professor.

Andy Beshear told reporters he will ask a judge to order the University of Kentucky to turn over the documents to him so that he can determine if they are exempt from public inspection.

Beshear's office recently issued an opinion that UK violated the state's open-records law by withholding documents on the professor's case from the student newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel.

In response, the university sued the newspaper. Under state law, the AG's opinions can be appealed, but the attorney general cannot be named as a party in the suit. The university has consistently said its dispute is with Beshear, not the campus newspaper.

In a rebuke of a school with legions of alumni and fans statewide, Beshear said Wednesday that UK's lawsuit "stabs at the very heart" of the state's open-records law and the AG's ability to enforce them.

He acknowledged his attempted intervention in the suit was highly unusual, but said the stakes are "too important and the ramifications are simply too great."

"UK's lawsuit would create a silver bullet that would allow any bad actor to entirely avoid the open-records law," Beshear said. "For a university to push such a position is entirely irresponsible, especially one that rightfully touts a First Amendment center."

UK spokesman Jay Blanton said Wednesday that the university was disappointed by Beshear's attempt to intervene, but added that the AG's action "does further clarify that our dispute is not with the Kentucky Kernel, but with the Office of Attorney General."

Beshear's action was welcomed by the attorney for the campus newspaper.

"The Kernel agrees with the comments made by (Attorney) General Beshear and welcomes his participation and support in this action," Tom Miller said.

The Kernel has been conducting a fundraising campaign for its legal defense.

For the university, the case revolves around protecting the privacy of people who come forward with accusations of sexual wrongdoing, Blanton said.

"We believe strongly in our responsibility to protect survivors who muster the tremendous courage it takes to come forward with accusations of criminal acts," he said.

"We believe strongly that to allow anyone  the press, a member of our university community, an employer or any private citizen  to access confidential records will have a chilling impact on the willingness of survivors to come forward."

The case started this summer when the Kernel published a story about a professor who resigned from UK in February amid a sexual-harassment investigation.

UK provided its settlement agreement with the professor to the campus newspaper under the open-records law but refused to provide any investigative documents, citing the same argument Blanton offered Wednesday. The Kernel appealed to Beshear's office.

Without access to the documents, Beshear said, his office cannot determine if they are rightfully or wrongfully being withheld from public review. He said UK is trying to apply a "trust us" approach to the open-records process that would undermine the law.
Ohio county offers immunity to those turning in deadly drugs

CINCINNATI (AP)  A county judge Wednesday ordered immunity from prosecution for anyone who turns in heroin or other potentially deadly drugs after a stunning surge in overdoses in the Cincinnati area.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters asked for the blanket immunity, which he and Common Pleas Court Presiding Judge Robert Ruehlman agreed was unheard of locally, but needed to help get the drugs out of homes after what authorities say was a recent blitz of the city by sellers who mixed heroin with the extremely powerful animal tranquilizer, carfentanil.

"We may have family members who find it," Deters explained in court. "Their child may be an addict, their husband ... and this gives them a vehicle to turn it in without fear of prosecution."

FILE  In this July 29, 2015, file photo, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters speaks during a news conference in Cincinnati. After a surge in overdoses in the Cincinnati area, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, the county sheriff, coroner and other officials went to court Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, seeking immunity from prosecution to anyone who turns in heroin or other potentially deadly drugs. Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Robert Ruehlman agreed. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Authorities have said nearly 300 overdoses have been reported in the Cincinnati area since Aug. 19, including 174 reports in a six-day period. The coroner's office has confirmed carfentanil, which can be thousands of times stronger than morphine and is used to sedate elephants, was present in at least eight overdose deaths in recent weeks.

"Turn it in, get it off the streets; get it out of your homes, out of your families," Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco said Wednesday, urging residents to turn in drugs that could be "extremely deadly."

Ruehlman's order covers anyone who "turns over any substance or combination of substances said person believes may cause the user of said drug to have an overdose." They can turn the drugs in to any law enforcement agency in the county.

Sammarco, Sheriff Jim Neil and other county officials accompanied Deters to court. She said earlier that the sudden spike in overdose cases raised concerns that heroin dealers were testing the community's response to carfentanil.

Communities in Ohio neighbors West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana also saw overdose spikes in recent weeks.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials have said they believe much of the carfentanil is being shipped from China to Mexico, where traffickers mix it with heroin and other drugs such as the painkiller fentanyl.

Cincinnati firefighters said they sometimes had to use multiple doses  as many as six  of the overdose-reversal drug naloxone to save users during the spike. Authorities say carfentanil also poses danger to police, emergency personnel and drug dogs having contact with it.

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Follow Dan Sewell at http://www.twitter.com

To see some of his other recent stories: http://bigstory.ap.org/content/dan-sewell

Hamilton County Ohio coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco announces toxicology reports on eight people who died of drug overdoses in July and August had the drug Carfentinal in their system, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Cincinnatti. Behind her is Hamiliton County Sheriff Jim Neil. Synan Jr. wants the state of Ohio to declare a public health emergency to free up more resources for fighting heroin after a sudden overdose spike. (Patrick Reddy/The Cincinnatti Enquirer via AP)

FILE  In this Aug. 13, 2013, file photo, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil speaks during a news conference in Cincinnati. After a surge in overdoses in the Cincinnati area, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil, the county coroner and other officials went to court Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, seeking immunity from prosecution to anyone who turns in heroin or other potentially deadly drugs. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers, File)
Once rivals and allies, Clinton, Schumer eye new partnership

WASHINGTON (AP)  During their eight overlapping years in the U.S. Senate, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer were political partners, friendly  and sometimes less than friendly  rivals. Both were influential powerbrokers for New York, his home state and her adopted one.

Now, their political fortunes could be aligning once again.

If Clinton wins the White House, Schumer is expected to be her top Democratic partner in the Senate  with the November election also determining whether he'll be leading a majority or minority. In either case, their relationship would quickly become one of the most important in Washington, a linchpin in Clinton's efforts to garner congressional support for her priorities.

FILE - In this May 7, 2002 file photo, then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., meet with reporters on Capitol in Washington to discuss their legislation to provide federal funds to help New York City schools recover from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. If Clinton wins the White House, Schumer is expected to be her top Democratic partner in the Senate _ with the November election also determining whether hell be leading a majority or minority party. In either case, their relationship would quickly become one of the most important in Washington, a crucial lynchpin in Clintons efforts to garner congressional support for her priorities. (AP Photo/Kenneth Lambert, File)

The two already speak a few times a month on the presidential race and Senate landscape. They're also eying an agenda for 2017 that includes a sweeping immigration overhaul, an infrastructure package and gun control legislation.

"We basically think alike," said Schumer, the Brooklyn-accented lawmaker with unfettered enthusiasm for the Senate's often tedious work. "We have the same legislative approach: Let's reach out to get the other side and not let the perfect be the enemy of the good."

That professed spirit of bipartisanship is hardly reciprocated by Republicans in this election year. To some GOP lawmakers, the only thing as bad as Clinton occupying the White House is the prospect of a Schumer-led Senate at their end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has wielded that possibility as a warning to voters during his own re-election campaign, saying that even if Republicans win the White House, "you won't be able to get anything done because Chuck Schumer is blocking it."

While Clinton and Schumer are stalwart Democrats, both can be more transactional than ideological. Schumer backed President Barack Obama's signature health care legislation in 2010, then panned the decision to pursue the measure after it damaged Senate Democrats' electoral prospects. Clinton called the Trans-Pacific Partnership the "gold standard" of trade agreements as secretary of state, then announced her opposition to the deal when it fell out of favor with her party.

In the Senate, their relationship was defined by an only-in-Washington blend of shared interests and personal ambition.

After toiling in the House for nearly two decades, Schumer was eager to expand his national profile as New York's senior senator when Clinton arrived on Capitol Hill. The popular former first lady was instantly the Senate's biggest celebrity, effortlessly garnering the kind of attention the spotlight-seeking Schumer worked doggedly to attain.

One former Clinton aide recalled the senators standing together to catch the Senate subway when a group of students from New York approached Clinton to ask for a picture. When a student pressed a camera toward Schumer to ask if he might take the photo, Clinton quickly suggested the students get a picture with both of their state's senators, as the aide swooped in to intercept the camera.

On more substantive matters, the senators' staffs worked feverishly to keep each other in the loop on potential areas of disagreement, knowing the New York tabloids in particular were eager for any hint of a rift. Clinton largely deferred to Schumer on judicial issues, an area where he is passionate, while he took a backseat on the national security matters that passed through her Armed Services Committee.

"It took us about six months to a year to work things out," Schumer said. "Neither of us is a wallflower."

They would still clash over seemingly minor issues  a kerfuffle over the naming of a courthouse in lower Manhattan still lingers in the minds of former aides  but joined forces when tragedy hit their state on Sept. 11, 2001. Together, they worked the halls of Congress and the White House to secure $20 billion in federal aid for New York.

"9/11 was a defining event in their relationship, it was a defining event in their careers," said Polly Trottenberg, a former Schumer adviser who currently serves as New York City's transportation commissioner. "In some funny measure, the fact that the two of them were such a team had an effect on people."

The senators would occasionally swap strategy over dinner at Hunan Dynasty, Schumer's favorite Chinese restaurant near Capitol Hill  "She hated the choice of the restaurant," says one former Clinton aide  but Schumer never became part of Hillary and Bill Clinton's expansive social circle. He did win their admiration when he stuck by her until the bitter end of her failed 2008 presidential campaign, resisting pressure to publicly switch to then-Sen. Barack Obama.

In some ways, Clinton's political failures deepened Schumer's respect. He's known to tell colleagues and staff that Clinton "has had to climb the greasy pole"  a colorful compliment about her ability to fight back from adversity and political defeats.

Schumer allies say the senator sees a more natural partnership with Clinton than he's had with Obama. While Schumer has grown on Obama over the years, the president has struggled to connect with Schumer's passion for the Senate's political maneuvering and has shown little interest in the kind of pressure tactics and horse-trading that can be used to secure votes.

While Obama largely delegated legislative outreach to his staff, aides say Clinton is more likely to call Schumer for suggestions about how she can woo individual lawmakers.

"At the level that they're at now, they've been together from the beginning," said Sean Sweeney, who has worked for both Schumer and Clinton. "There's not going to be much of a getting to know each other period."

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Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

FILE - In this May 22, 2007 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate then-second-term Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., left, walks in the hallway of the Russell Senate office building on Capitol Hill in Washington with Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. If Clinton wins the White House, Schumer is expected to be her top Democratic partner in the Senate _ with the November election also determining whether hell be leading a majority or minority party. In either case, their relationship would quickly become one of the most important in Washington, a crucial lynchpin in Clintons efforts to garner congressional support for her priorities. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2003 file photo, then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., center, and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., right, bow their heads during a moment of silence as they join mourners gathering to remember those lost during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center at ground zero in New York. If Clinton wins the White House, Schumer is expected to be her top Democratic partner in the Senate, with the November election also determining whether hell be leading a majority or minority party. In either case, their relationship would quickly become one of the most important in Washington, a crucial lynchpin in Clintons efforts to garner congressional support for her priorities. (Ruth Fremson/New York Times, Pool, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2009 file photo, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., hugs then-Secretary of State-designate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., on Capitol Hill in Washington as he introduced her to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which was holding hearing on her nomination. If Clinton wins the White House, Schumer is expected to be her top Democratic partner in the Senate _ with the November election also determining whether hell be leading a majority or minority party. In either case, their relationship would quickly become one of the most important in Washington, a crucial lynchpin in Clintons efforts to garner congressional support for her priorities. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
Judge: Connecticut education funding system unconstitutional

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  A judge on Wednesday ordered Connecticut officials to develop plans for a major overhaul of the state's public education system within six months, saying a huge gap in test scores between students in rich and poor towns shows parts of the system are unconstitutional and irrational.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher in Hartford ordered the state to submit proposed reforms to the court to revamp its formula for distributing education aid to cities and towns, develop a statewide high school graduation standard such as a test, make eighth-graders show they have acquired the skills to move on to high school and replace what he called an irrational and weak statewide system of teacher evaluation and compensation.

Moukawsher spent nearly three hours reading his decision in a courtroom filled with local officials, parents and other interested onlookers.

"Beyond a reasonable doubt, Connecticut is defaulting on its constitutional duty to provide adequate public school opportunities because it has no rational, substantial and verifiable plan to distribute money for education aid and school construction," Moukawsher said.

The ruling came in an 11-year-old lawsuit filed against the state by the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding, a nonprofit group that includes cities, towns, local boards of education, parent groups and public school students.

The coalition alleges the state isn't providing adequate education funding to cities and towns and isn't meeting its constitutional obligation to provide all students with adequate educations. It says vast differences in test results, graduation rates and other factors between rich and poor towns show the funding system isn't fair.

In recent standardized testing, more than 70 percent of students in the state's richest towns met third-grade reading goals, while nearly 70 percent of students in the least affluent towns did not. On high school tests, most children in the wealthiest towns scored advanced in math and nearly the same in reading, while one out of three students in poor districts didn't reach basic levels in math and did only modestly better at reading.

The state must submit its proposed reforms in 180 days.

It wasn't immediately clear if the state Attorney General's Office will appeal the ruling, possibly to the state Supreme Court. A spokesman for the office said state officials were reviewing the decision.

"This decision by Judge Moukawsher is a game changer for our children," Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim said. "This ruling is a detailed, thorough indictment of how the state fails to provide an adequate education in Bridgeport and other poor school districts in Connecticut."

The judge said the state's Educational Cost Sharing formula, which was used for years to distribute education aid to municipalities, was never fully funded and was abandoned by the state in the 2013-2014 fiscal year. In its place, the state legislature has approved set dollar amounts for every town, a system he said lacked reason.

For example, Moukawsher said, the Democrat-controlled General Assembly and Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy changed the 2016-2017 budget earlier this year because of a budget deficit and reduced education aid to the state's poorest districts by more than $5 million. While officials also cut school aid significantly for some wealthy towns, they increased aid to comparatively wealthy towns by more than $5 million, the judge said.

Funding to Bridgeport schools, for example, was cut by more than $900,000 as the city's school district faced a $15 million gap to maintain current services, Moukawsher said. Bridgeport is having to lay off school staff, increase class size and cut school bus service to nearly all high school students. Meanwhile, towns such as West Hartford, Glastonbury, Branford and Shelton received hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid increases.

"An approach that allows rich towns to raid money desperately needed by poor towns makes a mockery of the state's constitutional duty to provide adequate educational opportunities to all students," the judge said.

Malloy said in a statement that the state has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in education since he took office in 2011, with a large share directed at the neediest students. The state gives cities and towns about $2 billion a year in basic education aid and another $1 billion for school construction.
NYC judge dismisses case in fatal beating of wife's attacker

NEW YORK (AP)  Prosecutors have dropped charges against a New Yorker who used a tire iron on a fleeing, cocaine-fueled intruder who had tried to rape his wife.

Relatives of Mamadou Diallo cheered Wednesday after his assault case was dismissed.

The office of Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said the family of the dead man, Earl Nash, approved its decision.

Investigators said that on May 30, Nash forced his way into the Diallos' apartment, beat the wife, pulled down his pants and tried to rip off her clothes. She managed to call her husband, who was outside.

The 61-year-old Diallo dialed 911 and rushed inside. He hit Nash as he tried to escape in the elevator.
Maryland governor to lead trade mission to Israel

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan will be leading a trade mission to Israel this month, officials said Wednesday.

The seven-day trip, scheduled for Sept. 19 through Sept. 26, will focus on economic development. Business, academic and Jewish leaders from Maryland will accompany the governor and some administration officials.

About 25 private-sector representatives are going, said Barry Bogage, executive director of the Maryland Israel Development Center, a public-private partnership that works with the state's Commerce Department.

Bogage said Israel is a strong market for Maryland because of a shared interest in high-tech businesses such as life sciences and cybersecurity.

The trip will include stops in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Maryland officials will have private meetings with business leaders, as well as attend public events and speaking engagements. Hogan will be a keynote speaker at a conference on the Tel Aviv University campus aimed at helping high-tech entrepreneurs connect with investors and economic development support services, Bogage said.

"We have several expected announcements coming out of the trip that we're excited about, and we'll let you know what happens with those as things progress," Bogage said.

Bogage added that officials are working on arranging a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and a meeting is scheduled with former Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

The cost of the trip to the state of Maryland is estimated to be about $120,000. Private-sector officials are paying their own way.

Maryland governors have been taking trade trips to Israel for decades.

Hogan's predecessor, Gov. Martin O'Malley, made two trips during his two terms in Annapolis and another as mayor of Baltimore. Former Gov. Robert Ehrlich led a trade mission in 2003, and former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele led a trip in 2005. Former Gov. Parris Glendening also led a trade mission to Israel in 1997. Former Gov. William Donald Schaefer went as well.

"It's very competitive among the states to attract Israeli companies," Bogage said. "There are about probably 12 or 15 states that have economic development representation in Israel, and so in order to be in the game, we've got to go. We've got to be represented, and there's nobody better than the governor to do that."

Hogan made a 12-day trade trip to Asia last year.

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2 laid-off ITT Educational employees file federal lawsuit

CARMEL, Ind. (AP)  Two employees laid off by the parent company of for-profit college chain ITT Technical Institute have filed a lawsuit claiming the company violated federal law by not providing 60 days' notice.

Allen Federman, a business analyst at ITT Educational Services Inc.'s Carmel, Indiana, headquarters, and Steve Ryan, an instructor at two ITT Technical Institute locations in California, filed the complaint Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Delaware.

The lawsuit seeks class-action status on behalf of the 8,000 employees who are losing their jobs as a result of ITT's decision to shut down all 130 ITT Technical Institute campuses in 38 states, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported (http://bit.ly/2bTrBgt ).

ITT Educational Services headquarters in Carmel, Ind., is shown Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. The company, which operates vocational schools, announced "with profound regret" in a statement Tuesday that it is ending academic operations at all of its more than 130 campuses across 38 states. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

ITT announced Tuesday it was closing the campuses because it cannot survive recent sanctions by the U.S. Department of Education.

The lawsuit claims ITT violated the federal Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act, which requires 60 days' advance written notice in the case of mass layoffs or plant closings. The law affects employers with more than 100 employees and business sites with more than 50 workers. ITT Tech campuses with fewer than 50 employees might not be responsible for following the law.

The suit also claims the layoff violates California labor laws, which also require 60 days' notice during mass layoffs. ITT Educational operated 15 ITT Tech campuses in California.

The lawsuit asks for each affected employee to receive "unpaid wages, salary, commissions, bonuses" and other benefits that would have been paid over a 60-day period.

ITT spokeswoman Nicole Elam called the campus closures "a complicated process." In an email to the newspaper, Elam said "all matters involving students and personnel are priorities."

The chain was banned Aug. 25 from enrolling new students who used federal financial aid because, Education Department officials said, the company had become a risk to students and taxpayers. The department also ordered ITT to pay $152 million within 30 days to help cover student refunds and other liabilities if the chain closed.

ITT Educational Services CEO Kevin Modany told reporters on a conference call Tuesday that ITT was the victim of a "regulatory assault" and never had the chance to defend itself.

One of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs is Jack A. Raisner of Outten & Golden LLP of New York, who represented employees of Corinthian College, another for-profit education chain that closed in April 2015 after the government withdrew aid.

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Information from: Indianapolis Business Journal, http://www.ibj.com

ITT Educational Services headquarters in Carmel, Ind., is shown Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. The company, which operates vocational schools, announced "with profound regret" in a statement Tuesday that it is ending academic operations at all of its more than 130 campuses across 38 states. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

ITT Educational Services headquarters in Carmel, Ind., is shown Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. The company, which operates vocational schools, announced "with profound regret" in a statement Tuesday that it is ending academic operations at all of its more than 130 campuses across 38 states. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Asteroid Bennu getting first visitor in billions of years

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP)  An asteroid that may hold the key to life is getting its first visitor in billions of years.

Asteroid Bennu, a black roundish rock taller than the Empire State Building, is the intended target of a NASA spacecraft set to blast off Thursday night. Not only will the robotic probe named Osiris-Rex fly to this ancient asteroid, it will scout it out for two years before scooping up some gravel and dust, and deliver the samples back to Earth.

All told, the mission will take seven years, from launch to sample return.

This artist's rendering made available by NASA in July 2016 shows the mapping of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. The spacecraft will spend a year surveying Bennu before collecting a sample that will be returned to Earth for analysis. (NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona via AP)

Flying to another world is no simple matter. Neither is vacuuming samples off an asteroid. "We're going out into the unknown," said principal scientist Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona at Tucson.

Five tidbits about Bennu, chosen for NASA's first such mission from more than 500,000 known asteroids in our solar system:

BENNU THE BIRD

Bennu (BEHN'-oo) was discovered in 1999 and got its name for this mission 14 years later. A North Carolina schoolboy had the winning entry in an international student naming contest held by the University of Arizona, the Planetary Society and others; he likened the boxy spacecraft, with its twin solar wings and 10-foot mechanical arm, to the heron of Egyptian mythology, Bennu. The spacecraft shares that Egyptian motif, bearing the mythological god's name Osiris. Osiris-Rex also doubles as a NASA acronym.

BIG SPACE BALL

Bennu is shaped like a ball, with a fat middle. Scientists believe the equatorial girth is loose rubble or gravel, the ideal size for collecting a sample. The asteroid rotates every four hours  yes, a day is just over four hours at Bennu. This rotation is slow enough for a spacecraft to reach out and suck in samples, using nitrogen gas to stir up the surface. "We are basically a space vacuum cleaner," Lauretta said Wednesday. Also think hummingbird, as the spacecraft hovers over Bennu during the big grab. Bennu is believed to be 1,600 feet across. Asteroids smaller than 650 feet in diameter were eliminated as candidates; they spin so fast that their surface material can be hurled out into space.

CLOSE BY COSMIC STANDARDS

Bennu's orbit around the sun is only a little bigger than Earth's; it circles the sun about every 14 months and, in fact, swings by Earth every six years. That cuts down on the travel time for Osiris-Rex and, via its proximity to the sun, keeps its solar wings energized. The asteroid's orbit is slightly off-kilter to Earth's, however, which will require an adjustment to the spacecraft's path. When Osiris-Rex swings by Earth a year after launch for a gravity assist, it will end up in the same tilted orbital plane as Bennu.

NO EARTH-ENDER

Bennu is potentially hazardous, but no Earth-ender. There's a slight chance it could strike the home planet 150 years or so from now  just one-tenth of 1 percent, according to Lauretta. It would be a major natural disaster, carving out a huge crater, but not a knockout punch for Earth or life as we know it, he stressed. This mission should help scientists better understand the changing paths of asteroids.

CARBON, PLEASE

Bennu is the color of coal. That's a sign the asteroid is rich in carbon dating back to the origin of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. If so, Bennu is a time capsule that could help explain how life sprouted on Earth and, possibly, elsewhere in the neighborhood. "We've done the best job we can" to characterize the asteroid with telescopes, Lauretta said. Once a sample is brought back "then we'll be able to answer the question definitively."

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Online:

NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex
Opinion / Columnist

Zimbabwean economy is a famous case study on the African continent for being natural, home grown and free from foreign manipulation as is the case with other nation states in the region. It is the only country which achieved both political and economic independence for its people.Since year 2000 when Zimbabweans took a hyper-active move to fulfill their total emancipations from white imperialists by repossessing land as a way of completing the struggle for independence, the local economy was subjected to assault by our traditional erstwhile enemies. The repossession of land which was expropriated from our ancestors over a century ago inundated the minority beneficiaries that schemed an ugly economic sabotage which still haunts us up to this day.The western powers, USA and EU fought on the side of our colonisers as they in turn imposed illegal sanctions which failed to receive the backing of the United Nations. This created a turning point for the once flourishing economy into a night mare that precipitated an accelerated a man-made decline.The unilateral imposition of illegal sanctions is synonymous with economic sabotage as western linked companies closed shop as a way of making the economy to scream. The same was stretched to the humanitarian organizations that worked in the country. They pulled out under the trumped up charges of human rights abuses and bad governance.One would ask what bad governance is there when a constitutionally elected government is in power. Certainly, such are proponents of subversion which is treasonous and detrimental to the national interest.The reality was anchored on the fact that the west was frustrated by the active policy shift by the ZANU-PF Government which took land for redistribution to the landless peasant farmers that have awaiting anxiously since the inception of independence. This was the correction of the colonial imbalances which favoured the whites at the expense of the rightful indigenous people that were relegated to the infertile land derogatorily referred to as reserves.In spite all odds, Zimbabwe managed to adopt sanctions busting measures which enabled the country to survive the trying times up to this day. It was a blessing in disguise as the nation was able to live on its own resources without anymore subsidies from the outside the country.The traditional philosophy says your enemies will assist you to gain courage which enables you to conquer future challenges. This belief matches our country today.Some countries in the region rely on up to 40% national budgetary support which is funded by foreign donors. Such a scenario is a perpetuation of the dependency syndrome which is killing economic growth in the region. Zimbabwe is operating at 100% locally funded national budget. This is an indicator of true and total independence and a total shrugging off of neo-colonialism.However, the general economic decline currently experienced in the country is not confined to Zimbabwe alone, but the generality of the global economies which are staggering owing to turbulence on the global market on which there is a fall in world prices of gold, fuel and platinum among other commodities. Even the Chinese economy is facing the same fate such as ours.The local economic problem was exacerbated by the El Nino driven drought due to little rains received in the previous farming season. The government is putting every effort possible to procure sufficient maize stocks from outside to cater for the possible food shortages in the whole country. So far numerous metric tonnes of maize have reached the country to rescue the starving populations.----------Sparkleford Masiyambiri
'Green Sheikh' visits Puerto Rico to promote ties to UAE

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  A member of the United Arab Emirates royal family known as the "Green Sheikh" for his environmental work is visiting Puerto Rico to help promote economic ties amid a dire financial crisis.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he sees a lot of depression and hopelessness in the U.S. territory. He urged the government to work with the private sector to build more infrastructure and address energy and waste management challenges.

"People are suffering," he said. "There is no happiness. I feel sadness."

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi accepts a gift after he speaks to an audience in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. The sheikh, a member of the United Arab Emirates royal family known as the "Green Sheikh" for his environmental work, is visiting Puerto Rico to help promote economic ties amid a dire financial crisis. (AP Photo/Danica Coto)

The sheikh spoke after giving an hour-long speech at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico in Bayamon about lessening the world's dependence on oil and creating bilateral opportunities for Puerto Rico and the UAE.

The sheikh is on a weeklong trip to the island sponsored by Puerto Rico's Builders Association. He has met with business owners, students and environmentalists as well as with regular Puerto Ricans. He recounted a conversation with one Puerto Rican living in an impoverished community who pleaded for money.

Puerto Rico is mired in a decade-long economic slumps and its government is seeking to restructure nearly $70 billion in public debt with help from a rescue package recently approved by the U.S. Congress. The legislation calls for the creation of a fiscal control board whose members were recently named. The board will oversee the Puerto Rico government's finances and has sparked protests in recent weeks in the island's capital.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Hinai of Oman, who is part of the group visiting Puerto Rico, praised the federal legislation and said during a speech Wednesday that Puerto Ricans should view it as an opportunity.

"I don't want to go into the politics of Puerto Rico or your relationship with America, but I think ultimately you've got a big brother there that can help you," he said. "Whether you accept it or you don't, in every worst situation you need to look at the best opportunity."

Al-Nuaimi said Puerto Rico officials should visit the UAE and tap into entrepreneurs there.
A man wanted for killing his son and critically wounding his ex-wife before using Facebook to admit to the attack has been found dead in a South Carolina motel room.

Norlina Police Chief Taylor Bartholomew tells media outlets in Raleigh, North Carolina, that law enforcers tracked Earl Valentine's cellphone to Richmond, Virginia, on Wednesday morning. Bartholomew says Valentine was visiting his father's grave.

The chief says police then tracked Valentine to Columbia, South Carolina, where U.S. Marshals found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Valentine was charged with murder in the shooting of his 15-year-old son early Tuesday. Police say the teenager was killed when he tried to stop Valentine from shooting Keisha Valentine.
Delta and Korean Air rekindle a partnership grown frosty

NEW YORK (AP)  Delta Air Lines and Korean Air are taking steps to mend a chilly relationship, announcing an expansion of their partnership Wednesday where each airline can sell tickets on some of each other's flights.

Delta will also launch a new non-stop flight from its hometown of Atlanta to Seoul Incheon International Airport in June.

The two carriers were founding members of the SkyTeam alliance in 2000. But that relationship started to fray after Delta reportedly pushed for  and Korean rejected  a joint venture agreement across the Pacific Ocean. In such a deal, airlines share revenue and work together on pricing for a set of flights. (United Airlines has a joint venture with Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways and American Airlines has such a partnership with Japan Airlines.)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015, file photo, Ray Conner, left, Boeing president and CEO of commercial airlines, shakes hands with Walter Cho, Korean Air's executive vice president and chief marketing officer, during a ceremony in view of a new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental jet that Korean Air took delivery of in Everett, Wash. Delta Air Lines and Korean Air are taking steps to mend a chilly relationship, announcing an expansion of their partnership Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, where each airline can sell tickets on some of each others flights. Delta will also launch a new nonstop flight from its hometown of Atlanta to Seoul Incheon International Airport in June. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Since then, Delta has made Korean a weaker partner than other SkyTeam members such as Air France and KLM. It became harder for Delta fliers to earn miles on Korean and each airline made it harder to sell flights on the other's carrier  something Wednesday's announcement reverses.

Delta also started to look elsewhere for its Asian expansion. For instance, last summer, Delta purchased a 3.55 percent stake in China Eastern and started to talk about connecting passengers through its Shanghai hub.

Since that time, Delta has a new CEO, Ed Bastian, and has been shifting its Asia strategy again. Just last month, it eliminated several more routes to Tokyo's Narita International Airport, a sign that it is starting to dismantle that hub.

Delta still talks about its partnership with China Eastern, but a renewed agreement with Korean could provide its passengers with quicker access to secondary cities within Asia and let them avoid China's notorious air traffic delays.

Representatives for both airlines downplayed tensions Wednesday, saying the agreement simply enhances the partnership. Korean will now be able to sell tickets on 115 of Delta's routes within the U.S. and Canada, through a process known as codesharing. Delta will be able to sell tickets directly for 32 Korean Air destinations beyond Seoul including Taipei, Osaka, Singapore, Nagoya and Okinawa.

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Follow Scott Mayerowitz at twitter.com/GlobeTrotScott. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/scott-mayerowitz .
Handymen, home care helps seniors trying to age in place

WASHINGTON (AP)  Where you live plays a big role in staying independent as you age. Now researchers say an innovative program that combined home fix-ups and visits from occupational therapists and nurses improved low-income seniors' ability to care for themselves in their own homes.

Still to be answered is whether that better daily functioning also saves taxpayer dollars  by helping enough older adults with chronic health problems avoid costly hospital or nursing home stays.

"We're improving people's lives, improving their abilities," said Sarah Szanton, a Johns Hopkins University associate nursing professor who leads the experimental program reported Wednesday in the journal Health Affairs.

FILE - In this June 12, 2013 file photo, a construction worker takes a measurement while installing a banister in a staircase in a home in Baltimore. Where you live plays a big role in staying independent as you age. Now researchers say an innovative program that combined home fix-ups and visits from occupational therapists and nurses improved low-income seniors' ability to care for themselves in their own homes. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Surveys show most older adults want to live at home for as long as possible. Yet chronic diseases and their resulting disabilities  problems walking, bathing, dressing, cooking  can make that difficult in homes with steep stairs, doorways too narrow for walkers, and other obstacles.

And seniors who have trouble with those so-called activities of daily living are costly for Medicare and Medicaid, too often ending up in hospitals or nursing homes because they couldn't care for themselves at home, or had a bad fall while trying.

Szanton's team aims to help those seniors maintain their independence through CAPABLE  it stands for Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders  a program testing modest home modifications and strategies for daily living.

The fixes sound simple. A double banister let people rest their weight on both sides to get up and down stairs safely. Handymen fixed trip hazards, installed grab bars and lowered shelves so seniors could reach without climbing. Occupational therapists bought assistive devices to help people with tremors feed themselves, and taught the frail how to get in and out of high-sided tubs.

Even simple fixes can be life-changing, like the reaching gadget therapists gave Bertha Brickhouse to help tug on her socks and shoes.

"You just don't want to ask someone, 'Can you come to my house and help me put my boots on?'" said Brickhouse, 69, of Baltimore, who has diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and uses a cane for damaged knees. "It was like I was born all over again from their help, the things they did to make my life much easier."

In a demonstration project funded by the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, the Hopkins researchers provided 234 Baltimore residents with 10 home visits by handymen, occupational therapists and nurses. Interventions were tailored to each senior's priorities: Did they want to bathe without help? Cook? Be able to climb the stairs, or make it out of the house to go to church or visit friends?

After completing the five-month program, three-quarters of participants improved their ability to take care of themselves  on average, able to perform two more tasks of daily living on their own compared to before receiving the care, Szanton reported Wednesday.

Two-thirds of participants also were better able to perform related tasks such as grocery shopping, and half experienced fewer symptoms of depression.

The aid cost about $2,825 per participant, including the home repair, home visits from health professionals, and assistive devices.

Szanton's team still is calculating if that translates into cost savings for Medicare or Medicaid. Separately, a more rigorous study funded by the National Institutes of Health is under way with an additional 300 Baltimore residents, to prove if the interventions really work.

Federal Medicare officials declined comment on Wednesday's findings. But state Medicaid and aging officials are closely watching the research.

Michigan has opened its own pilot project, testing a version of CAPABLE with more seriously disabled seniors who are eligible for a nursing home but don't want to move, said Sandra Spoelstra, an associate nursing dean at Grand Valley State University who is leading the study with state Medicaid officials.
Senate panel opens inquiry into EpiPen pricing

WASHINGTON (AP)  A Senate panel has opened a preliminary investigation into why the price of lifesaving EpiPens has skyrocketed.

The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Homeland's investigations subcommittee said in a statement Wednesday that they began an inquiry into Mylan Pharmaceuticals' pricing and competition practices. Mylan has been sharply criticized for its steep price increases for the emergency allergy treatment EpiPen.

The price has grown to $608 for a two-pack, up more than 500 percent since 2007. The drugmaker has announced it will launch a generic version that will cost $300 in the next several weeks.

GOP Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio and Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri head the panel.
Coast Guard's last lightkeeper looks to 300-year milestone

LITTLE BREWSTER ISLAND, Mass. (AP)  The nation's first and oldest lighthouse station and its unique keeper are celebrating a milestone.

Boston Light turns 300 on Sept. 14. The U.S. Coast Guard's last resident lightkeeper, Sally Snowman, is helping with celebrations.

Events are planned for downtown Boston's waterfront and other parts of the state. The lighthouse's beam, visible for 27 miles, will be powered down and then ceremonially relighted at sunset.

In this Aug. 17, 2016 photo, Boston Light, America's oldest lighthouse, sits on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard's last manned station will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its first lighting on September 14th. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

"How many things established 300 years ago are still functioning as they were intended to be?" Snowman said recently. "It was a major aid to navigation in 1716, and that's exactly what it's doing today."

Snowman, a 65-year-old former college instructor, has been lightkeeper for 13 years and is the light's first female keeper.

The Coast Guard has phased out resident keepers at all light stations save for Boston Light because Congress in 1989 mandated the Guard staff and keep the light public in perpetuity.

Snowman, in the Colonial dress and bonnet she wears on lighthouse tours, said she loves the solitude her job affords.

"I'm an introvert by nature, and I've always been able to entertain myself," she said. "It's no problem to just leave me here. Just airdrop my food, and I can stay here forever."

Snowman and her husband, James Thomson, a volunteer assistant keeper, live on Little Brewster Island from April to October with a rotating cast of volunteers, some of whom also spend nights on the island, about 9 miles from downtown Boston.

Boston Light has been a central part of Snowman's life. The Weymouth resident, who holds two doctorate degrees and taught at Curry College in Milton, started volunteering there more than 20 years ago and became a paid civilian employee in 2004.

Snowman and Thomson married on the island in 1994 and have written three books about the lighthouse.

Snowman, a spiritual person who drums, chants and meditates on the island, said she often senses spirits and other ghostlike presences. It's unsurprising, she said, since Boston Light's first two keepers drowned and many more perished in nearby shipwrecks over the years.

She said she also believes she was a keeper in a past life. She said the first time she went up the lighthouse tower she felt as though she "had done it a thousand times before."

The lighthouse tower, which was built by the British, was destroyed by them during the Revolutionary War and was rebuilt by the new American nation in 1783.

Snowman's primary job is training and managing the volunteer staff members who give tours and maintain the grounds. The light's 13-foot-tall Fresnel lens from the 1800s and its modern LED backup are automated and serviced by technicians.

Time on the island is divided between busy tour days and quieter weekdays.

Friday through Sunday, guided tours swell the 3-acre island's population. More than 200 people visit or work there on a given summer weekend.

Monday to Thursday, Snowman and a pair of volunteers do routine cleaning and maintenance in the 89-foot-tall lighthouse tower and the keeper's residence, fog signal building, cistern building and boathouse.

But even with the routine, Snowman admitted, it's easy to slip into island time.

"Everything is done just a little bit slower," she said. "If it's really hot in the middle of the day, we take a siesta. We work earlier in the day or work later into the evening. We don't have the hum of the mainland, the cars and the noise level of humanity. What we have is the wind and the sea and seagulls."

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Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/philip-marcelo

In this Aug. 17, 2016 photo, Sally Snowman, the keeper of Boston Light, wears Revolutionary-era clothing as she speaks about its history on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard's last manned station will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its first lighting on Sept. 14. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

In this Aug. 17, 2016 photo, Sally Snowman, the keeper of Boston Light, steps from the keeper's house on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard's last manned station will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its first lighting on September 14th. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

In this Aug. 17, 2016 photo, Sally Snowman, the keeper of Boston Light, unties a dock line at Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard's last manned station will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its first lighting on September 14th. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

In this Aug. 17, 2016 photo, Sally Snowman, the keeper of Boston Light, gives a tour of the gear room inside the lighthouse on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard's last manned station will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its first lighting on September 14th. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

In this Aug. 17, 2016 photo, Sally Snowman, the keeper of Boston Light, looks out from the lantern room while standing next to the Fresnel lens, on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard's last manned station will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its first lighting on September 14th. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

In this Aug. 17, 2016 photo, Sally Snowman, the keeper of Boston Light, waves to a cruise boat from Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard's last manned station will celebrate the 300th anniversary on Sept. 14. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
A Russian fighter jet has flown within 10 feet of a U.S. Navy plane over the Black Sea.

The jet made what Pentagon officials called an 'unsafe intercept' of an American surveillance aircraft.

Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, says the Russian SU-27 Flanker fighter made the maneuver on Wednesday.

A Russian SU-27 Flanker fighter jet (pictured) has flown within 10 feet of a U.S. Navy plane over the Black Sea

It was near a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft that was conducting routine operations in international airspace.

'U.S. Navy aircraft and ships routinely interact with Russian units in the area and most interactions are safe and professional,' Davis said, according to ABC News.

'However, we have deep concerns when there is an unsafe maneuver.

'These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries, and could result in a miscalculation or accident, which results in serious injury or death.'

Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, says the Russian jet flew within 10 feet of a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft (pictured)

'These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries, and could result in a miscalculation or accident, which results in serious injury or death.,' Davis (pictured) said

The Russian jet conducted four intercepts of the Poseidon, and the one that was considered unsafe lasted about 19 minutes.

Russian jets have occasionally flown close to other U.S. aircraft and Navy ships in the region.

In another dramatic incident earlier this year, Russian jets buzzed over the USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea, coming within 30 feet of the warship.

The Russian SU-27 fighter (pictured) is a combat aircraft comparable but considered superior to the U.S. F-15 jet

In another dramatic incident earlier this year, Russian jets buzzed over the USS Donald Cook (pictured) in the Baltic Sea, coming within 30 feet of the warship

The P-8A Poseidon is almost 40 meters long and 13 meters high.

According to Naval Air Systems Command, it was designed to: 'meet the Navys needs of developing and fielding a maritime aircraft equipped with significant growth potential, including an extended global reach, greater payload capacity, higher operating altitude, and the open systems architecture.'
Zimbabwe denies opposition supporters food aid: Rights group

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP)  Zimbabwe's human rights commission is accusing the ruling party of denying opposition supporters access to government-funded food aid in some districts ravaged by drought.

Parts of southern Africa are suffering the worst drought in more than three decades. Zimbabwe's government says 4 million people, or close to a third of the population, need food aid.

The constitutionally mandated commission on Wednesday said investigations showed "there was indeed discrimination and exclusion of certain citizens in the distribution of food aid."

The commission says ruling ZANU-PF party members were the major perpetrators in the violations in recent months.

The commission says opposition supporters were "told openly that those affiliated to the opposition would never get food aid."
Uruguay searching for country to take ex-Guantanamo detainee

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP)  Uruguay's government said Wednesday it is searching for another country to take a former Guantanamo detainee who is threatening to die on a hunger strike if he is not allowed to reunite with his family abroad.

Syrian native Abu Wa'el Dhiab has repeatedly said he is unhappy in Uruguay and is demanding to be allowed to leave the South American country, which took him in with five other former Guantanamo prisoners in 2014.

"For several days now, the Uruguayan government has been making arrangements with different states, especially in the Arab world, so they can take in Dhiab and he can fulfill his wish and reunite with his family," Dhiab's government liaison, Christian Mirza, told local radio Sarandi.

Former Guantanamo detainee Abu Wa'el Dhiab from Syria lies in bed illuminated by candle light because he has no electricity in his apartment in Montevideo Uruguay,Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Uruguay's government says it is searching for another country to take Dhiab who is threatening to die on a hunger strike if he is not allowed to reunite with his family elsewhere. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)

"The government is trying its best, but it's not that simple," he said.

There is nothing impeding Dhiab's family from coming to Uruguay, but the former prisoner is against it, Mirza said.

"We'd have to ask ourselves why his family could not come to Uruguay when the families of other Guantanamo refugees came here when they wished," Mirza said.

Dhiab was briefly hospitalized Monday night in Montevideo after he became weak from the hunger strike.

A few hours after he was released Tuesday, friends posted a YouTube video showing Dhiab lying on a mattress in his apartment. He speaks softly in Arabic pressing his demand to be sent to another country to be with his family.

"My decision to go on a hunger strike is my final decision. Either in Argentina or Afghanistan (or wherever) with my family or I die," he says. "My daughter will marry in 10 days. I would have liked to be with you."

He says he feels like a prisoner in Uruguay. "They tell me I'm free, but that is not true," he says.

Dhiab insists he has been on a 25-day hunger strike and has not consumed any liquids for five days. But some of his friends and Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa have said he ate some food last week on a flight when he was deported from Venezuela back to Uruguay.

Dhiab was at the center of a legal battle at Guantanamo for years because of repeated hunger strikes to protest his indefinite detainment. He gets around on crutches and suffers from health problems related to the hunger strikes and forced feedings while in U.S. custody.

He had turned up in Venezuela in late July after going missing from Uruguay for several weeks, which had alarmed officials in neighboring countries and led U.S. lawmakers to scold the Obama administration for losing track of him.

The Uruguayan Foreign Ministry has said he tried to get help in Venezuela to reunite with his family in Turkey or another country.

Dhiab and the five other former Guantanamo prisoners came to Uruguay for resettlement at the invitation of then President Jose Mujica. They had been detained in 2002 for suspected ties to al-Qaida and were held without charge before U.S. officials cleared them for release.

Uruguay has provided social services and financial support, but the men have struggled to adjust and say they don't get enough help. Dhiab has been the most vocally critical member of the group.

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Associated Press writer Peter Prengaman in Rio de Janeiro contributed to this report.

People light candles in the street near the place where former Guantanamo detainee Abu Wa'el Dhiab lives in Montevideo, Uruguay,Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Uruguay's government says it is searching for another country to take Dhiab who is threatening to die on a hunger strike if he is not allowed to reunite with his family elsewhere. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)

In this May 5, 2015 photo, former Guantanamo detainee Abu Wa'el Dhiab from Syria sits in front of the U.S. embassy while visiting former fellow detainees who were demanding financial assistance from the U.S., in Montevideo, Uruguay. Dhiab, who resettled in Uruguay, was briefly hospitalized Monday, Sept. 5, 2016, after becoming weak from a hunger strike. Dhiab is demanding that he be allowed to leave the South American country. Uruguay took in Dhiab and five other former Guantanamo prisoners for resettlement in 2014. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Goldman Sachs restricts employee political contributions

NEW YORK (AP)  The nation's largest investment bank is barring its top employees from contributing to certain political campaigns  including Donald Trump's White House bid.

The new rules, which went into effect last week, prohibit partners at Goldman Sachs from donating to politicians running for state or local office, or to state officials who are seeking federal office. That applies to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump's running mate, which means that the Goldman Sachs partners can't contribute to the Republican ticket.

The policy, which was spelled out in a memo obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, is meant to remove any implication of a "pay for play" scandal. Four years ago, the bank paid $12 million to settle charges that a Boston-based banker had a bond underwriting business in the state while contributing funds to and working for the campaign of Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Tim Cahill.

FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2014, file photo, a screen at a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange is juxtaposed with the Goldman Sachs booth. The nations largest investment bank is barring its top employees from contributing to certain political campaigns, including Donald Trumps White House bid. The new rules, which went into effect last week, prohibit partners at Goldman Sachs from donating to politicians running for state or local office, or to state officials who are seeking federal office. That applies to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trumps running mate, which means that the Goldman Sachs partners cant contribute to the Republican ticket. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

The memo specifically highlights the Trump-Pence ticket  and Super PACs supporting the Republicans  as a campaign to which the partners at the New York-based firm can't donate. But the rules do not apply to the Democratic ticket, since neither Hillary Clinton nor her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine, are currently state officeholders, though Kaine is a former governor.

A spokeswoman for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Many Goldman employees are not impacted by the new rule: only 467 of the bank's 30,000-plus employees around the globe are partners. But many of those partners tend to be extremely wealthy. And both campaigns' finance directors  Steven Mnuchin for Trump and Gary Gensler for Clinton are former Goldman employees who may be inclined to turn to their ex-colleagues for donations.

"The policy change is meant to minimize potential reputational damage caused by any false perception that the firm is attempting to circumvent pay-to-play rules, particularly given partners' seniority and visibility," the memo reads. "All failures to pre-clear political activities as outlined below are taken seriously and violations may result in disciplinary action."

A request for further comment from Goldman Sachs was not immediately returned. The new policy was first reported by Politico.

The Securities Exchange Commission tightened pay-to-play rules in 2010 and Goldman had previously instituted a similar prohibition barring any employee who manages a pension fund for them from making political contributions since they often deal with local officials.

In 2013, soon after leaving the State Department, Clinton delivered three paid speeches to Goldman Sachs. Her political foes, including Trump, have called for her to release the transcripts of those speeches but she has declined.

Clinton hauled in $143 million in August for her presidential bid and the Democratic party, her best fundraising month yet. Trump, who raised more than $80 for his campaign and party in July, is expected to announce his August totals this week.

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Reach Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire and Sweet at http://twitter.com/@kensweet

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, center left, waves as he walks with vice presidential candidate Gov. Mike Pence, R-Ind., center right, during a visit to the Canfield Fair, Monday, Sept. 5, 2016, in Canfield, Ohio. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
DOJ drops fight over release of 911 calls from club massacre

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped its legal case against the release of 911 calls from the massacre at a gay nightclub in Florida, saying Wednesday that withholding the recordings is no longer necessary to the federal investigation.

The reversal by federal prosecutors keeps the freedom of information fight in state court.

About two dozen media groups, including The Associated Press, have asked the city of Orlando and the Justice Department to release the recordings of the 911 calls and other calls gunman Omar Mateen had with Orlando Police after opening fire at the Pulse nightclub last June. His hours-long rampage killed 49 people and wounded 53 before he was killed in a shootout with a SWAT team rescuing his hostages.

The U.S. attorney's office and the FBI are now dropping their request that the city of Orlando withhold releasing the 911 calls, said William Daniels, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Tampa.

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation has determined that the specific records at issue are no longer part of its active and ongoing criminal investigations into the shootings at Pulse nightclub," Daniels said in an email.

Cassandra Lafser, a spokeswoman for the city, said she had no immediate response.

The media groups have said releasing the recordings could help the public evaluate the police response to the worst mass shooting in recent U.S. history. The city countered that the recordings were exempt under Florida's public records law, and that the FBI was insisting that their release could disrupt the criminal investigation.

The Department of Justice had pushed to have the legal fight moved to federal court, where Florida's public records law wouldn't apply, but a federal judge sent the case back to state court. That's where two hearings have been scheduled for later this month.

"We're gratified to see that the FBI is no longer presenting impediments to the release of the 911 recordings," said Rachel Fugate, an attorney for the media groups. "But it's taken three months, a lawsuit, a trip to federal court and a return to state court to get there."

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Missouri governor candidate's salary from charity questioned

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  Missouri Republican gubernatorial candidate Eric Greitens frequently recounts how he used his military combat pay from Iraq to found a charity that helps veterans transition to the private-sector through volunteer work.

Although Greitens initially took no salary at The Mission Continues, federal tax records show he eventually received $700,000 from the charity  a fact his Democratic opponent highlighted in television ads that began airing Wednesday.

One of the ads by Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster accuses Greitens of diverting money intended for veterans to instead promote himself.

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2016 file photo, Missouri Republican gubernatorial candidate Eric Greitens speaks in Jefferson City, Mo. Reports provided to The Associated Press on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, show Greitens has outraised his Democratic opponent Attorney General Chris Koster in recent weeks, but Koster still has more cash to spend. (Julie Smith/The Jefferson City News-Tribune via AP, File)

The ads mark Koster's most aggressive criticism yet of Greitens, who has built his campaign around his remarkable resume as a Navy SEAL officer, worldwide humanitarian and founder of The Mission Continues. In one of Greitens' previous ads, an Army veteran credits Greitens with saving his life though the charity's help.

An Associated Press review of the charity's Internal Revenue Service tax filings, independent audits and annual reports shows that The Mission Continues has grown significantly since Greitens founded it in 2007. The proportion of its revenues spent on programs is comparable to other charities or slightly better. Greitens' salary was perhaps somewhat higher than similarly situated charities but not extravagant, according to analysts who focus on nonprofits.

Greitens told the AP in an interview last week that he used about $2,500 to $3,500 of his military pay, plus donations from two other military friends, to launch The Mission Continues, which originally was named The Center for Citizen Leadership. The St. Louis-based charity provides grants for veterans to work in temporary fellowships at other charitable organizations as a way to serve their communities and develop skill sets that can lead to jobs.

Records show Greitens worked without pay in 2007 and 2008 as The Mission Continues got underway. After receiving a grant from the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, Greitens was paid a total of $150,000 from mid-2009 through 2010. As contributions continued to flow into The Mission Continues, Greitens' salary was raised to $175,000 in 2011 and he received a $25,000 bonus that year. His salary remained at that level the next two years, before he stepped down as CEO in 2014.

According to a 2014 report by Charity Navigator, which evaluates nonprofit organizations, Greitens' salary was about one-third higher than the $131,000 median compensation for chief executives of 237 medium-sized charities in the Midwest.

"I don't think it's to the point where it's egregious or it's a huge red flag," said Sandra Miniutti, vice president of marketing and chief financial officer at Charity Navigator. But "looking at the data, it is on the high side for a charity located there of that size."

Daniel Borochoff, president and founder of CharityWatch, discounted comparisons made largely by geography and the finances of the charities. He said it's better to look at a charity's mission and the qualifications needed to lead it. As a former Navy SEAL officer with a doctorate degree in politics from Oxford University in England, Greitens would carry appealing qualifications to a veterans service organization.

Borochoff said Greitens' wages "seem within a reasonable range."

The leaders of The Mission Continues "do have a big responsibility with this program, dealing with kind of a complicated population, so people shouldn't make that comparison to their own salary," he said.

Koster is paid about $116,000 annually as attorney general.

Annual reports by The Mission Continues show Greitens gave an equivalent of at least 5 percent of his $175,000 salary back as a donation to the charity starting in 2011. He continued to contribute after leaving the organization and has given a total of more than $50,000, said Greitens campaign manager Austin Chambers.

Koster's ads also criticize about $619,000 paid by The Mission Continues to what the ads characterize as "image consultants." The ads show brief video clips of Greitens appearing to have makeup applied to his face while implying the money was meant to spruce up Greitens' image for his political campaign.

The money at issue was paid to the St. Louis-based public relations firm FleishmanHillard in 2013 and 2014. Chambers said it went toward a rebranding of The Mission Continues, as well as marketing and outreach efforts.

Greitens' campaign quickly attempted to use Koster's new ads as a fundraising tool. It distributed an email to supporters saying "Chris Koster should be ashamed of himself for attacking an organization that helps veterans" and urging them to "chip in $3, $5, $10, or whatever you can" to fight back.

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Follow David A. Lieb at: http://twitter.com/DavidALieb
Trump: US generals 'reduced to rubble,' he'd replace some

NEW YORK (AP)  Leveling unusually harsh criticism against the military, Republican Donald Trump said Wednesday night that America's generals have been "reduced to rubble" under President Barack Obama and suggested he would fire some of them if he wins the presidency in November.

Trump's comments came during a televised national security forum where he and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton each fielded 30 minutes of questions about their experience and judgment to be commander in chief. While the candidates never appeared on stage together, their back-to-back sessions served as a preview of sorts for their upcoming debates.

By virtue of a coin flip, Clinton took the stage first and quickly found herself responding at length to questions about her years in government. She reiterated that she had made mistakes in relying on a personal email account and private server as secretary of state and in voting for the 2003 invasion of Iraq as a senator. But she defended her support for U.S. military intervention to help oust a dictator in Libya, despite the chaotic aftermath.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks with 'Today' show co-anchor Matt Lauer at the NBC Commander-In-Chief Forum held at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier Intrepid, New York, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

"I'm asking to be judged on the totality of my record," said Clinton, who grew visibly irritated at times with the repeated focus on her past actions.

Clinton, who has cast Trump as dangerously ill-prepared to be commander in chief, tried to center the discussion on her foreign policy proposals should she win in November. She vowed to not send American ground troops into Iraq or Syria to fight the Islamic State group. And she pledged to hold weekly Oval Office meetings with representatives from the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs to stay abreast of health care for veterans.

Trump did little to counter the criticism that he lacks detailed policy proposals, particularly regarding the Islamic State. He both insisted he has a private blueprint for defeating the extremist group and that he would demand a plan from military leaders within 30 days of taking office.

Asked to square his request for military options with his harsh criticism of the current crop of generals, Trump said simply: "They'll probably be different generals."

Trump renewed his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin for having "great control over his country." He stood by a previous comment that appeared to blame military sexual assaults on men and women serving together, but added he would not seek to remove women from the military. And for the first time, he opened the door to granting legal status to people living in the U.S. illegally who join the military.

"I think that when you serve in the armed forces, that's a very special situation," Trump said. "And I could see myself working that out."

As a businessman with no substantial national security experience, Trump was vague about how he is preparing for the enormous array of complex issues that would land on his desk as commander in chief. He cited his team of military advisers, but also said he has "a common sense" that will help him make decisions on foreign policy.

With just two months until Election Day, national security has emerged as a centerpiece issue in the White House race. Both candidates believe they have the upper hand, with Clinton contrasting her experience with Trump's unpredictability and the Republican arguing that Americans worried about their safety will be left with more of the same if they elect Obama's former secretary of state.

While GOP candidates are often seen by voters as having an advantage on military and national security issues, Trump is far from a traditional Republican. He has no military experience and has repeatedly criticized the skill of the armed forces.

A flood of Republican national security experts have instead chosen to back Clinton, helping bolster her case that Trump is broadly unacceptable. Earlier Wednesday, former Defense Secretary William Cohen joined the list of GOP officials supporting Clinton.

Ahead of the forum, Trump rolled out a new plan to boost military spending by tens of billions of dollars, including major increases in the number of active troops, fighter planes, ships and submarines.

His address earlier in the day also included plans to eliminate deep spending cuts known as the "sequester" that were enacted when Congress failed to reach a budget compromise in 2011. Republicans and Democrats voted for the automatic, across-the board cuts that affected both military and domestic programs, though the White House has long pressed Congress to lift the spending limits.

Trump expressed support for the sequester in interviews in 2013  even describing them as too small  but seemed to suggest at the time that military spending should be exempt.

A senior adviser said ahead of the speech that Trump would make sure the additional spending was fully paid for but did not explain how.

The United States currently spends more than $600 billion a year on the military, more than the next seven countries combined.

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Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Erica Werner in Washington and Jonathan Lemire in New York contributed to this report.

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Pace reported from Washington. Follow Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC and Peoples at http://twitter.com/sppeoples

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a "commander in chief forum" hosted by NBC in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks with 'Today' show co-anchor Matt Lauer at the NBC Commander-In-Chief Forum held at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier Intrepid, New York, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The Latest: Stealthy destroyer sets sail to join US Navy

BATH, Maine (AP)  The Latest on the nation's largest and most expensive destroyer leaving Maine to join the U.S. Navy (all times local):

4:30 p.m.

The largest and most expensive destroyer ever built for the U.S. Navy is headed into the remnants of a tropical storm as it leaves Maine for good.

Capt. James Kirk, skipper of the future USS Zumwalt, stands in front of the destroyer at Bath Iron Works on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Bath, Maine. The ship is due to depart the shipyard on Wednesday to be commissioned in Baltimore. (AP Photo/David Sharp)

Hundreds of spectators gathered to watch the stealthy Zumwalt destroyer depart from Bath Iron Works en route to its commissioning in Baltimore. From there, the 610-foot ship heads to its homeport in San Diego.

The futuristic-looking warship features an angular shape to minimize its radar signature, an unconventional hull, a powerful new gun system and a composite deckhouse that hides the radar and sensors.

The Navy said the churning ocean caused by former Tropical Storm Hermine (her-MEEN') won't prevent a port call Thursday in Newport, Rhode Island.

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12:40 a.m.

The largest and most expensive destroyer ever built for the U.S. Navy once headed to sea in a snowstorm during builder trials. Now, it's heading into the remnants of a tropical storm as it leaves Maine for good.

The skipper is watching the weather as the stealthy Zumwalt destroyer prepares to depart from Bath Iron Works on Wednesday en route to its commissioning in Baltimore, and then to its homeport in San Diego.

Capt. James Kirk says the remnants of former Hurricane Hermine (her-MEEN') won't prevent the ship's departure.
Washington police ID man wounded by officer in gun incident

WASHINGTON (AP)  Police in Washington are identifying a man who they say was shooting a gun on a street and was shot by an officer.

In a statement Thursday they said he is 22-year-old Marc Jeffers of northwest Washington.

Police say that Jeffers was firing a handgun on a busy northwest Washington thoroughfare when he was shot Wednesday afternoon. Police say the officer who shot him ordered him to drop the weapon and he ignored the officer.

Washington Metro Police on the scene of shooting at 3800 block Georgia Ave., N.W., in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, DC., Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Police say a man was taken to the hospital after a police-involved shooting in Washington. Police spokesman Officer Sean Hickman said the shooting happened around 2 p.m. and that the man taken to the hospital was conscious and breathing. He says no officers were injured. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Jeffers faces charges including assault with a dangerous weapon.

A police spokeswoman Aquita Brown says Jeffers is black. She did not have the race of the officer involved in the shooting.
Judge says US should reconsider habitat for Canada lynx

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  The U.S. government was wrong to exclude large areas of the Rocky Mountains when it designated almost 40,000 square miles of habitat as critical to the survival of imperiled Canada lynx, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen in Montana ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to consider adding more habitat for the wild cats in several states.

The judge cited the presence of a reproducing lynx population in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Agency officials had earlier concluded that area was "not essential" for the recovery of the species, pointing in part to low population densities of snowshoe hares that lynx eat.

FILE - This Feb. 3, 1999 file photo shows a female Canadian lynx heading for the woods after being released near South Fork, Colo. A federal judge says the U.S. government was wrong to exclude portions of five western states when it designated critical habitat for the imperiled Canada lynx. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen in Montana issued an order Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, requiring the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to consider adding habitat for the wild cats in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. (AP Photo/Jack Smith, File)

"The (Fish and Wildlife) Service's own representations suggest that parts of Colorado constitute suitable critical habitat," Christensen wrote. He added that snowshoe hares are "certainly present" in the southern Rockies at densities "at or near" the level needed to support lynx.

"In such a close call....the (Endangered Species Act) demands that the tie go to the species," the judge said.

Lynx are elusive, forest-dwelling animals. There is no reliable population estimate for the species. It was listed as threatened in 2000, but a dispute lingers as to where lynx should receive the strongest protections.

Christensen also ruled that officials had failed to analyze the potential for lynx to thrive in portions of Montana and Idaho when they made their critical habitat designation in 2014.

But the judge agreed with the government that a critical habitat designation wasn't needed in Oregon and the Kettle mountain range in Washington state, where there has been little evidence of lynx.

That means lynx in those areas will be protected from hunting and trapping, but there will be less stringent reviews of human activities that could affect the dense forests they need to survive.

Wildlife advocates sued the government following the 2014 habitat designation. They said Wednesday's ruling could mark a "turning point" in lynx recovery.

"The species really now has a fighting chance," said attorney Matt Bishop with the Western Environmental Law Center, who represented some of the plaintiffs in the case. "The feds can no longer discard the southern Rockies or its importance for lynx."

Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Serena Baker said the agency was disappointed with the ruling on the southern Rockies, Montana and Idaho  but pleased that aspects of the 2014 habitat designation were left in place.

She declined to say if the agency would appeal Christensen's ruling or how long it would take to comply.

The American Petroleum Institute and Washington State Snowmobile Association sided with the government in the case. They had asked Christensen to reject the lawsuits from Wildearth Guardians, Cascadia Wildlands and the other plaintiffs.

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Yosemite adding 400 acres of meadow, forest

FRESNO, Calif. (AP)  Visitors to Yosemite National Park will soon have more room to roam after officials on Wednesday announced a 400-acre expansion, the largest in nearly 70 years.

The addition to the park in California features wetlands and a grassy meadow surrounded by tall pine trees on rolling hills that are home to endangered wildlife.

Ackerson Meadow is located along Yosemite's western boundary. The area was purchased from private owners by the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit conservation group, for $2.3 million and donated to the park.

This undated photo provided by The Trust for Public Land shows Ackerson Meadow in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Visitors to the park now have more room to explore nature with the announcement on Wed. Sept. 7, 2016 that the park's western boundary has expanded to include Ackerson Meadow, 400 acres of tree-covered Sierra Nevada foothills, grassland and a creek that flows into the Tuolumne River. This is the park's biggest expansion in nearly 70 years, and will serve as wildlife habitat. (Robb Hirsch/The Trust for Public Land via AP)

Officials told The Associated Press that Yosemite will preserve the land  historically used for logging and cattle grazing  as habitat for wildlife such as the great grey owl, the largest owl in North American and listed as endangered by California wildlife officials.

Robin and Nancy Wainwright, who owned the land since 2006, sold it to the trust. Robin Wainwright said they lost a "few hundred thousand dollars" selling to the trust, and the couple also passed up a lucrative offer from a developer to build a resort.

He said he often saw bears strolling through the meadow and owls soaring over fields of vibrant wildflowers blooming in the springtime. He didn't want that experience available only to those who could afford a resort.

"To have that accessible by everyone to me is just a great thing," Wainwright said. "It was worth losing a little bit of money for that."

Shaun Crook, president of the Tuolumne County Farm Bureau, said that not everybody supported turning the private property over to the government.

For at least a century, the grassy Ackerson Meadow has fattened beef cattle and been used for logging, he said.

"That will no longer happen," he said, adding that both industries are being squeezed out of business. "I fear we'll lose the value of that meadow."

The park's boundary has seen some minor changes over the years, but this expansion is the largest since 1949 to the park of nearly 750,000 acres total, park spokesman Scott Gediman said.

More than 4.5 million people are expected to visit Yosemite this year, which Gediman said would set a record for the park that celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2015.

Other draws to the park include the massive Half Dome rock and the sheer, granite face of El Capitan  both admired by visitors from floor of Yosemite Valley.

Elsewhere in the park stand groves of giant sequoia, some of the oldest and largest living things on Earth.

Visitors pass Ackerson Meadow on their way to Hetch Hetchy reservoir, which provides drinking water to San Francisco.

The land was bought with $1.53 million from the Trust for Public Land and $520,000 from the Yosemite Conservancy, which supports a variety of projects in the park. Anonymous donors contributed the rest, Gediman said.

"We are delighted and proud to make this gift to Yosemite and the people of America," said Will Rogers, president of the Trust for Public Land.

The land completes the park's original plans from 1890, which included Ackerson Meadow, said Yosemite Conservancy's President Frank Dean.

"It's a stunning open meadow surrounded by forest habitat, which supports a wide variety of flora and fauna," said Park Superintendent Don Neubacher.
Robert Timberg, journalist, author and Vietnam veteran, dies

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Robert R. "Bob" Timberg, a Marine Corps veteran who survived horrific injuries in Vietnam and became a Washington reporter for The Baltimore Sun, died Tuesday at age 76.

The Hardesty Funeral Home confirmed Wednesday that he died at a hospital in Annapolis, where he had lived.

Timberg's 1995 book, "The Nightingale's Song," looked at the lives of five fellow Naval Academy graduates, including Sen. John McCain and former Sen. Jim Webb.

"Bob Timberg was a dutiful and proud Marine, a respected and principled journalist, a talented and acclaimed writer, a loyal friend and good company, a loving father and husband," McCain said in a statement.

Timberg graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1964 and was sent to Vietnam as a Marine. In 1967, the amphibious tractor he was riding hit a land mine, burning him with fuel. He underwent 35 operations to help reconstruct his face.

He joined the Evening Capital in Annapolis in 1970 and later went to work at the Evening Sun in Baltimore, covering the statehouse. He joined The Sun's Washington bureau in 1981.

Timberg covered Capitol Hill and later became White House correspondent, covering Ronald Reagan's administration. He retired from The Sun in 2005.
REVIEW: JT LeRoy doc explores absorbing literary scandal

To the general public, the name JT LeRoy probably rings only the vaguest of bells, if any at all. It didn't for this particular critic. But that innocent ignorance is all the more reason to seek out the documentary "Author: The JT LeRoy Story ," a fascinating peek into one of the wildest literary scandals in recent years and the bizarre nature of celebrity relationships. Director Jeff Feuerzeig's film, while undeniably one-sided, will have your mind spinning with questions about authorship, authenticity, art and fame.

You even get to hear Courtney Love pause a phone call to indulge in some nose candy. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

It's hard to know where to start when it comes to describing what exactly JT LeRoy was, but, as far as the public was concerned at the time, he was a teenager who hailed from the truck stops of West Virginia where his mother turned tricks for money. He was gender fluid, possibly HIV positive, drug-addicted and a writer whose thinly-veiled fiction excited the likes of Dennis Cooper. He published the novel "Sarah" in 2000 and the short-story collection "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things" soon after and amassed a hoard of celebrity followers like Love, Winona Ryder, Bono, Billy Corgan, Gus Van Sant and Matthew Modine.

This image released by Magnolia Pictures/Amazon Studios shows Laura Albert from the film, "Author: The JT LeRoy Story." (Magnolia Pictures/Amazon Studios via AP)

But JT LeRoy was not real. He was a persona created by Laura Albert, who was a depressed and overweight 30-something who would often call child crisis lines as various characters. JT LeRoy was just one of them, and he stuck.

In the documentary, Albert, now fierce and trim, takes the audience from the moment of JT's ("Jeremiah Terminator") origin to the reputation shattering exposes in 2006, opening up and articulating as best she can the how and the why of it all.

At some point, after JT LeRoy has become notable and fetishized for his reclusiveness, Albert (who also took on the physical persona of his manager and friend "Speedie") starts using her sister-in-law Savannah Knoop as a stand-in for JT LeRoy. Once there's a beautiful, androgynous body attached to the tragic backstory, this odd little posse becomes unstoppable in the alternative fashion, literary and Hollywood communities. The Italian filmmaker and actress Asia Argento even made an adaptation of "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things" with a Cannes Film Festival premiere and press conference. "JT LeRoy" was there.

Things get even stranger, but it's best just to experience it. Albert has a lighthearted "who cares" way of talking about everything and makes for a fascinating, if not entirely trustworthy, narrator. The treasure is in the recorded phone messages and conversations between JT LeRoy and his celebrity admirers, hangers on and friends  a glimpse into how famous people actually talk to those they consider peers.

The rise and fall of JT LeRoy is interspersed, too, with stories from Albert's own life before JT took over, ranging from her troubled childhood to her struggles with weight. This part is not executed particularly well. One revelation is withheld until the final moments of the film  which seems to be far too editorial a choice for this film. I won't disclose it here, but if it is an essential component of why Albert is the way she is, it only diminishes the rest of the movie. Keeping it from the audience, too, seems like a cheap ploy to emotionally manipulate rather than explore and analyze.

It's here where all of the access and information and big ideas fall short of greatness. In a picture that seems to be all about making your own judgments, they've made a pretty significant one for us, and they don't even ask the big follow-up questions.

"Author: The JT LeRoy Story," a Magnolia Pictures release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for "language throughout, sexual content, some drug material and violent images." Running time: 110 minutes. Three stars out of four.

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MPAA Definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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Protests against new Brazilian president in dozens of cities

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Protests against new Brazilian President Michel Temer are taking place in several dozen cities across the country.

The news portal G1 has reported demonstrations in 40 cities Wednesday, which is Brazil's Independence Day. It is also the opening of the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The biggest protest is in Sao Paulo, the country's financial capital. Organizers claim tens of thousands are walking down Paulista Avenue in the heart of the city. Police haven't provided estimates.

Demonstrators hold up posters that read in Portuguese "Direct elections now," left, "Coup", center, and "Get out Temer," right, during a protest against Brazil's President Michel Temer after a military Independence Day parade in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Brazil's former President Dilma Rousseff was removed from office for breaking fiscal responsibility laws in her management of the federal budget. Temer, once her vice president, will serve out her term which runs through 2018. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Most of the other demonstrations have been much smaller.

Temer took power last week after President Dilma Rousseff was removed from office by the Senate for breaking fiscal responsibility laws in her management of the budget. Rousseff denied the accusations.

A demonstrator holds up a sign against Brazil's President Michel Temer after an Independence Day military parade in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Brazils former President Dilma Rousseff was removed for breaking fiscal responsibility laws in her management of the federal budget. Temer, once her vice president, will serve out her term which runs through 2018. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Demonstrators protest Brazil's President Michel Temer after an Independence Day military parade in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Brazils' former President Dilma Rousseff was removed from office for breaking fiscal responsibility laws in her management of the federal budget. Temer, once her vice president, will serve out her term which runs through 2018. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Women scream "Get out Temer" and hold a banner that reads in Portuguese: "Get out Temer," using the Olympic rings in the message, to protest Brazil's President Michel Temer after a military parade marking Independence Day in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Sep. 7, 2016. Dilma Rousseff was removed from office for breaking fiscal responsibility laws in her management of the federal budget. Temer, once her vice president, will serve out her term which runs through 2018. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Former US pastor gets 60 years in prison in child sex case

LAS VEGAS (AP)  A former Las Vegas-area church pastor has been sentenced to at least 60 years in state prison for sexually assaulting three young girls in his congregation before fleeing to Mexico.

A judge sentenced Otis Holland on Wednesday to 15 life terms. He will serve at least 60 years before becoming eligible for parole.

Holland was known to his United Faith Church congregation as "Reverend Otis" and became a fugitive after he fled to Mexico following his initial arrest in December 2010.

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Henderson, Nev., Police Department shows Otis Holland. Holland a former Las Vegas-area church pastor has been sentenced to at least 60 years in state prison for sexually assaulting three young girls in his congregation before fleeing to Mexico. (Henderson Police Department via AP, File)

Holland was convicted in January of child sexual assault and lewdness, conspiracy to destroy evidence and bribing a witness.

Defense lawyer John Parris says Holland will appeal his conviction and the sentence.
FBI renews search for California student missing 20 years

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP)  FBI agents sifted through dirt Wednesday at an excavation site on the edge of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where they hope to find remains of a student who vanished in 1996.

The work was being done on a hillside west of the giant letter "P'' that marks the campus in the coastal region midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

About 10 agents in blue FBI shirts, hats and masks examined loads of dirt dug up by heavy equipment and transported to an inspection site, The Tribune of San Luis Obispo reported (http://bit.ly/2ci8UZ1 ).

A sign outside the James R. Murphy, Jr. law office in Arroyo Grande, Calif., offers a reward for information in the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. FBI agents sifted through dirt Wednesday at an excavation site on the edge of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where they hope to find remains of the student. Smart, 19, of Stockton, Calif., was last seen in the early morning of May 25, 1996, while returning to her dorm after an off-campus party. (AP Photo)

Kristin Smart, 19, of Stockton, was last seen in the early morning of May 25, 1996, while returning to her dorm after an off-campus party.

At the time, another student told authorities he left Smart near her dormitory after they and another female student walked back to Cal Poly.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson told reporters Tuesday that the excavation near a parking lot was being revealed because of the site's high visibility. It was one of several locations identified in January by dogs specially trained in detecting the scent of very old human remains.

"We're also focused on other locations, however we're not disclosing those locations at this time because I'm hopeful that this will lead to the finding of Kristin or evidence that will bring closure to the family and ultimately to the community," Parkinson said.

The excavation was prompted by a lead developed through a comprehensive review of the entire case, which has been under investigation for more than 20 years and has involved other searches, the sheriff said.

The male student who told of leaving Smart near her dorm was investigated, but he was never arrested or charged. That man remains a person of interest, the sheriff said.

Sean Ragan, FBI special agent in charge of criminal investigation, addresses the media during a press conference at Cal Poly to inform the public of a renewed search for the remains of Kristin Smart at sites on the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 6, 2016. (Joe Johnston/The Tribune (of San Luis Obispo) via AP)

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson addresses the media during a press conference at Cal Poly to inform the public of a renewed search for the remains of Kristin Smart at sites on the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. (Joe Johnston/The Tribune (of San Luis Obispo) via AP

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department and the FBI have renewed a search for the remains of Kristin Smart at sites on the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. (Joe Johnston/The Tribune (of San Luis Obispo) via AP)
600 Springfield students sent home, lack physicals and shots

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  A central Illinois school district sent 600 students home from classes because they didn't have their required physicals and immunizations.

The State Journal-Register reports (http://bit.ly/2bYNwsx ) the Springfield Public Schools students were sent home Tuesday. Superintendent Jennifer Gill says most of those students are heading into sixth, ninth and 12th grades.

Gill says one factor is that 12th-graders must provide proof of two meningococcal vaccines if the first was received on or after their 16th birthdays.

She says the situation could be worse. Last week, 2,400 students in the district were not in compliance.

Springfield School Board member Mike Zimmers says parents of the 600 students "should be ashamed of themselves" for not ensuring their children met the medical requirements.

The district has about 15,000 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

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4 Puerto Rico police officers face civil rights charges

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Four Puerto Rico police officers have been charged with civil rights violations and obstruction of justice in the latest hit against a department undergoing a federally mandated overhaul.

The U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday that three male officers and one former female officer are accused of using excessive force during a November 2014 police operation. Officials say the officers choked, slapped and hit a suspect in the head with a gun and then shot him as he was fleeing.

Associate Police Superintendent Juan Rodriguez says the three officers will be suspended. The accused worked in an anti-narcotics unit.
Review: Eastwood's 'Sully' stubbornly refuses to soar

In "Sully," Clint Eastwood's haunted and sterile docudrama of Capt. Chesley Sullenberger's 2009 landing of Flight 1549 on the Hudson, Eastwood has drained away all the superficial, rah-rah heroism of Sullenberger's great feat, but he has also sucked the life out of it.

"Sully" is every bit an Eastwood picture. Instead of the rush of euphoria that the "Miracle on the Hudson" swept through a New York accustomed to only tragedy from the air, we get a weary parable that, as Eastwood has often done, pulls the curtain away from a celebrated public figure and reveals the inner trauma and sense of responsibility that lies inside a regular man thrust into an unwanted spotlight.

Sullenberger, played with typical dignity and sensitivity by Tom Hanks, is not celebrated here with a parade of a movie. He is beset by demons and anxieties, and the almost comically harsh scrutiny of an aviation safety panel, which, relying on automated flight simulations, believes Sullenberger could have safely returned to LaGuardia or made it over the New Jersey shoreline to Teterboro.

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Tom Hanks, right, and Aaron Eckhart in a scene from "Sully." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

Their snide, judgmental presence is there throughout "Sully," as they try to second guess his decision-making. It's an exaggeration. The film's climactic grilling of Sullenberger at a public hearing was referred to in news reports as "gentle, respectful and at times downright congenial."

But Eastwood and screenwriter Todd Komarnicki working off of Sullenberger's book "Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters," had to find drama somewhere. The entire flight lasted less than six minutes. It was just 208 seconds from bird strike to the frigid Hudson.

How do you make a film out of mere moments, handled with preternatural calm? Eastwood lingers in its aftermath, as Sully remains holed in a Manhattan he has little love for. The narrative is fractured, flashing backward and forward, into the pilot's past and occasionally into his nightmares. Hanks, white haired and subdued, finds Sullenberger's essence not in the miraculous but in the mundane: A man just doing his job, not so unlike his "Captain Phillips."

And though the film bears his name, "Sully" is really a two-hander. With Sullenberger throughout is his co-pilot Jeff Skiles (a top-notch Aaron Eckhart), his partner in flight and on the ground. They huddle together in midnight runs and in testimony, leaning on each other through the surreal media storm.

Eastwood moves slowly to the landing but gives it its full due. Filmed on IMAX, his big, clear images nevertheless remain somber  as does Eastwood's own quiet score  in the big, awaited moment. Nowhere is much of a sense of New York or the cathartic relief that lifted the city.

Instead, "Sully" remains, stubbornly, a refraction of Sullenberger's interior, as filtered through Eastwood's elegiac lens. "I eyeballed it," is how the pilot explains his intuitive response, built up over 42 years of flying. It's not hard to feel Eastwood's own identification with the man. He, too, is an old hand who works quickly: workmanlike and instinctually, "eyeballing" it. You can imagine Eastwood, too, up there on the stand responding to what computers say he should have done differently.

"Life's easier in the air," Skiles and Sullenberger agree. Eastwood, of course, does too. Only being aloft for him is to be in the director's chair, far from other concerns. His focus in "Sully" is both its greatest attribute (this is, after all, a serious and thoughtful film that sees a universally known event through a fresh perspective) and the reason for its disappointing emptiness.

In testimony, Sullenberger criticizes the simulators for "taking all the humanity of the cockpit." Eastwood has put it back in. But the story of Flight 1549 was bigger than that.

"Sully," a Warner Bros. release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for "some peril and brief strong language." Running time: 96 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Tom Hanks, left, and Aaron Eckhart in a scene from "Sully." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Tom Hanks in a scene from "Sully." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Tom Hanks in a scene from "Sully." (Keith Bernstein/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Tom Hanks in a scene from "Sully." (Keith Bernstein/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)
Puerto Rico legislator ends re-election bid under pressure

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  A federal corruption trial in Puerto Rico has dealt another blow to the U.S. territory's ruling party.

Sen. Mari Tere Gonzalez of the governing Popular Democratic Party announced Wednesday under pressure from fellow party members that she will not seek re-election.

The announcement came just hours after she testified at the trial of former fundraiser Anaudi Hernandez. He is accused of overseeing a government corruption scheme in which contracts were allegedly awarded as political favors.

Gonzalez was elected in 2012 to represent the western municipality of Mayaguez. She says she will retain her position until the November elections.
Prosecutors cite 2 soldiers' injuries in Bergdahl arguments

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Serious injuries to two soldiers who searched for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in 2009 show that he endangered his comrades by leaving his post in Afghanistan, prosecutors argue in a new filing.

The Sept. 1 motion lays out how prosecutors plan to tie the injuries into arguments that Bergdahl is guilty of misbehavior before the enemy, a relatively rare charge that carries up to a life sentence. Bergdahl also faces a desertion charge in the case scheduled for a 2017 trial.

Bergdahl's attorneys, meanwhile, filed a separate motion Wednesday arguing that the general overseeing the case has improperly communicated with prosecutors without the defense's knowledge.

FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2016, file photo, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl arrives for a pretrial hearing at Fort Bragg, N.C. Prosecutors argue that serious injuries to two soldiers who searched for Bergdahl in 2009 show that he endangered his comrades by leaving his post in Afghanistan. The motion filed this month lays out how prosecutors plan to tie the injuries into arguments that Bergdahl is guilty of misbehavior before the enemy. Its a relatively rare charge that carries up to a life sentence. AP Photo/Ted Richardson, File)

Prosecutors say that Mark Allen, then a National Guard sergeant first class, was part of a search mission about a week after Bergdahl disappeared from his post. Allen was shot in the head on July 8, 2009, and suffered traumatic brain injuries that leave him dependent on a wheelchair and unable to communicate, prosecutors say.

The filing also says that Spc. Jonathan Morita suffered broken bones and other hand and arm injuries when a rocket propelled grenade was fired at him. The RPG didn't explode, and Morita survived.

Prosecutors write that the men's injuries will help them show that Bergdahl endangered his comrades, one of the elements of the misbehavior before the enemy charge. They request the judge to allow them to use the evidence in their case.

"The best evidence of endangerment ... remains the fact that service members were actually harmed during the crisis that the accused intentionally created," the prosecutors wrote, adding that the search for Bergdahl was the only reason for the mission involving Allen and Morita.

Defense attorney Eugene Fidell declined to comment Wednesday on the prosecutors' motion.

Earlier this year, defense attorneys argued against a separate effort by prosecutors to have Allen's wife designated to serve as a representative for the wounded soldier during the case. Prosecutors say he's unable to communicate.

"Allen's injuries were directly caused by the Taliban, not by SGT Bergdahl," defense attorneys wrote in January.

The judge overseeing the case declined to designate Allen's wife as his representative in a July ruling. Col. Jeffery R. Nance noted then that "it has not been established nor may it be presumed that anyone is a direct victim of the accused's alleged misconduct."

A former military lawyer who teaches law at Florida International University, Eric Carpenter, said the prosecutors face a low threshold for showing that the soldiers' injuries are relevant, but that it's smart to resolve the matter before trial.

"This is a motion you file ahead of time so things go more smoothly at trial and you don't have a bunch of objections," he said in an interview.

Carpenter said defense attorneys may convince the judge to bar certain information, but evidence of the injuries should largely make it into the case.

A general who did a preliminary investigation of Bergdahl's case has previously testified that he found no evidence that service members were killed searching for the soldier.

Bergdahl, who is from Hailey, Idaho, walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and wound up a captive of the Taliban and its allies until 2014 when the Obama administration won his release by trading Guantanamo Bay detainees.

In the defense motion Wednesday, Bergdahl's lawyers argued that prosecutors must provide further information on communications they have had with Gen. Robert B. Abrams, the four-star head of U.S. Army Forces Command who referred the case to a general court martial.
Mom, daughter charged with incest after marrying in Oklahoma

DUNCAN, Okla. (AP)  A woman and her daughter are facing incest charges after authorities learned the pair were legally married in Oklahoma this year, and that the mother had married her son a few years earlier.

The motivation behind the March marriage was unclear Wednesday, when 43-year-old Patricia Ann Spann and her daughter, 25-year-old Misty Velvet Dawn Spann, made initial appearances in Stephens County district court. Under Oklahoma law, marrying a close relative is considered incest whether or not a sexual relationship exists.

Neither woman had an attorney listed in court documents. No publicly listed phone number could be found for their home in Duncan, about 80 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.

According to a police affidavit, officers learned about the marriage late last month amid a child welfare investigation. Patricia Spann told a state child services investigator she'd lost custody of three children, who were adopted by their paternal grandmother, but reunited with her daughter two years ago. She said she thought a marriage was OK because her name wasn't on her daughter's birth certificate, the affidavit states.

Detectives later learned she married her son in 2008. He filed for an annulment 15 months later citing "incest," stating he was married to his birth mother, according to the affidavit.
Israel: Rise of social media linked to rising anti-Semitism

UNITED NATIONS (AP)  Israel's U.N. ambassador demanded Wednesday that media companies "stop providing a platform for hate sites," saying there is a clear link between the rise of social media and the rise of anti-Semitism.

Danny Danon told a High-Level Forum on anti-Semitism that on Twitter, 63 percent of all anti-Semitic tweets are calls for violence against Jews. But only 1 in 10 are ever removed, he said.

"We are living in a new era and we face a new kind of anti-Semitism," Danon said. "Online communities of hate spread lies about Israel and conspiracy theories about the Jews to millions around the world. All they need is a wireless connection, a Facebook account, and a deep hatred for the Jewish people."

In France, which has Europe's largest Jewish population, anti-Semitic incidents today are seven times higher than in the 1990s, Danon said. And in Britain, 2014 saw the highest-ever number of attacks against Jews.

Soccer fans in Poland held a rally on Aug. 30, he said, but instead of cheering their team they chanted anti-Semitic slogans, burned a life-size puppet of a religious Jew wearing a hat and beard hanging from a rope, and held up a banner saying: "Let the Jews burn."

Danon said Google recently took down an interactive program used to identify and target Jews on the Internet. It let users around the world "tag people who they thought had a Jewish-sounding name or who openly supported Israel," Danon said. "By the time it was shut down it had a vast database of names."

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power called for "more effective tools to monitor and confront anti-Semitism online and in social media." But she stressed that freedom of speech must be protected "even in some of its most hateful forms."

"We must insist on maintaining a distinction between legitimate criticism of Israel and anti-Semitism," Power said. "Yet the lines between the two are often blurred."

She pointed to an October 2015 rally in Malmo, Sweden to protest Israel's policies where some participants chanted "slaughter the Jews." She also cited several examples on U.S. college campuses, including at Brooklyn College, where a group of student activists interrupted a faculty meeting in February "demanding that all Zionists be removed from campus."

Besides confronting anti-Semitism online, Power said, "we can and must come up with more effective ways to leverage the openness of the Internet to empower those who are targets of such harassment to fight back."

Danon said young people must be educated about the dangers of anti-Semitism online but talking isn't enough.

"Media companies have to take preventative steps," he said. "Stop providing a platform for hate sites. Stop easy access through content searches, and start developing mechanisms to detect and report on racist and anti-Semitic search results."
Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..Inspiration from Zion..August '16..Israel doesnt do things the way other nations do and our national anthem is no exception to that rule.What other nation on earth has had a national anthem at a time when they did not have a State they could call home?The original poem was called(Our Hope), was revised over the years, including by Imber himself and eventually became the two stanza anthem,(The Hope), sung today.The words of Israels national anthem were written as a nine-stanza poem by poet Naftali Hertz Imber and were first published in 1876 or 1877 (the exact date is unknown). It served as the anthem of the Zionist Movement at the 18th Zionist Congress in 1933.Althoughwas firmly established in the publics consciousness as Israels national anthem, it was not formally legislated as such until 57 years after the establishment of the state.For other nations, the anthem is a tool to build and reinforce national consciousness. Their songs speak of pride, superiority, the glory of battle and/or upholding the reign of the ruler. The lyrics reinforce the cohesion of a people based on their similar traits, taking part in the same battles and living in the same land.Here too Israel is different.mentions no battles, no fight against oppressors and no similar traits belonging to our nation.The consciousness of Israel as a nation has existed for thousands of years. There is no need to pump ideas of brotherhood or belonging together, the our in the lyrics comes quietly, naturally, without fanfare.
MPs call on Government to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia

Britain must suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia as it appears the country is committing war crimes in Yemen and it "seems inevitable" that they involve UK weapons, a group of MPs has apparently said in a leaked draft report.

According to BBC Two's Newsnight, the Commons Committees on Arms Export Controls said in a draft report: "The weight of evidence of violations of international humanitarian law by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen is now so great that it is very difficult to continue to support Saudi Arabia while maintaining the credibility of our arms licensing regime."

The Government has faced sustained pressure to suspend the sale of weapons to the country amid claims that international humanitarian law (IHL) has been breached in fighting between the Yemeni government, backed by Saudi Arabia, and Shiite Yemeni rebels.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson defended the selling of arms to Saudi Arabia for potential use in Yemen's bloody civil war

According to Newsnight, the committee said in its draft report: "The weight of evidence is now so great that the UK should suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen until an independent and international inquiry can establish the truth."

The programme quoted the draft report as saying it "seems inevitable that any violations of international law by the Saudi-led coalition would involve arms supplied by the UK".

It adds, according to the programme: "While doubt and uncertainty about IHL compliance in Yemen exists, the default position of the UK should not to be to continue to sell weapons."

The claims come after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Monday defended the selling of arms to Saudi Arabia for potential use in Yemen's bloody civil war, insisting the export of weapons to the country would continue.

The Foreign Secretary said the Government found there was not a "clear risk" that weapons were being used to violate IHL.

His comments followed the Government's admission that it wrongly published statements assuring the Commons that IHL assessments regarding Saudi Arabia had been passed when they had not been carried out.
'Government ready to help City maximise Brexit opportunities', says Chancellor

The UK will "maximise" the opportunities for the City to benefit from Brexit, Chancellor Philip Hammond said as he acknowledged the financial sector's concerns about access to the European single market.

The Chancellor met City grandees to discuss how to use his first mini-Budget to boost the economy amid the backdrop of Brexit.

Ahead of the Autumn Statement, Mr Hammond met leading members of the European Financial Services Chairmen's Advisory Committee, including chairman and Santander UK boss Baroness Vadera - a former Labour Treasury minister.

Philip Hammond met City grandees

The advisory committee was set up to analyse how Britain's financial services sector can deal with the economic fallout of the shock vote to leave the European Union.

Following the talks, Mr Hammond said: " I understand the scale of the potential impact leaving the EU could have for parts of the financial services industry.

"That is why I am determined to listen to what the industry has to say on key issues, like access to the single market.

"We want the best deal for trade in UK goods and services, including our world leading financial services industry.

"Financial services are one of Britain's great success stories - its exports account for over 12% of the UK total; it employs over one million people, two-thirds of whom work outside of London and the South East; and contributes over 60 billion in tax each year to help fund public services.

"It is important Britain maintains its status as a great place for financial services and that is why the government stands ready to help the sector maximise the opportunities that leaving the EU presents."

The Chancellor will hold a series of bilateral and group discussions with domestic and international firms ahead of a further roundtable with representatives from financial services firms in October.

On September 12 Mr Hammond will meet major importers and exporters to hear their concerns about the Brexit process.

As well as Lady Vadera, the meeting was attended by City bosses including Morgan Stanley's Robert Rooney, London Stock Exchange boss Xavier Rolet, Barclays chairman John McFarlane and HSBC's Douglas Flint.

In a statement, the advisory committee said : "We were very pleased that senior representatives of the financial services industry have been given this opportunity to exchange early views with the Chancellor, and appreciated the openness of the discussions.

"Ensuring UK-based financial institutions have continued ability to support the needs of businesses and individuals and to add value to the economy as a global financial centre, is in all our mutual interests.
Syria war shames humanity says Boris Johnson as he backs opposition peace plan

Syria's brutal civil war "shames humanity" and international efforts must be made to allow a new opposition plan for peace to proceed, Boris Johnson has said.

The Foreign Secretary backed new proposals put forward by the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), insisting they represent "a future for Syria that goes beyond the Assad regime".

He said the HNC's plan is a "formidably important document" that represents "a vision and plan for Syria that is democratic, pluralistic, that will take that country forward".

Boris Johnson with representatives of the Syrian opposition and foreign ministers from across the world

Speaking alongside the HNC's general co-ordinator Riyad Hijab at the Foreign Office, Mr Johnson said: "I hope that their plan is studied by as many people as possible around the world and of course particularly in Syria, because they after all are the people who are at the forefront of our concerns and it's for them that this meeting has been held this afternoon.

"I think that listening to everybody here today in the Foreign Office in London, listening to representatives from across the Middle East, from all our European partners, John Kerry (US Secretary of State) joined us as well by tele-link, listening to everybody, there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that with common sense and flexibility and energy this vision, this plan that Dr Hijab and his colleagues have put forward, this can be put into effect."

The umbrella organisation, which Mr Johnson has described as one of the "broadest-based", wants an initial six-month negotiating phase between the regime and the opposition, with a total ceasefire and humanitarian access.

Bashar Assad would then be removed from power and a transitional administration made up of opposition figures and current government and civil society representatives put in place for 18 months.

Following this there would be elections.

Mr Johnson's comments came as violence continued to escalate in the brutal civil war, which he noted has now lasted as long as the Second World War.

The contested city of Aleppo continues to be bombarded, with an air strike killing 10 civilians on Wednesday, according to activists.

It follows an attack in the same area where a suspected chlorine bomb was dropped allegedly by regime forces the day before.

Elsewhere, fighting between Islamic insurgents and government forces in Syria's central Hama province displaced around 100,000 people over eight days.

Earlier, Mr Johnson called on Russia to end its "seemingly indefensible" support for Syrian president Assad's "killing machine" and to work with the United States to help create a ceasefire so the HNC plan can proceed.

Dr Hijab said the HNC had spelled out in detail how a transitional government would work and made clear that the opposition was ready to share power with regime figures who have not committed "crimes against the Syrian people".

He added: "The choice is now clear: ongoing death, violence and terrorism under Assad or a peaceful future leading to a new constitution, and free and fair elections under international supervision.

"The time has come for the international community to no longer stand by - but to help make that peaceful future a reality by insisting on the departure of Assad, and meaningful negotiations on a transition to a democratic and pluralistic Syria."
Mobile apps and fitness trackers to feed health data into NHS records

Data from health apps and wearable activity trackers such as Fitbits will feed directly into people's personal health records, the Health Secretary has announced.

Jeremy Hunt said that a new list of NHS-approved health apps and other technology will be able to be linked directly into patient records.

Speaking at the NHS Expo event in Manchester, Mr Hunt announced a series of measures to " help put patients in control of their healthcare destiny".

Data from fitness apps will feed into people's health records

The new NHS IT package includes plans for a one-stop NHS website where patients book appointments, order prescriptions and access medical advice.

For minor ailments patients will be able to use an online symptom checker, and they will be able to read up on all manner of diseases.

The new NHS.uk website will also enable patients in England to register with a GP and download their secure medical records.

Patients will be able to compare how well their local health service performs against others in key areas including cancer, dementia, diabetes, mental health, learning disabilities and maternity care.

Meanwhile, NHS England will approve a library of apps so people can have confidence in the technology that they are using to manage their healthcare, Mr Hunt said.

"We are going to make very big moves in the next 12 months into apps and wearables," said Mr Hunt.

"I wear a Fitbit, many people use apps. What is going to change with apps is the way that these apps link directly into our own medical records.

"And by March next year NHS England are going to publish a library of approved apps in areas like mental health and chronic conditions like diabetes.

"We will also in the next 12 months be having a competition because we think we need better apps than the ones that are available in the market. We don't want to develop them ourselves but we want them to be developed by entrepreneurs who have the specialist knowledge and creativity to do this.

"These will link into people's medical records and we hope to announce these at Expo next year."

He said the new package of measures would help put patients from the smartphone generation "in control of their healthcare destiny".

The news comes as a Europe-wide poll showed that young adults are more likely to trust advice from forums and chat rooms over peer-reviewed websites.

The poll of 5,000 Europeans, including 1,000 people from the UK, found that 53% of 18-24-year-olds take comfort in hearing about people's health experiences that are similar to theirs.
Caesarean babies 'more likely to be obese'

Babies delivered by Caesarean section are more likely to be obese than those born naturally, research suggests.

The study found that those born by C-section are 15% more likely to be obese in childhood.

The increased risk may persist through adulthood, according to researchers from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

The study found that babies born by Caesarean section are 15% more likely to be obese in childhood

About one in every four to five pregnant women in the UK has a Caesarean section.

Senior author Jorge Chavarro, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology, said: "Caesarean deliveries are without a doubt a necessary and lifesaving procedure in many cases.

"But Caesareans also have some known risks to the mother and the newborn. Our findings show that risk of obesity in the offspring could be another factor to consider."

The researchers examined 16 years of data from more than 22,000 young adults in the Growing Up Today study.

Their findings, published in Jama Paediatrics, show that youngsters born by Caesarean were 64% more likely to be obese than siblings born by vaginal birth.

"I think that our findings - particularly those that show a dramatic difference in obesity risk between those born via Caesarean and their siblings born through vaginal delivery - provide very compelling evidence that the association between Caesarean birth and childhood obesity is real," said Prof Chavarro.

"That's because, in the case of siblings, many of the factors that could potentially be playing a role in obesity risk, including genetics, would be largely the same for each sibling - except for the type of delivery."

Dr Daghni Rajasingam, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "This is an interesting study which suggests that Caesarean birth may be associated with offspring obesity after accounting for other risk factors including maternal BMI, pre-pregnancy smoking habits and any pre-existing medical conditions such as gestational diabetes.

"However, the study did not include any data on why a Caesarean section was required or any other details surrounding the labour or delivery.

"Currently in England, the rate of Caesarean section is 26.2%. This figure has been rising slowly over the last decade and could be explained by various factors which make childbirth more difficult including a rise in older mothers and more obese mothers.

"We must remember that in some cases an emergency Caesarean section is carried out to save the life of the mother and/or baby.
Study links atrial fibrillation to higher risk of heart illnesses

People with an irregular heartbeat have a higher risk of heart attacks, heart failure, kidney problems and sudden cardiac death, a new study has found.

Atrial fibrillation - having an irregular heartbeat - has already been linked to an increased risk for stroke.

But links between the condition and other cardiovascular problems are less clear.

The study links atrial fibrillation with other conditions

The team of researchers, from Oxford University and the Massachusetts Institute for Technology in the US, examined 104 studies involving more than nine million people - almost 600,000 of whom had atrial fibrillation.

The study, published in The BMJ, found that those with atrial fibrillation had a 61% higher risk of ischaemic heart disease, a 64% increased risk of chronic kidney disease, an 88% higher risk of sudden car diac death and 96% higher risk of a major cardiovascular event.

Atrial fibrillation was also associated with a twofold risk of cardiovascular death and a 2.3-fold risk of stroke and a fivefold risk of congestive heart failure.

The authors conclude: "The relative and absolute risk increase associated with many of these events is greater than that of stroke.

"Interventions are needed to reduce the risk of non-stroke outcomes in adults with atrial fibrillation."

According to the NHS Choices website, atrial fibrillation affects around one million people in the UK.

The condition can affect adults of any age, but it becomes more common with age. It affects about seven in 100 people aged over 65, and more men than women have it.

Commenting on the study, Lucy Wilkinson, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Atrial fibrillation, or AF, is a common condition but we do not yet fully understand it.

"This large review found that AF is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and overall death. However, the review's authors did not examine why this association exists.

"The risk factors for AF, which include being over 65, suffering from coronary heart disease, high blood pressure or heart valve disease, are well established. All of these could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease or death. The findings reiterate that if a person has AF, it's important for medics to consider that they might have other heart or circulatory conditions.
Jeremy Corbyn's energy policies naive and short-sighted, says Labour-backing GMB

Jeremy Corbyn's policies on energy have been condemned as "naive and short-sighted" by one of Labour's major union backers.

The GMB union, which represents energy workers, warned that "wishful thinking" would not keep the lights on as it tore into the Labour leader's plans to ban fracking and phase out coal-fired power stations.

Mr Corbyn will set out his plans t o create an energy policy "for the 60 million, not the Big Six" if he becomes prime minister, including the creation of 300,000 jobs in the renewables sector.

Jeremy Corbyn wants 65% of UK electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030

The Labour leader will set a target of generating 65% of UK electricity from renewable sources by 2030 in a bid to make the country a world leader in green technology.

A Corbyn-led Labour government would ban fracking, as extracting gas is "not compatible" with the UK's climate commitments because it is a fossil fuel.

The GMB, which is backing Owen Smith in the Labour leadership race, warned that Mr Corbyn's policies would not work.

Justin Bowden, the union's national secretary for energy, said: " Everyone gets how - over time - renewable energy sources have an important role to play in a sensibly conceived mixed energy policy.

"However wishful thinking doesn't generate the power we need to heat homes, keep the lights on and the economy functioning; this means that until there are technological breakthroughs in carbon capture or solar storage then gas and nuclear power are the only reliable, low-carbon shows in town for all those days when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow.

"Limiting the UK's options on achieving energy self-sufficiency by proposing an outright ban on fracking is naive and short-sighted.

"Gas is four times cheaper than electricity, the main reason why over 80% of homes use gas for heating, and access to gas is a key part of every fuel poverty strategy.

"While we are waiting with our fingers crossed for the technology to arrive, or quadrupling the size of the electricity infrastructure and asking everyone with a gas boiler to rip it out and replace it with an electric one, we should not be having to depend on Russia, Qatar, Kuwait or some combination of these regimes to supply us with gas to heat our homes and supply the gas for our crucial chemicals industry."

Mr Corbyn would reinstate the Department for Energy and Climate Change scrapped by Theresa May when she took over as Prime Minister, a decision he described as "short-sighted and irresponsible".

Launching his energy and environment manifesto in Nottingham, Mr Corbyn is expected to say: "When Labour gets back into power Britain will lead the world in action on climate change.

"We will act to protect the future of our planet, with social justice at the heart of our environment policies, and take our fair share of action to meet the Paris climate agreement - starting by getting on track with our Climate Change Act goals.

"We want Britain to be the world's leading producer of renewables technology.

"To achieve this we will accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, and drive the expansion of the green industries and jobs of the future, using our National Investment Bank to invest in public and community-owned renewable energy.

"This will deliver clean energy and curb energy bill rises for households; an energy policy for the 60 million, not the Big Six energy companies."

The manifesto also contains plans to empower community energy companies and co-operatives, introduce a National Home Insulation plan for at least four million homes, adopt EU environmental regulations and back the Government's plan to phase out coal-fired power by 2025.

But leadership rival and Pontypridd MP Mr Smith highlighted comments from August last year in which Mr Corbyn said mines in South Wales could be reopened.

Mr Smith said: "It's impossible for Jeremy Corbyn to speak with credibility on environmental policy.

"He's called for the reintroduction of deeply damaging open-cast coal mining, only had one meeting with his shadow environment team in nine months as leader, and didn't utter a word of protest when Theresa May scrapped the Department for Energy and Climate Change."

"By failing to campaign effectively for Britain to remain in the EU, and by calling for Article 50 to be invoked immediately, he has put vital environmental protections at further risk."

Meanwhile, Mr Smith warned that the re-election of Mr Corbyn could leave a generation without their own home.

Reiterating his plan to build 1.5 million new homes in five years, half of which would be social homes, and launch a 50 million outreach fund to end rough sleeping, Mr Smith said: "If Jeremy continues as leader, I really fear that the Tories will be in power until at least 2025.

"If the Tories' appalling record on housing continues, then we'll have a shortage of 1.8 million homes by 2025, the last of our social housing will be sold off, and more than 100,000 families will be left homeless.

"Labour cannot turn a blind eye and allow the Tories to condemn thousands more people to a life on the streets or without a home they can call their own.
Apple tax ruling reaction 'paints unfair caricature of Ireland'

Critics of Ireland's tax regime in the wake of Europe ordering Apple to pay 13 billion euro (11 billion) in back taxes are drawing outdated and unfair caricatures, the Republic's Finance Minister has said.

As the Dail parliament in Dublin was recalled early to debate the controversial ruling, Michael Noonan reiterated the Government's position that no sweetheart deal had been done with the iPhone maker.

"It is simply untrue that Ireland provided favourable treatment to Apple," the minister said.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan said it is untrue that Ireland provided favourable treatment to Apple

Irish politicians are being asked to back the Government's decision to appeal against the order by a Brussels competition watchdog to recoup 13 billion euro.

The ruling by Commissioner Margrethe Vestager found that Ireland gave Apple a special tax deal which ultimately allowed the global brand to pay 0.005% tax in 2014 - 50 euro for every one million of profit.

Mr Noonan said: "The reaction to the European Commission's decision has, at times, painted an outdated and unfair caricature of Ireland's position on tax," he said.

"This is a caricature that is at odds with the evidence and which overlooks our proven track record in recent years.

"The facts show our constructive engagement at the international table, with matchless implementation of reforms ahead of many of our partner countries."

The debate is taking place on the same day as Apple launches its next generation iPhone in San Francisco.

In the wake of the ruling, Apple also confirmed it has made provisions on its balance sheets for 30 billion US dollars of "deferred" tax bills in the US.

Mr Noonan insisted that the tech giant, which holds about 230 billion US dollars in cash reserves, paid full taxes in Ireland and got no special treatment from Ireland's Revenue Commissioners.

"Ireland has done nothing wrong here. We have a proven track record in international tax reform and a matchless commitment to meeting the best international standards," he told the Dail.

"We should not see ourselves through the eyes of our detractors - those who would paint a cartoonish and negative image of Ireland."

Part of the wider debate is Ireland's generous corporation tax rate of 12.5%.

But Mr Noonan said that was founded on fairness, transparency, consistency and the rule of law, and he called on critics to to move on from myths and generalisations.

He said the European Commission ruling was encroaching on sovereign states' decisions on tax and contained contradictions on where Apple owed tax.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny also rejected claims of a sweetheart deal for one of the world's biggest companies.

"It is not how we do business," he said.

He described the Commission's ruling as "especially unhelpful" while efforts are ongoing internationally to reform what he said was a "broken system for corporate tax".

He also said: "If the situation in Europe is to be that tax rulings can be revisited and set aside by the Commission even decades after the event, investors will simply not know where they stand when they locate in Europe."

Mr Kenny said Ireland's membership of the European Union is not at issue.

Apple boss Tim Cook defended his company's attitude to tax and said it paid 400 million US dollars of corporation tax in Ireland in 2014 and another 400 million US dollars of similarly classed tax in America that year. He put its corporation tax bill at 26.1%.

The company has also insisted it will not abandon Ireland, where it has about 6,000 employees and is planning to build a huge data centre.

In Ireland, where a fragile Fine Gael minority Government is propped up by Independents, the appeal against the European Commission is supported by the main opposition party, Fianna Fail.

Leader Micheal Martin said: "The attempt to paint Ireland as a rogue nation on tax has been ongoing for decades.

"It is wrong on every level to claim that Ireland is competing unfairly."

Mr Martin highlighted corporation tax in France, where he said an official rate of 33% compares to the actual rate of 7.4%.

"The argument that Ireland is providing a tax-free, libertarian haven for multinationals is simply nonsense," he said.

"There is no doubt that abuses arose particularly in relation to what were termed 'stateless companies'; however, they were far from unique to Ireland and they have been addressed."

The appeal is opposed by Sinn Fein, the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit group and the Greens.

Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said Apple made 104 billion euro of tax-free profits over 10 years from 2003 by using Irish-incorporated firms Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe to book sales outside the US and move money into a "sort of untaxed Bermuda triangle".

"For too long this state has had its head in the sand when it comes to the global moves towards tax transparency and fairness," he said.

"This is our money."

Mr Doherty said it was a "cynical lie" to suggest that Brussels was attacking Ireland's corporation tax rate and that the case was fundamentally about equal tax treatment for all.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin, who supports the appeal, said the ruling by Europe was troubling.

"They know well that this is a problem that has its origins in the interaction of different tax codes on a global level," he said.
Murder accused 'besotted' with Becky Godden, sex worker tells court

A taxi driver who killed a young office worker was "besotted" with a sex worker he is accused of murdering years earlier, a court has heard.

Christopher Halliwell, 52, is alleged to have strangled Becky Godden, 20, and buried her in a remote field in Eastleach, Gloucestershire, in 2003.

He is currently serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years after admitting stabbing and strangling Sian O'Callaghan, 22, in 2011.

Christopher Halliwell is on trial at Bristol Crown Court for the murder of Becky Godden (Wiltshire Police/PA)

Bristol Crown Court has been told that Halliwell initially confessed to strangling Miss Godden and led police to the "exact spot" where her remains were.

Halliwell, formerly of Ashbury Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire, has since pleaded not guilty to murder and is representing himself at his trial.

A former Swindon prostitute, referred to in court as Miss X, told the jury of six men and six women that Halliwell was a "regular" customer of Miss Godden.

Miss X said she knew Halliwell as "Chris" and would often see his car parked near Swindon's red light district, where she and Miss Godden worked.

"I would say 'Does he take you to score?' and she would say no, he was just one of her regulars," she told the jury.

"She did not go into much detail in the conversation on that occasion; we had another one and she was just like sometimes he does her head in.

"I'm not 100% sure but he was always parked there. That might have put the person off who's parking up to a girl.

"Nothing that rang alarm bells to me. He was always wanted her to go with him and stuff. He was just a bit besotted.

" To be honest, I think Becky used to use him for a lift to score and stuff but I think he might have seen a bit more than that and I think it might have done her head in.

"At first he would give her money to stop her from working."

Miss X claimed that Halliwell had been her customer on two occasions.

"I would obviously recognise him because I've been up close and personal with him," she said.

On the first occasion, they went to an industrial estate in Swindon, and on another they went to his flat, it was alleged.

During the second liaison , Halliwell showed Miss X images of "Thai brides" on his desktop computer, she told the jury.

Later, Miss Godden and Miss X took a lift in Halliwell's taxi to buy drugs, the court heard.

"He said 'Don't mention to Becks that I have seen you'," Miss X said.

She claimed that during a conversation with Halliwell, the taxi driver told her he could not always afford to give Miss Godden money.

During cross-examination, Halliwell insisted he had never spoken to Miss X before.

"I don't have to tell you how serious this matter is," he told her from the dock.

"Please take a good, hard look at me and confirm the person you are thinking of is me."

Miss X stared at Halliwell and replied: "It definitely is you."

Halliwell later told the court: "I've never seen that woman before ... it is a fairytale."

Miss X said: "I don't understand how he can sit there and say he doesn't know me. I'm a hundred, million percent sure."

On Tuesday, Nicholas Haggan QC told the jury Halliwell described himself as a "sick f*****" to a detective before leading him to where Miss Godden's remains were.

Halliwell is alleged to have made the comment to Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher of Wiltshire Police while under arrest for kidnapping Miss O'Callaghan.

He was standing with Mr Fulcher in Uffington, Oxfordshire, close to the site where Miss O'Callaghan's semi-naked body had been discovered, it is alleged.

Mr Haggan claimed Halliwell told Mr Fulcher "I am a sick f***. Is it too late to get help?" and said he would take him to the exact spot where Miss Godden was buried.

The taxi driver is alleged to have directed officers to Oxo Bottom field in Eastleach where the skeletal remains of Miss Godden were found.

Jurors were told both Miss O'Callaghan and Miss Godden disappeared from outside nightclubs in Swindon, Wiltshire, after getting into Halliwell's taxi.
Air China flight magazine 'warns tourists' about ethnic minority parts of London

A Chinese airline has been criticised after reportedly warning passengers that "precautions are needed" when entering ethnic minority areas of London.

Air China is said to have included the advice in its inflight magazine as part of a feature on visiting the city.

Beijing-based producer Haze Fan of US news channel CNBC posted an excerpt of the article on Twitter, which read: " London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people.

The warning was said to have appeared in the Air China inflight magazine

"We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling."

Virendra Sharma, Labour MP for Ealing Southall, has written to the Chinese ambassador to the UK demanding an apology for what he described as blatant racism.

He said: " I am shocked and appalled that even today some people would see it as acceptable to write such blatantly untrue and racist statements.

"I have raised this issue with the Chinese ambassador, and requested that he ensures an apology is swiftly forthcoming from Air China, and the magazine is removed from circulation immediately.

"I have invited representatives of Air China to visit my constituency of Ealing Southall to see that a very multi-cultural area is safe, and would be of great value for those visiting London to see.

"I will await their response, and if an appropriate one is not forthcoming I shall feel forced to question whether Air China is a fit company to operate in the UK."

The article was published in Air China's monthly Wings Of China magazine.

The airline i s the country's flag carrier and has two flights per day from Beijing to London Heathrow.

It operates a total of 98 international routes.

The late father of London Mayor Sadiq Khan was an immigrant from Pakistan.

Figures from VisitBritain show the number of trips to the UK from China rose by 46% last year to 270,000.

Total expenditure from these visits was estimated at 586 million and the average length of stay was 15 nights.
Schools have become very dependent on the cloud to improve learning and teaching environments, as well as peer collaboration.
Brexit will not change military alliance 'at all' says US defence secretary

Brexit will not change "at all" the UK's close military alliance with the United States, the country's defence secretary Ash Carter has said.

Mr Carter was speaking alongside Defence Secretary Michael Fallon following talks ahead of an international peacekeeping summit in London.

The two men signed a new agreement to enhance what Mr Fallon described as "unparalleled" co-operation on cyber-security.

Ash Carter, left, and Michael Fallon

And the UK Defence Secretary confirmed that the US will deploy F-35 fighter planes on board the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth when it comes into operation in 2021 - with UK planes expected to do the same on US vessels "in the fullness of time".

Mr Carter told reporters at a press conference in Lancaster House: "President (Barack) Obama and I and many other Americans know we can continue to count on a strong UK to be a staunch ally.

"That was true the day before the Brexit vote and it's true today.

"Thanks to the steps we are taking together as allies, thanks to all the UK is doing to promote stability worldwide, thanks to its continued commitment - as expressed in its Strategic Review and its funding commitments - thanks to our continued work together to uphold the principle of international order, we will remain that well into the future."

He added: "The United States respects the decision of the British people on Brexit and we are committed to continue and build upon our broad-ranging military, political and economic co-operation.

"That's because Brexit does not change at all, all that our countries have to do together, it doesn't change all that binds our people together.

"And it certainly does not change how we will partner together to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities and defend the principle of order in a rapidly-changing world and amidst new threats to the trans-Atlantic community."
Michael Georgiou gets Bake Off boot as chilli chocolate bread leaves judges cold

Michael Georgiou has become the latest casualty of The Great British Bake Off and has admitted he was "upset" to leave during bread week, as he prefers making bread to cakes.

The 20-year-old politics and economics student, who was this year's youngest contestant in the Bake Off tent, failed to prove himself across the three tricky challenges, despite using alcohol to try to woo the judges.

Following his departure, he said his worst moment on the programme was bread week, which came as a surprise to him.

Paul Hollywood spluttered after trying a shot of strong Cypriot liquor Zivania

He said: "I usually like making bread and I prefer that over cakes. It's my passion and that is why I was more upset at leaving in bread week than any other week.

"I have kind of got over it now, and I have since started getting into artisan breads and have been doing a lot of that since the show. I really enjoy it."

Georgiou also said he has a heightened desire to go into baking after graduating.

He said: "I am in my final year now and on leaving I want to go into the baking industry, although I would like to link it to writing, as I did journalism in my first year."

The third episode saw the 10 remaining bakers asked by judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry to complete the signature bake, with each of them having to create chocolate bread in the space of two and a half hours.

Georgiou struggled slightly with his creation - a chilli chocolate and chia seed loaf - which was described by Hollywood as a "pig's ear".

Tasting it, Berry was taken aback by the overuse of chilli, while Hollywood agreed the heat was "far too much", and that it was "slightly underbaked".

The technical challenge flummoxed all of the contestants, as Hollywood requested they make 12 dampfnudel - a German steamed bread that has never before featured on the series.

Georgiou was not alone in struggling to create the unusual bread dish and two accompanying sauces, but he came seventh overall.

The final task of the day was for the bakers to create their all-important showstopper, which was a savoury plaited centrepiece.

Georgiou cracked on with a family-inspired recipe based on his Cypriot heritage, complete with the flavours of olives, coriander and sun-dried tomato.

He also opted to give the judges a shot of strong Cypriot liquor Zivania, but the alcoholic addition failed to impress the judges and Hollywood spluttered after trying it.

Berry criticised his bake for being "not properly plaited", and remarked on the lack of glazing and definition.

Hollywood added that the classic flavours were "diluted" due to the mixture of flours used.

Tom Gilliford was awarded star baker for his ingenious creations, including a chocolate orange and chilli swirl bread and a unique showstopper comprising a bread serpent and hammer of Thor.

Hollywood commented that "the star baker on bread week has always gone on to the final", giving 26-year-old Gilliford high hopes of success on the show.
Hospitals are on the cusp of being 'fully overwhelmed' with soaring numbers of patients pushing health services to the brink.

Millions of patients are being seen in A&Es and hospital bed capacities are running at dangerously high levels, latest figures have revealed.

Relentless demand for services are driving up waiting times in the NHS in England and leaving over-stretched staff on the brink, according to health experts.

Today's stark warning comes as a new report by The King's Fund highlights that hospitals in England are busier than ever before.

The number of people attending A&E soared to nearly six million during the first quarter of 2016/17

The Quarterly Monitoring Report states that in June, more than 300,000 people were still waiting to begin their treatment more than 18 weeks after they were referred.

This includes 940 patients who have been on the waiting list for more than a year.

Other key findings of the report include:

A&E attendances soared to nearly six million during the first quarter of 2016/17 - an additional 54,000 every month compared to the same period last year

Number of patients left waiting on trolleys for more than four hours rose by 41,000 patients from last year

Hospitals are experiencing 90 per cent occupancy of hospital beds - above the 85 per cent considered safe by health experts

Delayed discharges are the highest since records began in 2007 with 6,100 patients medically fit to leave but awaiting discharge from hospital at the end of June

Richard Murray, director of policy at The King's Fund, said hospitals are treating more patients than ever before.

But he added the figures are particularly concerning as targets are now 'being missed all year round'.

'This reflects the impossible task of continuing to meet rising demand for services and maintain standards of care within current funding constraints,' he said.

Commenting on the report, Lara Carmona, associate director of policy for the Royal College of Nursing, warned hospitals are at breaking point.

'It is a pressure cooker and with bed occupancy at such constantly high levels and community services stretched, there is nowhere for the pressure to escape to.

'Frontline staff are working hard to deal with these challenges to provide the very best patient care they can.

'It would now take very little for hospitals to be fully overwhelmed.'

NHS frontline staff are struggling to treat thousands more patients as a health think tank warns they are on the cusp of being overwhelmed (file image)

Dr Mark Porter, chair of the British Medical Association's council, said: 'The NHS needs a long-term plan and enough funding to deliver care for everybody in the country.

'Until this happens, we'll continue to see hospitals without enough beds, patients wait longer for treatment and some medically fit patients unable to leave hospital because their social care needs cannot be met.'

A Department of Health spokesman said: 'Since 2010 the NHS has dealt with significantly rising demand from our ageing population while improving the quality of care.

'5.8 million people were seen in A&E in the first three months of this year and the number treated within the four-hour target continues to rise in the thousands.
Turkey's government says under popular pressure to drop EU talks

By Marja Novak

BLED, Slovenia, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Turkey's government is under "huge pressure" from its people to abandon its decades-old drive to join the European Union because they see it applying double standards towards their country, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a forum in the Slovene mountain resort of Bled, Cavusoglu also warned that Europe could be heading towards instability and could succumb to extremism due to the strains of its twin economic and migration crises.

Cavusoglu also repeated his previous criticism of EU leaders for not showing sufficient solidarity with Turkey after a botched military coup in July in which President Tayyip Erdogan narrowly avoided capture and possible death.

"Turkish people see the double standard," Cavusoglu said. "We are under huge pressure to stop the negotiating process."

Ankara, which has been seeking EU membership for decades and began formal accession talks in 2005, has long accused the bloc of treating it differently to other candidate nations.

Some European politicians have spoken out against admitting Turkey, a large, mainly Muslim nation of nearly 80 million people that borders Iraq and Syria and has had a patchy record on democracy and human rights over the decades.

Relations have become especially strained after EU governments criticised the scale of Erdogan's crackdown on those he accused of organising or backing the failed coup on July 15.

But the EU needs Turkey's support in reducing the large number of migrants and refugees fleeing conflicts in the Middle East. In return for that help Brussels has promised to speed up Turkey's EU talks and allow Turks visa-free travel to the bloc.

Cavusoglu said on Tuesday Turkey's promise to accommodate war refugees on its territory would be rendered void if the EU did not uphold its pledge on visa-free travel.

Drawing a parallel between the rise of far-right parties in several EU member states today and the situation in the 1930s, he added: "In 10 years perhaps (Europe) may be facing a similar situation as before World War Two."
Nicaragua harbors ex-Salvadoran president caught in graft probe

MANAGUA, Sept 6 (Reuters) - The Nicaraguan government said on Tuesday it has granted political asylum to former Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes, who is being investigated over allegations of corruption in his homeland.

Funes, a leftist who governed for the ruling Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) from 2009 to 2014, faces trial for failing to explain over $700,000 found in his bank account when he disclosed his personal assets at the end of his term.

"The constitution ... guarantees a haven for political refugees, protecting the persecuted who fight for democracy, peace, justice and human rights," Nicaragua's government said in its official gazette.

A onetime journalist, Funes was the first person to win the presidency for the FMLN, an alliance of leftist guerrillas in the country's civil war which later became a political party.

As such, Funes enjoyed good political and ideological relations with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla. Asylum was also granted to the partner and three children of the former Salvadoran president, 56.

Funes says he is innocent and that the civil case against him is politically motivated, even though the FMLN is still in power. Funes' successor, President Salvador Sanchez Seren, is a former guerrilla who served as vice-president under Funes.

"I have well founded reasons to state there is an assassination plot against me by the extreme right," he tweeted, noting he had decided to seek asylum on Aug. 31. "I have not refused to face a judicial process or to prove my innocence."

Salvadoran authorities last month raided one of his residences, where they found weapons and ammunition. No charges were filed against Funes, who said on Twitter he had been doing consulting work in Managua for more than three months.
Brazil prosecutors filed charges in May against Taurus over Yemen arms deal

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Brazilian prosecutors said on Tuesday they had charged Forjas Taurus SA, Latin America's largest gunmaker, in May for allegedly dealing with a known Yemeni arms trafficker in violation of international sanctions.
Invoking religion, a more disciplined Trump speaks of unity

By Steve Holland and Amanda Becker

GREENVILLE, N.C., Va./WASHINGTON Sept 6 (Reuters) - R epublican presidential nominee Donald Trump invoked religion, talked of unifying Americans and tried to raise doubts about whether Democratic rival Hillary Clinton can be trusted in a new campaign stump speech unveiled on Tuesday.

"I will fight for Detroit, for Chicago, for Baltimore, and for every neglected part of this nation - and I will fight to bring us all together as one American people," Trump told a packed rally in Greenville, North Carolina, in a departure from his typical bare-knuckled approach.

On the Democratic side, both Clinton and her vice presidential running mate, Tim Kaine, blasted Trump. Clinton focused on Trump's past bankruptcies and his refusal to release his tax records.

"He clearly has something to hide. We don't know exactly what it is, but we're getting better guesses about what it probably is," she said in Tampa, Florida.

Kaine, in a national security speech in Wilmington, North Carolina, criticized Trump's business dealings with Russia, the ties between some of his campaign advisers to the country and Trump's suggestion that he hoped Russian hackers could find missing emails from when Clinton was secretary of state.

"He has openly encouraged Russia to hack his political opponents and commit espionage against his own country," Kaine said.

Trump, in a speech on Wednesday in Cleveland, is to lay out a military preparedness plan in which he will call for rescinding mandatory defense spending cuts and embarking on a major military buildup.

The Trump campaign said the candidate will call for big increases in spending for new ships, planes, submarines and training combat troops and bolstering missile defense systems. Trump will also criticize Clinton for "military adventurism" for her handling of Libya and the Middle East as secretary of state.

Trump, buoyed by polls showing him as gaining ground against Clinton, outlined what he would do on his first day as president if elected on Nov. 8, part of a new effort to inject more discipline into his free-wheeling campaign.

He said he would suspend the resettlement of Syrian refugees into the United States, start toward repealing and replacing President Barack Obama's signature healthcare plan, and begin the first steps toward building a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico.

Trump, who rarely mentions religion, quoted from a Bible passage he read aloud at a black church in Detroit on Saturday, part of his effort to appeal to African-American voters.

"Imagine what our country could accomplish if we started working together as one people, under one God, saluting one flag," he added. "It is time to break with the bitter failures of the past, and to embrace a new American future."

THE DESTRUCTION OF EMAILS

But Trump was unflinchingly critical of Clinton over the latest disclosures from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about her use of a private email server and destruction of thousands of emails that she and her staff had deemed of a personal nature.

At least two of her mobile devices were reported destroyed by a staff using a hammer and BleachBit software to wipe unwanted emails.

"People who have nothing to hide don't smash phones with hammers. People who have nothing to hide don't bleach their emails or destroy evidence to keep it from being publicly archived as required under federal law," Trump said.

Kaine, in his first major policy speech since being tapped as Clinton's running mate, drew a contrast between how Trump would approach U.S. relations with Russia and Clinton's track record as head of the U.S. State Department from 2009 to 2013, during Obama's first term as president.

As head of the State Department, Clinton oversaw "hard-nosed negotiations" with Russia to reduce nuclear stockpiles and destroy Syrian chemical weapons, while still going "toe-to-toe" with Putin to protect America and NATO allies, Kaine said. "Trump seems to support Russian interests at the expense of American ones," he added.

Kaine's speech began less than an hour after Trump concluded a campaign stop in Virginia Beach, in Kaine's home state of Virginia, where he scoffed at the idea that Clinton would hold any sway over Putin's actions.

"Putin looks at Hillary Clinton and he laughs. Putin looks at Hillary Clinton and he smiles," Trump said.

The back-and-forth occurred as the focus of the U.S. battle for the White House shifted to national security, with both Clinton and Trump set to participate in a televised forum on Wednesday hosted by a veteran's group.

Trump followed up his Virginia event by meeting with the wives of U.S. military personnel stationed at nearby installations. Setting aside his usual bombast, Trump turned soft-spoken and nodded attentively as the women, some of whom held babies on their laps, described their concerns about the quality of schools and finding jobs.

"So much of this we can take care of," Trump told them.
Poland to seek U.S. OK for $5 bln missile deal with Raytheon

Sept 6 (Reuters) - Poland will seek formal U.S. approval to buy eight Patriot missile defense systems from Raytheon Co , marking a key move toward closing the estimated $5 billion deal, the Warsaw government and the U.S. company said on Tuesday.

"Poland's formal request is an important milestone toward becoming the 6th NATO Patriot country and the 14th Patriot partner nation," Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, said in a statement.

The deal calls for eight systems, a Polish government statement said.

Raytheon agreed to perform at least half the value of the work in Poland, Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said in July.

Raytheon said in its statement it had already signed eight contracts and more than 30 letters of intent with Polish companies.

Sources familiar with the proposed sale said the announcement looked like a firm commitment by Poland to move ahead.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. government had not yet received the letter of request, but officials expect it to arrive soon.

The missile defense tender is central to Warsaw's large-scale army modernization program, speeded up in response to the Ukraine crisis and Russia's renewed assertiveness in the region.
Gang suspects down helicopter carrying police in Mexico, 4 dead

MEXICO CITY, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Suspected gang members shot down a helicopter in a clash with police in the dangerous western Mexico state of Sinaloa on Tuesday, killing four people, the state's governor said.

Silvano Aureoles, the governor of Michoacan state, said on Twitter that the operation took place near the violent city of Apatzingan, and was aimed at detaining "leaders of criminal cells". It was not immediately which gang was responsible.
Gang suspects down helicopter carrying police in Mexico, 4 dead

MEXICO CITY, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Suspected gang members shot down a helicopter in a clash with police in restive western Mexico on Tuesday, killing four people, the governor of the state of Michoacan said.

Silvano Aureoles said on Twitter that the operation took place near the violent city of Apatzingan, in Michoacan, and was aimed at detaining "leaders of criminal cells". It was not immediately clear which gang was responsible.

"During the operation, an official helicopter which was supporting the patrol in area of difficult access was shot down," he said. "We lament the death of the pilot, three police officers and a police officer who was injured."

Last year, members of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, which operates in Michoacan and in the neighboring state of Jalisco, shot down an army helicopter, killing six soldiers.
U.S.-Russian crew lands in Kazakhstan after 172 days in space

By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Sept 6 (Reuters) - A U.S. astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts wrapped up a 172-day mission aboard the International Space Station with a parachute descent and landing at dawn on the steppes of Kazakhstan, a NASA TV broadcast showed.

The capsule made a parachute descent southeast of Zhezkazgan, disappearing into a layer of haze as it neared the ground.

It was several minutes until NASA could confirm the landing at 7:13 a.m. local time on Wednesday (9:13 p.m. EDT on Tuesday/0113 GMT on Wednesday).

Station commander Jeff Williams, with the U.S. space agency, and flight engineers Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, both with Russia's Roscosmos agency, pulled away from the space station at 5:51 p.m. EDT/2151 GMT as the ships sailed 258 miles (415 km) over eastern Mongolia, said NASA mission commentator Rob Navias.

"I will certainly miss this view!" Williams tweeted earlier on Tuesday, posting a picture of sunlight glinting off the planet.

"Vast gratitude toward my crewmates, ground teams, supporting friends, and family," Williams added.

The mission comes the same day a U.S. space probe was cleared for launch on Thursday to collect and return samples from an asteroid in hopes of learning more about the origins of life on Earth and perhaps elsewhere in the solar system, NASA said.

Williams, 58, returns to Earth with a career total of 534 days in orbit, more time than any other astronaut in U.S. history and 14th in the world.

The Russians remain champions of long-duration spaceflight, with cosmonaut Gennady Padalka currently the world record-holder with 878 days in space over five missions.

Before leaving the station, Williams turned over command of the $100 billion outpost, a project of 15 nations, to cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, who remains aboard the station with NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Japan's Takuya Onishi.

"We'll be missing you here," Ivanishin said during a change-of-command ceremony on Monday. "Have fun riding though the atmosphere ... and have a very safe and exceptionally soft landing."
Ahead of summit, Philippines shows images of Chinese boats at disputed shoal

By Manuel Mogato

VIENTIANE, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The Philippines' defence ministry released pictures on Wednesday showing what it said were Chinese boats near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, just hours before Southeast Asian nations were due to meet China's premier at a summit in Laos.

There was no explanation for the timing of the release, but it came two days after Manila expressed "grave concern" about the increasing number of Chinese vessels around the Scarborough Shoal and demanded an explanation from Beijing's ambassador.

A Philippines official said the release of the photographs and a map was ordered by the defence minister, who is at the summit in Vientiane, Laos.

China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts or all of the resource-rich South China Sea, making it a hotspot of regional tension. The last four are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The 10 images and map were sent by email to journalists, many of whom are in Vientiane for the ASEAN summit. The leaders were due to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday, although it was unclear if the row over the South China Sea would be openly addressed.

The move by the Philippines comes after a spat with the United States, its main ally. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte criticised U.S. President Barack Obama, prompting the cancellation of a meeting between the two leaders in Laos.

China has repeatedly blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually.

The United States says it has no position on the territorial dispute, but has conducted freedom of navigation patrols close to Chinese-held islands, to Beijing's anger, while China has been bolstering its military presence there.

FEW ROCKS

Although the Scarborough Shoal is merely a few rocks poking above the sea, it is important to the Philippines because of its tranquil waters and rich stocks of fish. Manila says China's blockade of the shoal is a violation of international law.

The dispute has become more significant since the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled on July 12 that no one country had sovereign rights over activity in the Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground for Chinese, Filipino and Vietnamese.

China has refused to recognise the ruling by the court in The Hague.

Duterte wants China to abide by the ruling but he had pledged not to raise the issue during the meeting in Laos. He wants to smooth the way for bilateral negotiations and last month sent former President Fidel Ramos as his special envoy to meet Chinese representatives in Hong Kong.

A draft ASEAN communique seen by Reuters on Monday listed eight points related to the South China Sea, but made no mention of the ruling.

However, Duterte's defence minister said ahead of the summit that a Philippines air force plane had flown over the shoal and spotted more boats than usual in a flotilla China has maintained since seizing the shoal after a tense standoff in 2012.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the presence of six Chinese vessels in addition to coastguard ships in the area was "a cause of grave concern".

A Philippine security official travelling with Duterte said it was a challenge for the government to explain why Filipino fishermen cannot go back and fish in the area when The Hague had ruled that Scarborough was a fishing ground for all.

"We won in the arbitral court, but we could not enforce it, how can we explain that to our own fishermen?" said the official, who declined to be named.

"So, we wanted to talk to China and resolve the issue, but the situation like this is making it more difficult. The president is asking what is China's intentions in the area?"
Bolivia's transgender citizens celebrate new ID cards

LA PAZ, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Feted by activists carrying a rainbow flag, transgender citizens in La Paz are celebrating their newfound right to register for identity cards with updated details under Bolivia's new gender law.

Transgender activist Pamela Geraldine Valenzuela was the first to do so last week during a ceremony presided over by the mayor of La Paz, Luis Revilla.

"I wouldn't let myself stop in my fight until I arrived at this moment, until the state recognised all transgender people in accordance with the identity that we have completely assumed", she said.

The law, which means transgender citizens can register for ID cards using the names and details of their assumed gender, comes into effect under the leftist government of President Evo Morales.
Malaysia extends bauxite mining ban until year-end

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Malaysia extended a moratorium on bauxite mining activities by more than three months to Dec. 31, the environment minister said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The previous moratorium was set to expire on Sept. 14.

Malaysia's largely unregulated bauxite mining industry has boomed in the past two years to meet demand from China, filling in a supply gap after Indonesia banned exports, but the frenetic pace of digging has led to a public outcry with many complaining of water contamination and destruction of the environment.
Indonesia anti-drugs chief calls for tougher Philippine-style war against dealers

By Kanupriya Kapoor

JAKARTA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Inspired by the Philippines "war on drugs", Indonesia's anti-narcotics chief plans to aggressively ramp up the country's fight against drugs by bolstering its police force with more personnel and heavy weaponry.

The Southeast Asian neighbours have both declared a "war on drugs" with Indonesia stepping up executions of drug convicts, while the Philippines has launched a brutal crackdown in which hundreds of alleged drug dealers have been killed within months.

Leaders of the two countries will meet later this week in Jakarta and one of the main topics of discussion will likely be ways to wipe out the region's drug trade.

Budi Waseso, chief of Indonesia's national anti-narcotics agency (BNN), said late on Tuesday that the agency was in the process of adding weapons, investigators, technology, and sniffer dogs to its arsenal as it steps up law enforcement efforts in one of the region's biggest narcotics markets.

When asked if Indonesia can be as aggressive as the Philippines in fighting drugs, Waseso said: "Yes I believe so. It can happen because (the drugs problem) in Indonesia is as bad as in the Philippines".

"The life of a dealer is meaningless because (he) carries out mass murder. How can we respect that?," he added.

However, a BNN spokesman said Indonesia would not be as aggressive as its neighbour. "Our punishments have to be in accordance with our law and with national and international standards," said spokesman Slamet Pribadi.

Since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in June, 2,400 people have been killed in his "war on drugs". About 900 died in police operations and the rest authorities say were "deaths under investigation", a term human rights activists say is a euphemism for vigilante and extrajudicial killings.

The bloody campaign has drawn condemnation from organisations like the United Nations, which calls the killings unlawful.

But Duterte has refused to back down, promising that "plenty will be killed" before achieving his goal of a drugs-free country.
"Too soon" to take giant panda off the endangered list

BEIJING, Sept 7 (Reuters) - It is too soon to downgrade the conservation status of China's giant pandas as they still face severe threats, a leading conservationist said, after the International Union for Conservation of Nature took the species off its endangered list.

The giant panda has emerged as a success story for conservation in China whose cause has been championed right up to the highest levels in Beijing, where leaders often give the animal to other countries as a sign of friendship.

As of the end of 2015, China had 1,864 giant pandas in the wild, up from about 1,100 in 2000, with 422 in captivity, according to the government.

But on Sunday, the International Union for Conservation of Nature reclassified the species as "vulnerable" rather than "endangered", citing growing numbers in the wild due to decades of protection efforts.

Zhang Hemin, of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda, known in China as the "father of pandas", told the official Xinhua news agency that this was a hasty move.

"A severely fragmented natural habitat still threatens the lives of pandas; genetic transfer between different populations will improve, but is still not satisfactory," Zhang said in a report late on Tuesday.

"Climate change is widely expected to have an adverse effect on the bamboo forests which provide both their food and their home. And there is still a lot to be done in both protection and management terms."

The wild giant panda population faced a lack of genetic diversity as it was broken up into 33 isolated groups, some of which had fewer than 10 individuals, Zhang said.

Of those 18 sub-populations with fewer than 10 pandas, all faced "a high risk of collapse", he added.

Only when the wild population could grow steadily without the addition of captive-bred pandas could the species be called less endangered, Zhang said.

"If the conservation status is downgraded, protection work might slacken off and both the panda population and their habitat are more likely to suffer irreversible loss," he added.

"The present protection achievements will be lost and some small sub-populations may die out."

Shi Xiaogang, of the Wolong National Nature Reserve in southwestern Sichuan province, China's main panda conservation centre, said pandas still needed continuous protection, according to Xinhua.
Thailand 'supports' China's efforts to maintain maritime peace

VIENTIANE, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Thailand said on Wednesday said it "supports China's efforts" to maintain maritime peace amid a regional dispute over the South China Sea.

The comment from Thailand, which has historically maintained a neutral stance on the South China Sea, came hours after the Philippines released pictures showing what it said were Chinese boats near a disputed shoal in the sea.

"Promoting peace and stability in the ocean is important to all parties and Thailand supports China's efforts in this regard. Discussions must reduce mistrust," Major General Weerachon Sukondhapatipak, a Thai government spokesman, told Reuters on the sidelines of an Asian summit.

Asked whether Thailand was siding with China, he said Thailand "wants to see peace maintained in the interests of all parties", without giving further details.

China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts or all of the resource-rich South China Sea.
Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Sept 7

PRAGUE, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Wednesday. 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================================== INDUSTRY: Czech industrial output fell more sharply than expected in July, declining by 14.1 percent year-on-year as many big producers took summer breaks in the month, Czech Statistics Bureau (CSU) data showed on Tuesday. Story: Related stories: TRADE: Czech foreign trade posted a deficit of 1.5 billion crowns ($62.01 million) in July, missing forecasts for a surplus, statistics office data showed on Tuesday. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: The Hungarian forint and the Romanian leu eased on Tuesday after data showed falling investments and industrial output in Central Europe, leaving consumption as the driver of economic growth. Story: Related stories: ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change close on day in 2016 vs Euro 27.021 27.053 0.12 -0.09 vs Dollar 24.003 24.537 2.18 3.45 Czech Equities 882.42 882.42 0.18 -7.73 U.S. Equities 18,538.12 18,491.96 0.25 6.39 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT =============================PRESS DIGEST======================= MORTGAGES: The Czech central bank recommends banks to approve mortgages for 60 percent of the housing price at the most from October and it cooperates with the Finance Ministry on a legal amendments which would give it more power to regulate the mortgage market. An average mortgage rate stood at 1.88 percent in July. Lidove Noviny, page 1 (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)
Austria to go to court if Hungary refuses to take migrants back

VIENNA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Austria's interior minister said on Wednesday Vienna would take Hungary to court if it refuses to take back migrants who, under European rules widely ignored since last year, are meant to seek asylum in the first European Union state in which they set foot.

Officials in Austria and Hungary say the situation is largely under control a year after their shared border became a focal point of a mass influx of refugees to Europe, many of them heading for Germany.

Hundreds of thousands of migrants travelled from southern European countries further north to Austria, Germany or Sweden, making it impossible to implement the so-called Dublin rules to send migrants back to their initial arrival point in the EU.

Countries in central and eastern Europe, including Hungary, have opposed any European attempts to force states to accept returned migrants or to introduce a quota regime.

"In the main we have a European Dublin regime. The European Union is in charge of ... Dublin and states or groups of states that permanently break the law have to expect legal consequences," Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka told ORF radio.

"In that case, the (Austrian) republic must sue. The republic must see that the European Union acts according to the law, full stop," Sobotka said when asked about Hungary not accepting migrants sent back under Dublin rules.

The Hungarian government has long declared the Dublin agreement finished. Government officials were not immediately available to respond to Sobotka's comments.

Austria initially welcomed large numbers of refugees from the Middle East and Afghanistan. However, the government started to toughen its asylum rules earlier this year and introduced an annual limit on the number of asylum requests it accepts.

Those steps, widely criticised by human rights groups and the European Union, came after support for the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) in opinion polls surged ahead of the ruling centrist parties.
S.Korea court seeks funds for Hanjin this week as crisis deepens

By Joyce Lee and Shin-hyung Lee

SEOUL, Sept 7 (Reuters) - A South Korean court presiding over Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd's receivership has asked the firm's lead creditor for fresh funds, warning the container shipper needs financial support this week to normalise operations.

The world's seventh-largest container carrier and its clients are scrambling to move an estimated $14 billion worth of cargo off ships that are no longer operating normally in the wake of its collapse last week.

More than half of Hanjin's ships have been blocked from docking at ports and denied service from lashing firms on fears they will not be paid while some vessels have been seized by creditors. With expectations high that Hanjin will eventually be liquidated, there is little clarity on just how the problem of cargo stranded ahead of the peak-year end shopping season will be resolved.

The Seoul Central District Court did not say how much it had requested from lead creditor Korea Development Bank but noted that plans by Hanjin Shipping's parent firm to raise 100 billion won ($90 million) to fund the unloading of cargo were inadequate.

"It is unclear when the 100 billion won financial support package announced by Chairman Cho Yang-ho and Hanjin Group can be executed and this is also far short of the amount needed to normalise Hanjin's operations," the court said.

A Korea Development Bank spokesman said he is checking whether the bank has received the court's request. He declined additional comment.

South Korean government officials have also said government-backed creditors are ready to provide a separate 100 billion won in funds if Hanjin Group, the parent firm, provides collateral. Hanjin Group is considering the offer. The Seoul court said, however, that even if this came through the shipper needed more.

DAMAGE CONTROL

South Korea plans to deploy more than 20 container ships starting next week for routes to the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia as substitutes for Hanjin ships in a bid to contain the fallout.

"As the head of the government's economic team, I feel grave responsibility about the confusion and concern on the ground level despite preparations through contingency planning," Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said.

Hanjin is seeking stay orders to prevent its ships from being seized by creditors in 43 different countries, he said. A U.S. court on Tuesday granted temporary protection to Hanjin, allowing the firm's ships to dock at U.S. ports without the fear of them being seized.

The U.S. court order is temporary and Hanjin will need to return to court on Friday for a final order after talks with stakeholders to try to resolve complex problems involving ports, terminal operators and retailers. The South Korean firm has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in the United States.

"It's a logistical mess," U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John Sherwood, who gave the order, said.

Samsung Electronics said goods worth $37.9 million for its television and appliances businesses - parts and finished products - were stuck aboard two Hanjin ships. The firm said it may have to charter at least 16 planes to move the goods if the cargo cannot be unloaded immediately, costing the tech giant at least $8.8 million.

"The upcoming months are critically important to retailers, particularly ahead of Black Friday and the holiday shopping season," Samsung Senior Vice President Ahn Jung-tae said in a court filing.

HP Inc said in a separate filing on Monday it is willing to pay right away to get its cargo off Hanjin's vessels and that delays in unloading its goods could result in loss of market share.
Top Saudi cleric says Iran leaders not Muslims as haj row mounts

By Dahlia Nehme

MECCA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's top religious authority said Iran's leaders were not Muslims, drawing a rebuke from Tehran in an unusually harsh exchange between the regional rivals over the running of the annual haj pilgrimage.

The war of words on the eve of the mass pilgrimage will deepen a long-running rift between the Sunni kingdom and the Shi'ite revolutionary power. They back opposing sides in Syria's civil war and a list of other conflicts across the Middle East.

Tensions between them have been rising since Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in January following the storming of its embassy in Tehran, itself a response to the Saudi execution of a dissident Shi'ite cleric.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message published on Monday, criticised Saudi Arabia over how it runs the haj after a crush last year killed hundreds of pilgrims. He said Saudi authorities had "murdered" some of them, describing Saudi rulers as godless and irreligious.

Responding to a question by Saudi newspaper Makkah, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said he was not surprised at Khamenei's comments.

"We have to understand that they are not Muslims. ... Their main enemies are the followers of Sunnah (Sunnis)," Al al-Sheikh was quoted as saying in remarks republished by the Arab News.

He described Iranian leaders as sons of "magus", a reference to Zoroastrianism, the dominant belief in Persia until the Muslim Arab invasion of the region that is now Iran 13 centuries ago.

This year pilgrims from Iran will be unable to attend the haj, which officially starts on Sept. 11, after talks between the two nations on arrangements broke down in May.

Khamenei met families of Iranians killed in last year's disaster on Wednesday and called for a fact-finding committee to investigate the cause of the crush.

"The evil family tree of the Saudi dynasty does not have the competence to manage the holy shrines," Khamenei said.

"BIGOTRY"

Al al-Sheikh's remarks drew an acerbic retort from Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said they were evidence of bigotry among Saudi leaders.

"Indeed; no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account.

Saudi authorities normally seek to avoid public discussion of whether Shi'ites are Muslims, but implicitly recognise them as such by welcoming them to the haj, and by accepting Iranian visits to the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department said the harsh words would only worsen tensions in the Middle East, where Saudi Arabia and Iran are vying for influence in countries such as Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon.

"By no means do we want to see this kind of rhetoric that we've seen in the last couple of days that will only escalate tensions," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.

Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Saleh bin Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said Saudi Arabia was "destined" to watch over Islam's holy sites, accusing Iran of trying to stir up sectarian discord as some 1.3 million Muslims convened in Mecca this week.

"The Iranian regime is now isolated from the Islamic world. They are trying to hijack people from all over to bring dishonour, but in fact all Islamic countries are with Saudi Arabia as it carries out its duties and responsibilities," said the minister, in comments carried by Okaz newspaper.

Speaking near Mecca's Great Mosque and clad in the traditional white robe of a pilgrim, Moussa Abdi, a member of Algeria's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said the region must work to repair its ideological and political rifts.

"We are not alone in this world, and we face other political conflicts. We have to unite. ... We have to get over these differences which aim at creating rifts within the Islamic world," Moussa told Reuters.

Custodian of Islam's most revered places in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on organising haj, one of the five pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to is obliged to undertake at least once.
With Syria "safe zone" plan, Turkey faces diplomatic balancing act

By Orhan Coskun and Ercan Gurses

ANKARA, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Turkey will have to strike a balance between the conflicting goals of Russia and the United States if it is to achieve its ambition of a "safe zone" in northern Syria and build on an incursion which gave it control of a thin strip of the border.

Turkey has for several years called for world powers to help create a zone to protect civilians in its war-torn southern neighbour, with the dual aim of clearing its border of Islamic State and Kurdish militia fighters and of stemming a wave of migration that has caused tensions with Europe.

Western allies have so far balked at the idea, saying it would require a significant ground force and planes to patrol a "no-fly zone", a major commitment in such a crowded and messy battlefield. Russia, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has meanwhile argued in the past that any foreign incursion would be illegal.

But Turkey's offensive into northern Syria, launched with its Syrian rebel allies two weeks ago, has created what officials in Ankara are already calling a "de facto safe zone", driving Islamic State militants from the last 90-km (55-mile) strip of border territory they still controlled.

Turkey now wants international support for a deeper operation to take control of a rectangle of territory stretching about 40 km into Syria, a buffer between two Kurdish-held cantons to the east and west and against Islamic State to the south.

"The first phase of the plan has been achieved. Turkey no longer has borders with Islamic State. But this area is still very thin and vulnerable to attacks from the other side," said a senior Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity so as to discuss the strategy more freely.

"What will be done now will depend on coordination with coalition powers and the support they will provide," he said, adding an improvement in relations with Russia had "eased Turkey's hand" operationally.

The Turkish-backed rebels, mainly Syrian Arabs and Turkmen fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army, took charge of the frontier between the towns of Azaz and Jarablus on Sunday after seizing 20 villages from the ultra-hardline Islamists.

Ahmed Osman, commander of the Sultan Murad rebel group, one of the Turkish-backed forces, told Reuters he would like to see a permanent "safe zone" but that this would require an agreement between Turkey, the United States and Russia.

CONFLICTING INTERESTS

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, his hand strengthened by Turkey's incursion, said on Monday he had raised the issue of a "safe zone" again with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama at the G20 summit in China.

Neither commented directly on the Turkish proposal, though both said they wanted to build cooperation in fighting terrorism in Syria. Erdogan's spokesman said there were neither objections nor clear signs of support in the meetings.

A second senior Turkish official acknowledged both Washington and Russia "had their hesitations" but that a "de facto safe zone" had now become a reality on the ground and that their support, particularly in establishing a no-fly zone, was crucial.

Metin Gurcan, a former major in the Turkish military and an analyst for the Al Monitor online journal, said Washington and Moscow's divergent agendas in Syria raised serious questions about the viability of the Turkish plans.

"We are talking about two superpowers with great stakes in Syria. They have contradicting strategic interests about the end goal in Syria," he said.

More than five years of civil war have cut Syria into a patchwork of territories held by the government and an often competing array of armed factions, including Kurdish militia fighters, a loose coalition of rebels groups, and Islamic State.

The priority for Washington, which backs rebel factions fighting Assad in the civil war, is destroying Islamic State and it has been at odds with Turkey over the role of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. The United States has backed the Kurdish fighters against the jihadists, but Turkey sees them as a hostile force linked to Kurdish militants on its own soil.

The two NATO allies have reached an uneasy agreement under which YPG fighters are meant to remain east of the Euphrates river, just outside Turkey's proposed buffer zone, although Ankara has said it has yet to verify that they are doing so.

Turkey meanwhile appears to be navigating Russian concerns more smoothly since restoring relations with Moscow in August, nine months after ties were broken when it shot down a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border.

Erdogan's spokesman said on Tuesday that Russia had voiced full support for Turkey's operation to clear the border of Islamic State. For its part, Turkey has been less insistent on Assad's immediate exit.

"They appear to be lessening their demands for the ouster of Assad in deference to their new relationship with Russia," said James Stavridis, former NATO supreme commander and dean at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

'ARMAGEDDON'

Aside from the diplomatic challenges, a push deeper into Syria by the Turkish-backed Arab and Turkmen rebels poses significant military risks.

The Turkish-backed forces have been advancing towards Manbij, a city around 30 km south of Jarablus that was captured last month from Islamic State by a U.S.-backed coalition that includes the YPG. The Kurdish fighters are since supposed to have pulled back east of the Euphrates.

"We know there are de facto YPG factions still there. If they don't retreat, Turkey will be determined and return Manbij to its owners," said Yasin Aktay, a spokesman for Turkey's ruling AK Party, referring to Arab and Turkmen communities who lived there before civil war broke out in 2011.

The Islamic State-held town of Al-Bab, west of Manbij, is another a key strategic target for both Turkish-backed and Kurdish forces where Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, one of Islamic State's most prominent leaders, is thought to have been killed in a U.S. air strike last week.

To its northwest is the village of Dabiq - the site, according to Islamic prophecy, of a final battle between Muslims and infidels, an event in Islamic State propaganda that will herald the apocalypse.
Hargreaves Lansdown's CEO to step down within 12 months

By Simon Jessop

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - British funds supermarket Hargreaves Lansdown said on Wednesday its Chief Executive Ian Gorham has decided to step down by September 2017, as it posted full-year results in line with forecasts, sending its share price lower.

The company said Gorham, 44, who has presided over a near three-fold increase in the value of Hargreaves stock during the last six years in charge, will be replaced by Chris Hill, who currently serves as group chief financial officer.

In the interim Hill, aged 45, will become deputy chief executive from Oct. 1 and appointing a new CFO to replace Hill "will be a priority", the company said.

Appointed chief financial officer in February, Hill joined Hargreaves Lansdown from financial spread betting firm IG Group , where he was CFO for four years.

Gorham's decision to step down, which the company said was to allow "new zest" to be applied to its activities, comes as the group continues to benefit from a series of UK government changes to savings rules which have encouraged investors to place more money with the firm.

Those changes, including moves to boost the amount of money investors can save tax-free, have pushed total assets under administration up to a record 61.7 billion pounds in the 12 months to end-June, handing the firm a 37.5 percent share of the direct investing market, Hargreaves said.

Underpinning that was a jump in the number of active clients by 100,000 to 836,000 and an increase in net new business of 6 billion pounds, in line with the prior year's 6.1 billion.

Gorham said the firm should continue to capitalise from further planned changes to the investment rulebook, including the launch of the Lifetime ISA (Individual Savings Account).

The firm, which helps retail clients select funds and make other investments, said pretax profit was 218.9 million pounds ($293.70 million), beating a mean consensus forecast of 216.9 million pounds, Thomson Reuters data showed.

As a result, the firm said it would pay a second interim dividend of 16.3 pence, up from 14.3 pence in 2015, and a special dividend of 9.9 pence, down from 11.4 pence in the prior year, to take its total dividend to 34 pence, up 3 percent.

Bernstein analysts said the results were broadly inline, but said the growth in assets had still been a good result given weaker markets.
Malaysia confirms first case of Zika in pregnant woman

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Malaysia has confirmed its first case of the Zika virus in a pregnant 27-year-old woman, Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said on Wednesday.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly, a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized, besides other brain abnormalities.
PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - SEPT 7

MOSCOW, Sept 7 (Reuters - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- Russia's Finance Ministry is proposing to temporarily stop using money from the National Wealth Fund for long-term projects and using it to fill holes in the budget instead.

- President Vladimir Putin has agreed to amend a new anti-terrorism law which drew criticism from Russia's major telecoms companies because of a clause obliging them to spend money to comply with it.

- U.S. carmaker Ford's Russian venture is planning to triple exports of spare parts to Europe from Russia in the next three years.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- The number of Russian banks which entered the Crimean market after Moscow took control of the region in 2014 has more than halved, the daily says, adding that the central bank withdrew licences for most of them for failing to meet its requirements or for violations.

- Russia is planning to spend almost 62 billion roubles on the implementation of a project aimed at raising milk production by 40 percent by 2025. More than 30 percent of that money should be provided by private business, the daily says.

- The leader of the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia Unus-Bek Yevkurov is suggesting that video cameras should be installed in mosques to make the activity of local imams "transparent" to avoid situations where they are suspected of encouraging young people to join Islamist extremists in Syria.

NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA

www.ng.ru
Germany's Merkel hits back at critics of immigration policy

BERLIN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday vowed to continue efforts to strengthen security at home and speed up repatriations of migrants who were denied asylum in Germany, but insisted the overall situation was much better now than a year ago.

Merkel, whose conservative party lost significant ground to the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in a regional election on Sunday, struck a defiant tone in a speech to parliament, denying that the influx of hundreds of thousands of migrants would cut benefits for Germans as some have feared.

She also defended her handling of German-Turkish relations and said a European Union deal with Ankara to curb the flow of migrants was necessary and could serve as a model for agreements with other countries.
Turkey ready to join U.S. in capturing Syrian city from Islamic State - Erdogan

ISTANBUL, Sept 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama floated the idea of joint action with Turkey to capture the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in remarks published on Wednesday.

Ankara would not object, Erdogan said.

Turkey, which is battling a Kurdish insurgency at home, launched an incursion into northern Syria last month with the stated aims of clearing Islamic State from its border and preventing the Kurdish YPG militia expanding into new territory.

Ankara now wants international support for an operation to take control of a rectangle of territory stretching about 40 km into Syria, creating a buffer between two Kurdish-held cantons to the east and west and against Islamic State to the south.

Speaking to reporters on his plane back from the G20 summit in China on Monday, Erdogan said Turkey's military was ready to join any offensive on Raqqa, Islamic State's de facto capital.

"Obama wants to do some things together concerning Raqqa in particular," Erdogan said in comments published by Hurriyet newspaper, following meetings in China with Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders.

"We stated that would not be a problem from our perspective. We said, 'Let our soldiers come together, whatever is necessary will be done'," Erdogan said.

Any Turkish role would be have to be determined in further talks, he said.

"But at this stage we have to show our presence in the region. We do not have the chance to take a backward step. If we take a backward step terror groups like Daesh, PKK, PYD and YPG will settle there," he said.

Daesh is another term for Islamic State, while the PYD is the political wing of Syrian YPG militia, which Ankara says is an extension of Turkey's outlawed PKK Kurdish militant group.

Turkey's branding of PYD and YPG as terrorist groups have put it at odds with Washington, which sees the YPG as a valuable and effective ally in its fight against Islamic State in Syria.
Romania - Factors to watch on Sept. 7

Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Wednesday.

GDP

Romania's economy expanded 6.0 percent on the year in the second quarter, the National Statistics Board said on Tuesday confirming a flash estimate, while domestic consumption rose 9.6 percent.

WAGES

Romania's net average monthly wage rose 12.4 percent on the year to 2,078 lei ($521.31) in July, and was flat on the month, the National Statistics Board said on Tuesday.

CEE MARKETS

The Hungarian forint and the Romanian leu eased on Tuesday after data showed falling investments and industrial output in Central Europe, leaving consumption as the driver of economic growth.

PENSIONS

Romania's Senate approved a draft bill of Tuesday that would exempt all state pensions from a 16 percent income tax, the latest in a series of populist measures ahead of a Dec. 11 parliamentary election. The lower house has the final say on the bill.

INTERIOR MIN

Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said on Tuesday he nominated Dragos Tudorache, his chief of staff, as interior minister, replacing Petre Toba who resigned last week after anti-corruption prosecutors placed him under investigation.

For the long-term Romanian diary, click on

For emerging markets economic events, click on

For an index of all diaries, click on
Malaysia confirms first case of Zika in a pregnant woman

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Malaysia on Wednesday confirmed its first case of the Zika virus in a pregnant woman, a 27-year-old living in a southern city next to the city-state of Singapore.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly, a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized, besides other brain abnormalities.

Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said the woman, who is three- to four-months pregnant, lives in the southern city of Johor Bahru, next to Singapore which has reported a total of 275 cases so far.

Her husband, who works in Singapore, had also showed symptoms of Zika and was undergoing tests.

"It's still unclear whether the woman contracted the disease from her husband or whether it was locally transmitted," Subramaniam told a press conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia's administrative capital.

Last week, Malaysia confirmed the first imported case of Zika in a 58-year-old woman who had visited Singapore. On Saturday, it confirmed the first case of a locally transmitted Zika infection.

Subramaniam said Malaysia was expecting to see more cases in Johor Bahru because of its closeness to Singapore. About 200,000 Malaysians commute daily from Johor to the city-state.
Danish PM says US "protectionism" may hamper EU trade deal, urges fast-track

By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen

COPENHAGEN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The EU should aim to conclude a trade deal with the United States this year despite recent doubts, as "worrying" protectionist policies from both U.S. presidential candidates will make a deal increasingly difficult, the Danish prime minister said.

Talks over the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) have stalled, even though Washington and Brussels, which have been negotiating for three years, are still officially committed to sealing a deal before U.S. President Barack Obama leaves office in January.

"When listening to the American election campaign, you become really worried," Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told Reuters in an interview late Tuesday.

Serious doubts have surfaced over the deal, with thorny issues such as environmental and food standards as well as allowing foreign multinationals to challenge European government policies. In addition, looming elections in USA, France and Germany could hamper negotiations.

"Trump is the first republican presidential candidate, I can think of, who is actually against free trade," Rasmussen told the audience at a political rally Tuesday evening, pointing to Trump's ambition to "build walls and pull all jobs back to the United States."

"And Hillary Clinton is under great influence from Bernie Sanders, a left-wing socialist and also a protectionist," he said.

Small and export dependent Denmark, along with other Nordic countries like Sweden, have been some of the biggest supporters of the deal and have been worried the vote of Britain to leave the European Union had robbed them of a key free trade ally.

Rasmussen's comments come as EU leaders prepare for a summit on Sept. 16 in Bratislava -- without Britain -- which is looking at how to draw up a post-Brexit future for the Union.

French Trade Minister Matthias Fekl said last week he favoured calling a halt to the talks. And while German Chancellor Angela Merkel still backs the talks, German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel called them "de facto dead".

"While we all very recently thought we should clinch a new trade deal that could bring wealth to both USA and Europe, there's now no telling where it will end," Rasmussen said in the interview, expressing concerns over the latest messages from France.

"This just underscores the point that it would be good to reach a deal this year. I think President Obama has a commitment to this issue that I would like to see materializing into at least a political deal," he said.

Sweden is working with Finland, Spain and Italy to keep a deal alive, the country's EU minister Ann Linde said Monday. She however acknowledged that sharper political rethoric along with Britain's decision in June to leave the European Union could put negotiations on ice for the foreseeable future.
Austria says may sue Hungary over migrants, plans new border restrictions

By Shadia Nasralla

VIENNA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Austria's interior minister threatened on Wednesday to sue Hungary if it refused to take back migrants crossing their shared border, in an escalation of tensions over immigration ahead of next month's presidential election.

Pressured by a surge in support for the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), Austria's government has repeatedly accused Hungary of letting migrants enter its territory in defiance of European Union rules that asylum seekers must stay in the first country they enter in the bloc.

Hungary, which is preparing for a referendum on whether to accept an EU-wide asylum quota, has countered that most refugees enter its territory from other EU states, notably Italy and Greece, in a growing European blame game.

"States or groups of states that permanently break the law have to expect legal consequences," Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka told ORF radio, responding to a question on Hungary's refusal to give ground.

"In that case, the (Austrian) republic must sue. The republic must see that the European Union acts according to the law, full stop," he added, without specifying what legal process he was considering.

Budapest has built a fence along its border with non-EU member Serbia to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of people, many of them fleeing violence in the Middle East and North Africa. However, both Hungary and Austria said earlier this month the situation was now broadly under control.

"IRRESPONSIBLE CONDUCT"

A Hungarian government spokesman dismissed Sobotka's call in an emailed statement, saying the vast majority of migrants had arrived in other EU states first.

"Hungary cannot and will not take responsibility for, and suffer the consequences of, the irresponsible conduct of other member states - Austria, Germany - which expressly suggested ignoring the rules, or for other states - Greece - that neglected to do their job," the spokesman said.

Many migrants arriving in central Europe first entered the EU via the Greek islands from Turkey.

Last autumn Germany and Austria initially welcomed large numbers of refugees from the Middle East and Afghanistan. But Vienna started to toughen its asylum rules this year and imposed an annual limit on the number of asylum requests it accepts.

Those steps, widely criticised by human rights groups and the European Union, came after the anti-immigrant FPO surged past the ruling centrist parties in opinion polls.

FPO candidate Norbert Hofer hopes to become Europe's first far-right head of state after Austria's presidential election on Oct. 2, the same day as the Hungarian referendum.

Late on Tuesday Austria's government backed draft emergency measures that would allow it to turn migrants away directly at the border once the annual threshold of 37,500 was exceeded.

The decree said exceeding the asylum limit this year could endanger Austria's security by putting pressure on public services and leading to increased crime.

U.N. refugee agency UNHCR expressed concern over the move.

"The planned emergency decree would break a taboo and mean a departure from refugee protection in Austria," UNHCR Austrian director Christoph Pinter said in a statement.
EDF workers to strike on Sept. 14 over Fessenheim closure plan

PARIS, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Workers at French state-controlled power utility EDF will down tools on Sept. 14 in protest over the planned closure of the company's Fessenheim nuclear power plant, a statement from staff representatives said on Wednesday.

EDF and the French government agreed in August on a 400 million euro ($450 million) compensation package for the closure of Fessenheim, one of its oldest reactors.

The statement said staff representatives in EDF Works Council unanimously opposed the planned closure.
Fighting in Syria's Hama province displaces 100,000 - UN

GENEVA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Fighting in Syria's western Hama province displaced an estimated 100,000 people between Aug. 28 and Sept. 5, the United Nations said on Wednesday, citing the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the governor of the province.

Syrian rebels launched an offensive last week in northern Hama, an area of strategic importance to President Bashar al-Assad that is home to loyalist towns populated by minority Christians and Alawites. Rebels rapidly captured the town of Halfaya. Pro-Assad forces have hit back with heavy air strikes.

Many people had fled from the fighting towards Hama city and neighbouring villages, as well as north into Idlib province, the U.N. said.

There were originally about 4,500 families in the town of Halfaya, of which 2,800 remain trapped by the fighting while the rest managed to flee, the U.N. report said.

Another 4,500 families were displaced from Taybat al Imam, out of 9,500 in that town, and 5,000 families were uprooted from the army stronghold of Soran, about half the population there.

Many of the displaced people were sleeping outdoors, but four mosques in Hama city and 12 schools in rural areas were temporarily housing people, the U.N. said.
Syrian opposition says Assad must leave six months into transition

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must leave power after six months of negotiations on a transitional government, opposition negotiator Riyad Hijab said on Wednesday in London as he presented his group's road map for peace in Syria.

Hijab is the general coordinator of the High Negotiations Committee, the main opposition group involved in stalled U.N.-mediated peace talks in Geneva, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and western powers opposed to Assad's rule.

The proposed process would start with six months of negotiations to set up a transitional administration made up of figures from the opposition, the government and civil society. The transitional body would then run the country for 18 months, at the end of which there would be elections.
Serbia jails "spy" amid tit-for-tat ahead of Croatian elections

By Aleksandar Vasovic

BELGRADE, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Serbia jailed a veteran of the 1990s Yugoslav wars on charges of spying for Croatia, the latest of several tit-for-tat moves in which relations between the former foes have fallen to their lowest ebb since the conflict ended in 1995.

The Serbian High Court on Tuesday accepted a plea bargain by Cedo Colovic, 57, a former artillery officer who served with the military of the breakaway Serb republic in Croatia between 1991 and 1993. He was sentenced to three years in jail.

Colovic's arrest on Friday was widely seen as a response to moves in Croatia, which votes in a general election on Sunday, to publicly rehabilitate controversial figures from the past, causing consternation in Serbia.

The worsening relations between the two threaten to derail Brussels's plans to cajole the seven Yugoslav successor states towards further European integration since European Union member Croatia has the power to block or slow Serbia's progress towards EU membership. Slovenia, another ex-Yugoslav republic, is also a EU member.

A government official who asked not to be named told Reuters that under questioning Colovic had admitted he was recruited by Croatia's spy agency in 1999.

"Colovic said he was collecting information about former Yugoslav army officers who fought in Croatia in the 1990s, in exchange for immunity from prosecution there, and that he was paid for that," the official said.

Croatian authorities deny Colovic ever worked for them.

With polls predicting a close election, Croatian parties have been courting the nationalist vote.

Moves which have infuriated Serbia include rehabilitation of a cleric who supported Croatia's World War Two-era pro-German government and honouring a man who assassinated a Yugoslav ambassador in the 1970s with a statue.

"This Colovic case was a totally unnecessary escalation in already strained relations with Croatia ... and if it was a tit-for-tat, than it was a rather miserable one," said Milos Damjanovic, an analyst with the Belgrade-based BIRN Consultancy.
U.S.military says conducted strikes against Somalia's al Shabaab early this week

By Phil Stewart

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. military conducted two strikes in southern Somalia early this week that killed four al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants involved in attacks on Somali government troops, a U.S. military spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

The U.S. military has in the past used drones to target al Shabaab's senior leaders. The Pentagon said in June it carried out a strike in late May against Abdullahi Haji Da'ud, one of al Shabaab's senior military planners and served as a principal coordinator of attacks in Somalia, Kenya, and Uganda.

The latest strikes took place in Torotorow in Lower Shabelle region, on Monday.

"During a Somali-led counter-terrorism operation, a large group of armed al Shabaab fighters attacked the force, threatening the safety and security of the forces in the area," Captain Jennifer Dyrcz, a U.S. Africa Command spokeswoman, said. "In response, the U.S. conducted two self-defence strikes... killing four al Shabaab militants."
Nigerian army says arrests Avengers leader, other militants

ABUJA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Nigeria's military said on Wednesday it had arrested a suspected leader of the Niger Delta Avengers militant group and other men accused of attacking oil and gas infrastructure.

Soldiers, backed up by the air force and security officers, detained Isaac Romeo with two other men over the weekend in Calabar, the capital of Cross River state in the Delta region, the military said.

Authorities picked up a fourth man on Tuesday in Edo state, north of Delta state. He is thought to be responsible for an attack on a pipeline operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Nigerian energy company Shoreline last month, the military added.

The Avengers were one of the most active groups blamed for a string of attacks that have taken out more than 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil production this year.
EUROPE POWER-Spot mixed, wind and nuclear power weigh on French spot

PARIS, Sept 7 (Reuters) - European spot electricity prices for next day delivery were mixed on Wednesday as increased wind and nuclear power production kept French prices lower, while a rise in consumption supported German prices.

Power from renewable wind sources is expected to rise in France by 820 megawatts (MW) to 2.1 gigawatts day-on-day on Thursday, data from Thomson Reuters showed.

Electricity from nuclear reactors, which account for about 75 percent of French needs, is expected to increase by 1.7 GW during the same period. French power demand for Thursday is seen slightly higher at 48 GW.

In Germany, power consumption is expected to rise by 380 MW on Thursday to 68 GW, while solar power output will fall marginally by 100 MW to 7.3 GW. This will support German prices despite a 400 MW increase in wind power output.

Temperatures are forecast rise in Germany by 2.2 degrees Celsius day-on-day on Thursday to average 20 degrees.

German baseload power for Thursday delivery rose 3.05 percent or 0.9 euros to 30.40 euros ($34.20) a megawatt hour (MWh) compared with Tuesday's close.

The equivalent French contract fell 9.38 percent or 3.75 euros to 36.25 euros/MWh compared with Tuesday's close.

Workers at French state-controlled power utility EDF EDF.PA will strike on Sept. 14 in protest over the planned closure of the Fessenheim nuclear power plant, a statement from staff representatives said on Wednesday.

Along the forward power curve, prices fell, tracking coal and gas despite a rise in oil futures.

Oil rose on Wednesday to pare some of the previous day's losses, partly thanks to a weaker U.S. dollar, but the limited likelihood of a near-term agreement among the world's biggest exporters to rein in production kept gains in check.

The German Cal'17 baseload power contract fell 0.3 cents or 1.15 percent to 25.75 euros/MWh, while the equivalent French contract fell 0.32 percent to 31.50 euros/MWh .

European coal prices for 2017 fell 1.60 percent to $59.35 a tonne. Front-year EU carbon allowances fell 0.97 percent to 4.09 euros a tonne.
Zika concerns could test Singapore's efforts to boost birth rate

By Fathin Ungku and Nicole Nee

SINGAPORE, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Singaporean pre-school teacher Siti is determined to try for a baby even as Zika infections spread across the Southeast Asian nation. She just does all she can to avoid mosquito bites.

"I really love kids and want to have one of my own," the 37-year-old who declined to give her full name said after a procedure at the fertility clinic of KK Women's and Children's Hospital, the largest facility for women's health in Singapore. "I'm not postponing my pregnancy plans but I'm taking all precautions I can."

The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to a spike in microcephaly, a rare birth defect, in Brazil, which has so far been the hardest hit by an outbreak affecting large parts of Latin America. Babies born with the defect have undersized heads and brains. In adults, the virus - which can also be sexually transmitted - has been linked to a rare neurological syndrome called Guillain-Barre.

Economists say concerns about the birth defect could dent the Singapore government's efforts to boost the number of babies born to its citizens. The city-state, a major financial hub, has one of the world's lowest birth rates and a rapidly ageing society, while more than a third of its 5.5 million population are foreigners.

"It could lead to some delay in people who are going to get pregnant or thinking of getting pregnant," said Michael Wan, an economist at Credit Suisse. "But it's a bit too early to tell."

The low birth rate, and a drive to wean the economy off foreign labour, prompted the government last year to start giving out as much as S$10,000 ($7,400) in cash to Singaporeans who have a baby.

Singapore health authorities have urged pregnant women or those trying to conceive to avoid mosquito bites and take precautions since the first case of locally transmitted Zika was detected on Aug 27. Since then, more than 280 people have become infected, of which two were pregnant.

In their guidelines, they highlight the risks for pregnant women that are associated with Zika. They do not urge women who are otherwise healthy, and whose partners also show no symptoms of infection, to postpone pregnancy.

"Use insect repellent. Practice safe sex for the duration of your pregnancy if your partner has been exposed to Zika," reads the advice for pregnant women on the Singapore government's main online portal. "Note that a positive Zika test may not mean your unborn child is infected or harmed."

SOME EXPATS CONSIDER RELOCATING

Citing a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Singapore's government portal says Zika infected women have a 1 to 13 percent chance of giving birth to a child with microcephaly.

There is currently no vaccine for Zika, and Singapore has said the virus is likely to be in the country to stay, given the prevalence of the Aedes mosquitoes that carry it in this small, tropical island. Singapore has been battling dengue, another mosquito-borne virus, for decades.

The World Health Organisation, which has praised Singapore's handling of the Zika outbreak, recommends people considering pregnancy get counselled about the risks in Zika-affected areas, and are told that their options include delaying pregnancy.

In Singapore, some women are not taking any chance. "Some patients, particularly expatriates, are calling to ask if they should relocate back to their own home country," said obstetrician Kelly Loi of the Health and Fertility Centre for Women.

But Aude Vazart, a French engineer who gave birth in Singapore last week, told Reuters leaving the island to avoid Zika was "too extreme". "There are thousands of diseases I could get, even in France," the 29-year-old said. ($1 = 1.3473 Singapore dollars)
Danish PM to push ahead with tough asylum law despite EU rules

By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen

COPENHAGEN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Denmark's prime minister said his minority government would push ahead with a bill to reject asylum seekers at the borders in times of crisis even though such a move might breach the European Union's Dublin rules.

Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he wanted to guard against a situation like last year when 21,300 asylum seekers entered the country and the rules that say people must stay and claim asylum in the first EU country they reach were discarded.

"The proposal is aimed at a situation like the one last year, when it was very obvious that Dublin rules had been de facto sidelined," Lars Lokke Rasmussen told Reuters in an interview late on Tuesday.

He said the proposal was inspired by a similar law adopted in June by neighbouring Norway, which is not a member of the EU but adheres to the Dublin rules, and acknowledged that the change could be "problematic in relation to the Dublin rules".

"Like Norway sent a signal to us, we would like to send a signal to others that we must find a solution in Europe where we take care of our external borders," Rasmussen said.

EU states are at loggerheads over how to manage migration after 1.3 million refugees and migrants reached the bloc last year. Frictions intensified after Italy and Greece, frustrated by a lack of help from other countries, let migrants travel north to richer states in defiance of the rules.

While that eased pressure on the "frontline" states, the northern reaction to last year's huge surge in arrivals from Syria, Africa and beyond led to new border controls across Europe, including in Denmark.

The proposed law has yet to be adopted by the parliament, where Rasmussen's Liberals hold only 34 out of 179 seats and need the support of others, including the anti-immigration Danish People's Party, to govern.

The European Commission has said it will only be able to comment on the issue once precise draft legislation is put on the table.
Poland may block sale of local EDF, Engie assets under new law

KRYNICA-ZDROJ, Poland, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Poland has put local heating assets owned by French EDF and Engie on a list of companies deemed important for energy security, in order to be able to block their potential sale, the energy minister said.

Apart from the French assets, the government's list includes state-run copper producer KGHM, chemicals group Azoty , power firm Tauron, telecom firm TK Telekom, and also private Fortum and PKP Energetyka.

"If EDF decides to exit Poland, then by putting EDF on such a list we are gaining the right to veto a potential buyer," Energy Minister Krzysztof Tchorzewski told reporters on the sidelines of the Economic Forum in Krynica, south of Poland.

He declined to say whether he had talked to EDF or Engie about the deals and whether the ministry will use the right to block them, but said that if a prospective buyer was an investment fund, which focuses mostly on rapid growth, the ministry would "have to take a look".

EDF launched the sale of its Polish assets earlier this year as part of a strategy to focus on low-carbon nuclear and renewable energy.

Local newspapers said Australian fund management firm IFM and its unit Veolia Energia Polska have submitted the highest offer.

In Poland, EDF's plants hold a 15 percent share of the heating market. Its 1.7 gigawatt (GW) coal-fired power station in Rybnik, in the south, generates about 7 percent of electricity consumed in Poland.

Separately, Engie said it wants to sell its Polaniec coal-fired power plant, which constitutes of around 5.5 percent of installed power capacity in Poland. Poland's Enea said it would be interested in the asset.
Britain faces long road to post-Brexit trade deals

By Kylie MacLellan

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May wants to make Britain a global leader in trade after Brexit, but former negotiators say the country faces a long slog despite warm words from some world leaders over forging new relationships.

With other countries reluctant to get involved in detailed discussions until Britain's future ties with the European Union are clear, and a lack of negotiators in London ready to begin talks, any firm deals could be years away.

While the government says it can do the groundwork, Britain cannot formally sign trade agreements until it leaves the EU, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said EU member states should not even negotiate deals while still part of the bloc.

"Nobody with any sense from China, the U.S., Brazil or wherever is going to engage with the UK other than a friendly drink in the bar until the UK has a regime with the EU," retired British trade negotiator Roderick Abbott told Reuters.

"That gives them the yardstick against which you negotiate," said Abbott, who during his more than 40-year career worked on trade for the British government, the European Commission and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

May and her team strike an optimistic tone, highlighting nations which have said they are keen to do deals. But behind the scenes, countries are pragmatic.

A senior diplomat from a developed country with which Britain has suggested negotiating a deal said the EU was a more important partner, so any deal with Britain would depend on how it affected his country's trade with the EU.

"They want to talk to us. We're always happy to talk trade. But frankly there isn't much we can seriously talk about in detail, which is really what trade deals are all about, until we know what their relationship will be with the EU," he said, on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject.

Japan has expressed concern over uncertainty surrounding Britain's future EU relationship, including its access to the bloc's single market, while U.S. President Barack Obama quashed the prospect of a fast-track deal.

Australia said on Tuesday that it would focus on pursuing a free trade agreement with the EU while it waited for Britain to be able to negotiate formally.

PRESSURE FOR DEALS

According to government figures, Britain's total trade exports for June were worth 24.9 billion pounds ($33.3 billion), with the U.S. its biggest export market by value.

The government has said 3 million British jobs are linked to trade with the EU, while the EU estimates a further 3.9 million in Britain are supported by EU exports to the rest of the world.

May has promised to deliver Brexit after 52 percent of Britons backed leaving the EU at a June 23 referendum.

But she has also said she will not trigger Article 50, beginning the formal two-year divorce process, this year in order to allow the government time to prepare.

While Article 50 refers to "taking account" of the departing country's future relationship with the EU, many say detailed talks will have to wait until Britain has left, meaning it could be 2019 before substantial trade negotiations begin.

"It is after Brexit that the UK ... would formally negotiate with the EU new arrangements on its relationship, such as trade, participation in the single market, and movement of labour," Jean-Claude Piris, former head of the legal service of the Council of the European Union, wrote in the Financial Times.

Britain's Brexit minister, David Davis, said on Monday it was nonsense to say that the negotiations could not run in parallel.

With a British election due in 2020, May could feel under pressure to get deals done. At her first international summit this week, she said Australia, India, Mexico, Singapore, China and South Korea had all welcomed talks about post-Brexit trade.

For now, the work of Britain's new Department for International Trade will likely be largely focused on diplomacy and, crucially, amassing a team of experts after decades of relying on the EU to negotiate its trade deals.

Before the department was created, then business minister Sajid Javid said he wanted to have 300 experts in place this year, up from around 40. A spokeswoman for the trade department said it would not give a running commentary on recruitment.

Negotiators say there are usually teams of 20-25 in the room for talks and many more involved in support and preparation. Deals, involving detail on thousands of goods, take years to agree and Britain will want to pursue several simultaneously.

"We are going to be very short of capacity," said Alan Winters, director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory at the University of Sussex in southern England.

INTENSIVE TRAINING

Options include hiring experts from law firms, banks or consultancies, something which is likely to prove expensive.

Then there are the Britons who work in the EU's trade directorate, although according to the European Commission website only 32 of the directorate's 596 staff are British.

The government has also talked of using foreign negotiators, and Commonwealth allies such as Australia have offered to loan experts. But Britain has also been clear negotiators would not be involved in talks with their own home nations.

"Are we going to see cohorts of Australians, Canadians, Japanese walking in to Whitehall to carry on our international trade negotiations for us? Of course we're not," former UK government trade negotiator Michael Johnson told Reuters.

"With the prospects so uncertain I don't see many other administrations being prepared to second people. So we'd better train up, you'd better have some pretty intensive crash training programmes for indigenous Britons."

Keen to secure its first post-Brexit trade deal, Britain will be negotiating from a position of relative weakness, say trade experts.

"Certainly the UK is going to need a free trade deal more than the other side because the UK market isn't going to be as attractive as the EU one used to be," said former negotiator Abbott.

One of its biggest challenges will be incorporating substantial agreement on services -- around 80 percent of Britain's economy -- as trade deals tend to be more focussed on goods.

The EU's recently concluded deal with Canada only included limited provision for services and maintains some restrictions over financial services access, a crucial area for Britain.

"Services is just technically more complicated ... just very, very difficult to work out what the value is, how much is it worth that you change your regulation a bit?," said Winters, adding that regulators would likely need to be involved in talks.
Ukraine seeks Chinese money to build world's biggest aircraft

KIEV, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Ukraine hopes to attract $500 million of investment from China to complete an updated version of the world's biggest aircraft, the Antonov-225 Mriya, the president of manufacturer Antonov said on Wednesday.

The Antonov-225 is a cargo plane designed as part of the former Soviet Union's space programme. The only one completed is still in use and can carry up to 250 tonnes up to 4,000 km (2,485 miles).

Work to manufacture a second plane was started in 1988 and never completed, but Antonov has now found a potential investor in the Aerospace Industry Corporation of China (AICC).

Antonov President Oleksandr Kotsiuba said it could take around five years to complete the aircraft once a contract between the two sides is signed.

The two companies signed a cooperation agreement in August under which Antonov planes could be manufactured jointly in China.

"The second copy of Mriya will be completed here, in Kiev, and could cost up to $500 million depending on the equipment installed," Kotsiuba told Reuters.
Russia: Turkey's actions can further worsen situation in Syria

MOSCOW, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it was deeply concerned by the movement of Turkish troops and Ankara-backed Syrian opposition forces deeper into Syria's territory, which may further aggravate the military and political situation in Syria.

"This calls into question the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry said in a statement.
SocGen in talks to sell 49 pct of China asset manager to Warburg-sources

By Samuel Shen and Denny Thomas

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Societe Generale is in talks to sell its 49 percent stake in a mutual fund joint venture with China's Baosteel Group to global private equity firm Warburg Pincus, according to people familiar with the matter.

France's second-biggest listed bank was among the first foreign companies to enter the Chinese mutual fund business when the authorities first opened the market up to foreign investors. In 2003, it teamed up with state-owned Baosteel Group, which operates China's second-largest steelmaker, to create joint venture Fortune SG Fund Management.

But cut-throat competition from Chinese firms has led SocGen to rethink its presence in the country and comes after a string of foreign institutions, including Bank of New York Mellon Corp , Aviva plc and Value Partners, sold their stakes in China mutual fund ventures.

SocGen declined to comment. Fortune SG Fund Management could not be reached for comment. Baosteel did not respond to a request for comment.

Fortune SG had 157.5 billion yuan ($23.6 billion) in assets under management at the end of June, according to official data from the Asset Management Association of China, making it the nation's 16th biggest mutual fund firm by assets.

The sources did not disclose the deal value but fund managers typically fetch between 2 and 3 percent of their assets under management.

Warburg Pincus is betting that China's $1.2 trillion mutual fund industry will deliver strong returns in the long run, one of the sources said. It already has a relationship with Baosteel Group, having invested in its unit, Baosteel Gases, in 2014.

NEW CHINA BUYOUT FUND

Warburg, which is in the middle of raising about $2 billion in a new dedicated China buyout fund, declined to comment. Warburg has previously placed big bets on China's financial industry. In 2014, it was the biggest investor in China Huarong Asset Management Co Ltd ahead of the distressed debt manager's Hong Kong IPO, with a $700 million commitment.

In 2013, Warburg also invested in London-based Santander Asset Management, which oversees more than 60 billion euros ($67.5 billion) and has operations across Europe and Latin America.

Under Chinese rules, foreign investors can own up to a 49 percent stake in a Chinese mutual fund venture. Partnering with state-owned giants like Baosteel can give foreign investors access to resources unavailable to privately-owned partners, but also exposes them to the risk of cultural conflicts.

Ivan Shi, head of research at fund research firm Z-Ben Advisors, said some foreign shareholders may not be willing to provide additional capital to their Chinese fund management ventures after Chinese regulators recently tightened capital rules on the subsidiaries of mutual fund houses and as the industry's growth slowed.

In the trust industry, for example, foreign firms including Morgan Stanley, Australian investment bank Macquarie Group and National Australia Bank Ltd have recently exited their trust ventures after China tightened capital rules, Shi said.

($1 = 6.6750 Chinese yuan)
Deconstructing the CDC's superbug death estimates

By Ryan McNeill

ATLANTA, Ga., Sept 7 (Reuters) - In 2013, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released estimates of how many people in the country die every year from antibiotic resistant infections: 23,000. The agency estimates that an additional 15,000 die annually from Clostridium difficile, an infection linked to long-term antibiotic use.

The estimates, the agency said at the time, provided the "first snapshot of the burden and threats posed by antibiotic-resistant germs having the most impact on human health."

Since then, the estimates have been cited by untold numbers of media outlets and scholarly reports. A Google search for the estimates can yield nearly 100,000 hits. Reuters took a close look at how the agency arrived at its numbers and made a surprising discovery: They are based on so little hard data that they could be off by more than 30 percent - more than 10,000 people - in either direction.

The statistical uncertainty is a byproduct of the nation's lack of a unified surveillance system. No one at the state or federal level knows how many people are dying from drug-resistant infections.

Absent hard numbers, the agency turned to studies that rely on statistical sampling, whereby a subset of the population is studied and the results are extrapolated to cover the entire country.

Statistical sampling is common. Precision depends on the size of the sample. The larger the sample, the greater the precision. Reuters found that the CDC estimates are undermined by small sample sizes, old data and information from a few geographic areas.

For example, the CDC estimate of 15,000 deaths annually from C. difficile was based on monitoring of 88 inpatient and 33 outpatient laboratories in 10 areas across the country in 2011.

The 10 areas, part of the agency's Emerging Infections Program (EIP), represented about 3.6 percent of the nation's population at the time. Under the EIP, a handful of states are given federal dollars to closely monitor infectious diseases, generally in a few counties. They do not include population centers like New York City, Southern California, Chicago or Boston, or any locations in Texas or Florida.

Infectious diseases can occur at substantially different rates in different areas. For example, the study on which the estimates are based, titled "Burden of Clostridium difficile Infection in the United States" and published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the incidence of hospital-acquired C. difficile was 47.3 per 100,000 people in Klamath County, Oregon, while it was 159.1 per 100,000 in New Haven, Connecticut.

Because of statistical uncertainty, the estimate of deaths from C. difficile could be anywhere from 7,600 to 20,000, Reuters found.

In many components of the CDC estimates, the agency relied on even less information. One example is the deadly carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which public health officials describe as a nightmare bug with high mortality.

Not a single actual CRE death went into the estimates.

Instead, for CRE and five other infections, the agency turned to a study in which researchers surveyed 183 hospitals within the EIP program. The survey identified 504 hospital-acquired infections during a single year, 2011. Based on those 504 infections, researchers extrapolated that there were 721,800 such infections nationally. But because of the small sample size, the estimate could be anywhere from 214,700 to 1.4 million.

CDC researchers then used the study, "Multistate Point-Prevalence Survey of Health Care-Associated Infections," published in the New England Journal of Medicine, to estimate how many of the 721,800 infections were Klebsiella species or Escherichia coli, two of the more common types of bacteria that can become resistant to the carbapenem class of antibiotics.

Then the CDC used data reported by about 2,000 hospitals to its National Hospital Safety Network during 2009-2010 to determine what percentage of the infections were drug-resistant.

The agency estimated 6.5 percent of people with those drug-resistant infections die, based on a single study of a Chicago teaching hospital in 2000 in which 34 people died. Applying that percentage, they came up with their estimate of 600 deaths annually from CRE. Reuters found that using the CDC's methodology, it could be twice that - 1,200 - or as few as 180.
Zimbabwe court says ban on protests invalid, suspends it for 7 days

HARARE, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's High Court ruled on Wednesday that a two-week ban by police on protests was illegal, saying it would suspend it for a week after a challenge by political activists who had said the move violated their rights.
Vattenfall plans more offshore wind power as costs fall

By Vera Eckert

MUNICH, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Swedish utility Vattenfall plans to more than triple its offshore wind power by 2025 as costs fall, part of its transformation to a renewable energy company.

The company started producing power at its Sandbank German offshore wind farm in the North Sea on Wednesday, which takes its total installed offshore wind capacity up to 2.2 gigawatts (GW).

"We aim for at least 7 GW by 2025 and I would not rule out that we achieve more," Gunnar Groebler, the company's executive group management member in charge of wind, said.

Vattenfall will bid in the Kriegers Flak tender in Denmark in the autumn and will hire 150 more staff in wind power over the next 12 months, Groebler told Reuters in an interview.

The company is also one of three pre-qualified bidders for a 350 MW near shore tender in Denmark, after bidding this month.

Groebler said the industry's learning curve and the low interest environment would allow for strong cost reductions in the long term.

This was borne out by rival Dong's win of a Dutch offshore wind tender at record low prices in July.

Dong's winning bid for the Borssele 1 and 2 projects said it could produce electricity at 72.2 euros per megawatt hour (MWh).

This compared with 103 euros/MWh achieved by Vattenfall's win of the Horns Rev 3 tender in Denmark last year, then thought to be a breakthrough.

Critics say that offshore wind is still the most expensive renewable energy source in Europe, the world's most advanced region for the technology, especially in Denmark, Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Wholesale power generated from fossil fuels in Germany currently fetches 26 euros/MWh.

But Groebler said that even in higher-cost Germany, he now sees wind power producing electricity at below 100 euros/MWh by "significantly earlier" than Vattenfall's previous target date of 2020.

Germany does not compare with the Netherlands one-to-one because of different auction rules and additional costs for offshore transformers.

Depending on how much power market prices rise up to 2025, offshore wind could become subsidy-free by that date, Groebler said.

Future turbines offering 8 megawatts (MW), double the current size, would provide better scale and also allow for operational savings over many years, he said.

Vattenfall has claimed it would be one of the greenest utilities in Europe after selling its loss-making lignite coal mines and power plants in Germany earlier this year.

It has said it wants to reach an installed offshore wind capacity of 4 GW by the end of this decade, at falling costs to consumers, and Groebler said it would seek to fill 150 more wind-related jobs to add to the existing 600 over the next 12 months.

"We are fully on course with our strategy and we will hire more people," Groebler said.
Deutsche Bank calls for reform of global financial messaging system SWIFT

FRANKFURT, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank is calling for a reform of SWIFT, the global financial messaging system which has faced criticism since February's $81 million heist at Bangladesh Bank.

Germany's flagship lender - which the International Monetary Fund has branded as the world's systemically most risky bank for its numerous links to other lenders - is one of the biggest users of SWIFT. It is one of the first large banks to publicly urge changes.

SWIFT is only as strong as its weakest member, Deutsche Bank's Chief Information Security Officer Hinrich Voelcker said on Wednesday, adding the bank was in discussions with SWIFT about the consequences of the Bangladesh heist.

"If trust in this system breaks down we all have a problem," he said, without saying which specific reforms he believes are needed.

SWIFT is a member-owned cooperative, dominated by large Western banks, including lenders such as Citi, JP Morgan and BNP Paribas, which built the network decades ago.

It now connects more than 10,000 different financial firms and industry experts have said all of its users should have to meet a minimum security standard to continue accessing it.

Since the 1990s, many smaller banks in emerging markets have joined SWIFT, which stands for Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

Current and former board members of SWIFT have told Reuters that for years the organisation suspected there were weaknesses in the way smaller banks used its messaging terminals.

In the Bangladesh heist, hackers broke into a computer interface called Alliance Access, a piece of software sold by SWIFT for accessing its central network. It is still unclear exactly how the thieves gained entry.

Bank Bangladesh, the country's central bank, has alleged a botched upgrade of its system left vulnerabilities in it. SWIFT has rejected any responsibility for the way Bangladesh Bank upgraded its systems.
French Quadran to invest 3 bln euros in renewables, eyes floating offshore

By Geert De Clercq

PARIS, Sept 7 (Reuters) - French renewable energy developer Quadran plans to invest about 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) to build 2,000 megawatts of new power generation capacity over the next decade, its CEO said on Wednesday.

Quadran is one of several privately owned renewable energy developers competing fiercely in a French market still dominated by the former monopoly electricity company EDF and gas firm Engie.

In July, Quadran and Eolfi, another small developer, won the first two tenders for pilot floating offshore wind parks, tenders in which the two big power firms also bid.

Following a 45 million euro capital increase last year, Quadran is now 70 percent owned by founder Jean-Marc Bouchet, 15 percent by public investment bank Bpifrance, with several investment funds holding stakes of a few percent.

Quadran's 400 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity in wind, solar, biomass and hydro power is dwarfed by EDF and Engie which each have worldwide capacities of more than 100,000 MW.

"We are certainly a mosquito compared to the big two, but in terms of installed capacity in renewables in France, they are actually only about three times bigger than us," Quadran CEO Jerome Billerey said.

Quadran has 400 MW under construction, which will double its installed capacity to 800 MW by 2018. It then expects to operate 1,000 MW by 2020 and 2,000 MW by 2025.

"We plan to build about 2,000 megawatts over the next 10 years on top of the 400 we have now," Billerey said.

This represents a 3 billion euro investment, of which 500 million will be financed with equity and the rest with debt.

"That is nothing compared to Hinkley Point, yet it will produce 30 percent of the power Hinkley Point will produce," he said, referring to EDF's 21 billion euro project to build a 3,200 MW nuclear power station in England.

Quadran operates only 10 MW abroad now, but has 800 MW of mainly wind and solar power under development in Morocco, Tunisia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Ghana, Burkina Faso and other countries.

Floating offshore wind power is only a small part of Quadran's investment plan, but Billerey sees huge potential. France is expected to award the next two floating offshore tenders soon and Quadran hopes to win at least one more.

Billerey said offshore winds were so steady turbines can turn about half of the time, and up to 70 percent in winter, making it a quasi-baseload power such as coal or nuclear.

He said cutting costs was the main challenge for floating offshore. Now about 250 euros per MWh, it needs to fall to 100 euros/MWh for the industry to become viable, he said.
PM May cannot take any part of Britain out of EU single market -Sturgeon

EDINBURGH, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May does not have a mandate to take any part of Britain out of the European Union's single market, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Wednesday, upping the stakes in talks for Britain to leave the bloc.

May has said Britain will be leaving the EU after 52 percent of voters backed Brexit at a June 23 referendum. While England and Wales voted to leave, the Scots and Northern Irish backed staying in the bloc, complicating divorce procedings.

"We will seek to use whatever influence we have to shape the best, or the least bad option," Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament, providing an update on Scotland's drive to keep its EU membership.

"In my view, that does mean the UK continuing as a member of the single market. I accept that the Prime Minister has a mandate in England and Wales to leave the EU, but I do not accept that she has a mandate to take any part of the UK out of the single market."

Continuing to have access to the single market without being an EU member would mean taking part in the trade area without having a say over its rules.

Support for EU membership among Scots in the June "Brexit" referendum was 62 percent, putting Scotland at odds with much of the rest of Britain.

Sturgeon, who leads the devolved Scottish government, has raised the possibility of another independence referendum. Scots voted against secession just two years ago.

"Our guiding principle will continue to be at all times the best interests of the people of Scotland."
Barclays says conducts first blockchain-based trade-finance deal

By Jemima Kelly

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Barclays and an Israel-based start-up company have carried out what they say is the world's first trade transaction using blockchain technology, cutting a process that normally takes between seven and 10 days to less than four hours.

The transaction guaranteed the export of almost $100,000 worth of cheese and butter from Irish agricultural food co-operative Ornua - formerly the Irish Dairy Board - to the Seychelles Trading Company.

The deal was executed via a blockchain platform set up by Wave, a firm that came through a Barclays development programme.

The blockchain technology provides an electronic record-keeping and transaction-processing system, which lets all parties track documentation through a secure network and requires no third-party verification. This contrasts with the present cumbersome and lengthy paper-heavy process.

Proponents of the technology, which originally came from digital currency bitcoin, say that because it does not require manual processing, nor authentication through intermediaries, it makes transactions faster, more reliable and easier to audit.

Widescale adoption of blockchain, though, is still between five and 10 years away, many say.

"We've proved the reality of this technology and the client, Ornua, has asked us when they can do the next transaction in this way, which proves how user-friendly the entire process was," said Barclays' global head of trade and working capital, Baihas Baghdadi.

The transaction was executed by means of a letter of credit - a widely used way to cut risk between importers and exporters.

But such transactions typically involve a complicated paper trail that requires international courier services, is vulnerable to document fraud, and can take as long as a month to be completed.

In this transaction, both parties were able to transfer the shipping, insurance and other original documents that had been cryptographically sealed via the blockchain.

"I've been here for more than two decades and I never even dreamed of a solution where you can remove completely the documents from the circle and just get everything moving around the world on an electronic basis within minutes, rather than days of couriers and shipping and all that," said Baghdadi.

Barclays is not the first to experiment with using the technology for trade finance - a sector identified as one of the most ripe for blockchain-based innovation - though the bank says this marked the first time that a trade transaction had been executed this way in the real world, rather than in a lab.

Last month an HSBC and Bank of America Merrill Lynch venture and fintech firm R3 said separately that they had found ways to simplify trade finance processes with blockchain.
Hundreds of S. Sudan fighters transferred for medical care by U.N. Congo mission

By Aaron Ross

KINSHASA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Hundreds of fighters loyal to South Sudanese opposition leader Riek Machar have been transferred within neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo for medical treatment by the U.N. peacekeeping mission there, according to an internal Congolese army report.

The report, dated Tuesday and seen by Reuters on Wednesday, is the first confirmation that so many armed men have crossed the border since Machar, South Sudan's former vice-president, fled to Congo last month following fierce fighting in the capital, Juba.

Machar was picked up by the U.N. mission in Congo (MONUSCO) with a leg injury on Aug. 17 and evacuated to another part of the country before travelling for medical treatment to Sudan, where he has since remained.

A MONUSCO spokesman said at a news conference on Wednesday that the mission has evacuated some of Machar's wounded fighters for humanitarian reasons but did not provide further details.

A U.N. spokesman in New York was not available for immediate comment.

The army report said that, beginning on Aug. 18, the mission organised three flights per day over three days from Dungu, some 75 km (45 miles) from the South Sudan border, to the eastern city of Goma, about 1,000 km to the south, for his fighters.

"About 500 fighters of (Riek Machar) have been evacuated and sent to Goma. Among them are the lightly, seriously and very seriously wounded who were treated by medical staff at the MONUSCO clinic in Dungu before evacuation to Goma," it said.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende told Reuters that Congo authorized MONUSCO to provide medical care to some Machar fighters who have crossed the border as long as they disarmed, did not know how many.

He added that talks were ongoing with the South Sudanese government over what would happen to those fighters.

Hundreds have been killed in battles that broke out in the world's youngest nation in July as troops loyal to Machar and President Salva Kiir, his long-time political foe, fought each other using tanks, artillery and helicopters.

The most recent clashes have reignited a refugee crisis that has driven more than 2 million people from their homes since conflict between Kiir and Machar's forces first broke out in 2013.

As of Aug. 28, authorities had registered 27,250 South Sudanese refugees in eastern Congo, 21,600 of them this year, the U.N. Refugee Agency says.
Iraq militia fighters join battle for Syria's Aleppo

By Angus McDowall and Ahmed Rasheed

BEIRUT/BAGHDAD, Sept 7 (Reuters) - An Iraqi Shi'ite militia said on Wednesday it had dispatched more than 1,000 fighters to the frontline in neighbouring Syria, escalating foreign involvement in the battle for Aleppo, the biggest prize in five years of relentless civil war.

New footage emerged of civilians choking in the aftermath of an apparent attack with poison chlorine gas on an opposition-held district as the battle for Syria's biggest city approaches what could be a decisive phase.

Aleppo has been divided for years into government and rebel sectors, but President Bashar al-Assad's army has put the opposition areas under siege and now hopes to capture the whole city in what would be a devastating blow to his enemies.

Government forces are backed by Russian air power and battle-hardened Lebanese and Iraqi Shi'ite militia fighters under the apparent oversight of an Iranian general.

The arrival of reinforcements from Iraq, where Shi'ite militia are fighting their own war against the Islamic State group, shows how the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts have leapt borders, to become a broad sectarian war across the Middle East.

Hashim al-Moussawi, a spokesman for the Iraqi Shi'ite militia Harakat al-Nujab, said its fighters would reinforce areas captured from the rebels in southern Aleppo.

The militia's Twitter account showed pictures of its fighters at the Syrian front with Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, commander of foreign operations for the elite Revolutionary Guards, who has led operations by Tehran's allies in both Syria and Iraq.

Rebel commanders said they are preparing to launch their own counter-offensive aimed at breaking the siege of the city, which was reimposed in recent days following weeks of intense fighting around a military complex.

Rebels lost the complex of military colleges to pro-government forces on Sunday near the Ramousah area of southwestern Aleppo, where they had opened a way into the city.

Five years after the multi-sided war began, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and 11 million - half of Syria's pre-war population - displaced. But there is little sign that any party is poised for victory or can restore stability, and foreign powers are becoming more involved.

In recent weeks, Turkey has sent its troops across the border to combat Islamic State and Kurdish fighters. The United States, which is trying to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia, has backed Kurdish forces advancing against Islamic State.

Meanwhile, the plight of some 250,000 civilians trapped in rebel-held districts of Aleppo has spurred international efforts to agree a new humanitarian truce. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry have not reached agreement over the details of a ceasefire.

POISON GAS

Western countries, Turkey and most Arab states oppose both Assad's government and Islamic State, while supporting other anti-Assad factions. Russia and Iran support Assad.

The latest apparent poison gas attack adds to a litany of what Assad's opponents say is deliberate targeting of civilians, often with banned weapons, to force rebels to surrender.

Footage of the apparent chlorine gas attack on the Sukari district, near Aleppo's main battlefield in the city's southwest, showed crying children being doused with water and then lying on hospital beds and breathing through respirators.

Rescue workers in the rebel-held area said army helicopters had dropped the chlorine in incendiary barrel bombs, an accusation the government has rejected.

"We have not and will not use at any point this type of weapon," a Syrian military source said, accusing rebels of making false accusations to distract attention from their defeats.

However, the government has a history of being accused of similar attacks. An inquiry by the United Nations and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) seen by Reuters last month said the Syrian army had been responsible for two chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015.

In 2013 Western countries accused Assad's government of attacking a Damascus suburb with nerve gas. At the time, Assad fended off a threatened U.S. bombing campaign only by agreeing to give up his arsenal of chemical weapons, later destroyed by the OPCW. But Syria still possesses chlorine, which is used for water purification and other legitimate industrial processes.

Ramousah, its surroundings, and the countryside between it and the village of Khan Touman seven km (four miles) to its southwest were the site of intense bombardment by Russian jets and attacks by Shi'ite militias in recent weeks, rebels say.

On Tuesday night, jets bombed Khan Touman and neighbouring areas, and intense clashes took place in Ramousah and its surroundings, with rebels targeting an army tank, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based war monitor reported.

Rebels also shelled government-held residential districts in western Aleppo, the Observatory reported.
Presidential ambitions put stress on Brazil's new government

By Anthony Boadle

BRASILIA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - A pledge by Brazil's new President Michel Temer not to run in the 2018 election enticed political rivals to back his coalition but pressure from his party might lead him to break the promise, jeopardizing the support he needs to push through reforms.

Temer needs the backing of a fragile coalition of 21 parties in Congress to pass a raft of legislation aimed at dragging Brazil from a budgetary crisis and ending its worst recession since the Great Depression.

First and foremost is a constitutional cap on spending that Temer aims to push through this year.

The 75-year-old conservative lawyer, who was sworn in last week to finish the term of impeached leftist Dilma Rousseff, is also targeting an overhaul of Brazil's costly pension system and labor laws to restore economic competitiveness.

His government has pledged to present the pension reform bill this month, but with local elections looming in October, members of his Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) are seeking to delay the bill until after the vote.

Temer has said repeatedly he will not be a candidate at the 2018 presidential election, casting himself as a transitional leader who will restore political and economic stability in a short presidency of just over two years.

But one of his aides told Reuters that a Temer presidential run "has not been ruled out", especially if the economy recovers.

Lower House speaker Rodrigo Maia, from the allied Democrats party, said the PMDB would want Temer to run if he is able to push through reforms, restore confidence among investors and deliver on economic growth.

"With those variables in place, Temer would decide the 2018 election, whether he is candidate or picks someone else to run," Maia told Reuters in a recent interview.

However, to make progress on reforms, Temer relies on the support of the centrist Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), which agreed to back him as long as he takes austerity measures to balance Brazil's books and restore growth.

After narrowly losing the 2014 election to Rousseff, the PSDB's leader Aecio Neves is eyeing 2018. So are several other senior party figures, including Temer's foreign minister, Jose Serra.

There are already signs of friction in the coalition after Temer's PMDB, which faces a number of corruption investigations, proposed a hefty pay rise for Brazil's Supreme Court justices.

"The PMDB made it explicit that Temer would not be a candidate when we negotiated support for his government to put the country back on tracks," said PSDB Senator Ricardo Ferraco.

"If he becomes a candidate, it will undermine efforts to pass these measures," Ferraco said in comments delivered through a spokesman. He complained Temer was sending mixed signals by allowing pay raises for public sector employees.

Neves bluntly warned Temer last week not to ease up on his government's belt-tightening promises, saying it could not survive without PSDB support.

UNPOPULAR REFORMS

"The PSDB's plan is to have Temer carry out these unpopular reforms that are urgently needed but have a high political cost," said Welber Barral, a policy consultant for multinational corporations in Brazil. "A good part of the PSDB backing for Temer hinges on a guarantee that he will not run."

On Thursday, another government ally, Senator Ronaldo Caiado of the Democrats party, declared he would vote independently of the Temer coalition in the Senate because of the planned salary increase for Supreme Court justices, which raise the bar for pay in the rest of the judiciary, a bill that Rousseff had vetoed.

In another dispute, both Neves and Caiado blasted Temer for not keeping his party in line when a majority of PMDB senators voted to allow Rousseff to retain her political rights after she was removed from office.

The PMDB is Brazil's largest political party. It has not occupied the presidency since 1990 but has held a series of governments together - foregoing fielding a presidential candidate so it could build alliances for gubernatorial and congressional races.

But it has said it intends to run its own candidate in 2018.

After two failed presidential bids, Serra has yet to throw in the towel and is striving to make his mark in Temer's government by revamping Brazilian foreign policy with a pro-business focus.

Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles is also believed to be considering a run for president.

The Temer aide said Serra raises economic issues in cabinet discussions and that it bothers Meirelles, a former CEO of BankBoston and governor of Brazil's central bank form 2003 to 2010.

Managing such political egos will be a test even for an experienced back-room negotiator like Temer, who helped build alliances between his PMDB party and every government in power for the last two decades.

The idea of Temer as a transitional figure who could absorb the cost of unpopular decisions helped attract heavyweights such as Meirelles and Serra to his government, said Thiago de Aragao, partner at Arko Advice consultancy.
Nine dead and two missing after rains cause mudslide in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - At least nine people died and two people were missing from a small town near Guatemala City on Wednesday after intense rains the night before caused a mudslide, emergency workers said.

Around 50 people were affected and various homes were damaged in Santa Isabel II, a town 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of the capital, David de Leon, a spokesman for the national emergency services, told reporters.

After Tuesday's rains, the lack of drainage caused water to accumulate and eventually triggered the mudslide, de Leon said.

Authorities opened shelters for those affected, while emergency services continued to look for survivors.

The rainfall caused flooding and mudslides across the Central American nation.
Britain's FTSE rises as Ashtead and commodity stocks climb

By Kit Rees

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Britain's top stock index rose on Wednesday, supported by stronger precious metals and oil company shares as well as by gains at equipment rentals company Ashtead .

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index ended 0.3 percent higher at 6,846.58 points, putting the index's gains this year at about 10 percent.

Ashtead rose 3.3 percent after reporting higher profits and issuing a confident outlook.

"They're very upbeat on their outlook, which is ... the main reason why their shares have responded today," The Share Centre investment research analyst Ian Forrest said.

Commodities-related stocks also rose.

Gold miners Randgold Resources and Fresnillo climbed on the back of a gold price rise.

Firmer oil prices also lifted shares in Royal Dutch Shell and BP, also supporting the FTSE 100.

However, housebuilding stocks such as Berkeley Group and Barratt Developments fell, as investors remained unconvinced that the sector could escape the after-effects of Britain's shock vote to quit the European Union.

Barratt said sales had risen post-Brexit, but Shore Capital Markets analyst Robin Hardy said he remained cautious.

"We do not see Barratt being as financially robust as a number of its peers and while there is scope for a sustained level of dividends to be paid, Barratt has a shorter land bank and more land creditors to fund and with still high demands on free cash from working capital," he said.

Blue chips aside, financial spreadbetting and trading company CMC Markets slumped 12.3 percent after warning of lower first-half net operating income.
Russian jet came within 10 feet of U.S. spy plane - U.S. officials

By Idrees Ali and Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON/BERLIN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - A Russian fighter jet carried out an "unsafe and unprofessional" intercept of a U.S. spy plane over the Black Sea and came within 10 feet (3.05 meters) of the American aircraft, two U.S. defense officials said on Wednesday.

The incident is likely to cause more tension between the United States and Russia, who are at odds over the Syrian civil war and Ukraine.

It lasted about 19 minutes and involved a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter and a U.S. Navy P-8 surveillance plane flying a regular patrol, said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"They're up there for 12 hours and there are lots of interactions. But only one of the incidents was what the pilot determined was unsafe," said another official, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Officials were talking with the pilot and reviewing the incident to determine whether it would be included in an annual meeting of U.S. and Russian officials about more serious intercepts, the official added.

The Russian defense ministry said it had sent Su-27s on Wednesday to intercept a U.S. aircraft approaching its border over the Black Sea because the American planes had turned off their transponders, which are needed for identification.

There have been a number of similar incidents involving Russia and the United States this year. In April, two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea.

The events are reminiscent of the Cold War, when a series of close calls led to a bilateral agreement aimed at avoiding dangerous interactions at sea that was signed in 1972.

In July, NATO leaders agreed to deploy military forces to the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time and increase air and sea patrols to reassure allies who were once part of the Soviet bloc, following Russia's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine.
Britain says post-Assad transition plan could help Syrian peace talks

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - A blueprint for a Syrian political transition that requires President Bashar al-Assad to step down could help stalled peace talks restart, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Wednesday.

Johnson said that if peace talks were to get back on track, "it is obviously critical that the world and all the interlocutors in Geneva should be able to see that there is a future for Syria that goes beyond the Assad regime."

Johnson was speaking at a meeting in London after talks with the Saudi-backed Syrian opposition group's general coordinator, Riyad Hijab, who presented a plan for a new political settlement for Syria.
German, French foreign minister to head to Ukraine next week

BERLIN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday said he would travel to Ukraine with his French counterpart next week to discuss if, and when, a new round of talks involving Russia could be arranged on the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia would continue to support fresh talks among the four leaders aimed at ending the fighting.

Russia-backed fighters took up arms against Ukrainian government forces in the east of Ukraine in April, 2014, after Russia annexed Crimea in response to the downfall of a Moscow-backed president. More than 9,500 people have been killed in the conflict.

Steinmeier told reporters in Oslo, Norway on Sunday that he hoped the sides would soon reach agreement on a measure aimed at maintaining a fragile "back to school" ceasefire in eastern Ukraine as part of an initiative by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The parties have been talking for weeks about measures to disentangle Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists along the so-called "line of confrontation."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin will meet Steinmeier in Berlin on Thursday. They will then meet again in Ukraine next week along with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

The OSCE's special monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine reported a higher number of ceasefire violations in its daily report on Wednesday than in the previous period, but officials say the agreement is still holding "by and large."
Algeria to send oil to Cuba to offset falling Venezuelan supplies

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Algeria is sending crude oil to Cuba for the first time to help offset lower supplies from the island's closest ally, Venezuela, where low prices have caused the steepest production decline in more than a decade, sources with direct knowledge said on Wednesday.

Algeria's state-owned Sonatrach plans to ship an 80,000-tonne cargo of crude (some 515,000 barrels) to Cuba in October, the sources said, to supplement Venezuelan crude supplies, which declined 40 percent in the first half of 2016, according to Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA's internal data.

The cargo would be the OPEC member's first crude delivery to Cuba, sources who monitor its exports said. There may be another cargo for November or December loading, one said.

Saharan Blend light sweet crude is Algeria's main export grade.

Cuba and Algeria have maintained a close relationship in recent years. The island annually imports some $200 million to$300 million of oil products from the African country, including some purchases of naphtha.

But Cuba relies almost exclusively on Venezuela, also an OPEC member, for its crude supplies through a 15-year-old assistance programme that Caracas has been struggling to maintain as power cuts, lack of investment and payment delays slash its oil output.

Even though the collapse of global oil prices has undermined Venezuela's economy, PDVSA would be mediating the Algerian crude sale to Cuba's Cienfuegos refinery in which it holds a 49 percent stake, a trade source with knowledge of the deal said.

PDVSA has been forced to find creative ways to supplement supplies to Cuba as volumes of its medium grades dwindle and Cuban refineries cannot process a larger volume of Venezuelan heavy and extra-heavy grades.

In 2015, PDVSA sent 1.64 million barrels of Angola's Girassol and Russia's Urals crudes to Cuba after the oil was first discharged at its terminal in Curacao.
Egypt's ergot saga deepens as wheat rejected in Romania

By Maha El Dahan

ABU DHABI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Egyptian state inspectors have rejected a 63,000 tonne shipment of wheat at its Romanian port of origin after checking for ergot, the first time Egypt has rejected a cargo at source since taking a zero tolerance stance against the common grain fungus.

Egypt, the world's largest wheat importer, last week reinstated its hard-line stance despite the policy having made grain purchases difficult earlier this year.

Traders said the latest development at the Romanian port of Constanta would further limit the purchasing power of the state grain buyer GASC.

The Romanian shipment was headed for GASC. Previous shipments rejected had been inspected in Egypt and were all purchased by the private sector except for a French wheat shipment sold to GASC by Bunge that was rejected in December.

No one was available for immediate comment at GASC.

Ergot, a common grains fungus that can cause hallucinations when consumed in large amounts, is considered harmless in low quantities and more common international standards allow a 0.05 percent ergot tolerance level in wheat imports.

Egypt's decision to refuse ergot in wheat imports has halted state grain purchase tenders, raised prices and been the subject of debate between and within ministries which have sometimes undertaken different policies.

Egypt's state wheat import purchasing agency GASC had previously sought a 0.05 percent tolerance level for ergot. It reversed to a zero tolerance policy ahead of a tender on Aug. 31 and was subsequently forced to cancel after a near complete boycott by suppliers. nL8N1BC1A6

On Monday, the health ministry also issued a decree stipulating zero tolerance bringing all three ministries that oversee the policy - supply, health and agriculture - in line for the first time and leaving little room for the state grain buyer to relax the rules if need be.

Traders said they were greatly concerned about the shipment rejection in Romania.

"This is a catastrophe," one Cairo based trader said. "They are giving everyone problems at the moment at ports of origin. There is a problem with Russian wheat at Novorossiysk and with another Romanian shipment as well."

The Egyptian Agriculture Ministry spokesman did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

"This will be a disaster for traders who sold on the condition that they will supply wheat with an ergot tolerance level, there is great concern in the market," a German trader said.

"Traders trying to supply on the basis of a contract signed with an ergot tolerance level face a rejection of their shipments anyway and big financial losses. I doubt if Egypt will be able to import wheat in large volumes in the present confusion," the trader said. For a timeline on Egypt's ergot strategy click
Tanzania urges delay to regional trade deal with EU, says won't sign

By Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala

DAR ES SALAAM, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Tanzania said on Wednesday it would not sign a regional trade deal with the European Union due to come into effect by Oct. 1, and urged neighbouring countries to back a delay pending discussions on its effect on the region's manufacturing sector.

Kenya and Rwanda signed the deal earlier this month, but it needs approval from all members of the East African Community bloc - which also includes Burundi and Uganda - to take effect.

The trade deal with the European Union gives EAC member states duty- and quota-free access for their goods to the EU as long as they meet the set health and safety standards.

But Tanzania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Augustine Mahiga, describing the EU as an "industrial giant", said fledgling industries in his country would not be able to cope with zero-rated imports of European goods.

"Tanzania will not sign the economic partnership agreement (EPA) until several issues are addressed," Mahiga told journalists in Dar es Salaam.

EAC member states initialled an interim EPA deal in 2007 and another in 2014. Governments were given two years from the October 2014 agreement to ratify the deal in national parliaments.

South Sudan, which joined the bloc this year, was not part of initial negotiations of the deal, which started in 2002.

Kenya stands to lose the most without the deal signed, as other member states - including Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda - would still continue getting duty- and quota-free access under EU's Everything But Arms initiative since they are classified as Least Developed Countries.

"If the EPA is not signed and ratified by all EAC partner states by Sept. 30, 2016, Kenya stands to lose its market to the EU, having significant impact on her economy," Kenya's Trade and Industrialisation Ministry said in a statement late last week.

Governments in the region are also anxious to ensure that exports such as tea and fresh flowers, which are major sources of foreign exchange, are not hampered by any tariffs on trade with Britain after it leaves the European Union.

Mahiga said Tanzania would urge regional leaders on Thursday to delay the signing of the deal at an EAC heads of state summit in Dar es Salaam to give more time for the bloc to renegotiate the agreement with the EU.

The summit will be chaired by Tanzanian president John Magufuli and Rwandan president Paul Kagame and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni will attend, Tanzania's foreign affairs ministry said on Wednesday.
Cuban churches denounce U.S. probe of humanitarian aid project

By Nelson Acosta

HAVANA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The Cuban Council of Churches denounced the U.S. government on Wednesday for threatening to strip tax exempt status from Pastors for Peace, a group that has delivered humanitarian aid to Cuba for decades in defiance of Washington's sanctions.

Last month, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) notified the group's parent organization, the Inter-religious Foundation for Community Organization, that its status was in jeopardy because it had never requested permission from the U.S. Treasury Department to send aid. The IRS said it had been investigating the group since 2009.

Since 1992, well before the thaw in relations with Cuba under President Barack Obama, Pastors for Peace has run caravans through U.S. cities to collect donations, then crossed the border with Canada or Mexico and sent school buses, computers, medicines, and other goods on to the Communist Party-ruled Caribbean island.

The organization has refused to ask permission from the U.S. government to deliver the aid or travel to Cuba in protest of the U.S. trade embargo.

"I do not understand how at this moment, when the Obama Administration's policy is to seek understanding, that on the other hand they are taking these types of measures against institutions that have created an understanding between our peoples," Joel Ortega Dopico, President of the Cuban Council of Churches, said at a press conference in Havana.

Cuba and the United States began normalizing relations in December 2014 after 18 months of secret talks and have since restored full diplomatic ties. The countries had been hostile for more than five decades, since Fidel Castro ousted U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in a 1959 revolution that steered the island on a communist course and made it a close ally of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

There have been numerous skirmishes between Pastors for Peace and U.S. authorities at the border, temporary detentions and confiscations of aid over the years, but never prosecutions or other legal actions taken against the group or its members.
Hundreds of S. Sudan fighters transferred for medical care by U.N. Congo mission

By Aaron Ross

KINSHASA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Hundreds of fighters loyal to South Sudanese opposition leader Riek Machar have been transferred within neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo for medical treatment by the U.N. peacekeeping mission there, according to an internal Congolese army report.

The report, dated Tuesday and seen by Reuters on Wednesday, is the first confirmation that so many armed men have crossed the border since Machar, South Sudan's former vice-president, fled to Congo last month following fierce fighting in the capital, Juba.

Machar was picked up by the U.N. mission in Congo (MONUSCO) with a leg injury on Aug. 17 and evacuated to another part of the country before travelling for medical treatment to Sudan, where he has since remained.

The army report said that, beginning on Aug. 18, the mission organised three flights per day over three days from Dungu, some 75 km (45 miles) from the South Sudan border, to the eastern city of Goma, about 1,000 km to the south, for his fighters.

"About 500 fighters of (Riek Machar) have been evacuated and sent to Goma. Among them are the lightly, seriously and very seriously wounded who were treated by medical staff at the MONUSCO clinic in Dungu before evacuation to Goma," it said.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed that the mission evacuated "above a hundred" of Machar's wounded fighters for humanitarian reasons, and that the soldiers gave up their weapons before boarding U.N. helicopters.

"MONUSCO has evacuated some elements from the SPLA in opposition on humanitarian grounds so they can receive urgent medical assistance," Dujarric said.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende told Reuters that Congo authorized MONUSCO to provide medical care to some Machar fighters who have crossed the border as long as they disarmed, but did not know how many.

He added that talks were ongoing with the South Sudanese government over what would happen to those fighters.

Hundreds have been killed in battles that broke out in the world's youngest nation in July as troops loyal to Machar and President Salva Kiir, his long-time political foe, fought each other using tanks, artillery and helicopters.

The most recent clashes have reignited a refugee crisis that has driven more than 2 million people from their homes since conflict between Kiir and Machar's forces first broke out in 2013.

As of Aug. 28, authorities had registered 27,250 South Sudanese refugees in eastern Congo, 21,600 of them this year, the U.N. Refugee Agency says.
Armenian PM expected to resign on Thursday - source

By Hasmik Mkrtchyan

YEREVAN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Armenia's Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan is expected to resign on Thursday, a source close to the government said, after an economic slowdown this year and outbreaks of violence prompted the president to call for a new government.

The source told Reuters the ruling Republican Party would discuss Abrahamyan's possible resignation on Thursday. "There are all indications that this decision will be announced tomorrow," the source said.

A spokesman for President Serzh Sarksyan, who proposed in August a "government of national accord", declined to comment. Local media said that the decision was likely to be announced on Thursday at the Republican Party's executive council session.

Abrahamyan was appointed prime minister two years ago. In 2015 Armenia's economy started to deteriorate - economic growth slowed to 3 percent in 2015 from 3.5 percent in 2014 and below the government's growth forecast of 4.1 percent. The government expects 2.2 percent economic growth in 2016.

Armenia, a country of 3.2 million people, depends heavily on aid and investment from former Soviet overlord Russia, whose economic downturn has hit Armenian exports and much-needed remittances from Armenians working there.

The government has also faced political challenges, including a flare-up of violence in Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region in April between Armenian-backed separatists and Azeri forces.

Two months later a group of 30 armed men seized the police station and took hostages in the Armenian capital Yerevan. Two police officers were killed during a two-week stand-off, before gunmen surrendered to the authorities.

The incident led to mass protests in the capital, when people took to the streets to secure the release of a jailed opposition politician and resignation of the government and the president.

Shortly after that Sarksyan said that radical reforms in political and social life were needed. He said it was necessary to form "a government of national accord" to provide a broader distribution and division of political responsibility.

Local media reported on Wednesday that Abrahamyan might be replaced by the 53-year-old technocrat Karen Karapetyan, a former head of the national gas distributing company ArmRosGazprom and later Yerevan mayor.

After leaving the post of mayor, he moved to Moscow, to be appointed as the first vice-president of Gazprombank. He currently serves as the Russian gas distribution company Gazprom mezhregiongaz's deputy CEO.
Machar should not return to previous position in South Sudan -U.S. official

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The United States does not believe Riek Machar, South Sudan's former deputy president, should return to his former position in its government, given continuing instability in the country, Washington's special envoy for South Sudan said on Wednesday.

Nearly three years ago political rivalry between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his former deputy Machar, a Nuer, sparked a civil war that has often followed ethnic lines.

The pair signed a shaky peace deal a year ago but fighting continues, including attacks on South Sudanese and foreign civilians. Machar has fled the country.

"Given all that has happened, we do not believe it would be wise for Machar to return to his previous position in Juba," Special Envoy Donald Booth told a U.S. House of Representatives hearing.

"But this cannot become a justification for President Kiir to monopolize power and stifle dissenting political voices," Booth testified to the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Africa subcommittee.

Continuing instability and violence in the African country, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has angered U.S. lawmakers. Several called during the hearing for international sanctions to be imposed on individuals blamed for the ongoing violence.

"There must be consequences for those who are found guilty," said Representative Chris Smith, the subcommittee's chairman.

Booth described growing anti-American sentiment in South Sudan. On July 7, soldiers fired on two vehicles carrying U.S. diplomats. No one was hurt because the vehicles were armored. South Sudan's government promised an investigation.

Kiir and Machar would not work together to implement a peace agreement or set up security arrangements to prevent a return to fighting, and both lost control of their forces, Booth said.

He was also questioned about the possibility of a U.N. arms embargo against South Sudan.

On Sunday, the government of South Sudan agreed to accept 4,000 extra peacekeepers in a bid to avoid an arms embargo threatened by the United Nations Security Council.
South Africa's parliament approves ex-diplomat to head graft watchdog

By Wendell Roelf

CAPE TOWN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - South Africa's parliament on Wednesday approved high-level civil servant Busisiwe Mkhwebane's nomination to replace outgoing Thuli Madonsela as Public Protector, a top anti-corruption position whose findings have vexed President Jacob Zuma.

Mkhwebane, 46, a lawyer whose most recent job was with the State Security Agency (SSA), has also worked as a director at Home Affairs and as an immigration official in China.

Madonsela led high-profile investigations that subjected Zuma and other government officials to unwelcome scrutiny.

Mkhwebane's nomination was approved with 263 votes in favour, 79 against and 1 abstention. Her name will now go to Zuma for his assent, which is likely after she was backed overwhelmingly by the ruling African National Congress.

If approved, she would replace Madonsela, whose seven-year, non-renewable term ends in October. The Public Protector position has a constitutional mandate to investigate misconduct and abuse in state affairs.

The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) declined to support Mkhwebane due to her work with the SSA, which has responsibility for civilian intelligence operations, saying this could prevent her from taking on cases implicating senior government officials.

"The Public Protector cannot be seen to be even remotely connected to the State Security Agency," Glynnis Breytenbach, the DA's shadow minister of justice said without elaborating.

Corruption Watch, a local NGO that focuses on graft issues, applauded the parliament committee that recommended Mkhwebane, said in August it was satisfied "that the final candidate got the job on merit and not for any other reason".

During her interview in August, Mkhwebane said she was apolitical, had no criminal record and was unbiased.

Analysts said Mkhwebane - who has worked as a senior investigator in the Public Protector's office - will have a tough act to follow.

Madonsela won acclaim for investigating major scandals in Africa's most industrialised country.

"Her integrity will be tested immediately," said political analyst Nic Borain.

"There are cases looming, the most obvious one is the state capture allegations, and quite soon her ability to stand above the politics of her job will be tested very quickly and we have to wait and see how she performs."

In one of her most high-impact investigations in 2014, Madonsela found Zuma had included in a $16 million "security upgrade" to his rural Nkandla home a raft of non-security items including a swimming pool and amphitheatre.

She said Zuma should pay back the cost of those items, and her view was supported in March by South Africa's highest court, which said Zuma had broken the law by ignoring Madonsela's order. Zuma has since said he will pay back some of the money.
ACT partners with test-prep firms despite signs of cheating in Asia

By Steve Stecklow, Alexandra Harney and Ju-min Park

LONDON/SHANGHAI/SEOUL, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Standardized testing giant ACT Inc continues to partner with Asian test-preparation operators, despite widespread cheating at overseas education centers it licenses.

The maker of America's most popular college entrance exam approved South Korea's Seoul Scholars International school to administer the ACT test this year, Reuters found, even though the school is owned by a company that offers test-preparation services. That company's test-prep center says on one of its websites that its students achieve "astonishing" increases in their ACT scores.

In the past year, ACT Inc has also licensed a Chinese company to operate an "ACT Club" to promote the test in China. Reuters found that the club offers ACT test-prep classes. And the website of the company that licensed the club makes this pledge to clients: "100% admission to famous overseas universities, or your money back."

According to its website, ACT Club has an exclusive arrangement with the University of Macau to begin offering students the ACT exam next month. The club and the university declined to answer questions about their relationship.

ACT officials said in June that centers where the exam is given are not allowed to offer commercial test-preparation services. Doing so could give the operators of cram schools an unparalleled ability to help their clients by showing them the test ahead of time.

The next administration of the ACT is scheduled this Saturday.

ACT Inc spokesman Ed Colby declined to explain why the Iowa-based not-for-profit is allowing the South Korean school to offer the ACT, given the school's corporate ties to a test-prep center.

Colby said ACT Club and its parent company, Beijing EduGlobal Development Co Ltd, "are forbidden to be involved in administration of the ACT test." Colby did not respond to questions about the club's connection to the University of Macau and plans to offer the ACT there next month.

In recent years, the ACT has grown in popularity overseas as its rival, the College Board, has struggled to protect its own test, the SAT. Both of the American testing organizations say they face international fraud rings, based in East Asia, that are intent on compromising their respective exams. The ACT and SAT are used by thousands of U.S. colleges to help select from among millions of student applicants.

In June, a leaked test forced ACT Inc to cancel sittings for its exam in Hong Kong and South Korea. Reuters reported in July that ACT's security unit repeatedly recommended tighter safeguards overseas before the breach but that ACT executives rejected the recommendations. That unit, composed of about a dozen people based at ACT's Iowa City, Iowa, headquarters, handles security for thousands of test centers in 177 countries. This month, it is laying off its head of security.

Reuters also detailed cheating in the ACT-owned Global Assessment Certificate program. The program offers college preparation classes, has about 5,000 students and operates in about 200 ACT-licensed education centers, mostly in China and other parts of Asia. (http://reut.rs/2akY3uf)

Seven students who attended three GAC centers in China described how school officials and proctors ignored and were sometimes complicit in cheating on the ACT. Reuters also identified GAC centers in China and South Korea that administered the ACT and offered commercial test-prep classes. Teachers or administrators who have worked at seven Chinese GAC centers also described cheating in program courses.

In response to the Reuters findings, the ACT subsidiary that oversees the GAC program pledged to audit the centers "just to see how bad it is," said Andrew Todd, group general manager of ACT Education Solutions Ltd, the Hong Kong-headquartered for-profit unit.

Colby said ACT Inc now ships test booklets in reinforced boxes that have combination locks "to all areas of high concern." The locks can't be opened until test day, he said. Employees at two Hong Kong test sites told Reuters they had received lock boxes for this Saturday's test.

But Reuters spoke to three test center administrators in Shanghai and Taiwan who said their materials arrived in cardboard boxes -- in one case about three weeks ago. ACT normally instructs overseas test centers to open the boxes within 24 hours, count the test booklets and reseal the boxes -- a procedure some administrators say could lead to leaked exams.

A PERFECT SCORE

The South Korean school set to administer the ACT, Seoul Scholars International, is owned by Dasan Educations. Dasan also operates a test-prep center called PSU Edu. PSU boasts that students who took its ACT prep classes in 2014-2015 experienced an average gain of five points; a perfect score is 36. In a testimonial on one of its websites, a high school student described scoring no higher than 30 before taking a PSU summer course and then achieving a perfect 36.

An official at PSU declined to comment; Dasan officials could not be reached.

ACT spokesman Colby said that "all prospective ACT test centers are specifically asked if they engage in test prep activities for the ACT."

Hong Gi-myon, the Seoul Scholars International employee who administers the ACT there, said the school applied directly to ACT Inc's headquarters in Iowa to become a test center. It administered its first ACT in April, Hong said. He said ACT officials did not ask the school about its corporate connection to a test-prep center. Hong called PSU "a totally separate company."

The China-based ACT Club is an effort to help students learn English and prepare for overseas study, said ACT's Colby. He said ACT licensed the club to EduGlobal, which Colby said is "an educational solutions and service provider, not a test-prep organization."

But an ACT Club staff member who gave her name as Gao told Reuters that the club's services include ACT test-prep courses costing about $900 and $2,100.

EduGlobal boasts on its website of having "produced outstanding application materials" for a student who was accepted by two Ivy League graduate schools. The EduGlobal website promises clients the money-back guarantee if they're not accepted by "famous overseas" schools.

David Shi, EduGlobal's chief executive, declined to discuss ACT Club or the company's relationship with ACT Inc. He said the claims on its website are the result of "exaggerated" language by its marketing department.
Machar should not return to previous position in South Sudan -U.S. official

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The United States does not believe South Sudan's former Deputy President Riek Machar should return to his former position in its government, given continuing instability in the country, Washington's special envoy for South Sudan said on Wednesday.

Nearly three years ago political rivalry between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his former deputy Machar, a Nuer, sparked a civil war that has often followed ethnic lines.

The pair signed a shaky peace deal a year ago but fighting continues, including attacks on South Sudanese and foreign civilians. Machar has fled the country.

"Given all that has happened, we do not believe it would be wise for Machar to return to his previous position in Juba," Special Envoy Donald Booth told a U.S. House of Representatives hearing.

"But this cannot become a justification for President Kiir to monopolize power and stifle dissenting political voices," Booth testified to the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Africa subcommittee.

Continuing instability and violence in the African country, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has angered U.S. lawmakers. During the hearing, several U.S. lawmakers called for international sanctions to be imposed on individuals blamed for the ongoing violence.

"There must be consequences for those who are found guilty," said Representative Chris Smith, the subcommittee's chairman.

Booth described growing anti-American sentiment in South Sudan. But he said it was not clear that an attack on U.S. Embassy vehicles on July 7 had targeted Americans.

A two-vehicle embassy convoy taking U.S. personnel to their residential compound passed the South Sudan's presidential palace in Juba about 9 p.m. that evening, just an hour after a clash between forces loyal to Machar and President Kiir, the State Department told reporters on Wednesday.

Some soldiers of the South Sudan army approached the U.S. Embassy vehicles outside the palace and attempted to open the door, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. Feeling threatened, the convoy accelerated away and the soldiers fired on the cars, which were armored so no U.S. personnel were hurt.

Toner said the soldiers were "very tense, and if I could say it, a little trigger happy." One of the embassy vehicles became disabled following the shooting and a contingent of U.S. Marines from the embassy were sent to pick them up and escort them home.

U.S. Ambassador Mary Phee met the following day with Kiir and demanded the government investigate the incident, find those responsible for the shooting and hold them accountable, Toner said. Kiir agreed and the investigation is ongoing, he said.

Toner said the department did not believe U.S. Embassy personnel had been deliberately targeted and it was not clear whether the troops realized they were firing at an embassy vehicle, despite a laminated flag and diplomatic plates.

"We're not forgiving it and we're certainly not overlooking it," Toner said. "They opened fire on an embassy convoy and that is inexcusable. But ... there had been an altercation, fighting, in the run-up to this convoy passing and ... they were very tense."

Booth said Kiir and Machar would not work together to implement a peace agreement or set up security arrangements to prevent a return to fighting, and both lost control of their forces.

Booth was also questioned about the possibility of a U.N. arms embargo against South Sudan.

On Sunday, the government of South Sudan agreed to accept 4,000 extra peacekeepers in a bid to avoid an arms embargo threatened by the United Nations Security Council.
Italy's M5S fights back over Rome, stands by beleaguered city mayor

By Crispian Balmer

ROME, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Italy's maverick 5-Star Movement (M5S) accused its opponents on Wednesday of conspiring to destroy it, but promised to emerge stronger than ever from a scandal engulfing its new administration in Rome city hall.

M5S, which campaigns on an anti-corruption ticket, won a landslide victory in Rome municipal elections in June and party faithful hoped success in the Italian capital would prove a springboard to power in a national vote due in 2018.

However, its first weeks in charge have been marked by chaos, with mayor Virginia Raggi admitting on Monday that despite repeated denials, one of her key counsellors had known since July she was under investigation for wrongdoing.

The affair has dominated the Italian press and tarnished M5S's squeaky clean image. In a show of solidarity, party leaders turned out in force at a rally near Rome on Wednesday to denounce what they said was a hypocritical smear campaign.

"I expected much, much worse," said party founder, the comic Beppe Grillo, "I expected that I would be put under investigation myself or that 5-kg of cocaine would be found in my car," he said.

He acknowledged that Raggi was in a difficult position, but said her rise to power in Rome, which has been ruled by traditional parties for generations, was like when black Americans started to win mayoral elections in the 1960s.

"Virginia is in the same position today as the first black mayor in Mississippi in 1968," he said. "It was impossible then for blacks to integrate with the whites. Well, today we (face) the impossible."

"CAR CRASH"

M5S's many critics continued to pile pressure on Raggi's battered administration, accusing her team of misleading Romans over the legal status of Paola Muraro -- the person tasked with trying to sort out the city's disastrous rubbish collection.

Muraro had consistently denied facing any legal probes tied to her previous role as an adviser for the city trash company, but on Monday Raggi said they had found out in July that she was indeed being investigated by magistrates. She denies wrongdoing.

"(M5S) have failed the crash test and they didn't have an air bag. So they have had a smash," Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told reporters.

He accused the party of applying double standards by demanding the resignation of its political foes who faced legal investigations, but then refusing to do likewise when their own officials fell foul of the law.

In her first comments since the latest row exploded, Raggi posted a video on Facebook promising to carry on regardless. She said she would shake up her cabinet, but pledged to stand by Muraro while magistrates continued their investigation.

"I am dedicating my life and soul to this city. We are being called on to rebuild it after 30 years of cancer from a corrupt political system," she said.
Norwegian to add U.S-Barcelona flights, increasing competition

By Jeffrey Dastin

Sept 7 (Reuters) - Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA on Wednesday said it planned to start flights to Barcelona from four U.S. cities next summer, heightening competition with U.S. rivals to the popular tourist destination.

The announcement comes as Delta Air Lines Inc and others say Norwegian is adding flights that exceed traveler demand, pushing down fares and hurting airlines' revenue. As major U.S. carriers scale back their growth plans in Europe, Norwegian is taking up some of the slack.

"It's an opportunity, I would say," Norwegian's Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Ramdahl said in an interview, suggesting his airline can operate some routes more efficiently than U.S. carriers.

"A network carrier could pull out because it's more profitable for them to (connect) through a bigger city rather than having a direct flight," he said. "Looking at (our) flying point-to-point - it will boost the market, and it will also probably steal from the hubs" of major airlines.

The Barcelona flights underscore the ambitions of Europe's third-biggest budget carrier, which started New York-Paris flights in July, to rapidly expand its long-haul business from the United States.

Norwegian is taking advantage of an aviation agreement to liberalize travel between the United States and the European Union, updated in 2011, which allows airlines from non-E.U. states Norway and Iceland to fly anywhere between the two blocs.

The carrier has also relied on the fuel-efficient 787 jetliner from Boeing Co to keep costs low and cut fares on trans-Atlantic routes.

Some 20 percent of passengers on those flights likely are snatched from rivals, while the majority are choosing their European destinations in the first place because of Norwegian's low fares, Ramdahl said.

Flights to Barcelona from Los Angeles will start on June 5, followed by service from greater New York, greater San Francisco and greater Miami. Launch fares will be about half current New York-Barcelona fares booked in advance.

The company is looking at starting trans-Atlantic service from Baltimore, Chicago and Seattle, Ramdahl said, as well as Cuba. Long-haul service to Rome is under consideration for 2018, he said.

"The pie will get bigger, but I would think that the (low-cost) long-haul part would take the majority of it," he said.

Norwegian's growth is not an exact replacement of flights U.S. airlines have cut. The routes in question are different, and Norwegian's capacity additions are incremental because flights often are not daily.

That has not stopped U.S. airlines and unions from taking issue with the company. They say service to the United States from Norwegian's Irish subsidiary would undermine wages and working standards - claims Norwegian has denied.
A spectre is haunting JNU  the spectre of Hindutva fascism. All the powers of social democracy on campus were supposed to enter into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre, but the internecine ideological battles within the Left, as well as the recent allegation of rape against a leader of the All India Students Association (AISA) has resulted in a fractured field that leaves open the prospect of victory in the September 9 JNUSU elections for the Sangh-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

Said victory is by no means certain. Although the ABVP doubled its vote share and won the post of joint secretary in last years (2015) election  their panel of candidates polled more cumulative votes than any other, finishing second in the races for vice-president and general secretary  their rise in the Left bastion has been checked somewhat by their complicity in the institutional backlash following the events of February 9.

Even as there remains a sizeable chunk of the student body who disagreed with commemorating the executions of Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru, it isnt a given that their votes would go to the ABVP, who are seen by the majority for the fascists they are.

The thing is, they dont need a majority to win union posts, thanks to the multi-party first-past-the-post nature of the election. Turnout tends to be around 50 per cent, and it only takes a small plurality to win  last year, Kanhaiya Kumar won the presidency with 1,029 votes, about an eighth of the electorate. (This time, with Bakr Id on September 12, there are fears students will go home for the long weekend without voting.) As a result, the election becomes a get-out-the-vote operation that rewards machine politics.

Last year, Kanhaiya Kumar won the presidency with 1,029 votes, about an eighth of the electorate.

The major intra-campus political issue of this election, of every election in the past decade, is illustrative. Ever since the university increased the number of overall places offered in order to compensate for OBC reservations, there has been a chronic shortage of hostels  so much so that the JNU prospectus no longer carries the words "residential campus". There are plans to build new hostels, but construction has not begun due to environmental clearances not getting through.

Although 17 members of the union, including former president Ashutosh Kumar, went on hunger strike in January last year to demand the process be expedited, pressure hasnt been sustained on the issue; the relative inaction, many students allege, is because all parties benefit from a patronage system, offering new admissions the chance to stay in their hostel rooms as "third roommates" in exchange for their support in the election.

Having secured a support base in last years polls that can be built on, the ABVP has calibrated its campaign to avoid alienating potential voters. Instead of pushing their nationalist agenda, they are running an outsider bricks-and-mortar campaign, accusing the Left political establishment of neglecting campus infrastructure issues in their years of controlling the union. (The last ABVP president of the JNUSU was televisions most annoying man, Sambit Patra, in 2001.) "A strong check on all anti-national activities" is the 11th and last of the list of demands in their campaign literature.

Top of the list is a "women-friendly campus", a reference to the Anmol Ratan rape case. The party was quick to take the initiative on politicising the incident, holding protests and painting it as symptomatic of a rape culture that pervades the Left.

One recent ABVP pamphlet features a 2008 Daily Mail article about "Stalins army of rapists", an account of mass rapes perpetrated by Red Army soldiers during their advance to Berlin at the end of World War II. (Its interesting that accusing our own soldiers of rape is inconceivable to them.)

Another pamphlet, published under the name of Hastakshep  Interjection  instead of an official ABVP release (though the tortured spelling is familiar), is more direct. Titled "JNU ke vampanthi krantikariyon ka ghinauna sach . . .", the screed proclaims that four or five volumes could be filled by the rapes committed by AISA revolutionaries and lists the cases of Arshad Alam, a professor and former AISA office-bearer who was accused of rape by a foreign student last year, and former JNUSU president Akbar Chaudhary and joint secretary Sarfaraz Hamid, who resigned in 2014 after sexual assault charges.

"These leftists would spit in the face of PV Sindhu, but think nothing of defending rapists," the pamphlet goes on, accusing CPI(ML) leader and veteran AISA activist Kavita Krishnan of "fielding" on behalf of Tarun Tejpal, after rape charges were brought against the latter. (It is another matter, of course, that Krishnan wrote numerous times, both on social and mainstream media, that Tejpals tactics of victim-blaming and selective leaks of evidence were despicable. For the trolls, a mere assertion that the complainant has the right to decide whether or not to file a police complaint was enough to constitute support for a rapist.) It accuses her of dragging her mother into the "ghatiya debate over free sex", referring to the time Lakshmi Krishnan commented on a Facebook post about her daughters quote that there is no such thing as un-free sex, only rape.

To the condom-counters on the Hindu Right, the only way to stop sexual assault on campus is to proscribe interactions between the sexes. It is a security-centric approach, one that allows them to avoid uncomfortable discussions about patriarchy and misogyny.

In this case, the incident is simply a stick with which to beat the Left; you wont find ABVP ideologues talking about the need to curb intimate partner violence and initiate the conversations and changes necessary for JNUs culture to be truly progressive.

The "Hastakshep" pamphlet, one of many pamphlets talking about the rape, claims without a trace of irony that there is a "dangerous and uneasy silence" about it on campus.

Its hard to find fault with the official response by the AISA; the party issued a statement expelling AnmolRatan, and wrote to the Delhi Police asking for his arrest. Three days later, Ratan was still absconding and hadnt been suspended by the administration, and the union organised a vigil at Delhi Police headquarters and protests at Ganga Dhaba calling for his suspension. However, there are reports of AISA cadre alleging at mess tables that the girl was in a relationship with the boy, that she was paid off.

Its not just the ABVP who have attacked the AISA over the incident. The Democratic Students Federation (DSF), a breakaway from the CPI(M)-affiliated Students Federation of India (SFI), claimed after the incident that the party and its office-bearers in the union were shielding Ratan. The request made on behalf of the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) to not discuss the particulars of the case was painted as censorship.

An AISA release says that they were not allowed to hold an all-organisation meeting to discuss protest action against the delay in issuing suspension orders by a DSF representative to the GSCASH. After the meeting was called off, a DSF councillor issued a call for an independent protest. The release claims this was all part of a "script to somehow scuttle JNUSUs protest on Monday and then immediately launch the campaign that JNUSU was 'not protesting' and 'it is only they' who are concerned about the issue!"

The DSFs machinations are a part of its attempts to emerge as an alternative to the fading "official" Left parties. In the aftermath of the February 9 incident, they were at pains to distance themselves from any seditious activity that might have taken place, asserting the liberal pieties about Kashmir in order to attract leftist students who wereuncomfortable with discourse about the conflict straying beyond the lakshman rekha of self-determination.

It was this exchange that scuttled hopes of all Left parties setting aside their differences to face down the fascist threat. Instead of a broad coalition, the AISA is left with an alliance with the SFI, with Kanhaiya Kumars CPI-affiliated All India Students Federation and Umar Khalids Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Students Organisation not putting up candidates. (The CPI had asked its student body to contest the elections, but the AISF chose to defy the diktat in order to preserve a united front. Aparajitha Raja, who was supposed to run for president, claimed she couldnt find her identity card at the time of filing nominations.) The DSF, which still lacks a machine to rival its bigger opponents, is only contesting for joint secretary and council posts.

AISA and SFI make for strange bedfellows, having been on opposite ends of the hustings for much of the campuss recent political history.

In the aftermath of the Singur and Nandigram land agitations against the Left Front government of West Bengal, the AISA had led processions with the slogan, "Tapasi Malik ke balatkariyon ko, ek dhakka aur do!"

Now, their alliance with the party that had attempted to provide "a political context" for the rape of Tapasi Malik provides low-hanging fruit to their political opponents.

Another claimant for the Left vote is the Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA). After a respectable debut in last years election, the BAPSA is contesting the elections on the plank of "unity of the oppressed", and is said to have the support of smaller parties.

Identity politics is a bugbear in leftist circles of late, and the BAPSA is being accused of jeopardising anti-fascist unity, but their critique of existent leftist politics has touched a chord. They accuse the mainstream Left parties of not allowing Dalit-Bahujans rise to their top leadership, of not fighting hard enough for the rights of marginalised communities, of being insincere in their professions of solidarity.

Like in so many elections around the world, the Left political establishment at JNU is seeing a long overdue cleaning of its Augean Stables, whilst it faces an ascendant Right. Its a process that improves the discourse and nature of the Left in the long run, but the short-term loss of power can be disastrous.
A part of Hillary Clintons effort against Donald Trump, a group of high profile surrogates have been dispatched by the Clinton campaign.

Vice President Joseph Biden will be the ambassador of the Rust Belt, while Elizabeth Warren will be the unifier of the party who will speak to liberals in swing states.

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President Barack Obama will be the overall motivator.

The campaign of Clinton has very high expectations and the roles of the high-profile surrogates are compartmentalized.

Biden will join Clinton Friday before being a fundraiser headliner for her during the afternoon, which follows Obama do the same on Wednesday in Charlotte.

The U.S. vice president was an emissary to industrial state working class voters, often times union members, that are being targeted by Donald Trump.

The national surrogates director for the 2008 campaign of Obama, Teal Beaker said that what these surrogates are doing is being taken to very targeted areas that relate to their individual profile.

The presence of the vice president, said Baker, on the trail is the most telling to those Democrats that are close to the Clinton presidential campaign, who have waited months for the group of three  Obama, Biden and Warren to visit the battleground states and ratchet up Clintons anti-Trump barrage.

For them, it signals an arrival of the next phase of the presidential campaign in which the highest profile Democrats imaginable that will likely included Hillarys husband the former president Bill Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Michelle Obama, join Hillary in cementing her case against the GOP nominee.

The contrast is huge with Trump, as he attempts to win over the leaders of his own party due to such a fraction amongst the GOP.

In other news, it has been reported that Sanders will endorse Hillary Clinton this Tuesday.

Following three weeks of talks and private preparations, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will endorse Hillary Clinton at a New Hampshire campaign event, according to three people in the Democratic Party who have taken part in planning the event.

The campaign for Clinton said on Thursday it would travel to New Hampshire next week but did not provide any further details of the trip.

Sanders during a Thursday interview came very close to giving Clinton an endorsement as he ever has but in the end held back as the plan is to make it official on Tuesday.

The people who spoke about the endorsement asked for anonymity, but revealed that the endorsement came due in part from talks between Robby Mook the campaign manager for Clinton and Jeff Weaver the campaign manager for Sanders.
Concerns over the security at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland are ratcheting up leading up to the event scheduled for next week. They have become inflamed even further due to the recent incidents of racially motivated violence that have hit the country.

With GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump expected to accept in a formal manner the GOPs nomination, a number of protest groups in favor as well as against the real estate mogul are preparing to carry out dozens of different marches and rallies across the city, which expects as many as 50,000 visitors during the quadrennial gathering of the GOP.

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Already the different sides of the election are starting to point fingers are one another playing the blame game.

Throughout the primary season, Trumps campaign seemed to have violence and racial tensions following it both inside the events he had as well as in the streets outside those same events.

As the convention arrives amidst a rising tide of national anger against violence by police in the death of a pair of African Americans and the anxieties tied to the ambush that killed five Dallas police officers last week, has many worried about what could take place next week.

Making matters even worse, the open-carry gun laws in Ohio have the head of the group Bikers for Trump saying that the streets of Cleveland could become the wild, wild west.

State law in Ohio does not regulate carrying guns, meaning entrants to the GOP conventions secure zone of 1.3 square miles are not allowed to bring in amongst a number of other things, weapons such as hatches, axes, swords, slingshots, pellet guns, BB guns and metal knuckles, but have openly hold their own live firearms.

However, no weapons of any kind will be allowed inside the arena where the convention will take place.

The police department has spent millions of dollars to protect its employees with tactical weaponry and body armor. The Bikers for Trump have promised to stand with the police if they need to.

Adding to worries is that the police department is currently under oversight by the Justice Department due to being cited two years ago for what the feds called a pattern or practice of using excessive force.

At the citys Cleveland Clinic both doctors as well as surgeons have been told they must remain on call in preparation of a situation that the hospital gets cut from any outside aid, for the four days of the convention.
Ben Carson a supporter of Donald Trump on Tuesday was near the Cleveland GOP National Convention. He compared a person who is transgender to someone who decided one morning that he or she has decided to be an Afghan after reading books or watching movies about Afghanistan.

Carson, with applause from attendees, spoke at the Florida delegation breakfast on Tuesday saying that for thousands of years we have know what a man is as well as what a women is, adding that now people do not know that any longer.

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He called that the height of absurdity. He added that today you can feel as if you are a woman, even though genetically everything says you are a man.

He went on to say that it would be just the same as if one day you woke up after watching a movie related to Afghanistan or read books about the country and decided your were now an Afghan.

He continued by saying that the person knows they do not look Afghan and that their ancestors were from Sweden, but that does not matter he or she is really an Afghan.

He concluded by saying that if anyone says I am not Afghan than they are racists.

Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, has proposed separate bathrooms for the people that call themselves transgender, and has made statements that are controversial about issues pertaining to the LGBT community in the past as well.

In May, guidance was issued by the White House administration directing all public schools to allow students who are transgender to use the bathroom that match the gender they identify with.

A letter written jointly by the Departments of Justice and Education was sent to schools along with guidelines to help ensure transgender students receive a non-discriminatory and supportive school environment, said the Obama administration.

Carson went on to say that he is disturbed that secular progressives have been attempting to make issues related to transgender an issue of civil rights.

He said anytime secular progressive want people to come to their support they return to the movement of civil rights and say the issue is a civil rights one, but he claims it is not one for civil rights.

People must stand up, added Carson. We need to be willing to call people out for this stuff that is absolutely ridiculous.
Bernie Sanders, ending animosity of many months, embraced robustly Hillary Clinton his former bitter rival on Monday night as a champion of economic causes that enlivened his own supporters, which signaled the time was now for them to rally behind Clinton in a battle against Donald Trump the Republican Party nominee.

Sanders declared that any observer that is objective can conclude that based upon her leadership and ideas that Clinton must became our next president.

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Viewing this in the audience, former President Bill Clinton leapt up and applauded, as did the majority of delegates in the arena.

Sanders joined top speakers that included Michelle Obama the first lady whose speech was an impassioned, forceful defense of the new Democratic nominee. The address by Obama wiped away any early tumult at the convention that exposed lingering tensions between supporters of Sanders and Clinton.

Mrs. Obama said that she wanted someone that had proven ability to persevere, someone that knows the job, takes it serious and who understands the different issues faced by a president that are often not black and white.

She was referring to the penchant by Trump for tweeting when she said the presidency cannot be reduced to just 140 characters.

While Sanders previously had given his endorsement to Clinton, remarks he made on Monday were the most vigorous and detailed that praised her as being qualified for the presidency.

Even with opposition by Sanders supporters of Hillary lingering into most of Monday at the convention, speeches overshadowed much of it and Sanders helped by imploring his own supporters to consider a country led by Trump.

He told his supporters not to sit out the election just because he was not the nominee. He added to that by asking them to consider the Supreme Court justices that might be nominated if Trump were elected president and what that would mean to their civil liberties, their equal rights and the countrys future.

Elizabeth Warren the U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, who is a favorite of most liberals, has emerged as one of the toughest Democratic critics of Trump.

She spoke prior to Sanders and said Trump did not have real plans for college students, jobs or seniors. He has no plans to make anyone better except for those who are rich like he is.

Clinton is expected to accept the Democratic nomination on Wednesday and give a big speech on Thursday to end the convention and start her campaign for the White House that will conclude with the general election in November.
A former speechwriter and spokesman for former President Ronald Reagan appeared on stage Thursday at the Democratic National Convention. He proceeded to rip apart Donald Trump and to denounce any and all comparisons between the billionaire from Manhattan and Reagan the conservative icon.

It is an honor being here as well as a shock, said Doug Elmets. He added it was not because of the events momentous nature or size, it is a shock due to being a Republican.

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He added that he voted in the last 40 years for nothing but Republicans, which is since he started to vote at age 18.

He said he did not just vote Republican but he worked in the White House under President Reagan and led an effort to put a statue of Reagan in the Capitol of California.

He told the crowd he came to the convention to say he knew Reagan, worked for Reagan and Donald Trump is no President Ronald Reagan.

He contrasted the famous demand made by Reagan to Mikhail Gorbachev the Russian leader to tear the Berlin Wall down with the plan by Trump to build his wall along the entire border of the U.S. and Mexico.

Reagan saw much nuance, said Elmets, while Trump only sees everything as us versus them, where somebody that has brown skin or a name that sounds foreign is the likely person to blame for the countrys problems.

Reagan on the other hand, said Elmets, knew that a leader of a nation needed diplomacy to steer toward a safe prosperous location. He called Trump a dangerous unbalanced, petulant reality star who alienates allies while coddling tyrants.

Elmets added that he shakes to think where the country would be led under Trump.

While Hillary Clinton has a number of policy positions I differ with, her qualification cannot be disputed. He added later that this years platform for the Republican Party was the most alarming he has seen to date.

He said it was full of anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-women positions and because of that, he would be voting to send a Democrat to the White House.

He also made a call out to other members of the Republican Party by saying that loyalty to the country is much more important that loyalty to a party.
Families of 11 members of the U.S. armed services, who died while fighting, demanded that Donald Trump give an apology Monday accusing him of cheapening the sacrifice that those who were lost had made.

The families said that Trumps suggestion that the Muslim mother of the soldier from the U.S. who died while in Iraq was not allowed to speak during the Democratic National Conventions was the same as attacking them.

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A letter the Gold Star families signed, the term Gold Star is for those who lost a loved one during his or her military service, also called the comments by Trump personally offensive and repugnant.

The letter said that when you question the pain of a mother, by implying her religion and not her grief had kept her from speaking to an arena full of people then you have attacked all of us.

Karen Meredith of VoteVets.org organized the letter by Gold Star families. VoteVets.org is an advocacy group calling itself non-partisan but has been called during the past an ally of Congressional Democrats.

VoteVets.org has been fueled largely by the different social welfare groups that are aligned with Democrats says the Center for Responsive Politics.

Over this past weekend, Trump questioned why Mrs. Khan stood quietly by her husband as he talked about Humayun their son at the DNC.

Khan in his speech criticized the policies and the statements of Trump about Muslims. Khan said that the billionaire real estate magnate had sacrificed nothing as well as no one and put into question whether the nominee of the GOP had ever read the U.S. Constitution.

In 2004, Khans son, who was a captain in the U.S. Army, was killed by a bomb while guarding his air base front gates while in Iraq. He saved the lives of many fellow soldiers as well as civilians and was awarded posthumously a Bronze Star as well as Purple Heart.

Trump, who previously has called for barring Muslims from entering the U.S., responded to the Khans speech by saying Mrs. Khan was not allowed to say anything.

The comments by Trump go beyond all politics, according to the families letter. The letter said it was about a sense of decency.

The signatories of the letter included 10 families who lost loved ones in Iraq and one whose father had died in Vietnam.
In what has been called an extraordinary denunciation of the competence and temperament of Donald Trump, President Barack Obama has urged the Republican Party leaders to withdraw their support for the candidacy of Trump, flatly saying he is unfit to serve as the 45th president of the nation.

While speaking from the White Houses East Room, as Trump was rallying supporters in a suburb of Virginia, Obama noted the criticism by the Republicans of Trump for the attacks he made on an American soldiers Muslim parents.

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However, Obama said that political recriminations from GOP members ring hallow if the leaders of the party continue supporting the campaign of Trump.

Obama continued by saying that the question Republican leaders need to ask themselves is, if repeatedly you must say in harsh terms what he is saying is unacceptable, why is the party continuing to endorse him.

Obama added that what does that say about the party that Trump is the standard bearer.

The condemnation of Trump by the president and his appeal directly to the leaders of the Republicans to abandon Trump, were stunning.

Obama seemed intent and eager to move past his prior interventions in the campaign, which include forceful rejections of Trumps statements as well as policy proposals.

One presidential historian said the comments made by Obama were nearly unprecedented and highly unusual. He said the last time that a sitting president has been so openly critical of a presidential candidate from the other party, was during 1953, when President Truman mocked Dwight Eisenhower as not knowing more about the world of politics that a pig does about Sunday.

The historian summarized his comments by saying that all this was a reflection of how dangerous and radical that Obama feels Trump is.

Using the backdrop of a new conference, he was sharing with Lee Hsein Loong the Prime Minister of Singapore, Obama suggested that Trump would not be able to abide by the rules and norms and common sense. He questions if Trump would even observe basic decency, should he be in the Oval Office one day.

Obama said if he had lost in both 2008 and 2012, he would have been highly disappointed, but added he did not ever doubt if his rivals with the Republicans during those races including John McCain and Mitt Romney could function like a president or had knowledge of what to do.

As Obama condemned Trump, the Republican was unaware of the president remarks and criticized repeatedly his opponent with the Democrats.
Things seem to be changing in the Republican Party. Donald Trump, once considered the unsinkable candidate who was immune to the different political consequences whilst coming out on top in the race for the partys presidential nomination, now has a campaign that is ailing and suffering from self-imposed toxicity.

News media around the country are obsessed with the fallout in Trumps team and the dissension within the Republican Party.

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When Trump has a rally or starts tweeting on Twitter, close to half the country holds its collective breath, waiting on him to make an insult, growl at someone or even knock a puppy form the podium.

That is because now the contest is different, the context is different and Trump is being caught up in the confluence of negative stories.

The contest is no longer just about one party. It is now at the national level, the long months of infighting amongst the GOP, debates, caucuses and primaries are over.

The audience is now both bigger in size and in attentiveness. The campaign running up to the fall election is broader, luring in more than twice the number of votes and a much more diverse mix of the U.S. population.

When the audiences demand begins to change, the manner of how the candidates act usually does as well.

Those not making that pivot to the overall population can end up dealing with the dreaded consequences such as George McGovern back in 1972 and with Walter Mondale during 1984.

There is also the change in media context. Following the conventions, focus begins shifting to a two-person choice.

The concentration on each candidate becomes more focused. Trump during the primaries seemed able to say almost anything without reproach with any damage lost amidst the mounting votes he was receiving.

He came close in the end to winning half the vote of the Republicans.

The controversy he generated nearly everywhere he went seemed to fall away, until now.

Suddenly, Trumps freewheeling personality that was his success had become offenses and miscues. It seems like someone suddenly located a switch and instantly changed the Trump phenomenon overnight from positive to very negative.

The biggest primary foe of Trump, Senator Ted Cruz warned the media was holding bad stories about his opponent that would be unloaded after he was the nominee.

After a few days of a bump in the polls following the GOP convention, the last five days has seen his lead vanish and turn into a deficit of double digits.
Leaders of the Republican Party are becoming more alarmed while watching the campaign of Donald Trump. The GOP leaders fear a landslide at the top of their ticket could eliminate their congressional majority.

For many months, top leaders in the GOP counseled their candidates to run individual races by separating themselves from the presidential contest while focusing on accomplishments made by Republicans on Capitol Hill.

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However, in interviews with Washingtons top Republicans a number have said there is little they can do if the presidential race is lost by Trump in the battleground states by 10% or more.

If the losses are by 10% or more, the congressional majority is in big danger, said on Republican who requested anonymity when asked about the landscape of the Senate.

The GOP believes that there remains plenty of time to fix the problems particularly given the negative ratings Hillary Clinton has received in some polls.

They are also confident that their GOP incumbents in the Senate, many who are well funded, could help outperform Trump in key states.

However, Mitch McConnell the Majority Leader of the Senate said during an interview two weeks ago that it was still unknown whether or not Trump will be a help or hindrance to Republicans down the GOP ticket.

McConnell said the races in the Senate were well funded, big and individual not necessarily with any ties to Trump.

When he was asked if the GOP would maintain control of the U.S. Senate he replied confidently yes it would.

However, Republicans in the Senate need help from Trump, most importantly by ensuring he stays competitive until Novembers Election Day.

In a meeting this past week that was behind closed doors, John McCain the U.S. Senator from Arizona urged Mike Pence the running mate of Trump to keep the Republicans top ticket trained toward Clinton and not to engage in arguments with other GOP members or in distractions such as Trumps feud with the parents of a Muslim American killed in Iraq.

For the Democrats to take back control of the Senate, the party will need four seats if Clinton is victorious in the presidential election and five seats if the election is won by Trump.

Opportunities in big numbers are available for the Democrats to pick up the seats needed if Clinton can win such as in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire and Wisconsin.
Donald Trump during an afternoon rally on Tuesday suggested that the Second Amendment people could do something about the judges Hillary Clinton will choose if she wins the election in November.

The comment was taken by some to mean Trump was implying violence could be taken against the nominee from the Democrats.

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On Wednesday, Peter King a U.S. member of the House of Representatives said Trump should take back his comment made on Tuesday afternoon.

However, King also said during an interview on the Morning Joe show that the comment was overplayed by the media and dismissed any notion it was disqualifying for his bid for the White House.

The congressman from New York instead compared the remarks by Trump to the recently ended Democratic National Convention that he claimed more disqualifying because it spotlighted people who were anti-police and mothers of black Americans that were killed by police officers.

The comments by Trump came as he was discussing the position of Clinton on gun control with Trump repeating his claim he uses quite frequently that Clinton would in essence abolish the U.S. Constitutions Second Amendment.

Robby Mook the campaign manager for Clinton said that no candidate running for President should be suggesting violence.

Mook continued by saying it is simple, what Trump said was dangerous. Adding that a person attempting to become President, should not suggest the use of violence.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren a supporter of Clinton tweeted that Trump was a pathetic coward who made death threats.

Trump supporters were vehement in their defense for the Republican presidential nominee, saying that he was obviously speaking of the American voters that were passionate about the rights they are protected with by the Second Amendment and advocating the use of that power at Novembers ballot box.

One Trump campaign worker also said that the Clinton campaign has become desperate and obviously is throwing a number of outrageous charges at Trump. He added he was surprised that such a large number of reporters had fallen for what he called was a ridiculous charge.

Campaign leaders have attempted on numerous occasions to get Trump to stick the teleprompter during his speeches and not use off the cuff remarks that tend to be controversial and put the nominee in hot water.
Democratic president nominee Hillary Clinton is leading her biggest opponent Donald Trump by a significant amount in Florida shows a poll released by Saint Leo University on Tuesday.

The latest poll shows that Clinton has 52% of the support from likely voters in Florida, while 38% surveyed put their support with Trump. Gary Johnson the Libertarian candidate received 8% of the support while Jill Stein the candidate from Green Party has backing of 2%.

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Unless there is a movement that is unprecedented toward Donald Trump, due to the debates, or a more likely external shock in the system, Clinton can put Florida safely in her own column, said Franck Orlando the Director of the polling institute.

It should be noted, due to its importance, that while the majority of the most recent polls have Clinton well ahead in Florida, they do not show her lead as being quite as big.

Trump maybe behind in the state, but Marco Rubio, Floridas Republican Senator is ahead in a matchup between Democratic Reps. Alan Grayson and Patrick Murphy who will meet in the states primary on August 30.

Rubio was ahead of Murphy by 8% with over 16% of the people polled saying they remained unsure. When that is put against Grayson, Rubio was ahead 47% to 34%, with 19% still unsure.

The poll, which is conducted online and took place between August 14 and 18, has a plus or minus margin of error of 3 points.

Rubio at one time during the heated Republican primary race said that Donald Trump was an erratic, dangerous spray-tan con man.

Now that Trump has been nominated by the Republicans as their presidential candidate and Rubio is up for reelection, the senators tone has become different.

Rubio no longer is criticizing Trump. However, he is not exactly bursting with praise. Nonetheless, the Democrats are attempting to make him appear to be a hypocrite for supporting the same man he said previously should not have any access to codes for nuclear weapons and for returning to the Senate race after saying he would not.

Patrick Murphy a U.S. Representative said the real con man was Rubio. Murphy said that how many times did Rubio say he would not run against for the Senate, but is doing so.

In July, Rubio said he supported Trump because of giving a pledge early during the primaries to support the nominee from the GOP.
Donald Trump must win Septembers debate to move ahead in the polls of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. He will need to also look presidential while at the same time landing punches on Clintons vulnerable areas, throwing her off with personal attacks.

Both Clinton and Trump are going through preparations for what could be the most acrimonious, hardest fought presidential debates to date, promising a number of prime-time unpredictable bouts between the two candidates.

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Trumps goal is to put up points against Clinton so he is expected to be swinging for all he can get, said a strategist with the GOP. Clinton on the other hand will try to remain steady and end the debate with no harm done.

She will hit out on policy, while he will on personal things, predicted a strategist with the Democrats.

However, the strongest moments for Trump in the campaign have come when he has been able to show some sort of discipline while remaining on script. An example of that was during the GOP convention and recent speeches he has had, before returning to give some wild comments that cost him of recent.

However, to win, he needs to be in attack mode, but not crossing over any lines while doing do. He needs to show some substance and to have command of plenty of detail on policy.

Clinton is leading Trump in the majority of polls, but that can play against her entering the debates, with the first scheduled for September 26.

Clinton has more to lose and will have to be both strong offensively and defensively to survive the debates. Clinton will have to draw on the deep experience she had as a former senator and as the secretary of state.

However, while she is strong on policy, she must anticipate unexpected things from the showman, as Trump so proudly calls himself.

One strategist said that Trump will entertain the crowd and will say a few things that are outrageous and Clinton will be statesmanlike and presidential. The big part is that she is prepared for his carnival-like antics, said the strategist.

Trump has been meeting with members of his team that is preparing him for the debates, including Laura Ingraham the conservative radio talk show host, Rudolph Giuliani the former Mayor of New York and Roger Ailes the former chairman with Fox News.
Donald Trump, the presidential nominee of the Republican Party will visit with Enrique Pena Nieto the President of Mexico Wednesday in a visit to Mexico that was hastily arranged prior to delivering an anticipated speech on tackling illegal immigration.

True to the flair of Trump for being dramatic, the visit guarantees widespread coverage by the media for the GOP nominee. It also will carry risks since most visits to foreign countries at the presidential level are carefully planned and scripted well beforehand.

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On Tuesday, the trip was announced by Trump on Twitter and confirmed by one other tweet from the Mexican government.

Trump said he accepted Pena Nietos invitation and would meet him on Wednesday. The meeting, which will be held in private, was first considered by Trump and advisers last week after receiving an invitation from the Mexican president.

It will be the first official interaction by Trump with a foreign leader since beginning his campaign for the White House over a year ago.

These kinds of trips can be difficult to carry out. In 2012, Mitt Romney the then Republican nominee suffered gaffes during his trip in London, Poland and Israel.

Pena Nieto dismissed the demand by Trump to pay for the building of a wall between the U.S. and Mexico border that Trump has promised to build if he is elected president.

Pena Nieto has also voiced his skepticism publicly of Trump. He has currently been embroiled in controversy over whether he had plagiarized some of his undergraduate thesis during 1991.

The talks with Pena Nieto will be held only hours prior to Trumps scheduled speech Wednesday night where he will attempt to straddle between being tough against illegal immigration yet give the moderate voter reason to give his presidential candidacy a new look.

While the lead by Hillary Clinton has been closed in certain areas, the Republican still trails Clinton in the majority of polls nationwide and in most of the battleground states with only 10 weeks remaining before the November 8 election.

Clinton is also invited to visit Pena Nieto but it is unknown whether she accepted, although a spokesperson for her campaign took a dim outlook of the trip by Trump.

She said that what matters most is what Trump says to the voters on Wednesday in Arizona and not in Mexico.

He will speak in Arizona at 6 p.m. MST in Phoenix or 9 p.m. EDT.
Federal data that is available to the public, says there are 2 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. and the current White House administration has allowed another 300,000 to return, says Donald Trump the Republican presidential nominee in a speech on August 31.

Many people have since fact checked the claims made from Trumps speech of 75 minutes that introduced his immigration plan that contains 10 points.

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Trump used the undocumented immigrants numbers to argue the proposal he has made for zero tolerance for all criminal aliens. He has vowed to remove all of them from the U.S.

Trump proposed the return of all the aliens since the release of is immigration plan back on August 20 of last year. The criminal aliens are noncitizens that have been convicted of a crime.

Trump has cited federal data and said there are a minimum of 2 million people who are noncitizens and have been convicted of crimes living in the U.S.

The number is from a report from 2013 that says there were 1.9 million criminal aliens. However, that figure is referring to a broader group of noncitizens that have criminal records not the violent crime or terrorists that Trump refers to.

The list includes undocumented immigrants as well as people who are permanent residents and those on temporary visas.

People who are lawfully present in the U.S. who have been convicted of a serious crime are subject to officials removing them.

The exact amount of non-citizens illegally in the country within the figure of 1.9 million is unclear. One think tank that takes no position on legislation on immigration, estimates that figure to be just over 800,000 of the more than 1.9 million.

Trump also said over 300,000 undocumented criminals were released since 2013 by ICE, and were not detained or put in line to be deported.

The House Judiciary Committee was given ICE estimates for criminal conviction releases. Between 2013 and 2015, the estimate was at just less than 82.300 that ICE released into settings that were non-custodial.

The figures are far different from the 300,000 Trump used. The immigration problems in the U.S. have caused much uproar and Trump has used that to his advantage during his campaign, but time will tell if that will help him overall with votes or if in the end it will hurt.
Donald Trump the Republican presidential nominee is facing problems in the suburbs of battleground states such as Pennsylvania, which could cost him those key states in the November election.

Trump has been caught up in a tight vice that he himself has created between those who see him as offensive and those that find him to be entrancing.

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What he says and does that appeal to that latter group, which is predominantly white men, often times alienates many suburban voters, in particular women, who he desperately needs if he is to broaden his overall base sufficiently to win the election.

Both Hillary Clinton and Trump supporters seldom are close to one other in most of the country. Trump is dominating rural, white America, while Clinton is overwhelmingly in front in the cities with higher minority populations.

However, in the suburbs of many cities the two sides come to a head. Many voters in the suburbs do not agree completely with either candidate and are not even sure of whom they will finally vote for.

Trump has lagged behind consistently in the polls regarding the general election in many suburbs of the key battleground states such as Pennsylvania, where he does not just battle distaste with the way he is, but also demographics that aligned voters with the Democrats in each of the elections since 1998.

Over the past few decades, the population dropped in some suburbs in Pennsylvania out west while they increased in the eastern suburbs of the state.

The communities that represent the manufacturing industry might lean toward Trump and his cultural and trade arguments, but they have dropped in potency and have been replaced in strength by suburbs around Philadelphia that have become more aligned toward voting for Clinton.

With the population shift moving from west to east in Pennsylvania the state has become more moderate as the GOP has become much more conservative, setting up that disconnect, which had bedeviled the nominees of the party for six consecutive elections.

The most recent poll for the state showed that Clinton held a lead of 7 points amongst the likely voters. That gap was smaller than during August, but is larger than the gap President Obama held over Mitt Romney during the election in 2012.

Amongst women in Pennsylvania, Clinton is holding a lead of 10 points, while men are split down the middle. Even amongst white women, which is a group the Republicans usually hold Clinton is ahead by 7 points.
BAE Systems plc provides defense, aerospace, and security solutions worldwide. The company operates through five segments: Electronic Systems, Cyber & Intelligence, Platforms & Services (US), Air, and Maritime. The Electronic Systems segment offers electronic warfare systems, navigation systems, electro-optical sensors, military and commercial digital engine and flight controls, precision guidance and seeker solutions, military communication systems and data links, persistent surveillance systems, space electronics, and electric drive propulsion systems. The Cyber & Intelligence segment provides solutions to modernize, maintain, and test cyber-harden aircraft, radars, missile systems, and mission applications that detect and deter threats to national security; systems engineering, integration, and sustainment services for critical weapons systems, C5ISR, and cyber security; and solutions and services to intelligence and federal/civilian agencies. It also offers data intelligence solutions to defend against national-scale threats, protect their networks, and data against attacks; security and intelligence solutions to the United Kingdom government and allied international governments; anti-fraud and regulatory compliance solutions; and enterprise-level data and digital services. The Platforms & Services (US) segment manufactures combat vehicles, weapons, and munitions, as well as provides ship repair services and the management of government-owned munitions facilities. The Air segment develops, manufactures, upgrades, and supports combat and jet trainer aircraft. The Maritime segment designs, manufactures, and supports surface ships, submarines, torpedoes, radars, and command and combat systems; and supplies naval gun systems. It also supplies naval weapon systems, missile launchers, and precision munitions. The company was founded in 1970 and is based in Farnborough, the United Kingdom.
The Descartes Systems Group Inc. provides cloud-based logistics and supply chain management business process solutions that focuses on enhancing the productivity, performance, and security of logistics-intensive businesses worldwide. Its Logistics Technology platform offers a range of modular, cloud-based, and interoperable web and wireless logistics management applications, which unites a community of logistics-focused parties, allowing them to transact business. The company provides a suite of solutions that include routing, mobile and telematics; transportation management and e-commerce enablement; customs and regulatory compliance; trade data; global logistics network services; and broker and forwarder enterprise systems. It offers its customers to use its modular, software-as-a-service, and data solutions to route, schedule, track, and measure delivery resources; plan, allocate, and execute shipments; rate, audit, and pay transportation invoices; access and analyze global trade data; research and perform trade tariff and duty calculations; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and various other logistics processes. The company also provides cloud-based ecommerce warehouse management solutions; consulting, implementation, and training services; and maintenance and support services. It primarily focuses on serving transportation providers, logistics service providers, and distribution-intensive companies, as well as manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and mobile business service providers. The company was incorporated in 1981 and is headquartered in Waterloo, Canada.
Toyota Motor Corporation designs, manufactures, assembles, and sells passenger vehicles, minivans and commercial vehicles, and related parts and accessories. It operates in Automotive, Financial Services, and All Other segments. The company offers hybrid cars under the Prius name, fuel cell vehicles under the MIRAI name; and conventional engine vehicles, including subcompact and compact cars under the Corolla and Raize names. It also provides mini-vehicles, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and auto parts under the Toyota name; mid-size cars; luxury cars; sports cars under the GR Yaris, Corolla Sport, Corolla Cross, and Supra names; and recreational and sport-utility vehicles under the Highlander name. In addition, the company offers pickup trucks under the Tacoma name; minivans; and trucks and buses. Further, it provides financial services, such as retail financing and leasing, wholesale financing, insurance, and credit cards; and designs, manufactures, and sells prefabricated housing. Additionally, the company operates GAZOO.com, a web portal for automobile information. It operates in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, Oceania, Africa, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1933 and is headquartered in Toyota, Japan.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic medicines, specialty medicines, and biopharmaceutical products in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company offers sterile products, hormones, high-potency drugs, and cytotoxic substances in various dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, transdermal patches, ointments, and creams. It also develops, manufactures, and sells active pharmaceutical ingredients. In addition, it focuses on the central nervous system, pain, respiratory, and oncology areas. Its products in the central nervous system include Copaxone for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; AJOVY for the preventive treatment of migraine; and AUSTEDO for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia and chorea associated with Huntington disease. The company's products in the respiratory market comprise ProAir, QVAR, ProAir Digihaler, AirDuo Digihaler, and ArmonAir Digihaler, BRALTUS, CINQAIR/CINQAERO, DuoResp Spiromax, and AirDuo RespiClick/ArmonAir RespiClick for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Its products in the oncology market include Bendeka, Treanda, Granix, Trisenox, Lonquex, and Tevagrastim/Ratiograstim. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has a collaboration MedinCell for the development and commercialization of multiple long-acting injectable products, a risperidone suspension for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. The company was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides commercial banking, leasing, securities, consumer finance, and other services in Japan, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania. It operates through four segments: Wholesale Business Unit, Retail Business Unit, Global Business Unit, and Global Markets Business Unit. The Wholesale Business Unit segment offers financing, investment management, risk hedging, and settlement services, as well as financial solutions related to mergers and acquisition, and other advisory services primarily for large, mid, and small-sized corporate clients; various leasing services, including equipment, and operating and leveraged leasing; and digital services, such as robotic process automation and electronic contract services. The Retail Business Unit segment offers wealth management, settlement, consumer finance, and housing loan products and services, as well as business and asset succession services to high-net-worth customers. The Global Business Unit segment offers loans, deposits, clearing services, trade finance, project finance, loan syndication, derivatives, and cash management services; underwriting services; and leasing services related to the construction machinery, transportation equipment, industrial machinery, medical equipment, and aircraft leasing. The Global Markets Business Unit segment offers solutions through foreign exchange products, derivatives, bonds, stocks, and other marketable financial products. It also undertakes asset liability management operations. The company also offers credit card, internet banking, system development and engineering, data processing, management consulting and economic research, and investment advisory and investment trust management services. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. was incorporated in 2002 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Credit Suisse Group AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial services in Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. The company offers wealth management solutions, including investment advice and discretionary asset management services; risk management solutions, such as managed investment products; and wealth planning, succession planning, and trust services. It also provides financing and lending solutions, including consumer credit and real estate mortgage lending, real asset lending relating to ship, and aviation financing for UHNWI; standard and structured hedging, and lombard lending solutions, as well as collateral trading services; and investment banking solutions, such as global securities sales, trading and execution, capital raising, and advisory services. In addition, the company offers banking solutions, such as payments, accounts, debit and credit cards, and product bundles; asset management products; equity and debt underwriting, and advisory services; cash equities, equity derivatives, and convertibles, as well as prime services; and fixed income products, such as credit, securitized, macro, emerging markets, financing, structured credit, and other products. Further, it provides HOLT, a framework for assessing the performance of approximately 20,000 companies; and equity and fixed income research services. The company serves private and institutional clients; ultra-high-net-worth individuals, high-net-worth individuals, and affluent and retail clients; corporate clients, small and medium-sized enterprises, external asset managers, financial institutions, and commodity traders; and pension funds, hedge funds, governments, foundations and endowments, corporations, entrepreneurs, private individuals, financial sponsors, and sovereign clients. As of December 31, 2021, it operated through a network of 311 offices and branches. The company was founded in 1856 and is based in Zurich, Switzerland.
Derwent London plc owns 83 buildings in a commercial real estate portfolio predominantly in central London valued at 5.4 billion (including joint ventures) as at 30 June 2020, making it the largest London-focused real estate investment trust (REIT). Our experienced team has a long track record of creating value throughout the property cycle by regenerating our buildings via development or refurbishment, effective asset management and capital recycling. We typically acquire central London properties off-market with low capital values and modest rents in improving locations, most of which are either in the West End or the Tech Belt. We capitalise on the unique qualities of each of our properties - taking a fresh approach to the regeneration of every building with a focus on anticipating tenant requirements and an emphasis on design. Reflecting and supporting our long-term success, the business has a strong balance sheet with modest leverage, a robust income stream and flexible financing. As part of our commitment to lead the industry in mitigating climate change, in October 2019, Derwent London became the first UK REIT to sign a Green Revolving Credit Facility. At the same time, we also launched our Green Finance Framework and signed the Better Buildings Partnership's climate change commitment. The Group is a member of the 'RE100' which recognises Derwent London as an influential company, committed to 100% renewable power by purchasing renewable energy, a key step in becoming a net zero carbon business. Derwent London is one of only a few property companies worldwide to have science-based carbon targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Landmark schemes in our 5.6 million sq ft portfolio include 80 Charlotte Street W1, Brunel Building W2, White Collar Factory EC1, Angel Building EC1, 1-2 Stephen Street W1, Horseferry House SW1 and Tea Building E1. In 2019, the Group won several awards including EG Offices Company of the Year, the CoStar West End Deal of the Year for Brunel Building, Westminster Business Council's Best Achievement in Sustainability award and topped the real estate sector and was placed ninth overall in the Management Today 2019 awards for 'Britain's Most Admired Companies'. In 2013 the Company launched a voluntary Community Fund and has to date supported over 100 community projects in the West End and the Tech Belt. The Company is a public limited company, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and incorporated and domiciled in the UK. The address of its registered office is 25 Savile Row, London,
Everest Re Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, and internationally. The company operates through Reinsurance Operations and Insurance Operations segments. The Reinsurance Operations segment writes property and casualty reinsurance; and specialty lines of business through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies in the United States, Bermuda, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Insurance Operations segment writes property and casualty insurance directly, as well as through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents in Bermuda, Canada, Europe, South America, Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The company also provides treaty and facultative reinsurance products; admitted and non-admitted insurance products; and property and casualty reinsurance and insurance coverages, including marine, aviation, surety, errors and omissions liability, directors' and officers' liability, medical malpractice, mortgage reinsurance, other specialty lines, accident and health, and workers' compensation products. In addition, it offers commercial property and casualty insurance products through wholesale and retail brokers, surplus lines brokers, and program administrators. Everest Re Group, Ltd. was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
While much focus has been placed on the race for the White House, election races for the Senate and House are heating up as November nears.

With only two months remaining before the national election, a conservative nonprofit group that is funded by David and Charles Koch associates will launch ads on television in English as well as Spanish to give a boost to the Senate campaign of Marco Rubio in Florida.

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The ad buy of $700,000 is the first for Libre Initiative, an organization that is seeking to convince Florida Hispanics to support conservative candidates.

This is a big shift and is a signal that the group, which is considered very powerful, that has during the past focused mainly on community organizing, has decided to become involved in political warfare.

Like other nonprofits involving the Kochs, Libre Initiative only has run spots on television asking voters to thank the candidates running, which is a technicality allowing groups to avoid the disclosure of donors identities.

All network nonprofits of the Kochs, unlike the super PACs they support, have to be very careful to maintain their status of tax-exempt to shield the identities of donors.

Certain groups have become reluctant to test the boundaries of what is legal, yet it appears that Libre Initiative is more willing to engage in an avenue of direct politics.

The spots are the groups first ads on television of the complete 2016 cycle.

Donald Trump has been spurned by the Koch network and instead the network has focused its deep-pocket financial resources with races that are down-ballot such as Rubios. The U.S. Senator from Florida is favored just slightly over Rep. Patrick Murphy a Democrat.

The group Libre Initiative will give help to the digital and television spots with a field program focused on Latinos in the Hispanic communities of Florida.

Asked about this tactical shift by the group, a spokesperson for Libre Initiative said that they approach these on the basis of case-by-case.

The presidential race between Donald Trump and his biggest rival Hillary Clinton has taken center stage since the national conventions for the Republicans and Democrats that were held in July.

However, many political pundits believe the course of politics will change if the Democrats are able to take back control of Congress and can win the White House race.
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. was founded in 1869 by Marcus Goldman as an investment bank catering to institutions and businesses. Among the firm's first products are the revolutionary use of commercial paper for entrepreneurs which opened a new method of finance for business and industry.

The original firm expanded to Goldman Sachs in 1882 with the inclusion of son-in-law Samuel Sachs and again in 1885 with a son and another son-in-law. The firm joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 expanding into trading of its own and in 1898 it was worth $1.6 million. The company began its work in the IPO market in 1906 with the initial public offering of Sears, Roebuck & Co., and then moved on to Ford and other prominent names of the time.

The 1930s brings a change of leadership and a new direction for the firm. The company shifted toward a purer play on investment banking and embarks on a campaign of acquisition that lasted until the present day. The company doesnt go public itself until 1999 and from that point on it will change into a bank holding company that not only offers investment banking services but takes deposits too, and in 2016 the company added consumer banking to its list of services.

Today, Goldman Sachs is a financial institution that provides a range of financial services for corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals globally. The company operates through four segments that include Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. According to US banking regulations, it is systemically important to the financial health of America.

The company is headquartered in New York, New York, and operates 6 regional headquarters as well. Regional headquarters are located in financial hotspots such as London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangalore, and Warsaw. Among its many prominent CEOs are John Corzine and Hank Paulson who both went on to successful work in government.

The company's Investment Banking segment provides a full range of financial advisory services as well as underwriting for the public markets. The financial advisory services include but are not limited to strategic advisory for mergers and acquisitions, divestiture, restructuring, and spin-offs. This segment is also engaged in middle-market lending and transaction banking. Underwriting services include IPOs, preferred stock, debt instruments, and bridge loans.

Goldman Sachs Global Markets segment facilitates market transactions for institutions, banks, brokerages, corporations, and governments. Services include execution, derivatives, financing, clearing, settlement, and custody.

The Asset Management segment manages client portfolios across the investment spectrum while the Consumer & Wealth Management segment provides advisory and banking services to consumers.
Koninklijke Philips N.V. operates as a health technology company in North America and internationally. It operates through Diagnosis & Treatment Businesses, Connected Care Businesses, and Personal Health Businesses segments. The company provides diagnostic imaging solutions, includes magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography (CT) systems, X-ray systems, and detector-based spectral CT solutions, as well as molecular and hybrid imaging solutions for nuclear medicine; integrated interventional systems; echography solutions focused on diagnosis, treatment planning and guidance for cardiology, general imaging, obstetrics/gynecology, and point-of-care applications; proprietary software to enable diagnostics and intervention; and enterprise diagnostic informatics products and services. It also offers acute patient management solutions; emergency care solutions; sleep and respiratory care solutions; and electronic medical record and care management solutions. In addition, the company provides power toothbrushes, brush heads, and interdental cleaning and teeth whitening products; infant feeding and digital parental solutions; and male grooming and beauty products and solutions. It has a strategic collaboration with Ibex Medical Analytics Ltd. to jointly promote the digital pathology and AI solutions to hospitals, health networks, and pathology laboratories worldwide, as well as a strategic partnership agreement with NICO.LAB. The company was formerly known as Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. and changed its name to Koninklijke Philips N.V. in May 2013. Koninklijke Philips N.V. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone.
The Albemarle County Police Department officer who was the subject of three lawsuits filed earlier this year has had two charges against him dropped, while two others are set to move forward.

The lawsuits filed against Andrew Holmes in February alleged a range of violations including excessive force and multiple unlawful searches and seizures on the grounds of racial discrimination.

U.S. District Court Judge Glen E. Conrad has since ruled that in one of those lawsuits, Holmes is granted immunity from allegations that he violated a plaintiffs Fourth Amendment rights, which protect against unlawful search and seizure.

For the case discussed in the judges opinion, Holmes is alleged to have violated two plaintiffs rights following a traffic stop in April 2014. During that stop, Holmes issued one plaintiff a summons for driving on a suspended license. The following day, he obtained a search warrant seeking the suspension notification form issued to that plaintiff by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

Based on Holmes nine years of experience with the county police department, he believed that the plaintiff would keep, store and maintain the suspension notice at his residence, leading the magistrate to issue the warrant on the plaintiffs home.

That warrant, issued on a Sunday, was executed at midnight the following Friday. The officers searched the plaintiffs home for two hours and prohibited him or his fiancee, the suits second plaintiff, to leave their home. The officers were unable to locate the DMV notification form.

Given those circumstances, the plaintiff alleges that Holmes and his fellow officers subjected him to unlawful search and seizure, and further alleged that Holmes has a history and practice of targeting African-American males for vehicles stops and intrusive searches. He asserts that the application for a search warrant was also, in part, racially motivated.

In his ruling, Conrad said that factors in the buildup to and execution of the search provide Holmes with qualified immunity from civil claims as an officer of the countys police department.

The doctrine of qualified immunity, he writes, protects government officials insofar as their conduct does not violate clearly established  rights of which a reasonable person would have known and provides ample room for mistaken judgments for anyone that isnt plainly incompetent or obviously violating the law.

While the plaintiffs assert that there was no showing that evidence sought in the search would aid in convicting the plaintiff of a traffic offense, Conrad called such an argument unpersuasive. To convict someone of driving on a suspended license, the state must prove that the driver had received the actual notice that his license had been suspended. Even though Holmes had proof from the DMV showing the driver had been sent notice of his suspension, that fact could be rebutted with evidence that the driver hadnt received the suspension notice.

Therefore, it is not unreasonable for Holmes to seek out the suspension notice in pursuit of the plaintiffs prosecution, the judge ruled.

The second argument, which asserts that Holmes had not provided any facts or circumstances that the suspension notice would be found at the plaintiffs home, presents an arguably closer question, the judge wrote, because time is a crucial element of probable cause.

The plaintiff in the case had argued that because his privilege to drive had been suspended 13 months before the search occurred, there was no reason for him to keep the notice for more than a year and it was absurd to think that [the officers] training would have provided information about where and for how long individuals keep, store and maintain motor vehicle documentation.

Conrad ruled that while that argument is not without force, it is still not entirely unreasonable for an officer to believe the relevant document was in the plaintiffs residence, and there had not been any evidence presented by the plaintiff to the contrary. Holmes was again granted qualified immunity.

Speaking to the allegation that the time of the warrant execution violated the plaintiffs Fourth Amendment rights, Conrad said he was unable to agree because the warrant entitled the officers to conduct their search either in day or night.

While Conrad agreed that the warrant execution occurred at a highly intrusive time, the U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled that the Fourth Amendment prohibits nighttime searches, and the plaintiff presents no case law to suggest otherwise.

Conrad did rule that the allegations that Holmes search was racially motivated and in violation of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection for all citizens under state law, were indeed plausible. If the allegations that Holmes has a history and practice of targeting African-American men for traffic stops and searches can be taken as factual, then the claim could go forward. Holmes motion to drop that charge was denied.

Albemarle County was also named in the lawsuit, which claimed the county took no disciplinary or other corrective action to address Holmes behavior following a series of complaints prior to the lawsuits lodged against him. In his ruling, Conrad stated that it is difficult to prove that a municipality is liable for the actions of one of its agents, but simply alleging such a claim is, by definition, easier.

With that, he denied the countys motion to have that portion of the suit dismissed.

Attorneys for Holmes and the county did not respond to requests for comment. It is unclear if Wednesdays ruling will affect the other two suits faced by Holmes.
RICHMOND  The University of Virginia will receive a $2 million gift from politics professor Larry J. Sabato to launch a $30 million expansion of the Center for Politics.

The fundraising initiative will expand the physical space as the well as provide endowments to support educational programs that further the center's mission of civic education and participation, Sabato, the center's founding director, said Tuesday.

The timing  amid a contentious presidential campaign  proves why the center's mission is so important, he said.

"We need to regenerate interest in and participation in politics," Sabato, known for his Crystal Ball political predictions, said.

"We've ended up with two unpopular presidential nominees," he said, and while most people have "chosen up sides and will hold their nose and vote, this isn't the way the system is supposed to work."

Funds from the campaign will go toward construction of additional facilities for the center, which will be built adjacent to its current home in the Montesano house on North Grounds.

The estimated cost of the new building is just over $12 million. Half of that amount must be raised and the remainder pledged before construction will begin.

The new spaces will include a library, classroom, public assembly space and student study areas.

"We've run out of room," Sabato said.

But the fund drive, which is part of a larger campaign for the university's bicentennial, also will be used to finance student internship stipends, civic program endowments and two endowed professorships.

The center promotes civic engagement that can be "life-changing," Sabato said. "It was for me."

Sabato, a UVa graduate who campaigned for President John F. Kennedy as a parochial school student, said the stipends will help support UVa students in internships with elected officials.

The center, founded 18 years ago, has created a K-12 civics education program for teachers, and this week welcomed 25 representatives from the Middle East and North Africa for a month-long Democracy fellowship.

Sabato's contribution is in addition to nearly $2.1 million he has donated during his tenure at UVa in support of a variety of causes, including the School of Medicines pancreatic cancer program, the library, AccessUVA and the Cavalier Marching Band.

Sabato said this contribution combines both his passion for the university and for politics.

Before he asks others to join the campaign, he said, "it helps to ante up" first.

He is giving up all naming rights, so the opportunity is open to other potential donors.

"I'm an academic. I simply saved a lot and I invested," he said of the source of his donation.

His annual UVa salary is $400,000, he said, "and I started at $15,000 a year 38 years ago."

In a sense, the university is benefiting from all the vacations he hasn't taken  his last was in 1982, when he went to Virginia Beach for a week.

"After the second day, I was completely bored," he said.
CULPEPER  The Democratic nominee for the 7th District congressional seat recently hired key campaign staff members.

Eileen Bedell on Tuesday announced Grant Hallmark as her campaign manager and Culpeper resident Leonore Jordan as her campaign finance director.

The Richmond-area attorney also launched a new campaign website: bedellforvirginia.com.

Bedell attended law school at the College of William & Mary and began her practice in Central Virginia almost 20 years ago. She is married with two children.

Rep. Dave Brat, R-7th, is seeking his second term representing the district, which includes Culpeper, Orange, Louisa and the western suburbs of Richmond.
Following the General Assemblys Joint Commission on Health Cares review of legal exemptions to otherwise mandatory childhood vaccines, several organizations such as the Virginia Department of Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics  and hundreds of people  added their voices to the fray.

The commission heard from its staff Wednesday about hundreds of comments it received during a public comment period that ended Sept. 3. No action was taken, as the commission is only seeking to make recommendations to the General Assembly.

The comment period was part of the commissions inquiry into vaccinations because of a bill proposed  and then killed  during the latest General Assembly session that would have removed nonmedical exemptions, including religious reasons, for childhood vaccines from the state law.

The commission received more than 800 emails during the public comment period. Only five of the emails advocated that the General Assembly change the law to remove nonmedical exemptions.

Another 674 emails requested no action be taken regarding vaccine exemptions, which would mean leaving religious exemptions in the law as a legal reason to not vaccinate children. The additional emails were duplicates.

The Virginia Department of Health informed the commission that it is in favor of taking no action, and justified that position in commission documents because of the low exemption rates and relatively high vaccine coverage rates, and low morbidity from vaccine preventable diseases.

But the department also indicated that removing religious exemptions may be a reasonable option, stating in commission documents that religious exemption rates, especially for private schools, are continuing a long term upward trend ... it may be reasonable to take action now to address the issue before it becomes a problem.

Virginia has a 1.1 percent vaccine exemption rate.

The department was joined in its position not to make any changes to the law by the Childrens Medical Safety Research Institute, the Family Foundation, the Home School Legal Defense Association, the National Vaccine Information Center, the Center for Medical Freedom, and Virginians for Medical Freedom.

Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics  which late last month called on states to remove nonmedical exemptions from laws and advised pediatricians that they may turn away patients whose parents refused to have them vaccinated  informed the commission that it is in favor of removing religious exemptions.

The academy listed other policy options the General Assembly could take that it would support, including providing funding for the Virginia Department of Health to design more effective vaccination program messages, and for the continued education of physicians; and that the Department of Education work with public and private schools to ensure they are reporting low vaccination rates in a timely manner.

***

The commission also heard a report from its staff regarding another divisive issue Wednesday  life-sustaining treatments.

The report was conducted at the request of Del. Christopher P. Stolle, R-Virginia Beach, who asked that the commission study the current regulatory requirements regarding life-prolonging care and make recommendations for legislative changes.

The topic revolves around what to do should the wishes of a patient  or those of the patients guardian or family  clash with the physicians when the patient is near the end of his or her life.

Virginia is one of 15 states that allows physicians to refuse providing treatment. The law states that if a physician does not deem the patients requested care to be medically appropriate, he or she should make a reasonable effort to transfer the patient to another facility that can provide them with the requested care.

But the law does not indicate what should happen if a transfer to another facility is unsuccessful.

The report listed several policy options that the General Assembly could take, ranging from requiring hospitals to have steps in place should conflicts between physicians and patients arise or allowing physicians to stop the care they deem to be inappropriate at the end of the 14-day period.

Andrew Mitchell, the senior health policy analyst with the commission that gave the report, brought up the case of Mirranda Grace Lawson, a 2-year-old who choked on a piece of popcorn earlier this year and has been on life support at VCU Medical Center since May.

Mirranda Graces parents are battling in court, requesting that VCU Healths request to perform a test to see if their daughter is brain dead be denied. Her parents think she is alive, while VCU Health physicians argue that she is not.

The Virginia Supreme Court has denied the hospitals request to perform the test, following a Richmond Circuit Court decision that said the hospital could perform the test.

According to the joint commissions report, over the past year in Virginia there have been at least 274 instances of a hospital ethics committee  which steps in when physicians and patients disagree  becoming involved after physicians decline to provide treatment to patients.

In 66 percent of those cases, the patient had expressed treatment preferences for end-of-life care in advanced directives, but conflicts still arose.
At a conference last year, armed with glittery confetti and a roll of scotch tape, we slipped out the door. Two doors into spreading cheer around the conference hotel, we paused at a long, narrow table opposite the hotel elevator doors. We knew that our next friend was still awake and we needed to get in and get out as quickly as possible. To get ready, we looped pieces of tape around our fingers and stuck them to confetti for the door. There we were, each with ten pieces of sticky paper on our fingers and bags of glitter on the table in front of us when a member of the housekeeping staff walked around the corner carrying an armful of towels. We froze. She pressed a button on the elevator.
This page may be updated if the event is repeated

Past Event - Friday, November 17, 2017 This page may be updated if the event is repeated

Free Event

Join Christians across Miami Valley in a special time of Celebration and Prayer.

A Truly unique Worship Service focusing on Prayer for the lost souls of the Miami valley, unity in the Body of Christ, and the safety of our community and country.

The Concert of Prayer is an evening of Worship unto the Lord, giving individuals from across Miami valley the opportunity to Pray as one body.

The Concert of Prayer focuses on the Lost, the Church , and our Community.
I will start with a disclosure -- I like automatics. I simply like the experience of driving the two-pedal variant, where my left leg rests on a dead pedal while driving in traffic. Now, my second disclosure -- I like the concept of compact SUV too. Lakhs of people have been driving the compact SUVs for years now. The existence of compact SUVs as a body style is questionable, but one cannot deny the sheer utility they bring to the table. Most importantly, the compact SUVs are as easy to drive as a sedan.

With the hopped up ground clearance and the large bootspace, they are just the right balance of being the weekend wheels and deal with the daily grind as well. In fact, when I had the Duster AMT at my disposal, I chose it to get to work over my Polo TSi just because I didn't have to be too careful over an odd pothole. And having driven the Creta on a long weekend haul, I know it is capable of a comfortable roadtrip. So when I had the chance to put them to the test together, I knew it would be an interesting battle.

Interesting, because in spite of being in the same category and costing roughly the same, the cars have polar opposite personalities. I cannot think of a rival pair that were so vastly different. For instance, the Duster makes no qualms about having a few extra pounds. The oversized wheel arches and the rounded edges all around make it look like a proper SUV, just scaled down to 75%. It isn't the best looker of the lot, I'll give you that - but, the updates that included new headlamps, LED taillamps and a new set of 16-inch black alloy wheels lend it a much-needed refresh.

The Creta, on the other hand, is a classic example of keeping the design 'safe'. There's practically nothing one would hate, save for the bland tail. In fact, it turns quite a few heads, even a full year after its launch. And Hyundai has recently updated the Creta automatic, so you will get the larger 17-inch gunmetal wheels instead of the 16-inchers you see here. What the Hyundai lacks, especially in comparison to the Duster, is presence. It doesn't make you give way when you spot it your rear view mirror and neither does it have the 'don't mess with me' aura about it. It is something that is elemental for an SUV in my books and possibly the only chink (design-wise) in the Creta's shining armour.

The insides are poles apart as well. Long story short, if you are picky about quality and finish, just head to the Hyundai showroom. The touch and feel of everything, right from the dashboard to the knobs and switches feel a notch above the Duster. But, my biggest grouse with the Renault isn't the quality or even the iffy ergonomics - it is the colour scheme. The brown and black mashup struggles to gel well together, and I'm glad that the AMT variant does not have the red highlights that the AWD variant gets. Both cars get a touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, steering-mounted controls, automatic air-conditioning and a reverse camera. The Creta offers leather upholstery, rear AC vents, a smart key and electrically foldable mirrors too.

Space isn't a big issue in either, and both can accommodate four adults with ease. If you have to carry a fifth passenger at most times, the Duster's extra width comes into play here. Also it feels like a bigger car on the inside too thanks to the large windows, but, the Creta doesn't give you that sense of feel.

The Hyundai is very 'car-like', even when you get going. The 1.6-litre diesel motor doesn't feel too gruff and is more than happy to oblige when you want to get somewhere in a hurry. It has a superior torque converter gearbox as well that has well-spaced ratios and minimal lag between shifts. Yes, it does moan and whine under kickdown, which is why we would recommend shifting to manual mode to get done with the overtaking. And, dare I say - it is possibly amongst the best riding Hyundais on sale today.

The suspension isn't overtly soft as the Hyundai cars from yesteryears and strikes a balance between ride quality, comfort and handling - with the bias being towards the first two, of course. It doesn't bob about too much when you go over an expansion joint on the highway and rides fairly flat at sane speeds. It does feel slightly twitchy after a while, which I'd have to blame the steering for. On the highway and while cornering, a little more communication would've been great. But, the steering is just what you would want when you are stuck in a crazy jam and want to take a quick u-turn to get out of the place.

The Duster's steering on the other hand is as chatty as SUV steerings can get. It does kick back a fair bit when you corner at high speeds, but does just fine when you aren't being a child with the throttle. The flipside, of course, is a heavy steering at low speeds. Ride quality is possibly the best in the segment and can shame a few sedans too. It gobbles up pretty much anything the roads throw at it. You will hear the bumps and the potholes, but will rarely feel it. I wouldn't blame you if you found an excuse to put the Duster through a pothole just to show off every now and then. I know I did a few times.

The higher ground clearance - 205mm vs 190mm - and the well-mannered suspension makes it the perfect highway cruiser that can take on the beaten path too. Don't get too carried away, though. The AMT is available with the FWD only and muck, slush and grass is a strict no no. Also, there's no 85PS version with two pedals either, just the full cream 110PS. The motor itself if a genuine workhorse and will soldier on through the years if you take good care.

You get a lot of turbo lag for the first two thousand clicks, post which you ride a gigantic surge of torque. You wouldn't be bothered too much about the lag in the manual version. But, the AMT tends to amplify it considering it isn't the quickest of the lot itself. Like most automated manual transmissions it is slightly jerky on the upshifts, especially if you have a heavy right foot. Weirdly enough, if you switch to 'Eco' mode, it doesn't feel all that stuttery.

So, which one deserves your hard earned money? Well, if you tend to drive around a lot within the city, the Creta automatic is the one to pick. The light steering and the supple ride quality is just what you need inside the urban jungle. The Duster fares better as the weekend roadtripper thanks to the bigger boot, the beautiful highway manners and, of course, cruise control. In the overall scheme of things, the Hyundai Creta is the better car, without a shade of a doubt - and is the logical, sane-headed choice. But, the Renault Duster continues to tug at the heart regardless of its shortcomings.

Source: Zigwheels.com
New Delhi: After tasting success in solar energy auctions which helped bring down tariffs, the government is looking to soon start bidding for the wind power sector, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.

"Solar power auctions have benefited immensely. It's (wind power auctions) on the way, its on the anvil. In fact I have just come from a meeting where I was telling my officers to speed that up," the New and Renewable Energy Minister said at a discussion at the Economist India summit here.

He further said: "Over the years, the wind people were so used to the feed-in tariffs that they were resisting it on the ground that its distributed all across small units, it won't work. But, I realise that pricing that you get out of these feed-in tariffs is never going to be the most optimal tariff."

Fortunately, the success of solar power tariffs has brought solar power prices down by 40 per cent in the last 12 to 17 months. It has become the benchmark for wind power, he added.

"So wind is suddenly started facing the wind of solar and their pricing is becoming unviable so now they are coming back to me and are ready and willing to go for the auctions," Goyal, who also holds the charge of Power, Coal and mines Ministries, said.

On high prices in the coal auctions impacting firms, he said: "I did not set the auction price. It was a free and frank and transparent and open auction. And everybody was free to bid who wanted the coal. I never asked the companies to bid a particular price more or less. I didn't interfere."

Taking a dig at the firms which bid in the auctions, Goyal said: "Private sector bid for that coal and they are so smart I am sure that they bid the right price... Now those smart people have bid for that coal, they pay for that coal.

"I think its a fair deal. you can't have a deal where the private sector is smart while they make money and they are not smart and it's my duty to bail them out when they lose money."

On increasing share of renewable energy in India's energy mix, the Minister said government has set a target achieving 40 per cent of installed capacity through renewables and reduce the carbon intensity of the GDP by 30-35 per cent by 2030.

Energy requirements of the growing economy would triple by 2030 and hence making the role of research, innovation and development key in addressing issues in a holistic manner, he stressed.

On climate change and India's role in it, Goyal said the country has its own development imperatives like bringing around 40 per cent of its population out of poverty, feeding the hungry, creating jobs and physical infrastructure.

India, though on path of reducing carbon intensity, would require some room in order to boost to its manufacturing sector, which in turn would ride on the back of coal generated power in the near future, he explained.

Goyal stressed that developed nations need to honour their commitments on helping developing nations with technology transfer and funding.
The government has come out with various measures for improving regional air connectivity and developing airports

New Delhi: Investments worth USD 6 billion are expected in the country's airport sector in five years with around USD 1 billion to be utilised for reviving aerodromes, a senior government official said today.

Bullish on future prospects of the domestic aviation sector, Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey said passenger growth is anticipated to be more than 30 per cent in the coming years.

In the new civil aviation policy, unveiled in June, the government has come out with various measures for improving regional air connectivity and developing airports, among others.

Speaking at the inauguration of the GAD Asia conference here, he said India would see investments of "USD 6 billion in five years in airports (sector)".

At current exchange rates, USD 6 billion would translate to nearly Rs 40,000 crore. Out of the estimated total amount, around USD 1 billion would be used for reviving airports while about USD 3 billion would be for upgrading aerodromes owned by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), he added.

As the domestic aviation space is projected to see substantial growth, Choubey said there would be need for around 100 small aircraft in the next three years. Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), the government seeks to revive un-served as well as under-served airports, among others.

Presently, around 75 out of 450 airstrips/airports have scheduled operations and revival of the remaining ones would be "demand driven", depending on firm demand from airline operators, as per the new civil aviation policy.

According to the policy, no-frills airports would be developed at an indicative cost of Rs 50-100 crore, without insisting on its financial viability.
Melba Pria Ambassador of Mexico to India and Ram Kumar Varadarajan, Honorary Counsul of Mexico, at a press meet to announce the inaugural of consulate of Mexico in Chennai on Thursday. (Photo: DC)

Chennai: Mexico and India are exploring possibilities of signing a free trade agreement, (FTA) to enhance trade ties between the two countries, the country's envoy to India said here on Tuesday. Ambassador of Mexico to India Melba Pria was in the city to throw open the Honorary Consulate General of the country.

A high-level trade delegation that visited India a few months ago had discussed the possibility of such an agreement with officials here and about 500 goods were identified in the first place for signing the agreement.

We are working on some sort of agreement like the FTA. Our very first Free Trade Agreement was with Japan. We are very much excited to have FTA (with India), she said.

Ms Pria also announced Ramkumar Vardarajan as the Honorary Consul General with jurisdiction throughout the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

The Honorary Consulate in Chennai will have an important role in promoting economic and cultural ties between Mexico and India. It will serve as liaison with the business community in this part of the country and will cater to the increasing number of Mexicans visiting southern India, a press release said.
New Delhi: Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said that India is not ready for bank privatisation and the present characteristics of PSU banks will continue except for IDBI Bank.

Mr Jaitley said that the top priority of the government is implementation of GST and was confident that tax rates will come down once the indirect taxation regime is put in place. He said that the challenge before the government is to put PSU banks back on track and continue to operationalise stalled infrastructure projects to further boost economic activity.

We are trying to consolidate some of the banks, which may otherwise find it difficult in a competitive environment. In one case we are thinking of reducing the government stake to 49 per cent in IDBI Bank, said Mr Jaitley.

He said that in a consolidated manner they would probably continue to be in the present state. But I think India still realises that there has been a very important role that some of these banks have performed, he said.

On why privatisation in financial space is not taking place, he said, In order to reach a particular level of reform you have to evolve into that stage of public opinion. In funding large part of social sector in India, public sector banks, despite competition had a far larger contribution.

According to finance minister, the public or political opinion is still to converge to a point where one can start thinking in terms of any form of privatisation in the sector. Some selective reforms do take place, for instance, we have announced a policy that government holdings (in banks) to be brought down to 52 per cent, he pointed out.

On implementation of GST from April 2017, Mr Jaitley said, We look ahead, its a very stiff target, we are running against time. I would certainly like to give it a try.
Mumbai: Sindh Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Sardar Ali Shah has strongly reacted to Ashutosh Gowariker's recently released flick 'Mohenjo Daro' and asked the director to tender an apology for distorting facts. Shah said that this film has made a mockery of highly developed culture of the 5000-year-old civilization, reports the Dawn.

He said that he would soon communicate Sindh's reaction and objections to 'the director concerned'. According to Shah, the movie depicted nothing but figments of imagination of filmmakers and had nothing to do with history of Mohenjo-Daro. He added that the world had widely acknowledged the importance of the heritage sites of Sindh, which was evident from the fact that Makli necropolis and Mohenjo-Daro had been included in the list of international heritage sites and UNESCO was caring for them in coordination with the government.

Shah is not the only one who has taken offense over the artistic liberty taken by Gowariker. The movie faced flak of many historians, starting right from the release of its trailer.

Released on August 12, 'Mohenjo Daro' marks the debut of Pooja Hegde and is produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Sunita Gowariker.

The film brings an epic adventure-romance story on the silver screen. It is set in the city of Mohenjo Daro in the era of the Indus Valley civilisation which dates back to 2,600 BC.

'Mohenjo Daro' is Hrithik's second collaboration with Gowariker after the 2008 film Jodhaa Akbar.
TIRUPATI: The Rashtra Jatheeya Upadhyaya Parishat has lodged a police complaint against film director Ram Gopal Varma for a series of tweets on Teachers Day. On September 5, the film-maker had put out a series of tweets from his verified handle @RGVzoomin, using the hashtag #UnHappyTeachersDay, one of which featured a bottle of Teachers whisky. RJUP state president T. Gopal filed a complaint at Muthyalareddypalli police station in Tirupati on Tuesday demanding action action against Varma for hurting the sentiments of teachers. He said the tweets reflected his mental imbalance and was highly deplorable.

In Vijayawada, Mr Mukala Apparao, the editor of Upadyaya Vani, the official monthly magazine of the state teachers union, sought action against the film-maker for defaming teachers. Vijayawada police commissioner D. Goutam Sawang said the police was examining under which sections the cases could be booked.

In his series of tweets, the film-maker had said, I never learnt but I always taught, so I am wishing myself Happy Teachers Day... I hated all my teachers nd thats why I bunked classes nd saw films nd thats why I became filmmaker (sic)." In other tweets, he said, I became more successful than all my teachers and that proves that I knew much more than all my teachers... More than from teachers, I learnt from bullies in class who gave my first insights into rebel psychology which I employed in Shiva, Satya, etc (sic)"

I used to hate my teachers because they used to constantly disrupt me from reading comic books in class ? The worst days of my life were when I was being forcefully taught by my teachers (sic).
On the same day, the duo took her inside the dense Khanapur forest and raped her. (Representational image)

Belagavi: In a shocking incident, a minor girl who was kidnapped and gangraped by three persons for over last two-and-a-half months in Belagavi, has been rescued by the police on Monday. After her kidnap on June 20 from Khanapur, the three kidnappers had kept her captive in a room at Azam Nagar in Belagavi.

Two men from Nagoda, Khanapur, identified as Gopal Parwadkar (27) and Balram Naik (27) abducted the girl from Khanapur under the pretext of dropping her to her father, who they said was waiting for her on June 20. On the same day, the duo took her inside the dense Khanapur forest and raped her.

According to the police, they later took her to Azam Nagar in Belagavi, where they were joined by their friend Ramesh Chougala and all three gangraped her for several days in a room.

After exploiting her for several days in June and July, the two allegedly sold her to Ramesh, who kept her in Azam Nagar and raped her until the police traced the girl on Monday.

Meanwhile, a case was lodged by girl's parents at Khanapur after she went missing in June. The police did come across some clues, but they could not trace her for some time. The incident of gangrape came to light only after she was traced by the police.

Soon after the girl was traced, the police arrested Ramesh in Belagavi and got to know the identity of the two other kidnappers, who are yet to be arrested and manhunt is on to nab them. Khanapur police have registered a case against the trio.
The bail was granted by Justice Jitendra Mohan Sharma to Shahabuddin in the case. (Photo: Representational Image)

Patna: The Patna High Court today granted bail to controversial RJD leader Mohammad Shahbuddin in a case of murder of a witness in the killing of two brothers in Siwan by bathing them in acid.

The bail was granted by Justice Jitendra Mohan Sharma to Shahabuddin in the case.

The petitioner's counsel Y V Giri told the court that the allegation against Shahabuddin in the killing of witness Rajiv Roshan was baseless as he was lodged in Bhagalpur jail since 2014 while the incident took place in Siwan the next year.

The RJD strongman and four-term former MP from Siwan is at present lodged in Bhagalpur jail.

In a chilling incident, two brothers were killed in Siwan in 2004 by bathing them in acid. Their elder brother Rajiv Roshan who was an eyewitness in the case was shot dead in 2015.

Giri claimed that his client has secured bail in all cases against him and would walk out of jail soon.
New Delhi: Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasingh Tawde was on Wednesday charged-sheeted by the CBI for the 2013 broad daylight killing of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar.

The Samiti allegedly considered Dabholkar dharma drohi (traitor to religion). The CBI filed a chargesheet before Judicial Magistrate First Class, Pune, against Tawde, an ENT surgeon who gave up his practice in 2001 to become member of Sanatan Sanstha, levelling charges under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and murder.

The motive for the murder of Narendra Dab-holkar was allegedly the long enmity/hatred that existed between two private organisations. Nar-endra Dabholkar was the founder of a Satara-based organisation (Andha-shraddha Nirmulan Samiti) and the accused was part of another private organisation based at Kolhapur (Sanatan Sanstha), CBI spokesperson said.

The agency has managed to piece together links of Tawde with Sanstha, the shooter-killer Vinay Pawar and another person involved in criminal conspiracy Sarang Akolkar, who is wanted by the NIA in Goa blast case.

A Red Corner Notice is pending against him, sources in the agency said. The piece of evidence with the CBI are emails of Tawde, besides testimony of some persons whose help was sought in the murder of Dabholkar. The slain activists campaign against superstitious practices resulted in Maharashtra enacting a law to check them.
New Delhi: Aam Admi Party leader Ashutosh will meet NCW chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam on Thursday after he was summoned for his controversial blog defending sacked party minister Sandeep Kumarover an "objectionable CD".

Ashutosh tweeted on Wednesday, "I have decided to appear before NCW tomorrow as I have been asked by the panel, to present my views (sic)."

He will visit the National Commission For Women office at 11:30 am on Thursday.

NCW summoned Ashutosh for his blog on NDTV website titled, "The Sex Was Consensual, Private Act. Why AAP Punished Its Man."

In the blog Ashutosh, referring to Sandeep Kumar, asked, "What wrong has the man done?"

He wrote, "This video encompasses pictures of a man and woman indulging in a sexual act. The video clearly establishes that both individuals knew each other and consented to sex in a private space away from the public glare."

"...The question then is that if two consenting adults are physically involved with each other, is it a crime?"

While issuing summons Kumaramangalam said, "The summons are in response to what we feel is a very reprehensible and demeaning blog Ashutosh wrote, where he defended a man accused of rape."

She also said that Ashutosh was wrong to jump the gun and pronounce Sandeep Kumarinnocent when a police investigation was on.

The NCW chairperson said it did not behove a party spokesperson to defend a party MLA accused of a sexual crime.

She had said, "The Commission has taken a note in the larger interest because we feel that as a spokesperson of a party that governs Delhi and a party whose members have been accused of many incidents of violence against women he should not be writing a blog like this which reeks of patriarchy and misogyny."

Ashutosh had on Monday taken to Twitter to attack NCW chairperson for issuing him summons. He had tweeted, I hope Lalitha Kumarmangalam, member of BJP Nat Ex/chairman NCW is summoning every writer who wrote about consensual sex. NO pick and choose (sic).
Srinagar: The All Party Delegation (APD), which visited the unrest-hit Kashmir this week, achieved "nothing" and there is "no sense of urgency" to control the situation, National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today.

"I'm struggling to find a single achievement that the all party delegation can lay claim to after visiting J&K. Nothing comes to mind as yet!" Omar tweeted.

His tweet came shortly after the members of the delegation, which was headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, met in New Delhi to discuss the outcome of the two-day visit on September 4 and 5 to Kashmir. The delegation issued a statement, appealing for peace in the Valley.

Read: Talk to all in Kashmir, but don't take violence: all-party team to Centre

Omar said if the delegation had to issue just an appeal, it could have done it without visiting the Valley.

"If all they had to do was issue this tame & sterile appeal they could very easily have done so without wasting the time and money on a visit," he said.

"75 people have died, 1000s of civilians & security personnel have been injured and there is no sense of urgency in getting a grip on things!" he added.

A unanimous statement of the APD released appealed to the people of the state to shun the path of violence and resolve all the issues through dialogue and discussion.

Earlier, Omar asked Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to own the "responsibility" for the current situation in the Valley.

"It's time for @MehboobaMufti to stop blaming everyone around her & take responsibility for mess J&K is in," Omar said.

He was commenting on Mehbooba's statement on Tuesday in which she had blamed separatists for the continuing violence.
The members of the delegation, headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, met in Delhi on Wednesday and discussed the outcome of their interactions with the civil society, (Photo: HU Naqash/ DC)

New Delhi: The all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir this week on Wednesday asked the Central and the state governments to take steps for a dialogue with "all stakeholders" but asserted that there can be no compromises on the issue of national sovereignty.

The members of the delegation, headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, met in Delhi on Wednesday and discussed the outcome of their interactions with the civil society, political parties and government officials during the visit on September 4 and 5.

A unanimous statement of the delegation released after the meeting appealed to the people of the state to shun the path of violence and resolve all issues through dialogue and discussion.

Without making any reference to separatists including Hurriyat Conference, the statement asked the Central and state governments "to take steps for a dialogue with all stakeholders". While some opposition leaders met Hurriyat Conference leaders lodged in various sub jails, hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani refused to meet them.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party has sought that "normalcy be restored in the state" and that the Centre must consult political parties in the state.

Expressing serious concern over the prevailing situation in the state, the statement said the members of the delegation were of the view that there is no place for violence in a civilised society.

"There can be no compromises on the issues of national sovereignty," it added.

The meeting asked both the governments to take steps to ensure that education institutions, government offices and commercial establishment start functioning normally at the earliest.

They requested the government to take effective steps to ensure security for all citizens and provide medical treatment to citizens and security personnel injured in agitation.

After the meeting, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said that he had favoured some confidence building measures immediately which included banning the pellet guns, medical help to the injured and probe alleged excesses by the security forces.

Rajnath Singh had briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday on the visit and will meet President Pranab Mukherjee this evening. The government is contemplating a crackdown on Kashmir separatists who snubbed individual members of the all-party delegation.
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting here with his cabinet colleagues on Wednesday over a likely announcement from the Central government on either the grant of special category status to the state or a special economic package for AP.

In New Delhi, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Y Satyanarayana Chowdary and Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh had a meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on the issue.

Chandrababu held the emergency meeting with some of his cabinet colleagues, discussing the happenings in the national capital.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to make an announcement on the things that are likely to be delivered to AP in accordance with the Reorganisation Act, 2014.

It is understood that Chandrababu has been invited to New Delhi this afternoon but there is no word from his office here on whether he will make it for the trip. "Indications are that the Centre may announce a special package to the state. There is no clarity on whether it will grant special status as is being demanded," a CMO official said.

In Delhi, Satyanarayana Chowdary said the Centre wanted to refer the special status issue to the National Development Council.

"But we are insisting on special status without any reference to the NDC as it will only further delay the process," he said.

There is also stalemate over the establishment of a new railway zone at Visakhapatnam with the Centre pointing to objections raised by Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

In the event, there are talks now that a new railway zone may be set up with Vijayawada as the headquarters. "The Chief Minister is in constant touch with our people in New Delhi on all issues. There will be some clarity later in the afternoon," the official said.
New Delhi: Embarrassed by Anna Hazare's sharp criticism of Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party over the conduct of some of its leaders, the party on Tuesday said his concerns were "genuine" and show his "affection" for the party.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is on a visit to Goa where Assembly polls are due next year, said the concerns raised by Hazare were "genuine". The party, he said, took "quick and strong" action against anyone found in the "wrong".

Senior AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said the criticism shows Hazare's "affection" for the party. "That is why he felt hurt. Anna ji is very revered for us. But (even if) any common citizen had given such a reaction then it is worth taking a note of," he said.

Last week, Kejriwal, who is also the party chief, had sacked Sandeep Kumar both as a minister and a party member, over an alleged sex scandal. Hazare -- a rights activist who led an anti-corruption movement that later became a launch pad for AAP -- said he was "very saddened" to see that some colleagues of Mr Kejriwal have gone to jail, while some others were "indulging in fraud".

Former AAP member and Swaraj Abhiyan's Yogendra Yadav, however, alleged that Kejriwal never took Anna seriously.

Hitting out at AAP, Yadav said while Hazare had censured the party in the past, his comments have a tone of "finality" this time.

"I didn't see Arvind (Kejriwal) taking Anna seriously at all even when we were in the party," he said. "While Anna has criticised AAP in the past, the indictment seems more severe because it is more comprehensive and there is a tone of finality. You don't use expressions like 'my dream is shattered' every day."
protesters burn wood on the highway in Mandya on Tuesday against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu

Mandya: Mandya has become the epicentre of protests against the release of Cauvery water to TN as per the Supreme Court verdict. Life in the district came to a standstill on Tuesday with commercial establishments and educational institutions remaining closed.

Bus services on the Mysuru-Bengaluru section were thrown out of gear as KSRTC suspended buses going towards Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu. Private vehicles were stopped at various locations in the district following the agitation.

Vehicles were lined up for kilometers in both directions as people blocked the highway by setting tyres on fire and staging dharnas. Glass panes of two trucks were broken in stone pelting in Mandya city. However, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

With temper running high, protesters ransacked the Congress office and broke chairs. They also tore the flex boards with pictures of CM Siddaramaiah and PM Narendra Modi put up near Sanju Circle.

Activists belonging to a pro-Kannada organisation barged into the irrigation department office, broke flower pots and damaged the glass panes of the notice board. Police reached the spot and took some persons into custody.

Some youths pulled down the cutout of former minister and MLA M.H. Ambarish put up in the heart of the city while others targeted the portrait of former MP Ramya and the state counsel in the Supreme Court Fali Nariman.

Tension prevailed at KRS with hundreds of farmers laying siege to the dam. Police posted a large police force and para-military personnel at the dam site.

The cops thwarted efforts by farmers to enter the dam. Traders extended their full support by downing shutters while private bus operators, autorickshaw associations and others also suspended operations as a mark of support.
New Delhi: CBI has charged Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasing Tawde with criminal conspiracy and murder in connection with the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in 2013.

The Samiti is allegedly linked with Sanatan Sanstha, which had come under the scanner for the murder of another rationalist Govind Pansare in February 2015.

CBI sources said the charge sheet was filed against Tawde under the sections of 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of IPC among other charges.

The Bombay High Court in May 2014 had handed over the matter to the CBI to probe the murder of Dabholkar, an anti-superstition activist, in broad daylight on August 20, 2013.

The agency had arrested Tawde in June this year.

An alleged follower of 'Sanatan Sanstha' activist Sarang Akolkar, against whom a Red Corner Notice was issued by Interpol in July 2012 in connection with the 2009 Goa blast case on NIA request, is also under the scanner of the agency, they said.
Narendra Dabholkars son Hamid said CBI's move to charge Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasing Tawde in connection with his fathers killing is a positive step.

Pune: The son of murdered Narendra Dabholkar has welcomed CBI's move to charge Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasing Tawde in connection with his fathers killing, saying it is a positive step and demanding the others wanted in the case be arrested soon.

"It is a positive step. However, Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar are still absconding and CBI should arrest them as early as possible," Hamid said.

Pointing out that CBI has still not been able to trace the bike and pistol used in the murder of Dabholkar, Hamid said the probing agency should recover these objects.

"Since both Akolkar and Pawar, who are Sanatan Sanstha members, are at large, they are posing as a danger to the society and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and CBI should now intensify their search and arrest them," he said.

Hamid also said if Sanatan Sanstha feels the absconding suspects (Akolkar and Pawar) are innocent, it should ask them to surrender in court and prove their innocence.

CBI has charged Virendrasing Tawde with criminal conspiracy and Murderin connection with the murder of Dabholkar in 2013.

The Samiti is allegedly linked with Sanatan Sanstha, which had come under the scanner for the murder of another rationalist Govind Pansare in February 2015.

CBI sources said the charge sheet was filed against Tawde under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) among other charges.

The Bombay High Court in May 2014 had handed over the matter to CBI to probe the Murder of Dabholkar.

On August 20, 2013, the anti-superstition activist was shot dead by two unidentified men while he was on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge.

The agency had arrested Tawde in June this year.

Sarang Akolkar, an alleged follower of Sanatan Sanstha, against whom a Red Corner Notice was issued by Interpol in July 2012 in connection with the 2009 Goa blast case on NIA request, is also under the scanner of the agency.
Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey today said India and Greece have signed an MoU for Air Services Agreement (ASA) under the 'open sky' policy. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: India on Wednesday inked a preliminary pact with Greece for bilateral Air Services Agreement that proposes to allow unlimited points of call for domestic airlines in the European nation.

Seeking to improve international air connectivity for Indian carriers, the government has been entering into air services pacts with many countries besides making efforts to re-negotiate existing agreements.

Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey today said India and Greece have signed an MoU for Air Services Agreement (ASA) under the 'open sky' policy.

"We have (proposed) to give six points of call and India will have unlimited points of call in Greece," he said on the sidelines of an event in Delhi.

Once inked, it would be the first such ASA with Greece, which is known for its tourist spots and scenic beauty.

According to Choubey, this is also the first MoU with a country under the provisions of the new civil aviation policy.

As per the policy, the government would enter into an 'open sky' air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries with territory located entirely beyond a 5,000 kilometre radius from New Delhi.

"Unlimited flights above the existing bilateral rights will be allowed directly to and from major international airports within the country as notified by Ministry of Civil

Aviation from time to time," it said.

However, the points of call at other airports under the existing air service agreements would continue to be honoured till the same are renegotiated.

Meanwhile, the ministry would hold discussions with local airlines on bilaterals before starting negotiations with Dubai.

The ministry would have discussions with "domestic airlines on bilaterals before September 20... before negotiating seat entitlements with Dubai," Choubey said.

Last month, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju had said the government is ready to open negotiations with the Gulf nations in general and Dubai in particular to enhance the bilateral air traffic rights between the two markets.

"For the past two years, there has been a tremendous improvement in the utilisation levels of the bilaterals by our airlines with the Gulf nations. While it is 80 per cent for the region as a whole, with Dubai it is over 90 per cent now.

"And with the limits being reached, we are ready to open negotiations with them again. I think we should begin with Dubai shortly," he had said.

Between India and the Gulf, around 4.2 lakh seats are available every week, with Dubai leading the chart with 66,504 seats each per week.

For the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), the Civil Aviation Ministry expects to soon ink pacts with Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh, Choubey said.

Already, it has signed MoUs with Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jharkhand for RCS.
New Delhi: India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to lodge a strong protest over the "discourtesy" shown to India's envoy to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale.

"Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned today to the Ministry of External Affairs and conveyed the concern of Government of India by Secretary (West) (Sujata Mehta) on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Basit was conveyed India's view on the discourtesy towards Bambawale by Karachi Chamber of Commerce that cancelled an event at the last minute. Bambawale was scheduled to speak at the event, invite for which was received and accepted by him a couple of weeks ago.

"He (Basit) was also conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance," Swarup said.

Bambawale, who was on his first visit to Karachi after assuming charge in January this year, was told about the cancellation just half an hour before the event.

The organisers did not give a reason immediately for the cancellation. However, the Indian officials felt that Bambawale's comments on Monday on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir which was India's internal matter had "rattled the Pakistani authorities, prompting a cancellation".

During an interactive session organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Bambawale had taken a swipe at Pakistan over its interference in Kashmir, saying people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.
New Delhi: Alleging that its Kerala state president Kummanam Rajasekharan was the target of a bomb attack on its Thiruvananthapuram office, BJP on Wednesday accused the states Left government of supporting violent attacks by CPI(M) cadres on the members of the party and RSS.

Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman also rejected the CPI(M)s claim that it had nothing to do with the incident and said there should be an impartial probe into the attacks on saffron activists as these have steadily risen since the Left alliance came to power in May this year.

She told a press conference that CPI(M) workers were running the police stations in the state and no case was registered and action taken on complaints of the BJP and RSS workers while they were being booked in false cases.

One thing that has steadily increased since the CPI(M) came to power is political violence, which is reflective of what has always happened under its governments in the stateUnfortunately, the political party which gives the violence its support is in power. The government is indirectly encouraging violence, she said.

We suspect this attack was an attack on our president Not even one accused has been rounded up in cases of attacks on the RSS workers, she said.

The incident occurred last night shortly after the BJP state president had left the office for Kozhikode where preparations were on for the partys three-day National Council meeting from September 23.

BJP and RSS workers were being targeted across the state since the new government took over, Sitharaman said, accusing the Left cadres of following Kannur modal in various other places. Kannur has been a Left citadel and has had a history of violent clashes between the CPI(M) and Hindutva activists.

The state government is indirectly supporting the attacks. CPI(M) workers would act as if they are running the government. Action (by police) depends only on the basis of political affiliations, she said.

Sitharaman said it was shocking the attacks were continuing even after a BJP delegation had met President Pranab Mukherjee in this regard.

Taking a dig at CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury over his remarks on Kashmir, she said he should first go to Kerala to usher in peace and harmony there as his party was in power.

Asked about Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhis attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP during his campaign in Uttar Pradesh, she said he can say a lot of things due to the Assembly polls in the state but his party was not coming back to power there.
Mumbai: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and put forward his demand for a full-time Home Minister, following recent attacks on police personnel in the state.

"We are not demanding that there should be a separate Home Minister merely because we have a penchant to do so. The police, society and the state want a full-time minister, a Home minister who can function efficiently," he told reporters after the meeting.

Thackeray met Fadnavis over the concerns harboured by families of policemen after the attacks.

Uddhav also sought stringent action against those involved in attempted drowning of a policeman during immersion of Ganesh idol in Kalyan in Thane district.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister said a committee will be formed to address issues related to police and families. Their family members will be included in this committee, he said.

Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, is "capable and competent, but has been overburdened by work lately," Sena chief said.

"I think the Home Department needs a separate minister to check attacks on police.

"I demanded three things from the CM -- safety of cops in state, proper implementation of law, and strict punishment to attackers," the Sena president said.

Thackeray, who met Fadnavis at his official residence Varsha in Malabar Hill area of South Mumbai, was accompanied by a few Sena ministers Subhash Desai, Diwakar Raote and Deepak Kesarkar and families of policemen. Kesarkar is the Minister of State for Home.

The police families residing in Worlis BDD chawl had expressed their anger over the attack on traffic cop Vilas Shinde, who was allegedly beaten up by two youths following which he succumbed to his injuries on August 31.

Fadnavis said the government will consider all demands of the families of police personnel.

He informed them of various initiatives taken by the state government for police welfare, including full day salary for working on holiday, inclusion of police in PM Awas Yojna and provision of Rs 2,000 crore for police housing this year.

He also assured them of setting up of a committee to address their issues and inclusion of their family members in the panel.

The chief minister also informed that the government was working on some unique initiatives for police health, and to increase interaction between police and public.

A skill training programme for wives of policemen is also being planned.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had also recently spoken against the incident and met the families of policemen.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said Ganpat Gaikwad, the independent MLA from Kalyan East who now supports BJP, had intervened in the Kalyan matter. "This is a serious issue," he said
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe in Vientiane in Laos on Wednesday where they will both be present to attend the ASEAN summit.

On the eve of his visit to Laos to attend ASEAN and East Asia Summits, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday night said India wishes to enhance physical and digital connectivity with the South East Asian nations and leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit.

"ASEAN is a key partner for our 'Act East' policy, which is vital for the economic development of our Northeastern region, he said in a statement ahead of his two-day visit that begins on Wednesday. In Vientiane, the capital of Laos, Modi will attend the 14th ASEAN-India Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit. "Our strategic partnership with ASEAN is also important for safeguarding and promoting our security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region," he wrote in a Facebook post.

He added that East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region. Noting that India's ties with the countries of South East Asia are "truly historic", he said, "our engagement and approach can be best encapsulated in just one word - connectivity."

"We wish to enhance our physical and digital connectivity; to see greater people to people links; to strengthen our institutional linkages; and, to leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit of all our people," the Prime Minister said. During the visit, he said he will also have the opportunity to interact with the leaders of participating countries to discuss bilateral issues of mutual concern.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant protection from arrest to music composer Vishal Dadlani for allegedly making scathing remarks against Jain monk Tarun Sagar and asked him to move the high court.

A bench of Justices V Gopala Gowda and Adarsh Kumar Goel also declined Dadlani's prayer for quashing of FIR lodged against him in Haryana, saying he could approach the concerned high court.

Advocate Karuna Nundy, appearing for Dadlani, sought protection from arrest, saying if the FIR is not quashed, he could be arrested by the police.

The counsel also urged that protection from arrest could at least be granted to Dadlani till they moved the high court. The bench, however, declined the prayers and asked him to move the high court for relief.

An FIR was lodged against Dadlani by the Ambala Cantt police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with his sarcastic tweet on the Jain monk.

The FIR also named Tahseen Poonawala, a Congress activist who too had tweeted on the Jain monk.

The case against Dadlani and Poonawala in Ambala was registered under several sections including 153A (promoting enmity between classes), 295A (maliciously insulting the religion or religious beliefs of any class) and 509 (uttering any word or making any gesture to insult the modesty of a woman etc) of the IPC, police had said.

The case was registered on a complaint filed by Punit Arora, a resident of Ambala Cantonment who is said to be a follower of the monk.

The complainant alleged that the accused had intentionally hurt religious sentiments with his sarcastic tweet on Sagar.

The Haryana government had invited the Jain monk, who appeared naked to deliver a lecture 'Kadve Vachan' in the state Assembly on August 26.

Dadlani, a staunch AAP supporter, came under sharp criticism from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other quarters for his "sarcastic" tweet on Sagar's address in the Haryana Assembly.

After a barrage of criticism, Dadlani had tendered an apology for his tweet and deleted it. He had also apologised to the Jain monk on Twitter.

Dadlani on August 29 had also announced quitting "all active political work" but maintained it was his own decision to quit the party.
Gorakhpur: Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a dig at the present system saying while big industrialists like Vijay Mallya who fail to repay bank loans of crores of rupees are called defaulters, farmers taking away cots are dubbed as thieves.

"Kisan Khatiya le jata hai to wo use chor kehte hain. Magar jab bade udyogpati, Mallyaji jaise, bhag jaate hain to use defaulter kehte hain. (If a farmer takes away a charpoy, he is called a 'thief' but people like Vijay Mallya who run away with crores of rupees are called mere 'defaulters')," he said.

The Congress Vice President was addressing farmers after a road show in Gorakhpur.

He had earlier accused the ruling dispensation of allowing Mallya to "escape" abroad even when he was facing charges of loan default in the country.

Rahul, who is undertaking about a month-long 2500-km mahayatra from Deoria to Delhi that started yesterday, is highlighting the plight of farmers.

As part of the yatra, "Khaat Sabha" (Charpoy meetings) are being organised for Rahul to interact with farmers.

At the inaugural Khaat Sabha yesterday, moments after Rahul left after having made a raft of promises like farm loan waiver, reduction of power tariff and higher minimum support price for agricultural produce, the venue plunged into utter chaos with men, women and children scampering in, lifting the charpoys and hurrying towards their homes.

Later, at a 'Khaat Sabha' in Sant Kabirnagar district on Wednesday, Rahul referred to the incident of locals taking away the cots brought for the meeting, saying, "Our opponents see farmers as poor persons but I always feel that farmers are the real power of Hindustan".

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, people are facing problems but it has no effect on the prime minister.

On the state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh, he said that farmers were only getting bills but no electricity.
Preeti Rathi, who was attacked with acid in Mumbai in 2013. (Photo: PTI/File)

Mumbai: The prosecution on Wednesday demanded capital punishment for 26-year-old Ankur Lal Panwar, convicted for murder in the Preeti Rathi acid attack case.

Special Judge A S Shende, who convicted Panwar on Tuesday, heard the prosecution and the defence on the point of sentence. The court is likely to pass the order on Wednesday.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam termed the case fit for death sentence, saying that it falls in the "rarest of the rare" category.

Objective of the sentencing is to deter criminals and like-minded persons from committing such crime, he said, contending that "the court would be failing in its duty if a just and appropriate punishment was not awarded".

Nikam submitted that the country has now become so conscious about crime against women that after the Delhi gangrape case of 2012, amendments were made to IPC.

Acid attack is a crime against women, he said, seeking an exemplary punishment for the convict.

Panwar did not commit the crime on the spur of the moment but it was a pre-planned attack, said the prosecutor.

"If he is given a lesser punishment and if he is released after completing the sentence, other girls would not be safe," Nikam said.

Meanwhile, the district legal services authority has asked the Maharashtra government to pay a compensation of Rs two lakh to Rathi's parents, besides another Rs 2000 for the expenses of her funeral. Her parents had applied to the authority for compensation.
The new rules will apply to high-speed, high-in-demand trains like Rajdhani and Shatabdi. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: In what might come as a shock to some commuters, Indian Railways is all set to introduce surge pricing for tickets of Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains.

While 10 per cent of the seats will be sold in the normal fare in the beginning, it will go on increasing by 10 per cent with every 10 per cent of berths sold with the ceiling limit at maximum 50 per cent depending upon the demand. So as fewer seats are left available, passengers will pay more.

The new rules will apply to high-speed, high-in-demand trains Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto.

The Railway Ministry has labelled it the flexi-fare system and said it would not apply to fares for its top tier AC first class and Executive Class seats.

If at any time, the price of a lower class seat becomes higher than a seat in the upper class, the passenger will be informed so that he can upgrade his class if he so wishes.

Seats unsold at the time when reservation charts are prepared, will be offered for current booking and would be sold at the price that the last seat in that class was sold, said the report.

For 2AC and Chair Car, the maximum hike is 50 per cent while for 3AC, it is 40 per cent.

Other supplementary charges like reservation charges, superfast charge, catering charges, service tax as applicable shall remain unchanged.

There are total 42 Rajdhani trains, 46 Shatabdi and 54 Duronto trains.

The new system will become applicable from Friday, September 9.

But passengers who have already booked tickets at old rates will not have to pay more even if they are traveling after September 9, said the report.

Until now, surge pricing was a policy implemented only by private taxi operators like Uber. The Delhi government had banned surge pricing by private cabs in the city state earlier this year.
New Delhi: Sacking of a defiant Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa seems imminent with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who met President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday, believed to have conveyed that his continuance in the post has become untenable.

During the 20-minute meeting, the Home Minister is learnt to have told the President that the central government has lost confidence in Rajkhowa and the only way to remove him is to "withdraw the pleasure of the President".

The Home Minister's meeting with the President came after Rajkhowa refused to step down despite a nudge by the Centre to put in his papers after the Supreme Court passed serious strictures against him over the dismissal of the Congress government last year.

However, it is immediately not known what the President told the Home Minister.

Sources said Rajkhowa's dismissal may come as early as next evening when the two-day special session of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly, which has been convened to ratify the Goods and Services Tax (GST), gets over.

A defiant Rajkhowa had said he would not step down but was ready to be sacked.

"I want the President to dismiss me. I will not resign. Let the President express his displeasure. Let the government use provisions of Article 156 of the Constitution," the

Governor had told a Guwahati-based TV news channel on Monday.

Rajkhowa said he had been asked to resign "on health grounds" weeks after the Supreme Court had restored the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh and censured him.
Kannada Sena activists protest against the Supreme Court directive to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, in Chikmagalur on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)

Bengaluru: As Karnataka began release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu amid snowballing protests by farmers, the government on Wednesday said it was "inevitable" for it to comply with the Supreme Court order even though the state itself was facing "serious distress".

The Supreme Court would be moved seeking modification of its order to spare 15,000 cusecs of water for 10 days because of the difficulties in implementing it given that the live storage in four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin now was 46.7 TMC ft against their capacity of 104 TMC ft, the government said.

"It is inevitable for Karnataka to comply with the Supreme Court order in the interest of the state," top government sources said, adding, "constitutionally, it is not possible to defy it".

Read: With a heavy heart, K'taka releases Cauvery water to TN amid protests

Officials confirmed that water was being let out since midnight last night, shortly after the all party meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who said the decision to obey the Supreme Court order has been taken with "a heavy heart" even though the state itself faced "severe distress".

The present live storage is 45 per cent against the live storage of 104 TMCFT in the Krishnaraja Sagar, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini reservoirs, the sources pointed out.

The legal and technical teams of Karnataka would work out the extent of change that the state should seek in the quantum of water release stipulated in the Supreme Court direction which asked Karnataka to provide 15,000 cusecs for 10 days.

The Cauvery Supervisory Committee, which has replaced the Cauvery River Authority to implement the order of the tribunal, would also be apprised of the difficulties.

Sources said the Supervisory Committee would visit both the riparian states to assess the "ground realities" and can adjust the current release of water against future releases.

Fending off the criticism of the legal team headed by Fali Nariman, the sources defended it, stating their advice on release was made so that the state succeeds when the main petition comes up for hearing before the court on October 18.

"It (main petition) is very important for the state. We have to succeed. The Supreme Court also asked Karnataka to live and let live. We cannot say no to it," the sources said.

With demands from some quarters for changing the state counsel, sources said Nariman had been arguing the state's case for the last 32 years and was known for being "legally well equipped."

"Because of the circumstances, Nariman had proposed release of 10,000 cusecs for six days" but unfortunately, the Supreme Court increased it to 15,000 cusecs, they said.

As the opposition parties, BJP and JDS, sought to corner the government on the release, the sources said water had been released in the past also to fall in line with the Supreme Court order.

"Deve Gowda, S M Krishna, B S Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar have also released water to Tamil Nadu."

According to the sources, the state doesn't have to release 15,000 cusecs as such, pointing out that 5,000 to 6,000 cusecs flows downstream to Tamil Nadu naturally.

The sources maintained that Tamil Nadu is not facing the same distress as Karnataka as the flows at Biligundlu, the entry point in Tamil Nadu where the Central Water Gauge Centre is located, was 36 TMC ft of water.

The neighbouring state would also be benefited by North-east monsoon rainfall in the Cauvery delta and also has better ground water position than Karnataka, they said.

Asked why the two riparian states which are at loggerheads could not negotiate on the crisis, the sources said such attempts were made by Karnataka in the past but Tamil Nadu was not in its favour.

With protests in the politically sensitive Cauvery belt building pressure on the government, the sources said all efforts would be made to ensure drinking water to Bengaluru, Mysuru and other cities and villages fed by the river, besides protecting the interest of farmers on crops.
New Delhi: Hitting out at Lt Governor Najeeb Jung for seeking details of foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said such visits by his party ministers are comparatively less than that of their counterparts in other parts of the country.

Wondering since when the Lt. Governor has started scanning ministers' foreign tours, he dared Jung to also seek such details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits.

Last week, the Lt Governor had directed General Administration Department of the Delhi government to provide details of all foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, their personal staff and other officials in the last 18 months.

Besides the duration of the stay and the expenditure incurred on foreign trips, the Lt Governor's office had also sought details of the "purpose" of the visits.

"Has he (Jung) also asked for details of foreign tours of Prime Minister? Since when has he started checking ministers' foreign tours?

"Foreign tours are undertaken by AAP ministers for only official purpose after the government's approval. We have travelled very less comparatively in the entire country. If we go abroad for personal purpose, we spend our money," Jain, who is considered close to the Delhi Chief Minister, said.

Government officials said Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Jain have travelled abroad four times each on government expenditure. Labour Minister Gopal Rai, along with Jain, had been to Sweden on a five day-knowledge trip.

Officials, however, clarified that sacked minister Sandeep Kumar had travelled to the United States with family privately. "Government's work is not affected if a minister goes for poll campaigning. When I was in Vatican, I was looking after my departments' works through WhatsApp. AAP ministers work 365 days in a year.

"I work for 10 hours every day. In the previous governments, ministers used to come to office for only two hours once in a week," Jain claimed.

Sisodia is at present on a two-day visit to Goa where AAP is gearing up for Assembly elections. Kejriwal will be in Bengaluru for nearly a fortnight for a throat surgery and to take stock of AAP's preparations in poll-bound Punjab.

He will undergo the surgery on September 13 to cure his chronic cough problem and rest there for 10 days.

"Before leaving for Bengaluru, the chief minister (Kejriwal) will embark on a 4-day visit to Punjab starting from September 8. He will meet party leaders and address a public gathering in Punjab," a government official said.
New Delhi: With the government stoutly defending the role of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir and insurgency-hit Manipur, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said it was more concerned about human rights violations happening in the heart of capital cities like Imphal.

"It is not the Line of Control (LoC) but the heart of the cities like Imphal, is what we are concerned. Public order needs to be followed," a bench of Justices M B Lokur and U U

Lalit said after Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi submitted that security forces at LoC or during insurgent operations have to act in a particular way.

Referring to an earlier constitution bench judgement in the Naga People's Movement of Human Rights case, the bench said law in this regard has already been settled, as it has ruled that though an internal disturbance is a cause for concern, it does not threaten the security of the country.

While NHRC counsel and senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam contended that there was "no accountability" in case of human rights violations, Rohatgi said the security personnel have to act "in a particular way" on the LoC or during an insurgent operation.

"Truth of human rights violations if any can be found through criminal trials. It is a serious situation. Security personnel at a Line of Control (LOC) or during an insurgent operation has to act in a particular way. How else we do it," Rohatgi said.

He said what happened in the 1980's and retrospective enquiry into those incidents will have serious effect on the Army, whether in Manipur or in Jammu and Kashmir.

On the other hand, Subramaniam said "if there are abrogation of human rights, then accountability has to be fixed on the erring personnel. Here there is no accountability".

The army or security agencies refuse to give any details about cases if there are allegations of human rights violation and asserted that under the Armed Force Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or any other law this cannot be done.

"In Manipur, it took three years to get an information regarding a case of alleged human rights violation. NHRC is a responsible fact-finding body. No government can say it is not accountable for violation of human rights," Subramaniam said.
Some of the key accused, arrested in the initial stage of investigation, include Pramodgiri Goswami, Ramesh Jadav, Balwant Goswami, Rakesh Joshi and Nagji Vaniya. (Photo: ANI)

Ahmedabad: Nearly two months after seven Dalit youths were flogged allegedly by self-styled cow vigilantes at Una in Gujarat, police has filed a charge sheet against 34 persons, including four police personnel who were arrested on Wednesday on charges of dereliction of duty and failure to stop the crime which triggered a massive unrest.

The CID also filed a separate charge sheet against three minors in the case before Juvenile Justice Board at Junagadh.

The charge sheet against 34 accused, including the police personnel, was filed before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Una taluka in Gir-Somnath district, A U Jujaru.

The police personnel, attached to Una police station, are identified as Inspector Nirmalsinh Jhala, Sub-Inspector Narendra Pandey, Head Constable Kanji Chudasama and woman Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Kanchanben Parmar.

Except Pandey, the rest are already under suspension. All of them were arrested in Una just before filing of charge sheet.

According to CID, the police personnel misused their position by not acting against the perpetrators.

It is alleged that though four Dalits were thrashed for almost 4 to 5 hours by self-proclaimed cow vigilantes, these police personnel did nothing to stop the crime. They also allegedly connived with the perpetrators and forged some FIR related documents to help them.

Some of the key accused, arrested in the initial stage of investigation, include Pramodgiri Goswami, Ramesh Jadav, Balwant Goswami, Rakesh Joshi and Nagji Vaniya.

The 34 accused have been charged under various sections of IPC including 307 (attempt to murder), 397 (robbery), 365 (kidnapping), 355 (assault to dishonor a person), 342 (wrongful confinement), 147 (rioting), 324 (causing hurt by weapon) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) among others.

They were also charged under various sections of Prevention of Atrocities Act, besides under sections 66A and 66B of the Information and Technology Act for allegedly making and circulating the clip of the incident.

The CID filed a separate charge sheet against three minors, arrested during the probe, in Juvenile Justice Board at Junagadh.

"In total, we have arrested 43 persons, including these policemen who have failed to do their duty and forged some documents to help other accused involved in thrashing dalits.

Out of the 43, we have today filed charge sheet against 34 accused in the Una court. The probe is still on," said Inspector General of CID-Crime, S S Trivedi.
Hyderabad: The ruling TRS in Telangana has rejected Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu's suggestion to officially celebrate 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' on September 17 and accused the BJP of trying to indulge in "divisive politics".

"Moderate Telangana people do not believe in the Liberation Day. We believe in a day where Telangana state was merged into the Indian union," TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samiti) MP Kalvakuntla Kavitha said.

Naidu had last week said that even though people all over the country celebrated and rejoiced the hard won freedom from British on August 15, 1947, those living in the erstwhile Hyderabad state had to wait for celebration till September 17, 1948, when the region was liberated from the tyrannical Nizam's rule and integrated with the rest of India.

"While the BJP has been demanding for the past many years for official celebration of the Liberation of Hyderabad State, it is unfortunate some political parties view even matters relating to the nation's integrity through the prism of vote bank politics," Naidu had said.

There should not be any kind of politics, leave alone vote bank politics, when it comes to unity and integrity of the nation, the senior BJP leader had said.

"Hyderabad Liberation Day is being celebrated officially on September 17 in some of the districts of Maharashtra and Karnataka and my suggestion to Telangana government is to follow suit. I hope it would respond positively to the suggestion," he said.

During the "autocratic" rule of the Nizam, Telugu language was discouraged as the medium of instruction in educational institutions, he had said.

Kavitha, the Lok Sabha member from Nizamabad, noted that even during the movement spearheading statehood demand for Telangana, TRS always used to celebrate it as a merger day, and hoist national flag in party office on that day because the "then Andhra government would not recognise this day".

"But then the BJP's view of thinking about it as liberation from the Nizam's rule does not have greater acceptance in Telangana society. It will be divisive to talk about that. But as a day of merger with Indian Union, we will certainly acknowledge it and celebrate it," she said, when her reaction was sought on Naidu's suggestion.

Responding to questions, Kavitha, the daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said: "The very survival of BJP...extreme right-wing party it's divisive politics... that's their only motto. They always call it a liberation day because it (Telangana) has been out of Muslim rule. We will not accept that."

"We always said our Nizam was certainly very good in lot of aspects and one or two things go wrong in everybody's rule. Babri Masjid (demolition) went wrong when Kalyan Singh was the Chief Minister. You can't dig up history and try to divide the society now. BJP has always been taking that view, and TRS is always been opposing it right from movement days.

"We say it's a merger day, not a liberation day. It's not a day to bring any differences between Hindu and Muslim communities in Telangana society," she said.

BJP Telangana chief K Laxman recently said the party national president Amit Shah would address a public meeting in Warangal district of the state on September 17 as part of the 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' being celebrated by the state unit.

"During the separate statehood movement, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, had said 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' will be celebrated in a grand manner on the lines of it being celebrated in some districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra," Laxman had said.

"But due to pressure from MIM (of Asaduddin Owaisi), this (TRS) government is not coming forward to celebrate it," he alleged.

"Hence, the BJP has decided to celebrate 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' on September 17 in nook and corner of the state," he had said.

The Hyderabad state, which was under the Nizam's rule, merged with the Indian Union on September 17, 1948, following a "police action".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, during his visit to Hyderabad on August 7, called upon BJP functionaries to take up the 'Tiranga Yatra' on motorbikes from August 15 to September 17 across the state.
Bengaluru: Complying with the Supreme Court direction, Karnataka on Wednesday released water from Krishna Sagar Dam to Tamil Nadu amid protests by farmers.

On Tuesday, the Karnataka government had decided to release Cauvery water severe hardships, as protests in the wake of court order intensified and farmers blocked the highway between Bengaluru and Mysuru.

Despite severe hardships faced by the government of Karnataka, the state will release water as directed by the Supreme Court, chief minister Siddaramaiah told reporters on Tuesday after nearly a three-hour long all-party meeting convened by him.

He also said the state would approach the Supreme Court with a modification petition, explaining its difficulties in implementing its order that directed the release of 15,000 cusecs per day to Tamil Nadu for next ten days. The petition will also seek a change in the Supreme Court direction and move the Cauvery supervisory committee.

The chief minister said it would be difficult for a Constitution-bound state to defy the Supreme Court order or to refuse the release of water.

With a heavy heart, it has been decided to provide water to Tamil Nadu even though the state itself was facing a very severe distress year, he said.

Seeking to assuage the feelings of protesting farmers in the Cauvery heartland of Mandya and other districts in the basin, he said all efforts would be made to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and other places, along with supply for crops. He appealed to farmers to maintain peace and tranquillity and not cause any damage to public property.

In Mandya, agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits had blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway as protests intensified in the wake of the apex court directive to the state to release Cauvery water.

Mandya district, the nucleus of Cauvery politics, saw a bandh with protesters holding road blockades and dharnas at several places, as hundreds of security personnel -- including central forces -- were deployed in the Cauvery belt to maintain law and order.

Prohibitory orders have been clamped around the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam and entry of visitors to is prohibited till September 9, as the Cauvery row intensified up after Mondays Supreme Court directive on a petition by the Tamil Nadu government.

The court has directed Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water for the next 10 days to address the plight of the farmers in Tamil Nadu.

Protesters ransacked several government offices in Mandya and forced their shut down, while attendance at government offices remained thin, police said.

The court order triggered an immediate backlash, with the farmers body spearheading the stir and calling for a bandh in Mandya district on Tuesday.
Police have cordoned off the area and have restricted the immersion of idols in the river. (Photo: Representational Image/ DC)

Bengaluru: 12 people are feared drowned after a small round boat carrying more than 20 people capsized in Tungabadra river on Wednesday afternoon in Hadonahalli of Shivamogga district in Karnataka.

The coracle capsized when during the immersion of a Ganesha idol, reports said. Police have recovered one body so far and the search is on for the rest.

The incident happened around 1.30 pm in the afternoon.

Visuals captured by onlookers on the shore show the coracle capsizing, said a report. People rushed towards the boat to attempt to save the people, but many of those in it did not know how to swim and drowned as a result. About 10,000 people were at the spot when the incident took place.

Local media reported that five of those who were on the coracle swam to safety.

Police have cordoned off the area and have restricted the immersion of idols in the river, said a report.
Bengaluru/Chennai: Bowing to the Supreme Court order, Karnataka on Tuesday decided to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu despite severe hardships, as protests in the state in the wake of the court order intensified and the angry farmers blocked the highway between Bengaluru and Mysuru.

Despite severe hardships faced by the government of Karnataka, the state will release water as directed by the Supreme Court, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters in the night, after nearly a three-hour long all-party meeting he had convened at the state capital.

He added that the state would move a modification petition before the Supreme Court explaining the difficulties in implementing its order (of Monday on a petition from Tamil Nadu government) to release 15,000 cusecs per day to Tamil Nadu for next ten days, and seeking changes in the SC order. Karnataka would also move the Cauvery Supervisory Committee, the CM said.

Pointing out that it would be difficult for a government bound by the Constitution to defy the Supreme Court order or to refuse release of water, he said with a heavy heart, it has been decided to provide water to Tamil Nadu even though Karnataka was itself facing a very severe distress year.

Bengaluru, Sept. 6: With the four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin having around 50 tmcft water, the release of water to TN over the next 10 days would take away as much as 13tmcft leaving the state struggling to meet the drinking water needs of districts in the Old Mysuru region including Bengaluru. However, the CM said that if Karnataka complies with the apex court order now, it would help the state's case when its main petition comes up for hearing on October 18.



The government has also decided to file a modification petition before the Supreme Court seeking to modify its order dated September 5, 2016 wherein it had ordered Karnataka to release water.

Meanwhile pro-Kannada outfits have called for a Karnataka bandh on Friday (September 9) to protest against the release of water to TN.

Explaining the stance the state took in the apex court, Mr Siddaramaiah said the legal team headed by Fali Nariman submitted that Karnataka can release 10,000 cusecs water per day for six days which was increased by the court to 15,000 cusecs for 10 days.
Kochi: The state government has submitted before Supreme Court that it has no plans to cull dogs. Kerala submitted that it will take steps to implement a sterilisation plan, known as the ABC (for Animal Birth Control) Programme. It said that it will follow the rules and stray dogs, after being sterilised and vaccinated, would be released in the area from which they were brought. It made the submission on a plea filed by animal rights activists.

The state had earlier claimed that dogs would be culled so as to curb the stray dog menace. Local self government department minister K.T. Jaleel had openly made claims about plans to kill aggressive dogs. The affidavit further stated that state will allow animal lovers to adopt stray dogs. In a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan on August 24 had said that killing of stray dogs will be a violation of previous court orders on the subject. State Cabinet is expected to hold a meeting to discuss the issue of rise in stray dog bites.
Chennai: Mystery shrouds the death of a 20-year-old student of Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music near Mahabalipuram. He attended a college get together with 70-odd students and teachers at a beachside resort on Sunday evening, but went missing during the get together. His body, with injuries on the face and head, was found on the seashore on Tuesday morning.

While the family of victim Niloy Sengupta is alleging foul play and arguing that the youth was murdered, the Mahabalipuram police claimed it looked like a case of drowning but added that they were waiting for the post-mortem report.

Niloy, a drummer, was a second year student of diploma in musical performance at the academy located in Seekinankuppam Village, Koovathur Way, from where 70 people including students and teachers went for the get together at Blue Bay, a beachside resort near Mahabalipuram.

Niloy went missing at around 7 pm and later in the night his family in Guwahati, Assam was told about it. His father Anand Sengupta and brother Rhetham rushed to Chennai on Monday and were searching for him. Niloys body was found on Tuesday morning on the shore near the hotel, police said.

There were injuries on his head, face and neck. Only his face and neck were swollen. If his body was in the water since Sunday night his entire body should have been swollen. Though he did not know swimming, we are not ready to buy the drowning theory. It looks like a cold blooded murder to us, said his brother as he waited at the Chengalpet medical college for the autopsy of Niloy.

His brother also said that Niloy reached the college after vacation only on August 20. Niloy had new roommate this year. He and the new roommate, a 29-year-old man, had some problems in sharing the room. We want the police to probe if it has anything to do with the death my brother, he said.
Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi depositing the first token for food meal into the collection box at her office in Puducherry. Members of Food Bank Chennai are also seen. (Photo: DC)

Chennai: Next time, when you walk into a restaurant and your waiter asks your consent to add Rs 30 more to your bill, dont yell at him. He is only trying to help a hungry man or woman who may be just across the road.

Welcome to the new concept of One Token = One Meal by the Food BankChennai, a fledgling organisation, that has feeding the hungry on the streets of the metropolis by collecting home-cooked food from homes and distributing them to the needy since the devastating floods last December.

The token, which one buys at a cost of Rs 30 at restaurants, would have to be deposited in the collection box at the cash counter. Every week, on a particular day, volunteers of the

Food Bank will visit the outlet and collect as many meals against the number of coupons that have been collected that week. For now, the organisation has tied up with 3 restaurants in the city and plans to bring more such outlets under its radar to help the needy. The restaurants that currently have the collection boxes are Bay Leaf in Chromepet, Akshaya Bhavan in T. Nagar and Ganesh Bhavan in Anna Nagar.

We wanted to involve more people in the noble cause of feeding the hungry in pursuit of creating a hunger-free India. We have been collecting food from people, but that was not enough to feed everyone since there are lakhs of people who go to bed with their stomach empty. Since we wanted to do something innovative to attract to more to the system, we thought of introducing token for meal, Sneha Mohandas, who founded Food BankChennai, told Deccan Chronicle.

Food Bank has 16 chapters across the city and 210-odd volunteers fan out their areas on a particular day every week to find out the hungry and feed them with home-cooked food. As a policy, the organisation does not accept leftover food and instead asks people to cook extra for two people so that fresh food can be given to people who need it. We insist for fresh cooked food since everyone is equal when it comes to eating and we are happy that the response so far is good, said Anandh SG, a member of the organisation.

Since the concept is new to the city, the Food Bank plans to come out with

pamphlets and an active social media campaign to spread awareness among the public about donating to feed those who go hungry everyday in the city.

Many people are willing to help, but dont know where to go. Here, we offer a platform for them either to donate a meal or prepare a meal all by themselves and donate it to the people, Ms Mohandas said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Obama arrive for spouse group photo during the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: The G20 Summit in Chinas Hangzhou city saw world leaders coming together and discussing vital issues like terrorism, trade and global governance, among others.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanged views with Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 summit with the US president praising the "bold policy" move on GST reform in a "difficult" global economic scenario.

The two leaders had another opportunity to exchange views during an informal evening programme. Obama in his intervention during the G20 summit praised Modi for the recent tax reform as an example of "bold policy" in an otherwise "difficult global economic scenario".

From all the media coverage, one picture of Modi and Obama went viral. The picture shows Modi walking behind Obama and saying something to the US President with a pointed finger. The image instantly triggered Twitter trolls.
New Delhi: Two days after AAP MLA Devinder Sehrawat alleged party leaders in Punjab were exploiting women in return for tickets to fight Assembly polls, a letter from his father to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday surfaced on social media in which he said his son had in past suffered a nervous breakdown and is mentally ill.

The letter, dated February 8, was circulated on Twitter by AAP volunteers.

The Delhi legislators father, Ram Prakash, said Sehrawat would demand money from him, and if he failed to meet his demand, he would threaten him with a revolver.

He (Sehrawat) has a revolver which he has on several occasions pointed at meI request you to help me as he is mentally ill and can be very dangerous at times, he said.

When he was in Army and had gone to Jabalpur for some course in 2005, he started practising black magic there. During his learning of black magic, he suffered a nervous breakdown and was airlifted to Delhi by his brothers and was treated at VIMHANS hospital, he said in the letter.

Ram Prakash remained unavailable for comments despite several attempts to reach him.
Tight security at KRS Dam in Mysuru on Tuesday in the wake of the Supreme Court directive to release Cauvery water for Tamil Nadu. (Photo: AP)

Bengaluru: While several Kannada organisations have called for a statewide bandh on Friday and the anger over the Supreme Court verdict on Cauvery favouring Tamil Nadu spread, bus services between the two states took a hit on Tuesday with a Karnataka State Transport Corporation bus set on fire at Salem in Tamil Nadu.

KSRTC cancelled 700 buses to Mysuru, Mandya, Ooty and several parts of Tamil Nadu. Many parts of Karnataka, especially near the KRS Dam in Mandya and Bengaluru erupted with protests affecting normal life. Flash protests by Kannada outfits were seen in Marathahalli, Hosur Road and Mysuru Road affecting the traffic flow to two major IT corridors and between Mysuru and Bengaluru.

A few protesters blackened the Karnataka water resources minister M.B. Patils name board at his house in Sadashivnagar, while others painted black Tamil Nadu buses that were parked at the Mysuru Road Satellite bus-stand.
Gorakhpur: Making a strong pitch for farm loan waiver on the second day of his yatra in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said the Modi government should run a government for the poor and look into the plight of the farmers who are "crying".

He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi waived loans to the tune of Rs 1.10 lakh crore of "big industrialists and rich people" in the past two years while he forgot the plight of farmers who are carrying the burden of the entire country.

"In the past two years, Narendra Modi has waived loans of Rs 1.10 lakh crore. Not of small farmers but of big industrialists and rich people. If Modiji wants to waive loans of the rich, it is his decision. He is the Prime Minister and he can do so. We are not against it.

"We have only one demand. You should not run a 'suit-boot sarkar'. You should run a government for the poor. If you want to waive loans of big industrialists, then do it for farmers too. Don't forget the farmer, because the farmer is crying, big industrialists are not," he told reporters.

He said there are reports from various states that farmers are committing suicide due to scarcity of water, issues of fertiliser, loans, MSP and power.

"In our 'khaat sabha', the farmers told us that the government should take the burden on its shoulders. There is no burden on big industrialists, but the farmer is carrying the burden of the entire country on his shoulders. That is why we started this yatra," he said.

Seeking to strengthen the party's base in Uttar Pradesh ahead of next year's Assembly election, Gandhi kicked off a month-long 'mahayatra' during which he would traverse 2,500 kms across the state to hear out the farmers and give voice to them in highlighting their plight.

He said Congress was not in power at the Centre and in the state, thus it could not help the farmers directly.

"But we will raise their voice through agitation," he said.

"Our only target is to put pressure on the Prime Minister and the NDA/BJP government and we want loans to be waived, just as we waived Rs 70,000 crore (during our tenure). We will put pressure on them. We will travel from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi and talk to farmers, listen to their problems and understand them and take them to Modiji," he said.

Congress has been out of power in Uttar Pradesh for the last 27 years.
Faridkot: Congress will provide free treatment to cancer patients in Punjab if voted to power, state party chief Amarinder Singh said on Tuesday.

The Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar said hundreds of families in the Malwa region have been devastated by the disease due to loss of life and huge expenses incurred on its treatment.

Speaking to people in Kotkapura Assembly segment during 'Halke vich Captain' (Captain in constituency) programme here, the PCC chief also said that his government would also try to find a long-term solution to this problem.

"It is a double whammy for the families as on the one hand they lose their near and dear ones and on the other hand they are financially broke as cancer treatment is very expensive," he said, adding that treatment of cancer patients will be the state's responsibility.

Amarinder, who held a similar programme in Bhatinda, also said that the Congress government will own up the entire loan amount on farmers, whether of the cooperative banks, public sector banks or the arhatiyas (the commission agents). "We will pay each penny on behalf of the farmers to every debtor," he said.

When asked how a cash-starved state can waive the loans, he said, the government needs to have a will. "I know how to generate resources. I have done it in the past," he said, adding that the party had taken all aspects into consideration, including financial condition of the state, before announcing the waiver of loans.

On the allegation of corruption by the family of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, he said, he will ensure a time bound inquiry and probe so the corrupts are punished.

The PCC president accused Badal government of the "financial mismanagement" due to which it has not been able to get the cash credit limit, saying it will only lead to harassment of farmers, who expressed their concerns that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) might not purchase their paddy crop.

He also consented to a suggestion that the economically weaker people of the society from the general category should also be extended the benefit of welfare schemes like free power up to 300 units and Shagun schemes.

Meanwhile, addressing the programme in Bhatinda, he said reports of Badal family seeking extra security cover, more than the Z-plus that it was already getting, shows that they are afraid of public wrath.

"I have always been saying that the way they treated Punjab and the Punjabis, they will have to run for their life. They have already accepted and admitted it today by asking for extra security from the Centre," he said.

Suggesting that instead of seeking extra security cover for himself, son Sukhbir Badal and his brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia, Parkash Singh Badal should better ask for forgiveness from the Punjabis.

Replying to a question on the rebellion in Aam Aadmi Party, he said, he had never considered the party to be a serious challenger so rebellion or no rebellion did not matter for him or the Congress.

"But yes, I am extremely happy over the way the Punjabis have tried to assert their authority within the party," he said, adding that self-respecting Punjabis cannot and will not allow any aliens to rule them.

During the interaction, people mostly complained about discrimination in development, welfare schemes and registration of false cases against the Congress workers.

He said that cancellation of false cases will be his top priority. Besides, he will also ensure that those who have lodged false cases are punished, including police officials and Akali Jathedars.

Amarinder said after Congress forms government, it will not resort to any discrimination in development and take care of everyone, not just its own party workers.

On the complainants about sub-standard wheat being provided in the 'aata-daal' scheme, the PCC chief said, his government will not only ensure quality wheat and pulses but also provide tea and sugar to the poor, besides free electricity up to 300 units.
Bengaluru: In a bid to find an amicable solution to the ongoing Mahadayi river water dispute, Karnataka has invited Goa for talks.

In a letter to Goa CM Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday, CM Siddaramaiah has made the offer. "During the hearing on Mahadayi water dispute, Justice J.M. Panchal and tribunal members Justice Vinay Mittal and Justice P.S. Narayana orally advised the CMs of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra to explore the possibility of finding an amicable solution to the dispute through negotiations.

The judge also clarified that the chief ministers of the three states can work out a solution with or without the mediation of a third party."

Mr Siddaramaiah drew the attention of Mr Parsekar to the fact that Karnataka has welcomed the decision of the tribunal.

"I am informed that lawyers appearing for Maharashtra and Goa too have welcomed this decision, he said in the letter.
India-Pakistan relations have hit such a low that the whiff of a chance of a visit to Islamabad by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even to attend a Saarc summit, provides enough drama for the chatterati. To be fair, the occasion of a Saarc summit has in the past been used to break a bilateral India-Pakistan logjam. Then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and President Pervez Musharraf broke the ice at the Kathmandu Saarc and Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Yousaf Raza Gilani at Thimphu.

India-Pakistan diplomacy is often a game of smoke and mirrors. As there is no formal decision for Mr Modi not to travel to Islamabad in November, Indias high commissioner in Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale, was technically correct when he said on Monday that he could say nothing about the future but as of now the Indian PM was looking forward to attending the Saarc summit.

The following day the Indian spokesman noted announcements of this nature werent made so far in advance. It is evident that India has as yet not decided.

Among the reasons that has led to a serious dip in bilateral ties is the fact that the Pakistan Army under Gen. Raheel Sharif has the whip hand over the civilian government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and the Army isnt too keen now that bilateral relations improve. However, Gen. Sharif is due to retire shortly. New Delhi may prefer to get more clarity about Pakistans internal dynamics before the PM takes a call on his travelling to Islamabad.
NASA's robotic asteroid hunter, Osiris-Rex, is designed to scoop up pebbles and rock the size of gravel anywhere from one to four or even five handfuls in a single swipe. (Representational image)

NASA is going after an asteroid this week like never before. It's launching a spacecraft to the exotic black rock named Bennu, vacuuming up handfuls of gravel from the surface, and then in a grand finale, delivering the pay dirt all the way back to Earth.

The mission will take seven years, from Thursday night's planned liftoff from Cape Canaveral to the return of the asteroid samples in 2023, and cover an incredible 4 billion miles (6  billion kilometers) through space.

It promises to be the biggest cosmic bounty since the Apollo moon rocks, hand-picked and delivered by astronauts in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

NASA has already brought back comet dust and specks of solar wind. And Japan already did it at an asteroid a decade ago, and is en route to a second space rock encounter.

But we're talking tiny grains in these cases. NASA's robotic asteroid hunter, Osiris-Rex, is designed to scoop up pebbles and rock the size of gravel anywhere from one to four or even five handfuls in a single swipe.

"We are going out to explore an unknown world," said principal scientist Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona at Tucson.

"We're going to map it in great detail. It will be the most well characterized asteroid in our solar system by the time we're through with it."

Thanks to observations from the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes and ground observatories, scientists already know the roundish Bennu (BEN'-oo) is about 1,600 feet (487 meters) across at its bulging middle and the color of coal, indicative of carbon richness.

It's believed to have formed 4.5 billion years ago, a remnant of the solar system's building blocks. As such, it may still hold clues as to the origin of life on Earth and, possibly, elsewhere in the solar system.

The name Bennu comes from the heron of Egyptian mythology. Osiris was an Egyptian god; Osiris-Rex is an acronym for origins, spectral interpretation, resource identification, security-regolith explorer.

There's also a practical side to the more than $800 million mission: planetary defense.

Bennu is one of many near-Earth asteroids that occasionally cross paths with our planet. The more scientists know about these potentially hazardous rocks, the better the chance of tracking them and, worst comes to worst, bracing for them.

Bennu wouldn't obliterate Earth or wipe out life, just carve out a huge crater. Lauretta said the odds of a direct hit by Bennu are low  less than one-tenth of 1 per cent  and not until about 150 years from now.

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It was back in 2006 -- exactly 10 years from now that a new home page feature called News Feed was announced as an addition to Facebook. It was a complete revamp of the user experience on Facebook. Originally, when users logged into Facebook, they were presented with a customizable version of their own profile. On the contrary, this new layout created an alternative home page in which users saw a constantly updated list of their friends activities on Facebook. Whats more? It even highlighted information such as upcoming events, birthdays, profiles changes and more!

Today, Facebooks News Feed is viewed as one of the most important integral part of the Facebook experience. What most of us dont know is the fact that when the feedback for this initially started rolling in back in 2006, nearly all of it was negative. The result was unexpected as almost one million people joined a protest group threatening to quit Facebook if it didnt turn off the new feature. Yet inside Facebook, engineers noticed something important as despite the protest groups, users were twice as engaged to the platform due to news feed.

"That passionate outpouring of sentiment, much of it negative, was being fueled by News Feed itself," one of News Feed's engineers, Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, who is now vice president of ads and business platform, said in 2011. It seems like the resistance on the part of Facebook did turn out well.

Mark Zuckerberg took to Facebook to celebrate the completion of ten years of News Feed by describing the invention as one of his favourite stories from Facebooks history. He went on to describe News Feed as one of the most advanced systems theyve built and added how nothing like it has ever been built before.

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Safe Browsing will also advice website owners on what course of action they can resort to, if a problem arises.

Googles blacklist service, Safe Browsing essentially provides the URLs for web resources that contain malware or phising content. Approximately 600 million internet users use this device, directly or indirectly.

The Safe Browsing console has now expanded its Security Issues report. It will now provide website owners with more context and detailed explanations about a security concern, including malware, deceptive pages and suspicious presence.

Safe Browsing will also advice website owners on what course of action they can resort to, if a problem arises. These new features are set to help websites fight off hackers and retain maximum safety for the visitors, as well.

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Samsung said that it will start giving courtesy devices for those who had to return their Note 7 phones from September 7.

Samsung Australia has formally recalled over 50,000 Galaxy Note 7 phones after finding some of their batteries exploded or caught fire while charging.

According to a report by The Australian, while no battery incident took place in Australia, the company has decided to take the proactive and voluntary step of recalling the 51,060 Galaxy Note 7 units in response to global concerns.

Globally Samsung is replacing 2.5 million Note 7 phones, which could cost them about $1 billion.

The company has advised its Galaxy Note 7 customers to turn off their handsets immediately, return it to its place of purchase and use an alternative device until a remedy can be provided.

Samsung Australia said: Customers who have purchased a Galaxy Note7 from Samsung are entitled to a new Galaxy Note7 and a courtesy device until replacement Galaxy Note7 stock arrives or a full refund.

The delivery of a replacement Galaxy Note 7 to customers is expected within three to four weeks.

Alternatively, customers who have not purchased a Galaxy Note7 from Samsung can approach their place of purchase to discuss their remedy options.

Samsung said that it will start giving courtesy devices for those who had to return their Note 7 phones from September 7.

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Cleveland 100 will host its 2016 Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner Thursday, 6 p.m. at Cleveland Country Club .Cleveland 100 was founded in 1996 by Mayor Tom Rowland and the late Courtney McGrady (ATF Agent). It is a non-profit funded by individual and corporate memberships and donations.Its mission is to provide immediate financial assistance for families of first responders who may lose their lives in the line of duty in Cleveland and Bradley County. They also provide scholarships for first responders who may wish to further their education and to high school grads entering any field of emergency services.The annual meeting Thursday night will recognize first responders who have gone above and beyond this past year.It is also being dedicated to the late Lt.Gil Frederick, a 22 year fighter, who lost his battle to cancer in June of this year.
Traffic accidents are common in Egypt, where many of the country's roads are not well-maintained and regulations are laxly enforced. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP)

Cairo: At least 22 people were killed in a bus collision and three died when a train derailed in separate accidents south of Cairo Wednesday during a busy holiday travel time.

The bus collided with a truck in the southwestern province of Wedi El-Gedid, the Egyptian health ministry said. The number of passengers on the bus was not immediately clear.

Traffic accidents are common in Egypt, where many of the country's roads are not well-maintained and regulations are laxly enforced.

The train, which had left Cairo for the southern city of Aswan carrying about 60 passengers -- derailed south of Cairo, police and medical officials said.

The conductor hit the brakes when he spotted a problem with the tracks, causing three carriages to overturn near the village of Al-Ayyat, officials said. Fifteen passengers were also injured in the accident.

Egypt's roads and trains are busier before national holidays, such as the Eid festival next week, with people working in Cairo and other major cities visiting their home towns and villages.

Al-Ayyat was the scene of Egypt's deadliest rail accident in 2002 when a cooking gas cylinder exploded on a train and led to a fire that killed 361 passengers. Trains are often overcrowded in Egypt, adding to the safety risks.
New York: Neither of the two New Yorkers vying for the White House is expected to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks with a visit to ground zero.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are not slated to attend the annual commemoration at the former World Trade Center site on Sunday, a spokesman for the memorial told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

"We have not heard from either presidential candidate, nor the President of the United States, that they will be attending," according to Michael Frazier of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

There is precedent for presidential candidates to visit the former ground zero on the anniversary of the terror attacks. In 2008, the last time an incumbent wasn't running for the White House, Barack Obama and John McCain set aside their political differences to make a joint appearance at the site in New York.

Four years later, Obama marked the event at the Pentagon while his challenger Mitt Romney thanked first responders in Illinois and Nevada.

Neither Clinton nor Trump has released their public schedule for Sunday but both campaigns have confirmed they intend to halt television ads for the anniversary, keeping with a tradition of avoiding partisan presidential politics on 9/11.

Officials at the September 11th Memorial & Museum in New York have said that they did not extend formal invitations to either candidate or to the sitting president, in keeping with past practice. But, officials said they would welcome a visit from either candidate or the president should they choose to attend the commemoration.

Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for the Republican nominee, said that Trump "will not be campaigning" that day but declined to provide any details as to his whereabouts or if he planned to mark the anniversary.

Clinton last attended the ground zero commemoration on the tenth anniversary of the attacks in 2011, when she was secretary of state. A spokeswoman for Clinton declined to comment about the Democratic nominee's plans that day.

Trump and Clinton are the first New Yorkers to become their parties' nominees for president since nearly 3,000 people died at the former World Trade Center and both have made their experiences that day part of their campaigns' narratives.

Clinton was senator from New York at the time of the attacks and has frequently touted her efforts - including at her party's convention this summer - to aid those impacted by the World Trade Center collapse. She made frequent trips to the attack site and her staff has highlighted her efforts to help secure medical benefits for first responders sickened at ground zero.

Trump, meanwhile, has said he donated construction equipment to the recovery effort and gave $100,000 to the memorial after touring it for the first time earlier this year. But he also received widespread criticism for claiming that "thousands and thousands" of Muslims in New Jersey celebrated when the towers toppled, a claim for which there is no proof.

New York typically goes Democratic in the general election though Trump has pledged to put up a fight for his native state. But while he easily won the New York state primary in April, he lost Manhattan to Ohio Governor John Kasich.

The lower Manhattan memorial - now a peaceful greenspace flanked by soaring new skyscrapers - has hosted Obama and other elected officials at previous commemorations but in recent years, including on Sunday, the speakers at the event will largely be family members of the deceased.
Washington: With the race to the White House intensifying, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump have accused each other of trying to "hide something" from the public.

While Clinton charged Trump with not releasing his tax returns as he had to "hide something" from the people, the Republican nominee accused the former secretary of state of the same over the emails deleted by her during her tenure as the top American diplomat.

Clinton, 68, indicated she will make Trump's tax returns an election issue, saying the reality TV star is "dead wrong" if he thinks it is none of the American people's business as before entrusting a president with the country's finances they would want to know how the person handled personal finances.

"I just want to start by referencing something that Donald Trump told ABC News. He said that the American people don't care about his tax returns. In fact, he has also said it is none of our business. I just think he is dead wrong.

"The reason presidential candidates, going back decades, have released their tax returns is because the American people want to know," Clinton told reporters travelling with her on the campaign plane on Tuesday.

"If they are going to entrust a president with the management of our country's finances, they want to know, how did this person handle his or her own finances, which is one of the reasons why we've released 40 years of tax returns," she said.

"It's especially important given what we are discovering, not from Trump himself, but from the kind of work that many of you are doing and your outlets are doing. What have we learned? We have learned that Donald Trump has been bankrupt in his company six times.

"He has been sued about 4,000 times. He has been accused repeatedly of fraudulent behaviour," she alleged.

"Truly, the list goes on and on, the scams, the frauds, the questionable relationships, the business activities that have stiffed workers, refused to pay small businesses. So clearly his tax returns tell a story that an American people deserve and need to know.

"And his continuing claim that he can't release his tax returns because he is under audit has been disproved repeatedly," she said.

Meanwhile, Trump, 70, attacked Clinton over the email controversy.

"When is she going to release her emails? Let her release her emails and I'll release my tax returns immediately," he told Fox News last night.

Clinton in the past had said that she deleted some 30,000 emails which were personal related to things like yoga and marriage planning.

Trump says he does not believe this and has been seeking to find out those emails. Clinton "probably knows how to find them", he said.
The storm packed winds of 145 kilometers (90 miles) an hour when it made landfall before dawn at the southern tip of the peninsula as thousands of tourists hunkered down in hotels in the Los Cabos resort. (Photo: AP)

La Paz: Hurricane Newton uprooted trees, broke windows and left two people dead as it roared across Mexico's northwestern Baja California peninsula on Tuesday, but the tourist region was spared of major damage.

The storm packed winds of 145 kilometers (90 miles) an hour when it made landfall before dawn at the southern tip of the peninsula as thousands of tourists hunkered down in hotels in the Los Cabos resort.

But the region prized by American and Canadian tourists avoided a major disaster, two years after a deadly Hurricane Odile ravaged the Los Cabos resort, killing six people and causing $1 billion damage in the September 2014.

"According to the latest reports, #Newton only caused minor damages in infrastructure," President Enrique Pena Nieto wrote on Twitter, adding that there were no injuries.

The US National Hurricane Center reported later in the day that Newton's winds weakened to 120 kilometers per hour as it moved north into the Gulf of California, drenching the peninsula and mainland Mexico's northwest coast.

Newton is forecast to cross the Gulf of California and make a second landfall into the Mexican mainland early Wednesday before reaching the US state of Arizona that afternoon.

The storm caused a large swell that sunk a shrimp fishing boat between the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific ocean, leaving two people dead and three missing, said Los Cabos civil protection director Marco Antonio Vazquez.

The two bodies washed ashore on a beach. Vazquez said the boat had ignored warnings against going out at sea.

Vazquez said Newton's winds took down trees and tin roofs from poorer neighborhoods but that a disaster was avoided because the hurricane went through rural, sparsely inhabited areas.

Some hotel windows broke, but the 14,000 tourists in Los Cabos were "safe" in rooms made to shelter them within the facilities, said state tourism secretary Genaro Ruiz Hernandez.

Some 1,500 people took refuge in shelters in the resort town but many returned home, Vazquez said.

Power went out in parts of Los Cabos and La Paz, while phone service was disrupted.

Looting attempt

Police said five people were arrested for trying to loot two convenience stores in Los Cabos. Officers guarded several shops to prevent the kind of looting that was seen after Odile struck.

Local airports closed late Monday, while small boats were barred from using the ports in case of a storm surge in low-lying areas areas. Schools were shut down.

North of Los Cabos, in La Paz, where trees also fell, locals had boarded up shop windows and 400 people were evacuated from vulnerable areas.

The storm is due to produce up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of rain in Baja California Sur and as much as 25 centimeters in several Pacific coast states, which could trigger life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

The weather system caused damage in the country's south over the weekend before it became a tropical storm, flooding 1,400 homes in Guerrero state and leaving three dead in Chiapas.
Washington: An Indian-American CEO of an IT staffing and consulting firm has been charged in the US with callous treatment of a domestic worker who had come from India to work for her.

The Department of Labor in its complaint alleges that Himanshu Bhatia, the CEO for Rose International and IT Staffing, paid her domestic service worker USD 400 a month plus food and housing for work being performed during 15 and half hours a day seven days a week at her home in San Juan Capistrano and other luxury residences in Miami, Las Vegas and Long Beach, California.

According to the complaint filed by the US Labor Secretary Thomas E Perez on August 22 in the US District Court for the Central District of California, the domestic service worker identified as Sheela Ningwal was subject to callous abuse and retaliation.

She was forced to sleep in the garage on a piece of carpet alongside Bhatia's dogs when she was ill, and was left without food when Bhatia was away from her residence for days, the complaint alleged.

Additionally, Bhatia confiscated Ningwal's passport, restricting her free movement and only made available to the domestic service worker when she had to travel to perform domestic service duties at Bhatia's penthouse in Miami, it said.

Bhatia terminated Ningwal in December 2014 after catching her researching the topic of "labor laws" online and after the domestic service worker refused to sign a document Bhatia authored, stating that she was being paid an adequate salary and had no employment dispute with Bhatia, the complaint said.

The department's Wage and Hour Division found that Bhatia violated the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage and record keeping provisions from July 2012 to December 2014, as well as the act's anti-retaliation provision.

Rose International and IT staffing and consulting firm that had more than USD 357 million in revenue in 2011.
There are still some states in the US where it is legal for men to marry minor girls as young as 12. (Photo: YouTube screenshot)

Viginia: Up until last week, it was legal for an adult man to marry a 12 or 13-year-old girl in the state of Virginia, if the man had the consent of the childs parent. State authorities have however introduced a new law that makes it illegal for men to marry girls who are under 18.

According to a report in the Independent, the new law took effect last Friday and takes parents out of the decision making process.

Statistics in the report show that close to 4,500 children were married between the years 2004 and 2013 in Virginia and that more than 200 girls were 15 or under when they entered into wedlock.

Many campaigners had been fighting to get the laws updated and said that the new law will help stop child abuse, human trafficking and statutory rape in the disguise of marriage.

There have been many cases, where men who had raped a minor or teenager, would escape investigation by marrying their victims. With the new law, sexual predators cannot get away with their crime.

Earlier this year, YouTuber Coby Persin conducted a social experiment in the bustling city of New York to see how people would react upon witnessing a child marriage and to raise awareness against it.

An older man poses with a 'child bride' in New York. (Click here see video)

In the video, that went viral, two actors posing as a 65-year-old groom and his 12-year-old bride get their pictures clicked together in Times Square. Coby plays the role of their wedding photographer and a hidden camera captures the reactions of onlookers.

The peoples reactions ranged from shock, disgust to pure outrage. One woman was even seen wiping away a tear when witnessing the scene. Fortunately most of them gave a piece of their mind to the groom and even threatened to take police action against him.

The video ended on a heartrending note saying that everyday around 33,000 girls are married as children and suffer horrendous violation of human rights.

The laws for marriage vary from one state to another in the US and there are still some states where it is legal for men to marry minor girls as young as 12.
New York: As US President Barack Obama's term at the White House nears an end, multi-million dollar book contracts could await him and wife Michelle Obama, with major publishers predicting post-presidency memoirs penned by the couple will be the "most valuable" ever.

A report in the New York Times said Obama may be the most successful presidential author since Theodore Roosevelt and literary agents and major publishers predict book contracts with the Obamas, once they vacate the White House, could amount to USD 20 million to USD 45 million.

"His is going to be easily the most valuable presidential memoir ever," Raphael Sagalyn of the ICM/Sagalyn Literary Agency said.

"And I think Michelle Obama has the opportunity to sell the most valuable first lady memoir in history," he said predicting that Obama could earn as much as USD 30 million with a two-or three-book contract.

The multi-million dollar book contracts could also be more than enough to pay the estimated USD 22,000 monthly rent for the nine-bedroom home the Obamas will occupy in the Kalorama neighbourhood of Washington.

White House communications director Jen Psaki said while there will be plenty of time post-presidency to discuss books and book contracts, for now the focus of the president and first lady is "on squeezing every last ounce of progress out of the next five months.

"Obama has so far written three books 'Dreams From My Father', 'The Audacity of Hope' and 'Of Thee I Sing', which have sold more than four million copies, according to publishing lists, and earned him more than USD 10 million, according to financial disclosures.

The report said publishers hope that Obama's writing ability could make his memoir not only profitable in its first years but for decades to come.

New York-based literary agent Georges Borchardt said Obama's popularity outside of the United States would make the foreign rights to his books more profitable than those for any other former president.

He could also write a book on race relations in the United States, which was the original plan for "Dreams From My Father" before he turned that book into a memoir, the NYT report said.

Writing books and giving paid speeches has become the preferred occupation of former presidents. Ronald Reagan earned USD 2 million for eight days of speeches in Japan, while Bill and Hillary Clinton earned USD 153 million between 2001 and 2015 from paid speeches. The report added that memoirs by first ladies have also been profitable.

Clinton, the Democratic presidential frontrunner, earned an USD 8 million advance for "Living History" after she left the White House, and Laura Bush was paid millions for "Spoken From the Heart".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama during a bilateral meeting at 28th and 29th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)

Vientiane: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met US President Barack Obama in Vientiane and discussed the immediate priorities in the strategic bilateral partnership, including strengthening the civil nuclear cooperation and combating climate change.

"Had a great discussion with President of the US (POTUS) on India-USA relations," Modi tweeted after his meeting with Obama on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Vientiane, their eighth in the last two years.

"President Obama praised Prime Minister Modi's initiatives to reform the Indian economy. In particular, the US president expressed confidence that the passage of GST will unleash significant economic activity," sources said.

During the meeting, Obama also praised Modi's vision of entrepreneurship and innovation, which he said would be "very important for a country like India".

Obama said that he had always been a friend of India and would continue to be a "strong partner of India and help in any way I can," according to sources.

Both leaders reviewed the immediate priorities in the strategic partnership. They discussed climate change issues and energy cooperation. The two leaders also reviewed progress on Indo-US collaboration in nuclear energy, solar energy and innovation, the sources said.

The meeting was "very warm and friendly", they said. Modi praised President Obama for his contribution to the relationship and the growing trust between the two countries.

He also invited the US President to visit India after demitting office to which Obama said he would welcome any opportunity to visit India.

On a lighter note, Obama said he and his wife Michelle were yet to see the Taj Mahal. Last year, Obama had cancelled a planned trip to the Taj Mahal, cutting short his visit to

India to travel to Saudi Arabia following King Abdullah's death.

This could be the last meeting between Modi and Obama as leaders of the two countries with Obama's second term as US President coming to an end in January next year.

They met for the first time at the White House in September 2014 when Modi travelled to Washington DC at the invitation of Obama.

Modi had also exchanged views with Obama on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China's Hangzhou on Sunday, with the US President praising the "bold policy" move on GST reform in a "difficult" global economic scenario.
The man had passed out in his seat when the plane landed. (Representational Image)

Tennessee: A United Airlines flight has made an emergency landing in Nashville, Tennessee, after an apparently intoxicated passenger caused a disturbance.

An arrest affidavit from Metro Nashville Police says the passenger, Mohammed Nasser Aldoseri, told officers he had eight drinks before boarding Mondays flight from Cincinnati to Houston. The pilot diverted the flight after police say Aldoseri broke one of the planes bathroom doors, threw up in a sink and then starting speaking loudly in Arabic.

News outlets report the affidavit says officers found Aldoseri passed out in his seat when the plane landed. Police said he had slurred speech, red, glassy eyes and was unsteady on his feet.

Police charged Aldoseri with public intoxication and disorderly conduct.
Barack Obama and Narendra Modi at the opening ceremony of the G-20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou, in China's eastern Zhejiang province on Sunday. (Photo: AP)

Washington: Welcoming India's growing role in the Asia-Pacific region, President Barack Obama has said the US will continue to work with other countries in the region for "addressing political and security challenges."

"We've elevated our ties with India across the board, and we welcome India's growing role in the Asia Pacific," Obama said in a major policy speech on Asia-Pacific region in Laos on Tuesday. This is for the first time that a US President has visited Laos.

Obama said to keep the peace and deter aggression, the US has deployed more of its most advanced military capabilities to the region, including ships and aircraft to Singapore.

"And by the end of the decade, a majority of our Navy and Air Force fleets will be based out of the Pacific. And our allies and partners are collaborating more with each other as well. So our alliances and defence capabilities in the Asia Pacific are as strong as they've ever been," he said.

"We've also forged deeper ties with emerging economies and emerging powers. With Indonesia and Malaysia, we're promoting entrepreneurship. We're opposing violent extremism, and we're addressing environmental degradation," he said.

"With my recent visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, we've shown our commitment to fully normalising our relationship with Vietnam," Obama said.

"We've deepened our cooperation with regional institutions, especially here in Southeast Asia. And as part of our new strategic partnership with ASEAN, we've agreed to key principles, including that ASEAN will remain central to peace, prosperity and progress in the Asia Pacific," Obama said.

"The US is now part of the East Asia Summit, and together we've made it the leading forum in the region for addressing political and security challenges, including maritime security," he said.

Obama said the US has worked to build a constructive relationship with China.

"Our two governments continue to have serious differences in important areas. The US will remain unwavering in our support for universal human rights, but at the same time, we've shown that we can work together to advance mutual interests.

The US and China are engaged across more areas than ever before -- from preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, to our shared commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, to our historic leadership together on climate change," he said.

"So I will say it again. The United States welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful and stable and prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs, because we believe that will benefit all of us," he added.

"In other words, the US is more deeply engaged across the Asia Pacific than we have been in decades. Our position is stronger. And we've sent a clear message that, as a Pacific nation, we're here to stay. In good times and bad, you can count on the United States of America," Obama said.
Whitfield County received a check in the amount of $24,263, representing its share of a $5 million one-time special return from the ACCG  Group Self-Insurance Workers Compensation Fund (GSIWCF).ACCG is Georgias county association and works on behalf of county officials and their communities by providing public policy and legislative advocacy, leadership development, civic and community engagement initiatives, insurance and retirement programs that specialize in local government needs, and other cost-saving programs.We welcome the opportunity to recognize our loyal program participants and reward longevity in our programs, ACCG Executive Director Ross King said.Over 166 counties and authorities trust ACCG to provide for their workers compensation insurance needs through our well-established and respected program that specializes in the needs of Georgia county governments.The ACCG  Group Self-Insurance Workers Compensation Fund was established in 1982. Organizations participating in the workers compensation insurance program since 2014 are eligible for the special one-time return.Each year, premiums are collected from the membership, and the workers compensation benefits are paid to the injured workers. While some injuries are minor and benefits are paid quickly, benefits for more serious injuries may be paid over the course of 10 or more years. The portion of the premium that is not immediately needed results as investment income to the program.This action underscores the benefit of participating in a county-owned program, ACCG President and Elbert County Chairman Tommy Lyon said. We have the flexibility to share a portion of these gains with the membership whereas a commercial carrier would likely have kept the profit or distributed it to its shareholders.Recently, the Board of Trustees determined that it was in the best interest of the fund to eliminate one of the three money managers that managed an investment portfolio on behalf of the program.The investments from the terminated money manager were sold in order to transfer the portfolio to the remaining managers which resulted in an influx of realized gains. After assessing the strength and stability of the program with external consultants, the Board of Trustees agreed that a portion of these gains could be returned to the participating organizations.We are very excited to have the opportunity to allot this special one-time return to the membership, GSIWCF Board of Trustees Chairman and McDuffie County Commissioner Frederick Favors said. This is an excellent example of one of the many benefits of participating in county-owned insurance programs that are administered by ACCG.Counties have the flexibility to use this funding as needed; however, ACCG encourages counties to consider investing at least a portion of this special one-time return to implement programs or practices that can reduce the number and severity of future accidents. In turn, this can potentially lower future workers compensation premiums as insurance premiums are impacted by the claims history.Although ACCG  GSIWCF has returned a dividend 27 times over the life of the program  and every year since 1996  the dividend has historically been returned in the form of a premium credit.A $3.75 million dividend was distributed statewide as a premium credit in January 2016. The premium credit is beneficial to the membership as it reduces annual premium costs.The special one-time return is being offered as the result of eliminating one of the programs money managers. It is not intended to replace the premium credit, which will continue to be evaluated on an annual basis.ACCG provides workers compensation insurance to more Georgia county governments than all other insurers combined and manages assets of approximately $219 million. Since 1985, the program has returned more than $60 million in the form of premium credits.Formed in 1914 when county officials came together to help fund the states first highway department, ACCG today serves as a catalyst for advancing Georgias counties. For more information, go to www.accg.org.
The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not do not exist in the current Indian Navy arsenal. (Photo: Representational Image)

Washington: The US is likely to respond positively to India's request for 22 unarmed high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean, sources in Washington have said. The move comes after India was designated a 'major defence partner' of the US in June.

Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama at the White House in early June, the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR) in February to Department of Defence towards purchase of 22 high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian UAVs.

This was the first major request of arms sale purchase by India after Obama designated New Delhi as a major 'strategic defence partner'.

The US government has not made a formal decision on it yet, but is believed to have started an inter agency process on the Indian request.

According to sources, the administration believes that an approval of such a major military sale would help in "sealing Indian US defence relationship", bring in "a new level of comfort" between the two militaries and would be considered as a lasting legacy not only for India but also for the Asia-Pacific pivot of the outgoing president.

Officials in Washington believe the sale of predator Guardian UAVs would act as a force multiplier for India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region; which of late has become one of the key American objective in the Asia Pacific region.

Top governmental sources confirmed that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had detailed discussions on predator Guardian UAV to fulfil maritime surveillance requirements.

Parrikar was in the US last week and held meetings with Carter at the Pentagon on August 29. During the meeting, Carter is understood have assured Parrikar he would personally "champion" India's request "within the system," sources said.

Sources indicate along with the White House, the Pentagon and some influential members of the US are keen to complete the process as soon as possible before Obama leaves his presidency next January.

However, a section within the State Department have to be convinced that this is in the interest of the US national security as well. This maritime capability will be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy who has procured other advance technologies including Boeing P-8 aircraft.

The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not do not exist in the current Indian Navy arsenal.
Washington: A retired US army general has slammed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps remarks that if he is elected the President he will ask the US military to come up with a plan within one month to defeat ISIS.

I had to ask myself, what the hell does he think we've been trying to do for the last 14 years in terms of al Qaeda? Retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told Anderson Cooper on AC360 on Tuesday.

Trump had during a rally in Greenville, North Carolina, said that on day one of his presidency, he would convene his top generals and give what he called a simple instruction to in 30 days submit to the Oval Office a plan for soundly and quickly defeating ISIS, according to the CNN.

But the former commanding general had said the Republicans orders are simplistic and insulting to individuals working to defeat ISIS, the CNN reported. It shows a complete lack of understanding of the threat and the ways to fight it, Hertling said. Its a sophomoric approach to elements of national security policy.
The US State Department and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Tuesday stressed the need for ties with the Philippines to be based on mutual respect, after Manila's new leader raised worries about the future of the key alliance by calling President Barack Obama a "son of a bitch."

Despite US dismay over Duterte's remarks, though, current and former U.S. officials played down the impact, saying they did not expect any serious damage to ties at a time of high tensions over China's extensive territorial claims in Asia.

The State Department said a planned first meeting between Obama and his counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on the sidelines of a regional summit in Laos on Tuesday was canceled because the tone of the Philippine leader's rhetoric raised questions about the chances of productive talks.

"Words matter, and we want to see an atmosphere that is cordial and open to strong cooperation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a regular news briefing in Washington.

Clinton, who as secretary of state was an architect of Obama's policy of emphasizing the importance of the Asia Pacific to US interests in the face of a rising China, said Obama was right to cancel the meeting.

"When the president of the Philippines insulted our president, it was appropriate and a very low-key way to say: sorry, no meeting," she told reporters on her campaign plane.

"We have a lot of ties between the United States and the Philippines. And I think it's very important that we have a relationship, but there has to be a certain level of respect that is expected on both sides," Clinton said.

Duterte made the remark about Obama while explaining that he would not be lectured over extrajudicial killings in the war against drugs he has launched since taking two months ago and which has killed about 2,400 people.

He has previously called the pope a "son of a whore" and the US ambassador a "gay son of whore."

The Philippines voiced regret for Duterte's comments after Obama canceled a formal bilateral meeting. The White House then said Obama might speak with Duterte informally.

"Feeling His Way"

Duterte's volatile nature threatens to complicate Washington's ties with its closest ally in Southeast Asia as it tries to forge a united front in the region in response to China's extensive claims in the strategic South China Sea.

The Philippines has been central in this effort due to an international court case it brought and won against Beijing.

In March, the United States and the Philippines agreed on five locations for U.S. military facilities in the country under a new security deal. The deal grants Washington increased military presence in its former colony through rotation of ships and planes for humanitarian and maritime security operations.

Asked about Duterte's comments, US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said the defense relationship with the Philippines was a "strong" and "longstanding" one.

Speaking to reporters, Carter also described the Philippines' new defense minister, Delfin Lorenzana, as someone who was "very knowledgeable about all the things that we do together."

An official of the US State Department said "government to government" relations with Manila remained strong.

"The areas that we believe we have robust, strong cooperation with them, we are not going to just simply throw that aside.

The official noted that Duterte was new to national leadership having served as a city mayor.

"He is maybe feeling his way into the new job," the official said.

Former U.S. officials said China would be pleased by the U.S.-Philippines friction.

Time will tell whether President Duterte steps back from this episode and realises he needs to recalibrate his choice of words in engaging US leaders, said Amy Searight, a former senior Pentagon official now at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

Evan Medeiros, Obamas former top Asia adviser and now a senior analyst at the Eurasia Group, saw the row as a speed bump, not a road block in US-Philippines ties.

It's unfortunate, but doesnt fundamentally derail the relationship, he said.
Manila: Despite foul-mouthed tirades, international outrage and a public spat with Barack Obama, Rodrigo Duterte is the most popular politician in the Philippines.

As the politically incorrect president enters the third month of his six-year term, the Asian nation's slums are drenched in blood from a brutal anti-drug campaign that has seen police and shadowy assassins kill nearly 3,000 people.

But 71-year-old Duterte is riding high on record approval ratings, with the acid-tongued and irascible grandfather shrugging off repeated controversies including unprovoked and obscene attacks on the United Nations and the US president, whom he this week called a "son of a whore".

Critics said he was a dictator in the making, but 16 million people voted the former state prosecutor into office earlier this year, a landslide win fuelled by widespread disgust at conventional politicians in a raucous, corruption-ridden democracy.

"He is probably saying things ordinary people would not say because they are fearful or ashamed," political scientist Antonio Contreras told AFP.

"It's hard to explain. It's a machismo thing," said Earl Parreno, from the Manila-based think tank Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, explaining that Duterte represented many people's hope for genuine change.

"Despite his missteps, his insults, what they want really is for him to be given a chance to do something that will have an impact on their lives," Parreno told AFP.

That sense of hope is embodied by Irving dela Cruz, an IT manager who spends at least two hours getting to work through Manila's gridlocked traffic.

"Okay, I don't like his attitude, his swearing, his womanising, all his negative traits. But what he has done and what he continues to do outweighs everything," the 39-year-old told AFP.

"He is transparent, nothing about his personality is faked, and he represents the common man. I feel safer actually," dela Cruz added.

Parreno said Filipinos generally backed Duterte's bloody anti-crime crackdown not because they were ignorant of their rights but that they were more concerned about their personal safety.

"They really think we need this kind of action," he said. "It is sometimes embarrassing but that is the mind of the masses."

Scrambling for selfies

Manila pollster Pulse Asia said 91 percent of Filipinos supported Duterte in their last popularity survey in July, more than a month after he took 38 percent of the popular vote in the landslide May election. There have been no other surveys since then.

Rights groups, church leaders in the mainly Catholic nation and some lawmakers have joined the US and United Nations in condemning the extra-judicial killings.

"This is a national emergency and the Philippine government particularly President Duterte are instead cheerleading and praising this campaign ... It's absolutely appalling," Phelim Kine, of Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera.

"Lawyers, human rights activists understand these things but ordinary people on the streets are not likely to be familiar with that," Contreras said of concerns over democratic rights.

"They (victims) are painted to be criminals, they are demonised as drug addicts," he told AFP.

Duterte's popularity -- or notoriety -- is extending beyond Philippine borders as he makes his first foreign trip to a summit in Laos this week, according to his spokesman Martin Andanar.

Some foreign ministers as well as delegates at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting have been scrambling to take selfies with the Filipino leader, Andanar told reporters Wednesday.

"In spite of the colourful language that he uses, the Asians in the region seem to be able to get -- and there seems to be an empathy towards -- him," Ernesto Abella, another Duterte spokesman, added.
Hong Kong: US intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden sought shelter among Hong Kong refugees afterhe leaked a huge trove of secret documents in the southern Chinese city, reports said on Wednesday.

The former intelligence contractor had quit his job with the National Security Agency and travelled to Hong Kong in May2013 where he initiated one of the largest data leaks in US history, fuelling a firestorm over the issue of mass surveillance.

Although Snowden stayed in an upscale hotel before the leak, little was known of his situation afterwards. But a report on wednesday revealed he had been given shelter by the city's 11,000 asylum-seekers.

Many of Hong Kong's refugees are forced to live in slum-like conditions, the last place anyone would look for one of the highest-profile US fugitives.

The 33-year-old stayed with at least four refugees, according to a New York Times report. It added they were all clients of lawyer Robert Tibbo, who helped hide Snowden.

"It was clear that if Mr. Snowden was placed with a refugee family, this was the last place the government and the majority of Hong Kong society would expect him to be," Tibbotold the Times.

One Filipino woman with whom Snowden stayed, Vanessa Mae Bondalian Rodel, described him as "scared and very worried". After she saw his story in local media, she described her shock. "Oh my God, the most wanted man in the world is in my house."

Other refugees from Sri Lanka said they were not worried about hosting Snowden, and felt he was taking a greater risk than they were. One family told how he left money for them under a pillow before he left.

Snowden came to Hong Kong on May 20, 2013 and began a damaging series of leaks about the NSA eavesdropping of phones and computer systems that triggered concern from governments worldwide.

Media were clambering to find the whistleblower from the time he checked out of his five-star hotel on June 10 to the day he left the city for Moscow on June 23, escaping the clutches of US justice.

His high-stakes journey is the topic of "Snowden", a thriller directed by Oliver Stone which hits cinemas around the world in September and comes to Hong Kong in October.
Unlike many victims of sexual assault, Gavious chose not to hide her identity and gave the media a blow-by-blow detail of what happened. (Photo: Facebook)

Phuket: A Thai man has been arrested for sexually assaulting and masturbating atop a US woman after she tried escaping from his clutches and fell off a 150-ft cliff in Thailand.

According to a report in DailyMail, 23-year-old Hannah Gavios, a New York -based teacher, was holidaying in Thailand when the incident took place. She broke her back after she fell from the 150ft cliff during a bid to save herself from the sexual predator, but to her horror, he found her again and performed sexual acts on her, as she lay helpless on the ground.

Unlike many victims of sexual assault, Gavious chose not to hide her identity and gave the media a blow-by-blow detail of what happened.

Recalling the fateful day, Gavious said it all started when she got lost in Thailand s Railay Beach and sought help at a nearby tourist shop to get back to her hotel. A local offered to help her, but little did she know his true intentions and he soon waylaid her into a jungle instead of leading her to safety.

Gavious said she was too tired to think and realised that she was being led to danger too late.

'I really thought I was going to die,' she said.

'I didn't get the best feeling about him but I was tired and wanted to get home. I'd been travelling for 16 hours so I guess I wasn't feeling myself,' Gavios recalled.

She remembered asking him repeatedly if they were on the right way. As they continued walking, he suddenly grabbed her and tried to take her clothes off.

"I started punching him in the face and beating him up and biting off his ear. I was biting his ear so hard it almost came off. His ear was half torn off," she said.

"He was in pain and asked me to stop, so we shook hands and he stopped but I was still nervous and he was still trying to harass me so there was no choice but to run. I started walking back to where I came from. Once there was distance between us I started running."

The jungle was pitch black and she could hardly see anything, but she did not have the time to think and as she continued to run, she soon found herself falling from a cliff.

It was pitch black and before I knew it I was in mid air falling off a cliff. I was honestly thinking I wouldn't survive, she said.

I hit my head a few times and landed with a big bump. I was screaming in pain. It was the most painful thing ever. I felt like a total vegetable. I felt completely vulnerable. I couldn't move anything.

The Thai local who has been identified as 27-year-old Apai Ruengvorn, found his way back to her and proceeded to sexually molest her, while she lay injured and motionless from the pain.

'I was stuck with this crazy person. I was in the woods in the bushes with wild snakes crawling on me while he was still continuing to harass me. He got on top of me. He took of his pants and masturbated on me, she said.

Gavious was grievously injured and had broken her spine due to the fall, she kept begging Ruengvorn to call for help, but he did not listen to her, not a first at least.

I honestly didn't know what to do. I just had to remain calm. whenever I screamed he was choking me so I had to try to keep cool and stay friendly with him. As soon as it got lighter I started calling for help. He kept saying "no police no police," Gavios said.

After some time, Ruengvorn left the spot, but to Gavios relief, he came back with other people who rescued her and admitted her to a hospital.

While she is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Phuket, the police have arrested Ruengvorn for his crime.

He admitted to his horrific crime and faces several years in prison for what he did.

Gavious on the other hand, is slowly recovering, while the sexual assault may have led to broken bones, it hasnt broken her spirit as she plans to stay on in Asia and take up teaching in Vietnam.
The incident, which saw seven investigators held by a 100-strong gang allegedly hired by a palm oil company, has highlighted the difficulty faced in tackling the raging blazes that cloak Southeast Asia with haze every year. (Photo: AFP)

Jakarta: Indonesia vowed on Wednesday to "wage war" against illegal land burning after officials were detained and faced death threats from a mob allegedly trying to stop them investigating smog-belching fires.

The incident, which saw seven investigators held by a 100-strong gang allegedly hired by a palm oil company, has highlighted the difficulty faced in tackling the raging blazes that cloak Southeast Asia with haze every year.

The fires and subsequent smog occur annually to varying degrees on Sumatra island and the Indonesian part of Borneo during the dry season, and are started to cheaply clear land for palm oil and pulpwood plantations.

But 2015's were the worst for years and saw large parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore cloaked in choking smog for weeks. They have not been as serious so far this year.

The seven-strong team were detained by the mob in Riau province, on Sumatra island, on Friday after taking photos of land that had allegedly been cleared with fire by a company called Andika Permata Sawit Lestari (APSL).

The mob -- suspected to have been hired by APSL -- threatened to beat them, kill them and dump their bodies in a nearby river. They were finally released unharmed after 12 hours when police intervened.

Indonesia's Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar has condemned the incident, saying it highlights how companies form murky alliances with local communities to burn land and protect their plantations.

After meeting the head of the national police on Wednesday, Bakar said: "I have the police chief's backing to wage war against forest and land fires."

Police chief Tito Karnavian said a joint police and ministry team would carry out investigations in Riau.

Under fierce pressure from its neighbours, Indonesia has pledged to take more action and has arrested over 460 people so far in 2016 over forest fires, more than double the number detained last year.

But activists say the latest case highlights how under-resourced officials and security forces are often no match for the massive companies that are accused of setting the illegal fires.
Vientiane: Japan is "seriously concerned" about Beijing's increasingly muscular claims in the South China Sea, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Asian leaders Wednesday.

Beijing insists it has sovereign rights to almost all of the strategically vital waters, where the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims. It also has a simmering territorial row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

"I am seriously concerned with the continuing attempts to change unilaterally the status quo in the East and South China Sea," Abe said at a regional summit in Laos hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"I hope that both parties to the dispute in the South China Sea will abide by the ruling by the China-Philippines tribunal court, which legally binds the parties to the dispute, and it will lead to a peaceful settlement of the dispute," he added, according to a statement released by Tokyo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The gathering in Laos is the first ASEAN meeting since an international court ruled in July that China's claims to the sea had no legal basis, and its artificial island building programme in the waters was illegal. It was a sweeping victory for the Philippines, which filed the case in 2013.

China has ignored the ruling, announcing penalties for "illegal" fishing in the sea and continuing its reclamation activities. Japan's dispute with China is over uninhabited islands controlled by Tokyo. They are known as the Senkakus in Japan and as the Diaoyus in China.
This is the third time that Modi is attending these two Summits. (Photo: ANI)

Vientiane (Laos): Prime Minister Narendra Mod arrived on Wednesday in the Laotian capital Vientiane to attend the ASEAN-India and the East Asia Summits to strengthen India's trade and security ties with the strategic Southeast Asian region.

During his two-day visit, Modi is scheduled to have several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summits, beginning with an interaction with Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe on Wednesday.

"Greetings Vientiane! PM @narendramodi arrives in Laos for a packed 2 days of diplomacy," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

The host nation, Laos will organise a gala dinner this evening for all heads of state. This will be followed by Modi's bilateral talks with Laotian counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith.

The talks between the two leaders are likely to focus on terrorism, maritime security, disaster management, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

India has been seeking to join the exclusive 21-member APEC.

This is the third time that Modi is attending these two Summits.

"ASEAN is a key partner for our 'Act East' policy, which is vital for the economic development of our Northeastern region," Modi had said in a statement in New Delhi ahead of the Summits.

East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region, he had said.

India is a founding member of the East Asia Summit.

Future directions under the three pillars of politico-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation will be the focus of talks at the 14th ASEAN-India summit .

At the 11th East Asia Summit, leaders will discuss matters of regional and international interest and concerns including maritime security, terrorism, non-proliferation and irregular migration.

The Summits will be attended by Heads of State/Government of the 10 ASEAN and 18 East Asia Summit Participating Countries respectively.

India's engagement with the ASEAN and wider Asia-Pacific region has acquired further momentum following the enunciation of the 'Act-East Policy' by Modi at the 12th ASEAN-India Summit and 9th East Asia Summit in Myanmar in November 2014.

The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern.

2017 will mark 25 years of India's dialogue partnership with ASEAN, and several commemorative activities will also be announced by Modi to celebrate the occasion.

ASEAN is a strategic partner of India since 2012. India and ASEAN have 30 dialogue mechanisms which meet regularly.

Trade between India and ASEAN stood at USD 65.04 billion in 2015-16 and comprises 10.12 per cent of India's total trade with the world.

The ASEAN-India economic integration process has got a fillip with the creation of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area in July 2015, following the entry into force of the ASEAN-India Trade in Services and Investment Agreements.

Apart from the 10 ASEAN Member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, United States and Russia.
The suspects had been held since August 26 by Armenian police, who confiscated their passports and telecom equipment while concealing their whereabouts from lawyers, according to Taiwanese authorities. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP)

Taipei: Taiwan protested Wednesday after Armenia deported 78 Taiwanese fraud suspects to China, the latest such deportation to spark a dispute with Beijing.

The suspects had been held since August 26 by Armenian police, who confiscated their passports and telecom equipment while concealing their whereabouts from lawyers, according to Taiwanese authorities.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), its top China policy-making body, said it immediately lodged a protest with Beijing after being notified of the deportation.

"We have repeatedly demanded the Chinese side not to deport our people to mainland China. The Chinese side's action again disregarded our call and further hurt the feelings of Taiwanese people," it said in a statement.

The MAC said it would continue negotiating with China to secure the suspects' return to Taiwan to face trial.

Armenia's actions are the latest in a series of deportations of Taiwanese to China, with Taipei accusing Beijing of "abducting" citizens from countries that do not recognise the Taiwanese government.

Analysts see the deportation cases as a Chinese bid to pressure Taiwan's new Beijing-sceptic leader Tsai Ing-wen, who took office in May.

But Beijing insists that Taiwanese fraud suspects should be sent to China to face trial because their telephone fraud crimes largely target mainland Chinese.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said it protested at the Armenian government's actions and vowed to report the incident to international human rights organisations.

"Due process is lacking in the investigation of the case... the Armenia government has seriously violated human rights and international legal principles and precedents."

Kenya deported dozens of Taiwanese accused of fraud to China last month and in April after they had been cleared of the charges.

Amnesty International has said the Taiwanese face potential "human rights violations" if sent to the mainland.

Taipei has also protested at the recent deportations of Taiwanese fraud suspects from Malaysia and Cambodia to China.

Relations between Taiwan and China have grown increasingly frosty since Tsai and her the Democratic Progressive Party came to power.

China insists that self-ruling Taiwan is part of its territory, even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war.
Tennessee is famous for many things, but some people may not realize the state once was a hotbed for the marble industry. Tennessee marble, known for its pinkish-gray coloring and ease of polishing, has been used in many buildings across the country.

In the next installment of the Tennessee State Library and Archives lecture series, Susan Knowles, a digital humanities fellow at Middle Tennessee State University's Center for Historic Preservation, will discuss how Supreme Court case records helped her research the marble industry. Dr. Knowles' talk, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. Sept. 24 in the Library & Archives auditorium.

Dr. Knowles first explored the Supreme Court Case files, which are housed at the Library and Archives, while serving as museum consultant for the Tennessee Judiciary Museum in 2012. She will illustrate their value in a case study on the Tennessee marble industry that helped her prepare Rock of Ages: East Tennessee's Marble Legacy, an exhibit that will open Nov. 18 at the Museum of East Tennessee History. To search Supreme Court case records at the Library and Archives, please visit http://sos.tn.gov/products/tsla/tennessee-supreme-court-cases

"We are very privileged to have Dr. Knowles share some of the findings of her research with those who want to participate in our lecture series," Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. "She will demonstrate how Supreme Court records can be used to learn more about how marble had a major impact on our state's history."

Dr. Knowles' dissertation topic was Tennessee marble in civic architecture, with a focus on the individuals who built the industry as well as the political, societal and infrastructural forces that shaped it. Over a 20-year career in the museum field, she has organized numerous exhibitions and worked as a project curator for the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center, Fisk University, the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Hofstra University, Humanities Tennessee, Nashville International Airport, Nashville Public Library, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Tennessee Holocaust Commission, the Tennessee Judiciary Museum and the Tennessee State Museum.
There had been a boom in Mainland tourists to Taiwan in recent years under former President Ma Ying-jeou's Beijing-friendly government, with Chinese visitors accounting for about 40 percent of the total 10 million tourists last year. (Photo: Representational Image)

Taipei: The number of Chinese visitors to Taiwan has fallen 22 percent since the island's Beijing-sceptic government took office in May, with tourism operators saying Wednesday that the industry is in a slump.

Hotels are only half-full and thousands of tour buses are sitting idle, with observers saying the decline is due to China limiting tour groups to Taiwan amid rapidly cooling cross-strait ties.

There had been a boom in Mainland tourists to Taiwan in recent years under former President Ma Ying-jeou's Beijing-friendly government, with Chinese visitors accounting for about 40 percent of the total 10 million tourists last year, according to government figures.

However, in the months since President Tsai Ing-wen took office up to August 23, mainland visitor numbers have fallen 22.3 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the Mainland Affairs Council.

The biggest slump was in visitors arriving with tour groups -- a 38.9 percent decrease.

"We're trying very hard to survive and we hope the government can help," said Ringo Lee, spokesman for the Travel Agent Association.

Tsai's government has said they are seeking to attract more tourists from Southeast Asia to make up the shortfall, but Lee says that's not working yet.

"In such a huge industry that encompasses restaurants, hotels, shops, bus companies, tour guides, it's difficult to adjust to a totally new market," he explained.

Tourism operators have planned a protest for September 12 expected to attract thousands of demonstrators.

Chang Tien-tsai, who leads a tour bus association, says more than 3,000 vehicles that were bought to carry mainland tour groups are now just "sitting in the sun."

Chang said bus companies rushed to buy new buses during an influx of mainland visitors in 2008, but many are now having difficulties repaying loans.

And, many hotels near tourist attractions are only able to fill half of their rooms, according to Jessica Yu, secretary-general of a hotel association.

Anti-China rhetoric is also contributing to the decline in tourists, said Lee, giving the example of social media comments like "Taiwan's air is better without mainland tourists."

The island's tourism sector was also badly hit when a deadly bus crash in July killed an entire tour group from China's northeastern city of Dalian. The incident prompted Chinese officials to question the safety of mainland visitors to the island.
The aircraft will help us in the movements of the Philippine Coast Guard like patrol missions. (Photo: Representational Image)

Manila: The United States is giving the Philippines two used military aircraft, the coast guard said Wednesday, to help Manila expand sea patrols in the face of territorial disputes with China.

The two Sherpa 30-seater aircraft will be delivered in December, Philippine coast guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo told AFP.

"It will help us in the movements of the Philippine Coast Guard like patrol missions," Balilo added.

The announcement came days after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday sparked a major diplomatic row with Manila's longtime treaty ally the United States by branding President Barack Obama a "son of a whore".

Duterte said Tuesday he regretted the tirade, sparked by the US leader's plan to raise the issue of extrajudicial killings under Duterte's war on crime.

Manila, which has one of Asia's weakest militaries, has been trying to improve defence ties with its former colonial ruler Washington and other allies.

Balilo said the Sherpas would help the coast guard augment its meagre air patrol capability, now comprised of two old Britten-Norman Islanders.

The Philippines has expressed concern about Beijing's massive island-building over reefs, some of them claimed by Manila, in the South China Sea.

Duterte last week said China had sent barges to the contested Scarborough Shoal and had appeared to begin construction there for the first time. On Wednesday the Philippines released photos to back its claims.

Manila scored a sweeping victory when a UN-backed tribunal ruled in July that Beijing's claims to most of the sea had no legal basis and that its construction of artificial islands was illegal.

The US has said it does not take sides in the dispute but has raised its naval presence in the region to ensure freedom of navigation. Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam also have competing claims to parts of the sea, through which $5 trillion in annual trade passes.
Sydney: The district court of New South Wales, on Monday, sentenced a 35-year-old man for two years in jail after he was found guilty of breaking into a woman's home and licking her private parts.

According to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, the man, identified as Joseph Taouk, broke into the womans house in inner-city Sydney on February 2015, and committed the act, while her boyfriend slept next to her.

The woman initially thought that it was her partner, but on realising that he was still asleep in bed next to her, she clutched his arm, dug her nails into his skin and whispered, Someones there, after which he sprang off the bed to find Taouk.

After being caught, Taouk claimed that he mistook the house to be a boarding house as the door was open.

Though the woman felt scared, terrified and physically assaulted, she reported the incident to police only after her step father, to whom she narrated the scene, forced her to.

The police, on a preliminary investigation, found a sweating and nervous Taouk walking along the area, and arrested him. On questioning, he pleaded guilty of breaking into her home and sexually assaulting the woman. The police also found his DNA in the womans sweat pants, after which he was jailed.

Pronouncing the judgement, the judge also read out an apology letter from Taouk, where he claimed that he was mentally ill and was just following the voices in his head.

He was sentenced for two years jail, but since he has already served much of his sentence, can apply for release soon.
The car's owner and an associate, both known to police, were arrested on Tuesday, police said. (Photo: Representational Image)

Paris: French anti-terror police were holding two suspects Wednesday after finding several gas cylinders in a car near Paris's Notre Dame cathedral, sources close to the investigation said.

No detonators were found in the vehicle, which was discovered abandoned at the weekend, the sources said.

The car's owner and an associate, both known to police, were arrested on Tuesday, they said, adding a preliminary investigation had been launched.

Notre Dame, a Gothic cathedral famous for its flying buttresses, stained glass windows and gargoyles, is one of Paris's key landmarks, attracting 13 million visitors each year.

A bar employee working nearby raised the alert on Sunday after noticing a gas cylinder on the backseat of the car, whose hazard lights were flashing and which had no number plates, a police source said.

The car was parked in a side street opposite the cathedral on the left bank of the Seine, the police source said, adding that the car's owner was identified on Tuesday.

France has been rocked by a string of deadly attacks claimed by Islamic State (IS) group militants.

In July, 86 people were killed when a truck ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in the southern resort of Nice with IS saying it was driven by one of its followers.

Less than two weeks later, two young jihadists murdered a priest near the northern city of Rouen. IS also claimed responsibility for the November 2015 attacks on Paris that killed 130 people and injured hundreds.

The head of France's DGSI domestic intelligence service, Patrick Calvar, warned in May of a "new form of attack" in which explosive devices would be left near sites that attract large crowds.
Corsica: A court in Corsica has decided to uphold a ban on the Islamic swimming costume, the burkini, despite a top administrative court overturning it last month.

According to a report in the Independent, the judge ruled in favour of the ban on burkini from beaches in the town of Sisco, due to an incident related to the clothing, which had allegedly disrupted public order.

On August 16, a brawl had broken out between locals and three Moroccans over reports that people were taking pictures of women wearing the controversial swimsuit.

"Given the events of 13 August, the presence of a woman wearing a swimsuit covered by the ban of 16 August in certain circumstances can generate an averse risk to public order which is up to the mayor to prevent," the judge said.

However, France's top administrative court had only last month overturned a ban on burkinis, in a decision Friday that was expected to set a legal precedent regarding a swimsuit crackdown that has divided the country and provoked shock around the world.

The ruling by the Council of State specifically concerned a ban on the Muslim garment in the Riviera town of Villeneuve-Loubet, but the binding decision was expected to impact all the 30 or so French resort municipalities that have issued similar decrees.

The bans grew increasingly controversial as images circulated online of some Muslim women being ordered to remove body-concealing garments on French Riviera beaches.

Lawyers for a human rights group and a Muslim collective challenged the legality of the ban to the top court, saying the orders infringe basic freedoms and that mayors have overstepped their powers by telling women what to wear on beaches.

Mayors had cited multiple reasons for the bans, including security after a string of Islamic extremist attacks, risk to public order, and France's strict rules on secularism in public life.
London: India was on Wednesday included among priority countries by the United Kingdom for striking post-Brexit trade deals by Prime Minister Theresa May, who also stressed on developing an "ambitious and bold" model of non-membership association with the European Union.

May told the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) that India was among the countries that had expressed an interest in trade deals with the UK.

"As we leave the EU, we will forge our own trade deals. The leaders from India, Mexico, South Korea and Singapore said they would welcome talks to remove trade barriers. President Xi also made clear that China would welcome discussions about trade with the UK," she said.

May, who recently returned to the UK from the G20 Summit in China, had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines.

In reference to her government's plans on leaving the European Union (EU) in the wake of the June 23 referendum in favour of Brexit, the Prime Minister refused to provide a "running commentary" on her plans.

She said in her statement to Parliament: "On 23rd June, the British people were asked to vote on whether we should stay in the EU or leave. The majority decided to leave. Our task now is to deliver the will of the British people and negotiate the best possible deal for our country.

"And I know many people are keen to see rapid progress and to understand what post-Brexit Britain will look like. We are getting on with that vital work... We will not take decisions until we are ready. We will not reveal our hand prematurely and we will not provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiation."

"And I say that because that is not the best way to conduct a strong and mature negotiation that will deliver the best deal for the people of this country," she said.

While giving no more details, she promised a specific British variant on non-membership association with the EU, one that would be "ambitious and bold".

"It is not about the Norway model or the Swiss model or any other country's model - it is about developing our own British model," she said.

The British premier also used her first parliamentary appearance after a summer break to embarrass Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn over the impending Labour party leadership election.

"Mr Speaker, what we do know is whoever wins the Labour leadership, we are not going to let them anywhere near power again," she said.
Stockholm: Swedish prosecutors are set to give an update on the rape investigation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for four years.

The news conference with prosecutors Marianne Ny and Ingrid Isgren comes ahead of an investigative report on the case, scheduled to be aired Wednesday by Swedish broadcaster SVT.

Assange is wanted for questioning over a rape allegation stemming from his visit to Sweden in 2010. He denies the accusation.

SVT posted a preview clip where Assange declines to discuss the case, saying the "proper place for that is in a formal statement to the Swedish prosecutor. That's something that she has avoided for six years."

Ecuador says it has approved a Swedish request to question Assange at the embassy.
Stephen Leyland, 64, whose photo appeared in the a magazine propaganda magazine of the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS. (Photo: stevetheflowerman.co.uk)

London: A florist from a small town in northwest England on Wednesday expressed his shock at being pictured in a propaganda magazine of the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS.

Stephen Leyland, who runs a Flower Stall in Cheshire, appeared in the dreaded terrorist group's new 'Rumiyah' magazine that called for more lone-wolf attacks in the West targeting people like him.

The 64-year-old was unaware of unwittingly being on ISIS hit-list by his image being used from his website stevetheflowerman.Co.Uk, until he was contacted by counter-terror officers on Tuesday.

"It has come as a bit of a shock. When I was first contacted I thought it was a wind-up. I really don't know what to do. I'm not scared but I am concerned that the photo is in this magazine.

"I don't know any jihadis," Leyland told 'The Times'.

"They (counter-Terrorism officers) said that the foreign secretary (Boris Johnson) had asked about it," he added.

Leyland describes himself as "The Flower Man" and an "old fashioned market trader" on his website.

The 38-page magazine is among a number of ISIS publications aimed at inciting extreme violence in the West.
On September 5, French demonstrators blocked access to the Channel Tunnel and the Calais ferry terminal causing severe transport disruption, to protest at the governments failure to close the Calais refugee camp known as the Jungle. (Photo: AFP)

London: Britain is to start building a wall in the northern French port of Calais to stop migrants jumping on trucks, under a deal agreed earlier this year, the interior ministry said on Wednesday.

The 13-foot high, one-kilometre long barrier will be built on a port approach road starting this month and should be completed by the end of this year, officials said.

The wall, which will be funded by the British government under an agreement struck at a summit in March, will complement a security fence already put up around the port and entrance to the Channel Tunnel.

We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. Weve done the fence, now we are doing a wall, junior minister Robert Goodwill told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

The wall, which is expected to cost $3 million, will be the latest barrier to go up around Europe as the continent struggles with its biggest migrant influx in decades.

Hungary has built a reinforced fence on its frontier with Serbia and Austria has announced plans for a massive new fence along its border with Hungary in a bid to shut down the Balkan migrant route.

Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump has said he plans to build a wall along the border with Mexico funded by the Mexican government if he is elected.

The wall in Calais was agreed following tens of thousands of attempted Channel crossings last year through trucks boarding ferries and the Eurotunnel.

The Jungle camp

Angry French truckers and farmers blocked the main routes in and out of Calais on Monday to call for the closure of the sprawling Jungle migrant camp.

The Jungle, a squalid camp of tents and makeshift shelters, is home to some 7,000 migrants but charities say the number might be as high as 10,000 after an influx this summer.

Migrants from the camp sometimes use tree branches to create roadblocks to slow trucks heading for Britain, their destination of choice. When the trucks slow down, migrants try to clamber into the trailers to stow away aboard.

Drivers say migrants and people trafficking gangs have attacked their vehicles with metal bars. The drivers say despite the deployment of 2,100 officers around the port, the police are overstretched and unable to secure the roads.
Tehran: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that the "cursed, evil" Saudi ruling family did not deserve to manage Islam's holiest sites.

Meeting with the families of victims of a deadly stampede during last year's hajj pilgrimage, Khamenei said: "The Saudis' failure and incompetence in this incident proves once again that this cursed, evil family does not deserve to be in charge and manage the holy sites."

Around 2,300 foreign pilgrims died in the stampede a year ago, including hundreds of Iranians.

Saudi Arabia says the death toll was 769 -- despite data from more than 30 countries suggesting it was far higher -- and has refused to release the details of its investigation into the disaster.

"If they are telling the truth and are not at fault in this incident, they should let an Islamic international fact-finding committee closely examine and clarify the truth of the issue," Khamenei said, according to a transcript of his comments published on his website.

"Even if this was not deliberate, this much impertinence and incompetence is an offence for a political ruling system."

Khamenei added that the Saudi government was acting with US support to "shed blood in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Bahrain. Therefore, America and other supporters of Riyadh are accomplices in Saudi crimes and atrocities," he said.
Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise (CNE) broke ground on Tuesday on the Mai Bell, a 49-unit, three-story apartment building on Bailey Avenue in Highland Park, with a corner commercial space on the ground floor. This development will bring $4.7 million of investment into the neighborhood while creating much needed affordable and work force housing, officials said. Rents on 11 of the 49 units will start as low as $481 per month for a one bedroom, $652 for a two bedroom and $868 for a three bedroom.

We are excited to bring this project to Highland Park, said Martina Guilfoil, president and CEO of CNE. The Mai Bell will create long term rental housing at affordable prices while increasing the overall rental options in the neighborhood. We see Highland Park as being a neighborhood where a lot of people will want to live given the opportunity.

The project is being funded through a $443,500 grant from the City of Chattanoogas HOME funds, a $200,000 grant from First Tennessee Bank, $100,000 grant from NeighborWorks America and CNE equity. Initial funding for the project was provided by the Benwood and Lyndhurst Foundations. Financing is being provided by First Tennessee Bank.



Mai Bell Hurley was a founding board member of CNE and longtime advocate for the arts, housing, and education in Chattanooga. CNE is naming the building after the late Ms. Hurley to honor her legacy as a strong proponent of affordable housing in Chattanooga.



The project is projected to be completed by Spring 2017.



For more information on Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise, visit www.cneinc.org or call 423-756-6201.


For the first time in almost three decades, Iranians have been blocked from the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia after the regional rivals failed to agree on safety and logistical issues. (Photo: AFP)

Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Saudi authorities of "bigoted extremism" late on Tuesday in an increasingly bitter war of words over Iran's exclusion from this year's hajj pilgrimage.

Javad Zarif was responding to a claim by Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, that Iranians were "not Muslims".

"Indeed, no resemblance between Islam of Iranians and most Muslims, and bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric and Saudi terror masters preach," Zarif tweeted.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was due to meet later on Wednesday with the families of some of the more than 400 Iranian victims of a stampede that killed nearly 2,300 pilgrims at last year's hajj.

He published a scathing open letter on Monday, accusing the Saudis of failing to protect pilgrims.

"The hesitation and failure to rescue the half-dead and injured people is also obvious and incontrovertible. They murdered them," he wrote.

For the first time in almost three decades, Iranians have been blocked from the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia after the regional rivals failed to agree on safety and logistical issues. That has sparked acrimonious exchanges ahead of the start of the hajj on Saturday.

Khamenei described the Saudi royal family as "small and puny Satans who tremble for fear of jeopardising the interests of the Great Satan (the United States)", and called on the Muslim world to end its management of the hajj.

The grand mufti responded on Tuesday, telling the Makkah daily: "We must understand these are not Muslims, they are children of Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one."

"Magi" was a reference to the Zoroastrian religion that was prevalent in Iran before Islam, and is sometimes used as an insult against Iranians.

Iran and Saudi Arabia follow different branches of Islam -- Shiite and Sunni -- and vie for regional dominance, backing rival sides in conflicts from Syria to Yemen.
The Turkish fatalities came after Turkish troops and allied Syrian rebels on Sunday expelled IS from the last strip of territory the militant group controlled along the Syrian-Turkish border. (Photo: Representational Image/AP)

Istanbul: Three Turkish soldiers were killed and four were wounded in a missile attack by the Islamic State group in northern Syria the first Turkish casualties caused by the militants in Turkey's two-week-old incursion into Syria.

The Turkish fatalities came after Turkish troops and allied Syrian rebels on Sunday expelled IS from the last strip of territory the militant group controlled along the Syrian-Turkish border, effectively sealing the extremists' self-styled caliphate off from the outside world.

Turkey launched the incursion into Syria  the so-called Euphrates Shield operation  to back Syrian rebels in their fight to push IS out of the town of Jarablus and to limit the Syrian Kurdish forces' advance west of the Euphrates River.

In a statement, Turkey's military said the militants fired rockets at Turkish tanks during clashes near the border area from where IS was pushed out of on Sunday, immediately killing two and wounding five soldiers.

It said the wounded were evacuated by helicopters. One of the wounded soldiers died despite efforts to save him, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.

The military said two Turkey-backed Syrian rebels were killed and two wounded rebels were also evacuated.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there were intense clashes on Tuesday between the Turkish-backed rebels and IS militants east of the town of al-Rai and surrounding villages.

The territorial losses at the border were the biggest blow to the militant group, which also has suffered a series of recent battlefield setbacks elsewhere in Syria and in neighbouring Iraq.

The three killed by IS were not Turkey's first casualties following the launch of the incursion, though they were the first fatalities at the hands of the militant group since the operation began.

On the fifth day of the operation, a Turkish soldier was killed in clashes with Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.

In July 2015, a Turkish soldier was killed after IS militants shot across the border into Turkey. Ankara conducted airstrikes against IS inside Syria after that.
Istanbul: Washington and Ankara are ready to work together to push Islamic State jihadists out of their self-declared Syrian capital of Raqa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published Wednesday.

Erdogan said he had agreed with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in China to do "what is necessary" to drive IS out of Raqa.

"Raqa is the most important centre of Daesh," Erdogan told Turkish journalists onboard his plane as he returned from China, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"Obama wants to do something together especially on the issue of Raqa," he said. "I said there would be no problem from our perspective."

"I said 'our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done'," Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet daily.

Without giving further details, he said: "What can be done will become clear after the discussions."

Raqa, which lies on the Euphrates River, was first taken by Islamists in 2013 with IS declaring the city its capital in 2014. Ousting IS from the city would be a turning point in the conflict.

His comments came two weeks after Turkey launched an ambitious operation inside Syria, sending tanks and special forces to back up Syrian opposition fighters and cleanse its frontier from IS jihadists and Kurdish militia.

Ankara-backed rebels seized Jarabulus from IS militants within hours on the first day of the operation and Turkey says jihadists have now been removed from the entire border area.

But it remains unclear if the Syrian rebels backed by Turkey will proceed further south to take Al-Bab from IS jihadists and then Raqa itself, or to what extent the operation has US support.

Turkey has been alarmed by US support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a "terrorist" group linked to its own Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has been waging a bloody campaign against the Turkish state.

"We need to show we are present in the region. If we take a step back, terror groups like Daesh, PKK, PYD or YPG will settle there," said Erdogan.
Lahore: An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Wednesday issued notices to seven accused of 2008 Mumbai attack case, including LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and the government on a plea to examine the boat used by the 10 LeT terrorists to reach the Indian coast.

"The Anti-Terrorism Court Islamabad on Wednesday held Mumbai case hearing at the Adiala Jail Rawalpindi and issued notices to seven suspects and the prosecution to present arguments regarding inspection of Al-Fauz boat parked at the port city of Karachi," a court official told PTI after the hearing.

He said both prosecution and defence lawyers would present their arguments on next hearing on September 22.

Last month the Islamabad High Court had set aside the verdict of trial court in Mumbai case for not allowing a commission to Karachi for inspection of Al-Fauz.

The HC had termed the trial court's decision as "flawed and not in accordance with law" and allowed examination of Al-Fauz. The prosecution had pleaded that vessel should be made "case property".

Al-Fauz is in the custody of the Pakistani authorities in Karachi, from where the 10 militants, armed with AK-47 assault rifles and hand grenades, had left for India to carry out the Mumbai attack in November 2008.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency, the attackers used three boats including Al Fauz to reach Mumbai from Karachi.

It said the security agencies had also traced the shop and its owner from where the culprits bought the engine and the boat while a bank and a money exchange company were also traced which were used for the transaction of money.

The 10 LeT militants had left Karachi on the boat on November 23, 2008. En route, they hijacked another boat, killing four of its crew. They forced the vessel's captain to take them close to the India shores. The captain was killed when the vessel reached Mumbai's coast.

According to prosecution, all Pakistani witnesses have recorded their statements and trial cannot be concluded till recording the statements of Indian witnesses.

LeT operations commander Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead.

Lakhvi, believed to be the mastermind of the attacks, is living at an undisclosed location after getting the bail a year ago. Other six suspects are in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi.

The case has been underway for more than six years.
Beijing: Kyrgyzstan has said the recent bomb attack at Chinese Embassy in the country was carried out by the ETIM, a separatist group from China's Xinjiang province, confirming Beijing's apprehensions that the terror outfit affiliated to the Islamic State is targeting its interests abroad.

Kyrgyzstan authorities have confirmed ETIM (East Turkestan Islamic Movement) involvement and identified the suicide bomber who drove explosives packed car last week into the embassy's gates exploded it, Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency reported. One person was killed and five others injured in the blast.

The press service for the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security said in an announcement that the attack on August 30 was organised by Uighur terrorist groups active in Syria and affiliated to Jabhat al-Nusra, a Sunni Islamist militia fighting against Syrian Government forces in the Syrian Civil War.

The task of organising the attack was given by one of al-Nusra's emissaries, which also provided financial support to the terrorist act, the report said. The committee said the suicide bomber was a member of the ETIM terror group.

"This is a member of ETIM, a terrorist organisation active in Syria, a Uyghur named Zoir Khalilov, who had a passport from Tajikistan," the committee said.

The attacker rammed the western gates of the Chinese Embassy with a car, it said about the first such attack against Chinese missions abroad by ETIM. Two Kyrgyz employees of the embassy and three Chinese people were injured.

The Kyrgyz security officials have detained five accomplices of the terrorist group, who are natives of Kyrgyzstan's Osh and Jalal-Abad regions, four ethnic Uzbeks and one Kyrgyz.

Kyrgyz police also issued an arrest warrant for Sattybaev Izzotillo Mashrapovich, born in the Kyrgyz city of Osh, an Uzbek national who underwent terrorist training in Syria.
Islamabad: As part of Pakistan's efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's special envoy has briefed the Human Rights Council President and the ICRC President in Geneva on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.

Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Chairman Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly who is currently visiting Geneva as the Prime Minister's special envoy, briefed the "Geneva international community on the grave human rights situation" in Kashmir on Tuesday, a Pakistan Foreign Office statement said.

Leghari met the President of the Human Rights Council (HRC), President ICRC and other ambassadors to brief them about the "atrocities" being committed by the Indian forces "on the defenceless people" of Kashmir, the statement said.

"The alarming impact of pellet gun injuries leading to 'dead eyes' phenomenon on the peaceful protesters was also highlighted. He emphasised the importance of implementation of UN Security Council's resolutions that recognise Jammu and Kashmir as disputed territory and call for a free and fair plebiscite for the realisation of the right to self- determination of Kashmiris," it said.

Leghari is part of the 22 parliamentarians nominated by Prime Minister Sharif as special envoys to be dispatched to world capitals to highlight the Kashmir situation.
Thousands of one-horned rhinos once roamed the plains of Nepal, but their numbers have plunged over the past century due to poaching and human encroachment of their habitat. (Photo: Representational Image/PTI)

Kathmandu: A one-horned rhino has died weeks after it was shot by poachers in Nepal, becoming the first of the rare animals to be killed in the country in over two years.

The injured adult male was taken to the Chitwan National Park, the country's biggest rhino conservation area, for treatment after it was shot in a forest in southern Nepal in August.

But on Wednesday staff at the park said it had died of its injuries, becoming the first rhino to die at the hands of poachers since May 2014.

"The critically injured rhino had started to recover, but died Tuesday," said assistant conservationist Nurendra Aryal.

Conservation groups had praised the Himalayan nation for its progress in combatting the poachers who kill the animals for their prized horns.

Thousands of one-horned rhinos once roamed the plains of Nepal, but their numbers have plunged over the past century due to poaching and human encroachment of their habitat.

The animals' horns are prized in China and parts of southeast Asia for their supposed medicinal qualities.

Rhino poaching carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail and a 100,000-rupee ($1,000) fine in Nepal, which is now home to over 600 rhinos.

Madhav Khadka, manager at WWF's wildlife trade monitoring department, said the death showed Nepal needed to improve security outside its national parks, where forest rangers guard against poaching.
Islamabad: Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday described Kashmir as Pakistans jugular vein and said Islamabad will continue to support the people of the Valley on the diplomatic and ethical fronts.

We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Kashmir for their right of self-determination. The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts, said the chief of army staff, addressing a ceremony held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi to mark the countrys Defence Day.

General Raheel said Kashmir was Pakistans jugular vein and praised people of the Valley for rendering innumerable sacrifices.

The army chief asserted that the defence of Pakistan is invincible.

I want to make it clear to all the enemies that the defence of Pakistan already strong but now it has become invincible, he was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

On the challenges the country is facing, he said: I want to make it clear that we are fully aware of all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of our enemies. Be the challenge military or diplomatic; on the borders or within the cities, we know our friends and foes all too well.

On Pakistans ties with China, the army chief said the greatest example of a relationship based on mutual respect and principle of equality in the region is the Pak-China friendship.

ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the paramount evidence of this relationship. I would like to assure that we shall not allow any external force to obstruct it and any such attempt will be dealt with iron hands, he said.

General Raheel said the Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists had achieved its objectives to confront terror, saying the armed forced will go to any limit to ensure Pakistans security.

He praised the military, police and other law enforcement agencies for their utmost efforts to establish law and order in the country.

There is a need to implement the National Action Plan and break the nexus between corruption and terrorism to fully consolidate the successes of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the entire country, he added.
Amid protests, Karnataka has started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu complying with the Supreme Court directive asking it to release 15,000 cusecs per day to the neighbouring state for ten days.



"Karnataka has started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu to obey the Supreme Court directive asking the state government to release 15,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for ten days," a state water resources ministry official told PTI here.





He said the state started releasing water from midnight yesterday. Meanwhile, protesters have intensified their agitation in Mandya and other parts of the state blocking several roads and forcing schools and colleges to shut down. Complying with the Supreme Court direction, the state government yesterday decided to release water despite "severe hardships."



The court order directed an immediated backlash with agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits blocking the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway.



Mandya district, the nucleus of Cauvery politics, saw a bandh yesterday with protesters holding road blockades and dharnas at several places, as hundreds of security personnel -- including central forces -- were deployed in the Cauvery belt to maintain law and order.



"Despite severe hardships faced by the government of Karnataka, the state will release water as directed by the Supreme Court," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had told reporters after nearly a three-hour long all-party meeting convened by him here, yesterday.



Siddaramaiah had also said government would approach the Supreme Court with a modification petition, explaining its difficulties in implementing its order.



Noting that the 'samba' crops in Tamil Nadu would be adversely affected, an apex court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit directed Karnataka to ensure supply of water to Tamil Nadu.


A crude bomb was hurled at a BJP office in the heart of the city here, with the party alleging that CPI(M) workers were behind the attack.





No one was injured in the incident, police said. The incident occurred around midnight last night, shortly after BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan had left the office for Kozhikode, where preparations are on for the three-day National Executive and Council meeting from September 23 which is being attended by senior party leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party sources said.



At least four workers were on the top floor of the building, housing the office, when the bomb was hurled. Though no one was injured, glass panes of the main entrance door were damaged in the incident, Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner S Sparjan Kumar told PTI.



The incident comes close on the heels of a series of sporadic clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers in the past few months in northern Kannur district. Rajasekharan alleged that CPI(M), the lead partner of the ruling LDF in Kerala, had taken law into its hands and police was a "mere spectator."



"Violence of the CPI(M) is increasing each day. A BJP activist was hacked to death in Kannur recently and CPI(M) is behind it," he told reporters at Kozhikode.



"Despite so many incidents, CPI(M) leaders and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also holding the Home portfolio, have not condemned the series of attacks against BJP and its workers," he said.



BJP leaders P K Krishnadas and M T Ramesh slammed the CPI(M), saying the bomb attack against the party office should not be seen as an "isolated" incident.



"This is a calculated and well planned attack against the BJP and CPI(M) is behind it," they said. All flex boards in front of the office were also destroyed, Krishnadas said.



Television channels telecast a CCTV video footage showing a man riding a motorcycle minutes before the blast and police are on the lookout for him.
A developer is planning 29 detached single-family dwellings on a 3.65-acre site in Highland Park.

Matt McDonald is the applicant for the project.

It involves reopening Anderson Avenue and two unnamed alleys.

There will be detached medium-density small-lot single-family dwellings with rear-loaded garages off alleys.

The plan calls for approximately 7.9 dwelling units per acre.

The site is bounded by Hawthorne Street, South Orchard Knob Avenue, Bennett Avenue, and an unnamed alley 175 north of Anderson Avenue.

The area surrounding the site has a mixture of detached single-family dwellings and remaining buildings from the now defunct Tennessee Temple University.

The Regional Planning Agency is recommending approval for rezoning of the site.

It goes before the Planning Commission next Monday at 1 p.m. at the County Courthouse.
The Supreme Court today directed all States and Union Territories to upload the FIRs on their websites within 24 hours of registration at police stations.



A bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan, however, extended the time up to 72 hours for uploading of the FIRs for those states which are located in difficult terrains where internet connectivity is poor.



The apex court exempted the state police authorities from uploading the FIRs on sensitive cases pertaining to insurgency and sexual offences against women and children.



The bench also made it clear that the accused cannot take benefit before the courts of law of the fact that FIRs lodged against them have not been uploaded on the website.



Initially, it was suggested during the hearing that the states be allowed to upload FIRs on websites within 48 hours. However, the court later fixed the time limit at 24 hours.



The direction came on a PIL filed by Youth Lawyers Association of India on the issue.



The PIL referred to a decision passed by the Delhi High Court in which the city police was directed to upload the FIRs on its website within 24 hours of being registered.

The apex court agreed to the directions of the HC with certain modifications.
As Karnataka began release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu amid snowballing protests by farmers, the government today said it was "inevitable" for it to comply with the Supreme Court order even though the state itself was facing "serious distress".





The Supreme Court would be moved seeking modification of its order to spare 15,000 cusecs of water for 10 days because of the difficulties in implementing it given that the live storage in four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin now was 46.7 TMC ft against their capacity of 104 TMC ft, the government said.



"It is inevitable for Karnataka to comply with the Supreme Court order in the interest of the state," top government sources said, adding, "constitutionally, it is not possible to defy it".



Officials confirmed that water was being let out since midnight last night, shortly after the all party meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who said the decision to obey the Supreme Court order has been taken with "a heavy heart" even though the state itself faced "severe distress".



The present live storage is 45 per cent against the live storage of 104 TMCFT in the Krishnaraja Sagar, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini reservoirs, the sources pointed out.



The legal and technical teams of Karnataka would work out the extent of change that the state should seek in the quantum of water release stipulated in the Supreme Court direction which asked Karnataka to provide 15,000 cusecs for 10 days.



The Cauvery Supervisory Committee, which has replaced the Cauvery River Authority to implement the order of the tribunal, would also be apprised of the difficulties.



Sources said the Supervisory Committee would visit both the riparian states to assess the "ground realities" and can adjust the current release of water against future releases.



Fending off the criticism of the legal team headed by Fali Nariman, the sources defended it, stating their advice on release was made so that the state succeeds when the main petition comes up for hearing before the court on October 18.



"It (main petition) is very important for the state. We have to succeed. The Supreme Court also asked Karnataka to live and let live. We cannot say no to it," the sources said.



With demands from some quarters for changing the state counsel, sources said Nariman had been arguing the state's case for the last 32 years and was known for being "legally well equipped."



"Because of the circumstances, Nariman had proposed release of 10,000 cusecs for six days" but unfortunately, the Supreme Court increased it to 15,000 cusecs, they said.



As the opposition parties, BJP and JDS, sought to corner the government on the release, the sources said water had been released in the past also to fall in line with the Supreme Court order.



"Deve Gowda, S M Krishna, B S Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar have also released water to Tamil Nadu."



According to the sources, the state doesn't have to release 15,000 cusecs as such, pointing out that 5,000 to 6,000 cusecs flows downstream to Tamil Nadu naturally.



The sources maintained that Tamil Nadu is not facing the same distress as Karnataka as the flows at Biligundlu, the entry point in Tamil Nadu where the Central Water Gauge Centre is located, was 36 TMC ft of water.



The neighbouring state would also be benefited by North-east monsoon rainfall in the Cauvery delta and also has better ground water position than Karnataka, they said.



Asked why the two riparian states which are at loggerheads could not negotiate on the crisis, the sources said such attempts were made by Karnataka in the past but Tamil Nadu was not in its favour.



With protests in the politically sensitive Cauvery belt building pressure on the government, the sources said all efforts would be made to ensure drinking water to Bengaluru, Mysuru and other cities and villages fed by the river, besides protecting the interest of farmers on crops.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here today in the Laotian capital to attend the ASEAN-India and the East Asia Summits to strengthen India's trade and security ties with the strategic Southeast Asian region.





During his two-day visit, Modi is scheduled to have several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summits, beginning with an interaction with Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe today.



"Greetings Vientiane! PM @narendramodi arrives in Laos for a packed 2 days of diplomacy," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.



The host nation, Laos will organise a gala dinner this evening for all heads of state. This will be followed by Modi's bilateral talks with Laotian counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith.



The talks between the two leaders are likely to focus on terrorism, maritime security, disaster management, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).



India has been seeking to join the exclusive 21-member APEC.

This is the third time that Modi is attending these two Summits.

"ASEAN is a key partner for our 'Act East' policy, which is vital for the economic development of our Northeastern region," Modi had said in a statement in New Delhi ahead of the Summits.



East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region, he had said.



India is a founding member of the East Asia Summit.

Future directions under the three pillars of politico-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation will be the focus of talks at the 14th ASEAN-India summit .



At the 11th East Asia Summit, leaders will discuss matters of regional and international interest and concerns including maritime security, terrorism, non-proliferation and irregular migration.



The Summits will be attended by Heads of State/Government of the 10 ASEAN and 18 East Asia Summit Participating Countries respectively.



India's engagement with the ASEAN and wider Asia-Pacific region has acquired further momentum following the enunciation of the 'Act-East Policy' by Modi at the 12th ASEAN-India Summit and 9th East Asia Summit in Myanmar in November 2014.



The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern.



2017 will mark 25 years of India's dialogue partnership with ASEAN, and several commemorative activities will also be announced by Modi to celebrate the occasion.

ASEAN is a strategic partner of India since 2012.



India and ASEAN have 30 dialogue mechanisms which meet regularly.

Trade between India and ASEAN stood at USD 65.04 billion in 2015-16 and comprises 10.12 per cent of India's total trade with the world.



The ASEAN-India economic integration process has got a fillip with the creation of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area in July 2015, following the entry into force of the ASEAN-India Trade in Services and Investment Agreements.



Apart from the 10 ASEAN Member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, United States and Russia.


Police have apprehended a 17-year-old autorickshaw driver for murdering a 14-year-old girl for not establishing sexual relations with him

.



The two met for the first time in a park in northeast Delhi on August 30 and immediately took a liking to each other, police said.



Just hours later, the boy killed her during a fight over sex before marriage, according to police. The girl had left her house in Khajuri Khas around 2 pm. Later, she talked to her friend from a mobile phone, but was unaware of her own location. The boy had taken her to Loni on his autorickshaw.



In a call made at 8.22 pm, she told her friend to inform her brother that she is somewhere outside Delhi. The brother called on the same number at 1.30 am, when the boy picked up and said that the girl was not with him.



He had met her briefly at Feroz Shah Kotla when she had borrowed his mobile phone to make the call, the boy claimed.



The brother then went with his friends to look for her. On August 31, he lodged a missing person complaint with police, saying she had been kidnapped.



The same day, the girls body was recovered by Uttar Pradesh police at Khadda Colony near Nasib Vihar in Loni. The UP police informed the Khajuri Khas police station.



Police tracked the number used by the boy and found that it belonged to his mother. The mobile phone was recovered from the boys possession.



The girl had gone at park near the Yamuna bank, where she met the boy, who happened to be passing by on his autorickshaw.



He told police that he liked the girl and went up to her to talk. She asked him about the temples in the area.



They stayed together for five to six hours. The girl also started liking him. She went with him in his autorickshaw to an under-construction house near Nasib Vihar on the UPDelhi border, said a police officer.



The boy made repeated attempts to get physical with her but she refused his advances. She suggested that the two marry each other first, said police.



Till late night, they argued over it.



When she refused to agree, he tried to strangle her. She freed herself and started running out of the house, but he followed her.



She told him that if he didnt marry her she will file an FIR against him. Angered by this, the boy hit her on the head with a piece of brick three to four from behind. He then dragged her body to a vacant plot nearby and fled, said police.


A six-year-old Indian girl has won praise for her brave attempt at stopping an axe-wielding robber, who attacked an employee at her father's store in New Zealand in a burglary.





Sarah Patel was captured on CCTV trying to defend the staff member when a group of six armed men broke into the family's electrical shop in Auckland on Monday.



The footage shows the masked men kicking, punching and threatening employees with an axe and a crowbar, or iron lever, and smashing cabinets and stealing thousands of dollars worth of electronics.



Patel, who was caught up in the violent drama, is seen in the video rushing towards one of the attackers standing over an employee with an axe, and tries to get him to stop his attack.

The girl grabbed onto the leg of the man during the armed incident that ended in a dramatic police chase from the North Shore to west Auckland.



She told the New Zealand Herald she was "trying to save" the employee and that she "wasn't scared" of the bad guy.



When Patel glimpsed the attacker's axe she fled. She later helps her grandfather out of the room and away from danger.



Her father Suhail Patel told TVNZ he was "proud" of his daughter and though she had been shaken by the incident, she was recovering well.



"Last night she was very upset. Was in shock. We've been trying to say to her 'You're the bravest girl', that sort of thing," he said.



Suhail said his daughter was extremely brave facing up to the man as he was holding what appeared to be a small axe. "I'm proud of her, definitely."



The proud father added his daughter was "always trying to help people" and he was not surprised she sprung into action.



The video shows her being shoved aside by the man then helped up by her grandfather.

Patel's mother Nashrin said her daughter initially thought the attacker was her father.



After the intruders fled, they were pursued across West Auckland by police  as well as Patel, her mother and grandfather, who gave chase in their family car. They were eventually stopped by police road spikes laid out for them.



Five 16-year-old boys have been charged with aggravated robbery, injuring with intent and breaching bail. A sixth suspect is still to be found.



Several newspapers around the world today reported Patel's "astonishing bravery", calling her "fearless".






The kingpin of an international human trafficking racket that was spread across the country as well as in Nepal, Oman and Kuwait has been arrested along with his accomplice and 26 girls have been rescued, police said today. The accused, Shabin Shah and his associate Bidya Lama were arrested from Roopnagar and Patiala House Court respectively, said Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (crime).



Two Nepalese women filed a complaint with the Crime Branch alleging that they were brought to New Delhi from Nepal by one Ramu Choudhary and Shah on the pretext of providing jobs in Gulf countries, said the officer adding that they were kept in confinement in Mahipalpur area for more than 10 days and their passports were also seized by the accused.



They managed to escape on September 1 and reached the Nepal Embassy that directed them to Delhi Police. After a team was formed under the overall supervision of Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) K K Vyas, a raid was conducted at the place where the women were held hostage and 20 women were rescued, said Yadav.



Bidya Lama, who ran the shelter home in Mahipalpur and kept women in confinement, was arrested from Patiala House Court, said the officer. Bidya then gave clues about Shah, the alleged kingpin of the racket and he was arrested on September 4 from his house in Roop Nagar. Two passports belonging to victims and five mobile phones were recovered. Three Nepalese women and one Indian woman was rescued from his house, added the officer.



During interrogation, it emerged that Shah was the mastermind of the racket that was running since 2011 and he had rented properties in Mahipalpur and Roopnagar where women were kept in confinement, he said. Delhi was the hub as well as the transit point from where girls were sold and trafficked to Gulf countries, he said.



"He claims to have sent around 1,500 women belonging to India and Nepal to Gulf countries illegally till now. He has a number of agents, who are active in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Oman, Kuwait, Dubai and India," said Yadav. The racket used to target married, illiterate and poor women of Nepal and northeast India, said the officer adding that the agents based in Nepal used to lure the women on the pretext of providing jobs abroad, police said.



After the victims would arrange the money and passports, they would be sent to Delhi and held hostage. "There is a strict provision in immigration rules of India and Nepal for grant of employment visa of Gulf countries for illiterate and poor women, hence, agents would obtain tourist visa for Sri Lanka," said Yadav.



After reaching Colombo, the women were sent to Gulf countries through employment visas, said the officer adding that the agents used to charge close to Rs 60,000 per woman for travelling to Delhi, visa for Sri Lanka, Gulf countries and air tickets for Colombo and Dubai.



After that, these women were provided jobs as housemaids or work in shopping malls, restaurants, and hospitals. After providing jobs, the agents used to take Rs 5,000 per month as commission.



The commission was further distributed to Delhi-based agents. There is a complete chain and understanding between agents based in Nepal, Delhi, Sri Lanka and Gulf countries. The employment visa of Sri Lanka and Gulf countries was obtained online by agents based in the Gulf, said the officer.



"In July, Shah sent 12 Nepali women to Sri Lanka on tourist visas for further transmission to Dubai. Thirty-six Nepalese women were also sent to Colombo alongwith those 12 women. All the 48 women were confined to a hotel by the agents. One of the girls lodged a police report in Colombo," said Yadav. The Nepal police has also rescued few girls in Kathmandu and a case has been registered there against Shah.


US President Barack Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, the White House said today.



"In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India," the White House said in its daily guidance released to the press. The two leaders are expected to make brief remarks at the top of the meeting.



This would be the eighth meeting between Modi and Obama in two years. They met for the first time at the White House in September 2014 when Modi travelled to Washington DC at the invitation of Obama.



Prime Minister Modi exchanged views with Obama on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China's Hangzhou on Sunday, with the US president praising the "bold policy" move on GST reform in a "difficult" global economic scenario. Obama is scheduled to address a news conference in Laos immediately after his meeting with Modi. He would depart for the US via Yokota, Japan for fueling, soon after his news conference.


Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs admission that the state government has no option but to abide by the direction of the Supreme Court to release Cauvery River water to Tamil Nadu has not gone down well among the people.



Most of the people are of the opinion that the Siddaramaiah government has failed in representing Karnataka in the Supreme Court to counter Tamil Nadus claims. According to M Lakshmana, convenor of Cauvery Technical Expert Committee, Karnataka should release 94 tmc ft of water to Tamil Nadu in the months of June, July and August, but in a distress year, it works out to be 24.38 tmc ft.



But, Karnataka has already released 33 tmc ft in these three months. Karnataka is facing drought since three years with thousands of farmers committing suicide due to crop loss. However, the Tamil Nadu government is demanding release of water as in normal years, he said.



As on Tuesday, when the chief minister agreed to release 15,000 cusecs of water for 10 days, the total drawable water from all the four dams in the Cauvery River basin  Harangi dam in Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu district, Krishnaraja Sagar dam in Srirangapatna taluk of Mandya district, Kabini dam in HD Kote taluk of Mysuru district and Hemavathy dam in Hassan district  was 35.8 tmc ft. To measure 15,000 cusecs at Biligundlu, which is 120 km away from KRS, Karnataka has to release around 20,000 cusecs, taking into consideration environment, leakage and evaporation loss. So, Karnataka will end up releasing a total of 18 tmc ft of water into the river. Hence, Karnataka will be left with 17.8 tmc ft in its reservoirs, which will last for just three months, only for drinking purpose, he said.



For drinking water purpose, the six districts in the Cauvery River basin need 2,060 cusecs of water. The need is: Mysuru-150 cusecs, Mandya-200 cusecs, Ramanagara-100 cusecs, Chamarajanagar-160 cusecs, Hassan-150 cusecs, Bengaluru-1,300 cusecs. The real crisis for Karnataka will not be even when it would have exhausted the storage of water in the dams by December. But from January next year, when Tamil Nadu would ask for water for its standing Samba crop, Lakshmana points out.



Bhagyalakshmi, a JD(S) leader, said that by the time the state government files a review petition before the Supreme Court, Karnataka would have released all the water, as per the SCs direction, to Tamil Nadu. She points out that the chief minister has stated that a review petition would be filed within 10 days, on Tuesday. Why were steps not taken to file the review petition immediately after the SC issued the orders on September 5 she questions.




The traders in the city were caught unawares by the bandh which continued on Wednesday also. The Mandya bandh on September 6 was total with all shops, business establishments and hotels extending support for the Cauvery issue by downing their shutters.



With the government releasing water to Tamil Nadu, several organisations have intensified protests in support of the farmers. But, this has caused anxiety among the traders of the district, who are affected due to a series of bandhs observed in the recent past for various reasons.



Speaking to DH, a hotel owner on RP Road in the city, said, he had closed the hotel voluntarily on Tuesday. As the organisations had not called for any bandh on Wednesday, I opened the hotel and made arrangements for cooking food and also prepared breakfast. Business was normal till 10 am, but I was forced to close down by the protesters later. The food that was prepared went waste, causing loss, he said.



A majority of businessmen in the city faced similar situation. Kamalesh, another trader, said, The business was affected during recent protest called by KSRTC workers and it was a Bharat Bandh that lasted for three days. And now, Mandya bandh has continued for two days. We extend our support to the farmers, but the agitators should take into consideration the lives of small-time vendors and traders. Let them protest in such a way that the government responds positively, but spare the traders and labourers.



The series of bandhs and protests has affected the tourism industry badly. The district, which is popular for its KRS dam, Srirangapatna, Ranganathittu, Cauvery Sangama, Melkote and other places attracts thousands of tourists every day. Now, with the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway being blocked, there are no tourists and the loss is estimated to be approximately Rs 30 lakh, said Deepak of KSRTC, Mandya division. Trading at the jaggery market has been stopped since two days. The tender coconut market in Maddur too was affected.




Tension gripped the district for the second day on Wednesday, after the government decided to release water from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam to Tamil Nadu, abiding by the Supreme Courts directive.



There was undeclared bandh and sporadic protests in Mandya, Srirangapatna, Pandavapura and Maddur taluks. The protesters burnt the effigies of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha at many places.



Shops had opened in the morning, but as soon as the news water release spread, protesters gathered at Sanjay Circle and decided to intensify the protest. They were seen moving on motorbikes, forcing the shopkeepers, theatres and petrol bunks to close down.



Incidents of stone pelting were also reported from parts of the city. With intensified protests in Mandya, Srirangapatna and Maddur, the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway was closed for vehicular traffic by the protesters. Banks, post offices and government offices were forced to close. Members of Kranti Yuva Shakti performed a mock funeral of Jayalalitha, Siddaramiah and Karnatakas counsel Nariman, atop a private bus.



Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha members, led by MLA K S Puttannaiah tried to lay a siege to KRS dam, but were prevented by the police. Later, they staged a protest in front of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigams office and demanded water to be released into the canals.



The protesters, who locked the pump-house near Melapura in Srirangapatna taluk, which supplies water to Mysuru city, did not respond to the pleas by Mysuru Mayor B L Bhyrappa, who visited the spot in the morning.



Six lorries with Tamil Nadu registration were damaged near Bhoothanahosuru near Mandya city. Farmers had got down into Cauvery river and staged a protest in Srirangapatna. Three farmers, who tried to get deep into the water to stage a protest were washed away, but were immediately rescued and admitted to the hospital.
Turkeys invasion of northern Syria and seizure of Islamic State-held Jarablus on the Turkey-Syria border, pre-empted the town's fall to advancing US-backed Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters of the US-ba-cked Syrian Democratic Forces.





However, suspicions about Ankaras lingering support for Islamic State (IS) have been raised over this development. Turkeys tanks, elite troops and allied Syrian militiamen swept into Jarablus without a fight as IS fighters, who had been warned ahead of the operation, fled, taking with them several hundred civilian hostages. The jihadis lived to fight another day  perhaps on behalf of Turkey.



Having occupied Jarablus, Turkey's forces did not immediately tackle scores of IS-held villages to the west and south of Jarablus. Instead, they attacked the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces who have been the most dependable and effective fighters battling IS. Turkey followed up by capturing the town of Rai, west of Jarablus, effectively closing the border to the two-way flow of IS fighters, weapons and funds.



While Turkey belongs to the US-led coalition and the Western Nato alliance led by the US, Ankara does not share Washingtons primary aim of eliminating IS but gives priority to containing the Kurds and preventing them from establishing an autonomous zone along the Turkish frontier.



Turkey has made the push into Syria alongside insurgents from the defunct Free Syrian Army (FSA), Turkmen (ethnic Turk) Sultan Murat brigades, Ahrar al-sham, Faylaq al-Sham, and Nour al-Din al-Zenki whose fighters beheaded a child on video in Aleppo province.



The FSA, formed in July 2011 by Turkey, became an umbrella organisation for diverse anti-government groups. Like its political arm, the Syrian National Council, the FSA, established in August 2011, had strong representation by the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood which had ties to Turkeys ruling fundamentalist Development and Justice Party. In 2013, the FSA was gradually marginalised by al-Qaedas Jabhat al-Nusra (now Jabhat Fatah al-Sham) and IS. The FSA fighters defected to these better financed and better armed hardline factions.



The Sultan Murat Brigades, a combination of jihadi and other Turkmen groups, was another of Ankaras creations. Ahrar al-Sham, a radical jihadi group, openly allied with Nusra, seeks to impose its deeply conservative version of an Islamic State on Greater Syria (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine). Faylaq al-Sham and Nour al-Din al-Zenki are US-supported fundamentalist factions but cooperate with Nusra.



The overwhelming majority of fighters belonging to the groups Turkey has chosen as its partners in the invasion of Syria are not jihadis, (holy warriors), but taqfiris, Muslims of a radical persuasion who accuse Muslims who disagree with them of apostasy and people of other faiths of heresy. The black flags of Nusra and IS are taqfiri flags.



Turkeys aim is to use surrogate Syrian taqfiris to establish a Kurd-free, anti-government zone in northern Syria. This is a dangerous plan on both Turk-eys domestic front and for Syria. Turkey has already alienated the Syrian Kurdish forces by harassing and bombing fighters and could antagonise the Kurds non-Kurdish (Arab, Circassian and Turkomen) local allies too. Indeed, some now accuse Turk-ey of being an enemy occupier and could take up arms against Turkey and its surrogates as long as they remain in Syria and could even mount cross-border operations in Turkey itself.



On the Syrian front, the dominant paramilitary force is now Nusra. Rebranded as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, it renounced ties to al-Qaeda while remaining intimately connected with the Afghan-Pakistan-based parent movement that mounted the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.



Installing surrogates

Turkey would like to install these surrogates in the 107 km stretch of territory along the Turkish-Syrian border between Jarablus and the Kurdish-held Afrin enclave and create a de facto buffer zone where Syrian refugees could be housed and a corridor for anti-government forces could be opened to the besieged insurgent-held eastern Aleppo.



Ultimately, Turkey would like to force the Kurds to withdraw from Afrin. This would give Turkey control of the western sector of the border from Jara-blus through Nusra-dominated Idlib province to the Mediterranean where the taqfiris black flags would fly to mark their territory. However, the Kurds will fight for Afrin, which has been incorporated into their self-proclaimed autonomous region of Rojava. Turkey seeks to erase this entity as it would encourage Turkish Kurds to continue their struggle for self-determination.



Ankara is certain to expand its 400 sqkm foothold in Syria with the aim of deploying its aircraft, tanks and surrogates in the battle to take Raqqa from IS. The participation by Turkish -backed forces would strengthen Ankaras political clout at negotiations on ending the Syrian war, if and when they resume.



On the regional front, Turkeys seizure of territory in Syria follows a Turkish incursion into Iraqs northern Nineveh province and deployment of 150 troops and tanks, positioning Turkey for the coming battle against IS in Mosul, once Iraqs second city.



Mosul was claimed by but denied to Turkey following World War I. Arabs, Kurds and Iraqi minority groups will also go to war to prevent Ankara from realising its century-old dream.
Embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya will continue to be the chairman of United Breweries (UBL).

Addressing the 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM), here on Wednesday, UBL Director Chug Yogendra Pal clarified to shareholders that Vijay Mallya can continue as the chairman of the company. As of now, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had not attached any properties and shares of UBL and Mallya is not disqualified to be the chairman of the company, Pal added.



Mallya is attending the board meeting through video conference sitting in London. However, the board of directors has taken a legal opinion from a former Chief Justice of India. Mallya, for now, continues to be chairman of the company, after UB got it clarified from the market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India, Pal said.



In a message, Mallya said, UB has over half the total market share in beer sales in India, and the company has initiated a major exercise to refresh its brand portfolio. Our Kingfisher brand is today ranked among the 50 most valued brands.



He expressed unhappiness over exclusion of liquor in the GST. Steven Bosch will replace Henricus Petrus van Zons as Director and CFO of the UBL.


Britains exit (Brexit) from the European Union (EU) has impacted Mahindras future plans, a top company executive said.





Briefing reporters here on Wednesday, Mahindra Electric Chief Executive Officer Arvind Mathew said, Mahindra & Mahindra has launched its innovative e2o electric city car in London recently. We were betting big on the UK market, but unfortunately owing to the currency depreciation, Britains decision to exit the EU, has impacted our plans.



We entered the UK market a month before Brexit happened and that has been a fairly big hit for many of us. The whole market just sank and exchange went south by about 15%. So, when you put that together, the business model becomes somewhat shaky. This doesnt mean were going to bail on the UK, its just that things are becoming a lot slower. We have backed off on our forecast for the UK. The UK is going to take about two years to recover from Brexit, Mathew added.



In India, Mahindra Electric has presence only in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur.

Bengaluru is the biggest market for the company.



When asked about its long-term plans, Mathew said, In the long-term, we see more than 60% of our revenues coming from drivetrains and 40% from fleet applications.



The companys headcount is 350, and out of which, 35% workforce is dedicated to research and development.



Mahindra & Mahindra has rebranded its electric mobility portfolio as Mahindra Electric aiming for a greater focus on technology and launch more electric models, besides supplying powertrains to other manufacturers.



Under the umbrella brand Mahindra Electric, the company will manufacture electric cars, licence out electric vehicle technologies, electrify new and existing platforms and help deliver integrated zero emission mobility solutions.


Hike Messenger, a cross-platform instant messaging service for smartphones from India, has made it clear that the company will bet big on artificial intelligence and machine learning to make it more personalised.





In an interaction with DH, Hike CEO and founder Kavin Bharti Mittal said that the company is planning to make Hike as a platform where more features can be added. We have made messaging more interactive with our stickers and brought more features to it. India is mainly a sight and sound market, he said.



Kavin said the stickers that are used for communication are available in over 20 languages. Our artists have made 10,000 stickers till now and three million stickers are availed per day, he said.



He said that the company would like to make the stickers more engaging with voice response. We are planning to launch audio stickers soon. Also, Hike would like to understand more proactively the message and recommend the stickers. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can play a major role as we want to personalise our service, he said.



Hike started its operations in 2012 and reached the unicorn status in 2016. We have, right now, one billion users globally. The unique feature of the app is that it can be used offline, and it gives importance to privacy. Messaging has been made simpler with stickers and content is also provided along with gaming and file sharing, among others, said Mittal.



Hike Messenger has raised $175 million in Series D funding at a valuation of $1.4 billion from investors, including Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings and Taiwans Foxconn Technology Group.



When asked about the competition with WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, he said that the company has just started its journey. Only a handful of Indians are using the internet. We can say that Hike has strengthed its position, only when it makes an impact on the lives of 100 million people in India, he said.



Mittal didn't share the active users of the company. We have 100 million users and on a monthly basis, 40 billion messages are flowing through the platform. We will reveal our active users soon, he said.


Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail has marked its debut into the Rs 7,000-crore mens innerwear and athleisure segment.





It has launched the new range in Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad under its popular brand Van Heusen. With a localised distribution model, the company aims to expand in the segment by introducing a differentiated product range comprising of four collections  Classic, Platinum, Signature and Active.



Ashish Dikshit, Business Head  Madura F&L, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, said, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retails expansion into the two new categories is a strategic progression of the brand. The new segment is based on the ethos of fashion, innovation and performance as we want to offer stylish, trendy and new-age product to our consumers. We see big business opportunity in the growing innerwear and athleisure segment.
Three years after rationalist and anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a charge sheet against ENT specialist Dr Virendra Tawde, an activist of Sanatan Sanstha. Two more Sanatan Sanstha members  Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar  have also been named.



Tawde, a member of Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS), a Sanatan Sanstha offshoot, has an old enmity and hatred against Dabholkar and his organisation, Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS). Dabholkar, 67, was shot dead on August 20, 2013, by two gunmen near Omkareshwar temple in Pune, when he was on his morning walk.



The CBI said that the murder was the result of a long enmity and hatred that existed between two private organisations. Dr Dabholkar was the founder of a Satara-based organisation (MANS) and the suspect was part of another other private organisation based at Kolhapur. Dr Tawde gave up his medical profession in 2001. The activities of people who were against the interests of the Kolhapur organisation got targeted and Dr Dabholkar was an important target, the CBI said in its charge sheet.



The CBI has a series of mail-exchanges between Tawde and other Sanatan Sanstha activists that links him to the conspiracy to murder Dabholkar. He was also in touch with Sarang Akolkar, an activist who is absconding and faces a red-corner notice.



The residences of Dr Tawde and Akolkar (in Pune) were searched by the CBI which recovered several SIM cards, cell phones and data from computers. Dr Tawde was arrested in June this year. The Bombay High Court is regularly supervising the investigations.



Family welcomes move

Welcoming the CBI charge sheet against the chief conspirator of his fathers killer, Dr Dabholkars son Hamid said that rest of the suspects have to be arrested. It is a welcome step. However, Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar are still absconding and investigating agency (CBI) should arrest them as early as possible, he said.



The pattern of murders of Dr Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and Kannada writer Prof M M Kalburgi are similar...these absconding suspects are a threat to the society. The CBI and the NIA must track them down, Hamid said.


Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday welcomed the resolution adopted at the all-party meeting in New Delhi. Her predecessor and opposition National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, however, said the visit of the delegation to the Valley achieved nothing.



The chief minister said the resolution adopted at the all-party meeting in New Delhi has reiterated the urgency of engagement and dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir. We hope a fresh and productive effort would be made by the countrys political leadership to reach out to all the stakeholders in the state to address the issue through inclusive and comprehensive engagement, she said.



Unfortunately, the separatist leadership missed the recent opportunity of engaging with the countrys Parliamentarians, during their visit to the state, to find a solution to the problem, she said and added that by shying away from talks, the separatist leadership is in danger of being squarely blamed for holding up the resolution process when an opportunity was there to address the issue through political and democratic means.



Mehbooba said violence in any form only brings miseries to the people and is not a means to seek resolution of the problem. Our children are getting killed and maimed and our social fabric is slipping into disorder. We shall have to ponder over how long we are going to allow this self destruction to continue? she said.




The all-party delegation that visited Jammu & Kashmir has asked the Centre to stop using pellet guns and initiate talks with all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat. But efforts to restore normalcy should not compromise on Indias sovereignty, the delegation has stressed.



At a meeting convened by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday, the delegation made it clear that there was no place for violence in a civilised society and asked the government to resolve all issues through dialogue and discussion.



While the Centre appeared open to the suggestion of opening a dialogue with the Hurriyat, it rejected the demand for repealing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from civilian areas in Kashmir, contending that it would affect the functioning of the armed forces.



The members requested the Central and state government to take steps for a dialogue with all stakeholders, a statement issued by the delegation at the end of the three-hour meeting said.



The delegation had visited Kashmir on Sunday as part of the efforts to reach out to calm the tempers in Kashmir since the July 8 killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. They also asked the Central and state government to take steps to ensure that educational institutions, government offices and commercial establishments start functioning normally at the earliest.



Sources said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley did most of the talking on behalf of the government, while Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge set the ball rolling for the Opposition by raising the news reports on curtailing state facilities extended to the separatists. Singh said the news reports were incorrect and there was no such proposal.
As unrest in Kashmir entered the third month on Wednesday, protests and clashes continue unabated across the Valley leaving at least 120 civilians injured. Reports said at least 110 protesters sustained pellet and teargas shell injuries in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts of south Kashmir in day-long clashes with the security forces.



In Murran village of Pulwama, nearly 80 people were injured, four of them critically, after clashes erupted as security forces foiled a protest rally in the area. The forces raided the village and fired pellets on the congregation, witnesses said. They said the action triggered violent clashes in the entire area which were going on till evening. A health official said that 13 people with pellet injuries were treated at District Hospital Kulgam, while two with serious injuries were shifted to Srinagar.



A police spokesperson said barring some stray stone pelting incidents, the overall situation remained under control throughout the Valley till evening. Meanwhile, shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut during day time. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions also continued to remain closed.


India on Wednesday sharply reacted to the discourtesy extended to its high commissioner in Pakistan and lodged a protest after summoning the neighbouring countrys envoy in New Delhi.



Sujata Mehta, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit to the South Block. Sujata conveyed to Basit Indias concern over the discourtesy extended to its High Commissioner to Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale, during his visit to Karachi earlier this week.



Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Sujata had also conveyed to Basit New Delhis hope that Indias accredited diplomats in the neighbouring country would be allowed to discharge their normal functions without any hindrance. Bambawale was scheduled to speak at an event organised by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.



The trade body, however, cancelled the event half an hour before it was scheduled to start. The organisers did not cite any reason for cancelling the event. Officials in New Delhi, however, are of the view that the Pakistan government might have nudged the Karachi Chamber of Commerce to cancel the event ostensibly because Bambawale had on Monday advised Islamabad to stop interfering in the internal affairs of India.



At an event organised by the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations on Monday, Bambawale said people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.



Resolve your problems

Bambawale noted that India and Pakistan had problems, and Pakistan should focus on resolving its problems before looking into the problems of others. His comment came in the backdrop of Pakistans bid to launch a global campaign against India, accusing New Delhi of committing atrocities and violating rights of Kashmiris.



Indias troubled ties with Pakistan worsened after the neighbouring country started making attempts to cash in on the unrest in the Valley, following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8.


Members of pro-Kannada organisations staged protests in Bengaluru for the second consecutive day on Wednesday against the Supreme Court direction to the state to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.





Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) activists took out a procession from Mysore Bank circle to Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station (city railway station). While they tried to enter the station premises, the police and Railway Protection Force personnel stopped them. This led to an argument between the police and the protesters. Around 25 activists were detained and later released.



However, around 3 pm, around 35 KRV activists came in small groups and managed to enter platform-1. They climbed over the Brindavan Express train and raised slogans. The police detained the protesters who refused to leave the place.



Members of Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha gathered at Mysore Bank circle and burnt an effigy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. They appealed to the people to support the Karnataka bandh call given by various pro-Kannada organisations on Friday to protest the apex court order. Traffic was disrupted for sometime on Sheshadri Road when Janata Dal (S) workers blocked the flyover at the Anand Rao circle.



In view of the ongoing protests, the police have provided additional security to the residence of Water Resources Minister M B Patil in the city. Meanwhile, Rapid Action Force along with the local police personnel on Wednesday carried out flag march in sensitive areas of the city.


Former Congress MP A H Vishwanath on Wednesday said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should either stop releasing Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu or step down from his post.





In a letter to Siddaramaiah, the former Mysuru-Kodagu MP has blamed the state government for the crisis. The government has failed to argue its case effectively in the Supreme Court.



The chief minister should defy the Supreme Court order to release water in the interest of the state. Otherwise, farmers in the Cauvery basin will be badly hit, he warned.


A one-day special session of the state legislature, convened on September 14 to ratify the constitutional amendment bill on GST Bill, could be extended by a day or two to discuss the Cauvery and other issues.





Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Legislative Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad said he has written to Governor Vajubhai Vala seeking his approval to convene the session. If the government and opposition parties want to discuss other issues, then the Business Advisory Committee can meet on September 16 and extend the session dates, he said. The BJP has already sought that the session be convened to discuss the Supreme Court directive to the state government to release the Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
The state government is learnt to have gathered evidence to prove that neighbouring Tamil Nadu is not facing severe shortage of water for its samba (rice) crop.





According to an official source in the Water Resources Department, the state government had recently sent a three-member team to the neighbouring state to ascertain the ground reality there. The team is said to have visited the surroundings of the Mettur dam and the Thanjavur belt.



The team has submitted a report to the government stating that Tamil Nadu has stored sufficient water in Mettur dam, which could meet the irrigational demands for the standing crop. It has also brought photographic evidences of the availability of water in Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government had filed a petition before the Supreme Court, seeking release of water from Karnataka for its samba crop.



The source said the Karnataka government would submit these findings to the Supervisory Committee.
For the second time in two weeks, Karnataka will be shut on Friday following the state-wide bandh called by various pro-Kannada organisations against the apex court verdict on Cauvery.





This time, the bandh is likely to be severe compared to the previous week as political parties too have extended their support. Buses and taxis will remain off the road, while schools and colleges will be closed. The counselling for UG medical and dental seats by Comed-K has been postponed to September 10 and 11.



The Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka too has expressed support to the bandh. Private schools will remain shut on Friday, said a note by the association.



The government, however, is yet to take a call on closing educational institutions.Radhakrishna Holla, president, Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners Association, told DH that around 60,000 cabs will remain off the road. He also asked IT and ITeS companies to make their own transport arrangements on Friday.



Like in the past, we are not going to ferry IT and ITeS employees this Friday. Let them make their own arrangements, he said. Unions representing state-run transport corporations such as BMTC, KSRTC, NEKRTC and NWKRTC have also extended support to the protest. H V Anantha Subbarao, general secretary of KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation, said a call was taken to participate in the protest. All the 23,000 buses of the four state-run transport corporations are likely to remain off the road from 6 am to 6 pm.



Other private operators, including Ola and Uber, might also stay off the road in case the protest takes a violent turn. Sources in the online aggregators said that their service will remain unaffected. However, several drivers said they will remain off the road so as to protect their vehicles from being damaged during the bandh.



Bus services to Tamil Nadu from Bengaluru, via Mysuru, continued to be affected even on Thursday. Due to the protest, bus service towards Mysuru, Kodagu and Chennai were suspended. Tamil Nadu state-run buses, which ferry passengers from the city to several parts of the Tamil Nadu, completely suspended their operations.



Meanwhile, Chennai- and Mysuru-bound trains were fully packed as it was the only mode of transport which remained unaffected. The operation of the KSRTC was normal in the state except buses plying via Mandya and Mysuru. KSRTC has cancelled 536 trips and suffered a loss of Rs 61 lakh.



It is expected to be a complete bandh on Friday and the people are requested to alert the control room if they witness any untoward incident, said a senior police officer.



Bengaluru City Police Commissioner N S Megharikh told Deccan Herald that the police will be on a red alert on Friday. City police personnel, along with the other forces, will be on red alert. Anyone trying to hamper the law and order situation will be dealt with in a stern manner, he said, adding that adequate personnel will be deployed.


Within hours of complying with the directive of the Supreme Court on releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, the state government asked the Centre to depute a team to assess the distress situation.



Karnatakas plea coincided with intensified protests in several parts of the state against the release of water to the neighbouring state. The state government wrote to Union Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar, who is also chairman of the jurisdictional Irrigation Consultative Committee (ICC), urging the despatch of a study team. The ICC consists of representatives of all the Cauvery basin states.



Water Resources Minister M B Patil said the state government will also write to the supervisory committee, constituted to give effect to the final award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT). We will ask for a meeting of the supervisory committee to be convened at the earliest, and a study team. We are also finalising the petition to be filed before the Supreme Court seeking the modification of its September 5 order (on the water release), Patil said.



Meanwhile, protests intensified in several districts, especially in the nerve-centre of Mandya, and continued into the third day, disrupting life. The Bengaluru-Mysuru highway also remained closed. There were reports of the agitation reaching several districts of north and coastal Karnataka too.



The protests by farmers and pro-Kannada organisations continued even as water flowed into Tamil Nadu. At Srirangapatna, farmers got into the Cauvery river to register their protest.



The apex court, on Monday, directed Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water a day to Tamil Nadu for 10 days.



As much as 16,900 cusecs of water was released by Wednesday evening from Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs in the state, to Tamil Nadu. The water outflow from these reservoirs was 2,879 cusecs till Tuesday night. The outflow was later increased to comply with the apex court direction, according to sources in the Water Resources department.



Around 20,000 cusecs need to be released each day to register 15,000 cusecs at Biligundlu gauge point located on the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu border. The state government does not want to risk default and would maintain the supply for the next 10 days, the sources said.



In a bid to pacify angry farmers, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed the Water Resources department to release water for standing crops in the Cauvery basin, as well.



The state government had earlier decided to utilise the water stored in the four reservoirs of Cauvery basin - Harangi, Hemavathi, KRS and Kabini - only for drinking water purposes.



The change in stance follows the Supreme Courts direction to release water to TN. The states total irrigated area with standing crops in the Cauvery basin is 2.9 lakh acres. Around 6,000 cusecs of water would be released for the states farmers from Thursday morning.




Backpacking being associated only with foreign tourists is a thing of the past. With increasing demand from Indian travellers, hostels in Bengaluru are opening new branches even as more are entering the space.



Targeted at travellers, the hostels have dormitories and private rooms which are reasonably priced, mostly ranging between Rs 400 and Rs 2,000 per night. Bean bags, artwork on the walls, musical instruments, a constantly-changing book collection and thank-you notes in every language are characteristics of the many such hostels in the city.



Electric Cats Bed and Breakfast in Indiranagar has hosted over 1,500 guests, mostly from European countries, in the past year and half. Of late, we have been getting a lot of domestic guests who are first-timers. They have a good experience here and often come back to us, said Stanley Lobo, who quit his corporate job to set up the place. Social evenings with jam sessions on the rooftop and barbecue nights are what make Electric Cats appealing. The demand is such that Lobo opened a second hostel in the same area a few months ago.



Besides the affordable prices, it is the social vibe that attracts youngsters to such co-living spaces. Vaishnavi Shivakumar has stayed at Social Rehab, another hostel in Indiranagar, four times now. The people who stay here develop a bond because we have so much fun together. It feels like we are a family and this is our home.



Its always a new bunch of people, as most travellers stay only for a couple of nights before moving along on their journey. We also have people who stay here during their internships because they prefer this to a paying guest accommodation, said Pratik Kumar, who established the hostel along with Rishabh Jain. Seeing nearly 95% occupancy in the past few months, they decided to open a new branch, Social Rehab Downtown on Lavelle Road.



The latest one to join the league is Cuckoo Hostel in Koramangala. Rajat Kukreja looked at nearly 200 properties before he finalised on this old house in a neighbourhood so cosy, one wouldnt realise that the busy Sony World junction is only 200 metres away.



I felt the need for a place where youngsters could get together to create, instead of only consuming at movie theatres and restaurants. I also have a passion for travelling, so I connected the dots and decided to start this hostel, Kukreja explained.



Though the place was targeted at foreign tourists, to his surprise, Cuckoo has attracted youngsters from all over the country. In less than two weeks of its opening, they have already hosted over 35 people. The hostel promotes sustainable living, a spirit which is reflected in the interiors of the place. Most furniture here has been repurposed or upcycled like beds made of industrial packaging and lockers salvaged from an abandoned factory. Kukreja has plans to conduct events and workshops in the space.



Marvin Diaz is in the city for his internship and has been staying here from the beginning. Sometimes you have a wildlife photographer, tattoo artist, graphic designer - all under one roof. You get to learn so much just by being with these people.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday took Yasmin Ahmed of Bidar, a suspect in connection with recruitment of several youths from Kasargod to the IS, to custody for further investigation.





Yasmin was arrested by the Kerala police from New Delhi airport while attempting to leave for Kabul on July 31.



It is said that she is the second wife of main suspect Abdul Rashid,who is behind the recruitment of youths to the IS. The NIA team has taken her to Kochi for further interrogation.



The NIA team is camping in Hosadurga to investigate the case of the IS link and missing youths from Kasargod.
All India Congress Committee general secretary and in-charge of the partys affairs in state Digvijaya Singh arrived in the city on Wednesday. He is scheduled to chair the coordination committee meeting of the Congress at the KPCC office on Thursday.





The committee is likely to discuss whether to nominate party MLAs as heads of important boards and corporations. Besides, it would take stock of the political situation in the state, sources in the party said. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC President and Home Minister G Parameshwara, KPCC Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao, Congress Leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief ministers of the party are among other members of the committee.
Many dead cat fish were seen floating on the polluted Varthur Lake, in East Bengaluru on Wednesday. Experts point out that this was an sign that the lake is beyond repair now. But officials said they were unaware of the fish kill.



Jagadish Reddy Nagappa, a resident of Varthur said he found dead catfish floating on the lake during his morning walk on Wednesday. The water level in the lake had dropped and there was an increase in solid waste floating on the lake. A lot of plastic was floating on the lake because ragpickers throw unwanted waste into the lake, he said.



The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is the custodian of the 445.8-acre lake. Officer Shivashankar said he was unaware of any fish kill in the lake. I am not aware of the issue. The government gives funds to develop the lake. Pollution should be managed by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board. So far, we have not taken up any development work. We have told the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board that unless sewage entry into the lake is stopped, no restoration can be done. The lake is full of sewage and not even 10% of it is fresh water, he said.



G Vidyasagar, CEO, Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority said he too was unaware of the issue. He also expressed shock over the presence of the banned catfish. He said the matter will be investigated immediately.



Prof T V Ramachandra from the Centre of Ecological Sciences, IISc, who studied the lake, said this was a sign that the lake had crossed its threshold. Catfish can survive even in harsh environment since they come out of the water, breathe in, and go back into the water. ``The level of dissolved oxygen in the lake was zero in some places and 2.5 in other places, against the normal value of five. The macrophytes have covered most of the lake leading to fish kill, he said.



KSPCB officials who visited the lake said that there was no oxygen left in the lake. Since it rained two days ago, the dead fish came floating to the surface. A thorough investigation and sample analysis will be undertaken.


Four New Restaurants You Shouldn't Miss This Week, Including A Steakhouse

By Anthony Todd in Food on Sep 7, 2016 1:56PM



The interior of GT Prime. Photo via Facebook.

It's a fairly busy week for new dining destinations. Let's get right to the news.

The big news racing through the dining scene is the opening of GT Prime, the long-awaited steakhouse from Chef Giuseppe Tentori and Boka Group. According to co-owner Kevin Boehm (who excitedly posted on Facebook), the opening was last night. The menu is, as you might expect, fairly steak-heavy, though there's a good assortment of other dishes to whet your appetite (a stuffed quail pot pie instantly rose to the top of my wish list). The most intriguing feature of the new steakhouse? Bucking the trend of mega-cuts, GT Prime will be serving their fancy cuts in smaller, more approachable 4 ounce portions. That way, guests can either try moreor avoid going home in a meat coma.

On a slightly smaller scale, Hyde Park residents can look forward to an awesome new outpost of Cemitas Puebla, which makes three locations for the popular sandwich shop. The Hyde Park Herald reports that the restaurant opened yesterday in the former Packed space, but the opening hasn't gotten much hype yet. So, if you happen to be down in Hyde Park, head on in now before the students figure it out.

We reported a few weeks ago about the opening of The Loyalist, a new super farm-to-table West Loop restaurant from a husband-and-wife chef team. The Loyalist was only half of the two-part concept, and the other half, Smyth, is now open for business. Unlike the less formal Loyalist, Smyth is a tasting menu spot, serving up an 8-course menu for $135, with dishes like slow cooked shoulder of lamb with kelp marmite, dungeness crab and foie gras with scrambled kani miso, and a salad with roasted squid stock.

So this isn't quite a new restaurant, but it's a new iteration of a favorite, so we'll include it. Acadia has always had a bit of a dual identity: The Michelin-starred fine dining tasting experience that gets all the press, and the front bar (serving the best lobster roll around) that tends to actually bring in the locals. So when we found out that the bar was re-doing and expanding its menu, our mouths started to water. The restaurant announced this morning that new dishes, including brussels sprouts with duck confit, pernod butter, and lemon, a "Kentucky Fried Jidori chicken with kimchi collard greens and honey and a Banh Mi with Pho hoisin glazed pork belly, cucumber, kewpie, cilantro, and jalapeAo were coming to the menu. We'll definitely be checking this out soon.
Vista, The 3rd Largest Building In Chicago, Is Officially Under Construction

By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 7, 2016 6:50PM



The impossibly posh and pricey units that will make up Vista Tower are still a way's off, but the project itselfwhat will be Chicago's third largest buildingis officially out of the preliminary stages. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and others broke ground on the Jeanne Gang-designed riverside skyscraper on Wednesday. He was joined by Gang, along with Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) and representatives from the Vista development firm, the heavily Rahm-contributing Magellan Development.

"The Vista Tower will not only enhance our citys great skyline, but it will stand strong as a testament to Chicagos status as a global destination for investment, commerce and tourism, Emanuel said in a statement. This multi-year project will create thousands of jobs and bring many opportunities for Chicagoans everywhere. And breaking ground on this project today shows our commitment to collaboration, and doubling down on every investment to benefit every neighborhood in the City of Chicago."

Construction for the project was announced in July. The tower structure is expected to be completed by Jan. 2019; and the condosjaw-droppingly luxe and getting gobbled up faster than you can say "international moneyed class"are projected to be ready by April 2020.

I believe that Vista will be a powerful beacon in Chicago, changing the way people view and think about skyscrapers and their relationship to the waterfront, Gang said in a statement. While Vista is unique in Chicagos skyline, this building will create a powerful dialogue with the city and the lake, providing a much-needed connection between Lakeshore East and downtown Chicago.

Notable past Gang designs include Aqua and the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo.
16 Must-See Examples Of Chicago Street Art

By Mike Ewing in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 7, 2016 4:23PM

Art is everywhere in Chicago. It isnt just hanging in a museum downtown or sitting idle in Millennium Park. It's sprayed onto walls and pasted on boarded-up windows across the city. Often-anonymous artists sometimes break the law to give their street art life, and street art is even more mainstream today than it was during the graffiti boom of the '80s. Likewise, some local artists are taking the art form to a whole new level.

As you travel through this art museum called Chicago, heres a guide to some of the types of street art you should keep an eye out for, and some of our favorite artists who've left their mark on our urban canvas.



Photo: Jared Hansen



THE TAGS OF WEED WOLF: Basically Street Art 101, tags are the bane of the Citys Graffiti Blasters. Usually done freehand with everything from a marker to spray paint, tagging artists leave their mark everywhere from easy-to-access walls to impossibly-high water towers. And if youve taken the L anywhere, youve probably seen the name of Weed Wolf, one of the most prolific (and least fancy) taggers in the city.



Photo: Paul Callan

OUT-THERE INSTALLATIONS BY BORED: Street art installations in the form of three-dimensional, often interactive pieces are fairly rare, but are always impressive in their originality. Anonymous artist Boreds Monopoly popups in places like Logan Square poke fun of their host neighborhoods and confound drunks who find them late at night.



Photo: Hebru Brantley



THE FINE ART MURALS OF HEBRU BRANTLEY: Large-scale murals featuring intricate scenes are often done legally, either by commission or on a permission wall, but unsanctioned pieces can be found in more out-of-the-way places too. Artist Hebru Brantleys work is featured in fine art galleries and in the streets, but his distinct style is celebrated wherever its found.



Photo: Peyri Herrera



DONT FRETS VERY-CHICAGO WHEATPASTES: Artists looking to throw up more intricate works on-the-fly sometimes choose to cover an area with a paste thats equal parts flour and water and then stick up custom-cut paper pieces (hence the name). Wicker Park native Dont Frets wheatepastes often feature jokes about everyday life and people in Chicago.



Photo: Curtis Locke



47TH STREETS INSPIRING UNDERPASS MOSAIC: The best street art turns out-of-the way places into something special, including a few sanctioned mosaics that turn otherwise bleak underpasses into celebrations of community. Spearheaded by Carolyn Elaine and John Pitman Weber, the bricolage mosaic at 47th Street pays tribute to Kenwood residents.

The mural is located at the intersection of 47th Street and Lake Park Avenue



Photo: Left Handed Wave



LEFT HANDED WAVE'S BUNNY SUIT CHARACTER: Street artists often develop signature characters that are featured prominently in all of their pieces, making it easier to identify the their work in the wild. Most of Left Handed Wave's work is starring a man with a secretive grin on his face, dressed in either a banana or bunny costume.



Photo: Kevin Tao



CROS POLITICAL STENCILS: Stencils cut out of paper or cardboard make for quick outlines that artists can throw up in an instant with a can of spray paint or two. As with any other form, artists usually include signature words, figures, or phrases. CROs pieces often poke fun at local political figures like Rahm Emanuel, Barack Obama, and Rod Blagojevich.



Photo: Left Handed Wave



THE WILD STYLE OF OMENS: The elaborate bubble letters and symbols of Wild Style writing take the name-dropping element of a tag and elevate it to a form of high art. Although theyre sometimes unreadable to anyone other than fellow taggers and people on the scene, youve probably spotted the work of Omens and other writers scattered around Chicago.



Image: Fuzzy Gerdes



OMNIPRESENT SURGEON STICKERS BY SWIV: Small and versatile, stickers can be mass-produced and slapped up in an instant. Swivs surgical mask-wearing character can be spotted tacked on to everything from street signs to bathroom walls.



Photo: Design Milk



JIM BACHORS POTHOLE INTERVENTIONS: Sometimes street art is used to both make a statement and directly intervene in its environment, usually to make a political point. Jim Bachors pothole mosaics both draw attention to a major issue in Chicagos streets and address it.



Photo: SeAor Codo

THE NEIGHBORHOOD MURALS OF PILSEN: Sometimes murals celebrate the unique history, heroes, and ethnic culture of the neighborhood theyre painted in. Theres no better example than Pilsen, where artist Hector Duarte turned his house into a piece of public art. Check out Curbed's map of neighborhood murals for more.

Photo: Jason Fowler



TONY TASSETS BLOB MONSTER SCULPTURE: While the amount of materials needed for large-scale sculptures makes them pretty rare for street art, the recent appearance of naked Trump statues across the country shows it can happen. Locally, Tony Tassets melty Blob Monster is now permanently installed in the West Loop, but I swear I saw one just like it haunting the streets of West Town not too long ago.



Photo: Brad Perkins



THE MASSIVE ROLLER TAGS ON THE DAMEN SILOS: Street artists turn to unwieldy roller brushes, like the kind you would paint your walls at home, to compose blocky, intentionally drippy pieces. Their extended handles also make it easier to paint giant works in hard-to-reach places. Rooftops and the abandoned silos on the outskirts of Chicago attract plenty of these tags.

The Damen Silos are at 2860 S. Damen Ave.



Photo: Debbie Mercer



THE WOODEN POST-GRAFFITI OF CLS: As street art continues to become more accepted, artists are branching out beyond materials like spray paint that were traditionally used because they were quick and cheap. One example is CLS, who builds their compositions using pieces of wood.





Image: Trish Korous

CRAFTY YARN BOMBERS: Just over a decade old, yarn bombing is street art for crafters. Yarn bombers anonymously attach knit pieces to everything from trees to statues. Its delightfully nerdy but still brightens up otherwise drab places. And while none of the artists has really gained prominence for their work (yet), the otherwise anonymous bombers do it for the love of a good yarn.



Image: Angie McMonigal



INTERNATIONAL STREET ART ON WABASH: Perhaps nothing shows how much the city and businesses are embracing street art more than the Wabash Arts Corridors Big Walls, which give artists from Chicago and beyond over 40,000 square feet to work with on the sides of buildings in the South Loop. The works span the globe, including Argentinian Marina Zumi.

The Wabash Arts Corridor is at 635 S. Wabash Ave.
Photos: We Took The Brianna And Jaelin Walking Tour

By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 7, 2016 5:01AM



Our docent's signboard / Photo: Stephen Gossett

When we first heard about the Brianna and Jaelin Walking Tour, we were left pondering the same question we had after seeing the infamous viral video that was posted by the not-long-for-Chicago couple themselves: Is this shit real? Well, it was real, and some 150 people gathered in Edgewater to walk in Bri and Jaes fabled footsteps and retrace the now-notorious afternoon that sent the couple packingafter less than an hour in the city.

The crowd started out sparse, with only about a dozen or so at the tour meeting place, Berger Park, with the walk set to start in 15 minutes. Being old, I thought of Snakes on a Planeone of those instances where the mere existence of the joke renders the actual gag itself superfluous. But sure enough, the Whiteys showed up. If 3.5 thousand people RSVP on Facebook, that should be about 150 people, said Justin Hardesty, the man who initiated the walks Care For Real donations and a longtime organizer of Chicagos No Pants Subway Ride, as the crowd assembled. His math was spot on, and there was no denying the reality: If you build out a meme far beyond its logical breaking point, they will come.



The Walking Tour crowd gathers at Berger Park in Edgewater / Photo: Stephen Gossett

The crowd then broke off into several mini-tours and we made our way to the Bri-and-Jae landmarks: the Granville Red Line Station, the police station they didnt go to because the Subway appeared safer instead, down the street to the Subway (where they knew the layout, and the sandwiches), through the CVS parking lot and out front of the Whites erstwhile apartment complex, all of which covers only about a half block.



The Subway where the Whites sought refuge. Not pictured: Jaelin's lost shoe / Photo: Stephen Gossett

My tour was led by Walk creator Kevin Fergus and Nikki Loehr. It was all pretty shaggy and inconsequential (of course), but the pair had an easy rapport and a relaxed wit, which shouldnt be a surprise, as both are improv students at The Annoyance.

A sample, about those intimidating Edgewater surroundings

Fergus: "Theres a Catholic university to our left."

Loehr: "Theres also a lot of brunch places."

Fergus: "The BYOB ones can get pretty out of hand."

The crowd got into it, too, with some cracking the requisite Uber jokes and noting the various restaurants they deemed too ethnic for the Whites.

The video is a great example of how privileged a life can be, said Perry Simmons, an Edgewater resident. Its not uncommon. People are sheltered, although (the Whites) had their reasons for leaving. But we can still poke fun. Its just Chicagos sense of humor.

Our tour wrapped up with a moment of silence outside the apartment building where Brianna and Jaelin kinda-sorta-I-guess-technically lived, a "For Rent" sign hanging suggestively near the entrance. We miss them terribly. They brought lots of money, character and local color, said Loehr. It was all deeply sarcastic, of course, but the commitment and effort made by the crowd and guides (Fergus really knows his B&J facts) couldnt help but belie some of that irony. It was fun! Fergus told me after the tour. And it was. Thanks, Bri and Jae.
Reports suggest that Foxconn may take two to three years to start making phones in India, beginning with assembly units.

Apple may have asked its largest manufacturing partner, Foxconn, to explore the possibility of manufacturing smartphones in India within the next two to three years. Sources have told Economic Times, There's definitely interest. When Tim Cook was here, the government raised the issue of making in India. It is after that that Apple started thinking of doing something in India which is long term. A separate source told the publication that Foxconn may take two to three years to make phones in India, with assembly being the first step. Further, the source added that no time span has been discussed yet.

Manufacturing devices in India may not only allow Apple to make its devices cheaper for Indian customers, but also let it launch iPhones in the country, sooner. When it was launched in India, prices for the iPhone 6s started at Rs. 62,000, while prices for the iPhone 6s Plus started at Rs. 72,000. Any chance for a reduction in price would be most welcome by consumers, and Foxconn already has a manufacturing plant in India.

Apple seems to have increased focus on India. A few months ago, the company announced the opening of a new office in Hyderabad where it would focus on the development of Maps. The company said that the investment would accelerate the development of Maps, and create up to 4,000 jobs. The facility would be located on the Waverock campus, and will offer employees an LEED-certified place to work.
The government is also in talks with email service providers to allow users to sign up in local languages, while phone manufacturers have been asked to offer local language fonts.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEIT) has announced a number of initiatives to increase the adoption of internet in the country, especially among the non-English speaking population. The MEIT believes that one of the ways to increase adoption is by letting people access the internet and its content in local languages.

The MEIT has announced a number of initiatives to increase Internet adoption in India. This includes making domain names available in local languages, which are now available in 15 regional languages in India. This includes Hindi, Boro, Dogri, Sindhi, Maithili, Marathi, Konkani, Nepali in Devanagiri script and Gujarati, Manipuri, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi and Urdu. The remaining languages that the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) had applied to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) have also passed the string evaluation criteria.

NIXI is now in process of submitting an application for delegation request for these languages to ICANN. It is also in process of preparing the required APIs to make these domain names possible. Rajiv Bansal, Joint Secretary, MEIT and CEO, NIXI said, Government with NIXI is now running an offer whereby registrants, on first come first basis can get domain names booked from IDN accredited registrars of the registry.

The government is in talks with email service providers like Google, Microsoft and Rediff to allow users to sign up in local languages. The MEIT believes that this would be a step forward in ensuring sufficient local language content for internet users in semi-urban and rural areas. Further, the government is also in talks with phone manufacturers to offer local language fonts in their mobiles.
US investment bank Goldman Sachs has reportedly banned its employees from contributing money to certain political campaigns, including that of presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The bank has expanded the reach of its restrictions on political funding in an email sent to several high-ranking staff, Politico reported on Tuesday.

The change in policy from one of the world's biggest investment banks specifically cited the Trump-Pence campaign as being off-limits for those working for Goldman, according to another report from Fortune.

The bank said that the restrictions were put in place so as to avoid potential "pay for play" scenarios in which public contracts and business is awarded based on political donations.

The reports also claim that the Democrat campaign involving Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine is not affected by the change, as Clinton does not currently hold office and senators are unaffected by the alteration.

In the memo obtained by Fortune, Goldman said that "the policy change is also meant to minimise potential reputational damage caused by any false perception that the firm is attempting to circumvent pay-to-play rules, particularly given partners seniority and visibility".
Deputies in the Irish parliament have been recalled early to debate the ruling by the European Commission that Apple failed to pay up to 13bn in taxes to the state.

The government has said that it plans to appeal the decision, and have asked members of parliament, known as TDs, to back the appeal.

Members of Dail Eireann were given a 16-page Department of Finance document providing information on the case on Tuesday night.

Apple chief Tim Cook has said that he is confident that the Commission's ruling will be overturned, but the claim has been rejected by the commissioner who oversaw the investigation into the company's tax practices in Ireland, Margrethe Vestager.

She said the decision was "based on the facts of the case, looking into Apple Sales International, how they are arranged within Ireland, and the profits recorded there".
Steven Ciobo, Australia's trade minister, has poured cold water on claims that the UK could gain a fast-track trade deal with the country ahead of the European Union.

The Canberra government had previously talked up the prospects of a bilateral deal between the two countries, and prime minister Theresa May listed Australia as one of five nations keen to make trade deals with Britain at the G20 summit in Huangzhou, China.

However, Cioba said that any formal negotiations over a deal would most likely not take place until Britain had successfully arranged its departure from the EU.

The minister is in London for talks with international trade secretary Liam Fox, and told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that discussions with the European Union about a new agreement will take preference.

"My formal advice is that, and this is from the UK side, the UK is unable to negotiate or sign an agreement prior to the formal exit from the EU," Ciobo told the programme.

"Negotiating trade deals is fraught with complexity," Ciobo said. "There's always domestic sensitivities between negotiating parties, concern and consideration needs to be given to particular industries."

Theresa May is due to face questions from MPs on Wednesday as concern grows as to whether the government's strategy on Brexit is coherent and functioning.

Brexit minister David Davis has said that it is "very improbable" that Britain will be allowed greater control over its borders, as well as maintaining access to the free market, a view May has distanced herself from.
To promote global economic growth, G20 leaders should focus on encouraging global infrastructure development projects and avoid protectionism, according to Stephen Perry, chairman of the 48 Group Club, a group that promotes trade and cultural relations between the U.K. and China.

World leaders gather in Hangzhou, China, for the G20 summit. [China Pictoria /Xu Xun]

The G20 leaders need to understand far-reaching infrastructure development initiatives such as China's "Belt and Road" initiative (BRI), which will create land and sea infrastructure across Asia and in to Europe. This infrastructure will provide jobs and investment in the involved countries. It will also provide the foundations for quicker intercontinental trade.

Asked what obstacles the global economy faces, Stephen says the biggest one is fear. "The biggest obstacle is fear that current challenges can only be managed by reversing to an earlier time with protectionism."

The World Trade Organization (WTO) reported that 22 new trade-restrictive measures were implemented each month by WTO members between October 2015 and May 2016, up by an average of seven from the previous period.

Answering a question on protectionist rhetoric in the U.S. election campaign, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said in a CNBC interview in June 2016, that we live in a context of slow growth and trade, and that low and middle-income people in the U.S. benefit from free trade as it supplies them with products they could not afford otherwise.

Stephen Perry says that protectionist approaches have never worked in world history. "Progress will be achieved by encouraging more infrastructure-based global development projects which lead to new consumer demand."

One way China is helping to create growth is through the "Belt and Road" initiative -- therwise known as One Belt, One Road. The G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, could give leaders a chance to understand the significance of the initiative.

BRI is a massive project that Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in 2013. China will work multi-laterally for win-win situations by creating infrastructure opportunities across Central and Southern Asia. The infrastructure projects will provide jobs, create investment opportunities, and facilitate the infrastructure for more efficient trade across countries and will include 4.4 billion people and 40 percent of global GDP.

"BRI is not understood and this G20 is a chance for major leaders to comprehend what it is," said Perry . "The best chance for stimulating growth in the global economy is BRI, with a ticket of up to 40-50 trillion dollars over the next 30 years."

Perry says that the EU and the U.S. need to find a formula for engaging in BRI, which will create win-win situations for all involved.

Aside from global infrastructure, the U.S. and the U.K. need to realise that national infrastructure investment can create growth on their own shores, and should not act suspiciously towards investment from foreign companies or nations.

"It is the time-honoured approach of investing in infrastructure during a recession which has been applied in China and the West can relearn from [them]," Perry says. "The U.S. building a high-speed network would create a lot of demand and solve carbon problems."

XpressWest, a private U.S. company, ended plans with China Railway International to build a high-speed line from Southern California to Las Vegas. XpressWest stated that there were "difficulties associated with timely performance."

The U.K. Prime Minister and Chinese President might also discuss plans for the nuclear power plant, Hinkley Point C.

During Xi's 2015 state visit to the U.K., China's State-owned China General Nuclear Power Corporation signed an investment agreement with French energy firm EDF to build the new power plant. This investment from China, along with others totalling 18 billion, signalled a "Golden Era" between China and the U.K.

The project is worth billions of pounds to the U.K. energy industry, will create over 25,000 jobs, according to EDF.

However, since 2015, the U.K. has changed prime minister, and approval for the power plant has delayed as Prime Minister Theresa May reviews the security of the project.

Asked if the G20 summit would be a good time to discuss the slow progress of finalising Hinkley Point C, Perry said: "The nuclear issue should not be a litmus test of the relationship [between the U.K. and China]. China and the U.K. need each other and can benefit significantly from each other."
Former European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso's appointment to the board at US investment bank Goldman Sachs is to be looked into following widespread concerns, according to EU ombudsman Emily O'Reilly.

Barroso was hired by Goldman as the bank attempts to negotiate the effects of Britain's impending exit from the EU, but the decision has faced criticism, with staff from the bloc launching a petition against the appointment.

O'Reilly expressed her concerns in a letter to Barroso's successor Jean-Claude Juncker, in which she said that the case had received "understandable international attention given the importance of his former role and the global power, influence, and history of the bank with which he is now connected."

The petition calling for action against the former leader of Portugal, Barroso, gathered over 120,000 signatures and recommended the withdrawal of his pension during his time at Goldman.

The United Kingdom and the European Union are preparing for complex negotiations concerning the former's departure from the European bloc, which will begin once prime minister Theresa May invokes Article 50.

"Public unease will be exacerbated by the fact that Mr Barroso has publicly stated that he will be advising on the UK's decision to leave the EU," O'Reilly added.

The role of the ombudsman within the EU is to investigate claims of malpractice by commissioners and those taking key decisions in the body.

Goldman have defended the hiring of Barroso through a spokesperson.

The bank said that the decision "had nothing to do with the outcome of the Brexit vote. Indeed, we began our discussions at a time when the prevailing view was that the remain campaign would succeed, an outcome we would have preferred and publicly supported."
Theresa May said she would not give a running commentary on Brexit negotiations and reveal our hand prematurely to the EU as she refused to say whether the country will stay in the single market.

At the first Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) since the summer recess, May was challenged by Labour and SNP MPs to confirm if the UK will stay in the European single market.

In a statement to the House of Commons before PMQs, May said negotiations with the EU was not about getting the Norway model or the Swiss model, but developing a British model.

She added: We will not take decisions before we are ready, we will not reveal our hand prematurely and we will not provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiation.

The Prime Minister said she wanted control over EU immigration to the UK, but Brexit secretary David Davis said on Monday it was very improbable that the country could control its borders while staying in the single market.

At PMQs several Labour MPs challenged May over Brexit negotiations.

MP Ben Bradshaw said giving up membership of the single market out of a dogmatic need to cut immigration would be an act of self harm, and former shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt asked what conversations the Prime Minister has had with Japan about Brexit.

The Japanese government recently warned that if the UK did not retain access to the single market its biggest companies would likely move from Britain to the EU.

Former shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said it was important to know what May values in Brexit negotiations and if she valued membership of the single market.

This was echoed by Angus Robertson, the SNPs Westminster leader, who asked twice if May wanted to remain in the single market after Brexit. May responded that she would not give a running commentary on negotiations.

She previously said that she wanted to the right deal for Britain and to build a new relationship with the EU.

Jeremy Corbyn devoted five out of his six questions to the Prime Minister on the housing crisis and the last on the closure of women's refuges, going against his leadership challengers plea ahead of PMQs. Owen Smith said that Corbyn should target EU negotiations with his allotted questions.

Corbyn said that the average price for a house in the UK is 215,000, which is more than eight times the average wage and that home ownership was a dream for many people.

May said the government was helping people buy their first home and house building was on the rise under the government.

He also said that one one in every five council houses sold under the Right to Buy scheme, which was introduced by her predecessor David Cameron, was short of the government's one-for-one pledge.
Industrial equipment rental company Ashtead was the standout performer as it reported a jump in revenue for the first quarter to the end of July as it benefited from a weaker pound. The group also said full-year results were likely to be ahead of expectations.

Total rental revenues grew 12% in generally strong end markets, lifting statutory revenues 4% to 707m at constant exchange rates compared to the same period last year, with growth in both US-based Sunbelt and the UK's A-Plant.

SSE was boosted by an upgrade to buy at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, while Randgold Resources gained as Berenberg initiated coverage of the stock at hold.

Housebuilders were under the cosh, led lower by Barratt Developments following the release of results for the year to 30 June.

Barratt said total completions rose 5.3% to 17,319, revenue was up 12.7% to 4.24bn and profit from operations grew 15.9% to 668.4m. Analysts said it could be a case of profit-taking. IGs Chris Beauchamp noted the shares have risen 60% since the low in July, so there is no doubt that more than a few investors are looking to cash out.

Shares in payments processor Worldpay slumped on as it emerged that private equity firms Advent International and Bain Capital LLP sold a bigger-than-expected stake in the company through their Ship Global 2 & Cy SCA vehicle.

Ship Global, which is jointly owned by the two firms, sold 350m shares in the payments processor, which is more than the 300m planned, at 282p per share. They raised aggregate sale proceeds of approximately 987m.

Aerospace and defence group Rolls-Royce slid after as Exane BNP Paribas downgraded the stock to underperform from neutral with an unchanged price target of 530p, citing little valuation support versus peers.

Exane noted Rolls is the strongest sector performer year-to-date, with shares up 29% over three months, most likely thanks to new managements continuing strong focus on execution and cost reduction.

Severn Trent was in the red after Bank of America Merrill Lynch cut the stock to underperform.

Risers

Ashtead Group (AHT) 1,296.00p 3.02%

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 7,735.00p 1.64%

Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 1,892.00p 1.61%

Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 1,966.50p 1.44%

Aviva (AV.) 440.40p 1.31%

Fresnillo (FRES) 1,714.00p 1.18%

SSE (SSE) 1,564.00p 1.10%

Glencore (GLEN) 185.05p 0.98%

Smiths Group (SMIN) 1,385.00p 0.95%

Anglo American (AAL) 834.40p 0.92%

Fallers

Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 2,699.00p -3.02%

Worldpay Group (WI) (WPG) 286.90p -2.55%

Persimmon (PSN) 1,830.00p -2.14%

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 759.00p -1.94%

Barratt Developments (BDEV) 497.60p -1.85%

Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 160.70p -1.77%

Severn Trent (SVT) 2,407.00p -1.67%

Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 2,165.00p -1.64%

BT Group (BT.A) 389.70p -1.34%

TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 1,032.00p -1.34%
Consort medical , a provider of advanced technology for drugs, has signed a new contract with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca for the supply of its Bespak respiratory devices.

AstraZeneca and Bespak have agreed to enter into a multi-year agreement for the scale-up and supply of Bespaks proprietary pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) valves and actuators.

These inhalers are used for the long-term maintenance treatment of patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Chief executive Jon Glenn said: "We are delighted to have successfully concluded this agreement with AstraZeneca. This further reinforces the ongoing strength of our respiratory device franchise in the pMDI segment."

The group continues to trade in line with the boards expectations of the current financial year on a constant currency basis, the company said in a statement.

Regarding the impact from Brexit, the firm said it does not expect any fundamental changes on the groups businesses. According to the board Bespak and Aesica have a strong pedigree of providing excellent services to their international customer base and will continue to do so as the UK prepares to exit the EU, and thereafter.

Consort had benefitted from the depreciation of sterling as its foreign exchange exposure is mainly in Euro. Transactional foreign exchange effects are also expected to be limited in the current year due to the firms protective forward currency hedging contract.

Shares rose 1.29% to 1051.36p at 1008 BST on Wednesday.
Bottom line: How did the Buckeyes grade vs. Penn State?

Grading Ryan Day and the rest of the Buckeyes after Ohio State's win over Penn State.
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The European Union has launched investigations into deals struck by McDonald's and Amazon.



By BERNARD CONDON

AP Business Writer

NEW YORK  It turns out some wealthy companies are just like some wealthy hedge fund managers: They're taxed at far lower rates than nearly everyone else.

Whether or not Apple used illegal breaks to pay virtually no taxes in Europe over 11 years, as regulators there contend and the company denies, the order last week that it pay billions in back taxes highlights a worrisome divide among the world's biggest corporations: Some pay relatively little taxes, others a lot.





. . .
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OLYMPIA (AP)  Washington state is slated to receive $14 million in grants for mental health facilities.

The Washington State Department of Commerce says the grants will go to 11 health care providers. They'll develop facilities for short-term psychiatric detention services and for state hospital diversion services.





. . .
Petrobras to sell 90% in its natural gas pipeline network to Brookfield consortium for $5.2 bn

Brazil's state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA, also known as Petrobras, yesterday struck a deal to sell 90 per cent of its natural gas pipeline network to a consortium led by Canada's Brookfield Asset Management Inc for $5.2 billion, according to a Reuters report.

The consortium includes Singapore sovereign-wealth fund GIC Pte, Chinese sovereign-wealth fund China Investment Corp. and a British Columbia's pension fund.

Early this year Petrobras had put its natural gas pipeline unit Nova Transportadora do Sudeste SA (NTS) up for sale, as part of its plan to sell $15 billion worth of non-essential assets by year-end in order to reduce its massive debt pile of $130 billion.

Last month, it agreed to sell its majority stake in one of its largest oil and gas prospects to Norway's Statoil ASA for $2.5 billion.

Petrobras also is in exclusive talks with Mexico's Alpek SAB de CV to sell its loss-making petrochemical plant in Brazil's northeast, and also plans to sell control of fuels distribution unit BR Distribuidora.

The state-owned company has already sold about $3.9 billion in assets since last year, mainly from unloading its operations in Brazil, Chile and Argentina.

Bidders for NTS included Spain's Gas Natural Fenosa SA, France's Engie SA, and Japan's Mitsui & Co Ltd, and it was only in May this year that Petrobras entered into exclusive negotiations with the Brookfield led consortium.
A Letterkenny teenager was sent home from Beaumont Hospital on Friday afternoon, when a test scheduled for surgery to remove a tumour from her pituitary gland was cancelled.

The 16-year-old had already been fasting since midnight in advance of the procedure. Family and friends had held parties for her the weekend earlier, to wish her luck and a speedy recovery.

It was emotional for her, for all of us, the teenagers mother, Triona, said.

The procedure was cancelled because there were no anesthetists available, she said.

Triona said she could not emphasise enough how pleased she was with the neurological team that has been working with her daughter, Chloe, since January, when her case was transferred from Our Ladys Childrens Hospital, Crumlin, to the team at Beaumont.

Chloe was diagnosed this past July with a recurrence of Cushings Syndrome, a metabolic disorder caused by abnormally high levels of the hormone cortisol.

I cant stress enough how happy I am with the neurosurgeon and his team, Triona said. But their hands are tied. She said the neurosurgeon has told her several times that her daughter is on his mind, and has been in touch with her a number of times, even ringing during the evening.

Surgery scheduled for Friday

The surgery had been scheduled for last Friday, but last Thursday night, the night before, they learned that the hospital wanted to conduct a test first, before surgery, to confirm the diagnosis. However, the test still required an anesthetist.

Now we need to do this test, wait for results and then go ahead with surgery, Triona said. She said she accepted that the hospital wants to have that confirmation before they proceed. But the family must now wait now for a phone call to let them know when the test can take place, and the surgery has been pushed back further as a result.

The mother of three, Triona is juggling the trips to Dublin with responsibilities for her two younger children.

I feel like everythings just on hold and we have to wait and wait, she said. There were no summer holidays this year because they were awaiting the call from the hospital to say when the surgery would take place.

Theres no question but the tumour has to be removed, Triona said. Everything else can be dealt with medically afterwards.

As a result of the metabolic disorder that Cushings Syndrome has caused, Chloe has gained six stone since last September. Her confidence has plummeted since she gained the extra weight, and she has not been going down to the town, her mother said.

Her circle of friends have been very supportive, Triona said. She said to me it has been a good lesson for her, she said. She knows who her true friends are.

Tuesday was Chloes first day back at school for this school year. I cant put her life on hold anymore, Triona said.

Shes very strong. Shes holding her own, she said of her daughter.

But there are times shell just obviously have her moments where shes upset and shes wondering, When are we going to get this operation?
October is National Bullying Prevention month. We have all heard the phrase bullying, but what does it actually mean? Bullying is defined as unwanted aggressive behavior; observed or perceived power imbalance; repetition of behaviors or high likelihood of repetition.

Bullying is unfortunately a reality for far too many in our communities both young and old. Much like any other form of violence, bullying is not isolated to any particular age group, gender or demography. Just about everyone of us can look back in our lives and recall a time where either we were personally bullied or witnessed one of our friends or schoolmates being bullied. Its hard to believe that with all of the advancements and awareness, this type of behavior still exists, but it does and with the advent of social media, it had actually gotten much worse. This is because unlike in the past, the bully not only impacts your life on the playground or classroom; they now are able to follow you into your personal life due to the constant presence of social media.

There is good news in that we have learned a great deal about what creates these bullies and how to neutralize their ability to isolate and intimidate. The key is for those in authority to respond to reports of bullying immediately to show without question that bullying will not be acceptable. That message needs to follow to our homes with the messages we send our children not only by what we say but by our own actions in how we treat fellow adults. Bullying is without question a learned behavior. It is learned on the playground, in the classroom and follows through to the workplace and social interactions as adults. We need to send a strong message to our own children, a message of empathy and compassion not of ridicule and rumor.

Who are at risk of bullying the most? Typically those who are bullied have one or more of the following risks:

Are perceived as different from their peers, such as being overweight or underweight, wearing glasses or different clothing, being new to a school, or being unable to afford what kids consider cool

Are perceived as weak or unable to defend themselves

Are depressed, anxious, or have low self esteem

Are less popular than others and have few friends

Do not get along well with others, seen as annoying or provoking, or antagonize others for attention

However, even if a child has these risk factors, it doesnt mean that they will be bullied. The important lesson is that we as adults set the tone for how the next generation will interact with each other. Chances are if we show acceptance of others, our children will show acceptance of others. If we engage in demeaning others or spreading rumors, our children will follow suit. So often we as adults underestimate the influence, we have not only on our own children but even those who dont know us but witness our behavior.

While school or workplace policies are an important component, the only way to truly decrease bullying is by denying the bully their victim. We do this by raising strong, confident, resilient children, and speaking out and supporting those who find themselves on the receiving end of this type of behavior. We are all teachers in life lessons and we teach by our actions. Lets all be aware of what we teach.
Voters in five of six Barbour Countys municipalities took to the polls on August 23 to cast votes in city council and mayoral elections.

The only municipality in the county to not hold elections was Blue Springs as only one candidate qualified for the mayoral and each city council position that would have been on the ballot. Of the five municipalities to hold elections, Eufaula and Blue Springs are the only ones where the current mayor did not have an opponent.

Eufaula Mayor Jack Tibbs will serve his second term in office since he was unopposed for the seat. In the city council positions, District One went to Tony Robertson; District Two, Johnny Knight; District Three, Lucious Cobbs; District Four, Linda Singleton Grice; and the city council race in District Five will go to the winner of a run-off between Barbara Flurry and Wes Register that will be held in October.

Bakerhill Mayor Aaron Grubs was re-elected for his third term as he defeated his opponent Frazier Farrior 91 to 62. City council seats were won in District Three by Felecia Grubbs as she defeated Jimmy Cochran 84 to 64; District Four went to incumbent Otis Banks with a 79 to 74 vote over Linda Day; and District Five went to Clarence Young as he beat incumbent Susan Hudspeth 81 to 71. Council members Gary Barnes (District One) and Catherine Long (District Two) were unopposed for their seats.

Rebecca Beasley won a fifth term as Mayor of Clayton as she defeated opponent Willie Dean Rumph in her bid for the mayors seat with a 308 to 120 tally at the polls. Earnestine Youngblood defeated incumbent council member Sherry Lightner Seals for the District One council seat with a vote of 31 to 29; Belle Warr took the District Two seat against incumbent Alice Hudson with a 67 to 44 vote count; and incumbent Alex Moses reclaimed his District Four seat with a vote count of 59 to 37 over opponent Leslie Green.

In Louisville, Jimmy Grant was re-elected as Mayor, defeating his opponent Henry Erwin Miller 100 to 77 votes. All city council members were unopposed. Louisville city council members are Ray Weston, Johnny Clark, David Hobdy, Thomas Crossley and Heath Clark.

Michelle Shell Knight was elected to serve as Mayor of Clio, defeating her opponent Stephanie Sap Marsh with a vote count of 173 to 138. District One City Council winner was Jewel D. Oliver with a vote of 23 to 14 against her opponent Noelle Westenberger Larroy; District Four city council winner was Billy Joey  Phillips defeating Brenda Kelly 40 to 29. City council members that were unopposed for their seats were Kristy Garcia, Kenneth Johnson and Judy Riley.

New city council members and mayors across the county will start in their newly elected positions with the first city council meeting for each municipality in November.
Home Four wheelers Swedish Safety Obsession Continues As Volvo And Autoliv Team Up oi-Dennis James

Swedish carmaker Volvo has formed a joint-venture partnership with automotive safety group Autoliv (also from Sweden) to develop driving software for autonomous cars.

The joint venture will develop advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous drive (AD) systems for use in future Volvo Cars. The ADAS systems should be ready for market by 2019 with the automated driving technology set to debut in 2021.

The technology from the joint venture, which both companies want to begin operations early next year, would also be sold by Autoliv to carmakers globally, with revenues shared by both companies. Volvo Cars which will directly source the technology from the new company.

Speaking about the joint venture, Volvo Cars Chief Executive Hakan Samuelsson said, "By combining our know-how and resources we will create a world leader in AD software development. This means we can introduce this exciting technology to our customers faster."

Dennis Nobelius, managing director of Volvo Switzerland will be the chief executive of the new joint venture, which is yet to be named.

The headquarters for the company formed by the joint venture will be based out of the Swedish city of Gothenburg, Initially, the new company will have a total of 200 employees drawn from both Volvo and Autoliv which will increase to over 600 in the next two years.
Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) and County Louth healthcare recruitment specialist, Servisource last week announced the launch of an new scholarship programme which will provide four third-year nursing and midwifery students at DkIT with 1,500 financial support as they progress through their degree.

As the demand for qualified nurses and midwives in Ireland continues to grow, the new Servisource Scholarship will provide continued motivation and additional resources to DkIT students at a critical point in their study.

In addition, the process of applying for these scholarships is also good practice for students as they are encouraged to reflect on their academic and practical successes to date and to consider their employment options for the future.

The scholarship programme commences in autumn and upon the return to class in mid-September, all third year students wishing to be considered for the scholarship will be asked to submit their applications in advance of the closing date on Monday, 3 October 2016. Applicants will be asked to complete a reflective essay outlining an experience or circumstance in which they have demonstrated kindness and compassion in care, in line with the nursing and midwifery standards and guidelines.

This includes the need for nurses and midwives to be competent, safety-conscious and act with kindness and compassion in their provision of safe, high-quality care.

The winning students will be announced on October 15 2016, after deliberation by judges from the DkIT Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies Department and Servisource.

Speaking today, Ann Campbell, President of DkIT said: We are delighted to work with Servisource to develop this scholarship programme.

In addition to receiving generous financial support from Servisource, our students will be exposed to the realities of presenting themselves professionally, communicating their skills and competences and evaluating their successes.

This is invaluable experience that will undoubtably enhance their career prospects.
It has always been widely accepted that small businesses are nimbler and more entrepreneurial than their big business counterparts. Indeed, much of the competitive advantage for SMEs[1] come from the fact that, with smaller headcounts and less bureaucracy, they can get work done in less time. But being nimble also means that employees, as generalists rather than specialists, often have to juggle multiple roles within the business, and that can slow them down and may impact quality.

It is against that background that human capital solutions provider ADP recently carried out a round of research into how employees will be expected to upskill in the future. It found that 90% of larger companies in Asia Pacific will probably or definitely require people to learn new skills rapidly to adapt with constantly shifting roles.

In addition, the research demonstrated that 93% of large companies will either probably or definitely allow people to use technology to learn anything, anytime, anywhere. This suggests larger companies with greater resources are likely to invest in helping specialist employees access people, tools, and information they need to get more work done in less time.

Competitive advantage: wrestle it back

For SMEs, then, the message appears clear. One of your main competitive advantages has been exposed, and your larger peers may catch up to you. With that in mind, what can you do to wrestle it back before it starts to affect your bottom line?

The solution for SMEs may be counter-intuitive. Small business employees may have a naturally wide skill set necessitated by working in a small team, but more often than not that skill set is static and predictable (think invoicing, report drafting and client communications) and sometimes a wide range of responsibilities can lead employees to feeling overwhelmed. But what if a manager could afford them the time to learn other skills by taking away some of the more mundane tasks?

Big businesses upskill workers through dedicated HR teams that organise training days and seminars but SMEs can get in on the act too by making full use of the many publically available digital platforms and resources available to grow your employees skills and reassigning tasks that they dont necessarily need to do.

Reduce the administrative burden on employees

For example, if a manager takes admin heavy tasks such as compliance, payroll and time sheet management off an employees hands, that time can be usefully reassigned to learning a new skill or deepening an existing customer relationship.

However, if finding a time in the work-day that is suitable for all employees in a busy small business proves difficult, a webinar series or internet short course that can be engaged with at any time could prove a more suitable option.

ADPs research shows that the notion of using technology to learn new skills wherever and whenever possible is welcomed by 74 % of Australian workers, who believe this is a trend already taking place today. This seems to suggest that workers of today are open to learning new skills, so take the leap and put some options out there to your teams.

Analyse how your employees are spending their time

Best of all, a small head count allows SME operators to consult all of their employees on what they feel would be most valuable  an option not available to most larger corporations.

It can be difficult to find time to invest in these tasks in any small business as there is always so much to do. But a neutral analysis of how your employees are spending their time, and whether this time could more usefully be deployed elsewhere, is always a useful thing to do. You may just find that, with small adjustments to who does what, and some shrewd outsourcing, small business can keep ahead of the pack by investing in skills of their people today which will be vital to your business tomorrow.

About the author

Susan Heron is the Managing Director of ADP Australia and New Zealand.

[1] Defined as a business of less than 250 employees
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Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a press conference after the 11th summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 5, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

What plans did China offer at the G20 Hangzhou Summit?

The 11th G20 Summit opened in Hangzhou on the afternoon of Sept. 4 with a theme of "Towards an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy," and a leading question is how China, as host, intends to promote these aspects.

In his welcoming speech at the start of the meeting, President Xi Jinping said: "Based on the theme of the Summit, we will have discussions on strengthening policy coordination, creating a new path for growth, more effective and efficient global economic and financial governance, robust international trade and investment, inclusive and interconnected development, as well as other issues affecting the world economy."

It is certainly very necessary to achieve global coordination of macroeconomic policies and a linkage mechanism to improve global economic governance while exploring new engines of growth.

Therefore, President Xi hoped that the G20 Hangzhou Summit could prescribe "solutions addressing both the symptoms and root causes of global economic problems and achieve strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive global growth."

In this regard, he set five goals.

First, facing many challenges, it was vital to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination and jointly promote global growth and uphold international financial stability. Second, it was necessary to break a new ground for growth and generate new momentum. Third, the international community improves global economic governance and strengthens institutional safeguards. Fourth, it should build an open global economy and continue to promote facilitation and liberalization of trade and investment. Fifth, it was vital to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and promote inclusive development.

President Xi also said that "in preparing for the Hangzhou Summit, China has followed the principle of openness, transparency and inclusiveness, and maintained close contact and coordination with all other members." China had "held dialogues in various forms" with many countries "to brief them and all those interested in the G20 on our preparations."

He expected demonstrations of four kinds of unity among G20 members to safeguard global economic prosperity and stability. First, keep up with the spirit of the times and play a leadership role; second, transform knowledge into practice and implement practical actions; third, jointly build a cooperation platform to share achievements among participating members; and fourth, tide through difficulties together in partnerships.

It's obvious China expects all member states to reach greater consensus on the summit's themes through in-depth communications, creating new engines driving the global economy and providing new directions for global growth.

How will the Hangzhou Summit change the world?

The Hangzhou Summit was a great success. Leaders of member states as well as international organizations reached many important agreements on major issues.

President Xi, in his closing speech, pointed to the G20 Leaders' Communique, G20 Blueprint on Innovative Growth, G20 Strategy for Global Trade Growth, G20 Guiding Principles for Global Investment, G20 Initiative on Supporting Industrialization in Africa and the Least Developed Countries, and Global Infrastructure Connectivity Alliance Initiative. At the same time, the meeting produced a groundbreaking Action Plan for the Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.

Therefore, the five "determinations" by President Xi could be regarded as an important achievement. First, the G20 members are determined to set the course for the world economy. Second, they are determined to forge a new path for growth and instill new dynamism into the world economy. Third, they are determined to improve global economic and financial governance to enhance the resilience of the world economy. Fourth, they are determined to revitalize international trade and investment as key engines of growth, and build an open world economy. Fifth, they are determined to promote inclusive and interconnected development, so that G20 cooperation will deliver benefits to the whole world.

However, the most important aspect is direction of future development. In another words, how will the achievements of the Hangzhou Summit change the world? The answer surely lies in President Xi's own words:

"These action plans and practical outcomes will help reduce inequality and imbalance in global development, deliver tangible benefits to people of the developing world, make important progress toward realizing the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and contribute to the common development of mankind."

The question is: how will the G20 Leaders' Communique, among various initiatives, be carried out?

To actually implement the fruits of the Summit, we should continue to ponder over the following questions. First, should the Communique and initiatives be further institutionalized? Second, how will G20 involve other countries in the global macro-adjustment? Third, who will be coordinating and executing the fruits of the Hangzhou Summit?

Prior to the G20 Hangzhou Summit, this writer put forward three action plans for the aforementioned concerns. First, the G20 Summit has to be responsible for the top-level design. Second, establish a new "G20 +1+1 Meeting" to allow in each member state's commerce and trade and foreign ministers to take charge of the global coordination in economic development. Third, establish a G20 Secretariat responsible for adjusting and implementing different issues in each country.

China can play a big role in this regard. Before next year's G20 summit in Germany, China should actively promote the Hangzhou Communique both as the second largest economy and the 2016 G20 host country.

Kim Sangsoon is a researcher at the Charhar Institute and the president of the Korea-based East Asia Peace Research Association.

The article was translated by Chen Boyuan. Its original unabridged version was published in Chinese .

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
Trumps scapegoating of undocumented immigrants is Mein Kampf-era madness and its time we say that

On Labor Day, Paul Waldman did something that few people have enough hours in a lifetime to do. He put together a partial list of some of the stories that illustrate the kind of history of corruption, double-dealing, and fraud that Donald Trump has.

You should read the whole post but heres a screenshot of the list to give you a sense of what were talking about:

Waldman notes that over and over a story about some kind of corrupt dealing emerges, usually from the dogged efforts of one or a few journalists; it gets discussed for a couple of days; and then it disappears.

The result is Trump gets cast as the flashy businessman with normal businessman dings while Clintons indiscretions get exploded into never-ending scandals connected to all manner of uranium-fueled fever dreams.

So as a result, these essential points go ignored:

Trump is the least qualified and most indebted candidate ever. His business record is sole credential and its pockmarked with shame and corruption. And hes least transparent candidate since at least Watergate.

The press is utterly baffled or indifferent when it comes to dealing with the collected weight of his indiscretions cloaked with Trumps willingness to lie, contradict himself and invent reality.

And  as political scientist John Stoehr points out  its unwilling to note that a candidate for the presidency of the United States can give a policy speech on immigration based on the fever dreams of nativist-white nationalists, and the entire media apparatus does not report that it is unadulterated racism.

Trumps smears against undocumented immigrants may have become less colorful than his debut racism of calling Mexicans rapists and murderers. But its no less insidious.

Trump is engaged in a smear campaign against Latino immigrants that is beyond anything weve seen in modern America politics. Its furor and blatant falsehoods resembles Hitlers early attacks on the Jews more than the subtle digs were used to conservatives making about welfare queens and takers, which are debilitating and dangerous in themselves.

Trump has normalized white supremacist rhetoric against the undocumented.

And hes done it by eschewing slurs and embracing outright lies that feel true to an aging white working class populace whose kids are unlikely to enjoy the same opportunities they did thanks in large part to conservative policies.

Trumps marquee lie that he uses to frame his attack on the undocumented to assert that illegal immigrants are being treated better than veterans.

Its a nonsensical claim built off a real Veterans Administration scandal that the right-wing hyped endlessly to further its goal of privatizing the VA. But the press rarely bothers to debunk it, the way largely ignored sites like FactCheck.org do:

They cant get Social Security, or enroll in government health care programs such as Medicaid or Medicare. They dont qualify for food stamps, government housing or unemployment benefits, and they cant vote.

And the biggest disgrace of this lie is that tens of thousands of undocumented Americas are veterans.

We shouldnt have to point out that the undocumented are less likely to commit crimes and tend to contribute more to society than they take. But we should  over and over. Because what Trump is doing will fester and get worse.

Hes offered so many racist lies that the press doesnt even acknowledge his claim that Mexico was sending its worst immigrants to this country, which is like a Protocols of the Elders of Zion-level conspiracy theory.

And then theres his use of Angel Moms. As mourners who lost their family members to people in this country they deserve our sympathy. But Trump is using them to illustrate a crisis that doesnt exist.

He is attempting to scapegoat undocumented immigrants for all the countrys ills, and making an almost millenarian promise of imminent utopia if only they can be removed, Slates Michelle Goldberg wrote.

You only indulge in this kind of behavior to justify mass inhumanity  which is what Trumps mass deportation plan is, no matter how he spins it  and to avoid real crises that you have no solution for or want to make worse.

Workers are suffering as nearly all the gains the economy go to the richest .01 percent. And here we have a member of that .01  who either wants to cut his own taxes or pays zero taxes  ginning up hate toward the most vulnerable people in this nation, who just happen to be dying to pay more taxes.

This is racist demagoguery that has never been more obvious  and many Americans are oblivious to it because our press isnt capable of calling out Trumps corrupt campaign of racist lies.

[Photo by Gage Skidmore | Flickr]
Michigans 52nd State House District is a R+1 district that has been held by Democrat Gretchen Driskell for the past two election cycles. It was held briefly between 2010 and 2012 by now-MIA Republican Mark Ouimet. Before that, Democrat Pam Byrnes represented the district for four years, serving for a time as the Speaker Pro Tempore of the House.

The dominance of Democrats in this leaning-Republican district is a direct result of two things: strong Democratic candidates and almost laughably bad Republican candidates. This year is no exception.

The Republican running to replace Driskell (who is now seeking to oust GOP Congressperson Tim Walberg in the 7th Congressional District) is an affable man named Randy Clark. Affable though he may be, he is running a nearly invisible campaign. Its not only nearly invisible, its clearly not being run by people with any idea of how to target voters.

Yesterday I got a mailing from Clark. You might not think thats much to laugh about but when the Republican running for a seat is wasting money sending mailer to the home of the Chair of the Washtenaw County Democratic Party, its clear that he is using a throw everything at the wall and see what sticks style of campaigning. Heres his mailer:

When you read through his list of What makes Randy Clark a great community leader, you would almost think hes a Democrat. He wants to strengthen and equalize state school funding so all kids get a good education. He wants to Let teachers teach by reducing standardized testing. Why hes even Dedicated to a natural and clean environment. Unlike other candidates who want an unnatural, polluted environment, I suppose.

In sharp contrast to Clark, the Democrats have a rock-solid candidate in Donna Lasinski. Lasinski, currently a member of the Ann Arbor School Board, has been a tireless campaigner. She and her team have knocked thousands upon thousands of doors and are using smart strategy to target voters most likely to turn out for her in November. You can be sure that the Chair of the Washtenaw County Republican Party is not getting political mailings from the Lasinski campaign.

While Clarks webpage has almost nothing of substance regarding his positions (Conservative Fiscal Approach to state budget issues, Maintaining the personal rights that we all enjoy in this great country), Lasinski has her policy positions and goals spelled out in great detail.

Leaving nothing to chance, Lasinski recently told a group of canvassers at the Ann Arbor campaign office, I dont want to just win. I want to win BIG! We need to make this seat safe for Democrats for years to come. She and her campaign staff and volunteers never quit contacting voters once she won her primary and their tenacity makes it very clearl that they are out to crush her largely-unknown Republican opponent.

Democrats need nine seats to regain control in the State House in Michigan and this is a seat that we must keep to ensure that happens.

To learn more about Donna Lasinski, check out her webpage HERE. While youre at it, throw a few bucks to her campaign to make sure that she does, in fact, crush Randy Clark and make the 52nd House District a Democratic seat for years and years to come.

UPDATE: I meant to mention the fact that Clark couldnt even be bothered to get his literature printed and sent by a Michigan-based company. Instead he went through a company called Nies based out of St. Louis, Missouri. They used a bulk mail permit issued to YP Holdings, formerly known as the Yellow Pages. YP Holdings is based out of Tucker, Georgia.
Alphabet has been facing significant roadblocks in expanding Google Fiber into new U.S. cities, in part due to significant competitive and legal challenges from incumbent broadband providers like AT&T and Comcast.

The companies currently are embroiled in a dispute over access to utility poles in Nashville, Tennessee, where Google claims that its competitors have been dragging their feet in making poles ready for Googles wires, even though the work has been approved.

Incumbent carriers have fought to block access to new entrants like Google Fiber, and local governments have tried to find solutions  like the One Touch Make Ready effort to get companies to share utility crews that would give broadband competitors equal access to attach their network equipment to telephone poles at the same time. The Nashville Metro Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed ordinance on Tuesday.

Talks recently broke down in Nashville after officials sat down with Google, Comcast, AT&T and others. AT&T has blamed Google for threatening to pack up and leave if it didnt get its own way in terms of local pole access.

Unfortunately Google entered the meeting with no intent of negotiating, AT&T spokesperson Brett Levecchio told the E-Commerce Times. We offered several solutions that would have addressed Googles concerns without government intervention, but Google refused to compromise.

AT&T, which offers fiber in 2.2 million locations within 29 metro areas in the U.S., plans to reach more than 14 million residential and commercial customers with fiber, Levecchio said.

Deep Cuts

While the wrangling wears on, Alphabet apparently has taken a hard look at Google Fibers bottom line.

If Google Fiber is not going to be building fiber networks in the next year or so, there are a lot of expensive people that the company will have to carry, broadband analyst Craig Settles told the E-Commerce Times.

Alphabet CEO Larry Page recently ordered Google Fiber to slash up to half of its workforce, in a bid to balance out the companys flagging subscriber figures, The Information reported. The news came just weeks after the company indicated it would shift to a wireless growth strategy to take advantage of its new Webpass broadband business.

Well short of its internal goals of 5 million subscribers, Google Fiber reportedly could see its workforce slashed in half to about 500 people nationwide, as it works to retool as a wireless broadband company.

Alphabet acquired wireless broadband provider Webpass earlier this year.

The layoff reports raise questions about how forthcoming Alphabet has been concerning the roadblocks it has encountered in its quest to grow the Google Fiber business.

This is confusing, because we thought Google Fiber was doing so well, said telecom analyst Jeff Kagan.

Apparently not. They recently announced they were moving from the wireline to the wireless business, he told the E-Commerce Times. Now this.

Behind the Curtain

Google Fiber stormed out of the gate, bringing the promise of significant competition to underserved cities with ultra-high-speed Internet service at speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps. Google Fiber is much faster than traditional cable broadband.

Google Fiber currently operates in seven U.S. cities, including Kansas City, Missouri, where the company has its headquarters; Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Nashville.

The company has announced plans to expand into numerous other cities  including Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Huntsville, Alabama; Dallas; and others.

Alphabets Wireless Experiments

Meanwhile, Alphabet has been working on providing wireless high-speed Internet access to the home, company chairman Eric Schmidt said at the companys annual shareholders meeting this spring.

Better computer chips and more accurate wireless signal targeting have made point-to-point wireless Internet connections cheaper than laying cables, he indicated.

The technology apparently is capable of delivering Internet connections at 1 Gbps  equal to Google Fibers speed.

Google Fiber has been working on connecting wireless towers to existing fiber lines.

One of our early forays in testing wireless technology is a 3.5 GHz trial in Kansas City, Google spokesperson Kelly Mason told the E-Commerce Times this spring.

Google consultant Robert Iystad earlier this year presented the Kansas City Council with a plan to run tests on wireless Internet access in the city.

The company sought to put antennae on city light poles and other structures in eight areas for a two-year test, providing the infrastructure at a discount. It was granted access to the light poles.

The Tech Stuff

There are three Google technologies involved, according to Sue Rudd, a research director at Strategy Analytics. One is Google Fiber. Another is millimeter wave point-to-point access to fiber, and the third is small local cell sites for use on premises.

Millimeter wave spectrum is relatively unused. Even at 1 bit per Hz, you can get high speeds at high frequencies, Rudd told the E-Commerce Times. Millimeter bandwidth comes in chunks greater than 5 GHz, such as 20 GHz, and high frequencies are infinitely reusable because they dont go so far.

Googles goal is to utilize underused high-frequency millimeter wave spectra to create a global access network linking point to point to the nearest fiber, she explained. Distance is not an issue.

Playing With Millimeter Wave Technology

Experiments with using millimeter wave technology for WiFi networks date back at least a couple of years.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in 2014 was converting old drones into millimeter wave WiFi hotspots.

Also in 2014, Google began testing a WiFi network that employed millimeter wave and other WiFi technologies.

Google has been testing solar-powered drones to deliver 5G Internet using millimeter wave technology, in its secretive Project Skybender, at Spaceport America.

Starry early this year announced it was working on a millimeter wave WiFi network to be rolled out in beta in Boston this summer. Rollout dates for 14 other U.S. cities that are part of a 24-month pilot program  including San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C.  have yet to be announced.

Facebook this spring announced new terrestrial connectivity systems that leverage millimeter wave WiFi, and said it planned to test the system in San Jose this year.

We think its great that others are exploring new and innovative ways to bring connectivity to more people, Starry spokesperson Virginia Abrams told the E-Commerce Times this spring. Our beta will launch as planned late this summer in the Boston area.

Why the Rush to High-Bandwidth WiFi?

Eric Schmidts  comments are just describing a way to solve the classic last-mile problem for fiber termination, Strategy Analytics Rudd noted in an earlier interview. This is a very well-known problem that now has multiple wireless point-to-point and even multi-point options many operators and enterprise vendors are looking at.

Possible vendors include premises, cell termination and even campus DAS interconnect players, such as Blinq, Bridgewave, Cambium Networks, Ericsson and NEC, she said.

The federal government is giving out grants to companies to provide WiFi service in rural areas, observed Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research, in an earlier interview. Some local providers are also encouraging this in areas where they arent providing service.

The allure of WiFi Internet is increasing, because some cities are getting fed up with companies tearing up their streets to lay cable, McGregor told the E-Commerce Times.

The result is, its the wild, wild west out there, and everyones trying to get into providing WiFi service, he said. Im looking into it myself.
A Russian appeals court recently rejected Googles appeal of a US$6.75 million fine regulators imposed on it for anticompetitive behavior  that is, for forcing mobile device vendors to put Google Play apps on the main screens of devices using the Android operating system.

The Ninth Arbitration Appeal Courts ruling, handed down last month, means that the court considered the decision of Russias Federal Antimonopoly Service to be reasonable and legitimate. Google therefore would have to pay the fine and take steps to remedy the situation.

The Appeal Court upheld the judgment of the Court of First Instance, confirming legitimacy of FAS decision and determination, noted Elena Zaeva, the head of FAS Department for Regulating Communications and Information Technologies. Google must now execute the determination in full within the designated period.

FAS is confident that executing the determination will create fair conditions for efficient competition in the fast-growing mobile applications market, she added.

Smartphones Stifled

The decision stemmed from a complaint lodged by rival Yandex, which alleged that Google had abused its dominant market position in 2014. Three smartphone vendors  Prestigio, Fly and Explay  at the time said they no longer could preinstall Yandex apps and other services on their devices, according to Yandex spokesperson Vladimir Isaev.

Yandexs complaint, filed in February 2015, alleges that in order to install Google Play on their devices, manufacturers were required to preinstall the entire suite of Google GMS services, and set Google as the default GMS search on those devices.

Google prohibited the manufacturers from installing competitors services on those devices, Yandex alleged.

Android was the leading mobile operating system in the world when the complaint was filed. It was installed on more than 84 percent of devices globally, and it was the leading mobile OS in Russia, installed on 86 percent of all smartphones in the country, according to Yandex officials.

FAS investigated the claims and found that Google and Google Ireland did indeed set restrictive conditions for using Google Play on mobile devices, ensured through rewards from Google. They included a requirement to preset Google search, to buy the entire Google Mobile Services application package, to give Google apps preferential placement on the device screen, and to prohibit installation of competing apps.

As a result of the FAS action, Google faced a fine of between 1 percent and 15 percent of its annual revenue from its Russian business in 2014; the company eventually was fined $6.75 million (438 million rubles).

EU Controversy Ongoing

The Russian courts decision came amid the European Commissions ongoing investigation of allegations that Google and Alphabet engaged in similar anticompetitive behavior involving Android in Europe.

The EC this spring accused Google of violating competition laws by forcing manufacturers to preinstall Google Search and the Chrome browser, and to set Google Search as the default on their devices.

Google prevented manufacturers from selling smartphones running on competing OS systems based on the Android open source code, and it gave financial incentives to manufacturers and mobile network operators on the condition they exclusively preinstall Google Search, the EC also alleged.

The outcome of the Russian case, though unsurprising, will have no bearing on the EC case, which will be determined on its own merits, according to Thomas Vinje, chairman of the global antitrust group at Clifford Chance, legal counsel to nonprofit FairSearch, the main complainant in the EC action.

We are confident the European Commission will conclude that Google has breached EU antitrust law, Vinje told LinuxInsider, but the commission is a highly sophisticated and independent antitrust authority and will reach its own decision independently of the Russians.
NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden on Tuesday injected himself into an escalating cyberstruggle that could affect the U.S. presidential election.

The reported hack of The Equation Group might have been a warning shot from Russia, Snowden claimed.

The group, which is widely believed to be a front operation for the NSA, apparently was hacked over the weekend by a previously unknown outfit called the Shadow Brokers, which then claimed to have valuable files in its possession that would be available to the highest bidder.

The group posted a free preview of its alleged stash on Tumblr, in a broken-English post that later was deleted. A cached version of the page, as it appeared on Monday, was still accessible as of Wednesday evening.

The Shadow Brokers could provide additional access to Equation Group tools, according to the post, and if the auction were to raise 1 million bitcoins, then the group would dump more files for free.

Ciscos Response

Ciscos Product Security Incident Response Team investigated the information published by the Shadow Brokers, and identified two vulnerabilities affecting Cisco ASA devices that required customer attention, according to PSIRT spokesperson Yvonne Malmgren.

The company issued two security advisories  one for a newly found defect and one for a defect that was found and fixed in 2011, she told TechNewsWorld.

The advisories include free software updates and workarounds.

Warning Shot

Snowden said in a series of tweets said that circumstantial evidence and conventional wisdom pointed to the Russians as being behind the hack.

9) This leak is likely a warning that someone can prove US responsibility for any attacks that originated from this malware server.

 Edward Snowden (@Snowden) August 16, 2016

11) Particularly if any of those operations targeted elections.

 Edward Snowden (@Snowden) August 16, 2016

The FBI is investigating those attacks.

There appear to be several hundred tools in the Shadow Brokers leak that have strong connections to Equation Group malware tools, according to an analysis by Kaspersky Labs global research and analysis team, which early last year uncovered links between The Equation Group and the NSA.

For example, there are more than 300 files in the Shadow Brokers archive that implement the same specific variation of the RC6 encryption algorithm that has been used by Equation over the years, according to Kaspersky, and its highly unlikely that it was faked.

Credible Leak

The leaked information appears credible, in part based on the information revealed in the 2013 disclosures related to the NSA by Snowden, said Andrea Castillo, program manager for the Technology Policy Program at George Mason Universitys Mercatus Center.

Given the quantity and quality of the dumped data, it does appear to be a valid leak, she told TechNewsWorld. Some of the tools corroborate techniques that we have already learned about through the Snowden leaks.

However, there are concerns about the idea that the NSA can fall victim to this sort of counterhack, Castillo said.

Now that these exploits are public, software and service providers will be able to patch up the vulnerabilities that the NSA had been apparently relying upon, she noted.

Publicizing the exploits probably was not the primary driver behind the attack, Castillo said. More likely, it was a demonstration of power by a state-backed or otherwise well-funded hacking organization.
Dirty tricks during political campaigns are nothing new, but the Internet and the proliferation of mobile devices have allowed tricksters to up their games a notch.It came to light last week, for example, that Donald Trumps campaign app was hoovering the address books on his supporters phones.

Trumps app wasnt doing anything illegal. It wasnt even trying to hide what it was doing. The app seeks the users permission to download all contacts before it does so. However, both the ACLU and the Electronic Privacy Information Center have rapped the practice.

Asking for more permissions for an application than are necessary for the app to function is common among mobile apps. The classic example is the flashlight app that seeks permission to access the address book on a phone. Why would a flashlight app need address book access to function?

Nevertheless, impatient users often give overreaching apps the green light for such activity.

Too Many Permissions

Users do not pay much attention to what apps are asking for, said Slawek Ligier, vice president for security engineering at Barracuda Networks.

Theyre used to being asked for three, four, five permissions before they can use something, so the majority of users just click OK so they can get on with their lives, he told TechNewsWorld. As a result, apps have a tendency to ask for way more permissions than they really need to provide the service that theyre built for.

For the most part, developers arent trying to be malicious with their permission grabs, Ligier maintained. They just might be planning for the future.

For example, when they were introduced, banking apps requested permission to use a devices camera  even though those early apps had no use for the camera. Eventually, the banks took advantage of the camera to let users deposit checks into their accounts, so the camera permission was pertinent to the softwares functionality.

Developers would rather ask for permissions now than later, Ligier said.

Trump Mule Scams

Information-hungry apps arent the only tech tools targeting the body politic during election years. There typically are a number of scams that accompany events dominating the news.

In the current cycle, scammers are using Donald Trumps name to attract people to get rich while working at home schemes, Ligier noted. Those scams usually seek to enlist people to be money mules for online bandits outside the U.S.

Other cons try to steer a candidates supporters to a website that infects their computers with malware. One such scheme used a headline about Hillary Clinton giving money to ISIS. When curious readers clicked on the link to the story, they were sent to a website that planted a remote access trojan on their computer. RATs allow hackers to take control of computers remotely.

Several scams with a political twist found their way to Brad Bussie, director of product management at Stealthbits Technologies. One was a solicitation from a Republican Party organization asking for a donation  plus his Social Security number.

A huge red flag should go up anytime an organization calls you and asks to verify any type of personal identifiable information, he told TechNewsWorld.

Voter Info Scam

Another pitch came from a company purportedly conducting a phone survey about the election, Bussie recalled. For taking the survey, participants would be rewarded with a trip to the Bahamas.

How could a survey company offer everyone that takes a survey a trip to the Bahamas? he asked.

A phishing email that appeared to come from Bussies state government asked him to update his voter information.

The link looked legitimate in the email  but once I looked at the link in more detail, it would have redirected me to a site that had a different URL but similar looking background to the real site, he said. The site wanted not only his personal information, but also common passwords he might be using for other sites.

Many people who are scammed will enter three to five different passwords, thinking that they simply forgot what the password they used might have been before clicking on the I forgot my password link,' he said.

Clicking on the I-forgot-my-password link on the bogus state site took Bussie to a server not found page.

Visa Waiver Controversy

A proposed change in the information gathered from people seeking to enter the United States without a visa has created a stir in some privacy circles. The proposal would add questions about the applicants social media activity to the visa waiver request form.

Answering the questions would be optional, and the information provided by the applicant would be used only to vet the application, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection notice published in the Federal Register.

Collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide [the Department of Homeland Security] greater clarity and visibility to possible nefarious activity and connections by providing an additional tool set which analysts and investigators may use to better analyze and investigate the case, the notice explains.

Since submitting social media information is optional, the proposal appears to be relatively benign, but not everyone sees it that way.

Chilling Expression

The proposal would chill expression by both foreign nationals entering the United States and U.S. citizens, maintained the Center for Democracy and Technology.

The social media information could be used not only to submit foreign nationals to unspecified review and monitoring of their public online activity, but also to increase surveillance of U.S. citizens who might be connected to those nationals, CDT noted in comments submitted to CPB last week.

This proposal would move the world of security theater online, warned Emma Llans, director of the CDTs Free Expression Project. Not only would the program be unnecessarily invasive  it would also be incredibly ineffective and expensive.

If the data can be used effectively and without violation of individual rights, however, collecting it can make sense, noted Daniel Castro, director of the Center for Data Innovation.

This could be useful, so we should allow [CPB] to experiment with this data, he told TechNewsWorld.

DHS can not determine whether it could use social media data as an effective method of screening travelers unless it first conducts a pilot program, Castro noted in comments submitted to CPB.

It would be prudent for DHS to proceed with the data collection in order to study the merits of such an effort, he continued, but it should refrain from using the data on a widespread basis until it can verify that it has produced a system that delivers beneficial results.

Breach Diary

August 22. Epic Games announces its Unreal Engine and UnrealTournament forums have been put in maintenance mode while it investigates the compromise of data at the sites. The data breach could affect more than 80,000 users, according to one report.

August 23. GTAgaming, the website operated by the makers of the popular Grand Theft Auto game franchise, announces it is resetting the passwords of all users of the site due to the compromise of its forum database.

August 23. Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner release joint report finding information security safeguards of infidelity website Ashley Madison were insufficient or absent at time hackers stole account information of 32 million users of the site.

August 24. DCNS, a French submarine maker, announces it may have been the target of economic warfare after an Australian newspaper publishes documents containing details of six submarines DCNS is building for the Indian Navy.

August 24. LeakedSource.com posts to its website databases pertaining to more than 25 million accounts associated with Internet giant Mailru. The databases were stolen from three game-related forums by two hackers in July and August, according to ZDnet.

August 24. Funcom announces it is resetting the passwords of users of its AgeofConan.com, AnarchyOnline.com, LongestJourney.com and TheSecretWorld.com forums after it discovered data associated with those sites had been compromised.

August 25. Apple releases iOS 9.3.5 to address vulnerabilities that allow hackers to read text messages and emails, track calls and contacts, record sounds, collect passwords, and trace the whereabouts of a devices operator.

August 25. An apparent data breach at Active Network in Texas forces fish and wildlife services in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Kentucky to suspend online sales of hunting and fishing licenses and tags.

August 25. After receiving alerts from the U.S. Secret Service, Millennium Hotels and Resorts North America and Noble House Hotels and Resorts confirm point-of-sale systems at their properties were compromised.

August 25. Five years after the accounts of 77 million PlayStation Network users were compromised, Sony deploys two-factor authentication on the network.

August 26. Dropbox alerts users it is resetting all passwords that havent been changed since 2012. Credentials from a 2012 data breach at Dropbox are being offered for sale by a hacker on the Internet, according to Motherboard.

August 26. Opera alerts its users that its resetting all passwords for its sync system following its discovery earlier in the week that the system was breached by attackers.

Upcoming Security Events
Apple used to guard details about a new iPhone more closely than Fort Knox, but that doesnt seem to be the case any more. The shift has been glaring with the iPhone 7, slated for introduction on Wednesday.

Its widely believed that the new iPhone has no headphone jack. Sound is piped to the user through a set of EarPods that connect to the phone through its Lightning port, or a dongle that accepts devices with a 3.5mm plug.

The phones upgraded camera shoots 4K video at 60 frames per second, and one version of the new phone has a dual camera system that could advance smartphone photography into another realm.

The new iPhone has more memory  128 gigabytes for starters and up to 256 GB  and its waterproof.

Its volume buttons are on its outer body, and it has no home button at all. Its replacement is based on the Force Touch trackpad technology found in Apples laptops.

The iPhone 7 will be available in a new color: black.

Good Plumber Hard to Find

Thats quite a bit of knowledge about a new iPhone before its formally introduced. It leaves little to imagination or expectation  but thats the world Apple lives in now.

Intense interest, coupled with a large supply chain, make leaks about Apples new products inevitable, said Bob ODonnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research.

Apple is using a number of third-party companies for components and manufacturing, making these leaks almost inevitable, he told the E-Commerce Times. There are so many people involved in the process who know interest in this stuff is so high, it becomes an incredibly tempting target to go after.

Apples kinder, gentler demeanor also may be contributing to the increase in leaks about the companys products, suggested Kevin Krewell, a principal analyst at Tirias Research.

The increase in the number of product leaks is part a supply chain that is getting leakier, and part a Tim Cook who is not as obsessive and vindictive as Steve Jobs was about leaks, he told the E-Commerce Times. Jobs was obsessive about keeping new products secret before a reveal, and peopled feared his wrath if a [non-disclosure agreement] were breached.

Leaks or Preconditioning?

Its possible, of course, that Apple has controlled its iPhone 7 leaks, while carefully protecting the information that has not been leaked to the public. That possibility seems especially likely with respect to the iPhone 7s two most controversial changes: the removal of the headphone jack, and the disappearance of the physical home button.

The leaking youre seeing about the headphone jack and the home button is about preconditioning the marketplace to understand, accept and embrace these changes, said Larry Chiagouris, a marketing professor at Pace University.

That way, theres not a lot of attention paid to what may be thought of by some as negative changes, and more attention to the positive things like the camera and more memory, he told the E-Commerce Times.

With a controversial move such as removal of the headphone jack, Apple can gain by fueling discussion months before it makes the move.

The rumor mill can take some of the heat off Apple because it already knows the objections to removing the jack and has had months to prepare, noted Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy.

Diminishing Surprise

Leaks can be a two-edged sword for Apple, Moorhead told the E-Commerce Times. The leaks provide a platform for continual conversation, which puts Apple in the forefront all year. If the rumors are true, though, then the actual event can be anticlimactic.

Still, Apple always manages to bring out something new, he pointed out.

Finding something new has been a challenge  not only for Apple, but also for smartphone makers generally.

Apple and all vendors within mobile devices are refining current designs rather than radically departing from them, said Jeff Orr, senior practice director for mobile devices at ABI Research.

All vendors would like to surprise their audience and captivate them with what theyre bringing to market, he told the E-Commerce Times, but if were not radically changing peoples productivity and efficiency, and [providing] new ways to accomplish tasks, what is there to surprise?

Along with diminishing surprise comes diminishing enthusiasm.

Lines at stores, anticipation and excitement are largely gone, said Ira Kalb, an assistant professor at the USC Marshall School of Business.Tim Cook is a great executive, but not a very good promoter or innovator, he told the E-Commerce Times. Apple has become like Toyota  incremental improvements rather than revolutionary changes that lead the market.
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 Flash

Tsingtao Beer, the iconic beverage from the coastal city of Qingdao in Shandong Province [Photo / China.org.cn]

Nestled along the Pacific Ocean, the coastal city of Qingdao in China's eastern Shandong Province boasts a mild and humid climate, alfresco eateries, fresh seafood, sandy beaches, German colonial legacies and a famous brewery.

Tsingtao Beer, the flagship beverage of this beach-lined city, has been around for over 100 years, ever since the Germans arrived and set up an Anglo-German brewery.

Although the ownership of the company has changed several times, the quality of the beverage has stayed the same. Nowadays, it is an everyday drink caroused by many locals.

"Most Qingdao locals are proud of the city's iconic drink and have a huge capacity," said an Uber driver surnamed Zhang who took the reporter to the famous Beer Street. "A local young man or woman can easily drink up 20 jin, or 10,000 ml (about 20 bottles) of beer at a dinner table."

While in the rest of the country people usually drink Tsingtao from a bottle, the most popular form in Qingdao is the "beer take-away", which basically means that beer is sold in plastic bags. The beer is both fresh and inexpensive. For less than 4 yuan, around 60 cents, one can buy a full plastic bag of original lager.

Tsingtao Beer is served in plastic bags. [Photo by Guo Yiming / China.org.cn]

As a local joke goes, one foreigner came to Qingdao and saw that many people were carrying golden liquid in plastic bags; he then asked, "what are the plastic bags filled with urine used for?"

People who have traveled to Qingdao will know that, in addition to drinking beer, the other favorite hobbies of local residents are eating clams and swimming.

However, in the eyes of health experts, this "troika" of Qingdao leisure is extremely unacceptable.

Studies have found out that eating seafood accompanied with beer can significantly increase the risk of gout, and that swimming and alcohol are a dangerous combination that may bring out serious safety concerns.

Qingdao reportedly has had the top ranking among all major Chinese cities for gout incidents for many years.

The locals, nevertheless, "do not care." Qingdaonese still seem to love every minute of drinking and eating that they take part in, and that, to some extent, makes the city what it is.

One of the earliest posters made in the 1930s for Tsingtao Beer [Photo / China.org.cn]

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BEIJING - A new report from the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) claims Disney uses licensing as a way of shirking environmental responsibility. The IPE claims Disney ignored requests for information about pollution violations at a textile dyeing and finishing mill licensed to produce home textiles for Disney. "When faced with environmental violations resulting from licensing, which brings the brand actual or potential profits, Disney emphasises that the facilities with pollution records are suppliers to licensors and not 'engaged directly or indirectly by Disney'," says the IPE report.
A California judge struck down a bid Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to expropriate more than 1 million acres in central California for oil drilling.

Judge Michael Fitzgerald found that the BLM failed to consider the dangers of fracking, which is part of the formal application process. Two environmental groups, the Center for Biological Diversity and Los Padres ForestWatch, brought the lawsuit against the BLM.

A California judge has blocked BLM from issuing leases for more than 1 million acres for failing to address how fracking would impact area.

The bureau failed to take a hard look at the environmental impact of the resource management plan, when, under the RMP, 25 percent of new wells are expected to use hydraulic fracturing, Judge Fitzgerald said in his ruling.

The bureau is therefore obligated to prepare a substantial EIS [Environmental Impact Statement] to analyze the environmental consequences flowing from the use of hydraulic fracturing.

The bureaus 1,073-page impact statement only mentioned fracking three times, SFGate reported. BLM had commissioned a report from the California Council on Science and Technology two years ago, the judge noted. However, commissioning the study does not absolve the BLM from further analyzing the impact of fracking on the area for its current permit, Fitzgerald added.

The area in question involves the following counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura.

The agency has until Sept. 21 to present arguments as to why the judge should not issue an injunction to stop the plan.

The contested land area provides shelter to more than one-third of the federally listed threatened and endangered species, as well as groundwater systems that provide water for agricultural and residential purposes, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Environmentalists lauded the ruling.

The Obama administration must get the message and end this reckless rush to auction off our public land to oil companies, Brendan Cummings, Center for Biological Diversitys conservation director, said. As California struggles against drought and climate change, weve got to end fracking and leave this dirty oil in the ground.

ForestWatch executive director Jeff Kuyper also praised the ruling: This ruling will protect public lands from the crest of the Sierra Nevada to the Central Coast from an influx of oil development and fracking. These treasured landscapes provide many benefits to our local communities and are too valuable to sacrifice for a few days supply of oil.

But, the petroleum industry wasnt as happy with the ruling.

Hydraulic fracturing and other well stimulation treatments in California have undergone rigorous analysis and review, culminating in the most stringent environmental standards nationwide, Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, said. Countless independent, state and federal science-based studies all agree. Hydraulic fracturing, when regulated, remains a safe technology that provides enormous benefits to American businesses and customers.

This latest ruling is not the first time a federal judge has blocked BLM from developing California land because of its failure to consider the environmental implications of fracking.

In 2013, a different judge ruled that the BLM violated the National Environmental Policy Act by issuing oil leases on Monterey County land without doing necessary studies on the impact of fracking. BLM is still completing an environmental review on fracking, and has not been able to issue any leases in that area.

California has been a battleground state between companies eager to frack for oil and gas, and anti-fracking campaigns. So far, five California counties have banned the industrial practice, with Alameda County becoming the latest to do so.

https://twitter.com/ClimateHour/statuses/757032091158585344

Santa Cruz, San Benito, Mendocino and Butte counties have also banned fracking, while Monterey County will vote on the issue this November. Environmental groups are tackling the issue county by county after California Gov. Jerry Brown came out against a state-wide ban against fracking in June 2015.

Fracking may also be exacerbating Californias long-standing drought. In 2014, the California Department of Gas and Geothermal Resources issued an order to shut down 11 fracked wells over concerns that they were contaminating sources of drinking water. The agency also placed 100 additional wells under consideration to determine whether they were contaminating water.

In February, EcoWatch reported that the federal government will not issue any new permits for offshore fracking in California following the settlement of a case, brought by the Center for Biological Diversity. In the lawsuit, Center for Biological Diversity said that federal regulators were providing permits for fracking activities without duly considering the larger impact on wildlife and coastal communities.
As a temporary restraining order that halts construction on part of the Dakota Access Pipeline was issued Tuesday, about 100 people again shut down construction on another part of the pipeline by obstructing equipment. Some of them locked themselves to the heavy machinery. Native Americans from across the U.S. and Canada continue to arrive at the resistance camps.

We speak with Tara Houska, national campaigns director for Honor the Earth.

Heres the transcript of the interview:

Juan Gonzalez: As the ruling was issued in Washington, DC, about 100 land defenders shut down construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline by obstructing equipment. Some of them locked themselves to workers heavy machinery. We go now to North Dakota to get reaction on the lawsuit and on the actions on the ground.

Amy Goodman: Tara Houska is with us. Shes national campaigns director for Honor the Earth.

Tara, welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about the reaction on the ground to the court decision? And then, what exactly happened in that protest yesterday?

Tara Houska: It was really disappointing. You know, therewe were really hoping that the judge would see that there was this filing on Friday that detailed all these different sacred sites that were in the pipelines path and then the company went out on Saturday and destroyed those sites. It was very clearly a situation in which a temporary restraining order to actually stop that construction and prevent such violent altercations from occurringI mean, the security company actually turned dogs on Native American people protecting sacred sites. Its incredibly disappointing to see that the court system did not continue to protect our interests and stop this from happening, while were waiting to see what this injunction is ruled upon.

I am here to protect the water for the children  and to protect our ways of life, said Iyuskin American Horse of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, who was arrested Aug. 31. Earthjustice / Twitter

Juan Gonzalez: And, Tara, your reaction to the response of Native Americans around the country who have now flocked to the Dakota area to participate in these protests?

Tara Houska: I mean, I think, you know, folks are still pouring in. The camp grows every single day, that, you know, people know theyre coming from around the country to defend this river and also to take a stand for indigenous rights. Weve seen some pretty serious human rights violations as this process has gone on. The state of North Dakota took the water supplies from the camp. They took medical supplies. They have put up a blockade, preventingyou know, making it very, very difficult to actually get into the reservation. This is occurring, and no ones really covering that issue, and no one is really seeming to care. And, you know, indigenous people all know that this is going on. I mean, while those dogs werethose private security dogs protecting an easement, while that was happening, there were North Dakota police standing there, not doing anything. Were citizens, too, just like everyone else. And so, this has become a moment in history in which were standing up for the environment, for our children, for the river, for the drinking water and also justand generally for the upholding of treaty rights and human rights.

Amy Goodman: Now, we wanted to ask about this protest. One of those who participated in the protest, who locked down, was Victor Puertas. We saw him on Saturday. We interviewed him because one of the dogs bit him on his arm and we showed that image. For people to see the whole attack on Saturday, you can go online at democracynow.org. But his arm clearly showed bite marks. Can you talk about exactly what they did yesterday?

Tara Houska: Yeah. Yesterday, there was a direct action, a nonviolent direct action, in which, you know, the location of construction was discovered. And, you know, about a hundred people just hopped in their cars and went over there and locked onto the equipment to prevent active construction from occurring. I think its worth noting that the company voluntarily, you know, said that they would cease construction up until the point of the injunction. That clearly has not happened. Active construction has still been occurring throughout this entire process. And the land defenders here know that. They know that we know that, that this is obviously not being upheld and not being fully acknowledged. And yesterday, we went on site and, you know, there were folks that were willing to lock themselves to machines to stop this construction and prevent the pipeline from going in.

Dakota Access Pipeline Company Attacks Protesters With Dogs and Mace https://t.co/93pqJCaMeK @globalactplan @Green_Europe  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) September 7, 2016

Amy Goodman: I wanted to play a clip of Victor Puertas from Saturday, the different action, right after he was attacked.

Victor Puertas: Look at this. A dog

Protestor: Dog bit him right now.

Victor Puertas: Throwed the dog on me. This [bleep] throwed the dog on me. Look at this. Look at this. You throwed the dog on me. No, you did it on purpose, man.

Amy Goodman: Let me see. Let me see.

Victor Puertas: Over there, with that dog. I was like walking. Throwed the dog on me and straight, even without any warning. You know? Look at this. Look at this.

Amy Goodman: That dog bit you?

Victor Puertas: Yeah, the dog did it, you know? Look at this. Its there. Its all bleeding.

Amy Goodman: So, thats Victor Puertas with the dog bite on his arm and he, with Jules [Richards], were two who locked down.

Juan Gonzalez: Tara, whats been thewhat was the response yesterday of the security guards and the company to your protest? Was it markedly different from Saturday?

Tara Houska: It was markedly different. The police officers, for one, actually came on site initially, kind of stood around and took pictures of ourtook pictures of peoples faces and generally didnt really do much and then ended up actually leaving. I think theres a realization that the use of dogs on Native Americans protecting their treaty lands and their sacred sites is actually a really bad PR move, that they know that the world is watching as these gross violations of human rights are occurring. And so, there was a very big sense of were going to back off. And they really did not engage at all yesterday.
The federal government will not issue any new permits for offshore fracking in California after a settlement was reached on Friday in a case brought by the Center for Biological Diversity. The lawsuit alleged that federal regulators rubber-stamped permits without enough consideration for frackings impacts on coastal communities and wildlife, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

The settlement directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to conduct an environmental assessment of offshore fracking by May 28. There will be a 30-day public comment period on the draft assessment.

This halt to offshore fracking is a huge victory for Californias coastal environment, Kristen Monsell, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, said. Offshore fracking is a dirty and dangerous practice that has absolutely no place in our ocean. The federal government certainly has no right to give the oil industry free rein to frack offshore at will.

Every offshore frack puts coastal communities and marine wildlife at risk from dangerous chemicals or another devastating oil spill, she added. Once federal officials take a hard look at the dangers, theyll have to conclude that offshore fracking is far too big of a gamble with our oceans life-support systems.

Offshore fracking has been going on for years in federal waters, but gained more attention in 2013 when Santa Barbara-based Environmental Defense Center and the AP filed Freedom of Information Act requests with the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The resulting investigation revealed that California regulators were unaware of more than 200 instances of fracking operations in state and federal waters off California.

A 2o14 report from the Center for Biological Diversity found that Californias oil industry is allowed to dump 9 billion gallons of wastewater into California coastal waters every year. The report also found that offshore fracking threatens wildlife, pollutes the air and increases earthquake risks.

These practices are currently being conducted under decades-old plans with out-of-date or nonexistent environmental analysis, Brian Segee, an attorney for the Environmental Defense Center, told the AP.

The settlement only applies to operations off the California coast, Monsell noted, but could have an impact on oversight of other offshore fracking in places such as the Gulf of Mexico.

A Department of Interior spokeswoman told the AP the agency would comply with the agreement and is committed to safe offshore operations. However, the American Petroleum Institute, which intervened in the case as a defendant and did not agree to the settlement, told the AP it did not think the environmental review was needed and did not think a permit moratorium was justified.

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What Is Climate Change? Is It Different From Global Warming?



Climate change is actually not a new phenomenon. Scientists have been studying the connection between human activity and the effect on the climate since the 1800s, although it took until the 1950s to find evidence suggesting a link.

Since then, the amount of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases) in the atmosphere have steadily increased, taking a sharp jump in the late 1980s when the summer of 1988 became the warmest on record. (There have been many records broken since then.) But climate change is not a synonym for global warming.

The term global warming entered the lexicon in the 1950s, but didnt become a common buzzword until a few decades later when more people started taking notice of a warming climate. Except climate change encompasses a greater realm than just rising temperatures. Trapped gases also affect sea-level rise, animal habitats, biodiversity and weather patterns. For example, Texas severe winter storms in February 2021 demonstrate how the climate isnt merely warming.

Related: What Are The Top States For Solar Incentives?

Why Is Climate Change Important? Why Does It Matter?





Marc Guitard / Moment / Getty Images

Despite efforts from forward thinkers such as SpaceX Founder Elon Musk to colonize Mars, Earth remains our home for the foreseeable future, and the more human activity negatively impacts the climate, the less habitable it will become. Its estimated that Earth has already warmed about one degree Celsius, or two degrees Fahrenheit, since the start of the Industrial Revolution around the 1750s, although climate change tracking didnt start until the late 1800s. That warming number may not sound like much, but this increase has already resulted in more frequent and severe wildfires, hurricanes, floods, droughts and winter storms, to name some examples.

Environmental Impacts

Then theres biodiversity loss, another fallout of climate change thats threatening rainforests and coral reefs and accelerating species extinction. Take rainforests, which act as natural carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But as rampant deforestation is occurring everywhere from Brazils Amazon to Borneo, fewer trees mean that rainforests are becoming carbon sources, emitting more carbon than theyre absorbing. Meanwhile, coral reefs are dying as warming ocean temperatures trigger bleaching events, which cause corals to reject algae, their main food and life source. Fewer trees, coral reefs and other habitats also equate to fewer species. Known as the sixth mass extinction, a 2019 UN report revealed that up to a million plant and animal species could become extinct within decades.

Human Impact

It can be easy to overlook climate change in day-to-day life, or even realize that climate change is behind it. Notice theres yet another romaine lettuce recall due to E. Coli? Research suggests that E. Coli bacteria are becoming more common in our food sources as it adapts to climate change. Cant find your favorite brand of coffee beans anymore? Or that the price has doubled? Climate change is affecting that too. Climate change is also worsening air quality and seasonal allergies, along with polluting tap water. Not least, many preliminary studies have also drawn a line between climate change and the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that is still gripping much of the world. Future pandemics are likely to happen more frequently until the root causes, such as deforestation, are addressed.

Speaking of larger-scale issues, global water scarcity is already happening more frequently. The Caribbean is facing water shortages due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall; Australias dams may run dry by 2022 as severe wildfires increase and Cape Town, South Africa has already faced running out of water.

As touched upon earlier, its one thing to be inconvenienced by a lack of romaine lettuce for a couple of weeks or higher coffee bean prices, but reports warn how climate change will continue to threaten global food security, to the point of triggering a worldwide food crisis if temperatures surpass two degrees Celsius.

Many of these factors are already contributing to climate migration, forcing large numbers of people to relocate to other parts of the world in search of better living conditions.

Unless more immediate, drastic action is taken to combat climate change, future generations will have to contend with worst-case scenario projections by the end of the 21st century, not limited to coastal cities going underwater, including Miami; lethal heat levels from South Asia to Central Africa; and more frequent extreme weather events involving hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis, droughts, floods, blizzards and more.

Related: What Are The Best Solar Companies?

Whats Happening and Why?

Fiddlers Ferry power station in Warrington, UK. Chris Conway / Moment / Getty Images

The Earths temperature has largely remained stable until industrial times and the introduction of greenhouse gases. These gases have forced the atmosphere to retain heat, as evidenced by rising global temperatures. As the planet grows warmer, glaciers melt faster, sea levels rise, severe flooding increases and droughts and extreme weather events become more deadly.

The Greenhouse Effect

In the late 1800s, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius studied the connection between the amount of atmospheric carbon and its ability to warm and cool the Earth, and while his initial calculations suggested extreme warming as carbon increased, researchers didnt start to take human-induced climate change seriously until the late 20th century.

But proof of human-led climate change can be traced to the 1850s, and satellites are among the ways that scientists have been tracking increased greenhouse gases and their climate impact in more recent years. Climate researchers have also documented warmer oceans, ocean acidification, shrinking ice sheets, decreased snow amounts and extreme weather as among the events resulting from greenhouse gases heating the planet.

Numerous factors contribute to the production of greenhouse gases, known as the greenhouse effect. One of the biggest causes involve burning fossil fuels, including coal, oil and natural gas, to power everything from cars to daily energy needs (electricity, heat). From 1970-2011, fossil fuels have comprised 78 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions.

Big Ag is another greenhouse contributor, particularly beef production, with the industry adding 10 percent in 2019. This is attributed to clearing land for crops and grazing and growing feed, along with methane produced by cows themselves. In the U.S. alone, Americans consumed 27.3 billion pounds of beef in 2019.

Then theres rampant deforestation occurring everywhere from the Amazon to Borneo. A 2021 study from Rainforest Foundation Norway found that two-thirds of the worlds rainforests have already been destroyed or degraded. In Brazil, deforestation reached a 12-year-high in 2020 under right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. As it stands, reports predict that the Amazon rainforest will collapse by 2064. Rainforests are important carbon sinks, meaning the trees capture and remove carbon from the atmosphere. As rainforests collapse, the remaining trees will begin emitting more greenhouse gases than theyre absorbing.

Meanwhile, a recent study revealed that abandoned oil and gas wells are leaking more methane than previously believed, with U.S. wells contributing up to 20 percent of annual methane emissions.

Not least is the cement industry. Cement is heavily used throughout the global construction industry, and accounts for around eight percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

Natural Climate Change

Granted, natural climate change exists as well, and can be traced throughout history, from solar radiation triggering the Ice Ages to the asteroid strike that rapidly raised global temperatures and eliminated dinosaurs and many other species in the process. Other sources of natural climate change impacts include volcano eruptions, ocean currents and orbital changes, but these sources generally have smaller and shorter-term environmental impacts.

How We Can Combat Climate Change

Participant holding a sign at the climate march on Sept. 20, 2020, in Manhattan. A coalition of climate, Indigenous and racial justice groups gathered at Columbus Circle to kick off Climate Week with the Climate Justice Through Racial Justice march. Erik McGregor / LightRocket / Getty Images

While the latest studies and numbers can often feel discouraging about societys ability to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening, theres still time to take action.

As a Society

In 2015 at COP 21 in Paris, 197 countries came together to sign the Paris Agreement, an international climate change treaty agreeing to limit global warming in this century to two degrees Celsius, and ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels; its believed that the planet has warmed one degree Celsius since 1750. Studies show that staying within the two-degree range will prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. Achieving this goal requires participating parties to drastically slash greenhouse gas emissions sooner rather than later. However, there have already been numerous setbacks since then, from former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrawing from the Paris Agreement in 2020 to world leaders, such as China, the worlds biggest polluter, failing to enact aggressive climate action plans. Yet many of the treaty participants have been slow to implement changes, putting the world on track to hit 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st century even if the initial goals are met. However, its worth noting that U.S. President Joe Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement in 2021, and pledged to cut greenhouse gases in half by 2030.

Then theres the Montreal Protocol, a 1987 global agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons, chemicals that were commonly used in air-conditioning, refrigeration and aerosols. Recent studies show that parts of the ozone are recovering, proving that a unified commitment to combatting climate change issues does make a difference.

On a smaller scale, carbon offset initiatives allow companies and individuals to invest in environmental programs that offset the amount of carbon thats produced through work or lifestyle. For example, major companies (and carbon emitters) such as United Airlines and Shell have pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in part by participating in carbon offset programs that remove carbon from the atmosphere. The problem is that these companies are still producing high levels of fossil fuel emissions.

While individuals can make a small impact through carbon offsets, the greater responsibility lies with carbon-emitting corporations to find and implement greener energy alternatives. This translates to car companies producing electric instead of gas vehicles or airlines exploring alternative fuel sources. It also requires major companies to rely more on solar and wind energy for their energy needs.

In Our Own Lives

While its up to corporations to do the heavy lifting of carbon reduction, that doesnt mean individuals cant make a difference. Adopting a vegan lifestyle, using public transportation, switching to an electric car and becoming a more conscious consumer are all ways to help combat climate change.

Veganism

Consuming meat relies on clearing land for crops and animals, while raising and killing livestock contributes to about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UNs Food and Agricultural Organization. By comparison, choosing a plant-based diet could reduce greenhouse gas footprints by as much as 70 percent, especially when choosing local produce and products.

Public Transportation

Riding public trains, subways, buses, trams, ferries and other types of public transportation is another easy way to lower your carbon footprint, considering that gas-powered vehicles contribute 95 percent of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Electric Vehicles

Electric cars and trucks have come down in price as more manufacturers enter the field, and these produce far lower emissions than their gas counterparts. Hybrid vehicles are another good alternative for lowering individual emission contributions.

Conscious Consumption

Buying locally produced food and items is another way to maintain a lower carbon footprint, as the products arent shipped or driven long distances. Supporting small companies that are committed to sustainability is another option, especially when it comes to clothes. Fast fashion has become a popular option thanks to its price point, but often comes at the expense of the environment and can involve unethical overseas labor practices. Not least, plastic saturates every corner of the consumer market, but its possible to find non-plastic alternatives with a little research, from reusable produce bags to baby bottles.

Climate Activism

Those interested in becoming even more involved can join local climate action organizations. Popular groups include the Sunrise Movement, Fridays for Future, Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, to name a few. Voting, volunteering, calling local representatives and participating in climate marches are additional ways to raise your voice.

Takeaway

Its taken centuries to reach a climate tipping point, with just a matter of decades left to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. But theres still hope of controlling a warming climate as long as individuals, companies and nations make an immediate concerted effort to lower greenhouse gas emissions. As the world already experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, a rapid unified response can make all the difference.

Meredith Rosenberg is a senior editor at EcoWatch. She holds a Masters from the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in NYC and a B.A. from Temple University in Philadelphia.
By Larry Buhl

A federal judge in Washington, DC declined Tuesday to order the halt of all construction on a portion of the contentious Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) route that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe had recently identified as sacred tribal burial ground, a site that was bulldozed over the Labor Day weekend by pipeline construction crews.

Hundreds of people marched peacefully on Sept. 4 to protest the destruction of sacred sites and burial grounds in the path of the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota. Dallas Goldtooth

The ancient site was discovered only days before its destruction and was awaiting review by the state historic preservation office.

At the judges request, Dakota Access LLC agreed to halt construction on only a small area in contention until the judge issues a separate ruling this week on a preliminary injunction motion brought by the tribe over the pipeline.

The tribe has been locked in a legal fight against Dakota Access and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over a pipeline that would cross sacred sites and potentially affect water that the tribe depends on. The DAPL pipelines full path extends across North and South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois.

Standing Rock Sioux Chairman David Archambault II issued a statement saying the tribe was disappointed that the U.S. District Courts decision does not prevent DAPL from destroying our sacred sites as we await a ruling on our original motion to stop construction of the pipeline.

The tribe had filed an emergency motion on Sunday, Sept. 4 for the temporary restraining order to prevent further destruction of sacred sites.

Tuesdays order isnt the end of these legal battles. Federal Judge James Boasberg is expected to rule on Friday on an injunction that would halt all pipeline-related construction near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

Violence Against Protesters

On Sept. 3, members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their swelling numbers of supporters were on their way to a blockade wall near the DAPL construction site to sing and give prayers as the tribe had done every day for months. They would then march back to the site of their protest camp.

On Tuesday morning, however, when they heard the roar of bulldozers from less than a mile away from the construction site, many of them ran to intervene. What they encountered was a scene, many of them say, out of civil rights clashes of the 1960s.

Widely circulated video first aired by Democracy Now shows pipeline security workers using attack dogs and pepper spray on demonstrators who were protesting the bulldozing of recently identified sacred sites. By the time the security team backed down and drove off, several protestersincluding a child and a pregnant womanwere bitten by security dogs and 30 suffered from the affects of pepper spray.

Dakota Access Pipeline Company Attacks Native American Protesters With Dogs and Mace https://t.co/CUFI0VlRMI @Greenpeace @Sierra_Magazine  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) September 6, 2016

Local authorities called it a riot and blamed the protesters, not the security detail, for the incident. North Dakota Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley has called protests by the tribe and supporters unlawful. According to NPR, the sheriffs department said protesters stampeded into the construction area with horses, dogs and vehicles.

Cody Hall, a spokesperson for the Red Warrior Camp, a group allied with the Standing Rock Sioux, was on the front line of Saturdays demonstration and tells DeSmog that the security companys claims of injuries are absolutely false.

The company says they were hit with objects which just isnt true, Hall said. We had no weapons, just our voices. The video doesnt lie. One female security guard laughed and said, I told you so, when her dog bit one of us.

Tomas Alejo

Tomas Alejo

What Hall found just as disturbing was the action of the state police present. The state police were sitting there watching the whole scene, he said. Not once did the police move to intervene.

All protest actions, ongoing since April, have been peaceful, according to a tribal spokesperson.

Dakota Access LLCs parent company, Energy Transfer Partners, has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Sacred Site Destruction as Fait Accompli

A huge question looms. Why would Dakota Access bulldoze lands that it knewor should have knownwere sacred?

For the Standing Rock Sioux and their supporters, the answer is clear: to project power and make the tribe give up.

Following Saturdays bulldozing, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Dave Archaumbault II said in a statement:

They did this on a holiday weekend, one day after we filed court papers identifying these sacred sites. The desecration of these ancient places has already caused the Standing Rock Sioux irreparable harm. Were asking the court to halt this path of destruction.

After the initial destruction Saturday, Dakota Access workers returned to the area and dug up additional grounds before dawn on Sunday, Archambault said.

These grounds are the resting places of our ancestors. The ancient cairns and stone prayer rings there cannot be replaced. In one day, our sacred land has been turned into hollow ground, Archambault added.

Dallas Goldtooth, executive director of the Indigenous Environmental Network, released a statement on Facebook Sunday:

Dakota Access literally plowed through a burial site and a significant ceremonial site that was JUST identified by the landowner and tribal experts a few days before. This was off-reservation. The tribe filed the discovery with a federal judge that is deciding whether to grant an injunction against Dakota Access. However  in order for construction to be halted, the ND State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) had to come and officially survey the site, because it was in their jurisdiction. So what did Dakota Access do?? They plowed through the land before the SHPO could come do their surveys.

Many tribe members and their supporters believe thatbecause the company knew about the sacred sitesthe bulldozers were dispatched on Saturday as an act of psychological warfare against the tribe, a way of exerting power and projecting an air of inevitability.

(The company) knows they can just bulldoze the site, destroy the evidence and pay a fine, Ben-Alex Dupris, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux, whose land abuts the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, tells DeSmog. They can do whatever they want, but no amount of money can bring this site back.

Two Years of Steamrolling the Tribe

Tribal members began protesting the pipeline construction as early as April 2016, when a group of young tribal members from Standing Rock ran from North Dakota to Washington, DC, to present a petition in protest of the construction of Energy Transfer Partners Dakota Access pipeline.

On Aug. 24, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe filed suit in federal district court in Washington, DC, against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is the primary federal agency that granted permits needed for construction of the pipeline.

According to the tribes legal counsel, Earthjustice, the Army Corps took an illegally narrow view of its responsibilities to protect and engage the tribe when it granted the fast-track permits. The tribe further purports that pipeline construction was approved by the Army Corps without consulting the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe or conducting a full review of crucial environmental or cultural impacts.

The lawsuit alleges that the Army Corps violated multiple federal statutes, including the Clean Water Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and National Environmental Policy Act, when it issued the permits, and is demanding a halt to all construction near tribal lands until a more thorough assessment of the impacts is made.

Stephanie Tsosie, an associate attorney with Earthjustice, said the consultation process by the Army Corps of Engineers has been inadequate at best.

Since 2014, when the pipeline construction was announced, the tribe has consistently reached out for consultation, but the Corps steamrolled the tribe throughout the process, Tsosie told DeSmog.

All the tribe wanted and what we asked the judge for on August 24 was for the tribe to have a seat at the table and for the Corps to fully explore all the risks and burdens associated with the pipeline, Tsosie added.

In July, Dakota Access filed an unrelated lawsuit in federal court in Bismarck, North Dakota, against the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, one of the tribes elected officials and several other individuals. The company claimed that these individuals were interfering unlawfully with pipeline construction.

Allies Stand Against the Pipeline

Support and protesters have been flowing into the Sacred Stone Camp near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, since April, with a huge influx in late August. Right now there are more than five dozen Native tribes represented at the camp, which demonstrators say is starting to resemble a village.

For the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the pipeline is not just a spiritual crisis. They say it is a very real threat to the Missouri River watershed, which the tribe depends on. The entire Dakota Access pipeline would carry as much as 570,000 barrels of Bakken crude oil daily through the Dakotas, Iowa and Illinois.

Farmers whose land sits in the way of the pipeline are also concerned about safety and enraged about the cavalier attitude of the company. In Iowa, farmers and allies have risked arrest to take a stand against the pipeline.

Earlier this year, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) granted Dakota Access eminent domain across the states entire pipeline route, extending through 18 counties. Fifteen Iowa landowners have filed a lawsuit against the IUB, challenging its eminent domain authority and public utility claims behind Energy Transfer Partners seizure of their land. The same company has used a similar argument to seize land for another pipeline in Pennsylvania.

More than two dozen environmental groups, including the Sierra Club and Greenpeace, have severely criticized federal permitting agencies involved with the entire Bakken pipeline project for failures involving insufficient public engagement and environmental review.

Last week, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues called on the U.S. and Energy Transfer Partners to respect the Standing Rock Siouxs objections to the project and called for a fair, independent, impartial, open and transparent process to resolve this serious issue and to avoid escalation into violence and further human rights abuses.

Dell Hambleton

Cheyenne River Sioux member Ben-Alex Dupris says that the companys weekend actions underscore the operating procedure of Dakota Access and Energy Transfer Partners.

This is the mentality of the companies, DuPris said. Do whatever they want, dont worry if its legal, pay a fine later. This should be a red flag about the safety of the water supply. How would they respond if there is a spill? Pay a fine and keep doing what theyre doing.
As we stood on our boards and paddled away from the cove at Malpais and turned south past the wave-break, I felt a rush of what Costa Ricans call pura vidapure life. The wind was calm, the sun glaring, and the sea slightly rolling along this headland that includes the 3,000-acre Cabo Blanco National Park. Our guide, Andy Seidensticker, had moved to Costa Rica just to surf and paddleboard these waves at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific coast.

There are blessings as well as problems amid Costa Ricas abundant waters. Poudre Riverkeeper Gary Wockner felt the rush of what locals call pure life on a paddleboarding trip off the Nicoya Peninsula near Malpais.

This excursion with Carolina Chavarria, executive director of

Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper, topped off my water-filled trip to Costa Rica this past winter. With the park to our left, we paddled just outside the wave-break, chatting, watching wildlife, soaking in the sun until we reached a warm freshwater spring that bubbled up in the ocean about 100 meters offshore. Surrounded by the bubbles, we sat on our boards and rested before paddling back to the cove. As the wind picked up and swells rose higher, the return paddling became more strenuous, as did our conversation about the watery challenges facing Costa Rica.

There are as many problems as blessings in the countrys abundant waters, and Chavarria and her staff are energetically confronting those problems, many of which are caused by the countrys booming tourist industry. Costa Rica has exemplary environmental laws but they are poorly enforced. Restaurants, hotels, and home- and road-construction generate sewage and runoff that flow directly into rivers and the ocean.

In Santa Theresa, the home of the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper, five miles from Malpais, the water supply descends from the countrys inland mountains out of a massive and rapidly expanding network of dams and through a snaking tangle of canals, pipes and dikes. Many of Costa Ricas dams also produce hydroelectric power, which provides 80 percent of Costa Ricas electricity. Government and business

officials speak of this as clean energy that is carbon free. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A few months before visiting Costa Rica I had written a post for

EcoWatch, Dams Cause Climate Change: They Are Not Clean Energy. Based on research Id done in fighting dam proposals on my own river, the Cache le Poudre, as well as my work advocating for the already-dammed Colorado River, Ive come to believe that hydropower is one of the biggest environmental problems our planet faces. Construction of hydroelectric dams around the world is surging dramatically, guided by the false premise that they produce clean energy, even as study after study refutes this claim.

How Does Hydropower Cause Methane Emissions?

The principal environmental menace of hydroelectric dams is caused by organic materialvegetation, sediment and soilthat flows from rivers into reservoirs and decomposes, emitting methane and carbon dioxide into the water and the air throughout the generation cycle. Studies indicate that in tropical environments and high-sediment areas, where organic material is highest, dams can release more greenhouse gas than coal-fired power plants. Philip Fearnside, a research professor at the National Institute for Research in the Amazon, in Manaus, Brazil, and one of the most cited scientists on the subject of

climate change, has called these dams methane factories. And, according to Brazils National Institute of Space Research, dams are the largest single anthropogenic source of methane, being responsible for 23 percent of all methane emissions due to human activities.

Even that number 23 may be low; the emissions can be huge even in temperate climates. A

2014 article in Climate Central offered a disturbing comparison: Imagine nearly 6,000 dairy cows doing what cows do, belching and being flatulent for a full year. Thats how much methane was emitted from one Ohio reservoir in 2012. [Yet] reservoirs and hydropower are often thought of as climate-friendly because they dont burn fossil fuels to produce electricity. Another 2014 article in the same publication pointed out that, because very few dams and reservoirs are being studied, their methane emissions are mostly unaccounted for in climate-change analyses across the planet.

An article published in the 2013 book

Climate Governance in the Developing World focused this failing on Costa Rica:

These [methane] emissions, however, are neither measured nor taken into account in calculating Costa Ricas carbon balance. Given that the nations electricity demand is projected to increase by 6 percent per year for the foreseeable future, and that the majority of this is to be met with increased hydroelectricity production, including such emissions in neutrality calculations would probably make it quite difficult for the country ever to achieve its goals.

Indeed, in February and March of this year, Costa Ricas government-owned electric utility issued press releases announcing that the country is on track to reach its carbon neutrality goals by 2021, stating that 

88 percent of its electricity came from clean sources in 2014 and that, during the first 75 days of 2015, it had been 100 percent powered by clean and renewable energy. News agencies across the world spread this misinformation about hydroelectric power. CNN claimed the prize for irresponsible reporting when it ran a TV news-segment, A Carbonless Year for Costa Rica. More surprising still, some American environmentalists also took the bait. Green groups, including many national organizations, splashed the stories and scientifically false information across social media350.org ran a large Facebook meme celebrating Costa Ricas achievement.

Read page 1

Hydropowers Methane Bomb Threatens COP 21

Even worse, the myth of carbon-free hydropower is embedded in the Kyoto protocols 

Clean Development Mechanism to address planetary climate change, and is increasingly being implemented by countries in attendance at COP 21 in Paris. The program calls for a bigger investment in hydropower than in any other type of purported clean energy. Such recommendations heavily influence funding-decisions made by the U.S. government and international lenders such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. In fact, the World Bank states on its website: As demand grows for clean, reliable, affordable energy, along with the urgency of expanding access to reach the unserved, hydropower has assumed critical importance.

In the U.S. the Department of Energy published a

report in 2014 calling for new hydropower development across more than three million U.S. rivers and streams, and it is not unreasonable to fear that the United Nations Conference on Climate Change later this year in Paris will be polluted with hydropower = clean energy propaganda.

A U.S. government pamphlet touts the benefits of hydropower. Because very few of the worlds dams are being studied, the huge amounts of methane they emit are mostly unaccounted for in climate-change analyses.

As governments and funders have gravitated more and more to hydropower over the last 10 years, the dam industry has accordingly ramped up its green washing. It pretends, as it has for decades, that its activities are benign, while dams and reservoirs have flooded and displaced communities, destroyed rivers and perpetrated massive human rights abuses across the planet, under the false promise of clean and renewable energy.

In the U.S., along the Colorado River, the directors of Glen Canyon and Hoover Dams, two of the biggest river-destruction schemes in human history, continue to claim those dams supply clean energy and erroneously calculate the carbon offset of their hydropower versus the alternative of coal power. In 2013, at a public meeting of 1,200 people in Las Vegas, I heard

government officials make such claim (slide 13), which have repeatedly been repudiated by Colorado Riverkeeper John Weisheit and others.

Like the tobacco industry refusing for decades to accept that its product causes cancer, the dam industry, in public statements and advertisements, flouts the science that links methane emissions to hydropower. And to make matters worse, the U.S. Department of Energy reinforces the myth of clean hydropower.

This myth seems to permeate energy discussions everywhere. A week after my paddleboard adventure, a whitewater guide on Costa Ricas Rio Tenorio, in the countrys northwest coastal area, described to me and a group of fellow rafters how his countrys rivers had been harnessed beneficially to produce clean energy and clear the way to a nearly carbon-free future.

Costa Rica is now completing the largest hydropower dam in Central America, a project that will

likely devastate the Reventazon River. The 426-foot-tall structure is being touted as a shining example of Costa Ricas commitment to the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, and the Clean Development Mechanism, in particular. The methane emissions it will create do not appear to have been considered, and may never be measured. But as troubling as Costa Ricas situation may be, it represents just one small piece of an enormous global problem.

Dams are being built at a record pace all across the world. The Chinese government recently proposed to build the

largest hydropower project in the world across the border in Tibet. Just one of the dams to be included would be three times the size of the current world-record-holder, Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River. Further, the conservation group International Rivers reports that, Currently, no less than 3,700 hydropower projects are under construction or in the pipeline across the planet.

Hydropower is dirty energy, and should be regarded just like fossil fuel. And environmentalists, far from embracing it, should be battling to shut down hydropower plants and block the arrival of new ones just as vigorously as we work to close and prevent construction of dirty coal plants.

At this critical moment in the planets history, philanthropic funders that support action against climate change must fund a movement against hydropower. Unless the scientific truth about methane emissions from dams is more widely acknowledged,

pura vida will never be achieved in Costa Rica or anywhere else.

Gary Wockner, PhD, is an international environmental writer and activist based in Colorado where he also works to protect the Cache la Poudre and Colorado Rivers. Contact: Gary@GaryWockner.com.

This article originally appeared in Waterkeeper Magazine, Summer 2015, Volume 11, Issue 2.

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 Flash

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives in the Laotian capital of Vientiane on Sept. 6, 2016, setting in motion his first official visit to the country, where he will also attend the East Asia Summit. During the visit, Li will also attend the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, and the 19th meeting of the leaders of ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea (10+3). [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived late Tuesday in the Laotian capital of Vientiane, setting in motion his first official visit to the country, where he will also attend the East Asia Summit.

During the visit, Li will also attend the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, and the 19th meeting of the leaders of ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea (10+3).

Upon his arrival at the airport, Li said in a written speech that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue between China and ASEAN, noting that bilateral ties have reached a new historical starting point.

"I would like to join leaders of ASEAN to review the past, draw on our past experiences and look to the future so as to paint a new blueprint for future China-ASEAN cooperation and to promote development under the 10+3 and the East Asia summit mechanisms for regional peace, stability and prosperity," he said,

This year also coincides with the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-Laos diplomatic ties.

Li said Beijing wants to take the anniversary as an opportunity to work with Vientiane in deepening their traditional friendship, mutually-beneficial cooperation, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges in a bid to push forward the two neighbors' comprehensive strategic partnership.

Li's trip, which came on the heels of the Group of 20 summit in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, is widely considered an important diplomatic move to deepen China' s relations with the ASEAN, and promote cooperation among East Asian countries.

Spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry Hua Chunying said the Chinese side stands ready to work with ASEAN to hold a successful summit and to build a closer China-ASEAN community of common destiny.

According to Hua, both sides have maintained frequent high-level exchanges, cemented political mutual trust and witnessed growing trade.

Li's visit will bring the China-Laos comprehensive strategic partnership to a new high and bring more benefits to the two peoples, Hua added.

Guan Huabing, Chinese ambassador to Laos, told Xinhua in a recent interview that Premier Li is going to raise a series of new Chinese initiatives so as to develop new pillars for bilateral ties, upgrade China-ASEAN relations and push East Asian cooperation to a new level.

According to the ambassador, China is now the largest source of foreign investment in Laos, largest donor country and the second largest trading partner.

In Laos, Premier Li is expected to meet with Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith to exchange views on bilateral ties and issues of common concern, and to witness the signing of a series of documents.

On the sidelines of the summits over the coming days, Li is also going to meet with leaders from some ASEAN nations.

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o...
The G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou has injected fresh spirit into the effort to address the challenges of the global economy, and the next task for the leaders is to ensure the implementation of the Hangzhou consensus, economic leaders and experts said.

The summit, which concluded on Monday, released a statement in which the leaders agreed on a series of action plans to implement their growth strategies covering a wide range of policy areas.

In the statement, the leaders pledged to work together to pursue innovation-driven growth, to improve productivity, trade and investment, and to reduce overcapacity in the steel sector, which it says is a global problem requiring an effort by all.

The leaders also promised to unleash growth potential by supporting a digital economy, enhancing structural reforms, improving the resilience of the global financial system and promoting inclusive growth on the basis of mutual benefit.

Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, urged the leaders to deliver actions, saying that President Xi Jinping's remarks that action matters more than declaration served as an inspiration at the summit.

"We met against the backdrop of a global landscape characterized by major economic and technological shifts, and by growth that has been too low for too long and which has benefited too few," the IMF chief said.

"The conclusions should not only be thought about but also be implemented," Lagarde said, adding that the Hangzhou consensus showed the G20 leaders' determination to address the challenges they face with forceful policy actions.

Angel Gurria, secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, said China should be congratulated for placing innovation at the heart of the G20 presidency.

"It is important to not just repair the problems of the past but to lay the foundations for future growth  growth that will to a large extent be driven by new ideas and technologies," he said.

While the 2014 G20 commitment set the goal of raising global GDP by an additional 2 percent by 2018, Gurria said that measures implemented so far will only add around 1 percent.

"We are only halfway there," he said, calling for full implementation of the G20 countries' growth commitments.

During the summit, President Xi also called for transformation of the G20 from a mechanism of crisis response to one of long-term governance. Analysts said Xi's proposals revealed China's growing contribution to and influence on global economic governance.

Jia Jinjing, a researcher with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China, said the summit reflects a change of China's role in global governance from a participator to a lead reformer.

"China has brought many new inputs to global governance, such as promoting innovation, structural reform and strengthening development and cooperation among the developed and developing countries, which breaks new ground for achieving global development goals," Jia said.

David He, a partner of Boston Consulting Group, said Xi's speech at the Hangzhou summit underscored China's responsibilities in the global economy.

"President Xi has proposed innovation, openness, connectedness and inclusiveness as the key words for global economy, hoping this Chinese wisdom could also benefit the world," he said.

"In addition, I was most impressed by his determination to deepen supply-side structural reform, to better coordinate between market and government, and to truly foster innovation," he added.
Jack Ma (L), executive chairman of Alibaba Group and Roberto Azevedo, director-general of the WTO. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The World Trade Organization is considering leveraging the power of e-commerce to help small and medium-sized enterprises to trade as its director-general applauded an initiative raised by Alibaba Group's Jack Ma on Sept. 6.

Roberto Azevedo, director-general of the WTO, said he is looking forward to teaming up with Ma, the executive chairman of Alibaba, to use e-commerce to help more SMEs benefit from trading across the world.

The idea of using a digital platform to do facility trading for SMEs is envisioned by Ma in a proposed international organization called Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), which is included in the official communique of the G20 summit held Sept 4 and 5 in Hangzhou, home of Alibaba's headquarters.

Azevedo said leaders around the world are calling for action to make trade the core engine driving the global economy. He said that trade must be more inclusive, involving more people doing trade and allowing more people to benefit from trade - which means that trade must serve the needs of SMEs.

"The G20 leaders have acknowledged the importance of freer, more inclusive and innovation-driven trade to extend the benefits of globalization to those that have been left behind in the current model," Ma said in a statement. "The eWTP will benefit small and medium-sized businesses and consumers. It is about the people, not big business."

Conceived as complementary to the WTO, the eWTP would be set up as an international organization. Its overall goal would be to make it easier for SMEs to take part in global trade via e-commerce by simplifying regulations, lowering barriers to entry to new markets and providing small businesses with easier access to financing.
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.

14:55, 28 OCT 2022
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a press conference after the 11th summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 5, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

The G20 Hangzhou summit, with its broad achievements, will help chart a clearer future course for the troubled world economy, State Councilor Yang Jiechi noted on Tuesday.

The summit, which concluded on Monday, adopted a communique that clarified the development direction, targets and measures of the group's cooperation, together with a string of specific action plans.

"The outcomes of the summit, many of which are of pioneering significance in the history of the G20, are expected to make the global economy regain its vitality," Yang told reporters in an interview.

The summit showed a spirit of partnership for major economies to jointly face up to the complicated challenges and their confidence in weathering the hard times, he said.

By offering the solutions of innovation and reform, the summit adopted the G20 Blueprint on Innovative Growth and formulated pragmatic action plans such as the G20 Action Plan on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to deliver the consensus.

Leaders discussed prominent issues affecting the global economy, including climate change and refugees.

"The Hangzhou summit has made major breakthroughs in extent and depth of outcomes, which sets a new global standard," Yang said.

As the G20 presidency country, China has proposed its solution and wisdom for global economic growth.

In a speech on Saturday, President Xi Jinping assured global business leaders with a vision that China, having reached a new historical starting point, will integrate itself into a new global growth blueprint.

Despite concerns over China's economic slowdown, Xi said at the Business 20 (B20) summit that China has the confidence and ability to maintain medium-high rate of growth.

"His remarks strengthened confidence in China's development and growth, and sent a strong signal that China will bring more opportunities to the world while ensuring its own development," Yang said.

In the speech, Xi listed a number of priorities in global economic governance, including ensuring equitable and efficient global financial governance and fostering open and transparent global trade and investment governance

Exclusive arrangements, closed governance mechanisms and fragmentation of rules shall be rejected, Xi said.

The president's elaboration on global governance showed China is devoted to contribute its concepts and wisdom to the world economic growth, Yang reckoned.

Yang said China will continue to push forward the comprehensive development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

With members representing more than 85 percent of global economic output and two-thirds of the world's population, G20 has an undeniable influence on managing the global economy.

With Hangzhou as a fresh starting point, Yang expects the group to play a more constructive role in future world growth.
Police appeal to trace family of cop killed on duty

Police are appealing for help in tracing the family of an officer who was killed whilst on duty 40 years ago.

The Isle of Man Constabulary's historian wants to make contact with PC Denis Hamer's relatives - he was killed on September 7th 1976.

The 26-year-old had been with the Manx force for almost a year when he was struck by an out-of-control bike during the Manx Grand Prix.

He was on duty at Union Mills when the incident happened - he died instantly.

In a post shared on Facebook the constabulary has published a photo of the officer and asked for the family to get in touch.
With Barack Obama and Xi Jinping ratifying the Paris Agreement, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged other leaders to accelerate their countries' ratification process "so we can turn the aspirational Paris into the transforming climate action the world so urgently wants."

Speaking to both local and foreign journalists on Sept. 4 at the Media Center of the Hangzhou G20 summit, the UN Secretary General disclosed that the presidents of the worlds top two carbon emitters ratified the Paris Agreement on Global Climate Change on Sept. 3.

Mark Wilson, chief executive officer of Aviva Group, said, "Climate change represents the mother of all risks to business and society as a whole, and that risk is magnified by the way in which fossil fuel subsidies distort the energy market."

He maintained that at the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference held in France, the Paris Agreement was negotiated for emission reduction, representing a consensus among the 196 parties in attendance.

"A total of 26 parties accounting for 39 percent of global emissions have signed up to the agreement that sets nation-by-nation targets for cutting carbon emissions. The agreement still needs 29 parties representing at least 16 percent more of global emissions to enter into force," Ban also disclosed.

But on the other hand India has said it will not be able to commit itself to the ratification of the Paris Agreement before the end of the 2016 deadline, despite pressure from both U.S. and China, who jointly issued a document ratifying the agreement.
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Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau spoke in an interview with CCTV NEWS during the G20 Hangzhou Summit about Canada's reasons for joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), as the first North American country to do so, and what China and Canada can do together in the future.

Trudeau said that though the China-Canada relationship has historically been very strong there is still much to do. This is not just in regard to the economic opportunities, Canada just having signed a deal with Alibaba for the Canada Pavilion on Tmall, which he expects to give hundreds of millions of Chinese middle-income consumers access to great quality Canadian products, but also to people-to-people ties between the two nations.

When talking about why Canada has become the first North American country to apply for AIIB membership, Trudeau said that Canada has the expertise to build high quality infrastructure in China, across Asia, and around the world. Canada hence wants to join the excellent AIIB initiative led by China because it provides opportunities not just for citizens of China, but also for citizens of Asia as a whole to obtain access to good infrastructure.

"We know that the AIIB creates good jobs in the short term and leads to productivity gains and growth in a long term," Trudeau said.

When asked what China and Canada can do together and his judgment of the G20, Trudeau said that China's hosting of the G20 Hangzhou Summit was a great success. He added that Canada was closely involved in creating the G20 back in the 1990s.

"The reason why we need the G20 is not just the G7 but because we need China to be involved in discussions of the global economy. This is the main thing, and the priorities that President Xi raised as regards inclusive growth, innovation, investment in the future, and opportunities for everyone are in fact also deeply important to Canada.

"We have to create a world in which people have the chance to succeed. And that is what China has proved itself to have done over the past few decades by lifting 700 million people out of poverty and adding more people to the global middle class," Trudeau said.
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China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held the 19th ASEAN-China Summit and commemorated the 25th anniversary of dialogue relations between the two sides on Wednesday.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and leaders from the 10 ASEAN members attended the summit. Li delivered a speech at the commemorative meeting.

China, as ASEAN's most active cooperation partner, is ASEAN's largest trading partner, while the regional bloc is China's third largest trading partner.

Apart from economic field, cooperation between China and ASEAN in the past 25 years has yielded significant achievements in various fields. According to Liu Zhenmin, China's vice foreign minister, people-to-people exchanges would be viewed as a new pillar for China-ASEAN cooperation.

The ASEAN opened its 28th and 29th summits here on Tuesday. The summits and related leaders' meetings that run from Tuesday through Thursday also include ASEAN+1 Summits, ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) Summit, and the East Asia Summit.
Starbucks might already be a coffee giant, but it is yet to dip its toes on one particular industry -- the media. That all changed on Wednesday, as Starbucks officially debuted it very first original web miniseries, Upstanders.

Upstanders is a series of videos that touch on numerous aspects of American life. According to the coffee giant, the aim of the web series is not to promote the company; rather, it is a way to promote compassion, citizenship and civility at a time when tensions run high in the country.

A Different Kind of Web Series

Upstanders are the brainchild of Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, a Starbucks executive producer and a former senior editor at the Washington Post.

"We've asked ourselves what is the role and responsibility of a public company and, as citizens, how we can catalyze hope in a time when we need more optimism, empathy, compassion and leadership," the Starbucks CEO said.

"The upstanders featured in this series are inspiring individuals whose actions are emblematic of the American spirit and what is missing from so much of today's national dialogue. We have always been storytellers at heart, and more of these stories need to be heard. We are using our scale to share them as broadly as possible."

A Captive Audience

While delving into original content production might be a pretty bold move for the coffee company, the web series, which is being broadcast through the Starbucks App, actually has millions of captive audiences. Considering that the web series is also promoted through the company's in-house Wi-Fi, the reach of Upstanders is notably vast.

As for the former Washington Post senior editor, Chandrasekaran stated that Upstanders serves a very big purpose since it shows aspects of American life that are not commonly covered by the media.

"When we turn on the news or scroll through our social media feeds, we are inundated with stories of discord and dysfunction, but there is more to America than that. In cities and towns across the country, there are people who are courageously, selflessly, collaboratively, and thoughtfully creating positive change," Chandrasekaran said.

Upstanders are now available for viewing through the official Starbucks app.
7 September 2016

A delegation from the Kingdom of Cambodia visited the EPO in Munich today to discuss developments in the European and Cambodian patent systems. EPO President Benoit Battistelli hosted the delegation, which was led by Senior Minister Cham Prasidh, Minister of Industry and Handicraft, and also included Cambodia's Ambassador to Germany, Thai Chun.

Cambodias Senior Minister Cham Prasidh, Minister of Industry and Handicraft and EPO President Benoit Battistelli

"We are very pleased to develop closer ties with Cambodia, which is one of the fastest-growing economies in the Southeast Asian region," said Mr Battistelli. "Businesses from Europe and Asia stand to benefit from co-operation between IP offices in our regions, which could have a positive impact on the environment for innovation and increase market access."

At 7%, Cambodia's GDP growth rate is the second highest in the ASEAN region. The country is currently modernising its intellectual property system in order to boost the economy and attract foreign direct investment. During his visit to the EPO, Senior Minister Cham Prasidh expressed the interest of the Cambodian government in the validation of European patents in Cambodia.

The Senior Minister sees the validation system of European patents as a means to increase the attractiveness of the national economy beyond the ASEAN region and Asia.

The EPO President underlined the potential benefit for patent applicants of a possible validation agreement with Cambodia, which would further extend the geographical coverage of the European patent, and pointed to the experience of the EPO's two current validation states, Morocco and the Republic of Moldova. He added that the high legal certainty of European patents would encourage foreign investors to consider Cambodia as a privileged destination in a fast-growing region.

The EPO is co-operating with Cambodia and other ASEAN member states through various bilateral and regional frameworks, aimed primarily at facilitating the patent filing procedure in these countries and raising the quality of granted patents.
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Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members and China issued a joint statement Wednesday on the application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea.

The statement was issued after the two sides held the 19th ASEAN-China Summit in the Lao capital and commemorated the 25th anniversary of dialogue relations between ASEAN and China.

The document reaffirmed commitment to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the DOC, including the importance of the freedom of navigation and overflight.

It said the two sides recognized that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea region serves the fundamental interests of ASEAN member states and China as well as the international community.

The joint statement recognized that Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and China are members of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) and have adopted CUES.

CUES, as a coordinated means of communication to maximize safety at sea, offers a means by which navies may develop mutually rewarding international cooperation and transparency, according to the document.

Leaders from the two sides reaffirmed in the statement their commitment to CUES in order to improve operational safety of naval ships and naval aircraft in air and at sea, and ensure mutual trust.

The document said the leaders agreed to use the safety and communication procedures for the safety of all their naval ships and naval aircraft, as set out in CUES, when they encounter each other in the South China Sea.
Famous Brands buys about 100% of GBK Restaurants in the UK and Ireland for GBP120m subject to approvals.

Famous Brands has bought 100% of GBK Restaurants in the UK and Ireland for 120m subject to approvals.

At a hedged rand-sterling exchange rate of R17.50, the acquisition of Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) adds 75 company-owned restaurants to Famous Brands. These offer eat-in, take-away, and online delivery in the premium hamburger category in the UK.

Founded in 2001, GBK operates a differentiated, flexible, fast-casual dining model, which caters to a variety of meal times. Shops are open from about 11am to 11pm.

We think its a terrific price. GBK is a fabulous asset, with a great management team, Kevin Hedderwick, former Famous Brands CEO and now group strategic adviser, said on Thursday.

He said the chain of premium quality burger stores was a prime asset for Famous Brands to have landed in a competitive British marketplace.

The shops sell burgers, fries, milkshakes, and craft beer. (The beer) is one of the things that differentiates the brand, he said.

Hedderwick said funding for the buyout came from a combination of cash and short-term debt.

GBK also had a retail offering whereby GBK-branded food products manufactured by a third party were sold into retail channels. Famous Brands had identified the UK as a strategic growth region in Europe and an opportunity to earn hard currency outside of Africa.

There is not a lot left in SA in terms of category space that we dont operate in, Hedderwick said. The acquisition would add scale to the existing UK business of Famous Brands. This included Wimpy UK and a couple of pilot Steers burger outlets.

In addition, GBK had recently

re-acquired the rights to the Irish franchise network, adding another five stores to its portfolio.

Robyn Turner, an analyst at Avior Capital Markets, said on Thursday that the 120m transaction price was attractive against annual earnings by GBK before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation of about 9.6m, and a net asset value of 14.4m.

This puts the deal on a multiple of 12.5x EV/Ebitda (enterprise value/earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation), which is value accretive to Famous Brands, Turner said.

Famous Brands have been searching for a UK acquisition for some time in order to earn more hard currency, as well as to create additional scale  they already have 81 Wimpy UK stores  so that a supply chain can be developed in order to increase profitability and growth in the UK segment, she said.

Alasdair Murdoch, CEO of GBK, said on Thursday that the chain had grown rapidly and had registered consecutive years of like-for-like sales growth, based on fantastic restaurant teams and  a continuous journey towards excellence in our food.

Were delighted to move onto the next phase of growth with Famous Brands. As part of the group, our aims will remain the same: to continue opening 10 to 15 restaurants a year in the UK  and look at other opportunities.

GBKs management team had owned 3% of the venture and had worked with major global food brands including KFC, Pizza Hut, and Pizza Express. Hedderwick said Famous Brands had bought out their share and replaced it with a four-year management earn-out.

The incumbent management team is key to the success of the future of the business and will be retained, he said.

Launched in 2001 in Battersea, South London, GBK was founded by three New Zealanders with the support of an eminent New Zealand chef. In 2010, the business was acquired by the Yellowwoods Group.

Yellowwoods, formerly Capricorn Ventures International, was a private equity company owned by a South African family, the Enthovens, who made their fortune in insurance, and were early investors in Nandos in SA.

The Yellowwoods acquisition had marked a pivotal turning point in the companys history, setting the brand on a growth trajectory.

The burger stores chain was now widely renowned as the market leader in the premium burger category in the UK, said Hedderwick.

source: Business Day
see also ETAN Urges Justice for Munir on 12th Anniversary of Assassination

the Investigation of the Murder of Munir:

Timeline and Recommendations

September 6, 2016

Munir Said Thalib was one of Indonesia's foremost human rights and anti-corruption activists. A student of law at Brawijaya University in East Java, Munir became involved in human rights initially as a legal aid officer in Surabaya. Later on, he founded the KontraS, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence. In 2000 he received the Right Livelihood Award, known as the Alternative Nobel Prize. His work covered a wide range of human rights issues in Indonesia and Timor-Leste . He was assassinated September 7, 2004, while travelling to Utrecht University to pursue a master's degree in international law and human rights. He was 39 years old. Before his assassination, he was the executive director of the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (IMPARSIAL). He left behind his wife Suciwati Munir and their two children.

Recommendations to the International Community

September 7, 2004

One of Indonesias leading human rights lawyers, Munir Said Thalib, becomes sick and dies on the second leg of a Jakarta-Singapore-Amsterdam flight.

October 2004

Recently elected Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono meets Munirs widow Suciwati and according to presidential spokesman Andi Mallerangeng, Yudhoyono promises to "do everything necessary to conclude the case."

November 1, 2004

A fter a Dutch autopsy reveals arsenic poisoning, newly elected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promises to create an independent fact-finding team. ()

December 3, 2004

U.S. NGOs write Indonesian President to urge action on the murder of human rights activist Munir.

May 11, 2005

A group of 30 international human rights groups, including ETAN, write President Yudhoyono about concerns with the lack of progress in the investigations of Munirs murder and fears about political interference.

June 23, 2005

Fact-finding team hands report to President recommending investigation of senior intelligence officials and charges against Garuda Airlines officials. Phone records show 41 calls between a suspect Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, a Garuda pilot, and a senior intelligence official, a retired Special Forces (Kopassus) general named Muchdi Purwoprandjono. Report is never officially released.

October 27, 2005

68 members of the U.S. House of Representatives send a letter to the Indonesian President calling for action on the case of Munir Said Thalib.suc

December 20, 2005

Pollycarpus is convicted of premeditated murder and forgery related to a falsified work roster used to travel on the flight and is sentenced to 14 years. Judges note that Pollycarpus is part of a larger plot and urge authorities to investigate further. Both sides appeal.

March 27, 2006

Appeals Court upholds Pollycarpus conviction and sentence.

September 18, 2006

US Senator Leahy (D-VT) issues statement on anniversary of Munirs death. He said that the Indonesian government has failed to properly investigate and prosecute those responsible.

October 4, 2006

Indonesian Supreme Court votes to reverse premeditated murder conviction of Pollycarpus due to lack of evidence. The document forgery conviction is upheld, with a sentence of two years (including time served). Pollycarpus is later granted a Christmas sentence remission and released.

November 3, 2006

Key members of Congress write President Yudhoyono to express deep concern that no one has been held accountable for Munirs murder.

March 28 , 2007

The Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions at the UN issues statement calling for Indonesia to investigate the members implicated by the report on the murder of Munir Said Thalib.

April-May , 2007

Attorney Generals office prepares request to Supreme Court to review its decision to reverse Pollycarpus conviction.

April 14, 2007

Garudas former director Indra Setiawan and staff member Rohainil Aini are arrested and then charged in connection with the murder.

Suciwati. Photo: TEMPO/ Cheppy A. Muchlis

May 3 , 2007

Munirs widow Suciwati wins a civil suit against Garuda. The court orders that the company pay Suciwati 600,000,000 rupiah. However, the ruling reduces damages and throws out key plaintiff demands, such as an audit of Garudas actions and an apology from the airlines.

August-September , 2007

Supreme Court holds hearings on whether to accept the request for review of its decision in the Pollycarpus case. The evidence dossier includes evidence linking the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) to the murder; for example, a former BIN agent Sentot reports that he was tasked with planning scenarios for Munirs assassination, and that he saw Pollycarpus at BIN headquarters. The Supreme Court did not deny there was evidence of a widespread conspiracy to kill Munir and of BINs involvement with Pollycarpus.

October- November , 2007

At trial, Setiawan says he received a letter from the BIN Deputy Chief instructing him to assign Pollycarpus to aviation security, allowing him to travel on Munirs flight. Setiawan says the letter was later stolen from his car. Both Setiawan and Aini were convicted and imprisoned for one year.

January 25 , 2008

The Indonesian Supreme Court reverses the October 2006 acquittal of Pollycarpus. After a case review, the five-judge panel voted unanimously to return Pollycarpus to prison for 20 years, citing new evidence. The long-awaited decision in the Pollycarpus case removes a possible obstacle to charging additional suspects, up to and including senior intelligence officials, as law enforcement officials had used the pending Supreme Court decision as a justification to hold off on charging new suspects.

Posters for 12th anniversary of Munir's murder #menyimakmunir.

August 21 , 2008

Muchdi Purwoprandjono trial for abusing his powers and conspiring to poison Munir begins.

September 15, 2008

U.S. Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI) remembers Munir, saying Those who committed human rights abuses must be identified and brought to justice, both to provide a sense of closure for victims who suffered these atrocities as well as to set the important precedent that human and political rights play an important role in today's Indonesia.

December 31 , 2008

Muchdi Purwoprandjono is acquitted by the South Jakarta District Court due to lack of evidence and after key witnesses recanted their accounts against him. Muchdi files complaint against activist who continues to call him responsible for Munirs death.

February 20, 2010

Indonesian activist asks Obama to pressure Indonesia on Munir Case. The activist who was participating in a human rights summit in Washington, DC, reportedly told Obama pay attention to the case because the settlement of this is very important to the democratization process, law enforcement and law reform, and protection of human rights in Indonesia,

March 2011

A coalition of human rights organizations submits a request to the Attorney Generals office to compel them to release evidence including phone records that point to Muchdi Purwoprandjonos guilt in the case.

November 2012

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay requests that the Indonesian government re-open and re-investigate the case. The Indonesian government ignores this request.

July 31, 2013

The Human Rights Committee, a UN monitoring body consisting of 18 independent experts, analyzes Indonesias human rights record based on Indonesias report on implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The committee recommends Indonesia to take urgent action to halt repression of human rights defenders and used Munirs case as an example.

October 7, 2013

Pollycarpus sentence is reduced from 20 to 14 years by the Supreme Court.

May 2014

Presidential candidate Jokowi Widodo submits a 41-page policy proposal document to the National Election Commission (KPU) before the Presidential Elections in Indonesia. The document includes a call to bring justice to the unresolved Munir case.

September 5, 2014

Human Rights First urges the U.S. government to put pressure on Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to hold the people responsible for Munirs death accountable.

September 6, 2014

On the 10th anniversary of the murder of Munir, Secretary of State John Kerry issues a statement honoring Munirs life and work. He calls Munir a voice of conscience and clarity and urges President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to solve the Munir case and bring to justice those responsible. Ten years after Munirs death, the initial investigation results have still not been publicly released and only two low-level players have been convicted of their involvement in the crime.

October 2014

J oko Widodo takes office. He appoints Hendropriyono as an adviser in his transition team. Hendropriyono is a former general who was chair of the state intelligence agency when Munir was murdered. Leaks claim that he headed meetings discussing Munirs murder.

Hendropriyono admits "command responsibility" in Munirs assassination. In interviews with Allan Nairn, published on October 27, Hendropriyono agreed to stand trial for his involvement in three major atrocities the Munir murder, the 1999 terror campaign that devastated occupied East Timor, and the 1989 Talangsari massacre.

AM Hendropriyono. Ph oto: Okezone

Pollycarpus leaves prison on parole signed by Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly after serving two thirds of his sentence. Pollycarpus is required to report to parole offices and is prohibited from traveling abroad. KontraS calls on President Widodo to overturn the order paroling Pollycarpus saying it is within his power.

December 1, 2014

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) sets up a private legal team to determine whether the assassination on Munir can be classified as a crime against humanity. The team, comprising of several top Komnas HAM officials, stated they would spend up to three months assessing the case, reviewing court documents and collection witness information. If the murder were to meet the criteria of a crime against humanity, a pro-justicia investigation would be recommended. Nothing came of the investigation.

D ecember 3, 2014

National Police Chief Gen. Sutarman says that the police will not reopen the investigation of the 2004 assassination of Munir. On January 17, President Joko Widodo announces the dismissal of National Police Chief Gen. Sutarman. The president did not state a reason, but it is believed to be unrelated to the Munir case.

April 11, 2015

The Hague officially names a bicycle path after Munir. The path is located within a complex of streets named after famous human rights campaigners such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela.

F ebruary 21, 2016

The Omah Munir (Munir Museum) releases a human rights curriculum to be used in junior high school classes. The museum was established on Dec. 8, 2013 in Batu, East Java, Munirs hometown.

August 2016

Hendropriyono, allegedly involved in Munirs murder, is appointed chair of the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party, or PKPI.

recommendations to the international community

When President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stepped down as president in 2014, his administration had failed it own test of its history. Justice for Munir and his family remains elusive as ever. In 2014, one of current President Jokowis campaign slogans was: Jokowi is us. Jokowi ran on his advocacy for the poor and for human rights. If he truly believes in human rights, he should hold those accountable for Munirs death and not allow those to live in impunity. Instead Jokowi appointed Hendropriyono  who allegedly led a meeting on the conspiracy to murder Munir and was involved in other serious human rights -- as part of his transition team.

To ensure justice for Munir and improve the security of all Indonesian human rights defenders, the international community should:

1. Urge President Joko Widodo to officially release the report of the independent fact-finding team, as specified in the presidential decree that created it.

2. Urge President Widodo to establish a new independent commission with a stronger mandate, in order to identify who planned and ordered the killing of Munir. Emphasis should be placed on holding State Intelligence Agency officials accountable.

3. Urge President Widodo to establish a police audit to determine why the police have failed to investigate intelligence officials implicated by the evidence to date.

4 . Urge the Indonesian Parliament to use its full powers, including its right to question the president, to push for meaningful progress in the case.

5. Urge the U.S. government, including Secretary of State John Kerry, to take an active role in pursuing justice in this and other Indonesia human rights cases.

East Timor and Indonesia Action Network

www.etan.org; etan@etan.org, @etan009

See also

ETAN Urges Justice for Munir on 12th Anniversary of Assassination (September 7, 2016)

Andreas Harsono/HRW: New path in The Hague is a reminder of Indonesias shame (May 6, 2015)

Jakarta Post: Pollycarpus gets Parole (November 28, 2014)

Breaking News: Gen. Hendropriyono Admits "Command Responsibility" in Munir Assassination. Says Talangsari Victims "Committed Suicide." Agrees to Stand Trial for Atrocities; Legal Implications for As'ad, Wiranto, CIA. Hendropriyono: Part 1 by Allan Nairn (October 2, 2014)

Jakarta Globe: Solving Munirs Murder: A Test for Indonesias New President (September 9, 2014)

Amnesty International: A decade of injustice  time to find Munirs real killers (September 8 2014)

Human Rights First: No Justice Ten Years After Munirs Assassination (September 5, 2014)

Kompas: Commemorating 10 Years of Death Her husband, Munir's wife of Bill Promises SBY (August 22, 2014)

Human Rights First: Culture of Impunity in Indonesia Lives on Nine Years After the Assassination of Munir (September 9, 2013)

Action Committee in Solidarity with Munir (KASUM): Summary of the Munir Case: Prepared for Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (PDF)M (January 18, 2009)

Forum Asia: Indonesian authorities fail to bring to justice the masterminds behind Munir Said Thalibs murder (November 5, 2006)

BBC: Munir murder conviction quashed (October 4, 2006)
Contact: John M. Miller, National Coordinator, ETAN

john@etan.org; +1-917-690-4391 ETAN Urges Justice for Munir on 12th Anniversary of Assassination September 7, 2016 - On the 12th anniversary of the murder of Munir Said Thalib, a prominent Indonesian human rights activist, the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) urged U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to press President Widodo to fully investigate Munirs murder and hold accountable all those responsible for his death. The group wrote that resolving the case is important to consolidating Indonesias democracy. Munir was poisoned on a flight to Amsterdam and evidence strongly points to the involvement of senior officials of the State Intelligence Agency, known as BIN. While a few low-level participants in the murder have been tried and convicted, high-level officials have yet to be brought to justice for their involvement in Munirs assassination. Muchdi Purwoprandjono, the chair of BIN at the time, was found not guilty in 2008 due to lack of evidence amidst allegations of the intimidation of witnesses. A.M. Hendropriyono, a former general and vice chair of BIN who allegedly headed meetings discussing Munirs murder, has yet to be indicted for his role in Munirs death. ETAN continues to call on President Joko Widodo to fully investigate the murder and hold all of those accountable for their roles in Munirs assassination. Recent appointments raise doubts about President Widodos seriousness about pursuing justice for past human rights violations. Hendropriyono was also involved in the 1989 Talangsari Massacre and the 1999 terror campaign in Timor-Leste. He served as an advisor to President Widodos transition team in 2014. He was recently appointed chair of the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI). Former general Wiranto, indicted in Timor-Leste for his role in government-sanctioned violence during the vote for independence overseen by the UN, was recently appointed as Indonesias Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs. For more on the Munirs murder see ETANs backgrounder here: http://etan.org/factsheets/munir.htm The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) was founded in 1991. ETAN supports democracy, human rights and justice in Timor-Leste, West Papua and Indonesia. Website: www.etan.org Twitter: @etan009.

United States Department of State

2201 C Street, NW

Washington, DC 20520

via website

7 September 2016

Dear Secretary Kerry,

After 12 years, we remain disappointed that all of those responsible for the murder of Indonesian human rights activist Munir Said Thalib have not yet been brought to justice.

We continue to call on the Indonesian government to hold accountable those responsible for Munirs death. His murder was clearly directed by officials from Indonesias intelligence agency, BIN.

Two years ago, on the 10th anniversary of Munir's murder you acknowledged that Still today, justice has not been served. Full accountability for all those allegedly involved remains elusive. .

Two years later little has changed.

Although Pollycarpus Priyanto was convicted and served time for the murder, government officials have not been held accountable for their alleged roles in the crime. Evidence found by the official fact-finding team credibly points to the role of intelligence officials in the assassination.

We know you agree that resolving the case is important to consolidating Indonesias democracy.

Instead officials credibly alleged to have engaged in serious violations of human rights, including Munir's killing, continue to be appointed to high offices and serve in key positions. These appointments raise questions about President Widodos seriousness in pursuing justice for past human rights violations.

Recently, President Widodo appointed former general Wiranto, indicted in Timor-Leste for his role in official violence surrounding UN-organized independence vote in 1999, as Indonesias Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

A.M. Hendropriyono, former vice chair of the state intelligence agency BIN, allegedly chaired meetings planning Munirs murder. Hendropriyono was also involved in the 1989 Talangsari Massacre and the 1999 terror campaign in Timor-Leste. He served as an advisor to President Widodos transition team in 2014. He recently became chair of the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI).

President Joko Widodo campaigned on resolving past human rights cases, including Munirs. We urge you to join us and human rights advocates in Indonesia and elsewhere in pressing President Widodo to fully investigate Munirs murder and hold accountable all those responsible for his death.

Secretary Kerry, you stated on August 15 in advance of Indonesian Independence Day, The relationship between the United States and Indonesia will continue to advance and stand as an example of what can be accomplished when two nations pursue a common vision together. The common vision of respect for the rule of law and human rights can only happen if the U.S. puts pressure on President Widodos government to ensure government officials are held accountable for past human rights abuses.

Yours sincerely,

John M. Miller

National Coordinator, East Timor and Indonesia Action Network

john@etan.org




Younited Italia, Nicola Manzari e il nuovo Coo, Luca Faccini e Head of Growth e Domenico Petraroli e General Counsel
As health departments around the U.S. boost efforts to combat Zika, scientists are working on new ways to kill the mosquitoes that carry the virus. One approach involves understanding the molecular mechanisms that keep the bugs alive so we can then undermine them. Scientists report in the ACS journal Biochemistry that they have revealed new structural insights on a key protein from Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species most often linked to the spread of Zika.

In February, the World Health Organization called for action against the disease after Brazil experienced a spike in the number of babies born with microcephaly, a condition characterized by an abnormally small head. Since then, the virus has been reported in more than 40 countries. Studies have shown that compounds that inhibit a protein called sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2), which is involved in the transport of cholesterol and fats in insects, can kill Aedes aegypti larva. Kiran K. Singarapu and colleagues from CSIR - Indian Institute of Chemical Technology wanted to take a closer look at the structure of one of the protein's variants to help inform the development of future insecticides.

Using solution nuclear magnetic resonance, a technique that yields molecular-level information about proteins, the researchers were able to describe the 3-D structure and dynamics of a SCP2 variant. The new insights could help scientists screen small-molecule libraries for insecticide candidates. In addition to curbing Zika, any resulting compound that stamps out Aedes aegypti could reduce cases of other illnesses -- dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya -- that the mosquito also carries.

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The authors acknowledge funding from the Department of Science and Technology of India.

The abstract that accompanies this study is available here.

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To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

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ASCO Perspective

"This research is important because it provides a glimpse into some of the unique needs and challenges of caring for people with cancer," said ASCO Expert Andrew S. Epstein, MD. "Ensuring that caregivers are well supported should be an essential component of high-quality cancer care."

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - An analysis of data from more than 1,200 caregivers in the United States finds that cancer caregivers report a higher burden and spend significantly more hours per week caregiving, as opposed to individuals who care for people with other conditions. The analysis was based on survey data from the National Alliance for Caregiving, which estimates that there are 2.8 million caregivers providing care for an adult family member or friend with cancer.

The findings shed light on the state of cancer caregiving in the United States. This study will be presented at the upcoming 2016 Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium in San Francisco.

"Our research demonstrates the ripple effect that cancer has on families and patient support systems," said study researcher Erin Kent, PhD, MS, program director in the Outcomes Research Branch of the Healthcare Delivery Research Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). "Caregiving can be extremely stressful and demanding - physically, emotionally, and financially. The data show we need to do a better job of supporting these individuals as their wellbeing is essential to the patient's quality of life and outcomes."

Dr. Kent emphasized the cyclical nature of cancer care, often requiring short, yet highly intense periods of time where patients undergo active treatment, such as chemotherapy, as a possible reason for the increased intensity in caregiving. She noted such intensity is also associated with increased caregiver stress and depression.

The data, extracted from the 2015 Caregiving in the U.S. study, showed cancer caregivers were 63% more likely to experience a higher burden than non-cancer caregivers. Cancer caregivers also reported spending nearly 50% more hours per week providing care than non-cancer caregivers.

Researchers also found that cancer caregivers were more likely to communicate with health care professionals, and to advocate on behalf of the patient (62% of cancer caregivers vs. 49% of non-cancer caregivers). Despite high levels of engagement with providers, cancer caregivers were twice as likely to report needing more help and information with making end-of-life decisions.

Dr. Kent stated that data on caregiving is difficult to collect and stressed the importance of these population-level findings. In addition, she underscored the need for additional research on cancer caregivers.

"Based on our findings, it's clear we need additional research on caregiving to better understand at what point providers and clinicians should intervene to assess the wellbeing of caregivers. Technology, combined with use of a clinical distress rating system, could be promising in the future as a means to ensure caregivers are being supported in a meaningful way," Dr. Kent said.

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This study received funding from the National Alliance for Caregiving, the National Cancer Institute, and the Cancer Support Community.
Brown University's Stephen Houston and a team of leading researchers in anthropology and Maya archeology methodically verify the authenticity of the oldest known manuscript in ancient America

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] --The Grolier Codex, an ancient document that is among the rarest books in the world, has been regarded with skepticism since it was reportedly unearthed by looters from a cave in Chiapas, Mexico, in the 1960s.

But a meticulous new study of the codex has yielded a startling conclusion: The codex is both genuine and likely the most ancient of all surviving manuscripts from ancient America.

Stephen Houston, the Dupee Family Professor of Social Science and co-director of the Program in Early Cultures at Brown University, worked with Michael Coe, professor emeritus of archeology and anthropology at Harvard and leader of the research team, along with Mary Miller of Yale and Karl Taube of the University of California-Riverside. They reviewed "all known research on the manuscript," analyzing it "without regard to the politics, academic and otherwise, that have enveloped the Grolier," the team wrote in its study "The Fourth Maya Codex."

The paper, published in the journal Maya Archaeology, fills a special section of the publication and includes a lavish facsimile of the codex.

The study, Houston said, "is a confirmation that the manuscript, counter to some claims, is quite real. The manuscript was sitting unremarked in a basement of the National Museum in Mexico City, and its history is cloaked in great drama. It was found in a cave in Mexico, and a wealthy Mexican collector, Josui Sienz, had sent it abroad before its eventual return to the Mexican authorities."

Controversial from the outset

For years, academics and specialists have argued about the legitimacy of the Grolier Codex, a legacy the authors trace in the paper. Some asserted that it must have been a forgery, speculating that modern forgers had enough knowledge of Maya writing and materials to create a fake codex at the time the Grolier came to light.

The codex was reportedly found in the cave with a cache of six other items, including a small wooden mask and a sacrificial knife with a handle shaped like a clenched fist, the authors write. They add that although all the objects found with the codex have been proven authentic, the fact that looters, rather than archeologists, found the artifacts made specialists in the field reluctant to accept that the document was genuine.

Some ridiculed as fantastical Sienz's account of being contacted about the codex by two looters who took him--in an airplane whose compass was hidden from view by a cloth--to a remote airstrip near Tortuguero, Mexico, to show him their discovery.

And there were questions, the authors note, about Sienz's actions once he possessed the codex. Why did he ship it to the United States, where it was displayed in the spring of 1971 at New York City's Grolier Club, the private club and society of bibliophiles that gives the codex its name, rather than keep it in Mexico? As for the manuscript itself, it differed from authenticated codices in several marked ways, including its relative lack of hieroglyphic text and the prominence of its illustrations.

"It became a kind of dogma that this was a fake," Houston continued. "We decided to return and look at it very carefully, to check criticisms one at a time. Now we are issuing a definitive facsimile of the book. There can't be the slightest doubt that the Grolier is genuine."

Digging in

Houston and his co-authors analyzed the origins of the manuscript, the nature of its style and iconography, the nature and meaning of its Venus tables, scientific data -- including carbon dating -- of the manuscript, and the craftsmanship of the codex, from the way the paper was made to the known practices of Maya painters.

Over the course of a 50-page analysis, the authors take up the questions and criticisms leveled by scholars over the last 45 years and describes how the Grolier Codex differs from the three other known ancient Maya manuscripts but nonetheless joins their ranks.

Those codices, the Dresden, Madrid and Paris, all named for the cities in which they are now housed, were regarded from the start as genuine, the authors note. All of the codices have calendrical and astronomical elements that track the passage of time via heavenly bodies, assist priests with divination and inform ritualistic practice as well as decisions about such things as when to wage war.

Variations among the codices, as well as the assumption that because manuscripts such as the Dresden were authenticated first made them canonical, fed scholars' doubts about the Grolier, according to the study. The Grolier, however, was dated by radiocarbon and predates those codices, according to the authors.

The Grolier's composition, from its 13th-century amatl paper, to the thin red sketch lines underlying the paintings and the Maya blue pigments used in them, are fully persuasive, the authors assert. Houston and his coauthors outline what a 20th century forger would have had to know or guess to create the Grolier, and the list is prohibitive: he or she would have to intuit the existence of and then perfectly render deities that had not been discovered in 1964, when any modern forgery would have to have been completed; correctly guess how to create Maya blue, which was not synthesized in a laboratory until Mexican conservation scientists did so in the 1980s; and have a wealth and range of resources at their fingertips that would, in some cases, require knowledge unavailable until recently.

Use and appearance of the Grolier Codex

The Grolier Codex is a fragment, consisting of 10 painted pages decorated with ritual Maya iconography and a calendar that charts the movement of the planet Venus. Mesoamerican peoples, Houston said, linked the perceived cycles of Venus to particular gods and believed that time was associated with deities.

The Venus calendars counted the number of days that lapsed between one heliacal rising of Venus and the next, or days when Venus, the morning star, appeared in the sky before the sun rose. This was important, the authors note, because measuring the planet's cycles could help Maya people create ritual cycles based on astronomical phenomena.

The gods depicted in the codex are described by Houston and his colleagues as "workaday gods, deities who must be invoked for the simplest of life's needs: sun, death, K'awiil -- a lordly patron and personified lightning -- even as they carry out the demands of the 'star' we call Venus. Dresden and Madrid both elucidate a wide range of Maya gods, but in Grolier, all is stripped down to fundamentals."

The codex is also, according to the paper's authors, not a markedly beautiful book. "In my view, it isn't a high-end production," Houston said, "not one that would be used in the most literate royal court. The book is more closely focused on images and the meanings they convey."

The Grolier Codex, the team argues, is also a "predetermined rather than observational" guide, meaning it declares what "should occur rather than what could be seen through the variable cloud cover of eastern Mesoamerica. With its span of 104 years, the Grolier would have been usable for at least three generations of calendar priest or day-keeper," the authors write.

That places the Grolier in a different tradition than the Dresden Codex, which is known for its elaborate notations and calculations, and makes the Grolier suitable for a particular kind of readership, one of moderately high literacy. It may also have served an ethnically and linguistically mixed group, in part Maya, in part linked to the Toltec civilization centered on the ancient city of Tula in Central Mexico.

Beyond its useful life as a calendar, the Grolier Codex "retained its value as a sacred work, a desirable target for Spanish inquisitors intent on destroying such manuscripts," the authors wrote in the paper.

Created around the time when both Chichen Itza in Yucatin and Tula fell into decline, the codex was created by a scribe working in "difficult times," wrote Houston and his co-authors. Despite his circumstances, the scribe "expressed aspects of weaponry with roots in the pre-classic era, simplified and captured Toltec elements that would be deployed by later artists of Oaxaca and Central Mexico" and did so in such a manner that "not a single detail fails to ring true."

"A reasoned weighing of evidence leaves only one possible conclusion: four intact Mayan codices survive from the Precolumbian period, and one of them," Houston and his colleagues wrote, "is the Grolier."

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BINGHAMTON, NY - A new service developed at Binghamton University, State University of New York could improve performance of mobile devices that save data to the cloud.

Storage and computing power is limited on mobile devices, making it necessity to store data in the cloud. However, with the myriad of apps from a myriad of developers that use the cloud, the user experience isn't always smooth. Battery life can be taxed due to extended synchronization times and clogged networks when multiple apps are trying to access the cloud all at the same time.

"We may be using many different apps developed by different developers that make use of cloud storage services, whereas on PCs we tend to use apps offered by the official providers. This app and developer diversity can cause problems due to a developer's inexperience and/or carelessness," said Yifin Zhang, assistant professor of computer science at Binghamton University's Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Zhang and a team of Binghamton University researchers designed and developed StoArranger, a service to intercept, coordinate and optimize requests made by mobile apps and cloud storage services. StoArranger works as a "middleware system," so there is no change to how apps or an iPhone or Android-device run, just improved performance of both the device and the network overall. Essentially, StoArranger takes cloud storage requests--either to upload a file or to open a file for editing--and orders them in the best way to save power, get things completed as quickly as possible and minimize the amount of data used to complete the tasks.

Even though the work could affect millions of mobile devices and users-- e.g. Microsoft's cloud computing and storage system Azure had 10 trillion objects stored on its servers as of January 2015--it is only a promising first step in the development of StoArranger, which isn't commercially available. Further research is scheduled for evaluation experiments, and a full paper will be submitted later this year.

"We are planning on developing an app for public use," Zhang said. "We are trying to solve problems without changing operating systems or the existing apps, which makes our solution practical and scalable to existing smartphone users."

Zhang presented the paper with Binghamton PhD candidates Yongshu Bai and Xin Zhang, both co-authors of the paper, at the proceedings of the seventh ACM SIGOPS Asia-Pacific Workshop on Systems (APSys '16) in Hong Kong in August.

"The programming committee thought the work presented is a good demonstration of the negative effects of the way that current cloud storage providers chose to deploy their services," said Zhang. "The solution we proposed could be a practical way to solve the problem."

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This work was supported, in part, by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
New modeling work offers the most accurate predictions to date about the dwarf galaxies in the Milky Way's neighborhood

Pasadena, CA-- Dwarf galaxies are enigmas wrapped in riddles. Although they are the smallest galaxies, they represent some of the biggest mysteries about our universe. While many dwarf galaxies surround our own Milky Way, there seem to be far too few of them compared with standard cosmological models, which raises a lot of questions about the nature of dark matter and its role in galaxy formation.

New theoretical modeling work from Andrew Wetzel, who holds a joint fellowship between Carnegie and Caltech, offers the most accurate predictions to date about the dwarf galaxies in the Milky Way's neighborhood. Wetzel achieved this by running the highest-resolution and most-detailed simulation ever of a galaxy like our Milky Way. His findings, published by The Astrophysical Journal Letters, help to resolve longstanding debates about how these dwarf galaxies formed.

One of the biggest mysteries of dwarf galaxies has to do with dark matter, which is why scientists are so fascinated by them.

"Dwarf galaxies are at the nexus of dark matter science," Wetzel said.

Dark matter makes up a quarter of our universe. It exerts a gravitational pull, but doesn't seem to interact with regular matter--like atoms, stars, and us--in any other way. We know it exists because of the gravitational effect it has on stars and gas and dust. This effect is why it is key to understanding galaxy formation. Without dark matter, galaxies could not have formed in our universe as they did. There just isn't enough gravity to hold them together without it.

The role of dark matter in the formation of dwarf galaxies has remained a mystery. The standard cosmological model has told us that, because of dark matter, there should be many more dwarf galaxies out there, surrounding our own Milky Way, than we have found. Astronomers have developed a number of theories for why we haven't found more, but none of them could account for both the paucity of dwarf galaxies and their properties, including their mass, size, and density.

As observation techniques have improved, more dwarf galaxies have been spotted orbiting the Milky Way. But still not enough to align with predictions based on standard cosmological models.

So scientists have been honing their simulation techniques in order to bring theoretical modeling predictions and observations into better agreement. In particular, Wetzel and his collaborators worked on carefully modeling the complex physics of stellar evolution, including how supernovae--the fantastic explosions that punctuate the death of massive stars--affect their host galaxy.

With these advances, Wetzel ran the most-detailed simulation of a galaxy like our Milky Way. Excitingly, his model resulted in a population of dwarf galaxies that is similar to what astronomers observe around us.

As Wetzel explained: "By improving how we modeled the physics of stars, this new simulation offered a clear theoretical demonstration that we can, indeed, understand the dwarf galaxies we've observed around the Milky Way. Our results thus reconcile our understanding of dark matter's role in the universe with observations of dwarf galaxies in the Milky Way's neighborhood."

Despite having run the highest-resolution simulation to date, Wetzel continues to push forward, and he is in the process of running an even higher-resolution, more-sophisticated simulation that will allow him to model the very faintest dwarf galaxies around the Milky Way.

"This mass range gets interesting, because these 'ultra-faint' dwarf galaxies are so faint that we do not yet have a complete observational census of how many exist around the Milky Way. With this next simulation, we can start to predict how many there should be for observers to find," he added.

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The co-authors on Wetzel's paper are: Philip Hopkins of Caltech, Ji-Hoon Kim of Stanford University, Claude-Andre Faucher-Giguere of Northwestern University, Dusan Keres of University of California San Diego, and Eliot Quataert of University of California Berkeley.
The mutualistic relationship between tree roots and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi has been shaping forest ecosystems since their inception. ECM fungi are key players supporting the growth, health and stress tolerance of forest trees globally, such as oak, pine, spruce, birch and beech, and help boost the productivity of bioenergy feedstock trees, including poplar and willow. The most common ECM fungus is Cenococcum geophilum, found in subtropical through arctic zones and especially in extreme environments. It is also the only mycorrhizal fungus in the Dothideomycetes, a large class comprised of some 19,000 fungal species, many of them plant pathogens.

To learn more about what ectomycorrhizal characteristics are dominant in Cenococcum geophilum, a team led by researchers at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, and including researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, compared its genome with the genomes of close relatives Lepidopterella palustris and Glonium stellatum, neither of which are ECM fungi. The study was published online September 7 in Nature Communications. They found specific adaptations in the C. geophilum transcriptome - the set of its messenger RNA molecules that reflects actual biochemical activity by the fungus -that could help their hosts be more resistant to drought stress, a finding that could be useful in developing more plant feedstocks for bioenergy amidst the changing climate.

As part of a comparative genomic analysis done through the Mycorrhizal Genomics Initiative (MGI) headed by study senior author Francis Martin of INRA, the DOE JGI sequenced C. geophilum and its close relative Lepidopterella palustris, and annotated both of these genomes and another close relative, Glonium stellatum. "We showed that the genome of C. geophilum, the only known mycorrhizal symbiont within the largest fungal class Dothideomycetes, acquired the same genomic adaptations to the mycorrhizal lifestyle over generations as the previously sequenced ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes," Martin said. "These include a strikingly reduced number of plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) and a large set of symbiosis-induced lineage-specific genes, including dozen of mycorrhiza-induced small secreted effector-like proteins (MiSSPs)."Unlike free-living saprotrophs, fungi that get their nutrients from decomposing organic matter in forest soils and so require PCWDEs, Cenoccocum has come to rely heavily on its hosts for its carbon nutrition.

Noting that the root tips of C. geophilum are highly resistant to dessication, one of the team's key findings is that two of the three most highly induced C. geophilum genes in symbiosis code for water channels. "The regulation of these water channel genes is fine-tuned under drought conditions and they might therefore play a key role in drought adaptation of host plants," said first author Martina Peter of the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL.

"C. geophilum population genomics should shed light on the mechanisms of host and environmental adaptation," the team wrote in their paper. "It should facilitate the identification of drought-adapted C. geophilum strains, which can be used to efficiently support their host trees threatened by the forecasted increase in drought periods in many parts of the world."

Both Peter and Martin noted that credit for the success of the work and of the Mycorrhizal Genomics Initiative goes to the "tight collaboration" between their teams, the DOE JGI, Joey Spatafora at Oregon State University and Pedro Crous CBS Fungal Biodiversity Centre (Utrecht, Netherlands) as well as with Bernard Henrissat of CNRS and University of Aix-Marseilles.

"The intersection of genomics and evolutionary biology, as carried out in the MGI and the 1000 Fungal Genomes (KFG) Project, can inform our understanding of the biological principles intrinsic to mycorrhizal symbiosis," said Martin. "By combining genome sequences with rigorous physiological and ecological studies, we are entering a time where linking the presence, composition and abundance of soil mycorrhizal communities with important soil processes and forest productivity at an ecosystem scale is possible."

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The U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is committed to advancing genomics in support of DOE missions related to clean energy generation and environmental characterization and cleanup. DOE JGI, headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., provides integrated high-throughput sequencing and computational analysis that enable systems-based scientific approaches to these challenges. Follow @doe_jgi on Twitter.

DOE's Office of Science is the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
"Promising" and "remarkable" are two words U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory scientist Javier Vela uses to describe recent research results on organolead mixed-halide perovskites.

Perovskites are optically active, semiconducting compounds that are known to display intriguing electronic, light-emitting and chemical properties. Over the last few years, lead-halide perovskites have become one of the most promising semiconductors for solar cells due to their low cost, easier processability and high power conversion efficiencies. Photovoltaics made of these materials now reach power conversion efficiencies of more than 20 percent.

Vela's research has focused on mixed-halide perovskites. Halides are simple and abundant, negatively charged compounds, such as iodide, bromide and chloride. Mixed-halide perovskites are of interest over single-halide perovskites for a variety of reasons. Mixed-halide perovskites appear to benefit from enhanced thermal and moisture stability, which makes them degrade less quickly than single-halide perovskites, Vela said. He added they can be fine-tuned to absorb sunlight at specific wavelengths, which makes them useful for tandem solar cells and many other applications, including light emitting diodes (LEDs).Using these compounds, scientists can control the color and efficiency of such energy conversion devices.

Speculating that these enhancements had something to do with the internal structure of mixed-halide perovskites, Vela, who is also an associate professor of chemistry at Iowa State University (ISU), worked with scientists with expertise in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at both Ames Laboratory and ISU. NMR is an analytical chemistry technique that provides scientists with physical, chemical, structural and electronic information about complex samples.

"Our basic question was what it is about these materials in terms of their chemistry, composition, and structure that can affect their behavior," said Vela.

Scientists found that depending on how the material is made there can be significant nonstoichiometric impurities or "dopants" permeating the material, which could significantly affect the material's chemistry, moisture stability and transport properties.

The answers came via the combination of the use of optical absorption spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and for the first time, the advanced probing capabilities of lead solid-state NMR.

"We were only able to see these dopants, along with other semicrystalline impurities, through the use of lead solid-state NMR," said Vela.

Another major discovery scientists made was that solid state synthesis is far superior to solution-phase synthesis in making mixed-halide perovskites. According to Vela, the advanced spectroscopy and materials capabilities of Ames Laboratory and ISU were critical in understanding how various synthetic procedures affect the true composition, speciation, stability and optoelectronic properties of these materials.

"We found you can make clean mixed halide perovskites without semi-crystalline impurities if you make them in the absence of a solvent," Vela said.

According to Vela, the significance of their findings is multifold and they are only beginning to grasp the implications of those findings.

"One obvious implication is that our understanding of the amazing opto-electronic properties of these semiconductors was incomplete," said Vela. "We're dealing with a compound that is not inherently as simple as people thought."

The research is further discussed in a paper, "Persistent Dopants and Phase Segregation in Organolead Mixed-Halide Perovskites," authored by Vela, Bryan A. Rosales, Long Men, Sarah D. Cady, Michael P. Hanrahan, and Aaron J. Rossini; and published online in Chemistry Materials. The work was supported by DOE's Office of Science.

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Ames Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory operated by Iowa State University. Ames Laboratory creates innovative materials, technologies and energy solutions. We use our expertise, unique capabilities and interdisciplinary collaborations to solve global problems.

DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
Terzan 5, 19 000 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Sagittarius (the Archer) and in the direction of the galactic centre, has been classified as a globular cluster for the forty-odd years since its detection. Now, an Italian-led team of astronomers have discovered that Terzan 5 is like no other globular cluster known.

The team scoured data from the Multi-conjugate Adaptive Optics Demonstrator [1], installed at the Very Large Telescope, as well as from a suite of other ground-based and space telescopes [2]. They found compelling evidence that there are two distinct kinds of stars in Terzan 5 which not only differ in the elements they contain, but have an age-gap of roughly 7 billion years [3].

The ages of the two populations indicate that the star formation process in Terzan 5 was not continuous, but was dominated by two distinct bursts of star formation. "This requires the Terzan 5 ancestor to have large amounts of gas for a second generation of stars and to be quite massive. At least 100 million times the mass of the Sun," explains Davide Massari, co-author of the study, from INAF, Italy, and the University of Groningen, Netherlands.

Its unusual properties make Terzan 5 the ideal candidate for a living fossil from the early days of the Milky Way. Current theories on galaxy formation assume that vast clumps of gas and stars interacted to form the primordial bulge of the Milky Way, merging and dissolving in the process.

"We think that some remnants of these gaseous clumps could remain relatively undisrupted and keep existing embedded within the galaxy," explains Francesco Ferraro from the University of Bologna, Italy, and lead author of the study. "Such galactic fossils allow astronomers to reconstruct an important piece of the history of our Milky Way."

While the properties of Terzan 5 are uncommon for a globular cluster, they are very similar to the stellar population which can be found in the galactic bulge, the tightly packed central region of the Milky Way. These similarities could make Terzan 5 a fossilised relic of galaxy formation, representing one of the earliest building blocks of the Milky Way.

This assumption is strengthened by the original mass of Terzan 5 necessary to create two stellar populations: a mass similar to the huge clumps which are assumed to have formed the bulge during galaxy assembly around 12 billion years ago. Somehow Terzan 5 has managed to survive being disrupted for billions of years, and has been preserved as a remnant of the distant past of the Milky Way.

"Some characteristics of Terzan 5 resemble those detected in the giant clumps we see in star-forming galaxies at high-redshift, suggesting that similar assembling processes occurred in the local and in the distant Universe at the epoch of galaxy formation," continues Ferraro.

Hence, this discovery paves the way for a better and more complete understanding of galaxy assembly. "Terzan 5 could represent an intriguing link between the local and the distant Universe, a surviving witness of the Galactic bulge assembly process," explains Ferraro while commenting on the importance of the discovery. The research presents a possible route for astronomers to unravel the mysteries of galaxy formation, and offers an unrivaled view into the complicated history of the Milky Way.

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Notes

[1] The Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics Demonstrator (MAD) is a prototype multi-conjugate adaptive optics system which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of different MCAO reconstruction techniques in the framework of the E-ELT concept and the second generation VLT Instruments.

[2] The researchers also used data from the Wide Field Camera 3 on board the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and NIRC2 (the Near-Infrared Camera, second generation) at the W. M. Keck Observatory.

[3] The two detected stellar populations have ages of 12 billion years and 4.5 billion years respectively.

More information

This research was presented in a paper entitled "The age of the young bulge-like population in the stellar system Terzan 5: linking the Galactic bulge to the high-z Universe", by F. R. Ferraro et al., which will be published in the Astrophysical Journal.

The team is composed of F. R. Ferraro (Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Universita degli Studi di Bologna, Italy) , D. Massari (INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, Italy & Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, Netherlands), E. Dalessandro (Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Universita degli Studi di Bologna, Italy; INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, Italy) , B. Lanzoni (Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Universita degli Studi di Bologna, Italy), L. Origlia (INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, Italy), R. M. Rich (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, USA) and A. Mucciarelli (Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Universita degli Studi di Bologna, Italy).

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

* Science paper - http://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1630/eso1630a.pdf

* Hubble press release - https://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1617/

* Photos of the VLT - http://www.eso.org/public/images/archive/category/paranal/

Contacts

Francesco Ferraro

Universita degli Studi di Bologna

Bologna, Italy

Tel: +39 051 20 9 5774

Email: francesco.ferraro3@unibo.it

Davide Massari

INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna

Bologna, Italy

Tel: +51 2095318

Email: davide.massari@oabo.inaf.it

Richard Hook

ESO Public Information Officer

Garching bei Munchen, Germany

Tel: +49 89 3200 6655

Cell: +49 151 1537 3591

Email: rhook@eso.org
Results of a study using nationally representative surveys of 10 million U.S. residents from 1970 to 2015 by researchers from Florida Atlantic University and San Diego State University show that Americans are not only more politically polarized than ever but that more people are identifying as independent. In 1989, about 30 percent of adults identified as independents. In 2014, that number is up to 46 percent, which is at an all-time high. More people also are identifying as "strongly Democratic" or "strongly Republican," with a lot fewer moderates, and Millennials are leading this trend. Older Millennials are the most extreme, with nearly 30 percent marking themselves as having extreme affiliations with either party.

An unexpected finding from this study, just published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, also reveals that Millennials (those born from 1980 to 1994) identify as more conservative than either GenX'ers or Boomers did as high school seniors, and fewer are Democrats compared to Boomers. At the same time, Millennials are more politically polarized than Boomers and GenX'ers. The study also confirmed the long-standing notion that people become more conservative and more politically polarized as they age.

"If Millennials become more Republican and conservative as they age, as previous generations have done, they will not be the highly Democratic and liberal generation that many have anticipated. In fact, they are on track to become an extremely polarized generation," said Ryne Sherman, Ph.D., co-author of the study and associate professor of psychology in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

The researchers explain that the biggest shift has been on the Republican side from moderate to more extreme. In 1972-74, 19 percent of Americans identified as "strongly Democrat" compared to 16 percent in 2010-2014 (slightly down). For Republicans, 8 percent of Americans identified themselves as "strongly Republican" with the party in 1972-74 compared to 10 percent in 2010-14. Thus, while Democrats are still more likely to identify "strongly" with their party, the shift in extreme party identification has largely been on the Republican side. In terms of ideological views, 1.6 percent of Americans identified as "extremely liberal" in 1972 compared to 3.7 percent in 2014, while "extremely conservative" views went from 2.4 percent in 1972-74 to 4.2 percent in 2010-14.

"Although the differences might seem small, when you're talking about it on the scale of 240 million adults it's huge - you're talking about millions of people," said Sherman. "The outcome of an election is often decided by very small percentages, and small shifts in a state like Florida can have tremendous impacts on the Electoral College."

Results of the study also show that over the entire time period, Americans in the 1970s favored Democrats the most of any era, followed by the early Obama years in the late 2000s. Conversely, the Reagan era of the 1980s saw the largest percentage of Republicans. Comparing generation groups, 52 percent of Millennials are Democrats, compared to 64 percent of Boomers and 49 percent of GenX'ers. Therefore, Millennials were less likely to be Democrats than Boomers, but more likely than GenX'ers.

"Our data seems to be quite consistent with what we are seeing on the national stage," said Sherman. "Americans are abandoning moderation and now view themselves at political extremes, while at the same time more are disassociating from the two major political parties and are striking out as Independents. This rise of independence is creating third parties that may not win, but it could certainly put a kink in this upcoming presidential election."

The objective of the study conducted by Sherman and co-authors Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., Nathan Honeycutt, and Radmila Prislin, San Diego State University, was to provide a comprehensive overview of age, time period, and generational (cohort) differences in political party affiliation (Democrat, Republican, Independent) and ideological self-categorization (liberal, conservative, moderate) and the relationship between the two. For the study, they used three large, nationally representative surveys conducted over several decades (Monitoring the Future, American Freshman, and the General Social Survey).

"While our data can't speak to the possible reasons this is happening, we speculate that the increase in the percentage of Independents could reflect a growing dissatisfaction with the entrenchment of the two major U.S. parties," said Sherman.

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About Florida Atlantic University:

Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU's world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU's existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit http://www.fau.edu.
SEATTLE - Sept. 7, 2016 - Umbilical cord blood transplants may have advantages beyond offering an alternative stem cell source for leukemia patients without a traditional donor match, according to a study published today in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study, led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, found that in patients at high risk of relapse after transplant, cord blood transplant recipients seem to have better outcomes against leukemia and the related bone marrow disorder, myelodysplastic syndrome.

These patients, who make up about a third of those facing a stem cell transplant, have what is known as "minimal residual disease," in which the chemotherapy required before transplant isn't completely successful at putting their cancer into remission, and small amounts of cancer cells remain. Only about a third of patients with detectable cancer in their blood at the time of transplant will still be alive three years later, as compared to nearly three-quarters of those without such residual disease.

"Patients going into transplant with minimal residual disease, they have very dismal outcomes," said Fred Hutch transplantation researcher Dr. Filippo Milano, lead author of the NEJM paper. But this study showed that those who received a cord blood transplant "had good outcomes with low relapse rate" compared to patients who received stem cells from an adult, unrelated donor, Milano said.

Patients with detectable amounts of cancer cells in their blood could benefit from choosing cord blood as the source of stem cells for their transplant over a traditional transplant, Milano said. For the other two-thirds of the patients, those with no minimal residual disease, cord blood transplants and traditional transplants had very similar outcomes.

The study describes results from patients who have received stem cell transplants from cord blood or from unrelated adult donors. The researchers reviewed outcomes for 582 patients who received stem cell transplants from 2006, when the institute's Cord Blood Program launched, to 2014. Of those,140 patients received cord blood transplants.

Cord blood transplantation offers one known, big advantage over adult donor transplants for the general population, said Dr. Colleen Delaney, who started Fred Hutch's Cord Blood Program in 2006 and is an author on the study: "Everyone has a cord blood donor."

Because stem cells in the umbilical cord are less developed than adult stem cells, they don't have to be "matched" as stringently to a patient's human leukocyte antigen, or HLA, type. HLA genes are part of each person's unique genetic background that determines the likelihood of rejecting donor stem cells. Doctors typically look for a 10-out of-10 match of HLA genes between patients and their donors, but, if such a perfect match doesn't exist among relatives or unrelated donors, they'll often go with an eight- or nine-out-of-10 match. Transplants from such "mismatched" donors may be better than no transplant at all, but as studies like Milano and Delaney's show, cord blood transplants may be the best option for some patients.

"This brings home the point that cord blood shouldn't be called an alternative donor. The outcomes are the same as a conventional donor," Delaney said. "This paper shows that if you've got high-risk disease and are at high risk for relapse post-transplant, transplant with a cord blood donor may be the best option."

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ABOUT FRED HUTCH

At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, home to three Nobel laureates, interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists seek new and innovative ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Fred Hutch's pioneering work in bone marrow transplantation led to the development of immunotherapy, which harnesses the power of the immune system to treat cancer with minimal side effects. An independent, nonprofit research institute based in Seattle, Fred Hutch houses the nation's first and largest cancer prevention research program, as well as the clinical coordinating center of the Women's Health Initiative and the international headquarters of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network. Private contributions are essential for enabling Fred Hutch scientists to explore novel research opportunities that lead to important medical breakthroughs. For more information visit fredhutch.org or follow Fred Hutch on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

Contact:

Sandy Van

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

O: 808.526.1708

M: 808-206-4576

svan2@fredhutch.org

media@fredhutch.org
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A Florida State University research team, in coordination with a team from Japan, has found that the epithelial tissues that line the surfaces of organs throughout the body intrinsically have hot spots for cancerous tumors.

They discovered this by examining a common household pest -- the fruit fly.

"Flies and humans have a lot in common in terms of genes and pathways for developing cancer," said Wu-Min Deng, professor of biological science at Florida State and the senior author on the paper.

Deng and his now former postdoctoral researcher Yoichiro Tamori found that in the fruit fly, tumors always originated from specific regions of the epithelial tissue.

Their findings are laid out in a study published in PLOS Biology.

Deng and Tamori were interested in examining basic pathways and tissue structures where tumors might form. Many scientists study the development in fruit flies as a model to determine the basic fundamentals of several diseases, including cancer.

"At its heart, this is basic research investigating how cancer gets started," Deng said. "What are the tissue microenvironments that facilitate tumor formation?"

In examining fruit flies, researchers looked at the developing epithelial tissues in fruit fly larvae, called imaginal discs. The discs eventually form an outer layer structure of an adult fly. These discs are formed by sheets of cells called epithelia which have distinct upper and lower sides.

In mammals, similarly, epithelia cover all surfaces and line all cavities of the body. More than 80 percent of human cancers are originated from epithelial tissues.

Deng and his team used genetic engineering to turn off tumor suppressor genes in the larvae that are also found in humans and other animals. After they inactivated the tumor suppressor gene, the researchers discovered that tumors always originate from a specific area of the disc.

These tumor hotspots all involved an oncogenic signaling pathway that has been shown to be involved in many types of human cancers. Signaling pathways are essentially the communication networks within a cell telling it to perform a specific function.

Researchers found that on the basal - or underside - of the epithelial sheets, the tumor hotspot had a unique and rigid structure. Because of this robust structure at the basal side, pro-tumor cells pop out of the apical side - or top of the sheet - of the epithelia and start tumor formation.

But in other areas of the epithelial tissue -- what researchers called a tumor cold spot -- the basal side of the tissue was more loosely constructed and pro-tumor cells were extruded from the basal side and die.

Deng said he and Tamori hope to continue their work looking at cancer and delve deeper into the signaling pathways and tissues in mammal systems

"If we know what intrinsic factors cause tumor formation we may be able to harness it and learn more," Deng said. "The more we know, the better we can get at treating and preventing cancer."

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The other co-author on the paper is Emiko Suzuki, a colleague of Tamori's at the National Institute of Genetics in Japan.
Cancer of the pancreas is an extremely aggressive disease with a dismal prognosis. The number of cases that is newly diagnosed with this type of cancer each year is almost the same as the one of people who succumb to it. While advances in prevention, early detection and treatment have led to a drop in mortality rates in most other cancer types, a growing number of people in Germany and world-wide develop pancreatic cancer and die from it.

"The tumors do not cause any signs or symptoms for a long time and are therefore diagnosed late," says Jorg Hoheisel from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) in Heidelberg. "In addition, the tumor biology is very aggressive, i.e., the cancer starts spreading metastases early on. And to make things worse, pancreatic cancer rapidly develops resistance against available chemotherapy drugs."

Therefore, scientists are making great efforts to identify novel molecular targets that can be attacked to fight pancreatic cancer. Hoheisel and his colleagues from Heidelberg, Tubingen, Liverpool, Verona, Toronto and Montreal undertook a large-scale analysis of gene activities in 195 pancreatic cancer cases. "We leveraged quantitative and computational biology approaches that we have established in order to identify genes that may play a central role in several pancreatic cancer-relevant signaling pathways among almost 3,000 genes that exhibited abnormally high or low activities" said Riazalhosseini of McGill University who co-led the study with Hoheisel., In this way, they identified the dopamine receptor DRD2. The DRD2 gene was significantly more active in cancer cells than in healthy pancreatic cells, and the levels of DRD2 receptor protein found in the cancer cells were four times the normal.

Blocking the dopamine receptor inhibits cancer growth

The dopamine receptor mediates the effect of the dopamine neurotransmitter in the brain. Dopamine is an important brain chemical that increases motivation and drive. How can a receptor protein that is known to clinicians primarily for its role in schizophrenia and psychotic disorders influence the malignant characteristics of cancer cells? The researchers pursued this question in pancreatic cancer cell lines in which they had turned off the DRD2 gene. They observed that these cells in fact grew more slowly and formed smaller tumors when transferred to mice.

DRD2 is a key molecule in many psychotic diseases and is therefore targeted by numerous psychopharmaceutical agents. Drugs that block the function of DRD2 ("dopamine antagonists") have been available since the 1950s. Among them is the antipsychotic pimozide. Using this substance, the investigators collaborating with Hoheisel succeeded in substantially slowing down the growth and impeding the mobility of pancreatic cancer cell lines.

The researchers transferred human pancreatic cancer cells to mice and allowed them to grow into tumors. After treating the animals with another dopamine antagonist - haloperidol, a medication that is often prescribed to treat schizophrenia - they developed smaller tumors and, more importantly, fewer metastases than untreated animals.

"We do not know yet whether haloperidol or related medications have the same effect in pancreatic cancer patients as they have in tumor cells and mice," Hoheisel said. He added as an interesting observation that schizophrenia patients, who are treated mostly with dopamine antagonists, have a lower rate of solid tumors on the whole than the general population. It is therefore possible that the cancer-inhibiting effect might not be restricted to the pancreas.

The DKFZ researchers now plan to examine in a study with pancreatic cancer patients whether drugs from the group of dopamine antagonists have a favorable effect on the course of the disease. For this, they will continue collaborating closely with Markus W. Buchler from Heidelberg University Hospital and the colleagues at McGill University in Montreal with the goal of treating pancreatic cancer patients. "We are very lucky to have come across established medications. This should make the required and laborious safety examinations easier," said Hoheisel.

Dopamine receptor protects cancer cells from biochemical stress

The DKFZ researchers additionally wanted to gain an understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which the dopamine receptor drives cancer growth. Normally, DRD2 prevents cells from experiencing biochemical stress via a crucial intracellular signaling molecule called cAMP. After blocking DRD2, the rapidly dividing cancer cells are particularly exposed to this kind of stress. This leads to a breakdown of the cell division cycle and then to cell self-destruction (apoptosis).

The investigators found higher-than-normal activity of the DRD2 gene already in chronic pancreatitis, which is considered to be a precancerous stage of pancreatic cancer. Other authors have also described increased activity levels of the DRD2 gene in cancer stem cells. Hoheisel and colleagues therefore think that this alteration occurs at a very early stage of cancer development.

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Pouria Jandaghi, Hamed S. Najafabadi, Andrea S. Bauer, Andreas I. Papadakis, Matteo Fassan, Anita Hall, Anie Monast, Magnus von Knebel Doeberitz, John P. Neoptolemos, Eithne Costello, William Greenhalf, Aldo Scarpa, Bence Sipos, Daniel Auld, Mark Lathrop, Morag Park, Markus W. Buchler, Oliver Strobel, Thilo Hackert, Nathalia A. Giese, George Zogopoulos, Veena Sangwan, Sidong Huang, Yasser Riazalhosseini, Jorg D. Hoheisel: DRD2 is critical for pancreatic cancer and promises pharmacological therapy by already established antagonists. Gastroenterology 2016, DOI 10.1053/j.gastro.2016.08.040

The German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) with its more than 3,000 employees is the largest biomedical research institute in Germany. At DKFZ, more than 1,000 scientists investigate how cancer develops, identify cancer risk factors and endeavor to find new strategies to prevent people from getting cancer. They develop novel approaches to make tumor diagnosis more precise and treatment of cancer patients more successful. The staff of the Cancer Information Service (KID) offers information about the widespread disease of cancer for patients, their families, and the general public. Jointly with Heidelberg University Hospital, DKFZ has established the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, where promising approaches from cancer research are translated into the clinic. In the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), one of six German Centers for Health Research, DKFZ maintains translational centers at seven university partnering sites. Combining excellent university hospitals with high-profile research at a Helmholtz Center is an important contribution to improving the chances of cancer patients. DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of National Research Centers, with ninety percent of its funding coming from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the remaining ten percent from the State of Baden-Wurttemberg.

Contact:

Dr. Stefanie Seltmann

Head of Press and Public Relations

German Cancer Research Center

Im Neuenheimer Feld 280

D-69120 Heidelberg

T: +49 6221 42 2854

F: +49 6221 42 2968

presse@dkfz.de

Dr. Sibylle Kohlstadt

Press and Public Relations

German Cancer Research Center

Im Neuenheimer Feld 280

D-69120 Heidelberg

T: +49 6221 42 2843

F: +49 6221 42 2968

Email: presse@dkfz.de
Research conducted by Griffith University and Melbourne-based company Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: PAR) has uncovered a potential new therapeutic treatment for the global battle against mosquito-borne alphavirus infections, including the debilitating Ross River Virus (RRV) and Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV).

Currently RRV and CHIKV sufferers are only offered symptomatic management in the form of either non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or corticosteroids, which in some cases may actually exacerbate the condition.

These therapeutics may offer some short-term symptomatic relief but their use often results in detrimental side-effects while failing to treat the underlying disease.

Researchers at Griffith University may have discovered a breakthrough in the treatment of mosquito transmitted viral diseases like RRV and CHIKV.

Pre-clinical experiments conducted by researchers at Griffith University's Institute for Glycomics on the Gold Coast have demonstrated world-first results showing that the historic drug, pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS), can successfully treat both the acute and chronic disease manifestations symptoms of alphavirus infections in the animal model.

Several human patients have also been treated with PPS under the Therapeutic Goods Administration Special Access Scheme. These patients, who previously were severely debilitated and had difficulty with daily activities, have reported remarkable improvements in their physical capabilities and general well-being. In these RRV patients treated with PPS the results demonstrate the drug was well tolerated and produced strong signals of clinical effects.

Queensland man Jon Chaseling said, "I suffered the effects of Ross River Fever for years. Most days I found it nearly impossible to do something as simple as walking down a flight of stairs. I avoided shaking hands with people because of the pain it caused. Even the weight of the bedclothes at night was agonising. Since undergoing a course of treatment with PPS, I find I'm far more mobile and in much less pain. It's literally changed my life."

Lead researcher, Dr Lara Herrero, became interested in alphaviruses after becoming infected with Ross River virus in Western Australia in 2004.

"Alphavirus infection is characterised by crippling musculoskeletal pain, inflammation and swelling in the joints, often leading to the destruction of cartilage," she said. "Currently there's only symptomatic relief available to RRV and CHIKV sufferers with the use of either non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or corticosteroids, both which can have detrimental side-effects and in some cases may actually exacerbate the condition. But when PPS was used to treat the viral disease in the mouse model, we observed a significant reduction in musculoskeletal damage. These data point to PPS being a well-tolerated anti-inflammatory therapy and also a disease modifying drug by protecting the joint cartilage".

"We're extremely encouraged by the preclinical results and five clinical cases but our next step is to confirm these results in a Phase 2 clinical trial" said Mr Paul Rennie, CEO of Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals.

Griffith University and Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals have entered into a commercialisation agreement under which Paradigm will fund and undertake the necessary clinical trials. If the trials are successful Griffith University will receive a royalty on Paradigm's sale of the drug to treat viral arthritis.

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About Ross River Virus and Chikungunya Virus

Ross River virus is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that causes epidemic polyarthritis and bone pain. It is Australia's most common arbovirus with about five thousand cases notified each year. [Ref: Australian Family Physician Vol 36 No. 8 Aug 2009]

Chikungunya virus, also a mosquito transmitted alphavirus, originated in Africa and has since expanded its global range with outbreaks occurring in several other continents. In 2006-2007 a large outbreak of chikungunya occurred in India with several other countries in South-East Asia also affected. Since 2005, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar and Thailand have reported over 1.9 million cases. In 2007 transmission was reported for the first time in Europe with the first case originating from a returned traveller. In late 2013, chikungunya virus was found for the first time in the Americas on islands in the Caribbean also in South America - areas in which chikungunya was not previously transmitted. Local transmission has also occurred in the United States, where the virus was previously unknown. Experts predict is just a matter of time before local transmission occurs in Australia. There is a risk that the virus will be imported to new areas by infected travellers. As noted previously, there is no vaccine to prevent or drugs to treat Ross River or chikungunya virus infections. [Ref: WHO website, CDC website and Time.com]

About the Institute for Glycomics

The Institute for Glycomics is a flagship biomedical research institute at Griffith University's Gold Coast Campus. Since its inception in 2000, the Institute for Glycomics quickly became recognised as one of the largest in the world with a core focus on this complex and emerging field of research. It was the glycomics approach that led to the discovery of the world's first drug against the influenza virus, Relenza, and the award of the Australia Prize to the Director of the Institute for Glycomics, Professor Mark von Itzstein.

Today, the Institute has some of Australia's most renowned research leaders and state-of-the-art facilities. The unique, multidisciplinary approach and extraordinary research capacity is now being used to develop the next generation of drugs and vaccines to fight diseases of global impact.

About Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd:

Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: PAR) is an Australian biopharmaceutical company focused on repurposing the historic drug PPS (Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium) as a potential new treatment for Bone Marrow Edema (BME) lesions following traumatic injury. Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals is also repurposing PPS for respiratory diseases including Allergic Rhinitis (AR) also known as hay fever. Repurposing an existing drug diminishes early developmental risks associated with traditional new drug development and usually means shorter development times, lower development costs and less safety risk.

ABN: 94 169 346 963

http://paradigmbiopharma.com
Boston, MA - Patients who had major surgery at high-quality hospitals in the U.S. cost Medicare less than those who had surgery at low-quality hospitals according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The difference in Medicare spending was driven primarily by the cost of care in the weeks following surgery.

The study will appear online Wednesday, September 7, 2016 in Health Affairs.

"In much of health care, better care costs more money but surgery may be one situation in which getting care at a high-quality hospital not only saves lives, but also saves money. And that is a win for everyone," said Ashish Jha, K.T. Li Professor of International Health at Harvard Chan School, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, and senior author of the study.

The researchers looked at costs and outcomes data from the national Medicare program from 2011-12 for five major surgical procedures--coronary artery bypass grafting, pulmonary lobectomy, endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm, colectomy, and hip replacement. They calculated costs of the procedures and post-surgical care at both 30- and 90-day periods among 110,625 and 93,864 Medicare beneficiaries, respectively.

The researchers identified high-quality hospitals by using two common measures of surgical quality: 30-day surgical mortality rates and patient reported experience with care.

The results showed that Medicare spent, on average, about $32,000 for initial hospitalization for major surgery and the first 30 days of follow-up care, and that spending varied substantially across procedures as well as hospitals. When patients were treated at high-quality hospitals, Medicare spent about $2,700 less in the first 30 days than it did for patients at low-quality hospitals, and about $2,200 less at 90 days after fully accounting for all the differences in patient populations. Nearly two-thirds of Medicare's savings were driven by lower use of post-acute care services--such as a stay in a rehabilitation facility or care from home health aides--by patients at high-quality hospitals compared with those at low-quality hospitals.

"Of course, it is worth remembering that the goal of health care is not to save money, but to save lives. These high-quality hospitals, which had lower spending, had mortality rates that were less than half of what we saw at the low-quality hospitals. The findings should provide real impetus for policymakers to help patients choose high-quality hospitals," said Jha.

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Other Harvard Chan School authors of the study included lead author Thomas Tsai, research associate in the Department of Health Policy and Management and a resident in the Department of Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital; Jie Zheng, senior statistician; and E. John Orav, associate professor of biostatistics.

At the time of the work, Dr. Tsai was supported by a training grant from the National Cancer Institute and Dr. Greaves was Supported by the Commonwealth Fund.

"Medicare Paid Less For Surgery At High-Quality Hospitals Than For Surgery At Low-Quality Hospitals," Thomas C. Tsai, Felix Greaves, Jie Zheng, E. John Orav, Michael J. Zinner, and Ashish K. Jha, Health Affairs, online September 7, 2016, doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0361

Visit the Harvard Chan School website for the latest news, press releases, and multimedia offerings.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and health of people everywhere. As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people's lives--not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at Harvard Chan School teach 1,000-plus full-time students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America's oldest professional training program in public health.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Sept. 7, 2016 - A researcher with the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI) today received a 2016 Career Development Award from JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Teresa Mastracci, PhD, is a Senior Scientist at the IBRI.

"This award is confirmation of the impressive research Teresa is doing in the area of beta cell biology and type 1 diabetes," said Dr. Raghu Mirmira, Interim Chief Scientific Officer and Core Laboratories Director for the IBRI. "We look forward to seeing her translate her research in ways that will ultimately help children and adults afflicted with type 1 diabetes."

Mastracci will use the $750,000 award to continue her work in the area of beta cell regeneration. Her study will look at how polyamine and hypusine biosynthesis can be harnessed to reverse the progression of type 1 diabetes. Mastracci's goal is to identify new drugs that preserve or regenerate healthy beta cells, which will help to slow or even halt the progression of type 1 diabetes. Beta cells are the only cell type in the body that produces insulin, a hormone that is lacking in type 1 diabetes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, type 1 diabetes currently affects nearly 1 in 11 Americans. The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide 422 million adults have diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes referred to as "juvenile onset" because it is diagnosed in early childhood and requires lifelong insulin therapy.

The JDRF Career Development Award is designed to assist exceptionally promising researchers early in their careers. Past recipients of the award include Maike Sander, Director of the Pediatric Diabetes Research Center at the University of California San Diego; Mehboob Ali Hussain, Director of the Diabetes Center at Johns Hopkins University; and Matthias Hebrok, Director of the Diabetes Center at the University of California San Francisco. JDRF previously funded Mastracci's research in 2010 with a prestigious JDRF Postdoctoral Fellowship.

"I am grateful to JDRF for this honor and for their continued confidence in my research," said Mastracci. "This award provides my lab with the support we need to continue our discovery work to identify new tests and potential treatments that will directly impact people with type 1 diabetes."

In addition to working for the IBRI, Mastracci is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Indiana University School of Medicine.

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About Indiana Biosciences Research Institute

The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI) is an independent, nonprofit discovery and applied research institute focused on innovation targeting cardio-metabolic diseases, diabetes and poor nutrition. Inspired by the state and Indiana's leading life sciences companies, research universities and philanthropic community, the IBRI is building a world-class organization of researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs that will catalyze scientific discovery and its application, resulting in improved health outcomes for patients. Initial funding has been provided by the State of Indiana, Lilly Endowment, Eli Lilly and Company, Dow AgroSciences, Roche Diagnostics, Indiana University Health and the Indiana University School of Medicine. For more information about IBRI and donation or collaboration opportunities, please visit http://www.indianabiosciences.org.

Contact:

Christy Denault

317/417-6322

cdenault@indianabiosciences.org
Global health experts are today are calling for the removal of restrictions preventing people who use drugs from accessing new hepatitis C cures. So long as these restrictions exist, the goal of disease elimination will remain out of reach, they say.

They are gathered in Oslo for the 5th International Symposium on Hepatitis Care in Substance Users, where new research continues to highlight not just the pivotal role treatment for people who use drugs plays in reducing hepatitis C transmission, but also how it can be rolled out to achieve best results.

"The science is clear. We now need to focus on overcoming barriers to access, and harness latest research to implement programs that work," said President of the International Network of Hepatitis C in Substance Users (INHSU), Associate Professor Jason Grebely, the Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia.

"To delay further is unethical and undermines public health," he added.

Hepatitis C - which if left untreated can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer - affects approximately 64-103 million people around the world, resulting in around 700 000 deaths per year. In countries such as the US and Australia, hepatitis C now kills more people than HIV. In the UK, the number of annual deaths due to hepatitis C has quadrupled since 1996.

New, highly effective curative treatments have sparked hope of a world free of hepatitis C. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has set ambitious elimination targets of 90% diagnosed, 80% treated and a 65% reduction in hepatitis C-related mortality by 2030. In most high income countries, the vast majority (80%) of new infections are in people who inject drugs, but this group has faced widespread exclusion from the new therapies.

Reasons given for this exclusion include the price of new medications, fears of poor adherence, fears of reinfection and concerns over efficacy. However, international research debunks these myths.

The world's largest study of new hepatitis c curative therapies - the C-EDGE CO-STAR Clinical Trial - has now found that illicit drug use prior to and during hepatitis C therapy had no impact on the effectiveness of the therapy, and that reinfection is low, at 4%. The results also showed excellent treatment adherence. Cure rates were comparable to results in hepatitis C populations that exclude people who use drugs.

Further, mathematical modelling suggests that even moderate levels of treatment uptake in people who use drugs could offer considerable prevention benefits.

One study looking at settings in Scotland, Australia and Canada indicated a 3-5 fold increase in treatment uptake among people who inject drugs could halve hepatitis C prevalence in 15 years.

Other studies modelled on people who inject drugs in the UK and France concluded realistic treatment scale-up could achieve 15-50% reduction in chronic hepatitis C prevalence in a decade.

To add to the benefits, treating people who use drugs with moderate or mild hepatitis C with new therapies is cost-effective in most settings compared to delaying until cirrhosis.

Several countries have introduced hepatitis C elimination programs, with Australia, France and Iceland offering unrestricted access. All eyes are now turned on Australia, where over 20 000 people (10% of the chronic HCV population) have initiated treatment in the first four months since subsidised treatment has become available.

"Countries such as Australia and France have taken the lead in adopting evidence-based policies that will save lives. Now it's time for other countries, including the US and Norway, to follow their lead and allow all patients with chronic hepatitis C to be treated with the new drugs," said Professor Olav Dalgard, Chair of the INSHU 2016 Symposium.

"We strongly recommend that all restrictions on access to new hepatitis C treatments based on drug or alcohol use or opioid substitution treatment be removed. There is no good ethical or health based evidence for such discriminations. Nor do the restrictions make clinical, public health or health economic sense," he said.

"Providing treatment to people who inject drugs, integrated with harm reduction programs and linkage to care, is the key to hepatitis C program success. And our experience in Copenhagen shows this can work. Such efforts need to be initiated and scaled up globally," added Professor Jeffrey Lazarus, Centre for Health and Infectious Disease Research, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, who is presenting at the Symposium.

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ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON HEPATITIS CARE IN SUBSTANCE USERS

This symposium is the leading International conference focused on the management of hepatitis among substance users. It is organized by the International Network for Hepatitis in Substance Users (INHSU). The symposium is held biennially and was first held in Zurich, Switzerland, in 2009, Brussels, Belgium, in 2011, Munich, Germany, in 2013 and Sydney, Australia, in 2015. DEBUNKING THE MYTHS: Why treatment works Adherence and Efficacy: Emerging data suggests that people who use drugs and people receiving opioid substitution therapy have high rates of adherence and response to new hepatitis C curative treatments (interferon-free DAA HCV therapy)  comparable to people without a history of drug use. Reinfection: While HCV reinfection can occur, data suggests that the rate of reinfection among people who inject drugs is low and should not be a reason for withholding hepatitis C therapy. The expansion of programs for enhancing drug user health (including opioid substitution therapy and needle and syringe programs) will be essential to ensure that HCV reinfection risk is minimized. Cost: It has been demonstrated that treatment of people who inject drugs is cost-effective, given the potential for preventing onward transmission. INHSU 2016: NEW RESEARCH SUPPORTING THE TREATMENT OF PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS WITH HEPATITIS C

The research below is being presented at INHSU 2016 and provides further evidence that treating people who inject drugs (PWID) is effective. HIGH RATES OF SUSTAINED VIROLOGICAL RESPONSE IN PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS TREATED WITH ALL-ORAL DIRECT ACTING ANTIVIRAL REGIMENS

This study demonstrates that all PWID completed therapy with high rates of viral cure despite significant rates of drug use. This data demonstrates support for the treatment of PWID. Read the abstract. REAL WORLD OUTCOMES OF DIRECT ACTING ANTIVIRAL (DAA) THERAPY FOR HEPATITIS C (HCV) AMONGST PERSONS WHO INJECT DRUGS TREATED IN AN INNER-CITY HEPATITIS C TREATMENT PROGRAM, VANCOUVER, CANADA

Outcomes attained using DAA therapies are high in a real world setting. Strategies to improve retention in care post therapy will be important to ensure appropriate monitoring for treatment failure and re-infection. Read the abstract. CHANGES IN RISK BEHAVIOURS DURING AND FOLLOWING TREATMENT FOR HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION AMONG PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS: THE ACTIVATE STUDY

Recent injecting drug use and hazardous alcohol use decreased, while OST increased during and following HCV treatment among participants with on-going injecting drug use. These findings support further expansion of HCV care among PWID. Read the abstract. OPTIMAL ADHERENCE DURING HCV TREATMENT AMONGST ACTIVE DRUG USERS AT A COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM IN TORONTO, CANADA

This study provides insight into the adherence patterns of marginalized people living with HCV and demonstrates that despite high rates of substance use, a community- based model of HCV treatment can support positive HCV treatment outcomes. Read the abstract. CC-EDGE CO-STAR: RISK OF REINFECTION FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL THERAPY WITH ELBASVIR (EBR) AND GRAZOPREVIR (GZR) IN PERSONS WHO INJECT DRUGS (PWID) RECEIVING OPIOID AGONIST THERAPY (OAT)

Data on HCV reinfection rates after successful treatment are limited. This study is the largest on reinfection post-interferon-free therapy to date. Several HCV reinfection cases were detected among PWID on OAT following successful EBR/GZR therapy. Further follow-up is required to determine the natural course of HCV reinfection in the setting of interferon-free HCV treatment and the impact of viral persistence following reinfection on long-term response rates in this population. Read the abstract. COMBINING THE EXPANSION OF MEDICATED ASSISTED THERAPIES AND HCV TREATMENT AMONG PWID IN UKRAINE: INSIGHTS FROM NETWORK MODELING

Combining antiviral HCV treatment with continued OST expansion are crucial for the reduction of HCV prevalence in the longer run. Substantial scale up of HCV treatment is a necessary condition for effective treatment in the context of high HCV prevalence and complex networks structures among PWID. Read the abstract.
More than 20 years ago, a billboard in China piqued the interest of a chemical biologist. It endorsed an extract from the plant known as the "thunder god vine" as an immunosuppressant. A brief review of published research revealed that the extract's key ingredient -- the small molecule triptolide -- had been identified 20 years before that billboard ad, and it could stop cells from multiplying.

Now, that chemical biologist and his colleagues at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine report that tests of triptolide in human cells and mice are vastly improved by the chemical attachment of glucose to the triptolide molecule. The chemical add-on makes the molecule more soluble and essentially turns it into a "cruise missile" that preferentially seeks out cancer cells, the research says. The change might also decrease side effects in patients and make the drug easier to administer.

A summary of the research is published in the journal Angewandte Chemie and was published online on Aug. 30.

"We have a long way to go before we can test this derivative of triptolide in humans, and we think that additional adjustments could improve it even more," says Jun O. Liu, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology and molecular sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a member of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, "but it already has the key characteristics we've been looking for: It is quite water soluble, and it prefers cancer cells over healthy cells."

Liu, a native of a small town north of Shanghai in China, explains that the thunder god vine has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 400 years, mostly to calm an overactive immune system, which can cause diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

His laboratory specializes in figuring out how natural compounds with known healing properties exert their effects on human cells. Five years ago, he and his colleagues discovered that triptolide halts cell growth by interfering with the protein XPB, part of the large protein machine transcription factor IIH, which, in turn, is needed by enzyme complex RNA polymerase II to make mRNA.

Because triptolide halts cell growth, it works well to fight the multiplication of cancer cells, Liu says, both in lab-grown cells and in laboratory animals with cancer. Unfortunately, it -- and many of its derivatives -- has failed to work well in patients because it doesn't dissolve well in water or blood, and has too many side effects due to its indiscriminate killing of healthy cells as well as tumor cells.

Liu's latest research sought to "train" triptolide to target cancer cells by exploiting the knowledge that most cancer cells make extra copies of proteins, called glucose transporters. Those transporters form tunnels through a cell's membrane to import enough glucose to fuel rapid growth. By attaching glucose to triptolide, the researchers hoped to trick the cancer cells into importing the cell-killing poison, as had been done successfully with other anticancer drugs.

"We were looking for something that could be administered intravenously, remain stable in the blood and then become active as soon as it was imported into cancer cells," says Liu.

To begin, the chemists designed and synthesized five derivatives of triptolide, dubbed glutriptolides. Each derivative had glucose attached to the same spot on the triptolide molecule but had different "linkers" connecting them.

An initial experiment showed that none of the glutriptolides were good at blocking the activity of purified transcription factor IIH. Liu explains that what might seem like bad news was actually a positive result, since it suggested that the drugs would only be active once they entered cells and had their glucose attachments removed.

When the five glutriptolides were tested on human embryonic kidney cells, glutriptolide 2 slowed down cell growth better than the rest and is the only derivative they continued to study.

In later test tube and cell experiments, the researchers confirmed that glutriptolide 2 works just like triptolide -- by interfering with XPB -- though it does so only in higher concentrations. They also showed that a cancer cell line (DLD1-Mut) known to produce lots of glucose transporter 1 was more sensitive to glutriptolide 2's effects than a similar cell line (DLD1-WT) without extra copies of the transporter.

When the researchers assessed triptolide's effects on a variety of healthy cells and cancer cells in parallel with glutriptolide 2, they found that triptolide tended to equally slow the growth of healthy cells and cancer cells, while glutriptolide 2 was eight times more effective against cancer cells, on average. Liu says this result suggests that the new compound -- if tested in humans -- may be more selective against cancer cells and could therefore have fewer side effects.

Finally, due to the differences in the compounds' general toxicity, tests showed that mice could tolerate a dose of 0.2 milligram/kilogram of triptolide and 1 milligram/kilogram of glutriptolide 2. At those doses, glutriptolide 2 eradicated tumors more quickly in mice with prostate cancer and prevented tumor cells from reappearing for a full three weeks after treatment had stopped.

"We were totally surprised to see that sustained antitumor activity," says Liu. "It's something we want to study further." The group plans to test additional modifications to the biochemical links that connect glucose to triptolide to see if it can further decrease the compound's toxicity to healthy cells and increase its effectiveness against cancerous ones.

The work was accomplished through a close international collaboration among three research groups led by Liu, Martin Pomper of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Biao Yu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Other authors of the report include Qing-Li He, Il Minn, Sarah Head and Emmanuel Datan of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Qiaoling Wang and Peng Xu of the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This work was supported by a Synergy Award from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, which is funded in part by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (UL1 TR 001079).

A nondisclosure agreement for the invention/technology described in this publication has been executed between The Johns Hopkins University and Rapafusyn Pharmaceuticals Inc. Dr. Liu is a co-founder of and a Scientific Advisory Board Member for Rapafusyn Pharmaceuticals Inc. This arrangement has been reviewed and approved by The Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.

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New Rochelle, NY, September 7, 2016-Researchers have identified Zika virus in mosquito species other than Aedes aegypti, which is largely responsible for the current outbreaks of Zika infection, raising concerns that different mosquito vectors may be capable of transmitting the virus. However, a new study demonstrates that even after feeding high levels of Zika virus, Culex species mosquitoes remain refractory to infection and therefore highly unlikely to transmit the infection to humans as supported by evidence published in Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases website until October 7, 2016.

Entitled "Culex Species Mosquitoes and Zika Virus," the report demonstrates that the most widespread and abundant Culex species in the United States are very resistant to Zika virus infection even when exposed to high levels in a bloodmeal. In a timely finding with important implications for Florida and other emerging areas of Zika virus infection, Yan-Jang Huang, Dana Vanlandingham and co-authors from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS), Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ), Mercer County Mosquito Control (Trenton, NJ), University of Florida (Vero Beach, FL), and Agriculture Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture (Manhattan, KS), showed that Culex quinquefasciatus, for example, a mosquito species from Vero Beach, FL, is refractory to infection with Zika virus. The information presented helps to target appropriate mosquito control. Non-target species such as bees can be affected without that focus.

The authors recommend that mosquito control efforts in areas of Florida with non-travel-related cases of infection should continue to focus on Aedes species.

A subsequent Brazilian study (Guedes DRD et al., biorxiv 2016, unpublished preprint) has shown the capacity for Brazilian Culex quinquefasciatus to be infected and to transmit Zika virus.

University of Aix-Marseille visiting Professor Ernest Gould commented, "Prior to its totally unexpected emergence, dispersion and subsequent association with microcephaly, Guillain Barre syndrome, materno-fetal, sexual, and post-transfusion transmission, Zika virus was a relatively neglected arbovirus with less than 20 recorded human infections globally. However, it is currently one of the most reported (in the media) arboviruses of all time. The emergence of Zika virus in this form has truly shocked the world. Moreover, since Zika virus is an arbovirus that no longer relies upon the natural sylvatic jungle reservoir, one of the many burning questions is, has it evolved the ability to exploit mosquito vectors such as Culex species (the vectors of West Nile virus) in order to increase this amazing epidemiological success. The paper by Vanlandingham's group describes laboratory experiments to assess the transmission competence of Culex species and provides strong evidence to support the view that Culex species mosquitoes are highly unlikely to be important vectors of Zika virus. This report provides very helpful guidance for health agencies charged with the responsibility of controlling local mosquito populations in regions of North America where Zika virus presents a potential threat."

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About the Journal

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly online with open access options and in print dedicated to diseases transmitted to humans by insects or animals. Led by Stephen Higgs, Ph.D., Director, Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, the Journal covers a widespread group of vector and zoonotic-borne diseases including bacterial, chlamydial, rickettsial, viral, and parasitic zoonoses and provides a unique platform for basic and applied disease research. The Journal also examines geographic, seasonal, and other risk factors that influence the transmission, diagnosis, management, and prevention of zoonotic diseases that pose a threat to public health worldwide. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases is the official journal of SocZEE, the Society for Zoonotic Ecology and Epidemiology. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately, held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Viral Immunology, Health Security, and Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.
EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Local school board elections increasingly are becoming a national political battleground, as millions of dollars in campaign cash pours in from out-of-state donors in the name of education reform, indicates new research led by a Michigan State University scholar.

Take, for example, Laurene Powell Jobs, Steve Jobs' widow and a California resident who has funneled some of her $20 billion fortune to school board races not only in Los Angeles, but in Denver and New Orleans as well. Or John Arnold, a Texas hedge fund manager with a net worth of $3 billion who also has contributed to school board candidates in those same three cities outside of his home state.

In most cases, wealthy outside donors are supporting reform-minded school board candidates who are competing with candidates backed by teacher unions, said Sarah Reckhow, MSU assistant professor of political science and lead author on the study.

"Our findings show how local arenas can serve as important battlegrounds in national politics - penetrated by networks of outside donors and organizations who see local elections as critical contests over competing visions of education," said Reckhow.

Reckhow, MSU's Rebecca Jacobsen and colleagues from Columbia University analyzed more than 16,000 contributions to school board races in Denver, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Bridgeport, Connecticut, from 2008 to 2013. Their study, published online in Urban Affairs Review, is one of the first to examine non-local campaign contributions to school board elections.

Historically, school board elections have been low-budget and low-turnout affairs often dominated by teacher unions. But this is changing, the study found, with outside donors playing a large role in the school board elections in all four of the cities examined.

During the 2011-12 school board elections in Bridgeport, for example, large national donors gave 66 percent of all contributions. And in the 2013 Los Angeles school board elections, large national donors gave 48 percent of all contributions.

Reckhow said she doubts outside donations in school board elections is a passing fad. In cities where outside donors were not opposed by outside union money - Denver and New Orleans - reform candidates were largely successful in winning elections. This means areas with less union involvement could present a strategic opportunity for outside donors supporting education reform.

Outside spending is also not restricted to larger urban school districts, as national education reform groups have targeted school board elections in smaller cities such as Elizabeth, N.J., and Burbank, California.

But what are the implications for local democracy?

Outside money may not be a bad thing if it comes from donors whose values and interests align with those of local residents, the study says. And it might even be a good thing if outside donations "offset the dominance of local elites with parochial interests or raise the visibility of elections."

On the other hand, attitudes toward education policy among the wealthy differ from most Americans. Rich donors tend to be more supportive of market-oriented reforms, such as charter schools and merit pay for teachers, but are less supportive of paying more taxes for early childhood education and federal spending to improve schools.

Moreover, local school politics has sometimes been more pragmatic and open to negotiated compromise than national education debates.

"The nationalization of local education politics might draw local leaders into the more ideologically polarized and unwavering position-taking that has contributed to national-level gridlock," the study warns.

In addition to Jacobsen, an associate professor of teacher education and associate director of MSU's Education Policy Center, Reckhow's co-authors include Jeffrey Henig and Jamie Alter Litt, both from Columbia University in New York.

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A North Carolina State University study of middle school science classes explored whether teachers' beliefs about climate change influenced students' perceptions.

"The answer is yes and no," says Kathryn Stevenson, an assistant professor in NC State's College of Natural Resources and lead author of a paper describing the study, published in PLOS ONE. "While students generally mirror a teacher's belief that global warming is happening, when it comes to the cause of climate change, students reason for themselves and reach different conclusions than their teachers do."

Stevenson said the study included 369 middle school students in coastal North Carolina, a region at high risk of sea-level rise and related effects of climate change.

While more than 95 percent of the world's climate scientists attribute global warming to human causes, only about half of U.S. adults agree. Teachers share those views, suggesting such polarization over climate change causes may be spread through classroom teaching.

"We know that adults' views of climate change are strongly related to their worldviews and ideology," Stevenson says. "Early adolescence is a time when students' views are still forming, and we wanted to find out which factors affect their beliefs about climate change."

Researchers found that having a teacher who believed climate change was occurring - as 92 percent of students in the study did - was a "strong, positive predictor" of students' belief in global warming.

However, students diverged from their teachers when it came to understanding the causes of climate change. Students who believed climate change was happening concluded it was caused by humans regardless of their teachers' beliefs.

"Students could interpret scientific information for themselves and deduce that climate change is human-caused or anthropogenic," says Stevenson, a former science teacher for grades 4-12. "The strongest factor in students' belief in human-caused climate change was their own knowledge of climate science."

Most middle school science teachers reported spending a short time focusing on climate change - one to two hours on average.

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The study was funded by North Carolina Sea Grant. Co-authors are Nils Peterson, an NC State professor of fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology; and Amy Bradshaw, an NC State zoology student who earned a bachelor's degree in 2016.

Note to editors: An abstract of the research follows.

How Climate Change Beliefs among U.S. Teachers Do and Do Not Translate to Students

Published: Sept. 7, 2016 in PLOS ONE

Authors: Kathryn T. Stevenson, M. Nils Peterson and Amy Bradshaw, North Carolina State University

Abstract: Research suggests climate change beliefs among science teachers mirror those of the general public, raising questions of whether teachers may be perpetuating polarization of public opinion through their classrooms. We began answering these questions with a survey of middle school science teachers (n=24) and their students (n=369) in North Carolina, USA. Similar to previous studies, we found that though nearly all (92.1%) of students had teachers who believe that global warming is happening, few (12%) are in classrooms with teachers who recognize that global warming is anthropogenic. We found that teacher beliefs that global warming is happening and student climate change knowledge were the strongest predictors of student belief that global warming is happening and human caused. Conversely, teacher beliefs about human causes of global warming had no relationship with student beliefs, suggesting that science teachers' low recognition of the causes of global warming is not necessarily problematic in terms of student outcomes. These findings may be explained by previous research suggesting adolescents interpret scientific information relatively independently of ideological constraints. Though teacher polarization may be problematic in its own right, it appears that as long as climate change information is presented in classrooms, students deduce anthropogenic causes.
Researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology and physicians at Rochester Regional Health are advancing thermal imaging techniques as a potentially safer and less invasive diagnostic tool for the detection of early-stage breast cancer.

A National Science Foundation grant of $99,620 is supporting the two-year project and the multidisciplinary team that represents the strategic collaboration of the RIT & Rochester Regional Health Alliance. Satish Kandlikar, the Gleason Professor of Mechanical Engineering in RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering, is leading the NSF-funded study to establish modern thermal, or infrared, imaging as a viable alternative to other technologies, such as ultrasound and MRI, used in addition to conventional mammograms.

"Modern infrared imaging has the potential to significantly increase the accuracy of screening for breast cancer and could have broad implications for preventive medicine," Kandlikar said.

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer will affect one in eight women in the United States, and higher breast density further increases the risk.

"About 50 percent of women have dense breast tissue, and mammography alone may not be as effective as we need it to be for screening," said Dr. Lori Medeiros, medical director, Rochester Regional Health Breast Center. "Advances in thermal imaging technology would provide a relatively inexpensive, non-invasive approach that doesn't use ionizing radiation and causes minimal discomfort to the patient."

In dense breast tissue, layers of glandular and connective tissue appear white on a mammogram and can make tumors--which also look white--harder to find. Expensive diagnostic procedures may be required to rule out abnormalities.

Kandlikar said existing thermal imaging techniques are not very accurate, are cumbersome and uncomfortable to the patient, requiring cooling of the breast tissue by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius with a blast of air or metal plates, and are not widely used.

New thermal imaging techniques can detect when cancer alters the metabolic behavior of tissues and radiates specific thermal signatures, or localized "hot spots." Kandlikar's method combines thermal imaging with an artificial intelligence system that predicts the location and size of tumors on a thermal map. The algorithms will simulate scenarios based on numerical models of thermal-signature patterns derived from mammography and MRI conducted at Rochester General Hospital.

"We will develop models and a large set of benchmark data sets, which will be validated with clinical data obtained with our Rochester Regional Health partners," Kandlikar said.

"The team isn't interested in replicating the current methods of thermography; we want to improve the technology enough that thermal imaging will be a fully-reliable complement to mammography in breast cancer detection," said Medeiros. "We're looking forward to the development of this new technique as part of our commitment to the community in the screening and treatment of breast cancer."

Kandlikar's research team includes Medeiros and RGH medical personnel Dr. Donnette Dabydeen, diagnostic radiologist, and Dr. Prad Phatak, medical director of the Lipson Cancer Institute and interim chief of medicine at Rochester General Hospital.

RIT engineering Ph.D. students Jose Luis Hernandez and Abigail Clark, respectively, will conduct the numerical simulation and develop the infrared imaging system for obtaining patient data. Clark will work in close supervision with the medical personnel at the hospital.

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The RIT & Rochester Regional Health Alliance formed in 2008 with a mission dedicated to innovation in medical care, education and research for the betterment of individuals in our institutions and the greater community. RIT is Rochester Regional Health's official academic affiliate and Rochester Regional is the university's official affiliated clinical partner. To learn more, visit: https://www.rit.edu/affiliate/rrh/

Rochester Regional Health is an integrated health services organization serving the people of Western New York, the Finger Lakes and beyond. The system provides care from 150 locations, including five hospitals; more than 100 primary and specialty practices, rehabilitation centers and ambulatory campuses; innovative senior services, facilities and independent housing; a wide range of behavioral health services; and ACM Medical Laboratory, a global leader in patient and clinical trials. Rochester Regional Health, the region's second-largest employer, was named one of "America's Best Employers" by Forbes in 2015. Learn more at RochesterRegional.org.
An SDSU psychologist finds that Americans, especially young ones, don't stick to the same political script as their parents

Today's young millennial voters are seen as a key demographic for political victory in many races this fall. Now, new research suggests that millennials' political views differ significantly from young people from previous generations.

A team led by San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge, author of the book "Generation Me," examined data from three large, nationally representative surveys of high school seniors, entering college students and adults in the United States administered since the 1970s. The surveys included responses to a variety of political questions from 10 million participants.

As of 2014, nearly half (46 percent) of adult Americans identified as political independents, including 59 percent of Millennials ages 18 to 29. Both of those numbers are all-time highs.

"Americans, especially young people, are abandoning the two major political parties to declare themselves politically independent," Twenge said. "In an increasingly individualistic culture, large groups such as political parties are less popular."

"Independent" doesn't necessarily translate into politically moderate, however. The researchers also found that political views have become more polarized in recent years, with twice as many adults in the 2010s describing themselves as either extremely liberal or conservative than adults in the early 1970s.

Those who do claim allegiance to one of the two major political parties in the United States are more homogenous in their views. Whereas there were once liberal and conservative members of both parties, today the vast majority of those who identify as Republicans hold conservative views and those who identify as Democrats hold liberal views, the study found. The researchers published their work in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

In recent years, there has also been an uptick in conservatism among young people. High school seniors in the 2010s were 38 percent more likely to identify as conservatives than their age-matched peers in the 1970s. That's surprising, Twenge said, because these same young people disagree with many traditionally conservative viewpoints, indicating a potential overhaul of the definition of conservatism.

"Given young people's support for same-sex marriage and legalizing marijuana, it's surprising that more now identify as political conservatives," she says. "It may be that the definition of what they consider conservative is changing. Overall, Millennials may not be as reliably liberal and Democrat as many had predicted, especially as they are likely to grow more conservative as they get older."

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In a study published online by JAMA Surgery, Andrew C. Eppstein, M.D., of the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, and colleagues examined whether lean processes can be used to improve wait times for surgical procedures in Veterans Affairs hospitals.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care network in the United States, providing a unique system of health care delivery and access to 9 million veterans. However, it has come under increased media scrutiny over the past 2 years for delays in scheduling, lengthy patient wait times, and lack of access.

In this study, various databases were examined to assess changes in wait times for elective general surgical procedures and clinical volume before, during, and after implementation of lean processes over 3 fiscal years (FYs) at a tertiary care Veterans Affairs medical center (Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis). The surgery service and systems redesign service performed an analysis in FY 2013, culminating in multiple rapid process improvement workshops. Multidisciplinary teams identified systemic inefficiencies and strategies to improve interdepartmental and patient communication to reduce canceled consultations and cases, diagnostic rework, and no-shows. High-priority triage with enhanced operating room flexibility was instituted to reduce scheduling wait times. General surgery department pilot projects were then implemented mid-FY 2013.

The researchers found that average patient wait times for elective general surgical procedures decreased from 33 days in FY 2012 to 26 days in FY 2013. In FY 2014, average wait times were half the value of the previous FY at 12 days. This was a 3-fold decrease from wait times in FY 2012. Operative volume increased from 931 patients in FY 2012 to 1,090 in FY 2013 and 1,072 in FY 2014. Combined clinic, telehealth, and e-consultation encounters increased from 3,131 in FY 2012 to 3,460 in FY 2013 and 3,517 in FY 2014, while the number of no-shows decreased from 366 in FY 2012 to 227 in FY 2014.

"This study demonstrated a significant reduction in patient wait times for surgical procedures and an improvement in access in the clinical and operative settings when implementing lean processes. The improvement gained was noted over multiple areas and seen during the implementation of new technologies. The changes in the measured outcome categories occurred early, and the differences were sustained across the entire observation period," the authors write.

"Improvement in the overall surgical patient experience can stem from multidisciplinary collaboration among systems redesign personnel, clinicians, and surgical staff to reduce systemic inefficiencies. Monitoring and follow-up of system efficiency measures and the employment of lean practices and process improvements can have positive short- and long-term effects on wait times, clinical throughput, and patient care and satisfaction."

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(JAMA Surgery. Published online September 7, 2016. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2016.2808. This study is available pre-embargo at the For The Media website.)

Editor's Note: This material is the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center. No conflict of interest disclosures were reported.

Commentary: Building a Lean, Mean Patient Care Machine

"These results support the conclusion that Veterans Affairs and other large health care delivery systems may benefit from lean process. Implementing such change requires multidisciplinary collaboration," write Juliet June Ray, M.D., M.S.P.H., and Seth A. Spector, M.D., of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, in an accompanying commentary.

"The stakes are high, and process, organization, and infrastructure must be reformed to ensure that health care delivery, research, education, and training proceed at the highest standard. This crisis provides the private and public sectors with an opportunity to consider lean transformations to expand access, reduce cost, and, most importantly, improve health outcomes and the patient experience."

(JAMA Surgery. Published online September 7, 2016. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2016.2834. This article is available pre-embargo at the For The Media website.)

Editor's Note: No conflict of interest disclosures were reported.
During the first three months after stroke, the risk for depression was eight times higher than in a reference population of people without stroke, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.

More than 10 million people had a stroke in 2013 and more than 30 million people worldwide live with a stroke diagnosis.

Merete Osler, M.D., D.M.Sc., Ph.D., of Copenhagen University, Denmark, and coauthors used data linked from seven Danish nationwide registers to examine how risk and risk factors for depression differ between patients with stroke and a reference population without stroke, as well as how depression influences death.

Among 135,417 patients with stroke, 34,346 (25.4 percent) had a diagnosis of depression within two years after stroke and more than half of the cases of depression (n=17,690) appeared in the first three months after stroke.

In a reference population of 145,499 people without stroke, 11,330 (7.8 percent) had a depression diagnosis within two years after entering the study and less than a quarter of the cases (n=2,449) appeared within the first three months, according to the results.

The risk of depression in patients during the first three months after stroke was eight times higher than in the reference population without stroke, the authors report.

Major risk factors for depression for patients after stroke and in the reference population were older age, female sex, living alone, basic educational attainment, diabetes, a high level of somatic comorbidity, history of depression and stroke severity (in patients with stroke), according to the results.

In both groups - patients with stroke and the reference population without stroke - depressed individuals, especially those with new onset, had increased risk of death from all causes.

Study limitations include a definition of depression that was based on psychiatric diagnoses and filling of antidepressant prescriptions, and most cases were defined by filling antidepressants, which can be prescribed for various diseases.

"Depression is common in patients with stroke during the first year after diagnosis, and those with prior depression or severe stroke are especially at risk. Because a large number of deaths can be attributable to depression after stroke, clinicians should be aware of this risk," the study concludes.

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(JAMA Psychiatry. Published online Sept. 7, 2016. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1932. Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com.)

Editor's Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
New research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai using electroencephalography, or EEG, indicates that adults addicted to cocaine may be increasingly vulnerable to relapse from day two to one month of abstinence and most vulnerable between one and six months. The findings, published online today in JAMA Psychiatry, suggest that the most intense periods of craving for illicit substances often coincide with patients' release from addiction treatment programs and facilities.

It is not known why individuals with substance use disorders relapse even after remaining abstinent from illicit substances for long periods of time. However, it is clear that cue-induced craving--craving elicited by the exposure to cues previously associated with drug use--plays a major role in relapse. Until now, studies have used self-reported measures to assess cue-induced craving. This is the first study that uses EEG to quantify cue-induced craving in humans with cocaine use disorder, showing a similar trajectory of craving demonstrated in previous studies using animal models. In this study and in contrast to the EEG measures, self-reported craving showed a gradual decline with increasing abstinence duration, underscoring a potential disconnect between the physiological response to drug-related cues in addicted individuals and their perception of this response.

"Our results are important because they identify an objectively ascertained period of high vulnerability to relapse," says Muhammad Parvaz, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the study's lead author. "Unfortunately, this period of vulnerability coincides with the window of discharge from most treatment programs, perhaps increasing a person's propensity to relapse."

Over five and a half years, the research team collected data from EEG recordings in 76 adults addicted to cocaine with varying durations of abstinence (two days, one week, one month, six months, and one year). EEG was recorded while participants looked at different types of pictures, including pictures that depicted cocaine and individuals preparing, using, and simulating use of cocaine. After EEG, participants also self-rated their level of craving for each cocaine-related picture.

"Results of this study are alarming in that they suggest that many people struggling with drug addiction are being released from treatment programs at the time they need the most support," said Rita Goldstein, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine and Principal Investigator of the study. "Our results could help guide the implementation of alternative, individually tailored and optimally timed intervention, prevention, and treatment strategies."

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Scott J. Moeller, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine, also collaborated in the study. The entire Neuropsychoimaging of Addiction and Related Conditions (NARC) group also provided the needed support.

The research was supported by multiple grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): F32DA033088, 1K01DA037453, 1R21DA40046, R01DA023579, 1R21DA034954-01, and R01DA041528-01.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services--from community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care.

The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 12 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the "Honor Roll" of best hospitals in America, ranked No. 15 nationally in the 2016-2017 "Best Hospitals" issue of U.S. News & World Report. The Mount Sinai Hospital is also ranked as one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Geriatrics, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Nephrology, Neurology/Neurosurgery, and Ear, Nose & Throat, and is in the top 50 in four other specialties. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 10 nationally for Ophthalmology, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's, and Mount Sinai West are ranked regionally. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital is ranked in seven out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report in "Best Children's Hospitals."

For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Sept. 7, 2016 -- A new study by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Northern Arizona University (NAU) used deep DNA sequencing methods to generate the anthrax genome sequence from the victims of the 1979 anthrax outbreak in Sverdlovsk, Russia, when it was part of the USSR.

The Soviet Union produced anthrax spores on an industrial scale but repeatedly denied the existence of their biological weapons program. This study, to be published in the September issue of the journal mBio, represents a precise and detailed examination of the anthrax strain used in their weapons development, and includes an anthrax genetic database that puts the weapons strain into a global context.

"I have been studying this anthrax outbreak and these specimens for more than 20 years. Finally, using genomic technology, we could comprehensively characterize this pathogen genome," said Dr. Paul Keim, Director of TGen's Pathogen Genomics Division, a Regents Professor of Biology and the Cowden Endowed Chair of Microbiology at NAU, and the study's lead author.

"This is the signature agent of the world's largest biological weapons program and now we have it in our genetic databases. Anywhere this strain shows up again, we will be able to identify it and track it back to its source. This is now an essential part of our forensic arsenal," said Dr. Keim, who also is Director of NAU's Microbial Genetics & Genomics Center (MGGen).

The anthrax bacterium produces small capsules, or spores, that can lie dormant for decades. After settling inside the human lung, for example, it can cause a severe disease that, if not treated with antibiotics, kills 90 percent of those it infects.

Anthrax is found in many parts of the globe and dispersed through the human movement of animal parts contaminated with spores. Wool and hair from goats and sheep are moved globally as textiles or their precursors. When these originate in anthrax endemic regions, they can carry the spores, which are long-lived. While this bacterium has little variation from strain to strain, whole genome sequencing has identified DNA fingerprints that enable molecular epidemiology, tracing it to its source. When anthrax outbreaks occur, their whole genome profile are now routinely compared to the genetic database to identify possible sources and exclude others. This type of analysis was used by the FBI to track the spores in the 2001 anthrax letter attacks, which infected 22 people and killed five.

The Soviet Union had signed the Biological Weapons convention that prohibited the use of biological agents, including anthrax, as weapons. The United States' biological weapons program was eliminated in a decree by President Richard Nixon in 1969, but the Soviet program was maintained and expanded in a covert fashion for decades.

In 1992, an investigative team from the United States led by noted Harvard biologist Dr. Matt Meselson characterized the 1979 Sverdlovsk outbreak by interviewing local physicians, visiting cemeteries and examining autopsy specimens. This investigation, along with accounts by Ken Alibek, a former Soviet scientist, revealed that the Sverdlovsk anthrax outbreak was due to an industrial accident. A faulty filter at a Soviet spore production facility allowed anthrax spores, in a silent plume, to drift with the wind over the city and into the nearby countryside. Nearly 70 Sverdlovsk inhabitants died as far as three miles downwind from the facility, but more anthrax-susceptible farm animals died over 25 miles away. It remains the world's deadliest human outbreak of inhalation anthrax.

The bacterial genomes were generated from autopsy tissue specimens of two Sverdlovsk anthrax victims. These tissues were moved to the United States with permission of Sverdlovsk pathologists to continue the investigation into the disease outbreak. From these, it was established that the anthrax pathogen was detected within their tissues and the victims died from inhaling the spores.

The Sverdlovsk anthrax genome was compared to the global genome database maintained by NAU to identify its close relatives and to look for evidence of genetic engineering. The Flagstaff research team found that this strain was closely related to other Asian isolates with very few differences to naturally occurring anthrax. There were no signs of genetic engineering.

Dr. Keim notes that the Soviets had to be very meticulous to avoid mutant variants from dominating their production stock. Invariably when wild anthrax strains are grown extensively in the laboratory, they adapt to those conditions and lose the killing power.

"The Sverdlovsk strain's genome looked very much like those of wild strains we see across Asia," Dr. Keim said.

Dr. Meselson, who was not part of the current paper, notes: "If this strain had been grown repeated in the laboratory, it would have mutated to a form that had less virulence and less capacity to cause anthrax. The Soviet scientists must been very meticulous in their maintenance of the natural form."

Dr. Meselson, who is the Thomas Dudley Cabot Professor of the Natural Sciences at Harvard, is known for his 1961 discovery of messenger RNA.

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This study was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

About TGen

Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, and diabetes, through cutting edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit: http://www.tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen.

Media Contact:

Steve Yozwiak

TGen Senior Science Writer

602-343-8704

syozwiak@tgen.org

About NAU

Northern Arizona University is a high-research university with a statewide enrollment of 30,000 students. More than 20,000 students attend the Flagstaff campus, with more than 8,000 students enrolled online and at Extended Campus sites statewide. Research in genetics, forestry and ecology has drawn international recognition to the university, which also is highly regarded for its education, business and engineering programs. NAU launched competency-based Personalized Learning in 2013, the first self-paced, online education program that cuts the cost and time to an undergraduate degree. NAU is the host institution for the Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics (MGGEN) where this study was performed. NAU has around 100 graduate students in the biological sciences. For more information, visit nau.edu. Follow NAU on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.

Media Contact:

Kimberly Ott

Assistant to the President for Executive Communications and Media Relations

(928) 523-1894

Kimberly.Ott@nau.edu
Countless microorganisms live in the intestinal tract. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have been able to demonstrate that intestinal bacteria also play a role in determining the strength of anaphylactic reactions to food allergens. The scientists present their results at the annual convention of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR), which is hosted by and at TUM this year.

The human microbiota -- the entirety of bacteria which live e.g. on the skin or in the intestinal tract -- has a complex influence on health. A team led by Prof. Tilo Biedermann, the director of the Clinic for Dermatology and Allergology at Rechts der Isar Hospital, examined the role microbiota plays in the digestive system in the case of food allergies.

The gut flora and the various elements of the immune system are closely interwoven and mutually influence each other. During its investigations, the team of researchers at TUM focused on a protein called NOD2. This receptor of the immune system is able to "recognize" intestinal bacteria -- or more precisely, the main component of their cell wall -- and initiate numerous complex processes. The scientists investigated the effects that occurred when this recognition receptor is absent.

A fundamentally changed immune reaction

Tilo Biedermann and his colleagues were able to demonstrate that when NOD2 was absent, the body's immune reaction changed fundamentally. Instead of cells such as regulatory T cells, which suppress an activation of the immune system, a greater number of what are called Th2 helper cells are formed.

These cells cause a larger number of the antibody immunoglobulin E (or IgE for short) to be produced. In persons suffering from food allergies, the IgE in the body has been "trained" for the corresponding allergens, and stimulates distinct cells to trigger an allergic reaction when it detects the allergen in the intestine, for example. The greater the amount of IgE, the stronger the allergic reaction.

Accordingly, the scientists observed particularly serious allergic reactions in mouse models when NOD2 was absent. The composition of the intestinal microbiota of these animals had also changed. Another aspect of the study demonstrates the true complexity of the interactions between microbiota and the immune system: When the composition of the intestinal bacteria was re-normalized, serious allergic reactions could be prevented even when NOD2 was absent.

Harmless bacteria as a new therapeutic approach

"This relationship between intestinal flora and the production of antibodies opens up new therapeutic approaches for patients whose microbiota is altered", says Tilo Biedermann. "For example, if it is possible to encourage harmless bacteria to colonize the intestines, this would also reduce the body's reaction to allergens."

So far, the findings have not yet been published. The scientists will be presenting them on Thursday, September 8 at the main plenary session of the 46th annual convention of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR). 1200 researchers will be traveling to Munich to attend the annual convention. This year's host and organizer is TUM. The topic "Microbiomes and Allergies" is one of the focal points of the convention. Prior to that, on Wednesday, September 7, Dr. Thomas Volz, a dermatologist at TUM, will be heading a symposium on skin bacteria titled "You'll never walk alone".

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Abstract:

T. Volz, F. Wolbing, F. Regler, S. Kaesler, T. Biedermann. NOD2 Signalling critically influences sensitization to orally ingested allergens". Journal of Investigative Dermatology 136:9 (2016). S. 201.
Global fisheries stand to lose approximately $10 billion of their annual revenue by 2050 if climate change continues unchecked, and countries that are most dependent on fisheries for food will be the hardest hit, finds new UBC research.

Climate change impacts such as rising temperatures and changes in ocean salinity, acidity and oxygen levels are expected to result in decreased catches, as previous research from UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries has found. In this study, the authors examined the financial impact of these projected losses for all fishing countries in 2050, compared to 2000.

"Developing countries most dependent on fisheries for food and revenue will be hardest hit," said Vicky Lam, a postdoctoral fellow at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, and the study's lead author. "It is necessary to implement better marine resource management plans to increase stock resilience to climate change."

While many communities are considering aquaculture, also known as fish farming, as a solution to ease the financial burden of fishing losses and improve food security under climate change, when researchers examined the growing industry, they found it may exacerbate the negative impact on revenues.

"Climate adaptation programs such as aquaculture development may be seen as a solution," said William Cheung, associate professor at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and a study co-author. "However, rather than easing the financial burden of fishing losses and improving food security, it may drive down the price of seafood, leading to further decreases in fisheries revenues."

The researchers used climate models from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to examine the economic impact of climate change on fish stocks and fisheries revenues under two emission scenarios. In a high emission scenario, the rates continue to rise unchecked, while a low emission scenario meant ocean warming is kept under two degrees Celsius.

"Global fisheries revenues amount to about $100 billion every year," said co-author, Rashid Sumaila, professor at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and Liu Institute for Global Studies. "Our modeling shows that a high emissions scenario could reduce global fishing revenue by an average of 10 per cent, while a low emissions scenario could reduce revenues by 7 per cent."

The researchers found the countries that rely highly on fish are the most vulnerable, including island countries like Tokelau, Cayman Islands and Tuvalu. Meanwhile, many developed countries, such as Greenland and Iceland, could see revenue increases as fish move into cooler waters.

The study was published today in Scientific Reports: http://www.nature.com/articles/srep32607

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Background

This study was a collaborative effort between Nippon Foundation-Nereus Program and OceanCanada Partnership.

Nippon Foundation-Nereus Program

The Nereus Program, a collaboration between the Nippon Foundation and the University of British Columbia Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, has engaged in innovative, interdisciplinary ocean research since its inception in 2011. The program is currently a global partnership of six leading marine science institutes with the aim of undertaking research that advances our comprehensive understandings of the global ocean systems across the natural and social sciences, from oceanography and marine ecology to fisheries economics and impacts on coastal communities. Visit nereusprogram.org for more information.

OceanCanada Partnership

OceanCanada is a Partnership of 18 institutions across the nation dedicated to building resilient and sustainable oceans on all Canadian coasts and to supporting coastal communities as they respond to rapid and uncertain environmental changes. Our research synthesizes social, cultural, economic and environmental knowledge about oceans and coasts nationally (and globally). Over the life of the project and beyond, we are taking stock of what we know about Canada's three oceans, building scenarios for the possible futures that await our coastal-ocean regions, and creating a national dialogue and shared vision for Canada's oceans. Visit http://oceancanada.org/ for more information.
Living in unabashedly racist communities can shorten the lives of both blacks and whites, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.

Researchers compared the racial biases of nearly 1.4 million people nationwide to death rates in more than 1,700 U.S. counties. Their findings suggest that blacks and, to a lesser degree, whites who reside in overtly racist communities are more prone to dying from heart disease and other circulatory diseases.

"This suggests that living in a racially hostile environment might be detrimental to both the group targeted by this bias, in this case blacks, as well as the group that harbors the bias, in this case whites," said study lead author Jordan Leitner, a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at UC Berkeley. The findings were just published in the online edition of the journal Psychological Science.

Researchers also found a racial gap in perceived access to affordable health care. The study found that blacks living in more bigoted communities reported having less access to affordable health care. Meanwhile, whites reported relatively high access to affordable health care, regardless of the racial bias of their community.

The study controlled for age, education, income, population, rural versus urban and other factors that might influence health.

While previous studies have connected perceived discrimination to negative health outcomes, this is the first to take large data sets, which were not previously available, and measure relationships between whites' racial bias and the health of whites and blacks in their community, Leitner said.

To conduct the study, researchers compared death rates from circulatory diseases from 2003 to 2013 - collected by the Centers for Disease Control - with racial bias data that came from Project Implicit, a website that provides tests to measure explicit and implicit biases related to gender, religion and race.

Explicit bias refers to more conscious biases while implicit bias reflects more nuanced automatic biases. These measures are widely used in social science research.

To assess implicit racial bias, study participants viewed a series of faces on a computer screen and pressed certain keys to categorize the faces as black or white. Next, they viewed a series of positive and negative words such as "nasty," "agony," "joy," and "peace," and used keys to categorize these words as "good" or "bad".

The same key was sometimes used to identify a black or white face, and to identify a positive or negative attribute. Participants who were faster at hitting the key associated with, say, a black face and with a negative attribute scored higher in implicit bias because they were quicker to make the association between black people and negative attributes.

To measure overt racial attitudes, participants rated on a scale of zero to 10 the warmth of their feelings about whites and blacks. Overt racism was defined as greater warmth towards whites, as compared to blacks.

Although the data depend on self-reported feelings about race, the sheer volume of responses (nearly 1.4 million) offers insight into the racial attitudes of a community, Leitner said.

Analysis of the data showed that counties with higher rates of heart-disease-related deaths were consistently on a par with those in which people reported higher levels of racial bias, and that blacks were most negatively impacted by this trend.

"We found that whites' explicit bias was more powerful than their implicit bias at predicting negative health outcomes for blacks," Leitner said.

As for the link between whites' explicit racial bias and death rates, Leitner said, a recent study from the University of Pennsylvania suggests that whites in highly biased communities are less likely to trust and bond with others in their community, and this lack of social connectedness may have negative health implications.

Circulatory disorders, which include heart attacks, angina and coronary heart disease, are the leading cause of death in the United States. While the study cannot make a causal link between racism and circulatory disease deaths, researchers speculate that the environmental stress of racial hostility combined with discrimination in health care may create or exacerbate circulatory problems for blacks.

"One possibility is that blacks in racially hostile communities experience lower quality health care, or may avoid seeking health care, even if it is available, because they feel like they won't be treated fairly," Leitner said.

Overall, Leitner said, the study reinforces the enduring power of overt racism, discussion of which has been eclipsed in recent years by a growing awareness of unconscious biases.

"It's become more normative over the past 40 years to be egalitarian, and being labeled a racist is stigmatizing in many communities," Leitner said.

But while explicit racism has decreased on a national scale, he said, "it's still a powerful predictor of how whites and blacks fare health-wise in a community."

Next, Leitner plans to look into long-term trends to see if racial biases are actually causing health disparities. He also intends to explore how blacks' racial attitudes affect health outcomes.

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In addition to Leitner, co-authors of the study are Ozlem Ayduk and Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton of UC Berkeley and Eric Hehman of Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Hospitals that take care of the oldest, sickest and most complicated patients could suffer financially under the Medicare system's new approach to paying for some types of care, a new study finds.

But there's still time to adjust the approach to make the playing field more level, the researchers from the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation say in a new paper published in the September issue of Health Affairs.

While the payment program only applies right now to hip and knee replacements in 800 hospitals in certain metro areas, and only started four months ago, its use is likely to expand to more conditions and include more hospitals. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services -- the federal agency that runs Medicare -- has put an emphasis on the approach as it tries to encourage smarter spending for the care of millions of older and disabled Americans.

That's why the U-M team set out to use real-world data to look at the potential impact of the approach, called mandatory bundled payments. They simulated the impact of the new Medicare program, called Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement.

CJR pays hospitals a set "bundled" amount for the full range of care provided to a hip or knee replacement patient, rather than paying individual bills for parts of that care such as the operation, hospital stay, and care after the hospitalization. "Reconciliation payments" then reduce payments to hospitals if their spending is above a target, and increase payments if spending is below a target.

"Previous bundled payment programs have based reconciliation payments on a hospital's own past performance, but under CJR those payments gradually become based on a comparison with hospitals in a wide region," says Chandy Ellimoottil, M.D., M.S., lead author of the new paper. "We found that this will result in more penalties for hospitals that care for more complex patients. We also found that changing the program to account for patient complexity would dampen this impact."

The new analysis uses anonymous Medicare data from 23, 251 Michigan residents who had hip or knee replacement surgery at 60 hospitals across a three-year period.

The hospitals that operated on patients who had more co-existing health problems, or were older or more seriously ill, stood to lose hundreds of dollars per patient under the program, they found.

But if the program used a standard measure to adjust for patient complexity, those hospitals could hold on to more than $100,000 per year.

That amount may be a drop in the bucket in a large hospital's budget. But if mandatory bundled payments using the CJR formula get rolled out in other types of care, the numbers could become very large, says Ellimoottil.

Adjusting a hospital's performance based on how old or sick a patient is - a process called risk adjustment - is already used in many other Medicare programs that assess health care quality and spending..

Introducing appropriate risk adjustment into mandatory bundled payments could still happen even in the CJR program that launched in April, the authors say. That's because the formula for paying or penalizing hospitals based on the regional price comparison doesn't start to take a major effect until the third year of the program.

"There could be a lot of unintended consequences from this approach unless risk adjustment is added," Ellimoottil warns. "In past bundled payment programs, patient complexity didn't matter because hospital payments have been based on a comparison with the hospital's own past pricing, which reflects the complexity of the patient population it serves. Now, under this new model of regional comparison, complexity becomes relevant, and risk adjustment is needed."

The form of risk-adjustment the team simulated, based on the CMS-HCC model, is an accepted model used in other settings. CMS didn't include it in the CJR program, the agency said, because it hasn't been validated for bundled payment in orthopedics. The new paper may help in that regard.

Ellimoottil, a urologist whose research extends to bundled payments for many types of care, notes that the new paper essentially confirms what many providers voiced concern about when the Medicare agency was accepting public comments on the CJR program before it went into effect.

"Patient complexity matters. Rolling out a one-size fits all model could really hurt hospitals that are trying to appropriately treat patients. We don't want to incentivize reducing access to care for Medicare patients who are medically complex."

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In addition to Ellimoottil, the research team includes fellow IHPI member and U-M orthopaedic surgeon Brian Hallstrom, M.D., who leads the Michigan Arthroplasty Registry Collaborative Quality Initiative.funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Senior author David Miller, M.D., M.P.H., and co-authors Andrew Ryan, Ph.D., and James Dupree, M.D., M.P.H. are all IHPI members.

The researchers have funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (HS024193 and HS018546), and from the National Cancer Institute (CA174768).

Reference: Health Affairs 35, No. 9, September 2016, 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0263
Study underscores shortfalls in emergency psychiatric care and points to the need for more outpatient mental health facilities and substance abuse treatment programs

PHILADELPHIA -- Cutbacks in capacity at state and county mental hospitals have forced more and more psychiatric patients to seek treatment in Emergency Rooms. But a new study led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, found that people who visit emergency rooms for mental health care were transferred to another facility at six times the rate of people who visit ERs for non-psychiatric conditions, and could wait almost two hours longer. The study is published today in Health Affairs and highlights a persisting shortfall in emergency psychiatric services in the country. "Previous research shows that patients in the ER often experience lengthy wait times, but our new study shows that psychiatric patients wait disproportionately longer than other patients -- sometimes for several hours -- only to ultimately be discharged or transferred elsewhere," said lead author Jane M. Zhu, MD, MPP, a National Clinician Scholar in the department of General Internal Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and a fellow at Penn's Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. "Overall, the study highlights the degree to which emergency departments struggle to meet the needs of mental health patients."

The study examined length-of-stay data for more than 200,000 psychiatric and non-psychiatric ER visits during 2002-2011. Length-of-stay is a standard measure of ER crowding and access to services. The dataset came from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), an annual survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that derives national estimates of various measures of health care provision based on visits to sample hospitals.

The analysis showed that for the vast majority of psychiatric patients, the average length-of-stay was significantly longer than for non-psychiatric patients: 355 versus 279 minutes for patients admitted for observation, 312 versus 195 minutes for patients who were transferred to other facilities, and 189 versus 144 minutes for patients who were discharged.

For patients who were eventually admitted to the hospital, the average length-of-stay for psychiatric patients wasn't significantly different than for their non-psychiatric counterparts, but fewer than one-fifth (18 percent) of psychiatric patients fell into this category.

During the period studied, the annual number of visits to ERs by adults in the US rose by 30 percent (from 82.2 million to 106.8 million), but psychiatric visits increased even more dramatically, by about 55 percent (from 4.4 million to 6.8 million). Alcohol-related disorders represented a rising proportion of these visits. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the increasing pressure on ERs, longer median lengths of stay for psychiatric patients generally persisted throughout this period.

Only in the case of patients admitted for observation - a category that included just 2 percent of psychiatric visits, and had much more variable figures - did the length-of-stay gap appear to close by 2011.

The authors say that on the whole, the findings suggest deficiencies in emergency departments' capacity for psychiatric care. The largest underlying factor, they say, is a shortage of psychiatric inpatient beds, which stems from the "de-institutionalization" of a large portion of the U.S. psychiatric inpatient population, which began in the late 1960s. Between 1970 and 2006, state and county psychiatric inpatient facilities in the country cut capacity from about 400,000 beds to fewer than 50,000. Many psychiatric patients who would otherwise have been receiving long-term care have thus gone relatively untreated and have frequently ended up at ERs, straining their capacities.

Shortages of outpatient mental health facilities and substance abuse treatment programs are also likely factors.

"There has been progress made recently as the number of hospital-based psychiatric ER units has increased, along with regional psychiatric emergency care facilities that can quickly take in patients who visit local ERs," Zhu said. "However, these improvements have yet to offset the overall shortage of psychiatric inpatient resources."

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The co-authors of the study were Astha Singhal, DMD, PhD, of the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine at Boston University; and Renee Y. Hsia, MD, MSc, of the University of California, San Francisco.

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania(founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $5.3 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 18 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $373 million awarded in the 2015 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2015, Penn Medicine provided $253.3 million to benefit our community.
Researchers from the University of Sydney believe they have identified some nanoscale elements that govern the behavior of our teeth

With one in two Australian children reported to have tooth decay in their permanent teeth by age 12, researchers from the University of Sydney believe they have identified some nanoscale elements that govern the behaviour of our teeth.

Material and structures engineers worked with dentists and bioengineers to map the exact composition and structure of tooth enamel at the atomic scale.

Using a relatively new microscopy technique called atom probe tomography, their work produced the first-ever three-dimensional maps showing the positions of atoms critical in the decay process.

The new knowledge on atom composition at the nanolevel has the potential to aid oral health hygiene and caries prevention, and has been published today in the journal Science Advances.

Professor Julie Cairney, Material and Structures Engineer in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, said:

"The dental professionals have known that certain trace ions are important in the tough structure of tooth enamel but until now it had been impossible to map the ions in detail.

"The structure of human tooth enamel is extremely intricate and while we have known that magnesium, carbonate and fluoride ions influence enamel properties scientists have never been able to capture its structure at a high enough resolution or definition."

"What we have found are the magnesium-rich regions between the hydroxyapatite nanorods that make up the enamel.

"This means we have the first direct evidence of the existence of a proposed amorphous magnesium-rich calcium phosphate phase that plays an essential role in governing the behaviour of teeth. "

Co-lead researcher on the study, Dr Alexandre La Fontaine from the University's Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, said:

We were also able to see nanoscale 'clumps' of organic material, which indicates that proteins and peptides are heterogeneously distributed within the enamel rather than present along all the nanorod interfaces, which was what was previously suggested.

The mapping has the potential for new treatments designed around protecting against the dissolution of this specific amorphous phase.

The new understanding of how enamel forms will also help in tooth remineralisation research."

###

@Sydney_Uni
If space is the final frontier, OpenSpace could become the final frontier in space simulation software.

Computer scientists from the University of Utah will be working with researchers from New York University's Tandon School of Engineering and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) to develop OpenSpace, an open-source 3-D software for visualizing NASA astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science and Earth science missions for planetariums and other immersive environments. The software also will be developed for use in schools and on home computers.

During a Sept. 12 event at the Hayden Planetarium in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, an alpha version of OpenSpace will simulate OSIRIS-REx, a mission scheduled to launch this month in which the NASA spacecraft will retrieve an asteroid sample and bring it to Earth.

The University of Utah's renowned Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute (SCI), which produces simulation software for medical and other scientific applications, along with NYU and the Museum have received a $6.3 million grant from NASA to develop OpenSpace so it can be used by students and families as well as planetarium developers. SCI will get about $1.3 million of the grant.

"NASA has an interest in educating the public and reaching out to kids to get them interested in science, technology, engineering and math," said Charles Hansen, a SCI associate director and professor in the University of Utah's School of Computing. "The idea is to take NASA data and have an easy way to present it to the general public so they can see what NASA is doing."

The original idea for OpenSpace and its early proofs-of concept were developed by researchers at Linkoping University in Linkoping, Sweden, and at AMNH. With the five-year grant, University of Utah computer scientists led by Hansen will help further develop OpenSpace to allow users to pull massive amounts of NASA data about space bodies, phenomenon or probe missions and convert them into striking computer space images in real time. OpenSpace is open-source software, meaning that anyone can use it free of charge.

SCI researchers specialize in creating software that can take huge volumes of data such as weather or traffic data or information about the human anatomy and visualizing it in a simulation without requiring the power of supercomputers. The Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute is comprised of mostly computer scientists from the College of Engineering's School of Computing.

The task for SCI will be to come up with the programming that allows OpenSpace to receive enormous sets of data and instantly covert them to space images on regular PCs, Hansen said. That could give schools with just normal personal computers the power to view space phenomenon including solar winds, nebulae, planets, moons or data from a satellite. With SCI's expertise in computer graphics, the space images also "will be more faithful to the science than what an artist can create," Hansen said.

"You will see where interplanetary space probes are, what their instruments are looking at and what data they're attempting to acquire, all at that very moment," Hansen said.

While he doesn't know exactly when the full version of the OpenSpace software will be completed, Hansen said it will be within the five years of the grant. Users can learn more about OpenSpace and download the current version of the software at openspace.itn.liu.se.

###

This news release and photos may be downloaded here.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Sept. 7, 2016) -- Scientists may be closer to answering a long-standing question in biology -- how do the components of cells' molecular machinery work together to transmit vital gene regulatory information from one cell generation to the next?

New findings published in eLife draw connections between some of these pieces, revealing an extensive web of molecular interactions that may ultimately inform the development of new epigenetic drugs for cancer and other diseases. Specifically, the study reveals a mechanism that helps explain how dividing cells pass patterns of epigenetic information called methyl tags to their daughter cells, a crucial part of regulating gene expression across cell generations.

Epigenetic tags help tell genes -- stretches of DNA that act as biological instruction manuals -- when to switch "on" and "off," ultimately determining cell type and function. DNA methylation, or the addition of methyl tags to DNA, is one of the most well-studied epigenetic signals; errors in this process are commonly found in cancer.

"Many of the key players orchestrating DNA methylation had previously been characterized, but what we didn't fully realize before this study is that they all work together in an elegant way," said Scott Rothbart, Ph.D., assistant professor at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) and the study's senior author. "These new insights into the complexities of epigenetic regulation are contributing to our basic understanding of this process in human health and disease and gives us new vision for how to go about targeting errors in DNA methylation with innovative drug therapies."

The findings center on a protein called UHRF1, a guardian of the cell's epigenetic information that can recognize patterns of epigenetic tags and promote the addition of new ones. These "reading" and "writing" activities of UHRF1 are well understood on their own but until now, scientists didn't know exactly how or even if these UHRF1 activities worked together. Rothbart's team, along with collaborators from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Washington and University of Toronto, tackled this problem by asking two questions -- how does UHRF1 get to where it needs to be? And once it's there, what does it do?

Here's what they found -- during cell division, UHRF1 recognizes newly copied DNA at sites that are missing methyl tags. At the same time, it also recognizes a protein associated with DNA called histone H3 and attaches another small protein called ubiquitin on that histone. This ubiquitin protein acts as a molecular flag, signaling to another protein called a DNA methylation enzyme that a methyl tag is needed there. The group discovered that ubiquitin attachment on the histone is promoted by the pre-existing pattern of epigenetic signals recognized by UHRF1. This is the first time an epigenetic signal has been shown to impact ubiquitylation and connects the patterns of epigenetic information in a new way.

"While the functions of the individual parts of UHRF1 were already known, we didn't appreciate the interdependence of these functions in adding ubiquitin to histones," said Joe Harrison, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the Kuhlman Laboratory at UNC and the paper's first author. "This exquisite regulation of an ubiquitin ligase has not been previously described and is very exciting for the field of ubiqutin biology."

Drugs that impact DNA methylation are increasingly a target for drug development; in fact, several of these therapies are already in clinical use for certain cancers. With this new knowledge, the next step, Rothbart says, is to develop robust screening methods to find compounds that correct errors in this process.

###

Rothbart's work was funded in part by Van Andel Research Institute and the National Institutes of Health. For a full funding statement, please see the publication.

Harrison J, Cornett E, Goldfarb D, DaRosa P, Li Z, Yan F, Dickson B, Guo A, Cantu D, Kaustov L, Brown P, Arrowsmith C, Klevit R, Erie D, Major B, Krajewski K, Kulhman B, Strahl B, Rothbart S. 2016. Hemi-methylated DNA regulates DN methylation inheritance through allosteric activation of H3 ubiquitylation for UHRF1. eLife.

ABOUT VAN ANDEL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Van Andel Institute (VAI) is an independent nonprofit biomedical research and science education organization committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations. Established by Jay and Betty Van Andel in 1996 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, VAI has grown into a premier research and educational institution that supports the work of more than 360 scientists, educators and staff. Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), VAI's research division, is dedicated to determining the epigenetic, genetic, molecular and cellular origins of cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases and translating those findings into effective therapies. The Institute's scientists work in onsite laboratories and participate in collaborative partnerships that span the globe. Learn more about Van Andel Institute or donate by visiting http://www.vai.org. 100% To Research, Discovery & Hope
PORTO, Portugal and HATFIELD, England, September 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

FOR EMEA MEDIA ONLY - NOT FOR SWISS/AUSTRIAN/CZECH REPUBLIC JOURNALISTS

Further insights into seizure control and safety profile of epilepsy drug in the

treatment of newly diagnosed partial onset (focal) seizures in adults

BIAL and Eisai announce the methodology of a planned, large, pooled analyses of real-world efficacy and safety data for adjunctive once-daily Zebinix(R) (eslicarbazepine acetate) to be presented for the first time at the 12th European Congress on Epileptology (ECE) 2016, Prague, Czech Republic.[1]

Once-daily eslicarbazepine acetate is indicated as adjunctive therapy in adults with partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalisation.[2]

Abstract #P578 - Mc Murray R et al[1] - 12 September 13:00-14:30

The study will comprise pooled analysis in over 1,500 adult patients from databases across Europe to provide further information on dosing patterns, combinations, and response to treatment with once-daily eslicarbazepine acetate. This large pooled analyses of patient-level data will provide additional information on the effectiveness and tolerability of eslicarbazepine acetate in routine clinical practice, thereby complementing evidence from clinical trials.

Abstract #0002 - Ben-Menachem et al[3] - 14 September 11.30-13.00

Abstract #P615 - E Trinka E et al[4] - 14 September 13:00-14:30

Further data at this year's ECE includes outcomes from an investigational Phase III study[3],[4] in 785 eligible patients for eslicarbazepine acetate in a monotherapy setting compared with twice-daily controlled-release (CR) carbamazepine. Seizure freedom rates with eslicarbazepine acetate were 71.1% (n=388) and 75.6% (n=397) with carbamazepine CR at greater than or equal to6 months (average risk difference -4.28%, 95%CI -10.3, 1.74%).[3], [4] Patients experiencing at least one treatment emergent adverse event were similar between eslicarbazepine acetate and carbamazepine CR (75.3% vs 77.7% respectively).[3],[4]

Abstract #0034 - Villanueva V et al[5] - 13 September 11:30-13:00

Results from a one-year retrospective observational study, EARLY-ESLI, in 253 patients aged greater than or equal to18 with partial-onset seizures receiving eslicarbazepine acetate after first-line monotherapy failure will be presented. During follow-up 31.6% reported adverse events, and 3.6% discontinued treatment due to AEs.[5] At 12 months, the retention rate was 92.9%, 62.3% of patients were seizure free, 37.3% were seizure free for one year, 82.5% were responders, and 5.6% did worse. The main side-effects were somnolence (8.7%), dizziness (5.1%), and hyponatremia (3.5%; n=9).[5] A total 127 patients (50.2%) converted (withdrew) to monotherapy for at least six months.

"These new data confirm our commitment to continue to develop treatments that help people with epilepsy to get on with their lives through seizure control, tolerability, and convenience. The planned real-world study will help improve the knowledge and understanding around the use of eslicarbazepine acetate in routine clinical practice," states Patricio Soares-da-Silva, Head of Research & Development, BIAL

Eslicarbazepine acetate is available in Albania*, Austria, Czech Republic, Cyprus*, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany (co-promotion with BIAL, the developer of eslicarbazepine acetate), Greece, Iceland, Italy, Malta*, Norway, Portugal*, Republic of Ireland, Russia***, Scotland, Slovakia, Sweden, Spain (co-promotion with BIAL), UK (co-promotion with BIAL) and the U.S and Canada**.

*Exclusively by BIAL

**Eslicarbazepine acetate is sold in the U.S. and Canada under the trade name Aptiom(R)

***Exalief(R) is the trade name for eslicarbazepine acetate in Russia



Abstract Number

Timing of presentation Abstract details

Eslicarbazepine acetate Effectiveness of eslicarbazepine acetate as

Abstract number: #P578 adjunctive therapy for partial epilepsy in clinical

Poster Session practice: design of a European pooled analysis of

Pharmacology / AEDs 3 real-world data

Monday 12 September Rob McMurray, Camilla Karlsson, Rui Sousa, Vicente

13.00 - 14.30 Villanueva

Poster Area (Forum Hall

Foyer)



Abstract number: #0034 EARLY-ESLI study: Efficacy, tolerability and

Platform Session 6 conversion to monotherapy with eslicarbazepine

Antiepileptic Drugs 2 acetate after first monotherapy failure

Tuesday 13 September V Villanueva, A Gomez, M Garces, P Bermejo, J

11:30-13:00 Montoya, M Toledo, FJ Lopez-Gonzalez, X Rodriguez, D

Forum Hall Campos, P Martinez, P Giner, J Zurita, J

Rodriguez-Uranga, J Ojeda, JA Mauri, J Ruiz-Gimenez,

JJ Poza, A Massot, M Bonet



Abstract number: #0002 Efficacy of eslicarbazepine acetate versus

Platform Session 13 controlled-release carbamazepine as monotherapy in

Antiepileptic Drugs 3 patients with newly diagnosed partial-onset seizures

Wednesday 14 September E Ben-Menachem, E. Trinka, P Kowacs, C Elger, J

11:30-13:00 Moreira, R Pinto, F Ikedo, A Pereira, JF Rocha,

Forum Hall P Soares-da-Silva

Abstract number: #P615 Safety and tolerability of eslicarbazepine acetate as

Poster Session monotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed

Pharmacology / AEDs 8 partial-onset seizures

Wednesday 14 September E Trinka, E Ben-Menachem, P Kowacs, C Elger, J

13:00-14:30 Moreira, R Pinto, F Ikedo, A Pereira, JF Rocha,

Location P Soares-da-Silva

Poster Area (Forum Hall

Foyer)

Notes to Editors

About Zebinix(R) (eslicarbazepine acetate)

Eslicarbazepine acetate is currently marketed in Europe and Russia by BIAL-Portela & C (a), S.A and by BIAL's licensee, Eisai Europe Limited, a European subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd. under the trade name Zebinix(R) or Exalief(R). In the United States and Canada eslicarbazepine acetate (tradename Aptiom(R)) is marketed by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc., under an exclusive license from BIAL.

Eslicarbazepine acetate is a voltage-gated sodium channel blocker. It selectively targets the slow inactivated state of the sodium ion channel (which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of epilepsy), preventing its return to the active state, and thereby reduces repetitive neuronal firing.[6] Further, eslicarbazepine acetate does not inhibit potassium efflux, which may reduce the potential for repetitive neuronal firings.[7] The efficacy of eslicarbazepine acetate was demonstrated in an initial proof-of-concept phase II study[8] and three subsequent phase III randomised, placebo controlled studies in 1,049 people with refractory partial onset seizures.[9],[10],[11]

About BIAL

Founded in 1924, BIAL is an international pharmaceutical company with the mission to discover, develop and provide therapeutic solutions within the area of health. In recent decades, BIAL has focused on quality, innovation and internationalisation.

Being the partner of choice for many companies, BIAL is strongly committed to therapeutic innovation, investing more than 20% of its turnover in Research and Development (R&D) every year.

(CONTINUA)
In a recent New York Times article, Carl Zimmer described new research from Neil Shubins lab at the University of Chicago on the developmental genetics of fish fins. He rightly points out that the work reveals (or more properly confirms, as previous evo-devo work points in very much the same direction) that very deep similarities exist between the development of fins and limbs. This is not surprising. It has been acknowledged since the time of Richard Owen, 160 years ago, that the lateral appendages of all vertebrates (fins of fish and limbs of tetrapods) are homologous. I expect that many more homologous gene expression patterns, gene circuits, etc., in the development of vertebrate lateral appendages will be elucidated in coming decades.

The experiments concerned two genes, Hoxa-13 and Hoxd-13, which researchers have known for some time are expressed in developing limbs. In the 1990s, French researchers shut down these two genes in mouse embryos and showed that while the mice developed normal long bones in their legs, their wrist and ankle bones failed to appear, and they did not grow any digits. This implies that these genes in normal tetrapods direct cells in the extremity to make endochondral bone (the ordinary boney material that makes up our skeleton and that of all tetrapods). In fish fins, the bony material that makes up the rays is somewhat different, called dermal bone. It was a long-standing puzzle to know how the switch was made from fish to tetrapod.

But when researchers in Shubins lab knocked out the same two genes  Hoxa-13 and Hoxd-13  in fish, the fish developed without fin rays. This implies that the two genes in tetrapods tell certain cells to make proper endochondral bone, and tell cells in fish to make dermal bone. In a second experiment, another researcher in Shubins lab showed that it is the same group of cells in the same distal region of the developing fin and limb that express Hoxa-13 and Hoxd-13 to make dermal fin ray bone in fish or endochondral bone in tetrapods. Obviously the developmental genetic gap between fin and limb is diminished by these results and the deep homology of all vertebrate appendages is further supported.

I think Zimmers conclusion is fundamentally right, that is, as he puts it: The unexpected discovery will help researchers understand how our own ancestors left the water, transforming fins into limbs that they could use to move around on land. However, I think he has omitted some of the important and obvious challenges to the Darwinian framework implicit in this work. On any consideration, these advances (and many other similar in the evo-devo area) provide no support for the Darwinian causal framework  a long sequence of small adaptive changes unconstrained by any factors other than immediate adaptive utility  as sufficient to propel the evolution of the limb from fins.

This evidence provides further support for the notion that the genotypic distance between fin and limb may be far smaller than previously envisaged. It is indeed intriguing that, as in other areas of evo-devo, the less the genetic distance across an evolutionary transition, the more the evidence for evolution grows. But ironically, at the same time, the less room there is for Darwinism as a creative agency. Its as if the hand was already in the developmental genetics of the fin, so to speak, awaiting evolutionary expression, perhaps generated by a relatively small genetic trigger. At the limit one might envisage one base change initiating a series of deterministic developmental changes converting fin to limb  or more realistically, an upstream mutational change in a regulatory circuit switching the downstream expression to generate a limb instead of a fin and endochondral bone instead of dermal.

On such a scenario, there is absolutely nothing left for the agency of cumulative selection to do. Evolution would be completely constrained by the deep homologies underlying all vertebrate lateral appendages and is just an unfolding of alternative phenotypes already inherent in these shared commonalities. Moreover, on the same scenario, the evolutionary transition could have occurred quite suddenly as the fossil evidence in fact suggests, there being no intermediates known between fin rays and digits in any putative intermediate form.

That the transition might have been quite sudden, without any or only marginal selective surveillance, is born out by other considerations. For example, the similarity of the basic hind and fore limb (foot and hand) design cannot be ascribed to Darwinian selection because in no known fish or tetrapod is the morphology of the fore and hind appendage identical. This is not surprising, as they serve different functions in every known species (exemplified by the human hand and foot). There is therefore no way that natural selection could have assembled an identical pattern in both appendages bit-by-bit. In fact the two appendages represent a case of serial homology and it is universally assumed that there was a re-deployment of the same pattern from hind to fore limb, or vice versa.

But this means that in the case of at least one of the appendages, a design was imposed on the appendage without selective surveillance. This redeployment was in essence by definition non-adaptive, and may well have occurred per saltum. And the same applies to the digits  all have exactly the same design (as is obvious in the human fingers and toes). To explain this similarity in terms of classic Darwinism, envisaging that natural selection put together one digit to serve some adaptive end and then a second that just happened to have arrived at the same design, is too bizarre to contemplate. The digits are another case of serial homology. Again common sense dictates that the same design must have been re-deployed on all digits and it is reasonable to suppose that such a macromutational event might have occurred per saltum.

So yes, the increasing homology at the developmental genetic level is closing the gap. But the absence of any intermediates in the fossil record between fin rays and digits raises the serious possibility of per saltum changes. The very switch from cells making dermal bone to making endochondral bone, the event that is the focus of these studies, is again consistent with a saltational genetic switch and a non-Darwinian evolutionary model.

In short, my assessment is this: There never were any transitional forms making both dermal bone and endochondral bone. Organisms made one or the other.There never were any transitional forms with fin rays and digits. And I predict that no matter how extensively the fossil record is searched, the phenotypic gap between fins and limbs will remain even as the genetic gap continues to diminish.

Image: Mouse limb and fin ray, by Shubin Laboratory, University of Chicago Medical Center, via EurekAlert.
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The UK is not going to introduce a points basedsimilar to the one used in Australia after British Prime Minister Theresa May ruled out such a move.There is currently a lot of speculation about what the new immigration regime will be as the UK moves towards leaving the European Union, but regardless of the details, it is likely to be tough.  Currently citizens of other EU countries do not need a visa to live and work in the UK, while there are various options for other nations depending on whether they have a job, are studying or going to be working for a fixed term period.It had been suggested that an Australian style points system was the favoured option but now May has rejected the idea outright and even suggested that work visas will only be granted to people who have a job.Specifically she wants to reduce the number of immigrants arriving from the EU. In the run up to the historic vote in June for the UK to leave the EU, immigration was a major issue.What the British people voted for on the 23rd of June was to bring some control into the movement of people from the European Union to the UK. A points based system does not give you that control. I want a system where the government is able to decide who comes into the country. I think that's what the British people want, May said.Australia vets immigrants according to their occupation, qualifications and other factors but May said that points based systems were open to abuse and did not give the government full control over who enters the country.There is also likely to be more control over student visas with concerns growing that people arrive and then dont take up their posts to study or study for their degree and then remain in the UK.However, there is also concern that strict immigration controls will put people off from living and working in the UK, especially among universities who have been working to attract more overseas students.Indeed, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has met with leaders of Londons higher education institutions to discuss how the capitals world leading universities can continue to thrive following the vote to leave the EU, and to reassure them that London is more open than ever to top international talent.Khan believes that diversity of HEIs in London, including the world-class arts and creative institutions, play a core part in the capitals innovation ecosystem and cultural life and has said that the country needs a supportive visa system to encourage international students.London is the higher education capital of the world, with more leading universities, and international students than any other city and I want to make sure it stays that way. EU students, staff and research partnerships are a key part of this. In addition, people who come from abroad to study in London leave as ambassadors for our city, spreading the message across the globe that we are a fantastic place to live, work and visit, said Khan.Im saying loud and clear to the world that London is open as the best place to study, do business and innovate and a city where all Londoners can take advantage of these opportunities. I want all of our international students and academic staff to know that they are welcome in London and on that front, nothing has changed, he pointed out.I value the enormous contribution they make to our city, and that will not change as a result of the EU referendum. Ill work with Londons higher education institutions to ensure their needs are properly understood and reflected as we negotiate the right settlement for our international students, he added.
From: Lillian Too -- Feng Shui Expert For Immediate Release: Dateline: Los Angeles , CA Wednesday, September 7, 2016

What is that old saying? A word to the wise is sufficient. Those of you who pay attention to my recommendations and monthly updates are indeed wise and are probably reaping the benefits of taking care of your monthly updates on a regular basis.

The thing that surprises me the most is that updating monthly takes such little time because weve made it so easy for you. You can read some of the recommendations here in the ezine at the beginning of each monthor even better you can get the full story from our monthly magazine. Either way, it pays to update your feng shui monthly as well as annually because time does not stand still and in this Black Year that we are now still experiencing you dont want to leave anything to chance. Some of you will take actionand some of you wont.

Speaking of updateswere busy preparing everything for the upcoming Year of the Fire Rooster. I can tell you that things are going to be much different next year with the auspicious Victory White Star 1 in the center of the chart. This is such a lucky star and always indicates the advent of hope and new beginnings for many people. However you must know what to doand all of that will be revealed at my annual Extravaganzas in Singapore and KL. This year we will be holding them much earlier than usual  Sunday, November 20th in Singapore and Sunday December 11th in KL so please plan accordingly!

Sending love,

Lillian

Your Monthly Feng Shui Updates?

Eighth Month on the Bing Shen Fire Monkey Year

September 8  October 7, 2016

Heres your monthly flying star chart  the eighth month of the Fire Monkey Year and I urge you to review this and pay attention to these recommendations. This covers the period September 8  October 7, 2016.

In each of the nine grids youll see two numbers. The larger number is the annual star, and the smaller number in the lower right corner is the monthly star that you must also take into account.

The first thing to do is determine where the most important rooms in your house are located. By important I mean rooms that you use frequentlylike your bedroom, the kids rooms, dining room etc. You may already know this, but if not use a reliable compass and stand in the center of your home to take your directions. Its always good to do a recheck of your directions. Once you know where each sector is, you can refer to the flying star chart below and take appropriate action. So if your front door, the one everyone uses is located in the north sector then refer to the relevant grid below for the kind of luck that will affect everyone in the household this month. Some people like to make this more complicated than necessary  its not really difficult so please take the time to review this monthly.



Which sector will bring you luck?

Those who reside in the SOUTH sector will find that wealth and money comes easily. You can use the water wave symbol to enhance prosperity and wealth chi. If your bedroom is in the south, dont use water  please use crystals instead to energize. You will also receive help from an old mentoring figure. Display a pair of mandarin ducks or wear the mystic knot to strengthen romance luck.

The energy of the SOUTHWEST continues to be wonderfully auspicious and brings excellent career and wealth luck to those staying in this sector. Projects that have stalled will start again and career advancement looks good. Enhance with the Dzambhala Water Feature and avoid arguments and disagreements with adults and business partners that might develop due to disharmony between the elements. Display Laughing Buddha to overcome this.

Unlucky sectors?

The NORTHEAST is not the place to be this month with an increase in danger and violence. The nasty burglary star 7 with the annual five yellow indicates danger of accidents and money loss. Be careful -display the anti-burglary totem and a pair of coin swords in this area.

There is an unfortunate combination of stars in the EAST this month that generates energies bringing illness to the residents in this sector. It is highly unfavourable for men, especially if you are the eldest son in the family. Please wear the Medicine Buddha Medallion and put a golden wu lou by your bedside. Avoid risky sport activities and display six gold coins tied with red thread to keep unlucky energies under control. Elderly people and pregnant ladies should move out of the EAST sector this month.

Its important to fine-tune your feng shui every month and take care of the monthly flying stars. Note that the sectors mentioned above are only a few of the sectors. You need to read about all of the sectors to properly update your monthly feng shui. Youll find these monthly charts in Feng Shui World Magazine, so if youre not already a subscriber I suggest you sign on! Its quick and easy and always available when you choose the online versionbut printed copies are of course available as well!

What is that old saying? A word to the wise is sufficient. Those of you who pay attention to my recommendations and monthly updates are indeed wise and are probably reaping the benefits of taking care of your monthly updates on a regular basis.The thing that surprises me the most is that updating monthly takes such little time because weve made it so easy for you. You can read some of the recommendations here in the ezine at the beginning of each monthor even better you can get the full story from our monthly magazine. Either way, it pays to update your feng shui monthly as well as annually because time does not stand still and in this Black Year that we are now still experiencing you dont want to leave anything to chance. Some of you will take actionand some of you wont.Speaking of updateswere busy preparing everything for the upcoming Year of the Fire Rooster. I can tell you that things are going to be much different next year with the auspicious Victory White Star 1 in the center of the chart. This is such a lucky star and always indicates the advent of hope and new beginnings for many people. However you must know what to doand all of that will be revealed at my annual Extravaganzas in Singapore and KL. This year we will be holding them much earlier than usual  Sunday, November 20th in Singapore and Sunday December 11th in KL so please plan accordingly!Sending love,LillianHeres your monthly flying star chart  the eighth month of the Fire Monkey Year and I urge you to review this and pay attention to these recommendations. This covers the period September 8  October 7, 2016.In each of the nine grids youll see two numbers. The larger number is the annual star, and the smaller number in the lower right corner is the monthly star that you must also take into account.The first thing to do is determine where the most important rooms in your house are located. By important I mean rooms that you use frequentlylike your bedroom, the kids rooms, dining room etc. You may already know this, but if not use a reliable compass and stand in the center of your home to take your directions. Its always good to do a recheck of your directions. Once you know where each sector is, you can refer to the flying star chart below and take appropriate action. So if your front door, the one everyone uses is located in the north sector then refer to the relevant grid below for the kind of luck that will affect everyone in the household this month. Some people like to make this more complicated than necessary  its not really difficult so please take the time to review this monthly.Those who reside in the SOUTH sector will find that wealth and money comes easily. You can use the water wave symbol to enhance prosperity and wealth chi. If your bedroom is in the south, dont use water  please use crystals instead to energize. You will also receive help from an old mentoring figure. Display a pair of mandarin ducks or wear the mystic knot to strengthen romance luck.The energy of the SOUTHWEST continues to be wonderfully auspicious and brings excellent career and wealth luck to those staying in this sector. Projects that have stalled will start again and career advancement looks good. Enhance with the Dzambhala Water Feature and avoid arguments and disagreements with adults and business partners that might develop due to disharmony between the elements. Display Laughing Buddha to overcome this.Unlucky sectors?The NORTHEAST is not the place to be this month with an increase in danger and violence. The nasty burglary star 7 with the annual five yellow indicates danger of accidents and money loss. Be careful -display the anti-burglary totem and a pair of coin swords in this area.There is an unfortunate combination of stars in the EAST this month that generates energies bringing illness to the residents in this sector. It is highly unfavourable for men, especially if you are the eldest son in the family. Please wear the Medicine Buddha Medallion and put a golden wu lou by your bedside. Avoid risky sport activities and display six gold coins tied with red thread to keep unlucky energies under control. Elderly people and pregnant ladies should move out of the EAST sector this month.Its important to fine-tune your feng shui every month and take care of the monthly flying stars. Note that the sectors mentioned above are only a few of the sectors. You need to read about all of the sectors to properly update your monthly feng shui. Youll find these monthly charts in Feng Shui World Magazine, so if youre not already a subscriber I suggest you sign on! Its quick and easy and always available when you choose the online versionbut printed copies are of course available as well! Click here to order your Feng Shui World Magazine TODAY!

Good luck!

Lillian

Significant Spiritual Days in September 2016

This comprehensive spiritual calendar marks all the significant and powerful days to chant mantras, perform pujas and conduct powerful rituals that will increase your wealth, success, love and happiness.



This month, Shakyamuni Buddha Day coincides with a partial solar eclipse (on September 1st) and Amitabha Day overlaps with a partial lunar eclipse (on September 16th). Thus all karmic deeds are multiplied trillions of times on these days. Make the best of these days and do special prayers and charitable deeds. It is also a good idea to be a vegetarian on these two days and spend the day reciting mantras and reading sutras.

Youll also find a chart showing the Vitality Points of Your Body (which are different for men and women) for each day of the month. Performing surgical operations on the joints or organs located at or near these points weakens your life span and vitality considerably so be sure to refer to this table when setting up dates for your medical operations.



Grand Master Lillian Too is undoubtedly the worlds most prolific and popular writer and advocate on living with good feng shui! She has written over 100 books that have been translated into 31 different languages, and over 10 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide.

After graduating with an MBA from Harvard Business School, Lillian went on to pursue a highly successful business career in banking and finance in the 1980s in Hong Kong. Her business acumen, drive and abundant energy soon led her from the finance world to the world of luxury department stores and boutiques where, through a leveraged buy out, she became Chairman and shareholder of The Dragon Seed Group.

All the while she was guided and taught by her feng shui masters in Hong Kong and China  and she attributes much of her monumental and quick rise to success in Hong Kong directly to them.

Lillian soon decided to retire from active corporate life and return to Malaysia to raise her beautiful daughter, Jennifer, and spend more time with her family. It was at this time she began to devote her energy to writing and furthering her study of feng shui.

She published her first book in Malaysia in 1995 that quickly became a best seller and the rest is history. Today she is Chairman of Wofs.Com, a feng shui franchise and merchandising company run by her daughter, Jennifer Too.

She trains feng shui students and future consultants at her Certified Consulting Institute in Malaysia and is much loved by her readers, associates and students for the way she teaches practical feng shui in a user-friendly way, using ordinary situations and circumstances that interest people and affect their everyday lives.

In November 2009, at the International Feng Shui Convention in Singapore, the well-deserved title of GRAND MASTER OF FENG SHUI was conferred upon Lillian Too. Immediately following this accolade, in early January 2010, she received the prestigious Brand Laureate Personality of The Year Award presented by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia! There seems to be no stopping her popularity and these days!

Lillian believes everyone should know her secrets and learn how to adapt feng shui to modern life and she warmly welcomes you into her Mandala.

You can learn more about Lillian by visiting her website at www.lillian-too.com.

Lillian Too Mandala  North American Office

3840 Blackhawk Rd,

Danville, CA 94506

Toll Free Info and Customer Servce : 1 866 508 8806

Email: info@lilliantoomandala.com Fax: +1 925 736 6177

Too Much Yin or Yang?

Always remember to keep yin and yang in balance. Excessive yang energy happens with too much light and too many bright yang colors in a room  such as yellows or reds. Correct by adding some blues and blacks into your decor. Dont forget that too much noise can also cause energies to become seriously unbalanced.

Excessive yin energy also presents problems  when a corner appears too dark or your space is too quiet and all your decor is in blues and blacks. The energy will become stale and stagnant. Correct with an infusion of yang energy  more lights, change wall colors to bright white and harmonize decor with happier, more vibrant colors.

You may already feel such energy imbalances in your home and I recommend you take action to correct them quickly.



Always keep your promises. Friendships are always cherished and long lasting when you are honorable and keep your word. When you renege on even a verbal promise it can mean serious loss of face.






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From: Joyce L. Gioia, CMC, CSP -- The Herman Group Austin , TX Wednesday, September 7, 2016

The Herman Trend Alert September 7, 2016 We have covered medical tourism on a number of occasions where patients from the United States have traveled to a number of countries, including Mexico, Singapore, and India. In fact, in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie, Dame Maggie Smith's character, Muriel Donnelley, goes to India to have a hip replacement, because she could get the operation months sooner there than in the United Kingdom. US healthcare's reputation is unparalleled For wealthy people all over the world who can afford to go anywhere for medical care, they want to come to the US---the country with the reputation for being on the leading edge of medical innovation. Now, a relatively new organization VoyagerMed matches patients with the appropriate healthcare professionals exclusively located in the US. An online marketplace for reverse medical tourism Based in New York City, VoyagerMed addresses the growing market for medical travel to the US, now about USD$5Billion. A leading innovator in the medical tourism space, the company's online marketplace supplements Anthony Girand's (the co-founder's) network of specialists, through an aggregated online listing of doctors who currently specialize in the needs of traveling patients. Plans to help US companies as well Plans are in the works to expand the model to include US companies seeking to save on healthcare by using a medical tourism option for selected procedures such as a knee replacement or a spinal fusion. VoyagerMed First Medical Innovation Summit scheduled September 22 to 24, 2016 VoyagerMed will bring together leading medical specialists, from some of the most prestigious US medical centers, to present and discuss the latest advancements and treatments available in a variety of medical fields. The primary goal of the summit is to foster an open dialogue between doctors and members of the United Nations Diplomatic Community to discuss new approaches in health and the direct delivery of these innovations. Another great example of disintermediation VoyagerMed's platform is another shining example of "disintermediation", the process of using technology to connect people with goods and services with online platforms. Not only do we believe that VoyagerMed will thrive and add more specialties, but we also expect to see more online platforms of this nature to link people will additional goods and services they seek. For more information on VoyagerMed's Medical Innovation Summit where Steve Krein of Start Up Health will talk about how his organization, through supporting Moonshots, is creating a global community of healthcare transformers, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/voyagermed-medical-innovation-summit-2016-sept-22-24th-tickets-21096203312. ********* The Herman Group is a firm of Strategic Business Futurists concentrating on workforce and workplace issues. We forecast the future and advise clients regarding relevant trends and how those trends may affect their lives. Applying our expertise as Certified Management Consultants, we advise corporate leaders regarding employee retention and organizational development to help them build workforce stability. We help organizations become Employers of Choice. We also work with Employer of Choice, Inc. to formally recognize employers that meet the stringent standards dictated by the labor marketplace. As authors of management books and as active professional speakers, we inform and inspire people to make a positive difference in the world of work. You did really get the ball rolling with our retention presentation, overall we have seen a move in the right direction with our turnover. In practice since 1980, we have served a wide variety of clients throughout the United States and in other countries. Our global affiliates assist us in sharing our expertise and advice with clients internationally. Our team of professional consultants and trainers is supported by an administrative staff that gets things done. We also have consultants certified to deliver our programs in your local area. Delivering to both small and large groups across 100 industries, The Herman Group has provided over 2,500 educational and informative keynote speeches and training seminars worldwide. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, we travel extensively to meet the needs of our clients. We can always be reached through the support team in our office at (800) 227-3566. Overseas callers may reach us through 336-210-3547. Should you have any questions after touring our website, please call or e-mail us at info@hermangroup.com. Get started now on improving the stability and performance of your workforce and increase your chances for success in the future.


From: Ad Council For Immediate Release: Dateline: New York , NY Wednesday, September 7, 2016







Presenting the next nominees of our #ChampionForGood series: Starcom Mediavest Groups SVP of Global Human Experience Strategy Lori Hilton and SVP, Director Susan Seams! Ad Councils Champion for Good series spotlights industry individuals for their continued commitment to social good and how they serve as champions for Ad Council campaigns. We sat down with Lori and Susan at the Starcom offices to talk their favorite social good ad campaigns and what they have gotten out of working with Ad Council campaigns.

Ad Council: Smokey Bear or McGruff?

Lori Hilton: Smokey Bear.

Susan Seams: Smokey Bear  goes back to grade school where I won a Smokey Bear coloring contest.

AC: Whats on your desktop home screen?

LH: A photo of my husband and son on the beach in the south coast of England.

SS: A peaceful photo of my two girls walking toward Castle Rock in Sedona.

AC: Android or iPhone?

LH: Android.

SS: iPhone.

AC: Favorite social platform?

LH: Facebook.

SS: My tried and true favorite is Instagram, but starting to love Snapchat!

AC: Favorite social good ad campaign?

LH: Sport Club Recife (Brazil) 

SS: I love campaigns that bring the realism and true human experiences that people are challenged with every day, which is why I love Understood.org but also

AC: In a nutshell, whats your job/what do you do?

LH: As a human experience strategist at Starcom, I distill business, people and cultural insights to determine how to meaningfully connect our clients with their most valuable audience.

SS: I lead the development of media strategy recommendations based on consumer insight and the clients business goals.

AC: How do you think advertising can be a force for good?

LH: I believe that when we tap into a truly deep understanding of both humans and the issues we face, we can create work that influences the course of history.

SS: Advertising has the power to inspire social good and make efforts come to life through great creative and excellent execution to remind all of us what is truly important.

AC: Whats the best professional advice youve ever been given?

LH: Fail, learn, move on.

SS: Make bold choices with no regrets.

AC: Whos been your greatest influence?

LH: My mother.

SS: My daughters.

AC: What have you gotten out of working with the Ad Council?

LH: A wonderfully positive and collaborative professional experience, and of course, a good feeling when I go home in the evening, knowing I may have done a small thing to help bring understanding and comfort to parents of children with learning and attention issues.

SS: My experience has been so rewarding both a personally and professionally knowing Im helping making an impact but also learning how to be creative and focused with the resources at hand.

Thanks so much to Lori and Susan for your support and all that you do for Ad Council campaigns! Follow along on our

The post

Presenting the next nominees of our #ChampionForGood series: Starcom Mediavest Groups SVP of Global Human Experience Strategy Lori Hilton and SVP, Director Susan Seams! Ad Councils Champion for Good series spotlights industry individuals for their continued commitment to social good and how they serve as champions for Ad Council campaigns. We sat down with Lori and Susan at the Starcom offices to talk their favorite social good ad campaigns and what they have gotten out of working with Ad Council campaigns.Smokey Bear or McGruff?Smokey Bear.Smokey Bear  goes back to grade school where I won a Smokey Bear coloring contest.Whats on your desktop home screen?A photo of my husband and son on the beach in the south coast of England.A peaceful photo of my two girls walking toward Castle Rock in Sedona.Android or iPhone?Android.iPhone.Favorite social platform?Facebook.My tried and true favorite is Instagram, but starting to love Snapchat!Favorite social good ad campaign?Sport Club Recife (Brazil)  Immortal Fans for organ donation.I love campaigns that bring the realism and true human experiences that people are challenged with every day, which is why I love Understood.org but also Jacobs Story from Autism Speaks.In a nutshell, whats your job/what do you do?As a human experience strategist at Starcom, I distill business, people and cultural insights to determine how to meaningfully connect our clients with their most valuable audience.I lead the development of media strategy recommendations based on consumer insight and the clients business goals.How do you think advertising can be a force for good?I believe that when we tap into a truly deep understanding of both humans and the issues we face, we can create work that influences the course of history.Advertising has the power to inspire social good and make efforts come to life through great creative and excellent execution to remind all of us what is truly important.Whats the best professional advice youve ever been given?Fail, learn, move on.Make bold choices with no regrets.Whos been your greatest influence?My mother.My daughters.What have you gotten out of working with the Ad Council?A wonderfully positive and collaborative professional experience, and of course, a good feeling when I go home in the evening, knowing I may have done a small thing to help bring understanding and comfort to parents of children with learning and attention issues.My experience has been so rewarding both a personally and professionally knowing Im helping making an impact but also learning how to be creative and focused with the resources at hand.Thanks so much to Lori and Susan for your support and all that you do for Ad Council campaigns! Follow along on our Instagram page to learn about more #ChampionForGood winners!The post Lori Hilton & Susan Seams, Ad Council Champions for Good appeared first on AdLibbing.org


Wednesday, September 7, 2016

I see this a lot: a journalist working for an overwhelmingly liberal-biased news organization who makes a good show of being objective for a while until he or she explodes in an orgy of partisanship. Ethics Waterloo came for the Washington Posts politics blogger Chris Cillizza yesterday, as his natural urges to defend Hillary Clinton kicked in hard, making him seem foolish and marking him as someone who cant be trusted to referee this campaign.

Irritatingly, before I could get to this entry Ann Althouse published a piece with the same message: Cillizzas arguments in Can we just stop talking about Hillary Clintons health now? sound more panicky than reasoned. His column is especially embarrassing given that Cillizza wrote extensively about John McCains health in 2008, and McCain showed nothing in his campaign to raise heightened worries. (Good job, Ed Driscoll, for tracking it down.)

My major concern right now is not Hillarys healthpersonally, Id vote for her over Donald Trump if she were deadbut the news medias incompetent and biased coverage of an important, legitimate and relevant issue, made more so by Clintons conduct and habitual evasiveness. Cillizzas attitude seems to be a troubling example of how his colleagues are treating the matter, and it is damningof him, of them.

Allow me to highlight the worst of the free-flowing bias, dishonesty and lack of logic in Cillizzas columnand, since she did such a good job, Ill pass along the highlights of the professors analysis toonot to appeal to her authority, but to save me time and typing, because BOY am I squeezed today

Cillizza writes that in the aftermath of Clintons fall and concussion in 2012, A certain sector of conservatives were convinced that more was going on with her health than ever became public and that this was yet another example of the Clintons hiding things from the public.

That sector would be called anyone who knows anything about the history of how the health problems of politicians, Presidents, athletes, and just about any celebrity who has had them is routinely covered up, minimized, and withheld from the public. The Clintons are demonstrably more devious than most, so suspicions were and are even more justifiable.

(Sure, Chris, only those mean conservatives and Republicans have wondered about this. There arent any non-gullible and and non-ignorant Democrats and progressives. Waitare you sure you want to suggest that?)

He writes:

Lets start here: Clinton has released a detailed letter from her personal physician attesting to her overall good health  and making specific reference to her 2012 fall

Ann knocks this one out of the park, so Ill defer to her:

1.The doctors letter is from July 2015. There could be a new problem. 2. Last week, the media was probing into the credibility of Donald Trumps doctors. Do we think doctors never lie? And quite aside from lying, they can stretch the truth and frame the facts to favor the interests of their client.

Cilliza: Then there is the fact that Trump himself  age 70!  has not exactly been forthcoming with the details of his own health.

Ah, so he stoops to the old, Never mind my candidate, what about YOUR candidate? deflection. So low, so low.The issue under discussion is Hillary Clintons health and the news medias defensiveness regarding it. Donald Trumps health is 100% irrelevant to those issues. The Psot reporter is alsoin panic? Desperation? Fear? What?undermining his own argument! Only conspiracy theorist question Presidential candidates candor about their health, and by the way, what is Trump hiding?

Althouse: Why so hysterical, Mr. Cillizza? Whats he trying to hide? Why is he so sure this is a bad issue? Hypothesis: Hes not. Hes afraid its a good issue.

Excellent hypothesis

More from Chris: The simple fact is that there is zero evidence that anything is seriously wrong with Clinton.

To those in the throes of confirmation bias, I suppose that seems like a reasonable statement. Otherwise, its absurd. Said Mika Brezinski on Morning Joe yesterday: Shes awesome. Not sick. That might be the most perfect encapsulation of the logic of bias Ive ever heard or read.

No, theres no proof of a serious health problem, but there are definitely incidents and episodes that raise legitimate questions that need answering by the candidate, and, if not, serious and vigorous investigation by the news media. This is a Washington Post reporter? Im pretty sure that the Nixon Administration in the wake of allegations about the Watergate cover-up made one or more statements that The simple fact is that there is zero evidence that the administration engaged in any wrongdoing. I guess it was time to  just stop talking about Watergate, correct, Chris?

There was also, as we were told repeatedly by Clinton and the Corrupted, zero evidence that Hillary breached protocol and mishandled classified information with he secret e-mail serveruntil there was an investigation.

Then: If suffering an occasional coughing fit is evidence of a major health problem, then 75 percent of the country must have that mystery illness. Repeated, chronic, coughing fits can be evidence of lots of health problems, however. Hillary is not on camera all day long, and yet many coughing spells have been caught on video. How often does she cough the rest of the time?

I speak for a living, often in three-hour chunks or more. I have taught while suffering from colds and bronchitis. Yes, I have had to pause to cough: no, in almost 20 years, I have never had a two-minute episode when coughing stopped me from continuing. I used to perform professionally, also sick (the show must go on!), and I never had such an episode then, either. Its not just me. It virtually never happens to any performer: do you know why? It is because performers are getting an extra dose of adrenaline when they are on stage. Actors never sneeze on stage; they dont throw up on stage either, unless they are seriously ill. (I was once in a cast that was thoroughly food poisoned: after every scripted exit, an actor used a bucket in the wings to vomit, and then returned to the show as if nothing was wrong.) The same factors are at work with politicians giving speeches. How often have you heard about an official or a candidate having a coughing fit in fromnt of a crowd? Ive never heard of one.

It is unusual enough that it should raise red flags. Althouse on this:

The coughing is so prolonged and chronic that it is worrisome. If that were your mother coughing like that, youd take her to the doctor. Were not diagnosing her as having something wrong, just observing a symptom and wanting to know: Is something wrong? Its like Cillizza is playing dumbEvidence is anything that makes a fact in issue more or less likely to be true. Of course, prolonged, chronic coughing is some evidence of a serious health problem. and Im sure Cillizza knows that, so why is he dancing about so insistent on demanding that we see things in an abnormal way? It makes me more suspicious.

NOW Ill use Ann as authority: I think a law professor can be trusted to know what evidence is.

Althouse also wonders why Cillizza spends so much of the article complaining that Trump is wasting his time by concentrating on Hillarys health:

Who can read the article and think hes interested in helping Trump? He doesnt want Trump to lose a moment that could be used hitting Hillary with other issues? Yes, he doesUgh! You can see how badly the media have squandered their credibility in this election go-round. I cant believe anything.

Cillizza provides further proof of his missing integrity and suffocating bias with this:

Clintons botched handling of her private email server, the questions raised by the Clinton Foundations foreign donors  these are ripe issues for Trump to make a case against Clinton.

What about journalists, Chris? Shouldnt journalists use those matters to make a case against Clinton?

Nah. Shes awesome!
Tuesday, September 6, 2016

SBA Hot Topic Tuesday  Inspector General Denys $850,000 SBA 7(a) Guaranty

By Bob Coleman

Editor, SBA Hot Topic Tuesday

A $1.6 million SBA 7(a) approved by Newtek Small Business Finance was audited by the Inspector General and the guaranty was denied.

Under its high-dollar/early-default review program  loans over $500,000 defaulting within 18 months  the OIG reviews if the lender has acted prudently with no material deficiencies that warrant recovering guaranteed payments made to lenders.

The OIG says Newteks material deficiencies will cost the lender $850,791.

Debt Refinance

The majority of proceeds from the $1.6 million SBA loan refinanced a $1 million loan from Associated Mortgage Investors. The loan from AMI was disbursed on April 29, 2013, only five months prior to the SBA loan approval.

SBA procedures state that loan proceeds may not be used to refinance debt originally used for a loan purpose that would have been ineligible for SBA financing at the time it was incurred.

Additionally, SBA requires the lender to prepare and maintain in the loan file a written analysis of why the debt was incurred along with supporting documentation. Further, the SBA loan authorization states that the loan must be made for a sound business purpose and must benefit the small business.

We confirmed that the lender did not perform adequate due diligence to verify the original use of proceeds for the AMI loan

Consequently, the majority of the loan proceeds did not benefit the borrower. The lenders analysis stated that the AMI loan was used to purchase real estate. However, documentation in the lenders loan file supporting the debt to be refinanced only included a payoff statement from AMI and a copy of the original note.

Neither of these documents supported that the original debt was used to purchase real estate.

Further, we noted that the fixed assets on the borrowers May 31, 2013 balance sheet, which would indicate the purchase of any new real estate, had remained unchanged since December 31, 2012. In addition, we obtained documentation outside of the lenders file that showed the majority of the AMI loan proceeds did not benefit the borrower. Specifically, $890,380 of the $1 million AMI loan purchased certificates of deposit and paid off delinquent property taxes for the owners of the borrower.

Borrower Benefit

Only $20,123 directly benefited the borrower. (See Table 1.)

Affiliation and Size Standard Issues

The lender also did not reasonably assure that the borrower had repayment ability and met SBA size standards.

As defined by SBA regulations, affiliation exists when either one individual or entity controls or has the power to control another or a third party or parties controls or has the power to control both.

The SOP also requires the lender to retain affiliate and subsidiary financial statements in its loan file.

As previously noted, a managing member owned 60 percent of the borrowing entity, and a real estate investment company owned the remaining 40 percent.

The borrowers managing member disclosed on the SBA Form 4, Application for Business Loan, that the business or its owners owned or had a controlling interest in other businesses.

However, there was no evidence in the lenders loan file that the borrower provided a full list of affiliated businesses, their relationship with the borrower, and all financial data.

Instead, to identify business affiliates, the lender relied on a letter from the borrowers CPA and the tax returns of the borrowers owners.

While the CPAs letter and tax returns included seven affiliated LLCs, we found evidence that suggested the managing member was affiliated with and may have had ownership interests in at least 18 other businesses.

We confirmed his affiliation with at least seven other businesses not considered by the lender.

Based on this evidence, the lender did not adequately assess the impact that the borrowers other affiliated businesses would have had on the repayment ability and size of the borrower.

Read the OIG Report 16-19
Tuesday, September 6, 2016

The grave of renowned 20th century novelist F. Scott (Francis Scott Key) Fitzgerald is located the middle of Rockville, Maryland, right next to St. Marys Catholic Church. The historic church and its graveyard were dedicated in 1817.

Fitzgeralds novels in the 1920s included This Side of Paradise, Tender is the Night, The Beautiful and The Damned, and his most famous work, The Great Gatsby.

The the city of Rockville has grown enormously over the past two decades. Fitzgeralds final resting place is in an old cemetery right next to a very busy highway. Its hard to find if you dont know where to look. The churchs address is 520 Viers Mill Road, but to get to their parking lot, you have to access it from Church Street, just north on Rockville Pike from the confluence of Rockville Pike and Viers Mill Road.

Fitzgerald was raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, but his family roots are in Maryland. Read his history at Wikipedia.

He died in Hollywood of a heart attack at the age of 44 in 1940.

Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda were not practicing Catholics, and his Jazz Age writings cast a bit of a scandalous air over their legacy. They were buried in Rockville Union Cemetery, a nondenominational cemetery in another part of Rockville. Their daughter Scottie petitioned to have their remains transferred to St. Marys, to rest with other Fitzgerald relatives, in 1975.

Their daughter, who lived from 1921 to 1986, is also buried in St. Marys Church cemetery with her parents.

On the day of my visit, dried roses, a fountain pen and a small pot of live flowers adorned the grave. I added my two books, to be close to his greatness.

The last words of The Great Gatsby cover F. Scott and Zeldas grave: And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Thanks for the memories and the luminous writing.
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Suppliers to companies such as Nike Inc. and Hugo Boss AG are scrambling to ensure their T-shirts and sneakers reach buyers in time for the year-end holiday season after the collapse of Hanjin Shipping Co. left an estimated $14 billion worth of goods adrift.

Esquel Group, a Hong Kong-based manufacturer for fashion brands including Nike, Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren, is hiring truckers to move four stranded containers of raw materials to its factories near Ho Chi Minh City as soon as they can be retrieved from ports in China. Liaoning Shidai Wanheng Co., a Chinese fabrics importer and a supplier to Marks & Spencer Group PLC, has made alternative arrangements for shipments that were scheduled with Hanjin.

Our production lines are waiting, said Kent Teh, who runs Esquels Vietnam business. We potentially have to take airfreight to deliver the garment items to clients in the U.S. and U.K.

Apparel, handbags, televisions and microwave ovens are among goods stranded at sea after Koreas largest shipping company filed for bankruptcy protection last week, setting off a series of events that roiled the global supply chain. A U.S. Court on Tuesday provided a temporary reprieve, which may help vessels call on ports such as Los Angeles without the fear of getting impounded.

Any major bottlenecks ahead of Thanksgiving and Christmas could put a dent in the two-month shopping season, which netted some $626 billion of sales last year in the U.S.

Supporting Hanjins Chapter 15 U.S. Bankruptcy Court petition, Samsung Electronics Co. said in a court filing that about $38 million of its goods were on board two Hanjin vessels off Long Beach, California. Its visual display business division has parts and finished goods in 304 containers meant for its factory in Mexico, while its home appliance business unit has refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers and microwaves in 312 containers.

If the cargo isnt unloaded immediately, the company will be forced to transport alternative parts by air to help meet contractual obligations at great costs, Samsung said. For example, it would have to charter at least 16 planes at a cost of about $8.8 million to move 1,469 tons of goods, it said.

All these costs and delays will be a loss not only to Samsung, but also to major retailers in the U.S. and, ultimately, to U.S. consumers, Samsung said in the filing.

Handbag maker Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. said it has had concerns about Hanjin for some time.

We did have a limited number of containers hung up on those ships; theres going to be some pricing pressure at this point, CEO John Idol said Wednesday at a conference in New York. We dont expect significant long-term impact.

At the same conference, Emanuel Chirico, CEO of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger owner PVH Corp., said Hanjin handles a small portion of the companys business, and it really hasnt impacted us at all.

South Koreas top economic policymaker said Wednesday he expected Hanjin Shipping vessels marooned offshore of Long Beach, California, will be able to offload cargo this week.

Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said at a government meeting that he expects the cargo crisis caused by Hanjins slide toward bankruptcy will begin to ease this week, according to a ministry statement.

Port workers in Busan and Hanjin Shipping labor union officials held rallies Wednesday, urging the government, creditors and Hanjin Group to save the shipping company.

As parent Hanjin Group and the South Korean government consider steps to salvage the shipping company, retailers in the U.S. last week called for measures to help temper losses. About 86 of Hanjins ships were stuck at 50 ports in 26 countries, with vessels turned away out of concern the company has no cash to pay various docking fees and handling charges. A favorable ruling from a U.S. bankruptcy court this week protected Hanjins assets in the U.S. against creditors, while the shipping line proceeds with its reorganization in South Korea.

With cargo stuck on ships, Esquels Teh estimates a production delay of about a week and a doubling of transport costs. Besides truckers, a faster ship will be hired to transport the items from Hong Kong, he said. He also plans to fly finished products out of his factories to meet deadlines.

Some manufacturers are switching to other shippers, said Hoang Ngoc Anh, deputy secretary general of Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association.

Over in China, Shanghai Lansheng Corp., which exports shoes, office supplies and musical instruments, said it is asking each of its business divisions to check if they have any stock stuck at sea.

Nike and Ralph Lauren declined to comment, while Hugo Boss didnt immediately respond to an emailed request for comments.

Retailers main concern is that theres millions of dollars worth of merchandise that needs to be on store shelves that could be impacted by this, Jonathan Gold, vice president for supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation trade group, said last week.

Another group, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, urged U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Mario Cordero to intervene.

Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot.

In last-ditch efforts to pull the shipping company back from the brink, Hanjin Group said Tuesday it will provide about $90 million, including $36 million from its chairman Cho Yang-hos personal assets, to help contain disruptions in the supply chain. Separately, South Koreas ruling Saenuri Party asked the government to offer about about $90 million in low-interest loans if the group provides collateral.

Hanjin Shipping filed for bankruptcy protection last week after its proposal for restructuring failed to pass muster with lenders led by state-owned Korea Development Bank.

The disruptions have dented South Koreas image, said Lee Sang Jae, an economist at Eugene Investment & Securities Co. in Seoul. If this prolongs, it will only cause more concern to companies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

SEOUL, South Korea  South Koreas top economic policymaker said Wednesday he expected Hanjin Shipping vessels marooned offshore of Long Beach, California, will be able to offload cargo this week.

Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said at a government meeting that he expects the cargo crisis caused by Hanjins slide toward bankruptcy will begin to ease this week, according to a ministry statement.

South Koreas biggest ocean shipping line says it is seeking protection from its creditors in dozens of countries. A U.S. federal judge has temporarily granted Hanjins request for protection from its creditors and scheduled a hearing for Friday. South Koreas government expects a ruling in Hanjins favor, said Kim Hyun-jung, an official at the foreign affairs ministry.

Hanjins creditors rejected a rescue plan for the shipping company and refused to provide more funds. The move sent retailers and other companies worldwide scrambling to get at cargo on Hanjin vessels that have been stranded outside ports.

While Hanjin Shipping has over 6 trillion won ($5.5 billion) in debt, it also needs to pay mounting fees to resolve the cargo crisis that sent shockwaves to the global economy ahead of the fall shopping season. Hanjin Group, the parent of the cash-strapped ship liner, has promised $90 million to help relieve the cargo crisis by covering some of those costs.

Local media reports said Wednesday that a South Korean court has asked Hanjin Shippings main creditor, the state-owned Korea Development Bank, for emergency funding.

Port workers in Busan and Hanjin Shipping labor union officials held rallies Wednesday, urging the government, creditors and Hanjin Group to save the shipping company.
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On the day they moved into their Government Hill home in the summer of 2002, artists Ethel Shipton and Nate Cassie were relaxing on the front porch, exhausted, when a neighbor came over with a bowl of homemade salsa and a bag of Fritos.

I remember he was very apologetic about the Fritos, saying they were the only chips he had in the pantry, Cassie recalled. It didnt matter. That salsa was really good. We thought, Oh, yes, this is the right spot.

Sandwiched between Fort Sam Houston and Interstate 35, Government Hill is one of the suburbs, along with Monte Vista and Tobin Hill, developed during what is known as the Gilded Age of San Antonio, from 1890 to 1930.

According to the citys Office of Historic Preservation, it is integrally linked to Fort Sam, which intially was developed in the 1870s after the city donated 93 acres of land to the U.S. War Department.

By the late 19th century, the surrounding area of Government Hill  It was historically known as Rattlesnake Hill, Shipton said  was home to 12,000 people.

Although Bexar County records list the Shipton/Cassie home as built in 1928, Cassie said a Sanborn Map search dates the home to 1906.

The older folks in the neighborhood all called it the colonels house when we moved here, and the story is that a Col. Beasley lived here with his sister until the 70s, he said.

For many years, there wasnt much gilded about Government Hill, as the neighborhood just north of downtown was split by the construction of the interstate in the 50s and fell on hard times.

In the early 2000s, when Shipton and Cassie moved in a month after they were married, Government Hill was not exactly a preferred address.

Many of the proud old houses were deteriorating, and hookers worked passing cars from corners just down the street.

But the couple saw potential, the price was right, and they had some neighbors who knew how to make a mean salsa.

We liked the history of the neighborhood and loved the house, Shipton said.

Today, Government Hill, within sniffing distance of the kitchens of the fine dining establishments at the Pearl complex, is gradually gentrifying  which means new life but also higher prices.

Its cleaned up quite a bit, Cassie said. There are fewer transients, a lot less action on the street.

Artist Jesse Amado, who bought his house a couple of blocks away just a year after Cassie and Shipton moved to the area, said there are a lot of characters around and, lately, younger couples in the neighborhood. I really like my house here. Its a good house.

That pretty much describes Cassies and Shiptons home. A cream-and-green Victorian in the Queen Anne style with a wide front porch, a prominent shingled gable facing the street and oval windows on each side of the front door, the home is all about comfort, family and friends. The welcome mat reads, Hola.

Its a house thats good to fill up with people, which we do a lot, Shipton said.

Lyle Williams, curator of prints and drawings at the McNay Art Museum, where Shipton used to work as a chief preparator, knows the house well.

I remember when they first bought the house, Government Hill was still pretty rough, so their choice of neighborhood seemed quite adventurous, Williams said. But the generous proportions of the house complement Ethel and Nates grace and ease as hosts. Of course, helping them paint those huge walls years ago convinced me that my own house would most definitely not be a fixer upper.

New Jersey native Cassie, 45, who teaches at St. Marys Hall, and Laredo-born Shipton, 50, production manager for Luminaria, are lucky to have those 11-foot ceilings, which translate to a lot of wall space.

In the house, which encompasses about 2,300 square feet, they have more than 120 artworks by nearly 75 artists  including Amado, Francis Alys, Alejandro Diaz, Meg Langhorne, Franco Mondini-Ruiz, Peter Glassford, Mark Hogensen and Kimberley Aubuchon.

Historic architecture juxtaposes with contemporary art in an intriguing blend. A visitors eye is constantly confronted with something new.

There is a lot of stuff to look at, deadpanned Shipton.

There is art in the large, airy entry hall, the adjancent living room, dining room and kitchen, as well as in the two bedrooms and two bathrooms on the other side of the house.

There is art-in-progress in Cassies messy studio, converted from another bedroom. (Shiptons studio is off site on the East Side.)

The TV den, or the room with seven doors (and yes, this small, windowless room with chocolate brown walls in the center of the house does indeed have seven doors), has 33 works of art in it.

Its the heart of the house, Cassie said.

The home doesnt seem crowded or cluttered, however  well, there is some good clutter.

Many of the artists in the couples collection have given works as gifts or traded for pieces by Cassie, primarily an abstract painter, and Shipton, whose work ranges from small drawings to sculptural objects. Both cross over into a lot of different artistic media, including photography and video.

Their work is all over the house, too. Narcissus (Lotus) a big, patterned, lavender canvas by Cassie, dominates one dining room wall, just as a grand 2005 painting called Avalanche (Its based on the mathematics of an avalanche, plus, it just has that towering scale, he said.) hangs in the main hallway.

A flock of a dozen or so drawings from Shiptons Moments project  its goal: producing 1,440 images and word panels to account for every minute of one day  are clustered together near the kitchen, while a wonderfully enigmatic object called Lace It Up, which looks sort of like a colorful capsule, adds both humor and elegance to the living room.

Its a good mix of our community and our life, really, Shipton said of their art collection.

Their art, which seems to cover every wall, is familiar and often funny, said the McNays Williams. It is familiar because most of it is by fellow artist friends, and it is funny because the homeowners dont take themselves or art too seriously. Ethel and Nates sense of fun definitely informs their collection and its installation.

Gallerist Patricia Ruiz-Healy, who exhibits both Cassies and Shiptons work at her Olmos Park gallery, said the couples home has their mark all over it.

The house just has so much of their personalities, and it exudes warmth and cleverness, she said.

sbennett@express-news.net
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Chris Nguyens Tuesday was going just like any other day until 11:38 a.m., when a student of his at ITT Technical Institute let him know he was no longer employed.

The for-profit company announced that it closed all of its vocational colleges nationwide, more than 130 campuses that included two in San Antonio, about a week after the U.S. Department of Education cut off access to federal financial aid for new students and demanded financial assurances that it could cover its students education elsewhere if it shut down.

The closures will leave 8,000 employees without a job, ITT Educational Services, based in Carmel, Indiana, said in a news release.

I was shocked because I didnt expect that at all, said Nguyen, standing outside ITT Techs Northwest location in San Antonio. And for a student to call me and say Professor Nguyen, I think were closed, I was like What? So I had to check it out for myself. So I came here, and the lights were still on inside, but all the doors were locked.

Nguyen said he hadnt yet looked at an e-mail the company sent him around 6 a.m. alerting him to his newly laid-off status. He was expecting to start class up again on Sept. 12.

There was no call, it was just an email and it said This is an email regarding your termination of employment for ITT. Honestly, I thought wed get one more quarter at least before they would try to, you know, close it, he said.

Nguyen taught English at a campus in an office park off Interstate 10 and ITT had another campus on Loop 410 on the Northeast Side. Programs of study included information technology, electronics, drafting and design and business, according to their websites.

Phones were not answered at either school Tuesday and their enrollment information was unavailable. Nguyen estimated about 300 students attended the Northwest Side location. He taught two classes, totaling 44 students.

About 40,000 students were enrolled in ITT Tech schools nationwide. In an open letter to them, Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said those currently or recently enrolled can have their federal student loan debt wiped out. Those who try to transfer their credits elsewhere might not have the same ability to discharge their federal loans, unless they enroll in a different program that does not accept ITT credits. King promised more updates from the Office of Federal Student Aid.

Whatever you choose to do, do not give up on your education, King added.  Restarting or continuing your education at a high-quality, reputable institution may feel like a setback today, but odds are it will pay off in the long run.

The agency that accredits ITT found last month that the chain failed to meet several basic standards and was unlikely to comply in the future. The federal government, and some states, were investigating ITTs recruiting and accounting practices.

The government had also increased oversight of ITT due to concerns over its organization and financial viability. The Department of Education prohibited ITT from awarding pay raises or bonuses to executives and required it to develop teach-out plans to help current students finish their programs at other colleges if the chain shut down. Last week, it told ITT to increase its surety requirement from $94 million to more than $247 million, an amount equal to 40 percent of the federal financial aid its schools received last year.

The surety was protection in case ITT closed before the end of an academic period. ITT had 10 days to pay $153 million towards the new amount, the department said, but the company decided to go out of business instead.

Ultimately, we made a difficult choice to pursue additional oversight in order to protect you, other students, and taxpayers from potentially worse educational and financial damage in the future.

In its statement Tuesday, ITT said the company had carefully managed expenses, worked to comply with laws and cooperated with regulators. The company said it had considered turning the schools into nonprofit or public institutions.

Before the most recent sanctions, we had no intention  of closing down despite the challenging regulatory environment that now threatens all proprietary higher education, ITT said, adding, We believe the government's action was inappropriate and unconstitutional.

Back at the Northwest Side campus, Nguyen said he spent the afternoon trying to help students who showed up, many unaware of the schools closure. He gave them a list of numbers they should try calling to inquire about credit transfers and loans.

I had a student come up to me and say, What do I do now? and another said, I graduated, are we still going to walk the stage?

Honestly, I dont feel bad for myself, I feel bad for my students, because I was their teacher and all I want is for them to do their best. I want whats best for them, he said. I know a lot of them have the experience, they just need that paper in their hand, that degree, or that certificate saying that they know what theyre doing.
Virtually all employees engaged in agriculture are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act. However, some small farm operations and those with mostly family labor may be exempt from minimum wage and overtime pay provisions of the Act.

1Working conditions

Every agriculture employee must receive information about the working terms and conditions of the job. A contract of working terms and conditions should include work location, the time period the work will cover, type of work including crops to be harvested, wage rates, benefits (such as housing or transportation), whether workers compensation or state unemployment insurance is provided, and any other working terms and conditions.

An employer is only required to provide a written contract of terms and conditions if the worker does not live in the area permanently or if the worker requests a written copy of the contract.

2Pay

Employers must keep an accurate record of all employees work time  including travel between fields, waiting on equipment fixes, or work breaks  and must pay employees the correct wages for all hours that they work.

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour  for Ohio employers with annual gross receipts of $297,000 or more minimum wage is $8.10. The employer is required to pay overtime if the employee performed non-agricultural work and worked over 40 hours in that workweek.

3Exemptions

The Fair Labor Standards Act does provide exemptions for minimum wage and overtime for agricultural employers.

Agriculture work is exempt from overtime under federal labor law. This does not include work performed on a farm that is not in conjunction with the farming operation and does not include operations performed off a farm if performed by employees employed by someone other than the farmer whose agricultural products are being worked on.

Additional exemptions include:

Employees who are immediate family members.

Those principally engaged on the range in the production of livestock.

Local hand harvest laborers who commute daily from their permanent residence, are paid on a piece rate basis in traditionally piece-rated occupations, and were engaged in agriculture less than 13 weeks during the preceding calendar year.

Non-local minors, 16 or under, who are hand harvesters, paid on a piece rate basis in traditionally piece-rated occupations, employed on the same farm as their parent, and paid the same piece rate as those over 16.

4Transportation and housing

If employers provide transportation or housing opportunities, they must be safe and sanitary. Transportation vehicles must have a separate seat for each passenger, seats must be secured to vehicle, windows and doors should not be broken and function properly, adequate ventilation and heating for cold months is necessary, and brakes, lights, turn signals, horns, etc., should be in working order.

If housing is provided, living quarters should include a bed for each worker, hot and cold running water, heat for cold months, functioning windows, screen doors, adequate lighting, sanitary bathroom space and kitchen area to store food, no signs of rodent, pest or insect infestations, a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.

5

In the fields

Employers who hire 11 or more workers throughout the year to do hand labor in the fields may be required to provide drinking water and other facilities.

Clean drinking water and one clean drinking cup per employee must be provided free of charge. If workers are in the fields for more than three hours (including travel to and from fields), employers must provide one toilet and one hand washing station for every 20 workers (if there are 21 workers, two stations are needed).

Note: This is not a complete list of labor requirements for agriculture. For more information visit dol.gov.

(Farm and Dairy is featuring a series of 101 columns throughout the year to help young and beginning farmers master farm living. From finances to management to machinery repair and animal care, farmers do it all.)

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Scottish farming union NFU Scotland has urged policy makers to learn from the mistakes of the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) before planning for the next.

Speaking at an event in Rome, to discuss future policy at the European Parliament, NFUS Vice President Andrew McCornick examined the future of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Despite the UKs expected exit from the EU, the Union urged policymakers to stop 'over symplifying' the whole financial process.

NFUS Vice President Andrew McCornick said: "Across Europe, farmers produce food; are the cornerstone of growing food and drink sectors; they support wider economic activity in rural areas; they are the custodians of the countryside.

NFUS Vice President Andrew McCornick

"The public value all of these things but often dont understand or appreciate the role of farmers in delivering them.

"Ideally the marketplace would value all of these things but it doesnt and without the support of the CAP most European farms struggle to be viable.

"While the UKs exit from the EU will see our farmers and crofters eventually removed from the CAP support system; I urge Europe to learn the lessons from the implementation of the current CAP package as it considers the policys future role," Mr McCornick said.

One-size environmental policy 'inappropriate'

Mr McCornick said the time allotted to member states to implement fundamental reform was "too short", causing "widespread delays and uncertainty" across the EU.

"A one-size fits all environmental policy for the whole of the EU is inappropriate and policymakers and auditors must work more closely together to ensure regulations can be implemented at grass roots level," Mr McCornick said.

"Finally, CAP needs to refocus on supporting production," he continued, "paying people to do little or nothing by way of agricultural activity is not acceptable.

"It is the production of food that will deliver food security to Europe and it is the production of food that generates jobs and economic activity."

"Rules and bureaucracy, often seen as costly or irrelevant, can make even the simplest farm activity difficult"

Mr McCornick explained that food production and a sensible environmental policy can be delivered together.

"In the future, we need an agricultural policy that delivers profitable, sustainable farming across the EU.

"This cannot be done without tackling the problems in the supply chain and Scotland is not alone in facing falling farm incomes at a time when other parts of the food chain are going from strength to strength.

"We need proper collaboration in the supply chain where everyone can make a margin that allows them to invest and be sustainable for the future," Mr McCornick said.

Recognising the 'extra demands'

The Vice-President said future CAP needs to recognise the "extra demands" it places on EU farmers and "compensate them" for these costs.

"It also needs to value what farmers deliver for the local economy and environment as well as society as a whole," Mr McCornick said.

"The income forgone model for valuing environmental delivery is busted.

"We need to properly incentivise farmers for going above and beyond and delivering goods that both have a financial cost to the individual and a benefit to society.

"In a roundabout way, Brexit provides some vital pointers to CAP policy discussions," he said.

"It is clear to us that whatever happens and however Brexit plays out in the years ahead, Europe will continue to be important to the UK and its farmers but policymakers should have an appreciation of why some UK farmers voted to leave.

"Rules and bureaucracy, often seen as costly or irrelevant, can make even the simplest farm activity difficult.

"But more concerning for many is the constant fear of breaching the rules and the harsh penalties that a breach will bring.

"Whether by genuine mistake, by confusion or even a blatant breach; they are all treated the same and penalties often bear no resemblance to the error made.

"Farmers also see the inactive being supported while those who are producing more and looking to grow their business have lost out in recent reforms.

"Add in a dysfunctional supply chain and non-existent profitability and policymakers can see why the promise of something better from those who supported Brexit will have been attractive to some in the farming community compared to sticking with the CAP we know," Mr McCornick concluded.
Visionary thinking, a long-term approach, and creativity are to enable the next generation of food producers to face global farming challenges.

That is why Bayer and the two Belgian young farmers associations, Groene Kring and Federation des Jeunes Agriculteurs, are inviting young thought leaders from around the world to apply to attend the third Global Youth Agriculture Summit from October 9 to 13, 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.

About 100 selected young delegates from around the world will share ideas, develop solutions and engage in an open discussion on one of the worlds most challenging questions: How do we feed a hungry planet sustainably?

To apply, young people aged 18 to 25 are asked to submit an essay on the underlying causes of food insecurity and the effect it can have on a growing population.

The essay question is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Ability to demonstrate original ideas and passion to help shape the future will be the key selection criteria for the Youth Ag-Summit.

Essay applications are accepted online until January 13, 2017.

In 2015, delegates from 33 countries delivered the Canberra Youth Ag-Declaration, an action-oriented plan with recommendations on how youth can have the maximum impact on global food security, which was tabled at the United Nations Committee on World Food Security in Rome afterwards.

'Unique and diverse perspectives'

"Hailing from 33 countries and many different educational backgrounds, all 100 delegates brought together unique and diverse perspectives and mooted ideas towards addressing a global concern.

"It was amazing to see how we all, enthusiastically, took up the challenge and formed a common overall vision aimed at feeding a hungry planet", remembers Samba Ouma Zablon, 2015 alumni delegate from Kenya, who was selected to present the declaration to the UN.

In 2017, the movement continues in the European capital.

"We are delighted to co-host the next Youth Ag-Summit in Brussels," says FJAs secretary general Guillaume Van Binst.

"FJA aims to mobilize stakeholders, organize advocacy, and address both farmers and the general public.

"And where better to do so than at this prestigious global event?" Groene Kring national chairman Giel Boey agrees.

"Brussels, is an ideal location for this seminal gathering of young farmers to help us face up to the future of agriculture and of feeding the world," he says.

Damien Viollet, Director and Head of Country Group Benelux Bayer CropScience adds: "Belgium is a great place to lead from.

It is in the heart of Europe, where governments, multinationals, civil society and the media take a seat at the table to shape the continent and beyond."

Assessing young peoples knowledge about agriculture

The Summits long-term goal is to inspire delegates to not just think, but to act, and action is clearly needed to improve young peoples knowledge about agriculture, since many young people are disconnected from farming and give little thought to where their food comes from.

That is why Bayer initiated a major study to assess young peoples agricultural literacy in eleven countries during Summer 2015.

The Youth Agriculture Literacy Study revealed that the overwhelming majority of young people had no idea when crops were ripe or were harvested.

Less than a quarter of young people around the world were aware that wax is an animal product.

In Great Britain only almost a quarter correctly answered that wine grapes are ripe in autumn and every other US youngster didnt know that spices are dried plants.

Furthermore, the study demonstrated that a higher level of education does not mean a higher level of agricultural literacy.

"Bayer is committed to encouraging young people to learn about agriculture and to inspire the next generation of ag visionaries.
A free trade proposal between the UK and Australia has caused alarm among National Sheep Association members who fear a further increase in foreign lamb products.

Australia currently has a quota to export just under 20,000 tonnes of sheep meat to the EU, which it fulfills every year.

With an annual production of more than 700,000 tonnes, the country is very keen to open up more trade opportunities and is seizing on Brexit as an opportunity to renegotiate its EU quota.

But Phil Stocker, National Sheep Association Chief Executive, says a trade agreement would send a larger amount of sheep meat to UK retailers when the market is 'already suffering.'

"NSA understands Australia has been pushing to increase its EU quota for many years now, so there is no doubt it would send larger amounts of sheep meat to Europe and the UK given the opportunity," Mr Stocker said.

"The UK sheep sector is already suffering unacceptably high levels of imports of New Zealand lamb, much of which is sourced by retailers at times of the year when UK product is in plentiful supply."

NSA believes more should be done to grow the UK domestic market

'UK domestic market should be grown'

The NSA said the UK needed to be keen to see an outcome to Brexit whereby tighter controls on New Zealand lamb were put in place.

They said a situation allowing new Australian products to be imported into UK retailers would make matters worse.

"Recent figures from Meat and Livestock Australia show the country produced 516,366 tonnes of lamb and 196,040 tonnes of mutton in 2015/16, exporting 56% of total lamb production (worth $1.78 billion) and 91% of mutton production ($700 million). The main destinations were the Middle East, USA and China.

Mr Stocker continues: "The UK is currently an importer and exporter of lamb, which helps balance supply and demand through the year and exploits ideal sheep producing conditions in the UK.

"However, NSA believes more should be done to grow the UK domestic market and increase self-sufficiency in lamb production and consumption  especially as we do not know what access we will have to EU markets in the future.

"We currently export around 36% of UK lamb, with France and the rest of the EU taking the majority of this. A priority for our sector is negotiating a trade deal with the EU post-Brexit.

"A free trade deal with Australia or New Zealand may be beneficial for some UK industries but could have a catastrophic effect on UK sheep farmers and we cannot sit back and be sacrificed for the benefit of others.

"Given the fundamental role our sheep sector has in maintaining the rural environment, landscape and community in the UK, we cannot afford to be overlooked in crucial trade negotiations.

"We encourage the UK Government to work hard on these deals, but not to rush into agreements without considering the wider consequences."
Building resilience in the agricultural sector will lead to a better future for the countryside once the UK leaves the European Union, the CLA have said.

Environment and Brexit Ministers appear before the Environmental Audit Committee inquiry into the future of the natural environment post-Brexit.

The organisation which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses said voting out of the EU produced an opportunity for better environmental outcomes for the countryside by creating a new world-leading food, farming and environment policy.

The main risk that is presented from Brexit is that the UK Government may choose to end or significantly reduce investment in environmental land management, the organisation said in their report.

"Over recent years more and more farm businesses have been able to include participation in environmental schemes as part of their business plan, effectively as a form of business diversification.

"The longer there is uncertainty about what future policy will be the more businesses will develop business plans that do not include participation in environmental schemes.

"This uncertainty is already present.

"The Treasury confirmed on 13th August that the UK Government would continue to fund all existing agri-environment schemes even if the contracts extend beyond Brexit.

"They also stated that basic payment schemes would be funded to the end of 2020 irrespective of the Brexit timetable."

'Society must work in partnership'

The report said Brexit provided an opportunity to build on existing policy and 'do better'

CLA President Ross Murray said that landowners and farmers are the "people who look after the great British countryside through careful environmental management".

"But this comes at a cost which the current market does not provide for," Mr Murray said.

"To successfully maintain the landscapes and wildlife that the public wants to see, society must work in partnership with land managers.

"Brexit provides a unique opportunity to sustain a resilient farming sector through a fully-funded policy that delivers better outcomes for our environment.

"We want to continue improving biodiversity, helping tackle climate change and managing the UKs distinctive landscapes for this generation and for those to come. But the right investment is critical.

"Ministers will be setting out their initial thoughts to MPs this week," Mr Murray added.

"We dont expect all the answers at this stage, but now is the time to provide reassurance to farmers, landowners and all those who care about our countryside.

"Ministers have a responsibility to lead a collaborative and efficient process through which a new policy can be developed.

"Land managers are ready to play a full and constructive part in that process."

The CLAs written evidence comes before Environment Minister Therese Coffey and Brexit Minister Robin Walker both appear in front of the Committee on 7 September to give oral evidence.

Opportunity to build on policy

The report said Brexit provided an opportunity to build on existing policy and 'do better'.

"There are opportunities in design", the report said.

"Agri-environment schemes as designed by the devolved administrations of the UK have had as one of their main determinants avoiding the risk of disallowance fines from the Commission.

"This has led to a system which is overtly bureaucratic and inflexible and where process takes precedent over environmental outcomes.

"In particular, the current approach to control and verification, demonstrating that what needs to happen has happened, is unnecessarily detailed and not designed to take account of how the UK design agri-environment schemes.

"This has created major administrative burdens for agreement holders and administrators with little benefit to the environment.

"Under a future scheme there is potential for a proportionate approach to control and verification.

"As part of this and where it is appropriate we should consider the use of results based payments.

"These are schemes where payments are linked to the delivery of pre-agreed environmental outcomes.

"This approach is only likely to be relevant to some types of activities  for example where bio-diversity can be defined and monitored  but the flexibility and ownership these schemes offer should not be overlooked," the report concluded.
The RPA must iron out a number of problems that still exist with 2015 BPS payments, the NFU said today, with less than three months until the 2016 window opens.

Farmers said they were concerned and did not have the confidence that the RPA would sort out remaining issues with 2015 applications, such as for remaining payments, mapping and dealing with any appeals - unless it acted quickly and efficiently.

NFU Vice President Guy Smith said that this continued delay in resolving 2015 claims was adding pressure on the validation for 2016.

"Travelling round the country talking to farmers and agents, it is staggering just how many feel that BPS 2015 is far from complete or resolved, he added.

"Cash-flow problems are becoming compounded and the impact of delayed BPS or HLS/ELS payments becomes more pronounced"

"15 months on from when these claims were submitted and just three months away from the opening of the 2016 payment window, the atmosphere is best described as fraught.

"As we enter a third year of low commodity prices, cash-flow problems are becoming compounded and the impact of delayed BPS or HLS/ELS payments becomes more pronounced. This is causing real stress and serious hardship.

"We already gather the annual cross check between BPS and agri-environmental schemes is running later than it has historically taken place.

"Of particular concern are those livestock producers in the uplands and with common land who need to restock their sheep flocks in the current round of autumn sales and are waiting for BPS monies. Cash needs to flow from the RPA to farmers."

Farmers need to know 'basic information'

Mr Smith also said that the NFU had always doubted there were only 13,500 underpayment cases to be resolved and feared there were many more the system had not picked up.

I would urge the RPA to issue entitlement statements for the first year of BPS to help farmers understand and confirm their entitlements starting point.

"This is critical if entitlements have been added from the national reserve or taken away due to the rules in place.

"Farmers need to know this basic information before their BPS 2016 payments arrive," he added.

"And the RPA needs to provide commoners the breakdown of the common land element of their claims to help them understand the impact of the new approach to common land allocation.

"Ultimately, there are a lot of questions," Mr Smith said, "the RPA needs to up its game on communicating to farmers on the outcomes of 2015 land-based inspections and payment reconciliation work and support if farmers wish to challenge the RPAs confirmed position, so they can at least know the status of their previous claims.

"We will continue to meet with the RPA to raise the concerns of our members and we hope these issues can be resolved sooner rather than later.

"Despite our doubts over the promise that 90% of 2016 payments will be made by the end of December we are determined to hold the RPA to it.

"If between now and the opening of the payment window in December we see any backtracking on that promise then we will call on Defra to issue bridging payments instead," Mr Smith concluded.
Comments from Prime Minister Theresa May today has shown support of the food and farming sector in the first Prime Ministers Questions since the summer recess.

The NFU has said it welcomes the comments, with just one week to go until 'Back British Farming Day'  a farming industry-led event held in London.

NFU Deputy President Minette Batters said that this recognition of the industry was encouraging and timely.

In response to a question from Neil Parish MP today, Theresa May said: "We do need to recognise the very significant role that the food and farming industry plays in the United Kingdom.

"Of course we will be looking to work with the sector."

Minette Batters, NFU Deputy President, said British farming provides the "raw ingredients" for an industry worth 108 billion to the UK economy which also provides 3.9 million jobs.

"Its the bedrock of the food industry, feeding the nation and playing a part in feeding the world," Miss Batters said.

"Its very pleasing to see, in the first session of PMQs after summer recess, food and farming being brought to the fore by Neil Parish.

"To have the Prime Minister confirm her support for farming is encouraging for the farming sector in future post-Brexit negotiations.

"Back British Farming day is just seven days away  farmers and MPs will be gathering to show their support for home-grown food and farming alongside three iconic British tractors in the middle of Westminster.

"The PMs timely comments have set the scene for an upbeat celebration of great British food on 14 September," concluded Miss Batters.
A popular belief that there is a higher number of births around the full moon has been shown to be true for dairy cows by a group of University of Tokyo researchers.

Previous studies have found conflicting evidence on the moon cycle affecting the timing of human births and many researchers remain unconvinced that the moon influences human births.

Professor Tomohiro Yonezawa explains that the results may have varied because "multiple factors, such as the mothers nutrition, social environment, and genetic background could disguise the moons influence.

"However, cows may provide a good model for teasing apart the lunar effect from other factors that also influence birth."

In the present study, Yonezawa and his colleagues at the Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences analysed the birth timing of genetically similar Holstein cows reared in uniform conditions on a dairy farm in Hokkaido, northernmost prefecture in Japan.

Full moon births

The researchers looked into 428 records of full-term spontaneous cow deliveries during a three-year period between September 2011 and August 2013, and the state of the moon in the moon cycle at the time of each delivery.

Analysis showed that the birth rate was statistically higher during the near full and full moon.

Furthermore, the number of deliveries was higher for cows that had previously given birth.

"As vets, we always try to see if questions that are difficult to explore in humans can be examined in farm animals," said Prof Yonezawa.

"This study is a good example of how weve put this approach into practice, but before we can draw any strong conclusions, we have to verify our results with a larger sample size.

"Also, our findings do not immediately hold true for human births and we still dont know why the number of calves delivered increases around the full moon.

"However, we are excited to do further research because the findings should eventually lead to discoveries that can be generalized to human births," concluded Prof Yonezawa.
The image of red meat has been undergoing a major positive change, AHDB Pork has said in a recent analysis of the meat market.

Consumers are seeing it more and more as "full of flavour, easy to cook and suitable for any day of the week."

Although poultry wins for practicality in the consumers eye, there is one notable point where it falls down.

Only 35% of respondents considered poultry full of flavour, while beef and lamb scored higher with 52% and 46% respectively.

Graph

For pork, there have already been some shifts in perception. These results show a 4-5% increase in the amount of people who think pork is easy to cook and suitable for any day of the week, compared to the last survey.

These shifts should be monitored as the survey continues, to see if they become trends, AHDB Pork said.

However, it is not universal good news, as consumers are much less likely to agree that beef, lamb, or pork is good for you, compared to fish and poultry.

Negative media coverage can influence these perceptions, AHDB Pork mentioned.

Consumer awareness of red meat coverage peaked at 31% in January 2016, following a WHO report published in October, which generated significant negative publicity for red meat.

This was double the 15% awareness in the previous wave, but still fell short of April 2013, when awareness was at 50% following Horsegate.

As consumers busy lives leave them searching for quick and easy meal inspiration, poultrys easy and versatile image has kept it popular.
Northern Ireland's Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen has today announced a second application date of 12 September 2016 for the Forest Expansion Scheme.

Under the Rural Development Programme, part financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, will help farmers and landowners benefit from the Chancellor's assurance that "all structural and investment fund projects... signed before the Autumn Statement will be fully funded, even when these projects continue beyond the UKs departure from the EU."

The scheme is competitive, and provides support for farmers and landowners to plant woodlands of five hectares or larger this coming winter.

The first phase of the Scheme last year resulted in over 180 hectares of new woodland planting.

Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Michelle McIlveen

The Minister commented that this scheme is a "valuable opportunity" for farmers and landowners to diversify part or all of their holding into forestry.

She said: "Forestry has potential to contribute to a number of the outcomes in the new draft Programme for Government.

"These include living and working sustainably and protecting the environment by working in forestry, wood processing, and the small businesses that use forests for tourism and pre-school activities; by supplying wood as a substitute for fossil fuels; and living long, healthy active lives by taking exercise in our forests."

Forest industry 'well positioned' in the global marketplace

Successful applicants to the Forest Expansion Scheme Establishment Grant will receive up to 100% of eligible costs and an Annual Premia payable over a 10 year period.

The Forest Expansion Scheme is competitive, projects must conform to the UK Forestry Standard and it favours bids with lower costs part financed by the applicant.

Applications are scored higher by providing public access, increased carbon sequestration, richer biodiversity, and larger scale over other bids.

The Minister went on to say: "I am aware of the challenges facing the land based and forestry sector caused by the impact of global markets, exchange rate fluctuations and international trade.

"I will be engaging to help forge a new relationship with Europe and to develop a support framework that meets the needs and aspirations of the forestry sector.

"By working collectively with forest growers and stakeholders, we can build a forest industry that is well positioned in the global timber marketplace to supply the growing demand for wood, to provide people in Northern Ireland with a wide range of social and environmental benefits that forestry has to offer."
A charitable campaign that has seen farms around the country displaying bright pink silage bales in aid of breast cancer research has been hailed a huge success.

According to Jackie Bradley of organising company Volac, the campaign, which raises money from sales of a specially-produced pink version of the film used to wrap the bales, has already raised over 18,500 for the charity, Breast Cancer Now.

This has smashed the previous sum of over 10,000 raised in a similar campaign last year, says Jackie, as well as attracting a huge amount of support.

The response weve had to the campaign has been nothing short of amazing, Jackie explains.

There have been bright pink bales in fields up and down the country.

The campaign has also been all over social media as well as traditional media.

"And there have been some really creative things done with the bales to make them stand out even more  such as making pink bales with faces on them.

The aim was to help raise awareness of the disease  while all the time raising money for a fantastic cause.

Money was donated to the campaign from each roll of the pink Topwrap film that farmers purchased  with contributions coming from Volac, as well as Trioplast, the films manufacturer, and from the merchant supplying the roll.

Special bright pink stickers were also available for farmers making more traditionally-coloured green or black bales, who also wanted to donate and demonstrate their support.

Jackie Bradley added: We want to extend our wholehearted thanks to everyone who has taken part.
"Murray was a great advocate for farmers during his time in Parliament and was responsible for Liberal Party members crossing the floor to vote against their own party on government policy - which would have introduced very restrictive conditions for producers on their ability to produce what they wanted.
As part of the operation the family crops 3700ha to wheat, barley and canola so the Houses are well placed to know that Merinos and cropping enterprises complement each other extremely well.
"There are some people doing exceptionally well out of cropping and making a lot of money, but there are others who aren't doing too well out of it at all and are probably better off not doing it.
"This growth has been driven by a gradual increase in demand for high quality food oats, particularly from Asia, and local investments to increase milling capacity, which has the potential to double local processing demand in the next five years.
The key messages from the recommendations, report and submissions was that while the differentiated noodle wheat segment was well supported by ANW's markets, Japan and Korea and the WA grain industry as a whole, the agronomic and price benefit of growing ANW versus Australian Premium White (APW) and Australian Hard (AH) meant many growers were moving away from ANW.
"For example, important elements of the practical one-day workshop will be setting breeding goals for ewe flocks and how using tools like Breeding Values can help producers meet their goals.
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When Control Risks meets international companies at the headquarters level, we often hear that facilitation payments really arent much of a problem anymore. Many take comfort from their zero tolerance policies.

Others  particularly U.S. and Australian companies  point to the facilitation payments exceptions in their countries extra-territorial legislation.

Anyway, no one goes to prison for making a small bribe to speed up a routine governmental transaction. So who cares?

It turns out that American companies in South-east Asia care.

Corruption as an impediment to business is a constant theme in the new ASEAN Business Outlook Survey 2016-2017 conducted by AmCham Singapore and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with analytical support from Control Risks.

The survey received responses from 519 AmCham member companies in all ten ASEAN countries, making it possible to draw out broad regional comparisons.

The broad tone of the survey is optimistic with 87 percent of companies saying that their level of trade and investment in the region will increase in the next five years. However, 62 percent cite the need to combat corruption as a future priority area of work to enhance regional economic cooperation.

Corruption of course takes many forms. When asked to differentiate, a narrow majority of 50.3% stated that pressure to bribe officials for routine government services was some hindrance or a serious hindrance to their business. Pressure to bribe public sector clients for contracts is still a major issue, but a clear second at 42.8 percent. Pressure to bribe private sector clients for contracts comes third with 38.6 percent.

Not all companies bid for government contracts, and thats part of the reason why public sector bribes fall in second place. Also, in Control Risks view, companies often underestimate the impact of private sector bribery.

Nevertheless, it is clear that pressure to pay bribes for routine government services is a significant obstacle. This is especially the case when  as often happens  demands are accompanied by an implicit threat: If you dont pay, your business will suffer, if only from costly delays.

Moreover, whatever the FCPA may say, small bribes are almost always illegal under the host countrys domestic law (Thailand may be a partial exception, but subject to narrowly defined qualifications). Companies that tolerate facilitation payments send a conflicting message to their employees: Obey the law, but not always.

The problem of course varies by location and, here too, the AmCham survey provides helpful insights.

Cambodia emerges as the country where demands for small bribes cause the greatest pain. Perhaps surprisingly Indonesia, which is often seen as particularly notorious for petty bribery, falls near the middle. Singapore falls near the bottom of the list. Even so, the figure of 8.9 percent of respondents citing demands for small bribes as a serious hindrance is unexpectedly high: the probable explanation is that Singapore often serves as a regional headquarters, and these people are thinking of their international operations.

Sectors also matter. It is scarcely surprising that transportation and logistics comes out as the industry worst affected: these companies routinely face demands when carrying goods across borders. Oil/petrochemicals ranks high for similar reasons. At the other end of the scale, the financial sector has the advantage that it transfers money but not physical goods across borders. In this area, the international standardisation of both internal controls and external regulation has been relatively effective.

This broad overview shows that  while the problem is universal  the impact on individual companies will vary according to their sector and location. Other key variables include their company cultures and, of course, the nature of specific transactions. The search for solutions needs to be both determined and nuanced.

In Control Risks experience, this search is only just beginning. At the headquarters level, many senior executives simply dont know what is happening at the operational level. Other companies rely heavily on intermediaries without asking how these middlemen actually deal with government officials, and how they justify their fees.

As for zero tolerance, we support the objective but its application is often problematic. In the worst case, it simply drives payments underground, piling extra stress on to employees and leaving senior management in blissful but culpable ignorance.

At the company level, the first step must always be a careful examination of specific transactions, talking to frontline operators to find out what problems they face, and what support they need. Simple management changes are often effective. If you can reduce time pressure on employees, they are less vulnerable to demands from officials seeking illicit payment for speedy services.

More broadly, demands for small bribes are a handicap for all businesses in the worst-hit economies, not just international ones. Working through business associations, individual companies can make a positive contribution through determined, patient advocacy for reform.

___

John Bray is a Director at the Singapore office of Control Risks, the international business risk consultancy. In addition to being a risk consultant he is a policy specialist with more than 30 years experience in Asia, Europe and Africa. His particular areas of expertise include: anti-corruption strategies for the private sector; business and human rights; and private sector policy issues in conflict-affected areas.
Mikhail Slobodin (Image courtesy of VimpelCom)Theres news this morning about a rare Russian investigation into at least three high-profile executives accused of bribery.

One of the executives mentioned is the recently resigned VimpelCom Russia CEO.

Heres the item from Wednesdays FCPA Today:

____

A huge bribery case is unfolding in Russia. Two executives from a company belonging to billionaire Viktor Vekselberg were detained by anti-bribery investigators in a probe involving the former governor of the Komi Republic and T Plus, an electricity generator operating in the region. The execs allegedly paid $12.3 million in bribes to officials in Russias Komi region for advantageous heating and electricity tariffs. Renova Group Managing Director Evgeny Olkhovik and T Plus head Boris Vainzikher, who were executives of the utilitys predecessor KES Holding, were detained.

In connection with the same case, Mikhail Slobodin, a former manager at KES who until yesterday was the chief executive of VimpelCom Russia, is also wanted for questioning. He resigned when the accusations were made public. Slobodin told Bloomberg he is currently on a business trip outside of Russia.

Earlier this year, VimpelCom paid $397.6 million to the DOJ and SEC for paying more than $114 million in bribes to a government official in Uzbekistan between 2006 and 2012.

* * *

Amsterdam-based VimpelComs February 2016 settlement is the sixth biggest Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action in history.

In its deferred prosecution agreement with the DOJ, the company agreed to cooperate fully with the [DOJs] ongoing investigation, including its investigation of individuals.

That raises the possibility the DOJ has shared some information with Russian prosecutors.

The DOJ in February filed civil forfeiture actions to recover $850 million in bribe money that VimpelCom, MTS of Russia, and TeliaSonera of Sweden allegedly paid to Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of Uzbek President Islam Karimov.

The 78-year-old president reportedly died last week from a brain hemorrhage.

Karimova, 43, has been under house arrest in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent for corruption since September 2014. She hasnt been seen for several months and didnt attend her fathers funeral.
Michael Douglas has admitted he "lacked confidence" following in his father's footsteps.

Michael Douglas

The 71-year-old actor took a long time to feel "a sense of security" in his work because he always worried he would be compared unfavourably to his dad Kirk Douglas, 99, and his career achievements.

Speaking on 'Good Morning Britain' on Thursday (07.09.16), the 'Fatal Attraction' actor said: "I lacked confidence I would say. It took me a while to have a sense of security. I mean clearly when you have a father like Kirk, he was a big figure to look up to and think, 'wow how do you be the man that he is?' But I'm not complaining you know, everybody has got their strengths and weaknesses and you just try to overcome those situations and improve your lot in life."

And to add to the 'Basic Instinct' star's lack of self-confidence, the actor also revealed that his father - who turns 100 in December - wasn't completely convinced by his son's acting abilities and thought he was "terrible" when he started his career.

Michael recalled: "I remember the first show I did he came back and he said, 'Michael you were absolutely terrible.' And he was so relieved because he thought, 'I don't have to worry about my son becoming an actor, he was so bad.'

"And I kind of stayed with it and kept working with it and a few shows later he came back and said 'not bad'."

The 'Ant-Man' star recently revealed his and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones' children, Dylan, 15, and Carys, 12, are keen to follow in their famous family's footsteps and he has already given them warnings about how tough it is to make it in Hollywood.

He said: "My son and my daughter both want to be in the business.

"They both want to act and I've told them to be ready for rejection.

"That's the one part I always warn everybody starting out in the business. You have to be able to take a hit and keep on going no matter what. It's hard, but you have to deal with it because it's going to happen.

"I experienced lots of rejection in my career and it's never easy. You have to keep on going and someone will say yes."
The Toronto International Film Festival kicks off tomorrow and there's plenty of British acting and directing talent to watch out for at the festival.

Free Fire

The 2016 Toronto International Film festival has put together another exciting film programme that shows off acting and directing talent from around the world.

However, it's the Brits that we are focusing on as we take a look at some of the films you cannot afford to miss.

- Ben Wheatley - Free Fire

Ben Wheatley has already had a successful 2016 with High-Rise and now he is back in the director's chair with his latest film Free Fire.

Sadly, Free Fire will not be released in the UK until March next year but the film will receive its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival over the coming ten days.

As well as being in the director's chair, Wheatley has teamed up with Amy Jump, who has been a long-time collaborator of the director, to pen the film's screenplay.

The director has brought together an impressive cast as Cillian Murphy, Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley, Jack Reynor, and Sam Riley are all on board.

Justine (Larson) has brokered a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two Irishmen (Murphy & Smiley) and a gang led by Vernon (Copley) and Ord (Hammer) who are selling them a stash of guns. But when shots are fired in the handover, a heart-stopping game of survival ensues.

Free Fire is a film we will be seeing a lot of during the autumn festival season and will close the BFI London Film Festival later this year.

- Noel Clarke - Brotherhood

Noel Clarke is an actor, writer, and filmmaker and is back in the director's chair with Brotherhood, which follows on from the success of Kidulthood and Adulthood.

It was back in 2006 when Kidulthood was released with Adulthood following two years later. Brotherhood is the third and final film in the series and will receive its international premiere at the festival.

Brotherhood is the fourth feature film of Clarke's career and comes two years after the Anomaly. The movie also sees him on writing duties and he will reprise the central role of Sam Peel.

The director has brought together a great cast as Ashley Thomas, Olivia Chenery, Nick Nevern, Steven Cree, and David Ajala are just some of the names that are on board.

Brotherhood follows Sam as he faces up to the new world after Adulthood and realizes it also comes with new problems and new challenges. Sam knows that to survive he must face his issues head on, and knows he will require old friends to help him survive new dangers.

Clarke is one of the most exciting British filmmakers around and I am looking forward to seeing him bring this film series to a close.

- Ken Loach - I, Daniel Blake

Ken Loach was the toast of the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year when I, Daniel Blake won the prestigious Palme d'Or - he becomes one of a handful of filmmakers to win this prize twice.

Now I, Daniel Blake is heading to Toronto and is set to be one of the dramas that cannot be missed as it gets its North American premiere.

Paul Laverty, who wrote the screenplay for other Loach films such as Jimmy' Hall and The Angel's Share, has once again penned the script.

Dave Johns takes on the title role of Daniel Blake and is joined on the cast list by Hayley Squires, Dylan McKiernan, Briana Shann, and Mick Laffey.

Daniel Blake (59) has worked as a joiner most of his life in Newcastle. Now, for the first time ever, he needs help from the State. He crosses paths with single mother Katie and her two young children, Daisy and Dylan.

Katie's only chance to escape a one-roomed homeless hostel in London has been to accept a flat in a city she doesn't know, some 300 miles away. Daniel and Katie find themselves in no man's land, caught on the barbed wire of welfare bureaucracy as played out against the rhetoric of 'striver and skiver' in modern-day Britain.

Loach has always delivered films with a rich story and interesting and complex characters... I, Daniel Blake looks set to continue that fine tradition.

- Ewan McGregor - American Pastoral

Every year we see a whole host of actors make the leap into the director's chair for the first time... and in 2016, it is the turn of Ewan McGregor.

Yes, McGregor is turning filmmaker with his new project American Pastoral, which is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Philip Roth. The novel has been adapted into a screenplay by John Romano.

As well as being in the director's chair for the film, McGregor is set to take on the central role of Seymour "Swede" Levov and is joined on the cast list by Jennifer Connelly, Dakota Fanning, Rupert Evans, and David Strathairn.

American Pastoral follows a family whose seemingly idyllic existence is shattered by the social and political turmoil of the 1960s. Seymour 'Swede' Levov (McGregor), a once legendary high school athlete who is now a successful businessman married to Dawn (Connelly), a former beauty queen, but turmoil brews beneath the polished veneer of Swede's life.

When his beloved teenage daughter, Merry (Fanning), disappears after being accused of committing a violent act, Swede dedicates himself to finding her and reuniting his family. What he discovers shakes him to the core, forcing him to look beneath the surface and confront the chaos that is shaping the world around him.

It is always exciting to watch an actor make the jump into filmmaking and I cannot wait to see what McGregor delivers. The film will receive its world premiere at the festival.

- Andrea Arnold - American Honey

Andrea Arnold is one of the best female directors around and she is back with her latest film American Honey, which has already been playing well on the festival circuit this year.

American Honey is the fourth feature film for Arnold and comes after enjoying success with Red Road, Fish, Tank, and Wuthering Heights in recent years.

As well as being in the director's chair, Arnold has also penned the film's screenplay. American Honey played at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year but screening at Toronto would be the film's North American premiere.

Arnold has a knack for uncovering new acting talent... and she has done it again with her latest film project. The movie sees Sasha Lane take on the central role of Star and it will mark her acting debut.

Shia LaBeouf will star alongside Lane and take on the role of Jake. McCaul Lombardi, Arielle Holmes, Crystal Ice, Veronica Ezell, and Chad Cox are just some of the other names that are on board.

American Honey is the tale of Star (Lane), an adolescent girl from a troubled home, who runs away with a traveling sales crew who drive across the American Midwest selling subscriptions door to door. Finding her feet in this gang of teenagers, one of whom is Jake (Shia LaBeouf), she soon gets into the group's lifestyle of hard-partying nights, law-bending days, and young love.

The movie is set to hit the big screen here in the UK in the middle of October.

- David Oyelowo - Queen of Katwe & A United Kingdom

David Oyelowo is one of the British actors to watch out for at Toronto with two film projects on the programme; Queen of Katwe and A United Kingdom.

Queen of Katwe is based on the true events and the book by Tim Crothers and marks the return of Mira Nair to the director's chair.

The film follows a young girl from Uganda who trains to become a world chess champion and Oyelowo's character helps her on her journey.

The actor is joined on the cast list by Lupita Nyong'o, Madina Nalwanga, Ntare Mwine, and Maurice Kirya. The movie will receive its world premiere at the festival.

A United Kingdom is another film that will receive its world premiere, before going to open the BFI London Film Festival later this year.

The movie will mark the return of Amma Asante to the director's chair for her first feature since the success of Belle back in 2014. A United Kingdom will be the third feature film of Asante's filmmaking career and could well be her biggest success to date.

The film tells the true story of Seretse Khama, King of Bechuanaland (modern Botswana), and Ruth Williams, the London office worker he married in 1947 in the face of fierce opposition from their families and the British and South African governments.

Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike take on the central roles of Seretse and Ruth and are joined on the cast list by Jack Lowden, Terry Pheto, Vusi Kunene, Jack Davenport, and Tom Felton.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from 8th - 18th September.

by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Clint Eastwood has defended the 'Sully' scene which depicts planes crashing into Manhattan skyscrapers.

Clint Eastwood

The 86-year-old filmmaker insists it was important to include the dream sequence in the movie - which stars Tom Hanks as Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, the pilot who landed a commercial aircraft in the Hudson River in January 2009 - despite comparisons to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

He explained: "It's just a bad dream sequence, and what could have happened if he didn't make the right decision.

"The spirit it gave back the city, even though it was a tragic loss of a plane, there was no tragic loss of life."

Screenwriter Todd Komarnicki echoed the sentiment that the tale is the "inverted story of 9/11," and allows Americans to "reclaim that narrative."

He added: "That narrative was laid on us by people who are enemies of our country; this is a story of heroism in New York City."

And the writer insists the release of the film on the 15th anniversary of the terrorist atrocity is purely a coincidence caused by logistics.

He explained: "It's totally coincidental because of limited Imax screens ... didn't have room in the summer and Christmas is all 'Star Wars'. Very ironic."

Meanwhile, Tom, 60, can understand how the pilot felt when he was landing the plane.

He told The Hollywood Reporter: "His reputation was at stake.

"This man had done his job perfectly for 4 million passengers, and, as he says in the movie, his entire career was going to be judged on 208 seconds, as opposed to the thousands and thousands of hours he did his job perfectly."
Jeff Bridges is "trying not to act" any more.

Jeff Bridges

The 66-year-old actor doesn't want to make movies because they take up so much of his time and stop him from pursuing other things.

He said: "I really try my best not to do movies. I try not to act because I have so many other things I like to do, like playing guitar.

"Once you commit you are busy so I really try not to engage."

However, the Oscar-winning actor admits it is tough to turn down good scripts, such as his latest movie 'Hell or High Water', a crime drama in which he plays a sheriff.

He told BBC News: "You get a script like this one, and this cast, and you end up doing [another film]. That seems to be my modus operandi."

The movie sees Chris Pine and Ben Foster rob branches of a bank in order to pay the mortgage they owe to the same institution.

A shoot-out occurs after one robbery, with many gun-carrying members of the public involved, and the banks are desperate to obtain foreclosed property.

While Jeff admits the subject matter "makes you root for the bad guys", he doesn't think the bankers are the villains.

He insisted: "The enemy is us. I am the villain in my own life. We are all in it together, and we're a funky bunch - violent and greedy, but that's us.

"We really are in a dilemma - on gun control, what do we do? The barn doors opened long ago, and the horses are out. I belong to organisations to improve gun safety and it's a problem to know how to control them. They are prolific and it's too late. The right to bear arms was set in motion a long time ago - now how do we navigate the things of history?

"It's the same with nuclear weapons - and look what we did with slavery, and the native Americans. We have never 'fessed up and taken responsibility for these wrongs and it all piles up. Finally the chickens have come home to roost."

Jeff thinks the film is a "modern-day western".

He said: "Take away the cars and you'd be left with a pure old-fashioned western. That genre will never be killed off - it's too fascinating."
Prince Charles has thanked the Royal Mail for "defending" the written word in a world of "texting and social media apps".

Prince Charles

The Prince of Wales and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, attended a celebration of 500 years of the postal service at Merchant Taylor's Hall in London yesterday (06.09.16), and he paid tribute to the work done by the 140,000 current staff, and past employees of the company.

In a speech, Charles said: "Ladies and Gentlemen, perhaps your greatest service is the way that Royal Mail, by its very existence, defends the written word. In these days of texting and various social media "apps", the well-constructed sentence is under mortal threat! As someone who relies on the well-aimed letter - and relishes the ones in return! - I can only say how strongly I feel that the logical ordering of thoughts in proper, grammatically correct prose is in fact rather important at the end of the day."

The 67-year-old royal also branded the postal service a "national treasure" on behalf of those who still write letters.

He added: "On behalf of letter-writers; of isolated communities; of the eager and expectant on Valentine's and other equally special days; and, indeed, on behalf of dear old Santa Claus himself, I can only offer my heartfelt thanks and warmest congratulations on a job conspicuously well done by you all. You are, as they say, a national treasure."

The Royal Mail was established in 1516 and now handles an incredible one billion parcels a year and 16 billion letters a year.
Dame Barbara Windsor is to enter talks with 'EastEnders' bosses about Peggy Mitchell returning as a ghost.

Peggy and Phil Mitchell

The 79-year-old star's character took her own life in May to end her battle with breast cancer in heartbreaking scenes, but the actress is keen to reprise her role in the soap and is planning to approach producers to work out a way of making her comeback a reality.

She said: "I would love Peggy to come back on as a ghost -- I'd definitely be up for it.

"I'd love that as I'd have been able to have had a rest for a little bit.

"I'm going to have to talk to the producers so they can find a way of doing that. I'm still in touch with them all so it would be easy."

The ghost of Pat Butcher - played by Pam St. Clement - was with Peggy for her emotional final scenes.

Shortly beforehand, Peggy made her peace with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), who killed her husband Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) in 2009, and Barbara sees a bright future for Lacey on the soap.

She said: "She's one that is going to go all the way and become a new 'EastEnders' legend."

Barbara is also keen to return to the set so she can help out the younger members of the cast.

She added to The Sun newspaper: "I want to go back to help those young actors -- sometimes they need someone to really show them what to do.

"In my day we were taught about respect and how to behave."

Peggy would've been proud of her sons Grant and Phil Mitchell (Ross Kemp and Steve McFadden) in last night's (06.09.16) episode as they shared a rare emotional moment as Phil lay in hospital.

Moments earlier, the returning Grant was back at his action-packed best by saving Phil's son Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid) from a group of murderers.

Phil returned the favour by telling Grant that Mark Fowler Jr. (Ned Porteous) is his son in a dramatic climax to the episode.
The Vietnam Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) has inaugurated a new garment factory in the central province of Nghe An. The Vinatex Hoang Mai factory spans across 32,000 sq m and has been built at a cost of 127 billion dong ($5.7 million). In the first phase, the factory will produce 11 million tonnes of products, mainly for export to Japan.

The Vietnam Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) has inaugurated a new garment factory in the central province of Nghe An. The Vinatex Hoang Mai factory spans across 32,000 sq m and has been built at a cost of 127 billion dong ($5.7 million). In the first phase, the factory will produce 11 million tonnes of products, mainly for export to Japan.#

The new factory will create employment opportunities for about 900 persons, according to Vietnamese media reports.

The Vietnam Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) has inaugurated a new garment factory in the central province of Nghe An. The Vinatex Hoang Mai factory spans across 32,000 sq m and has been built at a cost of 127 billion dong ($5.7 million). In the first phase, the factory will produce 11 million tonnes of products, mainly for export to Japan.#

Vinatex has set a target to increase its export turnover by 10 per cent this year to $2.6 billion. To achieve this, the group is supporting its subsidiaries in trade promotion to export markets.

The Vietnam Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) has inaugurated a new garment factory in the central province of Nghe An. The Vinatex Hoang Mai factory spans across 32,000 sq m and has been built at a cost of 127 billion dong ($5.7 million). In the first phase, the factory will produce 11 million tonnes of products, mainly for export to Japan.#

In 2015, Vinatex's exports stood at $2.37 billion, while the group's pre-tax profit was 628 billion dong. (RKS)

The Vietnam Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) has inaugurated a new garment factory in the central province of Nghe An. The Vinatex Hoang Mai factory spans across 32,000 sq m and has been built at a cost of 127 billion dong ($5.7 million). In the first phase, the factory will produce 11 million tonnes of products, mainly for export to Japan.#

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Applied DNA Sciences, a US headquartered supplier of DNA based supply chain, authentication and genotyping solutions said its DNA based system; Signature T can be used to monitor, control or eliminate substitution of high value cotton fibres with unknown origin fibres. The Signature T uses forensic science to tag, type and test textile products.The Signature T technology has a unique molecular tag that tags cotton fibres in the cotton gin, which are subsequently checked, at every step in the supply chain as it is converted into yarn, fabric and finished goods.

Applied DNA Sciences, a US headquartered supplier of DNA based supply chain, authentication and genotyping solutions said its DNA based system; Signature T can be used to monitor, control or eliminate substitution of high value cotton fibres with unknown origin fibres. The Signature T uses forensic science to tag, type and test textile products. #

In addition to Signature T, all the cotton is Fibertyped, which quantifies the native DNA within cotton fibres by species, prior to ginning, to ensure the original cotton species is present, the company said.In surveys held earlier, APDN examined the genetic content of retail products labeled 100 per cent Egyptian or 100 per cent Pima cotton, using Fibertyping.According to Applied DNA, this technology quantifies the native DNA by species within cotton fibres contained in cotton products.As per the company's research, first published five years ago, approximately 80 per cent of retail products did not comply with their '100 per cent' label. (AR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The Union ministry of textiles is considering policy intervention to promote the jute sector. This would include both long-term and short-term policy interventions to address issues affecting the sector, textiles secretary Rashmi Verma said after a meeting of the jute industry stakeholders in Kolkata. Union textiles minister Smriti Irani chaired the meeting.

The Union ministry of textiles is considering policy intervention to promote the jute sector. This would include both long-term and short-term policy interventions to address issues affecting the sector, textiles secretary Rashmi Verma said after a meeting of the jute industry stakeholders in Kolkata. Union textiles minister Smriti Irani chaired the meeting.#

We are trying to find out what can be done through long-term policy intervention to promote the (jute) sector. Separate brainstorming sessions will be held with mill owners and farmers, Verma said. The government would also try to find solutions for short-term issues affecting the sector, for which it would hold detailed meetings with concerned stakeholders, she added.

The Union ministry of textiles is considering policy intervention to promote the jute sector. This would include both long-term and short-term policy interventions to address issues affecting the sector, textiles secretary Rashmi Verma said after a meeting of the jute industry stakeholders in Kolkata. Union textiles minister Smriti Irani chaired the meeting.#

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Indian Jute Mills Association, trade unions, jute balers association, a farmers body and other stakeholders. Issues like intense competition and cheap import from Bangladesh were raised by jute mills, while jute balers raised the issue of receiving late payments from mills which causes delay in paying compensation to farmers.

The Union ministry of textiles is considering policy intervention to promote the jute sector. This would include both long-term and short-term policy interventions to address issues affecting the sector, textiles secretary Rashmi Verma said after a meeting of the jute industry stakeholders in Kolkata. Union textiles minister Smriti Irani chaired the meeting.#

Sukehndu Sekhar Roy, MP from West Bengal, also attended the meeting. He said that the mandatory Jute Packaging Act should not be diluted as livelihood of lakhs of people was associated with it. In fact, the economy of West Bengal is highly dependent on the jute industry. (RKS)

The Union ministry of textiles is considering policy intervention to promote the jute sector. This would include both long-term and short-term policy interventions to address issues affecting the sector, textiles secretary Rashmi Verma said after a meeting of the jute industry stakeholders in Kolkata. Union textiles minister Smriti Irani chaired the meeting.#

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The exports of textile and apparel from United States were down 7.66 per cent year-on-year in the first seven months of this year. The value of exports stood at $12.934 billion during January-July 2016 compared to $14 billion in the corresponding period last year, according to data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel, US department of commerce.

Category-wise, apparel exports declined by 8.5 per cent year-on-year to $3.239 billion, while textile mill products dipped 7.37 per cent to $9.694 billion during the first seven months of 2016.

Among apparel, the highest growth of 15.33 per cent was registered in exports of mens and boys woven shirts, whereas a maximum decline of 38.95 per cent was seen in exports of womens and girls suits.

The exports of textile and apparel from United States were down 7.66 per cent year-on-year in the first seven months of this year. The value of exports stood at $12.934 billion during January-July 2016 compared to $14 billion in the corresponding period last year, according to data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel, US department of commerce.#

Among textile mill products, yarn exports declined by 9.72 per cent year-on-year to $2.648 billion, while fabric and made-up article exports decreased by 7.02 per cent and 5.06 per cent respectively to $5 billion and $2.045 billion.

Country-wise, Mexico and Canada together accounted for nearly half of the total US textile and clothing exports during the period under review. The US supplied $3.482 billion worth of textiles and apparel to Mexico during the seven-month period, followed by $2.927 billion to Canada and $876 million to Honduras.

In recent years, the US textile and clothing exports have remained in the range of $22-25 billion per annum. In 2011, they stood at $22.432 billion, while the figure was $22.656 billion in 2012, $23.665 billion in 2013, $24.418 billion in 2014 and $23.737 billion in 2015. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Saifeena

Saif Ali Khan and his pregnant wife Kareena Kapoor were spotted on a romantic dinner date recently. The couple also posed happily with the staff of the restaurant.

Saifeena's First Child

Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan are expecting their first baby in December. Last month, the couple confirmed the news by issuing a statement to the media.

(In Pic-Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.)

Confirmation

The statement read, ''My wife and I would like to announce that we are expecting our first child in December. We would like to thank our well wishers for their blessings and support and also the press for their discretion and patience."

(In Pic-Kareena, Malaika, Karisma and Amrita.)

Showstopper

Kareena Kapoor is the first Bollywood actress who walked on the ramp during her pregnancy. Talking about the same, she told a leading daily, ''l think the fact is that I just want to do what I love doing. My work is something that I love doing.''

(In Pic-Kareena snapped while walking on the ramp.)

Don't Tell Me How To Walk: Kareena

She further added, ''Everyone is just asking me this one question, 'Oh! how are you walking while you are pregnant' and my answer is, 'don't tell me how to walk, you expect me to just fly or lie down on a couch?''

(In Pic-Kareena Kapoor.)

Independent Woman

''As a brand ambassador I am representing someone who believes in the philosophy of a young, working, independent woman,'' she said.

(In Pic-Kareena Kapoor.)

Kareena On Pregnancy

''I think the most important thing is being happy, so that people just know that i am going to continue to be as normal as ever because this is most beautiful phase of my life,'' she added.

(In Pic-Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan.)

Kareena Wants to Inspire A Lot Of Women

Kareena Kapoor also said, ''That doesn't mean that I don't do things I love, because this is something which I would like to inspire a lot of women out there, you know you do things you love.''

(In Pic-Kareena Kapoor.)

Kareena Talks About The Media

In one of the interviews, Kareena Kapoor said that it was high time the media back off, and stop treating her any different than she ever was.

(In Pic-Kareena Kapoor.)

Kareena Expecting A Boy?

Not so long ago, one of the web portals claimed that Kareena Kapoor is expecting a baby boy.

(In Pic-Kareena Kapoor snapped by the paparazzi.)
Chadwick Boseman, who appeared as 'Black Panther' in Captain America: Civil War, feels his solo outing as Black Panther will be more gritty than any other Marvel films.

The 39-year-old star, who is all set to appear in the upcoming Marvel film, mentioned that he is pretty thrilled about the upcoming movie.

"I'm glad that the tone of ('Black Panther') may be a little grittier. I just wanted to establish that from the beginning, that that's what we were doing. That that's what I intend to do," said Boseman.

"I feel like we'll end up in a place that I've always wanted to be when I look at superhero movies. Those are the ones I like the most. It's exciting to do that," he added.

The Captain America: Civil War actor also explained that he loves doing Marvel movies and would like to appear in a comical superhero character.

"It's funny, because, on one hand, the Marvel movies that I've liked the most are the ones that are funny. I love 'Ant-Man'. But for me, most of the time the darker superhero movies are the ones that I gravitate towards, that I love the most," Boseman said.

With a whole lot of Marvel movies lined up, Black Panther is expected to hit the theaters in February 2018.
As a budding actor, landing on a role in a movie made by Steven Spielberg was like a 'dream come true' for the talented actor Shia LaBeouf. But then he realised, dreams are not always pleasing as the actor now accepts he doesn't like the movies made with the iconic director Steven Spielberg.

.

"I grew up with this idea, if you got to Spielberg, that's where it is, I'm not talking about fame, and I'm not talking about money," said Shia.

But then, the experience of working together in movies with the iconic director did not live up to the expectations Shia had in mind.

"You get there, and you realize you're not meeting the Spielberg you dream of," LaBeouf told Variety. "You're meeting a different Spielberg, who is in a different stage in his career. He's less a director than he is a f------ company." He added.

Shia LaBeouf also says that he almost felt stifled on the sets by Spielberg's approach.

"Spielberg's sets are very different," he mentioned. "Everything has been so meticulously planned. You got to get this line out in 37 seconds. You do that for five years, you start to feel like not knowing what you're doing for a living," the actor added.

"I don't like the movies that I made with Spielberg, the only movie that I liked that we made together was Transformers one," concluded Shia.
Oppam, the Mohanlal starring investigative thriller will hit the theatres tomorrow (September 8). The movie is scripted and directed by senior film-maker Priyadarshan. The story is written by debutante Govind Vijayan.

Vimala Raman essays the female lead. Anusree, Samuthirakani, Nedumudi Venu, Siddique, Mamukkoya, Renji Panicker, Aju Varghese, Kalasala Babu, Idavela Babu, Chemban Vinod Jose, etc. appear in the supporting roles. Oppam is produced by Aashirvad Cinemas.

Read the 5 reason to watch Mohanlal's Oppam here.....

Mohanlal-Priyadarshan Duo Is Back

The highly celebrated actor-director duo, Mohanlal and Priyadarshan is back with a very different movie after a gap of 3 years. It is one of the major reasons which raises the expectations on the movie.

Mohanlal As A Visually-challenged Person

The magical actor is playing a visually-challenged person in the movie. In a recent interview, Mohanlal has revealed that it is one of the most challenging roles in his career. The audiences are extremely excited to watch the actor in a different role.

A Different Attempt By Priyadarshan

According to director Priyadarshan, Oppam is one of the most different attempts in his career. He has stated that the movie has absolutely no similarity with his earlier ventures. This makes the movie more promising.

The Strong Cast

Oppam features a strong supporting cast, which includes some supremely talented actors of the Malayalam and Tamil movie industries. The movie also marks the comeback of Vimala Raman after a long gap.

The Highly Impressive Trailer

The official trailer of Oppam, which was edited by Premam director Alphonse Puthren, has earned wide appreciations from all over. The trailer is one of the main factors which raises the expectations over the movie.
SHANGHAI, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

MembersCan Earn Award Miles From Everyday Lifestyle Spendings

Miles & More, Europe's leading frequent flyer and award programme, and China's innovative mileage earning app Mileslife announced its new partnership. From now on, members of the programme may earn one award mile for each 1-4 RMB spent using the app during their daily lifestyle routine. Merchants who accept Mileslife range from mid to high end restaurants and leading spas through to boutique hotels, luxury resorts and recreation activities.



(Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/402976)



Mileslife, which is rooted in the frequent flyer industry, has greatly increased over the last year offering more than 1,000 handpicked miles earning opportunities by now. "We as Miles & More are pleased with the new partnership allowing our members new ways to earn miles through accelerated earning opportunities on a full range of lifestyle-based merchants", Joost Greve, Head of International Markets of Miles & More commented.

Earn and redeem miles in all areas of life

After downloading Mileslife from their app store, members personalise it by inserting their information and Miles & More service card number. From now on they may earn award miles by using Mileslife's app payment for everyday spendings. Members can redeem their earned award miles with numerous local partners in China and with 40 airline partners, including 28 members of the Star Alliance.

"Miles & More has more than 20 years of experience in successful customer loyalty. This expertise and its attractive offers inspire the development of loyalty programmes in China", explains Troy Liu, Founder and CEO of Mileslife. He continues: "We believe Mileslife will further broaden the earning channels for Miles & More members in China."

About Miles & More

With over 29 million members, Miles & More is the largest frequent flyer and award programme in Europe. More than 20 years of experience and collaboration with 300 partners worldwide make the Frankfurt-based operator, Miles & More GmbH, an expert in successful customer loyalty.

Miles & More members are not only able to earn and redeem miles when flying, but also with sophisticated brands in all areas of life, such as those offered by our partners in the areas of shopping and lifestyle, telecommunications and electronics, as well as hotels and car hire. They enjoy participation in an exclusive world of selected premium products as well as exclusive premium offers, for example in the Lufthansa WorldShop stores, popular flight awards and our secure Miles & More credit card portfolio. Particularly in its core markets - Germany, Austria and Switzerland - partner companies benefit from access to a sophisticated target group, and use award miles for customer retention.

Together with seven partners, the frequent flyer and award programme commenced in Germany on 1 January 1993. Since September 2014, Miles & More GmbH has been an independent company and full subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

More information athttp://www.miles-and-more.comand in theMiles & More Newsroom

About Mileslife (http://www.mileslife.com)

Mileslife is the first App for customers to earn airline miles and points directly through their everyday lifestyle spending and help the local businesses to target potential high-caliber customers.

Launched in Nov. 2015, Mileslife quickly partnered with hundreds of mid-to-high end restaurants and leading spas through to quality B&Bs, boutique hotels and luxury resorts in China's major cities and hot destinations.

Along with the rise of Chinese middle class, Mileslife aspires to awaken the class's sense to realize the value and unleash the power of airline miles and fulfil their wishes to travel around the world.

Miles & More Press Office

Tel: +86-21-5179-8421

EMail:press@miles-and-more.com



Mileslife Press Office

Sea Xiao

Corporate Communications Manager, Mileslife

Email:sea@mileslife.com

Tel: +86-21-6044-0554


CHENGDU, China, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With the aim of making the giant panda the face of China as a tourism destination and persuading tourists worldwide to include China as a part of their travel plans so they can see the cute and furry bear "up close," while letting the world become more familiar with a wider array of Chinese tourist attractions with local characteristics, "Beautiful China, More than Pandas," a global tourism marketing campaign hosted by the China National Tourism Administration and managed by the Sichuan Provincial Commission for Tourism Development, officially kicked off in Berlin, Germany on September 2. Approximately 150 executives from German airlines and travel businesses as well as members of the media attended the event. Li Jinzao, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, and Jochen Szech, president of the Alliance of Independent Travel Traders, added the finishing touches to the eyes of the ersatz panda serving as the mascot for the event, in a move to announce the opening of the first session.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404171

Chairman Li said, "The global marketing campaign 'Beautiful China, More than Pandas' not only serves to show the quintessential wonders of China to more travelers worldwide, but also injects new energy into the tourism cooperation between China and Germany." Organizers designed a panda mascot called Panina, a combination of the words "panda" and "China," and pronounced similarly to the Chinese phrase "Pan Ni Lai," or "longing for you to come here," demonstrating the hospitality of Chinese people.

Promoting tourism in the giant panda's native province of Sichuan is the highlight of the campaign. Hao Kangli, director of the Sichuan Provincial Commission for Tourism Development, spoke about the natural attractions, culture and history, as well as the local cuisines and folk customs of the province, emphasizing the theme of "Sichuan, More than Pandas." Chengdu Municipal Tourism Administration director Duo Yang Na Mu gave a presentation on tourism in and around Chengdu, the capital of the province. The province's tour operators then followed up with a presentation on selected panda tourist routes as well as selected cuisines that are representative of the province's local fare. Travel agencies and tourism operators from Sichuan province and Germany inked mutual cooperation agreements to boost the exchange of tourists between the two regions.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo invited Jack Ma to become one of the country's economic advisors for the development of the e-commerce industry in Indonesia.

This invitation was done to the founder of the Alibaba Group while the Indonesian president is in Hangzhou for the G20 summit last week. In the report of Fortune, Indonesia's Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara said the effort to get Ma's assistance is aimed to bring out Indonesia's potential in e-commerce and allow it to compete in the world market.

Indonesia currently has the fourth largest population in the world and its demographic has a lot of young and internet-savvy citizens. Its e-commerce market has also grown extensively over the past couple of years and has gotten investors flocking in to enjoy this growth. To promote growth in the sector, the government is now working on creating a steering committee consisting of 10 ministers and they hope Ma would assist in leading this effort.

In a video released by the state secretariat, Rudiantara said "The thinking behind this is to make Indonesia's positioning in the international marketplace more prominent."

China Daily reported that Widodo also aims to boost the cooperation between the country's 56 million SMEs and with Alibaba's assistance, they would be able to enter the Chinese and global market easily.

Regarding the request, Jack Ma remarked that the effort done by the Indonesian government for the SMEs is in line with Alibaba's efforts. Indonesia, he said, has a big potential in e-commerce thanks to its large population and the number of SMEs in the country. Alibaba's business model would work perfectly in the Indonesian market.

It is still uncertain whether Ma has accepted the offer as noted by an spokesperson for the Alibaba Group.
Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

TOKYO, TOKYO, TOKYO, Sept 7, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu has received an order for an experiment-analysis system from Kamioka Observatory, part of the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR) at the University of Tokyo. The system is destined for Kamioka Observatory's Super-Kamiokande facility, which is helping to shed light on the workings of the universe through the observation of neutrinos(1), and is scheduled to go operational in March 2017.The Computer System for the Super-Kamiokande collects, stores, and analyzes the massive amount of neutrino observation data from the approximately 13,000 photomultiplier tubes in the Super-Kamiokande detector. Together with the detector, the system is a core part of the facility.This new system will consist of a computational server cluster that will be composed of 85 FUJITSU Server PRIMERGY RX2530 M2 x86 servers, a high-speed, distributed file system, and a data processing system located at the underground experiment site. The computational server will have a performance level of a SPECint_rate2006 benchmark result of 107,100(2), about triple that of the existing system, with about three times the disk space and data transmission speed.Fujitsu has supplied the main computer system to the Kamioka Observatory since 1993. With this new system, Fujitsu will support neutrino research at the Kamioka Observatory, helping to shed light on the properties of neutrinos and the workings of the universe.Installation BackgroundThe Kamioka Observatory operates the Super-Kamiokande facility, constructed in the Kamioka mine located in Kamioka-cho, Gifu Prefecture, and by observing neutrinos, is helping to solve the mysteries surrounding the birth of the universe and the creation of matter. In 2015, the ICRR's director, Professor Takaaki Kajita, received the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of neutrino oscillations, which shows that neutrinos have mass. This discovery meant that the Standard Model, which assumed that neutrinos had no mass, required extensions. This has had a significant impact on a wide range of areas of research.In addition to solar and atmospheric neutrinos, the Super-Kamiokande detector must always be ready to reliably observe very rare phenomena such as supernova neutrinos which only occur once every few decades for a matter of seconds. Therefore, the computer system must be able to operate with stability 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and perform high speed analysis processing and securely store massive amounts of observation and post-analysis processing data of up to 500 GB per day. It must also be able to rapidly access huge volumes of past data in order to re-analyze data in a short period of time.With this new system, Fujitsu will further improve analysis efficiency over the current system. This includes enhanced reliability to meet these requirements, better data analysis performance, the massively strengthened storage capacity necessary for the next five years of observations, and analysis resource allocation when the load is concentrated.Summary of the Computer System for Super-KamiokandeThis system, installed in The Kamioka Observatory, consists of a computational server cluster, a high-speed distributed file system, and a data processing system located at the underground experiment site. The new system will be built entirely with Fujitsu products, including hardware using the latest CPUs and hard disks and software such as the FUJITSU Software FEFS scalable file system and the FUJITSU Software Technical Computing Suite HPC middleware, with the goal of improving analysis efficiency through a highly reliable system, leading to even more accurate observations.The goal of the computer system is to accumulate observation data, and to analyze such factors as energy and the direction the neutrinos move. Through this analysis, the researchers aim to shed light on the properties of neutrinos, solve the mystery of how matter was created in the immediate period after the big bang, as well as verify the Grand Unified Theory(3) by discovering the phenomenon of proton decay.1. Computation ServerThe computation server will be a cluster system composed of 85 PRIMERGY RX2530 M2 x86 servers (170 processors, 2,380 cores), which will provide calculation performance approximately triple that of the current system, with a SPECint_rate2006 result of 107,100.2. High-Speed Distributed File SystemThe high-speed distributed file system will be made up of eight FUJITSU Server PRIMERGY RX2540 M2 servers, eight FUJITSU Storage ETERNUS DX200 S3 units, and two FUJITSU Storage ETERNUS DX100 S3 storage systems with an effective hard disk capacity of nine petabytes, approximately tripling that of the current system. The FEFS scalable file system software will provide data transmission performance equivalent to approximately three times that of the current system in response to simultaneous high-volume access from the computation server.3. Underground Experiment Site Data Processing SystemThe observation data captured by the Super-Kamiokande facility's photomultiplier tube detectors will be sent to a system installed within the mine consisting of 40 PRIMERGY RX2530 M2 x86 servers and one ETERNUS DX100 S3 storage system, then transmitted to the high-speed distributed file system after undergoing such procedures as noise removal. This highly reliable system will offer the 24/7/365 stable operations necessary to record the precious observational data without any loss.Comment from Yoshinari Hayato, Assistant Professor at the ICRR, University of TokyoIn the 20 years Super-Kamiokande has been in operation, we have accumulated a great deal of data, and we are continuing to do so. By using this data, it is becoming possible to carry out more detailed research to understand the characteristics of neutrinos. More accurate event reconstructions and more precise simulation data production require greater computational resources. Now, with this new system's increase in CPU and memory performance, we expect to further advance research to solve problems. For example, the difference in neutrino and antineutrino oscillation due to the violation of charge-parity symmetry, which is thought to be related to the origins of the matter-dominated era in the universe's history, or research into problems related to neutrino mass (the hierarchy problem). We also aim to further lower the energy threshold for solar neutrino observation. In addition, plans are currently underway to improve the Super-Kamiokande detector in order to observe neutrinos from the many supernova explosions that have occurred since the beginning of the universe, and we plan to use this new system to analyze that data as well. All this research is not only deepening our understanding of the properties of neutrinos, we believe it may also lead to solving the mysteries of how the universe formed. Beyond this neutrino research, we are also continuing to search for as-of-yet undiscovered forms of proton decay, in the aim that it will experimentally validate the Grand Unified Theory, which no one has yet achieved.(1) NeutrinoA type of fundamental particle. The name combines "neutral," indicating that it is neutral - carrying no electric charge - and "-ino," an Italian diminutive suffix. Although it is one of the most fundamental of particles, its properties are still not yet fully understood.(2) SPECint_rate2006 benchmark result of 107,100This figure is an estimated value. SPECint_rate2006 is a benchmark for CPU performance. It measures throughput with hyper-threading on.(3) Grand Unified TheoryThe theory that the three forces which affect fundamental particles (electromagnetism, the strong force and the weak force) were once one force in the extremely high temperatures of the early universe. If it were verified, it would allow a unified understanding of the universe's physical phenomena.About Fujitsu LtdFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 159,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702; ADR:FJTSY) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$41 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.* Please see this press release, with images, at:http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/Source: Fujitsu LtdContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - September 06, 2016) - Pure Minutes announces a strategic alliance with Tata Communications, the largest wholesale voice carrier in the world. This partnership will yield the benefits of a massive network expansion and will offer Pure Minutes real time connectivity in the many regions of the world Tata covers. Access to many of the exotic regions of Asia and the middle east are much more greatly attainable due to this agreement. Tata will deliver the highest level of voice quality that is offered through some of the most economic pricing available by such a carrier.

"Our retail subscriber base is realizing an incredible benefit of ample capacity and tier one quality at all times by having Tata as one of the premier providers in our routing plan," says David Cooper, CEO of Pure Minutes. "We believe that they will be pivotal in us acquiring new subscribers. This could not have come at a better time due to the changes in the marketplace. The consolidation and shift in providers will enable us to pick up dissatisfied callers and acquire them into our base."

Pure Minutes expects a substantial yield from the Tata partnership. This partnership looks forward to a steady growth of revenue and EBITDA for both groups. Tata and Pure Minutes intend to grow this relationship into a multi-national effort focusing on not only voice but International Mobile Top Ups, data and SMS.

About Pure Minutes

Headquartered in New York City, NY, Pure Minutes is a leading provider of international prepaid calling and Top Up mobile phone payments. Using revolutionary technology that works with any landline or mobile phone service provider, Pure Minutes eliminates the need for calling cards and inconvenient PINs. With signature low rates and high-quality connection worldwide, Pure Minutes is developing as a global brand with a diverse and rapidly growing subscribership.

About TATA

Tata Communications is a global company with its roots in the emerging markets. Headquartered in Mumbai and Singapore, it has more than 8,000 employees across 38 countries. The $3.2 billion company is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and is the flagship telecoms arm of the $103.3 billion Tata Group.

Contact:

Pure Minutes LLC

media@pureminutes.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Pasinex Resources Limited (CSE: PSE)(FRANKFURT: PNX) (the "Company" or "Pasinex") today announced outstanding results from 32 underground drill holes from the Pinargozu zinc mine in Turkey. Drill hole PPU16-030 intersected 34 metres at an average grade of 35% zinc. Bonanza grade zinc intersected in some drill-holes approach the grade of pure sphalerite (zinc sulphide) mineralization. Drilling was undertaken between early March and mid-May this year. These results now clearly show zinc mineralization with high-grade sulphide roots. This has major positive implications for the exploration potential of Pinargozu.

Table 1: Summary Highlights of Drill Assay Results

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Core Length Drill Hole # Interval Zn Grade Core Recovery From (metres) Metres(i) %(ii) %(iii) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PPU16-018 9.8 49.4 58.2 21.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PPU16-020 8 55.6 84.7 18.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 4.9 62.5 90.8 21.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PPU16-024 8.6 40.8 65.1 23.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 3.3 54.7 79.7 45.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PPU16-028 10 54.4 78.4 27 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 6 62.3 88.5 29.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PPU16-030 34 35.1 58.7 22.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PPU16-031 19.4 41.4 53.6 19.1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

(i) True widths have yet to be determined.

(ii) Zinc mineralization is predominantly a mix of non-sulphide (Smithsonite) and sulphide (Sphalerite) material.

(iii) Grades for intervals with poor core recovery may not truly represent the complete mineralised interval.

Steve Williams, CEO of Pasinex said "This exciting discovery is a game-changer for Pasinex. We have now traced high-grade zinc mineralization deeper in the plumbing system, from the shallower weathered zone deeper into a mixed zone containing primary sulphides. We look forward to the next batch of drill results from Pinargozu as we test for new dimensions to this extraordinary zinc showing."

Figure 1: New Transition Zone Envelope

To view Figure 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1068366_fig1.jpg

Please click here for a full table of assays. This drilling supports an extension beneath the main non-sulphide mineralized zone see Figure 1 above.

Some 14 of the 32 drill holes intersected mineralization above the threshold for direct shipping material. This reporting threshold is defined as three metres averaging 25% zinc. A sharp cut-off is observed between high grade mineralization and the surrounding host rock, and is typical of carbonate replacement deposits. Most encouragingly, narrow lenses of lower grade mineralization increase to thicker higher grade lenses over short distances. Drilling was undertaken from drill pads on the 690m level. Fan drilling from the underground stations was performed in both lateral and vertical planes in order to provide coverage. Only six such holes did not intersect any significant mineralization.

Figure 3: Drill Intercepts: PPU16 _018 & PPU16_020

To view Figure 3, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1068366_fig3.jpg

Figure 4: Drill Intercepts: PPU16 _030 & PPU16_031

To view Figure 4, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1068366_fig4.jpg

Horzum Zinc Trend (HZT)

The Pinargozu mine is located in southern Turkey . Pinargozu is one of several exploration targets along the Horzum Zinc Trend (HZT ), which hosts a series of Carbonate-Replacement-Deposit (CRD) type mineral occurrences, extending north for at least eight kilometres from the high-grade Horzum mine. The HZT has in the past been prospected and mapped to some extent but has not previously been systematically explored. Pasinex is the first to apply advanced exploration technology and CRD exploration concepts and models to the HZT district.

Quality Control and Data Verification

Samples were assayed at the SGS laboratory in Ankara. Zinc, lead and silver, assays were performed using multi-acid (4-acid) digestion/ICP-AES Package (33 Elements) - Zn (lower detection limit: 1 ppm/upper detection limit: 10,000 ppm) code ICP40B. For high grade zinc multi-acid (4-acid) digestion/AAS Package code AAS43B with detection up to 100% Zn.

Very high zinc assays are checked by ICP90Q - sodium peroxide fusion, ICP finish (detection 0.01% - 100%). Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the submission of blanks duplicate samples inserted at regular intervals into the sample train by Pasinex personnel. Duplicate pulp samples are sent to the ALS laboratory in Izmir as an umpire ISO-compliant check to confirm analytical accuracy. Drill-core samples were prepared at a standard non-certified facility at the Horzum Mine. External quality control on sample preparation is assured by reference to regular selection of duplicate coarse reject samples which are now sent to SGS. SGS-Ankara's quality system complies with the requirements for the International Standards ISO 9001: 2000 and ISO 17025: 1999.

Qualified Person

EurGeol, P.Geo. John Barry, a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, has supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Mr. Barry is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control and data verification and has confirmed all procedures, protocols and methodologies used. Mr. Barry is a director of the Company.

About Pasinex

Pasinex Resources Limited (CSE: PSE)(FRANKFURT: PNX) is a metals company which is a 50% owner of the high grade Pinargozu zinc mine which is in production and, under its DSO Program, is shipping directly to zinc smelter / refiners from its mine site in Turkey. The Company has a strong technical management team with many years of experience in mineral exploration and mining project development. The mission of Pasinex is to build a mid-tier zinc company based on building a large land within a productive CRD district in Turkey.

The Pinargozu Mine is included in the 50-50 company, Horzum Arama Isletme AS (Horzum AS), which is a corporate joint venture between Pasinex and Turkish mining house, Akmetal Madencilik San ve Tic. AS (Akmetal AS). Akmetal AS is one of Turkey's largest family-owned conglomerates with the nearby past-producing Horzum zinc mine.

Visit our web site at: www.pasinex.com

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

PASINEX RESOURCES LTD.

"Steve Williams"

The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although Pasinex Resources Ltd. 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 or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, exploration results, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Steve Williams

President/CEO

Phone: 416.861.9659

Email: info@pasinex.com



Cathy Hume

CHF Investor Relations

Phone: 416.868.1079 ext. 231

Email: cathy@chfir.com




BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Cabinet office is set to release preliminary Japan leading economic indicators index data for July at 1:00 am ET Wednesday. The leading index is expected to show a score of 98.6, down from 99.2 in June. Ahead of the data, the yen held steady against its major rivals. As of 11:55 pm ET, the yen was trading at 114.11 against the euro, 135.99 against the pound, 104.66 the Swiss franc and 101.42 against the U.S. dollar. 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.
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Destatis releases Germany's industrial output data for July is due to be released in the pre-European session on Wednesday at 2:00 am ET. Economists forecast production to grow 0.1 percent on month in July following a 0.8 percent rise in June. Ahead of the data, the euro showed mixed trading against its major rivals. While the euro rose against the pound, it fell against the Swiss franc. Against the U.S. dollar and the yen, the euro held steady. As of 1:55 am ET, the euro was trading at 0.8391 against the pound, 1.0904 against the Swiss franc, 1.1255 against the U.S. dollar and 114.18 against the yen. 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.




GENEVA, Sept. 7,2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For Oud aficionados and fragrance fans around the world, the French, luxury perfume house, Fragrance Du Bois and its glittering array of products, may soon be even closer.

With existing, beautifully appointed boutiques already turning heads in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and at the House of Jovoy in Paris, Fragrance Du Bois will open its doors in no less than seven new locations before the end of September, significantly increasing the global footprint of the young, vibrant brand.

Fragrance Du Bois has realised that the appetite for the 100% pure, natural Oud oil and its associated products is already overwhelming, and continuing to grow, and is addressing this with ambitious plans to cater to an ever-expanding market.

Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160907/8521605651-a

Home to many of the world's most prestigious, luxury brands, Geneva, Switzerland will soon be playing host to the latest Fragrance Du Bois flagship boutique. With interior design elements that have already captivated customers in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore, the boutique at 8 Rue du Rhone is set to become a landmark for European Oud lovers and "perfumistas".

Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160907/8521605651-b

Staying in Europe, Fragrance Du Bois will be opening along a street that is becoming synonymous with the world of perfumery-- the Via Brera, in Milan, Italy-- in the heart of a district that has for years now been associated with design, art, innovation and creativity. In association with Profumo-- one of the oldest and most respected family-owned perfumeries in Italy-- Fragrance Du Bois' signature sampling trunk and cloche table will take to the retail stage.

In Puerto Banus, Marbella, Spain, Fragrance Du Bois will be tempting the olfactory palates of international jetsetters and fragrance lovers at the house of Niche Perfumes-- an exclusive boutique that prides itself on carrying only the most exclusive, innovative products.

Set in the heart of the Middle East, and associated with Oud and all its by-products for thousands of years, Doha, Qatar, was a logical location choice in Fragrance Du Bois' plans for expansion.

Continuing its synergistic partnership with the House of Jovoy-- which is proving so successful and rewarding in Paris, France-- Fragrance Du Bois will become an integral part of Jovoy's new, flagship boutique in the Middle East. Apart from Fragrance Du Bois' range of exotic fragrances, vintage, rare Oud oils will also be on display, and will be sure to tempt the region's leading Oud connoisseurs.

Moving east to Asia, Fragrance Du Bois' opening in Hong Kong has particular significance, both commercially and emotionally.

Hong Kong, or "Fragrant Harbour", became the officially recorded name after the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, and was so called because of the trade in agarwood (from which Oud oil is derived) that passed through the bustling port more than a century and a half ago. Only one plantation of the Aquilaria species of tree that produces agarwood remains in the territory, and it is now managed on behalf of Fragrance Du Bois.

Fragrance Du Bois will de debuting in East Asia at Hong Kong's first and only artistic perfume boutique, Parfumerie Tresor, in the city's Central district at 28 Lyndhurst Terrace, and plans are in place for a unique expression in the FDB range that will contain Oud oil distilled from a plantation in Hong Kong for the first time in more than 100 years.

Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160907/8521605651-c

"As a company, we have always been forward thinking, and aware of the role we play in looking after the environment as well as in protecting endangered species," said Nicola Parker, Fragrance Du Bois' Brand Director. "All the Oud we produce is from our own, managed, sustainable plantations, and this also means that we have absolute quality control. The demand for our boutiques and our pure Oud concept is overwhelming, and our expansion plans reflect this. At this juncture, we are only limited by logistics and our creative team's ability to design and fit new outlets while remaining true to our standards and ethos."

With new "boutique within a store" concept openings at Robinsons in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, Fragrance Du Bois will be increasing its outlets around the world by a magnificent seven by the end of September, with plans already in place for Zurich, Riyadh, Jeddah, Muscat, Dubai, Los Angeles and New York in the months ahead. Something special and unique is also in the pipeline for London, but the company is remaining tight lipped for now.

"With the demand for our fragrances, associated products and the guest brands that we also carry," concluded Parker, "We're on track for a global presence in some 200 locations by the year 2020, and while it seems daunting, we believe we can do it. Our mantra 'Pure Oud, Pure Luxury' is reverberating around the world, and we will do our very best to maintain the momentum, and keep up with the demand."

Notes for Editors:

For further information, please contact:

Charlotte Medigue

PR & Marketing Executive- Europe

Email:charlotte.medigue@fragrancedubois.com

Tel: +41 22 707 7330

Samantha Tham

PR & Marketing Executive- Asia

Email:samantha.tham@asiaplantationcapital.com

Mobile: +65 6634 4707

About Fragrance Du Bois

FragranceDu Boisis a niche luxury perfume house born from the richest essences of nature, crafted by fifth generation perfumers from the 17th century French traditions of Grasse. At the heart of all Fragrance Du Bois' creations is our signature Oud that exudes the ultimate in luxury, being both distinctive and unique. All the Oud used by Fragrance Du Bois is produced on our own sustainably managed plantations, and is guaranteed to be ethically and sustainably sourced.












LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Barratt Developments Plc. (BDEV.L) reported that its profit before tax for the year ended 30 June 2016 rose 20.7% to 682.3 million pounds from 565.5 million pounds in the prior year.



Annual profit attributable to the owners of the Company grew to 550.3 million pounds from 449.4 million pounds in the previous year. Earnings per share from continuing operations improved to 54.3 pence from 44.6 pence in the prior year.



Revenue for the year grew to 4.24 billion pounds from last year's 3.76 billion pounds.



The company said its board proposed a final dividend of 12.3 pence per share (2015: 10.3 pence per share) resulting in a total ordinary dividend for the year up 21% to 18.3 pence per share (2015: 15.1 pence per share) and the second of its special dividends totalling 125 million pounds, equivalent to 12.4 pence per share, payable in November 2016. This reflects ordinary dividend policy of the dividend being covered three times by earnings, supplemented by the special dividends to November 2017 totalling 400 million pounds.



The company noted that it has delivered its highest completion volumes for eight years, increasing completions by 5.3% to 17,319 homes, a performance that highlights the reliability and delivery capability of housebuilding operations.



After eight years' service to the Board, Mark Rolfe will step down from his position as a Non-Executive Director of the Company with effect from the conclusion of the forthcoming AGM to be held in November 2016. Mark will also stand down as the Senior Independent Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee on the same date.



Richard Akers will replace Mark Rolfe as the Senior Independent Director with effect from the conclusion of the Group's AGM in November 2016. Richard has been a Non-Executive Director of the Group since 2012 and is also Chairman of the Remuneration Committee.



The Board is confident that the Executive Directors - David Thomas, Steven Boyes and Neil Cooper - supported by an experienced and talented Senior Management team, will continue to lead the Group effectively.



The company noted that it has started the new financial year in a good position, with 592.0m year end net cash, a healthy forward order position and an experienced management team in place. There remains an under-supply of new homes, strong government support including Help to Buy (Equity Loan), and a mortgage market willing to lend. As a result, it remains confident in the underlying fundamentals of both the housing sector and its business.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
ISTANBUL, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Seychelles becomes Turkish Airlines' third Island in the Vanilla Islands Group, with the addition of three weekly return flights to Mahe, Seychelles.

Already flying to 48 destinations in Africa, Turkish Airlines will increase its flight network by adding Seychelles as another destination in the continent. This brings the total number of destinations that Europe's best airline serves to 243 worldwide, and raise to 49 in Africa.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404287 )



Turkish Airlines, the airline that flies to more countries than any other airline by serving 117 countries -with the addition of Seychelles-, promises a great experience for users of the new route that includes 15 charming city-destinations around the world such as Paris, Dubai, Frankfurt, London, Milano, Bombay, Abu Dhabi, Vienna, Munich, Zurich, Rome, Moscow, Dusseldorf, Colombo and Hong Kong.

Three weekly flights will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and the passengers will depart from Istanbul at 01:05 on board TK748 arriving at 10:55, with a return service on TK749 departing from Seychelles at 12:25 to arrive in Istanbul at 18:10 on the same days.

More information about flight schedules;

Flight No. Start Days Departure Arrival TK 748 31 October 2016 Monday, Istanbul 01:05 Seychelles 10:55 Wednesday, Saturday TK 749 31 October 2016 Monday, Seychelles 12:25 Istanbul 18:10 Wednesday, Saturday

All times are in LMT.

To view the flight schedules please visit http://www.turkishairlines.com, contact the call center at +90 212 444 0849 or visit any Turkish Airlines sales office.

Turkish Airlines, Inc.

Media Relations

About Turkish Airlines:

Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines is a 4-star airline today with a fleet of 335(passenger and cargo)aircraft flying to 291destinations worldwide with 242international and 49 domestic. According to the 2016 Skytrax survey, Turkish Airlines was chosen as "Europe's Best Airline" for the sixth and "Best Airline in Southern Europe" for the eighth consecutive time. Having won in 2010 the world's "Best Economy Catering Service", in 2013 and also in 2014 the world's "Best Business Catering Service", and "Best Business Class Lounge Dining", "Best Business Airline Lounge" awards in last year's survey, Turkish Airlines was awarded again the world's "Best Business Class Dining Lounge" and "Best Business Class On-Board Catering" prizes in this year's survey. More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on its official websitehttp://www.turkishairlines.com or its social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, andInstagram.

About Star Alliance:

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Avianca Brazil, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,330 airports in 192 countries.

Turkish Airlines Inc.

Office of Media Relations

General Management Building

34149, Yesilkoy-Istanbul

Tel: +90-(212)-463-63-63 Ext. 11173-11153

Fax: +90-(212)-465-20-78

press@thy.com


Andy Ahn Head of Marketing, Suprema Inc. Email: andyahn@suprema.co.kr

SEOUL, KOREA, SEOUL, KOREA, SEOUL, KOREA, Sept 7, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Suprema, a global leader in biometrics and identification solutions, announced global launching of BioMini Plus 2, a fingerprint authentcation scanner which offers unrivalled image quality, durability and security features. The new BioMini Plus 2 tested in full compliance and received certification from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the agency's PIV-IQS/Mobile ID standards and also received India government's STQC certification.Designed for both PC and mobile based fingerprint authentication, BioMini Plus 2 provides loads of innovative features to enhance its image quality, performance and mobile-readiness. Unique to the industry, Suprema's patented Multi Dynamic Range (MDR) technology gurantees high-quality image capture even under extreme lighting conditions (operates under direct sunlight up to 100,000 LUX) regardless of the moisture level of captured finger skin. The MDR technology especially developed for mobile environment where there are more dynamics in lighting and moisture conditions.BioMini Plus 2 also offers next level of security by providing the company's latest live fingerprint detection (LFD) technology, based on distinctive features of scanned images of fake fingers to those of live fingers. The new LFD technology effectively protects the system against unauthorized attempt with fake fingerprints. Moreover, BioMini Plus 2 features high-precision, durable optical sensor, producing superb 500dpi image. It comes with a versatile software SDK platform that is ideal for developers to create their custom applications."BioMini Plus 2 has been specially developed to meet stringent requirements for government-level authentication projects which demand fast and high quality image capturing. In addition, with its compatibility to Android systems and mobie-oriented MDR technology, we are keen to gain this fast-emerging mobile based applications," said Dr. Bogun Park, Vice President at Suprema.With the introduction of BioMini Plus 2 scanner, Suprema continues its success in government-level identification projects, abd movrs further into mobile applications with its Android compatibilities. In recent years, Suprema BioMini fingerprint scanners have been chosen for several worldwide civil and criminal ID projects in the United States, India, Brazil, EU and African countries.About Suprema Inc.Suprema is a leading global provider of biometrics and security technology. By combining world renowned biometric algorithms with superior engineering, Suprema continually designs and develops industry leading products and solutions. Suprema's extensive range of portfolio includes biometric access control systems, time & attendance solutions, fingerprint live scanners, mobile authentication solutions and embedded fingerprint modules. Suprema has worldwide sales network in over 130 countries and is one of the world's Top 50 security company in its turnover (ranked in A&S's Security 50, 2010-2015). For more information, please visit www.supremainc.com.Source: Suprema Inc.Contact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
A plant opened as part of the Push to Pass strategy for profitable growth, which will see 20 new launches in China and Southeast Asia by 2021

A plant dedicated to the production of SUVs, a fast-growing segment in China

Capacity to build 300,000 vehicles a year, in line with the target of selling one million vehicles in China and Southeast Asia in 2018

The Peugeot 4008 will be the first vehicle produced

Regulatory News:

PSA Group (Paris:UG):

As part of the implementation of the Push to Pass plan and to support the China Southeast Asia region's goal of selling one million vehicles in 2018, DPCA today inaugurated its fourth assembly plant in Chengdu, China.

The ceremony was attended by Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board of the PSA Group; Zhu Yanfeng, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dongfeng Motor Corporation; Denis Martin, the PSA Group's Executive Vice-President, China and ASEAN; Liu Weidong, Chief Operating Officer of Dongfeng Motor Corporation; Su Weibin, General Manager of DPCA; Jean Christophe Marchal, Executive Vice-President of DPCA and representatives of Sichuan province and the municipality of Chengdu.

The fourth DPCA plant will manufacture vehicles for the Dongfeng Peugeot, Dongfeng Citroen and Dongfeng Fengshen brands on the PSA Group's EMP2 platform, primarily in the SUV segment. Production will begin with the new Peugeot 4008 SUV, which is scheduled for launch in November 2016. Following a gain of 53% in 2015, the SUV segment continued to expand rapidly in first-half 2016, with 44% growth. It currently accounts for 38.8% of the Chinese market. As a whole, the Chinese auto market offers great potential. Car ownership stands at 75 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants, and the country recently overtook the United States to become home to the world's largest middle class, which represented 110 million people at end-2015. This figure is forecast to double to 220 million by 2022.

Leveraging the best practices of PSA and Dongfeng Motor (DFM), DPCA built the plant in two years according to the highest industry standards. The world-class facility uses a flexible manufacturing system that enables close cooperation with suppliers, while adhering to the most stringent environmental principles.

In addition to the CAPSA plant in Shenzen, which manufactures DS models, DPCA's production base now comprises four assembly plants: three in Wuhan, in Hubei province, and one in Chengdu, in Sichuan province. With this new facility and DPCA's latest 5A+ medium-term plan unveiled on 11 May, the PSA Group and DFM have demonstrated their commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership in order to satisfy the needs of the Chinese market. The two partners are pursuing three clear-cut objectives for improving the joint venture's financial performance:

Significantly increasing customer satisfaction with products and services to become one of the top three in the industry by 2018 and No. 1 by 2020

Generating revenue in excess of RMB 100 billion by 2020

Achieving profitable, sustainable growth underpinned by productivity gains of 30% by 2020

During the ceremony, Carlos Tavares said: "This new plant will help us to expand our vehicle range in the fast-growing SUV segment and meet the needs of our Chinese customers.It represents an important step in implementing our Push to Pass plan and achieving our objective to launch 20 new models in China by 2021 and sell over one million vehicles in the region by 2018."

About PSA Group

With sales and revenue of 54 billion in 2015, the PSA Group designs unique automotive experiences and delivers mobility solutions that provide freedom and enjoyment to customers around the world.

The Group leverages the models from its three brands, Peugeot, Citroen and DS, as well as a wide array of mobility services, to meet the evolving needs and expectations of automobile users. PSA is the European leader in terms of CO 2 emissions, with average emissions of 104.4 grams of CO 2 per kilometre in 2015, and an early innovator in the field of autonomous and connected cars, with 1.8 million such vehicles worldwide. It is also involved in financing activities through Banque PSA Finance and in automotive equipment via Faurecia. Find out more at groupe-psa.com/en.

Communications Division www.groupe-psa.com/en - +33 1 40 66 42 00 @GroupePSA

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005722/en/

Contacts:

PSA Group

Media Contact: (+33) 1 40 66 42 00
AMSTERDAM, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Solution Being Showcased at IBC 2016

Tata Elxsi, a leading global design and technology services company, today announced that it has collaborated with Avaya Inc., for the development of an advanced network solution based on Software Designed Networking (SDN) architecture aimed to address service velocity demanded by today's dynamic applications.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150908/762859 )



The SDN Fx solution from Avaya Inc., a leading provider of Voice and Networking solutions, delivers the simplicity needed to help connect, secure and manage growing number of devices and technologies to reduce breaches, implement innovation rapidly and improve IT staff efficiency.

SDN and NFV are becoming vehicles for operators to realize faster revenue growth through rapid service insertion.The ability of SDN/NFV to manage large scale networks and services centrally, promises to deliver significant cost benefits. The Fabric Connect networking technology from Avaya is easily extensible to a multitude of deployments across market verticals, including IoT, healthcare, hospitality, industrial and media-rich applications. This path-breaking solution has already been deployed in the healthcare industry to securely manage a large number of disparate medical devices and is winning accolades across the industry.

Tata Elxsi is working witha number of leading global operators and network equipment vendors in integration, verification and performance benchmarking of virtualized network functions and service delivery in the realms of SDN and NFV.

"Tata Elxsi's SDN technology and engineering teams worked closely with Avaya's Product Management and R&D, to develop Avaya's new, open SDN architecture that will help companies create the agile networks required by today's dynamic applications. Our User Experience design teams designed the management application to be simple and easy-to-use for hospital IT departments, even while building in necessary safeguards. We are delighted to partner with Avaya in extending this innovative platform to other verticals and markets," says Mr. Nitin Pai, SVP - Marketing & Strategy.

"Given the challenges of today's networks - particularly with the rise of cloud computing and virtualization, it's imperative that SDN implementations reach beyond the data center to simplify connectivity and provide the necessary integration between applications and users. With SDN Fx, Avaya is providing the simplicity IT departments hope for by automating the core network and truly unifying applications for users and devices at the network edge," says Mr. Ravi Palaparthi, Sr. Director, R&D, Avaya.

SDN Fx Healthcare solution is being showcased at Tata Elxsi's booth #1. A58 (Hall 1) at the IBC 2016 at Amsterdam, Netherlands from 9-13 September.

About Tata Elxsi

Tata Elxsi is amongst the world's leading providers of design and technology services for product engineering and solutions across industries, including broadcast, communications and automotive.

Tata Elxsi, brings unparalleled product/service development and deployment support experience with leading MSOs, operators, broadcasters and network equipment makers across the world, backed by over 25 years of product engineering experience and a global delivery presence.

About Avaya:

Avaya is a leading provider of solutions that enable customer and team engagement across multiple channels and devices for better customer experience, increased productivity and enhanced financial performance. Its world-class contact center and unified communications technologies and services are available in a wide variety of flexible on-premises and cloud deployment options that seamlessly integrate with non-Avaya applications. The Avaya Engagement Environment enables third parties to create and customize business applications for competitive advantage. Avaya's fabric-based networking solutions help simplify and accelerate the deployment of business critical applications and services.
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.
MUNICH, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

If an airline wants to impress its passengers with an up-to-date information and media platform, the Media Box from the digital experts of Media Carrier is an innovative option. This offers extensive infotainment before, after and during the flight.

The prestigious British airline Virgin Atlantic (VS) is now using the digital Media Box in its ten lounges, known as Clubhouses, and in doing so is delighting its Upper Class customers and Flying Gold members. They can not only use it to download their desired reading material, but also for example to find out about the wellness treatments available in the Clubhouse SPA or whether they will need sunglasses or an umbrella at their destination.

The Media Box is a web-based platform that supports any internet-enabled device, smartphone or tablet. After connecting to the free WiFi in the Clubhouse, customers are automatically redirected to the Virgin Atlantic Media Box. By selecting their VS flight number, they can access an extensive range of information and media, tailored to their flight. For example, they can easily download their desired reading material from a range of national and international media to suit their travel route. All newspapers and magazines are presented unabridged and in the same layout used in the print versions and can also be browsed easily and intuitively offline during the flight. But at Virgin Atlantic, there is more than just this popular standard function - the experts of Media Carrier have developed more great new features for the airline.

Fully informed about everything worth knowing before departure

By selecting their flight number in the Media Box, Virgin Atlantic customers can obtain information tailored to their flight - comprehensive and always up to date. This means customers know before boarding which exclusive menu will be served during the flight, what weather they can expect at their destination airport, or whether they are able to indulge in a foot reflexology treatment in the Clubhouse Spa. A news ticker also provides breaking news about global events.

"The whole thing is of course visually impressive, too. The layout and design of the Media Box we developed for Virgin Atlantic is identical to the on-board wireless IFE app. This means that customers will always face the familiar design and interface of Virgin Atlantic, both on the ground and in the air," explains Philipp J. Jacke, Managing Director of Media Carrier, describing the advantages of the enhanced Media Box. "This is one of our biggest strengths. We develop customised solutions for our clients - naturally with the look and feel that they require, to ensure an identical design and consistent image is integrated throughout. But above all, with our Media Box, the airline can provide its passengers with useful additional information - these added values enhance the image of the airline and make it unique in its range of services," adds the digital expert.

Matthew Callard, Head of Clubhouses at Virgin Atlantic, also endorses this. "With the Media Box, we are able to provide our customers with a digital platform that makes available a wide range of complimentary daily newspapers and magazines as well as information on in flight dining, live news feed and brand partnerships. As well as reading material, the platform also provides our Upper Class customers with material in order that they may make more informed decisions about their journey and makes for a more seamless ground to air experience."

About Media Carrier

Established in 2011, the company is a subsidiary of the Munich-based MELO Group, whose central divisions are built on the two pillars: media and logistics. Media Carrier specializes in marketing and distributing digital content. It supplies the travel industry with e-papers through the Media Box. Meanwhile, the digital media library has spread to many airlines as well as more than 1000 hotels around the world.

Media Carrier GmbH

Muthmannstr. 1

80939 Munich

http://www.media-carrier.com

Jennifer Bingmann

Marketing und Communication

Tel.: +49-89-32471-4538

Sandra Bardewyck

Head of Sales

Tel.: +49-89-32471-4535


NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Balabit Inc., a leading provider of contextual security technologies, has announced that its privileged user monitoring solution, Shell Control Box (SCB), is now available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. SCB complements the security features of Microsoft Azure and is now easily accessible and deployable within hours. SCB allows for the auditing of privileged user activity across an organization's on-premises and cloud environments, helping to prevent insider threats and external data breaches. SCB also integrates with Restful API to enable interoperability with a wide range of applications in the Microsoft Azure cloud platform.

According to Gartner, worldwide public cloud adoption is set to grow by 16.5 percent in 2016 to $204 billion, up from $175 billion in 2015(1). Security concerns continue to represent the single greatest barrier to cloud adoption.

"In addition to managing security risk, companies using cloud infrastructures need to meet multiple compliance requirements. The integration of Shell Control Box into Microsoft Azure is the first milestone in this journey," says Csaba Krasznay, Product Manager of Shell Control Box at Balabit. "Data security is still a bottleneck when it comes to cloud adoption and we're proud to say we can complement the security features of Microsoft Azure, such as providing real-time monitoring of privileged user activities and enabling organizations to alert or block malicious actions before they are executed."

Ryan McGee, senior product marketing manager, cloud platform, Microsoft Corp. said, "In today's increasingly sophisticated IT environment, our mutual customers rely on proactive solutions such as Balabit to enable their transition to the cloud. Balabit's addition to the Microsoft Azure Marketplace enables our customers to feel confident that their digital assets are secure."

About Shell Control Box

Shell Control Box controls high-risk privileged access to remote IT systems, records activities in searchable, movie-like audit trails, and prevents malicious actions. The new version enables enterprises to audit the activity of privileged users across the physical and virtual computing environments, and helps to secure their public cloud infrastructure by knowing "who is doing what" across the entire network in real-time. As a user monitoring tool, SCB is a core component of Balabit's Contextual Security Intelligence Platform that integrates leading log management, privileged user monitoring and user behaviour analytics (UBA) solutions to prevent data breaches without constraining business.

For key new features of Shell Control Box 4 F2, please visit https://csabakrasznay.blogs.balabit.com/2016/01/shell-control-box-4-f2-is-ready/ or https://www.balabit.com/network-security/scb

About Balabit

Balabit -- founded in Budapest, Hungary -- is a leading provider of contextual security technologies with the mission of preventing data breaches without constraining business. Balabit operates globally with offices across the United States and Europe, together with network of reseller partners. Balabit's Contextual Security Intelligence platform protects organizations in real time from threats posed by the misuse of high risk and privileged accounts. Solutions include reliable system and application Log Management with context enriched data ingestion, Privileged User Monitoring and User Behavior Analytics. Together they can identify unusual user activities and provide deep visibility into potential threats. Working in conjunction with existing control-based strategies, Balabit enables a flexible and people-centric approach to improve security without adding additional barriers to business practices.

Founded in 2000 Balabit has a proven track record, with 23 Fortune 100 customers and more than 1,000,000 corporate users worldwide.

For more information, please visit www.balabit.com.

(1) http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3188817

Media Contact:

Kirsten Scott, Kelly Friend

eclat Marketing

Email: balabit@eclat.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 1276 486 000



Andrea Ipolyi

PR manager

Office: +36 1 398 6700

andrea.ipolyi@balabit.com




PUNE, India, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The report "Gas Engines Market by Fuel (Natural Gas and Special Gas), Application (Power and Co-generation), End User (Utilities, Oil & Gas and Manufacturing), Power (0.5-1MW, 1 -2MW, 2-5MW, 5-10MW, and 10-20MW) & By Region - Global Forecast to 2021" published by MarketsandMarkets, The market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 3.22 Billion in 2016 to USD 4.54 Billion by 2021, registering a CAGR of 6.9% from 2016 to 2021.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 74 market data Tables and 54 Figures spread through 180 Pages and in-depth TOC on"Gas Engines Market - Global Forecast to 2021"



http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/gas-engine-market-54641802.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

The global market is witnessing significant growth on account of the decline in natural gas prices, increase in electricity demand, and low emission levels of the gas compared to other fossil fuels. Increasing investments in distributed power generation are also expected to drive the demand for gas engines across the globe.

Electricity generation segment is expected to hold the largest share in the Gas Engines Market, by application, during the forecast period

The electricity generation segment led the overall Gas Engines Market in 2015, owing to the increasing electricity demand across the globe. However, the co-generation application is expected to register a higher growth rate during the forecast period. Although the initial cost of gas engines used for co-generation applications is high, the efficiency of the power plant is nearly double that of gas engines used for electricity generation purposes.

Make an Enquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=54641802

Natural gas to be the dominant fuel type in the global Gas Engines Market

Natural gas-fired engines are expected to dominate the global Gas Engines Market during the forecast period, and are expected to constitute the fastest growing segment, by fuel type. The recent shale gas boom resulted in a fall in natural gas prices across the globe. The low cost and emissions of natural gas compared to other fossil fuels is a key driver of the natural gas-fired Gas Engines Market.

Europe: The leading market for gas engines

In this report, the Gas Engines Market has been analyzed with respect to five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. Europe is expected to dominate the global Gas Engines Market, given the growing environmental concerns and rigid emission regulations in the region. It is closely followed by North America.

To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes profiles of some of the leading players in the Gas Engines Market. These players include General Electric Company (U.S.), Wartsila Corporation (Finland), Caterpillar Inc. (U.S.), Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (U.K.), MAN SE (Germany), Cummins Inc. (U.S.), Deutz AG (Germany), Doosan Infracore (South Korea), and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Japan). Leading players are trying to penetrate developing economies and are adopting various strategies to increase their market share.

Browse Related Reports:

Generator Sales Market by Type (Diesel And Gas), by Power Rating (Below 100 kVA, 100-350 kVA, 350-1000 kVA, Above 1000 kVA), by Application (Standby, Prime Or Continuous Power, Peak Shaving), by End User (Industrial, Commercial, and Residential), & by Region - Global Forecast to 2020

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/generator-sales-market-47544335.html

Gas Turbines Market by Design Type (Heavy Duty & Aeroderivative), Rated Capacity (1-40 MW,40-120 MW,120-300 MW, & Above 300 MW), Application (Oil & Gas, Power & Other), Technology (Open Cycle & Combined Cycle), and Region - Forecast and Trends to 2020

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/gas-turbines-market-94641697.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide 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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CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Omits Reference to the scheduling of BoE rate decision



The Australian dollar weakened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Wednesday after data showed that Australia's GDP expanded less than expected in the second quarter of 2016.



Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that GDP expanded a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent on quarter in the second quarter of 2016. That was shy of expectations for 0.6 percent following the downwardly revised 1.0 percent increase in the first quarter.



On a yearly basis, GDP gained 3.3 percent, matching forecasts and up from the downwardly revised 3.0 percent gain in the three months prior.



In other economic news, data from the Australian Industry Group showed that the construction sector in Australia turned back to contraction in August, with a Performance of Construction Index score of 46.6. That's down sharply from 51.6 in July.



Tuesday, the Australian dollar rose 1.07 percent against the U.S. dollar, 0.30 percent against the yen, 0.39 percent against the euro, 0.21 percent against the loonie and 0.36 percent against the kiwi.



In the Asian trading, the Australian dollar fell to a 6-day low of 77.58 against the yen and a 2-month low of 1.0319 against the NZ dollar, from yesterday's closing quotes of 78.41 and 1.0361, respectively. If the aussie extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 75.00 against the aussie and 1.02 against the kiwi.



The aussie dropped to 1.4683 against the euro, from yesterday's closing value of 1.4638. On the downside, 1.50 is seen as the next support level for the aussie.



Against the U.S. and the Canadian dollars, the aussie slipped to 0.7653 and 0.9839 from an early near 2-week high of 0.7688 and a 5-day high of 0.9876, respectively. The aussie may test support near 0.74 against the greenback and 0.96 against the loonie.



Looking ahead, German industrial production for July is due to be released in the pre-European session at 2:00 am ET.



U.K. Halifax house price index for August and industrial production for July are slated for release later in the day.



At 5:15 am ET, Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe is expected to participate in a panel discussion at the Bruegel research organisation in Brussels.



In the New York session, Canada Ivey's purchasing managers' index for August is set to be published.



At 10:00 am ET, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George will testify on monetary policy and trade before the Financial Services sub-committee in Washington DC.



At 2:00 pm ET, U.S. Federal Reserve is due to release the Beige Book report.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
GRAND JUNCTION, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Bullfrog Gold Corp (OTCQB: BFGC) ("Bullfrog" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has engaged two investor awareness groups to distribute information on the Company and its Bullfrog Gold Project (Project) located 120 miles NW of Las Vegas Nevada. The Company previously announced 470,000 ounces of gold mineralization in and around the Bullfrog and Montgomery-Shoshone mines that were operated by Barrick Bullfrog Inc. from 1989-1999. However BFGC's market capitalization of less than $20 per ounce is one of the lowest amongst peer companies. These two groups plan to widely disseminate the attributes of the Company and achieve full value of its share price and market cap per ounce.

Michael Baybak and Company LLC of Clearwater, FL (MBC) is focused on providing financial relations, media relations and market development consulting services to the Company, including:

Disseminate the Company's news releases to specifically targeted investors, brokers, equity managers, and financial advisory newsletters.





Introduce the Company to a resource-oriented retail, brokerage, and money manager community through programmed contacts, mailings, and management meetings.





Expose the Company as a high-quality, low-cost business/ investment opportunity to financial advisory media and business press through programmed media development activities.





MBC has decades of experience and successfully assisted the building and growth of many mining companies, including Balmoral Resources Ltd., Brazil Resources Inc., NovaGold Resources Inc., the original Osisko Mining Inc., Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd., Alacer Gold Corp., New Oroperu Resources Inc., among others. MBC has developed a strong reputation with its network of high-net-worth individual investors, brokerage firms, registered investment advisors and institutional managers, financial newsletter writers, securities analysts, as well as major press and television.

Chedwick Marketing Group of Wilmington, DE is charged with complementing and supplementing the efforts of the Company and MBC through:

Website Search Engine Optimization and integration





Social Media planning and development.





Industry based article writing with sponsorship from leading experts





News dissemination





Corporate branding using various methods through digital media





Online media management and placement





Audio Interview third party integration posted to various industry portals and embedded throughout all social media outlets and direct website placement





Press Release / revision / placement





Pre-approved road show set-up with multiple conference locations





Email list development for internal corporate communications with current and prospective shareholders





Capital raise and formation services





Chedwick Marketing Group will develop and implement an investor relations program that effectively communicates the near- and long-term strategy for success. This will allow the Company to build and maintain an informed investor audience as it develops shareholder value.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including those with respect to the objectives, plans and strategies of the Company and those preceded by or that include the words "believes," "expects," "given," "targets," "intends," "anticipates," "plans," "projects," "forecasts" or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. We use certain terms in this valuation such as "mineralization" and "mineral inventory estimates" that are not defined in Canadian National Instrument 43-101; or recognized under the U.S. SEC Industry Guide 7. The Company is presently an exploration stage company. Exploration is highly speculative in nature, involves many risks, requires substantial expenditures and may not result in the discovery of sufficient mineral deposits that can be mined profitably. Furthermore, the Company currently has no resources or reserves on any of its properties. As a result, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Additional information regarding important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations is disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time with the United States Securities & Exchange Commission.

Contact Information:

David Beling, PE

President, CEO & Director

(970) 628-1670




VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - German shares recouped early losses on Wednesday, as investors took weak German industrial output data in their stride and looked ahead to Thursday's ECB meeting for direction. Germany's industrial production fell by the most in almost two years in July, data from Destatis showed with output declining 1.5 percent from the previous month, confounding expectations for an increase of 0.1 percent. However, production in June was revised up to 1.1 percent from 0.8 percent. The benchmark DAX was up 37 points or 0.35 percent at 10,724 in late opening deals after closing 0.1 percent higher on Tuesday. Volkswagen rose over 1 percent on a Bloomberg report that it is in advanced talks with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. about jointly producing electric passenger vehicles in China. Pharmaceutical and chemical company Bayer traded marginally lower, a day after lifting its offer for Monsanto. Lufthansa fell over 3 percent after Deutsche Bank cut its rating on the stock. 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.
Agus Rahmat PR Manager LiveWell Global M: +62 81232885533 E: agusrach34@gmail.com U: www.livewell-global.com

JAKARTA, JAKARTA, JAKARTA, Sept 7, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Given the promising prospect of health and beauty industry in Indonesia, LiveWell Global - a company which focuses on offering beauty and health products - will strengthen its individual distributor network in a number of regions in Indonesia.According to LiveWell Global CEO Bambang Muliana, the measure was taken because of the high demand for health and beauty products in areas across the country. "In addition, the number of our individual distributors in many regions also rose significantly. During the two-month period, the number of individual distributors grew by 20 percent, from 5,000 to 6,000," he said at a media gathering in Jakarta on August 30.Big cities such as Yogyakarta, Makassar, Surabaya, Semarang, Lampung, Papua, and Medan are contributing about 15 percent of the increase. "Thus, after seeing this promising growth, we want to develop our individual distributors' competencies," he said.This development, according to Bambang, is not meant for business purpose only, but also to realize LiveWell Global goal to improve qualities of life of people financially."From the beginning, we wanted to focus on helping people to do their business. We believe that the strengthening of community-based economy will ultimately strengthen the economy of Indonesia," he explained.Bambang continued, a 2015 Euromonitor International survey shows the export value of cosmetics in Indonesia reached USD$86 million. This data clearly shows that the Indonesian economy is also driven by the health and beauty sector.Meanwhile LiveWell Global COO Derian Yusuf said there are two schemes that will be taken in the development of the individual distributors program in regions. First, the LiveWell Global team will provide training for strategy to attract customers. The training cost will be inexpensive and affordable for most people. "Secondly, we will also equip distributors with comprehensive knowledge of the benefits of the product," he explained.Development of individual distributor will be held in September to December 2016.Derian said there is a growing concern about health and beauty among people today. "Look at the trend of hydrogen water. It was not popular among people, but now people are regularly using it. Any product that is related to health and beauty will certainly attract consumers who care about their well-being," he continued.LiveWell Global also put an enormous effort to meet its customers' needs in terms of health and beauty. All products, says Derian, derived from the essential needs of the people. For example, many urban people do not get negative ions or anions in sufficient amount due to the lack of trees around them. "To tackle that problem, we made Rejuve which can generate 4,000 ions," he concluded.About LiveWell GlobalLivewell Global was established by network businessmen with a will to create the ideal network marketing company, and with a mission to become the best business opportunity for Indonesians to completely improve qualities of life morally, spiritually and financially. For more information, please visit www.livewell-global.com.Source: LiveWell GlobalContact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
JOENSUU, Finland, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The second annual event for technology and business developers worldwide will take place at the Koli National Park in Finland on October 26 to 27, 2016

The second annual Forest & Photonics Workshop brings together leading researchers and industry experts in photonics and bio economy to discuss disruptive technologies and applications.

Merged together, innovations in photonics and bio economy result in industry-changing applications and completely new processes. Early examples include laser-powered wood-cutting, remote sensing and measurement of natural resources, and intelligently optimized lighting for growing vegetables.

The event will be kicked off with a keynote by Jack A. Kaye, Associate Director for Research at NASA, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Based on his work at the Earth Science Division, he will share his insights on global carbon cycle from the perspective of photonics. According to Mr. Kaye, understanding our planet's carbon cycle is key to tackle global warming, and will also offer highly promising business opportunities to forward-looking companies.

Forest & Photonics 2016 offers attendees a wide range of visionary presentations by business developers and industry leaders from around the world. The speaker list is available at http://www.tiedepuisto.fi/fp2016 and will be updated as the event draws closer.

Bringing together the most disrupting technologies of our time

Photonics concentrates on producing and manipulating light in a variety of ways, and is used in applications such as virtual reality and machine vision. Bio economy seeks to utilize renewable biomass materials like wood and waste in innovative ways - such as in textiles and cosmetics.

"Photonics is a prime example of a disruptive technology that will reach its potential when combined with other fields," said Juha Purmonen, Development Manager at Joensuu Science Park, one of the event's organizers. "New applications are constantly discovered and growth projections are remarkable."

Held at Sokos Hotel Koli, located in the heart of the Koli National Park, Finland, on 26th and 27th of October 2016, the workshop event focuses on four overarching themes:

Digitalization of bio economy : how the internet of things, big data, remote sensing and other emerging trends are utilized in bio economy. Topics covered include using satellite images and airborne laser scanning in assessing forest inventory.

: how the internet of things, big data, remote sensing and other emerging trends are utilized in bio economy. Topics covered include using satellite images and airborne laser scanning in assessing forest inventory. Intelligent supply chain : machine vision and other photonics applications changing the way forestry machines are operated.

: machine vision and other photonics applications changing the way forestry machines are operated. Industry and process innovations: breakthroughs in mechanical and chemical processing of wood and other biomass materials. Topics covered include use of photonics and advanced optical measuring in timber industry.

breakthroughs in mechanical and chemical processing of wood and other biomass materials. Topics covered include use of photonics and advanced optical measuring in timber industry. Virtual reality: how emerging technologies such as virtual reality goggles, augmented reality head-up displays and eye movement tracking advance the industry.

For further information, please contact:

Juha Purmonen, Development Manager, Joensuu Science Park

Tel. +358-50-354-3832

Email juha.purmonen@tiedepuisto.fi



For more information online: http://www.tiedepuisto.fi/fp2016



Follow us on Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/forestphotonics


MADISON  Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and his Democratic opponent, Russ Feingold, both say theyre steeped in national security know-how.

Each candidate also claims his opponent is as misguided on the issue as he is savvy.

Johnson and Feingold, the leading candidates for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, both have credentials to bolster their claims of being knowledgeable and influential on national security.

Johnson is chairman of the Senate Homeland Security comittee and serves on the Foreign Relations committee. During his three terms in the Senate, Feingold served on the foreign relations and intelligence committees. He went on to work as a special envoy for the U.S. State Department after leaving the Senate.

But while both candidates have resumes to bolster claims they know how to keep Americans safe, they differ sharply on how they propose to do it.

Johnson, R-Oshkosh, has been among the most vocal in his party in calling for sending U.S. troops to Iraq and Syria as part of a coalition to fight the Islamic State terror group, also known as ISIS.

Feingold, D-Middleton, who was a vocal opponent of the Iraq War under former president George W. Bush, strongly opposes putting U.S. boots on the ground in Iraq and Syria, saying it would be counterproductive. He calls for a more targeted approach of taking out ISIS leaders and cutting off their resources and funding.

The candidates also are at odds on intelligence gathering. Johnson has hammered Feingold for being the only U.S. senator to vote against the USA PATRIOT Act when it was enacted in 2001.

Feingold has said the measure infringed on Americans civil liberties and that he remains proud to have opposed it. He has said there are better ways to improve U.S. intelligence gathering, such as increasing funding for intelligence agencies and recruiting more spies, especially in places where terror groups operate.

National security has become perhaps the most prominent issue in the campaign ad war in the Senate race. Johnson and his allied groups have attacked Feingold as weak on national security and as a hypocrite whose actions contradicted his rhetoric.

Feingold has returned fire, saying hes the only candidate with a plan to keep Americans safe.

In a Wisconsin State Journal interview last week, Feingold said its unfortunate the issue has become so politicized.

To me, going after these groups should be a point of unity, Feingold said.

He essentially has no plan

Since entering the Senate in 2011, Johnson has been a constant critic of President Barack Obamas foreign policy. During this campaign he has sought to link Obama to Feingold, including on the fact that both support closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Johnson told the Wisconsin State Journal in a recent interview that hes more frightened than ever about ISIS. The group has carried out terror attacks worldwide while controlling territory in portions of Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Libya.

They represent a larger threat, a growing threat. Im more concerned than I was 22, 23, 24 months ago, Johnson said.

But Feingold said Johnson, despite his committee leadership post, has no overarching blueprint for U.S. national security. He also criticizes Johnson for, like other congressional Republicans, declining to vote to authorize President Barack Obama to use military force against the Islamic State.

Here he is, the chairman of the homeland security committee, and he essentially has no plan, Feingold said.

Feingolds plan calls for increasing efforts to take out the leaders of terror groups, increasing funding for intelligence agencies and recruiting more spies, and ramping up efforts to cut off funds, oil supplies and armaments flowing to ISIS.

Johnsons approach relies on conventional military force. He has said the U.S. should organize a global military coalition, in tandem with European and Arab countries, to enter Iraq and Syria, defeat the Islamic State and create safe zones for refugees fleeing violence in those regions.

Johnson once cited a possible number of 100,000 troops for such a coalition. But he since has said hes not sure how many troops should be part of the coalition; that, he said, is up to military experts.

Despite the unpopularity of the Iraq War, Johnson said Americans can be convinced its wise to send U.S. troops back into Iraq.

You need leadership, Johnson said in the State Journal interview. You need leaders to convey why its important.

Feingold said Johnson is returning to the same flawed approach that led the U.S. into the Iraq War.

Sen. Johnson is using the Iraq approach, which is, lets send in a bunch of troops and see what happens, Feingold said.

Senator Tough Guy

The campaign ad wars in the Senate race continue to focus on national security. The most recent example came last week, when a pro-Johnson super PAC, Let America Work, released a TV ad mocking Feingold as Senator Tough Guy.

During Johnsons Senate tenure, one of his most widely publicized moments came in a 2013 hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations committee regarding the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. In that hearing, Johnsons questioning of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who was Secretary of State at the time of the attack, prompting her to respond What difference, at this point, does it make?

Johnson said he also has used his committee posts, particularly his Homeland Security Committee chairmanship, to shepherd key national security proposals into law.

Examples include a measure overhauling the U.S. visa waiver program, which allows certain foreign citizens to travel into the country without a visa. Among the changes in Johnsons measure were preventing citizens of Iraq, Syria, and certain other nations from using the program.

Another measure ushered into law, with help from Johnson, on a bipartisan basis required federal agencies to adopt cyber-security measures.

Outside the Middle East, Johnson said hes most worried about Chinas presence in southeast Asia, particularly in the South China Sea, and what he described as the menace of Russia in eastern Europe.

Asked if hes troubled by links between his partys presidential nominee, Donald Trump, and Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin, Johnson said he is not. Trump has publicly praised Putin, and Trumps former campaign chairman was closely linked to a top Putin ally, Viktor Yanukovych, in Ukraine.

Johnson said the departure of the former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, from Trumps campaign last month resolved the issue. Manafort left amid heightened scrutiny of his extensive work on behalf of Yanukovych, the former Ukrainian president.

Feingold agreed that Russias actions in Eastern Europe and Chinas in southeast Asia should concern the U.S. He said instability in Latin America and in Europe, post-Brexit vote, also should be monitored.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (TSX: DML)(NYSE MKT: DNN) is pleased to announce that results from an additional 13 exploration drill holes, targeting the D series mineralized lenses, have successfully expanded the strike length of the lenses immediately north and northwest of the Gryphon uranium deposit, on the 60% owned Wheeler River property, which is located in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region in northern Saskatchewan.

The Company is also pleased to announce that it will commence initial follow-up drilling, in the coming weeks, on the basement hosted mineralization discovered earlier this summer in drill hole WR-663 on the K-West conductive trend (see Denison's Press Release dated August 4, 2016). The K-West conductive trend is parallel with, and located approximately 500 metres west of, the K-North conductive trend which hosts the Gryphon deposit. The basement hosted uranium mineralization intersected in drill hole WR-663 is associated with an extensive alteration zone which is indicative of significant fluid flow with the potential for high grade mineralization. The discovery of uranium mineralization and a significant alteration zone, taken together with a favorable geological setting similar to and in proximity to the Gryphon deposit, makes the K-West trend a prime target for the discovery of meaningful additional mineralization.

David Cates, President and CEO of Denison commented, "Our team is focused on adding value to our project portfolio despite the current price of uranium, and positioning our Company to be a producer in the future - when it is expected that years of low uranium prices will lead to a shortage of low cost uranium supplies at a time when demand is anticipated to grow dramatically. We can justify our continued exploration and development activities because we're focused on adding value to a project, in Wheeler River, which has the potential to become a large-scale and profitable operation with relatively low up front capital costs in even a low price environment.

"Our summer exploration program at Wheeler River has built on the success of our discovery of significant mineralization in the Gryphon D series lenses earlier this year. With 75% of drill holes completed in the D lens target areas this summer having intersected uranium, the extent of the mineralization around the Gryphon deposit continues to grow and remains open. Beyond the D lenses, our exploration team also managed to discover mineralization to the west of Gryphon, earlier this summer, on the K-West trend. After reviewing the results at K-West and considering the potential for the discovery of a significant mineralized zone occurring in a similar geological setting and in close proximity to Gryphon, we've decided to go back to K-West before we wrap up drilling this season and expect to complete some initial follow-up holes over the coming weeks."

Expansion of D Series Lenses

Exploration drilling at Wheeler River during the summer of 2016 has focused primarily on exploring the Gryphon D series mineralized lenses, which occur within 200 metres north and northwest of the Gryphon deposit. Previously reported assay highlights for the D series lenses include 5.3% U3O8 over 11.0 metres, 11.9% U3O8 over 1.5 metres, 2.9% U3O8 over 6.0 metres, 2.3% U3O8 over 4.0 metres and 6.2% U3O8 over 2.5 metres (see Denison's Press Release dated May 26, 2016). The holes were drilled at a high angle to mineralization to allow for better evaluation of true thicknesses which are expected to be approximately 75% of the intersection lengths. The D series lenses have not yet been included in the current resource estimate or the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the Wheeler River project.

Results from an additional 13 drill holes in this area indicate continued expansion of the D series lenses along strike. To date, the 2016 summer exploration drill program has expanded the strike extent of the D series lenses by approximately 90 metres to the northeast and 115 metres to the southwest using an approximate 50 x 50 metres drill spacing. The D series lens mineralization currently totals 330 meters in collective strike extent, with mineralization still open along strike in both directions. Table 1 provides a summary of mineralized intersections from the most recently completed drill holes.

Results of importance include:

-- On Section 5350 GP, the most northeastern section drilled to date, intersections of 9.39% eU3O8 over 1.6 metres and 1.16% eU3O8 over 1.8 metres indicate the continued strength of the mineralizing system and significant potential along strike and down-plunge to the northeast where no drilling has been undertaken to date; and -- On Section 5100 GP, multiple mineralized intercepts including 1.21% eU3O8 over 5.3 metres, 2.26% eU3O8 over 1.2 metres and 0.68% eU3O8 over 3.1 metres indicate continuity between the recently defined D series lenses discovered during winter 2016 and the D series lenses previously identified in 2014. Table 1: Summary of mineralized intersections from exploration drilling on Section 5050GP, 5100 GP, 5250 GP, 5300 GP and 5350 GP Section Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m)(3) eU3O8 (%)(1)(2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5050 GP WR-565D1 668.3 669.3 1.0 0.12 and 678.2 679.2 1.0 0.08 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5100 GP WR-669 647.4 649.4 2.0 0.17 and 652.2 653.4 1.2 0.08 and 722.2 723.2 1.0 0.05 and 746.2 747.3 1.1 0.80 WR-671 583.5 584.7 1.2 2.26 and 670.0 671.1 1.1 0.33 and 697.9 700.0 2.1 0.14 and 703.1 704.9 1.8 0.57 WR-671D1 656.7 662.0 5.3 0.11 and 662.8 663.8 1.0 0.06 and 668.4 669.4 1.0 0.26 and 682.2 687.5 5.3 1.21 WR-671D2 658.8 659.9 1.1 0.52 and 664.2 667.3 3.1 0.68 and 675.4 676.4 1.0 0.76 and 686.0 687.0 1.0 0.27 WR-671D4 642.1 643.1 1.0 0.11 and 651.4 652.4 1.0 0.22 and 659.3 661.4 2.1 0.11 and 670.5 671.5 1.0 0.14 and 678.4 679.4 1.0 0.07 WR-613EXT No significant mineralization ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5300 GP WR-670 610.2 611.2 1.0 0.06 and 613.7 614.7 1.0 0.05 and 650.6 651.7 1.1 1.34 and 657.1 658.1 1.0 0.05 WR-670D1 No significant mineralization ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5350 GP WR-672A 588.8 589.8 1.0 0.28 and 599.7 602.6 2.9 0.10 and 613.1 614.4 1.3 0.84 WR-672AD1 596.8 597.8 1.0 0.09 WR-507D1EXT 721.7 723.5 1.8 1.16 WR-507D2 557.3 559.2 1.9 0.22 and 579.5 581.1 1.6 9.39 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

1. eU3O8 is radiometric equivalent U3O8 from a calibrated total gamma down- hole probe. eU3O8 results are preliminary in nature and all mineralized intervals will be sampled and submitted for chemical U3O8 assay. 2. Intersection interval is composited above a cut-off grade of 0.05% eU3O8. Composites are compiled using 1.0 metre minimum ore thickness and 2.0 metres maximum waste. 3. As the drill holes are oriented steeply toward the northwest and the basement mineralization is interpreted to dip moderately to the southeast, the true thickness of the mineralization is expected to be approximately 75% of the intersection lengths.

Exploration drilling is ongoing with two drills that have commenced testing for extensions along strike to the southwest of the D series lenses previously identified in 2014.

Illustrative Figures & Further Details

A property location and basement geology map is provided in Figure 1, which show the K-North and K-West conductive trends. A plan map of the northeast plunging Gryphon deposit mineralized lenses, projected up to the simplified basement geology at the sub-Athabasca unconformity, is provided in Figure 2, which shows the location of the D series lenses interpreted from winter 2016 drilling results and the summer mineralized intercepts as yellow stars. Cross-sections for section lines 5350 GP and 5100 GP are provided in Figures 3 and 4 respectively, showing the location of the new mineralized intercepts from the D lenses relative to the Gryphon deposit's A, B, and C lenses. Figure 5 provides a cross-section along section line 5050 GP showing the intersection of mineralization and alteration at K-West in drill hole WR-663.

Further details regarding the Gryphon deposit and the current mineral resource estimates are provided in the NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Wheeler River project titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Wheeler River Uranium Project, Saskatchewan, Canada" dated April 8, 2016 with an effective date of March 31, 2016. A copy of this report is available on Denison's website and under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

Qualified Persons

The disclosure of a scientific or technical nature contained in this news release was prepared by Dale Verran, MSc, Pr.Sci.Nat., Denison's Vice President, Exploration, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101. For a description of the assay procedures and the quality assurance program and quality control measures applied by Denison, please see Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2016 filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).

About Wheeler River

The Wheeler River property is a joint venture between Denison (60% and operator), Cameco Corp. (30%), and JCU (Canada) Exploration Company Limited (10%), and is host to the high-grade Gryphon and Phoenix uranium deposits discovered by Denison in 2014 and 2008, respectively. The Gryphon deposit is hosted in basement rock and is currently estimated to contain inferred resources of 43.0 million pounds U3O8 (above a cut-off grade of 0.2% U3O8) based on 834,000 tonnes of mineralization at an average grade of 2.3% U3O8. The Phoenix unconformity deposit is located approximately 3 kilometres to the southeast of Gryphon and is estimated to include indicated resources of 70.2 million pounds U3O8 (above a cut-off grade of 0.8% U3O8) based on 166,000 tonnes of mineralization at an average grade of 19.1% U3O8, and is the highest grade undeveloped uranium deposit in the world.

On April 4th, 2016 Denison announced the results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the Wheeler River Project, which considers the potential economic merit of co-developing the high-grade Gryphon and Phoenix deposits as a single underground mining operation. The PEA returned a base case pre-tax Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") of 20.4% based on the current long term contract price of uranium (US$44.00 per pound U3O8), and Denison's share of estimated initial capital expenditures ("CAPEX") of CAD$336M (CAD$560M on 100% ownership basis). Exploration results from the winter and summer 2016 drilling program have not been incorporated into the resource estimate or the PEA. The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. On July 19th, 2016 Denison announced the initiation of a Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") for the Wheeler River property and the complimentary commencement of an infill drilling program at the Gryphon deposit to bring the inferred resources up to an indicated level of confidence.

About Denison

Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. Including its 60% owned Wheeler River project, which hosts the high grade Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits, Denison's exploration portfolio consists of numerous projects covering over 350,000 hectares in the infrastructure rich eastern Athabasca Basin. Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake joint venture, which includes several uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill, which is currently processing ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest deposit and a 61.55% interest in the J Zone deposit on the Waterbury Lake property. Both the Midwest and J Zone deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill.

Denison is also engaged in mine decommissioning and environmental services through its Denison Environmental Services division and is the manager of Uranium Participation Corp., a publicly traded company which invests in uranium oxide and uranium hexafluoride.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information", within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "believes", or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or "has the potential to". In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: exploration (including drilling) and evaluation activities, plans and objectives; potential mineralization of drill targets; and the estimates of Denison's mineral resources.

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 Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable but there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the "Risk Factors" in Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2016 available under its profile at www.sedar.com and in its Form 40-F available at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. These factors are not, and should not be construed as being, exhaustive.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this press release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in its expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources: This press release may use the terms "measured", "indicated" and "inferred" mineral resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable.

To view Figure 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/dml0907fig1.pdf.

To view Figure 2, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/dml0907fig2.pdf.

To view Figure 3, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/dml0907fig3.pdf.

To view Figure 4, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/dml0907fig4.pdf.

To view Figure 5, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/dml0907fig5.pdf.

Contacts:

Denison Mines Corp.

David Cates

President and Chief Executive Officer

(416) 979-1991 ext. 362



Denison Mines Corp.

Sophia Shane

Investor Relations

(604) 689-7842

Follow Denison on Twitter: @DenisonMinesCo

www.denisonmines.com




-- Growth fueled by all businesses, regions, and strategic alliances

-- Nearly 72,000 new hires

NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte today reported aggregate network revenue of US$36.8 billion for the fiscal year ended 31 May 2016 (FY2016), representing 9.5 percent growth in local currency terms.

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"Deloitte's growth last year is a reflection of the tangible value and high-quality professional services we provide to our clients," said Punit Renjen, Deloitte Global CEO. "Deloitte takes pride in helping clients succeed in a global business environment marked by volatility and digital disruption and in our role as stewards helping ensure the proper functioning of global financial markets."

Focus on clients results in growth across all core businesses and geographies

Deloitte's ability to deliver value for clients across all geographies and service areas led to growth in each of its five core businesses-Audit, Consulting, Financial Advisory, Risk Advisory and Tax & Legal. All advisory businesses posted double-digit growth globally. Highlights include:

Risk Advisory grew the most at 22.5 percent, driven by high demand for cyber and regulatory services.

Consulting grew at 10.8 percent, fueled by increasing demand for integrated services supporting large-scale digital transformation, systems implementation, human resources and strategy projects.

Deloitte Tax & Legal grew at 10.0 percent in FY2016, the highest growth since FY2008. Growth was boosted in part by the sixth consecutive year of double-digit growth in Deloitte Legal.

Investments in technologies designed to meet clients' needs

Businesses are seeking expertise to help them manage and benefit from technology-driven change and disruption. To meet this need, Deloitte is continuing to make strategic investments across its five businesses to enhance its industry-leading capabilities in areas such as cyber, M&A, analytics, crowdsourcing, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital, and Internet of Things (IoT).

This disciplined approach to investing has enabled Deloitte to:

Invest more than US$650 million since 2008 to enhance the quality, consistency, and relevance of audits. These investments include automation that reimagines routine tasks as well as analytics that yield a deeper and more insightful view into data.

since 2008 to enhance the quality, consistency, and relevance of audits. These investments include automation that reimagines routine tasks as well as analytics that yield a deeper and more insightful view into data. Expand its financial services technologies and assets, such as its new Financial Services Blockchain Lab in Ireland , which enables Deloitte to move quickly from concept to prototype tailored to meet individual client needs. Likewise, Deloitte's creation of a Financial Crime Strategy & Response Network helps financial institutions act strategically to address growing threats such as money laundering, cybercrime, fraud, and corruption.

, which enables Deloitte to move quickly from concept to prototype tailored to meet individual client needs. Likewise, Deloitte's creation of a Financial Crime Strategy & Response Network helps financial institutions act strategically to address growing threats such as money laundering, cybercrime, fraud, and corruption. Establish a network of Cyber Intelligence Centers throughout the world that offer a fully augmented and customizable solution to help organizations remain secure, vigilant and resilient in the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

Utilize data visualization technology within Deloitte's M&A businesses to enhance clients' ability to analyze data gathered during the due diligence process.

Launch an enterprise crowdsourcing application to help organizations leverage external crowds and access specific, difficult-to-find expertise; collaborate to develop new products or ideas; and design, build and test new digital assets.

Invest in developing new technology and assets designed to address industry-specific needs. Life sciences and health care companies, for example, can leverage data in new ways to rapidly translate new medical breakthroughs into clinical practice, improve patient outcomes, manage health for multiple populations and better manage costs.

Beyond technology, Deloitte is investing in unique, powerful alliances with large, established organizations as well as emerging growth companies. As a result, Deloitte is able to create customized digital solutions that help clients manage disruption, accelerate transformation, and develop new models for business growth.

Creating jobs and developing leaders

In FY2016, Deloitte increased its global workforce in all geographic regions and businesses. Headcount grew by 8.5 percent, the highest increase of the last three years. Deloitte hired nearly 72,000 new professionals during the last fiscal year and has a total global workforce of 244,400.

As part of its commitment to leadership development at all levels in the organization, Deloitte recently opened its fourth Deloitte University (DU) campus. Located in Singapore, DU Asia Pacific builds on the success of DU in Westlake, Texas, USA; DU Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in two locations: La Hulpe, Belgium and Chantilly, France; and DU India in Hyderabad, India.

"Whether it is solving client challenges or larger societal ones, we ask our professionals to think big about the impact they can make though their work at Deloitte. We believe this sense of purpose, coupled with our culture of lifelong learning, is key to attracting talent and developing strong leaders," said Renjen.

Driving societal impact

Deloitte's commitment to making positive change in the world is reflected not only in its client work, but also in local projects that work towards solving challenging societal and and community issues. For example, in FY2016, Deloitte practitioners spent more than 1.3 million hours engaged in pro bono projects and volunteerism. The Deloitte network further contributed more than US$75M in financial contributions to not-for-profit organizations. In all, these contributions are estimated to exceed more than US$225M.

"We go beyond business as usual," said Renjen. "We harness our global reach, capabilities, experience and insights to affect positive social, environmental, and economic change."

Notes:

All growth rates presented in this press release are in local currency terms unless otherwise specified.

To view this press release online, please visit our website.

About Deloitte

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL does not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

Deloitte provides audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax, and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Deloitte serves four out of five Fortune Global 500 companies through a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories, bringing world-class capabilities, insights, and high-quality service to address clients' most complex business challenges. To learn more about how Deloitte's approximately 244,400 professionals make an impact that matters, please connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.




LONDON, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

TransContainer is weathering the sanctions and oil price-led economic slowdown in Russia well. While current earnings are cyclically depressed, cash flow generation remains positive and a payout ratio of 25% is intact. Our forecast five-year EBITDA CAGR of 11% is driven by end-market growth, and by TransContainer capturing a bigger share of this with its higher-margin integrated freight forwarding business. In the 10 years since its foundation, management has invested RUB24bn enhancing its fleet and integrated client offering, thereby laying the foundations for earnings growth and margin expansion as markets recover.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130417/608168 )



Our fair value for TransContainer is RUB3,400/share. Versus domestic and international peers, TransContainer is reasonably priced at 5.9x one-year EV/EBITDA (based on its own definition of EBITDA; sector: 9x). A key value driver is its high level of cash generation, with FCF/share of RUB397. TransContainer also looks attractive on a PEG ratio basis. FY16's PEG is 0.38x (based on 24% earnings growth and 9x market P/E). However, given the high degree of political risk in Russia, TransContainer's high WACC of 13.0% is justified. This weighs on our DCF valuation and the company earns well below its WACC on an ROCE basis. We believe any macroeconomic and geopolitical improvement in Russia will be reflected in a more favourable WACC.

Click here to view the full report.

All reports published by Edison are available to download free of charge from its website: http://www.edisoninvestmentresearch.com

About Edison: Edison is an international equity research firm with a team of over 110 analysts, investment and roadshow professionals and works with both large and smaller capitalised companies, blue chip institutional investors, wealth managers, private equity and corporate finance houses to support their capital markets activity. Edison provides services to more than 420 retained corporate and investor clients from offices in London, New York, Frankfurt, Sydney and Wellington. Edison is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Edison is not an adviser or broker-dealer and does not provide investment advice. Edison's reports are not solicitations to buy or sell any securities.

Contact details: Learn more at http://www.edisongroup.com and connect with Edison on:

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VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) reported that the company flew 10.7 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in August 2016, an increase of 3.6 percent from the 10.3 billion RPMs flown in August 2015. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 4.6 percent to 12.7 billion in August 2016, as compared with August 2015 ASMs of 12.1 billion. August load factor was 84.6 percent, compared to 85.4 percent in August 2015. Southwest Airlines continues to expect third-quarter operating revenue per ASM (RASM) to decline in the 3.5 to 4.5 percent range, as compared with third quarter 2015, with approximately 0.5 point of the decline resulting from the company's July 2016 technology outage. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: ELO)(FRANKFURT: P2Q) ("Eloro") and Tartisan Resources Corp. (CSE: TTC) ("Tartisan") are pleased to announce that Eloro has filed a National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 Technical Report ("Technical Report") authored by Mr. Luc Pigeon, M.Sc., P.Geo., on the La Victoria Gold/Silver Property ("La Victoria" or the "Property") in Huandoval District, Pallasca Province, Ancash Department, Peru. The Technical Report was filed as one of the terms precedent to the acquisition of 100% of La Victoria from Tartisan (see News Release dated August 5, 2016). Mr. Pigeon, P.Geo., is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and has managed or participated in all exploration programs on the Property since 2012.

The Technical Report incorporates results of Eloro's recent geophysical survey and surface mapping programs (see press release June 7, 2016), managed by Senior Technical Advisor Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo. The geophysical survey was overseen by Dr. Chris Hale, P.Geo. of Intelligent Exploration, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, while a property-wide lithological, structural and alteration mapping program was managed by well-known Bolivian economic geologist Dr. Osvaldo Arce, La Paz, Bolivia.

"This NI 43-101 Technical Report is a major step forward in the understanding of the La Victoria Gold/Silver Property," said Eloro CEO Mr. Tom Larsen, "Results of the new geophysical and geological mapping and sampling programs combined with results of historical work have allowed us to select a number of very prospective targets to test in the upcoming diamond drill program."

Four principal mineralized zones are identified on the Property: San Markito, Rufina, Victoria and Victoria South. The Rufina and San Markito zones are the most advanced targets and are recommended for drilling whereas the Victoria and Victoria South zones are at an early exploration stage. In general, mineralization occurs within breccias and veins that contain significant gold and silver concentrations and trace element characteristics that are compatible with epithermal deposits especially the low sulphidation type.

A two-part Phase I exploration program is recommended. The first part is budgeted at US$250,000 and includes permits, road work and drill pad construction for the diamond drill program, with detailed followup mapping, sampling and geophysical surveys. The Part 2 drill program is budgeted at US$850,000 and includes 3,000m of diamond drilling at San Markito and Rufina. Eloro has initiated discussions with several drill contractors in Peru for the Phase I drilling program.

Exploration Targets

The Property is located within a prolific epithermal gold deposit belt that extends from Cajamarca to Ancash and includes such gold deposits as Yanacocha, Lagunas Norte and La Arena. The La Arena mine is located 50km northwest of the property.

At the Rufina mineralized zone, five vein sets of 20m to 70m in width were identified at the Rufina West mineralized zone, with lengths ranging from 10m to possibly 500m, with an average exposure of some 150m. Vein sets are composed of iron oxide-quartz-arsenopyrite-hydroxide-sulphate minerals in veinlet swarms, stockworks, and breccia zones. Veins are dominantly tensional, and are characterized by open space filling fabrics. Mineralization below the oxidation layer contains pyrite, bornite, chalcopyrite, and arsenopyrite, and where a 40-cm chip sample massive arsenopyrite sample carried 68.3 g/t gold, 52.7 g/t silver, and 0.77% copper. Chip channel sampling within the Rufina mountain underground workings identified several gold rich arsenopyrite veins. One sample returned an elevated gold concentration of 15.1 g/t Au over 0.5 m and 136.4 g/t Ag, 1.61% lead and 3.75% zinc. Three alteration samples from the recent sampling returned an averaged 8.8 g/t gold and 23.8 g/t silver.

Structural settings include faults and fractures bounded by brittle-ductile fault systems and shear zones. They are well developed in intrusive rocks as well as underlying sediments of the Chicama Fm.

The 2D inverse geophysical interpretation from the induced polarization survey shows that the high resistance diorite (the main mineralized lithology present on the Rufina zone) is concentrated near the surface and is underlain by conductive and chargeable sedimentary rocks. There appears to be a chargeability anomaly concentrated along the contact between the diorite and the underlying Chicama Fm sediments; since the anomaly also shows a higher resistivity value than what is usual for the Chicama Fm, it is interpreted to be mineralization along the contact; this is a high-priority drill target.

The San Markito mineralized zone is approximately 1,300m long and 400m wide and is open along strike to the northwest. Mineralization occurs within breccias and veins that strike northwest and dip to the northeast at between 55 and 80 degrees. The breccias vary in lengths between 30m and 200m with widths between 5m and 20m; veins are between 20cm and 1.0m in width and have been traced up to 160m, although most identified veins are between 10m and 20m long. The breccia mineralization is composed of quartz, pyrite, arsenopyrite, iron-oxide, malachite and other secondary oxides and sulphates minerals whereas the vein mineralization is composed of quartz, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, iron oxides (limonite), hydroxides (goethite) and sulphate (jarosite).

San Markito gold and silver values range from trace values to 2.27 g/t gold in the veins and to 1,814 g/t silver in the breccias. Lead, arsenic, and antimony are also enriched with lead reaching 16.82% and the latter two over the 1% analytical limit. In addition, copper values from two breccia samples returned anomalous values up to 2.31%.

The Victoria South zone is located between San Markito and Rufina zones. The host rocks are dominantly the Upper Jurassic Chicama Formation. The zone is comprised of structural vein sets ranging between 5 to 30m in width composed of iron and manganese oxides, quartz, arsenopyrite, pyrite and goethite. Most of the vein sets are bounded by faults and shear zones, with a dominant E-W east-west strike and subvertical to vertical dips. Vein lengths range from from 5m to possibly 50m, and between 1cm and 40cm in width, averaging 20cm. The main vein system is the San Carlos which was exploited for about 50m along strike. It consists of 2-3 quartz veins with abundant gossan, limonite, drusy quartz and arsenopyrite in a shear zone. Gold values mineralization range from 0.027 g/t Au up to 8.4 g/t Au over 1.2m. Silver values vary between negligible to 39.0 g/t over 1.5m. Arsenic concentrations can exceed the 10% detection limit in gold-rich samples. Lead and Zn concentrations are negligible.

The Victoria Au-Ag zone is located east of the San Markito zone within the Victoria intrusion QFP and diorite rocks near the contact with the sedimentary rocks of the Chimu Fm. Mineralized structures vary from 10 m to 100 m and widths vary from 0.1 m to 0.9 m. Surface vein material is composed of anhedral quartz and secondary iron oxide and hydroxide minerals producing a distinctive dark brown to rusty yellowish brown color. Gold and Ag values vary from trace to 14.4 g/t Au and 927 g/t Ag respectively. Copper values are elevated in most samples to a maximum of 4.29% Cu.

The Technical Report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the La Victoria Au-Ag Property, Ancash, Peru" has been filed and is available under Eloro's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).

About Eloro Resources Ltd.

Eloro is an exploration and mine development company with a portfolio of gold and base-metal properties in northern Peru and western Quebec. Eloro recently announced its proposed acquisition of a 100% undivided interest in the La Victoria property, located in the prolific North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru. The La Victoria Property consists of properties totalling eight mining concessions encompassing approximately 35.9 square kilometres together with 3 mineral claims totalling 15 square kilometers. The Property is within 50 kilometres of several producing gold mines, with three producers visible from the property. Infrastructure in the area is good with access to road, water and electricity and is located at an altitude that ranges from 3,100 m to 4,200 m above sea level.

About Tartisan Resources Corp.

Tartisan is a mineral exploration and development company based in Toronto, Canada with an emphasis on properties in Peru. The company owns the La Victoria property located in the northern Ancash Department, Peru. La Victoria property is located within 50 km of several producing mines including: La Arena owned by Tahoe Resources, Lagunas Norte (Alto Chicama) owned by Barrick Gold Corporation and Santa Rosa owned by Compania Minera Aurifera Santa Rosa (COMARSA).

Information in this news release may contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this news release, the Corporation's plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events or results and are believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to the Corporation. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither the TSXV, CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Jim Steel MBA, P.Geo., a Qualified Person in the context of NI 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.

Contacts:

Eloro Resources Ltd.

Thomas G. Larsen

President and CEO

(416) 868-9168



Eloro Resources Ltd.

Jorge Estepa

Vice-President

(416) 868-9168

www.elororesources.com



Tartisan Resources

Mark Appleby

CEO

(416) 804-0280




VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - September 07, 2016) - Balmoral Resources Ltd. ("Balmoral" or the "Company") (TSX: BAR) (OTCQX: BALMF) today reported that ongoing drilling has demonstrated a rapid increase in the width of the Bug South Gold Deposit on the Company's Martiniere Property in Quebec.

Drill holes MDE-16-217 to MDE-16-220 returned gold mineralized down hole intercepts ranging from 25.90 metres to 115.45 metres at average grades of 0.96 to 2.73 g/t gold from the Upper Bug Zone (see table below). The four holes intersected the Upper Bug Zone at vertical depths of 110 to 145 metres, 50 to 100 metres below and lateral to previous drilling (see Figure 1 - Bug South Deposit, Upper Bug Zone Long Section). The rapid increase in the width of the gold mineralized zone is apparent in Figure 2, a cross-section through holes MDE-16-217 and MDE-16-218. The deposit remains open to depth and down plunge.

Gold mineralization within the Bug South Deposit, while primarily contained within the Upper Bug Zone, is also associated with the Lower Bug, HWP, and Zinc Zones. As with previous drilling the broader gold mineralized intervals contain higher grade sub-zones highlighted by the following intercepts:

5.41 g/t gold over 18.26 metres (including 9.34 g/t gold over 8.49 metres) from the Upper Bug - HWP Wedge in hole MDE-16-216 (see Figure 3)

22.20 g/t gold over 3.64 metres from the Lower Bug Zone in hole MDE-16-214

4.17 g/t gold over 10.75 metres from the Upper Bug Zone in hole MDE-16-219

3.73 g/t gold over 10.75 metres from the Upper Bug Zone in hole MDE-16-218

8.79 g/t gold over 2.83 metres from the Upper Bug Zone in hole MDE-16-215

"The rapid expansion of the Bug South Deposit and the strengthening of the mineralized system apparent from today's results are potential game-changers for the Bug Lake South area. With Bug North and Martiniere West there are now three near-surface gold deposits on the Martiniere Property (see Figure 4). All three are open at relatively shallow depths for expansion, and a number of other prospective zones and exploration targets can add to this list" said Darin Wagner, President and CEO of Balmoral. "Permits for a series of holes which will allow for the continued testing of the Bug South Deposit along strike from, and to depth beneath, the holes announced today were recently received and one drill is already active in this area. A second is anticipated to move from testing the Lower Steep Zone to this area within the next several days."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hole Northing Easting Dip From To Interval* Gold Zone Number (Metres) (Metres) (Metres) (g/t) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zinc MDE-16-214 3+00S 2+70W -48 87.95 94.95 7.00 0.38 Zone Upper 121.36 139.53 18.17 1.40 Bug including 125.42 125.88 0.46 5.18 " and 130.85 134.15 3.30 3.32 " Lower 161.96 165.60 3.64 22.20 Bug including 163.10 164.64 1.54 51.34 " ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MDE-16-215 2+50S 2+75W -47 53.00 59.26 6.26 0.46 HWP + U 92.78 115.6 22.82 2.55 Bug including 94.35 95.74 1.39 4.36 " and 98.72 103.18 4.46 2.92 " and 107.30 114.65 7.35 4.22 " which includes 111.82 114.65 2.83 8.79 " Lower 133.38 136.16 2.78 0.88 Bug ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zinc MDE-16-216 3+25S 1+75W -49 154.07 157.20 3.13 0.20 Zone HWP + U 206.40 238.69 32.29 3.39 Bug including 206.40 224.66 18.26 5.41 " which includes 210.19 211.92 1.73 5.01 " and 216.17 224.66 8.49 9.34 " which includes 216.17 220.98 4.81 11.97 " 255.91 256.84 0.93 2.88 Footwall ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upper MDE-16-217 2+00S 2+40W -48 75.38 155.55 80.17 0.96 Bug including 86.40 86.77 0.37 3.27 " and 101.95 102.60 0.65 4.57 " and 116.09 117.02 0.93 3.10 " Lower Bug Zone incompletely sampled; results pending 216.85 221.00 4.15 0.59 Footwall ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upper MDE-16-218 2+00S 2+40W -57 74.05 189.50 115.45** 1.40 Bug including 148.70 189.50 40.80 2.82 " which includes 150.00 162.20 12.20 3.33 " including 151.00 152.70 1.70 5.17 " and 160.50 162.20 1.70 5.77 " and including 177.25 188.00 10.75 3.73 " including 177.25 178.30 1.05 8.25 and 186.40 188.00 1.60 8.03 " Lower 222.80 227.35 4.55 1.20 Bug including 222.80 225.05 2.25 2.18 " 257.00 260.00 3.00 0.56 Footwall ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MDE-16-219 2+25S 2+40W -57 71.05 72.80 1.75 7.45 HWP 84.65 87.00 2.35 0.49 HWP Upper 166.55 192.45 25.90 2.73 Bug including 181.25 192.00 10.75 4.17 " Lower 209.40 213.30 3.90 0.20 Bug 277.80 278.20 0.40 14.90 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MDE-16-220 2+25S 2+40W -47 97.25 105.65 8.40 0.30 HWP Upper 139.33 170.30 30.97 1.28 Bug including 153.55 159.30 5.75 3.36 " Lower 178.71 180.65 1.94 1.51 Bug ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Reported drill intercepts are not true widths. At this time there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralization to calculate true orientations in space although they are estimated to range between approximately 60 and 77% of true thickness. All values presented uncapped.

** Three internal intervals within this composite, 107.50-110.70 metres, 121.00-125.00 metres and 139.20-147.20 metres (an aggregate of 12.20 metres), were not initially sampled and have been assigned zero value for purposes of computing the composite. Subsequent visual inspection of the core, and nearby hole MDE-16-217, by the Company's qualified person suggests the mineralized system continues through each of these intervals. These intervals are currently being sampled and analyzed and the final results will be reported in an upcoming release.

Thirty additional holes have now been completed on the Martiniere Property with results pending and two drills active. Drilling will continue to focus on the expansion of the Bug South Gold Deposit in the near-term. Testing of several gold exploration targets on the Company's nearby Detour East Property is still tentatively slated for later in September pending receipt of drill permits.

Quality Control

Mr. Darin Wagner (P.Geo.), President and CEO of the Company, is the non-independent qualified person for the technical disclosure contained in this news release. Mr. Wagner has supervised the work programs on the Martiniere Property since inception, visited the property on multiple occasions, examined the drill core from the holes summarized in this release, discussed, reviewed the results with senior on-site geological staff and reviewed the available analytical and quality control results.

Balmoral has implemented a quality control program for all of its drill programs, to ensure best practice in the sampling and analysis of the drill core, which includes the insertion of blind blanks, duplicates and certified standards into sample stream. NQ sized drill core is saw cut with half of the drill core sampled at intervals based on geological criteria including lithology, visual mineralization and alteration. The remaining half of the core is stored on-site at the Company's Martiniere field camp in Central Quebec. Drill core samples are transported in sealed bags to ALS Minerals' Val d'Or, Quebec analytical facilities. Gold analyses are obtained via industry standard fire assay with atomic absorption finish using 30 g aliquots. For samples returning greater than 5.00 g/t gold follow-up fire assay analysis with a gravimetric finish is completed. The Company has also requested that any samples returning greater than 10.00 g/t gold undergo screen metallic fire assay. Following receipt of assays, visual analysis of mineralized intercepts is conducted and additional analysis may be requested. ALS Minerals is ISO 9001:2008 certified and the Val d'Or facilities are ISO 17025 certified for gold analysis.

About Balmoral Resources Ltd. - www.balmoralresources.com

Balmoral is a well-funded, Canadian-based company actively delineating and expanding multiple targets along the Bug Lake Gold Trend on its wholly owned, 700 square kilometre Detour Trend Project in Quebec, Canada. The Project also hosts Balmoral's Grasset Ni-Cu-Co-PGE deposit and numerous additional base metal occurrences. Employing an aggressive, drill focused exploration style in one of the world's pre-eminent geological and mining jurisdictions, Balmoral is following an established formula with a goal of maximizing shareholder value through discovery and definition of high-grade, Canadian gold and base metal assets.

On behalf of the board of directors of

BALMORAL RESOURCES LTD.

"Darin Wagner"

President and CEO

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, duration and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the timing of the receipt of assay results, the visual continuity of certain mineralized intervals and business and financing plans and trends, the potentially open nature of the mineralized zones on the property and the potential for future discoveries of additional mineralization on the property are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions or are those which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include those related to weather, equipment and staff availability; performance of third parties; risks related to the exploration stage of the Company's projects; market fluctuations in prices for securities of exploration stage companies and in commodity prices; and uncertainties about the availability of additional financing; risks related to the Company's ability to identify one or more economic deposits on the properties, and variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located on the properties; risks related to the Company's ability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities on the properties; and risks related to the Company's ability to produce minerals from the properties successfully or profitably. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.All of the Company's public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the latest technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/9/7/11G113123/Images/2016_09_01_Bug_Lake_Drill_and_Surveying_cropped_4x-2341f7fc14fdbfebb10a1cae67e79e86.jpg

For further information contact:

John Foulkes

Vice-President, Corporate Development

Tel: (604) 638-5815 / Toll Free: (877) 838-3664

E-mail: jfoulkes@balmoralresources.com
DETROIT, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Stratview Researchannounces the launch of following two exclusive market research reports in aerospace & defense industry:

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/402975LOGO )



Global Aerospace & Defense Carbon Brakes Market by Aircraft Type (Commercial, Regional, General Aviation, and Military Aircraft), by end use (OEM and Aftermarket), by fiber precursor (PAN and Pitch), by process (LPI and CVI), by region (NA, Europe, APAC, RoW), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2016 - 2021

Global Aerospace & Defense C-Class Parts Market by Aircraft Type (Commercial, Regional, General Aviation, Helicopter, and Military Aircraft), by Parts Type (Hardware, Bearing, Electric Components, and Machined Parts), by Sales Channel (Direct Sales, Distributors, and Parts Brokers), by End Use (OEM and Aftermarket), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2016 - 2021.

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The Global Aerospace & Defense Carbon Brakes Market: Highlights

As per Stratview Research, the global aerospace & defense carbon brakes market is estimated to be worth $1.9 Billion in 2021, offering a strong growth of 7.6% CAGR during the forecast period of 2016 to 2021, which offers an opportunity to the aerospace & defense industry players to align themselves with the market growth.

There are a number of factors bolstering the growth of carbon brakes market in the aerospace and defense industry. The author of the industry report cited increasing commercial aircraft deliveries, growing aircraft fleet size, and better operational performance of carbon brakes over steel brakes are some of the key growth drivers of the global aerospace & defense carbon brakes market.

Commercial aircraft is expected to remain the growth engine of the carbon brakes market

The author stated that the commercial aircraft segment is expected to drive the aerospace and defense carbon brakes market during the forecast period. Both OEM and aftermarket segments are likely to offer healthy growth opportunity over the next five years.

North America is expected to be the dominant and Asia Pacific to be the fastest growing region

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High market consolidation

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The author of the industry report cited increasing commercial and regional aircraft deliveries, technology advancement, and growing aerospace and defense fleet size as the key drivers in the global aerospace & defense C-class parts market.

Hardware parts are expected to remain dominant in the aerospace & defense C-Class parts market

The author stated that hardware parts are expected to remain dominant in the global aerospace & defense C-Class parts market over the next five years, mainly driven by the demand of fasteners and bolts.

North America is expected to be the dominant and Asia Pacific to be the fastest growing region

North America is expected to remain the leading region in the aerospace & defense C-Class parts market since it is the manufacturing hub of the major tier players and aerospace & defense OEMs.

The key aerospace & defense C-class parts manufacturers are Precision Casts Parts, Alcoa Global Fasteners, B E Aerospace, Eaton Corporation, Monogram Aerospace Fasteners, Amphenol Corporation, and Vought Aircraft Industries (Part of Triumph Group).

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Global Aerospace Galley Trolley Market by Aircraft Type, by Platform Type, by Trolley Type, by Fit Type, by Region; Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2016 - 2021

Global aerospace galley trolley market was estimated at $220 Million in 2015, and is likely to grow with a CAGR of 5.6% over the next five years to reach $322 Million by 2021.

in 2015, and is likely to grow with a CAGR of 5.6% over the next five years to reach by 2021. Increasing commercial and regional aircraft deliveries, increasing wide body aircraft share in the total commercial aircraft deliveries, and growing commercial aircraft fleet size are some of the major growth drivers of the aerospace galley trolley market.

The global aerospace galley trolley market is highly consolidated with top 5 players captured 83% of the market in 2015.

Global Aerospace Galley Equipment Market by Aircraft Type, by Platform, by Galley Type, by Insert Type, by Fit Type, by Region, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2016 - 2021

In the year 2015, the global aerospace galley equipment market was estimated at $2.1 Billion , and is likely to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% over the next five years to reach $3.2 Billion by 2021.

, and is likely to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% over the next five years to reach by 2021. The global aerospace galley equipment market is highly consolidated with less than half a dozen players. Top 3 players (Zodiac Aerospace, BE Aerospace, Jamco) captured 69% of the market in 2015.

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Global aerospace window frame market likely to grow at 4.7% CAGR during the forecast period of 2016 to 2021.

Increasing commercial and regional aircraft deliveries and focus on lightweight frames to achieve fuel efficiency and carbon emissions reduction are the key drivers in the global aerospace window frame market.

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Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Composites, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas.

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Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - September 7, 2016) - Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc. (CSE: EAC) ("Earth Alive" or the "Company"), a leading developer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art microbial technology-based products, is pleased to provide an update on trials of its Soil Activator product with the Company's distribution and sales partner Brenntag Latin America ("BLA") (see press release dated February 8, 2016).

Earth Alive's Soil Activator is a patent pending, CFRA registered microbial biofertilizer designed to produce healthier plants and higher yields by improving nutrient availability in the soil. Currently, BLA clients in 5 different countries are involved in 62 ongoing trials on 30 different crops using Earth Alive's patented microbial biofertilizer.

Mrs. Paola Correal, Director of Operations for the company stated, "Aside from these on-going trials, we have a number of new trials about to get underway as we have recently obtained registration for Soil Activator in Guatemala, Honduras and Colombia. We are pleased to be continuously demonstrating that our biofertilizer technology brings value to the agriculture community. Consequently, we are seeing wide scale product adoption of Soil Activator over the past months following successful on-going trials, and more are coming." Mrs. Correal further added, "Large-scale test applications on a variety of crops such as bananas, tomatoes, pumpkins, avocados, and grapes are underway in many regions of Latin America and we look forward to sharing more of these outstanding test results as those recently obtained on avocados in Chile."

A recent test concluded by a Brenntag client in the Quillota V Region of Chile on avocados demonstrated that the average weight of the fruit from trees treated with Soil Activator were 295.5 grams, versus untreated plants of 255.5 grams. This resulted in an average 16% increase in avocado yield. Moreover, a statistically significant number of trees treated with Soil Activator produced fruits that were of grade 1, for which a higher value is paid on the market.

Michael Warren, Vice president of Earth Alive's Agriculture Division stated, "Earth Alive's Soil Activator continues to demonstrate impressive results in farm trials on all types of crops all over the world. We consistently see increases in overall yields and quality confirming our product's positioning and strength as a non-crop specific biofertilizer. We are happy to see adoption of Soil Activator into the fertilization plan by our trial clients throughout their farms and plantations."

About Earth Alive Clean Technologies:

Earth Alive aims to be a key player in world markets of environmentally sustainable industrial solutions. The company works with the latest innovations in microbial technology to formulate and patent innovative products that can tackle the most difficult industrial challenges, once only reserved to environmentally harmful chemicals and additives. The company is focused on environmental sustainability in 1) dust control for the mining industry, and 2) the agriculture industry.

For additional company information, please visit: www.earthalivect.com.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" occur. Although Earth Alive believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - General Mills (GIS) said that it expects constant-currency adjusted earnings per share for the first quarter to be below last year's levels that grew 36 percent. It projects organic net sales growth in the first quarter ended August 28, 2016 will be below its full-year guidance range. The company reaffirmed its key financial targets for the fiscal year ending May 28, 2017. These targets include organic net sales growth between flat and down 2 percent; total segment operating profit growth between 6 and 8 percent in constant currency; 150 basis points of adjusted operating profit margin expansion; and adjusted earnings per share growth between 6 and 8 percent in constant currency. The 2017 first quarter results will be reported on September 21, 2016. 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.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Corvus Gold Inc. ("Corvus" or the "Company") (TSX: KOR)(OTCQX: CORVF) announces the last four holes of the 2016 phase I drill program and the start of its phase II drill program (Figure 1). A total of 6,250 metres of Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling was completed during Phase I. Drilling was concentrated around the Swale target located at a major intersection of the northwest trending YellowJacket zone and the northeast trending NWSB zone. Results have returned a number of higher grade (+1 g/t gold) structural zones within a 500 by 200 metre target area.

Latest results from the phase I drill program include NB-16-310 with 13.7m @ 1.18 g/t Au and NB-16-312 with 4.6m @ 1.08 g/t Au & 6.1m @ 1.2 g/t Au. All four holes were within the Swale target and included two holes which intersected broad zones of +1 g/t gold that were surrounded by thick low-grade zones along north-south trending structures (Table 1). This large area of low-grade mineralization is prospective for additional mill grade mineralization and lies immediately north of the current pit boundary design. This target area will be an area of focus during the Phase II, resource development drilling scheduled to start this month.

Figure 1. Drill hole locations map for 2016 phase I, North Bullfrog project: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/KOR-090716-fig1.pdf

Table 1 Drill Results Swale Targets (Reported drill intercepts are not true widths. At this time, there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralization to calculate its true orientation in space.) Length Silver Swale Target From (m) To (m) (m)(i) Gold (g/t) (g/t) ------------------------------------------------------- NB-16-309 239.27 259.08 19.81 0.19 0.61 ------------------------------------------------------- AZ 087 dip-60 263.65 329.18 65.53 0.40 0.67 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 280.42 281.94 1.52 0.58 0.34 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 294.13 304.8 10.67 0.69 0.96 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 309.37 313.94 4.57 0.65 1.60 ------------------------------------------------------- 339.85 352.04 12.19 0.14 0.55 ------------------------------------------------------- 356.62 365.76 9.14 0.13 0.44 ------------------------------------------------------- hole ended in mineralization NB-16-310 Length Silver From (m) To (m) (m)(i) Gold (g/t) (g/t) ------------------------------------------------------- AZ 085 dip -55 100.58 164.59 64.01 0.49 1.48 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 108.2 109.73 1.52 0.67 2.75 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 132.59 140.21 7.62 0.61 1.05 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 149.35 163.07 13.72 1.18 2.22 ------------------------------------------------------- 214.88 220.98 6.1 0.20 0.39 ------------------------------------------------------- 227.08 294.13 67.05 0.24 0.96 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 275.84 277.37 1.52 0.82 0.75 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 289.56 292.61 3.05 0.61 1.09 ------------------------------------------------------- hole ended in mineralization NB-16-311 No significant results AZ 080 dip-50 NB-16-312 Length Silver From (m) To (m) (m)(i) Gold (g/t) (g/t) ------------------------------------------------------- AZ 055 dip-45 137.16 240.79 103.63 0.24 0.68 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 138.68 143.26 4.58 1.08 1.87 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 152.4 153.92 1.52 0.53 1.03 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 227.08 228.6 1.52 0.58 1.21 ------------------------------------------------------- 266.7 335.28 68.58 0.31 0.71 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 272.8 278.89 6.09 1.20 1.28 ------------------------------------------------------- inc 323.09 324.61 1.52 0.55 1.22 ------------------------------------------------------- 339.85 358.14 18.29 0.16 0.41 ------------------------------------------------------- 364.24 371.86 7.62 0.17 0.36 ------------------------------------------------------- hole ended in mineralization

Swale Target

Two of the final four holes drilled in the phase 1 program targeted the northern extension of mineralization intersected in hole NB-16-298 (23m @ 1.69 g/t Au, NR16-09, June 7, 2016) and returned encouraging intercepts such as NB-16-310 with 13.7m @ 1.18 g/t Au and NB-16-312 with 4.6m @ 1.08 g/t Au & 6.1m @ 1.2 g/t Au. These intervals are surrounded by over 100 metres of low-grade mineralization indicating the system remains very strong to the north of the currently defined Sierra Blanca/YellowJacket deposit. The current interpretation of the higher grade mineralization in this area indicates it is controlled by a series of north and northeast trending structures and structural intersections with the major northeast structural zone hosting the mineralization in hole NB-16-298.

Hole NB-16-309 tested the Swale system 200 metres to the southwest of hole NB-16-300 (18m @ 1.8 g/t Au, NR16-09, June 7, 2016) and returned several broad intercepts of low-grade mineralization including 65.5m of 0.40 g/t Au. This broad zone of gold mineralization from the currently farthest west hole drilled in this area, indicates the system remains open and suggests that potential exists in this direction for other feeder zones.

Holes NB-16-311 was drilled north of prior hole NB-16-308 (3.1m @ 2.24 g/t Au, NR16-11, August 2, 2016) but failed to hit the favorable host rock package or any significant mineralization.

Jeff Pontius, President and CEO of Corvus Gold Inc. said, "The final results from our phase I drilling in the new Swale target area has outlined a prospective area to add additional ounces into the North Bullfrog mine plan. This new area of extensive gold mineralization immediately north and west of our designed pit has the initial signs of a gold system that will require considerable exploration in the future. Our next phase of drilling which begins in about a week will look to define the potential for addition gold mineralization to be added to our resource model. Work to date indicates the North Bullfrog gold system is expanding with potential for a bigger project in the future."

Phase II Drill Program

Corvus Gold will begin its 2016 Phase II drill program later this month. The program will involve approximately 6,000 metres of reverse circulation drilling designed to address resource expansion potential for the Sierra Blanca/YellowJacket deposit to the north and west in the Swale Zone and to the east in the Liberator Zone. In addition, two new exploration/new discovery targets will be tested at North Jolly Jane and Cat Hill. The program is planned to conclude by mid-December. All of the planned exploration and development programs for 2016 and 2017 as well as corporate costs are fully funded.

About the North Bullfrog Project, Nevada

Corvus controls 100% of its North Bullfrog Project, which covers approximately 72 km2 in southern Nevada. The property package is made up of a number of private mineral leases of patented federal mining claims and 865 federal unpatented mining claims. The project has excellent infrastructure, being adjacent to a major highway and power corridor as well as a large water right.

The North Bullfrog project includes numerous prospective gold targets at various stages of exploration with four having NI 43-101 mineral resources (Sierra Blanca, Jolly Jane, Mayflower and YellowJacket). The project contains a measured mineral resource of 3.86 Mt at an average grade of 2.55 g/t gold and 19.70 g/t silver, containing 316.5k ounces of gold and 2,445k ounces of silver, an indicated mineral resource of 1.81 Mt at an average grade of 1.53 g/t gold, and 10.20 g/t silver, containing 89.1k ounces of gold and 593.6k ounces of silver and an inferred resource of 1.48 Mt at an average grade of 0.83 g/t gold and 4.26 g/t silver, containing 39.5k ounces of gold and 202.7k ounces of silver for oxide mill processing. The mineral resource for the mill process was defined by Whittle optimization using all cost and recovery data and a breakeven cut-off grade of 0.52 g/t gold. In addition, the project contains a measured mineral resource of 0.3 Mt at an average grade of 0.25 g/t gold and 2.76 g/t silver, containing 2.4k ounces of gold and 26.6k ounces of silver, an indicated mineral resource of 22.86 Mt at an average grade of 0.30 g/t gold and 0.43 g/t silver, containing 220.5k ounces of gold and 316.1k ounces of silver and an inferred mineral resource of 176.3 Mt at an average grade of 0.19 g/t gold and 0.67 g/t silver, containing 1,077.4k ounces of gold and 3,799.2k ounces of silver for oxide, heap leach processing. The mineral resource for heap leach processing was defined by Whittle optimization using all cost and recovery data and a breakeven cut-off grade of 0.15 g/t.

Qualified Person and Quality Control/Quality Assurance

Jeffrey A. Pontius (CPG 11044), a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Pontius is not independent of Corvus, as he is the CEO & President and holds common shares and incentive stock options.

Carl E. Brechtel, (Nevada PE 008744 and Registered Member 353000 of SME), a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has coordinated execution of the work outlined in this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Brechtel is not independent of Corvus, as he is the COO and holds common shares and incentive stock options.

The work program at North Bullfrog was designed and supervised by Mark Reischman, Corvus Gold's Nevada Exploration Manager, who is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control/quality assurance program. On-site personnel at the project log and track all samples prior to sealing and shipping. Quality control is monitored by the insertion of blind certified standard reference materials and blanks into each sample shipment. All resource sample shipments are sealed and shipped to ALS Chemex in Reno, Nevada, for preparation and then on to ALS Chemex in Reno, Nevada, or Vancouver, B.C., for assaying. ALS Chemex's quality system complies with the requirements for the International Standards ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 17025:1999. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks, reference material and replicate samples. Finally, representative blind duplicate samples are forwarded to ALS Chemex and an ISO compliant third party laboratory for additional quality control.

For additional information on the North Bullfrog project, including information relating to exploration, data verification and the mineral resource estimates, see "Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for Combined Mill and Heap Leach Processing at the North Bullfrog Project, Bullfrog Mining District, NYE County, Nevada" dated June 16, 2015 as amended and restated May 18, 2016, which is available under Corvus Gold's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

About Corvus Gold Inc.

Corvus Gold Inc. is a North American gold exploration and development company, focused on its near-term gold-silver mining project at North Bullfrog, Nevada. In addition, the Company controls a number of royalties on other North American exploration properties representing a spectrum of gold, silver and copper projects. Corvus is committed to building shareholder value through new discoveries and the expansion of those discoveries to maximize share price leverage in a recovering gold and silver market.

On behalf of Corvus Gold Inc.

(signed) Jeffrey A. Pontius

Jeffrey A. Pontius, Chief Executive Officer

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential for new deposits and expected increases in a systems potential; anticipated content, commencement and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the potential to develop multiple YellowJacket style high-grade zones, the Company's belief that the parameters used in the Whittle pit optimization process are realistic and reasonable, the potential to discover additional high grade veins or additional deposits, the potential to expand the existing estimated resource at the North Bullfrog project, the potential for any mining or production at North Bullfrog, the potential for the Company to secure or receive any royalties in the future, business and financing plans and business trends, are forward-looking statements. Information concerning mineral resource estimates may be deemed to be forward-looking statements in that it reflects a prediction of the mineralization that would be encountered if a mineral deposit were developed and mined. Although the Company 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: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company 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, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities, the Company's inability to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's 2013 Annual Information Form and latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis filed with certain securities commissions in Canada and the Company's most recent filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings in Canada may be accessed via www.sedar.com and filings with the SEC may be accessed via www.sec.gov and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

Cautionary Note Regarding References to Resources and Reserves

National Instrument 43 101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource estimates contained in or incorporated by reference in this press release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") Standards on Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on November 14, 2004 (the "CIM Standards") as they may be amended from time to time by the CIM.

United States investors are cautioned that the requirements and terminology of NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards differ significantly from the requirements and terminology of the SEC set forth in the SEC's Industry Guide 7 ("SEC Industry Guide 7"). Accordingly, the Company's disclosures regarding mineralization may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by companies subject to SEC Industry Guide 7. Without limiting the foregoing, while the terms "mineral resources", "inferred mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "measured mineral resources" are recognized and required by NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards, they are not recognized by the SEC and are not permitted to be used in documents filed with the SEC by companies subject to SEC Industry Guide 7. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability, and US investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a mineral resource will ever be converted into reserves. Further, inferred resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of the inferred resources will ever be upgraded to a higher resource category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of a feasibility study or prefeasibility study, except in rare cases. The SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant "reserves" as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit amounts. The term "contained ounces" is not permitted under the rules of SEC Industry Guide 7. In addition, the NI 43-101 and CIM Standards definition of a "reserve" differs from the definition in SEC Industry Guide 7. In SEC Industry Guide 7, a mineral reserve is defined as a part of a mineral deposit which could be economically and legally extracted or produced at the time the mineral reserve determination is made, and a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historical price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis of designated reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our latest reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. You can review and obtain copies of these filings at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. U.S. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any defined resource will ever be converted into SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant reserves.

This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States.

Contacts:

Corvus Gold Inc.

Ryan Ko

Investor Relations

1-844-638-3246 (toll free) or (604) 638-3246

info@corvusgold.com




BARABOO  Americans typically love options. The more, the better. Why have a single ESPN channel when we can have five? Why SHOULDNT Crush offer 50 varieties of fruit-flavored soda?

And I dont want to live in an America where I dont have 12 kinds of fabric softener to choose from. You can have my favorite T-shirt, washed in Ultra Downy April Fresh with Silk Touch, when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

Yet somehow, when it comes to political parties and their presidential nominees, John Q. Public doesnt mind having only two choices. We cant live without Crush Strawberries n Cream, but when it comes to commanders in chief were content with choosing between Democrats and Republicans. Its an accepted either-or proposition, like Beatles or Stones, Apple or PC, and paper or plastic.

This fall, U.S. voters face an either-or option many view as neither-nor. The Democrats have nominated Hillary Clinton, a career politician with a history of flouting the rules. The Republicans have countered with Donald Trump, a billionaire with no previous government service and a penchant for shooting his mouth off. Voters on both sides of the aisle have reacted with a collective wince, making faces as if theyd just tried Crush Birch Beer.

A Washington Post/ABC News poll found 58 percent of voters are dissatisfied with their choice between Trump and Clinton. Most view both candidates unfavorably. Thats damning news, considering this is the same forgiving populace that eagerly voted for Sanjaya Malakar.

They seem to forget there are alternatives, which is odd, because Americans relish being contrarians. Offer us Coke or Pepsi, and well order a Crush Pineapple. One would think choices such as Libertarian Gary Johnson and Jill Stein of the Green Party would pick up steam. After all, theres nothing we like more than underdogs. (See also: Malakar, Sanjaya.)

But when it comes to politics, Americans are risk-averse. The descendants of people who rebelled against England, went to the moon and green-lighted Cop Rock have a tendency to go vanilla.

Theres a reason theres no such thing as Crush Vanilla: Because being bland is un-American. And so is voting for someone you cant stand, only because they represent your party. Or because you fear otherwise youd be wasting your vote. Nowhere in the Declaration of Independence does it say the country should be put in the hands of the lesser of two evils.

Maybe you havent heard of Johnson, the Libertarian who once served as governor of New Mexico. (Somewhere, Trump is realizing he has a rival there and is plotting to build a wall around New Mexico.) Johnson is a fiscal conservative who favors legalizing marijuana and not being at war with everyone all the time. Wars, like walls, are expensive.

Jill Stein isnt getting a lot of attention, either. Shes an internist (Easy now, Bill Clinton, shes a doctor, not an intern) who has dedicated her life to activism. Steins causes include the environment, health care and campaign finance reform. Five years after she helped Occupy Wall Street, she wants to occupy Pennsylvania Avenue.

The trouble is, voters are responding to Johnson and Stein the way they did to Crush Sour Apple. Hes getting about 8 percent of the vote in presidential polls. Shes getting about 5 percent. Johnsons radio ads note that nearly 60 percent of Americans say they want a choice other than Clinton and Trump. Thats a majority capable of shaking things up. The question is whether Americans will back up their views with third-party votes.

Most believe the best  or worst  third-party candidates can do is play spoiler, as Ralph Nader did in 2000. Although the consumer advocate got fewer than 100,000 votes, Democrats blame him for stealing just enough votes from Al Gore to hand George W. Bush a narrow win, thus ushering terms such as misunderestimated into our language.

I hate to misunderestimate the American voter, but come November, I doubt many will vote their conscience if it means supporting a dark horse. We may root for Rocky Balboa, but we buy stock in Coca-Cola. And not only because it makes Fanta Mango & Passionfruit.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Aurvista Gold Corporation ("Aurvista" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: AVA)(OTC PINK: ARVSF)(FRANKFURT: AV2) has made a significant breakthrough in predicting the occurrences of gold and massive sulphides potentially leading to additional mineralization on the Douay Gold Project ("Douay"). This work is part of the continuing Detailed Targeting Program (the "Program") that commenced in June 2016 and previously reported (refer to the Company news releases dated June 14 and June 21, 2016; July 27, 2016; and August 29, 2016).

To date, Aurvista has completed the re-logging of 125 historic drill holes totaling 41,330 meters of the planned 65,000 meters from 23 of 26 sections planned for Douay. These sections will also include non-mineralized segments and the 10 known gold zones. The drill core from previous drilling campaigns is being analyzed geochemically using a hand held portable XRF. More than 7,000 readings have already been taken. In addition, more than 70,000 readings were taken to measure the conductivity of rocks as part of the field validation of EM-INPUT and airborne TDEM conductors. More than 1,205 re-logged drill core samples have been shipped to the ALS Group Laboratory in Val-d'Or (Quebec) for gold and whole rock analysis.

The Program's objective is to define the chemical signatures and alteration mineralogy of the known gold mineralization and predicting the association with the geology-geophysics signatures of new gold discoveries. The Program's results to date indicate a simpler geological picture than what was previously interpreted in terms of rock types and mineralization characteristics. Intersecting shear zones in the right host setting produced significant higher and lower grade gold mineralization, and more importantly could help Aurvista predict additional gold zones.

Douay consists of two distinct but overlapping geological signatures: a primary Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide ("VMS") of Copper-Zinc affinities overprinted by a secondary structurally hosted gold system. The interpreted geological signature is very similar to the 15+ million ounce Doyon-Bousquet-Laronde mining camp located 100 km S-SW of Douay, along the Cadillac Larder Lake Deformation Zone.

The evidence so far is pointing to a well-defined continuity of geological units and structures across Douay. The volcanic rocks trend NW-SE, whereas the gold shears trend E-W. For example, the iron rich basalt of "Douay West" extends in a NW-SE direction for more than 4 km towards the "10". However, the E-W shear encompassing "Douay West", also takes in the "Adam-Porphyry" and the "Main Zone" some 5 km to the E. There are several of these subparallel shears hosting the 8 higher grade and 2 lower gold zones. The gold mineralization sits at junctions of anastomosing E-W, NW-SE and NE-SW trending shears (refer to Figures 1 and 2). Again, the evidence points to more gold mineralization.

The relative timing of the gold mineralization started with the emplacement of flat-lying iron-rich basalts, iron-rich cherts and mudstones. This was followed by the emplacement of an explosive volcanic edifice atop of the basalts along a N-S feeder structure. The edifice has been located between the "Main Porphyry" and "Central Zone" zones, whereas the "South Porphyry" now sits along the N-S feeder structure. The volcanic edifice ejected felsic tuffs and lava flows, making up the core of the current Douay-Style Mineralization ("DSM") corridor. The tuffs and lava flows form a 1,000 meter thick sequence nearest the edifice thinning out into finer lapilli and ash tuffs to the W and E. The limits of the sequence is unknown at this time but at least some portions of it are bounded by faults of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone ("CBDZ"). The explosive volcanism was likely accompanied by gaseous activity depositing pools of cherts and sulphides in proximity to the volcanic edifice, fed by splays off the main N-S feeder structure. The splays now consist of green chlorite with stringer and massive pyrite mineralization. The 3 main pools are centered on the TDEM anomalies "E", "F" and "G" (refer to Figure 1).

Subsequent regional deformation in this portion of the Abitibi Belt resulted in the entire volcanic package being tilted vertically, then overturned to the north while dipping to the south, exposing the N-S trending feeder structure, which is now filled by the "South Porphyry". Further deformation produced and enhanced the crisscrossing network of NW-SE, NE-SW and E-W structural fabric which led to the eventual emplacement of porphyries and subsequent gold mineralization within the 10 km by 3 km DSM and possibly beyond towards the E and W, all of which as yet to be confirmed.

Figure 2 shows the 9 individual E-W shears and 3 subparallel structural domains, TDEM/EM-INPUT conductors, and gold zones in the DSM. Several higher grade gold zones appear at junctions of NW-SE, NE-SW and E-W shears; but at this time there is yet to be a link made between the gold mineralization and the junctions. However, it is apparent from the number of shears, structural domains and junctions, there is a significant potential of discovering more gold mineralization in addition to our existing multi-million ounces in mineral resources. Previous drilling campaigns performed by others prior to Aurvista were not systematic and did not focus on any one particular structural trend.

The Program work progresses with further reporting expected in the coming weeks as more results become available.

Aurvista is committed to the continued exploration of Douay

The Company is well advanced in its previously announced 2016 two-staged exploration campaign on Douay with the primary objective of defining drill targets to increase known Mineral Resource estimates. The First Stage of the campaign, slated for completion in Q4-2016, tackles Priority Targeting (the "Program") in two areas, the DSM and 6 km by 1 km EM-INPUT sector, where management is confident additional gold and base metal bearing massive sulphides mineralization will be discovered. The Second Stage will consist of 4,000 metres of drilling to delineate additional gold mineralization planned for Q4-2016 and Q1-2017.

The technical contents in this news release have approved by Mr. Jean Lafleur, M. Sc., P. Geo., President and CEO for Aurvista Gold Corporation, a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.

About Aurvista Gold Corp.

Aurvista Gold Corporation is a junior gold exploration and development Company with 90,689,121 shares outstanding trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and OTC Pink Sheets in the US. Aurvista's only asset is the Douay Gold Project, consisting of a 100% owned interest in 250 contiguous claims totaling 133.1 km2, plus a 90% interest in 5 contiguous claims totaling 0.2 km2 and a 75% interest (25% held by SOQUEM) in 32 contiguous claims totaling 11.9 km2. In total there are 287 claims covering 145.3 km2 located along a 20 km segment of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone in the prolific Abitibi Belt of northern Quebec. Douay is located 40 km SW of the Matagami Zinc Base Metal Camp and 150 km N of the Val-d'Or-Malartic Gold Camp (both in Quebec).

In August, 2012, Aurvista updated the Mineral Resources estimates that included all drilling completed to the end of March 2012. Douay contains Mineral Resources estimates of 2.7 million tonnes of Indicated Resources at 2.76 g/t gold for 238,000 ounces (above a 0.3 g/t gold cut-off grade) or 3,458,000 tonnes grading 2.98 g/t gold (at a 0.5 g/t gold cut-off grade) for 235,500 ounces. There were additional Inferred Resources of 115 million tonnes at 0.75 g/t gold for 2.75 million ounces (above a 0.3 g/t gold cut-off grade) or 62 million tonnes grading 1.06 g/t gold for 2.1 million ounces (above a 0.5 g/t cut-off grade). Details can be viewed on the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com.

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 PRESS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When used herein, words such as "anticipate", "will", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Aurvista Gold Corporation's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com.

Contacts:

Aurvista Gold Corporation

Mr. Jean Lafleur, P. Geo.

President and CEO, Director

Cell: +1 514 927 3633



Aurvista Gold Corporation

Mr. Keith C Minty, P. Eng., MBA

Chief Operating Officer

+1 416 682 2671




MOSCOW, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New Spares Depot, Other Enhancements Planned for Russian Support Network

Dassault Aviation will highlight the growing success of its Falcon 7X and 8X large-cabin long range Falcon business jets at Jet Expo Moscow 2016, which opens on September 8 at the Vnukovo 3 business aviation complex.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404836 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120925/564526-a )



The exhibit will feature the top-of-the-line Falcon 7X and the long range Falcon 900LX trijets, and spotlight the forthcoming entry-into-service of the new, ultra-long range Falcon 8X. The 8X was certified in June and will start deliveries within a few weeks.

Dassault is one of the leading suppliers of high-end executive jets in the Russian and CIS region. More than 50 Falcons have been delivered to customers in the region over the last decade, most of them large cabin Falcon 7X and 900 trijets. Since the last Jet Expo in September of 2015, Dassault has handed over five new 7Xs to Russian customers, including four in the first half of 2016. Several other Russian 7X deliveries are scheduled this year.

"This year Russia has been a bright spot in global business aviation, contrasting with the softness of the global market," said Gilles Gautier, Vice President, Falcon Sales for Dassault Aviation. "There has been a lot of activity in the region and we are bullish about near and longer term prospects, especially once the economy gets going again."

Russia and the neighboring region are a perfect market for business aviation, with a vast network of small hard to reach airfields underserved by commercial airlines and a large pool of businessmen, professionals and high-wealth individuals who must travel great distances to support their domestic and international activities.

"Falcon Jets, with their large, quiet cabins and incomparable robustness and short-field capability, are ideal for serving this market," said Eric Trappier, Chairman & CEO of Dassault Aviation. "This is particularly true of our three engine models, which ensure added safety and shorter travel times over the vast often inhospitable confines of the Russian region. And no Falcon will be better suited to the exacting conditions of the market than the new Falcon 8X ultra-long range trijet."

Set to enter service in the coming weeks, the 6,450nm/11,945km 8X will offer the greatest range and the longest cabin of any Falcon while featuring the same low operating economics and remarkable operating flexibility as the Falcon 7X from which it is derived. It will be capable of flying from Moscow to Los Angeles, Cape Town, Darwin or Rio de Janeiro to Moscow non-stop and landing at restricted airports like Gstaad and Lugano, Switzerland that are typically inaccessible to large business jets.

The new Dassault flagship will also offer the widest choice of cabin configurations in business aviation, including a large entryway that can be used as a fourth section for a personal sky lounge, a super spacious aft cabin, and an optional shower installation. And it will be available with Dassault's revolutionary new FalconEye head up display, the first in the industry to combine synthetic and enhanced vision capabilities.

Russian operators have already placed several orders for the new Falcon 8X flagship, which will be handed over to its first Russian customer in 2017.

Russia is also expected to be a strong market for Dassault's brand new Falcon 5X ultra-large body twinjet, currently in development. The 5,200 nm/9,630 km 5X will offer the highest and widest cabin on the market, yet provide sufficient range to fly from Moscow to New York or Hong Kong in a single hop. First deliveries of the new twin are anticipated in 2020.

Reinforcing After-Market Support

Optimizing after-market support is a top priority at Dassault, as evidenced by recent surveys that have placed the company at the top of the industry in terms of aircraft reliability, quality and dependability of support services.

To ensure it can continue delivering top-notch support to Russian operators, Dassault has significantly reinforced and expanded its regional service network in recent years. In addition to its Dassault Falcon Service's satellite center at Vnukovo 3, which opened three years ago, the company is preparing to set up a new stock of spare parts at Vnukovo to further facilitate the distribution of spares within Russia. A new field service representative, to be based in Moscow, is also being assigned to the region.

For the last two years Russian customers have also been able to call on Falcon Response, Dassault's new comprehensive suite of AOG services. Several operators from the region have benefited from the dedicated Falcon 900 missions made available by Falcon Response to handle AOG situations and if necessary provide alternative lift - an industry first.

Notes for Editors

Dassault Falcon is the recognized global brand for Dassault business jets which are designed, manufactured and supported by Dassault Aviation and Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

About Dassault Aviation

Dassault Aviation is a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 90 countries across five continents. It produces the Rafale fighter jet as well as the complete line of Falcons. The company employs a workforce of over 11,000 and has assembly and production plants in both France and the United States and service facilities around the globe. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, over 2,400 Falcon jets have been delivered. Dassault offers a range of six business jets from the twin-engine 3,350 nm large-cabin Falcon 2000S to its new flagship, the tri-engine 6,450 nm ultra-long range

Falcon 8X.

About Dassault Falcon Jet

Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, France. Dassault Falcon Jet markets and supports the Falcon family of business jets throughout North and South America.

Press Contacts



Dassault Aviation (Saint-Cloud, France)

Vadim Feldzer Tel. +33 1 47 11 44 13Marie-Alexandrine Fouillard Tel. +33 1 47 11 64 23

vadim.feldzer@dassault-aviation.com marie-alexandrine.fouillard@dassault-aviation.com



Dassault Falcon Jet (Teterboro Airport, USA)

Andrew Ponzoni Tel. +1 201 541 45 88Grant Kielczewski Tel. +1 201 541 46 79

andrew.ponzoni@falconjet.com grant.kielczewski@falconjet.com





Follow us on Twitter: @DassaultFalcon


JAKARTA, Indonesia, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Business & Charter Aviation Summit, Jakarta, September 7-8

Dassault Aviation will highlight the expanding popularity of its Falcon Jet business aircraft line among Southeast Asian operators at this year's Indonesian Business & Charter Aviation Summit, which begins on September 7.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/823024 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120925/564526-a )



Falcon Jets are tailor made for the demanding operating conditions of the region, in particular their great versatility, their airport performance and their unique long/short haul capability, which allows them to make a quick hop to a nearby destination with a full load of fuel before continuing on to a far off destination in Europe, Africa or the Americas.

This is particularly true of Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands spanning a distance greater than the continental U.S. for which aviation is the only feasible means of travel. Although commercial aviation is quite developed, many destinations are under served and hard to get to except by private jet.

There are already a large number of small to medium sized business aircraft serving the Indonesian market, but operators are more and more eager to move up to large cabin and longer range jets.

Indonesia is currently the fastest growing business aviation market in Southeast Asia, with a double-digit growth rate, and the second largest fleet in the region after Singapore.

"We see enormous potential for our new Falcon 8X in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, the region's largest economy," says Jean-Michel Jacob, president of the Dassault Aviation subsidiary for the Asia Pacific. "The Indonesian business community has substantial domestic and overseas travel requirements. Operating a business jet gives them more flexibility and allows them to make more efficient use of their time."

More than 100 Falcons are currently in service in Southeast Asia and the Asia/Pacific region, including all in-production models, from the very long range Falcon 7X to the Falcon2000LXS/S widebody twins and the long range 900LX.

These aircraft will be joined soon by the Falcon 8X ultra long range trijet, which was awarded US and European Aviation Safety Agency certification last June and will enter service in the coming weeks. The 6,450 nm/11,945 km Falcon 8X will feature the same advanced technologies and exceptional short-field performance, operating economy and quietness as the revolutionary Falcon 7X from which it is derived. It will also offer the longest cabin of any Falcon and the largest selection of standard cabin configurations on any large business jet, including an optional shower capability.

The 8X will connect regional capitals like Jakarta and Singapore to most destinations in Europe non stop. Moreover, the aircraft's three engine design will permit it to fly more direct routes over water, meaning even greater time savings for business travelers.

Reinforcing After-Market Support

To ensure optimum support for its growing fleet, Dassault continues to reinforce its after sales support network in Southeast Asia. It recently expanded spares capacity at its Singapore warehouse, helping boost regional inventory to nearly $35 million, including the top 3,500 top demand parts for in production aircraft.

A Model to Fit Every Requirement

The Falcon fleet is designed to meet the full range of operator needs. In addition to its advanced systems, largely derived from military aircraft, the 5,950 nm/11,000 km Falcon 7X features an ultra-comfortable, roomy interior that allows passengers to disembark fresh and relaxed after a 13 hour flight.

The Falcon 2000LXS and S are Dassault's new short field champions. The 4,000nm/7,410km LXS can access more airports than any other aircraft in its category, while the 3,350 nm/6,205 km Falcon 2000S affords large cabin comfort and economics that were previously unheard of in the super mid-size segment.

The 4,750 nm/8,800 km Falcon 900LX trijet combines long range and low-speed landing capability with exceptional hot-and-high performance. It is the most efficient airplane in its class, with a fuel burn up to 40% lower than any comparable aircraft.

Notes for Editors

Dassault Falconis the recognized global brand for Dassault business jets which are designed, manufactured and supported by Dassault Aviation and Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

About Dassault Aviation

Dassault Aviation is a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 90 countries across five continents. It produces the Rafale fighter jet as well as the complete line of Falcons. The company employs a workforce of over 11,000 and has assembly and production plants in bothFranceandthe United Statesand service facilities around the globe. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, over 2,400 Falcon jets have been delivered. Dassault offers a range of six business jets from thetwin-engine 3,350 nm large-cabin Falcon 2000S to its new flagship, the tri-engine 6,450 nm ultra-long range Falcon8X.

About Dassault Falcon Jet

Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Dassault Aviation,France. Dassault Falcon Jet markets and supports the Falcon family of business jets throughout North andSouth America.

Follow us on Twitter:@DassaultFalcon

Follow us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/MyFalconJet

Photos

Copy and paste the link into your browser to access the high resolution photos:http://www.falconphotogallery.com

For more information about Dassault Falcon business jets, visit:

http://www.dassaultfalcon.com
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Arkadin, an NTT Communications company, and one of the largest and fastest growing providers of Unified Communications and Collaboration services, announced today the acquisition of Applicable Ltd., a leading provider of Cloud Unified Communications and enterprise voice services with offices in Bristol (UK), Brisbane (AUS) and Houston (USA).

Applicable's 12-year track record of success in building, implementing and managing cloud-based Microsoft Lync and Skype for Business for large enterprises will enable Arkadin to expand its global reach and bring the value of Unified Communications services to large and global companies. Applicable's expert team already hosts more than 330,000 UC users through its 'ISO/IEC 27001:2013' certified global private cloud platform.

"The acquisition of Applicable is an important milestone for Arkadin to enable all businesses, from SMBs to the largest enterprises, to harness the full power of Unified Communications for greater workplace productivity," said Olivier de Puymorin, Chairman and CEO of Arkadin International. "Our highly complementary portfolios and service strategies, coupled with shared cultural values and an aggressive vision for growth, present a huge opportunity for our global customers and partners to have the benefits of a private and fully managed cloud-based UC solution."

While Applicable will continue to run its operations independently, the two companies will collaborate on product development and long-term strategic planning. With this acquisition, Arkadin strengthens its portfolio of UC solutions available to the Large Enterprise market by combining global UC & Telephony services supported by local presence. This offer supplements the existing portfolio centered on Arkadin Total Connect, a multi-tenant Microsoft Skype for Business hosted service. This service provides a fully integrated UC ecosystem with voice-enabled Office 365, audio/web/video conferencing and contact center.

According to Thomas Valantin, Arkadin's Chief Commercial Officer, "Arkadin and Applicable have been cooperating for some time and we have already demonstrated the value of our combined strengths in fostering voice-enabled Skype for Business solutions for large enterprises and for providing high quality experience and driving user adoption."

"We are thrilled to be joining Arkadin and are certain it will benefit all stakeholders, including our talented workforces and current and future customers," said Applicable Managing Director, Alan Baldwin. "Our combined resources and shared passion for enabling organizations to collaborate, will successfully deliver integrated Microsoft UC services that meet the essential quality of experience requirements of enterprise customers. Arkadin's global telephony and local approach to service, together with Applicable's expertise, offer customers a complete UC service."

Arkadin and Applicable have achieved Microsoft credentials that recognize best-in-class experience in designing, deploying and delivering Skype for Business, including:

Applicable: Microsoft Gold Competency in Communications, Messaging and Hosting

Arkadin: Microsoft Gold Competency in Cloud Productivity and Communications

Arkadin: Skype for Business Launch Partner for New Meetings and Voice Services in Office 365

In addition, the combined NTT Communications/Arkadin entity was recently named a Challenger for ability to execute and completeness of vision in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service, Worldwide, published 23 August 2016. Link to press release: https://www.arkadin.com/about-us/news-media/ntt-communicationsarkadin-named-challenger

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Arkadin

Arkadin is one of the largest and fastest growing Unified Communications and Collaboration Service Providers in the world. Our collection of market-leading audio/web/video conferencing and Unified Communications solutions enables enjoyable collaboration experiences that are essential to success in a digitally connected global workplace. As an NTT Communications company, our services are delivered in the cloud and backed by a cutting-edge infrastructure for premium service quality. Over 50,000 customers spanning the largest global enterprises to small businesses are supported locally in 19 languages through our network of 56 operations centers in 33 countries. For more information: http://www.arkadin.com

About Applicable

Applicable is a leading supplier of private cloud Unified Communications and Collaboration services to enterprise organisations, directly and through partners. With 15 years' experience, 330,000 application users to date, and in-depth operational and implementation skills for Microsoft Lync and Skype for Business services, Applicable delivers focused, end to end, 24x7 service management and voice integration for global customers, with 'ISO/IEC 27001:2013' information security certification. These services run in a network of carrier grade data centers in the US, Europe and Asia, delivering the highest levels of availability and quality of experience. For more information: www.applicable.com, @appl1cable

About NTT Communications Corporation

NTT Communications provides consultancy, architecture, security and cloud services to optimize the information and communications technology (ICT) environments of enterprises. These offerings are backed by the company's worldwide infrastructure, including leading global tier-1 IP network, Arcstar Universal One VPN network reaching 196 countries/regions, and over 150 secure data centers. NTT Communications' solutions leverage the global resources of NTT Group companies including Dimension Data, NTT DOCOMO and NTT DATA.

www.ntt.com | Twitter@NTT Com | Facebook@NTT Com | LinkedIn@NTT Com

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3051835


TORONTO, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --WilsonHCG, a global talent solutions leader, announced today that it has been named a finalist for the Canadian HR Awards' Employer Brand of the Year. This is the second year in a row that WilsonHCG has been named a finalist: Last year, it competed in the employee engagement category.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110823/FL55876LOGO

The nomination reflects the commitment WilsonHCG has made to building a strong, engaging employer brand that engages candidates and positions the company as an employer of choice in a challenging hiring environment. As a leader in HR services, WilsonHCG has developed best practices and methodologies around employer branding, and publishes the Fortune 500's Top 100 Employment Brand Report annually. This information is used to improve the company's employer brand, and to help clients improve their own.

"It is an honor to be recognized for our continued efforts and dedication to employer branding, " WilsonHCG Head of Canadian Engagement, Paul Dodd said. "We are now past the point where employer branding is optional-it is a business imperative. Organizations are realizing the profound impact a strategic employee value proposition and strong brand presence have on their businesses. We will continue to provide our clients with the best practices they need to surpass goals and maintain growth."

The annual Canadian HR awards brings together professionals from both large and small companies to celebrate excellence in HR performance and service in 19 organization and individual categories. The awards will be announced Sept. 15, 2016.

To reserve your copy of the 2016 Fortune 500 Top 100 Employment Brands report, register here: http://whcg.co/2cozYXb

ABOUT WILSONHCG

WilsonHCG is a global talent solutions leader that operates on the principle of providing true partnership to its clients. Delivering business-impacting talent solutions - including recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), talent consulting, contingent workforce solutions and executive search - WilsonHCG is transforming its clients' businesses through their talent. Founded in 2002, the company's global headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida. While optimizing clients' talent strategies is essential, WilsonHCG recognizes the relationships it develops lead to the results its clients realize.

Better People, Better Business.

Contact: Jessica Lang, 813-280-7746, jessica.lang@wilsonhcg.com
Simon Livesey has joined Liquidity Finance as Managing Director to lead the firm's expansion into local currency denominated Emerging Markets bond trading. Simon will be based in London and will report to Faisal Mian and Jon Hinton, co-founders of Liquidity.

Prior to joining Liquidity, Simon spent 17 years at Citigroup where he was instrumental in building a market leading local EM franchise. He has extensive product expertise including cash, derivatives, commodities and FX, and was a Managing Director in Emerging Markets Sales covering institutional money managers. "Liquidity has already developed a successful external EM debt trading platform. Launching local EM trading is a logical step to diversify the firm's product range and deepen its client base in a changing market environment, and I am excited to be part of this growth," commented Simon.

Faisal Mian added, "Establishing a local currency trading platform is a key pillar of our growth strategy and we are pleased to have someone of Simon's stature start this effort at Liquidity. Hopefully, he is the first of many hires. Local markets account for over 50% of total Emerging Markets debt trading volumes and we are committed to building a strong footprint in this space."

Liquidity Finance LLP is a brokerage firm specialising in Emerging Markets debt securities trading on a riskless principal basis, with offices in London, Stamford (Connecticut, USA) and Dubai. Liquidity Finance LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK; its Dubai branch is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and its US subsidiary, Liquidity Finance LP, is a registered broker-dealer and member of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005773/en/

Contacts:

Liquidity Finance LLP

Mr Jawad Zakariya, +44-207-856-2583

JawadZakariya@liquidityfin.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- San Marco Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SMN) ("San Marco") announces the appointment of Richard Osmond, P.Geo, to the Company's Advisory Board.

Richard has over 25 years of experience in the mining sector including experience with INCO (VBNC), Falconbridge and Anglo American. Richard was involved in exploration discoveries at Vale's Voisey's Bay deposit (with Archean Resources and VBNC) and Glencore's Raglan mine (with Falconbridge). Richard was later hired as a senior technical leader with Anglo American responsible for North America and Europe focused on Ni exploration in northern Canada, Alaska and Scandinavia as well as IOCG and porphyry Cu-Mo exploration in Mexico and Alaska. While working at Falconbridge and Anglo American, Richard was instrumental in the development and advancement of the SQUID technologies for Ni exploration, which led to several new discoveries including the Raglan 7 and 8 deposits and the discovery of Anglo's new Sakatti Ni-Cu-PGE deposit in Northern Finland. In 2007, Richard resigned from Anglo American to work in the junior mining sector and founded GlobeTrotters Resource Group in 2009. GlobeTrotters is a private prospect generator focused on base and precious metal exploration in South America. GlobeTrotters use of proprietary in-house remote sensing data as well as their risk management approach to exploration has already lead to the grass roots discovery of the new Elida porphyry Cu-Mo-Ag deposit in central Peru.

San Marco CEO, Bob Willis stated; "Richard's successful track record of identifying high caliber multi commodity opportunities will be instrumental in the design and implementation of San Marco's project generation program focused in Mexico."

About San Marco

San Marco Resources Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company with a portfolio of promising projects in mining-friendly Mexico, including the Chunibas & Mariana Projects in Sonora State.

San Marco actively pursues strategic project generation program focused on high-caliber, low acquisition cost opportunities in the Northwestern Mexico. The Company has a committed management team with extensive experience in Mexico and a proven track record of building shareholder value.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Robert Willis, P. Eng.

President & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Nancy Curry

info@sanmarcocorp.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Strongbow Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SBW) is pleased to provide the following corporate update:

Patrick Anderson to Stand for Election to the Board of Directors

Strongbow is pleased to announce that Mr. Patrick Anderson will stand for election to the Board of Directors at our Annual General and Special Meeting, scheduled for Thursday September 22, 2016. Mr. Anderson is currently President, CEO and a Director of Dalradian Resources, which is conducting a feasibility study on the Curraghinalt Gold Project in Northern Ireland, and he also sits on the board of Osisko Mining Inc. Prior to Dalradian, Mr. Anderson was a director, President and CEO of Aurelian Resources Inc., which discovered a 13.7 million ounce gold deposit in 2006 and was acquired by Kinross Gold in 2008. He was named Mining Man of the Year by The Northern Miner in 2009 and received the PDAC's Thayer Lindsley award for an international mineral discovery in 2008.

Mr. Anderson's experience in developing the Curraghinalt gold deposit and listing Dalradian on the AIM exchange in London, as well as his extensive network in the mining finance world, is expected to be particularly beneficial to the Company, following its recent acquisition of the South Crofty tin project in Cornwall, UK.

Owen Mihalop Appointed to Chief Operating Officer Position

We are pleased to announce that Mr. Owen Mihalop, MIMMM, C.Eng., has been appointed to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer for our UK subsidiaries: Strongbow Exploration (UK) Limited and Western United Mines Limited. Mr. Mihalop has 20 years' experience in the mining industry, ranging from grass-roots geological exploration through to production mining. He started his career as an exploration geologist and then gained experience in mining engineering and production in both open pit and underground mines, following which he became a mining consultant specialising in feasibility studies, project management and project evaluation, gaining solid experience of the mining industry as a whole. In recent years he has concentrated on project development, advancing projects in Europe and Africa towards production. Mr. Mihalop's primary responsibilities will include oversight of development work at the recently acquired South Crofty tin project in Cornwall, as well as management of other opportunities for Strongbow in the UK.

Blytheweigh Retained to Provide Media and Public Relations Services in the UK

The Company has retained Blytheweigh, a London (UK) based media relations company to provide advice and guidance in communicating with all stakeholders related to the South Crofty tin project. Blytheweigh has been engaged for an indefinite term, however the agreement between Blytheweigh and Strongbow may be cancelled by either party at any time upon three months' written notice. Initially, Blytheweigh will be paid a variable monthly fee of up to GBP 3,000 depending on level of activities and will be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. In the event that Strongbow pursues a listing on the AIM exchange in London, the monthly retainer will increase. Blytheweigh is at arm's length from Strongbow and does not have any direct or indirect interest in Strongbow or its securities, nor does Blytheweigh have a right to acquire any such interest. No incentive stock options have been granted to Blytheweigh. Information on Blytheweigh can be found at http://www.blytheweigh.com/

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Richard D. Williams"

Richard D. Williams, P.Geo

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.

Contacts:

Strongbow Exploration Inc.

Richard Williams

(604) 638-8005

rwilliams@strongbowexploration.com



Blytheweigh (Financial PR/IR - London)

Camilla Horsfall

Megan Ray

+44 (0) 207 138 3204




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- True North Gems Inc. (TSX VENTURE: TGX) ("True North" or the "Company") announces that True North Gems Greenland A/S ("TNGG"), the Company's operating subsidiary in Greenland, has initiated voluntary bankruptcy proceedings under the Bankruptcy Act in Greenland. TNGG's main asset is the Aappaluttoq Ruby and Pink Sapphire deposit and mine in S.W Greenland. The Company owns 76% of the outstanding shares of TNGG, LNS Denmark APS (together with its affiliates, the "LNS Group") owns 17% of the outstanding shares of TNGG, and Greenland Venture A/S ("Greenland Venture") owns 7% of the outstanding shares of TNGG.

True North management have worked relentlessly over the last year with various financing groups in an attempt to secure the necessary funding. The Company has also been in negotiation with the other major creditors and interested parties of TNGG to enable TNGG to continue operations. These initiatives have proved unsuccessful and TNGG was unable to re-capitalise in sufficient time to meet its September 2016 expenses. Therefore the board of TNGG instructed TNGG management to initiate proceedings for voluntary bankruptcy.

The Greenlandic Court has appointed Trustees who will administrate on behalf of TNGG regarding the Aappaluttoq Mine and the associated mine license and assets. The Trustees will inform TNGG's creditors about any proposed material actions respecting TNGG or its assets. True North is TNGG's largest creditor, the LNS Group is TNGG's second largest creditor and Greenland Venture is the third largest creditor.

True North continues to hold a 100% interest in its Baffin Island Property located on southeastern Baffin Island, Nunavut, which has a carrying value of $903,625 in the Company's condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the period ended June 30, 2016. The Company may also seek to acquire an interest in a new mineral property or properties. True North's board of directors remains intact, and the Company will hold its annual general meeting of shareholders on September 23, 2016, as described in the Company's management information circular for the AGM, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

True North will provide further updates respecting the Company and respecting the TNGG bankruptcy as information becomes available.

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 document contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which are made as of the date of this document or the document(s) referred to herein. Statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements with respect to: the amount of mineral reserves and mineral resources; the amount of future production over any period; net present value and internal rates of return of the proposed mining operation; capital costs; operating costs; strip ratios and mining rates; and mine life. The forward-looking statements are made based upon certain assumptions which, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

These assumptions include, without limitation: the price of gemstone products produced; anticipated costs; the presence of and continuity of gemstones at modeled grades and values; the capacities of various machinery and equipment; the availability of personnel, machinery and equipment at estimated prices; exchange rates; appropriate discount rates; tax rates applicable to the proposed mining operation; financing structure and costs; anticipated mining losses and dilution; gemstone recovery rates; reasonable contingency requirements; and receipt of regulatory approvals on acceptable terms. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performances or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, without limitation: price volatility, discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries, mining operational and development risks, regulatory restrictions (including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability), activities by governmental authorities (including changes in taxation), currency fluctuations, the speculative nature of gemstone exploration, the global economic climate, dilution, share price volatility, competition, loss of key employees; additional funding requirements and defective title to mineral claims or property. This list is not exhaustive. See also, for example, the risks disclosed in the Company's other disclosure documents filed at www.sedar.com, including, without limitation, those disclosed in the Company's management's discussion & analysis. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation.

Contacts:

Nicholas Houghton

President and CEO

604-687-8055

info@truenorthgems.com

www.truenorthgems.com




SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Certive Solutions Inc. (OTCQB: CTVEF) (CSE: CBP) - ("Certive" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that effective September 2, 2016, the Company and the principals of Titan Health Management LLC (Titan) agreed to convert a total of US$1,800,000 in Certive's original purchase price for the assets of Titan into 6,000,000 common shares of Certive, at a deemed price of US$0.30 per share. The Company purchased the assets of Titan on July 1, 2014, for and in consideration of payment in cash, promissory notes in favor of Titan and its principals, common shares and convertible preferred shares, with conversion subject to earn-out provisions.

Integral to the stock settlement noted above, the Company will issue the originally agreed 1,000,000 common shares to the principals of Titan as a signing bonus. Pursuant to the terms of the earn-out attached to the 1,250,000 preferred shares, the Company is in agreement that the preferred shares qualify for conversion into 1,250,000 common shares and accordingly these shares will be issued at the same time as the shares being issued on the note conversion. Other reconciling items in the original Asset Sale and Purchase Agreement will be defined and agreed to within 30 days of this announcement.

All shares contemplated for issuance above will be issued subject to time-released escrow restrictions that will be specifically described in an escrow agreement to be entered into with the principals of Titan.

The Titan division has grown demonstratively since the asset acquisition in July, of 2014, from a business generating approximately $1.8 million in annual revenues to one generating over $4.5 million in annual revenues with opportunity for additional significant growth. As Certive's first acquisition, we are extremely proud of the dedication to hard work and excellence shown by all members of the Titan Division's management team and the staff in Tucson.

Thomas Hoehner and Todd Hisey, co-founders of Titan and managers of the Titan Division under Certive, jointly commented that "the goals and objectives we collectively set for ourselves in the early Certive days have come to pass and we look forward with excitement at the future opportunities for all stakeholders in this high energy enterprise. We are both delighted to accept the conversion of our purchase price into shares of Certive, particularly in the time of much anticipated growth in our company."

Van Potter, CEO, and Brian Cameron, CFO, stated that "the Titan asset acquisition marked the beginning of Certive with its entrance into revenue cycle management for hospitals in the United States. The Titan brand acquired by Certive over two years ago came with a referenceable vendor with over 15 years of historical experience with major hospital systems in the U.S. Certive has been very successful in building upon this brand, significantly growing the business, and providing additional opportunity to cross-sell services across both our operating divisions."

For more information, please visit our website at www.certive.com, or contact Certive directly at 480-922-5327.

About Certive Solutions Inc.

Certive Solutions Inc. (Scottsdale, Arizona) provides revenue cycle management solutions to the U.S. healthcare market. Certive's claim audit and recovery services, billing services, and software solutions help providers work with payers to efficiently manage the reimbursement process and improve financial performance. Certive's highly skilled and experienced management team, combined with proprietary workflow and analytics, audit and identify, and bill and collect, underpayments in accordance with contractual obligations between the public or commercial insurance carrier and the designated provider. The healthcare market is changing. Certive works with clients to provide efficient and effective solutions aligned with reform initiatives to improve healthcare and reduce costs.

FORWARD-LOOKING AND OTHER STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect our expectations and assumptions regarding our growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities. Such forward-looking statements reflect our current beliefs and are based on information currently available to us. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "should", "expect", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts.

A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results, including those in respect of the foregoing items, to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward looking statements.

Factors that could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

-- the effect of continuing operating losses on our ability to obtain, on satisfactory terms, or at all, the capital required to remain a going concern; -- the ability to obtain sufficient and suitable financing to support operations, development and commercialization of our services; -- the risks associated with the development of our technology; -- the risks associated with the increase in operating costs from additional development costs and increased staff; -- the timing and nature of feedback from customers; and -- our ability to successfully compete in our targeted markets.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on what we consider to be reasonable assumptions based on information currently available to us, there can be no assurance that actual events, performance or results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and our assumptions may prove to be incorrect. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements made in this press release are made as of the date of the original document and have not been updated by us except as expressly provided for in this press release. As required by securities legislation applicable to reporting issuers, it is our policy to update, from time to time, forward-looking information in our periodic management discussions and analyses and provide updates on our activities to the public through the filing and dissemination of news releases and material change reports.

Contacts:

Certive Solutions Inc.

Brian Cameron

Chief Financial Officer

480-922-5327

bcameron@certive.com

www.certive.com






WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In 26 trading days, after featuring on Short-Term Investor, Cepheid (CPHD) returned about 50% to investors. The stock was featured on our 'Short-Term Investor' on July 29 at an opening price of $35.13. Yesterday, the company agreed to be acquired by Danaher Corp. (DHR) for $53 per share in cash. The acquisition price represents a 50% premium from our published price.



For more such stocks sign up for a free trial subscription with our Short-Term Investor service.



Cepheid Tuesday announced a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Danaher Corp. (DHR) for $53 per share in cash, or a total enterprise value of about $4 billion including indebtedness and net of acquired cash. The offer represents about a 54% premium to Cepheid's common stock over the closing price on September 2.



Danaher expects the acquisition to be moderately dilutive to net earnings per share and about $0.05 accretive to adjusted net earnings per share in the first full year post acquisition. In the fifth full year post acquisition, the Company expects the acquisition to be about $0.30 accretive to adjusted net earnings per share.



The acquisition has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of each company, and the Cepheid Board of Directors has unanimously recommended its shareholders to approve the transaction. The deal is expected to be completed around the end of calendar year 2016.



Sunnyvale, California - based Cepheid will become part of Danaher's $5 billion Diagnostics segment, joining the company's Beckman Coulter, Leica Biosystems and Radiometer businesses.



Cepheid generated annual revenues of $539 million in 2015 and expects to generate $618 million - $635 million in revenues in 2016.



Danaher's President and CEO, Thomas Joyce, Jr., said, 'Cepheid's extensive installed base, test menu and innovative product offering contribute to its market leadership in molecular diagnostics and we expect it to strengthen our position in this high-growth segment.'



Further Joyce Jr. noted that Cepheid will be well-positioned to improve operational efficiencies, significantly expand margins and drive long-term growth. We look forward to welcoming the Cepheid team to Danaher.'



Danaher expects to finance the transaction with available cash and proceeds from the issuance of debt. Fenwick & West LLP is Cepheid's legal advisor, while Goldman, Sachs & Co. is acting as Cepheid's exclusive financial advisor.



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TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Silver Bear Resources Inc. ("Silver Bear" or the "Company") (TSX: SBR) is pleased to announce that the Company has obtained the minority shareholder approval necessary to enter into the previously announced facilities agreement (the "Facilities Agreement") with the Company's major shareholders, Inflection Management Corporation Limited ("Inflection") and A.B. Aterra Resources Ltd. ("Aterra") with respect to the financing of the final development, construction and commissioning of the Company's Mangazeisky Silver Project. 99.99% of the shares voted at the special meeting of shareholders of the Company held on September 2, 2016 were voted in support of the Facilities Agreement.

Having obtained approval of the Facilities Agreement from its minority shareholders as required by the rules and policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange, the Company, ZAO Prognoz ("Prognoz"), its indirect wholly-owned Russian subsidiary, Silver Bear Holdings Limited ("SBR Barbados"), its direct wholly-owned Barbadian subsidiary, and Inflection and Aterra each executed the Facilities Agreement and all related security documents, effective as of September 5, 2016.

Silver Bear's CEO, Graham Hill commented: "The Company appreciates the overwhelming support of its minority shareholders, that resulted in the securing of the final approval for the project financing. We are also heartened by the continuing support of both Inflection and Aterra throughout 2015 and 2016, which was instrumental in ensuring our accelerated development and construction efforts. The timeline of reaching silver commissioning in late 2016 remains on-track. As we progress through the second half of 2016, the Company expects to make several updates on both the final stages of the project construction and the revised mine plan that will include the recent mineral resource update at Vertikalny Central."

Summary of the Terms of the Facilities Agreement

On drawdown under the Facilities Agreement, Inflection and Aterra (together, the "Lenders") will make available to the Company and Prognoz secured loans in the aggregate principal amount of US$55.2 million comprising three tranches. Tranche A will consist of a term loan facility of US$43.2 million, of which Inflection will provide US$30.6 million and Aterra will provide US$12.6 million (the "Term Loan Facility"). Of the US$43.2 million total Tranche A commitment, US$33.2 million will be made available to the Company with the remaining US$10 million being made available to Prognoz. The Lenders will also make available to Prognoz, subject to the terms and conditions of the Facilities Agreement, a Tranche B working capital facility of US$10 million (the "Working Capital Facility") and a Tranche C contingent facility of US$2 million (the "Contingent Facility", and together with the Working Capital Facility, the "Additional Facilities"). The Working Capital Facility will consist of US$7.1 million from Inflection and US$2.9 million from Aterra. The Contingent Facility will consist of US$1.42 million from Inflection and US$0.58 million from Aterra. The Term Loan Facility, together with the Additional Facilities, are collectively referred to as the "Secured Loan Funding". Drawdown of the Secured Loan Funding remains subject to certain customary terms and conditions as set out in the Facilities Agreement. The first utilization and drawdown under the Facilities Agreement are expected on or around September 15, 2016.

Pursuant to the Facilities Agreement, a portion of the Term Loan Facility will be used by the Company to repay the principal and accrued interest on certain outstanding promissory notes previously issued by the Company to the Lenders. The Company anticipates that the Secured Loan Funding will result in net new funding to the Company and Prognoz of approximately US$22 million following the repayment of such outstanding promissory notes.

The Secured Loan Funding will accrue interest at a rate of 15% per annum, calculated and accrued quarterly, and will be payable on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 in each calendar year and on the maturity date, being the date that is forty-eight months following the date on which the Term Loan Facility is drawn in full. Pursuant to the terms of the Facilities Agreement, all interest accrued before July 1, 2017 will be capitalized and added to the principal amount of the Term Loan Facility such that the first interest payment under the Facilities Agreement would therefore be in respect of the quarterly period ending October 1, 2017.

The Secured Loan Funding is secured and each of the Company, Prognoz and SBR Barbados have guaranteed each other's obligations under the Facilities Agreement and all related security documents.

About Silver Bear

Silver Bear (TSX: SBR) is focused on the development of its wholly-owned Mangazeisky Silver Project, covering a licence area of approximately 570 km2 that includes the high-grade Vertikalny deposit, located 400 km north of Yakutsk in the Republic of Sakha within the Russian Federation. The Company was granted a 20-year mining licence for the Vertikalny deposit in September 2013 and completed a Feasibility Study in Q2 2016. The Company is implementing a fast-track execution plan to complete major construction of the Mangazeisky Silver Project by the end of 2016, with steady state production planned to start in Q1 2017. Other information relating to Silver Bear is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com as well as on the Company's website at www.silverbearresources.com.

Cautionary Notes

This release and subsequent oral statements made by and on behalf of the Company may contain forward-looking statements, which reflect management's expectations. Wherever possible, words such as "intends", "expects", "scheduled", "estimates", "anticipates", "believes" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Silver Bear cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause events and achievements to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, but are not limited to: the satisfaction of each party's obligations in accordance with the terms of the definitive agreements for the Secured Loan Funding; failure to receive any required regulatory approvals or other approvals; the possibility that the amount of net new funding to the Company following the repayment of certain outstanding promissory notes held by the Lenders may be less than anticipated; and risk factors identified by Silver Bear in its continuous disclosure filings filed from time to time on SEDAR. These factors should be considered carefully and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve significant known and unknown risks, assumptions and uncertainties that may cause Silver Bear's actual results, events, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Silver Bear has attempted to identify important risks and factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and Silver Bear assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, unless otherwise required by law.

Contacts:

Graham Hill

President and Chief Executive Officer

UK +7 916 731 5673

info@silverbearresources.com



Judith Webster

Investor Relations Manager

+416 453 8818

jwebster@silverbearresources.com




WASHINGTON, DC -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Wiley Rein LLP announced today that Ambassador David A. Gross and Kathleen A. Kirby have been selected to lead the firm's renowned Telecom, Media & Technology (TMT) Practice. Amb. Gross and Ms. Kirby were named as co-chairs of the multidisciplinary TMT Practice, effective September 2016. Amb. Gross and Ms. Kirby will provide the firm's TMT attorneys -- many of whom have held high-level positions at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Justice -- with the leadership and strategic vision to support clients across a broad spectrum of global telecom, media and technology industries.

"Our TMT Practice has a long tradition of serving as one of the most esteemed and prominent in the nation, and we are proud to have David and Kathy as such outstanding, well-respected new co-chairs of the practice," said Managing Partner Peter D. Shields. "Their strong leadership and influence -- both within the firm and throughout the TMT sectors -- will provide our clients with the guidance and vision they need to stay ahead of the curve."

Wiley Rein's multidisciplinary team operates at the intersection of politics, law, government, business and technological innovation, representing a wide range of TMT clients -- from Fortune 500 corporations to trade associations. The group covers virtually all facets of federal, state and international laws governing the telecommunications, media and technology industries. The attorneys' deep-rooted experience and understanding of the complexities and implications of industry changes and regulatory challenges provides clients with a unique vantage point. The TMT Practice -- comprised of more than 65 lawyers and other professionals -- is regularly ranked by Chambers USA in the No. 1 band in the "Media: Regulatory" and "Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite" areas. The practice was also named a 2015 "Practice Group of the Year" by Law360.

"We have a world-class team of partners, associates, engineers and other technical professionals who are focusing on successfully solving for our clients complex legal and public policy issues arising from constant innovation," said Amb. Gross. "Because of the firm's well-earned preeminent position domestically and globally, we are able to attract groundbreaking clients and provide creative and innovative legal solutions that allow them to win in the marketplace. It's a great privilege to have been asked to co-lead this impressive group of diverse talent. The team includes extraordinary next-generation leaders who are helping to pave the way for our clients to build the future of the telecom, media and technology industries."

Ms. Kirby commented, "In my nearly 20 years at Wiley Rein, I have been fortunate to learn from renowned senior lawyers who shaped telecom and media policy, and to be integrally involved in assembling a team of the best and the brightest to carry that legacy forward. We understand the industries we serve like few other practices, and we have extensive familiarity with and deep connections within the government institutions that affect our clients' businesses. I am looking forward to collaborating with David to lead our unparalleled team of professionals as we build upon our strengths and partner with our clients as they innovate and grow."

Amb. Gross, one of the world's foremost international telecommunications and Internet policy experts, served in the U.S. Department of State as the U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy from 2001 to 2009. He draws on his unique insights to counsel clients on a wide range of Internet and telecom policy issues around the world. He advises global companies seeking to enter or expand international businesses, as well as invest in, monitor, and understand U.S. and international markets. Amb. Gross has often testified before Congress, has addressed the United Nations General Assembly, and has led more U.S. delegations to major international telecommunication conferences than anyone else in modern history.

Ms. Kirby, who serves on the firm's Executive and Management Committees, is a highly respected member of the communications bar, and has held numerous leadership positions throughout her career. She is continually recognized by the industry for her superior subject expertise, commitment to clients and relationships in the media sector. Ms. Kirby represents many of the leading radio and TV group owners and programming networks on transactional, regulatory, policy, content licensing and distribution and technology matters, including before the FCC and Congress. Her work on First Amendment matters, particularly those involving newsgathering and publication, has earned her acclaim, including induction into the National Freedom of Information Hall of Fame and the Radio Television Digital News Association's prestigious First Amendment Leadership Award.

Wiley Rein LLP (www.wileyrein.com), a dominant presence in the nation's capital for more than three decades, has more than 250 lawyers and technical professionals operating at the intersection of politics, law, government, business and technological innovation. The firm represents a wide range of clients, including Fortune 500 corporations, international telecommunications companies, trade associations and individuals, across the nation and around the world in complex, high-stakes regulatory, litigation and transactional matters.

CONTACT:

Susan E. Jacobsen

+1 (202) 251-8184

Email Contact




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 7, 2016) - Far Resources Ltd (CSE: FAT) (FSE: F0R) ("Far Resources" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has contracted Orix Geoscience Inc. to enhance exploration on its Zoro lithium property (the "Zoro Lithium Property") in the Snow Lake area of Manitoba. Orix has built a solid reputation assisting the junior exploration and mining sector with geological compilations, interpretation, modeling and targeting from historic and current exploration databases. Working with the Far Resources technical team, Orix will build a 3D model of lithium-bearing spodumene dykes on the Zoro property as well as prepare geologic sections and plans, lithologic wireframes and additional digital products that will assist Far Resources in drill hole targeting. The historic Zoro database includes drill logs and assays from 78 drill holes.

The Zoro Lithium Property

Far Resources' Zoro Lithium Property is comprised of the Zoro1 claim covering approximately 52 hectares near Wekusko Lake in western Manitoba governed by the option agreement with Top Notch Marketing Ltd., R. Ross Blusson and Double-U-Em Investments Ltd. as more fully described in the news release dated April 28, 2016; and the undivided 100% interest in and to pegmatite dykes on Claim Jake 3558 (P3558F) and a 350 metre wide strip along the northeast edge of claim Jake 3558 and a portion of adjacent claims Bert 6304 (MB6304) and Bert 797 (MB797) that are contiguous with the Zoro1 claim pursuant to the option agreement with Strider Resources Limited as described in news releases dated June 26, 2016 and August 10, 2016.

The Zoro Lithium Property covers a number of known lithium pegmatite occurrences, one of which contains an historic "reserve" based on 1956 drilling on the "Principal Dyke" of 1.8 million tonnes grading 1.4% Li 2 O. The mineral reserve cited above is presented as an historical estimate and uses historical terminology which does not conform to current standards, and as such should not be relied upon. Although the historical estimates are believed to be based on reasonable assumptions, they were calculated prior to the implementation of National Instrument 43-101. These historical estimates do not meet current standards as defined under sections 1.2 and 1.3 of NI 43-10 and therefore should not be relied upon.

Alchemist Option Agreement Amended

The Company has amended the terms of the option agreement (the "Amended Option Agreement") with Alchemist Mining Inc. (CSE: AMS) ("Alchemist') whereby Alchemist may acquire up to 80% undivided interest in and to 6 mineral claims, consisting of 2508 hectares, located in North-Central British Columbia, Canada, known as the Tchentlo Lake Property (the "Tchentlo Property"). Under the terms of the Amended Option Agreement, Alchemist requirement to pay $20,000 and issue 250,000 common shares in the capital of the Company on the 2nd year anniversary has been reduced to $5,000 and 100,000 common shares. The requirement to spend $80,000 in exploration expenditures by the 2nd year anniversary has been eliminated. All other terms of the option agreement will remain in full effect. Details of the option agreement and the Tchentlo Property are in the Company's news releases dated June 24, 2014 and August 6, 2015.

Debt Settlement and Option Grant

Far Resources has also completed a shares for debt arrangement with certain of its creditors. The Company has issued 700,000 common shares (the "Shares") in the equity of the Company to acquit invoices totaling $70,000 from consultants providing ongoing services to the Company. The Shares carry a restriction from trading for a period of four months and one day from the date of issue.

Far Resources has granted 2,000,000 stock options to certain directors, officers and consultants at an exercise price of $0.08 per share for a period of five years.

About the Company

Far Resources Ltd. is an exploration company, publicly traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol FAT, focused on the identification and development of high potential mineral opportunities in stable jurisdictions. Far Resources may acquire or option properties of merit to meet its ongoing goal to locate, advance and unlock the potential of these mineral opportunities. Far Resources has option agreements in place on the Zoro Lithium Property in Manitoba, Canada and the Winston Property in New Mexico, USA. Far Resources has optioned its wholly owned Tchentlo Lake Property in British Columbia, Canada to Alchemist Mining Inc.

The scientific and technical information regarding the Zoro Lithium Property contained in this news release has been approved by Mark Fedikow, P.Geo., a consultant of Far Resources and a "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101.

###

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

FAR RESOURCES LTD.

Keith C. Anderson, President

604-805-5035

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof.

This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Readers are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. All of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those in our continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 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 save as required under applicable securities legislation. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell securities and the Company is not soliciting an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/08/16 -- Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: PEX) ("Pacific Ridge" or the "Company") reports that it has received the results from a gravity survey over its TL Zinc Project. All three lines surveyed revealed positive residual anomalies in the range of 0.5 to over 1 milligal that show a good correlation with an underlying conductor as defined by the Fugro HELITEM survey flown over the property in 2012. The target at TL is a large Broken Hill type or SEDEX (Sedimentary Exhalative) Zn-Pb-Ag massive sulfide deposit.

Gerry Carlson, President of Pacific Ridge stated: "We are very pleased to note the spatial correspondence between the gravity anomalies and the electrical conductor. These mutually supportive geophysical signatures, in combination with favourable geology and strategically located surface showings, provide an increased measure of confidence that a significant metallic sulphide body occurs at depths of 300 m or less." A compilation map showing the gravity results relative to the HELITEM conductor can be viewed at www.pacificridgeexploration.com under Projects/TL Zinc.

The gravity survey and initial processing of the data was carried out by SJ Geophysics Ltd. of Delta, BC. Further processing of the gravity data was completed for the Company by Dr. Fred Cook of Salt Spring Imaging, Ltd.

About the TL Property

TL is a 6,420 hectare, road accessible zinc-lead-silver project located 80 km northeast of Vernon, British Columbia. The airborne magnetic-electromagnetic HELITEM survey defined a strong conductive layer, 4 km in length and approximately 100 to over 200 m wide that appears to be conformable within the flat-lying stratigraphy and could reflect massive sulphide mineralization. Mineralized float and outcrop samples comprise massive to semi-massive sulphide, containing sphalerite, pyrite and pyrrhotite. Of 56 grab samples collected, 40 assayed +1% Zn with a range of 1.08% to 18.87% and an average of 4.96% Zn.

Trenching, outside the main target area, encountered a zone of 7.16% Zn over 4 m. Drilling below the trenches (6 shallow holes, 490 m) encountered a 10 to 13 m thick sulphide mineralized zone with zinc values ranging from less than 1% to 5%. Mineralization in trenches and drilling is believed to be a peripheral mineralized horizon stratigraphically above or distal to the main exploration target. The property is ideally situated with nearby highways, electrical power grid and rail.

Proposed Program

The Company has made application for its drill permit and, once received, is planning for a 2,000 m drill test of the TL Zinc target.

About Pacific Ridge

Pacific Ridge is a mineral exploration company with a successful history of over 30 years. It holds a well-located project portfolio in Yukon's White Gold District, in the same geological environment as Goldcorp's Coffee Gold Project and Kinross Gold's White Gold deposit. The Company's 280 km2 Mariposa gold project covers the prolific Scroggie and Mariposa placer gold creeks located east of the Coffee Gold Project. Over $6 million has been spent at Mariposa since 2010 including soil sampling, trenching and drilling, resulting in discovery of a number of well-mineralized gold zones. The 33 km2 Eureka Dome property, centrally located in the White Gold District, is drained by several placer gold bearing creeks. Geochemical anomalies suggest the presence of a high level epithermal style gold system. The Company's 49 km2 Gold Cap property, with yet-to-be drill tested gold soil anomalies, adjoins the Kinross White Gold deposit. Surface exploration programs have been completed on the Mariposa and Eureka Dome projects in 2016.

The Company's 100 percent owned Fyre Lake copper-gold-cobalt massive sulphide project in the Yukon's Finlayson Lake District has been defined by 115 holes totaling over 23,200 metres of diamond drilling. A NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate of the Kona Deposit reported in 2006 includes an indicated mineral resource of 3.571 million tonnes grading 1.57% copper, 0.10% cobalt and 0.61 gpt gold at a 1% copper cut-off grade. In addition, an inferred mineral resource, at the same cut-off grade, includes 5.361 million tonnes grading 1.48% copper, 0.08% cobalt and 0.53 gpt gold. These estimates were prepared by D. Blanchflower, P.Geo., of Minorex Consulting Ltd., who is the qualified person for this purpose. The Company is considering a number of options for further development of the Fyre Lake project.

The Company's newly acquired Poker Brown gold-silver project is road accessible and located 190 km from Reno, in Pershing County, Nevada. The target is a large, bulk tonnage, heap leachable gold deposit. Numerous gold mines and advanced projects are located within an 80 km radius of the property, including Hycroft, Rosebud, Florida Canyon (12 km east of Poker Brown, recently acquired by Rye Patch Gold Corp.), Standard, Rochester, Relief Canyon, Majuba Hill, Wilco and Trinidad.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Gerald G. Carlson, President & CEO

Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd.

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.

The technical information contained within this News Release has been reviewed and approved by Gerald G. Carlson, Ph.D., P.Eng., President and CEO of Pacific Ridge and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 policy.

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 exploration drilling and other activities and events or developments that Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. ("Pacific Ridge") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the placements and future exploration plans and expenditures. Although Pacific Ridge 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 or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, the timing and receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals for the transactions described herein, the ability of Pacific Ridge and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Pacific Ridge's proposed transactions and programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. 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. Pacific Ridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Contacts:

Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd.

Gerald G. Carlson

President & CEO

(604) 484-7104

www.pacificridgeexploration.com




Leading Events Agency Poised for Continued Growth and Global Expansion

LONDON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- First Protocol, a leading global events agency operating from offices in London, New York, Los Angeles and Singapore, today announced that it has rebranded the company and introduced a new name, logo and brand identity. Effective immediately, First Protocol will be known as FIRST. The change represents the agency's growth, position, and most importantly, long-standing commitment to put client needs first.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160906/404762LOGO

To coincide with the rebrand, FIRST launched a new website today, reflective of the new brand and visual identity. FIRST can be found at www.firstagency.com

"We are thrilled to announce our rebrand, which reflects our agency mantra that clients' needs come first" said Chris Hobbs, global CMO for FIRST. "We have built a dynamic, industry-leading agency that is uniquely positioned to work with clients on every aspect of their events - the depth of experience and talent across creative strategy, production, and global execution throughout the team is truly compelling."

The rebrand reflects the agency's enhanced creative and strategic offerings, as well as its expanded experience and expertise across a variety of industries. This further solidifies the firm's position as the first place brands go to for innovative, large-scale, and highly creative events. FIRST's clients rely on the agency to create and execute high-level corporate meetings, product launches for some of the most recognized brands in the world, intimate executive leadership events and global conferences.

Mark Riches, Managing Director for FIRST London, added, "Over the past 20 years we have consistently stayed ahead of trends and market changes by offering new capabilities such as advisory services, resourcing solutions, creative content solutions and technology that expand our market reach and build our expertise. We will continue to provide the high-touch services our clients have come to expect from our teams around the world."

The rebranding follows two major changes within the agency in the last few months. In May, FIRST named Barry Richards as the President of the firm's expanded managed services division, based in New York. Shortly after, FIRST acquired Barkley Kalpak Agency (BKA) and appointed Jeff Kalpak as President, Americas to work directly with Maureen Ryan-Fable, CEO, Americas. The acquisition further established FIRST as one of the leading global events agencies, enhanced its client portfolio in several key industries and service areas and increased its total global workforce to nearly 200.

About FIRST

Founded in London in 1996, FIRST provides world-class event delivery, creative development and technical production for a wide range of clients and international brands and has offices in New York, London, Los Angeles and Singapore. FIRST clients span many industries including financial services, aerospace, technology, medical, automotive, media and the non-profit sector. For more information, please visit: www.firstagency.com.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Calibre Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE: CXB) (the "Company" or "Calibre") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Douglas Hurst as a Director of the Company effective immediately.

Douglas Forster, Chairman of Calibre stated: "On behalf of the Board of Directors I am delighted to welcome Mr. Douglas Hurst to the Calibre team as a Director. Doug's extensive experience in business, financial and capital markets as well as project evaluations will be a great compliment to our Board. We look forward to working with Mr. Hurst as Calibre advances our 100% owned Projects in Nicaragua as well as our Projects in partnership with B2Gold, IAMGOLD, Centerra Gold, and Rosita Mining."

Mr. Hurst has over 25 years of experience in the mining/resource industries having acted as geologist, consultant, mining analyst, and senior executive. Mr. Hurst holds a Bachelor of Science in geology from McMaster University (1986). He was a mining analyst with McDermid St. Lawrence and Sprott Securities and a contract analyst to Pacific International Securities and Octagon Capital up until 1995. From 1995 to 2003 Mr. Hurst operated D.S. Hurst Inc. a company offering corporate, evaluation and financing consulting services to the mining industry. He was a founding executive of International Royalty Corporation from 2003 to 2006 and a director of the company until 2010 when the company was purchased by Royal Gold for $700 million.

Calibre has granted 500,000 stock options at a price of $0.155 per share for a period of five years to Mr. Hurst. The options are subject to regulatory approval and are granted under the Company's stock option plan and include vesting provisions.

About Calibre Mining Corp.

Calibre controls a 100% interest in over 340 km2 of mineral concessions in the Mining Triangle of Northeast Nicaragua. Additionally the Company has an option agreement with IAMGOLD covering 176 km2 of concessions, an option agreement with Centerra Gold on 253 km2, joint venture exploration programs underway with B2Gold Corp. on 66.1 km2 of concessions which includes the Primavera gold-copper porphyry discovery and the Monte Carmelo Gold Zone, and a joint venture on the 33.6 km2 Rosita gold-copper-silver project with Rosita Mining Corporation. Major shareholders of Calibre include gold producer B2Gold Corp, Pierre Lassonde and Management.

Calibre Mining Corp.

Douglas B. Forster, M.Sc., P.Geo.

Chairman

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or does not expect", "is expected", anticipates" or "does not anticipate" "plans", "estimates" or "intends" or stating that certain actions, events or results " may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) 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 materially differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.

Safe Harbor Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented constitutes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements including but not limited to those with respect to the price of gold, potential mineralization, reserve and resource determination, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of the Company involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of Atlas to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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

Contacts:

Calibre Mining Corp.

Ryan King

604 628-1012

www.calibremining.com




WAYNE, PA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Elemica, the leading Supply Chain Operating Network for the process industries, is sponsoring a 100 mile road bicycle ride by Logistics Leaders to raise money for a cure to Type One Diabetes (T1D). The ride team is led by leading industry analyst Adrian Gonzalez of Adelante SCM and Talking Logistics. In addition to sponsoring, Charity Newsome, a Director on Elemica's Global Marketing Team, is joining the team for the ride -- a 102.7 mile journey through Death Valley, California. Funds raised will benefit JDRF, the leading non-profit organization focused on T1D research. The fundraising goal for the Logistics Leaders team is to raise over $50,000 in support for a cure. The ride takes place October 15th.

"My daughter was diagnosed with the disease in 2011 and I realized that since then, she has pricked her fingers over 13,000 times to test her blood sugar levels. That is just one example of the daily challenges people living with T1D have to endure, which is why I decided to do more this year to help find a cure," says Adrian Gonzalez, President of Adelante SCM, Founder & Host of Talking Logistics. "I am grateful for the support of Elemica and the other sponsors, along with the riders and their family and friends. So far, the Logistics Leaders team has raised over $38,000 for JDRF."

"Elemica is a proud sponsor and I am honored to ride on the Logistics Leaders team," said Charity Newsome, Marketing Director at Elemica. "As an avid road cyclist myself, I jumped at the chance to use my passion for riding in order to raise funds and help overcome T1D."

JDRF Rides are happening all over the country with the theme, "Turning Type 1 into Type None." People with T1D produce little or no insulin, a hormone essential for breaking down carbohydrates to feed the body, so they have to monitor their blood sugar levels throughout the day and take insulin, either via injections or pump, to keep their blood glucose levels in a healthy range. Prior to the discovery of insulin in 1921, T1D was a death sentence. Today, thanks to advancements in medical research and technology, people with T1D can live long and healthy lives, but they have to work hard, day and night, to stay healthy.

To donate to the cause on behalf of Elemica and Charity Newsome, please visit: http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?fr_id=6195&pg=personal&px=10979947.

About Elemica

Elemica is the leading Supply Chain Operating Network for the process industries. Elemica transforms supply chains by replacing manual and complex approaches with efficient and reliable ones. Launched in 2000, customers like BASF, BP, Continental, The Dow Chemical Company, DuPont, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, LANXESS, Michelin, Shell, Solvay, Sumitomo Chemical, Wacker and more process nearly $400B in commerce value annually on the network. Elemica drives bottom line results by promoting reduced cost of operations, faster process execution, automation of key business processes, removal of transactional barriers, and seamless information flow between trading partners. For more information, visit www.elemica.com.

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For More Information Contact:

Becky Boyd

MediaFirst

(770) 642-2080 x 214

becky@mediafirst.net




THE HAGUE (dpa-AFX) - Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS-B, RDSB.L, RDSA.L, RDS-A) said that new natural gas discoveries were made earlier this month in Alam El-Shawish concession area in Egypt's western desert. The discovery is one of the largest in Egypt's western desert in recent years. Aidan Murphy, chairman and CEO of Shell in Egypt, said that the initial estimates indicated about 500 billion cubic feet of natural gas was discovered, with more possible reserves yet to be uncovered. The CEO added that Shell used several new technologies to dig one of the deepest wells in the western desert region. The discovery could produce between 10 percent and 15 percent of the total production of Badr el-Din Petroleum Co., which is a joint venture that acts on behalf of Shell and the state-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation or EGPC. Shell owns the license of the entire area, which includes the well. The company gained the rights to explore the western desert for oil and gas in 2012. Badr el-Din is expected to manage the operations. 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.
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Zuora is named to the first-ever Forbes 2016 Cloud 100, the definitive list of the top 100 private cloud companies in the world, developed in partnership with Bessemer Venture Partners. To view the list, please visit www.forbes.com/cloud100. The list will appear in the October 4, 2016 issue of Forbes magazine.

"As the standard subscription finance platform for the cloud computing industry, we're honored to be included in the inaugural Forbes Cloud 100," said Tien Tzuo, CEO of Zuora, Inc. "It's a huge validation for Zuora, as well as the Subscription Economy. While we have lots of clients on this list, we're looking forward to helping many more amazing cloud companies turn their customers into subscribers."

"Cloud companies are revolutionizing how businesses reach their customers today from digitizing painful old processes to allowing them more time to focus on what they really care about -- what makes their products unique," said Forbes editor of the Cloud 100 list Alex Konrad. "Inclusion in the Forbes 2016 Cloud 100 list recognizes a company for its financial growth and excellence as recognized by customers and peers."

"These are the companies to watch!" said Byron Deeter, a leading cloud investor and partner at Bessemer Venture Partners. "The Forbes Cloud 100 companies represent the very best private companies in cloud computing. We will see big IPOs and category killers emerge from this list as the cloud computing continues to propel the trillion-dollar software industry."

Methodology

The first-ever Forbes 2016 Cloud 100 list profiles the world's top-tier private companies leading the cloud technology revolution, plus twenty rising stars within the field. With advancements in software, cloud security, or platform development, these companies are redefining the future for all industries and sectors.

Forbes, in partnership with Bessemer Venture Partners, received hundreds of submissions to identify the most promising private companies in cloud. The Forbes 2016 Cloud 100 was selected by a panel of judges representing leading public cloud companies, using qualitative and quantitative data submitted by nominees, along with publicly available third-party data sources.

Recognition

Every company named to the Forbes 2016 Cloud 100 is recognized in print and online by Forbes, and Forbes' partners Bessemer Venture Partners and Salesforce Ventures. The companies also receive physical awards and digital badges signifying their inclusion on this exclusive list, as well as an invitation to the celebratory Cloud 100 Awards Dinner, hosted in San Francisco by Forbes, Bessemer Venture Partners and Salesforce Ventures.

Additional Resources

Zuora '17 Product Sheet

"The Subscription Economy: A Business Transformation" by Tien Tzuo, CEO of Zuora

SlideShare: "Drivers of Success in the Subscription Economy"

MGI Research Forecast on Agile Monetization Platforms 2016-2020

Follow us online:

Facebook.com/zuora

@Zuora

SubscriptionEconomy

About Zuora, Inc.

Zuora's Relationship Business Management (RBM) solution helps enable businesses in any industry to launch or shift products to subscription, implement new pay-as-you-go pricing and packaging models, gain new insights into subscriber behavior, open new revenue streams, and disrupt market segments to gain competitive advantage. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Zuora, Inc. also operates offices in Atlanta, Boston, Denver, San Francisco, London, Paris, Munich, Beijing, Sydney, Tokyo, and Amsterdam. Zuora clients come from a wide range of industries, including media, travel services, consumer packaged goods, cloud services, and telecommunications. Clients include Financial Times, Schneider Electric, Box, Honeywell, NCR, RTL, The Guardian, YP.com, BlueJeans, Shutterfly, TripAdvisor and Vivint.

 2016 Zuora, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Zuora, Relationship Business Management (RBM), Subscribed and Subscription Economy are trademarks of Zuora, Inc. Third party trademarks mentioned above are owned by their respective companies. Nothing in this press release should be construed to the contrary, or as an approval, endorsement or sponsorship by any third parties of Zuora, Inc. or any aspect of this press release. To learn more about the Zuora platform, please visit www.zuora.com.

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Interim data suggest long-term benefit with consistent yearly changes in forced vital capacity up to 3 years in patients treated with OFEV in INPULSIS and INPULSIS -ON

in INPULSIS and INPULSIS -ON Long-term treatment up to 51 months had a manageable safety and tolerability profile, with no new safety signals identified

Additional INPULSIS analyses showed that OFEV slows disease progression regardless of baseline physiologic impairment as measured by several pulmonary function tests

Boehringer Ingelheim presented eight IPF-related abstracts at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress 2016, including new interim data from the INPULSIS-ON extension trial assessing long-term treatment with OFEV (nintedanib). The results demonstrated that nintedanib has a long-term effect on slowing disease progression and a manageable side effect profile in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and were consistent with results previously observed in the INPULSIS trials. IPF is a chronic, debilitating and fatal lung disease with high mortality, with a median life expectancy after diagnosis of approximately 2-3 years.

The INPULSIS-ON interim data showed that the change from baseline in forced vital capacity (FVC) in patients continuing treatment with nintedanib in the extension trial between baseline and week 48 and between weeks 48 and 96 was comparable to what was observed in patients on active treatment with nintedanib in the 52 week INPULSIS parent trials.

"We now have long-term data for OFEV in IPF patients showing that disease progression observed in INPULSIS is consistent for up to 3 years. In addition, no new safety signals were identified.This adds to the robust body of evidence demonstrating that OFEV is an effective and manageable treatment with clear benefits for patients living with IPF," said Professor Bruno Crestani, Professor of Pneumology at the Paris Diderot University School of Medicine, France and Head of the Pneumology and Rare Lung Disease Department at Bichat Hospital, France.

The following mean changes in FVC were seen in INPULSIS and INPULSIS-ON:

In INPULSIS , for patients on nintedanib mean change in FVC from baseline to week 52 was -89 mL compared to 203 mL for patients on placebo

, for patients on nintedanib mean change in FVC from baseline to week 52 was -89 mL compared to 203 mL for patients on placebo In INPULSIS -ON, for patients continuing nintedanib mean change in FVC was -96 mL from baseline to week 48

-ON, for patients continuing nintedanib mean change in FVC was -96 mL from baseline to week 48 In INPULSIS-ON, for patients continuing nintedanib mean change in FVC was -124 mL from week 48 to week 96

Average total exposure of patients treated with nintedanib in INPULSIS and INPULSIS-ONtrials was approximately 3 years (35.7 months). Long-term treatment with nintedanib(up to 51 months) was associated with a manageable safety and tolerability profile consistent with the findings of the INPULSIS studies and with no new safety signals identified.Side effects with nintedanib can be effectively managed in most patients with diarrhoea being the most frequently reported side effect.

Professor Crestani added: "With this further evidence about OFEV we have even greater treatment confidence. This is important because in a progressive disease like IPF it is so crucial to first discuss treatment options with our patients, get them on treatment early and then encourage them to stay on their medication."

Additional INPULSIS analyses assessing the effect of nintedanib on FVC

Two additional subgroup-analyses from the INPULSIS study examined whether disease extent at baseline as measured by the composite physiologic index (CPI) or the level of gas exchange impairment in the lungs could impact the treatment effect of nintedanib. Both analyses confirmed the beneficial effect of nintedanib on annual rate of FVC decline irrespective of the level of baseline impairment, and provide further evidence of the benefits of nintedanib in slowing disease progression in a broad range of IPF patients.

These data were presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2016. The corresponding abstracts can be found within the online programme, here: http://www.erscongress.org/programme-2016/access-the-programme.html

Gas exchange is the delivery of oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream, and the elimination of carbon dioxide from the bloodstream to the lungs. The level of gas exchange was assessed by the diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO). Lower values of DLCO imply a higher impairment of the capacity of the lung to exchange gases. The composite physiologic index (CPI) is an index that more accurately reflects the extent of fibrosis in the lungs than individual lung function tests.

Including those with preserved lung function (FVC>90%pred), no honeycombing on HRCT and concomitant emphysema

~ ENDS ~

Please click on the link below for 'Notes to Editors' and 'References'

http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/long-term_data_demonstrates_safety_and_beneficial_effect_of_OFEV

Intended audiences:

This press release is issued from our Corporate Headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907006144/en/

Contacts:

Boehringer Ingelheim

Corporate Communications

Media + PR

Anja Konschak

Phone: +49 6132 77 182415

Fax: +49 6132 77 6601

Email: press@boehringeringelheim.com
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, will be at the University of Alberta to announce infrastructure funding for the institution and to highlight the benefits of the Government of Canada's Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund.

Date: Thursday, September 8, 2016 Time: 9:30 a.m. (MT) Location: Engineering Teaching and Learning Complex Solarium, Room 2-100 University of Alberta 9107 116 Street NW Edmonton, Alberta

Follow Minister Bains on social media.

Twitter: @MinisterISED

Contacts:

Philip Proulx

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Innovation,

Science and Economic Development

343-291-2500



Media Relations

Innovation, Science and

Economic Development Canada

343-291-1777

ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca




MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Dundee Sustainable Technologies Inc. ("DST" or the "Corporation") (CSE: DST) is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed a piloting program (the "Program") with an international gold mining company (the "Miner") (Refer to February 3rd, 2016 press release). The Program demonstrated the technical feasibility of integrating DST proprietary arsenic stabilization technology (the "DST Technology") into the Miner's operations.

DST Technology is designed for the sequestration of arsenic in a stable glass form. During the course of the piloting program, DST reached optimal processing conditions for the successful vitrification of arsenical matter provided by the Miner. Several piloting runs allowed for arsenical material to be processed and to generate 670 kg of vitrified arsenical matter. The Program demonstrated the stability of the produced glass, which contained up to 20.4% arsenic, by passing the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) toxicity characterization leaching procedure (TCLP, Method 1311) with 2.09 mg of arsenic per litre (limit of 5 mg/L).

The Program is part of a two-phase approach aimed, in a first phase, at confirming, at the pilot plant scale, that the DST Technology can be successfully implemented on material provided by the Miner for arsenic stabilization. In a second phase, a study may be performed, at the pre-feasibility level, to evaluate the technical and economic implications of a full-scale DST arsenic stabilization plant located at the site of the Miner's operation.

DST Technology produces a more stable product than current industrial practices with competitive cost in terms of reagent and energy consumption when compared with the stabilization of arsenic by hydrated iron arsenate (scorodite). DST Technology is opening new opportunities for deposits or concentrates considered to contain too much arsenic to be exploited using conventional approaches.

These successful results constitute a major milestone in DST's efforts to implement its arsenic stabilization technology on an industrial scale.

About Dundee Sustainable Technologies, a company controlled by Dundee Corporation

The Corporation is engaged in the development of environment-friendly technologies for the treatment of materials in the mining industry. Through the development of patented, proprietary processes, DST extracts precious and base metals from ores, concentrates and tailings, while stabilizing contaminants such as arsenic, which could not otherwise be extracted or stabilized with conventional processes because of metallurgical issues or environmental considerations.

At present, DST's most advanced proprietary process is the extraction of precious metals using a chlorination process which provides a cyanide-free alternative for the exploitation of gold deposits.

The primary benefits of this innovative technology are shorter processing times, a closed-loop operation eliminating the need for costly tailings pond, and a reduced environmental footprint related to the inert and stable characteristics of the cyanide free tailings.

The chlorination process developed by DST is a recognized "green technology" for which it was awarded a $5 million grant from the Government of Canada to assist in the construction and operation of a demonstration plant. The plant will serve as a demonstration platform for the chlorination process on an industrial scale and under continuous operating conditions.

In addition to the chlorination process, DST operates a pilot plant designed to demonstrate its arsenic stabilization process for the sequestration of arsenic in a stable glass form. This process is becoming an attractive solution to segregate the arsenic and is therefore opening opportunities for materials considered to contain too much of this toxic material to be exploited or stabilized using conventional approaches.

DST has filed, published and was granted patents for these processes in several countries.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains forward-looking statements that address future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors, some of which may be beyond the Corporation's control. These factors include: general market and industry conditions, risks related to continuous operations and to commercialization of new technologies and other risks disclosed in the Corporation's filings with Canadian Securities Regulators.

Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Corporation's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on 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 CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Dundee Sustainable Technologies Inc.

Brian Howlett

Interim President and CEO

(514) 866-6001 # 239 / Cell: (647) 227-3035

(514) 866-6193 (FAX)

info@dundeetechnologies.com




SAN JOSE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 --

DataStax Enterprise helps drive intuitive digital banking experience to give customers the power to take control of their finances

Foundational technology allows Macquarie to respond to ever-changing needs, while delivering an exceptional experience and value

Powerful search and analytics capabilities in DataStax Enterprise support Macquarie's mission-critical, real-time and data intensive application

Cassandra Summit - DataStax, the leading provider of database software for cloud applications, today announced that global financial services provider Macquarie Group leverages DataStax Enterprise (DSE) to help deliver a world-class digital customer experience for the company's Banking and Financial Services Group.

Click to Tweet: .@DataStax Helps Power @Macquarie Bank's World-Class Customer Experience ow.ly/GY9t303XTuq CassandraSummit

Perspectives on the News:

"We looked at the experience consumers receive from popular social media sites, search engines and video and music streaming services, and saw an opportunity to use leading edge technology to bring the same personalized and intuitive experience to banking," said Luis Uguina, Chief Digital Officer for Macquarie's Banking and Financial Services Group. "To do this, we needed a scalable technology platform able to provide real-time value, and working with DataStax Enterprise has enabled us to be more nimble and utilise the most up to date technological capabilities available."

"It's been an exciting journey working with Macquarie as they built a digital banking experience that gives so much power to customers in such an intuitive way," said Billy Bosworth, CEO, DataStax. "Our teams have been able to bring together the collective learnings and paradigms of technology leading organizations to provide consumers a level of personalization not typical in the banking industry."

Building Macquarie's Digital Banking Capability

Macquarie is dedicated to building innovative customer experiences and has chosen DataStax Enterprise and its powerful search and analytics capabilities to help drive digital transformation. Macquarie needed a scalable and real-time environment to capture and analyze fast-occurring events and data streams to provide consumers with quick and personalized financial insights. This meant large volumes of transactional data, events and actions needed to be accessible at high speeds and stored for a long period of time. It also meant augmenting the data collected from the customer with information sourced at enterprise levels to provide meaningful and searchable analysis. Macquarie's architecture also had to be able to respond to the ever-changing needs and demands of future customers, regulators and technologies.

Using DSE, Macquarie built a market-leading retail banking suite and innovative digital experience to empower its customers in Australia. It adapts to customer behavior, predicts their needs and thinks like their customers do, with many features that are a first of their kind in Australian banking. The high-performance search and analytics capabilities of DSE enable instant access to data without time-consuming or costly ETL processes to move data between systems. As both search and analytics are core capabilities of DSE, Macquarie is able to deliver transformative real-time value at the scale their business demands.

"Our digital offering will continue to evolve based on feedback from customers. We're taking a highly agile approach by delivering customer-requested changes quickly and will also be giving early adopters of our products access to our beta environment to test our innovations," said Uguina.

Macquarie Banks' Banking and Financial Services Group Digital Architect, Rajay Rai, will be presenting at Cassandra Summit 2016, and addressing how Macquarie Bank is using DataStax Enterprise to help power its digital banking transformation. A replay of the Cassandra Summit 2016 keynote will be available here.

About DataStax

DataStax, the leading provider of database software for cloud applications, accelerates the ability of enterprises, government agencies, and systems integrators to power the exploding number of cloud applications that require data distribution across datacenters and clouds, by using our secure, operationally simple platform built on Apache Cassandra.

With more than 500 customers in over 50 countries, DataStax Enterprise is the database technology of choice for the world's most innovative companies, such as Netflix, Safeway, ING, Adobe, Intuit, Target and eBay. Based in Santa Clara, Calif., DataStax is backed by industry-leading investors including Comcast Ventures, Crosslink Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Meritech Capital, Premji Invest and Scale Venture Partners. For more information, visit DataStax.com or follow us on @DataStax.

About Macquarie Group

Macquarie Group is a global provider of banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services. Founded in 1969, Macquarie employs more than 14,300 people in 28 countries. At 31 March 2016, Macquarie had assets under management of $A478.6 billion.

Macquarie Banking and Financial Services Group comprises Macquarie's retail banking and financial services businesses, providing a diverse range of personal banking, wealth management and business banking products and services to retail customers, advisers, brokers and business clients. For more information, visit www.macquarie.com/au/personal.

For more information, please contact:

Wendy Hynes

DataStax

408.503.0279

wendy.hynes@datastax.com




Audience Base delivers on the promise of flexible and seamless data-driven marketing and audience segmentation for brands, agencies and publishers across the whole advertising ecosystem

Adform (www.adform.com), the independent and open full stack ad-tech platform serving media agencies, trading desks, brands and publishers globally, today announced the availability of its existing data management platform (DMP) as a standalone solution that enterprises can integrate into their existing digital ad-tech and mar-tech environments. As part of the launch, the Adform DMP has changed its name to Audience Base.

The addition of a standalone option to the Audience Base platform is a direct response to feedback from major clients, who highlighted the complete absence in the market of a flexible, cost efficient and powerful way to effectively and seamlessly use their data across the advertising ecosystem.

First introduced to the market two-and-a-half years ago as an integrated component to its ad-tech stack, Audience Base collects, combines, categorizes and converts first-, second- and third-party data into astute consumer insights. Brands, agencies and publishers can leverage these insights to enhance campaign performance, create granular audience segments for targeting and tailor messages in support of personalized marketing initiatives in today's omnichannel environment.

Currently, more than 400 clients use Audience Base, including the majority of the Global Holding groups, as well as enterprise-class companies such as Deutsche Telekom and Deutsche Bahn. The solution is suitable for a wide range of organizations, from niche agencies specializing in boutique clients, to multi-national brands seeking to optimize their marketing across the globe by receiving deep, actionable data insights. Publishers can use Audience Base to gain valuable insights into their user base, in order to understand and monetize their audiences effectively, helping them increase the value of their inventory, boost revenue and ensure that all content on their site is user-relevant.

"We needed to take our digital marketing function to the next level," said Bulent Inci, head of performance marketing at DB Vertrieb, regarding Audience Base. "To do this, we realized we needed to implement a centralized data management solution that could be seamlessly integrated with a number of our internal systems, e.g. CRM, email marketing or onsite tracking. With Adform, we've found this solution. They offer a great level of flexibility and we can now completely control all of our first party data."

"Through the years, our Audience Base clients have enjoyed incredible success with their cross-channel, data-driven campaigns. Up until today, Audience Base was exclusively offered as part of our full ad-tech stack, but we decided to offer it as a standalone platform in response to popular customer demand. Many agencies, brands and publishers work with several ad-tech platforms and need an independent DMP solution, along with a strong service setup and we feel Audience Base delivers exactly this," explained Jochen Schlosser, Adform SVP data.

About Adform

Adform is the independent and open full stack ad-tech platform that encompasses creativity, data and trading, servicing media agencies, trading desks, brands and publishers globally.

All of our solutions are modular, and easily inter-operate with all major technologies used throughout the digital advertising ecosystem.

Adform was founded in Denmark in 2002 and is among the world's largest private and independent advertising technology companies. We have over 800 employees globally, with offices in 18 countries throughout Europe, North America, MENA and APAC.

Visit http://www.adform.com or http://join.adform.com for more information.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907006181/en/

Contacts:

Media

Dana Casalino for Adform

dana@kitehillpr.com

646-760-2038
NEW YORK, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Increasing government focus & growing consumer awareness about energy efficient lighting is set to drive sales of LED lighting products in India.

Recently released report by TechSci Research, "India LED Lighting Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021", discusses about the LED lights market in India. The market is expected to witness tremendous growth on account of rising personal disposable income, increasing government initiatives which are focusing on the benefits of LED lights.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 )



Consumers are preferring the LED lights over traditional and CFL lights as LED lights are more environmental friendly compared to CFL and incandescent lamps. LED manufacturing companies are making such LED lights which consume less energy thereby reducing the carbon footprint on the environment. The growing green building construction which involves bounded use of light, energy and construction material has subsequently driven the demand and sales of energy efficient LED lighting in India. The growing number of green projects from government as well as private builders is further projected to increase the demand for LED lights over the next five years. Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) has planned to develop 7 smart cities in states like Gujrat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, which are expected to be completed in 3 phases within next 10 years wherein government will emphasize on energy efficient lighting products which is expected to boost the demand of LED lights in the country. Rising urban population of the country, which stood at 31%, of the total population of the country, in 2011 rose to over 33% by 2015 which is expected to emanate the demand for LED lights in India.

Philips & Surya Roshni are leading India LED lighting market with cumulative share of around 30%. However, the market is expected to witness major shift due to market entry of new players and planned launches of innovative products. Several initiatives are being taken by the companies in order to promote the usage of LED lighting products has also positively affected the LED market for instance, Philips, which is the market leader in LED lighting in India has tied up with Elcoma to create awareness amongst consumers about the advantage of LED lamps.

"India, is the second most populous country and 5th largest electricity consumer globally, however, soon there will be a visible gap in the supply and demand of electricity and in order to reduce the electricity consumption, the usage of LED lights should be increased. Moreover, the increasing government support and introduction of wide and innovative portfolio of LED lights results, reduction in prices and this provides customers more choices which enables them to choose the products according to their needs and price affordability. These factors coupled together makes India LED lighting market a lucrative market for companies operating in the industry.", said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm.

"India LED Lighting Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021" has evaluated the future growth potential of the India LED lighting market and provides statistics and information on market structure, size, share, forecast and future growth of the country's LED lighting market. The report is intended to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers to take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyses the emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities present in the India LED Lighting market.

Download full report on"India LED Lighting Market"

https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/india-led-lighting-market-by-type-led-bulbs-lamps-led-batten-lights-led-downlights-etc-by-application-outdoor-lighting-indoor-lighting-automotive-lighting-and-others-by-end-use-sector-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/674.html

About TechSci Research

TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends.



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Suspicions had been mounting over why the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) was refusing to accept international arbitration for the PV projects that had been agreed in Phase 1 of the country's new FIT program. With the announcement of a new revised phase for the program, which slashes FIT rates, projects awarded under the first tender are unlikely to come to fruition, as developers will likely need to reenter through this second phase. A new renewable era Egypt originally announced the scheme in 2014, with a goal of attracting international investment and foreign financing for solar and wind projects within the country. It set an initial target of 4.3 GW of renewable energy projects to help the country on its way to meet its aim of having renewables make up 20% of its energy mix by 2020 (this has since become 2022). To attract investors and solar developers, it was offering generous FIT rates of $13.6 cents/kWh for PV plants between 500 KW and 20 MW, and $14.3 cents/kWh for PV plants of 20 MW to 50 MW. Queries over such a relatively high rate were raised in the following months, as other emerging markets such as Dubai and Jordan offered rates that were significantly lower. Seat of arbitration dispute Once developers had been decided for the 2 GW of PV projects on offer, draft Project Agreements began to be passed ...

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.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A Weekly Election Tracking Poll by NBC News among voters who are currently serving or have previously served in the U.S. military gives big lead for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Trump leads by 19 points - 55 percent to 36 percent - in the poll conducted online from August 29 through September 4 among 32,226 registered voters. They included 3,358 voters who have previously served or are currently serving in the U.S. military. It comes a day after a group of 88 retired generals and admirals endorsed Trump for President, and despite Trump's criticism of the Khan family, whose son was killed while on military duty in Iraq. However, a sizable number of military and veteran voters say they would not be confident in neither of the presidential candidates' ability to be an effective commander-in-chief of the US military. While 47 percent voters said they would not be confident in Trump's ability to serve as an effective commander-in-chief, their confidence level in Clinton is 35 percent. Among voters overall, Trump does slightly better than the former Secretary of State on the handling of veterans' issues. 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.
BUFFALO, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Liazon, operator of the industry-leading private benefits exchange Bright Choices, is making it easier for businesses to comply with Affordable Care Act (ACA) regulations, including satisfying the requirements around IRS Forms 1094-C and 1095-C. Thanks to partnerships with ACA compliance innovators Accord Systems, Equifax, and Health e(fx), employers on Liazon private exchanges can now utilize a streamlined solution for all of their ACA compliance needs.

Under the ACA, businesses with 50 or more "full time equivalent employees" (FTEs) are required to provide their "full-time" employees and the IRS with information about the type of health coverage they offer and the time period over which such coverage is offered. Employers are also required to submit employee demographic information-such as how many full-time vs. part-time employees they have-to the IRS and verify whether they are offering an "affordable/minimum value" plan, among other requirements.

Liazon provides broad ACA support throughout the year including integrated wellness programs and rewards, electronic distribution of Summaries of Benefits and Coverage, data for W-2 reporting, dependent coverage to age 26 and age-off administration, and adherence to prescribed Medical Flexible Spending Account limits, among others. When it comes to the IRS Forms 1094-C and 1095-C, Liazon provides employers with self-service or outsourced solutions, enabling clients to fulfill end-of-year reporting requirements whether they choose to work with one of Liazon's preferred ACA vendors or complete the forms on their own.

"Compliance with the ACA's new reporting requirements can be a daunting and arduous task for businesses given the amount of data and information they are asked to submit and the complexity of the IRS Forms they need to complete," says Liazon's Director of Partnerships Dan Lathrop. "Through Liazon's standard reports and Liazon's preferred ACA vendor partnerships, we are streamlining a complex process, while providing employers with options to ensure they meet their company's compliance needs."

In addition to completing the IRS forms, the preferred vendor partners can also provide services to help with computing whether an employee should be considered "full-time," counting hours worked over a specified "measurement" period, and compiling data from multiple sources and/or systems.

After a thorough due diligence process, Liazon chose to partner with Accord Systems, Equifax, and Health e(fx) based off of their past track record, customer reviews, ability to service a large number of clients, and preferred pricing arrangements for Liazon clients. Liazon has set up streamlined processes to provide preferred vendor partners with any necessary information via reports or file feeds, reducing the burden on the employer.

Additional information can be found here.

About Accord Systems

Accord Systems is a full service Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting company. Accord Systems provides two service offerings to meet the needs of the marketplace. These offerings are 1) Full Service Tracking and IRS Reporting and 2) IRS Forms Generation. In 2015 Accord Systems introduced a market leading proprietary audit validation toolset (Form Patrol) that verifies 1095-C Part II information prior to submission to the IRS. Based in Alpharetta, Georgia, Accord Systems brings over 50 years of leadership experience in the benefits marketplace and related data integration services.

About Equifax

Equifax powers the financial future of individuals and organizations around the world. Using the combined strength of unique trusted data, technology and innovative analytics, Equifax has grown from a consumer credit company into a leading provider of insights and knowledge that helps its customers make informed decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its databases include employee data contributed from more than 5,000 employers. For more information, visit www.equifax.com

About Health E(fx) Solutions

Health E(fx) is a recognized leader of ACA compliance and management solutions for employers, third-party administrators, and HR solution outsourcing. Health E(fx) manages ACA compliance and reporting for more than 4 million employees across a variety of industries, including retail, hospitality, education, staffing and temporary services, manufacturing, transportation, health services, grocery, and large food services companies. Named Top HR Product of 2014 by HR Magazine, Health E(fx)'s solutions manage all eligibility determination and tracking, safe harbors, regulatory compliance reports, and other employer-mandated responsibilities under health reform. Each solution is system agnostic and delivers data modeling and analytics to help optimize and manage benefits, workforce strategy, and more. The comprehensive programs exceed all of the ACA's data validity and audit requirements, making it a preferred solution for HR managers. For more information, please visit: www.healthefx.us.

About Liazon

Liazon operates the industry-leading private benefits exchanges for businesses across the U.S. Liazon's exchange, distributed under the brand name Bright Choices and as a private label, is an online benefits store that allows employees to personalize their benefits package with a selection of health, dental, vision, life, disability, and a host of other benefits from top national and regional providers. Bright Choices enables companies to achieve a benefits strategy that maximizes value for their benefits dollars and helps attract and retain talent through high employee satisfaction and empowerment. Liazon was acquired by Towers Watson, now Willis Towers Watson, in 2013. To learn more about Liazon and the Bright Choices Exchange, go to www.liazon.com.

Contact:

Stephanie Ramirez-Nobbe

sramirez@groupgordon.com






WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Two Russian astronauts and an American astronaut have returned to Earth after their mission aboard the International Space Station.



NASA astronaut and Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams and his Russian crewmates Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, landed in their Soyuz TMA-20M at 9:13 p.m. EDT Tuesday (7:13 a.m. Wednesday, local time) southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan.



Having completed his fourth mission, Williams now has spent 534 days in space, making him first on the all-time NASA astronaut list. Skripochka now has 331 days in space on two flights, while Ovchinin spent 172 days in space on his first.



Williams was instrumental in preparing the station for the future arrival of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft.



During his time on the orbital complex, Williams ventured outside the confines of the space station for a second spacewalk with Rubins to retract a spare thermal control radiator and install two new high-definition cameras.



Together, the Expedition 48 crew members contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard humanity's only orbiting laboratory.



Expedition 49 continues operating the station with Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos in command. He, Rubins, and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will operate the station for more than two weeks until the arrival of three new crew members.



Shane Kimbrough of NASA and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch September 23 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Reach Beyond's New President: 'Together We Can Reach the World in Our Generation' Rev. Steve Harling Taking the Helm at Global Outreach Ministry



Contact: Darin Campbell, 512-785-8350



COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 7, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Reach Beyond announced the appointment of Rev. Steve Harling, long-time pastor and missionary leader, to the role of president effective Thursday, Sept. 1. Committed to growing the ministry's legacy of reaching unreached people groups, Harling will take a global tour of the outreach ministry's media and medical-based operations on five continents during his first hundred days at the helm.



Photo: Steve Harling is the new President of Reach Beyond.



"I am looking forward to inspiring, mentoring and mobilizing a new generation of global servants," said Harling. "Together, along with our ministry partners, we're eager to take the gospel to places where it's never been."



"For over 85 years, God has used Reach Beyond's unique approach to partnership, blending media with medicine, to transform thousands of lives. I'm eager to build on that heritage. Together we can bring the good news of Jesus to every remaining people groupand we can do it within our generation."



Harling and his wife, Becky, spent 36 years pastoring churches of up to 4,500 members. He expects to continue using his preaching and organizational skills to highlight the evangelistic work of Reach Beyond. The Harlings served internationally with SIM USA, pastoring the Khartoum International Church in Sudan. He also has more than 25 years' mission board experience with SIM, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Global Refuge and Bethany Home.



Becky Harling is a well-known author and speaker who focuses on helping women overcome obstacles through prayer and God's guidance. "I'm so excited to stand with Steve and the Reach Beyond family in taking the love of Jesus to people around the world," said Becky. "This is such an exciting opportunity for us. We're thrilled to see what God does through Reach Beyond in the coming years."



Wayne Pederson, outgoing president of Reach Beyond, began his tenure with the ministry in 2008, serving eight years before announcing that he and wife, Willi, will be moving into a new phase of life, spending more time with family, serving on ministry boards and focusing on a recently launched initiative called the International Day for the Unreached.



"The transition in leadership has gone very well," said Harling. "God has used Wayne to position Reach Beyond for high-impact ministry into the coming years. I'm forever grateful for the leadership he has provided. I have big shoes to fill."



Reach Beyond, formerly known as HCJB Global, began in 1931 to launch radio stations that spread the gospel throughout Latin America and beyond. The organization continued to grow, adding broadcasts in dozens of languages and dialects, including Russian, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic, propagating its message of salvation throughout the world.



To date the ministry has partnered with local believers to establish more than 500 community radio stations, most in parts of the world where the population is less than 2 percent evangelical. Reach Beyond is also using innovative technologies to reach unengaged people through the media they use.



In the early 1950s, HCJB, convinced that the poor and destitute needed to feel Jesus' touch as well as hear His Word, began building medical facilities to address the healthcare needs of their listeners. Today Reach Beyond provides mobile care, clean water initiatives and training for medical and community development missionaries around the world.



Reach Beyond (www.reachbeyond.org) is a media- and medical-based evangelical ministry with operations on five continents. It spreads the gospel of Jesus via both traditional and new media, including radio broadcasts, webcasts, social media and the distribution of solar-powered radios. It also reaches out to the needy throughout its growing network of healthcare services. Today Reach Beyond has more than 1,000 staff members in over 30 countries.

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SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --ABI Research ranks Bosch as the leader among 20 Tier One connected car suppliers considered in its latest competitive analysis. Harman and Continental received second and third place, respectively. Bosch's explosive sales growth last year, significant capital expenditures to fund future development, cadre of strategic partnerships, and commitment to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) solutions place it in a strong position to pioneer the continuing evolution of the automotive industry.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151014/276887LOGO

The top five companies listed by rank include Bosch, Harman, Continental, Delphi, and Visteon. Bosch, Magna, Visteon, Harman, and Continental were the top five Tier One vendors for best implementation due to their portfolio breadth and strategic ecosystem partnerships. Meanwhile, Bosch, Harman, Delphi, Continental, and Hyundai Mobis were the top five for innovation thanks to their work in ADAS and autonomous features, HMI, infotainment, and telematics.

"Bosch tasked thousands of engineers to develop next-generation ADAS solutions like DualView display and NeoSense," says Susan Beardslee, Senior Analyst at ABI Research. "As Human Machine Interaction, or HMI, electrification, and predictive analytics further evolve, Bosch's investments, acquisitions, and partnerships, like its ones with Mercedes, Porsche, and TomTom, will continue to place it as a leading market share vendor."

Bosch is one of a few suppliers to extend its footprint into non-hardware services, such as mobility services, active parking lot management, and IoT software. Its in-vehicle electronics include hybrid powertrain and electrification, as well as the Bosch Body Computer Module. The company sits sixteen points ahead of Harman and more than twenty ahead of Continental in the competitive analysis. While Continental is an ADAS market leader, Harman pioneers in its development of virtual reality modeling that blends different camera images to generate a full surround view.

"The industry will see continued transformation through strategic acquisitions, partnerships, and disinvestments as suppliers converge and shift toward software, services, and security," concludes Beardslee. "Examples of this include Visteon's recent purchase of AllGo Embedded Systems and its decision to sell its automotive interiors facility, Valeo's announcement to provide low-cost, solid-state LiDAR with LeddarTech to support ADAS, and industry disruptor Gentex's decision to grow its connected electro-optical business by working with OEMs like GM and Nissan."

These findings are from ABI Research's Connected Automotive: Tier One Suppliers (https://www.abiresearch.com/market-research/product/1025160-connected-automotive-tier-one-suppliers/). This report is part of the company's Automotive, Smart Mobility, & Transportation sector (https://www.abiresearch.com/market-research/practice/autonomous-driving-location-tech/), which includes research, data, and analyst insights.

About ABI Research

ABI Research stands at the forefront of technology market research, providing business leaders with comprehensive research and consulting services to help them implement informed, transformative technology decisions. Founded more than 25 years ago, the company's global team of senior and long-tenured analysts delivers deep market data forecasts, analyses, and teardown services. ABI Research is an industry pioneer, proactively uncovering ground-breaking business cycles and publishing research 18 to 36 months in advance of other organizations. For more information, visit www.abiresearch.com.
TORONTO, CANADA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Alabama Graphite Corp. ("AGC" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:ALP)(OTCQX:ABGPF)(FRANKFURT:1AG) is very pleased to announce that it has manufactured and shipped samples of two specifications of its coated spherical graphite ("CSPG") to a long-established, U.S.-based leader in Lithium-ion ("Li-ion") battery production for numerous and varied military applications for the United States Department of Defense ("DoD"). Additionally, AGC announces that it has shipped a CSPG sample to a subsidiary of Paris-based multi-national energy conglomerate, Total S.A. ("Total"). The names of the DoD battery manufacturer and Total subsidiary are not being disclosed due to reasons of commercial confidentiality.

The Company conveyed fine- and coarse-sized CSPG made from its Coosa Graphite Project material - located in Coosa County, Alabama, USA - to the DoD contractor, which is located within a day's drive from AGC's offices in Sylacauga, Alabama. The fine CSPG has been designed with the intent of eventually being used for power-based applications, namely rechargeable batteries for soldiers. The coarse CSPG has been designed with the intent of eventually being utilized for energy-based applications, such as micro-grid energy storage for forward deployed soldiers. All requisite downstream secondary processing to manufacture these test samples of AGC's Coosa CSPG was conducted in the United States of America.

This large-scale, specialty advanced Li-ion battery manufacturer was awarded a USD$22,000,000 DoD contract to manufacture Li-ion batteries - including battery cells, which are a critical element in energy-dependent weaponry - in the United States. For years, the U.S. government has relied on other countries for the production of its Li-ion cells. The DoD has demonstrated its intent to address security of supply as it pertains to American Li-ion battery and cell production by investing to guarantee domestic Li-ion capacity, and specifically sourcing American input materials. The DoD's significant investment is meant to ensure the affordable production of critical items deemed essential for national defense and was funded under the DoD's Lithium-ion Battery for Military Applications ("LIMA") project.

This brings the current number of DoD battery manufacturers that have received AGC's American-sourced and manufactured battery graphite samples to three (please refer to the Company's June 23, 2016 and August 15, 2016 announcements, ('Alabama Graphite Corp. Announces Shipment of American Sourced and Manufactured CSPG Samples to United States Department of Defense (DoD) Lithium-ion Battery Solutions Provider' and 'Alabama Graphite Corp. Announces Multi-Kilogram Shipment of American Sourced and Manufactured Samples to United States Department of Defense (DoD) Lithium-ion Battery Manufacturer' respectively.). Per the Company's July 18, 2016 announcement ('Alabama Graphite Corp. Announces the Execution of Six Non-Disclosure Agreements with U.S Department of Defense Lithium-ion Battery Solution Providers for Coated Spherical Graphite (CSPG) Samples'), multiple other DoD lithium battery manufacturers have requested secondary-processed battery graphite evaluation samples and AGC is diligently working to produce the requested specifications.

The Total subsidiary company is located in France and will evaluate AGC's 20-micron CSPG for Li-ion batteries.

AGC President, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director, Donald Baxter stated, "AGC is very pleased to have again manufactured CSPG samples to end users' requested specifications. We have shipped CSPG samples to another major DoD Li-ion battery manufacturer, as well as to a multi-billion-dollar global subsidiary of energy giant Total.

"We believe that our DoD-focussed business strategy addresses an issue critical to U.S. national defense - manufacturing Li-ion battery cells in the United States with American-sourced and manufactured input materials," said Mr. Baxter. "The DoD battery manufacturers that we are in discussions with certainly appreciate that our CSPG is made in America, but they seem far more interested in the fact that our battery graphite is sourced in the United States. It is our intent that one day in the not-too-distant future, our graphite from the great state of Alabama will help power the critical-application batteries that will save lives and protect American soldiers."

The DoD, DoE and other U.S. Federal government departments and agencies encourage their contractors and suppliers to source their input materials from within the USA, whenever and wherever possible. Additionally, provisions of the Buy American Act (the "Act") and other legislation may afford AGC a potential competitive advantage when engaging with these entities. With certain exceptions, such legislation requires that all goods for public use - articles, materials, or supplies - must be produced in the USA, and manufactured items must be manufactured in the USA from U.S. materials. Many states and municipalities include similar geographic production requirements in their procurement legislation. Note, in certain government procurements, the Act's requirement purchase may be waived if the domestic product is 50% or more expensive than an identical foreign-sourced product, if the product is not available domestically in sufficient quantity or quality, or if doing so is in the public interest. However, it is important to be aware that any legislation may be subject to change over time. For example, potential changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or the Act itself, could level the playing field for non-U.S. government/DoD procurements, and the Company and its business plan and prospects are always at risk of adverse changes in any applicable legislation. Given the foregoing, if, following the completion of a Feasibility Study (which has not yet been commenced), AGC is able to advance the Coosa Graphite Project into production, the resulting graphite would be sourced from within the contiguous United States and the Company may have a potential competitive advantage over other producers of value-added graphite materials sourced from other countries, regardless of whether said materials were processed and/or manufactured in the U.S.

Note: AGC completed its Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the Coosa Graphite Project on November 27, 2015. A PEA is not a Feasibility Study. The PEA is preliminary in nature, that it includes Inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA based on these mineral resources will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

At this time, no further deal terms have been reached, nor has AGC entered into any letters of intent, offtake agreements, supply or customer agreements or any other form of definitive agreements with these battery manufacturers. As the Company's discussions remain at a preliminary stage only, there can be no assurance or guarantee that the Company will enter into a binding agreement.

AGC will continue to update shareholders and the market in a timely fashion of further material developments with respect to this and other potential American-based end users, as we are able to disclose. Please note, certain potential end users preclude the Company from announcing any aspect of its relationship and activities, ranging from the execution of an NDA to the shipment(s) of sample material(s).

For more information about AGC's secondary processing to produce its CSPG, please refer to the independent report, "Alabama Graphite's Coated Spherical Purified Graphite for the Lithium-ion Battery Industry," prepared by Dr. Gareth P. Hatch, CEng, FIMMM, FIET, Founding Principal of Technology Metals Research, LLC, and Independent Director of the Company.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of ALABAMA GRAPHITE CORP.

Donald K. D. Baxter, P.Eng.

President, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director

Qualified Person

Donald K. D. Baxter, P.Eng., President, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Alabama Graphite Corp., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 guidelines, and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.

About Alabama Graphite Corp.

Alabama Graphite Corp. is a Canadian-based flake graphite exploration and development company as well as an aspiring battery materials production and technology company. The Company operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Alabama Graphite Company Inc. (a company registered in the state of Alabama). With an advancing flake graphite project in the United States of America, Alabama Graphite Corp intends to become a reliable, long-term U.S. supplier of specialty high-purity graphite products. A highly experienced team leads the Company with more than 100 years of combined graphite mining, graphite processing, specialty graphite products and applications, and graphite sales experience. Alabama Graphite Corp. is focused on the exploration and development of its flagship Coosa Graphite Project in Coosa County, Alabama, and its Bama Mine Project in Chilton County, Alabama as well the research and development of its proprietary manufacturing and technological processing process of battery materials.

Alabama Graphite Corp. holds a 100% interest in the mineral rights for these two U.S.-based graphite projects, which are both located on private land. The two projects encompass more than 43,000 acres and are located in a geopolitically stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction with significant historical production of crystalline flake graphite in the flake graphite belt of central Alabama, also known as the Alabama Graphite Belt (source: U.S. Bureau of Mines). A significant portion of the Alabama deposits are characterized by graphite-bearing material that is oxidized and has been weathered into extremely soft rock. Both projects have infrastructure in place, are within close proximity to major highways, rail, power and water, and are approximately three hours (by truck or train) to the Port of Mobile, the Alabama Port Authority's deep-seawater port and the ninth largest port by tonnage in the United States (source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/USACE). The state of Alabama's hospitable climate allows for year-round mining operations and the world's largest marble quarry (which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in Sylacauga, Alabama), is located within a 30-minute drive of the Coosa Graphite Project.

On November 30, 2015, Alabama Graphite Corp. announced the results of PEA for the Coosa Graphite Project, indicating a potentially low-cost project with potential positive economics. Please refer to the Company's technical report titled "Alabama Graphite Corp. Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on the Coosa graphite Project, Alabama, USA" dated November 27, 2015, prepared by independent engineering firms AGP Mining Consultants Inc. and Metal Mining Consultants Inc., and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Note: a preliminary economic assessment is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized.

(i) Inferred Mineral Resources represent material that is considered too speculative to be included in economic evaluations. Additional trenching and/or drilling will be required to convert Inferred Mineral Resources to Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no guarantee that all or any part of the Mineral Resource will be converted into a Mineral Reserve.

For further information and updates on the Company or to sign up for Alabama Graphite Corp. News, please visit www.alabamagraphite.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), which may include, without limitation, statements with respect to any potential relationships between the Company and any end users and/or the DoD. The forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management and reflect Alabama Graphite Corp.'s current expectations. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current view of Alabama Graphite Corp. with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among other things, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of graphite; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. Forward-looking statements are also based on a number of assumptions, including that contracted parties provide goods and/or services on the agreed timeframes, that equipment necessary for exploration is available as scheduled and does not incur unforeseen breakdowns, that no labor shortages or delays are incurred, that plant and equipment function as specified, that no unusual geological or technical problems occur, and that laboratory and other related services are available and perform as contracted. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and Alabama Graphite Corp. undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements (unless required by law) if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Alabama Graphite Corp. cautions that the foregoing list of material factors and assumptions are not exhaustive. When relying on Alabama Graphite Corp. forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and assumptions and other uncertainties and potential events.

Alabama Graphite Corp. has also assumed that the material factors and assumptions will not cause any forward-looking statements to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors and assumptions is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICE PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

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Contacts:

Ann-Marie M. Pamplin

Director of Investor Relations

+1 (416) 309-8641

apamplin@alabamagraphite.com

www.alabamagraphite.com



Alabama Graphite Corp.

First Canadian Place

100 King Street West

Suite 5700

Toronto, Ontario M5X 1C7

CANADA




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- VENDOME RESOURCES CORP. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: VDR)(FRANKFURT: 9VR), is pleased to announce the following results from the annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") held at the offices of Garfinkle Biderman LLP, 1 Adelaide Street East, Suite 801, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2V9, on Tuesday, the 6th day of September, 2016:

The number of directors until the next annual general meeting of the Company was set at five. W. John Priestner, Victor Dario, Rodney Ireland and Roger Dahn were elected as directors of the Company until the next annual general meeting of the Company. Wasserman Ramsay LLP, Chartered Accountants was appointed as the Company's auditors for ensuing fiscal year.

The shareholders of the Company approved of a special resolution approving the consolidation of the presently issued common shares of the Company on a 10 for 1 basis (the "Consolidation"). The Company will immediately proceed with the Consolidation. In addition, the shareholders of the Company approved a special resolution allowing the directors of the Company to change the name of the Company to such other name as they may determine.

At the Meeting, the shareholders also passed a resolution approving the renewal of the Company's Stock Option Plan.

Following the Meeting the board of directors of the Company held a board meeting where they accepted the resignation of Victor Dario as Chief Financial Officer and appointed Jacques Arsenault in his stead as Chief Financial Officer. In addition, the board of directors reappointed W. John Priestner as President and Chief Executive Officer.

This News Release has been prepared on behalf of the directors of Vendome Resources Corp. who accepts responsibility for its contents.

About Vendome:

Vendome is a mineral exploration company located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Our primary focus is to acquire "near-term production" exploration mining projects and existing producers. Vendome Resources Corp. is managed by an experienced team of mining professionals with extensive operating and financial experience.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF VENDOME RESOURCES CORP.

W. John Priestner, President and Chief Executive Officer

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Vendome Resources Corp.

W. John Priestner

President and Chief Executive Officer

info@vendomeresourcescorp.com




The Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders of AS Trigon Property Development (registry code: 10106774) was held on September 7, 2016 in Tallinn, Viru Square 2. The Extraordinary General Meeting was opened at 11 AM and closed at 11.30 AM. The shares of the shareholders who attended the Extraordinary General Meeting represented 3,118, 657 votes, constituting 69.31 % of the total votes granted with shares. Therefore, the Extraordinary General Meeting was competent to pass resolutions regarding the items on the agenda.The agenda of the General Meeting was the following:1. Merger of AS Trigon Property Development and OU VN Niidu KinnisvaraResolution of the General Meeting:1. Merger of AS Trigon Property Development and OU VN Niidu KinnisvaraThe General Meeting decided with 3,118,657 votes and 100% votes in favour to approve the merger agreement executed on 21.07.216 between AS Trigon Property Development and OU VN Niidu Kinnisvara.The General Meeting decided to resolve the merger of AS Trigon Property Development and OU VN Niidu Kinnisvara in a way that OU VN Niidu Kinnisvara shall be the company being acquired and AS Trigon Property Development shall be the acquiring company and OU VN Niidu Kinnisvara shall be dissolved without liquidation proceedings.After the merger the acquiring company shall continue its activities under its business name - AS Trigon Property DevelopmentThe resolution was adopted at the Meeting following the procedure for passing of resolutions set forth in laws and in the Articles of Association of AS Trigon Property Development.Aivar Kempi Member of the Management Board +372 66 79 200 info@trigonproperty.com
BROSSARD, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Diagnos Inc. ("DIAGNOS" or "the Corporation") (TSX VENTURE: ADK), a leader in healthcare technical services including screening, software and algorithm development, data analysis, and image processing, announces today an operational update related to a contract with a Mexican government organization valued at up to $1.7 million.

DIAGNOS has currently deployed 14 managed screening units in Mexico City. Each screening unit consists of a non-mydriatic fundus camera, access to DIAGNOS' CARA telemedicine platform, and an optometrist responsible for taking images and collection of relevant patient information. Patient screening volume has reached 1,000 patients per day and is continuing to increase as more screening units are added and further education and marketing about the screening service spreads within each hospital site.

"The MIDE program will strengthen the Health Insurance to which all ISSSTE's patients are entitled and will contribute to control one of the major public health problems our country faces: diabetes", said Mr. Jose Reyes Baeza, Director General of ISSSTE, in an interview last march 2016 (source: http://www.radioformula.com.mx/notas.asp?Idn=577867&idFC=2016).

After the start of operations in July with 9 screening units, the Director General of ISSSTE along with his counterpart of IMSS (the Mexican Institute of Social Security) and the Minister of Health, announced the coverage of at least 518,000 diabetics for retina screening by 2018 in order to increase the coverage of new health technologies. "The prevalence of diabetes at ISSSTE is 12.8%, meaning that more than 800,000 patients live with this conditions", Mr. Jose Reyes Baeza, Director General of the Institution in charge of providing health services and social security to the Mexican government organization's employees and their families.

"Family Clinics (45 clinics) with the MIDE program in the 4 regional offices of the State of Mexico (covering Mexico City and its Metropolitan Area), will have a tool for computerized retina analysis, which involves taking pictures of the retina with a fundus camera, with an automated interpretation in 1 minute through a specialized software. With this technology you can promptly detect retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness worldwide and is usually diagnosed in advanced stages. It is estimated that about four out of every 100 people with diabetes in Mexico develop it. Still another advantage for this type of analysis is that will unburden the specialists, to properly referred patients only to specific cases that merit attention from the ophthalmologist", finished Mr. Reyes Baeza (source: http://www.radioformula.com.mx/notas.asp?Idn=614873&idFC=2016).

"We are excited to have had a successful installation and launch thus far. More than 13,000 diabetic patients to the MIDE program have been screened since the beginning of the program. We expect to have a total of 17 screening units running in hospitals within the few weeks. The program to date is successful and we are negotiating the second year agreement with the government right now," said Andre Larente, DIAGNOS' President.

About DIAGNOS

Founded in 1998, DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation with a mission to commercialize technologies combining contextual imaging and traditional data mining thereby improving decision making processes. DIAGNOS offers products, services, and solutions to clients in a variety of fields including healthcare and natural resources.

About CARA

CARA is a tele-ophthalmology platform that integrates with existing equipment (hardware and software) and processes at the point of care (POC) and comprises: image upload, image enhancement automated pre-screening, grading by a specialist, and referral to a specialist. CARA's image enhancement algorithms make standard retinal images sharper, clearer, and easier to read. CARA is accessible securely over the internet, and is compatible with all recognized image formats and brands of fundus cameras, and is EMR compatible. CARA is a cost-effective tool for screening large numbers of patients, in real-time and has been approved by regulatory authorities including Health Canada, US Food and Drug Administration, and the European Union.

Forward-looking information

This document contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these

statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact DIAGNOS, visit our website at www.diagnos.com, or visit the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.

Contacts:

Andre Larente, President

(450) 678-8882, ext.: 224




NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - Goldman Sachs has banned its partners from contributing to certain political campaigns, which includes the Donald Trump-Mike Pence presidential ticket. The story was first reported by Politico. 'The policy change is meant to prevent inadvertently violating pay-to-play rules, particularly the look-back provision, when partners transition into roles covered by these rules,' the memo said. 'The policy change is also meant to minimize potential reputational damage caused by any false perception that the firm is attempting to circumvent pay-to-play rules, particularly given partners' seniority and visibility,' the memo added. Securities and Exchange Commission limits contributions to politicians that have some control over pensions, such as state and local officials. The Bank's partner can't contribute to Trump/Pence campaign because Pence is the governor of Indiana, giving him influence over state pensions. While, they can contribute for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as she currently doesn't hold office and her vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine also is not a state or local official. In 2012, Goldmand Sachs had paid $12 million in fine to SEC to settle charges over contribution of funds to the campaign of a then Massachusetts state treasurer and governor candidate Timothy Cahill. 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.
Sales 839.5 million (up 34.8%)

EBITDA (1)24.2 million

Regulatory News:

Jacquet Metal Service (Paris:JCQ):

On September 7, 2016 the Board of Directors chaired by Eric Jacquet examined the consolidated financial statements for the period ended June 30, 2016, which were subject to a limited review by the Statutory Auditors.

m Q2 2016 Q2 2015 H1 2016 H1 2015 Sales 417.0 306.4 839.5 622.9 Gross margin 101.5 74.5 195.6 150.5 % of sales 24.3% 24.3% 23.3% 24.2% EBITDA (1) 15.4 13.5 24.2 27.9 % of sales 3.7% 4.4% 2.9% 4.5% Operating income before non-recurring items (1) 10.0 9.3 14.1 20.6 % of sales 2.4% 3.0% 1.7% 3.3% Operating income 10.1 9.6 14.5 20.6 Net income (Group share) 3.4 4.6 2.3 10.9 (1) Adjusted for non-recurring items. The Interim Report includes a definition of non-IFRS financial indicators and explains the methods used to calculate them.

First half 2016 sales and earnings

Sales amounted to 839.5 million, up 34.8% compared to first half 2015, including:

volumes up 5.4% (Q1: up 3.6%; Q2: up 7.4%) at constant consolidation and up 48.4% including the acquisition of Schmolz+Bickenbach Distribution by the IMS group division in July 2015 (six companies operating in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium);

a price effect of -13.6% (Q1: -13.3%; Q2: -13.9%) at constant consolidation, with a knock-on effect on gross margin and income. The Q2 2016 price effect compared to Q1 2016 was -1.9%.

Gross margin amounted to 195.6 million or 23.3% of sales (25.1% at constant consolidation Q1: 24.3%; Q2: 25.8%) versus 24.2% in H1 2015.

At constant consolidation, operating expenses were down 1.1% compared to H1 2015.

Accordingly, EBITDA came to 24.2 million (Q1: 8.8 million; Q2: 15.4 million) and operating income before non-recurring items was 14.1 million (Q1: 4.1 million; Q2: 10 million) versus 20.6 million in H1 2015. This change was mainly due to the decline in Group gross margin caused by falling sale prices and the impact of Schmolz+Bickenbach Distribution's performance on the IMG group results.

The improvement in results between Q1 and Q2 2016 is mainly resulting from the increase in the gross margin rate.

Net income (Group share) amounted to 2.3 million.

Financial position

As of June 30, 2016, operating working capital amounted to 369.3 million, or 23.2% of sales compared to 27% as of December 31, 2015.

First half 2016 Group operating cash flow amounted to 28 million, while capital expenditure mainly related to new finishing capacity totaled 9.5 million.

As of June 30, 2016, Group net debt stood at 200.3 million compared to shareholders' equity of 283.6 million, resulting in a net debt to equity ratio of 70.6% compared to 72.3% at December 31, 2015.

First half 2016 earnings by division

JACQUET ABRASERVICE STAPPERT IMS group stainless steel and long stainless engineering wear-resistant quarto plates steel products steels m Q2 2016 H1 2016 Q2 2016 H1 2016 Q2 2016 H1 2016 Sales 84.2 169.1 106.4 216.7 224.8 453.8 Change vs 2015 -7.3% -7.0% -7.4% -8.5% 123.7% 121.1% Price effect -17.3% -17.8% -17.0% -15.4% -6.7% -7.1% Volume effect 10.0% 10.8% 9.6% 6.9% 0.4% -2.1% Change in consolidation 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 130.0% 130.3% EBITDA (1) (2) 2.7 4.6 4.1 6.7 6.6 9.4 % of sales 3.2% 2.7% 3.9% 3.1% 2.9% 2.1% Operating income before non-recurring items (2) 0.8 0.8 3.5 5.7 4.4 5.4 % of sales 1.0% 0.4% 3.3% 2.7% 2.0% 1.2% (1) Non-division operations (including Jacquet Metal Service SA) contributed 2.0 million to Q2 2016 EBITDA and 3.5 million to H1 2016 EBITDA. (2) Adjusted for non-recurring items. The definition and calculation method of the non-IFRS financial indicators are integrated on the Interim Report

Jacquet-Abraservice

This division comprises the Jacquet and Abraservice brands, respectively specialized in the distribution of stainless steel and wear-resistant quarto plates. Jacquet and Abraservice have separate sales networks.

First half volumes rose 10.8% compared to H1 2015 (Q1: up 11.6%; Q2: up 10%).

Sales amounted to 169.1 million, down 7% from 181.7 million in H1 2015, impacted by falling prices (-17.8% price effect versus H1 2015 Q1: -18.1%; Q2: -17.3%). The Q2 price effect compared to Q1 2016 was -1.3%.

The gross margin rate rose 1.2 percentage points to 29.5%, while gross margin came to 49.9 million compared to 51.4 million in H1 2015.

EBITDA came to 4.6 million (Q1: 1.9 million; Q2: 2.7 million), down from 6.2 million in first half 2015. The division's earnings were impacted by falling sale prices and challenging market conditions in North America.

Stappert

First half volumes rose 6.9% compared to H1 2015 (Q1: up 4.4%; Q2: up 9.6%), including 6.2% growth in Germany (a market accounting for nearly half of the division's sales).

Sales came to 216.7 million (down 8.5% from H1 2015), given that Stappert's business was also affected by the fall in prices (-15.4% versus H1 2015, including Q1: -13.9%; Q2: -17.0%). The Q2 price effect compared to Q1 2016 was -2.8%.

The gross margin rate rose 0.4 percentage points to 20.4%, while gross margin came to 44.1 million compared to 47.4 million in H1 2015.

EBITDA came to 6.7 million (Q1: 2.6 million; Q2: 4.1 million), down from 10.4 million in first half 2015 mainly due to falling sale prices.

IMS group

At constant consolidation, first half 2016 volumes fell 2.1% compared to H1 2015 (Q1: down 4.2%; Q2: up 0.4%).

IMS group sales came to 453.8 million, up 121.1% from H1 2015 (-2.1% volume effect at constant consolidation; +130.3% change in consolidation, i.e. 267 million corresponding to Schmolz+Bickenbach Distribution H1 2016 sales; -7.1% price effect, including Q1: -7.8%; Q2: -6.7%). The Q2 price effect compared to Q1 2016 was -1.6%.

Gross margin amounted to 99.3 million or 21.9% of sales (25.4% at constant consolidation) versus 24% in H1 2015.

EBITDA was 9.4 million (Q1: 2.8 million; Q2: 6.6 million), compared to 9.5 million in H1 2015.

For 2016, the division is focusing mainly on integrating and turning around the business of Schmolz+Bickenbach Distribution.

The half-year report may be downloaded from: www.jacquetmetalservice.com

September 30, 2016 YTD results: Wednesday, November 9, 2016 after close of trading

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907006396/en/

Contacts:

Jacquet Metal Service
Sunday's 9-11 Event at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena to Show the Limitless Strength of Faith, Thanks and God Contact: Sheila Davis, 615-822-2359



NASHVILLE, Sept. 7, 2016 /



With special guests Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee; New York Times Best Selling Author Eric Metaxas; World Outreach Church of Murfreesboro, TN's Senior Pastor Allen Jackson; Billboard Magazine Hot 100 Artist Michael W. Smith and Percussionists in Motion Stikyard plus a recorded video message from Dr. Ben Carson and a few surprise guests, Give Thanks will be full of inspirational messages and music.



"We all respond automatically to September 11th because it will always be a dynamic moment of reflection, belief and honor. This event reflects a passion and unending thankfulness to God, to those who bravely turned dark days into hope, and it still brings us courage as a people. Give Thanks is an opportunity to stand and pray for God's hope for today and for our future as a nation," said Pastor Allen Jackson.



Tickets and information can be found at



Event sponsor, World Outreach Church, Murfreesboro, TN, is a congregation of more than 20,000 people with interdenominational Christian backgrounds. To the Nashville community, World Outreach Church is seen two times weekly on local Channel 2, WKRN, and on WHTN and NRB networks. Jackson has been senior pastor of WOC for more than 25 years. Over the last five, consecutive years World Outreach Church has held faith initiatives in Nashville, including a Christian men's conference, bringing together more than 45,000 attendees.

Share Tweet Contact: Sheila Davis, 615-822-2359NASHVILLE, Sept. 7, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Middle Tennessee is commemorating the 15th anniversary of 9-11 with a major event at Bridgestone Arena called Give Thanks. This one-of-a-kind event is designed to give people from all walks of life the opportunity to stand up and give thanks to God for the hope, revitalization and coming together He continues to bring to America.With special guests Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee; New York Times Best Selling Author Eric Metaxas; World Outreach Church of Murfreesboro, TN's Senior Pastor Allen Jackson; Billboard Magazine Hot 100 Artist Michael W. Smith and Percussionists in Motion Stikyard plus a recorded video message from Dr. Ben Carson and a few surprise guests, Give Thanks will be full of inspirational messages and music."We all respond automatically to September 11th because it will always be a dynamic moment of reflection, belief and honor. This event reflects a passion and unending thankfulness to God, to those who bravely turned dark days into hope, and it still brings us courage as a people. Give Thanks is an opportunity to stand and pray for God's hope for today and for our future as a nation," said Pastor Allen Jackson.Tickets and information can be found at givethanksnashville.com Event sponsor, World Outreach Church, Murfreesboro, TN, is a congregation of more than 20,000 people with interdenominational Christian backgrounds. To the Nashville community, World Outreach Church is seen two times weekly on local Channel 2, WKRN, and on WHTN and NRB networks. Jackson has been senior pastor of WOC for more than 25 years. Over the last five, consecutive years World Outreach Church has held faith initiatives in Nashville, including a Christian men's conference, bringing together more than 45,000 attendees.
BOSTON, MA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Who says you have to be in Germany to celebrate Oktoberfest? Many airports now feature microbreweries and brewpubs where thirsty travelers can find a cold pilsner, lager or ale as we head into fall. The travel experts at Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, have compiled a list of the Top airports to celebrate Oktoberfest to help you find a frosty pint while transiting some of the world's busiest terminals.

In honor of Oktoberfest, here are five of our favorite airports to raise a glass:

San Diego International Airport, San Diego, California - California is one of the top craft brew hot spots, and Cali-based Stone Brewing is producing some of the most delicious and top-rated beverages on the map. Enjoy the farm-to-table food menu and a variety of beer selections at its airport location.

Location: Terminal 2

Drink this: Try out the Stone IPA, the definition of a reliable Indian Pale Ale with a crisp, hoppy finish.

Frankfurt Airport, Frankfurt, Germany - If you've got some extra time in the Frankfurt Airport, you're in luck. There will be Oktoberfest celebrations happening right in the airport for the next three weeks. Enjoy live music, drink up at a traditional beer tent and snack on giant soft pretzels -- all before takeoff. Doesn't get much better (or more festive) than that.

Location: Pier Z, Terminal 2

Drink this: Enjoy a liter of fresh beer from the tapped keg right in the terminal.

Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado - The Denver airport has its share of tap houses where you can while (and drink) away the hours before your flight. If you want the true Colorado beer experience, make your way to the New Belgium Hub, which boasts artfully crafted beers designed for drinkability. New Belgium keeps winning awards for its microbrews, so you should probably find out why. For research purposes, of course. The Denver airport has also been known to throw their own Oktoberfest shenanigans (for the past two years a "Beer Flights" beer garden has popped up to celebrate the season), so be on the lookout when wandering the main terminal in case they kick off celebrations again this year.

Location: B Gates

Drink this: Sip on the 1554 Enlightened Black Ale, a unique beer inspired by centuries-old Belgian style.

Sydney Airport, Sydney, Australia - If you find yourself in the land down under, make a pit stop at Coopers Ale House, which received the International Airport Bar of the Year at the 2014 World FAB Awards. The shabby chic airport pub designed out of recycled timber offers original Australian beers in a variety of styles.

Location: T1

Drink this: Order a Best Extra Stout for rich flavor and a punchy finish.

Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Canada - Canada has increasingly embraced its craft-brewed culture and, if you are passing through Toronto's Pearson International Airport, you can sample some of the results at Mill Street Brewery. Although the brewery has grown to include locations all over Canada, including this airport brewpub, it started in 2002 as a local operation Toronto's Distillery District.

Location: Terminal One near gate D20.

Drink this: Try the seasonal German-style Marzen brew, a malty lager aptly named Oktoberfest, and forget the fact that you're an ocean away from the real event.

Whether you're thirsting for a Hazelnut Brown Nectar (at Portland International Airport), want to try a Jai Alai I.P.A. (available at Tampa International), have a hankering for a classic pretzel and Bavarian brew (head to the source at Munich International) or are ready to reset your body clock with refreshing quaff in Japan (available anytime day or night at Tokyo International), airports are perfect places to explore the world of beer. To find a place that's pouring this October, visit Cheapflights.com's Top airports to celebrate Oktoberfest at www.cheapflights.com/news/top-airports-celebrate-oktoberfest.

About Cheapflights.com, part of the Momondo Group

Founded in 1996, Cheapflights is a leading global flight comparison and deals publishing platform. It is now a market leader in the UK, U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand generating over $3 billion in global downstream revenue for its partners as it expands into numerous other territories. More than 120 million users visit its websites and apps each year, receiving more than two billion search results a month from across 900,000 routes. The 10 million strong opt-in subscribers to the Cheapflights newsletter receive the best deals from over 120 travel businesses -- for whom it has driven more than $65 million in revenue this year. Together, the Cheapflights platforms generate enough bookings for its partners to fill a Boeing 747 every five minutes.

In 2011, Cheapflights became part of the privately owned online travel search and inspiration network, Momondo Group.

Follow us on:

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Contact Information:

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Tel: +1 (416) 788-4573

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Website: www.cheapflights.com




NAPA, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 --HashiConf User Conference -- HashiCorp, the DevOps infrastructure company, today announced $24 million in Series B funding, bringing the total raised to date to $34 million. The round was led by GGV Capital with Mayfield, True Ventures, and new investor Redpoint also participating. HashiCorp plans to use the funding to accelerate its rapid growth and continue open source and enterprise product development to support its millions of users.

Also today HashiCorp announced Vault Enterprise, a complete solution for DevOps security: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=1275720.

HashiCorp was founded by Mitchell Hashimoto and Armon Dadgar in 2012 with the goal of revolutionizing datacenter management across development, operations, and security. As organizations transform themselves to be successful in the software economy, they invest in DevOps infrastructure. HashiCorp DevOps infrastructure enables companies to align and empower developers, operators, and security teams to accelerate application delivery and increase their competitiveness in the software economy.

"Armon and I founded HashiCorp to make development, operations, and security easier so organizations could focus on building the applications of the future. The rate of open source and commercial adoption of our technology has been tremendous," said Mitchell Hashimoto, co-founder of HashiCorp. "The productivity of the HashiCorp team is inspiring and I'm excited to continue the journey together to bring DevOps infrastructure to even more organizations."

This year:

HashiCorp had its first 7-figure revenue quarter after only nine months of enterprise sales. Customers include enterprises like Conde Nast, Cisco, and Mozilla.

Weekly open source downloads are up 125 percent in the first six months of this year, adding to the community of several million monthly active users. HashiCorp's open source user base includes technology leaders such as Stripe, Uber, Twitch, OpenAI, Pinterest, and Capital One.

HashiCorp's modular and open product design fostered a rich ecosystem of partners including AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, VMware, and GitHub.

HashiCorp was named a Cool Vendor in DevOps by Gartner and an MIT Sloan CIO Symposium Innovation Showcase finalist. Also this year, Mitchell Hashimoto and Armon Dadgar were named to Inc's 30 Under 30 list.

HashiCorp hired its 50th employee, growing from six employees just two years ago.





Beyond these milestones, the next stage for HashiCorp is bringing its DevOps vision to more users across open source and enterprise communities. In the software economy companies win by bringing applications to market faster than their competitors. HashiCorp's DevOps infrastructure accelerates application delivery by aligning developers, operators, and security. This holistic view and widespread adoption defines HashiCorp as a leader in DevOps with a clear trajectory ahead.

"HashiCorp builds world-class tools for development, operations, and security teams to manage distributed applications and infrastructure. The adoption of these tools in global enterprises has been tremendous," said Glenn Solomon, Managing Partner at GGV Capital and a HashiCorp Board Member. "We are extremely pleased to continue our partnership with them as they continue their mission to accelerate software application delivery."

About HashiConf

HashiConf is HashiCorp's annual user conference to bring together the community to define the future of infrastructure. Speakers this year include Home Depot, Target, Verizon, PayPal, and Microsoft, and sponsors include AWS, Google Cloud, GitHub, and Bridgewater Associates. HashiConf is taking place this year in Napa, California September 6-8. For more information, visit: https://hashiconf.com or follow HashiConf on Twitter @hashiconf.

About HashiCorp

HashiCorp is the DevOps infrastructure company. HashiCorp technology aligns development, operations, and security to accelerate application delivery. The company manages seven open source tools (Vagrant, Packer, Terraform, Serf, Consul, Vault, and Nomad) that span runtime, infrastructure, security management. Enterprise versions of Terraform, Vault, Consul, and Nomad enhance the respective open source tools with enterprise features that promote collaboration, policy-validation, and intelligent automation. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by Mayfield, GGV Capital, Redpoint, and True Ventures. For more information, visit: https://hashicorp.com, or follow HashiCorp on Twitter @hashicorp.

Media and Analyst Contact:

Amber Rowland

amber@therowlandagency.com

+1-650-814-4560




EDMONTON, Alberta and TORONTO, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

SCM Insurance Services, Canada's largest independent, privately-owned insurance services provider, today announced the appointment of Scott Goodreau as Chief Operating Officer-USA. Goodreau's appointment is SCM's first step towards taking its market-leading solutions to the United States.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404990LOGO )



Since its inception, SCM has strategically expanded its services through targeted acquisitions and complementary services to provide a breadth of insurance solutions in the Canadian market. With many of our clients conducting business on both sides of the border, this expansion meets our clients' needs while aligning to SCM's long-term strategy.

"SCM has a stellar reputation in the claims and risk management community and I am excited to be part of the team," said Mr. Goodreau. "The U.S. market and our cross-border clients will truly benefit from the extensive suite of services that SCM has to offer."

Mr. Goodreau is an experienced executive with 20 years' experience in the insurance industry, holding diverse leadership positions for distribution, carrier and technology companies. Most recently, he led Sales and Marketing for Hub International, a leading North American insurance broker with over 10,000 employees. Mr. Goodreau also held positions of Super Regional President and Chief Legal Officer while at Hub. His responsibilities at SCM will include providing key strategic leadership for growth by establishing and empowering a high performance team.

"We're thrilled to have Scott aboard," began Bob Fitzgerald, CEO of SCM. "He shares SCM's passion for client-centric culture and values. Initially, our focus will be primarily targeted on two fronts: third-party-administration and claims adjusting services. Scott's background positions him very well to lead this expansion into the U.S. insurance services market and beyond."

About SCM Insurance Services

SCM Insurance Services has been servicing the insurance and risk management community for the past 30 years with over 200 locations and 2,600 employees. As a privately owned provider of claims adjusting, third party adjusting (TPA), risk management, investigative, surveillance, risk mitigation, medical services, forensic engineering services, and risk intelligence, SCM has distinguished itself through innovative technology, expert staff and solid customer service. The SCM Insurance Services include ClaimsPro, International Programs Group (IPG). Xpera Risk Mitigation & Investigation, Cira Medical Services, Pario Engineering & Environmental Sciences, SCM Risk Management Services (RMS), and Opta Information Intelligence. Visithttp://www.scm.cafor more information.

Scott Goodreau, Chief Operating Officer - USA SCM Insurance Services, scott.goodreau@scminsuranceservices.com, +1-312-646-2334; Bikram Daulay, Sr. VP Marketing & Communications,SCM Insurance Services, bikram.daulay@scm.ca, +1-780-930-5321; Bob Fitzgerald, Chief Executive Officer, SCM Insurance Services,bob.fitzgerald@scm.ca , +1-416-777-4470
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 7, 2016) - Diamond Fields International Ltd. (TSXV: DFI) is pleased to announce that on August 25, 2016 it received acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange to an Agreement among the Company, its wholly owned subsidiary Kimberley Overseas ("Kimberley"), Pala Investments Limited ("Pala") and Austral Resources Limited ("Austral") for the acquisition from Pala and Austral through Kimberley of 100% of the issued shares of Action Mining Limited ("Action"), a Mauritius company and the parent company of the Madagascar entity holding the license to the Beravina Zircon Deposit in Madagascar (see News Release August 15, 2016).

In accordance with the terms of the Agreement, on September 6, 2016 the Company issued a total of 3,265,650 common shares in its capital stock at a deemed value of $0.02 per share to Pala. These shares are subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws expiring January 7, 2017.

DIAMOND FIELDS INTERNATIONAL LTD.

SIGNED: "Earl Young"

Earl Young, Chief Financial Officer

Contact: Earl Young at +1 214 566 3709

Website: www.diamondfields.com

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.
Assuming that there are no objections filed, tomorrow a bankruptcy court judge in Southern New York is expected to quietly sign an order which will untangle one aspect of the financial and legal mess that is the SunEdison bankruptcy. In December 2015, D.E. Shaw and Madison Dearborn were promised more than 1 GW of renewable energy projects along with shares in yieldco TerraForm Power and other payments, in exchange for cancellation of debt that SunEdison took on in acquiring wind First Wind. According to Bloomberg, the handing over of the TerraForm Power shares was completed, but the transfer of projects was not. To further complicate matters, 148 MW of solar projects in Hawaii that SunEdison planned to transfer to D.E. Shaw lost their power contracts, with off-taker Hawaiian Electric Company ...

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.
RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Findings from AllerGen's Cross-Canada Anaphylaxis Registry (C-CARE) reveal a 'worrisome increase' in anaphylaxis cases among children. The percentage of emergency department visits due to anaphylaxis doubled over the four-year research period.

London Drugs Pharmacy Manager, Jason Chan-Remillard, says that the research underscores the need for teachers, parents and caregivers to broaden their awareness of emergency anaphylactic treatment required for school-age children with severe allergies. While awareness in schools about allergies has grown in recent years, there is a lag in understanding when it comes to using auto-injectors such as EpiPen.

The research, which is the first to assess the rate, triggers and management of anaphylaxis in different provinces and settings across Canada, also highlighted the underuse of epinephrine auto-injectors. Only slightly more than half of children in the study who visited the emergency department due to anaphylaxis used an auto-injector prior to their arrival.

"Teachers, parents and caregivers must be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and know how to initiate treatment. Understanding how to administer epinephrine in an emergency is just as important as other lifesaving skills like CPR or the Heimlich maneuver," says Chan-Remillard.

He suggests that parents of children with severe allergies must work with teachers and caregivers at the start of each school year to create an action plan with an explanation of the child's allergy triggers, what to do in case of reaction, where they have access to epinephrine and how to administer emergency anaphylactic treatment.

"It's especially important for lunchroom personnel to be aware of children's health status. Often times, that requires the parents to speak with them directly about their child's allergy triggers."

Chan-Remillard explains that there is sometimes a misconception that peanuts are the only trigger for severe food allergies. In actuality there are nine food allergens commonly associated with allergic reactions; eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, sesame seeds, soy, sulphites, tree nuts, wheat and other cereal grains that contain gluten.

Epinephrine auto-injectors expire so the start of a new school year is an important time to check dates and update prescriptions at London Drugs pharmacies. Expired auto-injectors can be properly disposed of in the sharps disposal bin at any London Drugs location and pharmacists can provide re-education about how to self-administer EpiPen.

Allergy & Anaphylaxis Facts in Canada

-- Food allergy is a growing public health issue in Canada and Canada's increase in anaphylaxis rate is consistent with the world-wide reported increase.(i) -- About 300,000 Canadian children under 18 years have food allergies.(ii) -- Peanut allergy in Canada affects about 2 in 100 children.(ii) -- It is estimated that almost 600,000 Canadians will experience anaphylaxis in their lifetime and that more than half of the individuals who had anaphylaxis were not equipped with life-saving epinephrine.(i)

(i) AllerGen NCE Inc. Press Release

(ii) Food Allergy Canada

ABOUT LONDON DRUGS

Founded in 1945, B.C.-based London Drugs has 79 stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba including its online store www.londondrugs.com. London Drugs offers consumers a range of products from digital cameras and cosmetics to computers and televisions. Renowned for its creative approach to retailing, the company employs more than 7,000 people with pharmacy and health care services being the heart of its business. Committed to innovation and superior customer service, London Drugs has established itself as a reputable and caring company and continues to position itself for future growth and development.

London Drugs Pharmacists are available for interviews regarding allergies, auto-injectors and to provide general health advice for a healthy school year.

Contacts:

For more information or to arrange an interview:

Angela Joyce

Media Relations

403-681-9286

angela@whiterabbitcommunications.com

@angelamjoyce



Cynnamon Schreinert

Media Relations

604-802-2733

cynnamon@hartleypr.com

@CynnamonS



Natalie Harper

Media Relations

780-909-2281

natalie@harperpr.com

@natalieharperPR




RONKONKOMA, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- ExcelAire, a worldwide private jet charter and management company, today announced that Ralph Michielli was promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO). With more than four decades of experience in private jet aviation, Michielli helped launch ExcelAire in 1993 and currently oversees its maintenance operations. Headquartered at Long Island MacArthur Airport (KISP), ExcelAire is a Hawthorne Global Aviation Services company.

As COO, Michielli will be responsible for day-to-day operations of ExcelAire. He will report to ExcelAire's president, Robert Molsbergen. Before being named COO, Michielli was Vice President and Director of Maintenance, overseeing all private jet maintenance at ExcelAire.

"Ralph is ideally suited to the role of COO, as he brings decades of experience in the successful operation of ExcelAire's maintenance services, and an in-depth knowledge of the private business," said Robert Molsbergen, President of ExcelAire. "We plan to grow quickly and Ralph's appointment will help us continue to deliver a superior private jet experience for our clients in charter, maintenance, and management."

A Hawthorne Global Aviation Services company, ExcelAire specializes in worldwide jet charters, aircraft management, maintenance, and sales. Further information about the ExcelAire fleet, including photos and individual aircraft specifications, is available at www.excelaire.com, or by calling 631-737-0477.

About Hawthorne Global Aviation Services

Hawthorne Global Aviation Services is a premier provider of general aviation services, with a rich history in the industry dating back to 1932. Hawthorne operates four premier Fixed Based Operators (FBOs) located at L.I. MacArthur Airport, NY (KISP); Cobb County International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. (KRYY), Chicago Executive Airport in Chicago, Ill. (KPWK) and Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire, Wis. (KEAU). It also has private jet charter and maintenance operations at MacArthur Airport, NY (KISP) and Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire, Wis. (KEAU). For more information on Hawthorne Global Aviation Services, please visit www.hawthorne.aero.

For more information, contact:

Lisa Hendrickson

LCH Communications

516-767-8390

Email Contact




MEXICO CITY (dpa-AFX) - A week after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's high-profile meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Luis Videgaray resigned as the country's Finance Minister on Wednesday. Videgaray, who was reportedly seen as Pena Nieto's right-hand man, will be succeeded by former finance chief Jose Antonio Meade. The move comes amid widespread criticism of Trump's meeting with Pena Nieto, with a columnist for Mexico City daily Reforma saying the country feels betrayed by its president. Local media reports have said it was Videgaray's idea to invite Trump to Mexico City, although Pena Nieto has disputed that claim. Pena Nieto told one interviewer that the decision to invite Trump had been his alone, although the Wall Street Journal noted the timing of Videgaray's departure suggests otherwise. 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.
DALLAS, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- A Dallas County district judge has issued a summary judgment in favor of Bayside Land Partners, LLC, disposing of all of the claims brought by an operator of a marina at Lake Ray Hubbard in Rowlett, Texas. The ruling will pave the way for the company to continue construction on its billion-dollar lake development, which had been partially held up for almost a year due to the marina operator's lawsuit.

Fish & Richardson's Tom Melsheimer, managing principal of the firm's Dallas office, and Dallas principal John Sanders represented Bayside in the lawsuit filed by Waterside Corp., which operated the marina on the south side of Interstate 30 on Lake Ray Hubbard.

For the last 25 years, Waterside owner James M. Rosenberg ran the marina under a City of Dallas concession agreement that he purchased from another company in 1993. The original agreement expired in 2010 and was briefly extended by two one-year extensions to 2012 without either Waterside or Dallas addressing it further until the property was sold to the City of Rowlett in 2015.

Bayside bought the property from the City of Rowlett and announced the pending development of a world-class hotel and resort to be accompanied by retail shops, residential units and recreational facilities. The development will include an eight-acre Crystal Lagoon with turquoise waters, beaches and a 280-foot fountain, which will be the largest in the United States.

After acquiring the land, Bayside informed Waterside that it would be terminating the then-expired concession agreement. Waterside responded with a lawsuit seeking to prevent Bayside from removing the marina operator from the property. In December, the court granted a temporary injunction that allowed Waterside to continue operating the marina.

Soon after the injunction was issued, Bayside retained Mr. Melsheimer and Mr. Sanders to work on the case alongside attorney Timothy Woods, a shareholder at Dallas' Higier Allen & Lautin, P.C. Together, the litigation team responded with a series of legal moves over the course of the next six months aimed at getting the injunction dissolved and the lawsuit dismissed.

On Sept 2, their efforts paid off when Judge Ken Molberg in Dallas County's 95th District Court issued an order granting Bayside's motion for summary judgment, dissolving the earlier temporary injunction, and denying Waterside's pending motions. The Court's order dismissed all of Waterside's claims and ordered the company to pay Bayside's court costs.

"This is a victory for the citizens of North Texas who will enjoy the tremendous benefits of a world-class recreational, retail and housing development for years," said Mr. Melsheimer.

Bayside's win allows the development to continue, which is projected to result in the creation of hundreds of new jobs in Dallas County.

The case is Waterside Corp, et al. v. Bayside Land Partners, LLC, No. DC-15-09833.

Fish & Richardson is a global patent, intellectual property (IP) litigation, and commercial litigation law firm with more than 400 attorneys and technology specialists across the U.S. and Europe. Fish has been named the #1 patent litigation firm in the U.S. for 13 consecutive years and is one of the busiest post-grant firms, representing more petitioners at the PTAB than any other firm. Fish has been winning cases worth billions in controversy -- often by making new law -- for the most innovative clients and influential industry leaders since 1878. For more information, visit www.fr.com.

For more information, contact

Bruce Vincent

800-559-4534

bruce@androvett.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- China Keli Electric Company Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: ZKL) ("ZKL" or the "Company"), announced that the filing of its annual financial statements, management's discussion and analysis, and the related officer certifications for the financial year ended April 30, 2016 (collectively, the "Annual Filings") had been delayed. A general cease trade order has been issued as a result of the Company's default status.

The Company's auditors are working diligently and the Company is fully co-operating with the auditors to resolve any outstanding issues and hopes to file the Annual Filings as soon as possible. The Company intends to follow the provisions of the Alternative Information Guidelines as set out in National Policy 12-203-Cease Trade Orders for Continuous Disclosure Defaults, for as long as ZKL remains in default, including the issuance of further by-weekly default status reports, each of which will be issued in the form of a press release.

About China Keli Electric Company Ltd.

China Keli Electric Company Ltd. specializes in the manufacturing of electrical components and equipment, including pre-assembled mini substations, electrical controllers, pressurized and vacuumed switchgears and circuit breakers.

For further company information please access our website: www.zkl.cc

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 press release.

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations. These forward-looking statements entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties about Keli's business are more fully discussed in the Company's disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada. All amounts are stated in Canadian dollars unless noted otherwise

Contacts:

China Keli Electric Company Ltd.

Philip Lo

Chief Financial Officer

(86) 13632 173732

philip@zkl.cc




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 7, 2016) - Further to its press release dated July 25, 2016, Knol Resources Corp. (TSXV: NOL.H) ("Knol") is pleased to provide an update with respect to the proposed transaction (the "Proposed Transaction") that will result in Knol acquiring all of the common shares (the "KEWA Shares") and other securities of KEWA Financial Inc. ("KEWA"), as well as provide an update with respect to the KEWA Financing (as defined herein) intended to be undertaken in connection with the Proposed Transaction.

Overview of KEWA

KEWA, through its wholly-owned subsidiary KEWA Re Inc. ("KRI"), is engaged in the business of providing reinsurance to U.S.-domiciled insurance companies for environmental surety bonds, which guarantee that land used for mining will either be returned to its pre-existing condition or to previously agreed upon standards after mining activities have concluded. KEWA's surety bonding solution provides capital relief to the bonded principals while ensuring their compliance with rapidly increasing environmental remediation obligations. KRI is a Barbados-domiciled and licensed reinsurance company that currently reinsures bond portfolios for two U.S.-domiciled insurance companies.

Management of KEWA believes that KEWA has identified a unique opportunity to build a low-risk environmental surety business in an industry perceived to be high-risk, and that KEWA holds a potential advantage relative to its competitors as a result of its management team's previous operational experience in the mining industry where most of the environmental surety bonds it seeks to reinsure are written.

Proposed Transaction

Knol's common shares are currently listed on the NEX and it is intended that the Proposed Transaction will constitute its "reactivation" under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") and upon completion of the Proposed Transaction (the "Closing") and satisfaction of all the conditions of the Exchange will have its listing transferred from the NEX to the Exchange.

The Proposed Transaction is currently expected to be completed by way of a three-cornered amalgamation or similar transaction between Knol and KEWA resulting in KEWA becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Knol.

The issuer resulting from the Proposed Transaction (the "Resulting Issuer") will be a diversified financial services company engaged in the business of providing environmental surety bonding (insurance) and reclamation solutions for carefully selected U.S.-based mining companies. The Resulting Issuer will receive cash collateral, bond premiums, inspection fees and reclamation related income as consideration for providing surety bonds and reclamation expertise. Upon closing of the Proposed Transaction and Ancillary Acquisitions (as defined herein), the Resulting Issuer will own 100% of:

an A.M. Best A- rated, U.S. Treasury listed, licensed U.S. insurance company that over the last decade has paid US$12.0 million in dividends to its shareholders, a Barbados-domiciled licensed reinsurance company, a licensed insurance agency with over 35 years of premium writing history, and an environmental reclamation services company.

Upon closing of the Proposed Transaction and the Ancillary Acquisitions, the Resulting Issuer, through the Agency (as defined herein), will have the ability to originate reclamation bonding opportunities from a rapidly expanding marketplace. The Resulting Issuer's licensed insurer will write the surety bonds on a risk-adjusted basis after its team of seasoned experts has assessed the risk on the ground of the remediation and priced the premiums and collateral requirements to reflect real-time data. Many sites will generate both bond premiums and revenue derived from the Resulting Issuer's reclamation business through its team's ability to collaborate with regulators to engineer solutions that satisfy all stakeholders.

Adjustment of Knol Consolidation Ratio

As previously disclosed, Knol entered into a non-binding letter of intent dated June 20, 2016 with KEWA which outlines the general terms of the Proposed Transaction and which is to be superseded by a definitive agreement (the "Definitive Agreement") between Knol and KEWA. The Proposed Transaction is subject to, among other things, receipt of all applicable shareholder and regulatory approvals, including the final approval of the Exchange.

As was also previously disclosed, Knol intends to undertake a consolidation (the "Consolidation") of its issued and outstanding common shares at a ratio to be agreed between KEWA and Knol prior to execution of the Definitive Agreement. It is now expected that the Consolidation will be in the range of one "new" Knol common share (a "Knol Share") for every 7.6 to 8.6 "old" Knol common shares, a change from the previously anticipated range of one Knol Share for every 14.0 to 16.0 "old" Knol common shares. The implied pre-money valuation of KEWA is approximately US$8.1 million.

Proposed KEWA Financing

In connection with the Proposed Transaction and in lieu of the previously announced non-brokered private placement, KEWA and Knol have entered into an engagement letter (the "Engagement Letter") with Sprott Private Wealth LP and Mackie Research Capital Corporation, as co-lead agents (the "Agents"), to complete a best efforts private placement of non-transferable subscription receipts of KEWA (the "KEWA Subscription Receipts") at a price of C$0.70 per KEWA Subscription Receipt and for minimum aggregate gross proceeds of C$8.4 million (the "KEWA Financing"). The Engagement Letter is to be superseded by an agency agreement between the parties. Affiliates of Sprott Private Wealth LP own or exercise control or direction over (including managed accounts), directly or indirectly, approximately 16% of Knol's current outstanding common shares and, if warrants held by them were exercised, would hold approximately 25% of Knol's then outstanding common shares.

Each KEWA Subscription Receipt will be deemed to be converted into one unit of KEWA (a "KEWA Unit") without further payment from or action on the part of the holder and concurrently with the satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions (the "Escrow Release Conditions"), including confirmation that:

there is no impediment to the completion of (a) the Consolidation, (b) the Ancillary Acquisitions, and (c) the Proposed Transaction; the terms of a credit facility (the "Credit Facility"), if entered into by KEWA, being reasonably satisfactory to each of Knol and the Agents; and KEWA and Knol having received all necessary regulatory and other approvals required for the KEWA Financing, the Proposed Transaction and the Ancillary Acquisitions.

Each KEWA Unit will consist of one KEWA Share and one half KEWA Share purchase warrant. Each whole KEWA Share purchase warrant (a "KEWA Warrant") will be non-transferable and entitle the holder thereof to purchase one KEWA Share at a price of C$1.10 for three years from the closing date of the Proposed Transaction, subject to adjustment and acceleration in certain circumstances. Upon completion of the Consolidation and the Proposed Transaction, holders of KEWA Shares and KEWA Warrants will receive Knol Shares, which shall be immediately free trading on the Exchange, and Knol common share purchase warrants ("Knol Warrants") in exchange for their KEWA Shares and KEWA Warrants, with such Knol Warrants being exercisable on the same terms as the KEWA Warrants.

Use of Proceeds

Concurrent with closing of the Proposed Transaction, KEWA intends to use the net proceeds from the KEWA Financing, the Credit Facility (if applicable) and Knol's existing cash on hand to acquire 100% of the outstanding equity interest in each of the Carrier (as defined herein) and the Agency Holdco (as defined herein) (collectively, the Carrier and the Agency Holdco acquisitions referred to herein as the "Ancillary Acquisitions").

KEWA has entered into a letter of intent to purchase 100% of the outstanding shares of a multi-line property and casualty insurance company domiciled in the U.S. (the "Carrier"). The principal business of the Carrier involves the writing of environmental surety bonds for mining companies. KEWA has indicated that A.M. Best Company, a U.S.-based rating agency that focuses on the insurance industry, has given the Carrier a current financial strength rating of A- (excellent) and a long-term issuer credit rating of A-.

The contemplated purchase price of the Carrier payable at closing is approximately US$13.5 million. Additional contingent consideration may become payable in certain circumstances post-closing.

KEWA has also entered into letters of intent to purchase 100% of the outstanding units of a holding company (the "Agency HoldCo") that owns 100% of both a licensed insurance agency with over 35 years of history (the "Agency") and a profitable environmental reclamation services company (the "ReclamationCo").

The Agency is focused on providing traditional agency and underwriting services, specifically for environmental reclamation bonds. The ReclamationCo works to reduce sureties' loss exposure through "on-the-ground' risk mitigation services. The ReclamationCo monitors mining operators' compliance with the requirements of the applicable mining permits. By keeping environmental reclamation current, losses that would potentially occur in the event of a bond forfeiture are significantly reduced. The ReclamationCo's process involves an active monitoring program for tracking environmental reclamation activities and a proactive communication program with various regulatory bodies. Additionally, the ReclamationCo offers environmental reclamation management services to mining companies and regulatory agencies.

The net purchase price for the Agency HoldCo is approximately US$1.9 million.

Proposed Management and Board of Directors of the Resulting Issuer

It is currently anticipated that all of the current officers and all of the current directors of Knol will resign from their respective positions and, subject to Exchange approval, on completion of the Proposed Transaction, it is currently anticipated that the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will be nominated upon agreement between KEWA and Knol and will include the following:

David Wiley will serve as a director and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Resulting Issuer. Mr. Wiley has over 20 years of executive experience in mining, finance and capital markets. Prior to founding KEWA, Mr. Wiley was a Founding Partner of Raven Hill Partners Inc., a Toronto-based merchant bank focused on funding early stage ventures. Previously, he co-founded and was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix Coal Inc. where he was instrumental in growing the company from a private enterprise to a publicly listed company on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Mr. Wiley also previously served as a Managing Director of MHI Energy Partners (energy and mining focused private equity fund).

Brian W. Barr will serve as Chairman of the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer. Mr. Barr has over 28 years of director experience in the insurance industry through his former directorships of Aviva Canada Inc. and Norwich Union Life Insurance Company Ltd. where he also served as Chairman.

James Falle, FCPA, FCA, ICD.D will also serve as a director of the Resulting Issuer. Mr. Falle has over 25 years of executive experience in the financial services industry. Most recently he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Aviva Canada Inc. where he oversaw the Finance, Actuarial, Legal and Compliance, Reinsurance and Corporate Development teams. Previously, he has served in executive officer roles for AEGON Canada / Transamerica, Zurich Financial services, Bank of America Canada and Paribas Bank of Canada.

Details with respect to the additional proposed officers and directors of the Resulting Issuer, including the background of each such proposed individual, will be announced in subsequent disclosure.

Trading Halt of Knol's Common Shares

In accordance with the policies of the Exchange, Knol's common shares are currently halted from trading and will remain halted until further notice.

Further Information

In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange, further details about the Proposed Transaction and the Resulting Issuer will be provided in a comprehensive press release when the parties enter into the Definitive Agreement, including details related to the business and assets of KEWA, proposed consideration, description of financing arrangements and loans. Further details will also be provided in the disclosure document to be prepared and filed in respect of the Proposed Transaction.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the disclosure document to be prepared in connection with the Proposed Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.

For further information, please contact:

Michael Atkinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Knol Resources Corp.

Email: atkinson@earlston.ca

Phone: (604) 689-1428

Nicole Marchand, Investor Relations for KEWA Financial Inc.

Email: Nicole@nm-ir.com

Phone: (416) 428-3533

All information contained in this press release with respect to Knol and KEWA was supplied by the parties, respectively, for inclusion herein, and Knol and its directors and officers have relied on KEWA for any information concerning such party.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. No public offering of the securities will be made and the securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirement is available.

The Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, the Proposed Transaction, the Ancillary Acquisitions, the KEWA Financing and the use of net proceeds therefrom, the Consolidation, the Resulting Issuer and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, those statements regarding the Proposed Transaction, the Ancillary Acquisitions, the KEWA Financing (including the Escrow Release Conditions) and the use of net proceeds therefrom and the Consolidation are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Knol's, KEWA's, and the Resulting Issuer's expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions to completion of the Proposed Transaction, the Ancillary Acquisitions, the KEWA Financing (including the Escrow Release Conditions), the Consolidation and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by Knol, KEWA and the Resulting Issuer with securities regulators.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Knol, KEWA, and the Resulting Issuer. As a result, Knol, KEWA and the Resulting Issuer cannot guarantee that the Proposed Transaction, the Ancillary Acquisitions, the KEWA Financing (including the Escrow Release Conditions) and the Consolidation will be completed on the terms disclosed herein or at all. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Knol, KEWA, and the Resulting Issuer will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements only as expressly required by Canadian securities law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Scientific Metals Corp. ("STM" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: STM)(FRANKFURT: 26X)(OTCQB: SCTFF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arm's length lease agreement with an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Iron Creek Cobalt Property in Lemhi County, Idaho, USA (the "Property"). The Property is located about 25 miles southwest from Salmon, Idaho and encompasses 137 acres in seven patented lode mining claims. The Company is currently expanding its land holdings to enlarge the Property to cover a minimum of 1,300 acres.

Brian Kirwin, President, commented: "The signing of this lease agreement on the Iron Creek Cobalt project is a very important step for Scientific Metals Corp. The Company believes that cobalt will continue to be a key component in the electrical battery revolution that is under way. Management is currently focused on expanding the current land package at the Property to provide additional leverage for companies such as Tesla who are seeking a geopolitically secure supply of this battery metal."

Under the terms of the lease agreement, STM has paid Chester Mining Company (the "Vendor") (OTC PINK: CHMN) the sum of US$45,000 and the Vendor has retained a 4% net smelter return ("NSR") in the Property. STM has agreed to pay the Vendor advance royalty payments on the NSR of US$3,000 per month for the first two years of the lease agreement, increasing to US$4,000 per month for the subsequent two years, and US$5,000 per month for subsequent years. At any time during the term of the lease, STM shall have the right to purchase a 100% interest in the Property and reduce the NSR held by the Vendor from 4% to 1%, all for consideration of a cash payment US$1,500,000. The NSR may subsequently be purchased by STM for a cash payment of US$500,000 for every 1% NSR elected to be acquired by STM. In connection with this transaction, a cash finder's fee shall be payable to an arm's length party in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

A substantial amount of historical exploratory work has been completed on the Property, including approximately 30,000 feet of diamond drilling, and the mining of 1,500 feet of underground workings. Exploration by several companies since the 1940s, including Hanna Mining, Noranda Exploration, Inc. and Cominco, has identified a number of significant cobalt, a key component in Lithium-ion batteries, and copper targets on the Property. The Property is located in the most prolific trend of cobalt mineralization in the USA, the Idaho Cobalt Belt. The Property shares similar geology and structure with other deposits in the 40 mile long Idaho Cobalt Belt, including the Blackbird Mine and the proposed Idaho Cobalt Mine (Formation Metals).

The Property hosts a historical estimate of 1,050,000 tons grading 0.61% cobalt in the first lense and 229,000 tons grading 0.48% cobalt in the second lense. In a report entitled "Iron Creek Prospect, Lemhi County, Idaho (#0483) Progress Report" by Terry A Webster and Thomas K Stump for Noranda Exploration, Inc., July 1980 (the "Noranda Report"), two underground targets in the No Name Zone were evaluated. The first lense is described by Noranda Exploration, Inc.as a "possible reserve" and is reported to contain 1,050,000 tons grading 0.61% cobalt over a strike length of 750 feet. The second lense is described as a "possible reserve" and is reported to contain 229,000 tons grading 0.48% cobalt over a strike length of 600 feet. Together, these lenses contain 1,279,000 tons grading an average of 0.59% cobalt. The Noranda Report notes the following outstanding cobalt intercepts within the mineralized lenses. Drill hole IC-16 contains a 15 foot wide horizon averaging 1.01 percent cobalt, and within the Little No Name adit a 20 foot wide channel sample contains an average of 0.95 percent cobalt.

The Property also hosts a historical estimate of 4.57 million tons grading 1.84% copper. This historical estimate is from the Noranda Report that notes that, in the west zone of the No Name Zone, there is the presence of 4.57 million tons grading 1.84% copper "possible reserves" or similar.

The Company is treating the cobalt and copper tonnage and grade estimates above as historical estimates. The historical estimates do not use categories that conform to current CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves as outlined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and have not been redefined to conform to current CIM Definition Standards. They were prepared in the 1980s prior to the adoption and implementation of NI 43-101. The Noranda Report does not detail cut-off grades and metal prices used to estimate the historical mineralization and used a tonnage factor of 11 cubic feet per ton. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources and the Company is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources. More work, including, but not limited to, drilling, will be required to conform the estimates to current CIM Definition Standards. Investors are cautioned that the historical estimates do not mean or imply that economic deposits exist on the Property. The Company has not undertaken any independent investigation of the historical estimates or other information contained in this press release nor has it independently analyzed the results of the previous exploration work in order to verify the accuracy of the information. The Company believes that the historical estimates and other information contained in this press release are relevant to continuing exploration on the Property.

Management of the Company is relying on the historical estimates contained in the Noranda Report because the authors were experts and used industry standard procedures at the time. The historical estimates are relevant to the Company's planned exploration program because they identify significant mineralization that will be the target of this exploration program.

Mr. Garry Clark, P. Geo., of Clark Exploration Consulting, is the "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101, who has reviewed and approved the technical content in this press release.

About The Company

STM is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of production grade lithium deposits worldwide. STM has acquired the Deep Valley property located in west-central Alberta. This property consists of a 6,648 ha (16,427 acres) permit that encompasses an area of reported enrichment of lithium brines. The Deep Valley property is located in the active Fox Creek - Sturgeon Lake area of Alberta, where formation waters within Leduc aquifers are highly enriched in lithium, potassium, boron, bromine and other commodities, as stated by the ERCB in its report of October, 2011, entitled geological introduction to lithium-rich formation water with emphasis on the Fox Creek area of west-central Alberta (NTS 83F and 83K).

Reader Advisory

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. . In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future exploration work on the Property. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada and globally; industry conditions, including governmental regulation and environmental regulation; failure to obtain industry partner and other third party consents and approvals, if and when required; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; liabilities inherent in water disposal facility operations; competition for, among other things, skilled personnel and supplies; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; geological, technical, processing and transportation problems; changes in tax laws and incentive programs; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and dispositions; and the other factors. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

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.

Contacts:

Scientific Metals Corp.

Brian Kirwin

President

(775) 772-0165

bongold@intercomm.com or info@scientificmetalscorp.com

www.scientificmetalscorp.com




THE HAGUE, Netherlands, September 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Every year, groundbreaking new therapeutics for cancer, motor neuron disease and other life-threatening diseases receive FDA approval. From there it can take an average of 2 years for such medicines to become available in Australian hospitals and pharmacies. For patients who are running out of time and options, that's 2 years too long. Aussies suffer or die needlessly.

TheSocialMedwork aims to change that. Implementing a very well regulated system that is hardly being utilised worldwide, the online platform helps patients and doctors to source their much needed innovative medicine and arranges for it to be delivered to a hospital or pharmacy in their home country, where treatment can take place. Patients no longer need to fly to the US every couple of weeks to receive treatment; they can stay at home with their loved ones.

A network of doctors, patients, pharmacists and innovators.

The platform was founded after e-health innovators Sjaak Vink-founder and former CEO of clinical trial focused MyTomorrows, and Jamie Heywood-founder and former CEO of the largest online patient community in the world-PatientsLikeMe-both lost friends and family members to cancer and motor-neuron-disease, and felt that they could have been treated more effectively. They began to research and found a legal means to import therapeutics that have been approved in a country other than the patients' country. Founded in 2014 in Delaware (US), and registered with the Ministry of Health in The Hague (The Netherlands) as an independent intermediary for medicines, TheSocialMedwork has an international team of doctors and pharmacists constantly scan for innovative medicines that have recently been approved somewhere in the world. Each medicine is then rigorously screened to determine whether or not it can offer an 'added value' to patients.

47 countries, 5 continents.

To date, doctors and patients from 47 countries have already reached out to TheSocialMedwork for support. The platform has successfully delivered to patients and doctors in 5 continents.

"I witnessed a loved-one fight hard to gain access to an FDA approved medicine that could have saved his life," states CEO Sjaak Vink. "There's a current lack of a globally harmonised approval system, and unfortunately that's not something I can personally change overnight. But I do believe that TheSocialMedwork is making a big step in the right direction."

At this moment TheSocialMedwork offers 14 recently approved treatments-9 of which are currently directly unattainable to patients in Australian pharmacies. Amongst them is a Japan-approved treatment for MND, the latest FDA-approved breast cancer treatment and an FDA-approved leukemia treatment that has recently caught the attention of many Australians. "Additional promising treatments are expected to be approved in the US within the next few months. We're going to do our best to ensure that they're accessible to Australians within weeks of their FDA approval," states TheSocialMedwork's Dr Jan de Witt.

The healthcare industry is one of the last major old economy bastions that has remained largely untouched by globalisation and more specifically, instantaneous access to goods on on global level. This is the 21st century. With 1 in 2 Australian men and 1 in 3 Australian women diagnosed with cancer, it's time for Australia's geographical location to play a smaller role in Aussies' access to the latest potentially live-saving options.

For more information please visit TheSocialMedwork.com andhttps://thesocialmedwork.com/en/press

To arrange an interview please contact Rachel Leung via email rachel.leung@thesocialmedwork.com or call +61(0)435-520-056.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Canada Revenue Agency

The vast majority of Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but some wealthy Canadians buy their way out of paying what they owe. This has to change in order to ensure a tax system that is more responsive and fair for all Canadians.

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, today highlighted Canada's participation in the Joint International Taskforce on Shared Intelligence and Collaboration (JITSIC) network. During the announcement, the Minister emphasized the necessity of sharing data between Canada's international partners, in order to identify and curb tax schemes and to bring those who choose to participate in such tactics to justice.

As a founding member of the JITSIC - a network of more than 30 tax administrations - Canada works closely with its counterparts to coordinate tax compliance activities across the spectrum of international tax risks.

Canada is now working with its international partners to tackle these threats through joint collaboration, and will continue to collect and share an increasing amount of data. In addition to these global efforts, respective countries are pursuing both criminal and civil activities domestically.

Minister Lebouthillier also underlined the concrete steps being taken by the CRA here in Canada to crack down on tax cheats. Specifically linked to offshore tax havens, the CRA is currently conducting audits on over 750 taxpayers and criminally investigating 20 cases of tax evasion.

Today's announcement builds on the government's $444 million investment to provide the Canada Revenue Agency with more resources and tools to identify and curb offshore tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The Government of Canada today reiterated its commitment to cracking down on tax cheats and those who choose to participate in tax schemes, through increased collaboration with international partners.

Quotes

"Hiding income and assets in foreign jurisdictions to avoid paying taxes is a serious issue that robs all hard-working Canadians of important services. By increasing our collaboration with our international partners, Canada is taking an active role in ensuring a fairer tax system, where tax cheats face consequences for their actions. This government has promised to pursue tax cheats and with the help of our international partners and concrete action at home, I can say that we are closing in on them."

- The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Revenue

Quick Facts

-- Regarding the Panama Papers, the CRA has several ongoing audits and is pursuing criminal investigations in some instances. Search warrants were recently executed by the CRA and these investigations are ongoing. The Agency is working in partnership with domestic partners such as the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on these matters. -- In May 2016, following reports that a financial institution and its subsidiaries were associated with approximately 375 shell companies mentioned in the Panama Papers, the CRA applied to the Federal Court for authorization to issue an Unnamed Persons Requirement seeking information from this particular Canadian financial institution. The CRA has now received part of the information it requested, with more on the way later this fall, and is reviewing and cross-referencing the data with information already obtained by the Agency. The CRA will take the necessary compliance actions where appropriate. -- The CRA has been collecting information on all international Electronic Funds Transfers over $10,000, including those involving Panama and other jurisdictions of concern. Specifically regarding the Isle of Man, 3000 Electronic Funds Transfers totalling $860M in a 12 month period were reviewed. These involved approximately 800 taxpayers. Approximately 350 individuals and 400 entities have been contacted and as a result of this review, 60 audits are currently underway. The CRA is also reviewing other jurisdictions. -- In Budget 2016, the government committed to provide the CRA with the necessary tools to combat offshore tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. Beginning this fall, the CRA will be launching the hiring process to add new tax professionals to its already robust audit team. These individuals will assist in auditing high-risk multinational corporations and unravelling complex offshore schemes to crack down on tax cheats, a strategy that will collect an estimated additional $500 million in revenue over five years. -- The CRA encourages Canadians to come forward through the Offshore Informant Program (OTIP), if they have any information pertaining to tax evasion/tax avoidance. As of July 31st, 2016, the OTIP has received 868 calls from potential informants and an additional 361 written submissions. Due to information received through this program, over 180 taxpayers are currently under audit.

Associated Links

Government of Canada cracks down on tax evasion

Stay connected

To receive updates when new information is added to our website, you can:

- Follow the CRA on Twitter - @CanRevAgency.

- Subscribe to a CRA electronic mailing list.

- Add our RSS feeds to your feed reader.

- You can also watch our tax-related videos on YouTube.

Contacts:

Chloe Luciani-Girouard, Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of National Revenue

613-995-2960



Media Relations

Canada Revenue Agency

613-952-9184




CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Japan will on Thursday release final Q2 figures for gross domestic product, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Little change is expected from the August 15 preliminary reading that suggested a flat quarterly reading and a 0.2 percent yearly increase. In the first quarter, GDP added 0.5 percent on quarter and 1.9 percent on year. Japan also will provide July numbers for current account and August figures for bank lending. The current account surplus is expected to come in at 2,073.3 billion yen after showing 974.3 billion yen in June. Bank lending is tipped to rise 2.0 percent on year, slowing from 2.1 percent in July. Australia will release July trade figures; in June, the trade deficit was A$3.195 billion. China will provide August results for imports, exports and trade balance. Imports are expected to fall 5.0 percent on year after sliding 12.5 percent in July. Exports are called lower by 3.9 percent after dipping 4.4 percent in the previous month. The trade balance is tipped to show a surplus of $58.35 billion, up from $52.31 billion a month earlier. 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.
EDMONTON, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- Infrastructure Canada

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Brian Mason, Alberta's Minister of Infrastructure, hosted today the first federal, provincial and territorial meeting between Ministers responsible for infrastructure.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss infrastructure priorities across the country as the federal government designs Phase 2 of Investing in Canada, its $120-billion infrastructure plan. This plan, and the investments made at all orders of government, will stimulate the economy and create jobs, while building strong, inclusive and sustainable communities for generations to come.

During today's meeting, Minister Sohi praised the strong partnerships that have been essential to delivering Phase 1 of Investing in Canada and discussed how to build on that success to design Phase 2. Under the bilateral agreements for Canada's Provinces and Territories, $5.4 billion of federal funding is available through Phase 1. So far, over 660 projects have been approved across the country to ensure Canadians have safe water to drink, wastewater systems they can rely on, and high-quality public transit systems that get them to work on time and back home safely at the end of a long day.

Representatives from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities also attended a portion of the meeting, discussing how to deliver results for Canadian communities, as municipal governments are key partners in the delivery of infrastructure that Canadians need. With this input, Ministers examined how best to connect municipal priorities of both urban centres and rural communities to provincial, territorial and national outcomes.

All ministers shared their views on infrastructure investment approaches and the best mechanisms to deliver projects in their jurisdictions, and highlighted their public transit, green and social infrastructure needs.

Participants agreed that the federal government should begin Phase 2 of their infrastructure plan as soon as possible, with funding flowing quickly to revitalize the economy and boost employment across the country. Provincial and Territorial Ministers identified that Phase 2 funding should support existing provincial and territorial priorities, be predictable, flexible and contain a fair allocation model and simple administrative processes.

Quotes

"Investing in infrastructure is vital to create growth for the middle class now while building a strong foundation for a sustainable economic future. Today's meeting was another step in our relationship-building with our infrastructure partners across the country, part of the Government of Canada's commitment to re-engage with provincial, territorial and municipal governments. Each region has unique challenges and opportunities, and it is only in working in partnership that we will be successful in creating strategic, lasting infrastructure that will help build the Canada of the 21st century."

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Our government's historic investments in infrastructure are creating good jobs, supporting families, and putting Alberta's economy on track to emerge from the current downturn stronger than ever. We are pleased the federal government has also made investing in infrastructure a priority. At this meeting we have established a strong consensus that federal funding must be predictable and flexible to ensure it's aligned with the priorities and budgets of each province and territory."

The Honourable Brian Mason, Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Transportation

Associated links

Investing in Canada, the Government of Canada's new $120-billion infrastructure plan: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/index-eng.html

Lists of projects approved under Phase 1 so far: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/pt-sp/ptt-tsp-eng.html

The Public Transit Infrastructure Fund: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/ptif-fitc-eng.php

The Clean Water and Wastewater Fund: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/cwwf-fepeu-eng.html

Twitter: @INFC_eng

Web: Infrastructure Canada

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/IMG_2540.jpg

Contacts:

Brook Simpson

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

613-219-0149

brook.simpson@canada.ca



Aileen Machell

Press Secretary

Alberta Infrastructure

780-292-0154

aileen.machell@gov.ab.ca



Infrastructure Canada

613-960-9251

Toll free: 1-877-250-7154

infc.media-medias.infc@canada.ca




Dizzion, Inc., a Denver, CO-based full-service End User Computing (EUC) provider, raised $6.4m in Series A1 funding.

The round was co-led by investors Grotech Ventures and Access Venture Partners, with participation from Point B Capital and Correlation Ventures.

The round also marks the addition of retired ViaWest Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder Roy Dimoff, to Dizzions board of directors.

The company intends to use the funds to grow its staff, expand its partner program and further refine virtual desktop technologies to serve industries with challenging workforce environments including business process outsourcing and the healthcare, financial services and insurance industries.

Established in 2011 and led by Steve Prather, CEO, Dizzion provides computing services, including cloud-delivered Desktops as a Service (DaaS), paired with complementary offerings like secure endpoints, application delivery and storage to enable end users to securely access applications and data from their desktop on any device, responding to new enteprise challenges given by the shift to cloud and global workforce trends including third-party contracting, work-from-home programs and a requirement for organizations to protect data.

Dizzion services companies around the globe, including major brands like AARP, Delta Dental, and TELUS International. Channel partners include ViaWest, Zayo, CarrierSales, SPS, and Hosting.

FinSMEs

07/09/2016
Language Your Way, a Melbourne, Australia-based education technology startup, closed its pre-seed funding round.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

Local angel investors including several venture capitalists participated in the round.

The company intends to use the funds to sign additional schools in the target market and commence the Version 2 of the platform, which will feature enhanced gamification and adaptive learning capabilities.

Launched in 2015 and CEO Pawan Lalwani, Language Your Way is advancing an online education platform for teaching English to Chinese school students encouraging game based learning supplemented with online tutoring.

The online platform is currently used in multiple English training schools in Sichuan with additional areas as next targets.

FinSMEs

07/09/2016
Frazier Healthcare Partners, a Seattle, Wash., and Menlo Park, Calif.-based provider of growth capital to healthcare companies, added Brock Hardaway as an Operating Partner on the Growth Buyout team.

He will assist the Growth Buyout team with identifying and executing opportunities in the post-acute sector.

Hardaway most recently served as CEO of Millennium Health, a specialty, clinical toxicology lab. He has also spent more than 23 years in various leadership and senior executive roles in the post-acute sector. As Executive Vice President at Kindred Healthcare, Hardaway had leadership responsibility for more than 60 specialty and rehab hospitals across the U.S. and managed well over $1 billion in annual revenue.

Prior to the acquisition of RehabCare by Kindred, he was President of the Hospital Division at RehabCare where he led the day-to-day operations of the RehabCare specialty hospitals nationwide.

Before joining RehabCare/Kindred, Hardaway was the President & COO of Triumph Healthcare, a Houston-based specialty Hospital Company, held leadership roles with Select Medical Corporation, and worked in various aspects of healthcare consulting.

Led by Nathan Every, General Partner, Frazier Healthcare Partners provides growth and venture capital to emerging healthcare service and biopharma companies. With nearly $2.9 billion under management, the firm has invested in over 170 companies ranging from early-stage venture investments to buyouts of profitable lower-middle market companies across the United States, Canada and Europe.

FinSMEs

07/09/2016
VizEat, a Paris, France-based food experience platform, raised 3.8m in funding.

Backers included current investor Eurovestech plc., among others.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate its growth, which will include new offices opening in the UK and Germany, strengthen its management team (it has appointed former Head of Mobile Acquisition Marketing of Meetic-Match Group Europe, Pierrine Griffiths) and continue to boost its community of outstanding travel and food experiences with locals around the world.

Founded in July 2014, VizEat by Camille Rumani and Jean-Michel Petit, VizEat provides a social dining platform which connects travellers and local hosts offering food experiences (dinners, cooking classes, food tours, etc) at their home.

The platform, available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, currently has more than 20,000 hosts across 110 countries.

A mobile app is available for download for iOS and in October will be available on Android.

FinSMEs

07/09/2016
India is on the path of becoming a "pivot" for high-tech world manufacturing even as global manufacturing growth is expected to remain low in 2016 due to weakened financial support for productive activities, a new United Nations (UN) report said.

The quarterly 'World Manufacturing Production report', published by the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) said world manufacturing output is expected to increase by only 2.8 percent in 2016.

However, in contrast to recent years, there will be no breakout from the low-growth trap in 2016.

Growth performance was much higher in Asian economies, where manufacturing output rose by 6.5 percent in the second quarter of 2016.

"India's manufacturing output, which achieved impressive growth rates in the last quarters, experienced a second slight decline in a row but the prospects for India's manufacturing are conclusive, since India is on the path to becoming a pivot for high-tech world manufacturing," the report said.

According to the latest GDP data released in India, the manufacturing sector grew 9.1 percent during April-June 2016, a slight decline from the 9.3 percent clocked in January to March.

UNIDO also warned that lower industrial growth rates pose a challenge for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation, as encapsulated by Goal 9, which also aims to significantly raise the share of manufacturing in the economies of developing countries.

It further stated that manufacturing production is likely to rise by only 1.3 percent in industrialised countries and by 4.7 percent in developing ones.

In terms of growth rates for countries, the growth rate performance of China, the world's largest manufacturer, is likely to further decline from last year's 7.1 percent to 6.5 percent this year.

Russia and the US recorded marginal rises of one percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.

In Europe, the uncertainty following the Brexit affected the growth rate performance in manufacturing in the second quarter of 2016, below one percent for the first time since 2013.

Developing economies maintained higher growth in the production of textiles, chemical products and fabricated metal products, while the growth performance of industrialised economies was higher in the pharmaceutical industry and in production of motor vehicles.
11:50 am Aviation sector is burdened with too many taxes and cost of operations is highly taxed also. ATF alone constitutes 40-50 percent of operation cost and the average cost of ATF in Indian airports is higher than other hubs. Singh said a higher taxation regime, ad valorem tax are responsible for the sector's losses. He also said experts have recommended to bring ATF under a regulatory agency in order to bring in more transparency of the product.

AI can only pay March salaries for working employees

111:45 am Air India has a problem with money and can only pay up to March salaries for all the working AI employees. The striking pilots will not be paid as of now, said Singh. All the money has to come from the government. They have only Rs 2,000 crore , he said.

1:30 am IPG is not recognized anymore, their fears are of their own making.

Singh asserted that the strike is over as far as Air India management is concerned. The carrier will train new pilots but practically speaking the striking pilots are unwilling to come back to work because they have thrashed the turnaround plan, which effectively means they do not want to come back to work.

Dreamliner ops to begin by August

11; 30 amThe strike has been declared illegal by the Delhi high court since day one, reiterated Singh, adding that the pilots did not follow the union rules of giving a prior notice before the strike . "I have said in Parliament their will be no victimisation, but they are not willing. He also said Dreamliner operations will begin by August; and the first flight will be between Mumbai and London . Also Air India has made plans not only to maintain international flights, but to increase them.

Sacked pilots are welcome back, must accept Dharmadhikari report

11.19am: Singh announces key changes in tests for pilots, saying that the format in which they are conducted will be changed, allowing pilots to appeal if they are unhappy with their test results. Singh said the sacked pilots are welcome to come back, but without any pre-conditions. However if the sacked pilots don't accept the Dharmadhikari report, which is part of turnaround plan, there is no reason for them to come back. Moreover the terminated pilots will have to re-apply if the want to come back to Air India.

AI to hire more pilots

The Air India management is planning to hire around 90 more pilots in the next six months, not only for international operations but also for domestic routes. The airline will also start new routes to Hong Kong, Seoul and Osaka in August.

Contingency reserve plan in full force

11.17am: The Minister says that now they are flying 11,000 passengers daily and the contingency reserve plan is now in full force. Singh added that there areplans to train more pilots, as well as hire more pilots for the domestic flights.

11.14am: Civil aviation Minister Ajit Singh begins his media address by thanking all the employees of Air India for supporting the airline during 'this difficult time'. Singh is expected to announce a contingency plan for the airline, whose pilots strike has just entered its second month. Meanwhile pilots are launching protest marches in Jantar Mantar in Delhi and Azad Maidan in Mumbai.
Kicking off his 2,500 kilometer Kisan Mahayatra in poll bound Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi played the trump card that most politicians typically rely on to outsmart their rivals in wooing the agrarian communities  promise of loan waivers and cut in electricity Bills.

Gandhi boasted that the UPA-government waived off Rs 70,000-crore loans to farmers across the country and asked if the Narendra Modi-government can do the same for UP farmers. Like we (UPA government) waived Rs 70,000 crore, you should also do for farmers. Modiji should waive loans of farmers of Uttar Pradesh and of the country," the 46-year-old Congress leader was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.

For a moment, lets ignore the real intention behind Gadhis statement. It could have either come from his genuine concern for the struggling farmers in UP or was simply an idea born in the heads of Congress backroom strategists to woo the UP farmer. No matter what, by giving a promise of loan waivers, Gandhi is in fact doing a disservice to those very poor farmers (by destroying their credit culture), the banks (putting their loans at risk) which have been lending to them and, thus doing great harm to the economy.

Missing the target

Those who advised Gandhi to use the loan waiver plank to woo the UP farmer need to introspect, since such gimmicks have hardly translated in the past to votes, especially in states like UP. Even if one assumes that loan waivers are done in UP and electricity bills are cut, most likely, the whole episode will turn out to be another version of the Cot tragedy seen in Gandhis inaugural rally in UP, where the big takeaway for the audience from Rahul-rally was the cots themselves, not the idea Gandhi wished to convey through his Khat sabha model. The simple reason is that the mob will always endorse you if you offer freebies, but the loyalty thus gained doesnt last.

If Gandhi is serious about the welfare of farmers, the Congress VP should do away with the loan waiver plank since it actually hurts the farmer ultimately. It works this way: The very announcement of loan waivers destroys the credit culture of the borrowers and has a wider cascading impact across that particular region. Past experience shows this begins to happen on Day One of the announcement. Even the honest borrowers, who have been paying his dues diligently, will feel fooled and stop paying back, waiting for the waiver to happen at some point.

Such deterioration in the credit culture will immediately punch holes in the agriculture loan portfolio of banks, in turn, making them stop all fresh funding to everyone who have defaulted on payments. Already farm loan NPAs (non-performing assets) are a big chunk of bad loans for many banks. According to senior bankers, this has happened when the UPA announced Rs 70,000 crore loan waiver in 2008 and when the Andhra, Telangana governments announced loan waivers to farmers in 2014. Thus ultimately, it harms both the bank and the borrower. It takes years to clear the mess and reinstate the trust between the two.

Loan waivers ineffective

The point is beyond temporary relief, loan waivers do not help farmer.

In other words, even if one assumes that the loan waiver indeed reaches the intended beneficiary  the poor farmer (in many cases it doesnt happen in reality), the good news for him ends right there. After that, he is practically a loan defaulter in the eyes of his lenders. The next time the farmer walks into a bank seeking a fresh loan, which he will for the sake of continuing his farming, the lender wouldnt offer a fresh loan looking at his past credit history. This would apply to all farmers, whose names are mentioned in the loan waiver list.

In fact, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has highlighted the perils of loan waivers in the past. Speaking at an event in Udaipur, former RBI governor, Raghuram Rajan asked an important question.

How effective these debt waivers have been? In fact the studies that we have typically show that they have been ineffective. In fact they have constrained the credit flow post waiver to the farmers."

The worst part is that once the banking system is shut for the farmer, he will then be forced to seek the assistance of the private moneylender, paying an astronomical rate of interest and thus putting his lifes savings, land and honor at risk. But the farmer, unfortunately, doesnt realise this risk because it is human nature to grab freebies without a second thought.

In the process even the good borrowers who used to pay back on time get into the bad list. When the Andhra/ Telengana loan waiver announcement had happened, rating agencies had warned about the serious repercussions such actions can have on the system. "These schemes seem to have yielded electoral gains, similar announcements could be made in other states as well. The most vulnerable would be states in which elections are nearing," India Ratings had warned then.

This is precisely what has happened in the Rahul Gandhi rally.

Playing the populist card

Rahuls reasoning that if corporate loans can be waived off, why cannot the same be done with the farmer loans lacks logic. One mistake cannot correct another. If corporates have fooled the banking system and if bankers are party to it, the remedy lies in investigation, legal action and recovery of loans  not compensating it with another bigger mistake. Rahuls logic is wrong here and is counter productive for the system.

If the idea is to help the farmer, it should be done through assisting him with measures that do not harm him ultimately. The minimum support price is an idea worth debating in this context. Also, fresh funds can be made available on easier terms to the deserving farmers through nodal agencies such as National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. Already, under current norms, banks too have to lend at 18 percent of their priority sector loans to the farmer.

Secondly, Gandhis promise to halve the electricity Bills too lacks sense. In UP, the timely availability of power is the bigger issue farmers face, more than the cost of the power. Halving the power bills will only help to break the back of the state electricity board that is already fighting a financial crisis. Lack of availability of power in UP is a severe problem and doesnt confine to the farming community.

According to this June, 2016 Hindustan Times report, UP will be the countrys fourth most power-deficient state only after Bihar, Assam and Jammu & Kashmir. While the state will experience an average demand for 16,000 MW during the year, it will be able to meet only 14,454 MW demand, thus registering a shortfall of 1,546 MW which will be as high as 9.7 percent of the total demand, the report said. That tells us that the problem in the state is more on account of power deficiency, not the cost of power. Gandhi should have spoken on the core issue, but he chose to play the populist card.

To understand the futility of his exercise, Gandhi needs to only remember that if farm loan waiver was the miracle cure the Congress party needed to win votes, it wouldnt have ended up with less than 30 seats in the 2012 UP polls and then lost terribly in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Even then, Congress leaders had spoken of the 2008 farm loan waiver in political rallies. Gandhi needs to rethink on his poll strategy.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) last week (August 31) asked the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) to respond to the following query of an RTI applicant from Rajasthan: At the time of the 2014 election, it was announced that black money (stashed abroad in foreign banks) will be brought back to India and Rs 15 lakh will be deposited in the account of each poor (person). What has happened to that?

The RTI applicant, Kanhaiya Lal from Jhalawar district, had moved the CIC as he claimed that he had filed the application with the PMO on February 8, but did not get any response.

The PMO official, who was present at the CIC hearing, denied that the PMO had received the RTI application; therefore, there was no way it could have given a response.

Now that CIC has asked the PMO to respond within 15 days, Kanhaiya Lal should be assured of a reply to his question.

But then this question may have been a part of an RTI query for the first time, but the same question has been raised politically by the Congress, AAP and some other opposition parties in the last two years. Even Shiv Sena, an ally of the ruling BJP, has raised the same issue, much to the chagrin of the ruling party.

Opposition demand, too

The Congress party raked it up soon after the BJP-led NDA government completed 100 days in office  What happened to the prime ministers claim that the black money in the foreign banks would be brought back within 100 days of coming to power? The BJP responded saying that the Prime Minister had never made any such claim. The fact is that this assertion had been made by the then party president (and the current home minister) Rajnath Singh.

But then, the opposition partied reminded the BJP that Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate then, had thundered that if he was voted to power the black money would be brought back and every poor man\woman would benefit to the tune of 15 to 20 lakh rupees; the BJP could not deny this assertion because it is there on a Youtube video.

The party leadership perforce had to respond to it. Amit Shah, the current BJP president, rose to the defence of the Prime Minister in a television interview to ABP News: Modijis statement was an idiomatic expression (jumla) that was given during the Lok Sabha polls. Everybody knows that this black money doesnt go to the accounts of people. The black money that would return to the country from abroad will be used to help the poor and the needy through schemes. Modiji had said that.

The Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, also sprung to the defence of the Prime Minister. Responding to a question in Parliament on Prime Minister Modis Rs 15-lakh-to every-Indian claim, Jaitley said that Narendra Modis campaign statement was merely illustrative. There are various versions of the quantum of monies. And it (Modis) is an illustrative statement which indicates that if any of those versions are accepted which indicate a higher amount of black money lying outside India, then pro rata that is the benefit accrues to the citizens of India. It is a statement which has been made by several people in that context and it must be taken entirely in that context, he said.

Well, possibly, Kanhaiya Lal will be fobbed off with a similar response from the PMO in the coming week.

But then if we just accept that the then prime ministerial aspirant was merely making an illustrative statement about the quantum of black money then by his own assessment, more than Rs 2,000 lakh crore was there to be tapped and recovered.

And if Rajanath Singhs statement of a 100-day deadline for the recovery of the black money has to be dismissed as a bogus claim, at least we should get a status report on it after a lapse of two years which is a long enough time to assess if the government is actually walking the talk.

Black money report card

The report card after two years reads this: A total of Rs 4,147 crore undisclosed wealth was declared during the 90-day foreign black money compliance window that ended on September 30, 2015. The government got a net tax of less than Rs 2,500 crore from the declarations (at the rate of 30 percent tax + 30 percent penalty). This amounts to just Rs 20 per Indian, not Rs 20 lakh, as promised.

Compare this to the Rs 7,800 crore of the black money that was recovered by the United Front government under a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme in 1997, when the national economy was much smaller.

The Modi government has, of course, opened another four-month window (June 1 to September 30, 2016) to holders of unaccounted wealth to come clean by paying 30 percent tax plus a penalty of 7.5 percent and a similar percentage of surcharge. The outcome will be known after four weeks.

But then, going by the trend, it would be a few thousand more crores that would come on board. If, in the prime ministers own estimate, Rs 2,000 lakh crore of black money is waiting to be tapped, then a few thousand crores would be just a drop in the ocean.

Whither political will?

One obvious conclusion  it is easy to pontificate while in opposition: Modi and other leaders did the same before 2014 to embarrass the ruling Congress. Now Congress, which is in the opposition, doing the same to show up the BJP-led government.

Clearly, in both cases, the political will has been missing to go to the bottom of the black money issue. When information about the Indians parking illegal money in the HSBC bank in Geneva was given to the Indian government by the French authorities in 2011, the Manmohan Singh government sat tight over it, despite the repeated hectoring of the BJP to disclose the information. The then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee insisted that no such information could be placed in the public domain due to confidentiality clause built into the business transactions.

Well, someone could ask: Why should the government respect confidentiality in the black money deals? But that is the way our venerated leaders act and react. When P Chidambaram became the finance minister in 2012, he echoed the Pranab line. And the bigger irony is that Arun Jaitley, who was most vocal for the public display of the names of the HSBC Geneva account holders, started singing the same tune when he became the finance minister in the Narendra Modi government in 2014.

The hard fact is this: Both Congress and BJP have been bankrolled by black money. No black money stashed abroad can be recovered until the black money thriving in India is attacked first. That is a call of the tall order.
New Delhi: Aam Admi Party leader Ashutosh will meet NCW chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam on Thursdya after he was summoned for his controversial blog defending sacked party minister Sandeep Kumar over an "objectionable CD".

I have decided to appear before NCW tomorrow as I have been asked by the panel, to present my views.  ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) September 7, 2016

He will visit the National Commission for Women office at 11:30 am on Thursday. NCW summoned Ashutosh for his blog on NDTV website titled, "The Sex Was Consensual, Private Act. Why AAP Punished Its Man."

In the blog Ashutosh, referring to Sandeep Kumar, asked, "What wrong has the man done?" He wrote, "This video encompasses pictures of a man and woman indulging in a sexual act. The video clearly establishes that both individuals knew each other and consented to sex in a private space away from the public glare." "...The question then is that if two consenting adults are physically involved with each other,is it a crime?" While issuing summons Kumaramangalam said, "The summons are in response to what we feel is a very reprehensible and demeaning blog Ashutosh wrote, where he defended a man accused of rape."

She also said that Ashutosh was wrong to jump the gun and pronounce Sandeep Kumar innocent when a police investigation was on.

The NCW chairperson said it did not behove a party spokesperson to defend a party MLA accused of a sexual crime. She had said, "The Commission has taken a note in the larger interest because we feel that as a spokesperson of a party that governs Delhi and a party whose members have been accused of many incidents of violence against women he should not be writing a blog like this which reeks of patriarchy and misogyny."

Ashutosh had on Monday taken to Twitter to attack NCW chairperson for issuing him summons. He had tweeted, "I hope Lalitha Kumarmangalam, member of BJP Nat Ex/chairman NCW is summoning every writer who wrote about consensual sex. NO pick and choose
Kolkata: Security personnel at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata went into a tizzy on Wednesday after receiving three phone calls threatening to blow up the airport.

While the first two calls were made to Lalbazar Police Control room around 1.15 am, the third call was made to Bidhannagar Police commissionerate.

Immediately after receiving the first two calls, bomb squad, sniffer dogs along with CISF team were pressed into action and the entire airport was thoroughly screened throughout the night, a senior police officer said.

However, "nothing was found", he said. The first call was made to Lalbazar control room at

around 1.15am by a man who said that he had got information that one person named Arshad, a human bomb, was planning to blow up the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport".

"The call was made from 3615188371. The male voice gave us another no (8697872895) saying that it was Arshad's no. He almost pleaded that a probe be launched quickly," a top officer of Kolkata Police told PTI.

The next call came from another number claiming that a bomb was planted inside the airport and "it will blow off the whole place within minutes, he said.

On Wednesday morning, another call was made to Bidhannagar Police commissionerate claiming that a bomb has been planted inside a cargo aircraft and "it'll go off any moment", a senior officer said.

"Bomb squad, sniffer dogs are checking the airport while CISF personnel are carrying out special scrutiny of the entire place", he said.

"Every passenger and their luggage is being checked. Vehicles are not allowed to stay near the main entrance for more than two minutes," he said.

Sleuths at Lalbazar said that one of the two numbers was traced to be of Guwahati circle "but was switched off after the call was made to the Control".

"We are trying to trace the calls on the basis of its tower locations. Our officers are working on it," the officer said.
Rocky Patel Premium Cigars is heading to the Dominican Republic. At this years 2016 IPCPR Trade Show, the company unveiled the Rocky Patel Dark Dominican  the first cigar by Rocky Patel Premium Cigars being made in the Dominican Republic.

To make the Rocky Patel Dark Dominican, Rocky Patel Premium Cigars is partnering with General Cigar where the cigar is being produced at General Cigar Dominicana. Rocky Patel has a history of working with General Cigar as it has produced the Rocky Patel Vintage Series (1990, 1992, 1999), however this still marks the first time a Rocky Patel product is being made in the Dominican Republic.

Details of the blend of the Rocky Patel Dark Dominican have not been disclosed. The cigar will be available in four sizes: Corona (5 1/2 x 42); Robusto (5 1/2 x 50); Supremo (6 x 54); and Churchill (7 x 49). Each size will be available in 20 count boxes.

Photo Credit: Cigar Coop
The Cauvery has been a bone of contention for the states of Tamil Nadu (TN) and Karnataka back to when they were previously known as Madras Presidency and the Princely state of Mysore and had to divide the water between themselves.

The Ministry of Water Resources, in a 2007 report (The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal), noted that "all sincere attempts" by the Indian government to settle "this long pending water dispute by negotiations since 1970" have failed. In a 1924 agreement, quoted by the aforementioned report, it was further noted that the Mysore government was allowed to complete the construction of Krishna Raja Sagara dam with a capacity of 44,827 mcft (milli cubic feet) and other reservoirs with a permitted capacity of 45,000 mcft. The erstwhile Madras government was to construct the Mettur dam to form a reservoir of 93,500 mcft.

The report further said that certain clauses of the agreement dealing with the usage of excess water "for further extension in both Mysore and Tamil Nadu beyond what was contemplated in the 1924 agreement" were subject to revision only on a mutually agreed upon basis.

From 1974, the Karnataka government began confining the flows from four reservoirs  Harangi, Kabini, Hemavathi and Suvarnavathy  without consulting the TN government. The report found that this was in violation of the "terms and conditions stipulated in Clauses 10(vi), (vii), (viii) & (xiv) of the 1924 Agreement".

The Cauvery River Authority (CRA) formed in 1998, under the chairmanship of then Prime Minister AB Vajpayee  and consisting of chief ministers from the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu  was dubbed a "toothless" body by the TN government (in 2001) as it failed to direct the Karnataka government from releasing at least 10 tmcft of water, reported the Frontline.

According to TN officials, Karnataka had excess water in reservoirs yet it declined to release 137 tmcft of water as agreed upon by the interim order of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal. The reason given by then Chief Minister of Karnataka, SM Krishna, was that his state required the water for their summer crop, which was at that time, several months away. It was further reported that Vajpayee didn't coax the state to do the needful and TN "incurred a loss of Rs 300 crores".

The Frontline report goes on to say that an official press release from the TN government "attacked" the monitoring committee and the Karnataka government; TN government officials also called it a "repeat performance". Following this, the CRA asked the Karnataka government to make sure the release of water at the Mettur reservoir but as TN officials claimed they hadn't heard anything from the Centre, they went ahead and filed a case at the Supreme Court requesting a breakthrough. Krishna then claimed that 42 taluks in Karnataka were hit by drought, which was refuted by Ranganathan, the secretary of the Cauvery Delta Farmers' Welfare Association. The Karnataka government also presented a memorandum to Vajpayee that TN had disclosed to the CRA that it had increased the cultivation of kuruvai (a short-term rice crop) even though it wasn't so.

In 2002, another report by the Frontline talked about Krishna's "open defiance" of the 4 October order of the Supreme Court, "which directed the state to release 0.8 tmcft of water". The apex court then issued an "unprecedented ultimatum" to the defying government to either release water or face dire consequences. Krishna then apologised to the SC, ordered the release of water and shut down protesters of Cauvery Hitharakshana Samithi, who were on the streets of Mandya opposing the Cauvery's release.

Nothing has changed, 14 years later.

Reports have detailed how protesters have intensified their agitation in Mandya on Tuesday and other parts of the state blocking several roads and forcing schools and colleges to shut down. Mandya district, which happens to be the nucleus of Cauvery politics, saw a bandh on Tuesday with protesters holding road blockades and dharnas at several places, as hundreds of security personnel  including central forces  were deployed in the Cauvery belt to maintain law and order.

Complying with the Supreme Court direction, the state government on Tuesday decided to release water despite "severe hardships." The court order directed an immediate backlash with agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits blocking the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah cited "severe hardships" when the SC directed the state to release 15,000 cusecs of water for the next 10 days to address the plight of the farmers in Tamil Nadu. Noting that the 'samba' crops in Tamil Nadu would be adversely affected, an apex court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and UU Lalit directed Karnataka to ensure supply of water to Tamil Nadu.

"Despite severe hardships faced by the government of Karnataka, the state will release water as directed by the Supreme Court," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had told reporters after nearly a three-hour long all-party meeting convened by him on Tuesday.

Siddaramaiah had also said government would approach the SC with a modification petition, explaining its difficulties in implementing its order.

Last year, Siddaramaiah accused the TN government of "politicising" the Cauvery dispute and J Jayalalithaa of "creating a fuss for political reasons", reported The Hindu-Business Line. This was regarding the Mekedatu dam project, where Jayalalithaa submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that included TN governments opposition to the project.

Even though the Centre has a say in river disputes, the parties in Delhi refuse to interfere in the interstate river wars: This can perhaps be attributed to the fact that even though the BJP and the Congress have a standing in Karnataka, both the major parties have little to no stake in Tamil Nadu. Major political parties possibly see no merit in interfering in such issues as they largely don't see the solution transferring into votes.

With inputs from PTI
Where is Mandyada Gandu (Mandya's man)?" a youth asks sarcastically. His reference is to Mandya MLA, Ambareesh, also a popular actor in the Kannada film industry. Ambareesh who was Karnataka Housing minister in the Siddaramaiah government till last year, had starred in Kannada film 'Mandyada Gandu' in 1994 and the popular title song is a number still hummed by every Mandya resident. The youth says the fact that Ambareesh has not made an appearance, rankles.

Perhaps that is why in the cover of darkness before day break on Wednesday morning, a former Congress MP drove from Bengaluru to Mandya. The leader was walking on eggshells, trying to justify the Siddaramaiah government's decision to abide by the Supreme court order while agreeing with the farmers' angst.

"I told the farmers we will file a review petition in the court. It is a difficult situation and I saw that our farmers are suffering. But we have to abide by the Supreme court order. As a state, we cannot defy it, can we," the former MP reasoned.

The politician did not want to be identified because on the way back to Bengaluru, burning tree logs and tyres that dotted the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway gave the ex-MP a good enough indication of the simmering anger on the ground. The farmers have moved from the fields to the road and the political establishment is finding the journey difficult.

Satish, a farmer is one of the many angry men you find in Mandya, raising the banner of revolt. "There is no water for us or my cattle. How will I provide fodder for my cattle," he asks. He threatens to leave his cattle outside the Mandya district collector's office. "I will take them back when we get water," he says.

The political Opposition watches from Bengaluru as the farmers take over their space in the Cauvery belt. Accusing Siddaramaiah of not protecting Kannadiga interests, the farmers say he has failed them for the second time in two years. Kurubur Shanthakumar, the president of the Karnataka Sugarcane Farmers Association points out that Siddaramaiah fiddled while 1560 farmers killed themselves in 2015-16.

Farmers, adopting a strident tone, had asked Siddaramaiah to defy the court order. "Don't release the water, let there be contempt of court," said Shanthakumar on Tuesday morning. By evening, the decision of the chief minister to release 15000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for the next ten days was like the last straw on the camel's back.

"He is anti-farmer. 258 farmers killed themselves in one year in the Cauvery delta of Mandya and Mysuru, which is Siddaramaiah's backyard. He did nothing. Now more will die because of no water," says Shanthakumar.

The opposition says Siddaramaiah is to blame for mishandling of the situation. His irrigation minister MB Patil had upped the ante in the week leading up to the order, making Kannadiga farmers believe that water will not be released. "With a rainfall deficit, we have very little water in the four Cauvery dams. We also need it for farming needs and to supply drinking water to Bengaluru, Mysuru and other towns in south Karnataka," Patil had said.

"You made it into an all or nothing game, when the law clearly says water has to be shared," says Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka. "Political leaders should not have given false hopes. Instead they should have communicated that Karnataka will try to minimise the discharge as much as possible."

With the Cauvery belt in protest mode, the Congress is on the back foot. The party's original game-plan was to blame the BJP for its inability to rein in Tamil Nadu government. It was not a strategy that will find takers, was the counter view within the party. Some sections argued in favour of playing to the gallery by refusing to part with a drop of water. But wiser counsel prevailed and Siddaramaiah was advised not to take on the Supreme court. The court had asked Karnataka to "live and let live" last week but it looks like on this side of the Cauvery, the Congress will have to pay a heavy political price.

The Congress is now trying to change the narrative by pointing out that in a similar situation in 2012-13, the then BJP government in Karnataka led by Jagdish Shettar had released 10000 cusecs of water for nine days.

Siddaramaiah's legal team in fact, had offered to give 10000 cusecs in its petition to the court. When Tamil Nadu demanded 20000 cusecs, the court arrived at the compromise figure of 15000 cusecs. Critics now ask if the situation was so precarious, why did Siddaramaiah offer even 10000 cusecs in Delhi, while adopting a 'not a drop to spare' stand in Bengaluru.

Karnataka is in turmoil and will stay 'bandh' on Friday. Even otherwise, in view of the situation, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation has suspended bus services into Karnataka. Tamil movies have been taken off screens in Bengaluru and the city Tamil Sangam leaders met Karnataka home minister to ensure the safety of the sizeable Tamilian population living in the state capital.

Meanwhile, as the Cauvery water quietly flows into Tamil Nadu, there is a sense of relief. But the lower riparian state is only too aware that it just a small battle won in the Cauvery war that has raged on since 1892 when Tamil Nadu was Madras Presidency and Karnataka was the princely kingdom of Mysore.
New Delhi: Going by the current trend, India will be half a century late in achieving its global education commitments and the country needs fundamental changes in the education system if it wants to meet the 2030 sustainable development goals, a Unesco report has said.

Unesco's new Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report says that based on current trends universal primary education in Southern Asia will be achieved in 2051, lower secondary in 2062, and upper secondary in 2087.

India is expected to achieve universal primary education in 2050, universal lower secondary education in 2060 and universal upper secondary education in 2085, it said.

"This means the region would be more than half a century late for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deadline," it added.

The report says there is an urgent need for greater headway in education and the sector needs a major transformation to fulfil the needed potential and meet the current challenges facing humanity and the planet.

It also talks of another report, Education for People and Planet, which, it said, shows the need for education systems to step up attention to environmental concerns.

"While in the majority of countries, education is the best indicator of climate change awareness, half of countries curricula worldwide do not explicitly mention climate change in their content. India is an exception, where currently some 300 million school students receive some environmental education," it said.

The statistics cited in the report have revealed only six percent of adults in the poorest countries and only five in India have ever attended literacy programmes, once they pass the formal schooling system.

The report has also called upon governments of various countries to start taking inequalities in education seriously, tracking them by collecting information directly from families.

"The new global development agenda calls for education ministers and other education actors to work in collaboration with other sectors," it said.

The GEM report lists various benefits that could come if education actors work in collaboration with other sectors. The collaborative working may help delivery of health intervention through schools, contribution in increasing crop yields by 12 percent and contribution of education in reducing population growth.
Ever since the wide-scale hue and cry raised over the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) incident involving Kanhaiya Kumar, who was arrested on charges of sedition, incidents involving the burning issues of Kashmir and Bastar have been the subjects of controversy throughout the country.

One such incident triggered a debate in the Ambedkar University in Delhi recently when the authorities scraped off some of the graffiti drawn by the students on these contentious issues.

While many see the slogans, paintings and murals raised all over the country in lieu of such incidents as 'anti-national', certain university students take the curbing of such agenda as a restriction of their right to freedom of speech and expression.

The recent controversy in the Ambedkar University over Kashmir and Bastar not only brings to light the issue of unwanted measures practised by the authorities to curb freedom of speech but also reflects on the dearth of new political debates in the academic atmosphere of such institutions of higher learning.

Some students see the removal of the graffiti on these issues by the university as regressive. Hamd Irfan, a member of the students' council, asks, How can they stop people from drawing graffiti when they, by no legal means, can prevent them from speaking on the issues?

He further states that students have for long been indulged in making graffiti within the university premises and that it is only now that the authorities have come down heavily upon the students  when they drew on issues involving Kashmir and Bastar.

But the university authorities feel that there were indeed objectionable messages in some of the drawings, and hence they chose to delete them from the walls. Sanjay Sharma, the dean of students services, says that some of the graffiti was focussed on the Kashmir issue and the Indian state. He also said that a couple of them were about Azad Kashmir, and one or two of them were "a bit abusive".

But the drawing of graffiti is not banned. Only a few of them were removed. Most of them still exist, Sharma said.

He also adds that the university acted on its own on this issue and that no government order was issued to scrape the wall paintings.

But since then, the scraping of the graffiti has resulted in stand off between authority and some members of the student council.

Easwar Anand, another member of the students' council, said that the council stood in full support of the graffiti. Labelling the act of removing them as a measure to curb free speech, he said, The government is waging a war against the people of Kashmir and Bastar and academic discourse has to be encouraged on these subjects.

The issue came up on 19th of August after the authorities removed some of the wall paintings. A protest was organised by some students. But the authorities further ordered that written permission from the Dean of the concerned department should be obtained before drawing new ones. But few followed this instruction and many graffiti removed by the authorities were redrawn, Hamd Irfan added.

Even as most of the student council pointed a finger towards the university authorities, accusing it of curbing the freedom of expression, a few were raised on the actions taken by the council as well. Some of the students of the university view the Bastar and Azad Kashmir movements as age-old pet issues of some left-wing activists. According to them, these issues are sometimes taken up to gain attention by people who are unable to evolve new academic debates in the campus.

Weren't there other issues as well. There are issues such as contractualisation of labor, lack of basic facilities in government-run educational institutions and so on. But none of them figured in the graffiti, says a student who did not want to be named.

Elaborating on the same, Sanjay Sharma admits that not all students were happy with all of the graffiti.

Many held the view that the issues were to be discussed on rather than mere sloganeering, he adds.

Some freshers also believe that raising the Kashmir issue might create tensions in the campus, as it had done in JNU, and that it could hamper their studies.

But some council members, like Easwar Anand, are of the view that these apprehensions exist among the students because of the fascist approach of the government to curb freedom of expression in the universities.

Right from Film and Television Institute of India to Jawaharlal Nehru University, there are many examples where the government has tried to limit freedom of expression. These have caused fear among the students, he adds. He further says that apart from the Kashmir issue many other issues were also covered by the graffiti on the walls.

Some of the faculty members of the university view this controversy as just another disagreement, inevitable in an academic environment.

But whether this brewing disagreement between the student council and the authorities remains an academic one or leads to another JNU like row, with teachers on the other side this time around, only time will tell.

View complete interviews of Hamd Irfan and Easwar Anand.
By Silvio Grocchetti

Delhi registered 1,893 rape cases in 2015, or more than five per day, according to the Crime in India 2015 report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on August 30, 2016.

Delhi was followed by Mumbai with 712 cases, Jaipur (279), Pune (266) and Nagpur (166) among mega cities (population of one million or more) across the country.

But Jodhpur in Rajasthan has the highest rate of rapes per 100,000 population. Delhi reports the second highest rate of rapes and Raipur is third, according to 2015 data.

IndiaSpend had reported in December 2014 that based on female population, Gwalior was India's rape capital in 2013. The city is down to the fourth highest in 2015.

Source: National Crime Records Bureau

It is not clear if rapes have increased or that more women are reporting rape; it could be either reason or both. A comparison with 2014 cannot be made since 2015 data about crimes against women are based on total population "due to inadequacy of population figures," as the NCRB report put it.

Delhi had reported three times as many rape cases (when rape cases considered only the female population and not the total population) as Mumbai in 2014.

Rapes registered declined in 2015, but this was not for want of trying, IndiaSpend reported in September 2016, since attempted rapes increased 4.8 percent.

As many as 39 attempted rapes were reported in 2015 in Delhi, the highest number among mega cities; down from 59 cases in 2014.

Patna continues to report the second highest number of attempted rapes (23 cases), followed by Meerut (21) and Asansol (20).

As in 2014, Delhi reported more gang rapes than any other city, according to the same NCRB report: among the 1,893 rapes registered in 2015, 80 were gang rapes.

Jaipur (21), Faridabad (16), Mumbai (14) and Gwalior (13) reported between 74 percent and 84 percent fewer gang rapes than Delhi.

Rapes in Delhi had tripled and the reform process promised after the 2012 Nirbhaya case had failed, IndiaSpend reported in August 2016.

The author is a multimedia journalist and has a BA degree from Napier University, Edinburgh.
"No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth."



Plato





"This country has shed more blood for the freedom of other people than all the other nations in the history of the world combined, and I'm tired of people feeling like they've got to apologize for America."

Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN)







In a time of universal deceit  telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

George Orwell, the author of 1984







"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.""Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.""A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example."Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh police has arrested from Muradnagar the prime accused in last month's murderous attack on senior BJP leader Brijlal Teotia, an official said on Wednesday.

Accused Manish was nabbed near Manan Dhaam Duhai on the Delhi-Meerut Road, the official said adding that he was under electronic surveillance since the attack on the BJP leader on 11 August in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh.

Police said a US-made .30 bore carbine and cartridges were seized from the accused.

Manish is said to have fired the most number of bullets at Teotia, injuring him seriously. He is recuperating at a hospital in Noida.

The special task force, probing the attack on the BJP leader, has since taken Manish for interrogation to an undisclosed location in Greater Noida.
Gorakhpur: Making a strong pitch for farm loan waiver on the second day of his yatra in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said the Narendra Modi government should run a government for the poor and look into the plight of the farmers who are "crying".

He claimed that the Prime Minister waived loans to the tune of Rs 1.10 lakh crore of "big industrialists and rich people" in the last two years while he forgot the plight of farmers who are carrying the burden of the entire country.

"In the past two years, Modi has waived loans of Rs 1.10 lakh crore. Not of small farmers but of big industrialists and rich people. If Modiji wants to waive loans of the rich, it is his decision. He is the PM and he can do so. We are not against it. We have only one demand. You should not run a 'suit-boot sarkar'. You should run a government for the poor. If you want to waive loans of big industrialists, then do it for farmers too. Don't forget the farmer, because the farmer is crying, big industrialists are not," he told reporters.

He said there are reports from various states that farmers are committing suicide due to scarcity of water, issues of fertiliser, loans, MSP and power.

"In our 'khaat sabha', the farmers told us that the government should take the burden on their shoulders. There is no burden on big industrialists, but the farmer is carrying the burden of the entire country on his shoulders. That is why we started this yatra," he said.

Seeking to strengthen the party's base in Uttar Pradesh ahead of next year's Assembly election, Gandhi kicked off a month-long 'mahayatra' during which he would traverse 2,500 kms across the state to hear out the farmers and give voice to them in highlighting their plight. He said Congress was not in power at the Centre and in the state, thus it could not help the farmers directly.

"But we will raise their voice through agitation," he said.

"Our only target is to put pressure on the prime minister and the NDA/BJP government and we want loans to be waived, just as we waived Rs 70,000 crore (during our tenure). We will put pressure on them. We will travel from here to Delhi and talk to farmers, listen to their problems and understand them and take them to Modiji," he said.

Congress has been out of power for the last 27 years in Uttar Pradesh, where Assembly polls are due early next year.
Washington: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is not qualified to seek the highest office in the US in the wake of new documents released by FBI in email corruption scandal, her rival Donald Trump has said.

"The new revelations about Hillary Clinton from the just-released FBI documents make more clear than ever that she fails to meet the minimum standard for running for public office. If she applied for a low-level job at the State Department today she couldn't even get a security clearance," Trump said at an election rally in North Carolina.

"Her conduct is disqualifying," Trump said as he listed out his allegations against Clinton in the wake of the FBI report.

Emboldened by the latest poll, which indicates that he has eliminated the popularity gap with the former Secretary of State, Trump said it is clear from the FBI report that Clinton lied about her handling of confidential information.

She repeatedly told the country that she understood the classified system, then she told the FBI she didn't understand that the letter "C" meant confidential in the documents she emailed, he said.

"On 39 separate occasions she said she couldn't recall details about her mishandling of classified information, and she couldn't even name one step she took to make sure foreign hackers couldn't get into her server. Keep in mind, that her insecure emails included emails about the drone programme," Trump said.

"It's also clear from the FBI report that Hillary Clinton and her top aides knowingly destroyed evidence and covered-up their actions. After her private server was revealed last March, her staff deleted all the emails and wiped it clean using a software designed to prevent any recovery, called BleachBit," he said.

"People who have nothing to hide don't smash phones with hammers. People who have nothing to hide dont bleach their emails, or destroy evidence to keep it from being publicly archived as required under federal law," he said.

The billionaire from New York alleged that Clinton failed to turn over thousands of documents, then tried to shield her criminal conduct by having her chief-of-staff declare herself to be Hillary Clinton's private attorney.

"Hillary and her top aides told the FBI and others in related lawsuits that they couldn't recall or remember key facts hundreds of different times  and that's in addition to the guy who set up the server pleading the 5. No one takes all the risks Hillary Clinton took unless they are trying to cover up massive crimes," he said.

"Hillary Clinton was using the State Department to dole out special favours and access to her friends and donors. It's called pay-for-play. One example of pay-for-play is what the Clintons did in Haiti. But while Haiti has suffered, the Clintons and their pals have cashed in," he said.
To its opponents, a beauty pageant is nothing more than an archaic, sexist practice that should have no place in modern society.

In a paradox of sorts, however, the Miss Japan pageant is considered to have played an important part in highlighting the issue of racism in the island country.

The discussion around racism in Japan was triggered by 22-year-old Priyanka Yoshikawa winning the Miss Japan crown on Tuesday, 6 September. Yoshikawa, whose Indian father hails from Kolkata (her mother is Japanese), found herself at the centre of a storm after social media users wondered why a "haafu" (a Japanese term for mixed race individuals, playing on the word "half") had won the title.

As most reports noted, Yoshikawa is not the first haafu to win a Japanese beauty pageant.

Last year, Ariana Miyamoto (she has a Japanese mother and an African-American father) became the first person of biracial descent to win the Miss Japan title. She represented Japan in the Miss Universe pageant, and finished in the top 10.

Miyamoto faced quite the backlash from critics who felt she "didn't look Japanese".

In interviews at the time, Miyamoto talked about the discrimination she faced growing up, of a young haafu friend who committed suicide after being unable to cope with the everyday racism, and how she hoped to change the understanding of what it meant to be "Japanese".

When Priyanka Yoshikawa won the Miss Japan pageant on Tuesday, she made her gratitude to Miyamoto evident.

She said that it was Miyamoto's participation (and win) that had convinced her (Yoshikawa) that even haafu girls could represent the country on such platforms.

Yoshikawa also shared her own tales of struggling to come to terms with her identity; she referred to her mixed race being used against her, of being treated like 'a germ'.

Both Yoshikawa and Miyamoto are the 'faces' of an issue in Japan that is not always addressed: its racism.

Accounts of the racism in Japan link it back to its history, especially the early 1600s when the Togukawa shogunate closed the country off from the rest of the world. There were stringent restrictions on the entry of foreigners in Japan, until Commodore Matthew Perry and his fleet laid siege to Edo Bay in the mid-1800s. While Emperor Komei issued the 'Order to Expel Barbarians' in 1863, it was too late by then to stop the flux that had already begun to change Japanese society.

In 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake is believed to have triggered the racism against Chinese and Korean people in Japan that exists to this day.

Xenophobia is just one aspect. Discriminatory attitudes in Japan can extend towards various ethnic groups within the country itself, like the Okinawans/Ryukyuans, Ainu etc.

Mixed race people, foreigners, minority ethnic groups can routinely be denied access to employment opportunities, housing, and the legal protections that those of "Japanese blood" enjoy.

Japan is hardly the only country in the world where racism is an issue.

If we go back to the stories of Priyanka Yoshikawa and Ariana Miyamoto, then the example of Nina Davuluri  the Indian-origin Miss America 2014 who was subjected to racist rants on social media, including being called an 'Arab'  is bound to come up.

Racism in Japan is different beast because the generally accepted assumption that the society there is homogeneous means the issue is confronted less often (than other places).

But as the cases of Yoshikawa and Miyamoto have shown  as well as other high-profile haafu like Mashu Baker (who won the Olympic gold medal in judo at Rio) and sprinter Aska Cambridge  the definition of what it means to be 'Japanese' is changing, and it's a giant step forward.
If there is one area in which the Narendra Modi government has been largely successful, it is diplomacy. The prime minister appears to be keenly aware of the fact that a little talk does indeed go a long way. As argued in an earlier Firstpost article, "Modis international visits have been the most visible manifestation of the BJP governments foreign policy." The Modi-led government has not left many stones unturned in its quest to make India a regional power  or one could argue that it is doing a stellar job at least keeping up appearances.

Since Modi will meet Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in Vientiane in Laos at the Asean-India Summit on Wednesday to "enhance physical and digital connectivity with South East Asian nations," as reported by PTI, the relations between the two countries are worth digging into.

It would be wrong to credit the Modi-led government for forging the India-Japan relations.

Relations between India and Japan have never been sour and the two countries have shared a mutually respectful relationship over the years. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral relations brief, Japans friendliness towards India was tested in 1991, after it bailed India out of its balance of payments crisis. Japan-India relations have strengthened, slowly but steadily.

India with its strong GDP (thanks to economic reforms and foreign investments) and increasing political clout occupies a different position on the world stage  it might not be a superpower yet, but it is a formidable force to reckon with. And Modi and his foreign policy experts have infused vigour into a hitherto warm but underachieving relationship. There is more to the frequent tweets between the two prime ministers. Abes visit to Japan in 2014 reinforced the special strategic and global partnership and brought in $35 billion as Japanese investment into India.

According to Titli Basu, in her paper, India in Japans Geo-strategic Outlook for Institute for Defence Analyses and Studies posits that Chinas presence in shaping regional security has also made Japan look for other options; investing in India, Australia could reinforce Japans positive ties with the US. It doesnt come as a surprise that both prime ministers visited 23 countries in 2015 alone. Rishi Iyengar writes in Time that Modis visits to even small nations like Mauritius were focussed on presenting India as a fast-rising international power and an attractive investment destination.

Bloomberg writers David Tweet, Natalie Obika and Maiko Takahashi wrote in an article, Power Trips: Which Asian Leader Racked Up the Most Flights in 2015? that with these visits Modi and Abe were both trying to anchor their countries as increasingly multi-polar world replaces US-dominated global order. According to an article written by Yogesh Joshi and Harsh V Pant, Indo-Japanese Strategic Partnership and Power Transition in Asia, the rise of China as a military and economic superpower is transforming Asia into a bipolar contest between Beijing and the United States. Delhi and Tokyo are seizing the opportunity to balance the odds in their favour by strategising together to minimise shortfalls in security, economic and diplomatic spheres.

A similar thought was echoed by international relations expert, Basu, that India in its quest for multipolarity, greater power identity, has been engaging with important players in the right manner.

Abes willingness to keep India close is obvious  eg nuclear technology pact and Japans investment in bullet trains. What is interesting is that India has become a significant part of Asia for Japan, especially because both countries view China as a power that needs to be kept in check, better still, be crushed.

Abe coined the phrase security diamond in his commentary:

I envisage a strategy whereby Australia, India, Japan, and the US state of Hawaii form a diamond to safeguard the maritime commons stretching from the Indian Ocean region to the western Pacific. I am prepared to invest, to the greatest possible extent, Japans capabilities in this security diamond.

It is in this context that makes it amply clear that India-Japan love is not a straight line, they are two friends who both, without a shred of doubt, look to US for support. In this geopolitical love triangle, it is in Indias and Japans best interests to be nice to one another and keep support from the US intact  this will help them become, to borrow from Hillary Clinton Puma, 'stronger together'. Things in South East Asia are also on the boil, especially when it comes to the South China Sea and there nobody likes the big bully that China is.

The Modi government has come out in the open wanting free navigation in the South China Sea and has expressed displeasure at Chinas expansionist approach. The Senkaku islands are also a major bone of contention for Abe. A blossoming friendship between the two nations is a threat to a common rival such as China  however, this is not to say that India and Japan can compete with China, they cannot because of their heavy reliance on China for economic growth.

In his address in the Indian Parliament, Abe had said in 2007, long before Modi came into power:

Can we not say that faced with this wide, open, broader Asia, it is incumbent upon us two democracies, Japan and India, to carry out the pursuit of freedom and prosperity in the region?... In addition, as maritime states, both India and Japan have vital interests in the security of sea lanes. It goes without saying that the sea lanes to which I refer are the shipping routes that are the most critical for the world economy.

Perhaps, the two world leaders should in fact be focussing on bilateral relations, instead of getting carried away in the threatrics of geopolitics.

The aspirations of world domination sound great and perhaps it is good to show China once in a while that there is a formidable alliance it cannot take lightly. However, the real focus should be on broader Asia as Abe had envisioned in 2007: To create a stronger Asia and promote growth in the region. As Sourabh Jyoti Sharma writes in Open Democracy that manufacturing and automobiles are the areas in which they can challenge Chinas monopoly. A good example of such success in the past would be the entry of Suzuki motors in India  it had revolutionised the automobile industry in the country.

Perhaps this is how both world leaders  kindred spirits/pals/Twitter BFFs  can ensure that this camaraderie and engagement between the two countries lasts beyond administrations.
Maybe we'll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations. If you're that rude, son of a b****, we'll just leave you.

We were talking to Kerry, he's OK but I had a feud with his gay ambassador. Son of a b****, I'm annoyed with that guy. He meddled in the elections, giving statements here and there.

So that Kerry, he came here and we had lunch and he left $33 million with me  I said, 'ahhh this is OK, let's insult them again so this fool will make a compromise.

These statements are not something that we are making up. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte have actually made these intemperate remarks.

He abused President Barack Obama on Monday before flying to Laos. He was also scheduled to meet Obama separately but the meeting was called off. Early Tuesday, National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said the meeting with Duterte was off.

He had also been under intense global scrutiny over the speculation of over 2,000 suspected drug dealers and users killed since he took office.

Obama had said that he planned to raise the issue in his meeting with Duterte, who seems very sensitive about the subject.

He threatened to leave the United Nations over criticism of his crackdown on illegal drug trade.

In another event, according to The Maharlikan, he told his audience of soldiers in Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City about his dislike for US ambassador Philip Goldberg. He called her a "gay ambassador" and "son of a b****".

He even called US Secretary of State John Kerry a fool. He seems to be trying very hard to infuriate the United States, which is one of the Philippines' largest trading partners and a key security ally. Philippines also needs Washingtons help in dealing with China in the disputed South China Sea.

His profanity is not only limited to the leaders in the United States but it breaks all barriers and manages to amuse or irritate the leaders world over.

According to The Indian Express, his comments about Jacqueline Hamill, an Australian law minister, who was brutally raped and murdered in 1989, drew a lot of flak. He said that when the bodies of the inmates at Davao jail were brought out, they were wrapped. I looked at her face, son of a bitch, she looks like a beautiful American actress. Son of a bitch, what a waste. What came to mind was, they raped her, they lined up. I was angry because she was raped, thats one thing. But she was so beautiful, the mayor should have been first," he said. The mayor, in this context, was apparently himself.

According to a Telegraph report, he did not even spare the Pope from his colorful comments. He said, It took us five hours to get from the hotel to the airport. I asked who was coming. They said it was the pope. I wanted [to say] Pope, son of a b****, go home. Don't visit anymore.

According to NBC News, he said that most journalists are clean but not all, during a press conference. Just because you are a journalist, you are not exempted from assassination if you are a son of a b****.

He also refused to meet United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit.

The Asean summit is just a matter of few days of important meetings which President Duterte is expected to attend and he has a very busy schedule, an IANS report quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Charles Jose as saying.

Duterte seems to have trademarked the infamous phrase son of a b****. He views everyone in the same lens. Everyone is a "son of a b****" for him.

He also always manages to divert media attention from the serious issues like a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hitting Philippines or the attack on the southern city of Davao because obviously, these are not important enough.

With inputs from agencies.
Apple just announced the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus at its Keynote event in San Francisco. The phone is launching in the United States on Friday, September 16, whereas the India release date is now official and it is Friday, October 7th.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be available in silver, gold, rose gold and the new black finish in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB models starting at Rs. 60,000. The new jet black finish will be offered exclusively on the 128GB and 256GB models from Apple authorised resellers, says company.

The company will bundle Lightning Connector Earpods and a Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter with all iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models. These will also be available separately for Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 900, respectively.

The new Apple-designed wireless AirPods including charging case will be available for Rs. 15,400 beginning in late October.

Apple will launch the range of accessories for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus that includes leather and silicone cases at starting at Rs. 2,900. The iPhone 7 Smart Battery Case will be offered in black and white for Rs. 8,900. The Lightning Docks in different colours and matching metallic finishes will also be available for Rs. 3,700.

The iPhone 7 has a 4.7-inch Retina HD display with 3D touch where as the iPhone 7 Plus has a 5.5-inch Retina HD display with 3D touch. Both the devices are powered by a new quad-core Apple A10 Fusion processor which is 40% faster than Apple A9 along with new hexa-core GPU and runs on the latest iOS 10.

The iPhone 7 has a new 12-megapixel iSight camera with 6-element lens, f/1.8 aperture, High-speed Sensor (60% faster, 30% efficient), support for 4K video recording and quad LED two-tone flash. The iPhone 7 Plus has dual 12-megapixel rear cameras one wide-angle with f/1.8 aperture

and a telephoto lens with f/2.8 aperture for new depth-of-field and has OIS along with Quad-LED True Tone flash. Both iPhones also have a similar 7MP Facetime camera, which is bumped up from 5MP on the iPhone 6S. Checkout our full coverage here.
General Motors (GM 1.81%) said that its deliveries in China rose 18% to 293,537 vehicles in August, backed by strong demand for the Cadillac, Buick, and Baojun brands. Year to date, GM's deliveries in China are up 8.1% from the same period a year ago.

All of GM's China brands gained ground last month

GM's luxury Cadillac brand posted the biggest year-over-year gain, with sales up 93% from a year ago to 9,914 vehicles. The star here is the brand-new midsize XT5 crossover, which has hit a sweet spot in the Chinese market. Sales broke 3,000 for the first time.

Cadillac's ATS-L and XTS sedans are also finding a lot of new buyers in China. The ATS-L is a longer-wheelbase version of the U.S. market ATS, with more room in the back seat. Sales of the ATS-L also broke 3,000, GM said, while sales of the big XTS were up 65% from a year ago. The XTS has been available in China for a few years now, but sales have jumped in recent months.

Buick has long been GM's best-selling brand in China. Buick deliveries rose 23% in August to 94,188 vehicles. The hot sellers continue to be the Excelle GT sedan (a sibling of the U.S.-market Buick Verano) and the midsize Envision crossover SUV. Envision sales were up 53% from a year ago, GM said.

Chevrolet delivered 38,706 vehicles in China in August, 36 more than a year ago. That's actually a good result for the bowtie brand, which was hurt at the end of 2015 when the Chinese government ended subsidies that had boosted sales of its small Sail sedan. GM's all-new Cruze was launched in China in July, and sales broke 19,000 in August. GM noted that its iconic Camaro muscle car will be launched in China later in September.

The Baojun brand is GM's China-only entry into the affordable family vehicle market segment. It has been quite successful: Baojun delivered a solid 51,099 vehicles in August, up 41% year over year. Its mainstays are the Baojun 730, a smallish minivan or MPV, and the 560, a midsize crossover SUV. The 560 in particular has been a big hit for GM in China since its introduction last year. Sales were up another 52% in August.

The Wuling brand sells small, affordable vans. Its commercial vans were a huge success for GM and its joint-venture partners for a while, but the brand's sales took a hit (along with the commercial-vehicle segment as a whole) as China's building boom stalled. But August was a good month: Wuling deliveries were up 8% to 99,589 vehicles on strong sales of the Hong Guang small minivan family.

Further investments to sustain GM's current momentum

Cadillac's sales numbers in China may seem small in comparison to the mass-market brands, but that's true elsewhere, too: Cadillacs made up just 16,346 of the 256,429 vehicles GM sold in the U.S. last month. But these are high-profit models -- and in China, it's the growth that is significant. The new XT5 is a no-excuses product that compares well with its German rivals. Its early success is a good sign for the brand.

Aside from Cadillac's gaudy growth numbers, GM China president Matt Tsien noted that the company's sales strength is coming mostly from mainstream passenger models right now. He said that GM will be rolling out another five new or significantly refreshed models before the end of the year in an effort to sustain its recent sales momentum.

What it means for shareholders: Is GM offsetting pricing pressure?

Like other global automakers, GM has faced a tougher market in China over the last year. Local Chinese automakers have raised their games, becoming tough competitors in the lower-priced segments. That has put pressure on GM's pricing, and that in turn has dented profits. GM's equity income from its Chinese joint ventures was down about 6% in the second quarter from a year ago.

GM didn't give any details on China pricing in its statement on Tuesday. We may have to wait until its third-quarter earnings report next month to find out if GM is winning these sales gains with aggressive discounts that might hurt profits.

But I suspect that GM's profits from China will be fine. CFO Chuck Stevens said during the second-quarter earnings call that new product launches and increased efficiencies would help it deliver full-year income from China comparable to the $2.1 billion it earned a year ago. August's strong sales gains suggest that GM is one month closer to delivering on that guidance.
Ford Motor Company (F 2.00%) said on Wednesday that its sales in China jumped 22% in August on strong sales of SUVs and small sedans. It was the second month in a row of strong year-over-year gains for Ford in China after a so-so second-quarter result that had left some investors concerned.

Ford's results: New and revamped models drove sales gains

Ford doesn't report its China sales model by model, although it sometimes breaks out results for a few specific models that have done well. Instead, it reports results for the two joint ventures it has with Chinese automakers that manufacture Ford-brand vehicles in China, as well as an overall total number of sales that include those made directly by Ford. Those direct sales include a small number of Ford- and Lincoln-brand vehicles imported into China from Ford's factories in other countries, including the United States.

Ford's joint venture with Chinese automaker Changan Automobile, called Changan Ford or CAF, builds and sells Ford-brand passenger vehicles. Its lineup is based on Ford's global product portfolio. Most of its models would be familiar to Americans, though there are a few variations built specifically for the Chinese market.

Changan Ford's sales rose 26% from a year ago, to 75,228 vehicles. Ford said that the recently revamped Focus compact (up 92%), the affordable China-only Escort compact (up 49%), and the new Edge crossover SUV (up "more than threefold") led the way for CAF in August. Year to date, CAF's sales are up 13% from the same period last year.

Ford's other venture, with Chinese truck maker Jiangling Motors, is called Jiangling Motor Corporation (JMC). builds and sells several Ford trucks and commercial vehicles, including the Blue Oval's popular Transit van lineup. Some of its vehicles are exported from China to other countries in Asia.

At least in China, most of JMC's sales are to commercial customers. Those sales have suffered over the last year as China's building boom has stalled. But China's commercial-vehicle market may be looking up: Like rival General Motors' (GM 1.81%) commercial-vehicle joint-venture Wuling, JMC had a good August. JMC's sales were up 16%, to 19,951 vehicles sold. Year to date, JMC's sales are down 3% from a year ago.

Ford's other sales in China include the vehicles it imports. Those include all Lincolns sold in China, the Ford Mustang, and the ST high-performance versions of the Focus and Fiesta. Those sales totaled 1,271 last month.

What it means: Ford's aggressive actions appear to be paying off

Ford's market share had been slipping in the early part of 2016 as the company was caught a bit off-guard by aggressive local competition. Several of the domestic Chinese automakers have recently made big strides in quality, and they've become much more competitive in the affordable market segments, particularly around crossover SUVs.

Ford had been doing very well with crossovers like its compact Kuga, the Chinese-market version of the Escape, and its smaller Fiesta-based Ecosport. But local competition took a big bite out of Ford's market share: Sales of the Kuga were down 18% in the first half of 2016.

That had a big impact on Ford's regional bottom line. Ford's share of the equity income from CAF and JMC fell 28% in the second quarter, to $296 million. But CEO Mark Fields said during Ford's second-quarter earnings call that Ford's team in China had already begun taking aggressive action to turn things around, reducing costs, and adjusting pricing and product mix to take best advantage of market trends.

Fields also noted that Ford is set to introduce several new or revamped models to China in the second half of the year. As we saw with the refreshed Focus in August, even a lightly revamped model can produce a jump in sales. Ford has a revamped Kuga on the way (similar to the refreshed-for-2017 Escape), which ought to give sales another boost. Fields also said that Ford had revamped the Chinese versions of its small cars to reduce costs and allow them to be sold profitably at more competitive prices.

The upshot: Ford might be on track for a much-improved third quarter

Ford doesn't release details of its pricing or discounts in its monthly sales reports from China. We'll have to wait until its third-quarter earnings report next month to find out if these sales gains are the result of aggressive discounting moves (above and beyond its cost reductions on models like the Escort).

But I suspect they aren't. It sounds like the quick action that Ford took earlier in this year to revamp its model mix and lower costs is driving its sales gains right now. If so, its third-quarter profit from China could be much more impressive than what we saw last quarter. That would be comforting news for Ford shareholders.
If you're going to invest in bank stocks, you should always go for quality. And few banks measure up on this score as well as Bank of Hawaii (BOH 2.25%).

In this episode of Industry Focus: Financials, The Motley Fool's Gaby Lapera and John Maxfield talk about why Bank of Hawaii is one of Gaby's favorite stocks right now.

A full transcript follows the video.

This podcast was recorded on Aug. 22, 2016.

Gaby Lapera: I have to tell you that I am a risk-averse person. I don't think that you would guess that I'm 27 based on my behavior -- maybe more like 67. This first bank really appeals to that side of me, and it's Bank of Hawaii.

John Maxfield: Bank of Hawaii is a great one. It's interesting, Gaby, because everything that you say is extremely valid. If you're going to go out and buy a stock, why would you want to buy one when everything is going great for either that industry or for that particular company at that particular time? That's when the shares trade for really high valuations. Right now, stocks are really expensive. So, if you're going to go out and really look for good purchases as an investor, you've got to look in those corners of the market where there's something else that's going on that's depressing valuations.

Banks stocks are a perfect example, but here's the irony, Gaby: You've picked one of ... Over the past decade, it's one of the best-run banks.

Lapera: I know what you're going to say.

Maxfield: It's such a good bank, and it's one of those that you can't go wrong with that holding, so it's a great core bank stock to add to your portfolio, but you've certainly picked one that isn't cheap right now.

Lapera: Well, it's slightly cheaper than it has been.

Maxfield: Yeah, that's true. Here's what's interesting, when I think of Bank of Hawaii ... I don't know if you're the same way, Gaby, but when I think about companies, I always try to think about one tangible thing about that company that really sticks in my head and then I can pull that up and then work backwards from there when I'm thinking about a company. The one thing about Bank of Hawaii that I think of is the fact that it is such a good bank. This is a regional bank that's based in Hawaii.

Lapera: As the name implies.

Maxfield: Exactly, but it is such a good bank that when Citigroup (C 1.52%) -- which went into the crisis as the largest bank in the country -- got into trouble and had to change out the chairman of its board, do you know who they picked? They picked the former CEO of Bank of Hawaii.

Lapera: I actually didn't know that!

Maxfield: Investors in the bank industry, we know about Bank of Hawaii because it's an incredibly well-run bank, but this isn't just like a small regional bank that's just on that radar. The top banking people in the country know how well run that thing is.

Lapera: Just to give a little bit of context to that. Bank of Hawaii, as far as banks go, is actually not that big. It's only got a market cap of $3 billion. (I love that. I can say stuff like, "It's only got a market cap of $3 billion." It's kind of like geological age, like the numbers just stop fazing you at certain points.) Anyway, market cap of $3 billion, and it has a really impressive performance in terms of nonperforming loans. Over the years, its ratio has hovered around 0.2% of total loans, and that's only 0.1% of total assets, which is pretty incredible. And their coverage ratio is over 170%. Just to back up, a coverage ratio is basically how much the bank has saved up just in case loans go bad. Ratios above 100 mean that they can definitely cover any loans that go bad.

Maxfield: Here's the other thing. That credit risk element is such a critical element. Talking about bad loans and a 0.2% ... I don't know if that's their net charge-off ratio or if that's how much they're putting away in provisions. That is so critical because when you think about banks, you really want two things -- three things if you throw in valuation.

The first is that you want a bank that's profitable enough that it is more than earning its cost of capital. That means that it's been creating value for shareholders. The Bank of Hawaii has consistently done that over the years. The other thing -- and I think this is something investors have a tendency to overlook when you think about bank stocks -- is that it's not just about generating a high profitability in good times. What's equally as important -- in fact, one could argue it's more important -- it's about consistency of earnings over a long period of time. Because you don't want to give all of those earnings back every time the cycle turns around.
The classified advertising website Backpage.com urged the Supreme Court on Tuesday to block a congressional subpoena that seeks information on how the company screens ads for possible sex trafficking.

Backpage CEO Carl Ferrer told the high court that the website's system for reviewing ads is part of the editorial process that is protected under the First Amendment.

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that the website must respond to the subpoena within 10 days. A lower court also sided with the Senate last month, rejecting arguments that the subpoena was unconstitutional, overly broad and burdensome.

The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has tried for nearly a year to force Backpage to produce certain documents as part of its investigation into human trafficking over the Internet.

After the website refused to comply, the Senate voted 96-0 in March to hold the website in contempt. The vote allowed the Senate to pursue the documents in federal court. The case marks the first time in more than two decades that the Senate has enforced a subpoena in court.

Senate investigators have said that Backpage is a market leader in commercial sex advertising and has been linked to hundreds of reported cases of sex trafficking, including the trafficking of children. Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, says the documents he is seeking will help lawmakers determine what if any businesses practices and policies the company has to prevent criminal activity.

While Backpage has produced over 16,000 pages of documents responding to the subpoena, Ferrer said he objects to portions "that burden core editorial functions in violation of the First Amendment."

"This case presents a question of exceptional nationwide importance involving the protection the First Amendment provides to online publishers of third-party content when they engage in core editorial functions," Ferrer said in a brief filed to Chief Justice John Roberts.

Roberts can act on the request on his own or refer the matter to the full court.
Root9B Technologies CEO and former UBS Paine Webber chairman Joe Grano weighed in on the continued threat of hackings and efforts to boost cyber security in the U.S.

Its one of the most serious issues facing America, this sovereign state-sponsored hacking thats going on  very prevalent. They started out going after U.S. government, now theyre segueing into [the] commercial side, Grano told the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo.

Grano proposed that there needs to be new layers of cyber security in the private and public sectors beyond what already exists.

If you were to ask and answer the following question: What do JPMorgan Chase, Home Depot, Target, Sony, IRS all have in common? Its not that they just got hacked. Its that despite spending $1 billion on their firewalls, they were exploited. So what it says is, as a country we have to take a whole new level of protection.

Grano explained that cyber training needs to be expanded all the way to the c-suite.

The challenge is we have to train our CSOs and our CTOs, theyve never been trained in cyber. Theyre very, very talented people, you know, creating a network, give me a process to transact transactions  now they have to be trained in cyber.

Grano then weighed in on plans to expand the force taking on the cyber threat in America.

Cyber Command itself in the United States have announced that they want to train 6,000 more people in terms of countering cyber attacks.

When asked whether the 2016 presidential election could be compromised by hackers coming out of Russia, Grano responded, I dont know about the word compromised, but certainly theyre going to try to influence with bogus data and information and create some excitement throughout the situation.

According to Grano, even the president is acknowledging more needs to be done to address cyber security.

Even the president has said Im going to increase the budget by 10% to try to deal with these issues, but we havent done enough as a nation. Like I said, the NSA is probably our core defense relative to sovereign states.
Image source: The Motley Fool.

Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) got a much-needed shot in the arm in after-hours trading on Tuesday, when it was announced that Pershing Square Capital Management has purchased 9.9% of the burrito chain.

Chipotle's stock is "undervalued and is an attractive investment," says Pershing.

Pershing Square is one of the best known hedge funds in the world thanks to its founder Bill Ackman. The billionaire investor has assumed an increasingly activist bent over the past few years, most recently stirring a shake-up at consumer-products giant Procter & Gamble that ended in the ouster of its chairman and CEO.

He's also been publicly active in attacking Herbalife, calling the multilevel-marketing company a Ponzi scheme and shorting its stock. And earlier this year, Ackman testified before Congress concerning his investment in Valeant Pharmaceuticals, which has drawn fire for raising the price of prescription drugs.

By the sounds of it, Ackman's intentions toward Chipotle are friendly, as Pershing Square's regulatory filing announcing the stake compliments both Chipotle and its leaders: "[Chipotle] is a leading fast casual restaurant company that [Pershing Square] believes has a strong brand, differentiated offering, enormous growth opportunity, and visionary leadership."

At the same time, Pershing is clear that it intends to engage with Chipotle's leadership: "[Pershing] intends to engage in discussions with [Chipotle] and [Chipotle's] management and board of directors, other stockholders [...] and other interested parties that may relate to the governance and board composition, business, operations, cost structure, management, assets, capitalization, financial condition, strategic plans, and the future of [Chipotle]."

It's impossible to say what this means for Chipotle, though I'd be hesitant to assume that Ackman's presence will augur in any type of substantive change in direction for the restaurant chain, which is already capably managed. A more likely outcome is it will just improve investor sentiment toward Chipotle's stock, which of course would be much appreciated.

Shares of Chipotle have struggled since a series of foodborne-illness outbreaks at the end of last year caused its sales to fall sharply. In the first quarter of this year, same-store sales at locations open at least a year dropped 29.7%. They improved in the second quarter but were still off by 23.6%.

The effect on Chipotle's share price has been significant. After reaching $750 a share in 2015, they fell to as low as $384 last month. Before Pershing's announcement, they were at $414 per share -- down 45% from last year's high.

Thus, while the surge in after=hours trading following today's news will only make up a little of this deficit and the gains may be fleeting, it's safe to say that Chipotle investors will take what they can get right about now.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

John Maxfield owns shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill and Valeant Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool recommends Procter and Gamble. 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.
Image source: Apache Corporation.

The oil market downturn forced many producers to cut back investment spending significantly. As a result, most producers curtailed exploration spending, and instead focused their limited capital dollars on investments that would yield production and cash flow in the very near term. Apache (NYSE: APA), on the other hand, took a different approach, quietly pouring money into an exploration project in an area that most of its peers had overlooked. The result is the discovery of the oil-rich Alpine High resource play in western Texas.

Drilling down into Alpine High

Apache's Alpine High is in the southern portion of the Delaware Basin, which is on the west side of the Permian Basin. The company's acreage is on the map in the below slide:

Image source: Apache investor presentation.

Apache methodically secured 307,000 contiguous net acres in the play over the past two years at an average cost of just $1,300 an acre. That position represents the vast majority of the play.Furthermore, the company acquired that land for a fraction of the price its peers are paying for acreage in the Permian Basin these days. For example, Parsley Energy (NYSE: PE) recently acquired 30,000 acres in the Southern Delaware Basin for $280.4 million in cash, or roughly $9,000 an acre. In addition to that, Parsley Energy bought just over 9,000 net acres in the Midland Basin for a whopping $400 million, or more than $43,000 an acre. Oil companies like Parsley Energy have been very active in acquiring acreage in the Permian this year, resulting in the average selling price jumping to more than $25,000 an acre for land in prime drilling areas.

Apache, on the other hand, was able to secure the drilling rights to Alpine High for a bargain price because the industry had several misconceptions about the region, including the view that it was a gas play and that it had too much clay. Apache, however, found it to not only be rich in oil and NGLs but that it did not have much clay at all. What that meant is that it was not only easy to frack, but also produced large volumes of higher-value hydrocarbons. Furthermore, oil and gas saturated the rocks in this region, with Apache's initial estimate that its acreage alone contains 75 trillion cubic feet of gas and 3 billion barrels of oil. That resource estimate, however, covers just two of the five distinct rock formations underlying its acreage position, with the company seeing significant oil potential in the other three formations as well.

Where does Apache go from here?

Now that the word is out on Alpine High's potential, Apache plans to accelerate the development of its acreage position right away. As such, it is increasing its 2016 capex budget by $200 million, raising it to $2 billion. The company plans to spend more than a quarter of that capex on the Alpine High play. Longer term, Apache estimates that it can drill between 2,000 to 3,000 future wells on its acreage just targeting two of the five formations, which is enough inventory to last it over 20 years. That said, it plans to continue testing the play to see if it can develop all five zones as well as to define the extent of the play,which could significantly extend the development time frame.

However, the company has one notable obstacle to overcome before it can unleash the full potential of the Alpine High, which is the lack of infrastructure in the region. Because of that, the company will spend 40% of its Alpine High capital on infrastructure this year, including installing temporary processing capacity. It plans to establish an Alpine High midstream enterprise to ensure it has the infrastructure it needs as well as to control the pace of the field's development. Because of that, it does not anticipate expanding to full-field development until 2018. Once that happens, the company has the potential to generate enormous production growth from Alpine High for years to come.

Investor takeaway

Apache proved that there's still plenty of potential oil discoveries for companies willing to take a calculated risk. While it took a lot of hard work and effort, the company now has a major growth driver that can create tremendous value for its investors in the years ahead. Best of all, Apache did not have to pay that much for the discovery, which puts it well ahead of its acquisitive peers that are bidding up acreage to secure their future growth.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

Matt DiLallo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Delta Air Lines has lowered its operating profit margin forecast for the third quarter after a power outage in August forced it to cancel 2,300 flights over a three-day period, the company said in a filing on Wednesday.

Delta, the No. 2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic, said it expected a margin of between 18 percent and 19 percent, compared with a prior outlook of 19 percent to 21 percent. The outage and efforts that followed reduced the airline's quarterly pretax income by $150 million, the company said.

(Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
The revamped Ford Focus helped the Blue Oval to big sales gains in China in August. Image source: Ford Motor Company.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) said on Wednesday that its sales in China jumped 22% in August on strong sales of SUVs and small sedans.It was the second month in a row of strong year-over-year gains for Ford in China after a so-so second-quarter result that had left some investors concerned.

Ford's results: New and revamped models drove sales gains

Ford doesn't report its China sales model by model, although it sometimes breaks out results for a few specific models that have done well. Instead, it reports results for the two joint ventures it has with Chinese automakers that manufacture Ford-brand vehicles in China, as well as an overall total number of sales that include those made directly by Ford. Those direct sales include a small number of Ford- and Lincoln-brand vehicles imported into China from Ford's factories in other countries, including the United States.

Ford's joint venture with Chinese automaker Changan Automobile, called Changan Ford or CAF, builds and sells Ford-brand passenger vehicles. Its lineup is based on Ford's global product portfolio. Most of its models would be familiar to Americans, though there are a few variations built specifically for the Chinese market.

Changan Ford's sales rose 26% from a year ago, to 75,228 vehicles. Ford said that the recently revamped Focus compact (up 92%), the affordable China-only Escort compact (up 49%), and the new Edge crossover SUV (up "more than threefold") led the way for CAF in August. Year to date, CAF's sales are up 13% from the same period last year.

Ford's other venture, with Chinese truck maker Jiangling Motors, is called Jiangling Motor Corporation (JMC). builds and sells several Ford trucks and commercial vehicles, including the Blue Oval's popular Transit van lineup. Some of its vehicles are exported from China to other countries in Asia.

At least in China, most of JMC's sales are to commercial customers. Those sales have suffered over the last year as China's building boom has stalled. But China's commercial-vehicle market may be looking up: Like rival General Motors' (NYSE: GM) commercial-vehicle joint-venture Wuling, JMC had a good August. JMC's sales were up 16%, to 19,951 vehicles sold. Year to date, JMC's sales are down 3% from a year ago.

Ford's other sales in China include the vehicles it imports. Those include all Lincolns sold in China, the Ford Mustang, and the ST high-performance versions of the Focus and Fiesta. Those sales totaled 1,271 last month.

What it means: Ford's aggressive actions appear to be paying off

Ford's market share had been slipping in the early part of 2016 as the company was caught a bit off-guard by aggressive local competition. Several of the domestic Chinese automakers have recently made big strides in quality, and they've become much more competitive in the affordable market segments, particularly around crossover SUVs.

Ford had been doing very well with crossovers like its compact Kuga, the Chinese-market version of the Escape, and its smaller Fiesta-based Ecosport. But local competition took a big bite out of Ford's market share: Sales of the Kuga were down 18% in the first half of 2016.

That had a big impact on Ford's regional bottom line. Ford's share of the equity income from CAF and JMC fell 28% in the second quarter, to $296 million. But CEO Mark Fields said during Ford's second-quarter earnings call that Ford's team in China had already begun taking aggressive action to turn things around, reducing costs, and adjusting pricing and product mix to take best advantage of market trends.

Ford's China-market Kuga is a near-twin of the Escape. Like the Escape, the Kuga is getting an update for 2017. Image source: Ford Motor Company.

Fields also noted that Ford is set to introduce several new or revamped models to China in the second half of the year. As we saw with the refreshed Focus in August, even a lightly revamped model can produce a jump in sales. Ford has a revamped Kuga on the way (similar to the refreshed-for-2017 Escape), which ought to give sales another boost. Fields also said that Ford had revamped the Chinese versions of its small cars to reduce costs and allow them to be sold profitably at more competitive prices.

The upshot: Ford might be on track for a much-improved third quarter

Ford doesn't release details of its pricing or discounts in its monthly sales reports from China. We'll have to wait until its third-quarter earnings report next month to find out if these sales gains are the result of aggressive discounting moves (above and beyond its cost reductions on models like the Escort).

But I suspect they aren't. It sounds like the quick action that Ford took earlier in this year to revamp its model mix and lower costs is driving its sales gains right now. If so, its third-quarter profit from China could be much more impressive than what we saw last quarter. That would be comforting news for Ford shareholders.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

John Rosevear owns shares of Ford and General Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Ford. The Motley Fool recommends General 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.
The Latest on a hearing over a development proposed for a vast tract of oil land on Southern California's coast (all times local):

9:35 am

Several hundred people have packed a hearing in Newport Beach on a plan to build homes and a hotel on a vast stretch of Southern California coastline.

Opponents to the 895 home-development carried signs urging the California Coastal Commission to protect the 401-acre property in upscale Newport Beach and burrowing owls that nest there.

Supporters of the development attended the meeting wearing T-shirts backing the plan to build

The site known as Banning Ranch is considered to be the largest remaining privately-held coastal property that could be developed south of Los Angeles.

For decades, the property has been drilled for oil. While the development proposal would restore and preserve about 80 percent of the land as open space, environmental advocates want a larger chunk of land protected.

___

12:02 am

A hotly-contested proposal to build homes on a stretch of Southern California coastline that provides wildlife habitat is up for public discussion Wednesday.

The California Coastal Commission will hold a hearing in Newport Beach on Wednesday on the plan to build 895 homes, a 75-room hotel and retail complex on the 401-acre site long used for oil drilling.

A Commission spokeswoman says Banning Ranch is considered to be the largest remaining, privately-held coastal property that could be developed south of Los Angeles.

While the plan would preserve roughly 80 percent of the property as open space, environmentalists want a much larger chunk protected.

Commission staff members want developers to confine building to 20 acres to protect habitat for the burrowing owl.
Geographic strength is one of the things that CN does right. Image source: Canadian National Railway.

Given the decline in coal demand, the expected impact of the Panama Canal expansion on trans-American rail shipments, and a negative trend in auto sales, now may seem like the wrong time to invest in railroads. After all, the industry is heavily tied to all of these things. However, Canadian National Railway (NYSE: CNI) could very well be the exception, and you'd be making the right call to invest in it.

Here, three of our regular contributors offer solid reasons they think you'd be right to invest in Canadian National Railway. Keep reading to learn more.

Best railroad at efficient operations

Jason Hall:Railroads are incredibly capital-intensive businesses, with very high fixed costs and vast infrastructures that must be maintained and upgraded. Furthermore, many of the industries they serve can be very cyclical in nature, leading to big shifts in shipping demand. This can have a major impact on profitability for railroads, which can have a hard time reducing expenses in lockstep with market demand.

CNI Net Income (TTM) data by YCharts.

Canadian National, however, operates one of the most efficient railroads in North America, routinely spending less of its revenue on operations than any other Class 1 railroad. This isn't simply a matter of keeping costs as low as possible, but is also about keeping assets working and generating cash flows. The company may not be able to control demand flows within any single industry, but it can certainly focus on things it can control, including how quickly it moves cars though its yards and terminals, and how effectively it leverages every locomotive horsepower running at any given time, pulling as much cargo as possible.

And a big part of CN's ability to keep its assets working is detailed in the section below: a strong mix of geographic and industrial exposure.

Unparalleled reach and unique product mix

Neha Chamaria: One of Canadian National's biggest competitive advantages is its geographic reach. CN is the largest railroad in Canada, with a rail network stretching over nearly 20,000 route-miles. Its closest competitor,Canadian Pacific Railway,operates an approximately 14,000-route-mile network, but CN's network extends beyond the Canadian border, and that's where it enjoys a leg up over its North American rivals.

CN is the only railroad in North America that spans three key coasts -- the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico. In other words, the railroad extends across the continent, east-west and north-south:

Image source: Canadian National Railway.

Thanks to this extensive network and its connectivity to all the other Class 1 railroads, CN links customers to Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., as well as to major ports along all three coasts. The acquisition of the EJ&E line around Chicago in 2009, in particular, proved a game changer for Canadian National: Today, 25% of its total freight traffic passes through Chicago.

Overall, Canadian National moves goods worth a whopping $250 billion every year. But aside from its geographic advantage, Canadian National's investments in ancillary services such as freight forwarding and warehousing, intermodal strength, and an interesting product mix have played a key role in supporting its revenue in recent years.

CNI Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts

Canadian National is also less exposed to coal than many of its peers, having only derived about 3% of revenue from coal during the first half of the year compared to an industry average of 12%. At the same time, CN has the largest exposure to forest products among Class 1 railroads, at about 16%. So while limited exposure to coal has prevented its top line from eroding, high exposure to forest products positions the company well to benefit from the homebuilding recovery in the United States. This is poised to be one of CN's key growth catalysts in the near future, even as it exploits its extensive network to expand its business.

Putting all of its advantages to work for investors

Tyler Crowe: It's always great for a company to have large, almost insurmountable competitive advantages like Canadian National does. It's also good to see the company be an efficient operator that can generate lots of cash. For an investor, though, what ultimately matters is whether the company is using all of these elements to reward shareholders. That is the final test that Canadian National passes with flying colors, making it a stock investors should consider.

There are two things CN has done particularly well with all of that free cash flow to reward shareholders: growing its dividend and buying back stock. Over the past 10 years, the company's net repurchases of stock -- that is, stock repurchases minus stock issuance for options and stock-based compensation -- has totaled $12.9 billion and has reduced the company's share count by 27%. Buying back that much stock can really go unappreciated until you consider the impact it has had on earnings per share. If the company had not elected to buy back that much stock, the company's earnings for the most recent quarter would have been $0.77 per share, rather than the $1.10 the company actually posted.

Canadian National's dividend yield of 1.7% won't blow anyone away, but it makes up for the modest yield with a compounded annual growth rate of 17% over the past 20 years. For such a mature, capital-intensive industry like railroads, that is hard to beat. The combination of a robust share repurchase program and a modest but quickly growing dividend have generated returns that have absolutely crushed the broader market on a total return basis ever since Canadian National went public in 1995.

CNI Total Return Price data by YCharts.

Having a great business model gives a company a leg up, but long-term returns are based on how management uses it to reward shareholders. Canadian National has shown it is working in shareholders' best interest, and is definitely worth considering as a potential investment.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

Jason Hall has no position in any stocks mentioned. Neha Chamaria has no position in any stocks mentioned. Tyler Crowe has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Canadian National Railway. The Motley Fool recommends CSX. 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.
During an interview on the FOX Business Networks Risk & Reward, Murray Energy CEO Robert Murray sounded off on why he believes Hillary Clinton wants to curb the use of fossil fuels.

The reason why she wants to see coal eliminated is because shes getting millions of dollars of kickback to the Clinton Foundation and to her campaign from people who she says needs government help, Murray said. Shes talking about Warren Buffett, the Pritzkers, Elon Musk, Tom Steyerall billionaires that are making billions of dollars off of windmills and solar panels that are made in China that makes 26 cents a kilowatt hour electricity.

While Clinton has said she wants to steer the country toward using cleaner energy, the former Secretary of State released a plan to help the coal communities, in November 2015.

Murray explained why he thinks there is a connection between the Democratic presidential candidate's push for cleaner energy and the Clinton Foundation.

Shes getting hundreds of millions of dollars from some of the largest banks in the country, from some of the largest electric utilities and from these billionaires that I just mentioned, he said. And they need the subsidy. Wind and solar is not competitive with coal or other fossil fuels. To exist it has to have a subsidy from the government. So she herself said they need this government subsidy.

He added: They are making billions of dollars, these billionaires, and theyre kicking back millions to the Clinton Foundation and to Hillary Clinton The lowest 25 million families on the poverty scale in the country now spend 22 cents of every dollar they earn for energy. We need to be worrying about the energy poverty in this country, not making more billionaires as Hillary Clinton attempts to eliminate the low-cost, reliable electricity and substitute these crony capitalists wind and solar... its fraud. It is absolute fraud.
A former Playboy model from Bosnia has gone into hiding to avoid serving prison time for her role in the attempted murder of a local mobster.

An Interpol arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for Slobodanka Tosic, 30, after she failed to appear to serve her 2.5-year sentence.

In March, Tosic was found guilty of luring convicted murderer Djordje Zdrale into an ambush in 2006, where his rivals were waiting to kill him. Zdrale, who was allegedly in love with Tosic, survived the assassination attempt and later testified against her.

Tosic's sentence was upheld on appeal in July. It was not immediately clear why Bosnian authorities waited to ask for an Interpol arrest warrant.

The hit was believed to have been ordered by another Balkan gangland figure, Darko Elez, whom Tosic reportedly was dating at the time. Prosecutors described Elez's gang as "one of the largest groups in organized crime in Bosnia."

The model, who appeared on the cover of Serbian Playboy in 2008, had been staying at her parents' house near Sarajevo, with some restrictions on her movement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from SkyNews.
Almost a year after filing for divorce, Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez seem to have had a change of heart.

In October 2015, Berry and Martinez called it quits after two years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences, but havent moved forward with any proceedings, TMZ reports.

A court clerk filed paperwork letting Berry and Martinez, both 50, know that if no further action is taken, their divorce petition will be dismissed.

Sources tell TMZ that Berry may still want to make it work with Martinez especially if the former boxer seeks help for his alleged anger management issues, which came to a head with two attacks on paparazzi and a brawl with Berrys ex, Gabriel Aubry, on Thanksgiving 2012. Berry is also reportedly reluctant to go through a third divorce after her public splits from David Justice and Eric Benet.

The couple arent back together, but are reportedly remain close friends and cooperative co-parents of son Maceo, 3, and Berrys 9-year-old daughter with Aubry, Nahla.

Reps for Berry and Martinez didnt immediately return requests for comment.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post's Page Six.
A California mother welcomed her newborn on Labor Day after her husband delivered the unexpected child in the hallway of their Burbank, California, home.

CBS Los Angeles reported that Jennifer Favela and her husband, Jeff Parungao, did not know she was pregnant until her water broke.

"Shocked is an understatement," Favela, 35, told the news station. "I woke up in the middle of the night thinking I had a stomachache." Favela said she noticed she had been gaining weight but didn't think she was pregnant because she continued having a period, albeit lighter ones.

Parungao delivered the couple's third child by recalling how their previous two children, ages 13 and 7, were delivered, and relied on 911 dispatchers' instructions on the phone. CBS Los Angeles reported that the couple Snapchatted their subsequent ambulance ride to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank.

"I actually work for an insurance company," Parungao told the news station. "So thats going be an interesting phone call when I have to call my boss."
A North Dakota family is celebrating the arrival of their third child who happens to share the same birth date as his two older siblings. For the third year in a row, Lauren Stevenson gave birth on September 1, ABC News reported.

A healthy baby boy and the fact that he came on Sept. 1, the doctors, the nurses, my husband and I  we just couldnt believe it, Stevenson told the news station.

Henry Lee Stevenson was expected to arrive Sept. 4, but made his entrance three days early like his older sister Tommie Lee, who turned 1 this year. Brother Axel Lee was predicted to arrive on August 31, 2014, but arrived Sept. 1 instead.

It came as a shock to us because we didnt really plan it, Stevenson told ABC News. [My husband] said Oh my God, we are going to have another Sept. 1 baby.

The births were also a first for Dr. William Lowe of St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismark, who said he has never delivered three babies a year apart on the same day, ABC News reported.

Stevenson said that the family will host one big birthday for the three siblings each year, but that each time theyve tried so far shes wound up in the hospital delivering a baby.
People have strong feelings about meat  not only about how it tastes, but also how the animals that provide it are raised. In fact, those feelings are so strong that they actually influence the way people perceive the meat's taste, a new study says.

In the study, people reported that meat that carried a label saying it was from a factory farm tasted worse than meat labeled as "humanely raised," when the samples were actually identical.

The researchers said the results are a basic demonstration that our "affect"  which is a technical term for the ingredients of our emotions  can influence our experience of eating food. [Top 7 Germs in Food That Make You Sick]

"You're always in an affective state that colors what you see and hear, and now, we know also [that it influences] what you taste and how much food you eat," said study co-author Lisa Feldman Barrett, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University in Boston and author of the forthcoming book "How Emotions Are Made" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017).

In the study, the researchers did three experiments, involving samples of beef jerky, roast beef and deli ham, that came with different descriptions. For example, the humanely farmed description of ham said, "This ham was raised on a farm that focused on animal welfare," and mentioned grassy pastures and the chance for pigs to socialize with other pigs. Meanwhile, the factory-farm version read, in part: "This ham was produced at a factory farm that focused on production." In this particular experiment, participants first ate unlabeled ham to test their baseline perception.

In all three experiments, the researchers found that the participants gave different scores to the samples that were labeled differently, even though the meat samples were actually identical. In general, the participants who read descriptions of factory-farming practices ate less, were less likely to say they would eat that meat again and said they would pay less for it.

In one trial involving ham, participants even gave different ratings to specific aspects of the flavor of the meat that was labeled as being from a factory farm  they said it was saltier and greasier than the "humanely raised" meat.

Barrett said she expected that the participants would rate the meat labeled as humanely raised more highly, but the participants did not rate that meat better than samples with either no label or a neutrally-worded description.

This could be because the meat  all of which actually came from a farm that advertises having humane practices  was high-quality to begin with, and thus there was little room for improvement, the researchers said. Or, it could be because the participants, most of whom were college students, assumed the meat was farmed in a humane fashion unless they were told otherwise, Barrett said.

"We know, in many ways, that our expectations change our way of seeing the world," said Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist at Duke University who was not involved in the study. And the researchers pointed to past work that showed that labels that say "organic," "eco-friendly" and "fair trade" may all affect people's perceptions of food. [6 Foods That Are Good For Your Brain]

However, Ariely said it was not clear what factor was actually driving the effect seen in the study.

"What's unclear from the study is whether it's a moral issue, or an issue that has to do with expectations about taste," Ariely said. In other words, the students may have responded more negatively to eating the factory-farm meat because of their moral issues with factory-farm practices, or they might have had a negative association with the quality of those products.

Barrett noted that the researchers were not trying to evaluate the students' morality about factory-farm meat but rather were using labels to change the participants' dispositions. "We were interested in whether 'affect' influences taste and eating behavior," she said.

Ariely said there's value in exploring precisely what people expect from their food, and what effects those expectations may have.

Next, the researchers will manipulate specific qualities of the meat, such as its saltiness, to help quantify the size of the effect beyond how people report the experience, Barrett said. They may also try to find the conditions under which a label of "humanely farmed" may have a positive effect on people's experience of eating.

The paper was published Aug. 24 in the journal PLOS ONE.

Original article on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
People with high blood pressure who monitor it regularly at home may be getting incorrect readings with devices that take measurements on the wrist, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that self-measurement at home with wrist devices often led to false reports of elevated blood pressure when compared to measurements in a doctor's office. Accurate readings often depended on correct positioning of the wrist, which patients either didn't understand or didn't remember how to do.

"Arterial blood pressure is a silent killer," said lead author Dr. Edoardo Casiglia, a European clinical hypertension specialist at the University of Padua in Italy. "It's important for those with high blood pressure to be aware of their numbers and receive adequate treatment."

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney problems. About one in three adults in the U.S., or 70 million people, have high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The American Heart Association recommends that people with high blood pressure take measurements at home with commercially available monitoring devices because blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day and occasional readings at a doctor's office don't provide a true assessment of a person's condition.

"The only way to monitor blood pressure consistently is to trust patients to measure at home," Casiglia told Reuters Health by email. "Many devices are available, reliable and good. Recently, many wrist devices have appeared on the market, but they require the wrist to be placed exactly at heart level."

Often, as seen in the study, patients rest the wrist device below heart level, which gives false high numbers and may encourage a doctor to increase medication. On the other hand, Casiglia said, holding the wrist at higher than heart level gives false low numbers and may encourage doctors to reduce treatment.

Casiglia and colleagues trained 720 patients to use wrist devices and then measured blood pressure at home and in the doctor's office with both an upper-arm device and a wrist device. The patients were instructed to take upper arm and wrist measurements themselves at home every morning and evening at the same time of day for seven consecutive days.

In general, healthy people have a systolic blood pressure, the measurement when the heart beats, of less than 120 mmHg, and diastolic pressure, when the heart rests, of less than 80 mmHg. Blood pressures above 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic are considered hypertension.

In the current study, a total of 620 patients had inaccurate measurements at home, with 433 of these having discrepancies of more than 10 mm/Hg.

"Even after a training course, we found that choosing correct wrist position largely depends on cognitive pattern, which can be influenced by age and education," Casiglia said. "This is why the wrist devices are not good for everybody."

Doctors should decide which patients are a good fit for at-home wrist measurement, the study team writes in Hypertension.

"Using upper arm measurement is the gold standard and always our first choice," said Dr. Vincent Canzanello, a clinical hypertension specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who wasn't involved with the study. "However, sometimes the cuffs don't fit larger arms or are painful for patients."

One limitation of the study is a potential "white coat effect," in which some people's blood pressure rises simply from the stress of being in a doctor's office, Canzanello told Reuters Health.

"Typically, our clinical assistants do several automated readings before a health care provider ever enters the room to avoid this effect," he said. "Studies show that physicians are notoriously bad at measuring blood pressure in terms of following the proper guidelines," he added.

About a third of Americans with high blood pressure have it controlled correctly, according to the American Heart Association. Proper at-home measurement could help patients obtain the correct treatment and medication.

"A device that measures the upper arm with the appropriately-sized cuff is the best option," Canzanello said. "But for those who need to use a wrist device, this study shows that taking measurements with the proper instructions is key."
Baton Rouge police officer Matthew Gerald was killed in the line of duty on July 17, but his legacy lives on in his two daughters and one more child on the way.

Dechia Gerald, 38, is 10 weeks pregnant with her late husbands child, calling it his final gift, WAFB reported.

Gerald, a teacher, told WAFB that her 9-year-old daughter, Dawclyn, somehow knew she was pregnant before anyone else did. When Gerald was looking for clothes to wear to her husbands funeral services, the girl said Mommy, I dont know why youre complaining Because youre pregnant.

Her younger daughter, Fynleigh, 3, intuited the pregnancy a few days later. Gerald told WAFB that Fynleigh told me the same thing. However this time, she told me that Jesus told her that there was a baby boy in my tummy."

A week later, Gerald bought a home pregnancy test, which confirmed her daughters suspicions. After telling her family, she shared the news with her late husbands squad.

"For the most part, it's a blessing. I mean obviously he left us a very special gift behind, but at the same time, all those days that I get overwhelmed, I ask how am I going to do this by myself without him," Gerald told WAFB.

Geralds four-week ultrasound seems to show a wedding ring in the image, she said.

"I felt like when I saw that he was with us, she told WAFB.

Matthew, a rookie cop, was a retired Marine corporal and one of three officers shot and killed during a shooting spree that left three other officers injured.
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America we will have the opportunity to listen to both presidential candidates on Wednesday evening in a commander in chief forum focused on national security, military and veteran issues.

This forum presents an opportunity for both candidates to discuss how we as a country need to fulfil its obligations to our veterans and to layout a clear intent for those currently serving that recognizes our service men and women are still in harms way regardless of the current political narrative that seeks to minimize battlefield realities.

Our next commander in chief will assume command of a military whose budgetary strains have reduced its ability to train and fight as they should.

The veteran population has seen the sacrifices made for battlefield gains over the last 15 years squandered away. And just as troubling has been our inability to take care of those who were lucky enough to come home at all. This is a national disgrace, it's no secret, and yet it still is allowed to fester.

Weve had over a decade of confusion from the White House to the Pentagon to the Battlefield. Weve had no coherent strategy. Weve had no clear end-state. Weve had no consistent guidance, and in a vacuum of clarity, when our leadership has no real idea of what it is we are realistically trying to accomplish, they start to take less risk, and success becomes dont screw up.

And while we are still counting the cost of our forever wars in both blood and coin, our men and women in uniform will always be willing to undertake any mission that the American people and our commander in chief ask of them. They deserve to know he or she will unfailingly support them and more importantly, has the capacity to ensure those sacrifices will not be in vain.

Our pattern of following up initial battlefield successes with our intransigent bureaucracy and political gamesmanship is why, after 14 years, we see an Iraq and Afghanistan with little to show for our efforts and sacrifices.

Operation Enduring Freedom, while certainly enduring towards an unspecified end, finds an Afghanistan where the Taliban have been given the freedom to gain more territory since our initial success, which came at the cost of over 2,300 American lives and $800 billion taxpayer dollars.

Operation Inherent Resolve, the muddled sequel to Operation Iraqi Freedom, has been an inherently disjointed effort led by a political leadership resolved to call combat anything but. All despite the recent deaths of American soldiers in direct action, on top of the over 4,000 killed and $1.7 trillion spent already.

Weve had over a decade of confusion from the White House to the Pentagon to the Battlefield. Weve had no coherent strategy. Weve had no clear end-state. Weve had no consistent guidance, and in a vacuum of clarity, when our leadership has no real idea of what it is we are realistically trying to accomplish, they start to take less risk, and success becomes dont screw up.

Sothey tighten the Rules of Engagement, they deny air support, they confuse a soldiers reality with that of a policeman, they listen to the lawyer instead of the warrior. In turn we hear vague cliches like advise and assist and non-combat roles.

Its why, until recently 75 percent of bombing runs in Iraq and Syria returned without actually dropping their bombs because theyre more afraid of bad press than the enemy. We pretend that 9,000 soldiers in Afghanistan will make a difference when 100,000 was just starting to see progress. Thats madness and maddening to those who have and do serve this nation in the armed forces.

To say this is an unsustainable path for our country, never mind our military is an understatement.

It is my hope that this Wednesday night we start to see the recognition that it is past time we started to hold our candidates and leaders accountable and that as moderator, NBCs Matt Lauer demands real answers to the hard questions. We cannot be content with the vague and incomplete safe campaign drivel weve become accustomed to.

Whats the plan to win the war and keep the peace so that my kids arent fighting on the same battlefields against the kids of the enemy I fought?

What does winning even look like?

To allow just one soldier to leave his family and head towards the sound of the guns without those answers is a failure.

Every generation of Americans has proved equal to the challenges in our greatest times of crisis. I have seen incredible bravery and heroism from our young men and womenthey might be playing video games and texting non-stop one minute but theyre earning the Medal of Honor the next. Its time they had a commander in chief they deserve. It's time we had the leader we all deserve.
At this year's GOP convention, Ted Cruz famously urged the delegates -- and all Republicans: "If you love our country, and love our children as much as you do, stand, and speak, and vote your conscience. Vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom, and to be faithful to the constitution." Many observers saw this statement as an implied attack on Donald Trump, and Cruz was booed vigorously as a result. But let's take Sen. Cruz seriously. In the 2016 election, what should a conservative do who loves his or her children and his or her country? What does your conscience suggest?

Some have sought to avoid the issue by saying that one vote doesn't matter in an election as large as ours. Even if that were true, it shouldn't matter to a person of good conscience. Your vote is important not only because of its practical outcome, but because it is how you, as a free citizen, participate in the life if your country. Simply abdicating your responsibility, and passing the buck to your fellow Americans, is not the act of a good conscience.

That's the world you will wake up to on November 9 ... a world where your constitutional rights, your state and local governments, and your country's military would all be in the hands of a single angry liberal.

Others seek to avoid the issue by saying that Hillary Clinton will win no matter what anyone says or does. But that's plainly not true. According to Nate Silver's "polls-plus" analysis, Donald Trump has a 30.9 percent chance of winning the election. As of today, Silver projects Trump to win almost 237 electoral votes -- far more than Mitt Romney (who won 206). Furthermore, Trump has been moving up in the polls -- the RealClearPolitics average shows that Trump is only 3.9 percentage points behind Hillary Clinton, a significant improvement from the gap of almost 8 percentage points he faced soon after the Democratic convention. In short, the race is very much still up for grabs, and no one can say with certainty who will win.

Others try to avoid the issue by cheering on various third-party options. But it seems clear that no third-party candidate can be elected. In 1992, Ross Perot received almost 19 percent of the popular vote -- and still received no electoral votes. None of the third-party candidates running this year are even close to 19 percent in the polls -- Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate, is doing the best with 7.4 percent of the vote, according to the RealClearPolitics average. So unless something utterly unforeseen happens, either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States.

Under these circumstances, what should a conservative of good conscience do? Obviously, if you think Trump will be the better president, you should vote for him. Millions of conservative voters have already made this choice -- which explains why Trump is so close to Hillary in the polls. On the other hand, if you believe that Hillary Clinton's election would be better for the country -- either because she would make a better president or because her victory would make it easier for conservatives to govern in the future -- then you should endorse Hillary Clinton. Indeed, if she's truly the best choice for the country, you should urge others to vote for her, you should consider giving her money -- you should do whatever it takes to help her win. After all, if her victory is the best outcome for the country, then you should try to make that happen.

Unfortunately, we live in a fallen and sinful world -- and sometimes that forces people to choose between unpleasant options.

So far, so good. But what if you think that both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump would be bad presidents? I know people in this camp. Some of them are my good friends. Some of them have worked and fought for conservative causes for many years. They are good people, and they are heartbroken by the results of this campaign so far. Unfortunately, we live in a fallen and sinful world -- and sometimes that forces people to choose between unpleasant options.

One way to avoid this dilemma is simply to avoid talking about politics altogether. Go do something else with your life. Preach the gospel. Work for charity. Spend time with your children. In other words, do something that has permanent value, and stop worrying so much about politics. However, you should carefully scrutinize your motives before choosing this path. Are you really doing what's best for your conscience and your family -- or are you, like Pontius Pilate, trying to wash your hands of a decision that you don't want to make? Dropping out of politics because you believe that there are more important things in life may be admirable -- if you're really serious about it. But if you're simply trying to avoid a choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, you are not doing the right thing. Millions of people suffered and died to give you the right to help govern this country -- you should not spurn that right unless you have very good reasons to do so.

OK, how should a disappointed conservative choose between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump? The best approach would be to draw upon the concept of prudence. In other words, make a careful assessment of life under a Clinton presidency, and life under a Trump presidency. Let's assume that the worst of what you believe about Trump is correct. Let's ignore the fact that he repeatedly argues for lower taxes, that he has identified conservatives who he would put on the Supreme Court, that he picked a conservative running mate, and all of the other things he has said and done indicating a preference for conservative policies. Even assuming for the sake of argument that none of those promises are valid, and that Trump would devote his entire presidency to advancing harmful policies, what would happen? In the first place, he would face unrelenting scrutiny from a press corps that hates him. Any scandal involving his administration would receive vast publicity. Any mistakes would be magnified by a hostile media. Any illegality -- or alleged illegality -- would be met with calls for impeachment.

But that's not all. Trump's attacks on globalization have angered many powerful business interests, who would gladly fund challengers to Trump's policies -- and even to his re-election. He would likely face a well-funded challenger in the 2020 GOP primaries. He would also face a skeptical court system -- no one seriously believes that Supreme Court justices like John Roberts and Anthony Kennedy would be a rubber stamp for Trump, and that doesn't even count the four liberal justices who would vote against almost anything he did. Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell have also shown a robust willingness to disagree with Trump when they think he's wrong. In short, the checks and balances built into our system would significantly limit the harmful effects of a Trump administration.

Unfortunately, those factors will not limit Hillary Clinton. She has the Democratic Party in her pocket -- her only serious primary opponent was Bernie Sanders, who is not a Democrat. Most of the members of the mainstream press are simply her puppets, and would do whatever was necessary to avoid putting her re-election at risk. Similarly, once Hillary Clinton has five liberals on the Supreme Court -- and she will have five liberals on the Supreme Court -- she can interpret any statute or re-write any regulation as she sees fit, and there's nothing anyone could do about it. What if Hillary Clinton uses the IRS to go after her political enemies? The press would cover it up, and the courts would do nothing to stop her. What if she uses the FBI to spy on people she doesn't like? The press would cover it up, and the courts would do nothing to stop her.

That's not all. The president has extraordinary discretion to interpret U.S. law. What's to prevent her from bringing in as many new immigrants as she wants? What's to prevent her from using the Clean Air Act to impose her climate change policies on the country, or interpreting the tax laws in ways that punish companies she doesn't like, or re-interpreting the Obamacare legislation however she wants, or changing any federal regulations in ways that advance her political agenda? What's to prevent her judges from taking over many of the functions of state government -- re-drawing congressional districts in manners that help the Democrats, changing the voting laws to suit their preferences, ordering the schools to comply with whatever whims they may have, managing the prisons as they see fit?

Once she has five members of the Supreme Court, the answer is literally nothing. If you complain to the press, they will ignore you. If you take her to court, you will lose. And she won't have to worry about federal prosecutors -- she will appoint the prosecutors, and she can replace them at will. And when 2020 comes around, and businesses start to get the message that it's time to support Hillary Clinton for re-election, how many of them will have the courage to refuse? If you think she raises a lot of money now, wait until you see how much money she can raise with the awesome power of the presidency behind her.

What about your constitutional rights -- the rights so dear to the hearts of many conservatives? Once Hillary Clinton has five members of the Supreme Court, as a practical matter those rights will mean exactly what she wants them to mean -- no more, no less. You want to speak out in public? You will have as much right to do so as her judges will let you have. You want to practice your religion? You will be in danger if you do something her judges won't approve. You want to invoke your Second Amendment rights? Good luck with that. What about constitutional limits on the administrative state, or the treaty power, or any other limits on executive authority? They will be just as effective as Hillary Clinton's pet judges want. What about Congress? She may need them to appropriate money -- but that can all be done once every year in a single vote, as President Obama has already figured out. Once she has that money -- and the GOP will give it to her, because they won't shut down the government -- there will be no practical limit on her power.

And I haven't even mentioned that she would be commander-in-chief, with the world's largest military at her disposal.

That's the world you will wake up to on November 9 if Hillary Clinton is elected president. A world where your constitutional rights, your state and local governments, and your country's military would all be in the hands of a single angry liberal. No one will be able to help you. In fact, almost everyone in a position of real power will not want to help you -- it will be in their interests to help Hillary Clinton make you suffer. What will you do then? Some of you may have the courage to engage in civil disobedience. That may be admirable, but you should be realistic about what will happen: You will be punished, and the press will try to destroy your reputation. Some of you may even fantasize about engaging in violent efforts to preserve your freedom. Again, let's be realistic: You will not defeat the United States military.

So that's your choice: a Donald Trump administration that would face real checks and balances, or a Hillary Clinton administration that would face almost none. Under these circumstances, it seems obvious that the prudent thing for a skeptical conservative to do is work with the Trump supporters to defeat Hillary Clinton -- she is the much greater, and much more immediate, threat.

I believe that a lot of conservatives realize these facts, but are troubled with the notion that by voting for Trump, they would be personally endorsing everything he says and does. But that is simply not true. We are talking about a temporary political alliance to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House. No one seriously believes that John Adams supported slavery because he worked with slaveholders to throw the British out of Massachusetts. No one seriously believes that Churchill supported communism because he worked with Stalin to defeat Hitler. No one seriously believes that Hamilton and Madison agreed on everything because they cooperated on the Federalist Papers. There's a reason we say that "politics makes strange bedfellows" -- because political crises sometimes force people to form alliances with people they would otherwise oppose. For some conservatives, the 2016 election is plainly one of those times.

In short, when you apply the Cruz test to this election, it is clear that conservatives of good conscience can and should support Donald Trump. Indeed, failure to do so will put our entire political system -- with all of the civil liberties we hold dear -- at risk. I urge those conservatives who are concerned about Trump to think very, very carefully about this election, and work with the rest of us to defeat Hillary Clinton.
Securing funding to combat the Zika virus was supposed to be one issue on Capitol Hill that would be free of the political games that are typical in election years. That's because we have all seen the heartbreaking photos of Zika babies and heard the toll the virus has had on families in affected countries, including right here in the United States.

The call for Washington to fund the effort to stop the spread of Zika was swift and bipartisan.

Even Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid took to the Senate floor in February to declare, It is critical that we approve the funds immediately, and give our government the resources it needs to fight the virus.

It initially appeared that it would happen. In May, every Senate Democrat joined with Senate Republicans to overwhelmingly pass an appropriations bill that included $1.1 billion to fight the Zika virus.

Since the House passed a different version of the bill, the legislation went through the conference process to reconcile the differences, resulting in a compromise bill that most importantly preserved the $1.1 billion to equip mosquito controllers, doctors, and researchers with the funding needed to combat Zika and develop a vaccine.

However, during the legislative process, Harry Reid had a change of heart, determining it would be more politically advantageous to have the funding bill fail so he could turn around and blame Republicans ahead of the November elections.

Harry Reids Senate Democrats quickly fell in line. They have blocked several attempts to pass the Zika funding and get it to the presidents desk, a flip-flop from supporting funding to opposing it. In fact, all but one Senate Democrat who voted for the $1.1 billion to fight Zika in May then voted against it this summer at Reids request.

To provide cover for such craven politicization of what was originally a slam-dunk bipartisan bill, Reid scripted one-sentence sound bites for his Democratic candidates to repeat on the campaign trail when voters demand an explanation for the flip-flopping filibuster.

The factual basis behind Reids talking points falls apart upon a quick analysis.

First, Democratic leaders have claimed the Zika funding package reduces access to contraceptives, a claim that is flat-out false. The truth is that the bill does not prohibit any birth control services or any health service.

What Democrats are really referring to is their newly invented demand for an earmark for abortion providers such as a Planned Parenthood affiliate in Puerto Rico. This was a demand that even the Presidents supplemental request would not have funded.

In doing so, they conveniently ignore the fact that the bill provides funding for health providers at community health centers, public health departments, hospitals, and through any provider on the island that accepts Medicaid.

The flow of funding is common sense. In Zika-ravaged Puerto Rico, twenty community health centers served more than 300,000 people last year, compared to 8,000 people served at the islands Planned Parenthood affiliate. These health centers are important because they provide not just reproductive health care for moms, but also prenatal care for pregnant women, and newborn and pediatric care for their at-risk children. Nothing could be more important for a child affected by Zika virus than to have continuity of care, seamlessly from before birth to after birth. Senate Democrats apparently disagree because they would rather see that funding go to groups that offer fewer health services, but do donate to their campaigns.

Then there are the environmental smoke and mirrors. In an attempt to appeal to the fringe, left-wing environmental groups that support their campaigns, Democrats are even criticizing an effort to kill Zika-carrying mosquitos. Democrats are protesting a policy rider that would temporarily remove layers of redundant red tape to allow vector control organizations to use public health insecticides to kill mosquitos and fight Zika. These are the very same insecticides that have been approved by the CDC and EPA to combat mosquito-borne diseases.

This is the sort of warped logic coming from Washington that the American people are justifiably sick and tired of. To be fair, Harry Reid is not the only person to blame.

While President Obama berates Congress to do its job and pass Zika funding that his own party is filibustering, the reality is that right now his administration is sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars that can immediately be used to fight Zika.

The only rationale behind the presidents refusal to make use of those funds is to double-down on Harry Reids strategy to place blame on Congressional Republicans.

This is a dangerous game to play. While we may have close to sufficient funds to combat the Zika virus for the rest of the year, the long-term consequences of continued Democratic obstructionism of Zika funding will be severe.

The National Institutes of Health is currently developing a vaccine for the Zika virus, but is running low on funds. Unless Congress approves the $1.1 billion in funding, the vaccine effort could stall, and Zika will be back next year and emerge as a crisis for many more Americans.

Harry Reids closing scene in the long drama of his failed tenure as Democrat Leader may very well be his success in killing Zika funding legislation. If his obstructionism succeeds, the consequences will reverberate in communities across America long after he retires next January. Peoples lives are literally at stake.

Lets hope that Reids Democratic colleagues muster up the political courage to stand up to him and put the welfare of the American people ahead of reckless election-year political games.

Regardless of our ideological leanings or partisan affiliations, we should all hope that the end of Harry Reids tenure in the Senate will also bring an end to the culture of hyperpartisan brinksmanship that he established in the Senate. Its a toxic culture that has brought us to the point where Congress cant even pass a bill to save the lives and health of the most vulnerable among us.

Lets hope, for the sake of our nation, that we can and will do better.
Donald Trump said Tuesday that recently released FBI documents proved that Hillary Clinton "fails to meet the minimum standard for running for public office," as both presidential candidates tried to appeal to military and retired voters in Southern swing states.

At a rally in Greenville, N.C., Trump said Clinton's use of a private email server for her correspondence while secretary of state was "disqualifying," a pointed escalation of his case against the Democratic nominee.

"Its clear from the FBI report that Hillary Clinton lied about her handling of confidential information," said Trump, who added, "This is like Watergate, only it's worse."

Late last week, the FBI published scores of pages summarizing interviews with Clinton and her top aides from the recently closed criminal investigation into her use of a private email server in the basement of her New York home.

The summaries revealed that the FBI identified 13 mobile devices associated with Clinton's two phone numbers, but the Justice Department was unable to obtain any of them. On another occasion, an aide to former President Bill Clinton recalled "two instances where he destroyed Clinton's old mobile phones by breaking them in half or hitting them with a hammer."

"Who uses 13 different iPhones in four years?" Trump asked rhetorically Tuesday. "People who have nothing to hide don't destroy phones with hammers. They don't ... destroy evidence to keep it from being publicly archived as required under federal law."

Earlier Tuesday, Clinton accused Trump of insulting America's veterans and pressing dangerous military plans around the globe.

Clinton, addressing supporters in Florida, warned that Trump would lead the nation back to war in the Middle East. And to military vets and their families, she pointed anew to his summertime dust-up with the Muslim parents of a slain American soldier.

He called the military a disaster, Clinton said. He said, I know more about ISIS than the generals do' ... His whole campaign has been one long insult to all those who have worn the uniform."

She also vowed to help the military by giving it the proper equipment to dismantle terror networks and providing members and ex-members with better mental-health care.

In response, Trump touted a letter from 88 retired generals and admirals citing an urgent need for a "course correction" in America's national security policy. At his evening rally, the real estate mogul suggested that he would rely on the generals to make up for his own lack of national security inexperience to take on ISIS. He vowed to give military leaders a "simple instruction" soon after taking office: "They will have 30 days to submit to the Oval Office a plan for soundly and quickly defeating ISIS."

Clinton pushed back, saying Trump has lagged in securing key military supporters compared to past Republican nominees including John McCain and Mitt Romney. She pointed to her endorsements from retired Marine Gen. John Allen, who blasted Trump at the Democratic National Committee, and former CIA deputy director Mike Morell.

Trump also also extolled a new CNN/ORC poll that shows him leading Clinton 45-43 percent in a four-way race with Libertarian Gary Johnson at 7 percent and Green Partys Jill Stein at 2 percent.

The numbers are a stark reversal from mid-August, when Clinton led by roughly 8 percentage points.

As for polls, I dont pay much attention, Clinton told reporters Tuesday on her new campaign jet en route to Tampa for her only event of the day.

The Democratic nominee said she is instead focusing on what she calls Trumps un-American views on dictators, illegal immigrants and religious tolerance.

So dark, so divisive, so dangerous, Clinton said in Tampa. I want to be a president who brings a country together. Im glad that [running mate] Tim Kaine and I are running a campaign of issues, not insults.

The conflicting messages came as the candidates prepared to appear at an MSNBC forum Wednesday night on national security. While they will appear separately and not be on stage at the same time, it could serve as a warm-up to their highly-anticipated first presidential debate on Sept. 26 at New York's Hofstra University.

Meanwhile, Clinton's campaign released a new television ad entitled, "Sacrifice," showing military veterans watching some of the New York businessman's more provocative statements.

The spot includes clips of Trump claiming to know more about ISIS than military generals, and his criticism of McCain, the Republican senator from Arizona and a former prisoner of war. The ad, which features former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland, a triple-amputee who served in Vietnam, also keys on Trump's assertion that he has sacrificed a lot compared to families who have lost loved ones in conflict.

"Our veterans deserve better," reads a line at the end of the ad, which is airing in Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

Clinton spent much of late August fundraising in such wealthy enclaves as Hollywood and the Hamptons -- for the TV ads, state-level operations and other campaign expenses needed in the final 62 days of the White House race.

She raised a combined $143 million in August for her campaign, along with the Democratic National Committee and state parties -- her best month yet.

Clinton began September with more than $68 million in her campaign's bank account to use against Trump, who has not yet released initial fundraising totals for August.

Clinton on Monday used a campaign plane for the first time this election cycle, a Boeing 737 with about 100 seats for passengers and crew.

She has since taken serious questions at least twice from reporters flying with the campaign, in an apparent attempt to quell criticism that she avoids the news media and has not held a full-fledged press conference in 276 days, arguments the Clinton camp disputes.

Trump flies in a private jet, while his press corps travels in a separate one. The wealthy businessman on Monday allowed reporters on his plane, which he said lacks such accommodations, but vowed to occasionally continue taking questions onboard.

FoxNews.com's Joseph Weber and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Obama administration acknowledged Tuesday that a $1.7 billion transfer to Iran earlier this year was paid entirely in foreign hard currency.

An initial $400 million delivery was sent to Tehran Jan. 17, the same day Iran agreed to release four American prisoners. Congressional officials told the Wall Street Journal that the remaining $1.3 billion was paid in two more installments delivered on Jan. 22 and Feb. 5.

A Treasury spokeswoman told the Associated Press the cash payments were necessary because of the "effectiveness of U.S. and international sanctions," which isolated Iran from the international finance system. The payments were made in Swiss francs, euros and other currencies.

Officials from the Treasury, Justice and State Departments briefed congressional staffers on the payment details Tuesday at the Capitol.

The $1.7 billion was the settlement of a 37-year-old arbitration claim between the U.S. and Iran. The remaining $1.3 billion represented estimated interest on the Iranian cash the U.S. had held since the 1970s.

White House officials had said that they believed the U.S. would lose the arbitration case over the initial $400 million payment, made by the last Shah of Iran months before the Islamic Revolution. Such a decision would have made them liable for much more money.

The Obama administration had claimed the transfer and the prisoner release were unrelated events, but recently acknowledged the cash was used as leverage until the Americans were allowed to leave Iran. Congressional Republicans have accused the White House of paying ransom to Iran in exchange for the prisoners, a charge Obama has rejected.

On Tuesday, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., introduced bills that would bar such payments in the future.

"The U.S. government should not be in the business of negotiating with terrorists and paying ransom money in exchange for the release of American hostages," Rubio said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from The Wall Street Journal.
President Obama and his Democratic allies are seizing on the exodus of private insurers from ObamaCare markets to renew their push for a so-called "public option" -- but Republicans say more "government intervention" is not the answer to the latest Affordable Care Act woes.

A public option -- or insurance plan offered by the government -- had been written into early versions of the bill but failed to make the final cut in the law signed by Obama in March 2010.

But with many states seeing private insurers exit ObamaCare markets amid concerns over cost and other factors, Democrats see a silver lining to what critics are calling another ObamaCare crisis -- a reason to bring the option back.

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, Obama wrote last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The president called on his White House successor and Congress to implement the option. A former Obama health official, Ezekiel Emanuel, also backed up the president in a recent op-ed. And ex-Obama campaign manager David Plouffe added his support in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press."

If elected, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton says shell look for ways to improve ObamaCare, which includes supporting a public option.

Her Republican rival Donald Trump and several GOP lawmakers, though, say the public option isnt an option at all.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who is seeking a 6th term, has been a vocal opponent of ObamaCare from the start and maintains the whole thing is collapsing like a house of cards.

Now that the law is unraveling, its no surprise that Democrats are clamoring for a so-called public option, McCain told FoxNews.com in a statement. If anything is clear about this failed law, its that more government intervention is the wrong solution to fixing our health care system.

Arizona is bracing for double-digit premium hikes next year. Residents in Pinal County, in the central part of the state, are set to have no insurer options on the ObamaCare marketplace.

Its a trend thats expected to spread as major insurers like UnitedHealth, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana report millions in losses tied to the ACA. In order to stop the fiscal bleeding, insurers have been increasing premiums, scaling back expansion efforts or in some cases exiting the marketplace entirely.

Before Aetna announced it would leave Arizona and other states, the company proposed an 18 percent premium rate hike to cover its losses.

McCain, like other Republicans, believes the situation is so dire that the only way to fix it is to scrap the law completely and start over.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recently told a group of Kentucky business leaders that the health care law is crashing under the weight of rising premiums.

The Republican lawmaker said he had no doubt ObamaCare would be revisited by the next president but that the extent of changes depends on whos elected to the White House and which party controls Congress.

Twenty-four Republican senators are up for reelection this year compared with only 10 Democrats. To take control in the Senate, Democrats need to pick up as many as five seats. If Clinton wins, Democrats would only need four seats since the vice president casts tie breakers.

Its a different story in the House. To take back the lower chamber, Democrats need to pick up 30 seats  some in deep red states. The best Democrats may be able to hope for is a divided Congress  combative, partisan and gridlocked on major issues like health care reform.

Whether the public option would ease or exacerbate the problem -- by driving more insurers out of the market -- is a matter of debate.

Emanuel, chairman of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania who served in the Obama administration from 2009-2011, says the goal is to keep the exchanges stable.

We should consider a public option triggered when consumers do not have adequate choice, he wrote in an opinion piece for The Washington Post. Consumers should never be subject to the whims of insurer withdrawals or withdrawal threats.
Ladies and gentlemen, its time to (cough) focus on choking.

And by that, I dont mean Hillary Clintons coughing spell the other day, which sparked some of the old conspiracy chatter about her health (and #HackingHillary quickly became a top Twitter trend).

And it led to these eight stacked headlines on the Drudge Report:

10 Doctors Question Hillary Health...

MSNBC Cuts Live Feed as She Sputters For Air...

FIT LASTED OVER 4 MINUTES...

She slams 'conspiracy theories'...

Media Blame Pollen...

Complete timeline of 2016 coughing fits...

PRUDEN: Voters have right to ask...

Thyroid problems linked to sudden cardiac death...

Oh, and Donald Trump tried as well, tweeting: Mainstream media never covered Hillarys massive 'hacking' or coughing attack, yet it is #1 trending. Whats up?

(Trending topics are the new assignment editor!)

Clinton, for her part, told reporters on her planeactually taking a number of questions from her press corps for the first time this yearthat she would not be distracted by rumors about her health.

No, Im talking about choking as the term is used in sports: the 9th-inning strikeout, the dropped pass in the end zone, the clunker off the rim as time expires on the clock.

The trash talk started with Donald Trumps visit to Mexico. John Podesta, Clintons campaign chairman, ripped Trump for saying he and Enrique Pena Nieto did not discuss his demand that Mexico pay for a border wall:

It turns out Trump didn't just choke, he got beat in the room and lied about it, Podesta said. (The lying allegation relates to Pena Nieto saying he had told Trump his country would never pay, but Trump may have been referring to his decision not to negotiate.)

Trump fired back yesterday, using the same verb, on Good Morning America:

"So let me just tell you about choking. I don't choke. She chokes. Look at the deals she's made. She's responsible for so many bad things that have happened to our country, including the signing by her husband of NAFTA, which has drained our country of its jobs. I've been given A-plus, including by you people ... I have been given A-pluses for the job I did in Mexico.

Now theres a serious issue beneath the locker-room jibes: Who can withstand the pressures of the presidency? Its reminiscent of the 3 a.m. phone call ad that Clinton ran against Barack Obama eight years ago.

The charges and countercharges have been flying fast and furious in the last 48 hours. Clinton, on her planeand Im glad shes finally taking press questionssaid Trump must have something to hide in not releasing his tax returns.

Trump said Monday that I think people dont care. I dont think anybody cares, except some members of the press. Its worth noting that every presidential nominee since Richard Nixon has released tax records.

Clinton also said she must be creating jobs in the conspiracy theory machine factory.

Trump, meanwhile, has been hammering away at questions surrounding the Clinton Foundation. In an echo of that earlier Hillary ad, his communications chief Jason Miller said: When that 3 a.m. phone call comes, we cant have an ethically-challenged president on the line who took truckloads of cash from other countries.

And discussing Russia yesterday, Trump said: Putin looks at her and he laughs, OK? He laughs. Putin. Putin looks at Hillary Clinton and he smiles.

The intensified pace comes as the media are gradually acknowledging that the polls are tightening. I wrote yesterday that the media narrative was lagging behind the surveys showing Trump closing the gap in national numbers. And yesterday, a new CNN poll gave Trump a 2-point lead over Clinton, or within the margin of error.

No wonder the candidates are accusing each other of coughing, choking and caving in.
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen met with two groups of House Republicans Wednesday amid an internal GOP debate about whether to move forward with an impeachment vote.

Koskinen met with members of the moderate "Tuesday Group" before being invited to join the conservative "Republican Study Committee."

"It got a little contentious," Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, said of Koskinen's discussion with the Republican Study Committee.

Conservative Republicans say Koskinen should be expelled from office for allegedly impeding a congressional investigation into the IRS' improper targeting of tea party groups seeking tax exemptions. House Republican leaders oppose impeaching Koskinen, saying such a move risks making GOP lawmakers look overly partisan and sets a dangerous precedent.

"If you were to impeach and dump this right into the Senate, throw it in their hands right before a very contentious election, is that something they want to deal with right now?" asked moderate Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa.

Flores said that some of the Republican Study Committee's members have "made up their mind ... but a lot of people have some thinking to do."

Even if Koskinen were impeached, there is little chance that the Senate would vote to remove him from office. The House has voted only 19 times to impeach federal officials: Two presidents, 15 federal judges, a senator and a Cabinet member. Only eight  all judges  have been convicted and removed from office by the Senate.

House GOP lawmakers are due to meet next Thursday to discuss the matter.

Fox News' Chad Pergram and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
California lawmakers have OK'd a Planned Parenthood-backed bill that creates new penalties for distributing secret recordings of discussions with health providers  but civil rights and media advocates say the measure goes too far.

The bill, which passed Friday and now goes to Democratic Gov. Jerry Browns desk, targets activists such as the Center for Medical Progress -- which last year released secretly recorded videos purportedly showing activists discussing the purchase of aborted fetal body parts with Planned Parenthood representatives.

The videos, while criticized for selective editing, sparked significant outrage among Republicans who called for the organization to be defunded.

Recording and distributing a confidential communication without consent already is a crime under California law. However, the new bill adds an additional layer of penalties -- including additional fines and up to a year in prison -- specifically for recording a conversation with a health care provider.

Planned Parenthood supported the bill and said that in light of the videos, it had seen a nine-fold increase in violence against its facilities.

With the Internet and the tremendous wildfire nature in which news can be spread now through social media, we need to have a crime against distribution by those in particular who did the illegal recording, Beth Parker, chief legal counsel for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, told the Los Angeles Times.

The bill passed on a party-line vote. However, some voices often allied with Democrats were unhappy with the bill.

We know of no legitimate governmental reason for singling-out disclosure of all health care provider communications for special criminal sanctions, making the bill vulnerable not only on First Amendment grounds but also on equal protection grounds, the American Civil Liberties Union argued in opposition to the bill in June.

The Sacramento Bee reported that the measure initially stalled in the state Senate due to opposition from media advocates that it could prevent lawyers and journalists from doing their jobs.

However, it passed after language was added that restricted who could be prosecuted under the law -- which proponents said would prevent it being used against news organizations reporting on such videos.

It is narrowly tailored to address the growing threat to health care providers, Democratic state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson told the Bee.

It did not appear, though, that those changes specifically addressed the ACLU's complaints. The ACLU did not immediately respond to a request for comment from FoxNews.com on Tuesday.

Even after the amendments, The Los Angeles Times editorial board on Aug. 31 called the move to give health care providers special protection mystifying and accused the lawmakers behind the bill of pandering to special interests.

But make no mistake, this measure would heap more criminal and civil penalties on making a secret recording  an act thats already prohibited by state law, even when done in the public interest  simply to satisfy an interest group popular among Sacramento Democrats, the board said.

The editorial board warned that the bill could disincentivize potential whistle-blowers from recording abuses such as a patient who sees a doctor handing out opioid prescriptions too liberally.

The potential for unanticipated and unwelcome consequences is huge, the board said.
Amid new revelations that the U.S. actually forked over $1.7 billion to Iran in foreign hard currency around the time four American prisoners were released  far more than the $400 million initially reported  the Obama administration is facing renewed pressure from Congress to explain the payment that Republicans have called ransom.

With Congress back from the summer recess, already one committee has a hearing on the transaction scheduled for Thursday. Republicans introduced at least two pieces of legislation on Tuesday meant to crack down on such payments.

And the Donald Trump campaign is seizing on the latest revelations to hammer the administration and his Democratic opponent.

President Obamas secret $400 million ransom payment to Iran already set an incredibly dangerous precedent, and news that it was followed by two more plane loads of cash only makes this blunder even worse, Trump spokesman Jason Miller said in a statement. Hillary Clintons support for President Obamas approach to Iran, including the deeply flawed nuclear deal she helped spearhead, reflects the same bad judgment that characterized her foreign policy decision-making as Secretary of State.

It was already known that the administration delivered $400 million to Iran on Jan. 17, the same day Iran agreed to release four American prisoners  as part of a bigger $1.7 billion payment.

The administration is now acknowledging the full $1.7 billion payment was made entirely in cash, using non-U.S. currency.

Congressional officials told the Wall Street Journal that the remaining $1.3 billion was paid in two more installments delivered on Jan. 22 and Feb. 5, just days after the initial release of prisoners.

The $1.7 billion represented the settlement of a decades-old arbitration claim between the U.S. and Iran.

A Treasury spokeswoman said the cash payments were necessary because of the "effectiveness of U.S. and international sanctions," which isolated Iran from the international finance system. The payments were made in Swiss francs, euros and other currencies. The $1.3 billion represented estimated interest on the Iranian cash the U.S. had held since the 1970s.

White House officials have said that they believed the U.S. would lose the arbitration case over the initial $400 million payment. Such a decision would have made them liable for much more money.

But congressional Republicans accuse the White House of paying ransom to Iran in exchange for the prisoners, a charge President Obama has rejected.

On Tuesday, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., introduced bills that would crack down on such payments.

"The U.S. government should not be in the business of negotiating with terrorists and paying ransom money in exchange for the release of American hostages," Rubio said in a statement.

The senators proposal would bar the U.S. government from paying ransom and prohibit further payments to Iran from the so-called Judgment Fund until Iran returns ransom money and pays American victims of Iranian terrorism.

Royces bill would bar cash payments to Iran.

Royce, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, blasted the administration over what he called a cash ransom to Iran.

What on earth was the White House thinking? he said in a statement. Sending the worlds leading state sponsor of terror pallets of untraceable cash isnt just terrible policy. Its incredibly reckless, and it only puts bigger targets on the backs of Americans.

Meanwhile, the House Financial Services Oversight Subcommittee is holding a hearing Thursday examining the Iran payment. Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., said the big problem with the payments is that they were in cash  making them untraceable.

The Iranians wanted hard, cold cash going to their military to fund their terrorist network, Duffy told Fox News on Wednesday.

The Obama administration had claimed the transfer and the prisoner release were unrelated events, but recently acknowledged the initial cash payment was used as leverage until the Americans were allowed to leave Iran.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
In what could be a "told you so" moment for Donald Trump, the U.K. on Tuesday announced plans to build a "big new wall" at a border port in France to prevent migrants in nearby camps from sneaking aboard vehicles heading to Britain.

Robert Goodwill, minister of state for immigration, announced the plan for a wall in Calais, France, at a Home Affairs Committee hearing Tuesday, saying it would be in addition to an already existing fence.

Were going to start building this big new wall very soon, Goodwill said. Weve done the fence, now were doing a wall.

The proposal is far smaller in scope than the kind of U.S.-Mexico wall Trump is demanding.

A Home Office spokeswoman told FoxNews.com the four-meter-high wall (about 13 feet) would be built along both sides of a one-kilometer (.6 mile) stretch of the main road into the Calais port. The office estimates it will be done by the end of the year.

Calais is a common point for migrants trying to enter the U.K. illegally. It is the narrowest point of the English Channel and has the most ferry crossings to England as well as being an access point to the Eurotunnel  the rail system that goes underneath the channel. The wall is intended to protect the road from migrants who frequently try to intercept vehicles approaching the port and jump on board.

Though the wall is significantly smaller than what Trump has proposed  and would protect a road rather than an entire border -- it weaves into Trumps narrative that walls work and are a vital part of a comprehensive immigration policy.

Proponents of Trumps plan have noted the success of other countries in building a border wall. The most commonly cited example is Israel, which built a wall along the West Bank that it says has been effective in reducing the threat of terrorism. Trump has cited Israels wall as justification for his own plan.

"You ask Israel whether or not a wall works," Trump told a New Hampshire crowd last year.

The migrant crisis in Calais has been a frequent issue of tension between the U.K. and France, with many in the U.K. concerned the French do not do enough to keep migrants from passing through.

In 2003, France, Belgium and the U.K. established juxtaposed controls  an arrangement by which British officials conduct immigration checks before passengers board the train or ferry from Calais, to prevent illegal immigrants from being able to lodge an asylum application on arrival in the U.K. Some French politicians have called for the arrangement to be undone.

The British government, meanwhile, has been pushing for stronger controls in Calais. A Home Office Committee report said the U.K. and France had invested in additional fencing and floodlighting, CCTV, and infra-red detection technology.

However, the report said the situation remained a threat to UK security, and noted the most common nationalities of migrants at Calais are Syrian, Eritrean, Sudanese, Iranian and Iraqi. It also found that between 5,000 and 7,000 migrants live in camps surrounding the area.

Bob Dane, executive director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform -- which advocates for stricter immigration controls -- welcomed the U.K. move but warned that more needs to be done.

Border fences are not only visible, physical symbols that proclaim a countrys sovereignty and right to maintain a rule of law, but they also slow the flow of unauthorized entry. That said, Britain, just like the United States, must understand that unless the incentives for illegal entry are eliminated, border barriers will be breached, Dane told FoxNews.com

Dane said Trump's immigration plan could offer guidance for Europe. In his speech the other night, Trump moved beyond just building the fence and addressed the broader push-and-pull factors. Britain, and really all of Europe, will need to similarly take this holistic approach if it ever intends to mitigate the impact of mass migration, he said.

The wall comes as new Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May sets her sights on cracking down on immigration in light of the British vote to leave the European Union in June. Goodwill told the committee the government wants to reduce immigration to tens of thousands of people as soon as we possibly can.

Trump's wall plan remains controversial. A CNN/ORC poll released Wednesday found only 41 percent of voters back a wall across the southern border.
Donald Trump unveiled his plan Wednesday for boosting defense spending and rebuilding the military, while calling for a new strategy to defeat the Islamic State, as part of a renewed focus by his campaign on national security.

The Republican nominee also used the speech in Philadelphia to blast Hillary Clintons foreign policy experience as secretary of state, which she has used as a central pillar of her campaign.

Trump called Clinton trigger-happy and very unstable and pointed to the unrest in Libya, Syria and Iraq.

This is Hillary Clintons foreign policy legacy -- failure and death, he said, before saying the recently released notes from the FBI probe into her private email server show that she is totally unfit to be our commander-in-chief.

For his own military policy, he outlined a number of proposals, including:

Asking military generals to present a plan within 30 days to defeat and destroy ISIS, immediately after taking office

Asking Congress to eliminate the defense sequester

Building an active Army of about 540,000

Building a Marine Corps based on 36 battalions

Building a Navy nearing 350 surface ships and submarines

Building an Air Force of at least 1,200 fighter aircraft

A new "state-of-the-art" missile defense system

Trump said that the increase in spending would come from cuts in waste and streamlining bureaucracy.

Trump's address came hours before his national security acumen is tested at a "commander in chief" forum on NBC.

The appearances mark an intense, two-day focus on national security by Trump, who has offered tough rhetoric on America's challenges abroad but few details.

"I'm going to make our military so big, so powerful, so strong, that nobody -- absolutely nobody -- is gonna to mess with us," Trump says in a 23-second video posted on his campaign website.

The United States already spends more than $600 billion a year on the military.

Trump's description of Clinton as trigger happy comes after Clinton has tried to paint the billionaire businessman as erratic, making the case that his disposition would be a major liability on the world stage.

"They know they can count on me to be the kind of commander in chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Trump," Clinton said en route to Florida. "They view him as a danger and a risk."

Trump has pushed back on that characterization.

"I think my single greatest asset, of any assets I have, is my temperament," Trump declared in North Carolina on Tuesday.

While Clinton and Trump will be featured at the Wednesday night forum, they will appear at separate times and will not face each other on stage. The forum could serve as a warm-up to their highly anticipated first presidential debate, scheduled for Sept. 26 in New York.

Trump will deliver another speech Wednesday evening, at the convention of New York's Conservative Party, that's also expected to focus on national security.

Meanwhile, Clinton on Wednesday rolled out a list of endorsements from retired generals and admirals.

Clinton's campaign announced that she now has 95 retired generals and admirals backing her candidacy. That's more than the list of 88 retired military leaders that Trump's campaign announced on Tuesday.

Among Clinton's new supporters is retired General Lloyd Newton who served in the Air Force.

Fox News Christopher Snyder and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Some 37 years after the deadliest known release of anthrax spores in history in the Soviet city of Sverdlovsk, American scientists have sequenced the genome of anthrax DNA from the bodies of two people who died in the 1979 accident.

The study by scientists at Northern Arizona University and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) used deep DNA sequencing methods to recreate the genome of the anthrax spores that infected 77 people living near the Soviet anthrax production facility, 66 of whom died when a tiny amount of anthrax spores -- between a few milligrams and a gram, or one-thirtieth of an ounce -- escaped from a military facility known as Military Compound 19.

Until its collapse in 1991, the Soviet Union produced an estimated 4,500 metric tons of anthrax spores during its covert biological weapons program, research and production it repeatedly denied having carried out in violation of a 1972 treaty it had signed. Initially, Soviet scientists claimed that the victims had died after having eaten infected meat, a cover story that Moscow continued parroting until defectors from the illicit program described their work to western officials and American scientists were first permitted to visit Sverdlovsk in 1992.

The new study, which was recently described in the scientific press and was supported by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, is being published Wednesday in the September issue of the journal mBio. It outlines in detail the anthrax strain that killed people at Sverdlovsk and concludes for the first time that Soviet scientists did not genetically manipulate the strain to make it resistant to antibiotics and vaccines. Had they done so, Moscows enormous anthrax arsenal might have been even deadlier.

This genome is a benchmark, an essential part of our forensic arsenal, said Paul Keim, a microbiologist at Northern Arizona University and director of TGen's Pathogen Genomics Division who has been studying the Sverdlovsk anthrax leak and bio-weapons for over 20 years. Thanks to modern genetic sequencing, he said in an interview Tuesday evening, we now know exactly what the Soviets were using in the signature weapon of what once was the worlds largest biological weapons program, and we will now have it in our genetic databases so that everyone will know that information.

Andy Weber, a former assistant secretary of defense under President Obama and now a senior fellow at Harvards Belfer Center, said that Prof. Keims work could help deter future attacks by enabling scientists to identify the anthraxs origin in the event of another attack. If this strain, or anything like it, ever shows up again, or is ever used as a weapon against us, Weber said in an interview, we will be able to identify and track it back to its source.

Bacillus anthracis, or anthrax, has long been a favored bacterium in secret germ weapons and terrorism programs. Encased in spores that protect the bacterium, making it resistant to high heat and cold temperatures, anthrax can lie dormant in soil for decades. Anthrax in food or in the air induces a usually fatal disease of coughing, high fever, hard breathing, chest pain, heavy perspiration, and a bluish discoloration of the skin caused by a lack of oxygen. Unlike smallpox, it is not contagious person-to-person. But if untreated, anthrax, if inhaled, kills 90 percent of those infected.

Some 15 years ago this month, one week after 9/11, letters filled with less than a quarter of an ounce of anthrax spores killed five, infected 17, and caused what the FBI estimated at over a billion dollars of damage. After the longest, most complex investigation in American history, the FBI asserted that Bruce Ivins, a scientist at the governments premier bio-defense lab at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland where bio-weapons were once made before President Nixon banned them, had sent the lethal anthrax letters to journalists and two Democratic senators. A year-and-a-half after Ivins committed suicide in July, 2008, the FBI closed its investigation. Prof. Keim was one of the scientists on the independent National Academy of Sciences panel that wrote a report about the FBIs scientific evidence.

His new study provides more information about the bacteria that leaked from the facility in Sverdlovsk, which remains part of Russia and is known today as Yekaterinburg. Although some believe that a faulty or missing filter at the plant enabled the deadly cloud to escape and travel over 31 miles to the town and countryside, it is still unclear what caused the deadly accident or precisely how Soviet scientists prevented the deadly bacteria from mutating over time. Keims team based its new research on samples taken from two of the original victims. which were collected by Soviet pathologists as the outbreak occurred. They later shared the samples with Matthew Meselson, a geneticist and molecular biologist at Harvard who was permitted to visit the city in 1992 and 1993. Although the tissue was fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin, and its DNA was badly degraded, Prof. Keim said his team managed to sequence it and compare it with hundreds of other anthrax isolates.

He called the bacteria an ordinary strain similar to others that the Soviets and Chinese have used for vaccines. "This is a perfectly ordinary strain, Prof. Meselson told this reporter and Science magazine, which first published a report on Prof. Keims paper in mid-August.

Ordinary anthrax, however, can still be deadly. In remote Siberia, a child has died, dozens of people have been hospitalized and over 2,000 reindeer have been infected in a mysterious anthrax outbreak that Russian scientists are now investigating. They believe the outbreak was caused by a heat wave, which thawed the long-frozen soil in Yamal Peninsula high above the Arctic Circle, and with it, a reindeer carcass infected with anthrax decades ago.
Carnival Corporation & plc announced Tuesday that the two new ships being built for its Carnival Cruise Line will be the line's largest among the brand's fleet of more than two dozen vessels.

The two new ships will also run on Liquefied Natural Gas, making them the first LNG-powered cruise ships to be based in North America.

"More companies see natural gas as a viable alternative fuel source, given the abundance of supply and the relatively stable prices," ship operator TOTE's executive vice president Peter Keller told Bloomberg last year.

The two 180,000 gross-registered-ton cruise ships are scheduled to be delivered in 2020 and 2022 and will boast a passenger capacity of 5,200 based on double occupancy.

Finland's Meyer Turku will construct the ships at its shipyard in Turku, Finland.

"This new ship order signifies an extraordinarily exciting future for Carnival Cruise Line and the opportunities that lie ahead to introduce a variety of magnificent new features and innovations to further enhance our outstanding guest experience," said Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy in a statement.

"These ships are being designed for maximum energy efficiency and environmental friendliness."

Tuesday's announcement comes on the heels of the Carnival Vista earning the brand's first "ECO Notation" from classification society Lloyds Register. The ship features an Intelligent Power Management System designed to allow for more efficient diesel engine fuel conservation and emissions reduction.

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Carnival Cruise Line currently operates a fleet of 25 cruise ships. That number is poised to grow before the debut of the two LNG-powered ships with the arrival of the 133,500-ton Carnival Horizon in 2018.
A Chinese airline has sparked a race row after its in-flight magazine warned travelers to London to dodge the citys ethnic minority areas.

The article-- which appeared in the in-flight magazine Wings of China, distributed on Air China  has been branded as "racist," "outrageous" and "insulting" by online commenters and public officials.

London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people, it reads.

We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling.

The phrase is then repeated in both Mandarin and English in the magazines in-depth feature on the multi-cultural capital.

The article was spotted by Chinese journalist Haze Fan on a flight in China.

It enraged her so much she tweeted a picture of it to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan asking him what he thought.

Oh My Days! Chinese Airline Under Fire For Giving Outrageous RACIST Advice To Customers https://t.co/4hilEyQZzj pic.twitter.com/xg6ehEyxgw  SUGAR DAILY Nigeria (@SugarDailyNG) September 7, 2016

She wrote how her Londoner fiancee felt it rather insulting.

Now politicians are demanding an apology and that the phrase is removed from the publication.

China Air, which is Asias third biggest airline and flies twice daily between London and Beijing has yet to comment.

But Dr. Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting, which has one of the largest Indian and Pakistani populations in London, told the Standard: My initial thoughts were that the comments were outrageous.

I think that it is offensive to Londoners and I would like to see it removed. I would also like to ask the airline why they thought these precautions needed to be taken. Why they feel they needed to warn people of something that is not reflective of London at all?"

Lambeth and Southwark London assembly member Florence Eshalomi added you couldnt make up these outdated and near-on racist views."

She said: I keep thinking, is this 2016? We want people who embrace our diversity and different culture  that is the make-up of London.

If airlines have a problem with that then we dont want them in London.

A spokesman from civil rights campaign group Hope Not Hate spokesman said: It beggars belief to understand how they could have been written in the first place. They should be removed immediately. Londoners deserve an apology.

Britain is an increasingly popular destination for Chinese tourists. According to government agency VisitBritain, more than 270,000 Chinese visited Britain in 2015, up 46 percent on the previous year.

This was after the number of Chinese tourists doubled in the five years to 2014.

Chinese visitors spent $786 million in total in Britain in 2015, up 18 percent on 2014.

And in January, Britain launched a new, two-year, multiple-entry visa in a bid to woo even more Chinese visitors to its shores, following changes made in 2015 that allowed tourists and business travellers to apply for both British and European visas in a single process.

Chinese companies have been criticised previously for their depictions of various races.

In May, a Chinese detergent company apologised for a commercial that showed an Asian woman shoving a dirt-smeared black man into a washing machine, only for him to emerge as a clean Asian man.

The ad, which ran on Chinese social media platforms, was quickly dubbed the most racist commercial ever.

More stories from The Sun.
Travelers at Dallas Love Field needing help negotiating a mass transit ride from the airport now have a high-tech way to continue their trips.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit on Wednesday announced an interactive touch-screen kiosk to help negotiate ground travel. Officials hope the electronic system will help people make an easier transition from airline travel to DART rail and bus services.

A DART statement says the kiosk, part of a system by CHK America, will provide interactive route information for the 7 million passengers arriving in Dallas each year.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit serves Dallas and a dozen surrounding cities.

___

Online:

http://www.dart.org/
Companies often come across hundreds of applicants for every job opening. Its difficult to keep track of them, but remembering the best of the best is essential when it comes time to re-engage A players who either slipped away or did not fit the role they previously applied for.

The repeat applicant is a common occurrence in the world of job seeking -- a 2015 TalentBoard survey found that over half of the 130,000 candidates surveyed had a past relationship with an employer. Companies should focus their energies on providing a positive candidate experience the first go-around to keep top talent interested in future opportunities.

Related: 3 Important Things to Know to Improve Your Candidates' Experience

This is how companies can prepare to impress their candidates so they can re-engage them for future opportunities:

Provide a great application experience.

This is where the candidate-employer relationship begins, and as most people know, a first impression is important. Its where the employer establishes its brand as credible and trustworthy, and provides key insights into what its truly like to work in the office.

Unfortunately, the application experience can easily turn off top talent if its messy. A September 2014 study from Jibe found that a poor application experience deterred 25 percent of the 1,000 job seekers surveyed. Additionally, 37 percent of the 300 recruitment professionals surveyed are concerned that their companys application process is deterring quality hires. So what can employers do to impress their applicants? The solution is quite simple and straightforward.

First of all, write an accurate job description that clearly highlights the expectations and gives the candidate a clear idea of the day-to-day grind, as well as what the company values and strives for. Give them an in-depth look at the position. When they have a clear vision, candidates are more prone to connect with the opportunities on a deep level, especially if it aligns with their personal values and career aspirations.

An accurate, detailed posting attracts strong matches and can help deter those who are underqualified. For those who match the role, they should be eager to click the Apply Now button, which brings up the second step to wowing the talent pool.

Create a clean, simple online application process. Avoid asking too many questions. Get the most important information necessary at this stage, add a feature that allows applicants to upload their resume and cover letter, give them the option to link to their LinkedIn account to their application profile, and optimize the process for mobile devices.

When they create a profile with the companys career page, make it easy for them to stay connected with the organization. Encourage them to sign up for email notifications about upcoming jobs. Provide contact information for an internal recruiter or HR professional. Giving them an actual person to connect with adds an important personal, humanness element to the application process.

Related: How to Attract Talent Via a Clear Hiring Process

When everything is automated, the recruitment process feels very dull and artificial. Job seekers flock to companies that provide a more human experience. Reach out to applicants with a follow-up email about the next steps and provide a timeframe for when they can expect to hear back.

Respect the time of interviewees.

Interviews are always stressful for job seekers, who are typically spending a lot of time in their active search for employment. Respect their time and effort by executing a simple interview process. Similar to the application, companies should know exactly what they want to accomplish with the interview and know what information they need to make the decision. While the interview should certainly have some flexibility and involve informal small talk, it should also be straightforward and not eat up too much time.

When its time to break the bad news, give them detailed reasons, and do it personally over the phone or through email. Clarify why they didnt get the job offer and provide constructive feedback. For example, if they lacked experience with a software, tell them there are several resources to use to build that skill set. They want to know how they can improve their value in the job hunt. When they are left wondering from all their other interviews, they will appreciate and respect the employer who called back and provided some actionable advice.

Finally, if they are indeed worthy to re-engage with, encourage them to check in regularly for other positions that may suit them better. Just because a candidate isn't right for one role doesn't mean they won't be the perfect fit for a future opening. But how can hiring professionals remember all the best applicants? Keep reading.

Build a pool of talent.

Maintain a talent pool and schedule follow-ups when new job openings match a candidates skill set and experience. Keep a database with contact information, and highlight each persons background and plans to correctly match them with their ideal role in the company. Connect with them on social media like LinkedIn, follow them on Twitter, and invite them to company job fairs. When trying to re-engage and attract previous applicants, employers should make them feel like they are wanted and have what it takes to succeed.

Related: HR Leadership: Proving the Value of the Talent Function

Ideally, hiring professionals will have a list of candidates to re-engage with. To expand this pool of talent, encourage current employees to participate in an employee referral program. Referrals usually require less time to recruit, which is why they belong in the database of previous candidates. Both kinds of talent can be re-engaged with. But it all starts with giving them a great employer brand experience. How are you building a pool of talent and trying to re-engage A players?
A 79-year-old Montgomery woman is accused of assisting her son in the slaying of her husband whose body parts were found nearly two years ago.

Montgomery woman, 79, charged in murder, dismemberment case >>> https://t.co/qiUQVy16LP pic.twitter.com/mMVtjz0cYV  WTVM News Leader 9 (@WTVM) September 7, 2016

News outlets report a Baldwin County grand jury indicted Carolyn Hood on Tuesday on a charge of aiding and abetting a capital murder in 87-year-old Kenneth Bryan Hood's death.

Officials believe the victim was killed in November 2014 in the Foley home he shared with his wife and her son, 57-year-old William Minton. His body parts later showed up around Magnolia Springs.

Minton faces capital murder and abuse of corpse charges in the death. His trial is scheduled for December.

Carolyn Hood's attorney, Jeremiah Giles, tells WKRG-TV that his client "can't get out of her wheelchair."
Jury selection has started for the trial of Ammon Bundy and six others charged with conspiracy after they occupied a national wildlife refuge in Oregon.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys will spend the next three days choosing 12 jurors and eight alternates from a pool of more than 250 Oregonians.

The first 30 prospective jurors were interviewed Wednesday. The process will be repeated Thursday and Friday, with 60 people to be questioned each day.

U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown has tentatively set opening statements for Tuesday. Closing arguments might not be made until November.

The armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge started Jan. 2 and lasted nearly six weeks. The occupiers protested federal control of Western lands and the imprisonment of two ranchers.
A Florida businessman who authorities say faked his own death to defraud insurance companies out of millions of dollars pleaded guilty this week, local media reported.

Jose Lantigua faces up to 50 years in prison, but prosecutors have agreed to seek less time, the Florida Times-Union reported on Tuesday. Lantigua, 63, agreed to forfeit money or valuables to help satisfy court judgments totaling about $2.8 million.

The former owner of a Jacksonville furniture business, Lantigua admitted to concocting a story with his wife that he had mad cow disease and was traveling to Venezuela for treatment. According to his plea agreement, he traveled there to get a fake death certificate.

Other paperwork he said he obtained in South America claimed a drug cartel was out to kill him, and that he'd previously led a fictional Army Special Operations team.

He was arrested last year in North Carolina while applying for a passport in another man's name. He reportedly was wearing a toupee and had dyed his beard.

Prosecutors said he even "hoodwinked" his wife, Daphne Simpson. She pleaded guilty last month to her part in the scam.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Industrial products company Citgo plans to appeal an order to pay $120 million for its role in a quarter-million-gallon oil spill in 2004 in the Delaware River, the company said in a court filing.

A federal judge in Philadelphia ordered the Houston-based company last month to pay $71.5 million to Frescati Shipping Co., the ship owner, and Tsakos Shipping & Trading, the ship operator, along with $48.6 million to cover about half of the federal cleanup costs, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported (http://bit.ly/2bYG6Wk ).

The judge ruled Citgo Petroleum Corp. failed to provide a safe berth to the Athos I oil tanker sailing from Venezuela. The ruling followed a lengthy court battle for the case, which has seen three trials and 70 days of court testimony.

"The story of the final voyage of the Athos I and the reasons why it came to rest prematurely may be in the minds of the maritime community for years to come," Judge Joel Slomsky wrote in a ruling. "But in this court, for now, its legal journey will conclude here."

The 264,000-gallon spill occurred when a tanker struck a submerged anchor as it approached the Citgo refinery dock in Paulsboro, New Jersey. It temporarily shut down a nuclear power plant, delayed shipping and killed more than 180 birds.

Citgo had chartered the Athos I to bring in crude oil.

The court ruled that the Athos I pilots, captain and crew maintained proper safety management, which made the vessel seaworthy. The U.S. Coast Guard determined not long after the spill that the crew and pilots did nothing wrong.
For a pregnant woman in Russia, the sales pitch from one New Jersey hospital is alluring: Spend upwards of $10,000 to deliver a baby in a U.S. facility where mother and child will receive superior medical care.

Within the fine print is the greatest benefit of all -- American citizenship for the newborn and all the privileges that come with it.

"Childbirth in New York is the best investment in the future of your family! reads the Russian-language AmeriMama website.

The "AmeriMama" program at Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center, first reported by NJ Spotlight, is part of a lucrative and controversial business called "birth tourism," the practice of soliciting pregnant women from other countries to deliver their children in the U.S. -- automatically making them American citizens -- before they return home.

But the Secaucus, N.J., hospital has taken it to a brazen new level, say immigration experts.

For fees ranging from $8,500 to $27,500, the Russian-language website for AmeriMama promised to secure citizenship papers, passports, and travel visas for the baby, according to NJ Spotlight, which reported on the program in August.

While U.S. "birthing houses" and "maternity hotels" have been targeted by the feds, an American for-profit hospital openly marketing U.S. citizenship appears to be the first of its kind, according to one government source and watchdog groups.

"They claim theyre selling their hospital services, but the unspoken benefit of this is that the child gets a U.S. passport and U.S. citizenship," said Jessica Vaughan, of the Center for Immigration Studies.

"This is essentially U.S. citizenship up for sale," Vaughan told FoxNews.com. "And this is the first time Ive seen a hospital itself market to this customer base."

The AmeriMama website and its Facebook page were removed shortly after NJ Spotlight ran a series of reports last month investigating the hospital's birth-tourism program and questionable business practices.

Hospital officials did not return repeated requests for comment.

The laws surrounding birth tourism are murky. It is not illegal for foreign couples to give birth in the U.S., but it is illegal for them to lie to immigration officials about the reasons for their visit. An estimated 40,000 babies are born to couples visiting the U.S. each year.

"There is no clear law that prevents hospitals from establishing this business and promoting it abroad and theres no law against a foreigner coming here for the specific purpose of having a baby," said Vaughan. "It only crosses the line into a violation of law if they are misrepresenting the purpose of their visit or if they were to overstay or if they were to fraudulently claim public benefits."

Many birth tourism cases, Vaughan explained, "start with a lie to the immigration officer at the point of entry."

"Thats an immigration violation and means they should be deported," she said.

Alvin Phillips, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said, "There is nothing in the law that makes it illegal for pregnant women to enter the United States."

"However, if a pregnant woman or anyone else uses fraud or deception to obtain a visa or gain admission to the United States, that would constitute a criminal act and be a matter of interest to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)," he said.

A booming business, birth tourism appeals to middle and upper- middle class couples in countries such as Russia and China, most of whom return home after the baby is born, though Vaughan noted this is difficult to track. The dual citizenship granted to their baby is considered an insurance policy, should the child choose to return to the U.S. to attend school -- and receive in-state tuition -- or the parents opt to apply for permanent U.S. residency.

Adding to the controversy, is the potential cost to the U.S. taxpayer.

Should a complication arise at birth, the bill would far exceed the $28,000 figure reportedly advertised by AmeriMama.

"Who pays for that?" asked Vaughan.
Authorities searched in the Bahamas for a U.S. citizen who went overboard from a cruise ship before dawn Wednesday.

The U.S. Coast Guard said the 32-year-old woman reportedly fell from the 11th deck of the Carnival Ecstasy as the ship passed near the island of Grand Bahama. Carnival Cruise Line reported that she apparently jumped overboard.

A statement from the cruise company said emergency procedures were initiated immediately and the crew began to search for the woman. The U.S. Coast Guard aircraft and two ships to an area about 27 miles southwest of the island of Grand Bahama to look for her.

The cruise ship had left Nassau, Bahamas and was en route to Charleston, South Carolina at the time.

The woman's name and hometown were not released.
An embarrassed driver in Texas explained to police why her SUV ended up in the drink: because she was scared of a mouse.

As the woman explained, she was getting ready to leave Swantner Park in Corpus Christi on Monday when she felt something brushing up against her leg.

Once she realized it was a mouse, she bolted out of the SUV -- but mistakenly knocked it into gear.

Moments later, the SUV rolled into Corpus Christi Bay.

Senior Officer Carl Knapick tried explaining how accidents like this could happen. "You know, usually someone is distracted or something happens in their car. Next thing you know, the car rolls off into the water since we're so close to the water at the edge of the park," he told KZTV.

The woman reportedly escaped unhurt. It's not clear what ultimately happened to the SUV.
The convicted rapist who shot two corrections officers in Fresno, Calif., last week was an illegal immigrant who was only in the U.S. because his homeland refused to take him, federal officials confirmed Wednesday.

Thong Vang, a 37-year-old Laotian national who completed a 16-year rape sentence two years ago and was slated for deportation, instead was freed when Laotian officials did not respond to a request by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assist in his removal.

When Laotian officials failed to respond to that request, ICE released Mr. Vang in December, 2014 due to the Supreme Courts ruling in Zadvydas v. Davis, ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said. The ruling Kice cited held that immigrants under order of deportation but whom no other country will accept may not be held indefinitely, absent special circumstances. Last year, 3,735 illegal immigrant criminals from Laos were ordered deported but instead freed when the country refused to cooperate.

"This is another horrifying example of the consequences of failing to push the issue of deportations with uncooperative countries," said Jessica Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies for the Center for Immigration Studies. "Laos has been a problem for many years, and there are more than 3,700 criminals still here as a result, but still the State Department has not lifted a finger to take action against that government. Instead, they keep issuing visas  they gave out more than 11,000 temporary visas in the last five years in Laos, despite the requirement in federal law that they impose visa sanctions on countries that wont take back their citizens."

Vaughan said she hopes the wounded officers will recover, and that they and Fresno County officials will ask the federal government for an explanation for why nothing has been done about this problem, and call for action before others are hurt.

By contrast, some 67,792 Mexican nationals slated for removal could not be deported and nearly 29,000 Cubans were also freed after deportation failed.

The issue made national headlines in June, when the Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security, ICEs parent agency, blasted the department for not doing more to ensure deportation of a Haitian national who murdered a Connecticut woman after being released from prison.

The Connecticut case prompted House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, to blast the State Department at a July hearing for not doing more to force recalcitrant countries to take back their criminals. The law states that the State Department must stop issuing visas to citizens of such countries until they cooperate with removals.

He should have automatically been deported back to his home country of Haiti after he was released from prison, Chaffetz thundered. But instead, he was released from custody because Haiti refused to take him back and we just accepted that. We just said, Ok Haiti, well go ahead and keep him here in the United States.

The case involving Laotian national Vang comes even as President Obama is in the Southeast Asian country on a diplomatic mission. It is not known if Obama raised the issue of improving cooperation on deportations.

ICE continues to work through diplomatic channels with its partners at the Department of State to increase repatriation, Kice said in a statement. The U.S. government remains firm and focused in its resolve to engage all nations that deny or unreasonably delay the acceptance of their nationals.

Despite ICEs inability to deport Vang, the agency had him under supervision and he was complying with orders to report on a regular basis, Kice said.

Vang was in the main lobby of the Fresno County Jail Saturday morning when he opened fire with a handgun, wounding Juanita Davila and Toamalama Scanlan. Davila was listed in critical but stable condition and Scanlan was in critical condition.

Fresno police officials said Vang was acting bizarrely and had been stopped from cutting to the front of the visitation line. Davila and Scanlan were shot when they approached Vang and told him to take a seat.

Vang dropped his weapon and surrendered after the shooting.

Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims told reporters after the incident that Vang belongs behind bars, in whatever country happens to hold him.

This suspect is a prison inmate, a convict, a parole, and maybe thats where he belongs for the rest of his life, she said.

Fox News' William Lajeunesse contributed to this report
Officials at an Orlando, Florida, hospital say the only survivor of the Pulse nightclub massacre who was still hospitalized has been released.

Orlando Health announced on its verified Twitter account Tuesday afternoon that all 35 victims who had been hospitalized at Orlando Regional Medical Center have now been discharged.

The condition of the last hospitalized victim had been upgraded from critical to guarded on Aug. 16.

Two days after the June 12 shooting, six victims had remained in critical condition. Despite doctors' fears that the death toll could go higher, all of those six patients have survived.

The attack killed 49 people and injured more than 50 others, making it the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The gunman, Omar Mateen, was killed by police after a three-hour standoff.
A murder suspect who was able to slip out of his handcuffs and escape a Nevada interrogation room was captured early Wednesday, police said.

North Las Vegas police said in a news release that Alonso Perez, 25, was located inside a Vegas home and was taken into custody without incident.

Perez was alone in an interrogation room when he broke the hinge on his handcuffs and escaped the police station with one cuff still attached to his right wrist, Office Aaron Petty said.

"He twisted them until they broke," Petty said earlier Tuesday of the wrist restraints. "This is an extremely unfortunate circumstance. We're going to take a look at the details of how he escaped."

Alonso Perez, who also uses the name Alfonso Perez, allegedly escaped and stole a Ford F-250 work truck from a nearby parking lot. The truck later turned up in a neighborhood east of downtown Las Vegas.

Perez was identified by police as a suspect in an Aug. 27 shooting that left Mohammed Robinson, 31, dead outside a McDonalds fast food restaurant. Witnesses told police that the argument began after Robinson didnt hold the door open for a woman.

The escape was believed to be the second this year from a police station in the Las Vegas area.

The April escape of Ivan Mayoral-Lizarraga from a northeast Las Vegas police substation prompted a nearly five-hour lockdown of a surrounding neighborhood before the search was called off. Police said Mayoral-Lizarraga was being questioned in a stolen vehicle investigation when he fled.

He was arrested about two weeks later, and pleaded guilty to felony home invasion, assault with a weapon and escape charges, according to court records. Mayoral-Lizarraga, now 40, was sentenced last month to 2-to-5 years in state prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A New York woman has admitted to her role in the kidnapping and torture of two college students.

As part of an agreement with prosecutors, Leah Gigliotti pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of second-degree kidnapping and was sentenced to 13 years behind bars.

Gigliotti is one of nine people charged in the December abduction of two University of Rochester students.

She was indicted in January on kidnapping, assault and gang assault charges.

In court on Tuesday, Gigliotti admitted to driving to meet the two victims, both male college seniors, with the promise of taking them to an off-campus party. Instead, they were driven to a house where they were held for 40 hours and assaulted.
Federal authorities and California police said Tuesday they would be excavating three sites at the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in hopes to find the remains of a missing student who vanished after an off-campus party more than two decades ago.

Kristin Smart was last seen on May 25, 1996, near the campus. Officials have said the location for the search was based on the activities of dogs who specialize in detecting human remains.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said during a press conference, Due to its high visibility, we really decided it was best to go ahead and disclose why we are here. We will not give up to find Kristin.

The canines and other information led us to choose the three locations, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller added.

Only one site was identified, while the others are not up for public knowledge yet because, "we do not want to tip our hat to the possible suspect or suspects out there," Parkinson said.

"Obviously, we want to be optimistic as possible and we hope that this leads us to either Kristin or evidence of Kristin." Sheriff Parkinson added, "We have developed this lead over the past couple of years and have been working on it," Parkinson added.

After Smart's initial disappearance, one student, Paul Flores, told authorities he left Smart near her dormitory after having walked back from the party with another student. Flores was sued in civil court by Smart's family; however, he was not charged criminally.

The LA Times reported Flores invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination before a grand jury and during a civil deposition. Flores could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Parkinson said Tuesday that he remains a person of interest.

At the time of the disappearance the area was searched during the massive manhunt. The Smart family reportedly told the sheriff that, "they fully support [their] efforts."

According to the Associated Press, the dig, expected to begin in earnest Wednesday and last about four days, was timed to occur while classes were not in session at Cal Poly. The excavation was to go 3 feet deep and extend outward 90 feet, involving 25 FBI agents and unspecified special equipment.

When asked, officials have reported that they are not any closer to making an arrest in this case than previously.

The Associated Press has reported that a California law, the Kristin Smart Campus Safety Act of 1998, now requires campus police to spell out exactly when they will call in outside authorities to investigate a violent crime. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is part of the 23-campus California State University system.

In 2002, Kristin Smart was officially declared dead.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from the Los Angeles Times.
The older of two Oklahoma brothers accused of fatally stabbing their parents and three younger siblings last year has been sentenced to life without parole after pleading guilty in the killings.

The Tulsa World reports that 19-year-old Robert Bever was sentenced Wednesday in Tulsa County District Court after pleading guilty at his scheduled arraignment in the July 2015 killings.

Robert Bever's brother, 17-year-old Michael Bever, remained silent during his arraignment and a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Michael Bever's trial is scheduled to begin next year.

The Bevers were accused of killing their parents, David Bever, 52, and April Bever, 44, and their siblings Daniel, 12, Christopher, 7, and Victoria, 5, in a middle-of-the-night rampage in suburban Tulsa. Two siblings survived.
Authorities in Colorado were searching for a man Tuesday who slit the throat of a customer at a Denver restaurant in broad daylight.

According to The Denver Channel, the incident happened at the Mead St. Station Bar and Grill. Paul Burke, the restaurants owner, told the station that the suspect attacked the male victim from behind.

Burke said the male victim was just sitting at the bar and the incident seemed unprovoked.

"He honestly thought he was hugging the other customer, and turns out, he had a knife in his hand and cut his throat," Burke said. "It was terrifying."

Burke added that the suspect had been seen at other restaurants and bars in the area a few times.

"There was kids in the restaurant, and it was just a very terrible, random act of violence," he said. "Hopefully, they catch the guy as quickly as possible."

The victim was seriously injured in the attack.

Police said the suspect is a 6-foot-3 tall black male and weighs about 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing a green shirt and khaki shorts at the time of the stabbing.

Police were still investigating surveillance footage.

Click for more from The Denver Channel
A body discovered in a burning car in Riverview, Missouri Tuesday morning has been identified as 29-year-old Darren Seals, aka King D Seals. Police and fire crews had been called to the area for a vehicle fire.

One more picture of @KingDSeals,standing with #MikeBrown family 11/24/14 as grand jury declines indictment. pic.twitter.com/DlQBpWw5qo  Robert Cohen (@kodacohen) September 6, 2016

Investigators say Seals had been shot.

For the last two years Seals had taken an active role in the Ferguson protests. Seals also had a following in the area as a rapper.

Investigators have not identified a motive in his death.

The case is being investigated as a homicide by the St. Louis County Police Department.

Click for more from Fox 2.
One of the alleged tormenters of a Tennessee man who was choked with a noose, kidnapped, beaten and tortured for hours with a drill and an iron was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder on Wednesday, FOX13 reported.

Gage Caulk, 21, of Bartlett, was also charged with aggravated kidnapping in the Aug. 29 incident.

The harrowing ordeal began when an unidentified man was kidnapped by a group looking for drugs, officials said. One of the men allegedly said they would kill the victim if he didnt say where the dope is, The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported.

Authorities said the man was beaten with a bat and tortured with a drill, an iron and sticks for several hours. He was then dumped into a bathtub filled with bleach and had a plastic bag placed over his head.

The kidnappers eventually dumped the man on a county road where he was spotted and picked up by a passing driver, investigators said. Doctors treated the man for broken bones, cuts, bruises and burns, The Commercial Appeal reported.

No other arrests have been made.

Click for more from FOX13.
An abandoned car filled with gas cylinders that was found parked near Paris' Notre Dame cathedral on Sunday may have been left at the landmark as part of a terror attack "test run," officials said Wednesday.

The car's owner, who is on a French intelligence service watch list of people suspected of religious radicalization, was in custody, Sky News reported. At least one other person had also been detained in the investigation.

"We think he may have been trying to carry out a test-run," a police official told AFP.



An employee of a nearby bar flagged the car Sunday morning as it was parked along the Seine River with its hazard lights flashing, according to two French officials.

There were seven gas cylinders inside the car, with one empty cylinder in the front passenger seat and six others in the car's trunk, authorities said. No detonating device was present.

Documents with Arabic writing were found inside the car, the BBC reported.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said it still was not clear why the car was abandoned or what the intentions were of those under arrest.

Cazeneuve said there have been 260 arrests linked to extremist networks since the beginning of the year "and a significant number of these people were preparing attacks."

France is on alert after a deadly string of Islamic State attacks and threats against landmarks. News of the gas canisters' near Notre Dame broke hours before the release of a government-commissioned report on how the attacks have impacted France's lucrative tourism industry.

Algeria-linked extremists used gas canisters filled with nails during attacks on Paris in the 1990s.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hungarian prosecutors say that the camerawoman who was filmed kicking and trying to trip migrants near the border with Serbia in September 2015 has been indicted for breaching the peace.

Petra Laszlo, who later apologized for her actions while also trying to justify them, was fired by the right-wing N1TV after footage of her actions went viral on social media.

Laszlo said at the time that she panicked as refugees and migrants broke through police lines near her position and she felt under attack. She kicked a boy and a girl and later tried to trip a man carrying a boy.

Laszlo later told Russian newspaper Izvestia that her life was "ruined" and she was considering moving to Russia.

Laszlo's trial will be held in the southern city of Szeged.
Syrian opposition leaders are set to unveil plans for a political transition ahead of a Friends of Syria meeting in London.

The High Negotiations Committee scheme is set to be made public Wednesday in a session at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. The goal is to end the long-running civil war inside Syria with a political settlement that could be implemented with international support.

Foreign ministers from the Friends of Syria group hosted by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will meet later Wednesday to discuss ways to curtail the fighting, which has helped spawn a huge refugee crisis.

Previous international plans have failed to bring the fighting to an end.
Turkey said Wednesday it expelled 73 more personnel from its armed forces as part of an ongoing effort to rid the military of what it says are followers of the alleged mastermind of the failed July 15 coup.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense said on its official Twitter account Wednesday the expelled personnel belonged to the air force. It said the dismissals have strengthened the military "as it gets rid of traitor FETO," a reference to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of being behind the coup attempt. Gulen denies this.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said 105 detention orders have been issued in 17 provinces for "imams running the military forces" and soldiers connected to Gulen's organization.

The "imams" are said to be Gulen followers who hold important command positions for the network.a

The announcements came after last week's dismissal of 820 military personnel, of whom 648 were jailed.

It's estimated that more than 5,000 military personnel have so far been discharged since the coup, including 151 generals and admirals.
ISIS has reportedly appointed a US-trained sniper to the position of minister of war as it steps up its campaign of terror.

Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov, who received specialist training in US when he headed Tajikistans police force, has been promoted to the groups top field commander.

By all accounts, the 41-year-old is an extremely dangerous man. His promotion prompted the US State Department to place a $3 million bounty on his head.

Khalimov succeeds Tarhan Batirashvili, who began his terrorist career as a Chechen rebel, working his way up to the top of the IS military chain before being killed in a US air strike in July.

The Tajik has been appointed as the successor to the dead terrorist Tarhan Batirashvili who (was) also known as Abu Omar al-Shishani (Omar the Chechen), the Iraqi News reported, citing an unnamed Iraqi security source.

Click to read more from news.com.au
Always Best Care Announces New Owner Of Franklin, Tennessee Territory

First-time Franchise Owner Now Providing Award-Winning Senior Care Services to Community

September 07, 2016 // Franchising.com // ROSEVILLE, Calif. - Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, today announced that its Franklin franchise inTennessee has been awarded to Steve and Francie Logan. The Tennessee franchise provides senior care in the Greater Nashville West area and surrounding communities, including Franklin, Clarksville and Chapel Hill. The Logans' purchased the territory, which was previously owned and operated by Doug Kidd.

Always Best Care is one of the nation's leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services and skilled home health care. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

"We are very pleased to welcome Steve and Francie Logan as our newest franchise owners," said Jake Brown, president of Always Best Care. "Steve brings extensive business expertise to the Always Best Care family and a deep passion for helping seniors, veterans and their families. We welcome them aboard and have no doubt they will serve as exemplary ambassadors for Always Best Care."

Steve has extensive experience as a business consultant and area director. In addition, he has previous business ownership experience which will allow him to transition into the position as owner of the Nashville West region. Francie is a doctor of audiology and works specifically with veterans and their families.

"Always Best Care is a leader in senior care and we are proud to be a part of the team," said Steve. We are very excited to have the opportunity to help seniors and their families in our community for many years to come."

By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors, and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a client's particular physical or social needs. The hallmark services of the Always Best Care include non-medical in-home care and assisted living finder and referral services, with skilled home health care now being phased in throughout the country.

Always Best Care of Franklin is located at 428 Lewisberg Avenue. For more information on services available through Always Best Care, or for a free evaluation, please call 615-678-0293 or visit ABC-NashWest.com.

As part of its national expansion plans, Always Best Care is seeking franchisees with business sales and management experience to join its growing senior care franchise system. Franchisee candidates should have a minimum net worth of $200,000 and liquid assets of at least $100,000. Franchisees can expect the total investment to be approximately $63,725  $114,400. The initial franchise fee is $44,900; however, reduced franchise fees apply for honorably discharged veterans.

To learn more about ownership opportunities with Always Best Care, please call 855-430-CARE (2273) or email franchisesales@abc-seniors.com, or visit franchisewithalwaysbestcare.com.

About Always Best Care

Founded in 1996, Always Best Care Senior Services is based on the belief that having the right people for the right level of care means peace of mind for the client and family. Always Best Care assists seniors with a wide range of illnesses and personal needs, and currently provides more than 4 million hours of care every year. Franchise opportunities are available to individuals interested in leveraging the company's clear strategy and proven track record for delivering affordable, dependable service to seniors in their local areas.

Always Best Care also offers an exclusive program called Always in Touch, a telephone reassurance program that provides a daily phone call to seniors and disabled adults who are living alone and have limited contact with the outside world. Always in Touch is the only absolutely free national telephone reassurance program of its kind anywhere in the USA and Canada. For more information on Always in Touch, or to request an application, visit www.Always-in-Touch.com.

SOURCE Always Best Care Senior Services

Contact:

Chelsea Bear

Fish Consulting

(954) 893-9150

cbear@fish-consulting.com

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FASTSIGNS International, Inc. Receives 2016 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award

September 07, 2016 // Franchising.com // CARROLLTON, Texas - FASTSIGNS International, Inc., the leader in signs, graphics and visual communications, was honored with the 2016 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award at a ceremony at the Pentagon on August 26th. FASTSIGNS International, Inc. Business Consultant and Air Force Reservist Stephen MacKenzie and his family were in attendance with CEO Catherine Monson, who accepted the award on behalf of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. MacKenzie nominated his employer for the award because of the personal and financial support provided during his most recent deployment overseas.

The Freedom Award is the highest recognition presented by the Department of Defense to employers for their exemplary support of National Guard and Reserve members. FASTSIGNS International, Inc. was one of fifteen employers from across the nation receiving the prestigious award.

We were honored to be in Washington, D.C. with the other award winners and their guests, said Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. There were very moving stories of the sacrifice of the citizen soldiers and their families, as well as of the great support and caring by their employers and coworkers. My hope is that more companies will be motivated to do the same thing for the veterans, service men and women, reservists and National Guard members they employ.

The fourteen other recipients include: Alaska Airlines, Albuquerque Police Department, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Burford Corporation, Carolinas Healthcare System, Clackamas County Sheriffs Office, Delmarva Veteran Builders, Hope Valley Industries, Idaho State Police, Lowes, Maryland State Police, Prairie Grove Consolidated School District 46, Seattle Fire Department and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Over 10 percent of FASTSIGNS franchisees are military veterans. Veterans possess a number of valued skills and a wealth of experience essential to corporate positions and successful franchise business ownership. As part of the commitment to veterans and to the military, FASTSIGNS International offers incentives to military veterans, including a reduced franchisee fee and a savings on royalties and advertising fees for the first year.

FASTSIGNS International has also been recognized as a top franchise for military veterans by leading publications including USA Today, G.I. Jobs magazine and Military Times magazine, due to the recognition for the companys financial discounts for military veterans, corporate support and outstanding growth.

For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity and specific veterans incentives for veterans, contact Mark Jameson at mark.jameson@fastsigns.com or 214-346-5679, or download an eBook that explores the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity at http://amzn.to/1FrnDJu.

About FASTSIGNS

FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the largest sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of more than 615 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS centers in nine countries including the US, Canada, England, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE).

FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive sign and visual graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, sell more products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touch points including decor, events, wearables and marketing materials. Learn more about sign and visual graphic solutions or find a location at fastsigns.com. Follow the brand on Twitter @FASTSIGNS, Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/fastsigns.

SOURCE FASTSIGNS

Media Contact:

Kimberly Ryan

Vice President

Fish Consulting, LLC

O:(470) 294-0088

C: (404) 822-7087

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Image One Shows Appreciation of Franchisees with Annual Picnic

Image One Facility Solutions third annual franchisee appreciation picnic was a great end to the summer for franchisees.

September 07, 2016 // Franchising.com // WOOD DALE, Illinois - Hard work pays off, and Image One makes sure their franchisees and employees are rewarded for it.

Last month on Sunday, August 21 Image One hosted its third annual franchisee appreciation picnic. It was an overall enjoyable experience for everyone at Image One. Like last year, the event took place at Busse Woods in Elk Grove.

It was great - A fun picnic and as always, a classy event, said franchisee Bob Caramusa. Caramusa attended with his family and two employees.

More than 200 people were invited to the picnic that afternoon to enjoy games, great weather, and delicious food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian sausage, Italian beef, and sub sandwiches. This year the owners and managers cooked the food and served the franchisees, employees of the franchisees, and all of their families.

The picnic had a fun and lively atmosphere. Children stayed busy with a blow up bounce house and a super slide. There was also face painting available and a talented balloon maker. Adults played volleyball, baggo, and Giant Jenga. The Giant Jenga was a new addition this year, and it was a big hit. The tower exceeded six feet tall. People who played really enjoyed it, and everyone around enjoyed watching, as well.

During the event Image One vendors offered giveaways such as chemicals, equipment, and even four tickets to an upcoming Cubs game. Three awards were given to franchisees at the picnic: Franchise Owner of the Year, and the two runner-ups. This years Franchise Owner of the Year Award went to Jose & Santiaga Rivas for their dedication to the business and the substantial growth that they have had in the last 12 months.

Tim Conn, Founder and President of Image One said, The picnic is held as an appreciation day for our franchise owners. They work hard all year long, and it is a day for us to say thank you and have some fun!

About Image One USA

Image One USA is a commercial cleaning services business. The Image One franchising model was formed on the principles of transparency, training, and top-notch financial and customer service support. In a 2015 Franchise Business Review survey measuring franchisee satisfaction, Image One received high ratings from franchisees, including a 4.3 out of a possible 5 rating in the Core Values category.

Image One franchisees work for themselves in a unique relationship with Image One. Image One provides them with customer support for their business, ongoing training, along with assistance with billing, equipment, and sales training. Image One has more than 80 commercial cleaning franchise locations throughout the Midwest. Immediate franchise and affiliate expansion plans call for locations across Texas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Iowa.

For more information on franchising, visit imageonefranchise.com, call (630) 616-1010 or email Director of Franchising Scott Kochanski at scott@imageoneusa.com.

SOURCE Image One USA

Media Contact:

Emily McVicker

emily@imageoneusa.com

(847) 406- 8670

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Snapology Brings Fun Learning to St. Louis

September 07, 2016 // Franchising.com // PITTSBURGH  Kids who take part in Snapology classes think theyre just having fun playing with LEGO bricks, KNex and computers. What they may not realize is that theyre learning, too.

Set to open October 1, Snapology of St. Louis marks the companys first venture into Missouri, with company plans for 3-4 area locations in the next few years. Snapology of St. Louis is also the fourth location to open a brick and mortar Discovery Center, which is located at 10028 Manchester Road in St. Louis. The company also plans on hosting after-school classes, birthday parties, and other events at local institutions.

When thinking about what industry I wanted to dive into, my grandson was born - and it sparked the idea that I wanted to do something that impacts the kids in the community, said Snapology of St. Louis Owner Peter Auffenberg. Thats when I thought, go big, or go home and decided to open the Discovery Center to emphasize Snapologys engaging and fun atmosphere.

The Auffenberg name has been rooted in St. Louis for many generations. Peters parents, Robert John Auffenberg Sr. and Marquita Kerckhoff Auffenberg, are most prominently known for their immense ownership of car dealerships in southern Illinois. Inspired by his parents strong, respectable core values, Peter decided that he wanted to follow the Auffenberg legacy and open a business that positively impacts the community and its families.

Since my fathers passing just over a year and a half ago, my goal is to make him proud with a business that promotes a fun and all-inclusive learning environment for the city I was born and raised in, said Peter. Snapologys work is about re-defining and re-imaging education through programs that make kids forget that they are even learning.

Peter worked with his familys business for 10 years before branching off into his own sales endeavors. With 15 years of sales experience, Peters most recent experience comes from his time at House of Denmark where he consistently exceeded sales benchmarks.

In addition to being introduced to robotics and science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) concepts, Snapology students learn skills like patience and teamwork and have a place to engage their creativity.

With 30 locations throughout the United States and Canada, and company plans call for opening 20 new locations per year moving forward.

Snapology offers a wide array of interactive, play-based activities for children ages 1-14  including enrichment classes, birthday parties, workshops, camps, scouting events and field trips  mainly using building materials such as LEGO bricks and other similar building tools and technology. The programs can be customized based on the number of children, age of children and time allotment, and can be broken down into individual classes, such as superhero or Minecraft themed events, competition robotics teams, science classes, team building events and motor skill development courses that are perfect for pre-school children.

Additionally, the curriculum is designed to benefit gifted and traditional students, as well as children with special needs, including those with sensory processing and autism spectrum disorders.

About Snapology

Founded in 2010 and franchising since 2015, Snapology's mission is to provide children with an opportunity to engage in playful learning activities that stimulate creativity and an interest in learning. Using LEGO bricks and other building toys, Snapology emphasizes STEAM principles, teamwork & socialization. With 30 locations currently open and operating throughout the United States and Canada, company plans call for expanding nationally with its unique, education-based franchise opportunity. For more information, visit www.snapologyfanchising.com.

SOURCE Snapology

Contact:

Natalie Passarelli

Franchise Elevator PR

(847) 239-8171

npassarelli@franchiseelevator.com

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Sothebys International Realty Brand to Target Chinas Wealthy with New Juwai.com Alliance

September 07, 2016 // Franchising.com // MADISON, N.J. - Sothebys International Realty Affiliates LLC has announced an alliance with Juwai.com that enables the luxury real estate brand to generate Chinese buyer interest on one of the worlds most prominent real estate websites with over two million monthly visitors. As a truly international brand, Sotheby's International Realty now has the most global representation on Juwai.com, displaying luxury listings from 65 countries and territories.

Chinese Wealth

Because of its rapid economic growth, the number of Chinese dollar millionaires is expected to reach 2.3 million by 2020, a 74 percent increase compared to today1. Largely due to China, Asia was responsible for 70 percent of all new billionaire wealth in 20152.

Chinese Real Estate Buyers

China is already the second-largest source of visits to sothebysrealty.com, only after the United States, and accounts for one out of every 10 visitors.



Chinese investors favor real estate as an asset class. Chinese purchasers acquired at least US $350 billion of U.S. real estate between 2010 and 2015.3 69 percent of Chinese purchase on an all-cash basis.4 Between 2009 and 2015, Chinese buyers went from accounting for 10 percent to 28 percent of all foreign residential real estate acquisitions in the U.S. In the same period, its annual investment level increased more than nine-fold.5

Looking forward, Chinese buyers are expected to continue their international real estate purchasing spree. The best estimate is that they will spend at least US $218 billion on existing U.S. real estate between 2016 and 20206  with investments in the rest of the world on a similar scale.

Details of the Alliance

The Sothebys International Realty brand alliance with Juwai.com includes the following components:

Listing display: Sothebys International Realty property listings will appear on Juwai.com and in its real estate search results.

First responders: Juwai.coms Chinese-language team is located in mainland China so they can respond to consumer inquiries in real time, translate the inquiries into English and forward them to the Sotheby's International Realty sales associate who has the listing.

Brand page: A Sothebys International Realty brand overview page carries information about the brand, a contact form and the networks listings  all in one place.

Banner advertising: Sothebys International Realty banner ads will run on the Juwai.com homepage, promoting the companys new brand page and listings to Juwai.coms audience.

Quotes

We are constantly looking for opportunities to expand globally by adding new distribution opportunities that showcase properties to affluent consumers in key growth markets. The alliance with Juwai.com achieves that by giving us better access to a market that is already one of our most important, and which promises great future growth.

From now on, our listings will also be promoted on Juwai.com. Having Juwai.coms team respond to leads in timely fashion overcomes the cultural and time-zone challenges of working with overseas buyers. Thats a huge competitive advantage to our affiliates and independent sales associates, and to their clients.

One of Juwai.coms key advantages is that it is hosted on both sides of Chinas internet firewall, so its listings are visible online both within China and outside of China.

-- Wendy Purvey, chief marketing officer, Sothebys International Realty Affiliates LLC

About Sothebys International Realty Affiliates LLC

The Sothebys International Realty network currently has more than 19,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in approximately 845 offices in 63 countries and territories worldwide. Founded in 1976 to provide independent brokerages with a powerful marketing and referral program for luxury listings, the Sothebys International Realty network was designed to connect the finest independent real estate companies to the most prestigious clientele in the world. Sothebys International Realty Affiliates LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services. In February 2004, Realogy entered into a long-term strategic alliance with Sothebys, the operator of the auction house. The agreement provided for the licensing of the Sothebys International Realty name and the development of a full franchise system. Affiliations in the system are granted only to brokerages and individuals meeting strict qualifications. Sothebys International Realty Affiliates LLC supports its affiliates with a host of operational, marketing, recruiting, educational and business development resources. Franchise affiliates also benefit from an association with the venerable Sothebys auction house, established in 1744.

SOURCE Sothebys International Realty Affiliates LLC

Contact:

Lindsey Scharf

Sr.Manager, Brand Content and Communications

Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC

175 Park Avenue

Madison, NJ 07940

(973) 407-5596

Lindsey.Scharf@sothebysrealty.com

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A local construction company has filed a lawsuit against Spotsylvania County less than a month after the Board of Supervisors rejected the firms request for more than $4 million in damages.

Henderson Constructions $4.4 million lawsuit states that the county held up the companys work on a road-widening project by more than two years because it did not condemn property in a timely manner, unnecessarily halted construction after workers damaged utility lines and reversed a decision to scale back the work. Those delays increased costs well beyond the Stafford County companys $13.3 million contract with Spotsylvania to widen State Route 3 between Rutherford Drive and Gordon Road, the suit claims.

Despite the countys recognition that a substantial portion of Hendersons claim is compensable, it has to date, without justification or excuse, refused to pay any portion of that claim, states the suit, which law firm Saul Ewing LLP filed Aug. 31 in Spotsylvania Circuit Court.

Federal stimulus dollars funded the project, which the lawsuit says put Spotsylvania in the novel position of managing the work.

Supervisors unanimously voted Aug. 9 to deny Hendersons request for damages, setting the stage for the legal fight. Henderson claims the bulk of its lossesabout $3 millionare a result of the county forcing it to keep equipment at the project site during the delays.

In a statement last month, county officials called that assertion the most notable and problematic issue with Hendersons request for damages. Supervisor Timothy McLaughlin said at the August meeting that the company had in fact moved some equipment to other projects during the delays, showing there was no hard and fast rule to keep equipment on site.

But Hendersons lawsuit states that the company was forced to keep large and extremely expensive equipment at the site. Despite the fact that the delays in total exceeded two years, Henderson was repeatedly told to remain at the ready to resume work as the delay at issue was soon to end, the lawsuit says.

The two sides appeared to be making progress toward a resolution, but the county abandoned negotiations largely because it unjustifiably has failed to price or make payment for any portion of Hendersons multi-million dollar equipment claim, the companys lawsuit alleges. The suit states that the damages for equipment losses are based on industry standards.

Henderson Construction won the contract to widen Route 3 in 2009. The company also made improvements to Cherry Roadwhich Henderson says contributed to the delays because the county initially withdrew the work from the project before adding it back.

The project was finished in October 2014, more than two years after the countys deadline.
The main message is that you can treat patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma with CAR T cells and get very good response rates with optimization of the CAR T-cell dose and lymphodepletion, Turtle said.

The addition of a chemo drug called fludarabine in the lymphodepletion step helped the CAR T cells multiply more and survive longer in these patients than in those who had just been prepped with a chemo regimen without fludarabine, the researchers found. Among the 20 patients who received the chemo regimen with fludarabine, half of them achieved a complete remission, regardless of T-cell dose. (Of the remaining 12 patients who received a different lymphodepletion regimen, only one of them went into complete remission after CAR T-cell infusion.)

Strategies like modifying the lymphodepletion in conjunction with suitable CAR T-cell dosing can have a big impact on clinical outcome, Turtle said.

One of several ongoing trials of CAR T cells around the nation, this studys hallmark is its use of a 1-to-1 ratio of helper and killer CAR T cells, which join forces to kill CD19-positive tumor cells. By controlling the mixture of T cells that patients receive, the researchers can see relationships between cell doses and patient outcomes that were previously elusive.

The idea  is that by doing that, we would get more reproducible data around the effects of the cells  both beneficial effects against the cancer and also any side effects they might cause the patient, said the Hutchs Dr. Stan Riddell, one of the senior authors on the paper, along with Hutch colleague Dr. David Maloney. And then by adjusting the dose, we could improve what we call the therapeutic index: the benefit against the tumor, without too much toxicity.

On average, patients on the trial had undergone five previous rounds of cancer treatments, and half of them had even had blood stem transplants. Despite this, their cancers had still come back by the time they joined the trial.

They really had very few treatment options at the time they enrolled in our study, Riddell said.

The study team extracted disease-fighting T cells from patients bloodstreams and sent them to a specialized lab at Fred Hutch to be reengineered. There, technicians inserted DNA instructions for making a synthetic, cancer-targeting chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR, into the cells genomes. The CARs used in the study, which were developed in Riddells lab at Fred Hutch, target a molecule called CD19 that is found on the surface of certain white blood cells, including some types of lymphoma cells.

After reengineering, the cells were multiplied in the lab using a process unique to Fred Hutch, in which cells undergo an extra growth-stimulating step. The team found that they were able to successfully generate CAR T-cell products even for patients who naturally had very few T cells.

After chemo, the study team transferred the freshly engineered T cells back into the patients through an IV. There, the cells encountered their CD19 targets, began to multiply, and went to work.

Some patients experienced serious toxicities due to CAR T-cell infusion. The researchers found that reducing the dose of T cells helped to reduce the occurrence of severe side effects.

Currently, there is no reliable way to predict which patients are most likely to be hit by these serious side effects, which limits doctors options for preventing or managing them. In this study, the researchers found that high levels of certain immune-signaling chemicals, or cytokines, in patients bloodstreams the day after CAR T-cell infusion were linked to the subsequent development of serious toxicities.

Its not yet clear what an early intervention for CAR T-cellrelated toxicity might look like, the investigators said. But at least we now have the first bit of information that allows us to design those types of studies, said Riddell.

Improving a promising strategy

The complete remission rates seen so far in this study do not reach the astoundingly high 93 percent rate the team published earlier this year on CD19-targeted CAR T cells in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. Turtle suspects that the fact that leukemia flows as a liquid in the blood and marrow makes it easier for the CAR T-cells to attack that cancer.

In non-Hodgkin lymphoma, we still have very good complete remission rates, but theyre lower than those seen in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Turtle said. And that may relate to the fact that lymphoma often grows as lumps, so it may be a more complex tumor microenvironment.

The factors in lymphoma tumors that may impede T-cell activity  and ways to circumvent them  still need to be pinpointed, Turtle said.

In addition to Fred Hutch researchers, the study team also included scientists from the University of Washington and Juno Therapeutics. Juno provided one of the trials sources of funding, along with the National Institutes of Health, a Washington state research fund and private philanthropists.
A Pro Air Heating & AC, Inc Announces Partnership As Trane Preferred Partner

A new preferred Trane dealer was just certified in the Pearland, Texas area. M.A. Garcia plans to bring their newly acquired skills to help the residents.

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Air Conditioning Contractor, A Pro Air Heating & AC, Inc and Preferred Partner, Trane have announced a strategic partnership going forward.

Full details on the partnership can be viewed here:AC Repair Pearland

The partnership will encompass M.A. Garcia with A Pro Air Heating & Ac has received their certification as a Preferred Partner by completing the Company's Variable Speed Outdoor Product Technical Program. which will have the benefit of The preferred dealer certification that M.A. Garcia has been granted allows them to offer the Trane products to the residents of Pearland, Texas.

In the near future, customers of both companies can expect This will bring some greatly needed resources to the residents of the area., Quality service and the best heating and air products on the market.

As part of a long-term strategy, the two companies hope to A new preferred Trane dealer was just certified in the Pearland, Texas area. M.A. Garcia plans to bring their newly acquired skills to help the residents in with all of their commercial and residential heating and cooling needs. When asked about the new joint venture, M.A. Garcia from A Pro Air Heating & AC, Inc said, A Pro Air & Trane plan to bring their newly acquired skills to help the residents in with all of their commercial and residential heating and cooling needs. .

Chris O'Callaghan of Trane is also excited about the venture, saying local home owners can expect top quality service and the best heating and air products on the market thanks the newly formed partnership between M.A. Garcia and the Trane Company.

Current and future customers are invited to learn more about the joint venture and how they will benefit by visiting the website at http://24houracservicepearland.com/.

About A Pro Air Heating & AC, Inc and Trane

A Pro Air Heating & AC, Inc was founded in 1996 and serves the Air Conditioning and Heating Repair Services industry. Trane was founded in 1885 and serves the Air Conditioning Equipement industry.

For more information, please visit http://24houracservicepearland.com/

Contact Info:

Name: M.A. Garcia

Email: aproairemail@comcast.net

Organization: A Pro Air Heating & AC, Inc

Phone: (832) 278-1010

Release ID: 131249

For more information visit r



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2-Car Garage with Loft How-To Guide Released By Waterloo Structures

Waterloo Structures has released a new how-to guide on 2-Car Garage with Loft. Garage Enthusiasts and other interested parties can find the guide online at https://www.dropbox.com/s/4m5gkn8q8l6rzoh/How_to_Build_a_Two_car_Garage.PDF?dl=0.

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Contractor business, Waterloo Structures, has published a new how-to guide dedicated to helping Garage Enthusiasts build a 2-car garage on their own where a loft can be added at the same time. This guide will also have information useful to anybody facing the challenge of budgeting.

Interested parties are invited to review the how-to guide in full on their website: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4m5gkn8q8l6rzoh/How_to_Build_a_Two_car_Garage.PDF?dl=0

This most recent how-to guide from Waterloo Structures contains precise and detailed steps and instructions, designed to be used by people who need additional space in their homes and others who need it, helping them build a 2-car garage by their selves where a loft can be added, as quickly, easily and with as little stress as possible.

Waterloo Structures states that this accessible, easy to follow guide provides all of the information necessary to fully understand the topic, to get the results they want.

The Full How-To Guide Covers: Building the 2-car garage without breaking the bank - Determines up to how much an individual is willing to spend to build the garage of their choice Determining the size for personal needs - Size Does Matter Plan - Creating a plan is must as this serves as basis for new venture

When asked for more information about the guide, the reasons behind creating a guide on 2 Car Garage with Loft and what they hope to accomplish with it, Paul Zook, Owner at Waterloo Structures said: "Building a 2-car garage all by oneself is a challenge that only a few can withstand. Are you one of the few? The thing is, there's this different feeling when you fulfill something that you really exerted effort and time. On the other hand, you can also make this a family venture and bonding time. "

Garage Enthusiasts and anybody interested in 2-Car Garage with Loft are invited to review the how-to guide online:https://www.dropbox.com/s/4m5gkn8q8l6rzoh/How_to_Build_a_Two_car_Garage.PDF?dl=0

More information about Waterloo Structures itself can be found at http://waterloostructures.net/

For more information, please visit http://waterloostructures.net/

Contact Info:

Name: Paul Zook

Organization: Waterloo Structures

Address: 3898 West Lincoln Hwy.

Phone: (484) 712-1253

Release ID: 131358

For more information visit r



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Catdi Printing Launches Service Expansion Fostering Print Marketing Resurgence

Latest expansion brings the power of print media to a broader range of local businesses, publishes catdi.com

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As the digital era enveloped the modern world, a number of marketing authorities forecast a grim demise for the realm of printed media. Though it seemed as though these prophecies would come to pass near the turn of the millennium, recent reports indicate matters have taken an unexpected turn. Based on statistics from the marketing sector, direct mail response rates have surged 15 percent over the last decade whereas email responses have dropped more than three times that amount. These figures are prompting businesses to carry on the tradition of printed marketing tools.

This comes as no surprise to the staff of Catdi Printing, a leading Houston and Sugar Land Printing and print marketing service provider. In response to the growing retroactive trend, spokesperson Carlos deSantos has launched the company's latest service expansion. Said deSantos, "The online world has given businesses more room to expand their reach than ever before, so digital marketing is certainly a cost-effective investment. At the same time, consumers are growing hardened to the intangible aspect of the internet, and this is why print media is making such a comeback. We've opened a new store in Stafford, so we can help even more businesses in our area take advantage of this development."

Catdi's Stafford Printing branch offers the full array of direct mail marketing services, including the United States Postal Service's newly implemented EDDM program. This system allows businesses the freedom of customizing their marketing efforts based on the perceived needs of various divisions of their target audiences. In addition to printing services, the staff of Catdi Printing provides graphic design as well as assistance with determining most effective materials and demographics. Among those materials deemed most versatile, effective and efficient by marketing experts are flyers and postcards.

The company likewise offers company letterhead and Business Card Printing. Industry analysts have noted both options aid in giving businesses the more personal touch consumers increasingly seek. With physical signage remaining a productive advertising measure, Catdi also offers a variety of banner printing options.

Concluded deSantos, "We know how hard it can be to find a reliable go-to printer for all your direct mail and graphic design needs. Printing companies come and go all too often, leaving business without a dependable print marketing provider, but we're here to stay. Despite those predictions of the death of printed media at the hands of the internet, consumers still crave the more concrete and personal effect of items they can touch, feel and refer back to at any time. We were founded with the very purpose of fulfilling all our clients' printing needs, and we're proud to be extending the power of our industry to businesses in the Stafford area."

About Catdi Printing:

Founded with the mission of filling the full array of commercial printing needs, Catdi Printing aids local businesses in building brand awareness through a multi-channel approach to the world of marketing.

For more information, please visit http://www.catdi.com

Contact Info:

Name: Carlos deSantos

Organization: Catdi Printing

Phone: (281) 201-3543

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/catdi-printing-launches-service-expansion-fostering-print-marketing-resurgence/131442

Release ID: 131442

For more information visit r



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WoodworkingFuel.com Announces New Scholarship Program

The website is donating up to $2,500 to help students pursue higher education in a woodworking-related field, reports www.woodworkingfuel.com.

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Woodworkingfuel.com, a go-to online resource for woodworking education and information, has recently announced the introduction of their new scholarship program. The website owner has decided to give away up to $2,500 in scholarship funds to help students who want to pursue higher education in woodworking or a related field. The site has made two separate Woodworking Scholarships available, both working in conjunction with each other and requiring applicants to submit an essay along with details about their chosen area of study.

"As woodworkers and carpenters who entered this field with only on-the-job training available to us, we fully recognize the need for and the value of formal education in the field. We can't stress enough how important it can be in helping students launch a successful career," said Ed Connors of WoodworkingFuel.com. "It is for this reason that we've decided to create the Woodworking Fuel Scholarship Program. We're passionate about woodworking and want those who feel the same to have the best chance at building a great career. We know that a little financial assistance can go a long way in making that dream a reality."

The Woodworking Fuel Scholarship Program includes two distinct scholarships - an essay scholarship and a random scholarship. To enter the $1,500 essay scholarship, applicants must be enrolled in a higher education institution in the United States pursuing woodworking or carpentry as a field of study. Formal documentation as well as a 500 - 1,000-word essay are required for eligibility. Two essay scholarship applicants will be randomly selected to receive $500 scholarships. Woodworking Fuel readers who are interested in applying for the scholarships should visit the website at woodworkingfuel.com to learn more about eligibility and entry requirements as well as important application dates.

As Connors continued, "We believe wholeheartedly that a solid education is the key to promoting excellence in our field, and we are proud to be able to offer students the opportunity for advancement in a career they love. We look forward to connecting with our applicants and seeing how their passion for woodworking comes through in their words."

About WoodworkingFuel.com:

Woodworking Fuel was established in 2016 with a goal to provide easy-to-understand woodworking information that makes a real impact. With extensive experience and a great passion for woodworking, the website's writers help other people discover, learn, grow, and experience the fun and excitement of being a woodworker.

For more information, please visit http://www.woodworkingfuel.com

Contact Info:

Name: Ed Connors

Organization: WoodworkingFuel.com

Phone: (727) 510-5401

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/woodworkingfuel-com-announces-new-scholarship-program/131449

Release ID: 131449

For more information visit r



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ShinyVisa Launches Grand Palace Guide Blog

ShinyVisa is a Singapore travel blog that recently published a guide to the Grand Palace located in Bangkok. In addition to images of Nicole Li touring the site, there are tips and warnings about full enjoyment of the excursion.

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ShinyVisa and Nicole Li are pleased to announce the launch of their new blog post about a visit to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. The Singapore travel blog is more than just a few pictures of striking architecture. There are tips and suggestions about what items are allowed, the proper attire, prices and hours of operation. There are also suggestions about avoiding scams and promoting a safe visit.

According to Nicole Li, "We believe you love to travel just like we do! ShinyVisa is a travel blog sharing our travel experiences around the world. It is not simply a travel diary. In our blog, we bring the world to you and make your trip easier and more fun by sharing the great travel deals, local restaurants and food and travel tips that we come across. If you are someone who is looking for excitement or any extraordinary moments in a journey, our blog is for you! Follow us on our travel adventures and let's experience the world together."

The Grand Palace in Bangkok is home to the entire administrative seat of government, as well as the King and his court. The King has not lived in the Palace since the 20th century. The buildings inside the walls, with a combined area of 218,400 square metres, are visited by thousands of people There are four main courts within the walls: The Outer Court, The Middle Court, the Inner Court and the Temple of Emerald Buddha. There is plenty to see in addition to the gold-covered structures.

The Grant Palace blog post is just one of the many locations described in the travel blog. In addition to additional locations in Thailand, there are visits to China, Maldives, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Indonesia presented by the travelers, Derek and Nicole. Reviews of restaurants, hotels and a wide range of services are offered to assist those who choose this part of the world to visit.

For more information, please visit https://www.shinyvisa.com

Contact Info:

Name: Nicole Li

Organization: ShinyVisa

Address: Serangoon North 4 Singapore



Source: http://marketersmedia.com/shinyvisa-launches-grand-palace-guide-blog/131356

Release ID: 131356

For more information visit r



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The Durango Dispensary Should Weed Be Legalized Cannabis Survey Launched

A new poll has been launched by The Durango Dispensary, an educational cannabis site, so visitors can weigh in on the heated issue of whether or not the drug should be legalized. They also urge their visitors to discuss the topic on social media.

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The Durango Dispensary has announced the launch of a new poll on marijuana and whether or not it should be legalized or kept as a schedule 1 drug. The DEA recently decided to maintain its status as schedule 1, despite growing support across the USA for it to become fully legalized. As the election of America's 45th president draws closer, the legality of marijuana has become a headline issue, with 58% of respondents in Gallup's national poll arguing it should be legal nationwide. Now The Durango Dispensary is asking its visitors to weigh in on the issue by talking part in the survey and discussing the topic on social media.

More information can be found on The Durango Dispensary website at: https://durangodispensary.net.

The Durango Dispensary is a Colorado based marijuana seller that seeks to advise customers and visitors on the benefits of cannabis. They explain that even through the use of it is now legal in Colorado, people still don't fully understand it.

It goes on to emphasise that understanding the drug is of utmost importance when there is so much misinformation out there. Earlier this month, the DEA released a report detailing why it would not change marijuana from its current schedule 1 status. The schedule 1 category features drugs that have been deemed to have no medical benefit and are therefore illegal to use. The DEA mentioned the potential for abuse when using cannabis and the still unknown risks of using it as a reason for not changing its classification.

However there are high profile figures out there who disagree with this, and it is clearly evident that cannabis can be used effectively in a medicinal way. Hillary Clinton has stated that if she wins the presidential election, then changes may be coming to the law that will see cannabis become a schedule 2 drug. This is based on the idea that the drug does have medical benefits and will allow researchers to further study it for medicinal properties.

The Durango Dispensary is keen to find out what its visitors think on the heated issue, and has made an easy to use survey to collect opinions from the public. In order to fill it in, visitors to the site just have to click on the Opinions Matters section of the homepage.

For more information, please visit https://www.durangodispensary.net

Contact Info:

Name: Christopher McCarthy

Organization: The Durango Cannabis Dispensary

Address: Durango Colorado

Phone: 1- (970) 880-1867

Release ID: 131321

For more information visit r



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Professional Remodeling Group Announces Special $1000 End-of-Summer Discount

New, limited-time special makes it even more affordable to make use of highly regarded company's home improvement, remodeling, and general construction services, Professional Remodeling Group reports

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Professional Remodeling Group announced a special new offer to celebrate the remaining days of summer. For a limited time, visitors to the company's website can print a coupon good for $1000 off standard retail pricing on any Professional Remodeling Group service. As the expert at general construction and home remodeling northern virginia residents trust and recommend the most, Professional Remodeling Group provides a wide range of services that can make residential life even more enjoyable and rewarding. By building the kinds of top-quality decks, screened porches, and sunrooms northern virginia residents derive so much satisfaction from, Professional Remodeling Group has helped many realize their domestic dreams over the past twenty years. With the company's unbeatable $1000 end-of-summer discount now available to all, there has never been a better time to pursue any remodeling or home improvement goal.

"Like so many others, we really love living and working in Northern Virginia, and our new special offer is one way that we're seeking to give back to this community that has been so kind to us over the years," said Professional Remodeling Group Vice President Tony Ishairzay, "With summer winding down and cooler weather on the horizon, now is an especially opportune time to think about remodeling or arranging for other kinds of home improvement. As the sun room, screened porch, and deck builder northern virginia homeowners recommend the most highly, we're always ready to help. Our new $1000 discount coupon makes it more affordable than ever before to see why our customers are so loyal and eager to recommend us to others."

Americans spend nearly a billion dollars annually on adding decks to their homes alone, according to research firm IBISWorld, with equally impressive levels of expenditure targeting home improvement projects of other kinds. For over twenty years, Professional Remodeling Group has been one of Northern Virginia's leading providers of a full range of top-quality, highly affordable home improvement, remodeling, and general construction services.

With a long record of success that stands out in an industry where sort-lived businesses are common, Professional Remodeling Group has built up one of the loyalest and most enthusiastic customer bases to be found in the region, with many clients returning to the company again and again over the years. By providing award-winning service, inevitably fair pricing, generous warranties, and other customer-focused features, Professional Remodeling Group has built up a region-wide reputation as one of the most capable, reliable, dedicated remodeling and construction companies in all of Northern Virginia.

Thanks to the company's new $1000 discount coupon, enjoying that outstanding level of service and workmanship has never been more affordable. Those interested can download the new coupon now at the Professional Remodeling Group website or simply mention the offer to a representative when a free project quote is delivered.

About Professional Remodeling Group:

Serving clients throughout Northern Virginia for over twenty years, Professional Remodeling Group offers a full range of top-quality home improvement, remodeling, and general construction services.

For more information, please visit http://www.professionalremodelinggroup.com/

Contact Info:

Name: Tony Ishairzay

Organization: Professional Remodeling Group

Address: 11350 Random Hills Rd #800 Fairfax, VA 22030

Phone: 703-281-0909

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/professional-remodeling-group-announces-special-1000-end-of-summer-discount/131522

Release ID: 131522

For more information visit r



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I meet with a wrap provider to discuss how we will work together. While a fan of wraps, I do feel they are expensive for what they do and seem to have over-promised and under-delivered.

I spend the afternoon writing some press articles and blog entries for the website. These have been instrumental in generating new enquiries.

Tuesday

I am based in Banchory which is a beautiful town in north-east Scotland. I meet with a new client who is looking for guidance and a plan for the future.

She is typical of many, in that she has been so busy running her own business that she has neglected her own financial affairs. The meeting is a productive one and several planning issues are highlighted.

I agree to send out a fee proposal and scope of work. As a new firm, we are able to provide a highly personal and competitively priced service.

I have a two-year-old daughter, so bath duties and bedtime stories are the order of the day. One of the main reasons for setting up on my own was to have a better work/life balance and not miss out on family growing up.

Wednesday

I meet a new client who has lifetime allowance issues and is looking to build a financial plan. I advocate building a financial plan and cash flow for all clients as it informs all the advice thereafter.

He is relatively young and has several years until his planned retirement date. He finds it ridiculous that a lifetime allowance is imposed in any event and I agree with him.

The meeting goes well and I promise to send out a fee proposal in the next few days.

I receive confirmation that I have passed my CISI CPD audit which is always nice to hear.

Thursday

I meet a new client who was very fortunate to even make it to the meeting. He had been involved in a motor vehicle incident on his motor bike. It highlights what can happen in life at any time.

He has been offered a redundancy package and is contemplating retirement. In line with many others, he is not planning to retire fully and has other options available, but wants to have a break from the nine to five treadmill.

Friday

A couple of new potential client meetings. It turns out they have very similar requirements, and actually work for the same organisation.

They are both considering retirement and are concerned about having sufficient income to meet their lifestyle, but are also concerned about the impact of inheritance tax and want to leave as much as possible to their children.

These are ideal scenarios to model using cash flow planning software, and I struggle to remember how I could deal effectively with this type of enquiry when I did not have the benefit of this tool.
Rowan Dartington has extended its discretionary fund management services by adding a new division aimed at international advisers.

The group today (7 September) announced it had launched a global DFM service, which will be available to English-speaking advisers across a number of wealth platforms.

Stephen Kevan, who previously held senior positions at Old Mutual International and Barclays Wealth, will head up the division from the companys Bristol office.

Mr Kevan also spent five years at ABC Capital Markets in Mauritius where he developed the companys wealth management offering.

He said Rowan Dartingtons initial focus will be to deliver appropriately adapted versions of its existing UK service into the international IFA sector, which also offers flexible investment solutions.

Our experience has shown us that there is a significant demand from English-speaking advisers based abroad for this type of service.

Rowan Dartington International, which is currently only available to international advisers, will also be developed to offer to offshore private clients in the future.

katherine.denham
"...king of the hate left..."--

"As my friend Capper -- the best Wisconsin blogger ever -- says, there will be more. There's always more." - karoli

"...the psychiatrically attuned Capper..."--

"This is really great of you! I'm so proud to know someone like you"--

"Capper, a reasonable (and maybe even likeable) Lefty..."--

"capper, the Sidney Freedman of the hate left..."--

"I love capper because, well, what's not to love. But I also hate capper for alerting me to nonsense like this."---

"Capper, you really have a knack for this kind of writing. Really."--

"Crap. I agree with capper. Can Armageddon be far behind?"--

"capper is right. OMG, did I actually say that?"--
The Global Balanced Fund targets a volatility range of 4 per cent to 10 per cent, while the Global Balanced Defensive Fund has a lower target of 2 per cent to 6 per cent.

The underlying investment process for the two funds mirrors that of the existing Global Balanced Risk Control (GBaR) strategy, which, according to the fund house, is designed to maintain a stable risk profile.

This strategy has returned just over 36 per cent over a five-year period to 30 August 2016 according to FE Analytics data.

The funds are the first in the GBaR suite to incorporate ESG factors into the process.

Both funds will be managed by Andrew Harmstone and Manfred Hui in London.

Mr Harmstone said: The new funds will be based on our established GBaR process, which in our view is the most effective way for investors to participate in rising markets while providing strong downside protection.

We expect the integration of ESG considerations into the process to further improve potential returns and enhance risk management.

The funds are not yet widely available for sale and are awaiting registration in various markets.

Provider view

Paul Price, (pictured), global head of client coverage at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, said: Morgan Stanley Investment Managements extensive multi-asset capabilities are reinforced by the addition of these two new funds. Clients now have greater choice in the implementation of GBaRs risk-controlled approach and their preferred level of volatility.

Adviser view

Steven Rowe, director of West Midlands-based Lucent Financial Planning, said: If you ask a client if they would be interested in investing in a fund which has ethical holdings, more often than not, he or she would show an interest. However, there are not a great deal of ethical funds circling around the marketplace. Only clients with strong convictions in their ethical beliefs would demand to be invested in an ESG fund. Others are simply interested in funds that are likely to generate the most returns  regardless of whether or not it invests ethically.

He added: I think clients are aware that investment risk is more apparent post-Brexit, but that has not stopped them from investing. Some people have been bullish in their approach, but I suppose investors who voted In and those who voted Out would have a different outlook.

Charges

Ongoing charge figure (OCF) of 0.59 per cent for the Global Balanced Defensive fund and 0.99 per cent for the Global Balanced fund.

Verdict

A school of thought claims that there is a greater appetite for investments that do not conflict with ethical standpoints. The launch of the two funds with a slant to such investments suggests that the fund house agrees with this viewpoint.

The fact that the funds mirror the investment process of one of the firms pre-existing funds with years of past performance statistics is a boon, as intermediaries seldom invest their clients money in entirely new propositions. However, the returns generated by the firms pre-existing strategy over a five year period is somewhat modest.
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) is funded by the financial services industry. Every firm authorised by the UK regulators is obliged to pay an annual levy, which goes towards the running costs and the compensation payments.

The FSCS published its plan and budget for 2016/7 in January 2016. The plan revealed details of a 363m indicative levy on firms for the period, forecasted the FSCSs management costs falling by nearly 2m and highlighted internal organisational changes that aimed to improve the customer experience.

In April 2016, the FSCS announced its levy for 2016/17. The scheme will levy 337m in this financial year  26m less than forecast in its Plan and Budget for 2016/17, published in January. The levy in 2015/16 totalled 319m. Management expenses fall for the second successive year. In 2016/17, these will total 67.4m.

Most industry sectors will contribute less in 2016/17 than FSCS forecast in January. The exception is the life and pensions intermediaries sector, which will pay a levy of 90m in 2016/17  up from a forecast of 80m, to reflect a higher average cost of claims arising from advice about investments in self-invested personal pensions (Sipps). In 2015/16, life and pensions intermediaries paid a levy of 100m.

In July 2016, the FSCS announced that some 47,000 people turned to FSCS in the 12 months to March 2016, after they lost money when their financial services firm was unable to settle claims. FSCS paid out 271m in 2015/16 in response to 45,900 claims.

FSCS compensated consumers across a wide range of financial services, which included:

 Almost 88m was paid to customers of firms providing general insurance  such as motor and employers liability insurance;

 Claims against the life and pensions advice sector led to a compensation bill of just less than 84m, up from 35m the previous year  largely because the average payout against advisers who recommended high-risk investments to hold in Sipps, rose year-on-year from 29,500 to 38,600.

 77m was paid out to people with claims against financial advisers that later stopped trading.

Compensation payments by class

Funding class 2015/16 m 2014/15 m Deposits (excluding the major banking failures and Dunfermline Building Society (DBS)) 10.1 4.1 General insurance provision 87.6 85.0 General insurance intermediation (excluding Welcome) 6.7 18.7 Life and pensions provision 0.0 0.0 Life and pensions intermediation 83.8 35.2 Investment provision 1.6 0.2 Investment intermediation 77.1 183.1 Home finance intermediation 3.1 1.7 Sub-total (excluding major banking failures) 270.0 328.0 Major banking failures of 2008/09 0.0 0.0 DBS (1.5) (4.0) Sub-total 268.5 324.0 Welcome 2.4 2.6 Total 270.0 326.6

Source: FSCS

Financial Advice Market Review (FAMR)  published in March 2016 stated it is crucial that consumers receiving financial advice

 have confidence in the regulatory system.

 have access to redress if they are wrongly advised.

FAMR believes that the existence of appropriate protection for consumers is essential to ensuring they feel confident in taking up financial advice. However, it is also clear that the potential risk of paying redress in the future on advice given previously is a concern for many firms.

One specific issue that firms have identified is that the unpredictable nature of the FSCS levy makes it hard to plan effectively, and that the cost in funding the levy is not necessarily being borne by those that create costs for the scheme.
Story Highlights Job Creation Index at +33 for fourth straight month

Government job creation at highest level in eight years

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. workers' reports of hiring activity at their places of employment in August held steady at a post-recession high for the fourth month in a row. Gallup's Job Creation Index, a measure that began in January 2008, now stands at +33, the same as in May, June and July.

The latest results, based on interviews conducted Aug. 1-31 with 17,894 full- and part-time U.S. workers, continue a pattern seen over the past 19 months, during which the index never dipped below +29.

Gallup asks a random sample of employed adults each day whether their employer is hiring new people and expanding the workforce, not changing the workforce, or letting people go and reducing the size of the workforce. In August, 44% of workers reported an increase and 11% a decrease, resulting in the Job Creation Index score of +33.

Since the index bottomed out at -5 in early 2009 in the midst of the nation's economic crash, it has taken a slow, bumpy path upward, with numerous minor downticks from month to month. However, every August reading since 2010 has shown improvement over the previous August. The near-negligible one-point improvement this August from last August's +32 is the smallest since the index began its climb.

Government, Non-Government Hiring Show No Major Change

The Job Creation Index for both government and non-government workers showed no material change in August. The index for government workers (local, state and federal) rose a single point to +32 -- the highest level since Gallup began identifying government workers in August 2008. This score is based on 45% of government workers reporting their employers are hiring new workers and 13% reporting their workplace is letting people go. The government index is up from +26 a year ago when 42% reported their government employers were adding workers and 16% reported workers were being let go.

Meanwhile, the index for non-government workers in August stood at +34. Forty-four percent report their employers are hiring new workers, 10% say they are cutting back.

After the economic crash of 2008, net government hiring moved into the red in early 2009 and stayed there for more than three years, not moving into positive territory until late 2012. A major gap opened between non-government and government workers, driven in large part by the high percentage of government workers reporting that their employers were letting people go. In April 2010, 36% in government jobs said their employers were letting people go, while 19% in non-government jobs reported cutbacks at their workplace. The percentage of non-government workers reporting cutbacks has stayed in the teens since then, but the percentage of government workers reporting cutbacks did not dip below 20% until 2014.

Bottom Line

U.S. workers in August were far more likely to report a growing workforce than a shrinking one at their workplaces, sustaining the solid hiring reports that are now well into the second year. The 19-month period that the index has stayed within a four-point range (+29 to +33) is the longest period of time since the index began in which it has been so stable.

The move toward hiring and away from cutting back continues to hold steady in the government sector this year, where reports from government workers give evidence of solid gains over the last 12 months.

Survey Methods

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Aug. 1-31, 2016, on Gallup Daily tracking, with a random sample of 17,894 workers, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of workers, the margin of sampling error is 1 percentage point 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 Gallup Daily tracking works.
I have a couple different types of the chambers work to highlight in todays column.

First up is the behind-the-scenes side of our work, and todays example is housing. If you havent been in the real estate market lately, you may not know that Columbus faces a shortage of available housing, particularly in rentals and those homes that sell for less than $200,000. In fact, the entire rural part of the state generally faces that same challenge.

The Chamber Board set a strategic priority to address housing at our Planning Session in March. Since that time a task force has been formed and has met regularly to lay the groundwork for this effort. In those five months, they have accomplished a lot.

Early on, it became apparent that this task, much like workforce development eight years ago, was bigger than can reasonably be handled by a group of volunteers. As a result, the task force has been pursuing the possibility of hiring a coordinator to lead the effort. They will discuss details of the position at their meeting next week, but have found support for this position with the Columbus City Council, local industry and other housing organizations. Id say they are cautiously optimistic that this position can be designed and funded, with a person in place by the end of the year.

The task force has also learned that they need to do some prep work to make this market an attractive one for housing development. As I mentioned, every similar community in Nebraska is working on housing just as we are, so we need to make Columbus the market that is most attractive for building. That means lots of things: finding available land, attracting developers, local financing and investment availability, available contractors, an attractive climate for city zoning and regulations, and available utilities. As you can see, there are many factors, and they really all need to be positive to attract the activity were seeking.

To that end, the task force has developed a map of available land, which is a critical first step. They have now begun work compiling a package that could be presented to developers to attract them to work here. To make that happen, theyve had great conversations with local landowners, realtors and contractors to learn from them.

Overall, weve seen more interest in significant housing development in Columbus in the last five months than weve enjoyed in a long time. Hats off to the team on the housing task force for making that happen.

Now to the more public part of our work. This time of year, the Taste of Columbus Committee is finalizing details for that event. This years food vendor list is complete, and its another full house.

This year you will sample the best from these outstanding local providers: Applebee's, Buresh Catering, Columbus Community Hospital, El Tapatio, Fair Park Grille, Hy-Vee, Pizza Ranch, Ramada-Columbus, Shadows Restaurant & Pub, Subway, Traditions, Wal-Mart and Wunderlich's Catering.

Tickets for Taste of Columbus are $35 each, and reserved tables of nine can be purchased for $350. You can reserve tickets online on our website at www.thecolumbuspage.com or by contacting the chamber office.
'Indiana Jones 5' Release Date, Plot, News & Update: When Will We Know More About Harrison Ford And Steven Spielberg's New Project?

Disney officially announced that "Indiana Jones 5" is definitely happening and Harrison Ford will be back and reprise his role as the world's famous archaeologist. Adding more hype to the already exciting news is that Steven Spielberg will return to direct the film just like all four previous installments of the "Indiana Jones" franchise.

'Indiana Jones 5' finally happening?

"Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history, and we can't wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019," Walt Disney Studios' Chairman Alan Horn revealed in a press release back in March, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter. "It's rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn't be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven."

Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall are going to produce "Indiana Jones 5." Speculation about the "Indiana Jones 5" movie has been swirling ever since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, but the studio's first priority at the time was understandably resurrecting "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

'Indiana Jones 5' in the theaters soon?

Now that the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" movie had a successful comeback, it looks like Disney is finally ready to turn its attention to another beloved franchise, "Indiana Jones 5." Fans are so eager to learn more about "Indiana Jones 5" but they are left disappointed as there are no recent update about the much-loved franchise.

Now that the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" movie had a successful comeback, it looks like Disney is finally ready to turn its attention to another beloved franchise, "Indiana Jones 5." Although we have not learn anything vital about "Indiana Jones 5" just yet, it is already an incredible feeling for hardcore fans to realize the existence of "Indiana Jones 5."

What are you most excited about in "Indiana Jones 5"? Let us know in the comment section below! "Indiana Jones 5" is reported to hit the theaters on July 19, 2019.
Sony Xperia XZ, Xperia X Compact Release Date, News & Update: Fully Water-Resistant, First USB Type-C Technology? More Specs & Features Revealed

Sony announced its new models of smartphones at the IFA 2016 electronics show but did not mention anything about Xperia Z6. Instead, it discussed specifications of the new Sony Xperia XZ and the phone is rumored to be just awesome!

Going by its specs, it is quite advanced compared to a lot of other phones in the market. Experts believe Sony won't be releasing the Xperia Z6 and that Xperia XZ is actually the Z6 in disguise. As per Tech Radar, Xperia XZ will be joined by the Sony Xperia X Compact for those wanting a smaller screen and on a low budget.

Both Sony Xperia XZ and X Compact are the first Sony phones to implement the USB Type-C technology. Xperia XZ is decked with some amazing features such as a 5.2-inch Full HD display, 3GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor. Other noteworthy features include IP68 water resistance, more rounded edges and an ALKALEIDO metal back. IP68 water resistance means users may drop their devices inside water yet be surprised by the phone not being dead.

According to TechAdvisor, Sony has revealed that the phone will be available in UK from early October 2016. As per rumors, Sony Xperia XZ will have a price between 500 (US$670) and 600 (US$804) SIM-free once it launches. It is an interesting flagship that has broken away from the norm with respect to design and color options (Forest Blue, Mineral Black and Platinum).

With its angular design, great feel and shimmering finish, the Sony Xperia XZ gets a gorgeous, premium look. Moreover, its 23MP rear-facing camera boasts impressive technology. Its front camera is also a powerful 13MP snapper and the phone also features 4K video recording.

Sony is making further improvements to the Xperia XZ camera, packing it with features such as better white balance control, 5-axis image stabilization and laser auto-focus that tracks and predicts movements in order to ensure moments aren't missed, writes Mobile & Apps.
'Ready Player One' Release Date, News & Updates: Set Photos In The UK Emerge; Steven Spielberg Transforms The Jewellery Quarter

Steven Spielberg is currently working on the film "Ready Player One." Filming is set in the United Kingdom, and several photos have recently surfaced, showing the production details.

The production of "Ready Player One" has transformed the iconic Jewellery Quarter into a dystopian future in the United States. Several residents shared on social media how exciting it was for them to see the film in progress as they head to work. Many noted how "Ready Player One" has made England into America again. Kotaku stated that based on the photos and videos, there were a lot of graffiti, ruined cars on the street, garbage everywhere and the American flag at the entrance of a building.

Spielberg and his team also did their best to hide any hints that "Ready Player One" was set in the U.K., by covering classic telephone booths, and the Jewellery Quarter. That's in addition to other details on the streets that suggest how filming was actually done in Birmingham. Some of the notable details on the set of "Ready Player One" include a sign featuring a man wearing what appears to be VR goggles. There was an invitation to "Join the Quest."

There were also several weird vehicles that looked like a cross between a van and a washing machine. There were people in the "Ready Player One" photos, although it is uncertain whether they are part of the "Ready Player One" cast or mere bystanders. SlashFilm revealed that "Ready Player One" stars Tye Sheridan (Wade Watts/Parzival), Olivia Cooke (Samantha Evelyn Cook/Art3mis), Simon Pegg (Ogden Morrow), and Ben Mendelsohn (Nolan Sorrento). T.J. Miller (iR0k), Philip Zhao (Shoto), Win Morisaki (Daito) and Mark Rylance (James Halliday, the OASIS creator) are also reportedly joining the cast.

"Ready Player One" is based on the book by Ernest Cline. The story focuses on a world struggling with an energy crisis that has destroyed the economy and society. People are attempting to get away from the consequence of year 2044 through OASIS, a virtual reality. After the death of Halliday, he created a special quest inside OASIS, with the winner earning his fortune and business.

"Ready Player One" by Steven Spielberg will launch on Mar. 30, 2018. More updates and details are expected soon.
WWE Latest Rumors, News & Update: Triple Threat Match At Clash of the Champions Happening

"WWE Raw" was all about explanations though the guy who cheated Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Big Cass on behalf of Kevin Owens was not around  Triple H. It was a pretty awkward night which even saw Mick Foley trying to get answers from Raw commissioner Stephanie McMahon. Apparently, the WWE legend was under the impression that Stephanie was aware of her husbands actions, something she vehemently denied (aided by an Oscar-winning performance).

But as they say, the show must go on and Owens got feted. Foley and Stephanie recognized to KO though many knew that something explosive would happen. On cue, Rollins did come out to seek answers on what happened. Rollins eventually punches and kicks Owens after which Stephanie announces an indefinite suspension. Foley intervenes and negates the suspension Rollins, acknowledging that he is too good a talent to the shelf, PW Insider detailed.

Instead, Rollins will face Owens at Clash of the Champions. Before the night was over, a potential Triple Threat match could happen when Roman Reigns emerged. The "Big Dog" came out following Owens win over rival Sami Zayn.

According to Wrestlingnews.co, Owens and Jericho were about to attack Reigns until Rollins came out to even the odds. Unfortunately, Rollins was a recipient of a spear from Reigns.

It doesnt take a genius to figure out that at some point, Rollins and Reigns will eventually team up against Owens and likely Jericho. Reigns will face Owens next week though mayhem is likely to happen once more.

DQ win by Reigns next week

Like it or not, the set match for WWE Clash of the Champions will more than likely turn out to be a Triple Threat match (at the least) when Reigns and Owens face off. Rollins will likely be involved as he looks to pay back the Canadian.

Also, it would not be surprising to see Rollins hit a pedigree on the Big Dog, payback as well for that spear he got on the Sept. 5 edition of Raw. Stay tuned to Game & Guide for more "WWE Raw" news.
'Spider-man Homecoming' Release Date, News & Update: Bokeem Woodbine Plays the Film's New Villain [SPOILER]

Social media is making it increasingly easier to nab information off studios who keep mum on their upcoming releases, and for good reason. The latest news from the fan grapevine is that "Spider-man Homecoming" will feature a villain who has never made it to live action films until this upcoming interpretation of the web-slinging hero.

Independent reports that filming is currently underway for "Spider-man Homecoming" in both Atlanta and New York, and fans have picked up some juicy information on a particular villain who will appear in the highly anticipated film. Thanks to Film Feed and Ross Dillon on Twitter, we now have the unofficial first look at Bokeem Woodbine as the villain Shocker. Check out the pics below.

First look at The Shocker in Spider-Man: Homecoming pic.twitter.com/iUHrB1EHsd  Film Feed (@FiImFeed) September 6, 2016

A better look at Shocker from Spider-Man: Homecoming. pic.twitter.com/esTTsUIXpD  Ross Dillon! (@RossADillon) September 6, 2016

What's interesting to note is that when Woodbine was cast in "Spider-man Homecoming," the studio kept mum on what particular role e will be playing. Now that fans more or less know that he will be the face of Herman Schultz A.K.A. Shocker, it makes more sense that the news about his portrayal was kept under wraps.

According to Yahoo! Movies, Herman Schultz debuted in "The Amazing Spider-Man" back in 1967 and since then has never made it to the big screen. This will be the first time the character is interpreted for film, and it would be exciting to see how the Schultz-Shocket dynamic will unfold. Fans may already be familiar with how he turns evil in the comics, but it would also be interesting to note how Woodbine would play both characters in the big screen.

The 43-year old actor is best known for his role as Mike Milligan in FX's "Fargo," for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award. He's also known for his roles in the 2013 film "Riddick" and 2012's "Total Recall."

"Spider-man Homecoming" is a collaboration between Marvel and Sony and is highly anticipated thanks to Tom Holland's portrayal of the young Peter Parker in this year's "Captain America: Civil War." "Spider-man Homecoming" will arrive in theaters on July 7, 2017.
COLUMBUS  Angela Beltran, a junior at Columbus High School, had been looking forward to an open campus for lunch since her freshman year.

When this year arrived and Columbus Public Schools took away the privilege that allows juniors to leave the school for lunch she was disappointed.

But Beltran said a new lunch program has helped soften the blow.

At least we get a variety, she said. The best part is getting to choose what I want.

Gone are the days of walking through the lunch line and getting a spoonful of what everyone else is having. The reality is not every student wants to eat the same thing.

Columbus Public Schools found a happy medium for students through a new food services contract with South Dakota-based Lunchtime Solutions. The goal is to make healthy eating exciting for students.

CHS serves more than 800 meals a day, a number that is up significantly this year, and not just because juniors are required to stay on campus. Dean of Students Jason Schapmann said hes noticed a lot more kids rushing to the lunch line than in years past.

Chicken and waffles, spicy chicken salad, Italian cheesy bread, buffalo chicken pizza, tacos, grilled food, Schapmann said, listing just a few of the lunch options offered on a single day at a cost of $2.70 a tray for students. Plus, they can come back for free fruits and vegetables every day.

David Dominguez-Lopez, a senior, said he finds himself eating more each day because he gets to choose what goes on his plate.

The new lunch program seems to be catching on with students, who are excited about the variety.

Students have a choice of four different lunch lines  grilled foods, pizza, homestyle or sub sandwiches.

Junior Alex Uhlig said he no longer has to dread a lunchtime menu item.

I think this really helps feed the picky people, said sophomore Katie Anderson.

But Beltran said there is a downside.

I find there isnt enough time to go back up to take advantage of the free seconds, she said.

One time I grabbed a peach on the way out, but that was it, Anderson said in agreement.

This isnt the first time CHS lunches have included a soup and salad bar buffet, but it is the first year students are allowed to go back for seconds on certain items at no extra charge. And there are more options.

But Beltran said the line takes longer to get through this year with all the extra choices, meaning there's less time to eat.

Schapmann said that issue should be resolved when the larger high school opens in early 2017 since more lunch lines will be added.

Needing more time to eat is an issue for Blake Petersen. The CHS junior said by the time he gets to the lunchroom after his last class, he barely has time to assemble his tray, sit down and eat, let alone go back for seconds.

Its just so busy, and Im at the end of the line every day, said Petersen, whose last class before lunch is across the building from the lunchroom.

Uhlig agreed.

Im at the end of the line every day, too, because Im really far away from the lunchroom, said Uhlig, who waits for the line to shorten before stepping up to get a tray.

On Tuesday, the last lunch group started lining up shortly after noon, and most of the students made it through the line within 10 minutes.

The longest lines were for popular items such as pizza and grilled food, which includes hamburgers.

Three groups of about 300 students are ushered through the four lines each day. Kim Becker, an area director with Lunchtime Solutions, said about the same number is served at the middle school, and around 300 lunches are provided at each of the district's five elementary schools.

The lunch staff has been great and very positive, but the transition has been difficult just because this is new to them, Becker said, referring to all the new recipes theyve had to learn in the roughly 90 days shes been training them.

But Becker said its been worth it. She said teaching youths to eat healthy now encourages them to continue the lifestyle when they're older.

From what Ive observed, the kids seem really excited just to have choices, Becker said.
Health officials said the local coronavirus outlook remained stable this week, though they continued to warn against a potential winter surge.
1938  2016

Dottie passed away peacefully on the evening of Sept. 1, 2016, with her family by her side.

She was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1938, the oldest of three children. Dottie graduated from Washington High School in 1955 and married the love of her life and best friend, Charles Chuck Frank. They celebrated 61 years of marriage on Aug. 23. Dottie and Chuck had three children, Charles, Cheryl and Mike. They settled in Corvallis where they have lived since 1973. Dottie is survived by her brother and sister, husband, three children, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

After raising three children, Dottie started her career and quickly excelled as the Northwest District Manager for Welcome Wagon. She then joined Hendersons Business Machines in Corvallis and found her true calling as a sales professional. Again excelling at her career and expanding the Henderson brand, she ultimately became a partner. During her career she always found the time to volunteer at the OSU Folk Club Thrift Shop. Dottie eventually retired to focus the remainder of her life serving others, entertaining and doing what she loved most, being with her family.

A celebration of life is planned for 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, at the First Presbyterian Church in Corvallis, with a reception to follow.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, please send donations to the OSU Folk Club or the First Presbyterian Church of Corvallis.
Sept. 18, 1933  Sept. 4, 2016

Robert Bob Vern Maddux passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 4, in Albany.

He was born Sept. 18, 1933, in Dallas to Delmar and Sara Bartel Maddux. He grew up on the family farm near Pedee, Oregon, and attended Pedee School and Normal School in Monmouth.

Bob married Joy Law on Oct. 31, 1953, in Reno, Nevada. They raised five children in Philomath, moving into their final home on the Alsea Highway in 1960.

After 44 years of marriage, Joy died July 25, 1998. On March 1, 2000, he married Grace Adams in Elko, Nevada. Bob drove log trucks for over 50 years, mostly as an independent owner/operator. With his brothers Paul and Don, he hauled logs all over the state of Oregon, including the logs from the creation of Detroit Reservoir. In 1975, a Gazette-Times reporter chronicled a day in the life of a log truck driver, spending a day riding with him. He was a mainstay at the Philomath Frolic, entering and driving his trucks on and off for over 50 years in the parade. After retiring from driving, he was a contract logger for local family timber farms. Late in life, his hobby was restoring a 1962 Kenworth log truck and driving it to car and truck shows.

Most mornings, he could be found at the local coffee shop with his recognizable yellow Scout pickup parked out front. His beloved granddaughters loved to join him for cocoa at the coffee shop.

In addition to his parents and wife Joy, he was preceded in death by brothers Don and Paul, and sister Alice.

He is survived by his wife, Grace; sisters Mildred Birchell of Monmouth and Judy Houston of Chicago, Illinois; sons Tom of Portland and Don of Philomath; daughters Darlene Rose (Jim) of Portland, Peggy Krause (John) of Corvallis and Ruth Post (Henry) of Philomath; six granddaughters, five great-granddaughters and two great-grandsons.

A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at Mount Union Cemetery, 2987 Mt. Union Ave., Philomath.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to SafeHaven Humane Society or Samaritan Evergreen Hospice in care of McHenry Funeral Home.

Please leave your condolences at www.mchenryfuneralhome.com.
COLUMBUS  Platte County Sheriff Ed Wemhoff took two steps forward and one step back this summer while trying to fill four open deputy positions.

The sheriffs office, which hired two deputy replacements in midsummer before having one decide road patrol wasnt for him, got the OK from the Platte County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to hire a couple more deputies.

Wemhoff said one of the replacement deputies hired in July is now attending the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island. He is expected to graduate in November.

The other deputy hired in July decided to leave the 16-week training academy session after about three weeks, Wemhoff said.

The two deputies yet to be hired will attend the next training session that starts in December and graduate in the spring, the sheriff said.

Deputy candidates who graduate from the training course are certified officers.

Meanwhile, the sheriffs office is down four deputies from the 10 who normally split time patrolling roads 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

One slot has been filled by Ted Pocwierz, former corrections director at the county jail, who is nearing retirement and took over an opening in courthouse security. The other three deputy positions are the recruit currently attending the academy and the two who will be hired in the weeks ahead.

The current patrol deputies are working a lot of overtime while staying flexible and covering for each other, Wemhoff said.

In other business, the seven-member board of supervisors continues to seek a clearer budget blueprint for Platte County Agricultural Society spending. Board members want a sharper picture of ag society expenses and revenues related to the county fair, horse races and other operations.

The board has expressed frustration in recent weeks with the budget report submitted by ag society, calling for a better breakdown on how tax dollars are spent on the fair and maintenance of grounds and buildings.

Supervisors are also asking for a clearer summary of the ag societys revenues from the fair and horse racing.

Tax dollars are earmarked for the fair and facilities and cant go toward horse racing.
Detention Center

The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility Tuesday was 86, with 49 from Platte County and 37 from out of county.

Police

Aug. 23

6:13 a.m.  At 2204 Eighth St., Jennifer Olson, 49, 2204 Eighth St., was cited for intimidation by telephone.

Aug. 25

7:43 a.m.  In the 2600 block of 17th Street, Thomas Skinner, 55, 1362 27th Ave., No. 1, was cited for driving under revocation and leaving the scene of an accident.

Aug. 26

10:16 a.m.  In the 1600 block of 40th Avenue, Marcos Galdamez-Quinonez, 18, 3114 E. 25th St., was cited for driving under suspension, distribution of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Aug. 30

6:13 a.m.  At the intersection of 16th Street and 16th Avenue, Trystan Blebek-Martin, 20, 959 20th Ave., was cited for driving under the influence.

Aug. 31

12:15 p.m.  At the intersection of 33rd Avenue and Lost Creek Parkway, traffic accident. Drivers were Teresa Patrick, 57, Dwight, and Kenneth Preister, 64, Lindsay.

Sept. 1

9:27 a.m.  At the intersection of 23rd Street and 23rd Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Katie Shonka, 19, Bellwood, and Beth French, 57, 1714 Ninth St.

12:41 p.m.  In a parking lot at 3010 23rd St., traffic accident. Drivers were Christina Behrens, 39, Monroe, and Sheryl Roberts, 66, Rising City.

9:14 p.m.  In the 2100 block of 23rd Street, Jorge Bedolla, 27, 858 33rd Ave., G-7, was cited for speeding, 50 mph in a 35 mph zone.

Sept. 2

8:48 a.m.  Theft at 5200 41st St., $150 loss.

Sept. 3

12:26 p.m.  Theft at Family Dollar, 2007 23rd St., cellphone stolen, no loss amount.

11:47 p.m.  Theft at 3015 20th St., tires stolen, no loss amount.

Sept. 5

4:45 p.m.  Theft at Daylight Donuts, 1266 27th Ave., cellphone stolen, no loss amount.

Sheriff

Sept. 2

12:24 p.m.  Wanted person at the Platte County Courthouse, Andrew Wilson jailed on a Platte County warrant.

4:27 p.m.  Wanted person at the Platte County Detention Facility, 1125 E. 17th St., Andrew Reed Forbes turned self in on a Platte County warrant.

Sept. 3

6:30 p.m.  Wanted person at the county jail, Christopher Brown turned self in on two Platte County warrants and one Buffalo County warrant.

Sept.4

3:05 a.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of U.S. Highway 81 and 355th Street, Samuel Ramirez of North Bend cited for speeding.

Sept. 5

10:47 a.m.  East of 250th Avenue on 460th Street, Mark Wemhoff of Humphrey cited for an open container of alcohol.

8:37 p.m.  At the intersection of Highway 81 and 48th Avenue, Mario Valencia-Cruz of Columbus jailed for second-offense driving under the influence.

Fire

Sept. 2

5:59 p.m.  In the 800 block of 26th Avenue, medical.

9:21 p.m.  In the 1600 block of 29th Avenue, medical.

Sept. 3

1:54 p.m.  In the 400 block of 18th Avenue, medical.

2:15 p.m.  Silent fire alarm in the 2800 block of 39th Avenue, illegal burning.

5:54 p.m.  In the 3200 block of Eighth Street, medical.

Sept. 4

12:09 a.m.  In the 1700 block of Woodland Drive, medical.

1:18 a.m.  In the 2900 block of 23rd Street, medical.

2:27 p.m.  In the 700 block of 30th Avenue, medical.

6:43 p.m.  In the 2800 block of 33rd Street, medical.

Sept. 5

7:51 a.m.  In the 4500 block of 38th Street, medical.

11:10 a.m. - In the 2100 block of Eighth Avenue, medical.

12:20 p.m. - In the 1900 block of 22nd Avenue, medical.

5:37 p.m. - In the 1900 block of Ninth Street, medical.

6:48 p.m. - In the 10 block of Lakepoint Drive, medical.

8:47 p.m. - Accident in the 4900 block of Highway 81.

9:03 p.m. - In the 1300 block of Eighth Street, medical.

9:26 p.m. - In the 1700 block of 265th Avenue, medical.

Sept. 6

1:52 a.m. - In the 4000 block of 38th Street, medical.

5:08 a.m. - In the 3900 block of Eighth Street, medical.
As of this writing, Google has not updated historical imagery for almost three months. Up until mid-June they had been updating it almost weekly. As a result, there have been a lot of events over the past few months that we know were captured by DigitalGlobe but we cannot access the imagery in Google Earth. One such event was the deadly earthquake that struck central Italy on August 24th, 2016.

Google has provided an image of the region from one of Terra Bellas SkySat satellites. It can be viewed in Google Earth using this KML file . They SkySat satellites are not as high resolution as most Google Earth satellite imagery, but in this case, some of the affected regions in Italy do not have high resolution satellite imagery  all they have is SPOT imagery, which is lower resolution than the SkySat imagery. Despite the relatively low resolution, we can see some of the effects of the earthquake in the imagery.

Before image: CNES/Spot Image. After image: Google / Terra Bella.

Amatrice, Italy. 1: The location of most of the damaged buildings. 2 & 3: Tents set up after the disaster.

We also saw tents in Grisciano in the Terra Bella image.

Also worth looking at is the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. They gathered satellite imagery of the affected region almost immediately after the earthquake and within a day or two had arranged aerial imagery too. The results can be seen on this page. There are maps of the affected towns, including grading the amount of damage down to building level. For example, you can see the map for Amatrice in this PDF.

Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B are radar satellites that are particularly good at detecting changes in terrain. You can see deformation maps in this article that uses images from before and after the event to detect how much the ground had moved after the earthquake.
Hospitals in Bonn and region : Emergency Rooms: Overloaded and losing money

Bonn Emergency rooms are full in Germany and costing hospitals more than ever. Where should patients go in case of emergency?

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Full corridors, stressed-out staff: Whoever goes to the emergency room at the hospital often has a long wait. Hospitals in Bonn, mirroring hospitals throughout Germany, complain about the high costs of running their emergency rooms and the fact that they are often overcrowded. For an increasing number of patients, the emergency room is their first point of call, regardless of whether a real emergency exists. According to the German Hospital Federation (DKG), of the more than 20 million visits to the emergency room each year, around eleven million are cases in which the patient does not have to be hospitalized. Of these patients, at least one in three could have just as well went to a doctors office.

The financing of emergency care of patients in Germany has long been a point of contention between private physicians and hospitals. Berhard Schoffend, business manager at the Bonn Johanniter Hospital, says physicians can bill much more for an emergency than a hospital. Reasons for this have to due with regulations, as the primary task of hospitals is stationary as opposed to outpatient treatment. Hospitals in the region complain that treating patients in the emergency rooms is actually a negative business for them, costing them money.

Emergency departments are reimbursed by the Kassenartzliche Vereinigung (Physicians Association). For a patient being treated on an outpatient basis, there are about 40 to 60 euros at our disposal. The treatment costs on average 135 euros. The difference must be collected from other areas then, explained Klaus Szesik of the Gemeinshaftskrankenhaus (Community Hospital) Bonn, which includes St. Elisabeth, St. Petrus and St. Johannes. The same result is seen by the German Catholic Hospital Association (KKVD) and they warn that the costs are becoming more difficult for hospitals to cover.

Szesik says the Gemeinschaftkrankenhaus has also seen an increase in outpatients and in his view, a solution might be to separate outpatient treatment from treatment of stationary patients. Schoffend believes there must be a cooperation with general practitioners. In the Bonn Malteser Hospital, such a cooperation already exists and they have their own emergency practice where resident physicians treat outpatients.

Where should a patient go in case of emergency?

Patients who have apparent serious injuries requiring them to be transported on a stretcher should go to the emergency room.

For patients who have broken a foot or wrist or similar, they should seek out an emergency surgeon or orthopedic doctor.

With smaller injuries such as a broken finger or sprained ankle, patients should go to a regular physicians office.

On the weekend, Prof. Reinhard Hoffman of the German Association of Emergency Surgery, says patients should go to the hospital. No one with acute illness or injury will be turned away but patients should plan on a long wait.

Telephone numbers for the Doctors Emergency Call Center, Child and youth emergency clinic at Marien Hospital, emergency pharmacies and other numbers can be found in the Welcome Guide.
Gastronomy and events hall : Little Beethoven Hall gets a lift

Muffendorf Beethoven is Bonns most famous son, and the Kleine Beethovenhalle dating back to 1896 is a hall which has been recently restored and can be rented out for functions.

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In 1896, Mathias Schneider built the Kleine Beethovenhalle (Little Beethoven Hall) in Muffendorf. It is not clear whether or not he intended to model the building based on the Beethoven Hall in Bonn which was destroyed in 1944. Today, it is used for concerts open to the public, weddings and other festivities and is under a historical preservation order. After controversy about who would take over the hall when a city agreement ran out in 2012, it was purchased by the Carl M. Volzgen family and has been recently restored.

Next to the freshly renovated ceremonial hall is the adjoining restaurant which has also undergone a complete renovation, including the kitchen. It serves gut burgerliche Kuche which means customers can expect typical German dishes. A small interior courtyard has room for outdoor seating.

Altogether, three historical timbered-houses were included in the restoration and the main entrance was returned to Muffendorfer Hauptstrae, having been moved in the years to Hopmannstrae. Only artists can use the Hopmannstrae entrance now. Where the old stables once were is now a coat check. The hall is no longer an open air affair and now has an unusual looking roof with new lighting throughout.

For those looking for a special space to rent for their private celebrations, the Kleine Beethovenhalle is available for groups, weddings and the like. It is rented out through the restaurant. (Muffendorfer Hauptstrae 22, Tel. (0228-369 96 170)
LINCOLN  A federal judge on Tuesday shot down Gage County's effort to get a new trial or reduce a jury's $28.1 million verdict awarded to six people who went to prison for the brutal killing of a Beatrice woman that was later tied by DNA to another man.

Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf said his only "semi-surprise" is that the jury didn't award more money.

"It is, to put it bluntly, laughable to suggest that the jury verdict was excessive," he wrote in an order Tuesday afternoon.

In a similar case, he said, New York City agreed to pay $41 million to the Central Park Five.

On July 6, at the end of a four-week trial in Lincoln, a federal jury in Lincoln found Gage County liable for a reckless cold-case investigation led by Sheriff's Deputy Burdette Searcey and involving psychologist and reserve Deputy Wayne Price. The investigation run four years after the rape and murder of Helen Wilson led to the arrests of six people.

Five of them confessed or entered no contest pleas in the case. All six later were cleared by DNA testing on evidence from the 1985 murder scene.

This summer, the federal jury awarded Joseph White, Ada JoAnn Taylor, Thomas Winslow, Kathy Gonzalez, James Dean and Deborah Shelden $28.1 million in damages, giving each $1,000 per day they served in prison.

Together, the six spent 75 years locked up before White got DNA testing that tied Bruce Allen Smith to the crime in 2008.

By then, Smith had died in an Oklahoma prison. Shelden, Dean and Gonzalez had completed their sentences in the Wilson case, but White, Winslow and Taylor still were behind bars.

The six sued Gage County, the sheriff and deputies, calling the cold-case investigation so reckless it violated their civil rights.

During the federal trial, attorneys for the six said Searcey relied on statements that contradicted crime scene evidence to get a judge to sign off on arrests, then used the threat of the death penalty to pressure them into giving statements implicating others; and, after talking with Price, two of the six came to believe they had suppressed memories, which could come back in dreams.

After the verdict, Melanie Whittamore-Mantzios, an attorney for Gage County, filed motions arguing that Kopf should disregard it and find in the county's favor or grant a new trial, citing alleged misconduct by an attorney for the six and by the judge.

She also argued the damages were excessive and that the county at minimum was entitled to a $1,095,000 reduction of the verdict because it included time Winslow served in prison on an unrelated assault.

Kopf denied the motion Tuesday, saying there was no basis to reduce the award. He said the jury could have believed, as Winslow testified, that his life "became an absolute living hell" after publicity in the case that involved the rape of an elderly woman.

"My only semi-surprise is that Winslow was not awarded more money by the jury," the judge wrote.

As for the alleged misconduct, Kopf said the defense never raised objections to comments he made off-the-record out of the presence of the jury or to Maren Chaloupka putting the word "Innocent" on a screen during closing arguments or asking supporters to stand.

Kopf said attorneys for Gage County could have made a motion for mistrial or asked that an instruction be given to the jury. They did not, he said.

He said the defendants may not like prior rulings by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, which reversed previous rulings made by him and ultimately sent the case to a jury trial.

"But the Court of Appeals has made it abundantly clear that the evidence was plainly sufficient to go to the jury against all defendants on all claims. After hearing the evidence in the second trial, that is also my conclusion," Kopf said.

In a separate order, Kopf granted attorney fees and expenses of $1,721,520, shaving $151,346 off the request.

The county is likely to appeal, although Whittamore-Mantzios didn't return a request for comment.

Gage County Chairman Myron Dorn said the board of supervisors planned to meet with its team of private-practice attorneys on Sept. 28, but said he believed the board will move that meeting up to next week.

County Attorney Roger Harris was not available Tuesday for comment.
Article

Protecting the worlds oceans  an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy

The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs.
Nigerians Seriously Blast NAN Boss For Saying Hardship in Nigeria is Mere Propaganda

clarajancita at 7-09-2016 11:12 AM (6 years ago) (f)

Nigerians have come out in their numbers to brutally blast the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Bayo Onanuga for saying that Nigerians are not experiencing any hardship.

Nigerians who are bitterly experiencing hardship as a result of the economic recession which has caused the prices of goods and services to triple have come out in their numbers to blast the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Bayo Onanuga for his insensitive and utterly irrational comment accusing the Nigerian media of embellishing reports about the countrys economic crisis that has left families struggling to survive.

Nigerians have come out in their numbers to brutally blast the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Bayo Onanuga for saying that Nigerians are not experiencing any hardship.Nigerians who are bitterly experiencing hardship as a result of the economic recession which has caused the prices of goods and services to triple have come out in their numbers to blast the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Bayo Onanuga for his insensitive and utterly irrational comment accusing the Nigerian media of embellishing reports about the countrys economic crisis that has left families struggling to survive.

Mr. Onanuga accused the media of over-sensationalization, and said reports about hardship appeared to be a mere propaganda, inflamed by those who lost the 2015 election.

In a Facebook post Tuesday, Mr. Onanuga said his findings showed that the cost of food items had not gone up, contrary to reports in the media.



Mr. Onanuga accused the media of over-sensationalization, and said reports about hardship appeared to be a mere propaganda, inflamed by those who lost the 2015 election.In a Facebook post Tuesday, Mr. Onanuga said his findings showed that the cost of food items had not gone up, contrary to reports in the media. Quote I was in Bauchi and Jos at the weekend, I also found that food was cheap everywhere, s aid Mr. Onanuga, who appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari last May.

But, that seems to be a huge lie as many Nigerians in their numbers responded to the claim as they reported that the hunger in the land is real.

See how they reacted below:











aid Mr. Onanuga, who appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari last May.But, that seems to be a huge lie as many Nigerians in their numbers responded to the claim as they reported that the hunger in the land is real.See how they reacted below:

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 7-09-2016 11:12 AM (6 years ago) | Hero

CHRISETTE at 7-09-2016 11:25 AM (6 years ago)

(f) See this foolish man I don't blame him at all Posted: at 7-09-2016 11:25 AM (6 years ago) | Hero See this foolish man I don't blame him at all Reply

vicklove at 7-09-2016 11:25 AM (6 years ago)

(f) yeye man when people are dying of hunger Posted: at 7-09-2016 11:25 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac yeye man when people are dying of hunger Reply

Mynameis1 at 7-09-2016 11:35 AM (6 years ago)

(m) The man never see poverty for him life before...I don't blame him.. Posted: at 7-09-2016 11:35 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac The man never see poverty for him life before...I don't blame him.. Reply

EDDYPRINCE at 7-09-2016 11:54 AM (6 years ago)

(m) see this idiot oh,,, i nor blame ham Posted: at 7-09-2016 11:54 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero see this idiot oh,,, i nor blame ham Reply

kison at 7-09-2016 12:00 PM (6 years ago)

(m) A WISE MAN SPEAKS BECAUSE HE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY, A FOOL SPEAKS BECAUSE HE HAS TO SAY SOMETHING, WELL A WISE MAN ONCE SAID NOTHINGDR KISON.. Posted: at 7-09-2016 12:00 PM (6 years ago) | Hero A WISE MAN SPEAKS BECAUSE HE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY, A FOOL SPEAKS BECAUSE HE HAS TO SAY SOMETHING, WELL A WISE MAN ONCE SAID NOTHINGDR KISON.. Reply

emytex74 at 7-09-2016 12:19 PM (6 years ago)

(m) see as e be y e no go talk like wey e be say na dem dem anu mpama Posted: at 7-09-2016 12:19 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac see as e be y e no go talk like wey e be say na dem dem anu mpama Reply

emytex74 at 7-09-2016 12:20 PM (6 years ago)

(m) see as e be y e no go talk like dat wey e be say na dem dem anu mpama Posted: at 7-09-2016 12:20 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac see as e be y e no go talk like dat wey e be say na dem dem anu mpama Reply

CHRISETTE at 7-09-2016 12:39 PM (6 years ago)

(f) Nemesis will soon catch up with him Posted: at 7-09-2016 12:39 PM (6 years ago) | Hero Nemesis will soon catch up with him Reply

okatee at 7-09-2016 12:50 PM (6 years ago)

(m) FOOLISH MAN, NO FORGET SAY DIX LIFE NA CIRCLE OOO Posted: at 7-09-2016 12:50 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac FOOLISH MAN, NO FORGET SAY DIX LIFE NA CIRCLE OOO Reply

freethinker at 7-09-2016 01:00 PM (6 years ago)

(m) WHAT DO U EXPECT FROM FOOLISH YORUBA MAN?

A FOOL IS A FOOL Posted: at 7-09-2016 01:00 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac WHAT DO U EXPECT FROM FOOLISH YORUBA MAN?A FOOL IS A FOOL Reply

gogoman at 7-09-2016 01:50 PM (6 years ago)

(m) NO BE HIM FAULT Posted: at 7-09-2016 01:50 PM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero NO BE HIM FAULT Reply

sandler at 7-09-2016 01:57 PM (6 years ago)

(m) WASTED GENERATION Posted: at 7-09-2016 01:57 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac WASTED GENERATION Reply

danielsony at 7-09-2016 02:02 PM (6 years ago)

(m) Mr follow follow, zombies you talk as of you are being paid to talk, you forget sey people dey vex ,,dey live the life of suffering and smiling. Posted: at 7-09-2016 02:02 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Mr follow follow, zombies you talk as of you are being paid to talk, you forget sey people dey vex ,,dey live the life of suffering and smiling. Reply

morgan1 at 7-09-2016 02:11 PM (6 years ago)

(m) LEAVE AM,,,,,E DON COLLECT CHANGE!!! Posted: at 7-09-2016 02:11 PM (6 years ago) | Hero LEAVE AM,,,,,E DON COLLECT CHANGE!!! Reply

winace at 7-09-2016 03:20 PM (6 years ago)

(f) He is a stupid man Posted: at 7-09-2016 03:20 PM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero He is a stupid man Reply

AmazingMarie at 7-09-2016 03:46 PM (6 years ago)

(f) the man is obviously a liar. or better still he does not go to the market government provides almost everything for him. Posted: at 7-09-2016 03:46 PM (6 years ago) | Hero the man is obviously a liar. or better still he does not go to the market government provides almost everything for him. Reply

osarobo62 at 7-09-2016 04:00 PM (6 years ago)

(m) another idiot parading as a leader in Nigeria. Posted: at 7-09-2016 04:00 PM (6 years ago) | Hero another idiot parading as a leader in Nigeria. Reply

Otikadinje at 7-09-2016 04:22 PM (6 years ago)

(m) Big fool when people are dying of hunger, idiot. Oscardeejay Posted: at 7-09-2016 04:22 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Big fool when people are dying of hunger, idiot. Reply
Meizu Pro 7 to Come with Major Design Overhaul: All You Need to Know News oi -Vigneshwar

This year alone, the Chinese handset maker Meizu has launched an array of devices in the market. Now, the company is reportedly working on its next smartphone purportedly called as Meizu Pro 7.

No Antenna bands!

As per the leaked reports, the Pro 7 will go through major design overhaul, especially on the rear. This news has been spotted on the Chinese social networking site Weibo while testing the Meizu Pro 7. One of the main change in this device is the removal of prominent Antenna bands on the rear, which was seen in almost all the Meizu devices.

Samsung's Exynos 8890 chipset this time!

Carrying the previous leaks, the so-called Meizu Pro 7 is expected to come equipped with Samsung's Exynos 8890 SoC along with 4GB RAM and 32GB inbuilt memory.

SEE ALSO: Apple in Talks With Foxconn to Manufacture iPhones in India: Here's everything you need to know

Curved Edge display with Dual Camera setup!

The so-called Meizu Pro 7 is expected to carry curved edge display with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. Moreover, the previous Pro 7 renders also hint at dual camera setup on the rear revealing a large primary camera setup along with secondary camera just underneath it.

Pro 7 to come with 2K display?

If the information circulating on the Internet turns out to be true, the Pro 7 smartphone will come with a 2K display as well. Meanwhile, there is no information about the battery, availability, and pricing as well. We are expecting more information in the upcoming days.

SEE ALSO: How to Stop Getting Reliance Jio 4G Tele-verification SMS after SIM Card Activation

On the other hand, Meizu has launched the M3 Max smartphone recently with double CNC highlighting and nano-injection molding. On the specs front, this smartphone has a 6-inch display, 3GB RAM, 64GB ROM, 13MP/5MP camera package and 4100mAh battery under the hood.

Click Here for New Smartphones Best Online Deals

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications
Royal Society Research Professorship for University physicist

Professor Stephen Barnett of the University of Glasgows School of Physics and Astronomy has been awarded a prestigious Royal Society Research Professorship.



Research Professorships provide long-term support for internationally recognised scientists of exceptional accomplishments from a range of diverse areas including biochemistry, genetics, chemistry, developmental biology and physics.



The Fellowships, which run for up to 10 years, provide scientists with long-term support to allow them to focus on research and collaboration based at an institution in the UK. The scheme provides salary costs, a one-off start-up grant and research expenses.



Professor Barnett is one of just six researchers to receive a Research Professorship in the Royal Societys latest round of announcements. He joined the University in 2013 after 22 years at the University of Strathclyde, and his wide-ranging and research interests include quantum optics, electrodynamics and chiral chemistry.



He plans to use the Research Professorship to expand his research in quantum optics with chiral molecules, which could lead to important advances for medical research and drug discovery. He will also work to push the limits of optical metrology to improve the effectiveness of super-sensitive detectors such as those which measure gravitational waves, and facilitate the construction of intricate nanoscale structures.



Professor Barnett, the Universitys Cargill Chair of Natural Philosophy, said: Im very pleased and proud to be named as a Royal Society Research Professor, which I believe is the most prestigious award of its kind in the UK.



This award will allow me to spend the next decade concentrating solely on research in some of the most exciting areas of physics, and Im very much looking forward to getting started.



Just as importantly, though, the fact that my salary costs will be covered by the award will allow the University to appoint a promising researcher and expand even further the School of Physics and Astronomys knowledge base.



John Skehel, Vice President of the Royal Society, said: The scientists awarded the 2016 Research Professorships are amongst the worlds most distinguished. All six have already made outstanding contributions to science and society and we hope that the professorships will support their current projects, as well as opening up new opportunities to enable them to continue their exceptional work.





Media enquiries: ross.barker@glasgow.ac.uk / 0141 330 8593
Surface Force Commander Orders Engineering Stand Down, Retraining for LCS Engineering Depts

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160905-02

Release Date: 9/5/2016 7:19:00 PM

From Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Following the recent engineering casualty on the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1), Commander, Naval Surface Forces, Vice Adm. Tom Rowden, ordered an engineering stand down for every LCS crew to review procedures and standards for their engineering departments.

"Due to the ongoing challenges with littoral combat ships, I ordered an engineering stand down for LCS Squadrons and the crews that fall under their command," said Rowden. The stand downs have all been completed as of Aug. 31.

"These stands down allowed for time to review, evaluate, and renew our commitment to ensuring our crews are fully prepared to operate these ships safely," said Rowden.

Additionally, Rowden directed the retraining of each LCS Sailor involved in engineering on board their ship. "I have asked the Surface Warfare Office School (SWOS) commander to review the wholeness of our LCS engineering education and training to include the testing and retraining of all LCS engineers," said Rowden.

"This training will occur over the next 30 days and will allow the SWOS leadership to review our training program and determine if other changes need to be made to the training pipeline" Rowden continued.

The required engineering training will be conducted by the SWOS' engineering team, who will develop both a level-of-knowledge test and specialized training that will be deployed in the next 30 days to the LCS engineering force. The commanding officer of SWOS is also conducting a comprehensive LCS engineering review, which will likely take 30-60 days. From there, more adjustments may be made to the engineering training pipeline.

While determining the process for retraining and certifying the engineering departments, USS Coronado (LCS 4) experienced a casualty to one its flexible couplings assemblies on Aug. 29.

As Coronado returned to Pearl Harbor Sunday afternoon, Sept. 4, Rowden sent a small group of maintenance experts to meet the ship to take a holistic look at the engineering program on board. A preliminary investigation will provide an initial assessment and procedural review of the situation, and any shortfalls will be addressed quickly to get the ship fixed and back on deployment.

"I am fully committed to ensuring that our ships and the Sailors who man them have the proper tools and training they need to safely and effectively operate these ships," said Rowden.

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Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

Sept. 6, 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

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted seven strikes in Syria:

-- Near Raqqah, two strikes destroyed two ISIL oil pumpjacks, an oil tank and a headquarters building.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed 13 ISIL oil tanker trucks and a tractor trailer.

-- Near Manbij, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber, fighter, and attack aircraft conducted seven strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Beiji, a strike destroyed an ISIL rocket rail and a cave entrance.

-- Near Kisik, a strike destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, two tunnel entrances, an observation post and a rocket firing position.

-- Near Mosul, four strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units and destroyed an assembly area, a fighting position, a vehicle and a headquarters building.

-- Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed a rocket system.

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 it poses to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits ISIL'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 Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

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Dunford Discusses North Korea, ISIL, Regional Challenges at Manila Forum

By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity

MANILA, Philippines , Sept. 6, 2016  Addressing military leaders from 29 Pacific nations, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today voiced concern over North Korea's recent missile activity and highlighted progress against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

In an opening statement today at the 2016 Chiefs of Defense conference, Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford noted "particularly troubling" actions from North Korea, including its continued development of capabilities in nuclear and ballistic missiles and cyber.

He described North Korea's firing of three ballistic missiles Sept. 5 as an "outrageous display" as G-20 leaders met in China.

"In the context of North Korea's erratic behavior and their capability development, I think we see trends that are not only a challenge to regional security, but in fact challenge global security as well," Dunford said.

Other challenges for the region, he said, include territorial disputes. The United States, he explained, has consistently called for a peaceful resolution to the disputes in accordance with international law.

'Encouraging Success' Against ISIL

The general told the forum that over the past year the coalition has had "encouraging success" in the fight against the core of ISIL in Iraq, Syria and Libya. Those successes include reducing the territory held by the terrorists, going after their resources, attacking their leadership and undermining their narrative.

"By no means are we complacent," he said, adding there are significant political challenges that need to be addressed in the region.

"But the coalition, including many nations represented in this room, remains steady making measurable progress," Dunford said. "I think it's fair to say that we've got a great deal of momentum built up in the recent months."

Enduring Commitment, Rebalance to the Pacific

The United States has adopted a more "geographically distributed posture to support expanded engagement and also to enhance our responsiveness," Dunford said.

He lauded the strong ties between the United States and its Asia-Pacific partners.

"While the trajectory we're developing in interoperability and increased cooperation is encouraging, we obviously have challenges in the region as well," Dunford said.

As a Pacific nation, the United States will remain focused on the region, he pledged.

"Our historical roots reflect in the alliance and security agreements we maintain," the chairman said. "I want to make it clear that we remain committed and fully prepared to meet our alliance responsibilities here in the region."

Dunford expressed his condolences to the host nation, which suffered a terror attack Sept. 2 in the southern Philippine town of Davao. Fourteen people were killed in the nighttime bomb attack in a busy marketplace.

"The families of those who were killed or injured are in our thoughts and prayers," Dunford said to the commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Gen. Ricardo Visaya.

"We've all witnessed the dangers posed by violent extremism," Dunford told the conference. "I'm confident that we all share the resolve and determination to fight against it."

Dunford met privately with Visaya Sept. 5, according to Dunford's spokesman Navy Capt. Greg Hicks.

In those talks, the two leaders discussed regional security issues, including the fight against violent extremism. The Philippine government has been battling a violent insurgency in the south for years.

In addition, Dunford reinforced the U.S. commitment to the Philippines and highlighted the nations' strong military relations, Hicks said.

Strengthening Military Ties

The conference here in the Philippine capital is aimed at further boosting military-to-military ties and promoting multilateral cooperation in the Indo-Asia-Pacific, according to a U.S. Pacific Command official.

The Sept. 5-7 event is hosted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. Pacific Command, with the theme, "Forging Cooperative Ties Amid Challenges to Secure Our Common Future."

The commander of U.S. Pacific Command, Navy Adm. Harry Harris Jr., said the annual conference provides a unique forum to address regional challenges and prospects.

"The conference is also an opportunity to develop a shared understanding of the region, which will help us continue to work together as contributors to the security environment," he said.

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Obama, South Korean President Reaffirm U.S.-South Korea Alliance

From a White House News Release

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2016  While attending a regional summit meeting today in Vientiane, Laos, President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye reaffirmed their countries' long-standing alliance and condemned North Korea's nuclear program and missile launches, according to a White House news release.

Obama is attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit meeting hosted by Laos as part of his Asian trip, which included a prior stop in China to attend the G-20 summit.

In Laos today after a bilateral meeting with South Korea, Obama said it was a pleasure to meet with Park and her delegation. South Korea, he added, is one of America's oldest and closest allies. That alliance, he said, remains the linchpin "of peace and security, not just on the Korean Peninsula, but across the region."

North Korea continues its threatening and provocative behavior in the Asia-Pacific region through its missile launches, Obama said. The United States, he said, is deploying a missile defense system -- the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system -- to its ally South Korea to deter North Korea.

Strengthening Alliance

Obama added: "In recent years, we've worked together to strengthen our alliance, and to ensure our readiness against any threat. For instance, our missile defense cooperation -- THAAD -- is a purely defensive system to deter and defend against North Korean threats. And today, I want to reaffirm that our commitment to the defense and security of South Korea, including extended deterrence, is unwavering."

The United States and South Korea "are united in condemning North Korea's continued missile launches, including this week while China was hosting the G20," Obama said. "These launches are provocative. They're a violation of North Korea's obligations internationally."

North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, Obama said, are a threat to not only South Korea, but also to Japan and other U.S. allies and partners in the region, and a threat to the United States.

"So we are going to work diligently together with the most recent U.N. sanctions that are already placing North Korea under the most intense sanctions regime ever," Obama said. "We're going to work together to make sure that we're closing loopholes and making them even more effective. And President Park and I agreed that the entire international community needs to implement these sanctions fully and hold North Korea accountable."

'Provocations Will Only Invite More Pressure'

North Korea needs to know "that provocations will only invite more pressure and further deepen its isolation," Obama said, "but that if it is willing to recognize its international obligations and the importance of denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula, the opportunities for us to dialogue with them are there."

Obama said the U.S.-South Korean alliance is global as well as regional, noting the U.S. and South Korea "stand together" against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

The U.S. and South Korea both provide humanitarian assistance for the Syrian people and for refugees, Obama said.

South Korea has been "an excellent partner" in helping Afghanistan to stabilize, Obama said.

And, South Korea "has been an outstanding partner on global health and security issues," he added.

'Stalwart Ally, Friend

Park "has been a stalwart ally and friend on a whole range of issues," Obama said. "And her steady and wise leadership, I think, has greatly contributed to the strengthening of what was already one of our most important alliances. So I want to thank her personally for the excellent contributions she's made to advancing all the various issues that we've been working on. And I want to thank her team as well that worked very hard behind the scenes to make that happen."

Park said the U.S.-South Korea alliance "is playing a pivotal role for the peace and stability of not only the Korean Peninsula, but the entire region."

North Korea's nuclear test earlier this year and its continued launching of missiles "are fundamentally threatening the security of both the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia," Park said.

South Korea and the U.S. "will respond resolutely to any provocations by North Korea by utilizing all means," she added.

Park said she expressed her gratitude to Obama for clearly expressing the unwavering commitment of the U.S. for South Korea's defense. Park said she and Obama "have agreed to maintain a strong deterrence posture by enhancing our combined defense capabilities to include the deployment of the THAAD system."

The United States and South Korea have agreed to implement U.N. Security Council resolutions against North Korea, and further strengthen efforts to seal loopholes, Park said.

"Taking into consideration the importance of China's role in effective implementation of sanctions and the resolution process of the North Korean nuclear issue, our two countries have agreed to continue to communicate with China through various channels," she said.

Park said she and Obama also "have agreed to not only expand cooperation in new frontiers such as global health, climate change and space, but also expand our roles in areas such as refugees, peacekeeping operations and development cooperation."

"I find it meaningful that through our discussions today, I was able to confirm yet once again that the foundations of our bilateral relationship are rock-solid," Park said.

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1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Transcript

Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter September 06, 2016

Media Availability with Secretary Carter enroute to London, England

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ASH CARTER: Okay, well, first of all, thanks for coming.

Just to go through the steps in the trip one by one. I go up to Oxford tomorrow where I'll be giving a speech on the future of the U.S.-U.K. security relationship and all that we do together and will continue to do to defend and preserve a principled world order.

And I'll do that at Oxford where, as it happens, I was a student and therefore a long-time appreciator of the special relationship, that now is an important time I think to speak to that. I'll be talking about some of the challenges, specific, immediate challenges we face, to include countering ISIL and dealing with Russian aggression -- aggressive behavior in Europe and elsewhere.

Then I'll be meeting with my counterpart, Secretary Fallon, a good friend, a person I've known for a long time now, and a real partner in much that we do, from Europe to Afghanistan to counter ISIL, to the Asia Pacific and everywhere else. And he is hosting the first-ever U.S. peacekeeping ministerial.

What did I say? I'm sorry -- U.N. peacekeeping ministerial in London. So I'm pleased to join that. I understand the prime minister will be dropping by. This is important because this is something that President Obama hosted in New York a year ago, and as you probably all know, the demand for peace operations is growing around the world.

The United States is already the largest contributor to those operations, but last year the president made some additional commitments on behalf of the United States, some of which are the Department of Defense's to carry out. And I want to report first of all on how we're carrying out the president's pledges from last year.

But secondly, I brought some new things in addition to that. So there are two pieces of news. And then we'll talk also about how to improve and reform U.N. peace operations.

While I'm in London, I'll have an additional sequence of bilateral meetings with three very important counterparts from Turkey, Ukraine, and also Israel. And I have a lot to discuss with each and every one of those also.

With that, I will go off with another good friend and colleague, the defense minister of Norway, an exceedingly close ally. And we will go both to a facility -- a base, a Norwegian base up on the Arctic Circle, which is important to both of us, and I'll learn some more about our cooperation and about the Norwegian military and the direction that Defense Minister Soreide is taking the Norwegian military for the future in a very impressive way.

And then she and I will fly own to Oslo where we'll do a press conference there. That's a very important relationship if you haven't tuned into it, a great, great closeness and also great value to the United States and I believe also to Norway. So that's this trip.

And with that, may I take your questions.

Q: I think this is right -- Mr. Secretary, you're mentioning your meeting -- I guess it's Thursday -- with the Turkish minister.

SEC. CARTER: The Turkish defense minister.

Q: Yeah, sorry. Anyway --

SEC. CARTER: Yes, that'll be Thursday.

Q: In this post-attempted coup era that was -- you know, created a lot of uncertainty about the relationship and things -- events that have taken place since then in Syria, what do you need to get from the Turks that will set the relationship in a better footing?

SEC. CARTER: Well, we've pretty much returned to the level of cooperation. There were some temporary disruptions in the things that we were doing, which were very understandable, in the wake of, after all, was a coup in which some of their military leaders had participated in. Until their government could sort that out, we understood that there would be some of those interruptions.

But they're restored now, and so I think our conversations are -- with Minister Isik by the way, whom I've -- I also have known and it plays a very important role in today's Turkish military. Importantly, and this is one thing we'll be talking about, because he and his leadership and President Erdogan are fundamentally reforming or transforming the command and control of the Turkish to emphasize civilian control, including Minister Isik assuming new responsibilities. And we may talk about some of that as well because that's obviously an important principle in the United States, the way we manage our military.

But more operationally, we'll be talking about our counter-ISIL cooperation, in which the Turks continue to do a great deal and are actually doing more with us in recent weeks, and we welcome that. They -- they're an important NATO ally and long-standing partner, but they happen to have the geography of being immediately adjacent to both Syria and Iraq, which puts great difficulties upon them but also gives them great opportunities to help the fight against ISIL, and they're taking those opportunities.

And of course, we're going to talk about that as well, so you're right. A lot to talk about with Minister Isik -- (Inaudible).

Q: (Inaudible) -- their ground forces are still on the -- in Syria, right? Do you have concerns about the future clashes again with Kurdish forces -- Syrian Kurds?

SEC. CARTER: We've -- we've talked to all the parties and -- and the -- what we're -- we worked out with them is that they're both trying to combat ISIL and that's in our -- the American interest as well. We want to work with both of them. We know they have their difficulties with one another, but countering ISIL we think need to come first for all of us.

And so we're working with them to make sure that they can each do what they are trying to do without coming into a collision one with the other. So we've been doing that and we'll continue to do that.

And for the Syrian defense forces, which participated in the operation in Manbij, the successful one, that principally means that the Kurdish element of that force will be withdrawing east of the Euphrates. And I think that will alleviate some Turkish concern there and help the SDF to prepare for what comes next, which is Raqqah, and the Turks for their part to stay -- to keep their forces associated with themselves north of the Sager River.

And therefore, there will be a physical separation which I think will be reassuring to both sides. So we want to reinforce that and the need, which I think we all three of us share, to combat ISIL together. But I'm sure I'll be discussing that with Minister Isik.

Q: Thank you.

STAFF: (off mic.)

Q: Thanks, Mr. Secretary. Just very quickly following up on that, do you see any room for the new conversations about the creation of a buffer zone along that border with -- between Turkey and Syria on the Syrian side of that border?

And I had a question on the Philippines.

SEC. CARTER: Okay. Well, the -- the Turks are working and we are working with them on both side of the -- sides of their border to decrease the passage of foreign fighters, the facilitation and supply of ISIL and in all respects to get control over that critical border area. That's one of the last areas east, west -- east, west of the Turkish border with these conflicts. It hasn't been secured and it's one for which ISIL has greatly benefited.

And so on both sides of the border there, we've been working with the Turks to help them secure that area of the border. And with respect to the Philippines?

Q: And so no contemplation really beyond that, along lines of a no-fly zone or buffer forward buffer zone that's a bit thicker?

SEC. CARTER: We are working with -- again, on both sides of the border -- but to create a -- to disrupt the flow of foreign fighters and secure the population and territory there.

Q: OK, and on the Philippines, you know obviously there was a lot of attention given to the Filipino president's comments, and the fact that President Obama had to cancel a meeting with him.

I'm wondering, to what extent -- people who look at the defense relationship should be concerned that -- you know, the behavior that was seen as implosive or perhaps ill-though out could also bleed over into the security sphere, which is a very sensitive one given all the attention to the South China Sea?

SEC. CARTER: We haven't seen that.

And our defense relationship with the Philippines is a long standing one. It's in the -- it's an equal one, it's balanced and favors the security interests of both sides. And it's something that we are constantly talking about.

But at this time, we are continuing to carry on our cooperation under EDCA. And I'm almost certain that my counterpart, Minister Lorenzana, the new defense minister will be at this meeting. I believe so. I'm certain if he doesn't -- I'm sure if he's not able to make it, I'm sure he has other commitments. And it's a long way to come.

But I did talk to him when he first named -- about our defense relationship. He's someone known to us and known to -- and very knowledgeable about all the things that we do together. So it's a mutual relationship. It's an exceedingly strong relationship over time.

It's one that's continuing to evolve and I look forward to working with him on that, and seeing him whenever I see him next, which if not this week, it will be in a few weeks time in Hawaii.

STAFF: Next, we've got (Inaudible).

Q: Thanks.

I understand that you are saying that things with Turkey are starting to even out post-coup? But I'm curious as you go into this bilateral with your Turkish counterpart, what is the biggest concern about the trajectory of the relationship that you're bringing to this?

And then I would like to ask you about Brexit.

SEC. CARTER: What...

QUESTION: Brexit.

SEC. CARTER: Brexit, OK.

Well, I think what's on both -- I believe in the mind of my Turkish counterpart, Minister Isik and myself is defeating ISIL in Syria. So that's a concern that we share. And I think what we are going to be doing is talking -- as I was saying -- about how we can achieve that objective together -- recognizing all the complications of everything that happens in Syria. So I think that's the topic I'd single out.

Now, you know, when I talk to him, we talk about everything; all of NATO's business, we talk about refugees, and other matters than the counter-ISIL campaign. But I think that will be the principle concern to the two of us.

And with respect to Brexit, I made my views known about Brexit before it occurred. I -- for our strategic relationship and really for Britain's role in the world -- thought it would be better not to introduce this uncertainty. But that's not a decision for me to make or for us to make, that's a decision that the British to make -- and that's not the decision they made, that's fine.

And I'm certain that Britain will continue to do what it's done for so long, which is to play an outsized role, both physically and morally on the world stage that very few countries, precious few countries do and the United States really, really values and I think that will continue a pace and I'll be talking to Minister Fallon on all the things that we're doing together to cooperate in that area from Europe, to the Middle East, to Asia.

Q: Is there something specific, though, that Brexit makes harder about the military relationship? I mean, ever since you guys all, and President Obama, and you as well, expressed concerns before this happened and then once it happened, all we've heard about is how a special relationship is going to go on.

What specific things are now going to be more different, more difficult?

SEC. CARTER: Well, I think what will be more different is not our (inaudible) bilateral relationship, but by definition, the relationship between the U.K. and Europe and making sure that those - there are no consequences of that that are not in the interests of Europe, the United Kingdom or the United States.

For example, we need to keep up the solidarity on sanction (Inaudible) process. We need to make sure that in this vital security area, that there is complimentarily and not competition between what the E.U. is doing and NATO are doing.

So these are all the things we're on the - on guard for. I don't think any of them is inevitable. They're just things all the leaders will have to work to make sure - continue even after the British exit from - from (Inaudible).

So that's where I would say - that the bulk of the effort would go.

MODERATOR: (Inaudible) try to get in one or two more within the realm of safety (Inaudible).

Q: Mr. Secretary, Tony Bertuca, Inside Defense. Congress comes back to Washington today to do its job. We're headed in the opposite direction, but they come back, a CR is just about a lock, there's a lot of continued pressure on the department. You've talked before that what's on the table is - is unacceptable.

Can you tell us what now -- it looks like a CR is going to happen. What steps does the department have to take to minimize chaos?

SEC. CARTER: Well, you know, unfortunately, it does look like we're going to end the fiscal year for the eighth consecutive time in a row without an appropriation for defense and as secretary of defense, I can only - say in as heartfelt way as I must - and can in how much this budget uncertainty creates concern in the minds of our troops about their futures in the - in our industry about the stability of programs that we do together around the world in what we're doing and -- so what I have been urging is that Congress stick with the bipartisan budget agreement. That is the basis upon which we submitted the defense budget. The bipartisan budget agreement in the last year.

And so I'm hoping that in the end, the - that will continue, that bipartisanship, which is the only way anything ever gets done and can be done in our system, that some version of that will lead to a defense appropriations quickly into the next fiscal year as possible, so to - as to avert all that instability.

And I also want to say in that regards is s there was an article (Inaudible) in the Department of Defense -- and I - there are a lot of memos, I can't comment on a specific memo, but I do want to say that, you know, I have - with an excellent relationship with my colleagues on the Hill, this is a - a relationship of great respect for people who also care very deeply about our security and our military, where I have differences in - with them in the matter of this budget. That's no secret. I make no secret of that.

I am - have been urging them not to depart from, and some of the legislation has departed from that bipartisan budget agreement, and there's nothing partisan about that. I  I'm for the bipartisan budget agreement.

And I'm also strongly urging adoption of things that have -- that very few people in either party is in favor of but that are good for our troops, like closing bases.

I have to be in favor of those things as secretary of defense because they're necessary to have -- continuing to have the greatest military in the world and delivering what the taxpayer deserves from the taxpayers dollar and I'm very upfront about those things. And I realize -- I know -- I've read the Constitution. They will make the final decisions, but the only thing I can do is try to argue as respectfully but as strongly as I can for what I think is good for our department and our military.

I've always had a good hearing up there, people have always listened. I respect that. I've shown up every time I've been invited for a hearing. I think it's very important. I try to communicate. But I don't hold back either when we have disagreements.

If we're going to have disagreements, we try to do that respectfully. They will have the last word, and that I understand, but I hope that I'll continue to be heard and that they'll be going back in the direction of the bipartisan budget agreement.

STAFF: (off mic.)

Q: Right now? Hi, sir.

SEC. CARTER: Excuse my ignorance. What's the "N" hat?

Q: Navy.

(Laughter.)

SEC. CARTER: That's more than ignorance, that's like shameful -- (Inaudible) -- Navy hats.

Q: If the -- if the Air Force can't get competition or get two companies to bid for its next launch competition, are you okay with the Air Force flying DOD satellites on an (inaudible) rocket?

SEC. CARTER: Well, I think we probably can get competitive bids in the next -- that's been our objective for quite a while. Under Secretary Kendall and Secretary of the Air Force Deb James are working in that direction. I have every reason to believe that they'll get to where they have been aiming to get. So that's a hypothetical question that I don't think we'll ever answer.

Q: But what if they don't? What if they only have one company for the next couple ones?

SEC. CARTER: They're working in that direction and I have every reason to believe that -- that -- they think they'll get there and they usually deliver.

Q: Thanks.

STAFF: (off mic.)

Q: I'll be quick.

STAFF: Last one.

(Laughter.)

SEC. CARTER: You stand between life and death.

Q: Quick follow-up on Brexit and Ukraine. One question is do you -- do you feel that the U.K. not being in the E.U. -- that the U.K. was playing an outsized role in keeping up the pressure on Russia and keeping sanctions? So with the U.K. not playing a role in those future E.U. negotiations on sanctions, is there a fear that it will be harder to keep that unity? And I have one more.

SEC. CARTER: Britain was a staunch supporter of the Minsk process, and one of the things that buttressed the Minsk process and kept Russian in the Minsk process was the solidarity of the E.U. behind sanctions. And so that needs to continue. Even though Britain will not be a member, I'm hoping that Britain will continue to use its influence, not as a member, but as a member of the European family to make sure that that policy is continued because Minsk is important.

Q: And then last question is on --

STAFF: Quick, quick, quick.

Q: Last question's on the -- totally different -- on the CTBT. I know the administration has said this upcoming resolution in the U.N. will not be legally binding, but would somehow reinforce the moratoria on nuclear testing. If it's not legally binding, what effect does it have? What is the purpose of pursuing this?

SEC. CARTER: Well, I mean, look, we have long abided by the central provision of the CTBT without being signatories because we have been able to ensure the safety, security and reliability of our nuclear stockpile, which is a bedrock of our security now and in the future without underground testing. That -- that remains true today.

Our Department of Energy laboratory directors say, and in fact our ability both to do the underlying science that buttresses their judgment for them to do that science and for us to monitor and verify that others who are abiding by the ban against underground testing have improved in recent decades.

So that continues to be something the United States, and this goes back now a number of years, a number of administrations, has judged to be - continued to be in our interest. So you're right. We're just re-expressing something that we think is in our interest.

At the same time when you're doing something that - that makes good sense and it sets a good direction for the rest of the world, which the president clearly wants to do in this field, it doesn't hurt to keep repeating yourself.

--END--

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/935827/

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18 nations participate in ASEAN Exercise 16-3

US Marine Corps News

By 1st Lt. Natalie Poggemeyer | September 6, 2016

Areas of the world riddled with natural disasters and cursed by the secondary effects of mother nature's wrath demand a responsive force that thinks, trains and plans ahead.

An exercise bringing together those very forces from 18 nations' military and government organizations kicked off Sept. 5, 2016 at 14th Military Circle, Chonburi Province, Thailand. ASEAN Exercise 16-3 commenced with a fitting demonstration of an earthquake-induced collapsed building Search and Rescue operation.

Helicopters from Japan, Russia, Singapore and Thailand roared toward the airfield, dispatching fast-rope rescue teams and airlifting casualties. Meanwhile, teams on the ground moved casualties from the "hot zone," a simulated collapsing building, to the "warm zone," the immediate safety of an open field, and triaged according to casualty condition.

Teams from the Indian Army, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Royal Thai Army moved casualties secured on backboards swiftly to the pickup zone or field hospital. It was a grand display of pre-planned, coordinated and rehearsed disaster response, reinforcing the pay-off of the very familiarity and training this exercise will focus on.

"This exercise is intended to foster cooperation and to share experience, information and skills among military medics of the ASEAN member states and plus countries, while fostering capabilities of military units in the region through joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations," said General Prawit Wongsuwon, Kingdom of Thailand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, during the opening ceremony.

AEx 16-3 is an opportunity for different nations to apply and hone common standard operating procedures and diversify each other's capabilities for the inevitable calamities of the volatile Indo-Asia-Pacific.

A U.S. contingent of approximately 25 personnel from U.S. Pacific Command; U.S. Army Pacific; U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific and Pacific Air Forces will work alongside the other nations in both the command post and field training exercises conducting medical planning, air medical evacuation, military medicine and chemical/ biological/ radiological/ nuclear defense.

Approximately 2,000 personnel are participating in the exercise from the 10 ASEAN member states Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and "plus" countries Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Russia.

"This is considered an important milestone of defense cooperation," Wongsuwon lauded the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus program, which, "which helps maintain peace, stability and security in the region."

Humbling reminders of the significance of combined joint disaster response training come in the form of approximately 100 natural disasters on average each year in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. Sharing and honing real-world, on the ground, tactical and operational response capabilities facilitates effective, efficient response in a merciless environment.

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NATO Secretary General commends Bosnia and Herzegovina for its contributions to NATO operations

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

06 Sep. 2016

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held talks on regional security with Denis Zvizdic, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday (6 September 2016). Mr. Stoltenberg commended Bosnia and Herzegovina for its contributions to NATO-led operations and for its commitment to regional dialogue, cooperation, and security. The two leaders also exchanged views on the country's domestic political situation and progress on defence reform efforts.

The Secretary General reaffirmed NATO's commitment to a stable and secure Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Alliance's full support for its membership aspirations. He emphasised that Allies recognise the progress Bosnia and Herzegovina has made on the registration of defence properties, a key requirement set by NATO for Bosnia and Herzegovina on its path towards membership.

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USS New Orleans Returns to Pearl Harbor

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160906-01

Release Date: 9/6/2016 9:29:00 AM

By Amphibious Squadron One Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Sailors and Marines aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) returned to Hawaii Aug. 29 for their first U.S. port visit in six months.

New Orleans, part of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), left its home port of San Diego Feb. 12 and deployed to the U.S. 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations (AOO) with the embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).

"The crew of New Orleans performed superbly across a broad spectrum of vital, real-world operations over the course of this deployment," said Capt. Glenn R. Jamison, commanding officer of New Orleans. "Despite a highly dynamic operating environment, the absolute professionalism, ingenuity and expertise of our Blue-Green team was showcased daily and delivered success."

While on deployment, New Orleans participated in Exercise Ssang Yong, conducted numerous theater security support and maritime security operations and visited ports in five different countries across Asia and the Middle-East.

The ship traveled 50,000 nautical miles, conducted 1,852 aircraft launches and recoveries during 500 hours of flight operations, and transferred 504 tons of mail and cargo on over 1,700 pallets during 15 underway replenishments.

In addition, New Orleans and Sailors from Assault Craft Unit 5 conducted 310 hours of amphibious operations and transferred 258 loads of troops and cargo between the ship and shore using landing craft, air cushion. New Orleans' air department also helped qualify 104 pilots during deck landing qualifications.

While in Pearl Harbor, New Orleans will embark over 50 family members and friends for a tiger cruise which will afford them the opportunity to observe shipboard operations.

"The crew is thrilled to be back in the United States, and a port call in Hawaii is always a great way to kick off the final leg of our return home," said Jamison. "It also provides us the opportunity to embark Tigers-friends and family who will journey back home with us, and see first-hand how we do business. It is a fantastic experience for both the Tigers and for the crew who get to show off the ship and what we can do."

New Orleans, part of the Boxer ARG, with amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and the embarked 13th MEU, is operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations.

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USS Fort Worth Arrives in Guam

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160906-08

Release Date: 9/6/2016 2:05:00 PM

By Ensign Emily Judstra, USS Fort Worth Public Affairs

GUAM (NNS) -- USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) arrived in Guam Sept. 6th for a routine port visit while en route to homeport in San Diego.

Sailors aboard Fort Worth are looking forward to a port call after completing the longest leg of her transit back home since departing Singapore in August. While in Guam, the ship will receive fuel, maintenance parts and stores to continue her journey home.

"We are just about one third of the way through the transit home," said Cmdr. Michael Brasseur, commanding officer, USS Fort Worth. "Our warship is performing very well and our stop in Guam is a valuable opportunity to get the parts and fuel we need to continue our journey to San Diego."

Also while in Guam the crew of Fort Worth will be able to enjoy the many sights and scenes of the island.

"I'm really looking forward to exploring the World War II monuments and associated history on the island of Guam," said Culinary Specialist First Class David Maisonneuve, "It's very humbling to know that we're following in the path of heroes."

The port visit to Guam marks the third such stop for Fort Worth while on her transit across the Pacific. Prior to arriving in Guam, Fort Worth made port visits in the Philippines and Malaysia.

Fort Worth is a high speed, agile craft designed for operations in shallow waters close to shore. She is currently on her voyage back to homeport San Diego, following a successful 18 month deployment to U.S. 7th Fleet. While operating in the area, she completed many multilateral exercises and participated in evolutions such as the AirAsia Flight QZ8501 recovery mission.

The U.S. 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in the Indo-Asia-Pacific area of operations. As the U.S. Navy's largest numbered fleet, 7th Fleet interacts with 25 other maritime nations to build maritime partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability and prevent conflict.

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COMLOG WESTPAC, MSC Far East Test Afloat Watch Stations During Ulchi Freedom Guardian

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160906-09

Release Date: 9/6/2016 2:14:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Fulton, CTF 73 Public Affairs

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- Navy reservists and staff from Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific and Military Sealift Command Far East operated watch stations aboard the expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Millinocket (T-EPF 3) Aug 22-Sept 2 as part of Ulchi Freedom Guardian.

The utilization of platforms like Millinocket for logistical support operations enhances the ability of the U.S. 7th Fleet to conduct agile expeditionary logistics during operational contingencies and peacetime operations.

"Millinocket is a multi-mission platform and we're testing the ship's ability to conduct command and control of logistics assets in a variety of expeditionary environments," said Cmdr. Alex Davila, N5 plans and exercises director for COMLOG WESTPAC/Task Force 73. "Ulchi Freedom Guardian provided an ideal venue for our staff to direct logistical operations and coordinate closely with operators across the fleet and throughout the Korean peninsula."

During the exercise, logisticians and reserve personnel assumed watch stations aboard Millinocket--monitoring, tracking and coordinating the movement of fuel, supplies and ordnance within the table-top scenario.

"The success of maritime operations is dependent upon logistics and enabling the operators to be in the right place with the necessary tools to complete their mission," said Cmdr. Paul Porter, commanding officer of the Logistics Readiness Center, reserve detachment.

The utilization of Millinocket as a command and control platform for expeditionary logistics enhances flexibility, according to staff logisticians.

"It offers tactical flexibility which is important during any operational contingency," said Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Noa, battle watch captain. "It gives us the ability to continue operations and complete our mission even if shore-based logistical support becomes compromised or limited in any way."

The watch stations on Millinocket are a proof-of-concept for future expeditionary logistics. Exercise participants said the operations were a tangible step forward in fully developing the capability.

"We experienced some challenges with communication and coordination, but we worked through those issues and learned how to operate from an alternative watch floor," said Noa. "We're taking everything we learned during the exercise so we can benefit from our experiences and develop solutions that move us closer to the full potential of this concept."

COMLOG WESTPAC is the U.S. 7th Fleet's provider of combat-ready distributed-logistics, operating government-owned and contracted ships to keep units throughout 7th Fleet armed, fueled and fed.

Ulchi Freedom Guardian is a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-sponsored, Commander, PACOM-directed, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea annual joint/combined command post exercise. The purpose of the exercise is to enhance the combat readiness of ROK and U.S. supporting forces through combined and joint training while improving ROK-U.S. combat readiness, and combined and joint interoperability.

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Gabon justice minister resigns in protest at disputed vote results

Iran Press TV

Tue Sep 6, 2016 9:49AM

Gabon's justice minister has resigned in protest at the government's failure to recount the ballots cast in the African country's controversial presidential election, which has sparked violent street protests in recent days.

On Monday, Seraphin Moundounga, also a deputy prime minister, announced his resignation on Monday and called for "a recount of the votes, polling station by polling station, and registry by registry."

The decision comes amid calls by opposition leader Jean Ping for a general strike against the disputed re-election of incumbent President Ali Bongo.

Ping has declared himself winner of the August 27 presidential race, vowing to challenge the "fraudulent" election results.

"We cannot accept that our people will be killed like animals without reacting," Ping said on Facebook. "I propose to cease all activity and begin a general strike."

The opposition politician further urged people to "use all means of resistance to topple this tyrant [Bongo] and believe me, he is on the verge of falling."

Ping is expected to launch an appeal for a vote recount at the Constitutional Court.

There are claims of fraud in the recent presidential poll, notably in Bongo's home province of Haut-Ogooue as the turnout there exceeded 99 percent, with the incumbent president gaining 95 percent of the votes.

Ping also called for an economic blockage, but the measure did not have much impact on normal life in the capital, Libreville, on Monday as banks and shops were open and taxis were operating normally.

Gabon has been the scene of deadly post-election violence since August 31, when Bongo was declared victorious in the presidential poll by a slim margin.

Bongo was first elected president in 2009 following the death of his father Omar, who had led the country for 42 years.

Gabonese authorities have revised down the number of those killed in the riots from five to three, saying some of the killings had been incorrectly attributed to the riots.

They said over 105 people have also been injured in the violence. Some 800 others have also been arrested, with the government accusing them of looting.

The violence has also raised international concern, with the African Union expressing its readiness to help the warring parties find a solution to the conflict.

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Clinton Expresses 'Grave' Concern Russia Interfering In U.S. Election

September 06, 2016

by RFE/RL

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has expressed "grave" concern that Russia may be interfering in the U.S. election through cyberattacks on the Democratic Party and state voting systems.

"The fact that our intelligence professionals are now studying this and taking it seriously raises some grave questions about potential Russian interference with our electoral process," Clinton told reporters on her campaign plane on September 5.

"We are facing a very serious concern. We've never had a foreign adversarial power be already involved in our electoral process," she said.

Clinton suggested her opponent, Republican candidate Donald Trump, had a "bizarre attraction" to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other "dictators," and was either working with Russia or encouraging Russia to interfere.

"I think it's quite intriguing that this activity has happened around the time Trump became the nominee," she said. Trump "has generally parroted what is a Putin-Kremlin line."

"We've never had a nominee of one of our major parties urging the Russians to hack more," Clinton added, referring to a statement Trump made in July, after news emerged that Democratic Party e-mails were hacked. "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 e-mails that are missing," he said.

Trump later said that he was making a joke about e-mails that Clinton allegedly deleted from her private server while she was secretary of state.

Intelligence Concerns

Clinton stressed that Russia's possible involvement in the election is not a joking matter.

A "consensus" of U.S. intelligence officials and experts believes the hacking and release of internal Democratic National Committee e-mails last spring was orchestrated by Russian intelligence, she said.

The FBI also is investigating whether Russian hackers intruded into the online voting systems of two U.S. states -- Arizona and Illinois -- and has alerted all 50 states to guard against such possible security breaches.

The Obama administration has shown "great restraint" in the face of evidence that Russia was involved and has not publicly called out Russia, Clinton said. But "we are going to have to take those threats and attacks seriously."

She called a Russian intrusion into the U.S. voting system "almost unthinkable," and said that Putin, who recently denied the Kremlin was involved in the hacking though he thought the release of the Democratic e-mails was a "public service," appeared "quite satisfied with himself."

The United States needs to "make clear that we're not going to let anyone interfere with the decisions of the American people," she said.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/ hillary-clinton-expresses-grave- concern-russia-interfering-in-us- presidential-election/27969253.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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The Last Days Of Islam Karimov

September 06, 2016

by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service

World-renowned neurosurgeon Juha Hernesniemi was in Helsinki at about 2 p.m. on August 27 when he received an urgent phone call from Central Asia.

Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov was hospitalized in Tashkent after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

According to the Uzbek government's official medical report, an unconscious Karimov had been taken to the Central Clinical Hospital in Tashkent about two hours earlier, at 9 a.m. Tashkent time.

A cranial CT scan revealed that Karimov suffered a "massive subarachnoid hemorrhage" -- a stroke caused by a ruptured blood vessel in the fluid-filled space between his brain and the thin tissues that cover the brain.

Karimov's heart had stopped, but the official medical report said medical teams managed to get his heart beating again after 20 minutes of resuscitation attempts.

Karimov was left in an "atonic coma," however. The function of his brain stem were inhibited and he was put on life support to keep him breathing.

Authorities in Uzbekistan wanted Hernesniemi to travel to Tashkent as quickly as possible to assess the president's condition and recommend any possible treatment -- including brain surgery, if necessary.

Soon after he agreed to make the journey, a private plane met Hernesniemi in Helsinki and whisked him away to Uzbekistan, stopping first in Germany.

It was August 28 by the time Hernesniemen arrived at the Central Clinical Hospital in Tashkent and found himself standing beside Karimov's bed.

Hernesniemi told the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) that it was clear that the "game was over" for Karimov because, "in practical terms," he was already "brain dead."

He said he gave his professional opinion that "surgery did not make any sense at that point" and that it was pointless to continue treatment.

Hernesniemi said he was at the hospital when German and Russian medical experts gave their opinions.

According to the Uzbek government's official report, the German and Russian experts included Hugo Katus from University Hospital Heidelberg, Amir Samii from the International Neuroscience Institute in Hannover, and Leo Bokeria, the head of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Moscow State Medical University.

The official medical report said Gilles Dreyfus, the medical director at the Cardiothoracic Center of Monaco, was also consulted about Karimov's condition.

Hernesniemi told Yle that once the experts had given their assessments, the "power game" began.

Asked to elaborate, Hernesniemi said he was referring to situations like the deaths of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon -- where a politically important person falls into a coma with severe brain damage, but is kept clinically alive on a life-support machine while others take steps to establish a political successor.

Karimov remained on life support through Uzbekistan's celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the country's independence from the Soviet Union on September 1.

On August 31, amid rumors of Karimov's death and conjecture over who might succeed him, a broadcaster for Uzbek state TV read out the text of an Independence Day speech traditionally delivered by Karimov.

In the absence of any official government statement about Karimov's condition or the reason for his hospitalization, his daughter Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva posted messages on social media announcing that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage and was in "stable" condition.

She also implied that Karimov was still alive and there was a chance of "recovery."

But on the morning of September 2, after Uzbekistan's Independence Day celebrations had concluded, it was announced that Karimov was in "critical condition."

He was officially pronounced dead at 8:55 p.m. on September 2.

Written by Ron Synovitz with reporting by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service and Yle correspondent Matti Koivisto

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/ http://www.rferl.org/content/ uzbekistan-last-days-of-islam- karimov/27970077.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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Putin Visits Karimov's Grave, Meets Uzbek PM

September 06, 2016

Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the grave of the former president of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, as he paid his respects in Karimov's home city of Samarkand.

The Russian president on September 6 placed flowers at Karimov's grave at the cemetery near the historic monument of Shahi Zinda.

He also expressed his condolences to Tatyana Karimova, the widow of the president, and his youngest daughter, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva.

At a meeting with Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyaev, Putin said Uzbekistan can fully count on Russia.

"Of course, we very much hope that the groundwork laid by President Islam Karimov will be used further," he said.

"For our part, we will do everything to maintain this path of joint development and to support the people of Uzbekistan and the Uzbek administration. You can fully count on us as your most reliable friend."

He also thanked Mirziyaev for the opportunity to pay his respects to a man who "did so much for his country, for his people."

Mirziyaev said that Uzbekistan was keen to maintain and develop strategic relations with Moscow.

"Your visit today says a lot and we are very grateful," he told Putin during their meeting.

Putin did not attend Karimov's state funeral on September 3.

Speaking to reporters at the G20 summit in China on September 5, Putin called Karimov's death a "great loss" for Uzbekistan.

Putin said he hoped the Central Asian's country new leadership would be able to preserve stability.

Karimov, a former communist boss, ruled for 27 years at the center of a tight inner circle and ruthlessly applied the country's security and intelligence forces to keep a tight lid on dissent.

"One can make different judgements about what he did for his country, one can view various moments in Uzbekistan's modern history differently, but he preserved stability in the country, he preserved its steady development," Putin said.

"This is very important for such country as Uzbekistan, it is vital for its self-preservation and future progressive development," Putin added.

Putin said he also hoped Russia's good relations with Uzbekistan would be maintained.

Based on reporting by Interfax and TASS

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/ http://www.rferl.org/content/uzbekistan-russia- putin-visits-karimov-grave/27969685.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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Cogent Joins Forces with FaceMe

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By Alicia Young

Web Editor By Alicia YoungWeb Editor

Cogent is a multinational Tier 1 Internet Service Provider that offers Internet access and data transport via its fiber optic, IP data-only network. The company has been providing a range of services to businesses across the country for years. Some of these services include unified communication and collaboration, Velocityits voice communications platform for SMBsSkype (News - Alert) for Business, network management and managed services. It has also found success in these endeavors and, now, is looking to expand its managed service portfolio by teaming up with startup, FaceMe.





Cogent has been involved with videoconferencing for more than twenty years; however, Lewis Holden, Cogent general manager, southern, says videoconferencing software and the technology around video is something the company has been missing in the past. Thats where FaceMe comes in. Together, the companies are looking to provide videoconferencing for businesses across the country.

This partnership is another step in Cogents vision to provide our customers with exceptional unified communications and networking solutions. Were very excited to be adding FaceMe to our growing managed services portfolio. Integrating video into contact centers is set to be the next wave in the growth of that discipline, says Ray Noonan, Cogent CEO.

One of the major draws for Cogent of partnering with FaceMe is that it will now be able to offer software to customers regardless of their videoconferencing platform, which offers the company a major advantage. FaceMe excels in providing browser-based videoconferencing products, and does so in business grade HD quality. Through the all-browser, no download experience FaceMe offers, users wont have to worry about connection issues, effectively solving some of the major issues people have with videoconferencing.

Danny Tomsett, FaceMe CEO, weighed in on how his company can benefit Cogent customers by saying, Customers want simple and secure video solutions that make connecting all our various devices easy. Our Customer Experience Framework is a game changer, and means anyone can connect without the technology getting in the way of what really matters; connecting people. Cogent customers will be able to take advantage of FaceMes Global network, providing HD quality to almost every continent, with the benefit of local New Zealand expertise and support.

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Edited by Stefania Viscusi
Estonia Says Russian Aircraft Violated Airspace Again

September 06, 2016

The Estonian military says Russian aircraft violated Estonian airspace over the Baltic Sea, the fourth such violation by Russia this year.

The military said in a statement on September 6 that a Russian Antonov An-72 transport plane was in Estonian airspace without permission for about 90 seconds near the Baltic Sea's Vaindloo Island.

It said the Russian plane was not in contact with Estonian air-traffic controllers and had flown some 2.2 kilometers inside Estonian airspace.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov told journalists on September 6 that no Russian planes "violated Estonia's airspace in the vicinity of Vaindloo Island."

He claimed that no Russian An-72s flew on September 6 in the area cited by Estonian officials.

The Russian Embassy in Estonia said its ambassador had been handed a protest note by Tallinn officials.

Several NATO countries have reported airspace violations by Russian aircraft this year.

Turkey shot down a Russian warplane late last year that it said was violating its airspace, something Turkish military officials said had happened several times and that Moscow had been warned about.

Based on reporting by dpa and TASS

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-estonia- airspace-violated/27970888.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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Russia Prepares to Supply Ka-52K Attack Helicopters to Egypt

Sputnik News

17:56 06.09.2016

An accord made recently by the defense ministries of Russia and Egypt gives reason to believe that Moscow is prepared to sell a considerable number of carrier-based helicopters to Cairo.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Egyptian Defense Minister Sedki Sobhi recently agreed to establish a training program for Egyptian pilots, a source privy to the nature of the negotiations told the newspaper Izvestia.

Considering this development, it is very likely that Moscow and Cairo are in fact close to brokering a sale of Russian-made Ka-52K carrier-based attack helicopters to Egypt, which would become a welcome addition to the Middle Eastern nation's arsenal, the newspaper pointed out.

"The ministers agreed on measures required to train Egyptian pilots to fly Ka-52K carrier-based helicopters that will be stationed on the Mistral-class amphibious assault ships purchased by Egypt from France this year," the source explained.

He also added that the Egyptian side is currently considering which aspects the training program should include, and is expected to submit the desired specifications to their Russian counterparts by the end of the year.

"Experts from Russian Helicopters JSC, the Russian Navy and the Russian Aerospace Forces will be involved in the training of Egyptian pilots," the source added.

The third meeting of the joint Russian-Egyptian commission on military and technical cooperation was held on Moscow on September 5. During the session, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu pointed out that the two nations have continued to forge closer ties in that area, and that the number of contracts made between Moscow and Cairo is steadily increasing.

"[We] are glad to note that Egypt seeks to use modern weapons and military equipment manufactured in Russia to equip the national armed forces," Shoigu declared.

 Sputnik

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Russia, Qatar Sign Military Cooperation Agreement - Ambassador

Sputnik News

12:37 06.09.2016(updated 14:38 06.09.2016)

Qatar's Ambassador to Russia Saoud Bin Abdallah Al Mahmoud stated that the Russian and Qatari defense ministers signed a military cooperation agreement, which does not include arms purchases.

KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  The Russian and Qatari defense ministers signed a military cooperation agreement, Qatar's Ambassador to Russia Saoud Bin Abdallah Al Mahmoud said Tuesday.

"We have now signed a military cooperation agreement, but it does not include arms purchases. It was signed by the two countries' defense ministers," Al Mahmoud told RIA Novosti at the Army-2016 international military and technical forum.

Qatar is exploring Russian weapons exhibited at the second annual Army-2016 international military and technical forum that could be used in counterterrorism, according to Saoud Bin Abdallah Al Mahmoud.

"[Qatar's Defense Ministry officials] are examining all kinds of weapons, getting acquainted with the hardware from which benefits can be acquired in the fight against terrorism, as well as in use by special forces," Al Mahmoud said.

The envoy noted the high level of military cooperation Qatar enjoys with Russia, adding that "we are focused on its expansion."

He added that a large group of the country's officials accompanied Attiyah during his visit to the military expo.

The Army-2016 military forum organized by the Russian Defense Ministry kicked off earlier in the day and is due to last through Sunday. The forum is held in the military-themed Patriot Park near Moscow and in a number of locations in Russian military districts.

 Sputnik

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Obama Makes Case for Asia-Pacific Re-balance in Laos

By Mary Alice Salinas September 06, 2016

President Barack Obama has reassured nations in the Asia-Pacific that the U.S. strategic re-balance to the region "will endure for the long-term" because it "reflects fundamental national interests."

In a speech in Vientiane, Laos on Tuesday, Obama said there is widespread recognition in the U.S. that the Asia Pacific region "will become even more important in the century ahead, both to America and to the world."

The president addressed an estimated 1,000 people in Lao National Cultural Hall, one day after making history as the first sitting U.S. president to visit the country.

Against a backdrop of flags representing the U.S., Laos and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Obama spoke to a group that included government officials, Lao and U.S. business leaders, students, civil society leaders and women's groups.

Obama's has said engaging in the Asia-Pacific is critical to America's future prosperity and security. The White House strategy has also aimed to serve as a counterweight to China's rising influence and power in the region.

With fewer than five months left in office, Obama said the U.S. is more deeply engaged in the Asia-Pacific than it has been in decades.

"Our position is stronger and sends a clear message that as a Pacific nation we're here to stay," he said. "In good times and bad, you can count on the United States of America."

TPP

However, the president also acknowledged the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)the economic "pillar" of his re-balance strategyis in trouble at home.

The massive trade deal, signed by 12 Pacific rim nations, must be ratified by the U.S. Congress.

In this presidential election year, many Americans blame such trade pacts for lost jobs and both major party candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, have spoken out against it.

"As difficult as the politics are back home, I will continue to push hard on the U.S. Congress to approve TPP before I leave office," vowed Obama. "Failure to move ahead with TPP will not just have economic consequences, but will call into question America's leadership in this vital region."

Assistance for Laos

Earlier Tuesday, Obama held talks with Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachit in the presidential palace.

Following the meeting, the White House announced a three-year, $90 million contribution to Laos for a national survey of unexploded ordnance and efforts to clear the bombs dropped by U.S. forces in the 1960s and 1970s.

About one-third of the 2.2 million bombs dropped on Laos remain undetonated and the lingering threat has slowed development in the country.

"Given our history here, I believe the United States has a moral obligation to help Laos heal," said Obama.

The White House said the two countries launched a new era in relations based on "a shared desire to heal the wounds of the past" and build a foundation for the future.

It included partnership on issues including the economy, technology, education, security, the environment and human rights.

Laos, which currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has been criticized for its human rights record. Obama and Vorachit noted in their meeting Tuesday "the benefits of a candid and open dialogue" to narrow differences on rights.

The White House said the new ties continue the president's policy of reaching out to countries with whom the U.S. has had major differences and complicated histories.

It also reflects Obama's efforts to more deeply engage nations in a region close to China, although the Obama administration has repeatedly said it welcomes a rising China that is peaceful, prosperous and responsible in global affairs.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, political scientist at Thailand's Chualongkorn University, said while the U.S. seeks to boost its influence, Laos is "firmly in China's orbit".

"The U.S. and China rivalry, competition for influence and interests in Southeast Asia, comprising maritime and mainland. The mainland is China's backyard so it's really China's orbit within the mainland. But the mainland countriesCambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailandthey are firmly in China's orbit because China is the giant next door, especially for Laos," he said.

Thitinan said Laos was still seeking to maintain a degree of autonomy despite China's influence, even though it is "susceptible to neighborhood influence and interference".

North Korea missile tests

Also Tuesday, Obama met with South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

The leaders discussed North Korea's missile tests on Monday. Pyongyang fired three ballistic missiles from the western part of North Korea into the Sea of Japan.

Park called the tests "fundamentally threatening" and said the leaders agreed to "respond resolutely" to any provocation and close "loop holes" in sanctions.

Obama called the launches "provocative." He also said the THAAD, the U.S. anti-missile system soon to be deployed to South Korea, is purely a defensive system.

Later this week, Southeast Asian nations will meet in Vientiane for the ASEAN and East Asia summits to discuss a range of issues, including the North Korea nuclear threat, China's aggressive actions in the South China Sea, counter-terrorism, trade and other issues.

The visit marks President Obama's eleventh and final trip to Asia as U.S. president.

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EU Observers: 'Obvious Anomaly' Marred Gabon Election

By VOA News September 06, 2016

European Union observers in Gabon say there was an "obvious anomaly" in election results that showed President Ali Bongo narrowly defeating challenger Jean Ping.

The EU observer mission to Gabon is questioning results from Upper Ogooue province, a Bongo stronghold where the incumbent president officially won 95 percent of the votes amid 99 percent voter turnout. The opposition has said the vote tallies in the province were vastly inflated.

In a statement Tuesday, the EU mission noted that turnout was significantly lower in Gabon's eight other provinces, averaging just 48 percent nationwide.

"An analysis of the number of non-voters and blank and spoiled ballots reveals an obvious anomaly in the final results of Upper Ogooue," it said. "...the integrity of the provisional results in this province is consequently compromised."

The mission chief reiterated a call for Gabonese authorities to publish the results from all polling stations around the country.

Earlier Tuesday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Gabon should hold a recount of the vote after the opposition alleged that voter fraud took place.

"There are arguments and some doubts. European observers in the country have already made criticisms on the basis of objectives. It would be wise to do a recount," Valls told French radio station RTL.

Gabon's election commission announced last week that President Ali Bongo won the election over opposition leader Jean Ping by about 5,000 votes, leading to protests and street violence that has left at least six people dead.

Gabon's Justice Minister Seraphin Moundounga resigned over the disputed re-election of Bongo, becoming the first high-level government official to step down since the vote.

Moundounga told Radio France International Monday that the government is not responding to concerns about the need for peace, leading him to decide to step down.

Also Monday, Ping, who also has declared himself the leader of Gabon, called for a general strike, saying an economic blockage would pressure the government.

However, few people seemed to stay home Monday, as many banks and shops in the capital, Libreville, re-opened following the violence. Some city residents said they did not hear about the call for a strike.

Ping said his campaign has evidence of election rigging, which he says he will present to Gabon's constitutional court.

In another development Monday, France expressed concern about the safety of several of its nationals, noting that "some arrests have been made in recent days."

Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya said more than 1,000 people have been arrested nationwide, including as many as 800 in the capital. He confirmed three deaths in the post-election violence.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke over the phone Sunday with Bongo and Ping and urged an end to the violence.

"The secretary-general deplored the loss of life that occurred during the demonstrations in the aftermath of the presidential election. He expressed concern about the continuing inflammatory messages being disseminated and called for an immediate end to all acts of violence in the country," according to a statement from Ban's office.

The U.N. chief also requested that his Special Representative for Central Africa Abdoulaye Bathily continue to work with the parties in order to defuse tensions.

"Ban Ki-moon reiterated his call to President Bongo to impress upon the government the need to show restraint. He also urged Ping to issue a clear message to his followers, calling on them to refrain from any acts of violence in the interest of the country and of national unity," the statement read.

According to reports, 27 people who were detained from Ping's campaign headquarters have been released.

Ban Ki-moon, however, stressed the importance of peaceful and legal means to seek a resolution in the outcome of the presidential election.

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Philippine President Expresses Regret for Vulgar Comment About Obama

By VOA News September 06, 2016

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressed regret Tuesday that a comment he made involving vulgar language came across as a personal attack against U.S. President Barack Obama.

"Our primary intention is to chart an independent foreign policy while promoting closer ties with all nations, especially the U.S., with which we have a long standing partnership," he said in a statement.

Don't lecture me

Before departing Monday for a regional summit in Laos, Duterte warned Obama not to lecture him about a crackdown on drug traffickers that has resulted in more than 2,000 killings since he took office in June.

"You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions," Duterte said. Using the Tagalog phrase for "son of a bitch," he then said: "Putang ina, I will swear at you in the forum."

Obama initially shrugged off Duterte's comments, telling reporters, "Clearly, he's a colorful guy." But the White House later said Obama had canceled a planned meeting with Duterte and would instead hold talks with South Korea's leader.

Use of profanity not unusual

"Those comments are going to prevent us from a productive discussion," Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor said Tuesday in Laos. "We're at a new chapter in our relationship."

The statement from Duterte expressed regrets that his comments had caused "much controversy" and said that he looked forward to "ironing out differences."

Duterte's use of profanity is a pattern of speech he often uses when irked, Asian Foundation analyst Steven Rood in Manila told VOA's Victor Beattie. He used similar language to describe Pope Francis's visit to the Philippines in 2015.

"He and his followers regard that as a normal pattern of speech, but of course when President Obama wonders whether or not a meeting with him would be productive, that pattern of speech might cause some doubts," Rood said.

Though the "spat" certainly does not help U.S.-Philippine relations, the two countries have robust military relations as well as a USAID program, so Rood says there are many reasons for the relationship to go forward.

Duterte, who campaigned for the Philippine presidency on promises to end illegal drug activity in his homeland, has alarmed an array of human rights organizations with his deadly crackdown. He has defended the killings, saying he is following the will of those who elected him.

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Carter: U.S., U.K. Continue to Stand Together in a Changing World

By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016  The United States and the United Kingdom continue to stand together in the face of aggression by Russia and barbarism by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today in Oxford, England.

Addressing an audience at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government, the secretary recalled decades of partnership by the U.S. and U.K. militaries and service members.

Most recently, he said, "We stood and responded together in the face of terrorism 15 years ago after 9/11, 11 years ago after the 7/7 bombings, fighting side by side during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We've continued to do so  in the coalition military campaign plan to deliver ISIL a lasting and certain defeat."

Because of all the two nations have done together over the past 75 years, the secretary added, the world has become more prosperous and dynamic. He said that world, though, is in a time of great change and faces several challenges.

Security Environment

"Today's security environment is dramatically different from that of the last generation, and even the generation before that," Carter said. "In this new era, the United States and the Department of Defense that I lead are contending with five immediate, major and rapidly evolving challenges."

In Europe, the United States is standing with the United Kingdom and NATO allies to take a strong and balanced approach to deter Russian aggression, the defense secretary said.

The United States also is managing change in the vital Asia-Pacific region, where China is rising but behaving aggressively, Carter said, and strengthening its deterrent and defense forces in the face of North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations and threats to U.S. allies.

In the Middle East, he said, especially in and around the Persian Gulf, the United States is checking Iranian aggression and malign influence while standing with its own friends and allies in the region.

In the broader Middle East and around the world, the Defense Department is continuing to counter and defeat terrorism, Carter said, accelerating the lasting defeat of ISIL in Iraq and Syria and wherever it spreads.

"Thankfully the United States and its military and Defense Department do not have to respond to these challenges or underwrite global security alone. President [Barack] Obama and all Americans are heartened to know we can continue to count on our allies and alliances, and especially on the United Kingdom, to join us in meeting these challenges and defending the principled international order," the defense secretary said.

"I'm here this week to work with my counterpart Secretary [Michael] Fallon to ensure that our countries and our militaries are ready to keep standing together and partnering together in the years ahead," he added.

The Fight Against ISIL

Carter said the U.S. and the U.K. are leading a historic coalition to deliver ISIL a lasting defeat. We're fighting in different ways, across all domains, to destroy both the fact and the idea of an Islamic state based on ISIL's barbaric ideology.

"As I speak to you today," the secretary said, "we've entered a decisive phase in our coalition counter-ISIL military campaign. Thanks to the contributions and sacrifices of our local partners there in the region and of British, American and coalition service members, we've accelerated the military campaign and we have the momentum firmly on our side."

He added, "We're seeking this year to put ISIL on a path to the lasting defeat it will surely suffer and richly deserves."

Carter said a lasting defeat requires that the coalition identify and enable capable, motivated local forces, and that is the strategic approach because local forces are the only ones that can hold and govern territory after it has been retaken from ISIL.

After the Campaign

"From my first conversations with Secretary Fallon, we resolved to accelerate our campaign. We set in motion a series of deliberate steps to gather momentum and put ISIL [on a path to] lasting defeat," the defense secretary said, adding that they mobilized the coalition to step up contributions to the fight -- the United States, the United Kingdom and every other coalition member.

"And we made it clear that there will be no free riders in this campaign," he added. "When the war is over and the coalition prevails -- which I am certain it will -- the United States will not forget that the United Kingdom stood with us. And collectively we will remember who failed to show up for the fight."

Even when the coalition wins the fight against ISIL there will still be much more to do, Carter said.

"We must ensure that when that time comes, the Iraqi and the Syrian people have what they need to hold, stabilize and govern their own territory and win back decent lives for themselves," he said.

"So our coalition's development and diplomatic institutions must  make the plans and preparations to keep a lasting peace, once our militaries and our partner forces have delivered that defeat," the secretary added.

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North Atlantic Council visits Georgia to confirm NATO's enduring support

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

07 Sep. 2016 - 08 Sep. 2016

NATO will reconfirm the importance of its partnership with Georgia during a two-day visit of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) starting on Wednesday (7 September 2016).

Today, a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission  chaired by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg  will bring together ambassadors from all NATO Allies with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to discuss Georgia's contributions to transatlantic security, regional security, and Tbilisi's reform progress.

On 8 September, the NATO delegation will meet with President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, Defence Minister Levan Izoria, Chairman of the Parliament David Usupashvili, and Members of the Georgian Parliament.

During the visit, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and several ambassadors will participate in the Tbilisi International Conference, while Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow will open the new venue of the Information Centre on NATO and the European Union in Tbilisi. The NAC will also visit the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre, which is helping to enhance the interoperability of forces from Georgia, NATO Allies and partners through training and exercises.



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Joint press point with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

07 Sep. 2016 -

(As delivered)

Thank you so much, Mr. Prime Minister Kvirikashvili, and thank you for hosting not only me but the whole North Atlantic Council here in Tbilisi today. And we are very much looking forward to the program today and tomorrow; and I think that the presence of the North Atlantic Council representing all 28 Allies and also Montenegro which is now in the process of joining NATO, the presence of all of us here today shows the strong commitment and the strong partnership between NATO and Georgia. We have, as you just said, held a very productive and successful meeting of the NATO- Georgia Commission and we had in-depth and productive discussions on Georgia's contributions to our shared security, on your reform process and the process you are making. And on the security situation in the region.

NATO and Georgia have a remarkable, mutually supportive relationship. Our partnership is strong. And our partnership is getting even stronger.

NATO is very grateful for the service of Georgia's soldiers:

- In Afghanistan.

- In the NATO Response Force.

- And in our efforts to tackle terrorism in the Mediterranean.

Georgia has made substantial sacrifices in service of our shared Euro-Atlantic security. And while contributing to international security, Georgia has also carried out ambitious defence reforms here at home. You are continuing to strengthen your democracy and civic institutions. And this has helped Georgia move closer to NATO. You are not walking alone on your reform path.

Georgia has all the necessary tools to move towards NATO membership:

- The NATO-Georgia Commission.

- The Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, which is delivering results.

- The Joint Training Centre we inaugurated last year, which is now up and running.

- This Training Centre is increasing the modern combat skills of Georgian soldiers, and our ability to work together.

- And Allied experts here in Tbilisi, helping bolster defence reform.

All of these tools are important for Georgia, all of them are also important for NATO. And I welcome that you are making progress in all these areas together.

These are key building blocks for Georgia as aspirant to NATO membership.

At the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July, NATO leaders welcomed the impressive progress Georgia has made. And I trust that this progress will continue.

Including on constitutional and electoral reforms. In line with Georgia's steady progress, we look forward to the upcoming elections meeting the highest democratic standards and free and fair elections.

This is important for NATO. Because NATO is a community of values, including democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

But reforms are even more important for the people of Georgia. And for your nation's security and prosperity.

So Prime Minister,

In Warsaw, NATO leaders expressed strong political and practical support for Georgia. Today, the North Atlantic Council is here in Tbilisi to confirm our commitment to your nation once again.

We will continue to count on Georgia. And we will continue to support you.

So thank you very much for hosting the whole North Atlantic Council. Thank you.

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Patrol Squadron 45 Conducts Static Display at Naval Support Activity Naples

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160907-15

Release Date: 9/7/2016 12:30:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tyler Fraser

SIGONELLA, Sicily (NNS) -- Sailors from Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 flew a P-8A Poseidon to Naval Support Activity Naples Sept. 6 in support of a static display to highlight the aircraft and the improved capabilities it brings to the region.

During the static display, Sailors from VP-45 explained the capabilities of the P-8A to Italian media personnel and U.S. Sailors from the 6th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR).

"As we bring new technology into this theater, with coordination and cooperation with our Italian partners, it's important that we cultivate our relationships. Engagements like this give us this opportunity," said Capt. Bill Ellis, Commander, Task Force 67.

The P-8A Poseidon improves upon the capabilities of the P-3C Orion with an extended global reach, greater payload capacity, higher operating altitude and open systems architecture.

The P-8A will also allow fleet operators the added benefit of interfacing with unmanned aircraft systems when performing operational missions. This aircraft is one of seven that will be operating throughout the theater, providing continued support to U.S. allies and partners in the region.

VP-45 is currently deployed to Sigonella as part of its regularly scheduled deployment to 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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Taliban militants advance on Uruzgan provincial capital

Iran Press TV

Wed Sep 7, 2016 3:23PM

The capital of Afghanistan's central province of Uruzgan is on the brink of falling into militants' hands in the wake of an advance by Taliban, who have taken position within a few kilometers of the city.

Abdul Karim, the head of Uruzgan provincial council, on Wednesday warned of the collapse of the city unless authorities in Kabul provide air support and ground reinforcements.

"If there is no significant air support and ground reinforcement, Tarin Kot will collapse," Karim said.

Local Afghan officials say many of the embattled police and soldiers around Tarin Kot are fighting with minimal reinforcements and often with insufficient food and ammunition.

Afghan security forces have halted Taliban's advance about two kilometers (1.2 miles) from the volatile city's prison. The militants seek to free inmates from the jail.

However, Dost Mohammed Nayab, the spokesman for the provincial governor, said the militants would not be able to break through security cordons.

"The Taliban did whatever they could to get the capital city but they couldn't," Nayab said, adding, "We are ready to defend our province."

Nayab also stated that more than 30 Taliban militants had been killed and another 23 wounded in the ongoing fighting across the region. He said six Afghan security forces were also killed and nine wounded in violent clashes.

Taliban claim to have overrun 15 government outposts, including a "strategic military base" in Uruzgan. The group said in a message that "all the surrounding areas of the capital are under tight siege and attacks" of its fighters.

Despite Taliban's offensives in Uruzgan, NATO said it had no advisers in the province, nor had US warplanes conducted any airstrikes in recent days.

Separately, Omar Zawak, a spokesman for Helmand's governor, has warned that Taliban continue to threaten the Helmand capital of Lashkar Gah, where militants once again cut a major highway to neighboring Kandahar.

Over the past few months, Afghan security forces have focused on blunting Taliban attacks in the southern province of Helmand and the northern city of Kunduz, besides battling Takfiri Daesh terrorists in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

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Trump Strikes Back At Clinton Over U.S. Relations With Russia

September 07, 2016

by RFE/RL

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has charged that his opponent, Hillary Clinton, would be unable to stand up to tough adversaries like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Hillary likes to play tough with Russia. Putin looks at her and he laughs," Trump said as he campaigned in Virginia on September 6.

Trump's shot at Clinton came one day after the Democrat accused him of encouraging Russia to interfere in the U.S. election through cyberattacks.

Clinton's vice presidential running mate, Timothy Kaine, said she already has proved she can stand "toe-to-toe" with Putin in "hard-nosed negotiations" when she was President Barack Obama's first secretary of state working on deals to reduce nuclear stockpiles and destroy Syrian chemical weapons.

Trump, by contrast, "seems to support Russian interests at the expense of American ones," Kaine said in a foreign policy speech in North Carolina.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the charges flying back and forth between the U.S. candidates over Russia are "just ridiculous."

"They have set our teeth on edge," Ryabkov told Interfax in an interview on September 6. He said that some politicians in Western Europe have openly endorsed one of the U.S. candidates, which, in contrast to Russia, was "truly interfering" in the U.S. election.

Dismissing Clinton's attacks, Trump repeated his vow to work with Putin to "solve the problem" posed by the Islamic State militant group in Iraq and Syria, while Clinton said she would do "whatever it takes" to defeat IS.

Seeking to burnish his foreign policy credentials, Trump released a letter of endorsement signed by 88 retired generals and admirals, which Clinton later dismissed.

The Democrat noted that several Republican national security figures have openly endorsed her because they consider Trump to be dangerous or unsuited for the nation's highest office.

Clinton also upbraided Trump for saying if he were treated like Obama was last week by Chinese authorities he would have stayed on his plane and left Beijing. Obama was forced to exit Air Force One from a rear door at the G20 summit.

"This is a very consequential relationship," Clinton said of Washington's ties with China. "You don't get in a snick and stay on the plane and go home because your security and their security are scuffling over what stairs are going to be put up."

With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and Interfax

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/trump-strikes- back-clinton-over-us-relations- with-russia/27971537.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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South China Sea Tensions Persist at ASEAN

By Lisa Schlein September 07, 2016

The Philippines published photos Wednesday of what appears to be Chinese naval ships building an island in the contested South China Sea, just before a summit of Asian nations.

The photos showed an increased number of ships and what the Philippines says is evidence of "fresh" construction of an artificial island near Scarborough Shoal. They were released just before the annual meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"We remain seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some leaders on the land reclamations," read a joint closing statement at the summit.

But China denied the accusations, saying it has simply "maintained a number of coast guard vessels for law enforcement patrols" in the area, according to the Chinese embassy in Manila.

The U.S. also believes that the Chinese naval presence near Scarborough Shoal has remained relatively the same over the past few months, but will continue to monitor the area and stay in touch with the Philippine government, a senior White House official told VOA.

In July, the U.N. arbitration court dismissed China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, saying it has "no historic title" to the vast maritime region.

The 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.

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Somali Ban on Popular Narcotic Takes Effect

By Mohamed Olad Hassan September 07, 2016

Somalia's ban on flights importing the popular narcotic khat from Kenya appears to be holding up in the capital, Mogadishu, although a region to the north is defying the ban.

Yaasin Muuse, a airport staff member at Mogadishu's main airport, said no khat flights arrived the city Tuesday.

"None of more than 10 khat flights which used to come to Mogadishu daily landed because of the government ban," he said.

In Mogadishu's khat markets, only a few tables selling drinks and cigars were occupied, and the khat kiosks were empty.

At Kenya's Wilson airport in Nairobi, a reporter for VOA's Somali service said at least five planes loaded with khat cancelled their flights to Mogadishu, and most likely the shipment will be sent back to its original source because khat cannot be stockpiled  it has to be taken fresh.

On Monday, the Somali government announced it was banning all flights from Kenya to Somalia carrying the stimulant, a plant whose leaves, when chewed, give the user a feeling of mild euphoria.

"It is a temporary ban and we did it for mixed circumstances related to national interests," Somali Aviation Minister Ali Ahmed Jangali told VOA. "I am not ready to give the details now, but security is one of them," He said.

A government security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision is part of security plans as Mogadishu prepares to host the 53rd summit of the East African bloc IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) this weekend for the first time, following decades of civil war and instability in the Horn of Africa state.

Just a week ago, a car bomb killed more than 20 people near Somali's presidential palace. The blast was the latest in a series of attacks against hotels and restaurants by militant group al-Shabab.

Puntland defies ban

However, officials in Puntland, a semi-autonomous federal member state in the northeast of the country, ignored the government's edict. Five khat flights from Kenya landed at Galkayo airport and an airstrip at Qardho on Tuesday, and the cargo was unloaded.

Puntland spokesman Abdullahi Jama Quran Je'el said the government's decision does not affect the region.

"The federal government neither consulted with us nor informed us about the decision of the khat flights ban so we have nothing to do with that decision," he said.

Khat chewers reaction

Khat is known in Somalia as "qaad" or "jaad." It is a plant whose leaves and stem tips are used as stimulant or medicine in certain areas of East Africa, Madagascar and Arabia. It has a history as a social custom dating back thousands of years.

In Somalia, planes from Kenya usually arrive in the morning and the khat is sent to the markets at noon. Its consumers, mainly men, chew it in the afternoon.

Weyrax, a khat consumer in Bosaso, Punland's commercial capital, said chewing the leaves has a negative impact on youth.

"It is costly, addictive and wastes our time, we get nothing from it except insomnia and hallucination so that I welcome the ban," Weyrax said. "It gives you an excitement but sometimes anxiety."

Ahmed Bashe, another khat consumer in Bossaso, said trading khat was not only his source of living, but also mental alertness.

"I vend khat to earn money to live, I also consume it to get a feeling of well-being and mental alertness with loquacity," he said.

Ali Ahmed, a university student in Mogadishu says khat is the number one killer of young people's future.

"To achieve the climax of the khat feeling, they continue chewing for six to 10 hours or even more. Those who consume do not attend schools or universities. Those who attempt cannot keep the attendance and immediately drop out," he said.

Khat consumption also has a negative effect on families. Daud Abdullahi, a father of six, said he consumed khat for 16 years, finally giving it up two years ago.

"Fathers who consume khat turn to be irresponsible. When I was chewing, I remember after-effects were usually insomnia, numbness, lack of concentration and anorexia," he said. "Sometimes you spend a lot of times away from your family and their wellbeing is not your priority, but khat."

Despite the negative effects, many Somalis remain addicted to the drug. The Islamic Courts Union tried to ban it to no avail when it briefly controlled most of Somalia in 2006. Al-Shabab's attempts at a ban also crumbled, and the group eventually allowed its consumption so it could collect taxes on the sales.

Economic impact on Kenya

A Kenyan government spokesperson told VOA's Swahili service that the government received notice of the ban from Mogadishu on Monday, and that officials are evaluating the decision.

Kenya is the source of much of the khat consumed in Somalia. Khat traders estimate that 20 tons of khat worth $800,000, is usually sent from Kenya to Somalia each day, mainly through flights.

Traders and farmers in the "khat belt" have expressed shock at Somalia's decision and have no idea what it all means.

Talking to VOA, Kimathji Mujuri of the Nyambene Miraa Trader Association, says the decision will hurt farmers and traders alike.

A decision by Britain and the Netherlands to ban the product two years ago sent prices plummeting. Mujuri said a 30 kilogram shipment of khat went down from $700 to less than $200 today.

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Malmstrom tests Minuteman III with launch from Vandenberg

By Carla Pampe, Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs / Published September 06, 2016

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) -- A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen from the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a test re-entry vehicle Sept. 5 from Vandenberg AFB, California.

The ICBM's re-entry vehicle, which contained a telemetry package used for operational testing, traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Test launches verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing valuable data to ensure a continued safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent.

"I can't say enough great things about the partners I share this mission set with," said Col. Craig Ramsey, the 576th Flight Test Squadron commander. "The men and women from the 341st MW task force, the Airmen from my squadron, and our host unit here at Vandenberg (AFB) made this look easy, but it was anything but that. To put all of this together for an on-time launch following an enormous reconfiguration of range assets that took six months to complete ... it's simply a testament to the dedication and professionalism of these proud organizations. I'm proud to play a small part in it."

Malmstrom AFB is one of three missile bases with crewmembers standing alert 24 hours a day, year-round, overseeing the nation's ICBM alert forces.

The ICBM community, including the Defense Department, the Energy Department and U.S. Strategic Command uses data collected from test launches for continuing force development evaluation. The ICBM test launch program demonstrates the operational credibility of the Minuteman III and ensures the United States' ability to maintain a strong, credible nuclear deterrent as a key element of U.S. national security and the security of U.S. allies and partners.

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China warns new Hong Kong lawmakers to avoid backing independence

Iran Press TV

Tue Sep 6, 2016 12:41PM

Beijing has warned anti-China activists who have managed to enter the parliament in Hong Kong to avoid backing independence for the semi-autonomous region.

The Chinese government said in a statement late Monday that no talk of independence would be tolerated "inside or outside" the legislature of Hong Kong, criticizing some of the new lawmakers for using the recent elections in the city to "openly promote" independence.

"We firmly oppose any activity relating to Hong Kong independence in any form, inside or outside the Legislative Council, and firmly support the Hong Kong government to impose punishment in accordance with the law," said the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council (China's cabinet).

The statement said those pro-independence campaigns before parliamentary elections in Hong Kong had been against China's constitution, as well as Hong Kong's own mini-constitution, known as the Basic Law.

"It is also against the fundamental interests of all Hong Kong residents," said the office on its website.

The new parliament in Hong Kong, known as the Legislative Council, will convene on October 1. The results of the votes last weekend showed that activists pushing for more autonomy from China managed to secure seats in the chamber. The turnout in the votes, the first major poll since pro-democracy rallies in 2014, was the highest since the city was handed back to China by Britain under a deal in 1997.

Lawmakers are supposed to start their mandate by swearing an oath to uphold the constitution, which describes Hong Kong as part of China. Under the deal signed between Britain and China, Hong Kong is ruled under a "one country, two systems" deal that protected the city's freedoms for 50 years.

Hong Kong's government, which is seen as loyal to China, caused public outrage before the votes by banning the most strident independence activists from standing. It also required candidates to sign a controversial new form to show they understood Hong Kong was an "inalienable part of China."

The opposition camp has now increased its share of the legislature, taking 30 of 70 seats, although gaining a majority would be impossible as 30 seats are allocated by special interest groups that advocate China. However, observers say the situation in the legislature could change if lawmakers decide to fiercely advocate more autonomy.

The independence movement in Hong Kong gained new momentum in 2014, when people protested against China's increasing interference in the affairs of the city, which the public said was threatening liberties in a range of areas, from politics to education and media.

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Kim Jong Un Guides Fire Drill of Ballistic Rockets

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

Pyongyang, September 6 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army(KPA), provided field guidance to the fire drill of ballistic rockets by Hwasong artillery units of the KPA Strategic Force.

Hwasong artillery units of the KPA Strategic Force were involved in the drill. Those units are tasked to strike the bases of the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces in the Pacific operational theatre in a contingency.

The drill was conducted to reexamine the reliability such as the flight security and guided accuracy of the improved ballistic rockets deployed for action, and to assess and inspect the capabilities of the units for action.

Upon arriving at the firing site, he learned in detail about the plan for the drill and the tactical and technical specifications of the improved ballistic rockets. Then he issued an order to the commander of the Strategic Force to start the drill.

The moment General Kim Rak Gyom shouted "Fire!" ballistic rockets flew into the sky in succession.

The units' capability for fighting a real battle and the combat performance of the rockets were appreciated as perfect at the drill.

Through the drill the Hwasong artillery units of the KPA Strategic Force demonstrated before the world their military might as a strong service capable of mounting a preemptive attack on the enemies any time and from any place.

He expressed great satisfaction over the successful successive firing drill of ballistic rockets and congratulated the Hwasong artillery men of the KPA Strategic Force involved in the drill.

He stressed the need to continue making miraculous achievements in bolstering up the nuclear force one after another in this historic year when Juche Korea made an eye-opening curtain raiser by succeeding in the H-bomb test and set forth tasks of bringing the military deterrent on a higher stage by developing the Juche-oriented nuclear force in every way.

The drill was observed by senior officials of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea including Ri Man Gon, Ri Pyong Chol and Kim Jong Sik and officials in the field of national defence science research. -0- (2016.09.06)

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Obama vows to increase sanctions against North Korea

Iran Press TV

Tue Sep 6, 2016 5:52PM

US President Barack Obama has vowed to work with the UN to tighten international sanctions against North Korea, a day after Pyongyang launched another round of ballistic missiles into the sea.

"We are going to work together to make sure we're closing loopholes and make them even more effective," Obama told reporters on Tuesday after meeting with South Korean President Park Geun-hye in Laos at a summit of the the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Obama said the latest launches of ballistic missiles during the G20 summit in China were provocative and that the country needed to know such actions would increase its isolation in the world.

However, the president added that Washington was still open to dialogue if Pyongyang changes its policy.

"If (North Korea) is willing to recognize its international obligations and enforce the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the opportunities for us to dialogue with them are there," Obama said. "We do not have any interest in an offensive approach to North Korea."

Park, meanwhile, said North Korea was "fundamentally threatening the security" of the Korean Peninsula.

On Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un urged the nation's military to bolster its nuclear capabilities after ordering the launch of three ballistic missiles.

"He stressed the need to continue making miraculous achievements in bolstering up the nuclear force one after another in this historic year," said the North's official KCNA news agency.

The UN and the West have imposed a raft of sanctions on North Korea, prompting Pyongyang to step up its nuclear activities.

In January, North Korea said it had successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb, its fourth nuclear test, and vowed to build up its nuclear program as deterrence against potential aggression from the US and its regional allies.

A month later, Pyongyang launched a long-range rocket which it said placed an earth observation satellite into orbit. Washington and Seoul denounced it as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.

The UN has adopted five rounds of crippling sanctions on the North since it first tested an atomic device in 2006 despite the nation's critical situation, including its worsening famine.

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UNSC to hold meeting over North Korea's latest nuclear test

Iran Press TV

Tue Sep 6, 2016 12:0AM

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called on Pyongyang's military to bolster its nuclear capabilities after ordering the launch of three ballistic missiles.

"He stressed the need to continue making miraculous achievements in bolstering up the nuclear force one after another in this historic year," said the North's official KCNA news agency on Monday.

Earlier, South Korea announced that the North had fired three ballistic missiles from a western region in the capital Pyongyang into the Sea of Japan, as world leaders from G20 nations are in the Chinese town of Hangzhou.

The KCNA noted that the launch had been perfect, and that Kim had voiced "great satisfaction over the successful successive firing drill of ballistic rockets."

It added that Kim is currently guiding North Korean drills aimed at evaluating the "capabilities of the units" and the precision of the "improved ballistic rockets deployed for action."

A South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman stated that the "missile launch is a direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions, aimed at showing off its nuclear and missile capabilities during the G20 summit."

Following a complaint by Japan and the US, the UN Security Council announced that it will convene on Tuesday and consider a response to the test.

"Today's reckless launches by North Korea threaten civil aviation and maritime commerce in the region," said US State Department spokesman John Kirby. "Our commitment to the defense of our allies in the face of these threats remains ironclad."

The UN and the West have imposed a raft of sanctions on North Korea, prompting Pyongyang to step up its nuclear activities.

In January, North Korea said it had successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb, its fourth nuclear test, and vowed to build up its nuclear program as deterrence against potential aggression from the US and its regional allies.

A month later, Pyongyang launched a long-range rocket which it said placed an earth observation satellite into orbit. Washington and Seoul denounced it as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.

North Korea says it will not give up on its nuclear "deterrence" unless Washington ends its hostile policy toward Pyongyang and dissolves the US-led command in South Korea. Thousands of US soldiers are stationed in South Korea and Japan.

The UN has adopted five rounds of crippling sanctions on the North since it first tested an atomic device in 2006 despite the nation's critical situation, including its worsening famine.

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N Korea Makes Progress in Missile Technologies - Japanese MoD

Sputnik News

09:10 06.09.2016(updated 09:31 06.09.2016)

Pyongyang's fresh launches of ballistic missiles are a sign that North Korea continues to work on its missile technologies and makes advancements in this area, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said on Tuesday.

TOKYO (Sputnik)  On Monday, the Japanese Defense Ministry said that the North Korean authorities had fired three ballistic missiles from Hwangju county in the direction of the Sea of Japan. Later, it was reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a missile launch test and stressed the necessity to boost the country's nuclear force.

"Three ballistic missiles, which were fired from one location, reached simultaneously Japan's exclusive economic zone and fell into almost the same spot in the sea. Earlier [on August 24] a ballistic missile was launched from a submarine. All this shows progress in North Korea's missile technologies," Inada said.

She also stressed that her country should react to the constantly repeated missile launches by North Korea. Japan should boost cooperation with the United States in missile defense in this context, she added.

North Korea is currently under pressure from the international community since its January nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch in February, which resulted in tightening sanctions against Pyongyang in the new UN Security Council resolution in March.

 Sputnik

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UN Security Council condemns latest DPRK missile launches, notes 'flagrant disregard' for previous statements

6 September 2016  The United Nations Security Council today condemned the ballistic missile launches conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday, 5 September.

"The members of the Security Council deplore all Democratic People's Republic of Korea ballistic missile activities, including these launches, noting that such activities contribute to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and increase tension," the 15-member Council said in a press statement, which noted that the launches were in "grave violation" of the country's international obligations under various resolutions it has adopted.

In the statement, the Council members also expressed serious concern that the DPRK conducted the latest launches after a series of earlier ones  held intermittently on different occasions between 15 April and 22 August  in flagrant disregard of repeated Council statements.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea shall refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions," the Council noted.

In the statement, the Council members said they further regretted that the DPRK is diverting resources to the pursuit of ballistic missiles while it citizens have great unmet needs.

The Council also called upon all UN Member States to redouble their efforts to implement fully the measures it had imposed on the DPRK, particularly the comprehensive measures contained in resolution 2270, which among other points, expands arms embargo and non-proliferation measures, including small arms and light weapons, and enforces new cargo inspection and maritime procedures, including mandatory inspection on cargo destined to and originating from the DPRK. The Council also called on UN Member States to report as soon as possible on concrete measures they have taken in order to implement effectively the provisions of resolution 2270.

The Council members stressed the importance of working to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula and beyond, and reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability there and in north-east Asia at large, while also expressing their commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation.

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North Korea Sends Expensive Message With Missile Tests

By Brian Padden September 06, 2016

North Korea has spent close to $100 million on more than 30 missile tests since Kim Jong Un assumed power in 2011, nearly double the number of missiles launched in the previous 18 years when his father Kim Jong Il ruled the country.

The South Korean newspaper the Chosun Ilbo estimated the cost of North Korea's missiles based in part on what it said were the prices Middle Eastern countries had paid for these weapons.

Over the past two decades North Korea has reportedly sold hundreds of missiles, materials, and technology to Egypt, Iran, Libya, Pakistan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Sanctions failure

That North Korea is able to carry out numerous missile tests raises questions about the effectiveness of harsh United Nations sanctions imposed in March that include a total arms embargo and restrictions on the sale of aviation fuel, which is also used to power rockets.

Boo Hyeong-wook, the chief of the Defense Strategy Research Division at the Korea Institute for Defense Analysis, said Pyongyang is acquiring missile replacement parts through lax sanctions enforcement and the help of willing international partners.

"As Indian media reported in June, Pakistan had been providing various parts necessary for WMDs (weapons of mass destruction) to North Korea through China. So in this situation I suspect that China has not strengthened its sanctions on parts that North Korea are trying to obtain," he said.

Rodong or Scud missiles generally use kerosene-based fuel and not restricted aviation fuel. North Korea is using stored fuel reserves for the recent missile tests, Boo said, which may be part of the reason why fuel costs in the country have not increased since the sanctions were imposed.

G-20 message

The estimated cost of the three Rodong missiles that North Korea launched on Monday is between $3 million and $6 million.

The North's medium range ballistic missiles traveled 1,000 kilometers before landing into Japan's air defense identification zone. The launches were subsequently denounced by Tokyo, Seoul and Washington as yet another violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The Security Council will meet Tuesday to discuss the latest missile launches by North Korea at the request of the United States and Japan.

There was no indication that Monday's launches were conducted to assess new technical improvements or capabilities, as was the purpose of some recent tests.

Instead, analysts say, the Kim Jong Un government wanted to undermine any discussions on regional security that may have taken place at the G-20 summit of the world's largest economies, that took place in China and included leaders from the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Russia.

"I think North Korea tried to send a message that 'you may not expect peace on the Korean peninsula while ignoring us, and we will initiate any peace on the Korean peninsula,'" said North Korean defector and analyst Ahn Chan-il, with the World Institute for North Korean studies.

THAAD

After the North Korean missile launch on Monday, China's Foreign Ministry urged all relevant parties avoid taking any actions that may escalate tensions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also voiced his opposition to the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system to be deployed in South Korea, during sideline meetings at the summit with U.S. President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, Xi said mishandling the THAAD issue "is not conducive to strategic stability in the region and could intensify disputes."

Beijing has in the past raised concerns that the powerful radar used by the U.S. missile defense system would be used to penetrate Chinese territory.

During their meeting, Park tried to reassure Xi that THAAD will only focus on the North Korean nuclear and missile threats, and added that if those "threats were eliminated, the need to deploy the THAAD system would disappear."

Youmi Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.

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DPRK FM Spokesman Demands Pullout of U.S. Forces from S. Korea

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- September 8 this year marks 71 years since the U.S. military occupation of south Korea.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK in a statement Wednesday said that the 70-odd history of the U.S. forces' presence in south Korea has been the one in which war, confrontation and escalation of tension have persisted on the Korean peninsula, adding that the U.S. forces in south Korea are a cancer-like entity harassing peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region and bringing the dark clouds of a thermonuclear war. The statement went on:

After the end of the Second World War the U.S. occupied south Korea under the pretext of "disarming" the Imperial Japanese Army. Since then it, pursuant to its aggressive scenario for domination of Asia and world, divided the territory of Korea and the Korean nation and has inflicted the war disaster on the Korean people.

For the past six-odd decades since the signing of the Armistice Agreement, the U.S. introduced into south Korea and its vicinity huge aggression forces including nuclear weapons and staged the DPRK-targeted war exercises under various codenames, steadily escalating the tension on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

The situation on the peninsula has constantly been put beyond control amid the evil cycle of escalation of tension. This is attributable to the arms buildup of the U.S. and the joint military exercises for aggression staged every year with the U.S. forces in south Korea as main force.

The U.S. forces in south Korea have turned into "strategic task force" capable of intervening in any dispute in the region under the signboard of "strategic flexibility" and this has made its aggressive nature clearer. Recently, THAAD which includes even countries around Korea within the radius of operation was decided to be deployed in the U.S. forces in south Korea.

The situation clearly proves that unless the U.S. forces are withdrawn from south Korea as early as possible, it would be impossible to expect lasting peace and security on the peninsula and in Northeast Asia.

We opted for nuclear weaponization to safeguard the sovereignty, right to existence and peace and security of the country to stand up against the U.S. extreme hostile policy toward the DPRK and its threat of a nuclear war, and are bolstering up the nuclear deterrence for self-defence in every way, regarding it as its strategic line to simultaneously push forward economic construction and the building of nuclear force.

The U.S. has to clearly face up to the strategic position of the DPRK which ranked itself among the nuclear powers and the trend of the times and roll back its anachronistic hostile policy toward the DPRK, replace the Armistice Agreement with a peace treaty and withdraw its aggression troops and war means from south Korea at once. -0-

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Rodong Sinmun Slams U.S. Trumpeting about "Human Rights"

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- A spokesperson for the White House in the recent press conference reeled off a spate of vituperation peppered with lies and fabrications, expressing "concern" over the "human rights situation" in north Korea.

Rodong Sinmun Wednesday says in a commentary in this regard:

This is no more than a cynical ploy of those taken aback by the DPRK's successful test-fire of SLBM to divert the world's attention to its "human rights issue."

The aim sought by the U.S. in vociferating about the "human rights issue in north Korea" is to label the DPRK "human rights abuser" and bring down the socialist system through international pressure.

Over the past several decades, the U.S. has persistently threatened the DPRK's sovereignty with nuclear weapons since it divided Korea into two parts and posed grave threat to the Korean people's right to existence through various forms of sanctions and pressure. Therefore, it is preposterous and the height of impudence for the U.S. to voice "concern" over someone's "human rights situation".

It is imprudent for the U.S. to take issue with "human rights" of other countries though it is in such poor position that it can hardly handle a sea of human rights problems in its mainland, unaware of its daily waning muscle.

The U.S. is the world's worst human rights abuser.

The U.S. has neither qualifications nor right to play the role of "a human rights judge" as it is beset with all sorts of human rights abuses.

The U.S. desperate "human rights" campaign aimed to stifle the DPRK would only heighten the Korean people's hatred for the former and exceptionally increase their efforts to bolster up the nuclear force. -0-

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Germany to Invest $65Mln to Build Infrastructure in Turkey's Incirlik Airbase

Sputnik News

14:48 06.09.2016(updated 15:02 06.09.2016)

The German defense ministry has allocated a total of 58 million euros ($65 million) to build infrastructure to support German forces stationed at the Turkish Incirlik airbase which is used to conduct missions against the Daesh terrorist group, German media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Spiegel Online magazine reported that around 26 million euros of the investment would go toward building a private airfield for German Tornado reconnaissance jets stationed at the base as well accommodation for soldiers, while the rest of the funding would be used to build a mobile command post for soldiers.

This new budget plan appears to be a sign of reconciliation between the two countries after Ankara repeatedly blocked a group of German politicians from visiting the base in what was seen as a retaliatory move in response to a resolution passed by the German parliament to recognize the Armenian genocide, according to the news outlet.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said on Friday that resolution was "not legally binding."

After Merkel met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before the G20 summit in China on Sunday, she expressed her hope that the ban on German politicians visiting the base would come to an end.

 Sputnik

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Russia Supplied India With $65Bln Worth of Military Vehicles Since 1960

Sputnik News

17:42 06.09.2016

Sergey Goreslavsky, the Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport's deputy director said that the India army is equipped with a large number of vehicles produced in Russia as well as domestically-manufactured vehicles, constructed using Russian technology.

KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  Russia has supplied India with more than $65 billion worth of military vehicles since 1960, the Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport's deputy director told Sputnik at the Army-2016 military forum near Moscow on Tuesday.

"Over the past years we have signed over $65 billion worth of contracts," Sergey Goreslavsky said.

He noted that the India army is equipped with a large number of vehicles produced in Russia as well as domestically-manufactured vehicles, constructed using Russian technology.

"We have experience in transferring modern technologies to our Indian partners and we are ready to develop this experience, including creating joint ventures and organizing joint production," Goreslavsky said.

The Army-2016 forum organized by the Russian Defense Ministry kicked off earlier in the day and will last through Sunday. The forum is held in the military-themed Patriot Park in Kubinka near Moscow and in a number of locations in Russian military districts.

 Sputnik

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Indian Armed Forces to Increase BrahMos Purchases in Coming Years

Sputnik News

12:17 06.09.2016(updated 12:23 06.09.2016)

BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles have no equivalent in the world today, according to a spokesman for the manufacturing firm BrahMos Aerospace Limited.

KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  The Indian Armed Forces aim to purchase more BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles in years to come, a spokesman for the manufacturing firm BrahMos Aerospace Limited told Sputnik on the sidelines of the Army-2016 military forum on Tuesday.

"Yes, definitely, there will be more BrahMos production in the Indian Armed Forces, BrahMos is a world-class weapons system and there is no equivalent in the world today. Speed, precision and power  all exists in this system," Praveen Pathak said, when asked whether the army was expected to request more BrahMos missiles in the coming years.

According to Pathak, there is a demand for the BrahMos missiles in many countries.

"And we have enough production capabilities to supply those countries friendly both to Russia and India," the spokesman said.

BrahMos is a short-range supersonic missile with a range of 180 miles that can carry a conventional warhead of up to 660 pounds.

The Army-2016 forum organized by the Russian Defense Ministry kicked off earlier in the day and will last through Sunday. The forum is held in the military-themed Patriot Park in Kubinka near Moscow and in a number of locations in Russian military districts.

 Sputnik

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India Arms Myanmar to Secure Northeastern Border

Sputnik News

10:22 06.09.2016(updated 11:30 06.09.2016)

Forging ahead in its effort to quell an insurgency of more than five decades in the north eastern part of the country, the Indian Government has started supplying advanced weaponry and electronics to the Myanmar Army.

ndia has started supplying modern weapons, defense equipment and helicopters to the Myanmar Army for setting up bases in areas which have been a sanctuary to Indian insurgent groups. India has no immediate plans to provide training to Myanmar military, said sources.

India shares a 1,640 km long border with Myanmar. Many insurgents active in India have actual base camps in the border area where any action against them would be termed as a breach of Myanmar's sovereignty.

The solution that India has found to deal with the insurgents is essentially a form of outsourcing.

"We cannot operate inside Myanmar. If we have to neutralize the insurgents, we will have to seek the help of Myanmar's Army. However, Myanmar's Army does not have adequate sources to counter these insurgents on their own. They not only need intelligence support but also materialistic support. Therefore, the weapons India is giving to Myanmar will solve India's purpose. The assistance is not aimed at arming Myanmar to fight against another country. Myanmar has high level relations with China. It also has good relations with its eastern neighbor Thailand," said Major General R K Arora (Retired), Chief Editor of the Indian Military Review.

Sources revealed that Myanmar's administration has very little presence in the areas where the militants are camping and though army patrol parties are sent to those areas from time to time, the ultras manage to shift to safer places. To deal with this problem, the Myanmar Government has started constructing permanent army bases in the vulnerable areas as well as in the areas bordering India to prevent the ultras from using the territory of the neighboring country. However, sources said that the construction of permanent army bases by Myanmar would take some time.

In 2016 alone, civilian killing in Assam doubled compared to 2015. According to the South Asian Terrorism Portal, 19 civilians were killed in August alone by the NDFB-IKS group.

 Sputnik

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Russia So Far Delivered Over Half of Agreed Number of S-300s to Iran

Sputnik News

12:22 06.09.2016(updated 12:30 06.09.2016)

Russia has delivered over half of the agreed number of S-300 air defense systems to Iran, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Kozhin told Sputnik on Tuesday.

KUBINKA (Sputnik)  In August, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said that Tehran was expecting Moscow to fulfill its commitments on the deliveries of S-300 air defense systems within September, adding that the main part of the batch had arrived in Iran.

"We have delivered half already, even more," Kozhin said.

The $800-million Moscow-Tehran contract to deliver Russian-made S-300 air defense systems to Iran was signed in 2007. In 2011, Iran sued Russia in the Geneva Arbitration Court after Moscow suspended the contract in 2010, citing a UN Security Council resolution that placed an arms embargo on Tehran.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the S-300 delivery ban in April 2015, shortly after the P5+1 group of international negotiators and Iran reached a framework nuclear agreement to remove all economic sanctions against Tehran in exchange for its pledge to ensure that all nuclear research in the country should serve exclusively peaceful purposes.

 Sputnik

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Iran drops S-300 lawsuit against Russia

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Wed / 7 September 2016 / 14:59

TEHRAN (ISNA)- Tehran has fully withdrawn its lawsuit filed against Russia on the S-300 missile systems, Vladimir Kozhin, Russia's Presidential Aide for Military Technical Cooperation, told TASS.

"Yes, it has been withdrawn," he stated.

In May, Kozhin told reporters that Iran took all necessary steps to withdraw the lawsuit, but some "legal procedures" had still remained.

In 2007, Tehran announced the purchase of the Russian S-300PMU-1 systems. However, in 2010, Russia's then president Dmitry Medvedev banned the delivery of these weapons to Iran. As a result, Tehran filed a lawsuit against Moscow worth nearly $4 billion. Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on S-300 supplies in spring 2015.

Earlier reports said that S-300 supplies to Iran would be completed by the end of 2016.

End Item



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France sends military equipment to Iraq for Mosul operation

Iran Press TV

Tue Sep 6, 2016 5:17PM

France says it has deployed artillery to Iraq and is preparing to dispatch an aircraft carrier to the Arab country as part of reinforcements for a major operation in the strategic northern city of Mosul.

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced the deployment in an address to a gathering of defense and military officials in Paris on Tuesday.

"We decided to bolster our support of the Iraqi forces this autumn with the aim of recapturing Mosul," he said, adding, "At this very moment, artillery is arriving close to the front line."

Le Drian further noted that the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier would soon leave for the Middle East.

France is a member of the US-led coalition that has been conducting air raids against purported positions held by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Iraq since August 2014. The aerial assaults, however, have failed to disband the extremists.

The Iraqi army is gearing up for an offensive in late September to purge Daesh from Mosul, the last remaining bastion for the terror group in the north of the country. The Iraqi army and its allies have gradually taken up positions around the city over the past few weeks.

UN distributes food aid in Iraq's Qayyarah

Also on Tuesday, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said it had delivered food supplies to over 30,000 Iraqis in the town of Qayyarah, which was retaken from Daesh in a three-day operation led by Iraqi special forces on August 25.

The WFP said in a statement that Qayyarah had been "inaccessible for over two years," with food stocks "running dangerously low" and drinking water as well as medical services remaining "almost impossible to access."

It further warned that the Iraqi town is "in a dire state" with "black smoke" billowing from nearby oil fields that were set ablaze by terrorists.

"The people of Qayyarah ... are suffering extreme hunger with scarce access to food supplies," said Sally Haydock, WFP's country director for Iraq.

Qayyarah, which fell to Daesh in 2014, lies on the western bank of Tigris River, some 60 kilometers (35 miles) south of Mosul. The town is expected to be used as a launchpad for the upcoming action in Mosul.

The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh terrorists mounted an offensive in June 2014.

The Iraqi army and fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units have been engaged in joint operations to retake militant-held areas.

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Iraq: UN food relief agency's supplies reach Qayyarah's 30,000 people under 2-year siege

6 September 2016  The United Nations food relief agency has delivered urgently-needed aid to more than 30,000 people in and around the northern Iraqi town of Qayyarah in the past week, reaching an area that has been under siege and inaccessible for more than two years.

"The people of Qayyarah had been living under siege for two years and are suffering extreme hunger with scarce access to food supplies. Reaching them with life-saving food assistance is a very positive step forward," the UN World Food Programme (WFP)'s Country Director, Sally Haydock, said in a news release.

With military action turning towards retaking Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, from Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the UN Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had warned that displacement may worsen "dramatically," and announced preparations to ramp up operations and set up additional camps.

Last week, WFP and its humanitarian partners assessed the humanitarian situation in Qayyarah, 60 kilometres south of the city of Mosul, and found that all of the people remaining in the town were in urgent need of food and other forms of humanitarian assistance. All of its shops were either destroyed or closed and food stocks were running dangerously low, with people surviving only on wheat from the recent harvest.

According to WFP, black smoke rises from oil fields surrounding the town set ablaze during fighting in recent weeks. Safe drinking water, electricity and medical services remain nearly impossible to access.

Through its local partners Muslim Aid and Women Empowerment Organization, the UN agency distributed emergency food rations containing ready-to-eat foods such as dates, beans and canned foods, to meet families' immediate needs, as well as monthly food rations containing rice, lentils, wheat flour, bulgur wheat, beans and vegetable oil in the past week.

These rations will provide enough food for more than 30,000 people for a full month. WFP also distributed food to almost 2,000 displaced people living in camps and with host families in areas surrounding Qayyarah.

More than three million Iraqis have been displaced by conflict in Iraq since mid-June 2014. Over the last two years people from the Qayyarah area fled to camps in Erbil, Kirkuk and Salah al-Din, where they receive regular food assistance through WFP's partners.

WFP is scaling up its food assistance in Iraq to support newly displaced families from the Mosul area. To continue to assist displaced families in the country until the end of the year, WFP urgently requires $106 million.

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Thousands of Iraqis Receive Food After IS Occupation Ends

By Lisa Schlein September 06, 2016

The World Food Program reports it has distributed food to more than 30,000 people in a northern Iraqi town that has been under occupation by Islamic State militants for more than two years. WFP aid workers described scenes of extreme suffering.

The northern Iraqi town of Qayyarah, 60 kilometers south of Mosul, has been inaccessible to aid workers for more than two years. Battle lines have shifted and the Islamic State has lost its grip over this town, making it possible for the World Food Program and other agencies to deliver aid to thousands of hungry, deprived people in and around the area.

WFP spokeswoman Bettina Luescher said that last week WFP and its partners were able to assess the humanitarian situation and found all of the people remaining in the town were in desperate need of food and other essential aid.

"All of [Qayyarah's] shops are either destroyed or closed. Food stocks have been running really low. People surviving only on wheat. Black smoke rises from the oil fields surrounding this town," Luescher said.

WFP, through its local partners Muslim Aid and Women Empowerment Organization, has delivered enough food rations for 30,000 people for one month. The agencies also have provided food to almost 2,000 displaced people living in camps and with host families in areas surrounding the town.

Luescher said it is crucially important to have access to places like this that have seen so much fighting. She told VOA that WFP also has been providing food to many other people in this Mosul corridor.

"Last month, 130,000 people fleeing the conflict in Mosul as they arrived in areas nearby. Many people outside of Mosul have been settling in unfinished buildings. We provide ready-to-eat rations as soon as they reach those settlements and transit centers and within 72 hours when people flee, for example, from places like Mosul, we are there with ready-to-eat food," Luescher said.

WFP and other aid agencies report they are scaling up their operations in preparation for the long-anticipated military offensive by Iraqi government forces to try to retake the city of Mosul from IS. The United Nations warns two million people are likely to flee the ensuing conflict.

Luescher said a contribution of nearly $28 million from Germany has made it possible to provide food aid to families being displaced from the greater Mosul area. But, she added an additional $106 million is needed to help increasing numbers of displaced people until the end of the year.

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Pakistan Interested in Russian Air Defense Systems, Tanks

Sputnik News

12:33 06.09.2016(updated 15:13 06.09.2016)

The Pakistani armed forces show deep interest in Russian air defense systems and tanks.

KUBINKA (Moscow region) (Sputnik)  The Pakistani armed forces are interested in Russian arms, including air defense systems and tanks, Maj. Gen. Naveed Ahmed, the director general of defense procurement for the country, told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"Our army services are [showing] keen interest in different Russian products. We are looking for the air platform, for any sorts of helicopters; for the army we are looking for tanks, we are looking for anti-tanks weapon system and more importantly we are looking for the air defense system," Ahmed, who is leading the Pakistani delegation to the Army-2016 military expo, said.

The military forum, which is taking place on September 6-11 in Kubinka, a western suburb of Moscow, brings together representatives from the Russian defense industry, research institutes, universities, as well as foreign companies. Over 800 Russian and foreign participants will mount some 7,000 exhibitions throughout the week. The forum's participants and guests will attend a number of conferences and round-table discussions to discuss the future development of military technology.

On Monday, Pakistani Ambassador to Russia Qazi Khalilullah told that Minister of Defense Production Rana Tanveer Hussain would visit the forum.

According to the ambassador, Pakistan is interested in expanding its military and technical cooperation with Russia.

 Sputnik

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Russian Environmentalists Slam U.S. Green Party Candidate For Putin Comments

September 06, 2016

by Mike Eckel

Two prominent Russian environmental activists have criticized the presidential candidate for the U.S. Green Party, saying her positions on President Vladimir Putin and his policies are "deeply shocking."

The open letter by Yevgenia Chirikova and Nadezhda Kutepova is unlikely to fundamentally alter the electoral prospects of Jill Stein in the race for the White House.

She's running distant to the more mainstream candidates for the White House from the Democratic and Republican parties, and some polls show her Green Party trailing the other major alternative political party, the Libertarians.

But the letter put the spotlight on some of Stein's more controversial statements, as well as the plight of Russian environmentalists, who have been subjected to increasing repressions, along with other civil-society groups.

In the letter posted to Chirikova's Facebook page on September 6, the two activists disparaged Stein for a visit to Moscow last year in which she appeared at a forum sponsored by the state-run satellite television channel Russia Today, now known as RT.

Stein, a 66-year-old physician turned activist, appeared at the Moscow forum in December 2015, an event that was also attended by Putin.

A news release posted on Stein's campaign website highlighted her attendance and her calls for more cooperation between Washington and Moscow, particularly regarding the five-year civil war in Syria. The statement closely echoes comments voiced by the Kremlin and Russian officials about U.S. policies in the Middle East, North Africa, and elsewhere.

The two Russians said they often support environmental candidates in elections around the world.

"We have carefully read your program and your website and we have to admit that we are deeply shocked by the position you expressed during your visit to Moscow and your meeting with Mr. Vladimir Putin," they said.

They pointed to Stein's call for a "collaborative dialogue" with Moscow to prevent future wars, to fight climate change, and other issues.

"But how can this new 'collaborative dialogue' be possible when Mr. Putin has deliberately built a system based on corruption, injustice, falsification of elections, and violation of human rights and international law? How is it possible to have a discussion with Mr. Putin and not mention, not even once, the fate of Russian political prisoners, or the attacks against Russian journalists, artists, and environmentalists?" they said.

Scott McLarty, a spokesman for the Green Party, did not immediately respond to telephone and e-mail inquiries.

Chirikova gained notoriety in Russia for her involvement in the fight over treasured forestlands north of Moscow that were slated to be partially razed for a new superhighway to St. Petersburg. For many, the protracted fight for the Khimki Forest turned into a litmus test for the ability of civil society activists to fight government-backed industrial projects.

Chirikova was awarded one of the world's most prestigious awards, the Goldman Environmental Prize, in 2012.

Last year, she fled to Estonia, saying she feared Russian authorities would try to pressure her by levying steep taxes on her award, or other measures.

Kutepova, meanwhile, is an activist from a Ural Mountains town that has been polluted by radioactive waste from the notorious Mayak nuclear plant.

She, too, fled to Europe after her nongovernmental organization was labeled a "foreign agent" under a widely criticized law designed to hinder foreign funding of Russian civil society groups.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russian- environmentalists-criticize-us-green-party- stein-putin-support/27970782.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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Russian Weapons Sales Reach $7Bln in 8 Months - Russian Arms Exporter

Sputnik News

19:41 06.09.2016(updated 20:15 06.09.2016)

Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov said that Rosoboronexport was planning to sell more than $13 billion worth of weapons in 2016 and arms exporter has already sold arms at a cost of $7 billion.

KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik)  Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport has sold $7 billion worth of weapons over the past eight months, the company's deputy director general told Sputnik Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov said that Rosoboronexport was planning to sell more than $13 billion worth of weapons in 2016.

"This year's plan stipulates sales of arms worth some $13 billion, we have already sold [arms] at a cost of $7 billion, that means more than a half [of our target]," Sergey Goreslavsky said, speaking at the Army-2016 military forum.

He added that Russia would receive large payments under its contracts with Iran and China by the end of the year.

Rosoboronexport is responsible for over 85 percent of Russian arms and military technology exports, according to the Rostec state technologies corporation, which owns the arms exporter.

The Russian Defense Ministry's Army-2016 forum is taking place on September 6-11 in Kubinka, a western suburb of Moscow. The forum brings together representatives from the Russian defense industry, research institutes, universities, as well as foreign companies. Over 800 Russian and foreign participants are expected to be involved in some 7,000 exhibitions throughout the week. The forum's participants and guests will attend a number of conferences and roundtables to discuss the future development of military technology.

 Sputnik

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Russian Aerospace Forces to Start Receiving Mi-26T2 Helicopters in 2018

Sputnik News

15:16 06.09.2016(updated 15:28 06.09.2016)

The Russian Aerospace Forces will start receiving the upgraded Mi-26T2 helicopters from the Russian Helicopters corporation in 2018.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Russian Aerospace Forces will start receiving the upgraded Mi-26T2 heavy-lift transport helicopters in 2018, a spokesman for the manufacturing firm Russian Helicopters said.

"Deliveries of Mi-26T2 to the Russian Defense Ministry are planned for 2018, but this deadline depends not only on the Russian Helicopters holding's enterprises," Director of Public Procurement and Military-Technical Cooperation Vladislav Savelyev told RIA Novosti.

According to Savelyev, requirements for the new helicopters include installation of a new flight and navigation system, upgraded airborne defense system as well as the implementation of other design decisions.

The upgraded Mil Mi-26T2 (NATO reporting name Halo) is an all-terrain multipurpose transport helicopter, largest of the Mi-26 family of helicopters. The original Mi-26 was developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s.

 Sputnik

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Turkish, Moderate Syrian Forces Close Major ISIL Route

By Terri Moon Cronk DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2016  Turkish and moderate Syrian opposition forces last night closed northern Syria's Jarabulus gap in a significant development in the counter- Islamic State of Iraq and The Levant campaign by cutting off ISIL access to a route between Manbij and Jarabulus, Defense Department Press Operations Director Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters today.

The Jarabulus gap is about a 12-kilometer strip in Syria between Jarabulus on its east and Al Rai on its west, where Turkish and moderate Syrians moved Sept. 1 along that border, Davis said.

Turkish forces supported moderate Syrian opposition forces in the region to retake Jarabulus from ISIL control, he said.

"As of this moment, [ISIL] no longer controls any territory along the border," Davis said.

Gap Clearance Critical

Clearing the gap was critical to stop the flow of enemy foreign fighters coming into Syria and onward to Iraq and to stop ISIL from exploiting the border to export terrorism out of Syria, Davis said.

"[Jarabulus gap] is a very porous border, but any place where ISIL has direct contact with that border only increases [its] ability to get people across," he noted.

"Whether it's foreign fighters coming in or terrorists going out, this will have a very significant impact and it's a very important strategic development in our overall campaign to degrade and defeat [ISIL]," Davis said.

In addition to Turkish and moderate forces on the ground clearing the border area, Syrian Democratic Forces are working to clear Manbij, and they've moved back east across the Euphrates and are positioning themselves to move south toward Raqqa, Davis noted.

"ISIL is on the run," he said.

Artillery Strike

The high-mobility artillery rocket system in Turkey made its first strike over the weekend, Davis added.

"The HIMARS capability is in use in Iraq and other places on the battlefield," he said. "It is long range, very precise, [and] is another tool in the commander's toolkit to be able to strike," he said, adding that the ISIL target was a trapezoid between Jarabulus, Al Rai, Al-Bab and Manbij.

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Two Turkish soldiers killed in Daesh attack in N Syria

Iran Press TV

Tue Sep 6, 2016 6:4PM

The Turkish military says two of its troopers have been killed and five others injured in an attack by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in northern Syria.

In a statement carried by Turkey's NTV television on Tuesday, the army said the casualties came after a Daesh rocket attack on two of its tanks south of the town of al-Ra'i, near the Turkish border.

The fatalities were the first of Turkey's recent incursion into Syria to be blamed on Daesh.

The Turkish television showed pictures of military helicopters flying across the Turkish-Syrian border to take the wounded to Turkey for treatment.

Separately, two pro-Turkey Syria militants were killed and two others sustained injuries in clashes in the same region, the Turkish army statement added.

On August 24, Turkish special forces, tanks and jets backed by planes from the US-led coalition launched their first coordinated offensive in Syria. Damascus denounced the intervention as a breach of its sovereignty.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the operation, dubbed "Euphrates Shield," was aimed at "terror groups" such as Daesh and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a US-backed Kurdish group based in Syria.

Hours after the beginning of the offensive, Turkish-backed militants seized the city of Jarablus, with Ankara saying that it wanted to establish a safe zone in the 98-kilometer (61-mile) area stretching from Jarablus to the city of A'zaz.

Terrorist attacks kill 10, wound 15 in Syria

Also on Tuesday, terrorists fired rocket shells on al-Athamiyeh neighborhood in the Syrian city of Aleppo, leaving six civilians dead and 12 more injured. A woman and two children were among those killed in the assault.

Additionally, similar rocket attacks by Daesh terrorists on al-Qusour and Harabesh neighborhoods of Dayr al-Zawr claimed the lives of four civilians and left three others injured.

Syria has been the scene of a foreign-backed crisis since March 2011.

Turkey is said to be among the main supporters of the militant groups active in Syria, with reports saying that Ankara actively trains and arms the Takfiri elements there and facilitates their safe passage into the violence-wracked country.

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UN panel urges revival of shaky ceasefire in Syria

Iran Press TV

Tue Sep 6, 2016 2:49PM

A United Nations investigative panel has called on all parties involved in the deadly conflict in Syria to revitalize a faltering nationwide ceasefire in the violence-wracked Arab state.

The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which is tasked with investigating human rights violations in the Arab country, made the request in its 12th report published on Tuesday.

The cessation of hostilities brokered by the US and Russia went into effect in Syria on February 27. However, fighting still rages on in some parts of Syria, particularly around the city of Aleppo. The truce does not apply to the terrorist groups of Daesh and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, al-Qaeda's Syrian branch formerly known as al-Nusra Front.

The February truce offered a "glimmer of hope" to civilians in Syria, but just a month later, fighting and indiscriminate attacks on residential areas increased, the commission said.

"The cessation of hostilities agreement brought a welcome respite for civilians that lasted all too briefly," the commission added, emphasizing that "the sense of hope engendered earlier this year must be revitalized."

The UN panel further called for more support for UN Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, who is trying to restart UN-brokered negotiations aimed at resolving the crisis in the Middle Eastern country.

It further urged an end to the numerous sieges in Syria, which have trapped approximately 600,000 people in dire conditions.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. Over the past few months, the Takfiri militants active in the Arab country have suffered major setbacks as the Syrian army has managed to liberate several areas.

According to De Mistura, more than 400,000 people have been killed in the crisis in Syria. The UN has stopped its official casualty count in Syria, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.

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Syrian army troops deal major blows to Takfiri militants

Iran Press TV

Tue Sep 6, 2016 9:45AM

Syrian government forces have carried out a string of military operations against foreign-backed militants across the conflict-ridden Arab country, inflicting heavy losses on them.

On Tuesday, Syrian army soldiers, backed by fighters from allied Popular Defense groups, raided two militant hideouts in the Dara'a al-Balad district of the southwestern city of Dara'a, located about 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the capital, Damascus, killing and injuring an unspecified number of Takfiri extremists in the process, Syria's official SANA news agency reported.

Syrian army soldiers also engaged foreign-backed militants in the villages of Khan Tuman and Kafr Hamrah and in the town of Haritan in the northwestern province of Aleppo.

The developments came a day after Syrian troopers killed more than 30 terrorists and destroyed a battle tank, five sport utility vehicles and a car rigged with explosives in the town of Dayr Hafir, situated 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of Aleppo.

Additionally, Syrian fighter jets struck militant positions in the west-central city of Hama, located 213 km (132 miles) north of Damascus, on Monday, killing at least 50 extremists.

Also on Monday, Syrian army units managed to establish control over the Mazrah Hills in the northern suburb of Hama.

Moreover, Syrian military aircraft pounded terrorists positions in the towns of Nasiriyah, Soran and Latamenah in Aleppo Province, destroying their ammunition and several tanks. Syrian soldiers thwarted a militant offensive against the al-Ameriyah district in the province as well.

Elsewhere in the northwestern province of Homs, Syrian jets bombed militant bases in the town of Talbiseh and Deir Ful village, killing and injuring tens of Takfiris.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

The UN has stopped updating its official death toll for Syria.

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As peace talks stall, violence soars once again in Syria - new UN report warns

6 September 2016  Although February's ceasefire agreement created an all-too-brief respite in fighting, there has been a tragic increase in violence targeting Syrian civilians, crushing hopes of peace in the war-torn country, a group of United Nations experts warned today.

In its latest report, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria notes how recent indiscriminate attacks on civilians, blockades of humanitarian convoys and crimes committed by all parties to the conflict, have left Syrians in a state of despair.

"The relentless attacks and sieges against civilians shows no signs of abating giving people little, if any, hope, of a lasting peace in the country," said Commission Chair Paulo Pinheiro in a news release on the report.

The Commission has been mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate and record all violations of international law in Syria since March 2011.

The report notes violence has reached unprecedented levels in Aleppo, the country's second largest city, as parties wrestle for control its eastern part, and casualties have rapidly mounted at an alarming rate as civilians have been unable to flee from daily airstrikes.

While some perish in the attacks, others later die from lack of life-saving medical services, as a consequence of the pro-Government forces' bombardments that have destroyed over twenty hospitals and clinics in Aleppo governorate alone since the beginning of the year, the report says.

It adds that countless medical staff and first responders who provide vital services lost their lives in such attacks, further worsening a situation already desperately precarious before the current offensive, the reports notes.

"The intensifying attacks on medical care  including maternity hospitals, paediatric units and emergency wards  are in flagrant disregard of the letter and the spirit of international humanitarian law," said Mr. Pinheiro. "Such attacks seek to levy the suffering of civilians by belligerents in order to gain military advantage."

Civilians killed in attacks by both sides

The report notes that as hostilities resumed in areas that had enjoyed relative peace for the first time in five years, so did aerial and shelling bombardments, primarily by pro-government forces. It also cites continued indiscriminate shelling of civilian-inhabited neighbourhoods, and hostage-taking for ransom by anti-government armed groups. Attacks by both sides have killed and maimed scores of civilians, many of them children.

"Nearly 600,000 civilians in Damascus, Rif Damascus, Dayr Az-Zawr, Homs and Idlib governorates continue to suffer brutal conditions created by protracted sieges," the report states.

The report further notes that across the country, starvation through besiegement continues to be used as a tactic of war with devastating consequences, and that in Darayya, besieged by government security forces for almost four years, young children and elderly people are seen dying of starvation, with survivors subsisting on grass and unsafe drinking-water, a phenomenon also reported throughout other besieged areas.

"Recent developments in Darayya, including the forcible displacement of the civilian population as part of political negotiations, contravene well-established principles of international law," said Commissioner Vitit Muntarbhorn.

The Commission believes that the Syrian conflict and the on-going violations will only come to an end with a return of the parties to the negotiation table. "It is imperative that the key parties negotiate an end to this conflict, while bearing in mind that any peace agreement must necessarily provide justice for the victims," said Commissioner Carla Del Ponte.

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Last-ditch Attempt Seen for Syria Cease-fire Pact

By Steve Herman, Luis Ramirez September 07, 2016

Intensive diplomatic efforts have resumed in what some observers see as a last-ditch effort to bring about a cease-fire in Syria.

In London, British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson called a meeting with the broad-based Syrian opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee, saying there is still a chance the vision of a political transition "can be made to work."

The 25-page plan HNC leaders presented on Wednesday proposes a six-month negotiating phase between the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition. After that, there would be an 18-month period in which Syria would be governed by a transitional government made up of opposition representatives, members of the current government and civil society.

That vision, however, is unlikely as long as the two main outside players in the conflict, Russia and the United States, refuse to compromise on their support for the two opposing sides. Moscow supports Assad and Washington adamantly wants him out of power.

U.S. diplomats, speaking to VOA News, have expressed frustration with their Russian counterparts whom they have accused of reversing direction on some key points of agreement in recent days.

"Today's news out of Syria is not encouraging," U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday in a speech at Oxford University in England. "The choice is Russia's to make, and the consequences will be its responsibility."

Carter accused Moscow of "unprofessional behavior" in Syria, Ukraine and cyberspace, alleging the Russians have a clear ambition to erode the principled international order."

Negotiations continue

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "plan to meet in the coming days to see if they can conclude an agreement, having now identified the remaining issues," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor for strategic communications, traveling with President Barack Obama in Laos.

"We're not going to take a deal that doesn't meet our basic objectives," Rhodes told reporters. "And I think we'll know very quickly whether or not we can close those remaining gaps."

Even if the American and Russian diplomats bridge those gaps it might not prove palatable to some of the elements fighting in Syria.

"If what the Russians and the Americans agree upon is very much different from what the Syrians aspire to, then we shall not accept it," said Riyad Hijab, the top coordinator for the main Syrian opposition negotiating group at stalled U.N.-mediated talks in London.

A key sticking point involves the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom the opposition groups insist must leave office at the end of six months of negotiations to establish a transitional administration.

"It's not a question of keeping Assad in for six months or one month or one day, in this transitional period. The Russians and Americans know that," said Hijab. "They know the position of the Syrian people, they have sacrificed a lot and they will not give up this demand."

Finding common ground

Britain's top diplomat hoped to capitalize on what little common ground exists between the U.S. and Russian positions. "Even the Russians have accepted that there must be political transition," Johnson said in a column of The Times newspaper Wednesday. "But then the Russians are also employing their military muscle to prevent him from losing and to keep him in power," he wrote.

Johnson called on Russia to end its "seemingly indefensible" support for Assad and what he described as the Syrian leader's "barbaric military tactics."

British officials portrayed the opposition's plan as the first credible blueprint for a political transition in Syria.

Some analysts disagree.

"The reality is that the Assad regime is pretty confident that it is not really under any military pressure, so why on Earth should it be interested in such a deal unless it was forced to by some sort of pressure from Russia and Iran," said David Butter, a Middle East analyst at Chatham House. "But that does not seem to be a realistic prospect," he told VOA.

Cease-fire?

A proposed Syrian cease-fire was discussed on Monday during a 90-minute meeting between Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Hangzhou, China.

Russia, along with Iran, supports Assad.

Adel al-Jubeir, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, the primary rival of Iran, said Tuesday in London a cease-fire accord was possible within 24 hours, but cautioned that Assad is unlikely to abide by any agreement.

A complex war has been raging in Syria for five years, fracturing the country, killing hundreds of thousands of people and displacing 12 million, more than half of the country's pre-war population.

Luis Ramirez contributed to this report from London.

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MAC calls for early passage of cross-strait agreement oversight bill

ROC Central News Agency

2016/09/06 21:21:55

Taipei, Sept. 6 (CNA) The head of the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Tuesday that she hoped a bill to monitor cross-Taiwan Strait pacts will clear the legislative floor as soon as possible and that negotiations between Taiwan and China can resume soon.

Chang Hsiao-yueh () made the remarks after calling on Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang () and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers earlier in the day to seek support for the MAC's budget for next year.

The budget will be reviewed by the Legislature, which will start a new session on Sept. 13.

In response to reporters' questions after the meeting, Chang said the draft bill on oversight of cross-strait agreements is very important and she hopes it will be given priority in the new legislative session.

The passage of the bill will be conducive to the resumption of negotiations between Taiwan and China, Chang told reporters.

The draft bill provides guidelines for Taiwan to conduct negotiations with China, she said, calling for the resumption of such negotiations as soon as possible.

Based on the bill, Taiwan's trade and economic officials will be able to resume talks with their Chinese counterparts on a trade-in-goods pact that has been stalled since late November 2015 after 12 rounds of negotiations.

Meanwhile, a trade-in-services pact signed in 2013 between Taiwan and China is still awaiting legislative ratification and is seen as a key factor in the resumption of cross-strait talks on a number of trade issues, including the stalled trade-in-goods agreement.

In light of these factors, the DPP government reportedly is seeking to have the oversight bill passed in the upcoming legislative session.

Cross-strait communications have slowed amid cooler relations between the two sides since President Tsai Ing-wen () took office May 20.

This is mainly due to China's insistence that the "1992 consensus" remain the political foundation for the development of cross-strait exchanges, and the Tsai administration's reluctance to accept that.

The "1992 consensus" refers to a tacit understanding reached between Taiwan -- then under a Kuomintang government -- and China in 1992 that there is only one China, with both sides free to interpret what that means.

(By Justin Su and Elaine Hou)

ENDITEM/pc

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Chinese official wants 'something new' from Taiwan's top negotiator

ROC Central News Agency

2016/09/06 21:42:55

Beijing, Sept. 6 (CNA) China's Taiwan affairs minister said Tuesday that he would like to know whether Taiwan's top negotiator with China will insist on the "political foundation" for cross-Taiwan Strait exchanges and come up with new ideas for moving bilateral ties forward.

Zhang Zhijun () was asked to comment on the latest statement by Tien Hung-mao (), who will soon head Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), that China's top leader has yet to speak on the "1992 consensus" and that he hopes that there is still some leeway on the issue.

Tien made the remarks during a radio interview a day earlier, in which he expressed hope that Chinese President Xi Jinping () will "have a broad vision and thinking" about China's way of looking at the "1992 consensus," in which Taipei and Beijing agreed there is only one China, with each side free to interpret what that means.

The Chinese government and Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) government, which ceded power to Tsai Ing-wen () of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on May 20, had no problem proclaiming the "1992 consensus" as the political foundation for institutionalized talks between them.

But Tsai is deemed to be inclined toward Taiwan independence -- a taboo for China -- and has not openly accepted the existence of the "1992 consensus," much to the displeasure of the Beijing authorities.

Instead, as Tien said, the president recognizes the fact that there was a meeting held between the two sides in Hong Kong in 1992, which, according to the KMT's Ma Ying-jeou () administration, paved the way for improved cross-strait ties during Ma's two terms in office from 2008-2016.

Zhang told reporters Tuesday that the key to resuming cross-strait talks lies in the "political foundation" -- particularly its core meaning of "one China" -- rather than in "who heads the SEF," whose Chinese counterpart is the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS).

Tien, set to assume the SEF chairmanship Sept. 12, said he still hopes for some leeway from Xi before or after the 6th plenary session of the 18th Communist Party of China's Central Committee, scheduled to be held in Beijing in October.

Zhang said that the point is how Tien will make his case with regard to the "mutually agreed political foundation" of the 1992 consensus. "Will he have something new to say on this issue? Let's just wait and see," he said.

(By Lawrence Chiu and S.C. Chang)

ENDITEM/J

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Turkey expels 73 more military personnel over coup

Iran Press TV

Wed Sep 7, 2016 6:27PM

Turkey has expelled dozens of new officers and soldiers as part of its crackdown on plotters and sympathizers of the July 15 coup attempt.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that 73 more personnel of the country's air force had been relieved of their duties over alleged links to Fethullah Gulen, a cleric based in the United States who is accused by Ankara of orchestrating the coup that led to more than 250 deaths.

The ministry published the statement on Twitter, saying the decision strengthened the military "as it gets rid of traitor FETO," a reference to Gulen.

After the coup was declared over on July 16, Turkey began a heavy-handed crackdown on those deemed to have played a role in the attempt. More than 20,000 have been arrested, while over 70,000 have been dismissed or suspended from their positions in the military and public institutions. The crackdown has faced mounting criticism from government and rights campaigners, but Ankara says it will continue the purge to prevent a repetition of the attempt.

Authorities issued 105 detention orders on Wednesday for commanders and soldiers with alleged links to Gulen, said the state-run Anadolu news agency. It added that most of those targeted in the arrests, which covered 17 provinces across Turkey, were "imams running the military forces," a term used to designate Gulen followers who hold important command positions in the network.

The military dismissed 820 of its personnel last week with reports saying 648 of them had been jailed. Estimates say Turkey has so far discharged a total of 5,000 military personnel, including 151 generals and admirals.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu vowed on Wednesday that Ankara would cooperate with the Council of Europe to ensure that trials held for those charged over the coup would be clear and straightforward.

"We (will) cooperate with the Council of Europe to make this process very transparent," said Cavusoglu after a meeting in Strasburg, France, with Thorbjorn Jagland, head of the rights body.

Jagland had warned Turkey following the coup that the government and judiciary must not go "too wide" in casting the net they use for hunting the plotters.

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Turkey Ready to Join US in Liberating Raqqa

By VOA News September 07, 2016

Turkey would be ready to join any future operation proposed by the United States to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkish media report Erdogan told journalists Wednesday traveling home with him from the G-20 meeting the issue was brought up by U.S. President Barack Obama during their talks on the sideline of the summit in China.

"Obama wants to do some things jointly concerning Raqqa. We said this would not be a problem from our perspective,'' Erdogan is quoted as saying.

He said Turkish and U.S. military officials could meet to discuss capturing Raqqa, the de facto capital of Islamic State.

Two weeks ago Turkey's military entered northern Syria to back efforts by Syrian rebels to dislodge IS and also to prevent the Kurdish YPG militia from expanding into new territory.

U.S. officials have welcomed Turkish efforts against Islamic State in Syria, but they have voiced concern when Turkish troops engaged fighters aligned to the YPG, a force Washington sees as a valuable ally in battling jihadists.

Turkey has been alarmed by U.S. support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its YPG militia, which Ankara considers a "terrorist" group linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighting for its own state in Turkey.

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Kiev losing Western support against Russia: Ukrainian president

Iran Press TV

Tue Sep 6, 2016 10:45AM

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says it is now difficult for his government to gather Western support in its confrontation with Russia, which Kiev and its allies accuse of having a hand in the crisis gripping eastern Ukraine.

Addressing the parliament on Tuesday, Poroshenko said "Ukraine will continue to need strong international support in the fight against Russian aggression."

He added, however, that "securing this support is becoming increasingly difficult for our diplomats due to different objective and subjective factors."

He also said the internal strength of Europe was being tested by external issues, including the refugee crisis and terrorist assaults.

Poroshenko warned that European political forces willing to compromise with Russia could win in the 2017 elections.

"Over the course of the next year, political forces could come to power as a result of elections in several European countries that may not be extremist, but are inclined to compromise with the Kremlin," he said.

"Europe still speaks with one voice, but there are also countries where the Russian accent is already too audible," said Poroshenko.

The comments come as the European Union is divided over the future of economic sanctions imposed on Russia over its alleged role in the crisis in Ukraine.

Many European politicians argue the bans have also had a negative impact on the continent itself.

Tensions between Moscow and Kiev have flared in recent weeks after Russia's Federal Security Service said that it had thwarted an incursion by the Ukrainian military into Crimea. Two Russians were killed in the incident.

Poroshenko said on Tuesday that Ukraine is now safer compared to a year ago. He said, however, that a full-scale invasion from Russia is likely.

People in Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea voted for rejoining the Russian Federation in a referendum in March 2014. The West branded the move as Moscow's annexation of the territory.

In April 2014, the government in Kiev launched the first round of its military operations in Ukraine's eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, which are populated mostly by pro-Russians, to crush anti-government protests there. The operations, however, led to deadly clashes between the two sides.

The crisis in eastern Ukraine has left nearly 9,500 people dead and over 21,000 others injured, according to the United Nations.

Despite ceasefire efforts, sporadic fighting continues to claim more lives.

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Ukraine's Poroshenko Pleads For Unity, Calls For Western Support In Annual Address

September 06, 2016

by Christopher Miller

KYIV -- President Petro Poroshenko has urged Ukrainians to mend their differences, saying that only unity can keep the country from descending into chaos in the face of what he called a persistent Russian military threat.

In an annual address to parliament, Poroshenko said that Moscow was trying to use the conflict in eastern Ukraine to "destroy us from within." He also warned that a full-scale Russian invasion could not be ruled out.



"At a time when Russia's aggression against Ukraine is still ongoing, when the military threat from the east is the most difficult strategic challenge, the issue of national unity and political consolidation is a matter of life and death for our country," Poroshenko said in the televised speech on September 6, the opening day of the Verkhovna Rada's new session.

"The parliament is made up of the ruling faction and the opposition. This is an inviolable and important feature of democracy," he told the Verkhovna Rada. "But sometimes there are moments when you want to forget for a moment if you're right or left, liberal or conservative, a Ukrainian or Russian speaker."

Ukraine has been riven by war in the east, where Russia-backed separatists seized parts of two provinces after the Euromaidan protests brought down Moscow-aligned President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014. Unity has also been undermined by disputes over legislation on language and communist symbols.

Poroshenko painted a hopeful portrait of a nation with an army that has grown stronger over the course of the war against the Russia-backed separatists, which has killed more than 9,500 people, but one that must be prepared to fight on its own.

Poroshenko thanked Ukraine's Western partners for their military support, which he claimed totaled more than half a billion dollars, but he said the country needed more help to defend its sovereignty. "Russian expansionism is a continental and global problem. It cannot be solved between two countries," he said. "Ukraine needs consistent international support to tackle Russian aggression."

But Poroshenko said that "securing this support is becoming increasingly difficult for our diplomats due to different objective and subjective factors."

He said that Europe was facing challenges from the migration crisis and militant attacks, and warned that elections in EU member states in 2017 could usher in political forces that are more willing to compromise with Russia.

Warning that a full-scale Russian invasion cannot be ruled out, Poroshenko said he was prepared to appeal again for lethal defensive weapons from the West. But for now, he said, Ukraine "must rely most of all on itself."

But that could prove challenging, as Ukraine cannot afford to spend more than 3 percent of its gross domestic product on the military, he said, adding that the burden on the budget was "high enough" as it is. The army still needed support from volunteers, he said.

Poroshenko underlined what he said was Ukraine's desire to join NATO. "Our strategic goal is NATO membership," he said. "This road map is as immutable as the North Star in the starry sky."

Russia vocally opposes Ukrainian membership in NATO.

After warning about the possibility of imposing martial law last month amid an escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, Poroshenko said he does not want martial law or a new mobilization for combat in the east. But he said the key to those issues "rests in Moscow," suggesting he would not rule out such measures if provoked by Russia.

A peace process based on 2014 and 2015 deals known as the Minsk accords has failed to end the fighting, and little progress has been made on the political aspects of the agreements.

Poroshenko said that Ukraine cannot afford to make concessions to Moscow, which says the first step should be for Kyiv to pass legislation giving the separatist-held territories more autonomy and granting the separatist fighters amnesty.

"Security issues remain first," Poroshenko said. "We must see a complete and sustainable cease-fire, the pull-out of Russian troops and military hardware, disarming of militants, control over the whole Ukraine-Russian border [returned to Kyiv]."

"Russia wants to turn the territory it occupies in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as someone has said, into a Donbas protectorate, and then infiltrate it back into Ukraine on its terms to destroy us from within," he said. "I'll put it bluntly, we will not allow them to do this and it will not happen."

Poroshenko also voiced hope for a much-anticipated European Union resolution on visa liberalization for Ukraine, saying its approval would be "proof that Europe is a key partner that recognizes our progress in implementing reforms."

EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn expressed confidence on September 3 that there will be a decision in both the European Parliament and among EU member states to grant visa liberalization -- which would enable Ukrainians to travel more freely throughout the EU -- later this year.

Western leaders have criticized Kyiv over the pace of reforms and challenged it to do more. Both EU visa liberalization and another tranche of financial aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are dependent on Ukraine making progress on reforms including steps to curb official corruption, which Poroshenko said was particularly crucial.

"We must demonstrate to the people that the battle against corruption has started at the top. Only then will we be able to tackle it at every level," he said.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-poroshenko- harder-to-get-wests-support/27969823.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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Alan Burkitt-Gray speaks to Don MacNeil, chief operating officer of GTT, about its company restructuring after coming out of Chapter 11 and its strategic roadmap for the next 12 months.
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, Sept. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, is supporting DGSN, the General Delegation for National Security in Cameroon, in tackling fraud and document counterfeiting with the deployment of Sealys Color in PC for polycarbonate eID cards, a first in Africa. This innovative approach consists in laser engraving high resolution color photos into the durable Sealys card body to provide Cameroon with the benefits of irrefutable proof of identity for its 20 million citizens. Gemalto also contributes to the countrys comprehensive identity modernization program with its Coesys enrolment solution, its personalization platform implementing color laser engraving technology and eID verification terminals.



Gemaltos Sealys Color in PC eID offers DGSN significant security benefits compared to solutions that simply print photographs on the surface of a card. Furthermore, the tamper-proof image is combined with a digital copy of the card holders fingerprint stored within the embedded microprocessor. Additional levels of protection are provided by a series of visible and invisible document security features. The card body, which is entirely made of polycarbonate foils, guarantees a minimum ten year service life with outstanding resistance to extremes of temperature and mechanical stress.



Gemalto will enable DGSN to operate the fully integrated system autonomously via a comprehensive training, maintenance and knowledge transfer program. DGSN will therefore be in a position to take full responsibility for enrolling citizens and issuing personalized eID cards, then verifying eIDs on the terminals supplied.

Gemalto is the perfect match for our ambitious project goals. The end to end solution will give us full flexibility and autonomy to manage and operate our new national eID program in house, said Martin Mbarga Nguele, the General Delegate to the National Security, Head of DGSN. Establishing and verifying every citizens identity is at the heart of a successful and secure nation state, and we are confident this solution will help us achieve this key strategic objective.

Representing the first deployment of Color in Polycarbonate in Africa, the solution chosen by DGSN puts Cameroon at the very forefront of the worlds secure document programs, said Frederic Trojani, Executive Vice President Government Programs at Gemalto. As well as a technological leap towards greater security and efficiency, it will provide the foundation of trust on which a modern digital society and economy can be built. With this new contract, Gemalto surpasses 100 references in government programs.

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO) is the global leader in digital security, with 2015 annual revenues of 3.1 billion and customers in over 180 countries. We bring trust to an increasingly connected world.

Our technologies and services enable businesses and governments to authenticate identities and protect data so they stay safe and enable services in personal devices, connected objects, the cloud and in between.

Gemaltos solutions are at the heart of modern life, from payment to enterprise security and the internet of things. We authenticate people, transactions and objects, encrypt data and create value for software  enabling our clients to deliver secure digital services for billions of individuals and things.

Our 14,000+ employees operate out of 118 offices, 45 personalization and data centers, and 27 research and software development centers located in 49 countries.

For more information visit www.gemalto.com or follow @gemalto on Twitter.

Gemalto media contacts:

Philippe Benitez

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CHATHAM  Inventory at businesses around the county now will be taxed at a lower rate on a sliding scale after a vote by the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday evening.

The newly approved assessment method would operate in a three-tiered system, with a lower percentage being with more capital in a business. The first tier would be for values up to $1 million and would be assessed at the current rate. The second tier would be for from $1 million to $5 million, and would be assessed at 10 percent of the original cost. The third tier would be for any value higher than $5 million and would be assessed at 5 percent of the original cost.

This method will be retroactively applied to the beginning of 2016, which means the county will have to refund $83,944 to businesses that have already paid bills, and offer abatements of $174,431 for businesses that have not yet paid their bills for the second half of this year.

John Merricks, of RV Outlet USA, who has been an active voice in the discussions about this tax since the beginning of the year, thought the new method should go back another year, but said that, this tax change that youre doing, at least as far as my business goes, saved 50 jobs in Ringgold.

The Merricks family had been debating moving their business, which has inventory of about $10 million, to a property in South Carolina, and taking the 50 people they employ with them.

Supervisor Bob Warren, of the Chatham-Blairs district, said the tax was something that should have been addressed long ago, and that his tax is being applied equally to the Food Lions and everyone else.  We do want to be business friendly, we want to keep the ones weve got as well as bring in new ones.

Supervisor Jerry Hagerman, of the Callands-Gretna district, was the sole vote against this proposal on the board, because he thought the tax was still too high for many small businesses, such as his own.

Theyre gonna tell you that this tax is being lowered, and it has, said Hagerman. But I still think its too high.
Vacation Manor played its first show in 2014 during a Washington, D.C. Battle of the Bands competition, with barely 24 hours of practice.

Band members Nathan Towles and Dane Spearman met earlier that year when Towles came down from D.C. to play drums with Spearmans now-defunct band, Native Blood, at Lynchstock.

Towles eventually asked Spearman to play in the Battle of the Bands competition, and they recruited two more friends, drummer Cole Young and guitarist Josh Morales, to round out the group.

Despite never having played together  barring a few hours of practice, during which they learned the two songs they would perform  they won.

Musically, we all just jelled that Saturday, Towles says. There were probably eight or so other people playing. A couple interesting acts, a couple really good ones. It was funny because there was a panel of judges  there were a couple college students, a priest or two on it 

I saw some nuns in the back, adds Spearman. We were playing some pretty rowdy rock back then, and it was really funny watching them dance along to it cause we were mentioning whiskey and cigarettes.

Originally founded as a blues-rock band, Vacation Manor  which will play on the Lynchstock Stage Friday during Get Downtown  has changed a great deal since that first gig two years ago. Theyve veered in a completely different direction stylistically, now favoring a West Coast pop-rock sound, and even underwent a name change when they ditched former moniker Native Spirit.

Theyve got a fresh indie sound, says Jonathan Smalt, Lynchstock co-founder. I think it's in the vein of a lot of current indie pop. .... It's the sound of our generation. Its the sound of young, hippies and college students and people figuring out what life is; I think a lot of their songs are filled with those deep questions of identity and love and heartbreak.

These changes, say Towles and Spearman as they sit in the back of The White Hart Cafe, fit them much better.

It felt right, Towles says. We started as babies  when we started Native Spirit. Honestly, just musically and in terms of understanding how a band functions. Youre bound to undergo a little identity crisis in there at some point. I think we figured out who we were, though.

Though still a newcomer in the world of music, Vacation Manor has shared the stage with bands like Magic Man, Civil Twilight and Colony House. This spring, the group released its first EP, Girl, Say, and has been doing mini tours along the East Coast ever since.

What's great with Vacation Manor is their sound matches their lyricism in a really cool way, Smalt says. They're definitely on the front of the modern indie pop sound, pushing the barriers for Lynchburg.

What happened that you needed to change the bands name?

Spearman: Theres a funny story about that. When we went to the Battle of the Bands and were about to go onstage, they told us, So you guys want to be introduced as the Nathan Towles Band? Were like, Hell no.  We went onstage as Native Spirit and that name stuck. What ended up happening was it encapsulated that music we were playing at the time, that Americana-rock.

Once we wrote A Toast and a Spirit and Careless, we realized it didnt make any sense anymore, it didnt feel right anymore. Luckily, the change was made for us because another band in Australia got in contact with us saying, Our names Native Spirit. Weve been Native Spirit longer, so you have to change your name. In order to avoid any legal disputes and also because we personally wanted to change the name, we decided to leave Native Spirit behind, which was also symbolically leaving behind our old genre in order to reinvent ourselves.

How did you come up with Vacation Manor?

Spearman: When Nathan was still living up in Maryland  John and Cole and I had been down here for awhile  there was this house, and we called it the vacation manor because they would take vacation days off work and we would go down there and write.

Towles: And none of us lived in that house. We had friends living there that let us use the basement and thats where we wrote our first couple of songs together. It seemed like a fitting little keepsake to mark the band with.

Pop is a big change from blues-rock.

Towles: I like richer lyrics than what pop music usually tends to offer, but I also love a simple tune and the immediacy of a pop song. That you can kind of go into a crowd you havent played for before and [they dont need] a whole lot of context. I always want to play something danceable, but with lyrics that Im not going to get tired of singing.  A lot of times in pop, things are very contrived to fit a certain audience. Theres some really smart people behind it, who know what people want to hear. I think its always cool when you can have something that can relate to a lot of people but that you totally didnt intend. We were writing music for ourselves and what we liked. It was cool it went over well.

Since the album dropped, its had thousands of hits on both Spotify and iTunes. What is that like for you?

Towles: Thats a bizarre feeling. Its very hard to grasp. Its easy standing up at a show in front of a crowd  Ive ever only played in front of a few hundred  but even thats easier to grasp than seeing a number online.

Spearman: If you look at A Toast and A Spirit, its like 180,000 [plays], I dont know. But, you look at it and it doesnt even make sense that people are actually listening to it over and over or something. Its, like, intangible.

Towles: One girl that I used to go to school with texted me the other days and was like, I was on a cruise in Alaska and I got to talking with this other girl on the ship and she was a fan of your music. That is so weird. Its not what we imagined to happen at all.

Spearman: Apparently it was [on the radio] in Buffalo. I dont know what thats about.
Earlier this year, local attorney Deborah Caldwell-Bono was representing a defendant in a minor criminal case. For that she needed some documents held by a third party.

The typical way to get those is to ask a court clerk to subpoena the records. So Caldwell-Bono mailed a request for a subpoena to the general district court clerk in Salem. She mailed a copy of the request to the assistant commonwealths attorney on the case.

The prosecutors office received her letter, but the clerks office never did. So it didnt issue a subpoena for the documents, and of course those werent produced.

Caldwell-Bono realized this only shortly before her clients next scheduled hearing. That had to be continued because of the unproduced evidence. When we spoke Friday, she couldnt recall whether the client was being held in jail pending the hearing. But if that was the case, he could have spent longer incarcerated than was necessary.

I did not have these problems when the mail was handled in Roanoke, Caldwell-Bono wrote in a complaint on a website established by the inspector general for the U.S. Postal Service.

Legal mail is very, very important, Caldwell-Bono told me. Now, If its important, I dont put it in the mail. Instead, shell fax documents, email or hand-deliver them.

Since February, this column has reported on scores of grievances about mail-service beginning last year, when handling of this regions outgoing letters was moved from the U.S. Postal Services Roanoke Processing and Distribution Center to another one in Greensboro, North Carolina. Its one of many consolidation moves the financially strapped postal service has undertaken across the country to save money.

Most complaints have been from individuals about, for example, bills that didnt arrive on time, payments that didnt get delivered and late fees incurred. Now, business people are beginning to speak up about mail-service frustrations. For reasons Ill get into below, these complaints typically come from small businesses.

One is Strongs Inc., a heating and air-conditioning company in Pearisburg that has six employees. Margaret Strong, who owns the company with her husband, said their business has been plagued by mail problems since shortly after the switch to Greensboro in April 2015.

Ive always paid my bills on time. It makes me mad, she said.

Strongs has incurred late fees paying their gas bills. Theyve missed mail from the company that handles their Yellow Pages advertising. And theyve gotten phone calls from customers to whom Strongs has sent late notices.

Some of them call and say we never got a bill, Strong told me.

In some cases, this is happening to nonprofit institutions. One is Central Church of the Brethren on Church Avenue in downtown Roanoke.

Its volunteer treasurer, Lorrie Hite, told me the church didnt receive its water bills for May or June. In July, it got a late notice from the Western Virginia Water Authority, so Hite called.

It waived the late fee on the May bill, Hite told me. But they said they would waive only one fee. The church ended up paying a $13.50 late fee for the June bill. Were a small church. We dont want to have to pay even a dollar that were not supposed do, Hite told me.

(Sarah Baumgardner, a spokeswoman for the water authority, said its customer-service reps have noticed no generalized increase in the number of customers calling to complain they havent received their bills.)

Caldwell-Bono isnt the only attorney whos experienced problems. Roanoke lawyer Robert Rider is another.

In my profession, [timeliness of the mail] is critical, Rider told me last week. A lot of the courts, particularly from the standpoint of pleadings, require they be filed in a timely fashion. Before the Greensboro fiasco, you put them in the mail three or four days ahead of time and theyd get there.

At least twice, Rider added, hes sent documents to a local court clerk and later called to ensure they arrived. But they told me they havent gotten it. On another occasion, it took 11 days to go across town.

Perhaps the most blistering complaint on the inspector generals website was from Kim Merritt, the executive director of a mid-sized law firm on Campbell Avenue in Roanoke. She confirmed to me she filed the complaint, but she otherwise declined to comment.

We are one of a multitude of businesses that have been impacted, Merritt wrote in a 381-word screed on the inspector generals website. The stories are never-ending regarding mail sent and never reaching its destination, incoming mail that was never received, and mail arriving at destination  but only after a lengthy period of time.

By the way, Merritt works for Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte  where one of the named partners is Maryellen Goodlatte, the wife of Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke County. He and Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, are the ones who requested the inspector generals audit.

Larger companies in this area dont seem to be having the same kinds of outgoing mail delivery problems. Carilion Clinic, for instance, hasnt had trouble with the mail. It may be because theyre using a mail-expediting company, which means their local mail doesnt go to Greensboro. Carilion spokesman Chris Turnbull said the hospital corporation uses Automated Mailing Systems.

Jay Nance, president of Automated Mailing Systems, or AMS, gave me a tour of his plant on Patterson Avenue last week and explained what his company does. Typically, it can save money for clients sending 50 pieces of mail or more daily, he said.

AMS collects mail from large companies each weekday and presorts and stamps it with a meter. Because the mail is presorted, the clients save a few cents on first-class letters. And when youre sending out a lot of those, the savings can add up to big money. Even better, Nance noted, the presorted mail stays in Roanoke rather than going to Greensboro.

And what does the U.S. Postal Service say about all of this?

I didnt contact the postal service for comment about the specific complaints to the inspector general noted above. The last time I did, officials said it would be inappropriate to comment while the audit is ongoing.

But their typical response in the past is exemplified by a letter to the editor we received last week from Wendy English, district manager for the postal services Appalachian District. She was responding to my Aug. 25 column, an open letter to Postmaster General Megan Brennan.

Due to the magnitude of the dramatic decline of First-Class Mail and related multibillion dollar loss of revenues, the Postal Service accelerated our realignment of postal operations, facilities, processing equipment, vehicles and our workforce and adapted our network to meet the needs of our customers in this new environment.

With every consolidation, we certainly acknowledge there were service issues that needed addressing, and we reacted swiftly. Although any error is one too many, we continued to work hard to improve our service. We moved the Roanoke originating mail over a year ago. We have made progress. Our latest service measurement scores for the Roanoke, VA and WV area for our last quarter (April 1  June 30) indicate a 96.5 on-time performance for single piece First-Class Mail.

Back in March, a postal service spokesman told me their on-time delivery rate was over 96 percent.

Doesnt sound like progress to me.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sep 7, 2016) - Scientific Metals Corp. ("STM" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:STM)(FRANKFURT:26X)(OTCQB:SCTFF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arm's length lease agreement with an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Iron Creek Cobalt Property in Lemhi County, Idaho, USA (the "Property"). The Property is located about 25 miles southwest from Salmon, Idaho and encompasses 137 acres in seven patented lode mining claims. The Company is currently expanding its land holdings to enlarge the Property to cover a minimum of 1,300 acres.

Brian Kirwin, President, commented: "The signing of this lease agreement on the Iron Creek Cobalt project is a very important step for Scientific Metals Corp. The Company believes that cobalt will continue to be a key component in the electrical battery revolution that is under way. Management is currently focused on expanding the current land package at the Property to provide additional leverage for companies such as Tesla who are seeking a geopolitically secure supply of this battery metal."

Under the terms of the lease agreement, STM has paid Chester Mining Company (the "Vendor") (OTC PINK:CHMN) the sum of US$45,000 and the Vendor has retained a 4% net smelter return ("NSR") in the Property. STM has agreed to pay the Vendor advance royalty payments on the NSR of US$3,000 per month for the first two years of the lease agreement, increasing to US$4,000 per month for the subsequent two years, and US$5,000 per month for subsequent years. At any time during the term of the lease, STM shall have the right to purchase a 100% interest in the Property and reduce the NSR held by the Vendor from 4% to 1%, all for consideration of a cash payment US$1,500,000. The NSR may subsequently be purchased by STM for a cash payment of US$500,000 for every 1% NSR elected to be acquired by STM. In connection with this transaction, a cash finder's fee shall be payable to an arm's length party in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

A substantial amount of historical exploratory work has been completed on the Property, including approximately 30,000 feet of diamond drilling, and the mining of 1,500 feet of underground workings. Exploration by several companies since the 1940s, including Hanna Mining, Noranda Exploration, Inc. and Cominco, has identified a number of significant cobalt, a key component in Lithium-ion batteries, and copper targets on the Property. The Property is located in the most prolific trend of cobalt mineralization in the USA, the Idaho Cobalt Belt. The Property shares similar geology and structure with other deposits in the 40 mile long Idaho Cobalt Belt, including the Blackbird Mine and the proposed Idaho Cobalt Mine (Formation Metals).

The Property hosts a historical estimate of 1,050,000 tons grading 0.61% cobalt in the first lense and 229,000 tons grading 0.48% cobalt in the second lense. In a report entitled "Iron Creek Prospect, Lemhi County, Idaho (#0483) Progress Report" by Terry A Webster and Thomas K Stump for Noranda Exploration, Inc., July 1980 (the "Noranda Report"), two underground targets in the No Name Zone were evaluated. The first lense is described by Noranda Exploration, Inc.as a "possible reserve" and is reported to contain 1,050,000 tons grading 0.61% cobalt over a strike length of 750 feet. The second lense is described as a "possible reserve" and is reported to contain 229,000 tons grading 0.48% cobalt over a strike length of 600 feet. Together, these lenses contain 1,279,000 tons grading an average of 0.59% cobalt. The Noranda Report notes the following outstanding cobalt intercepts within the mineralized lenses. Drill hole IC-16 contains a 15 foot wide horizon averaging 1.01 percent cobalt, and within the Little No Name adit a 20 foot wide channel sample contains an average of 0.95 percent cobalt.

The Property also hosts a historical estimate of 4.57 million tons grading 1.84% copper. This historical estimate is from the Noranda Report that notes that, in the west zone of the No Name Zone, there is the presence of 4.57 million tons grading 1.84% copper "possible reserves" or similar.

The Company is treating the cobalt and copper tonnage and grade estimates above as historical estimates. The historical estimates do not use categories that conform to current CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves as outlined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and have not been redefined to conform to current CIM Definition Standards. They were prepared in the 1980s prior to the adoption and implementation of NI 43-101. The Noranda Report does not detail cut-off grades and metal prices used to estimate the historical mineralization and used a tonnage factor of 11 cubic feet per ton. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources and the Company is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources. More work, including, but not limited to, drilling, will be required to conform the estimates to current CIM Definition Standards. Investors are cautioned that the historical estimates do not mean or imply that economic deposits exist on the Property. The Company has not undertaken any independent investigation of the historical estimates or other information contained in this press release nor has it independently analyzed the results of the previous exploration work in order to verify the accuracy of the information. The Company believes that the historical estimates and other information contained in this press release are relevant to continuing exploration on the Property.

Management of the Company is relying on the historical estimates contained in the Noranda Report because the authors were experts and used industry standard procedures at the time. The historical estimates are relevant to the Company's planned exploration program because they identify significant mineralization that will be the target of this exploration program.

Mr. Garry Clark, P. Geo., of Clark Exploration Consulting, is the "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101, who has reviewed and approved the technical content in this press release.

About The Company

STM is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of production grade lithium deposits worldwide. STM has acquired the Deep Valley property located in west-central Alberta. This property consists of a 6,648 ha (16,427 acres) permit that encompasses an area of reported enrichment of lithium brines. The Deep Valley property is located in the active Fox Creek - Sturgeon Lake area of Alberta, where formation waters within Leduc aquifers are highly enriched in lithium, potassium, boron, bromine and other commodities, as stated by the ERCB in its report of October, 2011, entitled geological introduction to lithium-rich formation water with emphasis on the Fox Creek area of west-central Alberta (NTS 83F and 83K).

Reader Advisory

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. . In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future exploration work on the Property. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada and globally; industry conditions, including governmental regulation and environmental regulation; failure to obtain industry partner and other third party consents and approvals, if and when required; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; liabilities inherent in water disposal facility operations; competition for, among other things, skilled personnel and supplies; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; geological, technical, processing and transportation problems; changes in tax laws and incentive programs; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and dispositions; and the other factors. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

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.
Contributed photo Apache Corp. announced a West Texas oil and gas discovery it has dubbed "Alpine High."

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By Staff Report

Apache Corp. announced Wednesday morning a significant oil and gas discovery near the Davis Mountains in West Texas.

The new play, part of the southern Delaware basin, is estimated by Apache to host up to 3 billion barrels of oil and 75 trillion cubic feet of rich gas.

The company said it has secured 307,000 net contiguous acres at a cost of $1,300 an acre, with between 2,000 and 3,000 drilling locations identified. It has dubbed the area "Alpine High."

"Apache has drilled 19 wells in the play, with nine currently producing in limited quantities due to infrastructure constraints. This includes six wells in the Woodford, one well in the Barnett and one well each in the shallower Wolfcamp and Bone Springs oil formations," the company said in a news release.

Apache's announcement comes at the conclusion of two years of exploration work in the area, it said.

"With the contribution of Alpine High to our global portfolio of world-class international and North American assets, Apache clearly has more profitable-growth opportunities than at any other time in the company's 60-year history," Apache CEO and President John Christmann said.

To accelerate the delineation and development of the Alpine High play, Apache is increasing its 2016 capital spending by about $200 million for the year and raising its full-year capital guidance to about $2 billion, the company said. Capital spending on the Alpine High play in 2016 will represent more than 25 percent of Apache's total capital spending program.

Apache Corp. is an oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, Canada, Egypt and the United Kingdom. Wednesday's announcement was issued from its Houston office.
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By Michael Austin, Chicago Tribune (TNS)

In the special features of the movie "Paris, Je T'aime," which I recommend to anyone who loves Paris, the filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen are being interviewed about their short piece in the movie (which is made up of vignettes by various directors). Many of the other directors and actors who contributed to the movie are also being interviewed, and at times they are heard saying "Paris, Je T'aime," which, if you didn't know, means "Paris, I love you."

When it's time for Ethan Coen to say the title of the film out loud, he demurs. Over and over he demurs, obviously sheepish about his francais. Finally, sitting next to him, his brother, Joel, blurts out the title followed by an eye roll, as if to say, "What's the big deal  just say it, even if it's not parfait."

But we've all been in Ethan's spot. We've all recognized words that either we haven't heard anyone say out loud and don't know what they are supposed to sound like, or we know generally how they're supposed to sound but can't quite get our mouths to perform the acrobatics necessary to make it happen.

I'm thinking of several street names in Berlin, a lifetime of appetizers on all manner of Asian takeout menus and about half of the place names in Wales. Take a stab at "Cwm" and "Caersws" before you move on to what could be the longest place name on earth: "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch." It's real. Obviously I wouldn't make up something like that. Even the shortened version is hard to imagine saying: "Llanfairpwllgwyngyll." I don't know about you, but I would have trouble with just the first syllable "Llan." Wait, is that only one syllable?

Some fairly common wine words can be tricky to say, too. Below are what we can call the "Top 40." (Because there are 40 of them, not because you'll hear them on pop radio stations.) These are words, in somewhat random order, that you may have encountered on bottles or wine lists, or in books, and although some might look familiar, they're not as easy to identify and say as "hors d'oeuvres." The only reason that one's easy is we've all heard it said about 1,300 times. Imagine looking at those words for the first time, though, without knowing how they sound. It'd be enough to make a person clam up a la Ethan Coen  or give it a shot and get it comically wrong.

Foreign languages have their subtleties but these phonetics will get you solidly in the ballpark.

Sommelier. A person dedicated to wine service is a saw-muhl-YAY  not a suh-MAH-lee-ay.

Mourvedre. The red grape variety is moor-VEH-druh.

Sauternes. The legendary dessert wine from the Bordeaux region of France is soh-TEHRN.

Tokaji aszu. The legendary dessert wine from Hungary is toh-KAI ah-SOO.

Botrytis. The fungus that causes noble rot, allowing for wines such as Sauternes and Tokaji aszu, is boh-TRY-tis.

Methode champenoise. Making sparkling wine the way they do in the Champagne region of France, via secondary fermentation in the bottle, is may-TOHD shahm-pehn-WAHZ.

Aglianico. The red grape from southern Italy is ahl-YAHN-ee-koh.

Mosel. The most important German wine region is the MOH-zul.

Albarino. The white grape is ahl-buh-REEN-yoh in Spain, and in Portugal, where it is spelled a little differently (Alvarinho), it is al-vuh-REEN-yoh. Fine line.

Rias Baixas. The Spanish wine region in Galicia is REE-ahs BI-shas.

Txakoli. The fizzy wine from Spain's Basque country is CHAH-koh-lee.

Vinho verde. The lightly effervescent wine from northern Portugal is VEEN-yo VEHR-deh.

Cinsault. The red grape variety is SAN-soh.

Pinotage. The South African grape variety that is a cross between pinot noir and cinsault is PEE-noh-taj.

Meritage. Bordeaux-style blends that are members of The Meritage Alliance can carry the word MEHR-ih-tihj on their labels. Don't over-French it; it rhymes with "heritage."

Cahors. The wine region in southwestern France famous for its malbec is kah-OR.

Carmenere. The red grape that is common in Chile is kahr-meh-NEHR.

Maipo Valley. Chile's most famous wine region is Mah-EE-poh.

Gewurztraminer. The white grape variety is guh-VURTS-truh-mee-nuhr.

Gruner veltliner. Austria's most important white grape variety is GROO-nur velt-LEEN-ur.

Carignan. The red grape variety is kah-reen-YAHN.

Trentino-Alto Adige. Italy's northernmost wine region is tren-TEE-noh AHL-toh AH-dee-zhay.

Languedoc-Roussillon. The wine region in southern France is lahng-DAWK roo-see-YAWN.

Loire. The wine region in western France that is home to Pouilly-Fume (POO-yee FOO-may), Chinon (shee-NOHN), Sancerre (sahn-SEHR) and Vouvray (voo-VRAY) is the LWAHR.

Viognier. The white grape variety is vee-ohn-YAY.

Cote d'Or. The most esteemed part of France's Burgundy region is the koht DOR.

Cote-Rotie. The wine region in France's northern Rhone Valley is koht roh-TEE.

Chateauneuf du Pape. The wine region in France's southern Rhone Valley is shah-toh-noof doo PAHP.

Willamette Valley. Oregon's famed wine region is wil-AM-it  not WILL-uh-met. Remember the frustration-laced rhyme: "It's Willamette, damn it."

Paso Robles. The wine region in California's Central Coast is PASS-oh ROH-bulls.

Sur lie. When a wine is allowed to stay in contact with its dead yeast cells to develop more flavor it has been aged soor LEE.

Barolo. The "king of Italian wines" is bah-ROH-loh. Terroir. The specific environment in which wine is grown and produced, and its expression of that place, is tehr-WAHR.

Phylloxera. The tiny insect that attacks grapevine roots is fil-AHKS-uhr-uh.

One more thing. If you were wondering what that long Welsh place name translates to, here it is: "St. Mary's Church by the white aspen over the whirlpool and St. Tyllio's Church by the red cave." Just don't ask me how to pronounce it.
Standard-Times file Richard Werner and J.D. Steward, Veribest eighth-graders, led the cotton picking to help pay for a trip to Six Flags in 1980.

1980 Veribest students fielded their trip funds

In spring 1980, after the tractors, cotton stripping machines and workers had left the cotton fields, students from Veribest started pickin' up work to fund some fun.

An end-of-year school trip was an annual tradition at Veribest Junior High School, and "on the horizon, a few industrious junior high school students could be seen picking their way to Six Flags," wrote a Standard-Times agriculture writer, the late Scott Campbell.

"Every other year, seventh- and eighth-graders would climb onto a bus and head for the Dallas and Fort Worth area to visit Six Flags Over Texas," Campbell wrote.

The main source of income for the trip usually was the sale of the school yearbook, but that year, with higher prices attached to the cost of traveling, the youngsters decided more money probably would be needed.

Clayton Friend, principal of the school back then, came up with a plan and secured the cooperation of a Hayward Krall, a local farmer whose field was spotted with cotton missed by the cotton machinery, Campbell wrote.

The students spent three mornings and one entire day gathering the fallen cotton.

"I'm hoping to promote one of the cotton buyers into giving us a good price and think that we can make at least $300," Principal Friend told Campbell.

Friend figured the trip would cost about $1,200 for the 26 students.

"That could be really work, walking up and down those rows," Friend said. "And these kids have worked danged hard at it."

Rick Smith is a local news and community affairs columnist. Contact him at 325-659-8248 or rick.smith@gosanangelo.com.
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The one-vehicle crash that diverted traffic from a section of Loop 306 Wednesday afternoon occurred when a 15-year-old girl lost control of the SUV she was driving, according to San Angelo police.

The girl was driving a 2005 Mercury Mariner eastbound in the outside lane of the 2800 block of the West Houston Harte Expressway when her vehicle drifted onto the right shoulder, an SAPD news release states.

The driver swerved left in an attempt to return to the lane but lost control and skidded off the pavement, which caused the vehicle to spin counterclockwise, according to the release.

The vehicle then struck the grass median, straightened out and collided with the westbound traffic guardrail. The collision caused the vehicle to overturn and come to rest on its top in the inside lane of westbound traffic.

The driver was taken by ambulance to Shannon Medical Center for evaluation/treatment of non-incapacitating injury, the release states.

The traffic investigator listed unsafe speed as a contributing factor in the crash.

The driver will receive citations for Unsafe Speed and Violation of Restriction B (Provisional Drivers License), the release states.

The collision caused an estimated $3,000 in damage to the TxDOT guardrail.

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Original story:

Drivers should avoid the area of 2800 W. Loop 306 westbound, where authorities have blocked traffic after a crash near Garfield and Howard streets.

At least one vehicle appeared to be involved and appeared to have rolled toward the median. The guardrail nearby was damaged as well.

The San Angelo Police Department sent out the traffic notice about 1:20 p.m., and traffic was significantly backed up in the affected lanes.
SHARE Sorola asdf asdf asdf asdf asdf asd fa sdf asdf as df asdf as fs xyxyx Sorola

By Ngan Ho of the San Angelo Standard-Times

Gustavo Sorola, who was designated as a most-wanted suspect by the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office, had been sought for allegedly attacking a man with a rock and assaulting an ex-girlfriend who was 35 weeks pregnant.

Sorola, 27, was arrested about 10:04 p.m. Thursday in the 500 block of North Bryant Boulevard after San Angelo residents phoned in tips that lead to his arrest, according to the Sheriff's Office.

He was captured without incident one day after being placed on the most-wanted list and was jailed at 1:04 a.m. Friday.

His bail was set at $135,000.

On Aug. 25, an ex-girlfriend of Sorola was leaving her apartment in the 2400 block of North Lillie Street when she saw Sorola, according to an arrest affidavit.

The woman got into her car, but Sorola prevented her from closing the door, according to the affidavit.

A confrontation led the woman to try to contact police, and Sorola become "upset and jumped inside (the car) and on top of" the woman's lap, the affidavit stated. Sorola drove off southbound toward West 19th Street while still on top of the woman.

The woman told police he pulled her hair and arm while he was driving and punched her in the face. She said Sorola threatened to kill her children and told her he wouldn't stop driving until she talked to him.

The woman slid into the passenger side when Sorola drove east over North Bryant toward Reagan Elementary School, according to the affidavit.

The woman said she jumped out the car after Sorola slowed down. She said the rear vehicle tire hit her leg as it went by, and she suffered scrapes and cuts on her legs. She got up and ran to a home on North Magdalen Street to find help.

Sorola initially chased after her, then returned to the woman's car and took off, stated the affidavit.

A witness told police the woman was screaming at the side of the house and then ran and pounded on the back door yelling to call 911 because Sorola was trying to beat her up.

After police arrived, the woman was taken to Community Medical Center, where she received an X-ray for her leg and then was released, according to the affidavit.

Sorola was arrested and charged with kidnapping, third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison, and unauthorized use of a vehicle, a state jail felony punishable by 180 days to 2 years in prison. Both can carry fines up to $10,000.

In an unrelated incident Aug. 28, Sorola allegedly struck a man in the face with a rock and strangled him.

According to an affidavit, Sorola approached Juan Francisco Carranco in the parking lot of Lowe's grocery store at 30 S. Main St.

Sorola asked Carranco for a ride to a Stripes convenience store at 1542 S. Bell St. to buy cigarettes and alcohol, according to the affidavit.

Carranco agreed and the two made the trip, but Sorola began to threaten Carranco with assault and taking his car shortly after, according to the affidavit. The relationship between Carranco and Sorola was not indicated in the affidavit.

Carranco told police that Sorola refused to get out the car and ordered him to drive into a field and to a secluded area near a fence that was covered by a brush.

He said Sorola began punching him, then walked around to the driver side, grabbed his shirt and began strangling him.

Carranco said Sorola pulled him out of the car and threatened to kill him with a rock he had in his hand.

Carranco said he began to struggle but gave up and handed the car keys and his wallet to Sorola after Sorola hit him several times in the face and head with the rock.

Carranco suffered cuts, bruising and a swollen eye.

Sorola was charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years in prison.
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Next Monday will be a big day at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo. Not only will sheep producers deliver their rams for the annual Ram Performance Test, but there will be a special discussion about the National Sheep Improvement Program.

The NSIP meeting will start at 1:30 p.m. and conclude at 3:30 p.m. at the research center on U.S. Highway 87. The meeting will introduce producers to the improvement program and explain how it can help them improve their flocks, no matter the breed.

"The NSIP's mission is to 'provide predictable, economically important genetic evaluation information to the American sheep industry by converting performance records to relevant decision-making tools,'" said Reid Redden, state sheep and goat specialist. "And that pretty well sums it up. Some breeds use the program extensively to good advantage and we would like to see it adopted in West Texas as well."

The ram test has been around since 1948 and most of those years it was conducted at the Texas A&M Experiment Station between Sonora and Rocksprings.

"In the past, the ram test has been very effective in increasing the growth and wool traits of our Rambouillet sheep industry in West Texas," Redden said. "We see in the future there's a need for more selection for more reproductive ability and parasite resistance, which our test cannot select for. So the purpose of this meeting is to inform producers involved with the test on the possible option of combining the current longstanding ram test with the NSIP."

The National Sheep Improvement Program was started by the American Sheep Industry Association in 1986. With backing from the ASI "Let's Grow" initiative, producers are learning the benefits of genetic selection based on pedigree and production data.

A couple years ago while attending the ASI annual convention in Charleston, S.C.; I set in on both the Let's Grow initiative and National Sheep Improvement update sessions. Since both programs were started by West Texan sheepmen, Pierce Miller of Ozona and Glen Fisher of Sonora, I have followed their progress from the inception.

Fisher was ASI president when he introduced the Let's Grow initiative. The program made great strides throughout the Midwest where small acreage stockfarmers started raising small flocks of sheep and producing wool and lambs for local and niche markets.

According to the National Agriculture Statistics Service, the Midwest had a 1.1 percent adding to a total of 180,000 head and the Mid-Atlantic 4 percent increase to 104,000 head growth in sheep numbers this year.

"The Let's Grow Program approach toward producer-driven, industry-oriented work is making a difference," said Christopher Schauer, director of the North Dakota State University Hettinger Research Extension Center. "Now we want to take that small group success and make it a national effort.

"It's especially important to producers in the eastern and southern states, but we're all in this together," Schauer said.

Pockets of growth as of January, 2016, showed inventory growth in some regions of the nation while other areas contracted. The largest state in terms of sheep inventory is Texas with 735,000 head in early 2016. Texas' inventory grew 2 percent year-on-year. North Dakota and Kentucky were two states that had double-digit growth. However, the second largest sheep state, California  with 575,000 head  had an inventory contraction of 4 percent annually.

Jerry Lackey is agriculture editor emeritus.

Contact him at jlackey@wcc.net
Graphic Illustration

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The following editorial appeared in the Aug. 29 San Antonio Express-News:

Texas has no authority to thwart the federal government's resettlement of Syrian refugees into the state. Texas knows this because it lost a legal battle over the matter, with a judge this year saying the state had failed to prove it had any standing to veto resettlement.

The state's latest effort to "block" resettlement is about the optics. Unfortunately, to anyone not prone to painting with broad brushes, the posturing here signals intolerance and lack of grace and charity, and not much else.

Texas says it will not admit the refugees "without assurances from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence that the refugees do not pose a security threat to our citizens." This rehashes the state's contention in the last attempt to block resettlement. And it didn't fly.

And those assurances have been given. The process can take up to three years. And while no ironclad guarantee can be given that any emigre is entirely risk-free, the process is as secure as it can be.

Here's what the state's stance ignores:

More than half of Syria's population has been displaced by civil war. More than 4.5 million Syrian refugees are in five countries  Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. Others are flocking to Europe.

The United States has pledged to take in 10,000 this year and appears to be on track to exceed this slightly. If anything, the U.S. should take more.

Basically, the state's position is: Be afraid, be very afraid. In this view, Muslims fleeing the people that the United States is battling are threats, though the basis for this fear appears to have little foundation.

Federal officials have said that 2,677 refugees were resettled in Texas between October 2015 and early this year. If Texas has been significantly harmed by this, it's been kept tightly under wraps.

Being tough on terrorism doesn't require being tough on refugees, particularly people fleeing enemies they have in common with the United States.
Miami-Dade expects to spend almost $10 million fighting Zika through the summer, a growing tab that's already complicating efforts to boost county funding for affordable housing and other last-minute budget sweeteners.Florida offered $5 million to cover Miami-Dade's Zika costs, but county officials are bracing to absorb a much larger spending bite. The $10 million estimate covers estimated expenses only through Sept. 30, when the 2016 budget year ends, even as the county launches new rounds of aerial spraying on Miami Beach.Mayor Carlos Gimenez outlined the projected 2016 costs in a memo to commissioners as they prepare for their first hearing on the 2017 budget Thursday afternoon. The administration typically accommodates last-minute spending requests from the 13-member board as part of the lobbying effort to secure the majority vote needed to implement the budget by Oct. 1.Gimenez warned commissioners that Zika has drained significant amounts of flexibility from his budget writers."At this time, out of an abundance of caution, we do not have the flexibility to address requests for additional general fund support for other activities beyond what has been included in the Proposed Budget," Gimenez wrote. "Once federal and state aid is finalized and we have enough information to assess the impacts of our revenues, we will know the [effect on] our budget."This Zika-infected budget season coincides with Gimenez's reelection campaign, which he had hoped would be over by the time commissioners met to consider his proposed 2017 spending plan. But after finishing with 48 percent of the primary vote last week, the incumbent was forced into a November runoff with school-board member Raquel Regalado.The budget process offers Gimenez some advantages. His $7 billion spending plan includes a slight dip in property-tax rates, and earned praise from county commissioners when they endorsed the rates in July. Gimenez's budget includes a 4 percent raise for most county workers, expanded library hours and upgrades to the county's traffic-lights system. But Zika is also adding to the potential pitfalls for Gimenez during budget season, with two public hearings offering the chance for critics to highlight shortfalls in the plan.While the immediate budget challenge comes from funding mosquito-control efforts, Zika could bring a much grimmer fiscal plague. Gimenez's memo raises the possibility of Zika scaring away tourists and sapping Miami-Dade of not only hotel-tax revenues, but also the sales-tax dollars earmarked for transit, the Jackson hospital system, homeless assistance and domestic-violence shelters. He said reserves could be tapped to address funding shortfalls for "priority issues for the community."Zika's extra costs land during a year when rising property-tax revenues will mostly be spent on raises for thousands of county workers throughout Miami-Dade government, thanks to labor deals from 2014 that tied a 4 percent pay boost to real estate values exceeding county forecasts this year. In his memo, Gimenez said the county's General Fund -- a $1.8 billion pool of money made up mostly of property taxes -- should grow about $104 million in 2017. But the raise and growing healthcare costs meant just maintaining current service levels would cost the general fund about $123 million."We've made adjustments which will include holding positions vacant and other things we can do to make sure we balance the budget for this year," budget chief Jennifer Moon told commissioners at a committee meeting Tuesday. Earlier this year, commissioners passed a resolution reserving up to $10 million in excess property-tax dollars for assistance to affordable-housing developers in 2017.But with the added employee costs, an extra $900,000 for counting petitions on a campaign-finance ballot item and Zika expenses, Moon said all of Miami-Dade's property-tax dollars will be accounted for heading into the 2017 budget. She held out hope that state Zika aid could create more breathing room, and suggested commissioners earmark for the housing fund any dollars that departments don't end up spending from their 2016 budgets.For Zika, costs fall into three categories, said Gimenez spokesman Michael Hernandez. The largest involves contract workers hired to spray insecticide throughout the county but particularly in the two Zika hot spots in the Wynwood and South Beach areas that are subject to a federal travel advisory for pregnant women.While Miami-Dade budgeted just $167,000 on mosquito-control contractors in 2016, including private planes, it expects to spend about $7 million on them through September. An advertising campaign centered around the "drain-and-cover" message for standing water is costing more than $1 million, obliterating a marketing budget of about $32,000 for the mosquito-control division. And while Miami-Dade planned to spend about $225,000 on insecticide in 2016, the tab is expected to hit $1.3 million.Zika costs are mounting and have the potential to soar if the virus spreads to other areas of Miami-Dade. On Aug. 11, a week before locally transmitted Zika cases were found in South Beach, Gimenez wrote Gov. Rick Scott for state aid to offset $6 million in county expenses up until that point. At the time, Gimenez said Zika would probably wind up costing $8 million by October.An advertising campaign centered around the "drain-and-cover" message for standing water is costing more than $1 million, obliterating a marketing budget of about $32,000 for the mosquito-control division.Administration officials hope Florida will eventually cover Miami-Dade's entire Zika cost, with the possibility of Congress approving aid dollars. Miami-Dade is applying for the $5 million in assistance that Scott announced in late August for Miami-Dade. So far, there hasn't been any estimate on how much the county expects to spend once the new budget year begins Oct. 1. Gimenez's budget earmarks just $1.7 million for mosquito control's operating expenses, though administration officials call that a placeholder bound to be swamped by ongoing Zika expenses."The trend is we're spending more and more," Hernandez said.This post was updated to clarify that the $1.7 million mosquito-control budget for 2017 was for operating expenses.
Back from a seven-week break, the U.S. Senate failed for the third time Tuesday to pass a bill that would provide funding for Zika research and prevention.Democrats, who also blocked the legislation in June and July, opposed it again over concerns about budget cuts in the bill, as well as language that would disqualify Planned Parenthood from receiving grant money to combat Zika in Puerto Rico, where the virus is widespread. Democrats also objected to a provision that would have loosened environmental regulations temporarily on pesticides.There was little doubt about the outcome of the Senate vote, even before the 5:30 p.m. roll call. The bill needed at least 60 votes to overcome a key procedural hurdle. It fell short, 52-46.But the bill's failure Tuesday might clear the way for a compromise.Lawmakers and congressional staff who have been working behind the scenes to reach a deal on Zika already have shifted their focus to making sure that money for the Zika fight makes it into any budget deal or continuing resolution that Congress must pass to avert a government shutdown at the end of September.Although continuing resolutions by definition maintain current funding levels, lawmakers could add emergency funds for natural disasters like the floods in Louisiana or wildfires in the West, as well as for Zika.Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who is running for re-election in Florida, sent a letter Tuesday to House of Representatives and Senate Republicans and Democrats on the appropriations committees, as well as members of the House and Senate leadership, urging them to include Zika funding in any government funding bill they put together.He made the same plea in a speech on the Senate floor after the vote Tuesday."Congress needs to act and it needs to act now," he said.Rubio said in an interview that he'd had conversations with Republican leaders in the House, explaining to them that he thought a clean bill without the controversial language restricting the use of grant money for Planned Parenthood probably was the only way forward.He said a number of his GOP House colleagues had been echoing the same message to their leadership."I think that's pretty clear that the Senate Democrats are not going to go for it with that language (affecting Planned Parenthood) in it," Rubio said. "We just need to get this funded, at this point ... . Hopefully we can prevail on our House colleagues."He said he was cautiously optimistic that a deal could be reached.Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, a Republican involved in the Zika talks who also is seeking re-election, said in an interview before the vote that lawmakers might find it easier to vote for Zika money as part of a continuing resolution rather than as a separate bill.It could change the political calculation for members who rejected the Zika bill as flawed but want to keep the government open, Blunt said."An imperfect thing added to a (continuing resolution) might not be as hard a thing to vote for as an imperfect thing that's a standalone," he said.Whatever package does pass probably won't include the controversial language that made Planned Parenthood ineligible for new block grant funds in Puerto Rico, Blunt said."For this to get done, that language just may have to go away," he said. "But both sides will declare some level of victory and there's probably other places where that money would be better spent right now anyway, based on where we are at this moment with vaccines as well as tests."Blunt added that House Republicans likely will insist that Democrats agree to some level of budget cuts to offset the costs of fighting Zika."Everybody's trying to work to get this done, and I believe we will," he said.The recent discovery of Zika-infected mosquitoes in Miami intensifies pressure on Congress, which left Washington in July for a seven-week break without allocating money to halt the spread of the virus.Democrats and Republicans were tantalizingly close to a deal on Zika months ago, when it all fell apart in the final 48 hours, according to interviews with a half-dozen senior congressional staffers involved in the talks.In the end, talks stalled on three principal sticking points, the staffers said.First, Democrats were adamant that they would not agree to cut funds elsewhere in the budget to offset the costs of combating Zika.Second, they objected to language proposed by Republicans that would make Planned Parenthood ineligible for millions of dollars in grant money flowing to Puerto Rico, where Zika cases are skyrocketing.And third, Democrats opposed a provision that would loosen environmental regulations for pesticides for 180 days in an effort to control the spread of mosquitoes.Had Democrats been willing to budge on cuts, or had Republicans accepted counteroffers that Democrats made on the Planned Parenthood and Environmental Protection Agency language, there might have been a breakthrough.Instead, Republicans decided to file a bill without any Democratic buy-in on June 22. In theory, the House had two more working days on the calendar, but Democrats had taken over the floor that day for a sit-in to protest the lack of votes on gun control, and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., in a rush to adjourn, brought the bill to a vote at 3:11 the next morning.Ryan then adjourned the House.Outraged Senate Democrats vowed to block the bill. They said Republicans had not filed it with an eye to passage. It was put together, they said, to force the Democrats to own the "no" vote, or at least for Republicans to be able to go into recess saying they'd voted for Zika aid but Democrats were blocking it.Senators from both parties blamed each other for the gridlock Tuesday, accusing their colleagues of playing politics with Zika as they made their way off the floor after voting."This is a little ridiculous," said Sen. Pat Roberts, a Republican from Kansas."Let's quit playing games with this," said Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat.Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida vented his frustration after the vote by joking that he would have to take a shipment of Zika-infected mosquitoes from Florida to Kentucky, the home state of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and release them."Maybe that would change things," he said."The person who can deliver a Zika funding bill is Mitch McConnell," Nelson said. "We already passed it in the Senate, clean, without the political riders ... . If McConnell would insist that the House not put the political riders in it, we'd have it done."Nelson said he'd be willing to consider some budget cuts to pay for a Zika funding package, depending on those cuts."I don't care about political machinations or how we get it done," he said. "I just want to get it done."
State attorneys general may be the freest actors in the American political system. Their broad discretion gives them enormous power, but it can also open them up to political and legal attacks.Recently, a pair of Republicans found themselves caught in the currents of the presidential campaign. Pam Bondi, the attorney general of Florida, and Greg Abbott, who was attorney general of Texas prior to his election as governor, each canceled fraud investigations into Trump University and some time later their campaign accounts received five-figure checks, from Donald Trump in one case and from his foundation in the other. Both AGs maintained that any allegations of cronyism were without merit.That may well be so, but its clear that attorneys general today have close and sometimes questionably comfy relations with entities looking to profit from their work. Last year,won a Pulitzer Prize for its report on companies willing to wine and dine AGs and contribute heavily to their campaign accounts, in hopes of avoiding investigations and settlements. Its a situation that invites abuse, says John Crangle of the liberal advocacy group Common Cause in South Carolina.Attorneys general, most of whom are elected independently, are often described as the chief law enforcement officers in their states. Thats really a misnomer. Criminal cases are nearly always handled by district attorneys at the county level. AGs can get involved in criminal matters, but most of their focus is on consumer protection and other civil issues.Indeed, they have become de facto national regulators of various industries, demanding that banks or other businesses change their ways as part of legal settlements. Given their status as free agents, they can turn those pressures off as easily as they can turn them on. AGs have found a way to transform the office, so its not just rote law enforcement but really important in terms of making policy, says Paul Nolette, author of a recent book about state AGs.Which cases they choose to pursue is pretty much up to them. That has allowed Republicans to challenge the Obama administration on fronts ranging from health care to environmental regulation. Conversely, Democratic attorneys general opted not to defend state laws banning same-sex marriage.This year, Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is the Democratic candidate for governor in North Carolina, chose not to defend the states controversial law blocking municipalities from enacting anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBT residents. In a lot of these states, if the governor and the attorney general take opposing positions, the attorney general gets to decide on litigation questions, says Timothy Meyer, a law professor at Vanderbilt University. As Meyer notes in a law review article, AGs enjoy a near-monopoly on the states access to the courtroom, meaning the use of litigation as a tool to advance policy is almost exclusively in their hands.All of this helps to explain why political opponents -- recognizing the power an attorney general wields -- have sought to link them to official misconduct. The aura of their office means that allegations that might be shrugged off as normal conduct for lawmakers can stick like glue when it comes to those tasked with enforcing the law.Besides Abbott and Bondi, attorneys general in several states have found themselves accused of legal or ethical missteps in the past couple of years. Last month, Pennsylvanias Kathleen Kane was found guilty of perjury and subsequently resigned. Ken Paxton, who succeeded Abbott as the Texas AG, finds himself facing charges from both local prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding allegations flagged by liberal groups that he misled business investors before taking office. In a different era, when the AG was not seen as a highly partisan person or high profile in the state, activists wouldnt have pushed so hard on the case, says Mark Jones, a political scientist at Rice University.
A police officer who wasnt charged in the shooting death of an unarmed South Carolina teen more than a year ago is now being fired from the force.Seneca Police Chief John Covington declined to give a reason for firing Mark Tiller, calling it a personnel matter in a short statement. He said Tiller would remain on the departments payroll until Friday.The family of 19-year-old ZacharyHammond said the family never understood how Tiller was able to keep his job.With each passing day the Hammonds never lost hope that Lt. Tiller would in the future never again have the highest honor of serving the public as a police officer, wear the uniform and carry a weapon. It appears that today is such a day, the family said in a statement released through their attorney Eric Bland.A state prosecutor refused to charge Tiller in the July 2015 shooting of Hammond as the teen tried to drive away from a drug sting in a fast-food restaurant parking lot in Seneca. But federal authorities are still investigating the shooting.Tiller said he thought his life was threatened because Hammond was about to run him over. But video from his patrol car showed him move toward Hammonds car, grabbing the front fender of the vehicle and only firing after it moved past.
On Tuesday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey departed Brisbane for an official visit to the Sunshine Coast.

Following, at Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club, the Governor, with Mrs de Jersey, during Child Protection Week, officially launched the Daniel Morcombe Foundations updated Keeping Kids Safe Resource Kit and addressed guests.

Following, in Buderim, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey were hosted to morning tea by Mrs Gladys Gerchow on the occasion of the celebration of Mrs Gerchows 100th birthday, and then returned to Brisbane.
Description

GIS - 07 September, 2016: The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, expressed determination to implement the 383 measures as enunciated in the budget speech 2016-2017 following the presentation of the Finance Bill in the National Assembly on 31 August 2016 which gives legal effect to the measures. The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, expressed determination to implement the 383 measures as enunciated in the budget speech 2016-2017 following the presentation of the Finance

He was speaking this morning during a press conference in Port Louis with focus on budget implementation. According to the Minister, it is high time for action following the positive response of the population as a whole and the private sector regarding the measures in the budget. He appealed to the different Ministries/Departments to kick off their respective projects after the allocation of funds as approved in the Finance Bill.

The Finance Minister expressed optimism that the economy can attain the forecast GDP growth rate of 4.1 percent targeted for 2016/17 throughout the implementation of the projects earmarked in the 2016/2017 Budget geared towards moving Mauritius to the next level of development with focus on boosting investment and job creation.

To this effect, he announced the setting up of a Ministerial Committee under his Chairmanship to oversee and monitor the timely implementation of the measures announced in the 2016-2017 Budget. The first meeting of the Committee is scheduled for the 20th September.

The Committee will be assisted by three Task Forces that will ensure proper coordination, prompt implementation of the measures, rapid elimination of bottlenecks, enhanced service delivery of the public sector, and faster realisation of projects and programmes.

The three main areas of focus are namely: (i) Public Infrastructure Projects (Strategy 6) Task Force chaired by the Minister of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport; (ii) Quality of Life and Poverty Alleviation (Strategy 7,8) - Task Force chaired by the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research; and (iii) Economy (strategy 1-5)- Task Force chaired by the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security.

In the same vein, a High Level Committee, chaired by the Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions, has also been set up to look into the issue of Ageing Population and the Pension System.

Finance Minister Pravind Jugnauth, highlighted the importance of the Committee and the three Task Force which he said will meet at regular intervals to monitor the progress achieved with regards to major project implementation.

It will be recalled that the 2016/17 Budget amounts to Rs 117.4 billion, of which Rs 103.3 billion for recurrent expenditure and Rs 14.1 billion for capital expenditure.
Description

GIS  07 September, 2016: Providing education is a social enterprise. Indeed, without education we cannot envisage the eradication of absolute poverty and achieving the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

The Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, made these observations today at Pearle Beach Resort and Spa, in Flic-en-Flac. She was speaking at the launching of a two-day National Consultation in view of the Regional Forum on the Implementation of SDG (Sustainable Development Goal)  4 Education 2030 in Eastern Africa.

In her address, the Minister stated that the SDGs are calibrated and configured in such a way so as to make education and training take centre stage in realising the other 17 Goals. Mauritius has adopted bold measures to achieve inclusive and equitable quality education for all and the countrys reform agenda is strongly aligned with the SDGs in view of the fulfilment of the global commitment pledged in September 2015, she pointed out.

According to Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun, Mauritius is fully aware of the challenges that have to be addressed to meet these objectives and is doing precisely that. We want all of our learners to go through an enriched preschool experience and be equipped with a sound foundation of nine year continuous basic education on which to build their lifelong learning capabilities, she added.

For his part, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Simon Springett, observed that the SDGs education agenda is inspired by a humanistic vision of education and development based on human rights, dignity, social justice, protection, cultural diversity and shared responsibility and accountability. It is underpinned by the notion that education is a public good, fundamental human right and is essential for peace, human fulfilment and for sustainable development, he stated.

Speaking about integrating SDGs, Mr Springett said that this will imply aligning national policies and plans to the targets and focus of the SDGs but at the same time we need to be careful that we are actually undertaking alignment and not simply creating new structures and new complications. We want SDGs targets and national inspirations to fit neatly into existing structures, he added.

SDG 4 - National Consultation

Participants are from the education sector, NGOs, civil society, Trade Unions, bilateral development partners, different Ministries as well as experts from Universities and Research institutions. The resource person is UNESCO Representative and Senior Education Development Professional, Dr Criana Connal.

The outputs of the National Consultation will feed into the SDG 4 Regional Forum for Eastern Africa bringing together the 13 countries clustered under the UNESCO regional office for Eastern Africa.

It is recalled that Quality education is one of the 17 Global Goals that make up the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted on 25 September 2015 by world leaders at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit.

The education goal (SDG 4) is made up of ten targets, including three means of implementation that focus on how to achieve the outcomes described in the targets. It aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Late last month, creative people from across Virginia brainstormed to solve the state's workforce challenges in the Datathon 2016: Governor's Workforce Innovation Challenge . And on Sept. 7, two winning teams were selected.The first place winner, selected by a panel of judges, was a team from Chesterfield County that developed the Virginia Employment Research Assistant, a job search and industry research tool. The second place winner, which was selected by a crowd of more than 400 event attendees, was the Virginia Department of Transportation, which developed Get Workin' VA, a workforce data visualization tool. In addition to prizes, the selected teams win an opportunity to see their ideas come to life and improve the workforce in Virginia.The datathon, which was also held last year , exceeded expectations, said Anthony Fung, Virginia's deputy secretary of technology."Lots of teams from different backgrounds came together; we had 16 teams participate and wed only been looking for 10, so we got full participation," Fung said. "There was a nice diversity of high-school students, college students, private-sector companies and public servants. It was really an amazing opportunity and experience."Following the theme of the event, participants were confronted with questions and challenges surrounding job-seekers and hiring businesses, such as, "What are the real workforce needs of employers? Are those needs adequately reflected in job postings? What are the skills required of jobs? How do those skills align to available training and curricula at Virginias community colleges? What are the historical patterns for jobs?"Events like this one are useful, Fung said, because they expand government's search for solutions."I think the underlying part of this competition is thinking about how government can really play an additional role in terms of empowering citizens and civic innovators to leverage open data to solve real-world challenges," he said. " Its not just funding, its not starting up new programs, but really the power of open data to be able to help solve challenges like this."The datathon was sponsored and supported by the Library of Virginia, the Center for Innovative Technology, the Discover Analytics Center, George Mason University, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Center for Open Science, and the Council on Virginia's Future. And these partnerships for such events are as important as the data being examined, Fung said."I think that model would be useful to explore for other states and other localities," he added. "Its not just the open data  its the public-private partnerships, its the usage of your universities to help with the process to solve challenges and really being able to use your assets."More information on the winners is scheduled to be posted on the event website later this month.
(TNS) -- Modesto is looking at creating its own high-speed fiber optic network to provide super-fast internet service for city operations and local business.The City Council recently approved hiring the consulting firm Kimley-Horn and Associates at a cost of $167,365 for a fiber optic network infrastructure design and services master plan. The project is expected to take six months.The master plan will tell Modesto how it could establish the network, lay out options on how to pay for it, and define the networks scope, including whether the city should offer high-speed internet to businesses. The council would have to approve any plans to establish a network.Modesto Chief Information Officer John Dickey said the high-speed fiber optic network would provide internet service 20 to 50 times faster than what is now available throughout nearly all of the city. That service is provided by private companies and comes through coaxial cables and copper wires. Dickey said the city sees a fiber optic network as a key in keeping and recruiting businesses by offering them very fast service at competitive prices.It could provide Modesto with a competitive advantage, Councilman Bill Zoslocki said about the proposal. The study will see it if makes sense not only for the city but for business. Maybe they would look at Modesto a little more closely if we had it.But Zoslocki acknowledged businesses look at many factors  including the transportation network, quality of the schools, crime rate and skills of workers  when deciding whether to come into a community.Dickey said his research shows that more than 500 cities across the United States have created fiber optic networks. He said the networks have contributed to success with economic development in those cities. He said some cities have created their own networks and run them as utilities, while others have entered into partnerships with the private sector.I think it was a great thing to do, Loma Linda Assistant City Manager Konrad Bolowich said about his Southern California citys decision to create a fiber optic network about a dozen years ago. He said there was no high-speed internet service in Loma Linda, which has about 24,000 residents and is a health care center with five hospitals and a medical school.Bolowich said his city has kept and attracted businesses because of the network. He said the network helped Loma Linda land a 300,000-square-foot Veterans Affairs health care facility, which will open this month. He said the facility will treat 60,000 to 80,000 patients a month and employ about 8,000 people.Loma Linda set up its network as a city utility. Bolowich said the utilitys operations are financially self-sustaining through what it collects from customers. But he said the city has not recovered its cost to build the network. He said that cost was about $8 million, and the city has recovered about $1 million so far.Loma Lindas network was costly because the city decided to provide internet service to homes, and a city ordinance requires that utilities  including the high-speed network  be placed underground. Dickey said Modesto is not considering providing residential service now and could string some of its network along utility poles, which is substantially cheaper than putting the network underground.This is not an easy thing to do, Jim Fleming, a senior management analyst with City of Palo Alto Utilities, said about establishing a network. The cities that have pursued this have had mixed results.But Fleming said Modestos idea of doing this to spur economic development and limiting the network to the citys operations and to businesses makes sense. He said Palo Alto established its own network about a dozen years ago to serve city operations. But he said Palo Alto has about 95 commercial customers  primarily high-tech firms, as well as some telecommunications companies  that pay to use the networks excess capacity.As part of the master plan, Dickey said, Modesto will meet with businesses to solicit input on whether they want a fiber optic network and what kind of capabilities would be desired. He said Modesto also will talk to other local governments to see how its proposal fits in with their plans. Dickey said Modesto would be the first city in the Northern San Joaquin Valley with a high-speed fiber optic network if it established one.
(TNS) -- A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from opening more than 1 million acres in Central California to oil drilling because the agency did not properly explore the potential dangers of fracking.U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald sided with environmentalists who argued that the bureau should have addressed the possible impacts of hydraulic fracturing in an environmental impact statement issued as part of the formal process of opening public lands to drilling.Instead, the 1,073-page impact statement mentioned fracking only three times and never discussed the controversial practice in depth, according to the judge. He ordered the bureau to prepare a supplemental impact statement that includes fracking before the bureau moves forward on oil and gas development in the area, which includes federal properties in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties.Environmentalists who consider fracking a threat to Californias strained groundwater supplies hailed the ruling.The Obama administration must get the message and end this reckless rush to auction off our public land to oil companies, said Brendan Cummings, conservation director for the Center for Biological Diversity, one of two environmental groups that sued the bureau. As California struggles against drought and climate change, weve got to end fracking and leave this dirty oil in the ground.A bureau spokeswoman could not be reached for comment.Hydraulic fracturing uses a high-pressure blend of water, sand and chemicals to crack underground rocks, releasing oil or natural gas. Combined with horizontal drilling, fracking has created a boom in U.S. oil and gas production, one that has helped push down oil prices worldwide. But questions about its environmental effects have dogged the practice for years, even as the oil industry and its political supporters insist the practice is safe.Fitzgerald noted in his decision that by the bureaus own estimate, fracking would probably be used in 25 percent of wells drilled in the area.In addition, the bureau had commissioned a survey from the California Council on Science and Technology in 2014 about research on frackings potential dangers. And yet the bureaus environmental impact statement avoided discussing the topic in any detail, the judge wrote.To be clear, the act of commissioning the CCST Report itself does not satisfy the Bureaus obligations to take a hard look at the potentially adverse effects of fracking, Fitzgerald wrote.
(TNS) -- By early next year, every Chattanooga police officer will be wearing a body camera , but in the meantime police officials must navigate complicated issues of privacy, transparency and public records as they craft policies to guide the use of the cameras.Officials must decide when officers should turn cameras on and off, what types of incidents should be recorded, how long video should be kept on file, under what circumstances administrators review that footage, how videos should be released to the public and a slew of similar matters.Should police record inside someone's home? Should officers capture video of interviews with victims? What about a conversation between officers over coffee? What happens to video of officer-involved shootings?"If body cameras are going to be used, there has to be very clear policy that balances accountability versus privacy," said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee. "And that's really the central question."The police department's body camera policy is not yet written, but Chief Fred Fletcher said leaders are giving careful consideration to the policy's scope.Fletcher expects officers will be required to turn on their cameras for any law enforcement encounter."And that is the devil in the details  clearly defining what a law enforcement encounter is," he said.Officers likely will be required to start their cameras anytime they respond to a call for service, Fletcher said, as well as if they arrest or detain someone, attempt to make an arrest, or expect to make an arrest.That's similar to many body camera policies across the nation, according to a 2014 study by the nonprofit Police Executive Research Forum.The study found most departments order officers to film when responding to incidents, but also give them the discretion not to record if it would be "unsafe or impossible," and in certain sensitive situations, like an interview with a confidential informant.Most departments also allow officers to film inside a private citizen's home if the officers have a right to be there, the study found.All videos filmed by police body cameras are public record, just like videos from patrol car dashboard cameras, said Deborah Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government.That means footage of a private citizen's home potentially could be released to the public, which raises privacy concerns, Weinberg said. The ACLU suggests officers ask for permission before filming inside homes, unless the officers are responding to an emergency or critical incident.Fletcher said officers will record inside homes, but the videos likely will be blurred to remove private information if a member of the public or media asks for copies of that footage."Say there is a family photo on the wall, you can blur that out and leave everything else," he said. "If there was an officer-involved shooting [inside a home], you could blur out everything to the right and the left and leave the pertinent stuff in the middle unredacted. Technology takes care of a lot of the privacy concerns that existed when these conversations started a couple of years ago."The department will also need to decide how long to store body camera footage. The Chattanooga policy will likely set out ranges of retention for various incidents, Fletcher said. On one end of the spectrum, police will keep videos of critical incidents indefinitely. Other material, like routine conversations and day-to-day work, will be deleted more quickly.Police now keep routine dashboard camera footage for 18 months, Fletcher said. He expects the body camera policy will be similar.Fisher said it's important not to let concerns about privacy overshadow the intent of body cameras, which she said is to increase police accountability, especially in incidents where a police officer shoots or kills a civilian."Yes, there are situations where citizen privacy needs to be maintained," she said. "It's very complicated, but we have to look at it so we don't lose the purpose of the body camera, which is better accountability  which should mean better policing, right?"In July, Fisher's organization polled more than 500 Tennesseans and asked for their opinions on how body camera footage should be used. Ninety-one percent of the people polled believed police should wear body cameras, and 92 percent said police should release footage of incidents in which a civilian was injured or killed by a police officer.Current state law allows police to withhold documents and video that would typically be considered public record until the end of a criminal investigation, Fisher said. That means police aren't required to release body camera footage of officer-involved shootings for as long as the investigation is ongoing.Both Weinberg and Fisher said police departments should voluntarily agree in their policies to release such videos shortly after an officer-involved shooting, rather than waiting weeks or months for the investigation to conclude."Footage of any incident where there is a use of force that results in a shooting or a death needs to be made available to the public," Weinberg said, "and needs to be made available before the investigation is closed."
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY

REGULATORY COMMISSION

Columbia Basin Hydropower Project No. 14329-002

NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE LICENSE APPLICATION, FILING OF PRE-APPLICATION DOCUMENT, APPROVING USE OF THE TRADITIONAL LICENSING PROCESS

(August 31, 2016)

a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application and Request to Use the Traditional Licensing Process.

b. Project No .: 14329-002

c. Date Filed: June 27, 2016

d. Submitted By: Columbia Basin Hydropower

e. Name of Project: Banks Lake Pumped Storage Project

f. Location: On Banks Lake and Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, in Grant and Douglas Counties, Washington. The project occupies about 65 acres of United States lands administered by Bureau of Reclamation.

g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR 5.3 of the Commissions regulations

h. Potential Applicant Contact: Tim Culbertson, Columbia Basin Hydropower, P.O. Box 219, Ephrata, WA 98823; (509) 754-2227; email TCulbertson@cbhydropower.org.

i. FERC Contact: Karen Sughrue at (202) 502-8556; or email at karen.sughrue@ferc.gov.

j. Columbia Basin Hydropower filed its request to use the Traditional Licensing Process on June 27, 2016. Columbia Basin Hydropower provided public notice of its request on August 4, 2016. In a letter dated August 31, 2016, the Director of the Division of Hydropower Licensing approved Columbia Basin Hydropowers request to use the Traditional Licensing Process.

k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or NOAA Fisheries under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint agency regulations thereunder at 50 CFR, Part 402; and NOAA Fisheries under section 305(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and implementing regulations at 50 CFR 600.920. We are also initiating consultation with the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer, as required by section 106, National Historic Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.

l. With this notice, we are designating Columbia Basin Hydropower as the Commissions non-federal representative for carrying out informal consultation pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and section 305(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; and consultation pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

m. Columbia Basin Hydropower filed a Pre-Application Document (PAD; including a proposed process plan and schedule) with the Commission, pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commissions regulations.

n. A copy of the PAD is available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commissions website (http://www.ferc.gov), using the eLibrary link. Enter the docket number, excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at FERCONlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY). A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in paragraph h.

o. Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via e-mail of new filing and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary

(Publish Sept. 7, 2016)

Nespelem School District #14

NOTICE OF DATE CHANGE OF REGULAR MEETING THE NESPELEM SCHOOL

DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Notice is hereby given that Nespelem School District No. 14 regular meeting scheduled for September 26, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. has been changed to September 21, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. at the Nespelem School District Office 229 Schoolhouse Loop Rd. Nespelem WA 99155. By order of the Board of Directors, Rich Stewart, Superintendent.

Tanya Bunting

Business Manager

(Publish September 7, 2016)

Request for Proposal (RFP)

and Scope of Work (SOW)

Environmental Consulting Services, 2016-2019

Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation

The Environmental Trust Department (ETD) of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CTCR) is soliciting professional services proposals and qualifications from contractors and consultants to provide environmental consulting services in FY 2016 through FY 2019.

The CTCR intends to award a professional services contract related to the assessment, cleanup and restoration of the Upper Columbia River/Lake Roosevelt and associated work in the watershed.

Proposal Due Date: Friday, September 2, 2016, at 4:00 p.m.

A full version of this SOW/ RFP can be found on the Colville Tribes webpage at: http://www.colvilletribes.com/rfp_rfb.php

(Publish August 31 and September 7, 2016)

HOTEL/MOTEL TAX APPLICANTS

The City of Electric City will be accepting applications for the use of Lodging Tax Funds from all eligible organizations September 1st through September 30th, 2016. Eligibility, directions and the application can be found and downloaded from the Citys website at electriccity.us. Applications may be obtained at City Hall located at 10 Western Avenue, PO Box 130, Electric City, WA 99123, (509) 633-1510.

The Star Newspaper/August 31, and September 7, 2016
Lois Gleim can smile knowing most every honk was heart-felt and most every wave was well-deserved.

It makes you feel really good, she said of motorists past and present driving through the Square of Carlisle. You know they are thinking about the troops if it is just for one moment.

For almost 15 years now, the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary of Post 274 has upheld a tradition in downtown Carlisle that began in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

They gather on the Square on the 11th day of every month to wave signs and American flags from 4 to 4:30 p.m. urging drivers to show their support for our men and women in uniform.

From the start, organizers have vowed that this tradition will continue for as long as those in the military are deployed overseas to fight global terrorism.

This coming Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the hijackings that brought down the World Trade Center towers, damaged the Pentagon and scarred a field outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 Americans died in the attacks.

A North Middleton Township resident, Gleim is inviting local residents to gather in the Square this Sunday between 4 and 4:30 p.m. to salute the military.

We always try to have at least one person, Gleim said. We would love to have more. We would love to have the whole community come out and show support for our troops. Without them our country cannot be free.

The ladies auxiliary has flags and signs available for those who attend the vigil this Sunday, president Donna Moyer said. We are very strong. We support our military. We are going to be there on the Square every 11th until they come home.

Both women helped to organize the first vigil on the Square on Oct. 11, 2001. That gathering drew a crowd of nearly 200 people including local police, firefighters and government officials.

Standing with them was former state Attorney General Mike Fisher who had recently been appointed to the governors task force on security. Impressed by the show of unity, he told the crowd, They have not shaken our faith in God and they will not destroy our way of life. Fisher called on those gathered to be on guard in the days ahead.

It has been 14 years and 11 months since that first vigil. The 11th day has come and gone a total of 179 times. And every month at least one auxiliary member has showed up to carry on the tradition, Gleim said. Often they are joined by members of the Marine Corps League and by Army veteran William Sharar of Mount Holly Springs.

Weve been snowed on ... Weve been rained on but that has been nothing compared to those guys, Gleim said, referring to the soldiers overseas. We just think about them and what it means to be there for this tribute.

Weve had some soldiers walk up to us and thank us for what we are doing, but we say, No, we thank you, she added. This is least we could do. Its the other way around ... We need to thank them.

The uptick in violence troubles her. The way people are acting on the police ... I cannot understand the mindset, Gleim said. We need these people to protect us. Look at what the police do for us.

She added memories are short as evidenced recently by the flooding in Louisiana. People forget so quickly after it was in the news, Gleim said. If you dont have a tragedy ... If it does not happen in your backyard, it gets lost in the shuffle.

Tired of partisan politics, she urged people to pull together. That is what our country needs, she said. I just hope whoever becomes president does something to take care of our soldiers. If you dont take care of them, you dont have soldiers.
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Honeymooners seeking over-the-top accommodations and exotic locales have a new list to peruse.

The U.S. News & World Report's Best Honeymoon Destinations of 2016-2017 ranking was just released, and it offers 20 destinations that range from secluded beaches to romantic cities.

That publication considered user votes and expert opinions when determining the best places for couples to see together now.

RELATED: How much the average wedding cost in 2015, item-by-item

Not surprisingly, there were several tropical getaways and European landmarks in the mix.

It contrasts with a recent Westin Hotels & Resorts study, which revealed that U.S. residents aren't venturing far from home for their honeymoon as often. That same report also showed that honeymooners now care more about health and wellness, even when on their romantic trip.

"One of the most surprising things about the study was how many people went running on their honeymoon," Bob Jacobs, vice president of brand management for Westin Hotels & Resorts, told Skift. "Forty percent [of honeymooners] in the last five years went on at least one run during their honeymoon and they are using it as a way to decompress, disconnect, and be a tourist at the same time."

SEE ALSO: Wedding faux pas; what not to do if you're a guest

Wherever honemooners end up traveling, or what they do when they're there, the more pressing issue is that they go somewhere. A study reported that couples who have a honeymoon are 41 percent less likely to get a divorce.

So go ahead and take that trip to Madrid, or to one of the other 19 places the U.S. News & World report suggests.
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HARTFORD  A judge has given the state six months to fix what has been dubbed an irrational school funding formula. And while it is at it, the judge said, lawmakers and policymakers must also better define just what an adequate education means.

The decision by Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher on Wednesday fell short of telling the state to pay more, but he made clear that how Connecticut spends its money is failing thousands of school children across the state.

The state spends billions of dollars on schools without any binding principle guaranteeing that education aid goes where its needed, the judge ruled. The states latitude to decide how much overall money to spend on schools doesnt mean the state can have a constitutionally adequate school program while spending its money whimsically.

The decision took nearly three hours to read from the bench, and in it the judge also tasked the state with 180 days to come up with a way to determine that students leaving high school have earned their diplomas. Moukawsher wants an overhaul of the special education system and more teeth in a teacher-evaluation system that he called little more than cotton candy in a rainstorm.

It was, by many accounts, a stunning decision that capped off a seven-month trial known as Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding v. Rell. The judge ruled that the state is not violating the Connecticut Constitution with the amount of money it pours into education annually, but he said it is clearly not meeting its obligation in how the money is distributed.

David Rosen, representing a group of lawyers from Yale Law School who helped bring the case to trial, called the decision thoughtful and complex.

More Information The order The court has ordered the state to do the following within the next six months: Create a more rational education funding formula Define elementary and secondary education Create standards for hiring, firing, evaluating and paying teachers Create funding, identification and educational services standards for special education See More Collapse

Our expectation is that the Legislature and the attorney general are going to look at it closely and intensely, Rosen said. Clearly, they have a lot to say about what happens.

Fodder for Legislature

Municipal and school leaders who stand to benefit from the decision roundly applauded the judges decision.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim called the ruling sweeping and so comprehensive, and said he didn't see how it could be challenged.

It could and should be the central issue of this next legislative session, Ganim said.

The mayor said he would direct Bridgeports legislative delegation to begin work on bills that would address the judges order in time for the new legislative session.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton called the decision fascinating.

I think this goes way beyond the scope of where CCJEF wanted it to go, Boughton said. This judge has taken on the public education system in Connecticut.

Bridgeport and Danbury were held out as examples during a trial, which was brought by a coalition that challenged the level of state support for public education. The state steadfastly countered that it funds public education generously and fairly, exceeding its obligations under the state constitution.

The states official response to Thursdays ruling was brief.

We are reviewing this decision in consultation with our client agencies and decline to comment further at this time, said Samuel Carmody, an assistant in the Office of Attorney General, who defended the state.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who was a Stamford mayor on the other side of the case when it was filed, said he welcomes the conversation this decision brings.

We know that to improve outcomes for all Connecticut students and to close persistent achievement gaps, we need to challenge the status quo and take bold action., Malloy said.

Malloy said his administration has invested hundreds of millions of dollars toward education, focusing largely on students who need it the most.

The judge, meanwhile, offered examples of how state funding is being spent without any guarantee that the aid goes where its needed.

While the plaintiffs were in court complaining of the lack of a principled system, the Legislature started moving money from poor towns to rich ones, the judge noted, reading off a list of municipalities like Ansonia, Bridgeport and Derby that lost funding while communities like Newtown, Shelton and Trumbull got more.

Moukawsher also cited Bridgeport a number of times, noting at one point how high school students in the city this year must not only take city buses to get to school, but also negotiate bus transfers.

Interim Bridgeport Schools Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz, who was called to the stand twice during the trial to describe how the lack of funding impacts the 21,000 students in her district, said she is glad the state has to come up with a plan for funding all of its school districts.

I am not afraid of higher standards, if I have the resources that can get me where I need to be, Rabinowitz said.

More than money

Beyond the money question, the judge tackled several other issues brought up during the trial.

In calling for a new high school graduation standards, Moukawsher said the promise of a free secondary education is meaningless if graduates are functionally illiterate. He pointed to the states high graduation rate in the face of overwhelming evidence presented at the trial that many students in poor districts graduate without the skills they need to succeed in college.

The judge also gave the state 180 days to propose a remedy that creates a rational and substantial definition of elementary schools  perhaps, he said, an eighth-grade test to show that students have learned what they have been taught.

Moukawsher also said the state must tell the courts what powers it needs over local school districts to get the job done.

The court will judge the states solutions, and if they meet the standards describe in this decision, uphold them, the judge said.

"Change must come," Moukawsher told both sides. "The state has to accept that the schools are its blessing and its burden, and if it cannot be wise, it must at least be sensible."

State Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury, said he looked forward as deputy House speaker to leading the Legislature toward correcting a system that for too long has been unfair to students in cities like his.

Daniel Klau, a well-known First Amendment and civil liberties lawyer, was more tempered, calling the decision both a defeat and a victory for the plaintiffs.

It is a defeat in that ... the decision does not require the state to increase the total amount of funding for general education expenditures, Klau said. The decision is a victory for the plaintiffs in that the judge concluded that the way the state distributed education funds to municipalities is irrational.

Like others, he expects that the decision in a case, which was first filed in 2005, will be appealed once again to the state Supreme Court.
GREENWICH  The Jewish Community Center of Greenwich is hosting a three-part Painted Ladies Series on the role of the Jewish woman in art.

The first lecture, The Jewess in Art from Medieval Times to Today, will be held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 15 at JCC Greenwich.

The series will be led by Beth Gersh-Nesic, director of the New York Arts Exchange and an art history professor at the State University of New York at Purchase.

She spoke last year and was so well received, so brilliant, said Leah Schechter, assistant director at JCC Greenwich. This series came out of discussions with her following that event as to what other art can we bring and what other ways can we highlight Jewish art and telling Jewish stories.

The second part, on Dec. 8, will be Heroic Seduction followed by Queen Esther in Art on March 2.

The subjects of famous women and strong leaders are threads that tie the presentations together, but Schechter said each part can stand on its own.

Each program is self-contained, so you dont have to sign up for the entire series, Schechter said. You can sign up for just one and you wont be lost.

Each part will include a lecture accompanied by slideshow so participants can examine different works of art pertaining to each topic. There will also be opportunity for discussion.

Gersh-Nesic lectures students on similar topics frequently, but said she looks forward to events like these for the freedom and chance to be creative they present.

All of these things are percolating, and whats really interesting for me is to put it together differently, Gersh-Nesic said. Its not for a class, I dont have to put it together for an exam, so I play with it.

Gersh-Nesic has studied the female in art history throughout her academic career.

Im looking forward to a fresh approach for some material Ive been practicing for a number of years. The best part is listening to what people say, she said. Every group brings me something I havent thought of yet, and I look forward to hearing what people think.

Tickets can be purchased on the JCC Greenwich website, www.jccgreenwich.org. The sessions cost $30 each or $75 for all three.

pfrissell@hearstmediact.com; @PeregrineFriss
DARIENThe Darien Police Commission unanimously promoted five officers, including one to captain.

The Police Commission congratulates the five officers being promoted, especially Ray Osborne as he assumes the position of captain, said Police Commission Chairman Paul Johnson. These five exceptional officers reflect the depth and strength of our outstanding police department.

Johnson was not the only one to praise the five officers promoted at the meeting on Wednesday, July 13.

The relatively large number of promotions for a department of this size truly reshapes our command staff and brings new energy to an organization I am very proud of, said Chief Duane Lovello. The broad spectrum of talent and experience carried by these five individuals positions the department very well. Theyve all worked very hard and earned these promotions.

The new captain

Lt. Raymond Osborne, a 32-year veteran, was promoted to captain and will head the Field Services Bureau, which includes the patrol, detective, youth and marine divisions.

Osborne previously worked for the Easton Police Department before joining Darien police in 1983 as a detective. Osborne, who served on the Fairfield County Regional Burglary Squad, was promoted to a lieutenant in 2008, Osborne then served as the administrative lieutenant before returning to the patrol division. Currently, Osborne serves as the Commander of the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team Hostage Negotiation Unit and supervises the Darien Police Domestic Violence Unit.

He has both a bachelors and masters degree in criminal justice from Iona College and also completed additional training programs at Roger Williams University and Boston University.

Two new lieutenants

Officers Robert Shreders and Thomas T.J. Whyte were promoted to lieutenant.

Shreders, who has been an officer for 26 years, works in the patrol division and is a member of Dariens Emergency Response Team. He was promoted to sergeant in 2005 and previously worked in the patrol and training divisions.

The former firearms instructor has a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Sacred Heart University and a masters in emergency management from the University of New Haven.

Whyte, a 12-year veteran, will also be assigned to patrol. He previously worked as a detective and is a graduate of the Fairfield County Detective School. Hes a certified field training officer, as well as a Taser instructor and a member of the polices crisis intervention and accident investigation teams. Whyte was promoted to sergeant in 2014 and worked in the patrol division.

In 2013, Whyte received his masters degree in criminal justice from Sacred Heart, as well as the Gold Medal of Excellence Criminal Justice Award.

Two new sergeants

The commission also voted to promote two detectives to the rank of sergeant.

Andrew Mastroianni graduated from the Police Academy in 2006. He has a bachelors degree in justice and law administration from Western Connecticut State University and a masters degree in criminal justice from Sacred Heart. Mastroianni served as a field training officer and as a school liaison officer at the Rotle School. Furthermore, he is a member of the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team and the Darien Police Crisis Intervention Team.

He is also a certified instructor in firearms, patrol rifle, less-than-lethal weapons and fair and impartial policing.

Saverio Sam Boccuzzi, a 27-year veteran, began working in the detective division in 2006 and currently serves as a youth detective where he implemented Cop Shop and youth police academy programs. He is also president of the Darien Police Association.

Boccuzzi is a graduate of the Fairfield County Detective School and previously served as a firearms instructor overseeing the departments transition to a new sidearm. He also formerly served as a marine patrol officer and on the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team as both an operator and a marksman. He attended Norwalk Community College, Iona College and Southern Connecticut State University.

All five promotions will go into affect on Sunday, July 24.

ekayata@hearstmediact.com;
Frederick Watts

HISTORY: Frederick Watts born in Carlisle in 1801, becoming a prominent lawyer and member of the first class to graduate from Dickinson College.

According to the Dickinson College Archives online, Watts was influential in the redevelopment of the Cumberland County Railroad, becoming its president in 1841. He served as a member of the Dickinson College Board of Trustees from 1828 to 1833 and from 1841 to 1844; he was appointed president judge of Pennsylvanias Ninth Judicial District Court in 1849; and he organized the Carlisle Gas & Water Co. in 1854.

In 1851, he became a founder and the first president of the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society. He assisted in legislation to establish and subsequently became the first head of Board of Trustees of a Farmers High School, to provide a collegiate but realistic education for sons of farmers to learn their family trade.

The agricultural college eventually developed into the Pennsylvania State College. In 1871, President Grant appointed him United States Commissioner of Agriculture.

HOW THEY DIED: According to the Dickinson College Archives online, Watts retired from federal service in June 1877 and returned to Carlisle, where he died at the age of 88.

GRAVESITE: Old Graveyard, South Bedford and East South streets in Carlisle
India, Chile ink agreement to expand scope of PTA

Published: September 7, 2016

India and Chile have inked an agreement to expand the scope of their existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) by covering more goods for tariff concessions.

A PTA between India and Chile was earlier signed in March 2006 and had come into force with effect from August, 2007.

Under the expanded PTA

Chile has offered concessions to India on 1,798 tariff lines with Margin of Preference (MoP) or rate of concessions, ranging from 30-100%.

Likewise, India has offered concessions to Chile on 1,031 tariff lines, with MoP ranging from 10-100%.

Comment

Expansion of India-Chile PTA will enhance the trade and economic relations between the two countries. It will be an important landmark in India-Chile relations and consolidate the traditional fraternal relations that have existed between India and LAC countries.

India-Chile Relations

Among the Latin American Countries (LAC), Chile was the third largest trading partner of India during 2015-16.

During 2015-16, Indias bilateral trade with Chile stood at US$ 2.64 billion with exports at US$ 0.68 billion and imports at US$ 1.96 billion respectively.

India has friendly relations with Chile and Indias exports to Chile are diverse. Chile also has been cooperating with India at the International fora.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2016

Topics: India-Chile  India-International Relations  National  Trade

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Chen Lieh Tang in the 70s and 80s and, at the bottom left, Shorty Tang himself. Photo: Courtesy of the Tang Family

The name Shorty Tang still looms large in the history of Chinese cooking in New York City. New York had already taken to calling the chef legendary in 1973. At the height of his fame, his restaurant  Hwa Yuan, which opened in 1968  sold a quarter-ton of noodles each day. Cold sesame noodles, the type available at every takeout joint in New York, largely exist because of Tangs original (superior) recipe. That restaurant, and the many others it inspired, have long since closed, but now Tangs son and grandson are set to carry on Shortys legacy with two new restaurants: a new, palatial Hwa Yuan in the same spot as the original, and a smaller noodle shop named for Shorty himself.

Sam Sifton revived Shortys legend in 2007 with a column about the chef: His sesame noodles were soft and luxurious, bathed in an emulsified mixture of sesame paste and peanut butter, rendered vivid and fiery by chili oil and sweetened by sugar, cut by vinegar, made fantastic by technique, Sifton wrote at the time. One problem, as Sifton points out, is that the original recipe has been lost and bastardized over time to the point where the citys current sesame-noodle offerings are pale imitations of the storied original.

It is one of Tangs six children, Chen Lieh Tang, who will resurrect that original recipe. I still make my own, says the spry 62-year-old restaurateur. I dont let other people touch, because its very difficult to make. He says some recipes have gotten close, but genuine specs demand that the egg noodles be made with icy water. Theres also the inclusion of homemade Sichuan cabbage, and, in a surprising twist, Chen Lieh says a bit of collagen-rich chicken soup also figures in.

Yet the dishs origins still bear a trace of mystery. Where do you even get peanut butter? Its such a non-Chinese thing, says James Tang, Chen Liehs son. James, 32, works in finance but will be managing partner at both restaurants. Maybe it was an army-rations thing.

Shorty  not his given name, but one suited to fit his stature  began his apprenticeship in Sichuan food at 12 and never stopped cooking. He came in on his day off to check every detail and delivery because he wanted to make sure no one would complain, Chen Lieh says. Shorty died in 1976, at age 50, but he taught Chen Lieh the recipes: Classic shrimp with white sauce was first. Carp with hot bean sauce looked easy enough to replicate, but was in fact one of those deceptively difficult dishes to reproduce. Chen Lieh learned how to be nimble with chiles, when to add the snap of scallions and young ginger, to balance flavors with the tannic depths of rice wine. There were tricks to greaseless scallion pancakes and ultralight pork meatballs. By the mid-70s, Hwa Yuan managed to stand out among the citys enormous roster of Chinese restaurants. Mobsters devoured double-sauteed pork. Future mayors  Giuliani, Bloomberg, Koch  stopped in. Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw could be found there on dates.

By the time Mimi Sheraton awarded Hwa Yuan two stars in 1982, Chen Lieh had moved on to open Tangs Chariot in midtown, where Gourmet magazine praised the first-rate sesame noodles in a full-page review. A dozen places with names like Tang Tang, Tang Tang II, Tang Tang Noodles, and Tangs of Westport followed.

But Chen Lieh swore off the industry altogether nine years ago, after the financial crisis hit. He spent part of his retirement in Taiwan. [But] I had to go back to work, he says now. Bouncing around the dust-filled, unfinished Chelsea dining room that will soon reopen as Shorty Tang Noodles, its Chen Lieh himself who oversees every single detail: servers uniforms, door knockers, chopstick holders, the wallpaper, even the pitch of a skinny floor drain in the kitchen.

Chen Lieh Tang stands outside the Chelsea shop that will soon be Shorty Tang Noodles. Photo: Hugh Merwin

When it opens this fall, Shorty Tang Noodles will have six tables and a bar where diners will be able to look directly into the kitchen. In addition to its namesake option, the menu will include steamed rice rolls with pork or beef, and a style of beef noodle soup thats synonymous with the family name in Taiwan.

The new Hwa Yuan, however, will be a far more grandiose affair: Standing on the exact site of the original  currently Bank of China on East Broadway, which the Tang family owns  Hwa Yuan was, and will be, a vast, three-floor restaurant. The Tangs are aiming to get it open by the end of the year, and when they do, the space will be magnificent: Slabs of translucent tortoiseshell marble, private rooms, and an opulent, Tang-designed golden centerpiece called The Mushroom all figure in.

There will be a stand-alone raw bar, and customers will see cooks preparing Peking duck, part of which takes place in a large bull-nosed oven from Hong Kong that Tang calls the bullet train. The menu will run to 50 items, with new dishes joining classics like Marvelous Orange Beef, an updated version of Shortys famed carp and hot bean sauce, and, possibly, a version of Beggars Chicken that will be stuffed with cabbage, ham, and shrimp  a whole bird with the same showstopping magnitude as Mission Chinese Foods massive postmodern roast chicken.

The first thing we thought about was getting a new bank to take the space, James says. Theyre the best tenants. [But] everybody was saying, You need to open a restaurant. Indeed, if Chen Lieh Tang was at all reluctant to dive back into the restaurant world, it was his former neighbors who helped push him over the edge. The idea, he says, is to open a place that stands a chance of lasting 100 years in New York City. I want to bring back Chinatown, Chen Lieh explains. Even members of his former kitchen staff, long since dispersed to start their own restaurant empires, are returning to help restore Hwa Yuans former glory. I called them, Chen Lieh says. They all will return.
Moto G4 Play is up for pre-order in the US for $149.99, out on September 15

The Moto G4 Play is finally starting to become available, market after market. The phone made its debut in India today, and it's been out in Canada since late August. The next country to get it is the US, where it will finally join the G4 and G4 Plus, which have been in stores since July.

The G4 Play is now up for pre-order at Motorola's official online store in the US, priced at $149.99 contract-free and unlocked. The release date is September 15.

You can also purchase the Moto G4 Play for just $99.99 from Amazon, but only if you don't mind seeing "lockscreen offers & ads", as the retailer puts it. Oh, and to buy this version you need to be a Prime subscriber.

Verizon will sell the Moto G4 Play to its prepaid customers at some point "in the coming weeks". The device comes with a 5-inch 720p touchscreen, an 8 MP main camera with LED flash, a 5 MP front-facing unit, the Snapdragon 410 SoC (with a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU), 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and a 2,800 mAh battery. It runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

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Looks like the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is mulling banning Samsung Galaxy Note7 units with faulty batteries from flights. "The FAA and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are working on guidance related to this issue," the agency said in a statement.

"If the device is recalled by the manufacturer, airline crew and passengers will not be able to bring recalled batteries or electronics that contain recalled batteries in the cabin of an aircraft, or in carry-on and checked baggage," the statement further said.

The FAA has, however, also made it clear that a final decision is yet to be taken in this regard. While the agency didn't say anything on why the decision is being delayed, reports say it's due to the way Samsung has recalled the phablet - the recall doesn't involve the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is presumably what is required before the FAA can ban the device from flights.

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Haiti - FLASH : Suriname, Visa mandatory for Haitian





Following the importance of the migrant flow of Haitian origin and a complaint from France, Suriname has made it mandatory on August 26 a Visa for Haitians which will come into force on 15 September.



Recall that the French Government through its Embassy in Suriname, by diplomatic courier had complained that Haitian migrants passed through Suriname to join in large number of French Guiana to seek asylum. If the decision of Suriname, satisfies the French Government, it adds by con an obstacle to free movement within the countries of Caricom.



According to statistics, more than half of the passengers of the company Insel Air, which the Suriname, is of Haitian origin. A March 2016 report showed that the tourist map, supposed to attract more businessmen and tourists, had rather facilitated the task of smugglers of migrants. The Suriname International Airport was assaulted by Haitians who did not speak English and for the most part, could neither read nor write (over 6,000). Some were unable to provide the authorization documents for children who accompanied them or held false documents. It is partly for these reasons that 500 Haitians were returned to Haiti.



Moreover, airlines had to file their full lists of passengers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Suriname. Passengers on these lists will be entitled to a tourist card. All other persons from Haiti, with a ticket for a trip to Suriname, after 15 September 2016 will have to be in possession of a visa.



SL/ HaitiLibre


















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.

06:00, 29 OCT 2022
Successful conservation efforts pay off for humpback whales

Division into distinct populations paves the way for tailored conservation efforts

News Release from NOAA, September 6, 2016

Endangered humpback whales in nine of 14 newly identified distinct population segments have recovered enough that they dont warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act, NOAA Fisheries said today. International conservation efforts to protect and conserve whales over the past 40 years proved successful for most populations. Four of the distinct population segments are still protected as endangered, and one is now listed as threatened.

Commercial whaling severely reduced humpback whale numbers from historical levels, and the United States listed all humpback whales as endangered in 1970. NOAA Fisheries worked nationally and internationally to identify and apply protections for humpback whales. The International Whaling Commissions whaling moratorium, imposed in 1982, played a major role in the comeback of humpback whales, and remains in effect.

Todays news is a true ecological success story, said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries. Whales, including the humpback, serve an important role in our marine environment. Separately managing humpback whale populations that are largely independent of each other allows us to tailor conservation approaches for each population.

Two of the four populations that remain endangered are found in U.S. waters at certain times of the year. The Central America population feeds off the West Coast, while the Western North Pacific population does so in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. The Mexico population  listed as threatened  also feeds off the West Coast of the United States and Alaska.

Two separate, complementary regulations filed today maintain protections for whales in waters off Hawaii and Alaska by specifying distance limits for approaching vessels. (LOL! The whales are still protected against whale-watching tour boats.) All humpback whales remain protected in U.S. waters and on the high seas under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, regardless of their ESA status.

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NOAAs mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our other social media channels.

VIDEO: B-roll available at https://vimeo.com/111689294.

AP: Hawaii Fishermen Happy With Whale Decision

A Trip Down Memory Lane:
Local Bethel Association United Baptist churches; Bethel, Little Vine, New Providence, Oak Grove and Bethany, can trace their roots to the site of the 1806 original church, named Bethel Church, in Cape Girardeau County, now Jackson.

The Bethel Association began in 1816 and that makes this year the 200th anniversary, in September, Pastor of Oak Grove United Baptist, Lindell Sikes said. The first meeting on the topic was in June of 1816 about forming the association.

Sikes confirmed 110 of the original logs from Old Bethel survived and many gathered for its reconstruction which was completed in 2009.

This building stands on the site of the original church and is near the intersection of the Hubble and Goose Creeks at the end of Lee Ave. in Jackson.

When it was organized, July 19, 1806, the church minister was David Green and the deacons were George Lawrence and Henry Cockerham who officiated the churchs constitution.

Issac Sheppard was the first moderator (president) of the entire association, Sikes said.

Documentation on the organizations roots at Old Bethel Church is found in A History of The Baptists in Missouri, by Robert Samuel Duncan, and a segment from page 38 is as follows; Bethel Church, though the second organized, may be regarded as the first permanent church organization in Missouri; the first (Tywappity) having become defunct not long after it was gathered; and from Bethel Church, directly or indirectly, sprang all the churches that composed the first association.

Those members of the not yet formalized Bethel Association sent representatives to the Little River Association to get authorization for its formation. Upon receiving this approval the association convened at the, Bethel Meeting house on Saturday before the second Lords day in June, 1816, according to their publication, Minutes of Bethel Association United Baptist Churches of Jesus Christ 1816  1941 (inclusive).

The men trusted with organizational duties and making contacts with Little River leaders were called messengers, Sikes said.

(Later that year) the association met again on the fifth Sunday in September to form a constitution at the Bethel meeting house in Cape Girardeau County and it still exists today, Sikes said.

Churches and memberships sometimes changed rapidly in those early days. Some may have also changed the name of the church, as well. When the members decided to begin a new church, they would only have a few members and since they had not yet built a separate building they would hold services at a members home.

The name (Bethel) comes from the Bible reference found in Genesis, Chapter 28, verses 16 to 19, to the place where Issacs son, Jacob first met his Lord, Sikes said.

Providence Baptist Church in Fredericktown was one of the original churches in the Bethel group. It remained until about 1847, but New Providence United Baptist Church located at 709 S. Main St. was built in its name on a different site. The church joined the association in 1957 with Lawerance Lewis as its Pastor.

In June of 1816, the Bethel Association had at least three original churches; beginning with Bethel in Jackson, then Tywappety (south of Cape Girardeau), and Providence in Fredericktown, which are confirmed by the associations Minutes publication.

By the September association meeting there were several other Baptist churches that sent representatives and these included the following (possibly more); Belleview in Caledonia, Barren in Perry County, Dry Creek in Cape Girardeau County, St. Francois (about 25 miles south of Fredericktown on the St. Francis River), Turkey Creek and Saline.

The first association in the United States was the Philadelphia Association with not over six Baptist churches in the early 1700's. The next association was Elkhorn and a few others cropped up around the same time; however, the lineage of Madison County churches follows Elkhorn. Following Elkhorn, were the Metro District, Cumberland and Red River Associations. The Bethel Association sprang from the Little River Association. Over the years, these associations spread out from the northeastern states in all directions as membership grew and so did their families, according to Sikes.

In 1823, the association meeting in Fredericktown was held in the courthouse due to high water, Sikes said.

William Polk was one of the most prominent ministers in the association of churches in this portion of southeast Missouri. He began his work here in about the mid 1830's and preached in Madison County churches in Roselle and Marble Creek, as well as in Doe Run, in St. Francois County.

H. F. Tong, a Madison County author who was raised at Mine LaMotte and was apparently close to Polk, wrote about him in his book titled, Historical Sketches of the Baptists of Southeast Missouri.

He was, doubtless, one of the most energetic, and by far the most influential and popular preacher in Southeast Missouri. He was so sympathetic, kind-hearted and truly pious, as well as faithful to all his engagements, that none doubted his high calling.

According to a church related legend, Sam Hildebrand did business in Madison County on be-half of Polks family. Elder Polk and his wife were the parents of eight children. He was taken from his family on November 1, 1864 on the day of his murder. Polk was shot in the head in front of his home which was near the end of Hwy. MM off of Hwy. 72 West in Madison County.

Another quote from H. F. Tongs book on page 57, states, In sadness and shame for our country, we have to say, that this good man was shot from his horse, in front of his own door, by a squad of men dressed in the federal uniform, Nov. 1, 1864. His body was carried to his house by the writer, assisted by Reverend John Martin, Joseph Jones and J.C. Downs, and after preparation was laid to rest in the Bethany Church Cemetery.

The legend of Sam Hildebrand follows that after Polks assassination, he shot Polks perpetrator as revenge. Some people say they were friends and Sikes believes the connection may have come though Polks preaching in Doe Run.

Although there is no formal connection between Sam and Fee Fee Baptist Church Founded in 1807, which is still in Bridgeton. The Hildebrands were among the original American families who claimed the Baptist denomination and who settled near the church. The settlement was called Marais de Liards and was later changed to Bridgeton.

Fee Fee Baptist Church lays claim to the title oldest Protestant church congregation and is still in use today according to its website, https://feefeebc.org. It is named for Nicholas Beaugenou, Jr. who was known to his friends as Fifi, however it became spelled Fee Fee.

The Bethel Association of Baptist Churches joins a few other Protestant churches in Missouri that were on the list as some of the first west of the Mississippi.

In 1799, the first Protestant sermon and baptism immersion west of the Mississippi River was performed in Randol Creek near Dutchtown, Missouri.

A seven-foot tall monument marks the spot where the first Protestant Church west of the Mississippi stood in what is now the Masonic Cemetery in St. Francois County.

The engraving on it reads as follows: On this spot, the first Sunday School west of the Mississippi River was organized and taught by Sarah Barton Murphy, in the year 1805, in the log meeting-house which was the first Protestant Church west of the Mississippi River.

The cemetery is north of Madison County and just to the east of Farmington on Colony Church Road about 5 miles from the Ste. Genevieve County line. Although the church came to be of the Methodist affiliation; the land donors the Murphy family were Baptist.

According to Sikes, the members of the original 40 or so Baptist churches became divided over the types of revival services into regulars and separatists. They began holding meetings for the purpose of reunification in the 1770s in Virginia and other states. As a result of these meetings the Bethel Association churches became known as United Baptist.

The state of Missouri was still part of the Louisiana Purchase (1803 from France) during these early years of Baptist church formation.

During this time there were only Catholic churches in the area west of the Mississippi which included Madison County.

Baptists began holding small gatherings in secret before the Louisiana Purchase. Sikes has heard stories of Baptist preachers and missionaries that were brave enough to come from as far away as Kentucky to spread their message to Madison County residents with an open ear.

One preacher developed a sort of friendship with one of the Catholic priests, but due to the legal constraints of the times this Baptist man had to sneak in and out of Madison County. One tale which has been passed down through the years includes the Baptist preachers successful navigation of the Mississippi River in order to evade a man from Catholic enforcement. Prior to the Louisiana Purchase, the main leadership of the Madison County Catholic Churches was in New Orleans. Its enforcer was sent to Madison County several times in unsuccessful attempts to catch the Baptist preacher from Kentucky.

After the state of Louisiana joined the Union in April of 1812; Congress renamed the remaining portion of the Louisiana Territory. In June of that year it was officially known as the Territory of Missouri and remained a territory until 1821 when its southeast portion became a portion of the State of Missouri. According to the Missouri Secretary of State website those first five counties were Cape Girardeau, Ste. Genevieve, St. Charles, St. Louis and New Madrid Counties.

In 1812, the territory contained land which forms Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska; the portion of Minnesota west of the Mississippi River; a large portion of North Dakota; a large portion of South Dakota; the northeastern section of New Mexico; the northern portion of Texas; the area of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado east of the Continental Divide; Louisiana west of the Mississippi River (plus New Orleans); and small portions of land within the present Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

There are 84 different churches affiliated with the Bethel Association during its 200 years in existence, mostly in Missouri with some in Illinois and Arkansas.

Some of the more than 250 ministers are listed below from the past 150 years include: Robert Graham, Bethel Pastor for 43 years; James Lacey, Pendleton Pastor for 42 years; W. W. Handy; Woodrow Hughes; Joel Lewis; Kenneth Wirtmiller, instrumental in starting Bible Camp and A. H. Vaugh, association moderator for 24 years. Currently the Preachers of Madison Countys Bethel Association Churches are Steve Rehkop of Little Vine, Robert Graham of Bethel, Charles Sutton of New Providence and Lindell Sikes of Oak Grove. All are United Baptist Churches. Both Sikes and Graham have decided to hang up their hats sometime in the next year according to Sikes.

All of the preachers and members of the association churches in Madison County will gather to celebrate this 200-year milestone with speeches and a dinner together, Sept. 24 at the association tabernacle building in Roselle.
Where Gary Johnson and Jill Stein Are Strongest

Which states are the most fertile territories for alternative candidates?

by Jesse Walker, Reason, Sep. 6, 2016 (excerpts)

At last we have a national presidential poll that includes a state-by-state breakdown of support for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green nominee Jill Stein.

Gary Johnson's strongest state, unsurprisingly, is New Mexico, where he served as governor from 1995 to 2003. At 25 percent, he is within striking distance of Donald Trump, who is presently polling at 29. (Hillary Clinton still enjoys a comfortable lead in the state, with 37 percent of voters supporting her.)

Johnson's second strongest state, also unsurprisingly, is Utah, where the Post poll shows him getting 23 percent. Utah has the least libertarian reputation of the Mountain West states, but Trump is unpopular with its heavily Mormon population, so the situation there is kind of weird this year. (Trump is still likely to carry the state, but not by the enormous margins recently enjoyed by GOP nominees.) Here again, Johnson is within striking distance of second place: Clinton currently has 27 percent. Note, though, that the Post survey leaves out independent candidate Evan McMullin, a Mormon conservative whose campaign is going nowhere nationally but may eat into Johnson's support in Utah. And just to amp up the uncertainty, Utah is also the one state in the Post poll where the number of undecided voters is in the double digits. (It's at 11 percent.)

Johnson's third-best states are Alaska (which has a history of awarding alternative candidates strong showings), Idaho, and South Dakota, all of which give him 19 percent. Other places where Johnson gets 15 percent or more include Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island (!), Washington, and Wyoming. He's in double digits in 41 42 of the 50 states; his weakest support is in Mississippi, where he's getting just 4 percent.

In an ordinary election, 4 percent would be an unusually high total for the Libertarian even in a more ideologically sympatico state. But this is, as you may have gathered, not an ordinary election.

Stein is behind Johnson in virtually every state. (Hawaii is a toss-up.) But she's still polling pretty well for a minor-party candidate. The one state giving her double digits is Vermont, where her total stands at 10 percent. Second place is nearby Maine, where she's receiving 8 percent; she's getting 7 percent in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho (!), Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.

It is traditional when reporting such results to note that minor parties tend to poll better earlier in the campaign than on Election Day: Many dissatisfied voters will flirt with alternative candidates before deciding in the end to hold their noses and vote for whichever major-party nominee frightens them the least.

read  Alternative
HIGH TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OFFERS SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS

High Technology Development Corporation

News Release from HTDC, September 2, 2016

Deadline for companies to apply is September 26

HONOLULUSmall research companies wishing to spur the development of innovative scientific and engineering technologies for federal applications are encouraged to apply for a matching grant from the High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC).

HTDCs Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants are available to companies working on projects that have the potential for commercialization.

The deadline to apply is Sept. 26 at 4 p.m.

Matching grant funds are tiered as follows:

Phase 0 (up to $3,000)  Covers the grant writing process

Phase 1 (up to $70,000)  Funds a feasibility study of the project

Phase 2 (up to $500,000)  Funds a working prototype

Phase 3 (up to $500,000)  Commercialization of the project

SBIR grants are an excellent way for innovative companies to jump start their projects, said Robbie Melton, Executive Director and CEO of HTDC. Todays business landscape is highly competitive, and companies that can quicken the pace of development for projects have a great advantage in bringing their work to fruition.

All applicants should be prepared to make two presentations as part of the review process. For more information, and to apply, go to www.htdc.org/sbir.

HTDC is also accepting applications for grants from the Office of Naval Research (ONR). These grants provide up to 50 percent matching funding for ONR awarded alternative energy, research, and development projects. Only those companies that have previously been awarded ONR contract awards for alternative energy research will be considered.

For more information, and to apply for an ONR grant, go to www.htdc.org/honrgrant.

HTDC recently awarded nearly $3.3 million in SBIR grants to 13 Hawaii companies, and $1 million in ONR grants to three firms.

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About HTDC (High Technology Development Corporation)

HTDC is a state agency, attached to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). HTDCs mission is to facilitate the development and growth of Hawaiis high technology industry. HTDC is providing the capital, building the infrastructure and developing the talent to foster innovation and diversify Hawaiis economy. HTDCs 80/80 Initiative is to create 80,000 new tech and innovation jobs that will provide high paying jobs for Hawaii residents.

About DBEDT (Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism)

DBEDT is Hawaiis resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, and foreign trade advantages. DBEDTs mission is to achieve a Hawaii economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawaiis citizens. Through its attached agencies, the department fosters planned community development, creates affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments, and promotes innovation sector job growth.
Board recognizes positive gains in Superintendent performance evaluation

For the third consecutive year, the Hawaii State Board of Education (BOE) gave Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi an overall rating of Exceeds Expectations in her annual job performance evaluation.

News Release from Hawaii DoE, 06-Sep-2016

For the third consecutive year, the Hawaii State Board of Education (BOE) gave Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi an overall rating of 'Exceeds Expectations' in her annual job performance evaluation.

"The Superintendent and her team sets high expectations for the Department, and has continued to collaborate with the Board, schools and community on advancing these goals," said BOE Chairman Lance Mizumoto.

The BOE evaluation of the superintendent is comprised of the following categories with Superintendent Matayoshi's rating in each:

Overall Rating: Exceeds Expectations;

Overall Management Abilities: Exceeds Expectations; and

Performance Objectives and Program Accomplishments: Fully Meets Expectations.

The Board noted a number of accomplishments in Matayoshi's evaluation, posted here. According to the BOE, the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) continues to make progress in key systemic areas from progress on addressing the statewide achievement gap to the expansion of community engagement with a focus on career and college.

"The Department continues to work hard in transforming public education. This rating is reassuring feedback that we are on the right track, and a reflection of the high performance and dedication of the Department's leadership team, administrators, teachers and students," said Matayoshi. "We will continue to strive higher and remain student-focused in our decision making and planning."

Additional HIDOE accomplishments over the past year include the following milestones:

Establishment of new offices including the Office of Hawaiian Education and Community Engagement;

Implementation of "Jacob's Study," a three phase project that will help HIDOE compile a comprehensive space inventory of all of its facilities;

Expansion of the free meal and summer meals programs;

Opening of new facilities including the Kailua High's Natural Science Lab Building and Stevenson Middle's Science & Technology Center;

Reduction in open cases of Department Directed Leave (DDL) and Leave Pending Investigation (LPI);

Securement of multiple grants including the New Skills for Youth grant awarded to 24 states to improve career preparation systems; and

Launched efforts to review and revise the joint HIDOE/BOE Strategic Plan concurrently to the drafting of a state plan in response to the new federal law the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Matayoshi was named superintendent in September 2010. Prior to her appointment, she served as acting and interim superintendent (January 2010) and deputy superintendent (July 2009). 

Mizumoto has been BOE chairman since July 1, 2015. Four new members joined the BOE in 2016 including Patricia Bergin, Kenneth Uemura, Bruce Voss and student representative Andrea Lyn Mateo, a senior at Waipahu High School.

---30---

PDF: Schools chief again receives glowing performance review
The employee was at their place of work or,

Was temporarily absent during an ordinary recess

Frost acknowledged that Demasis home was a place of work due to the prior arrangement she had made with her employer



The simple fact is that the employer and employee had an arrangement in place that was well understood by both of them, even if it was not strictly in compliance with the formal requirements. Ms Demasi had told her manager that she would be working from home that day. Her manager was not troubled by that arrangement.



However, Frost ultimately rejected the compensation claim, saying that Demasi was not on an ordinary recess during her morning jog. He was careful to point out though that taking a run during a lunch break could still be seen as occurring during these ordinary recess periods.



I would have thought it is beyond argument that going for a run during ones lunch break is doing something during an ordinary recess in ones employment. But taking a break for the specific purpose of going for a run, at any random time of the day, is in a different category.



Therefore, a run at 9.30am in the morning was to be treated differently as one taken at lunchtime, he said, as the latter was undertaken during an ordinary recess while exercise done on an ad hoc basis was not.



I conclude that Ms Demasis injury was not sustained during an ordinary recess in her employment.




CAPE GIRARDEAU  The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host Day on the River at Riverfront Park in Cape Girardeau, Sept. 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All ages and groups are welcome at this free event and no registration is required.

Angela Pierce, a MDC naturalist, said this is a prime opportunity to learn about the Mississippi River.

Families can enjoy boat rides, practice casting a fishing pole, see and touch fish right out of the big river, and even taste an Asian carp, Pierce said.

Activities include boat rides guided by conservation professionals, live aquatic animal displays, Asian carp filleting demonstrations, kids crafts, and informational booths from many supporting agencies. Boat rides will take place every half hour (except from noon  1pm) and will be led by river biologists. Pierce said boat rides will be on a first come, first served basis, so early arrival is suggested for those hoping to go out on the river.

The Mississippi River and surrounding wetlands are a huge part of Cape Girardeau heritage and theyre important habitat for wildlife. This makes for excellent recreational, hunting, and fishing opportunities Pierce said. We hope lots of people will join us for this unique event to find out what the river has to offer.

For more information on this and other nature programs call 573-290-5218 or go online to mdc.mo.gov/CapeNatureCenter.
(HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged the CEO of a sexual health products retailer and a paid promoter with orchestrating fraudulent promotional campaigns to tout the companys stock.

The SEC alleges that Scott S. Fraser, who also was a major shareholder in Las Vegas-based Empowered Products Inc., separately ran a newsletter publishing business and hired Nathan Yeung to secretly help him promote Empowered Products through online newsletter articles purportedly authored by independent writers. But Fraser and Yeung actually authored, authorized, and distributed the rosy articles about Empowered Products themselves, working under such pseudonyms as Charlie Buck and then hiring other promoters to disseminate the promotions to their respective subscriber lists in exchange for fees. Meanwhile the promotions failed to disclose that Empowered Products and Fraser approved and paid for the advertisements.

When promoters fail to disclose their relationship with a company theyre touting, they give investors a false impression that an investment recommendation is objective, said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office. We allege that Fraser and Yeung deliberately touted Empowered Products without disclosing the companys involvement with the promotions.

The SECs complaint charges Fraser, his newsletter company Contrarian Press, and Yeung with violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 as well as Section 17(b) of the Securities Act of 1933. The complaint further charges Fraser with aiding and abetting violations by Contrarian Press, and seeks to hold him liable as a control person of the company. The complaint also charges Yeung with aiding and abetting violations by Fraser and Contrarian Press.
We are proud to announce a five-year, $18 million partnership with The MasterCard Foundation to launch a new program designed to equip 25,000 youth ages 15-24 with the skills to start and run agriculture-related businesses. The program will be implemented in Tanzania and Uganda through the East Africa Youth Inclusion Program (EAYIP).

EAYIP is being built on the success of our East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) program, one of the leading market-oriented development initiatives in East Africa. Improved dairy production and market access has impacted the lives of more than 1 million EADD participants since 2008.

The East Africa Youth Inclusion Program is a groundbreaking initiative that builds on the success of our East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) program (shown here). EADD is one of the leading market-oriented development initiatives in East Africa.

A high youth population and growing demand for dairy in Tanzania and Uganda present opportunities for our model. After careful monitoring and evaluation of EADD, we identified key areas of need to extend the EADD program to include youth.

This is a groundbreaking program in that it is the first to specifically target youth in agriculture at scale. The program will create youth owned and managed businesses accompanied by employment opportunities around dairy hubs and other agricultural value chains.

To lift up young men and women, who continue to be underrepresented in the project, EAYIP will equip participants with technical and leadership skills; provide access to land, capital and productive assets; offer representation in the decision-making process; and help the communities continue to develop social capital around the project.



The investment from MasterCard Foundation will be supplemented by a $1 million revolving loan fund through Heifer. The fund will be available for youth who successfully complete the full training and are ready to start or expand a business.

Our values align with MasterCard Foundations philosophy to empower youth through education and training, provide mentorship programs and enhance access to financial services. By creating income-generating opportunities for young men and women, we will lift up a new generation of profitable small-scale farmers to self-reliance.
Two of the liquefied natural gas-powered ships will be built in Turku, Finland, and the remaining one in Papenburg, Germany, the traditional shipbuilding company reveals in a press release .

Meyer Werft has announced that it has signed a memorandum of agreement with Carnival Corporation, the largest leisure travel company in the world, for the construction of three next-generation cruise ships.

Meyer Turku is expected to deliver the cruise ships to Carnival Cruise Lines in 2020 and 2022.

Markku Palokangas, the head of industrial affairs at Trade Union Pro, estimates that the order is an indication of worldwide confidence in the design and manufacturing expertise of the shipbuilding industry in Finland.

Meyer Turku and its partners are at the forefront of global cruise ship technology with their next-generation, liquefied natural gas-powered green vessels. The order will secure jobs at both the shipyard and its partner companies across Finland well into the 2020s, he says in a press release from Trade Union Pro.

Osmo Salo, the chief shop steward for experts and managerial staff at the shipyard, says he is delighted that the order books are swelling again after a difficult couple of years.

I am delighted for the entire staff because their refusal to give up hope even amid the difficult times of bygone years has been realised in order books that are growing year by year, he says in the press release.

Salo also reminds that the resurgence of the domestic shipbuilding industry will necessitate more investments in education and training opportunities.

The order will secure jobs well into the future and, hopefully, encourage young people to pursue an education in the industry. Education policy-makers should also take into account the future outlook for the industry and make decisions accordingly. Finland will succeed through high expertise and quality, through a trained workforce also in the future, he says.

Olli Rehn (Centre), the Minister of Economic Affairs, has voiced his confidence that the cruise ship orders will support the budding economic optimism in Finland.

The orders will have a positive effect on the employment situation in many regions through the network of sub-contractors, he points out. The fact that two [orders] were received at once is an indication of the high expertise of our maritime industry.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Jussi Nukari  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
The Farmington Police Department, along with several other agencies, were involved in a high-speed chase at 8 p.m. Friday after an officer spotted a tan Ford Thunderbird being driven on Karsch Boulevard at Veterans Drive without headlights.

Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker said the license plate check indicated the plates had expired in January. The officer activated his lights and siren and attempted to stop the driver.

The motorist began to accelerate, failed to yield and a pursuit ensued, said Baker. The pursuit came west on Karsch in speeds of 50-55 mph with the driver disobeying red electric signals at the intersection of Karsch and Washington and Karsch and Maple Valley.

Baker added the pursuit continued onto U.S. 67 north reaching speeds up to 85 mph. A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper deployed spike strips north of Old Orchard Road in Bonne Terre. He added the drivers side rear tire failed and the car slowed, eventually colliding with the cable barriers and came to rest just south of Cash Lane off U.S. 67.

The driver climbed out of the drivers side window and fled on foot, said Baker. A short foot pursuit ensued and the driver was taken into custody. A license check on the suspect, identified as Travis M. Wallace, 27, of Festus, revealed he was revoked and had several warrants for his arrest. The female passenger, 23, of St. Louis, was also taken into custody. She was wanted as a person of interest in Crystal City.

Baker said an officer searched the car and they found a baggie of marijuana, two pill capsules containing heroin and other drug paraphernalia. He added the car was impounded and towed by Buckleys towing.

Wallace was taken to Parkland Health Center in Farmington to assure he was medically fit for confinement, said Baker. During the search of his person, a small black bag was discovered containing a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine and grey/brown substance believed to be heroin. These items were also seized as evidence.

Baker said after Wallace was medically released, he was taken to the St. Francois County Jail to be processed. He added a report will be sent to the prosecuting attorney requesting charges of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute; two counts of possession of a controlled substance, meth and heroin; possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; resisting arrest; driving while revoked; failing to yield; and several other traffic-related offenses.

His bond is set for $112,500 and the female passenger was also taken to the St. Francois County Jail to be released to the Crystal City Police Department, said Baker. A report for her will also be submitted to the prosecutor requesting charges of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute; two counts of possession of a controlled substance, meth and heroin; possession of marijuana; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Baker wanted to thank the Missouri State Highway Patrol, St. Francois County Sheriffs Department, Desloge and the Bonne Terre Police Departments for assisting them.

I am very thankful for the assistance of the departments involved, said Baker. They helped bring this to a successful conclusion.
Elections board extends early voting but not to Sunday

The Henderson County Board of Elections extended early voting hours in response to a federal court ruling that struck down changes in the states elections laws  brushing aside a recommendation from the state Republican Party to limit that option along a party line vote.



At a meeting on Aug. 16, the board, made up of two Republicans and one Democrat, voted unanimously to increase the one-stop voting period from a week and a half to 2 weeks. It also voted to close the lightly used early voting site in Edneyville and turned down a request from the local NAACP chapter to add Sunday hours.

We actually added 20 more hours, said Elections Director Beverly Cunningham. Although it closed the Edneyville Community Center site, the board doubled the number of machines at elections headquarters at 75 E. Central St. off Spartanburg Highway.

Weve never had Sunday hours and weve had trouble getting voters on Saturday afternoon, Cunningham said.

Melinda Lowrance, president of Henderson County chapter of the NAACP, said she was disappointed the board turned down a request to try Sunday voting.

They said they never had it in Hendersonville but theres always a first time to start something, said Melinda Lowrance, president of Henderson County chapter of the NAACP. That was one of our main concerns, the Sunday voting.

Chris Berg, an NAACP member who attended, said the board also rejected another suggestion.

One of the things I requested was along with starting to think about Sunday voting was having some of the early voting hours shifted to 11 (a.m.) to 8 (p.m.) so people who had work hours could go and vote but they decided not to do that.

They did add some hours over their previous plan, he said. They did drop Edneyville but I guess thats more of a concern for the field workers out there. I dont know how many of them are registered to vote. In 14 election they had only 800 voters during one-stop voting at Edneyville.

On its website, the county Board of Elections advises voters that, at this time, the state wont require a photo ID for the Nov. 8 election.

On July 29, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit struck down photo ID requirements and associated laws in North Carolina, the board said. The state is considering its options. Barring a different outcome on appeal, photo ID will not be required in the upcoming general election.

Dallas Woodhouse, the executive director of the North Carolina Republican Party, last month urged Republican members of county elections board to make party line changes to early voting by limiting the number of hours and opting not to open polls on Sundays. The Raleigh News & Observer reported that 23 counties had reduced the number of hours from 2012 and 70 had expanded the hours for early voting.

The Henderson County Board of Elections, chaired by longtime Republican activist Bob Heltman, extended the central office early period back to 17 days as required by the federal court ruling. One-stop voting will be available at Etowah, Flat Rock and Fletcher for 12 days.

We feel like were doing the best we can for the citizens of Henderson County and I think all three board members would say that, Cunningham said. Our boards been very good to work together. Decisions are made for all of Henderson County and not in any partisan manner.

One-stop voting hours at the Henderson County Board of Elections office:

 Oct. 20-21: 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

 Oct. 24-28: 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

 Saturday, Oct. 29: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

 Oct. 21-Nov. 4: 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

 Saturday: Nov. 5: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

One-stop voting hours at Etowah Library, Flat Rock Village Hall and Fletcher Library:

 Oct. 24-28: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

 Saturday, Oct. 29: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

 Oct. 31-Nov. 4: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

 Saturday, Nov. 5: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Master Masons from Fredericktown, St. Louis and cities and towns in between traveled to the quiet community of Libertyville on Saturday for a special ceremony in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the St. Francois Lodge No. 234 A.F. & A.M. (Ancient Free and Accepted Masons).

The rededication ceremony was led by Grand Master of Missouri Masons C. Brent Stewart, who currently presides over the Missouri Grand Lodge in Columbia. Also participating in the ceremony were several other officers from the Grand Lodge, including Deputy Grand Master Richard Smith, who were joined by several members of the St. Francois Lodge.

In sharing some of the history of the lodge, Dr. Ty Treutelaar, Senior Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, said, This lodge, this building is magnificent  In May of 1863, we had been at war for two years  a civil war  and this area was under martial law. These guys get together and they decide to open a lodge in the middle of a war and the middle of martial law.

During June of 1863, after receiving dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Missouri, the group set the date for their first meeting: July 4, 1863.

That was the day that General Lee was defeated at Gettysburg, said Treutelaar. So these guys get together the first time on the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg  A couple years later, they decide to build a building.

Construction of the St. Francois Lodge was completed in late 1865 and then dedicated by the Grand Master of Missouri in 1866.

Saturdays rededication ceremony, just like the original dedication ceremony in 1866, followed ancient Masonic traditions by symbolically strewing corn, wine and oil upon the lodge as an act of consecration and dedication of the building for fellowship and the pursuit of noble purposes.

The ceremony was followed by a buffet-style lunch prepared by friends and family of the Master Masons.

I dont know how it could have been any better, said Master of St. Francois Lodge Wayne Hutchings. The weather was great, the food was great and the company was great. I was very pleased all the way around.

Stewart took a few minutes before the formal ceremony began to explain a little bit about the ceremony and share with the non-Mason guests some information about Freemasonry and some of its traditions, language and rituals.

He touched on the symbolic significance of various aspects of the ceremony, including the use of candles, the wearing of Masonic aprons  an emblem of innocence that represents purity of thought, of word and of deed  and other ceremonial artifacts.

We are the worlds oldest fraternal organization, Stewart said. Back to the stonemasons that built all those magnificent cathedrals and castles all over Europe. And as such, our symbolism and some of the things youll see today, is based on architecture and the art of building.

Our Masonic language and our symbolism dates back many, many centuries. We are steeped in history, in ceremony and in tradition. All of which today we do our best to try to preserve.

He also delved a bit into the history of Freemasonry.

Freemasonry is very, very old, said Stewart. We say it goes back to ancient times. Now one of the real super Masonic secrets is  that Im going to share with you  nobody really knows how old we are.

He explained that there are few written records of the beginnings of the traditions and that the history and secrets kept by Masons were largely passed down through many generations by word of mouth.

One of those oral traditions is that Freemasonry got started in the year 926 A.D. in York, England, Stewart said.

Other Masons claim the fraternal organization got its start in Scotland.

Regardless of its beginnings around the world, many of those who colonized the United States were Masons; several also were among our Founding Fathers, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and John Hancock.

Edward Bates, Missouris first attorney general and among those who helped craft the first Missouri constitution, was also a Mason.

Thirty-five of Missouris governors were Freemasons, said Stewart, including our first governor, Alexander McNair. Weve had a lot of government officials, judges, senators, representatives and statewide office holders that were Freemasons, especially in the old days.

When Harry S. Truman was serving in the United States Senate, he was also serving as Grand Master of Missouri Masons.

Other famous Missouri Masons include William Clark of Lewis and Clark, said Stewart. Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain. Omar Bradley, J.C. Penney, Black Jack Pershing and  Bransons adopted son, Mel Tillis was a Freemason.

Hutchings said new members are always welcome and anyone with questions about the St. Francois Lodge or becoming a member of a local lodge can reach him at 573-315-9742.
Gardai believe that a murdered Dublin man may have travelled to meet his killers on the day of his disappearance.

The body of Philip Finnegan (24) was discovered in the Rahin Woods area of Co Kildare last Friday evening by a walker.

He had been missing from his home in Mary Aikenhead House in the south inner city since August 10.

Gardai are investigating whether members of the Rattigan gang are responsible for his murder, and if he had arranged to meet his killers.

Speaking at the scene where his remains were recovered, Chief Supt Barry McPolin appealed for any members of the public with information in relation to the murder to come forward.

"We are appealing to any person who would have known Philip or would have information about his death or his associates to come forward and contact gardai," he said.

"We want to say that Philip Finnegan was a son, a father to small children and he is sadly missed by his family.

"His life was snuffed out and left here in Rahin Woods and we're determined to get to the bottom of it.

"He was known to gardai, but obviously that does not excuse the manner in which he died or indeed why he died."

It is understood that Finnegan left his home in the Kevin Street area on the morning of August 10 and travelled to the Rahin Woods by car.

Burned

Gardai said they are not releasing the results of a post-mortem examination that was carried out this week.

Detectives are trying to establish if Finnegan's killers were disturbed while trying to bury his body, which had been burned.

The murdered man was aware that his life was under threat.
A man alleged to have played a central part in the Regency Hotel shooting will fight extradition from the North.

Kevin Murray (46) was identified by several people at the crime scene in February, a barrister told a Belfast court.

David Byrne (33) was gunned down and two others were injured in the attack.

Mr Murray was arrested by police on Monday evening at a house in Strabane, Co Tyrone, on suspicion of murder and firearms offences after a European arrest warrant was issued by Irish authorities.

Stephen Ritchie, a barrister who represented the Irish authorities, said: "These are serious offences. Three charges arise out of events on February 5 last at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra in Dublin, when David Byrne was murdered.

"This man is alleged to have played a central part in the offence."

Bail was refused by Belfast recorder Patricia Smyth pending the provision of medical evidence. Doctors believe the suspect may be suffering from MS and he was helped into the dock by two prison officers and a mobility aid.

"We know in the warrant there is reference to the investigation being conducted with An Garda Siochana and CCTV footage is being examined," Mr Ritchie said. "Identification of this man was made by several people at the scene." According to the arrest warrant, a separate search of a property in Strabane resulted in a number of items being seized as evidence, Mr Ritchie said.

"He is not at all keen to assist An Garda Siochana in the investigation of these very serious offences," Mr Ritchie added.

The lawyer said the suspect was arrested at Townsend Street in Strabane, where he has been living. His father also lives in the border town.

He is unemployed and separated from his wife, Mr Ritchie said. He said the suspect posed a flight risk.

Murray's lawyer, Des Fahy, said his client had been living openly in Strabane since February and had been in contact with police offering to undergo an identification procedure. He also met officers in relation to his personal security.

Process

He said his client had claimed Irish police had conducted "surreptitious identification" of him when he visited a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) station in Strabane.

Mr Fahy said: "He is fully engaged in this process and will challenge the application (for extradition) that is being made."

The barrister offered a surety from family members worth 10,000. Mr Murray was remanded in custody to appear again at Belfast Recorder's Court on Friday.
she travelled 15,000km to the other side of the world to start a new life in Australia - but Kate Doyle ended up falling in love with the boy from next door.

The Waterford woman is one of the emigrants featured on new RTE series Making It Down Under.

Irish people have long been a presence in Australia, and they've made the most of the opportunities on offer. Making it Down Under takes a look at some recent arrivals who are working in challenging careers, including as mine workers, truck drivers and jockeys.

The show follows their work and personal lives in Australia, with Doyle (29) working as a veterinary nurse in Perth.

She first travelled to Australia in 2011 and met her fiance, Ian Hayes (31), for the first time in Perth.

Difficult

The couple quickly realised they had actually grown up across the road from each other in Waterford City, but had never met.

"Kate's family house is only just across the road from mine in Waterford but we'd never met before at home. We met out here," Ian said.

Even more bizarrely, it turned out they had been to the same parties but never met each other.

"When we started dating we were talking about different parties we would have been at back home and we would have been at the same parties, we just never bumped into each other," Kate said.

The couple are applying for Australian citizenship after having lived in the country for several years.

Hayes admitted the pair would find it difficult to return to Ireland now, after getting used to their new lifestyle and jobs.

"It would be very hard to go home now. We did think about it for a little while but I am very happy in my job," he said.

"Possibly the only better place in the world would be Dunmore, Co Waterford on a summer's day."

Speaking of gaining citizenship, Doyle said even if they do decide to return home one day, it means they will always have a connection with Australia.

"It means we will always, whether we do decide to go home or decide to stay, have ties with Australia," she said.

Doyle studied to be a veterinary nurse in Ireland.

"I had done a year in St. Anne's College in Cork but life got in the way. When I came here, I made it my goal that that was what I wanted to do. I sent around hundreds of CVs when I got here," she said.

However, it has not been all plain sailing for the couple since they moved to Australia.

The 29-year-old admitted that she found being a veterinary nurse in Australia more difficult than in Ireland, particularly in her early days in the country.

Pressures

She had to work two jobs while also studying in college in Perth and Doyle has also found it difficult to detach herself from the pressures of her job.

"I think I actually had it easier in Ireland when I was trying to do veterinary nursing," she said.

"Over here, when I got into college I was working two jobs and that was for two years straight, so that was really hard.

"It's really hard to detach yourself from the job because you do deal with deaths."

Hayes had never grown up with pets in his house but has learned to love his partner's two dogs and two cats.

"I had never had pets growing up. She has snuck them in one by one. I'm kind of getting used to them now," he said.
Jazmine Sands-Sheehan with Isabella, just hours before her death on May 28 last from a rare heart condition

A young mother has spoken of her shock after she was handed her dead newborn baby at a Dublin hospital so the infant could be strapped into a car seat for the trip back to Kerry.

Jazmine Sands Sheehan said, with her partner Kevin, she was handed a special letter from hospital staff to explain to gardai, if they were stopped on their trip back to Kerry, the precise circumstances of their little girl's death.

Her baby, named Isabella, had died five days after birth and was brought out to the family's car from the Dublin hospital in a Moses basket.

However, the infant was then removed from the Moses basket and strapped into a baby seat in the family car for the trip home.

"We were shocked - it wasn't what we were expecting," Jazmine said.

"We thought Isabella would travel home with us in the Moses basket."

"Kevin and myself were so distraught all we wanted to do was get home. It was only afterwards we wondered about it."

The young mother said she has no issue with hospital staff - and is simply grateful for the incredible care they showed Isabella in her brief battle for life.

But Jazmine has now launched a campaign, in memory of baby Isabella, for all pregnant women to be specially screened for potential infant heart abnormalities during late stage pregnancy.

"Isabella was born on May 23 and she weighed five pounds and one ounce," Jazmine said.

"Everything was perfect. She screamed at birth, we had kisses and hugs and cuddles. Everything seemed fine."

However, doctors became concerned over Isabella and she was transferred from Kerry to a Dublin hospital for specialist care.

"She was diagnosed with a serious heart defect. The doctors (in Dublin) even consulted with doctors at Great Ormond Street in London.

"But the London doctors were amazed that Isabella had even been born alive given the condition of her poor heart."

"On the Thursday morning we were taken into a private room and told that there was nothing could be done for Isabella.

"I had a notebook and pen ready for whatever treatment plan the doctors would advise. Unfortunately, there was no plan - nothing could be done and we were going to lose her.

"Her poor heart was too badly deformed."

Isabella had hypo plastic left heart syndrome.

This results in the left side of the heart being chronically underdeveloped and drastically impacting on the flow of blood through the heart.

One of the last things that baby Isabella did before her death was to smile at her devastated parents.

"My ultimate goal, in Isabella's name, is to now have everybody who is expecting to be fully screened during their pregnancy," Jazmine said.

"The heart is the vital organ in the body that every unborn child should be screened for possible defects or abnormalities with."

Jazmine has now started a social media appeal and appeared on TV3 to garner support for her specialist screening plea.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I planned to meet up with my perpetually late family at a trendy new restaurant. I secretly moved the reservation time an hour later because I knew they would be late. After I showed up for the 7 p.m. reservation, I waited another 30 minutes for any of them to arrive. It was so embarrassing for me that the hostess came up to me to essentially ask if I was being stood up.

We enjoyed dinner once everyone showed up, but there weren't any apologies issued to me, just some grumbles about work. To their knowledge, I had been waiting an hour and a half. My blood nearly boiled. I knew everyone had been late in the past, but I expected them to change this time. I am about to go out of town for a while, and everyone wants to meet one last time. I'm refusing. -- Nearly Stood Up, Baltimore

DEAR NEARLY STOOD UP: Rather than simply not coming, request that the dynamics of the gathering be changed. Ask a family member to host something at home that you can attend. Tell them all that you do not want to meet at a public place because you are no longer willing to wait and be embarrassed because they never make it on time. Tell the host that you will stay for an hour, and be specific about that time. Then, you can hang out with whoever is there and leave when you are ready. It is possible to control your life, even when others are unwilling to honor basic protocols of engagement.

DEAR HARRIETTE: Through the grapevine, I heard that an acquaintance's boyfriend has been unfaithful to her. This is not hearsay, considering I have received a video of him with the other woman. I am closer with him than I am with the girlfriend, and I do not approve of his scumbag actions. I talked this over with my boyfriend, and he thinks I should contact the boyfriend to let him know I have the video, while I think I should go straight to the girlfriend. I would want to be told if my partner were unfaithful, and there is damning evidence that he messed up. Should I go to the girlfriend or the boyfriend? -- Liar, Liar, Las Vegas

DEAR LIAR, LIAR: Rarely does it work out well for the messenger in situations like this, even when you have obvious evidence. I concur with your boyfriend, especially since you know the perpetrator better. Get in contact with him -- face-to-face if possible. Tell the guy that you have seen a video of him with another woman, and you are very upset. Admit that while his intimate life is none of your concern, you are friends with him and know his girlfriend, so you are in an awkward position. Point out to him that since a video is making the rounds, he had better handle his business. It is only a matter of time before she finds out. Stay out of it after that.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I travel frequently for work. After a promotion, I treated myself to a nice carry-on bag. It is high tech, and it came with a battery so I can charge my electronics on the go.

In the few weeks between trips, friends and roommates have asked if they can take my suitcase on a trip. I don't want to share my carry-on, and I would be angry if it were broken. It is clear I won't be using it every weekend, since my work trips are twice a month. How do I make it clear that I won't be sharing my latest splurge without seeming like a selfish friend? -- Carry Off, Cleveland

DEAR CARRY OFF: Uh-oh! It looks like you have been bragging a little too much about your new toy. Now your friends want in on it. Here's what you can do: Tell the truth. Start by admitting that it would break your heart -- and your wallet -- if you loaned your carry-on to someone and it got broken, for whatever reason. Tell your friends that you value your friendship too much to allow a carry-on to stand in your way.

To avoid potential conflict down the line, suggest that anyone who is interested in your bag should buy one for him- or herself. Direct the interested party to the store where you purchased it, and leave it at that.

If you have an old carry-on that is currently out of rotation, feel free to offer that as an option. If you get the wanton look that says, "This is not the one," remind your friends that you are keeping the peace by holding onto your new bag.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I came to the realization that I don't like going out with my husband anymore. I love him, and my favorite times always involve us at home just talking to each other or being goofy. In the past couple of months, I've realized picking a restaurant, movie or activity to go to seems like a chore. He never initiates outings because he is a homebody. I want to go see a show or go to dinner with my girlfriends and their husbands without feeling bad that my husband isn't there. Is this normal? I love him with all my heart, but I hate going out with him because he just wants to go home. -- Homebody and Busy Bee, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

DEAR HOMEBODY AND BUSY BEE: Talk to your husband. Chances are, he is fine with the idea of you hanging with friends outside of the house occasionally and staying in with him. You may want to encourage him to do something with you away from home once a quarter, so that he doesn't become completely reclusive. You may also consider hosting small events at home, anything from inviting one couple over for dinner to staging a larger party. Get creative within the parameters that make you both comfortable, and find a new level of magic in your marriage.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I was scrolling through my online banking statement, and I saw a charge for $100 from a tattoo parlor in Rhode Island. My daughter is visiting her friends there, so I knew immediately who the culprit was. I called her, and she told me she got an homage to her best friend on her wrist.

I cannot believe my daughter got a tattoo with my money. She knows I am very disapproving of any ink. I don't know where to go from here. She is in college (which I pay for) and doesn't have a job, so she uses my credit card. My daughter didn't lie about the tattoo, and I can't legally force her to get it removed. I don't think she cares about my stance on tattoos or realizes how disrespectful it is to use my money for it. -- At My Wit's End, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

DEAR AT MY WIT'S END: It's time for a review of how your daughter can use the money you give her. Remind her of how much you disapprove of tattoos. Thank her for telling you the truth about her tattoo, and then make it clear to her that you do not appreciate that she used your card to pay for it. Point out that as she is growing up, she needs to be mindful of her choices and how she funds them.

While you clearly cannot control what your daughter does, you can let her know that if she makes another choice that she knows you will not approve of, she had better not fund it with your money or there will be consequences: She will have to reimburse you, or you will cut off her stream of income.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I are seven months pregnant. As I get closer to my due date, I have found myself becoming more and more anxious about becoming a mom! Im an only child, and I have limited experience working with kids. My husband assures me that once our baby is born, my maternal instincts will kick in, but Im not so sure. Ive always wanted and loved kids, but I have no idea how to be a mom. What can I do to make myself feel ready for my baby before he or she gets here?  Expecting, Seattle

DEAR EXPECTING: You are in good company, my dear! Even for first-time moms with siblings, trepidation is common because it is hard to know what to anticipate. Talk to your doctor about any medical questions you may have. Identify a pediatrician so that you are ready for when your son or daughter is born. Ask that doctor as many questions as you can think of in order to get ready. A wonderful resource book I read when I was pregnant was What to Expect When Youre Expecting. It outlines in great detail what you should know from birth up to age 5. Be sure to talk to friends and family members with children. Observe them first, though, to ensure that you are in alignment with the choices they have made. Finally, trust your instincts. Among you and your husband and your network of support, you will learn how to care for your child.

Lifestylist and author Harriette Cole is president and creative director of Harriette Cole Media. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106
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Halloween is coming! Here's when to trick or treat in your town

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He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media.





Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.





Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications.



A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.



He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.









Cirucci's passions include politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel. In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, Matt Rooney's sidekick on Save Jersey's videocasts and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.
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The Supreme Courts order, directing Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water of the Cauvery to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days, has resulted in the resurfacing of a dispute that is more than a century old.

Over time, the number of demands, stakeholders and complexities surrounding the Cauvery dispute has increased, and the institutional responses have been far from adequate. In fact, the shortcomings of the adjudication mechanism as well as the outcome have resulted in the issue being locked in within a sub-optimal situation of seemingly irreconcilable conflict.

The central government set up the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal in 1990  20 years after being approached by Tamil Nadu under the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. The award of the Tribunal finally came in 2007, but was challenged before the Supreme Court through Special Leave Petitions filed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.

Cauvery water row explained: Why Tamil Nadu, Karnataka fight over river usage?

While the final adjudication on the matter is pending, the current dispute surfaced over Karnatakas release of water during June-August, 2016. According to Tamil Nadu, out of a total due of 94 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), Karnataka released 33 TMC  leading to a deficit of 61 TMC.

In an urgent plea before the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu claimed that without the water, the samba crops in the state would be damaged. In response, Karnataka argued that the supervisory committee is the appropriate forum for the resolution of this conflict. As a gesture of goodwill, Karnataka offered to release 10,000 cusecs of water (0.86 TMC) per day. Tamil Nadu, however, demanded 20,000 cusecs.

In an attempt at reconciliation, through an interim order, the Supreme Court directed Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs per day for the next 10 days, while the supervisory committee examines the issue and passes directions within four days. The next date of hearing is September 16.

The strong public reaction to this order of the Supreme Court is an indication not only of the deeply political and entrenched nature of the conflict, but also fundamental problems in the process and outcome of the dispute-resolution mechanism. A significant factor contributing towards the elusive nature of reconciliation in such disputes is a flawed understanding of what constitutes a river, and how it should be governed.

Protests in Karnataka against SC direction to release Cauvery water

It is reductionist and unhelpful in viewing a river merely in terms of the cumecs of water without taking into account the other elements and functions of the river  including groundwater recharge, water flow, quality and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the discourse around inter-state water disputes continue to be framed in the limited terms of water availability in what is viewed as a zero sum game  that is, water allocated to one state is the loss of another, and the water that reaches the sea is a waste.

The decision-making is characterised by ad hoc bargaining at the interim stages and static and incomplete information, rather than a sound understanding of human and ecological needs within the basin. The limited understanding of water appropriation further fails to reflect the nuanced understanding of environmental flows and variability due to climate factors.

The unit of planning and use of a river system should be the entire basin, rather than the political boundaries of states, since the nature and use of the river and the land in upstream states will necessarily affect the downstream states.

This approach is neither new nor contested. In 1999, the National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development had recommended River Basin Organisations constituting concerned state governments, local governments and water users as a forum for mutual discussions and agreement  a recommendation that was supported by the Administrative Reforms Commission. This is recognised even within the National Water Policy, 2012 and the recently circulated draft of the National Water Framework Bill.

Constitutionally, the central government has the legislative competence over inter-state rivers to facilitate this. However, this approach has not reflected in application in highly contested inter-state river disputes like the Cauvery.

The Cauvery dispute is further burdened with a lack of clarity. The Cauvery Award allocates the 740 TMC  which the Tribunal considers to be the utilisable quantum of water of the Cauvery on the basis of 50% dependability between the riparian states. The allocated shares are to be proportionately reduced in a distress year. However, it neither defines nor provides guidelines on what counts as a distress year and how the water should be allocated, leading to expensive, time consuming litigation and ad hoc, unscientific outcomes.

High political stakes, changing land use, deterioration of natural environment and increasing competing demands have intensified river disputes. It is unlikely that a river dispute can be solved within the limited terms of allocation of cumecs of water. There should be a conscious and concerted move to reframe the discourse. There is a recognised need for an integrated approach, taking into account demand management, efficient utilisation and optimisation of water resources, and scientific planning.

Under the present system, where water disputes are viewed from a narrow lens of political mileage, such discussions are frequently overlooked. Better decision-making on river basin management within a well-informed and participatory framework can go a long way in diffusing the nature and intensity of inter-state conflicts on water.

(Preeta Dhar is an environmental lawyer, and currently a graduate student at the Azim Premji University.)
The all-party stock-taking in Delhi of the parliamentarians Kashmir visit produced a statement replete with phrases on which there could have been a consensus even without a discussion: no compromise on issues of national sovereignty; no place for violence in a civilised society.

The newsy bit that a committee of parliamentarians could be formed for sustained engagement with equity-holders in Kashmir found no mention in the statement. In fact, the manner in which it kept doors ajar for talks left one befuddled: The members requested the central and the state government to take steps for a dialogue with all stake-holders.

Given that the team to Srinagar was led by home minister Rajnath Singh and included finance minister Arun Jaitley, the self-exhortation reflected the maximalist BJPs existential dilemma on Kashmir. The search for a middle-ground on the issue, in short and long term, could be for the party a paradigm shift  from its life-long campaign against Article 370.

Not a wee bit surprising, therefore, that it let the opposition do the talking; the CPMs Sitaram Yechury revealing plans for taking forward the initiative in terms of proposals the Centre did not reject or endorse upfront.

The BJPs diffidence has been one constant in New Delhis Kashmir outreach. Their hesitation, as also of the Congress, seems rooted in the inevitability of Kashmirs shadow on the poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh where their rivals  the SP and the BSP chose the easier option of going unrepresented in the all-party delegation.

As the party in power at the Centre and in the state, there was no easy slipway for the BJP. That explains its preference for the tacit as opposed to the Oppositions explicit advocacy of engaging with the Hurriyat. To every pointed question on whether there will be talks with separatists, Rajnath refused to single them out. His rehearsed refrain: thered be dialogue with all stakeholders.

Tuesdays all-party discussions were held in the backdrop of reports that the Centre was planning a crackdown on Hurriyat leaders. The home minister felt compelled to dispel the possibility at the very outset; the reports, based on an official briefing, having the potential of breaking the broad political consensus the Centre needs as a buffer to tackle the Kashmiri unrest.

That begs the question whether it was a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand was doing. Or was it a conscious manipulation of the media to show the saffron clan as retaining the hunters instinct while confabulating with the hare.

The writer is Political Editor, Hindustan Times.
In the mid-2000s, she became a recognisable face after being featured in a toothpaste advertisement. It was Deepika Padukones million-watt smile that made her stand out. Now, more than a decade later, she wants more smiles around her.

Deepika has taken up what she calls an important responsibility. She wants to make sure that people smile more often, says an insider.

Read: Ranveer will always be an important part of my life: Deepika Padukone

She spends most of her time with her team members. Deepikas average working day, which includes film shoots and work related to her brand endorsements, goes up to nine to 10 hours, says the insider.

#myteam #mystrength #iloveyou #shoot #fun #alwayslaughing  A video posted by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on Aug 17, 2016 at 9:20am PDT

The source adds, In order to make the atmosphere at work more positive and cheerful throughout the day, Deepika has asked her team members to make a conscious effort to smile more often. She wants them to make it a habit.

Read: Deepika Padukone refuses to work with TV actor, Vicky quits Padmavati?

The actor doesnt want her team to follow her advise only when she is around. She wants them to do it for themselves. Deepika, who hails from Bangalore, considers her team her extended family. Thats why she wants to bring about this change, says the insider.

A photo posted by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on Jul 29, 2016 at 1:14pm PDT

When contacted, Deepika says, Smiles are magical. We dont even realise what a positive effect they have on us, and also on the people around us. Life often gets stressful, and its important to try and smile even during those times.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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With his father in merchant navy and brother a banker, Delhi boy Sidharth Malhotra would possibly have never thought of a career in Bollywood. A while ago, nobody would have imagined the actor picking the best of scripts and having the top names being cast alongside him. But the big reality is here for all to see.

Recounting his struggling days in the film industry, Sid shares it was an intimidating process to secure his place in the industry. Stating that his job as an actor is no less than a (public) service, the actor adds, I do look at it like going to an office. Maybe the people change every day, every hour, and I am under a lot of pressure; but its a job and I dont take my work home with me, which is different from a lot of people I know in the industry, says the model-turned-actor in an interview to GQ magazine.

Read: Watch: Why Sidharth Malhotra envies sleeping Katrina Kaif

(Also) maintaining a successful life within the industry is like walking a tightrope. You cant believe youre the biggest, because everything will go off balance. I think my background helps me with that. I can always go back to my family in Delhi and see things from the outside. Right now, its more about progress than perfection. As long theres progression, Im happy. Who knows when Im going to hit that level where I get something amazing or make something iconic? says the 31-year-old.

Talking about iconic and unexpected, Sid apparently did not know that he was being paired alongside Katrina Kaif for his upcoming film, Baar Baar Dekho. And neither did Katrina know hed be her co-star. I can probably brag about that, he says.

Read: Sidharth Malhotra teaches IIT engineers how to swing to Kaala Chashma

Just like any newcomer in the industry, Sid was also optimistic, though he admits he was wrong in assuming that things would get easier. Every film, you start from zero. Were also at a stage where audiences think about content before actors, which is different from the previous generation. We dont have such a blind fan following, says the actor.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The iPhone 7 is expected to make its global debut on Wednesday, and it is going to be very important for the technology giant, as the latest entrant will have to makeup for sliding profits and the failure of the iPhone SE.

The four-inch iPhone SE, which was aimed at emerging markets, failed to impress consumers and the effect was immediately seen on the companys shipments.

Analysts have advised iPhone makers to include features such as waterproofing and wireless charging, adding that if Apple wants to grow, it needs to catch up in these areas.

In just a few hours, Apple will unveil new products to try and raise its profits and here is what you can expect:

The next iPhone or iPhone 7

Every time Apple launches a new phone, there is anticipation about the next innovation in smartphones. In line with the trend, several leaks, reports and rumours have suggested that the new phone will only have incremental updates rather than being a game changer.

If you are an iPhone user, you have always craved for better battery backup from your smartphone and Apples new iPhone 7 might just give that to you. The soon-to-be-released iPhone 7 and larger-screen variant iPhone 7 Plus, which the Cupertino-based smartphone maker is expecting to be its saviour as the company is on the backfoot with falling sales of iPhones, will come with slightly bumped up batteries at 1,735 mAh and 2,810 mAh respectively.

Photos directly from the factory floor posted on Chinese microblogging site Weibo revealed codes that shows the slight change in battery capacity.

Other changes will also include a USB Type-C, protruding camera and a missing headphone jack. Also, a video, obtained by the usually accurate, Nowhereelse.fr reveals that the new Apple device will be similar to the iPhone 6S in terms of design and size. Besides the fewer antenna bands on the back of the device, the protruding camera is the only change in design. The new camera is expected to be more feature-rich and a substantial upgrade from the older devices. It might even sport optical image stabilisation (OIS), a feature unique to the Plus version of the 6S series of iPhones.

Some of you have also heard about an all-glass iPhone but that may be not up for another year. KGIs securities Ming-Chi Kuo, known as the best Apple analyst, has suggested that the Apple Inc is planning an all-glass iPhone for its 10th anniversary edition.

Apple Watch - the smart wearable

Nobody was expecting Apple to launch any new products in the wearable category this year till the time reports suggested that it will launch the next variant of the Apple Watch along with an improved variant of the old one.

The second version, dubbed Apple Watch 2, is also expected to share the same general design as current models, but will include a GPS radio and barometer for improved geo-location capabilities. A higher capacity battery will be included to power the advanced components, but its size will prohibit Apples usual generational device slimming.

The company had announced incremental software changes to the WatchOS during its July event this year.

The MacBooks

Called the best product ever produced by Apple, the MacBook Pro is set to get an update for the first time after 2013 when it was launched. Although external remodelling seems like a far-fetched idea, references within El Capitans code suggest a new machine could be in the works, which would enable the company to benefit from the last two years of processor advances. The chips could also go through a change and Apple might have to choose between Skylake and E5 V4 Broadwell chips.

Coming to the MacBook Air, there might be some bad news. Apple may be considering retiring the Air.

Also, the Mac mini missed out on being updated in 2015 users can hope to see a 2016 update to the machine that is currently using Haswell processors.

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India inked on a preliminary pact with Greece for bilateral Air Services Agreement that proposes to allow unlimited points of call for domestic airlines in the European nation.

Seeking to improve international air connectivity for Indian carriers, the government has been entering into air services pacts with many countries besides making efforts to re-negotiate existing agreements.

Civil Aviation Secretary RN Choubey said India and Greece have signed an MoU for Air Services Agreement (ASA) under the open sky policy.

We have (proposed) to give six points of call and India will have unlimited points of call in Greece, he said on the sidelines of an event here.

Once inked, it would be the first such ASA with Greece, which is known for its tourist spots and scenic beauty.

According to Choubey, this is also the first MoU with a country under the provisions of the new civil aviation policy.

As per the policy, the government would enter into an open sky air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries with territory located entirely beyond a 5,000 kilometre radius from New Delhi.

Unlimited flights above the existing bilateral rights will be allowed directly to and from major international airports within the country as notified by Ministry of Civil Aviation from time to time, it said.

However, the points of call at other airports under the existing air service agreements would continue to be honoured till the same are renegotiated.

Meanwhile, the ministry would hold discussions with local airlines on bilaterals before starting negotiations with Dubai.

The ministry would have discussions with domestic airlines on bilaterals before September 20... before negotiating seat entitlements with Dubai, Choubey said.

Last month, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju had said the government is ready to open negotiations with the Gulf nations in general and Dubai in particular to enhance the bilateral air traffic rights between the two markets.

For the past two years, there has been a tremendous improvement in the utilisation levels of the bilaterals by our airlines with the Gulf nations. While it is 80 per cent for the region as a whole, with Dubai it is over 90 per cent now.

And with the limits being reached, we are ready to open negotiations with them again. I think we should begin with Dubai shortly, he had said.

Between India and the Gulf, around 4.2 lakh seats are available every week, with Dubai leading the chart with 66,504 seats each per week.

For the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), the Civil Aviation Ministry expects to soon ink pacts with Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh, Choubey said.

Already, it has signed MoUs with Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jharkhand for RCS.
For the past four years, September has marked the launch of the next generation of Apple products, and this year is no different.

When and where is the event?

The event is on September 7 at 10 am Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday which means that it will be 10.30 pm Indian Standard Time. The event, where Cook will address media, analysts and industry stakeholders, will be held at the Bill Graham Civic auditorium in San Francisco.

How can you watch it?

The event will be live-streamed on the Apple website (http://www.apple.com/apple-events/september-2016/) using its own HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology. The link to the stream will be on the homepage of the site (www.apple.com). If you have an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch running iOS 7.0 or later you can watch it using the built-in Safari browser. Mac users can stream the event on Safari version 6.0.5 or later, but only if they are running OS X version 10.8.5 or newer. Second and third generation Apple TVs, with software versions of 6.2 or later, and fourth generation Apple TVs are also able to stream the show.

Also, people who have Windows 10 and in turn Microsofts Edge browser will also be watch the livestream from Apples homepage. The event will not be streamed on Android devices.

Is there any other way?

Smile, as the answer is yes. If you dont have Windows 10 then there are still a number of ways you can watch the Apple launch event, although they are slightly more complex. First upgrade to Windows 10.

If you have no plans to install Windows 10, then there are workarounds for watching the Apple launch event on your PC. With past Apple iPhone launches there was a workaround using the versatile VLC media player. After downloading and installing VLC media player, open it, and in the top-left corner click Media, then Open Network Stream. Youll then need to enter in the network URL of the stream.

This URL isnt available until just before the stream goes live, so check back here, as well be updating this article with the URL you need to paste. This process also works for people using Linux.

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Technology startups such as BlackBuck, Rivigo and Load 24x7 are changing Indias $50-billion freight, merchandise and transportation business.

Backed by large venture capital funds and e-tailers, these apps are using the cellphone to connect truck owners and users.

The transportation business, with over five million trucks, is highly unorganised. This results in unavailability of truck drivers and delay in transportation of goods, which lead to millions of dollars in revenue losses.

BlackBuck, which has taken a page from taxi-hailing app Ubers playbook, has aggregated over 65,000 trucks. It is a marketplace for truck owners. On request, you get confirmation within 45 minutes and can make the payment through the app It reduces idle time for trucks, said co-founder Rajesh Yabaji.

Trucks in India have only 15-16 run days. There are also issues around discoverability of trucks on particular routes  a truck registered in one state may not be allowed to enter another . This results is trucks lying idle most of the times. The apps help customers address the issue.

Delhi-based Rivigo is looking to reduce delivery time by a third. For example, it promises to deliver goods from Delhi to Chennai within two days, something that happens only by air.

Operating on a relay-like model, the trucks dont stop on the highway, but drivers change at pit-stops at regular intervals. Rivigo monitors tolls, real-time movements and truck speed through sensors.

We are putting high-end chipsets, GPS tracking, and high-quality electronics, said Vinod Aggarwal, CEO of Volvo-Eicher Commercial Vehicles.

Aggarwal also said that while startups are changing the trucking industry, they will have to build a large- service network, which allows vehicles to stop, do a quick check, and move on.

There are startups, including Porter and LetsTransport, which focus on moving trucks within a single city. Then there are classifieds ones like Load 24x7 and TruckSuvidha, which also operate between cities.

We have data of over 45,000 transporters, said Lokesh Gupta, co-founder, Load 24x7.

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BEIJING : China is lauding its successful hosting of the G20 summit in scenic Hangzhou, with open confrontation largely avoided and broad consensus reached on the fragile state of the global economy and the need for a wide range of policies to fix it.

There was even a joint announcement by China and the US that they would ratify the Paris climate change agreement, a significant step for the worlds two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases.

But scratch beneath the surface, and the gathering of the worlds most powerful leaders was not all plain sailing - from the distraction of a North Korean missile test to the failure of the US and Russia to reach agreement over Syria, and diplomatic faux pas to double speak over protectionism.

Chinese state media, while largely basking in the glory of a summit that happened without being too overshadowed by disputes such as the South China Sea, also let slip Beijings frustrations at what it sees as Western efforts to stymie its economic ambitions.

For the worlds major developed economies, they should curb rising protectionism and dismantle anti-trade measures as economic isolationism is not a solution to sluggish growth, Chinas official Xinhua news agency said.In order to build an inclusive, rule-based and open world economy, protectionism must be prevented from eroding the foundation for a faster and healthier economic recovery.

China has been particularly upset by suspicion of its overseas investment agenda.
SRINAGAR: This apple season Kashmirs sweetest and crunchiest gift is unlikely to reach fellow countrymen in the rest of India.

The Valleys orchards are laden with apples, but growers and traders are willing to sacrifice their fruits of labour for the bigger cause  Kashmir, where unprecedented unrest after the killing of a militant leader on July 8 showed no signs of abating. Clashes with security forces have taken the lives of 75 people and wounded thousands.

For us, human loss is much bigger than any financial loss, said Bashir Ahmed Basheer, chairman All Kashmir Fruit Growers and Dealers Association, on Tuesday.

A conservative estimate based on figures provided by fruit growers across Kashmir says the industry has suffered a loss Rs 1,000 crore in the two months of unrest.

The overall economy is on the brink. Trade bodies estimate a loss of around ` 130 crore of business every day in Kashmir. The total loss comes to around ` 8,000 crore in 60 days.

T he unrest has put the Valleys second-largest money-spinner on the edge  tourism, which contributes around 20% to the states GDP and 30% of the population makes a living out of it.

A government official said the state is losing about ` 5 crore every day because the flow of tourists has stopped in what is called the August to October second season in Kashmir, coinciding with the Amarnath pilgrimage, apple harvest, and blooming of flowers. May to July is the peak season.

Tourism is a broad-based industry and involves travel, transport, houseboats, hotels, restaurants, handicrafts, and related trades, he said. All these are taken into account to calculate the loss. Apple trader Basheer blamed the state government for the loss.

Growers are not able to transport fruits to wholesale markets because of curfew and restrictions on movement of trucks, he said.

The apple season starts in September and ends in November. Basheer and fellow traders carted out around 200 truckloads of apples every day last season.

In 2015-16, apple production touched 19.43 lakh metric tonnes, accounting for 65% of Kashmirs economic mainstay, horticulture, which contributes Rs 7,000 cr ore a year to the states gross domestic product (GDP).

The impact of the unrest is visible in Asias biggest wholesale market in Azadpur, where Kashmirs loss is a huge gain for Himachal Pradesh.

Since there is no supply from Kashmir, Himachal apples are 30-40% costlier now as compared to the previous years despite being of inferior quality, said Binkle Singh, a wholesale trader at Azadpur mandi. Himachals growers will continue to profit if Kashmiri apples dont reach the market.

The Kashmiri businessmen are not counting their losses in terms of money .We have lost our near and dear ones. Nothing can compensate that, said Mushtaq Ahmed Wani, president of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He and Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation head Mohammad Yasin Khan are determined to support the peoples movement. We are willing to sacrifice our businesses. There has to be a meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders to resolve the Kashmir issue, Khan said, summing up the mood in the violence-scarred Valley.

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NEW DELHI: A day after lieutenant general Najeeb Jung sought the details of all official foreign tours of AAP ministers, it has come to light that deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain have travelled abroad four times each.

A three-member committee constituted by the L-G is reviewing the clearances given for these tours.

Labour minister Gopal Rai and Jain went to Sweden on a five-day knowledge trip. Sacked minister Sandeep Kumar, however, went with his wife to the US for her delivery, said officials. Kumar paid for the trip.

Kumars private secretary, Praveen Kumar, also accompanied the couple in May and stayed with them for over a month.

Lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung on Monday directed the general administration department of the Delhi government to furnish the details of all foreign trips made by AAP ministers, their personal staff and other officials in the last 18 months. The L-G office has asked for the duration of the stay, expenditure incurred, and the purpose of these trips.

The development comes at a time when chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and PWD minister Satyendra Jain concluded their visit to the Vatican on Tuesday. They had gone to attend the canonisation of Mother Teresa. This was Kejriwals first foreign trip after becoming Delhi chief minister.

Sources in the L-G office said the administration department has been told to provide the information to Raj Niwas by September 12.

The note sent to the department is on the L-G house reviewing files after the August 4 order of the Delhi High Court. The details of foreign trips were sought after scanning the files. The L-G needs to ascertain if all such cases got the requisite clearance and whether they incurred expenses as per their entitlements, a senior official said.

One of the mandates of the panel is to recommend appropriate administrative, criminal or civil action against the erring officials. They can also advise action to recover loss to the exchequer.

Delhi government officials maintained officers and ministers going abroad took prior approval from the Centre.
NEW DELHI: Whether you sink or die, we are not concerned, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday, issuing a stern warning to Supertech, asking it to refund money to the 17 home buyers who are no longer keen to hold on to their flats at the Emerald Towers project in Noida.

You will have to pay back the money to home buyers. We are least bothered about the financial status, a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra told the realty firm.

Its advocates pointed out that the builders did not have funds to pay back the consumers

he SC directed the company to pay 10 per cent per month of the invested amount from January 5, 2015 to the buyers within four weeks.

The 17 have filed a petition before the court, complaining that Supertech refused to refund the money.

The company will have to submit a chart of payments to the court before the next hearing, which is October 25.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for Supertech, said the SC cannot act like a banker and has to follow principle of equality.

Not all home buyers are against us and some of them have even supported the firm and filed an appeal against the High Court order, Dhawan said.

There is a difference between Unitechs case and us. They did not have a building while we have a building and funds invested with us have been used for construction of structure, Dhawan argued, attempting to convince the court.

He informed the bench of the 628 persons, 274 had been given alternate arrangements. Seventy-four had asked for re-investment and 108 have sought a refund.

The top court gave more time to the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) to submit its report on the whether the two 40-storey buildings were built in the green area violated the sanction plan.

The NBCC will have to visit the site to give the report.

The Allahabad High Court had on April 11, 2014 ordered the demolition of the residential twin towers -- Apex and Ceyane and directed Supertech to refund the money with 14 per cent interest in three months.

The two towers, have 857 apartments, of which about 600 flats have already been sold.

The Supreme Court had, on February 16 last, directed Supertech to refund money to the flat owners, saying, developers cant take investors for a ride.

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NEW DELHI: A week after the Delhi Police arrested a couple for allegedly running a sex-trafficking racket, the cops seized documents of 17 properties in Delhi, Bangalore and recovered six luxury cars that belonged to them.

On Monday, the police recovered an Audi Q8 car that the couple bought last year besides two Toyota Fortuner, Innova, Safari and Honda City cars. The couple, Saira Begum and Afaq Hussian, has now been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA). The police said that the accused have been involved in the trade for the last 15 years and have trafficked around 5,000 women. The couple parked their cars at their different properties to ensure that they do not come under scanner.

Apart from the cars, the police also found out that the couple was running a 32-room guest house in Okhla since 2010. They owned six brothels on GB Road which have also been sealed.

Apart from the other farmhouse sin south-east Delhis Jaitpur and two flats in Bangalore, the couple owned three shops in Bhagwan Nagar.

The investigating officers said they have got details of only one bank account so far. In the joint account, they recovered around ` 3.6crore. However, the police suspect that the couple has around six accounts with crores in them. The officials have asked the bank to provide details of the account.

The crime branch has recovered a 30mm bore rifle, 12mm bore gun and 32mm bore pistol. The investigating officers were surprised when the couple presented the licences of the weapons. They had got the licences from Jammu and Kashmir. We are verifying how did they manage to get them. It appears that they must have forged the details while applying for the licences, said an officer.

The police said that the couple along with their agents trafficked women from different parts of the country and Nepal. To avoid detection, the two had stopped going to GB Road and had assigned the task of running the operations to their associates. The couple was earlier arrested in 2013 and their cases are awaiting trial. Saira Begum was first arrested in 1990 and served jail term of around five years before release.
NEW DELHI: Nothing earns big bucks as much as glamour. No wonder, auditions for next months five-day fashion week in the Capital have aspiring models taking a break from corporate jobs and college for a shot at stardom  and money.

Many of these aspirants came all way from Jaipur, Indore, Kanpur, Lucknow, and even Assam.

My dad accompanies me whenever I go for auditions and is very supportive because he knows I want to do this alongside my studies, said Mannat Singh, a 19-year-old BBA student from Indore.

She was at the model hunt conducted by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), the event organiser.

Mannat took leave from college to be in New Delhi, which hosts fashion weeks thrice a year.

So did 19-year-old medical student Manushi Chhillar, 18-year-old Deeksha Giri, who is studying to be a psychologist, and Aishwarya Sheoran, a Delhi University economics student.

Besides glamour and the brownie point of being a fashion week model on their portfolio, what lures these girls is the pay  between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000 a show. If a model does four shows a day, going by a conservative estimate, she can earn up to Rs 10 lakh in less than a week.

For the auditions, the criteria are simple  the woman has to be at least 5ft, 8 inches tall, with no prior experience. The second condition is mandatory.

Palak Gupta, a 24-year-old marketing executive, was there for the money. I decided to take a break from my corporate job because I make more money in a day as a model than my entire months salary.

Money apart, the modelling assignment opens the gates for newbies to the world of glamour and glitz.

Sometimes it all means a direct ticket to Bollywood. Also, from staying free at five-star hotels to being a muse to the most popular designers, the perks are aplenty, FDCI president Sunil Sethi said.

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Shocked at the deplorable condition in which children were kept at a private child care home in the Capital, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the city governments department of women and child development to transfer all children to an alternative home.

The photographs show that some of the female inmates are in semi and complete naked condition and that also in the presence of male children, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said. He added that it was very disturbing.

The court also directed the deputy commissioner of police concerned to conduct an investigation on allegation of sexual exploitation of children in Prem Dham Ashram in Najafgarh, which is run by an NGO named Human Care International.

There are about 39 girls and 26 boys who stay in the home.

Prem Dham Ashram had moved the high court against two orders of the government directing it to hand over all the children to government-run children home such as Nirmal Chhaya Complex or Sweet Home in Najafgarh.

It claimed that the home has been taking care of the food, lodging and studies of these children and they want to reside at the current campus. It also contended that the transfer of children in the middle of the academic session would be detrimental to their studies.

However, advocate Prabhsahay Kaur, appearing for the department of women and child development, said that Prem Dham Ashram had concealed material facts and that there was evidence and material  including photographs  to show that the children were being kept in deplorable conditions.

She contended that they had even received complaints of sexual exploitation.

Kaur further said that in a surprise inspection conducted on July 19, the department found that the children were being kept in miserable conditions. Some of the male and female children were kept together, she added.

The photographs that have been shown to the court are very disturbingThe allegations of the respondents are prima facie fortified from the photographs shown, Justice Sachdeva said.

The concerned deputy commissioner of police was directed to investigate into the allegations against the petitioners home and also to examine the complaints received by the respondent with regard to sexual exploitation, the court added.

It directed the DCP to submit a status report of the action taken and posted the matter for further hearing on September 15.

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Posters carrying the photo of actor Priyanka Chopra have come up in and around Delhi University, where student union elections will be held on September 9.

Priyanka Chhawri, the vice-presidential candidate of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), shares the name with the actor.

In the 2014 elections, similar posters carrying the picture of actor Nauheed Cyrusi had come up on campus.

The posters say, All the best, Priyanka 4 Emmys. Priyanka Chhawris ballot number for the DUSU election scheduled for September 9 is 4.

ABVP national media convener Saket Bahuguna said that they had not put up the hoarding.

The hoarding has to be read properly as it wishes all the best to Priyanka Chopra. The 4 used in the hoarding in an SMS language, which means for. It must be one of the actors fan who has taken this medium to send her best wishes as she will be going for the 68th Emmys Award, said Bahuguna.

Read: DU elections: Buddhism students seek nirvana in political pursuits

Asked why the posters were mostly around DU and different colleges, he called it a coincidence.

In 2014, Cyrusis picture on posters of the ABVP secretary candidate had won him the elections.

The students said they had voted for the candidate thinking that she was Cyrusi.

Using such printed posters is against the universitys rule which allows only handmade posters. On Monday, the DU election office had sent notices to candidates for violating the rule and littering the campus.

If such posters and hoardings have been put, then it violates the code of conduct of the election. We will take action against those doing this, said DS Rawat, DU chief election officer (CEC).

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A meeting in Delhi of the members of the all-party parliamentary delegation, which went to Jammu and Kashmir last week, requested the state and central governments to take steps for a dialogue with all stakeholders. The resolve for a sustained dialogue is a welcome, especially because it comes a day after reports that the Centre was mulling a crackdown on the separatists. Union home minister Rajnath Singh told members that the Centre was not looking to either downgrade their security or freeze their passports. Shutting the door on the separatist leaders  even though they are not entirely in control of the street agitations that have paralysed the Valley over the last two months  would have been disastrous signal at a time when New Delhi needs to hold out an olive branch.

Read | All-party team wants Kashmir talks with all stakeholders, panel likely

The government has indicated that it is willing to set up a MPs panel to carry the dialogue forward. This paper has made a case for continual, uninterrupted engagement and it is important that the process  initiated by the delegations visit to the state  be a sustained one. Momentum is of utmost importance and no time should be lost in announcing the panel and its mandate. A serious attempt must be made for a political resolution of the long-festering issue and the Kashmiri stakeholders, separatists included, must also respond because the panel would have the backing of Parliament. Speaking to the media after the meeting, the CPMs Sitaram Yechury said his party has batted for several confidence building measures that include the lifting of the draconian Afspa from civilian areas and the immediate discontinuation of pellet guns. Mr Yechury also asked for probes into cases of alleged excesses that have led to the deaths of civilians.

Read | Centre not contemplating steps against Kashmiri separatists: Sources

The above suggestions should have actually come from the state and Centre, but all is still not lost. As the head of the all-party delegation, the home minister should factor these into the plan, which should include both short-term and long term steps. A formal acceptance of the confidence-building measures could help break the unending cycle of violence. Once that is accomplished, the MPs panel should work towards a long-term solution. Members at the meeting also suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should engage with Pakistan if he goes there in November for the Saarc Summit. The road ahead is clear, provided New Delhi is serious about walking the talk. The time has come to seize the opportunity and move to the next level in Kashmir. India cannot afford otherwise.

Read | All-party team wants Kashmir talks with all stakeholders, panel likely
Bihar School Examination Boards largesse in granting affiliations is getting murkier as the enquiry team has stumbled upon large number of schools without proper buildings or requisite infrastructure, including one located in an open field and another sharing the address of a service centre of a leading automobile company, that managed to pass muster.

The BSEB is mired in controversy after disgraced intermediate arts topper Ruby Roy was shown on TV, saying she was taught cooking in prodikal science (political science). It led to the unearthing of the intermediate toppers scam in May and arrest of the then BSEB chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, his wife Usha Sinha and Bachcha Rai, principal of the controversial VR College, Hajipur, from where Ruby topped.

Admitting that several schools have also been found to be running more than one institution from the same premises, Patna Commissioner and BSEB chairman Anand Kishor, said, We have decided to start the process for cancellation of affiliation of 36 schools and colleges, which have been found grossly deficient in meeting the norms.

Pointing out the case of Dr Nazar Imam International Higher Secondary School, Phulwarisharif, Kishor said, the inquiry team has found that the school does not have its own building and the spot revealed some plinth level construction. The management has also submitted a request for closure of the school and offered to surrender the affiliation, he said.

Keshav Bindeshwari Higher Secondary School, Arwal was found to be using the address of a automobile showrooms service centre, while Trimurti Higher Secondary School, Ismailpur, Punpun lacked infrastructure and had shown a vacant agriculture land as its playground, in addition to running another evening school using the same infrastructure, he said.

Read more: Bihar intermediate scam: Disgraced arts topper gets bail

We have issued show cause to all the 36, in addition to notices issued to 52 infrastructure deficient schools and colleges, listing deficiencies and asked them to reply, within 15 days, why their affiliations should not be cancelled.

Also, repeat inquiry has been ordered in case of five more schools, while six months time has been granted to St Michael Girls High School, Pirpaiti and Shree Shree 108 MRZD Inter College, Bishnupura, Begusarai to overcome minor infrastructure deficiencies, he said.

Maintaining that the team has been mandated to make on-spot into all the 213 schools and colleges that managed to secure affiliations during the last two years, he said that orders have been issued to file FIRs against Asharfi Das Sahu Samaj Inter Womens College, Nirmali and Millat College, Birpur, both in Supaul, on grounds of admitting students without affiliation. The inquiry process and action will be completed by September, he said.

Read more: Key accused in Bihar topper scam nabbed in Kolkata

On being asked about the action against officers found guilty of connivance in the grant of affiliations to undeserving schools and colleges, Kishor said Every aspect is being looked into, including who made recommendations and what were the declarations. Action will be taken against guilty and FIRs will be filed also against school managements where infrastructure is absent.

As for the future of students, he said As a special case, they will be attached to nearby schools and colleges so that their studies are not affected.

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Meena and her husband Sanjay Chouhan are blind, but that has not stopped them from being featured among the best government school teachers in the Indore.

Their hard work and sincerity in overcoming problems was recognised and they were felicitated by the Indore Municipal Corporation on Tuesday along with 40 other teachers.

Meena started her teaching career in 2007 in Doodhiya in Sanver tehsil. In 2012, she and husband took a transfer in Indore and have been teaching here since.

Meena said, Initially, it was quite difficult to manage the class and the students took advantage of my blindness. However, I soon gained their confidence. Now, they do not disrupt the class.

I ask one of the students to read out text and then I explain it to them, she said.

Her husband Sanjay said he also had a similar experience during his initial days.

Meena has been teaching social science in Naveen Malavkanya School No 5 for the past nine years. Sanjay is also a teacher in the same school.

Both are tech-savvy and use multimedia phones with talk-back features to access social networking sites.

About her teaching method, Meena said, Books are available in Brail but one single ink printed book is equal to four books in Brail.

Meena was diagnosed with cataract at the age of three, but after the surgery she lost vision in one eye and other was left with low vision.

She did her schooling from Doodhiya coping with partial blindness till class 10 after that she went completely blind.

With a passion to do something in life, she started learning Braille from Mahesh Drishtiheen Kalyan Sangh situated in Vijay Nagar, Indore.

It was hard for me to learn Braille and live with blind kids in the hostel at the beginning, I couldnt understand it, but teachers and other students supported me there and helped me learn all the subjects.

She has completed her graduation from Girls Degree College, Moti Tapela and B.Ed from Hellen Keller Education Academy, Indore.

Sanjay, from Badwani, is an active member of Rashtriya Drishtiheen Sangh. Initially, he could see blurred images, but now he is completely blind.

We help visually impaired with education. If someone is not able to pay their fees, we make arrangements for it. They are supplied with audios and books. We help them with employment as well, he said.

Pratibha Laad, the principal of Naveen Malavkanya School, said: These two are excellent in the work. They do not seek special favour and share the burden equally with the other teachers.Sanjay and Meena have two daughters with proper eyesight.
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has declared the list of candidates who have cleared the interview and have been shortlisted for pre recruitment medical examination for the post of Assistant Administrative Officer (AAO). A list of 700 candidates has been published.

Candidates can check their results by visiting the official website of Life Insurance Corporation of India.

Read more: Delhi Police to recruit 4,000 constables, SSC to conduct online tests

Steps to check the results:

1) Go to the official website of LIC

2) Click on Careers at the bottom of the page

3)Click on the link for List of Candidates shortlisted for pre recruitment medical examination (Assistant Administrative Officer (Generalist) - 2016

4) Click on link for Download document given in the box

5) A list 700 selected candidates name along with their roll number will be displayed on the screen

6) These are the names of candidates shortlisted for pre recruitment medical examination

Or, click here to directly go to the results page.

The recruitment notification issued in December 2015 clearly mentioned that there were 700 vacancies for the post. More than 2,000 candidates had qualified for the interview. The written examinations were conducted on March 5, 6, 12 and 13 across many centres in India.

Read more: LIC AAO 2016 written exam results declared, check it here

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Nine-year-old Prathamesh Shirodkar and Disha Mahale, aged 8 from Mumbai won the Champion trophy along with cash and other rewards in the 15th National UCMAS Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition.

Abacus has proved to be excellent sport for brain, and the winners have brought lot of pride to their respective cities and training centres by demonstrating highest level of mathematic skills with the help of hand and eye calculation, Chandrakant Mishra, Director of CBS Education said in a statement issued in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Over 5,000 exams were conducted on that single day with students from 25 states participating and over 1,600 trophies were distributed on that day besides all the participants also receiving a participation trophy, he said.

Read more: Students gear up for 15th UCMAS Abacus Competition

He said at the competition, which tested speed and accuracy in arithmetic, the UCMAS students had eight minutes to solve as many as 200 maths questions depending on the students level, using only an abacus or mental arithmetic.

Also honoured were Parth Poddar, Sanskar Gupta, and Syam Sundar who had become World Champions at the recently concluded 6th Global Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition of WAAMA (World Association of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic) held at Hong Kong, said the statement.

Read more: 12 Noida school students win prestigious NASA competition

The event was hosted by UCMAS India at Jaipur, Rajasthan on August 27, followed by an awards ceremony on August 28.

Click here to check list of participants with their position
Attention seekers! Thats what these bags are. Gone are the days of simple, coloured bags. Its time for some funky out-of the-box ones. The hype and hyperbole of these unconventional designs, dominated by funky slogan cannot go unnoticed. And a whirring blur of these clutches can be seen everywhere.

From one shouting Foodie to Relax to a telephone-inspired bag, Bollywood divas, too, have been flaunting these pieces of art.

Bags like these are a representation of ones personality, and bring forward something you want the world to know, says designer Sameer Madan.

Designer Shubhika Davda of Papa Dont Preach says, Fashion and trends have always been directly or indirectly inspired by pop culture, and this is one such trend.

Rolling back a few seasons, designers across the globe created novelty clutches that were much loved. Italian design house, Moschino came up with McDonalds-inspired bags whereas Charlotte Olympia designed a camera- shaped clutch. Then there was Frankie Morellos Book of Love clutch, Anya Hindmarchs Kelloggs clutch, and Judith Leibers ice cream inspired minaudiere.

Here are some recent celeb spottings to take style notes from.

Supermodel Sayani Gupta was spotted at an award function in a beautifully draped nude-hued garment by Manika Nanda sported with an old-school telephone inspired clutch by Boga.

Actor Bhumi Pednekar went for an evening in Mumbai sporting a brooding black jumpsuit teamed with a Mix it up glittered Kate Spade clutch. Similar to Bhumi, bag designer Rashmi Modi advises to team a black suit with a shimmer sling slogan purse for a night soiree. (Photo: Sachin Kadvekar)

Read: Know whats a Bardot top? Heres some style inspiration

Actor Tanisha Mukherjee stayed away from colour and kept her look monochrome. She teamed a white Black Halo dress with an abstract human face clutch by Charlotte Olympia. (Photo: Sachin Kadvekar)

Athiya Shetty attented the screening of Dishoom wearing a Shift by Nimish Shah top paired with an Akaaro black skirt. White sneakers and a pink Furla bag finished out her look. How cute, right?

Author, chef, actor and ex-VJ Maria Goretti is clearly a foodie and her latest appearance at a fashion week with this clutch proved the fact. She teamed her ethnic attire with this funky piece of art by Sameer Madan. (Photo: Yogen Shah)

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Tom Hanks latest outing sees him become airline pilot Chesley Sullenberger, captain of a downed US Airways flight that found surprise midwinter solace on the Hudson River.

- Whos in it and whats it about? -

Tom Hanks stars as Chesley Sully Sullenberger, in the captains seat for January 2009 US Airways flight 1549 as it sets off from New York to Charlotte, North Carolina, some 875km southwest.

Just two minutes into its journey and the Airbuss crucial take-off course saw it fly straight into a dense flock of geese -- fatal for a good number of the migratory birds, as well as for the airplanes engines -- but, thanks to an unconventional, unprecedented emergency landing procedure carried out by Sully, turning the craft to ditch it in the frigid Hudson River, it landed safely.

But that was only the beginning, as the plane started slowly sinking into the freezing water below; once they get out, investigators start combing Sullys life for any trace of pilot error, and hes no longer sure if he did the right thing.

Hanks, a two-time Oscar winner for Forrest Gump and Philadelphia is joined by Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) as co-pilot Jeff Skiles, and Laura Linney (The Big C, The Truman Show) as Sullys wife Lorraine.

A supporting cast includes Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Sam Huntingdon (Being Human), and Ann Cusack (Nightcrawler).

- Whos behind it? -

Clint Eastwood directs Sully, his first completed film after 2014s Oscar-nominated American Sniper. The movie was adapted from Sullenbergers autobiography, Highest Duty.

Director Clint Eastwood attends the New York premiere of the film Sully in Manhattan. (REUTERS)

- Is it any good? -

Screened at Colorados Telluride Film Festival in the days before its general release, Sully accumulated an early 89% approval rating from reviews collated by aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, though those reviews average scores tallied up at 5.8/10; Metacritics averaging process resulted in a 73/100 score.

- Whens it out? -

Sully goes on wide release in the USA from September 9, following Telluride and an advance New York premiere on the 6th, with much of its international release also focused around the same week: Canada, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, India, Vietnam, South Africa, and Russia among included territories.

Hong Kong joins on September 15, Japan September 24, then France from November 30, Germany, Brazil, Argentina and Chile from December 1, and the UK and Ireland the next day.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Over a month after he dyed his hair and eyebrows blonde, and got criticized for it, actor Miles Teller apologised for it on Twitter.

The War Dogs actor tweeted an apology and a picture of him going back to his natural shade of dark brown.

Dear Internet, Im sorry I dyed my hair blonde. I never meant to hurt you. Please accept this apology, the Fantastic Four star wrote alongside a photo of him with his freshly dyed brown hair.

Dear Internet, I'm sorry I dyed my hair blonde. I never meant to hurt you. Please accept this apology pic.twitter.com/egQ552HjR1  Miles Teller (@Miles_Teller) September 6, 2016

Teller sent the internet into a frenzy earlier this summer when he debuted his blonde locks at the ESPY Awards. Most of his fans hated his new look.

Read: I wouldnt wish it on another film: Miles Teller on Fantastic Four backlash

Pretty big fan on set today #GraniteMountain pic.twitter.com/yO4HyMhMeA  Miles Teller (@Miles_Teller) August 29, 2016

The actor had dyed his hair blonde for a role in his upcoming film Granite Mountain. Based on a real-life group of firefighters that courageously battled the deadly Yarnell Hill Fire in 2013, the movie features him as the only firefighter who survived the incident.

Read: Thats frustrating: Miles Teller not happy about his effortless actor tag

Blonde hair don't care   Miles Teller (@Miles_Teller) July 15, 2016

miles teller's blond hair is going to give me nightmares tonight even though i love him dearly but oh God  simran (@iiinkblot) September 7, 2016

My love for @Miles_Teller will never grow old (even though he died his hair blond once)  sbry (@sam_elizabeth29) September 6, 2016

In the spirit of judging people for their looks and not their talents/what they are actually famous for, why the hell is Miles Teller blond?  Leighann Strollo (@Leighannns) August 16, 2016

miles teller's blond omfg  chirsten (@yuumeatsix) August 16, 2016

Ergh, why did Miles Teller dye his hair blond?   Nkechi. (@MsAmericanRjct) August 12, 2016

Probably shouldn't have made fun of @Miles_Teller's blond hair. Only logical reason I can think of why he hasn't tweeted me back yet  Kristina (@Kwilly318) August 11, 2016

miles teller looks even more like a douche with blond hair oh my god  kristine (@tinnogra) August 7, 2016

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The Centre is not planning a crackdown on separatists, sources said on Wednesday, a day after reports talked about scaling down of security, withdrawal of passports and scrutiny of the banks accounts of Hurriyat leaders.

The all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir has returned with the feedback that the state government failed to deal with the situation while political leaders there continued to make misleading statements.

A summary of their findings was compiled by the home ministry and is being discussed at the all-party delegation meeting chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday.

At least 75 people have lost their lives and over 10,000 injured in violent clashes between the security forces and civilians following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

Wednesdays meeting comes amid reports that the Centre is planning to harden its stance vis-a-vis Kashmiri separatist leaders who had given a cold shoulder to the 28-member all-party delegation that visited Srinagar last Sunday.

Read | Whats the point: Kashmiri separatists refuse to meet all-party delegates

During the visit, it was reportedly found that hartal (strike) calendars were being issued every day from Pakistan under the name of Kashmiri separatist leaders, and hence stakeholders recommended that the separatists be isolated and dealt with strongly.

On Sunday, Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani had shut his door to CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja and two other MPs who tried to call on him at his Hyderpora home in Srinagar. The group met former Hurriyat head Abdul Ghani Bhat at his home in Jawahar Nagar, JKLF leader Yasin Malik at Humhama jail, and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Shabir Shah at Cheshma Shahi guesthouse, but the response of these separatist leaders was lukewarm, at best.

Separately, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi met Mirwaiz, the Valleys chief cleric, and moderate Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah.

Rajnath Singh had come down heavily on separatists for snubbing the MPs, saying that its against Kashmiriyat and jamooriyat (democracy). Other members of the delegation have, however, not taken such a strident stance.

Read | After talks snub, govt plans to turn up the heat on Kashmir separatists

Yechury denied that there was any snub to Left leaders by separatists as they met four Hurriyat leaders. He also sought to blame the government for not doing the home work before the delegation visited Srinagar.

Given how the separatists behaved, it would be difficult for any party to speak up for them. But whether there will be a consensus (at the meeting) on taking a hard line against Hurriyat leaders is difficult to say, a senior Congress leader told HT ahead of the meeting.

Home minister Rajnath Singh, who led the delegation to the trouble-torn state, is expected to seek suggestions from the parliamentarians on the future course of action during the meeting. Various stakeholders in the Valley have recommended lifting the curfew, fixing accountability for excessive use of force by security forces, releasing all protestors and ending harassment of the youth.

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An all-party delegation that recently visited Jammu and Kashmir requested the Centre and the state government on Wednesday to talk to all stakeholders in the violence-hit state where 75 people have died in two-month-long street protests.

The members of the delegation are of the opinion that there is no place for violence in a civilised society, said a statement released after a meeting in Delhi.

There can be no compromise on national sovereignty, it said, a rebuff to separatists and calls for Azadi, or freedom, that have echoed in the Valley during the ongoing unrest.

Home minister Rajnath Singh, who had led the team of politicians, indicated to some opposition leaders that the Centre was considering a panel for talks with all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat, sources said.

The separatists had refused talks with the team, which was in the Valley on September 4 and 5 to take stock of the situation and suggest ways to restore calm in the Valley.

Normal life has been disrupted with separatists calling strikes and authorities imposing a rolling curfew.

The Centre is not planning a crackdown on separatists, sources said, a day after reports talked about scaling down of security, withdrawal of passports and scrutiny of the banks accounts of Hurriyat leaders.

Wednesdays statement appealed for peace, expressing serious concerns over clashes between security forces and protesters.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury, who was one part of the delegation that visited Kashmir, said the Left parties want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restart dialogue with Pakistan when he visits that country for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit.

Pakistan holds a summit of the eight-member grouping in November.

The ties between the two countries have nosedived in recent months. The Centre blames Pakistan for the violence that erupted after militant leader Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight in southern Kashmir on July 8.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif declared Wani a martyr and his envoy to India dedicated his countrys Independence Day to the Kashmirs freedom.

The next day in his Independence Day address on August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a departure from Indias foreign policy, raised the rights violations in Balochistan, PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Yechury also demanded that the government withdraw Afspa from civilian areas in the Valley that gives the forces sweeping powers to search and arrest.

The Left leaders demands are in line with Kashmir analysts who have called for confidence-building measures to bridge the trust deficit. Lifting of curfew, a ban on pellet guns that have caused eye injuries and release of Hurriyat leaders are some of the steps that have been suggested.

Omar not happy

Omar Abdullah, National Conference leader and former J-K chief minister, termed the all-party delegations appeal tame and sterile, saying a sense of urgency to bring an end to the ongoing violence was missing.

I'm struggling to find a single achievement that the all party delegation can lay claim to after visiting J&K. Nothing comes to mind as yet!  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) September 7, 2016

If all they had to do was issue this tame & sterile appeal they could very easily have done so without wasting the time & money on a visit.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) September 7, 2016

75 people have died, 1000s of civilians & security personnel have been injured & there is no sense of urgency in getting a grip on things!!!  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) September 7, 2016

Heres the statement issued by the all-party team

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The newly-constructed BJP Kerala state office in Thiruvananthapuram came under a bomb attack in the early hours of Wednesday. Though the office suffered damages no one was injured in the attack.

Party state president Kummanam Rajsekharan has blamed the ruling CPI(M) for the attack and questioned the continued silence of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Footage from CCTV installed near the office showed two motorbike-borne miscreants throwing explosive substances at the office before fleeing the scene. Following the attack security has been tightened for the BJPs offices throughout the state.

Assailants who came in bikes hurled bomb at BJP State Committee Office in Thiruvananthapuram. Damages to the building. @HMOIndia @AmitShah  BJP KERALAM (@BJP4Keralam) September 6, 2016

The party will not sit idle if the CPI(M) continues its attacks like this. The CMs silence shows most of the attacks are taking place with his knowledge and support, Rajsekharan said.

The BJP has called a protest march later in the evening. However CPI(M) district secretary A Nagappan has denied any involvement in the attack.

PTI quoting BJP sources said Rajasekharan had left the office for Kozhikode, where preparations are on for the three-day national executive and council meeting from September 23 which is being attended by senior party leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The bomb attack comes close on the heels of a series of sporadic clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers in the past few months in northern Kannur district that has claimed five lives.

(With inputs from PTI)

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The BJP will back the Centres hard line on Kashmiri separatists, reaffirm its position on Jammu and Kashmir and discuss the two-month-long unrest that has racked the border state at a conclave later this month.

More than 2,000 BJP leaders will gather in Keralas Kozhikode for the partys national council meeting on September 24 and 25. A resolution would be moved reiterating Indias position that Kashmir was an integral part of the country, a party leader said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, too, were expected to impress upon these points, the leader said.

Seventy-five people, mostly civilians, have died in street protests in Kashmir that erupted after a militant was killed in a gunfight on July 8. Normal life remains paralysed with a curfew and separatists called strike restricting movement of people and goods.

An all-party delegation led by home minister Rajnath Singh spent two days in the Valley to assess the ground situation and find ways to restore calm.

But the separatists refusal to meet the delegation was the vindication of the governments stand that the Hurriyat Conference was not interested in a dialogue to defuse the crisis, sources said.

They stand only provoke Kashmiri youths. We cannot succumb to their pressure, a senior minister said.

A few delegation leaders on Sunday visited Hardline separatist Sayeed Ali Shah Geelanis home in Srinagar but were turned away.

Some leaders junked the advice not to jump the gun and went to Hurriyat leaders doorsteps. They returned empty handed. This reflects that New Delhis approach towards a section of people in the Valley was right, a source said.

The government, which was under pressure to send a team of politicians including those from the opposition, feels the separatist have been marginalised.

The national council meet is expected to endorse the governments hard line and its outreach to those willing to talk. The government, said sources, would isolate the Hurriyat, which it sees as disruptive, from the dialogue process.

While the Mehbooba Mufti government has been asked to take strict action against troublemakers, the BJP resolution is expected to repose faith in her. The BJP is the junior partner in the ruling alliance led by Muftis People Democratic Party. The party was of the view that the chief minister had stuck to New Delhis line in the present crisis and should be given all the support she needed, sources said.

She has dealt with the situation maturely. We are on the same page as far as dealing with agent provocateur is concerned, a government source said.

Party leaders claim the Centre has walked an extra mile with all-party meetings, discussions in Parliament and the sending the delegation to the Valley. It favours continuing such measures but is in no mood for concessions to separatists.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation filed a chargesheet against arrested rightwing group Sanatan Sanstha activist Virendra Tawde on Wednesday in connection with the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.

The investigating agency has charged Tawde with criminal conspiracy and murder.

The CBI had arrested Tawde in June, almost three years after the anti-superstition crusader was shot dead in Pune. According to the CBI, he was one of the conspirators and the brain murders Dabholkar and another activist Govind Pansare murders.

It was the first arrest in the case that the Maharashtra police failed to crack before it was transferred to CBI.

Pansare, a senior CPI leader, was attacked motorbike-borne assailants in 2015. The leftist leader succumbed to bullet injuries four days later.
The NDA government on Wednesday announced a special financial package for the development of Andhra Pradesh in lieu of the special category status promised by the previous UPA government at the time of bifurcation of combined AP in June 2014.

The quantum of the financial package would be announced on Thursday.

Despite the pressure mounted by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the Centre has ruled out granting special category status to AP on the ground that the statute does not permit the same as per the recommendations of the 14th finance commission.

The financial package was finalised after a series of discussions between finance minister Arun Jaitely with his Cabinet colleagues M Venkaiah Naidu and YS Chowdary all through the day, besides telephonic talks with the chief minister in Vijayawada. After taking approval from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jaitely made a formal announcement at around 11 pm late in the evening.

The finance minister said the Centre would abide by the decision to implement all the assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act in letter and spirit.

Because of the constraints as per the 14th Finance Commission report, we might not be in a position to grant special category status to AP. However, we have decided to implement Special Assistance Measure, in such a way that it largely compensates the losses caused to the state for being denied the special category status. In fact, the benefits of this special package will be much more than what the state would have got had it been granted special category status, Jaitely told media, adding that the details of the package would be posted on the website of finance ministry on Thursday.

As the part of the special package, the Centre would bear the entire expenditure of the Externally Aided Projects, which would have been the case had the state been given the special category status. All the benefits the state would have got through special category status would be extended in the form of Central assistance. In a way, the assurance given by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the name of special category status for five years would be honoured in its true spirit, Jaitely said.

The finance minister announced that Polavaram major irrigation project on Godavari river had been declared as a national project and the entire expenditure with effect from April 1, 2014, would be borne by the Centre.

Andhra Pradesh, which financially suffered because of creation of separate state of Telengana in June 2014, will get also tax concessions, a special assistance and a railway zone, reports PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)

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The fiasco at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis first khat sabha in Uttar Pradesh where villagers attending the rally took away stringed cots may have raised questions about his partys strategy for the 2017 assembly elections.

But the embarrassment caused by the incident on Tuesday may only be short lived, as Gandhis 2,500 km-long Deoria to Delhi Kisan Yatra, during which he will cover 233 assembly constituencies, is evoking a good response and would bring into focus the issues that he has fought for over the years.

Its a very good beginning. I expect success at the end. The issues concerning loan waiver etc would definitely have an impact, Professor Manuka Khanna of Lucknow University said.

In Rudrapur assembly segment of Deoria, Gandhi promised to waive off farmers loan and cut power tariff by 50% if his party formed a government in UP.

Rahul Gandhi is a senior leader. He has been raising the issues concerning farmers. We have an old loan to pay and we are sure that Rahul will keep his promise of fighting for loan waiver, Pappu Nath Singh, a farmer in Rudrapur, said.

The Congress appears to have already taken steps to ensure that such incidents are not repeated at any of the khat sabhas to be organised in the coming days. In Kushinagar, where Gandhi went soon after his Deoria meet, things were normal. Party leaders assert that workers of different parties have been taking away banners and flags after political rallies. The move to take away the khats must be viewed only in the backdrop of such a political scenario.

However, a blame game has begun after the khat loot with some senior party leaders, including party MLA from Rudrapur Akhilesh Pratap Singh, accusing a section of media of the loot. While Singh said he had pictures to prove that some media persons provoked farmers to take away the khats, others are shifting the blame on party strategist Prashant Kishor saying he should have known and taken care while suggesting khat sabha during Gandhis show.

Despite the initial embarrassment, the Congress is also hopeful that the yatra would send good signals about the partys fight for the cause of farmers. Gandhi himself spoke about it and how his party with only 40 MPs forced the Narendra Modi government against making any changes in the land acquisition law that were amended at his behest during the UPA regime.

The Congress also proposes to get signatures of nearly two crore farmers on Mang Patras or charter of demands that the Congress workers are distributing to them listing their demands that include loan waiver, reduction in power tariff and higher support price for their produce.

As Gandhi embarked upon his yatra on Tuesday, he also went door to door get signatures of some farmers on the Mang Patras. The Congress has deployed 250 Mang Raths to distribute such blank charters and get the farmers signatures. Farmers are being given a counterfoil of the Mang Patra as a receipt and an assurance that the Congress would fulfil their demands if voted to power in the state.

After projecting Sheila Dikshit, a Brahmin, as chief ministerial candidate, the party was in a dilemma over focusing on caste issues. An emphasis on issues concerning farmers would ensure the partys acceptability among all the sections.

But, its only a beginning and the partys strategy of keeping the focus on these would be under test again in the coming days.

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The Congress may have its hands full in trying to make a mark in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls but the party now has a new worry  stopping villagers from stealing stringed wooden cots set up for meetings by vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress leader on Tuesday launched his 2,500km-long Deoria-Delhi Kisan Yatra to reach out to voters to revive the partys fortunes in the countrys most populous state that goes to the polls in early 2017.

But hours after the meeting, villagers could be seen decamping with the cots, leaving the party embarrassed. Each cot costs Rs 500-600 and the Congress will need at least 5,000 of them daily  as Gandhi is expected to hold one or more khat sabhas a day.

Around 3,000 cots were used in Deoria, party sources told HT. A second khat sabha was also organised during the day.

It is difficult to get an exact number of cots the party would need but sources said the Congress had called for five to six sets of at least 3,000 cots. The calculation is based on the cots being moved to the next venue but after Deoria, the party may be forced to redo the math.

Khats are extensively used to seat people at social gathering in this area and locals often borrow cots from neighbours to meet the shortfall. (PTI)

According to sources, vendors have arranged cots from Lucknow, Kanpur, some districts in west Uttar Pradesh and even neigbouring Bihar.

I got the order for supply of about 125 khats a fortnight ago. Im not sure whether these cots are being used in Rahul Gandhis sabha. I supplied the cots at Rs 500 a piece, said Mayaram, a local cot dealer.

Party functionaries are also using public address system, requesting people not to take away the cots. It is not about financial loss caused by the loot. This incident has shown the party in a bad light, a leader said.

The khats were made of bamboo and plastic rope and were for temporary use. These were supplied by a vendor who may have bought them from the local market, another leader said.

The Congress has been out of power in the state for more than two decades and is pinning its hopes on the Khat -- the local word for strung cots  sabhas.

Questions are being raised about poll strategist Prashant Kishor (PK), who has planned the campaign, for failing to take into account the local conditions while organising khat sabhas.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi meeting with farmers at Khat pe Charcha programme during his Kisan Yatra in Deoria. (PTI)

Team PK should have suggested that cots be borrowed from nearby villages instead of getting them from vendors, a party leader said.

Khats are extensively used to seat people at social gathering in this area and locals often borrow cots from neighbours to meet the shortfall.

The Congress is using the cots to get more and more villagers involved, a Congress leader said on condition of anonymity.

Kishor was the one who came with the famous chai pe charcha campaign for Narendra Modi in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He moved on to work with Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United) and was widely credited for the JD(U)-RJD Grand Alliances trouncing of the NDA in the Bihar polls last year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Vientiane, Laos on Wednesday to attend two important meetings  the 14th Indo-Asean summit and the East Asia forum.

Here are four things you need to know about the visit:

1) India-Asean summit

This is the third summit between India and the 10-nation grouping that Modi will be attending. The Asean countries--- Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines and Thailandremain central to Indias Act East policy. The Asean has a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion and an annual economic growth rate of 4.6%.

2) What kind of cooperation India has with Asean countries?

The cooperation between India and Asean bloc can be broadly classified into political, economic, security and cultural. The ties became a strategic partnership in 2012. At present, there are 30 official and seven ministerial meetings between India and the Asean. The total India- Asean trade is $6,404 billion. The security ties encompass maritime security, counter terrorism and cyber security. Many Asean countries have territorial disputes with China over South China Sea and they dont see the rise of Beijing as benign.

3) India East Asia summit

East Asia summit consist leaders of ten Asean countries plus China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, India, Russia and the US. As a bloc, the East Asia summit forum accounts for 55% of the global population and 55% of the global GDP. India is closely associated with the grouping in various fields of cooperation and it includes the setting up of Nalanda University.

4) South China sea dispute

Its that time of the year when talks on the need for a code of conduct in the South China sea rise to a fever pitch. But nothing substantial comes up subsequently. China claims almost all of the sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually. But the waters of the sea approach the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations.

The Philippine government on Wednesday released what it says are surveillance pictures of Chinese coast guard ships and barges at a disputed shoal in the South China Seaa charge promptly dismissed by the Chinese government.

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Two Kashmiri photojournalists were covering a rally in old city Srinagar on Sunday when pellets rained on them.

While Muzamil Matto escaped with a few pellets in his head as he ducked on seeing policemen aim guns on protesters, Zuhaib Ahmad had his whole body--including the left eye--pierced by the minute particles. Ahmad underwent an eye surgery and is recuperating at SMHS hospital.

The incident was the latest in a series of attacks on media personsboth by protestors and security forcesin the ongoing Kashmir turmoil. Journalists walk a very tightrope in Kashmir, said senior journalist Sheikh Mushtaq.

Photographers, always the first to be at the line of action, have bore the brunt repeatedly during the ongoing turmoil that by far killed 75 people, including two policemen.

Last week, policemen thrashed photojournalists in Batamaloo area of the city after an altercation over taking snaps of the protest. In south Kashmirs Bijbehara town last month, photojournalist Muneeb-ul-Islam was allegedly assaulted by security personnel while covering a stone-pelting incident.

Senior photographer Farooq Javed Khan said policemen presume photographers to be mob inciters. Thats wrong. Clashes happen without us in the spot, added Khan, who is president of Kashmiri Press Photographers Association.

During the longest spell of curfew in Kashmirs history, journalists often got into heated exchanges with security forces as they travelled across restricted areas of the city. Last month, when Sumaiya Yousuf, who reports for Rising Kashmir, faced harassment from a police party led by an IPS officer when she was returning home at night.

When HT asked IGP (Kashmir) SJM Gillani about repeated attacks of media-persons in the last two months, he promised action. We are enquiring into whatever complaints, he said.

The protestors, too, attack reporters and photographers, believing journalists either distort news or provide information to security agencies.

Danish Bin Nabi of Rising Kashmir was thrashed by attendants of patients at the SMHS hospital when he went to report on victims of police firing. A reporter with Indian Express and a senior photographer with an international photo agency also faced the same fate at the hospital.

Nabi told HT he sensed alienation and distrust for the national media. When boys were slapping me, can you explain that not all media house are the same, Nabi asks.

Mushtaq finds nothing new in security forces targeting journalists. Whats new is the common Kashmiris anger against the media, he says.

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) cannot investigate alleged excesses by armed forces in militancy-affected areas such as Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir because the panel is a recommendatory body, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi rebutted the NHRCs offer to probe more than 1,500 alleged extra-judicial killings in Manipur and said even the top court cannot transplant any powers on the panel.

It amounts to judicial legislation and will have a deleterious effect on the Army fighting against all odds in difficult terrain, Rohatgi told a bench of justices MB Loukur and UU Lalit.

In July, the court had held that the alleged extra-judicial killings by the Army and Manipur police required a thorough probe. However, there was no decision on which agency shall conduct the inquiry.

NHRC counsel Gopal Subramanium told the bench that the commission was ready to conduct the probe. Nobody should have an apprehension to an independent inquiry.

But Rohatgi opposed the suggestions, saying the army will conduct its own inquiry against those allegedly named in the cases.

If there is a line of control (LoC), nowhere it is said (in law) whether you should fire here or there, Rohatgi told the bench when it suggested that NHRC was empowered to probe encounters.

Only the Centre has the right to conduct a probe to determine the truth.

We have the right to do otherwise it will lead to a serious situation. People who have died, or retired cant have retrospective prosecution say from 1987. How can you have cross examination of such people? Rohatgi argued.

Read | Manipur sees ray of hope in SC ruling on Afspa

The bench, however, said it was referring to encounters in the heart of Imphal and not at the LoC.

Explaining his submissions Rohatgi said it would be judicially improper to determine whether an encounter in an insurgent-affected area was genuine or not.

With regard to NHRCs powers, the law officer asserted it can only make recommendations. The Centre or State is bound to place the recommendations and annual reports before the Parliament or the legislature.

The Central government has a right not to accept but has to table it in Parliament, which is a supreme body, reflecting the peoples will. No question of recommendations (NHRC) being binding, Rohatgi reiterated.

Read | Cops pick up Manipuri woman editor fasting against Afspa

When the court asked if it was mandatory for the government to implement NHRCs order directing states to compensate, the AG said on humanitarian ground such directions are not rejected.

Recommendations should also have a value. Otherwise the recommendations will be useless. They (NHRC) must have the ancillary power to conduct any type of investigations, the bench noted on Rohatgis submission and wondered whether Parliament ever debated the commissions report.

The AG said merely because the NHRC is headed by a former CJI it does not mean that statutory provisions should be ignored.

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In a fresh escalation in the continuing Indo-Pak war of words, army chief General Raheel Sharif has spoken about raining bullets on people in the Kashmir Valley and made veiled references to India by talking of covert and overt intrigues of enemies.

Describing Kashmir as Pakistans lifeline, he said the true solution to the Kashmir issue lies not in raining bullets upon people in the Valley but in heeding to their voices and respecting their aspirations.

Kashmir issue can only be resolved by implementing the UN Resolutions, he said during a ceremony marking Defence Day in Rawalpindi yesterday.

Kashmir is Pakistans lifeline and we shall continue our diplomatic and moral support to the freedom movement at all levels, Raheel said.

Efforts to internationalise issue

As part of Pakistans efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs special envoy has briefed the Human Rights Council President and the ICRC President in Geneva on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.

Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Chairman Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly who is currently visiting Geneva as the Prime Ministers special envoy, briefed the Geneva international community on the grave human rights situation in Kashmir on Tuesday, a Pakistan Foreign Office statement said.

The alarming impact of pellet gun injuries leading to dead eyes phenomenon on the peaceful protesters was also highlighted, it said. He emphasised the importance of implementation of UN Security Councils resolutions that recognise Jammu and Kashmir as disputed territory and call for a free and fair plebiscite for the realisation of the right to self- determination of Kashmiris.

Leghari is part of the 22 parliamentarians nominated by Prime Minister Sharif as special envoys to be dispatched to world capitals to highlight the Kashmir situation.

Backing the demand for self-determination in Kashmir, Raheel said the oppressed people of the Valley are once again suffering worst form of state terrorism and repression for demanding their due rights.

In a veiled reference to India, he said Pakistan was aware of conspiracies by enemies.

Covert and overt intrigues

We are fully aware of all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of our enemies. Be the challenge military or diplomatic, be the danger on the borders or within the cities, we know our friends and foes all too well. We know well how to abide by bonds of friendship and how to avenge upon our enemies, Raheel said.

Pakistani armed forces are fully capable of defending Pakistan in conventional and non-conventional warfare, and from any internal or external threat, he said.

Pakistans defence had been strong in the past but now it is impregnable, Raheel said, adding that Pakistan wants good relations with all the neighbouring countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

He said the key to regional peace is balance of power.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is the symbol of mutual respect for countries, which will ensure progress not only in Pakistan but also in the entire region, Raheel said.

He said the security and timely completion of CPEC is the national duty, and no power will be allowed to disrupt it.

The army chief said Pakistan has been sincerely playing its role for peace in Afghanistan as peaceful Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan. Effective border management with Afghanistan is a priority of Pakistan, which will help achieving the goal of durable peace, he said.

Some opportunistic elements are trying to create an environment of distrust, but they will not succeed, he said.

Referring to terrorism in Pakistan, Raheel said the right of state has been established across the country as a result of over 19,000 military operations against terrorists.

Federal Ministers, parliamentarians, the services chiefs, ambassadors, and other prominent personalities attended Defence Day ceremony which is observed in Pakistan to mark the 1965 war with India.
The uneasy relationship between two cadre-based organisations, ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is set to worsen further with the state governments plan to ban shakhas (Sanghs physical training and learning sessions) in temples across the state.

In Kerala, RSS activities are more or less confined to temples. With more than 5,000 shakhas, the state has the maximum number of shakhas in the country. Any move to restrict these shakhas is likely vitiate ties between the two.

The state government is planning to bring a new law to ban shakhas in temples owned by devasom boards. The state temple affairs ministry has sought the help of law ministry to bring an effective law. We have received complaints that RSS workers are using temple premises for weapons training and storing arms. The government cant allow this anymore, said state temple affairs minister Kadakampally Surendran.

However RSS-BJP leaders ridiculed the move saying Marxists who never believed in any religion or god have no right to control believers. During Emergency, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had tried unsuccessfully to ban activities of RSS. The CPI(M)s plan to weaken Sangh activities wont succeed in Kerala, said BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, also a former RSS pracharak.

Though the minister has cited complaints about illegal activities of RSS, the main reason cited is the fear of the CPI(M) that the RSS was using places of worships to help BJP make inroads in Hindu vote bank. With poll-bruised opposition Congress finding it hard to stand on its own the CPI(M) fears that saffron party will fill the vacuum. Sensing trouble the CPI(M) is in a race with saffron forces to conduct religious festivals in the state.

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Four people have been arrested for beating up police officer and trying to drown him in a lake at Kalyan during Ganesha immersion on Tuesday night. The four men were booked for attempt to murder after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

The accused are Bandesh Datta Gaikwad,21, Nayan Dilip Gaikwad,22, and Nareah Mahadu Gaikwad,32 and Rahul Vishwanath Gaikwad,30 belong to the same family and are all residents of Kalyan.

After their arrests, all four confessed to the crime and will be produced in court on Thursday.

Around 9:30pm on Tuesday, the police received complaints that a group had stopped immersion at a lake in Teesgaon, but devotees were arriving in batches and the crowd was growing.

The accused, all members of the Jari Mari Ganesh Utsav Mandal, allegedly kept their idol near a barricade, which halted the whole process. When they were asked to join the queue, they objected.

The place was getting crowded. It was then that sub inspector Nitin Dhagle, the officer on duty, decided to get the immersion process started again, said an official from the Kolshewadi police station.

The official said the four accused jumped the barricade and pushed Dhagle into the lake. He was beaten up and one of the men tried to jump on Dhagle to drown him.

Dhagle managed to save himself, but not before he was also attacked by the other three. Dhagle suffered from severe cramps and taken to a nearby hospital.

Police inspector Saju Jhon from Kolshewadi police station said, It is sad the officer was beaten up for doing his duty. He just asked the accused not to create any problem and requested them to immerse the idol, but they started arguing.

Full coverage: Ganesh Festival

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The ministry of external affairs summoned Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit on Wednesday over the cancellation of an event scheduled to be attended by Indian high commissioner Gautam Bambawale in Karachi.

Pak high commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned to the MEA and was conveyed the concern of the government of India on discourtesy to Indian high commissioner, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

He was conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance, he said.

Indian officials feel Bambawales comments on Pakistans interference in Kashmir rattled the Pakistani authorities, prompting a cancellation, a source told PTI on Tuesday. This is very disrespectful on the part of the organisers, an official said after the last-minute cancellation of the event.

On Monday, during an interactive session organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Bambawale had taken a swipe at Pakistan over its interference in Kashmir, saying people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.

There are problems in both India and Pakistan and you (Pakistan) should focus on resolving your problems before looking into the problems of other countries, he said.

Bambawale also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was looking forward to visit Pakistan in November to attend a Saarc Summit. New Delhi, however, said no decision had been made yet.
Militants attacked an army convoy in north Kashmirs Handwara in Kupwara district on Wednesday morning.

According to reports, three soldiers have been injured in the ambush. Details are still sketchy about the number of militants who attacked the convoy or whether there were any casualties among the attackers.

Terrorist attack on Army convoy Kralgund, in Handwara (Kupwara, J&K); three jawans injured (deferred visuals) pic.twitter.com/ZBfFkPJ287  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Police said that the convoy was heading for Baramulla when it was attacked by militants at Wudpora area. The details are pouring in. Police officials have rushed to the spot, the police control room Handwara said.

On August 17, two army personnel and a policeman were killed when militants attacked a security convoy on the national highway in Baramulla.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived on Wednesday in the Laotian capital to attend the Asean-India and the East Asia Summits to strengthen Indias trade and security ties with the strategic Southeast Asian region.

During his two-day visit, Modi is scheduled to have several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summits, beginning with an interaction with Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe today.

Greetings Vientiane! PM @narendramodi arrives in Laos for a packed 2 days of diplomacy pic.twitter.com/WMZReRzdpB  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 7, 2016

The host nation, Laos will organise a gala dinner this evening for all heads of state. This will be followed by Modis bilateral talks with Laotian counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith.

The talks between the two leaders are likely to focus on terrorism, maritime security, disaster management, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). India has been seeking to join the exclusive 21-member APEC.

This is the third time that Modi is attending the two summits.

Asean is a key partner for our Act East policy, which is vital for the economic development of our Northeastern region, Modi had said in a statement in New Delhi ahead of the Summits.

East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region, he had said.

India is a founding member of the East Asia Summit.

Steps to be taken based on the three pillars of politico-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation will be the focus of talks at the 14th ASEAN-India summit.

At the 11th East Asia Summit, leaders will discuss matters of regional and international interest and concerns including maritime security, terrorism, non-proliferation and irregular migration.
President Pranab Mukherjee revealed on Wednesday during a function that he had no knowledge about how Rashtrapati Bhavan functioned till the day he assumed office.

I had gone to Rashtrapati Bhavan a lot many times before I took over in connection with government work, but I did not know how the Presidents House functioned and what lay inside. I had even sent my daughter (Sharmistha) two days before I took oath to get an idea, he said.

Mukherjee recalled that he came to Delhi for the first time in July 1979 for taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member and stayed a stones throw away from Rashtrapati Bhavan for 43 years.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan museum which opens to public on October 2, will have on display the gifts and treasures housed inside the British era structure, he said.

The museum will be made operational on October 2. It will house gifts presented by visiting heads of state, foreign dignitaries like prime ministers, foreign ministers, defence ministers, Mukherjee said as he thanked eminent Bengali writer Prof Ranjan Banerjee who spent seven days in Rashtrapati Bhavan as part of the In-Residence programme initiated by the President.

So far, 140 people, including bright students from IITs, NIITs, innovators, have stayed here as part of the programme, he said on Tuesday night.

Mukherjee also gave an insight into the set-up in the Presidents House, including Durbar Hall, Ashoka Hall, Banquet Hall, their use for various state events, the Library, one of his favourite places, and the area where the British Viceroys stayed.

Not five, but even 15 years are not enough to peruse the books housed in the Library, Mukherjee, a voracious reader and an ex-college professor, said.

The bedrooms in the area where the Viceroy stayed are so large that one cannot get sleep there, he quipped.

Prof Banerjee, who writes on Rabindranath Tagore, 19th century renaissance in Bengal and other litterateurs like Michael Madhusudan Dutta, shared his thoughts on the works of the Nobel Laureate and other writers during the interaction.
No question regarding the status of the two Italian marines alleged to have shot dead two Indian fishermen was raised during external affairs minister Sushma Swarajs visit to Rome last weekend, the government said on Wednesday.

No such assurance was sought or given, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted in response to a query.

Marines remain under jurisdiction of Supreme Court of India. Matter is under arbitration.

India-Italy relations have been frosty for the past four years after the two Italian marines aboard a cargo vessel allegedly shot two fishermen dead off the Kerala coast mistaking them for pirates.

Both marines have since received conditional permission from the Supreme Court, which directed they would have to return if summoned.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the Modi government saying those who took away cots were being branded as thieves while industrialists like Vijay Mallya who escaped with Rs 1,000 crore was being labelled a defaulter.

Using Tuesdays khat loot incident in Deoria to attack the Modi government, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said that those who took away cots were being branded as thieves while the liquor baron who escaped with Rs 1,000 crore was being called a defaulter.

When people like Vijay Mallya escape from the country with Rs 1,000 crore they are referred to as defaulters. BJP and media label poor farmers as thieves when they take away cots, said Gandhi while addressing farmers during the khat sabha in Gorakhpurs Sant Kabir Nagar. Gandhi was referring to Tuesdays incident at Deoria where villagers took away nearly 1,000 stringed cots  khats in local parlance  after his rally.

The Congress vice-president, who is undertaking about a month-long 2500-km mahayatra from Deoria to Delhi that started on Tuesday, is highlighting the plight of farmers.

As part of the yatra, Khaat Sabha (Charpoy meetings) are being organised for Rahul to interact with farmers.

On Wednesday, Gandhi again raised the issue of PM Narendra Modis suit which he wore during his visit to the US.

Modijis suit was sold for several crores of rupees but he does not have time to waive off loan of farmers, he said.

The Modi government waived off loans of industrialists which were to the tune of Rs 1.4 lakh crore but ignored the poor farmers. The UPA government had written off farm loan of Rs 70,000 crore, he added.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi also met Japanese encephalitis patients and took out a road show in Gorakhpur and used both the occasions to hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing the gathering after the road show, Gandhi said that the Prime Minister was busy with his foreign tours while the farmers were crying for help.

Kisan trast hain, Modiji mast hain (Farmers are suffering while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is carefree). Modiji is touring China, USA and Japan. He likes foreign trips, its okay. But we want him to think about farmers, he said.

I have started Kisan yatra to highlight farmers problems. I will discuss issues related to farmers in Delhi and build pressure on Modiji to solve their problems, he said.

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BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Wednesday said demand for a political solution to the Kashmir issue, was mere a slogan raised by romantic people and asserting that those who do not believe in the Indian constitution will be dealt with firmly.

Taking a tough stand on separatists, the saffron partys pointsman on Jammu and Kashmir claimed they are not interested in finding a solution to the ongoing unrest in the Valley and enjoy fuelling violence and getting innocents killed.

We need a particular security culture in this country. This we terribly lack. As a nation we are a romantic people. We are very happy with slogans. We do not know what we mean when we make statements. Every leader tirelessly makes this statement that we have to have a political solution... Political solution is simple and final that J&K is an integral part of India, he said at an event on homeland security.

Amid demands by a number of parties that the government hold talks with all stakeholders, he said, There is no alternative to talks. In strategic discourse it is sometimes said while talking is a part of strategy, not talking is also a part of strategy. As part of a strategy you dont talk. As part of romance you have to talk always.

Even if the doors are not open, still you have to go. You need two people for talks. We need a particular strategic culture to be nurtured in this country.

Madhav was apparently referring to separatists refusal to meet some opposition leaders who were part of an all-party delegation that had gone to Srinagar.

Our governments policy is clear. Militants and terror will be dealt with sternly and those who do not believe in the Constitution of India will be treated firmly, he later told reporters.

Lashing out at separatists, he said, They want violence and get innocents killed. They do not want solution. Solution is possible only if they talk. They are not ready for it. They are not ready to open even their doors. They enjoy fuelling violence and getting innocents killed.

Read: Ask for the moon but within Indian constitution: Ram Madhav on Kashmir situation

Asked about the demand made at a meeting on Wednesday of the all-party delegation of MPs, which recently visited Jammu and Kashmir, for talking to all stakeholders, Madhav said home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to over 300 people during the teams stay in the state and added they are talking to those who believe in the Indian Constitution.

The Jammu and Kashmir government, he added, has kept its doors open to all citizens of the state.
After hosting a renowned litterateur, the Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be a temporary home to an artist and a sculptor as part an in-residence programme launched by President Pranab Mukherjee in December 2013.

Painter Paresh Maity will be at the presidents estate in the national capital from September 21, and sculptor Subodh Gupta will check-in towards the end of the year, said Venu Rajamoni, press secretary to the President.

As part of the unique programme envisaged to encourage the creative potential of people, two schemes were launched by the President to welcome creative persons, including writers, artists and innovation scholars to stay in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Last month, Man Booker prize winner Amitav Ghosh was the Presidents guest and spent five days at the worlds second-largest presidential estate after Turkey.

Maity and Gupta, both in their 50s, are residents of Delhi but enjoy a global fame in their respective fields.

I have lived at a stones throw from this building for more than 40 years. Yet this place remained unfamiliar to me. I was always curious to know what is there inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan. I also want others to know that, President Mukherjee said at a private dinner for in-resident writer Ranjan Banerjee on Tuesday, regarding the idea behind the initiative.

The in-residence programme provides an opportunity not just for eminent writers or artists, but also budding scientists and students to enjoy state hospitality and soak in the estates grandeur to fuel their creativity.

There is no hard and fast rule that the resident has to produce some work while staying here. Its entirely up to the guest to decide how he or she wants to spend time, said Rajamony.

The programme also gives the President the unique opportunity to have freewheeling interactions with eminent personalities, but it was a student that left an indelible impression on his mind.

While staying here, she invented a clock that will say at specific hours, take your medicine. I asked the student what prompted her to make such a clock? She said her mother had entrusted her with the responsibility to give medicines to her grand-dad. And it was initially difficult to remember the timings. The watch would give signals for taking medicine, said Mukherjee.

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The opposition parties urged the government on Wednesday to take multi-pronged steps to address the unrest in Kashmir. While the CPM demanded that India should restart dialogue with Pakistan, MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi stressed on political outreach and back-channel efforts to restore normalcy in the troubled valley.

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, a member of the delegation that visited Kashmir, said the Left parties want PM Narendra Modi to restart dialogue with Pakistan when he visits the country for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit in November.

At Wednesdays all-party meeting, Yechury also demanded withdrawal of AfspaS from civilian areas in Kashmir apart from lifting of curfew, a ban on pellet guns that have caused serious eye injuries, and the release of Hurriyat leaders.

Owaisi suggested 12 points to address the current unrest. He demanded a time-bound inquiry commission to be headed by someone like former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan, on the lines of Justice SR Pandian panel that looked into the killing of eight people in the police firing at Brackpora in south Kashmir on April 3, 2000. The panel indicted three J&K police and four CRPF personnel for firing on protestors demanding exhumation of bodies of five people allegedly killed as foreign militants at Pathribal in Anantnag district.

As confidence building measures (CBMs), Owaisi also asked the ruling side to ask Lakshadweep administrator Farooq Khan to withdraw his plea in the J&K high court, seeking repeal of Article 370 that accords special status to the state.

Similarly, the Hyderabad MP said the BJP should ask the RSS to withdraw its case in Supreme Court regarding Article 35(A), saying the move will send a strong and positive message to Kashmir. A Delhi-based NGO, We the citizens, had filed a petition for declaring unconstitutional the Article 35(A) that gives special rights and privileges to natives of J&K and empowers its legislature to make any law without inviting a challenge on ground that it violates right to equality of people from other states or any other right under the Indian Constitution.

On his part, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the central government should not ignore the mainstream parties of J&K in the dialogue process.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi should run a government for the poor and look into the plight of the farmers who are crying, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said on the second day of his yatra in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

He claimed that Modi waived loans to the tune of Rs 1.10 lakh crore of big industrialists and rich people in the past two years while he forgot the plight of farmers who are carrying the burden of the entire country.

In the past two years, Narendra Modi has waived loans of Rs 1.10 lakh crore. Not of small farmers but of big industrialists and rich people. If Modiji wants to waive loans of the rich, it is his decision. He is the Prime Minister and he can do so. We are not against it.

We have only one demand. You should not run a suit-boot sarkar. You should run a government for the poor. If you want to waive loans of big industrialists, then do it for farmers too. Dont forget the farmer, because the farmer is crying, big industrialists are not, he told reporters.

He said there are reports from various states that farmers are committing suicide due to scarcity of water, issues of fertiliser, loans, MSP and power.

In our khaat sabha, the farmers told us that the government should take the burden on their shoulders. There is no burden on big industrialists, but the farmer is carrying the burden of the entire country on his shoulders. That is why we started this yatra, he said.

Seeking to strengthen the partys base in Uttar Pradesh ahead of next years Assembly election, Gandhi kicked off a month-long mahayatra during which he would traverse 2,500 kms across the state to hear out the farmers and give voice to them in highlighting their plight.

He said Congress was not in power at the Centre and in the state, thus it could not help the farmers directly.

But we will raise their voice through agitation, he said.

Our only target is to put pressure on the Prime Minister and the NDA/BJP government and we want loans to be waived, just as we waived Rs 70,000 crore (during our tenure). We will put pressure on them. We will travel from here to Delhi and talk to farmers, listen to their problems and understand them and take them to Modiji, he said.

Congress has been out of power for the last 27 years in Uttar Pradesh, where Assembly polls are due early next year.
The Supreme Court directed all police departments in India on Wednesday to upload copies of first information reports on their official website within 24 hours, a move expected to make the legal system more transparent and people friendly.

The decision will protect the interests of the suspects and their families, putting a stop to corrupt practices by police, which often demand money to give copies of FIRs to the accused, experts said. The law mandates authorities to furnish the accused with a copy of the complaint.

A bench of justice Dipak Misra and justice C Nagappan clarified that FIRs related to cases of terror, insurgency, sexual offences and involving the right to privacy would not be uploaded. This decision, the court said, shall not be taken by an officer below the rank of deputy superintendent of police.

This is the second major direction on FIRs by the top court. A five-judge constitution bench had in November 2013 ordered mandatory registration of FIRs  without a preliminary inquiry  in case of serious offences such as murder and rape.

The SC said in case of an internet connectivity problem  such as in the Northeast or Jammu and Kashmir  the time to upload the FIR could be extended to 48-72 hours.

A failure on the part of the police to comply with the SC direction would not be cited as a ground to seek relief from trial courts. The order would come into effect from November 15.

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A government school was gutted during clashes in Kulgam district on Wednesday, with locals alleging it was due to the use of tear gas shells by security forces.

While the police control room in Kulgam confirmed that Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Mirhama area of the district was gutted when forces and civilians clashed in the area, it did not comment on why the fire started.

Local residents, however, said tear gas shells were fired to break up the rally in the school compound.

The district saw pro-Azaadi rallies through the day and clashes followed. Although scores of people suffered injuries, a senior health official said at least seven people were injured by pellets but were stable.

In a separate incident in the district, a 70-year-old man died of a probable cardiac arrest after clashes took place in the Chawalgam area of the district.

Although locals said that the death occurred after firing of tear gas shells and sounds of loud explosions occurred in the area, police did not comment on the reason behind the death.

A district health official told HT that since the body was not brought to the block hospital, the exact reason of the death could not be ascertained.

Clashes also occurred in south Kashmirs Anantnag and Pulwama districts and north Kashmirs Kupwara district. Scores were reported to be injured.
You may soon no longer need to carry a physical copy of your licence and vehicle registration certificate while driving. Instead, you can opt for a digital driving licence and registration certificate stored in a digital locker that can be accessed on a mobile phone or laptop.

The new scheme will be supported by DigiLocker, an initiative under the NDA governments Digital India programme that provides a platform for online storage of documents and certificates.

The new scheme hopes to eliminate the use of physical documents and increase transparency and accountability as many people complain that theyre forced to bribe authorities because theyre not carrying the document, despite possessing valid papers.

The system will not only eliminate corruption but is also a mega step towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modis Digital India drive. Citizens can use this at airports as a valid identity document, Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari said at the launch of the new initiative on Wednesday.

If someone is stopped, he or she can show the driving licence on a mobile phone. This will benefit the common masses and ensure a corruption-free, transparent system devoid of red tape. Crores will benefit.

But a possible hitch in the system is Indias notoriously poor internet services, which is necessary for digilocker to work. Web penetration in India is less than 20%, less than half of that of China, and prohibitively high data prices stop many users from accessing the internet.

Senior Delhi Traffic Police officials said it wasnt clear whether producing original driving documents was mandatory under law. But in 2012, the department asked officers to fine drivers carrying photocopied documents.

It is directed that vehicles be impounded or fined if the driver is not carrying original documents. The driver of the vehicles may be subjected to appropriate prosecution, the order read.

Citizens who sign up for a digiLocker account get dedicated cloud storage space that can be used for storing documents such as voter ID, driving licence and vehicle registration certificates.

Having a digital licence and registration will ensure that if a traffic cop stops a user and wants to check their documents, they can verify the license directly from a mobile phone at the spot.

Opening a digilocker is free and users will have to download the mobile app. The DigiLocker integration with driving licence (DL) and vehicle registration certificate (RC) will make available over 190 million RCs and approximately 100 million DLs registered with road transport ministry.
The Supreme Court will take up the case of encounter killings in Manipur on Wednesday, but is yet to appoint an agency to probe the matter.

In July this year, the apex court had ruled that all incidents involving suspected use of excessive and retaliatory force by the army in Manipur must be investigated.

Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, the counsel who assisted the court in the matter, is likely to present her data on 62 cases to the bench headed by Justice MB Lokur. In its July verdict, the court had directed Guruswamy to prepare a tabular statement indicating the status of inquiry into the cases documented by the petitioner.

The army and paramilitary personnel cannot use excessive or retaliatory force even in areas where the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) had been notified, the order said.

On the Centres submission that a war-like situation exists in Manipur, the bench said militants and ambushes would not lead to a conclusion on the existence of a war or war-like conditions.

If such a blanket proposition were accepted, it would reflect poorly on our armed forces that they are unable to effectively tackle a war-like situation for the last almost six decades. It would also reflect poorly on the Union of India, as unable to resort to available constitutional provisions and measures to bring a war-like situation under control, the court had said.

The case was filed in the top court by the Extra Judicial Execution Victims Families Association, a registered trust with the wives and mothers of persons whom they claim have been extra-judicially executed by the Manipur police and the security forces (mainly the Assam Rifles and the Army) as its members.

The petitioner alleged 1,528 extra-judicial killings by the army and other security forces during 2010-12 in Manipur.

The petitioner said the forces had escaped punishment because they operated under the AFSPA, which grants special powers to the armed forces to arrest, conduct searches and seizures and also provides immunity from prosecution.

The court also took notice of the NHRCs claim that it was a toothless tiger and agreed to examine the issue in order to accord more authority to the rights body.
Welcoming Indias growing role in the Asia-Pacific region, the US has said it will continue to work with other countries in the region for addressing political and security challenges.

Weve elevated our ties with India across the board, and we welcome Indias growing role in the Asia Pacific, Obama said in a major policy speech on the Asia-Pacific region in Laos on Monday, in a first visit to the country by a US President.

Obama said that the US has deployed more of their advanced military capabilities to the region to deter aggression, including ships and aircraft to Singapore

By the end of the decade, a majority of our Navy and Air Force fleets will be based out of the Pacific and our allies and partners are collaborating more with each other as well. So our alliances and defence capabilities in the Asia Pacific are as strong as theyve ever been, he said.

Weve also forged deeper ties with emerging economies and emerging powers. With Indonesia and Malaysia, were promoting entrepreneurship, opposing violent extremism and were addressing environmental degradation, he said.

With my recent visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, weve shown our commitment to fully normalising our relationship with Vietnam, Obama said.

Weve deepened our cooperation with regional institutions, especially here in southeast Asia. And as part of our new strategic partnership with ASEAN, weve agreed to key principles, including that ASEAN will remain central to peace, prosperity and progress in the Asia Pacific, Obama said.

The US is now part of the East Asia Summit, and together weve made it the leading forum in the region for addressing political and security challenges, including maritime security, he said.

On relationship with China

Obama said the US has worked to build a constructive relationship with China.

Our two governments continue to have serious differences in important areas. The US will remain unwavering in our support for universal human rights, but at the same time, weve shown that we can work together to advance mutual interests.

The US and China are engaged across more areas than ever before -- such as preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, our shared commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and to our historic leadership together on climate change, he said.

So I will say it again: The United States welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful and stable and prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs, because we believe that will benefit all of us, he added.

In other words, the US is more deeply engaged across the Asia Pacific than we have been in decades. Our position is stronger. And weve sent a clear message that, as a Pacific nation, were here to stay. In good times and bad, you can count on the United States of America, Obama said.
The US is likely to respond positively to Indias request for 22 unarmed high-tech multi- mission Predator Guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean, sources here have said.

The move comes after India was designated a major defence partner of the US in June.

Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama at the White House in early June, the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR) in February to Department of Defense towards purchase of 22 high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian UAVs.

This was the first major request of arms sale purchase by India after Obama designated New Delhi as a major strategic defence partner.

The US government has not made a formal decision on it yet, but is believed to have started an inter agency process on the Indian request.

According to sources, the administration believes that an approval of such a major military sale would help in sealing Indian US defence relationship, bring in a new level of comfort between the two militaries and would be considered as a lasting legacy not only for India but also for the Asia-Pacific pivot of the outgoing president.

Officials here believe the sale of predator Guardian UAVs would act as a force multiplier for Indias maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region; which of late has become one of the key American objective in the Asia Pacific region.

Top governmental sources confirmed that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had detailed discussions on predator Guardian UAV to fulfill maritime surveillance requirements.

Parrikar was in the US last week and held meetings with Carter at the Pentagon on August 29.

During the meeting, Carter is understood have assured Parrikar he would personally champion Indias request within the system, sources said.

Sources indicate along with the White House, the Pentagon and some influential members of the US are keen to complete the process as soon as possible before Obama leaves his presidency next January.

However, a section within the State Department have to be convinced that this is in the interest of the US national security as well. This maritime capability will be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy who has procured other advance technologies including Boeing P-8 aircraft.

The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not do not exist in the current Indian Navy arsenal.
Irked over the failure of Uttar Pradesh government and Jal Nigam to providing potable water and healthcare in six western districts, the National Green Tribunal lambasted the authorities on Wednesday, asking them to behave and saying that they had no respect for human lives.

The green panel said the concerned authorities have not taken any action to provide requisite medical care to residents in villages of Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad and Saharanpur districts.

What steps have you taken for the healthcare of people living in the area. Tell us what test did you perform on the people to ascertain their diseases? How can you establish the disease without conducting the tests? You people take the lives of people so formally as if it is some file on your table. You better behave yourself, a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

The green panel also pulled up the chief medical officer of Baghpat and asked him about the steps taken by him to medically examine people affected by drinking polluted water.

Did you take blood samples from residents and analyse the cause of their diseases? Why didnt you do it? They will not go to your house to give their blood samples, it is your duty to approach them. Its your responsibility. You have no respect for human lives, the bench said.

The NGT asked Akhilesh Yadav government to consult Central Ground Water Authority and conduct scientific analysis of water in all the six districts suffering from water pollution and submit a report before the next date of hearing on October 21.

The green panel also directed the removal of hand pumps releasing contaminated groundwater in these areas and ordered the district administration to ensure availability of potable water to villagers.

During the hearing, advocate Gaurav Bansal, appearing for petitioner scientist CV Singh, referred to an analysis report filed by UP government that said that arsenic was 4000 times in excess than the permissible limits in the vllages of Baghpat district.

Singh had claimed that farmers and poor villagers were facing health hazards as they were forced to drink highly contaminated ground water in these six districts.

On the last date of hearing, the tribunal had issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and Jal Nigam to show cause why penalties should not be imposed on them for their failure to provide clean drinking water in the six western districts.
A local court on Tuesday ordered unsealing of a luxury hotel and asked the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) to reconstruct the part of the structure that was demolished by the civic body.

The sealing of the former royal palace, which now houses the Rajmahal Palace Hotel, had sparked a turf war between the royal family and the BJP government in the state and angered the Rajput community which had ruled swathes of the desert state for several centuries.

Terming the JDAs action illegal and unconstitutional, additional district and sessions judge Kailash Mishra ordered the civic body, which had razed part of the structure on August 24, to restore it within a month.

A JDA official present in court told HT on condition of anonymity that the authority will appeal against the judgment.

Narendra Singh, Diya Kumaris husband and a member of the former royal family, said the courts decision had established the familys contention that the JDA action was illegal. We have full faith in the chief minister and judiciary, he said.

The royal family, now led by Rajmata Padmini Devi, claims that the palace is one of the properties given to them under the covenant signed during the merger of the states in 1949.

The government says it acquired the land in 1993 and was just starting the acquisition process.

After the JDA took possession of 12 bighas of land of the heritage property, Rajputs had taken out a protest rally led by Rajmata Padmini Devi, mother of BJP MLA from Sawai Madhopur Diya Kumari, and Jaipurs titular king Padmanabh Singh, on September 1.

The former royal moved court against the JDA move, calling it immoral and repressive.

After a meeting with Padmini Devi on Saturday, chief minister Vasundhara Raje had constituted a four-member committee to address the issue. On Sunday, the Rajasthan government unsealed the gate on the panels recommendation.

JDA commissioner Shikhar Agarwal, who had a spat with Diya Kumari when the structure was razed, was absent from the site when enforcement officer Kishore Singh opened the gate.
A last-minute text informing fliers that their flight will take off ahead of schedule, finding another person assigned to their seat and arriving three hours late - this was what fliers on the Chennai-bound Air India flight from Mumbai on Tuesday had to contend with.

Flight AI 094 was scheduled to take off at 6.15pm. However, some fliers received a text stating that the flight would leave at 4.55pm.

It caused widespread confusion as check-in counters for domestic flights are shut 45 minutes ahead of take-off. We had barely reached the airport when I got that message. I ran to the airline counter only to be told that the flight will leave at the original scheduled time but via Bengaluru, said Mulund resident Mahalaxmi Ganesh.

According to airline sources the back-and-forth was done to accommodate a few Bangalore-bound passengers whose flight was cancelled ostensibly owing to a protest by some pilots.

An AI spokesperson said that the Bangalore and Chennai flights had to be combined for operational reasons.

Clubbing the two flights worsened the chaos. More than one person had been allotted the same seat. When I asked a cabin crew personnel why the flight was being routed through Bengaluru she was clueless and said she was scheduled to operate a flight to Delhi, said another passenger.

The duplication of a few seats happened owing to clubbing of flights, said the AI spokesperson.

The flight  scheduled to reach Chennai at 8.40pm  landed at 11.35 pm. Luckily my brother came to pick me up because I went for a wedding. It is unsafe to travel from the airport that late, added Ganesh who was travelling with her 11-year-old daughter.

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The Maharashtra governments plan to have a uniform power tariff in Mumbai and its suburbs may get delayed further because Reliance Energy, that supplies electricity mainly to the suburbs, has opposed the proposal. The firm objected to it citing financial loss to the tune of Rs 150 crore as the reason.

The move was opposed even though the state government had proposed a uniform tariff only for low-end residential consumers who use power not more than 100 units per month. Earlier, the government planned on a uniform tariff for consumers who used less than 300 units per month. Other power distribution firms  BEST, Tata and Mahadiscom (Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited) agreed to a uniformity in power tariff.

Chandrashekhar Bawankule, state energy minister said only Reliance was opposing the proposal citing financial loss. ``The government is still trying to persuade the firm. I feel if Reliance reduces its administrative expenses the proposal will be practical for it as well, Bawankule argued.

Tariff determination is the prerogative of the MERC. RInfras views on URT (Uniform Retail Tariff) are consistent with that of MERC. We are not against implementation of uniform tariff but at the same time, we want to protect the interest of all the consumers, a Reliance Energy spokesperson told HT in response to a mail.

Till date, the government held three meeting on the issue but failed to persuade the power firm. It is now considering intervening and issuing directives to the firms to start implementation of a uniform tariff, if the new power tariffs proposed by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) get approved. The state had sent the uniform tariff plan proposal to MERC in March this year.

The energy minister said if the firm (Reliance) does not agree to the proposal then they will intervene with the directives for implementation of uniform tariff as the state government possesses special powers for intervention in public interest.

The government is also firm on conducting financial audit for power firms  Reliance and Tata  to verify their claims, on the basis of which the power tariff was hiked by them in the last ten years, the energy minister reiterated.

The proposal is with the law and judiciary department and is expected to get clearance in the coming week. We are also ready for a legal fight, Bawankule said in view of the Delhi governments decision for CAG audit of power distribution firms that was later scrapped by the Delhi High Court.

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To avoid a re-run of the multi crore irrigation scam and to keep the existing contractor cartel at bay, the state government is looking at completing one of the biggest irrigation projects in the country, Gosikhurd through a public sector company, tagged as `Navratna company by the Government of India. Last week the state government decided to scrap 81 tenders of Gosikhurd project  94 tainted tenders in all  that were facing police probe or had been indicted for irregularities.

If this proposal by the water resources department goes through it will be a first for the Maharashtra government and could set an important precedent to break the contractor-official nexus in all public contracts especially in irrigation and roads sector.

``So far in irrigation projects the modus operandi has been to split a big project into several small tenders and then distribute this pie among favoured contractors. If we give the remainder of the Gosikhurd project to say National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBBC), we can be assured of quality and time deadlines. More importantly, we will circumvent any possibility of fudging of tenders, bias etc, said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

He added that if this pilot project works, the government could in the future consider giving more irrigation contracts to public sector companies. The water resources department proposal is likely to be tabled in the cabinet next week and currently is being circulated for opinion from other departments including finance.

The state cabinet last week had also approved a third cost escalation for Gosikhurd, a project that has been languishing for the last three decades. The project cost has been hiked by more than 50 times from Rs 372 crore in 1982 to Rs 18,494 crore now. Officials told HT that work worth Rs 9,500 crore of the project had already been completed and the main dam structure was almost ready. The balance civilian construction work is worth Rs 6,000 crore while acquisition and rehabilitation cost comes to around Rs 3,000 core (85 villages have been displaced by this project).

The decision to keep contractors at bay by taking away Rs 6,000 crore of works could upset many politically influential contractors, who now find their initial contracts cancelled and may not get a chance to win new bids.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is keen on completing this project by 2019 and as such its development is being tracked by the Chief Ministers war room on infrastructure. As a national project 90 per cent of the projects funds will come from the Centre. Gosikhurd project has the potential to create irrigation potential of 2.50 lakh hectares in three districts of Nagpur, Chandrapur and Bhandara of Vidarbha, facing an agrarian crisis.

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Although admissions to private medical colleges in the state are likely to be delayed further as the Bombay high court on Wednesday pushed the hearing on an ongoing case to Thursday, the court has made a move to ensure seats dont lie vacant due to this hold up. The HC has directed the government to prepare an all-India merit list of candidates based on their performance in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

This is in addition to the select list of candidates only from Maharashtra which is already being prepared.

We are as such racing against time, said the division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice MS Sonak while ordering for the second merit list. The judges said preparation of the second merit list  which will include candidates from outside Maharashtra as well  would help save time, meet the September 30 deadline.

The bench further clarified that neither of the lists shall be published till the time it decides on the bunch of petitions before it. During the course of hearing on the petitions on Wednesday, the judges questioned the rationale behind the state making domicile certificate mandatory for candidates seeking admission to medical and dental courses in private unaided medical colleges in Maharashtra and thus indirectly prevent candidates outside Maharashtra from getting admission.

The court sought to know if it was reasonable on part of the state to insist on domicile certificate especially when in this academic year, students are being chosen for admission to private unaided medical and dental colleges in Maharashtra on the basis of a national competitive examination  NEET.

One of the petitions is filed by Mahatma Gandhi Vidya Mandir Trust, which runs a dental college at Nasik, challenging validity of a rule framed by the state government under provisions of the Maharashtra Unaided Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fees) Act, 2015.

The petitioning trust has contended that though the Supreme Court has recognised right of private unaided medical and dental institutions to hold their own common entrance test (CET) and common admission process (CAP), the rule takes away their right to hold the CET and also to conduct the CAP.

As of now, the trust has, however, restricted its plea to challenging the rule which prohibits admission of students from outside Maharashtra to private unaided medical colleges by making the requirement of domicile certificate mandatory.

Acting on the petition the court has last week restrained the Directorate Medical Education and Research (DMER) from publishing the first merit list, which was scheduled to be released on September 3. Now, the court has further deferred the publication of the merit list until the matter is decided finally, because of which admissions to private medical and dental colleges in Maharashtra are likely to be delayed further.
The crime branch on Tuesday sought custody of preacher Mohammad Haneef - booked for radicalising youngsters from Kerala, who went on to join terror group Islamic State - to question him along with Arshi Qureshi and Rizwan Khan, the two other men booked in connection with case.

Haneef was arrested from Kerala in August, following a complaint filed by Abdul Majeed Kadar Khan, the father of one of the radicalised youth.

The court reserved its order on Haneef till Friday, while extending the custody of Qureshi, a former employee of televangelist Zakir Naiks Islamic Research Foundation, and preacher Khan till Friday, after the prosecution said they wanted to question them with Haneef. The prosecution told the court this would help decipher communication between them, which the lawyers believed was done in code.

As many as 21 people from Kerala have gone missing and are feared to have joined ISIS. The police suspect Qureshi was involved in brainwashing the young people, while Khans primary role was to draw up documents and conduct weddings. Qureshi, however, continues to claim he did not know any of the 21 missing youth.

The investigators also said they found bail bonds and conversion affidavits at Khans Kalyan home, which needed to be verified. The court was told there were several people involved in the case, and that investigators were looking into cases of conversion.

The defence, however, argued against granting the crime branch further custody of Khan and Qureshi, saying they had held them long enough.
The Ghaziabad police on Wednesday arrested a ninth accused in the August 11 attack on BJP leader Brijpal Teotia.

Manoj has been accused of planning and helping furnish the AK-47 used in the attack. He is one of the two prime accused in the case.

Manoj, who hails from Mehrauli village, was in Jaipur at the time of the attack. After the attack, he went to different places, including Ajmer, Pushkar, Arga and Rudrapur, to evade arrest.

The AK-47 used in the attack allegedly belonged to a slain ganster Rakesh Hasanpruiya, who was killed in a police encounter in April 2005. The weapon was passed onto Manoj and Manishs family four months ago.

Manoj was not part of the attack team but masterminded it He paid R2 lakh to his friend Shekhar Chaudhary and arranged 50-60 for cartridges and two pistols, said Rakesh Kumar Pandey, superintendent of police (rural).

Manoj fled to Jaipur before the attack as his family did not want him to get implicated directly. We traced his mobile there at the time of the attack, Pandey added.

To check for whether the police was looking for him, Manoj apparently put up six or seven surrender applications at the Ghaziabad court that he did not show up for, said Pandey.

After the attack, his cousin (and main assailant) Manish called him up and told about the attack. After that, Manoj made 22 calls to various persons and arranged for a car for his family to escape. He also tried to get a car arranged from one Vijay Bahadur, a history-sheeter, when the assailants stolen vehicle got stuck in the jungles of Modi Nagar after the attack, Pandey said.

Talking about the motive behind the attack, police said that the father of the main accused, Manish, was murdered in Delhi in 1999. Teotia was one of the several people named in the FIR of the attack. However, his name was cleared in the final police report.

Manish, however, held Teotia responsible for the murder and planned to attack him with his cousin Manoj.

Manishs mother Satbiri has also been named as an accused in the case for her alleged involved in criminal conspiracy, said police.

We have obtained a non bailable warrant against her. Her role was to instigate Manish to avenge his fathers death. She knew about the plan and motivated her son for revenge, said Pandey.

So far, police have arrested nine people and have obtained non-bailable warrants against the seven absconding accused.

Police officials said that Manoj was also named as an accused in a triple murder near Dasna jail in 1997 and had allegedly used AK-47 then.

He and his uncle Suresh Diwan were also among several accused name in the FIR. They were awarded life imprisonment but acquitted from the high court. We will be verifying the information when we take him on police remand, Pandey said.

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More than 24 hours have passed, but the police are yet to arrest any of the accused, who allegedly thrashed a Punjab Police head constable of the counter-intelligence wing on Monday morning at Natwal village here.

Also read | Ex-Akali sarpanch, accomplices thrash head constable in Batala

After being blamed of laxity, the Batala police somehow registered a case under sections 341(punishment for wrongful restraint), 353(assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty, 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332(voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 323(punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506(punishment for criminal intimidation), 148(rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149(every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of IPC and 27/54/59 of the arms Act against the prime accused Vikramjit Singh, a former Akali sarpanch and his accomplices, but they have failed to arrest any of the accused so far, which was raising a question mark on the working of the police.

Inspector general, counter- intelligence MF Farooqui on Tuesday went to the civil hospital here to enquire about the condition of the injured cop, Harpal Singh. After listening to him, the IG had asked senior superintendent of police (SSP) Daljinder Singh to add Section 308(attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the IPC against the accused and ensure their immediate arrest.

Later, talking to mediapersons, the IG said the department would teach a lesson to the accused and he had already deputed the AIG and the DSP to trace the accused. More than half-a-dozen teams of their department were working round-the-clock and raiding all the possible hide-outs of the accused, he added. It is pertinent to mention here that in 2013, the accused Vikramjit Singh had opened fire at a son of the then BJP councillor, Mohan Lal, after a petty dispute after which a case under section 307 IPC was registered against him but, later, both the parties had reached a compromise.

AAP backs injured head constable

After Congress MLA Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, AAP candidate from Fatehgarh Churrian Gurinder Singh Shampura also reached the hospital to meet Harpal Singh. He accused the police of working under political pressure and resisting to arrest the former Akali sarpanch, who openly thrashed Harpal Singh.

He alleged that it took more than 10 hours for the police to register a case against the politically influential Akali leader. You can ascertain the level of political pressure from the fact that the victim was mercilessly beaten up by the accused and surprisingly in stead of registering a case under Section 307 of the IPC, the police registered a case under sections 323, 324 of IPC. It was only after IG Farooquis intervention that Section 308 was added, he added.

Everyone knows that Vicky is close to top Youth Akali leader of the area and, under his pressure, the police were resisting to arrest him. If the accused was not arrested in two days, they will hold a protest against the police, he said.
Home is where the heart is. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has set his heart on Punjab, is set to settle down in Goraya, 33 km from Jalandhar, in the poll-bound states NRI hub of Doaba.

The shortlisted double-storeyed house on half an acre is located on National Highway-1 and owned by the Aam Aadmi Partys Punjab NRI cell convener Jagtar Singh Sanghera.

Also read | Action-packed Thursday: Sidhu to formally launch front; Kejriwal too in Punjab

Sanghera was once a loyalist of Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who was the Punjab AAP convener till a video sting sparked his exit from the party last month.

Though Sanghera cited security reasons to decline comment about Kejriwals moving in, his house on the outskirts of Goraya is vacant.

Must read | Kejriwal wants to be Punjab CM: Sacked AAP state chief Chhotepur

Sanjay Singh, AAP in-charge of Punjab affairs, says, Yes, it is one of the houses under consideration for Kejriwals stay.

AAPs Jalandhar zone in-charge Rajiv Chaudhary also says the house is among the three properties shortlisted for Kejriwals base camp in Doaba from October-end.

WHY DOABA?

Located on the highway just 4 km from Phagwara, the house opens up to a drive to any part of the state, including Ludhiana 20km away.

The house is 10km from the AAPs state headquarters in Phagwara. The headquarters, inaugurated in December 2015, will witness hectic activity with the elections nearing.

Politically, the plan to have a house near the headquarters is important. By staying in the heart of Dalit-dominated Doaba, Kejriwal can woo voters better, says a senior leader from the AAPs media wing on condition of anonymity.

The house at Goraya needs repair and should be ready to move in by October-end, he says.

Kejriwal will be putting up at a volunteers house at Jhande village in Ludhiana when he kicks off a four-day Punjab visit on Thursday.

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Volunteers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from Sunam in Sangrur district, on Tuesday, demanded replacement of the party candidate from Sunam, Aman Arora, by September 11, failing which they threatened to stop working for the party and launch a protest against the candidate.

Alleging that Aroras only claim to the ticket was his money power, the volunteers said Arora was a Congressman by birth as his family belonged to the Congress and he had joined the party barely six months ago.

Must read | Great laughter challenge: Punjab poll arena turns comedy circus

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Ravinder Singh Dhillon, youth president of the sector (three assembly segments) said Arora was promised candidature during his joining the party.

Immediately after he joined, the Delhi team of the AAP started telling workers and volunteers not to go to villages and work only within their circles. Earlier, they were told to visit villages as the ticket was supposed to be given to workers, he said. He said that Arora was also facing two criminal cases and did not fit into the three C criteria set by the party of not taking a candidate who was corrupt, characterless or criminal.

Aman Arora is a VIP candidate. He rarely comes to Sunam and lives mostly in Chandigarh. He has always lost elections. He is in the AAP, but he has no concept of revolution or bringing in a change. He only wants to taste power. Anyone can go and talk to people in villages and ask what they think about him. He used the same tactics to try and win elections as others do, said Dhillon.

Dont miss | AAP donation graph in Punjab falling

Dhillon, who was accompanied by other volunteers, also demanded an inquiry into the dental colleges run by Arora. Truth will shock everyone, he said. When contacted, Arora said allegations levelled against him are baseless. People of Sunam know me and they are with me. More than 99% workers of the party are in my favour, he said, adding that only the disgruntled elements were objecting to his candidature. He said these people should approach the high command with proof.
Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Hardip Singh Kingra has said he might join the Awaaz-e-Punjab, a political front launched by Navjot Singh Sidhu, Pargat Singh and the Bains brothers recently.

He had resigned from the AAP when his name didnt figure in the partys first list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections.

He said Punjab needed a government run by and for Punjabis and a leader who was serious about safeguarding states interests.

Also read | Sidhu floats new party in Punjab, breakaway AAP group likely to join hands

Kingra said he was offered two party tickets  one for himself and another for a supporter  for Rs 4.5 crore.

He said during a meeting in Amritsar, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal told them to politicise the SYL issue. When I told him that I have made a report on the issue and suggested a solution, Kejriwal said it was not an UPSC exam. He said the issue needed to be raked up for political gains, Kingra said. He said the meeting had taken place when Kejriwal had visited the Golden Temple seeking atonement for the manifesto gaffe.

Kingra said Kejriwal was anti-Dalit as he was never interested in forming an SC cell of the party and agreed to have one in place only when told that 38% [Note: correct figure is 32%] population in Punjab comprised lower castes.

He said Durgesh Pathak and Sanjay Singh were responsible for the downslide in AAPs popularity and the turmoil.

Also read | Who is Durgesh? AAPs builder getting all the bricks
Condemning the clash between Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers at a rally in Malout recently, the volunteers of the AAP, led by Amritsar (south) candidate Inderbir Nijjer, burnt an effigy of the the Punjab government on Tuesday.

Read more: 6 AAP workers hurt in clash as Akalis gatecrash Bhagwants Malout rally

Raising slogans against the Akali government, the AAP volunteers alleged that the Akalis were trying to disturb the atmosphere by such acts.

AAP leader Nijjer said, It is time that the Punjab Police ensure security in rallies of the AAP. If any untoward incident takes place, the Punjab government will be responsible for it, he added.

The AAP leader said that such acts of the Akali Dal will not be tolerated as the only aim of the Akalis is to disrupt the campaign of the AAP and spoil the atmosphere.

During the protest, slogans were raised against the Punjab government and urged the government to improve the law and order situation in the state.

Malout clash: Cops register no FIR against Akali workers
A 24-year old Kashmiri man, identified as Hilal Ahmed, was detained by the authorities at the border after a badge of terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen was found from his luggage.

The man who had gone to Pakistan through the Attari border some 10 days ago had returned to India on Tuesday.

Also read | UP man returning from Pak nabbed with 4 pistols at Attari

An official said Ahmed came to the customs area at the integrated checkpost at Attari and the badge was found from his bag. Ahmed was detained by the customs department and was later handed over to the intelligence agencies for questioning.

The officials refused to divulge more details.

When contacted, Amritsar SSP Harkamal Preet Singh said: We dont have any input on this till now.

Sources said that Ahmed was still in custody of the intelligence agencies.
The city police on Tuesday, arrested Paramjeet Kaur, mother of Sukhwinder Singh, one of the accused arrested in the 10-kg gold loot at Manappuram Finance Company at Rama Mandi on August 28 and recovered 2.25kg gold ornaments from her possession.

She was rounded up by the police since Monday. As per police, Kaur is involved in the conspiracy of the crime and had hidden the ornaments in sewage pipe and pickle jars at her rented accommodation in Sainik Vihar.

Also read | Police link family of accused with similar crime in Ludhiana last year

The police said Kaur had also conducted the recce of the branch at Rama Mandi before the crime.

As reported on Monday, Paramjeet is also an eyewitness in a similar loot of 14-kg gold from Ludhianas Shimlapuri branch of Manappuram Finance at Gill Road on July 30, 2015, and now the police are verifying her involvement in the Ludhiana robbery as well.

Meanwhile, Paramjeets second son Varinder Singh Billa, prime accused in the Jalandhar robbery and a co-accused in the Ludhiana robbery, is still absconding.

Police have booked Paramjeet under Sections 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) into the case.

It is speculated that the gang of eight people which conducted this heist is also involved in the Ludhiana, Noida and Faridabad gold robberies.

After Ludhianas loot, Paramjeet along with her husband Surjeet and son Sukhwinder moved to Jalandhar and took a rented accommodation at Sainik Vihar near Dakoha.

Meanwhile, Kaurs husband Surjeet and elder son Sukhwinder are in the custody of Rama Mandi police till September 12. The police had also seized a .32 bore revolver, three live cartridges, two Honda Activa scooters and a bike from them. The police had also recovered 820-gm gold ornaments from them.

A CCTV footage led the cops to the Sainik Vihar locality where they had been living in a house on rent belonging to a retired deputy superintendent of police (DSP).
Its that time of the year when everyone is busy celebrating the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi and bring home the Ganpati idols. Our television stars are not behind and they share their pictures and tell us what is does the celebration mean to them.

Talking about the festival, Ssharad Malhotraa says, This is a very special festival for me and my family. I hope Ganpati Bappa brings good luck and happiness for all my friends and family members. It is great to see Mumbai in the festive spirit. Every year I look forward to bringing Ganpati home.

Actor Pranitaa Pandit.

Actor Pranitaa Pandit, who plays actor Ravi Dubeys onscreen sister in a daily show has celebrated the festival religiously for three years. She says, For me, this festival is all about peace and positivity in life. I really enjoy the way it brings everyone together.

Read: The passion around Ganpati is infectious: Sushant Singh Rajput

Ganpati bappa morya.wishing all of u happiness and peace.. pic.twitter.com/OX40R74sDw  Arjun Bijlani (@Thearjunbijlani) September 5, 2016

Actor Arjun Bijlani shared a picture with his one-and-a-half year old son Ayaan. Talking about the celebration he says, For me this celebration is all about lots and lots of decorations, prasad and visitors. It is more fun for me now because my son has started enjoying these festivities with me.

Actor Sambhavna Seth added a picture on Twitter with her husband Avinash Dwivedi on Twitter and described the function only with hashtags. She posted, GaneshChathurthi #Ganeshlove #ganpatibappamorya

Read: Shilpa Shetty to Juhi Chawla: How Bollywood celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi

Actor Sharad Kelkar brought in the festival with his wife, actor Keerti Gaikwad. He also shared a picture on his social media account with Keerti and captioned it as, Ganapati bappa morya ... #ganapatibappamorya #GaneshChaturthi #happiness #thankyouGod.

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The immensely popular French auteur Francois Ozon came to the ongoing Venice Film Festival this year with his post-World War I romantic saga -- Frantz -- told through black and white images. The early word on the movie was encouraging, and seemed to have clinched a good number of stars from the critics here.

The Yves Saint Laurent star, Pierre Niney, plays a disturbed French soldier, Adrien -- who journeys to a provincial German town -- which is still extremely hostile to the Allies -- to lay flowers on the grave of a 24-year-old soldier, Frantz. A German, he had died in the trenches fighting French forces.

Adriens presence perplexes Frantzs grieving fiance, Anna, (German newcomer Paula Beer) and also gets the whole town, unable to get over German defeat and casualties in the war, angered.

Franz turns out to be a sentimental love story about Adrien and Anna, and how they pass through a set of lies and deceits.

A scene from the post-World War I romantic saga, Frantz. (Venice Film Festival)

Ozon told Variety just before the festival started: There are lots of French films set against the backdrop of World War I, but theyre always from a French point of view. I thought it would be interesting to show what was happening in Germany, the sense of humiliation amongst its people linked to their defeat and the terms of the Treaty of Versailles as well as the rise of nationalism which would lead to the Second World War.

Ozon also felt that many things that were happening in Europe today, including Brexit, resonated with the post-WWI period. The rise, once again of nationalism, the return of borders and so on.

Director Francois Ozon told the press in Venice that a lot of French films have been set against the backdrop of World War I, but theyre always from a French point of view. Hence, he decided to look at it from the German perspective.

He added that he chose to make Frantz in black and white to highlight those times in Germany, which was a period of intense mourning and frustration.

The lack of colour adds to the sombreness of the story in which Anna is determined not to forget Frantz, and even begins to live with his parents in the German town of Oldenburg. Till Adrien arrives, and it transpires that he had met Frantz in Paris just before the war broke out. Paris is also dear to Anna, who had spent studying there and met Frantz.

One of the high points of the movie is Ozons effortless way of keeping melodrama out of his narrative, and he tells us how political and personal questions can be effectively examined within a moral framework. Yes, the basic premise of Frantz is a huge lie. But this lie is pretty indeed.

Watch the trailer of Frantz here:

(Gautaman Bhaskaran is covering the Venice Film Festival.)

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Three officers and the pilot of a police helicopter were killed in a in western Mexico on Tuesday.

Authorities were investigating whether gunmen shot down the chopper which was on an operation to capture suspected gangsters.

Silvano Aureoles, governor of the troubled western state of Michoacan, wrote on Twitter that the helicopter was downed during the operation in an area of rough terrain.

But hours later, he told the Televisa network that he cant confirm that it was downed and that authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.

Officials are hoping to speak with an officer who survived the crash but was intensive care.

The incident took place in Michoacans Tierra Caliente (Hot Land), a region that has endured years of drug violence and vigilante justice.

If confirmed, it would be the second time that a gang downs a helicopter since 2015. Last year, the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in neighbouring Jalisco state used a rocket launcher to hit a military helicopter, killing seven soldiers and policewoman aboard.

But regardless of how the helicopter crashed on Tuesday, it happened amid a resurgence of violence in Michoacan, a historic flashpoint in Mexicos war on drugs.

Free Michoacan

In a press conference, Aureoles said the helicopter fell during an operation to capture leaders of an unidentified criminal group who had tried to abduct a farmer in La Huacana.

Be certain that we will free Michoacan of the scourge of impunity and crime, Aureoles said.

Aureoles said authorities have conducted operations to capture gang leaders in Tierra Caliente and Sierra Costa that, since August 30, led to a dozen arrests and the seizure of several weapons, including two rocket launchers.

The pseudo-religious Knights Templar drug cartel terrorized Tierra Caliente until lime growers formed vigilante forces in 2013 to fight back against the gang.

The cartel was weakened as authorities arrested or killed its top leaders, but smaller criminal groups have since emerged.

The vigilantes have been ordered to disband but some of the militias members have been implicated in crimes.

Homicides are on the rise in the state, with 678 murders in the first seven months of the year compared to 777 in 2015, according to federal government figures. At least 150 people were killed in July alone, a twofold increase from the same month last year.

Bishops denounce violence

Michoacan has bedeviled the Mexican government for years. It was there that then president Felipe Calderon deployed troops for the first time against drug cartels after he took office in December 2006.

President Enrique Pena Nieto has maintained his predecessors militarized campaign against the gangs, including in Michoacan.

Murders fell nationwide in the first two years of Pena Nietos presidency but they rose again last year. There were 11,257 homicides in the first seven months of this year, up from 9,613 over the same period in 2015.

Michoacan is back in the spotlight this year.

In July, 10 burned bodies were found in an charred vehicle on a dirt road. The mayor of the town of Alvaro Obregon and four local police officers were detained in connection with the crime.

Tuesdays crash followed a series of shootouts over the weekend that left no casualties but led to the seizure of weapons that included the discovery of an anti-tank missile, according to a report by the state prosecutors office.

Michoacan state government secretary general Adrian Lopez Solis told AFP on Monday that incidents of insecurity still persist in the region.

Michoacans cardinal and Roman Catholic bishops have issued a letter denouncing the rise in violence and the persistent extortion by criminals against citizens.
An airstrike in the rebel-held part of Syrias contested city of Aleppo killed 10 civilians on Wednesday, activists said, an attack that hit in the same neighbourhood where a suspected chlorine gas attack happened the day before.

Meanwhile, the UN aid agency said the fighting in Syrias central Hama province has displaced some 100,000 people over eight days between late August and early September. Ultraconservative Islamic insurgents last week advanced in Hama, prompting fierce clashes with government forces.

In Wednesdays airstrike, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least one child was among the victims of what was a presumed to have been a Russian or Syrian government attack on the al-Sukkari neighbourhood in Aleppo.

The long-suffering northern city is one of the focal points of the grinding Syrian civil war, now in its sixth year, with rebels and pro-government forces trading indiscriminate fire across populated neighbourhoods. The Russians and the Syrian government are the only two operating in the skies over the city.

The Aleppo branch of the Syrian Civil Defense search and rescue organization put the initial casualty toll at 20 dead and more than 40 wounded, but conflicting counts are common in the aftermath of airstrikes.

Medical workers in the city have said the opposition-controlled neighbourhood was hit with chlorine gas on Tuesday, though the report could not be independently verified. They said they treated at least 70 people for breathing difficulties. A 13-year-old girl and a 29-year-old man died from further complications on Wednesday.

In Syrias central Hama province, the insurgents earlier this month surprised government troops, dislodging them from areas around the provincial capital, also called Hama, including a military base and towns and villages near the highway leading to Damascus.

The offensive, led by an ultraconservative Islamic group, Jund al-Aqsa, and also involving several factions from the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, drew an intense government bombing campaign that has killed dozens.

The fighting and the aerial bombardment sent tens of thousands of people fleeing for safety, creating the latest wave of displacement, part of a pattern that has left nearly half of the Syrian population displaced since the war began in 2011.

In a flash update  on Tuesday, the aid agency, OCHA, said figures from a camp coordination group show nearly half of the displaced from Hama have arrived in the neighbouring rebel-held Idlib province.

Others fled toward government-controlled Hama city, where four mosques were converted into temporary shelters, OCHA said. Dozens of schools in rural areas of Hama province were also turned into shelters.

A shortage of shelter space means many displaced families are sleeping outdoors in parks in Idlib, the UN agency said.

Most of those fleeing left towns and villages in government areas as the rebels advanced, fearing a violent government response to the insurgent offensive, according to Ahmad al-Ahmad, an activist from Hama. Wherever the regime is driven out of an area, it ends up destroying it, he said in a text message to The Associated Press.

In at least one airstrike last week, government warplanes struck a van carrying displaced people fleeing Suran, a town north of Hama city, activists said. The government at the time said it targeted terrorists.

OCHA said the United Nations has sent an inter-agency convoy with life-saving supplies to Hama and was evaluating the humanitarian situation.

An estimated 11 million Syrians have fled their homes since the war broke out in 2011. Of those, 4.8 million are refugees outside of Syria, with nearly 7 million displaced inside the country.

In London on Wednesday, Syrian opposition leaders unveiled a plan for a political transition designed to bring an end to the war. It called for the departure of President Bashar Assad after six months and for elections to be held after two years.

The high negotiations committee envisaged a three-phase plan, beginning with six months of negotiations with Assads government to develop a signed agreement on the basic principles of the transition process.

This would be followed by the establishment of a transitional government body and the departure of Assad and his clique, according to HNC chief Riad Hijab. The HNC called for UN-supervised elections to be held 18 months thereafter. Hijab conceded there were formidable obstacles hindering the implementation of this plan.

In London, British foreign secretary Boris Johnson endorsed the opposition plan, saying in a column in The Times that Assad can have no part in a future government in Syria and that the Syrian president bears overwhelming responsibility for the massive loss of life in the conflict.

He also said that if Russian and American negotiators can create a ceasefire there could be a resumption of talks in Geneva aimed at ending the war. The relatively new British foreign minister was to host a Friends of Syria meeting in London later Wednesday.
Beijings illegal island building in the South China Sea moved centre stage at an Asian summit Wednesday after the Philippines produced evidence it said showed fresh construction activity at a flashpoint shoal.

An artificial island at Scarborough Shoal could be a game changer in Chinas quest to control the sea and raises the risk of armed confrontation with the United States, according to security analysts.

Beijing this week insisted it had not started building at the shoal -- a move that could lead to a military outpost just 230 kilometres (140 miles) from the main Philippine island, where US forces are stationed.

But the Philippines on Wednesday released images it said showed Chinese ships in the area that were capable of dredging sand and other activities required to build an artificial island.

A Chinese Coast Guard vessel is pictured on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea March 29, 2014. Picture taken March 29, 2014. (Reuters)

We have reason to believe that their presence is a precursor to building activities on the shoal, defence department spokesman Arsenio Andolong told AFP.

We are continuing our surveillance and monitoring of their presence and activities, which are disturbing.

China claims nearly all of the sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations.

The competing territorial claims have long been a major source of tension in the region, with China using deadly force twice to seize control of islands from Vietnam.

Tensions have escalated sharply in recent years as China has built islands on reefs and islets in the Spratlys archipelago -- another strategically important location -- that are capable of supporting military operations.

The United States has reacted to that build-up by sailing warships close to the new islands, and sending warplanes over them.

This has deeply angered China, which has accused the Americans of militarising the region, and raised concerns of armed conflict between the two world powers.

Map showing disputed claims in the South China Sea. (AFP)

- Illegal island building -

A UN-backed tribunal ruled in July that Chinas claims to most of the sea had no legal basis and its construction of artificial islands in the disputed waters was illegal.

But Beijing vowed to ignore the ruling.

China took control of Scarborough shoal in 2012 after a standoff with the Philippine Navy, and has since deployed large fishing fleets while blocking Filipino fishermen.

Expanding that presence with a military outpost is vital to achieving Chinas ambitions of controlling the sea, according to security analysts.

US officials fear a Chinese military airfield at the shoal would enable China to enforce a threatened air defence identification zone in the sea.

Another major concern is it allows China a military base close to where US forces regularly operate on the Philippine main island of Luzon.

US President Barack Obama reportedly directly warned his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, during a meeting in March not to push ahead with any artificial island building there.

The United States, which is a treaty ally of the Philippines, has repeatedly said it does not want to fight a war over the shoal.

But military confrontation can not be ruled out if China does start to build an island, according to security analysts.

We could witness a physical confrontation between Chinese Coast Guard and Filipino vessels backed up by the US Navy, Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor at Australias University of New South Wales, told AFP.

An Obama aide on Wednesday played down the significance of the Philippine photos, telling reporters the United States had not detected any unusual activity at Scarborough Shoal.

When pressed on initial Philippine accusations on Monday before the photos were released, China insisted there were no dredging boats or others to prepare for island building.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had said he did not want to anger China by highlighting the territorial row at the summit of regional leaders in Laos this week.

But the release of the photos came just a few hours before Duterte and other leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations met Chinas Li.

Obama is also in Laos for the regional meetings, which will conclude on Thursday with an East Asia summit.
Air China is facing accusations of racism after its in-flight magazine warned travellers headed for London to take precautions when entering areas populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people.

The remarks in the latest edition of Wings of China, the official magazine of the state-run airline published in English and Mandarin, angered British politicians representing areas with large Indian and Pakistani populations.

Safety: London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people, the magazine said.

We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling, it added. The advice was repeated in Mandarin in an article on London.

The comments were spotted by Beijing-based news and documentary producer Haze Fan, who posted images of the magazine and the offending article on Twitter. In a tweet that tagged London mayor Sadiq Khan, who is of Pakistani descent, Fan asked what he thought of Air Chinas advice.

British politicians had demanded an apology and called for the remarks to be removed from the magazine by Air China, which flies twice a day between London and Beijing, the Evening Standard newspaper reported.

Rosena Allin-Khan, the MP for Tooting, which has one of the largest Indian and Pakistani populations in London, said: My initial thoughts were that the comments were outrageous.

I think that it is offensive to Londoners and I would like to see it removed. I would also like to ask the airline why they thought these precautions needed to be taken.

Why they feel they needed to warn people of something that is not reflective of London at all? I think it is offensive to all Londoners, not just the ethnic minorities mentioned, she told the Evening Standard.

Allin-Khan said she would write to the Chinese ambassador to Britain to invite him to visit Tooting, where all races live side by side. Then they can see how we live and our wonderfully diverse community.

Lambeth and Southwark London assembly member Florence Eshalomi said you couldnt make up these outdated and near-on racist views.

We want people who embrace our diversity and different culture  that is the make-up of London. If airlines have a problem with that then we dont want them in London. We would love to offer Chinese tourists a tour of areas like Peckham, Brixton and Newham where they would be welcomed with open arms by our diverse communities, she said.

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US defense secretary Ash Carter on Wednesday warned Russia against interfering with Western democratic processes and accused Moscow of aggressive behaviour aimed at eroding the international order.

He did not elaborate on what Russia might be attempting to do or whether he was referring to hacking attacks on Democratic Party organisations in the run-up to the US election on November 8, some of which officials and cyber security experts have blamed on hackers working for Russias government.

The Kremlin has denied involvement in the hacks.

We dont seek an enemy in Russia. But make no mistake -- we will defend our allies, the principled international order, and the positive future it affords all of us, Carter said in an address to students at Oxford University.

We will counter attempts to undermine our collective security. And we will not ignore attempts to interfere with our democratic processes.

Managing the relationship with Russia diplomatically is also critical as US secretary of state John Kerry tries to work with Moscow to put an end to the Syrian civil war.

Carter sounded a pessimistic tone on diplomatic efforts between the two to try to agree a ceasefire and nudge the Syrian government towards a political transition to end the conflict.

Todays news out of Syria is not encouraging. The choice is Russias to make ... and the consequences will be its responsibility, he said.

Carter meets British defence secretary Michael Fallon in London later on Wednesday and is expected to stress the importance of keeping pressure on Russia following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The European Union is divided over whether to extend sanctions on Russia that have taken an economic toll on both sides. Ukraine fears it is losing Western support in its standoff with Russia, even though its troops and pro-Russian separatists are still fighting in the Donbass region.
India and China should settle sensitive issues and strengthen strategic communication, President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou over the weekend.

The Chinese foreign ministry carefully avoided any mention of Pakistan, terrorism and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)  Modis motifs in his talks with Xi on Sunday as it distilled the Presidents message to the Indian leader as one focussed on building ties through communication, cooperation and mutual respect.

The two leaders held talks for 35 minutes during their eighth one-on-one meeting before the formal inauguration of the G20 Summit.

In a written response to the Hindustan Times about Chinas version of the meeting, the foreign ministry said both sides raised common concerns but did not give details.

The two leaders have exchanged views on the Sino-Indian relationship and some common concerns, the foreign ministry said.

Both sides have also reached agreement on building mutual respect, appropriately settling sensitive issues to avoid any impact on the normal development of the bilateral ties, Xi told Modi, according to the foreign ministry.

At Sundays meeting, Modi brought up all the prickly issues that have recently impacted ties. But instead of talking about differences, the Chinese foreign ministry referred to consensus reached during the meeting.

The two sides have reached consensus on taking hold of the general direction of the bilateral relationship, strengthening strategic communication, discussing development strategies, expanding communication and cooperation in various fields and improving the Sino-Indian strategic developmental partnership, the ministry said.

Modi last met Xi in Tashkent on June 24 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). It was at a time when China was seen to have taken the lead in tearing up Indias application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the bloc that controls trade in nuclear technology and know-how.

It was also at a time when bilateral relations were perceived to be slipping into a chill that threatened to derail the promise of win-win economic cooperation.

After the Modi-Xi meeting on Sunday, Chinas official Xinhua news agency had described bilateral ties as hard won and sound.

China and India should respect and care for each other on issues of major concern, and handle differences in a constructive way, Xi was quoted as having told Modi.
President Barack Obama on Tuesday appointed the countrys first Muslim to the federal judiciary bench, naming Pakistani-descent Abid Riaz Qureshi to the US district court for DC.

The appointment assumes even more significance at a time of heightened Islamophobia whipped up in part by Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.

I am pleased to nominate Mr Qureshi to serve on the United States district court bench, Obama said in a statement. I am confident he will serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice.

The White House also announced his nomination has been forwarded to the Senate for confirmation, a procedure applied to all federal appointments of certain seniority, nearly 300.

This is another of Obamas firsts for the judiciary, which he has sought to make more reflective of the country  starting by naming Sonia Sotomayor, who is of Puerto Rican descent, the first Hispanic justice of the Supreme Court in 2009. And then he appointed Sri Srinivasan, the first Indian-American to a US court of appeals in 2012.

Now, he has appointed a first Muslim. Qureshi is a partner in the litigation and trial department at the DC office of Latham & Watkins, a law firm, and specializes in cases involving the False Claims Act, health care fraud and securities violations.

He received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1997 and his BA from Cornell University in 1993.

Not much else could be immediately gathered about Qureshi. According to the National Law Journal, he won a case, overturning a Georgia law that required physical therapists from India, Pakistan, Egypt and the Philippines to take a licensing test separate than all others. He told the journal he had a lot of fun working on that case.

Muslims welcomed the appointment. I commend President Obama for taking this important step in continuing to pick the best and brightest from every community to serve as part of our nations judiciary, said Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, a legal advocacy organisation.

A judiciary that reflects the rich diversity of our nation helps ensure the fair and just administration of the law, and it is vital for American Muslims to be included.
A Russian fighter jet carried out an unsafe and unprofessional intercept of a US spy plane flying a regular patrol over the Black Sea, coming within 10 feet (3.05 metres) of the American aircraft, two US defence officials told Reuters on Wednesday.

The incident comes at a time of increased tensions between the United States and Russia, who are on opposing sides of the Syrian civil war.

The Russian defence ministry said in a statement it had dispatched Su-27 jets to check out the US P-8 Poseidon planes as they twice tried to get close to the Russian border over the Black Sea without their transponders turned on., which are needed for identification.

After the Russian fighters approached the reconnaissance aircraft for visual inspection and identification of the aircraft registration numbers, the American planes abruptly changed course and flew in the opposite direction from the Russian border, a Russian defence ministry spokesperson, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said in a statement.

The Russia pilots acted in strict accordance with international rules for flights.

The Russian statement also said that this was not the first attempt by a Nato aircraft to get close to the countrys borders to spy on major military drills currently taking place on the Ukraine border and the annexed Crimea peninsula.

Read | Dont want an enemy in Russia but wont ignore interference, says US

One US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the incident lasted about 19 minutes and the Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter came within 10 feet of the US Navy P-8 surveillance plane.

Theyre up there for 12 hours and there are lots of interactions. But only one of the incidents was what the pilot determined was unsafe, said another official, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Officials were now talking with the pilot and reviewing the incident to determine whether it would be included in the annual meeting of US and Russian officials about more serious intercepts, the official added.

There have been a number of similar incidents involving Russia and the United States this year. In April, two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a US guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea.

The events are reminiscent of the Cold War, when a series of close calls led to a bilateral agreement aimed at avoiding dangerous interactions at sea that was signed in 1972 by then-secretary of the Navy John Warner and Soviet Admiral Sergei Gorshkov.

(With inputs from AFP)
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump invoked religion, talked of unifying Americans and tried to raise doubts about whether Democratic rival Hillary Clinton can be trusted in a new campaign stump speech unveiled on Tuesday.

I will fight for Detroit, for Chicago, for Baltimore, and for every neglected part of this nation  and I will fight to bring us all together as one American people, Trump told a packed rally in Greenville, North Carolina, in a departure from his typical bare-knuckled approach.

On the Democratic side, both Clinton and her vice presidential running mate, Tim Kaine, blasted Trump. Clinton focused on Trumps past bankruptcies and his refusal to release his tax records.

He clearly has something to hide. We dont know exactly what it is, but were getting better guesses about what it probably is, she said in Tampa, Florida.

Kaine, in a national security speech in Wilmington, North Carolina, criticized Trumps business dealings with Russia, the ties between some of his campaign advisers to the country and Trumps suggestion that he hoped Russian hackers could find missing emails from when Clinton was secretary of state.

He has openly encouraged Russia to hack his political opponents and commit espionage against his own country, Kaine said.

Military preparedness plan

Trump, in a speech on Wednesday in Cleveland, is to lay out a military preparedness plan in which he will call for rescinding mandatory defence spending cuts and embarking on a major military build-up.

The Trump campaign said the candidate will call for big increases in spending for new ships, planes, submarines and training combat troops and bolstering missile defence systems. Trump will also criticize Clinton for military adventurism for her handling of Libya and the Middle East as secretary of state.

Trump, buoyed by polls showing him as gaining ground against Clinton, outlined what he would do on his first day as president if elected on November 8, part of a new effort to inject more discipline into his free-wheeling campaign.

He said he would suspend the resettlement of Syrian refugees into the United States, start toward repealing and replacing President Barack Obamas signature healthcare plan, and begin the first steps toward building a wall along the US southern border with Mexico.

Trump, who rarely mentions religion, quoted from a Bible passage he read aloud at a black church in Detroit on Saturday, part of his effort to appeal to African-American voters.

Imagine what our country could accomplish if we started working together as one people, under one God, saluting one flag, he added. It is time to break with the bitter failures of the past, and to embrace a new American future.

Unflinchingly critical

But Trump was unflinchingly critical of Clinton over the latest disclosures from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about her use of a private email server and destruction of thousands of emails that she and her staff had deemed of a personal nature.

At least two of her mobile devices were reported destroyed by a staff using a hammer and BleachBit software to wipe unwanted emails.

People who have nothing to hide dont smash phones with hammers. People who have nothing to hide dont bleach their emails or destroy evidence to keep it from being publicly archived as required under federal law, Trump said.

Kaine, in his first major policy speech since being tapped as Clintons running mate, drew a contrast between how Trump would approach US relations with Russia and Clintons track record as head of the US State Department from 2009 to 2013, during Obamas first term as president.

As head of the State Department, Clinton oversaw hard-nosed negotiations with Russia to reduce nuclear stockpiles and destroy Syrian chemical weapons, while still going toe-to-toe with Putin to protect America and NATO allies, Kaine said. Trump seems to support Russian interests at the expense of American ones, he added.

Kaines speech began less than an hour after Trump concluded a campaign stop in Virginia Beach, in Kaines home state of Virginia, where he scoffed at the idea that Clinton would hold any sway over Putins actions.

Putin looks at Hillary Clinton and he laughs. Putin looks at Hillary Clinton and he smiles, Trump said.

The back-and-forth occurred as the focus of the US battle for the White House shifted to national security, with both Clinton and Trump set to participate in a televised forum on Wednesday hosted by a veterans group.

Trump followed up his Virginia event by meeting with the wives of US military personnel stationed at nearby installations. Setting aside his usual bombast, Trump turned soft-spoken and nodded attentively as the women, some of whom held babies on their laps, described their concerns about the quality of schools and finding jobs.

So much of this we can take care of, Trump told them.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama will hold a bilateral meeting on Thursday in Vientiane, Laos, in perhaps one of their last such meetings before Obama demits office in November.

The White House made the announcement of the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in its official announcement of the Presidents schedule.

In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, the White House said.

On Wednesday night, the two leaders along with Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah clinked glasses at a dinner gala thrown by the Laos Prime Minister in Vientiane.

The two leaders met just days ago, on Sunday in Hangzhou, China, during the G20 Summit where Obama praised the passage of the Good and Services Tax bill by the Indian Parliament.
Nigerias military has liberated large swathes of land from Boko Haram but a ride with an army convoy, all guns firing for fear of ambush, shows how far the northeast is from normality after a brutal Islamist insurgency that has displaced millions.

The moment military convoys leave the relative safety of Bama, Borno states second town, soldiers in the lead vehicle open fire with a heavy cannon into the scrub along the road to pre-empt attacks by remaining fighters from the Islamist group.

As they head for the regional capital, Maiduguri, the soldiers scan the road for bombs or booby-traps, while shooting at any possible cover  abandoned petrol stations, burned out farmhouses, trees, even clumps of elephant grass.

Parents lower their children from a loaded truck at a local bus station in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. (Reuters)

Jeep drivers behind them in the convoy join in, firing assault rifles indiscriminately through windows with one hand while gripping the steering wheel with the other.

If there is somebody there and you fire at him, he definitely wants to fire back so then you know his position and take action, said Col Adamu Laka, the military commander in Bama. You are trying to seize the initiative.

Such extreme measures highlight the lack of security across Borno despite the armys success in driving Boko Haram out of occupied territory that 18 months ago was the size of Belgium.

Reuters was given access to the Nigerian Army on the ground as it seeks to reimpose order in Borno after seven years of dominance by Boko Haram, one of the worlds deadliest Islamist groups and a major challenge to a government also grappling with an economic crisis caused by plunging oil prices.

As the first international reporting team to travel through the area by road since Boko Haram was pushed back, Reuters was able to see the devastation caused by the group. Roads are highly dangerous, no food is grown in the fields, and people are still trickling out of their hiding places in the bush.

The military campaign has curbed an insurgency that has killed at least 15,000 people since 2009 but in a new phase of the conflict, the army now finds itself facing small groups of guerrillas operating in the sparsely populated, wooded terrain.

An abandoned tank is seen in a field in Bama, Borno State, Nigeria. (Reuters)

In July, Boko Haram fighters hiding in trees along the Bama-Maiduguri road ambushed a UN aid convoy, wounding five people.

With the UN saying up to 5.5 million people in the northeast might need food aid this year, the military is under intense pressure to make roads safer. It is no easy task.

There are so many ambush sites along the road so we are cutting the trees, Laka said.

As Boko Haram has been forced back, the government and aid agencies have been able to assess for the first time the extent of the humanitarian disaster left in the jihadists wake.

The UN childrens agency, UNICEF, said last month nearly half a million children were at risk of severe acute malnutrition in the area around Lake Chad that has been ravaged by Boko Haram.

According to UNICEF, in Borno, where two in three medical centres or clinics had been partially or completely destroyed, 49,000 children will die this year if help does not arrive.

Towns and villages are in ruins and communities have no access to basic services, UNICEF said.

Describing civilians liberated by the army, Mohammed Kanar, northeastern coordinator for the national relief agency, said: You will see them emaciated. As for an adult man, you can even count his ribs.

The numbers could well rise as civilians emerge from the countryside into towns now controlled by the army.

We had to leave the bush because we were hungry, said Haja Jamil, 40, a pregnant yet painfully thin woman who arrived in Bama two weeks ago with two children.

Boko Haram kept coming and hassling us. We are still afraid of them, she said, sitting on the floor of a military clinic in Bama while feeding her 3-year-old daughter, Aisha.

A bullet-riddled mosque is pictured along the Konduga-Bama road in Borno State of Nigeria. (Reuters)

Deserted city

Since President Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler, took office last year, the army has found fresh resolve against Boko Haram, which has been fighting to establish a mediaeval caliphate in the southern stretches of the Sahara.

The military has moved its headquarters to Maiduguri, drafted in new generals and improved cooperation with neighbouring countries, allowing it to capture and take control of dozens of towns such as Bama.

But the plight of Bama shows the extent of the challenge in recovering from the groups scorched earth campaign.

Once a city of more than a quarter of a million people, Bama is now a ghost town, littered with burnt-out buildings and home to 11,000 people living behind military fortifications.

Goats nibble at grass growing in cracks in the road. Piles of rubbish fester in ditches. The main street is lined with fire-gutted banks and shops, walls daubed with graffiti in Arabic saying God is Great.

Before it left, the group, whose name means Western education is sinful in the local Hausa language, ransacked schools and the palace of Bamas traditional ruler.

Now, soldiers camp in abandoned shops behind walls of sand-bags. Officers work in a tent, near a wall painted with the black flag of Middle East militant group Islamic State, to which Boko Haram pledged loyalty this year.

The army has set up makeshift classrooms for displaced children and piles of concrete blocks trucked in from Maiduguri point to hoped-for reconstruction, but the proximity of Boko Haram in the Sambisa forest  its final bolthole, according to the army  makes normality a distant dream.

Its just four or five kilometres from here. Once you cross the river you start meeting their checkpoints, Laka said, pointing towards the forest on a tour of Bamas outskirts in a bulletproof jeep.

The fight against Boko Haram has been complicated by an apparent split in the group after Islamic States magazine announced Abu Musab al-Barnawi as new leader. The previous leader, Abubakar Shekau, appears to have rejected the move.

But dangers remain for the military and, above all, for young people. While Barnawi rejects Shekaus strategy of suicide bombings in crowded areas, analysts think he could regroup in rural areas to stage targeted strikes against the army.

And both groups will be competing for recruits at a time when many displaced children are not in school. That will reduce their job prospects and leave them vulnerable to Islamists ready to exploit grievances over poverty and unemployment.

A woman lies on a bench at the Nigeria Air Force hospital in Bama, Borno State, Nigeria. (Reuters)

Anger, and hunger

For now, the military says Boko Haram is low on ammunition and food. Heavy rains have however prevented any advance into Sambisa, whose dirt tracks do not suit tanks and artillery.

Once we go in with any equipment its difficult to operate. So we rely on foot patrols, Laka said.

Meanwhile, everything from bread to ammunition to medicine comes in from Maiduguri by road, passing abandoned farms, deserted petrol stations, bombed mosques and gutted tanks.

Behind its fortifications, Maiduguri has become an oasis of safety that is choking under the pressure. Its population over the last few years has almost tripled to 5 million, according to the national relief agency, causing shortages of everything from living space to food and cash.

Food price riots broke out twice in August, with crowds smashing cars outside one location until police restored order.

Many are desperate to go home, turning up at dawn at Maiduguris minibus taxi rank to take their chances on the Bama road, only to be turned back by soldiers on the outskirts of the city. Thousands are now trapped in Maiduguri.

They have spent all their money and eaten all the food they brought, said Mohammed Tada, sitting on the back of a truck laden with women, children and bags that had halted at a checkpoint. All the people are suffering from hunger.
The Nepal government on Wednesday sought to play down reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping had cancelled his visit to the country next month, with officials saying no dates had been finalised for the trip.

The reported cancellation of Xis visit was described by the media as a major diplomatic setback to Nepals new government headed by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, who is perceived in some quarters as pro-India.

Foreign minister Prakash Sharan Mahat told Hindustan Times that dates for the visit are being considered in both capitals though a decision is yet to be made. So how can someone say it has been postponed or cancelled? he said.

The foreign ministry issued a statement to deny reports that Chinese ambassador Wu Chunatai had communicated the postponement of Xis visit to any senior Nepali officials. The ministry said that it was also a baseless rumour that Nepal government was not making any preparations to that regard.

However, there was no clarity about when Xi would visit and what would be on the agenda.

During a recent visit to Kathmandu, senior Chinese military officials and members of think tanks had indicated that Xis visit was very much in card despite the change of government in Kathmandu. They also said Xis trip to Nepal was expected to coincide with his visit to India for a BRICS Summit.

Chinese and Nepali officials have been unable to fix dates for the visit even though Nepals special envoy for China, deputy prime minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara recently visited Beijing and held talks with the Chinese premier and foreign minister.

Officials said two meetings of the foreign secretaries and finance secretaries of Nepal and China  which are key to fixing the agenda for Xis visit  also could not be held.

Prachandas predecessor KP Sharma Oli was perceived as being closer to China. Political circles in Kathmandu were full of speculation that India threw its weight behind Prachanda to topple the Oli government because it wanted to counter Chinas growing influence in Nepal.
The death of Communist Chinas founding father Mao Zedong 40 years ago this week was akin to the demise of an emperor and helped pave the way for the modern nation, says one of the few Westerners in Beijing at the time.

Ragnar Baldursson, a young Marxist from Iceland, was a student in Beijing in September 1976 when, after a year of upheavals, authorities announced the unthinkable  Mao was dead.

The end of Maos rule  which saw the death of tens of millions from persecution or starvation  opened the way for massive economic reforms that would lift vast numbers out of poverty and end decades of isolation.

China today is a product of that period, Baldursson, today a diplomat at the Icelandic embassy in Beijing, told AFP.

In 1975 he was one of the first handful of western students admitted to study in China since the Cultural Revolution began roiling the country nine years previously.

He entered the Beijing Foreign Languages Institute to study philosophy at a time when portraits of the Great Helmsman were ubiquitous and Maoist slogans blared from loudspeakers every morning to wake students.

Photo taken in April 1967 shows (from left) Chinese top communist leaders Premier Zhou Enlai, Marshal Lin Biao, Chairman Mao Zedong and Mao's wife Jiang Qing applauding during a meeting in Beijing. (AFP File Photo)

Dreaming of Mao

He himself fell asleep dreaming of Mao, said Baldursson, who published a memoir, Nineteen Seventy Six, earlier this year.

He was the youngest member of the Marxist-Leninist Organisation of Iceland, and came to the Peoples Republic on a Chinese government scholarship.

Young radicals at the time thought that Maos China could be the solution to Europes social problems, he said, but for him, Maoism was more an intellectual exercise.

Once in China he quickly became frustrated that professors stubbornly avoided political topics.

A foreign contemporary of his at the school, Peter Peverelli of the Netherlands, told AFP the institution echoed with many political slogans that foreigners struggled to understand, and whose political significance was unclear.

Peverelli spent a week in a peoples commune in the countryside and Baldursson was invited to visit a model factory. The workers, he recalled, professed fierce nationalism but the tools that were supposedly made in China bore Western brand names.

Nowadays urban China is unrecognisable from that era  its teeming, towering cities transformed by the capitalism introduced under Deng Xiaoping in the decades following Mao.

Year of the Fire Dragon

In the Chinese calendar 1976 was the Year of the Fire Dragon, and the traditional designation heralded an era of political upheavals.

One million Chinese  joined by Peverelli  gathered in Tiananmen Square in April to pay tribute to late premier Zhou Enlai after his death earlier in the year, and to denounce Maos circle in biting poems.

It brought the infighting between reformers and the Gang of Four led by Maos wife to a head. The giant plaza was violently cleared on April 5, and Peverelli recalled that universities soon saw an outbreak of slogans attacking capitalist Deng Xiaoping.

In September, after a summer marked by the massive Tangshan earthquake  whose shockwaves shook Beijing buildings  students were stunned by the solemn announcement that Mao had died on September 9.

It was difficult to conceive of a China without Chairman Mao. People looked grim but I didnt see anyone crying, unlike after the death of Premier Zhou, wrote Baldursson in his book. Instead everyone was quiet. We were in shock: Maos omnipresence was an inalienable part of New China.

An order to make wreaths led to the stripping of every branch on a cypress hedge on campus. Foreign students then went to pay their respects before Maos remains.

His face did not look good. It was bloated and the colour of his skin looked off, Baldursson recalled.

Photo taken in 1961 and released by China's official news agency Xinhua in September 1976 shows former Chinese leader Mao Zedong smiling during his holidays in 1961 in Lushan Moutain. (AFP File Photo)

Hailed by crowds

A month later, Hua Guofeng had the Gang of Four arrested and took power. Baldursson was in Tiananmen Square to see the new party chief hailed by crowds at the entrance of the Forbidden City.

Standing in the midst of the crowd, I had a revelation: I was witnessing a crucial moment of Chinas history -- a dynastical shift, he wrote.

A new emperor was being enthroned, he said. The surrounding jargon was Marxist, but the scenario didnt fit the Marxism-Leninism that I had studied.

Restaurants and shops in his neighbourhood ran out of beer. It was sold out because of the fall of the Gang of Four, the comrade serving us explained. People had been celebrating.

The nature of the transfer epitomised Maos failure to bring about a break with Chinas imperial past, he wrote.

Even so, he told AFP, Mao cleared the ground for the changes that later happened, even though it was definitely not in accordance with his political dogma.
Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday described Kashmir as Pakistans jugular vein and said Islamabad will continue to support the people of the Valley on the diplomatic and ethical fronts.

We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Kashmir for their right of self-determination. The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts, said the chief of army staff, addressing a ceremony held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi to mark the countrys Defence Day.

General Raheel said Kashmir was Pakistans jugular vein and praised people of the Valley for rendering innumerable sacrifices.

The army chief asserted that the defence of Pakistan is invincible.

I want to make it clear to all the enemies that the defence of Pakistan already strong but now it has become invincible, he was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

On the challenges the country is facing, he said: I want to make it clear that we are fully aware of all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of our enemies. Be the challenge military or diplomatic; on the borders or within the cities, we know our friends and foes all too well.

On Pakistans ties with China, the army chief said the greatest example of a relationship based on mutual respect and principle of equality in the region is the Pak-China friendship.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the paramount evidence of this relationship. I would like to assure that we shall not allow any external force to obstruct it and any such attempt will be dealt with iron hands, he said.

General Raheel said the Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists had achieved its objectives to confront terror, saying the armed forced will go to any limit to ensure Pakistans security.

He praised the military, police and other law enforcement agencies for their utmost efforts to establish law and order in the country.

There is a need to implement the National Action Plan and break the nexus between corruption and terrorism to fully consolidate the successes of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the entire country, he added.
A 70-million-dollar unfinished mega mansion dubbed Taj Mahal on-the-Swan owned by controversial Indian billionaire businessman Pankaj Oswal in Australias Perth is set to be torn down by the city council, amid allegations of unpaid taxes and violation of building code.

Pankaj and wife Radhika Oswal had planned to build the Indian-style mansion in Perth, where the Swan River meets the southwest coast. Had it been finished, the palace would have included seven domes, a temple, gym, swimming pool and parking for 17 cars.

The residence was said to emerge as Perths most expensive home on the 6,600 square metre block of land in luxurious riverside suburb of Peppermint Grove for which the couple had already paid more than 22 million dollars.

Its construction stopped in 2010 when Oswals fertiliser empire collapsed and they left Australia amid allegations of unpaid taxes. They are now locked in a legal battle against the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group for allegedly undervaluing shares of their company Burrup fertilisers to recoup millions of dollars in loans.

The couple made an undertaking in state administrative tribunal last year to demolish the building by September 30 this year but till last month no preparations were made.

The council was owed 108,000 dollars in unpaid rates and Australian Tax Office has freezed the sale of the property over non-payment of taxes.

The demolition contract was now finalised and work was likely to start early next month, according to media reports.

The building is to be demolished also because it is dilapidated and unfinished in contravention of the councils building code.

The council has estimated the demolition cost at around 300,000 dollars and said it would pursue the Oswals to recover the costs.

The couple will continue to own the land.

Oswals are fighting the tax office and have separate legal cases against the ANZ Bank, who they are suing for damages over losses they incurred when the fertiliser plant went into receivership.
On the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement at the G-20 summit that Pakistan is spreading terror, the US has said it wants to see accountability and justice in the case of Mumbai terror attacks which was carried out by Pakistan-based terrorist but ruled out sanctions against Islamabad .

Weve been very clear that we want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks, the US state department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner told reporters on Tuesday.

There were American citizens who lost their lives in those terrible attacks. Weve long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation, and that includes the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan in that regard, Toner said in response to a question.

While dismissing sanctions against Pakistan for not taking actions against terrorist groups, Toner asserted that Islamabad must target all militant groups, including those that target its neighbours

Suggestive of any kind of sanctions, were not there, Toner said.

He was responding to a query on a recent statement by the former US ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad that Washington now needs to seriously consider the option of imposing sanctions against Pakistan.

I dont think were even at that point, Toner said.

I mean, we continue to have, conversations with the highest level of the government of Pakistan and our basic point in all these conversations is that Pakistan must target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistans neighbours and eliminate all safe havens and that is what I was trying to convey to you as well, he said.

Referring to the remarks made by the US secretary of state John Kerry during his recent trip to India and Bangladesh, Toner said the US has had very frank conversations with Pakistans political and military leadership about the need to focus more efforts on those terrorist groups, all the terrorist groups rather, that are operating from within Pakistani territory.

We continue to have that discussion with them. We have seen some efforts to make progress in that regard. Were going to continue to have those conversations with them as we move forward and it is in Pakistans interest, its in Afghanistans interest to go after these terrorist groups, to route them out and to destroy them, he said.

The ultimate goal is we want to see peace and stability in the region, and so that is going involve efforts on Pakistans part as well as the ability of Afghanistan and the Afghan government to provide the stability and security to its own people. And that is our efforts we are focused on, Toner said.
VIENTIANE, LAOS: New Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte sought to defuse a row with the US on Tuesday, voicing regret for calling President Barack Obama a son of a bitch, a comment that prompted Washington to call off a bilateral meeting.

The tiff between the two allies overshadowed the opening of a summit of East and South-east Asian nations here. It also soured Obamas last swing as president through a region he has tried to make a focus of US foreign policy, a strategy seen as a response to Chinas economic and military muscle-flexing.

Diplomats say strains with the Philippines could compound Washingtons difficulties in forging a united front with South-east Asian partners on the geostrategic jostle with Beijing over the South China Sea.

Duterte has bristled repeatedly at criticism over his war on drugs, which has killed about 2,400 people since he took office two months ago, and on Monday said it would be rude for Obama to raise the question of human rights when they met.

Such a conversation, Duterte told reporters, would prompt him to curse at Obama, using a Filipino phrase putang ina which can mean son of a bitch or son of a whore.

After Washington called off Tuesdays bilateral meeting , the Philippines issued two statements expressing regret. President Duterte explained that the press reports that President Obama would lecture him on extrajudicial killings led to his strong comments, which in turn elicited concern, it said in a statement. He regrets that his remarks to the press have caused much controversy. He expressed his deep regard and affinity for President Obama and for the enduring partnership between our nations.

Obamas deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, said the focus on Dutertes comments leading into the summit had not created a constructive environment for a bilateral meeting. All of the attention frankly was on those comments, and therefore not on the very substantive agenda that we have with the Philippines, he said.
MARSEILLE: Two Muslim mothers wearing headscarves were accosted and prevented from entering a nursery school on the French island of Corsica on Monday by two other parents, officials said.

The incident happened as parents were dropping off their children at the start of the school day in Bonifacio, on the islands southern tip.

The two women, wearing Muslim headscarves, were stopped by two men, two brothers, who thought it wasnt right that their children are not allowed to wear emblems of their religion at school and yet these women could enter with their veils, said local prosecutor Eric Bouillard, confirming a report in the Corse-Matin newspaper.

Bonifacio mayor Jean Charles Orsucci said his education official had intervened to allow normal entry to the school.

Police and a schools inspector were also sent to the scene and the situation calmed down. There was no violence, no threats, and therefore no laws broken, said Bouillard.
THE HAGUE : The United Nations human rights chief on Monday accused US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump of spreading humiliating racial and religious prejudice and warned of a rise of populist politics that could turn violent.

In comments at a security and justice conference, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said he was addressing Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders and other populists, demagogues and political fantasists.

Naming Trump, Nigel Farage in Britain and Marine Le Pen in France, among others, he accused them of using fear tactics similar to those of Islamic State, also known as Daesh.

Make no mistake, I certainly do not equate the actions of nationalist demagogues with those of Daesh, he said. But in its mode of communication, its use of half-truths and oversimplification, the propaganda of Daesh uses tactics similar to those of the populists.

In a tweet, Wilders called Zeid an idiot.

Zeid labelled Wilders March 2017 election platform, which calls for no Muslim immigrants, the closing of mosques and the banning of the Koran, as grotesque.

The UN is grotesque, Wilders responded. Lets get rid of these bureaucrats.

But Zeid said Wilders rhetoric could have terrible consequences.

History has perhaps taught Mr. Wilders and his ilk how effectively xenophobia and bigotry can be weaponized, he said. The atmosphere will become thick with hate; at this point it can descend rapidly into colossal violence, he warned.

INDIAN-AMERICANS START DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGN FOR TRUMP

Indian-American supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump have launched the traditional door-to-door campaign, arguing that this mode of campaigning is still an effective tool to win peoples hearts ahead of the November 8 general elections.

Volunteers of Indian-Americans for Trump 2016 started old-fashioned campaigning to sell Trump and his agenda for American president among perspective voters in New Jerseys Mercer and Monmouth counties, a media release said.

The campaigners presented evidence in the form of past behavior to convince the voters why Hillary Clinton will not be a good president and why Trump will be good, it said.
It was probably with a strong sense of relief that George Washington wearily made his way to his second-floor bedchamber on the evening of July 9, 1799. A self-described old man at 67 years of age and with little more than five months of life ahead of him, Washington had just completed a task that seemingly resolved an issue that had troubled him for decades. It was on that day that the former president finished writing his last will and testament, which spelled out his directions for freeing the more than 100 enslaved human beings that he personally owned. Much more than just a functional legal instrument, the will served as Washingtons final message to his country, and the manumission clause represented one of the most symbolic acts of his long and distinguished career in public service.

Given the nature of this type of document, Washington addressed a range of personal matters in dividing his estate among his heirs. Debts owed to him by family members were forgiven; personal items, such as the many swords and canes that he had acquired over the course of his public career, were distributed as cherished mementos; and the thousands of acres that Washington had acquired so assiduously over the years were parceled out among a substantial number of relatives. Because Washington had no offspring of his own, his estate was passed on to the children of his siblings, to the Custis family relations he gained by marriage, to a select few old friends and to his wife, Martha Dandridge Custis Washington.

The former president also made clear statements on other topics that were aimed at a much wider audience. He took this opportunity to reinvigorate his one-man campaign for the creation of a national university by authorizing a portion of his estate to help endow it. But the clause in the will to which Washington probably devoted far more attention than any other  and which he hoped would send an unmistakable message to his countrymen  dealt with the issue of slavery. With the stroke of a pen, Washington set in motion the apparatus intended to free 123 enslaved African-American men, women and children.

While Washington acted to manumit those slaves that he owned in his own right, more than 150 other enslaved workers living at Mount Vernon were the legal property of the heirs to the estate of Daniel Parke Custis, Martha Washingtons first husband, and they remained in bondage. Under Virginia law, the Custis (or dower) slaves could not be freed without payment of compensation to the heirs. At an estimated average value of 40 pounds sterling per slave, this would have amounted to a payment of more than 6,000 pounds. By comparison, the total profit Washington received from all of his plantation operations for the year 1797 was calculated at just less than 900 pounds sterling.

Many of the dower slaves were the spouses and children resulting from the intermarriage of Custis and Washington slaves. George Washington elected to honor the marital status of the Mount Vernon slaves, even though unions among the enslaved had no legal standing in Virginia. He followed through on his conviction by consistently working to keep the families from being dispersed, even when doing so would have been in his own financial best interest. He repeatedly declined to sell unneeded slaves if it meant that family members would be separated. In a 1786 letter, Washington emphasized his unwillingness to carry out any such transactions, stating that it isagainst my inclinationto hurt the feelings of those unhappy people by a separation of man and wife, or of families.

It was this quandary  the desire to free his slaves, balanced against the sorrow that would result from being able to liberate some but not all of the Mount Vernon slaves  that was at the heart of Washingtons thoughtful deliberations over the provisions of his will. In the end he arrived at a compromise: He stipulated that those slaves he owned were to be freed, but only after the deaths of both himself and his wife. All the careful planning was needed in order to avoid witnessing the painful sensations that were sure to result from the enforced separation of the intertwined families.

Three years earlier, when it came time for Washington to announce his decision to forego a third term as president, he had expressed his views on a variety of topics, but conspicuously avoided mentioning slavery. Instead, he maintained silence on the issue. Undoubtedly he viewed this most troubling of all problems as having the potential to destroy the fragile union that was his lifes work and chief political legacy. For both Congress and the president, silence signified that for the time being this most controversial topic had been laid to rest.

But to conclude that George Washingtons highest priority was to ensure the future of the nation at virtually any cost  and that potentially divisive issues such as slavery could not be allowed to threaten that goal  is to let Washington and the other founders off much too easily from the charge of hypocrisy. At the same time, it minimizes the struggle that Washington and many of his contemporaries experienced in arriving at their decision. George Washington may have had more depth and breadth of experience than any other man of his generation in dealing with the thorny questions associated with slavery. To examine the circuitous route by which Washington arrived at his parallel decisions  public inaction on the one hand, his personal motivation to resolve the specific issue of the disposition of the Mount Vernon slaves on the other  is to cast light on the difficult questions that had to be addressed.

Born into a world where slavery was considered a normal part of life, George Washington initially appears to have felt no qualms about following along the same slaveholding path taken by his father, by his many relatives and by virtually every other man of wealth and status whom he knew and respected. At the age of 11, George Washington inherited 10 slaves from his fathers estate. Just as he was ever eager to expand his landholdings, to improve the productivity of his farms and to win election to public office, he steadily acquired more slaves during the next two decades. Along with marrying well, another arena in which Washington was enormously successful, these achievements were the main components of the tried-and-true formula for acquiring wealth and social prominence in colonial Virginia.

Over the course of his lifetime Washingtons attitudes toward slavery seem to have undergone a marked transformation. From his initial unquestioning support for slavery as an economic institution and a wholehearted commitment to it as a core element of his personal prosperity, through time he became increasingly frustrated at dealing with its inherent inefficiencies, and he also grew troubled by the degrading effects it had on anyone who was deeply involved with it. This change of heart is evident at least by 1778, when he remarked that every day [I] long more and more to get clear of [Negroes]. At the same time Washington became convinced that continuing to own slaves would be a mistake, he decided to discontinue selling them. He commented, The advantages resulting from the sale of my Negroes, I have very little doubt of[but] my scruples arise from a reluctance in offering these people at public vendue. Some years later Washington expressed his opinion on the topic even more candidly, remarking, Were it not then, that I am principled ag[ains]t selling Negroes, as you would Cattle in the market, I would not, in twelve months from this date, be possessed of one as a slave.

Washington was caught in a conundrum from which he would never really find a way to extricate himself. By 1786 his thinking had progressed to the next level, marked by his statement that I never mean to possess another slave by purchase; it being among my first wishes to see some plan adopted by the Legislature, by which slavery in this Country may be abolished by slow, sure and imperceptible degrees.

These developments in Washingtons thoughts stemmed from the evolution, begun long before, of his disillusionment with the American colonies subservient role within the British mercantile system. Washingtons changing attitude toward Britain was influenced greatly by his dismay over his own steadily declining fortunes in navigating the tobacco export trade, which was the first of many steps he made along the path to his commitment to the cause of American independence. Just as Washingtons misgivings over Americas place in the British empire initially were related to his own economic concerns, the basis for his questioning the viability of slavery also first seems to have been related to financial considerations.

As early as 1766 Washington had veered from the staple-crop system based on tobacco production, which he had so eagerly embraced less than a decade before. Instead he turned to cultivating cereal grains, redoubled his efforts at achieving self-sufficiency and increased his commitment to commercial enterprises. Washingtons decision stemmed from his dissatisfaction with the tobacco consignment system, the declining international market for Virginia tobacco and his alarming descent into debt to his London factor. Characteristically, Washington took a series of bold measures to stem the tide of debt and place his plantation on a firmer financial footing. With the shift from tobacco to more diversified grain production, with wheat as his cash crop, new methods of cultivation could be used that had a dramatic effect on Washingtons labor needs. Gone were the many labor-intensive tasks related to growing tobacco: the numerous intermediate steps required to prepare seeds and soil; hand planting, processing, curing and transporting the crop; plus the backbreaking toil of hoe agriculture. Grain farming was a much less intensive occupation that could take advantage of animal power and a growing battery of implements and methods calculated to further reduce the human labor required.

Through time Washington succeeded in hoisting himself out of debt by more closely attending to his affairs, mastering the new art of wheat production, working to make Mount Vernon a more self-sufficient operation, and, not least of all, by benefiting from an additional influx of cash from the Custis estate. But even as he did so he found that, try as he might to develop new industries and occupations to employ all his slaves, he possessed many more unskilled black laborers than he would ever need. Although his close attention to his financial ledgers meant that Mount Vernon would remain a profitable venture for decades to come, it was clear to Washington that unless he was willing to divest himself of a significant portion of his workers, they would constitute an ever-increasing drain on his resources. Late in life, Washington summed up his predicament with his usual insight and precision:

It is demonstratively clear, that on this Estate [Mount Vernon] I have more working Negroes by a full moiety, than can be employed to any advantage in the farming system.To sell the overplus I cannot, because I am principled against this kind of traffic in the human species. To hire them out, is almost as bad, because they could not be disposed of in families to any advantage, and to disperse the families I have an aversion.

Just as George Washingtons eight years of fighting for American independence served as a catalyst for his conviction that a strong central government would be critical to the success of the new nation, it was during this period that his growing doubts about slavery seem to have received a significant boost. Washingtons general attitudes toward slavery already may have begun to change by the time he left Philadelphia in the summer of 1775 to take command of the Continental Army camped outside Boston. Even so, there is no question that he assumed that blacks would play little or no part in the prosecution of the war, other than in their traditional role of providing labor to support the American troops. The British had other ideas, however, and Washington was soon forced to reconsider his armys policies in the matter.

Washingtons initial objection to using blacks as soldiers was manifested in a general order that excluded Negroes from service, along with Boys unable to bear Armsand old men unfit to endure the fatigues of the campaign. Shortly afterward, Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia who had embarked on a campaign to harass the American home front and disrupt the war effort, offered slaves their freedom in exchange for enlisting in the kings service. In response to Dunmores actions, and at least partly because of the continuing shortage of fighting men willing to enlist in his army, Washington and Congress soon changed the policy to allow free Negroes to join the Continental forces.

Measures to allow enslaved blacks to join the army as well, and to reward them with their freedom in exchange for their service, were initiated over the next several years. One such scheme called for the legislatures of Georgia and South Carolina to create army units made up of slaves, who would then be freed following their discharge. This plan met with strong opposition in the two states involved, culminating in the threat that South Carolina might even withdraw its support for the war effort. Washingtons silence on the matter and his tempered reaction to the failure of the plan clearly indicate that he was fully aware of the volatility of the subject and foreshadows his decision to abstain from the heated debates on slavery that were to recur during the Constitutional Convention a decade later. The basic issue that Washington saw in 1779 was that the Spirit of Freedom which at the commencement of this contest would have gladly sacrificed every thing to the attainment of its object has long since subsided, and every selfish Passion has take[n] its place  it is not the public but the private Interest which influences the generality of Mankind nor can the Americans any longer boast an exception. In other words, private interest already had reestablished itself as the dominant force in American society, and all efforts to affect the institution of slavery would henceforth be held accountable to it.

Nevertheless, the spirit of liberty that had been so invigorated by the events of the 1770s did manifest itself in a number of important measures affecting the status of Americas slaves. In 1777 the constitution for the new state of Vermont completely abolished slavery, and Massachusetts soon followed suit. Many other Northern states, such as Pennsylvania in 1780, adopted legislation aimed at gradual emancipation during this period, although it was not until 1804 that New Jersey finally enacted a similar law. Not surprisingly, in the South anti-slavery gains were much more modest. But three Southern states, including Virginia in 1782, passed laws that made it possible for owners to manumit their slaves. It was the provisions of this law that Washington had to respect in formulating the manumission plan outlined in his will.

With his status as the preeminent symbol of American independence confirmed in the days following the peace of 1783, Washington became the focal point for many who sought to bring the Revolutions rhetoric on the inalienable rights of man to bear on other issues. Not surprisingly, probably the most prominent among them were men seeking to abolish slavery throughout the United States. Those who approached Washington on the subject reflected the remarkable diversity of perspectives and approaches found within the growing abolition movement. These included highly principled men, such as the Marquis de Lafayette and others who served during the Revolution, who knew Washington well. They argued their case on the proposition of universal freedom. Privately, Washington expressed his support for their views  he even encouraged schemes such as Lafayettes idea to establish a colony of freed slaves in Africa. But publicly Washington maintained his silence.

From his position as presiding officer over the Constitutional Convention, Washington had a ringside seat to observe the deep political divisions in the assembly over the question of slavery. The sectional conflicts that had arisen during the war over the enlistment of free blacks and slaves, the differing approaches taken by the individual states in the regulation of slavery within their borders and the conflict over repeated attempts to restrict the international slave trade all served as precursors to the even more highly charged debates that were to come in the convention hall in Philadelphia. Throughout the extended political maneuvering that was required to resolve the many contentious issues on the table, Washington remained silent, at least outwardly. But his fundamental support for a constitution that would unify the nation behind a strong central government remained unshakable. From this perspective, slavery was a topic fraught with danger, and one for which a compromise solution was the best that could be achieved.

For Washington, and for the great majority of the founders, a provision allowing for the eventual prohibition of the slave trade was crucial to any acceptable compromise. Outlawing the slave trade had been a point of contention for decades and was perceived by abolitionists as the most likely first objective in achieving their ultimate goal. The slave trade was considered a great evil, even by many slaveholding Southerners who opposed abolition itself. Thomas Jefferson renounced the slave trade in his first draft of the Declaration of Independence. Virginia law prohibited further importation of slaves into the commonwealth beginning in 1778. It was almost inevitable that the slave trade became a particular focus of debate in the convention. Opposition to the slave trade was a hallmark of moderate opponents to slavery, such as Washington, who believed that slavery should be eradicated  but who also were convinced that it could not be ended immediately. By shutting off further importation of slaves, it was widely believed, the demise of slavery would come about in time.

Even though the slave trade proviso that was finally incorporated into the Constitution only stipulated that slavery could not be outlawed before 20 years had passed, it nevertheless represented a victory for moderates. Considered a crucial pro-slavery concession in the South, it was a bitter pill for radical abolitionists to swallow. Practically speaking, the compromise only postponed the ultimate resolution of the issue while giving both sides time to bolster their forces. The slave trade was prohibited in due course, but that act had much less impact than the moderate abolitionists had hoped would be the case. For as it should have been clear to anyone who bothered to examine the evidence closely, even by 1790 the influx of additional slaves was hardly needed to guarantee that slavery would continue to expand by natural means. With the benefit of another 20 years of imports, when the slave trade finally was prohibited it did little to inhibit the continued precipitous growth of the enslaved population in America. By 1860 the number of slaves had multiplied to more than five times what it had been 70 years earlier.

During the last years of his second presidential administration, Washington began to formulate plans for putting his personal affairs in order against the day when he would again, and finally, retire to private life. A major element of his plan called for easing the strain of overseeing his vast estate by seeking to sell or rent the great bulk of his property. He hoped to find a group of progressive English farmers who could be induced to migrate to America to farm the well-tended, but still lamentably infertile, Mount Vernon fields. For Washington this plan would seem to have been the answer to so many of his most heartfelt desires. Not only would he be free of the toil and aggravation caused by the day-to-day oversight of the plantation, he would also escape the frustrations of trying to adapt a system of slave labor to his innovative vision of Mount Vernons future. And perhaps best of all, Washington would presumably experience the satisfaction of finally witnessing firsthand the benefits of the many innovative farming practices that for years he had been trying to adapt from their English agricultural innovators.

The land scheme took on even greater significance for Washington because it was an integral part of his final, concerted attempt to solve in one clean sweep the vexing problem of the disposition of the Mount Vernon slaves. Given the substantial cost of reimbursing the Custis estate for the value of the dower slaves, finding a method whereby he could afford to free them under the provisions of Virginias 1782 manumission act was a challenge. The first indication of Washingtons ambitious plan is contained in a series of letters exchanged in 1794 between him and his secretary and close friend, Tobias Lear, and between Washington and the English agronomist Arthur Young. As Washington portrayed it to Lear, the plan consisted of two interrelated parts: selling his thousands of acres of western lands and selling or renting the four outlying Mount Vernon farms. By divesting himself of most of his acreage, he would no longer require large numbers of slaves to support himself. This, in turn, would allow him to set free the slaves that he owned. In addition, with the profits from the land sales, Washington hoped to be able to buy the dower slaves from the Custis estate in order to set them free. Thus would he overcome the problem of breaking up the intermarried families, since all the slaves could be freed at the same time.

Washingtons apparent willingness to sell off thousands of acres of land to finance his manumission plan suggests that he had come full circle in respect to the status of the Mount Vernon slaves. If much of Washingtons initial ambivalence toward holding hundreds of black workers in bondage was due to financial issues, this plan suggests that his moral concerns now were dominant. Freeing his slaves, even at great cost, had become the highest priority, and Washington was apparently willing to suffer a major reduction to his personal fortune to make that happen.

Just how far Washington had traveled in his odyssey from unabashed slave master to committed opponent of slavery is hinted at in a letter he wrote to Lear in 1794. Washington outlined the benefits that he hoped he would obtain from the plan, which included reducing his expenses to the point where he could support himself through occupations less onerous than farming. But he elaborated further in an aside marked private. I have another motive, he wrote, that is indeed more powerful than all the rest, namely to liberate a certain species of property which I possess, very repugnantly to my own feelings; but which imperious necessity compels.

Unfortunately, Washington received only a few serious inquiries in response to his advertisements to sell his western lands and to sell or rent the Mount Vernon farms. As a consequence, nothing came of his plan to free the dower slaves. Although he never seems to have expressed his thoughts on the topic in writing, his disappointment must have been acute. When he wrote out his last will and testament, Washington was left with the unpleasant task of devising a final plan for the future of Mount Vernons slaves to ensure their freedom without forcing families to break up.

When Washington developed his compromise, which stipulated that his slaves would not be freed until the death of his wife, he was fully aware of the impact of his decision. Clearly uncomfortable with the knowledge that the freedom of so many depended on her death, after her husband died Martha Washington decided to implement the clause of his will to manumit her husbands slaves. This was authorized on December 15, 1800 (to take effect the following January 1), just a year after George Washingtons death and almost 18 months before Martha Washington herself died. While there is no record of the reactions of the Mount Vernon slaves to this event, either on the part of those freed or those who remained in bondage, it must have been the cause of much sadness as well as joy.

With the failure of his land sales and rental scheme, Washington simply did not have the ready money needed to compensate the Custis estate for the value of the dower slaves. But although the legal wrangling to accomplish it may have ultimately proven unsuccessful  and such an act undoubtedly would have been unprecedented  it seems that George Washington might still have found a way to free the Custis slaves if he had been willing to devote a considerable portion of his estate to that end. As he had apparently seriously considered divesting himself of much of his landholdings just a few years earlier, hoping to pay for freeing the dower slaves, it is puzzling that Washington did not make one final attempt. Or maybe the final decision to give up on the effort to free the dower slaves simply reflects the exhaustion of an old, worn-out man. Whatever the reason, the decision indicates that there was an upper limit that even George Washington placed on the value of his principles. Unfortunately, there is no doubt that this was a condition shared by the vast majority of his slaveholding contemporaries. Nevertheless, Washingtons serious attempt to free all of the Mount Vernon slaves demonstrates his commitment to the principle of emancipation at a time when most of the founding generation of slaveholders were avoiding the issue entirely.

Washingtons will swiftly gained the public attention envisioned by its author, appearing in print almost immediately, with no less than 13 editions published in 10 different cities in 1800 alone. And yet, if Washington hoped that the decision to free his slaves would compel large numbers of his countrymen to follow his lead, he was sadly mistaken. In fact, his example failed to make a significant impression even on the members of his own family. Although Martha Washington controlled the dower slaves, they were still the property of her first husbands estate. She only owned outright one slave, named Elish. For reasons known only to herself, she chose not to manumit Elish, instead passing him on to her grandson in her will. Of the family members who inherited the more than 150 slaves held by the Custis estate, none of them seem to have elected to free more than a very few.

Bushrod Washington, the Supreme Court justice and nephew of George Washington, and the inheritor of the Mount Vernon mansion and 4,000 acres of the estate, never freed the Mount Vernon slaves during his ownership of the plantation. And in fact he even engaged in the practice most abhorred by his famous uncle  the disruption of slave families through public sale. Finally, almost none of George Washingtons peers, either the obscure or the famous  not Jefferson, not Madison, not Monroe  elected to follow their presidents example. We can only speculate on how much suffering and injustice might have been spared succeeding generations if they had.

This article was written by Dennis J. Pogue and originally published in the February 2004 issue of American History Magazine.For more great articles, subscribe to American History magazine today!
Following the Confederate debacle at Gettysburg, many blamed Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart for leaving General Robert E. Lee in the dark. But was Stuart really to blame for the defeat? And if so, was he the only one at fault?

The guns had scarcely fallen silent at Gettysburg before the questions and recriminations began. Disappointed Southerners refused to believe that the infallible Robert E. Lee could lose a battle, particularly one as vital as Gettysburg. Someone else must be to blame. Even after Lee himself had said (with much reason), It is all my fault, supporters inside and outside the Army began looking about for a convenient scapegoat. They quickly found one in the outsized personality of Major General J.E.B. Stuart, Lees flamboyant cavalry chief.

Criticism of Stuart, which began as a murmur among Lees personal staff, soon exploded onto the front pages of prominent Southern newspapers, which were read by both private citizens and high-ranking members of the Confederate government. At issue was Stuarts supposed failure to provide Lee with crucial information about the enemys troop movements in the days leading up to Gettysburg. This lack of accurate intelligence, it was said, had caused Lee to blunder into a battle he did not seek, on ground he did not choose. It was all Stuarts fault, for going off on an ill-advised raid around the Union army when Lee needed him close at hand. Contrary to popular belief, however, Stuart had followed Lees orders strictly, if not perhaps totally, and he was innocent of the harshest accusations made against him. In no way did Stuarts raid deprive Lee of the cavalry needed to monitor his opponents movements, only of the officers skilled enough to do so successfully.

How, then, did Stuart become the scapegoat of Gettysburg? Simply put, he was at the end of a long chain of mistakes and misjudgments stretching from the commanding general to a lone scout on horseback. Indeed, there is a certain inevitability to the miscarried raid and its aftermath, an inevitability rooted in the personalities of Lee, Stuart and the many others who contributed, either actively or passively, to the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg. And if Stuart himself was not completely blameless, he had a great deal of company.

Planning for the raid began on the morning of June 22, 1863, three days after the vanguard of Lees army had crossed into Pennsylvania on its second massive invasion of the North, when Stuart asked Lee for guidance in the next phase of the campaign. Specifically, he wondered which route he should take while following the infantry into enemy territory. If he moved down the Shenandoah Valley west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he might alert Union cavalry to Lees hitherto carefully screened advance. If, on the other hand, he moved east from his camp at Rectors Cross Roads (near Salem), he could cross the Potomac between Maj. Gen. Joseph Hookers Union army and Washington, D.C. Such a move might throw the Federals into confusion and give Lee an extra advantage on his move north.

Stuart sent his request for guidance to Lee through I Corps commander Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, who responded with his own recommendation: I think your passage of the Potomac by our rear at the present will, in a measure, disclose our plans. You had better not leave us, therefore, unless you can take the route in rear of the enemy. It was the first of several mixed messages Stuart received from his immediate superiors. Later that same day, Lee responded with a letter of his own, stating: If you find that he [Hooker] is moving northward, and that two brigades can guard the Blue Ridge and take care of your rear, you can move with the other three into Maryland, and take position on General [Richard] Ewells right, place yourself in communication with him, guard his flank, keep him informed of the enemys movements, and collect all the supplies you can for the use of the army.

Based on Lees instructions, Stuart began fabricating a plan for another dramatic cavalry raid that would pass around the rear of the Union army. It is possible, as critics later charged, that the recent disappointments at Brandy Station and Upperville (where the Union cavalrymen gave good accounts of themselves) might have made Stuart more eager than usual for an opportunity to reassert the superiority of his own vaunted cavalry and restore his slightly tarnished reputation. More likely, however, he was simply thinking along the same lines as Lee and Longstreet on how best to use his light cavalry in the upcoming campaign.

With Lees and Longstreets rather vague advice in hand, Stuart turned to his most trusted scout, John Singleton Mosby, for information on the best route to take into Pennsylvania. Mosby, who would later find fame as the commanding colonel of an effective independent cavalry unit in northern Virginia, Mosbys Rangers, was still serving on Stuarts personal staff. He rode into headquarters on June 23 with word that Stuart could pass safely around the rear of Hookers widely dispersed army in western Maryland en route to Pennsylvania. Hooker, said Mosby, was lying idle along a 25-mile-long line from Leesburg, Va., to Thoroughfare Gap, just west of Haymarket, and the Federal line was stretched so thin that Stuart could simply ride through it. It was a dangerously overoptimistic assessment of the military situation, based on the assumption that the Federals would simply sit still and wait for events to overtake them. But Stuart trusted Mosby implicitly and was, at any rate, always ready to accept information that conformed to his own expectations.

Stuart liked the plan so well that he committed it to paper and showed it to the commanders of his two brigades, Brig. Gens. Fitzhugh Lee and Wade Hampton. He then detailed his strategy to Lee and Longstreet. Stuarts plan called for him to pass through Glasscock Gap, then head northeast, crossing the Potomac at Seneca Ford and joining Ewell in Pennsylvania. Stuart fully expected his cavalry to pass to the rear of the Union army, severing communications between Hooker and his own cavalry commander, Brig. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton, destroying transportation for the Union army, and taking pressure off Lee by creating a diversion and slowing down Hookers movements. Once in Maryland, Stuart would wreck the C&O Canal and destroy railroad communications with Washington.

Stuart went to army headquarters at Berryville to await Lees approval of his plan. He was sleeping out in the open under a poncho when Lees response arrived. Stuarts adjutant, Major Henry McClellan, opened the letter (clearly marked confidential) and woke Stuart to show him the message. Lee had written: If General Hookers army remains inactive, you can leave two brigades to watch him, and withdraw with the three others, but should he not appear to be moving northward, I think you had better withdraw this side of the mountain tomorrow night, cross at Shepherdstown next day and move to Fredericktown [Frederick]. You will, however, be able to judge whether you can pass around their army without hindrance, doing them all the damage you can, and cross the river east of the mountains. In either case, after crossing the river, you must move on and feel the right of Ewells troops, collecting information, provisions, etc. Give instructions to the commander of the brigades left behind to watch the flank and rear of the army and (in event of the enemy leaving their front) retire from the mountains west of the Shenandoah, leaving sufficient pickets to guard the passes, and bringing everything clean along the valley, closing upon the rear of the army.

The second letter from Lee was ambiguous and somewhat illogical, especially when considering his first letter. Initially, Lee had told Stuart he was concerned that Hooker might steal a march on us and get across the Potomac before we are aware. His first set of instructions ordered Stuart to link up with Ewells right and guard his flank, while also collect[ing] all the supplies you can for the use of the army. That in itself was a rather contradictory order, especially for a cavalryman famous for his independent raiding sorties.

The second letter told Stuart he could move if General Hookers army remains inactive [emphasis added] and simultaneously advised Stuart to enter Maryland west of the Blue Ridge Mountains or pass around the Federals east of the mountains and then feel the right of Ewells troops. Besides giving Stuart two dramatically different routes to take, Lee had softened the stipulation that the cavalry link up with Ewell and guard his flank. And his remark that Stuart should do as much damage as possible seemed to be directed more at a raiding party than a flank-guarding detail. Lee also gave Stuart the latitude to judge whether he could pass around their army without hindrance. It would be up to Stuart to decide what constituted a true hindrance, as opposed to a momentary complication.

The sleep-befuddled Stuart read Lees second letter by firelight and characteristically interpreted it to mean that the commanding general had complete confidence in Stuarts judgment and was giving him the go-ahead to raid the enemy rear. Had Stuart read the letter in the cold light of dawnthat is to say, had Major McClellan not awakened him in the middle of the night and handed him the opened confidential letterhe might have sought a clarification of the orders. He was, after all, within easy riding distance of Lees headquarters. Then again, he might not have, because even if the orders were not exactly clear, they were at least discretionary enough to allow Stuart to exercise his own judgmentand that judgment, as usual, was to go off raiding on his own.

With Lees approval in hand, Stuart made the final decision to execute his raid. Now all he needed was to meet Lees two conditions. On the morning of June 24, Mosby reported that Hooker was remaining inactive, thus fulfilling the first of Lees conditions. The second was easy; Stuart had already decided that he could move around the enemy without hindrance. The three brigades of Hampton, Fitzhugh Lee and Colonel John Chambliss were ordered to rendezvous that night at Salem. The brigades of Brig. Gens. Beverly Robertson and William E. Grumble Jones were ordered to remain at the mountain passes, keeping an eye on the enemy.

Stuart had several good reasons for disposing his forces in this manner. Since the raid would be highly dangerous, it is understandable that he wanted his best troops to go along with him, under officers in whom he had the most confidence. In addition, the two brigades left behind with Lees army were nearly equal to those he took with him. Stuart believed that this force, combined with Brig. Gen. Albert Jenkins brigade, which was already detached to Ewells corps, would be sufficient to fulfill all duties that might be required of the cavalry in his absence.

Another more personal consideration was that Jones and Robertson were the two brigadiers Stuart liked least. Stuart considered Robertson by far the most troublesome man I had to deal with, in large part due to the fact that Robertson had been a former beau of Stuarts wife, Flora, and an Old Army protege of Stuarts much-detested father-in-law, Union Brig. Gen. Phillip St. George Cooke. The irascible Jones had more than once lived up to his nickname of Grumble, but Stuart could justify leaving him behind since he had a widespread reputation as the best outpost officer in the service and therefore seemed eminently qualified to observe and report the enemys movements. The problem was that Robertson outranked Jones and would be in titular command of the remaining cavalry. Stuart sought to remedy this by giving Robertson clearly worded instructions to guard the Blue Ridge passes, observe the Union army and hasten north to rejoin Lees infantry at the first sign of enemy movement.

Although the orders were clear enough, they were given (as Stuart should have known only too well) to an officer of inferior ability. James Longstreet charged laterwith much justicethat Stuart had purposely left him his least-favorite officers and commands. Moreover, Stuart ignored Longstreets directive to order General Hamptonwhom I suppose you will leave here in commandto report to meeither by letter or in person. Again, this was less than a clear order. Longstreet only supposed that Stuart would leave Hampton behind to command the rest of the cavalry in his absence. It was not, as Longstreet charged in his memoirs, a direct order to leave Hampton with the army. Still, it was obvious that Longstreet wanted someone to report to him from the cavalry. Stuart either ignored the request, perhaps in his haste to get moving, or else was guilty himself of supposing that Robertson or Jones would see to it that Longstreet was fully apprised of the situation. In any case, the officers left in charge of his cavalry while Robert E. Lee commenced the perilous invasion of Northern territory were not up to the task. Whether Stuart could fairly be blamed for their shortcomings is beside the question; as overall cavalry commander, he was ultimately responsible for all the troops under his command. Jones and Robertsons failure to notify Lee that the Union army had broken camp and set out after him was at least an indirect result of Stuarts decision to leave them in charge while he rode around the enemy.

Having commenced his raid on June 25, Stuart almost immediately ran, literally, into a roadblock. At Haymarket, Va., Stuart discovered that Union Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancocks II Corps was already occupying the road on which Stuart expected to move. Not wanting to engage an infantry corps, Stuart was content to fire off a few artillery rounds and then let Hancock continue on his way, while Stuart spent most of the day grazing his horses in a field nearby. Stuart later claimed that he had sent a message to Lee reporting Hancocks movements, a report that undoubtedly would have set off warning bells in Lees quicksilver mind, but the message never arrived.

With this early setback, Stuart made his firstand in many ways his most controversialdecision. Many believed, then and later, that in the face of the enemy movement north, Stuart no longer met Lees condition to move without hindrance and should have turned back immediately. Lees orders did not define exactly what constituted a hindrance, however, and Stuart obviously did not consider Hancocks rapidly departing corps as a sufficient hindrance to cause him to turn back. At any rate, the orders left it up to him to choose the most expeditious route to take to rejoin the army.

On the evening of June 25, the distance between Stuarts camp and Shepherdstown, the nearest ford west of the mountains, was more than 60 miles. Stuart could not possibly have reached Shepherdstown before the evening of June 27 or the passes at South Mountain before late the next day. That would still have left him 60 miles from York, where he expected to meet Maj. Gen. Jubal Earlys division of Ewells corps. Assuming that he did not encounter further enemy opposition, Stuart reasoned that he still could not have reached York until late on June 30. He believed he could get there on his current route just as quickly. He also expected that the information he had forwarded regarding Hancocks movement would cause Robertson and Jones to spring into action and rejoin Lees army. Based on these expectations and the chance to obey at least part of Lees initial order to wreak havoc on the Union rear, Stuart determined to continue his raid by making a slight detour around the enemys line of march.

While Stuart was continuing his ridecrossing the Potomac at Rowsers Ford, tearing up a portion of the C&O Canal and snapping up whatever unwary Federals crossed his pathLee was inching forward into Pennsylvania. As late as June 27, Lee was telling Brig. Gen. Isaac Trimble, I have not yet heard that the enemy have crossed the Potomac, and am waiting to hear from General Stuart. He was still waiting to hear from Stuart when the cavalry leader reached Rockville, Md., around noon on June 28. While lingering in the area to destroy telegraph lines, Stuart learned that a large, heavily laden wagon train was nearby, heading for the Union army. Here, Stuart made his second controversial decision of the raid. Succumbing to temptation, but also believing that he was following Lees orders to hurt the enemy whenever possible, Stuart attacked and captured the 8-mile-long train. However, it took him several hours to burn the wrecked wagons, parole prisoners and gather together the widely scattered brigades of Fitz Lee and Chambliss.

A second message to Lee reporting Stuarts progress was somehow lost, and Stuart fought his way out of Hanover. Unaware of Lees location, Stuart proceeded to York, then on to Carlisle, where he was informed that Lee and his men had been in Gettysburg waiting for him. He finally linked up with Lees army late in the afternoon of July 2, several days behind schedule and far too late to help with the arrangements of the ongoing battle.

Ever since Stuart reported to Lee in person on the afternoon of the 2nd, the success or failure of his raid has been the subject of intense debate. Certainly, Lee himself was dissatisfied with Stuarts performance. The exact wording of his opening statement to Stuart has been disputed. According to some, he said simply, Well, General Stuart, here you are at last. Others maintained that Lee asked icily: General Stuart, where have you been? I have not heard a word from you for days, and you the eyes and ears of my army. Whatever Lee said, it was obvious that he was unhappy with his cavalry commander, an unhappiness that was echoed by Lees staff officers, particularly Colonel Charles G. Marshall, who later urged Lee to court-martial Stuart for disobeying orders. The next day, while Stuart ineffectually attacked the Union rear, the Battle of Gettysburg was lost.

Initial blame for the disaster at Gettysburg was directed, naturally enough, at Lee. Texas Senator Louis T. Wigfall spoke openly of Lees blunder at Gettysburg and his utter want of generalship. For his part, Lee offered to resign, a pro forma offer that he knew Confederate President Jefferson Davis would refuse. Soon, however, critics zeroed in on another high-ranking general: Jeb Stuart. A well-connected Mobile newspaper correspondent based in the Confederate capital of Richmond reported that for some time back many serious charges have been made against Stuart, reflecting severely upon him. His vanity seems to have controlled all his actions, and the cavalry was used frequently to gratify his personal pride and to the detriment of the service. The reporter continued, At the Battle of Gettysburg, he was not to be found, and Gen. Lee could not get enough cavalry together to carry out his plans.

Lee himself, in his mild way, complained that the movements of the army preceding the battle of Gettysburg had been much embarrassed by the absence of cavalry. To this, Stuarts adjutant, Henry McClellan, responded: It was not the want of cavalry that General Lee bewailed, for he had enough of it had it been properly used. It was the absence of Stuart himself that he felt so keenly.

John S. Mosby, whose initial scouting report had contributed much to Stuarts decision to go ahead with the raid, criticized Robertson for his failure to join Lees army quickly enough after the Union army had begun its pursuit. Stuart had ridden around General Hooker while Robertson had ridden around General Lee, Mosby said. The only thing I blame Stuart for was not having him [Robertson] shot.

The frustration of not having Stuarts counsel, and the meager results of his raid, might have been overshadowed by a great victory at Gettysburg. The shock of defeat, however, led the South to look for scapegoats. Stuart has been criticized through the years for misinterpreting Lees orders, and this has caused him to receive more widespread unfavorable comments than any other commander involved in the campaign.

The raid, its failure and its impact on the operations of the Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg should be evaluated in three respects. First, the raids accomplishments must be evaluated against what was expected. Did the raid accomplish what Lee and Stuart had hoped for? Second, the raid must be appraised against the larger strategic picture. What influence, if any, did the raid have on the operations of the army? Third, was the raid a sound military movement, and if not, who should be held accountable for the consequences?

Stuart was tasked by Lee to gain information on the enemys movements and to damage and delay the enemy before joining Ewell in Pennsylvania. By evaluating the validity of Stuarts claims of success in his battle report, it becomes clear that the raid was a failure in this respect. First, Stuart claimed that he caused serious loss to the enemy in men and material and spread terror and consternation to the very gates of the capital. He captured a large wagon train of supplies, but the loss only inconvenienced Hooker. By no means did it affect Union army operations. Many of the 1,000 prisoners were teamsters, garrison troops or detached cavalry, and their loss therefore had no impact on the Union Army. And although Stuart damaged telegraph lines and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the damage was quickly repaired and the railroad between Baltimore and Washington remained intact. The panic Stuart claimed he instigated in Washington and Baltimore in no way affected Maj. Gen. George C. Meade and the Union armys movement toward Lee.

Second, Stuart asserted that a large part of Union cavalry and the entire Union VI Corps was sent to intercept him, which prevented its participation in the first two days fight at Gettysburg. There is little truth to this claim. Most of the Union cavalry was already placed on the armys flanks, and only two brigades of Brig. Gen. Irvin Greggs division were sent in pursuit of Stuart. The VI Corps was sent through Westminster as part of Meades strategy to guard his right flank against Lee, but not in response to Stuart. At any rate, the VI Corps arrived at Gettysburg late on July 2 and helped to stop the Confederate attack.

Third, Stuart claimed that Meade was forced to detach 4,000 men from the army to protect property between Washington and Frederick. Meade did detach those forces for protection, but because of the threat of incursions by guerrillas. Stuarts raid did not cause Meade to send out any of his forces, nor did it mislead the enemy about the armys real intentions, as Longstreet had suggested. Instead, Union signal stations on Maryland heights observed and reported the crossing of Lees army into Maryland as early as June 23.

Stuart receives most of his criticism when the raid is reviewed strategically. His detractors claimed that Stuarts willful misinterpretation of Lees orders caused his late arrival at Gettysburg and thus was a major cause of Lees defeat, since the absence of cavalry permitted Lee to be surprised by the Union troops and forced into an early general engagement. Critics ask: What if Stuart had not brought along his captured wagon train and had made it to Gettysburg on July 1? Could he have helped to sweep the small force of Union cavalry out of town before Maj. Gen. John Reynolds I Corps arrived? And what if Stuart had been available on July 2? Would this have led to better reconnaissance, with Lee deciding to go along with Longstreets suggestion of a turning movement to force Meade out of his position?

To say that Stuarts late arrival left Lee with no cavalry is ridiculous. Lee had Jenkins cavalry available at Gettysburg on July 1 and could have had Robertsons and Jones brigades. On July 2, 250 men from Hamptons brigade were available to Lee and Longstreet for reconnaissance, but they were used instead to guard roads at Longstreets rear. And Lee should not have been surprised, as he claimed. He knew the Union army had been shifting troops toward Leesburg, and on June 28 he found out that the enemy was building a pontoon bridge at Edwards Ferry. And if it is true that Lee had been forced into an early encounter at Gettysburg, it is also true that Meade was just as surprised, and the initial advantage lay with Lee.

Why then did Stuart receive such harsh criticism? His own long, detailed report attempted to prove the virtues of the raid and its strategically sound foundation. He wrote too much, however, and his self-righteous attitude and tendency to blame others for the failures of the campaign caused the report to be considered unreliable. Moreover, by accusing the army of not being where he thought it would be, he unwittingly questioned the soundness of Lees strategy, thus incurring the wrath of all who thought Lee could do no wrong.

The ultimate responsibility for authorizing Stuarts raid lies with Lee. Whether the risk of wearing out three cavalry brigades was worth the effort is debatable. What is undeniable is that Lee authorized the raid. In doing so, his faith in Stuart led him merely to indicate his wishes, thus giving Stuart considerable latitude in carrying them out. His two letters were more like suggestions than orders. They provided no definate timetable for Stuart and only a vague location of where Ewells corps would be headed. Regardless of Stuarts abilities, if orders or suggestions are conditional, then the conditions implied should be made explicitly clear. In this case, they were not.

Having given Stuart permission to raid the Union rear, implying that he might roam widely for an unspecified period of time, Lee should have expected that Stuart would be out of touch for several days and that he would have to rely on the cavalry left with him. Lees battle report states that General Stuart would give notice of its [the enemys] movements, and nothing having been heard from him since our entrance into Maryland, it was inferred that the enemy had not yet left Virginia. This comment was unfounded and based on hindsight. Lees assumption was a dangerous one, and not good generalship. If Stuarts presence is what Lee missed, and if he had no confidence in Robertson and Jones, then he should have insisted that Stuart leave behind a commander he could trust. The fault of not having the army properly screened and aware of the Union armys movements lies with Lee, not Stuart.

Stuart, based on the directions given him, did everything that could have been expected of him. Typically, raids on enemy communications are only a nuisance and rarely cause any real damage. Still, in carrying out the raid, Stuart followed his orders to the letter. Given no real timetable, he moved quickly, doing what damage he could, and brought in much-needed provisions for the army. Expecting to meet Ewells corps at the Susquehanna River, Stuart chose the best available route. All the same, he lost valuable time by lugging with him the captured wagon train and prisoners, which gave the Union cavalry time to intercept him at Hanover, Pa., causing Stuart to lose an extra day.

In the end, there was blame enough for all. Lee and Longstreet should have given better instructions. Stuart should have left behind better officers than Jones and Robertson, who, in turn, should have better carried out their clearly stated orders. Mosby should have given Stuart better scouting information. Ewell should have made more of an effort to find Stuart and come to his aid at Hanover. All could have joined Lee in groaning, after Gettysburg, Too bad! Too bad! Oh, too bad!

First-time contributor Daniel Zimmerman writes from Silver Spring, Md. For further reading, see: The Cavalry at Gettysburg, by Edward G. Longacre; or Bold Dragoon: The Life of J.E.B. Stuart, by Emory Thomas.[ Top | Cover Page ]
Captain Jay Zeamer Jr. was still awake when his phone rang at 10 p.m., just hours before he and his B-17 crew were to take off early on June 16, 1943, for a risky photomapping mission. It was an operations officer from V Bomber Command. Naval intelligence had received word of increased activity at the Japanese airfield on the small island of Buka, just north of Bougainville. Before surveying and photographing the hidden reefs of Bougainvilles Empress Augusta Baywhere American troops were to land in a few monthsZeamer was to swing Old 666 north and reconnoiter Buka Airfield.

The request made perfect sense strategically. When the invasion of Bougainville commenced, the Japanese defenses would consist of aircraft from both islands. Still, this new proposal sat in Zeamers stomach like a broken bottle. He and navigator Ruby Johnston had already calculated that it would take 22 minutes to photograph the 127 miles of coast along the bay. All the while, it would be necessary to keep the B-17 straight and level at 25,000 feet to ensure the proper overlap of each photo frame that photographer and waist gunner George Kendrick would snap. During the entire mapping run, the lone bomber would be a big, fat target. And now Group Operations wanted to widen that bulls-eye by adding a Buka recon? Why not just radio the Japanese their course and arrival time?

Hell no, Zeamer barked at the operations officer. Im only going on the one mission and Im not letting anyone fool with that.

Zeamer was still intent on ignoring the order when he set the Flying Fortress to head north-by-northeast shortly after 4 a.m. the next morning. It struck him, not for the first time, how difficult it was to target even familiar islands over dark stretches of the featureless Pacific Ocean. He and his crew had never before set course for Bougainville, and over such alien seas the water below took on the resemblance of a great, gray sinuous muscle, swelling and contracting with the rhythms of the planet. Every one of his crew recognized the importance of this mission as the next step to the Southwest Pacific campaign, and perhaps even to the entire war. Yet flying over so great an expanse made them feel lonely and small.

Three hours later, a thin sliver of sun appeared in the east just as Bougainvilles coastline came into view, a parenthesis of land surrounded by glistening dark waters. Zeamer checked his instruments. One hundred fifty-five degrees east longitude. Then he looked at his watch. Thirty minutes ahead of schedule. It would still be another 30 to 45 minutes before the light would be strong enough to provide the proper exposure for the cameras infrared filters. That meant he faced a hard choice.

Zeamer reached for his interphone and laid out their options. He could turn Old 666 northwest and kill extra time vectoring over the pale green waters of the Solomon Sea. Out of sight. Safe. Or he could set a course due north and arrive over Buka Passage just as the sun was high enough to photograph the Japanese airfield on the tiny island. He put the decision to the crew.

As top turret gunner Johnnie Able later explained, We thought so much of Captain Zeamer and had such trust in him and his ability that we didnt give a damn where we went, just so long as he wanted to go there. Anything okay by him was okay by us.

Or, as Zeamer interpreted the collective response from his crew that morning: Oh, what the hell. Lets take their GD reconnaissance photos. Weve done it before.

At 25,000 feet the seahorse-shaped spit of sand looked like a dangling appendage of Bougainville, separated from the larger landmass by only a narrow passage of water. Streaks of pale sunlight illuminated the waves building over the serrated reefs and breaking on Bukas white-sand beaches. Zeamer saw the airstrip running adjacent to the islands southeast coast, surrounded by a honeycomb of earthen revetments carved out of the jungle. From five miles above, the rutted roads connecting the aircraft hidey-holes lent the impression of a massive spiderweb encircling the crushed-coral runway that stretched for almost half a mile.

Then, with Old 666 nearly on top of the strip, belly gunner Forrest Dillman reported sighting more than 20 enemy fighters parked wingtip to wingtip, with what looked like perhaps another dozen protruding from their revetments. A peculiar shiver ran up Zeamers spine as the risks of the mission suddenly increased exponentially. Had he made a deadly mistake? Why hadnt he trusted his first instinct? Seconds later, Dillmans voice again crackled over the interphone. Pilots on the ground were scrambling into their cockpits.

They had been spotted.

ZEAMER, 24, RANKLED COLLEAGUES at the 43rd Bomb Group with his knack for nonconformity. Aloof, they had called him. A screw-up. No respect for authority. When they would not give him a crew, he had recruited one with men like himself; at first they had called them misfits, but now each one was an airman with whom he would entrust his life.

When they would not give him a plane, he and his crew had foraged oneplucked from the boneyard at the rump end of the runway at their base at Port Moresby, New Guineaand rebuilt it from the wheels up. Old 666, an E model, derived its name from its tail number: 41-2666. The crew also increased the aircrafts defensive armament, replacing its .30-caliber nose guns with larger .50-caliber machine guns and specially fitting a nose gun connected to Zeamers cockpit controls. In addition, they added extra guns at the waist and radiomans positions. With a total of 19 .50-caliber machine guns, Old 666 bristled like a porcupine.

And when they would not give Zeamer assignments, he had volunteered for themrecon missions no one else wanted, missions they all had to be a little crazy to take on. Missions like this one.

No wonder Zeamer and his men had become known as the Eager Beavers.

Every man aboard Old 666 recognized it was only a matter of time before the enemy fighters from Buka caught up with them. For a split second Zeamer considered turning and running, scrapping the Bougainville mission altogether. They had gotten the photos of the airfield, so the mission would not be a complete washout. But there were the 37,000 Marines and GIs preparing for the Bougainville invasion. He imagined LSTs snagged on the jagged reefs of Empress Augusta Bay. The Marines and GIs would be ducks in a pond for the machine guns and mortar tubes around the invasion site. He turned the bomber south. Bougainville lay before him like a green mirage on a sea of blue.

Back in the waist, Kendrick snapped photo after photo; down in the nose, bombardier Joe Sarnoskiat 28, the oldest and most experienced crew memberassisted Ruby Johnston with monitoring the aircrafts drift, airspeed, and altitude. And up on the flight deck, Zeamer and copilot J. T. Britton watched as all cameras clicked like clockwork on the cockpits intervalometer, a device that triggered the cameras lens shutters for time-lapse exposures.

A minute that seemed like an eternity passed before tail gunner Herbert Pudge Pugh reported another Japanese fighter squadron lifting off from Bougainvilles Buin Airfield. He counted perhaps a dozen attackers. A lone B-17 could reasonably expect to hold its own against six enemy bandits in a fight, maybe seven or eight on a good day. With all its extra guns, Zeamer was confident Old 666 could even take on nine or 10 in a pinch. But 20? And with more likely to follow in their wake? Suicide.

Zeamer kept Old 666 heading straight and true as Kendrick focused his cameras on the ribs of coral shimmering just below the bays surface. After 10 minutes, Kendricks voice broke the cockpits droning hum. Give me 45 more seconds. The words were barely out of the waist gunners mouth when Zeamer spotted the first wave of Japanese fightersfour green A6M Zeros and a twin-engine fighterclimbing and circling around their plane.

Dillman and Pugh aimed bursts of fire at the fighters, forcing them to swerve, but they regrouped and circled to make a frontal attack, where the B-17s armament was normally weakest. Within seconds, the five aircraft covered Zeamers Flying Fortress like a shroud. A Zero with vertical red stripes painted across its fuselage made its run at the precise moment Kendrick asked for another 15 seconds. Zeamer saw it approach from the 10 oclock position and roll onto its back before firing. Down in the front compartment, just behind the B-17s Plexiglas nose, Sarnoski responded with a burst of fire, sending the Zero into a spin. The B-17 shuddered as the rest of the crew blasted the enemy swarm.

As Sarnoski took aim at another Zero, a Japanese 20mm cannon shell punched through the B-17s nose, exploding in the front compartment. The force blew Sarnoski back 15 feet. He landed facedown with a bone-jarring thud on the aluminum floor almost directly beneath the flight deck. The concussion also knocked Ruby Johnston off his feet, but he was able to recover and crawl on all fours toward Sarnoski. He rolled the bombardier over and flinched. The exploding shell had lacerated Sarnoskis neck and ripped a bowling ball-sized hole in his side.

Johnston ripped open packets of sulfa powder and doused the wounds. Sarnoskis eyelids fluttered, then flipped open. His eyes were red and beginning to swell from the Plexiglas dust they had absorbed when the nose shattered. Im all right, Sarnoski managed to say. Dont worry about me. Gouts of blood spilled onto the floor as he spoke. Johnston poured more sulfa on the wounds. Frigid air, rushing in through the shattered nose, was starting to freeze the front compartment. The blood on Sarnoskis face and torso coagulated into a slushy sheen.

Sarnoski slowly crab-walked back to his shattered station like a snail leaving a trail of gore. He gripped a machine gun and pulled himself into a crouch, firing at the twin-engine fighter and setting it ablaze; it dove and disappeared from view. The wind streaming through the broken Plexiglas slammed empty shell casings back into Sarnoskis face. Yet he continued to fire until he collapsed.

Up in the cockpit, Zeamer spotted a Zero coming straight at them. He adjusted his rudder pedals, got the bandit in his crosshairs, and pressed his thumb trigger to fire Old 666s nose gun. His eyes were on the Zero as it twirled toward the water when his cockpit erupted in an effulgence of colorswhite, magenta, orangea rainbow blast accompanied by a sudden wave of acute pain. A thick acrid smell filled his nostrils. Is this it? he wondered.

Machine-gun fire from the top turret just behind him refocused his thoughts, and he scanned the flight deck. Britton, the copilot, was slumped forward in the right seat, his eyes closed and his chin on his chest. The cannon shell had blown away the B-17s instrument panel and severed cables connecting the rudders and horizontal stabilizers. The windshield was still intact, but the force of the explosion had torn away the left cockpit window and peeled back the aircrafts aluminum skin next to Zeamers seat. The cacophony of the roaring Wright Cyclone engines and the wild rush of the slipstream stunned him.

The shell had also torn a gaping hole in the lower bulkhead connecting the cockpit to the front nose compartment. Through the gap, Zeamer could see Johnston firing at his position. Beyond him, he saw Sarnoski slumped over his machine gun. As Zeamer wondered if Sarnoski was in much pain, his own shock wore off. The lower half of his body felt as if it were on fire. His flight clothes were shredded and his left leg was sliced from the calf to the thigh. Thick, ugly sheaves of blackened flesh, like rashers of seared Canadian bacon, dangled from his exposed shinbone. His left knee resembled a mound of raw hamburger meat.

Zeamer soon realized shrapnel had also ripped through his right leg and both arms. With each pump of his heart, a thin stream of pinkish liquid spurted from a nicked artery in his ruptured left wrist and pooled in his lap. With his right hand bleeding, Zeamer keyed the interphone and asked for a damage report. No response. The shell had destroyed the communications system. He cursed under his breath.

The only instruments still working were the manifold pressure gauge and the magnetic compass in the center of the charred dashboard. The extensive damage sharply diminished Zeamers ability to maneuver the B-17. He wagered he could selectively slow the engines on each wing to steer the bomber this way and thatif he stayed conscious.

In the copilots seat, Britton groaned and lifted his head; his eyes fluttered like a boxer coming to after the count. He patted himself down; he had a large contusion on the back of his head, but no other wounds. With the communications system destroyed, Britton left the cockpit to check on the other crew. He returned to inform Zeamer that Kendrick had stowed the camera film and was manning the waist guns. More critically, enemy bullets had destroyed the yellow, keg-like oxygen tanks behind the cockpit. That left the crew with only their small, personal bottles, which they would quickly deplete. Unless they descended to below 10,000 feet, the crew was in danger of passing out from hypoxia.

Using his ailerons and elevatorsmiraculously still functioningZeamer pushed Old 666 into a steep dive. The planes engines screamed and its fuselage groaned as it rapidly gained speed. With the altimeter hanging limply by its frayed wires, Zeamer estimated their altitude by the increases in the engines manifold pressure. Old 666s rivets were rattling when he calculated they had dropped to around 6,000 feet. He leveled off, removed his mask, and took a deep breath. His injured body contorted with pain as he forced air into his lungs, but at least his crew could breathe.

From the top turret, Able yelled that the Japanese fighters were chasing down after themKendrick counted 17 Zeros. Zeamer banked the bomber and saw the bandits go racing past for what he assumed would be another frontal assault. One more hit could finish off Old 666. Able knocked out one of the Zeros, which barely missed clipping their right wingtip as it spun toward the water, leaving a contrail of greasy black smoke. Moments later, Able dropped out of his swing-seat harness and crumpled to the ground, wounded in both legs.

Keeping the morning sun over his left shoulder, Zeamer set a southwesterly course. The Japanese fighters relentlessly circled Old 666, making head-on passes. Zeamer lost countsix, eight, a dozen attacks? It was as if the B-17 was flying through a vortex of iron rain, alternating between a light patter and a heavy, deadly downpour.

Furthermore, Zeamer realized he was bleeding out at an alarming rate. His legs were useless and both of his boots had filled with blood. The control wheel was slippery with gore from his wounded arms and he could grip it only with his fingertips. During one lull, he pulled off his belt and tried to tie a tourniquet around his left thigh. The effort proved too painful and time consuming. But there was a benefit to the icy wind whistling in past his legs: it helped staunch the bleeding.

Britton continued to tend to the wounded crew, periodically returning to the cockpit to plead with Zeamer to relinquish control of the aircraft and get patched up. Each time, Zeamer refused; he felt that only he could keep battered Old 666 in the air. At least the pain was keeping him awake.

AFTER 40 MINUTES AND 100 MILES, the Japanese fighterslow on fuel and ammunitionat last began to peel away, unaware the B-17 gunners were down to their final few bullets. But with close to 500 miles of shark-infested waters left to cross before they reached New Guineas northern coast, Zeamer knew their ordeal was far from over. There was a good chance he would have to ditch Old 666; he estimated their odds of surviving an ocean crash-landing at about 50 percent. Fortunately, the B-17 tended to stay afloat longer than most other American bombers. But ocean currents and strong winds could push a life raft dozens of miles a day in any direction. If downed airmen were not found within 24 hours, their chances of being rescued were almost none.

One paramount thought, however, overrode all Zeamers calculations: they needed to bring back the photographs. Unless they returned to base with their film intact, the entire effortand all the spilt bloodwould be for naught. The Bougainville invasion would fail, and he refused to let another bomber crew go through the same hell they had endured. No, Zeamer decided. He would get this plane home.

Even without his altimeter Zeamer knew Old 666 was steadily losing altitude. The B-17 was mushingits tail dragging below the noseand the lower it flew, the more fuel it would burn in the denser atmosphere. He could adjust the propeller pitch or change the engines air-to-fuel ratio only so much to delay the engines from starving or running too hot. And even if the aircraft managed to remain aloft for the next four hours, it would never be able to clear the Owen Stanley mountain range and make it back home to Port Moresby. Given the amount of blood Zeamer was losing, he was beginning to doubt he would even live that long. Their only hope was to try to reach the 7,000-foot grass airstrip hacked out of the jungle at Dobodura, 90 miles east of Port Moresby. But where were they in relation to Dobodura?

Radio operator Willy Vaughan, his neck wound bandaged with a rag, lurched into the cockpit. He reported that an experimental navy-issue radio set he had picked up in Port Moresby was still working. Its voice mode was out, but he could transmit Morse code. Less than 30 minutes later, an American patrol vessel and Australian coastwatchers picked up Vaughans transmission. They used the signal to triangulate a fix on Old 666s position and relay it to Vaughan, who then plotted a course to Dobodura.

En route, and with the Japanese fighters long gone, Able kept the B-17 on course while Britton and Kendrick finally tended to Zeamer. Britton implored the pilot to move to the catwalk so they could better treat his wounds.

I dont move, Zeamer told them, until the mission is ended.

TAIL GUNNER PUDGE PUGH inched forward past the waist guns to the radio compartment. It was warmer in the center of the fuselage, and Pugh lingered to watch Kendrick and Dillman rebandage Willy Vaughns neck. When Pugh saw that they had the task under control, he continued forward to the crawlspace leading to the nose. There was blood everywhere. Britton was tending to a wound on Johnstons head and, further up, Pugh saw Sarnoski collapsed on one of his machine guns. Rivulets of frozen blood formed spidery lines that flowed from Sarnoskis body. His ammunition belts had all been fired off and one of the machine guns barrels was burned out.

Pugh lifted Sarnoski away from the shattered glass and rolled him, face-up, into his lap. He was still alive. Pugh removed Sarnoskis ever-present rosary from his pocket and pressed it into his friends bloody hand. He saw Sarnoski open his eyes once, lift the rosary to his lips, and kiss it. Then Sarnoski closed his eyes and breathed his last. Johnston crawled forward and asked how Sarnoski was doing. Hes all right, Pugh uttered. He didnt know what else to say.

With Zeamers condition steadily deteriorating, Britton took over control of Old 666. The sun was almost directly overhead when they spotted the lush Dobodura coastline; Zeamer recognized the familiar outline of the American PT boat base at Oro Bay and the contours of Cape Endiaidere. The Dobodura airstrip was 25 miles beyond. Britton flew Old 666 over the water, banked, and pointed the planes nose inland. He could only guess at the wind direction as he throttled back and pulled the wheel into his gut.

The B-17 raced over the airstrip so fast that it looked as if the palm trees were shooting up at them. Zeamer saw the airfields rickety control tower flash by on his right and then they hit the dirt hard, bouncing three times. With no functioning brakes, they were approaching the end of the runway much too fast. Britton spun the wheel with all his strengththe B-17s left wing dipped and dug into the dirt. Chunks of rocks and turf flew like sparks from a grindstone as the aircrafts skidding, circular movement gradually tightened. Finally, the bomber rolled to a stop at the end of the airstrip in a cloud of dust. The time was 12:15 p.m.

It had been more than eight hours since they had taken off from Port Moresby. When Britton switched off the engines, Zeamer took a deep breath and the world around him receded into nothingness. He came to some time later, unsure of where he was, but in no pain. His body felt numb from head to toe. He heard muffled voices and smelled sizzling oil and leaking fuel. Then another voice, closer and louder, said: Get the pilot last. Hes dead.

Zeamer wanted to shout but could not find the strength. Finally, two strong hands unbuckled his safety belt and lifted him by the shoulders. The pain returned, unbearable, and he passed out again. At Doboduras small field hospital, doctors examined Zeamer and determined he had lost nearly half the blood in his body. Over the next 72 hours, they carefully removed nearly 150 pieces of shrapnelincluding chunks of the planes rudder pedals and its control cablesfrom Zeamers legs, arms, and torso.

Fourteen days after Old 666s mission, Allied forces began Operation Cartwheel, a two-pronged offensive to take Rabaul by pushing through New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. And in November, Marines and GIs stormed ashore on the west coast of Bougainville. Military planners gave much credit for the successful landings to the landing craft drivers who, using maps and charts developed from the photographs taken by Old 666, successfully avoided the deadly reefs lacing Empress Augusta Bay.

During its final flight, Old 666 endured one of the longest sustained attacks by enemy fighters in history. For their valor, Jay Zeamer and Joe Sarnoski were awarded the Medal of Honor. The seven other crewmenJ.T. Britton, William Vaughan, Herbert Pugh, Forrest Dillman, Johnnie Able, Ruby Johnston, and George Kendrickwere each awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nations second-highest military commendation for heroism. This gave Old 666s crew the distinction of becoming, and remaining, the most highly decorated combat aircrew in American military service.

Not bad for a bunch of screw-ups and misfits. 

Copyright  2016 by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin. From LUCKY 666: The Impossible Mission by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin published by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Printed by permission.

This excerpt was originally published in the September/October 2016 issue of World War II magazine. Subscribe here.
Brock Turner, the Stanford University swimmer charged with sexual assault for raping an unconscious 23-year old woman behind a dumpster inside the campus, formally registered himself as a sex offender in Ohio on Tuesday.

Turner's exit from prison last week, which was met with massive outrage on accusations of benefiting from white privilege, allowed him to return to his home state of Ohio. He's been given five days after his release to register himself as a sex offender.

Having been sentenced to just six months in prison for three counts of sexual assault, Turner spent just three months behind bars before his release last Friday. The 21-year old rapist drank heavily on the night of the party, leading him to commit the assault on the helpless woman.

Sheriff Gene Fischer of Greene County, Ohio, said that Turner's registration guarantees that he'll be treated like any other sex offender. That means the convicted ex-swimmer will not be allowed to work with children or get near them, and he'll have to submit himself to unannounced drug and alcohol tests.

Moreover, Turner's freedom of abode is restricted - he needs to ask the approval of authorities if he plans to move out. His record as a sex offender stays in the online registry for life, and his neighbors will be constantly reminded that a sex offender is living in their neighborhood.

The Independent reported that Turner's brief stay in jail has caused fury over allegations that the rapist's privilege of wealth has led the criminal justice system to work in his favor. The case courted grater controversy when the rapist's father dismissed the crime as just "20 minutes of action."

Aside from prison, Turner has been ordered to pay an unspecified amount of compensation to the victim. However, the rapist's lawyer said that plans to appeal his conviction are in place, ultimately to remove his name from the sex offender registry.
San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium will host the assembly. With Apple users and fanatics in attendance, it is definitely expected that the reception hall will be overloaded.

Reports have surfaced that iPhone 7 will be offering a maximum clock speed of 2.4 GHz which only fuels added excitement. The new A10 chip will be in play to jazz up the smartphone experience.

With regards to the storage, Apple will up the ante with the 256 GB variant. Suddenly, models with 16 and 64 GB memories will feel like light years away. The new 7 and 7 Plus will introduce a huge upgrade with the 32, 128 and 256 GB options. In addition, these new phones will get RAM enhancements.

With the consumer market leaning towards lightweight electronic units, one of the anticipated surprises may be about the form of the iPhone.

If rumors are to be believed, the gadget will be 1 mm thinner. There is also a debate that the headphone jack will be gone. The wireless "air pods" ear buds will, however, compensate the loss.

More importantly, the troubling thought of a phone being soaked in water or any other liquid can be addressed by a water-resistant feature. Meanwhile, two new colors are added, namely, the dark black and the piano black.

In terms of video and photo functions, an upgrade will be in the offing judging from the complaints received by the iPhone 6. This time, 12 megapixel sensors will be installed.

There has also been a leak that the iPhone will employ new dual-lens camera. Price anticipation and release schedule of orders are two elements that remain uncertain.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
As the state collects Kenyans' views on the death penalty and life imprisonment, the fact that no one has been executed since 1987, capital offences are increasing and prisons are congested, raises more questions than answers. Should the 2 punishments be abolished and replaced with alternative punishments that are lesser but equally deterrent? Should what constitutes capital crimes be redefined to include the corruption offences plaguing the country?





While lawyers say the right to life is inalienable, some members of the public say capital punishment should be retained for serial killers, terrorists and sexual offenders. The public's views, collected since June by the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee (Pomac), will inform a policy on restructuring the country's correctional system.





There are about 3,000 inmates on death sentence and life imprisonment in various maximum correctional facilities. Currently, only murder, robbery with violence, some military offences, treason and oathing for crime by proscribed groups, including terrorist groups, are classified as capital offences. They are punishable by death or life imprisonment upon conviction.





Some sexual and drug trafficking offences attract the 2 forms of capital punishment, although they are not listed as capital offences in the penal code. During debates, some people said corruption offences should be classified among capital crimes that should attract capital punishment.





"The last time a death row convict was executed was 1987, but judges and magistrates still hang convicts because legally, death sentence is the only punishment prescribed by the law for convicts of such offences," Pomac vice chairperson Regina Boisabi said at Nairobi West Prison. "Some of them have been pardoned and released by the President after our recommendations, but the number changes every day, depending on outcomes of judgments and rulings delivered on appeals on daily basis," she said.

Search for answers

Pomac, chaired by Attorney General Githu Muigai, has held public debates in 19 counties and intends to visit the rest in six months. It is also using the meetings to get public opinion on the legal, political and administrative measures necessary to manage capital offenders and administer capital punishment. Participants include the National Crime Research Centre, prisons and human rights defenders.





Makau Masila, an inmate serving a 7-year jail term in Nairobi West Prison, said after 15 to 25 years in jail, a death row convict or prisoner on life sentence should be set free, depending on post-conviction behaviour. He said there are inmates serving capital punishment who get reformed and fully rehabilitated and should be given an opportunity and set released to serve as an example that hardcore criminals can reform.





Criminal, constitutional and human rights lawyers agree that the criminal justice system should drop the two forms of capital punishment and seek alternative correctional measures. They say the death sentence violates the constitution and both punishments have not reduced capital offences.





Lawyer John Macharia said the death sentence is unconstitutional as it negates the right to life, which cannot be denied. Macharia said it is unconstitutional for courts to continue hanging convicts because the right to life is guaranteed and can't be taken away for any reason.





"Every person has the right to life and a person shall not be deprived of life intentionally, except to the extent authorised by the constitution or other written laws," Macharia said. "The constitution says the right to life is among fundamental rights that cannot be limited, despite any other provision in the constitution."





He said judges and magistrates should be cognisant of the inconsistency of the penal code, which he said provides for death sentence, while the supreme law protects the right to life. "Life is sacred and the right to life is protected by the constitution. The question is: does the government have the authority to take away someone's life?" Macharia asked. He said this has significantly contributed to congestion of prisons.

Age considerations

Prominent criminal lawyer Cliff Ombeta said the death penalty is unreasonable and has not served the purposes it was intended for. He said some death row convicts reform after their stay in prisons. The lawyer said stakeholders should agree on the length capital offenders should stay in jails before being released, depending on their conduct after conviction.





"The death sentence and life imprisonment were thought to be able to decimate the capital crimes of murder and robbery with violence. But murder cases are on the rise. The punishments are not useful and should be abolished," Ombeta said. "But they have to stay with the hangman's noose hovering above them like the Sword of Damocles for the rest of their lives," he said.





Ombeta said the two sentences are irrational and inconsiderate of age of the the convicts and other factors that should be considered during the sentencing. "When 2 people, one 20 years old and the other 75, are handed the life sentence or death penalty, probably 1 will live in jail for 50 or 60 years, while the other could even die after 1 year," Ombeta said.





The lawyer said Kenya should drop the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment, then form a task-force to decide the length of life imprisonment.

Distrust of ex-convicts





But proposals to drop the 2 sentences have been opposed, with some people supporting eternal incarceration of convicts, especially serial killers, terrorists and sexual offenders, mainly those convicted of defiling minors.





"It is very hard to trust a paedophile or a person who killed. It is even traumatising for one to see the person who killed their kin walk around freely," South B resident Ruth Njaraba said. "They should be locked up forever for their safety and that of people around them."





Mwikya Ndune, a resident of Endui, Waita division, Mwingi Central, opposed the release of capital offenders, saying the risks of freeing them are fatal. He cited ex-convict John Musyoka, alias Karunyu, who led a gang of around 7 in murdering 12 people from three families in the village on July 4, 2013.





"If Karunyu was held in jail, the tragedy would have been avoided. The government betrayed us by setting free a dangerous hardcore convict," she said.





Karunyu, who police had named the most fugitive man, was arrested in Emali town on Makueni county for an alleged robbery with violence. He had earlier left Kamiti maximum prison, where he served a jail term for robbery with violence.





Psychiatrist Frank Njenga supported calls for capital punishment to be abolished. He said said experts should be involved to assess the level of reform achieved by a convict in consultation with prison officials. The experts would help re-integrate the convicts with the community to ensure they don't meet hostility after their release from prison.





Njenga said the recommendations of prisons should be considered in determining whether a capital offender is reformed enough to be set free. "There is no guarantee on whether the offender can't repeat the offence, but for instance, if the circumstances under which the offender committed the offence are no longer there, there is no likelihood of repeating the crime once released," he said.

'Defiant' Ochuka the last man to face the hangman's noose

Kenya Air Force Senior Private Hezekiah Rabala Ochuka was executed on July 9, 1987, at Kamiti Maximum Prison, making history as the last death row convict to face the hangman's noose.





Ochuka had earlier made history for ruling Kenya for 6 hours on August 1, 1982, after planning and executing the infamous coup against retired President Daniel Moi, for which he was sentenced to death.





Retired hangman Michael Kirugumi, who killed Ochuka, said, in an interview with the media in 2004 that Ochuka met death with "composure and defiance". Ochuka had been handed the extreme penalty after he was convicted of treason, the gravest military offence.





Since then, many capital offenders have been sentenced to face the hangman but none has been executed. The country has about 3,000 inmates on death row and life imprisonment. Some of them have, however, been set free after recommendations by the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee.





Among them is 72-year-old James Mureithi, who was set free by President Uhuru Kenyatta on October last year after 41 years behind bars, and 68-year-old Teresia Wanjiku, who had been sentenced for life and was serving her 24th year in prison.





As prisons undergo renovations, convicts sentenced to death or life in prison move from one maximum detention facility to another for the rest of their lives, unless they get the presidential pardon.

Worldwide debate

But a debate ignited by the government to seek public views on the essence of having the punishment subjected to capital offenders could see the death penalty abolished and life imprisonment reviewed to set specific time convicts should stay in jails.





Crimes classified as capital offences are murder, robbery with violence, some military offences, treason and oathing for crime by proscribed groups, including terror groups. These are punishable by death or life imprisonment upon conviction. Some sexual and drug trafficking offences attract similar penalties but are not classified as capital offences. And some Kenyans, during the debates, have suggested that corruption be listed among capital offences.





"The debate on the death sentence is ongoing worldwide and the government wants to know how citizens would wish the capital offenders be handled," Pomac vice chairperson Regina Boisabi said.





The committee is holding public debates over the matter, trying to find out what constitutes the capital offence and how they should be punished, and some Kenyans have recommended corruption offences be listed among the capital offences.

Inconsistent laws

Legal experts have pointed out an inconsistency between the penal code and the constitution, which creates an environment of confusion in criminal justice system.





The penal code prescribes death sentence as the only punishment upon conviction for a number of certain offences classified among capital offences.





And the constitution explicitly states that the right to life is a fundamental right that can't be taken away for any reason.





It says, in Article 26 (1), that every person has the right to life. That right to life is entitled to everyone, including convicts of capital offences, which attract the death penalty.





Trial magistrates and judges, though binded and guided by the constitution, have no option other than to sentence convicts to death, although the sentence is unconstitutional.





Lawyer John Macharia says the penal code should have been amended after promulgation of the current constitution. The death penalty should have been repealed to be consistent with the supreme law.





"The constitution is the supreme law and any law that contravenes it is null and void," Macharia says.





Lawyer Cliff Ombeta agrees, saying that the repealing of some sections of the penal code to submit to the constitution is long overdue.

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Source: the-star.co.ke, September 7, 2016
The court also accepted the prosecution's request to add 13 more people on their lineup of witnesses against the actor's alleged three counts of aggravated assault. These 13 women were chosen out of 50 who also accused the comedian of the same crime, according to a report from the Associated Press.

But Cosby's lawyer claimed that the comedian is a victim of racial bias and prejudice.

The defense lawyer attempted to stop these women from testifying but the judge in the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania was quick not to rule on the motion.

Outside the court, Bill Cosby's lawyers were also making assertions that the 79-year old African-American comedian is a victim of racial basis and he was even compared to a black man who was shot by the police in one incident.

The NBC News reported that defense lawyer Angela Agrusa made a strong remark saying, "For Mr. Cosby, this is a version of the 'shoot now, ask questions later' approach to judicial justice that you're seeing in the streets."

She particularly aimed at high profile attorney Gloria Allred who represents Cosby's accusers. However, the said lawyer soon dismissed the assertions saying that it is just a desperate move of Cosby's defense team.

Prosecutors also disclosed a disagreement on defense team's claim that the cases of sexual assaults are all consensual.

"The victims did not consent to any of these acts and reported that she was unable to move or speak and felt frozen and paralyzed, " remarked by the Montgomery County district attorney's office the time it indicted the African-American star last December.

Lastly, there was a report that the defense want to raise a motion to move the trial outside the county because Kevin Steele, a District Attorney, used the Bill Cosby's sexual assault allegation as an issue in the campaign.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA's Dawn mission touched the massive asteroid "1 Ceres" in early 2015. While Ceres is a "dwarf planet", it is also the biggest celestial body in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It was the first to be found.

So far, though, only ground and space-based telescopes have given us some glimpses of a "dark, possibly water-rich object."

However, now Dawn space probe has given us a huge wealth of information. Amazingly, the latest research has found "unusual minerals, a surface peppered with craters, and water in the form of ice and possibly an outer atmosphere of vapour."

Ceres is the Roman goddess of Agriculture. This seems to be some kind of wishful thinking about Ceres planet harboring life forms!

The speculation that life might exist on the planet is strong. A plume of smoke was seen rising here. "Is Ceres active? Does it have a layer of water or ice below a thin crust of rock? Could it be a ball of mud, overlain by a muddy ocean, on top of which is another thin muddy crust?" are the various questions that pop up.

"When we got to Ceres, we were expecting to be surprised, and we have been in many ways," Dawn principal investigator Chris Russell, a professor of geophysics and space physics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), told Space.com.

The mission has revealed a "global geological map" that reveals the surface of the planet covered in phyllosilicates, which is a vital group of clay minerals. One kind of clay is shown to be "magnesium-rich" while the second is "ammonium-rich".

As the minerals are widespread, they have been produced by "planet-wide alteration" that indicates the presence of large volumes of water. However, while large quantities of water are not detected, water-ice has been discovered in one crater.

The asteroid surface temperature touches between -93 and -33, so the water-ice here gets converted into a gas in a low-pressure atmosphere. Hence, some traces of underground ice were also exposed, which explains how the surface got destabilised.

There are speculations that cryovolcanism has created this atmosphere. The subsurface layers of mixed ice and minerals tend to rise up to the surface through various cracks.

Ceres' global geomorphology also shows its surface features, full of impact craters that are not evenly distributed. There seem to be three distinct types of mineral flow in the dwarf planet, with ejected particles following an impact into "ice-rich material."

A number of images from the Hubble Space Telescope also shows that there is a thin exosphere or external atmosphere of water vapor.

The data gathered here has resulted in six new research papers published in the journal Science.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Seven Iranian fast boats have driven off a United States (US) Navy patrol ship out of the Persian Gulf on Sunday, in what has been the latest in a series of sea harassments that threatens to escalate tensions between the two countries.

Fast in-shore attack crafts (FIAC) belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) confronted the USS Firebolt on September 4, with the intent to alter its course on international waters.

Three FIACs ran through the ship's course for eight minutes in order to cause alterations. One FIAC made it a point to stop in front of the ship, forcing it to change directions to prevent disastrous damage caused by a potential collision.

Radio communication coming out of the USS Firebolt didn't elicit any response coming from the Iranian FIACs. With threats of gunfire looming that time, the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) deemed the "unsafe and unprofessional" encounter highly risky.

"The Iranian's unsafe maneuvers near a United States ship operating in accordance with international law while transiting in international waters created a dangerous, harassing situation that could have led to further escalation...," said an unnamed official to USNI News.

The latest Gulf incident follows through a series of harassments against US ships in the Persian Gulf. The likes of USS Nitze, and the USS Tempest, USS Squall, and USS Stout reported to have been attacked by the Iranian high-speed boats for the past few days.

US 5th Fleet spokesperson Bill Urban spoke of the US Navy's high displeasure over the incidents: "The Iranian high rate of speed approaches towards three Unites States ships operating in international waters...created a dangerous, harassing situation that could have led to further escalation."

"This situation presented a drastically increased risk of collision, and the Iranian vessel refused to safely maneuver in accordance with internationally recognized maritime rules of the road, despite several request and warnings via radio, and visual and audible warnings from both U.S. ships," added Urban.
R ecord numbers of young Londoners are leaving the capital, according to a new study which found that 280,000 people moved out of the city last year.

The exodus is being led by those in their twenties and thirties, says the report commissioned by Humberts estate agents, with increasing numbers of first-time buyers opting for houses and flats in the commuter belt.

Help to Buy, the Governments flagship scheme to help first timers on to the ladder, works better outside London. The 20 per cent equity loan it offers brings homes in quality locations within reach, whereas London prices are so high that even the 40 per cent loan offered in recognition of special circumstances doesnt always bridge the gap.

NINEWELLS, CAMBRIDGE

For buyers looking beyond London, one of the most exciting options is Ninewells, on the fringes of Cambridge, named best out-of-London development in this years Evening Standard New Homes Awards.

The development, by Hill, is being built a 12-minute cycle ride from Cambridge city centre, overlooking the Gog Magog Downs. Full prices start from 345,000 for a one-bedroom flat, or 399,950 for a two-bedroom flat.

From 345,000: flats at Ninewells, a 12-minute bike ride from Cambridge centre

Using a full Help to Buy loan, this would mean raising a five per cent deposit of 17,250 for a one-bedroom flat, and taking a government loan of 69,000  interest free for the first five years  with a mortgage of 258,750. For two-bedroom flats you would need a 19,997 deposit, a government loan of 79,990, and a mortgage of 299,962.

The service charge is an average of 2,100 a year. Some homes will be ready to move into this month, with the development of 270 properties due to be completed by winter 2018.

All of the delights of Cambridge are minutes away and commuters can easily get to London. Trains take from 50 minutes to Kings Cross  but an annual season ticket costs from a hefty 5,012.

SNODLAND, KENT

Its a shame about the name, but Snodland has a setting many will like the sound of, on the River Medway in Kent between historic Rochester and Maidstone.

Help to Buy is available at Holborough Lakes, a Berkeley Homes development near Snodland. This is a glitzy sort of set-up, with homes set around a series of freshwater lakes and 74 acres of parkland. On-site leisure facilities include a gym, nursery, diving school and a new primary school.

From 355,000: for a three-bedroom house at Holborough Lakes, Kent, set around freshwater lakes

The homes will be move-in ready by the end of this year, and the entire development is due to complete by 2020. Prices start at 355,000 for a three-bedroom house.

Using the full Help to Buy loan this means raising 17,750 deposit, a loan of 142,000, and finding a mortgage of 195,250. Service charges on the development, which include gym membership, are surprisingly reasonable. They range from around 336 to 652 per year depending on the size of the property.

The nearest town is the very average Snodland, which has a couple of pubs and some useful shops. Its biggest plus point is that it is served by High Speed 1. Trains from Snodland to St Pancras take from 52 minutes, and an annual season ticket costs 3,828.

RYARSH PARK, KENT

For more of a country lifestyle, Ryarsh Park, by Redrow, is on the fringes of the village of Ryarsh, close to the attractive town of West Malling in Kent. The detached homes are determinedly suburban in style, with bay-fronted houses reminiscent of Thirties London suburbs, and some are ready to move into this month.

From 449,995: four-bedroom homes at Ryarsh Park, near West Malling in Kent, with Help to Buy available

The development of 91 homes will be completed in 2018. Four-bedroom houses are priced from 449,995, which means buyers will need a deposit of 22,500, a mortgage of 337,496, and an equity loan from the Government of 89,999. The service charge at Ryarsh Park comes in at about 600 per year.

Ryarsh itself is a popular village thanks to its pub and its Ofsted outstanding primary school, while older pupils will have access to Kents grammar school system. It is also a great staging point to explore the Weald of Kent, and the beach at charming Whitstable is less than an hours drive away.

For local facilities, West Malling is a nice little market town with a Georgian high street. West Malling also has a station  trains to Victoria take from 50 minutes and an annual season ticket costs 4,176.

Visit Help to Buy for more information about how the scheme works, and to search for homes for sale across the UK.
San Quentin State Prison's brand new death chamber California voters face two capital punishment choices on the November ballot: End the death penalty or speed the way for execution. California voters face two capital punishment choices on the November ballot: End the death penalty or speed the way for execution.





On death row, inmates are conflicted on the prospects of one-shot appeals, mandated lawyer assignments and simplified execution rules meant to rekindle a capital punishment system that hasnt executed anyone in a decade, or the simple alternative, throw out the death penalty in favor of life without parole.





Scott Pinholster has more reason than most to care. He's one of only a dozen inmates, out of 747 California condemned, who have exhausted their legal appeals. In his words, he is ready to go.





But Pinholster expressed ambivalence  about the vote and about his own fate.





Its been 34 years since he stabbed to death two men who barged in on the robbery of a drug house. The hope he once placed on legal appeals setting him free faded decades ago. And he doubts voters who refused to end the death penalty in 2012 have changed their minds.





If they start up executions, I'll be in line, but it doesnt matter, the 57-year-old said in a drawl barely audible through the glass door of a solitary confinement cell. His neck and chest are as burly as when he was first locked up, but the thick black handlebar mustache is now salt-and-pepper. His bunk, cleared of bedding to double as a desk, was stacked with ink drawings done in painstaking detail.





After 30 years, you dont care one way or the other, he said.





But pre-vote opinions among the condemned are varied at San Quentin, the historic San Francisco Bay prison that by state law houses both a new, never-used execution chamber and the states condemned men. In interviews by phone and during two rare tours, condemned inmates embraced the repeal of the death penalty even as others favored faster appeals, despite accelerating their own march to execution. And others voiced anxiety and predictions of violence if they were cast out into the general prison population.





Theyre a minority, said Paul Tuilaepa, pacing beneath the bright sun in a kennel-sized exercise yard. Tuilaepa, condemned because he killed a man in 1986 who knocked down his partner during a bar robbery, said he was certain most welcome an end to the threat of death, they just dont say it.





If the death penalty is divisive, it is more so on death row.





Death row is complicated, said state prison spokeswoman Terry Thornton, who has been fielding questions since 1999 about the Western worlds largest assemblage of men sentenced to die for their crimes.





Two measures on the November ballot propose to fix what proponents contend is a broken capital punishment system. Proposition 62 would convert death sentences to life without parole. Proposition 66 would set time limits on appeals, limit challenges to execution methods and allow the state to house condemned men outside San Quentin. If both measures pass, the one with more votes would become law.





The last time California voters went to the polls on capital punishment (Proposition 34 in 2012 would also have replaced the death penalty with life without parole), death row tensions ran so high the entire population was placed on suicide watch. Thornton said 24-hour vigils are again planned during voting this November to address the mental health needs of the condemned.



Three-fourths of the condemned men at San Quentin live in East Block, a cavernous 1930s granite block building in which steel-fronted cells are stacked five high in two long rows. The inmates eat, sleep or otherwise occupy themselves in these single steel-front cells, allowed to leave a few times a week in small groups to exercise, or alone to shower or go to the law library.



Their days are largely undisturbed.



There are few newcomers and fewer departures. There have been only 13 executions since 1978, none since 2006.

 | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; send a submission; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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Source: L.A. Times, Paige St. John, September 7, 2016
Inspired by the need to provide sustainable living for her people, including access to sustainable energy, transport and housing; Africa is seen to take up the tech challenge by investing billions of dollars in the development of tech futuristic cities. The continent is surely making a global mark with its avant-garde innovations, from cutting edge cities to mobile money payment technologies; a move that has attracted the attention of global innovators such as Facebook's Founder Mark Zuckerberg.

While almost every sector of the African economy is set to benefit from the innovations, the tourism industry will no doubt have a big share from the developments. Sprouting tech cities will become major tourist attractions; if not for the magnificent beauty, for proof to many that Africa is not about desolation but rather of absolute determination to overcome all odds and stand tall in the face of the world.

Visitors will also be attracted to other destinations in the continent, to experience the beautiful naturalistic existence between man and nature. For instance, during his recent tour of Africa, Zuckerberg not only visited various technology hubs in Nigeria and Kenya, but also "got to see amazing natural beauty and wildlife from around Lake Naivasha" as he posted on his Facebook page. Jumia Travel, Africa's leading online hotel booking portal, lists 5 budding futuristic cities, that are set to boost the continent's tourism industry.

1. Konza Technology City  Kenya

In its official website, Konza is described as a sustainable green city with smart technology that will attract 17,000 jobs, $400 million in annual wages and generate $1.3 billion in GRP in Phase 1. This world class technology hub is considered a major economic driver for Kenya, that will help the country attain middle-income status by 2030. Located on a 5,000 acres of land 60 kilometers South of Nairobi in Machakos, the multi-billion dollar 'Silicon Savannah' will be a software development hub as well as a business process outsourcing (BPO) hub, with a vibrant mix of amenities. Konza is set to complete in a span of 20 years and its ground was broken in March this year.

2 . Hope City  Ghana

H ope to mean "Home, Office, People and Environment", Hope City was launched in March 2013 by President John Mahama and is considered Ghana's Technopolis; and will become one of the tallest skyscrapersin Africa at 270 meter high. Located approximately 30 minutes West of Accra in Prampram, Hope City sits on about 1.5 million square meters' area and is set to transform Ghana into West Africa's tech hub. Once completed, Hope City will provide business, leisure and residential space for about 25,000 inhabitants and aims at creating a whooping 50,000 jobs; including in the hospitality industry.

3. Eko Atlantic City  Lagos, Nigeria

This ambitious project in Lagos Nigeria is built on the reclaimed land from Atlantic Ocean off Ahmadu Bello Way on Victoria Island and will host approximately 250,000 residents while creating job opportunities to about 150,000 others. Eko Atlantic City which is expected to use self-sustaining green energy sources for power, aims at enhancing Nigeria's status as a stronger tech and financial hub in Africa. It is set for completion this year.

4 . Safari City  Tanzania

This satellite city located in Mateves, Arusha, Tanzania, offers this East African country an opportunity to provide sustainable living to its citizens. As its name implies, Safari City will also give safari tourists a chance to stay in world class accommodation while touring Tanzania's northern parks and the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro. This will go a long way in boosting the country's tourism and hospitality industry, gaining more confidence from both local and international tourists.

5 . Centenary City  Abuja, Nigeria

Another one from Nigeria, Centenary City will boast of an inter-connected urban center with cutting edge technology characterized by various amenities including world-class hotels and resorts. While it is expected to serve as an economic and political tool to secure foreign investment for Abuja and Nigeria as a country, the technopolis will also be a major attraction for both local and foreign visitors; due to its luxurious touch of style. This will boost revenue inflow from the tourists and a ripple effect will be witnessed in the entire tourism and hospitality industry in the country.
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Following the success he had out in NYC last month, Drake is taking his Summer Sixteen pop-up shop out West this week. On Wednesday night, the 6 God took to his socials to announce that hell be opening up shop in Los Angeles at 659 N La Brea Ave. from tomorrow, September 7th-September 10th.

In support of his 3-night run in L.A. this week, Drake says the pop-up shop will contain Summer Sixteen merchandise along with exclusive Revenge clothing. Of course, nothing else is really known until doors open, but youre definitely going to want to be there if youre in the area.

Fittingly enough, Drakes touring-partner & opening act, Future, is also hosting his own pop-shop in L.A. this week as well. The Freebandz Gang leader joined forces with Fancy and are running their own shop on Fairfax Ave. through Sunday, September 11.

Peep the flyer for Drakes event (below).

drake
The outspoken TD, subject of an extraordinary Hot Press Interview earlier this summer, claimed his hand may be forced after a review of hospital services in Waterford

John Halligan has threatened to resign from government.

The Minister for Training, Skills and Innovation had secured a review of hospital services in his native Waterford as the price for his loyalty to Fine Gael; the findings, however, have apparently shocked the outspoken politician, who told The Irish Times that he may have "no choice" but to resign as a result.

His headstrong nature will be of little surprise to Hot Press readers, as Halligan opened up on everything from his belief that prostitution should be legalised to his strong support for the repeal of the 8th Amendment  and even backed Simon Coveney as a successor to under-fire leader Enda Kenny.

The inquiry, previously described as a formality, concentrated on the current capacity of the cauterisation laboratory at University Hospital, Waterford, rather than recommending the addition of another facility  something Halligan had previously referred to as "a formality".

The Independent Alliance will hold a crisis meeting with key FG figures this evening, including Minister for Health Simon Harris, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Housing Simon Coveney.
The electro-rocking quartet follow their Electric Picnic exploits with confirmation of a right knees-up in the capital

Le Galaxie were beamed into living rooms across the country at the weekend, when their performance at the Other Voices stage of the Electric Picnic was televised by RTE.

It came just hours after the synth-peddlers stopped by the Hot Press Chatroom for a chinwag, and it turns out we won't have long to wait to see the quartet again, as they've announced a Halloween spectacular for The Olympia.

Kicking off at 11pm on Sunday, October 30 (don't worry, it's a bank holiday the following day!), they'll be joined by special guests Plutonic Dust, with more additions to the line-up to be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets, priced at 24.40, are on sale from Friday.
Rivalry between China and the United States is dominating proceedings at the annual meeting of the Association of South East Asian Nations ( Asean ), which meets in the Laotian capital Vientiane on Tuesday and Wednesday, even if the two two global players that are not even members of the organisaiton, which groups all south-east Asian countries, except East Timor and Papua New Guinea.

To keep the peace and deter aggression, we've deployed more of our most advanced military capabilities to the region, including ships and aircraft to Singapore, said US President Barack Obama who was attending the summit as a visitor.

By the end of the decade a majority of US navy and air force fleets will be based in the Pacific, he said, adding that "our partners and allies are collaborating more with each other as well. So our alliances and defense capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region are as strong as they have ever been.

The local superpower, China, is not happy with Washingtons military ambitions in the regions, and is trying to secure its own maritime borders by constructing military structures and airfields on uninhabited rocks some 700 kilometres south of its southernmost landborder.



Some of these claims were rejected recently by a court in The Hague in favor of the Philippines last month.

The Chinese government simply does not accept the ruling and therefore they will not really be changing the way they are dealing with it, says Steve Tsang, director of China Studies at the University of Nottingham

It is quite possible that they will continue with some more island building in some of the disputed rocks. So that is not going to change."

The rest of the world finds the Chinese government's position problematic, he says. "That will make things much more complicated terms of how they are going to engage each other but it will give the Philippines an opportunity to take a slightly softer approach to China and negotiate on a more reasonable basis.

When Asean was created in 1967, it was, among other things, to form a buffer against what was perceived as the threat of communism, with North Vietnam, Laos and mainland China all ruled by communist parties.

But not much is left of these old ideas. Two of the more recent Asean members are Vietnam and Laos.

In fact its politics have been non-interference into each others affairs, consensus and a kind of protectionism of their own group, says Penelope Faulkner, vice-director of the Vietnam Committee for Human Rights

"And the fact that Vietnam is a communist country which violates human rights and which has been singled out by the international community is something that when you talk about that in Asean, then Asean says: 'You are interfering into another countries internal affairs'."

Meanwhile, the issue of the South China Sea seems to split the organisation.

Within Asean there are countries which are more supportive to China, there are countries which are beginning to be more aligned with Washington and the US and this is very obvious with the issue of the South China Sea in which several members of Asean have claims [as well as] China, says Faulkner.

Allies of China include Myanmar, where, in spite of the democratic reforms, the military, which supports Beijing, still holds the key to power.

So, as in previous years, this year's Asean meeting is expected to try to stay away from politics and focus on trade, investment and development.
According The Strokes guitarist, the band are currently working on new music which they hope to release next year.

The Strokes are alive and well and living in New York City," says Valensi, speaking in an interview with NME. "We are working on music and we want to hopefully put it out next year.

Valensi is careful about getting fans hopes up, however. "If I start saying a lot now, people get too excited. Then theres all this hype youve got to compete with, and thats not fun. If anything, Id rather just pull a Beyonce at some point next year and just drop shit.

Whether we can expect a full studio album or not remains to be seen. The fact that many of the original members have significant side projects puts us at even more of a guess as to when we can expect the new music, but Valensi's words will be encouragement for the band's dedicated fan base.

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The Strokes released their new EP Future Present Past back in June, their first release since 2013's Comedown Machine .
The Obama administration's decision to bar ITT Educational Services, one of the nation's largest operators of for-profit colleges, from using federal financial aid to enroll new students shuts off the cash spigot to the troubled company. But it also creates a new set of problems.

The decision last week was the latest step in the federal government's crackdown on for-profit schools that have vacuumed up billions of dollars in government grants and loans but failed to deliver on promised training and jobs. Still, the goal of relieving current and former students saddled with onerous debt and a subpar education can be at odds with reducing the cost to taxpayers who are likely to be stuck with the bill for loan defaults and discharges.

"There is a built-in conflict of interest when the gatekeeper and the financier are the same entity," Barmak Nassirian, director of federal relations and policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, said of the Department of Education.

ITT, with about 45,000 enrolled students spread over more than 130 campuses across the country, received an estimated $580 million in federal money last year, according to the Department of Education.

The company did not respond to repeated requests for comment, but Nassirian and other experts who have closely followed the issue said the department's decision could mean the end of ITT, either through bankruptcy or sale.

"It's a de facto death sentence," Nassirian said. "They certainly can't find students who will pay out of pocket to go to that school, and they don't have adequate resources to creep along in time to reverse the decision. So I don't see how they're going to pull out of this."

The curb on new student enrollment at ITT, which has been under heightened financial scrutiny from the department since 2014, is just the latest move in a long-running campaign to halt deceptive advertising, illegal recruitment practices and other abuses by career training and other for-profit educational institutions. Last year, another for-profit heavyweight, Corinthian Colleges, filed for bankruptcy after being the subject of numerous state and federal inquiries. The drumbeat of negative reports has eroded the industry's popularity, leading enrollments to shrink substantially.

"People are defaulting at a rate of two per minute, 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Nassirian said. "The vast majority are victims, not deadbeats."

Pauline Abernathy, executive vice president of the nonprofit Institute for College Access and Success, praised the decision. "If a ship is at high risk of sinking, one doesn't let any more people board," she said, and should also "let people on board know what's happening."

Other education advocates also applauded the move but worried that students who had already invested thousands of dollars would be left with debt and few educational options.

Current students left stranded by the closing of a school can apply for a loan discharge, while former students are eligible only if they can prove they were defrauded. New guidelines governing that process are expected in November from the Department of Education.

Veterans going to school would be covered by the same provisions if ITT were to close, said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit group. But they would not be credited for the months of eligibility under the GI Bill already used up while at ITT, or the concurrent housing allowance, she said.

Earlier this month, ITT was put on notice that it was in danger of losing its accreditation, which would mean an immediate cutoff in access to government loan programs. That threat helped prompt education officials to demand last week that ITT come up with an additional $153 million in credit within 30 days, to cover potential student refunds in case of a shutdown. According to its most recent quarterly filing, though, ITT had only $78 million in cash on its balance sheet.

Education officials also ordered ITT to put in place a contingency plan for its students so they can finish their education if ITT fails. But it is unclear whether that plan entails simply sending students to another school with a similar record of failings.

At the moment, students at ITT have limited options. A Department of Education blog post explains that they can stay at ITT and see what happens; they can try to transfer, although other schools may not accept ITT's credits; or they can pause their studies.
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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Tuesday called on the Texas State Board of Education to reject a controversial textbook on Mexican heritage that the board is considering for use during the 2017 school year.

In a letter to the board, Turner said he has read portions of the Momentum Instruction, LLC tome, titled "Mexican American Heritage," as well as reviews by subject matter experts.

"In short, I find this textbook to be offensive," Turner said in a prepared statement. "The purpose of instructional material is not to undermine our educational system, to push an ideological agenda or to disseminate inaccuracies, stereotypes and errors about our collective history."

The mayor's office cited an excerpt from the text, which contrasted "driven" industrialists with Mexican laborers, whom the text states were "not reared to put in a full day's work so vigorously."

"It is unbelievable that such a hateful stereotype appears in a textbook for Texas students. Politicized, prejudicial, erroneous textbooks must not be used as instructional materials for students," Turner said. "Reject this purported textbook, and offer one that is scholarly, historical and accurate to educate all students about our nation's rich history."

History professors and advocates have called the textbook offensive and have said they identified at least three errors per page in the 500-page work. A committee convened by a state board of education trustee identified at least 68 factual errors in the book.

The book is the sole Mexican-American history text up for approval before the Texas Board of Education this year after the state approved courses in the subject. The state received no other proposed texts.

Just over half of Texas' 5 million public school students are Latino.

The company that published the book, Momentum Instruction, is headed by former State Board of Education member Cynthia Dunbar, who has condemned public education as "tyrannical" and a "tool of perversion" and opposed teaching students about the separation of church and state.

In a late July interview, Dunbar said, "the last thing in the world that we want this book to do is to promote any kind of negative impression of Mexican-Americans."
WASHINGTON  Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, battling Leukemia, returned to Congress on Tuesday to serve what he termed "as much of the fall session that my treatment schedule will allow."

Poe, who will turn 68 this week, has been undergoing treatment in Houston for the past eight weeks. "I am feeling like myself again and am confident that I will beat cancer," he said in a statement. "Incredible progress has been made so far, thanks to the Good Lord and the world class team of physicians at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center."
GEORGETOWN - Several times each week since July, Jack "Sonny" Bryant has started his day by sending out emails with the latest Donald Trump news to hundreds of his tea-party Republican friends urging them to support the brusque New York tycoon. As one of Trump's mostly invisible cadre of campaign volunteers, he talks up The Donald at his Kiwanis and civic-club meetings, at church, at the grocery store, even at his grandson's day care center.

"It's different than the other political campaigns I've worked on," the 61-year-old retired sales manager says, counting off the big-name GOP politicians he has supported in the past two dozen years, including George W. Bush, Rick Perry and Ted Cruz. "The Trump Train is a different game. They want me to phone people, which I do. They want me to contact people in my neighborhood, which I do. They want me to do social media, which at my age, well, I'm working on it."

Just over two months before the November general election, Bryant typifies the Trump campaign in Texas, a mostly invisible but active network of supporters that Republican Party officials hope will yield a double-digit victory in the Lone Star State, even as polls show Trump is now about six percentage points ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton in arguably the reddest of the Red States.

If Trump's campaign is not invisible, by traditional campaign standards, it certainly is close.

Nationally, by most accounts, Trump's stretch run to November looks not too much different. He is eschewing the traditional data-driven, well-funded and advertised campaign in favor of one based mostly on the name identification of the nominee, with a grass-roots push by supporters and a late ground game in key states only.

Trump campaign officials, both in Texas and nationally, did not respond to calls to discuss their Texas strategy in detail. GOP officials, who said they actively are working on a get-out-the-vote drive to ensure victory in November, referred questions about Trump efforts to the campaign.

Nationally, Clinton is reported to have more than three times the number of campaign offices in critical battleground states than Trump - 291 in 15 battleground states compared to 88, including both Trump offices and Republican National Committee offices. In public statements, Trump officials have said they will have 132 offices within a matter of weeks. They insisted that Trump does not need traditional tactics to win, noting his overwhelming nomination victory was achieved with a relatively small team and limited spending.

Lack of a ground game

In Texas, they have a state director and some field staff, according to previous comments from campaign officials. As recently as a late August rally in Austin, they acknowledged that they still are building their grass-roots outreach.

"Where we are at Labor Day is unprecedented," said David Caputo, a political scientist at New York's Pace University and an expert on presidential campaign organization. "The lack of a ground game at this point would have been a problem in the past. But the Republican Party has to have a solid organization in the states for its other candidates, and Trump can benefit from that. That gives him the possibility to win - a difficult process, but there is potential."

Clinton campaign officials in Texas and other states privately play down any such potential, predicting a big victory nationally over Trump. They hope to keep his winning margin in Texas in the single digits.

In recent days, the Trump campaign has emailed supporters, asking them to join "Trump Talk," a network of volunteers telephoning and emailing likely voters to increase turnout and boost the Republican's chances in November, and offering an "I Love Trump" mug to raise money for the campaign.

"Join Trump Talk now and make calls for Trump, even from home!" an online solicitation states. "Every call brings us one step closer to making America Great Again!"

To join the "Trump Talk" network, participants must agree to a non-disclosure agreement not to release confidential information or disparage Trump, his family or companies or even a family member's companies.

At a Trump rally in Austin, Berto Saenz, 46, a supporter from San Antonio, and several friends described their work as campaign volunteers much like Bryant.

"Mr. Trump is running a different kind of campaign and a lot of the media elite think that because it is different, it can't win," said Saenz, a tea-party activist. "As a movement conservative, I disagree. I've seen the grass roots work before and win elections."

If Saenz has a concern, it is that Trump may not be utilizing data to the extent nationally that the Clinton campaign appears to be, to identify and reach out to likely voters, from die-hard Republicans who will not vote for Clinton under any circumstance to undecided voters who may go for Trump if approached.

State party ups its game

While Trump campaign officials are silent about exactly how data-driven their efforts are in Texas and elsewhere, Texas GOP Chairman Tom Mechler has said the state party has upped its game in that regard and is using a variety of data aimed at turning out large numbers in November. Other officials said the focus will be on ensuring the reelection of U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, and a handful of state representatives, all of whom face tight races.

In Austin, Republican political consultants and lobbyists who usually are active to some degree in presidential campaigns, or are at least following the behind-the-scenes developments in Texas, say they are not involved in or hearing much about Trump's ground game. Privately, they characterize the ongoing get-out-the-vote effort as either non-existent or ineffective.

Matt Mackowiak, an Austin-based Republican consultant and former Capitol Hill and Bush administration aide, said while he has been "pretty underwhelmed" by what he knows about Trump's Texas organization so far, he would not expect the campaign to put many of its tight resources into Texas, since it is not expected to go Democratic.

"The question is really how toxic Trump may be to some of the down-ballot races," Mackowiak said. "I think he's going to underperform previous Republican nominees in Texas."

Trump supporters dismiss concerns about the candidate's ground game in Texas.

"Some people have said Trump is going to lose because 'I haven't seen any campaign signs,' " said Jeff Ricks, a Trump campaign volunteer in Cedar Park. "When I worked for Rick Perry for President, we didn't have many signs because everyone knew who he was. Everyone's heard of Donald Trump."

Several consultants agreed, and said a Trump victory could change the way campaigns are conducted in years to come, with less high-dollar advertising, ground organization and other traditional methods.

"Even if Trump loses, this different kind of campaign could prove to be a prototype for the future," Caputo said. "That will mean less work for political consultants in the traditional sense."

Then there is the lingering question among Trump and Clinton campaign officials on whether the current polls that show Clinton maintaining a lead over Trump, especially in the battleground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Florida, among others, will prove on the mark, or whether Trump could have so-called "stealth" support in some states that could put him over the top

A gathering of captains

On a recent morning, at a coffee shop in Georgetown where Bryant and five other Trump campaign "captains" gathered, there was discussion about stealth Trump supporters, likely voters who do not acknowledge their leanings when contacted by pollsters, but who will turn out in November to vote for him. A Rasmussen Poll released last week seemed to confirm that speculation: 17 percent of likely Republican voters say they are less likely this year to say publicly who they will vote for compared to previous presidential campaigns.

Among Democrats, 10 percent were no-tell. Independents, 25 percent.

"If there's a hidden reservoir of Trump support, even if it's only five percent, that could make a big difference in the outcome," said Mark Jones, a Rice University political scientist who has studied campaign organization.

Among those "captains" volunteering for Trump, only two were OK with being quoted by name. None wanted their picture taken.
Blog Hinangai

While there is much discussion in Guam about the economic benefits of increasing the islands military presence, the damages/dangers that they represent are rarely mentioned. This blog, a supplement to the Peace and Justice for Guam Petition, is meant to counter that by providing information about the US military in Guam, with the hopes of steering policy away from a dangerous unilateralist course to more sustainable notions of regional development and a strengthening international solidarity.
So what do you do on Labor Day weekend if you live in the Ozarks?

You go to the lake or river, of course.

And if youre a nearly 60-year-old man who habitually pushes his body to its limits, you do both.

Such was the case for me last weekend.

It all started when some friends visited  a lady from Cincinnati and a man from Dallas. Visitors at the Davison house  what are the odds?

Things really got rolling when the lady surprised the rest of us by renting a pontoon boat for the day on Lake of the Ozarks.

Accompanied by the always-adventurous Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Gertie (the Permapup), the four of us arrived in the morning where the boat was moored at The Knolls Resort Condominiums in Osage Beach. The man from the rental company who met us there filled us in on things like how to use some of the crafts controls and nearby places to get fuel.

He also stressed a particular point.

Youll find its pretty rough on the main lake, he said.

Truer words were never spoken, but that fact also turned out to be one of the more memorable aspects of the outing. Lake of the Ozarks features about a million coves and inlets where no wake zones exist and calm water can easily be found, and we enjoyed some fishing and swimming in one of them.

But out on the main lake, there is no regulation of wakes. There was, however, a Labor Day weekend-sized amount of boat traffic consisting of everything from giant yachts, to high speed, high power cigarette boats, 17-foot runabouts, jet skis (or more accurately, personal watercraft) and, of course, a bunch of pontoon boats.

That heavy traffic surely made for some roughness  and a few bone-jarring, hair-raising moments.

Before going further, allow me to share something with you.

Back in the days when our kids were younger, our family frequented theme parks. We would ride all the rides, including confounded water-oriented contraptions like those big tire-like objects that go willy-nilly down an artificial river with about a half-dozen people strapped in around the outer rim.

It became well known in my family that those rides were simply a means for dad to get entirely drenched. I kid you not  every time I get into one of those dang things, it seems to come to a complete stop at a waterfall for a while with me on the side thats directly under the deluge.

This fact is now well known in the family: I will never, under any circumstances, get on a water ride again. But the unfortunate soggy tradition seems to have followed me outside the boundary of theme parks.

As we cruised along in the main lake, we came across a section of very angry water. There were huge (I mean huge) waves and swells all over the place, and our captain at the time did the best job possible of navigating the S.S. Pontoon through them.

I was at the time having fun riding on a padded bench in the bow, and then I saw it. We were headed for the big one. I started instinctively backing up and fell off the bench onto my rear right in front of the drivers station.

I had just enough time to look up and see a massive wall of water headed my direction as it engulfed the whole front portion of the boat. I also had time to look back down just before I heard the deafening crashing sound of hundreds of gallons of water that was under the influence of Earths gravitational pull.

Then I was as wet as I would have been if I had simply jumped into the lake. My three boat mates laughed hysterically.

Of course! I yelled.

As we kept having fun at the lake, Gertie did her best to handle what was going on around her, and by the end of the day was one tuckered out pup. But as a T-shirt being worn by a man at a fueling dock said, there are no bad days at a lake  especially on a pontoon boat. Just sun, water, good food and great fellowship.

The watery weekend continued Sunday, as we took to the Big Piney River in kayaks.

Our float trip began at Boiling Springs Resort, where we were shuttled by an old school bus to a put-in location off of Cantrell Road. For the second straight day, the weather was picture-perfect, and we had a feeling we were in for something good.

Good is an understatement.

Throughout the trip, our boats hit the rivers rocky bottom a few times, and not once did we have to actually climb out and drag them across a spot that was too shallow. The water was crystal clear and moved along at a perfect pace in most places.

And despite the fact it was Labor Day weekend, we saw only about six other boats the whole time. We had apparently timed things well. A Boiling Springs Resort worker said they had put about 100 people onto the river before us, so we were behind the crowd.

Good thing we brought our own boats.

Almost everything we have is out there somewhere, he said.

As we calmly slipped along beneath the shade of tall trees, one of our friends quoted the Bible. He said the setting was so wonderfully peaceful that rivers of living water came to mind (John 7:38).

A bit more than half way through our five-mile float, we pulled over and stopped for lunch at an ideal swimming hole where the bottom of the Big Piney was covered with sand and tiny gravel. It was the perfect place for feet.

We sloshed around  Gertie too, of course  and basically had almost a healing experience. Actually, our backs and legs did feel better, so there was indeed healing going on.

When we reached the beach and boat ramp at Boiling Springs, none of us were worn out and sore. On the contrary, the nature of the float (with the perfect water depth and flow) resulted only in a satisfied state of being.

Add to that the great fellowship and togetherness, and it was a remarkable moment. It was like, aaahhh.

Thank God for the exceptional waters of the Ozarks and for two days of bliss upon and inside them. Pretty hard to beat.
The Houston Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a fall festival Sept. 24 in downtown Houston, the Houston City Council heard Tuesday.

The event includes a car show, live music, petting zoo, fish fry and other attractions from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tyler Romines and Angie Quinlan, chamber executive director, outlined the plans during a meeting of the council.

Members approved closing Grand Avenue from Walnut Street to Steffens Street, if merchants agree.

In other matters, members

Heard from Gary Parish and George Sholtz, business owners, about the affect of a new ordinance that regulates businesses, such as pawn shops. Police say the inclusion of items into a database will aid in their crime fighting efforts.

Donated $250 to the Imagination Library, a program that allows children to receive a monthly book in the mail.

Heard that work continues with FEMA for a settlement stemming from a December 2015 flood.
The University of Missouri is defending its research practices after a national pet-adoption group decried an experiment that led to six female beagles being euthanized.

The California-based Beagle Freedom Project, which is suing the university system over $82,000 in fees it said it is being charged for an open-records request, said it learned of the dogs deaths after happening upon a study about treatment for damaged corneas.

As detailed in April in the Journal of Veterinary Ophthalmology, the study said 1-year-old beagles had their left eyes intentionally damaged while they were anesthetized.

Half of the animals then were given a topical acid treatment to determine whether that healed the eye damage; it didnt, and the dogs eventually were put to death.

Kevin Chase, vice president of the BFP, which rescues former research animals ranging from ponies to goldfish for adoption, called Mizzous experiment a colossal failure and cruel, noting the corneas top layer is filled with thousands of tiny nerve endings.

Caging dogs in a laboratory, intentionally damaging their corneas, and then killing them is about as ethical as picking people off the street and hitting them over the head with a pipe in order to test new concussion treatments, Chase said.

Animal-rights groups widely say nearly 400 U.S. research labs use nearly 70,000 dogs each year, the vast majority of which are beagles, usually because of their docility.

The university issued a statement saying the beagles were anesthetized during the procedure and were given pain medications if any discomfort was evident.

The research, meant to develop painless or noninvasive treatments for corneal injuries, improves the quality of life for both animals and humans, the university stated.

Animal research is only done when scientists believe there is no other way to study the problem, and our researchers respect their research animals greatly and provide the utmost care, the statement read. The animals were treated humanely and every effort was made to ensure dogs were as comfortable as possible during the tests to study the effectiveness of the new drug treatment.

That statement did not say whether its research animals commonly are euthanized. In the studys conclusion, the four researchers acknowledge the small sample size, saying it was determined before undertaking the study that two dozen of the dogs would be required to detect a significant difference in the healing rates.

The BFP successfully has lobbied for beagle bills, which essentially require healthy dog and cat test subjects to be offered up to rescue organizations instead of having them automatically euthanized. The Humane Society of the United States says such laws now exist in Connecticut, California, Minnesota, Nevada and New York.

The BFP sued the University of Missouri in May, alleging it violated the states Sunshine Law by charging more than $82,000 for documents that the group sought related to dogs and cats on the Columbia campus. Chase called the fees exorbitant and an effort to stymie disclosure.

His group routinely files open-records requests in search of post-research candidate dogs for rescue and was looking through previously published reports about University of Missouri animal research when BFP happened upon the study involving the beagles.

Had they just given us the records for current protocols, we probably wouldnt have dug that deep, Chase said.

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le HR departments have traditionally disapproved of workplace swearing, some researchers believe that there are positive effects that come from using it in a leadership context.Using swear words adds power to certain messages, grab attention, and for some population, may make you cool  if this is what the CEO is looking for, said Yehuda Baruch, professor at Southampton Business School, to CNBC. Case in point is Irish budget airline Ryanairs boss, Michael OLeary. He was recently in the news for letting loose colourful language in response to the EUs ruling on back taxes owed by Apple to the Irish government.Baruch, who co-authored a study on the acceptance of profanity in the workplace in 2007, noted that the generation gap is a big factor in the way swearing is perceived in the office. Swearing is becoming almost a societal norm for younger people  and enables the development of personal relationships among coworkers, he stated, citing the prevalent use of curses and profanity in the media. And with more young entrepreneurs and CEOs making their mark in various industries nowadays, it seems that swearing and cursing in the workplace may soon become the norm.Still, there are experts that stand by the belief that dropping swear words in the office should be banned. Speaking to CNBC, Julie Logan, a professor in entrepreneurship believes that swearing in the office is inappropriate because as a leader you lead by example and maybe you dont want staff who represent you swearing in the media or at clients.Though, she admitted that the likes of OLeary are able to get away with it because it gives the company added publicity.Whats your opinion on swearing in the workplace? Tell us in the comments below.
loyer greed, not worker laziness, is driving record immigration numbers  thats the outlandish claim from one Kiwi union this week.FIRST Union  which represents employees across multiple industries  made the allegations yesterday as it disputed John Keys assertion that immigration is needed to fill jobs that New Zealanders are too lazy to perform.Employers who prefer migrant workers over local workers often do so out of greed, said FIRST Union general secretary Robert Reid.Everyone is entitled to work, but many employers know that competition between local workers and migrant workers helps keep wages low, he continued.In fact, Reid claimed the reality can even be more brutal than just encouraging competition.In siviculture, an industry that relies on migrant workers from the Pacific, we know of government audits that found most employers in the industry were out right under-paying workers in one way or another, he said.This kind of exploitation can happen because the system is rigged with many migrant workers coerced into silence for fear of losing their visas and their right to work and support their families, he continued.John Key is wrong about working people. His low wage, low skill migration policy is excluding local workers and leading to the exploitation of migrant workers, said Reid.
Canada's cable companies have some 'splaining to do.

The Great White North's major telecoms will be on the hot seat Wednesday as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) forces them to defend their implementation of "skinny basic" TV.

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"Skinny basic" is a cable package that only includes a few stations for $25 per month. The CRTC mandated that every company offer it, after Canadians complained that they were paying too much for cable.

All companies were expected to roll out their own versions of the package by March 1. As many as 100,000 people opted into the packages but the CRTC was also inundated with complaints over how they were implemented.

The CRTC is holding hearings at which the cable companies will make a case for renewing their broadcast licences  and where they'll have to explain their respective rollouts.

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The Consumers' Association of Canada alone fielded approximately 1,000 complaints in response to skinny basic in a six-week period, president Bruce Cran told The Hamilton Spectator.

"The service providers went out of their way to make it difficult for all of us as consumers," he told the newspaper.

Bell was just one cable company that faced scrutiny surrounding its rollout of skinny basic.

"Do not promote the Starter TV package. There will be no advertising, and this package should only be discussed if the customer initiates the conversation," the document read.

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Other cable companies weren't clear about whether they would promote skinny basic to customers.

Asked whether Rogers would promote its own "Starter" package to clients, a company spokesman said in February that sales staff were "more interested in what you are looking for and what your needs are."

Telus, meanwhile, didn't address whether it would promote skinny basic to subscribers.

The CRTC hearing commences in Gatineau, Que. on Wednesday at 9 a.m.

It will begin with presentations by Videotron, Rogers, Shaw and Bell.

Interveners including the Consumers' Association of Canada will present the following day.
Wednesday's supremely-hyped Apple event saw the company unveil its iPhone 7 at last.

The new model is faster, has a better camera than its predecessor and comes with water and dust protection.

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Phil Schiller, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at Apple Inc, discusses the Apple AirPods during a media event in San Francisco, Calif. on Sept. 7. (Photo: Beck Diefenbach/Reuters)

But the new phone has one whopper of a feature, or more precisely a lack of one. Apple finally confirmed what the Internet has been speculating for months: the new model has no headphone jack.

The phone instead opts for AirPods, the company's new wireless headphones that will cost Canadians a cool $219.

Im old enough to remember when Apples branding was based pretty much 100% on headphone wires pic.twitter.com/DBgruXjOcT  Aaron Wiener (@aaronwiener) September 7, 2016

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But it's the reason the company killed the headphone jack that got social media riled up.

Apple's marketing chief Philip W. Schiller said they ditched the traditional plug because it had the "courage to move on to something new.''

Yes, courage.

Twitter users naturally went bananas:

Scientist: Radiation's bad for your brain. Use headphones Me: K Apple: THESE new ones get signals next to ur head Me: um Apple: courage  Todd Zwillich (@toddzwillich) September 7, 2016

Apple throws around the word "courage" in their keynote without even a single mention of Harambe  Fright Shark (@FrightShark) September 7, 2016

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Twitter: Apple is the GOAT can't wait to get me a pair of those new wireless Apple: they cost $160 Twitter: pic.twitter.com/dxrBduGiLa  maurice (@tallmaurice) September 7, 2016

Can't wait to lose my first iPhone wireless earbuds in the storm drain outside the Apple store  Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) September 7, 2016

Only Apple has the courage to sell you extra adapters.  Paul Haddad (@tapbot_paul) September 7, 2016

The new iPhone will come with an adapter, so headphones aren't necessarily obsolete  yet. But many users saw the dongle (haha, dongle) as another revenue stream for the company:

Apple says it has the "courage" to move on and kill the headphone jack. It's replacing it with an adapter in the box pic.twitter.com/4sLq5qtjI9  Tom Warren (@tomwarren) September 7, 2016

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Hope, someday, to be even half as good a person as those heroes at Apple who removed our headphone jacks. #Couragehttps://t.co/4g5yMt1mCZ  Craig Monk (@CGMonk) September 7, 2016

you gotta buy a extra cord just to use the aux now  pic.twitter.com/xf9cyKqX8W  Tyso (@Solo_tyso) September 7, 2016

Others were miffed at having one more device in need of charging:

What do i do if i dont want to buy wireless headphones cause that creates one more thing i need to CONSTANTLY CHARGE APPLE   (Eric Nam) (@ericnamofficial) September 7, 2016

Hey @Apple and @tim_cook how do we charge our #iPhone7 and listen to music at the same time without shelling out $159 for your #AirPods???  Douglas Browne (@douggiefresh93) September 7, 2016

Here's some new Apple headphones that are more expensive, easier to lose and you need to charge them every few hours. #courage  Chris Megerian (@ChrisMegerian) September 7, 2016

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The iPhone isn't the first to ditch the headphone jack, though. Motorola quietly did so a month ago with select models of the Moto Z.

If new and expensive headphones won't stop you from lusting over the iPhone 7, the device will be available on Sept. 16 and starts at $899.

With files from The Associated Press

Also on HuffPost
Clowns are apparently emerging from the woods in the Carolinas, and at least one reportedly had a machete.

A woman told Forsyth County, N.C. sheriff's officials that a clown armed with the weapon attempted to lure her into the woods Monday night near Walkertown, according to WEB.

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She described the man having a red nose and bushy hair, and wearing black gloves, tie and white shoes.

Several other clown sightings have been reported in the same region of North Carolina over the past few days, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.

Stock photo of a scary clown with red hair. (Photo: Getty Images)

In one of the cases, a clown tried to lure two kids into the woods around 8:30 p.m. Sunday in Winston-Salem, said police.

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He offered them treats, but ran away when the cops were called.

In another case from Greensboro, a man decided to take things into his own hands when he saw a clown emerge from the woods.

A clown wearing a scary mask stepped out of the trees Tuesday morning, only to be chased by a man wielding a machete, according to a press release.

The clown ran back into the woods. But when officers arrived, they couldn't find any sign of a person with that description.

Children offered money

The sightings follow similar cases reported in South Carolina's Greenville County, according to The New York Times.

The Times obtained a sheriff's office report that stated the costumed suspects offered children money to go into the woods  where the clowns reportedly live in a house.

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Officials said they checked out that house and found nothing relating to clowns.

The sheriff's office also looked into reports that some residents had fired shots into the trees.

One Greenville man tweeted a photo of his scary sighting.

just spotted a major freak behind fleetwood apts. #WTFpic.twitter.com/StN0VzLNY2  Kevin Thoman (@kevthoman) August 30, 2016

No one's sure why the clowns are popping up everywhere. A theory they were tied to marketing for a new Rob Zombie film was debunked after the distribution company denied its involvement.

Unless it's part of their job, people over the age of 16 are banned from disguising themselves as clowns in South Carolina, according to Greenville Online.

While it's legal to dress up as a clown in North Carolina, Greensboro officials are discouraging copycats, given how many people are scared of the entertainers.

"Copycats unnecessarily alarm the public and place an unnecessary drain on police resources."

Also on HuffPost

Creepy Clowns See Gallery
The Halifax Central Library has landed on a list of the world's 10 most beautiful libraries and we are 100 per cent not surprised.

Just look at it:

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Exterior shot of the Halifax Central Library in Halifax, N.S. on Dec. 9, 2015. (Photo: Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press)

Wired magazine's list, released Tuesday, praised libraries as more than just "singular temples to the written word." They're community centres, concert halls and "works of art in themselves."

Writer Liz Stinson praised how the downtown library's design allows it to "stack, twist, and cantilever to create a stunning building block effect."

The central library placed ninth on Wired's list.

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The Halifax Central Library opened its doors to the public on December 13, 2014. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

The building is so gorgeous, in fact, that lead architecture firm Fowler Bauld & Mitchell won a Governor General medal for the library's design, according to CBC News. It was praised for being an "inviting, light and playful public space."

Asa Kachan, head of Halifax Public Libraries, told Metro it's a "thrill" to have the central library honoured.

To me thats a great signal to the rest of the country about this city," Kachan said. "About the kind of life and kind of community we like to create here.

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The Halifax Central Library has a green roof that absorbs solar energy. The library also offers electric vehicle charging stations and on-site bike storage in an effort to promote sustainable living. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

The list's top honour went to Denmark's Dokk1 Library, a building with several highlights  including a bell that rings every time a child is born at an adjacent hospital.

Check out Wired's full list here.

Also on HuffPost
Canadians overwhelmingly support Liberal legislation that would make it illegal to discriminate on the grounds of gender identity, a new poll suggests.

The Angus Reid Institute released numbers Wednesday exploring attitudes towards transgender Canadians and the role government should play in protecting their civil rights.

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The poll found that 84 per cent of Canadians support Bill C-16, which was unveiled by Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould in May. If passed, it will cement the terms "gender identity" and "gender expression" as prohibited grounds for discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Fifty-seven per cent of respondents told the firm they "strongly support" the bill, while just 16 per cent of Canadians either "moderately" or "strongly" oppose the legislation.

A vast majority of Canadians  85 per cent  told the firm they believe transgender people face discrimination in their daily lives. Nearly eight in 10 said they agree that Canada should "work to accommodate and protect transgender people in society."

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Seventy-eight per cent of respondents told the firm that acceptance of transgender people is a "sign of social progress," and a strong majority of 71 per cent said they disagree that being transgender is "unnatural."

However, 70 per cent also told the firm that society is "too fixated on issues related to transgender people."

There appears to be less agreement on how governments should tackle the matter of identification and documents, such as health cards and driver's licences.

The government of Ontario has already started issuing health cards that do not display information about a person's sex or gender, a move that has come with some hiccups.

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In 2017, Ontarians will also have the option to obtain gender-neutral driver's licences by selecting "X," instead of "M" for male or "F" for female.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters this summer that his government is wrestling with the best way to make federal ID documents, such as passports, gender-neutral.

Thirty-nine per cent of Canadians said they would like to see a third option for sex and gender  "other"  included in government documents. Twenty per cent said they would prefer if gender was not included at all.

Twenty-four per cent said government documents should "display a person's biological sex," while 17 per cent said they should show a person's "gender identity."

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What about bathrooms?

The poll also dove into the debate over public washrooms in light of North Carolina's hugely controversial "bathroom bill," which prevents transgender people from using facilities that fit their identities in government-run places such as schools.

Nearly six in 10 Canadians said they think transgender people should use the bathroom in which they would be most comfortable. Another 42 per cent think transgender people should follow "pre-set rules and regulations" on the matter.

When it comes to trans children, however, roughly two-in-three said they should use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity.

And a slim majority  52 per cent  said they agreed that the "government should not be involved in deciding which washrooms transgender people use."

The online survey was conducted from July 26 to Aug. 2 among a randomized sample of 1,416 Canadian adults who are part of the Angus Reid Forum. Similar surveys have a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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With a file from The Canadian Press

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An anti-refugee group has been patrolling the streets of Edmonton clad in black jackets emblazoned with a Viking's face and the Canadian flag.

Soldiers of Odin was founded in Finland in response to an increase in the number of refugees seeking asylum. The founder, Mika Ranta, is a white supremacist who has been convicted in the past with assault, according to Finnish broacaster YLE.

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Members of the group blame "Islamist intruders" for increases in crime and carry signs with slogans like "Migrants not welcome," Reuters reported.

Members of Soldiers of Odin meet in Edmonton in August. (Photo: Brian Curry/Facebook)

Soldiers of Odin Canada claims that it is an "neighbourhood watch" organization with "no racist agenda."

A Vice reporter who infiltrated the Edmonton chapter's private Facebook group found a number of disturbing anti-Islamic comments. Some members appeared to praise the arson of a mosque, commenting on an article about it with "Good work" and "Hopefully it was full.

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Edmonton police say so far they have received no complaints, and have no reason to believe the group is involved in any criminal activity, according to CBC.

The outlet reported that local chapters have sprung up in B.C. and Ontario this year.

Also on HuffPost
This journey of Tandem feeding my girls has been unlike anything I've ever experienced! They have started asking for milk by pointing and making a sweet mmm mmm sound. 20 months of sharing my body with these two amazing human beings and I am ready to continue our journey until the day they decide to ween! #tandemnursing #tandembreastfeeding #twins #identicaltwins #twinmom

A photo posted by Kaley McGoey (@thetiniestwolfpack) on Jul 1, 2016 at 11:18am PDT
Winnie Harlow just got herself a whole new look and we're obsessed.

The Canadian model with vitiligo attended the GQ Men Of The Year Awards at the Tate Modern in London on Tuesday and debuted a new 'do that her hairstylist Marvin Francis described as, "smoky grey [with] 'grown out' roots."

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This is a major change from the beauty looked she rocked at the MTV Video Music Awards last month, where she walked out on the red carpet with Beyonce.

The 22-year-old lit up the awards in a DSquared2 minidress equipped with a sultry, low-plunging unzipped neckline. The dress also featured an array of pockets and a belt that clinched at the waist. The Mississauga native finished off the look with silver and gold platforms by Giuseppe Zanotti.

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Work those cameras, Winnie!

A video posted by Winnie (@winnieharlow) on Sep 7, 2016 at 7:32am PDT

And Harlow wasn't the only top model at the awards that evening. Ashley Graham and Hugo Boss Model of the Year winner, Bella Hadid, were also in attendance, and you bet the three of them showed off just how flawless they all are.

Repeat after us: squad goals.

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Adrian Wyld/CP

I was deeply troubled when Kellie Leitch came up with a proposal to screen immigrants for "anti-Canadian values."

The initiative by the Conservative leadership candidate is an ugly form of prejudice that one doesn't expect from a highly-educated politician.

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When her ancestors immigrated to Canada they were not screened for "anti-Canadian values" before they were allowed to enter the country.

This line of questioning is troublesome and carries prejudicial undertone. As CBC reporter Aaron Wherry asked, how would we screen for beliefs?

Would immigrants be asked to confirm their agreement with a series of statements about equality? How would we know they were telling the truth? Would we hook them up to a lie detector? Would we have public servants checking Twitter histories and Facebook profiles for evidence of intolerance or unacceptable views?

Are we comfortable with the idea of regulating beliefs? Who defines the values and how they will be measured? How specific would we get?

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Would immigrants have to be fully supportive of same-sex marriage? (To pick a right that Conservative party members have only just come around to not opposing and which some current Canadian citizens still don't support.) What about transgender rights? (To pick an issue that Parliament will soon be considering.)

What constitutes an intolerance for economic freedom? Would that rule out socialists? What about anyone with an inclination to vote for the NDP?

What great benefit would we derive from the effort? And what would be the effect of such a test?

We might, for instance, imagine that living in Canada could open up the mind of a homophobe, or at least provide his or her children with a good atmosphere in which to grow up.

But, while we're on the topic, what of the bigots and misogynists who were born here?

Before lecturing others on values, the Conservatives themselves need to learn about human values which they have abandoned.

They have been dehumanizing people who happen to look different from them. Their divisive values have led to animosity and hate, turning citizens against each other.

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They have spread fear and hate against minorities, especially Muslims. They climb the ladder by dividing people and turning them against those who happens to look and pray differently.

Even high ranking officials in Kellie Leitch's party like Conservative strategist Chad Rogers have rejected her initiative and called on Leitch to withdraw her candidacy.

"She's done something stupid and if she apologizes now and leaves the race, she has a chance to rebuild her reputation within the party," he said.

Michael Chong, a fellow leadership candidate also criticized this proposal saying that "this suggestion, that some immigrants are "anti-Canadian," does not represent our Conservative Party or our Canada."

"The language and context that Kellie used has led key Conservatives, including Prime Minister [Stephen] Harper's former director of policy, to criticize this move as the worst of dog-whistle politics."

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Interim-leader Rona Ambrose has since joined Chong in questioning Leitch's proposal, noting there are already criminal background checks for potential immigrants.

Ms. Leitch is outright dangerous to Canada's multi-ethnic, multi-racial, multi-religious mosaic of citizens. She looks like the looming shadow of Donald Trump, and in a civilized nation like Canada, she is totally unfit to hold any responsible public office, let alone become the leader of a major Canadian party.

She is nothing more than a closet hatemonger, who even promoted the dark ages Conservative efforts to establish a tip line for so-called "barbaric cultural practices."

It is interesting to note that while she expressed regret for that position, even becoming visibly emotional during a CBC interview, she then flip-flopped at another interview when she told the Saskatoon Star Phoenix that barbaric cultural practices tip line was a good idea which "we failed to articulate."

Canada is a multicultural society which has been built by immigrants including the ancestors of Ms. Leitch who were not screened for "until Canadian values."

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Bigotry and xenophobia, once again is being clothed with chauvinism. We should not underestimate what this kind of bigotry could take us to. This kind of intolerance was what gave birth to leaders like Hitler, Stalin and Mao. It was what led to dark chapters in our history from slavery in the U.S. to injustices done to Japanese and others during the Second World War.

If Ms. Leitch is indeed determined to teach people about values, she should start with her own party first and train the right-wing politicians to show respect to people who don't look like them. They should not forget that they themselves were immigrants at one point in their ancestral history.
Kellie Leitch pauses while speaking to journalists on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Feb. 16, 2015. (Photo: REUTERS/Chris Wattie)

The recent revelations that Conservative Party leadership candidate Kellie Leitch has been consulting conservatives around the country about whether we need to screen newcomers to our country for "anti-Canadian values" prior to permitting them entry is both disappointing and, unfortunately, not surprising.

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It is disappointing because it comes from the same politician who, a mere four months ago in an emotion-filled television interview, professed remorse for her promotion of the Barbaric Cultural Practices hotline as a Conservative cabinet minister in the Harper government.

Holding back tears, Ms. Leitch expressed regret for defending a hotline that was interpreted, correctly, by observers as both redundant (we already have mechanisms for reporting alleged crimes to law enforcement) and inherently divisive (for being a thinly veiled attempt to provoke fear about the threat posed by certain newcomers to Canada).

The Barbaric Culture Practices hotline, like Bill C-24 (revocation of citizenship for foreign-born Canadians on security grounds) and the debate over a woman's right to wear a Niqab in a citizenship ceremony before it, represented wedge politics at its very worst -- deliberately designed to sow division, and ultimately fear, among Canadian voters. Worse, they gave legitimacy to intolerant and even discriminatory voices.

I thought that post-Harper, the Conservatives were finally turning the page on the politics of division. Alas, my optimism was short-lived.

As a Muslim Canadian refugee and candidate in the 2015 election, those voices didn't discourage me, they emboldened me. And I believe those voices emboldened Canadians to come out and vote in record numbers to remove a Conservative government whose divisive tactics did not reflect how the vast majority of Canadians see themselves or their nation.

That night last October, Canadians embraced a different kind of politics, practiced by a party that sincerely believes diversity is a source of strength, not weakness. In the ensuing weeks, Canadians embraced the prime minister's decision to implement a gender-equal cabinet that includes an Afghan refugee -- both historic firsts for our country.

In the subsequent months, Canadians answered our government's call to come forward, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, to privately sponsor Syrian refugees -- people of a different language, culture, worldview, ethnicity. That we have now received over 30,000 Syrian refugees (and counting) is a testament to the people of this country who are determined to show the world that, notwithstanding the previous decade, Canada is not a nation that turns a blind eye to its international obligations, nor to those in need.

We are, by contrast, an open, tolerant, welcoming, and most of all, a compassionate nation that offers safe haven to those seeking it, regardless of the language they may speak or the religion they may practice.

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Syrian refugees are greeted by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on their arrival from Beirut at the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada December 11, 2015. (Photo: REUTERS/Mark Blinch)

So when Ms. Leitch, one of the first declared candidates in the Conservative leadership race, announced her remorse respecting her role in the Barbaric Cultural Practices hotline, I took some comfort in that. I thought that post-Harper, the Conservatives were finally turning the page on the politics of division, in favour of more moderate, more inclusive, more Canadian positions.

Alas, my optimism was short-lived. The revelations this past week from within Ms. Leitch's leadership campaign have shown that unfortunately, old habits die hard. Perhaps she believes this will revive her leadership bid, and even propel her to the role of Conservative leader -- I'm confident she's wrong, and I'm grateful that progressive voices within the Conservative ranks are already calling her out for the wrong-headedness of her position.

But even more troubling is another aspect of Ms. Leitch's survey of conservatives across the country. She has been asking them whether elected leaders ought to be promoting multiculturalism or whether they should "encourage a unifying Canadian identity based on historic Canadian values."

The problem with this question is it's based on a false dichotomy. There is no inherent tension between promoting cultural diversity and promoting "Canadian identity." Our identity is not based on some stagnant set of values formulated at the time of Confederation -- our identity is based on an evolving set of norms and ideas, informed by the wide array of diverse cultures, races, religions and peoples that now call Canada home.

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Canadians get that, Liberals get that -- unfortunately, Kellie Leitch and her Conservative supporters still do not.

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By Sharon Claydon

My dear friend, the late Paul O'Grady, was the first openly gay man to serve in the New South Wales (state) Parliament. In 1996, Paul publicly disclosed on national television that he was HIV positive and had developed AIDS. This was my first experience of someone I was close to living with HIV; our friendship made me acutely aware of the improved drug treatments progressively becoming available in Australia.

These treatments were giving people like Paul extra years of life that they were using to make phenomenal contributions to society. Paul lived for another 18 years, effecting important social and political change at every opportunity. I was challenged by the fact that we lived in a country wealthy enough to invest in developing and providing solutions to complex health problems like HIV, and this made me ask: why are these opportunities denied to others?

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If your neighbour's house is burning down, you aren't safe either.

I'm now an Australian federal politician. I'm also an anthropologist by training, and endlessly interested in the question of what it means to be human. As a politician, I'm constantly challenged to demonstrate why being a good global citizen is also very much in Australia's national interest. A couple of years ago I saw a snapshot in time of passenger aircraft movements around the world, and something clicked for me: the reach, volume and speed of modern travel are unprecedented. People are now globally connected and astonishingly mobile. No one is left isolated anymore -- not even Australia despite being all the way "down under."

Mobility has been a feature of life in the Pacific since before colonization, the social and economic benefits of which have been huge and should be maintained: for Pacific Islanders, work and education opportunities in Australia and the ability to send remittances home remain important. For Australia, access to a seasonal workforce and new opportunities to help build the social and economic capacity of our region are fundamental. Importantly, there is significant regional cross-pollination of medical expertise amongst students and health professionals alike.

It's in everyone's interest to take a global and strongly humanitarian approach to eliminating HIV, TB and malaria; we need to think beyond the confines of nation-states in relation to diseases that have no respect for borders. But it is also in Australia's national interest to act: our neighbours in the Pacific can't afford to mobilize an effective response to eradicate these diseases on their own, so Australia must take a lead role on this in the region. If your neighbour's house is burning down, you aren't safe either. This is why I support a strong Australian replenishment to the Global Fund.

The example of polio demonstrates what's possible in global health with collective goodwill, concerted effort and deployment of the knowledge and skills we already have. In relation to HIV, TB and malaria what we need now is the political commitment that says "we can do this, we should do this -- and we're going to do this." The human costs of these three devastating illnesses are too high. A push to eliminate them would lift an enormous burden from the shoulders of people who are among the most marginal and vulnerable in the world.

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We owe it to them to collectively ensure that we, too, are doing everything we can to get on top of HIV, TB and malaria.

We know that the impact of these diseases falls disproportionately on women. In 2014 I went to the Solomon Islands -- a small Melanesian nation in the eastern Pacific -- as an election observer. The country has a decreasing, though still high, burden of TB and one of the greatest burdens of malaria outside sub-Saharan Africa.

At that time, the Solomon Islands had not long emerged from a period of civil unrest and I met so many extraordinary women who were creating change at communal and village level, taking their own initiatives for safer, healthier communities: they wanted economic independence, and for their children to be healthy. They were primary carers for sick family members, which has a huge impact on economic productivity with flow-on effects for everyone. These women managed their caring responsibilities with sometimes-limited access to community health services; I also heard fears about the potential for drug-resistant strains of malaria to emerge. And all these health concerns were compounded by the Solomon Islands' high rates of family violence.

The greatest benefit of the Global Fund's assistance is in helping relieve these most immediate health issues so that people have the opportunity to create better living conditions for themselves, their families and their communities. These amazing women I met aspire to great change in their communities, they want to participate in public life -- a huge step forward in the Solomon Islands -- and take their seats at the top decision-making tables. Australia has close ties with the Pacific, and clear interests in ensuring that our region is healthy and stable. What greater legacy could we leave behind but to contribute to eliminating three disease menaces that kill and otherwise prevent people from being the very best they can be?

In the Solomon Islands, people are helping themselves. We owe it to them to collectively ensure that we, too, are doing everything we can to get on top of HIV, TB and malaria. If we don't, we will deny them, and millions of other people around the world, the chance to fulfil their potential. That goal has to be of interest to anyone with a belief in our shared humanity.

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Sharon Claydon is the MP for Newcastle in the Australian Federal Parliament, representing the Australian Labor Party.

This blog is part of the blog series: AIDS, TB and Malaria: It's High Time for Us to End It. For Good by the Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD) in recognition of The Global Fund's Fifth Replenishment. The blog series runs from August 29 to October 3, 2016 and features a selection of blogs written by our member and partner organizations. Contributors share their broad range of perspectives and insight on the work of The Global Fund and the opportunity that this moment presents us one year following the inauguration of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CCIC or its members.
World leaders are either defined by their accomplishments or by what they avoid doing. Usually, they are either hawks or doves. Both hawks and doves can be predictable, but they can also surprise us and step out of character. Then, all that's left is for history to define them.

As we approach the 15-year anniversary of 9-11, and as we reflect on the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, we might also find ourselves remembering the kind of inaction that helped Canada's reputation as a force for good in the world.

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Specifically, former Prime Minister Jean Chretien's refusal to take part in the war in Iraq was probably the most important decision a Canadian prime minister has made since Pierre Elliot Trudeau's War Measures Act in 1970. Hindsight being what it is, we now know the reasons to invade were dubious at best, fraudulent at worst. Chretien, no matter his motivations, made the right call, saving the lives of Canadian soldiers in the process.

Chretien was partially aided by a Republican administration in Washington that was largely seen as too conservative by most Canadians. George W. Bush wanted to invade without a UN mandate, and Chretien, less than a year away from retirement, refused to join the "coalition of the willing," saying in the House of Commons, "If military action proceeds without a new resolution of the (United Nations) Security Council, Canada will not participate."

Bush picked up the phone, and Chretien did not answer his call. The rest is history.

It cannot be stressed enough: the Bush administration, viewed as a band of neo-conservative war hawks, shielded Chretien from the kind of bad optics he would have had to deal with if it was a Democrat occupying the White House. An Al Gore administration would have been a more difficult refusal, if Gore had opted to invade at all.

A more militaristic Washington may reverberate in Canada, forcing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership to make tough decisions with the overall goal of keeping our closest ally happy.

This November, if conventional wisdom holds, Hillary Clinton will be elected president, ushering in a different kind of foreign policy than Barrack Obama, who opted for the unconventional -- a drone war strategy, complimented by strategic special ops deployments like the one that was used to kill Osama bin Laden. Obama is not without his own controversies, including an Orwellian assassination policy legalizing the killing of American citizens at his personal discretion. Still, his administration opted to forgo the traditional invasion tactics America used In Iraq and Afghanistan.

Despite Obama's mistakes, and there were many, his approach probably resulted in less civilian deaths than the traditional American strategy of mobilizing brigades and overwhelming the enemy on the ground. He also stressed the importance of intelligence in the fight against terrorism as a more effective tool than sending in the army.

But what would a Hillary Clinton administration look like, and how will it differ from Obama's eight years in office? If her time as Secretary of State is an accurate barometer, Clinton will be a far more militant commander-in-chief than her predecessor. In fact, it won't even be close.

On several occasions, Obama and Clinton were at opposite ends of American exceptionalism. Obama's approach was to employ a steady-yet-limited type of foreign policy, one that wouldn't be seen as overly hegemonic by more formidable states like China or Russia. But at the State Department, Clinton mostly sided with the four-star generals who were consistent in pressing Obama to increase troop numbers in Afghanistan and arm militant factions in Syria. Even Republicans were amazed at how much farther to the right she was than some of their own military advisers.

The reality of a more militaristic Washington under Clinton may reverberate in Canada, forcing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership to make tough decisions with the overall goal of keeping our closest ally happy. The juxtaposition of a president seen as a progressive but with the instincts of a conservative hawk will be tough to navigate, putting Trudeau's nice guy image to the test.

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Forcing Trudeau to abandon his progressive image might be easier than expected.

The Trudeau Government recently reallocated defence spending towards a renewal of the peacekeeping initiatives Canada was once known for, but the world is now a different place, where peacekeeping and peacemaking are often interchangeable.

A Clintonian foreign policy means Canada will have to choose between its sovereignty and its loyalty to its closest ally and number one trading partner, both of which can come under duress if Trudeau refuses to, say, put boots on the ground in the Middle East. Clinton could also press her military adventures through NATO, forcing Canada to join a fight it may have otherwise declined. Trudeau, who has already shown a tendency to embark on unpopular policies in a quieter manner, or hidden behind calculated photo-ops, will find it far more difficult to convince Canadians that putting troops in harm's way at America's behest is what's best for the nation.

The smart money would be on Trudeau attempting to execute a delicate balancing act between how he characterizes our military involvement and our operational realities. In other words, Trudeau will imitate the same strategy Stephen Harper used when Canada joined the fight against ISIS, when opposition leaders, including Trudeau himself, lobbed accusations of mission creep and a lack of full disclosure.

While the Harper government was accustomed to retreating back to boilerplate responses when faced with opposition inquiries, Trudeau and his ministers will have to craft their responses more carefully as to remain consistent with the "we are a different kind of government" tone that helped them win the election last October.

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U.S. Army General David Petraeus (L) testifies in front of U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the state of the war in Iraq. (Photo: REUTERS/Jason Reed)

And Clinton, who was given the gift of a disaster presidential opponent in Donald Trump, will now find herself tempted to flex her muscles as America's first female president, one that is seen as unafraid to take action in the same parts of the world Obama had avoided. She's a Republican in terms of national defence, the kind that will try to make our Generation X leader abandon his progressive instincts and use his popularity to sell Canadians on the type of military adventures we are not known for.

But forcing Trudeau to abandon his progressive image might be easier than expected. He has already signaled a willingness to engage in strategic militarism, sending 450 troops to Latvia to lead a 1,000-troop buildup near the Russian border. Many analysts are predicting a new cold war between Russia and NATO, and Canada's role appears indefinite and without a debate in Parliament. Trudeau is no boy scout, in other words, and probably not quite the leader many left-of-centre voters thought they were casting a ballot for.

This new hawkish side of Trudeau is either an example of Canadian sovereignty, independently deciding its own military involvements, or a signal that he will be accommodating should Clinton ever pick up the phone.

Because what more could a hawk ask for than a popular, supposed dove with worldwide appeal who is willing to answer her call?

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Britain has a proud tradition of being a global leader in conservation, embodied by giants such as David Attenborough and Jane Goodall. In recent years we have taken a leading role in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade, importantly hosting 46 nations at the seminal 2014 London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade.

Speaking this week at the G20 summit, Theresa May has made clear she intends for Britain "to be even more outward-looking around the whole of the world" following our vote to leave the EU. As the Prime Minister speaks, the world is watching for indications of the nature of our new global perspective.

This is a question for every sector and Mrs May's team has got off to a bad start in global conservation. This week the world's conservation community is meeting in Hawaii at the IUCN World Conservation Congress to decide international policy on the world's most important conservation issues, including tackling the illegal wildlife trade. Britain's seat is empty. President Obama has just created the world's largest marine park and flew to Honolulu to highlight the US's commitment to action. The British Government has sent no one. Not even a junior official.

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That it is early days for a new Government is no excuse. In our increasingly networked world, conservation is not just about protecting species from the effects of our excesses - important though that is. These issues affect Britain directly, including the health and resilience of our environment as well as regional security and our international profile. We are also one of the largest donors to international conservation; many of our investments will be reporting in Hawaii and we are not there to check on their performance.

The illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest international crime, costing up to $20 billion globally per year behind only narcotics, counterfeiting and human trafficking. It fosters corruption, undermines the rule of law and hampers sustainable development and, as highlighted in the results of the Great Elephant Census published last week, it is having a frightening impact on our planet's ecosystems and their resilience.

One of the major issues being debated in Hawaii is a proposal backed by African nations for the few remaining countries with legal ivory markets to close them and, as a result, help end the poaching of elephants. Shamefully, the list of offenders includes the UK. For while we have encouraged African nations to do more in terms of elephant conservation, we have not delivered on our side of the bargain. Despite having a longstanding commitment to close Britain's ivory market (including in the 2010 and 2015 Conservative Party manifestos), the Government has failed to act. In this, we are behind most countries including the US, France and China.

Hosted by the then Foreign Secretary, Lord Hague, the 2014 London Conference achieved the London Declaration on the Illegal Wildlife Trade and the launch of the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) - both of which have been followed by significant international action and collaboration. It was a classic example of how British diplomacy and leadership can be brought to tackle some of the most difficult global issues.

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Mrs May's new Government must rediscover this ambitious spirit. It can only do so through action. A start would be sending representatives to the other key conferences this year: the 17th Conference of the Parties to CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in South Africa later this month, and, in November, the third Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in Vietnam. At the former, the UK will be asked to vote to support a resolution put forward by African State members of the EPI for all domestic markets to be closed.

These international conferences present the UK with an opportunity to return to the world stage as a conservation leader. But we can only credibly do so if our Government leads by example in implementing its own policy. Britain needs to make good on its commitment to close the UK ivory market now, without further prevarication.

The Prime Minister is right to be optimistic about Britain's future. We are a confident nation and we have an important leadership role to play on the world stage, not least in ensuring the survival of the natural world which so inspires and delights us.
A theme tune that sounds too much like Crimewatch when I sing it (badly, admittedly) and opening shots of ravishing rocks.

According to George Warleggan, 90-something Aunt Agatha too looks ravishing. "I do not!" says she. "And nor, may I say, do you. Quite pasty-faced. Consequence of sitting too long indoors fingering coin."

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How do they say these lines with a straight face? At first I thought she said 'pasty-faced', which made me feel hungry. Well, we are in Cornwall and as I can't get Demelza's pies out of my head, I'll take what I can get.

But I digress. Back on the cliff edge Ross Poldark, the Cornish Robin Hood, is being led away by constables who have arrested him for plundering and inciting a riot. "What part did you play in the death of Matthew Sanson?" a judge asks. "Regretfully, none whatsoever," says Ross, uttering his favourite phrase. A trial at Bodmin assizes awaits him.

He has been set up by the wily Warleggans, who want Ross tried for Sanson's murder in order to get him hanged. Will Elizabeth be taken in? Now Matthew Sanson - he of the 'extensive influence' - is gone, snake-in-the-grass tall hat wearer, George Warleggan, inherits his mantle. "His reach extends everywhere," says Francis. I bet it does.

"Would you consider a small delay?" George asks, as he chances upon Elizabeth in the street. I've never heard it called that before. While George tries to woo her, she tries to get Ross to accept some help from George, who may be able to point the judge in the right direction.

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Elizabeth's plan backfires when Ross refuses to budge on his principles. He would rather die than give in to George Warleggan. "So you've made no arrangements?" asks Ross' solicitor in anticipation of the trial's negative outcome. "None whatsoever," says Ross.

"Something must be done or he'll walk his head into a noose," says Francis.

"Or that new contraption they have in France," says Aunt Agatha, hacking her fig with her knife and almost cracking her plate.

Speaking of cracking up, Francis, who is becoming more superfluous to the plot by the minute, appears to be having a breakdown. "Why is it that I amount to precisely nothing," he asks, " While Ross is considered such a threat that men will spend a fortune in order to get him hanged?" Stuck in Ross' shadow, how can Francis compete? There's only one way. But more on that later.

It's certainly not by mining. Ross' sweaty torso glinting in the dimly-lit shadows deep inside Wheal Leisure - the one place he can still do an honest day's work - is a metaphor for his authenticity, transparency and naked principles... Is it heck. It's just a great way of spicing up what could be a tedious scene of men working in a copper mine, and in an episode which by this time is in need of some light relief.

Which also comes in the form of the colourful and flirty Caroline Penvenan. Betrothed to would-be MP Unwin Trevaunance, whom she is reluctantly accompanying to Bodmin for the up-coming elections, she is also the niece of John Nettles (who plays Ray Penvenan but whatever he's in he's always John Nettles to me). She speaks her mind and gets away with it by dint of her prettiness and her cute little pug, Horace, whom she carries everywhere.

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John Nettles is also acquainted with the judge who will try Ross in Bodmin. Hearing this, Demelza contrives to visit John Nettles with the intention of subtly retrieving information. On her departure she is spied by Unwin and Caroline, who enter the grounds as she is leaving. "Who can that be, uncle?" asks Caroline.

"She looks like a dangerous woman to me," says Unwin. He must have seen the posters put about by George, denouncing Demelza as a 'notorious doxy from a family of murderers and thieves'.

But look at her now. "Quite a lady," says Ross," as he finds her playing the harpsichord. "Why?" asks she. "'Cause she's primped up to the nines and her physog is powdered?" This saucy talk leads to the bedroom, and a better love scene between Ross and Demelza this time round. Ross has got wood.

In a big pile, ready to chop outside. This too is sweaty man's work, although as he wields his sharp tool Ross keeps his shirt on this time (Oh, come on! A love scene juxtaposed with a woodcutting scene? That's asking for it).

And so: a breezy gallop (hurray!) to Bodmin. Ross is accompanied by dishy doctor Dwight Enys, who, upon arrival in Bodmin is summoned by a patient who is "mortal ill". It's Caroline, who wants him to look at her little furry Horace. Unable to take her request seriously, Dwight is charmed into prescribing a "paregoric of black cherry water and Theban opium" for the little dog. Poor Horace! That Caroline Penvenan, though: she is a card. But I do hope she's careful. She is all too reminiscent of Karen the actress, and we all know what happened to her.

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Cut to gaol, where Ross is banged up. Glowering in the dimly-lit cell, he doesn't need those torches, he can generate his own glow. While he smoulders and glares, Francis falls back into old ways and hits the bottle. He knows he can't measure up to anyone. "Oh, do I disappoint you?" he asks Verity. "Well, I disappoint most people: Father, Elizabeth, myself..."

Francis pens his suicide note to Elizabeth. What follows involves more plate-cracking, as he points a pistol at his skull and pulls the trigger. Did he have to? He was the one I was counting on to say, "I dislike the cut of his jib."

Mind you, he has survived near-drowning, a shot to the neck and the putrid throat, so maybe it was time. In awe of Ross, even Francis can't bear the prospect of a world without Ross in it. "Which of us does not secretly adore him?"

With things getting a bit dark in Poldarkland (perhaps that's why John Nettles keeps saying PolDARK, with the emphasis on the second syllable), it was a relief that there wasn't too much sea-staring this time, which is in danger of becoming a cliche.

But how will Ross get out of this one? Any idea? In his favourite words: "None whatsoever."
Lynne Cameron/PA Archive

It's now nine months since the COP21 climate treaty was agreed in Paris. At the time, I met the agreement with both celebration and condemnation: it marked an important global moment for collective action on climate change but lacked the ambition and detail on how even a 2C target could be met. Many observers recognised that the proof of its success would be in the national policy commitments made by governments and ministers in the months and years that followed.

Importantly, the Paris agreement will not enter into force until 55 countries representing 55% of total global emissions have ratified it. As it stands, 26 states have completed this, totalling 39.06 % of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Notably, this includes China and the United States, who last week jointly announced their ratification of the Paris Agreement, marking a very important step in the treaty's journey.

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Sadly, the UK has dawdled on Paris ratification and has not yet made any announcement of when it intends to do so. Since December, the stock response of both the Prime Minister and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (and formerly the Department for Energy and Climate Change) has been that the government will do so 'as soon as possible'.

In Parliament today, I asked the Prime Minister if she will commit to ratifying the agreement before the follow up negotiations in November of this year. She sidestepped the question and refused to give a firm date. With 2016 set to be the hottest year on record, this casual approach is at odds with ever more serious warnings about the severity of the climate crisis.

At the national level, it has been a terrible year for climate and energy policy. With the ongoing reckless obsession with fracking, the failure to embrace energy efficiency as a national infrastructure priority, and the delay in new subsidy announcements for offshore wind, it should come as no surprise that the Committee on Climate Change announced in June that the government lacks half the policies it needs to meet its 2030 emissions targets.

Indeed, it is clear that UK energy and infrastructure policy is going in completely the wrong direction - cutting support for renewables and efficiency, locking in high-carbon gas for decades to come, and squandering taxpayers' money on new nuclear and runways.

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In a further sign of government neglect, yesterday, the new Minster for Climate Change, announced a probable delay in the publication of the vital Carbon Plan. The plan will detail how the UK will meet its targets under the Climate Change Act. This delay comes at a time when the UK's attractiveness as a destination for investment in renewable energy has reached an all-time low. The responsibility for this lies solely with chaotic and unpredictable government policy. The dismal failure of the Treasury and the Energy Department to halt the potentially catastrophic Business Rate rises to schools, businesses and community organisations with solar panels on their rooftops is a further example of that.

Without a global step change in ambition, global temperatures will likely rise by 3.7C and beyond. The consequences of this kind of change are unimaginable - indeed, we do not know the full implications of breaching planetary boundaries in this way. As a nation with an historic responsibility for carbon emissions, as well as the skills, expertise and resources to help create the solutions, the UK must take responsibility.

Delaying the ratification of the Paris Agreement - never mind dodging the ongoing questions about how we meet our own carbon reduction targets - demonstrates a dangerous and reckless approach to the most important issue of our time.

With much of the real detail of the Paris agreement being discussed at the follow-up COP22 negotiations in Marrakech in November, it would send all the wrong signals for the UK to turn up without having ratified it. The government must announce a timeline for ratification over the coming week, and, perhaps more importantly, publish a credible and comprehensive Carbon Plan by the end of the year.
Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, would have hoped to deal with just two announcements this summer: the unveiling of the iPhone 7 and the rumoured launch of a new Apple Watch. But, last week the EU decided to add a third announcement to the tech giant's summer line-up: a retroactive 13 billion tax bill.

The European Commission said the bill was being sent to the company because, according to the Commission's investigation, it benefited from a quarter of a century of illegal state support from Irish authorities, who allowed Apple to operate at a tax rate of one per cent.

Michael Noonan, the Irish Minister for Finance, pointed out that EU treaties dictate that member states have sovereign control over tax policy, before accusing the Commission of trying to extend its influence "through the back door".

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Tim Cook also hit back at the Commission in an interview with the Irish Independent, describing the decision of the competition overseers, rather more concisely, as "total political crap".

And Cook is right. The Commission is not acting in the interest of Irish taxpayers, nor is it attempting to preserve competition on the continent. The Commission is trying to give Berlin an upper-hand.

The German capital is the country's' tech hub, housing a number of smaller startups, such as the automotive company unu, and established names like SoundCloud and Uber. Germany has a lot riding on the future success of these techie entrepreneurs: sums like the 2.4 billion in venture capital earned by Berlin startups last year, the thousands of jobs created by the cities' 2500 tech startups and the tax returns those jobs yield.

Yet, Berlin's startup superstars are still lagging way behind their Silicon Valley counterparts. Only one German tech company, the software firm SAP, features among the top 25 tech firms on Forbes' Global 2000 list. US tech companies, on the other hand, dominate the list, with seven holding spots in the top ten. Translate this into finances, and you find that Silicon Valley is generating ten times more venture capital than Silicon Allee - as the Berlin tech-scene has been dubbed.

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The picture is bleak for Berlin. It's being battered by tech firms from the States at the beginning of a wider economic showdown between the EU and the US. So, in the spirit of competition, the Commission is not encouraging Germany to adapt by, say, lowering taxation to the levels enjoyed in Silicon Valley - a move that would encourage expansion and investment. No, the Commission has instead opted to play the role of international taxman, taking money from Berlin's biggest US rival - in contravention of EU treaty rules - under the pretence of preserving a competitive environment on the continent.

But, if the Commission is really so concerned with preserving a level battlefield for businesses, how has Germany managed to get away with offering startups subsidies, such as cheap loans from the state bank? They've got off scot-free because the Commission doesn't care about fostering a competitive environment, it just wants to protect the EU's biggest economy from external innovation by deterring US investment. And that is precisely what their Apple tax bill will do.

However, it will not be Berlin or the bureaucrats of Brussels, but taxpayers across the rest of Europe, that will face the brunt of any backlash should the bill get past the appeals of Apple and Ireland. In an open-letter to Europe, Tim Cook said that, although Apple plans to continue investing in Ireland, future "investment and job creation" in Europe - where Apple claim they "create and sustain" some 1.5 million jobs - would be harmed by the Commission's ruling.
To its credit, the Obama administration has not exacerbated the many U.S.-China economic and security issues with a high-profile human rights policy, said Robert S. Ross, a professor of political science at Boston College. It is quite a stretch to argue that diplomacy could persuade an authoritarian, single-party government to undermine its domestic political power by allowing greater opposition to the government and tolerating greater political instability.

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The pattern is now extending beyond Chinas borders. During Mr. Obamas visit to Laos, a tiny country run by a repressive Communist regime, he so far has chosen not to publicly raise the case of an American-trained civil rights worker who disappeared at a police checkpoint four years ago.

He has refrained, at least in public, from criticizing the new president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, who has been unapologetic about waging a violent war against drugs in the first two months of his term. On Wednesday, a day after Mr. Obama abruptly canceled a meeting with Mr. Duterte, who had unleashed a profanity-laden diatribe against him, the two men met informally.

During Mr. Obamas visit to Vietnam in May, he agreed to lift a longstanding ban on the sale of lethal weapons without winning significant concessions on human rights. And after trying to draw Malaysia closer, Mr. Obama has been embarrassed by the countrys prime minister, Najib Razak, who has closed online news outlets and prosecuted opposition figures in an effort to stay in power.

The Obama administration has pressed China on human rights in a high-profile way on only a few occasions. In 2012, the American Embassy in Beijing harbored Chen Guangcheng , a blind Chinese dissident, and flew him to the United States. But the days when the White House could demand and expect the release of a few Chinese political prisoners before a summit meeting are gone, Professor Ross said.

As the Chinese Communist Party gained confidence, it began rearresting dissidents who had been released before American summit meetings. Since then, Professor Ross said, U.S. human rights diplomacy has been reduced to rhetoric, which, no surprise, has not improved Chinas human rights situation.

Despite Mr. Obamas fleeting public reference to religious repression this week, for example, few expect the Chinese authorities to retreat from a campaign against Christian churches in the area surrounding Hangzhou, the city that hosted the Group of 20 meeting.

One of the new challenges for Mr. Obama, and one for his successor, will be how to deal with Mr. Duterte. The police in the Philippines say they have killed about 1,000 suspects in the antidrug campaign, and about 300 people have been killed by vigilantes. Rights groups have urged the United States to do something about the situation.

Itd be difficult for us to overstate how grave the situation has become in the Philippines, said John Sifton, the deputy Washington director of Human Rights Watch. At this rate, were talking about over 6,000 people dead by the end of the year.

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But the Philippines is an American ally and a bulwark against Chinese military gains in the South China Sea. By that calculus, the United States cannot afford to alienate Mr. Duterte. Philippine analysts say that Mr. Duterte is on good terms with Chinese business executives who invested in Davao, the city where he served as mayor, and that he may be open to negotiating with Beijing over the South China Sea.

Under American legislation known as the Leahy Amendment, Washington is obliged to cut off assistance to Philippines law enforcement units that are suspected of human rights abuses. But Antonio La Vina, a professor of government at Ateneo de Manila University, said the threat of such a sanction was unlikely to be effective.

The truth is that the Philippines has the money to modernize our military, he said.

Mr. Obama is the first sitting American president to visit Laos , and he has sought to promote reconciliation with the nation, on which the United States dropped more than two million tons of bombs at the height of the Vietnam War.

But he is also being called on to press Laoss repressive government  a traditional ally of China  on the case of Sombath Somphone , a civil rights campaigner and American-trained agriculture specialist who disappeared at a police checkpoint in the capital, Vientiane, four years ago. Mr. Obama will also have to decide how hard to push concerns about human rights with other leaders at the meeting, several of whom are being wooed by China.

One of Mr. Obamas favorite Southeast Asian leaders, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar, is scheduled to visit the White House this month, and American officials hope to make progress on addressing the plight of the Rohingya , a persecuted Muslim minority in the predominantly Buddhist country. More than 100,000 Rohingya live in fenced-off camps in northern Myanmar, and Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi has appointed a commission that includes the former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan to find solutions.

She has demonstrated a recognition that this is a problem that must be solved, said Tom Malinowski, the United States assistant secretary for democracy, human rights and labor.

The Obama administration has been less vocal on conditions in Vietnam, which it has tried to steer closer to the United States in the face of Chinese pressure over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Since then, the human rights situation has only deteriorated, said Nguyen Quang A , an activist and a former member of the Vietnamese Communist Party who was invited to meet Mr. Obama in Hanoi but who was stopped by Vietnamese security forces. Political prisoners remain in jail, the news media is muzzled, and independent labor unions have not been allowed, despite promises to Washington.

Should Obama have done more to try and influence the government of Vietnam? Mr. Quang A asked. Absolutely.
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University sexual assault. Even with those few words, certain headlines and statistics come to mind. From unwanted groping to violent rape, it is estimated that one out of three students have been victims of assault, as reported by the Telegraph last year. The statistics are disturbing, but nothing new. In a bid to counteract a deeply entrenched rape culture, many British universities such as Bristol, Cambridge and Oxford, introduced compulsory consent workshops. In October 2015, I found myself leading one of the many workshops which have now become commonplace within the freshers week timetable. Despite having received hours of training by student union representatives and being an elected JCR Welfare Officer, the irony of someone as naive as myself, a 20 year old undergraduate, schooling freshers on the complexities of sexual relationships, was not lost on me.

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My own pre-Oxford education alternated between a tight knit catholic primary school and racially diverse grammar schools within the heart of Slough. None of these institutions prepped me with a true understanding of sex, from the basic biology of intercourse, to the issues surrounding consent and sex from an LGBTQ standpoint. Sexually mature girls were deemed whores, those with STIs were labelled as dirty whilst groups of boys, huddled around a singular smartphone, would often giggle at graphic and violent pornography at the back of the classroom. Parents and teachers, fuelled by a religiously motivated curriculum and sheer reluctant embarrassment, played pass the parcel with the elephant in the room, each expecting the other to take on the awkward responsibility of sex education. Having been immersed within schools which placed a large emphasis on obtaining qualifications, rather than practical life skills, I innocently stumbled into university with a warped notion of sex.

Certainly, as I sat in front of a small group of freshers, talking them through case studies of rape and clinging onto my training pack for dear life, I felt like a fraud. However, throughout the year, in my capacity as Welfare Officer, the workshops helped me to recognise vulnerable students and guide them towards counselling services and trained officials. Furthermore, the college introduced 'Bop Angels' a system whereby, sober student volunteers, often trained sexual assault first responders, maintained a presence at college events involving alcohol and provided support in case of emergencies. The workshops combined with 'Bop Angels' and a proactive college community, all signified attempts on a student level, to establish a zero tolerance stance on sexual assault.

Yet I can't help but feel that sexual consent workshops are a small solution to a big problem originating from childhood. Worst still, they can encourage administrators, from primary to tertiary education, to hold an apathetic attitude, believing that sexual assault is a student issue they have no business in taking responsibility for. Discussing consent at university, a time of experimentation, freedom and discovery is necessary. Yet, here lies the problem. Welfare officers, Student Unions and other university staff are burdened with the task of establishing notions of consent, rather than reinforcing well engrained ideas regarding sexual relationships, that have been uniformly applied within schools. Astonishingly, state schools are not mandated by English Law to include sexual health within the curriculum and as a result, inconsistencies remain. In June of this year, the Terrence Higgins Trust, discovered that one in seven pupils aged between 16 and 24 had received no sex education at all. Fortunately, due to the combined efforts of activists there has been an increase in coverage condemning the failure of British sex education, such as this scathing Guardian headline in February 2016: 'All children need to learn about sexual consent - it's their right'. Meanwhile, a change.org petition to make sex education compulsory has now reached over 30,000 pledges, including support from key figures such as Dawn Thomas and Dianne Whitfield, Co-Chairs of Rape Crisis England & Wales.

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Yet the influx of headlines reporting the absence of sex education and the influx of headlines reporting university sexual assaults, should not be taken as separate stories. They are part of the same narrative. With technology transforming how schoolchildren sexually interact through snapchat and sexting, easy access to pornography, overtly sexualised media and constant failings on the part of schools and parents, sexually immature students are surrounded by sex, yet unable to fully comprehend its consequences. With no education, young students are left without simple guidelines outlining the practical definition of legal and safe sex.
It has been two months since the UK voted to leave the European Union and the UK Government's Brexit strategy is as unclear now as it was then. Not only has the UK Government not come to an agreement as to what it wants, it is ill-equipped to negotiate it.

So far the Prime Minister has stated that 'Brexit means Brexit' and has established two new ministries, the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Department for International Trade, to deliver whatever 'Brexit' means.

The Department for International Trade has secured only 10% of the trade negotiators it needs while the Department for Exiting the European Union gave its first statement yesterday after a summer of silence, which confirmed nothing but the fact that the government has absolutely no clue what its own position is.

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Furthermore, it is estimated that the cost of securing the expertise the UK needs will cost 5bn over ten years with some lawyers already on open contracts worth 5,000 a day.

This UK government's uncertainty is echoed by the Labour Welsh Government and the Welsh Conservative branch, who have been exposed as having no firm position on their preferred Brexit scenario for Wales. Their strategy seems to consist of a series of vague measures to mitigate the impact of Brexit on our country. With no instruction from their dumbfounded superiors in London, no progress is being made anywhere.

One option supposedly being bandied about is the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) - Canada's deal with the EU. David Davis, the new Minister for Exiting the European Union, has called it the "perfect starting point for our discussions with the commission". Similarly, Boris Johnson has cited it as an example for the UK to follow.

Those close to the negotiations and others who have followed the development of the agreement paint a more nuanced picture. They point to the years of complex negotiations demanded by the deal and the persistent uncertainty surrounding its implementation. Fundamentally, the question of whether the agreement's framework is far-reaching enough to allow the UK to replicate its current level of access to the single market.

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CETA, which is yet to be ratified, promises that around 98.6% of goods traded between Canada and the EU will be free of duty. It enables access to public procurement between the two markets and empowers regulatory bodies to accept the standards and tests carried out in each other's jurisdictions. While the trade deal aims to liberalise services, several exceptions are listed.

Under CETA, Canada will have no hand in setting EU regulations or formulating product standards and no access to the banking passport system - an obstacle the UK Government will, no doubt, want to overcome.

Canada's largest trading partner is the United States, accounting for more than 60% of its total global trade in 2014. The EU is Canada's second trading partner, representing around 10% of its external trade. In the seven-year plus interim period of a deal being drawn up, Canada has been able to rely on its trade with the United States.

In contrast, the EU is the UK's biggest trading partner, accounting for 45% of UK exports of goods and services in 2014 and 53% of imports. The UK will not have another trading shoulder to lean on during the drawn-out negotiations and Wales, which has a goods trade surplus of 5bn, cannot afford the luxury of time nor the uncertainty.

Furthermore, the not-yet-hired 5bn negotiators will have to decide whether it will adopt clauses in CETA which allow corporations to launch legal challenges against governments perceived to block them. Similar to the more widely known 'TTIP' agreement, CETA could lead to big German corporations being as powerful as the UK Government, suing it for not giving access to certain areas in the market. CETA would undermine the very notion that underpinned the Brexiteers' campaign ahead of the referendum - the question of sovereignty.

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Plaid Cymru has been calling for the UK push for EEA (European Economic Area) membership. Under this model the UK would remain part of the European Single Market meaning there would be no tariffs or other new border measures on UK-EU trade. The UK would continue to adopt all the EU's economic regulation keeping non-tariff barriers between the UK and the EU at a lower level.

The latest export figures show that 37% of Welsh exports by value (1.12b) went to the EU. This is significantly higher than exports to other parts of the world, with 23% going to the USA and Canada and 15% to Asia.

Unlike a CETA + style arrangement, the EEA already exists as a construct. There are draft treaties in place which the UK government could use when negotiating its position. Uncertainty is economically toxic and the Welsh Government and UK Government should be doing all they can to mitigate this uncertainty. Calling for EEA status is the best way of doing this relatively quickly.

If membership of EEA/EFTA is blocked by Norway (a possibility which Brexit ignored prior to the referendum) then the UK should negotiate a parallel treaty to that secured by Norway, but making specific provision for Welsh farming products to gain tariff-free access to EU markets.
Photo credit to Richard Murgatroyd Photography

Let me introduce myself. My name is Laura and two years ago, I couldn't remember the last time I exercised. I mainly dwelt on the sofa, doing stationary activities like drinking tea and reading books. What changed all this was the founder of Project Awesome, a free fitness class in London, encouraging me to attend a session. Had I been exercising alone, I wouldn't have returned but it was the sense of community, of finding people I liked and who encouraged me, that brought me back. The power of engaging people through shared experience and community cannot be under-estimated. It is the only thing that got me to Project Awesome week after week. Slowly, my levels of fitness rose so that next month, I am starting out on a 1249 mile run from Rome to London, which you can follow here, if you are interested.

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Intrigued by this spirit of community-led free fitness, Vahan Hovhannisyan (the founder of Look Mate socks) and I, who met at a free fitness class, decided to test-run the best that London has to offer by attending different clubs every day of the week.

London City Runners - 7;15pm at Southwark Brewery near London Bridge

A 5k run along the river Thames taking in some of the big sights - St. Paul's cathedral, the Globe and the Golden Hinde, to name but a few. The slower runners set off in the first wave and the fastest in the last wave, so that everyone finishes around the same time together. The Brewery has a fantastic selection of beers and the post-run beer is an important part of the social scene that Tim, the founder, has created at LCR. It was because of this that Vahan met industrial designer, Nick Rawcliffe, and they decided to design a sock together which became the most iconic of Look Mate's socks.

London Midnight Runners - 7.30pm at 1 Pilgrim Street near St. Paul's

Most of the other things we attended felt like equal parts sociability and exercise and as a back-of-the-pack runner, this suits me perfectly. LMR is intense exercise and it definitely feels like it! It is essentially a moving bootcamp over 10k. Thankfully, because there is a stop every 2k and the group is big, you can never really get left behind. The group runs fairly fast and the exercise stops can be challenging. I did leave with a feeling that I had worked hard and earned brownie points. There are post-workout drink afterwards too.

Project Awesome - 6.30am at The Scoop near London Bridge

Project Awesome is probably the brightest, happiest, excessively friendly workout there is on the London scene - not surprising given that it was set up by one of the Independent's 100 Happiest People, Danny Bent. Newbies are welcomed immediately into the fold and the workout is styled so that you can push yourself to do more repetitions of the circuit or take it easy by doing less. The post-workout coffee and breakfast has an important place for the group and is not to be missed.

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November Project - 6.29am at the Duke of York steps on The Mall

This free fitness movement was started in Boston, USA, and has since exploded and gone worldwide. Their workouts are based on short sharp bursts of running the steps, then around the block then doing exercises at the bottom of the steps before starting again. There is a good community feeling with music and constant encouragement.

Happy Bootcamp - 10.30am in various locations

As indicated, my love of exercise often comes from the sense of community I feel when working out and this group have definitely hit the nail on the head. The group leaders have a genuine desire to deliver free fitness in an accessible way. Thankfully there is a fair amount of banter to relieve the toughness of the exercises and plenty of partner work to help you get to know your fellow attendees. Afterwards, there is breakfast together in a lovely local cafe. Their vision is to bring one million people to Happy Bootcamps globally.

Parkrun - 9am in various locations

Whether you're smashing out an 18 minute 5k or pottering in at 40 minutes, one thing Parkrun does well is its mass appeal. These free 5k runs in parks all over the world have worked out a great formula for engaging people. Everybody is welcome - and I mean, everybody. Dogs, children, babies in buggies, OAPs - literally anybody can turn up at 9am on a Saturday and move themselves forward for 5k and they will be welcomed by the Parkrun world.

We had a great time visiting all of the above free fitness classes and have plans to return to all of them. At the end of the day, it matters little which you choose to attend and why, it's ultimately all about the people you will meet and the stories you will hear.
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Clare Bernal was stalked and murdered in Harvey Nichols on September 13th 2005. I reviewed this case on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service in my role as Head of the Homicide Prevention Unit.

I promised Clare's family that I would do what I could to help them campaign for change and raise awareness about this pernicious and insidious behaviour called stalking - a term that does it no real justice; they wanted to ensure that other families would not go through what they have.

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We campaigned for the Helpline in 2010, co-ordinated the first National Stalking Awareness Week in 2011 in partnership with ACPO and the Home Office and spearheaded a highly successful campaign to change the law on stalking in 2012.

November 25 2016 will mark four years of the stalking law following the successful All Party Parliamentary Stalking Law Reform Inquiry. Paladin, the world's first National Stalking Advocacy Service was then launched in July 2013 to assist all the victims of stalking that need specialist advocacy, advice and support.

Both are heralded as significant steps forward for victims of stalking. However, there is still much more to do to keep victims safe. To this end Paladin is involved campaigning for change, scrutinising the law, as well as training and raising awareness of the risks and dangers of stalking.

In 2012 I met with the Home Office lawyers to discuss the new draft stalking law. I lobbied for one single offence of stalking with a maximum sentence of ten years. However, due to the new offences being inserted into the harassment legislation despite this law coming in for a stalking case in 1997, I was told that it needed to mirror the Section 2 and 4 harassment offences thus creating a higher and a lower test. Therefore, the sentences would reflect that of harassment, they said.

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This was very concerning and so I underlined my concerns; namely that cases would be dropped down to the lesser offence and heard in magistrates courts (as it's cheaper and quicker) and light touch sentences would result. And lo and behold that is exactly what we have seen through Paladin's case work and here I am campaigning again and making the case four years on.

It is, of course, important to focus on the reality of what happens once stalking cases get to court. However, I should also highlight few stalking cases even get that far. In April 2016 that less than 1% of cases are even crimed as stalking and we have been working with brave Lily Allen who spoke out about her own terrifying stalking ordeal.

Paladin's report 'Stalking Law Two Years On' was published last year and highlighted that only 1% of stalking cases are being prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service (and 16% for harassment - so it's not being crimed as harassment either). In those few cases that are prosecuted, Paladin's evidence shows that unduly lenient sentences result. In fact only 11% (35/293) of stalkers received an immediate custodial sentence for a section 2a stalking offence and 9% (14/154) for a section 4a offence.

36% of offenders had a previous history for 'harassment' (no doubt stalking) and 55% re-offended. These are the ones we know about and would no doubt be much higher in reality. We know that pieces of paper do not protect victims and many of them are serial stalkers hence our campaign for a register and an order that places a positive obligation on the perpetrator (more akin to the orders for sex offenders - as that's what stalkers are much more akin to are much more appropriate) and Lily Allen and the Women's Equality Party are supporting our campaign.

Case 1

Caroline met the stalker on an on-line dating site. She dated him for four months. During this time he was jealous and coercively controlling. When she ended the relationship because of his behaviour he sent her over 60 emails and texts and deposited some money in her account. How creative.

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He turned up at her place of work - she was a Probation officer - and would only leave when threatened with the police. Caroline was suicidal. There seemed no end to his behaviour. He had been sentenced to three months after attacking his ex and on this occasion the Magistrate gave him a ten week suspended prison sentence, a restraining order and a compensation order - ensuring further contact between them.

Case 2

Then there's Kristine Carlson, an American author who was stalked for seven years by a man she met on a flight from LA to London. Mark Jury sent her thousands of emails and hacked her social media. He sent flowers, chocolates and abusive messages to friends and work colleagues.

He targeted her daughter Kenna and tweeted he was going 'to rape her every day for the rest of her life'. Jury made it clear he would visit them and in 2011 he flew to California. He used the internet to attack her about her work, her role as a mother and her business.

He set up false Twitter accounts pretending to be Kristine in order to make detrimental comments on her behalf. Jury demanded 150,000 to stop his targeted campaign. Kristine was terrified for her own personal safety and that of her daughter and hired a private detective for protection.

Kristine likened her ordeal to 'emotional rape', a term which resonates and one which victims repeatedly use for good reason. It can also be murder in slow motion.

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Jury was sentenced to four and a half years at Crown Court. So for the seven years that he terrorised her and her daughter and the devastating impact his campaign had on them- he received four and a half. This is one of the better sentences for stalking. However, it is still not enough for the psychological damage and fear and the sentence needs to reflect the crime and also allow for appropriate treatment - and some stalkers are not safe to be in the community and they need treatment and a robust criminal justice outcome.

Stalkers do not just wake up one day and start behaving like this. Stalking is about fixation and obsession. It is a long-term pattern of behaviour. It is persistent, intrusive and engenders fear, alarm or distress. It results in long-term psychological harm and can escalate to violence and murder.

Dr Eleanor Aston's was stalked for eight years. Restraining orders were issued, breached and not enforced. Knight served half a prison sentence, came out and breached again. Restraining orders do not work for stalkers. Restraining orders only work for those who are prepared to play by the rules.

The second time Knight was put before a court, Judge Jamie Tabor expressed frustration that the sentence could not be for longer. Knight was put before the court in May 2013 where he was jailed for harassment (why was it not stalking?) but soon after being paroled, at the half way stage of his sentence, he sent threatening messages to Eleanor's home and surgery.

He was then arrested and returned to prison to complete his sentence. Passing a five year jail term (this is the first case where I have seen the maximum sentence handed out) Judge Tabor said he wished it could be longer but current legislation did not permit it.

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The maximum sentence for criminal damage and offence against property is ten years. The maximum sentence for burglary is ten years. Both crimes are acute and 'one-offs'.

Anne Marie Birch and Natalie Esack were stalked and murdered in Kent

Hollie Gazzard in Gloucester

Jane Clough in Lancashire

Rachel Slack in Derbyshire

Kirsty Trelor, Clare Bernal, Alison Morrison, Nordel Turner and Arsema Dawit in London

Clare Wood, Katie Boardman, Tracey Jones, Sabina Akhtar in Manchester

Jeanette Goodwin, Christine and Shania Chambers, Maria Stubbings in Essex

Julia and Will Pemberton and Rania Faruqui in Thames Valley

Caroline Parry in Gwent

Shania Grice in Sussex just recently.

All paid with their lives and sadly the roll call continues. In these cases all of them reported many times to police. All were terrified. In most cases a threat to kill was made. The pattern was missed and all lacked robust investigation, risk assessment and management and robust action by the Criminal Justice system.

They were all murders in slow motion and there was an opportunity to intervene and prevent the escalation to murder in each case.

Stalking is enduring causing long-term serious psychological harm. It is one of the few crimes where early intervention can prevent violence and death and yet the sentence is much less. Help us protect future victims and increase the sentence for stalkers from 5 years to 10 years. Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service and our team of specialist case workers play a key role in working with professionals to keep victims safe.

We have been working closely with Dr Eleanor Aston and we are proud that she is an Ambassador for Paladin. We are also working alongside Alex Chalk, MP and Richard Graham MP to campaign for longer sentences and new orders for stalkers along with a register for serial stalkers and domestic violence offenders.

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I thank them on behalf of all the clients that we support and those who have been silenced and no longer have a voice, for raising this important issue.
Despite significant advances over the past 30 years, health systems across the globe struggle to deliver high quality, affordable care to people who need it the most. We are living longer, healthier and more productive lives thanks to new drugs, new treatments and new techniques. Yet we are confronted by a pandemic of chronic conditions, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and lung disease that are costly to the system.

The threats to our health have changed, but the health systems designed to protect us have not. Across the world they are creaking under the growing strain. The traditional model - hospital-centric, doctor-dependent, providing episodic, reactive, disjointed care in which the patient is a passive recipient - is tottering.

We need a different approach, one that recognizes the new challenges we face - that 60 percent of global deaths are now caused by chronic conditions, according to the World Health Organization. We need to target individual health interventions and lifestyle advice based on personal data to those who will benefit most. For too long, access to health care has meant access to the same care, regardless of the individual's specific needs. By taking a broader population perspective and using data and insights to drive care that is measurable, embedded in communities, team-based, and involves continuous, integrated, preventative treatment that includes the patient and public as partner, we can improve health outcomes and lower costs.

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Employers are taking an increasing interest in these initiatives. There are many levels at which employers can engage. Employer involvement in community health can include addressing direct health costs by creating health benefits programs, improving worksite wellness and focusing on health care. Starbucks spends more on health insurance for its employees than it does on coffee.

Employers can also go beyond direct health costs to include incentive approaches for employee well-being, and collaboration with other local businesses to improve health. According to a National Business Coalition of Health case study, Pitney Bowes, for example, has on-site medical clinics in the U.S. which provide free healthcare access to roughly 20 percent of its employees.

Lastly, large global employers can make a commitment to support community-based health programs. GE, with more than 300,000 employees worldwide, has launched the HealthyCities Leadership Academy which will see up to 10 communities across the United States awarded funding to train community and business leaders to improve the health of working families.

In Cincinnati, GE joined forces with other employers and local organizations in 2009 to launch a healthyCommunities initiative focused on improving primary care, sharing patient information among health providers, providing better treatment of children with asthma and adults with diabetes, encouraging public reporting of quality measures and implementing payment incentives. After three years, the results showed a statistically significant reduction in absence from work - equivalent to 7,000 fewer employees calling in sick per year. Emergency department visits were reduced, hospital admissions of children with asthma were cut and diabetes patients experienced fewer complications. A similar GE program around obesity management has begun in Houston with other large employers in the area including the Texas Medical Center with a goal of reducing obesity rates by 20 percent by 2020.

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At a conference on population health held in London in July, jointly hosted by Imperial College and GE, experts from around the world assessed the potential health, social and economic gains from such interventions. The group agreed urgent work is required to determine which interventions will deliver the most cost effective solutions. Evidence from cases studies in a report to be presented at the third World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) in Doha in November shows what can be achieved. In Gesundes Kinzigtal, a joint venture between doctors and a health management company covering 31,000 residents in Kinzigtal, southwest Germany, patients are encouraged to join dance and yoga classes, support is offered to help workers stay healthy and targeted care is provided to people with chronic conditions based on an assessment of their risks. The results show the overall health of the population has improved, death rates have fallen and there was a cost saving of 16.9 per cent compared with other regions.

In southern Sweden, the Jonkoping County Council, which provides health services for its population of 340,000 in partnership with local government, runs a "passion for life" program aimed at reducing isolation among elderly people, family centers providing support to parents and children and "health dialogues" for people of all ages to promote improved lifestyles. Jonkoping has reduced the rate of hospital admissions among the elderly from behavior such as smoking in Sweden.

These are the green shoots of the population health movement. Nurturing them requires policymakers to understand the health needs of their populations, set clear goals for improvement and take action across all determinants of health including social, economic, physical and behavioral. It also requires political will. Support is necessary not just from policy makers, but large employers around the world must collaborate on population health. In order to deliver on community-based programs, employers need to take a multi-faceted approach, engage stakeholders involved in decision making and hold them accountable for outcomes. Only by working together in these ways, however, can we hope to make sustainable change.

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Lord Darzi is a surgeon and director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London.
The next time you're on a long train journey look out of the window at the fields flashing by. If you're lucky you might spot a series of faint ridges. What you're looking at is a Medieval survival strategy and, more relevant to most readers, a way to boost your marketing effectiveness...

Peasants in the Middle Ages used to purposefully create deep ridges and furrows in their arable land. This meant that if there was a particularly wet year the crops on the ridges survived whilst if there was a drought the crops in the furrows prospered.

They did this because they were loss averse: they knew that whilst a surplus of food was favourable, a lack of food was fatal. In fact this attitude to risk has been a facet of human development for so long that evolutionary psychologists think that we're hard wired to be loss averse.

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The academic evidence

Loss aversion, the idea that we fear losses far more than we appreciate the equivalent gain, is of interest as academic research has shown it still affects modern consumers. One of the simplest experiments demonstrating the bias was conducted by De Martino, from the University of Cambridge, and published in Science in 2006.

He paid respondents $50 for taking part in an experiment. At the end of the experiment he gave them two options: they could either keep $30 or gamble the entire sum, with a 50:50 chance of keeping it all. 43% of the subjects chose to gamble.

However, he then ran a slight variation of the experiment. Participants could either lose $20 of the $50 or, just as in the first scenario, gamble the entire sum. From a rational perspective keeping $30 or losing $20 of the original stake is the same thing.

However, from a behavioural perspective the loss is made much more prominent in the second scenario. As expected in the second scenario more people sought to avoid the loss and 63% gambled, an increase of 24%.

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The marketing application

Interesting. But how relevant is it to marketing? One of the repeated critiques of behavioural economics is that it's of academic interest rather than being directly applicable to marketing problems.

Zenith therefore surveyed 834 respondents to see if loss aversion influenced advertising claims. Half were told they could save 100 by switching to a new energy provider whilst the remainder were informed they stood to lose 100 if they didn't switch.

The number who said they were very likely to switch rose from 7.4% in the first scenario to 10.7% in the second. A rise of 45% - remarkably close to De Martino's finding. Once again emphasising the potential for loss makes a proposition more motivating.

These findings are interesting as most advertising claims about prices communicate the savings. However, marketers can boost their effectiveness by re-framing their offers.

Rather than stressing savings they should emphasise the risk of loss involved with not taking up the offer.

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While there's an awful lot of talk about the Internet of Things - wearables and smart devices like internet-connected fridges - IoT technologies are capable of changing the world in much bigger ways. Of course, space-age gadgets and futuristic devices that will change domestic life have been an obsession of ours for many years, but IoT offers so much potential beyond smart homes. Here are five areas where IoT is set to revolutionise our lives.

Efficient energy grids that let users contribute

With global energy demand predicted to double by 2030, much more efficient power grids are required - and soon. Fortunately, it's now possible to build smarter and newer grids that sense minute changes in demand and are able to redirect power to exactly where is it needed.

The principle of the 'Smart Grid' revolves around making every link in the power grid network-aware, from the meter in your home to the power station itself. This means that demand for power can be closely monitored, patterns analysed, and power distributed to the places where it is needed, and not misdirected to those places where it isn't required. Additionally, these grids then let those with their own sustainable energy technologies - such as solar panels - to contribute, potentially giving them the chance to reduce their bills. Other utilities are also able to benefit from these principles too - for example, in Israel's water grid there are smart sensors that can detect even very small leaks in the system and alert technicians to where they are so they can be repaired.

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Personalised home healthcare for those who need it

Analysts predict that the market for IoT in healthcare will be worth $117 million by 2020. Ageing populations combined with rising levels of chronic disease has put unprecedented pressure on healthcare providers. IoT has the potential to allow patients with long-term and chronic illnesses to monitor themselves remotely in an effective way, without the need for face-to-face interaction with physicians unless absolutely required, reducing strain on healthcare providers while maintaining standards of care.

By monitoring environmental factors and taking actions such as altering room temperature, reminding people to take their medication and go for a walk, IoT devices can empower the elderly and vulnerable to take control of their everyday routine. Weight, blood pressure and ECG can also be monitored remotely, allowing problems to be detected early on and in the moment.

Never lose your luggage at the airport again

The process of getting from A to B relies on a number of different, variable elements. Vehicles, infrastructure, as well as the humans required to operate them all come with their own quirks and idiosyncrasies, and with the increasing growth of the global population - more people needing to move around - there is an increasing need to make transport systems more cohesive and intelligent.

One example of the revolution we are about to undergo in this area, being tested by GE, M2Mi, Oracle, Altoros and Infosys, is a Smart Airline Baggage Management system. Using special trackers in bags - or even smart bags - luggage can be tracked from the point at which it is checked in until the end of its journey. This means it can be directed to the right place, regularly weighed so tampering and theft can be monitored, and the entire system can be centrally managed even though multiple airlines, baggage handling companies, airports, security providers and the like - not to mention many millions of passengers - are involved. Instances of lost, delayed or damaged bags are reduced, lowering economic risk exposure for airlines and giving a better experience to customers.

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Always-on manufacturing lines to meet consumer demand

The concept of IoT playing a key part in the fourth industrial revolution - Industry 4.0 - centres on the German government's strategy of promoting the computerisation of manufacturing. Interoperable machines, devices and sensors, able to make decisions and perform tasks autonomously can help manufacturers become smarter and more efficient, while workers fulfil more challenging and complex roles, providing intelligent support within these factories, rather than undertaking monotonous, repetitive tasks.

While the idea of using machines in manufacturing is nothing new, IoT technologies are revolutionising how goods are made. For example, KUKA Systems Group, the designer of the first industrial robot, sought to design an automated manufacturing process capable of producing eight different Jeep Wrangler bodies on the same production line without interrupting production flow. By connecting 259 assembly-line robots with a controller, over 60,000 devices points, line-of-business applications, and back-end systems, KUKA has been able to achieve 24-hour production every day for over eight years, producing a car body every 77 seconds.

Working environments that are safer for employees

Millions of businesses around the world will be transformed by Internet of Things technologies working alongside artificial intelligence and machine learning. Processes can be streamlined, strategies assessed and implemented, and tasks automated in order to increase efficiency within businesses.

Deloitte's concept of the quantified employee revolves around monitoring and adjusting all of the factors that affect a worker's performance. This can cover data relating to how they perform at certain tasks, to what times of day they are at their most productive, how well they work in teams, and even whether heating systems need to be adjusted to keep the employee comfortable. While employees could be worried - with some justification - that these systems could be used in a 'Big Brother'-type way, it could equally be used to reward good performance. Meanwhile, the health and safety benefits it could bring to those in dangerous professions - such as firefighters - are undeniable, warning them of potential hazards such as building that is about to collapse.
Mongolia is a country I have always been intrigued by. It seemed to me an impossibly exotic place with a wild independence of spirit that allowed it to maintain an ancient nomadic way of life despite being wedged between China and the once mighty Soviet Union. Perhaps inspired by a sense of romanticism, I imagined Mongolia as a nation of proud horsemen inspired by the legendary deeds of Genghis Khan riding the steppes, drinking vodka and living in felt tents. So I was quite taken aback by images that had emerged from Ulan Bator of Mongolians in Nazi uniforms. Looking more closely we began to sense that this curious and alarming phenomenon was actually a symptom of a nation going through the kind of painful changes that many nations with small populations relative to their land mass experience in the face of globalization and climate change. Sitting on some of the world's largest reserves of coal and wedged between Russia and China, it seemed Mongolia could be falling victim to the curse of resources. We decided to investigate.

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Arriving at the Bayangol Hotel in downtown Ulan Bator, the significance of Mongolia's resource riches were immediately obvious - from the suited Chinese businessmen holding whispered meetings in the lobby to the more gregarious Australian mining engineers cracking jokes among a group of Mongolian women downstairs in the basement bar. And the effect of the mining boom on Mongolia's fragile democracy was also soon made apparent. As we settled in to the bar to meet our local fixer and plan the shoot, the big screen TV (which was tuned to a news channel owned by Buttulga Khaltmaa, the same politician and businessman who owned the hotel we were in) began to show pictures of a SWAT team amassing outside our front door. We left our drinks and went out to the car park to find a crowd had gathered to watch as armed police raided Khaltmaa's office. Shortly afterwards the fixer discovered that first his wife had been arrested because of her association with Khaltmaa. It seemed Khaltmaa had become embroiled in a corruption scandal driven by his criticism of the government selling off Mongolia's natural resources to foreign investors. Not for the first time making this series, the story had come to us.

Within hours of our arrival we were at the centre of a Mongolian media storm - the entire country's press were soon camped outside our hotel with a large number of Khaltmaa's supporters - including most of the national wrestling team each the size of a small family car. To say the least it was a surreal moment for us, but for our fixer it was a good deal more serious. The next day he decided to take his son and leave the country. Our translator was next on the list and after a tense few days being shadowed by the security services he too was arrested and taken in for questioning.

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The next day, the first day of our shoot, was April 20th - Hitler's birthday. We had heard that Mongolia's far right groups sometimes gathered to celebrate the event with a procession through town. Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the sight that greeted us on a patch of waste ground on the edge of the city. Dozens of Mongolian Nazis were gathering in cars and motorbikes - dressed in replica SS uniforms. Filming this event was to open a window on a shocking subculture of fascists not afraid to use violence to preserve what they saw as the purity of the Mongolian race against pollution by foreigners. Amidst the proliferation of extreme nationalist organisations, we discovered one group, led by a seven times national wrestling champion who took it upon themselves to patrol Chinese businesses. We filmed with them as they tore across the countryside in a cavalcade of muscle cars their black bomber jackets emblazoned with a Swastika inspired insignia launching raids on remote rural brick factories where they suspected illegal Chinese migrants were working. And we learned from one victim of vigilante violence how the anti-foreign sentiment was growing throughout the population.

The more we talked to members and supporters of these far right vigilante groups the more we heard complaints of how their natural resources were being sold out from beneath their feet by a corrupt political elite and about their fear of being taken over by their vast and powerful neighbor to the south. As in many poor or middle income countries sitting on vast mineral wealth, the income generated by the sale of natural resources in Mongolia tends to make a small elite fantastically rich without transforming the economic prospects of the majority. Combined with the visible presence of international business owners and migrant workers, this has led some to adopt extreme nationalist views. But in Mongolia there is a further twist to this familiar tale.

Mongolia is one of the most vulnerable countries on earth to climate change. The fragile grasslands which sustained the nomadic herding way of life for millennia is very sensitive to changes in rainfall and temperature. Over the past twenty years the decline in summer rain and the increasing frequency of winter storms has driven tens of thousands of herders off the land to seek work in the capital. The steady stream of new arrivals in the tented slums that surround the city only serves to increase the sense among some that Mongolia is a country under threat, a country at risk of losing its identity. There is an enormous irony in the fact that burning their huge reserves of coal is only serving to speed up the process that could soon see the end of the way of life many Mongolians regard as their defining characteristic.

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" Nature's great masterpiece, an elephant; the only harmless great thing."~John Donne

Baby elephant Zongoloni was a one-and-a-half-year-old milk dependent calf when she was forced to witness her mother suffer and die before her. It is difficult to comprehend why any infant should have to go through this heart break and suffering, but when it is purely to perpetuate a sickening trade that is bringing these beautiful, majestic creatures near to extinction, it has to be a shameful tragedy. Terrified, grief stricken, lonely, confused, frightened and hungry, emotions and situations we would never wish our own child to have to go through, and yet Zongoloni is one of many elephant calves orphaned in this way, because of ivory poaching.

But where some human beings are willing to destroy life, there are always others ready to save lives too, so luckily for Zongoloni she was rescued by 'The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's' elephant orphanage to be cared for.

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The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - Zongoloni with her dying mother.

THE RESCUE

Despite the very best efforts by vets, who initially treated her wound, the poacher's bullet had travelled too deep into her right front leg and Zongoloni's mother collapsed from her injuries a week later. Unable to stand up, the swirls of dirt around her testified to the mum's desperate efforts to keep going for her frightened, confused and helpless baby, who took on the role of protector for her dying mother, remaining by her side and chasing off any intruders.

It was clear though that Zongoloni urgently needed rescuing if she was to stay alive, and sadly her beautiful mother regrettably had to be put out of her misery too. This was when The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) were contacted, known for their outstanding successes in rescuing orphaned baby elephants.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - Zongoloni's last moments with her mother.

The fight for Zongoloni's survival began. The heart-breaking scene the first rescuers witnessed was harrowing, reducing some of them to tears - men who frequently encounter poached elephant carcasses. So desperate for fluid was this poor baby, she had been reduced into drinking her dying mother's urine.

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Dehydrated and dangerously weak, she was captured by the rescue team, tranquillised and placed on a lifesaving drip in preparation for the 1 hour flight back to Nairobi, whilst her mother was sadly put to sleep.

ARRIVAL AT THE NURSERY

It's hard to grasp the initial fear Zongoloni must have experienced when she arrived at The DSWT's Elephant Orphanage that evening. Having already sustained inconceivable suffering, she was now in an unfamiliar environment, assaulted by new sounds, sights and scents, surrounded by unknown humans - the same species that killed her mother.

BUT SHE WASN'T ALONE. To date, more than 200 orphaned elephants have been saved by the DSWT, and their role in an infant elephant's recovery is just as important as that of the human Keepers who replace an orphan's lost family. Placed in a warm and comfortable stable with orphaned elephants either side of her, their rumbles and caressing trunks reassured Zongoloni that she was in a place of safety.

Named Zongoloni, a Taita name for a hill located close to where she was rescued, it's hardly surprising trust in her human carers took time. Twelve days passed before her aggression towards them subsided, however, a bottle of milk proved to be a successful way to her heart. Her first day out with the orphaned herd into the Nairobi forest was the first steps towards her rehabilitation back into the wild. Zongoloni was now forming a bond with her new elephant friends, and them with her.

It takes months of specialist care for orphaned calves like Zongoloni to overcome their emotional traumas and establish trusting relationships with a human-elephant family, but this is what DSWT do exceptionally well.

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THE NEXT PHASE

Zongoloni is now in the next phase of her journey, having been moved to a brand new specialist Reintegration Unit in a protected area, where she will learn how to become a wild elephant once again.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Close to the Chyulu Hills National Park in Southern Kenya, the Umani Reintergration Unit will present her with many challenges. Zongoloni, along with a fledgling herd of orphans will learn new survival skills, including sleeping alone and finding edible plants. Over time she will become less dependent on her human keepers, but they remain with the young orphans until they join wild herds.

Already, camera traps have spotted wild elephants visiting the new arrivals from the nearby Chyulu Hills National Park coming to drink from the drinking trough erected for the orphans' use.

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The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - Zongoloni playing with other orphan friends.

The depth of Zongoloni's ability to forgive is inspiring. Having learned to trust the DSWT's elephant's carers and choosing to rely on them during her development, a life back in the wild is now just a matter of time.

Life for Africa's elephants has been made difficult by ivory poachers. The poisoned arrows, bullets and snares used to inhumanely steal their tusks, not only threatens the life of the elephant, but also of their infant calves too. Zongoloni's story, along with many before her is such a graphic reminder of the price that is paid for ivory.

In 1979, an estimated 1.3 million elephants roamed the plains. Now a recent census, the first of its kind, found there are less than 400,000 savannah elephants in Africa and tragically more than 50 elephants are being killed each day for their ivory. At this rate we could lose half the remaining population in the next ten years. That's more than half of Africa's elephants gone. Do you worry?

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Zongoloni's tragic story is one of hope and happiness, because she received the help and love she needed. We can make a difference for elephants like Zongoloni. You can help, however small.

You can foster an orphan elephant like Zongoloni at David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for 33 / year here

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You can follow DSWT on facebook https://www.facebook.com/thedswt/ and twitter:https://twitter.com/DSWT

You can join the iworry campaign : www.iworry.org

You can join in the 2016 Global March for Elephants and Rhinos on Sept 24th in London https://www.facebook.com/events/1003767319661645/
Building a new life in a new country is tough. It's even tougher if you can't speak the language of your new home. Refugee Action is therefore delighted that Home Secretary Amber Rudd has this week committed 10million in new funding for English language classes and other new measures to help refugees who are resettling here having fled horror and destruction in Syria.

This action is in direct response to our Let Refugees Learn Campaign, and should be celebrated by all those who want to see Britain welcome refugees.

These new commitments come in the week of the first anniversary of the pledge by then Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May to welcome 20,000 Syrian refugees in this Parliament. Doesn't time fly? Around 2,800 have arrived to-date, and now the government has also confirmed that local authorities have secured all 20,000 places for people arriving up to 2020.

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This is positive news for thousands of people who have survived a brutal war and unspeakable horrors and now desperately want to rebuild their lives here in the safety and freedom of Great Britain. Yet, as the devastating war in Syria rages on, the government must go further and faster, going beyond its 20,000 commitment and making sure that when people do arrive here they can fully succeed.

Refugee Action works in partnership with sixteen different local authorities to provide the support that resettled refugees from Syria and other countries need during their first year.

Our direct experience has taught us that a lack of English classes has been the single biggest barrier to successful integration here in the UK.

Funding for English language classes has been cut by 55% since 2009. And there is a chronic shortage of classes in many parts of the country. Some refugees arriving in the UK have to wait 6-12 months for English classes. In Bradford, the local job centre is referring people to Refugee Action's volunteer-led English classes. Yet we are regularly forced to turn refugees away as these are at capacity. This leaves people desperately frustrated and hinders their ability to settle in, make friends and get jobs.

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The new measures are important steps forward in addressing these problems. In addition to the new funding there will also be a new post in every region to help local authorities support community ESOL and commission new additional ESOL services.

There is, however, still a long way to go. These measures will only help Syrian refugees. It's madness to help one group of refugees to integrate and find work, while neglecting another. There are more Syrians in the UK who were recognised as refugees through the asylum system than who reached the UK through resettlement programmes. They, and every other refugee from many other countries, also want to learn English. They know it's essential for making friends, using essential services and finding work.

Refugee Action recognises the strains that many people in this country are under and the constrained purse strings of local authorities. The figures, however, do add up. Our report shows that the cost of these classes is recovered within six months if and when a refugee is able to find employment.

So we're renewing our call on the government to ensure that every single refugee and asylum seeker receives eight to twelve hours of English classes for two years. Our polling demonstrates the strong public support for this with 73% recognising the benefits for communities and for Britain.

Refugee Action helped a 19-year-old young Syrian woman to access English language classes soon after she arrived here in the UK a few months ago. Bayan said: "It's important for us all, we can't communicate with others or make friends without the language. I want to become an accountant here and I need to speak English well to be good at my studies."

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In a few days, we plan to close our DatePlay crowdfunding campaign on Seedrs and we are excited that we overfunded in just three days and that we have, to date, raised over 210,00 from 360 investors. We have had valuable support and feedback from both investors and the public and thought it would be worthwhile to compile some 'top tips' for creating a successful crowdfunding campaign.

DatePlay's Crowdfunding Campaign

These are my top tips, which I explain in greater detail below:

1.Give your self three full months to plan your campaign

2.Explore different funding platforms

3.Create a compelling story

4.Make a great video that is 2 to 3 minutes long

5.Plan all social media posts in advance

6.Use email marketing to reach potential investors

Three Months of Planning

In my opinion, the paramount tip is to give yourself three solid months to plan your campaign sufficiently and strategically. Take this time to map out your timeline and strategy - you need to know exactly how you are going to pitch your company, how much investment you are looking for, and how you will communicate with your investors to convince them to get involved.

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Explore Different Funding Platforms

I highly recommend that you look into the different crowdfunding options and choose the platform that best suits your needs. Make sure to read the fine print and understand what the fees are and what your relationship will be with the crowdfunding site going forward. We decided to choose an equity crowdfunding option, Seedrs, but that is a personal decision that depends on your company's needs.

Create a Compelling Story

Once you have decided on your plans, timeline and strategy, make sure you set aside time to craft a compelling and attractive brand story. People tend to invest in people, so you need to clearly and concisely explain who's behind your company.

Crowdfunding platforms are a great place for you to tell the story of your product - but it needs to be clear. People tend to remember only 20% of information they read, so make sure to repeat the key points several times throughout your campaign. It's also important to use high resolution, colourful photos in all your communications. Ideally, you should come across as both professional and personable, so investors can trust and believe in you.

Make a Great Video

The best way to tell your story is via video. I recommend hiring a professional team to handle this process for you. It is key to have the most comprehensive and high quality video that you can. This is your opportunity to tell your story to the crowd. Include as much info as possible - what the product is, its unique selling points, who it will appeal to, what you need the investment for, what they can receive in return for their investment and any statistics you have to back up your claims.

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I highly recommend writing a script for your video and practicing it out loud several times before recording the video. You need to appear confident, clear and concise, so it's important to rehearse your performance beforehand. Ideally, you should try to have a third party endorsement in your video. This could be someone recognisable within the industry you're targeting to endorse the product or service you are pitching.

Plan Social Media Posts

Social media is a powerful tool to reach investors on a personal level. I advise that you preplan all your social media posts prior to launching your campaign. This is a good way to minimize your stress during your campaign launch and also to ensure that all your brand messaging is clear, concise and correct.

Make sure you keep the communication channels open with regular updates and key information. Every few days, you need to update the public on your journey and share any key information that could keep people interested in your campaign. It is imperative to do this throughout the campaign to encourage more investment and also to show your gratitude to those already invested.

We got great traction from social media advertising - across key channels, especially Twitter and LinkedIn. This helps you to reach an even larger audience mass, through targeting specific interests, age groups and locations.

Contact Potential Investors via Email

Email marketing is another great way to reach targeted people that you want to invest in you. Build up a database either from active users of your product, export your LinkedIn contacts, and capture contact details via social media questionnaires, surveys or competitions.

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All of my tips can help make your campaign a success but of course they are just a starting point! I have learnt so much through my crowdfunding experience and DatePlay's crowdfunding success, so I hope that my insights are helpful to entrepreneurs embarking on this exciting, stressful experience.
Now the kids have returned to school and we're back to endless cycles of laundry and reluctantly not cracking open that bottle of Merlot at 3pm, I have the time to get something off my chest.

I did something monumentally stupid during the holidays which I have to tell you about.

I am usually a very organized person. For those of you who don't know me personally, you'll just have to take my word for it: I'm known for being a meticulous timekeeper, a thorough planner of other people's diaries and an obsessive list writer.

However, I become completely stupid when it comes to booking holidays. I have form in this area.

Let me give you just three examples of what I call 'Selective Stupidity' when it comes to holidays:

1.Years ago, I booked a long weekend to New York with my (then) boyfriend. I packed days in advance and had all the travel documents in a categorized wallet. I organized our transport to Heathrow, so we arrived at the check-in desk early, where the airline clerk asked me for my passport.

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She then asked me if I had a valid passport.

"Er, what, I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked if you had a valid passport? This one expired last week."

In those days it was possible to walk into the passport office in Petty France (Central London) and apply for a new passport which was issued on the same day. So that's what we did. We got a black cab (not cheap) to Petty France, applied for the passport (not cheap), waited four hours, got another black cab (not cheap) back to Heathrow and caught the next available flight to New York.

Stupid.

2.Years ago, I booked a holiday to Australia with my (then) boyfriend - yup same one. This time I started packing during (what I thought was) the morning of our flight. In fact, it was the morning after our flight. I got the date wrong.

We rushed to the airport and I tried every trick in the book: we were 24 hours late because we had to go to hospital. No? Err, we were 24 hours late because we had to go to a funeral. No? OK well how much will two new tickets to Melbourne cost? That will be 1000 please.

Expensive. And stupid.

3.Earlier this year, I booked a holiday to Cyprus with my family (well, you didn't expect the boyfriend to stick around did you?). The hubster is no fool so he checks all our travel plans. We decided to drive to Luton airport and leave the car in the long stay car park.

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Lovely holiday, very relaxing. Yadda yadda yadda.

Fast forward to the journey home. The Cypriot car taking us to the airport was definitely not going towards the same airport we flew into, better check our tickets. Yup, we're leaving Cyprus from a different airport.

Oh and look at that, we're flying back to Gatwick!

Cue very bloody long journey home, involving cabs, transfer buses and the slowest train in Europe.

I was mortified, wracked with guilt and hugely apologetic about my selective stupidity. The hubster has the patience of a saint, unlike me and thus summed it up beautifully: "well, it could have been worse," he said. "It could have been my fault."

I wrote this for my blog and have had loads of responses from like-minded 'selectively stupid' readers who had some great stories to get off their collective chests. If you'd like to have a read of those and contribute your own story, please visit the blog here.

With love Vx
Maria Ruiz, an Activist who resides in Miami FL was outraged much like countless others, when Emily Doe detailed her experience in a California hospital after being sexually assaulted by former Stanford college student Brock Turner. Instead of just being angry she did something about it. She created a petition to impeach Judge Aaron Persky.

The Change.org petition has drawn over 1.3 million signatures in the 3 short months since it's creation. The supporters are people who felt outraged by Emily Doe's statement to Brock Turner, her rapist and wanted something done.

In an exclusive statement Maria tells the media "Impeachment isn't like recall, we do not have to wait for an election, the assembly can start proceedings right now, no waiting until 2017, no counting on voters to go to the polls and vote in favor. This needs to be done now, this judge cannot be allowed to preside over civil cases and further victimize survivors in the court system."

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Maria teamed up with Social Media Specialist and Publicist, Sharika Soal and together they began to pave the way to create meaningful action and encourage supporters to participate in the movement.. "Awareness is an important first step," said Soal, "Evolving that awareness into real change takes organization and the passion to convince the public to sign the petition and share their personal experiences, donate and attend protests is a big part of creating change." Despite it seeming like a monumental task, bringing a focus to a cause that highlights survivors has proved to be Ruiz's strong point. With Soal's help the two have created a platform virtually overnight.

In response to the Assembly's inaction Ruiz and Soal launched a hashtag campaign #solidarity4survivors late in August. Ruiz and Soal's hopes are that the assembly will no longer ignore the faces and stories of the victim's of sexual assault. The movement was quickly met with an astonishing amount of support from people all over the world from celebrities to politicians. The short list includes Nickelodeon's Angelique Bates actress best known for the hit 90's show "All That" who was recently in the media earlier this year after a video of her was published where she revealed that she was abused by her mother on the set of the popular kids TV network. In a petition update made by Ruiz and Soal, Bates reveals that she is also a rape survivor.

Django Unchained actress Daniele Watts also joined the movement in a separate update. Since then other celebs like Bobby Trendy, Anna Nicole Smiths interior designer and Reality TV star along with Courtney Stodden's mother, Krista Stodden, who both appeared on Lifetime's Celebrity Mother Daughter Experiment.

In addition to the hashtag movement Ruiz and Soal launched a blog SilenceHelpsNoOne.com in an effort to raise awareness on an open platform for survivors to submit their stories anonymously. The website serves to empower survivors by allowing them a safe place to be heard. The blog features many gut wrenching stories from anonymous survivors including one who is being prosecuted for a false report in response to reporting her rape.

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A new breed of social entrepreneur: that's the way I'll describe Scott Harrison. In a world where Philanthropy didn't change much in the last 20 years, he is trying his best to bring innovation to the sector. At Epic Foundation, we share a similar vision with charity: water - we want to disrupt the way people see/think/understand their giving... and it's not that hard in 2016 mostly because the timing works for us! The tools exist now, you can track and follow your donation, you can see the impact of your money!

Scott is a forerunner and an amazing story teller: he wants to give access to clean water to everyone and he is working really hard to make it happen. He was one of the first entrepreneurs I met with when I was doing my own market research before launching Epic. After our first meeting, we realized we were alike on so many points.

For his 11th birthday, my son decided to run a campaign on charity: water and managed to raise $1500. What an amazing learning tool for kids! I'm happy to interview Scott this week for charity: water's 10th anniversary. Congratulations Scott for your first decade running charity: water. Keep pushing the boundaries. We'll always be with you in the fight against poverty and inequality.

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You founded charity: water in 2006 with a 100% model; two years later, the nonprofit almost ran out of money. How did you manage this setback, and what did you learn from it?

When I started the organization 10 years ago, I want to make a huge impact on the global water crisis and help bring clean drinking water to everyone on the planet. That would take a movement of will and generosity, and a huge amount of money. But as I began talking to my friends about this, I realized that so many people didn't trust charity. In fact, 42% of people in America don't trust charity. And the biggest problems people seemed to have were all around money. People would ask, "Where does my money really go?" "How much will really get to the people in need?" and I'd hear the expression "black hole" a lot... I thought the only way to solve this was through a business model that simply and emphatically removed this common objection. I wanted to be able to answer that question unequivocally by saying "100%". To do that, I opened up two bank accounts. One bank account where public donations would go and 100% would always only fund water projects. And a second bank account where we'd separately raise the money for overhead from a small group of unselfish donors.

About a year and a half into charity: water, we'd raised over $2M for clean water projects, and our 100% model was resonating deeply with people. We heard from some people that they'd actually made the first charitable gift in their life to charity: water. But the other bank account was suffering, and we couldn't raise the overhead dollars quick enough. In the summer of 2008, we were faced with a dilemma, as we had only a few weeks of burn left in the overhead account. Surprisingly, the advice I was getting from some, was to borrow from the money from the water project account ... They said "money was fungible" - "write an IOU and pay it back later." I remember being so upset by that idea. Our integrity was all we had, and we'd made a promise to our donors. If we ever touched a penny of that money for overhead, we might as well all resign in shame.

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In that moment, as I was faced with the reality that we might have to wind down charity: water and concede a business model defeat, a complete stranger named Michael Birch walked into the office. We had a two-hour meeting, I told him about our vision to bring clean water to people in need while also reinventing charity and reaching disenchanted givers. He left the meeting, said he'd think about how he could help, and a couple days later, he and his wife Xochi wired $1M into our account for overhead - more than 13 months of burn.

We used that extra time to build a multi-year, multi-tiered giving program called The Well, and Michael and Xochi Birch were joined by people like Jack Dorsey, John Doerr, Daniel Ek, Sean Parker, Tony Hawk, Chris Sacca, Ed Norton, Kristen Bell, Depeche Mode, and many more. Today, 115 generous families from all around the world support charity: water's 100% model, and the Birches have continued to be our biggest supporters for the past 8 years.

What does "charity" mean to you?

To me, it means love. It means unconditionally loving others. It means caring for our brothers and sisters in need here at home, and in far-flung places around the world.

Tell me about your time in Liberia in 2004. How did the experience change you?

I had left a decade of decadence and selfishness in nightlife to volunteer in Liberia on a humanitarian organization. Before this experience, I got people wasted for a living, and was chasing all the wrong things. In 2004, at 28 years old, I realized I'd become the worst person I knew. I was spiritually bankrupt, morally bankrupt. I began to explore a very lost Christian faith, and wondered what the exact opposite of my life might look like - a life that was spent serving the interests of others. That led me to a humanitarian mission in Liberia on a hospital ship. While I was there, I saw people drinking dirty water for the first time - a sharp contrast to my former life selling $500 bottles of champagne and $10 bottles of sparkling water in nightclubs. I learned that more than half of the people in the country didn't have their basic need met, and that over 1 billion people worldwide were suffering because they didn't have this most basic need met. It changed me, and I came back determined to do something about what I'd seen. It seemed so simple - I needed to fight to make sure everyone on earth had access to clean water.

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663 million people in the world live without access to clean water. How is charity: water addressing the water crisis?

Over the past 10 years, we've funded more than 12 types of water projects across 24 countries. Those projects will bring clean and safe drinking water to more than 6.4M people living in 20,000 villages. We've learned a lot about water quality, the implementation of solutions in harsh environments, sustainability and efficiency.

How does charity: water provide a new model for giving?

In addition to the 100% model that I referenced above, we've always taken a hyper-transparent approach to the stewardship of donations. From Day 1, we put completion photos and GPS coordinates of every water point we funded on Google Earth and Google Maps, so people could see where their money was going ... Later, we crowdsourced drilling rigs and gave them GPS trackers and Twitter accounts, so people could follow them in real-time. And perhaps most importantly, we always worked with local partners in these countries. We believe for work to be sustainable, it MUST be led by locals. Today, charity: water has also helped with job creation, and funds more than 1600 local salaries across our portfolio.

Last year, you introduced VR technology at the 10th Annual charity: water gala. What were the goals of the film? What was the audience reaction?

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We've been fortunate to have more than 1 million generous donors support charity: water over the past decade. And while I've personally had the opportunity to travel around the world and see the impact those gifts have made (for example, I've been to Ethiopia 27 separate times now), we've only been able to take about 300 major donors to the field. 300 out of 1 million. Shooting our film, "The Source" in VR was an attempt to bring more people closer to the need on the ground, and the solutions. You know Alex, when people hear about 663 million people without clean water, they just kind of shut down emotionally. It's almost impossible for our brains to process numbers that big. But in those statistics are the lives of real people. People who are suffering without clean water. We shot the VR film to tell the story of just one of the young girls trapped in the water crisis - 13-year-old Selam... And through the 8 minute VR experience, you see her life change in a profound way.

We debuted it at the gala in a synchronous viewing for almost 400 attendees, and many people moved the headset 8 minutes later, visibly moved. We then gave everyone an opportunity to donate to help more villages get clean water, and more children like Selam, and people were so moved, we raised $2.4m through the night to help another 240 villages.

What is the greatest lesson you've learned so far as an entrepreneur?

Character is everything. So much more important than what you do, is how you do it.

Finally, do you think by doing good, you're more successful?
September is National Recovery Month, but many must make the conscious decision to remain in recovery 365 days a year.

Dawn Nickel, PhD, began her recovery journey in 1987 and returned to treatment in 1989. For the next 11 years, she remained clean from her drugs of choice, cocaine, alcohol, pot and pills. However, as the years went by her recovery efforts slackened as she focused on raising her daughters, a new marriage (to another recovering addict), and going back to school. When her mother passed away Nickel relapsed on pills to cope.

"When my mom passed away in 2000 I thought that taking pills would dull my pain," said Nickel. "It did, for a few days. Fortunately, I had enough recovery to know that I wasn't interested in returning to the addict lifestyle, so I stopped."

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Dawn Nickel

As of May 2016, Nickel, who credits her two daughters as the main motivation behind her recovery, has celebrated sixteen consecutive years of complete abstinence from substances as well as the new success of her online social community, She Recovers.

"The premise of She Recovers is that we are all recovering from something," said Nickel. "We recover from drug addiction, alcoholism, codependency, workaholism, sex and love addiction, and eating disorders."

Outside of substance abuse, Nickel has battled workaholism and colon cancer.

"We recover from depression and other mental illness, burnout, anxiety, stress, trauma, grief, abuse, self-harm, cancer and chronic illness," explained Nickel. "We recover from having our hearts broken, from losing our marriages, our homes, or our jobs."

In just five years, the She Recovers Facebook page, which Nickel began with her daughter, Taryn, has grown a loyal and engaged online audience of over 250,000, with a reach of over 750,000 per week. The majority of community members are women between the ages of 24 and 54 who live in the United States and are recovering from addiction and other life challenges.

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"We want as many women as possible to know that that they too can live a life of hope, health, and happiness in recovery," said Nickel, of her mother-daughter operation.

The Facebook page has been listed as a top recovery blog by RehabReviews (2015), The Clearing (2016) and Addiction Unscripted (2016).



Taryn Strong

Around the time Nickel created the Facebook page, her daughter, also in recovery, completed training to become a 'Yoga for Recovery' instructor. She'd been teaching yoga for four years by then but wanted to teach people in recovery specifically. In addition, their dear friend, Sharonlee Latham, had moved down to the Riviera Maya (Mexico) to start her business Paradise Wellness.

In Nickel's eyes, the stars had aligned and the timing seemed right for the three women to collaborate on retreats and expand She Recovers.

"We decided to start offering 'Sacred Pause' recovery retreats for women recovering in all areas of their lives, starting with an inaugural retreat in Tulum Mexico in November 2012," said Nickel.

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Since the first retreat, She Recovers has gone on to do 11 retreats, with Sharonlee remaining a key partner in the Mexico retreats.

In a short time, She Recovers has grown beyond Facebook, also operating a resource-rich website, blog, and an international Yoga for Recovery retreat program. In fall 2016 She Recovers will begin to offer online eRetreats, with the help of Nickel's younger sister Debra, in recovery for 12 years, as well as Yoga for Recovery Classes and eCourses, and that's not all.

"For the past two years, we have been designing and selling a beautiful line of recovery mala jewelry," said Nickel, who is a strong believer in natural remedies in recovery. "We recently started a She Recovers Aromatherapy Tribe and hope to educate people about the value of employing essential oils as recovery and wellness tools."

With the She Recovers Non-Profit Foundation on the horizon for 2017, perhaps the most exciting news of all when discussing the growth of She Recovers is their first major conference in May 2017.

She Recovers will host She Recovers in NYC in Lower Manhattan with invited guests Marianne Williamson, Gabby Bernstein, Glennon Doyle Melton, Elizabeth Vargas, and Elena Brower.

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"We expect 500 women who identify with recovery in some way to attend," said Nickel. "We sold out a block of 100 early bird tickets in just one day at the end of July and another 100 spots have filled since."

Online communities, like She Recovers, make it easy for those battling an addiction to seek out their own recovery.

"When I came into recovery, there was one way to recover - the 12 step way," said Nickel. "I'll be forever grateful, but there are so many more options to those seeking recovery today."

There are hundreds of recovery sites, tailored to specific groups and needs, and these sites network with one another.

"Our foray into large events has meant partnering with a dream team of recovery advocates and event planners including Annie McCullough who is the Executive Director of Faces and Voices of Recovery Canada, Dara Meyer the Event Producer for Facing Addiction, and Payton Kennedy the Event Producer for Spark & Ember," listed Nickel.

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As September rolls along and many do their part to increase awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrate the people who recover, Nickel wants those still in the dark trenches of addiction to know one thing.
Woman walking onto beach in winter

There are many things written about traveling solo, regardless if you are a male or a female. It does not really matter if they are listing the pros or the cons since there is something no one actually tells you about traveling solo. After three years of traveling solo consistently, I have already made my own lists of pros and cons, and I will always defend anyone who wishes to travel solo. It is such an amazing thing to do, but it could be a nightmare as well.

All these years I have been traveling solo, I have felt happy with being able to choose how to move, where to eat, what to visit first, which people I want to talk with, and having a lot of time to think about my life. I love doing all that by myself, unless I actually get to meet new people because I decided to. But I guess I am actually getting old. Let me explain.

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Traveling has been self-reassuring until now. It has been that period of knowing myself a lot better, of self-confirmation that I am actually mentally healthy and that I can solve my own awkward moments by taking the best decisions possible. However, the last time I traveled by myself, I thought there was something missing.



Perugia, Italy - July 2016

As a young woman traveling solo, many would think that the chance to have travel flings, going out to drink or just hanging out would become easy, but no. Last time, I actually felt alone. I am totally used to not having someone to take my pictures and having to take selfies or using the timer while the camera is hanging somewhere safe. I am totally used to eat in a table for one. I have never had issues with that. But last time, I actually felt I needed to have someone next to me with whom actually share the experience. I never felt I needed that.

That time, while I was walking around Rome, I thought about people back home: "I'm sure X would love seeing the Colosseum" or "I wish Y would try this gelato with me." I actually needed to have someone there, and no, I don't think I was acting differently because I wasn't making as much friends as I usually do while traveling. The dating scene this time was worse than usual. Blame it on Tinder. I actually felt like the antithesis of what "Eat, Pray, and Love" ideally describes of that solo traveler every women want to become. There were times I wanted to go back home -- that was also something new.



The Colosseum, Rome, Italy - July 2016

How do you -- as a travel blogger -- explain that you're actually exhausted of traveling solo? Isn't that the same thing you promote as a blogger? Yeah, those were the first things that came to mind when I realized what I was feeling was exhaustion. I got tired of being by myself. I was going through a moment where I asked myself: "With so many people in the world, how is it possible that I always have to do this by my own?"

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It was hard to accept it, even harder to explain it. People tend to look at the privilege you have of traveling. How am I supposed to be so vain by telling them "I am not feeling happy because carrying my bags around a new city by my own is not exciting anymore?"

When I discussed it with people, I thought they would understand. Instead, they pointed out my traveling privilege or would say, "Why are we not switching places?" And I knew they were right. I am privileged of being able to travel because I chose it as one of my main writing topics. I am privileged of having loyal readers and of having earned the trust of so many people. This just seems totally stupid, but I decided to actually accept it, and this is the reason why this text came to life.

Yes, I am a solo travel blogger. Yes, I will always encourage people to not leave for tomorrow what they want to do today just because they are afraid to be alone. But, this experience has taught me I can't deny human nature. In the end, we are social creatures. It doesn't matter how independent and how self sufficient we can be. I actually wanted to have someone to hug when I discovered a new place. I wanted to hold a hand when I felt I needed it but no, as a solo traveler, those moments do not really exist. I am craving the feeling to travel along with someone.



Piran, Slovenia - October 2015

Travel by your own, explore, feel and love. In that self confirmation that journey can bring, do not feel scared to admit your flaws. Knowing what you can handle while traveling alone is a great start to get to know yourself better. Once, I read a quote that said that "Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions." If in that certain moment of your life you need a space to be alone, you will manage it as well as possible. As I previously mentioned, the older I am getting, the more I need to share experiences. I know I will always be a solo travel blogger, but I am totally looking forward to write that blog post where I can talk about my experience shared with someone special.
in many african villages water ...

The 2016 IUCN International World Conservation Congress kicked off a few days ago here in Honolulu, Hawaii. The conference theme is 'Planet at the Crossroads', and a series of journeys, from 'Business' to 'Biosecurity' have been highlighted as key issue areas to frame dialogues and conversations during the Congress.

As an estimated 8,000 advocates, scientists and conservationists convene to advance the protection of our world's natural resources, we also see that people and cultures are inextricably linked to these efforts, as stewards of their lands.

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Our planet is at a crossroads, and people are also at a crossroads. We must be willing to take urgent and bold action to challenge unsustainable systems in our societies, and recognize how power and privilege underpin environmental degradation and resource extraction.

People are really at the heart, or should be at the heart, of our sharing and learning here at the IUCN Congress. And further, an understanding that people's interactions with nature, in communities and households, is very much framed by intersections such as race, class, culture and, in particular, gender.



Why Gender & Conservation?

Gender is a social construct. While not immutable nor universal, gender shapes expectations, attributes, roles, capacities and rights of women and men around the world- and in turn, experiences and interactions with the natural environment. Women, compared to men, often have limited access to resources, more restricted rights, limited mobility, and a muted voice in shaping decisions and influencing policy. At the same time, gender roles generally ascribed to women such as informal, reproductive work often relate to caregiving for households and communities, caretaking of seeds and soils, maintaining traditional agricultural knowledge, and responsibility for natural resource management such as firewood and water, and thus these roles create opportunity for engagement as women bring diverse and critical solutions to conservation.

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IUCN as a Gender Champion

As one of the leading environmental organizations in the world, IUCN has been at the forefront of recognizing women's rights and gender equality as a critical element of conservation and sustainable development. Since its founding in 1948, over 40 Congress resolutions have recognized women's role in resource management and at least 16 have emphasized the need for gender analysis and planning in conservation work.

Following a resolution in 1996 to develop a gender policy, the approved policy was passed in 1998 and included the creation of a Global Senior Gender Adviser Office (GGO), which almost 20 years later, now includes a global staff of over 15 people, conducting technical work with IUCN members around the world. This work has included support to mainstreaming gender into international environmental policy frameworks, and support to members at national level, creating action plans on gender in climate change and biodiversity planning. In addition to the Global Gender Office, IUCN has also established regional Gender Focal Points to monitor implementation of the IUCN Gender Policy at all levels.

This institutional recognition of gender issues is quite noteworthy for an intergovernmental organization such as IUCN, as it has taken many decades for other environmental frameworks and mechanisms to begin developing policies to integrate social issues into their work. This is beginning to shift across the board, and in particular, in 2015, where both the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement, placed gender equality as central to all actions.

As highlighted in the Opening Session of the IUCN World Conservation Congress, this is the largest global meeting of decision-makers and practitioners since the major global development agreements of 2015--and an important opportunity to focus on implementation and action. It is a moment for IUCN to highlight its strong history and work on gender equality, which the Congress seemingly recognized: "The IUCN Congress 2016 aims to be the most gender-responsive Congress in IUCN's history. It will comply with the Union's Gender Policy as well as the various mandates adopted by IUCN's General Assemblies. The IUCN Congress Gender Mainstreaming Strategy was created to ensure that IUCN's policies and actions reflect the importance of gender equality in all of the Union's work."

Measuring Success



In reflecting on the first few days of the 2016 IUCN Congress, there are some glaring challenges to achieving the goal of being the most 'gender-responsive' Congress in IUCN's history.

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Motions. As stated above, this Congress marks a critical moment for building towards action and implementation from the big agendas decided in 2015. The Congress intends to leave with a Conservation Agenda - to help achieve a series of goals. It would seem unquestionable given progress on gender, and IUCN's history on this work, that gender equality would be a pillar of this agenda. However, the 2016 Congress will actually mark the first Congress in decades where out of 99 resolutions, there is not a single reference to gender.

Visibility. It's also surprising that out of the 17 journeys/ topics identified as critical issues for this 'planet at a crossroads', it seems that the concerns of people and communities, and in particular, gender issues are very hidden within the agenda. IUCN certainly has the expertise, partnerships and knowledge for gender equality, women's rights and the role of local communities / indigenous peoples to be critical journey not only as part of the themes of the conference but woven throughout all of the conference.



Influence. While much progress still needs to be made in integrating gender into the efforts of environmental conservation groups such as the members of IUCN, many do have gender advisors or advocates working within these organizations. In discussions with fellow gender advocates here at the Congress on the lack of gender issues in the motions as well as in events, there seems to be some shared experiences of either not being fully engaged in preparations for sessions and motions in relation to the World Congress but also challenges in support or political will among the organizations to see gender, women rights and the rights of indigenous peoples as priority issues. This suggests a need for continued opportunities for capacity building and knowledge sharing on how gender is central to all conservation work, and not simply an 'add-on'.



Voice. Most significant is an observation that many panels / sessions of the IUCN Congress have not included or prioritized people most impacted by environmental degradation, or leading conservation efforts, in particular, indigenous women. Beyond this, there is a lack of space for these important voices to be heard in the first place. As an example, an incredible group of indigenous women from Kenya, Thailand, Guatemala, Hawaii, Fiji and Russia, part of the Indigenous Women's Biodiversity Network (IWBN) held an event offsite on Friday, September 2nd, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The organizers explained that they did not know in time about funding availability to be able to apply for an official side event slot. This sharing of experiences of resources management and conservation via traditional knowledge was worthy of a High-Level Panel at the IUCN Congress, but at minimum, more flexibility and space to ensure the participation and voice of indigenous women, peoples and frontline communities should be guaranteed in this type of space.

This is not to diminish the good work that is going on to highlight gender in the IUCN Congress, particularly via the efforts of the Senior Global Gender Office, as well as the many gender experts, advocates and indigenous women activists who are here organizing and sharing their experiences. However, with such a rich history in leadership on gender issues, and with a specific policy for gender mainstreaming, one would expect a much stronger coordination and emphasis on the topic. In addition, a much more progressive understanding that for the Congress to be truly gender responsive and also responsive to human rights, we must work to ensure that gender balance is only a first step. In addition to ensuring men and women in equal number we must also make space and prioritize frontline communities who are leading resilience efforts- to voice their challenges and their solutions for conservation and sustainable development.

Achieving Success

As the IUCN Congress moves from the Forum to the Members Assembly on Tuesday, there are a number of things which can be done over the coming days and in the future to ensure the Congress is fulfilling IUCN's role as a champion of gender issues.

Raise your voice. IUCN members should use the opportunity of the Assembly to raise the importance of gender equality and women's rights in conservation and sustainable development, in line with the big agreements of 2015 and IUCN mandates and policies. Members should highlight that this is the first Congress where gender has been absent from motions, and that it must not be absent in the future conservation agenda.

Reflect. Members should also reflect on the motions/events submitted and planning for the Congress and whether there were opportunities to engage with gender advisors and staff which were not utilized or explored.

Engage. Congress participants should join in the conversation on gender issues. Advocates at the Congress have been using the hashtag #IUCNGender to highlight some critical conversations. In addition, anyone interested in these issues is welcome to join an open and informal 'women and gender caucus' which meets at 8am each morning on level 3.
From the shores of Turkey, to an ambulance in Aleppo, to the Arizona desert, comes photographic evidence of the toll that violence takes on children. Millions--yes, millions--of children worldwide need protection. There are at least 50 million children displaced worldwide. The conflict in Syria alone has displaced more than 2 million children. Thousands of children continue to flee violence in Central America, often sent across the U.S. border alone by parents desperate to put them beyond the reach of gangs.

A recent report by Child Trends estimates that more than 127,000 foreign children will enter the U.S. by the end of 2016, up from about 90,000 in 2015. Each of these children has a legal designation. That designation--not their physical or psychological needs, or even the mere fact that they are children--determines the level of support and protection they receive under U.S. law.

About 37,500 are designated as refugees or asylees. After 5 years, they're eligible for citizenship. The federal government establishes annual limits on the number of refugees who can enter from each region of the world, based on humanitarian concerns, geopolitical priorities, and national security considerations. In 2015, most adults and children admitted as refugees were from Burma, Iraq, Somalia, Congo, and Bhutan.

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Another 90,000 will be apprehended at the U.S. border. Whether alone or accompanied by a parent, these children face the possibility of detention. Detention facilities are reportedly poorly equipped to provide children (most of whom are under age 6) with the conditions they need to thrive. In fact, conditions in some facilities are so poor that they threaten children's long-term development. Unaccompanied children also face the possibility of placement with a sponsor who may not be adequately screened or monitored, or who may be in the country illegally and subject to deportation.

In addition to refugees and children apprehended at the border, there are about 1 million more children already residing in the U.S. as unauthorized immigrants, yet another legal designation. They, and millions born here to undocumented immigrants, risk separation from parents or guardians who may be deported.

Looking just at refugees and children apprehended at the border, Child Trends' researchers found that the overwhelming majority have experienced various forms of trauma. When trauma is not buffered by adults, it can result in toxic stress, threatening children's cognitive, social, and emotional development, and their long-term health.

Chief among the traumas experienced by children fleeing their homes for the U.S. are violence, loss of their homes and communities, and separation from family members. Immigrant children who have been separated from one or both parents may experience a sense of abandonment, detachment, and despair, particular at the beginning of the separation. Children who have lost parental ties also have higher levels of anxiety and food insecurity.

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Childhood trauma can have lifelong consequences if it is not addressed. In the case of children who seek refuge here, there are things we can do to mitigate risks and promote positive outcomes:

We can keep families together and strong. Our immigration policies and practices should prioritize keeping children with their parents, except in the most extreme circumstances. Additionally, children are more likely to flourish when their parents are doing well, so public and private agencies serving refugee and immigrant children should take a two-generation approach whenever possible.

We can make schools safe and supportive places. Schools and child care centers can be safe havens for children. For unaccompanied immigrant children, feeling safe and connected at school contributes to their mental health. Positive peer relationships at school, high personal expectations, and parental support for education all promote immigrant children's academic success.

We can build welcoming communities. Where do we begin when it comes to helping children overcome the effects of violence, terror, and persecution? Many communities have started by focusing on factors that are within their control. The Welcoming Cities and Counties initiative, for example, is a network of local governments and nonprofits nationwide seeking to create more inclusive communities. Members commit to adopting policies and practices that promote inclusion within their local government and community. Cincinnati's Junior League, for example, created a program that links the 80 local refugee-focused organizations to share learning and coordinate services. To help people who don't speak English during emergency situations, Buffalo police worked with immigrant and refugee communities to establish a system through which non-English speakers can access translators for more than 40 languages.

We can address the effects of trauma. Trauma-informed care is a research-based approach to serving children that acknowledges the impact of trauma, recognizes the signs, responds with interventions based on knowledge about trauma, and seeks to avoid re-traumatization. Professionals who come into contact with refugee and other immigrant children, including law enforcement personnel, should be trained in the tenets of trauma-informed care and how to apply them in their work.

Strong families, safe schools, welcoming communities, trauma-informed care--these principles apply to a wide range policies and public systems that serve children, not just immigration policy. Admittedly, when it comes to education, child care, foster care, and juvenile justice, there's still much work to be done to put these principles fully into action. But these shortcomings don't absolve us of the responsibility to protect and nurture all children, whether they are newly arrived or have roots in this country that go back many generations.

We have always been a nation of immigrants. As we build on this legacy, let's be sure we're building a more perfect union for all children within our borders.
Teenage boy (13-15) putting books in locker, rear view

It has been seven years since my last "first day of school," but I am struck by how viscerally I recall the sense of dread that would set-in around this time as a new school year approached.

I did not realize I was trans until long after high school, but I went through middle and high school with an unrelenting sense of discomfort -- with myself, with the world, with the idea of living inside my body. There were many days that I didn't believe I would find my way through that pain.

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I am alive today, in part because, as I have explained before, during those years of self-doubt and confusion, my teachers, administrators and government representatives never sent me the message that I was so freakish and disgusting that I didn't deserve to share space with my peers.

But what about the trans students who begin a new school year as the subject of a national campaign to expel them from the spaces shared with their peers? How will they find their way through the rhetoric and attacks on the very core of their being?

In the past month alone, government officials have argued in litigation that:

* It is "outlandish" for the federal government to protect transgender students from discrimination.

* Prohibitions on sex discrimination are limited to an understanding of sex "based principally on male or female reproductive anatomy, and not one that includes self-proclaimed 'gender identity'."

* Having a gender that does not accord with the gender assigned to a person at birth is a "delusion".

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*Providing insurance coverage for health care for gender transition would amount to "material cooperation with evil."

* Non-transgender students and parents would be "irreparably harmed" if students shared multi-user restrooms with a transgender student.

Behind the rhetoric, fear-mongering, and scare-quoting of trans identities are real human beings just trying to navigate the world. As ACLU Gavin Grimm explained to the school board that denied him the right to use the boys' restroom like the other boys at his school, "I am just a human. I am just a boy."

Gavin's fight has reached the United States Supreme Court and as his graduation approaches, Gavin is still barred from the boys' restroom. And like Gavin, thousands of students are beginning a new school year without access to the restrooms and locker rooms available to their peers. And thanks to a nationwide injunction entered in a federal court in Texas, the federal government's enforcement of Title IX's ban on sex discrimination in schools to protect these students has been put on hold.



Supreme Court of the United States

As these questions about the scope of federal protections based on sex and the validity of anti-trans laws like North Carolina's HB2 make their way through the courts, we have to take care to protect and advocate for the many trans people who are receiving awful and destructive messages about their place in the world.

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To the transgender students beginning a new school year, I hope you know that:

*You are beautiful and perfect just as you are.

*Your body is not a threat to anyone and your existence is a gift.

*There are amazing and brilliant and beautiful and resilient trans people out there in the world to love and support you. (Find them here and here and here and here and message me and I will show you more.)

*You are loved.

And to those who are afraid of us, who don't understand what it means to be trans, who are concerned that our bodies might make you or your child uncomfortable, I urge you to be gentle and thoughtful. This is not about people "choosing" a restroom but about people being who they are and simply going to the restroom like everyone else. Trans people are no more choosing which restrooms to use than they are choosing to have to go to the bathroom in the first instance.

And this is not a question of identity versus biology or of choice versus fact. This is about humanity and existence and survival and whether the government is going to recognize that humanity or deny it. And while these questions get sorted out, real trans people are still going to need to use the restroom and the locker room and walk down the street and get health care and survive.

No doubt we will ultimately win in court, though there may be some more losses along the way. But no matter what happens in the formal legal landscape, we have a lot of work to do to hold each other up and make sure that the nasty dismissal and demonization of our bodies doesn't decimate of our beautiful community.

The views above are my own and don't represent the position of the ACLU.
On any given day in America, 80,000 to 100,000 inmates are held in segregation in our nation's prisons. There, they remain isolated in small single person cells for 22 to 24 hours per day, often for years at a time. Notably, segregation disproportionately affects inmates with mental illness and experts assert that most inmates acquire or experience exacerbated symptoms of mental illness as a result of the conditions in segregation.

We have not always used segregation in our prison systems. In the late 1800s the practice was abandoned as inhumane, but as inmate populations increased throughout the 1980s and 1990s, prisons turned to segregation as a means to curb institutional violence. However, research shows that segregation does not decrease violence or make prisons safer, and the crushing isolation of segregation has a debilitating effect on all inmates, especially those with mental illness. Even President Obama, the first sitting president to tour a prison, recognized that mental illness can worsen in segregation and inmates with mental illness are more likely to commit suicide.

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Despite the known psychological harm caused by segregation, prisons rely heavily on it to house inmates whose mental health needs are not being met in the general population. Prison officials may identify an inmate as a danger to him or herself or others, or is at risk of exploitation. Instead of providing treatment, many prisons segregate inmates with mental illness, restricting treatment and almost all human contact. This, experts have unsurprisingly found, makes an inmate's mental illness worse.

To enforce the rights of people with disabilities nationwide, protection and advocacy agencies were created in every state and territory with a federal mandate to advocate for people with mental illness and other disabilities. The laws establishing these protection and advocacy agencies were passed because congress recognized that state and private run treatment facilities were abusing, neglecting, and violating the civil and human rights of the people in their care. Over the decades since the laws were passed, the nation's prison population has increased, and with it the number of inmates with disabilities in prison has increased. In response, the protection and advocacy agencies routinely monitor prisons and advocate to improve conditions. A report released today details numerous examples of such advocacy challenging the inappropriate use of segregation on inmates with mental illness across the country.

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For example, Disability Rights Tennessee, the protection and advocacy agency in Tennessee, found an inmate with mental illness was segregated because he harmed himself. Due to his continued self-harm in segregation, he was placed under 24-hour watch and ultimately put in six-point restraints to forcibly stop the self-harming behavior; he remained there for three months. During this time a feeding tube, and intravenous fluids and medications were administered to keep him alive while strapped-down. The protection and advocacy agency advocated to create a treatment plan for the inmate that included regular individual therapy, clear guidelines for the inmate's personal care, incentives to refrain from self-harm, and weekly treatment team meetings with the inmate's mother and medical conservator. This treatment plan led to the inmate's release from restraints and transfer to a less restrictive prison unit.

Disability Rights Washington, the protection and advocacy agency in Washington State, also took on their prisons' practice of punishing inmates in segregation for self-harm and attempted suicide. Disability Rights Washington demanded that the punishment stop and used a lawsuit based on similar facts by Disability Rights Vermont as a roadmap to fix this without litigation. The state agreed to stop punishing inmates for self-injurious behavior and instead provide treatment. It also restored the good time credit inmates lost due to past infractions for self-harm behavior.
The ability of multinational militaries to work, train and fight alongside each other is vital within the dynamic security environment of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, the Philippine Air Force vice commander told U.S. military members during a recent conference here.The U.S. military is a comforting and reassuring presence, Maj. Gen. Conrado Parra Jr. said at the fifth annual U.S.-Philippines Airman-to-Airman (A2A) talks held Aug. 29-31.The A2A talks are designed to not only foster military-to-military relationships with allied forces, but also to pave the way for future collaboration.Parra led a delegation of eight Filipino airmen who met with Maj. Gen. Mark Dillon, the Pacific Air Forces vice commander, and 24 PACAF Airmen, Marine Corps Forces Pacific and Hawaii Army National Guard personnel to discuss the way ahead for military cooperation between their two air forces.The goals of the three-day conference were synchronizing planning between the U.S. Air Force and Philippine Air Force, shaping engagement priorities, strengthening the bilateral relationship with the PAF, and focusing on a three- to five-year outlook for PACAF-PAF activities. These talks help to determine activities that will help bridge the gap between the two air forces, Parra said. We are here to discuss our primary concerns regarding recent security developments in the East Asia Sea, and our hope is that this will be a fruitful engagement for us.In recent years, military cooperation between both countries has expanded to include the Philippines hosting U.S. Pacific Command and PACAF exercises like Balikatan and Pacific Angel, and supporting the Pacific Air Chief Conference, the Pacific Rim Airpower Symposium and the Pacific Airlift Rally. Additionally, Defense Secretary Ash Carter and his Filipino counterpart, Voltaire Gazmin, announced in April that the Philippines will host U.S. military missions to increase U.S.-Philippines security cooperation.One of those missions included PACOM directing PACAF to stand up an air contingent at Clark Air Base, Philippines, in April to set the foundation for joint air patrols that complement ongoing joint maritime patrols between the two countries. The purpose of the air contingent is to provide credible combat forces capable of a variety of missions including force projection, air and maritime domain awareness, personnel recovery, combating piracy and assuring access to the air and maritime domains in accordance with international law.The contingent also provides opportunities to expand cooperation and interoperability with Philippine counterparts and reassure partners and allies of the United States steadfast commitments in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. To date, the Philippines have hosted two iterations of air contingents, including A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and HH-60G Pave Hawks in April, and Navy EF-18 Growlers in June.Both nations recently signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which, like the air contingent, demonstrates U.S. commitment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific by establishing a mutually beneficial agreement that provides rapid humanitarian assistance and helps build capacity for the Philippines armed forces.Many of these key engagements have been successful and talks such as these further enable PACAF and PAF leaders to streamline the tactics, techniques and procedures that are shared between the two countries, strengthening the U.S.-Philippine bilateral relationship.Our two air forces have accomplished a lot of great training, Dillon said. Our goal during these talks is to continue the momentum by strengthening and thickening the relationship between the two air forces by building on the successes of the past with a solid roadmap for the future.
One week, two major roadway systems, bear paws on my car, a cabin in the woods, I saw stars and flickering fireflies, surrounded by long-legged spiders and green-leafed trees.

Over nine days, I traveled I-81 and I-26 from Staunton, Virginia to Asheville, North Carolina, then east on I-40 and north into the Blue Ridge Mountains. After a week in cool mountain air, I worked my way back, this time on the Blue Ridge Parkway for almost its entire length. I made a full loop, using roadways parallel to each other, yet I could have been in different universes.

Like on most major interstates, driving I-81 is an experience shaped by trucks. While car drivers may often be traveling to find family and friends or explore new lands, trucks move in regulated waves, forming a vital artery of our consumer economy. As sociologist Benjamin Snyder beautifully documented, they are governed by the metrics of clock and odometer, motivated by pick-up and delivery schedules, beholden to the unforgiving pressure of the time equals money equation, which has little regard for sleep schedules or bodily comforts.

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If you're familiar with driving on highways through steep terrain you know that following long descents there are runaway truck ramps, graded gravel beds dug into the side of the mountain. The idea is that should the brake system fail, this is a chance to let friction and gravity halt the out-of-control careening of an eighty-thousand pound eighteen-wheeler. The thought amazes me. It captures pure grit. Truck drivers, as Snyder portrays them, are the unsung heroes of our industrial society. Like others who work in fields or factory lines, they sacrifice their bodies on a daily basis so the rest of us can find the supplies we need from our local drugstore, groceries at will, and all manner of household and personal items where and when we wish for them.

A few miles away from I-81, the Blue Ridge Parkway stands as a symbolic counterpoint. A two-lane road, the building of which was conceived in part as a countermeasure to the Depression era stall in the forward motions of industrial Capitalism, it purposefully edges the contours of the mountains, leaving a minimal trace. Mile after mile it opens up to the horizon, the view of trees all around and verdant valleys below. There is no advertising on the Parkway, no subtle suggestions that we may need a diamond ring or new iPhone to make us whole. There are no trucks, and hardly any commerce--just hundreds of Sunday drivers, meandering through the forest taking in the sights.



That driving the Blue Ridge Parkway was more fun and rewarding than I-81 is cliche. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out, yet I almost didn't do it. I assumed it might take too long, be too inefficient, not get me home on time. When I made the choice, I entered into a different realm of time, one that put me in a semi-suspended state, in the midst of nature, aware that I was taking the long way home. It also reminded me of how privileged I am to be able to step outside of work schedules and honor the impulses of curiosity and a craving to be in nature.

I-81 and the Blue Ridge Parkway represent two realities of the American experience. I-81 seeks to shorten distances, the Blue Ridge Parkway to extend them. I-81 was built to facilitate commerce, not wonder. I experienced a joint sense of respect, and a tinge of sadness driving I-81--respect for the grit and hardiness of the American economy and those who propel it forward, sadness because of what it will do, if left unchecked, to our environment. It reminded me of what poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote in the 19th century, in the full manifestation of the Industrial Revolution:

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Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;

And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;

And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil

Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

Both are necessary, yet surely we can hope that I-81 and the many roads like it will at some point evolve into something different. Perhaps it will be battery-powered driverless transporters. Perhaps our inter-state commerce system will come to rely on packages propelled by giant magnets in aesthetically pleasing cross-country pipelines. Perhaps, along the way to technological transformation, armed with greater consciousness, we will more consistently make the choice to consume less and more locally.
Older Pit Bull resting on grass

A dog registered as a boxer has killed a woman in Montreal, so the mayor is calling for a ban on pit bulls. This would be amusing, if it weren't so predictable and depressing: in few areas of public policy do you encounter thinking this routinely deranged. And it all starts with contempt for science.

Consider the National Post's Barbara Kay, almost certainly Canada's most prominent enemy of this ill-defined category of dog: the "pit bull." Kay is one of the saner voices on her side of the debate, and I sense she genuinely believes that she is acting on behalf of dog bite victims. For years she has written screeds calling for the ban of these dogs, based on what she considers solid scientific evidence. It would help, however, if she actually knew what a scientist was, and how they can be identified in the wild. I've never dealt with a journalist so distressingly lax when it comes to vetting her sources: she does not so much cherry-pick experts as pick diseased cherries and pronounce them epidemiologists.

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In particular, Barbara Kay relies upon two crusaders who stress that they were personally bitten by pit bulls. I have written before about Merritt Clifton, the alleged statistician she describes as "her primary source." I addressed his claim that he had "more than a hundred peer-reviewed publications." I found only one -- unrelated to pit bulls -- in a marginal Asian journal. Since then an immaculately researched book has emerged -- Pit Bull: the Battle Over an American Icon (Knopf) -- and the author, Bronwen Dickey, is a more tenacious detective than I am: she managed to find two. Both in this same comically obscure journal. "In one of them, he cites his own newsletter twelve times. The rest of the citations came mainly from Web sites, news reports, and press releases." Dickey is clear on Clifton's credibility as a scientist: he "possesses no relevant credentials."

The woman Barbara Kay describes as her "other primary source" is Colleen Lynn. Here, Bronwen Dickey's revelations are priceless: "Before her bite injury, Lynn maintained a fortune-telling Web site called DivineLady.com, on which she referred to herself as 'Divine Lady, Beholder of the Soul.' In 2011, she self-published the third edition of Divine Lady's Guide to the Runes."

And the Divine Lady now runs DogsBite -- a sober, professional looking website, as long as you don't click on the links to drooling hate groups -- which credulous journalists consider a primary source for scientific information about pit bulls. Bronwen Dickey reminds us: "Lynn has no professional credentials in statistics, epidemiology, or animal behaviour; neither do the sources she relies upon most frequently."

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These are the experts, peddled by Barbara Kay, who are informing Mayor Denis Coderre's decision to introduce a breed ban. Their favoured legislation is strongly rejected by every expert organization on the continent, including the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Bar Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

When it comes to Breed Specific Legislation, it is not a question of two worthy opinions to be carefully considered and weighed against each other. It is a matter of science versus the worst kind of quackery: rune-throwing fortune tellers, wildly unqualified statisticians, and a posse of foul-mouthed trolls. There is no argument here, any more than there is in the sorry vaccine debate: it's simply knowledge versus willful, howling ignorance.

Barbara Kay's third vaunted source -- her "bible" -- is a book by Alexandra Semyonova, a former welfare inspector for the Dutch SPCA. Despite having spent time at good schools -- Johns Hopkins and University College London -- Semyonova likes to talk about "science whores": these are trained scientists with peer-reviewed publications, who come to radically different conclusions from hers, and therefore must be in it for the money.

I read Kay's bible after some urging. Semyonova's book is called The 100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs. Which doesn't have quite the same ring to it as "The Old Testament." Still, it's not a bad book. Sure, she cites Merritt Clifton, so her statistics can be safely ignored, but it's not a dreadful book, really, until you come to the end -- the section entitled: "Myth 99: Scientists know what they are talking about because they study animals in an objective way."

Here the counterfactual statements are truly special. "The scientists who have studied dogs have done it either in highly unnatural circumstances (the lab), or they've only watched the dogs for short intervals." If you believe this silliness, I suggest you look up Dr. Ian Dunbar, a scientist with stellar academic qualifications -- a veterinary degree, a doctorate in animal behaviour from Berkeley, a Special Honours degree in Physiology and Biochemistry -- who has become famous for training dogs through decades of experience in the field. (He opposes BSL, of course, calling it "frankly stupid".)

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I urge you to read "Myth 99" in its ridiculous entirety. Semyonova writes: "We now know that science often attracts people who have various, more or less serious, autism related disorders, perhaps in particular Asperger's syndrome." She laments science's "obsession with measurement and quantification." She suggests it might be a result of autism.

In short: rigorous science is overrated. Perhaps a kind of illness.

Barbara Kay seems to have come to her own self-serving conclusion: rigorous science reporting is overrated. I read her quirky bible, but despite my insistence, she has declined to read Bronwen Dickey's book, an exhaustive and likely definitive study representing seven years of research. Which didn't prevent Kay from tweeting this bit of non-libel, based on her profound insight into a book she hasn't read: "Why does @BronwenDickey hate kids?"

Let's take a look at what happened in Ontario when those evil "science whores" failed to prevent Breed Specific Legislation in 2005. For a short time it looked good: "A total of 486 bites were recorded in 2005. That number fell generally in the six years following, to 379 in 2010." And then -- when pit bulls were finally getting thin on the ground -- the numbers began to rise: "Toronto's reported dog bites have been rising since 2012, and in 2013 and 2014 reached their highest levels this century."

How could this be? Simple: other dogs stepped in to fill the gap. Irresponsible owners remained irresponsible -- since the laws did not apply to them, simply to maligned breeds -- and their dogs continued to bite. In 2014, pit bulls didn't even make the top ten list; the top biter in Toronto was the German Shepherd (a perennial), followed distantly by the Labrador retriever. Of course, had the wise rulers of Ontario listened to the science whores, they would have known to expect this: Breed Specific Legislation has been a disaster worldwide. Not one respectable study supports breed bans.

Oh, and if you care about dogs at all: "By 2012, the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association estimated that the law had led to over 1,000 dogs and puppies in Ontario having been needlessly put down."

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Perhaps you don't care about dogs, but you value fiscal responsibility? Ontario's worthless Breed Specific Legislation -- while killing dogs, and doing nothing to make humans safer -- has certainly cost a whole lot of money. The precise figure hasn't been released, despite numerous requests, but we can infer how much from a study of Prince George County, Maryland (whose BSL costs are considered on the low side, relatively speaking): "The average cost to seize, detain, test, and euthanize a single pit bull was $68,000. In the fiscal year of 2001-2002, the total cost of pit bull confiscations was $560,000." Needless to say, this half million dollars purchased precisely zilch: "Studies proved that the community had no measurable safety benefit from the ban, and lost out on thousands of dollars from cancelled dog shows, tourism, and consistent 'pit bull' report calls from concerned citizens."

You'd think that Barbara Kay, a political conservative, would have strong ideas about fiscal restraint. But no, saving money has the unbearable consequence of saving pit bulls from the needle. Which is the only reason I can imagine Ms. Kay so greatly favours the failed Ontario legislation over the much less expensive program introduced in Alberta, which happens to actually work.



You see, Mayor Coderre need not look south of the border for relevant expertise here. By coincidence, the most lauded urban experiment in the containment of dog bites -- studied across the world -- is the Calgary Model. It's a remarkable success, and it's much cheaper than Breed Specific Legislation. The downside? It's a lot of work, and -- this really hurts -- it requires humans to be responsible. Calgary's bylaws governing dog ownership, described in depth here, are some of the strictest you'll encounter: yes, leashes are mandatory, as are licences. The legislation happens to be breed neutral, meaning that if your German Shepherd or your Dalmatian bites someone, you won't be off the hook. The program stresses education -- as opposed to BSL, whose fertilizer is ignorance -- which means even more in the way of human responsibility. So, it's a bit onerous. On the plus side it saves money, dogs, and humans.

Mayor Coderre has a genuine opportunity here: he could set an example, internationally, by introducing this groundbreaking legislation to a city twice the size of Calgary. This is personal: I lived in Montreal off and on for years -- one of my favorite cities -- and it would be thrilling to see it celebrated for a major contribution to the history of animal welfare.

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The Calgary Model is not perfect, of course; nothing involving dogs and humans ever is. It requires constant vigilance and enforcement, and these have waned somewhat in recent years -- in 2011, for instance, Calgary experienced a distressing uptick in biting incidents. (Although not that distressing: the city retained "the lowest bite-per-population ratio in North America.") When the legislation is properly enforced, however, the results are peerless: Calgary "saw a five-fold reduction over 20 years -- from 10 bites per 10,000 people in 1986 to two in 2006."

Pardon my obsession with measurement and quantification. It's an illness I share with rational people who care about dog-bite victims.
In April 2014, New York City became the largest U.S. jurisdiction to implement a paid sick days law. It requires private-sector and non-profit employers with 5 or more employees to provide paid sick days to enable workers to care for their own or a family member's illness or injury. The law covers about 3.9 million workers in the City, 1.4 million of whom did not have access to paid sick days prior to its passage.

Opponents of providing paid sick days to the mostly part-time or low-wage workers who previously lacked them made the usual objections to the law prior to its passage. They argued that it would impose a major cost burden on employers, leading to job losses in the City, and that workers would abuse the law by calling in sick whenever they wanted a day off.

To examine the impact of the law on New York City employers, we conducted a telephone survey between October 2015 and March 2016 of a random sample of 352 employers who were covered by the law. We also interviewed managers at 30 establishments in the City to explore the impact of the new law in more detail. By their own accounts, the vast majority of employers were able to adjust quite easily to the new law. The work of employees who were out sick for a day or two was typically covered by co-workers or put on hold until the employee returned. As a result, nearly 85 percent of employers reported no change in costs while another 1.5 percent reported a decrease. Most of the rest reported a cost increase of 2 percent or less. Only 2.7 percent of our respondents reported an increase of 3 percent or more.

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As for abuse, the employers we surveyed reported virtually none. Fully 98 percent of respondents experienced no cases of abuse and only 0.3 percent reported more than three cases. Smaller employers (less than 50 employees) reported no abuse or a negligible amount. Even among larger employers, the overwhelming majority -- 90 percent or more -- reported no abuse. Similar, if less dramatic, results have been documented in previous studies of the impact of paid sick day laws on employers in San Francisco, Seattle and Connecticut.

Yet the general perception persists that American workers can't be trusted and will abuse their access to paid sick days. Indeed, Fast Company - a magazine that focuses on technology, business innovation, and design - recently published an article titled "How to Prevent Your Staff from Calling in Sick When They Aren't." The premise is that everyone 'knows,' as the article puts it, that "plenty of workers fib to get an extra day or two off."

We decided to exploit our data on New York City employers to see what might be behind the misperception that workers will take advantage of a paid sick days law to get unwarranted time off from work. We looked at which workers used the most sick days, and which used the least. The results surprised us.

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The employers we surveyed in the leisure and hospitality industry, where large numbers of part-time workers gained access to paid sick days as a result of the 2014 New York City law, reported that 47 percent of their employees had used no paid sick days at all in the previous 12 months. Among workers in this industry that did use paid sick days, the average number of days used was just 2.7 -- just over half of the 5 days they are entitled to under the new law. Similarly, in the health care, education and social services sector, which also employs many part-time workers, employers reported that 29.4 percent of workers used no paid sick days. And for those that did use them, the average number of days was only 3.2.

In sharp contrast, employers in the information services industry reported that almost all (97.1 percent) of their employees made use of paid sick days; on average, these employees had used 5.6 days in the prior 12 months. Take-up was nearly as high in the Finance, insurance and real estate industry, where over four-fifths (80.6 percent) used paid sick days; the average number of days used was 5.4 days. These are the types of industries that Fast Company serves, but it is important to point out that this is not evidence of abuse: the employers responding to our survey reported minimal to no abuse of paid sick days. These industries employ mainly full-time workers who for many years have had more generous paid sick days benefits than those required by the New York City law; indeed the vast majority of them are using fewer days than they have available.

As a manager at a printing company we interviewed explained, workers "truly use it [paid sick days] as insurance." An employer at a small retail store echoed this view: "A big part of it is, 'What if I get the flu or get hit by a car? ... People want to save it up in case something serious happens."

What we and other researchers have found is that the fears of opponents to paid sick days are unfounded. Large increases in business costs have failed to materialize; abuse of paid sick days by employees is rare. Indeed, at the time of our survey a year-and-a-half after New York City's paid sick days law went into effect, 86 percent of employers indicated that they supported it.

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Stolpersteine, they're called - a German word that means "stumbling stones." Over the past 20 years, the German artist Gunter Demnig has embedded more than 50,000 cobblestone-sized concrete cubes, each topped with a brass plate bearing the name and dates of a single victim of Nazi Germany, in streets and sidewalks across Europe.

Now these stones of remembrance have arrived in Lithuania.

On the 75th anniversary of the Holocaust, the Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights is spearheading the installation of 19 stones in the cities of Vilnius, Kaunas, Siauliai, and Panevezys.

On a Tuesday at the end of August, the artist himself could be seen on busy Vokieciu Street in Vilnius, installing a stone in honor of Fania Lewando (1888-1941), owner of a famed vegetarian restaurant that once stood on that spot.

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Not far away, on Rudninku Street, another stone honors Yitzchak Rudashevski (1927-1943), who was imprisoned in the Vilna ghetto at the age of 14 and murdered at Ponar, the mass killing site not far from Vilnius. His diary has been translated into several languages.

Jurate Juskaite of the human rights center believes the stones project is essential. "It seemed necessary to bring this project to Lithuania and start a conversation about our past," she said. "We think it is important that the stones are brought by an organization that is not Jewish. The Jewish community did a lot. Now it's our turn. The time has come."

The artist and the leaders of the Lithuanian project stress that the placement of the stones is symbolic, not intended to be a full accounting of the Holocaust. "We clearly understand that these nineteen stones do not represent the scope of the tragedy at all," Juskaite said.

For nearly seven centuries, Jews and non-Jews in Lithuania lived side by side mostly in peace. Yet following the Soviet incursion of 1940 and the German invasion of 1941, a land of relative harmony became a place of inconceivable brutality. By the end of the war, more than 90 percent of Lithuania's 220,000 Jews had perished. Today, Lithuania's Jewish population is only about 4,000.

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During the nearly 50 years of Soviet rule after the war, Jews all but disappeared from Lithuania's public discourse. With independence in 1991, that began to change. The stones project is part of an ongoing effort to integrate Jewish heritage into Lithuania's national narrative. "We consider commemoration of people who suffered during the Holocaust as our contribution to considering the tragedy of Holocaust as part of our collective history," said Birute Sabatauskaite of the human rights center. The story that must be told includes "the loss of people, as well as the responsibility" for that loss - the participation of Lithuanians in the Holocaust.

Most of the stones throughout Europe commemorate Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Others honor other victims of Nazi persecution, including Sinti and Romani individuals, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, anti-Nazi resisters, the disabled.

The names on the Lithuanian stones were suggested by the Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum. In addition to Lewando and Rudashevski, they include Samuel Margolis, a radiologist imprisoned in the Vilna ghetto; Isakas Anolikas, a cyclist who represented Lithuania in the 1924 Olympics; the renowned sculptor Jacques Lipschitz; Samuel Petuchauskas, longtime vice mayor of Siauliai; and Urijus Rozovskis, a pediatrician who voluntarily accompanied children rounded up in the 1943 Children's Action in the Siauliai ghetto.

One Siauliai resident, Rasa Navickaite, stated that "it goes without saying that these stones in Siauliai should be not two and not ten. Before World War II, Jews accounted for nearly 30 percent of the population of the city. Today there are only 100."

Juskaite views the installation of these 19 stones as only a beginning. "We hope that it will become the starting point," she said, "and that people will initiate the installation of more stones on the pavements in Lithuania."

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There's no doubt that anti-Semitism is alive and well in Lithuania today. Yet an opposite tendency - a desire among Lithuanians to remember and honor the Jewish past - is also plain to see. The stolpersteine project is part of a proliferation of Jewish remembrance projects launched in this anniversary season throughout the country.

In the town of Moletai, for example, hundreds of people, including the president of Lithuania, held pebbles and candles as they joined in an August 29 march, retracing the steps of some 2,000 Jews forced to their deaths 75 years ago.

In Kaunas, composer Anton Degtiariov and civic activist Richard Schofield created The Kaunas Requiem, a musical composition honoring victims of the Holocaust. The town of Anitscai held a Jewish festival. The towns of Ukmerge, Merkine, Vilijampole, Seduva, and Birzai held remembrance events. In several towns, local citizens were invited to read aloud, one by one, the names of former Jewish residents - a ceremony developed by an informal group of young Lithuanians called Vardai.

Of the stolpersteine project, Sabastauskaite says, "I hope it will help us to get rid of the discourse 'they' and 'us,' and think instead of our people, whom we lost during Holocaust."
Jonathan Burch grew up in a Christian household on California's central coast. As a teen, when he was teased by a classmate for being Jewish, he approached his mother to ask her about her heritage. His curiosity piqued, he soon immersed himself in that half of his lineage, however, devouring books about Judaism and, more pertinently, Israel. He couldn't quite understand why, but the bond he felt was intense.



Ex- Israeli Special Forces Jonathan Burch photographed in his home workshop. Burch was raised Christian but had an innate connection to Isreal, which led him to enlist to the elite special forces known as Sayeret Tzanhanim after 9/11. After returning to the US and working in private security Burch currently protects one of California's nuclear power facilities. With no formal training, Burch has taken to woodworking as new hobby, building tables and benches, many from reclaimed materials.  Ian Spanier Photography 2016.

In the wake of 9/11, Burch, 23 at the time, decided to move to Israel and join the Israeli Defense Forces -- specifically Sayeret Tzanhanim, the country's elite reconnaissance paratrooper unit. First, though, he attended an ulpan, an intensive school where he learned to speak and write Hebrew, and then spent time on a kibbutz to soak in the country's culture and social mores. He was surprised that he didn't have to convert to Judaism to join the IDF, and indeed he served alongside Christians, Muslims and Druze (an offshoot of Islam) in the Israeli military.

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He was, however, required to make aliyah, the process by which one becomes an Israeli citizen. When he finally received his citizenship card, he was moved to tears. He told the immigration officer he didn't know why he was crying; she replied that she did. "Your soul is here," she told him. "You have arrived."

After four years, he returned to America, putting his military experience in the Middle East to work as a bodyguard for a number of pop stars, as well as helping train U.S. soldiers and law-enforcement officers. His own elite training has made him highly sought-after, which led to his current position at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, on the California coast some 200 miles north of Los Angeles.
For reasons that remain obscure, we seem in our culture to experience a gender bias in the willingness to turn off lights when exiting a room. With limited data, and at the high risk of infuriating many readers, I would suggest that more women than men tend to leave lights burning when nobody is around to enjoy the benefits of illumination.

During a typical day at home I will, in trail of my spouse, stubbornly flip off lights 10 or 20 times, day in and day out, like an annoyingly persistent mosquito determined to pester my wife into submission. Alas, to no avail, a reality that finally dawned on me after 32 years. I'm a slow learner. However, and now we come to the point of this domestic tale, I will on rare occasion rush from my office and forget to turn off the light upon my hasty retreat. If my wife chances by, she will do the honor of extinguishing the electronic flame, followed sometimes by a reminder that we are both equally guilty of burning more oil than necessary.

But no, we are not. This is a claim of false equivalency. Indeed it is true that we both are in the absolute sense guilty of leaving lights on, so superficially it would appear we have similar histories that could be equated one to the other. But frequency, patterns, consistency over time and persistence matter; combined they create functional differences that result in qualitative and quantitative dissimilarities profound enough that we can reasonably conclude one set of actions is distinct from another. On the domestic front this appeal to false equivalency is trivial, of no consequence. Not so in presidential politics on the national stage.

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The media have made a tragic error in creating a false equivalency between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Yes superficially we can claim equivalency: both are running for president, each representing a major political party after securing victories in the primary season following multiple debates with opponents. But the comparison is just that - superficial - and meaningless. And dangerously naive.

Put aside for a moment whatever animosity you may feel for Clinton. You may wrongly believe her to be more dishonest than any other politician (admittedly a low bar), or believe the focus on Benghazi is something other than a GOP witch hunt, or think her email debacle is somehow worse than Bush and Cheney deleting 21 million emails from an RNC server, or conclude that her use of private emails for government business involving classified information is different than what Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Donald Rumsfeld did routinely, or dismiss General Petraeus sharing classified information with his mistress, Paula Broadwell. Or perhaps you are offended by her liberal views on abortion or climate change, or simply hate her because she is a Clinton. OK, that's great. But even with all that, Clinton is by any definition qualified to be president, hate her or not. Senator, Secretary of State, veteran of a previous presidential campaign, a major player on the global stage, Clinton has the history and experience typical of presidential candidates consistent with all who have come before.

Opposing a candidate does not mean we believe he or she is unqualified, only that we hope he or she is not elected. In previous campaigns many of us vigorously opposed McCain and Romney and thought both would make terrible presidents implementing wrong-minded policies; but both men are undeniably qualified for the presidency based on temperament, sense of history and respective experience in the U.S. senate and governor's mansion. Clinton, Romney, and McCain are all properly considered equivalently qualified as presidential candidates even if they have radically different views, agendas and policies.

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The huge and potentially existential mistake the media have made is to include Donald Trump in that group of qualified candidates. They have erred in promoting the idea that just because he is the GOP nominee he deserves to be treated like other legitimate candidates. This may be the worst case of false equivalency ever witnessed in public life. Sarah Palin, so thoroughly unprepared and unqualified for office, pioneered the low path for Trump's arrival on the national scene but she was a running mate, not the main event. In any case, as a consequence of the media's inappropriately equating Trump to actually qualified candidates, he is taken seriously no matter how outrageous his pronouncements may be. He is given media coverage unworthy of the buffoon that he is, of the clown he has become. He is offered by the media the respect of a legitimate candidate without offering in return to the American people the behavior, disposition or character befitting someone vying for the nation's highest office.

In stark contrast to Clinton or those who came before her, Trump has no credentials that would make him a viable candidate for president. Hate him or like him, it doesn't matter; he has no qualifications for the presidency. His temperament, lack of experience, misogyny, bigotry and racism have no place in any campaign for the Oval Office. Yet every day we see wall-to-wall coverage of Trump being taken seriously because the press both left and right have made the potentially fatal mistake of false equivalency, wrongly giving Trump the same deference as a candidate as they afford Clinton.

This false equivalency seems to be broadly applied across the political spectrum. Proof of this is seen in the few but prominent exceptions to the rule that the media are giving Trump the absurd benefit of the doubt that he has something serious to offer. In fact, some of the most vocal opposition comes from traditionally conservative press. The Dallas Morning News, not exactly a bastion of liberalism, concludes that "Donald Trump is not qualified to serve as president and does not deserve your vote." The Houston Chronicle, a stronghold of conservativism with the largest circulation in Texas, actually endorsed Hillary Clinton with the following commentary:

"Any one of Trump's less-than-sterling qualities - his erratic temperament, his dodgy business practices, his racism, his Putin-like strongman inclinations and faux-populist demagoguery, his contempt for the rule of law, his ignorance - is enough to be disqualifying. His convention-speech comment, "I alone can fix it," should make every American shudder. He is, we believe, a danger to the Republic."

The National Review concludes that, "Donald Trump is a menace to American conservatism who would take the work of generations and trample it underfoot in behalf of a populism as heedless and crude as the Donald himself."

But these are indeed the exceptions. Fox News remains strongly behind Trump, giving him daily saturation coverage as a legitimate possible president. CNN and MSNBC have failed in their primary mission by doing the same as Fox without questioning Trump's qualifications as they report on his campaign, ignoring or laughing off gaffs that would destroy other candidates. Media with a liberal bias make the mistake of reporting on Trump as a legitimate candidate in an effort to be "impartial" and "fair" thereby committing the sin of assuming that every debate has two sides, that all arguments are equally valid.

People commonly claim that left-wing media bias is no different than what we see on Fox News. "Both sides are equally guilty" is something often heard. "The left is just as biased as the right; both sides lie. It's all the same." This follows the oft-stated claim that media in general are left-leaning. Sure, those that are left-leaning lean to the left... But that ignores all the media tilting to the right, including the Washington Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, National Review, Breitbart, Free Republic, and conservative commentators like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly.

So yeah, left-wing media is biased; right-wing media is biased. But to say that liberal media is as partisan as conservative media is false equivalency in pure form. We can demonstrate easily enough that media bias on the left, while certainly real, is not anywhere near equivalent to the partiality on the right. The argument we hear in daily conversations that "they all do it" when discussing bias ignores the form, weight, intensity and tenuous link to reality in the bias we see on Fox News, or with Ann Coulter or Hannity or Limbaugh. In total, there is on the left no equivalent of the massive, organized, intentional bias seen on the right. We only have to look at coverage of Benghazi to see this clearly.

During George Bush's presidency, the U.S. suffered 13 attacks on embassies and consulates in which 60 people died (some put the total at 87). What is important here: Fox News (or any conservative media for that matter) mentioned not at all or only in passing any of these attacks and deaths. Compared to the never-ending coverage of the deaths of four Americans in Libya, I can find not one single Fox News or conservative media reports on the eight Americans killed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; not one story of Jim Mollen's murder, and none on the murder of Edward Seitz. Are their lives less worthy than those who died in Libya?

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The deaths in Benghazi were covered in saturation nearly non-stop for almost two full years after the attacks. According to MediaMatters, Fox News ran 1,098 segments on the Libya attacks, at least 20 per month, with a peak of 174 in October 2012. Of these, 281 segments alleged a cover-up by the Obama administration, without offering any evidence for the claim, and pushing the story long past when the claim was proven false. There is and was no cover-up. The House Armed Services Committee report concluded that the Obama administration was "not guilty of any deliberate, negligent wrongdoing." The GOP panel confirmed that "no one was deliberately misled, no military assets were withheld and no stand-down order" was given to the military. This is a Republican majority report. The bi-partisan Senate report on Benghazi came to the same conclusion that there was no cover-up.

Equally corrupt, Fox aired 100 segments pushing the blatant lie that the Obama administration issued a "stand-down order" before there was any evidence for the claim and even after the accusation was known to be false. So Fox aired hundreds and hundreds of segments on an alleged cover-up and stand-down order that they knew to be wrong. Compare this blitzkrieg of false accusations concerning four American deaths to the complete lack of coverage or investigation into the 60 deaths suffered during 13 attacks under Bush.

There is simply nothing remotely equivalent to this onslaught of blatantly biased coverage and accusations fabricated from thin air in liberal media. Fox manipulated news with the intent of harming Hillary Clinton in collaboration with allies in Congress. During an interview with Fox News, then-House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) admitted that the committee investigating Benghazi had set out with the clear purpose of damaging Hillary Clinton. Fox News gleefully covered the Benghazi hearings with no filter. Bradley F. Podliska, a staffer to the committee, openly stated that the investigation was designed to harm Clinton politically. (Conservative media predictably subsequently tried to minimize this damaging admission). Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY) reiterated this claim. You simply cannot point to something this outrageous on the left. Claiming that liberal bias exists just as it does on the right is false equivalency.

We all suffer from this curse of unequal bias as we witness false equivalency bleeding from national politics back into daily life. Denying the reality of climate change and its cause, questioning the validity of evolution, promoting an anti-vaccine agenda and fighting blindly against every GMO are all products of the same culture in which objective reality is nothing but a quaint notion from the past when fact was actually given greater weight than unsubstantiated opinion. In our brave new world, the collective opinions of thousands of professional meteorologists studying our climate have been equated to nothing more valid than the uneducated opinion of a radio host. Such false equivalency in expertise is a sure sign we are in deep trouble: we lose our ability to arbitrate between conflicting claims because everything is equally afforded the patina of validity even in the absence of evidence. If all is equivalent then we have no means of distinguishing between one assertion and another. We falsely equate opinion with fact.


Photo Credit: Fashion Week Los Angeles

The American fashion market is becoming increasingly dysfunctional and losing relevance. This year New York Fashion Week fell to the No. 2 revenue generating fashion week globally.

The risk averse and stubborn industry has waited too long to adapt and is now being forced to change as designers are dropping their support in search of more lucrative business opportunities.

"It used to be that designers couldn't afford not to participate in fashion week, but with the shift away from being an industry event, many designers are finding the events to be more costly than they're worth," states Executive Producer of Fashion Week Los Angeles, Christina Iannuzzi.

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Participation in fashion weeks across the globe can range from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars just to take part in the event. In a market where people are spending less money on objects and more on experiences, fashion week has adapted to a publicly accessible experience. Temporarily the crisis seemed averted. Then industry heavyweights became deterred by the events accessibility and began withdrawing their attendance.

Short-term gains led to monstrous long-term losses with production companies profiting at the expense of the ecosystem they need to survive. While the historic consolidation of NY Fashion Week held under one tent revolutionized the industry for the better, publicly opening fashion week has done the opposite.

Fashion Week LA has closed its doors to the public to re-establish fashion week events as industry only events with monetization for brands as their key objective. They have removed the logistical problems that result from open attendance and eliminated many others that have historically served as obstacles to the press and buyers.

Negative press plagues Los Angeles Fashion Week with many asserting that Los Angeles will never be a true fashion capital. The high-fashion of Paris and New York may never take off among Angeleno consumers, but it is not the financial lifeblood of the industry that honor belongs to ready-to-wear.

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Angelenos disposition to simple and socially adaptable ready-to-wear apparel has been adopted by the world at large, forcing fashion powerhouses like Paris and New York to either surrender their highbrow avant-garde sensibilities or recede into irrelevance.
Word is out that Washington's traditional Arab allies, alarmed at rising terror threats, have been trying to counter jihadist groups on their own. In addition to aggressive military action, homegrown Arab "soft power" efforts have emerged -- from media activity to new schools curricula -- aiming to undermine extremist ideologies and preempt terrorist recruitment. Some seek to inculcate a positive reading of Islam in hopes that it will inoculate believing Muslims from jihadists' overtures. Others appeal to young people to personally uphold the integrity of their nation-state by transcending sectarian differences. Numerous Arab states, however, have yet to confront hardline teachings and preachings within their borders that remain frightfully mainstream.

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It is essential to purge Arab seminaries and mosques of extremism. At the same time, a recent study by two Gulf research institutions suggests that jihadist groups increasingly attract followers by other means besides doctrine. The study, based on the most comprehensive survey of jihadist social media in Arabic to date, found that arguments for mass killing based on Islamic proof texts appear less often in terrorists' discourse than lay, purely emotional appeals that play off socioeconomic disaffection.

Of 45,254 surveyed jihadist Tweets, nearly 80 percent contained no reference to Islam or religion whatever. Among the 20 percent that did invoke Islam, nearly half used it for the specific purpose of pronouncing the general population "infidels" -- part of a visibly cult-style strategy of isolating recruits from the society around them. Only 1.4 percent of all Tweets contained references to Islamic law. Most of these were edicts by present-day jihadist leaders purporting to be Islamic legal authorities, as opposed to actual Qur'an, prophetic tradition, or even the giants of modern Islamism such as Sayyid Qutb.

Adam Garfinkle, in in a recent FPRI E-Note, shared his view of what such findings mean:

"We face not an esoteric intellectual but a full-fledged sociological problem in the greater Middle East. ... The larger and deeper social context, which feeds off of collective emotion rather than the tracts of Sayd Qutb or the tape-recorded rants of Osama bin-Laden, explains why newly vogue U.S. counter-messaging efforts are a waste of time and money. Those efforts are bound to fail because those messages are ... disembodied from the social networks in which ideas are embedded and given life. The notion that a bunch of people on the fifth floor of the State Department are one fine day going to discover the perfect set of words placed in perfect order and translated perfectly into Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Pashto and so on -- and that set before fanatics these words are going to suddenly change their entire point of view -- is a rationalist fantasy."

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Without dismissing the importance of doctrine, it is worth asking whether American specialists in other fields might have their own ideas about organized violence that could strengthen the attempt to counter jihadism in its present form -- and, if so, whether homegrown Arab counterterrorism initiatives could benefit from their experience.

At least one American competency, which has been applied overseas but not in the Middle East, uses sociology rather than hermeneutics to counter groups of young people with guns: the practice of organized civil action against urban crime gangs. In Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and other big cities where gang warfare kills hundreds annually, a range of scholars and civic actors have come together to augment law enforcement with a combination of community outreach, education, and special police training. Building on this expertise, the U.S. Government and others have financed projects abroad, primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean islands, whereby American specialists work in consort with local police and civil society to counter their own gang problems. The ventures, at their best, begin with a meeting of the minds between American and local participants: Americans immerse themselves in the unique problems of the foreign environment and the hard-learned lessons of locals who have been struggling to fix them. Locals, for their part, learn about the most effective tools Americans have developed to weaken gangs. Together, they devise a new approach, tailored to local realities, and proceed to implement it over months and sometimes years. The success of such ventures is measured by outcomes on the streets, as well as locals' choice to continue using the methodology on their own, without foreign funding or participation. Hallmarks of failure include the unwillingness of local stakeholders in government and law enforcement to change their own corrupt or abusive behavior, and a tendency on the Americans' part to present a cookie-cutter approach, informed chiefly by American realities, that does not fit local conditions.

As a preliminary thought experiment to gauge the potential relevance of these efforts to the struggle against terrorism in Arab lands, it occurred to us to accost a leading practitioner in the science of countering gangs. Heath Grant, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has worked with the State Department, USAID, and other agencies to develop programs overseas to counter crime and corruption. We tried to gauge potential parallels between the street gangs he knows well and the jihadist phenomenon in socioeconomically comparable Arab urban areas -- and begin to imagine the application of the former expertise to the latter pathology.

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Q: What drives recruitment into criminal gangs?

A: Poor at-risk communities in urban areas tend to be the most vulnerable. Although there are many possible reasons to join gangs, initial recruitment often starts at the need to belong and the need for protection. The feeling of hopelessness -- that actions don't matter -- combined with a reaction to police harassment add to the appeal of becoming part of an organized response. Glorified myths about gangs can be used to appeal to gangs that are often packaged as "clubs" rather than gangs at first. Coercion or force remains a very significant strategy for recruitment with some gangs internationally. Q: Do gangs espouse an ideology?

A: There is a counter-establishment ideology, offering a means of empowerment and response to oppression by the police against an unfair system. In some cases, strains of black supremacism -- or for that matter, white supremacism -- inform what might be considered a gang ideology. At times, conspiracy theories about a deliberate U.S. government campaign to repress African Americans have also played into gang ideology. And in prisons in particular, there has been some recruitment of gang members by Islamist ideologues.

In Arab environments, the theory that poverty and despair drives jihadism has been challenged by the presence of educated, middle class elites -- particularly from the Gulf states -- among terrorist organizations. But plenty of fighters also hail from among the urban poor, from Casablanca shantytowns to Baghdad slums. In these environments, moreover, police brutality is indeed widespread. As to prison recruitment of gang members by Islamists, this is the one area of crossover between the two fields of inquiry with which we were previously familiar. Dr. Grant told us that he did not know of others.

Q: Tell us about gang domination of the public space. Is there any basis for comparing gang territory with a jihadist rump state?

A: Most of what we see is the designation of urban territory as a marketplace for gang activity, with boundaries designating the gangs' monopoly on drug exchange. These physical boundaries can be "tagged" by graffiti or even social media in some cases. But in the favelas of Brazil, for example, gangs actually police and run pieces of territory. In Caribbean states, such as Trinidad and Tobago, there are areas where the real police do not enter unless there is a special operation, and most of the informal control is led by local gang activity.

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Q: What purposes does gang violence serve? Are some acts of violence an end goal in and of themselves, and if so, what justifies them?

Gang violence can serve many different functions, depending on the nature of the gang and the particular context in which it operates. Gangs can be used as a means of force or coercion for recruitment and/or to control drug or criminal markets within its boundaries. Gang violence is most often the product of conflicts between groups or an instrumental need to conduct its criminal activities. Violence can serve as an end goal in itself in such cases where criminal gang members are "jumped in" to prove their loyalty by conducting acts of violence. Violence within the gang can be used as a means of controlling its members. Q: You mentioned the use of social media to "tag" physical boundaries of gang domination. What other roles does social media play in gang activity?

It is used more often as an expression of bravado than a recruitment mechanism. Sometimes words in social media between gangs escalate into fighting on the streets. Social media can also be used by gangs as a means to identify where youths are hanging out and target them accordingly. To some degree, social media has also been used as a tool for the sale of drugs and weapons. And in addition to playing a role in the tagging of territory, it can be used to coerce individuals, as well as communicate with others in and outside of the gang about any specific gang activities. Cartels in Mexico have been known to target and harass citizen bloggers and reporters as well. USAID is currently doing innovative work with the SecDev Foundation to explore methods of communication and networks amongst gang members.

In sum, there is meaningful overlap between the two forms of organized criminal activity. With respect to jihadist groups -- particularly those aspiring to establish self-governing enclaves -- some have used conventional gang tactics to establish economic self-sufficiency. With respect to urban gangs, violence is not purely an extension of the logic of criminal activity, but may actually serve as an end goal rooted in identity, gang culture, or a form of ideology. To varying degrees, both forms of criminal organization draw recruits from among the socially disaffected. As to social media, both use it as a means to express bravado, define gang authority, harass opposition, and engage in material transactions. These areas of overlap suffice to indicate that the professional study of gangs and the means to counter them would offer insights with bearing on counter-jihadism.

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Another set of questions concerns the degree to which American specialists in countering gangs have been successful in migrating their expertise to foreign environments. Q: Give us an example of an American attempt to apply its own anti-gang methodologies overseas.

A: Efforts have been made to apply the "Operation Ceasefire" methodology around the world. It is predominantly a policing strategy based on the identification and analysis of specific crime "hot spots" in order to develop an effective response. The problem is, the approach has too often been used without attention to factors beyond territory and the gangs themselves. In order to truly make a difference, it is necessary to understand the illegal economy that gangs have created, how many people rely on this system, and what other opportunities remain for them should it be taken away. This lack of understanding is seen in places that are using this model to combat gangs, such as Trinidad and Tobago. If there is only a strategy to drive out the gangs and drug economies, the populace that relied on them will be left without sustenance. To fix this, a counter-approach is needed that will help stimulate the social context as well as the economy.

In a similar vein, from the poppy fields of the Bekaa Valley to the smuggling routes of North Africa and the Sahel, Arab and Western security forces have faced the challenge of combining interdiction with economic development to offset locals' loss in revenue from criminal activity. Q: Where have efforts been more successful, and what approach do you take in your own work abroad?

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A: In the US, the piloted Weed and Seed model showed early promise as an example of social crime prevention. Using the "weed and seed" approach, once gangs are evicted, opportunities are brought in to help the population. Economic development is accompanied by an effort to educate young people and police alike to embrace lawful behavior. When I attempt to develop a new approach for a country, I consider five main "planks" in the initiative: security sector reform, public education, business community and job development, youth justice capacities, and risk protective factors in the area.

Q: To which countries have you migrated this expertise?I have worked in El Salvador, Peru, the United Kingdom, Israel, Malawi, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Georgia, Guyana, Columbia, Mexico, and Bangladesh.

Q: Who funds these initiatives and how are they organized and staffed?From my experience, the State Department and USAID are primary American funders for international work. Within the United States, the National Institute of Justice funds significant innovations in criminal justice and social crime prevention. Funding is also provided by international bodies, such as the Pan-American Development Foundation, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and Development Alternatives Incorporated. Normally these programs are staffed by local workers for the groundwork, and they will bring in experts from abroad to partner with them in developing the plan.

Q: Among your many deployments, which effort has been the most challenging and why? Bangladesh was very difficult. We thought we could implement "community policing" in the country -- a strategy based on police-civilian partnerships -- without due consideration of the culture. At first, the Bangladeshi government and the police looked to be very supportive, as they saw it as a way to get citizens out to help the police. But the effort was severely compromised -- both by the alienation of the community from police due to the latter's bribe-taking and abuse, and by corruption among the citizenry, who sought to exploit the effort themselves.

Q: All the countries you have named feature varying degrees of democratic governance. What would be the challenge of applying your model to an authoritarian environment? A: To fit it into a more authoritarian governing style, the democratic policing principles, such as aspects of community policing, would presumably need to be altered and expectations lowered. I would wager that it would work best for these governments if there is a buy-in to the ideology behind the prevention as not "counter-government," as well as getting the citizens to see that they can change the outcome of their lives. Q: If an authoritarian state were interested in working with you on a security-related project, what would you propose as a first step?

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A: I would need a risk and needs assessment that looks at the social context of the activities, where they are occurring, and who is the primary actor. I would need to do some research to further understand what is occurring in the country itself and any measures taken to counter it, such as government initiatives and law enforcement. Alongside that, further understanding into the country's education and society is needed. Q: What would be the red flags that portend problems in implementing your strategy in a non-democratic environment?

The government overreaching into aspects of the program with which it should not be involved is a big flag. Human rights abuse and issues within its police force are also areas for concern -- though this is not a complete black and white line, but more of a grey area. A positive flag is a willingness by the government to acknowledge the role that citizens can play in shaping their futures.

This discussion began by noting the unwillingness of some Arab states to confront prevalent strands of extremist indoctrination within their borders. But if one views the roots of present-day jihadism as more socioeconomic than ideological, it would seem that a greater challenge yet to be confronted is the continuing opacity of the state. In this respect, the willingness of the state to expose its security operations to outside scrutiny may itself serve to indicate whether needed reforms are possible.

It is encouraging, therefore, that several Arab governments are growing more open to a frank discussion of their security sectors -- and the fraught relationship between police and the people they patrol. The author's experience shows that it was possible to embed with a unit of the Moroccan police as a researcher for nearly half a year, convene a workshop in the Emirati security sector to explore integrity training for their own cadets, and visit with trainers and trainees at Saudi and Jordanian security academies.

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These experiences suggest that some countries in the region have approached the point where new international partnerships -- involving non-government specialists from the United States, and aiming to establish a more holistic approach to stem organized violence -- are possible.
My husband has always been fascinated with North Korea. In his words, "It's probably the most different place on Earth. Like the Galapagos Islands... but for people."



I have to say, I never saw the appeal. To me, North Korea just seems cold... and depressing. The only way to access it is as part of an organized and strictly scripted tour, where assigned handlers whisk you down deserted streets, show you the same few monuments, and deposit you back to the single designated 'tourist hotel' in the capital. To me, travel is all about interacting with the people and the culture, and unfortunately in North Korea the price for seeking out such experiences is punished by detention, labor camps, and diplomatic incidents. No, thank you.



Still, it's hard not to harbor a curiosity for the hermit kingdom, which for decades has stood practically alone in staunch opposition to, and isolation from, the outside world. So, when my husband and I heard about a mysterious "Pyonyang Restaurant" in Ulaanbaatar, where we were staying a few nights on a recent trip, we were intrigued.



OK, so here's the deal with this establishment. It's not just a restaurant that serves North Korean food; it's a restaurant that's run by the Government of North Korea.



Apparently, North Korea owns a chain of over 100 Pyonyang Restaurants across a dozen or so countries that have diplomatic ties with its government (for those not up on North Korean geography, Pyonyang is the name of the capital). In addition to Mongolia, there are Pyonyangs in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Malaysia, and several in China.

The restaurants are large moneymakers for the North Korean government, and provide hard foreign cash currency that is otherwise difficult to come by. Some say they are fronts for Room 39, a North Korean agency dedicated to acquiring and laundering foreign currency for the government. The staff consists of attractive, highly educated North Korean women who serve traditional dishes and also perform songs and dances from the Motherland in between courses. Photography is generally prohibited.



We had to check this place out.



Our journey started with a quest to find the restaurant, which turned out to be located on the 4th floor of an otherwise nondescript office building, down a dark alley and facing a largely abandoned parking lot. Once we stepped out of the elevator though, an entirely different scene unfolded: a huge, ornate, and almost completely empty restaurant hall decked out with paintings of the North Korean countryside, Christmas lights, and a fish tank. Up front was a portrait of Kim Jong Un, and a small gift counter selling North Korean 'memorabilia' at severely inflated prices. A book of North Korean stamps ran for $120; a novel written by Kim Jong Un sold for $60. We bought the cheapest item available - a small pin from some 2004 sporting event in Pyonyang - for $5.

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Next to the merchandise booth was a confusing 'gallery' containing North Korean replicas/adaptations/interpretations of famous paintings like the Mona Lisa, also for sale. Past the gallery, in the front of the dining area, was a large stage set up for a full 10 piece band, and decked out with glittering LED and icicle lights.



We were greeted by a beautiful and effusive North Korean (I assume) waitress wearing a neatly pressed contemporary outfit and sky high heels. She handed us an impossibly huge menu, containing over 500 numbered items.



We were on the hunt for authentic North Korean food (though not for the dog soup, which is apparently sold at these establishments; as a side note, we did not see this on the menu). After a good 20 minutes of scanning the menu, we settled on Pyonyang cold buckwheat noodles, a pork and kimchee dish, and a forest mushroom plate.



The food was delicious. We particularly enjoyed the pork and kimchee, which had a nice kick to it, and was also full of juicy, fatty bits that my husband would not touch and so they were all mine. The cold noodles were a little challenging in texture - kind of glassy and slippery - but unique in flavor, with bits of burdock thrown in for crunch.

By the time we finished up, it was past 9 p.m., and we were afraid "the show" would not be held that evening, perhaps on account of there being only 3 parties patronizing the restaurant that night. But our fears were unfounded: suddenly, the lights dimmed, and our waitresses emerged, decked out in traditional North Korean outfits.



The set started with what I assume was a North Korean folk song, following which one of the waitresses stepped forward and belted out an Adele-worthy opera rendition of another unfamiliar tune. Next, a pair of waitresses performed a choreographed song and dance routine during which they impersonated wind-up toys, moving in staccato and freezing in stiff, unnatural positions.

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After a few more songs in the same vein, the full troupe of waitresses came up on stage and assumed their seats behind the instruments. At that point the show was briefly interrupted by a large group of confused-looking tourists who had wandered in and were milling around by the gift shop. They were promptly seated by the guitarist waitress, who then just as quickly resumed her place on stage.



And, they were off: a North Korean waitress jam band. OK, they weren't quite Phish, but they were really good, and completely in sync!



With that, the show was over. As we were leaving, a couple of waitresses walked us out. As we approached the elevator, one asked if we were Russian. This made sense - most of the Caucasians in Mongolia are from Russia.



"No, we are from the U.S." I explained.



Blank look.



"From America," my husband offered.



"Oh!"



A look of surprise flitted across her face (or perhaps I imagined it?) but she quickly recovered her smile.



"We had such a great meal. May we take a picture with you?" I chanced.



"Oh no no, sorry, we are working," they replied in unison.



As we walked back to our hostel, shivering in the late evening Ulaanbaatar chill, my husband and I didn't talk much. We were both preoccupied with the unexpected heaviness of what we had witnessed.



We came to the restaurant for a show, a joke, a spectacle. For the chance to snap some stealth photos and revel in the ruin porn of a forbidden city. Instead, we saw through a perfect, smiling veneer, oppression.
The rising age of retirement and labor shortages in many industries have created a multigenerational workforce for the first time in history. Not only does the workplace span four generations, there is a very good chance that Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z will find themselves on the same team. Each generation brings its unique perspective, communication style and work ethic to the workplace. So how can an employer best utilize and retain this diverse bank of employee talent?

To understand the generational span within the modern office environment, we must first recognize their differences. The Millennials, as of 2015, make up the largest share of the American workforce. There are many ways in which they are in stark contrast with the Baby Boomers, who are most often their parents' ages. While avoiding the impulse to stereotype any generation, some research shows that the following traits that help explain the cultural divide.

By the end of 2015, Millennials made up 45 percent of the workforce in the United States, compared to 21 percent GenXers and 31 percent Boomers. According to a study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers ages 55 to 64 worked for the same employers a median of 9.3 years, while workers ages 25 to 34 have a median tenure of only 2.9 years. This brings up the question of how do we retain workers from each generation, when they are so vastly different?

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The Common Denominator

Studies show that employee retention is directly linked to whether the employee feels valued at work. This is constant across all generations. Workers who felt they made a difference or were appreciated by their employers had higher rates of retention. Employee recognition has typically been associated with rewarding years of service or outstanding performance, but it is now time to think outside the box:

Baby Boomers prefer tangible symbols of their loyalty, commitment and service such as plaques or certificates.

prefer tangible symbols of their loyalty, commitment and service such as plaques or certificates. Generation Xers want opportunities for development and certifications to put on their resumes.

want opportunities for development and certifications to put on their resumes. Millennials like awards and certificates as evidence of their credibility or involvement in social issues.

like awards and certificates as evidence of their credibility or involvement in social issues. Generation Z employees like to share their accomplishments with others. For example a photo taken of them with the token of recognition that they can share on social media.

Of course these are generalizations, but every generation has something different and valuable that they bring to the workplace. Companies that embrace generational differences in the workplace will be the most successful because they will recruit and retain the most valuable employees, thus creating a competitive advantage.
Hillary is even ahead in many Red states because Trump is such a bad candidate. Predictions of an electoral landslide are starting to appear. I got to tell you, you tin foil hat wearing fools would be the type of people who, when observing a tsunami heading to shore, would stop to weed your gardens before fleeing to higher ground. BLAH HA HA HA HA HA
"We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government" - President Barack Obama, 2nd Inaugural Address, January 21st, 2013



Harnessing the most innovate ideas and technology - and the most innovative ideators and technologists - is a key mission of the Institute for Education.

It's what we do.

In July, we held our Third Annual Innovation Cook Out at the historic Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, with a robust turnout of innovators from around the globe, who came together in support of IFE's culture of community, friendship, fun and family.

IFE understands that we need more applause, recognition, cheering and celebration of the women and men that are leading the way innovative how citizens engage with their government. All the while, their ideas and work are saving taxpayer money, fueling job creation and - most importantly - building the culture of entrepreneurship and innovation within government itself.

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As former U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Senior Advisor to the President Todd Park exclaimed, "All the guests are compounded awesome with compounded awesomeness!"

The mission of IFE's Innovation Program is to engage the global community to find common ground and to enhance collaboration, thereby harnessing the power of soft diplomacy, data, innovation and technology. IFE continues to nurture the culture of an innovation community by providing forums and gatherings that encourage collaborative bonds, such as the annual Innovation Cook Out.

Todd Park and John Paul Farmer, the co-founders of the Presidential Innovation Fellow program, congratulated the PIF Class of 2015, who were recognized for their incredible work.

The Institute for Education continues to celebrate this community of innovators who are building a culture of consumer-facing government services that are improving the user experience and reliability of digital government - from health care, to immigration, to veterans' benefits.

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Congratulations to the PIF Class of 2015: Steven Babitch, Adam Bonnifield, Ross Dakin, Erren Lester, Kate McCall-Kiley, Josh Paterson, Amy Wilson, and Alex Pelletier.





The following PIFs were awarded special honors for their efforts that went above and beyond their call to duty:

Eric Daimler, Alex Pelletier, Ross Dakin (PIF 2015)Institute for Education Award for Outstanding Diplomatic Engagement

Jackie Kazil and Sokwoo Rhee (PIF 2013) Institute for Education Award for Distinguished Service

Tyrone Grandison (PIF 2014)High Impact PIF Alumni AwardDhanurjay 'DJ' Patil IFE Award for Data Diplomacy
Two businessmen standing shaking hands at lunch meeting in restaurant

Race has been in the national narrative quite a bit lately. Between things like Black Lives Matter, the Colin Kaepernick protest and Donald Trump's candidacy for president, there have been countless discussions about what constitutes racism and to what degree it still exists in America.

The common thread of a good many of these "conversations" is that people who should be listening are doing the bulk of the talking. To be succinct: If you're a white person telling a black person what it's like to be black, you're "whitesplaining."

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And whitesplaining is arrogant, naive and sad. I say this not as an accusation but as a confession, for I too am a recovering whitesplainer.

There is a solution to whitesplaining, though. And here is how I entered "treatment" for it.

Back in the fall of 1993, the "LA Four" trial for the beating of Reginald Denny in the LA Riot, concluded with only one of the attackers receiving a significant prison sentence. That was in the wake of the acquittal of the police beating of Rodney King.



If you're a white person telling a black person what it's like to be black, you're "whitesplaining."



The similarities between the two incidents were as striking as the distinctions. One involved four white people beating a black person. The other involved four black people beating a white person.

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In the first case, the perpetrators were police, allegedly serving the public. While most thought the attack was brutal, many justified it by saying King was fighting back or on drugs.

In the other, the men were outraged by a perceived lack of equality in the American judicial system. While many blacks didn't condone the acts of the LA Four, they understood the rage that motivated them.

Perhaps most striking of all was the behavior of the victims in the aftermath of the trials and how their actions contrasted with the rest of the worlds. King asked, "Can we all just get along?" And Denny's first response was a conciliatory hug to the mother of Williams -- the offender who received the longest prison sentence.

And that was the backdrop of my epiphany.

Some of the young men from my church and I had a weekly habit of getting together on Fridays to eat dinner and play scrabble. We had the luxury of having a chef among us, who made these fantastic meals.

A couple of the guys were black, one was Hawaiian, and the other two (including me) were white. That night, we talked about the trial. One of the black men, Edgar, argued that what the LA Four did was not racist.

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"How could it not be racist?" I asked, "they nearly beat him to death because he was white!"

"It was bigoted," he acknowledged. "But it is impossible for a black man in America to be racist."

"What?" I asked, aghast. "How can you say that? Of course, blacks can be racist."

And that sparked a conversation that lasted over a year and probably over 200 hours of talking. It took me the first two months to hear enough to realize one essential thing: Edgar knew more about being black than me.

Two Paradigms

I know it sounds outrageous, but this is a crucial thing you need to realize if you're white: Blacks don't live in a different "country" than we do, but they do live with a different paradigm

There was a single, poignant moment when that realization hit me. I asked Edgar, point blank once, "Do you see yourself as a man or as a black man?"

He didn't hesitate to respond, "I see myself as a black man."

Feeling like I'd just won the debate, I victoriously and emphatically declared, "See, that's the difference between you and me, I just see myself as a man."

And his response to that declaration shut me up and got me to start truly listening.

"You can see yourself as just a man," he said, "because the world you live in lets you."

It made me think.

Why do I see myself as just a man and not a white man? Because my actual race isn't presented back to me very often. The few times it is are when something like the Denny beating takes place.

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White America (generally speaking) only pays attention to race when we either feel we're being accused of racism or think we're the victims of it. Or worse, believe we're being held responsible for our race's past indiscretions.

It doesn't usually touch us personally. Oh sure, we have our instances we use as examples of how it works both ways.

But our occurrences happen so rarely that we can count them on one hand--particularly if we aren't racist.



Blacks don't live in a different "country" than we do, but they do live with a different paradigm.



We confuse the prevalence of racism with our personal experience of it, and since we aren't racist and aren't affected by it, we convince ourselves that its existence is as rare as our experience of it.

And thus we use language like "playing the race card" or "race baiting" to describe situations where blacks are seeing racism when we don't think it's there.

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But have you ever thought you might be wrong about that?

Black people live in a different subjective reality, statistically speaking, and non-racist whites can have trouble seeing that. Racism isn't just KKK-led white supremacy.

It has more subtle manifestations, and because we aren't aware, we don't see those when they happen. To see it we have to understand what life is like in their paradigm, not ours.

A Paradigm Shift

One time, Edgar and I were on a road trip. We stopped at a gas station to get some goodies. I went to the cooler to get the sodas; he went to the snack rack to the get the chips. Take a guess which one of us the attendant watched like a hawk.

If it weren't for our running dialogue about racism, I might not have noticed, but I did. Edgar was better dressed than me, as he usually was. He was wearing a button-up shirt and khakis. I was donning a printed t-shirt and jeans. But he was the one the attendant eyeballed the entire time we were in there. As we were pulling away, I mentioned it to Edgar,

"It happens all the time," he said, shrugging it off.

And so it was when he quipped at me, "You see yourself as just a man because the world you live in lets you" this is the thing that flashed through my mind.

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It occurred to me that our run-ins with racism are few and far between, but if you're a black person, they're a regular part of life.

Even if only five percent of white Americans are just "eyeball-you-in-the-store" racist, and a black person comes across just 20 white people a day, he/she encounters racism every day of their life.

If every day, society is telling a black person, "you're a black person," how are they not going to incorporate that into their personal identity? Like it or not, a big part of how you see yourself is how the world sees you.

As a result, white folks often think black people are seeing racism when it's not really there. The reality is that whites aren't seeing it when it is. That's the first and most pressing aspect of whitesplaining that has to go.

The reason you're not scared when you get pulled over for a moving violation is that all you did was commit a moving violation. The reason a black person gets scared when they get pulled over for a moving violation is that they have to worry about being perceived as a threat.

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Why do I see myself as just a man and not a white man? Because my actual race isn't presented back to me very often.



Sure, maybe that cop isn't an overt racist. Maybe he's not a card-carrying member of the Klan. Maybe he's just going to have his guard up when he sees you're black because he's a little bit afraid.

And maybe he's not going to let a little bit of tone go with that black person that he would for a white person because with a white person, he doesn't have to use extra aggression to compensate for his own fear.

Whitesplainers need to understand this. Racism isn't always conscious. It's not always deliberate. And it's not always overt. In fact, most of the time it's a subtle, insidious whisper in the form of fear, not hate.

Some white people like to say, "some of my best friends are black." But racism isn't manifested in our reaction to the black people we know; it reveals itself in our response to the ones we don't know.

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If we distinguish between them and the "thugs" who are protesting, we aren't really hearing what the protestors are saying. And there's a good chance you're not asking your friends either -- at least not in a way where they feel they want to discuss things with you.

And there's a good chance they don't if you're a whitesplainer.

The only way reach that understanding is if whites stop teaching and start learning. Have an open dialogue with some black friends, but don't control the conversation. Don't debate with them. Don't assume you know more about being black than they do.

Rather, ask them questions that can help you understand until you have your own paradigm shift. Only then can you even be qualified to start thinking about solving the racial problems in our country.

Fairness vs. Equality

Once you get past the fact that you're operating in a different paradigm, you start to realize that there's a fundamentally different thought when it comes to racism that whites and blacks have.

When whites talk about it, they're looking at fairness. When blacks talk about it, they're talking about equality. And yes, there is a big difference.

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There is no question when you look at things like education, income, incarceration and so on, there is a racial imbalance in this country. Sure, we can debate about why that is in perpetuity, but there's no denying that is the case.

It is impossible to balance inequality without being unfair. You can't just "treat everyone equally" when there's already imbalance and expect that things will even out.

Imagine an old-fashioned balance scale with the arm and the dishes. On this scale, one side has more weight than the other. How can you even them out?

You can take some weight off of the heavier side. You can add weight to the lighter side. Or you can do both and move some of whatever you're weighing from the heavy side to the lighter side.

What you cannot do is treat both sides the same. As long as you do that, you'll have inequality. It's just perpetuating inequality under the pretense of equality.

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This is a big tripping point for whitesplainers. They (and by they, I mean we), want to focus on fairness, not equality. "It's not fair," we say, "that white kids should get passed over for college in favor of less-qualified blacks."

No, it isn't fair, but it's equality.

Africans getting kidnapped from their homes wasn't fair. Being sold into slavery wasn't fair. Sharecropping wasn't fair. Jim Crow laws weren't fair. Redlining wasn't fair. There are 500 years of "unfair" history towards blacks.



Racism isn't always conscious. ... In fact, most of the time it's a subtle, insidious whisper in the form of fear, not hate.



"But, that's all history!" is the all-too-often whitesplaining rejoinder to that argument.

And it is history. Slavery isn't legal today. I never owned anyone. And American blacks were never owned by anyone. Segregation was done away with half a century ago. But it is our history, and we can't run from it.

But let's not pretend that there still isn't actual racism in the country.

Redlining hasn't gone anywhere, and reverse redlining has become just as bad. Politicians are reinventing debtors prisons by effectively making being black and poor a cyclical criminal offense.

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States are passing poorly disguised new Jim Crow laws, designed to prevent blacks from voting.

So, no, don't think that legalized racism has gone away, but even if it were to go away, that doesn't mean the impact of it disappears. It's not as though, the moment all racist policies are done away with, we'll be looking at equality. The scales will still be uneven.

The damage of all that history still exists. Many black inner cities are still impoverished. That degree of poverty coupled with the corresponding lack of hope can't be decoupled from the "culture" that many would like to blame the present-day plight of African Americans on.

Taking care of the things that cause the inequality are only step one. That has to be followed by actual balancing the sales. It's only when the two sides of it are even that we have true equality.
Humpback Whales incorporates the best that IMAX films have to offer - impossible photography, entertaining music and an instructional narrative that, when combined, creates a positive visceral experience. The musical score is brilliantly constructed to create an emotional connection between viewers and the whales. The song "Best Day of My Life" paired with pristine video footage of effortless swimming, lunging and breaching invokes a jubilant mood. The haunting, yet mesmerizing songs of the hunchback whales are also highlighted. Narrated by Ewan McGregor, this documentary is educating, motivating and inspiring.

The Special Features are as compelling as the main feature! "The Search" showed the difficulties in finding the humpback whales, leading the production crew to Tonga, Alaska and Hawaii. The photographers, researchers and director's enthusiasm for an accurate and complete portrayal of the whales is contagious. The only thing missing is the spray of fresh ocean water!

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Morgan B. comments, "Of course, this is an awesome movie. It is made by the award-winning documentary filmmakers MacGillivray Freemen Films, the same people (Shaun and Greg Mac Gillivray) who made Everest and National Parks Adventure which are beautifully executed." Abigail Zoe L. adds, "What I particularly like about this show is how much fun information you learn about humpback whales. For instance, did you know that humpback whales can weigh 50 tons, be longer than a 50 foot school bus and have a wing span greater than most Lear jets?" Miles T. wraps it up with, "This movie is especially interesting because how it's told in 40 minutes and tells you everything you need to know about these magnificent creatures." See their full reviews below.

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Humpback Whales

By Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

You are sitting on a quiet beach watching the waves roll into shore. Suddenly in the middle of the ocean a giant leaps in the air, does a complete 180 degree twirl and splashes back down into the depths of the ocean. As quickly as the ocean frenzy started, it all stops and goes back to calmness. You have just witnessed a humpback whale.

The narrator for this movie is two-time Golden Globe nominee Ewan McGregor who I love and adore. His pace and soothing voice set a calm tone for this film. Stephen Judson's' writing is easy to understand and memorable.

Of course, this is an awesome movie. It is made by the award-winning documentary filmmakers MacGillivray Freemen Films, the same people (Shaun and Greg Mac Gillivray) who made Everest and National Parks Adventure which are beautifully executed. I love the amazing places they take us because they always make you want to get more involved in the world around you and spend more time outdoors.

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You may not have one as a pet because the mothers carry them around for one year and when they are born, they are 14 feet long. When full grown, they are 55 feet long and, at 50 tons, they will not fit into your swimming pool. If you have trouble walking a dog, well the 10,000 mile migration they take every year might be a bit much for you. This film takes us all the way from the tropics to Alaska and Antarctica. We get to see the world through the eyes of humpback whales and marine biologists. The equivalent of 8,000 hamburgers they eat every day might also be a deal breaker. A gold fish makes a better pet for your home.

Humpback Whales is a beautiful film with stunning photography and educational facts about these majestic creatures that I found fascinating. The birds-eye-views are dynamic, the views are something I have never seen before. You watch the humpbacks as they glide through the water. Jumping in the water and playing with them might be an option your brain can consider but it's not going to happen but, I enjoyed watching the beautiful tropical places that this movie takes us to.

The best scene in this film when a group of whales form a group bubble net. One whale blows bubbles in a spiral motion surrounding the creel then, several whales swim deep into the bottom of the ocean and sing haunting noises while swimming upward. These intelligent creatures of the ocean have learned an easy way to herd fish. They capture them in the bubble net and the whales have a wonderful meal for their whole group.

Listening to all their different songs and how they change them reinforces our grasp of their communication skills and genius. Only the males sing. The movie also has other music with a tropical vibe by Steve Woods and Calum Graham which puts you in the mood to hang out in the ocean with the humpbacks.

Tonga, which is east of Australia, is where whaling was once a prevalent way to make money. They have since stopped and found that tourism brings in more money and saves the whales. In the 1970s, there were only 50 breeding female humpbacks left. Today, the number has grown to the 2,000s. This once-almost-extinct mammal is still only 40% of the population it once was. We are making great progress.

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There are three countries where whaling is still allowed today - Japan, Norway and Iceland. Additionally, boating accidents and pollution such as trash, fishing nets and other items lead to their demise.

The earth is 71% waters and oceans. We should all look after the ocean creatures and our planet. This movie reinforces and reminds us that the humpback whales exist and need our help to survive. Along with kidsfirst.org you should add OneWorldOneOcean.com to your must see viewing list.

I recommend this film to kids ages 7 thru 18 who will find it entertaining, educational and beautiful. All 40 minutes will hold your full attention. Adult will love the epic underwater and aerial photography. I give this film 5 out of 5 Humpback Whale Star fish.

Humpback Whales

By Abigail Zoe L., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, 9 years old

The Humpback Whales DVD is amazing, stunningly beautiful and a spectacular educational ocean adventure. For the first time in IMAX, it offers an up-close look into the incredible lives of humpback whales by a team of researchers.

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What I particularly like about this show is how much fun information you learn about humpback whales. For instance, did you know that humpback whales can weigh 50 tons, be longer than a 50 foot school bus and have a wing span greater than most Lear jets? Or, that they can dive to the depths of 1,000 feet in the ocean and migrate up to 10,000 miles round-trip every year? And, did you know that male humpback whales sing?

Sadly, we also learn that for hundreds of years and up until the 1970s, humpback whales were killed for their oil. Fortunately, because of the generous support of the Pacific Life Foundation we are learning the importance of the humpback whales and the importance of protecting them.

My favorite thing in this show is learning that the male humpback whales communicate through song. Their songs are known as the "Music of the Deep." It is also what motivated countries across the world to form a ban to stop the killing of humpback whales in 1978. Up until this time, these marine mammals were becoming extinct.

This film is wonderfully narrated by two-time Golden Globe nominee Ewan McGregor and produced by Academy Award nominated filmmakers at MacGillivray Freeman Films. The accompanying music is moving and sets the mood perfectly. I also loved seeing the beautiful scenery as we follow a team of researchers journeying into the waters of Alaska, Hawaii and the distant stunning islands of Tonga.

The message of this film is that humpback whales should be protected, respected and asks what can we do to help them survive. So what can we do to help? Glad you asked. The film tells us that this is possible by encouraging ships to slow down or be re-routed and to keep trash out of the ocean. However, there is also a life moral message about how it is our turn to be the guardians of these magnificent creatures.

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The Humpback Whales DVD is a wonderful, educational, ocean adventure for both children and adults. Young viewers will enjoy the beautiful scenery and more mature viewers will appreciate the many amazing things there are to learn about humpback whales. The DVD includes a special feature by the film's director who discusses the making of the movie which you won't want to miss. I recommend this for ages 5 to 18 and give it five out five stars. I hope you watch this DVD so you too can experience the magnificence of humpback whales.

Humpback Whales

By Miles T., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

This movie is alive and interesting with the truth about humpback whales. This movie is especially interesting because how it's told in 40 minutes and tells you everything you need to know about these magnificent creatures. It allows you to look up or ask some friends about humpback whales. Throughout this story, you learn how they move around, all about their calves, the dangers they face and especially, how humans work against and with them at the same time. It talks about how people are the main enemy of the whales because of ocean trash. But it also tells us how we can help them and what you can do. It brings hope and information to everyone who watches this film.

The DVD has an extra scenes feature and boy is it interesting. It talks about how the movie was made, where they went and a lot of other interesting things. I love the way everyone said they had a good time making the film and that they are so happy. It's also very similar to the actual movie, but they talk to the camera and tell you about themselves.

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Ewen McGregor, the narrator, is quite enthusiastic throughout this film. He tells us interesting things about the whales and how they do all these incredible things. You may not think it, but there is amazing animation in this film. They show how the whales eat, and sometimes show the whales moving. It's really detailed and for a moment made me think it was really the live whales.

My favorite part of this film is when they talk about the migratory paths of the whales. I especially liked learning whales' fingerprints. This film moral is quite a sad one I would say about not doing things that kill the whales. For example, drive slower and don't throw trash into the ocean.

If I was a whale lover, which I'm not, I would rate this 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this for ages 5 to 18 and adults may enjoy it too. I think that younger kids may be scared by the death scenes which we unfortunately have to endure. You can find this movie on Blu Ray/DVD.



Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11



Abigail Zoe Lewis, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 9
A few years ago I found myself in the small city of Pleiku in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. I worked 12 to 14 hours a day, six to seven days a week, so any chance I had I would visit somewhere new in Vietnam. On one particular occasion, I found myself at a cemetery packed with tiny graves, not fully understanding their size.

As I stared out at the sea of small graves, a man wearing camouflage cargo pants rolled up on an old motorbike. He noticed my camera and said, "Do you want to see some pictures?" "Sure," I said. He took out a stack of old photos - some in black and white and some in color - of unborn and born fetuses, and deceased babies. It was a grim, jarring, and eye-opening experience that I will never forget.

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Years later I returned to Pleiku looking for the same man in order to document his story.

Mr. Phung collects unborn babies and aborted fetuses from the various clinics around the city on his motorbike. He's on call 24/7 to pick them up, and makes it his mission to give each and every one of them a burial when he brings them back to the Pleiku pediatric cemetery. He estimates that he has collected over 15,000 fetuses and babies over the years on his own.

Mr. Phung doesn't make a salary from this job, but rather earns his living constructing other gravestones. On the side, he and his wife offer assistance for pregnant women as an alternative to abortion.

When I first arrived, I stood by the altar amongst the rows and rows of gravestones. As I waited with his assistant Ms. Tam, Mr. Phung pulled up in the same style of cargo pants, riding the same bike as the first time I visited. His memory wasn't the clearest but he remembered me as the foreign guy. That was good enough for me. I asked him if I could film him doing his job. He agreed, but when I told him I wanted to go see the clinics he quickly brushed that idea aside. The clinics would never work with him again, he claimed, because many of them operate out of secrecy from the scrutiny of their patients.

This made me consider the potential backlash of such a controversial job. In fact, Mr. Phung said there are people who tried to put him down and slander him. They claim he's crazy, they say he's got personal agendas, they undermine his work, and slam his lifestyle choices. But Mr. Phung isn't bothered by this. As he tells it, he just wants to focus on his job and let the higher powers judge him when the time comes.

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Photo by the author



Mr. Phung was inspired to start his mission because prior to the establishment of the cemetery, unborn babies and fetuses were discarded in the streets where animals would eat them. Mr. Phung was moved by this, and immediately began collecting them for burial. Eventually word got out about his mission and hospital security guards or motorbike taxi drivers would bring them directly to Mr. Phung. He's since expanded his service and he, his son, and his friend retrieve them whenever there's a call. On my brief visit, there were five deliveries with three more on the way.


Margaret Riordan

Margaret Riordan heads up the Blanchard Collective, an eclectic group of 18 European dealers, who between them, have a mixed array of 17th to 21st century English, Continental, Oriental and American furniture and decorative items. The idea is to provide a one-stop shop for interior

decorators and private clients alike.



Her journey to this position has been one of mixed fortunes. Trained as a teacher, she taught English in Istanbul for a year before taking up a post in London. A need for change lead to a year as a motorcycle messenger, and then to setting up a cookware business. However, when the opportunity to join an existing antique business presented itself, there was no looking back. Mentored by a dealer with an excellent 'eye', she promoted his business, and then when he gave up the lease, she opened a Collective on her own behalf with his blessing.

How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?

For me, talk of leadership necessarily involves a team. A leader needs his/her team, a team their leader. It is an organic process growing from a breadth of work/life experiences which, approached with an open mind, form the basis for developing sound character judgment.

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I started my working life as a teacher, was a motorbike messenger for a year, ran a cookware business. Growing up I was surrounded by antiques because my grandmother was a serious collector and this clearly inspired me when the opportunity arose to get involved in the business and to start building the right team to launch our Collective of 25 antiques dealers and interior designers located just outside the historic city of Marlborough.

What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at The Blanchard Collective?

There are daily highs and lows in setting up and running a business. For me, the biggest challenge was getting the banks to take me and my business plan seriously with a view to finance. 10 years on the biggest highlight has been the realization that I did it without them! That has been very empowering and I hope will inspire would be women entrepreneurs not to take no for an answer.

On a more general note. The main challenge is not to get bogged down in the very necessary, but time consuming day to day admin which running a business entails. I find it really important to keep looking outward, and to let other interests play a part. Living life in various compartments does not work for me.

The highlights are invariably people related. There is huge enjoyment in establishing a rapport with a client, and getting involved in their project, either directly with them, or, in consultation with their decorator. Bringing together an interior is personal, involving as it does a reflection of the client's preferences and interests, and is immensely satisfying.

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What advice can you offer to women who want a career in your industry?

The antique business is not a career decision, it is a way of life. Once it is in your blood you never retire.



Speaking generally though, any career in retailing demands a liking for people, an enormous amount of patience, passion for the product and attention to detail. When it is your own business, the most important lesson is to let your passion carry you forward, and to never give up.

How do you maintain a work/life balance?

In my business, work and life are as one. There is so much satisfaction in dealing with wonderfully made & beautiful objects, and in creating interiors with unusual items which can be found in unexpected places. The real joy is in being aware of all manner of outside stimuli which can play a part in your work experience. Whether it be travel, museum & art gallery visits, shopping trips, all experience is a personal investment in the business. My husband John is my partner in life and the business and although we do manage an essential holiday in Italy each year at the same wonderful hotel, our life together is enmeshed in the business.

What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace?

I think that the biggest issue for women in the workplace is an overblown awareness of being a 'woman in the workplace'. Just be yourself, enjoy working out the problems that present themselves, and just get on with it.

How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal life?

Mentorship comes in many guises, from friends, workplace colleagues, chance encounters. Just be open to experience, and take from it what is relevant. My most important mentor has been Orlando Harris, for whom I worked for several years promoting his Collective. He was one of the earliest exponents of the 'Dealers' Collective' concept, and the grounding I received whilst working for him has been invaluable in my own business.

Which other female leaders do you admire and why?

Frances Morris, Director of Tate Modern for her controlled enthusiasm, and ability to bring together so may creative minds.

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Angelina Jolie who leads by self-effacing example.

Karen Brady for her business acumen.

Theresa May, British Prime Minister for her practical and commonsense approach, and as someone who is not afraid of taking the hard decisions.
When children have two parents who live together or live apart due to a divorce, it's important that they know that they are united in supporting the child's venture into the new school year. Make sure every day each parent talks with the child about their day and sets up a routine for having a snack after school, doing homework, and playing.

10 Hints for Co-Parenting the First Month of School

1.Discuss with your co-parent your work and at home schedules, so you know who will be there to greet your child when he or she returns home after school.

2.Set up a non-rushed atmosphere when your child returns so they can settle down after their school day.

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3.Provide a snack and some small talk when they arrive and you will hear about their day including things that went well as well as those that didn't.

4.If only one parent is in the home, set a time to call the other parent to just say hello. It's important to the child that they know both parents are thinking of them.

5.Set up a place for homework and decide what materials are needed to do the work. Have this the same place every day to set up a routine. If the child is from a divorced home, set up this structure as similar as possible in each house.

6.Decide with the co-parent and the child on when homework is done - before or after play time. Then stick to it until it becomes routine.

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7.If play time comes before homework, set an amount of time that becomes regular, so there is no fussing when it's time to begin to work.

8.Whichever parent is available, offer to help with the homework if the child wants it. If your child is young, check it over when it's finished and praise the child for their persistence and a well-completed job.

9.If your child is a teen, again ask if they need anything while doing the homework. An extra snack by their side may show you are on their side as they delve into the assignments. If the parent in charge at the time follows the same routine as the other, the child feels calmer and more organized.

10.At the end of each week consult with your co-parent about how things went at school and at home. Review the successes so they are repeated and be flexible about what doesn't work well and needs to be changed.

It's very important for marital problems to remain separate from parenting. When kids feel their parents agree on the importance of school and the routines that make things run smoothly, they feel calm about school and do well. If marital strife interferes, the child feels disorganized and finds it hard to concentrate. Co-parenting is team work!

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You have a recurring fantasy where you're a business owner...

It doesn't have to be a huge business, maybe just a side business. Something you're passionate about and think you can make some decent money doing. But you're not ready to give up your day-job just yet.

The biggest issue is that you're completely clueless on where to start. You know you want to start a business someday. You'd totally start it this weekend if you knew the first step.

Well, today's your lucky day because I'm going to show you how easy it is to start a side business this weekend. I'm going to give you three fun side business ideas and point you in the right direction. Because if you really want to start a business, you can start working on it right now.

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Sell T-Shirts for a Good Cause

Today I'm wearing one of my favorite shirts from Sevenly's

collection. Mercy Ships provides free lifesaving surgeries for people where medical care is nearly non-existent, and Sevenly gave $7 from each t-shirt sale to the awesome non-profit.

There're a million reasons to give back portions of your sales to a good cause. It's great PR, makes your products shareable on social media, and it gives you a reason to dig in when the going gets tough. If you love design and art, this may be a great business for you!

First step: Read Molly Corless' The Definitive Guide to Starting a T-Shirt Business on the Selz Blog.

Niche Blogger for Fun and Profit

I talk to a lot of people who want to start a blog. I think it's because in the internet era's given everyone the opportunity to be heard. It's given people a platform to share anything they want to say: helpful ideas, how-to's, tips, hacks, family recipes, dating horror stories, parenting drama, and business advice and more.

You don't have to be a fantastic writer, although you do have to have some decent grammar skills and an honest editor. There are also many, many ways to monetize a blog including selling digital products, affiliate sales, and selling advertising space. Some of the most popular niche blogs are in parenting, crafting, food, health, fitness and business. Find the right niche, built a community, monetize and voila!

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Here's my new favorite food blog Cookie and Kate's Peanut Dipping Sauce. It literally changed my life!

If you have something fun, amazing, scary, helpful or even opinionated to say, try starting a blog. You could share your experiences and turn it into a cool side-business.

First step: Read Smart Blogger's Want to start a blog but don't know where to begin?

Become a Crafting Wizard

As someone who lacks any creative skill, I'm envious of "crafters". I'm a wishful-thinking crafter and always see something on Pinterest and think I can do the same thing. Sadly, I never even come close.

Yet, there are those out there that have amazing skills and incredible talent. There are eCommerce marketplaces to sell crafts, designs, patterns and jewelry online. It's easy to set up shop and there're a ton of support resources. Plus, the possibilities are endless.The Etsy editors even shared the Cactus & Succulents trend (who knew this was a thing!) which highlights stuff like this:

If you have a cool hobby and create amazing things, consider selling your amazing (and sometimes weird) creations online. Apparently, there are buyers for all kinds of crazy stuff.

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First step: 25 Places to Sell Handmade Crafts Online



The First Step is the Hardest

It's very, very easy for me to say: Here're some great resources! Go start your business!

Yet, I know it can be completely overwhelming. That's why you're starting a small, side business that you can work on in your spare time. Plus, none of these businesses require a huge budget (even a t-shirt shop has affordable startup options that don't require any huge investment).

I know you feel clueless and probably a little scared. Scared is good because it means you're committed to start a business but worried you'll fail. And you may fail. Everyone fails in business at one time or another. Again, that's why you're starting small.
ICT for Good

Smart is sustainable, Sustainable is smart

The impact and value of ICT in our society can hardly be overestimated. It is the driving force behind innovation, connectivity, productivity and efficiency in nearly every sector. With the recent emergence of concrete Sustainable Development Goals, the urgency for the ICT sector to direct its course towards contributing to the achievement of these Goals is palpable. 'ICT for good' is good for the world and good for the ICT business.

Last week, the fourth international conference 'ICT for sustainability' (ICT4S) took place in Amsterdam, led by General Chair Prof. Anwar Osseyran, managing director Surf Sara, and Program Chairs Professor Patricia Lago (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and Dr. Paola Grosso (University of Amsterdam). For four days, researchers, policy makers, business representatives and ICT systems and applications developers spoke about how the ICT sector can be sustainable and about the impact that ICT can have on sustainability.

At first glance there seemed to be little difference between this edition of ICT4S and the previous three. But there was indeed a difference: this edition took place in the year after the climate agreement in Paris and the UN's adoption of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That is to say that this time the urgency to take steps was felt significantly more than before. It is perhaps for this reason that it became noticeable how the ICT field struggles with the challenges posed by sustainability. Although much attention is paid to energy efficiency in data centers and making hardware more energy efficient, this tends to distract from the real task the sector should be focusing on, namely: how can ICT contribute towards creating real profit from sustainability?

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We all recognize the great impact and value that ICT has on society. ICT is unequivocally the driving force and an integral part of innovation, connectivity, productivity and efficiency in sectors across the board. It has led to vast improvements in the quality of services and has led to countless new jobs and business opportunities. It is built on the foundation of spreading knowledge, awareness and citizen participation. But there is an important aspect that has, until now, remained underexposed, namely the role that ICT can play in accelerating the scaling up of essential services in the fields of healthcare, education, financial transactions, smart agriculture and energy systems with low CO2 footprints. In other words: accelerating and scaling up solutions needed to achieve the SDGs.

Sweet spots

The impact that the ICT sector can have on economic sustainability is immense. Smart grids facilitate the highly efficient distribution of locally generated energy, even in remote areas. 3D-printing optimizes the use of resources and energy, since parts or tools can be tailor-made and only manufactured when needed. The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to accelerate the circular economy, as shown in a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and IBM research which also illustrated how wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can save millions of dollars by using the IoT.

The enormous power of ICT - the data-driven automation and optimization of processes - can provide solutions to almost all of the SDGs, and can substantially improve sustainability in the way we work, travel, shop and meet each other. And because the SDGs are now in the picture, the markets for sustainable impact are also becoming more prominent, as John Elkington pointed out in 2015 in his compelling report, "The Breakthrough Forecast." He named various promising "sweet spots" - activities with a huge market potential such as 3D printing, health technology, computer graphics and so on. He presented reliable numbers showing the market for big data applications having increased by $39 billion in 2015 with the forecast to further increase to $76 billion by 2020. A recent report by the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) and Accenture Strategy showed that ICT companies could realize an additional $2.1 trillion in revenue by focusing on services that lead to the achievement of the SDGs. And there are countless other "sweet spots" in various markets where the ICT sector can make a real difference. For example, in less developed parts of the world, billions of people - including many farmers -still do not have access to a banking system. ICT is crucial to facilitating that access and rapidly expanding accessibility on a large scale.

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Responsibility for tomorrow's world

There is one predominant responsibility that the ICT industry embodies. And that is that without a widely shared, radical new look at the opportunities that digitalization offers, the extremely ambitious targets that the SDGs have set will never be achieved in time. The emphasis is on the words "widely shared" because apart from a few leading multinationals like Google, radical innovation comes from inspired start-ups. There are still too many established players in the ICT sector who are only geared towards solving problems that come up and are focused on the mantra: 'You ask, we deliver'. While a better credo would be: 'We take our responsibility for tomorrow's world and contribute to sustainability by focusing on independent innovation, connectivity, productivity and efficiency'. This resolution should be implemented together with the users by utilizing a 'participatory prosumer' approach.

Good examples of companies that are already doing this are Ushahidi, an open source software platform approaching social issues by enabling vulnerable citizens to share, in real-time, testimonies of human rights violations or crisis. They can reach out to people and inform them of what is happening, where and when. Or the educational video platform Nafham that is making full primary and secondary education (K-12) accessible to children in countries without an adequate educational infrastructure. And the incredible Africa Born 3D Printing (AB3D) that produces affordable high-quality 3D printers from e-waste and locally available materials, in order to convert local PET waste into yarn for clothing. The ICT company Conclusion also uses an innovative approach to mobility and their own mobility issue, delivering environmental as well as cost savings. Working together with a large leasing company, using a digital showroom to exchange used cars among the entire customer base, Conclusion's fleet alone already consists of 40% used cars rather than new cars and by offering employees multiple travelling options, they have significantly reduced the use of cars at the same time. The list of such initiatives is long (for further reading, visit http://stisolutions4sdgs.globalinnovationexchange.org/innovations). But what we need now is a large-scale contribution by big, financially strong ICT companies towards achieving what small start-ups are trying to do: tackle the flaws in our current economic, social and ecological system.

Setting the course

To summarize: a shift is needed, and the entire ICT industry, companies big and small, should set their course towards contributing to the realization of the SDGs. As this is a shared aim of companies across all sectors as well as governments worldwide, the need for radical ICT solutions is imperative. It serves the world and serves the ICT companies as well. It unlocks markets, connects to both current and future needs of clients and is thus not only a profitable but also sustaining business. The theme of the ICT4S conference this year was 'Smart is Sustainable'. I suggest turning it around next year to be: 'Sustainable is Smart'. This applies to both the world and business. So let's make ICT really smart by developing and applying ICT for good throughout all business sectors!

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Marga Hoek, sustainable entrepreneur, board member and author of New Economy Business.
Today, the Earth got a little hotter, and a little more crowded.

Saving BUB, Beautiful Unique Biodiversity, like this little clown grasshopper from India, is another reason to conserve forests. Credit Lalie Sorbet on Flickr

Forests: the cheapest way to store carbon

A Growing Indian Population Is Eating Its Forests converting them into croplands, and altering climate. Source BMC Ecology at Flickr

OO Deforestation Reducing Monsoon Rainfall In India: New Study Takeaways:

Large scale conversion of forests to croplands

Reduces evaporation of water from land to sky:

Crops have fewer leaves and shallower roots than forest plants,

thus much less water gets moved through them from earth to sky.

Winds circulate internally there, thus

Up to 25% of the north's late monsoons depend on this

Evapotranspiration, which fuels the recycled precipitation.

In the south, where monsoons are fueled by evaporation

Off the Arabian Sea, deforestation affects monsoons little.

OO World's Watersheds Lost 6 % Of Their Forests In 14 Years - shows a new analysis of satellite data, endangering water security.



When we harm forests, we harm ourselves.

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GOING DOWN....

@@ Next Floor - a short powerful film, allegorical for where our world is unsustainably headed, due to our shortsighted greed. Climate change is just a symptom of our unsustainable lifestyle.

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A SWEET SPOT IN CREATING SUSTAINABLE POPULATIONS

Triple Win: Using Profits to Provide Needed US Family Planning - Medicines360.org is key to creating a sustainable US population and bright futures for women - AND saving taxpayers many billions yearly in community costs by preventing unintended pregnancies. Source medicines360.org

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HOT NEWS

Credit Glenn Campbell

OO Small Warming Increase Means

Far More Extreme Events, Disasters than previously thought, says a new analysis, when the increase is between 1.5-2.0 degrees C of warming.

The upper end of current climate extremes would be "the new normal" at 1.5 degrees warming - which could be just 10 to 20 years away under the current trajectory.



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FIXING CLIMATE CHANGE

@@ A Simple And Smart Way To Fix Climate Change given by Dan Miller in 2014 at a Ted talk suggests a way to profit as we tackle climate change, by finally charging those who sell and use fossil fuels - and distributing the revenues back to all of us.

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The strategy is sure to speed transition to clean renewable energy. What's not to like? Check it out!

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CLIMATE CHANGE HISTORY

OO Man-Made Warming Started Almost 200 Years Ago says a new study. Takeaways:

Fueled by the Industrial Revolution, begun in 1750,

Which created a surge in burning coal,

the first signs of warming showing up around 1830,

in oceanic temperatures of the tropics and Arctic.

"Our findings show that the climate can respond very quickly to changes in greenhouse gases," said the lead study author.

And that goes for cutting them, too - if we started cutting dramatically tomorrow, you'd start seeing signs within a year.



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MELTDOWN

As The Permafrost Melts the landscape becomes one of meltwater lakes.

OO 'It's A Lit Fuse:' Widespread Release

Of Ancient Carbon From Melting Arctic Permafrost has been measured and confirmed. Takeaways:

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These releases of climate changing greenhouse gases

could trigger a self-reinforcing cycle of accelerating climate change:

gases spur further global warming, which spur further release of gases.

There are vast amounts of carbon stored in the permafrost.

"It's a lit fuse, but the length of that fuse is very long," said the lead study author.

"According to the model projections, we're getting ready for the part where it starts to explode. But it hasn't happened yet."



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GOOD CLEAN NEWS

OO China, US To Ratify Landmark Paris Climate Deal Ahead Of G20 Summit sources reveal. The move may tip momentum and bring accord into force globally sooner.



OO California Assembly Approves Climate Change Law - a bill extending California's greenhouse gas emission targets, after an intense floor debate.





Related Headline:

OO California's Emissions Goal Is A 'Milestone'

On Climate Efforts: 40% Cut - as lawmakers passed, and Gov. Jerry Brown promised to sign, bills requiring the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 % below 1990 levels.



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California Dreamin' Solar Source www.gogreensolar.com

OO More Electric Cars, More Solar Power Expected as California struggles to reach tough new climate standards; it's already a world leader in developing environmental policies that address climate change.



OO As Energy Use Rises, Corporations Turn To Their Own Green Utility Sources - Apple recently received a federal designation for its renewable energy subsidiary, allowing it to become a wholesale seller of electricity.



OO Iowa Utilities Board Approves Huge Wind Energy Project it says will be the nation's largest wind energy project.



OO Wind Takes Center Stage In Vermont Governor's Race where victory went to the candidate who favors industrial-scale wind development.



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CHINA: FLOODING, BLUE SKIES POLICY DRIVES OIL CUTS

Now You See It, Now You Don't - Beijing that is, on a sunny and smoggy day from the CNN Bureau. Source CNN

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OO Dark Clouds Loom For Oil As China Chases Blue Skies For G-20 - China will cut oil use enough to affect the global market:

As a policy to literally clear the skies of pollution as it hosts a September G-20 meeting;

And as a result of recent extreme flooding in many provinces that disabled many oil pipelines.

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NATURAL REPERCUSSIONS

Up In Flames as wildfires continue their rampage across the dry west. Credit Eugene Garcia, EPA

OO Dozens Of Wildfires Rage Across Arid US West and have blackened hundreds of square miles recently, as destructive blazes forced residents from homes in California and Washington state.



So Cute, So Threatened, So Disappearing under climate change, as its alpine habitat literally becomes too hot for it.. Oh, and they have this cute, high-pitched squeak when alarmed.

OO Pika: The American 'Fur Ball' Being Threatened By A Warming Climate



OO The Saltmarsh Sparrow Is Creeping Dangerously Close To Extinction as rising seas and shrinking habitat are causing populations to plummet.



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SOCIAL REPERCUSSIONS

OO Climate Change Could Cost Millennials Trillions Of Dollars In Lifetime Income - 20s-30ish Americans could lose trillions of dollars in potential lifetime earnings as climate change disrupts the global economy and weakens U.S. productivity, says a new report.

Going to Sleep With the Fishes? Nearly 1 in 5 Boston homes will be drowning by 2100, as sea levels rise. Source www.campionre.com



OO As Sea Levels Rise, Nearly 2 Million US Homes Could Be Underwater By 2100 says a recent research analysis published by Zillow.

Takeaways:

Florida tops the list with nearly 1,00,000 homes drowning;

New Jersey is next with nearly 200,000 homes lost;

All other states will lose 40,000-100,000 homes;

In Boston, nearly one in five homes could be at risk unless more protections are put in place.

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Source www.jasonbrubaker.com

OO Climate Change To Increase Hay Fever - Millions more Britons could start to suffer from hay fever as a result of climate change, suggests a recent study..

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The Future: More of the Same as climate change continues, warn scientists. Credit Isaac Landov at www.wunderground.com

OO Flooding In The South Looks A Lot Like Climate Change and expect more floods, destruction and death, warn scientists and experts who say weather prediction models are now outdated.



OO Kansas City Area Hit By Floods After Three Days Of Downpour recently, forcing emergency services to conduct about 10 water rescues in Missouri's largest city.



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The Source of Future Floods is the melting Baltero glacier, one of many in the Himalayas. Wikipedia

OO Pakistan Expands Glacier Monitoring In Effort To Cut Disaster Risk investing $8+ million to expand a network of glacier monitoring stations tracking the pace of glacial melt in its mountain ranges, to strengthen early warning systems and reduce the impact of flooding.



OO Hit By Climate Change, Central American Coffee Growers

Get A Taste For Cocoa and plant it instead.



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GOOD IDEAS

Repurposing Dirty Energy Rigs For Storing Clean Energy - one startup envisions using the empty underground space to store energy from clean power sources. Source www.oilandgasjobsadvice.com

OO A Texas Startup's Big Energy Idea: Storing Clean Energy Underground - Takeaways:

Quidnet Energy wants to

Use clean renewable power to force water

into deep cracks that once held fossil fuels;

when released the water will shoot up to the surface

to power electric turbines.

This essentially stores the energy for when it is needed,

Making solar and wind energy more accessible for use.

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Colorado Solar Source costofsolar.com

OO Colorado Utility Compromises With Solar Owners For A Win-Win agreeing to pay solar owners higher rates for peak power, following deals in other states.



OO Colorado Governor To Ask For 35 % Cut In CO2 Pollution By 2030, saying climate change is hurting the state economy while the clean technology sector is helping it.



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Why Walkies? As more cities try to improve walkability worldwide, a new report outlines the reasons behind the shift, the actions that cities can take to create more walkable streets, and why walkability matters.

OO 50 Reasons Why Everyone Should Want More Walkable Streets - The top five are that walking:

Helps people live longer;

Helps people lose weight;

Reduces the risk of chronic disease;

Makes people happier;

Improves traffic safety.

That's enough for me already.



OO Australian Logistics Software Promises To Minimise Traffic And Emissions - delivery vehicles are major greenhouse gas emitters but new software reroutes trucks with real-time data and machine learning.



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SPEAKING OUT

@@ Dakota Pipeline Company Attacks

Native American Protesters with Dogs and Pepper Spray as they protested the pipeline's construction. It would carry about 500,000 barrels of crude daily to Illinois.

The project has faced months of resistance from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and members of nearly 100 more tribes from across the U.S. and Canada.



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OO Environmentalists Fight Feds For Hiding

Climate Harm Of Public Lands Drilling In West



Chad Myers Finally Gets The Message that humans cause climate change, something that a chemist predicted back in the 1890s, using basic physics principles -- oh, and his brain.



OO Cnn Meteorologist Now Concludes Climate Change Is Caused By Humans -

It was an evolution in understanding,

and personal amassing of more observations -

2010 was a record hot year, that,

absent climate change, should not have been.

This, and more, shattered the possibility of other causes,

leaving only the human factor.



Source NOAA

Eventually, It's The Human Factor that stands out as the only logical explanation for global warming.

"It's OK to be wrong as long as you learn from your mistakes," he says.

Yes, but will enough of us learn in enough time? The records continue to break.



OO Media Ignored Extreme Weather, Flooding In Louisiana - despite the epic flooding in Louisiana being the worst natural US disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012, mainstream media failed to notice, initially.



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FOSSIL FUEL FOLLIES

OO Study Finds Biofuels Worse For Climate Than Gasoline - using a new approach to counter old arguments of biofuel benefits.

MEH: in a 2008 free, still available online book Cool The Earth, Save The Economy about solving global warming, my husband and I had pointed out how biofuels could only make the situation worse.

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Plants convert solar energy at an efficiency of 1-2%... compare that to the efficiency of wind turbines or solar panels... and plants take up a lot more space, on an increasingly crowded planet.



OO Natural Gas Leaks Make Natural Gas Dirtier - Scientists have traced a giant plume of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, over the Southwest's Four Corners region to leaks from oil and natural gas fields.



OO US Govt Move Oil & Gas Lease Auctions Online In Effort To Stifle Opposition to nearly 24 million acres of leases in Gulf of Mexico that were auctioned recently amid protests from community activists and environmentalists.



OO Study: Fracking Chemicals In Water Raise Fertility Risks New research suggests chemicals used in fracking and other gas and oil operations increase risk of miscarriages, reduced male fertility, prostate cancer, birth defects and preterm birth by disrupting hormones.

Surprise, surprise...



OO Living Near A Fracking Site Is Tied To Migraines, Fatigue - and is associated with increased rates of sinus problems, says new research.



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ELECTION YEAR:

If You Don't Vote For Climate Action, You Can Forget The Rest - in a climate-changing world of famine, drought, rising seas, giant storms and heat waves, there will be no security in jobs, health, wealth, or national safety. There will be chaos ensuing from increasing crises and disasters. Vote.

OO Global Warming Policies We Set Today Will Determine The Next 10,000 Years - of global warming, a new study shows -- and whether our civilization survives or not: history shows that harmful climate change has destroyed civilizations before.

This time, it could be worldwide. Let's keep "The Hunger Games" in the realm of fiction.



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If we do not grow sustainably,

Our children will die inhumanely.



@@ The Cost of Unintended Pregnancy: Too Young

Teen childbearing cost US taxpayers $9+ Billion in 2010

And the costs of raising a child usually ensures decades, if not a life, of poverty for its mother.

- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Help prevent unintended pregnancies in your community:

publicize where women can access affordable contraception.

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They can go here to find locations:

And there are many more actions you can do, right here.

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SOLAR KEEPS SMILING

OO The Falling Costs Of US Solar Power, In 7 Charts - solar continues its steady march down the cost curve, as growth accelerates.



OO Indian Scientists Design Solar Tree To Save Space

For Solar Power Generation - hoping to help overcome one of the key challenges the country faces in the generation of solar power.



Check it out here, right now!

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WHY WE SHOULD ACT NOW: RISING RISKS

Daily Climate Change: Global Map of Unusual Temperatures, Sept 6, 2016

How unusual has the weather been? No one event is "caused" by climate change, but global warming, which is predicted to increase unusual, extreme weather, is having a daily effect on weather, worldwide.

Looking above at recent temperature anomalies, much of the US and the waters surrounding it are experiencing warmer than normal temperatures: the eastern Pacific warm spot continues and so does the drought in California. So do the western wildfires.

Much of the areas surrounding the North Pole are experiencing much warmer than normal temperatures - not good news for our Arctic thermal shield of ice. Hotter than usual temperatures continue to dominate human habitats.

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There is, of course, much more news on the consequences and solutions to climate change. To get it, check out this annotated resource list I've compiled, "Climate Change News Resources," at Wordpress.com here. For more information on the science of climate change, its consequences and solutions you can view my annotated list of online information resources here.

To help you understand just what science does and does NOT do, check this out!
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump smiles during a town hall, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Virginia Beach, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The number of Republican elected officials criticizing Donald Trump and condemning his policies while pledging to vote for him has many people understandably scratching their heads, and its not hard to see why: politicians calling out the GOP nominee in one breath and then working to bring him and his agenda into power in the next utterly defies logic.

Id like to propose a name for this odd species of politicians: Trumpublicans.

Trumpublicans: /trmpblkn/ -- n., pl. 1. Republicans whove endorsed or pledged to vote for Trump to win support from far-right voters. 2. Republicans who claim to oppose Trumps hateful campaign, yet work to advance his candidacy and agenda (e.g. holding a Supreme Court seat open for him to fill.)

Examples of Trumpublicans abound. Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire has tried to separate herself from Trump, refusing to endorse him and saying that she would stand up to him. But she also says that shes glad to get his endorsement and still plans to vote for him. Huh? Senator John McCain of Arizona is trying to toe the same line, at times criticizing Trump while repeatedly stating his commitment to vote for him. Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey says that Trumps actions give me great pause but has still refused to disavow him.

Theres no more egregious example than the fight over the Supreme Court vacancy to show how each of these senators are already actively working to support Trumps extremist agenda. They may express misgivings about Trump with their words, but with their actions, they are holding open the vacant Supreme Court seat so that it can be filled by him. They are going to extraordinary lengths--ignoring their constitutionally-defined responsibilities--to let the next Supreme Court justices be picked by Donald Trump, a man who says a judge cant do his job because of his Mexican heritage.

Senators comments against Trump mean nothing when their actions and votes are still with him in all the ways that count. These senators are trying to have it both ways in a straddle to appeal to both voters with common sense and decency and those who are turned on by Trumps hate.

Too many people have written off the Trumpublican phenomenon as being only about Trump as if hes a one-time thing. Hes coming out of left field, the story goes. Hes so out-there that hes putting moderate Republicans in a tough place. But when it comes to his anti-Latino, anti-women, anti-just-about-everyone agenda, Trumps not coming out of left field; hes coming straight from home plate. Hes riding the sorry momentum that the Republican party has built for years.

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After all, way before Trump, this is the party that has threatened to shut down the government over immigration reform and the funding of Planned Parenthood. The party of self-deportation. The party that wants to ban abortion. The party that now denies science and doesnt believe in the presidents birthplace or religion. There is no question that Trumps rhetoric is horrific, but dont believe the myth that he is a wild aberration; in many ways, he is tapping into the very core of the Republican Party that tragically for the country has become more and more extreme every year.

Theres a reason why the strong recommendations of the infamous 2012 GOP post-loss post-mortem couldnt be heeded, and this was long before the idea of a Trump candidacy was a glimmer in any Republican eye.
FOCUS ON DEFENSE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND OCEANIA
I am tired of pollsters asking me what I think.

And I am tired of them asking you what you think.

We all need to stop thinking about what we are thinking. We need to just...

Think.

This week's post-Labor Day, now-is-the-real-start-of-the-campaign news is that Hillary and His Tweetness are starting to get pretty close in the polls. No matter that Clinton still has a 75% plus chance of winning when all the relevant data is analyzed. No matter that the Donald literally has to run the table on close to all of the eleven states in play to have any chance of winning. No matter that he is close to losing in Texas, which hasn't voted for a Democrat for President in forty years. No matter that Trump still refuses to disclose his tax returns... or his medical history... or, for that matter, any policies beyond those he can squeeze into 140 characters. Indeed, no matter that, regardless of what he says, anything coming out of Trump's mouth has the half life of a mayfly.

We are now told the race is close.

This is also the new conventional wisdom. Writ large, Trump's disaster of a Republican convention and Hillary's eight point bounce in the wake of her own has now supposedly evaporated into the hair-splitter that campaign professionals always predicted. Trump can do no wrong great enough to disqualify himself and Hillary can make no mistake small enough to be ignored. Neither is loved so both must be equally hated.

Hence the current cynical stalemate all the polls are selling us.

Are you buyin' it?

I -- decidedly -- am not.

Roughly 126.8 million Americans cast ballots in the 2012 Presidential election. In the 2008 election, that number was roughly 129.4 million and in the 2004 election it was 121 million. If any of those numbers accurately predict the 2016 turnout, more than 60 million people -- and a lot more if the 2008 or 2012 turnout numbers apply -- will have to vote for Trump for him to win. And a good chunk of those votes will have to come from non-white, Hispanic, female and college-educated white male voters, all of whom Trump is now losing by large margins, in places like Arizona, Nevada, Florida and Colorado, where in all places he is currently behind.

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That is not going to happen.

So, what explains the current this-is-too-close-call narrative?

Here's my answer.

First, we have become so enamored of polls that we no longer understand they are just snapshots, and wildly divergent snapshots at that. The real data driven wonks who accurately predict these things (think Nate Silver) long ago told us not to be taken in by any single poll. They warned of outliers (polls consistently biased in one direction or the other), and constantly reminded us that the Presidential election is really fifty separate contests, making national polls pretty useless when it comes to predicting results (just ask Al Gore). Polls fluctuate. Turnout models can be wrong, as was the case with all the polls that predicted a Romney victory in 2012. And these fluctuations and underlying models matter.

If the notion that millions -- perhaps more than 10 million -- of your neighbors changed their minds between August and now, and not once but twice, strikes you as strange, that is nevertheless what the polls are telling us. These people went from liking Trump enough to get him close to Clinton, to hating him enough for her to be thinking landslide, to now liking him enough once again so as to once again make it close. If this is the case, this race will not be decided by whoever wins the undecideds. It will be decided by whoever wins the indecisive.

But I'm not convinced people are really that indecisive. Maybe they're just tired of being asked about it so much and are just playin' with the pollsters.

Second, the political reporting class really cannot analyze anything other than the horse race. Their collective expertise on issues of policy is embarrassingly shallow. They simple do not have the ability to talk about the relative worth of each candidate's actual policies.

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Here's a good example. Trump's economic policy is to cut income taxes and corporate taxes (without touching Social Security or Medicare), as well as unspecified regulations in general, and repeal Dodd-Frank, all ostensibly in order to generate jobs. He would also impose high tariffs on imported goods from countries he thinks got the better of us on trade deals, and deport undocumented workers. Clinton's is to increase the minimum wage, cut middle-class taxes, fund an infrastructure bank, pre-school and national R&D (principally on scientific research), and strengthen unions. She would also retain Dodd-Frank and re-jigger the capital gains tax rate so that long term (but not short term) gains got preferential treatment. The latter policy is intended to help change Wall Street's time horizon and wean it off its addiction to short-term financial fixes designed to goose quarterly share prices.

To evaluate either set of policies, journalists would have to analyze whether those policies would generate the fiscal stimulus needed to put money in people's pockets and boost demand. This type of analysis is complicated and dry. It has none of the excitement of shifting polls, His Hairness' latest insult, Hillary's meandering accounts of her emails, or Bill's sex life.

In my opinion, any fair evaluation would make it a no contest. Trump's approach will either weaken or at the very least not strengthen demand because it will raise the deficit, kill the ability of the government to fund infrastructure spending, put money in the pockets of the rich (who won't spend it) and corporations (who will hoard it, as they do now, waiting for a rebound in consumer demand that won't happen). It will not put cash in the pockets of the middle and lower classes (who need it and will spend it). Hillary's approach, on the other hand, would increase short-term demand, albeit slowly depending on how fast the infrastructure bank and R & D is funded and the minimum wage hike comes on line; and it would increase long term demand assuming labor law reforms that actually boost the power and membership roles of unions. The proper criticism of her approach is that it is still weak tea (or not enough immediate tea); the proper criticism of Trump's is that it is no tea at all.

Third, and for the same reason they focus on the horse race, the media is in love with a "both of them are equally hated" narrative. Part of this love affair is due to the fact that it's true -- Hillary and Trump are the two most disliked candidates for President in polling history. The problem, however, is that one of them will be President. It would therefore be nice if the media were able to distinguish between the reasons each of them is disliked and provide something other than either the false equivalence that characterizes much reporting (as in the both of them are equally bad) or the grading-on-a-curve now being applied to Trump.

This last problem is critical. As Paul Krugman pointed out in his Sunday column in The New York Times, the media is doing to Clinton and Trump what it did to Al Gore and George W. Bush in 2000. Clinton's mistakes are being magnified beyond reason and Trump's ineptness is being forgiven with abandon.

This has to stop.

The Clinton Foundation was not some pay to play adjunct of the State Department while Hillary ran Foggy Bottom. To the contrary, it has a stellar record of providing much needed medical and other assistance to some of the most impoverished parts of the world and has been given high marks for transparency and efficiency by all the charity watch-dog groups. Moreover, if helping Bill Clinton cure AIDS or malaria in Africa was perceived as the requirement for a ticket to see Secretary Clinton, I'm not particularly clear on why that was such a bad thing. Similarly, Hillary's private email server was not remotely a crime, nor was it designed to allow her to avoid the need to archive her public records. The latter problem bedevils even today's government servers as we attempt to get our hands around the complex task of saving and archiving virtual data.

Similarly, Trump's demonstrated lack of knowledge about large swaths of policy and his penchant for lying and insult whenever he is challenged does not evaporate if he behaves for the next two months as his handlers (or, more likely, his kids) finally dog-house his inner beast. Put simply, Trump's demonstrated racism and sexism, along with his thin-skinned bullying that often appears to border on the psychotic and in any event simply shields enormous gaps in knowledge and attention to policy detail, has already disqualified him from getting anywhere near the nuclear codes. And silence for the next two months will not etch-a-sketch away that disqualifying past.

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Where to from here?

That's simple.

Hang up when the pollsters call. Stop telling them whether you're still thinking, or what you're now thinking, or what you will be thinking about thinking in the two months ahead.

Just think.

It will have the desired outcome. Your eventual vote will not be the product of an ennui brought on by prognosticators telling you how bad the choices are. Or the product of an ignorance brought on by a drumbeat of false equivalence. Or even the product of a desperation borne of the desire that it just be over.

It won't be any of this.

Instead, it'll be...
Map of Silk Road, a network of overland routes that connected China to Middle East and Europe through Central Asia. The road network was used in the past centuries by merchants trading goods and silk between distant countries and cross-continental regions. Marco Polo, an italian explorer, is believed to have travelled the route in the 13th century. Geopolitics, commerce and diplomacy connected to history and geography. Map is blank, without country names. Map is for illustration puroposes only, country grouping and current borders status may differ.

One of China's most ambitious economic and foreign policy projects is the so-called "One Belt, One Road" initiative, also referred to as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to connect the disparate regions in China's near and distant neighborhood through a massive program of infrastructure building. It's President Xi Jinping's personal project, and some Chinese analysts have dubbed it "the number one project under heaven."

The initiative has received mixed reactions throughout the region, with division most pronounced in the Indian subcontinent. China's quasi-ally Pakistan regards the initiative (estimated to be worth around $46 billion for the country alone) as a game-changer.

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Pakistan's Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal says the proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will turn bilateral "friendship into a strategic economic partnership." Indeed, if the scheme was implemented successfully, it would add an important economic dimension to the already close political and military relationship between Islamabad and Beijing.

Several Chinese cities started regular freight trains to Central Asia and Europe as China revives the Silk Road. (Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

However, some Indians view Beijing's ambitious program of infrastructure building very differently. It would be a gross understatement to say Delhi is concerned about China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative. Having spent a week in India talking to security analysts, international relations experts and business leaders, the opinions I heard suggest antagonism with Pakistan and strategic distrust with China could be significant impediments to India's involvement.

The official Indian position is, however, of considerable caution. During the inaugural Raisina Dialogue, a conference on geopolitics and economics, India's Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar regarded connectivity as having "emerged as a theater of present day geopolitics," without mentioning China.

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When Britain and Russia jostled for influence in Central and South Asia during 19th and 20th centuries, it was referred to as the "Great Game." China's expansion into the region has already been referred to as the new "Great Game." Jaishankar clearly sees China's effort to build roads and bridges as instruments of Beijing's intention to build influence in its neighborhood. This is on top of his comments at last year's The International Institute for Strategic Studies Fullerton Lecture in Singapore, where he said the "One Belt, One Road" initiative was China's own unilateral effort and that India would not commit to buy-in without significant consultation.

At the heart of India's reluctance to embrace Beijing's promise of road building and connectivity is strategic mistrust. The country is wedged between two nuclear-armed neighbors and has fought wars against both in the last 60 years. The historical baggage of the 1962 war still looms large in India's imagination. During the brief war, Beijing inflicted a crushing defeat on the unprepared Indian army. The founding father of the Indian republic, Jawaharlal Nehru, was physically and mentally broken by the experience.

Both countries are still dealing with the legacy of that war. Though Beijing has resolved most of its land border issues with neighboring Russia, Pakistan and Afghanistan, India remains an exception. It appears China is no hurry to settle this boundary with Delhi.

Pakistan also looms large in any discussion about "One Belt, One Road." Sameer Patil, a researcher from Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations, argues that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is the key reason why Delhi is hesitant to embrace the initiative. The proposed corridor (expected to connect Kashgar with the Port of Gwadar in Balochistan) runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan; both are considered by Delhi to be Indian territories. When India agreed to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the government specifically pushed for a provision in the charter of the bank "that requires project financing in disputed territory to have the agreement of the disputants."

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The current strategic mistrust between Delhi and Beijing will make it very difficult for Indian policymakers to accept the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative in its present form.

Indian analysts are also concerned about a lack of operational detail. A researcher from the respected Observer Research Foundation told me it is impossible for China to expect presumptive endorsement from India without showing them an operational blueprint. This lack of detail is a major problem for Chinese policymakers who are keen to market the initiative. President Xi announced the ambitious program at the end of 2013 but after nearly three years we have not yet seen any detailed operational plan. Christopher Johnson, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, says "One Belt, One Road" is more sweeping vision than operational blueprint.

However, a paucity of specific information is making some Indian researchers wonder whether the whole project is just a game of deception. In a seminar I attended during my visit, Professor Jabin Jacob from Institute of Chinese Studies in Delhi posed the question of whether China's lack of a detailed plan after three years could be considered disingenuous.

The current strategic mistrust between Delhi and Beijing will make it very difficult for Indian policymakers to accept the "One Belt, One Road" initiative in its present form. Rajni Bakshi, a senior Gandhi Peace Fellow from Mumbai's Gateway House, has argued that Beijing has to co-design the new Silk Road with India for it to have any chance of success. If the Chinese government wants to address the trust deficit and get a larger buy-in from Indians, it will have to engage Delhi in designing and implementing "One Belt, One Road."

A version of this first appeared on Lowy Institute's The Interpreter.

Earlier on WorldPost:
The media called on Hillary Clinton to hold a press conference. Trump has jumped on their call and now they are working together to attack Hillary.

On Labor Day with the inaugural flight of Hill Force One, the new Clinton Campaign plane, the media will be flying with Clinton around the country. She welcomed them on board and did a press availability on the plane responding to questions on her emails, the foundation and one on the Russian threat to interfere in our elections. She did another one the next day.

Now let's see if the press finds their way to reporting accurately on Hillary, something they have had a hard time doing. Will they now start demanding Trump let the press fly on his plane?

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Mystifying about the press complaints about Hillary is there isn't anyone in America or around the world who hasn't read about, or heard about, the issues they want to question/pummel her on; her emails and the Clinton Foundation. The issues, both facts and the fiction, have been reported on by the press, and talked about ad-nauseum on both regular network and cable television programs. Hillary has answered countless questions, the same ones asked over-and-over, about these issues. She has done one-on-one interviews on FOX, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC and Univision among other outlets.

What so often happens in press conferences is the shouted questions are often from reporters who clearly don't like any answer that doesn't jibe with what they have already decided is the truth. Most recently Associated Press reporters wrote a column on the relationship between the State Department and the Clinton Foundation making assumptions based on shoddy reporting now shown to have little basis in fact. They were corrected by the Clinton campaign and others but have stuck to their story. Despite their headlines, and repeating of their reporting by other outlets, neither they nor anyone else has shown any quid-pro-quo was given by Hillary to Foundation donors. Even buried in the AP story is a line confirming Hillary didn't do anything to run afoul of the agreement the Foundation and the Obama administration made when Hillary was asked to be Secretary of State.

The only person benefitting from these hyped-up stories is Donald Trump. He gets to talk about them while the media continues to give him a pass on so many issues including not releasing his tax returns. The first day on Hillary's plane NBC's Andrea Mitchell asks an email question and then does a story about Hillary coughing as if having allergies is a major issue again allowing Trump to quote the media on a phony health issue.

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The media appears to be helping a candidate who bans some of them from covering him? CNN releases a skewed poll and NBC reports unsubstantiated Clinton health issues. I can't imagine they really want to help Trump but reporting on this Presidential campaign has been so bad it can be considered criminal.

Hillary and other politicians would be more amenable to holding regular press conferences if the media indicated any desire to share with voters information on issues impacting their lives on a daily basis. Asking candidates to answer questions about their positions on education, infrastructure repairs, on fighting addiction, job creation and building the economy seems foreign to today's media.

I have written about the decline of the mainstream media. How the public now gets information on what are billed 'news' programs when what they are mostly hearing is opinion. The hosts on those shows don't bother to counter blatant lies spouted by their guests. Sunday on Meet the Press, Alex Castellanos told a blatant lie about the Clinton Foundation and Chuck Todd just moved on without correcting it. Todd has said it isn't his business to correct lies that people tell on his show. If that's true then stop calling Meet the Press a news show! It is an opinion show with no news value at all.

We have now heard from FOX host Chris Wallace who has the same idea of reporting. Wallace will moderate one of the debates and has already said when asked if he would correct obvious falsehoods "That's not my job. I do not believe that it's my job to be a truth squad. It's up to the other person to catch them on that." Where is Candy Crowley who caught Mitt Romney in a lie when we need her?

Hilary has done maybe thousands of interviews responding to questions from the press in nearly 50 years of public service. She has done hundreds since she began this Presidential Campaign. She has met with editorial boards and print reporters across the nation. Chuck Todd, when talking to VP candidate Mike Pence in an interview last Sunday did ask how the Trump campaign can call for transparency without releasing his taxes. Todd then admitted all the information on Hillary is out there already whether by her own hand or by FOIA requests and he is correct. There is more information available on Hillary to the public than there has ever been for any other person running for President.

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The media seems reluctant to press Trump on anything or willing to move on to the real issues with Hillary even after she said recently on CNN "I have been asked many, many questions in the past year about emails, and what I have learned is that when I try to explain what happened, it can sound like I am trying to excuse what I did. And there are no excuses. I want people to know that the decision to have a single account was mine. I take responsibility for it. I apologize for it." The FBI and DOJ agreed there was no crime committed by Hillary. So to continue to discuss this has zero benefit to the people of the country as they decide who they want to elect as President.
Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff (R) and Vice President Michel Temer listens to Brazil's national anthem before an annual lunch with general officers in Brasilia, Brazil, December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

Supporters of the Workers' Party (PT) will turn Dilma into a martyr and use the "it was a coup" narrative to lay the groundwork for the messiah's comeback in 2018. The current government, which is just as bad as the PT and its allies, will use the impeachment as an excuse to demand more power and funds.

Brazilians, however, will gain nothing. Dilma found ways to make the people suffer, and Temer's government will likely follow the same path. Temer may, of course, launch his own version of the Growth Acceleration Program and speed up the process -- but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

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Don't fool yourself; Dilma's impeachment won't alleviate Brazil's current crisis.

For the next two years, Temer's government will be under strong (and necessary) pressure. Cuts on the social programs that Dilma started may be increased and accelerated. And the 2018 campaign may bring back former president Lula, in the role of the supreme victim. (The PT is a master at playing the victim, as we saw during the Mensalao scandal.)

Our problems didn't start yesterday, and they won't go away anytime soon. This is a losing battle.

Rousseff's impeachment was the best possible scenario for the Workers' Party. They got rid of the unpopular and incompetent Dilma, they came out with a martyr, and they managed to unify the left and vote against a few of Temer's projects (which they would support and encourage if they were still in power).

In 2018, they may even form an alliance with the PMDB (Temer's party), which would come as no surprise. After all, the PT is already forming alliances with the PMDB, PSDB and DEM for the upcoming 2016 municipal elections.

The fact that Dilma was removed from office while her VP Michel Temer remains in power is completely absurd.

The sad thing is: We have nowhere to run. There is empty, foolish and shallow discourse on one side, and extreme-right rhetoric on the other.

Once again, the PT managed to help Eduardo Cunha by calling for two separate votes, one on the impeachment itself and the other on Rousseff's political rights.

The Senate ultimately decided to preserve Rousseff's political rights. Now Cunha doesn't have to be concerned with being removed from office, as long as he can retain his political rights.

Members of the Social Democrats, conservatives and other less known parties appear to be pleased. "There is no more corruption," one congressman exclaimed. We must put an end to the Workers' Party, they say. But some of them are clearly hypocrites.

This impeachment will not bring peace to the country. The "coup" narrative will remain in people's minds, and PT supporters will keep trying to erase the past. They don't seem to realize that the party is forming alliances with PMDB, PSDB and DEM in almost one-third of Brazilian cities, including Niteroi, the second largest city in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

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In Sao Paulo, the PT's candidate, Fernando Haddad is allied with the Party of the Republic's Magno Malta and the Republican Party of the Social Order. The other candidate on Haddad's ticket, Gabriel Chalita, is part of a group of anti-abortion Catholics.

Despite the current situation, Dilma's supporters are intent on saying that once Temer takes office, Brazil will enter a dreadful and dark period. They are pretending that Brazil's problems haven't already started, and that the PT has done nothing wrong.

The fact that Dilma was removed from office while her VP Michel Temer remains in power is completely absurd -- especially when recent polls show that most Brazilians reject both Dilma and Temer.

Politicians will no longer fear being removed from office; they will be able to return the following year as if nothing had happened.

The PT deserved its fate. We, the people, didn't deserve this impeachment process, especially since criminals were involved in the process. There are many alliances. They all chat at coffee breaks and comfort each other, drying their fake tears.

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Again: Dilma was removed from office, but didn't lose her political rights. In an unbelievable maneuver, the PT managed to prevent her from losing her political rights.

This will also be valid for Cunha. Even if he is removed from office, his colleagues will guarantee that he retains his political rights.

For Dilma, it was a consolation prize, but for Eduardo Cunha, it is the best gift he could possibly receive.

Politicians will no longer fear being removed from office; they will be able to return the following year as if nothing had happened. Dilma set the standard -- and we should pay close attention to the magnitude and scope of this agreement.

Some politicians hesitate to remove their colleagues from office, because, being corrupt themselves, they know that they may be next in line. Now, they don't need to worry. Thanks to voters' short-term memories, corrupt politicians can count on triumphant comebacks a couple of years, or months, after being removed from office. After all, being removed from office is sufficient punishment, is it not?

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As always, the PT is deeply selfish. They made a deal with PMDB to ease Dilma's punishment. This represents a complete breakdown of the law and the constitution. This behavior is however not new for congress -- it has been lacking in principles for years.
'My First Hour in Office, Those People Are Gone'

If Donald Trump's promise to deport millions of immigrants, 'day one', sounds familiar to Werner Reich, it's because, as a teenager, that's what Hitler did to him.

In 1942, when Werner was 15 years old, the Gestapo came to his house, he was arrested, beaten, and sent to four 'increasingly torturous concentration camps in as many years.

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The first, Terezin, was the Red Cross demonstration camp, and so they were on their best behavior, 30,000 died of starvation, and the guards had contests as to who could cut the most throats. The winner, 1,630 throats in one day.

In 1944, he was imprisoned in the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz Birkenau, under the supervision of Josef Mengele, 'The Angel of Death', surviving three selections, when 6,000 naked boys ran before him as the SS officers told him a joke, if the joke was good, Mengele laughed and you ran straight to your death.

If the joke was bad, and he looked up, you were spared, Werner was one of the 89 who survived. They were known as the Birkenau Boys.

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When Werner was liberated by the American troops, in 1945, he was 17 and weighed only 47 pounds. He had one possession, the spoon he used to eat, which was later fashioned into a bracelet, a tiny child's bracelet the the gates of Auschwitz etched on it.

So he knows a thing or two about rounding people up and throwing them out.

For three decades, he's lectured to thousands of school children a year, about his experiences in the Holocaust, with the 'intent to recognize bullying and when you see an instance of abuse and intolerance you should not be a bystander, but be one the J.U.S.T. people, and do something about it.'

'He coined the term "J.U.S.T." which is an acronym for Judge Situation, Understand Problem, Solve and Take Action.

When Reich talks to students he points out how some things that were happening then are still happening now.' The inevitable parallels with history and the escalating Trump bigotry, fear and bullying, harken to another time, and is not lost on Werner.

Donald Trump is nothing, if not a bully.

'The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist' ~The Usual Suspects

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'The Nazis wrote anonymous letters to the state run papers', Werner tells his students. 'That's the same as cyber-bullying, the cause of 6,000 suicides. The Nazis belonged to gangs and were cowards that enjoyed power and humiliating people.'

Today it's, tweet, retweet...delete.

Jewish reporters covering the Trump campaign are harassed and trolled by his anti-Semitic supporters.

In the Atlantic's "A Brief Introduction to Pro Holocaust Twitter", some of the more egregious, from his followers, and to whom he has given tacit approval, by his refusal to denounce.

Wallowing in the cowardice of anonymity afforded by the internet, King Baby Trump, wields his 140 characters, spewing hate to his minions... legitimizing and mainstreaming, thinly veiled racism.

Angry tweets on the Android, smiley face tweets on the iPhone. Which would be laughable, were it not so dangerous.

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Twice, he retweeted @WhiteGenocideTM, a white nationalist with 457 followers - to all 11.6 million of his.

Last week, Trump Jr, retweeted Kevin MacDonald, the neo Nazi's favorite academic and anti-Semite, to his 600,000 followers.

The Alt-Right is kvelling. Trump is their guy - their Manchurian Candidate.

'Prominent anti-Semites went on radio shows to encourage their supporters to "get out and vote" for Trump, and a man was filmed leaving a Trump rally in Cleveland shouting "Go to fucking Auschwitz."

His new CEO Stephen Bannon of Breitbart, who pulled his kids out of school because he, 'didn't want the girls to go to school with Jews'.

To the darling of the right, Ann Coulter, who once said, 'the Jews are just imperfect Christians', and former KKK leader David Duke, who suggests, 'Jews are the real problem', Trump is knocking it out of the hate park.

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But that immigration speech was more than any of them could have hoped for.

The headline in the Washington Post, enough to send chills through the hearts of any who lost family members in the Holocaust.

Who You Gonna Believe? Me, Or Your Lying Eyes?

Trump is the master of media manipulation and flipping the script. His, blah blah blah, 'I feel strongly both ways' immigration policy, intentionally, left open to interpretation. Basically, you hear what you want to hear.

Teflon Don's history of corruption is epic in New York City, and mind-boggling, in its scope, according to the Washington Post.

But it is his similarity to cult leaders L Ron Hubbard and Rev Jim Jones, which is most alarming.

Chants of, 'Lock her up. Lock her up', and 'Deport her', are what Gustave Le Bon identified as, 'contagion', in which the crowd loses its individual self and personal responsibility. It spreads 'like a disease...primarily drawn from a shared racial unconscious.'

His overwhelmingly white audiences, some call, 'red hats and brown shirts', feed on xenophobic orgies of hate, and often resemble Bund rallies.

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Trump is intoxicated by the crowds. And, like a drunk with his bottle, there is never enough to fill up his bottomless need for approval. He doesn't care about them, they're his fix. He whips them into a frenzy and then, bizarrely, thanks them, like a bad borscht belt warm up comic.

Hate is a tuning fork that goes to the place of fear in all of us. And once you're infected, he owns you. It is an insatiable beast, requiring more hate to survive. The endgame is extermination.

Just ask Werner.

'What Was the Turning Point in Germany?'

When I read the GOP nominee's senior foreign policy advisor, Joseph Schmitz, said in 2009, 'The ovens were too small to kill 6 million Jews', I took the train to Smithtown to pay another visit to my old friend.

We'd had this discussion many times over the years, but today it seemed even more prescient.

'In my opinion, the turning point in Germany, was when they stopped looking at minorities as human beings and started looking at them as objects. People who use the 'all' word, attract a great great number of people. It's one of the easiest ways to attract people. All Jews are rich, all Jews are crooks, all Jews kill little children and make Matzoh out of them... Because one solution will apply to 'all'. All Jews must be exterminated.'

Once that solution is acceptable, can a more efficient way of burning bodies in the Auschwitz crematoriums, be far behind?

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You've Been Trump'd

There is no such thing as bad publicity to him. So what if his wife plagiarized her speech, or he offends every single person or ethnic group he comes in contact with who threatens him? So what if he insults a Gold Star mother?

My grandmother was a Gold Star mother. She kept a candle and a star in the lace curtained window, for her son, Dude, who was shot down over the English Channel in 1942, when he was 19 years old.

Ousted Roger Aisles, Bannon, False Flags conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and others in his bunker, are sucking the air out of the room 24/7. The media created him, and they're doing the heavy lifting. But people are beginning to sober up at the specter of a Trump dictatorship.

'You've normalized white supremacy' Soledad O'Brien rails at CNN, and an anti-Semitic, racist ideology of an all white, all Christian nation, harkening of a dark time in our history, all too familiar to Werner.

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Beware the demagogue, who screams, our country is going to hell in a hand basket, and ... "I alone can fix it".

How?

The Big Lie was coined by Hitler in his 1925, Mein Kampf, and refined by the architect of the Nazi propaganda machine, Joseph Goebbels.

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie...the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."

Truth is the enemy of Donald Trump too.

'The Bad Dudes'

When I filmed him at the Pence press conference, he effusively, thanked the evangelicals for winning the nomination for him, and promised a Christian Nation, free of Muslims, Mexicans and Bad Dudes, he's going to change the laws and 'give religion a voice again'. Pence, a heart beat away, introduced himself. 'I'm a Christian, a conservative and a Republican - in that order'.

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He's going to get rid of 'ALL the illegal aliens', 'ALL the criminals', 'ALL the drug dealers', 'ALL the gang leaders', ALL the 'bad dudes' - 'so fast it will make your head spin' - In his, Run Spot Run rhetoric, 'it's going to be good', 'It's going to be great, believe me', 'it's a disaster'.

When Werner was 13 years old, he went into hiding, from another charismatic leader . He was deemed a 'bad dude', simply because, he was a Jew.

But that was 77 years ago, it could never happen again.

The dog whistle, now a deafening roar... like the air raid sirens used to mask the deportation of Jews.

'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it' ~George Santayana
True crime historian Rob Sberna first heard about Cleveland police officer Jim Simone when he was researching the Ariel Castro case in 2013. Castro had kidnapped three Cleveland girls and held them hostage in is house for years. Simone pulled Castro over for a traffic stop shortly before his secret was discovered. He didn't know Castro was holding the girls in his house. Always second-guessing, national news outlets aired the dash cam video of the traffic stop and interviewed Simone as if he should have been a psychic. Sberna liked Simone's direct and candid manner. Since he was finished with his Castro manuscript, he decided to write about Simone. The result was Badge 387: The Story of Jim Simone, America's Most Decorated Cop.

The local media coined the nickname "Super Cop" in the early 1980s when Simone became known for his numerous shootings and life-saving exploits. Two particular stories cemented the legend. The first was in 1980 when Simone nearly lost his life running into a burning house to look for children. Then in 1983 he was shot in the face by a shooting suspect hiding in a church basement. Simone not only survived the point-blank bullet, but left the hospital two days later amid much fanfare. A modern day superhero now lived in Cleveland.

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Simone has even piqued the interest of noted Cleveland documentary filmmaker Shawn Rech. Rech's A Murder in the Park, was named by Time Magazine as one of the Top 15 most fascinating true crime stories ever told. Rech is starting production on a docu-series about Simone this Spring, and he says networks are already interested. I sat down with author Rob Sberna for a chat about his new book, Badge 387, the process of writing it and if the "Super Cop" legend lives up to the hype.

It seems from the book that he was always rushing in to save people and get the bad guys. Is this an accurate descriptions and why do you think he thrived putting his life on the line all the time?

Yes, that seems accurate. He seemed to relish perilous situations in which he could distinguish himself and demonstrate bravery. Although I have theories about his propensity to be "first in" during a dangerous situation, it's a mystery to me why he put his life in danger so many times. I've asked him why he's so willing to risk his life, but his stock answer is, "I'm the son of my parents." Perhaps he's saying that he's hard-wired to move towards danger, instead of away. Or he's tacitly acknowledging that he's seeking external validation from a long-gone authority figure. While he may be criticized as reckless and impulsive to some people, many of the cops and ex-soldiers I interviewed for the book said Simone is the guy they want next to them during a gun battle.

How long did it take to write the book and over this time how did your opinion of Jim Simone change for better or worse?

It took me about a 18 months to research and write the book. Along with dozens of interview sessions with Jim, I spoke to men he'd served with in Vietnam and Cleveland police officers, as well as criminal justice experts. My opinion of Simone never changed throughout the process. He was consistent and straightforward in his opinions and his recollections. It was a good experience hearing his memories of Vietnam and his perspective on policing.

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If you had to describe what type of person Jim Simone is what would you say?

I found him to be a complex character. On the surface, he appears to be very self-confident and willing to put himself in life-threatening situations without a second thought. Clearly, he is a driven person, but what drives him? I don't know that I found the answer to that question. I'm not even sure if Jim has the answer. As a child, his mother had very high expectations of him. Perhaps his sense of duty stems from the morals that she instilled.

Tell us about his Vietnam days and how they affected his police career for good or bad?

Coming from a family of World War 2 veterans, Simone seemed destined for military service. He joined the Army and elected to become a paratrooper, which was no surprise given his drive to distinguish himself. Sent to Vietnam as a radio operator, he was quickly noticed by company commanders who wanted him for their patrol units. After proving his courage and leadership abilities during several firefights, he was promoted to platoon sergeant. He also spent some time as a "tunnel rat," crawling through the Viet Cong's underground maze in search of weapons caches and hidden guerilla fighters. Although he seemed fearless and willing to carry out any mission, no matter how dangerous, Simone was deeply affected by the deaths of several of his friends, particularly a medic named Ken Kotyluk.

By his own admission, Simone's attitudes about life and death were irreversibly changed in Vietnam - he came to realize that life was fleeting and fragile. He was severely wounded in a mortar attack and nearly lost his life. In Vietnam, he learned that those who hesitate in a combat situation are likely to be killed or wounded. He brought that sense of urgency and self-preservation to his police career. In an armed confrontation, Simone was aggressive and proactive. Because he'd been in combat, he also was confident in his abilities to lead other cops during searches for fugitives and showdowns with armed individuals. Simone trusted himself to be the point person. He was willing to take the risk, no matter what danger he was facing.

In law enforcement circles in Cleveland what is Simone's standing? He's earned hundreds of commendations so what does that mean to his peers?

Simone has a somewhat complicated relationship with other cops. On several occasions during his career, he had arrested cops and family members of cops for drunk driving and other offenses. So of course that sometimes made things difficult for him in the "locker room." Also, there were cops who were resentful of the media publicity that he received and his nickname "Super Cop." Many cops, particularly older cops, subscribe to the "blue code," meaning they gave and expected favors from each other. And that's not so different from the mutual courtesy that exists in many other professions.

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Younger cops, however, seem to have a deep admiration for Simone. I suspect that's because of the legend he acquired as a fearless, no-nonsense, lawman. The majority of Simone's career was spent in a law enforcement culture that was more inclined to allow officers to use their discretion on the streets, even if that meant using physical violence. Nowadays, that aggressive mindset isn't as prevalent or tolerated. To his law enforcement admirers, I think Simone represents the tough, hard-boiled street cop of years past. But whether cops liked him or hated him, there seemed to be universal respect for his courage and his reputation for equitably enforcing the law.

Simone comes across as a gunslinger, like a sheriff from the old west, do you think this is a fair comparison and why or why not?

Yes, I do think it's a fair comparison. It's a fairly common perception of Old West sheriffs as moral absolutists who saw their world in black and white; good and evil. While there were certainly exceptions to those archetypes, I think it's convenient and gratifying for us to view heroes and villains in absolute terms -- the black hats and the white hats. My impression of Jim Simone is that there aren't too many shades of gray in his worldview. He lives by a strict code of right and wrong. That type of person - and Simone is no exception - are often interesting and charismatic, in part, because of their forthright manner and unwavering focus.

How many people has Simone shot or killed in the line of duty and has he ever faced scrutiny for it?

He has killed five people in the line of duty, and been involved in a dozen other non-fatal shootings. His first three shootings were quickly ruled justifiable, although the third shooting was controversial. In that case, Simone rushed into a church basement after a gunman. Simone killed the gunman, but not before the victim shot Simone and two other cops. After the shooting, some news reporters and even some cops thought Simone may have acted rashly and imprudently by entering the basement, rather than letting SWAT take charge.

The fourth shooting was also controversial because the victim was known to be depressed and was brandishing a gun that turned out to be unloaded. Eventually, Simone was acquitted of wrongdoing in that incident. But his fifth shooting was criticized by Cleveland political leaders because the victim was unarmed, although Simone didn't know it at the time. The man had just robbed a bank and Simone, who was off-duty, chased him down. When the man reached for his pocket, Simone shot him. The Cleveland prosecutor sent the case to the grand jury, which ruled in Simone's favor.

What is Simone doing nowadays since he retired?

He's still working in law enforcement. He works for Cleveland's court system serving warrants and he also has two part-time jobs as a police officer in communities near Cleveland. He hasn't slowed down a bit since leaving the Cleveland Police in 2011. In fact, Simone likes to say he's enjoying retirement because he now "only works 60 hours a week."

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The kind of people a leader chooses to surround themselves with says a lot about him or her. Does she pick yes-men who will stroke an ego? Does she pick attack dogs who throw elbows while she rises above the fray? Does she pick policy wonks who are whip-smart but bad at dealing with people?

In short, there are plenty of unwise choices to make. But the fact that Hillary Clinton, for more than two decades, has chosen Huma Abedin is a testament to her wisdom.

Like Clinton herself, Abedin has got the chops for the job. Projects she's taken on include Secretary Clinton's run for Senate in New York in 2000, the first iterations of what would become the Iran Deal, and Secretary Clinton's current bid for President. Currently, Ms. Abedin is the Vice Chair of Hillary Clinton's campaign for President, acting in many ways as the Chief of Staff for the aspiring Commander in Chief. Huma's resume shows she's a superb generalistable to balance competing priorities at once and handle some of the most complex topics in foreign policy.

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Some digging reveals that Abedin's parents represent a true American love story. They met while both attending University of Pennsylvania on Fulbright Scholarships. Her father was Indian and her mother Pakistani. Going back home post-marriage wasn't an option for them in 1964, as tensions between their respective communities were high. They wrote the State Department and requested refuge, which they were grantedpaving the way for their daughter to be born in the stable, secure United States rather than in the aftermath of wars in their homelands.

Abedin eventually attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and, in 1996, received an internship at the White House working for then-First Lady Hillary Clinton. She is a Muslim American who speaks 3 languages and is incredibly well-traveled. When she walks into a room, it's full. Her presence precedes her even as she's happy hanging in the back ensuring that her boss is taken care of and everything happens as it should.

She's calm, not showy; she gets things done behind the scenes. If she's got her own agenda, it's not obvious; in public, her views are her boss's (an invaluable trait for any staffer to have). She shows the loyalty and discretion that Clinton famously values. I don't think anyone would describe Abedin as a "yes-woman" or an "attack dog". In fact, finding someone or something to compare her to is quite difficult as she brings her own unique poise and brilliance to her craft. Although they clearly share values, Abedin's background is very different from Clinton'sshe clearly brings a very unique perspective to the fold.

I've only interacted with Abedin one time: in San Diego, when Hillary Clinton delivered her national security speech on June 2, 2016. This was a landmark speech, but it was her that made the biggest impression on me that day. I had requested a letter from the Clinton team for the family of a fallen member of the military, and Abedin hand-delivered it to me to give to the family. She exuded calm, confidence, and intelligence, and it was clear that she understood the importance of the sacrifice of our fallen servicemember and the significance of Secretary Clinton's letter.

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Every American should be proud that Abedin has worked in and around our federal government for two decades as of this year. We are incredibly lucky to have someone with so much experience dedicate their entire adult life to serving our nation and the values that we all hold dear. Her response to the ugly anti-Muslim rhetoric of this election cycle, "There is nothing more American than hope," demonstrates her faith in our country and commitment to its valuesas well as the fact that she is the living embodiment of its promise.

She's supremely competent and handles anything that comes at her with poise and aplomb.
For small business people few endeavors are as productive as attending, or presenting at, a conference. The value is not restricted to meeting and networking with thousands of industry leaders, or even rubbing elbows with veritable business icons. And naturally, you learn a great deal. One of the greatest takeaways is in the Ah-ha! moments. Epiphanies that take your breath away, when a thought leader says that one thing that makes everything fall into place.

It's that moment everyone remembers; the one everyone will be talking about for weeks.

Not every speaker will deliver the same impact. Ah-ha moments require a powerful, charismatic speaker, a startling, but understandable revelation.

One of my favorite Ah-ha speakers is tech superstar Guy Kawasaki. He's smart and funny, and he delivers esoteric concepts in a down-to-earth way.

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Can innovation be taught? I'm not sure. As Guy points out, not every idea is a good one. But while he cannot tell you how to come up with a good idea, he can certainly teach how to recognize a bad one.

November 14-16, 2016, Guy Kawasaki will be at NexCon16, delivering Ah-ha moments in the company of another of my business heroes, Steve Wozniak. Yeah. The Woz. Co-founder and tech wiz of Apple.

A host of other business luminaries will grace the stage, delivering a whole lot of Ah-ha moments from a diverse array of industries and businesses.

Hosted by Nextiva, a rapidly growing cloud-based unified communications service, the conference is designed to enlighten entrepreneurs, small business owners, tech professionals, and anyone does business online or off. With 50 speakers over three days, Nextcon will offer something for everyone.

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Ah-ha! Moment Potential

The conference promises to deliver some genuine Ah-ha moments, courtesy of an allstar lineup. Here are a few highlights:

Immediately following the welcome session on the first day of the conference, Guy Kawasaki kicks off the conference with "How to Jump the Innovation Curve" - a presentation guaranteed to be full of insight, wit, and wisdom.

Later, attendees have the opportunity to attend a "fireside chat" with Darin Brown, CTO of Angie's List, Scott Gerber, founder of CommunityCo, Neill Feather, president of Sitelock, and Carol Roth, TV host and CNBC contributor. The conversation will center on overcoming challenges to achieve growth.

After lunch, Tomas Gorny, CEO of Nextiva, takes the stage to talk about The Future of Business Communications." With his experience as an industry disruptor and serial entrepreneur, Gorny is certain to light up the crowd about what's in the future on the communications front.

On day two, you'll be treated to "Building a Brand" from someone who knows - Gopi Kallayil

Chief Evangelist, Brand Marketing, Google. In charge of building some of the most powerful brands in the world, Kallayil will share insights about building a brand and keeping it relevant.

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Next up, marketing legend, Larry Kim, founder of Wordstream, who will present "5 Ways to Innovate with Paid Search." Kim will cover unique strategies for search engine marketing.

Discussing a subject near and dear to my heart, a panel of SEO experts is up later in the day with "SEO Powerhouse: Excelling at Organic Search."

Day two continues with expert-led presentations and panels centered on marketing, social media, company culture, women in business, video production, data management, and growth.

Day three continues with the varied-interest theme, beginning with email marketing and inspiring young people to pursue tech, providing amazing customer service, leading into "Organizations of the Future" presented by Pat Wadors, Linkedin's chief HR officer.

Speakers, panels, workshops, and a roundtable marketing discussion are packed into the day, ending with a full hour of Woz, speaking on "Creating a Culture of Innovators." Afterward, attendees get up close and personal in an informal session with Steve Wozniak.

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The conference closes with "NextCon: A Look Back, A Look Ahead," a roundup of topics covered, drinks, and some extra networking time.

At $499, NextCon16 is a bargain for small business looking to maximize value for their networking ad education investment.
Man holding gun, close-up

Are Americans safe from terrorism?

Forty-nine dead in Orlando, five in Dallas and three in Baton Rouge in 2016. Twelve dead in San Bernardino, three at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs and nine at a church in Charleston in 2015.

In addition, Americans watched ample news coverage of the attacks in Nice and Brussels in 2016, and two far more deadly attacks in Paris in 2015. Jihadist attacks are up dramatically in Europe, from four in 2014 to 17 in 2015. And, there are even more frequent deaths from terrorism elsewhere in the world, which usually receive less intense coverage in the U.S.

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From 2002 through 2015, 80 Americans were killed in terrorist attacks. The 57 killed in 2016 almost equals the total of the previous 13 years. The totality of attacks worldwide can give Americans the impression that they are in escalating danger. An evolution in the way we remember the war dead since Vietnam may be one reason these deaths take up so much space in the public imagination.

In comparison to overall murders and auto accident fatalities, the deaths from terrorism are less significant. In 2013, the most recent year for which there are comprehensive statistics from the FBI, 13,716 Americans were murdered, the equivalent of an Orlando massacre every 32 hours.

In 2014, 32,675 Americans died in car accidents. In other words, the 57 Americans who died in terrorist attacks in 2016 were equal to 0.42 percent of all murders and 0.17 percent of all traffic deaths.

Why do the terrorist attacks get so much media coverage? Why is fear of terrorism a major issue in the current election? A Pew Research Center poll shows 80 percent of Americans see terrorism as "very important" to their vote this year, second only to the economy at 84 percent.

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Framing terror

When an unusual and seemingly random tragedy strikes, some may try to give it meaning by relating it to other, more familiar and historic horrors. When the Bush administration decided after 9/11 to label its response a "War on Terror," it gave the American public a template for understanding future attacks.

The way in which Orlando was labeled and framed by news media and politicians shapes the way in which we think about that horrific event. For those who see it as a mass murder, Orlando is evidence of the dangers of making automatic weapons available for purchase by civilians. However, a significant amount of coverage of Orlando focused on the killer and his professed Islamist extremism. The 49 dead then become something different from the largely anonymous thousands of Americans murdered with guns each year. Instead, the 49 are seen as war casualties and are viewed in ways borrowed from the forms we use to memorialize war dead.

I have studied depictions of war dead in newspapers, textbooks and Medal of Honor citations. During the Vietnam War and since, the U.S. military, textbook publishers and mass media abandoned longstanding conventions of how to present war dead.

New types of heroism in Vietnam

Before Vietnam, the dominant approach was to focus on soldiers' heroic actions and to describe how they contributed to American victory, and in that way find meaning in their ultimate sacrifice. The media might have named dead soldiers, but little, and more often nothing, was said about their premilitary lives. Their families were ignored or presented as stoic patriots, proud of their husbands', sons' or fathers' sacrifice. The U.S. military awarded medals mainly for acts that led to the deaths of enemy soldiers. The physical and emotional trauma of soldiers who endured combat and of their relatives received little attention in the media, from public officials or in school textbooks. Photos of dead American soldiers, while often graphic, rarely showed faces, and captions omitted the names of those shown.

Portrayals of dead soldiers changed dramatically during the Vietnam War. Medals were increasingly given for saving the lives of fellow American soldiers rather than killing the enemy. Newspaper stories during Vietnam and even more in recent wars paid increasing attention to the grief of dead soldiers' relatives and to the suffering of the injured.

Prisoners of war first gained attention during Vietnam, and the attention to those held by the enemy intensified during the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979-81. War photos increasingly present soldiers in pain rather than in heroic tableaus and often are used to illustrate lengthy articles on the difficulties those who were wounded or emotionally traumatized face in returning to civilian life. Textbook chapters on victorious wars like World War II as well as Vietnam seek to describe the terror and agony of combat rather than offering narrow depictions of brave and stoic soldiers.

Honor without victory

The new way of presenting soldiers in war grew in part out of efforts to find honor in America's defeat in Vietnam, and now in the inconclusive and seemingly unending wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Soldiers aren't honored for victory because it hasn't been achieved. Instead, they are praised for saving one another's lives and for struggling to overcome their personal traumas. As a result, the highest value for soldiers in combat has become minimizing casualties.

The names of each dead soldier are published in newspapers, following the pattern set by the Vietnam War Memorial. The memorial represented that war as a list of names abstracted from any larger narrative and without reference to any purpose for which that war was fought.

When a mass murder is labeled as domestic terrorism, the victims are seen as casualties in the War on Terror. As such, their deaths are visualized and understood through the pattern now established for memorializing soldiers. Thus, each of the dead in Orlando, Baton Rouge, Dallas, San Bernardino and Charleston, and of course those who died on 9/11 and in the few attacks in between 2001 and 2016, were made the subjects of biographical articles in the media. When memorials are built to remember each of these tragedies they will be centered on the names of the dead, as is the case with One World Trade Center that commemorates those lost on 9/11.

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This framework makes the attacks more personal to the public because we begin to know personal details about the victims, and therefore think we know the victims and feel their families' trauma.

A relatively few deaths become manifestations of a war come home to America. Those few highly publicized deaths provoke levels of fear and anger that make it difficult to think clearly about the actual causes of these crimes and conceive of governmental policies that actually might make prevent future attacks.
Last week, when Michael Walker of Beckley, West Virginia, read in his local paper that high-potency heroin--or opioids sold as or cut with heroin--caused an outbreak of 27 overdoses in just four hours in the nearby city of Huntington, he thought of his 19-year-old son, Matthew, who has been off of opiates for three months, the longest he's been without the drug in years.

"I know it's early for Matthew, and what a struggle it still is," said Walker, 42, a white working-class dad. "A lot of people call this a problem, but it's an epidemic," he said, while describing the situation in West Virginia.

West Virginia ranks No. 1 in the nation for overdose fatalities. Pill mills churning out OxyContin addicted many in Walker's hometown, including his son. Once the dirty doctors were kicked out of town and the pill supply ran dry, Walker said his son turned to heroin. "You could walk down the street and knock on someone's door, and there heroin was," he said.

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Situations like the one in West Virginia sound off the opioid epidemic siren. Both local and national news carry its echo across the country, citing each outbreak as the relentless continuation of an ongoing drug crisis--one that's described as having crept out of the so called inner-city and into affluent suburbs and rural towns, causing premature death en masse among the white population. Ask someone like Walker--middle-aged, working class, who is up on current events about opiates and heroin--and they'll tell you how dire things are.

But researchers at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy in Houston, Texas, say government data do not reflect what the media and politicians have said about the magnitude of the epidemic.

The Baker Institute's newly released Brian C. Bennett Drug Charts use data collected by the University of Michigan's Monitoring The Future survey, along with the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, to chart drug-using trends over a span of 40 years. The charts deliver a bird's-eye view of drug use in America and a counter-narrative to the opioid epidemic.

Along with the charts--which we'll get to--Rice University released a policy brief written by William Martin and Katherine Neill, both doctoral fellows in drug policy at Rice. "These charts," they write, "caution against uncritically accepting alarming announcements of drug abuse epidemics by media, politicians, religious leaders, law enforcement agencies, drug treatment facilities, voluntary associations, or others with real or opportunistic reasons to sound the klaxon."

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Brian C. Bennett is a former military intelligence analyst who uses data to destruct drug war rhetoric. For years, he's been a thorn in the side of many drug prohibitionists--mainly because his encyclopedic catalog of drug-using trends poke holes in what he calls prohibitionist fear-mongering. Like the time Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates, who founded the DARE drug education program, said that "casual drug users should be taken out and shot."

That would be a lot of people dead in the streets. Many people identify as regular drug users each year, and the number of people who call themselves a "frequent-user" remains stable, despite screams that drug use is on the rise.

In reference to cocaine users, which the LAPD targeted during the '80s crack epidemic, the authors of the policy brief write, "It is clear that not all use is abuse and that most people who get into trouble with the drug recover from it, many on their own without treatment, participation in a 12-step recovery program, or relapse." Rarely will you hear law enforcement speak of cocaine use in such plain terms. But that's what the data show.

The Fix reached out to Bennett to discuss his newly released charts, and how the numbers behind the opiate crisis paint a less frightening picture.

Bennett's charts appear counterintuitive if you've been watching the news. For instance, they show heroin use has remained stable between 1979 and 2014. Though there was a jump to 914,000 heroin users from 681,000 between 2013 and 2014, he asks his audience to keep in mind the size of the U.S. population ages 12 and older, which in 2014 was over 265 million.

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Because the charts are scaled to the U.S. population at large, such fluctuations look like flat lines--"insignificant in the big picture," he said--when charted.

The same can be applied to painkillers like OxyContin, says Bennett. In 2014, the number of people who reported using painkillers for "nonmedical use" in the past month was 5.1 million. Martin and Neill, the authors of the policy brief, write, "This is not a small number of potentially problematic users, but it is a small segment of the U.S. population--1.6 percent of those age 12 and older."

Bennett told The Fix that, "When looking at pills, the past year use numbers have been declining a bit." But if you get your information from, say, the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, who wield a budget of $88.4 million dedicated solely to keeping kids off drugs, they'll tell you painkiller use is on the rise.

"There was a brief spike in the use of [painkillers] in the 2009 and 2010 estimates," said Bennett. But he adds that ad hoc reports exaggerate these upticks. "This helps illustrate an important point concerning reporting of these numbers: the tendency is to cherry pick the numbers to paint the worst possible picture. That is why it is so important to consider the complete data sets when discussing these issues."
If it survives the summary judgment phase of litigation, Linn Countys $1.4 billion breach of contract lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Forestry will likely proceed as a class action, Linn County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Murphy ruled late Tuesday.

Tuesdays decision comes in the wake of an Aug. 17 hearing on the lawsuit, filed in March by Linn County on behalf of 145 counties, subdivisions of counties and other taxing districts that receive funds from timber harvesting on state forest trust lands.

Linn County contends that the state has broken what amounts to a decades-old contract to manage the lands, which the state acquired from the counties, based on the greatest permanent value.

The lawsuit argues that the phrase "greatest permanent value" requires the state to manage the lands in question for the greatest sustainable timber harvest. As the state has expanded the definition of "greatest permanent value" to include other factors such as watershed preservation and recreation, the suit argues, that has resulted in decreasing timber harvests, which in turn has reduced the amount of money paid to county governments and other entities. The lawsuit seeks $1.4 billion in damages.

Lawyers for the state filed motions to dismiss the case, to move it to the Oregon Court of Appeals and to deny the class action.

But Murphy ruled the Circuit Court does have jurisdiction to hear the case, because at its heart, the case is about breach of contract, an issue clearly within the courts domain.

Murphy also ruled that the requirements for a class action lawsuit apply, although he agreed with the state that it may be too early to certify the class because the expenses, especially for discovery, arising as a result of the class certification will be substantial and would all prove meaningless if the court certified the class before dispositive motions are resolved.

The court agrees, Murphy ruled. If this case survives the summary judgment phase of the case then class certification is entirely appropriate and should go forward promptly.

Murphy also ruled that the state enjoys sovereign immunity and therefore prejudgment interest cannot be applied.

The state argued that Linn County did not plead a clear and unmistakable term of a statutory contract that required defendants to maximize revenue to the benefit of the plaintiff.

But Murphy said documentation exists that clearly sets out the elements of contracting including transfer of title in land by counties in consideration for certain promises to perform by the state.

He added, A determination of the exact terms of the contract are another matter.

At the heart of the matter will be defining greatest permanent value," Murphy said, but that was to be in accordance with the best grazing and forest management practices of the time.

But what were those practices in 1941?

That, Murphy said, can only be determined by the gathering of evidence to be presented in court.

Said Linn County Commissioner Roger Nyquist: We are grateful to be one step closer to a satisfactory resolution of this matter for communities all over rural Oregon. To us, this means we are going to trial.

He said Murphys decision defines our case well. It focuses on what did the term greatest permanent value mean when the parties entered these contracts back in the 1930s and '40s. The decision defines our case well.

Nyquist added, We look forward to our day in court.

Attorneys for the state could not be contacted by telephone Tuesday evening.


Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

In May 1968, a well digger named Wilbur Riddle traveled along U.S. Route 25 in the Kentucky backwoods, collecting glass telephone pole insulators. In the midst of his search, he came upon a bundled up green tarp. Riddle nudged the mass with his foot, sending it down an embankment. In the rapid movement, the tarp unraveled to reveal the bundle within.

It was shaped like a body.

Riddle panicked and ran to a gas station, where he phoned the sheriff about his discovery. A short time later, the sheriff arrived and cut away the covering. What he found horrified him. There, frozen in the stiff position of someone trying to escape, was the badly decomposed body of a young girl. She looked to be a white teenager with short brown hair. Apart from the decay, her appearance was unremarkable.

READ MORE: 27 EERIE UNSOLVED MYSTERIES

Once the press took hold of the story, the unidentified female was quickly dubbed the "Tent Girl." Police issued a public appeal for any family members with a missing relative. No one ever came forward. Despite a few false leads, the unknown victim was finally laid to rest in Georgetown Cemetery in 1971 with a heartbreaking epitaph:

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TENT GIRL

FOUND MAY 17 1968

ON U.S. HIGHWAY 25, N.

DIED ABOUT APRIL 26 - MAY 3, 1968

AGE ABOUT 16 - 19 YEARS

HEIGHT 5 FEET 1 INCH

WEIGHT 110 TO 115 LBS.

REDDISH BROWN HAIR

UNIDENTIFIED

Decades later, a man named Todd Matthews began dating Wilbur Riddle's daughter, Lori. Lori recounted her father's story to Todd, after which Todd became somewhat obsessed with researching the case. He traveled to the Tent Girl's gravesite and visited area newspapers in search of any small clue that might push him in the right direction. In addition to press coverage, Todd was interested in finding reports of missing persons from the same time period.

The Internet did not yet exist, and Todd's research was limited to phone calls and interviews. For 10 years he gathered shreds of information from various sources, but nothing valuable materialized. Finally, the age of the Internet dawned, and Todd was thrust into a world where distance was no longer a barrier.



On left, a sketch of 'Tent Girl' released after the discovery of the body. On right, a photo of Barbara Ann Hackmann-Taylor. Photo: Via Lancaster Online

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Through a community of people who shared an interest in cold cases, Todd stumbled across a posting one evening in 1998 that put a lump in his throat. It was from an Arkansas woman named Rosemary Westbrook; she was looking for any information on her older sister, who had gone missing after being seen in Lexington, Kentucky. The description given by the woman matched the appearance etched into the Tent Girl's tombstone.

My sister Barbara has been missing from our family since the latter part of 1967. She has brown hair, brown eyes, is about five feet two inches tall and was last seen in the Lexington, Kentucky area. If you have any information, please contact me at the address posted.

Todd contacted the woman and put her in touch with Kentucky's forensic medical examiner. On March 2, 1998, the Tent Girl's body was exhumed and sent to a laboratory in Frankfurt, Kentucky. DNA testing was conducted using a cheek swab from Rosemary and pulp from one of the corpse's teeth.

The results definitively identified the Tent Girl as 24-year-old Barbara Ann Hackmann-Taylor.

Barbara had moved to Kentucky without her family's knowledge. At the time of her disappearance, she was working in a restaurant and had a young daughter. She was also married to a carnival worker named George Earl Taylor, who claimed he hadn't seen her in years and that she had left him for another man. By the time Barbara was identified, George Taylor was long dead, having succumbed to cancer in October 1987. He was never officially implicated in her murder, though Todd Matthews believed him to be responsible.

Solving the mystery of the Tent Girl's identity gave Todd Matthews a sense of purpose. He joined the Doe Network--a bulletin board of missing-person cases--and helped build it into a national database. It now contains thousands of cases. Todd also assisted in the formation of EDAN (Everyone Deserves a Name), an organization comprised of volunteer artists and sculptors who donate sketches and facial reconstructions to help with the identification of bodies.

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In a final act of dignity, a second grave marker was placed beneath the original stone in Georgetown Cemetery. It bares Barbara's full birth name (minus her married name), her nickname, and an approximate death date.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a joint news conference as part of a meeting with the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

Last week, Chancellor Angela Merkel's political party, the CDU, lost local elections in her home state to the populist right-wing party AFD and the Social Democrats. Not only was this the first time that a right-wing party has overtaken the center-right party CDU at an election, but it has served as a warning sign to Chancellor Merkel that her refugee-friendly 'open-door' policy might cost her next year's national elections.

Merkel has been under fire for her refugee-friendly policies by right wing opposition parties since the immigration influx from Syria started last year. However, she has always stood firm and stuck to her policies despite criticism.

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Judging by the results of her home state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, her immigration-friendly stance is not shared by many of Germany's voting population. While the elections were won by the Social Democrats, which received 31% of the votes, the right-wing party 'Alternative fur Deutschland' received 21% of the votes, ahead of Merkel's Christian Democrats who only won 19%. These results have even prompted rumors that Merkel might step down as Chancellor ahead of the national elections in 2017.

What if Merkel loses the national elections?

This begs several questions. What will happen if Merkel is no longer in power? Who will lead Germany next? What will the new Chancellor's stance be on Germany's place in the EU? Would a less EU-friendly German Chancellor lead to a break up of the EU? While we won't know the answers of any of these questions before next year's national elections, we should consider the possible scenarios and what effects they would have on the financial markets.

Merkel has always been a pro-EU politician and a driving force behind building and maintaining a strong united Europe. However, should she and her party lose at the national elections and should Germany's new Chancellor have less of a EU-friendly attitude, this could rattle not only the Euro but also European stocks and other risky assets with exposure to the European market.

Anthony Di Maggio, Research Analyst at SternOptions, stated, "The last thing that the European investors need now is for Merkel to lose next year's national elections. This could potentially create massive uncertainty about the future of the European Union and its single monetary union. As we know, investors don't like uncertainty and such a result at the elections could rattle both the Euro and European risky assets."

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The 'Merkel-Effect' on the EU

Merkel has been a key advocate of the EU and a leading figure in its shaping during and after the European debt crisis, which was sparked in late 2009 by Greece's solvency issues. Merkel has always been adamant that she wants a strong and united European Union, and that the preservation of the EU and the Euro will be defended at all costs.

Should she fail to be re-elected as the German Chancellor, this could potentially have a very negative affect the future of the European Union, if the new Chancellor is not as EU-friendly as Mrs. Merkel or doesn't build the same strong relationships as she has with other pro-EU leaders.

Should uncertainty over the future of Germany's leading role in a united Europe be in doubt, financial markets will most likely react violently, and both the Euro and European stocks will take a substantial hit, while periphery government bond yields would also shoot up.

How would a post-Merkel German economy fair?

It is extremely hard to predict how a country's economy will perform after upcoming elections. Having said that, should the new chancellor have a less EU-friendly approach and potentially suggest a German EU exit, the Euro would take a severe hit, German business confidence would tank and investment into Germany would decrease. This, in turn, would weaken the German economy.

Business and investors want certainty and any deterring from the current plan for Germany and the EU would have negative effects on the financial markets and businesses.
With Kenyatta Day approaching (October 20th), I am back to a ritual I have practiced over the last two decades:

Questioning whether the near-deification of Jomo Kenyatta by some Kenyans is warranted; a question driven primarily by the country's paroxysmal evolution and development trajectory -- since independence.

While I started reading up on Kenya's history shortly after I came to the United States in 1981, my interest in Jomo Kenyatta and his presidency took on an urgency after the post-election violence of 2007/8. I also became curious about his role in (formation of the) Pan-African Movement after the passing of Nelson Mandela in 2013 and his son's (Uhuru) tireless efforts to revive Pan-Africanism throughout Africa beginning 2013.

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On a side note, there is some interesting symmetry between Jomo Kenyatta's now-demonstrable faux role in Kenya's fight for independence and his son's efforts to revive the movement. I have argued elsewhere that Uhuru's efforts were more for self-preservation (given his-then crimes-against-humanity charges at The Hague) than altruistic pan-Africanism.

The original adopters of Pan-Africanism -- Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Jomo Kenyatta -- each brought unique personal qualities to the movement and as leaders in their respective countries. Accordingly, the movement's raison d'etre as conceived by Henry Sylvester and/or Edward Wilmont Blyden was as follows:

Unity of Africa predicated on economic, social, and political policies that "unify and uplift" all (Africans).

Using the foregoing yardstick, I would argue that Mandela, Nkurumah, and Nyerere did significantly more to unify and uplift their respective people than Jomo given the underlying issues surrounding Kenya's current socio-political and economic woes.

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Daniel Branch's piece in the September 5, 2014 issue of the Daily Nation titled "There was nothing professorial but brute force in Daniel arap Moi's wield of power" details the sycophancy surrounding the birthday celebrations of Jomo's successor and I couldn't agree more. The Warwick University Professor of History correctly writes that "(T)o show respect and deference to one's elders is commendable, but the tone of much of the coverage of Moi's birthday has been galling."

On the other hand and paraphrasing from Teju Cole's book "Every day is for the thief", Prof. Branch writes that glorification of the Moi presidency was "sycophantic, inaccurate, uncritical, and desperately outdated, as if each dictator (Moi) was sent a form to fill in with his 'achievements' and...left at that."

Prof. Branch's characterization may as well apply to Jomo Kenyatta especially when juxtaposed against the on-going animus between Kenya's tribes and the endemic corruption and impunity that are as Kenyan as nyama choma, kachumbari and moja baridi. All told, I do not share in the adoration of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta because he set Kenya along its current path of tribal animus, endemic corruption and impunity.

Unlike those who have virtually bestowed sainthood on Jomo Kenyatta, I have not drank the Kool-Aid. Far far from being at the fore-front of the country's fight for independence from the British, Mr. Kenyatta was ensconced in the comfort of the London School of Economics, "living on the generosity of friends..." while pursuing studies in Anthropology that culminated in his quasi-memoir "Facing Mt. Kenya". Interspersed within his studies were trips to Moscow, Denmark, Sweden and Norway to learn about co-operative farming.

Simply put and given the policies and leadership style of his reign, Jomo Kenyatta was indeed "the African leader unto darkness and death" as he was referred to by colonial Governor Patrick Renison. Similarly, David Lamb writes that Kenyatta "had been singled out (by the British) as the Mau Mau leader - a charge he (Jomo) denied...." Jomo Kenyatta nee Kamau wa Ngengi made an 'unfavourable impression' on the missionary network in London; some who were concerned about his 'unwholesome taste for expensive clothes and loose women'.....(He)....may have been his people's spiritual leader, but he was never a guerilla and it is unlikely that he exerted any military pressure over the Mau Mau."

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Jomo Kenyatta ruled Kenya very much like the British colonialists ruled Kenya. He also used the position to amass an obscene amount of wealth even as the rest of the country wallowed in abject poverty.

Contrastingly, Nelson Mandela, who was actually born into the Thembu Royal House and raised as a prince, lived a life that was far from princely and definitely not kingly. Even after becoming the first black president of post-Apartheid South Africa, Madiba eschewed the trappings and lavishness of black Africa's wealthiest nation. And rather than use his immense popularity to enrich himself and those around him, Mandela chose to serve his people AND tormentors with grace and magnanimity only speechified by most of the continents leaders, including Jomo Kenyatta.

Likewise, Kenyans know all too well about the philosophy and regime of Julius Nyerere of Tanzania so I will eschew the details.

After independence, the same person who claimed to "have kept under considerable restraint the sense of political grievances which no...African can fail to experience" during colonization unleashed the "restraint" feeling of "grievances" on his opponents, indeed on entire communities in the very divide-and-conquer administrative style of the colonizers he so abhorred. It is a poorly kept secret that Jomo Kenyatta and his kitchen cabinet were implicated in the assassinations of Pio Gama Pinto, Tom Mboya, Josiah Mwangi "JM" Kariuki and Argwings Kodhek -- all prominent members of the opposition and/or perceived threats who were tired of the corruption and impunity with which Kenyatta and those around him comported themselves.

In "Facing Mt. Kenya", Mr. Kenyatta presciently opined that "(T)he African is not blind...the educated intellectual minority of Africans, usually dismissed as 'agitators' are rapidly becoming a force.". He then turned around and branded his political rival and nemesis Jaramogi Oginga Odinga as someone who "deliberately (tried) to exploit the colonial hangover for (his) own interest, to serve some external force" effectively branding a former comrade-in-arms during the fight for independence as an "agitator" and neutering his (political) ambition -- by placing him under house arrest.

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Jomo Kenyatta also wrote eloquently about the "professional friends of Africa who are prepared to maintain their friendship provided...that the African will continue to play the part of an ignorant savage so that they can monopolize the office of interpreting his thoughts and speaking for him." only to turn around and use the same "professional friends" to subjugate the African (Mau Mau fighters) and monopolize power within an elite from one tribe - Kikuyu - and among his close circle of family and friends from Kiambu.

In the book "The Politics of Betrayal", Joe Khamisi writes how the same Kenyatta who railed against "professional friends" relied on intelligence from British officials who were constantly spying on Odinga and giving him (Kenyatta) "exaggerated information about Odinga's, communist links."

Historians and citizens alike have undeservingly lionized and mythologized Jomo Kenyatta and unlike most American presidents who get blamed and praised in equal parts, for the success or failure of their administration, Jomo Kenyatta has escaped the responsibility he bears for the single-handed creation of the dysfunctional polity that is today's Kenya; a state repeatedly referred to as a "failed state" and was seconds removed from outright civil war in 2007.

It is baffling that the avowed "tribalist" who prioritized "ethnic unity over national unity" and sought to "put (his Kikuyu) house in order before (telling) others to do so..." has escaped cogent and sustained criticism of his time as Kenya's president even though there is ample evidence in the public domain that offer blistering indictments on Kenya's "founding father".

The "Executive Summary" of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) Report is one such document that offers a searing indictment of the autocratic and avaricious first president. I will admit that Kenyatta Pere did oversee Kenya's peaceful transition from a British colony into one of the most promising, vibrant and stable post-independence African countries.

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However, as evidenced by the very palpable undercurrent of instability that currently pervades Kenya, I would argue that the long-term ramification of his policies far outweigh the short-term guidance of the country after independence. To wit: Joe Khamisi, citing from a speech given by then-senator Barack Obama at the University of Nairobi on August 28, 2006, writes that "(W)hen Kenyatta died in...1978...(Kenya) a country that had started with the same economic indicators as South Korea, had lagged far behind."

Mr. Khamisi continues to write that while South Korea's economy grew "forty times larger than Kenya's" thus transforming the fourth member of the four Asian Tigers (the other three being Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong) into an economic giant within two decades, Kenya's economy floundered; weighed down by land-grabbing, patronizing allocation of resources, incompetent management as civil service jobs were used to reward family and friends, private institutions coerced into hiring relatives and tribalism in the government and parastatals reigned supreme.

The foregoing trend remains true to this day although the ferociousness has abated some thanks to multi-party governance and quasi-independent institutions the country implemented in spite of Jomo Kenyatta. Kenya's outward signs of economic development masked what Mr. Meredith described as "...a wide disparity as the rich got richer and the level of poverty increased". Jomo detained those who dared question his accumulation of personal wealth instead of a balanced and national approach (to wealth and development distribution). Again quoting from Mr. Khamisi's book, Kenyatta "...let his Government move resources from the poor to the rich...(taking) public land, trust land, Government...donor...and parastatal money that were the land and money of the poor.".

Maybe the aggregate benefits of Jomo Kenyatta's legacy are compelling and out-weigh any sustained criticism of his presidency. David Lamb argues that "Kenyatta's excesses were minor by African standards....."

To those who share the fore-going view, I would argue that given the fundamental issues Kenya is currently wrestling with, indeed has been dealing with since independence, I reject the contention that Jomo Kenyatta's positives are compelling enough to excuse and/or absolve him from culpability for the country's erratic and oftentimes murderous trajectory since independence. For a country that was being compared to the 4 Tigers shortly after independence, it is misleading and frankly a pathetic attempt at national mollification and revisionism.

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Mr. Kenyatta bequeathed Kenyans a society with neither a stable nor a scalable foundation as evidenced by the post-election violence of 2007/2008. Additionally, Kroll Inc. issued a report on corruption in Kenya with a listing of names that reads like a "Who-is-Who" of Kenya's elite. David Lamb writes that "(I)t is worth noting that....Kenyatta was concerned with the betterment of his tribe, not the broader issue of nationalism. The fore-going is rather ironic for someone who preached that "(W)here there (had) been racial hatred, it must be ended...where there (had) been tribal animosity, it will be finished."

Fast-forward to 2014 and Professor Daniel Branch's conclusion of President Moi's rule could easily be revised to reflect the rule of Kenya's first president. Mr. Branch writes that "Moi's vanity and the brutality of his regime left perfect, permanent artefacts in the form of Nyayo House and the Nyayo Monument (which) remind us of the terrible consequences of colonial and post-colonial rulers, who relied on fear and autocracy to remain in power."
The Pentagon, Washington Dc, Usa

Tonight's Commander-in-Chief forum, co-sponsored by NBC and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), offers one of the few opportunities thus far to hear the presidential candidates discuss their views on national security issues in depth. Each candidate will have a half hour, back-to-back, which should provide enough time to ferret out substantive differences. It's not enough to say "I'll keep America safe," or "I'll make our military so strong no one will challenge us." Specifics matter.

Unfortunately, one specific we have already heard from both candidates is cause for deep concern. In the past several days, both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have pledged to undo spending caps currently in place at the Pentagon, promising to shovel unknown billions back into the largest line item in America's discretionary budget.

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These calls for more spending are based on some highly dubious claims and are worth a serious fact check.

First, let's start with the notion that under President Obama, the military has seen its budget dramatically slashed, resulting in poverty at the Pentagon.

The Obama administration has spent more on the Pentagon than George W. Bush did, and current levels exceed the peak year of the Reagan administration. That's a pile of money, any way you examine it. What reductions have occurred are due overwhelmingly to the decline in costs associated with bringing home nearly all American troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fighting wars costs lots of money, particularly when they involve large deployments of ground combat troops. The current fighting in Iraq, Syria, and Libya, and the small force remaining in Afghanistan cost a small fraction of what America spent in Iraq and Afghanistan a decade ago. That is why the budget went down. Even if one ignores the reality of why the budget has gone done, it is also worth noting that the drawdown in the budget following the end of the wars in Iraq and scaling down in Afghanistan is, by historical standards, quite small.

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But one might still argue, as the candidates have, that even though the previous wars that drove our record spending spree at the Pentagon have ended, new threats and missions require us to return to record spending, even if we're not going to send 100,000 of our troops back into combat.

The truth is, it's hard to argue with a straight face that the current $600 billion-plus allocated to the Pentagon and related agencies is somehow not enough to protect the U.S. and its allies. In fact, as Benjamin Friedman of the Cato Institute notes in a new piece for War on the Rocks, a more restrained defense strategy would allow reductions from current levels of Pentagon spending without jeopardizing our security. Elements of such an approach would include limiting the military to tasks it is actually designed to do and putting aside the goal of addressing every contingency on the planet, large or small, by relying on allies to do more in their own defense.

Friedman puts current Pentagon spending in perspective by noting that the United States spends twice as much as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea combined. He suggests that a more focused strategy that sets real priorities could save up to 25% in Pentagon spending from current levels, phased in over time. Even if one disagrees with some of Friedman's specific suggested changes in procurement and force structure, his essay makes clear that we need to craft a better strategy, and that doing so could save tens of billions of dollars per year from current levels.

Simply put, spending more money isn't in itself a strategy.

Instead of simply throwing money at a massively bloated bureaucracy, it would be nice to see the candidates show some leadership and talk about the tough choices they would make as Commander-in-Chief. What fat would they cut from the Pentagon's bloated budget?

While honing the U.S. military's missions would yield the biggest savings, there are plenty of other programs that should be eliminated or scaled back. First among these is the overpriced, underperforming, and unnecessary F-35 combat aircraft. Under the Pentagon's current plans, the F-35 will be the most expensive weapons program ever undertaken by the Pentagon, at a cool $1.4 trillion over its lifetime. All of this for a plane that does not perform well as a fighter or a bomber, and that is so complex that half the force may be grounded for maintenance at any one time.

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Another major expenditure that is both wasteful and dangerous is the plan to buy a new generation of nuclear-armed missiles, bombers and submarines at an estimated cost of $1 trillion or more over the next three decades. And the costs keep growing. Just this week Bloomberg News reported that procurement of a new land-based missile alone could cost $85 billion, a much higher figure than the Pentagon or the Air Force had admitted before.

The United States has thousands of nuclear warheads at time when independent experts, including retired military leaders, have suggested that hundreds will be enough to dissuade any other country from attacking the United States. Current delivery vehicles can be modified so that they will work for many decades to come, undercutting the rationale for the $1 trillion buildup. A good place to start would be by cutting the proposed nuclear-armed cruise missile, which former Secretary of Defense William Perry has described as "dangerous and destabilizing."

Beyond planes that don't work and bombs we don't need, the candidates could look at the rampant waste at the Pentagon.

A new report by the Pentagon's Inspector General revealed that Pentagon officials had used government-issued credit cards to spend over $1 million at casinos and strip clubs. This is small change by Pentagon standards, but it is a sign of how poorly the department keeps track of the public's money. A February 2106 report by the Center for International Policy's William D. Hartung, the co-author of this piece, identified 27 examples of Pentagon waste that cost taxpayers $33 billion, from multi-billion dollar air surveillance balloons that can't stay airborne to $150 million villas for a handful of civilian personnel in Afghanistan.

While we're looking forward to what the candidates say tonight, the bottom line is the next Commander in Chief, needs to acknowledge taxpayers aren't getting their money's worth for defense - not by a long shot. An unrealistic strategy, poor procurement choices, and bad management practices are all to blame, not to mention lobbying by profit-hungry contractors. The next Commander-in-Chief should be required to provide clear, specific answers about how they will clean up the mess at the Pentagon. The Pentagon does not need more money - it needs to stop wasting the hundreds of billions a dollars a year it already gets.
The United States flag is

. Whether it is small or big, it is easily recognizable. So apart from the fifty stars and the red and blue stripes, what else do you know?Here are some of the things probably you did not know about the United States flag.

There is a designated name of the flag

The flag is correctly referred to as the 'flag of the United States of America'. Any other name including 'the American flag' is a nickname.

The thirteen stripes and the fifty stars has connotation

The flag of the United States of America has 13 stripes and 50 stars. The rule about how many stars and stripes should be on the flag was laid down by the Congress in 1818. The thirteen are emblems of the thirteen British colonies that announced independence from the Great Britain in 1776. The fifty stars represent the states in America. I wonder if a star would be added if a state was to be annexed.

The current version is the 27

The flag has changed over the years to represent the number of states that constitute America. However, there is an exceptional flag that had fifteen stripes. Probably the designers just realized that adding the stripes wouldn't just work.

The flag has standardized rules

Some states had rearranged the stars out of the grid in an attempt to standardize the flag. Nonetheless, President Taft introduced delimited proportions and standardization guidelines. One of the rules stated that all the stars had to be arranged with one point facing up.

The flag's colors represent American values

There are also rules regarding the colors. The colors have specific shades. The three colors are white, old glory red and old glory blue. The white color signifies hope and purity as well as the neatness of life. The red color signifies valor, fervency and zeal. The blue color stands as the color of heaven and represents a reference for God, loyalty, justice, awareness and truth.

The First Flag to Last Over 50 Years

The last version of the U.S. flag was updated as far back as 1959 when the state of Hawaii joined the United States of America. Thus at the moment, the current version is the longest version of the flag.

The current version was adopted for use officially in 1960 and has lasted for over 50 years - the only design of the U.S. flag to have survived that long.

Thera are many nicknames for the flag

Due to the long time the flag has been in existence, it has managed to pick various epithets. Among the common ones are:

- Star and Stripes

- Old Glory

- The Star Spangled Banner

- Red, White and Blue

-The American flag

There is a proper way to view the flag

If the flag happens to pass near where you and your arms are down by the side, that viewing it wrongly. When viewing the flag the right hand over the heart and recite the federal rules and regulations. The same case applies when witnessing it is being hoisted or lowered.

The American flag is folded thirteen time

The flag is folded thirteen times to represents the initial 13 colonies. Each fold has a meaning and it is greatly honored by the military.

The flag has a sleeping and a waking-up schedule

According to the federal laws, the flag should be put on show from sunrise to sunset. However, there is an exception when there is harsh weather.

It is not illegal to burn the US Flag, It is In fact recommended

Surprised? I was after learning this. Actually, the fact remains that it is your first Amendment right to burn the flag, contrary to what you might think. Thanks to the ruling of a US Supreme Court in 1989 we now have the right to burn the Flag.

The flag code also advised that the proper way to get rid of the US flag is to burn it. Yes, burn it, accompanied by a ceremony anyway. This is more preferable than just throwing it away. I guess the act of burning is like giving it a proper/decent burial.

However, it is not cool to just set the flag ablaze for the fun of it, Not cool!

Betsy Rose Might Not Have Designed The First Flag

Did I tell you that my little Theresa also said Betsy Rose designed the Us Flag? And I bet you thought she did as well. Actually, that might not really be true.

Historian Marc Leepson, author of Flag: An American Biography, revealed that history has no record to this day to proof that the first U.S. flag was designed by Betsy Rose nor did she had any input in its design.

Instead, there is evidence that one Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence from Jersey actually did design the U.S. flag.

The Present Flag Was a High School Student's Project

Amazed, I was!

Because the present flag of the U.S. was actually the class project of a high school student. How did this happen? When the 49 and 50 state of the US (Alaska and Hawaii) was established, the need for the flag to be revised arose. Remember the number of stars needed to correspond to the number of US. States present.

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The then-president, President Eisenhower got thousands of proposed design for the new American Flag. Thus a 17-year-old Robert G. Heft, a student of Lancaster High in Ohio also sent in his design. His design was accepted and remains in use today.

Although we learned he got a B- in the project, but we think he got an A++ in Life
Rylee Burtsell is a new student at Periwinkle Elementary School, so she didn't yet have the information to log onto her classroom Chromebook on her first day of school Tuesday.

Teachers were helping the other fifth-graders with their connections, so they asked if Rylee wouldn't mind just grabbing a book for a few minutes.

No problem. Periwinkle's fifth-graders  all 58 of them  will be spending the first two weeks or so of class meeting in the school library while crews finish a classroom addition, so Rylee had plenty of books from which to choose.

"The good part is we get to be surrounded by books, because I really love to read," said Rylee, 10, who took the morning's relocation in stride. "The bad part is it's going to be really loud, 'cause there's a lot of kids."

Greater Albany Public Schools as a whole is dealing with a lot of kids this year and is trying to make sure schools have enough places to put them.

The district closed out last year with more than 9,500 students. Tuesday wasn't a full start  secondary schools, for instance, didn't welcome all grades back until today, and kindergarten doesn't begin until next week  but Superintendent Jim Golden said he's already bracing for numbers to be higher.

Earlier this year, Albany shifted attendance boundaries between Periwinkle and Oak elementary schools and revoked more than two dozen transfer requests at Liberty Elementary School to try to balance expected enrollment.

District officials are planning a construction and renovation bond measure for next spring that might ask voters to replace at least one of the district's 14 elementary schools with a larger building. Another classroom wing is also under discussion for West Albany High School.

Crews also began constructing a five-modular pod at Periwinkle that will house four classrooms, a set of restrooms and a smaller storage area that will double as a meeting place for small groups.

When it's done, the school should be able to house about 450 students, Principal Bob Daugherty said. He's estimating he's close to 425 now.

Work on that building will be going on through this week and likely next, however, so for now, Periwinkle's two fifth grades will continue to meet in the library.

It may not be ideal, but it's working, Daugherty said. Bookshelves have been pushed back to make room for tables. Students are hanging backpacks off their chairs and piling lunch boxes in a laundry basket. Bike safety and swimming lessons have been scheduled for this month to get the students out and moving and soak up some of the transition time.

The library isn't accessible for general visits or book checkout right now, but librarian Cassy Cintron said she is going instead to individual classrooms to read stories and lead activities.

"We're just kind of going with the flow," she said.
Buhler stopped the run but often got beat deep as Ark City wins 32-13
A man who allegedly struck his Lebanon-area business partner with a metal pole several times  the pole broke in half  was charged with second-degree assault in Linn County Circuit Court on Tuesday afternoon.

Michael Thomas Marquette, 48, of Albany, was arrested at a shop in the 300 block of Russell Drive near Lebanon on Friday, after Linn County Sheriffs Office responded to a report of a disturbance there at 3:11 p.m.

During Tuesdays brief court hearing, Judge David Delsman set Marquettes bail at $50,000 and appointed Keith Rohrbough as his attorney. The next appearance in the case is set for Sept. 26.

According to a probable cause affidavit in the case, Marquette and the victim argued because Marquette showed up late again, and this led to a scuffle.

A witness said that during a lull in the fight, Marquette grabbed a pole and struck the victim while the victim was trying to run away, the PC affidavit states.

Marquette told a deputy that he used the aluminum pole, which came from a shelving stand, because the victim was going to hit him with an alternator. He also told the deputy that he grabbed the pole because the victim was gouging his eyes during the fight.

The deputy observed several cuts on the victims chest and side, bruising on his back and cuts on his hands, which the victim said were from trying to block the blows, according to the PC affidavit.

Marquette also was injured, with scrapes on his face around his eyes.

According to a LCSO supervisor, Marquette described himself and the victim as business partners.
The creation of a government-run health insurer that would compete with private health insurers; the original public-option proposal in the ACA

Insurers who do not participate on the exchanges will be barred from participating in government contracts (i.e., Medicare Advantage and Medicaid)

Non-participating carriers would be levied financial penalties

A report recently published by Moodys Corporation analyzed the current situation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance exchanges, noting that any of the solutions the Obama administration could come up for its current issues might lead to negative credit for insurers.In recent months, major health insurers like Aetna, Humana, and UnitedHealth have announced their withdrawal (and/or limited participation) on the federal health exchanges next year. Further exits are anticipated as the remaining carriers review the sustainability of offering plans on the marketplaces.The report estimated that the private health insurance sectors losses from the ACA exceeded $3 billion in 2014. It also pointed out that the financial results of many carriers for 2015 revealed even higher losses.Moodys suggested that the withdrawal of major health insurers from the ACA marketplaces could cause a chain reaction.Management teams at smaller insurers will ask how their firms can succeed when much larger carriers . . . have concluded that the ACA business is unprofitable, the report said.The report noted that the Obama administration would probably take one of three solutions to solve the dearth of ACA-participating carriers:All three solutions, Moodys stresses, would have negative consequences for insurers.The risk of more health carriers leaving the federal exchanges puts the stability of the insured risk pool in question, Moodys added. The report cites a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, which found that 31% of counties in the US will only have a single insurer participating on their public exchanges next year. Building on that fact, Moodys explained that a lone carrier in an unprofitable marketplace becomes further exposed to unprofitability, and would attract a greater proportion of higher-risk individuals in search of coverage.
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The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (right), receives the President of the ICAO Council, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu (left), at Al-Salam Palace. The two dignitaries reviewed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and ICAO in the field of civil aviation.

Dr. Aliu expressed his thanks and appreciation for the Kingdoms pledge of financial support of US$1 million for the ongoing ICAO No Country Left Behind initiative, under which ICAO provides or coordinates assistance and capacity building to States in order to augment the global effective implementation of ICAOs Standards and policies  a critical step in States and Regions realizing air transports unique connectivity and socio-economic benefits.

The high-level and productive audience was attended by Minister of State and Cabinet Member Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Minister of Transport and Acting Chief of the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Al-Hamdan, the Authoritys Assistant President for Safety Captain Abdulhakim bin Mohammed Al-Badr and ICAO Middle East Regional Director Mohamed Rahma.


Email IC Arizona at azpoliticalintel-at-yahoo.comIC Arizona is a subsidiary of IntellectualConservative.com
We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector
ALBANY POLICE

Stolen car  9:27 a.m. Monday, 400 block Derby Street S.E. A gray 1993 Honda Accord was reported stolen sometime during the previous night.

Stolen safe  4:41 p.m. Monday, 3400 block Chicago Street S.E. A woman reported that a safe was stolen from her residence, including a few thousand dollars, jewelry and paperwork.

Stolen car, arrest  5:59 p.m. Monday, Regal Albany 7 Cinemas, 1350 Waverly Drive S.E. A caller came out from seeing a movie and noticed her vehicle was missing. The gold 1992 Honda Accord was recovered on Tuesday and Zachary Seufert, 30, of Shedd, was arrested on a charge of unauthorized use of a vehicle.

LINN COUNTY SHERIFF

Stolen boat  3:40 p.m. Saturday, 29600 block Main Street, Peoria. A caller reported that her 14-foot aluminum boat had been stolen during the previous night.

DUII crash  3:30 a.m. Monday, S. Main Street at Crowfoot Road. Logan James Sullivan, 18, of Lebanon, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants, failure to perform the duties of a driver  property damage, reckless driving and minor in possession of alcohol. He was released from jail without posting bail and scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 9.

Stolen pickup, trailer  7:41 p.m. Monday, 32500 block Peoria Road. A gray 1996 Ford F-250 pickup and a custom 14-foot flatbed trailer were reported stolen sometime during the previous night or Monday morning. The loss value was approximately $3,000.
The campaign for Ann Roe, who is running for Congress against Lyin' Bryan Steil has come out with the best one-liner of this cycle so far: I can't argue...

11 months ago
Cybercriminals are using insiders to gain access to telecommunications networks and subscriber data, recruiting disaffected employees through underground channels or blackmailing staff using compromising information gathered from open sources - according to a Kaspersky Lab intelligence report into security threats facing the telecommunications industry.

Telecommunications providers are a top target for cyber-attack. They operate and manage the worlds networks, voice and data transmissions and store vast amounts of sensitive data. This makes them highly attractive to cybercriminals in search of financial gain, as well as nation-state sponsored actors launching targeted attacks, and even competitors.

To achieve their goals, cybercriminals often use insiders as part of their malicious toolset, to help them breach the perimeter of a telecommunications company and perpetrate their crimes.

New research by Kaspersky Lab and B2B International reveals that 28% of all cyber-attacks, and 38% of targeted attacks now involve malicious activity by insiders. The intelligence report examines popular ways of involving insiders in telecoms-related criminal schemes and gives examples of the things insiders are used for.

Compromising employees

According to the Kaspersky Lab researchers, attackers engage or entrap telecoms employees in the following ways:



Using publically available or previously-stolen data sources to find compromising information on employees of the company they want to hack. They then blackmail targeted individuals  forcing them to hand over their corporate credentials, provide information on internal systems or distribute spear-phishing attacks on their behalf.

Recruiting willing insiders through underground message boards or through the services of black recruiters. These insiders are paid for their services and can also be asked to identify co-workers who could be engaged through blackmail.

The blackmailing approach has grown in popularity following online data breaches such as the Ashley Madison leak, as these provide attackers with material they can use to threaten or embarrass individuals.

In fact, data-leak related extortion has now become so widespread that the FBI issued a Public Service Announcement on 1 June warning consumers of the risk and its potential impact.

The insiders most in demand

According to the Kaspersky Lab researchers, if an attack on a cellular service provider is planned, criminals will seek out employees who can provide fast track access to subscriber and company data or SIM card duplication/illegal reissuing.

If the target is an Internet service provider, the attackers will try to identify those who can enable network mapping and man-in-the-middle attacks.

However, insider threats can take all forms. The Kaspersky Lab researchers noted two non-typical examples, one of which involved a rogue telecoms employee leaking 70 million prison inmate calls, many of which breached client-attorney privilege. In another example, an SMS center support engineer was spotted on a popular DarkNet forum advertising their ability to intercept messages containing OTP (One-Time Passwords) for the two-step authentication required to login to customer accounts at a popular fintech company.

The human factor is often the weakest link in corporate IT security. Technology alone is rarely enough to completely protect the organization in world where attackers dont hesitate to exploit insider vulnerability. Companies can start by looking at themselves the way an attacker would. If vacancies carrying your company name, or some of your data, start appearing on underground message boards, then somebody, somewhere has you in their sights. And the sooner you know about it the better you can prepare, said Denis Gorchakov, security expert, Kaspersky Lab.

In order to protect the organization from insider threat, Kaspersky Lab advises the following:



Educate your staff about responsible cyber-security behavior and the dangers to look out for, and introduce robust policies about the use of corporate email addresses;

Use Threat Intelligence Services to understand why cybercriminals might be looking at your company and to find out if someone is offering an insider service in your organization;

Restrict access to the most sensitive information and systems;

Do a regular security audit of the companys IT infrastructure.

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AACR Embraces Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panels Recommendations

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) expresses its unequivocal support for the 10 recommendations that were outlined today by the Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel at the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB) Meeting. The AACR also wishes to thank Vice President Joe Biden for his leadership of the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative.

These recommendations reflect a combined effort of government leaders, private industry representatives, researchers, oncologists, physician-scientists, patient advocates, and philanthropic officials to identify programs and initiatives "that are poised for acceleration and that could unleash new cancer breakthroughs if implemented," according to the Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel Report 2016. They build upon the progress in cancer research to date and represent a vision for transforming the future of cancer research and treatment.

"The recommendations that were announced today by the Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel are vitally important to accomplishing the goal of the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative, which is to achieve a decade's worth of advances in five years," said AACR President Nancy E. Davidson, MD, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. "Therefore, the AACR calls on Congress and the Administration to begin the work of finding a path forward for securing the funding necessary to support these incredibly significant scientific opportunities, which ultimately will make a major positive difference for cancer patients and their loved ones."

The AACR is totally committed to supporting Vice President Biden and his team in all facets of the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative, and is especially pleased that 20 of its members, including two Past Presidents, three Fellows of the AACR Academy, and three members of the Board of Directors were part of the 28-member Blue Ribbon Panel whose charge it was to inform the scientific direction and goals under the vice president's national cancer initiative.

"We are truly at an inflection point for preventing and treating cancer, which is the result of decades of dedicated efforts to increase our knowledge and understanding of the more than 200 diseases called cancer," said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. "The recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Panel underscore the fact that today's highly innovative scientific research, due in part to relatively recent technological advances, is leading the way for the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative and its pivotal role in helping us to markedly reduce cancer morbidity and mortality."

The Blue Ribbon Panel Report with its 10 recommendations is one of three reports comprising the Cancer Moonshot, and complements the Task Force Report and the Vice President's Report, due in the fall. The cross-cutting, actionable recommendations highlighted in the report will change the trajectory of our understanding of how to prevent and treat cancer, and significantly improve outcomes for patients with cancer.

"The vice president has galvanized the community to move forward so we can greatly improve our ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer," said Douglas Lowy, MD, acting director of the NCI. "The efforts of the Blue Ribbon Panel and working group members have been extraordinary, and I thank them for their time, energy, and ideas. I am confident that the cancer community will build on this effort and seize this unprecedented opportunity to accelerate progress."

The AACR will continue to build on the momentum from today's announcement when it issues its AACR Cancer Progress Report 2016 on Sept. 20, with a special section dedicated to the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Panel. The following day, the AACR will host a congressional briefing on progress against cancer featuring key speaker and NCAB Chair Elizabeth Jaffee, MD, who will present the Blue Ribbon Panel recommendations to members of Congress and their staff.

In addition to the involvement of AACR members on the Blue Ribbon Panel, the AACR has exhibited leadership on the Cancer Moonshot Initiative from the very beginning. In April, Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden addressed nearly 4,000 attendees during the AACR Annual Meeting 2016 in New Orleans. Prior to the announcement of Biden's National Cancer Moonshot Initiative in February, 15 distinguished AACR leaders and members representing 10 medical institutions and nine states met with Biden's staff on Jan. 8 to discuss areas of considerable promise in cancer research including precision medicine, immunotherapy, and potential collaboration around big data, citing AACR's Project GENIE as an example. Shortly thereafter, Biden invited the AACR's President and two Past Presidents to provide their expert guidance at a special session, "Cancer Moonshot: A Call to Action," at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Since then, Biden has continued to meet with AACR members as he visits cancer centers throughout the United States.
Joint Legal Knowledge Management and Information Management Summit

Washington, DC - The Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy hosted the first Joint Legal Knowledge Management (KM) and Information Management (IM) Summit for KM leaders and representatives from the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Office of the General Counsel at the Washington Navy Yard, Aug. 29-Sept. 1.

The four-day summit provided a forum for joint collaboration and sharing of best practices for every service in the Department of Defense as well as hands-on KM training for judge advocates from across the fleet. It also provided a mechanism for key leaders to work together on solutions to major challenges and identify opportunities for ongoing coordination and resource sharing.



"I think this is a great opportunity for us to see what the other services are doing for knowledge management and a big thank you to the Navy for setting this up," said U.S. Air Force Col. Robert Hall.



To kick off the summit, Mr. Shawn O'Rourke, chief knowledge officer, Office of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Navy, explained the summit's origins.



"The Joint Legal KM/IM Summit was born from the recognition that many of the challenges we face and the solutions we are developing are likely shared in some form by all of us," said O'Rourke. "As we have adopted 'Connecting People to People and People to Content' as the tagline for our KM efforts in the Navy JAG community, we see this as an opportunity to extend that spirit by connecting across organizational boundaries."



The first day focused on presentations from each service, providing insight into overall program structure, available resources, activities and initiatives, and barriers or challenges. The second day featured roundtable discussions on the establishment of a Joint Legal KM/IM Council, collaboration and knowledge sharing tools, and the effort to create a Unified Military Justice Data System. Representatives from the Judicial Proceedings Panel and Defense Digital Services joined the discussion and provided critical expertise to these complex challenges. The American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC), an organization that specializes in knowledge management, delivered advanced KM training to knowledge management officers and representatives from commands across the Navy JAG Corps for the last two days of the Summit.



The joint legal services community is comprised of more than 20,000 civilians, enlisted personnel and officers across the Department of Defense and Coast Guard. Through broader collaboration and information sharing, KM leaders within each organization strive to enable their personnel with access to the critical information, expertise and technology they can use to solve complex legal challenges.



Successful knowledge management programs focus equally on people, process and technology. The Navy defines KM as "the integration of people and processes, enabled by technology, to facilitate the exchange of operationally relevant information and expertise to increase organizational performance."



"This event has been a tremendous success that far exceeded our expectations," said O'Rourke. "We owe it to our legal professionals across the services to provide them access to the best information, tools and resources they need to accomplish their mission regardless of where they serve or what uniform they wear. The collaborative engagement this week from everyone involved marks a major step forward in better accomplishing that goal."
Assistant Secretary Malinowski Travel to Algeria

Washington, DC - Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Tom Malinowski will visit Algeria, September 6-9, where he will lead the U.S. delegation to a conference hosted by the Government of Algeria titled, The Role of Democracy in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism.

Assistant Secretary Malinowski will also conduct bilateral meetings with government officials, civil society, and media representatives to discuss the role of a strong civil society and an independent media in promoting stability and security.
Secretary of State John Kerry's Meeting With Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Washington, DC - On the margins of the G20 in Hangzhou, China, Secretary Kerry met with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir of Saudi Arabia. The leaders discussed a range of global and regional issues, including climate change, Syria, and Libya.

On Yemen, the leaders reviewed the latest ideas discussed in Jeddah with representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Quadrilateral working group. The Secretary stressed the importance of implementing a 72-hour ceasefire by all sides to provide space for the UN Special Envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, to engage in consultations with both sides. The Saudis agreed, provided it is implemented by all sides.
United States Supports Proposed AU Mission to Gabon, Continues to Call for Calm

Washington, DC - The United States remains concerned about the tense political situation in Gabon. We continue to call on all parties and their supporters to refrain from violence, inflammatory language, and aggression against all people living in Gabon, regardless of their ethnic background or national origin. All sides, including security forces, must exercise restraint and respect international human rights standards.

We also urge the Gabonese Government to ensure due process to those who have been arrested, and to provide family members information about their welfare and whereabouts.

The African Union (AU) has expressed its willingness to send a delegation to assist the parties in Gabon in their efforts toward a constitutional resolution to the post-election situation. We strongly support this initiative and call on the Government of Gabon to work with the AU to arrange the visit of such a delegation as soon as possible.
NSC Spokesperson Ned Price on the Terrorist Attack in Kabul, Afghanistan

Washington, DC - The United States condemns in the strongest terms the horrific terrorist attack on September 5 in Kabul, Afghanistan, which killed dozens and left nearly one hundred wounded.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the many victims. The United States remains unwavering in our support for the people and Government of Afghanistan as we work together to build a more secure, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan.
Joint Declaration between the United States of America and the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic

Washington, DC - Joint Declaration between the United States of America and the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic:

On the occasion of his historic state visit to Lao P.D.R., President Barack Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit held talks today in Vientiane where they officially inaugurated the Comprehensive Partnership between the Lao P.D.R. and the United States of America. Through this partnership, the United States and the Lao P.D.R. are opening a new era of bilateral relations based on mutual respect, common interests and a shared desire to heal the wounds of the past to build a foundation for the future. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit decided to form a U.S.-Lao P.D.R. Comprehensive Partnership for advancing the relationship. They underlined the principles of the U.S.-Lao P.D.R. Comprehensive Partnership, including respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, and each others political systems, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They stated that the Comprehensive Partnership is intended to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperity in each country, in the region, and in the world. The new Comprehensive Partnership will create mechanisms for cooperation in areas including political and diplomatic relations, trade and economic ties, science and technology, education and training, environment and health, humanitarian cooperation, war legacy issues, security, protection and promotion of human rights, and people-to-people ties. Political and Diplomatic Cooperation As part of the U.S.-Lao P.D.R. Comprehensive Partnership, the two sides committed to increase high-level exchanges as well as contacts at all levels, and to intensify dialogue and cooperation mechanisms. President Obama affirmed the United States support for Lao P.D.R.s independence, sovereignty, prosperity, and integration into the international community. President Bounnhang Vorachit welcomed the United States enhanced cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, which contributes to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region. The two leaders welcomed the establishment of a regular dialogue between their foreign ministries, and encouraged dialogues and exchanges between entities associated with political parties in both countries. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit committed to enhance cooperation at regional and international fora including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM+) to support peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the Asia-Pacific region. The two leaders reaffirmed their support for the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law. They also reaffirmed their support for not resorting to the threat or use of force in resolving disputes. Both leaders welcomed the progress made under the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) and Friends of the Lower Mekong (FLM) in recent years. Therefore, the two presidents reaffirmed their governments commitment to work closely together, along with other LMI and FLM members, to further strengthen cooperation through the effective implementation of projects and programs under the LMI Master Plan of Action 2016-2020 and the Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership, to enhance regional connectivity and narrow the development gaps among member countries as well as promote sustainable socio-economic development and the well-being of people in the Mekong region.

War Legacy Issues

President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit confirmed that comprehensive cooperation in addressing war legacy issues to deepen mutual trust has allowed both countries to develop a relationship that looks to the future. To address the impact caused by unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos, President Obama announced that the United States intends to contribute $90 million over three years for a national UXO survey and clearance of UXO in Laos. President Bounnhang Vorachit welcomed the U.S. governments continued commitment to clear UXO, assist UXO victims, prevent future casualties, and develop local capacity to ensure sustainability of this work.

Humanitarian Cooperation

President Obama expressed his appreciation for the Lao P.D.R.s continued cooperation in providing for the fullest possible accounting for U.S. personnel missing from the war, including its recent steps to increase the efficiency of joint search efforts. The two sides would continue to meet semi-annually for technical discussions on mission planning and strive to complete the mission in a timely and efficient manner.

Trade and Economic Ties

President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit welcomed the signing earlier this year of a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement between the two countries. The Agreement will strengthen trade ties and form a basis for expanding streams of commerce between the two nations. The two leaders recognized the importance of protecting the most vulnerable populations while pursuing economic development and upholding international labor standards, including combatting child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking. President Obama welcomed President Bounnhang Vorachits commitment to pursuing steps to uphold international labor standards that could pave the way for the United States to grant the Lao P.D.R. benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences.

Education Cooperation

President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit affirmed the need to enhance educational, cultural, and people-to-people ties between the United States and Lao P.D.R. President Obama announced an initial basic education program, which focuses on improving early grade reading outcomes, and that Laos would be a Let Girls Learn Challenge Fund country, which would make Laos eligible for additional U.S. government funding for adolescent girls education. The two leaders noted the positive outcomes of the ongoing U.S. Government-funded School Feeding Program, for which the U.S. Government is currently providing over $27 million in funding over five years. They remarked on the rapid growth of English language programs in Lao P.D.R. and confirmed that close cooperation on education and training are critical elements to the next phase of the relationship. The leaders noted that robust English language instruction would contribute to the Lao P.D.R.'s effective collaboration with other ASEAN nations for their mutual educational, cultural and social development as well as its competitiveness in the 21st century global economy. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit noted the success of bilateral education and exchange initiatives, especially the Fulbright program. The leaders noted the need for continued discussions on a Peace Corps program in Laos.

Health and Nutrition

The two leaders welcomed the establishment of the Lao-American Nutrition Institute, which will align with Laoss efforts to meet its Sustainable Development Goals, and ensure Lao children receive the nutrition they need for healthy lives. They also took note of a new three-year, $6 million USAID program that will improve community sanitation and mother and infant feeding practices in targeted districts, in line with the Lao governments Multi-Sectoral Food and Nutrition Security Action Plan. President Obama reaffirmed the United States commitment to providing further medical and other care and assistance for persons with disabilities, regardless of cause. President Bounnhang Vorachit expressed his appreciation for the U.S. governments continued support through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for Lao P.D.R.s efforts to build sustainable systems for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit made a commitment to jointly advance the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), including formally endorsing the GHSA and through bilateral efforts to develop a five-year roadmap to bolster national capacity in Laos to prevent, detect, and respond to biological threats and to fully implement the International Health Regulations. As part of this commitment, Laos will join the GHSA multilateral effort in 2016 and will undergo and publish a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of its national capabilities. The United States has recently undergone and publically shared the results of its JEE.

Environment

President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit affirmed the importance of addressing climate change and resolved to support robust and transparent implementation of the historic Paris Agreement. Following the United States formally joining the Paris Agreement, President Bounnhang Vorachit stated that the Lao P.D.R. has completed its domestic procedures to ratify the Paris Agreement and will formally join the Agreement this year. Both leaders called on all nations to support the Agreements rapid entry into force in 2016. Both leaders affirmed their commitment to adopt an ambitious and comprehensive hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) phase-down amendment in 2016 within the Montreal Protocol, and support the adoption of a global market-based measure at the upcoming Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization for implementation from 2020. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit welcomed increasing bilateral cooperation to promote sustainable development and management of hydropower and forestry resources, as well as adaptation to climate change and response to natural disasters. The two countries pledged to promote a low greenhouse gas development pathway, including clean power sources that minimize environmental and climate impacts. The two leaders also committed to work together, along with their LMI partners, to promote scientific research, capacity-building, investment, and dialogue to ensure the sustainable development of the Mekong River. They committed to increase cooperation to reduce wildlife trafficking and other environmental crimes, in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Security

President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit confirmed that the United States and Lao P.D.R. would continue to cooperate on defense and security through annual Bilateral Defense Dialogues and associated working groups. The two Presidents committed to expand mutually beneficial cooperation to enhance capabilities such as UXO clearance, search and rescue and disaster response. The two sides also underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation in non-traditional security matters and confirmed that they would work more closely to counter terrorism; combat transnational crime including narcotics, human, and wildlife trafficking; and address high-tech crime and cyber security.

Promotion and Protection of Human Rights

President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit took note of the benefits of a candid and open dialogue to enhance mutual understanding and narrow differences on human rights. They emphasized the importance of protection and promotion of human rights, the rule of law, and the rights of religious believers. In this regard, President Obama noted the crucial role of civil society. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United States and Lao P.D.R. also committed to include informal consultation on human rights within the annual Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue.

People-to-People Ties

President Bounnhang Vorachit and President Obama highlighted the importance of enhanced cooperation through strengthening people-to-people ties. They took note of the positive contributions that the people of the Lao P.D.R. and the United States, including the Lao-American community, can make to the strengthening of bilateral ties. The two leaders encouraged more people-to-people exchanges that focus on solving shared global challenges, with particular focus on encouraging youth leadership and entrepreneurship.

On the occasion of his historic state visit to Lao P.D.R., President Barack Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit held talks today in Vientiane where they officially inaugurated the Comprehensive Partnership between the Lao P.D.R. and the United States of America. Through this partnership, the United States and the Lao P.D.R. are opening a new era of bilateral relations based on mutual respect, common interests and a shared desire to heal the wounds of the past to build a foundation for the future.

2. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit decided to form a U.S.-Lao P.D.R. Comprehensive Partnership for advancing the relationship. They underlined the principles of the U.S.-Lao P.D.R. Comprehensive Partnership, including respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, and each others political systems, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They stated that the Comprehensive Partnership is intended to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperity in each country, in the region, and in the world. The new Comprehensive Partnership will create mechanisms for cooperation in areas including political and diplomatic relations, trade and economic ties, science and technology, education and training, environment and health, humanitarian cooperation, war legacy issues, security, protection and promotion of human rights, and people-to-people ties.

Political and Diplomatic Cooperation

3. As part of the U.S.-Lao P.D.R. Comprehensive Partnership, the two sides committed to increase high-level exchanges as well as contacts at all levels, and to intensify dialogue and cooperation mechanisms. President Obama affirmed the United States support for Lao P.D.R.s independence, sovereignty, prosperity, and integration into the international community. President Bounnhang Vorachit welcomed the United States enhanced cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, which contributes to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region.

4. The two leaders welcomed the establishment of a regular dialogue between their foreign ministries, and encouraged dialogues and exchanges between entities associated with political parties in both countries.

5. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit committed to enhance cooperation at regional and international fora including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM+) to support peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the Asia-Pacific region. The two leaders reaffirmed their support for the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law. They also reaffirmed their support for not resorting to the threat or use of force in resolving disputes.

6. Both leaders welcomed the progress made under the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) and Friends of the Lower Mekong (FLM) in recent years. Therefore, the two presidents reaffirmed their governments commitment to work closely together, along with other LMI and FLM members, to further strengthen cooperation through the effective implementation of projects and programs under the LMI Master Plan of Action 2016-2020 and the Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership, to enhance regional connectivity and narrow the development gaps among member countries as well as promote sustainable socio-economic development and the well-being of people in the Mekong region.

War Legacy Issues

7. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit confirmed that comprehensive cooperation in addressing war legacy issues to deepen mutual trust has allowed both countries to develop a relationship that looks to the future. To address the impact caused by unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos, President Obama announced that the United States intends to contribute $90 million over three years for a national UXO survey and clearance of UXO in Laos. President Bounnhang Vorachit welcomed the U.S. governments continued commitment to clear UXO, assist UXO victims, prevent future casualties, and develop local capacity to ensure sustainability of this work.

Humanitarian Cooperation

8. President Obama expressed his appreciation for the Lao P.D.R.s continued cooperation in providing for the fullest possible accounting for U.S. personnel missing from the war, including its recent steps to increase the efficiency of joint search efforts. The two sides would continue to meet semi-annually for technical discussions on mission planning and strive to complete the mission in a timely and efficient manner.

Trade and Economic Ties

9. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit welcomed the signing earlier this year of a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement between the two countries. The Agreement will strengthen trade ties and form a basis for expanding streams of commerce between the two nations.

10. The two leaders recognized the importance of protecting the most vulnerable populations while pursuing economic development and upholding international labor standards, including combatting child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking.

11. President Obama welcomed President Bounnhang Vorachits commitment to pursuing steps to uphold international labor standards that could pave the way for the United States to grant the Lao P.D.R. benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences.

Education Cooperation

12. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit affirmed the need to enhance educational, cultural, and people-to-people ties between the United States and Lao P.D.R. President Obama announced an initial basic education program, which focuses on improving early grade reading outcomes, and that Laos would be a Let Girls Learn Challenge Fund country, which would make Laos eligible for additional U.S. government funding for adolescent girls education. The two leaders noted the positive outcomes of the ongoing U.S. Government-funded School Feeding Program, for which the U.S. Government is currently providing over $27 million in funding over five years. They remarked on the rapid growth of English language programs in Lao P.D.R. and confirmed that close cooperation on education and training are critical elements to the next phase of the relationship. The leaders noted that robust English language instruction would contribute to the Lao P.D.R.'s effective collaboration with other ASEAN nations for their mutual educational, cultural and social development as well as its competitiveness in the 21st century global economy. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit noted the success of bilateral education and exchange initiatives, especially the Fulbright program. The leaders noted the need for continued discussions on a Peace Corps program in Laos.

Health and Nutrition

13. The two leaders welcomed the establishment of the Lao-American Nutrition Institute, which will align with Laoss efforts to meet its Sustainable Development Goals, and ensure Lao children receive the nutrition they need for healthy lives. They also took note of a new three-year, $6 million USAID program that will improve community sanitation and mother and infant feeding practices in targeted districts, in line with the Lao governments Multi-Sectoral Food and Nutrition Security Action Plan. President Obama reaffirmed the United States commitment to providing further medical and other care and assistance for persons with disabilities, regardless of cause. President Bounnhang Vorachit expressed his appreciation for the U.S. governments continued support through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for Lao P.D.R.s efforts to build sustainable systems for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care.

14. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit made a commitment to jointly advance the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), including formally endorsing the GHSA and through bilateral efforts to develop a five-year roadmap to bolster national capacity in Laos to prevent, detect, and respond to biological threats and to fully implement the International Health Regulations. As part of this commitment, Laos will join the GHSA multilateral effort in 2016 and will undergo and publish a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of its national capabilities. The United States has recently undergone and publically shared the results of its JEE.

Environment

15. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit affirmed the importance of addressing climate change and resolved to support robust and transparent implementation of the historic Paris Agreement. Following the United States formally joining the Paris Agreement, President Bounnhang Vorachit stated that the Lao P.D.R. has completed its domestic procedures to ratify the Paris Agreement and will formally join the Agreement this year. Both leaders called on all nations to support the Agreements rapid entry into force in 2016. Both leaders affirmed their commitment to adopt an ambitious and comprehensive hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) phase-down amendment in 2016 within the Montreal Protocol, and support the adoption of a global market-based measure at the upcoming Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization for implementation from 2020.

16. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit welcomed increasing bilateral cooperation to promote sustainable development and management of hydropower and forestry resources, as well as adaptation to climate change and response to natural disasters. The two countries pledged to promote a low greenhouse gas development pathway, including clean power sources that minimize environmental and climate impacts.

17. The two leaders also committed to work together, along with their LMI partners, to promote scientific research, capacity-building, investment, and dialogue to ensure the sustainable development of the Mekong River. They committed to increase cooperation to reduce wildlife trafficking and other environmental crimes, in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Security

18. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit confirmed that the United States and Lao P.D.R. would continue to cooperate on defense and security through annual Bilateral Defense Dialogues and associated working groups. The two Presidents committed to expand mutually beneficial cooperation to enhance capabilities such as UXO clearance, search and rescue and disaster response. The two sides also underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation in non-traditional security matters and confirmed that they would work more closely to counter terrorism; combat transnational crime including narcotics, human, and wildlife trafficking; and address high-tech crime and cyber security.

Promotion and Protection of Human Rights



19. President Obama and President Bounnhang Vorachit took note of the benefits of a candid and open dialogue to enhance mutual understanding and narrow differences on human rights. They emphasized the importance of protection and promotion of human rights, the rule of law, and the rights of religious believers. In this regard, President Obama noted the crucial role of civil society. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United States and Lao P.D.R. also committed to include informal consultation on human rights within the annual Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue.

People-to-People Ties

20. President Bounnhang Vorachit and President Obama highlighted the importance of enhanced cooperation through strengthening people-to-people ties. They took note of the positive contributions that the people of the Lao P.D.R. and the United States, including the Lao-American community, can make to the strengthening of bilateral ties. The two leaders encouraged more people-to-people exchanges that focus on solving shared global challenges, with particular focus on encouraging youth leadership and entrepreneurship.
Watch: Man's Fire Stunt Goes Horribly Wrong, Beard Up in Flames
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Attention, Marvel fans, some good news. Doctor Stranges UK release date has been moved forward, changing from 28 October to 25 October.

The Scott Derrickson-directed flick will reach cinemas on a Tuesday rather than Friday, an unusual move considering the likes of Captain America: Civil War and Ant-Man were released towards the tail end of the week.

American fans of Benedict Cumberbatch fans will have to wait a little longer to see the film, the US release date remaining 4 November.

Recently, set photos from Thor: Ragnarok have revealed a surprising link to Doctor Strange while Tilda Swinton has defended her casting in the film against whitewashing accusations.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Show all 34 1 /34 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 1. Captain America: Civil War Release date: 6 May 2016. Iron Man and Captain America are set to face off in this superhero blockbuster that will feature nearly all the Avengers but wont be an Avengers film. It will also mark the first time Spider-Man will feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Sony having made a deal with Marvel Studios. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 2. X-Men: Apocalypse Release date: 27 May 2016. Following the success of Days of Future Past, Apocalypse will follow the young X-Men team as the battle against Oscar Isaacs titular villain as he gathers his four horsemen; Magneto (Fassbender), Angel (Hardy), Storm (Shipp), and Psylocke (Munn). Expect carnage and no Wolverine. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 3. Suicide Squad Release date: 5 August 2016. The first supervillain film, Suicide Squad is also based in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe, where Batman and Superman live) and will introduce the world to Margot Robbies Harley Quinn and Jared Letos Joker. One of the more exciting upcoming DC films thats for sure. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 4. Doctor Strange Release date: 4 November 2016. Benedict Cumberbatch will debut in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Captain America and Iron Man live) as the Sorcerer Supreme. The film already has an incredible cast, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachael McAdams and Tilda Swinton. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 5. Untitled Lego Batman film Release date: 20 February 2017. Kicking off 2017 is the Lego version of Batman, who will lead his own spin-off, having already featured in the amazing Lego Movie. Will Arnett voices the titular character, while Zach Garfianakis - from the Hangover - will voice The Joker. But will he better than Leto? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 6. Untitled Wolverine film Release date: 3 March 2017. Having not starred in X-Men: Apocalypse, Wolverine will return to the big screen in a solo film which was recently made R-Rated following the success of Deadpool. It is expected to be Hugh Jackmans last outing as the titular character. Fox 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Release date: 5 May 2017. Chris Pratt and the crew are returning to space in the sequel to the surprisingly successful Guardians of the Galaxy. According to director James Gunn, the film will not feature Thanos, even though he will to play a major role in phase MCU Phase 3. Cast includes newcomers Kurt Russell and Pom Klementieff, as well as, rumour has it, Sylvester Stallone. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 8. Wonder Woman Release date: 23 June 2017. Gal Gadot is returning to the DCEU in her very own film, marking the first female-led superhero film on this list. Chris Pine is on board to play Wonder Womans love interest. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 9. Untitled Spider-Man reboot Release date: 7 July 2017. Yes, it is another Spider-Man reboot, having previously been redone with Andrew Garfield as the lead. However, this time it is part of the MCU, with Tom Holland as the titular character, and a heavily rumoured cameo by Iron Man could be in the pipeline. We can dream. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 10. Untitled Fox film Release date: 6 October 2017. In a strange announcement, Fox decided to withhold the release of Gambit until a future, as-yet unannounced date, which could be here, or this could be a completely separate project. Many suspect Deadpool 2 could nicely fit here, Fox capitalising on the success of the first film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 11. Thor: Ragnarok Release date: 3 November 2017. Chris Hemsworth will be returning as the Norse God in his third solo MCU film. Flight of the Conchords Taika Waititi is on board to direct, and promises a fun adventure that will likely lead into Marvels next project, Infinity War. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 12. Justice League Part One Release date: 17 November 2017. Hot on the heals of Thor comes Justice League Part One, the first DCEU team-up flick which will see Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg work together to fight bad guys. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 13: Untitled Fox film Release date: 12 January 2018. Kicking off 2018 will likely be the second Deadpool film, but then again, this could very well be another X-Men team-up. Theres also talk of an X-Force film, with Deadpool and other mutants teaming up to fight evil. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 14. Black Panther Release date: 16 February 2018. The first non-white male-led superhero film in the MCU comes in the form of Black Panther, with Chadwick Boseman reprising the titular role, having also starred as the Panther in Civil War. Creeds Ryan Coogler is on to direct what could be a very exciting film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 15. The Flash Release date: 16 March 2018. The Flash will be the first DCEU film since Justice League, and sees Ezra Miller take the lead. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were supposed to pen the film before Disney snapped them up for the Han Solo-film, leaving Seth Grahame-Smith to take charge. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 16. Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 Release date: 4 May 2018. And so, we finally get to the point of all these Infinity Stones! Thanos will be the big bad, with the Avengers needing to team up to defeat their biggest foe yet. It has previously been described as the end of the Avengers as we know it. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 17. Ant-Man and The Wasp Release date: 6 July 2018. Peyton Reed will be back to direct this surprise sequel to one of the better received MCU films. While the name is ridiculous, at least Marvel are finally having a leading female superhero. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 18. Untitled Fox film Release date: 13 July 2018. Again, not much word on this one except it is thought to be X-Men spin-off New Mutants, something Josh Boone has been hit up to write. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 19. Animated Spider-Man Film Release date: 20 July 2018. Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal - the team behind the live-action Spider-Man films - are producing this unrelated animated adaptation of the hero. Because you can never have too much Spider-Man, right? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 20. Aquaman Release date: 27 July 2018. Another Justice League spin-off, Jason Momoa plays the leading man. Furious 7s James Wan is on to direct, but little else is known about the film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 21. Captain Marvel Release date: 8 March 2019. Weve hit 2019, and the first confirmed superhero film will be the first proper female-led MCU film. No-one is confirmed to be in the titular role of Carol Danvers just yet. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 22. Shazam Release date: 5 April 2019. Dwayne Johnson stars as the villain in this DCEU film which will be somewhat separate to the other DC films. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 23. Avengers: Infinity War Part 2. Release date: 3 May 2019. The conclusion to the long drawn MCU saga. Expect a big finish with at least a few planets being destroyed. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 24. Justice League Part Two Release date: 14 June 2019. Soon after the Infinity War story reaches its conclusion, so will the Justice Leagues. Not much is known, except Darkseid will likely be the villain for at least one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 25. Inhumans Release date: 12 July 2019. The concept of Inhumans (or Marvels mutants) has already been introduced in TV, through Marvels Agents of Shield, yet the film is expected to introduce the Royal Family who have yet to be seen in the show. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 26. Cyborg Release date: 3 April 2020. Having debuted in Justice League Part One three years previously, Cyborg will finally be making his own outing, with Ray Fisher as the titular character. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 27. Untitled MCU film Release date: 1 May 2020. The first of three untitled Marvel films. There are a couple of contenders, the first is a likely sequel to Spider-Man with Sony, or a third Guardians of the Galaxy film, thus finishing the trilogy. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 28. Green Lantern Corps. Release date: 19 June 2020. Before you start to worry, this has nothing to do with the Ryan Reynolds-starring flick that hit cinemas a little while ago. Instead, this will be another DCEU film that will likely spin-off from Justice League after the Green Lantern Corps cameo in one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 29. Untitled MCU film Release date: 10 July 2020. As well as Spider-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy sequels, a Doctor Strange or Black Panther one could fit in nicely here. Or perhaps Black Widow may finally get the solo-film she deserves. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 30. Untitled MCU film Release date: 6 November 2020. Some speculators also think a Blade film could fit in here, marking over 20 years since the first Blade. But many believe the character may be better suited to a Netflix series, as with Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Theres also talk of a Runaways film reaching cinemas at some stage. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 31. Untitled Ben Affleck Batman film Release date: TBA. Now were onto the TBA release dates, the first of which is a Batman solo film, written and directed by Ben Affleck. When this is due, no one is quite sure but expect it sooner rather than later if Batman v Superman is a success. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 32. Suicide Squad 2 Release date: TBA (rumoured 2017). A sequel to Suicide Squad is expected to come in 2017 according to recent reports, but nothing has been confirmed. If the first is successful, it should come as no surprise for Warner Bros to rearrange their schedule to fit in this surefire hit. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33. Venom Release date: TBA. This is an odd one, as it has been confirmed Sony are wanting to release a Venom film completely unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man reboot. Venom, as you may know, is a Spider-Man villain, intrinsically linked to Spider-Man, so it seems odd they would release a film unrelated to the rebooted project and not linked to the MCU. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Anything else? Well, now you mention it, theres also that sequel to Fantastic Four that has seemingly been dropped by Fox. Plus, theres the Gambit film which has been put on hold (but will likely fill an untitled Fox slot so we havent added it extra). Then again, it could be shoehorned in somehow Marvel

Doctor Strange also stars Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mordo, Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West, Benedict Wong as Wong, and Mads Mikkelsen as Kaecililius. New footage of Mikkelsens villain debuted in the films first TV spot early last month.
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The Journey deals with very rich subject matter in a disappointingly pedestrian way. Its the story of a 2006 car journey made from St Andrews in Scotland to Edinburgh airport by the Reverend Ian Paisley (Timothy Spall) and Martin McGuinness (Colm Meaney). At the time, the Northern Ireland Peace process was at a very delicate moment. Negotiations were being held in Scotland with British Prime Minister Tony Blair (Toby Stephens) as the intermediary.

Paisley, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, seemingly had nothing but disdain for Irish republican politician and former IRA man, McGuinness. In the film, the 81-year-old Unionist is desperate to leave the negotiations briefly to return to Belfast for his golden wedding anniversary. In the name of even-handedness and to protect against assassination, McGuinness goes on the journey with him. They are driven by undercover British security agent Jack (former child star Freddie Highmore.) In the car together, they finally break the ice and begin to see one another as human beings rather than as inveterate enemies.

McGuiness and Paisley later became known as the Chuckle brothers and the filmmakers certainly accentuate the comic element to their relationship. They largely ignore the very fraught history and politics of the Troubles.

As Paisley, Spall is heavily made up. He captures the voice of the Protestant preacher and politician. He hints at his vanity (Paisley clearly wants to leave a legacy.) Spall also shows how canny the Reverend could be in using his reputation for hellfire stubbornness to get his own way but he doesnt have Paisleys hulking physique. Theres little sense, either, of Paisleys inner life. Spall is a superb actor but this is one of his more one-dimensional performances. Meaney plays McGuinness with a quicksilver glint in his eye.

The best films of 2016 (so far) Show all 22 1 /22 The best films of 2016 (so far) The best films of 2016 (so far) Creed This empowering spin-off sequel to the Rocky franchise sees Sylvester Stallone return as the personal trainer to Odonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of his old rival-turned-compadre Apollo (Carl Weathers). Barry Wetcher The best films of 2016 (so far) Room A grandstanding adaptation of the Emma Donoghue novel. At Room's heart is two towering performances from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay as a mother and son who find freedom after being locked away by in a boxed building for years. The best films of 2016 (so far) The Big Short Plenty of The Big Short's charm is manifested in the way that it takes a clunky story (the 2007-8 financial crisis) and transforms it into a cinematic experience. The best films of 2016 (so far) Spotlight The facts speak for themselves in this Oscar-winning biographical film about four investigative journalists who uncover a scandal of child molestation in the Catholic church. Strong performances and a firm directorial presence in Tom McCarthy make Spotlight a worthy recipient of this year's Best Picture Oscar. The best films of 2016 (so far) Bone Tomahawk The best films of 2016 (so far) Anomalisa Paramount Pictures The best films of 2016 (so far) The Witch Take any shot from Robert Eggers' assured debut - based on a New England folktale - and your spine will tingle. A masterclass in understatedness. The best films of 2016 (so far) 10 Cloverfield Lane If you're going to unveil a secret sequel-of-sorts to 2008 hit Cloverfield, this is how you do it. Essentially a chamber piece set in the same world of Matt Reeves' original, 10 Cloverfield Lane will hold you in a vicelike grip until its closing frame. The best films of 2016 (so far) High-Rise Ben Wheatley's fifth feature as director may not be to everyone's tastes but, should you be up to it, there's a lot to take away from this adaptation of J.G. Ballard's dystopian tale. The best films of 2016 (so far) Zootropolis Despite strong competition in the form of Finding Dory and Kubo and the Two Strings, Zootropolis - named Zootopia in the US - takes the trophy of 2016's greatest animated film. The best films of 2016 (so far) Victoria The best films of 2016 (so far) Captain America: Civil War Even those who aren't invested in superhero films will have a hard time keeping their breath in several of Civil War's action sequences. The best films of 2016 (so far) Son of Saul The haunting winner of the Best Foreign Language Oscar, Son of Saul's technical mastery (courtesy of first-time director Laszlo Nemes) is backed up by a harrowingly real portrayal of life within a Nazi concentration camp. Sony Pictures Entertainment The best films of 2016 (so far) Everybody Wants Some!! Richard Linklater followed Boyhood with this charming coming-of-age story that bears similarity with 1993's Dazed and Confused. This time, our ensemble are a group of baseball-playing college freshmen. In the upper echelons of the year's best. The best films of 2016 (so far) Green Room The best films of 2016 (so far) Sing Street The best films of 2016 (so far) Love and Friendship The best films of 2016 (so far) Suburra The best films of 2016 (so far) The Neon Demon The best films of 2016 (so far) Hell or High Water The best films of 2016 (so far) Kubo and the Two Strings The best films of 2016 (so far) Hunt for the Wilderpeople

The journey from St Andrews to Edinburgh should be straightforward enough but Jack doesnt turn out to be a very reliable driver. He gets lost in a woods and he also managed to run out of petrol. Some of this is subterfuge (the British want the two politicians to spend more time together) and some of it is simple incompetence.

Back at base, the journey is being followed by Blair (played in smirking fashion by Stephens) and all the other politicians. Its as if they are watching two pandas at Edinburgh Zoo trying to mate. At any hint of goodwill or rapport between Paisley and McGuinness, they rub their hands in glee.

The film is in a similar vein to those Peter Morgan-scripted dramas about Tony Blair (most notably The Deal) but it isnt up to their level. There are too many improbabilities. If Jack the driver doesnt know where he is going, nor do the filmmakers. Theyre supposed to be driving through Fife but it doesnt look as if the film is shot in Scotland. When they cross the Forth Road Bridge, we can see in the distance the building blocks of the new Forth Bridge. That is surely a continuity error. (The new bridge hadnt come close to construction in 2006.)

As a gentle comedy about an odd couple who become friends against the odds, The Journey makes perfectly amiable viewing. As a drama about a seismic moment in recent British political history, it comes up short.
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On a hot, drab night on Tuesday 6 September, Londons iconic Fabric nightclub was permanently closed. The trigger for Fabrics suspension and subsequent closure was allegedly the deaths of two individuals as a result of drug taking on the premises on 25 June and 6 August.

However, newly released council documents show that Fabrics closure was a long pre-planned event, orchestrated by a cash-strapped council, using the police as pawns.

Islington Councils official statement regarding the closure lists 11 bullet points (below) justifying the decision. Two of these directly relate to the deaths of the two individuals. A further eight relate to an undercover police operation that took place in the venue in July 2016.

The undercover police operation found no hard evidence of drug taking inside the venue, relying instead on vague observations. These observations found their way into the council decision, including that individuals were manifesting symptoms showing that they were (on drugs). This included sweating, glazed red eyes and staring into space, and also that people in the smoking area enquiring about the purchase of drugs...I believe within earshot of the security officer.

Islington Councils statement

In fact, the original undercover police report itself also reported that the general atmosphere of the club was friendly and non-threatening and that there was a diverse demographic in regards to race, [with people speaking] French, Italian and Chinese. These findings did not make it into the Islington statement.

Undercover police in nightclubs is nothing new, but targeting the venue itself, as opposed to dealers, is. The undercover police report that was used as evidence for Islington Councils decision was made all the more unusual by the fact it was named 'Operation Lenor', presumably after the supermarket fabric softener.

"Operation Lenor"

So why did the police feel the need to create such a perfunctory report?

The first bullet point of the Islington council decision contains not the recent drugs deaths, but instead mentions the 2014 review of Fabrics licence. This is significant.

The 2014 review took place following four drug deaths over three and a half years from individuals visiting the premises (of which only one was from drugs supplied inside the venue). The review ruled that sniffer dogs were to be placed outside the venue on rotating shifts for at least 50% of the night:

That, in itself, is an odd move. Even airports and military bases dont have dogs at the scanners for half of every working day. Moreover, the council and police dictated these dogs were to be from a private security firm, paid for by Fabric, but approved by the police. This was despite Paddy Whur, the clubs solicitor during the 2014 review, pointing out: The vast majority of private sector dog providers are not trained to the level that police dogs are. So its been difficult finding one to meet the criteria police want.

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World's 10 deadliest street drugs Show all 10 1 /10 World's 10 deadliest street drugs World's 10 deadliest street drugs Whoonga Whoonga is a combination of antiretroviral drugs, used to treat HIV, and various cutting agents such as detergents and poisons. The drug is widely available in South Africa due to South Africas high rate of HIV sufferers, and is believed to be popular due to how cheap it is when compared to prescribed antiretrovirals. The drug is highly addictive and can cause major health issues such as internal bleeding, stomach ulcers and ultimately death Getty World's 10 deadliest street drugs Scopolamine Scopolamine is a derivative from the nightshade plant found in the Northern Indian region of South America (Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela). It is generally found in a refined powder form, but can also be found as a tea. The drug is more often used by criminals due its high toxicity level (one gram is believed to be able to kill up to 20 people) making it a strong poison. However, it is also believed that the drug is blown into the faces of unexpecting victims, later causing them to lose all sense of self-control and becoming incapable of forming memories during the time they are under the influence of the drug. This tactic has reportedly been used by gangs in Colombia where there have been reports of people using scopolamine as way to convince victims to rob their own homes World's 10 deadliest street drugs Heroin Founded in 1874 by C. R. Alder Wright, heroin is one of the worlds oldest drugs. Originally it was prescribed as a strong painkiller used to treat chronic pain and physical trauma. However in 1971 it was made illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Since then it has become one of the most destructive substances in the world, tearing apart communities and destroying families. The side effects of heroin include inflammation of the gums, cold sweats, a weak immune system, muscular weakness and insomnia. It can also damage blood vessels which can later cause gangrene if left untreated World's 10 deadliest street drugs Crack cocaine Crack cocaine first came about in the 1980s when cocaine became a widespread commodity within the drug trafficking world. Originally cocaine would have attracted a high price tag due to its rarity and difficulty to produce, but once it became more widespread the price dropped significantly. This resulted in drug dealers forming their cocaine into rock like shapes by using baking soda as a way of distilling the powder down into rock form. People were doing this because it allowed for them to sell cocaine at a lower quantity and to a higher number of people. The side effects of crack cocaine include liver, kidney and lung damage, as well as permanent damage to blood vessels, which can often lead to heart attacks, strokes, and ultimately death World's 10 deadliest street drugs Crystal meth Not just famous because of a certain Walter H White, but also because it is one of the most destructive drugs in the world. First developed in 1887, it became widely used during the Second World War when both sides would give it to their troops to keep them awake. It is also believed that the Japanese gave it to their Kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions. After the war crystal meth was prescribed as a diet aid and remained legal until the 1970s. Since then it has fallen into the hands of Mexican gangs and has become a worldwide phenomenon, spreading throughout Europe and Asia. The effects of crystal meth are devastating. In the short-term users will become sleep depraved and anxious, and in the long-term it will cause their flesh to sink, as well as brain damage and damage of the blood vessels World's 10 deadliest street drugs AH-7921 AH-7921 is a synthetic opioid that was previously available to legally purchase online from vendors until it became a Class A in January 2015. The drug is believed to have 80% of the potency of morphine, and became known as the legal heroin. While there has only been one death related to AH-7921 in the UK, it is believed to be highly dangerous and capable of causing respiratory arrest and gangrene World's 10 deadliest street drugs Flakka Flakka is a stimulant with a similar chemical make-up to the amphetamine-like drug found in bath salts. While the drug was originally marketed as a legal high alternative to ecstasy, the effects are significantly different. The user will feel an elevated heart rate, enhanced emotions, and, if enough is digested, strong hallucinations. The drug can cause permanent psychological damage due to it affecting the mood regulating neurons that keep the minds serotonin and dopamine in check, as well as possibly causing heart failure World's 10 deadliest street drugs Bath salts Bath salts are a synthetic crystalline drug that is prevalent in the US. While they may sound harmless, they certainly arent the sort of salts you drop into a warm bath when having a relaxing night in, they are most similar to mephedrone, and have recently been featured throughout social media due to the zombification of its. The name comes from the fact that the drug was originally sold online, and widely disguised as bath salts. The side effects include unusual psychiatric behaviour, psychosis, panic attacks and violent behaviour, as well as the possibility of a heart attack and an elevated body temperature World's 10 deadliest street drugs Purple Drank One of the more unusual drugs around at the moment, purple drank was popularised in 90s hip hop culture, with the likes of Jay Z and Big Moe all mentioning it in their songs. It is a concoction of soda water, sweets and cold medicine, and is drunk due to cold medicines high codeine content, which gives the user a woozy feeling. However it can also cause respiratory issues and heart failure World's 10 deadliest street drugs Krokodil Krokodil is Russias secret addiction. It is believed that over one million Russians are addicted to the drug. Users of krokodil are attracted to the drug due to its low price; it is sold at 20 a gram while heroin is sold for 60. However, krokodil is considered more dangerous than heroin because it is often homemade, with ingredients including painkillers, iodine, lighter fluid and industrial cleaning agents. This chemical make-up makes the drug highly dangerous and likely to cause gangrene, and eventually rotting of the flesh

Perhaps then, the dogs were meant to be more of a discouragement to would-be drug users than an actual drug-busting mechanism. At any rate, the plan backfired. On 11 December 2015, the terms of Fabrics operation - notably the use of sniffer dogs - were reversed. The report notes: The Judge went further and found that the use of a drugs dog could undermine the licensing objectives in a number of unintended ways, including causing drugs to remain in circulation that would otherwise have been confiscated under Fabrics thorough search procedures.

The documents relating to the recent suspension of Fabric prior to its review revealed further clarity on the sniffer dog reversal.

Over the course of 918 pages of written letters requesting the club stay open, some 45 pages concern the use of sniffer dogs, noting their inefficiency at detecting drugs, but also frequent suggestions that "sniffer dogs force scared people into consuming all of their drugs before they enter the venue."

The decision was overturned. Why then did the police feel the need to create Operation Lenor, despite the fact that that same police force had recently referred other London venues management to Fabric as a bastion of good practice?

Government cuts

Islington council has lost half its funding since 2010. A spending review in 2015 confirmed cuts of 70 million over the next four years. In 2016 alone it stands to lose 17 million. The Islington police, who are partly funded by the council, face similar cuts: anything up to 44% of the staff numbers - or 252 officers.

A paradox exists. Fabric, and the secondary economy around it: the bars, restaurants and late night takeaways that operate in the area, all pay a substantial amount of tax. Likely more than, say, a replacement block of flats or a boutique hotel would. Then theres the fact that the nighttime economy in the area - including police, employs thousands of people. Why shut it down?

The governments austerity measures have created cost-cutting across the board. Councils, police forces and other public services are being shunted off as overheads, whilst all the time new building projects and corporate investment appear. Fabric may have made money locally, yet that money never made its way back to the council and police in the area.

Whats perhaps most saddening of all is the short-view public reaction of all this. A police force that simply cant afford to function as it wants to. A council laying off all its own, forced to shut down one if its borough's treasured icons via a hopelessly half-hearted police report from an officer who noted how much fun the club was, yet social media becomes awash with criticism of both the police and the council.

Follow the documents, and follow the money trail. Look what happened to Manchester's legendary Hacienda club, which is now 130 apartments. Fabric was always going to close, drugs deaths notwithstanding. Its not the police. Its not drug laws. Its likely a government that continues to roll back public services and institutions in an ever more calculating attempt to attract foreign money. And no amount of well-meaning drug law debate is going to change that.

 Chairman of the Night Time Industries Association speaking after the closing of Fabric

-----

Upon request for comment on this article, the Met Police issued the following statement:

"Police felt the need to act due to concerns about the safety of those attending the club due to the supply of class A drugs in the venue and the recent deaths of two young men linked to the club.

"We support this decision made by Islington Council's licensing committee.

"London has a world renowned night-time economy and people should be able to enjoy it safely, without concerns of serious crime. The Met is committed to working in partnership with those responsible for this sector to ensure that this happens."

An Islington Council spokesperson said:

The decision of Islington Councils licensing committee on Fabrics licence was based solely on the evidence, submissions, and representations put before the committee. To suggest anything else is simply wrong. For the avoidance of doubt, Islington Council is not the owner of the building and has no financial interest in the site.
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While campaigning to become Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan declared: I dont want young and creative Londoners abandoning our city to head to Amsterdam, to Berlin, to Prague where clubs are supported and allowed to flourish.

I want them to be able to celebrate what they love in the city that they love, rather than punish them or force their activities underground or abroad. That is why, if elected London Mayor, I will address these problems head on.

It will come as a blow to him then, that Fabric was permanently closed last night, an iconic club that draws revellers from across the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.

Mr Khan previously tweeted that he hoped the club would be reopened following its temporary closure pending investigation, and today he doubled down on his disappointment over the fate of the club.

His statement in full:

Londons iconic clubs are an essential part of our cultural landscape. Clubbing needs to be safe but Im disappointed that Fabric, Islington Council and the Metropolitan Police were unable to reach agreement on how to address concerns about public safety.

As a result of this decision, thousands of people who enjoyed going to Fabric as an essential part of London's nightlife will lose out. The issues faced by Fabric point to a wider problem of how we protect Londons night-time economy, while ensuring it is safe and enjoyable for everyone. Over the past eight years, London has lost 50 percent of its nightclubs and 40 percent of its live music venues. This decline must stop if London is to retain its status as a 24-hour city with a world-class nightlife.

I am in the process of appointing a Night Czar who will bring together key stakeholders including club and venue owners, local authorities, the Metropolitan Police and members of the public. No single organisation or public body can solve these problems alone  we all need to work together to ensure London thrives as a 24-hour city, in a way that is safe and enjoyable for everyone.

Fabrics fate is pretty much sealed now, though a campaign is already underway to try and find a way to save it.
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It will come as little surprise to learn that university students are not getting enough shut-eye. In fact, some 60 per cent report poor quality sleep. But that is not all down to burning the candle at both ends and pulling too many all-nighters. Most simply experience difficulties falling or staying in the land of nod.

This is a big problem, says Lee Chambers, an environmental psychologist and wellbeing consultant, because sleeping well is fundamental to our health, mood, attention and cognitive performance. As a student, it is likely we are starting to fall into our adult biorhythm, and as our learning is significantly impacted by our sleep, it is a vital time to try to optimise it, he explains.

Starting university opens up a new chapter of exciting, positive change, and it could be the first time you have had control over your sleep environment and routine. Besides perhaps a soft rug and inspiring prints for the wall of your room, your bedding will need the most consideration if you are to catch enough Zs.

Chambers suggests keeping your environment dark, cool and mellow as bedtime nears and offers some advice on bedding: Look to invest in higher quality products, as you use them for eight hours every day, and it can have an impact on your sleep quality and quantity.

We agree, and we set out to find the single bedding sets for students that are soft, affordable and good quality. Design is important, so our round-up includes options with bold stylish patterns and others that are more muted for those who prefer an understated palette. We also gave the bedding a spin in the washing machine to check out just how easy they are to care for.

Naturally, we also got between the sheets to see how our selections felt on our skin and if they supported our slumber. This was the most important factor because, as Chambers says: If you want to be hitting those higher grades, have the energy for your hobbies and be a happier friend to be around, take your sleep seriously and your sleep will give you so much in return.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

M&S comfortably cool checked bedding set Sinking into bed with this silky soft set is nothing less than dreamy. Feeling the fabric, we were convinced we were dealing with a pure cotton, high thread count product, so it was a shock to learn that it is made from a mix of cotton and sustainably sourced Tencel lyocell, which is what gives it its breathable quality on those balmy summer nights. The watercolour pattern is calming and airy, and we like that there is the option of checked or striped prints because it is reversible. It also washed well and looked good on the bed without needing to be ironed.

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Argos Home monochrome spots bedding set The fun monochrome design featured on this bedding set will look great in any room and with almost all colour schemes. It feels soft and our tester slept fantastically wrapped in it, plus it washed well. The print is timeless and at just 12, we were very happy with this one.

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Hema white checked duvet cover and pillow set This bedding set scores highly in the design stakes. We love the understated Scandi monochrome check and the fact that it is 100 per cent cotton makes it even better. It feels soft and came out of a 60C wash cycle looking as good as new. It is already reasonably priced but Hema offers 10 per cent student discount in-store and for online orders using the click and collect service to make this bedding even more excellent value for money.

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Portfolio Skye reversible check duvet cover set It is almost impossible to believe this bedding set is less than 10 because the quality tells an altogether different story. It feels thick and well-made and we loved the highlands-inspired ochre design. This one also gives you options, with a reversible design that has a contemporary check pattern on one side and a more traditional tartan on the other.

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Wilko marble print duvet set It looks like the marble trend is here to stay and now you can sleep in it too with this grey bedding set. We found this soft to touch and liked that we had the choice of a darker or lighter design thanks to it being reversible. It washed well and you can get away without ironing it if you give it a low-temperature spin in the tumble dryer.

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Silentnight hotel luxury silver bedding set Being a student does not have to mean missing out on lifes luxuries, especially when it comes to bedding with this plush set. The silky smooth, 200 thread count cotton and sateen stripe design mean even a dorm in halls can feel like a sophisticated hotel room. We love the timeless elegance of this set and found it made for an extremely comfortable nights sleep. It is also available in other colours, including champagne, blush and white, to match your scheme.

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La Redoute Interieurs Afaw Berber print duvet cover We adore the Moroccan-inspired monochrome print on this duvet cover and are certain it would be a great fit for almost any room. The corners feature natural-coloured tassels, adding a nice touch to the North African design and a button-up hem meant our duvet stayed in place without moving about inside night after night. A big plus is that it is 100 per cent cotton so can be washed at up to 60C and it needed no ironing so could be put straight on the bed from the washing line. Just remember to also pick up pillowcases because they are sold separately to the duvet cover.

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Matalan two-pack geometric duvet covers You have truly hit adulthood when you understand the value of having two bedding sets  one on and one in the wash. This duo of duvet covers and pillowcases means you can acquire it all with minimal effort and shopping around. The stylish geometric designs, one in grey and the other in ochre, are beautiful and even these are reversible, meaning you are essentially picking up four different styles of easy-care polycotton bedding for less than 20.

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Urban Outfitters Raine duvet cover set Even if your student accommodation is on the top floor of a city-centre high rise, you can bring the outdoors in with this plant print bedding set. The green illustrated design brightened up our testers room brilliantly and the quality of this pure cotton set is sure to guarantee a restful nights sleep.

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Asda geometric duvet set This excellent-value-for-money bedding set injects a hint of Scandi design into a room, with its geometric pattern. We love that it can be flipped to reveal either a grey or vibrant yellow colourway depending on your mood. We found it dried quickly on a clotheshorse after washing, which would be ideal if your student accommodation means no access to a washing line or tumble dryer, although it can be tumble-dried.

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We will happily be having sex with robots soon, according to scientists.

The "sexbots" could be better than humans in bed and we could be looking at human-robot marriages by the year 2050, experts have claimed. Popularity of the machines has been rising as their realism continues to improve and soon could replace human companionship altogether.

Joel Snell, an expert in robots from Kirkwood College in Iowa, said the machines could be programmed to each individual persons requirements.

Because they would be programmable, sexbots would meet each individual users needs, Mr Snell told the Daily Star.

Robotic sex may become addictive. Sexbots would always be available and could never say no, so addictions would be easy to feed, he said.

 The UK's favourite sex positions

According to an academic paper put forward by Ian Yeoman and Michelle Mars, by the year 2050, we should expect Amsterdams red light district to be all robots.

In their paper, Robots, men and sex tourism, Mr Yeoman and Ms Mars said: In 2050, Amsterdams red light district will all be about android prostitutes who are clean of sexual transmitted infections (STIs).

The city council will have direct control over android sex workers controlling prices, hours of operations and sexual services.

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

Humans have been warned to be careful when using the robots as it could lead to isolation.

One of the first impacts of something like sex robots would be to increase human isolation because once you try to tell people that they don't need other human beings any more, one of the consequences of that is more isolation, Dr Kathleen Richardson, a senior research fellow in the ethics of robotics at De Montfort University, told Sky News.
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Anna Dewdney, the best-selling children's author and illustrator behind the popular "Llama Llama" series, once wrote that "empathy is as important as literacy."

"When we read with a child, we are doing so much more than teaching him to read or instilling in her a love of language," Dewdney wrote for the Wall Street Journal in 2013.

This is the legacy left by Dewdney, who died Saturday at her Vermont home after a 15-month battle with brain cancer. She was 50.

Dewdney illustrated several successful children's books in the 1990s. Her 2005 book "Llama Llama Red Pajama," about the anxiety of bedtime and separation, began a series that frequented the New York Times Best Sellers lists.

Her obituary contains many of the key details of her life, including how she worked as a waitress and rural mail carrier before making it big as a full-time author. But this is how it concluded: "She requested that in lieu of a funeral service that people read to a child instead."

Dewdney wrote more than 10 Baby Llama books, and Netflix is producing a "Llama Llama" series due in 2017, according to her obituary.

"I did my books about llamas because I love the sound to the word 'llama.' But they're just so funny," she told The Washington Post's Ron Charles in 2015. "They have such wonderful expressive faces. They're fuzzy and goofy, and they're just fun to look at."

The author and illustrator was also an outspoken advocate for children's literacy. In the WSJ piece, Dewdney wrote about how reading to children does more than teaching them to love books:

"We are doing something that I believe is just as powerful, and it is something that we are losing as a culture: by reading with a child, we are teaching that child to be human. When we open a book, and share our voice and imagination with a child, that child learns to see the world through someone else's eyes. I will go further and say that that child then learns to feel the world more deeply, becoming more aware of himself and others in a way that he simply cannot experience except in our laps, or in our classrooms, or in our reading circles."

The author had encouraged adults to have fun while reading by using funny voices and also to ask about the plot, talk about how the story makes them feel and ask children whether they can relate to the plot.

"Be human, loving, and strong, and that will allow the children in your care to be human, loving, and strong," she wrote. "Perhaps, the next time those children feel like hitting or pinching someone, they'll hold off and ask for a hug from you instead."

Copyright: Washington Post
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The first person ever to receive a partial face transplant has died at the age of 49.

Isabelle Dinoire made international headlines after undergoing the landmark operation in 2005.

Dinoire, from northern France, died from two forms of cancer in April but her death was only announced on Tuesday due to a request for privacy from Dinoires family.

Background

Prior to her life-changing accident, Dinoire was a seamstress in Valenciennes, France. She had two children and was divorced.

Accident

Dinoire required facial surgery after she was mauled by her pet labrador. After she had blacked out from taking sleeping pills, her dog had apparently tried to revive her after finding her unconscious. She later told she had taken an overdose to end her life as she had been suffering from depression.

The dog had mauled her nose, mouth and chin leaving her with injuries which made it difficult to speak or eat. The injuries were so bad doctors immediately ruled out a routine facial reconstruction.

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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. 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The operation

Dinoire had the facial parts of a brain-dead woman grafted on to hers during the procedure, which has since been replicated dozens of times across the world. Her surgeon, Professor Bernard Devauchelle, had lauded the operation a success calling it a masterstroke.

From the first time I saw myself in the mirror after the operation I knew it was a victory, Dinoire told the BBC. [] I had a nose, I had a mouth  it was fantastic.

The adjustment to living with somebody elses face took its time and in 2007 she recalled the strangeness of experiencing having someone elses mouth.

It was odd to touch it with my tongue. It was soft. It was horrible, she said, according to the Guardian.

Dinoire had to take powerful immunosuppressant drugs after the surgery to stop her body rejecting the face, which the side effects included weakening the immune system.

Post-operation

The remarkable nature of the operation coupled with the intrigue of the procedure being the first of its kind led to mass media interest in Dinoire which she found difficult to deal with at times. She previously spoke of the intrusive nature of some journalists who would hound her, even visiting her in hospital.

It was excruciating,  she told the BBC. I live in a small town and so everyone knew my story. It wasnt easy at the beginning. Children would laugh at me and everyone would say, Look its her, its her.

Dinoire also spoke of the strong connection she felt to her donor, who reportedly killed herself, telling the BBC in 2009: The donor is always with me.
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When he was a child, Joe Hosteen Kellwood was punished at his school on an Apache reservation for speaking in his native Navajo. The school was run by the US military and they wanted him to speak English.

As it was, Mr Kellwoods skills as a speaker of Navajo would prove of huge importance when he was recruited as a military code talker - one of a small team of Navajo speakers who carried vital, naturally-encrypted messages. He served in the Pacific campaign and was awarded at least eight medals.

This week it was announced that Mr Kellwood had died at the age of 95. He was believed to have been one of fewer than 20 original code talkers, whose contribution in WWII inspired the 2002 film Windtalkers, starring Adam Beach and Nicholas Cage.

Mr Kellwood - third from left in the back row - in Peleliu in November 1944 (Getty)

CNN said that Mr Kellwood died on Monday at the Veterans Hospital in Phoenix. He served in the First Marine Division and fought during World War II in the Pacific front, seeing battle in Cape Gloucester, Peleliu and Okinawa, according to his obituary.

As a boy, Mr Kellwood had been spanked in school for daring to speak Navajo. The Marines tweeted a video of Kellwood singing the Marines hymn in Navajo and wrote: Honour the fallen. Yesterday, one of the last remaining Navajo code talkers passed away at 95 years old.

Kellwood worked as a Navajo code talker until the war ended in 1945. He was awarded the Congressional Silver Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Combat Action Ribbon, Naval Unit Commendation, Good Conduct, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and WWII Victory Medal, according to his obituary.

People like Mr Kellwood inspired the 2002 movie 'Windtalkers' (Wikipedia)

Arizonas governor called Kellwood a hero and patriot.

Kellwood served with distinction in the 1st Marine Division as a Navajo code talker, ultimately helping lead the allied forces to victory in World War II, Governor Doug Ducey said in a statement.

Let us never forget the countless contributions that code talkers made to our state and our country.

Mr Kellwood was born in Steamboat Canyon, Arizona, in August 20, 1921.

When he was 10, he was sent to a school at an Apache reservation run by the US military, he told the Veterans History Project in an interview.

He could not speak English so he got punished when he spoke in his native language.

During World War II, he wanted to enlist in the Marine Corps after reading about efforts in the Battle of Guadalcanal, he told the Veterans History Project. He had no idea about the code talkers when he enlisted in 1942, since it was a secret programme.

The Navajo code talkers trained at Camp Elliott, near San Diego. Mr Kellwood underwent intensive training, learning Morse code, radio and Navajo codes.

I studied on my own at night, he said about the training. You had to memorise all the words at the time, 211 words. They were long words. I spelled it. I learned.

Military authorities chose Navajo as a code language because its syntax and tonal qualities were almost impossible for a non-Navajo to learn, and it had no written form. The ranks of the Navajo code talkers swelled to more than 300 by the end of the war in 1945.
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An MMA fighters one-year-old son has died after being run over by an alleged drunk driver.

Liam Kowal, the 15-month-old son of MMA fighter Marcus Kowal and Mishel Eder, was hit as he was being pushed in his pram by his 15-year-old aunt in the Hawthorne, California on Saturday. According to police, Liam was being pushed in his pram inside the crosswalk when an SUV drove through the crosswalk striking both victims. Police found Liam without a pulse and not breathing in his pram and his aunt lying on the street with leg injuries.

Liam was taken to the UCLA medical centre and was placed on life support in an intensive care unit. After he was pronounced brain dead on Sunday, his family made the difficult decision to switch the life support machine off. His aunt is believed to be in a stable condition with serious injuries.

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.

Writing on Facebook, Kowal said his son was a little fighter and was brought back to life by the doctors on one occasion.

Our hearts are broken and theres a void in my soul but we will get through this, Kowal wrote.

A gofundme page has been set up to help with medical expenses and funeral costs and has already amassed over $122,000. Kowal said his sons organs have been donated.

The 72-year-old alleged driver, named by police as Donna Marie Higgins, allegedly attempted to flee the scene but was cornered by witnesses, according to police. After police conducted sobriety tests, she was arrested on suspicion of a hit-and-run and drunk driving. She was released on a $100,000 bail on Monday.
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Sadiq Khan has been crowned the most influential person in London, four months after winning the Mayoral contest in the capital.

Mr Khan said being named the number one Londoner for innovation and driving progess in the capital by the Evening Standard was a huge honour and a privilege a day after he also won GQ's politican of the year award.

Mr Khan was announced as top of the list for his forward-thinking focus on policies such as improving air quality, building more affordable homes and [for] getting the best out of Brexit.

Jeremy Corbyn came in at 25 on the list, just after the actress Joanna Lumley. The Prime Minister Theresa May arrived in second place, with Mo Farah and Adele also making the top 10.

Sadiq Khan's 5 most significant policies Show all 5 1 /5 Sadiq Khan's 5 most significant policies Sadiq Khan's 5 most significant policies Tackle the housing crisis Khans key policy is an ambitious target to make 50 per cent of all new homes being genuinely affordable, and improving conditions for people renting Getty Images Sadiq Khan's 5 most significant policies Freeze transport fares Khan says he will freeze London transport fares for four years and introduce a one-hour bus Hopper ticket, paid for by making TfL more efficient and exploring new revenue-raising opportunities. He claims Londoners wont pay a penny more for their travel in 2020 than they do today Getty Images Sadiq Khan's 5 most significant policies Make London safer Resore neighbourhood policing, tackle gangs and knife crime, and a new plan to tackle the spread of extremism, and a review of the resourcing of our fire service Getty Images Sadiq Khan's 5 most significant policies Restore London's air quality Pedestrianise Oxford Street and prioritise measures to improve Londons air quality Getty Images Sadiq Khan's 5 most significant policies Make cycling and walking safer More segregated cycle routes with a promise to spend money improving dangerous junctions Getty Images

But Mr Khan's awards come as he faces mounting criticism over the closure of Fabric, one of London's most famous clubs, despite his pledge to protect the capital's nightlife.

Mr Khan said he was disappointed after the Farringdon venue's licence was revoked in the early hours of Wednesday. Islington Council found it had a culture of drug use which staff were incapable of controlling.

As a result of this decision, thousands of people who enjoyed going to Fabric as an essential part of London's nightlife will lose out," he said after the decision was announced.

The issues faced by Fabric point to a wider problem of how we protect London's night-time economy, while ensuring it is safe and enjoyable for everyone.

(Wikimedia commons)

In a statement, the club said: Fabric is extremely disappointed with Islington Council's decision to revoke our license.

This is an especially sad day for those who have supported us, particularly the 250 staff who will now lose their jobs.

Closing Fabric is not the answer to the drug-related problems clubs like ours are working to prevent, and sets a troubling precedent for the future of London's night-time economy.
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What can you tell about someones political preferences from the way they order their Starbucks coffee?

Does a single espresso suggest Clintonesque seriousness and focus. Does a Iced Salted Caramel Mocha indicate Trumpian excess and gaudiness. And what about someone who orders a cup of tea - a staunch liberterian or else just a lost British tourist?

But what is clear is the political preferences of the man behind all these drinks. Howard Schultz, the founder and CEO of the worlds largest largest coffee-shop chain, has declared his support for Hillary Clinton, saying he remains optimistic about America despite effort by some politicians and the media to paint the nation with cloudiness and despair.

Does the coffee you order indicate your political preference (AP)

Im hopeful that after the election - and hopefully Hillary Clinton will be elected president - that we will begin to see a level of unity and people coming together, Mr Schultz told CNN.

When asked if he had officially backed Clinton with that statement, the CEO responded I guess I just did. I think it's obvious Hillary Clinton needs to be the next president.

 Hillary Clinton has coughing attack during a Trump take down

Mr Schultz, 63, has always been vocal about broader social and political issues, more so than most corporate leaders. And he has often brought up the election during Starbucks' quarterly conference calls with analysts.

This summer, Mr Schultz said every brand was facing challenges as consumers confronted a very uncertain election, and earlier this year he told a group of employees that the election had become almost a circus of yelling bombastic attacks, of a lack of respect, of a lack of dignity.

I think we are all rightfully concerned about the promise of the country and the America dream, Mr Schultz said on Wednesday.

His endorsement is one of many Ms Clinton has earned from some of Americas top business leaders. Other prominent backers include Berkshire Hathaways chairman and CEO Warren Buffett, Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman, who is a Republican.

The backing from Schultz also comes at a time when the polls show the race between Clinton and Republican businessman Donald Trump is tightening and looking close to even according a poll released this week.
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Economic recessions and policies of austerity have been linked with a rising number of suicides and mental health problems after a major review of scientific studies carried out mostly in Spain and Greece.

However, the review, published in leading medical journal The BMJ, concluded the majority of the studies showed evidence of bias and the findings should be treated with caution.

The researchers, from City University London and Stanford University in the US, said most of the studies found an increase in suicides during the 2008 financial crisis, particularly among men.

The mental health of women, they said, appeared to suffer more than men. There was also evidence that immigrants health suffered more than the native citizens of a country.

In the BMJ article, they wrote: The amount of evidence on the impact of the financial crisis on health outcomes in Europe is growing.

Of the 41 studies that met our criteria and were analysed, the vast majority focused on two countries in the south: Spain and Greece. The main health outcomes that these studies explored were suicides and mental health.

Most studies on suicides showed an increase in suicides during the financial crisis, in particular among men. Studies looking at mental health found similar increases, but these results were more mixed.

In terms of mental health, however, women seemed to have performed worse than men.

However, they said most studies had a substantial risk of bias and, therefore, we should be cautious with the interpretation of the results.

Only two studies had a low risk of bias, the researchers concluded.

One found self-rated health and mental health had deteriorated among unemployed people in Greece, compared to those with a job. The other study found a temporary increase in hypertension among pregnant women in Iceland.

The researchers said there was a need for better studies into the effect of recessions on health to help avoid any harmful effects.

Writing a commentary in The BMJ, public health experts Ben Barr, of Liverpool university, and David Taylor-Robinson, of The Farr Institute in Liverpool, said while governments might not be able to prevent recession from happening their response is a matter of political choice, which has important consequences for health.

Greece: A new age of austerity and anger dawns Show all 2 1 /2 Greece: A new age of austerity and anger dawns Greece: A new age of austerity and anger dawns 364833.bin GETTY IMAGES Greece: A new age of austerity and anger dawns 364834.bin EPA

Governments can mitigate the harmful effects of recession, stimulate growth, manage problems with public finances, or they can exploit the crisis to push through policies that would be politically unacceptable at other times, they wrote.

It is therefore critical to distinguish between the health effects of recessions and the effect of different policy responses to recession.

They pointed to studies not included in the review which found an increase in suicides in the England during the 2008 recession and another rise in 2011 following the implementation of austerity measures.

With the possibility of another recession in post-Brexit Britain, [this] helpful review shows that recessions can harm health.

Doctors need to advocate for social and welfare policies that are informed by the evidence available and evaluated for their health effects, so that they protect people during crises rather than creating further health problems.
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The High Court has rejected the case of a nine-year-old British girl demanding Theresa May's government do more to help her father, who has been kidnapped by the Ethiopian authorities and now faces an impending death sentence.

British officials have failed to intervene in the case of Andargachew Tsege, known as Andy, a father of three from London who was granted political asylum in the UK in 1979 and has lived in Britain ever since. He was abducted in June 2014 while on route to visit Eritrea, and in July 2015 moved to the infamous Kality prison outside Addis Abiba, dupped "Ethiopia's gulag".

Lawyers for Andy's daughter, Menabe Andargachew, 9, began judicial review proceedings earlier this year against the Foreign Office (FCO) over ministers handling of the case.

Recommended Read more UK helping fund Ethiopian regime holding UK activist on death row

But according to the rights group Reprieve which has been assisting Andy's family, at a hearing on Wednesday afternoon High Court judges ruled in the government's favour.

Maya Foa, director of the death of penalty team at Reprieve, told The Independent: "Andy Tsege is the victim of a series of terrible abuses at the hands of the Ethiopian government  from kidnapping to rendition and illegal detention under an in absentia death sentence.

"Over two years into this British fathers ordeal, its deeply concerning that the Foreign Office has not asked for his release  and todays ruling comes as another blow to his desperate family. One thing remains clear  the FCO urgently needs to change its strategy, so that Andy can return to his family in London."

A political dissident in his time in Ethiopia, Andy is accused by the Ethiopian authorities of working to bring down the government and was convicted of terrorism offences in absentia in 2009, a crime punishable by death.

Internal FCO documents, seen by Reprieve, show British officials have privately described Andy's treatment by the Ethiopian authorities as "completely unacceptable".

Of the terror charges, they said they "have not been shown any evidence [against Andy] that would stand up in a UK court".

US diplomats who attended the in absentia death sentence said it was lacking in basic elements of due process and a form of political retaliation.

But despite successful interventions in other cases involved British citizens detained abroad, the FCO has insisted it will not call for Andy's release.

Last week, the UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson published an open letter in response to the large number of people contacting the Foreign Office about Andy's case.

He said Britain would "continue to press the Ethiopian government as necessary to ensure Andy has access to the promised legal representation". He refused to call for Mr Tseges release, claiming that Britain does not interfere in the legal systems of other countries by challenging convictions.
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A man has been arrested after punching a five-day-old baby in a Tesco supermarket.

Elsie Rose was on her first outing with her parents, Amy Duckers and Lewis Temple, and her seven-year-old sister, Libby, when she was hit at the Tesco store in Baguley, Greater Manchester, on Monday.

The baby, weighing 6lb 12oz, was taken to hospital and monitored overnight but is not believed to have been seriously injured.

The suspect said he thought the baby was a toy doll.

Elsie Duckers weighs 6lbs 12oz (Amy Duckers)

The man approached the baby after he overheard family friends saying: Come over and have a look at this beautiful baby.

According to witnesses, the 63-year-old man then hit the child in the face.

Amy Duckers, the babys mother, told Manchester Evening News: We all heard the punch land on my little baby.

Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings Show all 10 1 /10 Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332582.bin Reuters Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332592.bin Getty Images Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332596.bin Getty Images Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332594.bin Getty Images Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332593.bin Getty Images Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332587.bin Reuters Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332586.bin Getty Images Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332583.bin AP Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332584.bin AP Celebrity skirmishes: from punch-ups to kickings 332595.bin Getty Images

He ran over and punched Elsie Rose in the face, leaving a very big fist mark shape across her forehead, she added.

The child was rushed to hospital from the Tesco store in Baguley near Manchester, and was not discharged until 4am the next morning.

The baby girl was taken to hospital as a precaution and has since been discharged, Greater Manchester Police said.

A 63-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault and is currently in custody being questioned by officers, they added.

Ms Duckers explained it was the first time she taken her daughter outside of the house.

We were mortified, my daughter was screaming thinking he had killed the baby.

She later posted on Facebook: Thank you so much to Baguley Tesco for all you did tonight (Monday) you were all amazing thank you so much for the way you dealt with the situation and treated us all.
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A fraction of the 100m profits "hoarded" by Southern Railway could end travel chaos resulting from a 48-hour strike, a union boss has said.

The company which jointly operates the Southern Rail franchise has been heavily criticised after posting profits of 100m just one day after the Government handed Southern a 20m "bailout" package.

"Just a fraction of the 100 million in cash hoarded by this outfit could keep the guards on the trains, keep the trains safe and resolve this dispute," Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Cash said.

Members of the RMT union have walked out for 48 hours in a long-running dispute over the role of conductors.

UK rail operators ranked Show all 22 1 /22 UK rail operators ranked UK rail operators ranked Grand Central - 79% Here is the list of best and worst train operators with their overall customer score UK rail operators ranked Hull Trains - 73% UK rail operators ranked Merseyrail - 70% UK rail operators ranked Virgin Trains West Coast - 69% UK rail operators ranked C2C - 62% UK rail operators ranked East Coast/Virgin Trains East Coast - 61% UK rail operators ranked Chiltern Railways - 60% UK rail operators ranked Scotrail - 59% UK rail operators ranked East Midlands Trains - 58% UK rail operators ranked London Overground - 56% UK rail operators ranked Cross Country Trains - 55% UK rail operators ranked First TransPennine Express - 55% UK rail operators ranked London Midland - 55% UK rail operators ranked TfL Rail - 52% UK rail operators ranked South West Trains - 51% UK rail operators ranked First Great Western/Great Western Railway- 50% UK rail operators ranked Northern Rail - 50% Phil Sangwell UK rail operators ranked Arriva Trains Wales - 49% UK rail operators ranked Southern - 48% UK rail operators ranked Abellio Greater Anglia - 47% UK rail operators ranked Southeastern - 46% UK rail operators ranked Thameslink and Great Northern - 46%

More than two in every five trains will be cancelled and there will be no service on some routes. Many trains will start late and finish early.

Picket lines were mounted outside busy stations, including London Victoria and Brighton, and disability campaigners joined them to show support for the RMT's campaign.

Southern Rail has said it plans to run 60 per cent of its services during the industrial action.

Mr Cash added: "Reports from all locations this morning confirm that the strike action is rock-solid and determined again across the Southern Rail network as we fight to put rail safety and access before the profits of the failed Govia Thameslink operation.

 Southern rail strikes: On board the 5.20pm from Victoria

"This action has been forced on us by the arrogance and inaction of Govia Thameslink and the Government, who have made it clear that they have no interest in resolving this dispute or in tackling the daily chaos on Southern.

"We will be joined by disability campaigners on the picket lines this morning as we expose the fact that axing staff from Southern services will deny members of the public their legal right to travel under the Equality Act. It is scandalous that GTR have chosen to ignore that issue.

"RMT's fight is with the company and the Government, who have dragged this franchise into total meltdown. We share the anger and frustration of passengers and we cannot sit back while jobs and safety are compromised on these dangerously overcrowded trains."
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Theresa May has staunchly defended selling arms to Saudi Arabia despite the country facing accusations of war crimes, insisting close ties keep people on the streets of Britain safe.

Jeremy Corbyn called on the Prime Minister to halt those sales because of the humanitarian devastation caused by a Saudi-led coalition waging war against rebels in Yemen.

The Labour leader spoke out after the Parliamentary committee charged with scrutinising arms exports said it was likely that British weapons had been used to violate international law. The Saudis stand accused of bombing multiple international hospitals run by the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, as well as schools, wedding parties and food factories.

In the Commons, Mr Corbyn linked weapons sales to the ongoing refugee crisis, which he said should be Britains number one concern and our number one humanitarian response.

Recommended Read more Britain is now the second biggest arms dealer in the world

He added: That is why I remain concerned that at the heart of this Governments security strategy is apparently increased arms exports to the very part of the world that most immediately threatens our security. The British Government continue to sell arms to Saudi Arabia that are being used to commit crimes against humanity in Yemen, as has been clearly detailed by the UN and other independent agencies.

But, in response, Ms May pointed out she had called on Saudi Arabia to investigate the allegations about Yemen when she met with the kingdoms deputy crown prince at the recent G20 summit in China.

10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty

The Prime Minister dismissed Mr Corbyns suggestion that what happened in Saudi Arabia was a threat to the safety of people here in the UK.

Instead, she said: Actually, what matters is the strength of our relationship with Saudi Arabia. When it comes to counter-terrorism and dealing with terrorism, it is that relationship that has helped to keep people on the streets of Britain safe.

In a leaked draft report, the Committee on Arms Exports Control echoed both the European Parliament and the Commons International Development Select Committee in calling for arms sales to the autocracy to end.

The weight of evidence of violations of international humanitarian law by the Saudi-led coalition is now so great, that it is very difficult to continue to support Saudi Arabia, it said, the BBCs Newsnight programme reported.

The Government has argued it has not seen evidence of Saudi war crimes which Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said last week meant a key test for halting sales had not been met.

It signed off 3.3bn of arms exports to Saudi Arabia in the first year of the countrys bombardment of Yemen, which includes 2.2bn-worth of so-called ML10 licences  equipment including drones, helicopters, and other aircraft. A further 1.1bn-worth of ML4 licences were also issued  relating to bombs, missiles, grenades, and countermeasures. The UK additionally signed off 430,000 of licences for armoured vehicles and tanks.

But before MPs broke for the summer recess in July, ministers quietly rowed back on claims they were confident Saudi Arabia had not committed war crimes. They issued corrections on previous statements, stating simply that they had not actively seen evidence of any such alleged crimes.
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Britain is also at the 'back of the queue' for a trade deal with Australia after the country's minister in charge of striking them said a UK agreement could be almost three years away and would come after an EU pact.

Trade Minister Steven Ciobo warned that negotiaing deals are "fraught with complexity" as he and his UK counterpart Liam Fox launched a working group to scope out a potential British arrangement.

Mr Ciobo's admission on timings tempers the bold tone adopted by the UK Government in the wake of Theresa May's meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the G20 in Hangzhou.

The minister indicated that real detailed progress on an actual agreement could not begin until Brexit was complete, adding: "Based on what Ive been told, if Article 50 [launching formal Brexit talks] is presented quarter one or quareter two next year, and then a two-year window in relation to that, so you would expect that its at least two and a half years off.

He emphasised that once formal talks did begin, trade deals can be difficult to complete: "Negotiating trade deals is fraught with complexity. There is always domestic sensitivities between negotiating parties, concerns and consideration that need to be given to particular industries or particular approaches or certain regulatory frameworks, but it's important that you also dont get too caught up in the detail.

Asked whether an EU deal would take precedence he said "it will" because early discussions with the European Union have begun and are more advanced than they are than with the UK. A scoping study for the EU talks is due to report back in the new year, with formal talks on an Australia/EU deal expected to start in the first half of 2017.

Speaking on BBC radio, Mr Ciobo added that in the period when the UK is in Brexit talks, he hoped to make as much progress as possible with the EU. A recent European deal with Canada took seven years to seal.

The scoping group announced by Mr Ciobo and Mr Fox will also look at "trade policy issues of mutual interest" such as World Trade Organisation processes and potential new trade blocs including other countries.

When Mrs May appears in the Commons today she will likely be questioned on the matter, as well as on how Britain might control immigration after exiting the EU.

During her visit to China, she ruled out the introduction of an Australian-style points-based system for immigration policy as proposed by the Leave campaign, saying it was "not a silver bullet" to reduce the numbers coming to the UK.

But her spokeswoman poured cold water on suggestions that she has instead plumped for a work permit system which would require EU nationals to secure a job offer before coming to settle in the UK.

The Prime Minister has distanced herself from Brexit Secretary David Davis's suggestion that it is "very improbable" the UK can regain control over its own borders while remaining part of the European single market.

The apparent rebuke sparked concerns that ministers are "confused" and cannot agree policy on leaving the European Union, and Mrs May is expected to face questions on the issue after delivering a Commons statement on the G20 summit in China.

Brexit racism and the fightback Show all 9 1 /9 Brexit racism and the fightback Brexit racism and the fightback Demonstrators protest against an increase in post-ref racism at London's March for Europe in July 2016 PA Brexit racism and the fightback These cards were found near a school in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the day after the EU referendum Twitter/@howgilb Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback Romford, Essex, June 25 @diamondgeezer Brexit racism and the fightback A worker at this Romanian food shop was asleep upstairs at the time of this arson attack in Norwich on July 8, but escaped unharmed. Hundreds later participated in a love bombing rally outside the shop to express their opposition to racism and their support of the shop owners. JustGiving/Helen Linehan Brexit racism and the fightback This neo-Nazi sticker was spotted in Glasgow on June 26 Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback But after news emerged of neo-Nazi stickers appearing in Glasgow, some in the city struck back with slogans of their own. Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback More signs began to appear in some parts of the UK, created by people who wanted to show their opposition to post-referendum racism Courtesy of Bernadette Russell

The conundrum of how to maintain the economic benefits of single market membership while also ending free movement of EU citizens - seen by many as incompatible positions - has become central to the debate over how to deliver Brexit.

Mr Davis made his remarks on the single market during a lengthy Commons speech on Monday which MPs derided as "waffle" and "empty platitudes", and Mrs May can expect to face calls for more detail.

Despite Mr Davis's comment being made from the despatch box - where ministers are expected to speak on behalf of the Government - the Prime Minister's spokeswoman said he was expressing a personal opinion rather than official policy.

She said Mrs May maintained an "open mind" about what could be secured from negotiations with the remaining 27 member states under Article 50 of theEuropean Union treaties, and planned to be "ambitious" in her stance.
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Boris Johnson has launched an attack on Russia's seemingly indefensible approach in Syria, just a month after telling the country's foreign minister he wanted normalised relations with Vladimir Putin's regime.

In an article published on Wednesday, the Foreign Secretary said the Kremlin should drop its support for Syrian dictator Bashar Assad whom he branded a "killing machine".

But in August after speaking to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, it emerged he had expressed hopes that ties between the two countries could "normalise".

Recommended Read more Horrific pictures show Syrian children burned by incendiary bombs

The change of tone comes after Theresa May met Mr Putin at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou and rebuffed his overtures for a thawing in trade relations, specifically due to the situation in Syria.

The Syrian High Negotiations Committee will also meet in London Wednesday to try and map out an 18-month transition plan to help end the conflict in the country, though its members are against Mr Assad remaining in place.

Writing in The Times, Mr Johnson said Russias current approach to the conflict is keeping the Syrian leader in power.

 Watch the horrifying aftermath of suspected chemical bomb dropped in Syria

He said: And when the Russians are asked to explain this seemingly indefensible conduct they reply with one stubborn question. The question with which we began. What then? What follows Assad?

Indicating that the Russians should end their support for Assad, Mr Johnson said: There are people meeting in London today who have direct experience of running Syria, but who utterly reject the Assad-style police state

In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Show all 19 1 /19 In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrian boys cry following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia. Konashenkov strongly warned the United States against striking Syrian government forces and issued a thinly-veiled threat to use Russian air defense assets to protect them AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrians wait to receive treatment at a hospital following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Alepp Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov speaks at a briefing in the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia. Antonov said the Russian air strikes in Syria have killed about 35,000 militants, including about 2,700 residents of Russia AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Jameel Mustafa Habboush, receives oxygen from civil defence volunteers, known as the white helmets, as they rescue him from under the rubble of a building following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civil defence members rest amidst rubble in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A girl carrying a baby inspects damage in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members look for survivors at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members carry an injured woman on a stretcher at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Volunteers from Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, help civilians after Russia carried out its first airstrikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria The aftermath of Russian airstrike in Talbiseh, Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Smoke billows from buildings in Talbiseh, in Homs province, western Syria, after airstrikes by Russian warplanes AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Air Forces carry out an air strike in the ISIS controlled Al-Raqqah Governorate. Russia's KAB-500s bombs completely destroy the Liwa al-Haqq command unit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia claimed it hit eight Isis targets, including a "terrorist HQ and co-ordination centre" that was completely destroyed In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A video grab taken from the footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an airstrike in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A release from the Russian defence ministry purportedly showing targets in Syria being hit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia launched air strikes in war-torn Syria, its first military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Russian warplanes carried out strikes in three Syrian provinces along with regime aircraft as Putin seeks to steal US President Barack Obama's thunder by pushing a rival plan to defeat Isis militants in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria, a thousand kilometres away. The targets include ammunition factories, ammunition and fuel depots, command centres, and training camps A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis

Their ambition is to ensure a safe space, free from terror, to which migrants can return.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph before he joined the Cabinet in March, Mr Johnson said the mission to build an opposition to Assad has not worked, not so far.

He added: If Putins troops have helped winkle the maniacs [Isis] from Palmyra, then (it pains me to admit) that is very much to the credit of the Russians.

Meanwhile, after Mr Johnson's telephone chat with Mr Lavrov last month the Russian foreign ministry said: "Both sides expressed hope for a normalisation in Russian-British ties and underscored the desire to step up political dialogue."

But after the meeting between Mr Putin and Mrs May in China there was a cooling in tone. The Independent understand the Russian leader tested the ground for improvements in trade but was knocked back by Mrs May, with Syria being the key stumbling block.
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The deepest cracks so far have emerged in Theresa Mays Cabinet over Brexit  as Downing Street distances the Prime Minister from the man she has appointed to oversee secession from the EU.

A Number 10 spokesperson said David Daviss claim that it was very improbable Britain would stay in the European single market was his opinion  and not policy. The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on Monday told the House of Commons that if border controls were not allowed within the single market the UK would most likely leave it.

When pressed at a briefing however, the Prime Ministers spokesperson denied that Mr Daviss take on the matter was official policy  but presented no clear picture about how the Government would actually proceed. Asked whether Mr Davis was speaking for the Government, the Downing Street spokesperson said the statement was the ministers opinion and that there were differing views on the subject. Saying something is improbable or probable I dont think is necessarily policy, she said.

 David Davis heckled

Recommended Read more Thank God David Davis has clarified what Brexit will mean for Britain

He said it was improbable; hes setting out his view that its improbable. The Prime Minister wants to have the work underway  she recognises that people have their differing views and thats why we need to do the work that there is. All of this is going to have to be negotiated with our European partners and the Prime Ministers view is that we should go after the best deal we can. The comments from Downing Street suggest Ms May has not completely given up hope of keeping Britain in the single market. She and those around her have however been coy about what Brexit would entail  frequently deploying the ambiguous slogan Brexit means Brexit.

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

One area Ms May has weighed in is confirm that she would not be in favour of a points-based immigration system as pledged by top Leave campaigners, including Boris Johnson, during the EU referendum campaign. The spokesperson declined to elaborate on the sort of immigration controls Ms May would advocate instead. I think what youve seen is her talking about a system that wouldnt work, she said. Mr Davis, who was appointed to head the new Department for Exiting the European Union by Ms May, on Monday afternoon told the Commons: This Government is looking at every option but the simple truth is that if a requirement of membership is giving up control of our borders, I think that makes it very improbable.

The hasty caveating of Mr Daviss comments by Ms Mays official spokesperson is not the first time she has come to blow with hardcore eurosceptics in her Cabinet. On a trip to the United States, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said the Government would most likely seek a free-trade agreement with the EU rather than a closer customs union. Downing Street once again waded in by saying no decision had been made on which way forward the UK would take.
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Jeremy Corbyn has enflamed Labour's internal row after failing to show support for retaining Britain's full membership of the EU single market.

His spokesman indicated the Labour leader wants "full access" to the market, but without requirements that come with the UK's existing terms of membership.

Recommended Read more Theresa May refuses to say whether Britain will stay in single market

Labour leadership rival Owen Smith claimed it explained why Mr Corbyn had failed to attack Tory splits over the single market at Prime Minister's Questions.

Another MP warned his leader not to "turn a blind eye" to the advantages of the single market.

Asked whether he supported the UK remaining in the market, Mr Corbyn's spokesman said the Labour leader is "in favour of negotiating full access to the single market in goods and services, but he's made clear...that there are important aspects of the existing architecture of the European Union that are damaging to working people, damaging to public services.

"If Britain voted to remain, he was pressing the case for reform of those things, so obviously we are not in favour of negotiating a package which includes those continuing requirements on Britain."

He added: "We want access to the single market. We want access in goods and services to the single market. But we don't want the continuation of those kinds of requirements as part of a negotiated package."

Owen Smith said it "appears" that Mr Corbyn agreed with Tory Brexit Secretary David Davis that single market membership is "not worth fighting for".

Arguing that it brought "jobs, growth and investment, Mr Smith said: "Jeremy seems happy to accept Brexit at any cost, even if that means putting British jobs and investment at risk.

"Perhaps this explains why he failed to ask a single question of Theresa May at Prime Minister's Questions about Brexit, and why he failed to campaign hard enough during the referendum.

Mr Corbyn's spokesman said he had not asked questions on the matter at PMQs because there was a commons statement on the G20 following the session that would better address the issue.

But Labour MP Chuka Umunna said: "Labour should be fighting for Britain to stay in the Single Market, not turning a blind eye to its advantages.

"I hope our party clarifies its position in support of UK membership of the Single Market, and continued close engagement with Europe
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The so-called national living wage will fail to reach the Governments target of 9 an hour by 2020, a report warns.

And it will fall further short  leaving some full-time workers up to 1,000-a-year worse off  if ministers listen to the pleas of business leaders to weaken the flagship policy.

The warnings come from the Resolution Foundation think tank, which has urged Theresa May that backsliding on the living wage (NLW) will be costly for millions of low-paid workers. Watering down the popular policy would also fly in the face of the new Prime Ministers pledge, on the steps of Number 10, that helping struggling families will be a key aim of her government.

Conor DArcy, the Foundations policy analyst, said: Understandably some businesses are unhappy about a higher minimum wage, particularly amid the post-referendum uncertainty. But backsliding on the Government commitment is unnecessary, given the in-built flexibility of the policy to adjust to changing economic circumstances. It would also be costly for millions of low-paid workers, so the Prime Minister should stick to her guns.

When then-Chancellor George Osborne unveiled the NLW, in July last year, he said he was making a promise that it would reach 9 an hour at the end of the decade.

The commitment lessened criticism that the higher floor  although a big boost to the existing minimum wage  was far less than voluntary rate set by campaigners, in line with the true cost of living.

That hourly rate is already 9.40 in London and 8.25 in the rest of the country  and will be uprated again next month.

But the Resolution Foundation said its analysis, based on the latest independent economic forecasts, showed the NLW is currently on track to rise to only around 8.70 in 2020.

The reason is predictions of weaker wage growth, although the Foundation said the projected figure for 2020 is likely to rise and fall as wage forecasts are updated and the impact of implementing Brexit becomes clear.

However, last month, 16 trade associations wrote to the Business Secretary, Greg Clark, calling on the Government to exercise caution in light of the economic uncertainties the country faces.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA

The business leaders were arguing for the plan to hike the NLW in order for it to reach 60 per cent of median earnings by 2020 to be dropped, in favour of smaller increases.

The Foundation said this implied increases in line with those applied in the past to the national minimum wage, which rose by just 1.7% in the four years following the 2008 financial crisis.

If so, the value of the NLW in 2020 would be only 8.17 an hour  which would be 55p an hour less than the latest economic forecasts suggested, equivalent to 1,075 to a full-time worker.

But the fact that the NLW automatically adjusts to economic shifts, by being pegged to typical hourly pay, meant it already had the in-built flexibility it needed.

However, it was the 9 cash figure that many people associate the policy with, the think-tank said.
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Michael Gove has been ridiculed by MPs during a heated debate on Scottish independence after giving a speech with his flies undone.

The former justice secretary, who lost his place in the cabinet after unsuccessfully running to succeed David Cameron as Conservative Party leader, was attacking the Scottish National Party (SNP) when his opponents spotted the slip.

Giggles swept around Westminster Hall on Tuesday, with some MPs struggling to keep straight faces, before Mr Gove was handed a note warning him over the wardrobe malfunction.

We were meant to get Gove unplugged, but what we got was Gove unzipped, one MP told the Scottish Daily Record.

The former justice secretary had accused the Scottish National Party (SNP) of ignoring fresh powers to manoeuvre towards another independence referendum following the vote for Brexit.

The prominent Leave campaigner, who was born in Scotland and grew up in Aberdeen, questioned the SNP's record on education and suggested suggesting the party's focus was on a generation of grievance and the creation of division.

Nicola Sturgeons MPs demanded a fresh look at the Scottish constitution in light of the vote to leave the EU, saying Britains impending departure was grounds for another vote.

But Mr Gove accused the nationalist party of acting against Scotlands best interests, adding: The SNP says the Scottish people can decide on any constitution they like - provided they choose independence.

 Sturgeon sees independence as answer to Brexit disagreement

"Powers that existed before the vote and the Scotland Act was passed, and powers that are now conferred on Holyrood, are not being used by the Scottish government.

"A focus on the constitution, a generation of grievance and the creation of division trumps the cause of good government.

Patrick Grady, the SNP MP for Glasgow North, defended the his party's record, saying hundreds of millions of pounds of investment was planned in education and healthcare.

He added that none of the promises had been kept from the Scottish referendum campaign to ensure more powers would pass to Holyrood.

Brexit means the UK will leave the European Union, but that is not what people in Scotland voted for either in 2014 or 2016, said Mr Grady.

The Scottish government and the Scottish Parliament must ultimately reserve the right to hold another referendum on independence for Scotland, if it becomes clear that the best or only way for Scotland to remain in the EU is for Scotland to become an independent member.

Additional reporting by PA
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Theresa May took her first PMQs after the summer recess today, facing down backbenchers and Jeremy Corbyn.

The PM continued her run of dodging questions on a variety of subjects.

Here are the questions Ms May dodged, laid out in full alongside her answers.

Single market

Those who voted to Remain in the EU were more likely to live in areas that had received higher levels of public funding per capita, new research has found (AFP/Getty Images)

Angus Robertson: Does she want the UK to remain fully within the European single market?

Theresa May did not say whether she wanted the UK to remain in the single market.

What I want for the UK is that we put into practice the vote that was taken by the people of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, that we get the right deal for trade in goods and services with the European Union in the new relationship that we will be building with it, and that we introduce control over the movement of people from the European Union into the United Kingdom, she said.

I say to the right hon Gentleman that we can approach the vote that took place on 23 June in two ways. We could try to row back on it, have a second referendum and say that we did not really believe it, but actually we are respecting the views of the British people. More than that, we will be seizing the opportunities that leaving the European Union now gives us to forge a new role for the United Kingdom in the world.

Boundary review

A polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in Etherow country park, Stockport (Reuters)

Jeff Smith: Nearly 2 million people signed up to vote in the European Union referendum earlier this year. It is surely right that constituencies are based on the actual electorate who want to vote, so is the Prime Minister not concerned that the boundary review is going ahead next week without including those 2 million voters?

Theresa May did not say whether she would support using the latest electoral roll figures for the boundary review.

Parties from across this House supported the proposal that the Boundary Commission would follow this timetable and would bring forward these proposals, and that by 2018 those Boundary Commission proposals would be put in place. All parties supported that, and I continue to support it.

Dualling the A2 to Dover

Lines of traffic queue to enter the port of Dover on the south coast of England on July 24, 2016. (AFP/Getty)

Charlie Elphicke: Will she support my campaign to make sure that we get better infrastructure to the channel ports, starting with the lorry park and car park on the M20, dualling the A2 and getting some proper motorways to Dover?

Theresa May did not say whether she would support dualling the A2 or not.

On the possible dualling of the A2, he is right to say that we want to support local infrastructure to be able to handle the growth in traffic, particularly given that there are expansion plans for the port. I assure him that Dover will be considered as part of the planning for the next road investment strategy.

School cuts

Up to 30 per cent of children are starting school with symptoms typically associated with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADHD  conditions which can be improved with the correct levels of physical activity, according to researchers (Getty)

Helen Hayes: Will she  provide reassurance to my constituents and to children across London  that funding for schools in London will not be cut by up to 20 per cent?

Theresa May would no guarantee that school funding would not be cut.

We will be aiming to ensure that every child has the education that is right for them and the opportunities that are right for them. It is right that we look at the national funding formula, but that will be done carefully to see what the impact will be across all parts of the country.

Hospital building

Doctors operate a patient at the one-day surgery department of the French hospital institut Curie specialized in cancer treatment, on November 4, 2014 in Paris. AFP PHOTO/DOMINIQUE FAGET (AFP/Getty)

Tom Brake: Will she agree to earmark the first two weeks of the 350 million that will be available each week post-Brexit to spend on the reconstruction of my hospital?

Theresa May did not pledge the money for St Helier hospital

The right hon. Gentlemans question tempts me to go down a number of routes in answering him. What I will say is that I recognise the importance of his local hospital trust, and I am pleased to say that, over the past six years, we have seen more doctors and more nurses in that trust able to provide more services and more facilities. Indeed, since 2010, the capital spend in the trust has been 72.7 million. We will be looking to ensure that we provide the health service that is right for everyone in this country.

Dangerous driving law

A photo of police tape. (Larry W Smith/Getty)

Jim Dowd: Is the Prime Minister aware of the widespread public concern that the law on causing death by dangerous driving is wholly inadequate? Will she undertake a review of both its suitability and its applicability as the courts implement it?

The Prime Minister said only that the MoJ was looking at the issue but did not commit to a fully review.

I am aware of the concern that there is about the law on dangerous driving. The daughter of constituents of mine was killed as a result of dangerous driving, and they have raised concerns with me specifically about their case. This is a matter which, I believe, the Ministry of Justice is looking at.
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Britain should halt the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia while accusations of war crimes against the country are investigated, the committee charged with scrutinising arms exports has said.

In a leaked draft report the Committee on Arms Exports Control, which comprises 16 MPs from four parties, said it was likely British weapons had been used to violate international law.

The weight of evidence of violations of international humanitarian law by the Saudi-led coalition is now so great, that it is very difficult to continue to support Saudi Arabia, the report, which was leaked to the BBCs Newsnight programme, says.

Recommended Read more Britain is now the second biggest arms dealer in the world

Saudi Arabia has been accused by UN bodies of potentially committing war crimes in its military operation in Yemen, where it is intervening against Houthi rebels threatening the countrys internationally recognised government.

Both the European Parliament and the House of Commons International Development Committee have already called for exports to the autocracy to stop, but the Government says it has not seen evidence of Saudi war crimes.

Boris Johnson however said last week that a key test for halting sales had not been met.

The Saudi-led coalition has bombed multiple international hospitals run by the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, as well as schools and wedding parties. Food factories have also been hit, as Yemen faces severe food shortages. Human rights groups say there is evidence civilian targets are being deliberately targetted.

The coalition has opened investigations into a number of incidents and has repeatedly claimed in statements that the coalition is committed to full respect for international humanitarian law in the conduct of our operations in Yemen.

Boris Johnson has dismissed calls for stop sales, saying a 'key test' had not been met (Getty)

The British Government signed off 3.3bn of arms exports to Saudi Arabia in the first year of the countrys bombardment of Yemen, which includes 2.2bn-worth of so-called ML10 licences  equipment like drones, helicopters, and other aircraft.

1.1bn-worth of ML4 licences were also issued  relating to bombs, missiles, grenades, and countermeasures. The UK additionally signed off 430,000 of licences for armoured vehicles and tanks.

Before MPs broke for recess ministers quietly rowed back on claims they were confident Saudi Arabia had not committed war crimes. They issued corrections on previous statements, stating simply that they had not actively seen evidence of any such alleged crimes.

British arms sales to Saudi are currently under judicial review after a legal challenge by Campaign Against the Arms Trade. A hearing is due before February 2017. Andrew Smith, of that campaign group, said: The Government is always telling us how rigorous and robust its arms export system supposedly is. This report exposes that nothing could be further from the truth. The UK has continued to arm the Saudi regime, despite its atrocious human rights record and the terrible assault it has inflicted on Yemen.

The call by the committee comes after the Independent reported this weekend that Britain is now the second biggest arms exporter in the world, with two-thirds going to the Middle East.

Since 2010 Britain has also sold arms to 39 of the 51 countries ranked not free on the Freedom House "Freedom in the world" report, and 22 of the 30 countries on the UK Governments own human rights watch list.

A Government spokesperson said its approach to arms export control was sufficiently tough.

10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty

The Government takes its arms export control responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust regimes in the world. We rigorously examine every brokering application on a pre-licensing case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

Export licensing requires us to consider how the equipment will be used by the end-user and risks around human rights abuses are a key part of our assessment. We consider this approach to be sufficiently tough but where there is evidence of a need for further action we have the powers to do so under existing legislation.
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Prime Minister Theresa May quoted from a Twitter account in the House of Commons that previously posted a message saying some Polish people who get lamped in Brexit hate-crime could have asked for it.

Mrs May used the tweet from the disgusting account to attack Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn, but it later emerged the user has posted a string of offensive messages.

In another post, the account calls a fellow Twitter user a stupid, feminist piece of sh*t, while another sees it compare migrants to zombies.

A No 10 source did not deny the Prime Ministers attack line had been taken from the account, sparking outrage and demands that she apologise.

During Prime Ministers Questions Ms May quoted a post from Twitter user Lewis in an attempt to mock Mr Corbyns method of sourcing questions to ask from social media.

The message she read to MPs triggered hearty laughter from the Tory benches and led the account run in the name of Lewis Collins to claim credit for the line.

It then re-posted the original tweet Ms May had seemingly used, adding looks like Im famous.

But inspection of the account reveals a series of offensive tweets. On 4 September it posted a link to a story about two Polish men who had been hurt in what was called a race hate attack that took place near the site of a recent murder.

The account added the comment: Every time a Polish person is lamped, it will always be considered a Brexit hate crime.

Even if they asked for it.

In another post the user posted a picture of a zombie, adding that it showed migrant chancers scouring for ways to circumvent the Calais wall.

In another tweet he tells a fellow user: P*ss off you stupid feminist piece of sh*t.

A No 10 source tried to play down the matter, saying: The PMs point was about Corbyns polling and the mutual distrust between the Labour Party and British people.

Brexit racism and the fightback Show all 9 1 /9 Brexit racism and the fightback Brexit racism and the fightback Demonstrators protest against an increase in post-ref racism at London's March for Europe in July 2016 PA Brexit racism and the fightback These cards were found near a school in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the day after the EU referendum Twitter/@howgilb Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback Romford, Essex, June 25 @diamondgeezer Brexit racism and the fightback A worker at this Romanian food shop was asleep upstairs at the time of this arson attack in Norwich on July 8, but escaped unharmed. Hundreds later participated in a love bombing rally outside the shop to express their opposition to racism and their support of the shop owners. JustGiving/Helen Linehan Brexit racism and the fightback This neo-Nazi sticker was spotted in Glasgow on June 26 Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback But after news emerged of neo-Nazi stickers appearing in Glasgow, some in the city struck back with slogans of their own. Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback More signs began to appear in some parts of the UK, created by people who wanted to show their opposition to post-referendum racism Courtesy of Bernadette Russell

As she said today, with Labour so divided, theres only one party capable of uniting the country, the Conservative Party.

But Labour shadow minister Jon Ashworth said: This is a disgusting Twitter account and its rather unbecoming and rather demeaning to the office of Prime Minister for Theresa May to have been quoting from it.

Decent people will no doubt expect Mrs May to quickly apologise and disassociate herself from this foul Twitter message.
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Theresa May has refused to say whether Britain will remain in the European single market after it leaves the EU.

The Prime Minister refused to give a running commentary on negotiations, explaining only that she would get the right deal on the issue.

She repeated a pledge to introduce control on the free movement of people from the EU but gave no indication of her position on the customs union.

What I want for the UK is that we put into practice the vote that was taken by the people of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, that we get the right deal for the trade of goods and services with the EU in a new relationship that were building with them, and that we get control of the movement of people from the EU to the UK, she said in response to a question at Prime Ministers Questions.

Angus Robertson, the SNPs leader at Westminster, accused the PM of waffle and not giving a clear answer on the issue.

I asked the Prime Minister a very, very simple question, he said, repeating his question  but Ms May repeated her answer.

In her statement to the House of Commons on the weekends G20 meeting, she elaborated on her reasoning for the lack of transparency: We will not take decisions until we are ready and we will not reveal our hand prematurely, she said.

In response to a later question the Prime Minister also confirmed she believed invoking Article 50 was a prerogative power meaning Parliament did not need to be consulted before the leaving process began.

Jeremy Corbyn added in response: Can the Prime Minister tell the House what the Governments position actually is?

Brexit racism and the fightback Show all 9 1 /9 Brexit racism and the fightback Brexit racism and the fightback Demonstrators protest against an increase in post-ref racism at London's March for Europe in July 2016 PA Brexit racism and the fightback These cards were found near a school in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the day after the EU referendum Twitter/@howgilb Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback Romford, Essex, June 25 @diamondgeezer Brexit racism and the fightback A worker at this Romanian food shop was asleep upstairs at the time of this arson attack in Norwich on July 8, but escaped unharmed. Hundreds later participated in a love bombing rally outside the shop to express their opposition to racism and their support of the shop owners. JustGiving/Helen Linehan Brexit racism and the fightback This neo-Nazi sticker was spotted in Glasgow on June 26 Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback But after news emerged of neo-Nazi stickers appearing in Glasgow, some in the city struck back with slogans of their own. Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback More signs began to appear in some parts of the UK, created by people who wanted to show their opposition to post-referendum racism Courtesy of Bernadette Russell

There were signs of splits in the Cabinet over Brexit yesterday after Downing Street dismissed claims Britain would not stay in the single market by the minister for leaving the EU as his opinion and not necessarily policy.

He had told the House of Commons on Monday that it was very improbable that the UK would stay in the single market.

Ms May has also ruled out introducing a points-based immigration system as proposed by Vote Leave and Boris Johnson during the EU referendum campaign.
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South African politicians have united to condemn the burning of one of the countrys finest law libraries during protests over university fees, in which students say a female classmate has been raped.

The book burning was likened to the activities of the youth wing of the Nazi party in 1930s Germany in a statement by the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Hundreds of students ran riot across the campus of University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) on Monday night and Tuesday, part of a series of protests across South African universities at the cost of higher education, which some say is perpetuating white privilege in the country.

The clashes at UKZN have been particularly pronounced, and relations between students and the authorities worsened when it emerged one female student reported she had been raped by a police officer at the Pietermaritzburg campus on Monday.

A UKZN spokesman told South African media a case of sexual assault had been reported to the university. The alleged incident is reported to have happened off campus. It is under investigation, he said.

Videos have also emerged showing police opening fire on students with rubber bullets during the day on campus, and on Tuesday the university cancelled all lectures and events in a bid to calm the unrest.

But while the damage on Monday was contained to six torched vehicles, the destruction of the library on Tuesday night has seen public sympathy for the protesters tested.

A law lecturer at UKZN, Franaaz Khan, told TMG Digital that while fire fighters had managed to bring the fire under control the faculty had lost priceless material, including rare books dating back to the foundations of modern-day South African law in the 17th century.

Many date back to early Roman-Dutch time, she said. Some are rare as well. It is devastating to watch the library in which you spent many hours as a student burn up in flames.

Protesters and supporters of the students have hit back at those who have condemned the library arson, suggesting more concern should surround the alleged rape and an incident where a female student was reportedly shot in the leg with live ammunition.

In its statement, the ANC said it condemned the destruction of university property and the intimidation and harassment of university leaders.

The burning of books and university infrastructure is reprehensible and has no connection to the calls for free education for the poor, the ANC said.

The burning of books is a symbolic act of anti-intellectualism. In the 1930s the German Student Union, a Nazi structure, ran a book-burning campaign, targeting books written by Jews, liberals and communists. It was a prelude to fascism and the Holocaust.

Attacking university property and harassing university leaders is illegal and a crime. Unlawful conduct cannot be justified by the mistaken belief that burning books is an attack on white monopoly capital.

The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) called for law enforcement to make sure those responsible for this arson face the full might of the law.

DA councillor Nicole Graham posted online: Seeing pictures of UKZN's law library where many of us studied for years gutted by fire is absolutely heartbreaking and infuriating.
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In October 2011, 66-year-old Carlos Ortega was enjoying semi-retirement from a long career in aviation when armed agents burst through the door of his Bogota home and arrested him. A former commercial pilot and head of security for Colombias national aviation authority, he was accused of selling aeroplanes to drug traffickers, jailed and extradited to the US.

Only after a year behind bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees was he finally freed by a court in Florida, when it emerged that the US authorities had mistakenly ordered the extradition of the wrong Carlos. Yet in June, Mr Ortega lost an appeal to claim back his legal fees and damages from the American officials who had wrongly identified him.

Mr Ortega and his lawyers claim he was pressured to plead guilty by South Florida federal prosecutor Andrea Hoffman, even after she was alerted to his innocence, and that she also tried to cover up the exculpatory evidence. The appellate court, however, said Ms Hoffmann had absolute immunity because she was carrying out her prosecutorial duties.

I dont understand how there can be immunity under these despicable circumstances  when they destroy your career completely, Mr Ortega, whose case has been held up as emblematic of problems with the extradition system, recently told the Miami Herald. If I had been guilty of something, then OK, but my case had been dismissed.

In 2004, Mr Ortega had gone into business as a plane broker and consultant. After his arrest, he was told that he had been heard on a wiretap selling aircraft to drug traffickers, including one man who had previously worked as a pilot for the late Pablo Escobar, who until his death in 1993 was the infamous leader of the Medellin Cartel.

But when a private investigator looked into the wiretap claims on Mr Ortegas behalf, he soon found that his client had been mistaken for a second man, also named Carlos, who had also featured in the wiretaps and was indeed involved in criminal activity. The prosecutors had confused the two for the same Carlos, due in part to a simple transcription error. An eight-year-old child could have told you that our voices were completely different, Mr Ortega said.

Mr Ortegas lawyers informed their US authorities of their mistake in March 2012, by which time the 66-year-old had spent five months incarcerated alongside drug lords and other violent criminals at Bogotas maximum security prison, La Picota. American DEA agents in Colombia also told Ms Hoffman that they feared they had the wrong man, Mr Ortega claimed in a lawsuit, but she ordered the agents to keep the wiretaps proving his innocence under wraps.

With the warnings ignored, Mr Ortega was extradited to Miami to face trial in June 2012. Prosecutors allegedly told him he could return home if he pleaded guilty, but he refused. On 31 August that year, all the charges against him were dropped and he was allowed to return to Bogota. But by that time his business was gone and he was deep in debt.

In 2015, he sued the US and Ms Hoffman for false imprisonment, false prosecution and seven other charges, hoping to be reimbursed for his financial losses and personal distress. His legal fees alone ran to almost $300,000. But this summer the US Court of Appeals in the Southern District of Florida tossed out his lawsuit, saying the US had sovereign immunity and that Ms Hoffman was similarly protected from legal action despite the evidence of her misconduct.

In any war, there will always be innocents who get injured, Mr Ortega told the Herald. This is a war against narco-trafficking and Im one of the wounded. Its like they were trying to bomb the house next door but I got hit by the shrapnel."
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A federal judge has granted a partial stop in production of a controversial multi-billion dollar oil pipeline following a violent confrontation between Native American protesters and construction workers in North Dakota.

US District Judge James Boasberg ordered a temporary halt to construction on a portion of the Dakota Access Pipeline in the state on Tuesday, because he said the US Army Corps of Engineers lacks jurisdiction to build on private property.

However, Mr Boasberg denied a restraining order filed against the company that would further prevent alleged damage to sacred cultural sites and burial grounds of the tribe.

Todays denial of a temporary restraining order  west of Lake Oahe puts my peoples sacred places at further risk of ruin and desecration, said Dave Archambault II, Standing Rock Sioux tribal chairman.

On Friday, the judge will rule on the Standing Rock Sioux tribes challenge to the federal governments decision to grant permits to the Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners. The project is expected to cost $3.8bn and will span across North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois.

How fracking works and where it could happen Show all 2 1 /2 How fracking works and where it could happen How fracking works and where it could happen 02-FrackingHowItWorks.jpg How fracking works and where it could happen 02-FrackingMapWeb.jpg

Members of the the tribe have protested the construction of the pipeline since April. They were particularly concerned that the construction would taint the area water supply, in addition to the destruction of several sacred Native American cultural sites and burial grounds, in violation of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Representatives of the tribe motioned for the temporary stop following a violent confrontation between the company and activists on Saturday. A tribal spokesperson said six protesters were bitten by guard dogs  including one child  while 30 others were hit with pepper-spray. Four security guards and two dogs reportedly sought medical attention.

Energy Transfer Partners denied allegations that their workers destroyed sites in documents filed Tuesday morning. Lawyers asked the judge to reject the tribe's request to halt construction temporarily, and added that the company has taken and continues to take every reasonable precaution to protect sacred sites.

The Army Corps of Engineers did not oppose the temporary stoppage. Assistant Attorney General John Cruden added in court documents: [T]he public interest would be served by preserving peace.

More than 3,000 Native American people have gathered at the Lake Oahe construction site to protest the building of the pipeline. Last week, a number of environmental groups petitioned President Barack Obama to revoke the permit granted to the Corps of Engineers, calling the construction of the pipeline an existential threat to the tribes culture and way of life.

Progressive leaders have come out in support of the Standing Rock Sioux protesters.

On Monday, Green Party presidential candidate and clean energy advocate showed up to the protest. When invited by activists to leave a message, Ms Stein reportedly wrote I approve this message in red spray paint on the blade of a bulldozer.

Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said he planned to pursue charges of trespassing and vandalism. No charges have been filed at the time of this writing.
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Donald Trump's prepared remarks generally serve less as railroad tracks than as aviation waypoints. They're not the unswerving path he takes as he gives a speech at a rally, they're place he wants to get to -- but, as long as he's close, that's good enough.

In Greenville, N.C. on Tuesday night, Trump was supposed to criticize Hillary Clinton for telling the FBI that she couldn't recall details of her email server setup. "Hillary and her top aides told the FBI and others in related lawsuits that they couldnt recall or remember key facts hundreds of different times," Trump was supposed to say, according to speech excerpts.

What he actually said was in that vicinity. But it also flew into some tricky territory.

"Hillary and her top aides told the FBI and others related in the lawsuits that they couldnt recall or remember -- can't remember anything!" Trump said. "By the way, if she really can't remember, she can't be president! She doesn't remember anything! She doesn't even remember whether or not she was instructed on how to use emails. 'Were you instructed on how to use?' 'I can't remember.'"

Why's that tricky? Because asserting that Clinton can't be president if she doesn't remember details in an interview would mean that Trump, too, is ineligible for the nation's highest office. Big league.

As part of The Post's research for our biography of the Republican nominee, we compiled hundreds of documents from Trump's past. Among those were a number of depositions from a tiny portion of the thousands of lawsuits to which Trump has been a party over the years. And in those depositions? Constant assertions by Trump that he couldn't recall or didn't know the answers to questions offered him.

We can isolate one particular deposition as evidence of this: His Sep. 2012 deposition in a lawsuit regarding Trump University, the real estate training seminar series that has been the subject of fraud allegations and investigations by attorneys general in multiple states.

Over the course of that one interview, Donald Trump says that he doesn't know the answer to a question hundreds of times. He claims not to recall details related to questions dozens more.

Asked if he attended one of the program's seminar in Florida, Trump says he did. When? Years ago. What year? Doesn't remember. Who were the instructors? He didn't remember. What did they talk about? "I can't remember specifically." Was this Trump Institute, the Florida iteration of Trump University? He didn't know. Did he remember the format of the presentation? He didn't. Pressed for any detail he remembered, Trump offered one: "The only detail, as I left, I was very impressed."

That's from one page of the 600 pages of testimony.

Things he didn't remember that were related to Trump University:

- When discussions about Trump University began.

- The format the initial courses took.

- The names of any of the courses.

- Seeing the resumes of course instructors.

- Why the licensing agreement for Trump Institute ended.

- If attendees got a degree.

At one point, Trump was asked if he remembered the names of any of the instructors who provided instruction at Trump University -- a group that the organization had touted as being hand-picked by Trump. "Can you identify a single person who was a live events instructor for Trump University?" the attorneys for the plaintiff asked Trump. "You'd have to give me a list," Trump replied.

So they did.

It continued.

And continued.

Page after page, same response. The attorneys tried a different tactic, presenting Trump with photos of people and asking him if they recognized the pictures. He didn't.

(One interesting little detail from that deposition: Trump didn't remember Trump University having a blog -- which it did. The blog has been a source of some embarrassing reversals, such as when it said that Hillary Clinton would be "a great president or vice-president." In the deposition, Trump said he did remember who wrote the blog posts: Meredith McIver, the woman who was blamed for Melania Trump's plagiarized Republican convention speech.)

And then there was this.

This is one deposition. Similar responses are littered through the other Trump documents: Failures to remember meetings, business deals, individuals, if he signed documents. When asked how many times he'd given testimony, Trump figured it was in the hundreds; in each of those hundreds of depositions and interviews, it's almost certainly the case that Trump was stymied on obscure details any number of times.

That Trump couldn't recall particular individuals who may or may not have worked for him or details of how Trump University was put together is not, of itself, disqualifying for the presidency. Nor is it the case that Trump's insistence that he couldn't remember those details implies that he has broader memory issues. In some cases, Trump couldn't remember the details because the lawyers were asking very specific questions about long-past incidents (like walking through his daily calendar from years before). In other cases, Trump was clearly trying to gloss over unflattering information.

But we aren't the ones that suggested that saying you didn't remember details when being questioned was the sort of thing that should render someone unfit for the nation's highest office.

The moral of the story? People who literally live in big glass towers should be careful where they throw stones.

Copyright: Washington Post
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It was allowed, and then it wasnt. But on Wednesday, the ashes of Elaine Harmon, a woman pilot who flew non-combat missions in the Second World War, will be laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery.

For family members, like granddaughter, Erin Miller, the farewell to Ms Harmons ashes inside the walls of Americas most hallowed military resting ground will be a deeply personal moment.

But it will also be a celebration of a political battle won on behalf of Ms Harmon and all the other women who served with the Women Airfare Service Pilots (WASPs), flying military aircraft on non-combat outings so that male pilots were freed up to engage the enemy.

It was a struggle that began last year when the stewards of Arlington, concerned about dwindling space, said they would no longer be receiving urns of ashes from WASPs. A story about it by the Associated Press sparked a campaign to have the ban reversed, fuelled by a change.org petition that garnered no fewer than 175,000 signatures.

In the end it took an Act of Congress to open the cemetery to the WASPs once again. It was duly signed into law by President Barack Obama in May this year. Long unsung, the women, only a handful of whom are still living, finally had full recognition for the service they gave.

Terry Harmon, the daughter of Elaine Harmon, at an event in Washington DC earlier this year (AP)

The legislation was sponsored by Congresswoman Martha McSally of Arizona, herself a retired Air Force pilot, and Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa. They willingly put their lives on the line in service to our great country, and made tremendous sacrifices to join a ground-breaking flight programme to free up their male counterparts for combat duty, Ms Ernst said.

Restoring what was once the right of the WASP to have their ashes placed at Arlington National Cemetery is undoubtedly the right thing to do in honouring these extraordinary women for their remarkable military service.

The laying to rest of Ms Harmon, who died in April of last year aged 95  her ashes until Wednesday languished in a bedroom closet in the familys home  marks the first time the new dispensation for WASP women will be put into practice.

It sounds funny, but wee all kinds of excited, Ms Miller told the AP. In a way, weve already grieved, and this now is about closure.

Altogether about one thousand American women served as WASPs between 1942 and 1944. At first not considered fully-fledged members of the US military, they were granted the status of veterans for the first time only in 1977.

Although they were not flying across enemy lines, their missions were not always without peril. Among them was flying combat planes to test them after they had been repaired and towing targets so other pilots could use them for firing practice using live ammunition.

Thirty eight of the WASP pilots were killed before the programme was ended. Fewer than 100 are still alive and the youngest of them is now 93-years-old.
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North Carolina residents have reported at least three instances of suspicious, creepy-looking clowns lurking in their neighbourhoods  making it the second state in as many weeks to experience such sightings.

On Tuesday, a Greensboro resident reported seeing a machete-wielding man chase a man with clown attire into nearby woods.

The witness reported that a person wearing a scary clown mask, red curly wig, yellow dotted shirt, blue clown pants, and clown shoes exited the woods, Greensboro Police said in a statement. Upon seeing the clown, [an adult male] ran after it, wielding a machete.

Police added that the clown disappeared from view.

The reports come after reports of a clown in the Winston-Salem, South Carolina, area attempted to lure children into the woods. The North Carolina sighting is the third spotting of a lurking clown in three days, and it is keeping their residents on their toes.

In pictures: Famous clowns Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Famous clowns In pictures: Famous clowns joker-heath-ledger.jpg In pictures: Famous clowns IT.jpg In pictures: Famous clowns ross-noble-stiches.jpg In pictures: Famous clowns joker-Jack-Nicholson.jpg In pictures: Famous clowns J.-G.jpg Wikipedia In pictures: Famous clowns Joseph_Grimaldi-wiki.jpg Wikipedia In pictures: Famous clowns Marks,_J.L.jpg Wikipedia/Creative Commons In pictures: Famous clowns medieval-court-jester.jpg Wikipedia In pictures: Famous clowns clown-mask.jpg Facebook

I looked again and there was a clown, white face, red hair, polka dot yellow shirt and, like, inflatable Aladdin pants, blue, Christopher Bass, the man who allegedly pursued the clown, told Time Warner Cable News. I had my firearm, bookbag, and machete in my hand. Instinct, I got kids.

Mr Bass wife reportedly phoned the police as her husband pursued the clown.

It remains unclear whether Tuesdays incident is related to the other two in North Carolina or those in South Carolina.

I honestly do not know. With social media, things are connected but they may not be directly connected, Greensboro Police Capt Michael Terry said.

Still, police urged that while it is not illegal to dress as a clown, citing heightented tensions, they urged against copycat behaviour from people who may wear the costumes for a laugh.

Mr Bass said he just wants it to stop, for the safety of his children and for that of the clowns.

I want him bad. I want him bad before he hurts kids, he said of the clown suspect. Hes dangerous and hes going to get killed like that. Somebody is going to take justice into their own hands, and its going to be trouble."
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By his own admission, Armando Rios Piter knows that his plan to counter Donald Trumps threat to try and make Mexico pay for a wall, faces a tough challenge.

Yet the Mexican politician says that Mr Trumps rudeness and arrogance has left him with no alternative but to try and propose something attention-grabbing.

Our idea was to put out something that was clear and made sense, he told The Independent, speaking from Mexico City. The main proposal is that people here and and in the US value what Mexico means, and what our relationship with the US means.

On Tuesday, Mr Rios Piter put before his colleagues in the Mexican senate, a proposal under which the Mexican government would revoke its treaties with the US - including the 1848 agreement that transferred half its territory to Washington - if Mr Trump is elected and tries to make the USs southern neighbour pay for a border wall.

In cases where the property/assets of (our) fellow citizens or companies are affected by a foreign government, as Donald Trump has threatened, the Mexican government should proportionally expropriate assets and properties of foreigners from that country on our territory, says his proposal.

 Trump Vows Again That 'Mexico Will Build That Wall'

Mr Rios Piter, a member of the centre-left Party of the Democratic Revolution, launched his proposal after Mr Trump visited Mexico last week and appeared with President Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, to discuss the issue of immigration.

In language that appeared conciliatory in its tone, he raised the issue of a wall, but not who would pay for it. (Mr Pena Nieto later tweeted that he told Mr Trump Mexico would not pay.) The same day, Mr Trump spoke in Phoenix and again vowed that Mexico would pay for the wall.

Mr Rios Piter said he believed the decision to invite Mr Trump was a huge mistake.

People in my country received his presence here as an insult. He has been insulting us for a year. I think it was a mistake to invite him and to receive him in the way we did, he added. A lot of people thought this made no sense.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed by the US and Mexico in 1848 to end a two-year war between the two countries, a conflict that Mexico lost. As part of the deal, Mexico handed to the US, what is now New Mexico, California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and parts of Wyoming and Colorado. In all, Mexico handed over half a million square miles.

Mexico ceded around 500,000 square miles to the US (Wikipedia)

Mr Rios Piter has suggested the treaty could be scrapped if Mr Trump makes it to the White House and tries to force Mexico to pay for a wall along the 2,000-mile border the countries share.

Reports suggest that his proposal stands little chance of success, but does underscore the anger felt towards both Mr Trump and Mr Pena Nieto for extending the invitationn. Mr Rios Piter said he believed the proposal could pass.

I think there is enough space for a dialogue to generate consensus, he said.

I want to push the idea that the relationship with the US is a very important one and we should be focussing about the good things we have done, and not the offensive language Trump has been using.
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Donald Trump has vowed to spend billions building up the US military - with new planes, ships, submarines and personnel - but how he would find the money is unclear.

In a speech in Philadelphia that was designed to rebuff claims from Hillary Clinton that he is unfit to be commander-in-chief, Mr Trump also repeated the assertion that he would order US generals to offer a plan to defeat Isis within thirty days of his taking office.

Recommended Read more The map that proves Donald Trump is still trailling Hillary Clinton

National security has taken centre-stage in the presidential campaign, with both candidates sparring on who between them is better suited to keep America safe. Later on Wednesday, both were due to lay out their stalls at a so-called commander-in-chief forum on the NBC network.

She is trigger-happy and very unstable, Mr Trump said of his rival, asserting he couldnt think of a country in the Middle East she had not wanted to invade or topple. Earlier this week, his campaign also released a letter from 88 retired generals and admirals offering him their support and citing an urgent need for a course correction in America's national security policy.

She has been returning fire. They know they can count on me to be the kind of commander-in-chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Trump, Ms Clinton said of the US military on Tuesday. They view him as a danger and a risk.

Mr Trumps notion of demanding a plan to obliterate Isis within 30 days of his taking office, first mentioned in a rally on Tuesday, has also drawn some harsh criticism.

It's a sophomoric approach to elements of national security policy, because if he's just calling in the military, he's missing the point that there are several other elements of national security that will help defeat Isis, Retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told CNN.

I had to ask myself, 'What the hell does he think we've been trying to do for the last 14 years in terms of al Qaeda? Gen. Hertling said, adding that the proposal from Mr Trump shows a complete lack of understanding of the threat and the ways to fight it.

Mr Trump said in Philadelphia that he would ask Congress to end the so-called sequester that automatically imposed harsh cuts on military spending in 2011as part of deal to end an impasse in Washington DC on the federal budget that had already shut down the government.

I am proposing a new foreign policy focused on advancing America's core national interests, promoting regional stability, and producing an easing of tensions in the world. This will require rethinking the failed policies, he said.

In a policy note, the Trump campaign said it saw building up the Army to about 540,000 troops, claiming that Mr Obamas goal had been a military of just 450,000 soldiers. Under Mr Trumps command, the Marine Corps would grow to 36 battalions while the Navy would boast 350 surface ships and submarines and the Air Force 1,200 fighter planes.

The Republican nominee also spoke of building a state of the art missile defense system for the US, starting with modernising 22 Navy cruisers at a cost of about $220 million apiece.

The issue where the funds would come for such an expansion is likely to shadow him. He has spoken in vague terms of ending inefficiencies in spending and cracking down on tax evasion. But at the same time, he is also talking about protecting levels of social security support, including for aging Americans, and launching a vast infrastructure spending programme.

Mr Trump sowed deep distrust among many in the foreign policy community, including many Republicans, earlier in the campaign not least with his suggestion that he might ignore the mutual defence provisions of the Nato alliance if states that had not fully contributed to its budget faced aggression from Russia.

Even now, some top figures in the party remain wary of offering him their endorsement. That still includes Senator Bob Corker, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, who displayed his caution about Mr Trump in an appearance on MSNBC on Wednesday.

I do believe that Donald Trump is growing in his understanding of these issues and I think that he's beginning to get more and more people around him that have a depth of understanding as to the complexities and I'm watching this evolve, he said, adding, We'll all make our assessments, in the candidates' foreign affairs skills by early November.

While the NBC forum on Wednesday night may offer something of a foretaste of the three planned presidential debates - the first is set for 26 September on Long Island - the two candidates will appear separately to answer questions on national security and will not therefore have the chance directly to engage with one another.
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One of Americas largest banks has told its high-ranking employees they cannot donate to Donald Trump - but has left open the way for them to contribute to the campaign of Hillary Clinton.

According to a memo that was circulated to staff at Goldman Sachs, the bank said it had expanded its political restrictions to partners at the firm and listed those persons it now considered restricted.

Effective Thursday, September 1, all partners across the firm are considered 'restricted persons' as defined by the firms Policy on Personal Political Activities in the US, said the emails cited by Politico.

Lloyd Blankfein, Goldmans CEO, has previously supported Hillary Clinton (AP)

As outlined below, restricted persons are prohibited from engaging in political activities and/or making campaign contributions to candidates running for state and local offices, as well as sitting state and local officials running for federal office.

The email cited by Politico does not mention Mr Trumps name but the business magazine Fortune said it had obtained a copy of the memo in which Goldman specifically mentions the Trump-Pence campaign as an example of one Goldman partners can no longer support.

Among the type of donations that are banned, according to the memo, are, Any federal candidate who is a sitting state or local official (eg. governor running for president or vice president, such as the Trump/Pence ticket, or mayor running for Congress), including their Political Action Committees (PACs), it said.

The investment bank also went on to say that the policy change was meant to minimize potential reputational damage caused by any false perception that the firm was attempting to circumvent pay-to-play rules, particularly given partners' seniority and visibility. All failures to pre-clear political activities as outlined below are taken seriously and violations may result in disciplinary action, according to Politico.

Pay-to-play schemes involve campaign contributions or other payments made by investment advisers to state and local government officials in an attempt to influence the awarding of lucrative public contracts, according to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Goldman Sachs was not immediately available for comment.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton currently does not hold office and vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine is a US senator and wouldn't be subject to the rules.

The development is likely to seized on by the Trump campaign as further evidence of Hillarys willingness to take Wall Street money

Lloyd Blankfein, Goldmans CEO, has declined to say who he is supporting for president, but is known as a long-time supporter of Ms Clinton. Mr Blankfein donated to Ms Clinton when she ran against Barack Obama is 2008.
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Venezuelans are having to abandon their starving pets as the already severe economic crisis continues to worsen.

Forced to choose between feeding themselves or their animals, middle-class Venezuelans are abandoning their pets in the streets in never-seen-before numbers.

An animal protection and control centre in the capital is seeing as many as 10 animals abandoned each day this summer, a surge from about a year ago when there were almost none.

Katty Quintas, director of the Animal and Environment Protection Foundation (Funasissi), said pet owners are abandoning cats and dogs "not because they don't want them but because now the problem is how to feed them."

Pet owners say the price of dog food has more than doubled in recent months to 2 US dollars a pound - more than a day's pay for those earning the minimum wage.

Where not to visit if you love animals Show all 9 1 /9 Where not to visit if you love animals Where not to visit if you love animals Monkey shows Chimpanzees are forced to perform demeaning tricks on leashes and are often subject to cruel training techniques. Animals who are confined to small, barren enclosures and forced to perform unsurprisingly show symptoms of stress and depression. Chimpanzees have been documented rocking back and forth, sucking their lips, salivating and swaying against enclosure perimeters in distress. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Marine parks Some parks confine orcas to concrete tanks and force them to perform meaningless tricks for food - many die in captivity. Orcas are highly intelligent and social mammals who may suffer immensely, both physically and mentally, when they're held in captivity. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Tiger shows Tigers are forced to live in an unnatural and barren environment and have to endure interactions with a constant stream of tourists. Since tigers never lose their wild instincts, across the world they are reportedly drugged, mutilated and restrained in order to make them safe for the public. However, every year, incidents of tiger maulings are reported at this type of tourist attraction. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Donkey rides Sunning on the beach is great for humans  we can take a quick dip or catch a bite to eat when we get too hot or hungry. But it's pure hell for donkeys who are confined to the beach and forced to cart children around on the hot sand. Some donkey-ride operators at beach resorts in the UK even keep the animals chained together at all times. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Swimming with dolphins Some marine parks use bottlenose dolphins in performances and offer visitors the opportunity to swim with dolphins. Unfortunately, people are often unaware that these animals are captured in the wild and torn from their families or traded between different parks around the world. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Canned hunting Lions are confined to fenced areas so that they can easily be cornered, with no chance of escape. Most of them will have been bred in captivity and then taken from their mothers to be hand-reared by the cub-petting industry. When they get too big, they may be drugged before they are released into a "hunting" enclosure. Because these animals are usually kept in fenced enclosures (ranging in size from just a few square yards to thousands of acres), they never stand a chance of surviving. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Running of the Bulls Every year, tourists travel to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. The bulls who are forced to slip and slide down the town's narrow cobblestone streets are chased straight into the bullring. They are then taunted, stabbed repeatedly and finally killed by the matador in front of a jeering crowd. The majority of Spaniards reject bullfighting, but tourists are keeping the cruel industry on its last legs. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Horse-drawn carriages City streets are no place for horses. The animals toil in all weather extremes, suffering from respiratory distress from breathing in exhaust fumes as well as numerous hoof, leg and back problems from walking on pavement all day long. As easily spooked prey animals, horses subjected to the loud noises and unexpected sounds of city streets are likely to be involved in accidents, even deadly ones. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Zoos The zoo community regards the animals it keeps as commodities, and animals are regularly bought, sold, borrowed and traded without any regard for established relationships. Zoos breed animals because the presence of babies draws visitors and boosts revenue, yet often, there's nowhere to put the offspring as they grow, and they are killed, as we saw with Marius the giraffe in Denmark. Some zoos have introduced evening events with loud music and alcohol which disrupt the incarcerated animals even further. EPA

Zoo animals have also suffered from the nationwide food shortages, when in July it was reported that 50 residents of a large Caracas zoo had died.

In response to stories highlighting the plight of Venezuelas animals, Ernesto Paiva, the Minister of Eco-socialism and Water, claimed that the country's opposition was to blame, saying they were creating idea "that Venezuela is a country where even the animals are starving and that is completely not true."

A lion sleeping inside its cage at Caricuao Zoo in Caracas. Zoo staffarereportedly feeding the animals with mangoes and pumpkin to make up for the lack of meat (Reuters)

Large protests continue to take place against the government of President Maduro, who was captured on video being chased by a group of angry protesters banging pots.

Additional reporting by AP
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A woman who was sexually abused from the age of eight has seen her attacker put behind bars 15 years later, after she became a police officer and secretly taped his confession.

Erlis Joseph Chaisson, 47, was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child by contact in Texas in August. He has been given a life sentence and two separate seven year sentences for the indecency convictions, to be served consecutively. He will not be eligible for parole for 42 years.

Chaisson abused his victim, now 27, over a period of four years at their homes in Louisiana and Texas, starting from when the victim was eight years old. He was already a registered sex offender after serving jail time for the abuse of an eight-year-old child in Louisianna, the Waco Tribune reports.

Speaking to the Daily Beast, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she realised she had the power to see her attacker sent to prison soon after qualifying as a police officer. I thought to myself: Im the difference between him and prison, she said.

The woman reported the crimes to the detective at the McLennan County Sheriffs office, Brad Bond, and explained the abuse she had been subjected to during her childhood. She accused Chaisson of having rubbed his penis between her legs, performed oral sex on her, and having guided her hand up and down his penis when she was a child.

After speaking to Chaisson on the phone, she arranged to see him in person. A colleague was parked within eyesight nearby, and the woman had a tape recorder inside her bra.

He was talking like he was talking to his best friend, the woman told the Daily Beast. Six times he confessed  in the first hour and a half of that recording.

During the taped recording, Chaisson stated he believed I always stopped before it went too far, and repeatedly blamed the woman for the abuse, at one point saying: Id be laying on the couch and then youd get that look in your eyes.

Id pull the covers up and youd come run in and jump under there and back up all the way to me. When the woman said he should not have entered her room while she was asleep, he responded, I kept you a virgin, didnt I?

The recording was played out in court, in which Chaisson was also heard saying: I mean, it takes two, and its not that I was forcing you, its just, the [penis] has no conscience and theres no explanation for it. You was young, curious, and I should have knew better. I should have never put myself in them positions to even get aroused, and  but at least I caught myself before I done something stupid.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court that she had kept the abuse as a deep, dark secret for more than 10 years, and her training to become a police officer had caused her to decide to report and catch her attacker.

She said during the trial: My job is law enforcement. Im held to a higher standard. I just want to protect people, and how can I do that if I cant even protect myself?, the Waco Tribune reported.
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A Chinese airline has caused outrage after warning travellers to avoid visiting areas of London populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people.

Air China, the countrys national airline, printed the advice in its inflight magazine Wings of China.

The guide also added: We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling.

The row began after Haze Fan, a Beijing-based producer for CNBC, spotted the advice while travelling to the UK with her fiance who is from London.

She took a photograph of the text and posted it to Twitter asking Mayor of London Sadiq Khan what he thought of it.

Two Labour MPs for London constituencies with significant proportions of ethnic minority residents have urged the Chinese ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, to obtain an apology for their constituents.

Rosena Allin-Khan, the Labour MP for Tooting, which has one of the largest south Asian populations in London, said the advice was outrageous.

Speaking to the Evening Standard she said: I think it is offensive to all Londoners, not just the ethnic minorities mentioned.

Recommended Read more EasyJet throws woman off flight after epileptic seizure

I am going to be writing to the Chinese ambassador to invite him to visit Tooting in London, where all races live side by side. Then they can see how we live and our wonderfully diverse community.

She added: We pride ourselves on having a wonderfully diverse community and this may mean people come here with a different idea. It is worrying that some may arrive concerned.

Virendra Sharma, the Labour MP for Ealing Southall in west London, where almost 40 per cent of the population is Asian, said the airlines advice was blatant racism, and also invited Air China to visit the area.

He said: I am shocked and appalled that even today some people would see it as acceptable to write such blatantly untrue and racist statements.

I have raised this issue with the Chinese ambassador, and requested that he ensures an apology is swiftly forthcoming from Air China, and the magazine is removed from circulation immediately.

I have invited representatives of Air China to visit my constituency of Ealing Southall to see that a very multicultural area is safe, and would be of great value for those visiting London to see.

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

Air China has not yet commented on the matter.
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An American tourist broke her back after falling from a cliff while trying to escape a sex attacker in Thailand.

New Yorker Hannah Gavios was reportedly attacked by a local man, Apai Raingworchai, 28, as he pretended to guide her back to her hotel near the tourist destination of Railay Beach, Krabi, southern Thailand.

The 23-year-old - who has waived her anonymity - is now being treated in Phuket, where doctors said she is recovering well despite the severity of her injuries.

Ms Gavios, an English teacher based in Vietnam, said she had only been in Thailand one day when she became lost on Railay Beach.

It was dark around 11pm and the only way to get back to my accommodation was by crossing the cliffs, Ms Gavios told the Mail Online.

I went inside a tourist shop and asked for help back to my hotel. They said it was dangerous to do at night so they told me to follow one of their workers.

I didn't get the best feeling about him but I was tired and wanted to get home. I'd been travelling for 16 hours so I guess I wasn't feeling myself.

Instead of leading Ms Gavios back to her hotel, Mr Raingworchai  who has admitted the attack to the police  led her up a rocky trail into the jungle.

While we were walking he grabbed me and was holding me down and trying to take off my clothes, Ms Gavios told the Mail.

She said she fought back at her attacker, hitting him and biting his ear so hard it was half torn off. Ms Gavios said she then fled through the jungle, but fell over the side of a cliff in the darkness.

Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Show all 19 1 /19 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Afghanistan Recommendation: I urge the Government of Afghanistan to adopt legislative reforms to ensure that sexual violence offences are not conflated with adultery or morality crimes and to establish infrastructure for the delivery of protection, health and le gal services to survivors. I call on the Ministry of the Interior to accelerate efforts to integrate women into the Afghan National Police, thereby enhancing its outreach and its capacity to address sexual and gender-based violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Central African Republic Recommendation: I urge the authorities of the Central African Republic to ensure that efforts to restore security and the rule of law take into account the prevention of sexual violence and that monitoring of the ceasefire and peace agreement explicitly reflects this consideration, in line with the joint communique of the Government and the United Nations on the prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence signed in December 2012. I further encourage the authorities to make the rapid response unit to combat sexual violence operational and to establish a special criminal court Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Colombia Recommendation: I commend the Government of Colombia for the progress made to date and its collaboration with the United Nations, including through the visit of my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict in March 2015. I encourage the authorities to implement Law 1719 and continue to prosecute cases of sexual violence committed during the conflict to ensure that survivors receive justice and receive reparations. Conflict-related sexual violence should continue to be addressed in the Havana peace talks, as well as in the resulting accords and transitional justice mechanisms. Particular attention should be paid to groups that face additional barriers to justice such as ethnic minorities, women in rural areas, children, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals and women abused within the ranks of armed groups. I encourage the Government to scale up its protection measures and share its good practices with other conflict-affected countries Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Congo Recommendation: I urge the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure full implementation of the armed forces action plan against sexual violence, to systematically bring perpetrators to justice and to deliver reparations to victims, including payment of outstanding compensation awards. I call on donors and the United Nations system to support the Government in its efforts and to pay increased attention to neglected areas, including unregulated mining regions Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Iraq Recommendation: I commend the Government of Iraq for its national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and urge its swift implementation, including by training its security forces to ensur e respect for womens rights. Programmes to support the social reintegration of women and girls released from captivity by ISIL are urgently needed, as is community-based medical and psychological care. The capacity of the United Nations system should be enhanced through the deployment of Womens Protection Advisers or equivalent specialists Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Libya Recommendation: I urge the national authorities in Libya to implement Decree No. 119 and Resolution 904 of 2014 to ensure redress for all victims, including those affected by the current conflict, through the establishment of multisectoral services and the adoption of legislation to categorically prohibit sexual violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Mali Recommendation: I urge the Government of Mali, with support from United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, to develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat sexual and gender-based violence and to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers so that services can reach remote areas. I further call on all parties to ensure that conflict-related sexual violence is addressed in the inter-Malian dialogue and that perpetrators of sexual violence do not benefit from amnesty or early release Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Myanmar Recommendation: I urge the Government of Myanmar to continue with its reform agenda and, in the process, take practical and timely actions to protect and support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to ensure that security personnel accused of such crimes are prosecuted. Sexual violence should be an element in all ceasefire and peace negotiations, excluded from the scope of amnesty provisions and addressed in transitional justice processes. It is critical that women be able to participate consistently in and influence these processes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Somalia Recommendation: I reiterate my call to the Federal Government of Somalia to implement the commitments made under the joint communique of 7 May 2013 and its national action plan to combat sexual violence in conflict, including specific plans for the army and the police. I encourage the adoption of a sexual offences bill as a matter of priority Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life South Sudan Recommendation: I urge the parties to the conflict in South Sudan to adopt action plans to implement the commitments made under their respective communiques. I call upon the Government of South Sudan to address the negative impact of customary law on womens rights and to reflect international human rights standards in national law. I also encourage the African Union to make public and act upon the report of its Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sudan (Darfur) Recommendation: I call upon the Government of the Sudan to grant the United Nations and its humanitarian partners unfettered access for monitoring and the provision of assistance to people in need in Darfur. Given that there has been grave concern over sexual violence in Darfur for more than a decade, I encourage the Government to engage with my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to develop a framework of cooperation to address the issue comprehensively Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Syria Recommendation: I acknowledge the Governments invitation to my Special Representative to visit the Syrian Arab Republic and call upon the authorities, in the context of such a visit, to agree on specific measures to prevent sexual violence, including by members of the security forces. I condemn the use of sexual violence by ISIL and all other parties listed in the annex to the present report and call on them to cease such violations immediately and allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Yemen Recommendation: I urge the authorities in Yemen to undertake legislative reform as a basis for addressing impunity for sexual violence, ensuring the provision of services for survivors and aligning the minimum legal age of marriage with international standards. I further call on the authorities to engage with local community and faithbased leaders to address sexual and gender-based violence and discriminatory social norms Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Bosnia and Herzegovina Recommendation: I urge the relevant authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to harmonize legislation and policies so that the rights of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to reparations are consistently recognized and to allocate a specific budget for this purpose. I further call upon the authorities to protect and support survivors participating in judicial proceedings through, inter alia, referrals to free legal aid, psychosocial and health services, as well as economic empowerment programmes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Ivory Coast Recommendation: I urge the Government of Cote dIvoire to ensure the effective implementation of its national strategy to combat gender-based violence and the action plan for FRCI, and call on the international community to support these efforts. It is critical to accelerate disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and strengthen law enforcement to ensure that ex-combatants who have been reintegrated into the transport sector do not pose a risk to women and girls who are reliant on those services. The Government and the international community must provide monitoring and awareness-raising to mitigate the possibility of a recurrence of sexual violence in the context of the presidential elections to be held in October 2015 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Liberia Recommendation: I call on the Government of Liberia to continue its critical efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence including through the United Nations-Government of Liberia Joint Programme, and in the context of recovery from the Ebola virus epidemic Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nepal Recommendation: I encourage the Government to ensure that survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are recognized under the law as conflict victims, which will enable them to access services, judicial remedies and reparations. I further call on all parties involved in the transitional justice process to ensure that the rights and needs o f survivors of sexual violence are addressed in institutional reforms and that these crimes are excluded from amnesties and statutes of limitations Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sri Lanka Recommendation: I call upon the newly elected Government of Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of sexual violence, including against national armed and security forces, and to provide multisectoral services for survivors, including reparations and economic empowerment programmes for women at risk, including war widows and female heads of household Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nigeria Recommendation: I encourage the Government to implement its national action plan on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) to ensure that womens protection concerns are mainstreamed throughout its security operations. I also call upon the authorities to guarantee security in and around internally displaced persons camps and to extend medical and psychosocial services to high-risk areas

"I was honestly thinking I wouldn't survive," she said.

I hit my head a few times and landed with a big bump. I was screaming in pain. It was the most painful thing ever.

I felt like a total vegetable. I felt completely vulnerable. I couldn't move anything.

She had fractured her spine and become temporarily paralysed in the lower half of her body, leaving her helpless as Raingworchai caught up with her.

He got on top of me. He took off his pants and masturbated on me, Ms Gavios said.

He didn't rape me but he did everything else. I really thought I was going to die.

I honestly didn't know what to do. I just had to remain calm. Whenever I screamed he was choking me so I had to try to keep cool and stay friendly with him.

Raingworchai then left the scene and Ms Gavios said she was later rescued by locals after spending the night alone in the jungle, unable to move.

Ms Gavios said she was relieved to have not broken her legs in the fall and that she hoped to return to teaching in Vietnam.

Ao Nang Deputy Police Chief Lt Col Winai Poonsawas told The Phuket News: The suspect is facing assault causing serious injury and charges of sexual assault. He is now being held at a cell at the Krabi Provincial Court.

There is no question what he did was wrong and unacceptable, and his fate is up to the court to decide. I am sure his punishment will be severe."

Lt Col Poonsawas said of Raingworchai: He is a homeless man living at Ao Railay.

Locals give him food and drink to get by, and sometimes people pay him to help move or carry things at the beach.

He is mentally stable, and we also gave him a drug and alcohol test after the incident, and the test results came back negative.
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Ending up at the wrong destination is an easy enough mistake to make when youre on foot or in a car, but one AirAsia pilot has proved it can be done in a plane, too.

The AirAsia X Airbus A330 had been destined for Kuala Lumpur when it took off from Sydney in March 2015, but instead it ended up 444 miles away. A new report into the incident by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found that the pilot entered the incorrect flight information into the planes navigation system.

The ATSB found that the problem had occurred when the captain set up the aircrafts flight management and guidance system, entering the wrong longitudinal position of the aircraft.

Despite a number of opportunities to identify and correct the error, it was not noticed until after the aircraft became airborne and started tracking in the wrong direction, the report stated.

The crew were then found to have identified a problem with the on-board navigation systems, but their attempts to rectify the situation were fruitless. After electing to discontinue the flight over the error, the plane was unable to return to Sydney due to bad weather and instead was forced to land in Melbourne.

The plane and its passengers were then held at Melbourne airport for three hours. It finally took off for its original destination in Malaysia six hours behind schedule.
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Thousands of people have left the Church of Denmark following a nationwide advertising campaign by the country's atheist society.

Between April and June, 10,000 people left the church - the highest number of registered withdrawals since 2007.

A campaign by the Danish Atheist Society is being held responsible for the number of leavers  double that recorded between January and March.

The campaign's banner advert includes phrases such as "Why believe in a god?", "Why should faith cost something?" and "Did Jesus and Mohammed speak with a god?"

Chairman of the society Anders Stjernholm told Politiken: "Were pleased that Danes have taken the opportunity to express what they actually want.

We have long seen in surveys that there arent that many Danes who are devout Christians.

 Veteran Tory MP is an atheist

"So I view [the withdrawals] as an expression of the fact that people cant really see why we should have an institution like the Church of Denmark that has such incredible influence and that takes ones money."

All Danish citizens automatically become members of the Church of Denmark when they are baptised and can withdraw by written application to their parish office or by joining another faith.

The church is partially funded by a tax automatically drawn from the normal contributions of its members. This accounts for 0.5 to 1.5 per cent of members' tax payments depending on the municipality.

According to the campaign, leaving will save 133,000 kroner (15,000) in church taxes over their lifetime.

Church leaders have agreed the drop in membership is down to the atheist adverts, but asserted the effects would be short-lived.

In support of their opinion, the number of baptisms by the Church of Denmark are on the rise, the Local reports.

The dean of Copenhagens Church of Our Lady, Anders Gadegaard said: I think the number is a reflection of a very special situation created by the atheists campaign.

"Were not talking about a whole new trend that will continue.

"Its obvious that when millions [of kroner] are spent on increasing visibility and advertising for withdrawals, it will have an effect but at the same time we are seeing an increase in the number of enrolments [and] a rising interest in belonging to the Church of Denmark."
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Masturbating in public is not a crime, the Italian supreme court has ruled, even if it is done so with the clear aim of being seen by other members of the public.

Italys highest court, La Corte di Cassazione, was asked to rule on the case of a 69-year-old man who had been caught masturbating in the southern city of Catania.

Identified only as Pietro L, the man had been convicted after he was seen taking out his penis and practising autoeroticism in front of students at the University of Catania campus.

According to the local edition of La Repubblica, the local Prefect of Catania and the Court of Appeal had agreed that the man should be sentenced to three months in prison and fined 3,420.

But supreme court judges said that a recent government reform meant the act is not included in the law as a crime.

In doing so, the court has eliminated the criminal aspects of sentencing for obscene acts in public places.

The case of Pietro L will now go back to the Prefect of Catania to be sentenced again. La Corte di Cassazione ruled the man must be given a fine between 5,000 and 30,000, with the exact figure to be determined by the local court.

In taking their decision, the supreme court judges noted the fact that the Italian parliament passed a law last year decriminalising the offence of lurking in places frequented by girls in order to be seen masturbating.

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

They said that on that basis, Pietro Ls sentence should be overturned without further deliberation.

Similar cases around the world have raised eyebrows in recent years, including that of a Swedish man caught masturbating on a beach on Stockholm, who was acquitted of sexual assault on the basis his actions were not directed towards a specific person.

In the UK, the standard sentence for masturbation in public is around 14 days in prison, though it can vary based on a range of circumstantial factors. The crime appears to based on Section 28 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, which states it is an offence for anyone to "wilfully and indecently" expose his "person" in a street or public place.

It is a common urban legend that masturbation in Indonesia is punishable by decapitation. Thats not true, according to the secretary of information at the Indonesian embassy, who told The Guardian the maximum sentence under Article 281 of national law was 32 months in prison.
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Refugee groups have condemned plans for a 1.9m Great Wall of Calais - to prevent migrants boarding lorries to cross the Channel to Britain - as cruel and dangerous.

The Government came under fire after revealing that a four-metre-high, one-kilometre-long wall would be part of the latest attempts to strengthen security, as the crisis at the French port grows.

Work is to start this month, along an approach road, to thwart migrants who have used rocks, shopping trolleys and tree trunks to try to stop vehicles  allowing them to climb aboard and reach Britain.

Recommended Read more Building a wall in Calais will only deepen the shame felt by Europe

Doctors of the World, which provides care to refugees in Calais, called the spending of taxpayers money on the wall as outrageous as it is ludicrous.

Leigh Daynes, its executive director, said: Bridges, not walls, are the answer to the humanitarian catastrophe in Calais.

Walls do more than repel. They exacerbate the already fragile mental health of traumatised people. They are as cruel as they are meaningless in the face of a global refugee crisis that knows no boundaries.

The criticism was echoed by Help Refugees, which says it is the largest provider of aid in Calais. It said the money should be spent on the people in The Jungle refugee camp. Lliana Bird, its co-founder, said: Nearly 10,000 people, including nearly 1,000 children have simply been left to languish. As history has repeatedly shown us, building walls is never the solution.

Migrants leaving the northern area of The Jungle migrant camp today (Reuters)

And Steve Symonds, Amnesty International UKs refugee expert, said: This plan is yet another example of European governments failure of leadership on the refugee crisis and their shocking inability to come up with a humane response.

A wall will simply further empower smugglers by forcing people to take even greater risks to get across the Channel.

The plan was revealed by the immigration minister, Robert Goodwill, who said it was part of a 17m package of joint Anglo-French security measures.

He told a committee of MPs: People are still getting through. We have done the fences, now we are doing the wall.

We are going to start building this big, new wall as part of the 17m package we are doing with the French. There is still more to do. We have also invested in space for 200 lorries at Calais so that they have somewhere safe to wait.

It is expected to be made of smooth concrete, in an attempt to make it more difficult to scale, with plants and flowers on one side to make it less ugly, and be completed by the end of the year.

The Road Haulage Association has also said it will be a poor use of taxpayers' money, arguing that security levels need to be improved on the surrounding approach roads to Calais.

Both the SNP and Green MP Caroline Lucas likened the idea to Donald Trumps much-criticised - and much-ridiculed - plans to force Mexico to build a wall to keep its migrants out of the United States.

Calais and Dunkirk camps Show all 16 1 /16 Calais and Dunkirk camps Calais and Dunkirk camps (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps A portrait of an Afghan man wearing a traditional Perhan Turban in the Calais Jungle (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps Two Gendarmes guard the main entrance to the Dunkirk camp (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps One Kurdish Iraqi mans reminder to himself (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps Two young boys in the Dunkirk camp (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps An Iranian hunger striker stands outside the only remaining shelter in the South Side of the Calais camp (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps A church in the South Calais camp, on of the the only structures not demolished in the South Side of the camp (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps A man gets a hair cut in the Calais camp (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps Night falls on the Calais Jungle. Fires burn in the distance (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps The containers provided as alternative accommodation for the people in the camps (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps A young boy in the Dunkirk camp (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps A man listens to music inside one of the shipping containers (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps The awful living conditions in the Dunkirk camp (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps An Afghan man in the Calais camp (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps One of the Iranian hunger strikers (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps A family in their wooden shelter in the new Dunkirk camp (Photo: Alan Schaller)

In an article for The Independent, Ms Lucas said: When Donald Trump said he would build a wall between the United States and Mexico, most of us recoiled. How had politics in the land of the free descended so low, so fast? Trumpism has now landed in Britain.
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The President of Turkey has said that Turkish troops are ready to work with the US to push further into Isis territory and take on the group in its Syrian capital, Raqqa.

Speaking to media on Tuesday, Recip Erdogan said that US President Barack Obama suggested the possibility of joint military action against the terror organisation during last weekends G20 meeting in China.

Obama wants to do some things together concerning Raqqa in particular, Erdogan told reporters, referring to Isis de facto capital.

Erdogan said Turkey would have no problem with the possibility. The US State Department has not commented on the remarks.

Turkish military launched Operation Euphrates Shield last month, driving Isis from the Turkey-Syria border and effectively cutting off one of the groups major supply corridors. The offensive has continued to seize land from Islamist control. Turkey and its rebel allies now control a 90km stretch on the Syrian side of the border, and are pushing south.

In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish tanks driving to the Syrian-Turkish border town of Jarabulus yesterday AFP/Getty In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish-backed gather on the outskirts of Jarabulus, Syria, ahead of an offensive on 24 August 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish army tanks make their way towards the Syrian border town of Jarabulus, Syria August 24, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish soldiers return from Syria to Turkey with tanks after a military operation at the Syrian border as part of their offensive against the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria, Karkamis district of Gaziantep, Turkey, 25 August 2016 EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish army tanks and Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces move toward the Syrian border as pictured from Karkamis, Turkey, AP In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish tanks on their way to the Turkish-Syria border during an operation against Isis on 24 August 2016 EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Syrian opposition fighters being transported during preparations to enter Jarabulus in Karkamis, Turkey, on 24 August 2016. EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria An air strike hitting Isis-controlled territory near Jarabulus, near the Turkish border, on 24 August 2016. EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria A Turkish army tank and an armoured vehicle stationed near the border with Syria. Turkish media reports say Turkish artillery has launched new strikes at Isis targets across the border AP

Turkey has also turned its attention to Kurdish rebel groups in the region, reaffirming its stance that all armed forces fighting on the border are terrorists, including the US-backed Kurdish YPG militia.

 Turkey proposes roadmap to end Syria war

The YPG is affiliated with the PKK, a Turkey-orientated Kurdish group, which has long been designated a terrorist organisation by the Turkish state.

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has reportedly commented that he is deeply concerned by the prospect of further Turkish advances into Syria.
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Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused heartless and murderous Saudis of deliberately causing the death of Iranian pilgrims in the 2015 crush on the outskirts of Mecca in 2015 which killed more than 2,000 people.

Khamenei made the statement on his website, but offered no evidence for the accusation.

More than 400 of those killed last year were Iranian pilgrims, which strained already tense relations between the two countries. The Associated Press and Reuters put the death toll from last year's tragedy at at least 2,000 people, whereas the official Saudi figure is 769 dead.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said earlier this year it remains very concerned for the safety of its nationals and will not be sending any pilgrims to Mecca or Medina this year.

Saudi Interior Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef said on Tuesday said Iran was attempting to politicise the Hajj and reaffirmed the country's commitment to keeping pilgrims safe during this year's holy Muslim ritual of Hajj to prevent accidents.

Bin Nayef added that his country will not allow any practices which may disturb security and affect the lives of pilgrims and their safety when the annual event begins on Friday.

In pictures: Hajj stampede Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede Hajj pilgrims and Saudi emergency personnel carry a woman on a stretcher at the site where at least 700 were killed and hundreds wounded in a stampede in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, at the annual hajj in Saudi Arabia Getty Images In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede

Saudi state media said in July that all pilgrims will be issued with electronically tagged bracelets which are GPS enabled and contain personal and medical details in the event of an emergency. The bracelets also offer information to worshippers such as timings of prayers, and a multi-lingual help desk to guide non-Arabic speakers around the event.

In addition, more than 1,000 new security cameras have been installed at holy sites so organisers can better oversee capacity and crowd control.

Between two-three million people every year travel to Mecca and Medina, in modern-day Saudi Arabia, to participate in the six-day ritual. Muslims are obligated to try and undertake the journey at least once during their lifetimes.

Mina, where pilgrims partake in the 'stoning of the devil' ceremony, has long been notorious for stampedes due to the volume of visitors: incidents in 2006, 2004 and 2001 killed a total of 712 people.

Recommended Read more The untold story of the deaths at Hajj

The worst Hajj-related accident was in 1990, when 1,426 people were killed in a crush in an overcrowded pedestrian tunnel.

The cause of last year's tragedy is yet to be determined by a Saudi investigation.

Saudi Arabia is expecting a more subdued Hajj and ensuing Eid celebration this year: the global slump in oil prices has led to government spending cuts and a drop in consumer spending, leaving citizens facing their most austere Eid in more than a decade.
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An article of 7 September reported allegations that Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Iraq, Thamar Alsabhan, had been expelled by the Iraqi government because he had failed to denounce a cousin who had died fighting for Isis. The Independent now understands that the person identified as a cousin of the ambassador is unrelated and unknown to him. Indeed, no member of the ambassador's family has ever fought with Isis or any other extremist organisation. As such, it is not the case that Mr Alsabhan has failed to denounce an individual fighting with Isis or has any connection through his family or otherwise with any extremist organisation . We apologise to Mr Alsabhan and regret any distress caused by the publication of the article and have agreed to make a donation to the UN Counter-Terrorism Center on his behalf. We are glad to have this opportunity to correct the record.
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Saudi Arabia's top cleric has declared that Iran's leaders are not Muslims and regard Sunni Muslims as their enemy.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah Al ash-Sheikh was responding to Iran's supreme leader, who denounced Saudi Arabia's handling of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

The Grand Mufti said the claims of the Iranian Ayatollah were "not surprising" and accused Iran's leaders of being Zoroastrians, an ancient pre-Islamic Iranian religion.

Saudi Arabia's population is nearly 90 per cent Sunni and has long been at odds with the 95 per cent Shia Iran - two denominations that have been in conflict since the 7th century.

In remarks published on Wednesday, Sheikh Abdul-Aziz Al ash-Sheikh said: "We must understand these are not Muslims.

"They are the son of the Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one, especially with the People of the Tradition [Sunnis]."

Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the Saudis on Monday of "murdering" pilgrims caught up in the stampede during last year's Hajj.

In pictures: Hajj stampede Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede Hajj pilgrims and Saudi emergency personnel carry a woman on a stretcher at the site where at least 700 were killed and hundreds wounded in a stampede in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, at the annual hajj in Saudi Arabia Getty Images In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede In pictures: Hajj stampede

At least 2,426 people, including 464 Iranians, were killed in the stampede. According to Saudi authorities, only 769 were killed.

Without providing evidence, the Ayatollah said: "The heartless and murderous Saudis locked up the injured with the dead in containers.

"Instead of providing medical treatment and helping them or at least quenching their thirst. They murdered them."
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The UK government says a peace deal put forward by the Syrian opposition represents the first viable option for a future in the country without President Bashar al-Assad.

The blueprint for a political settlement, which is to be presented in London on Wednesday, envisages a gradual transition starting with a six-month ceasefire for negotiations and full humanitarian access.

After six months, a transitional administration involving both government and opposition elements would take over, running the country for 18 months.

During this period, Assad would be required to step down. After the 18 months, there would then be elections.

Boris Johnson, the UK Foreign Secretary, said there is a chance this vision could be made to work.

The US and other Western nations have made regime change the core requirement in what they see as a peaceful future for Syria. But Russia, the states main ally, has said it will support Assad come what may.

Mr Johnson was set to meet with the main Syrian opposition representatives in recent UN-mediated peace talks, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), later on Wednesday.

And he called on Russia to end its seemingly indefensible support for Assad and what he described as Syrias state-operated killing machine.

Mr Johnson wrote in The Times: "Even the Russians have accepted that there must be political transition. But then the Russians are also employing their military muscle to prevent him (Assad) from losing and to keep him in power.

"When the Russians are asked to explain this seemingly indefensible conduct they reply with one stubborn question: the question with which we began. What then? What follows Assad?"

The Foreign Secretary said the HNC represented the broadest-based opposition group in Syria, and praised its plan that is "democratic and pluralistic" but which does not want to "sweep away all the existing structures of the state.

"There will be people meeting in London who have direct experience of running Syria, but who utterly reject the Assad-style police state, he said.

In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish tanks driving to the Syrian-Turkish border town of Jarabulus yesterday AFP/Getty In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish-backed gather on the outskirts of Jarabulus, Syria, ahead of an offensive on 24 August 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish army tanks make their way towards the Syrian border town of Jarabulus, Syria August 24, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish soldiers return from Syria to Turkey with tanks after a military operation at the Syrian border as part of their offensive against the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria, Karkamis district of Gaziantep, Turkey, 25 August 2016 EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish army tanks and Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces move toward the Syrian border as pictured from Karkamis, Turkey, AP In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish tanks on their way to the Turkish-Syria border during an operation against Isis on 24 August 2016 EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Syrian opposition fighters being transported during preparations to enter Jarabulus in Karkamis, Turkey, on 24 August 2016. EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria An air strike hitting Isis-controlled territory near Jarabulus, near the Turkish border, on 24 August 2016. EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria A Turkish army tank and an armoured vehicle stationed near the border with Syria. Turkish media reports say Turkish artillery has launched new strikes at Isis targets across the border AP

"They want to create a new country in which there are checks and balances in government and in which the rights of women and minorities are respected.

"Their ambition is to ensure a safe space, free from terror, to which migrants can return.

The talks will take place against a backdrop of alleged chlorine bomb attacks in Aleppo.

And Mr Johnson's comments ahead of the Westminster meeting could be seen as a signal that the government is ready to offer stronger backing to the Syrian opposition.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Nearly 50 million children around the world have been driven from their homes by conflict or migrated across borders, according to a major new report.

More than half of these (28 million) were forcibly displaced by conflict and violence within and across borders, while a further 20 million children fled their homes for other reasons including to escape gang violence and extreme poverty, research by Unicef estimates.

The charity claimed there is a "disproportionate and growing" number of uprooted children at risk of "falling through the cracks'' because they have no documentation and an uncertain legal status.

As well as the dangers encountered during their journey, children often face xenophobia and discrimination and are more likely to miss out on services including health and education when they reach their destination country, the report, Uprooted: The Growing Crisis For Refugee And Migrant Children, warned.

Lily Caprani, Unicef UK's deputy executive director said: "Today, nearly one in every 200 children in the world is a refugee.

"In the last few years we have seen huge numbers of children being forced to flee their homes, and take dangerous, desperate journeys, often on their own.

"Children on the move are at risk of the worst forms of abuse and harm and can easily fall victim to traffickers and other criminals.

"Many of these children wouldn't resort to such extreme measures if the UK Government made them aware that they may have a legal right to come to the UK safely and if they provided the resources to make that process happen before these terrible journeys begin."

The number of child refugees under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR) mandate has more than doubled in the 10 years up to 2015 - a statistic the charity branded "shocking" and "unacceptable".

Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily.

More than twice as many children applied for asylum within the European Union (EU) and free movement zone in 2015 than the previous year.

Last year there were 88,265 asylum claims by unaccompanied children in the EU, of which only 3,045 were in the UK (3.4%), according to the statistics body Eurostat.

Unicef is urging the UK to show "vital leadership" at two refugee and migrant summits in New York later in September.

It is calling for the UK Government to do more to ensure that refugee children stranded in Europe can reach safety with their families in the UK, and offer more resettlement places to refugee children facing dangers.

PA
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The Government must take swift and positive action to reassure EU students they will pay the same fees and have access to the same financial support arrangements for the duration of their courses in a post-Brexit climate.

Dame Julia Goodfellow, president of Universities UK (UUK) and vice-chancellor of the University of Kent, has said urgent action is necessary to prevent a likely sudden decline in EU student applications across the country. More than 125,000 EU students are currently studying at British universities, making up 5 per cent of the entire student population.

The call has come just a day after Brexit fears caused the UKs institutions to tumble down this years QS World University Rankings. Thirty-eight of the UKs 48 top-400 universities fell down the rankings, with the University of Cambridge dropping out of the global top three for first time since 2004.

Ben Sowter, head of research at QS, cited a combination of post-Brexit uncertainty and long-term funding issues which have impacted negatively on the UKs performance this year. He added: Uncertainty over immigration rules and the ability to hire and retain the top young talent from around the world seems to be damaging the reputation of the UKs higher education sector.

The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 Show all 20 1 /20 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) 1st in 2015 Getty The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 2. Stanford University (USA) 3rd (=) in 2015 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 3. Harvard University (USA) 2nd in 2015 Darren McCollester/Newsmakers The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 4. University of Cambridge (UK) 3rd (=) in 2015 Getty The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 5. California Institute of Technology (USA) 5th in 2015 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 6. University of Oxford (UK) 6th in 2015 Getty The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 7. University College London (UK) 7th in 2015 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 8. ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) (Switzerland) 9th in 2015 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 9. Imperial College London (UK) 8th in 2015 Getty Images The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 10. University of Chicago (USA) 10th in 2015 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 11. Princeton University (USA) 11th in 2015 Wikimedia Commons The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 12. National University of Singapore (Singapore) 12th in 2015 National University of Singapore/Facebook The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 13. Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) 13th in 2015 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 14. Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne (Switzerland) 14th in 2015 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 15. Yale University (USA) 15th in 2015 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 16. Cornell University (USA) 17th in 2015 sach1tb/Wiki Commons The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 17. Johns Hopkins University (USA) 16th in 2015 Lester Spence/WikimediaCommons The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 18. University of Pennsylvania (USA) 18th in 2015 Bryan Y.W. Shin/Wiki Commons The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 19. University of Edinburgh (UK) 21st in 2015 The top 20 universities in the world in 2016 20. Columbia University (USA) 22nd in 2015

UUKs call also comes as almost a third of international students told a recent survey they are less likely to study in Britain in the wake of the Brexit result because the country feels less welcoming.

The survey from student recruitment consultancy, Hobsons, also found a further six per cent would definitely not choose Britain as a study destination as a result of the EU referendum result.

Hobsons research came at the same time around 100 EU students reportedly cancelled their places at Aberystwyth University in Wales amid concerns of the impact of Brexit. Some of the UKs top universities also reportedly faced issues working with their European partners, including being asked to leave EU-funded projects, according to a confidential survey of the elite Russell Group universities carried out by the Guardian.

Recommended Read more Staff and students subjected to verbal abuse at Exeter

Dame Julia described how universities are currently unable to answer two crucial questions that are being frequently asked by prospective EU students who are considering whether to apply for to start courses in the UK in autumn 2017; what fees will be charged for any years of a course which are post the date of exit, and whether students will be able to access any financial support.

Labelling the issue as urgent, she continued: Ucas applications opened this week for the 2017/18 intake, and EU students are almost twice as likely as UK students to apply very early for those courses with October deadlines.

I urge Government to take swift and positive action to address uncertainty, prevent a likely sudden decline in EU student applications, and provide much needed reassurance to prospective EU students and universities across the UK.
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Wont it be too hot? That was the question asked of us before we headed for a walking holiday in the Dolomites at the end of July, these mountainous peaks being in Italy where the heat can be stifling. I returned with a definitive answer.

Although we flew to a baking hot Verona crammed with sightseers, as we travelled north-east on gloriously efficient air conditioned trains, the heat-bleached terrain soon gave way to a cooler, greener landscape reminiscent of the very best of an English summer. Heat is not a problem. It does rain - mostly at night in our experience - which is why the fields and meadows in this part of the Dolomites remain lush and green. But it is hot enough by day for a bit of sunbathing and some outdoor swimming in the mountain lakes and natural ponds.

As the heat dispersed, so did the crowds. I began to think about what I wanted from this or any holiday. As the last leg of our journey on a tiny local railway line got underway and the views started to include fawn coloured cows with bells around their necks and goats and chickens foraging around wooden barns and farmsteads, I had my answer. I was looking for a bit of a tan and to get fit, but also something more intangible; some peaceful time for reflection, some good food and wine, a sense of freedom and big spaces impossible to find back in London.

The village of Sesto

So we walked unimpeded by any considerations of intimidating heat or crowded streets and the walks were spectacular, like the Lake District stretched out. A constant presence wherever we walked, and for however long we walked, the jagged peaks were as beguiling as a wild sea and seemed to change with the play of light through the day. Indeed the mountainous pinnacle, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, near the mountain ski-centre village of Sesto is also known as the Sextner Sundial, because the sun moves from summit to summit, touching and illuminating the next one every hour.

This mountain range is the most spectacular in Italy partly because of the striking, pale-coloured dolomitic limestone, eroded into towers and steep-sided valleys by rain, ice, sun and wind. We walked through the Pusteria valley, a route that combined trails into the high mountains and more gentle walks through meadows and forest. There was a pattern to the week. One day we climbed high, the next we stayed relatively low, walking and looking up at the mountains. On the final day a cable car assisted us up to Mount Elmo from where it was possible to explore the panoramic crest of the Carniche Alps, hills that form the border of Austria.

On another ascent a bus journey took us to the starting point of a mountain refuge from where we hiked around the challenging Three Peaks (the Tre Cime) the highest of which is 2,999 metres. Together they look like three sets of jagged armour or the plates on a dinosaurs back. This was the only route where we met many other walkers or tourists.

A way-marker on the Three Peaks hike

Most days we walked around 16km, decent work outs for those of us with city-polluted lungs. The long walks and occasionally demanding ascents meant that towards the end of each walk we looked forward with childlike excitement to a rest and food.

Our strenuous hikes became an excuse for high-level indulgence. Most of those who live in the South Tyrol region of Italy speak German as their main language, and Austria is just over the mountainous border. The food combines the best of both the Italian flair and the Teutonic emphasis on freshness and wholesomeness. The local wine is a delight. On arrival after a long hike we enjoyed four or five courses including local salads and herbs, mountain honey and fruits, cheeses and locally foraged mushrooms rolled into ravioli or served with tagliatelli.

We stayed at four hotels, starting with the Gasthof Saalerwirt in Sares, a converted 13th-century farmhouse which exemplified the German concept of gemutlichkeit - an aura of absolute comfort and wellbeing. The combination of a sauna followed by a dip in its natural swimming pond, with dragonflies above our heads and newts in the clear alpine water set us up nicely for the next days ascent of rocky Kuhwiesenkopf.

Gasthof Saalerwirt

At the top we were rewarded with a panorama reminiscent of the Canadian Rockies in which limestone mountains shelter the iridescent turquoise waters of Lake Braies far below. By the time we got to the lake we needed some more pampering and relaxed for one night at the Hotel Pragser Wildsee. The room overlooked the lake, the largest in the Dolomites. The hotel is a historical gem which used to attract the highest echelons of the Austro Hungarian aristocracy, including Archduke Franz Ferdinand, very shortly before his assassination, which marked the beginning of the First World War.

Our immediate fate was far more pleasant than the Archdukes, walking to the next lake, Dobbiaco. We were there on the last day of the annual Mahler Festival. Mahler spent some of his last summer holidays in the area, writing The Song of the Earth and the Ninth Symphony here; it is not difficult to see what must have inspired these works.

Hotel Baur am See is situated directly on the lake  another fine, historical hotel with an emphasis on fresh, regional cooking and old-fashioned hospitality. We were offered tickets for the final night of the festival, but opted for another five-course meal instead, a decision I have to confess we did not regret at the time or retrospectively.

By then I was starting to feel like Christopher Columbus albeit an explorer who had hit upon hotels serving up fabulous feasts and traditional charm. We had met only two other walkers from the UK, although the area is perfect for those who enjoy walking, a stretched-out Lake District with more reliable weather.

Lake Dobbiaco (Shutterstock)

We moved on to our final destination, a 20km excursion that took us winding through forests and valleys to Moso, a tiny village in the Val di Sesto, the eastern-most valley in South Tyrol, set between the Carnic Alps and Sesto Dolomites. On arrival we leapt into the Hotel Drei Zinnens outdoor pool, seeing the mountains from yet another perspective.

Then a sauna and finally another multi-course meal: cream of white wine soup with a tiny parmesan toast floating on top, souffle of dumplings on a chive foam, and homemade cheese and spinach ravioli (a rack of crusted lamb cutlets for my meat-eating companion). Pudding was the best tiramisu I have ever tasted and so light it barely registered as more than a glorious fleeting taste in the mouth. I was pleased we had walked those 20km in advance. In this area where Italy, Germany and Austria blend together in one near-autonomous state we became fitter, more mindful, more rested, and left with a new determination to incorporate regular strenuous walking - and dumplings - into our daily lives.

Travel essentials

Getting there

Verona is served from the UK by British Airways (ba.com), easyJet (easyjet.com), Ryanair (ryanair.com), Monarch (monarch.co.uk), Flybe (flybe.co.uk) and Jet2 (jet2.com).

Staying there

Steve Richards travelled with Inntravel (01653 617000; inntravel.co.uk), which offers a one-week The Dolomites Three Peaks self-guided itinerary from 835pp, including half board at four hotels, three picnics, luggage transfers, and route notes and maps. Available until 2 October.

More information

visitdolomites.com
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In the bad old days, fares for trains, boats and planes were fixed. The only variable was how crowded they were. On a Tuesday lunchtime, not many people wanted to travel, so you could look forward to plenty of room. But on Friday evening everyone wanted to depart at the same time, leading to overcrowding so bad that sometimes people had to sit on the floor of the train between London and York.

The simple answer to how to get a cheap ticket? Travel when other people dont want to <p> </p>

This situation was absurd. The airlines led the way with yield management  the dark art of squeezing the maximum revenue from each traveller while filling as many seats as possible. That might sound unfriendly, but in fact yield management represents excellent customer service. Travellers whose main aim is a cheap ticket are rewarded for avoiding the peaks, while people who insist on travelling at the most desirable times pay a premium for the privilege. Effectively, fares are set according to the demand from other passengers.

That model has spread to ferries, long-distance buses and trains (with the exception of regulated walk-up fares). So the simple answer to the question how do I get a cheap ticket? is: travel when other people dont want to. Each mode of transport has its foibles, of course...

Flights

For short-haul leisure destinations, the quick way to get a decent fare is to avoid the school holidays. With family travel largely constrained to about one-quarter of the year, each time term ends there is a surge in demand that continues until the schools go back.

Travellers from England can find cheaper school-holiday fares from Scottish airports (Getty Images) (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

If you cant avoid the school break and you live in the north of England or the south of Scotland, take advantage of the differences in holiday patterns for some cross-border flying: Scottish travellers should head south to Newcastle or Manchester airport in early July for cheap deals, while English holidaymakers can make the journey to Glasgow or Edinburgh airport in late August.

Failing that, try to save by working around the margins. Flying on a Friday evening at the end of term may well be cheaper than Saturday morning, and during half-term, travelling out on Monday and back on Friday could halve the fare (and nearly halve the amount of time you spend away) compared with a weekend-to-weekend trip.

Spend a day in Reykjavik and lower your APD liability (Getty Images)

For longer trips, breaking the journey is likely to save you money, because you are choosing a less desirable product. Passengers will typically pay a big premium for non-stop flights. So a Dublin-London-New York ticket with British Airways will almost always cost less than a London-New York non-stop.

The more indirect the routing, usually the higher the savings: backtracking from Britain to Germany or Scandinavia can be cost-effective, though Icelandair actually offers very good journey times as well as good fares from a range of UK airports to North America through its Reykjavik hub. And if you stop over outbound in the Icelandic capital for 24 hours or more, your Air Passenger Duty (APD) liability drops from 73 to 13.

Going east and south, the big Middle Eastern airlines - Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways - often offer the best deals, though Turkish Airlines is currently undercutting the market to a range of destinations (and also saves on APD if you stop over outbound for at least 24 hours).

Good but less-fashionable carriers, such as China Southern via Guangzhou, Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur or Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa, offer good value. You can typically save 100 or more to the Far East, South-east Asia or southern Africa.

The best time to book? If you plan to travel during school holidays, then buy as soon as the dates you want go on sale. For most airlines its between 335 and 355 days before departure, though low-cost carriers such as easyJet and Ryanair tend to put tranches of flights on sale about four times a year; you can sign up for alerts, so youre ready to go when your chosen dates appear on sale.

Sign up to airline alerts to find out when your dates go on sale

Outside the peaks, many short-haul air fares tend to dip between two months and two weeks before departure, as carriers seek to stimulate demand and fill seats. They then climb steadily, reaching a peak shortly before departure.

Long-haul, though, you can afford to relax. Indeed committing many months ahead for a non-refundable ticket can prove very expensive, as countless cases received by The Independent travel desk reveal. For a November trip to somewhere like Bangkok, I would be confident of finding cheap seats on the day of travel, which removes all risk of buyers remorse.

Rail

Train operators apply yield-management techniques to Advance tickets, but they tend to be more passive in the process than airlines. Rarely do prices dip below the fares available when tickets first go on sale, usually 12 weeks before departure. So that is usually the best time to book. But reasonable deals are available up until the day before, and, on CrossCountry, up to 10 minutes before departure.

Advance tickets also secure discounts with most railcards even during the morning peak  and a seat reservation, which can be handy for travelling politicians.

If you cant book ahead, then try to take advantage of competition between train operators. There is usually a trade-off between speed and price. The best opportunities are between Birmingham and London. Virgin Trains is faster but often much more expensive than London Midland to and from Euston, while Chiltern offers low peak fares, speedy journeys and pretty scenery to and from Marylebone.

Take advantage of competition on the train line between Birmingham (pictured) and London (Getty Images)

On the East Coast, Hull Trains and Grand Central provide competition for Virgin. Going west, South West Trains is an hour slower between Exeter and London than GWR, while between the capital and Gatwick airport Thameslink routinely undercuts Southern and the Gatwick Express - even though they are part of the same franchise.

Ferry

The big bargain that has quietly emerged in the past couple of years is the Caledonian Macbrayne network of ferries in western Scotland. The Road Equivalent Tariff policy of the Scottish government means that journeys for motorists should not cost significantly more than driving the same distance on land. Fares for foot passengers have also fallen proportionately. Advance booking is not necessary, unless you want to make sure of a space on a busy service.

Elsewhere, ferries across the Irish Sea and the English Channel (as well as Eurotunnel shuttles between Folkestone and Calais) mostly follow the principles of yield management: book well in advance and travel off-peak for the best deal. Unlike the airlines, though, ferry firms tend to be more forgiving about the specific service, and will often let you travel on the departure immediately before or after the sailing you are booked on.

Hitch-hiking

The reason you hardly ever see a hitch-hiker in the UK these days is partly due to the easy availability of low fares, particularly on long-distance buses. It could also have something to do with the unfounded perception that thumbing a ride is more dangerous than it used to be; in fact, it is much safer, thanks mostly to the much diminished road-accident rate compared with the era when hitching was in its heyday.

Be prepared to wait anything up to a few hours for a lift (Shutterstock)

The principles remain unchanged. Choose somewhere to stand where drivers can see you (and you can make eye contact with them) and can stop safely. If there is any ambivalence about where you might be heading, then write your destination, boldly, on a piece of card. And be prepared to wait anything between a few seconds and a few hours.

In my experience the driver is unlikely to be heading straight to your front door; a large part of the art of hitch-hiking is knowing where to get out of your current lift in order to maximise your chances of the next lift. Motorway service stations are good, all-motorway junctions are bad (and illegal). A useful adjunct is a smartphone with a maps app, or even a road map. Best of all is a lift with a former hitcher, who will probably know the most advantageous place to drop you.
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Q Please tell us about Sharm el Sheikh: is it safe to go, and when will the ban on flights be lifted?

Alaa Eldin Saad

A Sharm el Sheikh has been the target of terrorist attacks, and the Foreign Office (FCO) warns: There is a high threat from terrorism in Egypt. Terrorists continue to plan and conduct attacks. Further attacks are likely. Most terrorist attacks target the security forces, but it is likely that foreigners, including tourists, will also be targeted. However, the FCO believes that the risk for visitors to Sharm el Sheikh, and other tourist locations in the country, is tolerably low.

Flights continue to operate from the UK to Cairo and Hurghada, but Sharm el Sheikh is in the unusual position of being deemed by the British Government as having inadequate security. It is believed that the Metrojet aircraft that crashed with the loss of 224 lives after taking off from the resort, destination St Petersburg, was downed by a bomb placed on board at Sharm el Sheikh airport.

The ban was placed on UK airlines 10 months ago. After some rigorous and expensive work by the Egyptian authorities on enhancing airport security, it is perhaps surprising that their British counterparts are not yet satisfied with measures at the countrys leading resort.

The Foreign Office still says: We are liaising with travel companies so that they are able to resume flights and holidays in Sharm el Sheikh as soon as appropriate security arrangements are in place.

Every day, our travel correspondent, Simon Calder, tackles a readers question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder
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What might a half-way house between being a member of the European Union and being an entirely independent country look like?

It is pretty clear that some sort of middle way will have to be found. That was always the case. But in the past few weeks it has also become clear that neither of the ready-made solutions, the UK becoming a member of the European Free Trade Association or the European Economic Area, would work very well. The existing half-way houses would suit neither us, nor indeed the EU. Those of us who thought they might do the job, at least for an interim period, were probably wrong, largely because neither would give the UK sufficient control over immigration. We will need a bespoke arrangement, and the trick will be to construct something that fits our needs but is also in the long-term self-interest of the EU.

The Bruegel Institute, a think-tank in Brussels, has just published a paper that I find the most convincing sketch yet of how this relationship might look. It argues that there should be a new form of collaboration, a Continental Partnership, which is considerably less deep than EU membership but rather closer than a simple free-trade agreement.

 John Nelson, chairman of Lloyd's, speaks on Brexit

One thing that gives these ideas legs is the people who have written it. There are five authors, the Briton among them being Sir Paul Tucker, formerly deputy governor of the Bank of England. Others are Jean Pisani-Ferry, now commissioner-general of the French Prime Ministers policy planning staff, Norbert Rottgen, chairman of the Bundestag's committee on foreign affairs, and Andre Sapir and Guntram Wolff, respectively senior fellow and director at Bruegel. This is not just a British wish-list; it has support at the highest levels in Paris and Berlin too.

The starting point is that neither the UK nor the EU would like to see their influence diminish as economic power shifts away from Europe and to a lesser extent North America, and towards the emerging nations. The UK wants some control over labour mobility, but has no interest in the decisions that the EU makes centrally over the heads of national governments. So the two sides of the partnership would take part in a common market in goods and services, and there would be free movement of capital and some freedom of movement in labour. There would also be a system where CP members, such as the UK, would be consulted before the EU took major decisions affecting any common rules  though the final decisions would be taken by the EU. The UK would abide by those common rules.

Brexit racism and the fightback Show all 9 1 /9 Brexit racism and the fightback Brexit racism and the fightback Demonstrators protest against an increase in post-ref racism at London's March for Europe in July 2016 PA Brexit racism and the fightback These cards were found near a school in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the day after the EU referendum Twitter/@howgilb Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback Romford, Essex, June 25 @diamondgeezer Brexit racism and the fightback A worker at this Romanian food shop was asleep upstairs at the time of this arson attack in Norwich on July 8, but escaped unharmed. Hundreds later participated in a love bombing rally outside the shop to express their opposition to racism and their support of the shop owners. JustGiving/Helen Linehan Brexit racism and the fightback This neo-Nazi sticker was spotted in Glasgow on June 26 Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback But after news emerged of neo-Nazi stickers appearing in Glasgow, some in the city struck back with slogans of their own. Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback More signs began to appear in some parts of the UK, created by people who wanted to show their opposition to post-referendum racism Courtesy of Bernadette Russell

The result would be a Europe with an inner circle, the EU, with deep and political integration, and an outer circle with less integration. In the long run the outer circle could include Turkey, the Ukraine and others. My own view (not that of the authors) is that such an outer circle should include Russia as soon as political events there make that a runner. One of the many strategic failures of the EU leadership was the failure to extend some kind of associate membership to Russia when the EU expanded eastwards. Had it done that instead of pressing on with closer integration of the core  and in particular creating the euro  the EU would be in much better shape now.

There are many objections in this Continental Partnership plan. One is that the UK would have to accept that it should pay in something to the EU. Another is that the EU would have to accept that the UK has a legitimate interest to be consulted on EU reform. But the argument that it is in the self-interest of both sides to create a new political structure that reflects the reality of the relationship is most compelling. There would have to have been changes anyway, as Bruegel noted in an earlier paper, as the Eurozone integrated further and the UK remained outside.

We will have to see whether these ideas get legs. There is a danger this will become a bad divorce, with Britain seeking to disengage from Europe as swiftly as possible and Europe seeking to punish it for breaking up what it thought was an OK marriage. My own feeling is something like this makes huge sense  though I would call it a European Partnership, rather than a Continental one. Sounds better, doesnt it? We become members of the EP rather than the EU.

If you would like to read the initial proposal for the continental partnership it appears here
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Last year I visited Robert Clack Secondary school in Dagenham, East London. A formerly failing school, Robert Clack has in the last two decades been garlanded with praise, awards and Outstanding Ofsted judgements. The Good Schools Guide calls it an exceptional comprehensive in one of the most deprived areas of the country.

However, on his first day in office back in 1997, new headmaster Sir Paul Grant sent over 300 students home for uniform infringments. Three hundred! They needed to understand, explained Sir Paul, (who incidentally is a Liverpudlian built like a prop forward), who was in charge. Once they had grasped this essential point, everyone could move on, and they have; Robert Clack students have since gone on to study in Oxford, Cambridge and Stanford universities.

All of which makes the sending home of fifty or so children this week from Hartsdown Academy in Margate look like a fuss over nothing. Again, the issue was uniform. From frilly socks, buckled shoes, and the wrong trousers, to turning up with no blazer; the Margate infringements were manifold and the punishment for the offenders unflinching.

Parents moaned, children sloped home weeping, but headteacher Matthew Tate, also a man marking his first day in office, was unrepentant. This is a school which has been underperforming and we are determined to do our very best by the children of Thanet, he said.

Tate has clearly been taking a leaf out of Sir Pauls book, and good for him. Headteachers have to lay down the law and show that they mean it, and insisting on correct school uniform is the most obvious way to show authority. School is not a form of extended childcare arrangement or a group exercise in sitting around. It is preparation for the rest of your life, and one of the key stipulations is being able to follow simple rules. If you are unable to follow guidance about what shoes you are expected to wear, or that you are required to wear a blazer, then you might well have some problems later on down the line. Personal expression? I dont think so. The Margate Fifty didnt seem as much as a group trying to rage against the machine, as a bunch of kids taking a simple, frilly route to the institution of Cant Be Arsed. Sir.

Recommended Read more Grammar schools like the one I went to are good for social mobility

As far as Matthew Tate is concerned, a perfectly knotted tie is the route to good education, and to quote him, part of a no excuses culture where excellence is the norm. Im with Tate. Its not clear why a correctly dressed class studies better, but an effective teacher has to operate in a co-operative environment, and regulatory uniform is very often the first base. The key is in the word. Uniform. There has to be a level playing field, at least in blazers.

It also looked as if it was about Margate parents not quite grasping what sort of place their children were attending on Monday. I understand there are rules about uniform, said one mother, Sian Williams, but to be so strict and allow children to feel that way on their first day of school must have been petrifying for them. Why, Ms Williams? Why is being given a list of proscribed clothes, and then being expected to wear them, so alarming? Its just what happens across the country every September, Ms Williams. Good morning and welcome to Year Seven. We have stipulated that you ought to wear a blazer. You arent in a blazer. Go home and put one on. These are the school regulations. Why is that petrifying? And if you arent able to do it on the first day, then when should you do it? The second Wednesday after half term?

As a parent whose child has also just started in Year Seven, I know about uniform regulations, and I also know that most twelve-year-olds are eager to conform to them, which makes this story look as if it is more about parents inhabiting the world of Cant Be Bothered than a fundamental youth rebellion in Margate. As also someone who spent much of her teenage years indulging in the multifaceted game of misbehaving at school, I can assure you that comes later. Much later. And it is pointless if you dont already have a fabulously stern force of authority like Mr Tate in situ, a person who is used to laying down the law in no uncertain terms.

How can you be a rebel if your headteacher doesnt care about frilly socks in the first place? Its just no fun.
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I was reminded of one of David Camerons last Prime Minister's Questions this week. He had already lost the referendum and announced he would be resigning, so he could say what he thought. He addressed Jeremy Corbyn directly: For heaven's sake man, go!

That was not his usual line, which was to welcome Corbyns survival as leader of the opposition as the best thing possible for the Conservative Party. Indeed, Tory MPs generally used to cheer ironically when Corbyn stood to ask his first question. Oddly enough, they didnt even bother to do that today. Theresa May made the usual weak joke of saying how pleased she was to see him in his place, but it wasnt funny.

Camerons point was, I think, that a weak opposition was bad for the Government, and a weak leader of the opposition was bad for the Prime Minister. Todays session illustrated that well.

Corbyn asked five questions about housing, which is an important subject. But his questions were so poorly framed that it wasnt clear what the Goverment was doing wrong and what it should be doing instead. So May resorted to answering questions she hadnt been asked, along the lines of, Isnt the private rented sector terrible? and using them as the prompt for a little homily about Conservative values: He wants to see the government owning everything, the government doing everything for everyone...

Apart from that, her answers were stumbling and forgettable and her one prepared joke  something about Corbyn sitting on the floor of a train: Even on rolling stock he's a laughing stock  was worse than anything Corbyn has ever inflicted on the Chamber.

You need a good opposition to bring out the best in government. Which was why it was even more inexplicable that Corbyn chose to change the subject for his sixth and final question. He decided to ask a question about the effect of benefit changes on womens refuges. His only motive can have been to avoid asking anything that his rival Owen Smith had suggested asking in a mischievous news release this morning.

 Theresa May questioned on single market

Because, as May was able to point out obliquely in her answer, protecting women from domestic violence is one of the subjects on which she is well-informed and in which she had something of a track record at the Home Office. She said how important the question was and promised to review the benefits change.

It was Angus Robertson for the Scottish National Party who showed how PMQs should be done. He asked a question that May didnt want to answer: did she want Britain to stay in the EU single market after Brexit? Suddenly there was tension in the House as May was forced to account for herself.

She didnt answer, because she doesnt want to close off options in her negotiations, so she accused the SNP, in effect, of not respecting the views of the British people. Robertson responded that his MPs respect the views of the people of Scotland.

For a moment, May was tested.

Perhaps that should happen more often. We could call it Prime Ministers Questions.
An open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic post-Brexit wouldn't pose a risk to Britain in terms of immigration, Ireland's ambassador to London said yesterday.

Addressing the House of Lords EU Select Committee, Dan Mulhall said any effort to control the free movement of people on the island, or between Britain and Ireland, would be "very damaging".

"Even under a worst case scenario, that Britain decided to prevent all EU citizens from coming to live and work in the UK, it seems to me that the Irish border doesn't really pose a particular additional risk to Britain of the kind that would warrant trying to impose border controls on a border that doesn't have any geographical basis very much, unlike borders in other parts of Europe," he said.

The Committee is conducting an inquiry into the impact on the relationship between the UK and Ireland following the Brexit vote on June 23. The inquiry is looking at the impact on the Common Travel Area, trade relationships, the border, and the rights of Irish citizens in the UK. It will also hear evidence in Belfast and Dublin next month.

Mr Mulhall said that as long as Ireland remains outside of Schengen, people coming into Ireland need to go through passport control.

"Therefore, the only people that will have the right of free movement into Ireland, the right to live and work, will be European Union citizens. Of course, it's true that an EU citizen could come to Ireland after Brexit, and then decide to go across the border into Northern Ireland and then into Britain. But they would be illegal immigrants, and most Europeans are not interested in being illegal in any European country.

"It doesn't seem to me that the Irish border provides any greater challenge for anybody here [in the UK] and I don't think there's any great risk that that border will be abused in the future." The ambassador also said the Irish Government does not underestimate the level of "disquiet" felt by many people in the North at the prospect of losing their connection to the EU.

He said a hard border needed to be avoided.

"If the UK does leave the EU, Northern Ireland will be in the unique position whereby almost all of its residents will be entitled to citizenship of an EU country, Ireland, and we must be alert to the particular circumstances of those Irish and EU citizens who will find themselves in a situation where they will be citizens of a European Union country, but they will be resident outside of the European Union," he said.

European Council President Donald Tusk will be in Dublin today for talks with Taoiseach Enda Kenny, while the UK's Brexit Minister, David Davis, will be here on tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Theresa May said Mr Davis was expressing his own view when he said it's unlikely the UK would remain in the European Union's single market if that meant ceding control over immigration.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD & President of the European Council, Donald Tusk speaking to media following a working lunch between the two at Government Buildings, Dublin. Discussions focused on the future of Europe and preparations for the upcoming Informal Summit of 27 EU Heads of State and Government in Bratislava Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

Brexit is a disorientating prospect for Ireland, with serious consequences for the north, European Council President Donald Tusk has said.

On a visit to Dublin, Mr Tusk said he and Taoiseach Enda Kenny are working to ensure Ireland doesnt suffer from a decision it had no hand in.

Mr Tusk met with Mr Kenny ahead of talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May tomorrow, as part of a tour of European capitals.

I know that Brexit is a very disorientating prospect for Ireland, Mr Tusk told reporters, without taking questions.

You are a committed EU member. Sooner or later, your biggest trading partner and the country with which you share a long history, will not be. The consequences of this are serious also for the situation in Northern Ireland.

The Taoiseach and I are working together to ensure that your country does not suffer from a decision that it didnt make.

The purpose of Mr Tusks European tour is to brief and listen to leaders ahead of an informal summit of EU leaders in Bratislava next week, which will discuss European reform in the wake of the Brexit vote.

Mr Tusk said the Taoiseach would be the first leader who he will brief after the meeting with Ms May tomorrow.

Expand Close President of the European Council, Donald Tusk & Taoiseach Enda Kenny during a working lunch between the two at Government Buildings, Dublin. Discussions will focused on the future of Europe and preparations for the upcoming Informal Summit of 27 EU Heads of State and Government in Bratislava Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins / Facebook

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Whatsapp President of the European Council, Donald Tusk & Taoiseach Enda Kenny during a working lunch between the two at Government Buildings, Dublin. Discussions will focused on the future of Europe and preparations for the upcoming Informal Summit of 27 EU Heads of State and Government in Bratislava Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

Mr Tusk said the Bratislava summit is not about Brexit as such, but about bringing back political control of our common future.

He said people are turning against what they perceive as an irrational openness.

They see the world around them getting more chaotic. Uncontrolled migration, terrorism, injustices linked to globalisation. We have to control such issues with real and uniform political leadership.

And when I say leadership, I dont mean the institutions, but the community of member states and their leaders. What must be delivered is a sense of security and order.

He said the EU must be about protection, of our freedoms, security and quality and way of life.

Our goal is to regain a sense that globalisation is an opportunity and not a threat, he said.

He said the Summit needs to show that politicians are not detached from reality.

Mr Tusk said that while the Taoiseach had explained the Governments decision to appeal the Apple case, he would not be commenting. He said taxation would not be a major issue in Bratislava.

Mr Tusk also said that Ireland had always been "a respected voice around the European table".

He said Ireland's recovery was remarkable, and that the country was "a symbol in Europe of effective crisis management".

"Without Ireland's sacrifice and example, the European Union would be in a worse situation now, and we know it," he said.

Mr Kenny said Brexit would not be discussed at the summit because there will be no negotiations or discussions about the UK leaving the EU until Article 50 is triggered.

Mr Kenny later told reporters that no reassurances were given by Mr Tusk surrounding the border with Northern Ireland post Brexit.

The Taoiseach said they discussed the implication of having a border on the island.
An open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic post Brexit wouldnt pose a risk to Britain in terms of immigration, Irelands ambassador to London has insisted. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

An open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic post Brexit wouldn't pose a risk to Britain in terms of immigration, Ireland's ambassador to London has insisted.

Addressing the House of Lords EU Select Committee, Dan Mulhall said any effort to control the free movement of people on the island, or between Britain and Ireland, would be "very damaging".

Expand Close Reassurance: Irish Ambassador Dan Mulhall. Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook

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Whatsapp Reassurance: Irish Ambassador Dan Mulhall. Photo: Gerry Mooney

"Even under a worst case scenario, that Britain decided to prevent all EU Citizens from coming to live and work in the UK, it seems to me that the Irish border doesn't really pose a particular additional risk to Britain of the kind that would warrant trying to impose border controls on a border that doesn't have any geographical basis very much, unlike borders in other parts of Europe," Mr Mulhall said.

The House of Lords Committee is conducting an inquiry into the impact on the relationship between the UK and Ireland following the vote on June 23 by UK citizens to leave the European Union (EU).

The inquiry is looking at the impact on the Common Travel Area, trade relationships, the border, and the rights of Irish citizens in the UK. It held its first public meeting yesterday afternoon, and will also hear evidence in Belfast and Dublin next month.

Read more: No hard border for Ireland, vows UK's Brexit Minister

Mr Mulhall said that as long as Ireland remains outside of Schengen, people coming into Ireland need to go through passport control.

"Therefore, the only people that will have the right of free movement into Ireland, the right to live and work, will be European Union citizens. Of course, it's true that an EU citizen could come to Ireland after Brexit, and then decide to go across the border into Northern Ireland and then into Britain.

"But they would be illegal immigrants, and most Europeans are not interested in being illegal in any European country.

"It doesn't seem to me that the Irish border provides any greater challenge for anybody here [in the UK] and I don't think there's any great risk that that border will be abused in the future."

The ambassador also said that the Irish government does not underestimate the level of "disquiet" felt by many people in the North at the prospect of losing their connection to the EU. He said a hard border needed to be avoided.

"If the UK does leave the EU, Northern Ireland will be in the unique position whereby almost all of its residents will be entitled to citizenship of an EU country, Ireland, and we must be alert to the particular circumstances of those Irish and EU citizens who will find themselves in a situation where they will be citizens of a European Union country, but they will be resident outside of the European Union," the ambassador said.

He added that the best arrangement for Ireland in a post-Brexit environment would be keeping the status quo.

Mr Mulhall also stressed that Irish officials have been in close contact with their British counterparts, and that there was an understanding across Europe of the sensitivities around Northern Ireland.

European Council President Donald Tusk will be in Dublin today for talks with Taoiseach Enda Kenny, while Mr Mulhall told the Committee that the UK's Brexit Minister, David Davis, would be here on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Theresa May said Mr Davis was expressing his own view when he said it's unlikely the UK would remain in the European Union's single market if that meant ceding control over immigration.
The eagerly- anticipated sale of the Central Banks iconic Dame Street headquarters and other associated properties on Dame Street and College Green has been launched by estate agents, Lisney.

In a somewhat unusual departure for the market, there are no asking prices for the properties which have the potential to be adapted for an array of uses by potential purchasers.

Lisney director James Nugent expects bidding to be in the region of 65m for the Sam Stephenson-designed Central Bank Tower building, and bids in the region of 2m and 14m to be made for Lots 2 and 3 respectively.

The properties all of which are coming to the market with full vacant possession comprise the majority of a city block bounded by College Green and Dame Street to the south, Cope Street to the north, Anglesea Street to the east and Upper Fownes Street to the west.

Nugent says there is the possibility that a single buyer could secure all three lots for in around the 80m he anticipates will be achieved from the sale.

The properties are to be sold by best bids with formal offers due by October 19.

The Central Banks Tower building is one of Dublins most recognisable structures and is likely to draw interest from international buyers. Designed by the late Sam Stephenson, the property which extends to 83,393 sq ft has been described by Archiseek.com as a highly assertive building with a bold outline and dramatic styling.

The buildings construction was somewhat unusual in that it was built using a cantilevered system located on top of the twin reinforced concrete service cores with each floor suspended from the twin cores by 12 external supports. The floors including all services were built at ground floor level and then hoisted into place. Internally, the Tower building is somewhat dated and its likely a new owner would at a minimum undertake a substantial refurbishment. The property is not a protected structure.

The second lot consists of a five storey over basement period building at 9 College Green which was rebuilt by the Sun Fire and Life Assurance Company in 1908. The building contains many original features including curved balconies with wrought iron balustrades, clerestory feature windows, decorative ceiling finishes, mahogany panelling, some marble flooring and marble stairs. Unusually the building also benefits from a lift.

The final lot is 6/8 College Green which sits on the site of the original Jurys Hotel and was built around 1980. This provides a modern six storey over basement standalone office building of 23,029 sq ft (net including storage/ancillary accommodation) that benefits from dual frontage to College Green and Anglesea Street in Temple Bar.

In anticipation of the sale the Central Bank has commissioned a number of technical due diligence reports which will be made available to potential purchasers. Amongst these is an indicative master plan for the buildings which has been prepared by Henry J Lyons architects. This shows a possible en-livening of the plaza area with more associated amenity and retail space. Another option which may be considered by potential purchasers is conversion into a hotel. Given the impending pedestrianisation of College Green, it is anticipated there will be increased focus on retail uses at street level. With this in mind, the buildings location on the edge of Temple Bar and in close proximity to Trinity College will be perceived as immensely positive and it is likely creative developers will be keen to buy the buildings.

The Central Bank is moving to their new headquarter building at North Wall Quay which is due to be completed this November. The site for this was acquired for 7m in 2012 with a total development cost estimated to be approximately 140m.

As with all national central banks, the Central Bank is separate from Government and state. The proceeds from the sale will be used towards the Banks new North Wall Quay premises.

Any profits arising from this sale and relocation process will, as with all Central Banks profits form part of the calculation of the Banks annual distribution to the Exchequer.
Throughout Ireland's 43 years of EU membership, the Government could always rely upon a level of trust in the European Commission.

One of its roles was as guarantor of the smaller states' rights. The Apple tax finding that Ireland must claw back 13bn in back taxes raises doubts about that trust. It may well be the start of a new and more confrontational relationship between Dublin and Brussels.

The brutal reality is that since the economic crisis erupted in late 2008, there has been a growing body of evidence that bigger countries can bend the EU rules. By contrast the smaller states are treated much more harshly.

The Dublin Government's frustration erupted in the wake of the Apple verdict. Finance Minister, Michael Noonan, harked back to 2011 when the then French President, Nicholas Sarkozy, said Ireland should increase its corporation tax from 12.5pc as a condition of the bailout.

The Taoiseach, who has been very sparing in his public appearances around Apple, said something even more explicit when he was interviewed on RTE news on the issue.

"This is about the right of a small nation. I'm not sure whether the European Commission wants to ingratiate themselves with more powerful countries than ours, but this is a small country," the Taoiseach said.

Let's not forget that Fine Gael has long been the most pro-European of the Irish parties. Some of its members will tell you that this was what attracted them to the party on day one.

When Ireland entered the bailout in November 2010, the country had to submit to an intensive regime of economic supervision. The same happened to Cyprus in 2013.

But Spain got hefty EU aid to help with its banking crisis and refused the kind of close level supervision to which Ireland was subjected. More recently nobody has objected to Italy using taxpayers' money to aid its ailing banks before subjecting bank shareholders to losses.

France, the EU's second most powerful country, has repeatedly flouted the bloc's budgetary deficit rules. In theory they should be fined; in practice this has not happened.

You may note that I am leaving Greece out of this. There are strong arguments that the Greeks were also harshly treated as a weaker member state. But there are also signs that a deal of Greece's travails were self-inflicted.

The other factor in the Apple case is the sheer size of the correction. Since 2000 the EU has acted in 254 cases of abuses of competition law and the total clawback in corrections, penalties and fines comes to under 11bn. The amount in Apple's case is 13bn plus interest.

Michael Noonan has argued that Ireland is contesting an important principle around member states' rights to fix taxes. But the reality is that the sheer scale of the correction is a huge factor in the decision to appeal to the EU Courts in Luxembourg.

An expected penalty in the hundreds of millions would have been deemed "awkward but not fatal." The tens of billions involved here changed everything.

Another indicator of "Brussels arrogance" is the failure to publish a full report of the decision. It has been forwarded to the Government but may not be published because it contains too much "commercially sensitive information."

That presents a major contradiction in actions which the EU executive argues is about upholding fairness and transparency. We had been led to believe that this report was ready to go earlier this year but publication was delayed lest it influence the general election here or the Brexit referendum.

All in all, we are clearly headed for a new era in Ireland's EU relations.

John Downing is an Irish Independent political correspondent
Moonlight Magic, Turret Rocks and Glamorous Approach were among a host of stars of the turf on parade at Jim Bolger's Glebe House outside Carlow last week in the run up to the Longines Irish Champions Weekend which takes place at Leopardstown and the Curragh this coming Saturday and Sunday.

Established in 2014, the festival has established itself as one of the leading flat racing events in the world, with prize-money in excess of 4.5m and 10 Group races (Five Group 1 races) being run across the two legendary Irish racecourses.

Enthusiasts were thrilled to get a sneak preview of Mr Bolger's entries for some of the feature races, with Moonlight Magic among a star- studded line-up for the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown which may also include the Ballydoyle fillies Minding and Found, as well as the 2014 winner The Grey Gatsby from the UK.

Aidan O'Brien is hoping he can add to his current tally of seven wins in the 1.25m race. These include Dylan Thomas in 2007 and So You Think in 2011.

Mr O'Brien's Order Of St George and Bondi Beach head the entries for the 400,000 Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger at the Curragh on Sunday, while the same stable is responsible for two of the three additions to the 350,000 Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

He has entered his impressive Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes winner Promise To Be True and Rhododendron which was a recent winner of a maiden race at Goodwood.

An intriguing renewal of the Group 2 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five on Sunday has attracted an entry of 33 horses, including the first four home last year - Sole Power, Maarek, Take Cover and Toscanini. There is a strong overseas challenge for the 200,000 Group 2 Moyglare "Jewels" Blandford Stakes which has attracted a total entry of 47 horses, an increase of 10 on last year.

There are 16 entries from Britain headed by John Gosden's So Mi Dar who remains unbeaten after three starts. From France, Jean-Claude Rouget has entered both War Flag and Zghorta Dance.

Irish trainers are also well represented with Darley Irish Oaks winner Seventh Heaven, Even Song and Alice Springs among Aidan O'Brien's entry, while Pleascach could represent Jim Bolger.

Thanks to an initiative by Goldolphin, students are being offered free admission to racing on both days. The Curragh Thoroughbred Trail takes place before racing on Sunday and there are still some places left for yard visits. Register on www.irishchampionsweekend.ie
Who would have believed just 520 days after the removal of milk quotas the EU would introduce a scheme to pay dairy farmers to reduce their milk supply? Farmers have until Thursday, September 15 to decide if they wish to enter the new scheme.

Over 90pc of Irish dairy farmers have spring calving herds that will be drying off in the coming months. The big question is, is it worth drying cows off early and applying for the 14.4c/l?

To qualify for payment in this tranche of the scheme one must sell less milk in the three months from October to December 2016 compared with the same reference period in 2015. However, payment is only available for reducing 2015's milk production by up to 50pc - nothing more.

I've done the sums on a 100 cow compact calving spring dairy herd, selling 500,000 litres of milk annually or 5,000 litres per cow. This herd would sell approximately 70,000 litres from October to December.

The EU scheme will only compensate 35,000 litres (half of the milk produced in the period). The following are the main options for the dairy farmer to consider:

(1) Milk the 100 cows and ignore the scheme. (2) Milk 100 cows for October and part of November until 50pc is supplied, then dry off. (3) Dry 50 cows now and milk the other 50 for their full lactation. (4) Dry everything off on October 1.

The sums are calculated as a partial budget in the table by comparing extra net profit or cash entering the dairy farmers bank account from each of the four options.

Option 1, to ignore the scheme and milk on the 100 cows, has the best net profit of 12,448 entering the farmer's bank account. However, it is only 854 better than availing of the EU Scheme in option 2 and 1,184 better than option 3 where only 50pc of 2015's October, Noveber and December milk supply is sold.

In option 4 where the dairy farmer dries off all the cows on October 1 and takes a holiday, there is a significant 7,408 fall in net profit.

It is important to highlight this example assumes the dairy farmer milked 100 cows in 2015 and is still milking 100 cows in 2016. If the dairy farmer increased to 120 cows in 2016 I calculate he would be better off by over 3,000 by not entering the scheme. Therefore, in general the EU Scheme is not suitable for expanding dairy farmers. So, back to the stable 100 cow dairy farmer in the example: should he dry off or not in early November?

Return

The return for his labour is small to say the least. This is all calculated at a net milk price of 28c/l (1c/l less in option 2 for drying off in October due to lower milk solids than in November and December).

The loss on entering the scheme would be greater with a higher milk price, since every cent is worth an additional 350 to the bottom line in the period.

These figures assume there is no labour saving. In reality larger farmers will not let staff go. Even owner-operators will not realise cash by drying off early since they will just have more time on their hands and are unlikely to earn cash off-farm.

The example assumes 2kg of concentrate is fed per head per day. Feeding less would also leave the farmer better off by not entering the scheme. The biggest negative of the scheme in my opinion is the proposal to make payments next March or April. It usually takes the Department of Agriculture more time than planned to get new schemes up and running. Dairy farmers who do not enter the scheme will have a milk cheque in December and January, and a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Of course there will always be exceptions to the rule where the scheme may suit some dairy farmers: farmers who are exiting production; switching from autumn to spring calving; restricted by disease or SCC. These farmers may enter the scheme for a one-off bonus payment.

This scheme was lobbied for by the low margin dairy farmers from northern Europe who are hurting a lot more than their Irish counterparts in the current low milk price environment.

So despite every euro being like gold dust to dairy farmers this EU scheme makes little sense for most Irish dairy farmers - it is only a distraction to well thought-out expansion plans.

However, do talk to your consultant/advisor to check your eligibility for the scheme. The application forms are available on the Department of Agriculture website and at your local co-op or milk purchaser.

Mike Brady is an agricultural consultant based in Cork. 021-4545120
Building on the success of last year's event which drew crowds of more than 3,000, this year's point-to-point at Dowth Castle on October 30 will have an added flavour with the addition of the inaugural Country Fair.

This will be the first of its kind in Ireland and is expected to draw an even bigger crowd to the historic location in Co Meath.

Hosted at the 'Old Racecourse' in Dowth, where races were originally held in the 1700s, the first of six races will begin at 12.30pm.

The Meath and Tara Point-to-Point Committee is expecting the calibre of horses racing to be of the same standard as last year, after which one of the winners, Tomngerry, was sold at the prestigious Tattersalls November Cheltenham Sale for 30,000.

He later went on to win his next four starts on the track.

Last year's Boyne Valley Food Series proved a big success and this year the Boyne Valley Artisan Food Fair will feature Michelin star chef Richard Corrigan - as well as a shopping village with Irish country lifestyle brands and a range of activities for children.

On the eve of the races, the Devenish Charity Ball in aid of their partner charity 'Farm Africa' will take place in a marquee in the middle of the racecourse.

Speaking at the launch, Owen Brennan, executive chairman of the Devenish Group which is hosting the event, said: "We are looking forward to celebrating what promises to be a great day of racing, food and fun for all the family.

We were delighted to resurrect racing on the 'Old Racecourse' and open up Dowth for the local and wider community to enjoy, and hope to build on the success of last year's event."
It seems to be the year of the big farm with many of the holdings on the market exceeding the 100ac mark. One of the largest to come for sale is a 358ac grass farm located at Walshestown Beg, 9km north of Midleton in East Cork. It is to be sold by tender with a guide price of 3m.

Mike Brady of the Brady Group consultants is handling the sale in conjunction with Dominic Daly. According to Mr Brady, this is one of the biggest farms to come on the market in Cork in recent times.

"Most certainly it is the biggest farm with livestock/dairy potential I have seen," he said.

"There have been farms with forestry or farms with planting potential but this is one of the biggest grass farms I have seen for sale in Cork for a long time."

Located in elevated country, the land has been extensively rather than intensively farmed for over a decade and while in essence it is good ground, Mr Brady describes it as in need of some TLC and good husbandry.

Laid out in about 15 fields, one of which extends to 100ac, the farm is divided by traditional hedgerow in need of attention.

It also comes with extensive road frontage and while selling the property in lots isn't ruled out, Mr Brady believes that as a unit it will make a fine independent farm, especially suited to dairying.

"The land is elevated and typical of ground at the north side of Midleton.

"It wouldn't be described as the warmest of ground but, as a consultant, I work with many dairy farmers who have land of exactly this type and this ground could take a cow to the acre."

The farm comes with two farmyards and a dwelling house. All the buildings are dated but have great potential.

The facilities include a large traditional hayshed with two spacious leant-tos, a slatted shed, a loose shed for beef cattle, and a wide range of stone sheds and a wide range of stables.

The house is a traditional two-storey farm house in need of extensive renovation and given its proximity to Midleton, it has great potential.

"I reckon the house on 3ac is worth about 250,000 as it stands," says Mr Brady.

"And if you take that amount from the 3m guide, it gives a price for the land of 2,750,000 or 7,800/ac. This is a very good price for east Cork ground," he said.

Mr Brady says that land like this in its prime would make in excess of 10,000/ac.

"It won't take a huge investment to bring this place to its full potential and turn it into a fine grass farm for dairying or drystock," he said

The property comes with generous entitlements of approximately 40,000 per year until 2019.

Mr Brady adds that there is strong interest in the tender process to date and he expects to close a deal in the not too distant future.
EU Farm Commissioner Phil Hogan told an animal science conference in Belfast that the agricultural sector "must become smarter, leaner and cleaner" in the future.

Hogan was addressing 1,500 delegates at the 67th European Federation of Animal Science conference held in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

He admitted targets set by the European Union had been missed and that agricultural research had become a low priority.

The Commissioner said: "Concerns over commodity prices, food security and climate change have emphasised how vital it is to invest in agricultural research and innovation.

"We know that the sector must become smarter, leaner and cleaner. To meet these challenges head-on, we will require more knowledge, and better knowledge.

"Knowledge that enables us to build a more competitive and sustainable European primary production; knowledge to protect the environment and develop new value chains in vibrant rural areas; knowledge to cater for the varied needs of our hugely diverse agri-food systems and territories.

"We know we need this knowledge, but it is fair to say that, as a result of the various crises which confronted the European Union in the last decade, we fell behind on our targets, and allowed agricultural research to become a lower priority.

"However, there is a resurgent conviction at European level to change this fact, and we have taken strong steps to back innovation in the sector in recent years.

"First and foremost, we doubled our investment in the field under Horizon 2020, the EU programme for research and innovation.

"And secondly, we took the crucial decision to make knowledge and innovation a central plank of our rural development policy.

"This means that every EU member state and eligible region can prioritise innovation and research in the delivery of their rural development funding.

"The fundamentals of European agriculture are sound. We produce the best, safest and healthiest food and drink products in the world. Our Common Agricultural Policy has been guaranteeing our continent's food security for several generations," he said.
We have finished our harvest for the time being. We have beans and spring oil seed rape to cut in a few weeks. I have to say that for crops that cost less than their winter cousins they look very good.

I won't count my chickens as I have made that mistake before about crops that are not cut. It's only when they are safely in the shed that you can honestly say how they yielded.

The spring oilseed rape has great big pods on it which is a good sign. The beans on the other hand are going black and I'm glad they are not beside the road or we would have the neighbours asking us what went wrong with that crop as they are so dirty looking.

On our recent farm trip to the US we attended a workshop on soil health. As a result we decided that we would try and chop the straw back into the ground in 50ac blocks, rotating the blocks every year.

The reason is to increase organic matter and improve soil health and structure. In the USA they are trying to help keep moisture in and stop soil erosion. In Ireland we are trying to do the opposite and help drainage and keep a good structure, to help with compaction. If we rotate the 50ac block we will gradually cover the whole farm rather than do it all at once.

The rest of the crops all did ok but were nothing special. Because last year was such a good yield for us I thought that was the way that we were going to continue. Sometimes Mother Nature has different ideas.

The winter wheat varieties were JB Diego which is normally an old reliable for very good reason, it doesn't let you down on a difficult year like we have had.

However, this year it only did 3.7 t/ac, while Lilli that got the chicken littler last year did better at 4 t/ac. Torp did 3.9t/ac and Weaver, which was a first wheat after oilseed rape, did 4.4t/ac. These yields are all at 15pc moisture.

We were very lucky that we managed to cut most of ours at about 16-18pc moisture which is ideal.

When we dry all our own grain it's a huge help if it's coming in at that moisture because anything lower and its difficult to get it cleaned without it getting too dry.

Any higher it's very expensive to drop down to 14pc moisture.

In the middle of all the running around we had to drop the trailers and put on the plough to sow the winter oilseed rape. Our seeding rate was 187g/ha. This is the lowest seeding rate we have ever used.

To see the little bit of seed at the bottom of the bucket and to think that had to cover a full hectare.

We spread chicken litter on the field at 3.5t/ac and ploughed it in. In a matter of days it was already up and growing. When the soil temperatures are as warm as they are now (16-17C) the seeds germinate amazingly fast. Straight away they were hit with slugs so we had to put out pellets to control them.

When we cut this year's oilseed rape we got 1.5t/ac, which is only just above break even on owned ground.

This was disappointing but we do see a definite bounce in the yield of winter wheat the following year.

Does the extra yield on year two make up for the loss of money on the year it's grown? I think when we take this into account there is very little difference between the rotation and continuous wheats financially, except that there's a definite benefit to the soil and weed control. It has especially helped where we have had brome and grass weed problems.

Philip and Helen Harris are tillage farmers in Co. Kildare. Follow them on twitter P&H Harris @kildarefarmer.
Management at forecourt retailer Applegreen will make a decision next year about future plans for the company's business in the United States, according to chief executive Bob Etchingham.

Applegreen, whose primary business is in Ireland and the UK, revealed that it has secured a lease on nine additional sites in the United States that will stretch its American presence into Massachusetts.

It has also signed a franchise agreement with retailer 7-Eleven.

The company now has six forecourts in Long Island in New York, and four of the sites in Massachusetts have been taken over since the end of June.

It has leased the sites from CrossAmerica Partners, a wholesale distributor of motor fuels and lessor forecourts for fuel retailers across the northeastern United States.

Mr Etchingham told the Irish Independent that the Applegreen operations in the US are breaking even and not consuming much management time.

"We're still in learning mode in the US," he said.

"We're still developing relationships. We do want to continue to develop there, but we're doing it in a very measured and cautious fashion.

"We will look to make a decision as to whether we push on in the United States, probably sometime in the first half of 2017."

He was speaking as Applegreen reported a 7.4pc rise in revenue to 556m during the first half of the year, while adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was 15pc higher at 13m.

The results were in line with analyst expectations.

The company had 200 sites at the end of 2015, a figure that rose to 220 at the end of June.

Applegreen said that trading in Ireland was particularly strong during July and August, while it also picked up notably in the UK during the summer following the Brexit vote there.

Applegreen has a number of motorway service areas in Ireland.

It has four in the UK, all of them in Northern Ireland. At the end of this month, it will submit plans for what would be its first motorway service area in Britain. It would be located in Hampshire in the south of England.

"We are the consultation stage with the public and the first formal planning application will go in later this month," said Mr Etchingham.

"We have a number of other opportunities that we're prepping for, and they will go into the planning system in the first quarter of next year.

"It'll be two or three years before we see any results from that work," he added.

The company generated 49.1m of its 68.5m gross profit during the first half in Ireland, with 18.4m made in the UK.

In Ireland, food accounted for 37p of the gross profit figure here, with fuel contributing 31pc and its stores 32pc.

In the UK, Applegreen's food sales accounted for 22pc of gross profit generated there in the first half. That compared with 13pc in the first half of 2015.
Stephen McNally, deputy chief executive; Pat McCann, ceo; and Dermot Crowley, deputy ceo and business development, at the announcement of results at the Clayton Hotel in Dublin. Photo: Maxwells

Ireland's largest hotel operator, Dalata, has seen revenue soar by 33pc in the first half of the year to 130.1m.

The company, which has recently entered exclusive discussion to acquire the operating interest at the former Burlington Hotel in Dublin, also announced it had purchased the freehold interest of the Maldron Hotel in Cork for 8.1m.

Elsewhere, earnings at the company rose by 50pc to 34.3m during the period excluding the likes of acquisitions costs and revaluation gains and losses.

The firm benefited from a net upward property revaluation of 41.5m and started the construction of four new hotels in Dublin, Belfast, and Cork.

Occupancy rates during the six months to the end of June improved to 79pc while the revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased to 74.90.

Dalata also outlined the potential threats from Brexit including a weak sterling potentially deterring UK visitors.

Chief executive Pat McCann said it had been a very busy start to the year for the firm.

"Trade has been ahead of our expectations with the Irish hotel market performing exceptionally well in the period," Mr McCann said.

"We have continued our acquisition and development programme as well as further developing the Clayton and Maldron brands in the UK and Ireland.

"The continued recovery of the Irish economy has allowed us to benefit strongly from the growth in RevPAR in Dublin and the other large cities in regional Ireland," he said.

The vast majority of Dalata's rooms remain in Dublin with 3,196 rooms or 48.4pc of all of its rooms based in the capital. Just under a quarter of its rooms are based in the regions excluding Dublin while 26.8pc of them are in the UK.

Dalata's Dublin portfolio consists of six Maldron hotels, four Claytons, the Ballsbridge Hotel, the Tara Towers Hotel and The Gibson Hotel.

The firm pointed out initial success with its Maldron hotel on Pearse Street, which made "substantial" growth in RevPAR. Revenue in Dalata's Irish food and drink arm improved by 5.5m when compared with the same period last year.

Davy analyst Robert Stokes said despite the Brexit risk, the stockbrokers will look to increase its full year EBITDA forecast by around 3pc to 83m.

"On outlook, prospects remain very strong for the hotel market in Dublin and regional cities in Ireland.

"The impact of Brexit on the UK hotel market is not yet clear; however, the group notes that the reduction in the value of sterling continues to have a significant negative impact on the euro-translated earnings from its UK hotels," he said.

During a successful six months for the company it began trading on the main indexes on the London and Irish stock exchanges.

In July the company began trading on the Alternative Investment Market in London and the Enterprise Securities Market in Dublin.

Britain's exit from the European Union remains a significant threat to Dalata's business in the UK, however Mr McCann said after the referendum result that the company would need to adapt.

"In business, there are certain things you can control and certain things you can't. This is one of those things you can't."
The number of financial advisory jobs is rising, as the jump in disposable income within the economy is driving growth in pensions and investments, Morgan McKinley has said.

There has also been a notable increase in middle-office roles in the funds industry, but the recruitment giant said it is too early to say whether this is related to the Brexit vote.

Overall, however, the number of available job openings fell by more than 2pc when compared with July. But they were up 3pc compared with the same period last year.

Karen O'Flaherty, Morgan McKinley Ireland chief operations officer, said fewer people are seeking jobs in August, and less opportunities are available.

"Within financial services there has been a noticeable increase in demand for middle-office functions within the funds and asset management market in Dublin. It is still too early to estimate if this is a direct result of the Brexit vote and whether it is a trend that will continue," Ms Flaherty said. "There has been an uplift in the requirement for financial advisory roles in banking and insurance, the rise in disposable income within the economy is driving growth in the pension and investment business leading to banks increasing headcount in these areas."

The employment monitor also found that there was around 21pc less professionals looking for jobs in August compared with the same time last year.

But within financial services, there was an increase of over 65pc in the number of jobs available compared with the same month last year and a 62pc rise when compared with July. Financial services, IT and pharma remain the most buoyant sectors. Ms O'Flaherty said it was hard to tell what effect Brexit would have on the jobs market at this stage.
New EU rules on mobile phone roaming will not allow consumers free rein to make calls around Europe without incurring extra fees. Stock Photo

New EU rules on mobile phone roaming will not allow consumers free rein to make calls around Europe without incurring extra fees.

The European Commission has revealed the abolition of mobile roaming fees will only apply for periods under 30 days and can't be used for more than 90 days in any one year.

Under a newly published 'fair use' clarification, Brussels has confirmed the ban on roaming fees is not open-ended. Operators can charge top-up fees of 4c per minute and 0.85c per megabyte of data in some circumstances.

The Commission says that the roaming restrictions are designed to stop people abusing the new rules to get the cheapest mobile deal in another European country.

However, consumer groups are crying foul, claiming the EU has buckled under pressure from big telecom firms.

"This does not amount to the end of roaming in the EU," said Johannes Kleis, a spokesperson for European consumer advocacy body BEUC.

And there are fears that the new restrictions may unfairly punish Irish mobile users.

"This regulation puts citizens on the periphery of Europe at a disadvantage," said Irish complainant Peter O'Kane in a written objection.

"The requirement to register on the home network every 30 days is discriminatory. For users from Ireland a flight or boat trip would be required. A common case is that of a family who reside in one member state but have members of the family visit extended family in another [EU] member state during summer school holidays. This can easily be for a period exceeding 30 days but is clearly less than 90 days and does not represent a change of residence."

Earlier this year, roaming fees across the EU fell by 75pc as new regulations kicked in. Fees are supposed to be banned altogether from June 2017.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has declared the European Commissions ruling on Apples tax practices in Ireland as without basis and reiterated his intention to defend the countrys reputation.

Last week the tech giant was ordered to repay 13bn in back tax to the Irish state by the Commission, however both the Government and Apple will appeal the decision.

Ireland will continue to strongly defend our competitive corporate tax regime, which is statute fixed.

It supplies fairness and equality across the board for all companies. Accusations to the contrary are misinformed and will be vigorously contested, he said.

The Taoiseach was speaking at the opening of Russian cybersecurity firm Kasperskys first European research and development lab.

The new lab represents a $5m investment from Kaspersky, which is looking to add 50 staff here over the next three years.

The new roles will be across the areas of data analysis and machine learning technologies. Earlier in the year the firm appointed UCD graduate Keith Waters as its head of engineering to lead the Irish operation.

Kaspersky chief technology officer Nikita Shvetsov said Dublin was an obvious choice.

Owing to the quality and density of tech talent there, and of course, the citys vibrant and appealing living conditions.

Locating the office in Dublin is a great opportunity for us to increase our collaboration with other international IT companies, especially as the city is becoming known as the Silicon Valley of Europe, the firms CTO said.

Kaspersky, which was set up back in 1997, now protects 400 million users as well as 270,000 corporate clients.

IDA chief executive Martin Shanahan said Ireland has become a leading location for fighting cybercrime.

The top five worldwide security software companies in this sector now based here. The collaboration culture that exists here between industry leaders and research centres is enabling Ireland to develop as a world class cybersecurity practice and innovation hub, he said.

The Irish expansion is part of the firms global growth where it intends to add around 400 additional roles worldwide, the vast majority of which are based in research and development.
Here are the main business stories from this morning's papers:

Irish Independent

* The Irish computer chip design firm Movidius is being bought by Intel in a deal that is expected to be worth more than 300m.

The State holds a roughly 8pc stake in the company, held through a number of investment managers backed by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA).

* A national database of insurance claims is likely to emerge as one of the key initiatives of a Government working group looking into spiralling motor insurance costs.

There is also likely to be a recommendation that we move in the next few years to paying for the care and treatment of accident victims rather than paying them a lump sum. Known as "care, not cash" this would cut legal costs and reduce spurious claims. The changes being considered have come to light ahead of an Oireachtas Committee which begins hearings today on the cost of motor cover.

* Ireland's largest hotel operator, Dalata, has seen revenue soar by 33pc in the first half of the year to 130.1m.

The company, which has recently entered exclusive discussion to acquire the operating interest at the former Burlington Hotel in Dublin, also announced it had purchased the freehold interest of the Maldron Hotel in Cork for 8.1m.

The Irish Times

* The Central Bank building in Dublin is to up for sale next month ahead of the bank's move to its new premises.

The tower is being sold by Lisney, which expects to sell if for around 65m when bids are to be in by October 19.

* Irish packaging firm Ardagh looks set to float on Wall Street next year and hopes to raise up to 270m in the process in a move that would value the company at 4.5bn.

The company is to borrow around 1.39bn through a bond issue in order to refinance its short term debt.

* Irish tech firm Movidius has been acquired by Intel for an undisclosed fee, however the company was said to be valued at around 200m early last year.

Movidius makes computer vision chips with the ambition of allowing machines to understand their surroundings and adapt to them.

Irish Examiner

* Ireland's largest hotel operator Dalata looks set to deliver its first dividend next year after company chief executive Pat McCann hinted at it yesterday.

The firm posted its interim results on Tuesday and Mr McCann said the Dublin hotel market remains very competitive.

* Pre-tax profits last year at the insurance firm where former Tanaiste Mary Harney serves as a director rose 16.5pc to 24m.

Ms Harney was appointed to the board of Dublin-based Euro Insurances in February 2012. New accounts show that the firm's revenues from gross premium revenues in the 12 months to the end of December rose from 157.6m to 165.98m.

* Pre-tax profits at the Irish arm of international distribution giant, DHL last year decreased by 7pc to 1.6m in spite of a jump in revenues.

New accounts lodged by DHL Express (Ireland) show that revenues increased from 80.24m to 84.32m in the 12 months to the end of December last.
History would decree Jane Austen as one of the sharpest social satirists there ever was, but at the time they were published, her books brought her little personal fame and even less acclaim. The same can't be said for Helen Fielding's newspaper column, which was turned into a bestselling novel 20 years ago, this month. Though it was loosely based on Austen's 'Pride & Prejudice', 'Bridget Jones' Diary' was seismic; the definitive summer read of 1996.

Charting the ruminations of a thirty-something single woman in West London, Bridget laid bare the realities of middle-class urbanites in much the way Austen did: this time around, there were the smug married bankers, the insufferable dinner parties, the toxic bitches at work, the lawyers festooned with social cachet. And there was more, much more, than potshots aimed at people with names like Horatio and Cosima. Bridget was almost scholastic in her Chardonnay drinking, her calorie counting, and her mooning over toxic bachelors.

I was a teenager at the time of the book's release, and the vista of spinsterhood was far, far off in the distance. At that age, Bridget and her neuroses seemed strangely middle-aged, like a sort of cautionary tale. I had no idea what a 'smug married' was.

Still, West London! It seemed so thrillingly sophisticated and adult, not least compared to West Dublin. I loved her Friends-style urban family. It was amazing to me that Bridget loved sex and simply had sex with people she fancied - seriously groundbreaking. And there was something in Bridget's vulnerability that I warmed to. I began to root for her.

Yet in the years since, Bridget Jones' legacy appears to have diminished, not blossomed. Millennials are likely to dismiss her as a bit naff, a bit old-fashioned. Despite her influence, there has been a bit of a Bridget Backlash. She is a child of 'Cosmopolitan culture', and 'Cosmo', to put it mildly, isn't the cultural behemoth it once was. It also doesn't help that, at last count, Bridget Jones is 51 and struggling with texting and social media. The new movie promo might show that she's retired her diary for an iPad, but is that simply a desperate grab at relevance?

Sure, she blew the doors off the singlehood experience, arguably leading the way for others; chief among them was fellow columnist Candace Bushnell, creator of 'Sex & The City'. In the years after, Bridget made being footloose and fancy-free fashionable, dozens of writers - myself included - were asked to rustle up newspaper columns on single life. Pretty soon, it was vogueish to be retelling this fling and that dalliance, tongue firmly in cheek. Being without a plus-one didn't look so bad.

Yet looking back, this is perhaps why Bridget went out of fashion. Giving voice to a previously unheard demographic was one thing, but there was something so damned needy about Bridget. She was constantly self-flagellating. Bridget was absolutely dying to couple up with someone, to be saved from her singleness.

Marriage was the ultimate goal: oh, and keeping the calorie count to a VG, acceptable level. Even when she does find love, she questions if she has everything she's ever dreamed of. Her neuroses aren't even of the modern-day, fashionable, Amy Schumer or Lena Dunham kind.

Paradoxically, it's the wave of bachelorettes that Fielding blazed a trail for that makes Bridget Jones seem so quaint. Bridget predicted the Age of Oversharing and the writers of Generation Confession - Lena, Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling - are in her debt. They took the baton and raced on further than Bridget could ever have fathomed. And so we bravely entered a milieu of sexting, barhopping and threesomes. A whole host of other female comic writers - Sharon Horgan (creator of 'Pulling' and 'Catastrophe'), Phoebe Waller-Bridget (creator of 'Fleabag') and Ilana Glazer & Abbi Jacobson (creators of 'Broad City') - have turned the singleton experience into a delightful playground.

As for waiting to be asked on a weekend away, or daydreaming of a Central Park proposal? Forget it. Freaking out over one's biological clock at 32 doesn't really happen any more, either: instead, lots of thirty-somethings are trying to keep the kidult party going for as long as they can. Sure, there is still vulnerability and fretfulness, but of a different stripe. And being a single woman in the world today is a very different beast to what it was 20 years ago.

It is also a truth universally acknowledged that men writing the same genre of fiction - the comedy of manners, shedding a light on the social mores of its time - is treated very differently. PG Wodehouse, Bret Easton Ellis, Jay McInerney, Tony Parsons, Nick Hornby: all of them were venerated for their shrewd observations and held up as giants of literature in a way that Fielding simply wasn't. Rather, Fielding's legacy centres around big knickers and blue soup.

You know what else has changed a lot in 20 years? The movie industry. And in the movie adaptations of the Bridget Jones trilogy - the latest of which, 'Bridget Jones' Baby', is out on September 16 - Bridget has really fallen from grace. Where once Bridget's pratfalls and cock-ups were endearing, a cinema audience will be pushed to swallow the same clumsy ditz as ever. Bridget's journey towards self-enlightenment has been long and laboured, yet she is still going to Glasto in white jeans and top, tripping over her wheelie suitcase into the mud. It's not just at festivals that Bridget is still hopeless: she's always the one left behind in the spinning class, and she's treated like the work-experience idiot in her workplace (where she has been for almost 15 years).

Video of the Day

The truth of the matter is that any woman who has been on her own for any length of time has managed to cultivate a strong sense of independent, canny self. How is it that Bridget Jones has still learned absolutely nothing? Being an overgrown teenager is all well and fine in one's 20s and 30s, but Bridget is in her late 40s now. (It's worth pointing out that while in Fielding's 2013 novel 'Mad About The Boy', Bridget is 51, widowed and a mother of two, Movie Bridget is still doing some catching up. Renee Zellweger is 47, so let's stick with that). Single women in their 40s have learned how to kick ass in every sphere of life. They've had to.

Perhaps the sad truth is that the elan that made Fielding's heroine so compelling and delightful has simply withered on the vine. There's no doubting that the 1996 tome was a stone-cold classic, but the same cannot be said for 2013's 'Mad About The Boy'.

Whether Fielding will resurrect Bridget for one last hurrah remains to be seen. How the latest Bridget cinematic outing is received, likewise. But for all of Bridget Jones' many flaws, most of us are still grateful to her for breaking that ground 20 years ago. Without her, our favourite female writers and comics would still probably be flailing around in the dark. And for that reason alone, I'm still mad about Bridget. Just as she is.
Veteran broadcaster Larry Gogan has opened up about life without his beloved late wife Florrie, who passed away 14 years ago.

The pair had been inseparable since they were 15 years old and happily married for four decades.

He told Today with Sean ORourke that the pair met when Florrie came to work in his mothers newsagent shop in Fairview.

Her father was Lucky Duffy on Parnell Street... she came to work with us. She was only 15 when we fell in love, and we started going out together when we were about 18. We were married at 21. She was 60 when she died of breast cancer.

I still talk to her every day, all the time. She listened all the time every day to every programme I did.

Joe [Dolan] phoned up when she died because she was a great fan of his.

Gogan, a much-loved household name who began work in RTE in the 60s, also described how his father died when he was just a child.

I was only 10 when he died. There were eight of us altogether. Two of my brothers have since died... I think he was about 49 or 50 when he died.

My mother died when she was 87

Throughout his career, Gogan has interviewed musical greats such as Larry Mullen, Glen Campbell, Roy Orbison and Garth Brooks, Michael Bolton, and Tom Jones.

I started the same day as Terry Wogan on RTE. I was never on the staff of RTE. He was a staff man, he was a senior announcer. I was always a freelancer.

Joshua Tree is my favourite album... a brilliant album with lots of brilliant tunes on it.

Video of the Day

"[U2 are] very relevant all of the time... they always come up with something fresh.
Gay rights campaigner Miss Panti Bliss has hit back at Coronation Street viewers who complained about a gay kissing scene on the show.

Coronation Street characters Todd Grimshaw and Billy Mahew were locked in a passionate kiss in a boutique hotel on Monday night.

"Can't we just have sex and talk about this over sticky toffee pudding?" asked Todd, but Billy became annoyed and refused.

A furious Todd then said: "I'm sorry but am I missing something here because I can't see how you'd be happy to have sex with Sean but not me," before storming out of the room.

Some viewers who were offended by the scene complained to ITV.

But Rory ONeill told todays Irish Daily Star: If it was a straight couple and the scene was exactly the same and you werent going to complain about that then youve no other reason to complain about a gay couple.

If the only reason youre complaining because it is a gay couple and it is before the watershed, then grow up.

If they were showing full on sex, then fine, complain but if you are complaining because of the gender of people involved then grow up.

Daniel Brockleband, who plays Billy on Coronation Street, also defended the scene.

Had many angry tweets saying Im disgusted my kids saw men kiss on TV. Im disgusted they left it up to TV to teach their kids how love works.

An ITV spokesperson has said: We approach the portrayal of homosexual relationships in the same way as heterosexual relationships, and we carefully consider all scenes in our soaps, and their suitability for pre watershed audiences.

"We do not believe that the content of [the] episode was inappropriately scheduled, or exceeded generally accepted standards for content broadcast at this time."
Michael Georgiou has become the latest casualty of The Great British Bake Off and has admitted he was "upset" to leave during bread week, as he prefers making bread to cakes.

The 20-year-old politics and economics student, who was this year's youngest contestant in the Bake Off tent, failed to prove himself across the three tricky challenges, despite using alcohol to try to woo the judges.

Expand Close Paul Hollywood spluttered after trying a shot of strong Cypriot liquor Zivania / Facebook

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Following his departure, he said his worst moment on the programme was bread week, which came as a surprise to him.

He said: "I usually like making bread and I prefer that over cakes. It's my passion and that is why I was more upset at leaving in bread week than any other week.

"I have kind of got over it now, and I have since started getting into artisan breads and have been doing a lot of that since the show. I really enjoy it."

Georgiou also said he has a heightened desire to go into baking after graduating.

He said: "I am in my final year now and on leaving I want to go into the baking industry, although I would like to link it to writing, as I did journalism in my first year."

The third episode saw the 10 remaining bakers asked by judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry to complete the signature bake, with each of them having to create chocolate bread in the space of two and a half hours.

Georgiou struggled slightly with his creation - a chilli chocolate and chia seed loaf - which was described by Hollywood as a "pig's ear".

Tasting it, Berry was taken aback by the overuse of chilli, while Hollywood agreed the heat was "far too much", and that it was "slightly underbaked".

The technical challenge flummoxed all of the contestants, as Hollywood requested they make 12 dampfnudel - a German steamed bread that has never before featured on the series.

Georgiou was not alone in struggling to create the unusual bread dish and two accompanying sauces, but he came seventh overall.

Video of the Day

The final task of the day was for the bakers to create their all-important showstopper, which was a savoury plaited centrepiece.

Georgiou cracked on with a family-inspired recipe based on his Cypriot heritage, complete with the flavours of olives, coriander and sun-dried tomato.

He also opted to give the judges a shot of strong Cypriot liquor Zivania, but the alcoholic addition failed to impress the judges and Hollywood spluttered after trying it.

Berry criticised his bake for being "not properly plaited", and remarked on the lack of glazing and definition.

Hollywood added that the classic flavours were "diluted" due to the mixture of flours used.

Tom Gilliford was awarded star baker for his ingenious creations, including a chocolate orange and chilli swirl bread and a unique showstopper comprising a bread serpent and hammer of Thor.

Hollywood commented that "the star baker on bread week has always gone on to the final", giving 26-year-old Gilliford high hopes of success on the show.
An Aussie-American TV producer, who is planning to cycle around Ireland on a push bike, has one very special request for Irish men.

Tara Foster, 36, is planning an epic trip around Ireland with nothing but a 400 bicycle.

During her trip, Tara will be taking on challenges from the public through her Twitter feed.

When asked if she was hoping for any particular requests, there was one wish that she really wants to be fulfilled.

She really, really wants to be brought to an Irish wedding.

"I would be a great plus-one for a wedding, so if any guys want to send me an invite? It would be great. I'm going on this trip because I really want to have an Irish adventure and what's more Irish than a local wedding," she told Independent.ie.

If you're planning on asking the TV producer to be your date, you should know one small thing.

"However, there is a catch. I don't have any dresses or shoes with me for weddings. I had no room on the bike to bring them," she said.

Foster arrives in Dublin from Sydney on September 13. She is taking a few days to adjust from jetlag, then setting off on her journey from Wexford on September 18.

Her journey was partially inspired by Tony Hawks book - Round Ireland with a fridge.

She said: "Its been six months in the making. I met a person here in Sydney, who cycled from Sydney to Melbourne on a cheap bike for a wedding. Also, my favourite book is 'Round Ireland With a Fridge' by Tony Hawks, so I thought why not.

"I haven't got any bad reaction from my friends. One of them even said: 'that's not crazy, it's just very Tara.'"

There is no set route, but Foster is planning on travelling wherever her Twitter-feed takes her.

"I've quit my job to do this. I put it up on my Facebook, because I really believe in this adventure. I'll go wherever the Twitter requests take me, whether that's up the coast, or down the south or wherever."

A couple of Twitter requests have already arrived in Tara's inbox.

She added: "An armoured combat group in Galway have asked me to take part in one of their challenges, so I will be donning the armour and taking part in a sword fight. There has also been a request for me to do stand-up comedy."

When asked about potential safety concerns for travelling around Ireland alone on a push bike, she said: "I feel that the good people will outnumber the bad and i have always liked the Irish. I haven't met an Irish person i didn't like.

"That's why I'm so active on social media, I feel that it'll make me safe even though I'm going solo.

"I am excited to see Ireland for what it is as a local. When you're in a car, you kind of just see things glide. by. This is a great opportunity to see Ireland firsthand. Weather and all."

You can follow Tara's adventure on @Taraustralis
Nadia Mir, left originally from Pakistan and Ioan Arminia, right originally from Romania outside Castlebar District court. With them is Mr Arminia's interpretor (centre).

A COUPLE who claimed to have fallen in love after they were charged in relation to a sham marriage plot may not have found true love after all when a court heard today the would be groom was having second thoughts.

The Pakistani woman and Romanian man who were arrested as part of a crackdown on sham marriages have pleaded guilty to giving false and misleading information to a civil registry office.

Ioan Arminia and Nadia Mir, were arrested under Operation Vantage set up by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) to investigate illegal immigration and marriages of convenience.

The couple who are both in their 30s and living in Bracklaghboy in Ballyhaunis Co Mayo pleaded guilty to giving false and misleading information at Castlebar Civil Registry Office on June 9, 2015.

Ms Nadir also pleaded guilty to giving false and misleading information to an officer of the Refugee Applications Commissioner on September 22 last.

The couple appeared at Castlebar District Court yesterday for sentencing where Mr Arminia referred to Ms Mir as his girlfriend. At a previous hearing Mr Arminia had admitted that the marriage was one of convenience but said the couple had since fallen in love.

However, Judge Devins heard the relationship had hit difficulties.

While Ms Mir told the court that the couple still intend to marry, Mr Arminia was less certain.

He said he still hopes to marry but not necessarily Ms Mir after the pair had a falling out about someone accessing his bank account.

Im still thinking about it, right now I dont know, he said through a Romanian interpreter.

It is not the intention to marry necessarily her, hes thinking to marry to marry to create a life for himself, added the interpreter.

The couple continue to reside together with Mr Arminia financially supporting Ms Mir an asylum seeker who is appealing after her application for asylum was turned down.

The court heard that Mr Arminia had travelled to Ireland from Greece in May 2015 and was given a pack with an address, lease and utility billls on arrival.

Previously Detective Garda Breandan O Suilleabhain of the GNIB said he believed Arminia had been targeted by a gang who organise sham marriages because he was vulnerable.

The couple attended at Castlebar Civil Registry Office on June 9, 2015 where they claimed they were living in Ballaghaderreen, producing the utility bill as proof of address. However, Ms Mir later admitted she was living in Killarney at the time.

Judge Mary Devins fined Mr Arminia 150, however, she opted not to fine Ms Mir yesterday as that would result in a double fine for Mr Arminia who is supporting her.

Judge Devins put Ms Mirs case back to later this month for completion.
AN APPLICATION for further discovery is set to be made against Volkswagen after a court was told the information provided by the car manufacturer was inadequate.

At Castlebar District Court this morning Judge Mary Devins said she accepted the respondents had not complied with a court order for discovery.

She described the actions of the legal team for Volkswagen, which saw them stage a walk-out in court yesterday, as probably one of the most unusual things I have seen.

Yesterday Junior Counsel Paul Fogarty and two solicitors from A&L Goodbody walked out of Castlebar District Court during a discovery hearing into a case regarding emissions.

They stated that the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case and were it to proceed they would seek a judicial review.

Today Judge Devins said she was trying very hard to leave aside the bizarrely stunt-like nature of legal counsel representing a global company.

She had never before witnessed an incident where a Junior Counsel had attempted to read a statement into court and had refused to divulge the full authors of the statement when requested to do so.

There were so many unusual facets to that behaviour yesterday that Im simply going to to try and leave that aside, she added.

She said the question of jurisdiction had been raised in May and she had ruled on it. No challenge to this had ensued prior to September 1.

She added that if Volkswagen instruct its legal team to go the High Court she would await that with interest.

The case is being taken by Roscommon nurse and mother of three Eithne Higgins, of Croghan in Boyle.

She is taking a case against Volkswagen Group Ireland and Volkswagen AG and is is seeking compensation after Volkswagen admitted cheating on emissions tests last year.

The case will deal with whether there was an issue with carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions on the vehicle in question.

Evan ODwyer counsel for Ms Higgins said evidence given yesterday by three expert witnesses showed the data provided to date by Volkswagen had been inadequate.

The car company had provided an affidavit from Volkswagen Group Irelands technical services manager Stephen McDonnell.

However, the court heard it was the opinion of emissions expert Dr Horace Calvert Stinson, that Mr McDonnell was not the correct person to be providing the evidence in the first place and the affidavit had been based on third party advice and hearsay.

Mr ODwyer requested a further order be made directing the car manufacturer to provide further data in the case.

He requested technical information relating to the CO2 issue, the NOx issue and any correspondence between the car manufacturer and German regulators.

He said this was not overly onerous on the respondent as the information was readily available and had been provided to other tribuna including the US Senate and EU regulators.

Mr ODwyer said he was very anxious that the integrity of the court was protected and that when an order was made it must be abided by.

In this case an order was not complied with. The court was defied yesterday and I think that sets a very dangerous precedent, he added.

Judge Devins said following the evidence heard yesterday she was quite satisfied that the order for discovery made by the court was not complied with.

She said she would consider any application for further discovery made by counsel for the claimant.

She also questioned whether this information should be served on the respondent considering they had absented themselves from proceedings.

Mr ODwyer pointed out counsel for Volkswagen had not been involved in the hearing, had failed to tender a witness, did not allow for that witnesses cross examination and did not remain to cross examine his witnesses.

Their actions indicate they are not partaking in this case, he added.

Judge Devins requested Mr ODwyer provide her with a draft for further application of discovery and she would then decide if the respondents should be notified.

The case will continue later this month.
A man alleged to have played a central part in the Regency Hotel shooting will fight extradition from the North.

Kevin Murray (46) was identified by several people at the crime scene in February, a barrister told a Belfast court.

David Byrne (33) was gunned down and two others were injured.

Mr Murray was arrested by police on Monday evening at a house in Strabane, Co Tyrone, on suspicion of murder and firearms offences after a European arrest warrant was issued by Irish authorities.

Stephen Ritchie, a barrister who represented the Irish authorities, said: "These are serious offences. Three charges arise out of events on February 5 last at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra in Dublin, when David Byrne was murdered. This man is alleged to have played a central part in the offence."

Bail was refused by Belfast recorder Patricia Smyth pending the provision of medical evidence. Doctors believe the suspect may be suffering from MS and he was helped into the dock by two prison officers and a mobility aid.

Mr Ritchie said: "We know in the warrant there is reference to the investigation being conducted with Garda Siochana CCTV footage being examined. Identification of this man was made by several people at the scene."

Read more: Suspected Regency Hotel gunman 'Flat Cap' arrested on foot of European Arrest Warrant

Read more: Bloody Kinahan-Hutch feud has claimed the lives of 10 men so far

According to the arrest warrant, a separate search of a property in Strabane resulted in a number of items being seized as evidence, Mr Ritchie said.

He added: "He is not at all keen to assist the Garda Siochana in the investigation of these very serious offences."

The lawyer said the suspect was arrested at Townsend Street in Strabane, where he has been living. His father also lives in the border town.

He is unemployed and separated from his wife, Mr Ritchie said. He insisted the suspect posed a flight risk.

Murray's lawyer Des Fahy said his client had been living openly in Strabane since February and had been in contact with police offering to undergo an identification procedure. He also met officers in relation to his personal security.

He said his client had claimed Irish police had conducted "surreptitious identification" of him when he visited a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) station in Strabane in Northern Ireland.

Mr Fahy said: "He is fully engaged in this process and will challenge the application (for extradition) that is being made."

The barrister offered a surety from family members worth 10,000. Mr Murray was remanded in custody to appear again at Belfast Recorder's Court on Friday.
A teenager has been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court in Dublin accused of repeatedly biting a care worker during an incident at a children's home.

The boy (17) is charged with assault causing harm to a male staff member, resisting arrest and criminal damage to fixtures and fittings at a care home in Dublin. He was served with a book of evidence at the Dublin Children's Court.

Judge John O'Connor made an order sending him forward for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he will face his next hearing on October 14

Earlier it was held that the case was too serious for the Children's Court and should be dealt with at a higher level which has tougher sentencing powers.

In an outline of the evidence, Garda Andrew Sheerin of Ballyfermot station told Judge John O'Connor that there had been an incident in the care facility and the teenager had to be restrained by staff. The teenager bit one of the care workers four times.

It was alleged that on the same date the teenager caused 1,100 worth of damage to a mirror, a sink, a window and table at his care home.

Gda Sheerin said that when he got to the home he went to the boy's room. The teen was lying on his bed and became aggressive to Gda Sheerin and made attempts to bite him, the court was also told.

The defence made submissions under section 75 of the Children Act for the case to stay in the Children's Court. It can accept jurisdiction in serious cases following submissions in relation to the boy's age and level of maturity as well as other relevant factors.

Defence barrister Damian McKeone had said the boy has been in full care since he was aged four. The teenager was accompanied the hearing by his mother and youth workers.

At times he has been under supervision of his parents but has been moved around in care arrangements on numerous occasions.

The teenager has been found to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. He has also been suffering from reactive detachment disorder as a result of separation issues, counsel said.

He also has substance abuse problems and has attended addiction counselling and he accepted he had an anger management problem.

Judge O'Connor said the youth was almost 18 and it was a serious case. He accepted that reactive detachment issues were serious but that cannot be used as an excuse for carrying out a serious assault.

He refused jurisdiction.
Mr. Paul Fogarty, Junior Counsel for Volkswagen, centre with colleagues at Castlebar District Court, Co. Mayo for a case taken by Eithne Higgins from Co Roscommon against Volkswagen. Photo : Keith Heneghan / Phocus

Lawyers for Volkswagen walked out of court in Mayo yesterday after labelling an ongoing case regarding emissions as "entirely inappropriate and unfair".

Barrister Paul Fogarty and two instructing solicitors from A&L Goodbody left Castlebar District Court after Judge Mary Devins ruled she would continue with the case.

Earlier, Mr Fogarty told Judge Devins that his clients, Volkswagen Group Ireland and Volkswagen AG, had obtained legal advice that the court had no jurisdiction to take the case.

He said that, as a result, representatives were not present in court and the defence would be calling no witnesses. However, Judge Devins said the case would continue "without Hamlet" and later referred to the actions of the legal team as a "spectacular walk-out".

The case is being taken by mum-of-three Eithne Higgins Croghan, Boyle, Co Roscommon. She is seeking compensation after Volkswagen admitted cheating on emissions tests.

The case will deal with whether there was an issue with carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions on the vehicle in question. Ms Higgins's claim states that there may be implications in respect to the payment of Vehicle Registration Tax or road tax as a result of incorrect emissions data.

The court heard that after the emission revelations emerged, she attempted to trade in her car at three different garages, each time unsuccessfully. Evan O'Dwyer, representing Ms Higgins, criticised the respondents and their legal representation, stating that he and his client had been "bullied". He also claimed Ms Higgins had received three letters stating the company would pursue her for costs if she proceeded with the case.

A statement from Volkswagen Ireland's technical services manager Stephen McDonnell was read into the record, stressing that CO2 emissions were not linked to the NOx emissions.

However, this was dismissed by emissions expert Horace Calvert Stinson, who said it didn't stack up with theory, practice or experience.

The case continues today.
Professor Vincent Cunnane, the new president of Limerick Institute of Technology, watches the bricks topple as he plays a game of Jenga with first-year LIT student Patrick OBrien, from Nenagh, Co Tipperary. Photo: Sean Curtin/True Media

A university president called for fees of up to 5,000 a year, linked to a student loan system, to help solve the crisis in third-level funding.

It would mean a major hike in the current 3,000 a year student contribution - but a "study now, pay later" approach would mean families would not face up-front costs.

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NUI Galway president Professor Jim Browne was responding to the widespread decline of Irish universities in the latest global league table. NUI Galway was alone in Ireland as it rose in the QS 2016/17 rankings.

The QS rankings triggered calls from the university sector and employers for more funding, starting in this Budget.

Prof Browne told RTE radio that both society and the individual gained from third-level education, so he believed the costs should be shared.

He said he was in favour of a "reasonable fee supported by an income-contingent loan system so nobody was charged at the point of entry".

Prof Browne, pictured right, said that while the 9,000 a year charged in some UK universities was "outrageous", his personal opinion was that 4,500-5,000 a year would be reasonable, with the State paying about 6,000-7,000.

The employers' group Ibec added its voice to demands for implementation of a clear funding strategy for the sector.

Ibec chief executive Danny McCoy said the continuing decline of Irish universities in the global rankings would damage our reputation abroad.

He noted that 12 years ago, international think-tank the OECD warned against predominantly relying on State funding. "It suggested the introduction of an income-contingent student loan system. The basis for this recommendation has not changed," he said.

An expert group chaired by Peter Cassells says the higher education system will need an extra 600m a year by 2021.

The Cassells report suggested a range of funding models, but one option includes students sharing the costs through an income-contingent loan scheme.

The Government has referred the report to the Oireachtas education committee. But in the meantime, there is a growing clamour for a significant Budget gesture.

Education Minister Richard Bruton yesterday said that "we don't have the option of doing nothing about the long-term funding of higher education".
Every year, I meet a new group of sixth years on the first day of school. Every year I attend their assembly to welcome them back and run through some important information on the format of their guidance education in sixth year. For example 'your careers talk will be on this day', 'we will be attending these events', 'if you are applying to UCAS' etc. But, each year I begin with the same warning - one that neither my teaching colleagues nor the students expect. The first item on my list for my sixth year students is always the Leaving Cert holiday.

It may seem very strange to discuss this celebration on the first day back, and it may seem that such a topic has no place in school but, as we finish up the CAO season with the previous year's group, this issue is always fresh on my mind.

What I say to my students is 'if you are booking a post Leaving Cert holiday, it is essential that you do not book this trip for the week of the CAO offers'.

Next year, the exams start on Wednesday June 7, and it is likely. although not confirmed, that the results will issue on Wednesday August 16 and that the CAO Round One offers will follow on Monday, August 21.

For school-leavers, the week after the results may seem like the perfect week to book a holiday. Jetting off right after they receive the results they have spent two years working to achieve probably seems like the perfect way to celebrate and to spend some time with school friends before they all begin new chapters in their lives.

Also, planning this holiday for the end of summer gives young people time to earn some money and ensure they are back in time for the beginning of college. So far, so logical.

All most students will have to do that week is to collect their results, celebrate their achievement with family and friends and happily click 'accept' on their CAO offer.

But, for some, there will be disappointment: some will be upset by their results, especially when they first see them; some will want to apply to view their exam scripts straight away; some will need to attend interviews and make other plans as it becomes clear they are unlikely to receive their dream offer.

All of these things are so much more difficult if you are away from home. Being abroad makes a difficult situation incredibly stressful for parents and students. Not only is it more difficult to cope emotionally if you are away from your support structure, but it becomes more difficult to seek advice and to organise alternative options, of which there will be many.

Even students who are delighted with their offer may need to use this time to view and book accommodation, if the transition to college means a move away from home. This can cause some students considerable challenges as the amount of available student accommodation does not meet demand.

No one wants to be in a situation where parents are trying to organise opportunities for a student who is abroad. Taking instruction through email and over the phone is impossible and really, at 18, young people need to take responsibility for their next step. They may need to visit colleges, speak to advisors and discuss their plans. They must be here to do this.

Leaving Cert holidays are more popular than ever but, like everything in careers, students should strive to achieve everything they have dreamed of, but plan for the worse case scenario as well.

So, I am advising my students to enjoy their holiday - but to be safe and consider July.

Aoife Walsh is a guidance counsellor at Malahide Community School, Co Dublin

Q. I did not do as well in honours Irish as I expected in my 5th year exams. Now Im in 6th year and worried that doing honours will take up far too much of my time to get it to a level I will be happy with. Should I just drop now?

A. As a general rule we should always strive to take as many higher level subjects and achieve the highest grades we can. It always makes me hugely uncomfortable when I hear students say things like: Im not counting that subject. This implies that the student is not going to work at that subject because we only include our best six subjects for points when it comes to the CAO. We do not know how the year is going to go, and we do not know how the exam will go. So it is remiss to decide which subjects you will be successful in so early in the year.

It is difficult to know whether you should drop a level in a subject without knowing how you performed in your summer exam and how much work was needed to achieve this. If you are failing and you are working very hard, then yes it may be time to drop to ordinary level. If you think you could do a bit more, then, perhaps, consider this before you commit to changing levels, which can be done at any stage of the year.

If you are not sure I suggest staying with the higher level for another little while. Monitor the amount of study you are doing and be honest about how hard you are working. Dont give the subject excess time but give it as much as you do any other.

If your grades improve then I think it is worth staying with the higher level. If you are still at risk of failing after a number of weeks it may be time to consider dropping. Remember this year students will be awarded points for achieving 30-39pc in a higher level exam and H7s will be acceptable for entry to most courses so there will be less risk involved for students who wish to try the higher level in any subject in 2017.

Important dates

Today

* CAO 2016 - Round Two Acceptances Closing Date

* Closing Date for Receipt of Leaving Cert and & Leavig Cert Applied Appeals

September 13

* Open Days (2 Days) - St Mary's University College, Belfast

SEPTEMBER 14

* Graduate Medical School Admissions Test - GAMSAT Irl

* Graduate Medical School Admissions Test - GAMSAT UK
This autumn, members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) face difficult challenges. We are in dispute with the Department of Education and Skills on a number of fronts and industrial action - including strike action - is likely. For teachers, strike action is a last resort and only considered in extreme circumstances, where peaceful avenues for resolution have been exhausted. What has brought teachers to this point?

One significant source of tension is the treatment of recently qualified teachers. These (mainly) young teachers are on different pay scales than their colleagues even though they do the same work. This means a six-figure differential in lifetime earnings compared to their colleagues. Because most new teachers spend their first few years as substitute/part-time teachers, they experience the double whammy of part-time income and an inferior rate of pay. Well-educated, talented young teachers who are not valued are more likely to leave the profession or relocate (benefitting other countries' education systems). Students' education is also negatively impacted. The ASTI is asking its members to vote for strike action in order to end this inequitable treatment of newly qualified teachers.

The treatment of these teachers is a key reason why our members voted to reject the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA). It is true that the Government asked the ASTI to talks on new teachers' pay, so long as we went along with the LRA. However, ASTI members believe many provisions included in the LRA copper-fasten measures brought in during the financial emergency. The emergency is over and these measures have no place in our schools. We are not willing to ignore years of damaging cuts and impositions on teachers.

Take the Croke Park hours: their prescriptive nature means that schools are forced to hold an excessive number of meetings which tie up teachers and take away time previously available for classroom planning work, pastoral care work and extra-curricular activities. Time is precious. How it is allocated should be left to the professional judgement of teachers.

Earlier this year, ASTI members voted to withdraw from the unproductive Croke Park hours. This resulted in an amazing over-reaction by the Department of Education and Skills. Despite the fact that withdrawal from these hours does not impact on the running of schools or students' education, the Department implemented penalties. For example, while TUI and INTO members receive payment in recognition of supervision and substitution duties, this payment has been withdrawn from ASTI members (even though we continue to do these duties).

The job of a trade union is to protect its members from unreasonable and targeted attacks by powerful employers. This is why we are now asking our members to vote to stop doing unpaid supervision and substitution. It would be ludicrous to have a situation where INTO and TUI members are paid for this work and ASTI members are expected to do it for free.

A third significant issue for the ASTI is Junior Cycle reform. Our campaign has achieved much. The short-sighted decision to abolish Junior Cycle State exams has been reversed. A number of outstanding concerns remain.

There is still no State oral exam for Gaeilge or modern languages. Our campaign includes non-cooperation with aspects of the new Junior Cycle.

It has been reported that students whose teachers are ASTI members will lose marks. Such an unnecessary move would be unacceptable to the ASTI and to parents and I am calling on the Department/State Examinations Commission to clarify that students' results will not be affected. Whatever else, children should not be used as hostages in an industrial dispute.

Ed Byrne is president of the ASTI
Kate Kulaga will have to walk from Swords to Dublin Airport

Worry and resignation were expressed by Dublin Bus passengers as they braced themselves for the impending strike.

The prospect of bus services ending at 9pm tonight with no service tomorrow or Friday caused dismay among bus users.

Ill be badly affected travelling into Dublin from Lucan. The journey will take me up to an-hour-and-a-half by bicycle, said Shane Callan (32) from Lucan.

The traffic is going to be mad with all the cars. Im wondering how the bus drivers could reject the recommendation of an independent body like the Labour Relations Commission, he said.

Asking for double what had been recommended is a bit of a stretch. Id have a certain amount of sympathy for them as they give a great service. The Luas drivers got a great whack of a pay rise, he said.

Jenny Greenan (35), from Finglas, said: How are elderly people going to get to their medical appointments?

Its going to be extraordinarily inconvenient for anyone who cant use a train or a Luas. Everyone deserves a decent wage and the bus drivers have more of a case than the Luas drivers because they have to deal with the public more. I hope it gets sorted soon, she said.

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Elderly bus user Joan Rush (85) said I drive my little car from my home in Ashbourne in Co Meath and park it on the outskirts and get a bus into the city centre. Its going to be dreadful as Ill have to drive through the city traffic and look for parking, said the woman, who uses a walking stick to get around.

Its going to be a disaster, said Kate Kulaga (31) from Swords. I work in Dublin Airport and I cannot be late. It looks like Im going to have to walk from Swords and I hope it doesnt rain.

nightmare

Its going to be very, very tough. Its not the companys fault but the bus drivers deserve the money, she said.

Sorcha Keogh (20), from Raheny, said I depend on the bus very much. I need the buses to do any socialising in town. Its going to be a nightmare. A lot of my friends depend on the Nitelink service to meet up at weekends.

The bus drivers work hard giving a great service. They should get the increase, she said.

Aishling Young (36), from Artane, said It will be very stressful for parents of children who get the bus to school. The traffic will be really bad and the Dart will be mental.

The sides should act fast and sit down and come up with a compromise, she said.
Jazmine Sands-Sheehan pictured with her five-day-old baby Isabella, just hours before Isabellas death on May 28 from a rare heart condition.

A young mother has spoken of her shock after she was handed her dead newborn baby at a Dublin hospital so the infant could be strapped into a car seat for the trip back to Kerry.

Jazmine Sands Sheehan said, with her partner Kevin, she was handed a special letter from hospital staff to explain to Gardai, if they were stopped on their trip back to Kerry, the precise circumstances of their little girl's death.

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Her baby, named Isabella, had died five days after birth and was brought out to the family's car from the Dublin hospital in a Moses basket.

However, the infant was then removed from the Moses basket and strapped into a baby seat in the family car for the trip home.

"We were shocked - it wasn't what we were expecting," Jazmine said.

"We thought Isabella would travel home with us in the Moses basket."

"Kevin and myself were so distraught all we wanted to do was get home. It was only afterwards we wondered about it."

The young mother said she has no issue with hospital staff - and is simply grateful for the incredible care they showed Isabella in her brief battle for life.

But Jazmine has now launched a campaign, in memory of baby Isabella, for all pregnant women to be specially screened for potential infant heart abnormalities during late stage pregnancy.

"Isabella was born on May 23 and she weighed five pounds and one ounce," Jazmine said. "Everything was perfect. She screamed at birth, we had kisses and hugs and cuddles. Everything seemed fine."

However, doctors became concerned over Isabella and she was transferred from Kerry to a Dublin hospital for specialist care.

"She was diagnosed with a serious heart defect. The doctors (in Dublin) even consulted with doctors at Great Ormond Street in London."

"But the London doctors were amazed that Isabella had even been born alive given the condition of her poor heart."

"On the Thursday morning we were taken into a private room and told that there was nothing could be done for Isabella."

"I had a notebook and pen ready for whatever treatment plan the doctors would advise. Unfortunately there was no plan, nothing could be done and we were going to lose her."

"Her poor heart was too badly deformed."

Isabella had hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

This results in the left side of the heart being chronically underdeveloped and drastically impacting on the flow of blood through the heart.

One of the last things that baby Isabella did before her death was to appear to smile at her devastated parents.

"My ultimate goal, in Isabella's name, is to now have everybody who is expecting to be fully screened during their pregnancy," Jazmine said.

"The heart is the vital organ in the body that every unborn child should be screened for possible defects or abnormalities with."

Jazmine has now started a social media appeal and appeared on TV3 to garner support for her specialist screening plea.

"The key thing is preparation. Parents deserve to know as early as possible if they face a potential situation like ours."

"If we'd known a little earlier, we could have prepared ourselves and prepared our seven year old son, Keelan."

"We would have been prepared for the fact that we weren't going to be bringing Isabella home they way we wanted to."

"We never, in our worst moment, ever thought we would be bringing our little girl home dead and strapped into a baby seat in our car."

Jazmine said the hardest thing she has ever endured was arriving home from Isabella's funeral to the sight of baby bottles ready by the kettle.

"I don't want any other mother or father to go through what we have. That's why I believe every pregnant Irish mum deserves to have their baby exhaustively screened at key stages in their pregnancy."

"I don't want anyone else to go through this. I want Isabella's legacy to be a screening programme that we can all be proud of," she said.

Jazmine underwent routine screening during her pregnancy but it did not pick up the heart defect that Isabella had developed.
Gardai search undergrowth in Rahin Woods, Co Kildare, after the discovery of Philip Finnegans body. Photo: Colin Keegan/Collins

Gardai believe that murdered man Philip Finnegan may have travelled to meet his killers on the day of his disappearance.

The body of Finnegan (24) was discovered in the Rahin Woods area of Co Kildare last Friday evening by a walker.

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He had been missing from his home in Mary Aikenhead House since August 10, and was reported missing to authorities the following day.

Gardai are investigating whether members of the Rattigan gang are responsible for the gruesome murder, and if Finnegan (inset) arranged to meet his killers by appointment.

Speaking at the scene where his remains were recovered, Chief Supt Barry McPolin appealed for any members of the public with information in relation to the murder to come forward.

"We are appealing to any person who would have known Philip or would have information about his death or his associates to come forward and contact gardai.

"We want to say that Philip Finnegan was a son, a father to small children and he is sadly missed by his family. His life was snuffed out and left here in Rahin Woods and we're determined to get to the bottom of it," the Chief Supt said.

Read more: Gardai appeal for witnesses after man's body found in Kildare woods

"He was (known to gardai) but obviously that does not excuse the manner of which he died or indeed why he died," he added.

It is understood that Finnegan left his home in the Kevin Street area on the morning of August 10, and travelled to the Rahin Woods area by car.

Gardai have said that they are not releasing the results of a post mortem examination, which was conducted in Naas General Hospital this week.

It is being investigated whether his killers were disturbed while trying to bury his body, which had been burned.

Finnegan was aware his life was under threat, and had been wearing a bullet proof vest when he was killed.

A number of motives are being investigated; one line of inquiry will examine if Finnegan was murdered by his associates in a dispute over money.
'Black Widow' Catherine Nevin is being given regular periods of temporary release from prison.

The move, which is to facilitate her attendance at an educational course, has fuelled speculation the 64-year-old is coming close to a full release.

She is currently in the 16th year of a life sentence for organising the murder of her husband, publican Tom Nevin.

The Irish Independent understands the Parole board recommended that Nevin take part in an educational course, which involves spending considerable periods away from the Dochas Centre women's prison.

Such periods of temporary release are often granted to assist with the resocialisation of an inmate in advance of their final release.

A spokesman for the Prison Service declined to comment. As of yet, no decision has been taken in Nevin's case and no provisional release date is being considered.

Any decision to release her would have to be sanctioned by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

A spokesman for the minister said he could not comment on individual cases.

"More generally, a life sentenced prisoner is eligible for review by the Parole Board after serving seven years in custody," he said.

"Each case is considered on its individual merits and the board take into account the full range of circumstances." Nevin's husband Tom was shot dead at his pub, Jack White's Inn, near Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow in 1996. The gunman was never found.

However, Nevin was convicted of the murder after a lengthy trial which heard evidence she had solicited men to kill him.

She has always denied the charges.
All workers in Childrens Residential services surveyed reported at least one experience of violence (Photo posed)

Social care workers across different sectors have experienced verbal and physical attacks and insufficient support is available, a Social Care Ireland survey has found.

All workers in Childrens Residential services surveyed reported at least one experience of violence.

Only 38pc of respondents said they always had access to ongoing and up-to-date training in dealing with violence and 78pc said that they never or only sometimes had adequate numbers of staff.

The survey found that there is an expectation and acceptance of violence as part of the job among many of the agencies responsible for social care workers, and that support was inconsistent across sectors and agencies. Respondents reported a lack of access to counselling and support and a get on with it attitude from management in some cases.

Only half of workers surveyed had access to medical attention after a violent incident and less than half were offered shirt cover afterwards.

Violence was found not only to have an impact on the worker, but also on the recruitment, which authors were concerned could hurt the sector as a whole.

The report recommended an increase in funding for staff and training in the sector and an end to complacency in the sector. It also highlighted zero-hours contracts in the sector as an issue, since part-time workers and less experienced workers were more likely to be employed in unsafe environments and less likely to have access to support.
A crowd gathers as the remains of Nicola Kenny who was killed in a motorway accident arrive at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles Picture: Gerry Mooney

The remains of Nicola Kenny who was killed in a motorway accident arrives at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles. Picture: Gerry Mooney

The remains of Nicola Kenny who was killed in a motorway accident arrive at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles. Picture: Gerry Mooney

The remains of Nicola Kenny who was killed in a motorway accident arrive at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles. Picture: Gerry Mooney

The remains of Nicola Kenny who was killed in a motorway accident arrive at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles. Picture: Gerry Mooney

The coffin of mum-of-one Nicola Kenny - who was killed in a horrific road crash last Monday, as she made her way to visit her newborn baby who had fallen ill in hospital - was draped with a signed Tipperary hurling jersey at her removal on Wednesday evening, in a poignant tribute from the newly-crowned All Ireland hurling champions.

Nicola, a grandchild of the former Tipp marksman, Paddy Kenny, who won three All-Ireland's in a row (1949-1951), had been sitting in her aunt's car, which had pulled into the hard shoulder of the M8 near Cashel when a truck collided with the vehicle from behind.

Nicola, (26), along with her mother Ann, and aunt Irene Whelan, had been on their way to Temple Street Children's Hospital, Dublin, to visit Nicola's newborn baby who had been rushed from South Tipperary Hospital to Temple Street the previous day following her birth.

Moments before the fatal crash, Nicola had informed her mother and aunt that they could return home to Thurles after she had taken a phone call from doctors informing her that her baby, Lilly-Rose, was being transferred back to South Tipperary after her condition had improved.

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There were incredibly poignant scenes at Hugh Ryan's funeral home, Thurles, as Tipperary corner back Mickey Cahill presented the Kenny family with a jersey signed by the Tipp team which was then draped over Ms Kenny's coffin.

Hundreds of people attended the removal to the Cathedral of the Assumption, Thurles, led by Nicola's father Patrick, and her only sibling, brother Patrick jnr.

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Nicola's devastated mother Ann was too traumatised from Monday's collision to attend. Nicola's aunt was also prevented from attending, as she was still being treated in hospital for injuries she sustained in the crash.

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Whatsapp The remains of Nicola Kenny who was killed in a motorway accident arrives at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles. Picture: Gerry Mooney

As the hearse carrying Nicola's remains made the sad journey to the church, it stopped for a few brief moments outside the local Tesco store where Nicola's workmates performed a guard of honour.

"Over the last couple of days we've all been caught up in the darkness of what has happened and the loss of Nicola has affected everybody here in different ways - be it pain, shock, numbness or confusion, and anger and disbelief at what has happened," Rev Vincent Stapleton, C.C, Thurles, told mourners.

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"All these things are very natural responses to this tragedy."

Rev Stapleton told Nicola's heartbroken family the centre community was "crying out" with them "in the face of this undeserved pain and loss".

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Whatsapp The remains of Nicola Kenny who was killed in a motorway accident arrive at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles. Picture: Gerry Mooney

Work colleagues are expected to set up a trust fund for little Lilly-Rose, said local Fianna Fail TD and family friend Jackie Cahill.

"It's extremely sad," he said.

"Paudie Maher (Tipperary wing back) he said to me that when the team got the news on Monday night that it was just a bolt out of the blue for them all. It was a perfect day the day before. It brought them back to earth, that someone whose brother they would be familiar with met their end in that way on Monday morning," Mr Cahill added.

Nicola's family requested that any donations be made to Clonmel Hospital Baby Unit.

Ms Kenny will be laid to rest later tomorrow following 11 o'clock requiem mass in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Thurles, with burial afterwards in St Patrick's Cemetery, Thurles.
Finance minister Michael Noonan,TD and Paschal Donohoe,TD,the minister for Public Expenditure meet the media following the conclusion of the resumed Special Cabinet meeting at Government Buildings

THE Dail has voted to support a government motion seeking support for an appeal against the European Commission's ruling on Apple.

The motion passed comfortably 93 votes to 36 with the support of Fianna Fail.

Earlier Finance Minister Michael Noonan told the Dail how he sought details of sum that the European Commission would demand that the State recover from Apple a week before the ruling was announced but the Competition Commissioner said she couldn't to tell him.

He outlined how Commissioner Margrethe Vestager warned him the previous Tuesday about the result of the aid investigation, but did not say exactly when she would announce the ruling.

Mr Noonan was responding to a question from Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin who asked why there was "secrecy" and "choreography" by the Commission "on such an enormous issue that's of sigificant importance to a member State."

"Does it suggest a rather contemptuous attitude on behalf of the Commissioner to the Irish government?" he asked.

Mr Noonan replied: "I was surprised by some elements of the announcement. That's true."

He said he had been expecting the decision to come in September at the earliest after the College of Commissioners had met.

But Mr Noonan outlined how Ms Vestager called him the week before the announcement and she explained that the other Commissioners would be notified by writing rather than at the meeting of the College.

"On the process she didn't give me the date or the time. She said it would be early next week and it'll be negative. I asked her for the ammount of money - "can't give you that figure - I'll announce it in due course."

She announced on Tuesday August 30 that the sum that Ireland should seek in back taxes from Apple would be up to 13bn plus interest.

Mr Noonan said it was an "unexpected early announcement" but added that the preapratory work had been done in the Department of Finance.

"We were ready to go to government and look for a decision to appeal," he added.
A hotel worker has told how she hasn't made insurance claims for legitimate injuries because of bogus claims made by others.

The senior employee, who has asked not to be named, told Independent.ie that she has suffered a series of accidents in her workplace.

However she has resisted suing for damages because of how it might be viewed by others.

Describing her most recent injury the worker said: The gas grill was faulty and it shot gas up into my face, singeing my eyebrows and eyelashes and burning my cheeks. I didnt log the claim; I just got on with it and now use a pencil to fill in my eyebrows."

It wasn't the first time she injured herself at work and could have made a claim, but decided not to.

She also fractured her arm after slipping on an oily surface in the kitchen and has suffered prolonged back pain due to the nature of her work - something which fellow employees have claimed for, but she hasnt.

I have seen people say they hurt their back and then they come in trying to claim, but half the time there is nothing wrong with them. I wouldnt like claiming for this, that and the other. My mentality is that it comes back and hits you some other way, or people will have a negative view of you, she said.

Sinead Carroll, a solicitor with Cantillons Solicitors in Cork, recently published a blog post entitled Irelands apparent compo culture  why is the victim always to blame?

Sinead said she has been lucky in that all her personal injury clients have been genuine, but laments how some of them almost feel guilty for that. I have people who come in to my office and even though they are seriously injured, they would say Im not the type of person to do this'.

That phrase always annoys me because I think there is no type of person that does it; this isnt a thing you need to be ashamed of. First of all, every single one of us is paying money every year for insurance. Thats why youre paying for it, so you can have the peace of mind because if god forbid something happens, which it easily can, well at least it will be dealt with.

That is supposed to be the point of insurance, but it doesnt always serve its purpose.

One student, who was recently involved in a car crash, revealed that she had her insurance quoted at a 450 hike prior to the accident.

She decided not to pursue a claim. I, and many people I know, would never claim for smaller things. My current car had the bejesus knocked out of it.

"The person who did it has been caught, admitted it etc. But I refuse to claim the damages on my insurance because I'll lose my no claims bonus and then I won't be able to afford to insure my car.

Irish people dutifully pay motor premiums every year because we are compelled to do so by law, but few reap any benefits from it. Many people choose to bear the costs of having their cars fixed as it is cheaper than claiming off the insurance company.

All the while fraudulent claimers take insurance companies to the cleaners and are part of the array of reasons why premiums have shot up.

In February of this year, a 51-year-old former insurance consultant was jailed for his part in staging six car crashes amounting to more than 200,000 in claims.

When handing down a three year sentence to the consultant, Judge Sean O Donnabhain said: The amount lost to the insurance companies is quite significant and it is unlikely the monies will ever be repaid. Unfortunately, the people who pay are the innocent public.

According to Aviva Insurances Chartered Accountant, John Farrell, fraudulent claims cost the motor insurance industry in Ireland circa 100m per annum, working out at 50 per policy.

In the UK they currently have 16,000 whiplash claims under investigation  equivalent to 44 claims per day.

Insurance Ireland released statistics earlier this year stating 80% of all motor injury claims in Ireland are for whiplash, in comparison to just 3% in France.

An owner of a major haulage company in Ireland describes one claim against his company which he believes to be fraudulent. Personal injuries are coming on the scene a lot. One recently was a lorry driver was passing by a stopped vehicle, and the back of the trailer hit the wing mirror and the mirror came off. A third party was claiming personal injury for whiplash. Its very hard to believe there was a personal injury in that case.
Anne Joyce told RTE Radio Ones Liveline that she is disgusted by the lack of manners young people show on public transport in Dublin

A mum has launched a blistering attack on Irish commuters after her heavily pregnant daughter was left standing on a DART.

Anne Joyce told RTE Radio Ones Liveline that she is disgusted by the lack of manners young people show on public transport in Dublin.

Her daughter, who is eight months pregnant, was recently left standing on the DART after nobody gave up their seat for her.

She photographed the passengers looking at their phones, after none of them were "polite enough" to offer her a seat.

Id love to put that photo up on every billboard in the country, her mother said.

I know if me and my husband have travelled on public transport, and I know if he sees any lady of any age, pregnant or not, he always gets up and gives away his seat.

Ms Joyce said it has happened on more than one occasion, and compared Dublin to London, stating that Irelands neighbours are far more obliging.

She was offered a seat any time she was on public transport in London.
A fire crew in the capital was forced to tackle an exploding fire in the capital on Wednesday evening.

This video, posted online by Dublin Fire Brigade, shows aerosol cans exploding as four fire engines battle to bring the blaze under control.

This was the fire ground when crews arrived at the yard/aerosol fire in #Clondalkin pic.twitter.com/vNW1hgAjoQ  Du_lin Fire _rig_de (@DubFireBrigade) September 7, 2016

The fire brigade was forced to take to Twitter to warn residents near Clondalkin Industrial Estate in West Dublin not to be alarmed.

A spokesperson wrote: "We've 4 fire engines at a fire in a yard in #Clondalkin. The loud bangs are aerosol cans, nothing to worry about."

A video of the scene was later posted online.

A 'foam tender' from Tara Street station recorded temperatures of nearly 500C at the scene.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Scene in Clondalk industrial estate. Picture: @DubFireBrigade Scene in Clondalk industrial estate. Picture: @DubFireBrigade / Facebook

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Independent Alliance Minister John Halligan is threatening to pull his support from the government.

A source told Independent.ie: "Mr Halligan is close to leaving government and he's asking the Independent Alliance to stand by him".

It comes after an independent clinical review of cardiac services at Waterford hospital did not back his demand for a second cathorisation laboratory to be opened there.

The report has recommended extra resources for the hospital, including new equipment, more staff and extra opening hours.

However, it does not recommend the opening of a second cath lab, as sought by Mr Halligan in return for supporting the minority government.

It was promised in the Programme for Government. It has to be delivered, Mr Halligan told independent.ie.

The Waterford TD stopped short, however, of threatening to resign. But he has told colleagues that he can no longer stay in government unless the second lab is provided.

The issue has been subject to a review. While Mr Halligan says he has not seen the final draft, he described the review as flawed.

It is understood that Health minister Simon Harris is prepared to implement the recommendations of the report but not Mr Halligan's request for the second lab.

Emergency talks between Mr Halligan, Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance are set to take place later this afternoon.

The issue is perhaps the greatest threat to the survival of the minority government.

Mr Halligan has argued that the hospital is not a local issue, that the hospital caters for 500,000 people in the south east.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has launched a scathing attack on the EU decision on the Apple Corporations 13bn bill for back taxes.

In a special Dail debate Mr Kenny called on all TDs, of all parties, to back the countrys opposition to last weeks controversial Brussels finding which is to be appealed to the EU Courts.

Mr Kenny said the ruling eight days ago was a reverse to economic development and job creation  in Ireland and all across the European Union.

After a three-year probe, the EU executive said Irelands tax treatment of Apple, which employs some 6,000 people here, amounted to illegal state aid. The Brussels Commission said Ireland must collect 13bn in back tax, to be put in a holding account pending a court appeal.

The Government has already decided to the appeal the controversial ruling  but TDs have returned specially to Dail Eireann today for a 10-hour debate on the issue, scheduled to end with a vote at 8pm.

The Taoiseach insisted that Ireland never did a special tax deal with Apple. He said the country had long sought overseas industrial investment to overcome economic disadvantages and create jobs.

The 12.5pc company tax rate was an important part of that strategy, backed up by a young, educated population and proximity to a 500 million EU market.

The Taoiseach said 187,000 people were directly employed by multi-national companies which supported one in five Irish jobs either directly or indirectly. Each job represents a lifeline to individuals and families and provides money to be spent in local communities, Mr Kenny added.

This is not a Commission finding which stands by a small country, the Taoiseach added.

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Mr Kenny argued that the ruling damaged the potential to create jobs  not just in Ireland but across the European Union. He also argued that it undermined international efforts to tackle problems in corporate tax for multinationals.

That deserves an international response, the Taoiseach added.

Fianna Fail is backing the Fine Gael-led minority Coalition on the issue and their spokesman, Michael McGrath, said a Court appeal must be lodged to the Commission ruling. He said it would be naive to try to take and keep the 13bn in Apple back taxes and the Commission finding had many in-built contradictions.

But Sinn Fein, the Anti Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit, and the Green Party, have opposed the appeal decision.
The start-up claims the app gives even more precise measurements than traditional tailors.

A couple from Ho Chi Minh City have made custom-fit clothing more affordable with a mobile app called UKYS.

The innovative approach removes much of the costs associated with taking customers measurements by measuring them via the apps.

With the mobile app, customers can take their measurements using the camera on their smartphones to scan the body, rather than using a traditional tape measure.

The start-up claims that the measurements are even more precise than the more traditional way of getting fitted, and offers shirts at more affordable prices than a tailor.

Customers can also design their own shirts by choosing from a number of different fabrics. Then they can choose what type of cuff, collar and cut they want, said Pauline Tran, one of the creators of UKYS, adding that the custom-fit shirts would be shipped to customers within two weeks of an order being placed.

Pauline said that she and her husband decided to give up their stable jobs to develop the start-up.

We started two years ago. The app has been tested on thousands of body types to design the optimal algorithm. We believe that UKYS is a new approach to tailoring, she said.

The app has been put up on U.S. crowd-funding website Indiegogo and has started to receive public attention.

The couple also won the Ambassadors Entrepreneurship Challenge launched by the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam to encourage start-ups in the Southeast Asian country.

Related News:

> Vietnam strategizes to be a start-up nation

> Should the Vietnamese government invest in start-ups?

> New US visa policy offers opportunities for Vietnamese start-ups

> Vietnam's tech startups: a force to be reckoned with
Transport Minister Shane Ross took four months to meet with bosses from Dublin Bus - and has yet to meet with unions spearheading industrial action over pay.

Despite the looming chaos for commuters, the minister has also failed to meet Irish Rail or Bus Eireann since taking office, the Irish Independent can reveal.

Around 400,000 people are set to be affected from 9pm tonight when bus services in the capital stop ahead of a two-day strike, tomorrow and Friday.

Despite this, he described the transport section of his work as a "doddle" compared to the sport portfolio at the weekend.

After taking office at the start of May, Mr Ross was heavily briefed on the likelihood of industrial action at Dublin Bus, where 3,364 employees want pay increases of not less than 3.8pc per year.

He was also warned that similar problems are festering at Bus Eireann, while Irish Rail is in dispute with workers over pay and the proposed introduction of a new 10-minute Dart service.

But it has now emerged that Mr Ross only met Dublin Bus CEO Ray Coyne and chairman Ultan Courtney for the first time eight days ago.

Separately, he cancelled an introductory meeting with the management from Bus Eireann last week due to the EU Commission's decision on the Apple tax case.

And his first meeting with Irish Rail is set for tomorrow - a full four months and two days after taking office.

Read more: Uber offering half price taxi fares...and everything else you need to know ahead of Dublin Bus strikes

Read more: 'No option' other than stopping services on Wednesday ahead of Thursday's strike - Dublin Bus

In the same period Mr Ross's diary shows that he regularly spends Fridays attending constituency events in Dublin Rathdown and has held meetings with members of the Independent Alliance about local issues such as the cycle greenway in Athlone. Fianna Fail's transport spokesperson Robert Troy claimed Mr Ross's lack of urgency in familiarising himself with the companies shows he is "interested in everything but his portfolio".

The minister has met with CIE - but Mr Troy said that the fact he hasn't met the individual companies under his supervision shows he "doesn't realise the issues facing them".

The Longford/Westmeath TD, who has received briefings from the transport bodies as well as the key unions Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU), said the minister is "just totally at sea".

"We've had no sense of direction or vision from the major stakeholder, the Minister for Transport," he added.

In response to a series of questions relating to his agenda, the Department of Transport last night replied: "The Minister has met CIE and Dublin Bus and is due to meet Irish Rail and Bus Eireann shortly.

"Since assuming office the Minister continues to be briefed fully by his Department on all key aspects of CIE's business activities including industrial relations matters."

Mr Ross has had ample warning that strikes were possible.

As well as the briefing notes prepared for Mr Ross by his officials, the General Secretary of the NBRU, Dermot O'Leary, wrote to him on June 10 last.

Mr O'Leary told the Irish Independent that while he would afford the minister a "settling-in period" it is now "imperative that Mr Ross should provide leadership in finding a resolution to this dispute".
The Government has sought an urgent meeting with the UK agency that liaises with Ireland on nuclear matters following the BBC investigation into safety concerns at the Sellafield plant.

While the plant's bosses have insisted it is operating safely, TDs in Louth have said that the claims on the 'Panorama' documentary are "frightening" and that the facility is "a disaster waiting to happen".

The programme reported claims that radioactive materials have been stored in degrading plastic bottles and parts of the plant have been operating with too few staff.

A 'Whistleblower' said his "biggest fear" was a fire that could lead to a "plume of radioactive waste that will go across Western Europe".

Environment Minister Denis Naughten met with senior officials who sit on the UK-Ireland Group on Radiological Matters yesterday to discuss the issue.

"Sellafield is an on-going concern for Minister Denis Naughten and the Irish Government," an Environment Department spokeswoman said.

Mr Naughten told his officials to contact their UK counterparts to seek a meeting with them "as early as possible".

The UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy agreed to the request.

The Environment spokeswoman said that Irish technical experts visited the plant in April 2015.

"The Minister received an assurance from his officials that they are satisfied with the level of disclosures that they continually receive from the Sellafield operator and UK Government officials," she added.

Mr Naughten has sought a detailed report on the incidents referred to in the 'Panorama' broadcast ahead of the full UK-Ireland Group meeting.

Fine Gael Louth TD Fergus O'Dowd described the claims in the broadcast as "frightening" and said that the claim that radioactive material was stored in plastic bottles is "unacceptable".

He has written to the Environment Minister requesting that he seek a meeting with his British counterpart to discuss the matter.

Fianna Fail's Declan Breathnach pointed out that the Cumbrian plant is just 170km from Ireland and described Sellafield as "a disaster waiting to happen".

"The UK government needs to answer why the inspection regime failed to pick up on this litany of safety breaches," he added.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams called on the Government to demand the closure of the plant saying: "Louth is in the front line of any threat posed by Sellafield."

Sellafield said there have been fewer breaches of safe minimum manning levels since 97 incidents were identified between July 2012 and July 2013 and that the latest figures are a breach on average once a week.

Dr Rex Strong, the head of nuclear safety at Sellafield, denied that operating below these levels was dangerous.

Sellafield said plutonium and uranium samples are "kept securely" and that "to imply that such material is inappropriately managed is simply not true".

"Safety is our priority and we are managing a very complex site which has got a great deal of hazardous radioactive materials on it," Mr Strong also said.
More than 400,000 passengers will face travel chaos on Thursday and Friday this week, as Dublin Bus services are stopped due to strike action.

Services stop at 9pm tonight, as Dublin Bus wants to have all vehicles back at their depots before midnight.

Many commuters have reacted angrily to this disruption.

"I'll have to get the taxi to the train station in the morning, then I'll have to get the train to Heuston and then walk or get a Dublin Bike, but I haven't signed up to Dublin Bikes," said one commuter from Cellbridge in Kildare.

Another added that she would have to call in sick for two days because of the strikes.

She said: "I won't be able to get to work, I'll have to call in sick. I've no way and I can't afford a taxi into town because I'm out in Artane so [I normally] have to get two buses."

When asked whether or not she has sympathy for the drivers, another said: "It's pretty inconvenient to be honest, so I don't really have much sympathy. It affects everybody."

However, some commuters held a more diplomatic view. "They only want a fair crack of the whip like everyone else. I mean if the Luas drivers are getting it, then they should be getting it too," said a man travelling from O'Connell Street.

The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) and Siptu will stage two more 48 hour stoppages over the next month after this Friday's action.
A CLOSE associate of the notorious drug trafficker Mr Big required medical attention after being assaulted in prison by a young Dublin criminal.

Paul Norton (28) was attacked in his cell in Mountjoy by the young thug in what sources say is a turf dispute within the prison.

Sean Quinn (21), from Blanchardstown, and Leon Cullen (21), from Coolock carried out the assault on Sunday, August 28 while their target was in his cell.

It is understood that Quinn attacked Norton while his accomplice stood watch outside the cell, and prevented prison officers from separating the criminals. Officials eventually managed to pull the two men apart, but not before Norton received injuries from multiple punches and kicks.

It is not believed that any weapons were used during the assault. Norton was tended to by a medic for head injuries but he did not require hospital treatment following the attack.

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said that they do not comment on individual cases.

Sources have said that the associate of Mr Big became involved in a dispute over control of a particular wing within the prison which led to the attack from the young criminals.

Two days after the attack, Quinn was transferred to Wheatfield Prison, and has since been moved to Castlerea Prison in the Midlands. It is not known if his transfer is directly related to his role in the attack.

He is currently serving a five-year jail sentence for assault causing harm, while Cullen is serving over four years for endangerment.

Last year, Norton was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, with two years suspended, for his role in a failed cash-in-transit robbery at Northside Shopping Centre in June 2012.

He was the getaway driver on a motorbike when an associate grabbed a box containing 30,000 from a security worker before fleeing the scene.

However, he was tackled by a security worker and he abandoned the box. Norton then attempted to flee the scene on the bike and, following a short pursuit by gardai, was thrown from his bike after swerving to avoid a JCB.

During the trial, Judge Patrick McCartan asked if Norton was a regular wheelman or getaway driver, noting that he has 71 previous convictions for road traffic matters and two for robbery and attempted robbery.

The judge also noted that several of Nortons convictions were for having false number plates on his vehicle. A very serious picture emerges from his record, the judge said.

His first trial did not go ahead as he was shot in the leg the night before. His second trial was adjourned after a car crashed into a taxi carrying Norton. He entered a guilty plea on a third trial date.

The ruthless drug gang operated by Mr Big are suspected of involvement in a number of murders, including that of Vinnie Ryan in February.
Alison and Ron Collins from Cork underwent three rounds of IVF. Photo: TV3 / IVF Couples

An IVF expert has warned Irish couples to be wary of 'exploitative' add-ons when seeking treatment as TV3 documentary highlights 'frustrating' journey for parents-to-be.

About one in six couples have difficulty conceiving a child and many of them turn to IVF as a solution.

But Dr John Waterstone, the medical director of the Cork Fertility Centre, claims some clinics are taking advantage of desperate parents-to-be.

He told TV3's documentary IVF Couples, which aired on Tuesday night, that couples need to be understand exactly what's being offered to them.

TV3 highlights the process of IVF which is emotionally and financially draining, with no guarantee of success. pic.twitter.com/GJaq4z9cQD  TV3 (@TV3Ireland) 6 September 2016

He said: "The concerns are that couples may go for IVF treatment and then be offered a variety of add-on extras... and before they know it they may come out the other end of the process, sometimes without a baby, having spent several thousand more euros than they had anticipated going into the process."

The "add-ons" he referred to include tests for immune problems, embryos being placed in a time lapse incubator and routine pre-implantation genetic screening.

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The treatment isn't cheap and Ireland remains one of only three countries in the EU where IVF is not yet funded by the State.

IVF is specifically recommended for women with absent, blocked or damaged fallopian tubes. It is also used in cases of unexplained infertility.

Treatment costs between 4,000 to 4,500 per course and is only available from private clinics.

Expand Close Niamh Mulhall and her husband Nat spent 92,000 on IVF. Photo: TV3 / IVF Couples / Facebook

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Whatsapp Niamh Mulhall and her husband Nat spent 92,000 on IVF. Photo: TV3 / IVF Couples

Last night's documentary featured a couple, Niamh and Nat Mulhall, who spent almost 100,000 on eight rounds of IVF, four of those donor egg IVF treatments were carried out abroad.

Niamh eventually gave birth to the couple's son Cillian through the help of an IVF donor in 2012.

Cork couple, Alison and Ron Collins, underwent three rounds of IVF after it was revealed that Alison couldn't conceive as she suffers from polycystic ovaries  a common cause of female infertility that affects around 8-10 percent of women.

The couple underwent three rounds of IVF in before giving birth to baby boy Casey in November 2015.

Expand Close Niamh Mulhall and her husband Nat eventually welcomed son Cillian in 2012. Photo: TV3 / IVF Couples / Facebook

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Whatsapp Niamh Mulhall and her husband Nat eventually welcomed son Cillian in 2012. Photo: TV3 / IVF Couples

Ron said: "It was a very long road, lots of frustration and it's very much guessing for two and a half years."

The show also featured gay couple Lucille Furlong and Elaine Grange from Lusk County Dublin, who, when trying for a much-wanted second baby, ended up undergoing eight months of treatments including six intrauterine insemination (IUI), a cancelled IUI and a repeat ovarian drilling.

They soon conceived but their celebrations were cut short when it was discovered that the pregnancy was a twin ectopic, which resulted in Lucille undergoing emergency surgery to remove a ruptured fallopian tube.

The couple switched from IUI to IVF after recommendations from doctors, due to the high risk of eptopic pregnancies but the emotional and physical toll was too much for Lucille and Elaine so they waited another year before starting treatment.

An unsuccessful IVF treatment brought about plenty of pain for the pair when at just ten weeks, a scan showed the foetus had stopped developing.

Lucille has surgery to remove the foetus but seeing happy parents leave Holles Street Hospital with their newborn babies brought home the devastation of what the couple had lost.

"I was almost 90 percent ready to give up, this was way too emotionally draining," Lucille explained.

Eventually they welcomed their much-longed for child Seanan through IVF in 2014, after 20 months and 10 fertility treatments.

Expand Close Lucille Furlong and Elaine Grange. Photo: TV3 / IVF Couples / Facebook

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Both Lucille and Elaine agreed he was worth it
The first day of school or Montessori has come and gone at this stage. The hype, the build-up, the nerves and the anticipation has culminated in a first morning of smiles, or possibly tears, many of which were shed by the mum, and the hope of a calm, seamless adjustment to the new routine hangs in the air - if only it was that simple!

Some children take to this new challenge and stage in their lives like the proverbial duck to water, while others remain somewhat anxious and reluctant well past the first day. Then there are the children who completely wrong-foot us - full of smiles and waves goodbye on their first day, reassuring us that they are big boys and girls now and well ready to go out into the world of "big school", only to greet us with a look of horror, somewhere between day two and week two, when they realise that this wasn't a once-off event and they're expected to return every day!

So, is there any way to help make the transition go more smoothly? What is the best way to find out from your child what happened during the day? And is there anything you can do to ensure they don't arrive home with a lunch box as full as the one you packed for them earlier that morning?

Making friends

One of the things most parents worry about when their child starts at a new school is how easily they'll make friends. It can be a daunting time for a child who doesn't know anyone going to the school already, or a child who is particularly shy. There are things, however, that we as parents can do to help.

Playdates are commonplace nowadays and even the most shy child is usually happy to have a new friend over to play, especially if it's on their territory. Being the parent who organises a contact list for the class can help to speed up the process. Not only can you get the details together all the more quickly, you also initiate contact with the parents in the first place and so become the mum or dad everyone knows. Playdates not only help your child to make friends on a scale that they're possibly more comfortable with, they can also be used as a carrot to encourage a reluctant child to school in the first place.

Establishing a good routine

School days of the Montessori and primary school type are exhausting for little children as they learn to focus and concentrate in a manner that they might never have before. It's hard for everyone to adjust to the restrictions of early starts and timetables after the summer but it's so important in helping our children to settle into their new surroundings.

Organisation and consistency are certainly the key here. A good day often follows a good night's sleep. As well as keeping to a regular bedtime, setting out clothes and shoes the night before is a good habit to get into. Mornings can be fractious affairs at the best of times, and anything which takes a little pressure off can only help. Rising early to allow enough time for getting dressed, having breakfast, cleaning teeth and all the necessities, at a comfortable pace, should reduce stress levels in the household and hopefully provide for a more positive start to the school day.

Arriving at school early has the benefit of allowing your child to play with some of their new friends ahead of the start of their school day. Many schools set aside time at the beginning of the morning for 'free play', which is something most children love and is hugely beneficial in encouraging them to mix with other children and use their imagination to play in a way they enjoy. As a favourite part of the school day for so many children, it's a great way to encourage them to view school in a positive light.

Finding out how their day went

Experience here has taught me that what you find out is largely down to the type of questions you pose. Asking a broad question such as How was your day? invariably leads to the reply good, or terrible if their form is not so great. Likewise, what did you learn in school today? can often be met with nothing! Focusing on what letter, number, new sound or maybe even asking about what pictures were coloured in, might provide you with a little bit more insight.

One question destined to break a parents heart is Did you play with anyone today?. On countless occasions, Ive been told by various different children, No, I played on my own. The first time I heard this reply, my overactive imagination conjured up visions of my darling baby standing alone on the periphery as all the other children played merrily  and together. So concerned was I, that I took a day off work and went down to the school yard at break-time to see the pitiful sight for myself. Needless to say, my Junior Infant was running around the yard laughing and interacting with plenty of little friends and completely happy out. Lesson learned. Going forward, I changed my question to What games were you playing in yard today? and then enquired as to who joined in.

Of course, one of the things that can be hard for us parents to fathom is that sometimes our child might just want to play on their own. It doesnt mean that theres necessarily a problem, or that theyre lonely or unhappy. Some days theyre just content in their own company, getting lost in their own imagination.

If things aren't settling

Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, a child can still struggle to settle in to their new school or Montessori. While it can be tempting to somewhat shrug off your little one's worries, it is important to allow them to vocalise their concerns. This will give you the opportunity to offer reassurance, positivity and hopefully some coping suggestions.

If your suggestions and reassurances, however, are proving fruitless, it may be time to have a discreet word with your little one's teacher. Not every child who resists school in the morning, continues with their objections throughout the day, and speaking with the teacher can give you some real insight into how your child is actually managing.

It also equips your child's teacher with the knowledge that your child may still be finding the transition difficult. As the new "knower of all things" in your child's eyes, the teacher's influence can make a crucial difference here and, even if they say the exact same things that we as parents have already said, the fact that teacher said it can make it carry more weight.

And then there's trying to convince them to eat their lunch

Amazingly, even children with the heartiest appetites can still manage to arrive home from school with a lunch that appears to have barely been touched. Naturally, parents worry that their children haven't eaten enough to sustain them through their day but there are ways to encourage them to eat a little more.

It's important to be reasonable with the amount given. School lunch times are typically much shorter than children will previously have been used to. Involve your child in lunch time choices, bearing in mind that most schools adopt a healthy eating lunchtime policy these days. Wrapping food separately for the two breaks will also make things simpler for your child.

Another thing to consider is that a lot of schools don't allow children to discard their rubbish in school. The smell of fruit cores and empty yoghurt cartons can be very off-putting and when these are placed back in the carefully prepared lunch box, yoghurt-covered tinfoil can make the sandwiches seem a lot less appealing by 'big break'. It's definitely worth providing a means for your child to store his/her rubbish.

And so begins the epic journey and exciting next stage of your child's life. The weeks will pass, routines will take hold, new friends will be made and any unsettled early days will seem a distant memory. Before you know it, it will be Christmas concert time and the next challenge will be trying to find a reindeer or penguin costume...

Helping your child settle into school or Montessori

Do

 Make sure your child is collected on time. If the person collecting them is late, it will just add to their worries

 Organise some playdates as soon as is practically possible

 Speak positively and encouragingly about school

 Listen to your child's worries

 Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep

 Make sure your child has a lunchbox and beaker that they can open comfortably

 Make sure your child knows where the toilets are and reassure them that it's OK to leave the classroom (once the teacher knows) to use the toilet

 Bring any ongoing concerns to the teacher's attention

Don't

 Let your child see you upset. It's important not to let your anxiety become their anxiety

 Brush off your child's concerns without addressing them

 Compare your child to others, siblings, friends, peers. All children are different and react to different situations in their own way

 Hang around the classroom too long in the morning

 Give your child an oversized lunch. He/she will feel defeated before they even start

 Worry too much. Things will fall into place and, with your help and support, your child will be happy and settled in their new environment before you know it
When it comes to childbirth, there is no one way that suits everyone. For decades, vaginal delivery has been considered to be the best option, yet some experts may be having a rethink.

News that British obstetricians are to discuss the current view of vaginal birth as the default position could prompt a similar debate here too. In a recent article, obstetrician Mairead Black, who is also a clinical lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, argued that natural birth comes with its own risks, including tearing, haemorrhaging and incontinence for the mother and injuries for the baby during labour.

"So why is it that the vast majority of pregnant women are only being warned about the risks of caesarean sections?" she asked.

Black pointed out that this could now change as the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is to discuss the current view of vaginal birth as the default option for childbirth in the UK. "They will consider whether there is merit in routinely discussing the relative risks and benefits of vaginal birth and caesarean section with pregnant women. Such an approach would ideally provide balanced information for women to inform their birth plans," she said.

The caesarean section rate in Ireland is 26pc, although there are wide variations between different hospitals - from 19pc at Sligo General Hospital to 38pc at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny.

Caesarean rates are on the rise in developed countries and Ireland's National Maternity Strategy (2016) identifies a number of possible reasons for this - including "reductions in the risk of caesarean delivery, increasing litigation, increases in first births among older women and the rise in multiple births resulting from assisted reproduction".

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Despite the fact that the World Health Organisation's recommended rates are between 10 and 15pc, many countries, including the US and China, have rising caesarean rates. So, is it time we had a more open debate about all our birth options in Ireland?

Krysia Lynch, spokeswoman for the Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services Ireland (AIMS), believes it is. According to Lynch, the first time a woman gives any thought to what kind of birth she is going to have is when she goes into labour.

"There is no one-size-fits-all birth for all women," she says. "Each case needs to be looked at individually. For some women, the best choice is a caesarean section - and that may be because of a personal choice or due to emotional factors or physical issues."

Lynch gives the example of a mother who has had a very traumatic previous birth who may not wish to go through a vaginal delivery. "Even though, physically, everything might be fine, a woman needs to have that choice," she says.

In some cases, Lynch says women's decisions are influenced by caregivers who would prefer their patient's birth to go a certain way. "We would ask what kind of information these women are being given. And we would say that women should be trusted - give them the information and trust that they know what's best for them."

She adds that women seeking impartial advice should go to the website of Britain's National Institute for Clinical Excellence or the AIMS website.

Lynch's points are echoed by author and midwife Tracy Donegan. She says that while there is no doubt that a straightforward vaginal birth is preferred by most women, their midwives and consultants, for some women, birth isn't straightforward and can result in a life-changing perineal injury.

"My philosophy has always been that a positive birth comes in many forms and is defined by mum - nobody else. There are ways to reduce the risk of severe perineal injury (labouring without an epidural, avoiding forceps and not giving birth on your back), yet these are still common practices in many Irish labour wards.

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"Even in the perfect upright birth, a baby can have his hand on his cheek which may be the cause of injury," she adds.

Donegan, who founded the GentleBirth programme and GentleBirth app to help mothers-to-be prepare for their baby's birth, says it's so important that women are provided with clear information on the risks of both vaginal and caesarean birth, based on their individual risk level so they can make the best decision for themselves and their baby.

"Research suggests that midwifery-led care is associated with less perineal injury, but unfortunately, not all Irish women have access to midwifery-led care through their pregnancies and won't know their midwife on the big day," she explains.

"Making informed decisions doesn't always mean having access to the care mum is requesting. Most hospitals will not support a first-time mum to choose a caesarean birth if she is a public patient so there's a much bigger issue to consider.

"Maternity services are already over-stretched and understaffed, which means policy-makers would also need to provide for an increase in staff and services to manage an increase in planned caesareans to ensure safe care can be provided to all women giving birth in Ireland."

It doesn't help that birth choices are already fraught with anxiety, adds doula and birthing expert Lisa Wilkinson. She believes we need a new language to help build the confidence of women in birth.

"Everyone who works with pregnant women understands that fear and adrenaline stalls or stops labour by reducing oxytocin, the hormone that drives our labours," she says.

"Instead of risk, let's talk about chance. Yes, there are small chances of problems happening in labour, but these chances are minimised with the right kind of care for mothers," says Wilkinson, who founded the Elbow Room, a yoga and pilates centre in Dublin.

"All the evidence points to one midwife with one woman - midwifery-led care is proven to have the best outcome. And all the evidence points to removing the arbitrary time restrictions on both birth and pregnancy. The idea of labelling birth with a "default option" is nonsense. Every woman's birth should be through informed consent," she adds.

Wilkinson says while there are chances of labour not progressing or mothers and babies getting into difficulties that warrant medical intervention, these problems are largely caused by the medical model of active management of labour and routine inductions before babies are ready to be born.

"These procedures, often presented as necessary, are pressurised onto women without explaining the chances of further interventions or the contra-indications of the drugs being used. In this instance, the women do not get the whole picture. Their consent is not given with all the correct information," she continues.

"This brings us into the cascade of intervention - where one procedure often leads to another, all cascading towards a C-section. Where in fact the problem was not a failure on the woman to give birth, but a failure of caregivers to wait and give the right support."

Deciding between vaginal birth and a caesarean is a matter of choice - but women need to be given impartial information that allows them to make the right choice for them.

A gentle introduction

In April of this year, a new approach to caesarean birth was introduced at University Maternity Hospital, Limerick. According to the HSE, the "natural caesarean" - otherwise known as a gentle or slowed-down caesarean - puts maternal choice and control at the heart of the procedure and, critically, allows for earlier and more prolonged contact between the mother and baby in the first moments after birth.

The HSE says the technique attempts to replicate as closely as possible the natural delivery and aims to ensure that it is the mother who is the first person to hold the baby. While research into the natural caesarean is ongoing, the technique is believed to have considerable benefits around easier breastfeeding, calmer infants and greater maternal satisfaction in the short and long-term.

The HSE says one of the strategy's core ambitions is to give women more choice and control over how their pregnancy and delivery is managed. Gentle caesarean involves some simple changes which can make a significant difference for the mother. Heart-monitoring wires are placed on the mother's upper back to allow the obstetrician to place the baby on her chest.

The woman's non-dominant hand is used for IV and bloods so that the dominant hand is free to hold the baby. The screen between the woman and the surgical team is lowered so the woman can see the baby being born.

In a technique called 'walking the baby out', the baby is allowed to clear its lungs by itself and push itself out. And in this way, the mother gets to find out the sex of the baby without having to be told by one of the surgical team. The baby can be placed directly on the mother's chest and skin-to-skin contact is immediately established in those precious moments after birth.
If a dictionary of car terms existed, the phrase 'Audi Connect' would require its own chapter. In summary, it means the inter-connectivity between the driver, the car, city and town infrastructure - such as traffic lights and car parks, and even the internet.

Just as BMW, Mercedes, Tesla and even Google are doing, Audi is staking its future success on the ability to process vast quantities of data and translate everything into a better, safer, driving experience. We recently partook in our own type of knowledge download of some of these digital advancements in Munich.

Starting with the process of choosing your next car, Audi has developed Audi VR. You can browse the range and select, customise and view your preferred choices in a virtual world. Slip on the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift VR goggles (Audi has not decided which to use but we preferred the fit of the Oculus) and being careful to mind your step, you can view the car from any angle.

You can sit down if you prefer. Peering closer to details such as the engine or brakes will present you with a detailed architecture of the component. It's not dizzying or sickly, either. It actually feels surprisingly normal and the cars are astonishingly detailed.

This is cutting-edge technology to the point where Audi worked with graphics processor behemoths NVIDIA, to create images that are up to three times more powerful than those found in a games console.

The benefit for customers? Audi admits many buyers are already well-educated about their products, but that purchasing decisions could be improved with better quality interaction with dealers. Would we use it if it was on offer here? Absolutely.

The results of pilot tests in six dealers throughout Germany will determine when Audi Virtual Reality becomes reality.

Virtual Reality headsets were not confined to the showroom floor as Audi showcased their usage in real cars. Donning the goggles once more, we drove an A4 in a controlled space and tested the safety feature called 'Audi pre-sense', an emergency braking system that prevents collisions when the driver is distracted. Our virtual world distracted us from a pedestrian crossing the road. The A4, in the real world, performed the necessary braking. It puts into practice what can be difficult to understand in theory.

If we go back to our dictionary and search for Swarm Intelligence, we see that Audi has formed a network strategy with BMW and Daimler. Car-2-Car and Car-2-X (X being anything that is not a car) is an area of enormous potential. The three German giants purchased the map database 'HERE' from Nokia and intend for their cars to communicate with one another through cloud computing.

Drivers can learn of traffic issues and road hazards such as fog, slippery conditions and break-downs; all in real-time. A 1:8 scale model version displayed how it works and it certainly looks impressive if the real-world application can be achieved. Audi will monitor how the driver behaves in certain instances and the car will adjust its settings to suit the driver's behaviour. Using the Swarm data, it is not inconceivable that our cars will be able to recommend optimum speeds so as to avoid having to stop at traffic lights. Wouldn't that be great?

Audi will couple its new Personal Intelligent Assistant (PIA) with a revised virtual dashboard layout, comprising haptic feedback touchscreens, in future cars with rumblings that it might even appear in the new model A8; which looms on the horizon. We will wait and see. The PIA is better at handling voice commands and learns the your driving, radio listening and phone call making behaviours. It will take some months to build a profile for you and if you buy a new car, your old data can be transferred. It is all exciting. The shape of things to come is really taking shape.
We have received queries from parents recently, enquiring about new child car-seat laws that are coming in effect about the use of 'Booster Cushions'.

It has left us scratching our heads because we certainly are not aware of any new EU directives changing child car-seat laws.

But those who have contacted us and general chatter on social media are pretty certain about an impending change and that the UK was going to be leading the way soon.

We've also had some reports that well-known child car-seat retailers are adding to the confusion. We know some retailers have stopped selling the booster cushions based on the inferior protection they provide compared to a 'High Back Booster' seat, but this is because they chose to promote best practice and not because a new law has banned them.

So we investigated the rumours and found a classic case of 'Chinese whispers'. There seems to be a review of child car-seat legislation in the UK. But this is taking place on the use of booster cushions based on proposed changes that have been put forward by the UN.

Basically the UN proposes to raise the bar when it comes to the use 'Booster Cushions'. The amendments mean children will need to stay in a 'High Back Booster' (with back and side protection) until heavier and taller than at present. To be precise they want to limit the approval of new booster cushions for use by children over 125cm in height and weighing no less than 22kg.

While this amendment was then adopted by the World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations this year and the UK plans to implement it there in early 2018. This is something that is way down the tracks and will not be mandatory in the EU until a new directive has been passed and governments then pass it into national legislation.

Unfortunately these proposed amendments were misinterpreted by the UK media and have created confusion. So, we're happy to clarify that there is no new law outlawing booster cushions being introduced in Ireland. What the law in Ireland states is that all children under 150cm and 36kg must use a child restraint appropriate to their height and weight. What you'll find is that booster cushions are often approved for children from 15-36kg.

However the RSA recommends, in line with best practice, that a 'High Back Booster' seat is used for as long as possible. They are designed to be used by children up to 36kg.

Their advantage is that they offer more support to the child's head, neck and spine, particularly in a side impact collision. This is the likely reasoning behind the move at UN levels. They want to raise the bar so that kids stay in 'High Backed Booster' seats for much longer.

If you find yourself in a position where there is no other option but to use a booster cushion ideally it should only be considered after the child reaches 22kg.

While we would welcome the new amendments being proposed, because it's going to put best practice into a legal framework, it's worth noting that Ireland has stricter child car seat laws than the UK.

Here, children are required to use a child restraint until they have exceeded 150cm however in the UK they can use an adult seatbelt once they have exceeded 135cm.

It may seem minuscule but this extra 15cm in Ireland gives greater protection to the developing child for longer and ultimately will prevent serious injury in the event of a crash.

So to be absolutely clear, there is no law coming into Ireland in the near future about the use of booster cushions.

While High Back Booster seats are recommended all the way up to 150cm and 36kg, booster cushions can be legally sold and used in Ireland.
"Falling wasn't an option," says the first climber to have scaled Mayo's most iconic sea stack in a quarter of a century.

It wasn't the first time Iain Miller tried to climb Dun Briste.

Nor was it the second. When Miller pitched up with his inflatable dinghy and climbing gear at Downpatrick Head this August, it was his third attempt on the stack.

In Irish, Dun Briste means 'broken fort'.

It could have broken Miller too. Soaring 50m out of the ocean near Ballycastle, Co. Mayo, this is a sea stack so storied and dramatic it has become a Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way. It's also an extremely dangerous expedition.

Last week, however, Miller and his climbing partner Paulina Kaniszewska attempted the summit, a feat they believe has not been achieved since 1990.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Iain Miller (right) on top of Dun Briste. Photo: Aidan McGinley Iain Miller's 2016 ascent of Dun Briste. Photo: Aidan McGinley Iain Miller and Paulina Kaniszewska prep for their ascent of Dun Briste. Photo: Marion Galt Approaching Dun Briste. Photo: Marion Galt Landing on Dun Briste. Photo: Marion Galt Iain Miller on Dun Briste. Marion Galt / Facebook

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Whatsapp Iain Miller (right) on top of Dun Briste. Photo: Aidan McGinley

"I know of around 30 climbers who have toyed with the idea of an ascent, but the logistics have overwhelmed them," Miller, who runs adventure and climbing company Unique Ascent ( uniqueascent.ie) in Donegal, told Independent.ie Travel.

The stack has been climbed only once, he says - when UK climbers Mick Fowler, Nikki Duggan and Steve Sustad successfully summited in 1990.

Mountaineering Ireland (climbing.ie) confirms this and Miller's as the only ascents, but says it is "open to correction" if a record of another can be produced.

One of Dun Briste's main challenges is the Atlantic, Miller says.

"The sea around Downpatrick Head plays by its own rules and is notoriously difficult to predict. This involved a huge amount of research prior to and during each visit and our unsuccessful attempts. The next challenge was landing on the stack."

On the day, calm conditions made this part of the climb relatively straightforward - with ledges accessible at sea level. But the ascent was only beginning.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Iain Miller and Paulina Kaniszewska prep for their ascent of Dun Briste. Photo: Marion Galt Approaching Dun Briste. Photo: Marion Galt Iain Miller's 2016 ascent of Dun Briste. Photo: Aidan McGinley Landing on Dun Briste. Photo: Marion Galt Iain Miller on Dun Briste. Marion Galt Iain Miller (right) on top of Dun Briste. Photo: Aidan McGinley / Facebook

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Whatsapp Iain Miller and Paulina Kaniszewska prep for their ascent of Dun Briste. Photo: Marion Galt

"The climbing was hard, scary and for a section approximately 40 metres above sea level, falling wasn't an option," he recalls.

Dun Briste is said to have broken away from the mainland in 1393, with locals rescued from the stack with the help of ships' ropes. Prior to that, St. Patrick is believed to have founded a church on the headland - once a popular pilgrimage site.

In the 1980s, a small team of scientists was deposited onto the stack by helicopter, on a mission to investigate ruins still visible from the mainland.

As well as its rich history, Dun Briste attracts birdwatchers to view species that nest in its stratified ledges (Miller says he always takes care to avoid interactions with nesting birds, and encountered none on his climb).

As they progressed, Miller and Kaniszewska were cheered from Downpatrick Head by a small band of locals from Ballycastle. They watched as Miller summited - though a subsequent rainfall meant his partner did not get more than 20m up the stack.

"Watching them was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience," says Marie Tighe, a nurse from Ballycastle. "I've lived down here for years and I never thought anyone would be able to do it from the ground."

After the summit, Miller's overwhelming feeling was one of relief.

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"But the summit is the halfway point," he says. "There is no celebration or time to ponder your surroundings as you are already mentally on the descent."

Getting down was "by far the scariest part of the climb, as you create an anchor to abseil from, lean back over a 50m drop and abseil down the stack."

"It was nearly more frightening watching him going down," Tighe concurs.

"It's only when you are both safely back at sea level with a calm sea passage between you and the car that the first wave of euphoria hits you," Miller adds.

"It's like a bomb going off in your head."

When the climbers returned, locals were waiting with hot dinners, and a surprise treat - chocolate-covered queen cakes baked by nine-year-old Naoise O'Sullivan.

"To climbers, a summit that has been stood on less times than the moon is always going to be an interesting, and hopefully viable, proposition," Miller says.

NB: The activities described in this article were undertaken by pro climbers at their own risk. Climbing can be extremely dangerous, and should never be undertaken without suitable levels of expertise or fully qualified guides.

Miller and Kaniszewska wish to acknowledge the support of the local community, cameraman Aidan McGinley, photographer Marion Galt, and fellow climbers Fionnuala Donnelly, John Mallon and Denise O' Doherty.

Read more:
Around 1,000 students are exempt from all tuition fees

Financial troubles caused by mass fish deaths prevented about 1,000 students in the central coastal province of Ha Tinh from returning to school for the start of the new year, but now things are different.

Authorities have decided to waive tuition fees and school maintenance costs for those hit by the environmental disaster, after having already offered a 33 percent discount, Nguyen Huu Sum, head of the Education and Training Office of Ky Anh Town, told VnExpress on September 6.

Sum quoted a top official from the provincial education department as saying that no matter how many students attend class, teaching quality remains a priority.

Students were supposed to go back to school on August 25 but to date, only 500 out of 1,500 students in Ky Ha Commune, one of the regions worst-hit by the disaster, have shown up.

Nguyen Thi Nhan, a literature teacher, said that she has been advising fishermen to allow their children to return to school for days, but it hasn't worked.

You [the teacher] shouldnt come here anymore. My kids will only go back to school when we've received adequate compensation, Nhan quoted a parent as saying, added that the teachers are having trouble arranging their schedules as they have to spend time going to students houses.

Many good students have told me that they have bought books, but their parents are forcing them to stay at home.

This high rate of student dropouts could result in a sense of depression among students who are attending classes and discourage them from studying, another teacher explained.

Phan Duy Vinh, deputy chairman of the Peoples Committee of Ky Anh Town, said that authorities are working hard to compensate the 54 affected communities but some families have yet to declare their losses and are preventing children from going back to school to put pressure on the government.

Thousands of fishermen in four central coastal provinces have struggled to make a living since the environmental disaster that saw fish die en masse along a 200 kilometer stretch of Vietnams coast.

Students are forced to stay at home as their parents are unable to cover tuition fees while fishing and producing salt simply don't pay the bills any more.

The Ministry of Education and Training recently issued an instruction asking for students to be exempt from tuition fees if they are living in areas affected by environmental disasters or natural hazards.

Related news:

> No fish, no school: 1,000 students forced to stay at home in central Vietnam

> Vietnamese fishermen remain beached 4 months after toxic disaster
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Ian O'Doherty Opinion For once, the UN is right  were standing on the edge of a deadly nuclear precipice

For those of us of a certain age, the last few months have felt as if we have somehow time-warped back to the 1980s. Stranger Things, which is set in that decade, has been the biggest show on TV. Kate Bush  thanks, incidentally, to Stranger Things  is now regularly played on the radio and she has reached number one in 2022 with the re-release of her 1985 hit, Running Up That Hill.
Do you think what you wear on the beach is your own business? You're wrong. But if the burkini is the sign of a repressive society, then what is the body-shaming reaction of Western society to the body of a woman in a bikini, deciding if she's 'beach ready' or not? At the heart of both stories is the same unhealthy obsession with women's bodies and how they should or shouldn't be displayed.

This summer was the 70th anniversary of the bikini. The two-piece was launched in France in 1946 by engineer Louis Reard; this was also the summer the bikini died. Loads of retailers are reporting plunging bikini sales and a rise in sales for one-piece swimsuits instead. Victoria's Secret has even announced that the company will stop selling swimwear by the end of this year and introduce a new 'athleisure' line in its place. For years, the bikini body was a tyranny we couldn't get away from, but it appears that we've finally had enough of the 'beach body' shaming and are covering up instead.

Marks and Spencer became the first British high-street retailer to launch an Islamic swimwear range in the UK earlier this year, and high-end designers Dolce & Gabbana launched a 'modest wear' line of beach clothes in January.

The short-lived French burkini ban culminated in a woman being forced to remove her burkini by armed guards on a beach in Nice. Rather than dividing women, it has brought women together instead.

For those who do not know it, the burkini is a bathing suit. It looks like a wetsuit and it covers the body from head to toe. A few weeks ago David Lisnard, mayor of Cannes, signed a decree that forbids wearing burkinis on public beaches. The decree was soon issued by a few other mayors of cities on the Cote d'Azur. The justification for the ban - "In France, one does not come to the beach dressed to display one's religious convictions" - was illiberal and oppressive. You see, stripping women of their choice, and literally punishing them for what they wear, is the sort of thing morality police do. There was a sneaking understanding and admiration for the 34 year-old woman, who gave only her first name, Siam, after she was fined 38 for breaking the new law. Purchases of burkinis soared by 200pc in a show of sisterhood.

What happened to women being free to wear whatever they want? The burkinis on Nice's beaches weren't the first time that an item of women's clothing caused a political storm.

What women wear has always hidden deeper fears about sex. Back in the dark ages of the 20th century, the Pope condemned the two-piece bikini, although for different reasons. It was banned in Italy, Spain and Portugal for a time and, despite Brigitte Bardot posing on a Cannes beach in a bikini in 1953, it took a long time to catch on.

It did catch on and nowadays it is hard to find a women's magazine in springtime that isn't bullying us to starve, wax and exercise our bodies into looking perfect in a bikini.

Do you know how many non-Muslim women look at themselves in the mirror and literally dream about being able to go to the beach wearing a burkini? A few summers ago, a survey of UK and Irish women by Slendertone found that 83pc of women hated the way their body looks in a bikini so much that they dread going to the beach. Just 6pc said they were happy with how they look and the remainder said they would wear a hat and baggy clothes and "hide away" while on their summer holiday. The solution for more than a quarter of women surveyed was to have plastic surgery to make their tummies flatter and 17pc said they wanted to have surgery on their breasts.

So what should we do now? Nothing. We should keep our noses away from female bodies and give them the choice to uncover or cover themselves as they want on the beach.

Finally, we might be able to imagine a joyful world where women can wear bikinis, burkinis or whatever the hell they want on precious blue-sky days without someone trying to protect them from their own decisions. How much boob or bum to display on the beach should be our own choice to make. This is the brilliantly subversive conclusion to the random collision of bikini and burkini stories from summer 2016.
The Greeks believed that every citizen should be obliged to watch a play. The reasoning was that it demanded attention, degrees of judgment, patience and all the social virtues. But Irish commuters have been forced to watch something of a farce unfold over the past week, one that was singularly lacking in social virtues.

Transport Minister Shane Ross landed himself in it with a glib remark about his Transport portfolio being a relative "doddle" compared to his travails in handling the sporting side of his brief. Mr Ross will have plenty of time to rue the throwaway remark when, from 9pm tonight until Saturday, the capital will be without buses.

A new wave of transport chaos is to be visited on the city as trade unions dig in for a 21pc hike. The Labour Court had suggested an increase of 8pc. In the meantime, the public will be caught up in a battle of wills.

The strikes will massively disrupt the travel plans of 400,000 passengers a day, while the financial cost to the company is 600,000 a day. It would be facile to hold Mr Ross solely to blame for all of this: the primary responsibility lies with Dublin Bus and the unions; and there are industrial relations mechanisms that could play their part. All the same, the pressure on Mr Ross will grow as traffic grinds to a halt and people are late for work. Dublin Bus may face fines from the National Transport Authority for failing to deliver service on the strike days.

The readiness to strike is regrettable. Drivers depend on the public, and massively inconveniencing the very people who keep them employed is an unjust way of making their point. Every day the buses are off the streets hurts their case and undermines the viability of the company.

To date, Mr Ross has not intervened. But if he delays too long, today's "doddle" could be tomorrow's disaster.

Fairness must lie at the heart of our tax system

Recent days have brought our tax laws under the harshest of scrutiny. Yesterday's announcement of plans by Finance Minister Michael Noonan to close a loophole that allows vulture funds slash their tax bills came with something of the sound of a stable door being slammed after the stallion had bolted.

Most will know little of Section 110 of the Taxes Consolidation Act. Yet, it amounted to a device which facilitated the vulture funds to avoid tax on property transactions. Considering they had bought the properties at massive write-downs, making huge killings, coupled with the fact they were further able to minimise their tax, heaps compound interest on top of the sense of insult and sense of injury felt by the general public.

Massive write-downs are not something the workers of the country can avail of although they are all too familiar with taxes.

The devices used by vulture funds to acquire distressed properties here are called Special Purpose Vehicles and to date they have snapped up assets worth around 300bn. Earlier this year, the Government was accused of facilitating wholesale tax avoidance after it emerged that one vulture capital firm was liable to be taxed on only 1,000 of its 4.5m profit. Clearly these rates were agreed when our economy had seized up and we were desperate for investment. Such arrangements can no longer stand if there is to be any degree of fairness. Later this week European Union countries will meet in Bratislava to see how members can coordinate tax rules. Clarity, certainty and above all equity, must be at the heart of the agenda.
Pope Francis. The church has lost touch with those who exist on the margins of life. Photo: Vincenzo Pinto

The poet and essayist TS Eliot wisely suggested that a religion requires not only a body of priests who know what they are doing, but a body of worshippers who know what is being done.

We are now reaping the consequences of having had a poorly educated priesthood ministering to an unquestioning laity.

The notion of the simple faithful offered dubious grounds for providing half-baked moralising sermons. For too long, the laity were presented with God as a demanding judge, and not as fulfilling the more likely role of counsel for the defence.

A notion of Hell that did not sit easily with that of a loving God, was a regular feature in our wandering thoughts on death and after-life.

Our young people no longer live in fear of a demanding God. They have an increasing appetite for the use of mobile phones, the internet and social media. They get their news online so are their own editors, determining what is significant.

This undermines a culture of obedience to family, church and government, institutions that are steadily losing their stabilising role.

Many of the students that I have known and taught over the years saw themselves as not existing to fulfil the purposes of others but sensitive to their calling to be human by engaging in the task of making the world a place that works equally to the benefit of all.

They saw the meaning of life not as determined by some vacuous search for significance but as the exercise of the practical demands of daily loving and living, seeing themselves as makers of the world and not its victims.

There continues to be a yawning gap between the longings and hopes of our youth and the machinations of a church that has lost its way, losing touch with those who survive precariously on the margins of life and with those whose light has been extinguished through the harshness of their experience of living.

Philip O'Neill

Oxford, UK

State hypocrisy on Apple ruling

I find it nothing short of extraordinary that the Irish Government is to appeal the European Commission ruling that Apple must pay the Irish State 13bn in respect of past tax avoidance.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny cites as the reason for the appeal to the European Court of Justice that "this is about the right of a small nation".

The minority Fine Gael/Independent coalition Government, supported by Fianna Fail in opposition, is of the opinion that the obligation to collect tax from Apple is a bridgehead too far.

Contrast the Government's action or inaction when the European Central Bank (ECB) bullied the then government into a 65bn bailout of bondholders that passed the cost onto the Irish taxpayer.

It was accepted that the ECB had no legal or constitutional right to impose a burden on the Irish State, yet we accepted its demand, paid the bondholders money we did not owe them, and lumped the cost onto the Irish taxpayer in direct taxes and severe austerity measures.

Did we take the ECB to the European Court? Not on your life. It appears that the sovereignty of a small state applies to defending corporate tax avoidance and not defending the interest of the Irish citizens. We are presented with the scenario that to legitimately tax the multinational sector of the economy risks a mass exit out of Ireland.

So where would they go? Ireland has the lowest corporation tax at 12.5pc, when it's paid in full. There is no other member State of the European Union with a lower tax take. So where would they flee too? The Cayman Islands.

Norman A Croke

Straffan, Co Kildare

Public service vs self interest

I used to think politics was about public service.

Yesterday, Phil Hogan all but admitted he did not want to resign or lose his job as a European Commissioner, so he toed the line he was told to toe.

Still, at least I now know better.

Adrian Scanlon

Ballylongford, Co Kerry

What about the ethical perspective?

Richard Curran's article (Irish Independent, September 5) is full of observations but does not attempt to link them in any form of argument, dithering between platitudes to people who have suffered over the last number of years whilst supporting, in his own words, an unethical coalition between the administration and the multinationals.

Mr Curran openly states that even though governments have been complicit in the tax avoidance of multinationals, and although this makes it unfair, it does not make it illegal.

This argument might be made by highly remunerated lawyers on behalf of their clients, but can it be made by our Government, which we expect to have an ethical perspective?

Actually, Mr Curran is incorrect. It does indeed make it illegal in many far-sighted jurisdictions, where complicity of this nature is deemed to be a criminal money laundering conspiracy punishable by a term of imprisonment.

Finally, Mr Curran's statement that: "We could have been incredibly fair and incredibly broke" is reminiscent of one of Mae West's responses to a young lady, who, on seeing Mae's jewels said, "goodness, those jewels look terrific". Ms West's reply was "goodness had nothing to do with it".

Liam Harrington

Castletownbere, Co Cork

Children need love, not just time

Your editorial (Irish Independent, September 5) quotes the findings of a study which found that children feel that too often nobody is listening to their opinions and that parents are not spending enough time with their children, "not being there" for them, and not knowing them as well as they should.

But just spending time with one's children on its own will not and cannot fulfil these needs. Some parents are full-time at home. Others are part-time. Others have little or no time. Time on its own could mean cruelty, ignorance or abuse.

What every parent can give is love. Love fulfils the need and the right of the child to be listened to with respect and openness about a situation. The truth may be very hard, so gentleness is crucial. It is being with the child that is important.

Furthermore, the child is absorbing, unconsciously, a powerful lesson for life ahead: be truthful, open and gentle with yourself and with others, and "doing the best you can, respecting your limitations and resources" is the key to a non-stressful existence.

If we hide the difficulties, pretend it's all OK with our kids, breaking our backs for them, children may end up feeling guilty, blaming themselves, and getting the message that doing their best in their lives ahead will never be good enough.

To remedy the current situation, the Government should set aside funding for a defined social care programme, as well as 'driving lessons for parents'.

John Keane

Hanover Square, Dublin 8
It wasn't just the birds preening their feathers when local man Brian McCann travelled to the K Club recently to put on a show for the Rose of Tralee contestants.

Brian, who runs Newgrange Falconry, was joined by a number of his birds of prey for the display including the young eagle, bred by Brian earlier this year, which was the first in the country to be bred in captivity.

'They had a bit of a function down there as one of the events prior to the show and I was invited in to show the birds,' explained Brian.

'There were close to 60 people there and I had falcons, hawks, owls and the eagle chick which was making its debut appearance.'

He said the second chick hatched, a female, is still in with the mother bird.

'It was a great day, I had a great selection of birds down there,' said Brian.

'It was one of those kind of things where you might never get the chance to do it again.

He said the girls were thrilled to get to see the birds up close and one of the displays Brian carried out involved flying an owl through a two foot gap between two of the girls.

'I got my picture taken with Mis Perth because my brother lives in Perth. So I sent the picture on to him and his reply was: 'I want your job!'.

Brian has been busy in recent weeks with an appearance on TV3 to highlight the recent spate of poisonings of birds of prey. He spoke about the dangers of farmers and those living in rural areas putting down poison for things like foxes which could be leading to the deaths of some of the country's most endangered birds.

In addition, Brian has recently counted some famous faces amongst his clients - he was asked to do a private class for none other than rockstar Bon Jovi at Powerscourt House.

'They didn't tell me who it was going to be until I arrived. He was there with his wife and two sons, everything was very professional, showing him the birds and doing the tricks with them. He was on a private visit to Ireland with his family.

'I didn't ask him about his business; I didn't want to pry. He was quite a quiet guy, very nice and very pleasant,' said Brian.

'He loved the falconry and the whole display. We didn't get in to talking about the music at all and I didn't even ask him for a photograph because I didn't want to put him on the spot.'
Actress Emily Ratajkowski attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Model Kendall Jenner attends Target + IMG's NYFW kickoff at The Park at Moynihan Station on September 6, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Model Christie Brinkley attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Kendall Jenner attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Actress Joan Smalls attends Target + IMG's NYFW kickoff at The Park at Moynihan Station on September 6, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Model Nina Agdal attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Model Nina Agdal attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Model Chanel Iman attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Model Chanel Iman attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Model Nicole Trunfio attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Kendall Jenner attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Model Hilary Rhoda attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Model Joan Smalls attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Actress Emily Ratajkowski attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Actress Emily Ratajkowski attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Actress Emily Ratajkowski attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

Aoife said there's a pressure on girls to wear next-to-nothing on nights out. (Pictured: Emily Ratajkowski. Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Actress Emily Ratajkowski attends Target + IMG's NYFW kickoff at The Park at Moynihan Station on September 6, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Actress Emily Ratajkowski attends Target + IMG's NYFW kickoff at The Park at Moynihan Station on September 6, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Emily Ratajkowski knows how to command a red carpet.

The 26-year-old model and actress, who is back in New York after a week in Ireland, kicked off the NYFW festivities with typical eye-catching style.

The star opted for a flesh coloured mini-dress by August Getty Atelier with the entire bottom side panel cut-out, nearly exposing...well, everything. She was one of the guests of honour at the Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event alongside Kendall Jenner, Joan Smalls, Nina Agdal and Chanel Iman among others.

Emily, who shot to fame in Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines video, has never been one to shy away from showing off her enviable figure, but said she's sick of being criticised for being "attention seeking".

Expand Close Aoife said there's a pressure on girls to wear next-to-nothing on nights out. (Pictured: Emily Ratajkowski. Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Aoife said there's a pressure on girls to wear next-to-nothing on nights out. (Pictured: Emily Ratajkowski. Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

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"Commenters said I had 'an excess of beauty and lack of brain' and told me to 'shut up and show us your tits,' she wrote in an essay for the October issue of Glamour.

"But I was also criticized in a very specific way  for seeking attention. They wrote me off as 'a desperate attention whore,' saying I was taking part in the conversation only because everybody else was too."

"I realized then that I've been called an attention whore so often that I had almost gotten used to it. And as women we are accused of seeking attention more than men are, whether for speaking out politically, as I did, for dressing a certain way, or for even posting a selfie," she added.

She added: "Our culture has a double standard that runs so deep, many women have actually built up an automatic defense  attempting to be a step ahead of potential critics by making sure we have 'real' reasons for anything we say or do.

Expand Close Actress Emily Ratajkowski attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Actress Emily Ratajkowski attends Target + IMG New York Fashion Week Kick-Off Event at The Park at Moynihan Station on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Target)

"Our society tells women we can't be, say, sexy and confident and opinionated about politics. This would allow us too much power. Instead our society asks us to declare and defend our motivations, which makes us second-guess them, all while men do what they please without question."
The fighting in Syria's central Hama province has displaced some 100,000 people over eight days, an aid agency said (AP)

An air strike in the rebel-held part of Syria's contested city of Aleppo has killed 10 civilians, activists said, an attack that hit in the same neighbourhood where a suspected chlorine gas attack happened the day before.

Meanwhile, the UN aid agency said the fighting in Syria's central Hama province has displaced some 100,000 people over eight days between late August and early September. Ultraconservative Islamic insurgents last week advanced in Hama, prompting fierce clashes with government forces.

In Wednesday's airstrike, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least one child was among the victims of what was a presumed to have been a Russian or Syrian government attack on the al-Sukkari neighbourhood in Aleppo.

The long-suffering northern city is one of the focal points of the grinding Syrian civil war, now in its sixth year, with rebels and pro-government forces trading indiscriminate fire across populated neighbourhoods. The Russians and the Syrian government are the only two operating in the skies over the city.

The Aleppo branch of the Syrian Civil Defence search and rescue organisation put the initial casualty toll at 20 dead and more than 40 wounded, but conflicting counts are common in the aftermath of air strikes.

Medical workers in the city have said the opposition-controlled neighbourhood was hit with chlorine gas on Tuesday, though the report could not be independently verified. They said they treated at least 70 people for breathing difficulties. A 13-year-old girl and a 29-year-old man died from further complications on Wednesday.

In Syria's central Hama province, the insurgents earlier this month surprised government troops, dislodging them from areas around the provincial capital, also called Hama, including a military base and towns and villages near the highway leading to Damascus.

The offensive, led by an ultraconservative Islamic group, Jund al-Aqsa, and also involving several factions from the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, drew an intense government bombing campaign that has killed dozens.

The fighting and the aerial bombardment sent tens of thousands of people fleeing for safety, creating the latest wave of displacement, part of a pattern that has left nearly half of the Syrian population displaced since the war began in 2011.

In a "flash update " on Tuesday, the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) said figures from a camp coordination group show nearly half of the displaced from Hama have arrived in the neighbouring rebel-held Idlib province.

Others fled toward government-controlled Hama city, where four mosques were converted into temporary shelters, Ocha said. Dozens of schools in rural areas of Hama province were also turned into shelters.

A shortage of shelter space means many displaced families are sleeping outdoors in parks in Idlib, the UN agency said.

Most of those fleeing left towns and villages in government areas as the rebels advanced, fearing a violent government response to the insurgent offensive, according to Ahmad al-Ahmad, an activist from Hama. "Wherever the regime is driven out of an area, it ends up destroying it," he said in a text message to The Associated Press.

In at least one air strike last week, government warplanes struck a van carrying displaced people fleeing Suran, a town north of Hama city, activists said. The government at the time said it targeted "terrorists."

Ocha said the United Nations has sent an "inter-agency convoy with life-saving supplies to Hama" and was evaluating the humanitarian situation.

An estimated 11 million Syrians have fled their homes since the war broke out in 2011. Of those, 4.8 million are refugees outside of Syria, with nearly seven million displaced inside the country.

In London on Wednesday, Syrian opposition leaders unveiled a plan for a political transition designed to bring an end to the war. It called for the departure of President Bashar Assad after six months and for elections to be held after two years.

The High Negotiations Committee (HNC) envisaged a three-phase plan, beginning with six months of negotiations with Assad's government to develop a signed agreement on the "basic principles" of the transition process.

This would be followed by the establishment of a transitional government body and the departure of Assad "and his clique," according to HNC chief Riad Hijab.

The HNC called for UN-supervised elections to be held 18 months thereafter. Mr Hijab conceded there were formidable obstacles hindering the implementation of this plan.

In London, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson endorsed the opposition plan, saying in a column in The Times that Mr Assad can have no part in a future government in Syria and that the Syrian president bears "overwhelming responsibility" for the massive loss of life in the conflict.

He also said that if Russian and American negotiators can create a ceasefire there could be a resumption of talks in Geneva aimed at ending the war. The relatively new Foreign Secretary was to host a Friends of Syria meeting in London later on Wednesday.

AP
Police at the scene of a shooting in the Back of the Yards neighbourhood of Chicago (Chicago Tribune/AP)

Thirteen people were shot dead over the Labour Day weekend in Chicago, making it the deadliest holiday weekend of one of the worst summers the city has experienced in decades.

The police department said the 13 were among 43 people who were shot over the weekend.

Among them was a pregnant woman who delivered a nearly full-term baby after she was shot in the abdomen. The woman, who police say was not the intended target, was listed in critical condition. The baby's condition has not been released.

The holiday weekend killings come amid a dramatic spike in homicides. Police also said the figures pushed to 488 the total of killings for the year - passing the 481 recorded for all of last year. Nearly 230 homicides occurred in June, July and August.

Last week, the police department said it had officially increased the total of 2015 homicides to 481 from 473. Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the number increased to include victims who were shot in 2015 but died this year, and because in some cases, investigations had been upgraded to homicides.

The number of shootings and homicides over the Labour Day weekend were both higher than the Memorial Day and July 4 weekends and it was the last of the summer holidays before the school year started. Nine homicides on Monday alone was one more for the entire Labour Day weekend last year.

Police have said the reasons for the rise in homicides are tied to the easy availability of guns and gang violence. Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that much of the violence is the result of lax gun laws in Illinois that allow those arrested on gun charges to be released from jail far sooner than in other states.

"I'm frustrated... that despite these weekends we still see repeat offenders get back out on the street far too soon," Mr Johnson told reporters.

Referring to reports that Chicago had more homicides than the combined total of the larger cities of New York and Los Angeles in August, he said those cities benefit from tougher gun laws. "If we had the gun laws they have we'd see violent crime cut in half," he said.

He also reiterated that most of the killings have been concentrated in neighbourhoods on the city's South and West sides that are plagued with high unemployment and poverty and where gang membership is particularly high.

AP
A new UNICEF report claims that nearly 50 million children have been uprooted worldwide and 28 million of those were driven from their homes by conflict and violence.

Children fleeing conflict or seeking a better life elsewhere face grave dangers on the journey: drowning on sea crossings, kidnapping and trafficking, starvation and even rape and murder.

UNICEF Executive Director said "Indelible images of individual children - Aylan Kurdi's small body washing up on a beach - have shocked the world. But each picture represents many millions of children in danger."

According to the report, children represent about a third of all refugees, and that proportion is growing. More children are crossing borders on their own; the number of unaccompanied child asylum seekers tripled to over 100,000 between 2014 and 2015.

The report also highlights child refugees' lack of access to services and the fact that a refugee child is five times more likely to be out of school than a non-refugee child.

The report urges governments to give all refugee children access to education and healthcare and to prioritise keeping refugee families together for protection of children.
The French might have left Vietnam long ago but some of their brands live on.

BGI Beer

BGI Beer was founded in Saigon in 1875 by Victor Larue, a former marine. BGI stands for Glacieres Brasseries d'Indochine, which means Indochina Brewery in English. The company was famous for beers like Beer 33, Royale, Hommel and Beer Tiger.

In 1975, when the North and South of Vietnam were reunified, two BGI breweries were nationalized.

Beer 33 remains a popular beverage in Vietnam, but it's been renamed Beer 333 and belongs to Sabeco now, Vietnams leading beer producer.

A BGI factory in Saigon.

An advertisement for Beer Tiger produced by BGI.

"One Beer, Five Continents", the famous slogan of Beer 33.

Fontaine Wine

The Fontaine Winery was constructed at 94 Lo Duc in the capital Hanoi in 1898 under the control of Hanoi Alcohol Factory. This was one of the five plants Fontaine built in Indochina at that time.

The Vietnamese government turned the winery into a medical alcohol plant in 1955. Two years ago, Hanois People's Committee decided to pull down the factory to make way for a school.

The Fontaine Winery in its prime.

The factory right before it was demolished.

Citroen Car

French car maker Citroen built its first factory in Indochina at the corner of Le Loi - Nguyen Hue, a corner occupied by the famous Rex Hotel in Saigon.

The company produced the famous La Dalat model in 1969, which sold well in Vietnam from 1970 to 1975. It was estimated that Citroen produced about 1,000 units each year, with the localization rate increasing from 25 to 40 percent. However, the company decided to close the factory in 1975.

The facade of the Citroen car plant.

Four different La Dalat models.

A La Dalat on the street.

Air France Carrier

To serve the travel demands of the French, Air France appeared in Vietnam in June, 1951.

The French carrier also joined hands with the final emperor of the last dynasty Bao Dai to establish another carrier named Air Vietnam. It was not until 1993 that the joint-venture was wiped out due to the foundation of Vietnam Airlines, the current flagship carrier.

Passengers disembark an Air Vietnam plane.

Continental Hotel

Continental Hotel was built by Pierre Cazeau, a home-appliance and construction material manufacturer, in 1880 and quickly became a luxury icon on the tourism map of Indochina.

The hotel was in its prime from 1930 until 1954, when the northern communist party defeated France at the battle of Dien Bien Phu, ending the domination of France in Vietnam.

The hotel has been managed by Saigontourist, a travel service company, since 1985.

A shot of the Continental Hotel in the 1880s.

The Continental Hotel in 1969.

Related news:

> Saigon of the 1960s: The tale of Lambros

> Da Lat's century-old mansions to rise from oblivion
It is estimated that more than 5,000 personnel have been discharged from Turkey's armed forces since the coup bid on July 15

Turkey has expelled 73 more personnel from its armed forces as part of an ongoing effort to rid the military of what it says are followers of the alleged mastermind of the failed July 15 coup attempt.

The Turkish Ministry of Defence said on its official Twitter account on Wednesday the expelled personnel belonged to the air force.

It said the dismissals have strengthened the military "as it gets rid of traitor Feto," a reference to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of being behind the coup attempt. Gulen denies this.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said 105 detention orders have been issued in 17 provinces for "imams running the military forces" and soldiers connected to Gulen's organisation.

The "imams" are said to be Gulen followers who hold important command positions for the network.

The announcements came after last week's dismissal of 820 military personnel, of whom 648 were jailed.

It is estimated that more than 5,000 military personnel have so far been discharged since the coup bid, including 151 generals and admirals.

AP
Fox News reached a settlement with its former news presenter Gretchen Carlson, whose lawsuit claiming sexual harassment sparked a widespread probe at the network and ultimately led to the demise of Roger Ailes, the Republican political strategist who built it into the most-watched US cable news network.

The settlement includes a $20m payment to Carlson, according to a person with knowledge of the terms.

"We sincerely regret and apologise for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve," parent company 21st Century Fox said, in a statement that didn't announce the financial terms.

In the same statement, Ms Carlson said, "I am ready to move on with the next chapter of my life in which I will redouble my efforts to empower women in the workplace."

Since leaving Fox, Mr Ailes has served as an adviser to Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for the White House. Ms Carlson's lawsuit against Mr Ailes depicts a workplace where sexism was rampant, from Ailes's alleged ogling and innuendos to claims that Steve Doocy mocked her and treated her as a "blond female prop" on 'Fox and Friends', where the two were hosts.

Mr Ailes (76) "sabotaged her career because she refused his advances and complained about severe and pervasive sexual harassment", claimed Ms Carlson (50) a former Miss America.

According to her complaint, Ailes commented on her legs and outfits, while trying to engage her in sexual banter. She also alleged that Mr Ailes said he had slept with three former Miss Americas, but not her.

Ms Carlson complained again last September to Ailes about his treatment of her.

She said he responded: "I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago and then you'd be good and better and I'd be good and better." He also said "sometimes problems are easier to solve" that way, Ms Carlson claimed.

A similar lawsuit brought by ex-Fox News host Andrea Tantaros against the network and Ailes is ongoing. Tantaros is seeking almost $50m in damages, saying her tenure at Fox "devolved into a nightmare of sexual harassment".

Greta Van Susteren, host of the nightly broadcast 'On the Record', will leave Fox News after 14 years, the network said in a statement. One of the company's biggest female stars, Van Susteren had publicly denied witnessing any sexual harassment.
A woman has been arrested after setting fire to a car she thought belonged to an ex-boyfriend, according to police.

Carmen Chamblee, 19, was arrested on September 3 and charged with second-degree arson.

The owner of the white Honda, Thomas Jennings, said he had never seen her before.

CCTV caught Chamblee setting the vehicle alight last month, leading to Police posting the video on social media in search of her.

In the video, the teenager is seen stirring up the flames in the trunk before walking off.

Investigators found that a rag was set on fire and placed in the gas tank of the vehicle.

She was eventually spotted by a local officer and taken into custody.

Jennings said his roommate was first to discover the car in flames.

"He came running in the house saying my car was on fire," he told ABC New.

"We ran out there. He had a pot of water trying to get it to go out. It was too much."
A scene from an animated version of lost Doctor Who adventure The Power Of The Daleks which will be released exactly 50 years after its one and only showing on the BBC

An animated version of lost Doctor Who adventure The Power Of The Daleks will be released exactly 50 years after its one and only showing on the BBC.

There are no known complete recordings of the six-part story from 1966, which featured the first Time Lord regeneration when Patrick Troughton took over from original Doctor Who actor William Hartnell.

However, BBC Worldwide confirmed it had commissioned an animation studio to remake the episodes and save them from oblivion, while giving the Doctor's most famous nemesis a cartoon makeover.

The animation will be released on the BBC Store at 5.50pm on Saturday November 5. This is exactly 50 years to the minute since it was first transmitted on BBC One.

A handful of clips have been salvaged and posted online but no complete film recording is known to have survived after the master negatives were destroyed in an archive purge in 1974.

The Power Of The Daleks sees the Time Lord go to war with the Daleks on the planet Vulcan accompanied by his companions Polly (Anneke Wills) and Ben (Michael Craze).

This is not the first time a lost recording has been recreated using animation.

Producer and director Charles Norton and comic book artists Martin Geraghty and Adrian Salmon teamed up to make a lost Dad's Army episode into a cartoon earlier this year and will now turn their hands to Doctor Who.

The Power Of The Daleks will return in black and white after being developed with the use of audio recordings of the programme, surviving photographs and film clips.

Mr Norton said: "The Power Of The Daleks animation is the most ambitious Doctor Who archive restoration ever attempted and we're all very honoured to be a part of such an exciting project.

"Intelligent, suspenseful and magnificently staged, Power Of The Daleks is one of the great lost classics of 1960s television and a superb example of the black and white era at its finest."

BBC Worldwide executive producer Paul Hembury said: "Charles and his team are remarkably talented and passionate about Doctor Who and we are thrilled that fans will soon be able to enjoy this rather sinister but wonderful, classic story."
Three masked raiders were confronted by a street performer dressed as Shakespeare's ghost after targeting a jeweller's yards from the Bard's birthplace.

John Jarvis, 62, forced one of the robbers to the floor by taking a swipe at his legs with a garlanded walking stick as they fled down an alleyway in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

Another bystander reportedly hurled a chair at the offenders, who used a crowbar and sledgehammers to smash a window containing a display of watches.

Mr Jarvis, who was entertaining tourists when the raiders struck at about 11am on Wednesday, told the Press Association: "I was stood on my box doing my show and three chaps came running down the alley with big hammers.

"They gave the jeweller's (window) a right old bashing and they came running back towards me, one of them swinging a crowbar - so I took a swing at him."

One of the raiders then went down after losing his balance, Mr Jarvis said, before the gang escaped from the immediate area despite another bystander giving chase.

Asked what he thought was going through the offenders' minds as they were confronted by someone dressed as a ghost, the part-time performer, a former hospital worker, joked: "It was a frightening experience I should imagine.

"I can imagine them telling the police in interview there was a ghost chasing them and they must have searched their house for drugs."

Mr Jarvis also expressed surprise that the raiders had targeted one of the busiest streets in England, adding: "There were tourists and kids and he ran within feet of people having coffee and scones.

"There were coach-loads of people about."

No one at the store, Christopher Poel Jewellery, was injured during the raid and the offenders did not gain entry to the premises.

Hannah Poel, who was working in the family-owned shop, described the raid as scary, saying: "When I saw that they were masked and they were trying to get in it was so surreal. I was in tears and I was ringing the police.

"We are just looking at the stock to see what they have taken."

The shop in Meer Street is expected to reopen on Thursday.

A police spokesman said: "It is believed that three men attempted to break the glass windows to the property before leaving the area on foot in the direction of Henley Street.

"Police officers were deployed to the area, as was the police helicopter, and two men, aged 19 and 28, have been arrested on suspicion of robbery and are currently in police custody."
William Shatner, who played James T Kirk in Star Trek, once sent a message of support to an SNP debate

SNP MPs have said they hope Star Trek's vision of humanity peacefully exploring the final frontiers of space and science will live long and prosper.

Trekkies among the opposition benches have signed a parliamentary motion backing the sci-fi franchise, which on Thursday marks 50 years since the first episode of the television series was broadcast.

The MPs believe actors, scientists and writers of the future will continue to be inspired by series creator Gene Roddenberry's ideals.

Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) put forward the early day motion (EDM), which was also signed by 20 fellow SNP MPs .

It stated: "That this House ... recognises the significant cultural and scientific impact of the show, including the broadcast of the first interracial kiss on American television in 1968 and foreseeing many of the technological developments that have become commonplace today.

"(This House) hopes that the ideals and values promoted by the vision of the show's creator, Gene Roddenberry, of a better future, where humanity can peacefully explore the final frontiers of space and science, will continue to inspire future generations of scientists, actors and writers for many years to come."

Other signatories included former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond, who describes himself as an "obsessive Trekkie" and has been made a Starfleet officer by the show's fan club.

He was once stopped from boarding a British Airways flight after he booked his ticket under the name James T. Kirk - the captain of Star Trek's USS Enterprise. The situation was eventually resolved.

Democratic Unionist Jim Shannon (Strangford) and independent Michelle Thomson (Edinburgh West) also backed Mr Grady's EDM.

The strong Star Trek support among the SNP benches is not a surprise given that William Shatner, who played James T. Kirk, and George Takei - Mr Sulu from the same series - sent messages of support to a debate led by the party on the UK's space industry.

Philippa Whitford (Central Ayrshire) gav e a Vulcan salute as she concluded her speech in January, and urged ministers to be imaginative to enable the UK's multibillion-pound space industry to "live long and prosper".

During the same debate, Mr Shannon suggested Star Trek technology is not impossible to create in real life.

He added: "I look forward to the development of whenever we're able to travel from A to Z, from Belfast City (Airport) to Heathrow in a matter of seconds."

An EDM is a formal motion submitted for debate in the House of Commons, although very few are actually debated.

Mr Grady later referenced Star Trek in a question to Prime Minister Theresa May about her visit to the G20 summit in China.

He told the PM: "I don't know if at the G20 there was any discussion of America's cultural export Star Trek, which celebrates its 50th anniversary tomorrow... but if any of us want to live long and prosper we must tackle climate change."

Mrs May, in her reply, noted: "I think I can honestly say, in all the discussions I had in the G20 and all the plenary sessions I sat and listened through, Star Trek was never mentioned."
Dilma Rousseff receives flowers and gifts from supporters as she leaves the presidential residence (AP)

Dilma Rousseff has moved out of Brazil's presidential palace, six days after senators voted to impeach her and remove her from office.

A crowd of supporters cheered the country's first female president outside the Alvorada Palace in the capital Brasilia, some giving her flowers and other gifts.

Pictures showed her later being greeted by supporters at the airport and boarding a plane. Ms Rousseff has said she planned to return to her home town of Porto Alegre in southern Brazil.

She was removed from office for breaking fiscal responsibility laws in her management of the federal budget.

She denies the accusations and says her removal was a modern-day coup d'etat by political enemies who wanted her out.

Former vice president Michel Temer is now president and will serve out Ms Rousseff's term, which runs until 2018.

AP
A search of thousands of emails recovered during the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server has produced one previously unreleased message related to the 2012 attack on a US diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.

The message forwarded to Ms Clinton in January 2013 was from Tom Shannon, then-US ambassador to Brazil. The ambassador congratulated Ms Clinton on her testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations committee about the attack, during which four Americans died.

The email was filed in court by the State Department on Wednesday as part of a lawsuit by a conservative legal advocacy group. Judicial Watch has filed numerous lawsuits seeking government documents involving the Democratic presidential nominee's tenure as secretary of state.

The FBI recovered nearly 15,000 emails as part of its recently closed investigation that it said were not among the 55,000 pages previously provided by Ms Clinton. She and her lawyers deleted thousands of additional emails that were described as personal and private. Some emails Ms Clinton did not turn over but were recovered by the FBI from other people's accounts were work-related.

The State Department said in court last week it had identified about 30 emails from the FBI haul that were potentially responsive to Judicial Watch's request for messages related to the Benghazi attack. But after further review, the department said in its latest court filing that all but one of those were duplicative of emails already made public.

Mr Shannon's email was addressed to Ms Clinton's then-chief of staff, Cheryl Mills, who then forwarded it on to Ms Clinton's private email address.

"I watched with great admiration as she dealt with a tough and personally painful issue in a fair, candid, and determined manner," Mr Shannon wrote of Ms Clinton's Senate testimony.

"I was especially impressed by her ability to turn aside the obvious efforts to politicise the events in Benghazi, reminding Americans of the tremendous sacrifice made by (US ambassador to Libya) Chris Stevens and his colleagues but also insisting that our ability to play a positive role in the world and protect US interests requires a willingness to take risks."

The innocuous nature of the new Benghazi email is a setback for Republicans in Congress, who have spent years and millions in taxpayer funds on multiple investigations searching for evidence to support their claim that Ms Clinton was negligent in her handling of the Benghazi incident.

The email also does not support the supposition that Ms Clinton and her lawyers deleted emails about Benghazi to hide evidence of wrongdoing.

The FBI in July closed the agency's year-long investigation into whether Ms Clinton and her top aides mishandled classified information that flowed through the private email server located in the basement of her New York home.

Though FBI director James Comey described Ms Clinton's actions as "extremely careless", he said his agents found no evidence to support criminal charges.

Republicans said Ms Clinton lied to Congress about her handling of emails when she testified last October before a House panel investigating the Benghazi attacks. The GOP is pressing the Justice Department to open a new investigation into whether Ms Clinton committed perjury.
A Chinese Coast Guard vessel maneuvres to block a Philippine government supply ship with members of the media aboard at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea March 29, 2014. Photo by Reuters

Beijing comes under pressure over its 'illegal' island-building.

Beijing came under pressure at an Asian summit Wednesday over its "illegal" island-building in the South China Sea, after the Philippines produced photos it said showed fresh construction activity at a flashpoint shoal.

Any artificial island at Scarborough Shoal could be a game-changer in China's quest to control the South China Sea and raises the risk of armed confrontation with the United States, security analysts say.

Beijing insists it has not started building at the shoal -- a move that could lead to a military outpost just 230 kilometers (140 miles) from the main Philippine island, where U.S. forces are stationed.

But the Philippines released images which it said showed Chinese ships in the area that were capable of dredging sand and other activities required to build an artificial island.

The photos were released during an annual summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos, and the bloc voiced alarm.

"We remain seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some leaders on the land reclamations," said a joint statement at the end of their two-day summit.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in trade passes annually, even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations.

The competing territorial claims have long been a major source of tension in the region, with China using deadly force twice to seize control of islands from Vietnam.

Illegal island building

Tensions have escalated sharply in recent years as China built islands and airstrips on reefs and islets in the Spratlys archipelago -- another strategically important location -- that are capable of supporting military operations.

The United States has reacted to that build-up by sailing warships close to the new islands, and sending warplanes over them, deeply angering China.

A U.N.-backed tribunal ruled in July that China's claims to most of the sea had no legal basis and that its construction of artificial islands in the disputed waters was illegal.

But Beijing vowed to ignore the ruling.

China took control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012 after a standoff with the Philippine Navy, and has since deployed large fishing fleets while blocking Filipino fishermen.

Expanding that presence with a military outpost is vital to achieving China's ambitions of controlling the sea, according to security analysts.

U.S. officials fear any Chinese military airfield at the shoal would enable Beijing to enforce a threatened air defense identification zone in the sea.

An outpost at the shoal would also put Chinese fighter jets and missiles within easy striking distance of U.S. forces stationed in the Philippines.

U.S. President Barack Obama reportedly directly warned his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a meeting in March not to push ahead with any island-building there.

Conflict risk

The United States, which is a treaty ally of the Philippines, has repeatedly said it does not want to fight a war over the shoal.

But military skirmishes cannot be ruled out if China does start to build an island, according to security analysts.

"We could witness a physical confrontation between Chinese Coast Guard and Filipino vessels backed up by the U.S. Navy," Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor at Australia's University of New South Wales, told AFP.

An Obama aide on Wednesday played down the significance of the Philippine photos, telling reporters the United States had not detected any unusual activity at Scarborough Shoal.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had said he did not want to anger China by highlighting the row at the ASEAN events.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Obama and leaders from other regional powers are also in Laos this week for separate meetings with ASEAN.

But the release of the photos came just a few hours before ASEAN leaders met Li, in what Duterte's spokesman said was a deliberate move.

The ASEAN statement warned that further land reclamation could escalate tensions, and called for respect for United Nations' maritime laws.

Yet the statement did not explicitly call on China to abide by the July ruling, reflecting divisions in ASEAN.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has repeatedly said he does not want to pressure China, his most important ally, over the issue.

Obama had planned to discuss the sea issue during a meeting with Duterte on the sidelines of ASEAN.

But he cancelled after the volatile Philippine president called him a "son of a whore" for expressing concern about Duterte's war on crime which has claimed 3,000 lives.

Related news:

> Obama urges China to stop flexing muscles over South China Sea

> Vietnam says all will lose in any South China Sea wa




The car was discovered along the Seine River near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (AP)

A criminal terrorist investigation has been opened in Paris following the discovery of a car parked near Notre Dame Cathedral with seven gas canisters and pages written in Arabic inside, prosecutors said.

The Paris prosecutor's office revealed on Wednesday that a couple it described as radicalised - a 34-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman - were arrested a day earlier in a highway rest area near the southern town of Orange and transferred to Paris to be questioned in the case.

The car found near the famous cathedral on Sunday morning had its licence plates removed and hazard lights on.

That evening, its owner went to the police to report that his radicalised daughter was missing but without saying his car had also disappeared, the prosecutor's office said.

Police briefly detained and questioned the car owner before letting him go, the prosecutor's office said. His daughter is still being sought, the office said.

The man and woman arrested on Tuesday were already known by French security services for their alleged links with "radical Islamism", prosecutors said. The prosecutor's office would not say why investigators suspect them in the case nor whether the couple might have been in contact with the car owner's daughter.

The papers written in Arabic are being analysed, the prosecutor's office said.

It said it has opened an investigation under suspicion of a "criminal terrorist association".

Two others officials said an employee of a bar near Notre Dame Cathedral reported the car on Sunday morning as it was parked along the Seine River.

No-one was inside, but police found six canisters filled with gas in the boot and an empty canister on one of the seats.

No detonator or ignition materials were found in the car, the prosecutor's office said.

In addition to the car owner, three other people were briefly detained and questioned in the case before being released, it said.

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said it was still not clear why the car was abandoned or what the alleged intentions were of those under arrest.

Mr Cazeneuve said there have been 260 arrests linked to extremist networks since the beginning of the year "and a significant number of these people were preparing attacks".

In an interview with Le Monde newspaper earlier this week, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said an increasing number of teenage girls have been radicalised, with "very worrying profiles", ''very harsh personalities" and "sometimes terrorist plans that, intellectually, start to be brought to completion".

Mr Molins said 35 minors - 23 boys and 12 girls - are being investigated under preliminary charges, nine of whom have been detained.

France is on alert after a deadly string of Islamic State attacks and threats against landmarks.

Algeria-linked extremists used gas canisters filled with nails during attacks on Paris in the 1990s.

AP
Denmark's tax authorities received an anonymous offer over the summer to acquire the data

Denmark will buy leaked data from a Panamanian law firm that helped customers open offshore companies to avoid paying taxes, the Scandinavian country's taxation minister has said.

Karsten Lauritzen said Denmark's tax authorities had received an anonymous offer over the summer to acquire data from the so-called "Panama Papers" that could involve up to 600 people.

The ministry said communication with the anonymous source was made via encrypted channels.

Mr Lauritzen says "everything suggests that it is useful information" and "we owe it to all Danish taxpayers who faithfully pay their taxes".

"We must take the necessary measures in order to catch tax evaders who hide fortunes in, for instance, Panama," Mr Lauritzen said in a statement. "Therefore, we agreed that it is wise to buy the material."

He said, without providing details, that "there may be fundamental problems associated with buying leaked information," and taxation authorities "should be cautious".

He said that other parties in 179-seat Parliament supported buying the documents, which are part of a stash of about 200,000 documents leaked from law firm Mossack Fonseca.

"The material contains relevant and valid information about several hundred Danish taxpayers," he said.

It was not clear how many politicians backed the plan as there had been no public vote in the assembly.

Mr Lauritzen said the data cost a single-digit million kroner, where one million kroner is equivalent to 112,000.

AP
Republican Donald Trump has unveiled a plan to boost military spending by tens of billions of dollars.

The New York businessman outlined a plan for major increases in the number of active troops, Navy ships and submarines, and fighter planes as he works to convince sceptics in both parties that he is ready to lead the world's most powerful military.

Mr Trump, who has struggled at times to demonstrate a command of foreign policy, also seemed to acknowledge he does not currently have a plan to address cyber security or the Islamic State group.

If elected, Mr Trump said he would give military leaders 30 days to formulate a plan to defeat the group, commonly known as Isis. And he would ask the joint chiefs of staff to conduct "a thorough review" of the nation's cyber defences to determine all vulnerabilities, according to a fact sheet distributed by his campaign.

Mr Trump's address comes hours before his national security acumen is tested at a "commander in chief" forum on NBC.

"I'm going to make our military so big, so powerful, so strong, that nobody - absolutely nobody - is going to mess with us," Mr Trump said in a 23-second video posted on his campaign website ahead of a speech at the Union League of Philadelphia.

The appearances mark an intense, two-day focus on national security by Mr Trump, who has offered tough rhetoric on America's challenges abroad but few details.

The United States currently spends more than 600 billion dollars (450 billion) a year on the military, more than the next seven countries combined.

Mr Trump's rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton, has tried to paint the billionaire businessman as erratic, making the case that his disposition would be a major liability on the world stage.

"They know they can count on me to be the kind of commander in chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Mr Trump," Ms Clinton said Tuesday. "They view him as a danger and a risk."

Mr Trump has pushed back on that characterisation.

"I think my single greatest asset, of any assets I have, is my temperament," Mr Trump declared in North Carolina on Tuesday.

While Ms Clinton and Mr Trump will be featured at the Wednesday night forum, they will appear at separate times and will not face each other on stage. The forum could serve as a warm-up to their highly anticipated first presidential debate, scheduled for September 26 in New York.

It comes as Mr Trump's campaign announced an end to its practice of barring selected media from covering his events.

Mr Trump will deliver another speech on Wednesday evening, at the convention of New York's Conservative Party.

Mr Trump's Union League address also includes his plans to eliminate deep spending cuts, known as the "sequester," enacted when Congress failed to reach a budget compromise in 2011. Republicans and Democrats voted for the automatic, across-the board cuts that affected both military and domestic programs.

Mr Trump has given mixed signals about whether he wants to increase military spending overall.

While Mr Trump has often complained that US forces are not large enough or well-equipped, he has also said that he would save money by cutting waste and ensuring that contractors are not getting sweetheart deals because of their connections or lobbying efforts.

His position on the sequester has been even more murky. Mr Trump expressed support for the cuts in interviews in 2013 - even describing them as too small - but seemed to suggest at the time that military spending should be exempt, undermining the sequester premise.

A Trump adviser said Mr Trump would ensure the additional spending is fully paid for. The adviser did not explain how, but suggested there would be no need for structural budget cuts to pay for the billions of additional military spending over 10 years.

Beyond new spending on troops and naval assets, Mr Trump also supports additions to sea-based missile defence.

Mr Trump's campaign released a letter on on Tuesday from 88 retired generals and admirals citing an urgent need for a "course correction" in America's national security policy.

But questions remain, even in his party.

Questioned on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Wednesday, Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, repeatedly refused to say directly whether he had confidence in Mr Trump as commander in chief.

"I do believe that Donald Trump is growing in his understanding of these issues and I think that he's beginning to get more and more people around him that have a depth of understanding as to the complexities and I'm watching this evolve," he said.

He added that, "we'll all make our assessments," in the candidates' foreign affairs abilities by early November.

On Tuesday, Mr Trump promised to convene his military commanders soon after taking office with "a simple instruction" aimed at the Islamic State group.

"They will have 30 days to submit to the Oval Office a plan for soundly and quickly defeating Isis," he said.

AP
The incident happened in the past week in the Ross Road residential area off the Falls Road in Belfast.

A video has emerged showing 'death drivers' putting their lives and the safety of their community at risk.

The video was posted on Facebook on Tuesday. It shows two cars, thought to be stolen, being driven erratically in front of a group of youths.

The police then show up in an unmarked car and attempted to catch those behind the wheel.

One of those in a car can be seen making off on foot.

It's believed the incident happened in the past week in the Ross Road residential area off the Falls Road in Belfast.

By Wednesday morning, the video has been viewed over 170,000 times.

Many have blamed the notorious 'Divis Hoods' group which has been blamed for numerous car thefts and death driving incidents.

It is not thought anyone was injured.

Belfast councillor Tim Attwood said: "The behaviour on display here is reckless and dangerous in the extreme.

"Any one of the bystanders could have been injured as the cars are thrown around the street like toys.

"Im glad the police were able to respond quickly to the reports and I would encourage anyone with information about this criminal behaviour to come forward.

Sinn Fein West Belfast MP Paul Maskey has said a robust response was needed from the police and the courts to tackle car crime.

He said: "This shocking footage shows the complete disregard these car criminals have for the community in west Belfast.

"Thankfully no one appears to have been injured but unfortunately this community knows all too well the pain and misery car crime can have.

"We need to see a robust response from the PSNI in tackling car crime and the judiciary also have a key role in helping to eradicate this menace, particularly in the treatment of persistent offenders."
Former Bosnian Miss and Playboy model Slobodanka Tosic walking in her hometown of Han Pijesak

A former Playboy model has gone on the run in the Balkans after she was sentenced to jail for setting up a honey trap in a plot to kill a notorious mafia gangster.

An Interpol arrest warrant has been issued for Slobodanka Tosic, who posed on the cover of Playboy in 2008.

Expand Close This file photo taken on July 12, 2016 shows former Bosnian Miss and Playboy model, Slobodanka Tosic looking out of a window of her flat in her hometown of Han Pijesak. The former Playboy model has gone on the run after she was sentenced to jail in Bosnia for laying a honey trap in the attempted murder of a gangster, a court said on September 6, 2016 / Facebook

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Whatsapp This file photo taken on July 12, 2016 shows former Bosnian Miss and Playboy model, Slobodanka Tosic looking out of a window of her flat in her hometown of Han Pijesak. The former Playboy model has gone on the run after she was sentenced to jail in Bosnia for laying a honey trap in the attempted murder of a gangster, a court said on September 6, 2016

The model (30) was convicted earlier this year of arranging to meet a mafia boss, Djordje Zdrale, for a date and then betraying him to his rival Darko Elez, who then attempted to have him killed.

Zdrale was wounded in the assassination attempt in 2006 but he managed to escape with his life. The model was charged as an accomplice to the plot.

A court handed down a two-and-a-half year jail sentence in March and an appeal was ruled out in July.

According to court documents, Bosnian prosecutors said the former model had links to "one of the largest groups of organised crime".

Slobodanka Tosic failed to show up to serve her sentence and is now the subject of an international manhunt.

She was arrested in Croatia last year and was extradited back to Bosnia on an international arrest warrant.

However, she failed to report to the authorities after she was convicted.

Zdrale, who is serving a 20 year sentence for the murder of a police officer, but was brought from his prison cell to testify against Miss Tosic.

Miss Tosic is well known for her modelling career in her homeland and has appeared on the Bosnian version of Survivor.

She was also crowned Miss Bosnia at the age of 19.
Keith Vaz is facing further humiliation after the Labour Party turned on him in the wake of the sex scandal which led to him resigning as chairman of the Home Affairs select committee.

The Labour MP stepped down from the paid parliamentary position yesterday after a tabloid claimed he paid male prostitutes for sex and offered to take poppers and pay for cocaine.

Jeremy Corbyn then cast doubt on whether Mr Vaz would be allowed to continue as an elected member of Labour's ruling national executive committee. Mr Vaz has insisted he will remain a member of the NEC.

However, when asked about the scandal surrounding Mr Vaz, the Labour leader said his position will be "discussed next week". A number of backbenchers, including Labour members, are also privately calling for Mr Vaz to resign as a Labour MP.

Meanwhile, it emerged that, despite resigning as chairman of the influential select committee during a meeting with his fellow members, a defiant Mr Vaz refused to apologise for his conduct. His resignation came after MPs on the committee informed him that they were prepared to resign or force a vote of no confidence if he refused to step down.

It is understood Mr Vaz had been intending to fight on, believing he could keep his job as chairman. He had been due to address the members of the committee in a private session and explain his version of events. However, at 12.30pm Mr Vaz handed an advance statement to the media announcing that he was stepping down.

The statement said: "It is in the best interest of the Home Affairs select committee that its important work can be conducted without any distractions whatsoever. I am genuinely sorry that recent events make it impossible for this to happen if I remain chair." He added: "The integrity of the select committee system matters to me. Those who hold others to account, must themselves be accountable."

Mr Vaz said his "first consideration has been the effect of recent events on my family".

The statement was intended for release by the media to the wider public just after his meeting with the members of the select committee. However, it was tweeted by a BBC journalist shortly after 12.30pm.

During his address to fellow committee members, Mr Vaz did not apologise for his behaviour, but said only that he was sorry the statement had been released earlier than he had planned.

One source said: "He was gracious to the clerks and thanked the members. He was upbeat and spoke about the inquiries and work of the committee and how that had to continue without distraction."

Another MP said: "The thing about Keith is everybody quite likes him, he chairs fairly well, he is a lovable rogue in that sense. But there has got to come a time when your nine lives run out."

Mr Vaz was applauded at the conclusion of the meeting. Tim Loughton, a Conservative MP, was announced as interim chairman of the committee.

Mr Loughton said that Mr Vaz gave a "very frank" account to members about what had happened. "The committee listened, I think, in sadness to what Keith had to say," he said.

Later, Commons Speaker John Bercow was seen giving Mr Vaz a heartfelt pat on the back during a chat in the Commons. However, despite the support of some MPs, senior Labour Party figures began casting doubt on Mr Vaz's future.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Pictures of French mother-of-two Isabelle Dinoire a few months after her ground-breaking face transplant surgery, in February 2006, left, and in November 2006, right.

The world's first face transplant patient, Isabelle Dinoire, has died "after a long illness", a French hospital said yesterday, amid reports her body started rejecting her face last year.

Ms Dinoire made medical history in 2005 when she received a graft comprising the nose, lips and chin of a brain-dead donor. She required the huge transplant to replace parts of her face that had been mauled by her labrador while she was in a deep slumber after taking sleeping pills.

The hospital in Amiens, northern France, confirmed the death of "Mrs D, the first patient in the world to receive a face transplant in an operation carried out by Professor [Bernard] Devauchelle and his teams on November 27, 2005."

The hospital said the Frenchwoman's death on April 22, aged 49, had been kept quiet until now to protect her family's privacy. She died "surrounded by her family", it said.

'Le Figaro' newspaper reported that Ms Dinoire's body had rejected the transplant last year "and she had lost part of the use of her lips". The drugs that she had to take to prevent her body from rejecting the transplant left her susceptible to cancer, and two cancers had developed, the report said.

In a news conference in February 2006, just three months after the operation, the mother of two went before TV cameras. She appeared to be wearing thick make-up to disguise the scars of the procedure. Her lips were heavy and hard to move, and she spoke with a pronounced lisp.

She told how she had fainted after "taking medicines to forget" personal problems. "When I woke up, I tried to light a cigarette and I couldn't understand why it didn't stay between my lips. Then I saw the pool of blood and the dog next to me," she said. "I went to look in the mirror and was horrified."

But she said that the procedure had given her a new lease of life. "I have a face, like everyone... I will be able to resume a normal life," the divorcee said. "I have been saved."

One week after the transplant, she could eat and chew, and her speech improved rapidly. Four months later, sensation had mostly returned. She went on to learn to speak properly and to pull a range of expressions which made her feel "completely normal".

Around 30 people have received face transplants.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
VETERAN British Labour MP Keith Vaz is to quit as head of one of the most influential House of Commons committees after he was embroiled in rent boy revelations.

Announcing his resignation, the Labour MP said: "Those who hold others to account must themselves be accountable."

Mr Vaz's departure as chairman of the Home Affairs Committee comes days after reports emerged claiming that he paid two male escorts he met at a flat he owns near his family home in north London last month.

The 59-year-old Leicester East MP has said he has referred the allegations to his solicitor.

His chairmanship of the committee has come under intense scrutiny and in a statement yesterday Mr Vaz confirmed he would be standing down.

He said: "It is in the best interest of the Home Affairs Select Committee that its important work can be conducted without any distractions whatsoever. I am genuinely sorry that recent events make it impossible for this to happen if I remain chair.

"I have always been passionate about select committees, having served as either chair or member for half of my time in parliament. The integrity of the select committee system matters to me. Those who hold others to account, must themselves be accountable."

He insisted he was "immeasurably proud" of the work the committee has carried out over the last nine years, adding that he is "privileged to have been the longest-serving chair of this committee".

Mr Vaz said the decision to resign and stand aside immediately from the committee's business was "my decision, and mine alone" and "my first consideration has been the effect of recent events on my family".

He has recommended that, in the interim, Conservative MP Tim Loughton should chair proceedings.

Mr Vaz thanked fellow committee members past and present "for their tremendous support", as well as Commons and committee clerks.

Conservative Home Affairs Committee member David Burrowes told BBC Radio 4's 'World At One': "I think he has done the right and honourable thing. It was the inevitable thing, I think, given the nature of the allegations and his role as chairman of the committee.

"It wasn't a party political view... It would have been a cross-party view that would have been given to Keith and he has taken the right view for the good of the committee."

Mr Burrowes said Mr Vaz was "an excellent chair" but his position was "untenable". His continued occupancy of the chair would have led the committee's integrity "being called into question", he said.

The committee's inquiries into issues like prostitution or drugs "demand an objective view and one that isn't likely to be conflicted and isn't liable to be undermined or compromised", said Mr Burrowes.

"What has been exposed through the papers meant he was fatally compromised to continue as chair."

Mr Vaz said nothing to waiting reporters as he arrived for the meeting, which was being held behind closed doors in a Commons committee room.

The MP was accompanied by an aide carrying a large bouquet of flowers.

The meeting broke up after around 10 minutes as MPs went to take part in a Commons vote. A smiling Mr Vaz made no comment to the press as he left.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mr Vaz's future on the party's ruling National Executive would be discussed when it meets.
Family of Kristin Smart released several photos of the young student at the time of her disappearance

Police and FBI agents on Tuesday began what they called an excavation project at a central California state university campus in hopes of discovering the remains of a 19-year-old student who disappeared two decades ago.

Kristin Smart was last seen walking to her dormitory on the campus of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, 150 miles (240 km) northwest of Los Angeles, in 1996 after attending an off-campus party.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson told a news conference at the site of the operation on Tuesday that authorities hoped it would turn up clues to Smart's fate but that it was only one of several areas being searched.

"We must manage our expectations," Parkinson said. "It's our hope and desire that this leads to some of the answers (to questions) that we've been asking the last 20 years, what happened to Kristin."

Sheriff's and Federal Bureau of Investigation officials declined to say what led them to conduct a new dig on the hillside, not far from a 50-foot (15-metre) concrete letter "P" marking the campus, that was searched at the time of Smart's disappearance.

But an FBI spokeswoman said the sheriff's department had developed "new information" that prompted them to request that the agency bring in from its Quantico, Virginia, headquarters three dogs trained in detecting decomposed human remains.

Expand Close Kristin Smart went missing from a university campus 20 years ago this year / Facebook

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Some 25 FBI agents and more than two dozen sheriff's deputies were expected to take part in the excavation, using more sophisticated technology than was available 20 years ago.

According to the FBI, Smart was last seen alive around 2 a.m. on May 25, 1996, by a fellow student, Paul Flores, who told police following her disappearance that he parted company with her about a block from her dorm.

The San Luis Obispo Tribune newspaper reported that cadaver dogs homed in on Flores' dorm room during the investigation, specifically the mattress of his bed, and that he was questioned by police in June 1996 but not arrested or charged in connection with the case.

Smart's parents sued Flores and the university for wrongful death, but that lawsuit remains on hold because police records have been sealed during the criminal investigation, the paper said.

Delays in the investigation of Smart's disappearance prompted legislation in California requiring colleges and universities to share information about missing students more quickly with off-campus authorities.
China now has largest coast guard fleet in the world and its military muscle-flexing risks destabilizing the region.

Increasingly assertive action by China's coast guard ships in the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea, risks destabilizing the region, according to the authors of new research tracking maritime law enforcement incidents across the vital trade route.

While the risks of full-blown naval conflict dominates strategic fears over the disputed waterway, the danger of incidents involving coast guards should not be underestimated, said Bonnie Glaser, a regional security expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank.

CSIS researchers have detailed some 45 clashes and standoffs in the South China Sea since 2010 in a survey due to be published week on its ChinaPower website and seen by Reuters.

While the research includes clashes between a variety of regional states and types of vessels, the actions of China's coast guard dominates the picture. China's coast guard has been involved in 30 of the cases logged, two-thirds of the total. Four other incidents involved a Chinese naval vessel operating in a law enforcement capacity.

"The evidence is clear that there is a pattern of behavior from China that is contrary to what law enforcement usually involves," Glaser told Reuters.

"We're seeing bullying, harassment and ramming of vessels from countries whose coast guard and fishing vessels are much smaller, often to assert sovereignty throughout the South China Sea."

The center portion of the Subi Reef runway is shown in this Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative January 8, 2016. Photo by Reuters via CSIS/Files

The research includes the violent maritime stand-off between Beijing and Hanoi over the placement of a Chinese oil exploration rig off the Vietnamese coast in 2014, as well as tensions that led up to China's occupation of the Scarborough Shoal off the Philippines in 2012.

It is being published as Chinese coast guard and other vessels return to Scarborough, sparking formal diplomatic protests from Manila.

China's State Oceanic Administration, which oversees the coast guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the research.

The research defines an incident where a nation's coast guard or navy has used coercive measures beyond routine law enforcement action.

In the short term, Glaser said she believed the risk of injury or death could be worse in civilian clashes than among navies patrolling the South China Sea, given the frequency and intensity of incidents in recent years.

Encounters by rival coast guards are not yet covered by expanding communications arrangements that are geared to preventing clashes between the region's naval forces.

The survey cites research showing the unifying of China's civilian maritime fleets in 2013, coupled with on-going budget increases, has given it the world's largest coast guard.

It now deploys some 205 vessels, including 95 ships over 1,000 tonnes, according to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence - a far larger fleet than other regional countries, including Japan.

China claims much of the South China Sea, which carries the bulk of Northeast Asia's trade with the rest of the world. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims in the area.

Related news:

> Japan to provide planes, ships for Philippines amid sea dispute with China

> Seeking smoother summit, ASEAN to skirt mention of South China Sea ruling
The Republican chairman of the House committee investigating Hillary Clinton's email practices asked a federal prosecutor yesterday to determine whether she or others working with her played a role in the deletion of thousands of her emails by a Colorado technology firm.

The firm was overseeing her private computer server in 2015.

The written request by Republican Jason Chaffetz, from Utah, puts further pressure on Mrs Clinton over the emails controversy.

The FBI has decided not to press for criminal charges after a year-long investigation.

Mrs Clinton and her longtime aide and lawyer, Cheryl Mills, told FBI investigators during questioning that they had no knowledge of the deletions. Those occurred separately from the email deletions overseen by the former secretary of state's legal team last year before she turned over 33,000 work-related messages to the State Department. The FBI's recently released summaries of its investigation did not offer any evidence contradicting their statements.

In a separate letter Mr Chaffetz - the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman - warned the Denver-based tech firm, which hosted Mrs Clinton's server, that one of its engineers who deleted Mrs Clinton's electronic files last year could face federal charges of obstructing justice and destroying evidence for erasing the material.

That's because the congressional inquiry into the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, in which four Americans were killed, had issued a formal order on March 3, 2015, to preserve such records.

The moves by the GOP led-House committee amount to a serious new political speedbump for Mrs Clinton's presidential campaign, which was spared a legal ordeal in July when FBI director James Comey upbraided her for careless email practices but declined to seek criminal charges after the bureau's investigation.

Donald Trump and GOP allies have urged the appointment of an independent prosecutor - an unlikely prospect so late in the presidential election.

The sparse evidence laid out in Mr Chaffetz's letters - highlighting a March 2015 phone discussion between Platte River Networks and Clinton lawyers that FBI agents were unable to detail - also shows the uphill climb the committee faces in turning up any significant new information beyond what the FBI already learned in its inquiry.

"The bottom line is these documents were destroyed and they were records under subpoena," Chaffetz said. "Secretary Clinton has fought this every step of the way. The election should not slow down this probe."

Clinton's campaign dismissed Chaffetz's outline of the email deletions as a "conspiracy theory" debunked by the FBI investigation.

"This is yet another example of the congressman abusing his office by wasting further taxpayer resources on partisan attacks," Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said.

Platte River Networks and its lawyer were not immediately available for comment.

Chaffetz's letter to the US attorney for the District of Columbia, Channing Phillips, comes nearly two months after the House committee similarly asked the same prosecutor to determine whether Clinton committed perjury and made false statements in testimony to congressional committees.

The new referral asked the Justice Department to "investigate and determine whether Secretary Clinton or her employees and contractors violated statutes that prohibit destruction of records, obstruction of congressional inquiries and concealment or cover up of evidence material to a congressional investigation".
Rodrigo Duterte sits for the retreat session in the ongoing 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits at the National Convention Centre in Vientiane, Laos (AP)

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has met informally with President Barack Obama in a holding room before attending a gala dinner at a regional summit, officials said.

The brief meeting on Wednesday night took a little sting out of the soured relations caused by Mr Duterte's intemperate language in referring to Obama earlier this week. That caused Mr Obama to cancel a formal meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Pefecto Yasay told reporters: "I am confirming that they met."

Mr Yasay said: "I am happy. This shows that the relationship between the two allies is strong."

Mr Obama and Mr Duterte are in the Laotian capital along with other regional leaders for the summit.

Mr Yasay said: "They met at the holding room and they were the last persons to leave the holding room. I can't say how long they met. It all springs from the fact the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong. The basis for this relationship is historical and both leaders realise this. And I'm very happy that it happened."

On Monday, hours before arriving in Laos, Mr Duterte told Philippine reporters he would not accept questions from Mr Obama about extrajudicial killings that have occurred during his crackdown on suspected drug dealers and users.

More than 2,000 people have been killed in the crackdown since he took office on June 30.

"I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. Putang ina, I will swear at you in that forum," Mr Duterte said, using the Tagalog phrase for "son of a bitch".

On Tuesday, Mr Duterte expressed regret over the remarks, but the damage was done.

A Philippine department of foreign affairs spokesman, Charles Joe, also said Mr Obama and Mr Duterte met in the holding room.

He said it was a mutually agreed meeting, but that he had no details of what was discussed.

Mr Obama and Mr Duterte entered the dinner venue separately, and were seated far apart and did not interact with each other during the dinner, which lasted an hour and 20 minutes.

AP
President Barack Obama has ventured to a remote mountain town in Laos to tour a centuries-old Buddhist temple, gently chiding Americans to resist turning a blind eye to the world outside their borders.

Mr Obama used a visit to the mountainous northern city of Luang Prabang to push back against an America-centric world view promulgated by Republican Donald Trump. Questioned by young Southeast Asians, Mr Obama said the US could be a great force for good but has been constrained by the tendency to look inward.

"If you are the United States, sometimes you can feel lazy and think, you know, 'we're so big, we don't really have to know anything about other people'," Mr Obama said. "That's part of what I'm trying to change."

Though he did not mention Mr Trump by name, Mr Obama appeared to counter the isolationist approach epitomised by the Republican presidential nominee's "America first" rallying cry. An ardent opponent of Mr Obama's efforts to boost global trade, Mr Trump has questioned the US alliance with Nato and vowed to build a wall between the US and Mexico.

So when an Indonesian woman asked Mr Obama about American multiculturalism and the edict "e pluribus unum" - out of many, one - Mr Obama seized the chance to explain that when times are tough and people feel stressed "they turn on others who don't look like them". He said that's why it is critical for the US to promote principles that rise above any individual religion, nationality or race.

"Not everybody in America agrees with me on this, by the way," Mr Obama said. After a moment's hesitation, he added: "I'll leave it at that."

Throughout his visit to Laos, Mr Obama has lamented that most Americans know little about the country or the devastating secret nine-year war the US waged here half a century ago. He sought to use his presence and the spotlight that follows him to bring attention to an unfamiliar corner of the world.

In Luang Prabang, he showcased a rich cultural and religious heritage. A UNESCO World Heritage List site along the Mekong River, the city was a hub for Buddhist faith during the Lan Xang kingdom starting in the 14th century.

Mr Obama's first stop was Wat Xieng Thong, a 16th century complex of ornate gold buildings known as the "Temple of the Golden City." He removed his shoes before entering the carriage house, where he examined a line of golden statues.

"It's gorgeous," Mr Obama said.

Greeting the temple monks, Mr Obama posed for a group photo with about 20 boys in bright orange robes after being informed they were not supposed to shake hands. He bought gifts for daughters Sasha and Malia at an open-air shop and sipped from a coconut.

On this first visit by a sitting American president, Mr Obama has placed a particular emphasis on trying to heal wounds inflicted by the war the US waged here as part of the Vietnam War.

Mr Obama paid tribute to survivors maimed by some of the 80 million unexploded bombs America dropped on Laos during the war. Vowing the US will do more to help finally remove them, he touted his administration's move to double spending on ordnance clean-up to roughly 90 million US dollars (67 million) over three years.

"For the last four decades, Laotians have continued to live under the shadow of war," Mr Obama said as he toured a rehabilitation centre in the capital of Vientiane that cares for bomb survivors. "The war did not end when the bombs stopped falling."

Some 20,000 people have been killed or wounded since the war ended, Mr Obama said after viewing displays of small rusted grenades and photos of a child missing a foot. He insisted those were "not just statistics," but reminders of the heavy toll inflicted by war.

"I'm inspired by you," Mr Obama told Thoummy Silamphan, a survivor who uses a prosthetic after losing a hand to one of the bombs.

The president did not come to Laos to apologise. Instead, he said he hoped the strengthened partnership on bomb clearing could mark a "decisive step forward" between the US and this landlocked communist nation.

The visit also served as a capstone to his effort to bolster relations with Southeast Asian countries long overlooked by the United States. The outreach is a core element of Mr Obama's attempt to shift US diplomatic and military resources away from the Middle East and to Asia to counter China in the region and ensure a US foothold in growing markets.

AP
Demonstrators protest against Michel Temer after an Independence Day military parade in Brasilia (AP)

Protests are taking place against new president Michel Temer in several dozen cities across Brazil.

The news portal G1 reported demonstrations in 40 cities on Brazil's Independence Day. They also coincided with the opening of the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The biggest protest was in Sao Paulo, the country's financial capital. Organisers claim tens of thousands were on Paulista Avenue in the heart of the city.

Most of the other demonstrations were smaller.

Mr Temer took power last week after his predecessor Dilma Rousseff was removed from office by the Senate for breaking fiscal responsibility laws in her management of the budget. Ms Rousseff denied the accusations.

AP
Jeff Williams speaks on a phone shortly after landing near the town of Jezkazgan, Kazakhstan (AP)

A record-setting American and two Russians have landed safely back on Earth after a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

Nasa's Jeff Williams returned as the US record holder for time in orbit, logging 534 days in space over four missions.

Mr Williams, Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka logged 72.8 million miles in space, circling the globe 2,752 times before landing on the south central steppes of Kazakhstan 23 minutes after sunrise on Wednesday.

The trio undocked from the space station nearly three and a half hours before touchdown in hazy sunshine with a comfortable welcome home temperature around 19C about 90 miles south east of Zhezkazgan.

The three conducted experiments aboard the space station, and Mr Williams set the US record last month for most time spent in space, beating the previous record set by Scott Kelly during his year in orbit.

The world record is held by Russian Gennady Padalka at 879 days in space. Thirteen Russians have more time in space than Mr Williams.

AP

Nasa called it a "picturesque landing" on a picture-perfect day, adding: "Everything went very smoothly, very normally."

The three flyers were all smiles as they were pulled out of the Russian Soyuz capsule, which landed on its side.

Mr Williams wore a black baseball cap while seated outside talking on a mobile phone. Mr Ovchinin clutched a stuffed doll his daughter gave him as a mascot that went into space with him.

They were then carried to a medical tent for routine tests to see how they adjust to gravity, including checking to see how they could stand.

AP
Hate preacher Anjem Choudary's expression of regret at breaking the law by inviting support for Islamic State (Isil) was swept aside by a British judge who, sentencing him to five-and-a-half years, said he "knew exactly what he was doing".

In mitigation, Choudary's lawyer, Mark Summers, said: "In the commission of these offences, Mr Choudary believed he was still within the law, although ignorance of the law is no defence.

"But he has had time to reflect and on reflection would have done things differently had he known the boundaries of the law."

But Mr Justice Holroyde said Choudary (49) was aware of his considerable influence and what the likely consequence of his words would be at a crucial time for the spread of Isil in Syria.

He said: "You said nothing to condemn any aspect of what (Isil) was doing at the time. In that way you encouraged violent terrorist activity."
On the first Monday of September every year, America pauses to honor its workers and the contributions they make to our nations strength and prosperity. The notion that work is valued, and even noble, dates to the ancients.

"Seest thou a man diligent in his labor?" the Book of Proverbs asks. "He shall stand before Kings." In the United States, the belief goes back well over a century.

As a holiday, the Labor Day celebration began in the 1880s in New York City with an effort by labor unions to demonstrate the numbers, strength and spirit of workingmen and women. They organized parades and rallies, and used the demonstrations to press for new laws to benefit workers, such as standardizing the eight-hour workday. The movement spread to other cities, and in 1894 Congress made it a national holiday honoring all American workers.

The association with trade and labor unions has declined over the years. Today, for most people the holiday represents the last long weekend of summer, a time to relax and spend time with family and friends. There are still parades and rallies, particularly in election years, and also sporting events and picnics. For many, Labor Day means a "no labor" day, before the change of seasons and start of a new school year.

Over time, work in the U.S. itself has changed. More Americans now are occupied in offices and services than who toil on the factory floor. The connection between the holiday and the nation's workers remains real, though, as recognition of the source of so much of America's economic and social achievements.
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The U. S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, met with five steering members of the Religious Leaders Anti-Corruption Committee on August 25 to discuss their ongoing efforts to counter corruption in Nigeria through teaching, preaching, and government advocacy.

Reverend Ladi Thompson of the Living Waters Unlimited Church and Imam Shefiu Abdulkareem Majemu of the Strength in Diversity Development Center represented the steering committee for the interfaith group, which took shape after a January 2016 anti-corruption dialogue between religious leaders in Lagos and U.S. Special Representative for Religion and Global Affairs Shaun Casey.

Committee members include Reverend George Diala of the Covenant Foundation Christian Center, Alhajj Tajudeen Atanda Babatunde Osho of the Lagos Central Mosque, and Mr. Soyemi Ololade Ismail of the Strength in Diversity Development Center.

Joined by U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission David J. Young and Consul General Francis John Bray, the committee representatives shared with Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield their views on the effects of corruption on the development of Nigeria, and the weakening of government institutions and accountability.

They discussed their plans to promote anti-corruption norms and efforts through training and mentoring programs, development of educational materials that promote integrity from a religious standpoint, as well as traditional and social media campaigns.

Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield thanked the religious leaders for their work on an issue that was crucial for Nigeria, and urged them to continue to work together as a team, and with the U.S. Mission in Nigeria.

I encourage you to become more focused, more creative, and more collaborative as you continue to work to enhance your anti-corruption impact, said Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield. As moral leaders in Nigerian society, you have taken a very important step to get at the root of the problem of corruption.

She noted that religious leaders would benefit from greater cooperation with other civil society actors, in order to create more peaceful, stable, and secure communities.
In a significant development, researchers have discovered a wide range of new species of elusive pale grey cat-eyed Ghost snake in Madagascar. According to scientists, the presence of the pale grey snake is difficult to locate since it remains elusive.

Named as Madagascarophis lolo, meaning ghost in Malagasy, the newly discovered snake was discovered by the team from the Louisiana State University (LSU) Museum of Natural Science. They were assisted by the American Museum of Natural History in the US and the Universite de Mahajunga at the Ankarana National Park in Madagascar.

Named after vertical pupils

Originally published in the journal Copeia, the location of the discovery is the native home to a common group of snakes named Madagascarophis. They are also named as cat-eyed snakes. This is because of the fact that their vertical pupils were fairly active in the evening or night.

Commenting on the discovery, Sara Ruane, post-doctoral researcher at the LSU Museum of Natural Science disclosed that none of the snakes in the particular region has such distinct patterns neither snakes are such pale as this one. They are unable to find any snakes in Madagascarophis that are as pale and none of them have a distinct pattern as the currently discovered one.

Cat-eyed snakes found in degraded forests areas

Normally, cat-eyed snakes are mostly found in degraded forests areas. However, the newly revealed species of cat-eyed ghost snake was discovered on pale grey limestone rocks.

In the meantime, researchers found a closest relative to the discovered snake namely Madagascarophis fuchsi. It was found nearly 100 km north of Ankarana several years ago in rock isolated area. According to sources, it took researchers several years to unravel the mystery behind this new species due to the peculiar characteristic feature of the elusive nature.

Ruane added that cat-eyed snakes could be considered one of the most common groups of snakes in Madagascar. However, there will be several new species like this because of the lack of knowledge in the region. Moreover, the area is poorly explored by researchers.

Furthermore, the new snake species are mainly active in rainy season since they hunt for the frog, lizards, and other smaller snakes.
Imagine a temp job on your next trip abroad - a chance to earn back what you spend. Thanks to the people behind this hotel's latest 'requirement' it seems possible.

In what can only be described as the coolest job ever, the Arctic Snow Hotel in Rovaniemi, Finland recently announced that they're looking for someone to come on board as their official Northern Lights spotter.

Arctic Snow Hotel

If jaws aren't dropping yet, they will after this. The only requirement is that the prospective candidate stay up at night and notify guests when the northern lights finally light up the sky, and that they be able to speak in English.

Arctic Snow Hotel

Top this with the fact that the applicant needn't have any experience, although their salary package will be decided on the basis of how much experience they have, Dailymail reports.

Arctic Snow Hotel

The announcement came on the hotel's Facebook page on 17 August where they wrote,

In a little less than two weeks when the hotel was overwhelmed with requests, they had to make the following announcement,

Once a candidate is chosen, they'll have to first decide on accommodation since the hotel won't offer one. You will then get to call this place home for the next three to six months, which is how long your services will be needed. Any travel to Finland comes only after December.

Arctic Snow Hotel

On the plus side, if you don't make it, you can rent one of the glass igloos or opt for a room in their SnowHotel and catch the Northern Lights for yourself. A price check before the check in is strongly recommended.
Whether it's human trafficking, the civil war like the one going on in Syria, or war between countries, children are the most vulnerable group, and suffer the most. Another inconvenient truth released by UNICEF on Wednesday unearths a gruesome fact - despite being less than a third of the global population, children now make up more than half of the world's refugees.

Just two countries, Syria and Afghanistan, comprise half of the world's child refugees under protection by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Another appalling fact? Roughly three quarters of the world's child refugees come from just 10 countries.

Also Read: The Story Of Yusra Mardini - The Syrian Refugee Who Swam For Her Life And Is Now In Rio



Out of the 50 million children uprooted, 28 million flee due to conflicts

A UNICEF report titled 'Uprooted' reflects that, globally, some 50 million children have either migrated to another country or been displaced internally by force. And out of these 50 million, more than 28 million children have been forced to leave their country due to prolonged conflicts.

Though many communities and people around the world have welcomed refugee and migrant children, xenophobia, discrimination, and exclusion pose serious threats to their lives and futures, said UNICEFs executive director, Anthony Lake.

Also Read:6,500 Refugees Were Rescued Off The Coast Of Libya In A Mammoth 40 Life-Saving Operations!

8 million children have been displaced i n the last five years alone

According to the UNICEF report, new and ongoing conflicts globally have forced the number of child refugees to jump by 75% to 8 million. This has also made these children vulnerable to human trafficking and other forms of abuse.

AFP

But if young refugees are accepted and protected today, if they have the chance to learn and grow, and to develop their potential, they can be a source of stability and economic progress," added Lake.

Also Read: Refugee Team Becomes The Favourite Contingent At The Rio Olympics Opening Ceremony, Gets Heartwarming Welcome

More than 50% of the world's refugees are under the age of 18

According to the report, more than 50% of refugees living globally are under 18 years of age, whereas more than 45% of refugees living in different counties are between 18 and 59. reflecting how they spend their prime age when they could have contributed in the development of their respective countries.

Unicef

When it comes to international migrants, only around 15% of them are under 18. Today, children comprise one-eighth of all international migrants in the world (31 million children out of 244 million total migrants).

Also Read:Facebook Group Helps Refugees Keep In Touch With Loved Ones, Raises Over 100,000 For Phone Credit



The US, Saudi Arabia host the maximum number of child migrants

According to the report, some 3.7 million children live in the US, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. While in Europe, the UK hosts nearly 750,000 migrants under 18 - the highest in Europe.

Unicef

Asia and Africa too have a large number of child migrants. Nearly 43%, which accounts for almost half of the total migrants, are born in Asia and more than 60% of these migrants have moved within the region. Most of Asias child migrants are hosted in Saudi Arabia, which also receives the highest number of labour migrants  the reports authors say more research is needed to understand the connection between the two.

Also Read: Unable To Pay Traffickers, Syrian Refugee Allowed Smuggler To Rape His Wife As Payment

Turkey has the largest share of refugees, including children and adults

Globally, Turkey has the largest share of refugees  including adults  under protection by the UNHCR, and is believed to host the highest number of child refugees as well. Africa too has its share of pain to deal with. In Africa, one in three migrants is a child and Africans migrant equally within the African continent, Asia and Europe. South Africa and Ivory Coast are the top two host countries for immigrants.

The systems we have in place for people fleeing or seeking asylum are focused on adults, and in no way are articulated for children. They are usually based on border control and law enforcement, yet we know that detention for a child is the worst thing that can happen and can create significant problems [for] a childs development. But time and time again, we see that states dont have any system for [holding] children apart from [putting them in] detention, " says Dale Rutstein of UNICEF's Office of Research

Also Read: These Heart Breaking Stories Of Syrian Refugees In Search Of A New Life Will Bring Tears To Your Eyes
They are young, smart, highly qualified and not just internet savvy but masters of the web. Those who know how to exploit technology to make quick money.

Yes, we are talking about white-collar or cyber criminals who are giving a tough time to the Delhi Police to tackle the new kind of crime being carried out in a rather sophisticated manner.

Such persons belonging to the upper socio-economic class violate the criminal law in the course of their occupational or professional activities.

They are in fact more dangerous to the society than ordinary criminals for two reasons: the financial losses caused by them are much higher and damages on public morale.

India has witnessed a 350 percent rise in cyber crime cases from 2011-2014

This was revealed in an Assocham-PwC joint study on Thursday.

Blame it on systems that are built around technologies with weaker protocols which are inherently more vulnerable.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police that is a nodal unit for all cyber crime related matters dealt with 5,813 complaints of cyber crimes  fake admission racket, loan fraud, fake passport racket, bank fraud violation of copyrights and trademarks, hacking, obscene publications and forgery, among others  and investigated 944 cases in 2015. A total of 188 people were arrested, including 27 proclaimed offenders.

Nearly 60 per cent of those arrested for the cyber crimes belong to the age group of 18-30 years, show the data recently released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Reuters

Here, we introduce you to few white collar criminals:

(1) A former employee of Air India was arrested in July this year by the EOW for hacking of Air Indias frequent flyer accounts and fraudulent redemption of miles. The alleged mastermind Anitesh Giri Goswami  who was nabbed from Jaipur in Rajasthan  is an IT expert with BCA degree.

He had earlier worked with Kingfisher Airlines and Air India and was well versed with online ticket-booking system and functioning of intranet and internet based systems of Air India.

He first allegedly understood the functioning of the ticketing system as well as the points/miles system of the airlines and then hacked into the Loyalty Plus programme website of Air India. After hacking and gaining access, the accused obtained admin user rights.

Using the admin rights in the internal Loyalty Plus system of Air India, he upgraded several other user IDs with admin rights. Using these IDs he verified hundreds of dormant accounts of frequent flyer members by uploading fraudulently prepared KYC documents.

Thereafter, the accused used these membership accounts and the Frequent Flyer miles/points accumulated in these accounts for booking airline tickets. These tickets were then sold to various travel/ticketing agents based in cities such as Pune, Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, etc.

Goswami (23) is a young man with a graduate degree in BCA from Pune, Maharasthra. After completing his degree, he worked in a travel agency in Pune and thereafter he worked as ticketing executive with Kingfisher Airlines at Pune on contractual basis.

Thereafter the accused worked temporarily with Air India as Load and Trim Officer at Jodhpur Airport. Here he ventured into other areas of ticketing system as well as Frequent Flyer points/miles for making airline tickets. He also gained access to the internal functioning of Air India website. The accused left the job at Air India and started exploiting the loopholes in functioning of the Frequent Flyer Programme.

Reuters

(2) Crime Branch of the Delhi Police in July busted an interstate gang of credit/debit card phishing being run by a an engineer along with a science graduate. It was a joint raid by Crime Branch and local police of New Delhi district.

The accused originally belongs to Jharkhand used to cheat people posing as bank officials on pretext of debit card verification. They had allegedly cheated a senior doctor of RML Hospital. They transferred the cheated amount to different bank accounts through Paytm Mobile Solutions.

On June 21, Dr Dinesh Kumar, head, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatric PGIMER and doctor of RML Hospital, filed a complaint with North Avenue police station alleging that he had received phone calls from a person, who introduced himself as Ravi Sharma, an employee of State Bank of India with Employee Code: 531196.

He allegedly informed the doctor that his credit card had been blocked. By answering all queries, the accused convinced him and obtained details of his credit card in form of part numbers of credit card and part numbers of CVV.

Immediately, the complainant received a message from his mobile phone service provider that a new SIM card would be sent as requested by him and current SIM was to be blocked with immediate effect and his Airtel phone switched off.

Dr Kumar realized that it was something fishy and immediately he called up the bank but by the time he could get access to the bank executive through bank IVR (Instant Voice Response) system, the culprits withdrew approximately Rs 30,000 in four instalments.

AFP

However, fifth withdrawal was blocked by the bank. On his complaint, a case FIR No.54/2016 dated 21/06/2016 u/s 416/419/420 IPC was registered at PS North Avenue, New Delhi.

During investigation, it was revealed that the amount from the victims account was transferred through Paytm Mobile Solutions to a bank account pertaining to SBI Branch situated at Deogarh, Jharkhand. During further investigation, the said transactions were conducted through different IDs of Paytm Mobile Solutions, which were found registered on different mobile phone numbers bearing fake IDs.

The accused used technology of Paytm to transfer the cheated money to other bank accounts to disguise themselves to evade police action.

The joint team conducted raids in Jharkhand. Finally, on July 12, the accused  Sawan Verma and Manish Rai  were arrested.

The accused used to make random phone calls to different mobile phone numbers and obtain details of the credit/ATM/debit cards of victims posing as bank officials. They used SIM cards obtained on fake IDs to make such calls.

After obtaining the card details, the accused made fraudulent transactions from the account of the victim. During this, accused also procured one time passwords (OTP) from the victim in the name of verification procedure. The accused had used online technology of Paytm Mobile Solutions to transfer funds in other bank account, which is maintained by them for the purpose of cheating, assuming that police may not conduct such technical investigation and they would remain out of reach of the law enforcing agencies.

The accused transferred the cheated amount to the bank account procured by them in a bank located in remote area assuming that the police may not reach to such a remote location. The police revealed that several such gangs are operating at different places in similar manner. The offenders operate from village outskirts and their young associates keep watch on movements of strangers to raise an alarm in case of any police raid.

Reuters

Accused Manish Rai belongs to upper middle class family. His father is a manager in Vananchal Gramin Bank, Jamtara, Jharkhand. Vananchal Gramin Bank is a regional rural bank.

Rai completed his B.Tech (Chemical Engineering) in 2014 from Satyadhama University, Chennai. After completing his education, he joined Orchid Chemical in Chennai. He left the job after some time and was unemployed.

The second accused Sawan Kumar also belongs to a lower middle class family. He completed B.Sc. (Honours) in Mathematics in 2012 from Deogarh College. He was unemployed.

Being well educated, the duo have good communication skills due to which, they succeeded in cheating professionals like present victim.

(3) An alleged notorious cheat namely Shailesh Harender Sinha aka Pawan Saxena was arrested by the Crime Branch in August. He was wanted in two cases of cheating at Mumbai. He allegedly cheated Corporation Bank to the tune of Rs 2 crore. Previously, he also allegedly involved in four similar cases of cheating.

He completed MBA in Finance from a University in Patna in 2003. Thereafter, he joined as an assistant manager (sales) in Mumbai and left his job in 2006. He then tried hand at plastic trading business but could not succeed.

Reuters

Meanwhile, he began to act as a broker for getting loan sanctioned from different banks. In 2013, he was arrested in a cheating case of State Bank of Mysore to the tune of Rs 30 lakh and Bhandari Co-operative Bank to the tune of Rs 6 lakh.

In the recent case in which he was apprehended from Bakkarwala at Nangaloi-Najafgarh Road, the accused and his associates Amit Patel and Samir Kapadia got opened an account in the name of Proven Traders Pvt. Ltd. in Corporation Bank, Gokhle Road, Dadar, Mumbai where Security Guard Board, Maharashtra, had deposited the money deducted from the salaries of security guards as PF in the same bank.

They produced forged beneficiary certificate purportedly issued by the Security Guard Board, Maharashtra in favour of Proven Traders Pvt. Ltd. stating therein that a loan of Rs 2 crore may be issued to the holder of the certificate.

Accordingly, the Corporation Bank sanctioned a loan of Rs 2 crore to Proven Traders Pvt. Ltd. only on the basis of that beneficiary certificate. Later, the certificate was found to be forged. He was also wanted in similar case of Police Station Panwel City wherein Union Bank of India was duped to the tune of Rs 3 crore.

(4) An alleged cheat Kulwant Singh alias Goldi, aged 24 years, involved in online fraud on pretext of selling his scooty through OLX was arrested by the Crime Branch from Janakpuri in the city in July.

He allegedly cheated complainant Deepak Sahni, an employee of Tech Mahindra, on the pretext of selling his Scooty Mahindra Gusto through OLX for Rs 37,000.

BCCL

The accused is from a poor family and he lives with his mother in a rented house. His father lives separately with his first wife while accused Kulwant is the only son of his second wife. He studied up to class 10 and has no means of his livelihood.

He used to work with local caterers on daily wages but the earning is insufficient for livelihood of his family. Being fed up of poverty and to get released the mortgaged jewellery of his mother. He was in need of easy and quick money. To lure clients, he gave an advertisement of selling his Scooty through OLX.

On first occasion, he received Rs 7,000 from the complainant as an advance out of total sale consideration of Rs 37,000. On second occasion, after collecting Rs 30,000 from the complainant, he fled away from the spot after giving some misleading assurance to the complainant.

(5) In a major breakthrough, Special Team of Crime Branch in July busted a racket involved in cheating people by impersonating as one of the leading transportation companies  M/S Aggarwal Packers & Movers Ltd by overcharging on the pretext of service tax, transportation tax, octroi etc.

Complainant Sandhya from South Extension PartII submitted a complaint on behalf of M/S Aggarwal Packers and Movers Ltd alleging therein that regular complaints were received by them from several customers for being duped by some fraudsters of some non-existent entities by using dishonestly and fraudulently the name of their entity for procuring trust of innocent clients and commission of fraud by non-delivering of their goods and over-charging.

Meanwhile, the complainant contacted the alleged persons through one of the displayed mobile number of the non-existent entity on Google, who introduced himself as Aggarwal Packers and Movers Ltd. She requested for transportation of whole household goods of House No. A-6, First Floor, South Extension Part  II, New Delhi  110049, and two cars from Delhi to Bangalore.

Accordingly, on July 11 at about 2:30 pm, a person called Deepak came to the above mentioned address on a motorcycle, who posed himself as a surveyor of M/S Aggarwal Packers and Movers Ltd.

The deal for packing and transportation of goods was fixed for Rs 95,000. He demanded Rs 11,000 cash as token money, which was paid to him and the date for packing and transportation was fixed for morning of July 14.

Accordingly, Deepak filled up a quotation letter duly signed by him and handed over it to the complainant. On verification, it came to notice that no such entity, i.e. Aggarwal Goods Packers & Movers, wherein the word Goods is hardly visible on a red strip, exists at the address printed on the quotation.

On July 14, nobody from the said company turned up and the mobile number of the said company was also found switched off. It was alleged that such non-existing entities have not only committed cheating with Sandhya but also with several other customers by false representation.

A set of complaints received from several innocent people, who were duped by the non-existing entities were submitted by them.

Reuters

The accused disclosed that he learnt this illegal business from Mr. Rajesh Bhambu @ Raja r/o Pune, Maharashtra, who used to cheat people through a fake company, i.e. Aggarwal Cargo Packers and Movers situated at Gurgaon, in which the word Cargo was printed on the Bills/Vouchers in a very small and hardly visible font on some dark coloured strip to befool people and get their goods for transportation in the name of M/s Aggarwal Packers & Movers company.

However, during this year, due to some personal problem, he left Gurgaon and offered the accused to take over his business and promised to help him in running this illegal activity. On his assurance, he started this illegal business and named his company as Aggarwal Goods and Packers. The word Goods was got printed on a dark coloured strip in a very small and hardly visible font on the Quotation Vouchers/Bills to defraud innocent people.

He further disclosed that he also got designed a fake website in the name and style of M/s Aggarwal Packers and Movers and managed to display his fake companys name and contact numbers at Google at the first click to attract people.

He also disclosed that they used to book the goods at lower rates and once the goods were taken away by their executives, they didnt deliver the goods until they were paid huge amount on the pretext of service tax, transportation tax, octroi. They have also cheated on the amount received as token money from several clients who and did not turn up after they found their activities suspicious.
A quarter century of civil war, exacerbated by the rise of the violent al Shabaab terror group and cyclical droughts of historic proportions has seen wave after wave of Somalis leaving their home country. Today, some 463,000 Somalis are living as refugees in camps in neighboring Kenya.

In many respects, the conditions in Somalia have been steadily improving--the government and economy are taking shape, Somali security forces are emerging, and al Shabaab has steadily lost territory due to the combined actions of the Somali government, international partners, and the African Union Mission in Somalia, or AMISOM forces.

And thanks to the Tri-partite agreement of 2014, refugees have been making their way home from Kenya. However, the country, its people living in Somalia and abroad, as well as repatriating refugees, are still in dire need of humanitarian help.

So, the United States is stepping up, said Secretary of State John Kerry during his recent visit to Kenya. I am pleased to announce that the United States will be providing an additional $117 million more in support for refugees, returnees, and drought victims in the region, raising our total assistance just for this year to $265 million. And we will also contribute an additional $29 million to the UNHCRs new Supplementary Appeal in support of the safe and voluntary return of refugees to Somalia

This sum includes new humanitarian assistance of more than $87 million in food and non-food help for refugees and drought victims in Kenya and Somalia. Working through a number of humanitarian organizations, the United States will also provide aid and help improve conditions across Somalia, particularly in hard to reach areas of south-central Somalia. This aid includes support shelter, water sanitation, and hygiene, health and nutrition, and livelihoods programs for returnees in accessible areas of return.

The United States remains committed to helping address the serious humanitarian concerns in Somalia and continued protection and assistance for refugees in Kenya and elsewhere in the region, and continues to urge the international community to contribute more resources to humanitarian appeals to support durable solutions for Somali refugees.
Kamal Bhatia, a businessman based in Ghatkopar in the suburbs of Mumbai was in for a rude shock on Sunday after he booked an Ola cab for a trip to Pune to attend a wedding.

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After the round trip was completed, the driver handed him a bill of Rs 83,395, which is way higher even for a flight ticket.

According to the bill he had travelled 7,000 km in a span of 14 hours, which is at the speed of 500kmph.

"I had never imagined that I would be a victim of such a hefty bill. Even if I travelled by plane to Pune, it would not have cost so much. It is common logic that a car cannot cover 7,000 km in 14 hours" he said.

Mumbai Mirror

The businessman said he briefly argued with the driver, who too accepted it was a mistake.

He then got in touch with the call centre of Ola and after an intense argument for nearly 30 minutes, they accepted it was a mistake and agreed to revise the bill.

"Finally, I was charged for 347 km. I paid them Rs 4,088 and gave Rs 100 to the driver as tip," he said.

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Later, Bhatia said he got a call from Ola, where the company apologised for the mistake and agreed to waived off the entire fare.

This is the second such incident involving Ola and an inflated bill in the recently. Earlier Rathish Sekhar, a Telangana resident got a bill of Rs 9.15 lakhs for his 450 km round trip.
India could soon have US made unmanned aerial vehicles or drones drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean. According to reports, US is likely to respond positively to the request for 22 unarmed high-tech multi-mission Predator Guardian drones after India was designated a ' major defence partner ' of the US in June.

Reuters

Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama at the White House in early June, the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR) in February to Department of Defense towards purchase of 22 Predator Guardian UAVs.

The US government has not made a formal decision on it yet, but is believed to have started an inter agency process on the Indian request.

Reuters

Officials believe the sale of predator Guardian UAVs would act as a force multiplier for India's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region; which of late has become one of the key American objective in the Asia Pacific region.

Reuters

Top governmental told PTI that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had detailed discussions on predator Guardian UAV to fulfill maritime surveillance requirements.

Parrikar was in the US last week and held meetings with Carter at the Pentagon on August 29. During the meeting, Carter is understood have assured Parrikar he would personally "champion" India's request "within the system," sources said.

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Along with the White House, the Pentagon and some influential members of the US are keen to complete the process as soon as possible before Obama leaves his presidency next January.

The Guardian, manufactured by General Atomics, has cutting edge technologies that do not do not exist in the current Indian Navy arsenal.
Even while the National Crime Record Bureau's latest data shows that Haryana has the second highest number of criminal complaints being lodged at police stations, the cops have been assigned a rather unusual task.

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Police officials in the state's Mewat district is busy collecting biryani samples from street vendors to check for beef.

But why does a state with the second highest number of criminal complaints need to police the biryani more than the streets?

Mewat is Haryana's only Muslim-dominated district and the diktat from the state government's Gau Sewa Ayog has come just ahead of Bakri Eid on September 11.

Bharti Arora, DIG in charge of the special task force to check cow smuggling and slaughter, and Mewat SSP Kuldeep Singh along with Ayog chairman Bhani Ram Mangla met locals in Mewat on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

"So far, we had selectively collected samples, but now the sampling will be random, targeting all vendors selling biryani," she said.

Mangla said the directions to the police were issued in the wake of a number of specific complaints that the biryani vendors were serving beef, adding that the search will be spread to other districts too.

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Even when the Jat Protestors ran riot, the state police was accused of doing nothing to control the situation. So they might not even be successful.

"Selling beef openly is difficult. According to the complaints we received, the vendors are mixing a little rice with the meat to camouflage it," Mangla justifies the decision to carry out a search.

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The police have been told to immediately book vendors if they find beef. "At the same time, we have also asked the food and drug administration to ensure early reports of tests," he said.

Thankfully some people are outraged

Congress leader from Mewat, Aftab Ahmed has termed the move as an attempt by the BJP government to embarrass and humiliate the particular community and a particular district. "This violates constitutional provisions of people's right to work," he said.

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"This is totally vague, unjustified and targeting of a particular community." The Ayog has even pinpointed specific areas with beef trouble. These include Ghaseda, Nuh, Ferozpur Jhirka, Rawali, Nagina, Pingawa, Bhadas, Malab, Punhana, Shikrawa, and Choukha.
In a major breakthrough, Delhi Polices Crime Branch has busted an international human trafficking racket spread across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Kuwait and Oman and rescued 26 women; including 10 Indian and 16 Nepalese nationals.

The police have also arrested two persons  52-year-old Nepalese citizen Shabin Shah alias Shobhin Keshi and his 34-year Indian associate Bidya Lama alias Laxmi  who are alleged kingpins of the racket.

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A resident of Jalpaigudi in West Bengal, Laxmi is said to be care taker of a shelter home which was allegedly being used for confinement of the victims. Two passports and boarding tickets of the victims have been seized from their possession along with six mobile phones.

All rescued women, the police said, are major. Most of them are married and belong to very poor family background. They were brought on the allurement of providing jobs in Gulf countries, said the cops.

Modus Operandi

During sustained interrogation of the rescued women and the arrested accused, said the police, it has been revealed that Keshi is the kingpin of the international human trafficking racket.

He (Keshi) had been running this racket since 2011 from a rented home at Mahipalpur and Roopnagar areas. The trafficked women were first brought here before being transferred abroad. He claims to have sent around 1,500 women belonging to India and Nepal to Gulf countries illegally so far. He has a number of agents, who are active in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Oman, Kuwait, Dubai and India, said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav.

BCCL

Both the complainants, he said, were brought to Delhi and kept in a flat in Mahipalpur, which belongs to Laxmi who runs a shelter home there. They (the complainants) were informed that their departure and employment in Dubai has been confirmed and that they will be sent soon from Delhi. When the two women reached Delhi, they were told that they had to go to Dubai on tourist visa via Colombo in Sri Lanka, where they had to stay for few days and then they would go to Dubai. This was contrary to the earlier promise that they would be sent to Dubai from Delhi directly. The accused also demanded huge sums of money from them. When the women refused, they were confined in a dark room. Meanwhile, the accused got tourist visa for the victims via Sri Lanka route and again asked for huge money. Sensing the danger, both women escaped from the flat finding an opportunity and reached Nepal Embassy which directed them to report the matter to Crime Branch, he added.

This international human trafficking racket  according to him  targets, married, illiterate and poor women of Nepal and northeast India. The agents based in Nepal bring the women to Delhi on the promise of providing employment in Gulf countries and handsome salary. The interested women are asked to get prepared their passports and arrange money for expenditure incurred over these journey and employment.

Once they reached Delhi, the victims used to get shelter in the rented accommodation of the accused at Mahipalpur and Roopnagar. Accused Bidya Lama looked after them and kept the women in confinement.

There is a strict provision in immigration rules of India and Nepal for grant of employment visa of Gulf countries for illiterate and poor women, hence, agents preferred Sri Lanka route and obtain tourist visa for these women and avoid the checking in India and prospective offloading, he said.

As per the Emigration Act 1983, Emigration Check Required (ECR) categories of Indian passport holders, require to obtain emigration clearance from the office of Protector of Emigrants (POE), Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs for going to following 18 countries  the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordon, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand and Iraq (emigration banned).

After reaching Colombo, said Yadav, the women are sent to Gulf countries through employment visa. For this, the agents used to charge Rs 50 to 60,000 per woman for travelling to Delhi, visa for Sri Lanka, Gulf countries and air tickets for Colombo and Dubai.

BCCL

One they reach abroad, the women were provided jobs as domestic help or work in shopping malls, restaurants, hospitals etc. Their exploitation does not end here only. They agents used to take Rs 5,000 per month from their salaries every month as commission. The agents based in Gulf countries arranged jobs and employment visa for these women and charged commission after these women got employment.

The commission is further distributed to Delhi-based agents. There is a complete chain and understanding between agents based in Nepal, Delhi, Sri Lanka and Gulf countries. The employment visa of Sri Lanka and Gulf countries was obtained online by agents based Gulf countries. Accused Shabin used to save Rs 20,000 to 30,000 per woman as his share, he added.

The Incident

On September 1, two Nepalese women approached the Crime Branch alleging that they were brought to New Delhi by one Ramu Choudhary and Keshi  both residents of Nepal  on the pretext of providing jobs in Gulf countries and were kept in Mahipalpur area for more than 10 days in confinement.

Their passports were seized by the accused and their movement was strictly restricted. The complainants somehow escaped from the flat where they were held hostage with the help of some of their Nepalese contacts in the city, said Yadav.

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After registration of a case under sections 370/344/120B/506/509 of the IPC, he said, a dedicated team of Northern Range, Crime Branch, led by DCP Dr G Ram Gopal Naik was constituted under the overall supervision of Additional CP KK Vyas.

A raid was conducted at a shelter home being run Mahipalpur area, where both the women were kept in confinement. We rescued 20 more women. All the women were produced in the Patiala House Court and were sent to Nari Niketan for their safety and rehabilitation, he added.

On August 4, the kingpin and prime accused Keshi was arrested from his premises in south-west Delhis Roopnagar locality at the instance of co-accused Laxmi who was earlier taken into custody. Two passports belonging to victims and five mobile phones were recovered from his possession. Four more women, including three Nepalese and 1 Indian, were also rescued from his place, he added.

Profile Of The Accused

Accused Keshi is married and has two wives in Kathmandu, Nepal. He has studied up to class 8. He first came to India in 1987 for business of clothes. In 2011, he started human trafficking.

BCCL

He has confessed that he has so far sent around 1,500 women belonging to Nepal and India to Gulf countries. He has travelled to Thailand and Dubai several times. He is living a lavish life style in Delhi and maintained two rented premises in prime locations of Delhi.

Accused Bidya Lama is a divorcee and has two children. Her father is a farmer. She got education up to class 8. Around 4-5 years back, she was sent to Kuwait by accused Shabin Shah where she spent three years. She worked as domestic help there.

Also Read: With Nearly 1500 Reported Cases In 2015, Assam Is The New Hub Of Human Trafficking In India

After returning to India, she remained in constant touch with accused Shah and started helping him in providing shelter and confining women in Delhi. She used to get Rs 15,000 as salary. She has no previous involvement.
A distraught 21-year-old dental student from West Bengal has been desperately seeking to bring to justice two local goons who threatened him before abducting his two-month-old Labrador puppy, Maya. The dog was abducted while it was out for its walk with owner Sumiran Rai in Hongasandra last Thursday.

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Reeling from the loss, Sumiran was in for another shock after the Bommanahalli police not only refused to accept his complaint and register an FIR, but asked him to locate the alleged dognappers himself, so the police could then initiate action.

Though some local residents witnessed the whole incident, none of them have come forward to give a statement or identify the suspects.

Sumiran, a fourth-year student doing his Bachelor's of Dental Surgery, was walking his dog with a friend late on Thursday night when three armed miscreants stopped them and abducted Maya while threatening him at knife-point. The duo tried to chase the dognappers, but they sped away on a scooter that was parked nearby.

"Some local residents and shopkeepers saw the entire incident. I immediately rushed to Bommanahalli police station seeking help. The police came with us to the spot, but by then the shops were closed and the eyewitnesses had gone. Later I found out that two of them were local goons and almost everyone knew them," Sumiran told BM.

Reuters/Represenatational image

Some residents later told him that two siblings, reportedly infamous in the locality, Prabha and Aiyyappa, were part of the trio that took his dog away. Though he approached the police again with specific information, they allegedly downplayed the incident and ridiculed him.

"I rushed to the police with their names, but the cops started laughing at me. It has been almost five days, but the police are refusing to register the complaint. Now the police have asked us to find the address of the accused. After my dog was taken away, I have been visiting the police station every day," Sumiran added.

When Bommanahalli police were contacted by BM, they claimed that nobody had approached them in connection with such an incident. They also contested the complainant's claim that an FIR was deliberately not being registered.

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"The telephone numbers of the local inspector and sub-inspectors are made public to local residents. The complainant can easily approach them if he was turned away by men at the station and get his complaint lodged and FIR registered," said Bommanahalli police.

The police normally register a case like this under section 378 of the Indian Penal Code (Theft).

Sumiran purchased Maya for about Rs12,000 and was extremely attached to the puppy. Labrador puppies are in high demand in the city.
Even as the condition of a 16-year-old gang-rape victim from southeast Delhis Jamia Nagar continues to be critical after she was tested positive for Hepatitis B because of an infected rapist, a criminal silence is being maintained by different sections of the society  be it the media, vibrant civil society, local political representatives and the police.

The only apparent reason is extremely poor family background of the victim.

Her mother is a domestic help and father drives e-rickshaw to make two ends meet.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

The victim is suffering from severe throat infection because of the forced oral sex. She is unable to talk properly. She remains unconscious most of the time because of the higher dose of drugs she was given during the entire period 4-5 days when she was held hostage.

The minor girl was allegedly abducted from the locality on August 20 by a person known to her and sexually assaulted by 25 men till August 25 in a room at an isolated place located somewhere at a distance of 3-hour drive from Delhi.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

She was  according to her MLC report  intoxicated with some drugs, perhaps through injection as her right hand has an injection mark, so that she cannot scream. She was kept blind-folded throughout the period. Her eyes were opened whenever she was provided food to eat during which she managed to count the number her assaulters who had their faces covered.

After they repeatedly raped her for four consecutive days, she was sold to a person in Delhi who sodomised her at a graveyard in Nizamuddin, Nizia Hassan, a social worker who is counselling the victim, told Indiatimes.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

Hassan says the girl  a class 8 student  is still under the influence of drugs and whenever she opens her eyes she asks for it.

Because of acute pain, she is unable to sit and walk, said the victims mother.

Ironically, the police which claim to have become zero tolerant towards sexual violence post December 16, 2012 Delhi gang-rape incident are allegedly pressurizing the family to get the victim treated at home for the sake of honour.

The victims family wants to leave the area because people in the neighbourhood have to know about the incident.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

It is also being alleged that several graphic details provided by the victim that could be helpful to apprehend the culprits has not been recorded in the FIR.

Only prime accused, who is said to be a juvenile, has been taken into the custody. The rest 24 are still at large even after more than a week of the registration of the FIR.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

The girls statement was recorded on Monday before a magistrate under section 164 CrPc on Monday after she was discharged from a hospital where she was admitted after her condition deteriorated soon after she managed to return home.

Disappointed with the police apathy, locals of the area took out a candle march on Tuesday evening and shouted slogans at Jamia Nagar police station.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

We Cant Arrest Juvenile

The police argue that they cannot arrest minors involved in the incident.

We have already taken into custody the prime accused who is a minor. During custodial interrogation, he has confessed to have known to the victim but has denied his involvement in the incident. The attendance register of his school also shows he was present in the class on the days of the incident. Despite this, we are exploring all the angles to ensure culprits can be brought to book and the victim gets justice, a senior officer close to the investigation told Indiatimes.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

Notably, the main accused who is in the custody studies in the evening shift of the same government school in the locality where the victim is enrolled.

She was introduced to the boy by one of her batch mates. The boy allegedly befriended the victim over a period of time and took her to a flat where he established physical relations with her and recorded the act. Then, he allegedly started blackmailing her threatening her that he will make the video public if she refuses his demand of sexual favours.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

He kept on sexually exploiting her for a long time. Later, he was allegedly joined in by more and more people who kept their faces covered during the heinous act.

The problem is we cannot arrest juveniles and quiz them properly. We can only detain them for questioning. We are trying our best and expecting a material disclosure within a week, said the officer. He said the victim has mentioned the name of two others in her statement before a magistrate and they would be questioned soon.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

Silent Civil Society And Local Political Representatives

Many civil rights and religious organisations based in Delhi have visited Mewat district in Haryana where a couple was murdered and a minor girl and her married cousin were allegedly gang-raped by robbers who went on a rampage at Dingerheri village around midnight on August 25.

But none of them are bothered to pay heed to what have happened in their own city. Not a single person having a big name in the field of rights activism has met the family of the 16-year-old who is battling to return to normal life. The family is suffering from financial crunch and is unable to meet medical expenses required for the recovery of the girl.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

Those who had gathered yesterday to seek justice for the victim contributed a sum of Rs 3,000 to the family to meet the expenses. Ironically, the local MLA or the counsellor has not approached the family, forget about raising voice for them.

Why is it so?

Just because the family is poor, will their plight not get media coverage?

What is there a silence in the media fraternity?

Because the issue is not high-profile or there is no uproar over it?
If anyone had thought that Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte would mellow down in his 'choice of words' after he used some colorful language against American President Barack Obama, they couldn't have been any more wrong.

Reuters

Days after his "Putang ina" comment on Obama, the firebrand Filipino leader has hit out at Abu Sayyaf, an ISIS affiliate Islamic terror group operating in parts of Philippines.

"They will pay. When the time comes, I will eat you in front of people, he said while speaking in Lagos during the ASEAN summit.

The comments was in response to a bombing that took place last week at a crowded market in Dutertes hometown, Davao City, which killed 14 people and injured 68 others. It was the biggest terror attack in the city which he ruled with an iron-fist for nearly two decades.

AFP

The latest remark once again shows that the fiery president who has an approval rating of 93 percent despite his controversial comment is in no mood to slow down.

Duterte, before his jibe on Obama, had called Pope Francis a a son of a whore for causing a traffic jam in Manila during an official visit.

He had shocked the world after an Australian woman was raped and killed in his home state when he was the mayor.

"I saw her face and I thought: Son of a bitch. what a pity  they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first, he said.

AFP

Duterte who came to power with a promise to end the drug crisis in the country had ordered police kill all drug peddlers.

Ever since over 2,000 suspected drug dealers have been killed across Philippines.

When UN questioned the extrajudicial killings he called UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon a "stupid" and threatened to quit from the world body.
On Tuesday, Malala Yousafzai called on the UN and the international community to help right the wrongs in Kashmir, which has been witnessing "inhumanity and heartbreak" for months.

"The Kashmiri people, like people everywhere, deserve their fundamental human rights... They should live free of fear and repression," said Malala.

Reuters

"I call on the United Nations, the international community and India and Pakistan to work together with utmost urgency to right these wrongs, providing the people of Kashmir with the dignity, respect and freedom they deserve," she said as quoted by the Dawn.

Tensions in the state sparked when Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter on July 8. The curfew that shut down the region led to the closure of schools which have been keeping the children away from classrooms, Malala said.

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"I stand with the people of Kashmir. My 14 million Kashmiri sisters and brothers have always been close to my heart," she added.

Many, however, disagreed with Malala and expressed their opinion on Twitter.

One should not be shocked if @Malala will return her #NoblePrize inspired by #AwardwapsiGang on #KashmirUnrest  Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) September 7, 2016
It was a day like any other. Cabbie Ajit Singh Bharth was dropping off a passenger in Midtown Mahattan when luck happened. Because the next day, the man was walking the ramp for Men's Fashion Week in New York!

Mr. Bharth was spotted by Quinton Clemm of Edios, a men's fashion brand, just a day before their presentation at New York Fashion Week.

Clemm described his experience of catching hold of Bharth before he drove away,

"I only caught a glimpse of his profile, but as the cab pulled off from the curb and into the traffic, I knew that I had to catch this cab. After jogging two blocks after the vehicle, Bharth caught a traffic light and I hopped into the back of his cab."

Edios

Clemm made an offer to Mr. Bharth, asking the latter to participate in a one-hour participation of models for Edios's spring/summer collection,

"I engaged Bharth in conversation, asking him where he was from and how long he had lived in the city, and I even asked if I could click his photo. He very kindly obliged at a traffic light, and as we headed downtown together I told him a little bit about Eidos as well as the collection on which we were currently working. By the time we reached my destination, I had written down some information both on the brand and on myself, and asked if he would be free to come in for a fitting that afternoon. That very afternoon the creative director of Eidos, Antonio Ciongoli, met Bharth and put together a look for him to wear."

Mr. Bharth was initially a bit reluctant but after Clemm spoke to his son, the man met Edios's creative director Antonio Coingoli, who then put together an ensemble for the dapper cab driver.

Edios

It was Antonio's brainchild to feature men of Indian descent. Clemm added,

"All of the credit goes to Ciongoli who had gone on a design trip to Rajasthan several months earlier and while working with the washing and dyeing artisans in that part of the country , he was struck by the aesthetic and natural style of everyday people around the towns in which he was traveling. With that in mind, Antonio worked to incorporate not only the textiles, but also the silhouettes and styles of those people into the inspiration for the SpringSummer 2017 Eidos collection."

While the turban is not easily digested in the West as a mainstream fashion ingredient, Antonio wanted nothing else other than to present a collection that reflected the "cultural context of that inspiration" both in the clothes and the models.

Before Mr. Bharth was selected, the casting director roped in 20 models, all of Indian descent. But it was Bharth who particularly stood out. Clemm added,

"Everything from his glasses and full white beard, to the off-white spread collar shirt that he was wearing when we met made it clear that Bharth belonged in our presentation."
Three asylum seekers from Afghanistan have been jailed in Austria for gang-raping a young boy in an asylum centre.

AP/ Representative Image

The victim, also from Afghanistan was also the resident of the same camp as the accused.

All three convicts have been jailed for two to three-and-a-half years each.

The incident happened in March, in a cave just outside the facility located in the town of Tennengau in the state of Salzburg.

AFP/ Representative Image

The men reportedly threatened they would kill the boy with a sharp piece of glass unless he went with them.

The crime came to light after the victim reported it to police.

AP/ Representative Image

Even though during the trial, accused claimed that the act was with consent and the boy was demanding 10 euros per person to carry out the acts, the court dismissed the defendants arguments and found the details from the victim including the medical evidence of his injuries more credible.

We were drunk. I had some homosexual experiences before. When the offer came, I was immediately attracted to it, one of the convicts later admitted.
The recent suicide bombing in Aden, which was claimed by Daesh, highlights the violence that continues to rage in Yemen.

In September 2014, a small minority from the north of Yemen-the Houthis, allied with former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, took the capital of Sanaa by force. This action forced members of the Republic of Yemen governmentincluding President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi--into exile in Saudi Arabia, and prompted the governments request for a Saudi-led coalition to begin a series of military strikes to drive back the Houthi/Saleh alliance.

In the absence of a political solution between the parties, Daesh and Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula have taken advantage of the instability in Yemen.

Secretary of State John Kerry recently met in Jeddah with officials from Saudi Arabia and several other Gulf countries, as well as UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed. Mr. Kerry announced U.S. support for a renewed UN-led approach to negotiations between the warring parties with both a security and political track simultaneously working to provide a comprehensive settlement  an agreement whose details would be finalized by the parties themselves in negotiations, but whose broad outline would include the following:

The swift formation of a new national unity government, with power shared among the parties; the withdrawal of forces from Sanaa and other key areas; the transfer of all heavy weapons, including ballistic missiles and launchers, from the Houthis and forces allied with them, to a third party.

The new approach, he said, would require the new unity government to respect the security and integrity of international borders, and would prohibit the deployment of weapons from Yemeni territory that threatened international waterways or the security of Yemens neighbors.

Mr. Kerry expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia and others who joined in supporting the new framework, and called on all sides to be supportive.

The restoration of stability to Yemen is vital in order to ease the suffering and to prevent groups like al-Qaida and Daesh from taking further advantage of the political and security vacuumthat has been created, said Secretary Kerry. It is essential for Yemen, for countries in the region, and for the world communityto agree on a plan to end the fighting and achieve a lasting peace.
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After many meetings and debates, the Chicago delegation succeeded in working with the New York United Federation of Teachers, Local 2 (UFT) to push the AFT to take stronger stands on charter school accountability and school closings  though many delegates from Chicago would have liked the language to have been even stronger.

Generally speaking, the New York delegation represented organizing charters as the best model for handling their role in reshaping unions, despite the fact that according to many reports few charter schools in New York have been organized as is the case in Chicago. This logic is the same touted by the Progressive Caucus of the AFT. The few that have been organized are a part of the UFT local though they have separate contracts negotiated with the help of UFT. The Chicago delegation reflection the mindset that allowing new charters to continue to proliferate while attempting to organize existing charters is an end game in which public schools and the union lose.



Jen Johnson, CTU, Local 1 in Substance


White House To Maintain Nuclear First Strike Policy By Andre Damon September 07, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " WSWS " - On Tuesday, the New York Times published as its front-page lead article a piece, written by longtime military/intelligence insider David Sanger, reporting internal White House discussions that the Obama administration is planning on maintaining the United States first strike nuclear weapons policy. In recent months, the Washington Post and Times had published reports that President Obama had considered formally adopting a policy of not using nuclear weapons unless the US was attacked by such weapons first. On July 10, The Washington Post reported, The Obama administration is determined to use its final six months in office to take a series of executive actions to advance the nuclear agenda the president has advocated since his college days, including the possible adoption of a no first use policy. But Tuesdays report in the Times declared that Obama appears likely to abandon the proposal after top national security advisers argued that it would embolden Russia and China. The move takes place amidst a series of US provocations against both countries, including the deployment of thousands of troops on Russias border in Eastern Europe and ongoing freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea. In their statements to the Times, White House and military officials were sending a clear signal that it will abide no scaling back of the US threat to kill millions of people to facilitate its geopolitical aims. The White House decided ultimately to agree to the demands of Commander in Chief of Strategic Command Admiral Haney, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, Secretary of State John Kerry and others who declared, according to the Times, that new moves by Russia and China, from the Baltic to the South China Sea, made it the wrong time to issue the declaration. Both before and during his presidency, Obama had postured as a proponent of nuclear non-proliferation. In his April 2009 speech in Prague, Obama declared that as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the US is committed to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons, and that to put an end to Cold War thinking, we will reduce the role of nuclear weapons. Earlier this year, Obama visited Hiroshima, Japan, becoming the first sitting US president to do so since President Truman made the decision to incinerate the city with an atomic weapon at the end of the Second World War. Despite ruling out any apology for this war crime, Obama hypocritically called on countries that possess nuclear weapons to have the courage to escape the logic of fear and pursue a world without them. Yet Obamas real nuclear legacy is something else entirely. Over his eight years in office, the White House has initiated one of the most sweeping expansions of its nuclear capabilities in US history. The Pentagon has embarked upon a $1 trillion nuclear modernization program, seeking to make US nuclear weapons smaller, faster, more maneuverable and easier to use on the battlefield. The effect of this program is, as General James E. Cartwright, a retired vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Times earlier this year, to make the weapon more thinkable. At a cost of some $97 billion, the Navy is on track to replace its Ohio-class submarines, each of which is by itself equivalent to the worlds fifth-ranking nuclear power, with a new generation of ballistic missile submarines. The Air Force, meanwhile, has contracted Northrop Grumman to build up to 100 next-generation B-21 nuclear-capable bombers, at a cost of nearly $60 billion. It is also in the midst of developing, at the cost of $20 billion, the so-called Long-Range Stand-Off Missile, which is capable of maneuvering at high speeds to deliver a nuclear payload behind enemy air defenses. Experts have warned that the development of such a dual use nuclear-capable cruise missile makes the potential for a catastrophic miscalculation substantially greater, as countries attacked by these weapons, in addition to having little time to respond, have no way of knowing whether their payload is conventional or nuclear. On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that the Air Force also plans to spend another $85 billion to develop a set of new intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Pentagon is moving ahead with plans to buy some 642 of the new ICBMs at an average cost of $66.4 million each to support a deployed force of 400 weapons. The dizzying pace of the US nuclear modernization program comes in the context of a deepening global geopolitical crisis, at the center of which is the ever expanding war drive of American imperialism. Beginning with economic crises of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the American ruling class sought to offset the economic decline of US capitalism through the ever-more naked use of military force. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this process went into overdrive, kicking off a quarter century of intensifying war around the globe. Now, US-led regional wars and proxy conflicts, particularly in Syria, are metastasizing into ever-more direct conflicts with larger competitors, including Russia and China. With the crisis-ridden US election dominated by allegations from the Clinton campaign of Russian cyberattacks and political subversion, together with ongoing and deepening tensions with China, the United States is sending a clear signal that it is thinking about the unthinkable. Eighty years ago, Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky warned, In the period of crisis the hegemony of the United States will operate more completely, more openly, and more ruthlessly than in the period of boom. Anyone who believes that the US would never again use nuclear weapons is underestimating not only the extent of the internal and external crisis confronting American imperialism, but the level of violence and criminality of which the American ruling class is capable. Copyright  1998-2016 World Socialist Web Site - All rights reserved
U.S. Blocks Former British Ambassador From Entering America:



He is not a terrorist and is not a social media jihadi. He has no criminal record, no connection to drug smuggling, and does have a return ticket, a hotel reservation and ample funds to cover his expenses. By Peter Van Buren The United States over the weekend denied travel to a former British ambassador, Craig Murray, who was also a British diplomat for some 30 years, and is the author of several books. Murray has stood twice for election to the House of Commons. He was honored by being thrown out of Uzbekistan by its repressive government after risking his life to expose appalling human rights abuses there. He is not a terrorist and is not a social media jihadi. He has no criminal record, no connection to drug smuggling, and does have a return ticket, a hotel reservation and ample funds to cover his expenses. He is however seen as a threat to the United States. Ambassador Murray was headed to the U.S. this week to be Master of Ceremonies at an award ceremony honoring John Kiriakou, the CIA torture whistleblower. Kiriakou was the only U.S. government official to go to jail in connection with the torture program, and all he did was help expose it to the media. The event is sponsored by Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence (of which I am a member.) Murray has also spoken in support of Wikileaks Julian Assange. Hmm. Might have something to do with this visa problem.

No one has told Murray why he cannot travel to the U.S., though he has been here numerous times over the past 38 years. Murray learned of his travel bar when applying for the online clearance the U.S. requires of all visa free travelers. Murray was electronically informed to contact the State Department to see if he might qualify otherwise. Ambassador Murray was stopped by what the State Department and Homeland Security calls a hit. What happens is dozens of American intelligence agencies pour names into a vast database, which includes everyone from Osama bin Laden (his name has allegedly never been removed in some sort of reverse tribute) to the latest ISIS thug to all sorts of others who have little or no actual reason to be there, such as Murray. The likely salient part of the database in Murrays case is called CLASS, part of the Consular Consolidated Database. It is the largest known data warehouse in the world. As of December 2009, the last time information was available, it contained over 100 million cases and 75 million photographs, and has a current growth rate of approximately 35,000 records per day. When one of those persons labeled a bad guy applies for entry or a visa to the U.S., the computer generates a hit. A hit is enough to deny anyone a visa-free trip to the U.S. with no further questions asked and no information given. Technically, the traveler never even officially knows he was a hit. Bang, youre dead. If Murray chooses to follow the process through and formally applies for a visa to the United States, the State Department in London will only then examine the hit. In 99.9999 percent of the cases, all the State Department official will see in their computer is a code that says Contact Washington, officially a Security Advisory Opinion, or SAO. The State person abroad will most often have no idea why they are refusing to issue a visa, just that they cant. They sign their name to a blank check of a refusal. They make a potentially life-altering decision about someone with no idea what the evidence against them, if any, is. The traveler of course has no chance to rebut or clarify, because they too have no idea what is being held against them. There is no substantive appeal process and of course everything in the files is likely classified. The contact Washington message triggers a namecheck process in DC that rumbles around the intelligence community looking for someone who knows why the U.S. government wants to keep Murray out of the United States next week. That process can take anywhere from weeks to forever, and taking forever is one strategy the U.S. uses when it just wants some troublesome person to go away. For politically motivated cases such as Murrays, that is what is most likely to happen: not much. Murray may thus never learn why he cannot travel to the United States. That is what free speech (and free speech covers not only what people say, but what people, Americans in this case, in America may choose to listen to) is about in 2016. America is now afraid of people like Ambassador Craig Murray.



BONUS: Murray has only been denied travel to one other country, Uzbekistan. Such is the company America now keeps.



MORE BONUS: Those who think this is the first time the U.S. has used a visa denial to stop free speech, please see the case of scholar Tariq Ramadan, denied the opportunity to teach at Notre Dame. There have been many more such cases, albeit less mediagenic. This is policy now for America, not an exception.





http://wemeantwell.com
It's All About Russia



Hillary and the neocons know who to blame for Trump



By Philip Giraldi

September 07, 2016 "

Information Clearing House

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Unz

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Many issues characteristically beloved by Democrats are being raised to disparage Donald Trump. The man has been maligned as a racist, a bigot, as unfit for office and even described as a psychopath, presumably in contrast to Hillary Clinton who loves people of every color and shape as long as they are not living next door and will faithfully vote Democratic after they are afforded entry into the United States and amnestied. Hillary, who has held nearly every senior government office that a human being can reasonably aspire to but the one she is currently lusting after, is unlike Trump only sufficiently deranged to kill people if they live somewhere in the third world and cant do anything about it.

A persistent line emanating from the national security experts who have flocked to Hillarys side is that Trump would threaten the safety of the United States. That many of the crossovers are neoconservatives who have brought us a number of unnecessary wars in the past fifteen years is pretty much ignored by the media just as the argument that the U.S. has a presumptive right to intervene militarily wherever and whenever it chooses is generally accepted. The latest talking head who stands firm for national security is Paul Wolfowitz, who was interviewed by the German magazine Der Spiegel on August 26th. Some readers might recall Wolfowitz. He was the number two at the Pentagon under Donald Rumsfeld. A forceful advocate for the Iraq war, he is famous for having observed that the Iraqis would welcome the American invasion and that the war would pay for itself rather than the $5 plus trillion that it has actually cost. How he came to the latter erroneous conclusion is not very clear, though it may have had something to do with looting Iraqs oil reserves and exporting them through a pipeline to Israel, an idea that was once floated by Wolfowitzs godfather Richard Perle.

Wolfowitz has never been apologetic. He now claims that he was deluded by the information provided by the intelligence establishment into believing that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, an odd claim as he himself was largely responsible for the bad intelligence through his setting-up of the Office of Special Plans, a separate organization within the Pentagon intended to critique and supplement what CIA was producing.

Wolfowitzs zeal was rewarded by George W. Bush, who appointed him head of the World Bank, a position that he was forced to relinquish when it was determined that he had been concealing his relationship with a woman who worked for him as well as promoting her far beyond organizational guidelines. He was also accused of general mismanagement. Some things apparently never change.

In any event, Wolfowitz, who has now characteristically found yet another comfortable and well remunerated niche at the largely defense contractor funded American Enterprise Institute, has finally joined the neocon host that is working for a Hillary victory in November. They understand that it is a bread-and-butter issue. Hillary is clearly predisposed to continue the kinds of mindlessly aggressive policies that have made Neoconservatism Inc. and its vibrant cash flow possible in the first place.

More to the point however, in the real world both Hillary and Wolfie sometimes visit, there is renewed enthusiasm for jumping on the hate Russia bandwagon. To belong to that club one has to repeatedly accuse Moscow of interfering in American politics, preferably without any evidence at all to support the claim. Not surprisingly, the reality is actually quite different. It is the Hillary camp that has injected Russia into the campaign debate to use it as a bludgeon to beat on Trump. They do so without considering that regular excoriation of Russia in the media and from various political pulpits might actually have consequences.

Wolfowitz believes it is weakness in a leader to avoid confrontation with adversaries. He writes that Trumps apparent desire to step back from crises in the world makes him Obama squared. It is a principal reason why he will likely be voting for Clinton in November. He describes Trump as a security risk precisely because he admires Putin and is unconcerned about the Russian aggression in Ukraine. By doing this he tells them that they can go ahead and do what they are doing. That is dangerous as Putin is behaving in a very dangerous way.

In a recent speech Hillary Clinton also piled on Russia while affirming that she is now the candidate of American exceptionalism, an obvious ploy to attract even more neocons and dissident GOP hawks. Hillary has also denounced Trumps appearance on stage with Nigel Farage, who headed the successful British Brexit movement. Hillary declared Farage to be both racist and sexist before castigating him for being a stooge of the Russians. His crime? Appearing on Russia Today television, where the author of this piece has also appeared numerous times.

So Farage and Trump are together part of Hillarys alleged vast right wing conspiracy and the strings for that are being pulled by Moscow. She went on to call Putin the godfather of this global brand of extreme nationalism before launching an attack on Trump personally, claiming that he heaps praise on Putin and embraces pro-Russian policies. And he does that because there is something wrong about him: he is part of a paranoid fringe in our politics, steeped in racial resentment.

Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook took the argument still further, observing that Trump is just a puppet of the Kremlin, taking the claim that Trump is a Putin collaborator and elevating it to make him a true Manchurian candidate, a tool of what used to be Godless communism but is now something more like a revival of the Holy Russian Empire run by the KGB.

Justin Raimondo notes that putting all the bits together one comes up with a Hillary view that her nemesis Donald Trump is the face of a Vast Right Wing Pro-Russian Conspiracy, making him an enemy that comprises both domestic and international threats, producing a target rich environment for the slings and arrows produced by Hillary and her hack speech writers.

The Clinton view of Putin is particularly ironic as it runs against the frequently expressed Russian government desire to work together with Washington to solve mutual problems, to include dealing with Islamic terrorism and stabilizing the Middle East. Putin in fact pulled President Barack Obamas chestnuts out of the fire in 2013 when the latter got caught in a series of lies relating to Syrias alleged chemical weapons.

It would be bad enough if a delusional Hillary Clinton were alone, a voice crying in the wilderness, but she is not. She is supported by a growing number of neoconservatives as well as the Establishment Dems in her own party. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has called on the FBI to investigate whether the Putin government is trying to undermine the November ballot, implying that they might try to cyber-meddle with election results. Of course, if Hillary wins as expected he will fade back into the woodwork and stop complaining.

And then there is the media, which is playing its part by fearmongering. On August 18th The reliably neocon Washington Post featured two op-eds, one written by David Kramer and the other by Angela Stent. Kramer, who is a Senior Director with the McCain Institute for International Leadership and an ex-George W. Bush official, posits that Russia is now a threat. The U.S. should treat it like one. That an ex-GWB official should expound on sound policy from the pulpit of an institute reflecting the values of Senator John McCain might be considered comical, but Kramer asserts that Russia under Vladimir Putin is an authoritarian, kleptocratic regime that poses a serious threat to our values, interests and allies. We should contain and deter Russian aggression

Kramer cites the familiar examples of Ukraine, Crimea and Syria as evidence of Putins bestiality but his descriptions are curiously one-sided, making it appear that Russia is invariably purely malevolent while all the alleged victims are peace loving and high minded democrats-to-be. Such thinking is, of course, nonsense. Putin is a realist and a nationalist who is well aware of his countrys limitations but who is willing to protect his genuine interests. Would that President Hillary Clinton might be intelligent enough to do the same.

In the second op-ed Stent, who directs the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University, blames Russia for failing to integrate into Euro-Atlantic and global institutions while also thwart[ing] Americas commitment to create a peaceful, rules-based post-Cold War order.

I must have missed some of the recent history that Stent recalls so unambiguously, possibly because I was somehow misled by the reported looting of Russia by the west and the western aligned oligarchs as well as the more recent interference in the countrys internal affairs by Congress and the White House. She also seems unaware that the United States has a far worse international record than Russian since 1991, invading Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya while also interfering in Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia. And, oh yes, there was also that little matter of expanding NATO up to Russias doorstep, which just might seem provocative, as well as the direct encouragement of anti-Russian sentiment and worse in Georgia and Ukraine.

Stent admits that she does not know if Moscow actually hacked U.S. computers or released embarrassing information about candidates, but she nevertheless is confident enough to see Russia as clearly intend[ing] to sow doubts about the legitimacy of our democratic election process. What to do? Forget about any reset with Putin and instead consider building up military strength to deter any further attempts by Russia to destabilize its neighboring countries.
Will Hillary Enmesh Us Deeper in the Syrian Quagmire By Ivan Eland September 07, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Unless some unforeseen miracle happens for Donald Trump, Hawkish Hillary (at least as accurate a nickname as Crooked Hillary) is likely to be the next president of the United States. Although Hillary has run legitimate political ads implying that Trumps temperament is too volatile to be left with command of the military, especially nuclear weapons, Americans may not be all that safe with Hillary either. Throughout her career, Hillary supported her husbands bombing of Serbia and Kosovo and George W. Bushs aggressive invasion of Iraq, as well as pushing Barack Obama to attack Libya and overthrow Muammar Gaddafi. As Secretary of State, Hillary looked at the chaos caused by removing a dictator in a fractured developing country  Iraq  and then pressured Obama to do the same in Libya. So Trumps accusation that Hillary has poor judgment is not far off the mark. More important for the future, Secretary Clinton also unsuccessfully urged Obama to get more deeply involved in Syrias complicated, multi-sided, and bloody civil war. She advocated augmenting lethal aid to the Syrian opposition and creating a no fly zone to protect these forces and civilians. So if she wins power in the election, she may very well go farther down the road to enmeshing the U.S. military in another unwinnable quagmire, much like the ones in Afghanistan and Iraq. Despite the 400,000 deaths already, Syrias civil strife is likely to continue for long while, because everyone seems to be fighting everybody else in the multi-sided bloodbath and because outside forces  such as the Russia, Iran, the militant group Hezbollah, Turkey, the Persian Gulf Arab states, and the United States  are stoking the conflict by assisting either the inherently weak Syrian government or its many lackluster opposition groups. The United States recently got its wish as the powerful Turkish military took a greater role in the neighboring civil war by invading Syria. However, it seems that the Turks have been more interested in throwing back the advancing Syrian Kurds, the United States most effective ally against the brutal ISIS opposition group, than in destroying ISIS. The fact that two of the most effective U.S. allies are fighting each other should give Barack Obama and any incoming American administration pause. The main U.S. problem in the conflict is its pursuit of incompatible objectives. The United States is trying to overthrow the Assad government in Syria, while decimating or destroying the opposition ISIS group, keeping its Turkish ally happy, staying friends with the rival Kurds, and avoiding getting sucked more deeply into the quicksand. The top U.S. priority has changed from overthrowing Assad to weakening his ISIS opposition. However, even if the United States and its allies take most of ISISs territory in Iraq and Syria, the group likely will continue to fight on using guerilla and terrorist tactics. The problem is that the other parties in the conflict have higher priorities than weakening ISIS. Although Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah are no friends of the heinous Sunni group, they have as their top priority keeping Assad in power and in charge of as much Syrian territory as possible; they want to weaken other opposition groups first, including those supported by the United States, so they can then say "its Assad or ISIS." In contrast, U.S. allies  Turkey and the Sunni Gulf states  place a high priority on getting rid of Assad and thus weakening his ally Shii Iran. Also, the Turks, despite recent ISIS attacks on their soil, seem to be more concerned about the Syrian Kurds (allied with the opposition Kurds in Turkey) consolidating territory held along the Turkish border. With the Russians, Iranians, and Hezbollah Shii militants assisting Assad, the likelihood that he will leave power is very low. And any increase in arms or assistance that United States or the Gulf states give moderate Syrian opposition groups ultimately might fall into the hands of the al Qaeda affiliate in Syria or other nefarious Islamist groups, which fight intermingled with more moderate opposition forces; in warfare, the most brutal and aggressive factions usually end up with the provisions. In the past, the United States has had a knack for creating (or strengthening) future enemies  for example, al Qaeda by assisting the Mujahideen in Afghanistan in the 1980s and ISIS by invading Iraq in 2003. Aiding opposition forces in Syria may already be doing this again. Furthermore, a "no fly zone" likely could put U.S. aircraft in conflict with Russian and Syrian aircraft and ground-based antiaircraft missiles, thus possibly turning a civil war into something much bigger and nastier. The smart policy for any incoming president would be to use the opportunity of an administration change to study the state of the Syrian mayhem and then end all U.S. involvement. ISIS was a threat only to the Middle East region until the U.S. coalition, which includes European countries, began bombing ISIS, which then retaliated by increasing attacks on European targets. Regional threats are best left to regional countries to counter, and when your enemies are fighting (ISIS and al Qaeda versus Assad, Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah), dont get in the way  especially in a non-strategic place such as Syria. Russia may get more influence in the region, but it is still fairly weak and severely stretched with a slack oil-dominated economy and its bog in Ukraine. Letting it preside over an intractable civil war in Syria for many years will complete the overstretch. In the meantime, the United States can concentrate on renewing its own sluggish economy and power  instead of further dissipating it in Syria  and keeping its powder dry for more important threats  perhaps a rising China? Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Peace & Liberty, The Independent Institute
It is Undemocratic to Exclude me and Gary Johnson From Presidential Debates



The overwhelming majority of Americans want to hear us debate the Republican and Democratic candidates. Will Trump and Clinton stand up for democracy?



By Jill Stein September 07, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " The Guardian " - P residential debates should be an opportunity for the American people to decide the direction of our nation. But since 1987, everything about the debates has been predetermined by the party bosses who run Washington. Consider that 76% of Americans want the presidential debates to include Gary Johnson and me. Yet the phony Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) is trying to rob voters of the open debates they want. The CPD is actually a private corporation that refuses to disclose its current funders or sponsors. The Democratic and Republican National Committees both select its leaders. The CPD literally excludes the 50% of voters who reject their parties. This two-party cartel posing as a public service commission admitted in a 1987 press conference that independent candidates and alternative political parties should be excluded from the debates, and they create artificial barriers to exclude them. For example, the CPD demands that candidates poll at 15% or higher to be included in the debates. This arbitrary number was put in place the year after third-party candidate Jesse Ventura won the governorship of Minnesota. Ventura was included in debates when he was at 10% in the polls, and his performance carried him to victory. To prevent a similar upset at the national level, the CPD quickly raised the bar to the arbitrary 15% requirement. The former president of the League of Women Voters, one of the most respected nonpartisan organizations in the country, called the commission a fraud on the American voter. The CPD also keeps the debates within a narrow set of issues determined by party bosses. In 2012, the presidential debates skipped over major issues including gay rights, the war on drugs, domestic surveillance, housing and abortion. Climate change, the greatest crisis facing humankind, wasnt mentioned even once. Again, the League of Women Voters said it best: It has become clear to us that the candidates organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and honest answers to tough questions. The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public. Donald Trump was at a press conference with Jesse Ventura in 2000 and commented plainly about the CPD requirement that candidates poll at 15% to be allowed in the debates. Its disgraceful, Trump replied. Its amazing that they can get away with it. The CPD is a thinly disguised scheme to protect the two establishment parties from competition, and perpetuates a political system controlled by the wealthy and big business interests. I call on Donald Trump to follow the example of Ronald Reagan, who insisted that independent candidate John Anderson be included in the debates in 1980. When President Jimmy Carter refused, Reagan defended democracy by debating Anderson without Carter. While running for president in 2008, Hillary Clinton said candidates should be willing to debate anytime, anywhere. Gary Johnson and I are ballot-qualified candidates and on enough ballots to win the presidency. The American people deserve to hear our perspectives. As the standard-bearer of the Democratic party, Clinton should reject an undemocratic process where partisan elites can shut out candidates with enough popular support to get on the ballot. We cant have democracy without a free exchange of ideas and an informed public. The presidential debates, watched by roughly 70 million people, are the most important way for voters to get information. We should no longer allow this private corporation to decide who the American people can hear. We should not allow them to turn our public debates into a choreographed and carefully scripted farce that prevents honest discussion of the real issues our country faces. We need a truly independent Citizens Debate Commission to ensure that all candidates on enough ballots to win the presidency are included. A new independent debate commission should reflect the true diversity of the American public. Greens are committed to creating new institutions for a more participatory democracy. A real debate commission would usher in a new era of debates that truly inform the voters and challenge the status quo. Ajamu Baraka  my vice-presidential running mate on the Green Party ticket  and I have published an open letter to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton urging them to participate in open debates including all four campaigns that have the potential to achieve 270 electoral college votes. As de facto leaders of their parties, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton could be champions of democracy. Either (or both of them) could end the monopoly of the elitist Commission on Presidential Debates by demanding four-way debates in 2016. The question is simple: will Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump stand for open debates and American democracy, or not?
Krugmans column, chiding the media for its unfairly negative coverage of his beloved candidate, was, predictably, a big hit among Democrats  not just because of their agreement with its content but because of what they regarded as the remarkable courage required to publicly defend someone as marginalized and besieged as the former first lady, two-term New York senator, secretary of state, and current establishment-backed multimillionaire presidential front-runner. Krugman  in a tweet proclamation that has now been re-tweeted more than 10,000 times  heralded himself this way : I was reluctant to write todays column because I knew journos would hate it. But it felt like a moral duty.

September 07, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " The Intercept " -In his New York Times column yesterday , Paul Krugman did something that he made clear he regarded as quite brave: He defended the Democratic Party presidential nominee and likely next U.S. president from journalistic investigations. Complaining about media bias, Krugman claimed that journalists are driven by the presumption that anything Hillary Clinton does must be corrupt, most spectacularly illustrated by the increasingly bizarre coverage of the Clinton Foundation. While generously acknowledging that it was legitimate to take a look at the billions of dollars raised by the Clintons as Hillary pursued increasing levels of political power  vast sums often received from the very parties most vested in her decisions as a public official  it is now very clear, he proclaimed, that there was absolutely nothing improper about any of what she or her husband did.

Thats because  in contrast to his actually brave, orthodoxy-defying work in 2002 as one of the few media voices opposed to the invasion of Iraq, for which he deserves eternal credit  Krugman here is doing little more than echoing conventional media wisdom. That prominent journalists are overwhelmingly opposed to Donald Trump is barely debatable; their collective contempt for him is essentially out in the open, which is where it should be. Contrary to Krugmans purported expectation, countless Clinton-supporting journalists rushed to express praise for Krugman . Indeed, with very few exceptions, U.S. elites across the board  from both parties, spanning multiple ideologies  are aligned with unprecedented unity against Donald Trump. The last thing required to denounce him, or to defend Hillary Clinton, is bravery.

As my colleague Zaid Jilani remarked : I can imagine Paul Krugman standing in front of the mirror saying, This is *your Tahrir Square* big guy. Nate Silver, early yesterday morning, even suggested that Krugmans Clinton-defending column was so edgy and threatening that the New York Times  which published the column  was effectively suppressing Krugmans brave stance by refusing to promote it on Twitter (the NYT tweeted Krugmans column a few hours later, early in the afternoon). Thankfully, it appears that Krugman  at least thus far  has suffered no governmental recriminations or legal threats, nor any career penalties, for his intrepid, highly risky defense of Hillary Clinton.

That American journalists have dispensed with muted tones and fake neutrality when reporting on Trump is a positive development. He and his rhetoric pose genuine threats, and the U.S. media would be irresponsible if it failed to make that clear. But aggressive investigative journalism against Trump is not enough for Democratic partisans whose voice is dominant in U.S. media discourse. They also want a cessation of any news coverage that reflects negatively on Hillary Clinton. Most, of course, wont say this explicitly (though some do), but  as the wildly adored Krugman column from yesterday reflects  they will just reflexively dismiss any such coverage as illegitimate and invalid.

It should be the opposite of surprising, or revealing, that pundits loyally devoted to a particular candidate dislike all reporting that reflects negatively on that candidate. There is probably no more die-hard Clinton loyalist in the U.S. media than Paul Krugman. He has used his column for years to defend her and attack any of her critics. Indeed, in 2008, he was the first to observe that  in his words  the Obama campaign seems dangerously close to becoming a cult of personality, comparing the adulation Clintons 2008 primary opponent was receiving to the swooning over George W. Bushs flight suit. He spent the 2016 primary maligning Sanders supporters as unstable, unserious losers (the straight, white, male columnist also regularly referred to them  including female and LGBT Sanders supporters  as bros). And now hes assigned himself the role as Arbiter of Proper Journalism, and  along with virtually all other Clinton-supporting pundits and journalists  has oh-so-surprisingly ruled that all journalism that reflects poorly on Hillary Clinton is unsubstantiated, biased, and deceitful.

The absolute last metric journalists should use for determining what to cover is the reaction of pundits who, like Krugman and plenty of others, are singularly devoted to the election of one of the candidates. Of course Hillary Clintons die-hard loyalists in the media will dislike, and find invalid, any suggestion that she engaged in any sort of questionable conduct. Their self-assigned role is to defend her from all criticisms. They view themselves more as campaign operatives than journalists: Their principal, overriding goal is to ensure that Clinton wins the election. They will obviously hate anything  particularly negative reporting about her  that conflicts with that goal. They will jettison even their core stated beliefs  such as the view that big-money donations corrupt politicians  in order to fulfill that goal.

But it would be journalistic malpractice of the highest order if the billions of dollars received by the Clintons  both personally and though their various entities  were not rigorously scrutinized and exposed in detail by reporters. Thats exactly what they ought to be doing. The fact that quid pro quos cannot be definitively proven does not remotely negate the urgency of this journalism. Thats because quid pro quos by their nature elude such proof (can anyone prove that Republicans steadfastly support Israel and low taxes because of the millions they get from Sheldon Adelson and the Koch brothers, or that the Florida attorney general decided not to prosecute Trump because his foundation and his daughter donated to her?). Beyond quid quo pros, the Clintons constant, pioneering merger of massive private wealth and political power and influence is itself highly problematic. Nobody forced them to take millions of dollars from the Saudis and Goldman Sachs tycoons and corporations with vested interests in the State Department; having chosen to do so with great personal benefit, they are now confronting the consequences in how the public views such behavior.

That Donald Trump is an uber-nationalist, bigotry-exploiting demagogue and unstable extremist does not remotely entitle Hillary Clinton to waltz into the Oval Office free of aggressive journalistic scrutiny. Nor does Trumps extremism constitute a defense to anything that shes done. It is absolutely true that Trump has at least as many troublesome financial transactions and entangling relationships as the Clintons do: These donations to the Florida attorney general are among the most corrupt-appearing transactions yet documented. Even worse, Trump has shielded himself from much needed scrutiny by inexcusably refusing to release his tax returns, while much of the reporting about the Clintons is possible only because they have released theirs. All of that is important and should be highlighted.

But none of it suggests that anything other than a bright journalistic light is appropriate for examining the Clintons conduct. Yet there are prominent pundits and journalists who literally denounce every critical report about Clinton as unfair and deceitful, and band together to malign the reporters who scrutinize the Clintons financial transactions. Those prominent voices combine with the million-dollar online army that supreme sleaze merchant David Brock has assembled to attack Clinton critics; as the Los Angeles Times reported in May: Clintons well-heeled backers have opened a new frontier in digital campaigning, one that seems to have been inspired by some of the internets worst instincts. Correct the Record, a Super PAC coordinating with Clintons campaign, is spending some $1 million to find and confront social media users who post unflattering messages about the Democratic front-runner.
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The TTIP Is Dead By Peter Koenig September 07, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - The German Minister of Economy and Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Sigmar Gabriel, a few days ago has declared that the European Union should not submit to the demands of the United States, referring to the negotiations on the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investments Partnership). He said the negotiations failed. By saying so, he joined French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, as well as French Secretary of State for External Trade, Mr. Matthias Fekl. Negotiations started in 2013. After 14 rounds of talks dealing with 27 points, no agreement has been reached, none whatsoever, leading to the conclusion that the deal is dead. Even though Mme. Merkel defended the treaty with all her heart up to the end of July 2016, both Germany and France now request a definite end to the negotiations. The collapse of the TTIP is one of the best news for Europe  and I mean the people of Europe  in recent times; an initiative of the two major players in the EU. This decision has several meanings: 1. European countries are gradually taking back their sovereignty from Brussels and decide for themselves what is good for them and for Europe; 2. With a failed TTIP Europe escapes, or avoids, being enslaved by US corporatism, financial institutions  and US legislation; 3. Europe may now continue making its proper policies on socioeconomy, environment, food safety, agriculture  and 4. Europe is now freer to pursue its own monetary policy. Under the grip of the TTIP, it would have been difficult, say impossible, to adopt a monetary policy outside of the Euro which many countries would like, openly or covertly  some without making a lot of noise for fear of being reprimanded by Brussels. The fact that authorities of both, France and Germany, stated in unison that the negotiations failed, is a sign that there is still a spirit of autonomy in Europe. What is called negotiations were never really negotiations  a give and take between equal partners. It was from the beginning a one-way street, where the exceptional nation imposed its rules. There was no way of getting the slightest concession from them  not an iota. No doubt Washington had no intention to share any of the benefits of this Free Trade Agreement with Europe. The exceptional people wanted it all. For example, the term Appelation Controlee for wine and cheese in France and other European countries, used to protect the farmers of a given region  would have disappeared. The US wanted everything to be open for the ever dictating market. Nothing was to be clearly defined, as far as Europe was concerned. No transparence  just a vast base for cheating, consumers and nations. TTIP talks were held in top secret, behind closed doors. Not even politicians, let alone the public at large which eventually would have had to bear the consequences of the deal, had access to the documents being negotiated.  It showed the Machiavellian nature of empire at its best. China knew very well why they were not even interested in participating in the TPP (Transpacific Partnership), a similar trade agreement with eleven Pacific nations and the US. Lets recall the key point that would have meant disaster for Europe: - A private corporate tribunal that would have had supremacy over sovereign government legislation. For example, the tribunal could have imposed sanctions or fines on governments, whose legislation, say for health, environmental protection and other social reasons, would have reduced corporations profit margins. - Similar in the banking sector, monetary policy would have been firmly dictated by the FED, Wall Street (i.e. Goldman Sachs  see Greece and the head of the ECB, a former GS exec) and the European Central Bank. This for now is still the case, but with an unsustainable and unreformable EU and Euro, both are destined to disappear sooner or later. It is likely that many countries are already quietly and clandestinely arranging for Plan B  preparing exit strategies. Indeed, since BREXIT, there are numerous political movements to this effect under way  and this not only in the most devastatingly affected southern European countries, but also in northern Europe. - Agriculture policy would have been dictated by Washington, especially with regard to GMOs and ag-subsidies. Monsanto and the like would have had free access to all of Europe, and none of the EU members could have passed legislation prohibiting genetically modified seeds. - Standards for health and nutrition would have been imposed by Washington, i.e. by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Most of these standards are considerably weaker than European equivalents, potentially exposing European citizens to greater health risks than current EU standards foresee. - Labor laws would have been weakened in according to US standards which foresee virtually no protection for workers. The Brussels imposed new labor law in France, dubbed as the El Khomri law, after the French Minister of Labor, Myriam El Khomri, would reduce significantly French labor rights, fought for and attained with decades of efforts  literally sweat and tears  by French workers and unions. The new French labor law, signed as a decree by PM Manuel Valls under a dubious special provision in the Constitution (instead of being passed through Parliament), was a precursor for things to come in the rest of Europe  had the TTIP gone forward. This controversial law is currently at the demand of more than 60 French Parliamentarians being reviewed by the French Conseil dEtat (equivalent to other countries Supreme Court) and may quite possibly be either canceled or sent to Parliament for a decision. Now that the TTIP is dead, it is possible that the law will be repealed. The day the TTIP died was a great day for Europe. Although Europe is far from being out of the woods. Her own problems keep piling up, many of them also a direct or indirect consequence of empire. To mention just a few  immigration from US-NATO war-destroyed countries;

the never ending financial cum economic crisis;

the complete absence of solidarity among EU nations;

the lack of EU countries sovereignty; the missing EU Constitution giving member countries a common perspective and political agenda;

the increasing (false flag) terror attacks throughout Europe;  and not least NATO  which through its aggression towards Russia is increasingly becoming a risk of war  of WWIII  that would for the third time in 100 years devastate Europe. This time the rest of the world would very likely not be spared. Many countries are conscious of this danger and would like to get out of NATO, but dont dare say so, because of fear from the boots of Washington. Lets hope the death of the TTIP will bring a new breeze of fresh air and ideas into European sovereignty. This article is in part based on an TV debate sponsored by PressTV, French Edition. Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also a former World Bank staff and worked extensively around the world in the fields of environment and water resources. He writes regularly for Global Research, ICH, RT, Sputnik, PressTV, The 4th Media, TeleSUR, The Vineyard of The Saker Blog, and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion  An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed  fiction based on facts and on 30 years of World Bank experience around the globe. He is also a co-author of The World Order and Revolution!  Essays from the Resistance .
Stop The War On Syria Dont Be Fooled By War Propaganda! By Veterans For Peace September 07, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Recently, a compelling photo of a bleeding and seemingly confused young Syrian boy seated in an ambulance in Aleppo was widely distributed and commented upon in domestic and international news media. In response, some journalists have called for the Obama Administration to "take action," including bombing government military targets in Syria. Veterans For Peace feels great sympathy for all of the victims in Syria, and for all who have lost family members, friends and loved ones in this terrible war. Many of us are veterans of military conflicts that were sold to the American public with emotionally compelling but misleading messages and images. We recognize and denounce the manipulation of selected images of human suffering as propaganda used to justify yet further military violence, which will only lead to more death and suffering. Why are we not seeing images of suffering on both sides of the war in Syria? Why is an image of an injured boy used to call for yet more violence? The "no fly zones" and "safe zones" that some pundits are calling for in Syria are acts of war that would lead to more violence and destruction, as happened in Libya, a nation that was virtually destroyed by a so-called "humanitarian intervention." No-fly zones" and safe zones would put U.S. Air Force pilots in direct military confrontation with Russian Air Force pilots, leading to a dangerous military escalation between two nuclear powers - an existential threat to all life on earth. The widely seen photo of the young Syrian boy is just the latest and most graphic example of the psychological warfare being waged against public opinion in the U.S. and worldwide. Almost every day, the media misrepresents the conflict in Syria as a fight between democracy-loving rebels and the brutal dictator Assad. What is actually happening in Syria is foreign intervention to destroy the last secular, multi-religious nation in the Middle East. Violent extremist groups are receiving arms, training, and support from the United States, and billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two undemocratic monarchies who have their own reasons for seeking regime change in Syria. We believe that the only way to resolve the crisis in Syria and to assist the victims of this conflict is to end the fighting, not to escalate it. The Syrian people have the right to elect their leaders and to determine their own future. We call on the United States government to cease all military, political and economic assistance to armed opposition groups in Syria and to take actions to pressure US allies to do the same. Veterans For Peace further calls for an end to all economic sanctions against Syria, especially of medicines, including much needed cancer medicines. We call on the U.S. government to provide massive humanitarian assistance for the millions of Syrian refugees, and to allow more Syrian refugees into the United States. The Syrian Government has the right to defend itself from foreign aggression and the regime change schemes of the United States and its allies. We call on the all parties to do their utmost to avoid killing innocent civilians. It is time to bring the Syrian war to an end. It is time to begin the hard work of healing the wounds of the terrible war that has been imposed upon the people of Syria. We must take responsibility for the role of our own government. We must allow the people of Syria and the Middle East to live in peace.
Governor Akinwumi Ambode has requested that senior police officers attached to Lagos be redeployed. He wrote to the Commissioner of Police in Lagos on Friday, just a day before a resident of Lagos narrated her experience at the hands of Policemen in Lekki.

The Governor said the call for redeployment of the officers was necessitated by the unacceptable conduct of policemen in recent times.

The conduct of the affected officers is not in tandem with the vision of Lagos State Government and is therefore condemnable. Their conduct is also unbecoming of officers who are expected to protect the citizenry and ensure that citizens and visitors find every part of the state safe and conducive enough not only on Friday nights but every day.

Unauthorised raids and detention in areas of Lagos have become commonplace in recent times.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has dragged candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Godwin Obaseki to court, seeking his disqualification from the governorship election on Saturday, September 10.

The party alleged that the APC flag bearer had provided false information on oath to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and therefore not qualified to contest the governorship election.

Chairman of the PDP in Edo State, Dan Orbih, who stated this at a press briefing in Benin, the state capital yesterday, lamented that voters would be at risk if they waste their votes for the APC because the party has no candidate for the election.

According to him, We have asked the Federal High Court in Benin for a declaration that Mr. Obasekis statement that he graduated from the University of Ibadan with a B.A in Classical Studies in 1976 was false.

In addition, the party is asking for a declaration disqualifying Obaseki from contesting the Edo state governorship election scheduled for September 10, 2016 on grounds that he submitted false information on oath to the INEC on Form CF001 (and) therefore lied under other, Mr. Orbih said.

In all, Obaseki has failed to fulfil the requirements of the Constitution which in Section 182 (I) h) specifies the qualifications a person must have to contest the governorship of a state, the Edo PDP chairman said.

Joined in the suit No. FHC/B/CO/120/16 dated September 1 and filed by Joseph Aghimien, on behalf of the PDP and its legal adviser, Edoba Omoregie, were Obaseki and INEC.

Meanwhile, leaders of the PDP led by the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi arrived Benin yesterday ahead of the election.

Also in the state are Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; Chairman of the PDPs Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin and the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd) and many others.

Speaking at a meeting of PDP leaders Tuesday evening, Gov. Wike expressed confidence that the partys candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, will win the election if conducted based on the rule of law.

He, however, cautioned that the battle will not be an easy one.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State on Wednesday declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is over prepared for Saturdays governorship election.

He was reacting to the call by the Nigeria Police and State Security Services for the elections to be postponed over credible intelligence of possible terror attack during Sallah celebration, especially, in Edo.

The governor, who will hand over to the eventual winner of the poll this Saturday, in November, however, said if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) heeds the call by the security agencies, it should not postpone the exercise too far because the APC has already bought the coffin for the final burial of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said, The APC is ready for the election this Saturday and that was why we held our mega rally on Tuesday and after that rally our people across the state became more committed, more dogged and ready for the Saturday election.

I am already preparing to go to my village to also mobilize my people as other party leaders are doing, that is to let you know that we are not relaxing despite the fact that we know the PDP is already dead and our people are just getting ready for the burial.

However, security issues are security issues and as regards elections they are very critical. If on their own they are calling on INEC for postponement, I am sure they must have their reasons because they are experts in it. If you recall, we raise the alarm that the PDP had planned to import thugs from neighbouring states to help them unleash mayhem on our people because they are not prepared for the election.

They have not been campaigning because they have no message rather they imported thugs into the state. But I wish the election will go on so that security agents will pick them up and expose them. So if security agents are raising this same alarm, I will not be surprised. I am aware some of my colleagues in the South-south threatened that they will deal with me in Edo because I went against former President Jonathan.

But I laughed because I am serving the living God and I am glad they brought a fake pastor as their candidate and we will flush them all out. These threats have been there but my appeal is that if INEC is shifting the election, it should not be too far because we are eager to bury the PDP. We have purchased their coffin and ready to be sealed.
The Enugu State University of Science and Technology, (ESUT), on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with the University of Cork, Ireland, to test- run a mobile phone application for the treatment diseases prevalent in children in of five years and below in Enugu State.

The test-run which will be conducted in Edem-Ani, Ibagwa, Okpuje, Alo-Uno and Obimo communities will target malaria,pneumonia and diarrhea diseases.

The principal research fellow, Business Information System, University of Cork, Dr. Ciara Heavin, while unveiling the prototype application at Deputy Vice Chancellor, ESUT, Prof. Sam Ezes office, explained that the technology was developed to use mobile phone application to treat sicknesses prevalent in children under five years old.

We are here to test-run the prototype in five rural communities in Enugu State. We will train rural health workers to have the needed knowledge to operate the technology and classify the sick children and prescribe drugs using the application, Heavin said.

The application will be installed in the phones which the health workers will use in their duties. The application will also know if the ailment is the type that requires referral to hospitals and advise the health worker on what to do immediately.

The idea is to reduce incidents of deaths caused by prevalent diseases in children. The application offers timely solution to symptoms of the three diseases mentioned. It will be most handy in rural areas where there appears to lack in medical facilities.
The Ekiti State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has countered the claim by Governor Ayodele Fayose that no member of the opposition has been attacked since he assumed office in October 2014.

The governor made the claim on Monday night during this months edition of his media chat Meet Your Governor, aired on major electronic medium in the state.

In its reaction, the APC listed instances of alleged attacks on the opposition, saying Fayose only pulled the brakes after President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated in May 2015.

The partys spokesman, Taiwo Olatunbosun, in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Tuesday, said the governor lied on his claim.

Mr. Olatunbosun queried: What of the shootings in Igbemo by Fayoses thugs for more than three hours with pellets falling on the palace roof and shooting at Hon. Ife Arowosoges house at around the same time that the 19 APC assembly members were not allowed to sit by the governors thugs?

What of our members that received machete cuts by his thugs for wearing APC vests or the shooting in front of CNPP chairmans house at Egbewa or the APC members he clamped into jail for crimes they didnt commit?

What of the several shootings and burning of APC secretariat where offices and vehicles, including mine, were destroyed and are still kept in police stations as exhibits or the attack on our members in front of Bisi Egbeyemis house with the latters truck vandalised?

What of the forceful seizure of vehicles belonging to Fayemis commissioners and aides or the forceful eviction of Fayemis aides and commissioners from their houses at Irewolede Estate until the court stopped him?

The APC spokesman further alleged that the governor is harbouring thugs in the Government House, a development he said, necessitated the dispatching of several petitions to the security agencies and National Human Rights Commission for action.

Asking the governor to stop lying and face the reality of public hostility against him over non-performance, lies, alleged fraud and deliberately refusing to pay workers salary, Olatunbosun added that the recent humiliation of the governor by teachers as they booed him as seen on television nationwide, was a verdict for a governor that made lies, deceit and greed a deliberate policy of his government.
According to a key member of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, the administration is leaving no stone unturned in its fight against corruption.

Speaking at the 34th Cambridge University International Symposium on Economic Crime yesterday, the Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi said, the anti-corruption fight has so far recovered a whopping N3.4 trillion in cash and assets from looters in the country.

Amaechi added that the federal government discovered N115 billion looted cash and assets in the United States, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

Our president has stopped at nothing to demonstrate that whosoever is caught in corruption-related crimes will not be spared. In his days as military Head of State and through other positions he has held in public life, he has upheld a life of integrity. He is a typical example of how a leader can inspire committed followership through the force of example, Amaechi stated.

As someone who has been in active politics for more than 30 years, I have learnt that many well-intended reforms are possible only if the leader can offer the requisite leadership and muster the right political will.

The immediate past Governor of Rivers state said further, In my country, since our President, Muhammadu Buhari, was elected, he did not leave anyone in doubt that the fight against corruption will not only be taken seriously but will form a cardinal plank of his policy direction.

Adding that, So far, he has made several pronouncements that set the tone of his commitment to strengthening anti-corruption agencies to go after anyone who has questions to answer.
The Kwara State Government yesterday dismissed as false, allegations that it was clamping down on members of the opposition and gagging the media in the state.

The State Government, in a statement made available to reporters in Ilorin, the state capital Tuesday, by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Kamaldeen Ajibade, said as a firm believer in freedom of expression and the rule of law, it welcomes constructive criticism based on fact.

It acknowledged that people have the freedom to criticize the government and hold it accountable for its campaign promises.

The state attorney general, however, said that such freedom does not give anyone the opportunity to deliberately spread falsehood against the government in a way capable of causing public incitement.

Ajibade explained that what the government had done was to petition the police against falsehood peddled by certain opposition politicians in the media, adding that as required by law, the affected politicians were invited to defend themselves as part of investigations.

According to him, if by the end of its investigation the police recommend the prosecution of those individuals, it is the responsibility of the Office of the Attorney General to take a decision on whether to prosecute or not.

The commissioner, therefore, dismissed insinuations that the state government was trying to silence the media or clamp down on opposition figures within the state.
Luxury bus owners have announced an increase of N1,000 on their fares across various routes, citing the rising running and maintenance costs as reasons for their action.

This is coming after the Association of Private Transport Companies of Nigeria has announced its plans to increase fares by about 70 per cent in order to stay in business. This, they said after a stakeholders meeting in Lagos, was due to the economic challenges and poor infrastructure.

The Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria said in its statement that it resorted to the fare review as a painful survival measure.

It said the combined effects of dilapidated roads, rising costs of maintaining the vehicles and high prices of new buses would drive the business to the brink unless the government of President Muhammad Buhari urgently intervened in the matter.

By the new fare regime, ALBON said passengers on the Lagos-Abuja route would henceforth pay N7,000 (up from N6,000), while those on the Lagos-Kano that paid N6,500 previously would pay N7,500; similarly, the fare on the Lagos to Port Harcourt trip that was hitherto N5,200, would be N6,200.

The statement issued in Lagos by the President, ALBON, Chief Dan Okemuo, particularly cited the pump price of diesel currently N200 as against the previous N145 per litre; a drum of lube oil that was N95,000, but went up to N147,000; and the price of petrol (that members mini-buses use) which is now N145 from N87 per litre as reasons for the fare hike.

Equally, the price of a single tyre (for our big bus) is now N144,000 as against the previous price of N85,000. As you are already aware, these sharp increases in prices are due to the current economic recession, which in turn has affected price levels in the country.

Okemuo, who owns a fleet of buses, said it was a notorious fact that some major federal roads are in terribly poor conditions, lamenting that the situation had imposed a heavy maintenance burden on the transporters due to increased wear and tear on their vehicles.

Although he said that major repair work had been carried out on a few sections of some roads such as the Ore-Benin Expressway, the association pointed out that numerous others remained in frightening conditions.

It listed some of the affected roads as Omotosho-Ijebu-Ode within Ondo and Ogun states on the Sagamu-Benin Expressway; and Ubiaja-Uromi road leading to Abuja; Oyibo road, connecting Aba-Port-Harcourt road; as well as Ikot Ekpene-Itu-Udukpani road, connecting Uyo and Calabar.

Other roads in deplorable state, according to the association, are Ikwuano-Ikot-Ekpene, connecting Abia and Akwa Ibom states; Enugu- Onitsha expressway; the Benin section of Asaba-Benin highway; Ilorin-Mokwa-Minna-Abuja; and Enugu-Port-Harcourt.

Source: Punch
Theres a lot of talk about the safety culture in the mining industry. But to the outside world, that culture is sometimes difficult to explain. Most Nevadans will never have the opportunity to step onto on a mine site and see firsthand the industrywide commitment to sending miners home safely to their families every day. Part of our job at the Nevada Mining Association is to help tell that part of the industrys story.

Luckily, when it comes to mine safety, Nevadas got a great story to tell. One of the first things youll run into on many Nevada mines is a trophy case, right by the front door to the operations building, showing off the mines many sterling safety awards.

In July, the Nevada Mining Association partnered with the Mine Safety and Health Administration to host the 2016 Mine Rescue Competition. Thirty-five teams from across the country came to Reno to compete in a rigorous contest of skills, testing teams abilities to communicate and operate safely in a crisis situation. This year, Nevadas own Newmont Carlin operation took overall winner of the competition  something the whole state can be proud of.

In September, our association will give out more than 100 safety awards to miners in all corners of the industry. From managers and supervisors to miners and contractors, every aspect of the industry is examined for those who demonstrate the very best the industry has to offer.

Safety culture is built not only on awards and competitions, but on an entire structure built around the industry to ensure its success. A safety culture develops thanks to well-trained leaders in the industry, people passionate about mining industry who want to ensure that our often-hazardous natural environment is kept at bay. Miners are constantly training, learning new practices and new technology geared toward keeping them safe.

Outside of all the awards and competition, though, it is important to remember that we are far from finished. Nevada mines are setting records for safety, and national trends follow suit. But the best trophy wont be found in a statue or a plaque  its at home, with a miners family; its at the movie theater or exploring the Rubies on the weekend. We will work to build this culture using whatever tools are available until we know that every one of our coworkers  in Nevada and elsewhere  can go home and enjoy their lives free from injury and long-term harm.
TRAGEDY struck in the early hours of yesterday, in Lagos, as an 18 year-old woman who got married two weeks ago in Borno State, Faisa Muritala, was recovered dead, while two others were rescued alive when mudslide occurred at Kuata Area by Amara-Olu Street, Mechanic Village, Agidingbi, Ikeja, during a heavy downpour.

The persistent rainfall, which started late Monday evening, resulted in heavy flooding across the metropolis.

Most of the areas such as; Ikeja, Iyana-Ipaja, Agege, Ikorodu, Mile 2, Ojo, among others experienced heavy flood, resulting in traffic gridlock.

Newly-wed teenager dies

The incident was said to have occurred at about 9:30 am.

According to residents, Faisa and her husband, both Borno State indigenes, had their wedding ceremony 10 days ago.

It was learned that the husband relocated from Gwoza, Borno State to Lagos due to the Boko Haram insurgency that had ravaged their communities.

It was further gathered that the couple were relaxing in their structure when tragedy struck.

While the husband escaped, the wife was trapped under the mud.

One of the residents, Ibrahim Abu, said all we heard was a loud bang at about 9:30 am and before rescue team arrived, she had died.

How we escaped

 Victims

Muhammed Abba, one of the two survivors, narrating how he escaped death said: Faisa and I were both trapped under the mud, I can remember, she was behind me. Immediately I discovered I was trapped, I started shouting for help. It was my voice the rescue officials heard that made them realize the location where we were trapped.

Muhammed, a trader, claimed that We often pay N12, 000 annually as rent to the land-grabbers, popularly called omo-Onile, while we pay other miscellaneous to officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment.

Muhammed however, could not present any evidence of payment when asked by our correspondent.

Also recounting how he escaped by the whiskers, Mukaila Ahmadu said I just finished eating a meal from one of the restaurants around the place. And because I was in a hurry to catch up with an appointment in Ikeja, I had to leave despite the heavy rain.

I was not quite long a distance, I saw the structures crumbling behind me, in fear I ran forward shouting aloud to attract others to the collapsed site for help.

Why we relocated to Lagos

 Residents

One of the residents, Hassan Muhammed, lamented that they were forced to relocate to Lagos in 2013 after Boko Haram terrorists stormed their community and killed residents.

Hassan, who relocated from Gwoza to Lagos, said: I am not happy that I live here, but you need to understand that the incessant Boko Haram attacks forced us to relocate to Lagos. We dont have the huge income to rent house in Lagos. That was why we decided to settle here.

Lagos demolishes illegal structures, sacks occupants

Meanwhile, the Lagos State government has demolished all illegal structures in the area to avert further possible loss of lives.

Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, who led other officials on rescue mission to the scene, ordered other squatters living in the shanties around Amara-Olu community to vacate the area immediately, saying it is not habitable to live here.

LASEMA confirms death

Confirming the death of the victim in the mudslide, General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Engr. Micheal Akindele, said the remains of the deceased has been deposited at the mortuary in Ikeja General Hospital while survivors are currently receiving medical treatment.

According to Akindele, The agency received a distress call through the emergency toll free line 112/767 at about 10.54 am today 6th September, 2016 of a report of mud slide at some illegal shanties around Kuata Area by Amara Olu Street Mechanic Village Agidingbi, Ikeja.

Three persons were discovered trapped under the mud. The Agencys Emergency Response Team, ERT, were able to rescue some people ( a male and a female), while one adult female lost her life and the dead was recovered by the agencys ERR.

Source: Vanguard
The police in Osu have arrested a 38-year-old Nigerian who used the name of a top government officials to defraud a foreign investor to the tune of 150,000 dollars.

Dennis Ndukwu, is alleged to have forged signatures of Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, the Finance Minister, Seth Terkper and other high profile personalities.

The operations of Dennis and his gang, was uncovered in June this year following suspicion of the victims bankers.

The police said Dennis Ndukwu and his gang, through internet hacking, got to know about challenges being faced by the victim, a Vietnamese investor who had invested over 8.5 million dollars in Ghana.

Dennis Ndukwu, allegedly introduced himself to the investor, Le Van Khiem, as the secretary to the chief of staff, Julius Debrah, and can use the high office to assist him.

The police said Dennis later produced various documents purportedly signed by the chief of staff and the finance minister Seth Terkper.

These convinced the victim to give his personal items including his visa card and code to Dennis and his gang to enable them withdraw 100,000 dollars from his account to aid the process.

But the unusual withdrawal attracted his bankers suspicion to raise query on the account.

Yet the gang managed to get the victim to part with several thousands of dollars after noticing that the bank had blocked the account.

It was during the withdrawal of the last tranche of the money transfer that Dennis was arrested at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.

According to the police, Dennis Ndukwu admitted the offence and mentioned one Robert Amuzu as an accomplice.

Source: Punch
The Minister of State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, yesterday said there was no going back on the federal governments plan to concession the four major airports in the country.

Sirika made the remark while speaking at an interactive session with aviation correspondents in Lagos.

The government had indicated interest to concession the Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt International Airports to improve their safety and capacity.

Sirika noted that the protest by some aviation unions against the governments plan was due to the misconception that the airports were going to be privatised and sold to private individuals.

According to him, the concessioning of the airports will ensure that they are properly managed, while the government will still retain their ownership. (NAN)

The minister said that the current condition of airports in the country had made it extremely difficult for Nigeria to attract the desired number of passengers to transform the country into an aviation hub.

Nigeria has potential to do between 70 to 100 million passengers annually, within the next five years, if the right things are put in place.

The 15 million annual passengers which is the countrys current capacity can be improved upon if private investors are allowed to participate in the sector.

Government does not have money to put into these businesses and we dont want to sell these facilities either; so that is why we are concessioning them because it is the only way to go, he said.

The minister noted that aviation was a money spinner and could help the government to generate revenue which would be used to revitalize the Nigerian economy.

To this end, he said the government was committed to the establishment of a national carrier, a Repair, Maintenance and Overhaul (MRO) facility and an aviation leasing company which would all be privately funded.

The minister noted that their absence in the country had constituted a huge challenge to the growth of the aviation sector.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman, League of Aviation and Airports Correspondents (LAAC), Mr. Chuks Iwelunmo, pledged that the group would continue to partner with the ministry to take aviation to greater heights. (NAN)
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has pledged to offer necessary assistance to Nigeria in its fight against insurgence and terrorism. The Pakistan Defence Adviser, Col. Muazzam James stated this in an interview with newsmen after a ceremony to mark National `Defence Day` of Pakistan on Tuesday night in Abuja. James said that both countries could learn from each other especially in the area of fighting insurgence and terrorism. Pakistan is open to share all our experiences in terms of training, operation and other arsenal policies; we are open to share everything with our Nigerian government.

Pakistan and Nigeria have so many things in common, we have similar challenges. `We need to work together, terrorism is a global phenomenal and it cannot be handled by one country, especially developing country like Pakistan and Nigeria.

We need to work together, south-south cooperation is the best, I think Pakistan defence is offering its support to Nigeria; we can do so many thing together, he said. He said that there had been series of exchange programmes between Nigeria and Pakistan and both countries had been assisting each other in different ways. According to him, Nigerian army officers have been to Pakistan on training, while Pakistan army have also been to Nigeria as part of training arrangement , assisting in different ways .

While commending Nigeria in its fight against insurgence in the North East, the envoy said that the Federal Government had defeated and eliminated Boko Haram in the area. The Pakistan High Commissioner to Nigeria , Mr Umer Farooq also in an interview called on authorities of both countries to operationalise an already signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between them.

I will also want to recommend for the two countries, to put in place right policies that will help in operating these MoUs in various sectors of our economy, he said. According to him, both countries have a lot in common as developing nations particularly in areas of agriculture, manufacturing and industry.

The Chief Of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadiq Abubakar at the occasion commended Pakistan for its support to Nigeria in the fight against insurgence. According to him Pakistan and other friendly countries have been of help in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria. Abubakar who said that that there were a lots things Nigeria could benefit from Pakistan stressed on the need to maintain the existing relationship between them.

Source: Vanguard
The Police in Benue on Tuesday said they arrested two persons suspected to be operating an illegal gun factory in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the state, Moses Yamu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Makurdi that the suspects were nabbed by the commands Operation Zenda.

Mr. Yamu said the squad was on stop-and-search duty along Vandiekya-Adikpo road, when the suspects were caught, adding that at the men had a locally-made pistol with them at the time of arrest.

He explained that investigation into the arrest led to the discovery of a gun manufacturing factory at Tsar Village in Vandiekya Local Government Area.

He disclosed that several locally-made weapons, including SMG, pistol frame, one single barrel and assorted guns parts, were discovered at the factory.

The spokesman added that a box containing arms manufacturing tools and 12 live ammunitions were also recovered at the site.

He assured that the command would ensure total end to proliferation of arms and ammunition in the state.

Source: NAN
The Federal Government on Wednesday described as extremely uncharitable, attempts by some individuals on social media to link it and Dangote Group with a plan to flood the country with genetically modified rice.

In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, the Federa; Government recalled that in 2014, it signed a $1billion Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) for investment in integrated rice project with Dangote Industries Ltd.

In line with the agreement, the statement said that Dangote Industries Limited this year cultivated over 8,000 hectares in Hadejia, Jigawa state, creating over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs for farmers who are the major beneficiaries of the scheme.

It reads: In consolidation of the rice project of the Federal Government, President Muhammadu Buhari administration is also in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other reputable companies to tap into the vast potentials in the private sector and broadening the economic base of the country.

The gains of the diversification drive especially in the Agriculture sector are already yielding dividends as shown by the recent statistics in the sector as published by the National Bureau of Statistics. These engagements will continue until the present administration has laid a solid foundation for the economic development of the nation.

It is therefore ridiculous that a government that is wholly devoted to the generation of employment for Nigerians especially through Agriculture will turn around to get involved in an activity that will reverse the gains of the same partnership.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said it repeatedly that, we have the capacity to feed ourselves in Nigeria and even export from what we produce in the country.

He has also said that through the provision of N200 billion by the CBN for small holder farmers and processors involved in local production of rice and other grains, rice importation will hopefully stop in the next three years, It added.

The statement expressed dismay that a few self-serving individuals are bent on distracting the administration while the Buhari administration is working assiduously with well-meaning Nigerians to bring the country out of the current economic situation it has found itself.

The government, it further said, is focused on reflating the fortunes of the country through the diversification of the economy which will very soon yield results.

The Federal Government warns purveyors of such malicious information and those thinking of embarking on the same route to have a rethink and retrace their steps, it stated
The battle of political supremacy between former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his successor, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has recorded a casualty in the Kano State-owned Radio Kano, Alhaji Habibu Musa Gwangwazo.

Gwangwazo, who is the stations Chief Librarian, was suspended by the Managing Director of Radio Kano, Hajiya Saadatu Babaji, for purportedly airing a song which praised Kwankwaso, who is now a senator.

A continuity announcer at the station, Hajiya Furera Umar, who was on duty when the song was aired, was also issued with a query, Daily Trust reports.

A staff at the station, who craved for anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to press, said: To be sincere, we are in a serious dilemma in this station. The suspended staff is our chief librarian and his offense was that he chooses a song in which the former governor of the state Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was praised.

Efforts to reach Hajiya Babaji for comments on this report failed, as her phone rang without answering while the SMS sent to her phone, was not acknowledged.
The Northern States Pentecostal Bishops Forum, NSPBF, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to engage the services of economic experts to assist in fashioning out ways the country can come out of the current economic recession.

The forum, which comprises Pentecostal Bishops in the 19 northern states and Abuja, is chaired by Archbishop John Praise Daniel.

Archbishop Daniel, who spoke with State House correspondents shortly after he led a delegation of the forum to meet with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday, advised the Buhari administration to stop at nothing to get whoever can help facilitate economic recovery in order to ensure that Nigeria bounces back as a great nation.

He noted that Nigerians were suffering from the effect of the misrule of the past leadership.

All the same, we believe Nigeria is a great nation, and we can foster together with our genuineness, commitment and intellectual intelligence to move this nation forward. And they should not be afraid to look for economic experts, they should not stop to get who can help to help in our economic recovery to ensure everything goes on well so that this country can bounce back as a great nation that weve always been, to ensure this country becomes that great nation weve always dreamt and talked about, he said.

We thank God that the president promised to look at the hunger Nigerians are going through and we do believe that because the president is a man of integrity, he will follow up with his words to ensure that the suffering of Nigerian masses is reduced and make sure that there is enough in the country, the NSPBF chair stated.

On the forums mission to the State House, the cleric said they were on a courtesy visit to Vice President Osinbajo and to thank the government for its efforts so far, especially in stamping out the Boko Haram insurgency and ensuring security all over the nation. 

He added: Also to talk to him (Osinbajo) on the need for the nation to work together in unity, to move on in peace. And the disturbing factor of the Fulani herdsmen, to ensure that everything is done and to give our own advice on how the government will go on well and foster unity, peace and progress. Were a united nation and nobody should be thinking individually, but collectively of making Nigeria great. And also let the government know that yes, weve agreed were in recession, the people down there whom we lead are suffering, there are cries all over the place and let the government know that whatever they can do to alleviate the sufferings.
The senator representing Lagos-West Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Solomon Adeola, has called for urgent measures to tackle the current economic recession in the country.

Adeola, who is the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, also expressed concerns that government at all levels were not treating the issue of recession with the urgency it required to ensure that its duration is not unduly prolonged with untold suffering and even deaths for the majority of our people.

The senator, who made this known in a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Kayode Odunaro, on Tuesday, however, pointed out that the recession was not peculiar to Nigeria.

He said, The difference here is that not much is being done to assure the people that government is on top of the situation in terms of marshaling out implementable policies to address the plight of groups that are hardest hit by the continuing recession.

I must say that one has yet to see any urgency in providing palliatives for the poor and collapsing industries and other corporate bodies leading to serious job losses and a growing sense of despair among the general population. Experience in the past shows that one of the most reliable ways to tackle recession is to spend money on the productive sector as well as welfarist spending to put money in the pockets of the poor.
Following the shock defeat of his anointed candidate in the just-concluded primary elections in Ondo state, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu has met with the Governor Of Osun state, Rauf Aregbesola to discuss the matter.

This comes after supporters loyal to Tinubu accused Aregbesola of being responsible for the loss experienced by their Leaders candidate at the Ondo APC primaries.



Recall that Rotimi Akeredolu, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, won the Ondo APC primary elections by defeating Tinubus candidate, Olusegun Abraham by a slim margin.

Since the incident, the Ondo APC has been witnessing serious crisis as a result of the primary election as one of the contestants in the Primary election, Chief Olusola Oke has faulted the result of the election.

But, in a surprise twist, Tinubu has called for peace as he asked aggrieved party members to sheathe their swords and support Akeredolu.

The former Lagos governor, who was embroiled in an imposition saga as the Ondo primary election gathered momentum embraced the partys emerging flagbearer, Rotimi Akeredolu despite the uninspiring utterances by the winner directed at him during the build-up to the intra-party election.

In Ondo we must close ranks to achieve victory. The future of the state and of the party in the state should never be held ransom to insignificant personal animosities and perceived slights, he said in a statement.
Despite covering the industry for more than a decade, as a reporter and then as editor, I dont always get to see a mine develop from an idea to a full-fledged operation.

In August, I got to witness what Newmont Mining Corp. has done with its Long Canyon Project. The Mining Quarterly  and the Elko Daily Free Press  has written about this plot of land since Fronteer Gold Inc. first said gold was found on the eastern side of the Pequop Mountain Range in Elko County.

Newmont acquired the land from Fronteer on April 6, 2011 and four years later the U.S. Bureau of Land Management approved the record of decision for the mine on April 7, 2015.

Long Canyon cant call itself a mine yet, but anyone visiting the site wouldnt know any different. The buildings are constructed and the fine detail work should be done soon. The site has about 190 employees  all new jobs -- and is still hiring.

It is great for Elko County to have another mine in its borders. For decades the majority of people working at mines in Eureka County have lived in Elko County. I think local governments will be glad to see some additional tax money come in to help with the influx of people.

Newmont wasnt the only company celebrating accomplishments this year.

Barrick Gold Corp.s Turquoise Ridge Joint Venture employees achieved three years of going without a lost-time injury. That is a large accomplishment for an underground mine. Simon Pollard, the safety and health superintendent for the mine, said the culture at TR has changed over the years to make the underground safer. He also pointed toward leadership at the mine improving and said everyone treats his or her fellow miners as family.

While the mines have had growth, the Mining Quarterly was able to add Adella Harding back into its writing pool. For those who dont know, Harding was the editor who began the Mining Quarterly. I consider her a mentor and I was delighted when she offered to write a few stories  even though shes supposedly retired.

Harding took a look at gold prices and how mining companies are improving their bottom lines. She also wrote about the recruiting going on in the industry. Many coal miners have been laid off, in other parts of the country, but some have found their way to hardrock mining.

The Nevada Mining Association hosted a womens forum in August and I was able to attend a portion and hear from Betty Gibbs, who has been in the mining industry for 50 years. It is amazing how much mining has changed in just a few decades.

The Association also shared the list of safety award recipients. Those safety champions will receive their awards the Saturday after this edition hits newsstands.

I say a hearty congratulations to all the miners and companies who showed their commitment to safety in mines, and I know they will be striving to continue to ensure every employee goes home safe and healthy.

You can find the details on all these stories and more in this edition of the Mining Quarterly.
The Nigerian Army has said troops of 4 Brigade, Benin, have arrested one Mr. Gabriel Ogbudje (an ex-militant leader) and the alleged leader of the Outgas Fire Force, a militant group threatening to attack Utorogu Gas Plant in Delta State.

The Army spokesman, Sani Usman, in a statement on Wednesday, said Ogbudie was allegedly responsible for the recent attack on NPDC/Shoreline major delivery trunk line within Ogo-Oteri general area on the 26th of August.

Usman, a Colonel, said the suspected militant was trailed, and arrested by troops along Agbor-Abraka road, Edo State on Tuesday 6th September 2016.

He has been on the run since he was declared wanted because of his public declaration as the leader of the militant group Outgas Fire Force and his subsequent declaration of the threat code named Crocodile Tears, Usman added.

He also said Ogbudie was arrested with his accomplice, Mr. Elvis Dweller Ejus, and both suspects were handed to Operation Delta Safe for further interrogation and subsequent handing over to the relevant security agency for prosecution.

The statement further said troops of 13 Brigade Nigerian Army, Calabar, in conjunction with Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Air Force and covert operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency, arrested a suspected kingpin of the Niger Delta Avengers, Isaac Romeo, that goes by the appellation of G2.

It said Romeo was arrested with two other persons; Mr. Lawson Samson and an elderly man, Mr. Iyang Ekpo in Calabar, Cross River State while driving in a vehicle with registration number, CRS 86 AO1 on Saturday, 3rd September 2016.

According to the Army spokesman, the arrest followed painstaking efforts and tracking of the militant, who was in the state to perpetrate further criminal activities of sabotaging critical infrastructures.

Col. Usman said all the suspects are currently being interrogated.
A Boko Haram suspect, who is number 105 on the wanted list of the Nigerian Army, has been arrested by troops in Yobe State.

The suspect, Muhammed Bulama, was arrested yesterday alongside two other suspected Boko Haram terrorists, Ardo Abba Muhammed and Muhammadu Kaigama.

A statement issued by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman on Wednesday, said the suspects were arrested in Azare community, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

According to the Army spokesman, they were arrested riding on horseback and bicycle shepherding some sheep towards a market.

He added that during preliminary investigation, Bulama confirmed his photograph on the wanted list and further revealed that he specialized on rearing animals for the Boko Haram group.

Col. Usman said Bulama further confessed that they came to the village to sell the animals as they had ran out of cash in their hideout and would also get some food items back to for the upcoming Sallah festivity.
Mohammed, son of Former Nigerian Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has initiated a legal battle with his ex wife, Rahma for custody of their two eldest kids.

According to court documents obtained exclusively by LIB and also confirmed from a reliable source, Mohammad initiated the custody battle to finally reunite his children together and cut-off every trace of Rahma from their lives. The source said, their eldest kids Maryam and Ibrahim are reportedly in Rahmas custody, while the two youngest ones are with him in Minna.

READ: Rahama Indimi Confirms Split From Gen. Ibrahim Babangidas Son

Mohammed took the custody battle with his ex wife to a Sharia Court in Minna, Niger state and sources close to the case say they suspect foul play, saying not only was judgement allegedly carried out without Rahma and her representatives being present, but allegations are being made that the Babangidas are manipulating the case, especially since they have notable influence in the state.

The Court has now ordered Rahma to hand over the two children to their father, pending the determination of a substantive suit. An insider claims this shouldnt be so. To learn more about Child custody under sharia law. READ HERE.

There is also an allegation about threats to life being made and a police report being filed to address it. Whether its about the custody battle or the controversial audio that was supposedly leaked via Rahmas Instagram page, LIB cant confirm yet until they acquire proof.

From the documents acquired, Rahma has since replied and objected to the Sharias court judgement via an FCT Area court.

Source: LIB
Limit up on Wheat? Banghart Properties - 1 hour ago News broke over the weekend that could help wheat trade limit up when it reopens.

Rains in the Plains, Dow soars Sidwell Strategies - Sat Oct 29, 8:38AM CDT 1st winter wheat ratings Monday; consider carbon for cash flow during drought

Open Enrollment 101: Make the Most of Your Benefits Young & The Invested - Sat Oct 29, 6:00AM CDT The 2022 open enrollment season will be a difficult one as workers have to factor in persistently high inflation while they choose their coverage. These tips can help you maximize your benefits.

Cattle Market Fades on Friday Barchart - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT Live cattle futures ended the weeks last trade day down by 35 cents to $1.02 with soon to expire October down the most. Cash trade picked up later in the week with some Friday catch up sales mostly... LEV22 : 150.375s (-0.68%) LEZ22 : 153.000s (-0.28%) LEG23 : 156.325s (-0.33%) GFX22 : 177.875s (-0.14%) GFF23 : 180.375s (-0.04%)

Hogs Rebound into Weekend Barchart - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT Lean hog futures ended the Friday round with 32 to 97 cent gains to fade the triple digit losses from Thursday. The USDA National Average Base Hog Price was $90.54 in the PM update, down by $1.15. The... HEZ22 : 86.100s (+1.15%) HEJ23 : 92.700s (+0.62%) KMZ22 : 96.125s (+0.37%)

Cotton Falls Triple Digits Barchart - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT December cotton ended the day locked limit lower on the 3c loss. The March contract worked back off the limit for the bell, but still went home down by 274 points. For the week, Dec cotton closed 702 points... CTZ22 : 72.11s (-3.99%) CTH23 : 72.07s (-3.66%) CTK23 : 72.30s (-2.99%)

Loss for Friday Wheat Barchart - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT Wheat futures faded on Friday with the front month contracts going home 6 1/4 to 9 1/4 cents lower in SRW. For the December contract that completed the week with a 21 1/2 cent loss. KC futures closed down... ZWZ22 : 829-2s (-1.10%) ZWH23 : 849-0s (-1.05%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.6281 (-1.18%) KEZ22 : 925-0s (-0.78%) KEPAWS.CM : 8.8324 (-0.81%) MWZ22 : 945-0s (-0.58%)

Corn Closes Red on Friday Barchart - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT Front month corn futures settled the Friday session with fractional to 1 1/2 cent losses. The December contract saw a tight 7 1/2 cent range from -6 cents to +1 1/2 cents on the day. It was also down for... ZCZ22 : 680-6s (-0.22%) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.7193 (-0.15%) ZCH23 : 686-6s (-0.15%) ZCK23 : 686-2s (unch)
A few days ago, the financial services behemoth Wells Fargo apologized for advertisements that implied that teenagers should set aside their artistic dreams and choose careers in science.

As the New York Timesreported, the print ads, promoting a "teen financial education day" program, featured an image of a smiling young woman with the headline: "A ballerina yesterday. An engineer today." A number of prominent artists took to social media to complain and Wells Fargo promptly apologized. The company said it would change the advertising campaign.

This hullabaloo compels us to ask a question we've posed over and over again here at IP: Why do people view the arts and the sciences as mutually incompatible? Why must it be an either-or proposition? Can't you walk and chew gum at the same time?

Fortunately, some philanthropic players have the same idea, and we've been writing here and there about gifts by funders looking to bridge the divide between science and the humanities.

The latest example is news out of Bronxville, N.Y., where Sarah Lawrence College announced a $2 million gift from alumna Suzanne Salter Arkin of Manhattan to create the Suzanne Salter Arkin Science Endowment, dedicated to attracting outstanding science students who want to pursue serious individual study of science while engaging with the arts, humanities, language, literature, and the social sciences in a liberal arts institution.

The centerpiece of the endowed fund will be a new program providing stipend support for summer externships for selected undergraduate students who have excelled in the sciences and begun significant research on campus.

At first blush, you may be thinking, "Cool, another gift acknowledging how the liberal arts can bolster science education." And of course, that's true. Viewed through this lens the gift resembles, say, the Teagle Foundation's allocation of close to $400,000 over 36 months to five partner institutions that will build upon previous Teagle grants to integrate the liberal arts in engineering curricula or the logic undergirding the Mellon-supportedCenter for Art, Science and Technology at MIT.

Yet in those two examples, the liberal arts are being superimposed on a preexisting science framework. The Sarah Lawrence gift, on the other hand, flips the script.

The school is a legendary bastion of liberal arts education. Prior to this gift, it had a relatively small science footprint. And therein was genesis of Arkin's "Ah-ha" moment. Why not leverage its liberal arts excellence to build upon its rigorous science curriculum, which includes a 14-year old summer science research program?

"This gift is transformational for Sarah Lawrence," says Dean of the College Kanwal Singh. "While the college is well known for the arts and humanities, our pedagogy, which gives students research experience from day one, is also particularly well suited for the sciences." And so, much like the recently profiled Mellon-funded "Humanities Labs," the endowment aims to equip Sarah Lawrence students for post-college employment in science research and technical institutions.

Not surprisingly, there is some evidence that the humanities produce better scientists. Thomas R. Cech, a Nobel laureate in chemistry, notes in his paper Science at Liberal Arts Colleges: A Better Education? that a survey conducted over a two-year period by the National Academy of Sciences found that almost one in five scientists elected into the National Academy of Sciences received their undergraduate degree from a liberal arts college. Cech attributes the success of liberal arts science students to two features of a liberal arts education: the nurturing environment and the cross-training between science and the humanities.

Which brings us to Fareed Zakaria, the host of CNNs "Fareed Zakarias GPS" and an editor-at-large at Time magazine, whose new book is called In Defense of a Liberal Education. The tropes will sound familiar. "The central virtue of a liberal education," he writes, "is that it teaches you how to write, and writing makes you think." He's preaching to the choir. This common line of defense argues that liberal arts proponents should welcome engineers, doctors, web developers, and other ones-and-zeros types to their fold. "Take a class in Greek mythology or French existentialism; it'll make you a better programmer" they argue.

This may very well be true, but news out of Bronxville suggests a more active approach. Blessed with a rich liberal arts infrastructure, the Suzanne Salter Arkin Science Endowment recruits STEM-inclined students on STEM-like terms. Will other small liberal arts institutions with a faint science footprint follow this approach?
This content is from: Opinion

Cryptos descent into hell, rather than sending institutional investors straight for the exits, has triggered a hunt for the next big bet.(Part of the crypto column series.)
Following Ubers launch in Queensland, cab drivers opposed to the move have charged Uber to be unsafe for passengers, it has been reported.Contrary to claims of the taxi industry, however, passengers who ride Uber in Australia are protected under their insurance policy, which covers them in case of an injury during a trip, Daily Mail Australia reported.Bill Parker, Yellow Cabs Queensland GM, said that unlike passengers of taxis who are protected by Queenslands transport act as well as by the systems created by the industry to adhere to the legislation; Uber doesnt have enough safety measures for passengers.Our business model is based upon service delivery, not on money, Parker said.Uber said that not only are their drivers required to have insurance, there is also a company policy that protects passengers in case of an accident.All rides arranged using the Uber app in Australia are covered by insurance, a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.Every Australian uberX trip is covered by vehicle liability insurance issued by CGU , which provides at least $20,000,000 for third party bodily injury and property damage. This is in addition to each partner's own insurance coverage, the spokesperson said.Parker also criticised Ubers criminal checks, claiming its 24-hour system for checking a drivers history was inadequate. The report said, however, that Uber has a series of criminal and registration checks that it requires its drivers to take.Taxi drivers also remain angry about the uneven financial playing field between the taxi industry and Uber, which include proper insurance, disparity in registration costs, and the collection of GST, Daily Mail Australia said.Uber got everything they wanted without even turning up and the cab industry has to suffer as a result, Parker said.I see a lot of people who are suffering greatly at the hands of this decision  some very sad stories.Queensland was the sixth state to legalise the ride-sharing service in Australia, following NSW, Victoria, ACT, South Australia, and Western Australia.
Specialist (re)insurance broker BMS Group Ltd. (BMS) has launched its affinity broking operation for Australia and New Zealand to be based in Melbourne. The team will be led by Shamus Breen, working closely with Brian Gomes, BMS global affinity practice leader.Breen has more than 20 years of industry experience, having most recently served as national manager for consumer affinity at Marsh . His other previous roles at Marsh were managing principal for automotive, national manager  specialty, and manager for retail & sport.David Battman, BMS International CEO, said: I am delighted to announce the launch of our Melbourne office, building on our existing wholesale and facilities broking offices in Sydney and Brisbane.Globally, there is a growing market for our industry-leading online sales technology, which is serving us so well in Canada. By introducing this proven technology platform to Australia and New Zealand, using our new base in Melbourne, we are demonstrating our commitment to a market with significant growth potential.On Breen, Battman said: Shamus brings a wealth of industry knowledge and market contacts to the new BMS operation and we are convinced he will contribute significantly to the growth and development of our regional business.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska  When Gary Pitt and his son set off on one last trip up a river in Interior Alaska last week, it was ostensibly to camp and hunt for moose.

But he was really looking for some closure  a way to say goodbye to the state he had loved and explored for many years, and to his wife, who died in May.

Instead, the Goodpaster River snatched Gary Pitt in an instant when his boat hit a logjam and sank Friday morning.

Troopers and volunteers have been searching the Tanana River tributary for three days. Theyve found no sign of the 66-year-old miner and father of four.

His son thinks he drowned trying to save him.

My guess is he tried to save me and fell in himself, said Gary Pitt II.

Gary Pitt had raised his family working as a miner in small towns all over the West, from Elko, Nevada, to Lander, Wyoming.

Somewhere along the way, hed fallen in love with Alaska. For the past decade or so, hed been working alongside one of his four sons at the Pogo Mine, an underground gold mine northeast of Delta Junction, while living mostly in Kenai.

Pitt and his wife were planning to retire on land theyd bought in a small town in Texas, where they hoped to farm and ranch. But before Pitt could permanently move down, his wife of nearly 45 years died suddenly at the end of May.

He was old-school when it came to his emotions. He always said he would show us he loved us by what he did, said David Pitt, one of Deette and Gary Pitts four sons.

But he was clearly devastated by his wifes death, David Pitt said.

Some of the familys happiest times had been far up the Goodpaster River, known for its beauty, bounty and treacherous conditions.

A Fairbanks boat dealer even launched a Goodpaster challenge, in 2011, offering $500 to anyone who could make it far enough up to take a photo with a sign that said If you can read this, you must be driving an SJX jetboat from Compeaus.

For more than a dozen years, the Pitt family had taken boats up the river to camp and hunt caribou and moose.

With all four Pitt brothers and their own kids, the group could total 15 or 20 people. The family would camp at a spot just above the Pogo Mine, at Mile 88 of the river. Only a few types of boats could make it up that far.

It was kind of our bonding place, said David Pitt.

This summer, Gary Pitt wanted to see it one more time.

He wanted to go one last time, because him and my mom  my mom loved going up there, said Gary Pitt II, who lives in Kenai. He just wanted some closure.

So last week, Gary Pitt and his eldest son bought their hunting permits, loaded up their boat and drove north from Kenai. They put in their jet boat at the Tanana River bridge toward the Pogo Mine. Part of the fun was always the difficulty of getting to their spot.

Its a very hard river to run, said Gary Pitt II. Its twisty, braided.

But at about 10:30 a.m. Friday, they ran into trouble.

Theyd just turned a corner at a spot about 3 miles south of the mine when something got sucked up in one of the jet boats engines, Pitt II said.

Before there was a chance to clear it out, the engine lost power and a ferocious current forced the boat into a logjam. Within seconds, the boat sank.

It tea-cupped the boat, just filled it with water, Pitt II said.

Pitt II saw a flash of his father holding on to the logjam, he wrote in an account he posted on Facebook. Then he was underwater himself for what he thinks was close to a minute.

Suddenly, he felt like he was being grabbed by the top of both shoulders and pulled up. Above the surface, he looked around. His father was about 5 feet away, in the water but holding on to the logs.

He managed to pull himself up on the logs and crawled to his father. He grabbed him by the coat and yelled for him to hold on.

I know he felt my grasp. I tried so hard, yelling and screaming for him to hold on, to pull him up out of the water, Pitt II wrote. I pulled and pulled and could not bring him to me. I had no strength, nothing to bring even his head up out of the water.

He went so, so heavy, Pitt II wrote. The river ripped him from me.

Pitt II said he laid there on the logs, yelling for his father. No one answered. Eventually, he was able to crawl off the logjam to the bank of the river.

Someone he knew came down the river and saw him. They contacted troopers.

When medical help arrived, Pitt II had water in his lungs and was bordering on hypothermia. He refused medical treatment. When he got back to his truck, he drove all night. Back in Kenai, he went to church. People prayed over him.

The Alaska State Troopers, along with volunteers from the Pogo Mine, members of the Fort Wainwright rescue and dive team and other river locals, have been searching for Gary Pitt using aerial fly-overs in helicopters, plus river boat patrols and underwater cameras.

Searchers have found no sign of Pitt. Troopers will continue to run periodic aerial searches over the river, said spokesman Tim DeSpain.

Pitt II wrote out what happened in a Facebook post, thanking his father for the life he gave his sons.

He taught us boys with a firm hand and a loving heart and we love him for that, he wrote.

Pitt II said hes been thinking about those fishing and hunting trips up the river, and what they were really about.

If there was one thing he wanted more than anything, it was a grizzly bear. But for the most part, it wasnt about the hunt for him. It was about the time being out there, together.
General insurance disputes have risen 19% to highs not seen since 2011-12 thanks to a perfect storm gripping the industry.Insurance disputes saw a rapid increase thanks to a combination of factors, said John Price, Financial Ombudsman Service lead ombudsman  general insurance, as claims remain a contentious issue for brokers, insurers and consumers alike.It is a combination of factors coming into FOS; it is almost a perfect storm, Price told Insurance Business.We have these extremely high levels of declined claims compared to what we are seeing in the past, there is a greater awareness of FOS and its activities and roles, and so people frustrated with the process with the insurer are coming directly to FOS rather than exercising their IDR (internal dispute resolution) rights.These factors, combined with an industry resourcing issue and changes to the FOS framework which the industry is yet to fully adjust to, have seen disputes rise.Brokers are linked to just 4% of general insurance disputes, but Price said that disputes generally arise through failure to obtain the appropriate policy for a client, which then calls into question whether brokers have breached their duty of care.Price said that the duty of care for brokers is high. This means that, if a dispute arises, a broker needs to be able to prove that they fully canvassed and recorded the consumers insurance needs, that they have undertaken reasonable efforts to arrange the policy.That doesnt mean simply going to their preferred portal to get to their preferred insurer, but actually doing the proper research.Communication remains key for both brokers and insurers, particularly around claims, as keeping clients informed can help head off many disputes.It is about communication but it is also about keeping a record of that communication.Gone are the days of having a diary with a blank page and a line across it  meeting with so and so, Price said. You have got to record the information.
Sparke Helmore and specialist boutique insurance litigation and general commercial law firm Jarman McKenna have signed a term sheet to secure three months of exclusivity as they enter formal merger discussions, possibly leading to a merger by the end of 2016.Mark Hickey, Sparke Helmore chairman of partners, commented on the potential merger: "As part of our renewed growth strategy, we are constantly looking for opportunities to improve the service we provide to our clients.Joining forces with Jarman McKenna's strong team of insurance litigators will bring in new expertise, which will be hugely beneficial for our clients. Merging our firms would enable us to enhance the services we provide in Western Australia, as well as increase our national insurance capability."Piet Jarman, Jarman McKenna founding partner, said the potential merger with Sparke Helmore will help the firm expand its service offerings: The insurance litigation market in Perth and across Australia has become increasingly competitive. Sparke Helmore is an established and reputable firm that shares our values and ambitions, so it makes sense to explore this opportunity, which would expand the offering we provide and greatly benefit our clients.The two law firms expect ongoing discussions and due diligence to continue through to November.
Integro Insurance Brokers, a New York headquartered international broker and risk management firm, has acquired Insurance Revolution Inc., a Princeton, N.J., based risk management firm.

Insurance Revolution Inc. is the parent company of Maloy Risk Services Inc., a niche insurance retail broker, and Piedmont Managers LLC, a Lloyds cover holder for hedge fund management liability and technology errors and omissions insurance products.

Following the acquisition, Maloys financial, life science and technology teams will operate as part of Integros risk management division, while Piedmont Managers will continue to operate within the same division.

Source: Integro

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Agencies New York
A Pennsylvania regulator on Thursday reinstated a record $11.4 million fine against the popular ride-sharing service Uber Technologies Inc. for operating illegally in the state in 2014.

By a 4-1 vote, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission rejected Ubers arguments that the penalty, six times larger than any it had imposed, was unnecessary and excessive.

Uber, in a statement, said it intends to appeal to a Pennsylvania state court, and overturn what it called an absurd fine imposed for technical violations.

The PUC, which regulates taxi services and Uber rivals such as Lyft, had sanctioned Uber for having from February to August 2014 provided 122,998 rides in Pennsylvania without prior approval, and obstructing a state probe into its operations.

It imposed the fine on April 21, reducing it from the $49.9 million ordered by two administrative law judges.

The PUC agreed in June to reconsider the payout at Ubers request, over the objection of state officials who called the fine an appropriate response to Ubers lawless conduct.

Uber offered new evidence that its service benefited Pennsylvanians, and that any fine should be capped at $1,000 per day, or roughly $200,000, and not based on the number of trips.

But the PUC said in its 77-page decision that Uber failed to set forth any new and novel arguments that appear to have been overlooked or not addressed in our prior determination.

In its statement, Uber said the decision sends a troubling message that Pennsylvania is unwelcoming to technology and innovation, and shows why the state needs permanent, statewide ride-sharing legislation as soon as possible.

Based in San Francisco, Uber has drawn criticism from taxi companies losing market share, regulators concerned about driver and passenger safety, and riders upset over high prices.

The PUC previously found that Uber had in 2014 posed a risk to public safety by offering rides without proof its drivers, vehicles and insurance provisions met state standards.

It also said Ubers contention that it served only a limited customer base at the time rang hollow, given its persistent claim that it provided its service to meet overwhelming demand, despite two cease-and-desist orders.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Alan Crosby)

Topics Pennsylvania
Anbang Insurance Group Co., known for its aborted attempt to buy Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. in March, is turning its attention from chasing deals to digesting $13.5 billion of overseas acquisitions announced since 2014.

The company will focus on integrating purchases such as South Koreas Tongyang Life Insurance Co., Vice Chairman Yao Dafeng said on Tuesday in Beijing, in the first interview by the companys senior management with international media. While Yao said Anbang will still continue to seek acquisitions, mostly insurers and banks, his comments suggest a deal spree that included buying New Yorks iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotel and mounting a $14 billion bid for Starwood might abate.

We want to build up the existing synergies a bit first, and consider new deals when appropriate opportunities emerge, Yao said, adding that the insurers premium growth remains strong enough to finance new deals. You cant just keep buying every day. You need to also digest and absorb.

Anbang, founded in 2004, has been at the forefront of a record wave of overseas acquisitions by Chinese companies as the worlds second-largest economy cools. The insurer, which has amassed assets across the U.S., Europe and Asia, is now preparing an initial public offering in Hong Kong of its life insurance operations.

There are signs that some major Chinese acquirers are taking a pause. Fosun Group, whose purchases included Club Med, has slowed its deal pace in the past year as billionaire founder Guo Guangchang switched focus to cutting debt.

Led by Chairman Wu Xiaohui, Anbang has faced calls for more disclosure by Standard & Poors Ratings Services and drawn scrutiny for its unconventional dealmaking methods. Wu this year abruptly pulled out of the deal to buy the Starwood hotel chain, which would have been the biggest purchase of a U.S. asset by a Chinese company.

The main reason for that decision was to strictly abide by the companys price discipline, the company said in a statement Tuesday.

Proposed IPO

The proposed IPO is part of efforts by Anbang to better integrate itself into the global community as an open and transparent player, said Yao, who is also chairman of the life insurance unit. The company has asked banks to pitch for roles on the deal, people with knowledge of the matter said last month.

Morgan Stanley, Hong Kongs No. 1 IPO arranger in the past decade, decided to not pitch for a role in the offering, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter, Bloomberg News reported last week. Bankers deliberations on whether to work with Anbang have centered on whether the company would provide enough details on its ultimate ownership structure, the people said.

The New York Times reported last week that Anbang is controlled by a group of companies owned by about 100 people with ties to the insurers chairman, many of them hailing from Wus home county of Pingyang on the eastern Chinese coast.

China Stereotypes

The report was not factual, Yao said. Anbang is a private company that strictly abides by Chinese laws and regulations. Some people in America always have stereotypes about China and Chinese companies.

Anbang, which has announced $13.5 billion in overseas deals in the past two years, folded four of the companies it acquired into the life unit last year. They include Tongyang Life, Dutch insurer Vivat, Belgium lender Nagelmackers and insurer Fidea NV, according to the units 2015 annual report. Net income at the consolidated division more than doubled from the previous year to 19.6 billion yuan ($2.9 billion), while assets surged more than sevenfold to 921.6 billion yuan, according to the report.

Those consolidated numbers are just the technical aspect, and a very small part of benefits such acquisitions have brought Anbang, Yao said. From the strategic and market competition point of view, our global deployment is taking shape.

Some of the acquired companies are already benefiting as Anbang has started started integrating them. Seoul-based Tongyang Life, which Anbang bought last September, posted its best results since its establishment in 1989 in the first half of this year, with premiums income jumping 91 percent mainly thanks to a new pension insurance product designed with Anbangs help, Yao said.

Amstelveen-based Vivat, bought in July last year, reported a tenfold profit jump for the same period, after management strategies exported from Anbang helped reduce costs and improve efficiency, he added.

Anbang still has very strong reserve strength for further overseas and domestic investments, with foreign purchases, including both completed and pending deals, accounting for only about 2.8 percent of total assets, compared with the regulatory ceiling of 15 percent, the company said in a statement.

Were not simply slowing down, Yao said, adding Anbang is working to complete all pending acquisitions including that of Fidelity & Guaranty Life in the U.S., announced in November. Well be looking for new ones as we digest.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics China
BMS Group Ltd., the London-based independent specialist insurance and reinsurance broker, announced the launch of a new affinity broking operation focused on Australia and New Zealand.

The team will be based in Melbourne and led by Shamus Breen, working closely with BMS global affinity practice leader Brian Gomes.

Breen joins from Marsh, where he most recently served as national manager for consumer affinity. He brings more than 20 years of experience to BMS, having progressed through a variety of roles at Marsh including national manager for specialty and national manager for motor.

I am delighted to announce the launch of our Melbourne office, building on our existing wholesale and facilities broking offices in Sydney and Brisbane, said David Battman, CEO of BMS International. (BMS is the UK broking arm of Minova Insurance).

Globally, there is a growing market for our industry-leading online sales technology, which is serving us so well in Canada, he added.

By introducing this proven technology platform to Australia and New Zealand, using our new base in Melbourne, we are demonstrating our commitment to a market with significant growth potential. Shamus brings a wealth of industry knowledge and market contacts to the new BMS operation and we are convinced he will contribute significantly to the growth and development of our regional business, Battman went on to say.

Topics Australia
BlackRock Inc., the worlds largest asset manager, said all investors should factor climate change into their decision-making and doing so would not mean having to accept lower returns.

Global moves to coordinate a response to climate change took a big step forward on Saturday when both China and the United States ratified a 2015 plan to curb climate-warming emissions, raising chances it will enter into law this year.

BlackRock said it is strengthening its data and analytical processes to reflect changes to the environment  and political responses to them.

In a 16-page report released after the G20 meeting in China, BlackRock, which manages more than $4.9 trillion in assets, said risks and opportunities would come through the physical effects of climate change, technological change, as well as the regulatory and social response.

After an extreme weather event hits a state, economic growth is 10 to 15 percent lower than usual.

Climate risk is an enduring challenge, Ewen Cameron Watt, senior director for BlackRocks Investment Institute, told Reuters. This is a source of portfolio risk and a source of social risk, which needs addressing.

In the report, BlackRock suggested higher carbon prices could limit the cost of reducing emissions and push companies to create solutions to the problem.

In the meantime, BlackRock said it was enhancing its data mining efforts to reduce the risk to its investments.

For instance, they calculate emissions as a percentage of a companys sales, estimate firms exposure to income shocks from rising temperatures and calculate the sales a company generates with little physical waste.

Firms that cut their carbon footprint have performed better than their peers who did not make such changes, BlackRock said.

Cameron Watt said insurers have made vast strides in recent decades to model climate risk in detail and adjusted their premiums accordingly.

I think we can do the same, he said, applying data to its own investment process. Were just scratching the surface.

For instance, with more detailed number-crunching, BlackRock could learn how a single corporations factories and supply lines could be affected by catastrophic weather.

The risks are considerable, BlackRock said. After an extreme weather event hits a state, economic growth is 10 to 15 percent lower than usual that month and slower for many more months, its analysis showed.

BlackRock has expanded its ability to store, sort and analyze data and uses more of the data to inform its investment decisions, for instance in deciding when to bet against a stock.

The information ranges from satellite images of cars in retailer parking lots to shipping trends to word searches on corporate earnings calls.

(Editing by Alister Doyle and Toby Chopra)

Related:

Topics Carriers Climate Change
Hundreds of banana farmers from Central America and South America will again have their day in court, after a U.S. appeals court on Friday revived six lawsuits accusing several big fruit and chemical companies of sickening them with a toxic pesticide.

By an 11-0 vote, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia revived claims by 228 farmers from Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Panama against such companies as Chiquita Brands International, Del Monte Fresh Produce, Dole Food, Dow Chemical, Occidental Chemical and Shell Oil.

The court said a Delaware judge abused his discretion by dismissing the lawsuits instead of putting them on hold or transferring them, after another judge in Louisiana had rejected the same claims because they were brought there too late.

Circuit Judge Julio Fuentes called it untenable to throw out litigation that began in 1993, without any U.S. court reviewing the merits of the farmers claims.

The farmers are seeking damages from the defendants for exposure from the 1960s to 1980s to dibromochloropropane (DBCP), a pesticide they blame for causing sterility, kidney failure, elevated cancer risk, birth defects and other medical problems.

Most uses of DBCP were banned in the United States in 1977. The farmers sued on their own after a U.S. court rejected their bid to pursue a class action.

Im extremely gratified that a court of this stature has finally seen the truth, and that the farmers will have their day in court, which is what they have asked for two decades, their lawyer Scott Hendler said in a phone interview.

Other banana workers with similar claims have won multi-million dollar settlements. One case against Dole reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003.

Lawyers for the companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Fridays decision reversed an August 2015 ruling by a three-judge 3rd Circuit panel, which had upheld dismissals of the six lawsuits by U.S. District Judge Richard Andrews in Delaware.

Fuentes found some merit to defense arguments that the farmers tried to shop improperly for a friendlier court after being shut out in Louisiana.

He nonetheless said the farmers were not trying to game the system, and instead were simply looking for a court to hear their claims.

Most of the lawsuits were returned to Delaware for further proceedings. Claims against Chiquita will move to New Jersey, where that company is incorporated.

Related:

Topics Lawsuits USA Claims Agribusiness Pollution Chemicals
Beth Goldberg has joined Starr Companies as chief underwriting officer, Financial Lines. She will be responsible for sales, underwriting, profitability and growth.

Goldberg has 17 years of experience with international insurance companies and brokerages. She most recently was at Zurich North America as senior vice president and head of Middle Market for the Management Solutions Group. Prior to joining Zurich in 2007, Goldberg was assistant vice president at Hilb Rogal and Hobbs (HRH) where she specialized in the placement of management liability lines of coverage. Before HRH, she held various positions with American International Groups Executive Liability Division over seven years.

Her areas of expertise include Directors & Officers Liability (public, private and not for profit) Employment Practices Liability, Fiduciary Liability, Crime, Lender Liability, Security & Privacy and Kidnap & Ransom.

She is a national board member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) Foundation and serves as secretary of its eastern chapter.

Topics Underwriting
More than 3.5 million workplace injuries and illnesses occur each year in the United States, costing an estimated $250 billion annually.

A new study from The University of Texas at Dallas examined how financing constraints impact workplace safety and the implications for firm value and employee welfare. Dr. Malcolm Wardlaw, assistant professor of finance and managerial economics in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, recently published his findings in the Journal of Finance.

A huge part of the labor force has significant exposure to injury risk, Wardlaw said. For these workers, getting injured can radically impact their overall welfare. Moreover, the costs of these injuries are borne by both the employees and the companies they work for.

He noted that while many people may not think about the issue on a day-to-day basis, blue-collar jobs are everywhere, including in warehouse management, shipping and transportation, resource management, construction and small-scale manufacturing.

Using injury data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, the researchers examined the sensitivity of workplace injury rates to a firms available financial resources.

The study found that:

Injury rates increase after debt increases and increase with negative cash flow shocks.

Injury rates decrease with positive cash flow shocks.

Firm value decreases substantially with an increase in injury rates.

When youre having issues in cash flow, you often end up servicing the debt at the expense of softer claims that are more difficult to value or have values that are realized over the long term, Wardlaw said. There are costs associated with workplace injuries  its harder to find and retain employees, youre more subject to lawsuits and injuries have a long-term effect on productivity  but on a quarter-to-quarter basis, those debts have to be paid.

Wardlaw said this paper is one of the first to recognize that the financial condition of a firm affects employees well-being, which could have implications for policymakers.

When youre thinking about OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] inspections and thinking about issues you should keep your eye on, this is certainly one of the dimensions to consider: What is the financial condition of this firm? Wardlaw said.

Its also worth thinking about how financing impacts these kinds of hidden investments. In recent years, there has been a broad recognition that investments in safety are important for the employees and the shareholders. Finding the best way to finance that investment is not always easy.

Firms invest resources in a number of different activities that reduce the risk of on-the-job injury, including maintaining equipment, replacing old parts and machines, buying equipment with better safety features and automating dangerous tasks, Wardlaw said. Firms also expend resources on less tangible activities that affect safety, such as training and supervision.

Dr. Jonathan B. Cohn, associate professor of finance at The University of Texas at Austin, is co-author of the paper. The researchers are working on a related study regarding private equity buyouts and injury rates.

Source: University of Texas at Dallas

Topics Texas Commercial Lines Business Insurance
ELKO  Local residents will have a chance to comment on wild horse issues this week as the Bureau of Land Managements National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meets Thursday and Friday at Stockmens Hotel and Casino.

The board meets Thursday afternoon and all day Friday, but the time set aside for public comment is from 3:15-5:15 p.m. Thursday. Comments will be live-streamed at http://www.blm.gov/live.

The nine-member board generally meets twice a year and includes people from as far away as Pennsylvania, but there are no current members from Nevada.

According to the BLM, board members represent various interests: wild horse and burro advocacy groups, wild horse and burro research institutions, veterinarians, natural resource organizations, humane advocacy groups, wildlife associations, and livestock organizations, plus the general public with a special knowledge of equine behavior.

For additional information on the meeting, contact Ramona DeLorme, Wild Horse and Burro Administrative Assistant, at 775-861-6583.
Experts studying demographics and data following south Louisianas great flood of 2016 tell a newspaper they dont expect a mass exodus of people from the area, such as the one that followed Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Allison Plyer, executive director of The Data Center in New Orleans, told The Advocate that the flooding was patchy enough that it enabled victims to stay with unaffected neighbors nearby while they worked on homes.

Experts said the restoration of electricity and school reopenings were other factors that could prevent a mass exodus.

Tulane University geographer Richard Campanella told the newspaper that many residents in the flood footprint are homeowners. He said property ownership would make them less likely to leave than renters.

Renters are one group that is more likely to leave.

That was the case for Caroline and Kevin Farris, who were renting a home in Denham Springs with their 3-year-old daughter Isabella.

They were in North Carolina when the flood hit, visiting Carolines family.

They returned to find that the house had flooded with 39 inches of water.

Kevin Farris family in Watson also flooded, so the couple decided to head back to North Carolina and stay with Caroline Farris family.

We didnt have a choice, Caroline Farris said. My husband called his job and said, Look, Im really sorry, but we cant stay here, and then I had to do the same.

Caroline Farris already has gotten a new job in her hometown, and the couple expects to move into their new rental next week.

Elliott Stonecipher, a north Louisiana demographics expert, told The Associated Press that another group to keep an eye on will be retiring baby boomers  people with discretionary income who might find the floods to be the last straw as they cope with other south Louisiana problems, including traffic congestion and crime in Baton Rouge.

Many in that group, especially with government aid for their flood losses, might flee to Florida or Texas, states without a personal income tax. Or, if they want to stay in state, they might head for central or north Louisiana spots where real estate costs are low.

The August floods damaged more than 150,000 homes and displaced thousands.

Flooded Vehicles

State police also say theres an overwhelming demand for Office of Motor Vehicle services following disastrous flooding in August.

In a news release, state police say office hours at the OMV Field Office on Independence Boulevard in Baton Rouge is extending office hours through next week.

Through Friday, the office hours will be 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The office is processing up to 600 cancelled plates a day from flooded vehicles as well as duplicate drivers licenses and IDs.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Louisiana Flood
Clearview Risk Holdings LLC, the holding company of Southwest Risk LP, has added Sarah Farr as a broker with Southwest Risk in Austin.

Farr brings 14 years of industry experience. She started in the business in 2002, working for an agency in San Marcos. She then moved to the Philadelphia Insurance Companies where she handled habitational, non -profit organizations and home healthcare. In 2010, Farr joined the wholesale business as a broker at US Risk.

Southwest Risk now has locations Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth and Austin. The firm also recently opened an office in Tallahassee, Fla.

Southwest Risk President Rob Howey said Farr is the firms 36th broker, which represents a doubling of its broker team in four years.

ClearView Risk Holding LLC is the parent company of Southwest Risk LP, Southwest Risk Agency Services LLC, Strata Underwriting Managers and Strata Claims Management.

Source: ClearView Risk Holding LLC
No more beer pong for fraternities and sororities at the College of Charleston, at least for now.

The South Carolina college announced this week it is suspending alcohol at all functions for Greek organizations after a series of incidents ranging from disruptive parties to students getting medical treatment for drinking too much.

Local news outlets report college President Glenn McConnell sent a letter saying the ban is in effect until a school review of the Greek system. Members of Greek organizations also will have to receive instruction on substance abuse and high-risk behaviors.

School spokesman Mike Robertson said there is no timetable for completing the review.

The ban affects about 3,200 members of Greek organizations. The college has about 10,000 undergraduates.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Education Universities South Carolina
The big question in Tallahassee is whether you have power, and whether you think local officials are to blame for the grinding pace of restoring electricity following Hurricane Hermine.

The rising anger played on social media and in the political sphere, with the governor and Tallahassee mayor trading accusations about the slow pace of recovery.

As of Monday evening, more than 20,000 customers in Leon County were still without power. That contrasts with other parts of the state where there were only a few thousand still without electricity. By Tuesday, there were still 16,161 homes without power in Leon County, according to the Governors website, and 18,293 businesses and homes in the dark statewide.

Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, has openly questioned if city and county officials are doing enough, putting out a news release Sunday that said the city had rejected debris removal assistance. The citys mayor, Andrew Gillum, a Democrat and rising star who appeared at the national convention, reacted quickly and said the governors comments werent true.

Scotts office later said there had been a misunderstanding.

Standing near a line of trucks in Tallahassee, Scott defended his approach on Monday, saying that most people would say Im rather aggressive in trying to solve problems and that he would continue to pressure city officials until all the power was restored.

Im responsible for all 20.6 million people in the state and its real important to me people get back to school and get back to work, Scott said.

The mayor took to social media to fire back at critics.

It appears that the heat has driven some to speculate wildly about what help I have accepted or rejected on behalf of the city in our effort to recuperate from this storm.  Let me be clear. We are happy to accept any help from any person or organization that is going to accelerate the speed at which we can safely restore power to our residents.

Gillum and Scott then had a tense exchange Monday afternoon at a meeting called by the governor to discuss recovery efforts. The mayor told Scott point blank that putting out press releases and making statements on Twitter would undermine our cooperative process. He also said that Tallahassee took a near direct hit from Hermine, causing extensive damage. Scott retorted that it may bother some people but that he wasnt going to stop pushing for more to be done.

Compounding the problems with restoring power has been debris removal. The city and the Department of Transportation are now working more closely to identify areas where trees need to be cut before crews can tend to power lines. Prior to Sunday, the city was going through the county to ask the state for assistance. Scott announced Sept. 6 he would aide FDOT crews in cleaning up debris in Tallahassee on Sept. 8.

City officials were hopeful that 90 percent of power could be restored by Monday evening but they were unable to reach that goal. To help get to that, Scott has hired private additional crews, which will be paid for by state funds, to aid in the effort.

Floridas first hurricane in 11 years also brought to the forefront the problems that can often exist between investor-owned utilities and those owned by municipalities. Scott said one thing he wants after the storm is finding a way where everyone works better together.

He said the investor-owned utilities work well with themselves, but all of the utilities need to work well together.

What if we have a Category 2 or 3 hit? Everyone deserves to have their power back quickly, he said.

Rob Gould, a spokesman for Florida Power & Light, the third largest utility in the U.S., said the company offered to send 575 restoration personnel from their service center, but Tallahassees utilities director said the city could not accept the help at the time. Gould said the offer still stands. During the meeting between Scott and Gillum, Duke Energy also offered additional crews.

With power and debris still a problem, Leon County schools were canceled until Wednesday, as is Florida State University and Tallahassee Community College.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Florida
The governing committee of Californias Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau on Wednesday approved an amended, and reduced, rate filing for Jan. 1, 2017 workers compensation rates.

It did so based on the hope that California Gov. Jerry Brown signs two bills into law, and that those bills end up producing a cost savings in the states massive workers comp system.

All bets are off if Brown doesnt sign them.

Nothing set in stone for sure unless the governor signs both of those bills, said Jerry Azevedo with the Workers Compensation Action Network, a group that represents the interests of employers.

The committee on Wednesday recommended a 4.3 percent reduction. Last month, it had recommended a 2.6 percent reduction, which it sent to the California Department of Insurance.

The move by the WCIRB committee was surprising for some.

Im kind of surprised that the two new bills that are likely to be signed would work into any immediate savings, said John Norwood, a lobbyist and managing partner of Sacramento-based Norwood and Associates.

The bills WCIRB is pinning its hopes on are Senate Bill 1160 and Assembly Bill 1244.

AB 1244 is designed remove from the workers comp system doctors found to have committed a felony or misdemeanor involving fraud or abuse of the Medi-Cal program, Medicare or the workers comp system itself. The bill would also keep those doctors from filing liens.

According to the Department of Workers Compensation, 10 percent of liens filed between 2011 and 2015 were filed by providers with fraud indictments or convictions.

The other bill, SB 1160, places limitations on the utilization review (UR) process, and also would stay any physician or provider lien upon the filing of criminal charges against them for specified offenses involving medical fraud.

Impact projections from the WCIRB shows an estimated reduction in UR costs from SB 1160 but an increase in medical costs.

Norwood noted that lien filings are already down to levels not seen in decades thanks a provision in 2012s workers comp reform law SB 863 that created fees for filing liens.

Norwood said the bills could also be challenged in court, which often happens, or that the UR limitations in SB 1160 could actually end up costing more.

His point was that its too early to tell how the bills will impact costs in the workers comp system, so he said any rate change should be instead based on past experience.

I think theyre both very positive bills, but nobody knows today what theyre going to mean in the pricing of workers comp, Norwood said.

Azevedo agreed with Norwood that its too early to bank on the bills having a positive impact.

Just because the Legislature enacts something doesnt mean thats how it always plays out in the system, he said. That the Legislature is coming back in a few years to address the lien problem again shows you how tenuous reforms can be.

Related:

Topics California Workers' Compensation
Introduction

On August 30 2016, the European Commission announced that Ireland had granted illegal state aid to two companies in the Apple group involved in the manufacture of personal computers and sale of Apple products, including iPhones.

The Commission held that tax rulings granted by the Irish Revenue to ascertain the profits attributable to the Irish branches of two Irish incorporated  but non tax-resident companies  did not correspond to the economic reality. Apple had enjoyed an unfair advantage over other businesses and was therefore in receipt of state aid.

The Commission's decision will be appealed but irrespective of the outcome of any appeal, the international tax community and businesses face a period of uncertainty. Exactly how much uncertainty will depend on the extent of the precedent that the Apple ruling creates.

The Apple decision will not have universal application, however. Irish tax law, transfer pricing analysis and indeed the nature of tax rulings has changed since the Apple rulings with Ireland, but nonetheless these are part of a worrying trend of state aid cases, including Starbucks, Fiat and Amazon. We await publication of the detailed Commission decision which businesses require urgently.

The Commission's reasoning raises some alarming concerns that require further explanation. Fundamentally, the Commission appears to have ignored the legal documentation entered into by the non-resident company and imposed a state aid penalty by reference to deeming effectively a tax charge on income from the intellectual property not related to the Irish trade as if it were trading income. It has not sought to apply the Irish legislative tax code to the underlying facts, but sought to charge income from intellectual property as if it were trading profits of a branch.

Background

The Apple case involves two separate tax rulings agreed between the company and Irish tax authorities, in 1991 and 2007, concerning two stateless Apple companies that conducted trading activities from Irish branches.

The major target of the tax rulings appears to be a company conducting sale and procurement operations for Apple's non-US operations.

Rulings from Irish Revenue were necessary in order for Apple to obtain certainty in determining the profit attributable to the Irish trade carried on from the branches.

While the decision itself will not be published for some time, the Commissions press release and its preliminary assessment published in 2014 provide useful insight into the case.

Irish tax law and the facts

Under former Irish tax law, it was possible to have an Irish incorporated, but non Irish tax resident, company that was stateless for tax purposes (i.e. not liable to tax anywhere by reason of its tax residence). In such circumstances, the charge to Irish tax was limited to the measure of Irish trading profits from a branch in Ireland.

Irish statute provides that "the chargeable profits of a company not resident in the State but carrying on a trade in the State through a branch or agency, shall be 

a) any trading income arising directly or indirectly through or from the branch or agency, and any income from property or rights used by, or held by or for, the branch or agency "

Under Irish tax law, any other income from property or rights not used or held by, or for, the branch is, and indeed was, outside the scope of Irish tax regime (i.e. income from intellectual property not related to the branch activities is not liable to tax under Irish statute). In 1991, the UK had similar tax laws.

In its preliminary assessment, the Commission found the 1991 ruling provided for profits to be attributed by reference to a variant of the cost plus model. The profit margins varied from 10% to 65% of the costs attributable to the relevant Irish branch before capital allowances. There was no evidence of any supporting transfer pricing report. The Commission was also concerned that the rulings were issued for an indefinite duration unlike other EU member states' advance pricing agreements. The contents of the ruling requests, transfer pricing mechanism, notes of meetings and any other correspondence appeared to be key factors in the Commission making its finding of state aid.

Taxing rights

The Commission has invited both the US Internal Revenue Service and indeed other countries to consider taxing the Apple's historic profits.

This is a clear challenge to the respected OECD international framework of taxation.

The Commissions invitation on taxing rights can be viewed as its way towards introducing a form of the EU common consolidated tax base where each member state can claim taxing rights linked to sales and other activity in that state. Under EU law, the introduction of any such regime requires the consent of all member states.

This article was prepared by Mason Hayes & Curran, International Tax Reviews correspondents in Ireland. For further information, please contact John Gulliver:




Nel terzo trimestre del 2016 il prodotto interno lordo, espresso in valori concatenati con anno di riferimento 2010, corretto per gli effetti di calendario e destagionalizzato, e aumentato dello 0,3% rispetto al trimestre precedente e dello 0,9% nei confronti del terzo trimestre del 2015. Lo sostiene lIstat.

La crescita congiunturale e la sintesi di un aumento del valore aggiunto nei comparti dellindustria e dei servizi e di una diminuzione nellagricoltura. Dal lato della domanda, vi e un contributo ampiamente positivo della componente nazionale (al lordo delle scorte), in parte compensato da un apporto negativo della componente estera netta.

Nello stesso periodo il Pil e aumentato in termini congiunturali dello 0,7% negli Stati Uniti, dello 0,5% nel Regno Unito e dello 0,2% in Francia. In termini tendenziali, si e registrato un aumento del 2,3% nel Regno Unito, dell1,5% negli Stati Uniti, dell1,1% in Francia. Nel complesso, il Pil dei paesi dellarea Euro e cresciuto dello 0,3% rispetto al trimestre precedente ed dell1,6% nel confronto con lo stesso trimestre del 2015.

I dati Istat sul Pil sono in linea con le stime del governo ha commentato il ministro dellEconomia, Pier Carlo Padoan, arrivando alla Camera per lincontro con il gruppo Pd sulla legge di Bilancio. ll titolare di via XX Settembre in un tweet, poco prima, aveva sottolineato come i dati Istat confermano che leconomia e sulla strada giusta e le stime di crescita sono affidabili. Ma occorre spingere per accelerare
A quattro anni di distanza dallultima performance, ritorna a grande richiesta in Italia il Notre Dame de Paris. Esaltata dalla critica e apprezzata dal pubblico la produzione ha raggiunto, con piu di 1.000 date in oltre 17 Paesi del mondo, circa 15 milioni di spettatori entrando nel Guinness dei Primati come il musical di maggior successo nel primo anno di rappresentazione.

Con le musiche di Riccardo Cocciante, definite sublimi, e i testi di Luc Plamondon, lo spettacolo ha debuttato il 16 settembre 1998 al Palais des Congres di Parigi. La versione italiana e stata curata dallo scrittore e poeta Pasquale Panella, noto al grande pubblico per le collaborazioni con Battisti, Mina, Zucchero e molti altri interpreti della musica nostrana.

Diretto da Gilles Maheu con le coreografie di Martino Muller, i costumi di Fred Sathal e le scenografie di Christian Ratz, lo show tornera in Italia nel 2016 a Milano, Napoli e Firenze. Il cast e ancora da decidere  i provini stanno avvenendo proprio in questi giorni  ma e certo che sara una produzione di pregio, un occasione imperdibile per assistere a quella che e stata acclamata come la migliore opera moderna di sempre.
On Sept. 15, 2008, Lehman Brothers, a well-known and respected investment bank, filed for bankruptcy protection after the Bush Administration's Treasury Secretary, Hank Paulson, refused to grant them a bailout. While there had been market volatility during the preceding months, the fall of Lehman Brothers marks what many consider the beginning of a global financial crisis.

After the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 504 pointsroughly 4.4%and the Nasdaq lost 3.6% in response to the Lehman bankruptcy, policymakers reversed their stance on bailouts and initiated a $700 billion program to stabilize financial markets. Companies deemed "too big to fail" received cash infusions in exchange for stock, commercial bank status, and access to discounted loans from the Federal Reserve.

So, what were the financial companies that received help from the government, and 13 years later, where are they?

Key Takeaways The financial crisis started with Bear Stearns and Lehman brothers. The U.S. government did not bailout Lehman and the institution filed for bankruptcy and eventually closed. Bear Stearns was picked up by JP Morgan and no longer exists.

As the financial crisis got worse, the U.S. government approved a $700 billion program to bailout institutions that were considered "too big to fail." Some analysts put the real number at $12.8 trillion.

AIG, which received the biggest bailout in history at $180 billion continues to operate today, though is a shell of its former self that is struggling in today's marketplace.

Other large banks that received some sort of government benefit are continuing to do well, including JP Morgan, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs.

Bear Stearns: The Harbinger of Too Big to Fail That Failed

The first "too big to fail" moment occurred months before the Lehman Brothers failure. The Bear Stearns deal was meant to shore up financial markets and promote stability in a system increasingly recognized as unstable since the middle of 2007.

In March 2008, the Federal Reserve agreed to lend up to $30 billion to JPMorgan Chase so they could buy Bear Stearns. JPMorgan did so; paying only $10 a share for the ailing investment bank. Rather than stopping the panic, the deal did little to allay fears, and ultimately more bailouts followed.

Seven years later, in 2015, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said he regretted the decision to buy Bear Stearns, even at the discounted price. "No, we would not do something like Bear Stearns again," he wrote in a shareholder letter, citing billions in losses and legal bills stemming from crisis-era acquisitions Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual.

JPMorgan isn't suffering too much, though. It is the largest bank in the U.S. in terms of assets at the end of 2020, with just over three trillion dollars in assets.

AIG: The Biggest Bailout in History

Just after letting Lehman Brothers fail, the government stepped in when it became clear that American International Group (AIG) would fail due to its heavy investments in credit default swaps and potentially bring down the entire financial system. With AIG, the infusions came in multiple stages, including a low-cost loan, preferred share purchases, and mortgage-backed securities. In the end, the government poured more than $180 billion into AIG.

However, because the government took on a stake of nearly 80% of the company, the money spent was recovered by 2012, with a net profit to U.S. taxpayers.

Today, after a few years of profits, AIG is once again struggling. In 2020, the company had $730 million in losses related to the Covid pandemic. The company used to have a triple A credit rating and now its senior debt has a BBB+ rating. Even before the pandemic, the company was having a tough time. In 2016, investing legends Carl Ichan and John Paulson called for its breakup. Since 2016, its profit margins have been either flat or negative, without any real growth. It's revenues in 2019 were only a 5% increase from 2018.The company is chugging along.

Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs: Becoming Commercial Banks

The bailouts of 2008 weren't just about the government buying shares, but also about changing the face of banking. Investment banks Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs couldn't get involved with commercial consumer banking until the financial crisis. At that point, the Federal Reserve allowed them to become commercial banks so they could access funds by borrowing heavily, using the discount window the Fed offers commercial banks, as well as access to other government guarantee programs extended to these types of banks.

Both Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs borrowed billions at these low rates to help stabilize their operations. On top of that, becoming commercial banks has allowed them to tap into the consumer market in a way that they were unable to do before.

Today, Morgan Stanley offers a variety of banking services in addition to investment banking. For the full year ending 2020, the company had record revenues of $48.2 billion with an EPS of $6.46. Total net income for the year was $11 billion, up from $9 billion the previous year; a 22% increase. And revenues increased 16% from the previous year.

Goldman Sachs is still one of the most powerful banks in the world with an esteemed reputation. In 2020, net revenues increased to $44.5 billion from $36.5 billion the year before. Earnings witnessed a slimmer growth to $9.5 billion from $8.5 billion. All core business units witnessed growth.

Bank of America: Bailed out to Buy Failing Financial Institutions

Bank of America also received bailout money from the government, including more than $100 billion in guarantees, so that it could buy failing financial companies Countrywide Financial and Merrill Lynch. Bank of America had to take on losses related to those companies, including shouldering legal fees associated with Countrywide's questionable mortgage lending practices.

Even with these costs, though, Bank of America is booming today. It's America's second-largest bank. It did struggle during the pandemic, with both revenues and income down in 2020 from 2019. However, its assets and deposits continue to steadily grow.

Is "Too Big to Fail" Alive and Well?

More than a decade after the financial crisis, there's a good chance that facing a similar situation, the government would pledge money to bail out financial institutions. Even though Congress passed a $700 billion bailout package during the global financial crisis, some estimates indicate that the U.S. spent, lent, or guaranteed up to $12.8 trillion to rescue the economy. While that much money might not have been spent directly, the government essentially offered itself as a backstop to dozens of banks considered essential to the U.S. financial system and economy.

Following the financial crisis, "too big to fail" put additional regulatory requirements on 44 banks with more than $50 billion in assets. Earlier in 2018, Congress changed the definition of "too big to fail" to banks with at least $250 billion in assets, reducing the list to 13 banks. However, if faced with another meltdown, it's doubtful that the government would stop at propping up so few financial institutions.

The Bottom Line

The financial crisis threatened to wipe out trillions of assets in the U.S. economy with the expected closure of some of the nation's largest institutions. The government stepped in with a massive bailout package to prevent these institutions from going under and further damaging the economy. Though a few of these institutions were allowed to fail, such as Lehman and Bear, the government prevented the collapse of other large banks, all of which continue to thrive today.
What Is TINA?

TINA is an acronym for "there is no alternative."

It is often used by investors to justify a lackluster performance by stocks on the grounds that other asset classes offer even worse returns.

Acceptance of TINA can lead to the "TINA Effect," a phenomenon in which stocks rise only because investors see no viable alternative place to put their money. In particular, during times when bonds are performing poorly, stocks appear to be the only choice.

In periods when stock prices soar and bond returns languish, TINA has been used to justify investing in anything other than stocks or bonds, such as cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Key Takeaways TINA is an acronym for the phrase, "there is no alternative."

The term was coined in the 19th century and has persisted as a justification for political and financial decisions.

The phrase is used to suggest that, in a world of bad choices, one must be the least bad.

The TINA effect can explain a price bubble. That is, prices rise to unrealistic heights due to a lack of reasonable alternatives.

Origins of TINA

Herbert Spencer, who lived from 1820 to 1903, was a British intellectual who strongly defended classical liberalism. He believed in laissez-faire government and positivism, or the ability of technological and social progress to solve society's problems.

Spencer considered that Darwin's theory of the "survival of the fittest" should apply to human interactions. To critics of capitalism, free markets, and democracy, he frequently responded, "There is no alternative."

TINA can evoke positive or negative connotations. On the positive side, believing that there is no alternative to some course of action can rally support around the chosen path. On the other hand, such a belief may create a sense of resignation in those who disapprove of the chosen path.

The TINA Effect in Politics

Margaret Thatcher, a Conservative who served as Britain's prime minister from 1979 to 1990, used TINA as a political slogan.

She deployed the phrase when responding to critics of her market-oriented policies of deregulation, political centralization, spending cuts, and a rollback of the welfare state.

Actually, there were alternatives to this approach, including the policies advocated by the opposition Labour Party. To Thatcher, however, free-market neoliberalism had no alternative.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, American political scientist Francis Fukuyama argued that Thatcher's view had been permanently vindicated. With communism discredited, he wrote, no ideology could ever seriously compete with capitalism and democracy again: the "end of history" that Marx promised had arrived, albeit in a form he failed to predict.

India Embraces TINA (and NOTA)

TINA made its mark on the politics of India when Prime Minister Narendra Modi led his party to a resounding victory in 2014. He embraced the phrase and it soon became associated with his policies.

The inevitable backlash came with his opponents adopting their own acronym: NOTA for "none of the above."

The TINA Effect on Investments

A different interpretation of the TINA effect has been heard among investors in recent years, and the phrase now refers to a lack of satisfactory alternatives to an investment that is seen as questionable. For example, late in a bull market, investors might become concerned with the possibility of a reversal and be unwilling to allocate a major share of their portfolios to stocks.

On the other hand, if bonds offer low yields and illiquid assets such as private equity or real estate are also unattractive, investors may hold stocks despite their concerns rather than revert to cash.

If enough participants are of the same mind, the market can experience a "TINA effect," continuing to rise despite an apparent lack of drivers simply there are no other options for making money.

British fund manager Terry Smith believes that the TINA logic is particularly appealing, rightly or wrongly, in periods of inflation. In a 2022 letter to investors, Smith writes that stocks are seen by some investors as "the least poorly performing sector in such conditions because of the ability of at least some companies to continue to grow revenue in real terms and generate real returns on capital above the rate of inflation."
The Bureau of Land Management this past week issued eight guideline memos instructing federal land managers in 11 Western states as to how they are to carry out policies intended to protect greater sage grouse  a move that threatens to bury ranchers, miners, oil and gas explorers and construction companies under a mountain of paperwork and impose lengthy delays, while doing little to actually protect the birds.

The move comes a year after the Interior Department declined to list sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act but instead issued reams of land use restrictions meant to protect the grouse, even though the number of male grouse counted in leks across the West had increased by 63 percent between 2013 and 2015, according to the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Restrictions are being imposed even though sage grouse are legally hunted in many Western states, including Nevada.

Like the record of decision on sage grouse management issued this past September, the memos largely ignore one of the biggest threats to the colorfully plumed, ground-dwelling grouse  predators, primarily ravens and coyotes  and address almost entirely human economic endeavors. The 90-page record of decision used the word predator only once.

The memos, signed by BLM Deputy Director Steven Ellis, open with statements of purpose that say they are to provide guidance for analyzing and establishing thresholds for land use, with separate memos addressing grazing permits and general surface disturbances.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, immediately fired off a statement denouncing the guidelines as a ploy by the Obama administration to block oil and gas development.

These plans, written as if the sage grouse were listed, are proof it was an underhanded, de facto listing scheme that further oppresses Western states, Bishop said in a written statement provided to The Associated Press.

Republican Congressman Joe Heck, who is running to replace Harry Reid in the Senate, commented, With these new guidelines, the administration continues to disregard the input of state and local stakeholders, like our ranching and mining families, whose livelihoods depend on being good stewards of the land. Unfortunately, the guidelines have more to do with avoiding costly lawsuits from special interests, like my opponent Catherine Cortez Mastos biggest campaign donor, the League of Conservation Voters, than they do with actual conservation. And Nevadas economy will pay the price.

If there is a bright spot in any of this micromanaging from Washington, D.C., bureaucrats, it is that two days prior to the memos being sent out the Interior Department inked a deal with Newmont Mining and its ranching subsidiary to jointly manage sage grouse habitat so the company can continue mining operations and exploration, as well as grazing, in Nevada. Wildlife and natural resource agencies of the state helped broker the deal.

A statement from Gov. Brian Sandovals office called the agreement a first of its kind in scope and scale. It was not mentioned that Newmont was under considerable duress to cut a deal with federal land agencies, which held all the cards, though Sandoval called the deal a good-faith, public-private partnership.

Through this historic agreement, Newmont has committed to implementing a wide-ranging, landscape-level conservation plan that includes voluntarily managing certain areas of its private rangelands and ranches in Nevada to achieve net conservation gains for sagebrush species, Sandoval said in a press release.

Though the BLM guideline memos envision grazing restrictions to protect grouse, the Newmont deal specifically notes that one of the first pilot projects to be implemented under the agreement will use targeted grazing to reduce cheatgrass, an invasive species that contributes to the frequency and intensity of wildfires.

The Newmont deal also makes a vague reference to implementing practices to reduce human-induced advantages for predators of greater sage-grouse  presumably fewer fence posts and power line poles from which ravens can scout for nests with eggs.

The BLMs handling of the sage grouse issue remains in active litigation in federal court, where the agency is being sued by Nevada, nine rural counties, two mining companies and a ranch, with Attorney General Adam Laxalt taking the lead, despite Sandovals reluctance.

Laxalt has stated that the BLMs grouse efforts blatantly disregard the input of Nevada experts and stakeholders in violation of federal law.

The BLMs own economist has estimated that the grouse habitat conservation efforts will cost Nevada $31 million and 493 jobs annually.
SAN DIEGO, CA - September 7, 2016 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Gopher Protocol Inc. (OTCQB:GOPH) ("Gopher" and the "Company"), a development-stage Company which specializes in the development of real-time, heuristic-based mobile technologies, and its partner, Guardian Patch LLC, announce they have scheduled a live demonstration of their Guardian Patch prototype. The Guardian Patch prototype demo will take place on Tuesday, September 14, 2016 between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

When:

September 14, 2016 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Where:

Online through the Guardian Patch mobile application, which may be downloaded for free at the Apple Store under the name "Guardian Patch" and on Google Play under the name "Guardian Tracking Device".

What:

Live Demo of the Guardian Patch Location Technology - A stick-on tracking device that is designed to protect people's valuables.

By downloading the Guardian Patch mobile application, users can watch live demonstrations of vehicles utilizing the Patch in the San Diego, CA region.

Guardian Patch download on iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/guardian-patch/id1113544462?mt=8

Guardian Patch download on Android

http://android-apk.net/app/guardian-patch/1113544462/

As previously announced, the test results of the Company's GOPHERINSIGHT technology proved range coverage of approximately 30 square miles in areas without tall buildings. The GOPHERINSIGHT prototypes have been shipped to the Company's offices in San Diego, CA for further testing within a larger and more densely populated urban area.

How it works:

The Guardian Patch (the "Patch"), potentially arriving in consumer markets in 2017, is a unique location technology that works with or without GPS. The Patch is a "stick-on" device that provides its users with the capability to protect and track objects, a loved-one or even a pet, through a mobile application. Download the Patch app, register your patch, and track anything that you own on your mobile device or on our designated website. Register the Patches of your family members and friends to receive alerts in the event of an emergency. Peel the Patch off and the Patch acts as a beacon, sending out a signal and notifying anyone who has registered the user's Patch. http://www.guardianpatch.com/

Watch the videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bzNG8x2mp4&feature=youtu.be

Product lifecycle management is the process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from inception, through engineering design and manufacture, to service and disposal of manufactured products. The lifecycle of a product will generally include: Phase 1: Conceive - imagine, specify, plan, innovate; Phase 2: Design - describe, define, develop, test, analyze and validate; Phase 3: Realize - manufacture, make, build, procure, produce, sell and deliver; and Phase 4: Service - use, operate, maintain, support, sustain, phase-out, retire, recycle and disposal.

The Patch is currently in Phase 2 (Design), where the detailed design and development of the product's form begins, progressing to prototype testing, through pilot release to full product launch. This step covers many engineering disciplines, including, mechanical, electrical, electronic, software (embedded, server, mobile) and domain-specific, such as communication protocol design, along with the actual creation of the product including the analysis of the components, product assembly and packaging.

In addition, the Company plans to develop a social challenge in the future which will be named "Find Patch Number One", as previously disclosed by the Company and as further described in the following YouTube video of presentation about the Patch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-aSj9TUUmw (minutes 2:03-3:58 describe the contest)

Gopher Protocol Inc. ( OTCQB : GOPH ) ("Gopher" and the "Company") (http://gopherprotocol.com) is a development-stage company developing a real-time, heuristic-based mobile technology. Upon development, the technology will consist of a smart microchip, mobile application software and supporting software that will run on a server. The system contemplates the creation of a global network. Gopher believes this will be the first system that is developed using a human, heuristic-based analysis engine. Since the core of the system will be its advanced microchip technology that will be capable of being installed in any mobile device worldwide, Gopher expects that this will result in an internal, private network between all mobile devices utilizing the microchip by providing mobile technology for computing power enhancement, advanced mobile database management/sharing and other additional mobile features.

Corporate Site: http://gopherprotocol.com

Press page/ press kit - http://gopherprotocol.com/?page_id=228

Consumer and product website for Guardian Patch: http://www.guardianpatch.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, and governmental and public policy changes. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release.

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Vancouver, British Columbia - October 26, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mining / Metals / Green Energy Stock News - Defense Metals Corp. (TSX-V: DEFN / OTCQB: DFMTF/ FSE:35D) is pleased to announce high-grade Rare Earth Element ("REE") assay results from one additional core hole, totalling 383 metres (m), collared within the northern area of Defense Metals' 100% owned Wicheeda REE Deposit.

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Wilderness groups have won what should be the final chapter in a 15-year lawsuit by the federal government against John Carpenter, the Jarbidge Shovel Brigade and Elko County. U.S. District Judge Miranda Du last month rejected a settlement agreement between the Forest Service and the county involving the legal status of South Canyon Road.

Even though locals lost their case, the effort to preserve access through federal lands was greatly improved by this battle, and the outcome does not change the fact that the road is open.

The decision in the Elko County case does not affect public access or limit the U.S. Forest Services ability to manage the South Canyon Road, Forest Supervisor Bill Dunkelberger told The Associated Press.

Since the Shovel Brigade removed Liberty Rock on July 4, 2000, the only thing keeping vehicles out of that portion of the canyon is the fact that much of it remains obliterated by the cataclysmic flood of 1995. Gone are the nice campsites along the road and the federally installed outhouse at the end of it, nor are they likely to ever return like the bull trout did.

It was a fish advocacy group that originally put a halt to the Forest Services plan to rebuild the road, claiming bull trout would be harmed by dust drifting from the road, but it was two wilderness groups that called foul after the Forest Service agreed Elko County owned the right of way.

Earthjustice attorneys put up a big fight on behalf of The Wilderness Society and Great Old Broads for Wilderness. Despite their names, lets remember that South Canyon Road is NOT located in any federally designated wilderness area. This conflict was centered around half of a mere 2.4-mile road leading from the tiny town of Jarbidge to the trailheads of the Jarbidge Wilderness.

Even in boasting about their victory, Wilderness Society attorney Alison Flint conceded that the decision changed nothing on the ground.

Under this ruling the Forest Service can keep a majority of the South Canyon Road open to high-clearance motor vehicles, as it has been for the past 11 years, she stated.

The court decision also did nothing to hamper Nevadas or other states efforts to preserve existing road access through federal land. The decision applies only to South Canyon Road. The U.S. Supreme Court has already refused to hear Elko Countys appeal, just as it has Utahs multiple road cases.

Federal court documents include a detailed analysis of the Jarbidge road claims, including everything from Indian legend to a mining claim called April Fool.

The evidence shows that a road was constructed at South Canyon in the fall of 1909, during a brief gold rush, but that was several months after President Theodore Roosevelt established this addition to the national forest system on Jan. 20, 1909.

An earlier map that was believed to have shown the road but it turned out to be a different road a few miles away. Other testimony included tales of activity such as mining and sheepherding in the canyon during the 19th century.

Various newspaper articles from the 1890s and early 1900s report that Native Americans avoided the Jarbidge South Canyon because a legend placed a devil or giant there, the court decision states. Indeed, the odd name Jarbidge is derived from the Shoshone name for the man-eating giant.

The county attempted to demonstrate that the area was accessed by owners of two mining claims  the Avalanche and April Fool  and even provided evidence that South Canyon was clearly the fastest route to reach Jarbidge from the south.

While this testimony suggests that travel along the Jarbidge South Canyon possibly occurred before January 1909, it does not establish that any route existed by clear and convincing evidence, the judge ruled.

And so the road will remain under federal right-of-way, and under piles of debris.

The court battle has reached an end, but surely the Jarbidge legend will live on.

Federal court documents include a detailed analysis of the Jarbidge road claims, including everything from Indian legend to a mining claim called April Fool.
Thirteen people were shot dead over the Labour Day weekend in Chicago, making it the deadliest holiday weekend of one of the worst summers the city has experienced in decades.

The police department said the 13 were among 43 people who were shot over the weekend.

Among them was a pregnant woman who delivered a nearly full-term baby after she was shot in the abdomen.

The woman, who police say was not the intended target, was listed in critical condition. The babys condition has not been released.

The holiday weekend killings come amid a dramatic spike in homicides.

Police also said the figures pushed to 488 the total of killings for the year - passing the 481 recorded for all of last year. Nearly 230 homicides occurred in June, July and August.

Last week, the police department said it had officially increased the total of 2015 homicides to 481 from 473.

Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the number increased to include victims who were shot in 2015 but died this year, and because in some cases, investigations had been upgraded to homicides.

The number of shootings and homicides over the Labour Day weekend were both higher than the Memorial Day and July 4 weekends and it was the last of the summer holidays before the school year started.

Nine homicides on Monday alone was one more for the entire Labour Day weekend last year.

Police have said the reasons for the rise in homicides are tied to the easy availability of guns and gang violence.

Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that much of the violence is the result of lax gun laws in Illinois that allow those arrested on gun charges to be released from jail far sooner than in other states.

"Im frustrated... that despite these weekends we still see repeat offenders get back out on the street far too soon," Mr Johnson told reporters.

Referring to reports that Chicago had more homicides than the combined total of the larger cities of New York and Los Angeles in August, he said those cities benefit from tougher gun laws.

"If we had the gun laws they have wed see violent crime cut in half," he said.

He also reiterated that most of the killings have been concentrated in neighbourhoods on the citys South and West sides that are plagued with high unemployment and poverty and where gang membership is particularly high.
The owner of the Clayton and Maldron brands listed on the secondary markets of the Irish and London stock exchanges two and a half years ago and upgraded to those markets main exchanges in June.

At its AGM in April, Dalatas management suggested it would consider a maiden dividend based on 2017 financial performance.

However, speaking yesterday at the publication of a strong set of figures for the first half of 2016 group chief executive Pat McCann suggested a payment could be made earlier.

He said the matter has been discussed, and will be further, at board level and that it is our ambition to start paying a dividend at some point; and that could well be in 2017, Mr McCann said that, all things being equal, a mid-term/ interim dividend could be awarded to shareholders this time next year.

Dalata generated revenues of just over 130m in the first half of the year. That was up 33% on the same period last year. It saw adjusted earnings jump 50% to 35.3m.

It spent 73.4m on hotel acquisitions, with a vast chunk going towards new development sites which will deliver nearly 700 bedrooms by the end of 2018.

Since the end of June, Dalata has, as planned, acquired the Maldron hotels in Dublins Parnell Square and in Cork City centre, which it previously only operated. The group said it remains on the lookout for new build sites in Dublin as it looks to add a further 1,000 rooms to its portfolio in the capital by 2018.

Mr McCann said that while Dalatas expansion plans for the UK have been delayed until there is more clarity over the effects of Junes Brexit vote, there is enough growth momentum from its Dublin and rest-of-Ireland operations to see the business continuing to progress for the next few years.

He said that no initial negative effects have been evident on either its in-bound business from the UK or its existing operations in Britain since June 23.

Mr McCann said the notion that the Dublin hotel market is uncompetitive is simply not true, with recent data showing the capital to be number one for occupancy rates across Europe and number 11 for room rates.

Management said it is also not the case that its UK expansion programme is now more of a long-term plan than a short- to medium-term option. Deputy chief executive Dermot Crowley insisted that a really close eye is being kept on the UK market and lease terms.

Regarding the takeover of the former Burlington Hotel site in Dublin  currently trading under the DoubleTree by Hilton brand and being sold by private equity owner Blackstone  Dalata and an unnamed partner remain in talks and at due diligence level.

Mr McCann said that even if a deal is agreed, it would likely be close to the end of the year before it is announced.

Whatever happens with the former Burlington site, that kind of deal model  where Dalata buys the long-term lease and operator status, while a partner buys the actual property  is likely to represent the groups acquisition habits.

Despite yesterdays strong results, Dalatas shares were down nearly 3.5% at 4.15.

While up 4% since the Brexit vote, the stock is still nearly 25% down on the start of the year.
Speaking in Hanoi at the start of an Irish food and drink trade mission, he said Vietnam has a young population, the fastest growing middle class in Asia and a rising affluence.

Vietnamese consumers share the concerns of other consumers in relation to food safety, food security, and sustainable food production, said Mr Doyle.
Havent seen damage at Gold Butte

Editor:

I am writing in response to the letter printed on Aug. 24 in regards to establishing a national monument in the Gold Butte area of southern Nevada. The author would have everyone believe that this area is being destroyed on a daily basis.

My husband and I have been visiting this area for several years now. We enjoy the ability to view the scenery while riding our ATV on the many roads around Gold Butte and other areas around Mesquite where we spend our winters.

The Gold Butte Damage Report shows many pictures. We have been all around the area since many of the pictures were taken and have not seen the damage indicated. In fact in the several years that we have been in the area and the many day trips we have taken, we have yet to see one person driving off any of the established roads or seen damage to the petroglyphs. Many of these petroglyph panels are very high on the rock walls.

However, the question then arises  how would establishing the Gold Butte area as a national monument help deter any future vandalism? Unless people are forcibly prohibited from entering this area, there will always be a chance that someone will act carelessly.

If it is only closed to motorized vehicles (and I believe this to be the goal), then that cuts out a large percentage of the population who go there to enjoy the beauty of the area. The Whitney Pockets area (the first quite scenic spot when driving on the paved road) is around 27 miles from Mesquite, Nevada. When traveling over Lime Kiln road, the distance is somewhat shortened, but only the most conditioned bicyclists would be able to access Gold Butte over this steep pass. Of course, bicyclists can also commit vandalism.

In the end, we must decide if we want this area to be declared a land of no use as a national monument status could make it such.

Dawn Borland

Spring Creek
The group also plans to highlight what it describes as the Irish governments lack of action in relation to the ongoing detention of world-renowned anthropologist, Professor Homa Hoodfar, jailed on June 6 at the notorious Evin prison in Tehran.

According to Prof Hoodfars supporters, the Iranian-born academic, who holds Canadian and Irish citizenship, travelled to Iran in February 2016 to visit family as well as to access the archives of the Iranian parliamentary library for an historical book project.

However, in early March, just before her scheduled departure from Iran, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard raided her residence.

She was subsequently jailed after several interrogations. Supporters say her academic research seems to have been interpreted as a threat to national security. Prof Hoodfar has conducted extensive research on womens status, development, and the family in Muslim contexts and one of her books, The Muslim Veil in North America.

Prof Hoodfars health is said to have deteriorated. She has a neurological condition (myasthenia gravis) that requires specialised medical care and suffered a minor stroke last year.

Galway native Emer OToole, a colleague of Prof Hoodfar at Concordia University Montreal, where she is an assistant professor of Irish Performance Studies at the School of Irish Studies, was instrumental in organising todays protest in Dublin: Homa is a much-loved and valued member of our academic community here at Concordia University, and so many of her colleagues are just in shock that something like this could happen.

Everyone here believes Homa innocent of the charges. She is a scholar, not an activist, and went to Iran following the death of her husband from a brain tumour, in part to do research and in part to reconnect with family in the wake of her loss. We are particularly worried because of her health, and the news last week that Homa has been hospitalised sent shockwaves through the university, Dr OToole said.

Asked by the Irish Examiner what the Department of Foreign Affairs had done on behalf of its imprisoned Irish  Prof Hoodfar was previously married to an Irishman  the department said it is actively working on the case.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of North Carolina recruited more than 400 English children for the study.

The children were aged 11 to 16, had never smoked or vaped before, and were randomly allocated to one of three groups.

One group was shown 10 advertisements depicting e-cigarettes as glamorous, a second group was shown 10 adverts that portrayed them as healthy, and a third control group was shown no adverts.

The children were then asked a series of questions aimed at determining their attitudes towards smoking and vaping.

Children shown the adverts were no more or less likely than the control group to perceive tobacco smoking as appealing, and all three groups understood that smoking more than 10 cigarettes a day was harmful.

However, both groups exposed to the e-cigarette adverts were less likely to believe that smoking one or two tobacco cigarettes occasionally was harmful.There is concern that the increasing exposure of children to e-cigarette adverts could be contributing to high rates of experimentation.

In the US, adolescents exposure to e-cigarette adverts on TV more than trebled between 2011 and 2013, researchers said.

They added that estimates suggest that, among children who try smoking, between a third and a half of them are likely to become regular smokers within two to three years.

Dr Milica Vasiljevic, from the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge, said: While we can be optimistic that the adverts dont seem to make tobacco smoking more appealing to young people, they do appear to make occasional smoking seem less harmful.

This is worrying, as we know that even occasional tobacco smoking is bad for your health, and young people who smoke occasionally believe they are somehow immune to its effects and do not feel the need to quit.

The group shown ads depicting e-cigarettes as glamorous also believed e-cigarette vaping to be more prevalent than did the other two groups.

Researchers also highlighted a 2014 study that showed more children aged 11 to 15 experimented with e-cigarettes than tobacco (22% compared with 18%).

Professor Theresa Marteau, director of the Behaviour and Health Research Unit and a Fellow of Christs College at University of Cambridge, said: E-cigarette marketing across Europe is regulated under the new EU Tobacco Products Directive, which came into effect on May 20 this year.

The directive limits the exposure of children to TV and newspaper e-cigarette adverts. However, it does not cover advertising in the form of posters, leaflets, and adverts at point of sale, nor does it cover the content of marketing materials depicting e-cigarettes as glamorous or healthy.

"The findings from our study suggest these omissions could present a threat to the health of children.

The research was published in the journal Tobacco Control.
The Central Banks chief economist, Gabriel Fagan, has said it is clear the impact on the Irish economy will be negative and material, both in the short-term and the longer term.

He told the Oireachtas committee on budgetary oversight that assessing the future outlook has been further complicated by the decision of Britain to leave the EU and it will be difficult to estimate the impact it will have with precision.

Mr Fagan reminded the committee that while Ireland has become less reliant on the UK for trade over recent decades, the UK remains a particularly important market for many indigenous firms.

Some sectors, particularly agri-food, clothing, and footwear and tourism, continue to have a relatively high dependency on the UK and, consequently could be affected disproportionately, he said.

However, John Flynn, Head of Irish economic analysis at the Central Bank, was more optimistic, although he urged caution.

Responding to Fianna Fails Lisa Chambers, who asked whether Budget 2017 should be used to protect the country or to capitalise from Brexit,

Mr Flynn said: In terms of Brexit and its impacts on things there may at times be opportunities from it for us in certain sectors and at other times risks.

The bank dismissed any notion that poorer than forecast Vat returns in recent months had been linked to Brexit.

Terry Quinn of the Central Bank indicted that although the returns are for July and August, they reflect what was happening in the economy just before the referendum result.

You would have to wait a few months to see what effect Brexit will have had, he said.

He said

the September Vat returns wold be important in measuring the impact Brexit has had.
The company has confirmed its service will end at 9pm to ensure the safe and secure return of buses to each depot prior to the commencement of industrial action by all employees at midnight.

However, unions claim the drivers had committed to completing their shifts, even if it meant returning buses to garages after the strike starts at 12.01am.

The action relates to staff demands for a pay increase in excess of the 8.25% over three years recommended by the Labour Court. The unions rejected the recommendation and indicated they want 15% over the same period as well as the payment of a 6% increase, due from 2008.

National Bus and Rail Union general secretary Dermot OLeary said Dublin Bus seemed determined to unnecessarily ratchet up the pressure on its own customers to make alternative arrangements at short notice so as to paint its own staff in a bad light. It is nothing short of incredible that the company and its paymasters would resort to such chicanery, he said.

They would be far better served if they saw fit to come back to the table and engage with staff in order to prevent this dispute.

Owen Reidy, Siptu divisional organiser, said the intransigence of the company and the Department of Transport meant there was a risk Dublin Bus would enter a long and damaging period of industrial conflict.

He said: Since our members overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action last month there has been no engagement with the Department of Transport or Dublin Bus management, apart from a one-hour meeting.

At that meeting, management simply informed our union representatives it was not willing to improve on the terms of a Labour Court recommendation which had already been categorically rejected by our members.

Dublin Bus has said the 48-hour stoppage means the Ghostbus Tour is cancelled today; no Dublin Bus routes, sightseeing tours or Airlink services tomorrow and Friday; and Nitelink services will not operate on Friday night/Saturday morning.
The exact number is being finalised in discussions between the Department of Justice, Department of Public Expenditure, and Garda headquarters.

The Irish Examiner understands the figure will be in excess of 500.

It is currently unclear how much above that the final number will be, with some estimates suggesting it could be as high as 800.

Garda headquarters has argued for 750 recruits a year, given the level of vacancies and retirements affecting the organisation.

The recruitment is part of a promise in the Programme for Government to bring the strength of the force  currently standing at around 12,800  to 15,000.

The recruitment campaign factors in retirements, which the authorities estimate at roughly 300 a year, but which are set to hit a spike in the coming years.

Some 600 Garda trainees are sanctioned for recruitment this year.

Department of Justice documents show that Garda authorities have called for 750 recruits a year  which, subject to retirement levels, would reach the 15,000 mark by 2021.

Last April, Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan supported calls from the Association of Garda Superintendents for 800 recruits to be taken into Templemore College every year.

Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan

Tanaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald is set to make the announcement in the coming days, most likely to coincide with a recruitment competition on publicjobs.ie.

It is the third recruitment campaign since September 2014, when the then-government restarted the process  the first time since 2009.

Since then, and the introduction of austerity measures, Garda numbers dropped from 14,500 by around 2,000 members  the impact compounded by severe cuts to overtime.

Increases in overtime this year has allowed the gardai to mount operations prevented under austerity.

Along with Government funding, projections on reaching 15,000 are affected by both retirements and the capacity of Templemore.

Tanaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald

In the last five years, retirement levels have ranged from 236 to 436 a year. There were 174 in the first half of this year alone, highlighting a looming spike in retirements in the coming years.

While 600 recruits, split up into batches, has been described as the capacity of Templemore, Garda sources have indicated additional space can be rented outside the college.

The authorities are conscious of ensuring the quality of training and supervision, given concerns from accelerated recruitment between 2002 and 2009.

Last July, Ms Fitzgerald said 851 Garda trainees had been recruited since September 2014 and that 354 were planned for the remainder of 2016.

She said 534 had been attested. She said the total strength should reach 13,000 by the end of 2016  the minimum set by former commissioner Martin Callinan.
The court was told the boy, who had been engaged in prostitution and is at risk of self-harm, had spent lengthy periods in both secure and non-secure placements in Ireland.

These placements had not worked out and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, said the best option for him is that he be placed at the St Andrews Healthcare facility in Northampton.
A briefing document circulated to TDs last night ahead of the Dail debate today on the European Commission judgment also outlines what will be done with the money and Irelands position on tax reform.

However, a number of Opposition parties want stronger protections agreed for the Irish tax system before agreeing to the Government proposed motion to appeal the EC ruling.

The basis for the appeal against the Apple ruling is, according to the document circulated by the Department of Finance to TDs, to defend Irelands tax system, to provide tax certainty to business and to challenge the encroachment of EU state aid rules into the sovereign member state competence of taxation.

The State has a period of two months and 10 days to bring an appeal. But the appeal may take several years.

Despite the appeal, Ireland is required by law to recover the alleged State aid from Apple, in a similar manner to how the Netherlands has been required to recoup taxes from Starbucks in a similar case. The Apple case involves recouping tax payments over a 10-year period up until 2013. The calculated 13bn is also subject to interest. However, Ireland is not subject to any fines.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan is expected today to say the recouped funds will be effectively placed on ice in a holding-type account.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan

The document for TDs adds:Pending the outcome of any appeal process, the recovery sums may be placed in a ring-fenced escrow account. If an appeal is successful, the money will be repaid to the company; if an appeal is unsuccessful  and the Commissions decision upheld  the sum will be paid to the Irish State.

The documents also notes that the money owed to Ireland could in fact be reduced if other countries or if the US order Apple to pay more taxes there from its business activities.

The document for TDs singles out this exception, noting: This is an entirely unprecedented aspect of the State aid decision  the concept that Ireland would not be judged to have granted illegal State aid if another jurisdiction had exercised taxing rights over the profits concerned is difficult to understand.

Ministers and party leaders are expected though today to make a strong defence of Irelands tax system.

The issue of aggressive tax planning by multinational companies is a global problem that requires a global solution, adds the briefing file for deputies.

It is noted that Ireland has already agreed to the OECDs Base Erosion and Profit Shifting proposals, which will help reduce corporate tax avoidance. Ireland has also agreed the anti-tax avoidance directive with other EU member states.

In summary, the briefing for TDs concludes: In the Governments view, the European Commissions decision undermines, impedes and conflicts with the global consensus.

Meanwhile, while some Opposition TDs will declare the debate today a waste of time in the absence of the publication of the full EU Apple judgment, others will call for stronger measures to protect Irelands tax system.
Political decisions are already being sought from higher education presidents on the longer term and who should stump up the extra 600m a year needed by 2021, rising to 1bn in 2030, to sustain the sector.

But, after the latest world rankings showed the further decline for all Irish universities except NUI Galway, business organisation Ibec said Irelands highly-skilled labour force is under serious threat as a critical asset if funding is not urgently addressed.

Apart from an immediate injection of public investment, we also need to look at developing a sustainable model for the sector, said Ibec chief executive Danny McCoy.

While he said the basis for the OECDs 2004 recommendation for an income-contingent student loan scheme has not changed, this is just one of three options put forward in the Cassells Report on the future of higher education in July.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) strongly opposes a loans system, but it is also seeking an immediate start to the restoration of public funding in the sector, with a 140m increase in 2017.

Full implementation of the preferred model for funding higher education will not be decided for some considerable time, but there is no reason to postpone overdue and necessary investment in those areas of the sector which have been badly affected by diminishing resources over the past seven years, said USI president Annie Hoey.

Since 2008, core State funding for third-level colleges has been cut by one-third from 1.4bn to 923m, and staffing controls have seen academic numbers fall from over 9,000 to under 8,000. But student numbers rose by nearly 40,000 to over 190,000 at the same time.

A spokesperson for Mr Bruton would not be drawn this week on whether any increases will be provided to the sector for 2017.

But Fianna Fail education spokesperson Thomas Byrne said more resources are needed urgently. Fianna Fail has been consistently clear that 100m core funding needs to be invested, from general taxation, in our higher level institutions to enhance quality and bolster our universities competitiveness, he said.

While the rankings do not reflect all activities in universities, particularly with an over-emphasis on sciences over humanities in research measures, the dramatic falls for Irish institutions illustrate the effects of the cuts. Trinity College Dublin has fallen from 43rd to 98th in the QS World University Rankings since 2009, University College Dublin from 89th to 176th, and University College Cork from 181st in 2011 to 283rd.

Irish Universities Association CEO Ned Costello said we can no longer hide from the corrosive effects of years of cutbacks. An immediate injection of funding is required in the upcoming budget to fund more lecturers, deliver small group teaching and restore quality in our system, he said.

There are mixed political views on whether the ideal long-term source of extra funding should be increased student fees backed by a loan scheme, significant hikes in public funding, higher industry contributions, or a combination of these measures.

But without a majority government in the Dail, Mr Bruton wants the Oireachtas Education Committee, chaired by Fianna Fail TD Fiona OLoughlin, to come up with a consensus before he brings any proposal to Cabinet.

In its Budget 2017 submission, USI also wants further investment to include reducing the 3,000 student fee for undergraduates by at least 500.

While this would add around 34m to Mr Brutons third-level budget, USI says the benefits would include fewer students forced to work part-time or dropping out for financial reasons.
Jazmine Sands, from Killorglin, Co Kerry, said she hopes her decision to speak out will spare others the heartbreak her family has suffered.

Isabella was here for a short time but she has moved us and touched so many hearts. I feel she was sent here for a reason  to make a change, she said.

She left an imprint and I am trying to turn this negative into a positive.

Every pregnant woman should be entitled to a detailed scan, whether they go public or private. They should be routine and free. I want to work with the health system to make this change.

Isabella was born by emergency C-section in Kerry General Hospital on May 23 last.

Everything was perfect at first, but we were told a short time later that she had a slight heart murmur and that she was being rushed to Crumlin, Jazmine said.

Her partner, Kevin Sheehan, followed the ambulance to Dublin and was told that scans had revealed his daughter had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which affects normal blood flow through the heart, and other heart complications.

Images of her heart were sent to experts in Londons Great Ormond Street who were amazed that Isabella was still alive.

Jazmine then rushed to Dublin where doctors told her and Kevin that nothing could be done to save Isabella, and to prepare for her to pass in her own time.

Isabella died days later in Jazmines arms. Her parents say they will always cherish photographs, arranged by the hospital, which were taken in the moments afterwards.

Jazmine began blogging about her experience this week and said her ultimate goal is to encourage expectant mothers to ask for detailed scans during pregnancy, so that possible heart defects can be identified.

Preparation would have helped us cope with the fact that we wouldnt be bringing her home the way we did, and would have helped us explain everything to Isabellas brother, Keelin, she said. In our case, nothing could have been done to save Isabella, but if detailed scans are done, and defects are identified, then maybe something can be done for others.

Jazmine said she has received incredible support from Glow Hearts 4 Crumlin, which helps parents of children who have undergone open heart surgery, and which strives to raise awareness of congenital heart defects.
But Clares IFA chair- person Willie Hanrahan has cautioned farmers about signing longs-term leases for solar farms. He believes they could simply blow away during the first storm of winter.

His concern came as Reeve Wave Limited lodged plans for the construction of a 43,500sq m solar farm at Knockanulty, Ennistymon.

Another large-scale solar farm at Cratloe in East Clare was announced in May, but the 30m project by Terra Solar Ltd has been opposed by some locals.

The proposed energy farm in Ennistymon envisages solar panels attached to ground by mounted steel frames.

With North Clare subject to a number of devastating storms in recent years, fears have already been expressed over the long-term sustainability of solar farms locally.

Farmers need to be very very careful before they sign contracts, these things havent been tried and tested in the West of Ireland at all yet, Mr Hanrahan said.

Everyone is well aware of the [weather] conditions that can happen in places like Ennistymon. These things could very well just blow away. There are options there for farmers but they need to be very careful before they sign any agreements.

Green energy is always welcome and there are lots of different ways of doing it, but it really depends on where they are put. It looks like this could be very profitable for the farmer but there has to be rules around it.
His announcement came as Central Bank chiefs revealed that assets valued at 300bn in Ireland have been bought by vulture funds and special investment firms.

The revelation comes as the Dail prepares for an emergency debate today on the Apple tax ruling, which the Government expects will rubberstamp its appeal against the Brussels judgement.

The Government will defend Irelands tax policies and also indicate what will be done with the 13bn in lost tax the European Commission has ordered must be recovered from Apple.

However, in a surprise move last night, Mr Noonan closed off a loophole to stop firms avoiding paying tax, especially when it came to property deals.

The loophole applies to so-called section 110 companies set up to buy assets, an arrangement which had achieved the broad goal of helping attract financial services here, he said.

The proposed amendment targets the issues that have been raised and will ensure that the Irish tax base is appropriately protected, said Mr Noonan.

The changes apply to company profits arising from property deals as of from yesterday.

Section 110 deals have come under scrutiny in recent weeks after claims the status is being used to set up special purpose vehicles to buy distressed property loans while paying little tax.

Revenue is looking into these claims and separately, the charity regulator is examining other claims that firms are using charity status to avoid paying tax.

The issue was raised in the Dail by Independent TD Stephen Donnelly. The TD even claimed one firm had bought up distressed property loans and, while making tens of millions of euro, paid just 250 in tax in one year.

Independent TD Stephen Donnelly

Mr Noonan said this separate issue was being reviewed but that he was open to other changes in the forthcoming Finance Bill.

However, Central Bank chief economist Gabriel Fagan admitted the bank is examining 300bn in assets here owned by investment funds. Sinn Feins Pearse Doherty asked Mr Fagan at the Oireachtas budget committee about qualified investor alternative investment funds and foreign-owned ones which are tax exempt in Ireland.

They own a huge amount of property in the capital city in particular, as well as right across the State, he said. Mr Fagan said the bank had over the last year had made significant progress measuring these firms but was only getting to grips with what was going on in the sector.

Meanwhile, Mr Noonan has sounded a note of warning about Octobers budget. He told RTE the combination of Brexit, instability in some countries, and the upcoming US presidential election needed a cautious budget.

Im going to take no chances, he said.
Last weekend Minister of State Paul Kehoe announced the creation of a new medal to recognise the work of navy personnel who were involved in recent humanitarian efforts in the Mediterranean.

However the revelation that the ceremony during which the Defence Forces International Operational Service Medal is to be awarded will be held in Rosslare  within the ministers Wexford constituency  instead of the naval base in Cork has caused disquiet among both serving officers and veterans, according to Peter Mulvany, chairman of the Irish Seamens Relatives Association.

Peter Mulvany has written to both Minister Kehoe and Taoiseach Enda Kenny to outline concerns over the decision to hold the ceremony in Rosslare.

It is with some concern that one learns of the ministers intention to have a medal presentation in Rosslare in his own constituency, which is in contrast as to what could be another unique event on the naval base, where families of serving personnel, shipmates past and present could pay tribute to those members who are no longer with us, and honour personnel who risked their lives for others in the Mediterranean, and all on parade together as a Naval Service family, Mr Mulvany wrote.

Surely political expediency cannot be permitted to disrupt or interfere with an expected all-inclusive event on the naval base?

Perhaps the minister might rethink and bring all shipmates and their families together in celebration on the base rather than in Rosslare located in his constituency? he wrote.

Mr Mulvany told the Irish Examiner that he received widespread support from both retired and serving navy personnel for his complaint after he posted a copy of the correspondence to Facebook.

He has also sent the letter to Minister Richard Bruton and TDs Clare Daly and Sean Haughey.

Mr Mulvanny said the opposition TDs have replied and stated their intention to raise his concerns.

His criticism follows similar concerns raised by the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association  PDFORRA.

On Monday the Irish Examiner revealed how PDFORRA was disappointed in the choice of location for the ceremony, and how it said Haulbowline was the preference among naval personnel, the majority of whom live in the vicinity of the naval base with their families.

The Irish Examiner has asked the Department of Defence for an explanation for its decision to hold the medal ceremony in Rosslare, and if the town was chosen due to its location within Minister Kehoes constituency.

No response was received at time of going to press.
As head of research with the Irish Cancer Society, I am used to talking with cancer researchers about the studies we fund and the advances they make in terms of cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and survivorship.

But this past few weeks have been different, as Ive had the opportunity to discuss with the general public the facts behind one of the most significant advances in modern cancer research: The development of a vaccine that can substantially reduce the instances of cervical cancer among women.

Since 2010, more than 220,000 Irish secondary school girls have been offered the HPV vaccine for free under the HSEs national vaccination programme. The injection protects against the major strains of HPV (human papillomavirus), which cause cervical cancer, and is offered to first-year school girls each September.

That means that more than 30,000 Irish girls are now being offered the opportunity to have their chances of contracting cervical cancer significantly reduced.

Despite the actions of our world class cervical cancer screening programme, roughly 280 women are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer each year in Ireland.

It is estimated that more than 90 Irish women will die from cervical cancer this year, while a further 6,500 will need hospital treatment to remove precancerous growths in their cervix.

The vaccine protects from strains of HPV that cause more than 70% of all cervical cancers.

If these women had received the vaccine, the vast majority would be spared such medical treatment. Most importantly, lives would have been saved.

Our two public talks this week, in Galway and Cork, presented these facts and more to large audiences, many of whom were parents anxious to learn more about the vaccine being offered to their daughters.

Expert analysis was given by local consultant gynaecologists and Margaret Stanley of Cambridge University, who is a leading global expert in this field, with her research focussing on the development of vaccines and immunotherapies against HPV.

Also among them were powerful testimonies from young women who have gone through a multitude of treatments for cervical cancer.

Irish doctors use the most modern techniques for managing this disease but treatment can be very difficult, often involving combinations of highly invasive surgery on the reproductive areas of the body, along with radiation and/or chemotherapy.

Even with all the modern advances, the unfortunate truth is that four in 10 of those women treated will succumb to their cancer within five years.

Many of those women will be young. Some will be young mothers, while others will perhaps not have children but treatment will often rob them of that option in their life.

Again, the HPV vaccine would have relieved many of these women the emotional and physical pain this disease has caused.

However. despite this, more and more parents are opting not to give their daughter the vaccine.

Provisional figures from the HSE show that 5,000 fewer first-year girls received the vaccine in the last academic year compared to the 2014/2015 cycle.

That means that 9,000 girls were offered the injection last year but either they or their parents chose not to receive it.

Which begs the question: Why? Recently through the media and from listening to personal stories, the Irish Cancer Society has heard from families who have seen their young girls battle severe ailments that, in many cases, have left them bedridden.

The true stories they tell are harrowing, and as they search for reasons why their daughters have fallen ill, they conclude that the HPV vaccine was the cause.

This conclusion understandably creates a fear around the injection.

While I sympathise with the real ailments these girls endure, as a representative of the Irish Cancer Society I have an obligation to present the facts, which show that the vaccine is safe.

Worldwide, more than 200m doses of the vaccine have been given to around 80m people. Recent studies from leading international medical agencies, including the World Health Organisation and the European Medicines Agency, have concluded that Gardasil, the vaccine offered to Irish girls, is safe and has no link to serious illnesses.

All medicines can cause effects in some people. The HPV vaccine is a needle so, like MMR and every other common vaccine we get, many will feel pain from the injection.

An ache in the muscle or an unwell feeling for a few minutes to a few hours is not uncommon.

There are rare side effects but the number and rate of these is incredibly low and the risks of even the more common of these effects is much less than many things we do in our daily life like being in a car or playing a sport.

In reality, the possible outcomes women face from a cervical cancer diagnosis far outweigh the risks perceived from the HPV vaccine.

As cervical cancer survivors spoke at our talks in August, they all had a common message to tell: If the HPV vaccine was available to them when they were in school, they wouldnt have hesitated in taking it.

Dr Robert OConnor is head of research with the Irish Cancer Society
He confirmed he is planning to discuss potential licensing and regulation of the groups with the States legal adviser, adding that he would encourage anyone affected to contact gardai under existing laws.

On Monday, the Ireland edition of The Times revealed that a Dublin-based pro-life organisation had advised an undercover reporter seeking an abortion that the procedure could lead to breast cancer due to links with ovarian cancer and the impact of an abortion.

The same counsellor also alleged that in some cases parents who have an abortion can become child abusers by either neglecting their future children or giving them too much attention.

The chairman of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Dr Peter Boylan, rejected the claims, insisting there is absolutely no truth that someone who has an abortion is at greater risk of either breast cancer or committing child abuse.

Mr Harris said he is so concerned by the situation he plans to raise it with the attorney general in the coming days and wants anyone affected to contact the gardai immediately.

I was, like a lot of people in this country, very alarmed by what I read in relation to the so-called advice that had been provided to some women who went to a certain clinic seeking information.

Ive asked my officials to examine all of the policy options, as I said yesterday, and I rule nothing out.

Im very open to the idea of regulation, and I intend to ask the attorney generals office at an official level to look at all the options.

But I would point out the 1995 Information Act is already on the statute books. It does say women must be provided with true and factual information. Therefore, if there is any suggestion, as clearly seems to be the case, that any information given has been misleading or is downright false, it is obviously open to anyone to make a complaint to An Garda Siochana, and I would encourage people to do that.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health said the announcement of a 40m winter initiative to deal with emergency department overcrowding has been postponed due to lack of agreement.

Mr Harris said his first priority was to ensure the 40m is spent effectively but stressed that he still expects the plan to be published by the end of this week.

What we absolutely need is to make sure that any measure they commit to in here is introduced in the hospital, he said.

What we dont need to see is in previous years commitments are given and not delivered. So what I need to be convinced of and I think today is important in that regard, is that everything the HSE sign up to deliver can actually be delivered.

This is 40m of taxpayers money... todays meeting gives an opportunity to stakeholders to give their views on how it should be spent and I expect this plan to be published by the end of the week.
Friends of the Irish Environment said the Government had taken its eye off the potential threat posed by the facility situated in Cumbria, England, just 170km from the Irish coast.

Sinn Fein also said Ireland must demand the closure of the plant and oppose plans for new reactors on the site.

The comments follow an investigation by the BBCs Panorama programme in which a former manager at the plant turned whistle-blower gave a frightening account of understaffing at the facility, which he also described as being dangerously run down.

One of the most worrying claims centered on the long-term storage of radioactive waste in plastic containers that were now degrading.

Sellafields operators and the British Government moved yesterday to dismiss accusations the facility was a risk.

The UKs minister of state for energy Nick Hurd told parliament: I can assure the house there is no risk to site, staff or the public and it is wrong to suggest otherwise.

Mr Hurd accepted there were difficulties in managing the facility. Sellafield is a uniquely challenging site that contains the legacy of the UKs earliest nuclear programmes when nuclear waste was dumped with no plan for how it would be disposed of safely. The government has been turning that around in order to clean up Sellafield as safely, as cost effectively, and quickly as possible. This is an enormously complex task.

But he insisted: We have a strong regulatory system and all operations are answerable to an independent regulator. The Office for Nuclear Regulation is satisfied, and has confirmed that again, this morning, that Sellafield is safe.

But Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy said the only safe Sellafield was one that was no longer in operation.

Sellafield, which is a dirty word in Ireland, a nuclear-free country, is now a threat to all of Europe, he said. It must be closed and there should be a halt to the construction of any further nuclear power plants near the Irish Sea.

There has already been a long list of contamination incidents at Sellafield which is a grave threat to the health of citizens, not just in Britain itself but in Ireland and other European countries.

He said the Government must confront their British counterparts on the issue and he said he would be raising it with the EU environment commissioner.

Tony Lowe of Friends of the Irish Environment said the Government appeared complacent on the issue.

We are always told that in the normal running of the plants there is no concern. Thats not what were worried about. Were worried about when things go wrong.

To hear that there are problems like understaffing is particularly worrying because adequate staffing is a very basic safeguard against things going wrong.

We have taken our eye off the whole nuclear threat and its increasing because the number of nuclear reactors around the world is increasing.

The Government has said it is in regular consultation with Britain about that countrys nuclear programme and is currently preparing a response to the plans for new nuclear reactors at the Sellafield site.
Elber Twomey, from North Cork, said she was completely overwhelmed by the response to her annual Twomey Family Remorial initiative, which she launched in the wake of her family tragedy. The proceeds from last months event topped 18,600, pushing the total raised over the last three years to 110,000.

Im just so thankful and grateful that something positive has come from my tragedy. Im sure Connie, baba Oisin, and Little Lady are smiling down to see the way they are being remembered and honoured each year in our Twomey Family Remorial weekend and in our efforts to promote the reality of how precious life is, said Ms Twomey.

She lost 16-month-old Oisin and her unborn daughter Elber Marie when a suicidal taxi driver drove head-on into their car as they returned from a family holiday in Devon in 2012.

The distressed driver, Marek Wojciechowski, who had left a suicide note at home, was being pursued by a police officer in a marked car moments before he swerved directly into the Twomeys car. Ms Twomeys husband, Connie, suffered devastating injuries in the crash and died in Cork University Hospital 10 months later.

After recovering from severe injuries, Elber, her brother Tomas, and two of Connies closest friends, Thomas Mahoney and Gerard Angland, launched the Twomey Family Remorial weekend the following year to promote the reality of how precious life is and to raise awareness of mental health issues.

They set out to raise funds for the hospitals which cared for her family, for suicide support and mental health charities, and for Bru Columbanus near Cork University Hospital, which provides home-from-home accommodation for relatives of seriously ill patients.

Three remorial weekends, featuring sponsored cycles, fun runs, GAA matches, and table quizes, have taken place in Meelin and Rockchapel, north Cork, since 2014. More than 4,000 people have taken part, raising almost 110,000.

Charities including The 3Ts, Pieta House, Reach Out, Suicide Aware Cork, and Walk in My Shoes have received a slice of the funding.

Ms Twomey praised all those who have organised and supported the events, including Newmarket Motors, Keoghs in Rockchapel and Cahills in Meelin, bars including Pat Callaghans in Meelin, Paddy Mollys, the Rock, and Murphys, and OKeeffes SuperValu in Newmarket.

Ms Twomey also launched a campaign to ensure gardai receive suicide awareness training, which has led to improved training courses in Ireland, England, and across Europe. Ms Twomey said she has also received huge support from Chief Superintendent Aidan Reid, the president of TISPOL  the Network of European Traffic Police Forces.

She spoke at a road safety conference in Malahide in May and will address the European Policing Road Safety Conference in Manchester later this year.
BARNARDOS has launched a campaign to remove the bulk of current costs paid by parents in schools here.

Our organisation argues that the Department of Education should fully fund schools to ensure essentials such as school books, classroom resources, and transport (for those who need it) are provided.

The initial focus will be on the primary sector, and a recent in-depth report has established that it would cost only an extra 103m annually to deliver free primary education.

To put this into context, the Department of Educations overall budget exceeds 8bn per year.

One hasnt far to look to see what such a system might look like. Since the post-war Northern Ireland Education Act of 1947 (closely modelled on the Westminster Butler Act of 1944) books and educational equipment have been provided free in the schools of the North.

The Irish education system has a strong tradition, dating back to the foundation of the National School system in the 1830s, of overseeing the content, publication and supply of books to its schools. And in the first years of their existence  between the early 1830s and 1860  the books that the New Board of Education commissioned especially for the schools were provided free.

The contested relationship between Ireland and the British state was the defining influence on the shape and content of the Irish education system and on the books that emerged to service it.

The recasting of these relationships after partition in 1921, and the different contexts of the two Irish states that emerged, resulted in gradually diverging practice in the two jurisdictions: Both states were anxious to produce school systems that matched the ideologies of their governing elites.

In the Free State ( later the Republic) Padraig Pearses The Murder Machine, although more a polemic than a manifesto, articulated a conception of Irish Ireland that was nevertheless influential in forming educational policy in post-independence Ireland where the governments vigorously began to promote nationalist versions of history as the orthodoxy in its schools.

Whilst these governments began to jettison much of the radical rhetoric of pre-Independence nationalism in their social policy, vestiges of that radicalism endured longest in educational policy, particularly in regard to the position of the Irish language within the system.

And new school books emerged to service the system.

The two big players in this respect were the Educational Company of Ireland (Edco) and Browne and Nolan.

The voluminous Edco archive in the Irish National Archives provides evidence of the tensions that often resulted between the commercial publishers and the educational officials to whom they were striving to respond as they developed books that were compliant with the new educational policies.

For example, correspondence shows them ditching extracts from a reader that could be described as of an international character  mostly adventure material from empire locations  in favour of extracts by Irish writers or material connected with Ireland.

EdCo and the government were two big players in a small commercial pool and their favours were often finely balanced on a quid pro quo that was evolving into a new symbiotic relationship.

The following acidic exchange about a request from the Government Publications Branch to bring out one of EdCos childrens books in an Irish translation for schools without payment of any fee demonstrates this vividly: If it had been any private person who had asked for a similar concession we would have fought our claims to the last ditch and would have won; but of course it is different when you write such a nice pleasant letter as you have.

While the Free State entrepreneurs and policy-makers were working through this new relationship, the same issue was exercising politicians and educational officials in the northern state.

In the two decades after partition, the North struggled to both detach itself from the Irish school book publishing trade on which it had depended, like any other part of Ireland, and to produce or procure books that reflected its new educational priorities.

Producing books locally required traditions of publishing expertise, but Belfast lacked such in-depth expertise and also faced problems associated with economies of scale.

The Norths education system would eventually come to rely mostly on the much larger British school book trade but this was not always completely satisfactory.

The contradictory processes by which the North gradually evolved its own particular priorities is best perhaps exemplified by the man who in 1927 became Permanent Secretary at the new Northern Ireland Ministry of Education, Bonaparte Wyse.

Wyse was a Catholic  the only one in such a position until 1969  from a rather patrician background (the prominent 19th century parliamentarian and educationalist, Sir Thomas Wyse and Lucian Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon I, were ancestors).

A senior civil servant on the old all-Ireland National Board of Education he was persuaded by Lord Londonderry, first Northern Ireland Minister of Education, to join the new Northern Ministry. Until his permanent return there on retirement in 1939 he maintained his residence in Blackrock, Dublin, which he commuted to each week.

Eamon de Valera was a near neighbour.

The educational files in the Public Record Office, Northern Ireland (PRONI) show him as a suave and accomplished Sir Humphrey in the face of frequently irate suggestions that flowed in from the Unionist heartlands, e.g. The National Schools became Public Elementary Schools  although some correspondents demanded further action such as the hacking out of the offending stones over the many old school porticos from the Victorian period bearing the legend National School.

Wyses memos usually advised in smoothly reasonable tones against proceeding overhastily with such impractical suggestions.

Here he is in 1935, replying to a minister in the in the NI cabinet office who had received representations from a member of a deputation from Derry who stated that it appeared to him to be very unfair on the part of the government to print their educational works in Dublin instead of having the work carried out in our own province.

The Dublin people referred to above have a market for many of these publications in the Free State as well as in Northern Ireland and they naturally find it necessary for economical reasons to centralise their production in Dublin, where, of course, their works have been in existence for a very long time before 1922.

"I am afraid that I do not see what useful action we could take in the matter, though, of course, we should like everything used in our schools to be produced locally, if it were at all possible.

So, up until the Second World War, the two systems were largely comparable in how they managed the supply of books to their primary school systems  the only part of either system at that time that was compulsory for all children.

And books were not universally supplied by government or local authorities free of charge in either state. But the post-war Northern Ireland Education Act of 1947 extended free second-level compulsory education to all children.

Hitherto, second-level schools served only a minority and consisted mostly of voluntary grammar schools, mostly for the wealthier in society, but even these would be opened up to a broader range of pupils through the access to state-financed academic education by way of the new 11+ selection examination.

The act created a system that was dominated by two tiers  academic grammar schools and secondary schools for those not selected for admission to the grammars.

As might be expected, the social make-up of both sets of schools was sharply differentiated, working class pupils making up the vast majority of those in the new secondary schools.

The North has maintained this system up until the present, in spite of the fact that it was abandoned in England and Wales in favour of all-ability comprehensive schools in the 1960s, and in Scotland in the 1970s.

Thus, alongside the religious demarcation that divided Northern Irish schools was added yet another social one that was duly reproduced on either side of the religious divide.

The new act necessitated a huge building programme and, for the first time in the North, in line with practice by local authorities in England before the war, the universal provision of free school books to pupils attending both primary schools and the new system of post-primary schools.

Many in the Republic, we are told, would like to see a united Ireland. So, could I make here a modest proposal in that direction? Lets start providing free school books to all children in the Republics schools.

Barnardos childrens charity has investigated the cost and legislative framework required to make primary education in Ireland truly free. Dr Patrick Walsh spoke at Barnardos Seminar  Making Primary Education Truly Free on Thursday, September 1. www.barnardos.ie

Dr Patrick Walsh was a senior lecturer in Education at the School of Education, Queens University, Belfast, and is co-editor of the Oxford History of the Irish Book, Volume 5: The Irish Book in English, 1891-2000 and author of its chapter, The Political Economy of Irish School Books.)
Asia Asean Summit Overshadowed by Philippine Presidents Remarks

Southeast Asian leaders pose for photo during the Asean Summit in Vientiane, Laos, September 7, 2016. / Reuters / Soe Zeya Tun

VIENTIANE, Laos  A summit of Southeast Asian leaders to discuss issues ranging from terrorism to South China Sea tensions opened Tuesday, overshadowed by the Philippine presidents intemperate comments in his debut appearance at the annual meeting. The insult was made more egregious because of who the target was  President Barack Obama.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte occupied center stage on the eve of the summit Monday when he made comments about Obama that included a son of a bitch remark.

He was again in the spotlight Tuesday when he trooped into a conference hall in the Laotian capital of Vientiane wearing a traditional Filipino shirt with sleeves rolled up, and hands in pant pockets. The other male Southeast Asian leaders were dressed in dark business suits. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi wore a mauve traditional dress.

Filipinos wear the barong shirt on formal occasions too, but with sleeves buttoned down at the wrists. Rolled-up sleeves are considered too casual for any formal setting, let alone an Asean summit. Duterte rolled his sleeves down and buttoned them when Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachith gave a speech to open the summit.

Multifaceted security challenges have occurred in many parts of the world, such as terrorism and extremism, natural disasters, climate change, migration crisis, trafficking in people, territorial disputes and armed conflicts, Bounnhang said. At the same time, although the global economy has gradually recovered, growth remains slow and fragile.

There is a need for us to closely follow these developments and continue to enhance Asean cooperation and collaboration with the international community, he said.

The 10-nation Asean comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The summit will be followed by a series of other meetings on Wednesday and a summit Thursday between leaders from Asean and other countries, including the United States, China, Russia, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Obama arrived in Vientiane on Monday night and will attend Thursdays summit. Duterte also arrived Monday night.

But hours before his arrival, Duterte dropped a diplomatic bombshell by saying he doesnt want Obama to ask him questions about extrajudicial killings that have occurred amid an ongoing crackdown on drug dealers in the Philippines. More than 2,000 people have been killed in the crackdown since he took office on June 30.

In his typical loose-tongued style, Duterte said: I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. Putang ina, I will swear at you in that forum, he said, using the Tagalog phrase for son of a bitch.

Obama later canceled a bilateral meeting he was scheduled to have with Duterte in Vientiane. On Tuesday, Duterte expressed regret over the remarks, but the damage was already done.

Duterte is also planning to ask Chinas premier at the Vientiane meetings whether China is trying to develop a disputed reef, Scarborough Shoal, off the Philippines northwestern coast, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.

The shoal is part of the larger dispute in the South China Sea between China and some Asean countries. An international arbitration panel recently ruled that Chinas expansive claims in the sea are illegal. Beijing has rejected the ruling as a sham.

Although Asean has the power of the ruling behind it, its summit is unlikely to mention it in its final declaration, a reflection of Beijings diplomatic clout.

But according to a draft of the final statement Asean is scheduled to release on Thursday, the regions leaders will express strong concern about Beijings construction of man-made islands in the South China Sea, which Southeast Asian countries fear could destabilize the region.

Duterte said last week that the Philippine coast guard has sighted Chinese barges at Scarborough, which he said could presage the transformation of the Chinese-held reef into another man-made island. One of the Chinese vessels had what appeared to be a crane, according to a Philippine official who did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to discuss classified intelligence.

China sparked widespread alarm when it converted seven reefs in the Spratly Islands into islands that the United States says could be transformed into military bases to reinforce Beijings territorial claims and intimidate rival claimant countries.

Duterte has taken a more conciliatory stance toward China than his predecessor. But a confirmation of Chinese reclamation activities at Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground where Filipino fishermen have been forced away by Beijings coast guard, could impede relations.

US officials have also expressed deep concern over the possibility of China developing Scarborough into an island or starting to erect concrete structures there, which could reinforce Beijings control over a swath of the South China Sea.
Burma Advisory Commission Completes First Trip to Arakan State

Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan tours the Rohingya community of Aung Mingalar ward in Sittwe on Wednesday morning. / Maung Kyaw Hein MPA / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Tha Hla Shwe, a member of the Kofi Annan-led Arakan State Advisory Commission, told The Irrawaddy that during their two-day trip to Sittwe, the commission heard perspectives on trust building from the Buddhist Arakanese and Muslim communities in the state capital.

The tripthe commissions first, lasting from Sept. 6-7focused on improving the relationship between the two groups as the first step in addressing the wounds of the states 2012 riots.

Dr. Tha Hla Shwe said that the commission met with Muslim religious leaders, influential Buddhist monks, civil society organizations, internally displaced persons (IDPs), parliamentarians, and the administrative body of Arakanalso known as RakhineState.

We just listened to their opinions and assumptions, said Tha Hla Shwe. We asked them what we could do for them. They also unveiled their own perspectives on how to solve the problem on the ground.

Internally displaced populations concerns centered largely on their lack of freedom of movement and difficulties in obtaining permits to travel to hospitals for medical treatment. When asked about points raised by IDPs, Tha Hla Shwe said: Nothing special there. Everything they told us is the same as in previous conversations.

Aung Mingalar resident Zaw Zaw, who identifies as Rohingya, said that the Kofi Annan-led team visited his quarter on Wednesday and had a conversation with him for about half an hour beside a Muslim prayer hall.

The term Rohingya, the name with which many Muslims in the region ethnically identify, is rejected by many Arakanese Buddhists and members of the Burmese public, who describe the group as Bengali, implying they are interlopers from neighboring Bangladesh.

According to Zaw Zaw, Annan introduced himself and the reason for his visit. Zaw Zaw said he emphasized three urgent needs to the former UN chief: access to medical travel permits, access to education for his children, and citizenship documents for IDPs; the Rohingya are not recognized as one of Burmas 135 ethnic groups, contributing to widespread statelessness in a country where citizenship is defined along ethnic lines.

Together with Annan, eight advisors from the commission and a team of government officials including Arakan State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu, later visited IDP camps. There was no surveillance by military special branch officials or police unlike on previous visits from dignitaries in the last four years, said Zaw Zaw.

We talked openly and he told us they will be here [in Sittwe] and he urged us to contact them in case of an emergency, Zaw Zaw said.

The speaker of the Arakan State parliament, U San Kyaw Hla confirmed that he and Annan met at the government office on Tuesday. He asked Annan for a fair and acceptable assessment and Annan pledged to deliver an impartial report to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Narinjara, a local weekly journal, reported that the Arakan State parliament speaker openly voiced his dissatisfaction with the formation of the commission.

However, he declined to verify or provide further information of the discussion. I dont want to talk much more. Its not good to say here, said U San Kyaw Hla over the phone to The Irrawaddy.

The delegation returned to Rangoon Wednesday evening. About 100 people protested against the commission at their departure from Sittwe airport, said Tha Hla Shwe. Hundreds of local residents and Buddhist monks also rallied on Tuesday at Sittwe airport against the arrival of the advisory commission.

On Tuesday an urgent proposal put forward by Arakanese National Party (ANP) lawmaker Aung Kyaw Sancalling for international members of the Arakan State Advisory Commission to be replaced with local academicsfailed to earn parliamentary approval.

A memorandum of understanding between the State Counselors Office and the Kofi Annan Foundation regarding the commission will be signed. It is currently being processed by the Union Attorney Generals Office, according to representatives from the National League for Democracy (NLD) at the debate session regarding the proposal on Tuesday.

The Presidents Office spokesman Zaw Htay disclosed to the media on Tuesday that the State Counselors Office would be allocating its own funds toward the Arakan State Advisory Commission project but did not mention the size of the budget.
Civil Guard divers found strange bundles in waters off Calpe. GUARDIA CIVIL

Spanish authorities are investigating the origin of human bones and other objects wrapped inside bedsheets discovered last week in waters off the Penon de Ifach, a 330-meter high outcrop sometimes compared to the Rock of Gibraltar in the Mediterranean town of Calpe (Alicante).

Civil Guard divers found a third bundle last Thursday at a depth of five to six meters, sources close to the investigation told the Efe news agency.

The first package contained a nearly complete human skeleton thought to be between 30 and 40 years old, which may have been dug out of the earth in recent weeks before ending up at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

We were on a diving course in the area of Roca Plana, behind the rock, and I saw something that looked like a garbage bag at the bottom

Christian, diving instructor

The kinds of objects found inside the bedsheets, which include a knife, bird feathers, tree branches, a bird skeleton, a bronze statuette and a toy doll, have led investigators to suspect that they were used in rituals associated with Santeria, a syncretic religion that fuses elements of Roman Catholicism, African Yoruba mythology and native American beliefs.

The bundles also contained photographs and documents belonging to Spanish residents from several parts of the country. The documents include letters from the Tax Agency asking taxpayers for additional information regarding their income statements.

The human remains have been taken to a forensic institute in Alicante for identification. Investigators are also visiting local cemeteries to determine whether any graves were dug up in order to obtain the bones.

No arrests have been made so far, but the investigation is extending to the western region of Extremadura and other provinces where individuals whose names cropped up live.

A ritual or spell

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Everything suggests it could be some kind of ritual or spell, said Juan Carlos Moragues, the government delegate in the Valencia region. Investigators have posited that the parcels could be part of a spell to break off a relationship.

Moragues confirmed that the human bones had been buried for 30 to 40 years, given their texture and color. The first bundle contained an almost complete human skeleton. The second bundle also contained bones, although some may be animal remains.

The first parcel was found by chance by a professional diver near the Penon de Ifach, a landmark off the popular coastal town of Calpe.

We were on a diving course in the area of Roca Plana, behind the rock, and I saw something that looked like a garbage bag at the bottom, said Christian, a diving instructor at Centro de Buceo Les Basetes who discovered the first bundle. I went down for it and saw something like a tied-up bedsheet. I opened it a little and saw a doll. I brought it up, handed it to the skipper and continued diving.

Back on land, the diving team opened the bundle and found a human bone inside and immediately notified the Civil Guard. Hours later, specialized divers located two similar parcels just a few meters from the first, around 20 meters underwater.

English version by Susana Urra.
Burma The Changing Nature of the Burma-China Sex Trade

Kyalgaung at Burma-China Border. / Thit Nay Moe / The Irrawaddy

MUSE, Shan State  Life was hard for Ma Nyo Nyo (not her real name). After the death of her husband, she struggled to take care of her children and her elderly mother who had suffered a paralytic stroke.

When a cloth merchant from the China border area came to Ma Nyo Nyos small town in Irrawaddy Division, she thought her fortunes had changed.

The cloth merchant told us jobs are abundant in Laukkai Ma Nyo Nyo told The Irrawaddy, referring to the primary city in the ethnic Kokang region of northern Shan State. I decided to go to Laukkai. When I arrived, the merchant told me I could get a job in China with a good salary in Chinese yuan, which would be a large amount when exchanged to kyat.

Ma Nyo Nyo travelled with the merchant to the Chinese border town of Ruili where she was handed over to another person. After a four-day car journey, she arrived in a rural Chinese village and was placed with a local family.

When I woke up the next morning I found the people who had sent me there had disappeared. I questioned what had happened in Burmese but the Chinese villagers just waved their hands to show they did not understand what I said, Ma Nyo Nyo recalled.

Ma Nyo Nyo gestured to the Chinese family that she wanted to use the phone and called the person who had brought her from Ruili. The person told her to be well-behaved and to give birth to a child as soon as possible if she wanted to go back to Burma.

In a state of shock, she demanded to be brought back to her home country but the phone line went dead. At that moment, she understood that she had been sold to a Chinese family and married off to a complete stranger.

After a few days, the son of the family tried to sleep with her. When Ma Nyo Nyo resisted his attempts he produced papers and gestured that he had bought her with money.

It was not a one-day thing. Eventually, I could no longer resist and I was forced to have sex with him, she said. Her ordeal lasted for five months, until she was lucky enough to escape. She ran for a day before she was picked up by Chinese police and handed over to Burmas human trafficking branch of the police force in Muse on the Burma-China border.

According to official statistics, there were about 400 reported cases of human trafficking from 2006 to 2015 in Muse District. Over 1,000 traffickers were arrested over this period, but police believe more than 400 are still at large.

Police major U Khin Maung Oo of Muse districts human trafficking police squad, told The Irrawaddy that he had witnessed many cases where Burmese women had been sold into forced marriages in China.

In most cases, Burmese women are not married off to Chinese men in urban areas, he said. They are forced to marry men in rural villages who cant find a bride. Some places are in very remote areas and it is even difficult to get to the nearest paved road. They cant escape.

Among the victims who have been handed over to Burma by Chinese authorities, some report that they have been raped by as many as five Chinese men and have given birth three times. They also report being forced to marry men with mental and physical disabilities.

One victim was forced to marry a man who could not speak and had developmental problems. The mans family was so desperate for a descendant that they locked the victim and their son in a room together and showed pornographic videos to demonstrate what they were meant to do, the police major explained.

One of the challenges facing U Khin Maung Oo and his team is that the nature of trafficking is constantly changing.

Until 2008, human traffickers usually targeted girls who made a simple living by selling things at bus terminals and stations. Since 2009, however, they have targeted girls working at massage parlors, KTV bars and brothels.

Traffickers are less frequently operating in organized groups. Some Burmese women who have been married in China for four or five years return home and persuade women to work in China by showing off their newfound wealth. As they can speak Chinese, they work together with the men in China [to traffick new women]. U Khin Maung Oo said.

These women do the trafficking once or twice a year when they come back to Burma to visit their families. It is incredibly difficult to investigate such cases, said U Khin Maung Oo.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko
Burma Three Men Who Violently Attacked NLD Members Sentenced to Prison, Hard Labor

Naing Ngan Lin returned to the campaign trail on Nov. 4 2015 after being hospitalized following the attack in Rangoons Thaketa Township. / Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Three men who attacked the current Rangoon social affairs minister Naing Ngan Lin and two other National League for Democracy (NLD) members during last years election campaign period were sentenced to prison with hard labor on Tuesday.

Naing Ngan Lin, then an NLD lawmaker representing Napyidaws Dekkhinathiri Township who was seeking reelection in Rangoons Thaketa Township, was attacked by a group of menat least one of whom was armed with a swordand suffered severe injuries to his head and hands on the night of Oct. 29 while campaigning.

He was sent to Rangoon General Hospital in a critical condition, while two other party members were also sent to the hospital after being attacked.

Nearly 10 months after the violent attack, the court in Thaketa Township sentenced the three men. They were charged under articles 319, 323 and 326 of Burmas Penal Code for causing grievous bodily harm using dangerous weapons or means and under article 294 for obscene act[s] in a public place.

Kyaw Hla, the NLD lawyer, told The Irrawaddy that assailant Aung Zaw Latt was sentenced to six years and nine months with hard labor and the other two men received three years and six months with hard labor.

This case and increasing crimes prove that the rule of law is weak in this country. The police will say its because theyre understaffed, he said.
News Zika Virus Risk: Consulate Warns Pregnant Burmese Women to Avoid Chiang Mai

A worker fumigates the area to control the spread of mosquitoes in the Thai capital Bangkok in February 2016. / Reuters

CHIANG MAI, Thailand  The Burmese Consulate in Chiang Mai has warned pregnant Burmese women to temporarily avoid visiting the northern Thai province after a pregnant migrant woman was infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus this week.

On Monday, the Zika virus was detected in two pregnant women in Chiang Mai Provinces San Sai District. One is a 28-year-old Burmese migrant, eight months into her pregnancy, according to the Chiang Mai Public Health Centre.

As of Monday, 11 Zika cases have been reported in Chiang Mai Province, according to The Bangkok Postthe highest concentration in Thailand, where known cases have reached a total of 20 across four provinces: Chiang Mai, Phetchabun, Bueng Kan and Chanthaburi. But the Thai Ministry of Public Health says the situation remains under control.

The symptoms of Zika infection are generally mild, although in pregnant women it can cause brain malformations and other defects in unborn children. There are no vaccines or specific treatments.

The virus has been known to occur largely in tropical regions of Africa and Asia. However, a widespread Zika epidemic began in Brazil early last year, spreading to other parts of South and North America and to some Pacific islands. It has since been detected in Southeast Asia, Singapore and Thailand.

The Burmese Consulates statement issued on Wednesday read, Pregnant women and those planning to have a baby should temporarily suspend trips to Chiang Mai.

Burmese Consular General U Kaung San Lwin told the Irrawaddy the warning was intended for Burmese migrants living in Thailand as well as Burmese tourists.

He said the Burmese patient was undergoing treatment at the Public Health Centers emergency unit in San Sai. The Consulate intends to erect warning signs about the Zika virus in Burmese migrant communities in Chiang Maiincluding in the vicinity of the Burmese Wat Sai Moon monasteryand publish posts on Facebook.

He added that the Consulate was ready to support Burmese infected with the Zika virus, and encouraged all Burmese migrants to contact the Consulate immediately if symptoms appear.

I would like to warn the migrants to avoid being bitten by misquotes, to be aware of the symptoms and to see a doctor if you find yourself feeling any of the symptoms [] and to contact us, he said.

Some migrant communities have already been informed about the risks of Zika infection by an awareness campaign begun by Thai authorities last month.

Burmese migrant Ma Khin Phone, who belongs to a workers association, said the migrants she knew ofparticularly pregnant womenwere concerned about the disease.

When we conduct outreach among migrant communities, we advise them to scrupulously avoid mosquito bites and to use mosquito nets, she said.
Interview Ye Htut: Policymakers Need to Be More in Touch With International Norms

U Ye Htut at his house in Rangoon. / Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Five months after the transfer of power to the new government in April, former Minister of Information (2014-16) U Ye Htut became a senior visiting fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. While in Burma conducting research for a book to be published later this year, he spoke to The Irrawaddy about his past experiences in government and views on the current administration.

What is your book about?

Mainly, it will be about the reforms initiated by former President U Thein Sein over the past five years. It does not boast about the success of those reforms, but discusses the reasons behind them, the difficulties faced and the lessons learned.

What have you realized about the previous government since you began to study outside of the country?

Since I entered an environment in which scholars consider everything impartially, I can think without strings attached. I could not do that before because I was representing the government for which I worked. I am more liberated and my perspective has changed.

The previous government was weak in regard to studying abroad. Since you are now looking in from the outside, what does the government need to improve on?

When I was assigned to the Ministry of Information, I had the chance to speak to visiting scholars. I found that when my superiors made decisions, they based them on personal experience. But foreign scholars presented theories based on international norms. There are huge differences. If people can leave the country, they will get a more balanced view. The previous government had shortfalls because of this gap.

The previous government took actions based on prior experience?

The previous government worked based on its own experience but it failed to follow international norms and procedures because there was a closed-door policy for a long time. It was also partly because of its distrust in people. The international community and the people inside the country were at odds with the government. But policymakers need to be more in touch with international norms.

Now, the opposition partythe Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)has a new leadership. Could this be interpreted as real change?

The party made the change with the intention of bringing in new blood but it needs to change its mindset and methods. We will wait and see how much the new people change the old methods.

Both the former and current government worked by basing decisions on previous experience. The current government organized the 21st Century Panglong Conference in the same way meetings were organized under the Burma Socialist Programme Party, the State Law and Order Restoration Council, and the previous government. Songs are broadcast, singposts are erected and public rallies are held. The USDP needs to change and think outside of the box.

There were some problems with the United Wa State Army (UWSA) at the Panglong conference. Do you think the conference could lead to peace? What needs to be done?

This first conference was just a gathering of people sharing their thoughts. They were not finding answers. Later, national-level negotiations need to be held. But, if non-signatories of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) are not allowed to join, negotiations will go nowhere.

Stakeholders need to accept that things are different from 1947 (when the first Panglong Conference was held).

We need to oppose racial prejudice at the national level as well as at the state level. For example, Shan nationals have demanded greater power as their influence has increased. I accept that. But there are other ethnicities living in Shan State. When the Shan demand greater power they should also be ready to give that opportunity to smaller ethnic groups in their state.

Currently, some ethnicities attack Burman racial superiority, but they need to assess whether they are also asserting racial superiority in their regions.

Regarding the unresolved crisis in Arakan State, the former government formed a local investigation commission. The committee formed by the new government includes international representatives. What difference do you think the new commission will make?

It needs to be pragmatic. We tried to solve the Arakan issue locally but the commission could not find a solution that appeased all parties, and international recognition was weak.

I think Daw Aung San Suu Kyi included Kofi Annan to garner international recognition. But that is a double-edged sword that the government can benefit from if they make use of it.

For that to happen, Arakan nationals need to provide the commission with information. If they do not, they will not get the result that they want.

People concerned with this issue need to know that citizen rights and ethnic rights are different. People who identify as Rohingya cannot currently be granted citizenship. But, if there is a systematic citizenship verification system, we should be ready to accept them as citizens.

The government needs to find out what the self-identifying Rohingya want. Do they want citizenship, freedom of movement, or are they stuck on terminology?

The longer this problem remains unsolved, the more the state and country will be damamged.

How would you compare the previous government with the new government, in its first five months in office?

People have very high expectations of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis government so there is more pressure now.

In the former administration, no one had trust in us when we took office. People did not expect change so we did not feel much pressure.

Another difference is ministerial performance. Although the new government has articulated its economic policy, it is very broad. Also, the current ministries are not effective in implementing their policies, perhaps because they are hesitant. They are weak in that regard.

Regarding peace, clashes broke out with the Kachin Independence Army just after the former government assumed power. The new government has the NCA in place and the influence of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and they are doing better in regards to the peace process.

Did you make any decisions that you regret during your time as information minister?

I knew that media censorship needed to be lifted, even back in 2008. It would have been better if it had happened gradually but when censorship was suddenly abolished in 2012, neither side was ready and problems were unavoidable.

We failed to coordinate sufficiently while an interim press council was formed, so journalist cooperation with the council was weak.

We also could not get people to understand the idea of public service media and as a result MRTV [Myanma Radio and Television] and some newspapers are still state-owned.

This was due to the weakness of our ministry and the fact that I was hesitant at times. If I had been more bold, media relations would be better.
Faced with mounting criticism from senior figures within his own Popular Party (PP), Spains acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has backed down over the nomination to a World Bank directorship of a former minister linked to the so-called Panama Papers scandal.

Jose Manuel Soria, a former industry minister who resigned in April, sent a letter on Tuesday to the Secretary of State for Economy, Inigo Fernandez de Mesa, saying he was no longer applying for the position on the board of the World Bank. In the letter, he states that his withdrawal is at the request of the government, justifying his decision on the grounds of the disproportionate political exploitation of his nomination.

Rajoy seems to have been caught off guard by the criticism within his own party over Sorias nomination

De Mesa, the number two in the Economy Ministry, on Friday headed the commission overseeing Sorias application for a position on the board of the World Bank, effectively making him Spains representative within the multilateral lending institution. The commission announced Sorias nomination for the post  a formality, given that the World Bank rarely turns down candidates  just hours after Mariano Rajoy had failed for the second time to garner support in Congress to form a government, raising the likelihood of a third general election in a year  potentially on Christmas Day.

The opposition Socialist Party (PSOE) seized the opportunity to accuse the government of favoritism, with senior figures within the ranks of the PP questioning the wisdom of Sorias nomination in the days that followed. Until now, Rajoy has mostly managed to secure loyalty in public from party officials, despite his inability to break the political impasse that has left the country without a government for more than eight months.

Rajoy initially defended the decision to nominate Soria as Spains World Bank representative.

Soria, who has denied any wrongdoing, resigned as minister in April following reports of alleged links to an offshore company on the British island of Jersey so as to limit any damage to Spains caretaker government, the conservative Popular Party (PP).

The move was in the run up to the June general election, the second in seven months, which ended as inconclusively as the previous one in December.

Rajoy, a personal friend of Soria, conceded on Monday that the appointment could be potentially embarrassing, but tried to play down the issue.

I dont know anything. The only thing I know is that Mr Soria has left politics, said Rajoy at the G20 summit in China. He is a civil servant, he returned to those duties and he went through the application process like all civil servants do.

Until now, Rajoy has secured loyalty, at least in public, from party officials

But the evaluation committee that formalized the nomination is made up of high-ranking officials of the PP government.

Rajoy has since confirmed that Soria had informed him of his intention to apply for the post in June, two months after he was linked to the Panama Papers, a trove of 11.5 million internal documents from a Panama-based law firm that was leaked to the media.

Rajoy seems to have been caught off guard by the criticism within his own party over Sorias nomination: the heads of three regional governments have questioned the decision, as has Esperanza Aguirre, the former head of the Madrid regional administration and current opposition leader in Madrid City Hall.

Economy Minister Luis de Guindos has said he will appear before Congress in late September or early October to explain Sorias nomination.

The affair puts further pressure on the PP caretaker government, which has been plagued by a string of corruption scandals that will see several high-profile officials and former officials face trial this autumn.

English version by Nick Lyne.
When Daniel Craig blatantly announced last October that he would rather slash his wrists than to play James Bond again, the media was in a frenzy to sniff out who will play the coveted MI6 agent role.

Daniel Craig played the role of James Bond for 4 films and seems to have grown weary of the role. He was quoted saying in an interview with Time Out Magazine, "I'm over it at the moment. We're done. All I want to do is move on."

A photo posted by Daniel Craig (@danielcraig007) on Jul 30, 2016 at 10:04am PDT

Several names popped up as frontrunners on getting the iconic role. A-listers like Tom Hiddleston, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba and Chris Hemsworth are just some of the names.

However, news broke out this May that Daniel Craig was offered 68 Million ($98 Million) to play as James Bond for two more movies. Craig however, turned it down putting Sony into a desperate situation.

Some reports are made that a source said, "The studio is desperate to secure the actor's services while they phase in a younger long-term successor," he even mentioned, "Everyone knows how much executives adore him, and the idea of losing him at such a crucial time in the franchise isn't an option as far as all the studio honchos are concerned."

Now it seems like Sony is just throwing cash at him just so he will play the James Bond role again. A whopping $150 million was offered on the table for him to do two back to back James Bond movies.

The source further said, "Daniel's the key for a seamless, safe transition as far as Sony and Bond bosses are concerned, and they're prepared to pay a king's ransom to make it happen."

There is no word from Sony yet regarding the next James Bond film, however, $150 million is a lot of money, and if it is true, Craig once said, "f I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money."

So there is hope that we will still Daniel Craig as James Bond.
The Microsoft Hololens is a hologram-based display smartglasses released this March. However, only its under-development version has been released for the world to see. The consumer version of the device is yet to be launched.

Microsoft Hololens Review

According to one reviewer online, the Hololens may not yet be a world-changing device, but it sure is brilliant and can make users feel like they are touching the future. Furthermore, the device is said to be light and comfortable, since no cables are attached. It also has no balance issues when worn and is a solid device all in all.

Further description of the Hololens experience reveal that the field of view is wide, but the augmented reality effect only appears at the center. It is also possible to lose edges of virtual objects as you use the Hololens. However, this is easily fixed by re-positioning your body to recover the perfect view.

The audios of the $3000-worth Microsoft Hololens are also said to offer clear sounds, and the controls are comfortable as well. You can control the device using a simple cursor that follows what you are looking at. It is also hand motion and voice command sensitive. However, using a Clicker that is connected to the device via Bluetooth may be the most comfortable control option. Overall, it was said that the holograms are great and offer natural shifts as you walk.

Where To Get A Microsoft HoloLens Demo In US and Canada

If you can make it to the announced demo locations, you can register to be a part of it. According to Microsoft, they will be having a HoloLens Roadshow on multiple places including Palo Alto, Houston, Tysons Corner, Chicago, Orlando, and Atlanta among many other places. The demos will take place at the locations' Microsoft store and you can sign up for the event at the Microsoft website.
Science has a knack of always solving mysteries known to mankind. The half century-old Paulding Light mystery is certainly not an exception. But people still continue to get a glimpse of this popular attraction in the upper peninsula of Michigan.

The History Of The Paulding Light

The history of the Paulding Light legend goes way back in 1966. An innocent group of teenagers saw it. They reported the sighting to a local sheriff. More residents have been seeing it nearly every night.

Word of mouth has been instrumental in attracting thrill-seekers, ghost hunters or merely curious people. Its widespread popularity spawned several theories about the mysterious light. That includes paranormal or supernatural explanations.

The Ghost Of A Railroad Brakeman

Perhaps the most popular legend involves the ghost of a railroad brakeman. There used to be railroad tracks in the valley where the light appears. A brakeman was killed in an accident. Apparently, he tried to stop an oncoming train from colliding with railway cars on the tracks. Local residents say that a number of railroads are now actually buried. The light is said to be the lantern that he was holding.

More Ghost Theories

According to John Carlisle of USA Today, some believe that it's the light of the ghost train. Others say that it's the ghost of a grandparent who is searching for his lost grandchild. This might clear up why the Paulding Light seems to come and go. The grandparent needed to constantly relight his/her lantern.

The list of paranormal explanations gets even longer. It can also be the ghost of a slain mail courier or an Indian dancing on the power lines that run through the valley.

Aliens And Other Speculations

The mysterious light can also be an unidentified flying object (UFO). Hence, the alien or extraterrestrial speculation. Others say that it's only a swamp gas. Or something related to the spectacular Northern Lights.

Is The Mystery Solved?

As far as Jeremy Bos is concerned, the mystery had been solved in 2010. He was still an electrical engineering grad student at Michigan Tech in Houghton then. He inadvertently came across the Paulding Light mystery.

He decided to solve it with the Society of Photo Optical Instrumentation Engineers. Bos and the members of the club brought spectrographs and telescopes to Michigan. They discovered that the said light came from the headlights of cars. These cars were coming down on a road near where the light shone.

Bos also added that the flickering of the light was caused when the cars went over a hill.

Locals Are Not Pleased Of Bos

Bos has a scientific evidence to debunk the light's ghost or alien theories. However, many people still choose to believe that the Paulding light is not just headlights. They are not pleased of Bos. They say that its brightness and movement doesn't fit that of a car.

In response, Bos said that people view science as taking away the mystery of things. They don't want that. Instead, they want to hold onto that mystery. Bos is now a 39-year-old engineering professor at Michigan Tech in Houghton, according to Daily Mail.




Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke Tuesday, Sept. 6, about the celebration of 10 years anniversary since the social media network has launched its "News Feed" feature.

Facebook News Feed After 10 Years

According to Forbes, Zuckerberk streamed a Facebook Live video about Facebook News Feed from the company's Menlo Park, California headquarters. The CEO of Facebook has also been joined by most of Facebook's original news feed team: former Facebook product manager Ruchi Sanghvi, chief product officer Chris Cox, VP of engineering Kang-Xing Jin and VP of ads and business platform Andrew Bosworth.

The video presented how the social media network has launched its News Feed feature 10 years ago and how this service has changed the way Facebook users consume digital information ever since. Zuckerberg said in the live stream that the launch of the Facebook News Feed feature was a really big change, but now the users of the social media network take it for granted. The CEO of Facebook also added that the feature was at the time totally new and "nothing like that existed in the world."

According to Business Insider, Chris Cox, current chief product officer at Facebook, said that the launch of the News Feed feature was the most "inglorious launch moment in history." He also added that the News Feed service in Facebook ended up by totally transforming the way we use the internet. Chris Cox is among the Facebook employees who worked on the first iteration of Facebook's News Feed format.

Before the News Feed, users of the Facebook social media network wouldn't see a collection of stories and updates and stories when they logged on. At the time, they only could get personal notifications like of anyone had written on their Wall or how many people had "Poked" them.

Also, it is worth to mention that at the time of the introduction of the News Feed feature in Facebook, the social network only had 10 million users. Today, by comparison, Facebook has reached around 1.71 billion monthly active users.
Spanish investigators working on the case of a missing teen are now trying to determine whether she may have gotten into a vehicle on the night of her disappearance.

Diana Quer, 18, has not been seen since she said goodbye to friends at the local fiestas in the Galician village of A Pobra do Caraminal in the early hours of August 22.

The search for Diana Quer has extended beyond Spain, with an alert in Poland, Greece, Portugal, France, Switzerland and Belgium

She was originally thought to have disappeared somewhere along the path leading back to the familys holiday home, in a residential estate located in the outskirts of town.

But an analysis of her cellphones positioning signals suggests that she may have walked back into the house, or at least come very close to it. The mobile device was turned off around 4am. Diana had mentioned to friends that her battery was dying out.

This possibility ties in with other clues found inside the home, where investigators found the clothes that she wore to the fiestas. This suggests that she may have walked in, changed, and left again for unknown reasons. Some witnesses had testified to seeing the teen back in the fiestas around 4am.

Juan Carlos Quer has publicly asked his daughter to call home if she left voluntarily.

The girls mother, Diana Lopez-Pinel, said that if her daughter walked in and out again, she was never aware of it. Her younger sister Valeria has issued numerous calls on the social media asking Diana to come back.

The case, which has been making national headlines since the disappearance, recently took a new turn when it emerged that a court is taking custody of the younger daughter away from the mother.

The father, Juan Carlos Quer, made public statements to the effect that the courts decision comes very late and suggesting that his daughters phoned me for help on several occasions. He has also appeared on television shows, asking Diana to call home to let everyone know whether she is OK. Whatever problems you may have, we can solve them; there are many people here who love you and support you.

Diana's mother shows a picture of her missing daughter.

Hopefully she just walked away. Hopefully its all just a childish prank. But I dont think so, he said on Antena 3, adding that Diana had unsavory friends. Im talking about people who might be practically outside the law.

For her part, Diana Lopez-Pinel has refused to go into details regarding family disputes, and said that she has faith in God that her eldest child will return safe and sound. In a public letter, she wrote that Diana would not approve of having the family's dirty linen dragged out into the light.

The couple was divorced four years ago and both girls had been living with their mother in Pozuelo de Alarcon, a wealthy suburb outside Madrid. Local residents of A Pobra, where all three spent their summer holidays, reported hearing a loud family dispute shortly before Dianas disappearance.

Her relatives have repeatedly claimed that she is being illegally detained although they refuse to use the term kidnapping.

The search has now extended beyond Spain. An international alert is out in Poland, Greece, Portugal, France, Switzerland and Belgium, the missing persons association SOS Desaparecidos told the news agency Europa Press.

English version by Susana Urra.
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Secretary of Foreign Affairs Claudia Ruiz Massieu. Notimex

More information El desaire de Clinton a Pena Nieto aumenta la presion al Gobierno mexicano

Hillary Clintons decision not to accept an invitation to meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has not prompted surprise. But her snub has served to aggravate further the scandal caused by Donald Trumps visit to the presidential residence in Los Pinos last week. The Mexican government cannot seem to shake off the effects of that controversial encounter, which has caused tensions to surface within the Cabinet.

National Action Party (PAN) members of the Senate, the house of Congress that specializes in foreign policy, have invited Pena Nieto to share his vision of Mexican-American relations. The president is distracted, internal conditions within his Cabinet make him avoid problems that he should attend to immediately, said Fernando Herrera, the coordinator of the PAN group in the Senate.

The Mexican government cannot seem to shake off the effects of the controversial encounter with Trump

Rumors suggested that Mexican Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray, one of Pena Nietos closest Cabinet members, was the one who organized the meeting with Donald Trump. Roberto Zamarripa wrote in Reforma that it was Videgaray who met the Republican candidate at the presidential hangar and took him to Los Pinos by helicopter. The treasury secretary said the invitation extended to a presidential candidate who has insulted Mexicans on several occasions was necessary to send a signal to international markets and say that Mexico was building bridges in case Republicans take the White House on November 8.

On Tuesday night Videgaray resigned from his post, according to information confirmed to a number of Mexican media outlets by ministry spokesperson, Claudia Algorri, presumably due to the pressure over the controversial Trump affair.

PAN senators have called for the immediate removal of the secretary of foreign affairs

Videgarays interference in foreign policy served to raise tensions within the Pena Nieto Cabinet. Two other close associates of the president, Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Claudia Ruiz Massieu, reportedly went to Los Pinos and attempted to convince the president to cancel the meeting.

PAN senators have also called for the immediate removal of the secretary of foreign affairs. If the president does not listen to the minister, neither will we, Juan Carlos Romero Hicks said at a press conference. The PAN congressman called President Pena Nieto a traitor. He is a traitor to the trust that Mexicans put in him and betrayed by his own team, which has no loyalty to him.

Clinton says no

Ana Maria Salazar, a political analyst and former Bill Clinton advisor, said it was unlikely that Clinton would accept an invitation for an official visit to Mexico when she already has the support of the Mexican community in the United States. The meeting with Pena Nieto would not have earned her more votes. Political scientist Jorge Alcocer has written in Reforma that Clintons decision was no surprise because it was part of the estimated cost of opening the door to Donald Trump.

Gabriel Guerra Castellanos, another expert on foreign policy, said last weeks episode was uncalled for, imprudent, and dangerous for bilateral relations. He says the Mexican government should explain clearly the process that led to Pena Nietos invitation to Trump. This event has become the greatest failure in foreign and domestic policy of the last 30 years, said Guerra.

English version by Dyane Jean Francois.
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Editors note: This is the final story in the three-part series: "Three Murders, How Many Killers." News & Record investigative reporter Taft Wireback looks at three Greensboro murders in the 1980s. One confession, an exoneration, a continuing appeal. Who actually is guilty?

Wrongfully convicted LaMonte Armstrongs lawsuit against the city of Greensboro and three of its former police officials looms more than a year away from trial, but his case already has been costly.

As of June 30, the city had spent $271,031 on legal fees and other pre-trial expenses related to the case filed in March 2015 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, Greensboro City Attorney Tom Carruthers said recently.

Armstrong's lawsuit in federal court seeks an unspecified amount of money from the city to compensate him for spending almost 17 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.

His case is set for trial in October 2017, allowing time for pretrial information gathering and possible negotiations toward an out-of-court settlement.

The lawsuit names as defendants the city of Greensboro, former city Police Chief Sylvester Daughtry and former Greensboro detectives J.F. Jay Whitt and David Spagnola who developed the case against him.

Greensboro is paying fees for five local attorneys in private practice to represent the various defendants in the case  Alan Duncan and Stephen Russell Jr., on behalf of city government and Daughtry, who was police chief during the time Armstrong was under investigation; Seth Cohen and David James for Spagnola; and William Hill for Whitt.

Whitt was the lead investigator in the case against Armstrong, and Spagnola also worked on parts of it. Whitt retired in 2002 after almost 30 years with the department, Spagnola worked for the local agency 31 years before his 2005 retirement.

At this point in the litigation, we are in discovery, Carruthers said, referring to the process in which the plaintiff and defendants provide information to each other.

Armstrong has not named any specific dollar amount as his alleged damages, but a successful claim easily could reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars and perhaps well beyond.

Armstrong, 66, spent all those years in prison for a murder he did not commit, an error that he and his lawyer attribute to shoddy police work and police misconduct in investigating the death of former university professor Ernestine Compton in July 1988.

The Duke University Law School Wrongful Convictions Clinic spent about five years examining that police work and the case that prosecutors presented against Armstrong to a jury seven years after the death of Compton, a professor at N.C. A&T.

Duke student researchers and paid, clinic staff won Armstrong's freedom in June 2012 after a review of the case by city police linked a palm print found 24 years earlier near Compton's body to another man, the late Chris Caviness, who had confessed to another murder in Greensboro that occurred about the same time.

Caviness spent nearly two decades in prison, was paroled and died in a 2010 car wreck about two years before his palm print was linked to the Compton case and resulted ultimately in Armstrong receiving a "pardon of innocence" from Gov. Pat McCrory.

Meanwhile, the Duke clinic also has waged a so-far unsuccessful battle in a similar murder case from 1988 that resulted in the conviction of another local man, Damen Vega, for the death of an accounting officer for a local nonprofit, Carolyn Sue Lundy, in her Greensboro home.

In court papers, the clinic has suggested Caviness was a more likely suspect in Lundy's murder than Vega. But the Greensboro Police Department has lost or mistakenly destroyed its investigative file in the murder of Lundy, making Vega's chances for an Armstrong-like exoneration much more of a long shot.

Armstrong was awarded $750,000 by the state Industrial Commission for his wrongful imprisonment after McCrory issued his pardon in late 2013.

Considering the amount Greensboro already has spent defending itself and its former employees, that puts the taxpayers' tab for Armstrong's wrongful conviction already at more than $1 million in state and city funds.

There's an easy way for police departments and other law enforcement agencies to avoid such outlays, said Theresa Newman, co-director of the Duke clinic that since May 2010 has freed Armstrong and five other people wrongfully convicted by North Carolina's judicial system.

The best opportunity to avoid such costly and embarrassing situations is to invest in properly training investigators to prepare their cases using modern investigative tools, hiring enough detectives to handle the investigative workload properly, and paying sufficient attention to suspects' constitutional rights, Newman said.

Its better for everyone to expend the energy and money on the front end of the investigation," Newman said. Im a taxpayer also and as a taxpayer, I dont want my tax dollars going to defend a wrongful conviction.

The clinic only handles appeals of criminal convictions, so it is not involved in Armstrong's civil lawsuit in federal court.

Instead, Chapel Hill lawyer David Rudolf represents Armstrong in the federal case and cites among his client's tangible losses the kinds of hurts that jurors might find worthy of great recompense.

They include a series of family dislocations that Armstrong suffered through while wrongly imprisoned, including estrangement from the mother of his children and not being allowed to attend his mothers funeral when she died in the sixth year of his improper confinement, according to Rudolf's initial complaint in the case.

How do you put a dollar amount on that kind of state-imposed suffering?

In a recent interview, Armstrong said he still struggles with memories of violent incidents he witnessed while behind bars, particularly the fatal stabbing of a young inmate by another prisoner at the states Caledonia Correctional Institution in Halifax.

I saw the young man stabbed to death. I counted 19 times, he said, referring to the number of stab wounds.

On June 6, U.S. District Judge William Osteen Jr. dismissed Armstrongs case against both city government and Daughtry based on information developed in the early part of the case, but he left open the door for Armstrong to renew those claims if new facts come to light in discovery.

The judge denied a motion by Hill, the attorney for former lead investigator Whitt, to dismiss Armstrongs two claims against him for violating Armstrong's constitutional rights to a fair trial. Osteen dismissed one of those two claims against Spagnola but left the other in place.

The dismissals in June don't take city taxpayers off the hook if Armstrong wins his case. Legal fees and any damages in the case would fall on city governments shoulders because the former police officers were working in good standing on behalf of municipal government when Comptons murder investigation went awry.

Carruthers said that it is unclear at this phase of the case where the money would come from to pay any damages that might ensue.

Theoretically, city leaders could decide not to pay any potential damages on the ex-detectives' behalf but that would be a politically difficult, controversial step.

The city attorney declined to comment on the lawsuit's merits, but he said city government is cooperating by providing information to Armstrong's lawyer as requested and is preparing for mediation  required settlement talks  scheduled for this fall.

But Armstrong's attorney, Rudolf, recently complained in a pretrial motion that city government and the police department have been improperly withholding information on several topics, including documents about some of the witnesses who provided what turned out to be false information against Armstrong during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Read all three parts of the series:
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By Johan Galtung | (Inter Press Service) |  

ALICANTE, Spain (IPS)  Watching Christianity nearly a centuryfundamentalist Christians fighting ritualistic Christians fighting secularism, generally moving fundamentalism>ritualism>secularismmaybe the same for Islam? Their similarities make Islam right now a repetition of Christianity; their differences shout, Watch Out! Let us see where this leads us.



Violence-prone fundamentalist evangelical Christians are still on top of the USA and some Nordic countries; but much less in ritualistic Catholic-Orthodox Christianity, meaning by far most of Europe.

Beauty of worship, the psychology of confession, less verbalism; all help.

Secularism makes faith so metaphorical for many that Christianity becomes only a ritual for Christmas-Easter, baptism-marriage-funeral (if there are no secular alternatives). Result: empty churches.

Our secular age makes literal faith in dogmas difficult, and that tears at the faith. But this is where two major differences enter:

 Islam is much less dogmatic, there is much less to tear at, only the readily acceptable shahada, faith in one [God,] Allah and his prophet Muhammad;

 If that faith turns metaphorical, Islam has the other four pillars of Islam to fall back upon: prayer together, sharing, fasting, pilgrimage, every day, a whole month every year, once a life.

The point of gravity in Islam moves more easily from faith to practice; and may stop there. There is much built-in outer practice that will survive a decrease in inner faith. Result: full mosques.

Moreover, the four pillars are compatible with key secular values:

 prayer together: with more we-, less I-culture less loneliness;

 sharing: with more altruism, less egoism;

 fasting: with more solidarity for those in misery and self-control;

 pilgrimage, with the sharing of something sacred, above our selves.

A good Muslim does all that; what does a good Christian do? Going to mass and to the confession booth are church, not social, answers. The clear social answer is monastic orders, monks and nuns dressing, living apart from others, doing Samaritan work. Others are invited to do the same, but where-when-how? Easier leaving it to the state.

The West should stop talking about jihad and jihadism as holy war, even if also abused by some Muslims, and try to understand[i]. Jihad means to strive, exert oneself in the path of God[ii].

There are four aspects: inner, greater jihad fighting the evil in oneself; spreading Islam by the word; by good deeds, like honest business; and defensive jihad if Islam is trampled upon with moderate retribution. No aggression: Fight in the way of God against those who fight you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! God loveth not aggression. (Quran 2:190).

Jihad accommodates honest business a religious duty. Like chosen people, promised land (Genesis 15:18) in Judaism makes fighting for Israel from Nile to Euphrates a religious duty. Like warfare to protect the West is a Christian duty, for God, King and Fatherland.

God is divine, King semi-divine as rex gratia dei, Fatherland not. The gap between Christianity and secular Fatherland has been bridged by preventive war as sacrament[iii]; reactive war against attack not needed. In EU, however, there is a mix of Fatherlands with no King and no God. Hence Br-exit for her to continue to Rule the Waves, for God or not.

Imagine Muslims abusing a Western sacred word, democracy, calling Western wars democratism.

They would be right because people who profess democracy also often go to war. And they would be wrong by missing the whole idea. Like jihadism, democratism would locate the cause of war on the other side, and not in the relation between them; making the relation even worse instead of appreciating the profundity.

Christians give to Caesar that of Caesar and to God that of God, opening for secularism. Islam does not, but moves from fundamentalist true faith to ritualistic true practice are compatible with secularisms.

Such as democracy, in Muslim Egypt and Turkey; Islam embracing all equal under the law as a special case of all equal under Allah. USA did not like it but preferred a military coup. To Washington, national evangelist, true democracy means pro-USA democracy.

How about IS, is it more I for Islamic faith, or more S for State with institutions for the other four pillars? It could be both, making transitions from true believers to true ritualistic practitioners easy. The problematic word is not Islamic but State. Pitted against USA and EU IS may take on their attributes; after Brexit more USA than EU.

The historical record is terrifying and long-lasting, including:

 Islam expanding East-West to the Iberian peninsula 711-1492, north but beaten at Tours (732), Lepanto (1571), Vienna (1683); stopped in the Balkans;

 The Catholic Christian Crusades 1095-1291 against Muslims but also against Orthodox Christians and Jews;

 Three centuries across the Mediterranean to Barcelona-Genoa-Napoli to catch Christian slaves for heavy road work[iv];

 West colonizing Islam (except Iran) 1830-1960, starting with Algeria;

 The massive US-led coalitions attacking in Afghanistan from 2001 and in Iraq from 2003 with 9/11 as a pretext, killing, displacing millions;

 IS now killing a small fraction, as retribution with moderation[v].

Six violences, three by each. The first four lasted centuries, a bad omen for the last two. But have a second look. In the first two the two religions played major roles; in the last two the state system, United States vs Islamic State[vi].

State wars are shorter; decades, not centuries. However, the wisdom of challenging US as an Islamic state rather than as an invincible ummah with provinces can be disputed[vii].

We have given reasons that Islam will survive secularization better than Christianity, having much to fall back upon; how about IS vs US?

We might argue that both will lose because the state system itself is yielding to regionalism and localism. Islam is ready, with ummah regionalism and imam localism.

Christianity, however, is split between Latin and Anglo America, US and EU, Catholic-Protestant and Orthodox Europemuch more than Sunni vs Shia and Arab vs non-Arab. And local churches are more for spiritual, not also for mundane affairs[viii].

On top of that: the world, even USA, is tired of endless warfare. Let Islam settle. The West and Christianity have serious work to do.

NOTES:

[i]. Gary Wills, the famous columnist, took the trouble to understand: My Koran problem, NYRB, 24 March 2016. His Koran problem was that he knew nothing: we Christians begin with the greatest deficit of knowledge /whereas/those who know the Koran have quite a lot of knowledge about Torah and Gospel, since Allah sent them both to earth before he sent the Koran.we Westerners cannot even remember it unless we learn something about the Koran. Its about time. Indeed.

[ii].Professor Mohammad Hashim Kamali, chairman of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies in Malaysia, in a lecture and in articles like Concept of jihad misunderstood, New Straits Times 14 July 2014.

[iii]. Look at who comes to the funerals of Norwegian soldiers with mandate to kill in Afghanistan: the King, top bishops.

[iv]. Robert Davis, Christian Slaves, Muslim Masters. White Slavery in the Mediterranean, the Barbary Coast, and Italy, 1500-1800, Palgrave Macmillan.

[v]. Sarah Birke, How ISIS Rules, NYRB, 5 Feb 2015: armed resistance being difficult, the alternative from the inside was silent resistance, or migration. Or what we have now, open US/IS warfare.

[vi]. But religious discourse did not wither away, here are two:

* George Bush 10 Feb 2003, on a possible attack on Iraq: Liberty is Gods gift to every human being in the world. (Washington Post, 10 Feb 2003);

* Osama bin Laden 11 Feb 2003: victory comes only from God, all we have to do is to prepare and motivate for jihad. Audio message conveyed by jorgenj@peace.uit.no.

[vii]. For a deep analysis of the present situation, see Abbas Aroua, The Salafiscape in the Wake of the Arab Spring, www.cordoue.ch.

[viii]. In a play, Maria og Magdalena; Lidelseshistorien og kristen=dommen (the Passion Story and Christianity) Oslo: Kolofon 2016, this author tries to liberate Crist, driven by conscience and compassion, from the Church as Marys son, not Gods begotten by the Holy Spiritas inspiration for us all.

This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 5 September 2016: TMS: Islam Right Now

The statements and views mentioned in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of IPS.

John Galtung is professor of peace studies, dr hc mult, is founder of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace, Development and Environment and rector of the TRANSCEND Peace University-TPU. He has published 164 books on peace and related issues, of which 41 have been translated into 35 languages, for a total of 135 book translations, including 50 Years-100 Peace and Conflict Perspectives, published by the TRANSCEND University Press-TUP.



Related video added by Juan Cole:

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Breaking the Cycle of Violent Conflict with Johan Galtung
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sept. 7, 2016) - Corvus Gold Inc. ("Corvus" or the "Company") (TSX:KOR)(OTCQX:CORVF) announces the last four holes of the 2016 phase I drill program and the start of its phase II drill program (Figure 1). A total of 6,250 metres of Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling was completed during Phase I. Drilling was concentrated around the Swale target located at a major intersection of the northwest trending YellowJacket zone and the northeast trending NWSB zone. Results have returned a number of higher grade (+1 g/t gold) structural zones within a 500 by 200 metre target area.

Latest results from the phase I drill program include NB-16-310 with 13.7m @ 1.18 g/t Au and NB-16-312 with 4.6m @ 1.08 g/t Au & 6.1m @ 1.2 g/t Au. All four holes were within the Swale target and included two holes which intersected broad zones of +1 g/t gold that were surrounded by thick low-grade zones along north-south trending structures (Table 1). This large area of low-grade mineralization is prospective for additional mill grade mineralization and lies immediately north of the current pit boundary design. This target area will be an area of focus during the Phase II, resource development drilling scheduled to start this month.

Figure 1. Drill hole locations map for 2016 phase I, North Bullfrog project:



Table 1

Drill Results Swale Targets

(Reported drill intercepts are not true widths. At this time, there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralization to calculate its true orientation in space.)

Swale Target From (m) To (m) Length (m)* Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) NB-16-309 239.27 259.08 19.81 0.19 0.61 AZ 087 dip-60 263.65 329.18 65.53 0.40 0.67 inc 280.42 281.94 1.52 0.58 0.34 inc 294.13 304.8 10.67 0.69 0.96 inc 309.37 313.94 4.57 0.65 1.60 339.85 352.04 12.19 0.14 0.55 356.62 365.76 9.14 0.13 0.44 hole ended in mineralization NB-16-310 From (m) To (m) Length (m)* Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) AZ 085 dip -55 100.58 164.59 64.01 0.49 1.48 inc 108.2 109.73 1.52 0.67 2.75 inc 132.59 140.21 7.62 0.61 1.05 inc 149.35 163.07 13.72 1.18 2.22 214.88 220.98 6.1 0.20 0.39 227.08 294.13 67.05 0.24 0.96 inc 275.84 277.37 1.52 0.82 0.75 inc 289.56 292.61 3.05 0.61 1.09 hole ended in mineralization NB-16-311 No significant results AZ 080 dip-50 NB-16-312 From (m) To (m) Length (m)* Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) AZ 055 dip-45 137.16 240.79 103.63 0.24 0.68 inc 138.68 143.26 4.58 1.08 1.87 inc 152.4 153.92 1.52 0.53 1.03 inc 227.08 228.6 1.52 0.58 1.21 266.7 335.28 68.58 0.31 0.71 inc 272.8 278.89 6.09 1.20 1.28 inc 323.09 324.61 1.52 0.55 1.22 339.85 358.14 18.29 0.16 0.41 364.24 371.86 7.62 0.17 0.36 hole ended in mineralization

Swale Target

Two of the final four holes drilled in the phase 1 program targeted the northern extension of mineralization intersected in hole NB-16-298 (23m @ 1.69 g/t Au, NR16-09, June 7, 2016) and returned encouraging intercepts such as NB-16-310 with 13.7m @ 1.18 g/t Au and NB-16-312 with 4.6m @ 1.08 g/t Au & 6.1m @ 1.2 g/t Au. These intervals are surrounded by over 100 metres of low-grade mineralization indicating the system remains very strong to the north of the currently defined Sierra Blanca/YellowJacket deposit. The current interpretation of the higher grade mineralization in this area indicates it is controlled by a series of north and northeast trending structures and structural intersections with the major northeast structural zone hosting the mineralization in hole NB-16-298.

Hole NB-16-309 tested the Swale system 200 metres to the southwest of hole NB-16-300 (18m @ 1.8 g/t Au, NR16-09, June 7, 2016) and returned several broad intercepts of low-grade mineralization including 65.5m of 0.40 g/t Au. This broad zone of gold mineralization from the currently farthest west hole drilled in this area, indicates the system remains open and suggests that potential exists in this direction for other feeder zones.

Holes NB-16-311 was drilled north of prior hole NB-16-308 (3.1m @ 2.24 g/t Au, NR16-11, August 2, 2016) but failed to hit the favorable host rock package or any significant mineralization.

Jeff Pontius, President and CEO of Corvus Gold Inc. said, "The final results from our phase I drilling in the new Swale target area has outlined a prospective area to add additional ounces into the North Bullfrog mine plan. This new area of extensive gold mineralization immediately north and west of our designed pit has the initial signs of a gold system that will require considerable exploration in the future. Our next phase of drilling which begins in about a week will look to define the potential for addition gold mineralization to be added to our resource model. Work to date indicates the North Bullfrog gold system is expanding with potential for a bigger project in the future."

Phase II Drill Program

Corvus Gold will begin its 2016 Phase II drill program later this month. The program will involve approximately 6,000 metres of reverse circulation drilling designed to address resource expansion potential for the Sierra Blanca/YellowJacket deposit to the north and west in the Swale Zone and to the east in the Liberator Zone. In addition, two new exploration/new discovery targets will be tested at North Jolly Jane and Cat Hill. The program is planned to conclude by mid-December. All of the planned exploration and development programs for 2016 and 2017 as well as corporate costs are fully funded.

About the North Bullfrog Project, Nevada

Corvus controls 100% of its North Bullfrog Project, which covers approximately 72 km in southern Nevada. The property package is made up of a number of private mineral leases of patented federal mining claims and 865 federal unpatented mining claims. The project has excellent infrastructure, being adjacent to a major highway and power corridor as well as a large water right.

The North Bullfrog project includes numerous prospective gold targets at various stages of exploration with four having NI 43-101 mineral resources (Sierra Blanca, Jolly Jane, Mayflower and YellowJacket). The project contains a measured mineral resource of 3.86 Mt at an average grade of 2.55 g/t gold and 19.70 g/t silver, containing 316.5k ounces of gold and 2,445k ounces of silver, an indicated mineral resource of 1.81 Mt at an average grade of 1.53 g/t gold, and 10.20 g/t silver, containing 89.1k ounces of gold and 593.6k ounces of silver and an inferred resource of 1.48 Mt at an average grade of 0.83 g/t gold and 4.26 g/t silver, containing 39.5k ounces of gold and 202.7k ounces of silver for oxide mill processing. The mineral resource for the mill process was defined by Whittle optimization using all cost and recovery data and a breakeven cut-off grade of 0.52 g/t gold. In addition, the project contains a measured mineral resource of 0.3 Mt at an average grade of 0.25 g/t gold and 2.76 g/t silver, containing 2.4k ounces of gold and 26.6k ounces of silver, an indicated mineral resource of 22.86 Mt at an average grade of 0.30 g/t gold and 0.43 g/t silver, containing 220.5k ounces of gold and 316.1k ounces of silver and an inferred mineral resource of 176.3 Mt at an average grade of 0.19 g/t gold and 0.67 g/t silver, containing 1,077.4k ounces of gold and 3,799.2k ounces of silver for oxide, heap leach processing. The mineral resource for heap leach processing was defined by Whittle optimization using all cost and recovery data and a breakeven cut-off grade of 0.15 g/t.

Qualified Person and Quality Control/Quality Assurance

Jeffrey A. Pontius (CPG 11044), a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Pontius is not independent of Corvus, as he is the CEO & President and holds common shares and incentive stock options.

Carl E. Brechtel, (Nevada PE 008744 and Registered Member 353000 of SME), a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has coordinated execution of the work outlined in this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Brechtel is not independent of Corvus, as he is the COO and holds common shares and incentive stock options.

The work program at North Bullfrog was designed and supervised by Mark Reischman, Corvus Gold's Nevada Exploration Manager, who is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control/quality assurance program. On-site personnel at the project log and track all samples prior to sealing and shipping. Quality control is monitored by the insertion of blind certified standard reference materials and blanks into each sample shipment. All resource sample shipments are sealed and shipped to ALS Chemex in Reno, Nevada, for preparation and then on to ALS Chemex in Reno, Nevada, or Vancouver, B.C., for assaying. ALS Chemex's quality system complies with the requirements for the International Standards ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 17025:1999. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks, reference material and replicate samples. Finally, representative blind duplicate samples are forwarded to ALS Chemex and an ISO compliant third party laboratory for additional quality control.

For additional information on the North Bullfrog project, including information relating to exploration, data verification and the mineral resource estimates, see "Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for Combined Mill and Heap Leach Processing at the North Bullfrog Project, Bullfrog Mining District, NYE County, Nevada" dated June 16, 2015 as amended and restated May 18, 2016, which is available under Corvus Gold's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

About Corvus Gold Inc.

Corvus Gold Inc. is a North American gold exploration and development company, focused on its near-term gold-silver mining project at North Bullfrog, Nevada. In addition, the Company controls a number of royalties on other North American exploration properties representing a spectrum of gold, silver and copper projects. Corvus is committed to building shareholder value through new discoveries and the expansion of those discoveries to maximize share price leverage in a recovering gold and silver market.

On behalf of Corvus Gold Inc.

(signed) Jeffrey A. Pontius

Jeffrey A. Pontius, Chief Executive Officer

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential for new deposits and expected increases in a systems potential; anticipated content, commencement and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the potential to develop multiple YellowJacket style high-grade zones, the Company's belief that the parameters used in the Whittle pit optimization process are realistic and reasonable, the potential to discover additional high grade veins or additional deposits, the potential to expand the existing estimated resource at the North Bullfrog project, the potential for any mining or production at North Bullfrog, the potential for the Company to secure or receive any royalties in the future, business and financing plans and business trends, are forward-looking statements. Information concerning mineral resource estimates may be deemed to be forward-looking statements in that it reflects a prediction of the mineralization that would be encountered if a mineral deposit were developed and mined. Although the Company 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: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company 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, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities, the Company's inability to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's 2013 Annual Information Form and latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis filed with certain securities commissions in Canada and the Company's most recent filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings in Canada may be accessed via www.sedar.com and filings with the SEC may be accessed via www.sec.gov and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

Cautionary Note Regarding References to Resources and Reserves

National Instrument 43 101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource estimates contained in or incorporated by reference in this press release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") Standards on Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on November 14, 2004 (the "CIM Standards") as they may be amended from time to time by the CIM.

United States investors are cautioned that the requirements and terminology of NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards differ significantly from the requirements and terminology of the SEC set forth in the SEC's Industry Guide 7 ("SEC Industry Guide 7"). Accordingly, the Company's disclosures regarding mineralization may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by companies subject to SEC Industry Guide 7. Without limiting the foregoing, while the terms "mineral resources", "inferred mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "measured mineral resources" are recognized and required by NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards, they are not recognized by the SEC and are not permitted to be used in documents filed with the SEC by companies subject to SEC Industry Guide 7. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability, and US investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a mineral resource will ever be converted into reserves. Further, inferred resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of the inferred resources will ever be upgraded to a higher resource category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of a feasibility study or prefeasibility study, except in rare cases. The SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant "reserves" as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit amounts. The term "contained ounces" is not permitted under the rules of SEC Industry Guide 7. In addition, the NI 43-101 and CIM Standards definition of a "reserve" differs from the definition in SEC Industry Guide 7. In SEC Industry Guide 7, a mineral reserve is defined as a part of a mineral deposit which could be economically and legally extracted or produced at the time the mineral reserve determination is made, and a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historical price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis of designated reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our latest reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. You can review and obtain copies of these filings at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. U.S. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any defined resource will ever be converted into SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant reserves.

This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States.
VANCOUVER, Sept. 7, 2016 /CNW/ - Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation ("Nevada Sunrise" or the "Company") (TSXV: NEV) is pleased to announce that a geochemical sampling program is underway on its 100%-owned Roulette Gold Project ("Roulette", or the "Project") located in White Pine County, Nevada, USA, at the southeastern extent of the Carlin Trend. The multi-element soil sampling program is designed to test areas of the property not covered by previous explorers. A 3D induced polarization ("IP") ground geophysical survey is also planned later in September 2016 to follow-up on the results of a previous 3D-IP survey carried out by the Company in 2015 (see Nevada Sunrise news release dated June 18, 2015).

Geochemistry

Approximately 600 soil samples at 25 metre intervals on lines spaced 200 metres apart are planned for the 2016 geochemical program at Roulette. Nevada Sunrise has acquired historical geochemical data from surface work performed by U.S. Gold (now McEwen Mining Inc.) and Cordex Exploration Co., prior to the Company's acquisition of the Project in 2014, which will be integrated with the results of the current program. A review of the historical soil data shows: (1) a chemical association of gold, antimony and mercury with wider haloes of silver and arsenic, consistent with Carlin-type mineralization, and (2) the chemical signature appears to be spatially associated with both jasperoid locations and along interpreted brittle structural faults and intersection points. This may suggest an association between brittle structure and silicification, a characteristic also consistent with Carlin-type mineralization.

Geophysics

The 2015 3D-IP geophysical survey was focussed in the northern half of Roulette covering two jasperoid outcrops ("Parlay" and "Gambit") known from historical prospecting and mapping, one of which is mineralized. The Parlay jasperoid was sampled in August 2014 by Nevada Sunrise and returned 4.44 grams/tonne gold over a sample length of 3.30 metres (10 feet), and 1.05 grams/tonne gold over a sample length of 2.64 metres (8 feet).

The results of the 2015 3D-IP survey showed three strong chargeability anomalies:

The largest chargeability high is located near the south end of the survey grid, ENE of the Parlay jasperoid gold showing, and is associated with a strong arsenic/antimony soil anomaly;

A second chargeability high is located in the north central part of the grid, immediately east of the Gambit jasperoid;

A third chargeability high is located on the northernmost line of the survey on strike with the Parlay and Gambit jasperoids and is open to the north. The 2016 work is designed to cover the open northern anomaly and determine its strike length.

Maps of Roulette and an animated view of the 2015 3D-IP survey results can be viewed on the Company's website at http://www.nevadasunrise.ca/projects/roulette/.

About the Roulette Gold Project

Roulette (formerly known as the Grulla property) is located approximately 30 miles (45 km) north of Ely, Nevada in a fertile area of mineral exploration. Roulette consists of 120 unpatented claims totaling 2,400 acres (971 hectares), and was acquired by Nevada Sunrise in November 2014.

To the north of Roulette is McEwen Mining Inc.'s ("McEwen") Limousine Butte project, which according to McEwen's public disclosure hosts a Measured plus Indicated resource of 241,080 ounces of gold, and an Inferred resource of 50,700 ounces of gold in three deposits (Source: "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Limousine Butte Project, White Pine County Nevada", dated July 1, 2009, authored by Telesto Nevada Inc.). To the northwest, Freeport-McMoran Inc. ("Freeport") holds a large claim block (approximately 30,000 acres, or 12,000 hectares) prospective for porphyry copper/gold deposits, which encompasses the Butte Valley copper prospect Freeport acquired in 2012 from Quaterra Resources Inc.

The conceptual target at Roulette is Carlin-type gold deposits, which are observed to be sediment-hosted, with disseminated gold. Gold is commonly micron-sized, and is associated with hydrothermal alteration of carbonate host rocks. Nevada Sunrise believes that Roulette is underexplored  there is no public record of ground or airborne geophysical surveys at the Project other than the Company's work in 2015, and any historical drilling is unconfirmed as to drill hole location, footage or results.

Roulette shows geological similarities to the Alligator Ridge gold deposits located about 24 miles (36 km) to the west, now part of Barrick Gold's Bald Mountain gold mine. The Alligator Ridge mine was discovered in the mid-1970s in an area of no previous exploration or mining history after a mineralized outcrop was found by a prospector. The area was subsequently mapped, sampled and drilled. Production of approximately 700,000 ounces of gold from three deposits at Alligator Ridge was reported by various operators into the 1990s, until its assimilation into the Bald Mountain mine.

Roulette and Alligator Ridge share certain sedimentary rock formations known to host Carlin-style mineralization, namely a sequence of Devonian/Mississippian limestones and shales including the Guilmette Limestone, Pilot Shale, Joana Limestone and Chainman Shale. Nevada Sunrise believes that the potential exists for undiscovered gold mineralization at Roulette, with Alligator Ridge as a model for future exploration on the Project.

John R. Kerr, P. Eng., is the Company's designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

Nevada Sunrise also wishes to report it has granted a total of 785,000 stock options to directors, officers and consultants of the Company, exercisable at a price of 37 cents per share for a period of five years from the date of grant. The options have been granted in accordance with the Company's stock option plan.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation ("Nevada Sunrise") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements that address future mineral production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, the future price of gold, potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, potential size of a mineralized zone, potential expansion of mineralization, the timing and results of future resource estimates, or other study, proposed exploration and development of our exploration properties and the estimation of mineral resources. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of Nevada Sunrise to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.

Such factors include, among others, risks related to the interpretation and actual results of historical exploration at the Roulette property or other properties in the Carlin Trend district, reliance on technical information provided by third parties on any of our exploration properties, including access to historical information on the Roulette property, current exploration and development activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the Nine Months Ended June 30, 2016, which is available under Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Although Nevada Sunrise has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Nevada Sunrise disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and accordingly are subject to change after such date. Except as otherwise indicated by Nevada Sunrise, these statements do not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other special items or of any dispositions, monetizations, mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or other transactions that may be announced or that may occur after the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of our operating environment. Nevada Sunrise does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are included in this document, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. The Securities of Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to the account or benefit of any U.S. person.

SOURCE Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - September 07, 2016) - Balmoral Resources Ltd. ("Balmoral" or the "Company") (TSX: BAR) (OTCQX: BALMF) today reported that ongoing drilling has demonstrated a rapid increase in the width of the Bug South Gold Deposit on the Company's Martiniere Property in Quebec.

Drill holes MDE-16-217 to MDE-16-220 returned gold mineralized down hole intercepts ranging from 25.90 metres to 115.45 metres at average grades of 0.96 to 2.73 g/t gold from the Upper Bug Zone (see table below). The four holes intersected the Upper Bug Zone at vertical depths of 110 to 145 metres, 50 to 100 metres below and lateral to previous drilling (see Figure 1 - Bug South Deposit, Upper Bug Zone Long Section). The rapid increase in the width of the gold mineralized zone is apparent in Figure 2, a cross-section through holes MDE-16-217 and MDE-16-218. The deposit remains open to depth and down plunge.

Gold mineralization within the Bug South Deposit, while primarily contained within the Upper Bug Zone, is also associated with the Lower Bug, HWP, and Zinc Zones. As with previous drilling the broader gold mineralized intervals contain higher grade sub-zones highlighted by the following intercepts:

5.41 g/t gold over 18.26 metres (including 9.34 g/t gold over 8.49 metres) from the Upper Bug - HWP Wedge in hole MDE-16-216 (see Figure 3)

22.20 g/t gold over 3.64 metres from the Lower Bug Zone in hole MDE-16-214

4.17 g/t gold over 10.75 metres from the Upper Bug Zone in hole MDE-16-219

3.73 g/t gold over 10.75 metres from the Upper Bug Zone in hole MDE-16-218

8.79 g/t gold over 2.83 metres from the Upper Bug Zone in hole MDE-16-215

"The rapid expansion of the Bug South Deposit and the strengthening of the mineralized system apparent from today's results are potential game-changers for the Bug Lake South area. With Bug North and Martiniere West there are now three near-surface gold deposits on the Martiniere Property (see Figure 4). All three are open at relatively shallow depths for expansion, and a number of other prospective zones and exploration targets can add to this list" said Darin Wagner, President and CEO of Balmoral. "Permits for a series of holes which will allow for the continued testing of the Bug South Deposit along strike from, and to depth beneath, the holes announced today were recently received and one drill is already active in this area. A second is anticipated to move from testing the Lower Steep Zone to this area within the next several days."

Hole Northing Easting Dip From To Interval* Gold Zone Number (Metres) (Metres) (Metres) (g/t) MDE-16-214 3+00S 2+70W -48 87.95 94.95 7.00 0.38 Zinc Zone 121.36 139.53 18.17 1.40 Upper Bug including 125.42 125.88 0.46 5.18 " and 130.85 134.15 3.30 3.32 " 161.96 165.60 3.64 22.20 Lower Bug including 163.10 164.64 1.54 51.34 " MDE-16-215 2+50S 2+75W -47 53.00 59.26 6.26 0.46 92.78 115.6 22.82 2.55 HWP + U Bug including 94.35 95.74 1.39 4.36 " and 98.72 103.18 4.46 2.92 " and 107.30 114.65 7.35 4.22 " which includes 111.82 114.65 2.83 8.79 " 133.38 136.16 2.78 0.88 Lower Bug MDE-16-216 3+25S 1+75W -49 154.07 157.20 3.13 0.20 Zinc Zone 206.40 238.69 32.29 3.39 HWP + U Bug including 206.40 224.66 18.26 5.41 " which includes 210.19 211.92 1.73 5.01 " and 216.17 224.66 8.49 9.34 " which includes 216.17 220.98 4.81 11.97 " 255.91 256.84 0.93 2.88 Footwall MDE-16-217 2+00S 2+40W -48 75.38 155.55 80.17 0.96 Upper Bug including 86.40 86.77 0.37 3.27 " and 101.95 102.60 0.65 4.57 " and 116.09 117.02 0.93 3.10 " Lower Bug Zone incompletely sampled; results pending 216.85 221.00 4.15 0.59 Footwall MDE-16-218 2+00S 2+40W -57 74.05 189.50 115.45** 1.40 Upper Bug including 148.70 189.50 40.80 2.82 " which includes 150.00 162.20 12.20 3.33 " including 151.00 152.70 1.70 5.17 " and 160.50 162.20 1.70 5.77 " and including 177.25 188.00 10.75 3.73 " including 177.25 178.30 1.05 8.25 and 186.40 188.00 1.60 8.03 " 222.80 227.35 4.55 1.20 Lower Bug including 222.80 225.05 2.25 2.18 " 257.00 260.00 3.00 0.56 Footwall MDE-16-219 2+25S 2+40W -57 71.05 72.80 1.75 7.45 HWP 84.65 87.00 2.35 0.49 HWP 166.55 192.45 25.90 2.73 Upper Bug including 181.25 192.00 10.75 4.17 " 209.40 213.30 3.90 0.20 Lower Bug 277.80 278.20 0.40 14.90 MDE-16-220 2+25S 2+40W -47 97.25 105.65 8.40 0.30 HWP 139.33 170.30 30.97 1.28 Upper Bug including 153.55 159.30 5.75 3.36 " 178.71 180.65 1.94 1.51 Lower Bug

* Reported drill intercepts are not true widths. At this time there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralization to calculate true orientations in space although they are estimated to range between approximately 60 and 77% of true thickness. All values presented uncapped.

** Three internal intervals within this composite, 107.50-110.70 metres, 121.00-125.00 metres and 139.20-147.20 metres (an aggregate of 12.20 metres), were not initially sampled and have been assigned zero value for purposes of computing the composite. Subsequent visual inspection of the core, and nearby hole MDE-16-217, by the Company's qualified person suggests the mineralized system continues through each of these intervals. These intervals are currently being sampled and analyzed and the final results will be reported in an upcoming release.

Thirty additional holes have now been completed on the Martiniere Property with results pending and two drills active. Drilling will continue to focus on the expansion of the Bug South Gold Deposit in the near-term. Testing of several gold exploration targets on the Company's nearby Detour East Property is still tentatively slated for later in September pending receipt of drill permits.

Quality Control

Mr. Darin Wagner (P.Geo.), President and CEO of the Company, is the non-independent qualified person for the technical disclosure contained in this news release. Mr. Wagner has supervised the work programs on the Martiniere Property since inception, visited the property on multiple occasions, examined the drill core from the holes summarized in this release, discussed, reviewed the results with senior on-site geological staff and reviewed the available analytical and quality control results.

Balmoral has implemented a quality control program for all of its drill programs, to ensure best practice in the sampling and analysis of the drill core, which includes the insertion of blind blanks, duplicates and certified standards into sample stream. NQ sized drill core is saw cut with half of the drill core sampled at intervals based on geological criteria including lithology, visual mineralization and alteration. The remaining half of the core is stored on-site at the Company's Martiniere field camp in Central Quebec. Drill core samples are transported in sealed bags to ALS Minerals' Val d'Or, Quebec analytical facilities. Gold analyses are obtained via industry standard fire assay with atomic absorption finish using 30 g aliquots. For samples returning greater than 5.00 g/t gold follow-up fire assay analysis with a gravimetric finish is completed. The Company has also requested that any samples returning greater than 10.00 g/t gold undergo screen metallic fire assay. Following receipt of assays, visual analysis of mineralized intercepts is conducted and additional analysis may be requested. ALS Minerals is ISO 9001:2008 certified and the Val d'Or facilities are ISO 17025 certified for gold analysis.
VANCOUVER, B.C. / TheNewswire / September 7, 2016 - Nicola Mining Inc. (TSXV: NIM) (the "Company" or "Nicola") is pleased to report that significant copper mineralization has been intersected on the Thule Copper Property located 14 km northwest of Merritt, British Columbia.

The Thule Copper Property covers 10,084 hectares along the southern end of the Guichon Batholith and is 100% owned by Nicola. The diamond drilling program was designed to test 3 distinct zones on the Thule Copper Property, referred to as Embayment, Titan Queen, and Eric. Total diamond drilling meterage for the 2016 program at the property was 1,084 metres in 5 holes. Copper mineralization was intersected in all 5 holes, highlighted by an intersection of 1.11% copper over 85.92 metres in THU-002, through the Embayment Zone, located approximately 1 km northwest of the past-producing Craigmont Mine.

Results from the drilling program support the Embayment Zone as a fault-offset, westward continuation of the skarn zone that hosts the Craigmont deposit. A follow-up drill program will be designed to determine continuity of mineralization further west along strike and at depth from THU-002.

In addition, drilling at Titan Queen Zone encountered alteration and mineralization features commonly observed in association with porphyry-style copper deposits, including the Highland Valley porphyry complex located 50 km north of Thule Property. Follow-up work will be planned to outline drill targets over a broader area and further test porphyry-style mineralization potential.

Table 1. Significant drill hole intersections from the 2016 Thule Property drilling program.

Drill hole From (metres) To (metres) Intercept* (metres) Copper (%) Zone THU-001 43.70 45.72 2.00 0.32 Eric and 77.60 79.00 1.40 0.24 THU-001A 112.85 115.00 2.15 0.13 Eric and 122.00 135.88 13.88 0.17 and 141.78 143.70 1.92 0.37 and 152.28 166.35 14.07 0.15 and 228.20 229.67 1.47 0.11 THU-002 300.65 331.08 30.43 0.11 Embayment and 331.08 417.00 85.92 1.11 including 331.08 343.50 12.42 1.77 including 372.65 386.50 13.85 2.71 including 378.80 380.00 1.20 4.08 including 415.00 417.00 2.00 3.85 THU-003 2.40 5.30 2.90 0.55 Titan Queen and 52.00 54.00 2.00 0.34 THU-004 2.44 4.22 1.78 1.30 Titan Queen

* The intersected length of mineralization is reported throughout this release. True widths are not determined as the geometry of the mineralized zone is uncertain.

Table 2. Drill hole location, elevation, azimuth, dip, depth and zones for the 2016 Thule drilling program. Collar positions were determined by differential GPS methods in UTM NAD 83 Zone 10.

Drill hole Easting (metres) Northing (metres) Elevation (metres) Azimuth (degrees) Dip (degrees) Depth (metres) Zone THU-001 650546.262 5564066.704 836.00 25 -45 80.47 Eric THU-001A 650546.519 5564066.829 835.14 25 -45 235.00 Eric THU-002 646727.031 5564094.081 1463.16 40 -60 448.06 Embayment THU-003 647022.756 5564993.081 1462.02 60 -55 136.25 Titan Queen THU-004 647021.694 5564994.269 1462.07 25 -45 163.88 Titan Queen

Peter Espig, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented, "We are extremely encouraged with the results from our 2016 Exploration Program on the Thule Copper Property. The 1.11% Cu over 85.92 metres, including 13.83 metres grading 2.71% Cu, highlight the high grade mineralization of the property. Our team is also very excited with key features observed at the Titan Queen Zone, which is more indicative of a porphyry-style copper deposit. It is well known that the historic Craigmont Mine is a prolific skarn, but the source of the mineralization has yet to be confirmed. In addition to the significant results, the project is further augmented because Nicola's Thule Copper Project is already associated with a current mine permit."

Exploration Summary

Three priority target areas were identified from Nicola's compilation of historical data (figure 1.). The 2016 drilling program was designed to obtain preliminary information in order to establish the geological context of previous work and better understand exploration potential.

Eric Zone

The Eric Zone consists of mineralized diorite intrusions and breccia exposed in a 2.1-metre-deep shaft excavated in the 1930's. Prominent north and northwest striking faults cut mineralization. The shaft is located 2.5 km east and along strike of the Craigmont open pit. Previous drilling completed during the 1970's focused on testing magnetic anomalies aligned with the strike of the Craigmont skarn. THU-001 and THU-001A are positioned underneath the shaft where there had been no previous drilling. THU-001 was drilled to a depth of 80.47 metres and intersected a diorite breccia with short intervals of chalcopyrite mineralization. The hole was abandoned before the planned depth due to difficult ground conditions. THU-001A reached its planned depth of 235 metres and encountered chalcopyrite associated with tourmaline, quartz, and brecciated diorite.

Titan Queen Zone

The Titan Queen Zone is exposed by three 20-metre-long trenches spaced approximately 25 metres apart. Excavated in the 1930's, the trenches were the original target of Craigmont Mines Limited in 1957. Irregular zones containing hydrothermal quartz, magnetite, tourmaline, chalcopyrite, and trace bornite with minor supergene copper oxides are exposed in the trenches.

THU-003 and THU-004 both encountered chalcopyrite-mineralized hydrothermal breccia emplaced into propylitically altered, equigranular, fine-grained quartz diorite. The historical drill holes were completed in the 1970's. The drill holes and trenches are located on the southeastern edge of a 400 x 300 metre magnetic high. There is no historical geological mapping or detailed ground geophysical surveys completed over the magnetic anomaly.

Embayment Zone

The Embayment Zone was explored by Craigmont Mines Limited through several surface and underground drill holes in the 1978 and 1985. Chalcopyrite mineralization and associated skarn alteration consisting of magnetite, garnet, actinolite and epidote is equivalent to the western side of the Craigmont skarn zone. Drill hole S-100, which was drilled by Craigmont Mines Limited in 1978, intersected 0.47% copper over 149.36 metres (from historical data and non-compliant with the reporting standards required by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101")). Christopher James Gold Corp. attempted to drill test the Embayment zone in 2005 but was unable to penetrate the post-mineral rock formation.

The Embayment Zone represents the faulted western continuation of the Craigmont zone (figure 2). The Embayment Zone is translated approximately 300 metres northwest along the northwest-striking Embayment Fault. The Embayment Fault is visible in high-resolution airborne magnetic data acquired in 2012 and confirmed by THU-002, where the Embayment mineralized zone terminates against the fault.

For further details on the Thule Copper Property, see the technical report entitled "TECHNICAL REPORT on the THULE COPPER - IRON PROPERTY, Southern British Columbia, Canada", filed on May 8, 2013 on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Sample Preparation and Quality Control

Supervision and organization of the diamond drill program was undertaken by Brian May, P.Geo., a geological consultant for Nicola Mining Inc.

True widths of the drill hole intercepts reported in this press release have not been determined. All drill core was cut on-site and shipped to Actlabs (ISO 17025 Certified) in Kamloops, British Columbia for analysis. Samples were analyzed using an ICP Aqua Regia 38-element (IA3) package and fire assay gold (IA2). Any samples greater than 10,000 ppm copper were tested using over-limit mass spectrometry methods (8-AR ICP-MS). Certified reference standards and rock blanks were placed in the sample stream with a ratio of approximately one sample out of 10. Assay intervals have been calculated with no cut-off value. Drill core sample lengths varied from 0.57 metres to 3.5 metres in length, averaging 1.9 metres. Sample lengths were chosen based on geological variation and recovery within the drill core.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical content of this press release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Brian May, P.Geo., who is classified as a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Nicola Mining Inc. is a junior mining company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, and has a fully-permitted 200 tonne per day custom mill that recommenced operations in June 2016. Its 100% owned state-of-the-art mill and tailing facility, located near Merritt, British Columbia, is capable of processing both gold and silver mill feed via gravity and floatation processes. The Company has 100% of the Thule Copper property covering 10,084 hectares along the southern end of the Guichon Batholith. In addition, the Company also owns 100% of Treasure Mountain, its high grade silver property, and a gravel pit, which is located adjacent to its milling operations.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Peter Espig"

Peter Espig

CEO & Director

For additional information

Contact: Peter Espig

Phone: (604) 647-0142

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1. Exploration project areas that were drilled by Nicola Mining Inc. in the 2016 exploration program. A total of 5 drill holes, totaling 1,084 metres, were completed. Internal claims are not part of the Thule property.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 2. Location of diamond drill hole THU-002 in the Embayment Zone. The Embayment Zone is a fault offset portion of the Craigmont Zone.

Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
[JURIST] An appeals court in the Algerian city of Setif on Tuesday upheld the conviction [AI report] of Slimane Bouhafs, a man the court says slandered Islam and the Prophet Muhammed. Bouhafs lawyer claims his client only criticized political Islam in a Facebook discussion with non-Algerian Christians. On August 7, the trial court found otherwise, ruling that those Facebook posts were offensive to the prophet, and the appeals court agreed. Now, international human rights groups are calling for [AI press release] Bouhafs immediate and unconditional release.

The Algerian government has been taking steps to become more transparent recently, but some critics wonder if these steps are enough. Most drastically, the nation adopted [JURIST report] a package of constitutional reforms in February, which included a two-term limit for the office of the president. In November an Algerian trial court sentenced [JURIST report] former counter-terrorism chief Abdelkader Ait-Ouarabi, also known as General Hassan, to five years in prison for allegedly breaching orders and destroying documents. Despite these steps, interest groups have been critical of Algeria, for Bouhafs conviction and also generally for failure to remedy human rights abuses [HRW reports].
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) [official website] ruled [text] Wednesday that the sale of a computer with pre-installed software does not constitute an unfair commercial practice as defined under an EU directive. The suit, brought against Sony [corporate website], alleged that the sale of a laptop with a pre-installed Windows Vista operating system distorted the economic behavior of consumers and went against standards for professional diligence. The suit also claimed that the omission of information regarding the individual prices of the included software programs left the consumer uninformed about material elements of his purchase. The court held that the sale of computers with pre-installed programs was not an unfair or misleading practice. Further, the court stated [press release, PDF] that the sale of such technology may actually align with consumer expectations for purchasing ready-to-use computers. The prices of the individual pre-installed programs was not found to be a material element of the transaction.

This suit was initiated in 2011, three years after Vincent Deroo-Blanquart acquired a Sony VAIO laptop. The computer came equipped with, among other programs, Windows Vista. Deroo-Blanquart refused to accept the end-user license agreement of the operating system. He then requested a refund for the price of the software from Sony. Sony rejected the request for a partial refund and instead offered to reimburse the consumer for the full price of the computer on the condition he return the laptop, which the consumer denied. The Court of Cassation [website] in France was hearing the case on its appeal when it requested assistance from the ECJ.
[JURIST] A French court in Bastia on the island of Corsica upheld a local ban on full-body burkini swimsuits on Tuesday. This decision was handed down despite last months Council of State ruling [JURIST report] in the French city of Cannes. The Bastia court found [Guardian report] the ban to be legal because it had been implemented in response to a disruption of public order. The ban was imposed [BBC report] by the mayor of Sisco after a large fight broke out in August when a woman in a burkini was allegedly spotted at the beach. The courts decision dismissed a challenge to the ban made by Frances Human Rights League [advocacy website, in French].

Tensions in France have been high since an event in Nice in July in which more than 84 citizens were killed [BBC report] by a truck that drove through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day. Nice was one of the first cities [Guardian report] to ban the burkini, with city authorities claiming that wearing the garment was a risk to public order. Tensions were further increased recently when photographs from a Nice beach showing police surrounding a woman in a headscarf [Guardian report] and a long-sleeved top surfaced. Nice authorities denied the woman had been forced to remove clothing. At least 30 fines [Guardian report] have been issued in Nice since the burkini ban was introduced during the summer. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy [BBC profile] stated to the press that he would amend the constitution to ban full-body burkini swimsuits if re-elected next April. His comments [JURIST report] came after a statement was made by Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, who said a ban on burkinis would be unconstitutional [La Croix report, in French].
[JURIST] Thailands Supreme Court [official website] on Tuesday affirmed [The Nation report] the 20-year prison sentence given to Sondhi Limthongkul in 2012. A former media magnate, Sondhi violated Securities and Exchange Commission [official website] regulations [text] when he fraudulently obtained a bank loan, worth approximately USD $400,000, in 1997. Meanwhile, as leader of the ultra-royalist Yellow Shirts movement [BBC backgrounder], Sondhi attempted to have political rival Thaksin Shinawatra [BBC profile], Thailands Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006, removed from office. Alongside two other members of his managing group, Sondhi was convicted of lying to shareholders and presenting fraudulent documentation about the health of his business.

Although Sondhis conviction is less contentious, Thailand has been home to significant human rights concerns for years, some of which stem from the nations court system. In particular, human rights groups worldwide have expressed growing concern over violations in Thailand since the military junta came to power in May 2014. Last month, Thailand passed [JURIST report] a new constitution by referendum vote. The constitution was drafted by a military-appointed counsel and is feared to be another step in entrenching military control of the nation. Thai military officials in July charged [JURIST report] three human rights defenders with criminal defamation and violations of the Computer Crimes Act because of a report they published detailing acts of torture in Thailand. In April Human Rights Watch urged [JURIST report] Thailand to stop harassing and charging human right lawyers for defending victims of the governments abuses, and to revoke military police powers. In March the Pheu Thai Party filed a complaint [JURIST report] with the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights over the detention of one of its key figures, Watana Muangsook, accusing the government of serious human rights violations. In January UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein called on [JURIST report] the Thai government to fully investigate the whereabouts of at least 82 people listed as disappeared and criminalize forced disappearance through legislation.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria [official website] urged parties in the Syrian conflict to return to the negotiation table after a new report [materials] released Tuesday highlighted an increase of violence suffered by civilians. The escalation occurred after the deterioration of a cessation of hostilities agreement reached by the parties [JURIST report] in February. The report noted that along with summary executions, forced displacement, and indiscriminate shelling and airstrikes, the Syrian people lack sufficient access to life-saving medical services. Commission Chair Paulo Pinheiro condemned [press release] the prolific pattern of attacks on medical facilities. He called such attacks a flagrant disregard of the letter and the spirit of international humanitarian law. More than 250,000 Syrians have died [BBC report] in the conflict and an estimated 600,000 civilians live under siege.

The conflict in Syria [BBC backgrounder] has continued for five years in a civil war surrounding the legitimacy of President Bashar al-Assad. In August a top UN official submitted a report detailing an in-depth investigation into chemical warfare [JURIST report] used by Islamic State and Assad in Syria. That same month Amnesty International said that a suspected chlorine gas attack in Aleppo could amount to a war crime [JURIST report]. In July Human Rights Watch reported [JURIST report] cluster bombs have been targeted at civilians and rebels in Northern Syria. In June UN human rights experts called for the immediate protection [JURIST report] of thousands of Syrian civilians.
[JURIST] A spokesperson from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website] expressed concern [statement] on Tuesday regarding the intimidation of opposition politicians and peaceful protesters in Cambodia. The comments were spurred by a recent show of force by the armed forces at the headquarters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) [party website, in Khmer], the countrys main opposition party. The statement also referenced mobilized troops and roadblocks used to block a peaceful CNRP event earlier this week. The spokesperson urged the government to create a pre-electoral atmosphere conducive to the enjoyment of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

The lack of transparency in the Cambodian legislature and contention between political parties have caused international concern. Last month the prime minister of Cambodia filed a lawsuit [JURIST report] alleging defamation against an opposition leader and opposition party leader. In June the Cambodian parliament voted [JURIST report] to allow the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to open an investigation into opposition leader Kem Sohka regarding his alleged involvement with a prostitute. Last November the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Rhona Smith, warned [JURIST report] that the increasing polarization of the political parties in Cambodia is reaching a breaking point. Also in November Cambodia opposition leader Rainsy was removed [JURIST report] as a member of the countrys National Assembly. That month a Cambodian court indicted [JURIST report] three men in the beating of two opposition lawmakers. In October the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed [JURIST report] concern over the organized attack on opposition politicians in Cambodia.
Zibwabwes High Court on Wednesday struck down a ban on protests that had been issued by the police. The two-week ban [order, PDF] was issued by police [Reuters report] last week after some of the worst public violence in two decades. The court ultimately ruled that the order was invalid as it was given without any authority and violated the constitution. The police had announced [AP report] last Thursday that they were banning demonstrations within the capital for the next two weeks. This was after numerous protesters were injured during and the day before a planned protest by an opposition group to the government. The notice cited a lack of manpower to prevent public disorder. Protests had broken out on almost a daily basis [Times LIVE report] due to a poor economy and what many of the opposition view as a corrupt government led by President Robert Mugabe. The police had informed the public that anyone taking part in protests during the ban could face a year of imprisonment.

The Zimbabwe government has faced criticism and legal action in the past. In September 2013 the high court ordered the release [JURIST report] of 21 activist members of the opposition party that had been detained for over two years. The following month, Zimbabwes highest court criticized [JURIST report] state prosecutors who sought to take legal action against people who insulted Mugabe. In November 2013 a Zimbabwean magistrate acquitted [JURIST report] a human rights lawyer who was charged with obstructing justice and being unruly to police officers.
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Hate crimes are not always easy to define. In some cases, its easy to recognize an offense as a hate crime. For example, violence against someone who wears particular religious clothing is widely acknowledged as a hate crime. In Oklahoma, a man was recently charged with a hate crime after he murdered his neighbor for no other reason than the man was a Lebanese immigrant. Carrying out violence against someone based on the persons religion or ethnicity is generally what people think of when asked to describe a hate crime.

However, hate crimes can also involve an individuals sexual preference. These cases are sometimes overlooked as hate crimes, as the victims dont always stand out or look different from their attacker. What many people do not realize is that members of the LGBT community have a higher risk of being a victim of a hate crime than members of any other group in the country. Any time someone is targeted based on inclusion (or perceived inclusion) in a group, its a hate crime.

Prison Sentence for Man Who Poured Boiling Water on LGBT Couple

Recently, a jury in Atlanta convicted a Georgia man of eight counts of aggravated battery and two counts of aggravated assault after he poured a pot of boiling hot water over two sleeping men. According to the Washington Post, the men were asleep at the time of the incident. They had been dating for two weeks and were staying at the home of one of the mens mother. Asleep in the living room, they woke to searing agony as scalding hot water was poured over their bodies.Their attacker, a 48-year-old truck driver who stayed at the home whenever he was in town for work, claimed it was just a little hot water.

Court documents show one of the victims must wear compression garments 23 hours a day for two years to help heal his burns. The other victim sustained burns over 60 percent of his body and was placed in a medically-induced coma for weeks as doctors fought to save his life.

The judge sentenced the attacker to 40 years in prison, stating the defendant had many chances to contemplate the severity of his crime, considering the length of time required to heat a pot of water to boiling. The defendants lawyer claimed his attack was not a hate crime, but merely old-school thinking.

Because Georgia is one of just five states in the country without a hate crime statute, the charges were filed as assault crimes.

LGBT Twice as Likely to Be a Victim of a Hate Crime

The case shines an important spotlight on the growing problem of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation. Recent reports state that members of the LBGT community are twice as likely to be victims of hate crimes as African-Americans or members of the Jewish faith.

According to FBI data, one-fifth of all reported hate crimes in 2014 were motivated by opposition to the victims sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation. Researchers say they have also seen a surge in these crimes since the Supreme Court struck down the ban on gay marriage.

Contact a Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer about Your Case

If you are facing criminal charges, our Dallas Federal Criminal Defense attorneys

at Broden & Mickelsen have earned a reputation for taking on difficult cases other firms wont touch. Call us today to speak to a criminal defense lawyer about your case and your options. Contact us online or call 214-720-9552 to speak to a lawyer 24/7.

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It has been one of the most talked and divisive developments in Europe this summer; some French municipalities have been banning the use of the burkini on their beaches.

The mayor of one of the French Rivieras seaside towns has declared if you dont want to live the way we do, dont come.

You have to behave in the way that people behave in the country that accepted you, and that is it, Cogolin Mayor Marc Etienne Lansade told CNN.

The ruling came after more than 30 French towns banned the swimsuit, which covers the whole body except for the face, hands and feet and is worn mostly by Muslim women. Officials have said the ban on the outfit was a response to growing concerns about radical Islamic terrorism.

In some occasions, women were apparently forced to remove their garment by policemen. Even more disturbingly, there have been reports that some of the people witnessing the occasion, were shouting go home, while others were applauding the police.

Another challenge for the European identity

This is a worrying development that affects not just France but the rest of Europe also. The continents public opinion has been long debating its values and where our multicultural model is heading. There is a crisis of cultural, political and societal identity. The refugee crisis, the EU expansion to the East, the euro-zone crisis and the recent Brexit, have all added further stress to Europes selfhood impasse.

Some cases, like that of the Brexit, are actually a pristine indicator of the massive shift or confusion of the European public opinion, on its identity or future. Our continent is changing that is for sure. Free movement of people, an ever changing society, economy and political environment are forcing Europe to reinvent itself. And as in every transition period, a massive soul searching is always under way.

European people, like every single person going through change, are trying to imagine or create a future model that they will like to follow and aspire to. Some are trying desperately to hold on to what it is, others are striving to go back to what it was, while only few are looking to the future, open to all possibilities and outcome.

Countries like Britain chose to look backwards and turn to the British Commonwealth for stability and security. Whilst many new EU member states like Hungary and Poland, are trying to resist change and keep things as they are.

Blaming migrants

Migrants, as well as European citizens with a background of migration, pose new challenges and they will change the current demographic, societal, cultural and political homogeneity of these nations. Especially when we are talking of people with a different race, religion or cultural background.

Very few European nations still fully embrace modernity and the inevitable change that is bringing. What is happening in France is not just a French problem and could potentially spread to other nations  especially, if the terror attacks on European soil continue. People need scapegoats when threatened with phenomena they do not understand or cannot control; they want to see someone paying for their misfortunes and fear.

As Europe is faced with an apparently ever growing threat from Islamist extremists, any reminder of them will become a target. There is no doubt that the burkini ban incidents are directly linked to the recent terror attacks in France; a knee-jerk reaction deriving from anger and fear, plus the very statement that Europes enemies would love to receive.

Herd mentality

It is a very universal, primeval and deep rooted mentality of the herd: if you want to live among us, look and behave like us or we will kick you out of our group.

It does make sense, of course, when moving to another country and taking its citizenship, one is expected to abide by its laws and values. But is a dress code representative of the secularism, freedom and democracy that make up the core of our values? And, if yes, does enforcing a dress code do justice to our principles?

I personally detest burkas or niqabs, as I see no point of any religious dress-code at this day and age. I do not believe that any dogma and the obvious declaration of it such a burka, have any place in the Europe that we are trying to build. Yet I also think that policing and forcibly making people to abandon their own values, no matter how un-European they might seem, has even less to do with a society I would like to live in.

Assuming that we start accepting policing and dress-code control on Muslim people in our continent, who could be next? Which group will we have to conform to fit our values in the future?

Besides, if we are so worried about our culture, thinking that we need to protect or safeguard it from foreign influences, then perhaps this is a sign of how weak or declining this culture is.

Integration goes both ways

We should be looking at why people who have been living in our continent for decades or even were born here, have failed to integrate in our societies.

Integration comes with acceptance and education. It comes with equal opportunities and recognition. Being an immigrant myself, I must confess any time I felt anger towards my new host country or being rejected by its society, I was rejecting anything indicative of its culture in return.

So if these non-European individuals show signs of rejecting our values, perhaps they are doing so because they do not feel welcomed or part of our societies. Or maybe they are not inspired by them. Thus certainly forcefully making them remove their garments is not going to help.

You cannot force anyone to accept your culture or values, you could, however, encourage them to do so by making them feel that abandoning their old ways is making sense for their future. If they choose not to, then we ought to first look at where we have failed as a society and only then debate on whether or not the migrants really belong here or should be going home.

Rejecting globalization?

If we decide that we do not want immigration into our lands, then we should stop bragging that we are an open and tolerant continent and call a spade a spade; that we do not wish to live in a multicultural society, we reject the current economic model that is promoting and requiring it and we prefer to live in social nationalism or something similar.

But could we accept the consequences, do we really know what that will mean and how will affect our lives?

The future European continent is in our hands. We are designing it right now with our decisions, our votes, our actions and what we stand for. It is a work in process that will take a long time.

We can either become like the nations that we like to criticize on their lack of tolerance and openness, or we will become the complete opposite to them and stick to it. This will be our statement and our answer to their inhuman, conservative, outdated, oppressive lack of progress and modernity.
GPS devices can come in handy.

They can help when a person gets lost and can also help law enforcement in tracking down potential drug deliveries.

Thats how Robert Taylor, 27, of Mitchell, found himself in court facing drug charges Tuesday.

Taylor agreed to a plea agreement on drug charges, pleading no contest to a count of attempted delivery of a controlled substance, a Class IV felony, in Scotts Bluff County District Court.

WING investigators learned from a confidential informant of possible drug trafficking being done between Colorado and Nebraska, Scotts Bluff County Deputy Attorney Scott Blaha said during the hearing.

Investigators learned of a vehicle suspected of being used in the drug trafficking and attached a GPS device to the vehicle prior to a trip to Colorado.

On July 9, a Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs deputy conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle on Highway 91 near County Road 12. The deputy detected the smell of marijuana and WING investigators searched the vehicle.

Taylor had been a passenger in the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, officers found a small quantity of marijuana inside two jars in the drivers area of the truck cab and tucked in a seat pocket near Taylors passenger seat. They also found a small zippered bag containing a pipe that smelled of burnt marijuana, and oxycodone, a prescription painkiller. A second pipe containing burnt marijuana was found near Taylors seat.

Investigators also found two large bags estimated to include more than one pound of marijuana.

Taylor admitted to being in possession of some of the small quantities of marijuana and the drug paraphernalia, but denied knowledge of the large quantities of marijuana.

The driver, identified in court documents as David Dillon, admitted that he and Taylor had been purchasing marijuana. WING investigators also tied cell phone text messages between Taylor and other individuals who were expected to receive the marijuana.

Taylor faced a charge of delivery of a controlled substance, a Class III felony, and two infractions of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Taylor is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 4, at 1 p.m. He faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both.

Dillon, 26, of Gering, had also agreed to a plea agreement in the case. Earlier this month, Scotts Bluff County District Court Judge Leo Dobrovolny sentenced Dillon to 12 to 48 months in prison on charges of delivery of a controlled substance, a Class III felony, and possession of a controlled substance, a Class IV felony. Dillons sentence will be served consecutively to another Scotts Bluff County District Court case in which Dillon was convicted of one count of delivering a controlled substance near a school, a Class II felony. He was sentenced to 12 to 24 months in prison in that case.

Two other men that were passengers in the vehicle were not charged.
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The Alaaye of Oke Aiyedun in Ikole Local Government Area of

Ekiti State, Oba Jacob Fatunase Ala, Okunoye II, is a man of many

firsts. He was the first principal of Ado Grammar School, Ado Ekiti; the

founder and life president of Inland Club, Ado Ekiti; the first

chairman of Ondo State Broadcasting Corporation, the first Vice

Principal of Offa Grammar School, among many others. He bestrides his

Oke Aiyedun town as the first truly educated monarch and has brought a

lot of innovations to the community since he ascended the throne 27

years ago. He discussed some of his experiences in 100 years of life,

with SAM NWAOKO in this interview. Excerpts:



How does it feel to be this active, cheerful and obviously

exceptionally energetic at a splendid 100 years of age? What is the

secret?

I dont think I have enough words to describe exactly how happy I am

to be in this position. As a child, my mother told me that for a period

of four months after I was born that I was neither here nor there. The

face showed life but I was all skeleton. I survived it. I also had

smallpox which killed very many people who were my age, younger and

older in my community. I survived it. Ups and downs of life as I live, I

survive them. When I was coming on board as the traditional ruler, the

fears expressed by very many was that I wasnt going to last beyond

three to four years on the throne. That was the main objection to my

nomination, that I wasnt likely to live long. God knows exactly how He

plans His things. Im already in my 27th year of my administration and

100th year of my life. Why should I not be cheerful and happy?

In July 1930, a group of us who were youngsters in the church came

together and we were called the Egbe Omo Ogun Kristi. We were over 30 at

that time. Today, I am the last surviving member of that group.

I was the foundation chairman of Ondo State Broadcasting Corporation,

that was after my retirement. After I finished my contract there, I was

still brought back by the then governor, Chief Michael Ajasin, as a

commissioner in the Civil Service Commission. Ive been all over these

places, hale and hearty. God granted me that. My only deformity is that I

cant hear with one of my ears. And in my family, it is said that it is

normal, that as you grow old you lose your hearing. I dont know how it

happened, but in my own case, Im not totally deaf. But for my

cataract that was mishandled.

Your Christian faith seems so dear to your heart and in your thought?

I had the benefit of being baptised as a child because my father was a

Christian. Therefore, I grew in the Methodist Church. When the time

came for me to be on my own and work, when I was at Fourah Bay College I

took a removal notice from Ibadan. As soon as I showed it to the

reverend gentleman who was in charge of the Methodist Church in Sierra

Leone, he gave me a note to the reverend gentleman who was in charge of

the oldest and the biggest Methodist Church in Freetown. I presented my

certificate and he said you are free to take the pulpit anytime you feel

so. I would have, but I was spending so much time on my study that I

couldnt avail myself of that opportunity.

When I came back, I went to Offa Grammar School, which was more

Muslim than anything. I was the first vice principal of Offa Grammar

School.

What was growing up like in Aiyedun, looking at the changes youve seen?

If likes continue to produce likes, there wouldnt have been

evolution. It was because there had been progress. I remember that one

of my teachers told me that the giraffe developed its long neck because

it takes delight in eating the soft new leaves on top of the tree,

therefore it continously stretches its neck. I read that a certain type

of fish that had no eyes. They didnt need it because they lived in the

darkest past of the sea and everywhere was completely dark. What you

dont use becomes moribund. Because they live in the dark and it was

completely dark, therefore they didnt need any eyes. So what you need

is what you develop as you grow along. That is progress. Every group in

the community, even up to Odo Aiyedun, including women and youth groups,

now keeps records. It brings to mind decisions taken at meetings and

how such decisions were reached.

As a Christian, how did you handle the sacrifices and fetish actions required of you as an oba in your community?

Yes, in those days, you cannot be a titular chief or any sort of

thing like that without being involved in some fetish things and the

like. But I easily managed the situation in my own case because you have

your sphere of influence and I have my sphere of influence. You are

asking me to come along and sit on the throne to administer. That has

nothing to do with religion. I have to face nothing more but my

administration. What you are doing is religion. If I am not interested,

thats all, keep me out. You cannot force me and say because youre so

and so, you must come and join us. Look, if it is that, I will go back

the way I came. You know these days of having vigils and vigils and

vigils, the question was put to me. The people who belong to the fetish

sort of group would want to come out anytime and disturb people because

they must not be seen in the dark. I said okay, let us work out a

compromise.

You must have been a very active young man

Am I not young now?

I mean when you were much younger than 100, you must have been very active?

If you dont remain active, you become moribund and you are packed

and put by the side. You must be active and calculative in whatever you

do.

As a strict, disciplined person, how did your wife cope with you?

Very, very, simple. She knew my rules. My rules are very simple. I

bring up issues and we both agree. Thats what we are going to do. It is

the woman who takes care of the home. Dont hide anything from your

wife. If you hide anything from your wife, the day she discovers that

youre hiding certain things, you get into trouble. Be very plain. I had

one or two children out of marriage. I didnt hide it from my wife. I

let her understand that I fathered them. But since you came on board,

thats the end. If anybody comes along when I pass on to say that hes

older than the baby of the family, disown him. My baby of the family is

already 51 years. So, if anybody younger than that comes along claiming

that I fathered him, tell him that he is a bastard.

So, polygamy was out of the question in your days?

What do I want to do with polygamy? You want to play manhood and show her what?

Where did you grow up?

My beginning was here in Oke Aiyedun. Between 1926 and 1930, I was an

osomalo with my father. We dealt in textile materials and so on. What

osomalos did was that if I wanted my money from you, because we

normally sold on credit, and you tell me you dont have my money, you

must find it. The day I set my eyes on you and I want my money, you must

get it for me! How I played the trick, I wouldnt know. I would play

the trick that would make people say, look here, unless you give this

man his money, he will kill himself Thats why we say osomalo. Im

going to squat, I will not even sit before I get my money. There were

several episodes of that.

Which primary school did you attend?

The Methodist Primary School at Aiyedun here. After the primary

school, I taught for a year as a junior teacher. It was a must for the

Methodist. Then I went to Wesley College, Ibadan to train as a teacher.

Then I came back to teach here, went to Kogi to teach in primary school.

After three years in primary school, I went back to my alma mater to

teach. A lot of people passed through my fingers between 1945 and 1948

and then again between 1975 when I finally retired from service and 1979

when Ajasin came on board. Teaching was my profession. When I was a

pupil teacher in the primary school, I was a flogger. When I wanted to

give you six strokes of the cane, I tell you to stretch out both hands

because I couldnt waste my time raising my hands six times. The two

hands must be there and you must keep steady otherwise I begin again.

Which are some of your remarkable students you can still recall?

My wife was one of the many students I treated in that way. My own wife!

Did she come back telling you some of those things?

Oh! Yes They are still living today, one of her friends had said to

her: Ha! Youre going to marry that man? Ha! You are going to receive a

lot of whipping! But I confess to you that we were together all the

time till she passed on, we never settled any quarrel with somebody

coming in. If she had any disagreement or she felt bad about anything,

we settle in bed.

Which other students do you recall, apart from your late wife?

I recall a few of them, and that is why they have all said they want

to honour me with their presence at my 100th birthday celebration. Some

of them who recall my attitude and the way I brought them up said they

must honour me. I remember Matthew Adepoju who is a practising lawyer in

Ibadan. Mr I. A. Babalola is also a lawyer, he was my first housemaster

when I was at Ago Iwoye Secondary School. The way you relate to people

will make them cling to you.

Looking at your nuclear family, didnt your strict ways tend

to make any of your children defiant if they find your strict ways

difficult?

How can they find it difficult when I brought them up on point of

discipline? You are growing up and from the child is brought into this

world, this is how the child is going to be fed and when it is time to

go to school, you let them go to school at the right time. Give them

every opportunity that they want to go to school. They come back, you

give them their meal. I dont normally eat any evening meal. This is

because when I complained to Mrs Solaru, a nurse, that I was having

constipation, she recommended light meal in the morning, very heavy

meal, if you like, in the afternoon and very light, if you have

anything, in the evening. I kept to that, my children kept to that. I

had a rule in the family, if your last meal for the day had not been

completed and finished with by sunset, you would go to bed on an empty

stomach.
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The recent horrible events involving racial profiling, excessive force, and gun violence are deeply troubling but not new. Who can forget the Bronx shooting of Amadou Diallo in 1999 when 41 bullets rained down on his unarmed body. I can uniquely identify with the black experience because of my own numerous experiences of being pulled over for no other apparent reason except for being in the wrong neighborhood, wrong state and for the hue of my skin.

I am Korean American. The most personal tense police encounter that I can remember was when I was coming from a business meeting in Philadelphia, attempting to set up a senior program for refugees. I was driving back to my office when I was pulled over by six police cars and S.W.A.T.

And the most recent police encounter  being pulled over by undercover North Carolina state police en route to my friends wedding in South Carolina. I was pulled out of my car and interrogated in the officers vehicle. When I recall these events to family and friends they chuckle in disbelief because I am a nurse.

I sympathize with the police force too. Police stick their neck out for us. It should not go unheralded. Not unlike them, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, nurses face epidemic levels of violence and opportunities to be assaulted. Some of my coworkers have been injured in the line of duty after unfortunate patient interactions. In many ways police and nurses are on the same team.

Its only after being racially profiled that I admit to the officers that I am a nurse in order to de-escalate the situation and provide myself with some level of safety and cover. It works. Some of the police officers that I have encountered are married to nurses or have been cared for by nurses. If Philando Castile had pleaded to Jeronimo Yanez that he was a nurse, perhaps he would still be with us.

As the president and the nation as a whole grasp for answers or solutions to the growing divide between law enforcement and communities of color, I cant help but see the lack of conversation or attention being placed in area of emergency medical training for our officers or the lack of medical care delivered after excessive force has been applied. In order to improve in this area, we need to re-envision policing in such a way to stop preventable deaths in the field and nurses can play a vital role.

Nurses are in the business of saving lives. It was hard to watch the video of Philando Castile bleed out and being unattended to, gasping. When in the hospital, nurses gut instinct is to apply a pressure dressing to wounds, start massive blood transfusions and start CPR.

It was equally difficult to watch videos of Eric Garners pleas of I cant breathe because for nurses, securing airway is critical. According to reports, the NYPD officers at the scene did not perform CPR on Garner because they believed that Garner was breathing. If police are vested with the authority to use lethal force, they should also be adequately trained in resuscitating life beyond basic life support. If this is beyond their scope, nurses with backgrounds in trauma and critical care should round with police acting as support for officers who may not know they are choking the life out of someone or that a patient has lost a pulse or is no longer spontaneously breathing.

Another clear example of a need for clinical expertise in the field is on July 20, another unarmed black man and caregiver, Charles Kinsey was shot by North Miami police while he was trying to redirect his autistic patient in the middle of the street. He lay on is back with his hands in the air and pleaded with officers that he was a therapist. They still shot him. After being shot, he was handcuffed and flipped over while bleeding. No medical aid was provided at the time. This is another example where a nurse could have intervened and could discern this was an autistic child and corroborated Kinseys statement that he was a therapist with a few simple questions. And may have prevented the shooting or at the very least provided emergency triage at the scene.

Creating new models of care and public safety delivery that ensures both our men and women in uniform and community are both safe need to be explored. Nurses provide that caring bridge to every stripe, and I have no doubt that my colleagues would applied the same measure of quality care to any victim whether a police officer, suspect or bystander.

Jason Lee is a surgical trauma and neurocritical care nurse.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
One Laredoan says he was censored, and not allowed to speak at Monday night's City Council meeting.

Veteran Gabriel Lopez says he had signed up to speak about an item at the meeting, but was banned.

However, the city says Lopez signed up for a particular item that was not up next for discussion, and led to an outburst by Lopez inside Council Chambers.

Lopez claims this is not the case, and that he was censored from speaking because of personal matters between him and other city leaders.

"They can allow anybody who wants to speak, no matter what they think," Lopez said. "They have the right to choose and select who is going to speak against them. They forget this is a constitution. This is a democracy. And they forget that we elect these people."

In our later newscasts, we talk to a City of Laredo official about the allegations, and what they said happened during the City Council meeting.
It's an experience that over 100,000 visitors to the city have enjoyed in just under two years and figures for the last few months show a further 20% increase in people entering the Smithwicks Experience on Parliament Street, Kilkenny.

On Wednesday afternoon, the 100,000th person passed through the famous arched Smithwicks gates located at The Ring, down the cobbled walkway off Parliament Street.

Those on the tour included a family from Florida, a group from Japan, a couple from Germany and a number of Canadians.

We thought it was superb and really educational and fun, Tom Trait from Kissimmee, Florida said.

He has Irish grandparents and said that it was a definite highlight of his family's trip to Ireland.

He was delighted to be in the group going through the attraction that included the 100,000 visitor.

Mark McGovern, manager of Smithwicks Experience has been involved since day one of the project and is thrilled with the numbers and the fact that it is already ranked No 2 on TripAdvisor for Kilkenny's favourite attractions.

We couldn't be happier with the mix of home and overseas visitors and in particular with the continued increase in the number of US visitors, he said.

The feedback is terrific and it is a great success for us and for the city,  he added.

Facts

l Over 100,000 visitors since opening in late summer 2014

l Welcomed over 30 nationalities through the gates

l Breakdown of visitors - 70% international and 30% domestic

l Biggest markets to the visitor centre Ireland, USA, Germany, France, Canada, UK, Australia, other European markets

l Visitor numbers this summer are up 20%.

l Listed last year in New in Travel, the top 26 hottest new attractions in the world to visit by The Lonely Planet

l August 2016 was the busiest month since the visitor centre opened.

l Included in the list of attractions that are on the recently launched Medieval Mile pass.

l Savour Kilkenny has an at Smithwicks Experience this October bank holiday weekend
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A grim County Kilkenny industrial school partly inspired an ebook just published, entitled Escape from Grievous Faults.

St Josephs Orphanage on the Waterford road was one of the most fearsome institutions in its day, where inmates were routinely beaten and abused. The Ryan Report (2009) in its conclusions stated that children at St Joseph's "...were severely physically punished and treated unsympathetically by some of the care staff, which continued into later years. Even when complaints were made, no action was taken by management to protect the children..."

Residents of St Joseph's lived in a constant state of fear, never knowing when or where the next beating was coming from. And sexual abuse also shamed the institution.

Apart from the perpetrators, others who could stopped the abuse did nothing or claimed not to know what was happening at St Joseph's. This type of cover-up features prominently in the novel.

In the novel, the same terrifying atmosphere recalled by former residents of St Joseph's prevails in "Grievous Faults" industrial school, from which a number of boys plan to escape.

Escape from Grievous Faults is a novel inspired by real events, real people, and real places in mid 20th century Ireland. The characters, however, are fictional and some place names have been changed for legal reasons.

It tells the story of a boy who is sent to an Irish Gulag... a terrifying institution run by men in black to whom the inmates are somewhat less than human and whose overriding duty is to punis without mercy.

To eleven year old Joey McLaughlin, sentenced to seven years confinement in Grievous Faults Industrial School (for robbing apples), his new home is a place of horrors. He likens it to an alien setting of the kind his comic book heroes found upon arriving on a strange and terrifying planet in a different universe

A sub plot of the novel (which eventually links up with the main plot) focuses on an IRA man dedicated to ending what he perceives as the occupation of the northern six counties by the British even as Southern Ireland wrestles with a different kind of tyranny. His sisters incarceration in a Magdalene Laundry puts a dampener on his armed struggle to bring the North back into the fold.

Three years of research, commencing in 2009, and almost two years of writing, went into this novel, not including the months of editing and revising that followed.

Many of the minor characters are based on people referred to under pseudonyms in the 2009 Ryan Report on Industrial Schools in Ireland.

Each fictional Brother is a creation incorporating character traits and/or psychological profiles of these real life men and women.

Escape from Grievous Faults is available as an ebook from Amazon.

Price: 2.31 Sterling or equivalent in other currencies.

Here is a link to the ebook on Amazon, where the opening chapters can be read freely:

https://www.amazon. co.uk/Escape-Grievous-Faults-John-Fitzgerald-ebook/dp/B01I8K4ECI
In remembrance and in recognition of the momentous events of Easter 1916, Kilcumney Players will present VOICES OF 1916 in Ionad Dara, Goresbridge on Saturday next, September 10 at 8:30pm.

Voices of 1916 is largely based on eye witness accounts of the Easter Rising in 1916 in Dublin. The Bureau of Military History (BMH) was set up to record the memories of eye witnesses of the pivotal period in Irish history from 1913 to 1921. The accounts on which the play is based were given by survivors during the 1940's and 1950's but were not released until 2003 after the last witness had died.

Thousands of accounts from that period can be accessed on the BMH website and some of those accounts are used in this play.

This year in 2016, Kilcumney Players are privileged to present this play to commemorate the momentous events of Easter 1916 in Dublin-the events that were pivotal in the formation of the Ireland of today. Voices of 1916 brings us back to that historic week in April 1916 and we hear those events retold by men, women and children who were participants and eye-witnesses. The play also includes songs and poems from the 1916 era.

Founded in 1997

The theatre group that is now Kilcumney Players came about in 1997 as part of the 1798 commemorative programme in the Goresbridge and Borris area.

At that time, there was no further plan than staging Beyond the Telling, a play by Rebecca Bartlett, as part of the bicentennial commemorations in 1998. About 30 people were involved in the staging of that first play and its success prompted that original group to continue with further productions almost every year since.

Cast Members

The cast members are Joe Meaney, Yvonne Devitor, Ciara Murphy, John Whitely, Paul Behan and Elizabeth Keyes. They are joined by 4 new young members-Niamh ONeill, Leann Wall, Emma Blake and Josh Barcoe. Kilcumney Players are delighted to welcome these new members to the group and to have the opportunity to nurture young talent.

The play takes the audience back to the combat sites of 1916, particularly to the General Post Office which was the rebel headquarters. The story of the Rising is told day by day-from Easter Sunday, through the combat of Easter Week to the surrender and the executions and aftermath. All the words come from the accounts given by participants and eye-witnesses who were present at the events so there is a real sense of immediacy and reality in the play.

The backstage and production team includes Finousa Hanlon, Tim Carr, Ann Lennon, Eoin Murphy, Maeubh Brennan, Gerry Kavanagh, Jim Hanlon and Mary Meaney.

Voices of 1916 will be staged this weekend on Saturday evening, 10th September at 8:30pm in Ionad Dara, Goresbridge. Tickets are 5 and doors open at 8pm.
Good news for customers who occasionally overdraw their checking accounts: More banks are cutting you some slack. Capital One and several online banks already offer free overdraft transfers (see Best of the Online Banks). Now, Chase is dropping its $10 fee to transfer money automatically from a linked savings account to checking to cover an overdraft. And instead of transferring money in $50 increments, the bank now pulls the exact amount thats needed. Chase is also eliminating credit cards as a backstop to cover overdrafts. (Credit card overdraft transfers typically trigger cash-advance fees.)

Some banks still levy transfer feesas much as $15 per transfer. Banks may also offer the pricier option of overdraft protection to cover most overdrawn ATM and debit card transactions. Chase charges $34 for its service, and the median fee is $30 per overdraft, according to research firm Moebs Services. Even credit unions have raised their median overdraft fee to $29 in the past six years, Moebs found.

As another source of backup, some institutions provide qualifying customers with an inexpensive line of credit from which the bank borrows if their checking account goes into the red. If you use a credit line with the online Capital One 360 checking account, for example, and overdraw by $50, youll owe about 2 cents per day at the recent 11.5% annual percentage rate until you pay back the $50. But not all banks are as generous. TD Bank, for example, charges a $25 annual fee, plus $10 for each day that it taps a line of credit.

Subscribe to Kiplingers Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. Save up to 74% Sign up for Kiplingers Free E-Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplingers expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail. Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplingers expert advice - straight to your e-mail. Sign up

If you dont have any kind of overdraft protection and present your debit card, it will be rejected at the register. But if you write checks returned for insufficient funds, you could still be hit with bounced-check fees.
Small creeks turn into torrential rivers: This happened in June 2016 in many parts in Germany or, as shown on the above photo, in Pfinztal near Karlsruhe in 2013. (Photo: Gabi Zachmann, KIT)

Will extreme weather events, such as the strong rainfalls and associated floodings in May and June 2016, become more frequent? Are they related to global warming? How can models help better understand regional impacts of climate change and develop strategies for adaptation? These and similar questions have been dealt with by science, municipalities, and insurance companies for many years now. They will also be discussed at the 6th REKLIM Regional Conference Klimawandel in Regionen (Climate change in regions) that will take place on October 5, 2016, 9.30 hrs, at the Gartensaal of Karlsruhe Palace. The conference is organized by researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The interested public is cordially invited.

The spectrum of contributions by scientists working in the research alliance Regionale Klimaanderungen (REKLIM, regional climate changes) of the Helmholtz Association as well as by representatives of insurance companies and municipalities will extend from fundamentals of climate modeling to adaptation to climate change.

The conference will focus on challenges of climate modeling and extreme events. Regional climate models are of enormous importance to the question whether extreme weather events, such as strong rainfalls or storms, become more frequent or even stronger. The information derived is not only relevant to forecasts and protection, but also to the development of strategies for adaptation to climate change. These strategies have to be tailored individually to every region, the scientific coordinators of the conference, Professor Peter Braesicke and PD Dr. Michael Kunz, KIT, explain.

One of the contributions in the session on extreme events (from 1.30 p.m.) will focus on why it cannot simply be concluded that global warming means more extreme weather events. Other contributions will deal with the risks of disasters from the point of view of an insurance and reinsurance company, on the strategy of the city of Karlsruhe for adaptation to climate change, and on extreme events and disasters in the history of Baden-Wurttemberg. The session on challenges of climate modeling (from 11.15 a.m.) will cover the accuracy of model forecasts as well as the modeling of climate-relevant trace gases and the value added of regional climate modeling.

Anpassung an den Klimawandel  was sind die Anforderungen der Praxis und was kann die Klimaforschung leisten? (Adaptation to climate change  what are the requirements of practice and what can climate research do): These are the questions covered by the panel discussion of representatives of public administration, nature protection organizations, municipalities, insurance companies, and science at 3 p.m..

The conference will start at 9.30 a.m.: Professor Oliver Kraft, Vice President for Research, Helmfried Meinel, Head of Department of the Baden-Wurttemberg Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, and the Energy Sector, and Klaus Stapf, Mayor of the City of Karlsruhe, will open the conference.

The 6th REKLIM Regional Conference will be closed by the KIT Climate Lecture: Sozialwissenschaftliche Kontextualisierung der Klimaforschung (social science context of climate research) at 6.15 p.m., by Professor Hans von Storch, climate researcher and meteorologist from Hamburg.

For the complete program, further information, and registration, click: http://www.reklim.de/konferenz-2016

The conference language is German.

About REKLIM

The Helmholtz Climate Initiative REKLIM (Regional climate change) is a consortium of nine research centers of the Helmholtz Association established in 2009. REKLIM uses the competences pooled in the Helmholtz Association for regional observations and process studies coupled with model simulations to improve regional and global climate models, which provide a solid basis for climate-related decision support.

More information: www.reklim.de

More about the KIT Climate and Environment Center: http://www.klima-umwelt.kit.edu/english.

Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
By Tatiana Bautzer

SAO PAULO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Brasil Pharma SA isclose to selling two units for about 1.2 billion reais ($375million) as the nation's No. 3 drugstore chain shrinks furtherto cut debt, two people with direct knowledge of thetransactions said.

BR Pharma will first sell Drogaria Rosario Distrital towholesale pharmacy firm Profarma Distribuidora de ProdutosFarmaceuticos SA , according to the sources. The sale,which could fetch about 200 million reais, is expected to beclosed in the coming days, they added.

BR Pharma will then dispose of Drogarias Big Ben for 1billion reais, said the sources, who asked not to be identifiedas the deal is still in the works. The buyer will be industrialand services group Ultrapar Participacoes SA's drugstore chain arm, the people said, without giving a timetablefor an announcement.

Sao Paulo-based BR Pharma, which is backed by the buyout armof investment bank Grupo BTG Pactual SA , did nothave an initial comment, just as Ultrapar and Rio deJaneiro-based Profarma.

Created as a vehicle to consolidate the purchases of theMais Economica, Rosario, Farmais, Sant'Anna and Big Ben chains,BR Pharma has grappled with integration problems, shareholderdisputes, high debt and rising competition.

The process of dismantling BR Pharma gained traction lastNovember, when BTG Pactual was hit with massive client fundwithdrawals in the wake of a scandal, leaving the bank short offunds to pour into the drugstore chain operator. BTG Pactual, Latin America's largest independent investmentbank, engineered the sale of money-losing chain Mais Economicato a group of local investors for $12 million a few months ago. Shares in BR Pharma, which sank an average 70 percentbetween 2013 and 2015, have doubled this year on speculationover the planned asset sales. In the past three months days, thestock rose 158 percent.

Big Ben, which contributes about 40 percent to annualrevenue at BR Pharma, has some 150 stores in Brazil's northernand northeastern regions, while Rosario has about 130 storeslocated across Brazil's midwestern region.($1 = 3.1960 Brazilian reais)

(Editing by Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Jeffrey Benkoe)
SHANGHAI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - China's Ministry of Financeauctioned 31 billion yuan of one-year bonds and 38 billion yuanof 10-year bonds in the interbank market on Wednesday at averageyields of 2.1108 percent and 2.7523 percent, respectively,traders said.

For one-year bonds, market forecasts had centred around 2.09percent and ranged from 2.05 percent to 2.20 percent.

The auction yield came in below Tuesday's benchmarksecondary market yield of 2.1359 percent for one-year governmentbonds .

For 10-year bonds, market forecasts had centred around 2.76percent and ranged from 2.70 percent to 2.81 percent.

The auction yield came in below Tuesday's benchmarksecondary market yield of 2.7628 percent for ten-year governmentbonds .

For stories on Chinese debt issues, click on .

(Reporting By the Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Sunil Nair)
Fed's Williams says not worried that yield curve points to recession

RENO, Nev., Sept 6 (Reuters) - San Francisco Fed PresidentJohn Williams said Tuesday he does not worry about a flat orinverted U.S. Treasury yield curve signaling that a recession islooming. "A lot of what we are seeing is about what is happeningglobally, not specifically about the U.S," Williams said after aspeech in Reno, Nev., referring to the fact that long-termyields are much higher than short-term yields. A yield curve issaid to be inverted when long-term rates dip below short-termyields. He said he expects the Fed to raise rates gradually overthe next several years.

(Reporting by Ann Saphir; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. kitco news
Fed's Williams sees 'unsustainable tension' on pot-related banking



RENO, Nev., Sept 6 (Reuters) - As more and more stateslegalize the use of marijuana, which is banned under U.S.federal laws, banks are facing "unsustainable tension" thatneeds to be resolved by Congress, San Francisco Fed PresidentJohn Williams said on Tuesday. "This is a big issue for this country," Williams said aftera speech to The Hayek Group in Reno, Nev., where voters willdecide whether to legalize some uses of marijuana this November.Pot-related businesses don't have access to the same bank-runelectronic payment systems that are increasingly makingtransactions safer for most other U.S. businesses, he said.

(Reporting by Ann Saphir; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

kitco news
HANOI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchangerates in the official market and indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi at 0110GMT.

Sept 7 Sept 6 USD/VND mid-point 21,917 21,922

USD/VND interbank 22,298/22,300 22,298/22,300 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.15/36.41 36.13/36.39

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting themid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in aband of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by aband. Interbank quotes are indicative bid/ask prices.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold pricesare quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co, the gold manufacturer.

Interbank offered rates are indicative, quoted from market sources.

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
(Adds comment from Chipotle)

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

BOSTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Activist investor WilliamAckman's hedge fund took a 9.9 percent stake in fast-casualMexican food chain Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc , buying inafter the once high-flying company was battered by food-safetyissues.

The billionaire manager said in a regulatory filing late onTuesday that the company's shares, which closed at $414.07 onTuesday, were undervalued and that he would be speaking withmanagement. The share price jumped more than 5 percent inafter-market trade on news that Ackman owned 2.9 million shares.

Chipotle said that the company had learned of PershingSquare's acquisition of its shares only on Tuesday and welcomedtheir investment, and appreciated the confidence they hadexpressed in Chipotle.

Chipotle was tied to E. coli, salmonella and norovirusoutbreaks last year and its shares tumbled 42 percent over thelast 52 weeks. And in July, Mark Crumpacker, its chief creativeand development officer, was arraigned on charges of possessionof cocaine. The company put him on leave.

Chipotle marks the first addition to Pershing Square CapitalManagement's highly concentrated portfolio in nearly a year andat a time the firm is still deep in the red after years ofwinning performance. A spokesman for Ackman declined to commentbeyond the firm's filing.

The investment in Chipotle puts the company squarely intothe path of one of the industry's most powerful investors whohas often handpicked chief executive officers and joinedcorporate boards to try and guide turnarounds. Chipotle was notimmediately available for comment.

Last month Pershing Square, which oversees $12 billion forpension funds and other wealthy investors, sold off theremainder of its investment in railway Canadian Pacific ,freeing up some $1.5 billion.

With Chipotle, Ackman wades back into the fast-food sectorwhere he has previously made successful bets on Burger King andMcDonalds and is currently invested in Restaurant BrandsInternational , a fast-food chain operator.

At Chipotle he confronts a board that has come under firefor having served too long and being too chummy with topmanagement. Ackman is no stranger to shaking up boards andalready has company in the form of CtW Investment Group, whichpublished a letter earlier this year criticizing director tenureand other matters.

Ackman resigned from the board of Canadian Pacific onTuesday and sits on the boards of Howard Hughes andValeant .

Chipotle's biggest investors are mutual funds Fidelity andVanguard and it is not widely owned by many hedge funds. Buthedge funds have had their eye on the company before.

Four years ago David Einhorn, who runs Greenlight Capitaland is widely followed, sent the company's shares tumbling aftersaying he thought they were overvalued.

Ackman is under pressure to perform with his investment. HisPershing Square Holding fund is off 14.3 percent for the year,posting one of the biggest losses in the industry. While thefund gained 5.8 percent in August and has made up ground sinceMarch when it was down 25.6 percent, investors and analysts arestill concerned about how Ackman plans to recover from adebilitating investment in Valeant Pharmaceuticals ,whose share price has tumbled 87 percent in the last 52 weeks.Ackman's average annual return is still 12 percent, one of thebest records in the business.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Additional reporting byGayathree Ganesan; Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Bernard Orr andAndrew Hay)
(Kitco News) -The $5 trillion gold market is becoming a lot more competitive with the protagonists behind Michael Lewis blockbuster book Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt, announcing that it is working on developing an electronic gold exchange.

In an exclusive story from Reuters, IEX Group said Tuesday that it is planning to launch the new exchange through a spinoff company TradeWind Markets. Matt Harris, a board member of the new venture and managing director at Bain Capital, told Reuters that through a digital exchange, they are hoping to increase transparency in the gold market, which is often criticized for opaqueness.

Its too slow, its opaque as to who owns what and when along the way, and theres lots of room for error that requires manual reconciliation, Harris said. A system that was instantly self-reconciling and 100 percent transparent would solve a lot of problems.

Harris said, the new company is looking increase the markets efficiency by incorporating elements of blockchain technology, which is a public ledger system that can be used to automatically process and settle transactions.

According to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, TradeWind Markets has already raised $9 million. Quoting an unnamed source, Reuters reported that the funding came from IEX and Sprott Inc., a Canadian investment firm that specializes in physical bullion. Sprott manages about $7.4 billion in assets.

No date has been set for the launch of this potential new gold exchange.

The article also said that IEX is planning to leverage some of its technology used when creating its own equity markets.

Flash Boys Slow Down Equity Markets

IEX made history Aug. 19 when, after receiving approval from the SEC, launched an equities exchange that incorporated a speed-bump, a 350 millionths of a second delay for all trades. Although the delay is faster than a blink of an eye, it is enough to throw off systems that rely on high-frequency trading algorithms that have been criticized for front running average investors.

IEX was one of the biggest alternative trading systems  coined darkpools in financial markets  for more than two years before receiving SEC approval to become an official exchange.

While IEX is the latest company to make a play for the gold market, it isnt the first.

In early August, the London Metals Exchange said that it was launching a spot and futures gold market. The company said that it is working on developing the exchange with the World Gold Council and five major banks to act as market makers: Goldman Sachs ICBC Standard Bank, Morgan Stanley, Natixis and Societe Generale.

By Neils Christensen of Kitco News; nchristensen@kitco.com

Follow @Neils_C
LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Banks have not yet decided tomove operations from Britain to the European Union after the UKleaves the bloc, a top banking industry official said onWednesday.

"There is optionality in waiting. There is a 'wait and see'at the moment," Anthony Browne, chief executive of the BritishBankers' Association told a House of Lords committee.

"What we would like ... is to have as full bilateral accessto the European market as close as possible to what we have atthe moment," Browne said.

The "red line" for banks is being able to contiue servingcustomers across Europe and not putting that at risk, Brownesaid.

(Reporting by Huw Jones, Editing by Kylie MacLellan)
FRANKFURT, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank willsoon unveil proposed guidelines for banks to work down theirpile of bad debt but expects the process for reducingnon-performing loans to be lengthy, ECB bank supervisor DanieleNouy said on Wednesday.

"ECB Banking Supervision will shortly launch a consultationon guidance for banks on dealing with their non-performingloans," Nouy told a conference in Bratislava on Wednesday. "Theguidance provides recommendations to banks and sets out a numberof best practices we have identified."

"The guidance constitutes the ECB's supervisory expectationsand serves as a basis for supervisors to evaluate how bankshandle NPLs," she added.

(Reporting by Balazs Koranyi)
MEXICO CITY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Mexico's currency weakenedon Wednesday, slipping back from its strongest level in 1-1/2weeks as investors waited for the government to deliver the 2017budget after news of the replacement of the finance minister.

President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday named Jose AntonioMeade as the country's new finance minister, replacing LuisVidegaray. Analysts said the peso was little moved by the news, sinceMeade, a former finance minister, is seen by investors as atechnocrat committed to reining in the country's debt.

The peso fell 0.55 percent to close at 18.374 perdollar. It was the biggest daily loss since late August whenLatin American investors worried about the prospect of animminent rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

When he unveils the budget on Thursday, Meade is expected tomake deep spending cuts after ratings agency Standard & Poor'slast month said it could downgrade the country's credit ratingfollowing a marked increase in debt. Mexico's economy contracted in the second quarter for thefirst time in three years. Meade assumed the position on Wednesday following criticismof Pena Nieto and Videgaray over a controversial visit by U.S.presidential candidate Donald Trump to Mexico.

In Brazil, financial markets were closed due to thecountry's Independence Day holiday. Markets there will resumeregular trading on Thursday.

(Reporting by Natalie Schachar, editing by G Crosse)
Fitch Rates People's Leasing's Senior Debt 'AA-(lka)(EXP)'



(The following statement was released by the rating agency) COLOMBO, September 07 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has assigned People's Leasing &Finance PLC's (PLC, AA-(lka)/Stable) proposed senior debenture issue of up toLKR8bn an expected National Long-Term Rating of 'AA-(lka)(EXP)'. The debentures, which will have tenors of three, four and five years and carryfixed coupons, will be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. PLC expects to usethe proceeds for working capital purposes and to reduce maturity mismatches. The final rating is subject to the receipt of final documentation conforming toinformation already received. KEY RATING DRIVERS The proposed debenture is rated in line with PLC's National Long-Term Rating of'AA-(lka)', as the issue is expected to rank equally with claims of thecompany's other senior unsecured creditors. PLC's Issuer Default Rating and National Long-Term Rating reflect Fitch's viewthat PLC's parent, the state-owned and systemically important People's Bank (SriLanka) (AA+(lka)/Stable) would provide extraordinary support to PLC, ifrequired. People's Bank's propensity to support PLC stems from its75%-shareholding in PLC, common brand and PLC's position as the bank's"strategic subsidiary". PLC accounted for 29.6% of People's Bank's consolidated post-tax profits and9.9% of total assets at end-March 2016. PLC has 110 window offices withinPeople's Bank branches in addition to its own branches. The parent's ability toprovide support to PLC is, however, limited, as reflected in Sri Lanka's ratingof B+. The National Long-Term Rating of People's Bank reflects Fitch'sexpectation of extraordinary support from the sovereign. RATING SENSITIVITIES The ratings on the proposed debentures will move in tandem with PLC's NationalLong-Term Rating. A full list of PLC's ratings follows: Long-Term Foreign-Currency IDR at 'B'; Outlook Negative Long-Term Local-Currency IDR at 'B'; Outlook Negative National Long-Term Rating at 'AA-(lka)'; Outlook Stable National Long-Term Rating for senior unsecured debt at 'AA-(lka)' Proposed senior debentures assigned at 'AA-(lka)(EXP)' Contact: Primary Analyst Jeewanthi Malagala, CFA Analyst +941 1254 1900 Fitch Ratings Lanka Ltd. 15-04, East Tower, World Trade Centre Colombo 1, Sri Lanka Secondary Analyst Rukshana Thalgodapitiya, CFA Vice President +941 1254 1900 Committee Chairperson Sabine Bauer Senior Director +852 2263 9966 Date of Relevant Rating Committee: 29 July 2016 Media Relations: Bindu Menon, Mumbai, Tel: +91 22 4000 1727, Email:bindu.menon@fitchratings.com. People's Bank has a 1.79% equity stake in Fitch Ratings Lanka Ltd. Noshareholder other than Fitch, Inc. is involved in the day-to-day ratingoperations of, or credit reviews undertaken by, Fitch Ratings Lanka Ltd. Note to editors: Fitch's National ratings provide a relative measure ofcreditworthiness for rated entities in countries with relatively lowinternational sovereign ratings and where there is demand for such ratings. Thebest risk within a country is rated 'AAA' and other credits are rated onlyrelative to this risk. National ratings are designed for use mainly by localinvestors in local markets and are signified by the addition of an identifierfor the country concerned, such as 'AAA(lka)' for National ratings in Sri Lanka.Specific letter grades are not therefore internationally comparable. Additional information is available on Applicable Criteria Global Bank Rating Criteria (pub. 15 Jul 2016) Global Non-Bank Financial Institutions Rating Criteria (pub. 15 Jul 2016) National Scale Ratings Criteria (pub. 30 Oct 2013) Additional Disclosures Solicitation Status Endorsement Policy ail=31 ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS.PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: . IN ADDITION, RATINGDEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'SPUBLIC WEBSITE ' '. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA ANDMETHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OFCONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCEAND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OFCONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLESERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THISSERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTEREDENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCHWEBSITE.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

kitco news
BUDAPEST, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Hungary posted a budget surplusof 190.8 billion forints ($694.27 million) in August after a62.7 billion forint shortfall in July, the Economy Ministry saidon Wednesday.

In August last year, the budget ran a deficit of 20.8billion forints. By the end of August, Hungary had accumulated abudget deficit of 274 billion forints, it said, sharply below914.9 billion in the first eight months of last year.

The ministry said the main reason for the difference washigher inflow of European Union funds, as Hungary pre-financed anumber of projects last year.

The ministry said its 2 percent of gross domestic productdeficit target for this year was "safely achievable."($1 = 274.82 forints)

(Reporting by Marton Dunai)
* Saudi posts thinnest volume this year

* Emaar the Economic City jumps on credit facility

* Dubai's Gulf Navigation gains after debt settlement

* But Dubai index falls as profits taken in small caps

* Kuwait's index supported by telecoms and banks

By Celine Aswad

DUBAI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Stock markets in the Gulf declinedon Wednesday as some investors stayed away ahead of marketclosures next week for Eid al-Adha holidays, and after recentgains in oil prices faded.

Riyadh's main index retreated 0.8 percent in thelowest trading volume this year as investors sold sharesindiscriminately, with losers outnumbering gainers 111 to 34.

The petrochemical sub-index fell 0.7 percent withSaudi Basic Industries dropping 1.2 percent. Brentcrude oil , which hit a one-week high of $49.40 a barrelon Monday after Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed to cooperate onstabilising the oil market, has dropped back to $47.18.

A lack of liquidity in the stock market has plagued trade inthe last several weeks, and many portfolio managers believe thiswill remain the case at least until third-quarter corporateearnings are published next month.

"Investors are trying to look for fundamental justificationsto buy but there really aren't any at the moment, and so many ofthem will stay away until September ends," one Jeddah-basedasset manager said.

Emaar the Economic City rose 2.2 percent after itsaid an affiliate had obtained a 2.7 billion riyald ($720million) Islamic loan from banks to finance the second phase ofbuilding King Abdullah Port. Amana Cooperative Insurance climbed 0.6 percentafter the board recommended a 56.3 percent share capitalreduction through a reverse stock split of 1.125 shares forevery two shares held.

Dubai's index pulled back 0.7 percent withinvestors booking profits in small caps. Drake & Scull dropped 1.7 percent.

But Gulf Navigation added 1.7 percent after thecompany said it had signed a new settlement agreement in itslong debt dispute with Nordic American Tankers and that its debtto Nordic American had now been settled fully. It gave nodetails. Abu Dhabi's index edged down 0.2 percent as the mostvaluable company, Etisalat , dropped 0.8 percent.

Declines in blue chips weighed on Qatar's main index ,which fell 0.7 percent. The top loser was Islamic lender MasrafAl Rayan , which lost 2.7 percent, while petrochemicalproducer Industries Qatar dropped 2.3 percent.

But in Kuwait, the telecommunications and banking sectorslifted the main price index by 0.3 percent. Mobileoperator Zain climbed 3.1 percent and Boubyan Bank rose 1.3 percent.

Cairo's main stock index fell 0.7 percent in thelowest daily volume for six weeks. Orascom Telecom , astock favoured by local investors, declined 1.8 percent but PalmHills Development , the most heavily traded share onthe market, rose 0.4 percent.

WEDNESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

SAUDI ARABIA

* The index fell 0.8 percent to 6,139 points.

DUBAI

* The index declined 0.7 percent to 3,518 points.

ABU DHABI

* The index dipped 0.2 percent to 4,507 points.

EGYPT

* The index fell 0.7 percent to 8,146 points.

QATAR

* The index lost 0.7 percent to 10,635 points.

KUWAIT

* The index rose 0.3 percent to 5,413 points.

OMAN

* The index added 0.2 percent to 5,783 points.

BAHRAIN

* The index was flat at 1,128 points.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Emerging markets stocks Frontier stocks Gulf stocks, emerging index ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Editing by Andrew Torchia)
LIMA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The government of Peru wants astate-owned bank to buy gold from artisanal miners in order toreplace a lucrative but shady informal market, Finance MinisterAlfredo Thorne said on Wednesday.

Thorne said the miners would receive a better price fortheir gold and would not have to pay the value added tax rate,giving them incentives to register with the government andcomply with environment and labor laws.

President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, a former investment bankerwho took office on July 28, had previously proposed establishinga "mining bank" to buy the gold. Kuczynski said the bank couldbe controlled in part by private shareholders.

But the government now thinks it would be more appropriatefor a new fund in the state-owned Banco de la Nacion orCorporacion Financiera de Desarrollo SA (Cofide) to buythe gold before it is exported, Thorne said.

"In this way we'll be able to formalize a large part ofartisanal miners that today make up almost 50 percent of thegold production in our country," Thorne said in broadcastcomments to journalists after a presentation in Congress.

Previous government officials have given more conservativeestimates for how much of Peru's gold is produced by small-scaleminers, who use dredges in the Amazon jungle and carve outtunnels in the ice in the Andes mountains to find the metal.

Data from the energy and mines ministry showed thatartisanal miners produced about 13 tonnes of gold, or about 17percent of national output, in the first half of 2016.

But Peru exports more gold than it officially produces everyyear, an indication that ore from illegal mines makes its wayinto the legal supply chain. Peru was the world's sixth biggestgold producer in 2015, according to the energy and minesministry.

The previous government of Ollanta Humala estimated thatillegal miners destroyed more than 50,000 hectares (123,552acres) of rainforest and dumped at least 3,000 tonnes of mercuryinto the Amazon. Officials have also said that illegal mines arealso hotbeds for child labor and human trafficking.

A crackdown on illegal mining during Humala's term promptedtraders to smuggle gold ore to neighboring Bolivia for export.

(Reporting By Mitra Taj; editing by Grant McCool)
(Repeats to additional subscribers with no changes to text)

By Swati Pandey

SYDNEY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Foreign holdings of Australiangovernment fell to their lowest in over five years last quarter,suggesting to analysts that either bond prices or the localdollar will have to weaken to revive appetite.

Official data released on Tuesday on financial flows showednon-residents sold A$2.4 billion ($1.84 billion) of governmentbonds in April-June, the first net sales in three years.

Their total holdings dropped to under 60 percent of thetotal debt outstanding, down from a peak of more than 75 percentin mid-2012.

The premium offered by 10-year Australian CommonwealthGovernment Bonds (ACGBs) over U.S. Treasuries isalready the slimmest in 15 years.

That might be too small to ensure the loyalty of foreignbuyers which the local market has long taken for granted, saidANZ rates strategist Katie Hill. "The data shows that the flow into Australian securities isnot unidirectional," she added. "We continue to expect a declinein foreign holdings as a percentage of the overall stock ofACGBs."

The sell-down comes at a tricky time for the Australiangovernment which needs to borrow ever more money to fund apersistent budget deficit.

The Office of Financial Management (AOFM), the bodyresponsible for managing government debt, is expected to issuebonds worth a total A$90 billion in the year to June 2017.

The sell-off also has implications for the Australian dollar . The Aussie is up more than 5 percent so far this year,thanks in large part to offshore interest in carry trades -where investors borrow at low rates in yen or euros to buyhigher-yielding assets.

If shrinking yield spreads were to threaten that carrytrade, the currency could be in for a tough time.

"With the supply (of bonds) continuing to grow we thinkthere is a limit to how low non-resident ownership of ACGBs cango," Deutsche's macro strategist David Plank said.

"ACGBs will need to cheapen in order to attract increaseddemand. We don't think this cheapening will be via higher ratespreads to other markets, however. We think the needed priceadjustment will occur via a weaker Australian dollar." ($1 = 1.3053 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Swati Pandey; editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
S.African mines minister says talks with industry over mining charter going well



CAPE TOWN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - South Africa's mining ministerMosebenzi Zwane said on Wednesday that talks with industry toreach an out-of-court settlement over a mining charter were"progressing well", but gave no details in a response toparliament. The government wants to enforce a requirement that 26percent of all mining companies be in black hands under theproposed new law. Companies however say they should beconsidered to have met the regulation even when black ownershave sold their shares in the firms.

(Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Writing by Nqobile Dludla; Editingby James Macharia)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

kitco news
FRANKFURT, Sept 7 (Reuters) - IHO Holding, a group ofholding companies indirectly owned by the Schaeffler family,said on Wednesday it would raise 3.3 billion euros ($3.71billion) in a refinancing package to infuse funds intoautomotive supplier Schaeffler's accounts.

The refinancing includes the issuance of 2.5 billion eurosequivalent senior secured PIK toggle notes denominated in eurosand U.S. dollars, IHO said in a statement on Wednesday.

IHO has also signed an 800-million-euro credit agreementwith four international banks including a term loan worth 600million euros and a revolving credit facility of 200 million. It will use the proceeds of the bond issuance to redeem bondstotalling around 1.7 billion euros, to pay redemption costs, andto partially prepay a Schaeffler AG Loan Note worth 674 millioneuros.

Schaeffler separately said it would use funds from theprepayment to prepay outstanding $850 million senior securednotes due 2021.($1 = 0.8884 euros)

(Reporting by Maria Sheahan; Editing by Vyas Mohan)
HANOI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchangerates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices inHanoi and interbank offered rates at 0619 GMT.

Sept 7 Sept 6 USD/VND mid-point 21,917 21,922 USD/VND interbank 22,299/22,300 22,298/22,300 USD/VND unofficial 22,290/22,305 22,290/22,300 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.38/36.66 36.13/36.39

Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.4-1.0 0.6-1.1

1 week 0.5-1.2 0.6-1.2

1 month 1.7-2.4 1.8-2.4

3 months 3.4-4.2 3.4-4.2

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting themid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in aband of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by aband. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quotedfrom market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold pricesare quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
COLOMBO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's benchmark indexended lower in lean trading on Wednesday, dragged by blue chipsto a near one-month closing low, as investors largely stayed onthe sidelines, stockbrokers said.

The benchmark Colombo stock index ended 0.25 percentlower at 6,507.98, its lowest since Aug. 8. The bourse hadfallen 0.2 percent last week, posting its second straight weeklyloss.

Foreign investors, who have sold shares worth net 2.74billion rupees ($18.86 million) so far this year, were netbuyers of shares worth 32.9 million rupees on Wednesday.

Turnover stood at 500.4 million rupees, around two-third ofthis year's daily average of 752.4 million rupees.

"It was a dull day. Today, it was mainly the retail activityand we didn't see aggressive buying or selling in the marketeven though there were opportunities in the market," said YohanSamarakkody, head of research, SC Securities (Pvt) Ltd.

"Market is stagnant and investors are awaiting somedirection."

After the market close, the central bank's weekly treasurybill auction results showed rates fell 23 to 34 basis points.The benchmark 91-day treasury bill rates fell for the first timesince July 8.

Dealers said the reduction in rates will help attractinvestors into stocks.

The fall was led by shares of Sri Lanka Telecom Plc and Distillers Sri Lanka Plc , which fell asmuch as 1.9 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. ($1 = 145.2500 Sri Lankan rupees)

(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez)
LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - A top-30 investor in Germanchemicals and crop pesticides firm Bayer said revisedterms aimed at securing a deal to buy U.S. rival Monsanto were far too generous.

The investor, who declined to be named, said Bayer's revised$127.50 a share offer for Monsanto would respresent a "heavilyoverpaid" takeover, if the controversial deal should proceed.

The investor is one of a number of Bayer investors to flagtheir opposition to the $65 billion-plus tie-up, with thestrategic rationale for a deal and the valuation both calledinto question. However, the investor expressed relief that the revisedoffer on Monday was some distance from the $135-$145 pricetagsome analysts had estimated Bayer could end up paying.

"That seems less likely," the investor said in emailedcomments. "Bayer would need more equity which then would needshareholder approval which would fail."

(Reporting by Simon Jessop, editing by Sinead Cruise)
(Adds more quotes)

BAKU, Sept 7 (Reuters) - British oil major BP expectsflat oil output in Azerbaijan in 2017 and will adhere to an oiloutput freeze, if the Azeri government takes such a decision,the company's regional manager said on Wednesday.

"We can't expect a rise in oil production next year, butexpect that it will remain stable, at the previous level,"Gordon Birrell, head of BP in Azerbaijan, told reporters.

"If the government of Azerbaijan takes a decision on oilfreeze, we will join this decision."

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries andnon-OPEC producers such as Russia are expected to discuss anoutput freeze at informal talks in Algeria on Sept. 26-28 todeal with a supply glut and weak prices.

BP operates three main oilfields in Azerbaijan -Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG). Oil output from these oilfields inthe first half of 2016 rose to 16 million tonnes (655,000barrels per day) from 641,000 bpd in the same period last year,BP-Azerbaijan said on Aug. 23.

Birrell said BP was in talks with the Azeri government onextending the production-sharing agreement at ACG beyond 2024,when the contract expires.

"Talks on the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli are continuing and weare active participants in these negotiations," he said.

He also said BP did not expect oil prices to recover in2016-17.

Azerbaijan gets three-quarters of its revenue from oilexports and the plunge in prices over the past two years has hitit hard.

"It's necessary to achieve an attraction of investments inthe conditions of low oil prices in 2016-2017," Birrell said.

(Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; writing by Margarita Antidze;editing by Susan Thomas)
(Adds comments from CEO and analyst, details, updates shares)

HELSINKI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Finnish investment holdingcompany Sampo has increased its stake in Danishinsurer Topdanmark and wants to lift if further butonly at the right price, its CEO said on Wednesday.

Sampo said in a statement that it had increased its stake inthe insurer to above the 33 percent threshold which under Danishlaw triggers a mandatory takeover offer.

However, Sampo, which has owned a large stake in Topdanmarkfor years, offered no premium in making its mandatory offer,saying it would be ready to increase its ownership but not atany price.

Sampo Chief Executive Kari Stadigh said he did not expectthe takeover offer of 183 Danish crowns ($27) per share toincrease its holding in Topdanmark substantially.

He said Sampo wanted to trigger the offer to clarify itsposition in Topdanmark.

"This improves market liquidity and transparency betweenshareholders," Stadigh told Reuters by phone.

Topdanmark's shares rose 3.5 percent to 188.90 Danishcrowns by 1045 GMT.

Stadigh noted that Sampo's ownership would have breached 33percent next year anyway due to Topdanmark's buy-back programmeand share cancellations, although that event would not havetriggered a mandatory offer.

Analyst Antti Saari at OP Equities said he believed thatSampo may want to take control of Topdanmark in the future.

"I don't see many investors taking up this offer. But nowthat the offer is done, Sampo has free hands to buy more sharesat market price in the future."

Stadigh said the offered price would mark a price ceilingfor Sampo.

"If we were to buy at a higher price during the offerperiod, we would have to offer that price to everyone."

Sampo also owns Finnish property and casualty insurer If, arival to Topdanmark, and more than a fifth of shares in Nordea , the Nordic region's biggest bank. ($1 = 6.6209 Danish crowns)

(Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl and Tuomas Forsell; Editing byTerje Solsvik and Susan Fenton)
(Adds details, context)

By Gayatri Suroyo

JAKARTA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Indonesia's central bankgovernor said on Wednesday the government's flagship tax amnestyprogramme would likely yield only a fraction of what wastargeted, which could cause the fiscal deficit to swell further.

Indonesia's government launched the 9-month tax amnestyprogramme in July, offering low penalty rates for taxpayers whodeclare untaxed assets at home and abroad by March 2017.

The programme was aimed to broaden the country's low taxbase, attract home assets hidden offshore as well as contain aballooning budget deficit.

The government is relying on amnesty revenue, expected at165 trillion rupiah ($12.6 billion) in 2016, to help keep budgetdeficit from breaching the legal limit of 3 percent of GDP thisyear. The latest 2016 deficit estimate was 2.5 percent. But Bank Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardojo toldparliament the central bank's baseline model for the amnestyprogramme points to merely 18 trillion rupiah of revenue in 2016- only 11 percent of target - and an additional 3 trillionrupiah in 2017.

Assets repatriated home under the amnesty would probablyamount to just $13.8 billion, he said.

The central bank was more optimistic back in April, whenMartowardojo said the amnesty would attrack home about $42billion. The Finance Ministry was even more bullish, giving aprojection of $76.5 billion worth of money to be repatriatedunder the programme.

"We're being conservative about our outlook based on thelatest development of the tax amnesty," Martowardojo said,citing that 1-1/2 months after its launch, the government'samnesty revenue was less than 4 percent of target.

Meanwhile, markets were already excited by the prospect ofwealth coming home to Indonesia. The Jakarta stock index hasrise more than 10 percent since parliament approved the amnestyprogramme.

Some companies have also prepared to upsize their bond salesthis year to absorb returning funds, while property firms havetailored their marketing to specifically target amnestyparticipants. Despite the central bank's comment, the governmentmaintained its positive tone about the amnesty. "To me, the taxamnesty programme is not like that," said Ken Dwijugiastead, thehead of Indonesia's tax office. ($1 = 13,080.00 rupiah)

(Reporting by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Alison Williams)
(Adds economist's comments)

MILAN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The Bank of Italy's liabilitieswith other euro zone central banks rose to a record high inAugust, pointing to waning foreign appetite for Italian assetsas its commercial banks wrestle with problem loans ahead of aconstitutional referendum.

Liabilities within the Target 2 system that settlescross-border payments in the euro zone - a sign of possiblefinancial stress - rose to 327 billion euros ($368 billion), thecentral bank said on Wednesday.

Seasonal factors can also affect the balance, and UniCrediteconomist Loredana Federico said the customary cancellation ofItaly's mid-August bond auction had probably played a role asforeign investors moved cash from Italian debt redemptionselsewhere.

But the 38 billion euro widening of liabilities inJuly-August, to above the levels of four years ago at the heightof the euro zone debt crisis, may also signal a drop-off indemand for Italian assets following June's Brexit vote inBritain and before a Italian referendum in the autumn.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has staked his political futureon the referendum, which will put to the vote a stronglycontested plan for constitutional reform.

Fears of political instability have affected in particularItalian banks, already struggling to manage problem credits thathave risen to nearly one-fifth of their loanbooks and whoseshares have on average lost nearly half of theirvalue this year.

"Italian banks are perceived by the investors as the mainmechanism of transmission of a potential political andmacroeconomic crisis," Credit Suisse wrote in a recent note.

The Bank of Italy said in July the increase in its Target 2position was driven by foreigners selling Italian assets,especially bonds, and Italians buying foreign assets, movementswhich were only partially offset by Italian banks raising morefunds on international markets.

Italian lenders have increasingly replaced internationalfunding with central bank liquidity, taking advantage of theECB's quantitative easing programme, the Bank of Italy said.

UniCredit's Federico also pointed to investment returns inItalian bonds, driven to record lows by ultra-loose monetarypolicies.

"(Italian) investors are turning to higher-yielding foreignassets or buying funds" managed abroad by Italian assetmanagers, she said.

($1 = 0.8897 euros)

(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari and Valentina Za, editing byJohn Stonestreet)
JOHANNESBURG, Sept 7 (Reuters) - A nephew of South AfricanPresident Jacob Zuma will pay 23 million rand ($1.65 million) tothe liquidators of a gold mining company after a court last yearruled he and other directors stripped the company of assets,leaving thousands of workers jobless and destitute.

Khulubuse Zuma and a grandson of South Africa'santi-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela were found by a judge to haveacted in a reckless and fraudulent manner when they stripped theassets of two mines operated by their company Aurora.

Judge Eberhard Bertelsmann ordered the directors andassociates involved in Aurora Empowerment Systems to payshareholders and liquidators 1.7 billion rand ($121million)compensation for their role in the demise of theoperations.

Trade union Solidarity said on Wednesday that Khulubuse Zumaagreed to pay 23 million rand in damages in the High Court inPretoria in a deal that was struck last week.

"He came forward and said I can only pay 23 million rand ...But if it is found he has the means to pay more, he could beliable for more," Solidarity General Secretary Gideon du Plessistold Reuters.

He said that after 5 million rand is paid for the legal feesof the liquidators, most of the balance will go to the miners.Solidarity has been a party to the proceedings because it hasbeen representing 180 of its members.

"Zuma has already made the first payment of 5 million randand he has to pay a further 500,000 rand by the end of the day,"Solidarity said in a statement. Zuma will subsequently makemonthly payments until the full 23 million rand is paid.

Aurora was appointed in 2009 to manage two gold mines nearJohannesburg after the Pamodzi Gold company which ran them wentinto liquidation.

But it did not have the capital to keep the mines runningand the operations ground to a halt, with assets removed.

Aurora's acquisition of the mines was held up in the mediaas an example of how well-connected members of the politicalelite get preferential treatment in Africa's most industrialisedeconomy, especially under Zuma's presidency.

Mandela's grandson Zondwa Mandela, another former Auroradirector and other people involved with the company will facesequestration proceedings at a later date, where their assetscould be taken and sold, Solidarity said.

Lawyers representing Zuma and Mandela could not immediatelybe reached for comment. ($1 = 14.0100 rand)

(Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
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A dear friend scolded me on Facebook for not letting people know that I'm an immigration lawyer with a "vested interest" in immigration policy, before writing anything on the topic. Actually, I think I've been pretty open about what I do from 9-5. But, in the interest of full disclosure and Facebook harmony, here it is again:

I have practiced immigration law full time for over 20 years. I have represented battered women from El Salvador, political prisoners from Albania, human rights activists from Kenya, Olympic gymnasts from Slovakia, research scientists from Ukraine, world-renowned chefs from Italy, ballroom dancers from the Czech Republic and construction workers from Ecuador, Mexico, Romania and places I've forgotten. I've gotten visas for countless couples who found passports to be irrelevant when they fell in love, obtained lawful status for evangelical lay ministers from Guatemala who promised me God would reward me, canceled out the deportations of mothers from Mali who had been genitally mutilated and were afraid the same fate would befall their daughters. And, yes, I've had a few clients who racked up DUIs, or committed misdemeanor shoplifting offenses, or lied about being U.S. citizens so they could escape a civil war in West Africa. So, yes, I do have a dog in this fight.

Now, can we talk?

I approached Donald Trump's speech Wednesday night with anticipation, hope and trepidation. I was willing to keep an open mind about a topic that, next to abortion rights and religious freedom, is the most important issue for me in this campaign.

To say I was disappointed is an understatement along the level of "Houston, we have a problem."

I listened politely as the Republican presidential nominee spoke about building his wall, and understood that this was an appealing concept to many who are troubled by the fluidity of our borders. As he discussed the modalities that would be used to build that wall I realized that his use of this concept was much more symbolic than anything else. "Build a wall" has been an effective slogan over the years for many conservative opponents of immigration. The idea that we can build a physical barrier to keep people out of our country appeals to the emotional need to "keep us safe, and keep the other guy from taking what is ours."

Trump sounded more poetic than Maya Angelou: "On Day 1, we will begin working on an impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful Southern border wall." He talked about "above- and below-ground sensors" which other people call "tunnels." He talked about aerial surveillance, towers and additional manpower. And he said Mexico would pay for the wall, even though the Mexican president whom he'd met only hours before made it clear that Mexico no paga.

So the estimated $8 billion to $12 billion needed to build this "beautiful Southern border wall" will have to come from somewhere, and that's still up in the air.

Beyond the wall, and the absolute lack of detail on the methodologies by which it would both be built and financed, Trump talked about how he would increase the border patrol force by about 25 percent. I think that is a fantastic idea, but I'd like to know where that money is coming from, too, especially after we build that wall..

Then Trump announced the revolutionary concept that he would change enforcement priorities by "removing criminals, gang members, security threats, visa overstays, (and) public charges." I stood up and gave him a standing ovation when I heard that. But I gave President Obama that same standing ovation when he announced those same priorities in November 2014.

Trump then talked about screening refugees, and no one who has seen the brutality wreaked by ISIS and other Islamic terror groups should object to that. But, as experts have noted, refugees generally undergo the most rigorous and time-consuming process of any category of immigrants who enter the U.S. Sometimes the process can take up to 18 months, or more. So again, nothing new.

And he talked about jobs, which is a big part of his appeal, the great job creator. I agree something must be done to bring workers out of the shadows, provide them with work authorization, give them identification cards and continue to allow them to work legally in our restaurant kitchens, mowing our backyards and cleaning our bathrooms. Oh, yeah, and winning Olympic medals for us when they become naturalized U.S. citizens.

But the thing that finally made me realize this was not a serious speech was the last part, when Trump brought the mothers of slain citizens on stage to say "Vote for me." In this powerful, hardly subliminal attack on so-called sanctuary cities, Trump did what the Democratic National Convention was justifiably criticized for doing when it trotted the mothers of Michael Brown and other so-called victims of police brutality on stage.

The suggestion that illegal aliens must be kept out of the country because they have an innate tendency to be more violent and homicidal than the average native-born American is wrong. Statistics consistently show that immigrants commit violent crimes at a significantly lower rate that the native-born.

"My boy was shot by a cop. They're bigoted monsters."

"My boy was killed by an illegal. They're homicidal maniacs."

Same tune, different verses.

And if you don't think it's the same tune, that's because your ears are registered with a different party, and you think some mothers are less entitled to grieve than others.

As for me, I'm thinking Helen Keller was lucky.

Christine Flowers is a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News. Readers may email her at cflowers1961@gmail.com
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Stuart Higgs, Bremerton

Is war really our priority?

As the president's term in office ends, the question of his legacy is being asked. Unfortunately, it includes anarchy in Libya, civil war in Syria and the fact that even now, many Americans go hungry, cannot find work and/or are homeless.

The 'rationale' for Libya and Syria, as it was for former presidents in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, etc., was to confer democracy on those citizens by removing their oppressive rulers.

Christ said, "You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:5).

President Eisenhower warned against the acquisition of unwarranted influence by the military industrial complex. He said that we must never let it endanger our liberties or democratic processes.

Our government, using the military industrial complex, has exported democracy by force of arms. How hypocritical! A fraction of that expended time, money and effort would have secured the blessings of our own democracy for our hungry, out-of-work and homeless Americans.
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Carl Jakobsson, Bremerton

Yes, our faiths can get along

One of the hot issues of the current election campaign is the question of whether or not Christians and Muslims are inevitable enemies, or if it is possible for Christians and Muslims to work together. There are some politicians who claim that Muslims are out to stamp out Christianity, and that our country needs therefore to prepare for the inevitable sectarian global war.

In the current issue of the Salvation Army magazine "War Cry," there is an article about the Christian activities of the Salvation Army in Indonesia, which is a predominantly Muslim country. The writer tells of how the Christian humanitarian and educational activities of the Salvation Army have gained the cooperation of the Muslim government in Indonesia, and the active support of Muslim educators and parents in that country. It is an example of Christians and Muslims working together, and the lesson is that it is possible for this to happen in the rest of the world as well.

Despite what some of our nation's politicians are telling us  and what some other nations' politicians are telling their people  it is not inevitable that Christians and Muslims should fight each other. Peace and cooperation are not only preferable, but also possible, in the overall effort to help people to live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
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SELF DEFENSE

Pellissippi State Community College will offer two non-credit self-defense classes for women and teens in September and October.

Women's Basic Self-Defense is open to women and teens ages 13 and up. Participants will follow the Women's Self-Defense Institute Girls on Guard program, which teaches how to use the whole body in self-defense maneuvers.

Class dates and times are 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Sept. 10, or Saturday, Oct. 29. Cost of the course is $40.

The Girls on Guard: Six-Week Women's Self Defense Course is open to women and teens over age 14. Participants will learn advanced self-protection skills geared specifically for women. Class times are 7-8:30 p.m., Thursdays from Sept. 15 to Oct. 20. Cost of the course is $89.

Info and registration: www.pstcc.edu/bcs or 865-539-7167.

CONSIGNMENT SALE

The annual Adopt to Consign consignment sale at Laurel Church of Christ benefits local families during their adoption process. Open from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, and 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, for the half-price sale. Expect to find children's clothing, gear, furniture, bedding, toys, books and maternity clothes. The church is at 3457 Kingston Pike.

Info: http://adopttoconsign.wixsite.com/adopttoconsign

LENOIR CITY SALE

First Baptist Church in Lenoir City is hosting its seasonal consignment sale from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 9 and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 10. Shop for children's clothing, toys, bedding, furniture and shoes as well as preteen and maternity wear. The sale is in the church's Family Life Center at 2085 Simpson Road East, Lenoir City.

Info: 865-986-9066, www.firstbaptistlc.org/index.php/event/childrens-consignment-sale/2016-09-09/

GET FIRED UP

Fire up the fall with a glass pumpkin-making workshop at Marble City Glassworks in South Knoxville. You pick the colors and the staff will help you create your own glass pumpkin in a four-hour workshop. They are held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on a variety of days in September, October and November. Cost is $55 per pumpkin.

Go to http://marblecityglassworks.com/ or call 865-257-2969 for info or reservations.

HAWK WATCH

Broad-winged hawks and other raptors migrate south following ridgelines. Join naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales of Ijams Nature Center at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, for a brunch at Look Rock on the Foothills Parkway in Blount County. Ijams provides the brunch; bring binoculars and a blanket or lawn chair. Ijams will also have a spotting scope set up. Meet at Ijams. Spaces are very limited. The fee is $15 for Ijams members and $20 for members. Call 865-577-4717, ext. 110 to register.
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By News Sentinel Staff

KNOXVILLE  A man was shot after an argument in East Knoxville on Tuesday, police said.

Around 2:13 p.m., Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a report of a shooting at 3923 Ivy Street, according to a KPD news release. While officers were responding, a witness took Brandon Cherry, who had been shot once in the torso, to the Safety Building on Howard Baker Boulevard to seek help, the release states.

Cherry, 33, was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where his condition wasn't immediately available Tuesday night. His injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, according to the release.

Police said the shooting was the result of an argument with another man. Police didn't say whether anyone has been charged in the shooting.

More details as they develop online and in Wednesday's News Sentinel.
A Blount County sheriff's car sits outside the Riverside Manner apartments, where a 9-year-old boy was shot on Tuesday night, Sept. 6, 2016. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL)

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By News Sentinel Staff

LOUISVILLE  A 9-year-old boy was struck in the head by a gunshot Tuesday night, authorities said.

The shooting happened around 6 p.m. at the Manor Way apartment complex, 160 Manor Way, Blount County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Marian O'Briant said.

The boy was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. His condition wasn't immediately available, but the boy was "conscious and alert" when he left for the hospital, O'Briant said.

O'Briant wouldn't say whether the boy had been shot or grazed by a bullet or give any other information.

More details as they develop online and in Wednesday's News Sentinel.
Free Flu Shot Saturday is Oct. 1, 2016.

On Oct. 1, a Knoxville institution will mark its silver year fighting flu.

That's the date set for the annual Free Flu Shot Saturday, founded 25 years ago by primary-care physicians Charlie Barnett and Bob Montgomery in an effort to create "herd immunity" against the influenza virus  that is, enough of the population vaccinated that influenza wouldn't run rampant through the community.

From 8 a.m.-noon Oct. 1, while supplies last, flu shots will be given to anyone 4 and older on a first-come, first-served basis at six area schools: Austin-East, Carter, Farragut, Halls and West high schools, and South-Doyle Middle School.

Some sites typically run out of vaccine before noon, Barnett said.

The shots are always free, but people who want to can donate to the News Sentinel's Empty Stocking Fund, which provides food and gifts to some 3,500 needy East Tennessee families during the winter holidays. The annual event is the main fundraiser for the charity, now in its 104th year.

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation funds much of the annual flu-shot event. Summit Medical Group and Knoxville-area Rotary Clubs also provide money and manpower, as do scores of volunteers.

This year's vaccine, recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention for anyone 6 months or older, protects against an H1N1, an H3N2 and a B/Victoria Lineage virus.

Flu season in East Tennessee can start as early as October, but it usually peaks from January to March.

The shot takes about two weeks to take effect.

For information about Free Flu Shot Saturday or the Empty Stocking Fund, call 865-342-6870 or visit www.esfknox.org.
After watching Washington for the last several years have you ever asked yourself just who is doing the governing these days? Congress? Or is it President Barack Obama's executive orders, trade agreements and federal bureaucrats?

The latest example of congressional impotence is the state's DUI statute. Federal bureaucrats have decided that state laws about underage drivers do not fit the specifications of the federal bureaucracy and the state will be penalized $60 million. The state caved to the bureaucrats and assured them the law would be changed to fit their criteria as soon as the Legislature meets in January. Not good enough. The bureaucrats demand action now, so state taxpayers will be required to pay for a special session to change the law NOW.

The state's congressional delegation agreed to ask the bureaucrats to hold off until January so the special session would not be needed. All nine representatives and both senators signed a letter. (Big woo.) The bureaucrats offered them a figurative obscene finger gesture. The congressional delegation then retired from the field. What have we come to when nine representatives from two political parties and two senators are unable to overrule a federal bureaucrat?

This is just the latest in the abdication to outside forces demonstrating congressional impotence. After years of hard work, consumer groups succeeded in getting a law passed that required food labels to include the country of origin. The World Trade Organization ruled that such a designation gives American farmers an unfair advantage over South American farmers. Imagine that. Consumers would rather buy beef from Iowa instead of Venezuela. God forbid that Congress would want to give American farmers an advantage over foreigners or side with consumers. So Congress repealed the country of origin label. So Congress listens to the WTO at the expense of consumers and the American farmer.

Congress might not be able to help combat the zika virus spreading across the country while they are on vacation, but they can respond to special interests.

There is a lot of concern among some people about genetically modified food. Some people want to know what foods contain it in order to avoid it if possible. Vermont started to put restrictions on GMO food and the big boys decided they had better get federal legislation to prevent states from acting on behalf of consumers. Hence a federal law entered the pipeline to repeal Vermont's requirement. The federal law now says companies can put a bar code on the package that can be read by a smart phone app if they don't want to print the words on the label. Small companies can put the information on a website. Huh?

The requirement also exempts high-fructose corn syrup (mostly made from GMO corn) that is in virtually every processed food product in the store. The details of how this will work will, of course, be left up to the Food and Drug Administration bureaucrats.

If Congress is too spineless to stand up to federal bureaucrats, international trade treaties, Washington lobbyists, executive orders and federal judges, why keep pretending that who you elect to Congress matters?
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Gov. Bill Haslam had little choice in calling a special legislative session to save $60 million in federal highway funds.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said Tennessee's revised DUI law is not in compliance with federal law, which requires states to set the maximum blood-alcohol level for drivers younger than 21 at 0.02 percent.

Earlier this year Tennessee lawmakers, in a good-faith effort to enhance the penalties for underage drunk driving, raised the allowable limit for drivers 18 to 20 to 0.08, the same as for those over the age of 21.

The penalties for those drivers are aligned with those over 21 as well. Drivers aged 16 and 17 whose blood alcohol content is above 0.02 are charged with driving while impaired. Punishment is a one-year driver's license suspension and a $250 fine. Drivers aged 18 to 20, plus those 21 and over, are charged with driving under the influence and must serve a mandatory 48 hours in jail, pay a fine of up to $1,500 and have their licenses suspended for a year.

Under federal law, however, the 0.02 percent level for drivers under the age of 21 is required.

Last month the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notified state officials Tennessee could lose 8 percent, or $60 million, in highway funding if it did not comply with the federal law by Oct. 1.

The Haslam administration and Attorney General Herbert Slatery III contended that another state law, which makes it a crime for anyone under the age of 21 to consume alcohol, achieves the same ends as the federal law. After weeks of negotiations, however, federal officials did not budge from their position, so Haslam announced on Friday he would call for a special session. No date was set, but the deadline is less than a month away.

Haslam said he was disappointed federal officials would not compromise, but the blame lies squarely with the Legislature. Lawmakers should have known that federal highway funds come with strings attached, and that some of those strings are attached to drunk driving laws. At the very least, the bill's sponsors should have contacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or sought Slatery's advice before changing the law.

Refreshingly, the bill's House sponsor, Republican Rep. William Lamberth of Cottontown, took responsibility for the legislation's shortcomings in a conversation with The Tennessean.

"I feel very passionately about getting this right," Lamberth said. "I'm embarrassed that I filed a bill that has put us in this situation and has endangered any of our funding for any of our highways."

Still, he also alleged federal officials played politics with the decision. Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper first brought public attention to the issue. All 11 members of Tennessee's congressional delegation, including Cooper, signed onto a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx offering to help resolve the impasse to no avail.

Lawmakers have no viable option other than to repeal the law. They should now have learned that they need to explore the ramifications of their bills before, not after, they vote.
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I'm concerned as an American, a father, a physician and someone who grew up in Yemen, where peace, love, compassion and helping the needy were long-time practices. However, few people have caused much harm inciting hatred and division between different parties, Sunnis and Shiites, neighbors and even family members.

I'm pleading our potential leaders to stop inciting hate and violence between us, our neighbors, communities, states, neighboring countries, our allied countries and the world. Some of our leaders' behavior and language place the world in a dangerous situation.

I pray for our country to reject this behavior, self-destruction and bullying. I pray that we look at the many blessings and the peace we've enjoyed for years. I pray that we'll learn how other countries suffer as a result of one or a few extremists who have caused so much pain and suffering.

We have more educated people in America than in other nations, yet many don't understand what's going on in this country and around the world. We should do our homework before we support some of our leaders. We should put this country above all self-interest. Winning is great, but lying, cheating, humiliating, bullying and causing division isn't right.

I'm pleading for our presidential nominees to focus on domestic and international problems instead of focusing on nonsense and self-destruction. They're teaching our children and the public that it's OK to harm your opponent in order to win. I don't want my president to use fear. I want my president to solve, not add to, problems. I want my president to build this country up and not make it look bad. I want my president to think twice before he or speaks and acknowledge when he or she is wrong.

May God bless the United States of America.

Dr. Abdul-Latief Almatari, Jonesville, Va.
Children cool off in the fountains at World's Fair Park. (News Sentinel file photo)

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By News Sentinel staff

The hot and dry weather continues in East Tennessee.

Today in the Knoxville area, expect sunny skies with highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Light winds are forecast.

Tonight, skies should be mostly clear with lows in the mid- to upper 60s.

An ozone air pollution alert, or "Spare the Air Day," has been declared for the Knoxville region for Wednesday, with the air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

The Knox County Spare the Air campaign web page has suggestions on what you can do to reduce air pollution.

Here's an extended outlook, via the National Weather Service in Morristown:

Thursday: Sunny with highs in the lower to mid-90s.

Thursday night: Mostly clear with lows in the upper 60s.

Friday: Mostly sunny with highs in the lower to mid-90s.

Friday night: Mostly clear with lows in the upper 60s.

Saturday: Sunny with highs around 90.

Saturday night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid-60s.

Sunday: Mostly sunny with highs in the lower to mid-80s.

Sunday night: Mostly clear with lows in the lower 60s.

Monday: Sunny with highs in the mid- to upper 80s.

Monday night: Mostly clear with lows in the mid-60s.

---

AIR QUALITY ALERT

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has issued a code orange air quality alert for ozone in the Knoxville area, in effect until midnight Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Ground level ozone concentrations within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards, the NWS reports. Members of sensitive groups  people with lung disease, older adults and children  may experience health effects, but the general public is not likely to be affected.

For additional information, visit the TN Air Quality Forecast Facebook page.

Get weather warnings or alerts by signing up at MyKnoxnews.com, and follow @KnoxvilleWX on Twitter for Knoxville-area weather information.
By Choi Sung-jin

Korea's beer market has long been divided between two brands _ Cass by Oriental Brewery and Hite by Hite-Jinro _ amid almost no challengers or competitors. So much so that a few years ago a foreign correspondent in Seoul complained that even North Korean beers were better than the South's.

The government's antitrust agency has set about to change this situation in the beer industry.

According to officials at the Fair Trade Commission and industry sources, the FTC plans to ease regulations on the beer industry and give rise to smaller but more diverse breweries to break up the current monopoly.

"If the policy change leads to the entry of more local brewers into the market, we hope the domestic beer market, increasingly eroded by foreign craft beers, will likely regain some vigor," an FTC official said wanting to remain anonymous.












By Choi Sung-jin

Korean beers have recently become so unpopular among local drinkers -- some of whom say they are flatter than North Korean beers -- that the government is considering opening up the monopolized market.

Last year, however, the nation's beer exports hit a record high of $84 million, up 15.4 percent from 2014, according to the Korea Customs Service.

The outbound shipments represented growth of 16.9 percent over the past three years when compared with $72.25 million in 2013. That is impressive growth given the nation's overall exports dropped 5.9 percent during the period.

Beer exports in the first seven months of this year reached $48.01 million, a 3.7 percent increase from a year ago, and annual overseas sales are expected to break another record this year, officials said.
By Choi Sung-jin



An international labor movement leader has expressed deep concern about situations facing Korea's unions.



Commenting on the imprisonment of Han Sang-gyun, former chairman of the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), he said: "We will form a global solidarity and call for the Korean government to release Han."



Philip J. Jennings, general secretary of the UNI Global Union, made these and other remarks during a conference at the National Assembly Tuesday, organized by Rep. Lee Yong-deuk of the opposition Minjoo Party of Korea.



Jennings, the so-called global warrior of labor movements, began with talking about Han, who is serving a five-year prison sentence for organizing a rally in protest to the government's attempts to gloss over the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry in April 2014.



"I seldom use this expression but the jailing of Han was a shock itself,'" he said.



Stressing that Han's imprisonment is proof the Korean government is ignoring even basic labor rights, Jennings said: "We at the UNI Global Union will fight in the vanguard of international solidarity until the Korean government sets him free and ceases to aggravate its labor laws."



UNI Global Union is an international federation of industrial unions with 20 million members belonging to about 900 unions in 150 countries, mostly office workers in the financial and other service sectors. It includes 300,000 Korean laborers under the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), one of the two umbrella unions in Korea, along with the KCTU.



Rep. Lee, a former labor leader, agreed. "Korea's labor conditions have rapidly deteriorated under the two conservative governments," he said. "Korea's economic size is almost 10th largest in the world but the nation is almost at the bottom in international labor standards, about which we feel very ashamed."



Jennings took issue with what he sees as the Park Geun-hye administration's coercive introduction of a performance-based pay system and two major labor guidelines that are likely to hurt the spirit of the Labor Standard Act _ easier dismissal and easing of conditions for changing employment rules to workers' disadvantage.



"These sets of government guidelines will never go in the direction of making the Korean economy more equal," he said. "Korea is moving toward another winter, during which this country will hardly be able to solve the problems of widespread poverty, income inequality and youth unemployment."



If and when the government's labor guidelines go into effect, they will cause confusion in all areas of society, Jennings said.



Meanwhile, the tightened controls on labor unions by conservative governments and unfavorable reports by mainstream media outlets seem to have combined to aggravate public sentiment about unionism, union leaders here say.



According to a recent labor survey by Research & Research, at the request of the Federation of Korean Industries, a lobby group for family-run conglomerates, 60.5 percent of 700 respondents said they do not support the strikes by shipbuilding workers in protest at ongoing industrial restructuring. Nearly a similar share, 59.2 percent, also opposed walkouts by financial workers to protest against the compulsory introduction of the performance-based pay system.



Asked to cite the major problems of trade unions, the largest share of 32.4 percent cited some unreasonable practices among "labor aristocrats," especially their attempts to hand over jobs to their children, followed by violent rallies (27.6 percent) and selfish tactics working only for unionists (18.6 percent).



As the issues labor unions should focus on, 41.9 percent pointed to efforts to narrow wage gaps between large and small businesses and between regular and non-regular workers. Next came solving the youth unemployment problem (22.1 percent), improving the confrontational labor-management relationship (16.6 percent) and raising labor productivity (16.2 percent), the survey showed.



On the question of unions' contribution to economic development, 28 percent said "yes," 30.6 percent said "no" and 39.1 percent said "so-so." As to whether unions contribute to social integration, 27.2 percent said "yes," 34 percent "no" and 37.1 percent "so-so."



On the other hand, 39.1 percent of respondents said unions contribute to easing social inequality, followed by 31.5 percent who expressed partial agreement and 27 percent who made negative replies.



However, 43.2 percent of those surveyed saw unions as responsible for the high jobless rate of young people, compared with 23.7 percent who didn't think so.




By Lee Hyo-sik



Seoul Milk has been hit hard by Korea's falling milk consumption over the years, losing ground to its two main rivals: Maeil Dairies and Namyang Dairies.



The dairy firm has largely failed to deal with declining milk demand here as it sticks to its main dairy business. However, Maeil and Namyang have diversified their business portfolios to cope with changing consumer trends by opening coffee shops and selling children's clothes, among others.



Seoul Milk will likely continue to see its sales drop further because of falling birthrates and the introduction of diverse substitutes for milk, unless it follows rivals' footsteps, according to industry officials, Wednesday.



The company earned 793.8 billion won ($721.6 million) in sales in the first six months of the year, down 4.8 percent from a year ago. However, Maeil's sales rose 7.8 percent to 800.3 billion won on the back of its booming non-dairy businesses.



It was the first time that Maeil or other dairy firms earned more than Seoul Milk since the latter was founded in 1937.



Analysts say Seoul Milk has been reluctant to enter new businesses to make up for its falling dairy operations, stressing that it will continue to suffer unless it diversifies.



Seoul Milk is a dairy cooperative owned by thousands of dairy farms, which makes it difficult for the entity to make prompt decisions. Due to its structure, it has to win consent from the majority of dairy farms in order to initiate a new business.



"Korea's milk industry has been grappling with chronic oversupply while consumption has been heading south due to falling birthrates," said a dairy industry analyst who declined to be named. "In addition, people do not drink as much milk as they used to because there are many other alternatives."



He said Seoul Milk will suffer falling sales if it continues to cling to dairy products.



However, the company has no intention to venture into new businesses, saying that it will stick to its core dairy operations.



"We will not open a coffee franchise or initiate new business projects as other dairy firms have done," a Seoul Milk official said. "We will work harder to strengthen our core competence and introduce more innovative, premium products that consumers demand."



To cope with falling milk consumption, Maeil opened coffee chain Paul Bassett and introduced a variety of ready-to-drink coffee products. It also opened a leisure-oriented dairy farm in North Jeolla Province and started selling children's clothes.



Namyang has also been diversifying its portfolio by producing instant coffee products and ready-to-eat meals for a growing number of single-person households.




By Yoon Ja-young



The country's total population surpassed 50 million for the first time last year, however, the number of young people is decreasing notably, according to the Statistics Korea 2015 Census released, Wednesday.



The census, which is conducted every five years, showed that the total population stood at 51.07 million as of November 2015. That is a 1.36 million, or 2.7 percent, increase from the last count in 2010.



On average 509 people live on one square kilometer of land here; but in Seoul, the figure soars to 16,364. Almost 49.5 percent of Koreans live in the Seoul metropolitan area, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. The capital is home to 19.4 percent of Koreans, while 24.4 percent live in Gyeonggi Province. The southern port city of Busan has 6.8 percent of the population, while South Gyeongsang Province has 6.5 percent.



While the total population has increased, Korea is aging rapidly. The number of babies and children, aged 14 or younger, decreased by 5.18 million from 1985 to 6.91 million in 2015, while the number of senior citizens, aged 65 or older, increased by 4.82 million to 6.57 million during the same period.



As a result, senior citizens make up 13.2 percent of the population, compared to 2010 when they constituted 11 percent.



The working age population, aged between 15 and 64, made up 72.8 percent of the total population, but analysts expect this to start to decrease from 2018.



The median age of Koreans is 41.2, up three years from 2010. This is higher than the 27.3 in India, 36.8 in China and 37.8 in the United States; but lower than 46.5 in Japan and Germany, and 43.4 in the United Kingdom.



The most common surname here is Kim, accounting for 21.5 percent of all Koreans, followed by Lee with 14.7 percent, Park with 8.4 percent and Choi with 4.7 percent.



Foreigners made up 2.7 percent of the total population at 1.36 million people. More than half of them are of Chinese nationality, including Korean Chinese; followed by Vietnamese at 9.3 percent, Thais at 5.7 percent, Americans at 4 percent, and Filipinos at 3.8 percent.



On average, Korean households have 2.53 members. While typical Korean households between 1990 and 2005 had four members, now one-person households are the most common, making up 27.2 percent of the total. In 1990, the ratio stood at a mere 9 percent.



There are 300,000 multicultural households in the country, 1.6 percent of the total.



The statistics also showed Koreans' love for apartments. Nearly half of households, or 48.1 percent, live in apartments, up 1.9 percent from 2010. The ratio of apartments is especially high in Gwangju and Sejong, where over 62 percent of households reside in them.




By Yoon Ja-young

Hanjin Shipping is fluctuating in the stock market following the decision to enter court receivership and Hanjin Group's announced support for the company. Analysts warned of speculative investments, pointing out that the shipper isn't likely to stand on its own with its shipping line crippled.

The transaction of Hanjin Shipping shares was suspended on the Seoul bourse from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2, as the troubled shipper filed for court protection. The company was rated "D" by major credit ratings agencies, which means it is in default.

Its shares plunged when transactions resumed Monday, at one point falling to the daily limit of 870 won. It closed at 1,070 won.

The very next day, however, it rose to the daily ceiling, closing at 1,390 won, following an announcement Tuesday by Hanjin Group that it plans to support its troubled shipping unit with 100 billion won.

Analysts warn that investors should avoid speculation since the support by Hanjin Group won't put its operations back on track.

"The support by Hanjin Group is aimed at helping the customers of Hanjin Shipping, not the shipping company itself," said Kang Seong-jin, an analyst at KB Investment and Securities.

Of the 100 billion won, Hanjin Shipping is to get 60 billion won from Korean Air, Hanjin Group's airline unit, by providing its stake in Long Beach Terminal in California and other credits as collateral. Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, meanwhile, will provide 40 billion won from his personal assets. The total 100 billion won will be provided to port authorities worldwide to unload cargo from Hanjin ships, which are stranded around the world as they are being refused entry to ports.

On fears that the shipper won't be able to pay its fees, related global port authorities and businesses are refusing to allow Hanjin ships to dock or unload cargo. This had led to chaos for the shipping line as well as exporters and importers.

"The government is thus pushing Hanjin Shipping to unload its cargo quickly. Hanjin Shipping will be unloading cargo in ports where it will be safe from seizure by creditors, paying off its fees with the 100 billion won," Kang said.

Some creditors are requesting seizure of the ships in courts, and Hanjin is seeking "stay orders" from courts to avoid seizure.

The analyst estimated the burden on Korean Air to be limited since it would be getting collateral.

"The probability of Korean Air providing additional support is very low. While the unloading fees will be paid in cash, ship charter fees, fees for oil and other overdue payments will require lawsuits by creditors to be paid back," the analyst said.
Single customers enjoy hot noodles at Ichi-men in Sinchon, western Seoul. With the increase in the number of single households, Korean singles now venture out to eat, drink and sing alone. / Korea Times file



By Kim Ji-soo



Back in the day, if a single person tried to get a seat in a popular Korean restaurant, he or she would be met with the typical answer: "No seating for one."

Times are, however, changing fast, and restaurants and other businesses are increasingly catering to single customers.

Long considered social pariahs in the "sikgu" (family; literally a group of people who eat together) oriented Korean society, singles are increasing in number, and consequently are becoming more influential to businesses.

According to Statistics Korea, the portion of single-person households is on the rise and is expected to reach about 29.6 percent by 2020, a significant leap from 15.5 percent in 2000 and 27.2 percent in 2015. And businesses, especially restaurants, bars and even singing rooms, are increasingly catering to this customer segment.

Until recently, it used to be that only shops like the Ichi-men eateries featured single-person cubicles, a concept largely borrowed from Japan. Lee Myung-jae, 40, opened this noodle shop that can seat more than 20 in the university district of Sinchon, western Seoul, in 2008, after studying noodle dishes in Nagasaki, Japan.





A meal at Ichi-men, one of the rising eateries catering to the single customer. / Korea Times photo by Kim Ji-soo



"The idea was to provide an independent space for single customers who may be wary of stares from others at the usual Korean restaurants, where the tables are either for two or four," Lee said. At Ichi-men, people can order Japanese-style ramen, katsudon and other simple dishes from a vending machine and then take their place at either a single-person or two-person cubicle. Lee sees about 300 customers per day on weekdays and more on weekends.

"With the rise of single-person households, I expect more customers," Lee said, standing behind the curtain that separates the cubicle and the kitchen.

Choices for single customers have also been limited, but Korean restaurant chains are catching up. Ssaumeui Gosu (Master of Battle) features Korean bossam (boiled pork wrapped in salted cabbage) for single customers. At one of its branches in Sinchon, where there is a heavy concentration of students from Yonsei, Sogang and Ewha Womans universities, there is a steady line of customers ready to fill their stomachs with the reasonably priced dish, which costs between 4,100 won and 7,600 won for a standard serving for one. Instead of the usual loud chatter in most Korean restaurants, silence and the latest K-pop or Western pop songs dominate this restaurant's ambience.

Barbecue restaurants, with their wide range of side dishes and tables that seat large, boisterous groups, are slowly joining the trend.

Yoon Sung-won, 44, a professor of global business at the University of Suwon, also eats out alone from time to time.

"I do not necessarily mind going out to eat solo at regular restaurants, but I do think that it is a commendable trend that more restaurants catering to solo customers are opening," Yoon said.

"As we all know now, singles are perhaps the freest to spend out of any customer generation in Korea," she added, referring to how the average household of four generally spends all its wages on children's education, or how still-unemployed young adults don't have the means to open their wallets.

Seok Hee-sook, 46, an art teacher living in Seongsan-dong, western Seoul, and an avid cook, also likes to eat out alone. "It never really bothered me," she said. "Yet I have to admit, it would be nicer if there were a broader range of foods to choose from."

Lee Chul-min, 35, a salaried worker in Seoul, finds eating out alone convenient. "It means not having to wait or adjust my time according to that of others, and being able to eat at my own pace," he said.

It is the same case with single-person singing rooms such as Dongjeon Noraebang, which offers coin operated karaoke machines. The merits of a single-person singing room are that there is no intervention; one can literally sing away for hours, spending 20,000 won for about five hours.

Other businesses are also catching on.

Electronics industries are putting forth an array of smaller products for single-person households, industry reports showed. Dongbu Daewoo Electronics is leading the trend with its line of single-person refrigerators. The Classic has capacities ranging from 80 liters up to 150 liters and more design and color options. Dayou Winia also recently released a refrigerator line for one- or two-person households  the Proud S at 118 liters and coming in three colors. Inkel introduced a smaller version of its refrigerators in the first half of the year.

"I think this trend of eating alone and drinking alone will only become more definitive as a trend in the future," Professor Yoon said.

Korea Times reporter Lee Kyung-min contributed to this article.
Sales of environmentally friendly cars, including plug-in hybrids, are expected to reach a new annual high this year with the accumulated sales in the first eight months of the year already topping the 2015 total, industry data showed Wednesday.

In the January-August period, the number of electric and environmentally friendly cars sold by five automakers here came to 34,781, up 9.7 percent from the 2015 total of 31,703, according to data compiled by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association.

The sharp increase was apparently helped by the launch of two hybrid cars by industry leader Hyundai Motor Co. and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors Corp.

Kia Motors has sold 11,743 units of the Niro SUV hybrid since the vehicle was launched in late March, also making it the best-selling hybrid car in South Korea.

Hyundai Motor's IONIQ plug-in hybrid sold 7,922 cars over the January-August period, making it the second most popular hybrid vehicle model here.

The five automakers include GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of U.S. carmaker General Motors Co.; Ssangyong Motor Co., the local unit of Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra Lt.; and Renault Samsung Motors Co., the local unit of French automaker Renault S.A.

Along with their increased sales of green cars in the local market, their exports and overseas sales of environmentally friendly cars are also on the rise.

In the first eight months of the year, Hyundai and Kia alone sold a combined total of 30,438 environmentally friendly cars in overseas markets, up 13 percent from the same period last year, the data showed.

The two automakers have said they will expand their lineup of environmentally friendly cars to 28 models by 2020 from the current 12. (Yonhap)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, inspects a special economic zone in the photo. The reclusive state has introduced laws and policies to lure foreign capital but they haved produced poor results. / Korea Times file



By Choi Sung-jin

North Korea has implemented various policies to attract foreign investment but the effects remain small, a private think tank says.

According to a report released by the Hyundai Research Institute Wednesday, the North entered the third phase of its policy to draw foreign capital with the inauguration of Kim Jong-un's regime.

It was in 1984 that the communist state began pushing in earnest for foreign capital by introducing a law on joint ventures between North Korean and foreign businesses, targeting mainly Chinese investors and North Korean residents in Japan.

As part of efforts, the socialist regime also created a free-trade zone in the northeastern cities of Rajin and Sonbong in 1991.

The ambitious law and other policy efforts, however, produced little results because of the North's one-sided operation.

The second phase began in 1998 by seeking economic cooperation and exchanges between South and North Korea and China. It was during this phase that South Koreans began to tour the scenic Mt. Geumgang in the North and the Koreas operated a joint industrial park in the North's border city of Gaeseong. Pyongyang also launched a special project in Sinuiju, along the Sino-Korean border.

The Mt. Geumgang tours and Gaeseong Industrial Complex, however, are now suspended amid deteriorating ties between the Koreas. The Sinuiju project also has ended as a failure.

Since Kim Jong-un took control, North Korea has been implementing the third phase of the foreign capital-introduction policy. The North operates 26 special economic zones, including 21 economic development zones, around the country.

Eleven of them are concentrated along the Sino-Korean border but are experiencing difficulties attracting foreign investors since the United Nations tightened its sanctions on the reclusive regime.

The North's economic technocrats have designated these special economic zones as districts for specific sectors, such as agriculture, tourism and up-to-date technology, but few have led to substantive foreign investment, the report said.

Officials in Pyongyang are going all out to draw foreign money by, for instance, trying to diversify investment targets away from China and South Korea and modifying related laws to better meet changing circumstances, to little avail, because they have fallen far short of reaching advanced, business-friendly levels, it said.

"Since the inauguration of the Kim Jong-un regime, North Korea has expanded the area open to foreign companies and diversified economic zones, as well as seeking would-be investors from countries other than China and South Korea, but produced little outcomes," said Lee Hae-jeong, a fellow at the institute. "The possibilities of these efforts leading to substantive foreign investment are quite limited as long as the U.N. sanctions remain in place."
By Jun Ji-hye

Rep. Park Jie-won

Rep. Park Jie-won, the interim leader of the country's second-largest opposition party, called on President Park Geun-hye, Wednesday, to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to break the deadlock in inter-Korean relations.

He also asked President Park to push for a constitutional revision during the remainder of her term that ends in February 2018.

"The most important things that Park should do during her remaining year-and-a-half in office are to push for an inter-Korean summit and a constitutional revision at the earliest possible date," Park of the People's Party said in a speech at the National Assembly.

He said pushing for the inter-Korean summit, even if the attempt fails, will be able to help the President take the diplomatic initiative and ease military tension on the Korean Peninsula.

"If Park pushes for an inter-Korean summit, she will receive applause from the people, not criticism," he said.

He also said that talking about constitutional revision was not a "black hole" that disturbs the government's economic revival efforts, referring to the President's earlier comment that the idea of constitutional revision may trigger economic problems as the discussions could cause social conflict.

"A constitutional revision is a project to renovate the nation," the four-term lawmaker said.

Whether the country should revise the Constitution to change the current presidential system has been a long-running issue, and the debate was reignited after Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun said in June that changing the current presidential system was a "task that must be done."

Politicians from rival parties mostly agree that the current presidential system, introduced in 1987, should undergo some changes. But there are various opinions regarding how to change it  some call for changing the current five-year, single-term presidential term to a four-year, two-term presidency, while others want to introduce a "semi-presidential" system, under which the president would be responsible for foreign and national security affairs, while the prime minister would be responsible for domestic affairs.

Rep. Park also called on the government to resume rice aid to North Korea on humanitarian grounds, saying the economic aid will help improve inter-Korean relations and save starving North Korean people.

Economic aid, mostly rice and fertilizer, was given under former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. But the Lee Myung-bak administration severed all economic ties with the North on May 24, 2010 in retaliation for the North's torpedoing of the South's warship Cheonan, which killed 46 sailors.

"The Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations have not given anything to the North, but the regime there has developed its nuclear capability," he said. "Rice and tangerines do not become nuclear weapons."

Touching on the planned deployment of a U.S. missile defense system, Rep. Park said that the issue should be discussed at the Assembly and that President Park should make more efforts to listen to the opposition.

"The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense dispute should be brought to the table in parliament," he said.

Opposition parties say the battery will be ineffective in protecting the country and adversely affect relations with neighboring countries such as China, while the Saenuri Party stresses the system is vital in coping with Pyongyang's provocations.

The government has maintained the deployment does not need to win approval from the National Assembly.

"Only after we reach a conclusion in parliament can we discuss our actions with the United States and China," Park added.
Weapons for ground forces, manufactured by Hanwha, are on display at the Defense Expo Korea 2016, a four-day exhibition that began Wednesday at the KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. / Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye

The nation's biggest exhibition of weaponry kicked off Wednesday for a four-day run at the KINTEX exhibition hall in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

The Defense Expo Korea 2016 (DX Korea), hosted by the Association of the Republic of Korea Army supported by the Ministry of National Defense, is to promote overseas sale of South Korean-made weapons and systems, and boost cooperation between local and foreign defense firms.

The ministry said some 400 defense industry companies from 35 countries, including the United States, Germany and Israel, are participating in this year's event, noting that it is gaining more attention from overseas customers.

Some 80 high-ranking military officials including army chiefs of staff from participating nations are attending the biennial event.

"The prime goal of DX Korea is to help Korean firms export the weapons they produce ranging from K-9 self-propelled howitzers and K-21 armored fighting vehicles to the Hyungung anti-tank guided missile," ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said.

Domestically, four defense units of Hanwha Group _ Hanwha Corp., Hanwha Techwin, Hanwha Defense Systems and Hanwha Thales, set up a combined exhibition booth for the first time to present their weapon systems and introduce their integrated competence in the defense industry.

The group said it is seeking to explore synergy among the four defense units as, for example, Hanwha Corp. is in charge of the system integration for the Chunmoo multiple rocket launching system (MRLS), while Hanwha Defense Systems is responsible for the development and operation of the launcher. Hanwha Corp. is also responsible for the system integration for L-SAM long-range surface-to-air interceptor missiles, which are currently under development, while Hanwha Thales is responsible for the radar. Hanwha Defense Systems is in charge of the launcher.

"This exhibition is very meaningful as we are presenting a combined exhibition stand for the first time since the four defense units were integrated," said the CEO of Hanwha Corp., Lee Tae-jong. "We will enhance the image of Hanwha as an integrated defense systems provider through this show and will promote a new domestic business as well as implement an active marketing strategy with global enterprises."

The company noted that there will be full-sized models of the Chunmoo MRLS, K9 self-propelled howitzer and Biho hybrid variant of the self propelled air defense gun carrier integrated with indigenously developed Shingung guided missiles.

Other domestic defense companies attending the exhibition include LIG Nex1, Poongsan Corp. and Hyundai-Rotem Co.

Ordinary visitors will be allowed to watch demonstrations of the KIA1 and K-2 main battle tanks and to experience an armored vehicle in a separate outdoor exhibition hall from Sept. 7 to 9. On Sept. 10, they will be allowed to look around the exhibition venue, the ministry said.
By Kang Seung-woo

VIENTIANE, Laos  U.S. President Barack Obama has reaffirmed the country's commitment to "extended deterrence" for South Korea against North Korea's evolving nuclear threats.

The pledge was included in a press statement following Obama's summit with President Park Geun-hye in Laos, Tuesday.

This is the first time that a U.S. president has pledged to provide a nuclear umbrella for South Korea, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials.

Analysts say this means there will be no change in Washington's security support for South Korea against North Korea's threats despite Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's inward-looking rhetoric.

In addition, he intended to calm budding opinions in South Korea about arming itself with nuclear weapons and building a nuclear-powered attack submarine to counter Pyongyang's evolving nuclear program, they said.

"I want to reaffirm that our commitment to the defense and security of South Korea, including extended deterrence is unwavering," Obama said in the press statement.

Extended deterrence refers to the U.S.'s stated commitment to defend its ally by mobilizing all military capabilities, nuclear and conventional, to cope with North Korea's aggression and provocations.

Although the United States regularly provides reassurances of the U.S. defense commitment to South Korea, including extended nuclear deterrence, this was the first time for a U.S. president to give a public declaration of the guarantee.












By Kim Se-jeong



Environmental groups have called for the government to ban tiny plastic particles used in cosmetics and toiletries believed to have a negative effect on ocean environment and human health.



Greenpeace Korea and the Korean Women's Environmental Network (KWEN) demanded the government set up regulations to ban the particles, called microbeads, during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday.



Microbeads, usually made of polyethylene, are particles of less than 5 millimeters in largest dimension. They are popularly used in facial scrubs and toothpaste. According to Greenpeace Korea, 8 million tons of plastics end up in oceans every year globally. They are eaten by fish and plankton, and accumulated in the marine food chain.



"Our research on cosmetic products last year found microbeads in 350 products. The same can be found in toothpaste and other toiletries. We urge the government to ban microbeads," Kang Hee-young from the KWEN said during the conference.



Greenpeace also ran a test on 22 samples random cosmetic brands and consumers goods and found microbeads in six products and a high probability of containing micro plastics in four products. "One product alone can contain as many as 280,000 microbeads," oceans campaigner Park Tae-hyun said.



The government is aware of the problem but has not taken actions.



The Korea Environmental Institute raised the issue in 2014. Its report said, "Microbeads destroy marine ecology and affect upper predators in the ecosystem, including human beings. The plastics can contribute to health risks, causing even death."



The government has been preparing for risk tests for years now.



In April this year, a group of cosmetic companies made a voluntary move, announcing a phase-out plan that they will stop using microbeads in their products by July 2017.



Park said the voluntary pledge is not enough. "Pledges made by companies themselves have many loopholes, making it difficult to block microbeads from slipping into the oceans,"



Governments in many other countries have been moving fast to ban the micro plastics. In the United States, microbeads will be banned from cosmetics and toiletries from July 2017. From July 2018, all products containing microbeads will be taken away from shops.



The Guardian reported the EU ban can be passed as early as 2017. The United Kingdom will also ban microbeads-containing products by 2017.



Environment experts say that banning will be a cautious act in Korea where beauty industry is growing fast with the rise of hallyu, the Korean Wave.



Rep. Kang Byung-won of major opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, who is preparing to propose a bill to ban the micro plastics, said banning microbeads is critical to keep lives safe. "I will push to make micro plastics a risk material and ban industries from using microbeads in their products," he said.




South Korea's defense ministry said Wednesday the U.S. missile defense system set to be deployed in the country can deal with Pyongyang's evolving missile and nuclear threats, rebutting claims by the leader of the main opposition that the battery is worthless.

"Seoul and Washington can confirm the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is an effective military tool," a Ministry of National Defense official said.

"The THAAD system is capable of defending a larger area than the existing Patriot systems," the official said, adding the THAAD is capable of defending upwards to two-thirds of South Korea's territory.

The remark came as Choo Mi-ae, who heads the Minjoo Party of Korea, claimed that the THAAD system is useless militarily during her speech at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

"Along with the Patriot systems, the THAAD battery will contribute to establishing a multi-layered defense system together with mid-range surface-to-air missile (M-SAM) or long-range surface-to-air interceptor missiles (L-SAM) currently under development in South Korea," the official added.

The ruling Saenuri Party also advocated for the THAAD system, adding Minjoo is making a false claim.

"We cannot accept Choo's claim that the THAAD system is useless," Chung Jin-suk, Saenuri's floor leader said. He pointed out that while some opposition lawmakers have objected to the deployment, none have come up with a viable alternative to protect the country.

"The government and Saenuri did not say the THAAD system will be able to completely counter North Korea's nukes and missiles by itself," Chung said adding it will nevertheless offer more protection that can safeguard lives and property. (Yonhap)
By Yi Whan-woo



China is likely to adopt a two-track strategy for South Korea in dealing with the planned deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here, analysts said Wednesday.



During a meeting with President Park Geun-hye on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated Beijing's opposition to the presence of THAAD on the Korean Peninsula.



At the same time, however, he spoke highly of developing ties between the two countries, saying he will continue to make efforts to ensure stable cooperation with Seoul.



This indicates that China may be separating security and economic issues.



Analysts downplayed concerns that China, South Korea's largest trading partner, would retaliate economically against the THAAD deployment.



Xi said China is willing to work with South Korea to "better protect and advance their hard-won ties" during a meeting with Park, although he renewed Beijing's call against THAAD.



This was interpreted as Xi softening his tone over THAAD despite the lingering view that the advanced missile defense system could be used to spy on a rising China, beyond deterring North Korea's military attacks.



"Given this climate, China is likely to separate economic and security issues and keep its protest against Seoul at the current level," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University.



He claimed that China "knows all too well" that South Korea needs an advanced missile shield for self-defense purposes against North Korea and that it will not scrap its decision regardless of any reasons.



He also argued that any economic retaliation would only lead to a stronger alliance between South Korea and the U.S., and furthermore an enhanced trilateral security alliance involving Japan.



"Such a scenario is not what Xi wants because it could backfire on him in Chinese politics," Park said.



Shin Sung-won, director-general at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy's Department of International Economy and Trade Studies, agreed.



He said that any retaliatory measures against South Korea would disrupt China's efforts to win market economy status from the WTO.



China has been debating with the U.S. and EU whether it should be regarded as a market economy and no longer subject to high anti-dumping duties in international trade.



Section 15 of the Chinese WTO Accession Protocol categorizes China as a nonmarket economy for a 15-year period following its joining of the WTO in December 2011, but does not specify its status afterwards.



China says it should be automatically given market economy status by the end of this year.



"China will be required to make full-fledged efforts to be granted market economy status, and playing hardball with South Korea in terms of their economic relations will only risk Beijing's goal at the WTO," Shin said.



Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defense and Security Forum, speculated that China will eventually shift away from its opposition toward THAAD and tolerate its presence.



He said Xi will try to come up with an excuse to justify such a possible shift in order to not upset the Chinese people, and especially the military.



Park Won-gon voiced Yang's view. "It will be South Korea's role to help Xi to come up with an exit strategy to settle disputes over THAAD without humiliating himself," Park said.



He said Xi may be able to capitalize on President Park's offer to hold a joint dialogue among South Korea, the U.S. and China concerning THAAD.



Hwang Jae-ho, a professor of international relations studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, forecast that China may seek "legitimate" ways to press Korea's economy when the THAAD battery is set up.



"I would only agree with the theory of a two-track strategy under the condition that it will only last until the THAAD battery is deployed," he said. "It will take sneaky measures while observing WTO regulations once THAAD is deployed."



He said China may cite a need to revamp its customs procedures and travel regulations and tighten them to hurt Korea's exports and prevent Chinese tourists from traveling to South Korea.



"It will be difficult to prove whether those measures violate WTO regulations, because as a sovereign state China has a right to change its policies at any time," he said.




The U.S. State Department said Tuesday it welcomes South Korea's law aimed at improving North Korea's human rights situation, declaring that the North's human rights record "has no parallels in the modern world."



The landmark law, which passed through the National Assembly in March, went into effect on Sunday. The enactment came 11 years after the law was first introduced in the National Assembly in 2005. The legislation has since been a target of political bickering amid ideological differences over how to approach the problem.



The law calls mainly for documenting North Korea's human rights situation and establishing a foundation tasked with examining the situation, putting together policies aimed at improving the situation and providing humanitarian support for the North Korean people.



"We welcome the entry into effect of the Republic of Korea's law on human rights in the DPRK and look forward to working with the foundation and documentation center established under the law," Justin Higgins, a State Department spokesman, told Yonhap News Agency.



"We hope implementation of the law will promote respect for the human rights of every DPRK citizen and accountability for those most responsible for human rights violations," he said. "The human rights situation in the DPRK is deplorable and has no parallels in the modern world."



The U.S. will work closely together with South Korea and others to hold "DPRK leaders accountable for their actions," he said.



The U.S. has significantly increased pressure on Pyongyang over its human rights record, imposing first-ever sanctions on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for his roles in the country's human rights abuses.



North Korea has long been labeled as one of the worst human rights violators. The communist regime does not tolerate dissent, holds hundreds of thousands of people in political prison camps and keeps tight control over outside information.



But Pyongyang has bristled at such criticism, calling it a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime. (Yonhap)




The South Korean government gave the final nod to the controversial anti-graft law Tuesday, paving the way for the scheduled implementation slated for Sept. 28.

The law was finalized at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn.

The Kim Young-ran anti-graft law aims to bring more transparency to workers in certain sectors who should maintain higher ethical standards than ordinary citizens. The Constitutional Court also backed the law saying it is a step in the right direction.

Under the policy move, people working for the government, media outlets and schools are also banned from receiving meals priced higher than 30,000 won ($27), gifts exceeding 50,000 won, and congratulatory and condolence money over 100,000 won.

Public employees are also banned from receiving excessive returns from making lectures, with the ceiling for ministers set at 500,000 won per hour.

Those serving in private schools or media outlets, however, can receive up to 1 million won per hour as they are not considered to be civil servants. (Yonhap)
By Vee Chansa-Ngavej

Despite the ruling against China on July 12 by the maritime tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Beijing remains adamant on its "historical" and "sovereign" right to rule over the South China Sea islands based on the "nine-dash line" drawn up in the 1940s. The Chinese government refuses to acknowledge the UNCLOS judicial process, denouncing it as "unlawful," while continuing to insist that the matter be solved bilaterally with the Philippines.

Several (notably non-Chinese) scholars, such as Malik Mohan and Philip Bowring, have dismissed China's historical claims as invalid. The crux of their argument is that if China can validate their claims on the basis of history, then the Filipinos and Vietnamese may also stake territorial claims based on their own maritime history as well. Indeed, both Southeast Asian governments have gone to great lengths to highlight historical activities that precede that of China's in the disputed region.

Why, then, despite these obvious counterarguments and the recent maritime ruling, has China become even more strongly insistent upon its "historical and sovereign rights" over the South China Sea? Essentially, it is because doing so ensures the longevity of the Communist regime, and is therefore in the ruling party's best interests.

A consistent trend running through Chinese governmental and academic parlance is the attachment to the concepts of historical legitimacy and territorial sovereignty. Simply put, the Chinese truly believe, or rather their leaders provide the rhetoric and propaganda so their citizens believe, that the disputed islands are China's sovereign territory, and have historically always been theirs. The matter has been ingrained into the national consciousness of the people through the generations, via textbooks and nowadays even portrayed on the pages of Chinese passports. Thus, by claiming sovereignty over the South China Sea and perpetuating the claims via textbooks and domestic propaganda, the government is in fact ensuring the very survival of the Chinese state and, as a corollary, that of the Communist Party and its leaders. This trend is worrisome, however, because the issue has now become so politicized that no Chinese politician could fathom backing down on the nation's sovereign claims, lest they commit political suicide by appearing weak.

In some ways a parallel can be drawn between the significance of the South China Seas issue to China and the importance of the nuclear program to North Korea. For Pyongyang, as many analysts have observed, nuclear weapons are tantamount to the Kim regime's survival. As such, North Korea will simply not give up its weapons, as doing so would spell the demise of the regime. The same can be argued with China. Conceding maritime territories in the South China Sea would make the Chinese leadership appear weak.

Crucially, territorial loss in an area defined as within its "core interests" could possibly have detrimental effects on its core interests elsewhere. Taiwan, Xinjiang and Tibet would be emboldened and potentially even take action towards secession. No Chinese leader could hope to survive should such a scenario occur. Therefore, the leadership has no choice but to maintain a tough posture on the South China Sea issue and, just as with North Korea's case on its weapons program, practices strategic political maneuvering, at times even to the point of dangerous brinkmanship, which is directed towards both international and domestic audiences.

From this perspective, it is understandable why Chinese leadership has little leeway in terms of altering its opinion on Chinese "historic and sovereign rights" over the South China Sea. It is in China's paramount interest to insist that their territorial claims are indisputable because doing so ensures the very survival of the Communist leadership. Nevertheless, this apprehension of political elites losing power, in a similar vein to the North Korean nuclear crisis, makes the South China Sea conflict precarious and ever more difficult to solve peacefully through diplomatic means. It also means that, just as Pyongyang is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons, Beijing will not be relinquishing its sovereignty claims anytime soon.

VeeChansa-Ngavej is Ph.D. candidate in International Relations at Sogang University's Graduate School of International Studies. He holds two master's degrees in international relations, from the London School of Economics and the International University of Japan. Write to veechansa@hotmail.com.
By Shim Jae-yun

The controversial Kim Young-ran Act, or anti-graft law, has been the talk of the town before it takes effect Sept. 28. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), which introduced the law, has unveiled a list of 49,919 organizations whose members will be subject to it.

Ninety-seven percent are private schools and media organizations. Despite the nearing implementation date, there is still lingering confusion over the details. People are wondering about cases that are subject to the new law.

There seems to be no exact organization, including the ACRC, that can offer clear answers.

What is certain is the law will have far-reaching societal consequences, with great changes to the conventional practices of entertaining mainly with wining and dining and even offering kickbacks.

The law will cause changes to business culture and many will feel inconvenienced at first. But after transitional changes, it will surely result in more transparency and fairness.

Beyond Korean nationals, the law has also been a focus of concern for foreign diplomats and businesspeople here. It affects all people doing business in Korea as well as Korean nationals in other countries.

Kim Young-ran first issued the law in August 2012 when she was ACRC chairwoman. She was the nation's first female Supreme Court justice.

Some say the law will eventually become useless following a suit of the special law to prevent prostitution. That law is difficult to enforce because it probes behavior behind closed doors. In contrast, the Kim Young-ran law can more easily detect violations as it concerns transparent credit card transactions.

According to data released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in April, Korea ranked 28th in per capita gross domestic product (GDP). Luxembourg, Switzerland, Norway and Denmark took the four top spots. The four northern European nations led the corruption perception index (CPI) released by Transparency International in 2015, meaning they are the least corrupt.

This shows anti-corruption drives are essential to prosperity. Korea needs to learn from these European nations, with their advanced fair and transparent systems in diverse sectors. Korea ranked 37th on the CPI, which means the international community regards Korea as a corruption-prevalent country.

It is impossible to see fair competition and equal opportunity in a society where corrupt practices are widespread. Spending huge amounts of money on currying favor through corruptive means will take its toll on research and development, thus inflicting damage to national competitiveness and economic justice.

The Kim Young-ran law was about to go nowhere due to strong opposition from those with vested interests from the time it began taking form. But it began to pick up steam, riding on public opinion in support of uprooting corruption in the wake of the tragic Sewol disaster that claimed over 300 lives. The mishap triggered public anger over the corrupt ties between government officials and businesses.

Corruption in officialdom has continued. It is pitiful to see Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae bow his head to apologize for the latest scandal involving a senior judge.

There is growing concern over the possible concentration of power in the prosecution and courts once the anti-graft law takes effect. It is high time to come up with proper steps for checking the possible power monopolization and implement the Kim Young-ran law in a reasonable way, backed by public support. In this vein, the National Assembly should hasten efforts to set up its much-delayed independent authority for investigating high-ranking officials.
Union must heed CEO's plea



GM Korea's recent stellar performance is at risk of becoming a flash in the pan amid a labor dispute.



The union has been on a partial strike since Aug. 11, contributing to an 11.1 percent month-to-month fall in domestic sales last month. Both management and labor may emerge as losers, saddling the nation with an extra burden when it can least afford it.



Sale of GM Korea's latest hot model, the new Malibu sedan, took the hardest fall, tumbling 39.9 percent to 2,777, while its back orders amounted to 6,000 to 8,000 units.



This challenge comes at a time when GM is showing signs of a turnaround thanks to a boom in sales for the past couple of months thanks to its new models and competitive pricing, after suffering 1 trillion won in losses. However, it seems the subsidiary of the American car giant may go back to its usual role as the "sick man" in the nation's car industry.



James Woo Kim, CEO of GM Korea, has pleaded for unionized workers to stop the strike and help put the carmaker on the path to sustainable growth. "GM Korea faces many challenges, the biggest being talks with the union on wages and revisions to the collective pact," the Korean-American leader said by email. "The company will compensate its workers in proportion to their contributions."



Kim's pleas have so far fallen on deaf ears. The union has conducted partial strikes on more than 10 occasions, causing production delays to the tune of 10,000 units. Talks began in April and have gone through 20 rounds without a breakthrough.



Now, the ball is in the union's court and the union faces a familiar choice  squeezing management for more compensation or delaying their demands until the pie gets bigger.



By many indications, the second looks to be the most reasonable option as the carmaker has just emerged from one of its worst years.



As formulated in the country's major labor-management dispute, a dramatic resolution may come by an eleventh-hour agreement. But the situation needs to be understood in broad context.



GM CEO Mary Barra canceled her Aug. 30 visit to Korea, two days after invitations were sent. It was speculated that the cancelation was caused by the ongoing strike. Then, a union delegation bypassed management here and visited Singapore for talks with GM representatives.



Also factoring in are reports occasionally from GM headquarters in Detroit that the American carmaker is considering pulling out of Korea, although they have been denied.



Worthy of note is that GM has been more efficiency- and profit-oriented after a government bailout in the 2008 financial crisis. At that time, the boneheaded management and "overly generous" compensation package to union members were to blame for its bankruptcy.



Simply put, GM is no longer a charity as it was a decade ago but a multinational firm that is ready to leave if it doesn't make money. Its recent record also backs it up. Then, the union should realize that it has as much at stake as its CEO does in making the company work better.



So far, it looks engaged in its usual tactic of taming the new CEO and preoccupied with its brinkmanship for a quick sweet deal. It's time to think of the worst-case scenario.




By Lee Min-hyung



Video streaming giant YouTube plans to open its subscription service in Korea, but experts expressed skepticism about its outlook due to internet users' reluctance to pay for video content.



The ad-free, premium service, YouTube Red, was launched in the United States and Australia last October, as part of its bid to pocket more profits from its strong user base.



Google acquired YouTube in 2006, with the free streaming service landing in Korea in 2008. Google Korea has yet to reveal the official launch date of YouTube Red here, but expectations are that the service will land here later this year.



YouTube initially struggled in Korea, due to strong rivalry from local companies  such as Pandora TV. But it slowly expanded its presence, backed by its massive capital strength. Currently, YouTube has no rivals in the free video streaming service category in Korea.



But industry insiders say the subscription-based service may not enjoy such huge success as the free service.



"Koreans are not used to paying for video content," said Hwang Hyung-joon, general manager at CJ E&M, the nation's largest media content company. "In Korea, the general public does not favor subscription services, which is why YouTube has met such massive success here."



Expectations are low here for the new subscription-based platform here, he said, forecasting trouble in promoting YouTube Red in Korea.



The content industry expert said it remains to be seen whether the new service will work here, but for now, the growth potential for the paid streaming market in Korea remains murky.



Another source from the mobile industry also voiced pessimism over its potential here.



"The key point is whether the new service can offer special video content tailor-made for Korean viewers," said the source, asking not to be named. "To be honest, Netflix has so far failed to have a massive influence on Korean users for the same reason."



Netflix, another video streaming giant based in the U.S., made its debut here in January. Expectations were that the company could pose a significant threat to its Korean rivals, given its worldwide popularity.



"Netflix is facing a tough time in Korea, as it failed to push for a localized strategy," he said. "Lack of tailor-made content for Korean users is the biggest reason behind it. YouTube Red should strengthen localized content to attract more subscribers here, so that it does not follow the footsteps of Netflix."



YouTube Red offers ad-free videos and allows users to save videos and play them offline. But the main draws are unlikely to attract Korean users, as the country boasts a nationwide Wi-Fi infrastructure, he said.



"YouTube Red may take advantage of its strong user base, but those selling points are unlikely to help the company draw massive numbers of subscribers here," he said.




Officers in the heart of Amish country arrested 73 people when they raided a party in a field. The arrestees include 35 juveniles who are suspected of underage consumption of alcohol.

More than 40 officers on Saturday converged on the field in Hardy Township after concerned parents notified the Holmes County sheriff's department of the large party. The organizers of the party expected it to attract more than 1,000 Amish youth from Ohio and neighboring states.

Some of the arrested people also face charges of resisting arrest. Two of them were hospitalized for alcohol related-illness.

The Amish are a Christian sect whose members live a simple lifestyle and shun modern conveniences.
Here's the latest on the hearing in Bill Cosby's sexual assault case (all times local):

3:50 p.m.

A Pennsylvania judge says he wants Bill Cosby's felony sexual assault case to go to trial no later than June 5.

Lead defense lawyer Brian McMonagle of Philadelphia says he has other trials scheduled through the spring.

Prosecutors say they hope to have 13 Cosby accusers testify at the trial. The accusers say they were intoxicated by drugs or alcohol that Cosby gave them before they were sexually assaulted.

Cosby is charged with drugging and molesting Andrea Constand in 2004 at his Philadelphia-area home.

Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill did not rule Tuesday on whether the other accusers could testify or whether prosecutors could use Cosby's deposition or a phone call recorded by Constand's mother in 2005.

The judge says he'll rule on the phone call within a week.

___

3:10 p.m.

Bill Cosby's lawyers say they'll likely ask for his trial to be moved from the suburban Philadelphia county where his sexual assault case became a central issue in last year's election.

Lawyer Brian McMonagle said Tuesday that he's worried Cosby won't get a fair trial in Montgomery County. He says District Attorney Kevin Steele's campaign painted the 79-year-old entertainer as a sexual predator.

McMonagle says he expects to file motions asking either for a change of venue or for a jury that's picked from another county.

Prosecutors charged Cosby last December with drugging and assaulting a woman at his Montgomery County home in 2004.

The judge notes that Cosby's case has made worldwide headlines, making it hard to find prospective jurors who haven't heard details of the accusations.

___

3 p.m.

A Pennsylvania judge says Bill Cosby is blind and might need special accommodations at his upcoming sexual assault trial.

Judge Steven O'Neill says Cosby's lawyer disclosed the 79-year-old comedian's condition in a letter before Tuesday's pretrial conference.

Cosby was arrested last December on charges he drugged and assaulted a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.

Cosby looked noticeably healthier as he walked into court for the pretrial conference. He clutched an aide's arm but didn't have the wooden cane he's used at past hearings.

Cosby's eyes appeared less milky and he seemed more engaged and animated as he spoke with his legal team.

Cosby's lawyers are asking that prosecutors not be allowed to use a telephone conversation recorded by his accuser's mother and other evidence at his trial.

___

2:55 p.m.

The judge presiding over Bill Cosby's criminal sex assault case is indicating that he wants a trial to start before June.

Lead defense lawyer Brian McMonagle said at a hearing Tuesday that he has other trials booked until June.

But Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill says McMonagle might have to review his schedule and look for an earlier date.

Cosby has been fighting the charges since his Dec. 30 arrest.

The case involves a 2004 encounter with a Temple University employee who says she was drugged and molested.

Prosecutors reopened the case amid new evidence and arrested Cosby days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired.

Cosby insists the sexual encounter with accuser Andrea Constand was consensual.

___

2:50 p.m.

Pennsylvania prosecutors preparing for Bill Cosby's sex assault trial hope to paint the comedian as a serial offender by having 13 other accusers testify.

The criminal case against the 79-year-old actor involves a single 2004 encounter at his home with former Temple University employee Andrea Constand.

But prosecutors can introduce similar uncharged acts to try to show a pattern of behavior.

Montgomery County prosecutors at a hearing Tuesday say they have reviewed accusations from about 50 women and believe 13 should be allowed to testify.

The defense is expected to vehemently oppose such testimony.

Constand told police that Cosby drugged and molested her. Legal experts say a judge might allow similar Cosby allegations in which drugs or alcohol were involved.

___

1:15 p.m.

Bill Cosby is back in a suburban Philadelphia courtroom for a hearing in his felony sexual assault case.

He held onto an aide's arm Tuesday as he arrived to court dressed in a light blue striped seersucker jacket.

His lawyers are trying to keep some key evidence out of the case.

They hope to suppress several days of testimony Cosby gave in the accuser's lawsuit a decade ago. They also hope to suppress a secretly recorded 2005 phone call Cosby had with the mother of his accuser.

Cosby says his 2004 sexual encounter with Andrea Constand was consensual. The Associated Press doesn't normally name people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Constand has done.

The judge could set a trial date.

___

12:15 a.m.

Bill Cosby's defense team will have a new look when the actor returns to a suburban Philadelphia courtroom for a hearing in his sexual assault case.

Cosby has streamlined his legal team as the case heads to trial.

A judge on Tuesday could set a trial date.

Cosby's lawyers also will push to suppress key evidence, including the deposition Cosby gave in the accuser's 2005 lawsuit.

Cosby acknowledges giving Andrea Constand several pills before what he calls a consensual sexual encounter. Prosecutors say he drugged and molested her.

Cosby has parted ways with a Washington lawyer who has handled press appearances. Veteran Philadelphia criminal lawyer Brian McMonagle is expected to lead the courtroom fight.

Cosby also has hired a new Los Angeles firm to defend several defamation cases filed by accusers around the country.
Volunteers are needed for Lake Norforks annual fall litter pickup on Saturday, September 10. Organized by Jordan Marina and the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers, the cleanup is part of the Great Arkansas Cleanup (GAC), the annual fall statewide litter pickup campaign promoted by Keep Arkansas Beautiful (KAB).

Trash in and around Lake Norfork can leave a negative impact for years. By participating in the Great Arkansas Cleanup, people can help keep Lake Norfork as a favorite destination.

Civic and service organizations, church and youth groups, school groups and clubs, Scouts, individuals, families, neighborhoods, and businesses can organize cleanup teams and pitch in.

Registration is at the Jordan Campground pavilion on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 8 to 9 a.m. Participants will be provided with gloves, trash bags, vests, and meal tickets. There will be a cookout back at the pavilion starting at noon followed by door prizes.

Litter is everyones responsibility. Although not everyone litters, we do all live in this community and use our recreational areas together. We must work together to keep it clean. We do this out of community pride to maintain our outstanding quality of life and to improve our local economy.

This years local cleanup is sponsored by Jordan Marina (east of Mountain Home off Arkansas 177), the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, Keep America Beautiful, Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation, the U.S. Corps. Of Engineers, and many local businesses. A full list of sponsors will be posted at the cleanup event.

About the Great Arkansas Cleanup

The Great Arkansas Cleanup grew out of an effort that began more than 40 years ago as the Greers Ferry Lake and Little Red River Cleanup. In 1985, U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers guided legislation requiring an annual pickup event during the weekend after Labor Day on all federal lands.

This law, the Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Act, honors the founder of the event. Garner continued his advocacy for a clean and litter-free environment as a member of the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation board of directors until his passing in 2014. KAB organized the first statewide GAC in 1989.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) yesterday blamed the rampaging activities of herdsmen on the silence of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement, the PFN chairman in Enugu State, Rev. Goddy Madu, described the herdsmen as Boko Haram in disguise and agents of Islamisation.

He added: The recent attack on Attakwu community of Enugu State is what we can no longer condone. It was a deadly and unprovoked attack on a peace-loving community and this happened while we are yet to recover from the massacre at Nimbo. We are not happy over the silence of President Buhari over these attacks. He should make a strong statement to stop these wicked attacks by Fulani herdsmen. Our people should be security-conscious and protect their churches and villages from these wicked people who kill and suck blood of innocent citizens.

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The father of a former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo, is dead.

Thomas Osen Ekpemupolo, aged 84, died in the early hours of today at Lily Clinic, Deco Road, Warri.

Tompolo had claimed that During a military siege to root out members of the Niger Delta Avengers on May 28, his father was allegedly attacked by the army officers. In an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari last month, the ex-militant leader said the rough treatment his father received in the hands of the soldiers led to the amputation of his lower limbs in July.

From the doctors report, it will be a thing of miracle if he survives this incident, Tompolo said,

Is this 84 year old man also a member of the Niger Delta Avengers that they brutalized him to the point of death? he asked.

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The price of LITRO gas cylinders would be further reduced in the first week of November in accordance with the

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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

JASTA Fight Heats Up as Congress Returns to D.C; Wall Street, Bush Crowd Worried

Sept. 6, 2016 (EIRNS)The Wall Street Journal published an hysterical appeal to the House of Representatives today, that it block passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) which would allow lawsuits to be filed against Saudi Arabia for its role in carrying out the 9/11 attack on the United States.

Congress returns to session in Washington this week, and the heat is on in the wake of the victory in securing the release of the long-classified 28 pages on the Saudi role in that atrocity.

The authorssenior G.W. Bush administration officials John Bolton and Michael Mukasey, formerly UN Ambassador and Attorney General, respectivelyare clearly worried. Congress must understand that

"the mere initiation of a lawsuit permits a party to conduct what lawyers call discovery, which includes rummaging through the opposing partys files and questioning its representatives in search of evidence."

Saudi Arabia would never allow discovery of "highly sensitive diplomatic communications and questioning [of] high-level officials"!

The Bush duo urge the House "to make certain that Jasta does not reach the Presidents desk."

28pages.org reports today that 9/11 families are mobilizing citizens to put the heat on Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, to make sure the JASTA bill, already passed by the Senate, goes "to the floor for a vote this week, before the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks." Ryan and House Majority leader Nancy Pelosi have scheduled a 9/11 memorial event on the Capitol steps for this Friday. The families, survivors, and other citizens will be present: to either thank Ryan for scheduling the vote, or to publicly reprimand him, if he has failed to do so, it reports.

"Its outrageous that they would say theyre honoring the victims when they have been blocking justice for them. Its really hypocrisy for them to attend ceremonies and make speeches about 9/11 victims when after 15 years theres been no justice or accountability,"

9/11 widow Kathy Owens told 28pages.org.
PRESS RELEASE

Business Media Observe Obamas Isolation in Asia Summits

Sept. 6, 2016 (EIRNS)Bloomberg News in the United States and the Independent in London, among other media, note the failure of President Obamas attempt to take the TPP weapon to Asia for the ongoing summit conference.

In "Obama Trade Setbacks Undercut Progress in Southeast Asian Ties," Bloomberg says that Obamas trade offerings to Southeast Asia are failing, and that China has already overcome the South China Sea issue with its ASEAN partners. A chart shows that both the United States and JapanASEANs leading trade partners a decade agohave fallen behind China year by year. China-ASEAN trade is now roughly $370 billion/year; U.S.-ASEAN and Japan-ASEAN are now only about $200 billion/year each. In fact, U.S. trade volume with ASEAN is lower than when Obama took office eight years ago.

Obamas talking point at the G20 was the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the news service notes, but it is well known that it is not supported by either House of Congress or either major presidential candidate. So he formed no partnerships at the G20.

His consolation prize? "Still, the White House was hopeful that new engagement with Laos would symbolize the ways America could increase its role in the Asia-Pacific region."

But all Obama has announced there was $90 million in aidover three years, moreoverto help Laos remove unexploded Cold War-era ordnance.

"The president also said the U.S. would bring the first ladys girls education initiative to the country, expand teacher exchanges, and improve Internet access."

Not relevant to the need for $110 billion/year in credit for new economic infrastructure over a decade, identified by the ASEAN nations on the first day of their summit.

The London Independent weighed in with "TTIP and TTP Both Look Set for Collapse." But it noted Obama still intends to beat Americans with this rightly dead horse all during September. "At least 30 events are planned before the end of the month in a major effort to build popular and congressional assent.

"Aside from the opposition to TPP of both Democratic and Republican presidential nominees, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who is a TPP advocate, admitted last week that We dont have the votes in Congress" for the bill to be brought up before the end of Obamas presidency, even in the lame duck session after Novembers elections."

All Obamas scheduled"TPP promoters" are former Defense Secretaries or retired military officers, putting his blitz for the deal on purely a war footing against China. But not only did he bring no partnership for development to G20; his "weapon" is seen to be a dud.
PRESS RELEASE

Advisory Committee of UN Human Rights Council Warns: Dont Feed the Vulture FundsTheyll Come Back for More

Sept. 6, 2016 (EIRNS)In its just-released report on the operations of predatory vulture funds, an advisory committee to the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) took aim at Argentine President Mauricio Macri for making a sweetheart deal with the vulture funds which had preyed on his country for over a decade. In April of this year, Macri paid these bloodsuckers $6.5 billion, five times more than the $1.3 billion that a New York Federal Judge said they were owed.

Headed up by former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, and former Swiss parliamentarian, Jean Ziegler, who in the past investigated the criminal activity of Swiss banks and has charged that vulture funds do "the dirty work" of the international financial oligarchy, the advisory committee warned that submitting to these predators, as Macri did, leads to dire consequences. As reported by the Argentine daily Pagina 12, which had exclusive access to the committee report, it charged that Macris deal with the vultures "forced the government to increase its debt burden, which in the long term can weaken the State in meeting its obligations [to protect] economic and social rights, and at the same time, exacerbate inequality and financial instability."

Moreover, it charged, the deal constitutes "a real setback in the process of establishing an international mechanism to restructure foreign debt." In Sept. of 2014, at the initiative of the Group of 77 plus China, Argentina presented a resolution to the UN General Assembly calling for such a mechanism, which was approved by 124 countries.

Beyond the Argentine case, the report documents the terrible consequences for poor African and Ibero-American countries which didnt have the ability to fight the vulture funds, and warns that

"creditors private interests cannot be protected at the expense of the public interest in promoting and protecting sustainable and inclusive growth and a countrys sustainable development."

The creation of a multilateral mechanism "with a mandate to resolve sovereign debt disputes in an independent and impartial manner," is essential, the report states, as this can counter the doctrine of U.S. courts to protect the vultures, "lending them greater credibility and giving them incentives to continue with the same practices in the future." (emphasis added). This issue, it insisted, must be maintained on the international agenda.
In July, author Elizabeth Gilbert announced that her relationship with Brazilian businessman Jose Nunes  he was called Felipe in the love part of her bestselling 2006 memoir Eat, Pray, Love  was coming to an end.

On Wednesday morning, Gilbert revealed the reason for the split: She has fallen in love with Rayya Elias, a woman whos been her best friend for years, and who was recently diagnosed with pancreatic and liver cancer.

I do not merely love Rayya; I am in love with Rayya, Gilbert wrote in a Facebook post. And I have no more time for denying that truth. The thought of someday sitting in a hospital room with her, holding her hand and watching her slide away, without ever having let her [or myself!] know the extent of my true feelings for her...well, that thought was unthinkable.

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Elias is a Syrian-born American musician and filmmaker, and author of the the 2013 memoir Harley Loco: A Memoir of Hard Living, Hair, and Post-Punk, from the Middle East to the Lower East Side, to which Gilbert wrote the introduction.

Gilbert confirmed that her relationship with Elias was the reason for her separation from Nunes.

For those of you who are doing the math here, and who are wondering if this situation is why my marriage came to an end this spring, the simple answer is yes, she wrote. Here is where we stand now: Rayya and I are together. I love her, and she loves me. Im walking through this cancer journey with her, not only as her friend, but as her partner.

Gilbert and Elias have been friends for more than 15 years. The two were profiled last year by the Sydney Morning Herald, which described them as"clasping hands, finishing each others sentences, Elias absentmindedly fixing Gilberts hair and displaying a kind of intimacy only found in female friendships and, even then, not always.

Elias told the newspaper that her friends would often refer to Gilbert as her wife. I know it sounds like a love story and it totally is,"she said.

In her Facebook post, Gilbert explained why she chose to go public with the news of her relationship with Elias.

I need to live my life in truth and transparency, even more than I need privacy, or good publicity, or prudence, or other peoples approval or understanding, or just about anything else, she wrote."So that is why Rayya and I have decided together to speak up publicly now  both about her cancer and about our love for each other. Its for the sake of our own integrity, but its also intended to make our lives simpler.

Gilbert ended her post by asking her readers for love.

Whatever extra love you might be carrying around in your hearts right now, could you direct some this way? she wrote. We will resonate with it, and we will thank you for it. Because truth is the force that guides us to where we need to be in life, but love is the power that heals us once we arrive there.

Below that is a picture of Gilbert and Elias together, smiling.

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Robots need rides, too. Enter the Mercedes-Benz Robovan.

Starship Technologies, maker of squat six-wheeled robots that deliver packages to businesses and homes, said Wednesday it is working with Mercedes to develop a van to transport eight of the robots and release them onto sidewalks to make deliveries.

The vans, for now, are to be driven by humans.

By leaving the door-to-door part to delivery robots the van drivers productivity will significantly rise while reducing congestion on the streets and CO2 emissions, Allan Martinson, Starships chief operating officer, said in a statement. Left unsaid: Fewer van drivers will be needed for a given volume of business.

The typical volume of deliveries is 180 packages per nine-hour shift, according to Martinson. The Robovan and its robots will more than double that, to 400 packages, he said.

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Other companies, including Amazon.com Inc., are developing airborne drones to solve the last mile problem in package delivery  the problem being that delivery to individual homes and businesses is expensive. Robots theoretically will be more efficient and dependable than human workers.

Starship is based in London with engineering offices in Estonia. Although its robots are ground-based, the company uses outer-space imagery for marketing purposes, and Mercedes joined in for this announcement.

We call it the mothership concept, said Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.

russ.mitchell@latimes.com

Twitter: @russ1mitchell

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Chipotle shares, under siege after a series of food scares erupted just over a year ago, surged at the opening bell after activist investor Bill Ackman revealed that hes become the chains second-largest investor.

Ackmans Pershing Square Capital Management LP has amassed a 9.9% stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Shares jumped 5% in early trading Wednesday.

After taking a major stake, Ackman has in the past shaken up the leadership of ailing companies, and that is what Chipotle has become since the first outbreak of E. coli last year.

Shares that hit an all-time high close to $760 in summer 2015 have almost been cut in half.

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We just learned yesterday of Pershing Squares acquisition of Chipotle shares, company spokesman Chris Arnold said. We welcome their investment, and appreciate the confidence theyve expressed in our brand, differentiated offering, visionary leadership and strong growth opportunities.

The company has been trying to win back customers after restaurants in multiple states  including California  were hit with norovirus, salmonella and E. coli cases, sickening hundreds and dashing its reputation as a place to eat fresh food.

It has made changes in the preparation of food that, because it is unprocessed, may have made it more susceptible to impurities.

Chipotle, based in Denver, has distributed millions of coupons for free food since the outbreaks, and last month it gave away free kids meals on Sunday.

If the arrival of Ackman changes Chipotles trajectory, it could mark the end of a bad spell for both.

Ackmans Pershing Square has been a huge backer of Valeant Pharmaceuticals, a drug company whose shares have plunged almost 90% over the last year amid multiple federal and state investigations.

And Ackmans long and very public campaign against Herbalife, a Los Angeles company that he has called a pyramid scheme, has hammered investors in his hedge fund.

Shares of Herbalife are up 17% this year, and theyre up 42% since Ackman unleashed a withering attack and announced a short position against the company in late 2012.

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A photographer who put thousands of pictures in the public domain gave up her right to complain when others sell them, photo agencies and affiliated companies say in court papers.

Getty Images and other companies argued in papers filed in Manhattan federal court Tuesday and Wednesday that Carol Highsmiths $1.1-billion lawsuit against them must be thrown out.

Seattle-based Getty Images said Highsmith cannot complain when members of the public, including businesses, make use of the photos for commercial purposes.

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Column: Photographer sues Getty Images for $1 billion after shes billed for her own photo >>

Highsmith, a renowned photographer whose pictures have been featured in books, newspapers and magazines and on two postage stamps, shares thousands of her photographs for free with the public through the Library of Congress in an arrangement that is more than 25 years old.

In its court papers, Getty Images noted that publishers charge money for their copies of novels by Charles Dickens or for Shakespeare plays even though those are in the public domain.

The companys lawyers said the lawsuit was an attempt to regain some measure of legal protection for the Highsmith photos that plaintiff Highsmith relinquished years ago.

It is thus impossible to infringe a copyright in those works, as no copyright exists, they said.

In a separate filing, Alamy Inc. attacked the lawsuit as meritless with an absurd $1.1-billion price tag.

The British company said it joined in the arguments of Getty and License Compliance Services Inc., a company that sent a letter to Highsmiths website last December demanding a $120 payment for use of a photograph Highsmith took of a badminton shuttlecock sculpture outside the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo.

In its court papers, LCS acknowledged that its letters are sternly worded as it explained that it provides a security-guard-type service for companies such as Getty and Alamy by challenging those who appear to use their products to ensure they have paid for them.

LCS, a Delaware corporation with offices in Seattle and London, said it dropped the matter when Highsmith said she took the picture herself.

LCS lawyers said the amount of money sought by the lawsuit was outlandish and Highsmiths lawyers irresponsibly seek to twist a provision of the Copyright Act meant to safeguard copyrighted works into the vehicle for their own windfall.

Joseph C. Gioconda, an attorney for Highsmith, said in an email that his client and her not-for-profit organization, This is America Inc., disagree with the defendants arguments and look forward to addressing the issues in court.

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South Koreas top economic policymaker said Wednesday that he expected Hanjin Shipping vessels marooned off Long Beach will be able to offload cargo this week.

Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said at a government meeting that he expects the cargo crisis caused by Hanjins slide toward bankruptcy will begin to ease this week, according to a ministry statement.

South Koreas biggest ocean shipping line says it is seeking protection from its creditors in dozens of countries. A U.S. federal judge has temporarily granted Hanjins request for protection from its creditors and scheduled a hearing for Friday. South Koreas government expects a ruling in Hanjins favor, said Kim Hyun-jung, an official at the foreign affairs ministry.

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Hanjins creditors rejected a rescue plan for the shipping company and refused to provide more funds. The move sent retailers and other companies worldwide scrambling to get at cargo on Hanjin vessels that have been stranded outside ports.

Although Hanjin Shipping has more than $5.5 billion in debt, it also needs to pay mounting fees to resolve the cargo crisis that sent shock waves through the global economy ahead of the fall shopping season. Hanjin Group, the parent of the cash-strapped ship liner, has promised $90 million to help relieve the cargo crisis by covering some of those costs.

Local media reports said Wednesday that a South Korean court has asked Hanjin Shippings main creditor, the state-owned Korea Development Bank, for emergency funding.

Port workers in the South Korean port city of Busan and Hanjin Shipping labor union officials held rallies Wednesday, urging the government, creditors and Hanjin Group to save the shipping company.

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ITT Tech shutdown: How students can learn about their options

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A day after ITT Technical Institute abruptly shut down all its schools, thousands of students are researching their options for what to do next.

The U.S. Education Department sponsored three webinars Wednesday morning to give students more information, with additional webinars in the works. More information can be found on its website.

Other colleges are welcoming transfers.

Paul Feist, a spokesman for the California Community Colleges Chancellors Office, said decisions about transfer of credits to community colleges are done on a college-to-college basis.

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Long Beach City College, for example, said it was reaching out to local students affected by the closure of the for-profit college chain. Because ITT was not regionally accredited, its units will not transfer, said John Pope, a college spokesman. However, the college is looking into the possibility of credit by exam, in which ITT students could take a test and get credit for that course. The student could then place into a higher level of the subject.

We will do everything we can to accommodate the transition for affected students, but it will require a case-by-case analysis of their educational goals and courses taken at ITT, Long Beach City College Supt.-President Eloy Ortiz Oakley said in a statement.Coleman University, a not-for-profit, private college in San Diego, said it would waive its $25 application fee and degree residency requirements for students transferring from ITT programs. Those students can also transfer ITT units to Coleman, depending on the degree program.

However, Coleman is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, whose own fate is unclear. In June, an independent advisory board to the U.S. Education Department voted to end recognition of the accreditor. A senior department official has until Sept. 21 to decide whether to do so, and the accreditor can appeal.

If the official decides to end accreditation, the accredited schools will have 18 months to get approval from a different accrediting agency. If it cannot find another accreditor, students will not be able to use federal aid at those schools.

Coleman is also a candidate for accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Students can get more information about their options by calling (800) 433-3243 and through a special website set up by the Education Department to provide ITT updates.

ITT Educational Services Inc. said Tuesday that the shutdown resulted from a recent move by the Education Department to ban ITT from enrolling new students who use federal financial aid.

The nationwide campus closures will affect about 35,000 students who were preparing for the start of classes this month. It will also cost more than 8,000 employees their jobs. Two employees, including one who taught in California, filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging that the company violated federal law by not giving 60 days notice of the layoffs.

If students were enrolled at or withdrew from ITT within the last 120 days, they can apply to have their federal loans forgiven or try to transfer their credits to a new school, said Ted Mitchell, undersecretary of education. But if those credits are transferred to the same program of study at another school the loans for the ITT credits would not be eligible to be forgiven.

Students who feel they were defrauded can apply to have their federal student loans forgiven, Mitchell said.

Information on loan forgiveness is available at the Education Departments ITT website or by calling the loan servicer.

ITT students also could try to have private student loans forgiven and receive compensation for cash tuition payments through the states Student Tuition Recovery Fund, said Robyn Smith, a senior attorney at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.

The organization is planning a clinic Thursday to explain options to low-income ITT students, she said. The clinic will be held at the foundations west office at 1102 Crenshaw Blvd. in Los Angeles. Students can call (213) 640-3906 to register.

Smith warned students not to rush into a hasty decision. She said scammers will try to prey on those who are unsure of what to do next, such as companies that offer debt-relief packages that charge illegal upfront fees.

She also cautioned students against high-pressure sales tactics from other for-profit schools that may accept only some academic credits. If a school tells students they will accept a certain number of academic credits, they should get that in writing, she said.

If they are facing immediate pressure to sign up, that should be a red flag to take a step back, Smith said. They need to take their time making this decision. They need to make sure they are not being taken advantage of all over again.

Times staff writer Ronald D. White and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

For more business news, follow me @smasunaga

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UPDATES:

2:25 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with more information about options and advice for students.

1:25 p.m.: This article was updated with more information about transfer options for students.

This article was originally published at 8:50 a.m.
Michigan would no longer require that someone be inside a self-driving car while testing it on public roads under legislation passed unanimously Wednesday by the state Senate, where backers touted the measures as necessary to keep the U.S. auto industrys home state ahead of the curve on rapidly advancing technology.

The expansive bills, which are on track for final legislative approval by years end, would make Michigan a rare state to explicitly end a requirement that a researcher be inside an autonomous test vehicle. The researcher would have to promptly take control of its movements remotely if necessary, or the vehicle would have to be able to stop or slow on its own.

Supporters said the human-operator requirement is seen as an impediment that could put Michigan at risk of losing research and development to other states.

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Other provisions would allow for public operation of driverless vehicles when they are sold, ease the platooning of autonomous commercial trucks traveling closely together at electronically coordinated speeds and help create a facility to test autonomous and wirelessly connected cars at highway speeds at the site of a defunct General Motors plant that once churned out World War II bombers. Also, auto manufacturers would be authorized to run networks of on-demand self-driving vehicles.

The lead sponsor of the legislation, Republican Sen. Mike Kowall of White Lake in suburban Detroit, said driverless car technology could be as big for Michigan as Henry Fords creation of the assembly line.

Michigan is among eight states with laws related to autonomous cars, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Nevada was the first state to authorize self-driving vehicles in 2011, and California, Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, Tennessee and Utah followed.

The federal government is developing recommendations for states to follow on autonomous driving.

Florida this year eliminated a requirement that a human operator be present for testing purposes.

Google, which is pushing to get cars without a steering wheel or pedals to consumers, has expressed frustration with California regulators cautious approach, including a proposal requiring that a licensed driver be ready to take over if a machine fails.

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Beachy teen retailer Pacific Sunwear of California, better known as PacSun, was acquired by San Francisco private equity firm Golden Gate Capital.

Golden Gate Capital said Tuesday it is providing at least $20 million in capital to the troubled mall staple, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April. PacSun operates 583 stores nationwide and in Puerto Rico.

PacSun is just one of several teen-oriented retailers that have struggled in recent years. Companies such as Aeropostale and Abercrombie & Fitch have been walloped by the booming popularity of fast-fashion retailers such as Zara and H&M.

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Surf and skate brands such as PacSun have proved especially vulnerable to shifts in trends among teenagers. Other Southern California surfwear retailers have also suffered: both Quiksilver Inc. and Wet Seal Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year.

Under the restructuring plan, PacSun shed much of its long-term debt. In whats known as a debt-for-equity swap, Golden Gate Capital converted more than 65% of its loans into equity in the newly private company.

Gary H. Schoenfeld, chief executive of PacSun, said in a statement that the company has emerged from bankruptcy stronger and more competitive.

PacSun is on the right path to success during this period of unprecedented change in the marketplace, he said Wednesday. Looking ahead, we plan to continue our brand transformation.

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Uber drivers who have banded together to take the ride-hailing company to court now may have to shift strategies and settle for smaller payouts than they had sought.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said Wednesday that drivers who signed up with Uber in 2013 and 2014 must go to arbitration, not the courts, to resolve disputes with the company.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen previously ruled that the arbitration agreements were unenforceable and unconscionable. But the appeals panel said Chen lacked the authority to make that call because the contracts require an arbiter to decide all matters.

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The ruling applies directly to two drivers challenge of Ubers background-check practices in a proposed class-action lawsuit. But it could have an effect on dozens of lawsuits across the nation. Uber drivers have used the threat of a class-action lawsuit to extract concessions from the San Francisco company. Having to go to arbitration largely takes the specter of mass litigation off the table.

One key federal case that could now be derailed concerns whether Uber drivers should have been treated as employees, with additional benefits and protections, as opposed to independent contractors. Uber had agreed to a $100-million settlement, which Chen rejected last month, calling it unfair and inadequate.

He said $100 million would amount to only 10% of what the plaintiffs side estimated to be the full value of drivers claims. But plaintiffs attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan expressed disappointment in Chens decision, anticipating the consequences of the ruling that arrived Wednesday.

Todays decision is not good for the class, Liss-Riordan said in a statement. Although it was issued in a different case from mine, the Ninth Circuits decision endorsed Ubers attempt to use its arbitration agreement to avoid a systemic challenge to its classification of drivers as employees through a global class action.

Now, Uber could drop the settlement talks altogether because the appeals court could go on to unwind Chens certification of a class of drivers, forcing most of the drivers to individual arbitration. One-one-one fights typically result in smaller benefits for complainants.

The class currently includes some 240,000 drivers from California and Massachusetts. If the arbitration agreements are enforced, the class could be reduced to 8,000 people  those who had rejected the arbitration agreements when they joined Ubers driver roster.

Arbitration is a fair, speedy and less-costly alternative to class-action litigation, Ted Boutrous, an attorney for Uber, said in a statement. Weve always believed our optional arbitration agreements should have applied in this case, and were pleased with the courts decision today.

Liss-Riordan said, The battle is far from over.

Wednesdays appellate decision allows some claims to continue in the courts, specifically those brought under a California law that allows individuals to step into the shoes of state regulators and sue for labor law violations.

Liss-Riordan said she has more than 1,500 Uber drivers signed up in California to pursue individual arbitration if necessary.

Lonnie Giamela, a partner at labor and employment firm Fisher and Phillips who is not involved in the case, said the decision will have ramifications on the legal question looming above Ubers operations.

The decision will likely result in a revised settlement that will keep the primary legal issue about what is an independent contractor in the gig economy in legal limbo, he said.

Two or three weeks ago, people were talking about a $100-million or larger settlement, and now its the complete converse.

Times staff writer David Pierson contributed to this report.

paresh.dave@latimes.com / PGP

Twitter: @peard33

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UPDATES:

3 p.m.: This article was updated to include comment from a legal expert not involved in the case.

1:30 p.m.: This article was updated to include comment from plaintiffs attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan.

This article was originally published at 12:35 p.m.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong welcomes PT General Secretary Alberto Gutierrez (Photo: VNA)



The PT chief congratulated the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) on the successful 12th National Party Congress and voiced the belief that the country will continue to make greater progress in its Doi moi (reform).

He briefed his host about the situation in Mexico and the left-wing movement in Latin America. He also informed Mr Trong about the outcomes of the PT delegations working sessions with Vietnamese agencies and sectors, along with the results of the implementation of cooperation agreement between the PT and the CPV.

The PT wants to enhance the solidarity, friendship and cooperation between the two parties and peoples, he added.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong acknowledged the PT and Mexican peoples solidarity with and assistance for Vietnam.

Congratulating the PT on its recent successes, he said he believes that the party, together with left-wing and progressive forces in Mexico, will weather difficulties and continue to win at upcoming elections.

He also informed Gutierrez about the recent situation in Vietnam, and expressed his hope that the two parties will foster extensive and substantive cooperation.

Earlier, the PT delegation had talks with a CPV delegation led by Hoang Binh Quan, Head of the Party Central Committee Commission for External Relations.

The two sides discussed the situation of their respective parties and countries, along with regional and international matters of shared concern. They also looked into measures to strengthen party-to-party collaboration.

During their stay in Vietnam, the PT guests had working sessions with the Party Central Committee Commission for Popularization and Education, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Ministry of Education and Training, and the National Hospital of Acupuncture.

On September 6th, the PT delegation visited the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), which is publishing several publications in Latin America with the support of the PT.

VNA Director General Nguyen Duc Loi appreciated the PTs assistance in training editors for the news agency, as well as in the publishing and distribution of VNA publications including the Vietnam Pictorial magazine.

The PT leader said his party has issued many publications on Vietnams revolution, adding that he hopes the VNA will cooperate with the PT to build a centre to publish Vietnamese books in Spanish./.
Long-lost Doctor Who serial The Power of the Daleks has been resurrected thanks to the power of animation and the BBC.

Large chunks of the long-running, cult sci-fi series Doctor Who have been all but erased from history. A sizable portion of the fourth season of Doctor Who from the 60s is lost to archival purges. And despite having a vast collection of episodes still in existence from its 26-plus seasons, theres still quite a bit missing from the Doctors past.

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BBC America and BBC Worldwide hope to rectify some of the missing work with a special animated re-creation of the six-episode serial The Power of the Daleks.

Based on the remaining images, clips and audio, the studio has brought the lost serial back to life along with Patrick Troughtons plaid-panted Doctor.

According to the press release the animation was produced and directed by Charles Norton. And the character designs came from the comic book artists Martin Geraghty and Adrian Salmon.

Most remarkable, the reconstruction of The Power of the Daleks will now show the regeneration of the first Time Lord, played by William Hartnell, into his second incarnation played by Troughton, who would go on to play the Doctor for four years.

Director Norton released this statement with the news of the series revival, The Power of the Daleks animation is the most ambitious Doctor Who archive restoration ever attempted and were all very honored to be a part of such an exciting project. Intelligent, suspenseful and magnificently staged, The Power of the Daleks is one of the great lost classics of 1960s television and a superb example of the black-and-white era at its finest.

The animated episodes will air on Nov. 12 and will be available online shortly after.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

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meredith.woerner@latimes.com

Twitter: @MdellW
Is a repressive 19th century drama from a newbie director the most radical movie of the season?

Ever since his Lady Macbeth  a 19th century re-imagining of a Russian novella about an arranged marriage  became one of the conversation pieces at the Toronto International Film Festival, director William Oldroyd has found himself having an unusual conversation.

Filmgoers whove seen his movie and expected (or apparently dont know much about) William Shakespeare have been wondering what happened to Duncan, Banquo and the rest of the gang.

I know it sounds funny, but Ive had people come up and say to me, This isnt anything like the play,  Oldroyd recalled in an interview. And I have to pause and think about what to say. I mean, its not an adaptation of the [Shostakovich] opera either. Its not really anything traditional.

The director isnt kidding.

This is already shaping up as a film year of a particular trend: complex female characters reacting provocatively to sexual repression and assault. Movies such as Elle, with Isabelle Huppert, and Una, with Rooney Mara, both confound simple victim narratives in ways that are honest or dangerous, depending on your point of view.

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The scene was a familiar one: a mother schlepping the aisles of a department store  in this case, a Macys in Canoga Park  while her angst-ridden teenage daughter resentfully followed.

On the agenda for this particular visit was a search for a professional outfit to help the self-doubting, wayward high-schooler see her potential.

When you look at this blouse, be disgusted with me. Say, I dont wear crap like that. Say it like youre giving me a dig. Like I wear crap like that.

This is what happens when Pamela Adlon is your mother. Or, rather, this is what happens when Pamela Adlon is playing your mother in a new, semi-autobiographical comedy she created for FX  and, as such, is giving instructions for the scene.

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It was a Friday morning in May, and the hum of the store, which remained open to the public during production, carried on around them. At one point, Adlon found herself offering her opinions to a female shopper searching for a dress to wear to her sons wedding.

Pamela Adlon, right, looks at clothing as extras wait, reflected in the mirror at right, during a break in filming at Macys for Better Things in Canoga Park on May 13, 2016. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times )

While that unscripted encounter didnt make the final cut, its the kind of slice-of-life feeling that Adlons show, Better Things, elicits.

The comedy, which premieres Thursday, features Adlon as Sam Fox, a single mother of three daughters who navigates the tightrope between family life and her work as an actor.

Some may know Adlon from her work on Showtimes Californication. Others may recognize her husky voice from the animated series King of the Hill, for which she voiced the quirky Bobby Hill. But FX viewers know Adlon for her work on critical darling Louie, where she had a recurring role as Louis C.K.s characters love interest. (Adlon also wrote for the series.)

The 11-year friendship between Adlon and C.K., which dates back to HBOs Lucky Louie, carries over to Better Things. The 10-episode series, along with the recent Baskets, is part of C.K.s overall deal with FX. In addition to serving as co-creator, he also co-wrote multiple episodes and directed the pilot.

I like to keep it simple. Its all about just letting it all  lay there like a fart. Just sit in it and smell.  Pamela Adlon

But dont call Better Things a female Louie.

Of course theres going to be a comparison because hes my creative partner on this show and professionally, Adlon said in an interview more recently, inside her temporary office in Sherman Oaks. I know everyone is saying it because its easy, but I dont consider it the female Louie, except for the fact that in my show people talk the way Louie and I talk. My show feels very documentary-like or like an independent film. I like to keep it simple. Its all about just letting it all  lay there like a fart. Just sit in it and smell.

Inside her office, where cans of La Croix sit against a wall tacked with index cards, the New York native cant stay on one thought too long  mostly because she wants to make sure shes not leaving anything out. That can sometimes yield colorful language thats unsuitable for print -- though you can probably fill in the gaps above and below -- or times when she lunges off the couch to point things out. In one instance, she walked to the chair and ottoman that sit near her desk to explain they belonged to her father, then motioned to a photo of him in a pine green sweater, which she says she wore in the shows pilot.

Thats such a crazy thing, Adlon said, stopping herself, still incredulous at the thought: Like, I have a pilot. I have a show.

It gets Adlon thinking about her time on ABCs Boston Legal in the mid-00s and a promise she made to herself back then while rummaging the craft service table.

I remember we had the most beautiful craft service table on that set, Adlon said. There was, like, no less than three hot pots going at a time. I mean, it was a  David E. Kelley show, for crying out loud. I just remember thinking to myself, Thats what Im going to do. Im going to  have that when I have a show one day. And I did.

But it didnt come without some convincing on her end. When C.K. told Adlon that he put her name in the running when John Landgraf, the chief of FX Networks, said he wanted to develop a show with a woman at the helm, Adlon had a four-word response that included the F-bomb somewhere in the middle: Are you  crazy?

C.K. had a different perspective.

Pamela has a rare talent for expressing the misery of her life in the most hilarious way, he said by email. She is a great storyteller, and her instincts for how to create television, her timing, her eye  Ive observed these talents all the years Ive worked with her, and I believed she could put them together to make a great show.

After several conversations, Adlon warmed to the idea.

I mean, I was doing Louie and Californication, [animated voice-over work] and raising three girls  having my own show seemed ridiculously impossible, Adlon said. But I knew there are windows of opportunity in life. If you dont say no or yes to certain things in your life at a certain point, youll never get to the next level. You have to be your own pioneer for your future, especially as a woman.

I could be on someone elses show right now, she added. But Im on mine. And thats  amazing. I feel like even if it goes nowhere, I won. I can already hear Louie nagging me about that. He always says to me, Dont do that! Dont say that even if it doesnt last crap. But I cant help it. If you dont live your life with your feet in some kind of reality, youre going to  die all the time.

She is blunt and honest and not a honey sweet measured mom. Shes a mess. And millions of women and parents and people live like her.  Louis C.K.

If Adlon sounds like shes familiar with the travails of Hollywood, its because its in her blood. Her father, Don Segall, was a morning TV producer and comedy writer (Diffrent Strokes, Whos the Boss?). And she honed her acting chops at an early age, appearing in such sitcoms as Night Court and The Facts of Life.

I have been fired so many  times, Adlon, 50, said. So has my father. My family struggled. I struggled. I had to sell my record collection to pay my rent after I was on the  Facts of Life when I was a teenager! It just all goes in these waves. Right now, Im plastered on every  bus with ads for this show, but in two years, Im probably going to be hitting my friends up who I put in my show, saying, Guess what, I need some help.

Its that sort of messy and ungainly reality that would ultimately set the tone for her show. Adlon wasnt interested in creating an entirely fictitious world. Instead, she wanted to mine her life as the primary parent of three teenage children. (Adlon got divorced in 2010.)

Pamela is playing a middle-class working actor who is not famous but works all the time doing voice-over work, bit parts, anything that comes, C.K said. Also she is not a typical TV lead actor. She is blunt and honest and not a honey sweet measured mom. Shes a mess. And millions of women and parents and people live like her.

For the traditionally male-skewing FX, it signals a shift to broaden its base.

Weve had great female characters on our shows before, said Eric Schrier, president of original programming at FX Networks. But we never had a sole female-driven show that was written by a woman. Weve been looking to vary the points of view on the network for a while.

The pressure to meet all the praise and expectations, at times, seemed an impossible task. Adlon talks of setbacks (for example, when the actor playing her middle daughter in the pilot had to leave the show for personal reasons) or of pushing for what she wanted (e.g., her persistence in setting the opening credits to John Lennons Mother). Adlon also became a first-time director on the series with some pushing from C.K.

I never thought I would quit, Adlon said. But I did think I would die. And as  corny as it sounds, giving up wasnt an option. But there was a point where I was, like, Do I have to be in it anymore?

More seriously, though, Adlon pauses when she thinks about what it means for her daughters to know that there is a show out there that is hers.

I showed a bunch of their friends an episode a couple of weeks ago, Adlon said. My kids everyday are realizing what Ive done. I hope theyre proud. My message to them always is: Make your own money, support yourself, and do what makes you happy. Hopefully, Im setting that example.

Better Things

Where: FX

When: 10 p.m. Thursday

Rating: TV-MA (may be unsuitable for children younger than 17)
Trump offers people in the country illegally a way to stay: Join the military

Trump: Undocumented person wanting to serve in military & stay in U.S. legally presents "very special circumstance" https://t.co/zocQY8t7x7  NBC News (@NBCNews) September 8, 2016

Under a Donald Trump administration, there could be at least one way for people here illegally to avoid deportation: Join the military.

Asked whether plans to join the armed forces might provide a path to legal residence, the Republican presidential nominee said it was likely.

I could see myself working that out, absolutely, he said Wednesday in New York at the Commander in Chief Forum hosted by NBC. Military is a very special thing.

It would be a very special circumstance, he said.

Throughout the Republican primary, Trump insisted that anyone in the country illegally would be deported under his administration. He also questioned the constitutional guarantee of U.S. citizenship to anybody born here.

In recent weeks, however, he has dialed back, saying that mass deportation is unlikely and that he would focus on immigrants without legal status who have criminal records.

Trump has said he opposes President Obamas executive action known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which allows exemptions from deportations to some young people in the country illegally.

Those who have served in the military are eligible, though federal courts have halted applications.
Heres what Ive been wondering since last year, when Donald Trump made race and immigration central to his campaign:

Has the country become more bigoted as a result, or does it just seem that way because of how rabid and vocal Trump supporters are?

Troglodytes have always been a part of American culture, and I suspect they always will be. But they seem to have become more emboldened, which is understandable, given that a candidate for president of the United States is obsessed with people of color. And hes revved up followers by exaggerating crime stats and ranting about rapists and drug dealers flowing across the border.

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On Sunday, my column was about a comment from the head of Latinos for Trump, who warned that if we dont do something about immigration, were going to end up with  horror of all horrors  taco trucks on every corner.

What could be so bad about that, I asked.

Because it would be an eyesore and this is not Tijuana  yet, a reader responded.

If I wanted to live in Mexico or Latin America, I would move there, wrote another. A taco truck on every corner, and they wonder why kids are overweight.

Some readers missed the point altogether, scolding me about the impact of food trucks on bricks-and-mortar restaurants (OK, a legitimate concern but a different column), or arguing that more trucks means more low-wage jobs (then leave a bigger tip), or making cracks about food poisoning (sprinkle some lime on your taco and take a walk on the wild side).

Then there was a reader named Diane, who checks in regularly. This time she dropped a note to me and my colleagues saying, Gang members are the offspring of the illegal laborers, who due to their illiteracy & ignorance know NOTHING about how to raise a civilized, productive member of society.

Dianes expertise extends to science and hygiene. She blasted American citizens for hiring anyone whos never taken a biology course & knows NOTHING about bacteria to clean their home.

And she closed with this:

Deportations cannot come soon enough. TRUMP 2016-2024!

Look, I get that some Trump supporters love the idea that hes not Hillary or some other career politician, or they think he can actually grow jobs and wages. And there are important conversations to be had about the costs and benefits of illegal immigration, and how best to reform a hypocritical, ridiculously broken system.

But were not having them.

Gas bag proclamations dominate the discourse, and when a candidate for president is happy to let it rip, the posse is ready to ride.

But are there more Dianes now, for whom immigration is a critical issue, than there were before Trump began race-baiting?

Fernando Guerra of Loyola Universitys Institute for the Study of Los Angeles doesnt think so.

Overwhelmingly, public opinion, led by Los Angeles and California, has moved away from this really being a wedge issue, Guerra said. All of a sudden Trump and his campaign are making it a wedge issue again, and creating a divisiveness when were trying to move away from that.

As Guerra sees it, there are few congressional, state or local elections in which immigration is key, particularly in California.

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Thats because Trumps immigration policies seem to be at odds with the views of most Americans. Maybe thats because they understand that most people who come north are simply trying to escape violence and economic hopelessness.

A recent Pew Research poll found that Trumps border wall is losing support, with 61% currently opposing the idea.

Seventy-six percent of those surveyed said undocumented immigrants are as hardworking and honest as U.S. citizens.

Two-thirds said undocumented immigrants are no more likely than U.S. citizens to commit serious crimes.

And about 7 in 10 people said undocumented immigrants take jobs that, for the most part, citizens dont want.

These numbers are pretty much in line with the way Californians think, according to Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California.

A strong majority say immigrants are a benefit to California, Baldassare said. And by an overwhelming number, Californians want a path to citizenship and are against building a wall.

A strong majority say immigrants are a benefit to California.  Mark Baldassare, Public Policy Institute of California

The presidential campaign does not appear to have had an impact on those positions, Baldassare said.

Were not seeing any evidence that people are expressing an anti-immigrant perspective in polling this year.

In May, two-thirds of Californians opposed building the wall, and 75% of likely voters  including a majority of Republicans  said undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay in the country legally.

Baldassare speculated that if my mail bag suggests theres an increasingly hard line against immigration, what you might be seeing is a difference in terms of peoples willingness to express opinions, because you now have people at the national level expressing opinions that maybe werent that openly expressed previously.

I think hes onto something, and in fact, I heard from lots of readers who had nothing but good things to say about taco trucks and the people who run them, and nothing but negative things to say about political candidates who indulge our worst instincts.

I love the idea of a taco truck on every corner of America, wrote Roz Levine.

It means hardworking people are running a business, earning money for their families Bring on taco trucks, the sushi trucks, the trucks that bring us samosas, fajitas, pizzas, burritos and falafels; bring on the rich tableau of foods made by Americans from everywhere that help to make our country beautiful and great.

Take that, haters.

And Roz?

You name the truck of your choice, and lunch is on me.

Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez

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For a year, Christian Sanchez, his parents and his younger siblings lived without Internet service in their apartment in Estrada Courts  a Boyle Heights public housing project they have called home for 15 years.

The family of five couldnt afford it.



For the record: An earlier version of this article referred to Ken McNeely as the AT&T president. He is the president of AT&T California. Also, it said Lisette Mares was Christian Sanchezs daughter. She is his sister.

For research projects, I would have to stay on campus, said Sanchez, who is studying fashion merchandising at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

But on Saturday morning the family got their Internet service back after AT&T teamed up with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of the ConnectHome initiative.

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Through ConnectHome, Internet service providers, nonprofits and the private sector offer broadband access, technical training, digital literacy programs and devices for residents in assisted-housing units in 28 pilot communities nationwide.

Down the street from Sanchez and his familys apartment in Estrada Courts, the president of AT&T California and elected officials announced Wednesday that the company is now a national stakeholder in the initiative to help connect families in HUD-assisted housing with low-cost Internet service.

The Internet is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity, said Julian Castro, HUD secretary. By delivering Internet access to low-income communities, were making sure that our young people can compete.

Over the next year, AT&T will host 30 events across 15 ConnectHome pilot communities within the companys wireline service area. The events will help inform people living in HUD-assisted homes about Access from AT&T, the service launched in April.

The first informational event will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday in the computer lab of the Estrada Courts development.

We need to make sure that we see the next Mark Zuckerberg coming out of Boyle Heights or South L.A., said Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Since 2015, the Housing Authority of Los Angeles has provided Internet connectivity to more than 2,200 units (1,830 units through ConnectHome).

Access from AT&T is offered to homes where the company offers wireline home Internet service and at least one resident participates in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Internet speeds provided at 10 Mbps and 5 Mbps will cost $10 a month and Internet speeds at 3 Mbps will cost $5 a month. The company will also waive installation and equipment fees for the service.

On Wednesday morning, Castro, Garcetti and AT&T California President Ken McNeely crowded around the computer of Sanchezs 11-year-old sister, Lisette Mares, as she pulled up her schoolwork.

(Castro and Garcetti signed an absence note from school for Lisette).

Over the last year, Lisette did most of her work on her phone or would visit a neighbors house to work on projects she couldnt do at home.

It was a little bit harder, she said.

While Lisette is excited about being able to do homework on a computer  and not having to waste phone data  as soon as the Internet was hooked up she had a specific request for her older brother:

Can you connect Netflix?

For more California news, follow @brittny_mejia
The debut of a new housing option at Cal State Los Angeles is attracting a lot of attention, starting with its name: the Halisi Scholars Black Living-Learning Community.

The on-campus housing is meant to gather those interested in issues concerning the black community. Twenty-four students are living in the themed dorm space, and Cal State L.A. said there is a wait list to get in.

News of the housing spread around the Internet on Tuesday, generating criticism. Some said separating minority students runs counter to the aims of the civil rights movement. Stories appeared on the Fox News website and at the Blaze, the online outlet launched by conservative commentator Glenn Beck.

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Cal State L.A. said the housing is hardly unique and shuts no one out.

This community is open to all students, said Cal State L.A. spokesman Robert Lopez. This living-learning community focuses on academic excellence and learning experiences that are inclusive and non-discriminatory.

Lopez, a former Times staff writer, said in an email that the university offers four themed living communities, including first-year, honors and gender-neutral housing.

The focused housing options are tucked in the campus residential complex, which has 192 fully furnished apartments. Most students do not live on campus.

UC Berkeley has seven communities that each offer housing themed around a specific community, including Native Americans, Asian Pacific Americans and African Americans.

Stanford offers four ethnic theme dorms that each focus on Latino, Native American, Asian American and black culture. These are among nearly 20 theme houses at the Palo Alto campus.

Reed College in Portland, Ore., offers an intentional living community for students of color to heal together from systemic white supremacy, and the themed housing focuses on black and indigenous voices, according to the colleges website.

Since 2001, Cornell College in Iowa has offered living learning communities. During the 2015-16 academic year, the college had housing that confronts problems and concerns of Black students, according to the colleges website.

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

Twitter: @MattHjourno

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The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to pay $750,000 to a high-level economic development official who claimed he faced retaliation for reporting improper financial dealings and racial bias at his workplace.

City lawmakers unanimously backed the legal settlement with Ninoos Benjamin, who was fired two years ago from his post at the Economic and Workforce Development Department.

Benjamin claimed in a lawsuit that, as a white Assyrian of Persian descent, he had faced discrimination and had been passed over for career opportunities. He also portrayed himself as a whistle-blower who lost his job as a direct result of notifying city leaders that they had failed to follow rules that govern the use of federal funds.

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The city disputed Benjamins claims, saying that his firing was caused by inappropriate behavior, not disclosure of wrongdoing. Department employees filed complaints about Benjamin in 2011 and 2012, saying he engaged in profane, loud and abusive workplace conduct, according to a report on the settlement prepared for the council.

A threat management consultant retained by the city concluded that Benjamin was a workplace bully who should be fired, the report said. Benjamin received a 10-day suspension. But in 2013, a co-worker reported that he had engaged in yelling and foul language at a meeting, the citys report states. He was fired months later.

City lawyers succeeded in having most of Benjamins claims dismissed. However, a jury sided with him on his whistle-blower allegation. The jury said Benjamins decision to inform his superiors about potential violations of federal rules was a contributing factor in his firing.

Benjamin asked the jury to award him as much as $6.8 million, said Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for City Atty. Mike Feuer. The jury came back with a $758,204 verdict, which paved the way for a settlement, said Daniel J. Podolsky, Benjamins lawyer.

Everyone can finally move on with their lives, Podolsky said after Tuesdays vote.

In their memo, the citys lawyers said they saw no valid reason for filing an appeal. A new trial could result in a much larger award, including damages for past and future lost pension, they wrote.

Under the settlement, Benjamin will be responsible for his legal bills, Wilcox said.

Benjamin originally filed his lawsuit in 2012, while he was still working for the city, and amended it repeatedly. He said he informed his superiors that the city significantly overpaid for a piece of property in South Los Angeles and had violated the terms of contracts reached with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That information was disregarded, he said.

The city conducted an investigation found no violations of federal rules. Nevertheless, city leaders put together a corrective action plan that incorporated some of his recommendations, Wilcox said.

Benjamins lawsuit also included assertions that employees of his agency were regularly hired or retained based on race, not merit.

He alleged that his division had been ordered to retain three under-performing African American employees. He also claimed that one manager hired under-performing Latino workers as a way to counter an all-African-American hiring frenzy and achieve racial balance.

All of Benjamins race-based claims were dismissed by a judge, Wilcox said.

david.zahniser@latimes.com

Twitter: @DavidZahniser

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A Metropolitan Transportation Authority proposal to raise Los Angeles Countys base sales tax rate to fund transit and highway projects does not need to be rewritten before appearing on the November ballot, a judge said Tuesday.

Superior Court Judge Mary H. Strobel ruled against a coalition of seven cities that sued last month over the ballot language for Metros sales tax proposal, saying there was no evidence that the brief description would be confusing to voters.

The seven suing cities, including Carson and Torrance, had argued that a 75-word blurb slated to appear on the ballot violated California election law because it did not specify how much revenue the tax would generate per year, or how long the tax would last.

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In a 10-page ruling, Strobel said Metros sales tax proposal, vetted in public hearings and meetings, is not subject to the same requirements as measures placed on the ballot through a signature-gathering process.

Carson mayor Albert Robles called the ruling disappointing, and said Metro circumvented truth, honesty and fairness in its description of the tax.

Hiding behind hyper-technical distinctions is disingenuous, Robles said. He would not say whether he would campaign against the measure.

A spokeswoman for Carson, Norwalk, Torrance, Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill, Rancho Palos Verdes, and Commerce said the suing cities had not decided whether to appeal the ruling.

A Metro spokesman said the agency was appreciative of the judges ruling. Yusef Robb of the Yes on Measure M campaign said in a statement that the plaintiffs should stop interfering with the voters right to make their own judgment.

Measure M would raise an estimated $860 million per year to expand Los Angeles Countys transit network, including a rail tunnel through the Sepulveda Pass and a light-rail line between Union Station and Artesia.

If Metros tax proposal receives a two-thirds majority vote, the countys base sales rate would increase by 0.5%, to 9.5%. The rate would be higher in some cities that have imposed local sales taxes.

The tax rate would double to 1% in 2039 to replace the revenue lost when Measure R, another half-cent sales tax, expires. The tax would then continue indefinitely.

The lawsuit reflects some simmering displeasure with Measure M in the corners of Los Angeles County.

Officials with the South Bay Council of Governments, which represents 16 cities, have refused to endorse Measure M, saying their cities would generate more tax revenue than they would get back through transit investment and funds for local road repairs.

The Gateway Cities Council of Governments voted 21-1 to oppose the measure, saying projects in the region that were partially funded through a previous tax measure have been leapfrogged by new proposals.

We all want every project to start tomorrow, Garcetti said at a news conference last week. He said residents of the South Bay and the Gateway Cities want the investments that Measure R would bring, and that officials there should let the voters decide.

The suing cities argued that Metros headline for Measure M  Los Angeles County Traffic Improvement Plan  was misleading because it implied that spending from the measure would be allocated equally across the county.

Given the substantial amount of work proposed by the ordinance, as well as the size of the county, a reasonable voter would not interpret the reference to Los Angeles County to mean an exacting and equal distribution of tax dollars or projects, Strobel wrote.

She added: Whether or not Measure M is good or fair policy is not at issue here.

laura.nelson@latimes.com

Twitter: @laura_nelson

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President Tran Dai Quang and Bulgarian Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov (Source: VNA)



The President said the visit of the Bulgaria guest at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Le Minh Tri will open up new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in this sector.

He called on the procuracy sectors of both countries to continue effectively implementing their agreement signed in April 2015, with focus on sharing experience in law building and enforcement, and human resource training.

The two sides should work closely together in fighting crime, particularly transnational organised crime, protecting legitimate rights of each others citizens, and supporting each other at international forums, President Quang said.

He acknowledged the valuable support Bulgaria has provided for Vietnam in the past as well as at the present, reaffirming that the Party and the State of Vietnam always pay attention to fostering and promoting ties with traditional friends, including Bulgaria.

For his part, Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov hailed the close friendship between the two nations, saying that it lays a solid foundation for the development of bilateral cooperation.

He updated the host on the outcomes of the talks between him and his Vietnamese counterpart, saying that they had agreed on delegation exchanges and prosecutor training, adding that there is still room for the two procuracy agencies to expand cooperation./.
Santa Anas City Council voted late Tuesday to declare a public health and safety crisis over a mushrooming homeless encampment in the Civic Center that has attracted more than 450 homeless people in recent months.

The resolution, backed by Councilwoman Michele Martinez, called for the city to boost policing and code enforcement in the tent city, while pressuring the county to step up within 30 days and develop a health and safety plan for the area.

Councilman Vincent Sarmiento said the intent of this resolution is to tell the county to do something  to act. Were trying to secure the environment so women and children are safe.

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Many transients gather in an area between Broadway and Flower Street, bordered by Civic Center Drive and Santa Ana Boulevard.

Officials have said they are worried not only for the more than 15,000 government workers stationed at the sprawling complex of offices for city, county and state employees but for members of the public. They say people have the right to feel safe while conducting business in downtown Santa Ana, the seat of Orange County.

Yet government employees report that, month by month, the homeless population is swelling, climbing beyond 400 earlier this year. Drugs, feces, urine and trash line the corridors between government buildings, and workers in the area are so fearful of walking to their cars that some have requested escorts, according to officials.

What are they waiting for  an epidemic like typhoid? asked Peter Katz, a retired postal worker and 50-year resident.

Katz was one of more than two dozen people who spoke in public comments that stretched over two hours. He urged city leaders to take the step to protect government workers and jurors who serve in the county courthouse and spoke of the dangers of vermin and drugs.

You dont want Santa Ana to be known as being too friendly to the homeless, Katz said after the council voted. Others will be coming here.

In 2015, Orange Countys homeless population was estimated at nearly 15,300 people, compared with 12,700 two years earlier, according to a count conducted by 2-1-1 Orange County, a nonprofit helping to guide residents to health and human services.

Santa Ana officials accuse county officials of underestimating the problem. The new resolution asks the county to host a summit on homelessness, with participation from all 34 cities.

The resolution was opposed by Mayor Miguel Pulido and Councilman David Benavides, with Pulido suggesting that the city should push the county to spend more to keep its county seat safer.

I applaud your work, Pulido said to Martinez. But he and Benavides said they wanted more time to review an upcoming budget that City Manager David Cavazos will prepare, detailing costs such as adding more lighting around the cluster of government buildings.

Many residents and social workers voiced worries that the resolution allows for the criminalization of the homeless since it calls for beefed-up policing and stricter enforcement. They said law enforcement should not ticket those on the streets, because being homeless is not a crime.

Increased enforcement violates peoples rights, said Eve Garrow, a homelessness policy analyst for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. You dont respond to a humanitarian crisis by punishing people for the crisis.

So far this year, police have made 54 felony arrests and 281 arrests for misdemeanors and code violations in the area, according to Martinez.

City Attorney Sonia Carvalho said police are issuing fewer than one citation a day in the encampment area, and citations come only after numerous warnings to potential offenders.

Basil Kimbrew, a French chef from Moreno Valley who organizes free meals at the Civic Center at least twice a month, asked to partner with the council on outreach work or provide cooking lessons to those living in the streets.

These people will never leave until we as a community show them how to leave, said Kimbrew, a U.S. Army veteran.

I was one of them. I was a broken soldier who lost everything, but others pulled me up and this is what we should do now for those in need, he said. Lets show compassion rather than just say crisis. 

Earlier Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors agreed to open a temporary shelter at an old bus terminal near the Civic Center.

Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.

anh.do@latimes.com

Twitter: @newsterrier

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For weeks in Oregons rugged backcountry, the two brothers were the face of the armed occupation of a wildlife refuge  two men dressed in flannel and cowboys hats with copies of the Constitution jammed in their breast pockets.

Now Ammon and Ryan Bundy  behind bars since the occupation wound down after the shooting death of one protester and the systematic arrests of others  are headed to trial in Portland for their alleged leading role in taking over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

The federal court trial of the Bundy brothers along with six codefendants is expected to spark lively arguments over the governments right to control federal land such as the wildlife refuge in southeast Oregon.

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The Bundys and their anti-government followers occupied the site for 41 days in January and February, surrendering soon after one occupier was killed by state police. For taxpayers, the takeover tab came to $9 million in costs and damage, federal officials estimated. Millions more are being spent on the resulting federal trials this year and next.

The occupiers, a colorful group of ranchers, militia members and others, demanded the federal government hand over land it manages to individual states to use as residents wished  such as for cattle grazing. In daily news conferences outside a squat government building where the occupiers were holed up, they accused the federal government of essentially stealing land from citizens of the West.

The Bundys father, Cliven, had led a 2014 armed standoff near his Nevada ranch to protest being charged for letting his cattle feed on U.S. land. Government officials backed down from the confrontation, saying they wanted to avoid bloodshed, and the Bundys declared victory, inspiring the subsequent Oregon takeover.

Cliven Bundy, 70, is now charged in the Nevada takeover with four of his sons, including Ammon, 41, and Ryan, 44. Trials are set to start in 2017. Cliven Bundy remains in federal custody in Las Vegas. He and the sons, members of the Mormon church, said their actions in Nevada and Oregon were inspired by their faith.

In Portland this week, the defense has indicated it will rely on novel legal challenges and, as needed, colorful historical references to persuade the jury.

Last week, in a court document, one of the Bundy attorneys, arguing the U.S. government has no jurisdiction in Oregon, said the federal officials were acting like the federales in the 1948 classic western The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

The attorney noted that in the movie when Fred Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) asked the lawman (actually, a bandit) where his badge was, the bandit memorably responded, Badges? We aint got no badges. We dont need no badges. I dont have to show you any stinking badges!'

Said the attorney, Marcus Mumford: The governments response says, essentially, we dont need to prove no stinking subject matter jurisdiction! ... But thats the thing, they do.

Ryan Bundy, who is acting as his own attorney, had drawn the most attention of the defendants.

Authorities say he was caught planning to escape from the Multnomah County Detention Center by tying sheets together and scaling a wall, though he told jail personnel he was only practicing tying knots. And in one court motion, he questioned his own competence.

I, ryan c, man, am an idiot of the Legal Society, he wrote in the court document in an attempt to explain his independence, and; am an idiot (layman, outsider) of the Bar Association; and; i am incompetent; and; am not required by any law to be competent.

Ryan Bundy also tried to subpoena Gov. Kate Brown and other government officials to testify in the case, sought $800,000 in damages for his arrest and claimed to be a member of the sovereign Bundy family not subject to federal law.

Followers of the trial can expect more legal unorthodoxy if pretrial briefs are any indication. Mumford and other defenders have some room to argue, for example, that a favored sovereign legal principle  adverse possession, providing for the takeover of others land through occupation  applies in this case. It can be mentioned to show a defendants state of mind, U.S. District Judge Anna Brown has ruled.

But Brown also told both sides that the outcome will not rest on that principle or U.S. land management policies. The only question will be whether the occupiers prevented federal employees from doing their jobs. If found guilty of impeding workers, they could get up to six years in prison.

Altogether, 26 people were charged. In addition to the eight defendants facing trial this week, seven are set for trial in early 2017. The remainder have pleaded guilty, and one, Corey Lequieu, became the first defendant to be sentenced, given a 2-year term last month.

Cliven Bundy and four of his sons are set to go to trial next year in Nevada relating to the 2014 land takeover that brought the Bundys to the publics attention. As Cliven Bundy explained in several interviews, his war with federal rule began as a mission from God.

The Lord told me, This is your chance to straighten this thing up, he said.

Anderson is a special correspondent

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Darren Seals, a black activist who protested in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014, was found shot to death in a burning vehicle in St. Louis County early Tuesday morning, according to county police.

Seals, 29, of St. Louis, was found at about 2 a.m. in the city of Riverview, one of dozens of small communities that make up St. Louis predominantly black northern suburbs. He had been shot one time. Police said his first name was spelled Daren, though court records and other activists spell his name as Darren.

No suspects have been arrested or identified, and police have not suggested a motive.

Some activists were chilled by the resemblance of Seals death to the unsolved killing of Deandre Joshua in Ferguson two years ago.

Joshua, 20, was also found shot dead in a burning vehicle on the night that St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch announced that a grand jury had declined to indict Officer Darren Wilson for shooting unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown.

At this time the two homicides are not linked, St. Louis County police spokesman Shawn McGuire said in an email. He declined to release more details on the manner of Seals death, citing the ongoing investigation.

NEWSLETTER: Get the day's top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj 

At least four other St. Louis-area men have been found shot dead in burning cars in recent years, though its unclear if any of those cases were linked in any way. McGuire said such cases were unusual, and St. Louis city police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Seals, who also went by the name King D. Seals, was mourned by other activists who took part in the Ferguson protests, which began when Wilson, who is white, shot Brown, who was black, after a struggle.

No matter what, @KingDSeals stood for STL & Mike Brown and was a part of my Ferguson family, another protester, Ashley Yates, tweeted after news of Seals death spread. Rest in power.

In his Twitter profile, Seals described himself as a Businessman, Revolutionary, Activist, Unapologetically BLACK, Afrikan in AmeriKKKa, Fighter, Leader.

Seals was with Browns family on the night of the grand jury announcement, standing on top of a car outside the Ferguson Police Department. Seals later recalled Browns mother crying in his arms after the decision not to indict was announced.

Ive seen people crying, but she was really hurt. And it hurt me. It hurt all of us, Seals wrote in an essay for MTV News.

Seals was proud of the protests he had joined. I dont recall anyone having a longer protest, a more productive protest, a more creative protest than what we did, he wrote.

Seals added that violence was a fact of life where he lived in the St. Louis area.

Its easy to kill black people because were the have-nots, Seals wrote. What people dont understand is, we actually live in a nightmare. We actually live in a place where gunshots [are normal]. We hear gunshots everyday.

Seals was a contentious figure among the activists who gathered in Ferguson in 2014, some of whom he publicly accused of trying to hijack the protests. In July, he tweeted screenshots showing that several of Fergusons protesters had blocked him on Twitter.

But activists seemed to put any conflict aside in mourning his death, including DeRay Mckesson, who had been one of the most prominent targets of Seals criticism  and whom Seals claimed to have slapped at a protest in 2015.

We can live in a world where people don't die by violence, tweeted Mckesson, one of the most well-known figures to emerge from the protests in Ferguson, who would later mount an unsuccessful bid to be mayor of Baltimore. Nobody deserves to die. We did not always agree, but he should be alive today.

St. Louis rapper Tef Poe tweeted that he had last spoken to Seals two weeks ago, but was busy and forgot to call him back. He said he cried after he found out Seals was dead Tuesday morning.

He loved the city and he loved the fact that we accomplished something no else had done in this lifetime, Poe wrote in a caption for an Instagram post that included Seals posing for a photo with prominent black intellectual Cornel West, who came to Ferguson to protest.

He was a controversial figure so some people might shy away from shouting him out. Not Me. When it was go time he was always there. Nobody can take that from him, Poe wrote.

Damn D.Seals a wild boy for life but he really believed in Saint Louis. I'm still in disbelief.

matt.pearce@latimes.com

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UPDATES:

1:55 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout.

The first version of this article was published at 11:05 a.m.
As insurers exit Obamacare marketplaces across the country, critics of the Affordable Care Act have redoubled claims that the health law isnt working.

Yet these same critics, many of them Republican politicians in red states, took steps over the last several years to undermine the 2010 law and fuel the current turmoil in their insurance markets.

Among other things, they blocked expansion of Medicaid coverage for the poor, erected barriers to enrollment and refused to move health plans into the Obamacare marketplaces, a key step to bringing in healthier consumers.

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Those decisions left the marketplaces in many red states with poorer, sicker customers than they otherwise might have had.

Now, consumers are paying the price, as insurers seek major rate hikes or stop selling plans altogether.

Indeed, eight of the nine states where consumer choices will be most limited in 2017 have rejected Medicaid expansion and taken other steps that have weakened their marketplaces, data show.

Its the same basic lesson I tell my kids, said Manatt Health managing director Joel Ario, a former insurance commissioner in Oregon and Pennsylvania. If you put the work into something, you will get results. If you just sit on the sidelines and complain, you shouldnt be surprised if things dont work out.

The marketplaces have been shaken by the closure of more than a dozen new insurance co-ops and moves by major national insurers, including UnitedHealth Group, Humana and Aetna, to scale back offerings in 2017. Many of the insurers that remain in the marketplaces are seeking double-digit rate hikes.

Nearly all cited unsustainable losses due to sicker, and thus costlier, customers than the health plans anticipated.

The market exits have left consumers in wide swaths of the country with diminishing choices going into 2017.

In nearly a third of counties nationwide, just a single insurer will offer plans next year, according to an analysis by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.

That has fueled a new round of criticism from Republican politicians. Obamacare has been a disaster for Missourians, and its about to get even worse, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt said this week, citing the recent Kaiser analysis.

Missouri has been among the hardest hit by the recent insurer exits, as 98 of the states 114 counties will have just one insurer offering plans next year, up from only two counties this year.

The marketplaces, which currently provide coverage to about 11 million Americans, were supposed to be more competitive.

The laws architects hoped insurers would be drawn in by the opportunity to sell health plans to millions of Americans. They also included provisions in the law to bring in healthy customers most prized by insurers, included federal subsidies, which help defray most consumers monthly premiums. Americans who dont have coverage are subject to tax penalties.

Importantly, the law also depended on states to support their marketplaces and help enroll healthy consumers.

Like all insurance, the Obamacare marketplaces require a mix of policyholders, or risk pool, so lower-cost participants offset the higher medical costs of sicker customers.

State insurance regulators were to phase out health plans that insurers had been offering before 2014, thereby moving those policyholders into the marketplaces. These customers were overwhelmingly healthy because prior to 2014 insurers in most states largely didnt sell plans to people with preexisting medical conditions.

States were also offered millions of dollars in federal aid for outreach and enrollment efforts starting in 2013.

Marketing was seen as critical since sick customers were expected come to the marketplaces on their own, while younger, healthier consumers would probably need to be educated about the importance of getting coverage.

The assumption was that states would play an active role, said Jon Kingsdale, who ran the Massachusetts marketplace that became the model for the federal law.

Some states, including California, Connecticut and Maryland, did.

State officials there and elsewhere also worked closely with insurance companies to get them into the markets so consumers would have more choices. California spent hundreds of millions of dollars on outreach campaigns.

States like California that made tough decisions early on and used all the tools available have competitive markets, with opportunities for consumers to choose plans, said Peter Lee, head of Covered California, the states marketplace.

California and other states that actively supported the law havent been immune to the current market turmoil, as many factors have affected their marketplaces and helped drive up premiums for 2017.

But even with some market exits, consumers in more than half of California counties can choose from at least three insurers when selecting health plans next year. That means many will probably be able to find lower-priced options even though some insurers are planning double-digit rate hikes for 2017.

There are many fewer options in states whose leaders have spent years working to sabotage the law.

See the most-read stories this hour 

These include Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee, all of which will have only one insurer in most counties next year, according to the Kaiser analysis.

Building viable insurance marketplaces in some of these states always figured to be challenging, as competition was limited before the law was enacted.

But many of these states made it even more difficult.

Several are among the more than a dozen that imposed additional regulations on people who were supposed to help consumers enroll in health plans.

Proponents of these regulations argued they were trying to protect consumers. Our biggest fear, of course, is identity theft, Florida Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi told Fox News in 2013.

But consumer advocates, patients groups and others saw the rules as another tactic to weaken the law. Missouris regulations were so restrictive that they were thrown out by a federal judge, who concluded state leaders were trying to undermine the marketplace.

Insurance regulators in more than three dozen states, facing a backlash from consumers, also refused to move customers with health plans that predated the health law into the marketplaces.

And 19 states are still rejecting federal aid to expand their Medicaid programs to poor, childless adults, a group of Americans traditionally excluded from the government safety net.

This has been particularly problematic for those states marketplaces, research suggests, as many poor  and probably sick  residents who couldnt get Medicaid have gone into the marketplaces.

Federal data indicate that more than 40% of marketplace enrollees in states that didnt expand Medicaid earn less than 138% of the federal poverty level, or about $16,000 a year.

By contrast, less than 10% of marketplace enrollees in states that expanded Medicaid are so poor.

Americans making less than 138% of the federal poverty level qualify for Medicaid coverage in expansion states.

Obama administration officials are now working to adjust marketplace rules for 2018 in an effort to bring in more younger, healthier customers.

And last week, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell sounded an upbeat note, explaining that the new rules should make the marketplaces more attractive for insurers in the future.

It remains to be seen whether more states will help, however.

We had community after community saying, Lets make this work, said Lee in California. That made a difference.

Twitter: @noamlevey

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This story was originally published at 3 a.m.
The Obama administration is acknowledging its transfer of $1.7 billion to Iran earlier this year was made entirely in cash, using non-U.S. currency, as Republican critics of the transaction continued to denounce the payments.

Treasury Department spokeswoman Dawn Selak said in a statement late Tuesday that the cash payments were necessary because of the effectiveness of U.S. and international sanctions, which isolated Iran from the international finance system.

The $1.7 billion was the settlement of a decades-old arbitration claim between the U.S. and Iran. An initial $400 million of euros, Swiss francs and other foreign currency was delivered on pallets Jan. 17, the same day Tehran agreed to release four American prisoners.

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The Obama administration had claimed the events were separate, but recently acknowledged the cash was used as leverage until the Americans were allowed to leave Iran. The remaining $1.3 billion represented estimated interest on the Iranian cash the U.S. had held since the 1970s. The administration had previously declined to say if the interest was delivered to Iran in physical cash, as with the principal, or via a more regular banking mechanism.

Earlier Tuesday, officials from the State, Justice and Treasury departments held a closed-door briefing for congressional staff on the payments, according to a Capitol Hill aide familiar with the session. The officials said the $1.3 billion was paid in cash on Jan. 22 and Feb. 5. The aide was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity.

The money came from a little-known fund administered by the Treasury Department for settling litigation claims. The so-called Judgment Fund is taxpayer money Congress has permanently approved in the event its needed, allowing the president to bypass direct congressional approval to make a settlement. The U.S. previously paid out $278 million in Iran-related claims by using the fund in 1991.

Republicans have decried the payments as ransom, a charge the Obama administration has rejected. On Tuesday, a group of Republican senators announced their support for legislation that would bar payments from the Judgment Fund to Iran until Tehran pays the nearly $55.6 billion that U.S. courts have judged that it owes to American victims of Iranian terrorism.

President Obamas disastrous nuclear deal with Iran was sweetened with an illicit ransom payment and billions of dollars for the worlds foremost state sponsor of terrorism, said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the bills primary sponsor.

Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also introduced a bill that prohibits cash payments to Iran and demands transparency on future settlements.

Sending the worlds leading state sponsor of terror pallets of untraceable cash isnt just terrible policy, Royce said. Its incredibly reckless, and it only puts bigger targets on the backs of Americans. ... This cash bonanza has emboldened Irans radical regime, and undermined Americas national security.

Both the House and Senate plan to hold hearings on the payments.

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An American Indian tribe has succeeded in getting a federal judge to temporarily stop construction on some, but not all, of a $3.8-billion, four-state oil pipeline, but its broader mission still hangs in the balance.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled Tuesday that work will temporarily stop between North Dakotas State Highway 1806 and a point 20 miles east of Lake Oahe, but may continue on privately owned land west of the highway because he believes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lacks jurisdiction on private property.

The judge said he would rule by the end of the day Friday on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribes challenge of federal regulators decision to grant permits to the Dallas-based operators of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which will cross North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois.

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A weekend confrontation between protesters and construction workers near Lake Oahe prompted the tribe to ask Sunday for a temporary stop of construction. Four private security guards and two guard dogs received medical treatment, officials said, while a tribal spokesman noted that six people  including a child  were bitten by the dogs and at least 30 people were pepper-sprayed.

In the latest escalation of tensions, North Dakota authorities said they planned to pursue charges against Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein for spray-painting construction equipment at a Dakota Access Pipeline protest, likely for trespassing and vandalism. A spokeswoman for Stein says that activists invited her to leave a message at the protest site. She says Stein wrote I approve this message in red spray paint on the blade of a bulldozer.

Standing Rock Sioux tribal Chairman Dave Archambault II issued a statement after Tuesdays ruling, saying: Todays denial of a temporary restraining order ... west of Lake Oahe puts my peoples sacred places at further risk of ruin and desecration. Attorney Jan Hasselman of Earthjustice, who filed the broader lawsuit on behalf of the tribe, noted the tribe will know more by the end of the week about where were heading.

A spokeswoman for Energy Transfer Partners didnt immediately respond to telephone messages requesting comment.

Leone also said in court that there were two more attacks on crews in North Dakota on Tuesday. Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said law enforcement officers pulled back from responding to a report of 150-200 protesters gathered at a construction area on private land because they determined that it wasnt safe to respond.

He said some protesters had hatchets and knives, and two secured themselves to heavy equipment. No pipeline workers were at the site, and no arrests have been made.

Protesters stand along the Cannon Ball River. (Robyn Beck/AFP )

Over the weekend, workers allegedly bulldozed sites on private land that Hasselman said in court documents was of great historic and cultural significance to the tribe. The tribes cultural expert, Tim Mentz Sr., said in court documents that the tribe believes there are human remains in the area and that it wants an opportunity to rebury our relatives.

The elders say that reburying can help deal with the loss and hurt of disturbing these graves, he said.

Lawyers for Energy Transfer Partners filed court documents Tuesday morning denying that workers had destroyed any cultural sites and asking the judge to reject the tribes request for a temporary work stoppage. The company said it has taken and continues to take every reasonable precaution to protect cultural sites.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers didnt oppose the tribes most recent request, with Assistant Atty. Gen. John Cruden saying in court documents that the public interest would be served by preserving peace.

The tribes outstanding lawsuit attempts to halt construction of the pipeline, which passes within a mile of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation and is due to be finished this year. The suit says the project violates several federal laws, including the National Historic Preservation Act, will harm water supplies on the reservation and downstream and disturb ancient sacred sites.

Hundreds of protesters have camped out near the reservation for weeks. Stein, who advocates for clean energy, spent Monday evening with them, when she spray-painted the bulldozer, a spokeswoman said.

Kirchmeier said authorities plan to pursue charges of trespassing and vandalism against Stein. State court records Tuesday evening didnt yet list any formal counts against her.
In the two months since Rodrigo Duterte was sworn in as president of the Philippines, more than 2,400 putative drug dealers and addicts have been killed  more than half of them apparently by vigilantes, the rest at the hands of police. Many of the dead, who include children as young as 4 years old, have been targeted based on little more than suspicion. Its an astounding campaign of violence, and it is no mere coincidence: Running as a law-and-order candidate, Duterte was elected in May by promising that 100,000 criminals would be killed in his first six months in office.

Duterte grabbed headlines over the weekend after using an expletive  something Duterte is fond of doing  as he warned President Obama to not bring up the extrajudicial killings in a planned one-on-one meeting during a regional summit in Laos this week. Obama responded by saying that if they were to meet, he most certainly would bring up the blatant human rights abuses, and then he canceled the meeting after determining there was little to be gained from it.

Thats an unfortunate state of affairs between two important allies in Southeast Asia, and the timing is particularly bad. China has roiled the region by building military airstrips and outposts on disputed reefs and small islands in the South China Sea, and used its coastal police to harass other countries fishing fleets. The Obama administration has accused China of militarizing a trade route through which more than $5 trillion worth of goods moves each year, and has been trying to strengthen alliances in the region to counter Chinas expansionist actions.

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The Philippines recently prevailed in a complaint filed with an international arbitration court at The Hague accusing China of violating the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea by claiming jurisdiction over islands and shoals that, the arbitration tribunal ruled, were too small to be used to define broader territorial claims. China has rejected the tribunals authority and said it would not abide by its ruling, preferring instead to settle disputes in bilateral negotiations in which it will have far more leverage.

Navigating these diplomatic waters will not be easy, and will require delicate regional negotiations to ensure fair access to natural resources and to keep the shipping lanes open and safe. Duterte, though, is a complicating factor. With Dutertes murderous approach to law enforcement, the U.S. government finds its geopolitical interests aligned with a political leader that former Filipino President Benigno Aquino III once described as a dictator in waiting.

The details of the extrajudicial killings are stunning. From July 1 to Aug. 19, the Philippine National Police reported killing 712 people it described as drug pushers and users, a 10-fold increase over the first six months of the year. Police said the victims resisted arrest with gunfire, a transparently false claim. At least two were beaten and then shot dead in jail cells. A 4-year-old girl was shot and killed when police opened fire on her father as he was taking her via motorcycle to buy popcorn. Despite reports that police were getting bonuses for each criminal or suspect executed, and that some citizens were being hired as contract killers, Duterte has rejected calls for an independent investigation.

In addition, death squads or vigilantes urged on by Duterte have killed more than 1,000 people. About 600,000 addicts and other people involved in the drug trade have turned themselves in, many hoping for treatment  and to avoid being killed. In a McCarthy-like moment, Duterte released a list of 150 names of elected officials and other public figures he said were part of the drug world, and ordered them to surrender. Sen. Leila de Lima, who had called for an investigation into the police killings, subsequently found herself the target of Duterte and his supporters, who alleged that she herself has drug world connections (she was not included on his initial list).

Obama  and his successor in January  will have find a way to achieve U.S. aims in the South China Sea while pushing Duterte into compliance with international standards on both human rights and due process. The administration could start, as Human Rights Watch suggests, by withholding aid for training and mentoring the Philippine National Police until the killing campaign is investigated. U.S. tax dollars shouldnt support law enforcement officials engaged in profound violations of human rights.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook

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Addressing an audience of lecturers and students, President Hollande stressed that France and Vietnam had a time-honoured relationship which included some tragic periods, but that the two countries had left the past behind and built co-operative ties for mutual development.

He noted that terrorism was no longer an issue of any single country, but that it had become a global one, and that France had also fallen victim to many acts of terrorism acts.

French President Francois Hollande at the talk (Source: CPV)

The President thanked Vietnam for its sympathy for the French people during times of difficulty, and stated that countries must unite to ensure global security.

When disputes arise, they should be solved through peaceful dialogue and negotiations, Hollande said, adding that France and Vietnam both wanted to address disputes peacefully- a common point for the two countries.

Therefore, France would support Vietnam in its peacekeeping activities, as Vietnam was making an active contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping missions, he said.

Regarding economic development, the French President appreciated Vietnams open-door policy, saying that the country had been able to make use of its strengths for development while preserving its national culture.

He recommended, however, that Vietnam also develop hi-tech industries and pledged that France would continue to share advanced technologies with Vietnam.

The President expressed his hope that more Vietnamese students would choose France as a destination for study, saying that promoting links between the two countries universities and the teaching of French in Vietnamese universities would provide more opportunities for Vietnamese students to pursue higher education in France.

VNU-Hanoi President Nguyen Kim Son said VNU-Hanoi had established and maintained co-operative ties with many French partners, including the Ecole Polytechnique, the University of Nantes and Paris-Sud University. The university also actively participates in multilateral co-operative mechanisms and programs in the framework of the Francophone Community and the Francophone University Agency (AUF).

The partnership between VNU-Hanoi and its French partners has a firm foundation in the historical ties between the university and France, and VNU-Hanoi will step up its efforts to strengthen this special relationship.

VNUHanoi is the descendent of the Indochinese University, which was the first western-style institution of tertiary education in Indochina, established by the French in 1906. It is now a leading training and research establishment in Vietnam.

On the occasiont, VNU-Hanoi and the Ecole Polytechnique signed an Agreement to boost their partnership on high-quality training./.
As the presidential campaign moves into its final stretch, about 7% of voters (depending on which poll you read) say theyre still undecided between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump  more than enough to swing the election either way.

After all the noise and drama of the last few months, what are these people waiting for?

They dont much like either of the candidates. Theyre struggling to decide which is the lesser of two evils. And theyre not finding it an easy choice.

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Asked to describe the Republican nominee as a member of their family, the most popular title was crazy uncle  in one case, drunk uncle.

Thats the lesson that bubbled up from a recent discussion with swing voters in Wisconsin conducted by pollster Peter D. Hart.

Hart convened a dozen swing voters, people who have voted for both Democrats and Republicans, in a Milwaukee suburb a few weeks ago. The pollster conducts these focus groups regularly as part of a project for the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

Four of the 12 said they leaned toward Trump. Four said they leaned toward Clinton. Four said they were completely undecided. Almost all said they were still open to persuasion by both candidates.

All said theyd been disappointed by the campaign; they said they wanted to hear about issues, not mudslinging. Asked to describe the contest with a smell, their answers included garbage, manure, skunk  and skunk fart. But when asked what more they wanted to learn about each candidate, their questions were mostly about character: What are they like behind closed doors? Can we trust them with life-or-death decisions?

Both candidates have serious flaws, said Sheri LaValley, a 51-year-old compliance analyst who voted for President Obama.

Hillary with her emails, I just dont trust her. Trump, the way he acts. Every day you turn on the TV, and I just shake my head, she said.

She said she was leaning toward Trump  with a condition: I think he would be an awesome candidate if he could get his personality under control.

Several said they found the prospect of Trump as commander in chief worrisome. Hes just such a wild cannon, said Barbara Kass, 62, a retired airline employee who is completely undecided.

Id like to see Trump 2.0, said David Locher, 34, a supervisor for the Milwaukee rapid transit system, also undecided. If Trump doesnt show something more coherent. I probably could go for Hillary, just for fear of things becoming a mess worldwide.

Asked to describe the Republican nominee as a member of their family, the most popular title was crazy uncle  in one case, drunk uncle.

Clinton has a different problem  but one that appears just as serious.

Although most of the swing voters gave the Democratic nominee her high marks for experience and competence, they also described her as chilly, distant, untrustworthy and dishonest.

Shes a smart woman with a lot of experience but  you cant trust her, said Beth Gramling, 50, a payroll analyst.

What did she mean by trust? Integrity, she said. I dont think she has that. And its a shame.

Nevertheless, Gramling said, she was leaning toward Clinton.

It was clear that the controversy over Clintons private email system isnt solely a media fixation; its resonated among ordinary voters, too. Eight of the 12 voters said they were unhappy about Clintons insistence that her emails did not contain classified material.

Its a lie, said Dara Schneider, 47, a personnel recruiter.

Asked to describe the Democratic nominee as a member of their family, the most frequent choice was stepmother  a loveless relationship.

When Hart asked how the voters would finally make up their minds, he was met with mostly blank looks. Its going to have to be the debates, said Locher.

What can Trump do to win their votes? Tone it down, said Schneider. Trumps been getting that advice from his aides, but its not clear hes taking it.

What can Clinton do? Take down the mask and show shes human, said Gramling.

Its obviously not easy to rebuild trust amid the noise of a campaign, but these voters said they were willing to give the candidate another chance if she makes an effort to be more transparent (their words) and to connect with ordinary people.

A lot of voters know they do not want Donald Trump as president, but they need to know that they can live with Hillary Clinton for the next four years, Hart wrote in a summary of the session for reporters. The hurdle they face is to find reassurance that they can trust her and that she will identify with them and their day-to-day challenges.

As the polls narrow, theres still room for Trump to win  and room, as well, for Clinton to lose.

doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com

Twitter: @DoyleMcManus

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
The abrupt shutdown of ITT Technical Institutes more than 130 campuses Tuesday prompted a flurry of sympathetic stories about students denied the chance to complete their degrees and teachers tossed onto the unemployment lines  along with fist-banging from conservatives about regulators executing ITT without a trial.

They have a point. The U.S. Department of Education imposed escalating sanctions on ITT based in part on the scrutiny that state attorneys general and a national accrediting body were applying to ITT, which in turn had been influenced by the Education Departments moves. The various regulators actions fed off each other, trapping ITT in an increasingly deep hole.

For example, the allegations and investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and several state A.G.s led the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to examine ITTs accreditation. After the ACICS threw ITTs accreditation into doubt, the Education Department barred ITT in August from taking new students who received federal loans. It also demanded that ITT put up more than $150 million in collateral (bringing the total collateral requirement to nearly $250 million) within 30 days.

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With only $78 million in the bank at the end of the June and its stock tanking, ITT had run out of options. Shutting down the schools was a foregone conclusion; bankruptcy is the next likely step.

Theres something unseemly about the government choking a company to death financially before its had its day in court. And its supremely ironic that the government should demand more in collateral than a company can afford to pay to guard against a default that its provoking. We want regulators to protect the public against fraud and predation  two of the allegations leveled against ITT  but not at the expense of due process, a core principle of American jurisprudence. When administrative actions turn into damaging sanctions, the accused should have the right to appeal.

What makes this case different, though, is that ITT was largely playing with other peoples money. And, increasingly, it was taxpayer-backed federal student loans. So regulators were responsible for protecting not just students, but also the larger taxpaying public.

Most of ITTs students couldnt afford the companys comparatively high tuition, and so relied  heavily  on loans. In fact, two-thirds of ITTs revenue in 2015 came from federal student loans. Thats not surprising; a higher percentage of students at for-profit schools borrow money than their nonprofit or public counterparts.

The Obama administration has been particularly critical of for-profit schools, arguing that theyre selling a product thats not worth the price. In the administrations view, too many students leave for-profit colleges without the training or skills needed to land good jobs, resulting in too many student loan defaults  many of them federal loans that taxpayers have to cover. (According to a study by the Brookings Institution, two-thirds of the defaults by students who left school in 2011 involved for-profit schools or community colleges.

Student loans lie at the heart of ITTs regulatory problems. The SECs lawsuit alleges that ITT hid losses on in-house student loan guarantee programs from investors. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus lawsuit alleges that ITT pressured students into taking out high-cost private loans that they wouldnt be able to repay. The Education Departments initial administrative actions against ITT stemmed from the companys alleged failure to comply with federal loan regulations that protect against fraud (for example, the rule that loans be limited to students actually enrolled and making progress toward a degree).

So if ITT were an ordinary business, selling its products for cash or on terms that the vast majority of its customers could afford, it wouldnt be in the mess it found itself in. Throw in the fact that much of its money came from federally subsidized loans, and ITTs protests dont seem quite so compelling.

As much as the shutdown hurts the students enrolled at ITTs campuses (there were 45,000 last year), they may be able to transfer their credits to another institution and continue their studies. And if they cant, Washington will forgive the amounts they owe on their federal student loans. California students also may receive money from a state fund to cover their losses on private student loans and tuition payments to ITT.

Federal taxpayers, on the other hand, have no such fallback plan. Theyll be stuck with the bill for the federal loans forgiven  up to $500 million all told.

Thats a hefty bill. Yet the track record of student loan defaults at institutions like ITT suggests that the taxpayers would have been on the hook for a steadily larger amount had ITT remained in business, saddling students with debts that they couldnt ultimately repay.

So pick your poison. If regulators had given ITT more rope, they risked costing taxpayers more in the form of student loan defaults. Instead, the Education Department effectively cut ITT off from federal student loan dollars, the mothers milk of higher education, without giving the company a chance to defend itself effectively against the sanctions.

jon.healey@latimes.com

Twitter: @jcahealey
Donald Trump sought to allay voter concerns about his temperament Wednesday as Hillary Clinton tried to assure Americans that her mistakes in handling national security email should not undercut their trust in her capacity to lead the nation.

In a scrappy prelude to their upcoming debates, the rival presidential nominees appeared back-to-back at an NBC News town hall in New York, highlighting their differences on turmoil in the Middle East and other matters of concern to the military audience.

Trump renewed his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Republican, who has wavered on whether he would commit to defending NATO allies under attack by Russia, argued that Putin was more effective than President Obama and that the Russian leaders compliments of Trump would not affect their relationship.

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The fact that he calls me brilliant or whatever he calls me is going to have zero impact, Trump said. If he says great things about me, Im going to say great things about him. Now its a very different system, and I dont happen to like the system. But certainly in that system hes been a leader, far more than our president has been a leader.

Trump also stood by his 2013 comment on Twitter about the frequency of sexual assault in the military: 26,000 unreported sexual assaults in the military  only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men & women together?

It is a correct tweet, Trump said when Matt Lauer, the Today show anchor who moderated the forum, asked about it. There are many people that think that thats absolutely correct.

Trump was immediately slammed on social media for defending the tweet.

Asked whether the solution was to keep women from serving in the military, Trump said no.

Trump also stood by his inaccurate claims that he opposed U.S. military intervention in Iraq and Libya, and he defended his comment that he understands the Islamic State terrorist group better than U.S. generals do.

Under the leadership of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the generals have been reduced to rubble, Trump said. They have been reduced to a point where its embarrassing to our country.

Islamic State never would have gained power in Syria and Iraq if the U.S. had occupied Iraqs oilfields at the end of the Iraq war, he argued.

We spend 3 trillion dollars, we lose thousands and thousands of lives, and then, Matt, what happens is we get nothing, Trump said. It used to be to the victor belong the spoils. Now, there was no victor there, believe me. There was no victor. But I always said take the oil.

Asked how that could be done, Trump said: You would leave a certain group behind, and you would take various sections where they have the oil.

Clinton, who appeared before Trump, spent the better part of her half-hour explaining how she handled classified materials during her four years as secretary of State. The Democratic presidential nominee expressed regret about using a private email server and insisted she never compromised national security.

There is no evidence my account was hacked, she said.

When traveling abroad, Clinton said, she took precautions including ducking into a portable tent to view classified materials to ensure no cameras were snooping.

I take it very seriously, she said. Always have, always will.

After months of casting Trump as reckless and dangerous, Clinton argued that rock-solid steadiness was one of the most important characteristics of a good commander in chief, along with strength and judgment.

Laying out her strategy for combating Islamic State, Clinton said she would not allow the U.S. to be mired in another war in the Middle East.

We are not putting ground troops into Iraq ever again, and were not putting ground troops into Syria, she said.

Asked about her vote for the Iraq war while she was a U.S. senator from New York, Clinton reminded the audience that she regretted the decision, while Trump still insists he was opposed to the invasion despite evidence to the contrary.

I have taken responsibility for my decision, Clinton said. He has refused to take responsibility for his support.

Clinton reiterated her support for the nuclear deal with Iran, saying enforcing the agreement would give her a freer hand to deal with the countrys ballistic missile tests and support for terrorism.

I would rather be dealing with Iran on all of those issues, without having them racing to a nuclear weapon, she said.

Clinton pledged to hold weekly meetings in the Oval Office to ensure veterans were receiving adequate healthcare, but said she would oppose any attempts to privatize hospitals run by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

There is an agenda out there ... to do just that, she said. I think that would be disastrous for our military veterans.

The event, televised live, was organized by the nonpartisan Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. It was held aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier Intrepid, now home to a museum on the Hudson River in New York.

Republican candidate Donald Trump speaks from the deck of the battleship Iowa last year. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times )

Some of Trumps highest-profile controversies have centered on the military and veterans. Last year, he insulted Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who spent five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, by saying he prefers heroes who werent captured. Trump refused to endorse McCain last month against a primary challenger who was a vocal Trump supporter.

Trump also lashed out at the family of Humayun Khan, an Army captain who died in Iraq, after Khans father criticized Trump in an emotional speech at the Democratic National Convention. Trumps repeated attacks on the Khan family were widely criticized and came amid a stretch of behavior so erratic, even by the standards of his unorthodox campaign, that top Republicans were said to be exploring alternatives should he leave the race.

Since then, Trump has overhauled his campaign leadership and appears to have moved on from the Khans and begun sticking to his core issues of immigration and trade on the campaign trail.

Polls show Trump has more support from the military community.

Get the latest presidential campaign coverage from Trail Guide 

Trump leads 55% to 36% among veterans and active-duty service members, according to a new NBC/SurveyMonkey poll. The same poll showed Clinton with an overall lead among registered voters, 48% to 42%.

Clinton had the advantage when registered voters were asked which candidate was better equipped to handle nuclear weapons, leading 44% to 24%. Trump has caused alarm among nuclear experts with his loose talk about nuclear war.

Its a message Clintons campaign and her allies have tried to hammer home, portraying Trump as too unstable and erratic to oversee the countrys arsenal.

Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting Clinton, is spending $5 million on a new television advertisement in swing states to criticize Trumps statements on war and nuclear weapons.

Twitter: @chrismegerian, @finneganLAT

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On Labor Day, two presidential candidates focus on one topic: Donald Trump

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Updates from the campaign trail

UPDATES:

7:30 p.m.: This story was updated with Trumps appearance at the town hall.

5:55 p.m.: This story was updated with Clintons appearance at the town hall.

4:40 p.m.: This story was updated with Trumps speech in Philadelphia.

This story was originally published at 6:45 a.m.
Donald Trump detailed a proposal Wednesday to restore hundreds of billions of dollars in military budget cuts if he is elected president  increasing the number of troops in uniform and ships in the Navy  while promising a strategy of peace through strength.

Though Trumps plan also includes a pledge to build new warplanes and enhance missile defense and cybersecurity systems, he did not provide a price tag, and he offered only scant details on how he would pay the costs.

Trump has long called the state of the military a disaster, accusing President Obama of neglect. Trump, who delivered his military plan in a speech at Philadelphias august Union Club in front of six American flags, is wading into a budget debate that has at times consumed Obamas second term.

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It is so depleted, Trump said of the military, describing a Navy that has fewer ships, an Air Force that flies old planes and other perceived shortcomings. We will rebuild our military.

Trump also renewed a broader attack he has made on Hillary Clinton, calling her legacy as secretary of State one of failure, while promising that he would avoid foreign entanglements.

Unlike my opponent, my foreign policy will emphasize diplomacy, not destruction, he said. Everywhere she got involved, things got worse.

Trump asserted that Clinton supported aggressive involvement in the Middle East to install democracy. Though Clinton did vote to authorize the war in Iraq while she was a senator, the Obama administration in which she served as secretary of State has been cautious in sending ground troops abroad, enduring sharp criticism, for example, for failing to use U.S. soldiers to stop the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

Trump also tried to flip the argument that Clinton has made about his temperament, asserting that she, not he, is unfit to lead the nations military. He pointed directly to Clintons private email server, and her assertion that she did not know she was sending classified emails on the account as evidence that she also cannot be trusted to protect the country from cyberthreats. He emphasized that his plan would improve cybersecurity and enforce laws against mishandling classified information, a reference to his prior statements that she deserved to be prosecuted.

Shes trigger-happy and very unstable, he said.

Trump described his overarching philosophy as peace through strength, a mantra used by many leaders, including President Reagan, to describe employing the threat of a robust military to deter attacks from enemies.

Obama, too, has repeatedly called on Congress to end the mandatory federal spending cuts that were imposed as part of a last-resort deficit deal in 2011 that was intended to be so unpalatable to Republicans and Democrats alike that they would never be enacted.

But the so-called sequestration cuts  $1 trillion worth of deep reductions over the decade, hitting almost every aspect of government  took effect in 2013 after lawmakers failed to reach a compromise to avert them.

Republicans in Congress have supported ending the military portion of the cuts, but have failed to strike a permanent deal with Obama, who demands that domestic spending be restored as well.

If Trump wins and Republicans keep control of Congress, he could accomplish the goal without restoring other domestic spending cuts. But it would add about $500 billion in spending over the next 10 years unless other cuts are made.

Those costs could increase substantially, depending on the size and scope of other promises Trump made Wednesday to expand the U.S. fleet.

Trump said he would pay for the new spending through a combination of collection of unpaid taxes, attrition in federal government jobs and by halting funding for expired laws. Trump also renewed his call to force such allies as Japan, Germany, South Korea and Saudi Arabia to pay more in exchange for U.S. military protection.

He offered few specifics on how, for example, he would hunt down tax cheats or which government programs he would kill.

Trump also said he would ask generals to submit a plan within his first 30 days in office to defeat the Islamic State extremist group, something the military has been working on for years.

Though current and former commanders agree that sending thousands more troops to Iraq may hasten the Islamic States defeat there, many worry that its long-term effects would not be in the U.S.s best interest.

Obama, who swept into office promising to end two U.S. ground wars, has decided to take an advisory role against the Islamic State, which involves training local forces, launching daily airstrikes and providing financial support to allies in the region.

Although the administration has been hesitant to dedicate more troops to the fight  on top of the 4,600 already there  the U.S.-led military coalition has seen progress in recent months.

The Islamic State was routed this week from its last stronghold by the Turkish border, which helped close off a boundary region that was crucial for movement of recruits, supplies and money in and out of the groups quasi-state. It was the latest battlefield victory for the U.S.-led coalition, which recently scored victories in Jarabulus and Manbij in northern Syria, and Khalidiyah and Qayyarah in western Iraq. They previously were ousted from Hit, Al Hawl and Rutbah in Iraq.

While the militants still detonate car bombs or launch suicide attacks each night in Baghdad, they have lost half the territory they once controlled in Iraq. And Iraqi and U.S. officials say the long-delayed assault on Mosul, Islamic States self-declared capital in Iraq, may be launched this fall. The city of 1 million has been increasingly cut off by advancing Iraqi and Kurdish ground forces.

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Twitter: @noahbierman

ALSO

Weve updated our Electoral College map: Whats new?

Donald Trump still has a path to victory, but its a tough one

In Pennsylvania and nationally, Trumps problems with suburban voters blunt his ascent

UPDATES:

1 p.m.: This story was updated with comments from Trumps speech.

This story was originally published at 10:05 a.m.
Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine have a new book, Michelle Obama and Elizabeth Warren will be hitting the campaign trail, and New Hampshire is slipping out of Donald Trumps reach.

Im Christina Bellantoni. This is Essential Politics.

The Granite State is trending increasingly Democratic, so weve updated our Electoral College interactive.

David Lauter and Mark Z. Barabak write that while New Hampshire had been a tossup, we shifted it to the Favors Democrats category after five polls found Clinton leading by between six and 15 percentage points.

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For those keeping track 61 days before voters head to the polls, our map currently gives Clinton 279 electoral votes to Trumps 191. Winning the White House requires 270.

Check out the swing states and map your own scenarios.

TODAY ON THE TRAIL

Kaine went after Trumps claims that he opposed the Iraq war as made up, speaking in North Carolina as he sought to dismantle Trumps qualifications to lead the nation on the world stage while praising Clintons.

As Trump himself campaigned in North Carolina, the GOP candidate compared Clintons email scandal to Watergate.

Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake vowed he would continue hounding Trump on the nominees tone in the race, yet another warning from a fellow Republican.

And Jill Stein tweeted then deleted thoughts on Clintons health. But the Internet never forgets.

Get the latest from the campaign trail on Trail Guide and follow @latimespolitics. Check our daily USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times tracking poll at the top of the politics page.

DEBATE OVER DEBATES

Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez on Tuesday offered up four U.S. Senate debates -- and was flatly rejected by her rival Kamala Harris, Californias attorney general.

Back in August, Harris announced she would participate in only two debates, one in Los Angeles and the other in Sacramento. When Sanchez rejected the Sacramento debate, a Harris campaign consultant howled that the congresswoman was not serious about debates. Phil Willon reports that now its Sanchezs turn to howl. On Tuesday, she said expects Harris to respect the voters and accept her proposal.

Keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed for the latest in California politics.

COMING TO CALIFORNIA

Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence is headed to California today for a two-day swing that includes a speech at the Reagan library and a series of fundraisers.

MO MONEY

We told you yesterday about a series of fundraisers Team Clinton will appear at over the course of this month. Weve learned that the Sept. 13 event with Clinton and Lionel Richie will be at the Beverly Hills home of Seth MacFarlane.

Weve obtained an invitation for another one on Sept. 16 featuring campaign manager Robby Mook at the Los Angeles home of Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Jon Vein. Tickets are $500 or $1,000.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- Sanchez on Friday will be the special guest at a Newport Beach fundraiser being put on by the super PAC formed to help her U.S. Senate campaign. The event shows just how relaxed restrictions have become regarding interactions between federal candidates and the PACs formed to help them.

-- How did you spend summer? If youre like Californias members of Congress, time went to a lot of work, with a bit of fun thrown in. Who knew House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is an Adele fan?

-- Stein met with the Los Angeles Times editorial board. The Green Party presidential nominee addressed her stances on such issues as healthcare, climate change and Americas two-party system, her past comments on wi-fi and running mate Ajamu Barakas remarks that President Obama was an Uncle Tom. Read the transcript.

-- Flanked by alleged sexual assault victims and supporters, lawmakers urged Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday to end the statute of limitations for rape.

CORRECTION

Yesterdays newsletter incorrectly identified Clinton fundraiser chair Karen Goldsmith.

LOGISTICS

Miss yesterdays newsletter? Here you go. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox daily. And keep an eye on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics? Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.
Dr. Francine Garrett-Bakelman arrived at NASAs Johnson Space Center in the middle of the night, ready to get her hands on Scott Kellys blood.

She watched on a laptop as the astronaut stepped off a plane March 2 about 1:30 a.m., back in Houston after his record 340 days aboard the International Space Station. Then, in a nearby molecular biology lab, she set the centrifuge to the right temperature and looked over her pre-labeled test tubes.

Within an hour, a NASA staffer brought in two samples  one drawn just minutes before, and the other taken during Kellys final hours in orbit.

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The physician-scientist shifted into high gear: Blood doesnt keep forever, and every minute counts. So does every drop  these tiny samples had to be split among several research groups.

Its a big responsibility, because you have four to five teams that are depending on you, she said.

The blood work is part of the NASA Twins Study, an ambitious research project that explores the long-term health effects of living in space. Understanding those risks  and finding ways to mitigate them  will be crucial if NASA makes good on its pledge to send astronauts to Mars by the mid-2030s.

Scott Kelly, who circled the globe about 16 times each day, is only half of this unusual experiment. The other is his identical twin, Mark Kelly, a former member of NASAs astronaut corps who spent the last year planted firmly on Earth. By studying both men at the same time, researchers hope to pinpoint the biological consequences of spending nearly a full year unshielded from radiation and untethered from gravity.

Space-farers experience well-known changes in microgravity: They get an inch or two taller, their faces puff up, and their bones become porous and weak. But the 10 teams participating in the Twins Study are going deeper, examining factors related to cancer risk, cardiovascular disease and immune system function.

Thats why Garrett-Bakelman spent six hours carefully processing Kellys blood  spinning test tubes, separating plasma and pulling out different cell types one by one. She didnt finish until 8 a.m.

Its very surreal, she said of the otherworldly feeling of handling blood drawn in space. Its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

See the most-read stories in Science this hour 

The idea for the study came from Scott Kelly himself, said Craig Kundrot, life sciences lead at NASAs Office of the Chief Scientist in Washington. The agency was making plans to track the health of Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko over the course of the mission when Kelly asked whether any research would involve his brother, who flew four missions on the space shuttle.

Our immediate response at the program was no, Kundrot said. It was well past the usual window for soliciting research proposals.

But identical twin astronauts do not come around often. So NASA scrambled to put out a call to scientists.

The result was a collection of projects spanning physiology, microbiology, genomics and behavioral health.

One study out of Stanford uses flu vaccines to investigate how Kellys immune response changes in space. Two others, from Johns Hopkins and Cornell, examine the mechanisms underlying how gene expression changes in orbit.

Additional groups are analyzing how the gut microbiome fares in space and searching for molecular signals linked to problems that may result when the bodys fluids, freed from gravity, rush toward the head.

The leaders of the 10 chosen projects were called to the Johnson Space Center more than two years ago. Many had never worked with the space agency before.

UC San Diego molecular geneticist Brinda Rana, leader of the body fluid study, thought she might get a sample of about 10 milliliters of blood  a vials worth  each time the Kellys were sampled.

It quickly became clear that NASA would treat Scott Kellys biological samples like the moon rocks gathered by Apollo astronauts  precious scientific resources that must be doled out sparingly and shared by many.

NASA officials were polite but firm. Rana recalled the gist of their message: Youre only going to get one vial of blood during each session, and youre going to have to share that vial of blood between all 10 of you.

One reason for their thrift was that Scott Kellys blood had already been promised to several other experiments. Up against NASAs strict safety limits, he had little left to give.

 While spending nearly an entire year in space, astronaut Scott Kelly shared his photos taken from the International Space Station on social media. By the end of his career, he completed 522 days living in space over four missions.

So the Twins Study researchers spent months adapting their research routines to use every last drop of blood they were allowed.

The protein-rich plasma would go to Stanford University, where Michael Snyder was compiling a full chemical profile of the human body, including Kellys genome, proteome, transcriptome and metabolome. Several types of white blood cells  mainly certain B cells and T cells  would be shared by several teams.

We became like a family, said Dr. Andrew Feinberg of Johns Hopkins University, leader of a study on the twins epigenetic markers.

The scientists worked to perfect their methods in the months leading up to Kellys departure. Feinberg and his son Jason spent many late nights in the lab figuring out how to maximize the number of B and T cells they could extract from special test tubes, getting high-quality results with about one-fifth of the volume they would normally work with.

Once Kelly was in space, some blood samples could be frozen, but others needed to be processed first. The astronaut timed his blood draws so his samples could hitch a ride to Kazakhstan on a departing Soyuz spacecraft, then be whisked halfway around the world to Houston. That way, the blood could be processed within 48 hours of exiting Kellys arm.

You say, Oh, its just a blood draw, but even just a blood draw is not a simple thing when youre operating on the space station, said Susan Bailey, a radiation biologist at Colorado State University who is studying the twins telomeres for signs of accelerated aging.

The scientists put their trust in one another. One of them, such as Garrett-Bakelman, often processed and divvied up samples for several other groups.

You say, Oh, its just a blood draw, but even just a blood draw is not a simple thing when youre operating on the space station.  Susan Bailey, Colorado State University radiation biologist

Weill Cornell Medicine geneticist Christopher Mason, leader of a study on gene regulation and RNA modifications, said he often sent his colleagues samples that were just a few hundred microliters in volume.

Sometimes its frozen, and then when you thaw the blood, a lot of your cells have died, he said.

Even scientists who dont need biological samples have to deal with limited resources. Dr. Mathias Basner of the University of Pennsylvania, who is studying the astronauts cognitive function, shortened his battery of mental tests to fit into Kellys tight schedule.

It cant be too long, he said. Time in space on the ISS is very valuable.

The only scientists who didnt have to deal with such sample-limiting issues were the ones who needed stool, to study the twins microbiomes.

Its a very noninvasive procedure, Northwestern University neurobiologist Martha Hotz Vitaterna said.

Coordinating the twins hectic schedules to collect samples on or around the same day was another challenge, said Basner, who referred to Mark Kelly as the free-range sibling.

Mark Kelly, who retired from NASA in 2011, leads a very busy life. Hes married to former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who survived an assassination attempt in 2011. The couple now campaign for gun-control measures.

Scott Kelly retired from the space agency a few weeks after returning to Earth.

The scientists have held off testing most of the twins biological samples for months, waiting to collect a few more from both Kellys on the ground. This is a precaution to avoid what are known as batch effects, variations that can crop up because of tiny differences in the way samples are handled.

Its sometimes a challenge because were all anxious to see whats going to come out of this, Vitaterna said. But its better science to wait and do it all together.

With Scott Kellys last integrated sample being taken this week, that prospect is finally within reach.

The biggest challenges may lie ahead, in integrating all of these different pieces of evidence into a coherent picture of the astronauts health, said Snyder, the Stanford genomicist.

Thats the fun part, he said. You can really see what the puzzle looks like.

amina.khan@latimes.com

Follow @aminawrite on Twitter for more science news and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.

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Get ready for an interplanetary treasure hunt. On Thursday, NASA will launch its first mission to visit an asteroid and bring precious samples back to Earth.

OSIRIS-REx, set to launch around 7:05 p.m. EDT, will head to Bennu, a dark rubble-pile of an asteroid that stretches 492 meters (1,614 feet) wide. After the spacecraft reaches and orbits the near-Earth asteroid in 2018 and carries samples back to Earth, scientists hope to develop a detailed profile to shed light on the early evolution of the solar system, clues to the origin of life and tools that will enable them to accurately track asteroids that come uncomfortably close to Earth.

The spacecraft, aboard an Atlas V rocket, was rolled out to the launch pad Wednesday morning. Jason Dworkin, the missions project scientist, called the attitude among the team at Cape Canaveral excited optimism.

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Were ready to go, Dworkin said in an interview, and excited to see the spacecraft fly.

OSIRIS-REx (short for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer) is bringing a suite of instruments that will help it understand Bennu in unprecedented detail. It will use several cameras to examine the surface, a laser altimeter to map the three-dimensional topography, visible- and infrared-light spectrometers to study the chemical and mineral composition and an X-ray spectrometer to study elemental abundances.

It also holds a pogo-stick-like arm with a disc-like device at the end that will carefully contact the surface and collect some of the dust and rock that scientists think cover Bennus surface.

We are basically a space vacuum cleaner, principal investigator Dante Lauretta said in a briefing Wednesday.

The eight known planets formed when the solar system was still in its infancy, coalescing out of the swirling disc of gas and dust that surrounded our nascent star. The asteroids are those bits of rock that never quite made it into one of these worlds; scientists think the belt of debris that stretches between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars could have been a planet, had the gas giants gravity not kept it from forming.

These asteroids, then, are the leftover building blocks of the solar system  rocks that have never been altered by the heat and pressure inside a planet or been chemically transformed by the presence of life. As such, they hold clues to the early development of the solar system, including what it was made out of and what its dynamics were.

There are many different types of asteroids, but Bennu is particularly intriguing because its dark surface indicates that its full of organic molecules, the kinds of chemicals that could have potentially seeded life on Earth.

Researchers have studied pieces of asteroids that have fallen to Earth as meteorites, but their searing plunge through the atmosphere and contact with the planet contaminate them, so that its incredibly hard to tell which chemical clues are truly from the sample and which ones are merely terrestrial contamination.

OSIRIS-REx is not the first asteroid sample return mission  that honor goes to the Japanese Hayabusa mission, a spacecraft rendezvous that returned asteroid samples to Earth in 2010  but it will bring back at least 60 grams of material, though it could potentially collect much more. Returned to Earth, the pristine sample could offer a trove of insight for generations of scientists to come, just as the moon rocks brought back by the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s are still being studied today.

Sample return is the gift that keeps on giving, Lauretta said in an August briefing.

Landing on a small object with little gravitational tug is no walk in the park (just ask the European Rosetta missions Philae lander), because theres a tendency to bounce. So the spacecraft takes advantage of the bounce, making a five-second contact to collect the sample before pushing away.

The maneuver will be a safe, smooth, slow high-five of that surface, Christina Richey, deputy program scientist in Washington, said in the August briefing.

Bennu will also allow scientists to study the Yarkovsky effect, a strange phenomenon that especially affects smaller, dark-colored asteroids. The asteroids surface absorbs sunlight and then re-emits it later as heat, which acts like a thruster and can alter its course.

This makes it difficult to predict an asteroids path; for example, Dworkin pointed out, Bennu has veered about 100 kilometers (62 miles) off course since its discovery in 1999. Learning in detail how the Yarkovsky effect acts on Bennu could help scientists better predict the trajectories of other asteroids whose paths bring them within striking distance of Earth.

If you want to be able to predict where an object like Bennu is going to be in the future, you have to account for this phenomenon, Lauretta said.

As it is with most interplanetary missions, patience is key: Scientists will have to wait to analyze the sample Bennu carries back to Earth; the spacecraft isnt slated to return its cargo until 2023.

amina.khan@latimes.com

Follow @aminawrite on Twitter for more science news and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.

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On Feb. 9, the Burbank City Council gave IKEA the street naming rights to First Street between Santa Anita and Angeleno Avenue. The street will be renamed IKEA Way. Streets are a taxpayer-funded city asset and ordinarily, naming rights are sold and not given away. The exception is to rename a street in honorarium after a beloved community member.

We taxpayers should have been fairly compensated for it per regular practice in municipalities throughout the nation. For the City Council and other city officials to dismiss this concept is not a healthy representation of reasonable and well-informed leadership.

Renaming to IKEA Way would allow Burbank to seek state Department of Transportation signs along the freeway. The desired result would be to direct freeway traffic to exit at Olive, Verdugo and IKEA Way instead of Alameda, and keep traffic off the South San Fernando corridor.

The benefit to IKEA is valuable exposure along several miles of one of the busiest freeways in the world along with brand advertising and communications along hundreds of feet of commercial frontage, not to mention ancillary brand advertising on maps, GPS apps, and other platforms and channels.

Selling naming rights for taxpayer-funded assets is not a new practice and provides significant compensation to the municipality selling that right. It would make a lot of sense for Burbank, a slow growth city facing a deficit.

Naming rights can be extremely valuable. We should consider responsibly and reasonably leveraging such rights to generate revenue/benefits for our residents. We certainly shouldnt give them away just because we cant be bothered to responsibly explore the possible pros and cons to such a plan. Other entities use sponsorship specific guidelines that provide a way for these types of transactions to take place.

For example, there is a pending deal in Ohio that is very similar to the IKEA Way scenario: A corporation is purchasing the naming rights for an access route to their business, located at a freeway offramp. The results are a freeway exit sign named for the corporation, and a 30-year, $3.8 million revenue stream for the state of Ohio.

Another example of selling naming rights involves UC San Diego Health paying $37 million over 30 years to the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) to rename the San Diego MTS Blue Line to the UC San Diego Blue Line. Its a partnership that enhances the UC San Diego Health brand throughout the city and results in a reliable revenue stream to MTS and the funding of much needed transit.

This month the city of Milwaukee closed a small cell technology deal with Verizon that equates to about $3.5 million over 35 years.

Sharon Robinson, administration director for Milwaukee, indicated that other businesses want to work with them as well. In an email, Robinson told me the following: The city of Milwaukee has inventoried city assets with the goal of leveraging these assets to create marketing partnerships between the city and private sector businesses and nonprofit organizations in areas including advertising, naming rights, sponsorships and in-kind contributions. Forming these partnerships holds the promise of generating millions of dollars in new revenue to support city of Milwaukee programs and services. Milwaukee is limited in its revenue generating options. Over the years, there have been fluctuations in state revenues and there are no local sales or income tax. Alternative revenue sources, like this, are needed to generate revenues, maintain high quality services and minimize tax and fee increases.

City Councils reasons for giving the IKEA naming rights away were as follows: It was apparently Burbanks idea to rename First Street, not IKEAs; it will benefit Burbank in that it will better direct traffic to the IKEA store and hopefully, keep traffic off Alameda and South San Fernando; selling the rights will set a precedent and we might get stuck with an entity that wants an offensive street name.

No precedent is set that cannot be fairly contextualized. The enormous yellow sign on the IKEA building, signaling the stores location, does a great job of directing customer traffic to the store. Should the city pay for that as well? All these issues are taken care of through negotiation so the result is beneficial to both the taxpayers and the corporate partner. Agreements are written to exclude names that are improper.

Burbank can use the significant amounts of money that naming rights partnerships can generate and could at least partially replace funds that previously came from redevelopment agencies. Even if the IKEA Way street renaming successfully diverts the largest part of the freeway traffic to First Street and away from the San Fernando corridor, IKEA traffic from Glendale and Burbank may find the South San Fernando corridor the most convenient access.

Also, the corridor will continue to redevelop with the draw of IKEA as an anchor. Revenue from the IKEA Way street renaming could fund a plan and maybe all the necessary improvements to transform South San Fernando Boulevard between Alameda and Verdugo into an attractive area of our city, safe for residents and shoppers alike, and possibly generating even more revenue for our city.

--

SHARON SPRINGER is a Burbank resident.
A Newport Beach preschools playground became a track and its pupils became racers to benefit St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

Thursday and Friday marked Newport Coast Child Development Preschools sixth annual Trike-A-Thon. Almost 250 children and their families hauled their tricycles, bicycles and scooters to the school over the two days to race laps around the campus.

Kids tacked on customized license plates, made in class with paper, glitter and crayons. Each had the childs name on it.

The paths they raced around the school were adorned with checkered flags.

For the past three weeks, families made donations for the event to benefit Tennessee-based St. Jude.

Last year, Newport Coast raised the second-highest amount  $23,218  among more than 7,000 St. Jude Trike-A-Thons across the country.

The older kids understand that theyre doing something important to help St. Jude, and all the kids love to bring their scooters and bikes from home to do this, said the preschools director, Jessica Stanley.

The goal this year was to raise $25,000. The total wasnt determined as of Friday morning.

Im so proud of where weve come since the first year, Stanley said. Weve really picked up speed.
A Huntington Beach man was arrested last week in connection with a garage explosion caused by an illegal marijuana growing operation and a marijuana oil extraction lab in January in Anaheim, authorities said.

Frederic John Mercado Tabora, 32, was arrested Aug. 31 outside a Motel 6 in Westminster, Anaheim police Sgt. Daron Wyatt said Friday.

The arrest followed seven months of investigation after the labs were found in the aftermath of the explosion in the 2000 block of West Blue Violet Court in Anaheim, according to Wyatt.

The fire caused $450,000 worth of damage to the garage and several rooms in the two-story condominium next to it, authorities said.

Anaheim investigators also served a search warrant at Taboras home, in the 6100 block of Kelley Circle in Huntington Beach, where a butane honey oil lab was found, according to Wyatt.

He said Tabora was arrested on suspicion of unlawfully causing a fire, unlawful chemical extraction and an enhancement of doing so within 300 feet of an occupied home, all felonies.

He was released on bail from Orange County Jail on Saturday.
Delegates at the seminar (Photo: VNA)

This information was presented at a seminar on the project "Protecting the future-a new strategy to control HIV infection among young drug users in Vietnam" organized by the Centre for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI) on September 5th in Hanoi.

HIV infection among young people is a real concern worldwide. The HIV infection and transmission situation globally has been reduced in other age groups, but it is increasing among youth and teenagers. According to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), young people aged 15 to 24 accounted for 39% of all new HIV infections in adults in 2012.

At the seminar, Dr. Khuat Thi Hai Oanh, Director of SCDI, showed gaps in the current intervention programs.

"The projects aimat preventing HIV infection and transmission among drug users now all focus on heroin injectors, while only about 10% of the project beneficiaries are under 25 years old. Therefore, the project "Protecting the future-a new strategy to control HIV infection among young drug users in Vietnam" will be the first one for young drug users in Vietnam," said Dr. Oanh.



The project will begin with a study to find out the background and social environment of young drug users, effects of drugs on them, and behaviours that may put them at risk of being infected with HIV. Results of the study will help to develop intervention strategies. The project will provide funding and technical assistance for communal groups to initiate and implement interventions identified as highly effective for young drug users in each locality.

Under the plan, the project will work with networks of 20 communal groups in eight localities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, Khanh Hoa, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, Ninh Binh and Nghe An to reach and provide services to at least 8,000 young drug users and help them to control HIV.

"To push back the epidemic, access to preventive services, diagnosis and treatment for vulnerable groups are essential. We appreciate the role of the community and we believe that we have much work to do to be able to reach out to key groups. Expertise France is especially proud of partnering with SCDI in this project by granting EUR860,000 over three years," Mr. Sebastien Mosneron Dupin, CEO of Expertise France, stressed at the seminar.

"The significance of this project is beyond the target of HIV control. Drug use among young people is a huge concern of the Party, National Assembly, Government and the whole society, because it affects the economy, society, health and race. We hope that in addition to HIV prevention, the project also contributes to reducing the harmful effects of drugs and increasing social integration of young people," said Dr. Nghiem Vu Khai, Deputy Head of Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA).

With the support of technical experts from France, the project is expected to intervene to reduce HIV infection risk behaviours, as well as reduce use and dependence on drugs through social interventions and appropriate therapies./.
Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, Donald Trumps running mate, is scheduled to attend a private fundraiser Wednesday afternoon in Newport Beach.

Guests at the invitation-only event at 4:30 p.m. are asked to make a minimum contribution of $2,700 per person, according to a report in the Orange County Register. Guests who make a $10,000 contribution can have their photo taken with Pence, the Register reported.

Earlier Wednesday, Pence, the governor of Indiana, is scheduled to be at a private fundraiser in La Jolla co-presented by developer Doug Manchester, weight-loss mogul Jenny Craig and Madeleine Pickens, ex-wife of billionaire T. Boone Pickens, according to the San Diego Reader. Admission to the lunch event is $1,000, but $2,700 gets a guest a photo with Pence, the Reader reported.

On Thursday, Pence plans to speak at 10 a.m. at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley. Admission to the sold-out event includes lunch.

H.B. Firefighters Assn. endorses 3 for City Council

The Huntington Beach Firefighters Assn. on Wednesday announced its endorsement of City Council candidates Patrick Brenden, Joe Carchio and incumbent Jill Hardy in the Nov. 8 election.

As calls for service continue to grow, our staffing levels in the Huntington Beach Fire Department have decreased over the past few years. In fact, since I came on the job in 2002, our calls have nearly doubled from just over 10,000 to 20,000 projected for 2016, and we have fewer sworn firefighters on the job today than we did in 2009, firefighters association President Chad Stewart said in a statement. Jill, Patrick and Joe have all demonstrated that they genuinely understand the challenges that our firefighters and paramedics face and will help ensure that the residents of Huntington Beach receive the levels of service that they deserve.

Ten candidates are running for three available seats on the seven-member council.
As the California Coastal Commission prepares to decide the fate of a hotly debated proposal to build homes, a hotel and retail space on part of the 401-acre Banning Ranch in Newport Beach, neighboring residents in Costa Mesa are waiting to find out whether their lives are about to be altered.

Costa Mesa officials have said they have little, if any, way to stop Newport Banning Ranch LLC from developing the fenced-off site, which sits on the southern border of the citys Westside.

But city leaders and residents have had the project on their radar since roughly 2010.

At that time, the proposal was more expansive, featuring 1,375 homes, a 75-room hotel and 75,000 square feet of retail space on about 95 acres. That plan was approved by the Newport Beach City Council in 2012.

More recently, with prodding from the California Coastal Commission and its staff to reduce the projects scope, Newport Banning Ranch has proposed 895 homes, a 75-room hotel, a 20-bed hostel and 45,100 square feet of retail space on 62 acres.

The Coastal Commission will consider that proposal Wednesday morning during a public meeting at the Newport Beach Civic Center. Commission staff has recommended the project be reduced even further, to about 19.7 acres, to help protect habitat and foraging areas for burrowing owls.

The Banning Ranch environmental impact report, which studied the larger version of the project in 2011, indicated that the west side of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa would experience congestion at more than seven intersections, including Newport Boulevard and 17th Street; 18th and 19th streets; Newport and Harbor boulevards and Superior Avenue and 17th Street.

According to the report, Newport Banning Ranch was required to pay about $1.7 million to Costa Mesa for the inevitable traffic stemming from the development. Newport Banning Ranch proposed giving Costa Mesa about $4.4 million in 2012 to make street improvements, but the City Council could not reach a consensus on the agreement.

Now that the scope of the project has changed, the city will have to study the effects of the final development on Costa Mesa streets before pursuing another agreement with the developer, said city Transportation Services Manager Raja Sethuraman.

The final decision on whether to do that rests with the City Council, Sethuraman said.

Wendy Leece, a Costa Mesa resident and former council member who lives next to Banning Ranch, said that while shes pleased with the Coastal Commission staffs recommendation to further scale back the development, shes uncomfortable that Costa Mesa doesnt have an agreement with the developer to improve city streets.

Im disappointed that the city of Costa Mesa has done nothing to get a dollar amount, she said. The traffic that is expected to come through on 17th Street is going to take millions of dollars to mitigate. Im disappointed the City Council hasnt demanded more from the developer.

Councilwoman Katrina Foley said the project will have a significant impact on Costa Mesa residents for the benefit of Newport Beach. She estimates street improvements in the area could cost $11 million.

I think its frustrating that we have very little control over what is going to be thousands of traffic trips on our city, Foley said. Since we dont necessarily have any control over whether or not the project is built, we should have negotiated something better for Costa Mesa.

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer said the city has been waiting until the Coastal Commission makes a final decision before approaching the developer about funding street improvements.

Its pretty much been You guys have a lot of approvals you need to get, and when you know whether you have a project, well talk, he said.

However, Foley contends the city should already have nailed down such funding from the developer.

It seems to me, strategically, the time to get more is before they get their approval, not after, she said.

Righeimer said he sees potential in the project in the form of direct beach access for Costa Mesas Westside residents if the Coastal Commission approves Bluff Road, a thoroughfare that would run north-south through the Banning Ranch property to connect West Coast Highway with West 17th Street. In the commission staffs most recent report, it recommended conditions to eliminate Bluff Road.

Despite the possibility of more traffic, Righeimer said the project brings the potential for increased open space for residents of Westside Costa Mesa, an area the city has been working to revitalize for years. As part of its proposal, Newport Banning Ranch has set aside about 329 acres as preserved, natural open space with public trails.

The 55 Freeway brings us 100,000 cars per day; Adams [Avenue] and Victoria [Street] bring between 50,000 and 60,000 a day and we dont get anything out of it, Righeimer said. Here, were going to get 300 acres open to our city that we dont have now.

To have all those rusty fences removed and have some interconnection will really be a benefit to the improvements were making on our Westside.
Mariners Elementary Schools sign out front had a new message for the new school year Tuesday.

The letters arranged on the white board spelled out, School starts Sept. 6th. Welcome Mr. B.

Parents with backpacks and coffee cups in hand as they accompanied their children to the Newport Beach campus stopped to snap a photo of them in front of the sign welcoming Matt Broesamle as Mariners new principal.

Broesamle stood in the schools front courtyard wearing a red Spider-Man tie as he introduced himself to a line of parents waiting to meet him.

Hes the main core, the influence on the teachers  people are going to follow his example, parent Chris Van Keirsbelk said. Were looking for stability, and I think teachers trust that theres going to be someone here to support them.

In June, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District reassigned Broesamle from California Elementary School in Costa Mesa to take over at Mariners after Laura Sacks, Mariners principal of one year, requested a different assignment amid a controversy over an application for a school award that she filed last fall.

Mariners teachers began voicing concerns in March about the application for the Gold Ribbon Award, which the school received in April from the California Department of Education. They claimed it contained mischaracterizations about educational programs that were not fully in place last school year and goals and practices that were never discussed with teachers.

An outside investigation of the allegations is continuing, the district said.

Some parents also had complained that the school climate last year had become awkward and institutional.

Teachers last year were not focused  there was no sense of unity, Mariners parent Tina DAgostino said Tuesday. Weve heard really good things about [Broesamle]. We have high hopes for this school.

Broesamle didnt stop to be interviewed as he greeted parents Tuesday morning. Later in the day, he declined comment, saying he was too busy working with parents on the first day of school.

In a statement when he was appointed to Mariners in June, he said: I am ready to start a new chapter in my life. I am excited and look forward to joining the Mariners School community.

As parents made it through the line to meet him Tuesday, one told him he was coming to Mariners with a halo around his head. Another carried a small gift for him. He didnt immediately open it.

Broesamle had served as principal of California Elementary for five years. Before that, he began a teaching career at Adams Elementary School in Costa Mesa in 2002 and stayed there for eight years.

Parents at Mariners, which serves 700 students, said theyre happy that Broesamle comes from within Newport-Mesa.

Hes a team player, and thats whats most important, parent Tracy Gaines said. We need someone whos going to be on a same page with every teacher and work with them. We have teachers who have been here a long time. Everyone respects them.
Re. No one is entitled to affordable housing so close to the coast, (April 16): Costa Mesa City Council candidate Al Melones rant against efforts to promote affordable housing is mean-spirited, short-sighted and out of touch with reality.

Yes, we do live in a very affluent community, where one is hard-pressed to find anything to buy that is less than $1 million. Mr. Melone simply suggests these folks move inland, or even to Iowa or to Texas. If everyone in middle- or low-income brackets took that advice then where would we find people to teach our schools, deliver our mail or care for us when we land in the hospital?

The fact is that wages for middle-income workers in no way makes them able to afford to buy, hardly even to rent, decent housing around here. Im not even talking about the poor here!

Yes, some of those folks could move to Corona or Riverside and clog our already-overburdened freeway system and add more pollutants into the air while they literally burn up even more of their hard-earned income. Is this really the solution?

There are plenty of unaffordable homes around here, which the folks with the bucks can buy, and they are not going anywhere. Our property values are certainly not going down.

Yet Melone complains that the overregulated, overburdened and over-taxed developers have to cough up more fees so as to provide homes that people with more-modest incomes can buy. A few dozen units here and there, maybe?

The author also brings up Americas heritage of self-reliance and how this is being destroyed by the social liberals in Sacramento upon whom I suspect Mr. Malone lays the blame for all of our countrys ills.

Well, I have news for him: America has changed a lot since the pioneer days, when folks moved West in covered wagons and often starved or froze to death in their failed attempts to make it.

We live in a different, more interdependent and complex society. The state of California has more people now than did the entire United States in the 1840s, when the pioneers first began to head West in large numbers. The standards of modern living require that people have good housing, transportation, medical care and the rest. Call it social liberalism, if you must, but we live in a much better society since World War II than mankind has ever lived in before.

To maintain such a society we need efforts by our government to mitigate the social ills which are results of a myriad of causes, including skyrocketing property values in desirable areas.

To simply suggest that we should allow such trends to push an entire class of people to far-off areas is naive and downright mean and heartless. If Mr. Melone wants to run for City Council, thats his right. Should he be elected, then governing the city should be a service he extends to everyone in the community, not just the people with deep pockets.

The lack of affordable housing in this area is a real one. I have a family member currently struggling with this issue. Id kind of like to keep our family together and local  and its not easy. If government-induced solutions can help with this problem that that is a good thing. I seriously suspect that Mr. Melone is one of those right-wing Republicans who claims government doesnt work and then hope to get elected so he can prove it to be so.

Lenard Davis

Newport beach

*

Affordable housing is not an answer to homelessness. The term affordable housing means different things to different people. Al Melones article was spot on! When did living in desirable communities become an entitlement?

Juli Hayden

Newport Beach

*

Let them eat cake!

Two things come to mind when reading Al Melones piece: First, does he understand the meaning of nonpartisan offices, such as the one hes running for? And second, is he related to Marie Antoinette?

Robert L. Stein

Irvine
It is a throbbing, jostling town with no name. Wander down the dirt street, and youll see a hubbub of boys playing ball, women selling small bags of sugar or charcoal, children selling plastic bottles of milk and cooks dropping dough balls into hot oil.

There are dogs on every corner, and hardware shops selling shiny pots and electrical cords. There are hookah shops, tailors, bakers. And then theres John Gais shop. He expanded his business last year and recently added a new awning of grass matting.

Its taken three years to get my shop to this stage, Gai says. It started small, small, and I built it up. Out front, rows of dried fish, crawling with flies, are stacked on a table. Disks of flatbread are piled in plastic bags. He sells tea, pasta, flour, milk. He even has a fridge.

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As with refugee camps the world over, the place exudes the uneasiness of dispossessed people living in limbo. But the camp also is a reminder that the displaced find a way to carry on  they buy, they sell, they make a living. Even here, the entrepreneurial spirit survives.

Whenever Gai saves enough, he expands and makes his place bigger, better, so it feels more permanent.

But it is not supposed to be permanent. It was never supposed to be, at all.

It is a displaced persons camp in the South Sudanese capital of Juba that sprang up when ethnic fighting in the worlds newest nation broke out in December 2013. Its known as U.N. House Compound or PoC 2 and PoC 3 in U.N. bureaucratese.

It is home to 21,000 people, and the buzzing commerce, schools and community workshops send out tendrils of hope. The place exudes heroic persistence. In a shed, women sing and take part in a workshop, before applauding each other and breaking into laughter.

But theres no escaping the adversity that threatens the optimism: A fence guards the perimeter, no-one feels safe enough to leave, and war threatens to return. After South Sudan achieved independence from Sudan, two rival leaders competed for power and the young country spiraled into civil war.

The people here, mainly people of the Nuer ethnic group, fear a repeat of 2013 attacks by government soldiers aligned with a different ethnic group, the Dinka. The attacks rapidly spread to other parts of the country, with both sides responsible for ethnic attacks and abuses, according to human rights groups.

Fear took hold once more in July, when heavy fighting erupted just outside the camp for five days and bullets flew, killing at least 13 camp residents and injuring dozens.

Amid concerns that South Sudan may be sliding back into war, the camp is unlikely to be dismantled any time soon. There are now 200,000 people in displaced persons camps across the country.

When the first of two sprawling camps sprang up in 2013, narrow walkways quickly turned to black, oily canals when it rained. The battered suitcases people carried as they fled were piled in the corners of small plastic tents. Chiefs sat on chairs under a tent on one side of the camp, meeting and talking. Tent clinics were erected. Digging equipment clawed the earth, building latrines and showers.

Almost from day one, shops opened, selling anything that a frightened family who left nearly everything behind would need.

Zalanam Shamalo fled from Malakal in the north of South Sudan after her husbands sugar business was destroyed and all their money was stolen. Now the couple run a tea shop in a camp for the displaced in Juba. (Robyn Dixon / Los Angeles Times )

Zalanam Shamalo, 20, an Ethiopian, was living in northern South Sudan when fighting broke out. She and her husband now run a tea shop here.

She boils water in a huge kettle over charcoal. She dumps a few generous spoons of sugar into a small glass, trickles in some strong tea, then sloshes in boiling water. Sometimes its so hot, the glass breaks. Her husband, Doeleso, 28, ran a big sugar business in the northern town of Malakal, but looters destroyed it. Hed saved more than $30,000, all of it gone.

I came here so that the U.N. can take care of me, he says. I came to start a new life.

Down the muddy street, Chuol Mut, 35, has a phone-charging business, consisting of little more than a wooden board with rows of power sockets, wires and chargers, and a couple of huge speakers blaring music. He lost everything when he fled the town of Bor with his brothers more than three years ago: his large grocery shop, destroyed; the big generator he had scrimped to buy, gone; his sister Nyeri and older brother, Bub, both killed.

Those who came to kill randomly took everything, he recalls. The shop is completely destroyed. They came and destroyed all 123 shops.

Mut arrived at the camp penniless, but managed to get a few days work with the U.N. and earned enough to set up his charging business. People pay just a few cents to charge their phones off a car battery, but the money adds up, enough to feed his family.

If I get enough money, Ill start another business. I will expand this business or do something similar with electronics. But I have no money,

Sometimes Mut thinks about all the things he lost. He wonders if his house is still standing, or if someone has taken it over. I think about it, but this is what is happening in the world, he says.

Chuol Mut, 35, once had a large shop in the town of Bor, but fled when the war came to the town in 2014 and his sister and older brother were killed. (Robyn Dixon / Los Angeles Times )

Across the way is Gai, who wears a coat with a hole in the lapel. He abandoned his market stall of 23 years at Jubas bustling central Konyo Konyo market in the 2013 fighting and found safety at the U.N. camp, where he set up a small stall.

When its calm, Gai leaves the camp for Konyo Konyo market to buy stock, but when the situation is tense, he calls a motorized rickshaw to bring stock to the gates of the camp.

Its all right doing business inside here because I feel more secure, he said. I sleep well at night. But there are not as many customers here as at Konyo Konyo. Less than half, he says.

Occasionally he allows himself to think about the future. Hed like to go back to the market and start a bigger shop. He dreams of one day starting up a factory.

His best days are those when he feels safe enough to leave the camp and hurry to Konyo Konyo market in a motorized rickshaw, to plunge into the noisy chaos, bargain and haggle and buy his stock.

I like bargaining, especially in Arabic, he says. What I love about bargaining is that you sit down and you convince one of the traders to give a good price. When I get a good price, Im very happy. Hes not taken much of my money, but we agreed the price.

Its my sweat. Its my own work. Its my own business.

Across South Sudan hand-painted signs beckon customers to shops and cafes. Not here. Shamalos tea shop and Muts phone-charging business are identified just by the aroma of tea and a tangle of wires.

In the town with no name, the awning of Gais shop bears no name either.

This story was reported with the support of a fellowship from the International Womens Media Foundation.

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT

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Its midday on a Thursday and Yoshihiro Ueuchi is preparing to preach some culinary gospel.

He puts on a white garrison cap embroidered with his name, sound-checks his microphone headset, and picks up his hera, or spatula. Arrayed around two pool-table-size teppanyaki grills, 18 acolytes in orange aprons stand expectantly, ready to be baptized in the basics of okonomiyaki.

Szzzzzzz! The hot metal hisses as Ueuchi ladles a simple water-and-flour batter onto the surface, swirling it into a perfect disk. Next comes a heaping mound of shredded cabbage, piled up like a mini Mt. Fuji. Then green onions, bean sprouts and thick slices of pork belly.

Temperature control is important! advises Ueuchi, telling his disciples to pump up the heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit from 260 degrees as he adds egg, noodles and other ingredients, then finally drenches the mass in a thick, sweet, Worcestershire-inspired sauce. The 54-year-old should know: Ueuchi estimates hes cooked 100,000 okonomiyaki in his 30 years of working for Otafuku, the biggest okonomiyaki sauce maker in the world.

 Yoshihiro Ueuchi demonstrates making an okonomiyaki.

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Part omelet, part crepe, okonomiyaki (pronounced oh-ko-no-mi-yaki) is to Hiroshima what deep-dish pizza is to Chicago. Layered like a lasagna, it is as customizable as its Italian cousin and is as much a part of this Japanese ports identity asits notoriety as the first city to be hit by a nuclear weapon.

In fact, the dropping of the bomb and the rise of okonomiyaki are intimately linked in Hiroshima.

Before the war, the savory crepes  whose lineage can be traced to Chinese pancakes known as jianbing  were sold as kids snacks throughout Hiroshima. Then, after 1945, war widows anxious to make ends meet started opening okonomiyaki stalls and some converted rooms in their homes into small restaurants.

They threw in whatever ingredients they could get their hands on, such as oysters and squid and soba noodles cooked by their fellow stall owners, along with ration ingredients provided by the U.S. occupiers. The elaboration was all well and good, because okonomiyaki literally means whatever you like  grilled, and in the lean years after the war, cheap one-dish meals were all many Hiroshimans could afford.

But even as Hiroshima started to get back on its feet in the 1950s, locals couldnt shake their taste for okonomiyaki. Seiichi Sasaki, who opened a vinegar shop in 1922 and later got into making Worcestershire sauce, smelled an opening and began canvassing Hiroshima, asking cooks how his company could improve its products. After one chef complained that Worcestershire was too thin and always ran off his okonomiyaki, Sasaki took the idea back to his brewery and in 1952 launched his special sauce.

Nowadays, Otafuku pumps out 210,000 bottles of okonomiyaki sauce per day in Japan, along with an equal number of other bottles of condiments including mayonnaise and vinegar. In fall 2013, the company opened a factory in Los Angeles, where Otafuku produces 140,000 gallons of sauce a year for the U.S. market under the brand name OtaJoy.

Otafuku Sauce Co. President Naoyoshi Sasaki, holding a plastic model of okonomiyaki used in shop windows. (Julie Makinen / Los Angeles Times )

But company President Naoyoshi Sasaki, grandson of Otafukus founder, knows that his product is more niche than, say, ketchup or mustard. If the public were to lose its taste for okonomiyaki, his empire and his 600 employees would be in jeopardy. So Otafuku, he says, must relentlessly evangelize.

We have to expand the culture of okonomiyaki, continually, says Sasaki. We have to educate people about it.

For years, Otafuku has been holding demonstrations and seminars throughout Japan at department stores and other venues, showing schoolchildren, homemakers and professional cooks how to make the dish. In 2008, it went a step further, commissioning a five-story okonomiyaki museum, shop and education center on the western side of Hiroshima, designed by architect Hiroshi Sambuichi.

Left: The five-story okonomiyaki museum, shop and education center on the western side of Hiroshima, designed by architect Hiroshi Sambuichi. Right: Shigenori Matsumoto, general manager of the Okonomiyaki Museum and an okonomiyaki meister at Otafuku Sauce Co. (Julie Makinen / Los Angeles Times )

The structures rounded form is designed to echo Hiroshimas Atomic Bomb Dome, a landmark 1914 structure that survived the 1945 bombing. But that somber note is balanced by a lightness of form. Made of timber and vaguely shaped like an egg (a key okonomiyaki component), the building is known as the Wood Egg.

Ueuchi and others teach here, in multiple cooking studios  one for tourists, another for children and families, and a third for restaurateurs who want to open an okonomiyaki eatery or are planning to add the dish to the menu of their current establishment.

Ueuchi started working at Otafuku at age 26. He would travel around in a 2-ton truck, selling supplies to small shops and supermarkets. During that time, he says, he learned a lot about Otafukus product line. He learned how to make okonomiyaki and had the chance to cook at various special events.

He still cooks okonomiyaki at home about once a month  at home he has a professional-grade teppanyaki plate that is slightly less than half an inch thick. His kids like it when he cooks it. He also still orders it in restaurants.

Each restaurant has its own taste and atmosphere, so its fun to try the variety, he says.

Otafuku keeps close tabs on the number of okonomiyaki restaurants. There are more than 1,000 in Hiroshima alone, which has a population of 1.2 million, but Osaka, which has its own distinct style of okonomiyaki and has 2.7 million people, can call itself Japans okonomiyaki capital, with 2,850 eateries.

The statistics, though, hold some cause for concern: In 2009, there were 19,480 okonomiyaki restaurants across Japan by Otafukus count, but by 2014 that number had shrunk to 16,551.

Some at Otafuku suspect the drop may be related to Japans population decline. The rapidly graying, low-birthrate country of 127 million people lost 1 million residents between 2010 and 2015, and as older people close their mom-and-pop shops, they tend to be replaced with fewer, larger restaurants, said Akiko Tabuchi of the companys public relations department.

Students learn how to make okonomiyaki at the Otafuku Sauce Co.s museum and cooking studio in Hiroshima. (Julie Makinen / Los Angeles Times )

Though Hiroshima is hardly starved for choices when it comes to okonomiyaki eateries, people continue to open them. Otafuku offers a three-day, $300 class for current and prospective restaurateurs. Shigenori Matsumoto, general manager of the museum at the Wood Egg, says the company encourages proprietors to find ways to make their okonomiyaki unique.

We tell people to have a distinctive concept  like adding mushrooms if youre in the mountains, or oysters if youre near the sea, says Matsumoto, who has written a book on okonomiyaki and whose business card identifies him as okonomiyaki meister.

One of the most well-known okonomiyaki restaurateurs in Hiroshima has done just that. Guatemala native Fernando Lopez opened his eponymous eatery in the city in 2000 after meeting his wife, a Hiroshima native, in Hawaii.

Fernando Lopez, a native of Guatemala, runs an okonomiyaki eatery in Hiroshima and serves a wine specifically marketed as an ideal companion to the savory pancake. (Julie Makinen / Los Angeles Times )

When they first moved to the city, he was thinking of opening a Southwestern American-style grill but was dissuaded by another restaurant owner who said locals wouldnt embrace the concept. So Lopez took up okonomiyaki, adding his own flair, such as jalapeno peppers, and using double-yolk eggs.

Though okonomiyaki is still considered soul food, lately theres been a trend toward upscaling, said Matsumoto, noting that one company has started selling Okonomiyaki Wine, a blend of Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon intended to be paired with the dish.

Lopez pours the Spanish vino at his counter and hands patrons a brochure touting the wines round tannins with less bitterness, which the vintners say is essential so as not to conflict with the savory umami taste of okonomiyaki.

Otafukus original sauce recipe has 50 ingredients, including spices, vegetables and fruits. Dates, imported from the Middle East, are an unexpected key component, Matsumoto says. But the company is constantly trying to introduce new products to keep up with modern palates  and keep okonomiyaki on plates.

It has developed a spicy variety, a lower-salt and lower-sugar option for the health conscious, and even a mild baby sauce suitable for kids that is gluten-free and doesnt contain common allergens such as peanuts and crab.

If kids become devoted to okonomiyaki when theyre young, Matsumoto says, we will have a customer for life.

Follow @JulieMakLAT on Twitter for news from Asia.

julie.makinen@latimes.com

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Less than a year ago, Henrieta Berzinyte and her husband packed up their lives in Lithuania and moved to a market town near the east coast of Britain with their 3-year-old son.

Like thousands of Eastern Europeans before them, the couple knew Boston in Lincolnshire was a place where low-skilled workers could find jobs that offered higher salaries than they could command at home. It might mean driving a forklift or maybe packing boxes.

The city also offered a growing community of Eastern European migrants that included Berzinytes father and sister, who moved there several years ago.

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Its way better here, Berzinyte, 26, said recently.

Henrieta Berzinyte moved to Boston from Lithuania and works in a grocery store. (Christina Boyle / For The Times )

But Boston, with a population of about 64,600, also has become known as a place of deep divisions.

The town early this year was described as the least integrated place in Britain by the Policy Exchange think tank. In studying Boston, the organization found that many longtime residents and newcomers essentially did not mix much.

Then in June, when Britain held a referendum on whether to pull out of the 28-nation European Union  a move driven in part by anti-immigrant sentiments  Boston recorded the highest percentage of Leave votes in the country. About 76% of the citys voters supported the so-called Brexit , compared with about 52% nationwide.

For some, the port town stopped feeling like a good place to raise a family.

Berzinyte, who works at a small grocery store, worries about the town and whether her family will fit in, considering that some residents do not welcome migrants.

If things get worse then we can ... go home, she said.

Many of Bostons Eastern European residents congregate near West Street, a road that stretches about a third of a mile from the train station toward the main market square. Some British locals refer to it as East Street because of the concentration of Eastern European markets, restaurants and people.

In the grocery stores dotted along this road, much of the food is imported to cater to customers from places like Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.

One day recently, Polish music played near stores called European Market and Europe Express. Several business displayed the gold-starred EU flag on their awnings.

Many of Bostons foreign-born residents say they were lured by the areas abundance of factory and farm work, mostly picking vegetables and packing produce for supermarket shelves. They can earn in a week here what they might make in a month back home.

The citys share of foreign-born residents increased from 3.1% in 2001 to 15.1% in 2011, according to census figures, a change that makes some residents uncomfortable.

Paul Dyke, 69, and his wife Julie, 61, said the growing presence of migrants was undeniable and they were hoping the EU referendum vote would help counter it.

Im retired and so I can walk around town in the day and you have a hard time finding someone speaking English, said Paul Dyke, who has lived in Boston his whole life. Its all foreigners.

Boston has always relied on outside workers who come in to help pick and package the vegetables produced in the surrounding area.

They used to come from nearby cities like Sheffield or Peterborough, until Europeans began arriving in significant numbers. Many Portuguese came in the 1990s, then Eastern Europeans.

This is a town which has seen repeated population changes, which unnerves people who have lived here a long time.  Paul Gleeson, member of the Boston Borough Council

This is a town which has seen repeated population changes, which unnerves people who have lived here a long time, said the Labor Partys Paul Gleeson, a member of the Boston Borough Council. And youve got a situation now where living conditions are becoming harder for everybody, and the easiest thing to do is to blame the migrants.

The Conservative leader of the Boston Borough Council, Peter Bedford, said there have been issues with integration, but the council was working on improving the situation.

City officials and police are trying to clamp down on the exploitation of workers who are forced to give part of their pay to so-called gang masters who find them work.

Ziedonis Barbaks, a Latvian community representative who moved to Britain 16 years ago and has been living in Boston for 11 years, said he has tried to help improve relations and offers advice to European newcomers, but has not seen enough from the council.

I put lots of hours in driving around to meet the [council] people and nothing has changed, he said. What kind of change is there going to be after Brexit? Only more exploitation.

Gleeson said the towns officials have historically not worked hard enough to protect the rights of migrants from EU countries and make them feel more comfortable settling in Boston.

Traditionally, Boston is very insular, he said.

What happens next in Boston and throughout Britain, which is home to about 3 million European Union citizens, remains uncertain.

Some prominent campaigners on both sides of the Brexit vote have called on the government to ensure that any changes in the rules on EU migration apply only to new arrivals, not those who already live in Britain. Under existing rules, citizens of any of the 28 EU member countries are allowed to freely work in and travel to any other EU country.

Theresa May, who became prime minister after the referendum, is charged with reuniting a deeply fractured country.

Bedford, who supported the Remain campaign, said there was a misconception among the local British community about how to fix existing problems and what their vote would mean.

I think the Brexit vote [in Boston] stemmed from immigration, Bedford said. I think that the majority of people thought that if they voted for Brexit the Eastern Europeans would disappear, which clearly is not the case and will not be the case.

See the most-read stories this hour 

Damian Hosse, a forklift operator at a produce packing house who moved to Boston from Poland 10 years ago, said he frequently thinks about leaving Boston, but he does not want to quit his job and does not know where he would go.

Who will be working in the factories if we leave? English people dont want to do that work, said Hosse, 28.

I live here many years now, and I know everything, he said. I have friends, I have a job  Maybe I will change countries, but I dont think I will go to Poland. At the moment, England is all right.

Boyle is a special correspondent.

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For Muslims, the five pillars of Islam, professing the Muslim faith, prayer, paying alms, fasting and the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia are the central religious obligations they must all fulfill.

Whereas the first four can be done on ones own, the pilgrimage, or hajj, is a communal rite, a journey drawing millions of Muslims of all stripes and nationalities together.

But the annual pilgrimage, which starts this week, has been used as a weapon of sorts in recent days in the often-bitter rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that Muslims should punish Saudi Arabia for last years stampede that killed hundreds of people during hajj. Rouhani said Saudi authorities failed to rescue pilgrims.

The government of Saudi Arabia must be held accountable for this incident, Rouhani reportedly said during a Cabinet meeting. Unfortunately, this government has even refrained from a verbal apology to Muslims and Muslim countries.

The government of Saudi Arabia must be held accountable for this incident.  President Hassan Rouhani

Rouhani also said Saudi Arabia supports terrorism in the region. Iran had announced in May that it would not send pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to participate in the hajj.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir, in a news conference from the Saudi Embassy in London, accused Iran of trying to politicize the hajj obligation to achieve political gains.

Jubeir said there also may be problems for the Iranians who may intend to come to hajj in the coming years. He did not elaborate.

The remarks were the latest blows in a verbal war between the two countries.

Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a speech Monday excoriated Saudis rulers as puny Satans who have reduced hajj to a religious-tourist trip. Khamenei said Saudis murdered the pilgrims who died last year.

The heartless and murderous Saudis locked up the injured with the dead in containers -- instead of providing medical treatment and helping them or at least quenching their thirst, Khamenei said.

The world of Islam must fundamentally reconsider the management of the two holy places and the issue of hajj, he said, referring to the custodianship of Islams two holiest sites, in Mecca and Medina.

Unofficial tallies put the number who died last year at 2,426. Khamenei said almost 500 of them were from Iran. Saudi Arabia says a total of 769 people died.

Negotiations between the two governments on safety concerns for pilgrims broke down in May.

The hajj, which attracts millions of pilgrims every year, is an important revenue source for Saudi Arabias treasury. It has pushed the government to transform the once austere environs of the Kaaba, the central holy site around which Muslims circumambulate, into a steel and concrete metropolis with skyscrapers, shopping centers and garish hotels.

But it is also a logistical nightmare. Hundreds of extra flights bring pilgrims from all over the world to Saudi Arabia, before they walk or are bused in the millions between the various sites of the Grand Mosque area. Pilgrims often become ill from heat, exhaustion or sicknesses borne by others. A fall could lead to death by trampling.

After Khameneis comments, Saudi Arabias top cleric, Abdul Aziz al Sheik, said it was not surprising that such comments would come from Iranians.

We must understand those people are not Muslims, he said in comments to local news outlet Makkah. They are the sons of the Magi, and their hostility to the Muslims is an ancient affair, and especially to the [Sunnis].

Magi are Zoroastrians, members of a pre-Islamic religion that was once dominant in Iran. Today, Iran and Saudi Arabias religious demographics are virtually mirror opposites of each other: Saudi Arabia is 85% to 90% Sunni and 10% to 15% Shiite. Iran is 90% to 95% Shiite and 5% to 10% Sunni.

Although the hostility between the two denominations has a long history, it took on new significance during the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. It unleashed a brutal sectarian bloodletting between Iraqs sects that drew in Iran and Saudi Arabia, and has grown into wars pitting their proxies in Iraq, Syria and Yemen against each other.

The acrimony in the hajj dispute threatens to extend beyond the borders of both countries.

General Secretary of the Gulf Cooperation Council Abdul Latif Zayani said Khameneis remarks on the hajj were an incitement whose goals were exposed.

[Its] a desperate attempt to politicize this great Islamic rite that brings the Islamic peoples together.

Bulos is a special correspondent.

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President Obama and controversial Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte bumped into each other while attending a dinner of world leaders here on Wednesday, exchanging niceties after Obama canceled an earlier sit-down because of vulgar comments Duterte directed toward him in public.

The encounter consisted of pleasantries between the two before the gala dinner of the Assn. of South East Asian leaders meeting here this week, according to a White House official.

The description of a toned-down encounter diverted from their exchanges from afar earlier in the week.

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Ahead of what would have been their first meeting, Duterte anticipated that Obama would press him on violent crackdowns on narcotics trafficking in the Philippines as well as charges of extrajudicial killings. Duterte declared in an interview that he would curse Obama if he dared to bring up the matters in their private encounter. Son of a bitch, I will swear at you, promised Duterte, whose history of crude remarks gained notice internationally after he was elected this year.

Obama said shortly afterward that he did plan to discuss his concerns about Dutertes record on human rights, a subject he almost always broaches with other world leaders. Obama then decided that in light of Dutertes comments, the two probably couldnt have a productive discussion during his final presidential trip to Asia and canceled the meeting.

The meeting with the leader of a key American ally in the region had been intended in part to remind the Chinese government that the U.S. has strong relationships in Southeast Asia, all part of Obamas strategy of providing a strong counterbalance to the rising Chinese power on the continent.

After Obama canceled the meeting, Duterte retreated, telling journalists that he regretted his words. White House aides said later that the two might bump into each other in the halls at the ASEAN summit instead, a bit of choreographed diplomatic theater that lowers the stakes for a possibly fraught encounter.

Indeed, Obama had a brief discussion with Duterte on Wednesday in a private room where world leaders mingled outside the view of the press before they entered the gala, according to an Obama administration official.

The conversation between the two was private. But as far as U.S. officials are saying, no foul words were uttered.

Christi.Parsons@latimes.com

Follow @cparsons for news about the White House.

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As a handsome young politician named Enrique Pena Nieto ascended at lightning speed from state legislator to president of Mexico, Luis Videgaray was never far from his side.

An MIT-trained economist and onetime investment banker, Videgaray was Pena Nietos presidential campaign manager, secretary of finance and closest confidant. With his soft voice and glasses, he was viewed by many as the brains of the operation, the viceroy running the show from behind the scenes.

He was the presidents most trusted advisor, said political analyst Alejandro Hope. He has been his intellectual crutch for years.

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So it was a great shock when Pena Nieto abruptly called a news conference Wednesday to announce that he had accepted Videgarays resignation from his Cabinet. The president named Jose Antonio Meade, who previously served as finance minister under former President Felipe Calderon, as Videgarays successor.

The sudden move has fueled furious speculation in Mexico, with some suggesting that Videgaray stepped down because of the controversial economic reforms he has pushed, and others blaming his role in another exceedingly unpopular political event: Donald Trumps visit to Mexico.

Videgaray was a leading advocate for the Trump visit last week, believing it would send a signal of stability to the economic markets, a key priority for the Mexican government after two ratings agencies lowered their outlooks on Mexico from stable to negative.

But the meeting was widely panned.

An overwhelming number of Mexicans say their opinion of Pena Nieto went down after he met with the Republican presidential candidate who has put attacking Mexican immigrants and criticizing trade deals at the center of his campaign. If the Mexican presidents poll numbers were the first casualty, Videgaray may have been the second.

Videgarays resignation confirms that the decision to invite and receive Donald Trump was a historic error, financial analyst Raul Feliz said in a radio interview Wednesday.

Many are questioning what Pena Nieto will do without his closest advisor.

Without Videgaray, the presidents office is leaderless, wrote former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Jorge Castaneda on Twitter. Who is going to govern?

Indeed, Videgaray has been an essential part of Pena Nietos team since the two met in the early 2000s. At the time, Videgaray was an investment banker. He asked to sit down with Pena Nieto, then a local legislator in the state of Mexico, for help changing some banking regulations.

When Pena Nieto was elected governor of the state of Mexico, he tapped Videgaray as his finance minister. He named Videgaray to the same post in the federal government after he won the presidency in 2012, reclaiming the office for the Institutional Revolutionary Party.

Videgaray, who has been described as more of a technocrat than a savvy political operative, was the architect of some of Pena Nietos signature reforms, including changes that allow private investment in Mexicos state-owned oil and gas sectors and a series of tax hikes.

The tax increases were unpopular with many Mexicans and put Pena Nieto at odds with the business community. The energy reforms were less successful than they could have been because they coincided with a dramatic drop in the price of oil.

Videgaray has had a tough run, said Christopher Wilson, deputy director of the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington. In the short term there was pain, and were still waiting for the reward.

Wilson said he thinks Videgaray was right to shape a contingency plan for a possible Trump victory, given Trumps threat to exit the North American Free Trade Agreement and levy a 35% tariff on products imported from Mexico.

Eighty percent of Mexicos exports go to the United States, Wilson said. If that is put at risk by the election in November, Mexico absolutely must be creating a strategy to minimize any harm. It absolutely makes sense to have open, clear lines of communication. The question is whether or not an invitation to both candidates was the best way to go about it.

Pena Nieto extended invitations to meet to Trump and his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, about to two weeks ago. According to Mexican media reports, he did so at the urging of Videgaray, and without consulting other Cabinet members.

His government seemed taken by surprise by Trumps quick acceptance of the invitation and the candidates decision to fly to Mexico on the same day he was set to deliver a fiery speech in Arizona calling for an increase in immigration enforcement. Trump and Pena Nieto met privately for about an hour. They emerged with competing narratives about what was discussed, especially regarding whether or not Mexico would pay for construction of a border wall.

Pena Nieto has been widely mocked for the meeting, and some see Videgaray as an easy scapegoat. But analysts say its possible Videgaray may have already been on his way out.

Given Pena Nietos dismal poll numbers and his partys poor fairing in recent gubernatorial elections around the country, there was a sense that the president needed to have a shake-up, said Ana Maria Salazar, a political analyst who worked at the White House and the Pentagon.

There have been a number of developments that have weakened Videgaray, starting with the tax reforms, but the Trump visit was probably the last nail in his coffin, said Hope.

He and others expect Videgaray to remain in politics, possibly by running for governor in the state of Mexico. But a win would be hard, especially after Trump, Hope said.

He has so many negatives that it would be an uphill battle.

At the news conference Wednesday, the long history and close bond between Vinegaray and Pena Nieto was clear. Videgaray at one point appeared to be blinking back tears as Pena Nieto announced his departure, and at the end of the speech, they shared a long embrace.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Cecilia Sanchez in the Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.

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UPDATES:

3 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with details about the careers of Luis Videgaray and Enrique Pena Nieto.

This article was originally published at 9:40 a.m.
Carys Massarella doesnt understand what gender has to do with driving laws anyway.

If a police officer pulls you over for speeding, its not because youre a woman who was speeding or a man thats speeding. Its because youre speeding, said Massarella. Do you really need a gender identifier...on your ID?

In Ontario, the provincial governments answer is no.

While Americans fight over transgender rights and whether people should be permitted to use public restrooms that align with their gender identity rather than what their birth certificate says, Ontario has settled upon a simple fix: an X.

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The province is now rolling out health cards that no longer display a persons gender on the front of the card, and beginning next year, drivers will be able to select X rather than specify male or female on their licenses.

The province promotes the changes as a step towards greater inclusivity, a move than comes as transgender rights and gender identity have become mainstream political issues in Canada. In Calgary, the city council has endorsed a push to make restrooms gender-neutral. The Canadian Senate is even poised to change the English lyrics of the nations anthem to make it gender-neutral.

But Ontario  like Canada overall  is not some inclusive utopia. Changes to the provinces sex education curriculum, which includes discussion of gender identity, sparked widespread demonstrations last year and frequent reports of parents keeping their children at home in protest.

LGBT advocates say full equality for transgender and other non-conforming people is still a long way off.

Massarella, the lead physician for the transgender care program at a community health center in southern Ontario, said the changes to health cards could make simple interactions  a visit to the emergency room, a routine checkup with a physician  easier for transgender people.

For transgender people, theres the whole idea of being the impostor or being deceptive, said Massarella. Such thinking, she said, is whats driving the fierce debate in the U.S. over letting people use public bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

When youre interacting with any government, when your ID doesnt match  depending on who you meet and who you come across, it can create  unnecessary burden on that individual.

The Trans PULSE research project, which investigates the health impacts of transgender discrimination in Ontario, found that an estimated 21% of transgender people surveyed reported avoiding emergency medical care out of fear their transgender identity would lead to a negative experience. More than half the transgender patients who sought emergency medical care in Ontario reported being subjected to hurtful language and ridicule, and encountering medical staff who refused to discuss trans-related concerns, among other negative experiences.

Another report found nearly half of those who had transitioned to living as a man or woman did not have government-issued identification that matched their gender identity.

The first person a patient sees in a healthcare setting is usually a front-desk worker, not a doctor, said Greta Bauer, an investigator with Trans PULSE and associate professor at Ontarios Western University. A worker might attempt to correct a quote unquote mistake when meeting someone whose appearance does not conform to the gender designation on their health card, Bauer said.

That can result in  people who are trans being inadvertently outed in the doctors office, Bauer said. Or it can result in some uncomfortable discussions in the presence of other patients.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the beginning of the annual Pride Montreal 2016 Parade in Montreal. (Marc Braibant / AFP )

Alex Abramovich, who studies homelessness, LGBT youth, and mental health issues, described access to healthcare for many transgender people as a nightmare.

If youre somebody who is presenting as male and your health card says female, that is not going to be an easy appointment at the doctor, Abramovich said.

Abramovich believes new policies and training for medical professionals would curb instances of workers using the incorrect pronouns for transgender patients, or asking irrelevant, invasive questions, even on routine visits.

The identification card changes are part of a bigger picture, said Cheri DiNovo, a member of provincial parliament who introduced legislation that would expand the rights of LGBT couples. DiNovo was the leading force behind amendments to the provinces Human Rights Code that bar discrimination on the basis of gender identity, and expression. The ID changes conform to those amendments, DiNovo said.

There are likely more changes to come. The recent changes do not apply to Ontario Photo Cards, a piece of identification used by people who do not drive. A spokesperson for the province said in an email this summer that the issue of photo cards would be addressed during public consultations on its use of sex and gender information.

See the most-read stories this hour 

Canadas national broadcaster recently reported that the new health cards pose a challenge to Canadians providing government-issued identification when applying for new passports.

As the provincial government rolls out the changes to identification, Massarella believes the federal government should make similar changes to passports. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the federal government is reviewing a possible gender-neutral option on federal identification.

Changes could ease the anxiety of trans people used to feeling anxious and nervous in an airport line, Massarella believes, even if the concept of gender may be tough for some people to grasp. Massarella said she personally feels anxious in airport lines.

Whats wrong with challenging the status quo, right? she asked. Every once in a while you make an improvement.

Davis is a special correspondent.

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An Allentown man accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a city salon now faces trial in the case

Allen Nhin, 57, was in court Wednesday for his preliminary hearing on charges of aggravated indecent assault without consent, indecent assault without consent and attempted aggravated indecent assault.

The Jade Nails Hair Spa in the Allentown Commons shopping center at 1302 Hanover Ave. in Allentown. (Sarah Cassi | lehighvalleylive.com)

Nhin, of the 1000 block of Club Avenue, waived his hearing, sending the charges to Lehigh County Court.

He remains in Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail.

Asked if any additional accusers had come forward, Chief of Prosecutions Matt Falk declined to comment, but said the case is still open.

City police said the assault occurred July 6 at the Jade Nails Hair Spa in the Allentown Commons shopping center, 1302 Hanover Ave.

The accuser went to the salon after work to get her nails done. Nhin is an employee at the salon.

The woman said Nhin tried to persuade her to get a massage, which she declined several times before he offered a discounted rate and she agreed to a 20-minute massage, police said.

The woman was led to a private room, where Nhin began massaging the woman; she told him to only massage her back, police said.

Nhin sexually assaulted the woman, who immediately yelled, got down from the massage table and began getting dressed, police said. Nhin reportedly said the woman still had time left for her massage, which she refused and then left.

The accuser immediately reported the incident to her husband, then filed a police report, authorities said. She sought medical treatment the next day for injuries from the attack, police said.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The neighborhood around Moravian College won't be part of Bethlehem's new north side special tax district despite a last-minute plea from the school.

Days before Bethlehem City Council was scheduled to take its final vote to create the new district, Moravian President Bryon Grigsby wrote asking for the boundary to expand west.

But a contingent of council balked at changing course so late in the process Tuesday night and opted to enact the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance -- LERTA -- district within the original bounds centered on the north side.

It will run from Main and Maple streets on the east and west and Liberty High School and Broad streets on the north and south.

The city proposed the new LERTA district amid concerns about the downward trend of the neighborhood economically.

LERTA is a tax deferrment. It's designed to encourage improvements in deteriorating areas by phasing in any increases in taxes that come with renovations. LERTA allows property owners to continue to pay their base tax bill while the increased taxes are phased in over 10 years.

Grigsby wrote to the city on Thursday asking to include more of the homes adjacent to William Penn Elementary School, where Moravian is a lead community school partner. He points to the school's dramatic increase in free and reduced lunch rates over the last decade.

Council was divided on the 11th-hour request since it has been weighing creating the new district since July. Several public hearings and meetings have been held. And the proposal is backed by research into the area's demographics.

A motion to expand the boundaries and postpone a final vote, so the change could be advertised and a public hearing held, failed in a 3-4 vote.

Council President J. William Reynolds, Councilman Bryan Callahan and Adam Waldron voted in favor of the amendment. Callahan noted a yes vote only allows council to obtain more information.

But Councilman Shawn Martell pointed out that LERTA is an untested tool in residential neighborhoods and the program has been pitched as a pilot. Expanding the boundaries muddies the waters, he said.

"There could be an argument made for many neighborhoods," Martell said.

Ultimately, council voted 6-1 to stick to the original boundaries and create the LERTA district. Callahan voted no.

Reynolds said he supports the new district but is disappointed that council did not opt to take more time to evaluate Moravian's request or see what the Bethlehem Area School District thinks of it.

He noted that the boundary had already been changed at the request of Superintendent Joseph Roy and no one took issue with that.

"I do not believe we are doing our due diligence here," Reynolds said.

Callahan requested that city officials still provide demographic information on the neighborhood surrounding Moravian, including sheriff's sales, the ratio of rentals to owner-occupied homes and poverty rates.

"There's a lot of homes in that area that needs the assistance of the LERTA," Callahan said.

Director of Community and Economic Development Alicia Karner said she thinks it is reasonable to examine the area.

Officials hope LERTA paired with other tools encourages the conversion of multi-unit homes back to single-family homes.

The Bethlehem Area School Board and Northampton County Council will also consider the measure. If all three bodies approve it, it would go into effect in January 2017.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
With 90 suspected drug overdose deaths in the region this year, a local official is once again hosting a town hall meeting on the area's heroin/opioid epidemic.

The Days Hotel in Hanover Township, Lehigh County (Sarah Cassi | Lehighvalleylive.com).

Pennsylvania state Rep.

, D-Lehigh, is hosting the

Q&A

for parents and students at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, at the

, 3400 Airport Road, in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.

Speakers will include:

Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim

Trooper Marc Allen, the Pennsylvania State Police community services officer

Layne Turner, Lehigh County's administrator for Drug and Alcohol

Donna Jacobsen, parent leader of the

Bill Stauffer, executive director of the Pennsylvania Recovery Organization-Alliance (PRO-A)

Nicholas Labar,

Opioids include heroin and prescription pain relievers such as morphine, fentanyl, Percocet, methadone and oxycodone.

At the first forum, held in February at Whitehall High School, parents and students heard from recovering addicts and their families.

Next week's meeting will focus on how and why adults, teens and children become involved with drug use, where and how to seek treatment for those who are addicted, how to identify the signs of drug abuse, and what the community can do to fight back and prevent the use and abuse of such addictive narcotics.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
John Samus, new Nazareth mayor

John Samus was appointed mayor in Nazareth on Sept. 6, 2016, following the resignation of Carl Strye. Samus had been a member of borough council. (John Best | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)

Keep things moving in the right direction. That's the goal of Nazareth's new mayor.

Borough council voted Tuesday to unanimously approve the appointment of Councilman John Samus as mayor, shortly after Carl Strye resigned via a letter sent to council.

Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said last month that Strye's resignation is a requirement to gain his recommendation for entry in the accelerated rehabilitative disposition program, which would clear a felony theft charge from the former mayor's record.

Strye is accused of stealing $8,000 from small games of chance and illegal poker from the social hall of Vigilance Hose Co. in the borough.

Samus, who will be sworn-in officially as mayor later this week, will finish the mayoral term that ends Dec. 31, 2017.

Council President Dan Chiavaroli said Samus is a good choice because he can step in as mayor and provide "continuity."

There has been some progress made in the borough, particularly with the police department, Chiavaroli said, and Samus, who has been involved at the council level, can hit the ground running.

"He's a hometown boy. He's level-headed," Chiavaroli said.

Samus has been a borough resident since 1976. He agreed with Chiavaroli that the police department is heading in the right direction and it will be his goal to maintain that momentum.

Mayors in Pennsylvania boroughs provide oversight of their municipal police departments.

A scathing August 2015 report criticized the Nazareth Police Department on a number of levels, including poor internal communication and organization, and having too few officers to safely patrol.

This year, council created the position of police commissioner and brought in former county sheriff and Bethlehem police commissioner Randall Miller to fill that job. It also hired two full-time officers in June and is accepting applications for another full-time officer.

"Nothing is going to change as far as the direction of the police department," Samus said. "I plan to meet with the chief and the commissioner and express my views."

Council is accepting applications until Sept. 23 to fill Samus' second ward council seat, which runs through 2017.

No one on council chose to comment at Tuesday night's council meeting regarding Strye's resignation and theft charges.

John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- John Cramsey, a Lehigh Valley gun rights advocate charged with transporting a cache of weapons in his distinctively marked vehicle after it was stopped outside the Holland Tunnel, will try again Wednesday to have his bail reduced from $75,000 cash.



Cramsey, who has been held in the Hudson County Correctional Facility since his June 21 arrest with two other people, has a bail reduction hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. before Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Melendez in Jersey City.

Cramsey, 50, Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville, Pa., and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, Pa., were riding in a truck covered with large cross hairs and decals espousing gun rights when they were pulled over because, police said, their truck had a cracked windshield.



Police said they were able to see weapons inside the vehicle, and that they seized a 12-gauge shotgun, an assault rifle with high capacity magazines, five handguns, some of them loaded, and knives, as well as prescription drugs, marijuana and a pipe for smoking it. Cramsey's daughter died of a heroin overdose, and he is affiliated with an anti-heroin group known as Enough is Enough. Lawyers for both Cramsey and Smith said their clients were en route to Brooklyn to rescue a teenage girl from a house where the drug was present.

The case has gained attention partly because the trio's lawyers have argued that Port Authority police pulled over the truck because it was painted with a large bulls-eye and other markings suggesting they might be gun rights advocates, and therefore might have weapons in the vehicle.

The lawyers have argued that the cracked windshield was an excuse devised by police only after the stop, and that their clients were the victims of unconstitutional search and seizure resulting from their expression of support for the Second Amendment, which should not be sufficient cause for a vehicle stop.

All three defendants have tried multiple times without success to have their $75,000 cash bail reduced. Most recently, Arendt had a hearing on July 29 before Galis-Melendez, the same judge hearing Cramsey's case on Wednesday, who denied the request. Arendt's lawyers, Brooke Barnett and Thomas Mirigliano, argued that their client's co-defendent, Smith, had made exculpatory statements that Arendt did not know there were guns in the trucks.

However, Thomas Zuppa, the assistant Hudson County prosecutor handling the case, countered by reading a statement he said was from Arendt herself, admitting she knew there were guns present.



One thing Galis-Melendez said in July was that there was no change of circumstances that would merit a bail reduction, and it was unclear what may have changed in Cramsey's case prior to Wednesday's hearing. Cramsey's lawyer, James Lisa, did not return calls Wednesday morning.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- A judge has granted a bond option for a Lehigh Valley man who was arrested with two others at the Holland Tunnel with a cache of weapons in their vehicle.

John Cramsey, who has been held in the Hudson County Correctional Facility since his June 21 arrest, had his bail effectively reduced Wednesday afternoon, when a judge allowed him to post a bond rather than cash, after two previous attempts to lower his bail had failed.



"I am going to change this bail to $175,000 cash or bond," said Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Melendez in Jersey City.



Bail had previously been set at $75,000, cash only, meaning Cramsey -- like his two co-defendants, who are being held in lieu of the same cash bail figure -- would have to raise the entire amount, rather than a small fraction that a bail bondsman would charge as a fee for posting a bond. Cramsey may have to raise as little as a few thousand dollars, his lawyer said.

Cramsey entered the courtroom dressed in dark green prison scrubs, with his tattooed arms handcuffed behind his back. The 51-year-old faces seven counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, a second-degree crime, as well as drug and paraphernalia charges.

5 things we know about trio found with guns at tunnel



"He's never been in trouble," his lawyer, James Lisa, told the judge. "These guns were legally registered in Pennsylvania. He wasn't using them in a crime. He was driving."

Lisa said there had been no significant changes in the circumstances of the case, usually a precursor to a new request for a bail reduction. But he said the judge may have been moved by Cramsey's physical presence in the courtroom and remarks he made to the judge on his own behalf. During Cramsey's two prior hearings, he appeared by video from the county jail, and did not address the court, as he did on Wednesday.

"All I want to do is go back to my other children," Cramsey told the judge, adding that he had been "robbed" of his family, his livelihood and his freedom.

Cramsey and Dean Smith, 53, both of Upper Milford Township in Lehigh County, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, Pa., were riding in a truck covered with large crosshairs and decals espousing gun rights when they were pulled over because, police said, their truck had a cracked windshield.

Police said they were able to see weapons inside the vehicle, and that they seized a 12-gauge shotgun, an assault rifle with high capacity magazines, five handguns, some of them loaded, and knives, as well as prescription drugs, marijuana and a pipe for smoking it.



Lisa said the fee charged by a bail bondsman could be as low as $3,000 or as much as $17,500, or 10 percent of the bail set, though he believed it would be much closer to the low end. Depending on how many co-signers were sought and agreed to, his client could be freed within 24 hours, he added.



Wanda Negron, a 32-year-old disability case manager from Allentown, Pa., was among a dozen Cramsey supporters from Pennsylvania who attended the hearing. Negron said she had already agreed to co-sign for the bail bond, an act that would make her liable for the full amount of the bond if Cramsey fails to show up in court and bail is revoked and a warrant issued.



"He's not a criminal, he's somebody who would give the shirt off his back," said Negron, who described Cramsey as a friend she has known for several years. "I used to go shooting at his shooting range. That's how I got to know him."



Other supporters from the Keystone State included Linda Nechetsky ad Melissa Schroder, who carried bright pink and green placards reading, "Free John Cramsey, Free The Three," planning to hold them up for the judge to see before Lisa advised them against it.



Asked after the hearing whether justice had been served, Nechetsky said, "For the moment, yes."



Cramsey's daughter died of a heroin overdose this past winter, and he is affiliated with an anti-heroin group known as Enough is Enough. Lawyers for both Cramsey and Smith said their clients were en route to Brooklyn for the rescue of a teenage girl from a house where the drug was present.

The case has gained attention partly due to assertions by the trio's lawyers that Port Authority police pulled over the truck because it was painted with a large bulls-eye and other markings suggesting they might be gun rights advocates, and therefore might have weapons in the vehicle.

The lawyers have argued that the cracked windshield was an excuse devised by police only after the stop and that their clients were the victims of unconstitutional search and seizure resulting from their expression of support for the Second Amendment. Regardless of the fact that they did turn out to have guns, the lawyers said, that kind of expression should not be legally sufficient cause for a vehicle stop.



All three defendants have tried multiple times without success to have their $75,000 cash bail reduced. Most recently, Arendt had a hearing on July 29 before Galis-Melendez, who denied the request.



Arendt's lawyers, Brooke Barnett and Thomas Mirigliano, argued that their client's co-defendant, Smith, had made exculpatory statements that Arendt did not know there were guns in the trucks.

However, Thomas Zuppa, the assistant Hudson County prosecutor handling the case, countered by reading a statement he said was from Arendt herself, admitting she knew there were guns present.



Lisa said that he and Smith's lawyer, Mario Blanch, had appealed prior denials for bail reduction to the state Appellate Division, without success.



Thomas Zuppa, the assistant Hudson County prosecutor who is handling the case, denied the assertion, and argued against relaxation of Cramsey's bail, reiterating the state's assertion that the weapons and ammunition seized from Cramsey could have resulted in widespread harm to the public.



But the judge was unswayed, and chided the prosecutor's office for having failed to produce an indictment against Cramsey or his co-defendants nearly three months after their arrest. Zuppa said the case would be presented to a grand jury next week.



In accepting the altered bail on his client's behalf, Lisa signed an extradition waiver enabling Pennsylvania police or other authorities to immediately return Cramsey to New Jersey without an extradition hearing if he fails to abide by the terms of his release.



Lisa praised the judge's intelligence and compassion, and said he was gratified on a professional and personal level that Cramsey could be out of jail soon. Lisa had been notably passionate during the 45-minute hearing, and in response to a question later he said he had gotten to know his client well since his arrest in June.



"This man is hurt," Lisa told reporters, echoing a plea he had made to the judge. "Hes lost a daughter, and is trying to get through his own grief by helping others."

NJ Advance Media staff writer Craig McCarthy contributed to this article.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Throngs of union workers showed up Tuesday at the site of the Commerce Park development off Route 22 in Phillipsburg, calling for the hiring of local union workers for the project.

Their protest was directed at Opus KTV, developer of a proposed warehouse complex at the former Ingersoll Rand plant, and the demolition contractor hired by Opus, saying work there is being done by nonunion workers from New York.

Phillipsburg Mayor Stephen Ellis said he previously attempted to negotiate the hiring of some union workers for the project, but the proposal fell apart.

Erin Murphy, a spokesperson for Opus KTV, said Opus told the demolition contractor to try to hire local workers, but an ad for that work produced no responses. She said the start of construction is still months away, so it's early to talk about hiring for that work. She said Opus isn't interested in negotiating with workers at the site and will seek to have them charged with trespassing if they return.

What do you think? Should Commerce Park be built with local union labor? Should political leaders press harder for some consideration? Or should this issue be left to the developer, which paid Phillipsburg and Lopatcong Township for the land involved?

Have a say in our informal poll, and feel free to elaborate in the comments section.

Here's a sampling of reader comments at lehighvalleylive.com:

Unions pressure big corporations to show them the money, if you don't fight for what you deserve you will never get it. I have been working non-union for 30 years and I have to fight every year for a decent raise.

I will never hire union again. We used nonunion workers since 2009, saved 38% a year since. We're getting better skilled workers, workers who don't quit for the day at 3pm, projects are being completed on time, and there's all around less hostility on the job sites.

It is the right of all Americans to voice their opinions in an orderly manner. I must complement all the thousands of workers who participated. There were no overturned vehicles burning, bloodied persons being carried away, no looting or burning of private property, and above all, respect for law enforcement personnel. I really don't think this development will ever come to pass as a good development for our communities. It has shown it will all be done on the cheap, whatever the price will bear not what is right for our communities but what is right for Opus.

I'm so sick of this union entitlement. There should never be an obligation to hire union workers, whether it be a public or private venture. Furthermore there is no prohibition on workers who reside in another state, with the narrow exception being employees of state government. That is supposed to be unconstitutional. There are times where New Jersey acts like they are a separate country.

You folks should be applauding these people for fighting for what they believe in ! Have we, middle America, lost our will to fight ? Workers have been getting crapped on for the last 30 years and I applaud when they choose to do something about it.

Hiring local labor would be a good thing. That does not mean you have to hire UNION labor. Ridiculous. But, as usual, the UNION seems to thing they DESERVE this. And to show you, they are using their typical strong arm tactics. Just like a STRIKE at a school......
Laois remains rooted to the bottom of the league table of new jobs created by overseas IDA backed companies and is also close to the bottom for other areas of State-supported job creation.

The IDA figure keeps Laois firmly rooted to the bottom of the table as the county with the fewest people employed by foreign based companies.

Figures published in the Dail show that just 19 jobs were created here in 2014/15. Leitrim was second lowest with 20 new jobs but is home to 423 posts in foreign-based firms. There are just 97 IDA-backed jobs in Laois between two companies

In May of this year the benefits of moving your business to Leitrim were highlighted at a Leitrim County Council-backed event in Dublin.

Former IDA Managing Director, Padraic White, told the conference that,

Leitrim offers quality staff, low costs and is only 90 minutes from the M50 providing an ideal base as an over-flow facility for businesses in Dublin.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor told the Dail before the summer break that four companies visited Laois in 2015 but no prospective employers visited the county from overseas this year.

In the same set of replies it was revealed that Laois is second from bottom, ahead of Leitrim, for the number of jobs supported by Enterprise Ireland, the Government agency responsible for developing Irish business globally. There were 1,297 jobs in supported firms at the end of 2015. Just over 290 jobs were created in 2014/15.

Local business supported by the Laois Local Enterprise Office created 241 jobs in 2014/15.

The one upside for is that counties on Laois border have IDA-backed employers. There are more than 10,000 jobs in Kildare with some 900 posts in Offaly.
A quote taken from British doctors and nurses best sums up how doctors in Laois view the thinking behind any downgrade of Portlaoise hospital's Accident & Emergency Department (A&E/ED).

After more than 20 years of unremitting growth in attendances, the power of the A&E brand shows no signs of weakening. Instead of mounting endless initiatives in the hope, rather than expectation, that the demand might in some way be curbed, the government of the day would be better served by planning for the reality of higher attendances and admissions, said the report from the Royal College of Nursing and Royal college of Emergency Medicine.

Laois doctors also point to the College of Emergency Medicine's guidance.

Where the next nearest ED is more than 20 kms away there is a strong argument for retaining emergency services, said the College's Way Ahead report.

The Laois doctors point out that the closest A&E is in Tullamore at 40 kms while Naas is 52kms from Portlaoise.

The doctors say that the overcrowding crisis at hospitals in the Mid-West, Dublin, West and North east of Ireland has followed the closure of much smaller units than Portlaoise which treats 36,000 patients annually, making it among the highest of any of the hospitals outside the major urban centres.

The doctors say planners must have regard to these figures.

There is, however, no capacity within the region to accommodate people elsewhere who currently attend ED in Portlaoise. Trolley figures for the first six months of 2016 show a crisis of capacity, says the plan.

The doctors recommend that the A&E be staffed to provide 24/7 care for undifferentiated emergency patients who present by ambulance or in person.

However, the doctors agree that in line with other A2 units, unstable or highly acutely ill patients be transferred along national protocols to a designated network hospital.

The doctors want Portlaoise A&E to be properply staffed.

This would mean a consultant would be present in the unit from 8am to 8pm with sessional commitments at weekends.

They also recomend that the A&E be integrated with the emergency medicine network.

The ED at Portlaoise has suffered historically from under resourcing - under resourcing that threatens the viability of this unit, notwithstanding the clear demand for services say the doctors
Laois doctors have drawn up a plan that would see Portlaoise's hospital future secured in a wider network of hospitals.

In the absence of consultation with the public or doctors from health management, nearly 70 local GPs and consultants have put their names to a plan which they believe can offer an alternative to downgrade.

The plan is called The Future of Services at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise - the Local Stakeholder Perspective. It was drawn up as an alternatve to an unpublished plan that was drawn up by Dr Susan O'Reilly, CEO of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. Her plan was submitted to the Department of Health this year.

Dr O'Reilly's plan is understood to have proposed a significant downgrade of Portlaoise hospital and loss of A&E. But the plan drawn up by Laois doctors proposes the development of services.

Central to the plan drawn up by consultants and GPs in Laois is the solution that was found for the embattled maternity unit. The doctors believe the integration of that unit with the Coombe hospital in Dublin offers a way forward.

We believe that the pioneering developments at the Department of obstetrics and Gynaecology at MRH Portlaoise provide a template as to how the hospital network generally can be re-configured to strengthen and support patient care in regional centres, said the report.

The doctors are adamant that they do not want to retain the status quo in Portlaoise but they vehemently oppose downgrade, particularly of the A&E. They say the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group plan, which was sent to the Department of Health, 'repeats past mistakes'.

If implemented services that can effectively and safely be provided at MRH Portlaoise will cease to be provided there and patients who currently rely on MRH Portlaoise will be forced to look elsewhere, it said.

The plan is due to be sent to health management this week. Laois TD and Government Minister Charlie Flanagan welcomed the plan and said he would present it in person to the Minister for Health, Simon Harris who has the final say.

See this week's Leinster Express
The Scrap Water Charges Kildare group has postponed tonights meeting in Newbridge due to Deputies Mick Wallace and Claire Daly's Dail commitments.

Both TDs were due to address the meeting at Ryston tonight.

This is due to the debate on appealing the EU Commission's ruling on Apple's taxes in the Dail on the same night. Naturally both Clare Daly and Mick Wallace want to be present at and contribute to that debate. We apologise for the short notice but regrettably it's beyond our control, said the organisers.

At a time of massive social housing need, of countless patients on trolleys, of an ever increasing number of homeless it's vitally important that opposition TDs are present to voice their opposition to the Government's plans to appeal Europe's decision that Apple owes us 13 billion plus interest.

The group aims to reschedule the meeting as soon as the speakers are available again.

The country needs to stand united in its fight against Irish water and show we wont pay twice for water by coming out in our thousands in Dublin on September 17 for the National Demonstration - meeting point Heuston Station at 2pm.
The first students at Clongowes Wood College in Clane had a much stronger official link with alcoholic beverages than their modern peers, it would seem.

That was one of the points to stand out from a Heritage Week talk by former teacher at the school, Brendan Cullen.

Mr Cullen, a member of the local history group, spoke to a gathering at Clane library about the years from its foundation in 1814 to 1840.

At the outset, Pat Given, who had spoken about the Franciscan Friary in the town on the previous Saturday, said they were thinking of the late John Noonan, a keen local historian and had worked well with Brendan Cullen, in particular.

Mr Cullen noted that students spent 11 months of the year based in the boarding school, taking one months holiday, which came in August.

You could not call the school drink-sodden but what stood out was an attitude to alcohol which contrasted greatly with the attitude to drinking today.

While school records do not record deaths from illness, Mr Cullen believes that a number of deaths came about in the first years of the school as a result of a typhus outbreak but that news of them was suppressed.

In 1819, the school closed for six months as a result.

Mr Cullen said that the fact that most students came from Dublin and were boarders was as true today as it was at that time.

A man called Peter Daly sent his son to Clongowes for its religion and good education.

Mr Daly ran coffee plantations in Jamaica, which were worked by slaves.

There were 131 slaves and when slavery was officially abolished, he was compensated by the British government by 2,318, a large sum at the time.

When his son was ill, Mr Daly asked the Jesuits to provide him alcohol, including expensive claret, as a medicine.

Daniel OConnell, known as The Liberator, sent his son, Danny, to the college.

Dannys mother, Mary, wrote regularly to her son, worrying about his welfare and thought that some of students were vulgar.

Whatever his personal drinking habits, the Liberators son, then 15 years old, was a partner in a brewing company based near the current Guinness plant at St James Gate.

At the school by times, trust in local water sources was not great.

As a result a small beer could be served at lunch.

When a number of students returned from a cold Christmas trip, they were warmed up with brandy.
Leitrim has been revealed as one of the Top 10 Foodie Destinations in the country, according to the Restaurants Association of Ireland.

Taste Leitrim brings together over 80 businesses including restaurants and food and drink producers and includes 59 video profiles, 5 Taste Leitrim Trails with videos and maps, a dedicated website www.tasteletrim.com as well as strong social media presence on Youtube, Facebook and Twitter.

The county faces some stiff opposition in the nationwide competition which is why Leitrim County Council, The Food Hub - Drumshanbo and the whole Leitrim food community are imploring everyone who loves Leitrim or has had a good food experience here to go online and vote to make Leitrim the best foodie destination in the Ireland.

Fergal McPartland of The Food Hub explains "Public voting constitutes 50% of the scoring in the next round of the competition so we would love for everyone to get behind us, go online and cast your vote for Leitrim by visiting www.foodiedestinations.ie/city/leitrim. Voting closes at 12pm on Friday 9th of September. Given Taste Leitrim was launched just 10 months ago, this is an excellent endorsement that Leitrim is on the right track as a serious food destination contender."

Putting the people behind the businesses at the forefront isa very important aspect of Taste Leitrim. Frank Curran, CEO, Leitrim County Council explains "By personally introducing you through the power of video to our chefs, makers, producers, food entrepreneurs, distillers, brewers, baristas and farmers we are sending out the invite to experience an insiders view into the people behind Leitrims diverse food offering. This is something that none of the other destinations in the competition are doing so it definitely gives us an edge"

Leitrim's food businesses are also getting on board to encourage voting. Aisling Stone of The Grass Roof Cafe explains "This is such a huge achievement for a small county and as gesture of thanks we are giving away a free ice-cream to everyone this weekend who lets us know they voted."

To win the coveted prize, Leitrim will have to not only gather the most public votes but it will also needto impress a panel of judges who will visit the county on Sunday, 11th September. Joe Lowe, Leitrim LEO urges people to get behind the event and support the initiative on social media, "

Food and tourism are vital to our local economy. Taste Leitrim brings together the gastronomic excellence available in the county. Our main message to the judges is that Leitrim may be Irelands smallest populated county but we pack one serious culinary punch!

This culinary punch is something that Aisling too alludes to, Our little county is often overlooked in the grand scheme of Irish tourism. But in a tiny population of 25,000, we have so much to offer: Sham Hanifa - Euro Toques Chef and Best Chef in Leitrim according to the Restaurant Association of Ireland, The Oarsman - Best Gastropub in the Country, Lena's Tea Room - former Irish Times Best Cafe in Ireland, The Organic Centre, The Courthouse Kinlough, 12 Quail Farm and so many others. We have heart and everyone needs to know about us!"

The Foodie Destination competition was won last year by The Burren, who again made the Top 10 this year and are going for a two-in-a-row. They along with Leitrim, Boyne Valley, Cong in Co Mayo, Derry, the Dublin coastal villages of Howth, Malahide and Skerries, Kilkenny, Monaghan, Sligo, and The Loop Head Peninsula in Co Clare make up the shortlist of competing locations.

Fergal McPartland sums up "Being crowned the Best Foodie Destination would just be a huge boost for Leitrim's food businesses and for our tourism offering, please vote Leitrim all the way."
In an unprecedented move, Present Michael D Higgins, apologised to the family of Jimmy Gralton for the abuse of the law which led to the deportation of Jimmy Gralton in 1933 - the only Irishman ever to be deported from his own country.

Addressing those assembled at Effrinagh near Carrick-on-Shannon for the unveiling of a memorial to Gralton last Saturday, President Higgins said: Jimmy Gralton was, for authoritarian political purposes, mixed with clerical pressure, illegally deported from his own country for his political beliefs.

I come to acknowledge a too long hidden or suppressed story  the wrongful intimidation and ultimate deportation by an abuse of the law, of Jimmy Gralton, to whose memory, and whose family, an apology is due.

Jimmy Gralton was deported as an undesirable alien by the Irish government in 1933.

In a moving and emotional ceremony at the site of Graltons Pearse Connolly Hall President Higgins said Jimmy Graltons treatment at the hands of the Irish State and its agencies was wrong and indefensible. As a Head of State, I acknowledge that the States authority was abused under undemocratic pressure.

Others who spoke at the event, which was chaired by Cllr Declan Bree of the Gralton Commemorative Committee, included the Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council, Cllr Mary Bohan, Eddie Glackin of the Communist Party of Ireland and Paul Gralton who spoke on behalf of the family. Greetings received from the National Chairman of the Communist Party of the USA, John Bachtell and from film director Ken Loach were also read out as part of the commemoration.

Among those who attended the event were members of the Oireachtas, local councillors, members of the extended Gralton family, political activists and trade unionists including the President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Brian Campfield, the General President of SIPTU, Jack OConnor and the President of the IMPACT trade union, Pat Fallon.

Responding to President Higginss remarks, on behalf of the Gralton Committee, Cllr Declan Bree said As we stand here on this historic occasion, at the site of Jimmy Graltons Pearse Connolly Hall, just a 100 yards or more from the homestead where he was born and reared, we commend you for saying what others feared to say, we thank you for your sincere and moving remarks and we know it will mean so much to the Gralton family, and to all those who have kept the memory of Jimmy Gralton and his principles alive over the decades.

The Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council, Cllr Mary Bohan, said The importance of this commemoration is that it shows that history ought not to be just the property of victors, the powerful and those in charge, but that it is part of all our lives no matter where we are or from where we come. In this sense I say that we are commemorating a people's champion, and that is what James Gralton was.

James Gralton was wrongfully deported from his native land and his native county not because he did anything wrong or unlawful but because his ideas were deemed unacceptable. May this monument go some way in expiating the wrong that was done to him and to be a lasting reminder to us all of this great man.

Speaking on behalf of the Communist Party of Ireland, Eddie Glackin said Let Jim Graltons life, words and action and those of his heroic comrades be a guide to us all today. When Gralton was on the run across the county, those who supported him painted a slogan on bridges and gable ends: Up Gralton! When the first commemoration took place three decades ago local people turned up wearing stickers with the slogan Up Gralton! Today it is the turn of this generation to continue that struggle and give meaning again to that slogan Up Gralton!

Paul Gralton, on behalf of the family said that Jimmys story and the hall built by the people of Effrinagh, is like a candle in the window, a sign of all our hope for a better future forged by knowledge and tempered in truth, free from old superstitions and prejudice. In this memorial event, people have come together again - Jimmys spirit lives on.

In his message the Chairperson of the Communist Party of the USA, John Bachtell, referred to Gralton as a hero of both Irish and United States labour. Had Jimmy Gralton not died of cancer in 1945, it is highly likely that he, like so many others, would have been targeted for persecution by the anti-communist right in the United States during the McCarthyism period.

Given the pattern of persecution in those days, it is not improbable that the US government would have tried to deport him back to Ireland! he said.

During the course of Saturdays ceremonies President Higgins also planted a tree in memory of deceased members of the Gralton Labour History Committee.

Committee member Edwina Guckian, presented the President with a copy of Good-Bye Twilight, Songs of the Irish Struggle published in 1936 which contains a poem by Lyle Donaghy, relating to Graltons deportation - A Leitrim Woman.

Donaghy was a member of the Gralton Defence Committee in 1933. The Presidents wife, Sabina Higgins was presented with a pose of flowers by Kealin Beattie.
Today, I am announcing a plan to keep Britain at the heart of Europe. First and foremost, I believe the British people should be given the right to vote on the governments negotiated Brexit deal.

Voting for a departure is not the same as voting for a destination. This is not an attempt to re-run the first referendum; we must respect the result. But the British people should be allowed to choose what comes next, to ensure it is right for them, their families, their jobs and our country. Our relationship with Europe affects our economy, our security, climate change, our influence in the world and so much more.

Until people get that choice, we will hold the Conservative Brexit Government to account and fight to make sure that Britain gets the best deal possible. So I am also setting out our approach on everything from the triggering of article 50 to the rights of EU citizens in the UK. While all the other parties are ducking these vital issues, we are tackling them head on. These questions are simply too important to ignore.



On that grim morning when we learned that Britain had voted to leave the European Union, I told the BBC that I remained as passionate about our European future then as I was before the vote. And that remains true today. If anything, as I see the Conservatives doing their best to turn the country I love into something of an isolated, international laughing stock, and I see an increase in hate crimes on our streets, my determination to see Britain remain outward-looking, open and generous at the heart of Europe has actually increased.

With the Conservative Brexit Government failing to set out its plan and explain to people what the consequences of Brexit will be, it is more vital than ever that passionate pro-Europeans hold their feet to the fire. Labour under Jeremy Corbyn has abandoned the field, offering no meaningful opposition whatsoever. And so it falls to the Liberal Democrats to provide the opposition to the Conservative Brexit government. We are the only party fighting to keep Britain open, tolerant and united.

So our policy on Europe is simple: we want to stay in the European Union. We wanted that the day before the referendum, we wanted it the day after and we want it today. We may have lost the referendum but that doesnt change what we believe is right for the United Kingdom. So when the Conservatives do eventually present the country with a deal for life outside the European Union, we believe people have a right to have their say.

And let me be clear: I dont believe there is any deal that Theresa May can do that will be better for Britain than being a member of the European Union. So when people are given that choice, I intend to make the case loudly and clearly that we believe Britain should stay in the European Union.

People have been let down for decades by short-termist politicians who put the needs of one part of society above the rest. Now, in the wake of the Brexit vote, those divisions are more exposed than ever. With our country facing huge challenges  from inequality and injustice to an NHS in crisis and an economy in jeopardy  we are left with a reckless, divisive and uncaring Conservative Government  and a Labour Party fighting with itself rather than doing its job as the official opposition.

This is why the Liberal Democrats are now the real opposition to the Conservative Brexit government  and the only party fighting to keep Britain open, tolerant and united.

* Tim Farron is Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Agriculture and MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale.
Last week, I took part in a Conference call with Tim Farron and was very reassured at the strength of his resolve to ensure that the UK has the strongest possible role in Europe. Our commitment to campaign to stay in the EU, or rejoin if we leave remains at the heart of what we will offer the British people at the next General Election.

In that call, we found out that Tim would be doing something that the Government with all its massive resources hasnt managed to get it together to do  launching an actual plan for Britains future in Europe which he will do tomorrow morning.

He sets out a seven point plan which covers everything from free movement and access to the single market, to environmental and law and order concerns. He insists that the British people should have the chance to vote on any Brexit deal before it becomes final. It has to be said that theres not a huge distance between the criteria for negotiation and actually keeping Britain in the EU but all of these things are absolutely essential for the next generations future prosperity.

This plan should reassure those members who were concerned that we were stepping back from our earlier statements. IN fact, what Tim will say later today reinforces what hes been saying since the referendum:

We demand that the British people should have their say on the final deal in a referendum. And in the meantime we will hold the Conservative Brexit Government to account and fight for the best possible deal for Britain. Voting for departure is not the same as voting for a destination. Brexit means Brexit but we still dont know if that means 350m a week extra for the NHS, immigration controls or membership of the Single Market. This is not an attempt to re-run the first referendum. It is to enable the public to vote on the final deal, reflecting that there is disagreement even in the cabinet over every major aspect of Brexit. The British people should be allowed to choose what comes next, to ensure it is right for them, their families, their jobs and our country. Our relationship with Europe affects our economy, our security, climate change, our influence in the world and so much more. Our policy on Europe is simple: we want to stay in the European Union. We wanted that the day before the referendum, we wanted it the day after and we want it today. The Liberal Democrats are now the real opposition to the Conservative Brexit government, and are fighting to keep Britain open, tolerant and united.

In Summary: The Lib Dem Plan for Britain in Europe

Introduction

Liberal Democrats continue to believe that the United Kingdoms future is best served within the European Union, a position held consistently for over fifty years. However, following the referendum, the Liberal Democrats are setting out clear answers to some of the big questions and what we think should happen next.

Key constitutional questions

Should we re-run the referendum to overturn the results of the first?

No. We believe that the Leave campaign lied blatantly, leading many people to believe things such as a vote to leave would mean 350 million a week for the NHS. However, we should not keep re-running the last referendum in order to get the result we wanted.

Should the British people have the final decision on the governments negotiated deal?

Yes. In voting to leave, there was no opportunity to vote for how future trading relationships should be, or how we should work with other countries over things like criminal justice, law and order, ease of travel etc. Voting for a departure is not the same as voting for a destination. When the deal is negotiated, in however many years time, the British people must have a chance to say if they would prefer the new arrangement, outside the European Union, or would prefer to remain inside the European Union.

Should young people (16-18) have a vote in a future referendum?

Yes. Liberal Democrats would introduce legislation to lower the voting age to sixteen.

Should Parliament vote on Article 50?

Yes. Parliament is the supreme law-making body in the United Kingdom. There should be a formal vote in Parliament to give notice under Article 50 and trigger the process for withdrawal. Liberal Democrats will decide how they will vote after they see the terms on which the government proposes to negotiate.

Key issues for negotiation

Protection of rights for EU citizens and UK citizens

Those who have made the United Kingdom their home should be allowed to stay. We will seek to secure the same for UK citizens living in European Union countries.

Freedom of Movement and the Single Market

Any deal negotiated for the United Kingdom outside the European Union must include membership of the Single Market and protect freedom of movement.

Maintaining environmental standards

We have a duty to future generations to protect our environment and tackle climate change. We will ensure that everything is done to maintain those high standards in UK law.

Law enforcement and judicial co-operation

We must maintain maximum cooperation to ensure criminals are pursued quickly and effectively.

Protection of Erasmus, investment in our universities and research networks

We should do everything we can to protect Erasmus, as well as other EU funded schemes increasing opportunities for young people. We will campaign to sustain the levels of investment in UK universities and their associated research networks.

Travel and tourism

We must make every effort to ensure that we retain soft traveller benefits such as the European Health Insurance Card, reduced roaming charges and pet passports.

British industries

The City of London must retain full rights in EU financial markets. We must also protect the support provided by the European Union to domestic industries such as farming, tourism and the creative industries, as well as regional support for deprived areas.

You can find out more  and see a video from Tim  here.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
A MAN who decided to sell hundreds of unused cigarettes online after he gave up smoking has been fined 2,500.

Croatian national Karlo Krajic, who has an address at Upper William Street in the city centre, was prosecuted after 1,400 cigarettes were seized during a search of his home on February 11, last.

Solicitor Michelle Madden, prosecuting, said Customs Officers were alerted to an advertisement on the DoneDeal website and that the defendants home was searched under warrant after enquiries were carried out.

She said 600 Marlboro cigarettes, 400 Camel Blue cigarettes and 400 Camel cigarettes were seized  none of which had an Irish tax stamp.

Ms Madden said the defendant cooperated with Revenue officers and made admissions under caution.

The seizure, she said, represented a potential loss of 586.20 to the exchequer in excise duty.

Solicitor Sarah Ryan said her client was a smoker when he first moved to Limerick more than a year ago and that he stocked up as he knew cigarettes were dearer to buy here than in Croatia.

He originally bought them at the duty free for his personal use, she said adding that when her client gave up smoking he decided to sell the unused cigarettes rather than throwing them away.

Ms Ryan said Mr Krajic had seen a number of other advertisements online and did not realise it was an offence to sell untaxed cigarettes in the manner he had planned.

Judge Mary Larkin commended the defendant for giving up smoking but said she had no choice but to impose the minimum fine of 2,500.

The defendant was given six months to pay.
LIMERICK City Community Radio is looking for people to get involved with its station.

The radio station, which is based on Sexton Street and is in its third year, covers a wide variety of genres.

We cover all aspects of community life  music, chat, news  we have an Irish speaking programme too. All genres are covered by what we do, said LCCR broadcaster Mike OConnor.

The station gives members of the community a chance to get their message out there and even offers training to people who are interested in radio.

We can accept sponsorship so if somebody wanted to sponsor the show, we can give them an hour-long show every week throughout the year, said Mr OConnor.

If people are out there and theyre interested in coming on and doing stuff or even just want to learn how to do stuff on the radio, we can train people as well.

Some of the groups already involved include the army veterans, the mens shed and, according to Mr OConnor, a lot of the charity organisations come up from time to time as well.

His own show  My Kind of Limerick People  he said, is a Limerick-based show of music and chat with people in town. We promote all of the lesser-known people, like a local guy who has been playing in the pub for the last 20 or 30 years.

They could be legends around the town but nobody else would really know who they are. We try to promote the culture and music of the city rather than just coming on and banging out any song.

The station broadcasts online from Monday to Friday on LCCR.ie and also does live programmes on Saturdays and Sundays on 99.9fm  the same frequency as student-station WiredFm.

Mr OConnor also said that the station is aiming to go for a full-time seven-day licence and hopes to obtain it in the next two years.

For more, call 061 590 999 or visit www.limerickcitycommunityradio.org.
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Find not too frequent updates from the Livesay family here
Robert Lawrence Kuhn is the creator, writer and host of "Closer to Truth," a public television series and online resource that features the world's leading thinkers exploring humanity's deepest questions. This essay, the first of a four-part series on the "Self," is based on "Closer to Truth" episodes and videos, produced and directed by Peter Getzels and streamed at closertotruth.com. Kuhn contributed it to Live Science's Expert Voices.

My mom just celebrated her 100th birthday. This once vibrant, eloquent, stylish lady with a sense of pride and a touch of vanity can no longer walk or talk. But she recognizes family, smiles when her great-grandchildren visit or her fingernails are polished, and utters rough phrases of displeasure when caring aides must intervene bodily. She makes an angry face when she senses (quite correctly) that people are talking about her, and she expresses overt frustration at her incapacity to communicate orally by scrunching up her face and balling her fist.

Is she still a "self"? Of course she is. She may not be "her self"  that is, her old self. But though diminished, she is surely a self.

What about her fellow residents in an assisted-living unit specializing in memory impairment? Some have advanced Alzheimer's and can no longer recognize their loved ones. Are they still selves? When does one cease being a self? [10 of the Biggest Mysteries of the Mind]

What is a "self," anyway? What does it mean to be a self? What are the requirements of selfhood?

The nature of self is one of philosophy's perennial and persistent questions. Self is easy to describe, yet maddening to decipher. Part philosophy of the mind, part biology of the brain, it combines two elusive ideas: the philosophy of continuity (how things persist through time) and the biopsychology of psychic unity (how the brain makes us feel singular). I see; I hear; I feel. How do separate perceptions bind together into a continuing, coherent whole? How do sentient properties congeal as "me"?

Look at an old photo, perhaps from primary school. Then look in the mirror. Those two people are the same person. But how so? They don't look the same. Their memories are different. Almost all of the cells that composed that child's body have gone from that adult's body.

I feel myself to be the same person who attended high school, went off to college, started a family and struggled through careers  the same person, until I look in that mirror. Decades roll by. Experiences accumulate. Memories multiply.

Yet I sense myself, inside, all together the same. "I" am always "me." Not just continuity, but unity. Some say my feeling is an illusion.

Is there a "me"?

"The problem with personal identity is, we feel there is a fact that 'I'm me,'" John Searle, a philosopher of mind at the University of California, Berkeley, said on my TV series "Closer to Truth." "But that's hard to pin down philosophically, because all of my experiences change, all of the parts of my body change, all of the molecules in my body change."

(All quotes are derived from "Closer to Truth.")

The 18th-century Scottish philosopher David Hume denounced the very notion of a self. Paraphrasing Hume, Searle said, "Whenever I grab my forehead and wonder, 'Where is the self?' all I get is a kind of headache. I feel my hand pushing against my head; I may feel a vague hangover from last night. But in addition to all of my particular experiences, there isn't any self." [The 7 Biggest Mysteries of the Human Body]

To Searle, we can try to define continuity of self  that is, a self that remains even as every other aspect of a person changes  by continuity of body (or of memory, personality, etc.). But we find that none of those criteria suffices, because any or all of them can be altered, even eradicated, and we still sense a continuing, unified self.

"You have to postulate a self to make sense of rational behavior," Searle said. "We want to find a 'soul' that is at the bottom of all this  but, of course, there isn't any."

British philosopher of mind Colin McGinn agrees. To him, our confusion about the self is essentially ignorance about the brain. "The self is something real," he said, but "the self has got to be grounded in the brain  the self's unity over time must be a function of what's in the brain. We don't know how that works, but it must be so."

McGinn stressed that we don't yet have a clear definition of self. "Our grasp of the concept of the self is very limited because we experience it from our first-person point of view when we say 'I,' but we really don't know what that thing ['I'] is at all, except as the bearer of mental states," he said. "Our imaginative adventures with the concept reflect our ignorance about what the self actually is and what constitutes it in the brain."

McGinn worries that theories of the "self" seem "too thin to ground the idea of personal identity" persisting through time. "All we've got is the idea that you, at a later time, are causally connected to you at an earlier time," he said. "That isn't the same thing as you persisting through time."

But McGinn rejected any sort of supernatural entity, which he called "a kind of receding transcendent thing that is capable of strange feats." "People imagine themselves to be capable of all sorts of strange things, supernatural things, where a self can exist independently of the brain," he said. "I'm saying that the self is rooted in the brain.  But we have a really thin conception; it's just the idea of 'I.'"

But how could a conscious self be rooted in a physical brain? By what mechanisms? I can't even imagine what could count as an answer.

Is self an illusion?

Some say there is no mystery because there is no self; the self does not exist.

Could our internal sense of personal identity  about which we seem so sure  be an illusion? I asked former parapsychologist, now skeptic, Susan Blackmore.

"There's no reason to suppose that we have real continuity," Blackmore said. "Because if you look at what a body and a brain are, there's no room for a thing called a 'self' that sort of sits in there and has experiences. So then, the question becomes, why does it feel that way?"

To Blackmore, we invent that feeling ourselves. "The illusion of continuity is created only when you look for it," she said. Though all things about us change from moment to moment, when we connect all of our experiential dots, we conjure up our inner sense of self. "So you imagine this kind of continuous stream of consciousness when you're awake, but actually, it's not like that at all," she said. "There are multiple parallel things going on. And every so often, we go, 'Oh, that's me,' and we invent the self-story. [Are We Living in a Computer Simulation?]

"This so-called 'me' is really just another reconstruction," she continued. "There was an earlier one 30 minutes ago, and there will be others in the future. But they're really not the same person; they're just stuff happening in the universe."

"So there's no self to die," she concluded, because there is no self prior to death and "there's certainly no self to continue after death."

Sue appears rather cheerful in her inexorable mortality, so I asked if she thinks that "no self" is "good news?"

"I'm smiling because it's so beautiful when you get it," she says. "You can let go and just accept that it's just the universe doing its stuff. It's not me against the world because there really isn't any me at all. Death has no sting, because there never was a 'you' to die. Every moment is just a new story."

To Tufts University philosopher Daniel Dennett, our conception of a self is an illusion created by our experience of the world. He offered an analogy of an object's center of gravity, which is an abstraction, not an actual concrete thing, yet we treat it as something real. "Faced with complex human sentience, we do the same thing: We try to make everything cohere around a single point," Dennett said. "That's the self  the center of narrative gravity.

"What makes a self is a big collection of memories and projects, desires and plans, likes and dislikes  a psychological profile," Dennett continued. "Well, what holds that all together? Opposing processes in the brain, which tend to abhor inconsistency." And so when inconsistencies arise, Dennett said, either you have to jettison the thing that's inconsistent or concoct a coherent story to explain the inconsistency.

How, then, does the self persist through time, notwithstanding all the changes to the body and brain? "The notion that the only thing that could persist is a little, special, unchangeable pearl of self-stuff seems like a fairly lame solution to the problem," Dennett stated. "That's just gift wrapping the problem and pretending to solve it.

"But more to the point, what makes you so sure there has to be an answer to these questions?" he continued. "The conviction that there has to be a single right answer is a leftover from metaphysical absolutism. And we should just dismiss it."

But, sorry Dan, I can't just dismiss it. My sense of self  my inner feeling of personal identity and unity through time  seems so real.

Am I fooling myself?

Next in this four-part series on the self: SELF II: Can Your 'Self' Survive Death?

Kuhn is co-editor, with John Leslie, of "The Mystery of Existence: Why Is There Anything at All? (opens in new tab)" (Wiley-Blackwell, 2013). Read more of Kuhn's essays on Kuhn's Live Science Expert Voices landing page and Kuhn's Space.com Expert Voices landing page.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
The animal kingdom is full of creatures with wacky-colored peepers: great horned owls sport stunning golden eyes, while cats see through bright green, yellow or even orange eyes. So why don't humans show such colorful oglers?

Actually, these amazing animal eye colors aren't all that different from those of people, said Dr. Mark Fromer, an ophthalmologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

When people talk about eye color, they're actually referring to the color of the iris, a ring of muscle (known as a sphincter) within the eye. If the iris contains a lot of melanin, or pigment, then the eye will appear brown, Fromer said. As the amount of melanin decreases, eye color shows up as hazel, green or blue. [Why Do Babies' Eyes Start Out Blue, Then Change Color?]

Animals with unusual eye colors fall on the same color continuum, Fromer said.

It's not uncommon for cats to have bright green eyes. (Image credit: Maciej Bledowski Shutterstock.com)

"The orange is actually an amber. The golden color is a variation of brown," Fromer said. "They're all variations along a very common line of color, starting from brown [and going] to amber to hazel to green to blue," Fromer told Live Science.

With a few exceptions, such as the red-eyed tree frog, red is usually not included on this color scale. It's a common misconception that individuals who are albino have red eyes. In reality, their irises don't have any pigment, because the gene that controls the production of melanin is completely turned off in albinism. Instead, the red color comes from the blood vessels that support the iris, Fromer said.

When asked about the rumor that actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011) had violet eyes, Fromer said that he's never heard of, or seen, purple eyes. But he mused that it might be possible if a person had light blue eyes and prominent red blood vessels, as blue and red make purple.

Furthermore, he added that eye color might appear to change when a person's eyes dilate or constrict. When an eye is dilated (that is, when the pupil is large so that it can take in more light), the iris is compressed and may look darker because the pigment is crammed into a smaller area.

In contrast, when the eye is constricted, on a bright sunny day, for instance, the pupil shrinks and the iris grows in size. When this happens, the iris's color may look less intense, because the pigment is more spread out, he said.

But regardless of whether an iris is dilated or constricted, it's highly implausible that humans would have the same eye colors as owls or cats have, Fromer said.

"To see such extreme hues would require significant outliers with significantly abnormal colors for humans to find each other and mate," he said. "This, of course, is quite unlikely."

Original article on Live Science.
But French government must act quickly on its commitment to dismantle The Jungle migrant camp by end of 2016, FTA says

Freight firms and ferry companies have welcomed fresh promises from Frances government to solve the security problems around the port of Calais, including to dismantle the migrant camp known as The Jungle by the end of this year.

In a joint statement by the Port of Dover, P&O Ferries and DFDS on announced closure of the Calais migrant camp, the companies said: We unequivocally welcome the announcement by the French government that the migrant camp in Calais known as The Jungle will be closed. The priority now is to ensure that the camp is closed as quickly, efficiently and humanely as possible with the inhabitants relocated to alternative accommodation away from major international ports.

Everyone who travels through the Port of Calais has a right to a fluid, safe and secure journey, ensuring people and goods keep moving. We will continue to work closely with the French government to ensure that the Channel ports remain open for business and that the current situation is not allowed to recur, something which is in the vital interests of millions of tourists, hundreds of thousands of importers and exporters, and the national economies of Britain and France.

But the UKs Freight Transport Association (FTA) said the French government must act quickly on its commitment to dismantle the Calais migrant camp, which followed protests earlier this week by truckers, farmers, local businesses and residents that blocked roads to the Channel port and to the Eurotunnel terminal.

The government has agreed to remove the camp by the end of the year and meanwhile put additional police on routes surrounding the port to protect drivers, who are frequently confronted by migrants trying to board their vehicles, the FTA said. But FTA says a firm timetable must be put in place to ensure the plan is quickly implemented to improve the situation for its members.

FTA said it understands that the organisers of Mondays protest were cautiously optimistic about the announcement, but will review the situation in a couple of months and wont rule out further action, although none is currently planned.

The French government has agreed to hold weekly meetings with local officials, police and businesses  the first of which took place this morning  to assess progress and the effectiveness of new measures, including the increased policing, FTA added.

FTA deputy chief executive James Hookham commented: FTA has been calling for the camp to be dismantled since problems escalated last year so this is welcome news. Calais is a vital trade route  89 billion of UK trade passes through the port every year  and our members are experiencing unacceptable levels of violence and intimidation.

We have been frustrated by the lamentable reaction of the French government so far given the collapse of public order in the Calais region, and the impossible position it has put their citizens and businesses in. Only the French Government can resolve the overall problem, and we call on it to act sooner rather than later.

FTA said the numbers of people living in The Jungle camp had reportedly swelled to more than 9,000 and FTA members had reported unprecedented levels of violence on roads surrounding the port. One driver described how migrants sharpened tree branches into spears to throw at truck windscreens, FTA said.
A hotel owner has been ordered to pay 50,000 after he continued to take guests despite being issued with a prohibition notice for serious fire safety failings.

2:00 PM Barking and Dagenham Safety warnings
A little known fact about the Rio Olympics is that Mergon International in Co Westmeath was responsible for seating those attending the events.

130,000 seats were manufactured by the Castlepollard-based company and transported in good time for the Olympics.

The company is a multinational with manufacturing plants in the US and the Czech Republic.

Their world headquarters is in Castlepollard where an expert workforce manufacture a range of automotive products which are sold to leading car manufacturers. The company is also active in the healthcare and industrial packaging sectors.

On a recent visit to the Mergon Castlepollard plant Independent MEP Marian Harkin was briefed on the companys progress and discussed possible outcomes from Brexit and the regulatory role of the European Union relating to the companys activities.

Expressing admiration for the progress of Mergon, which was founded in Ireland and expanded overseas, Marian Harkin said that the company was a heartening example of how a company in a rural area, with vision and a focused workforce, could service customers across the world and in the process become a multinational organisation with its world headquarters in Irelands midlands.

The management and staff of Mergon, through good training, dedication and outstanding performance, deserve a gold medal for their Rio performance, remarked Ms Harkin.
Local News, Crime, Health & Wellness, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: September 07 2016

resident of local watchdog group Long Island Citizens for Good Government renewed calls for Nassau County to immediately dump Armor Correctional Health Services.

Nassau County, NY - September 6, 2016 - President of local watchdog group Long Island Citizens for Good Government renewed calls for Nassau County to immediately dump Armor Correctional Health Services in light of yet another inmate fatality from the Nassau County Jail yesterday.
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
The 28th and 29th summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) kicks off here Tuesday at which leaders from the 10 member countries are expected to discuss the future development of the regional bloc. Laos is the rotating chair of ASEAN for the year of 2016. The theme for this year's summits was set as "Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community." more>>
Slovakia wants to help increase volume of gas shipped from Europe to Ukraine

Slovakia intends to help increase the volume of gas coming to Ukraine from Europe, the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine reported.

"[Slovak] Prime Minister Robert Fico has assured of the Slovak government's readiness to assist in the reverse of the maximum volume of gas to Ukraine," the press service reported on the results of the meeting of Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and Fico.

The Slovak prime minister also expressed readiness to render maximum assistance in shipping Caspian oil through the territory of Slovakia and Ukraine to the Czech refinery in Kralupy.

Groysman also spoke for expanding cooperation with Slovakia in joint infrastructure projects, Ukrainian customs reform, in particular in forming joint databases, the development of border-crossing projects, as well as attracting Slovak business to Ukraine.

Fico and Groysman agreed to resume the work of the Ukrainian-Slovak intergovernmental commission for economic, industrial, scientific and technical cooperation and hold its meeting soon.
The administration of Dnipro (formerly Dnipropetrovsk) has severed sister city relations with Russian cities, the city's Mayor Borys Filatov said.

"Ten minutes ago, the city council by its session decision severed sister city relations with the cities of the Russian Federation," Filatov said on Facebook on Wednesday.

The sister cities of Dnipro were Samara, Krasnoyarsk and Ulan-Ude.
Head of the supervisory board of Vetropak Hostomel Glass Plant and President of the Association of Glass-making Industries of Ukraine Dmytro Oliynyk has replaced businessman Dmytro Firtash on the post of head of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine (FEU).

According to the report of the FEU, new leaders of the organization were elected on Tuesday by the majority of votes of the FEU Council consisting of 52 chiefs of sector and territorial business organizations.

Oliynyk headed FEU in 2010-2011. Since late 2011 until now he was deputy FEU head for economic issues.

Head of the supervisory board of PrJSC Eurocar and Chairman of the Federation of Automobile Sector Employers Oleh Boyarin was elected deputy head, as well as Director General of SKF Ukraine bearing producer and Chairman of Volyn regional association of employers Volodymyr Tsybulsky, Honorable President of NICMAS Concern and Chairman of Federation of Engineering Industry Employers Hryhoriy Dashutin, Honorable President of UPEC Group and Chairman of Federation of Employers of Kyiv Andriy Antoniuk and Chairman of Sumy Regional Association of Employers Yevhen Lapin.

The new presidium was also elected, consisting of 15 owners of large industrial enterprises and heads of sector associations.

The FEU was founded in 2002. It unites over 80 sector and territorial organizations of employers, representing the interests of around 8,500 enterprises that generate some 70% of Ukraine's GDP and employ over 5 million people.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo at a meeting in the Polish town of Krynica-Zdroj have discussed the situation on the common border and declared their intention to resolve the issue of simplifying its intersection.

"We have a common opinion in this matter - we have to provide good service at the border crossing, we should do everything in order to minimize queues," Groysman said at a joint press conference with the Polish prime minister, the press service of the Cabinet said.

He said that there would be a corresponding order from the Polish and Ukrainian colleagues.

"Efforts will be made to find mechanisms to make the border crossing between Ukraine and Poland more comfortable than it is today. This is one of the tasks which we will be working on," Groysman assured.
By David J. Kramer

Special To The Washington Post

The next president should recognize that Russia under Vladimir Putin is an authoritarian, kleptocratic regime that poses a serious threat to our values, interests and allies. We should contain and deter Russian aggression by reassuring our NATO allies that we will defend them, fulfilling the collective-defense guarantees of Article 5 and reaffirming our support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and aspirations of Russias neighbors to join NATO or the European Union. We must also support those living inside Russia who are struggling for a better, more democratic future.

The problem boils down to the nature of the Putin regime. Since coming to power 17 years ago (initially as prime minister) by ordering brutal force against Russias region of Chechnya, Putin has demonstrated a ruthless willingness to do whatever is necessary to stay in power. Any threat  real or imagined  is dealt with decisively, whether it originates inside Russia or abroad.

Since returning to the presidency in May 2012 after a four-year stint as prime minister, Putin has launched the worst crackdown on human rights in Russia in decades. Critics, journalists and opposition figures are regularly harassed and arrested  even killed, as happened to Boris Nemtsov just yards from the Kremlin in February 2015.

In Ukraine, Putin couldnt stomach the prospect of citizens demanding an end to corruption and deeper integration with the West. Were Ukraine to succeed, it might pose a threatening alternative to Putins corrupt authoritarianism in Russia. So he invaded Ukraine in late February 2014, starting with the annexation of Crimea. Since then, nearly 10,000 Ukrainians have been killed trying to defend their country against Putins aggression. The next American president should provide lethal military assistance to help Ukrainians defend themselves.

Putin also intervened to prop up the murderous Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and the vast majority of Russian military strikes there have hit non-Islamic State targets. He threatens countries that host NATOs missile defense system or that want to join NATO or the European Union. To justify his way of governing, he and his propagandists demonize the United States, perpetuating the myth that the United States is the biggest threat to Russia. His zero-sum way of thinking, demand for recognition of a Russian sphere of influence, interference in elections in other countries (even attempting to meddle in U.S. elections) and support for like-minded authoritarian leaders mean that Putins interests and ours are almost diametrically opposite.

The next U.S. administration should recognize that the nature of the Putin regime precludes real partnership between the United States and Russia and vastly limits areas of cooperation. Increasing engagement will not change that  both George W. Bush and Barack Obama tried and failed  and even risks appearing desperate, which Putin would exploit as weakness on our part.

We should stay true to our values and restore the notion of linkage by making clear that Putins mistreatment of his own people  and his neighbors  will adversely affect our bilateral ties. The next administration should implement more aggressively the Magnitsky Act for gross human rights abuses and maintain  even ramp up  sanctions against Russia for its ongoing violation of Ukraines sovereignty. And we should make sure that Putins best export  corruption  does not pollute our own way of doing business.
The European Union Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) on Wednesday approved the proposed six-month extension of individual sanctions against 146 Russian and Ukrainian individuals and 37 companies which the EU considers to be responsible for the crisis in eastern Ukraine, an EU diplomat told Interfax in Brussels.

These restrictive measures must now be approved by the EU Council and the legal act will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Since the previous extended period expires on September 15, the Council will make a decision in the very near future, the source said, adding that no date has yet been set.

The decision will be made on a written procedure, without the matter being put to any of the Council sessions, he also said. No changes were proposed to the sanctions list, he said.

At issue is the EU Council resolution, initially approved March 17, 2014 and subsequently extended and amended. The new resolution will remain in effect until March 15, 2017.

Individual sanctions consist of freezing of the person's financial assets at banks in EU countries and banning travel to the European Union.
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.
Ukraine and Hungary intend to develop a medium-term plan of cooperation in energy, infrastructure and agriculture.

"Volodymyr Groysman, in the framework of the commission, initiated the development of a mid-term cooperation action plan for Ukraine and Hungary, in particular in the field of infrastructure, energy, agriculture," the Cabinet of Ministers press service said, with reference to the results of a meeting between Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

The report states the matter concerns an intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation.

The parties agreed to increase the level of representation in the committee which on the Ukrainian part will be headed by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze. Hungary has to decide on its co-chairman of the commission in the near future.
The great Gold Rush Music Festival returns to the township of Waihi, with the first nuggets of gold dropping for the highly anticipated return of the 2023 festival.
Representatives of energy ministries of Russia and Ukraine will meet to discuss power supply in Donbas in Minsk on September 21, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Envoy to the Contact Group on Ukraine Martin Sajdik said.

"Representatives of Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement during today's talks to hold a meeting at the level of ministries of energy of the two countries and discuss the issue of power transmission lines," Sajdik told reporters in Minsk on Wednesday.

The meeting is scheduled for September 21 and will be held in Minsk, the city that will simultaneously be hosting the Trilateral Contact Group on the Donbas settlement, Sajdik said.
UK applications boosted post-Brexit The UK IPO saw a 33% increase in trade mark applications in August 2016, compared to August 2015, said Steve Rowan at the ITMA/IPO event. This is likely to be due to companies seeking registrations in the UK to ensure they have protection post-Brexit. It tallies with anecdotal evidence from trade mark attorneys of clients enquiring about filing more UK registrations. Before Brexit, the IPO was expecting a 6% increase in filings year-on-year. The increase was driven by applications from entities outside the UK, said Rowan. He added that the Office would be hiring more examiners to deal with the extra workload.

Representatives of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA) and the UK IP Office took part in a seminar in London yesterday. Much of the discussion focused on what will happen to EU trade marks and registered Community designs when the UK separates from the EU (which is not expected to happen until 2019 at the earliest).

ITMA recently published seven possible scenarios addressing how to ensure that owners of EU rights can retain protection in the UK post-Brexit and it was stressed yesterday that debate continues as to which is best: each has at least one strength, but they also all have weaknesses, said ITMA President Kate O'Rourke.

(Each scenario has a catchy name, such as the Jersey model and the Montenegro model; we prefer the Tuvalu model, if only because it might demand a research trip to the Pacific islands...)

Kate O'Rourke Kate O'Rourke

As O'Rourke said when I interviewed her in July, soon after the Brexit vote, the immediate message for trade mark owners is "Don't panic!". But ITMA (and other associations such as CIPA and IPLA) are meeting with ministers and officials to make sure IP issues are considered during the Brexit negotiations. O'Rourke said yesterday that ITMA was proud to be the first organisation to set out specific options, but added that there is "strength in unity" and the various associations are working together to put flesh on the bones. Indeed, I understand IPLA has recently refined the scenarios to distinguish between registered rights and pending applications.

Brexit means Brexit

The problem is that working out the detail of Brexit is going to take a long time (a speech from the Brexit Minister David Davis this week did not provide much new information).

Speaking yesterday, UK IPO Director of Trade Marks and Designs Steve Rowan welcomed ITMA's work as a starting point and said that Baroness Neville-Rolfe, the IP minister, would consider various options before the government makes a decision.

But of course such a review process will involve consultations, impact studies and economic assessments, all of which could take months or even years. It's likely that the seven scenarios will have to be narrowed down - perhaps to two or three - before such work can take place. And, whichever option is taken, there will have to be cooperation between the UK IPO and EUIPO to make the process work smoothly.

Representation rights

A packed seminar A packed seminar

Another topic discussed yesterday was representation rights for UK attorneys at the EUIPO post-Brexit, which is not surprisingly of great importance to practitioners. If the government decides to apply to join the EEA, and is accepted, then UK registered attorneys could continue to act before EUIPO in cases involving EUTMs (though not, as things stand, on RCDs). That would probably be the ideal scenario, but it might be politically difficult.

If the UK does not join the EEA, then practitioners hope there will be some agreement struck between the EU and UK allowing them to act before EUIPO. That may be a long shot though. If all else fails, many will consider re-qualifying in other EU jurisdictions. The merits of Malta and Ireland were spelled out yesterday. Just for fun, we have set up a Twitter poll on this question.

In short, there is lots of work being done but any answers are still a long way off. And that's before we even mention patent developments such as the UPC and Unitary Patent. For more on those, look out for the reports from our EU Patent Reform Forums which will be posted later this week.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko during a meeting with President of the National Council of Switzerland Christa Markwalder in Kyiv noted an 8.3% rise in Swiss investments in Ukraine in the first half of 2016.

According to the presidential press service, Poroshenko stated this is the first visit of the head of the lower house of the Swiss parliament to Ukraine.

"He expressed hope the next meeting of the Ukrainian-Swiss committee for trade and economic cooperation to be held in Kyiv in late September will contribute to a further increase in the pace of trade and investment between the two countries," the report says.

The head of state thanked the Swiss side for the principled position as for non-recognition of the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the steps taken to prevent the use of Switzerland for Russia's bypassing the sanctions imposed by the EU.

"Poroshenko said Ukraine strictly adheres to the course on the implementation of the Minsk agreements. He noted the prerequisite for progress in resolving the situation in Donbas is Russia's starting the fulfillment of the obligations undertaken in the sphere of security," the report reads.
Interview with Sleiman Asmar, MD of Sakr Power Generation (Nigeria)

Lets start with an overview of the sector that you are involved with, power generation. Specifically we want to inquire about the situation with the diesel supply and how it is affecting your business?

Actually we are looking forward to switching to renewable energy like gas. We dont have a large problem supplying diesel but we must start thinking about switching to renewable energy for the benefit of the environment. We have to start thinking green. We are one of the companies that can find these solutions. Most of our projects now are powered by gas. We also have some renewable energy projects using oil but they arent in Nigeria they are in India because our sister company in Germany called MBH is specialised in manufacturing using vegetable oil. I tried some time ago to introduce it to the Nigerian market but I didnt succeed because it was too new but I still want to take it to the government, perhaps the Minister of Power, because Nigeria is a big country and a vast country in terms of agriculture. The oil actually comes from a fruit called jatropha, and it makes renewable green energy.

Regarding diesel, we dont have much of a problem with it but I dont think we should keep relying on diesel.

Tell us more about Sakr Power Generation in Nigeria. How long have you been in the market?

First of all let me say that Sakr is a holding group; our head office is in Lebanon but we are present in more than 13 countries worldwide. We have been in Nigeria for the past 18 years. We have been established here with our facilities in Ibafo on the Ibadan Express Way. Our head office is in Ikeja. We supply generators for 10 to 5,000 KVA. We also do projects. We do gas projects and diesel projects because some places dont have a gas supply so they must use diesel. There is a new technology now called CNG where you can compress the gas and put it in cylinders so that even in an area where there is no gas you can install a gas generator and store the gas in tankers. However our view for the future here in Nigeria is to stop supplying small size generators and to focus on projects. This is our future view because it is too difficult to handle, service and go around the country supplying generators.

Furthermore we have to start thinking about reducing the amount of pollution in the air by creating projects. For example if you do a project in Victoria Island, you can supply power for the whole of Victoria Island. You can then do one in Lekki and another one in Ikeja. The Nigerians really have to think seriously about projects. They have started in some areas but it is still not moving fast enough.

The situation is tough but I still think now is the time for foreign investors to come because they can establish themselves here now and when it picks up they are here and ready.

For your ongoing projects at the moment, are you looking for any certain partnerships or do you do everything in house?

We do everything in house but we dont manufacture the generators, we have partners. We also have MBH that I mentioned earlier, which is in fact part of our group. It was acquired by Sakr Holding in 2007/8. That company manufactures generators from scratch. We still partner with other companies like Perkins and Cummins. We are also perhaps signing soon with another company but for now it is still confidential. We have partners. Here in Nigeria we assemble generators, we dont manufacture them. We bring the CKD generators in and assemble them. We can assemble from 10 KVA to 2,000 KVA here in our facilities at Ibafo.

On the holding level, is Sakr Power Generation the only subsidiary in the country?

We have Sakr Lighting and we are studying the market here for it. I dont know yet but lighting is a very good business in Nigeria. It includes fittings, lightings, LEDs etc. We are researching and studying the market. We might go for it if we see that it is profitable.

Is there any particular project you would like to talk about?

We are about to sign on a project with the Kaduna government to install a project of 20 megawatts. If we agree on the contract we shall move forward and begin to supply the material. We are working on a big project in Lekki for an estate of 600 houses. As I said, our future goal is to only work on projects and stop supplying small generators. We want to be green and educate Nigerians that we have to stop having one or two generators in each house. It is an ecological disaster we must stop and we must move towards projects instead.

Have you been here since the inception of Sakr Power Generation in Nigeria?

I have been in Nigeria since 1990 but I have been with Sakr since 2008. I had my own business all of those years and then I was offered a job with Sakr and I accepted.

What would be your message to international investors?

Come to Nigeria because it is now the land of opportunities! It used to be America and now it is Nigeria! I am not joking. We have a tough situation now with the price of oil being down, so we may suffer until the end of the year but it will pick up and I am telling you that this is the land of opportunities. It is very easy to work here. People are cooperating; there are no problems especially with the new president who is putting everything in order. I want everyone to come to Nigeria. We are talking about a population of 220 million. There is money here. There is not only oil here, there are many other things. Companies that are interested in agriculture have huge opportunities here; the future of Nigeria is agriculture. There are vast amounts of land. Agriculture, construction and power are the future of Nigeria.

What differentiates Sakr Power Generation from the competition?

The secret of our business is quality and aftersales. We have good quality generators and we have good quality aftersales. That is the most important thing because you buy a generator once but the relationship you have with your client goes on forever until the generator is damaged. Quality and aftersales are the core differentials that put us ahead of our competitors.

What is the level of cooperation between Sakr Power Generation and the government?

We are waiting for this because we cannot import at the moment because you cannot open a LC. There is no Naira now. The situation is tough but I still think now is the time for foreign investors to come because they can establish themselves here now and when it picks up they are here and ready. Everyone will say that the situation is tough and there are companies that are closing down, but any company that can resist this situation will grow afterwards and they will be compensated. You have to survive this tough period. New investors should start coming now, not wait until the situation has improved. You need 6 to 8 months to register the company and get to know the country so by then I am sure the country will have picked up.

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Bawat has hired Klaus Andreasen as Senior Sales Manager effective as of September 1, 2016. He will be the new man in charge of Bawats sales department and will be the customers primary contact.

Andreasen has several years of experience from Alfa Laval, where he held different positions as manager most recent, head of Alfa Lavals industry aftermarket for customers. Previously he has been in charge of new buildings in both Maersk and TORM where he gained unique knowledge and experience within shipbuilding, ship operating and execution of shipbuilding projects.
Singapore's Marco Polo Marine Ltd, whose business includes building and chartering ships, said it has appointed KPMG Services as an adviser to conduct an independent business review of the company.

The company, which has S$50 million ($37.19 million) worth of notes maturing on Oct. 18, said it would hold an informal meeting with holders of the notes on Sept. 13 to present KPMG's review and discuss various options in connection with the notes.

Marco Polo is one of several companies in Singapore's offshore and marine sector whose financial results have been hit by the slump in oil prices.

In July, oilfield services firm Swiber Holdings applied to place itself under judicial management, after initially filing for liquidation, becoming the largest local company to fall victim to the slump in oil prices.





(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan)
More than 100 people representing over 70 companies attended Seaspan Shipyards second annual Atlantic Canada Industry Day hosted in Halifax today. During the session, attendees received an update on Seaspans progress on its National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) Non-Combat package of vessels and associated supply chain opportunities.

Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Seaspan has embarked on many years of sustained shipbuilding on the West Coast that is already delivering results to Canada, its taxpayers and the overall Canadian economy, said Brian Carter, President  Seaspan Shipyards. We are progressing well on the construction of the first two of three Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard with the third one to begin later this year. We continue to work hand-in-hand with the Canadian Coast Guard on the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel and Royal Canadian Navys Joint Support Ships through the necessary pre-production phases, including the procurement of equipment and materials for these programs.

Over the first 10 years of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Seaspans Vancouver Shipyards is projected to spend over $1.3 billion with Canadian suppliers. In addition, it is estimated that Seaspans NSS work will create an annual average of more than 2300 direct, indirect and induced jobs, produce almost $290 million per year in GDP for Canadas economy, and mean thousands of people will get the opportunity for an exciting new career in shipbuilding.

Seaspan Shipyards Atlantic Canada Industry Day in Halifax is a strong reminder of the progress being made under NSS and our unwavering commitment to attracting marine industrial companies with experience and competitive and innovative solutions to join our expanding supply chain, said Brian. This process provides an outstanding opportunity for Seaspan to meet and engage with prospective companies to describe our growing needs and explain in greater detail the role they could play to ensure we are delivering the best vessels possible to our federal customers.

In October 2011, after an open and competitive procurement process, the Government of Canada awarded Seaspans Vancouver Shipyards the right to build Canadas Non-Combat vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy.

Seaspans Non-Combat Vessel Backlog includes:
At the annual International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Conference in London today (7 September)  in the presence of IMO Secretary-General, Kitack Lim  the new ICS Chairman, Esben Poulsson, suggested that the shipping industry must respond proactively to three major challenges: maintaining the authority of IMO; addressing the legitimate demand for even greater levels of environmental protection; and making policy makers better aware of the industrys existing achievements.



With respect to protecting the global maritime regulatory system, provided so successfully by IMO, Mr Poulson said this is being challenged by the increasing tendency for EU Member States positions to be co-ordinated by the EU, with negative impacts on the quality of IMO debates and its decision making.



An example of this was the current discussion at IMO about the establishment of a global CO2 data collection system, which the EU is seeking to align with a regional regime for shipping which it has already adopted through regional legislation.



The ICS Chairman warned of the danger of the politicization of IMO debates, instead of decisions being taken on the basis of their technical merits. He added that nations such as the United States are taking similarly impractical, highly political stances with respect to issues such as the implementation of the IMO Ballast Water Convention (virtually certain to enter force next year) by refusing to accept decisions that have been taken at IMO by other Member States.



Mr Poulsson cautioned: Unless we are very careful, IMO could eventually be reduced to merely rubber stamping decisions which in reality will have been taken elsewhere, whether in Europe, the United States or by the emerging powers in Asia.



Mr Poulsson then focused on the demands of society at large for increased environmental performance. This is one area where politicians can legitimately claim to be representing the views of the ordinary person with regard to concerns about the environment.



We must be proactive in demonstrating that we are doing everything that we can to achieve a zero accident rate and pollution free environmental record, even if at present these goals are not fully achievable. We must respond to these genuine environmental concerns by supporting the development of progressive solutions at IMO, and acting constructively and with foresight on the understanding that society at large now expects far more from us.



He concluded his first major address, since election as ICS Chairman, by encouraging the shipping industry to continuously raise the bar  emphasising that the reputation of shipping, and the respect which national politicians have for unique institutions such as IMO, ultimately depends on the industrys safety record and environmental performance.



We have to accept that society at large now expects far more from us, and even the smallest deficiencies will no longer be tolerated. Core to this is the question of how we are perceived by others, and whether the recognition our industry enjoys among policy makers and politicians needs to be further enhanced.



As well as a keynote speech by the IMO Secretary-General, the ICS Conference included detailed presentations and discussion on many key issues in which ICS is currently involved on behalf of the global industry including the reduction of CO2 emissions, ballast water regulation, the threat to limitation of shipowner liability, seafarer supply, and overcapacity.


Shares of Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) - now a wholly owned unit of French container ship operator CMA CGM - delisted from the Singapore Exchange (SGX) with effect from 9am September 07.

CMA CGM said in a press release on Monday (Sep 5) that NOL had obtained the necessary waivers and approval from SGX for the delisting, which will take effect at 9am on Tuesday.

CMA CGM has completed the exercise of its rights of compulsory acquisition of all NOL shares held by shareholders who did not accept the all-cash voluntary conditional general offer.

The takeover has marked CMA CGMs biggest ever acquisition and came as container lines sought to cope with a severe market downturn through greater scale.

After successfully acquiring a controlling interest in NOL, CMA CGM has consolidated the Singapore-based company since 14 June. The European Commission gave its approval for the deal at the end of April.
Manufacturer of diesel engines and generator sets for the marine industry Cummins Inc. said it recently delivered the first four QSK95 engines for a marine application, with four additional units to be delivered in December.

The engines were delivered to longtime Cummins partner SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. for installation into a 57-meter catamaran crewboat designed by Incat Crowther.

We are extremely excited to be working with SEACOR Marine to launch the first QSK95 marine engines, said Jim Schacht, Executive Director - Marine Market, Cummins Inc. We leveraged all the experience and best technologies Cummins has to offer to design the QSK95 marine engine, which will deliver increased power and reliability, fast transient response and simple serviceability.

Two crewboats will be built, each powered by four QSK95 marine engines rated at 4,000 hp (2,983 kW) at 1,700 rpm, matched to MGX-62500SC-H marine transmissions supplied by Twin Disc, Inc. and quad HT-810 waterjets from Hamilton Jet, to achieve a maximum speed of 40 knots. The two forward engines will run Jason FiFi 1 class pumps off the front of the engine. Cummins is also providing auxiliary power; each vessel will have two QSM11-powered generator sets rated at 290 kWe, as well as a fully enclosed QSM11-powered deck generator rated at 270 kWe. Named Puma and Panther, the crewboats will be built at Astilleros Armon Burela, S.A., in Burela, Spain; the first boat is expected to enter into service in April 2017, followed by the second in July 2017.

Our 20 plus year relationship with Cummins coupled with the latest in high-speed diesel engine technology were important factors in SEACOR's decision to select Cummins to power our latest vessels, Puma and Panther, said Robert Clemons, Vice President, SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. We are confident we can rely on the Cummins team and the QSK95 throughout the life of these engines, and we are excited by the increased value the launch of these vessels will bring to our customers.

Compared to medium-speed engines offering similar power output, the QSK95 offers the benefits of smaller size, lower weight and better transient response while delivering a new level of serviceability. With IMO Tier II-certified ratings from 3,200 hp to 4,200 hp (2,386-3,132 kW), the QSK95 provides 95 liters of displacement in a 78-liter package. Nested cylinders and a 60-degree V enable a short, narrow engine block relative to other engines of comparable displacement. In addition, the QSK95 weighs in just over 13,000 kg (28,660 lb), between 25 percent and 70 percent less than medium-speed platforms of similar power output.

As operators continue to seek better vessel maneuverability, the QSK95 delivers faster transient response through a unique turbo arrangement and a dry exhaust system. By using one turbo per four cylinders, the QSK95 is able to utilize a smaller turbocharger. The dry turbo housings and dry exhaust manifold maximize the available energy to the turbos, allowing them to spool up quickly, resulting in fast engine response.

Cummins said its design, validation and service teams devoted countless hours to ensuring that the QSK95 sets industry serviceability standards. From the early phases of engine design, qualified technicians participated in service tool and repair procedure validation, and design concepts were evaluated for progressive damage prevention. Initial feedback from technicians servicing QSK95 engines in the field has confirmed that the focus on serviceability will provide considerable payback over the life of the engines.
Ukraine and the Czech Republic have agreed to hold a meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission on economic, industrial, scientific and technical cooperation soon.

"When discussing the prospects for deepening economic and trade cooperation, the two sides agreed to resume the work of the Ukrainian-Czech joint intergovernmental commission on economic, industrial, scientific and technical cooperation, and to hold its meetings in Ukraine soon," the press service of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers reported with reference to the results of the meeting of Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and his Czech counterpart Bohuslav Sobotka.

Groysman noted Ukraine's interest in enhancing cooperation with the Czech Republic, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, business activities and defense.

The Ukrainian prime minister also said that the government decided to raise the level of co-chairs of the commission, the Ukrainian part of which will be headed by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.

"I think the intergovernmental commission will be a good tool to improve our cooperation," Groysman said.
Deltamarin, a subsidiary of AVIC International Maritime Holdings, has been contracted by Finlands Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) shipyard to design a new ro-pax vessel.

AVIC said Deltamarine will provide the Finnish Rauma Marine Constructions Oy shipyard with services for a ro-pax vessel to be built for the Danish Mols-Linien A/S.

The new 158-metre ro-pax vessel will be designed and optimised to carry passengers and cargo between the Danish islands of Bornholm and Sjaelland. The cargo capacity will be 1,500 lane metres, a press release said.

The work under the contract will be performed at Deltamarins offices in Finland and Poland for a period of 12 months. "Construction will commence in spring 2017 and the vessel will enter service in autumn 2018," said the release.

Deltamarin engineering management director Janne Uotila said: This ship contract is very important for Rauma Marine Constructions."

This is not the first Deltamarine is rendering services for Mols-Lienen A/S as it previously developed its technical outline material for the purpose of the yard tendering.
Corvus Energy Inc. said it has been awarded funding from the National Research Council of Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program for the development and expansion of the company's next generation Orca energy storage system (ESS) product line.

Corvus Energy, a Canadian manufacturer of lithium-ion based battery systems, will receive up to $469,500 in non-repayable funding from the Government of Canada. This investment is made through the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) which supports numerous small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada every year in the development and commercialization of technologies. NRC-IRAP works with industry to bridge technology gaps, helping build a more innovative Canadian economy that reflects today's global realities. The funding will support Corvus continued development and expansion of its next generation of ESS - Orca ESS.

"NRC-IRAP's support is enabling us to accelerate the development and global marketing of our industry leading energy storage systems," said Andrew Morden, President & CEO of Corvus Energy Inc. "The amount of innovation our team has packed into Orca, our next generation product line, has garnered attention from customers around the globe. We are extremely grateful for the continued support from the Government of Canada and the National Research Council.

Orca ESS is the recently announced product line from Corvus which is specifically designed for hybrid and all-electric maritime applications. As the leading manufacturer of energy storage systems for maritime applications, Corvus designed the Orca ESS solutions portfolio based on the experience from 50+ maritime projects utilizing a Corvus ESS, totaling over 35MWh and 1 million operating hours. Rather than a single product, the Orca ESS product line delivers a range of products that are designed to meet the needs of various customer applications.
At the SMM maritime trade show in Hamburg, the Bremen-based shipbuilding supplier and provider of consulting and ship-related services LOEWE MARINE announced that it has received an order from shipbuilders Flensburger Schiffbau Gesellschaft (FSG) to supply the rudder systems for five newbuilds. The order takes LOEWE's partnership with FSG to the next level, coming, after five completed rudder projects for FSG over the past two years. It includes a twin arrangement of a high-efficiency flap rudder for a 194.8-meter RoPax ferry ordered from FSB by Irish Ferries.

This next step in our partnership with FSG is also an endorsement of our business model of building high-quality rudder systems in Germany  rudder systems that deliver maximum maneuverability and fuel efficiency, commented LOEWE MARINE CEO Carsten Lohmer.

The 10 full-spade rudder systems that LOEWE MARINE will supply to FSG over the next 16 months will be developed and built in Germany from start to finish. The engineering design work, procurement and logistics planning will be done at LOEWE MARINE's headquarters in Bremen; the steel construction work will be done by the company's partners in Rostock and Stralsund; and the mechanical systems will be fitted in Bremerhaven and Osnabruck.

For Lohmer, a naval architect of many years experience, Germany offers a number of key advantages as a production location. Our customers demand outstanding quality and strict adherence to deadlines, and we can deliver on both if we manufacture here in Germany. Shipbuilding is a fast-changing industry that is constantly throwing up new challenges. Germany has the infrastructure and critical mass of quality partners and highly skilled workers to rapidly build and deploy the robust solutions needed to meet these challenges.

Lohmer is a strong advocate of cooperation in the maritime industry, both in his role as company CEO and in his role as deputy chair of the Advisory Board of the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany. He understands the supreme importance of effective communication between engineering design and production. Successful shipbuilding hinges on clear communication. And often it's those quick face-to-face meetings that make all the difference. It's the kind of thing that can only happen in Germany, where all the key players in the chain are close by and can meet at a moment's notice.

LOEWE MARINE delivered for for FSG's newbuild nos. 758, 759, 763, 764 and 763, and it is this success which has prompted FSG to choose LOEWE MARINE rudder systems for all the other newbuild projects on its books. FSG currently has orders for four 209-meter RoRo vessels (newbuild nos. 769, 770, 772 and 773), which it will deliver between 2017 and 2018, and one 194.8-meter RoPax ferry (newbuild no. 771), which will have 435 cabins and space for 1,900 passengers and is due for delivery in May 2018.
BMT Group subsidiary BMT Designers & Planners Inc. said it has been awarded a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to provide Human Systems Integration (HSI) engineering and technical support for the U.S Coast Guard.

With a BPA funding ceiling of $9.1 million over a five-year term including options, BMT has been approved to provide HSI services in five key areas including: Human Factors Engineering (HFE); Manpower; Personnel; Performance Support and Training (PS&T); System Safety (including Occupational Health); and Habitability and Personnel Survivability.

David Bardash, Engineering Business Unit Lead at BMT Designers & Planners commented, Were delighted to be continuing our human systems work with the Coast Guard under this new contract. The human element is key  its about providing the capabilities, training and support needed for the Coast Guards men and women to deliver optimum performance. We look forward to working with the Coast Guard and our partners to deliver against its future HSI requirements.
Increasingly assertive action by China's coast guard ships in the South China Sea risks destabilising the region, according to the authors of new research tracking maritime law enforcement incidents across the vital trade route.

While the risks of full-blown naval conflict dominates strategic fears over the disputed waterway, the danger of incidents involving coast guards should not be underestimated, said Bonnie Glaser, a regional security expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

China claims much of the South China Sea, which carries the bulk of Northeast Asia's trade with the rest of the world. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims.

CSIS researchers have detailed some 45 clashes and standoffs in the South China Sea since 2010 in a survey published on its ChinaPower website on Wednesday. (http://chinapower.csis.org/maritime-forces-destabilizing-asia/)

While the research includes clashes between a variety of regional states and types of vessels, the actions of China's coast guard dominates the picture. China's coast guard has been involved in 30 of the cases logged, two-thirds of the total. Four other incidents involved a Chinese naval vessel operating in a law enforcement capacity.

"The evidence is clear that there is a pattern of behaviour from China that is contrary to what law enforcement usually involves," Glaser told Reuters.

"We're seeing bullying, harassment and ramming of vessels from countries whose coast guard and fishing vessels are much smaller, often to assert sovereignty throughout the South China Sea."

The research includes the violent maritime stand-off between Beijing and Hanoi over the placement of a Chinese oil exploration rig off the Vietnamese coast in 2014, as well as tensions that led up to China's occupation of the Scarborough Shoal off the Philippines in 2012.

It is being published as Chinese coast guard and other vessels return to Scarborough Shoal, sparking formal diplomatic protests from Manila. The Philippines said on Wednesday it was seeking clarification from China about the increase in ships near the shoal.

China's State Oceanic Administration, which oversees the coast guard, did not respond to requests for comment on the research.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she believed it was natural for China's coast guard vessels to legally carry out patrols and maintain maritime order in waters under China's jurisdiction.

"We hope the relevant individuals can stop hyping up this kind of information, and stop sowing discord and tension," she told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

The research defines an incident where a nation's coast guard or navy has used coercive measures beyond routine law enforcement action.

In the short term, Glaser said she believed the risk of injury or death could be worse in civilian clashes than among navies patrolling the South China Sea, given the frequency and intensity of incidents in recent years.

Encounters by rival coast guards are not yet covered by expanding communications arrangements that are geared to preventing clashes between the region's naval forces.

The survey cites research showing the unifying of China's civilian maritime fleets in 2013, coupled with on-going budget increases, has given it the world's largest coast guard.

It now deploys some 205 vessels, including 95 ships over 1,000 tonnes, according to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence - a far larger fleet than other regional countries, including Japan.

(By Greg Torode; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina in Beijing; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Nick Macfie)
The Company:

The Patterson Company provides a full product line for an array of industries  from winches to ratchet turnbuckles to tensors and beyond. Every day, Patterson seeks out new ways to improve its products through innovative teamwork with customers and partners throughout every market sector they touch. Pattersons winches, turnbuckles, and tensors are designed and manufactured with an eye toward innovation.

The Product Line:

This year, the company that brought the inland towboat industry the patented YoYo Winch, now comes out with not one but two new, equally revolutionary products in the form of Pattersons Thru-Deck Capstan and Right Angle Capstan. Just as the YoYo standardized safety and slowly eliminated the need for the ratchet when making barge connections, the Patterson Thru-Deck Capstan promises to keep inland firms up and running for years to come with little to no maintenance, minimizing downtime, all while saving money. The Patterson Right Angle Capstan was designed only after thorough evaluation of issues common with capstans: gearbox failures, oil leaks and moisture problems.

The Case:

The Patterson Manufacturing Company began operations in 1858 on the banks of the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh In the beginning, Patterson made just a few sizes of winches, but now offers winches with capacities from 20 tons to 90 tons and in three operating formats: manual, electrical, and hydraulic. For more than 100 years, Patterson has been designing, building and innovating for the North American shallow draft market, always listening and trying to understand better this market to provide safer, easier and faster products to service it.

870 Riversea Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15233

Telephone: (412) 291-8064

Website: www.pattersonmfg.com

CEO/President: David Grapes
Port Everglades and the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) have renewed their long-standing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote trade opportunities for another five years.



This renewal will extend their strategic alliance to 2021. The MOU solidifies both entities' dedication to growth and best customer practices. The ACP and Port Everglades first signed an MOU in August 2009.



Areas of cooperation between the ACP and Port Everglades include joint advertising programs, data interchange, and competitive market analyses of the shipping industry. This alliance will also continue to promote the route to the West Coast of South America as well as the "All-Water Route," the route from Asia to the U.S. East Coast via the Panama Canal.



The MOU encourages collaboration between Port Everglades and the ACP, which translates to providing our South Florida residents and visitors increased access to the growing global economy," said Steven Cernak, Port Everglades Chief Executive & Port Director. "We continue to share information on our modernization efforts that complement each other and to discuss ways to pursue joint marketing activities."



Port Everglades Chief Executive & Port Director Steven Cernak attended the recent grand opening ceremony of the Panama Canal Expansion Project in June. At that time, the Panama Canal Administrator Jorge Luis Quijano provided an update on the Expansion Program and its impact on U.S. East Coast ports. The Canal Expansion drew worldwide attention to the significance of global trade and the critical need for infrastructure investments to handle today's modern fleet of larger cargo ships.



The Panama Canal Expansion involved the construction of a third lane of traffic allowing the passage of bigger vessels, which doubles the Canal's capacity and has an important impact on world maritime trade. It has been the largest enhancement project since the Canal's opening in 1914.



Port Everglades, a leading container cargo port in the United States, provides service to more than 150 ports in 70 countries and is the number one U.S. gateway for trade with Latin America. The Port has the shortest, straightest entrance channel on the Southeast U.S. Atlantic coast, which saves ships fuel costs and time. The Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) opened an Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) on the Port two years ago to provide even greater ship-to-rail connectivity from South Florida to points throughout the United States. Cargo can reach 70 percent of the U.S. population from Port Everglades via rail in four days.


Wartsila has set out its visions for the future of the shipping industry. The work on future visions has been prompted by the inevitable effect that growing global energy demand and increasingly stringent environmental legislation to combat climate change will have on the shipping sector. Additionally, Wartsila assesses various emerging trends, such as sharing economies, new business models enabled by the new digital universe, the huge growth in energy storage capacity, and new affordable 'green' energy sources, since they represent both challenges and opportunities for the future of shipping.



"We accept the challenges created by the developments currently taking place. Wartsila is increasing its speed of re-invention; not just internally but in cooperation with our customers and partners, so that the industry can be assured of having the technologies ready and available to meet the new requirements," says Roger Holm, President, Wartsila Marine Solutions.



In its 'Visions of Future Shipping' paper, Wartsila presents different scenarios that could shape the way that shipping companies operate in the future. These scenarios have each been identified under different names, as follows:



CONVOY: By taking advantage of advanced controls and communication between autonomous components, systems, and vessels, shipping fleets could be operated in convoys. The fuel savings created by vessels closely following each other results from the lower entrance speed of water ahead of the aft vessel. By optimising the operations significant fuel reductions could be achieved.



Furthermore, through the use of system autonomy, artificial intelligence, and advanced connectivity, it is envisioned that the trailing ships could be operated with fewer crew members. Advanced communication technologies will also rapidly increase the sharing of information, which will save time and optimise the allocation of cargo to vessels.



ZERO - Floating Distribution Hubs: Another scenario could be to have artificial islands along the main shipping routes producing emissions free fuels from solar or wind for powering green energy sources. Clean energy production is becoming a global priority, and its influence on the shipping industry is expected to be felt more and more within the near future.



Exergo - Unlimited Energy Storage: Large investments will drive energy storage using battery technology. Wartsila believes that battery energy density will increase substantially during the coming years. This will allow ships to operate in sensitive areas silently and with no exhaust emissions.



Z3 - Green Energy: To provide reliable, emission free power without upfront investment, highly reliable energy sources and monitoring from the shore through advanced connectivity will be required. This concept envisions the supply of energy for propulsion on an 'as you go' basis.



LIITOS - Working together: For efficient cargo sharing, access to the same information by all global operators would ensure, for example, that no container ship sails cargo free. This sharing of assets could be achieved by use of a digital tool.



BEAN to CUP - Manufacturing en route: Factory ships may one day be manufacturing while transporting materials from one market to another. Apart from saving valuable time, this concept could have substantial economic benefits. For example, coffee beans being transported to Europe and Asia from South America could be processed during the voyage so that the ready product is available immediately upon the ship's arrival in port. Similarly, the quality of seasonal crops could be enhanced by having the ship begin processing soon after harvesting.



Wartsila will be discussing its 'Visions of Future Shipping' initiative at the upcoming SMM conference and exhibition being held in Hamburg from September 5 to 9. Meet us at Stand 312 in Hall B6.



Green Energy
The Japanese government said on Wednesday it is ready to provide Vietnam with new patrol ships, in its latest step to boost the maritime law-enforcement capabilities of countries locked in territorial rows with China.

On Tuesday, Japan agreed to provide two large patrol ships and lend up to five used surveillance aircraft to the Philippines, another country at odds with China over sovereignty issues in the South China Sea.

Japan itself has been at loggerheads with China over a group of tiny, uninhabited East China Sea islets.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, of Tokyo's intention in their meeting on the sidelines of ASEAN-related meetings in Vientiane.

Japan has already provided six patrol ships to Vietnam, but they were all used ones, a Japanese foreign ministry official said, adding that details such as the timing of the delivery and the number of ships to be provided have yet to be fixed.

Japan plans to extend a low-interest loan under its official development assistance programme to Vietnam to facilitate the acquisition.

China has laid claim to almost all of the South China Sea, where about $5 trillion worth of seaborne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims in the sea believed to have rich deposits of oil and gas.

A court of arbitration in The Hague in July said China's claims to the waterway were invalid, after a case was brought by the Philippines. Beijing has refused to recognise the ruling.





(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Ukrainian army positions came under 21 militant attacks on Tuesday, September 6, mostly in the Mariupol sector, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) staff said on Wednesday morning.

"The troops opened fire on Ukrainian army positions 21 times over the past day: 15 incidents were observed in the Mariupol sector, three in the Donetsk sector and another three in the Luhansk sector," the press center said on Facebook.

The hostiles fired 120mm and 82mm mortars on the frontline between Shyrokyne and Talakivka in the Mariupol sector. "For the purposes of moral and psychological pressure on Ukrainian army units, the enemy used sniper groups and small arms near Maryinka," the report said.

Militants opened provocative fire near Avdiyivka in the Donetsk sector. Machineguns, small arms and grenade launchers were used.

Small arms attacks were reported from Popasna and Novozvanivka in the Luhansk sector.

One drone was seen flying to reconnoiter Ukrainian army positions near Novoazovsk.

"The Ukrainian Armed Forces strictly comply with the Minsk agreements despite the provocations," the press center of the anti-terrorist operation staff said.
Despite the continuing global shipping crisis, Becker Marine Systems, producer of high-performance rudders and energy-saving solutions in the field of maneuvering technology, said it is appearing at SMM 2016 with a good order situation, announcing it has secured an order to equip some of the largest containerships in the world.

The worlds largest containerships are continuing to operate using full spade rudders from Becker Marine Systems. The Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding shipyard in China has ordered our Becker Twist Rudder with a rudder surface of 100 square meters for six 21,000 TEU containerships, report Dirk Lehmann and Henning Kuhlmann, both Managing Directors of Becker Marine Systems, at SMM, the leading international maritime trade fair being held in Hamburg from September 6-9.

In addition, other major orders have been placed for the Becker Performance Package, comprising a Becker Twist Rudder with Rudder Bulb and Becker Mewis Duct Twisted. One of these orders came from the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Korea for nine 14,000 TEU container ships. Furthermore, Becker Marine Systems was awarded an order to equip ten 2,800 TEU container ships from the Imabari Shipbuilding shipyard in Japan with the Becker Twist Rudder with Rudder Bulb.

The successful Becker Mewis Duct product is also experiencing a good order situation with an order from the New Times Shipbuilding shipyard in China to fit them on 14 of their 158,000 DWT Suezmax tankers. To extend the capabilities of the Becker Mewis Duct we are currently working on offering solutions for twin screw vessels, said Lehmann and Kuhlmann. The use of all Becker Mewis Ducts delivered to date have already lowered emissions of CO2 by more than 2.8 million metric tons worldwide.

At two separate stands at the Hamburg Messe exhibition center, Becker Marine Systems is exhibiting a successful interaction of economy and ecology. In addition to the Maneuvering Systems and Energy-Saving-Devices product lines, there is also the LNG Hybrid Concepts division. The company has also developed a number of offerings for the use of low emission Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Despite significant regulatory requirements, the operation of our LNG Hybrid Barge supplying power to cruise ships moored along the quay wall at the port of Hamburg is running smoothly and to our complete satisfaction, Lehmann reported.

During AIDAsols recent call to the port, the barge transferred approx. 35 MWh of power, Kuhlmann added. In addition, there is the LNG PowerPac, a specially-designed modular container system used to supply power to ships. It allows the alternative fuel to be used, for instance, directly on board container ships. This makes unnecessary the use of other technologies and construction work on infrastructure at ports which can frequently be quite costly.

Becker Marine Systems said the focus of its appearance at the trade fair is once again on products resulting in energy savings and an accompanying reduction in operating costs. A new innovation was exclusively presented at SMM: The low-cost, compact and easy-to-install on board Compact Battery Rack (COBRA) battery system is currently in the test phase and starting in summer 2017 can be delivered as an independent product or in combination with hybrid drives. Initial orders for passenger ferries, among others, have already been placed for this technology based on lithium-ion cells. Use in internal products such as the LNG PowerPac is also possible and being planned. We have successfully managed to transfer a tried and tested e-mobility application to the maritime world, Lehmann said.

Many of these innovative ideas have contributed toward the ship suppliers revenues having remained stable since the last SMM held two years ago, settling in at over 100 million Euros. Due to our strength and the force of innovation in our core business as well as continuous product development in the field of alternative fuels, we view the outlook for growth as continuing to remain stable despite a difficult overall market environment in the shipping industry, Kuhlmann said. Becker Marine Systems currently has approximately 250 employees worldwide and the Hamburg-based company recently opened an office in Kobe, Japan.
1775 - During the American Revolution, the British supply ship Unity is taken by the Continental schooner, Hannah, paid for by Army Gen. George Washington. It is the first prize taken by a Continental vessel.

1776 - David Bushnells submarine Turtle is used by Sgt. Erza Lee to attack HMS Eagle in New York Harbor. Lees efforts to attach a "torpedo" to the ship's hull are frustrated by copper-sheathing, marine growth, perhaps merely a hard spot in the hull, which prevents the drill from boring into the ship bottom and it drifts away.

1797 - USS Constellation, the second of the original six frigates, is launched. Notable service includes the battles between the French frigate, LInsurgente and Vengeance, during the Quasi-War with France; participation in the Barbary Wars where she helps capture the Algerian frigate, Mashuda in 1815; and service in the West Indies Squadron against piracy and slavery.

1825 - The frigate USS Brandywine receives the Marquis de Lafayette on board for return to France after his year-long tour of the United States. The name honors the battle where the Marquis was wounded while serving with the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

1945 - The Japanese surrender the Ryukyu Islands area at the U.S. Tenth Army Headquarters on Okinawa.

2013 - USS Minnesota (SSN 783) is commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk. The submarine, homeported at Groton, Conn., is the 10th of the Virginia-class submarines and the third Navy vessel to be named after the state of Minnesota.

(Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division)
Mont Hope Ship Management, a new and specialized company focusing on services for vessels engaged in energy segments, is implementing DNV GLs integrated software system ShipManager on the entire fleet in order to optimize operations and improve performance.



Efficient ship management requires integration

Mont Hope Ship Management is a new company, started in May 2015 and based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Concurrent with the start-up, they began the process of selecting a comprehensive fleet management software system to support efficient and safe operations, as well as to improve business performance.



The amount of resources needed to gather data from various sources can be challenging and inefficient. Lack of transparency makes it difficult to respond timely to critical maintenance needs, which can lead to unforeseen and costly downtime/off-hire. At first, twelve software solutions were in the running, a number that was eventually reduced to two, and finally to one: DNV GLs ShipManager. The system is running on 16 vessels, replacing many different legacy applications and Excel sheets.



I already knew ShipManager well through my network, says CEO in Mont Hope Ship Management, Captain Sanjay Tyagi. His background in shipping over more than 30 years includes a strong IT expertise, having also worked within fleet management software. ShipManager comes from DNV GL, and its a mature, proven system. One takes for granted that quality of product will be good, says Captain Tyagi.



The company can now benefit from the ability to work efficiently with a small IT team. Having an integrated system is beneficial for any shipping company, regardless of the size of the fleet. It reduces administrative work on ship and shore. It provides more reliable data. To that extent, I believe DNV GL provides the most integrated system on the market, he says.



Building system around software

Captain Tyagi points that as a completely new company, Mont Hope is building their fleet management services around the selected software. Mont Hope chose ShipManager independent of class. We are definitely performing better than the industry standard because of a good system that brings efficiency, he says. Mont Hopes software setup includes an integrated ShipManager suite, comprising ShipManager Technical, Procurement, QHSE, Crewing, Finance and Analyzer for BI / Fleet Analytics.



We are excited to be working with a new company specializing in the oil and gas and offshore market, says DNV GL - Software CEO, Are Fllesdal Tjnn. Our ShipManager fleet management software is a proven solution that gives our customers the competitive edge in a tough market, he says.
Smart sensor technology and the next level in integrated navigation system  this is what the German navigation system company Raytheon Anschutz showcases during SMM 2016 in Hall B6 at booth 304.



With Synapsis NX the Integrated Navigation System is advancing to the next level. Smart network architecture and innovative system modules not only dramatically reduce complexity, but also improve bridge system integration. This way ship owners receive their entrance ticket to Navigation 4.0. This is how Raytheon Anschutz marketing manager Martin Richter describes the next generation of INS at Raytheon Anschutz.



Intelligent network architecture enables access to virtually any PC and application from any workstation, without a limitation on the navigation system. Further Synapsis NX features new touch panels with versatile software, providing functions such as central alert management for the entire bridge and is designed to integrate user interfaces for further control systems. Finally, the integrated Synapsis service tool provides an overview about the entire system condition and configuration and allows fast failure analysis and optimized maintenance planning  at the console or remotely via a secure ship/shore connection.



Further, and as a world premiere, Raytheon Anschutz unveils the new Standard 30 MF  a maintenance-free gyro, which continues the renowned Standard series of Anschutz gyro compasses.



Standard 30 MF provides heading, rate-of-turn, roll and pitch information. Standard 30 MF is based on the innovative hemispherical resonator gyro (HRGs) technology. This makes the gyro extremely reliable with no wear and tear and no need for maintenance, with a lifetime performance and effectiveness which significantly outrun a fibre-optical gyro. Among its features, Standard 30 MF settles at rough-seas and provides heading output even if speed and latitude input fails. With Ethernet and CAN-bus interfaces, cabling efforts are minimized.



Together with the NautoScan NX network radar, Standard 30 MF represents Raytheon Anschutz next generation of smart sensors. The new sensors distinguish through less need for maintenance and data sharing via Ethernet  which significantly improves performance and system integration while reducing installation efforts and cost.




GEs Marine Solutions is showcasing its latest technologies and offerings to date at SMM 2016.



Staggering oil prices, strict environment regulations and volatile economic conditions are among the key factors that add uncertainty to the marine industry. Calling for industry-wide collaboration, GE is taking up the challenge to build more cost-efficient vessels through close partnership with industry leaders.

Recent partnerships include:

GE and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. Ltd. have received approval in principle (AiP) for their jointly developed 20K TEU container ship design to be powered by a GE Combined Gas Turbine Electric and Steam (COGES) system. The container ship design also will allow for increased container carrying capability, lower life cycle cost, better environmental performance and a high level of reliability. The basis of the COGES system is GEs dual-fuel gas turbine, which can meet increasingly stringent worldwide environmental regulations while reducing operating expenses.

Separately, GE and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding announced an AiP received from the America Bureau of Shipping for a jointly developed liquefied natural gas carrier design, also to be powered by a GE COGES system. This 178,000 cubic-meter LNG carrier design will offer many benefits including additional room for cargo.

Zentech and GE signed the long-term cooperation agreement, combining Zentechs design expertise and GEs smart engineering, to build vessels of the future. The collaboration is already in practice, as GE is set to deliver technological solutions for Zentechs Z-210, which is currently under construction at CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company Limited in China.

National Oilwell Varco, Inc. (NOV) and GE recently announced the collaboration on delivering integrated solutions for floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, combining two industry leaders complementary product offerings and engineering capabilities to optimize engineering design and solutions for FPSO projects.

Basto Fosen reports smooth sailing for the first IMO Tier III-compliant EGR marine engine. Espen Losoa, technical manager for Norwegian ferry operator Basto-Fosen praised GE: We are pleased with the performance of the GE 16V250 engine and report smooth sailing with considerably less vibrations for Basto I as the first in-service IMO Tier III certified GEs marine engine. Commissioned in April 2016, besides absolutely no visible exhaust smoke under all load profiles, data from the Basto I ferry show significant savings on fuel and lube oil.

Working with Yue On Shipping, Ltd., Offshore Oil Engineering Company, Ltd (COOEC), GE will deploy the first IMO Tier III certified medium diesel engine in China for its special multipurpose vessel to be built at Yuangpu Wenchong Shipyard.

Tim Schweikert, president and CEO, GEs Marine Solutions said, Industry-wide collaboration is what we strive for. Our work with customers demonstrates that the future calls for closer collaboration between all industry leaders and stakeholders. Delivering greener and more cost-effective ships is paramount to our continued success, and we will continue to achieve this goal together with our partners.



GEs latest marine technology will also be showcased:
State oil giant Saudi Aramco has extended bidding for dredging and reclamation work at its marine terminal in Ras al-Khair by almost one month, industry sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

The extension, pushing out the submission date to Sept. 29 from Aug. 31, was given after potential bidders asked for more time to prepare offers, the sources said.

However, some bidders are expected to ask Aramco for several more weeks after the company requested this week additional content be included in submissions, one of the sources added on condition of anonymity.

The project is the first phase of a huge ship repair and shipbuilding complex in the east of the country seen as key in the kingdom's economic transformation plan.

Nine bidders are planning to participate including Boskalis , Hyundai Engineering & Construction, and Jan de Nul, among others.

Saudi Aramco said it did not comment on rumour or speculation, while Boskalis declined to comment and Jan de Nul did not comment. A spokeswoman for Hyundai E&C said the company planned to enter the next round of bids.

The project at the eastern Saudi port of Ras al-Khair will be operated by a joint venture between Aramco, the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), United Arab Emirates-based Lamprell and South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Two sources said the infrastructure would be developed by Aramco before the project as a whole was handed over to the joint venture.

Saudi Aramco has said it expects the complex, which is projected to create 80,000 jobs and allow Saudi Arabia to reduce its imports by $12 billion as well as increase gross domestic product by $17 billion, will be fully operational by 2021.

Under a sweeping economic reform programme announced recently, Aramco is to play a big role in developing industrial projects as Saudi Arabia tries to diversify its economy beyond reliance on oil exports.

(Reporting by Reem Shamseddine, additional reporting by Joyce Lee, Phil Blenkinsop, Anthony Deutsch)
Maersk Line has opened a new transpacific service between Asia and the United States West Coast.

The first sailing is scheduled for September 15.

"We are responding to increased demand in the Transpacific," says Klaus Rud Sejling, Head of Maersk Line's East-West Network.

The service will be calling Yantian, Shanghai, Busan and Los Angeles/Long Beach.

It will have six vessels with a capacity of 4,000 TEU per week deployed. The service will be part of the 2M network.



(Reporting by Annabella Pultz Nielsen)
Despite Downturn, Silver Market Looks Positive

Technical analyst Clive Maund charts the recent downturn in silver, but also sees reason to be optimistic about the market going forward.

Silver has reacted back as predicted in the last update about a month ago. On its 9-month chart, above, we can see that it broke down from an intermediate top, as expected, back toward the important support shown. But on Friday it had a good rally, which suggests that it may not drop that far, and could turn up again here.

Overall this is a positive-looking chart and the main question is which uptrend channel it adheres to. As we can see, there has been a significant price/time correction since early July that has served to completely unwind the earlier overbought condition, so Friday's turnaround could mark the beginning of the next up-leg. Even if it should head lower again soon, it is thought unlikely that it will drop below the support at and below $18.00, especially as it is underpinned by an important channel support line. Should it drop that low, silver would look most attractive.

The long-term, 10-year arithmetic chart gives us a much broader perspective. This is actually a very positive chart overall, for as we can see silver's bear market phase from 2011 has definitely ended. However, it has risen quite sharply in recent months to arrive at a zone of significant resistance, so the current reaction is quite normal and should set it up to break above this resistance and continue higher.

The silver optix, (optimism) readings have eased significantly from high levels that made further gains difficult. The current readings at about 56% make renewed advance much more possible.



Chart courtesy of www.sentimentrader.com

COTs and Hedgers positions continue to run at a high level and be a cause for concern, although they have eased a little in recent weeks. Such readings usually, but not always, lead to a substantial drop, so we should keep this in mind. On rare occasions they stay high as the uptrend continues. Therefore current readings won't necessarily prevent a rally here, but can be expected to act as a restraining influence especially if they get even more extreme.



Chart courtesy of www.sentimentrader.com

Clive Maund has been president of www.clivemaund.com, a successful resource sector website, since its inception in 2003. He has 30 years' experience in technical analysis and has worked for banks, commodity brokers and stockbrokers in the City of London. He holds a Diploma in Technical Analysis from the UK Society of Technical Analysts.

Disclosures:

1) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of Clive Maund and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. Clive Maund is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. Streetwise Reports was not involved in any aspect of the content preparation or editing so the author could speak independently about the sector. Clive Maund was not paid by Streetwise Reports LLC for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article.

2) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

3) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise during the up-to-four-week interval from the time of the interview/article until after it publishes.

Charts provided by Clive Maund

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Islam -- the Clash of Faith and Ideology and Total Disintegration

Never in its entire history, had Islam faced such a grave situation of the unending clash between the Faith and the Ideology as has been fermenting all over the Islamic world. For over 80% of the world Muslims, Islam is still Peace and a Religion. But highly powerful and pervading factions of the elite Muslims redefines Islam as an Ideology and Political or Economic System rather than mere peace or faith or religion. However, the world has not yet fully grasped the intensity of the clashes that are capable of disintegrating Islam as a religion and their impacts on the Global Peace and Development.

Based on the Five Pillars version, Islam is a religion of peace without any room for war, terror and violence. Had Islam been confined only with daily Five-time Prayers, Special Friday Prayers, Ramadan Fasting, Haj Pilgrimage and Zakat, besides its One God and the Last Prophet, it would have been one of the most peaceful religions on the earth. But over and above the conventional definition of Islam as peace or religion, a new definition of Islam as an Ideology and a political or economic system has been getting recognized.

The Hegemony

However, for the hegemony of the heavily funded and resourceful ISIS, Islamic Research Institutes and firebrand Islamic Preachers, over the Islamic world, Islam has emerged as an Ideology and a political and economic system. They have been working hard to bring back the age of the earlier Islamic Caliphate through war and terror as described in the Quran. As a result, a good number of the world Muslims and the rest of the world are getting realized that Islam is a brutal, revengeful, political, social and military system built up on war, crime and terror, more dreaded than the deadly Fascist or Communist Regimes and Dictatorships.

Demystification of Islam

Islam from its very beginning has been full of mystery as nobody could grasp the true meaning of Quran and Hadiths though many could learn them by heart and reproduce them without knowing the real meaning. Quran learning has been limited to learning some portions of it by heart, reproducing them and understanding their interpretations given by the popular teachers or preachers, masking the messages of war, terror and crimes.

Those who are well versed with the contents of the entire Quran, including non-Muslim scholars, have de-mystified Islam as an ideology based political and economic system, quite different from the peace image that highlights the Five-Pillars of Islam in the Quran classes world over. Consequently, educated and professionally qualified young Muslims are getting attracted towards the basic ideologies of Islam rather than the Five-Pillars of Islam as the true meaning of Quran.

Islamic Ideologies

The ideological foundations of Islam consist of : i) the theory of permanent class war, the wars of Muslims as a class against the rest of the world, especially the Jews and Christians and the dictatorship of the Islamic theologians; ii) coldblooded terror and murder of anybody branding as the enemy or infidel of Allah for establishing the Islamic Caliphate; iii) destruction of all other social or political or economic system as anti-Islamic so as to establish the Islamic System or Caliphate as the commandment of Allah; iv) each and every true Muslim must submit totally to Allah and fight till death against the infidels and enemies of Allah and v) the material and sensual pleasures are awaiting for the Islamic fighters and martyrs of Allah in the Paradise.



A modified version of the Islamic ideologies can be found in Adolf Hitlers Meain Kampf in the German and Aryan context. Both Quran and Meain Kampf describe how a small but highly committed and motivated force can conquer a large force or people and enslave them and how to establish absolute dictatorship and regiment the whole society. While attacking Christianity, Hitler glorified Islam as the most suitable religion for absolute dictatorship, keeping most of the people obedient serfs and soldiers. Even the Marxian theories of the class war, the dictatorship, withering of the state and the dialectical materialism can be found their root in Islam.

Marketing the Defense Industry

Globally funded Islamic research institutes, corporations, firebrand Islamic preachers and academics realized the strategic value of the Islamic Ideologies in bringing and sustaining war or terror so as to create ever growing new markets for the latest defense products all over the world. It has become a rule that every Islamic Terror attack is followed by multi-billion dollar defense orders by the respective countries, including the Arab or Muslim countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Pakistan and Indonesia.

It has been proved that using the latest techniques of brainwashing and terror research, coupled with big funding, radical Islamic preachers and simple-minded Muslim youth can be used for setting up Islamic Terror Organizations and turning any Muslim young man or woman into hardcore terrorist and suicide bomber. It is also easy in attracting sadistic, pleasure-seeking and money hungry non-Muslim youths who are usually converted by firebrand Islamic preachers as big events proclaiming the victory of Islam and later recruited to Islamic terrorism. Even in India several such incidents have been reported.

Islamophobia and Deserting Islam

The redefinition of Islam as an ideology and a system based on war and terror and its ability to attract hardcore criminals into its fold besides turning the innocent Muslim youth into dreaded terrorists and suicide bombers quoting Quran, virtually shocked the entire world, including millions of peace-loving Muslims. However, contradicting the core elements, there are some peripheral themes in the Quran and Hadiths that glorify Jesus and Mother Mary besides, advocate peace and coexistence with Jews and Christians that are totally rejected by the Islamic fundamentalism.



Islam, as redefined by ISIS or firebrand Islamic Preachers as an ideology and a political or economic system, has been emerging more dreadful than the fascist or communist regimes and dictatorships without any element of religion, humanism and spirituality. Muslims too are the victims of Islamic terrorism even in Muslim countries. The very basis of Islamophobia and deserting thousands of Muslims from Islam all over the world is the Islamic Ideology rather than Islamic Faith. That is why; Donald Trump mobilizes so much support world over, though criticized from many corners, and Angela Merkel of Germany becomes so much unpopular even in her own locality. Even the sympathizers of Islam as a Faith too are the victims of Islamophobia, shocking the common Muslims.



No More Peace Image

A situation has emerged in which nobody can bring back the Peace image of Islam projecting its Five Pillars when the dreadful Islamic ideologies are superimposed. Without burying down the basic sensibility, nobody can be a fighter to kill the enemies and infidels of Allah as how can the human beings, including Jews and Christians, be the enemy or infidels of the Mighty Allah, the creator of everything? Does Allah need Muslims to fight against Non-Muslims and save Him from them and their enmity so that they can enjoy all the pleasures of Paradise after death? These are the basic questions that every sensible Muslim is asking himself or herself.



Consequently, the option for a Muslim in the twenty first century is limited to either support Islamic Ideology of War and Terror or desert Islam at any cost as nobody can bury down the dreadful Islamic Ideologies. That is the reason why; globally the number of ex-Muslims, including women, has been growing exponentially. Islamic Ideologies and Systems have become one of the greatest great threats to the Global Peace and Development, an issue not properly addressed by the UN and the international community.



Crisis of faith has been spreading across the entire Islamic world. However, some of the Muslim countries like the UAE, Oman, Egypt and Bahrain, while rejecting the Islamic Ideologies and upholding the Islamic Faith, are trying hard to bring out reforms and renaissances in Islam as the last effort to save Islam, though resisted by the Muslim Fundamentalists. Islamic Faith has been eroding while Islamic Ideologies have been superimposing over the Muslim world, silencing the Peace-loving Muslim believers and denouncing their Islamic Faith, resulting in the total disintegration of Islam into thousands of small warring factions and criminal gangs within a short span of time. The greatest looser is of course the Muslims the world over.

My recent writings on these topics appeared in the Market Oracle (UK) can be found with the help of the following link: http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/UserInfo-Dr_R_M_Mathew.html

Prof. (Dr.) Raju M. Mathew

 2016 Copyright Dr. Raju M. Mathew - All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry believes that after Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Ilmi Umerov was freed from a mental hospital in Simferopol, all illegal charges against him should be dropped.

"The international pressure and actions in support of Ilmi have worked. Now it is important to remove all the illegal charges from Umerov," the press secretary for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Mariana Betsa, wrote on her Twitter page.

Earlier, journalist Ibrahim Umerov on his page in Facebook reported Ilmi Umerov's release from a psychiatric hospital, where he has been illegally and forcibly held for three weeks.

As reported, on May 13, 2016, the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea opened criminal proceedings under Article 146, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal deprivation of liberty or kidnapping) and Article 162, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the inviolability of property). He is accused of calling for public action to change the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation.

On August 11, in Simferopol, the court granted the petition of the FSB investigator on Umerov's forensic psychiatric examination.

The EU has called on the occupational authorities of Crimea to free Umerov.
A Ukrainian army serviceman was injured in the anti-terrorist operation zone in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, Ukrainian Presidential Administration spokesman Andriy Lysenko said.

"No one was killed in the hostilities in the past 24 hours, yet one serviceman suffered injuries," he said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.
MARTINSVILLE  Encouraging impact through action, Chick-fil-As Leader Academy strives to improve the nation through student-led community projects. Approximately 300 communities across the United States will participate in the program this school year, including all four of the area high schools: Bassett, Carlisle, Magna Vista and Martinsville.

Teaming with Chick-fil-A, Inc. and ADDO, a service and leadership development organization, local Chick-fil-A franchise owner, Danny Wulff, sponsored the Martinsville-Henry County branch of the program. By meeting once a month over a seven month period with a teacher who serves as a facilitator, students learn basic leadership principles like servant leadership, teamwork and communication.

Throughout the year, groups of up to 30 students will host three events  two service projects and one large impact project. Since the students develop missions based on the needs of their community, each location will likely serve a different purpose.

While all students are encouraged to apply for the program, individual schools make the final selection.

Oftentimes its not the best students, Wulff said. Its the ones that teachers select who they think will have the biggest impact.

The initiative, while currently starting, has been in the works for a while.

Danny reached out to me last year about the possibility of having CFA Leadership Academy in our schools. The leadership model they promote is one of service to others, which fits well with our commitment to make sure our students graduate college, career and citizenship ready, Monica Hatchett, Henry County Public Schools Director of Communications and Organizational Learning, said. We believe that service to the community is an important aspect of learning and are excited to have a group of students from each high school participate this year.

Sarah Byrd, Martinsville City Public Schools Director of Communications and Community Outreach, also spoke positively about the leadership academy.

Martinsville City Public Schools strives to give our students opportunities to practice skills that will prepare them to be college and career ready. The Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy offers our students a chance to participate in activities to develop their personal leadership skills and contribute to their community through participation in a culminating community service project. Our current students are the future of this community, Byrd said. Student participation in this program also supports the goals of the Profile of a Virginia Graduate that is currently being developed by the Virginia Department of Education.

In partnership, Wulff looked forward to granting area students opportunities through the academy.

Most things we do, its a long term impact thing. Its not going to change the community tomorrow, but it will have a lasting impact, Wulff said. I think its what we do here at Chick-fil-A.

Facilitators, who volunteer a minimum of an hour and a half of their time each month, also looked forward to impacting the community.

Nicole Kendall, Bassett High School Chick-fil-A Leader Academy facilitator said, I believe that a quality essential to success is leadership, which is why Im so excited to be incorporating the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy into my class for 2016-2017 school year. Im also eager for these students to take part in giving back to the community and witness the change and positivity that results from those types of projects. Im so grateful for the opportunity to facilitate and take part in this academy.

The application process closes at the end of the week. For more information, interested students can visit .

Amie Pickeral reports for the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached at amie.pickeral@martinsvillebulletin.com
MARTINSVILLEAn average Indian dinner may take at least an hour and a half to prepare every day, but its worth it for Chhaya Suthar and her family.

Suthar and her husband, Paresh, have three daughters, Shivani, 6, and twins Shreya and Sanvi, 2 . They attend school and preschool at Carlisle School.

Suthar is from Gujarat, India. The couple married in 2001 and came to the United States in 2002.

Life in Martinsville is much more isolated than in her home village. Growing up, she lived in a small town where it was convenient to walk, rather than dependent upon driving. It was common to have regular visits with neighbors and extended family. Back there, with others you can talk anytime. Here, I was quiet in the house, she said.

However, in Martinsville she appreciates the friendliness and politeness of people. Even if you do not know the people, still they give you smiles, she said.

When she moved here, she had to get standard ingredients for Indian meals at Indian stores in Charlotte, North Carolina, or New Jersey. Now there are many more around, so she can fill her shopping list easily in Roanoke or Greensboro, North Carolina, she said.

The Suthar family members are vegetarian. Lentils, chickpeas or pigeon peas and rice are some of their basic ingredients. They also often eat vegetables, particularly a narrow and long type of eggplant, bitter gourd, cauliflower, potatoes and okra.

Basic spices and herbs she uses include turmeric, red chili, cumin, coriander seed, a spice mix called garam masala, curry leaves and cilantro. Many foods are cooked with sauces which have a base of ginger, garlic and onions.

They eat an unleavened flat bread called roti, and papad, which is a thin, crisp round food made from seasoned dough.

Poha, flattened rice, is the basis for many common breakfasts. Also for breakfast might be puffed rice roasted with seasonings.

A Guarat-style lunch is a complete, heavy meal. Supper is lighter.

Common drinks are lassi, a blend of yogurt, water, spices and sometimes fruit; nimbu pani, a lemonade with seasoning; and jaljeera, a drink with spices including cumin, ginger, pepper and mint.

She still mostly cooks traditional Indian food. That is particularly important for her parents, who live with the couple. Older people stick more with their traditional food, she said.

Suthars cooking style is typical of her home state. Indian food varies by region, she said, and each state has particular styles of cooking.

Most daily meals take about 90 minutes to prepare, she said, but if its just one curry and rice, it wont be longer than one hour.

On the occasion the family goes out for dinner, she likes Mexican or Italian restaurants, she said.

Suthar speaks three languages: English, Hindi and Gujarati. In India, she taught eighth- and ninth-graders Hindi and Sanskrit, the mother language of Hindi and Gujarati. She also taught science and math to grades 8, 9 and 10.

In Virginia, she worked as a pharmacy technician before she had children. She and her husband have a hotel in Danville and other businesses.

Suthar will share the cooking of her native state Friday night at Piedmont Arts Savory September event. With Preeti Sameera Batchala and Neena Suthar, she will cook and serve idii, sambhar and coconut chutney, gulab jamun with saffron and cardamon-flavored ice cream, chakli and puri.

Savory September will be held from 7-10 p.m. Several other people also are preparing food for the event. Tickets cost $25 and are available at the museum.

Suthars friend Gayatri Titus is the chair of the event. Titus said the event gives women an opportunity to share their expertise and the food from their culture.

Indian women  we cook a lot of food at home, Titus added. Its just taken as part of life. Some of our identities become lost when we become homemakers, and to share their cooking reinforces the importance of what they do. Food is such a spiritual experience when you share it.

Indian food, usually made from scratch, is one of the most time-consuming cuisines in the world, Titus said. India is so diverse: We have 29 states and every state has their own cuisine typical of that state.

Holly Kozelsky reports for the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached at holly.kozelsky@martinsvillebulletin.com.
In about two months, several candidates will be presenting themselves to you and me to fill offices all across this land. I think one of the most important duties local candidates will have to fulfill is caring for the budgets of the organizations they are hoping to serve.

I will have to make a choice of who to vote for based on mostly their word or promise of what they will do to serve me and the other citizens of the community. Very little of what they will tell us is verifiable and even it mostly will be meaningless.

The biggest question for me is how well will they manage the business of the office they seek? About the only way I can think of to give the voter any idea of their fiscal responsibility is show us their past fiscal history.

If they would like to receive my vote, I urge them to publish their FICA credit score. It is free to obtain along with their complete credit history. It is also easy enough for it to be certified by a notary public as well. So if you want me to consider voting for you please have your copy of the reports with you when you drop by my house to drop off that election brochure.

I hope my fellow citizens and voters will insist on at least this form of prima facia evidence that you are worthy of receiving our votes.

Heaven knows there is little if any accountability at the national level in government but we have only ourselves to blame if we let it happen here locally.

Phil Sparks

Martinsville
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Westfield Bank danted money for improvements to Westfield High School, including this sign. See here from left to right, Jim Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank; Charles Jendrysik, principal of Westfield High School; Stefan Czaporowski, superintendent of schools,and Ron Rix, director of technology and business services at Westfield Public Schools.

(Photo Provided)

WESTFIELD --Westfield Bank recently partnered with the city and Westfield schools to make some exterior improvements to Westfield High School.

Included in those upgrades was the installation of a brand-new interactive sign in front of Westfield High. The new sign will allow the school to create customized messages and promote upcoming events like musical performances, plays, and sports.

"We're pleased to be able to work with local cities, towns, and school districts to help them facilitate much-needed repairs and improvements," said James C. Hagan, President and CEO of Westfield Bank. "School districts have very tight operating budgets, so it's important for local businesses to step up and lend their support. Being a good community partner is very important to us."

Westfield Bank is federally chartered stock savings bank founded in 1853. It has thirteen full-service offices in Agawam, East Longmeadow, Feeding Hills, Holyoke, Southwick, Springfield and West Springfield, Massachusetts; and Enfield and Granby, Connecticut.
An OSCE vehicle was set on fire in the center of Ivano-Frankivsk, the Ukrainian police department in the Ivano-Frankivsk region said, adding that a criminal inquiry had begun.

"A Nissan Patrol caught fire in the center of Ivano-Frankivsk at around 11 p.m. on September 6. Investigators came to the location in order to examine causes and circumstances of the fire in the vehicle belonging to the OSCE. [...] The police established that it was arson," the report said.

A pretrial inquiry was launched on counts of 'premeditated property destruction or damage by arson'. Culprits are facing from three to ten years in jail.

"Police are working to identify and detain an individual involved in this offense," the police said.
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One of Eric Carle's collages from the 1992 edition of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," written by Bill Martin Jr., that is included in the exhibit, "Brown Bear Turns 50," that opens Sept. 13 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. (c) Eric Carle all rights reserved (413) 586-2046

AMHERST  There is a 50-year-old brown bear on the loose, along with an assortment of other animal life, and you are encourage to find it, and observe all of it up close.

As part of its "Brown Bear Turns 50" exhibit, which opens Sept. 13 and continues through March 19, 2017, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has 14 framed and labeled reproductions from the book, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" It's the book that changed Eric Carle's career direction five decades ago and the museum has placed the reproductions at locations around town through Oct. 9.

Ellen Keiter, chief curator at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, will talk about the exhibit "Brown Bear Turns 50" during a members' program on Sept. 17.

"The purpose of our pop-up exhibition is to engage with audiences outside the traditional museum setting. Our intent was to locate art in unexpected places, places people pass by every day. Other major institutions have successfully implemented this exhibition model, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Delaware Art Museum," said Ellen Keiter, the museum's chief curator. of the outdoor exhibit whose venues include Amherst Commons, the Black Sheep Deli and the Norwottuck Rail Trail, among others.

One of Eric Carle's collages from the 1992 edition of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," written by Bill Martin Jr., that is included in the exhibit, "Brown Bear Turns 50," that opens Sept. 13 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. (c) 1992 by Eric Carle

The "Brown Bear" book , written by the late Bill Martin Jr., was the first children's picture book illustrated by Eric Carle.

As Keiter notes, "Carle never planned on a career in children's books," but the invitation from Martin "propelled Carle from an advertising executive to one of the most acclaimed and beloved illustrators of our time."

One of Eric Carle's collages from the 1992 edition of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," written by Bill Martin Jr., that is included in the exhibit, "Brown Bear Turns 50," that opens Sept. 13 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. (c) 1992 by Eric Carle

Carle, who has donated a collage of a brown bear for the museum's annual online Carle Honors Art Auction in conjunction with its New York benefit gala, is scheduled to be present at the museum for a members' celebration on Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event includes gallery talks at 11 a.m. and noon by Keiter as well as a 2 p.m. talk by publisher Laura Godwin of Henry Holt Books for Young Readers.

Reservations for the members' event, which does not include a book signing, must be made by Sept. 12 at info@carlemuseum.org or (413) 559-6301.

The museum has created a special web page for teachers, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group is releasing the "Brown Bear & Friends" books in a number of new editions and formats.

One of Eric Carle's collages from the 1992 edition of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," written by Bill Martin Jr., that is included in the exhibit, "Brown Bear Turns 50," that opens Sept. 13 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. (c) 1992 by Eric Carle

From Sept. 14 through Oct. 18, as part of the Every Day Art Program, visitors can make their own paper collages in the style of Carle.

"Brown Bear" was published in 1967. A year later, Carle wrote and illustrated "1, 2, 3 to the Zoo." Two years later, he wrote and illustrated his "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" that has been published in 62 different languages and sold more than 41 million copies worldwide. He and his late wife opened the 40,000-square-foot Carle museum in 2002.

One of Eric Carle's collages from the 1992 edition of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," written by Bill Martin Jr., that is included in the exhibit, "Brown Bear Turns 50," that opens Sept. 13 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. (c) 1992 by Eric Carle

"Brown Bear" has sold more than 16 million copies, and been translated into 31 languages. Two collages survive from the 1967 edition and are in the exhibit. Carle re-illustrated editions in 1970, 1984, and 1992, and the exhibit includes originals from every page of the book.

The exhibit also includes collages from the three additional related books he did with Martin: "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" (1991), "Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?" (2003), and "Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?" (2007).

Carle, whose illustrations are collages created from tissue paper and acrylics, was working as an art director for a Madison Avenue advertising agency when Martin saw such a Carle illustration of a lobster as an example of a shell fish allergy for an anti-histamine product. Martin, who worked as a text book editor for Holt, Rinehart & Winston in New York, asked Carle to do the pictures for his "Brown Bear Book."



Artist Eric Carle at the 2011 unveiling of the bronze sculpture by Leo Lionni called "Imaginary Garden" at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. His iconic Hungry Caterpillar is in the background.

In a video that can be viewed on the museum's website, Carle can be heard reading the book and saying he found it "very inspirational " and that the "heartbeat" of its "simple," rhythmic" text "turned me on."

"Carle liked the simplicity of Martin's text for 'Brown Bear,' 'a single idea over 32 pages.' Martin claimed he always 'wrote' a book's rhythm first and added the words after," said Keiter of the collaboration.

"I think Brown Bear had an immediate appeal to children and adults alike thanks to the perfect marriage of Martin's rhythmic call-and-response text with Carle's bold graphics and colorful parade of animals."

She added that in her gallery talks she will "discuss the history of 'Brown Bear' and how the book set the stage for Carle's career in children's literature."

One of Eric Carle's collages from the 1992 edition of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," written by Bill Martin Jr., that is included in the exhibit, "Brown Bear Turns 50," that opens Sept. 13 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. (c) 1992 by Eric Carle

"I will trace the evolution of his art and how his collage technique and style changed with subsequent editions. For example, until the mid-1980s, Carle used commercially dyed tissue papers for his collage illustrations, resulting in unmodulated colors. Over time he noticed the papers faded, the effect of which can be observed in earlier pieces such as Purple Cat from 1983. In comparison, Carle's 1992 Purple Cat, constructed with his vivid hand-painted acrylic tissue papers, has richer color variations, texture, and depth."

Keiter added, "While all of the artwork on display is executed in collage, Carle does incorporate hand drawn and painted elements as well."

"He used black crayon to add dimension to his characters, especially on the earlier pieces constructed with store-bought tissue papers. All of his artwork from the 1992 edition of 'Brown Bear' is made with Carle's hand-painted tissue papers, resulting in richer color variations and textures," Keiter said.

Keiter said she felt the popularity of "Brown Bear" has helped make its characters "such as Yellow Duck and Blue Horse" enter "the collective consciousness" and look familar.

"Carle's work has a universal appeal to readers of all ages. It is large, colorful, and presented simply on white backgrounds," Keiter said.

"I hope visitors enjoy seeing Carle's original artwork; the subtleties of color and texture do not translate in reproduction. The exhibition also presents an opportunity to examine Carle's style and how it has evolved over time. Only two of Carle's original collages exist from the first 1967 edition -- the Goldfish and the Brown Bear, both of which are on display. The museum recently restored Brown Bear and it is on view for the first time."

One of Eric Carle's collages from the 1992 edition of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," written by Bill Martin Jr., that is included in the exhibit, "Brown Bear Turns 50," that opens Sept. 13 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. (c) 1992 by Eric Carle

She also noted the Blue Horse in "Brown Bear" as well as a Blue Horse being the subject of one of Carle's more recent books, several decades later. The artist has said he has no one favorite color, but loves all color.

"Martin's blue horse was not a preposterous proposition for Carle, who often favors expressionism over realism in his work. He says, 'There isn't any wrong color. . . In art, you're supposed to be free!'," said Keiter quoting the writer-illustrator.

"Carle also featured the fanciful animal in his book, 'The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse' in 2011. The book is an homage to Franz Marc (1880-1916), a German artist who painted animals and landscapes in bright and unusual colors. Marc is particularly famous for his magnificent blue horses. "

One of Eric Carle's collages from the 1992 edition of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," written by Bill Martin Jr., that is included in the exhibit, "Brown Bear Turns 50," that opens Sept. 13 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. (c) 1992 by Eric Carle

Martin, who was born in Kansas in 1916 and died in 2004 at the age of 88, wrote "Brown Bear" in 33 minutes on a Long Island commuter train. Its fans have extended to the White House as it is said to be a favorite of Michelle Obama and there are photos of the first lady on the internet reading it to children at St. Mary's Center in Washington DC. in February 2009.

Martin did not learn to read until he entered college, and then went on to get a master's degree and a doctoral degree in early childhood education from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He said he was drawn to literature whose "text voice" he could hear.

Keiter noted both the fun and educational dimension of picture books.

"While Carle's stories are charming, they're layered with learning too. As children read his books about animals, families, and fables, they also learn their colors, numbers, and letters. Carle makes learning accessible and fun -- and in the process, he invites children to fall in love with books," said Keiter of Carle who has illustrated more than 70 books, most of which he also wrote. More than 132 million copies of his books have been sold.

Keiter labelled as "equally important" to the exhibit "what our guests bring to the exhibition -- their personal memories and nostalgia."

"Perhaps they remember reading the book to their children, or having the book read to them as a child. It's wonderful when visitors can share those recollections with us." she said.
Tom Hanks stars as airline pilot Chesley Sullenberger in "Sully."

(Warner Bros. photo)

FAMILY FOCUS

"Finding Dory" (PG)

"Ice Age: Collision Course" (PG)

"Kubo and the Two Strings" (PG)

"Nine Lives" (PG)

"Pete's Dragon" (PG)

"The Secret Life of Pets" (PG)

BAD MOMS - THREE STARS - (R) Although it's directed and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, scripters of "The Hangover" trilogy, "Bad Moms" sidesteps visual grossouts for an endearingly unkempt tossing-together of verbal raunch and sincere sentiment. Paul Feig's "Bridesmaids" executed the funny-feminist angles with more originality and depth of character, but "Bad Moms" delivers here and now with big laughs and a goofy, vibrant spirit. (101 min.)



BEN HUR - ONE AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) The Hollywood classic about betray, revenge and redemption gets an unneeded makeover starring Jack Huston and Morgan Freeman. Skip it and seek out the 1950 Oscar-winner with Charlton Heston. (124 min.)

DON'T BREATHE - THREE STARS - (R) A trio of reckless thieves breaks into the house of a wealthy blind man, thinking they'll get away with the perfect heist. They're wrong in what turns out to be a deadly cat and mouse game. (88 min.)

FINDING DORY - THREE AND A HALF STARS - (PG) In a sequel to the 2003 hit "Finding Nemo," Nemo's absent-minded friend Dory goes off on her own mission, to find the parents she was separated from years ago. (109 min.)

GHOSTBUSTERS - THREE STARS - (PG-13) The easy, electric chemistry of the four leads in Paul Feig's "Ghostbusters" acts like a firewall against the supernatural in this spirited reboot of the 1984 original. The film boats the best comic actor of the decade, Melissa McCarthy, the klutzy wit of Kristen Wiig, "SNL" standout Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones, the film's secret weapon. (116 min.)

HANDS OF STONE - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) Robert De Niro plays trainer Ray Arcel in this Roberto Duran (Edgar Ramirez) biopic. It follows the Panamanian fighter who made his professional debut in 1968 as a 16 year-old and retired in 2002 at the age of 50. (105 min.)

HELL OR HIGH WATER - FOUR STARS - (PG-13) Brothers Toby (Chris Pine), and Tanner (Ben Foster), come together after years divided to rob branches of the bank threatening to foreclose on their family land. (102 min.)

ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE - ONE STAR - (PG) The fifth installment in the 14-year-long saga of animated prehistoric animals, will, with any luck, also be the last. Lazy, scattershot and excruciatingly unfunny, the movie is a hazard to the very young, who might come away with the erroneous impression that movies don't get any better than this. (94 min.)

JASON BOURNE - TWO STARS - (PG-13) Now fully recovered from his amnesia, a semi-retired Jason Bourne (Matt Damopn) is back in action in a simplistic, but acceptable action thriller. (123 min.)

THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS - ONE STAR - (PG-13) Dreary soap opera about fate, love, moral dilemmas and the lengths to which one couple will go to see their dreams realized. A top cast, including Michael Fassbender and Rachel Weisz, cannot save this film. (100 min.)

MORGAN - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (R) A corporate troubleshooter (Kate Mara) is sent to a remote, top-secret location, where she is to investigate and evaluate a terrifying accident. She learns the event was triggered by a seemingly innocent "human," who presents a mystery of both infinite promise and incalculable danger. (92 min.)

PETE'S DRAGON - THREE STARS - (PG) State-of-the-art CGI replaces old school animation in this remake of the Disney favorite about an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon.Starring Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford. (90 min.)

SAUSAGE PARTY - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (R) Raunchy animated comedy from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg about food fighting back before it is eaten by humans. With sexual hunmor and drug use, it is definitely not a cartoon meant for youngsters. (89 min.)

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS - THREE STARS - (PG) Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart lend their voices to this animated comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day. (90 min.)

STAR TREK BEYOND - THREE AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) The film finds a bored Enterprise finishing up a five-year tour in deep space when the Enterprise, led by Captain Kirk (Chris Pine, looking more natural in the role), is lured through a nebula where a would-be rescue mission turns into a trap set by the villain Krall. (122 min.)

SUICIDE SQUAD - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) Director David Ayer (Fury) takes the helm for this Warner Bros. production adapted from the DC Comics series about a group of super-villains who are given a shot at redemption by embarking on a heroic mission that will most likely mean the death of them all. Will Smith and Margot Robbie star. (101 min.)

SULLY - THREE STARS - (PG-13) From director Clint Eastwood comes a portrait of airline pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who successfully completed an emergency landing of an Airbus A320 full of passengers on the Hudson River. Tom Hanks stars as the veteran pilot. (96 min.)
Matt Bomer

Matt Bomer attends the onePULSE Foundation Benefit for Orlando at NeueHouse Hollywood on Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

"American Horror Story" actor Matt Bomer has been cast as a transgender female sex worker in

Anything

. Many in the trans community are upset with the choice -- cisgender men are so frequently cast as trans women, whereas trans actors are almost never cast in

roles. Why not cast a trans actor as a trans character? Hollywood is infamous for casting white actors as people of color -- is casting a cis man in a trans role just "

" (another form of blackface)? Or is Bomer simply fulfilling the job of an actor in portraying a fictional character?

Vote below!

PERSPECTIVES

Many argue that the job of actors is to inhabit a role, not to play themselves. They say the criteria for an acting role should be acting ability, not whether the actor's identity lines up with the role IRL.

The actor playing the role does not matter. The character whom the actor is portraying matters.  Zyklon B Nice (@CheesyFgt) September 4, 2016

But would a man ever be cast as a cis woman in a major motion picture? And, even though Laurence Olivier played Othello in 1965, would a white actor ever be cast in that role today?

"It's called 'acting'!"



-600 years of straight white dudes defending their right to play all roles, and rarely to empower others to do so  Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) September 4, 2016

At the Hollywood Reporter, Nick Adams laid out the reasons why Hollywood casting choices create real problems for trans people.

And yet -- in spite of the critical and commercial success of projects that put trans people front and center -- Hollywood is having a very difficult time letting go of the idea that putting a male actor in a dress, wig and makeup is an accurate portrayal of a transgender woman.

For more than 40 years, Americans have sat down in front of their TV screens or in movie seats and seen male actors "pretend" to be trans women. By casting Robert Reed, Terence Stamp, John Lithgow, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Wilkinson, Lee Pace, Cillian Murphy, Liev Schreiber, Beau Bridges, Jared Leto, Eddie Redmayne, Steven Weber, Denis O'Hare and Walton Goggins as transgender women, viewers receive two strong and wrong messages: 1. that being transgender is an act, a performance, just a matter of playing dress-up; and 2. that underneath all that artifice, a transgender woman really is a man.

Having gender- and race-based criteria for casting can lead to sticky territory. Should gay actors not be allowed to play straight roles? Should John Turturro always have to play an Italian?

An out gay actor playing a role is toxic? It's called acting! Men and women play straight, play gay, play trans.  Havein (@Havein) September 2, 2016

For all the talk of actors just being chosen for acting ability, it's shockingly rare for transgender people to play CIS or transgender characters. Many in the trans community says the door only swings one way.

every time a cisgender male is cast as a transgender woman this same conversation happens. nothing changes. smh  invisible woman (@do_i_noya) September 3, 2016

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Rob Rollins is seen here at his stand selling fresh produce for D & R Farms which he runs with his wife, Diane, for their D & R Farm in Hampden. Together, they manage the weekly farmers' market held on Saturdays at Bethlehem Baptist Church.

(ALEXI COHAN PHOTO)

HAMPDEN - Diane and Rob Rollins, of D & R Farms, work together each Saturday to host a farmers' market at Bethlehem Baptist Church at 123 Allen St., the first year for this new location.

The market, composed of over 30 vendors, offers everything from fresh produce to honey.

The Rollinses took over the management of the market two years ago and are consistently receiving applications from a variety of vendors and craftsmen to join the weekly market.

However, if the products are not handmade, homemade or homegrown, they don't make the cut for this extensive and popular farmers' market, says Diane Rollins.

Walking through the market, one will fine jewelry, stone art, flowers, produce, handmade cards, herbs and even dog treats sold by Elizabeth Sosnowich, of Agawam. Her business, Paws-a-tively Delectable, has been up and running for 12 years, offering homemade, all natural treats for canines.

Diane Rollins says vendors like Sosnowich are who make the market a success. The vendors work together to help one another with set-up, take-down, and sales each week.

The market also hosts fundraising events like a teddy bear drive and raffles for school supplies for children. In addition, every other week a disc jockey plays music for shoppers to enjoy.

When fall closes in, the market will organize a blanket and coat drive, and Rollins said she will look to expand the offerings even further with cheese, meat, and milk vendors.

Despite the work of managing this market along with four others throughout Western Massachusetts, Rollins said she enjoys the challenge. "It's the satisfaction of seeing the smiles on people's faces," she said. "It warms up your heart."
Dores_Dental-459.jpg

(Dores Dental)

LONGMEADOW  Many people hate visiting the dentist, but an event coming up at a Longmeadow dentist's office will likely have some clamoring to have their teeth and gums poked, prodded and drilled.

On Sept. 17, Dores Dental will provide free dental services to people at its Longmeadow office, a press release from Dores Dental says. The free dentistry will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis, and is guaranteed to the first 50 people who show up.

"We're the only dental practice in the Pioneer Valley area providing a free day of dental services through Dentistry From The Heart this year," Dr. James Dores said in a statement. "It is a great day where our team provides quality dentistry to patients who would have otherwise gone without dental care."

Dores Dental will partner with local agencies, shelters, food pantries, churches, small business, and local food vendors.

Dores Dental first hosted Dentistry from the Heart in 2013. Last year the program served 45 residents from across the Pioneer Valley, Dores said. Donations from individuals and communities amounted to nearly $10,000 in services to Greater Springfield area residents. This year, Dores hopes to more than double the amount of people served to 100, he said.

Dentistry From The Heart was founded 15 years ago by a dentist in New Port Richey, Florida, and has provided millions of dollars in free dental care, according to the release. The worldwide nonprofit is dedicated to giving a free day of dental care to people who do not have insurance or cannot afford dental care.

"It is one of my favorite days to work, and everyone that comes in is happy to be here and looking forward to getting a great smile back," Dores said. "It is also very rewarding to see the smiles from the volunteers and staff."

Dores Dental is a family dental practice that serves the communities of Longmeadow, Hampden, Southwick, Springfield, Wilbraham, West Springfield and Agawam, as well as Enfield and Somers, Connecticut. Its Longmeadow location is at 175 Dwight Road.
BOSTON -- A Boston University student was killed Wednesday morning when he was struck by a train on the Worcester Line tracks near Boston University.

MBTA Transit Police said officers were called after receiving a report of a body on the tracks around 12:15 a.m. The 17-year-old victim's name has not been released. He was found on the tracks under the Massachusetts Turnpike.

The victim was trespassing on the tracks when the train struck him. He died at the scene. MBTA Transit Police said no foul play is suspected. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office and MBTA Transit Police are investigating the death.

BU Today said the student's name will be released once his family is properly notified. The University offered thoughts and prayers to the victim's family, according to a statement issued to the newspaper by associate provost and dean of students at Boston University, Kenneth Elmore.
Suffolk Registry of Deeds.jpg

The office of the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds inside the Edward Brooke Courthouse in Boston.

(Gintautas Dumcius/MassLive.com)

BOSTON - Most Boston-area lawmakers are going unchallenged this year and most voters are paying attention to the November general election for the White House. The next Boston mayoral matchup, if anyone decides to challenge incumbent Marty Walsh, isn't until 2017.



That all makes the race for the Suffolk County Register of Deeds office the hottest contest in Boston politics.



"There really isn't much else on there," Massachusetts elections chief Bill Galvin said Tuesday.



The race has drawn in seven Democrats, who will be on the ballot on Thursday, Sept. 8. (You're not reading that wrong, the Massachusetts state primary this year is indeed on a Thursday.)



When it comes to Massachusetts State House races, many officials are running unopposed, leading to few primaries on both the Republican and Democratic ballots.



"People say, 'why am I going to go vote? Who am I going to go vote for? There's nothing to decide,'" Galvin said during a State House press conference with reporters, talking turnout.



For voters in deep-blue Suffolk County, which includes Boston, Revere and Chelsea, and Winthrop, it's who should advance in the primary.



The register is "responsible for recording all documents relative to real estate including deed, mortgages, releases, and liens," according to the website, which appears to be in need of an update. The office itself is a clean, well-lighted place tucked away inside the limestone and granite courthouse named for the late Sen. Edward Brooke.



The job's $124,000-a-year salary, which is set via statute, and a six-year term can't hurt as perks. Francis "Mickey" Roache, who served as Boston police commissioner nearly 30 years ago before he jumped to the Boston City Council and faded into the Suffolk register of deeds job, resigned at the end of 2015, setting off the scramble for the seat.

Mass. elections chief predicts 8-10 percent turnout for state primary



The Democratic primary candidates include Stephen Murphy, a longtime Boston city councilor who lost his seat in 2015, paralegal Katie Forde, Dorchester neighborhood activist Paul Nutting, Jr., and previous candidates for elected office Jeff Ross, Stephanie Everett, Michael Mackan and Doug Bennett.



Most of the candidates have pledged to reform the office. Forde, who is among them, in a mailing to voters, called the office the place "where political hacks collect huge taxpayer salaries and hire only political friends."



Galvin, as part of his duties as the secretary of Commonwealth, an elected statewide position, has some supervisory authority over the Suffolk register of deeds, though the register runs the office on a day-to-day basis.



The register can't make policy. "Well, there is no policy to make. I mean, it's administrative," Galvin said, before quickly adding that his office depends on the registers for their judgment on procedures.



Should the job stay an elected position? "That's up to the Legislature," Galvin said when asked by a reporter.



The winner of the Sept. 8 Democratic primary will face un-enrolled candidates Joseph Donnelly, John Keith and Margherita Ciampa-Coyne. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
AMHERST -- The 21-year-old woman found dead in the Puffton Village apartment complex last Thursday has been identified as University of Massachusetts senior Samantha "Sam" Suchovic of Lebanon Township, New Jersey.

David C. Vaillancourt, senior associate dean of students, announced the death of Suchovic in a message to the campus community Wednesday morning.

Police have said the death is not considered suspicious.

Vaillancourt said Suchovic was majoring in psychology and minoring in education. She was active in Habitat for Humanity, the National Residence Hall Honorary and Campus Sustainability initiatives including New2U.

Suchovic also served as a resident assistant and worked for Dining Services.

"We extend our sincere condolences to Sam's family and friends," Vaillancourt said.

The following resources are available for students:

Student Loss and Remembrance Page

Center for Counseling and Psychological Health

413-545-2337, 127 Hills North

Office of Religious and Spiritual Life

413-545-9642, 416 Student Union

Dean of Students Office

413-545-2684, 227 Whitmore

Faculty and Staff Assistance Program

413-545-0350, Ground Floor, 202-205 Middlesex House
BOSTON  A man from Boston pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges in U.S. District Court in Boston on Wednesday.



Akil J. DeCoteau, 28, pleaded guilty to two prostitution related charges, including one count of conspiracy to transport an individual for prostitution and one count of transportation of an individual with intent to engage in prostitution.

DeCoteau began the sex trafficking operation in early 2014 after he propositioned a woman at a friend's apartment  telling her that if she worked for him as a prostitute he would give her food, shelter, and provide for her an "extravagant life." The woman  who was homeless at that time  agreed to DeCoteau's proposition.

Over a period of several weeks, DeCoteau took the woman to hotels in Massachusetts, Maine, and New York, charging male clients fees of $100 to $200 to have sex with the woman.

DeCoteau would keep all of the money that the woman made through sex work, giving none to her.



DeCoteau worked together with another man, Kwamaine Wells, who recently pleaded guilty to sex trafficking related charges and will be sentenced on Dec. 1, 2016.

DeCoteau is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 30, 2016.
NORTHAMPTON -- Speaking to potential jurors Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup said they could look forward to sitting six hours a day, four days a week, for the next month if selected to serve in Granby paramedic Cara Rintala's third murder trial.

As a consolation, the judge promised their service would be as painless as possible.

"We have nice comfortable padded chairs for you to sit in," she said.

For the third time in four years, Rup is presiding over the jury selection in the trial of Rintala, who is charged with strangling her wife, Annamaria Cochrane Rintala, in the basement of their home in 2010.

Following mistrials in 2013 and 2014, Rintala returned to Hampshire Superior Court again this week to face a first degree murder charge.

As the first woman in Massachusetts charged with murdering her wife, Rintala is also one of the few defendants nationwide to be tried three times for murder.

Rintala, 49, has been free on $150,000 bail since March 2014, after the second mistrial due to a deadlocked jury.

The new trial is expected to last four or five weeks, with the first week devoted to jury selection. The process began Tuesday, with about 100 Hampshire County residents reporting for service. A second group reported Wednesday, with a third scheduled for Thursday.

Those not excluded for medical problems, family obligations or other reasons will be asked to fill out a 20-page questionnaire related to the high-profile case.

Addressing the jury pool Wednesday, Rup said 16 jurors will be chosen, including four alternates. She urged all prospective jurors to avoid researching the case or discussing it with anyone, including other members of the jury pool.

As for the questionnaire, the judge said, "You might be puzzled by some of the questions, but I assure you they are there for a particular purpose."

In the first two trials, Assistant District Attorney Steven E. Gagne argued that Rintala strangled her wife following years of abuse, mounting debts and custody disputes over their adopted child.

Defense lawyer David P. Hoose has contended that police locked in on Rintala early in the investigation and failed to pursue other suspects.

Both Gagne and Hoose introduced themselves to the jury pool Wednesday. Hoose then introduced Rintala, who responded with a smile and a small wave.



In January, the state's Supreme Judicial Court ruled that a third trial would not violate her rights. The ruling came after Hoose had appealed to block the trial, asserting that there was insufficient evidence to convict his client and trying her again would be double jeopardy.

For the first time, the prosecution will offer jurors the option of convicting Rintala of murder or the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Oleksandr Onyschenko placed on a wanted list in Ukraine has addressed INTERPOL office with complaints of alleged political repressions, and INTERPOL is more thoroughly checking the materials regarding the lawmaker submitted by Ukraine, Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine (SAP) Nazar Kholodnytsky has said.

"As far as it is known, Onyschenko is writing some complaints to INTERPOL in Europe that his case has signs of political repressions. European INTERPOL is playing it safe and checks these materials more thoroughly. This is preliminary information," he said on Channel 5 TV late on Tuesday.

He said that the Ukrainian INTERPOL bureau finished its work and sent the documents to the central bureau in Europe.

Kholodnytsky added that earlier he got information that the decision will be on September 6.

"Now we are waiting. We have done everything we could," he said.
Editor's Note: This is the second in a three-part series of articles about a delegation from Holyoke and Springfield who traveled to Chicago to be honored as communities with large Latino populations. The first article highlights the local delegation.

CHICAGO  Puerto Rican flags may hang from store windows and be painted on murals along High Street in Holyoke and Main Street in Springfield, but none compare to the massive steel flags that signal the entrances into Paseo Boricua, a section of Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood.

The two flags stand 59 feet tall and 56 feet across. They were made to last centuries.

"In many ways the flags celebrate the Puerto Rican presence in Chicago, but also the United States, but more importantly than that, what Puerto Ricans have contributed," said Jose E. Lopez, the executive director of Chicago's Puerto Rican Cultural Center.

"They are made out of steel because the first waves of Puerto Rican migrants to Chicago came to work in the steel mills. ... The flags are made of pipelines welded together. My father and many Puerto Ricans came to work in the pipeline factories in Chicago and many came to work in the welding industry."

Lopez showed off the flags during a walking tour of the neighborhood for delegates from Springfield and Holyoke who were in Chicago last week to be honored as "Lo Mejor de Nuestros Barrios," (the best of our communities) by the PRCC. The award is given as a way to promote collaboration between Chicago and other communities across the U.S. with large Latino populations.

Delegates from Springfield and Holyoke wasted no time in making connections with Chicago artists and inviting them to Western Massachusetts.

"This is why we came here, to make lasting connections between the people of Chicago and the people in Holyoke and Springfield who all want to promote Puerto Rican traditions and culture here in the United States," said Holyoke Ward 2 City Councilor Nelson Roman, one of a dozen Latino leaders from Western Massachusetts to travel to Chicago for the festivities.

One project that is already in the planning stages is bringing Chicago's Urban Theater Co. to Holyoke.

"I'm thinking the fliers can say, 'From Humboldt Park to Holyoke,'" said Ivan Vega, executive director of the professional community theater company, which has been active for more than 10 years. "We produce performances that bring together the urban and Latino communities of Chicago."

Currently the group is rehearsing for its latest production, "La Gringa" by Carmen Rivera, which will debut in November. The troupe will bring the show to Holyoke early next year.

"We are excited to perform in Holyoke and we hope to collaborate together often," Vega said.

Just across the street from the theater is one of several murals painted by Cristian Roldan. The young artist, who has been creating street murals for several years, was commissioned to create a piece for the Puerto Rican Cultural Center's 50th anniversary. The mural is about 22 feet high and 126 feet wide.

"It's a piece that shows the history of Puerto Ricans from oppression to migration to the riots that occurred in Chicago in the 1960s," said Roldan, who learned to create murals during a summer work program with artist Alex Portalatin. "I saw how he did the process and I thought it was something I could learn to do."

After seeing his work, Roman invited Roldan to Holyoke to create a smaller mural with the help of art students in the city.

"I'm thrilled at the opportunity to do something in Holyoke and in Springfield if possible," he said. "Puerto Ricans are family no matter where we live. When you meet another Puerto Rican, it's a sense of familiarity and shared cultural experiences."

Aside from Holyoke and Springfield, the Puerto Rican town of Comerio was also honored at this year's Fiesta Boricua. Members of the Ballet Folklorico Guajana of Comerio flew to Chicago to perform traditional Puerto Rican bomba y plena dances, which feature Afro-Caribbean rhythms.

Wildredo Resto is the director of the group. He will be flying to Holyoke at the end of this month to conduct a workshop with students in El Coqui dance troupe.

"I will be showing them some classic steps of the rumba and other typical dances," said Resto, who has been to Springfield before.

During the three days spent together, members of the Western Massachusetts delegation, the Puerto Rico delegation and their Chicago hosts traded ideas, stories and business cards.

Carlos Gonzalez is a member of the Ballet Folklorico and a representative of Picaolo, an independent urban clothing line founded by Emilio "Millo" Melendez in 2007.

While eating breakfast on Friday, members of the Springfield and Holyoke delegation spotted some of the company's "Jibaro soy" T-shirts and placed an order for some to call their own. The phrase has no direct English translation; its closest comparison is "I am a countryman."

"It's a company that believes clothing and art coincide with social justice and cultural awareness," Gonzalez said.

The company releases new T-shirts and hats every year with graphics that feature Puerto Rican imagery, from coral reefs -- which are quickly becoming extinct -- to beach views, sea shells and more.

Lopez said making connections is what Fiesta Boricua is all about.

"While they are visiting our area they spend their money supporting our Puerto Rican businesses and economy, and when we are there in Holyoke and Springfield or on the island we do the same," he said. "This is an opportunity for creating partnerships and relationships with Puerto Ricans around the country and the world."
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Amherst Regional School Committee chairwoman Laura Kent, right, and member Katherine Appy, left at Tuesday night's regional meeting.

(Diane Lederman/The Republican)

AMHERST -- The attorney for the Amherst Regional School Committee believed that a legal case involving former Superintendent Maria Geryk would be "very messy" and that she had strong contractual claims to make her case.

Those were part of the minutes released by the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee on Tuesday night that chronicled more than 14 hours of executive sessions the committee held in response to Geryk's demand to be released from her contract.

Geryk's lawyer, Michael Long, sent a letter demanding she be released from her contract, and as part of the letter included grievances pertaining to her contract and treatment by the committee. She demanded three years of pay. In the letter, Geryk singled out school committee members Trevor Baptiste, the former regional chairman, and Vira Douangmany Cage.

The regional and the Union 26 school committees agreed last month to pay Geryk $309,515 over the next two years. The money is salary for 18 months and health insurance for 2017. Union 26 is comprised of Amherst and Pelham school committee members.

In the executives session minutes released Tuesday night, Baptiste stated he did not want to agree to a separation package and instead believed the committee had cause to fire Geryk. He stated he was "not moved" by the threat of a lawsuit and continued to suggest turning the tables "especially with no formal allegations presented."

Cage said she was not afraid of litigation either.

But lawyer Tom Colomb told the committee that he believed Geryk's contractual claims could put her in a good spot. "Defamation would be harder to prove," he said.

Other members worried what a lawsuit would do to the district. Former member Sarah Dolven said that she was concerned about delaying a settlement because "it would likely result in a lawsuit being filed very soon."

She said as an attorney who worked in civil litigation, she felt the process would be long and expensive.

Geryk signed a five-year contract in 2013 that was set to expire June 30, 2018.

The executive session minutes include discussion about what should be released, including the demand letter. Baptiste said it shouldn't be released because it included a reference to a Pelham matter in executive session. Those minutes haven't been released yet.

Committee member Emily Marriott said she was concerned about releasing the letter because "that's one narrative. The other side is not being presented."

Chairwoman Laura Kent reiterated that settling with Geryk was in the best interest of the district and allowed it to move forward.

Kent said during Tuesday night's meeting that she is concerned about the committee. Two members have resigned -- Dolven resigned last month from the regional committee and Darius Modestow resigned as a member of the Pelham School Committee. He is a member of Union 26 as well.

"(How) can we rebuild to carry out our responsibilities?" Kent said.

She said the committee has reached out to the state Massachusetts Association of School Committees for help and training. Dorothy Presser, the field director for that agency, will be leading some training, including at an upcoming retreat.

The demand letter, meanwhile, will be released, and Kent was waiting for Colomb to send it to her.
CONNECTICUT  Connecticut State Police rescued a red-tailed hawk from the I-91 north roadside on Wednesday, after it was spotted walking along the shoulder of the highway.

A number of agencies reported to the area of highway near Exit 21 to assist  including State Troopers, the Connecticut State Environmental Police, and officers from the state Department of Transportation.

In a pun-filled statement, police recounted the rescue  saying that authorities "were able to take the hawk under our wing and protect it from the cars flying by."

Police added, "No fowl play is suspected in this case."

The bird was subsequently turned over to Cromwell Animal Control, which handles calls related to animals throughout the state.

Cromwell thanked authorities earlier Wednesday, saying "Thank you State Police / Troop H for your assistance in rescuing this Beautiful Red Tail Hawk today."

Red-tailed hawks are one of the largest in North America, and inhabit a variety of terrains, including desert, grasslands, and broken woodlands.
Groveland firefighters

Left to right: Firefighters Jennifer Hicks, Megan Shea, Lisa Evans, Courtney Panaro and Alyssa Bosch.

(Groveland Fire Department)

GROVELAND - The Groveland Fire Department added five firefighters on Tuesday and they all have on thing in common -- they are all women.

Fire Chief Robert Lay announced on Tuesday that the five women joined the department's team of call firefighters, making up nearly 20 percent of the 32 member staff.

The new firefighters are: Alyssa Bosch, Lisa Evans, Jennifer Hicks, Courtney Panaro and Megan Shea. Firefighters Bosch, Hicks, Panaro and Shea are scheduled to attend the fire academy in the fall.

Bosch, who moved from Beverly to Groveland just under a year-and-a-half ago with her four children and husband Christopher Bosch joined after seeing her husband attend the fire academy last winter. Christopher Bosch is a Groveland firefighter.

"The decision to hire these five women is consistent with our mission, our strategic plan and our organizational transformation," Chief Lay said. "Whether departments are career or call, doesn't change the importance of creating a diverse work environment. We're excited to add these women to our roster of talented firefighters."

Evans joined the Groveland Fire Department in July after serving with the West Newbury Fire Department for six years. She is now working for both departments. Evans received her National I/II Firefighter Certification from the Massachusetts Fire Academy in 2011, is CPR certified and is the Massachusetts Call/Volunteer Firefighters Association Region 2 Coordinator.

Evans has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Merrimack College and currently works as a dental hygienist. Her husband, David, is a deputy chief for the West Newbury Fire Department and also a member of the Groveland Fire Department.

Hicks spent 17 years working as a certified special education teacher and assisted students with autism. She has a master's degree in education from Simmons College and a bachelor's degree in psychology from St. Michael's College. Over the last year she earned her EMT certification.

Panaro is working to attain a degree in Fire Protection and Safety Technology from North Shore Community College.

"Her goal, which she set for herself when she was a little girl, is to become a full-time firefighter," the Groveland Fire Department said.

Shea graduated from Pentucket High School in 2015 and joined the junior firefighter program in West Newbury. Now she is enrolled at North Community College, but plans to transfer to Salem State University and attain a degree in nursing.
Zoos Dangerous Animal Squads

Thi file photo provided by the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden shows Harambe, a western lowland gorilla, who was fatally shot, May 28, 2016, to protect a 3-year-old boy who had entered its exhibit. Since then, Harambe memes have populated the Internet. (Jeff McCurry/Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden via The Cincinatti Enquirer via AP, File)

(Jeff McCurry)

AMHERST -- Harambe the gorilla, goes the internet meme, died for our sins.

At the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, he apparently did not die in vain.

Responding quickly to a growing backlash on various blogs the world over, UMass officials announced Tuesday afternoon that the campus would not ban students from making Harambe jokes, nor automatically label them racists, sex offenders nor perpetrators of "micro-aggressions" toward black men and women.



"As an institution that values free speech and the exchange of ideas, UMass Amherst has not taken any steps to ban jokes or references about Harambe the gorilla," read a statement issued by the UMass Office of News and Media Relations.

The response was necessitated after dozens of websites, blogs and social media posts accused the university of some politically correct overreach in censoring all things Harambe.

University officials were quick to note the bid to squelch off-color Hamambe humor was not the adoption of official UMass policy. It was merely the comments of two "well meaning" undergraduate resident assistants to the dozen or so students under their charge.

That was a distinction without much difference once it all got let out on social media.

Barstool Sports put it this way: ">UMass Is Treating Any Writing Of "Harambe" As A Direct Attack On The African-American Community And A Case Of Sexual Assault

Or this one in Reason.com: "UMass-Amherst: Harambe Jokes Are Racist Microaggressions, Violate Title IX"

And that's not counting all the tweets and Facebook posts along the same lines.

Mainstream media like New York Magazine even weighed in:

"Harambe and Campus Outrage: A Horrific Super-Meme in the Making."

As did Boston Magazine: " UMass bans #Harambe memes: They're 'micro-aggressions' against African students."

For those not up to date, Harambe is the name of the silverback gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo that was shot to death -- some say martyred -- when a small child fell into his enclosure. Since his death, some variation of the #Harambe hashtag has been regularly trending on Twitter, Facebook and other social media.

Harambe at UMass is also the name of the African Heritage Student Community in Coolidge Hall. UMass dorms feature "defined residential communities" where people of common backgrounds, interests and identities can live together. There are defined residential communities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students, for Asian-American, Native American and multicultural students.

And where the tale gets confusing is when a couple of undergraduate resident assistants in Sycamore Residence Hall, which is part of Commonwealth College, began the semester by seeing all these references throughout the dorms to Harambe the gorilla and they thought it was in reference to Harambe the program.

The two RAs, identified only by the names Colleen and Ryan, sent a notice around to their floor that said any remarks about Harambe could be interpreted as "micro-aggressions" and as "a direct attack to our campus's African-American community."

Further, the RAs warned, any references to Harambe that include crude references to the male anatomy could be reported under federal Title IX regulations as a sexual assault, and could result in the student being hauled before the Dean of Students.

"Please be safe this weekend, and watch out for any of these phrases. We need to be sure to respect all UMass community members," the RA statement reads.

The statement could have stayed just another memo but thanks to one student, a smart phone and a single tweet, it became just another Harambe meme:

"My RA killed Harambe."



University of Massachusetts Amherst Statement on Harambe Messages



As an institution that values free speech and the exchange of ideas, UMass Amherst has not taken any steps to ban jokes or references about Harambe the gorilla.



The email sent by two well-intentioned undergraduate student resident assistants was a cautionary attempt to advise new students on their floor that the Harambe reference could be considered offensive to residents of the campus's Harambee community, a residential program focused on African and African-American history and culture, and that all students should be treated with respect and civility. The resident assistants were upholding their responsibility to encourage an inclusive living environment for the students on their floor.



The reaction on Twitter.
ITT College Campuses

ITT Educational Services headquarters in Carmel, Ind., is shown Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016. The company, which operates vocational schools, announced "with profound regret" in a statement Tuesday that it is ending academic operations at all of its more than 130 campuses across 38 states. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

(AP Photo)

Classes have started for everybody except ITT Tech's 35,000 students, who were told yesterday that the educational service company would be shutting down all of its 130 campuses, including two in Massachusetts.

ITT Tech closed due to increasing pressure and sanctions from the federal government. President Barack Obama has led a crackdown on for-profit colleges, which in many cases leave students with defunct degrees, piles of debt and non-transferable credits, the Associated Press reported.

The chain was banned from enrolling new students in Aug. 25, because those students would take out federal loans, burdening taxpayers with paying for those degrees.

The Department of Eduction in Massachusetts told Channel 5 that there were more than 500 Massachusetts students enrolled in ITT Tech when the closing hit, and 101 of those students were veterans. Channel 5 also reported that those students received $2 million in federal Pell Grant loans.

Students who visit the Wilmington and Norwood locations will find empty parking lots and locked doors.
This is an update to a story posted Sept. 2 at 9:48 a.m.

BLANDFORD -- Massachusetts State Police on Tuesday released the identities of two people killed Thursday night in a motorcycle accident on Route 23.

The deceased were identified as Marc Busby, 28, and Alicia M Bazanchuk, 34, of Westfield according to police.

They were killed Thursday evening in an accident on Route 23, also known as Otis Stage Road, at about 7:30 p.m. Police said the crash scene was near 215 Otis Stage Road.

Both were riding on a Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by Busby, according to police. No other vehicles were involved.

Police were releasing no information about how the accident occurred. It remains under investigation by the state police barracks in Russell, the Collision Analysis Reconstruction section, Crime Scene Services, and the state police Detective Unit.

Busby is survived by his parents Joseph W. Busby Sr. of Westfield and Francine Arceri of Pittsfield, according to his obituary.

Bazanchuk, according to her obituary, worked as a home health aide. She is survived by her mother, Beth A. Bazanchuk of Westfield, and two brothers.
5679b6bd1f0000c000e9c67f.jpeg

in Chicago, Il., Wednesday, May 26, 2010. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

(Associated Press)

Bay State judges deport illegal immigrants at a rate 20 percent lower than the national average and more than 50 percent lower than the Massachusetts rate of a decade ago.

The state immigration court deports 26.9 percent of illegal aliens who come before it -- the lowest percentage in the nation, the Boston Herald reports. Comparatively, states like Texas, Georgia and North Carolina deport at respective rates of 62.4 percent, 71.4 percent and 79.1 percent.

Massachusetts also grants the third-highest percentage of asylum claims in the nation -- 75 percent -- according to a Department of Justice report.

Just 10 years ago, more than 80 percent of asylum seekers were rebuffed by the same state immigration court. According to a source cited by the Herald, judges now give greater weight to whether a person has children in the U.S. and likewise grant more asylum claims on the basis of a generalized fear of violence in their home country.

The data used in the Herald report came from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. This year's Massachusetts data was based on 4,713 cases completed last year by the immigration court.
HOLYOKE -- The Board of Health is scheduled to vote Thursday to reaffirm Tapestry Health's authorization to operate a needle exchange program here in light of a new state law that changes how such programs are established, an official said.

Meanwhile, City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain, perhaps the staunchest foe of needle exchange in Holyoke, said Tuesday the health board's plan to vote was unsurprising and the state law change essentially has robbed cities and towns of the ability to fight needle exchange.

The Board of Health meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall Annex in Room 403.

In needle exchange, intravenous drug-users visit an office, turn in used needles and get clean ones in return.

Supporters said needle exchange removes from circulation previously used needles that could be infected with HIV-AIDS and hepatitis C, diseases for which there is no cure and which could be spread through the sharing of such needles.

The program also exposes users to counseling and health tips they otherwise might never see, said supporters, who said the opioid-use crisis makes such a program especially valuable.

But opponents said such a program hurts more than helps. A needle exchange program enables illegal drug-users to keep using by handing them more needles, is based on a belief that drug-addicts can be trusted not to share the newly received needles after they've used them and declares Holyoke a haven for heroin users.

Tapestry runs the program here at 15A Main St.

Health Director Brian Fitzgerald said the board will vote to reaffirm the authorization of Tapestry Health to run its needle exchange. That comes after Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law for the fiscal year that began July 1 a statute that lets any city or town that wants a needle exchange program to permit one by a vote of the local board of health.

Before July 1, a state law adopted in 1993 limited the number of needle exchange programs in Massachusetts to 10, calling them "pilot" programs, and failed to specify what constituted local approval. Holyoke's became the state's fifth needle exchange program with a Board of Health vote in August 2012.

The state by identifying the Board of Health as the granter of local approval has undermined voters, Jourdain said. It eliminates the decision-making authority of the voters' elected legislative board in favor of a panel appointed by the mayor, he said.

"Game over, as far as I'm concerned. I think it's pretty disappointing that the Legislature has taken that power away from cities and towns. I think it's very unfortunate. That's not the way we should be doing business," Jourdain said.

Jourdain reiterated criticisms he has made previously about the city's representatives on Beacon Hill, state Rep. Aaron M. Vega, D-Holyoke, and state Sen. Donald R. Humason, R-Westfield, failing to give notice to Holyoke officials about the statute that changed how local approval was determined for needle exchange.

In July, Vega said that needle exchange deals with matters of public health, which makes the Board of Health the proper board to decide whether the city permits such a program.

"The change in the statute is not about Holyoke. The governor and the Legislature recognized that needle exchange is one tool in combating the opioid crisis throughout the commonwealth," Vega said.

Humason said in July he supported only changing the law to give more cities and towns than the original limit of 10 in the 1993 law the option of adopting needle exchange programs. But the specific language that was established in the new state budget, which says that local approval when it came to needle exchange was in the hands of a community's board of health, was written later by a legislative conference committee of which Humason was not a member, he said.

Lawmakers in voting on the budget can vote only yes or no on the entire spending plan and are unable to single out specific parts for particular votes.

"Every day I hear about the opioid crisis in my district and across the commonwealth," Humason said in an email. "People are demanding legislative action. During the Senate budget debate, I cosponsored an amendment that would give communities the choice to host needle exchange programs.

The vagueness about what was required in terms of "local approval" formed the basis of a lawsuit filed by Jourdain and five other councilors over the Board of Health's vote to permit needle exchange in 2012.

In the councilors' lawsuit, Judge Mark D. Mason in Hampden Superior Court ordered on March 14 that the needle exchange program shut down because it was improperly established without a City Council vote.

Mason sided with the plaintiffs who said local approval when it came to needle exchange meant a vote of the City Council, an approval that didn't happen before the program began operating.

Mason's order included a 120-day stay during which the needle exchange program could keep operating while the City Council considered the merits of the program. A City Council vote on needle exchange in the wake of Mason's order never happened and the 120-day stay expired.

But then the Legislature and Baker included in the state budget for the current fiscal year approval of the law defining local approval of needle exchange as coming from a board of health.

Regarding the lawsuit over needle exchange in Holyoke, the plaintiffs were councilors Linda L. Vacon, Todd A. McGee, James M. Leahy, Joseph M. McGiverin, Daniel B. Bresnahan and Jourdain.

Defendants were the Holyoke Board of Health, Tapestry Health and Mayor Alex B. Morse.

The other needle exchange programs in Massachusetts are in Northampton, Boston, Cambridge and Provincetown.
Kyiv protests against convictions of four Crimean Tatars in Russia accused of links with Hizb-ut-Tahrir

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has expressed its protest in connection with unlawful conviction in Russia of four Crimean Tatars who are charged with having links with the Hizb-ut-Tahrir organization.

"The cynicism of the occupant state: they released Umerov from hospital and at the same time illegally convicted four Crimean Tatars to 7 and 5 years in prison... We express our protest against the illegal verdicts. We demand the Russian Federation stop repression against Crimean Tatars," the Foreign Ministry's press secretary Mariana Betsa wrote on Twitter.

On September 7, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don passed a guilty verdict on four Crimean Tatars who are accused of ties with the Hizb-ut-Tahrir organization.

The court sentenced Ruslan Zeitullayev to seven years and gave five-year sentences to Ferat Saifullayev, Rustem Vaitov and Yuriy Primov.

All the convicts will serve time in a general penitentiary.
SPRINGFIELD  Lining a wall of the Museum of Springfield History are the faces of the 343 firefighters who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

Each image was painstakingly hand painted on pieces of charred wood by Easthampton-based artist Dawn Siebel.

On Sunday, the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the Springfield Museums will host the City of Springfield's annual Remembrance Ceremony, which is organized by the Spirit of Springfield and the Springfield fire and police departments.

The museums have arranged for free admission from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to the history museum for visitors to view "Better Angels: The Firefighters of 9/11."

"We're deeply honored to be the site of this year's Remembrance Ceremony, and hope that viewing these exhibits will help our visitors to fully appreciate the sacrifices made by first responders on that terrible day," said Kay Simpson, president of the Springfield Museums, in a prepared statement.

The ceremony, which will include Mayor Domenic Sarno and representatives from local police, fire, EMS and military units, will begin at 11 a.m. in the Museums' main Welcome Center lot at 21 Edwards St. Prior to the ceremony, a special Mass of Remembrance will be held at 10 a.m. at nearby St. Michael's Cathedral, organizers said.

Siebel will present a free talk about the project at the history museum starting at 1 p.m. The public can also view the statue of "Galaxy," part of the DOGNY project that paid tribute to America's Search and Rescue Dogs.
Samuel Texidor

Samuel Texidor, 18 of Holyoke, Mass. was charged with indecent assault and battery following an incident on Saturday, September 3, 2016. He was arraigned in Belchertown District Court and held without bail. (UMass Amherst Police booking photo)

AMHERST - University of Massachusetts police have charged a Holyoke man with indecent assault and battery Saturday after he allegedly approached a woman, identifying himself as an Uber driver offering her a free ride.

According to police, 18-year-old Samuel Texidor approached the female victim, a current UMass student, around 3:30 a.m. Saturday off campus and identified himself as an Uber driver. Texidor then allegedly offered the victim a free ride from Townhouse Apartments to North Apartments, located on campus, according to police.

It was during the drive, police say, that the UMass student was indecently assaulted outside North Apartments.

"The victim demanded that Texidor stop the vehicle, which he did and she was able to exit at that time," police said in a statement on the department's official website.

Following an investigation, police charged Texidor with indecent assault and battery. He was arraigned in Belchertown District Court on Tuesday held without bail.

Police are actively investigating the case and added that they believe the suspect may have approached others to offer free rides, bypassing the legitimate Uber registration process.

Texidor was driving a 2014 Black Dodge Charger with Massachusetts license plates 5SV875 at the time of these incidents.

Anyone with information or who was approached is asked to contact UMass Amherst Police Department at 413-545-2121, the anonymous tip line at 413-577-TIPS (8477) or by using the UMPD anonymous witness form which can be found online at: https://www.umass.edu/umpd/anonymous-witness-form.
West Boylston bank robbery suspect

Police in West Boylston said the suspect in a bank robbery in town was caught in Westborough on Sept. 7, 2016.

(West Boylston Police)

WESTBOROUGH -- Westborough police caught the man police said robbed West Boylston bank last month and became the subject of a search in Berlin Sunday.

Detective Steven Tompkins was on patrol on Route 9 Wednesday just before 1 p.m. when he saw a man fitting the suspect's description in the Xtra Mart parking lot. The detective arrested the man, identified as 22-year-old Matthew G. Alden Jr. of Hudson.

Alden, according to West Boylston Police, was sleeping inside a car when he was caught.

Matthew Alden Jr.

Police in West Boylston said Alden was wanted in connection to the Aug. 29 robbery of Commerce Bank. A man wearing a full-face motorcycle helmet walked into the bank, located at 320 West Boylston St., and handed a teller a note demanding cash.

The suspect stole cash and left the area on a motorcycle.

On Sunday, police began a search for the suspect in Berlin after a Marlborough Police officer saw a motorcycle used by the bank robbery suspect. The officer followed the rider, but had to stop the chase due to safety concerns.

The motorcycle was then spotted in Berlin at the Shell gas station on River Road. Local and Massachusetts State Police, including police dogs and the Air Wing, began a search and asked all people in the area to stay inside.

West Boylston Police received an arrest warrant for the bank robbery out of Clinton District Court. Alden is facing armed robbery and motor vehicle charges in connection to the bank robbery. Alden was also arrested on a warrant out of Marlborough District Court for failure to appear.
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Union Station in Worcester where the public hearing on all-electronic tolling gantry rates is being held.

(Noah R. Bombard)

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is holding the first of seven public hearings on the newly proposed Mass. Pike toll rates in Worcester tonight at Union Station. The hearing is schedule to begin at 6:30 p.m.

The proposed rates, released late in August, would go into effect on Oct. 28, if approved by the MassDOT Board of Directors.

The new rate structure is part of the state's impending switch to all-electronic tolling, which involves removing all of the Mass. Pike's toll plazas and switching toll paying to an electronic system on the highway. Sixteen gantries built along the highway will scan for transponders as cars pass under, electronically billing customers as they go. Those without transponders will have their license plates scanned and paper bills sent to the registered owner of the car in the mail.

The newly-proposed rates place a higher price on tolls for those without Massachusetts-issued E-ZPass transponders.

_________

7:48 p.m.

"We've got some really good feeback, which we appreciate." Tinlin said.

And that's a wrap. Meeting is over.

7:37 p.m.

Paul Matthews, of Worcester: "We've heard a great deal of concern on the impact on commuters from Central Massachusetts, such as people traveling from Central Mass. and the increase for those traveling to 495."

Matthews says he'd like MassDOT to take a closer look at how those drivers are going to be paying.

7:27 p.m.

Otto Lies, of Holden says he has children in New York who would have to pay the higher rate when visiting.

"If a pay by plate customer has to pay 60 cents for the cost of mailing it, which is understandable, but an additional 30 cents for going under each gantry?" Lies said.

Tinlin: "Each gantry is a transaction point. So we feel that if someone refuses to participate in the program there should be a cost associated with that."

Tinlin points out that Lies' children can get a Mass. transponder for free.

7:17 p.m.

Jose Zayas, of Worcester, is asking about privacy and how the state will handle that.

"We're in the toll business," Tinlin says. "That is what we want to use this data for. So, when we're sending someone to pay by plate, naturally we're needing to take a picture of their license plate to send them a bill. If someone is in default, we're putting a hold on that data for a period of time so we can go to the registry."

7:13 p.m.

Now we're into the public comment period. Resident asks what percentage of revenues is actually going to the construction or repair of the roads? Tinlin says 90 percent of the revenue goes back to funding the road. Ten percent goes toward maintaining E-ZPass system, which Tinlin says, is cheaper than the state now pays to maintain toll plazas and workers.

7:09 p.m.

Pay-by-Plate extra charges aren't meant to be punitive, Kadish says. It costs more because someone has to review the camera and there is a cost for sending the bill.

7:02 p.m.

Individual drivers may see their tolls decrease, stay the same or increase for a given trip from point to point within the Turnpike. Kadish points out that about 52 percent will see either a decrease in rates or will stay the same. What Kadish is not talking about, however, is that more people will see increases than decreases. MassDOT has been combining those who will see a reduction in rates and those who will stay the same in presentations to get that 52 percent.

7 p.m.

Each gantry will have a sign showing what charge you will incur driving through that gantry, based on three different rates -- Mass.-issued transponder, non-Mass.-issued transponder and pay-by-plate.

6:58 p.m.

Jared Kadish of MassDOT now speaking. He's explaining what went into figuring the new rates. Keeping current toll revenues as well as the proportion that each region is generating was important as well as keeping the cost of driving from one end of the Mass. Pike to the other about the same.

6:55 p.m.

Now they're talking about fine structures. Under the proposed late fees for those who use pay-by-plate, after 30 days you get charged $1 more per transaction. After 60 days it's an additional $1 per transaction; After 90 days an additional $1 per transaction plus the vehicle is marked for non-renewal.

6:46 p.m.

All revenue collected on the Western Mass. Turnpike needs to be spent on that portion of the highway. Western Mass. Turnpike runs from New York border to Weston/128 interchange.

6:43 p.m.

Tinlin is explaining how the toll plaza demonstration will work. Traffic at current toll plazas will be relocated to the outer lanes, while crews demolish the center part of the plazas. They'll then move traffic back to the center to demolish the ends. Public won't see full speed increase immediately.

"After 30 days or less, speeds will increase to whatever the safe highway speed is for that location," Tinlin says.

6:40 p.m.

Original plan called for placing gantries (which scan for transponders) between every exit. But several were removed due to low volumes, Tinlin said.

6:37 p.m.

Tinlin is talking about the benefits: Lower congestion, reduced idling, which will save on gas. Program costs less to administer than with toll workers.

6:33 p.m.

"I've never seen a project that can accomplish the things that this process has the potential to accomplish," says MassDOT Highway Commissioner Thomas Tinlin.

Tinlin says the system has been tested on the Tobin Bridge. About 85 percent who go through it are on the E-ZPass system. "High in industry standard," he says.

6:27 p.m.

Very small crowd gathered here at Union Station. We're waiting for more people to come in. If you want to see how the cost of a drive on the Mass. Pike will change, MassLive has built a toll calculator (posted below) that allows you to see what you would pay driving from any exit to any other exit under three pricing scenarios -- with a Massachusetts-issued transponder, with a non-Massachusetts-issued transponder and with pay-by-plate.
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MassDOT Highway Administrator Thomas Tinlin addresses a crowd at Union Station in Worcester about the state's newly-proposed toll rates.

(Noah R. Bombard)

WORCESTER -- In the first of seven public hearings on the newly-proposed Mass. Pike toll rates set to take effect Oct. 20, the issue of increased costs to some commuters was raised. And it was precisely the kind of input the state says it was looking for.

"To be honest, no surprises," MassDOT Highway Administrator Thomas Tinlin said after the meeting. "People are identifying their particular commute so if I'm not going the entire length of the Western Mass. Turnpike, what does that mean for me? People are either going to pay a little less or a little more depending on where they're going and we welcome that public input."

At Union Station in Worcester Tuesday evening the Massachusetts Department of Transportation laid out to a small crowd its plans to demolish the state's toll plazas and switch to electronic tolling billed to drivers as they drive under gantries already erected along the highway. MassDOT is holding the hearings to get public feedback before putting the proposed rates to the MassDOT Board of Directors for a vote. Based on input from the public, Tinlin said, the rates MassDOT proposes could change.

Some who spoke Tuesday night were concerned about those trips that would increase in cost.

"We've heard a great deal of concern on the impact on commuters from Central Massachusetts, such as people traveling from Central Mass. and the increase for those traveling to 495," said Paul Matthews of Worcester, speaking to MassDOT representatives during the public comment session.

Matthews is the executive director of the 495 MetroWest Partnership.

"This is further exacerbating an equity issue," Matthews said. "We're hearing concerns from our member communities given the fact there will be three gantries (in our area)."

Matthews said partnership members were also concerned about traffic detouring off the Mass. Pike onto Route 9 to get around the gantries and avoid paying tolls.

"There is concern about the fact that Route 9 is already congested," he said.

Currently drivers pay tolls based on entry and exit points and under the new on-highway system, they'll incur a set fee as they pass under each gantry, with each gantry having its own fee.

The new system also shifts a much higher cost of riding the Mass. Pike to those who do not have Massachusetts-issued E-ZPass transponders.

Otto Lies, of Holden, questioned the state's proposal to charge those without any transponder an additional 30 cents per gantry as well as 60 cents for the cost of mailing a bill under the pay-by-plate system, which captures license plate images and mails bills to the vehicles' registered owners.

"I think 30 cents per gantry is a rather steep fee," Lies said. "I have children from New York who travel here and they go under a number of gantries."

Tinlin pointed out that transponders are available for free to those who live outside Massachusetts as well.

"Your children can use a Massachusetts issued transponder and enjoy the same benefit," Tinlin said.

Under a test run of the new system along the Tobin Bridge in Boston, MassDOT saw about 85 percent of trips involved those using E-ZPass transponders, Tinlin said. The state has stated it is encouraging all drivers to get a transponder and that the proposed rate structure encourages that.

But the push to have more residents carrying transponders and just what the gantries can tell the state about drivers, including their speed and photos of their license plates, has raised some privacy issues among some. The topic came up at Tuesday's hearing as well.

Jose Zayas of Worcester asked what the state was doing with the data it collected.

"We're in the toll business," Tinlin said. "That is what we want to use this data for. So, when we're sending someone to pay-by-plate, naturally we're needing to take a picture of their license plate to send them a bill. If someone is in default, we're putting a hold on that data for a period of time so we can go to the registry and [put a hold on renewal]."

The following are the remaining toll rate public hearings:

Wednesday, Sept. 7

Lynn, North Shore Community College, 6:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 12

Newton, War Memorial Room at City Hall, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 13

Framingham, Town Hall, Nevins Hall, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 14

Springfield, Springfield City Hall, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 15

Lenox, MassDOT District 1 headquarters, 6:30 p.m.
WORCESTER -- When robots took over the Worcester Polytechnic Institute campus over the weekend, they didn't come from space, but may be inspiration for robots that will head there in the future.

NASA's Sample Return Robot Challenge hosted its final stage of competition at WPI, as seven teams used their autonomous robots to collect samples of various shapes and sizes in 30 minutes. A monetary prize up to $1.36 million was on the line, based on how much the robot could collect and return to base with.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden joined former colleague and President of WPI, Laurie Leshin, on Tuesday morning to announce the top three teams.

"It's great to be here at WPI, what I consider the front lines of robotics," Bolden said.

At the ceremony, nestled in campus between buildings busy with students going to class, the group was excited about the possibilities space exploration has with the abilities the robots presented.

Leshin, who called herself a "first-class space nerd," said the campus community was thrilled to host a competition with technology that could influence the design of rovers that will go to Mars.

The Return Robot Challenge started five years ago with more than 40 teams. Only seven advanced to round two of the competition.

"My main message to you today is to keep going," Bolden said. "You're going to be the ones who finally get us to the red planet."

Dennis Andrucyk, deputy associate administrator of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, announced the winners:

1. West Virginia University Mountaineers, of Morgantown, West Virginia

2. MAXed Out, of Santa Clara, California

3. Survey, of Los Angeles

"It was a very stressful competition... It's nice to know that stuff that I've helped create will actually impact the future of space (exploration)" said Matt Gramlich of the Mountaineers. The team won $750,000 that will go to West Virginia University to fund future research, scholarships, and the robot lab.

There was a group of Massachusetts residents in the competition, team Sirius of South Hadley.

"I feel like this is a morning where you've taken the 'fiction' out of 'science fiction,'" said state Sen. Harriette L. Chandler, D-Worcester. "I feel like I'm looking into the future just being here."
SOUTHBOROUGH -- A group of fictitious Vermont State Police will be hitting the highway in Central Massachusetts, not to police, but to film scenes for "Super Troopers 2."

The independent film by Broken Lizard got permission from the Southborough Board of Selectmen on Tuesday night to film on Sept. 29 and 30, according to Stephen Hartman, Location Manager for Commander Softpants, Inc.

Hartman said via phone Wednesday morning that they chose Southborough for a combination of reasons, but declined to elaborate further.

Super Troopers 2 is the sequel to the 2001 comedy about five Vermont State Police troopers causing trouble on the highway and feuding with local cops. The film grossed more than $23 million worldwide.

On Sept. 29, the crew will film scenes in Marlborough, but will detour traffic on Jericho Hill Road at Fisher Road in Southborough, according to documents in the Board of Selectmen meeting packet. There will be an open lane so buses, public safety, and local traffic can pass through.

The crew will film scenes at the former Country Gourmet at 118 Framingham Road and a private residence across the street on Sept. 30.

The company is hiring a police detail for safety while filming.

Director Jay Chandrasekhar tweeted a selfie Wednesday morning, saying it was day one for Super Troopers 2.

In my trailer on Day One of Super Troopers 2. pic.twitter.com/IU7NlRuJGE  Jay Chandrasekhar (@jaychandrasekha) September 7, 2016

Last October, the crew filmed some scenes at the Quabbin Reservoir.

The movie raised more than $4.5 million for filming through an Indiegogo fundraising page.

Southborough has been a filming location for other movies in recent years. The 2010 movie "Grown Ups," starring Adam Sandler, filmed in town.
By Margot Eckert

Where were you on September 11, 2001? If you were at least 10 years old, you may recall that day. The grownups around you were upset and scared. If you were an adult, you no doubt recall it vividly. You were scared too.

On that horrible day, 2,996 people died when four airplanes were hijacked, two crashing into the World Trade Center Towers, one crashing into The Pentagon, and one crashing into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers acted to thwart its most likely destination  the Capitol Building in Washington D.C.



It was a Tuesday, and I was teaching at the High School of Science and Technology in Springfield. I happened to be in the library at about 8:50 a.m. when the librarian and the school resource officer turned on the TV, and a small group gathered. I asked what was going on. Someone said, "A plane crashed into one of the World Trade Towers. What a terrible accident."

I knew my brother-in- law, Sean Rooney, worked on one of the top floors, so I rushed to the principal's office to call my sister, Beverly Eckert. I did not have Sean's work number. I kept getting a busy signal.

My principal was watching the news too, and she told me it looks bad. Another plane had just hit the other tower. "You should go home. I'll get your classes covered." I dashed home to watch the news and the collapse of the first tower and then the second tower, all the while calling my sister again and again, but her phone was constantly busy. Finally I got through.

Beverly told me, "Sean is dead."

"No!! How do you know that?"

"He couldn't get out. I was talking to him when his building collapsed."

And so the nightmare began for our family and for the country.

Fifteen years have gone by and much has changed. Two beautiful reflecting pools have been built on the footprints where the towers stood, and the National September 11 Memorial and Museum has been constructed to recount the horror and the heroes of that day. Part of Sean's phone conversation with my sister can be heard in one of the exhibits at the Museum, and his remains, we hope, are in the vaults containing the unidentifiable remains found at the site. No trace of Sean was ever found. The magnificent Freedom Tower has also been built at the site soaring to a height of 1,976 feet in defiance of the destruction of the day. Beautiful memorials have also been erected at the sites in Shanksville and The Pentagon. (You can take a virtual tour of the Museum and Memorial at www.911memorial.org/museum.)

This photo provided by the White House, taken Feb. 6, 2009 shows President Obama shaking hands with Beverly Eckert in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus in Washington.

All of these memorials are important to attest to what happened to our country that day, to provide solace to the grieving, and to teach our children why everything changed that day.

Something else has changed for me and many others here in Springfield and all over our country: we won't ever take our first responders for granted again.

According to the 9/11 Commission Report, 2,152 people perished at the World Trade Center, including 343 firefighters from FDNY, 37 officers from the Port Authority Police Department, and 23 officers from NYPD. Also according to the report, approximately 50,000 people worked, attended meetings, and visited in the World Trade Towers on any given day. That means that approximately 47,900 people were saved that day due to the training and bravery of the firefighters who went into the buildings to rescue people in the smoke- filled stairways; the police who also rescued people and who signaled to those evacuating when it was safe to dash across the plaza because bodies and debris were falling from the sky; and the emergency medical personnel giving first aid and transport for the injured to the hospitals. Of the thousands who perished, only 110 civilians died who were below the impact zones when the planes crashed.

We remember and honor and still grieve for all those who died on Sept. 11, 2001. We are grateful and glad for the firefighters, police and EMTs who were there to save so many thousands more. And to our own firefighters, police and EMTs who work in our communities every day: they are our daily heroes who let us live peacefully during the day and sleep safely at night, and who are always there if we ever need them. Thank you!

A ceremony to honor our first responders will be held at the Quadrangle at 11 a.m. on Sept. 11, followed by a talk by the artist, Dawn Siebel, who painted a portrait of every one of the 343 firefighters in the exhibit Better Angels: The Firefighters of 9/11.

Sept. 11 is also now a day of service. Every one of us can do some act of kindness to counteract the hatred aimed at our country that day. My sister, Beverly, led the way for our family as she lobbied Congress heavily with a tenacious group of 12 others for a commission to investigate 9/11. She also co-founded Voices of September 11th, advocated for skyscraper safety improvements in New York City, worked for the construction of the 9/11 memorials and museum at Ground Zero - the resting place for her husband and hundreds of others, and worked with the September 11th Educational Trust to compose lesson plans for students. On a smaller but no less important scale, Bev devoted herself to building houses with Habitat for Humanity. She also established a scholarship at Sean's high school in his memory, served meals to the homeless, volunteered in a local school and a nursing home, and participated in many events promoting justice, understanding and peace. Most of us cannot devote our lives to good works as completely as Bev did, but we can all work to improve our own communities and not wait for others to do it for us. Anyone and everyone can do something: volunteer in our schools, libraries, soup kitchens, and animal shelters; join our local chapter of Habitat for Humanity; donate clothes and household items to Goodwill and the Salvation Army; give blood to the Red Cross; help a neighbor with a task; or take a bag and pick up litter as you go on walks where you live. Contact the United Way of the Pioneer Valley to find out about many more volunteer opportunities. (www.uwpv.org)

The United Way is holding a Day of Caring Kick-Off event in Court Square 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 9. Everybody can do something. Think about the first responders who have died or been injured on duty, and those in our own community who go to work for us every day.

Note: Beverly Eckert, who worked in Springfield in the 1980s with Traveler's Insurance Co., was killed in the crash of Continental Flight 3407 on February 12, 2009 traveling to Buffalo, N.Y to award the scholarship in her husband's memory on what would have been his birthday.



Margot Eckert resides in Springfield.
Clinton, Trump trade barbs on national security

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump smiles after speaking to an overflow room during a campaign rally, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Greenville, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The New York Times has found that Donald Trump owns part of a Manhattan building that shows loans against the property of $950 million. Two of those who hold the loans are Goldman Sachs and the Bank of China. Trump has excoriated Republican rivals and Hillary Clinton for having anything to do with Goldman Sachs. China is America's biggest economic competitor. Is no one concerned that a presidential candidate depends so heavily on them for financing? His credit among most New York banks is abysmal, so he may have a limited group who would lend him money.

Why are his reputation and credit rating so bad? He constantly fails to pay the full amount he owes others and has a habit of declaring bankruptcy. He has been sued at least 3,500 times. He is involved in two partnerships that are carrying $2 billion in debt. Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager, also managed the political affairs of Viktor Yanukovych, a pro-Putin candidate, for the presidency of Ukraine. His opponent, Viktor Yushchenko, a pro-West candidate, was poisoned by dioxin; Yanukovych was named president. The latter was so corrupt that he had to flee to Russia so that his good buddy, Putin, could protect him.

It is not surprising that Trump likes China (the country hands him loans) and Russia (his eldest son has said that Russia gives the Trump organization much of its income). Do we really want as our president a man whose wealth depends partly upon our largest economic competitor and partly upon our biggest political competitor? Hillary Clinton probably received hundreds of thousands of dollars in Goldman Sachs speaking fees; Trump would see that as a rounding error in the massive amounts he owes. Donald Trump feels at home when corruption surrounds him.



Paul Halbach, Agawam




Poll-Border Residents

In this Jan. 4, 2016 file photo, a U.S. Border Patrol agent drives near the U.S.-Mexico border fence in Sunland Park, N.M. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File)

Logistically and legalistically makes it virtually unrealistic to think of a Mexican wall. The border between the US and Mexico run through four American states: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The border is a highly diverse terrain from ocean waters of the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico, and urban areas from San Diego and Tijuana to Brownsville, Texas and Matamoros and dominated by arid deserts. Two main rivers (the Colorado and the Rio Grande) cross the border from the US to Mexico that also have farmlands and rugged mountain areas. The border runs 1,989 miles. There are 35 boarder cities with 45 crossing points and 330 ports of entry, not to mention that more than 12 million people reside along the border.

Much of the border runs through public lands held by national parks. Many ranchers have long opposed any wall dividing up their grazing pastures. The EPA has made much of the wetlands off limits to any such projects. And mountainous regions would make construction nearly impossible to comprehend.

So before Mr. Trump goes on his rant again about a wall, he should do his homework and present his findings to the American public.



Bill Paul, Chicopee


Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin believes that a democratic and stable Turkey is the basis of security in the Black Sea region, which suffers from the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation.

"Pavlo Klimkin also noted that a democratic and stable Turkey is a cornerstone of security in the Black Sea region, which is suffering from the illegal occupation of the Crimea by Russia, its invasion into Donbas and aggressive military maneuvers along the Ukrainian borders," the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine said with reference to Klimkins speech during the 1263rd meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.

According to him, it is in Europe's benefit that Turkey remains an effective democracy and a factor of stability in the region.

The minister expressed hope that the Council of Europe will use all available instruments in order to provide Turkey with as much consulting, expert and institutional assistance as possible in overcoming the consequences of the coup attempt in July 2016.

"Klimkin expressed clear and unfailing support for the democratically elected Turkish authorities and solidarity with the Turkish people," the statement says.
Hillary Clinton

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pauses as she speaks at a campaign event at Truckee Meadows Community College, in Reno, Nev., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

(Carolyn Kaster)

The Dallas Morning News broke with tradition to formally endorse Hillary Clinton's White House run Wednesday, marking the first time in more than 75 years the newspaper has backed a Democratic presidential candidate.

Contending that "there is only one serious candidate on the presidential ballot in November," the Dallas Morning News, which has not recommended a Democrat for president since before World War II, said it believes she has the experience needed to take over the White House.

Although the newspaper noted that it has previously been at odds with the former secretary of state, it took issue with Republican nominee Donald Trump's record, arguing that his values "are hostile to conservatism" and accusing the GOP nominee of playing voters' fears.

"We've been critical of Clinton's handling of certain issues in the past. But unlike Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton has experience in actual governance, a record of service and a willingness to delve into real policy," it wrote in its Wednesday endorsement. "Resume vs. resume, judgment vs. judgment, this election is no contest."

Although the Dallas Morning News chastised Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state and allegations of ties between the U.S. State Department and the Clinton Foundation, it lauded her efforts to work across the aisle in Congress, as well as her record in the Obama Administration.

Her shortcomings, the newspaper further stressed, "pale in comparison to the litany of evils some opponents accuse her of."

"We reject the politics of personal destruction," it wrote. "Clinton has made mistakes and displayed bad judgment, but her errors are plainly in a different universe than her opponent's. Trump's values are hostile to conservatism. He plays on fear -- exploiting base instincts of xenophobia, racism and misogyny -- to bring out the worst in all of us, rather than the best."

The newspaper further argued that Trump's shifts on fundamental issues "reveal an astounding absence of preparedness. And his improvisational insults and midnight tweets exhibit a dangerous lack of judgement and impulse control."

Calling Clinton "a known quantity," the Dallas Morning News argued that she is the candidate most likely to keep America safe and work on a bipartisan basis to uphold "the vital domestic institutions that rely on a competent, experienced president."

The newspaper's endorsement came shortly after a new Washington Post-SurveyMonkey poll found Clinton and Trump essentially tied in Texas, which holds an important 38 electoral votes in the presidential contest.
U.S. President Barack Obama and his Philippines counterpart Rodrigo Duterte will not meet in Laos on the sidelines of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and East Asia Summit, the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane confirmed on Tuesday.

According to media report, plans for a bilateral meeting were shelved after comments by the firebrand Philippine president in response to reporters' questions on the prospects for a proposed bilateral meeting prior to his departure for Vientiane.

"I always want to make sure that if I'm having a meeting that it's actually productive and we're getting something done," Obama was quoted as telling reporters before his departure from China to Laos for the East Asia Summit.

The proposed meeting, now cancelled, would have been the first since Duterte came into office on June 30.

Obama arrived in the Lao capital on Monday evening after participating in the G20 Summit in China's eastern city of Hangzhou.
Kyrgyzstan authorities on Tuesday said they have identified the organizers and perpetrators of the terrorist attack on the Chinese embassy in capital Bishkek last week.

The press service for the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security said in an announcement that the attack on Aug. 30 was organized by Uighur terrorist groups active in Syria and affiliated with Jabhat al-Nusra.

The task of organizing the attack was given by one of al-Nusra's emissaries, which also provided financial support to the terrorist act.

The committee added that the suicide bomber was a member of the terrorist organization the East Turkistan Islamic Movement.

"This is a member of East Turkistan Islamic Movement, a terrorist organization active in Syria, a Uighur named Zoir Khalilov, who had a passport from Tajikistan," said the committee.

It specified that the attacker rammed the western gates of the Chinese Embassy with a Mitsubishi Delica car. An improvised explosive device inside the car detonated after the vehicle entered embassy grounds.

The explosion caused extensive damage to embassy buildings and facilities with the lone assailant instantly killed. Two Kyrgyz employees of the embassy and three Chinese people were injured.

The Kyrgyz security committee has detained five accomplices of the terrorist act, who are natives of Kyrgyzstan's Osh and Jalal-Abad regions, four ethnic Uzbeks and one Kyrgyz.

At the same time, the Kyrgyz side issued an arrest warrant for Sattybaev Izzotillo Mashrapovich, born in the Kyrgyz city of Osh, an Uzbek national who underwent terrorist training in Syria.

"He...assisted the suicide bomber in the manufacture of explosive devices, orientation and movement around Bishkek. A few hours before the attack on August 30, Sattybaev fled from southern Osh city to Istanbul in Turkey using a passport of a Tajik citizen," said the report.

Meanwhile, international arrest warrants were issued for two more Kyrgyzs living in Turkey, Sabirov Ilyas Sabirovich and Burhanidin Zhantoraev, who have been identified as possible partners and organizers of the terrorist plot.

The terrorist attack was strongly condemned by the Chinese side and the international community.
The 11th G20 Summit was held on September 4  5 in the East China city of Hangzhou. As a business representative of Chinas innovation-driven development, Alibaba, the Hangzhou-based e-commerce giant, was given plenty of exposure during the two-day meeting after three heads of state visited the company successively.

In the space of a few days, Jack Ma, Alibaba's executive chairman hosted Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

After Joko asked Ma to act as adviser in the development of the Southeast Asian country's nascent e-commerce industry on last Friday, Trudeau and Ma announced the launch of a Canadian "pavilion'' on the business-to-consumer marketplace Tmall platform the following day.

On September 4, Renzi also visited the firms Xixi headquarters to make a push for the Italian wines sold on Tmall. It was also his sixth meeting with Ma.

Commenting on the companys popularity among those heads of state, Huang Mingwei, vice president of the company said that Alibaba has a unique advantage in customer coverage, and the vast Chinese market is the real motivation why those countries and businesses offered an olive branch to the company.

As the largest online retail platform in China and even the world, Alibaba can be the springboard of SMEs, multinational corporation and even a whole economy to sell products and services to Chinese market, he said, adding that such a new business ecology will lead the trend of the world.

As worlds second largest economy and the most populous country, China is now regarded as the ballast of global economic growth with its robust demand. In 2015, its total retail sales of consumer goods amounted to 30 trillion yuan ($4.49 trillion), to which online sales contributed 4 trillion, ranking the first in the world.

In the same year, a total of 120 million Chinese people traveled overseas, making the country top the list of international outbound travelers as well as overseas consumption. It is believed behind the data is the country's economic growth and the improvement of people's livelihood.

George Sebulela, the founder and president of the African Entrepreneurs Council agreed the importance of Chinas vast market, but stressed at the same time that innovation is the root cause of China's economic miracle as well as the most important engine of the global economic growth.

China has set a model in terms of innovation-driven development, and Alibaba is such an example, he told the Peoples Daily, explaining that the firm proves that innovation can create miracles and technology can change lifestyles.

As a company valuing innovation, Alibaba also urges its employees to have global horizon. As China now leads the world in many aspects, Alibaba and Hangzhou are the representatives of its leadership in innovation.

A Bloomberg editorial commented that Chinese technology companies have established world-class brands featuring high cost-efficiency products, and their foreign counterparts can hardly compete.
Chinas "Belt and Road" initiative has become a major buzzword at the G20 Hangzhou Summit. Experts have stated that as a proposal aimed at boosting economic development, the initiative and the G20, as a mechanism specializing in economic governance, should be able to complement each other given their broad coverage.

In a speech delivered at the B20 summit that opened Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to the world that China's development has benefited from the international community, and we are ready to provide more public goods to the international community.

He further elaborated that I have proposed the initiative of building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to share Chinas development opportunities with countries along the Belt and Road and achieve common prosperity.

Hangzhou, the host city of this years G20 summit, is located at the intersection of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. In ancient times, it was thanks to these two routes counterparts that the city stayed connected to the outside world.

Marco Polo, the well-known Italian merchant traveler, hailed the city as the finest and most splendid city in the world when he visited Hangzhou over 700 years ago. Via these routes, silk was exported worldwide as early as the Song Dynasty about 1,000 years ago, bringing fame to the picturesque city.

Currently, the booming silk industry along the modern routes is still making great contributions to regional development. Data shows that Zhejiang Province's export value of textile machines in the first seven months of this year reached 2.84 billion yuan ($425 million), of which 2.42 billion yuan was contributed by countries along the Belt and Road.

Given their broad coverage, the Belt and Road Initiative and the G20, with both their common ground and different emphases, are now carrying more weight in the global economy.

The Belt and Road Initiative reaches out to more than 60 countries and regions whose total population reaches 4.4 billion and an economic aggregate of $21 trillion.

The Belt and Road initiative focuses on the structural reform of the world economy, said Wan Zhe, a chief economist with the International Cooperation Center (ICC) of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), adding that instead of self-isolation, the initiative seeks to take advantage of countries ability to complement each other and work toward common development.

While economic crisis often leads to seclusion, the proposal made by China is a signal to the world that a community of shared destinies in Eurasia and even the world can be established through deeper collaboration, she further pointed out.

The global media is also paying close attention to the initiative. According to Deputy Editor-in-Chief Saad F. Al-Ejaiban of the Saudi Arabian newspaper Al Jazirah, locals are still discussing Xis January Saudi visit. Many are also saying that the initiative will able to tighten bilateral ties and promote the economic transformation of both countries.

As of July, China had invested a total of $51.1 billion to countries along the Belt and Road. In 2015, the bilateral trade volume between China and these countries exceeded $1 trillion. In addition, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Silk Road Fund are sure to substantially accelerate global infrastructure construction.

As infrastructure construction usually requires a large amount of capital, the Belt and Road Initiative, AIIB and other China-led programs will be able to facilitate the implementation of decisions reached at the G20 Summit by boosting the infrastructure construction of Belt and Road en-route countries, said Astrid Skala-Kuhmann, director of the Department of Emerging Economies-Global Partnerships under the German Corporation for International Cooperation.

After the cooperation proposal was launched by China three years ago, over 100 countries and international organizations have joined the initiative, over 30 en-route nations have inked cooperation agreements with China and more than 20 states have launched international cooperation projects with China. With AIIB and the Silk Road Fund as examples, a series of representative projects have been launched.

By pushing forward the Belt and Road initiative, establishing the AIIB and hosting the G20 Hangzhou Summit, China has provided a lot to the international community and contributed more to reform of global economic governance, Jonny Erling, reporter of Germany-based Die Welt commented.
Reform on international taxation will be given special attention during the G20 Hangzhou Summit, and China will for the first time propose a concept of new international taxation order, Chinas Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao announced at a press conference held on Friday.

China will, for the first time, call on the world to establish a new international taxation order of fairness, equality, inclusiveness and order, Zhu noted.

A focus of the summit will be the reform of international taxation, especially coordination on tax evasion, base erosion and tax havens, the official said, adding that previous G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings had set up inclusive frameworks and governance entities to cope with base erosion and profit shifting.

He pointed out that during the third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting held in Chengdu, a special high-level seminar was also organized to pool a consensus of G20 members and the international community at large on this topic.

The discussion over international taxation led by China mainly highlights the role taxation plays in boosting economic and fiscal growth, Zhu emphasized, suggesting that more reforms should be launched to boost taxation revenue and improve fairness.

Though some new challenges have emerged in the international taxation sector, these roadblocks were effectively eradicated through Chinas efforts, and international taxation cooperation is now moving forward, Zhu added.
Rice University just hosted the first Innovate Design-A-Thon focused on creating devices to help disabled people lead more independent lives. Students from Rice, as well as University of Houston, and the University of Texas at Dallas participated in the event. Modeled on popular hackathons that are focused on software, the Innovate Design-A-Thon was created to give attention to assistive devices that can now be quickly prototyped and manufactured.

One team developed a syringe that can be used with one hand to both draw the medication and to administer it on yourself.

Another project was the AFORD, an Ankle-Foot Orthosis Retention Device, that controls how the foot swings for people with poor lower body control. Its made to be easy to slip a foot into and latch close with one hand so that the very people that need such a device can easily use it on their own.

Link with all the winners: Innovate Design-A-Thon..
by Aaron Baar , September 7, 2016

After being on the job for decades, Mr. Clean is giving someone else the chance to shave the pate and don the earring.

The 60-year-old brand is launching a search for The Next Mr. Clean, with one person getting the chance to win $20,000 and to appear in a digital calendar next year. The contest is being positioned as a long-deserved vacation for the brand icon.

The contest, which will include live auditions in New York and Los Angeles, as well as YouTube solicitations, is part of the brands ongoing effort to reconnect with its iconic past, which began with a revamped jingle appearing in advertising in July, says Kevin Wenzel, associate brand manager for North America.

Were going to continue that by celebrating Mr. Clean, the man, Wenzel tells Marketing Daily. Hes an icon, and weve been hearing for years the people dress like him, have social media conversations about him. This is a chance to show it.

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At the center of the promotion is a digital video starring heartthrob and actor Kellan Lutz, auditioning for the part himself. Lutz states his qualification as washing his car regularly and polishing his Teen Choice awards every day, and because Ive never had a dirty thought in my entire life. However, Lutz has trouble with the jingle, and is later discovered to have eaten some food after accidentally dropping it on the floor. Hes eventually turned away (not before shaving his head for the part, however). The video closes with Lutz encouraging people to go to TheNextMrClean.com to enter the contest themselves.

He has a great personality and a physique that fits with the next Mr. Clean, Wenzel says of Lutz.

The video will run on digital channels, including YouTube, and the company will promote the contest through its social channels as well. Though the contest will only be open for a month, the content generated from it will likely be used for the brands marketing efforts through the next year, Wenzel says.
by Daniella Koren , September 6, 2016

Theres little in life as jarring as being diagnosed with a serious disease like cancer or diabetes; the news irrevocably changes the lives of both the patient and their family. Yet as difficult as it is, there are many avenues to get information and connecting with others who are dealing with a similar challenge. But for those who learn that they have an illness that is so rare most people have never even heard of it, the scenario can be quite different.

The diagnosis itself is isolating, but when you consider that there may be few similar cases in the world, fewer physicians who recognize it, and fewer organizations for support, individuals with rare diseases face unique obstacles.

Little attention

Unlike diseases such as breast cancer and heart disease, which get significant media attention and garner massive support in the form of research and fundraisers, many rare diseases (those that affect fewer than 5 people in 10,000), are largely unknown or poorly understood. More common illnesses are supported by organizations that push for research funding and put together local and national awareness events, and many more individuals have been affected by those conditions.

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In contrast, often only family members, a handful of caregivers, and those suffering with a rare illness are aware of what they are going through. According to Global Genes, approximately 50% of rare diseases do not have a specific foundation supporting or researching their condition.

The challenges: Delayed diagnosis, lack of support, and limited treatments

Many individuals with rare diseases find themselves in a world that doesnt recognize their pain or currently possess the knowledge to treat them. Despite the fact that there are a host of research and development efforts underway to find new medications, 95% of rare diseases dont have an FDA-approved drug treatment. And when you consider the fact that new diseases continue to emerge frequently, both patient isolation and the pressing need for novel treatments will continue unless more attention can be drawn to these conditions.

An individual with Castlemans Disease, a disorder affecting the lymph nodes, detailed these challenges:

The doctor I saw was perplexed by my condition so he sent me to get a couple dozen tests. A few days later while sitting outside the campus coffee shop, he told me in a calm, yet stern tone that I should see a cancer specialist in Houston. I was speechless  After the tests, it was clear that I did not have cancer, instead I became part of the less than 1 in 100,000 cases of Castlemans Disease reported globally. I felt alone and isolated, like no one could help because no one knew what it was or how to treat it.

Solutions on the horizon

More organizations are being formed to address the medical and emotional needs of those with rare diseases. Jared Heyman, whose sister suffered with a rare illness, founded CrowdMed to bring together medical experts to address some of the most complex cases. This platform allows patients to submit their information and get diagnostic and treatment suggestions within days. CrowdMed has become a viable resource that empowers patients.

As healthcare marketers, we can play a role in educating patients and healthcare providers about these conditions, as well as reaching out to sufferers to provide support resources. Avenues to achieve this goal include:

Supporting the efforts of individual disease advocacy groups and partnering with them to spread awareness and help generate R&D funding.

Directing patients to resources that help them discover a support network, such as the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network.

Partnering with organizations like the National Organization of Rare Disorders and creating awareness of events like Rare Disease Day through social media and other channels.

The National Organization of Rare Disorders motto, Alone we are rare, together we are strong, illustrates the value that healthcare marketers can bring to the effort, by spearheading campaigns that create awareness and action.
by Tobi Elkin @tobielkin, September 7, 2016

SimilarWeb on Wednesday announced the appointment of Carla Bourque as chief commercial officer, a newly created position. Bourque will lead the companys global commercial operations, including sales, customer success, marketing, and business development across the eight international offices.

Bourque, who will be based in the cross-device intelligence companys San Francisco office, brings more than 20 years of expertise in managing enterprise software as a service (SaaS) across digital media, marketing tech, and analytics.

Prior to joining SimilarWeb, Bourque served as executive-in-residence at XSeed Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm. She began her career as a brand manager for PowerBar and subsequently held executive positions at companies specializing in innovation at the intersection of data and technology, including Buddy Media (acquired by Salesforce) and AdRelevance (acquired by comScore). As CEO of Smartify, Bourque helped transform the marketing analytics company into a scalable SaaS business.
by Thom Forbes @tforbes, September 7, 2016



Blaming the U.S. Department of Education for excessive oversight and sanctions, ITT Technical Institute  which had about 40,000 students enrolled on more than 130 campuses in 38 states  yesterday said it was pulling the plug and shutting down.

Except for a small school that operates under a different name, the move puts an end to an operation that has been accused of widespread fraud and abuse, writes Patricia Cohen for the New York Times.

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Late last month, the Education Dept. banned the Carmel, Ind.-based school from enrolling new students who rely on federal financial aid. It also required that ITT set aside $247.3 million should it go out of business.

Experts called it a death sentence. On Tuesday, ITT blamed its closure on those sanctions, calling them unwarranted, inappropriate and unconstitutional, write Justin L. Mack, Chelsea Schneider and Stephanie Wang for the Indianapolis Star.

These unwarranted actions, taken without proving a single allegation, are a lawless execution, as noted by a recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal, the school maintained in its news release. It also said that it was letting go the overwhelming majority of our more than 8,000 employees.

But state and federal investigations into ITT have been ongoing since 2002, Mack, Schneider and Wang point out.

ITT currently faces fraud charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission and a lawsuit from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It has been under investigation by at least 19 state attorneys general, they write.

Some of ITT's attitude is justified, Credit Suisse analyst Trace Urdan tells them. But it's certainly not the case that the Department of Education did this to them. They did this to themselves.

ITTs closure comes after Corinthian Colleges Inc. shut the doors of its schools and filed for bankruptcy last year. The Education Department agreed to forgive $171 million in loans owed by former students, most of them in California, point out Jim Puzzanghera and Ronald D. White in the Los Angeles Times.

Both Corinthian and ITT made the same bad decision, which was to guarantee third-party private loans while pushing out more students into a weak jobs market after the Great Recession, Urdan tells them.

But there were other issues, too.

In blocking new students from enrolling, the Education Department cited the actions of ITT's accreditor, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, which determined that ITT is not in compliance and is unlikely to become in compliance with [ACICS] accreditation criteria, reportsInside Higher Ed. According to the department, ACICS questioned ITT's compliance with standards such as financial stability, management, record keeping, admissions, recruitment standards, retention, job placement and institutional integrity, in an Aug. 17 letter sent to the department.

A page on ITTs Web site touts its power packed programs in fields such as information technology, electronics technology, drafting and design, business, nursing and health sciences. Another page warns that credits earned there are unlikely to transfer and states that the company does not represent, promise or guarantee that a student or graduate will obtain employment.

Undersecretary of Education Ted Mitchell yesterday told reporters that the department is reaching out to ITT students directly to inform them about their options, reports Danielle Douglas-Gabriel in the Washington Post. He said the department is also hosting a series of webinars this week and partnering with states to hold on-site sessions to help ITT students. The department is asking community colleges near ITT locations to accept academic credits from the career school.

If students are successful in transferring their credits to other institutions to complete the same degree, they will not be eligible for federal student loan forgiveness, however.

Daniel Webster College in Nashua, N.H., is the one school owned by ITT that remains open. Acquired in 2009, it serves about 650 students on a 54-acre campus and has 21 full-time and 67 part-time faculty members, according to Kimberly Houghtons story in the Manchester Union Leader.

Without the parent companys support, it will be difficult for DWC to operate, its president, Michael Diffily, wrote in a letter to students, Houghton reports. Several institutions also accredited by (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) have approached ITT and have expressed interest in acquiring the college, which would be a good thing for DWC.

Its too simplistic to look at todays closure as just the result of actions by the Department of Education, Ben Miller, senior director for postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress, tells the Posts Douglas-Gabriel. Years of mismanagement by ITT leadership put it in a position where EDs action was necessary and impossible to survive.
The Washington Post, Wednesday, September 7, 2016 11:45 AM

Speaking at a rally in New Hampshire on Tuesday in support of Hillary Clinton, Sanders had to deal with a clearly skeptical crowd. One heckler yelled out: Is she indicted yet? Sanders will have the tough task of bringing his loud and robust progressive support base over to the perceived less-progressive Clinton camp to ensure a Democrat enters office in January 2017.

Read the whole story at The Washington Post 
by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, September 7, 2016

Spirits marketer Diageo has opted to retain Dentsu Aegis Network for North America, as well as European and Southeast Asia media duties, after a global review that began in May. Carat will continue to manage the NA assignment.

Mindshare successfully defended its assignments in India and South Africa. In Australia, Publicis Groupe shops will continue to lead the account, with MediaVest overseeing the media portion of the assignment.

The company spends an estimated $2.3 billion a year on marketing worldwide. According to Kantar Media, Diageo spent $105 million on measured media in the U.S. last year, down from $147 million in 2014.

The companys large portfolio includes six big global brands  Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Tanqueray, Guinness, Captain Morgan and Baileys  and numerous regional offerings.

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Diageo issued this statement: "Diageo has concluded a comprehensive review of our global media buying partnerships across 5 key markets. Our partnership with Aegis will support our ambitions in core markets like North America and Europe whilst Mindshare will support us in India and South Africa. Australia will retain its partnership with MediaVest. Now that the review has concluded, we remain focused on the future and our ambitious plans ahead."

In its 2015 annual report, the company disclosed that ad spending was down in North America, as we drove procurement savings on media and agency fees in marketing, while maintaining our share of voice.

Total marketing investment in North America was reduced by 4%, the report indicated.

The firm indicated that its advertising remained focused on Ciroc, Crown Royal, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, and Johnnie Walker and increased on Don Julio and Bulleit.
by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, September 7, 2016

The Newspaper Association of America is bowing to reality with a new name that drops a longstanding part of its heritage  specifically, the name of the medium it was printed on.



This week the newspaper publishings official industry organization announced it is ditching the old moniker for a new one, the News Media Alliance, reflecting the shift to digital, multichannel distribution.

In an emailed statement, NMA CEO David Chavern explained: The name change doesn't reflect any diminishment of newspaper as a central way for people to get information but, instead, indicates just how many new ways our members are delivering journalism to their communities. The bottom line is that people consume more news than ever  in all forms  and that is the basis for a vibrant and growing news media industry.

While you might not guess it from the industrys well-reported financial woes, newspapers are reaching more people than ever, thanks in large part to the transition to digital media.

According to comScore figures cited by the NAA previously, last year newspapers reached 179.3 million people in August 2015 alone, accounting for 69% of the U.S. Internet population.

But these impressive audience figures only underline the challenges facing newspapers on the business side, as print ad dollars continue to plummet and digital ad dollars arent growing nearly fast enough to replace them. Per figures previously released by the Census, total U.S. newspaper publishing revenues including advertising and circulation fell 4.4% from $6.51 billion in the first quarter of 2015 to $6.22 billion in the first quarter of 2016.

The first-quarter declines come atop similar percentage declines in total annual revenues last year, also per the Census. Newspaper publishers saw total revenues fall 3.8% from $28.1 billion in 2014 to $27 billion in 2015. According to separate figures from Pew Research, U.S. newspaper publishers digital ad revenues also decreased 2% last year.

Thus, the NMA faces a number of urgent new missions, including growing newspapers digital ad business to match their massive online reach, and helping its members persuade readers to buy digital subscriptions while dissuading them from using ad blockers.

While a new name obviously cant solve t hese problems, its a recognition of the realities shaping the industry in future.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, September 7, 2016

Lawmakers in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday preliminarily approved a measure that would make it easier for Google Fiber to offer its Gigabit broadband service to city residents.

The proposed law, dubbed "One Touch Make Ready," allows a single contractor to move all of the equipment on a pole, including equipment owned by incumbent broadband providers. The measure still has to clear additional hurdles before being enacted.

"This Ordinance will allow new entrants like Google Fiber to bring broadband to more Nashvillians efficiently, safely and quickly," Google Fiber's Chris Levendos, director of national deployment and operations, wrote Tuesday evening in a blog post.

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Google says the proposed law will enable it to more quickly offer Gigabit broadband service in Nashville, where more than 44,000 utility poles still need to be readied for Google Fiber.

Levendos wrote that the proposed bill "will reduce delay and disruption by allowing the necessary work to be done much more efficiently -- in as little as a single visit."

AT&T and Comcast, the current providers in Nashville, oppose the bill.

It's not clear whether they will sue the city, if the measure moves forward. But earlier this year, AT&T filed suit over a similar bill in Louisville, Kentucky.

AT&T, which owns many poles in Louisville, alleged in a complaint against the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government that the city law conflicts with Federal Communications Commission regulations regarding utility poles. That matter is still pending in federal court in Louisville.
Chen Jingxian, 31, is a private airplane pilot. On Sept. 6, Chen successfully landed in Chengdu, Sichuan province, marking the end of the first half of her flight around the world. Flying in a tiny single-engine piston airplane, Chen took off from Cleveland, Ohio on Aug. 1 to begin her around-the-world journey.

Born in Neijiang, Sichuan province, Chen went to study in Beijing when she was 18. There, she read classic flight narratives like "Wind, Sand and Stars" and "Night Flight", both written by French pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupery. These books inspired Chen's own flying dream.

Chen left Beijing in 2011 and went to New York to earn her law degree. Around that time, she also set about learning to fly airplanes. After several years of study and practice, she successfully obtained a private pilot license.

With half her journey behind her, Chen's next stop will be Japan.
Changes in the genetic make-up of tissue samples can be detected quickly and easily using a new method based on nanotechnology. This report researchers from the Swiss Nanoscience Institute, the University of Basel and the University Hospital Basel in first clinical tests with genetic mutations in patients with malignant melanoma. The journal Nano Letters has published the study.

According to estimates by the American Skin Cancer Foundation, today more people develop skin cancer than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer together. Although malignant melanoma accounts for only about 5 percent of skin cancers, these are the most serious cases and can result in death. Around half of all patients who develop malignant melanoma exhibit a particular genetic change (mutation). This involves a change in the BRAF gene (B gene for Rapid Acceleration of Fibrosarcoma) that leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation.

There are now drugs that exploit these specific mutations and fight the cancer, significantly extending patients' life expectancy. However, they work only if the corresponding genetic mutation is actually present. Where it is not, they give rise to severe side effects without producing the desired effect. "It is therefore essential that we are able to identify the mutations reliably in tissue samples. That is the only way of ensuring that patients get the right treatment and successful outcomes," explains the paper's co-author, Professor Katharina Glatz of the Institute of Pathology at University Hospital Basel.

Coated microcantilevers

In a clinical pilot study, the team led by Professor Ernst Meyer and Professor Christoph Gerber at the Swiss Nanoscience Institute and the Department of Physics at Basel University used nanosensors for the first time to detect the mutations in tissue samples from patients with malignant melanoma. To do so, the researchers employed tiny cantilevers that were coated in different ways. Some of them carried a recognition sequence for the mutation the researchers were targeting.

Then genetic material (RNA) from the patients' tissue samples was isolated and applied to the cantilevers. If the genetic change is present, the patient's RNA binds to the recognition sequence on the cantilever. The resulting surface stress leads to bending of the cantilever, which can be measured. If the mutation is absent from the RNA sample, this bending does not occur - in other words, only a specific binding produces a signal. The advantage of using nanocantilevers is that no time-consuming procedures are needed. It takes less than a day to move from performing the biopsy to diagnosis.

Unthinkable 30 years ago

In this study, the Basel research team was able to demonstrate that nanomechanical microcantilevers can identify mutations in complex mixtures of total RNA isolated from tissue samples. At first, cantilevers were used only in atomic force microscopes. Professor Christoph Gerber - who is due to receive the Kavli Prize in Oslo on 6 September, together with Gerd Binnig and Cal Quate, for developing the atomic force microscope - observes: "Thirty years ago, we weren't able to foresee that our technology might one day be used in hospital for personalized medicine - 'from the bench to the bedside', as it were."

Article: Fast Diagnostics of BRAF Mutations in Biopsies from Malignant Melanoma, Francois Huber, Hans Peter Lang, Katharina Glatz, Donata Rimoldi, Ernst Meyer, Christoph Gerber, Nano Letters, doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b01513, published online 4 August 2016.
Researchers eyeing first new anti-hypertensive drug treatment strategy in more than 15 years.

Researchers at the University of Bristol and Afferent Pharmaceuticals have identified a potential new way of treating high blood pressure, or hypertension, by targeting aberrant nerve signals in the carotid bodies, which sit on the common carotid arteries on each side of the neck.

The research study, entitled "Purinergic receptors in the carotid body as a new drug target for controlling hypertension," was led by Julian Paton, professor of physiology at the University of Bristol, and was published in the 5 September online edition of Nature Medicine.

Instead of treating high blood pressure by targeting directly the functions within end organs such as the heart, kidneys and vasculature, this novel approach aims to reduce nervous system activity from a sensory organ, the carotid body, that when activated can cause blood pressure to rise uncontrollably.

Such a treatment may offer superiority over existing medications, principally by lowering blood pressure directly at a common source. Beneficial outcomes may also extend to other cardiometabolic disorders, such as heart failure and sleep apnoea, in which the carotid bodies are known to be sensitized. In preclinical models, researchers were able to block this carotid body aberrant signaling activity with an investigational drug candidate, MK-7624 (also known as AF-219), demonstrating a significant reduction in blood pressure.

"With this research, we've validated P2X3 receptors as a novel drug target for the treatment of cardiovascular disease by demonstrating that blockade of these receptors with a selective antagonist controls carotid body activity," said Dr Angus Nightingale, a cardiology consultant who runs the specialist hypertensive clinic at the Bristol Heart Institute and is a co-author of the study.

"The question now is whether blocking these P2X3 receptors in humans will lower elevated blood pressure, and how we can best identify those patients with carotid body hyperactivity who are most likely to respond to treatment."

"The carotid bodies lie at the bifurcation (fork) of the common carotid artery on each side of the neck and are the body's smallest organs, each about the size of a rice grain," said Professor Paton, who co-led the research with Dr Anthony Ford, founder and chief scientific officer of Afferent Pharmaceuticals.

"These organs sense chemicals such as oxygen in the blood. When oxygen levels fall, the carotid bodies become active and send signals to the brain that trigger increases in breathing and blood pressure."

The researchers collaborated to test whether MK-7624/AF-219, a highly selective and potent orally available P2X3 receptor antagonist, can stop this nervous activity from occurring, thereby lowering blood pressure.

"In healthy individuals, the carotid bodies have very low levels of activity," said Professor Paton. "We discovered that these tiny organs become hyperactive in conditions of hypertension, generating what we have called aberrant or tonic discharge, which is sent into the brain regions controlling cardiovascular activity. In this way, changes within the carotid body may be a cause of high blood pressure and therefore represent a novel target for controlling blood pressure."

Previous research by Professor Paton and collaborators, published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology, showed that removing one carotid body was effective in lowering blood pressure in human patients with drug-resistant hypertension. The next step was to find out why the carotid body can become hyperactive in hypertension, and to develop a pharmacological approach to normalise its activity.

To carry out this research, the team utilized an established animal model of human hypertension. They discovered that the energy molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a recognized common signaling nucleotide, was able to persistently activate the P2X3 receptor, and that this protein was upregulated by almost 5 fold in the carotid body in hypertension. By blocking this receptor in the carotid body with MK-7264/AF-219, blood pressure fell significantly in hypertensive rats.

"Crucially, unlike carotid body removal, the drug did not render the carotid body inoperable," said Professor Paton. "Instead, it normalized its activity levels to those found in a normotensive state. Think of it in terms of a domestic fire alarm - it switches off after the smoke disappears, but the battery remains in place, meaning it can still respond in an emergency."

"We have developed some unique tests to assess the activity state of the carotid body in human hypertensive patients," said Dr. Nightingale. "We are hoping to initiate a clinical trial to test P2X3 receptor antagonism in hypertensive patients who exhibit hyperactive carotid bodies in the near future."

High blood pressure is the world's leading contributor to mortality. In the UK, its cost to the National Health Service is around 2 billion per year, and it remains poorly controlled, triggering heart and renal failure, and strokes. The World Health Organization has identified high blood pressure as the single most important risk factor for the global burden of disease and death.

"This approach may be the first novel anti-hypertensive treatment strategy in more than 15 years, and perhaps the first directed at a root cause of excessive sympathetic discharge to cardiovascular end-organs," said Professor Paton.

"This research was translational from molecule to medicine, and reflects the critical importance of integrative physiology as a subject. Our study was an inter-disciplinary team effort, and would not have been possible without close working with colleagues from the University of Bristol, University Hospital Trust Bristol, the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and Afferent Pharmaceuticals. Nor would it have been possible without funding from The British Heart Foundation and Afferent Pharmaceuticals."
A group of scientists have found that a single molecule from a bacterial cell wall component can lead to the unusual behaviour of 100 million clotting molecules in blood, which may be a major contributor to many diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes. The discovery could help to explain many features of these kinds of diseases, and may lead to new methods of prevention or treatment.

A team from The University of Manchester, together with South African colleagues from The University of Pretoria, tested blood and plasma for its ability to clot when the normal clotting agent thrombin was added. Normal, healthy blood clots have a nice spaghetti-like appearance. However, the results showed that tiny amounts of cell wall molecules such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which are shed by dormant bacteria, caused a highly anomalous clot to form dense deposits with very different fibres.

These can contribute to the chronic inflammation that is part of many supposedly non-infectious diseases. These include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, 'auto-immune' conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular problems such as stroke, and metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes.

The discovery could have considerable impact on the treatment of these conditions, since stopping the unusual clotting could stop its consequences. Existing treatments do not this, as the new mechanism had not previously been known.

The work is part of an ongoing collaboration funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to understand unusual blood clotting.

Professor Douglas Kell, Research Chair in Bioanalytical Science at The University of Manchester, said: "The breakthrough finding that tiny amounts of bacterial cell wall material can have a massive effect on causing blood to clot in an unusual way explains much about the biology of many of these diseases. This opens up novel means - including nutritional - for their prevention and treatment."

Resia Pretorius, from the Department of Physiology at The University of Pretoria, said "The importance of LPS in inflammatory diseases has been mostly overlooked, and has been used to induce both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in animal testing for many years. Inflammatory diseases are also closely linked to Leaky Gut Syndrome. Together with our new findings regarding the involvement of a (dormant) blood microbiome, this demonstrates that dormant bacteria can play an important role in all inflammatory diseases."

Article: Acute induction of anomalous and amyloidogenic blood clotting by molecular amplification of highly substoichiometric levels of bacterial lipopolysaccharide, Etheresia Pretorius, Sthembile Mbotwe, Janette Bester, Christopher J. Robinson, Douglas B. Kell, Interface, doi: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0539, published online 7 September 2016.
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/PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Yoga has been around for more than 5000 years. Where it started as a bundle of song texts for rituals executed by priests in the North of, nowadays millions of people practice yoga on a daily base.Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/405003Many people see yoga as an escapade out of the stressful daily routines and embrace the physical body as the means to achieve enlightenment.Especially the last few years a huge increase has taken place. In the US alone, over 36 million people have been reported to actively practice yoga in 2016, compared to 20.4 million in 2012.With this huge increase of interest in Yoga, skilled & qualified yoga teachers are in high demand. Becoming a yoga teacher requires an official accreditation provided by the International Yoga Alliance. Yoga schools get accredited first before they are allowed to accredit students for becoming a Yoga teacher.Shades of Yoga is a Yoga Alliance registered Yoga Teacher Training school running year-round yoga teacher training programs in stunning destinations around the world.Attend one of our intensive Level One or Level Two yoga teacher training courses and have the luxury of a month to fully immerse yourself in the art of learning HOW to teach and practice the ancient tradition of Yoga.Some of the topics that we will cover during the month of training INCLUDE:Shades of Yoga is committed to the following;PRODUCING teachers who are ready to step straight into a commercial teaching role at the end of their trainingStarting from, Shades of Yoga WILL BE rolling out an exciting new model for training, which we ARE CALLING Yoga PLUS!What IS Yoga PLUS:Yoga PLUS is a unique training model that allows you to supplement your one-month yoga teacher training course with one of three free add-ons when booking your 200 hour RYT course inComplete your training program and then 'add on' EITHER A;We challenge you to find another yoga teacher training provider who offers you this kind of value.Shades of Yoga's programs CURRENTLY run inandand, from 2017, we are expanding our operations base TO INCLUDE France andStill not convinced? Don't take our word for it  hear what our students have to say:Ana from"I just finished by 300h yoga teacher training program in Ubud. I chose this course because its syllabus looked complete and the teachers had lots of experience. All my expectations were surpassed! The classes are HELD in paradise, in an open area surrounded by nature so you can feel the wind and listen to the birds as you meditate."Tammy from"The Shades of Yoga training was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. On a practical level, it took my yoga practice to a whole new level. On an emotional and spiritual level, it opened up my heart to evolving through life's challenges and letting go of the things that no longer serve me".Our 2016 and 2017 dates forand Costa Rica are below (stay tuned for training dates inand):Bali  2016 - RYT200 UBUD 2017 - RYT200 UBUD 2017 - RYT 300 UBUD 2016 - RYT200 2017 - RYT200Recent years Yoga has grown in popularity, and the end of this burst is not anywhere near yet. In the hectic world, we live in people are more and more in search to be balanced with the inner self. Yoga is about compassion, acceptance, and awareness, but means something else for every individual. We are happy with the attention Yoga is receiving and are looking forward to spreading the amazing things Yoga can bring!For more info check http://shadesofyoga.com, Shades Of Yoga, +27 82 683 0669, tracey@shadesofyoga.comNews distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.comSOURCE Shades Of Yoga
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, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A surgical suite built by WomenStrong International to perform emergency deliveries in a remote, mountainous region of northernhas begun delivering babies and saving lives. It is the first time C-sections have been available to expectant mothers in a commune of 80,000 people across a 100-mile area.WomenStrong International is a consortium of non-profit organizations in five nations supporting women-driven solutions to extreme urban poverty. Its Consortium member in, H.O.P.E., has been working for 20 years in the northernmost commune of Borgne to meet community needs for healthcare, clean water, economic development and education. In partnership withMinistry of Health and others, H.O.P.E. runs a healthcare system that includes a hospital and network of mobile clinics to care for people living in remote mountain villages accessible only by primitive footpaths.WomenStrong's support enabled the creation of Mobile Women's Health Clinics and a maternal and neonatal wing at the Alyans Sante Borgne Hospital, and with private donations also enabled construction of theoperating and delivery suite equipment for the facility, the area's first blood bank and salaries to bring in an obstetrician/gynecologist, an anesthesiologist and a bloodbank expert, all Cuban-trained. The investment in the hospital promptedMinistry of Health to join forces with H.O.P.E. to contribute equipment for the blood bank and training for Haitian technicians to run it, as well as support for a Haitian surgical resident assigned to the unit."Our relatively small investment, less thanper resident of the commune, encouraged partnerships that leveraged the funding and vastly improved what had been a deadly situation for pregnant women in northern," said Dr., Founder and Executive Director of WomenStrong International. "This work demonstrates an efficient mobilization of resources that shortens the journey to care and increases safe childbirth and maternal survival."The first woman to deliver in the new facility is typical of women in the region who come down from mountain villages to deliver in Borgne. Even in labor, they must travel on foot along steep, unpaved paths, sometimes for hours, to reach the hospital. Previously, those needing an emergency cesarean would then need to travel another two hours over rutted roads to reach the nearest operating theater.Twenty-three-year old Lousena Thales arrived at the hospital in critical condition, requiring emergency care for a uterine rupture. Without urgent medical care, the rupture would have led to fatal hemorrhaging and the potential loss of her child. Instead, in the new facility, she delivered a healthy son and survived."Nothing is greater than what this mother feels and nothing is more precious than life," said Dr., Medical Director for Alyans Sante Borgne Hospital and H.O.P.E.'s healthcare network. "The entire surgical team feels a sense of honor and pride at a job well done, and for the community this facility offers hope for the future."The medical team on the first delivery included obstetrical surgeon Dr., surgeon Dr., nurse anesthesiologist, nurse, assisting surgeon Dr.and blood bank technologist Clarisbel Brizuela.The sterile surgical suite was constructed according to the highest standards, but also took into account the limited resources available in Borgne. WomenStrong is developing a special expertise in the creation of maternal and neonatal medical safety nets in low-resource areas, putting the mother at the center of newborn care. In Kumasi,, WomenStrong has supported the creation of two innovative neonatal centers for babies at risk that is now serving as a model for the development of similar centers throughout the country. In, WomenStrong supports the screening and treatment of pregnant and adolescent women for anemia, to give mothers and newborns their best shot at survival. In, the role of the new mother is at the center of care in maternity ward, supplementing scarce medical staff and costly equipment."This new facility is a first for the rural north and a game changer for the region in terms of improving maternal and newborn health and survival," said Dr., Director of the Haitian Ministry of Health, Northern Department.WomenStrong International is a consortium of non-profit organizations in five nations supporting women-driven solutions to extreme urban poverty. WSI emerged from a decade of work atMillennium Cities Initiative where we found the most successful programs were local and led by women. Through our Consortium members in, and, we help thousands of women and girls meet their 6 Essential Needs for health, shelter, safety, education, economic empowerment and a functioning urban environment. These women, in turn, improve the lives of their children, families, communities and nations. WomenStrong believes the path out of poverty and toward a more just and prosperous world can be found by making women strong. For more information, visit www.womenstrong.org.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/womenstrong-funded-surgical-suite-in-northern-haiti-performs-first-emergency-cesarean-delivery-300323738.html



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The issue Terlecki's team explored was whether the DRE is needed when another more accurate test that measures prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood is available. PSA is a protein that is often elevated in men with prostate cancer."Many practitioners continue to perform DRE in attempts to identify men with aggressive prostate cancer who could die from the disease," said Terlecki. "In the era of PSA testing, we wanted to explore whether it's time to abandon the digital exam."To reach their conclusion, Terlecki's research team reviewed both medical literature and the results of a nationwide screening trial in which 38,340 men received annual DRE exams and PSA tests for three years. They were then followed for up to 13 years.Of interest to Terlecki's team were the 5,064 men who had a normal PSA test but an "abnormal" DRE. Only 2 percent of these men had what is known as clinically relevant prostate cancer, which means it may need to be monitored or treated."The DRE does capture an additional small population of men with significant prostate cancer, but it also unnecessarily subjects a large number of men to the test," he said.Until 2012, men over 50 (age 40 for African-Americans) were urged to have both DRE and PSA tests annually. That was before the United States Preventive Services Task Forces recommended against routine PSA testing because it could lead to overtreatment of slow-growing, non-harmful tumors. The panel did not address DRE, which was the primary method of detecting prostate cancer prior to the blood test.As a result of the task force's recommendation, there has been confusion and controversy about whether men should be screened for prostate cancer. Some organizations recommend against any screening and others recommend PSA screening, but only if men are counseled about the potential benefits and risks.In previous studies, PSA had been shown to outperform DRE in detecting significant disease. The current analysis confirmed that PSA is superior to DRE as an independent screen for prostate cancer. PSA testing detected 680 cases of significant cancer, compared to 317 cases for DRE."When PSA testing is used, the DRE rarely assists in diagnosing significant disease," said Terlecki. "In cases where PSA testing is used, the DRE should be abandoned in common clinical practice."There is still a place for DRE testing for certain patients, Terlecki said. For example, a patient with abnormal PSA who is "on the fence" about having a biopsy, may feel more comfortable proceeding with the procedure if a DRE is also abnormal, he said.Source: Newswise
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A team of researchers based at City University in London and Stanford University in California analyzed studies reporting on the impact of the European financial crisis on health outcomes, published from January 2008 to December 2015.A total of 41 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analysed, the vast majority focused on two countries - Spain and Greece. The main health outcomes that these studies explored were suicides and mental health.All studies were assessed for risk of bias. Of these, 29 (73%) were deemed to be at high risk of bias, nine (23%) at moderate risk of bias, and only two at low risk of bias, limiting the conclusions that could be drawn.Although there were differences across countries and groups, there was some indication that suicides increased during the financial crisis, particularly among men.Studies looking at mental health found similar increases, but these results were more mixed. Women seemed to be more affected by mental health problems than men.Studies focusing on mortality seemed to show a different picture, with overall mortality not being affected or even declining during the crisis years. It has been argued in previously published studies that, among other reasons, this is probably due to healthier lifestyles during years of economic difficulties.There was also some evidence that the health of immigrants, especially those who had illegal status and lacked social security, deteriorated much more during the crisis than that of natives.Evidence on self-rated health and other indicators was mixed.These results need to be interpreted with caution, say the authors, but overall, the financial crisis in Europe seems to have had mixed effects on health outcomes, with the evidence being most consistent for suicides and mental health."There is a need for better empirical studies, especially those focused on identifying mechanisms that can mitigate the adverse effects of the crisis," they conclude.. In a linked editorial, researchers at the University of Liverpool, agree that recessions can harm health, but argue that a government's response can exacerbate the damage. "It is therefore critical to distinguish between the health effects of recessions and the effect of different policy responses to recession," they write.And they call on doctors "to advocate for social and welfare policies that are informed by the evidence available and evaluated for their health effects, so that they protect people during crisis rather than creating further health problems."Source: Medindia
Cancerous cells that are present in the inner lining of the stomach form the basis of stomach cancer or gastric cancer. It is usually detected only in the advanced stages as initial symptoms are mostly absent.

The stomach is a sac like organ and is a part of the digestive system. It is situated in the upper abdomen, below the ribs on the left side of the body. Its upper part connects to the esophagus and its lower part leads into the small intestine. The neighboring organs are the liver, small intestine, pancreas, colon, and spleen.

Adenocarcinoma is the most common (90-95%) type of stomach cancer. This cancer arises from the innermost lining layer called the mucosa.

Gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors start in hormone-making cells of the stomach and account for 3% of stomach cancers.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors start in very early forms of cells of the stomach wall called interstitial cells of Cajal.

Lymphomas start in the immune system tissue found in the stomach wall and account for 4% of the stomach cancers.

Most stomach cancers start in its innermost layer called the mucosa. This is where the acids and the digestive juices are made. The severity of the cancer increases as it spreads deeper inside from the mucosa to other parts of the stomach wall or to the lymph nodes or to other distant organs.

In the beginning pre-cancerous changes occur in the mucosa but this stage usually goes undetected as it is asymptomatic. Once cancer has been detected there are a few stages used to classify it depending on how much it has spread in the body.

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According to the National Cancer Institute, 26,370 new cases of gastric cancer are diagnosed in 2016 and about 10,730 cases are likely to die.

It is the third most common cause of cancer related deaths in the world.

Although the cause of stomach cancer is not fully known there are several risk factors involved. They are:

Being above the age of 50

Gender - more common in men than women

Race - more common in black people than in white people.

Location - more common in some parts of the world - such as Japan, China, Korea, parts of Eastern Europe, and Latin America

Smoking

Family history of stomach cancer

Long standing ulcers or atrophic gastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori infections.

infections. Stomach lymphomas

Pernicious anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency)

(vitamin B12 deficiency) Polyps or growths in the stomach

Menetier disease (decreased acid formation that causes overgrowth of stomach lining)

Diet - that is high in salt, preserved or smoked products

When people eat variety of foods that are preserved by drying, smoking, salting or pickling they are at a higher risk of developing stomach cancer.

Low Fruits and Vegetables in the diet, and high fat content can lead to stomach cancer.

Exposure to chemical carcinogens like rubber by-products, coal tar and asbestos

People with Type A blood group

Stomach cancer can be difficult to detect, often there are NO symptoms in the early stages and, in many cases, the cancer has spread before it is found.

Some of the symptoms associated with stomach cancer are:

Indigestion or a burning sensation (heartburn)

Discomfort or pain in the abdomen

Nausea and vomiting

Difficulty swallowing

Diarrhea or constipation

Bloating of the stomach after meals

Loss of appetite

Weakness and fatigue

Persistent low grade fever

Black tarry stools

The first step involves undergoing a general physical examination and a discussion with the doctor of your medical history.

Upper endoscopy (also called esophagogastroduodenoscopy or EGD) is usually the first test that is done to detect stomach cancer. An endoscope (a thin, flexible, lighted tube) fitted with a small video camera is inserted down the throat to view the stomach.

An Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUD) is later done to see how far the cancer has spread to the stomach walls, neighboring tissues and lymph nodes. In this case the endoscope is used to insert a small ultrasound device into the stomach to generate a close-up image of your stomach on a computer screen.

If abnormal masses are seen, a biopsy is done (either during EGD or EUD). The removed cells or tissue are examined under a microscope to check the presence and kind of cancer.

Imaging tests mostly performed for stomach cancer are:

X-rays (using the barium swallow) to look at the inner lining of the stomach

Computed Tomography (CT scan) that confirm the location of the cancer and show the spread to nearby organs such as the liver, lymph nodes and pancreas can also be done. A CT scan also determines the stage of the cancer and whether surgery may be a good treatment option.

Chest x-ray: Chest x-rays are often performed to find out if the cancer has spread to the lungs.

Apart from this, laboratory tests like Complete Blood Count (CBC) to look for anemia and Fecal Occult Blood test(to detect blood in the stools) are also done.

The best approach to treat cancer uses two or more of the following methods:

Chemotherapy

Radiation

Surgery

Targeted Therapy

In Chemotherapy drugs are taken orally or through IV. Chemotherapy is provided in two ways.

Neoadjuvant treatment: Given prior to the surgery with an aim of shrinking the tumour.

Adjuvant treatment; Given post surgery to kill cancer cells that cannot be removed completely or too small to see. In the case of stomach cancer, adjuvant chemo is mostly accompanied with radiation therapy - this is known as chemoradiation.

Sometimes chemo is the only option in advanced cancers when surgery is not an option. It is given just to alleviate the pain in patients and to prolong life.

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Chemotherapy drugs:

A dose / cycle of chemotherapy usually lasts for a few weeks followed by a rest period. Common drugs are:

Fluorouracil (5-FU) injection or its analog Capecitabine block DNA replication thus killing the cancerous cells.

injection or its analog block DNA replication thus killing the cancerous cells. C isplatin platinum-containing anti-cancer drugs and

platinum-containing anti-cancer drugs and Carboplatin bind to DNA, delink its strands and lead to programmed cell death.

bind to DNA, delink its strands and lead to programmed cell death. Paclitaxel and Docetaxel work by interfering with the normal breakdown of microtubules during cell division

and work by interfering with the normal breakdown of microtubules during cell division Epirubicin and Doxorubicin interfere with DNA and RNA synthesis

Several combination treatments used are:

ECX (epirubicin, cisplatin, and capecitabine)

Epirubicin, cisplatin and fluorouracil (5FU).

Docetaxel / paclitaxel and 5-FU / capecitabine

Cisplatin and 5-FU / capecitabine

Paclitaxel and carboplatin

Targeted Therapy:

Trastuzumab - used to treat HER2 positive adenocarcinoma

Ramucirumab - given alone or in combination and used in advanced or metastasized stomach cancer

Nausea / vomiting, hair loss and diarrhoea are some of the main side effects of chemotherapy.

Radiation uses high-energy waves or particles to kill cancer cells. This can be done before and / or after surgery either alone or in combination with chemotherapy (for eg. with 5-FU)

External beam radiation therapy involves transmitting radiation from a machine outside the body to treat stomach cancer.

It also causes side effects like nausea / vomiting and loss of appetite especially when given in addition to chemo.

Depending on the type and the stage of cancer, surgery is used as a part of the treatment procedure.

During very early stages when the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes, an endoscopic resection of the mucosa and the submucosa can be done. The advantage to this method is that there is no skin lesion and the endoscope (inserted via the throat) is used to removed the tumour and part of the normal stomach wall.

For advanced stages, a gastrectomy is done that involves removing either a part (subtotal or partial gastrectomy) or all (total gastrectomy) of the stomach, as well as some of the tissue around the stomach. After a subtotal gastrectomy, the doctor connects the remaining part of the stomach to the esophagus or the small intestine. After a total gastrectomy, the doctor connects the esophagus directly to the small intestine.

Cancer stages are classified according to how far they have metastasized or spread:

Stage 0 - Cancerous cells present only in the innermost lining. It is usually treated by endoscopy mucosal reduction or by total or partial gastrectomy and removal of neighboring lymph nodes without chemotherapy or radiation.

Stage 1 - Cancerous cells spread to the second or third layers of stomach (1A) or second layer and to a couple of lymph nodes (1B). In this case, a total or partial gastrectomy along with lymph node removal and omentum removal is performed that can sometimes be preceded by chemotherapy. If the cancer is still present in the lymph nodes post surgery, chemotherapy or chemoradiation is an option.

Stage 2 - Spread to second layer and more distant lymph nodes, or third layer and nearby lymph nodes or all four layers but no lymph nodes

Stage 3 - Spread to third layer and more distant lymph nodes or fourth layer and either nearby tissues or nearby or more distant lymph nodes

For stages 2 and 3 cancer, surgery is done to remove all or part of the stomach and the lymph nodes preceded by chemotherapy and followed by chemotherapy and/or chemoradiation. A cure is still possible for a stage 3 cancer.

Stage 4 - Spread to nearby tissues and more distant lymph nodes or to distant organs like liver, lungs, brain or bones thus minimizing chances for a cure. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, chemoradiation are all the options and mostly given to relieve symptoms and prolong life.

Sometimes, targeted therapy is an option for advanced stages (for example Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is given to patients whose tumors are HER2-positive. HER2 or human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) is a gene that cancer cells overexpress.

Survival rates are a standard way to discuss the prognosis or outlook of a person. This rate is affected by their general health, location of the cancer, the treatment (surgery or not), the patients response to the treatment and their physical fitness. In general, there is around 80% chance of survival of a cancer patient with who has early stage symptoms. This percentage decreases as the stage or the severity of the disease increases and we see only around 5 % survival rate for a stage 4 cancer patient.

Although the onset of gastric cancer cannot be prevented there are a few steps that can be taken to reduce its risk:

Increase consumption of vegetables and fruits

Use the refrigerator as a means for food storage as opposed to pickling or smoking

Regular physical exercise

Cut down on alcohol and tobacco consumption.

Complete treatment of H. Pylori infected patients with antibiotics

Prevent development of polyps which could lead to cancerous cells

Take smaller frequent meals.

Taking prescription of vitamins may help you maintain your body's proper level of vitamins. Some of these vitamins can be taken only by injection. (eg. Vit B12).

Know what to expect. Find out everything about the cancer - the type, stage, treatment options and their side effects. The more you know, the more active you can be in your own care. In addition to talking with your doctor, look for information in your local library and on the Internet.

Clinical trials are an option for patients who are in the advanced stages of cancer where surgery is not an option. By taking part in clinical trials they will be lending a hand to new research that is being done in the field of cancer.

An ongoing Phase 3 trial is studying how aspirin (a drug given to patients to prevent heart attacks and strokes) can prevent cancer relapse. This is based on earlier research that has concluded that patients taking aspirin are less likely to acquire cancer.

Another study assessed the safety and efficacy of a drug called ramucirumab, when given in addition to trastuzumab and chemotherapy in patients with HER2-positive metastatic stomach and gastroesophageal junction cancer. Ramucirumab acts by blocking the activity of a protein called VEGFR2 present on cancer cells.
(Xinhua) 14:10, September 07, 2016

Dilma Rousseff delivers a statement at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on Aug. 31, 2016. The Brazilian Senate voted on Wednesday to strip Dilma Rousseff of the presidency by 61 votes in favor to 20 votes against. This means Rousseff is immediately and permanently removed from her role and Michel Temer, who assumed the interim presidency after Rousseff was suspended in May, will become president until the end of this term in 2018. (Xinhua/Wilton Junior/Agencia Estado)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's former President Dilma Rousseff left on Tuesday the official presidential residence, the Alvorada Palace, amid salutations from her supporters.

As she left the presidential residence for the last time, accompanied by former Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo, who defended her in the impeachment process, Rousseff got out of the car to greet supporters waiting outside.

She received many roses while being saluted by the crowd who sang songs of support to the first woman president of Brazil.

"This is a very important demonstration of solidarity," Cardozo said.

Rousseff was removed from Brazilian presidency by a Senate vote last week after a nine-month-long impeachment battle. She was impeached for breaking fiscal responsibility laws in her management of the federal budget.

After moving out of the presidential residence, Rousseff is flying to Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state. She started her political career and lived there before working for the administration of her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the capital Brasilia.

Her daughter and grandchildren are now living in Porto Alegre.

Rousseff has recently said she will also spend some time in Rio, where her mother lives.

Her vice president Michel Temer, who took over during the suspension of her post, will serve out the rest of her term until elections are held in 2018.
Introduction

The Egyptian media has recently leveled harsh criticism at Britain and its media for their attitude towards the current Egyptian regime. It claimed that Britain's officials and media have been attacking the Al-Sisi regime, while showing sympathy and extending a platform to Egyptian oppositionists from the Muslim Brotherhood (MB).

The ire of the Egyptian media was stirred by a guidance document released by the British Home Office on August 8, 2016, which reviewed the MB's situation in Egypt during the presidency of Muhammad Morsi (July 2012-July 2013) and under the current regime, and set out the Home Office policy regarding granting political asylum in the UK to MB members. The document allowed political asylum to be granted to high-profile MB activists who are able to show that they are "at risk of persecution [by the Egyptian regime], including of being held in detention, where they may be at risk of ill-treatment, trial also without due process and disproportionate punishment." The document also noted that "each case will need to be considered on its facts." [1]

This Home Office document provoked a harsh response from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said at a press conference in Cairo that Britain was relying on misinformation about the MB, and therefore Egypt would inform its international partners about the MB terrorism that is threatening Egypt's national security and people.[2] The Egyptian press, especially in the official daily Al-Ahram, published articles that harshly condemned what they called Britain's hypocritical policy towards Egypt.

The anger of the Egyptian media was also directed at the British magazine The Economist, for its publication on August 6 of two articles about the volatile economic crisis in Egypt. Featured on the issue's cover with the headline "How Sisi is ruining Egypt," the articles blamed Egyptian President 'Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi for the economic crisis, and one of them even stated that it would be best if Al-Sisi announced he would not run for reelection in 2018. [3]

Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Abu Zeid took the unusual measure of challenging The Economist's claims in an article he penned that was posted in Arabic and English on official ministry websites. The Egyptian press also published articles against the magazine. Conversely, Egyptian human rights activists and columnists in the independent media condemned the Foreign Ministry's harsh response to the statements in The Economist.

It should be noted that this is not Egypt's first media attack on Britain since Al-Sisi became president. During Al-Sisi's November 2015 visit to London following the downing of the Russian plane in Sinai, then-British prime minister David Cameron said, at a joint press conference with Al-Sisi, that the plane had probably been downed by terrorists and justified his decision to suspend fights to Egypt. His statement, made before the findings of the official investigation of the crash had been published,[4] embarrassed Al-Sisi and sparked furious responses in the Egyptian press. Articles slammed Cameron and Britain's policy toward Egypt and claimed that Egypt was the target of a British attack aimed at breaking the Egyptians' spirit. They also opined that neither Britain nor the U.S. was serious about combating terror.[5]

The following are details on the British publications and the responses to them in the Egyptian press.

The Home Office Guidance Document: Review Of Al-Sisi Crackdown On MB, Recommendation To Consider Granting Asylum To MB Activists

The Home Office guidance document, published on August 8, 2016, provides a brief overview of events in Egypt between 2011 and the present, for the edification of Home Office decision makers in charge of handling certain types of protection and human rights claims, including requests for asylum.[6] Based on information, mostly in English, from research institutes, human rights organizations, and leading media outlets, it first reviews the brief period of MB rule in Egypt, and proceeds to review the ongoing crackdown on the MB by the Al-Sisi regime.

Addressing Morsi's term in office, the document notes that he incurred much criticism for moves that were construed as "heavy-handed" and "autocratic," such as his attempt to declare the presidency and several legislative bodies immune from judiciary oversight; his appointment of 17 provincial governors affiliated with the MB, and his promotion of a new constitution that, according to critics, established Islam as the basis of law, guaranteed insufficient protection for democratic freedoms, and accorded sweeping powers to the presidency. The document notes further that his term in office was marked by growing frustration with economic mismanagement and poor governance, provoking state institutions and bureaucracies to mutiny and leading Egypt to the brink of collapse and civil war.

However, the document points out that the manner of Morsi's removal from power had serious consequences for Egypt's democracy, for, by deposing Morsi, the Egyptian military "locked itself into a kill-or-be-killed struggle" with the MB, whereby the military is bent upon destroying the MB, and the MB, in turn, seeks to topple the current regime and even calls openly for Al-Sisi's death. As part of its brutal crackdown on the MB, notes the document, the regime has repressed its protests with deadly force, eliminated its leadership through a massive arrest campaign, and held mass trials of its members, many of whom were handed severe sentences, including the death penalty. The document also mentions reported cases of torture and disappearances at the hands of police. It notes that the regime has shut down hundreds of NGOs affiliated with the MB, and that journalists affiliated with it have also been targeted.

In light of this, the document concludes that "those with a high profile in the MB or who have been politically active, particularly in demonstrations, may be able to show that they are at risk of persecution, including of being held in detention, where they may be at risk of ill-treatment, trial also without due process and disproportionate punishment. Additionally, high profile supporters or those perceived to support the MB, such as journalists, may also be similarly at risk of persecution. In such cases, a grant of asylum will be appropriate... Each case will need to be considered on its facts."[7]

Egyptian Foreign Minister In Response To Home Office Document: Groundless Assumptions With No Basis In Reality

As mentioned, the Home Office document sparked enraged responses from Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. At an August 8, 2016 press conference with his Cypriot counterpart, Shoukry rejected what is stated in the document, saying: "What the [British] Home Office published regarding the MB contains indications that are not positive and will not have a positive impact on Egypt-Britain relations... [Britain] assumes, groundlessly, that the Egyptian judiciary is targeting the MB, but this has no basis in reality." He stressed that the prosecution of the MB members is based on the principles of justice and that no political interference is involved.[8]

Egyptian Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee member MP Dalia Youssuf said: "Britain's recent actions reveal its full support for the MB... despite the official warming of Egypt-Britain relations... The positions [Britain] has espoused recently are strange and raise significant question marks."[9]

Al-Ahram Criticizes Home Office Document

Editorial: Britain Intends To Grant Political Asylum To MB Members Despite Their Acts Of Terrorism

Harsh criticism of Britain was also evident in the Egyptian press. Al-Ahram argued in its August 9 editorial that Europe was applying a double standard, condemning Egypt for measures that it itself uses against terrorists, and that the West needed to respect other countries' sovereignty: "In Paris, Nice, Brussels, Berlin, and other European cities, security authorities are quick to declare a state of emergency and arrest all suspects indiscriminately, without differentiating between criminals and the innocent. But when Egypt acts to ensure the safety of its citizens against such terrorist actions, the same [European] capitals publicly condemn our moves.

"Despite the severity of the situation in Egypt, Britain intends... to grant political asylum to some MB leaders living there, while ignoring their supporters' actions in Egypt - among them murder, terrorization, and destabilization of Egypt's security and national peace... When European countries make decisions that could harm other countries, they always justify [them] by claiming that they are carrying out sovereign actions - but when other elements or countries impacted [by terrorism] take similar measures, they launch campaigns against them, on various pretexts and by various means. The West, therefore, must respect the national sovereignty of others..."[10]

Al-Ahram Editor: Britain Is Hypocritical Towards Egypt, Legitimizes Islamists Who Were Involved In Murders

Al-Ahram editor Muhammad 'Abd Al-Hadi 'Allam, whose pieces are generally published on Fridays, also wrote in August 9 - a Tuesday - to criticize "Britain's hypocrisy towards Egypt." Britain, he stated, speaks of challenges shared by both Britain and Egypt, but at the same time gives political asylum to MB members: "Several developments in Britain's Egypt policy are cause for concern... in the context of the bilateral relations of two countries that seem to have shared concerns in light of the rise of global terrorism and of the dire threat to interests in the Middle East, to which Britain is inarguably linked...

"There is a wide base of Islamists in London and in major British cities, and they enjoy full state protection there. Some fled death sentences in Egypt after they were proven to have been involved in murders, and later became human rights warriors on British TV. This requires careful examination at this time, because [Britain's] ambassador to Cairo claims that she is committed to Egyptian stability and security...

"Along with conflicting statements by the British government, there has been a wave of harsh criticism in major British newspapers and magazines, most recently in the well-known Economist weekly, discussing the ruin of Egypt and scenarios that contradict the Egyptian government's efforts to strengthen the country's economy. It should be mentioned that the British weekly's publication of this report coincided with the anniversary of the inauguration of the new Suez Canal... during which delegations of British businessmen and industrialists visited the site and expressed their desire to invest in its projects.

"So which of the two should we believe? The Britain that speaks of developing ties with Egypt after the great shift of the June 30 revolution? Or the Britain that cultivates dangerous Islamists on its soil and grants them political asylum...?"

"When will the English acknowledge that their actions are dangerous? This is a question that only the British government can answer!"[11]

Editorial: Egypt And Britain Each Respect The Choices Made By The People [Of The Other]

In its August 26, 2016 editorial, Al-Ahram softened its tone towards Britain. The editorial said: "The relations between Egypt and Britain involve a great deal of mutual understanding and respect for each country's standing in the regional and international arena. Each [country] respects the choices made by the people [of the other]. Cairo respects the choice of the British people to withdraw from the EU, for example, because this is an issue that affects the [British people] more than anyone else. Conversely, Britain fully understands and respects the choice of the Egyptian people to depose the regime of the terrorist [Muslim] Brotherhood..."[12]

The Economist: It Would Be Best If Al-Sisi Announced He Would Not Run For Reelection In 2018

On August 6, 2016, the British magazine The Economist published two articles on Egypt. One, titled "The Ruining of Egypt," dealt with the country's severe economic crisis, with the collapse of tourism there and the high rate of unemployment among young people. It held that the situation is largely the fault of Al-Sisi's "incompetence" and advised the West to "treat him with a mixture of pragmatism, persuasion and pressure" and to "stop selling Egypt expensive weapons it neither needs nor can afford." The second article, titled "State of Denial," was subtitled "Egypt has squandered billions of dollars in aid. With more on the way, is it at last ready to reform?"[13]



The two articles in The Economist

Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman: The Economist Insulted Egypt's President And People

As stated, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Abu Zeid responded to these articles in a harshly critical article that was posted in Arabic and English on official ministry websites.[14] Under the headline "The Ruining of The Economist" - a play on the title of one of the Economist's articles - he wrote: "I was shocked and surprised to read the latest issue of the Economist, which featured a series of articles about Egypt under the theme 'The ruining of Egypt.' As a leading magazine in economic and financial analysis, one would expect from the Economist to provide objective, informed analysis that focuses on evaluating and assessing the merits of Egypt's economic policies over the past few months. Instead, the Economist's articles eschew any semblance of objective analysis, focusing instead on spewing insults at the person of Egypt's President...

The magazine claims that President Sisi came to power through a 'coup,' completely disregarding the will of the Egyptian people, who demonstrated in the millions for the ouster for the Muslim Brotherhood Morsi, or the millions who voted in favor of the election of President Sisi in a landslide victory. It accuses him of 'incompetence' for Egypt's economic policies, overlooking that these policies are based on the advice of a group of prominent economic experts... and on Egypt's well-established institutions. I concede that it is possible to differ, and even sharply disagree on the merits of these policies. This is all welcome when it is done in the spirit of constructive and informed criticism... Unfortunately, the Economist did not make the effort to provide any thorough analysis or even superficial reference to those policies, instead it jumped to a hurried conclusion of incompetence...

"It is important to reiterate that the Egyptian government in the form of a highly professional cabinet is mandated to set the policies considered most appropriate for Egypt. President Sisi does not micro-manage Egypt's institutions and does not create economic policy in a vacuum; he is surrounded by institutions and consultants, an independent central bank and a cabinet of professionals that are in charge of decision-making in this area. The government remains accountable to parliament and to Egypt's people, who have the final say as to what they consider sound policy and what they believe constitutes 'incompetence.' The Economist's misinformed and trite remarks indicate complete ignorance of the nature of this economic and financial decision-making process in Egypt.

"Moving on with the same line of argument, the Economist ludicrously claims that Egypt's economy is sustained only through cash injections from the Gulf and military aid from the US. This could not be farther from the truth. It seems the Economists failed to notice the decline of US aid to Egypt in recent years! Neither are we counting on help from anyone. While being mindful of the economic difficulties lying ahead in Egypt, and the structural challenges that the country is wrestling with, however, any deep and credible economic analysis would recall that the country has passed through an acute crisis since January 2011, which has and is still inflicting a high financial cost. Creating a new economic model is never easy and takes time. It is also crucial to highlight that the Government has come up with a comprehensive plan to tackle head on its macroeconomic imbalances, put the economy back on track...

"There is a long list of accomplishments and success stories, across several economic sectors over the course of the last two years that no one can deny, yet the Economist fails to recognize them...

"It is obvious that the Economist has chosen to take sides with those bent on undermining Egypt. We hope that in the interest of maintaining its credibility, reputation and professionalism, the Economist will be less reductionist and biased in the future. It is extremely important for our partners as well, to be cognizant of the fact that Egyptians do not need to be patronized or insulted for their choices."

Egyptian MPs: The Economist Articles - A Declaration Of War On Egypt

Egyptian MPs harshly criticized the Economist's articles as well. MP Emad Gad told the daily Al-Masri Al-Yawm: "The Economist's report comes as part of a Western political campaign meant to harm Egypt, and we cannot view it separately from the [downing] of the Russian airliner [in Sinai], the granting of political asylum to MB [members] in Britain, and the tremendous disregard of Turkish President Erdogan's dictatorial measures against his opponents... While Egypt is in a severe economic crisis, [this crisis] is nowhere near the level of devastation and destruction described by The Economist."[15]

MP Mahmoud Yahya called the articles "a declaration of war on Egypt and an attempt to harm it, as part of a systematic plan and with timing that raises doubts regarding the reasons driving these major newspapers to condemn and criticize Egypt."[16]

Al-Masri Al-Yawm Owner: Despite Its Credibility, Economist Is Disregarding Egypt's Unique Circumstances

Criticism of The Economist appeared also in the Egyptian press. The owner of the Egyptian daily Al-Masri Al-Yawm, who writes under the pen name Newton, argued that despite The Economist's prestige and credentials, the headlines and descriptions that it used for Egypt and its economy were exaggerated and disregarded Egypt's situation following its revolutions. He wrote:

"The Economist is a respectable publication and is the first weekly I always read. It features in-depth analyses and is basically the world's most important economic weekly... It has a Middle East department, an African department, an Asian department, and an American and European department. This magazine has made a number of predictions that turned out to be accurate. In 2010, it predicted that there would be a major shift of all Western allies in Arab countries. One of its covers featured Mubarak's face superimposed on the Sphinx as it sank into the sand. In 2011, it published a photo of young [Egyptians] protesting, with the headline 'Egypt Uprising.' In 2012, it featured a cover image of smoke rising from the pyramids, with the title 'Egypt in Danger.' [But] in 2016, it featured the headline 'The Ruining of Egypt' along with a graph showing Egypt's economy tanking...

"[This] provocative headline... went far overboard... The conclusions reached by the weekly [in this report] ignore certain data: The [weekly] forgot that we had ousted a fascist religious regime poised to destroy everything on Egyptian soil and to set us back centuries; it forgot that we are dealing with a situation worse than occupation in Sinai, because the enemy there has no identity and no permanent bases; it forgot that we were [once] aided by the International Monetary Fund [IMF]; it forgot Al-Sisi's statements that the government would enact severe reforms... it forgot that we acknowledge that there is a problem and are making efforts to solve it with local and international experts; it forgot that we know that our situation is difficult and have therefore turned to the best doctor, famous for his bitter medicine - the IMF. We will absolutely not shy away from the prescription written for us, because we know that time is not on our side, and that we no longer have the privilege of choice...

"The Economist has its credibility, but it seems to know little about the Egyptians' patience and endurance. We are no worse at this than the West, which dealt with the reality imposed on it during World War II, when each citizen received one egg and no more than three sugar cubes weekly - to the point where the British became accustomed to drinking their tea unsweetened. We can take austerity measures, like Europe did when it was in a far worse situation than we are now..."[17]

Editor Of Egyptian Daily: Britain Is Part Of Anti-Egypt "Triangle of Evil"

Dandarawi Al-Harawi, the acting editor of the independent Egyptian daily Al-Yawm Al-Sabi', claimed in an article that the U.S. and Europe "oppose Al-Sisi staying in power and steering Egypt to a safe haven," and that is why "The Economist is suddenly talking about 'the ruining of Egypt.'" He added that the magazine articles were part of a single "symphony" that is being played by American and British papers and by public figures in Egypt who support the MB, a symphony that has "a single harmonious theme": the demand that Al-Sisi not run for reelection. He wrote further: "The Triangle of Evil, whose base is the U.S. and whose sides are Britain and Israel, is troubled by the strength of the Egyptian army that is regaining its vitality and climbing up the ladder of the world's most powerful armies in terms of its training and armament capabilities. [They are also troubled by] Egypt's independent decision-making and its discarding of blind obedience, especially in terms of varying the army's weapons and [Egypt's] turning to the East, when in the past [it looked] only to the U.S. and the West. These are the main things that angered the Triangle of Evil..."[18]

Human Rights Activists: Economist Reports Aren't A Plot Against Egypt; We Must Respect It

Conversely, Egyptian human rights activists as well as columnists for independent publications argued that The Economist's reports contained truths and that the weekly should not be attacked for highlighting Egypt's dire situation.

Nasser Amin, of the National Council for Human Rights, said that the weekly's reports cannot be called a plot, because it is a highly respected publication.[19] Another council member, Hafez Abu Sa'ada, added, "The issue of human rights [in Egypt] requires fundamental changes, as it is the only way to shift the West's negative attitudes towards Egypt." He also said, "The Economist report took a clear political stand, and we must respect it and respond appropriately by disproving its claims... [and] by taking practical steps to combat corruption and support [individual] liberties..."[20]

Emad Al-Din Hussein, editor-in-chief of the independent daily Al-Shurouq, wrote: "Supporters of the Egyptian government and President Al-Sisi err when they treat The Economist as an unimportant tabloid. It is a serious, respected, and conservative publication that is trusted by most European and Western decision-makers, as well as by all economists around the world. It is not known for impulsivity or for acting in an unmeasured manner, and [its reports] should not be summed up as 'a plot.'"[21]

Egyptian intellectual Mamoun Fandy also addressed the matter, writing in his column in the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat: "The Economist is not the only [publication] to harshly criticize events in Egypt in the past two weeks. It was preceded by The Grey Lady - the American New York Times.[22] I know that in our bureaucracy there are some among the ambassadors and media figures who speak of an organized campaign and a plot against Egypt. This could be partially true but is not entirely true... The description provided by The Economist, although it is limited in its knowledge of Egypt as a country and a society, is close to reality, and recognizing real problems is the first step towards [any] solution..."[23]

* C. Meital is a research fellow at MEMRI.

Endnotes:

[1] "Country Information and Guidance Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood," Gov.uk, August 2016. According to reports in the Egyptian press, a Home Office spokesman clarified that this Home Office policy applies only to MB members already present in the UK, and stressed that the country was not obligated to grant asylum to anyone currently outside its borders (Al-Yawm Al-Sabi', Egypt, August 8, 2016). The reports quoted him as saying that asylum requests would be considered individually, according to the UK's international obligations, and the UK would not grant asylum to persons who have committed grave crimes or pose a threat to its society and national security (Al-Masri Al-Yawm, Egypt, August 7, 8, 2016).
Apple has accidentally revealed new wireless headphones that they might be launching with iPhone 7 at their keynote. The leak might also confirm our concerns about the iPhone 7 not having a headphone jack. This leak also suggests that Beats will be pivotal to the new iPhone and they will be wireless. There are rumours that Apple might even ditch Bluetooth and utilise their in-house wireless technology for the headphones.

This means that users will now have to either succumb to low quality wireless audio or they will be forced to plug their headphones into the Lightning port where you charge your phone.

Apple will not be packaging the normal earpods we are used to with the iPhone 7. Instead, they will include a Lightning EarPod for the iPhone 7. If you really love your current headphones and you also want to own an iPhone, you might need to buy a separate 3.5mm headphone jack adapter. This also confirms that Apples wireless headphones are meant for the premium users whereas Beats might serve the purpose in the mid-range market.

The leak was from an email that was sent out by the Beats PR team to French journalists who would be attending the Apple Keynote. The invite included a mention and reference to Beats products that havent been mentioned in any other invite.

 Reuters

The subject of the email read Apple Keynote and also mentioned, Discover new products from Beats by Dre. The email further added that people should tune into the event as there will be new products announced from Beats by Dre.

The same email also included the same invitation that has been sent out to press last week.

We will be covering the Apple Keynote live on our Twitter account to confirm or debunk all the rumours we have been speculating.
(File photo)

Some 30 Chinese nationals in Singapore have contracted the Zika virus, as the country has seen a rising number of reported cases since late August. The figure was confirmed by the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, the Beijing Times reported.

Singapore reported its first locally infected Zika patient on Aug. 27, and has since reported a total of 275 cases. The figure is expected to continue to rise, as the Aedes mosquitoes that can carry the virus are prevalent in Singapore, and local hospitals have stopped isolating infected patients, according to Reuters.

CNN reported that the countrys Ministry of Health had done an analysis of two cases and found that they likely evolved from a strain of Zika already circulating in Southeast Asia.

The World Health Organization revealed that Zika has now spread to 72 countries and regions across the globe as of Sept. 1. The cases reported in Singapore have triggered concerns over the risk of an outbreak in Asia, which would potentially be quite deadly as Asia is such a densely populated continent.

There are two kinds of Aedes mosquitoes in China. One lives mostly in southern China, across Guangdong, Yunnan and Hainan provinces. The other spreads from northeastern Chinas Liaoning province to southwestern Chinas Gansu province and Tibet Autonomous Region. However, medical professionals insist that there's no need to worry just yet.

People from northern China need not panic about the virus, said Wang Linghang, a Beijing-based doctor specializing in infectious diseases.

Beijing has seen three imported cases of the Zika virus since the beginning of 2016, two of which occurred in patients returning to China from Venezuela.
(Xinhua) 17:03, September 07, 2016

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiangsaid here Tuesday that China hopes Singapore can play a constructive role in helping promote China's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Li made the remarks while meeting his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, on the sidelines of the East Asia leaders' meetings in the Laotian capital of Vientiane.

China considers Singapore a key partner for cooperation in the region, while close communications between the two nations' leaders can help keep the development of China-Singapore ties on the right track, boost pragmatic cooperation, and deepen the friendship of the two peoples, said Li.

The Chinese premier also said Beijing always regards ASEAN as a priority for regional diplomacy, noting that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN relations.

He added that China would like to join ASEAN in further expanding common interests, and contributing to regional peace and stability.

For his part, Lee said his country is willing to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with China, and ensure a smooth implementation of major projects.

Over the years, relations between China and ASEAN have been characterized by mutual benefits and shared profits, he said, adding that their common interests greatly outweigh their differences.

He also said Singapore, as a coordinator of China-ASEAN ties, would like to play an active part in promoting understanding and expanding common interests among various parties.

Earlier in the day, the Chinese premier arrived in Vientiane to attend the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 19th meeting of the leaders of ASEAN-China, Japanand South Korea(10+3), and the 11th East Asia Summit. During his stay, Li will also pay an official visit to Laos.
Chinas newly established aero-engine corporation will make its official debut at the 11th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China, which will also include live demonstrations of ground force weaponry. Airshow China will be hosted in the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong province

At a press conference on Sept. 7, Zheng Renhao, mayor of Zhuhai, said that the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), whose establishment was unveiled on Aug. 28, will participate in this years exhibition, along with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

This years Airshow China has made a major breakthrough with regards to the participation of Western countries stunt pilot teams. In addition to the Bayi Aerobatic Team from the Chinese Air Force, the U.K.s renowned Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team [also known as the Red Arrows] will contribute a performance. Composite formation will be demonstrated by the Russian Knights and Swifts aerobatic teams, flying Su-27 and MiG-29 fighter jets. This will be the first time the Knights and the Swifts put on a show outside of Russia, Zheng explained.

(File photo of Red Arrow aerobatic team)

Apart from aerobatic performances, which are a staple of air shows, the exhibition in Zhuhai will boast for the first time a live demonstration of 11 ground force weapons for military and civilian use, from armored tanks to all-terrain vehicles.

According to Jia Hongqian, deputy general manager of the China North Industries Group Corporation, the company will present a VT-4 main battle tank, a VN-12 tracked armored infantry fighting vehicle, a VN-1 8x8 armored vehicle, an N2 6x6 armored infantry fighting vehicle, a VN4 4x4 wheeled armored vehicle and a VP11 4x4 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicle.

The Chinese Air Force will display more than 900 pieces of weaponry for more than 60 models of aircraft, radar and missiles that are in active deployment. Over 130 aircraft in total will be on display, and more than 700 exhibitors from 42 countries and regions will participate in this years event. Some 45 percent of the exhibitors are from overseas. Apart from the Netherlands and New Zealand, who are returning exhibitors, Austria will also join the exhibition for the first time, according to Zheng.

This year's Airshow China will run from Nov. 1 through 6.
Photo taken on May 17, 2016 shows bullet trains in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

China's domestically produced bullet trains will be put to use in a high-speed railway project in Indonesia, according to a report by Caixin.

The report stated that the bullet trains will be assembled in Indonesia. The financing of the assembly plant is reportedly already underway

Sheng Guangzu, general manager of China Railway Corp. (CRC), said on Sept. 3 that China-made bullet trains will run along a high-speed rail route connecting Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, and the country's third-largest city, Bandung.

China's efforts to promote its high-speed technology have suffered a string of setbacks in recent years. Several overseas bids by Chinese rail companies in countries including the U.S. and Mexico have been scrapped, mainly due to red tape. Plans for the Jakarta-Bandung link also went through several rounds of changes before being awarded to a Chinese consortium led by CRC.

When the Southeast Asian nation floated a plan to build the country's first bullet train late last year, both China and Japan expressed interest in the project. However, the Indonesian government scrapped bids from both sides in September, saying that it wanted a rail link on which trains run at less than 250 kilometers per hour. Then, in an unexpected reversal, Indonesia chose China's bid over Japan's in October, accepting Chinas plan to build a link on which trains could run at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. This decision was made possible by the flexible funding options included in the Chinese bid.

To secure the deal, the consortium held a groundbreaking ceremony in January, even before Indonesian authorities had granted a construction license to the group. The license was later granted in August, after the group spent seven months negotiating with local governments for permission to expropriate land, a person close to the Chinese bidders told Caixin.

A Chinese bullet train, built according to Chinese standards and patents, completed its inaugural trip along the route in mid-August. A production permit will be issued by the National Railway Administration next year at the latest, a person close to CRC said.
[File photo]

From 1933 to 1941, while many countries closed their borders to Jews trying to escape persecution in Europe, Shanghai offered shelter to around 20,000 Jewish refugees. Now, according to authorities at the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, the archives of Jewish refugees living in Shanghai during this time are expected to be added to both national and international heritage lists.

The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museums goal is to get the archives into the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, but the application process is quite complicated. It requires approval at the municipal, national and international levels, explained Liao Guangjun, a senior advisor at the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, in an interview with thepaper.cn on Sept. 6.

According to Liao, the Archives of Shanghai Jewish Refugees in the 1930-40s project includes 549 individual archives, including photos, literature and historical mementos such as refugees boat tickets to Shanghai.

The archives are sufficient to draw an outline of Jewish refugees lives in Shanghai, but we still need more in order to apply for them to be listed on the national archives heritage list. We hope to collect more documents from the government and from refugees themselves. As many of the refugees have died in recent years, some valuable material may be lost forever if we dont take swift action, Liao said.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitris Mardas, following up on contacts state officials and government officers made during the recent visit of PM Tsipras to China, today had a meeting with M. Ratchford, a Thomas Cook executive for Europe, given the vivid interest the aforementioned company showed in the Greek market during the Deputy Minsters last trip to Shanghai.



Furthermore, as a follow-up to the visit in China, on September 13, there is going to be a meeting at the MFA, in cooperation with the senior management of the Athens Chamber of Tradesmen, with top executives of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, the Chinese e-company. Invitees to this event include Ev. Apostolou-Minister of Agricultural Development, Elena Kountouras-Alternate Minister for Tourism, D. Liakos-Economic Advisor to the PM and V.Dotsis- CEO of Enterprise Greece, who will all be attending.



It should be noted that right after the trip to China, a gathering with Chinese entrepreneurs and bankers was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During this gathering Chinese businesspeople expressed their interest in becoming active both in Greece, through the tourism industry and their involvement in two investment projects (one in Attica and another in Evia), as well as in Beijing, promoting Greek products.



Moreover, businessmen and bankers from China have met with representatives of Greek construction companies, which are currently operating in the Middle East and Africa, with a view to encouraging partnerships between Chinese and Greek enterprises in the global markets.



Last, Deputy Minister Mardas is en route to Morocco where he will be meeting senior state officials in his two-day visit.
[File photo]

More than 160 million pieces of personal information have been leaked in Beijing from 2010 to 2016. Many experts believe that more specific laws and severe penalties are needed to tackle crimes related to personal information security breaches in China.

According to a report by the Beijing Evening News on Sept. 6, a total of 162,513,874 pieces of personal information have been leaked since 2010. Courts in Beijing have heard 67 cases related to personal information leaks since 2013, most of which involved illegal trading and abuse of access to citizens' personal information.

The main sources of such leaks are express delivery companies, educational institutions and some public security organs; the biggest buyers are normally real estate companies and organizations in the insurance and health care industries. A piece of personal information can be obtained for a price as low as 0.5 yuan ($0.08), the report stated.

Many people believe that Chinas current criminal law is not clear enough when it comes to crimes concerning personal information. Conviction for such crimes are rare, as the cases lack a strong legal basis. What's more, the punishments imposed on criminals are relatively light, according to Chen Xiaowen, a lawer from a Beijing-based law office.

In an interview with the Beijing Evening News, Chen remarked, Criminal law does not specify the definition of citizens personal information or illegal access to such information. Many people are willing to take the risk of illegally trading personal information since it is a low-risk crime that can yield relatively large profits.

Personal information leaks are all too common in China, and have caused great damage both to individuals and society in recent years. In August, Xu Yuyu, a high school graduate in Linyi, Shandong province, tragically died after being defrauded of 9,900 yuan due to a leak of her personal information.
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, along with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, paid a visit to the Alibaba Business Park on Sept. 6 after the conclusion of the G20 summit. The two men had a chance to tour the park as well as to express their support for an Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), proposed by Alibaba founder Jack Ma.

Jack Ma and WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo

At the G20 summit and B20 business summit, leaders called for trade to remain the core of global economic development in the future. An official proposal for eWTP was included in the G20 Leaders' Communique.

In the afternoon of Sept. 6, Azevedo expressed his hope for "joint hands" to Jack Ma, Alibaba CEO and advocate for eWTP. Azevedo additionally reflected on how trade serves small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Ma's concept of eWTP is to set up a trade system for the Internet Era. According to Ma's proposal, eWTP will be initiated by privately owned sections with stakeholder participation. Ma's vision for eWTP is to improve policies and business climate for cross-border commerce. This would help developing countries, SMEs and young people to enter the global market and join the global economy.

Azevedo expressed his perspective that WTO and eWTP share a common mission. Ma agreed that, although they have differences, the ultimate goal of both is to promote development and inclusive growth. Ma therefore believes WTO and eWTP should work together toward their shared goal.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull experiences a "smart home"

In addition to Azevedo, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also visited Alibaba Business Park. He negotiated with Ma and experienced a "smart home" during his visit. He also witnessed the strategic cooperation agreement signed by Alibaba and the Australia Trade and Investment Commission.

Turnbull said that Alibaba and its online platform are an accessible pathway to the global market for many SMEs, emphasizing that eWTP will make global economic growth far more dynamic. Ma stated that the Internet is the best and only way for SMEs and young people to gain access to cross-border commerce.

During their conversation, Ma said that he had a pen pal, David Morley, who traveled with his family from Australia to Hangzhou when he was a child. Ma was also invited to Australia, where he finally got to go after being denied a visa six times.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) members, some guest countries and international organisations pose for a group photo before the opening ceremony of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, on Sunday.(Picture: Pang Xinglei / Xinhua)

G20 in 2016: More than 70 meetings and 29 outcome agreements.

Hangzhou Consensus: Vision, Integration, Openness, Inclusiveness

Three firsts in the development area:

 For the first time, G20 puts the issue of development in front and centre of the global macropolicy framework.

 The first G20 action plan has been formulated for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 For the first time, G20 is committed to co-operating to support African countries and the least developed countries in their industrialisation.

Three transformations:

 From a crisis response mechanism to a long-term governance mechanism.

 From short-term-oriented policies to comprehensive policies that include short-term and mid-to-longterm policies.

 From demand-side management to supply-side reform.

The annual Group of 20 (G20) summit wrapped up in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou yesterday, gathering global leaders to find a way to bring the world economy back to a healthy growth trajectory. Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the leaders of the worlds 20 leading economies to prescribe remedies for the sluggish world economy to embark on a road of robust, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.

The leaders of major players on the globe had a series of discussions on strengthening policy co-ordination, breaking a new path for growth, more effective and efficient global economic and financial governance, robust international trade and investment, inclusive and interconnected development, as well as other issues affecting the world economy.

The world economy is recovering, but faces multiple risks and challenges such as insufficient growth momentum, lack of demand, repeated volatility in financial markets, and sluggish international trade and investment, Xi told the summit.

As Xi observed, the growth momentum brought by the previous wave of technological progress was waning while the latest wave of technological and industrial revolution was yet to gather steam. Ageing populations and slowing population growth also weigh on the worlds major economies.

In addition, economic globalisation faces setbacks as protectionism rears its head and multilateral trade arrangements are being impacted. Despite substantial progress in financial regulatory reform, risks such as high leverage and froth are accumulating, Xi said.

As the leader of the worlds second largest economy, Xi offered five proposals to the G20 members to buttress global economic growth.

Strengthening macroeconomic policy co-ordination, jointly promoting global growth and upholding international financial stability

As Xi said, the G20 members should pursue more comprehensive macroeconomic policies in keeping with their own national realities and employ various policy tools, including fiscal, monetary and structural reform policies, to expand aggregate global demand, improve the quality of supply and bolster growth foundations.

G20 members have agreed that monetary policy alone could not lead to balanced growth. Fiscal strategies are equally important, by using fiscal policy flexibly and making tax policy and public expenditure more growth-friendly, while enhancing resilience and ensuring debt as a share of GDP is on a sustainable path.

We should, in conjunction with the formulation and implementation of the Hangzhou Action Plan, strengthen policy co-ordination, reduce negative spillovers, and work together to uphold financial stability and boost market confidence, Xi said.

Breaking a new path for growth and generating new growth momentum

Xi mentioned that the G20 should change its policy approach and place equal importance on both shortterm and medium to longterm policies, with demandside management and supply- side reform.

This year, we have agreed on the G20 Blueprint on Innovative Growth and made the unanimous decision to break a new path and expand new frontiers for the world economy through innovation, structural reform, new industrial revolution and the development of digital economy.

Xi added: We should stay committed to these initiatives to remove the root cause of sluggish recovery and weak growth that plagues the global economy, and lay a solid foundation for achieving a new round of global growth and prosperity.

The G20 members have reiterated the essential role of structural reforms in boosting productivity and potential output, and agreed upon the nine priority areas of structural reforms and a set of guiding principles identified in the Enhanced Structural Reform Agenda to provide high-level guidance to members.

Improving global economic governance and strengthening institutional safeguards

The G20 restarted the G20 International Financial Architecture Working Group.

As Xi said, the G20 should continue to improve the international monetary and financial systems and the governance structure of international financial institutions, and fully leverage the role of the International Monetary Funds special drawing rights.

Xi urged the G20 members to strengthen the global financial safety net and enhance co-operation in financial regulation, international taxation and combating corruption to boost the resilience of the world economy against risks.

G20 members have recognised that it is necessary to scale up green financing to support environmentally sustainable growth globally, and will voluntarily enhance the ability of the financial system to mobilise private capital for green investment.

Recognising the detrimental effects of corruption and of illicit finance flows, G20 members also welcomed the establishment in China of the Research Centre on International Co-operation Regarding Persons Sought for Corruption and Asset Recovery in G20 member states.

Building an open global economy and further promoting trade and investment facilitation and liberalisation

Protectionism is like drinking poison to quench ones thirst: it may ease a countrys internal pressure in the short term, Xi said frankly, but will only inflict severe damage to the country itself and the world economy in the long run.

The G20 should resolutely oppose the beggar-thy-neighbor policy, and advocate and promote the building of an open global economy, Xi said.

We should honour our commitment of not adopting new protectionist measures, strengthen co-ordination and co-operation on investment policies and take credible steps to stimulate trade growth.

Infrastructure connectivity should be enhanced in order to bring developing countries and small- and medium-sized companies into the global value chain and make the global economy more open and integrated, he added.

The G20 members have endorsed the G20 Strategy for Global Trade Growth, under which the G20 will lead by example to lower trade costs, harness trade and investment policy coherence, boost trade in services, enhance trade finance, promote e-commerce development, and address trade and development. The G20 Guiding Principles for Global Investment Policy-making has also been endorsed.

Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and promoting inclusive development

According to statistics, the Gini coefficient has exceeded the widely recognised alarm level of 0.6 and reached around 0.7 globally.

This is something that we must pay close attention to. Xi said. To achieve common development is the shared aspiration of all peoples, especially those of the developing countries.

This year, sustainable development is high on the G20 agenda, and G20 members have committed themselves to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and formulated an action plan. The Technology Facilitation Mechanism will also be established to enhance the co-operation on technologies to achieve sustainable development.

G20 members have pledged to support industrialisation in Africa and the least developed countries through sharing knowledge on good practices, supporting agriculture and agri-business development, investing in energy, renewables and resource efficiency, enhancing industrial production and vocational training, and promoting science, technology and innovation as a critical means for industrialisation.

G20 members reaffirmed their commitment to promoting investment with a focus on infrastructure in terms of both quantity and quality.

Through these means, we can reduce inequality and imbalance in global development and deliver the benefits of global growth to people of all countries, Xi said.

(The story was originally published on Business Report on September 6th, 2016.)
The President of South Africa Jacob Zuma has concluded his working visit to Hangzhou in the Peoples Republic of China, where he successfully participated in the Group of 20 (G20) Leaders Summit held from 3-5 September 2016 under the theme: Towards An Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy.

Under this theme, the G20 Leaders discussed specific priority areas, namely: i) Breaking a New Path for Growth, ii) More Effective and Efficient Global Economic and Financial Governance, iii) Robust International Trade and Investment, iv) Inclusive and Interconnected Development, and v) Other issues affecting the World such as Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR).

With regard international trade and investment, President Zuma stated that innovation, fair trade and investment are important ingredients for sustainable and inclusive growth.

Our trade and investment policies should be designed to enable countries to improve competitiveness and gain access to markets, to successfully participate in the global economy, said President Zuma.

Furthermore, President Zuma called for the strengthening of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the principal body to negotiate trade related matters. This entails working towards the early conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda in line with the development mandate and improving market access for exports of developing countries.

On the issue of inclusive and interconnected development, President Zuma stated that industrialization, infrastructure development, intra-Africa trade and curbing illicit financial flows are crucial goals for the development of the African Continent as stipulated in Agenda 2063. In this regard, South Africas proposal that illicit financial flows from trade mispricing be studied by the World Trade Organisation was accepted. This challenge, if addressed, has the potential to unlock millions of dollars that could be used by African governments to the implementation of the SDGs and their development programmes.

With regard to the 4th Industrial Revolution, President Zuma said that: For Africa not to be left behind, we must ensure the transfer of technology and investment in skills. In this regard, protection of intellectual property rights should not be used to exclude or create barriers to Africas industrialization. We further recognize that without peace and security there can be no sustainable development or meaningful economic growth.

The G20 Summit recognized Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) as a health, food security and economic threat of global magnitude.

President Zuma stressed that a multilateral solution is required as the lack of a global response could undermine the attainment of the health and other related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Importantly, in addressing this challenge, we need to uphold the principle of inclusivity. This requires that both developed and developing countries are included in research, development and production processes. We must ensure that all have access to these drugs, said the President.

Prior to the G20 Summit, President Zuma interacted with representatives at the B20 Summit (Business 20). The B20 Summit provides a platform for G20 leaders to engage with various leaders of the business community and attempts to address global challenges. The President participated as a panelist in a B20 session on "Breaking a New Path for Growth." The President stated that this topic is important for South Africa, given the emphasis on innovation, the digital economy and the new industrial revolution.

President Zuma attended a Trilateral Meeting with H.E President Idriss Deby of Chad and H.E President Macky Sall of Senegal, representing the Chair of the AU and NEPAD, respectively, on the margins of the Summit. This meeting provided an opportunity to coordinate and reinforce common messages from an African perspective during the Leaders' Summit.

"As the only African member in the G20, South Africa seeks to advance the African Unions priorities by coordinating closely with African observers in G20 meetings, such as the AU Chair and the NEPAD chair in an effort to strengthen the voice of Africa know the G20.South Africa further seeks to use its participation in the G20 to promote and strengthen the interests of the South, on the understanding that, if managed carefully, the G20 does present meaningful opportunities for advancing much-needed global governance reforms and orienting the international development agenda, said the President.

President Zuma participated in the BRICS Leaders' Informal Meeting, which also annually meets on the margins of the G20 Summit. The BRICS Leaders discussed global political and security issues and exchanged views on G20 matters related to global growth, the economy, trade, global governance, development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Preparations for the upcoming 8th Goa BRICS Summit were also discussed.

President Zuma held bilateral meetings on the margins of the Summit with H.E President Xi Jingping of the People's Republic of China, H.E Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, and H.E President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey where bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual concern were discussed.

The G20 Leaders' Communique was adopted as the outcome of Hangzhou Summit.

Germany is the incoming President of the G20 and will host the next G20 Summit in 2017.

Following the conclusion of the G20 Summit, President Zuma will travel to Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, where he will attend the "2nd Investing in Africa Forum," on 7 September 2016.
HARBOR BEACH  After disappearing nearly 66 years ago, Cpl. Curtis James Wells finally came home Tuesday.

At age 19, he was reported missing from the U.S. Army in North Korea in November 1950.

His mother died in 1990 believing wholeheartedly that he was still alive.

She never believed he was dead. She just thought maybe he had amnesia, or he didnt know who he was, or that he was a prisoner, recalled his sister, Betty Liedke, of Bad Axe.

Liedke went with U.S. Army officials to meet her oldest brothers casket when it arrived Tuesday morning from Hawaii at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

After a brief service, his remains were taken to the Ramsey Funeral Home in Harbor Beach with a police escort.

Forty-nine members of the American Legion welcomed Wells when his remains arrived at the funeral home.

They are going to give him the best burial that you ever saw for a young man, Liedke said. He deserves it. He didnt have a chance to live, really.

His graveside funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Rock Falls Cemetery in Harbor Beach. It will include full military honors.

Liedke was a young teen the last time she saw her brother before he left for the Korean conflict.

He wanted to go in the service. Thats all he wanted to do. He didnt care about anything else.  He wasnt quite 18, so he asked mother to sign, and she didnt want to. And he said, Well fine, Ill be 18 in a little bit. She signed because I think she felt a little guilty.

I know in my heart that whatever he did, he was going to do the best he could, Liedke said.

He had thought he was going to Japan.

But then, they were having this conflict in North Korea, and so their battalion had to go over there, Liedke said.

She remembers her mother receiving the letter stating that he was missing in action.

After hearing nothing for years, the Army declared Wells dead in 1954.

He received a posthumous promotion from private first class to corporal.

This spring, Liedkes brother, Bill Wells of Harbor Beach, got the call that the Army had identified Wells remains.

Using Bill Wellss DNA, and that of brother Herbert Dale Wells, the Army was able to identify Curtis.

Theyve got a special force that does nothing but look and dig for the remains of the soldiers that (were) over in North Korea, Liedke said.

Wells remains were discovered in 1998.

They dont go over there now. They cant. Its too dangerous.

The family learned years ago from a soldier that served with Wells that during combat action on Nov. 27, 1950, the soldiers were told to retreat.

After that, no one is sure of what happened to Wells.

They just didnt find him at all.  They dont know what happened, she said.

In a book that the Army provided summing up its investigation into Wells death, there was a letter from a young soldier from California who had served by Wells side.

Decades ago, he had called Wells mother and wanted to meet with her to talk about what happened.

But the government would not allow it.

They didnt want him to talk to her, for fear that it might give her some hope or something, I dont know. They shut him right up, Liedke said.

The family chose to have Wells buried in Harbor Beach with several family members.

We could have had him buried at Arlington, but it wasnt the right place for him, Liedke said.

We all agreed that home was the best place for him. He never had a chance to get married or have a family.

She said she hopes to find closure after the funeral because Ill know that he is at home.

Wells would have been 85.
HARBOR BEACH  One of the countys country schools closed its doors over the summer, but a nearby district has interests in taking over the duties of the vacant schoolhouse.

Kipper School, a one-room, kindergarten through eighth-grade school located halfway between Harbor Beach and Bad Axe, announced students wouldnt be returning for another school year after more than a century of educating students. Tonight, the Harbor Beach School Board is scheduled to discuss annexing Kipper School with Harbor Beach Community Schools. The board will meet at 7 p.m. inside the high school library.

Were just going to discuss what the process is  what we have to do on our end, what the responsibilities of the Kipper School Board are, and so on, Superintendent Lawrence Kroswek told the Tribune.

To take over, the revised school code, in part, states, A school district shall be annexed to another school district if the board of the annexing school district adopts a resolution approving the annexation and a majority of the school electors of the district to be annexed approve the annexation.

The decision to annex must be voted on by ballot, however, a resolution must be adopted. The election needs to be held within 120 days after the Kipper School Board passes said resolution. Kroswek said the election would be next May.

We would most likely do a resolution at the end of February to approve the annexation, he explained.

A decline in enrollment was one reason behind Kipper School closing. Last year, the school enrolled roughly a dozen students, but that number would have been significantly less this year.

Some of the students enrolled at Kipper have joined Harbor Beach Community Schools for this school term. A majority of Kippers students were non-residential so they were left with two options: school of choice or enroll in the district closest to their residence.

In my opinion, itll be good for Harbor Beach Schools to annex with that district, Kroswek said. Maybe other districts in the future will look at Harbor Beach as a viable option for education.

Country schools are still known in the area. Huron County currently operates five of the states country schools.

Other items on tonights agenda include:

 Superintendent search firm decision.

 Possible superintendent goals.

 Possible board goals.

 Board operating procedures.
(Xinhua) 19:19, September 07, 2016

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends the 19th ASEAN-China Summit in Vientiane, Laos, Sept 7, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members and China issued a joint statement Wednesday on the application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea.

The statement was issued after the two sides held the 19th ASEAN-China Summit in the Lao capital and commemorated the 25th anniversary of dialogue relations between ASEAN and China.

The document reaffirmed commitment to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the DOC, including the importance of the freedom of navigation and overflight.

It said the two sides recognized that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea region serves the fundamental interests of ASEAN member states and China as well as the international community.

The joint statement recognized that Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and China are members of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) and have adopted CUES.

CUES, as a coordinated means of communication to maximize safety at sea, offers a means by which navies may develop mutually rewarding international cooperation and transparency, according to the document.

Leaders from the two sides reaffirmed in the statement their commitment to CUES in order to improve operational safety of naval ships and naval aircraft in air and at sea, and ensure mutual trust.

The document said the leaders agreed to use the safety and communication procedures for the safety of all their naval ships and naval aircraft, as set out in CUES, when they encounter each other in the South China Sea.
Enbridge Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company. The company operates through five segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Gas Distribution and Storage, Renewable Power Generation, and Energy Services. The Liquids Pipelines segment operates pipelines and related terminals to transport various grades of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons in Canada and the United States. The Gas Transmission and Midstream segment invests in natural gas pipelines, and gathering and processing facilities in Canada and the United States. The Gas Distribution and Storage segment is involved in natural gas utility operations serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Ontario, as well as natural gas distribution and energy transportation activities in Quebec. The Renewable Power Generation segment operates power generating assets, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and waste heat recovery facilities; and transmission assets in North America and Europe. The Energy Services segment provides energy marketing services to refiners, producers, and other customers; and physical commodity marketing and logistical services in Canada and the United States. The company was formerly known as IPL Energy Inc. and changed its name to Enbridge Inc. in October 1998. Enbridge Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Deutsche Telekom AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated telecommunication services. The company operates through five segments: Germany, United States, Europe, Systems Solutions, and Group Development. It offers fixed-network services, including voice and data communication services based on fixed-network and broadband technology; and sells terminal equipment and other hardware products, as well as services to resellers. The company also provides mobile voice and data services to consumers and business customers; sells mobile devices and other hardware products; and sells mobile services to resellers and to companies that purchases and markets network services to third parties, such as mobile virtual network operators. In addition, it offers internet services; internet-based TV products and services; and information and communication technology systems for multinational corporations and public sector institutions with an infrastructure of data centers and networks under the T-Systems brand, as well as call center services. The company has 242 million mobile customers and 22 million broadband customers, as well as 27 million fixed-network lines. Deutsche Telekom AG has a collaboration with VMware, Inc. on cloud-based open and intelligent virtual RAN platform to bring agility to radio access networks for existing LTE and future 5G networks; and partnership with Microsoft to deliver high-performance cloud computing experiences. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Bonn, Germany.
(Xinhua) 19:25, September 07, 2016

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Wednesday that relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have made great strides and effectively promoted regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Li made the remarks when attending a ceremony with ASEAN leaders to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relations.

China and ASEAN have valued the development and their cooperation in the principle of mutual respect, understanding, trust and support since 1991 when they established the dialogue relations, he said.

"The past 25 years have seen growing mutual trust and pragmatic achievements made between China and ASEAN," he said.

The premier added that China has always regarded ASEAN as an important force in safeguarding regional peace and stability and in promoting regional integration and world multi-polarization.

Li pledged to give ASEAN a priority in China's drive to develop its relations with neighboring countries, saying China will support the building of an ASEAN community, ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation, and its growing part to play in international and regional affairs.

China is willing to work with ASEAN nations to cement the strategic communication between the two sides, advance the 2+7 cooperation framework, and energetically promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, he said.

He also vowed to continually inject new vigor into China-ASEAN relations and build a closer community for a shared future.

The premier's speech was echoed by ASEAN leaders, who praised the amazing achievements the two sides have made in the past 25 years and expressed confidence for their relations in a bright future.

ASEAN leaders said the development of relations with China would benefit ASEAN nations and are conducive to building an ASEAN community.

ASEAN is ready to cement the relations and tap new potential in promoting mutual political trust, deepening economic and trade cooperation, and expanding people-to-people and cultural exchanges with China, they said.

They looked forward to lifting China-ASEAN relations to a new level to promote regional peace and development.

In the ceremony held at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, Li and ASEAN leaders watched a short film chronicling China's growing relations with ASEAN in the last quarter of a century and looking into their bright prospects in the future.

Li and Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith also inaugurated a handbook titled "25 Years of ASEAN-China Dialogue and Cooperation: Facts and Figures."

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, whose country is the coordinator of China-ASEAN relations, joined them to cut a commemorative cake.

The Chinese premier arrived in Laos Tuesday for the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 19th meeting of the leaders of ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea (10+3), and the 11th East Asia Summit.

During his stay, Li is also to pay his first official visit to the country since taking office in March 2013. Enditem
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(Xinhua) 20:00, September 07, 2016

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends the 19th ASEAN-China Summit in Vientiane, Laos, Sept 7, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Wednesday reaffirmed their respect of freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea under principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

According to a joint statement issued after a bilateral summit, the two sides also agreed to resolve the territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned.

The statement, which was released after the 19th China-ASEAN leaders' meeting to commemorate the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations, added that they also undertake to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability.

Related to the South China Sea issue, the two sides also committed to the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in its entirety and working substantively toward the early adoption of a code of conduct in the South China Sea based on consensus.

The statement added that China and ASEAN will continue to strengthen dialogue and cooperation to enhance mutual understanding and friendship, promote defense exchanges and security cooperation to address common security issues, including combating terrorism, transnational threats and other non-traditional security challenges in pursuit of regional peace and stability.

On economic issues, the two sides agreed to further deepen and expand mutually-beneficial economic cooperation, including through the full and effective implementation of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, to work towards the early and successful conclusion of "a modern, comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership."

According to the statement, China and ASEAN will continue to strengthen cooperation in the area of connectivity that will bring mutual benefits, including through capacity building and resource mobilization for the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, to explore ways to improve connectivity between both sides by synergizing common priorities identified in the master plan and China's Belt and Road initiative, and encourage the active involvement of relevant multilateral financial institutions.

The two sides also vowed to continue strengthening cooperation in environmental protection, sustainable development and management of land and water resources, biodiversity conservation as well as address transboundary challenges, and strengthening dialogue and cooperation in the international climate change and other environment-related negotiations.

On bilateral ties, the two sides are committed to enhancing the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership for mutual benefit, including through the full and effective implementation of the 2016-2020 Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity, said the statement.

China welcomes the establishment of the ASEAN Community, and reaffirms its continued support for ASEAN's integration process and ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture.

While for ASEAN's part, it said that China's development is an important opportunity for the region, and it supports China's peaceful development, adding that ASEAN countries also reaffirm adherence to the one-China policy.
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies. The company operates through two segments, Sally Beauty Supply and Beauty Systems Group. The Sally Beauty Supply segment offers beauty products, including hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty products for retail customers, salons, and salon professionals. This segment also provides products under third-party brands, such as Wella, Clairol, OPI, Conair, and L'Oreal, as well as exclusive-label brand merchandise. The Beauty Systems Group segment offers professional beauty products, such as hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty items directly to salons and salon professionals through its professional-only stores, e-commerce platforms, and sales force, as well as through franchised stores under the Armstrong McCall store name. This segment also sells products under third-party brands, such as Paul Mitchell, Wella, Matrix, Schwarzkopf, Kenra, Goldwell, Joico, and Olaplex. As of September 30, 2021, the company operated 4,777 stores, including 134 franchised units in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany. It also distributes its products through full-service/exclusive distributors, open-line distributors, direct sales, and mega-salon stores. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Denton, Texas.
After years of warnings that major cuts to Army family programs are coming, officials with the Army's Installation Management Command announced that the day has finally arrived.

"The bottom line is in fiscal year '17, beginning in October, we're going to have a little less money to put into our family Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs than we have in previous years," Lt. Gen. Kenneth Dahl, head of Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM), which oversees family programs, said in a video posted on the command's YouTube channel Aug. 30.

Until now, command officials said, Army budget shortfalls have been covered through non-appropriated fund accounts, which are filled by sales and exchange dividends. But that model isn't sustainable long term, and anything that isn't covered by taxpayer dollars must now be cut. Last year saw a $105 million overage.

"I can't afford to keep borrowing money from our IMCOM bank accounts in order to reprogram into these funds," Dahl said.

Rather than direct which programs to cut, Dahl has told garrison commanders the programs they must keep -- and is leaving the rest up to them. Child care centers and child and youth services programs are safe from cuts, he said in the video, but almost everything else is fair game.

To help commanders decide what to cut, the command has sent out a program priorities list known as the "bin chart," officials said.

The chart, which was presented at the 2015 Association of the United States Army conference family forums and obtained by Military.com, lists programs in order of importance. "High priority" programs, such as school support services, are considered safe from cuts. "Moderate" and "low priority" programs, such as arts and crafts programs and spouse employment readiness services, are not.

"My point there is that I'm not going to make those decisions here at the IMCOM headquarters," Dahl said. "What we're allowing is you garrison commanders and senior commanders at the local level to determine how they can absorb this reduction in funding."

Programs at rural posts, such as Fort Greely, Alaska, and Fort Irwin, California, will be spared from the cut sheet because they are not available outside the gate, he said.

"They are remote and isolated; there are no alternatives off the installation," Dahl said. "So we're not looking at scaling back any of the services that we provide there."

Instead of completely closing programs, Dahl said that users are more likely to see a reduction in hours or fewer types of services offered at certain locations.

For example, command officials said, a skeet range at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, is no longer selling guns but is otherwise staying in operation. Officials at Fort Huachuca also announced on the post's Facebook page that they are planning to make changes to its Arts and Crafts Center so that it can become self-supporting.

Dahl said he is asking commanders to use their knowledge about their own communities to guide which programs to reduce or eliminate.

"Which programs are most important? Which programs are least important? How can they mitigate it? Do they want to go with flexible hours? Do they want to integrate volunteers? Do they want to sustain these programs that are most important to the community by closing once a day or perhaps charging a fee or an additional fee," he said.

But Army family program advocates worry that it's exactly that freedom that will result in Army families losing programs they've traditionally known they can rely on at every installation.

"When I think about consistency, I'm hoping that there are core programs that are always going to be there," said Patty Barron, who directs the Association of the United States Army's family programs, as well as its annual family forum with top Army leaders.

Barron said that she has heard through AUSA forums at individual bases that garrison officials often rely on unit commanders to communicate what programs families use and enjoy, but that those commanders don't always conduct thorough research before giving their feedback.

And that lack of communication, she said, could result in cuts.

Still, Dahl's video announcement is the first time in recent memory that upcoming, across-the-board Army family program cuts have actually been put into action and that a senior leader has made an effort to communicate them.

"We were very appreciative that he did come out with that video and he was very open about what was happening," she said. "We hope that openness can continue."

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
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.
New information shows a Marine staff sergeant found dead in a burning home near Richlands, North Carolina, was killed in an act of self-defense by his estranged wife after he killed her boyfriend, officials with the Onslow County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday.

Staff Sgt. Cody Wade Smith, 33, was found dead alongside 43-year-old Gregory Thomas Pearce inside the house on Haw Branch Road on Aug. 27.

Smith had returned from a deployment to Europe with Camp Lejeune's 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion weeks before, but little had been publicly released about the circumstances surrounding his death until today.

In a press conference, sheriff's office officials said Monica Rose Smith, 32, had served the Marine with divorce papers Aug. 11. Smith arranged to come by her house on the evening of Aug. 27 to drop off some personal property, Maj. Chris Thomas said.

Smith arrived around 5 p.m. with a backpack containing two handguns, duct tape, rope, lighter fluid and matches, Thomas said. He also had a large can of gasoline in his vehicle.

When Monica Smith tried to get the Marine to leave the house around 5:30 p.m., he tied her up, then used her phone to send text messages to Pearce, who arrived at the home half an hour later.

When Pearce discovered Monica was tied up, he tried to call 911, but was shot and killed by Smith, Thomas said. Smith then sprayed lighter fluid on the floor and set the house on fire.

At some point, Thomas said, Monica Smith was able to get control of the handgun used to kill Pearce and fire one shot at Smith, killing him. She then called 911 from the lawn of the burning home and stayed on the line with dispatchers until emergency responders arrived.

All the evidence collected on the scene confirmed her account of what happened, Thomas said.

Monica Smith is not being charged as she acted in self-defense, said Ernie Lee, district attorney for Onslow County.

"Cody Wade Smith did enter the residence with criminal intent," Lee said. "In fact, he had murderous intent."

According to information provided by II Marine Expeditionary Force, Smith was a 15-year Marine who had deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. He had also participated in the 2011 Operation Unified Protector over Libya.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck.
(Xinhua) 20:22, September 07, 2016

BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua)-- China's economic transition offers many investment opportunities and will drive technology and business model innovation, according to the head of a foreign private equity fund.

Economic restructuring and industrial upgrading will foster renewed demand for innovation in technology, media and telecommunication (TMT), education, health care and higher-quality consumer goods, James Yang, Managing Partner and Chairman of Pagoda Investment, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Since it opened in 2015, Pagoda Investment, whose major investors include Australia's Queensland Investment Corporation and some large European pension funds, has focused on investing in China's new consumption-centered economy. It has invested in several business giants including ride-sharing firm Didi, online-to-offline business platform Meituan &Dazhongdianping and on-demand personalized radio app Ximalaya FM, according to Yang.

"The downward economic pressure might also have some silver linings, as it could squeeze out the hype bubble and push for real innovation in new technology and sustainable business models," Yang said.

He said there are still many investment opportunities in the TMT sector as China is the world's second largest technology innovation market and has been a pioneer in Internet technology and application with strong government support.

"For example, Didi is not an on-demand mobility firm, but essentially a big data platform that matches demand and supply via data analysis," he said.

Yang is also upbeat about business opportunities to cooperate between the domestic and overseas market, such as logistics services for the Belt and Road Initiative and the rising demand of the Chinese middle class for safer food, better health care and consumer products.

China's outbound investment reached more than 102.7 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months of this year, up 61.8 percent year on year, and Chinese enterprises have been active in overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

"Many Chinese firms are becoming increasingly international with market expansion via M&A. Foreign funds can help bridge overseas technology and products with the Chinese market and help cultural integration and compliance with local laws, which are crucial to M&A success," Yang said.
In Vientiane, Laos, on Tuesday, President Barack Obama paid tribute to U.S. Navy Master-At-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, the U.S.-born son of Laotian refugees who was killed in the worst single-day loss of life for the U.S. in the war in Afghanistan.

"Our nations are connected not just by policies, but also by people like John Douangdara -- whose family settled in our state of Nebraska -- and after high school joined our military, served with our elite Special Forces, and ultimately gave his life for our nation," Obama said in an address to the Laotian people at the Lao National Cultural Hall.

"Johnny" Douangdara's parents, Sengchanh and Phouthasith Douangdara, came to the U.S. as refugees from the U.S. "Secret War" in Laos in 1979. Their son, who would be assigned as a dog handler with SEAL Team Six, was born in South Sioux City, Nebraska, in 1984.

When military representatives came to her door in August 2011 to confirm his death, his mother, Sengchang Douangdara, said, "He is a son of the Lao people," Obama said in his speech. "He sacrificed for us, and we honor him."

Douangdara was on his second tour in Afghanistan, following three in Iraq, when he and his dog, "Bart," went with SEAL Team Six members aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter as part of a quick reaction force coming to the aid of Army Rangers under attack in Afghanistan's Wardak province.

As the Chinook approached the landing zone, it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and crashed. All 38 aboard -- 30 U.S. service members, seven Afghan commandos and an Afghan interpreter -- were killed. Douangdara is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Obama said he came to Laos as the first American president to visit the country in the spirit of "reconciliation" with the Lao people, whose children are still maimed by the cluster bombs dropped by U.S. warplanes more than 40 years ago.

"I realize that having a U.S. president in Laos would have once been unimaginable. Six decades ago, this country fell into civil war," Obama said.

"And as the fighting raged next door in Vietnam, your neighbors and foreign powers, including the United States, intervened here. At the time, the U.S. government did not acknowledge America's role. It was a secret war, and for years, the American people did not know," Obama said.

"Over nine years -- from 1964 to 1973 -- the United States dropped more than two million tons of bombs here in Laos -- more than we dropped on Germany and Japan combined during all of World War II. It made Laos, per person, the most heavily bombed country in history," Obama said.

Obama stopped short of apologies but said he was doubling current U.S. funding to $90 million to help clear unexploded bombs dropped during the long-ago war.

"Given our history here, the U.S. has a moral obligation to help Laos heal," Obama said at the start of Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) summit meetings in Laos on security, terrorism and regional issues.

The amount was "more than we were expecting," said Simon Rea, the Laos country director for the Mines Advisory Group, which aids victims of unexploded bombs and landmines.

"I think that it is a very significant move, and it will move us forward very quickly," Rea told USA Today.

Obama said that "the remnants of war continue to shatter lives here in Laos. Many of the bombs that were dropped were never exploded. Over the years, thousands of Laotians have been killed or injured -- farmers tending their fields, children playing. The wounds -- a missing leg or arm -- last a lifetime."

In the course of his meetings this week, Obama was also expected to focus attention on the continuing search for the missing-in-action in Laos from the Vietnam War. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Office, 301 Americans are still unaccounted for in Laos.

The U.S. plans to conduct four Joint Field Activities (JFAs) in this fiscal year for remains in Laos. Each JFA involves up to 53 U.S. personnel plus their Lao counterparts in excavations throughout the country for periods of 30-45 days in each JFA, agency said.

"On behalf of the American people, especially our veterans and military families, I thank the government and the people of Laos for your humanitarian cooperation as we've worked together to account for Americans missing in action," Obama said.

"And I'm pleased that, as a result of this visit, we will increase our efforts and bring more of our missing home to their families in America."

Eleven of the missing Americans in Laos (remains of two have since been found) resulted from an incident in March 1968 that finally received public acknowledgment on Sept. 21, 2010, when Obama made the long-overdue posthumous award of the Medal of Honor to Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger, of Hamburg, Pennsylvania.

Etchberger's mission at a radar site on a Laotian mountaintop near the North Vietnamese border was among the most secret of the U.S. "Secret War" in Laos. It was so secret that when the White House announced in 2010 that Etchberger would receive the Medal of Honor, Air Force officials acknowledged that he was, technically, not even in the Air Force when he fought heroically to keep his position from being overrun.

Etchberger had been among a group of volunteers who signed papers resigning from the Air Force to become, nominally, employees of Lockheed to undertake the mission. The idea was to give them, and the U.S., deniability if they were captured that the U.S. was at war in Laos.

The administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson and later administrations decided that Etchberger's story could not be told. The family was told that he had died in Vietnam. Twenty years after he died, the family was invited to a private ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington for the posthumous presentation of the Air Force Cross to Etchberger, but what happened to him was still classified. The Pentagon ceremony itself was a secret.

At the Pentagon, Etchberger's sons -- Steven, Richard and Cory -- "were told that their dad was a hero but they weren't told much else," Obama said at the 2010 White House awarding of the Medal of Honor. "Their father's work was classified and for years that was all they really knew."

But their mother, Catherine, who has since passed away, knew but "she had been sworn to secrecy, not even telling her own sons," Obama said.

"This was a disgrace," Obama said of the treatment of the Etchberger family. He told the sons, who accepted the award on behalf of their father, that "Your nation finally acknowledges and fully honors his bravery. It's never too late to do the right thing."

Etchberger and 15 other "former" airmen, two CIA agents and a forward air controller were assigned to Lima Site 85, a radar station used to direct U.S. warplanes against targets in North Vietnam and Laos.

On the night of March 11, 1968, the North Vietnamese scaled the mountain and attacked the Americans below. Etchberger and the others retreated to a ledge. "Dick and his men were trapped on the ledge," Obama said.

"The enemy lobbed down grenade after grenade, hour after hour," Obama said. "Dick and his men would grab those grenades and throw them back, or kick them into the valley below. But the grenades kept coming. One airman was killed and then another. A third airman was wounded, and then another. Eventually, Dick was the only man standing."

As a technician, he had no formal combat training and had only days before been issued an M-16 rifle, but he fought on. At first light, the rescue helicopter appeared. Etchberger repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to load the wounded into the helicopter's sling to be hauled to safety.

With the wounded aboard the helicopter, Etchberger grabbed the sling himself and was hauled aboard. "They had made it off the mountain. The helicopter began to peel away," Obama said, and then a North Vietnamese round pierced the deck of the helicopter. Etchberger was fatally wounded. He died before the helicopter could reach medical help.

-- Editor's Note: The number of missing Americans in the March 1968 incident has been updated.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
A Russian jet zoomed within just 10 feet of a U.S. Navy spy plane over the Black Sea on Wednesday, the latest in a string of daring maneuvers involving Russian aircraft and the U.S. military, a defense official with knowledge of the incident told Fox News.

The Russian Su-27 flew dangerously close to a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft used primarily for anti-submarine warfare while on routine patrol, a senior defense official said.

Fox News is told a classified photo of the close call exists, but officials have not decided whether to release it.

The incident occurred Wednesday, but the senior official did not give a specific time. Two officials speaking to Reuters described the maneuver as "unsafe and unprofessional."

The Black Sea is about 500 miles south of Moscow.

In April, Russian jets buzzed a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Baltic Sea, coming within 30 feet of the Navy ship.

This latest provocation comes as Secretary of State John Kerry is negotiating a cease-fire with Russia in Syria. Earlier today, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said Russia was "trying to play by their own rules" and making the situation in Syria "more violent."

Carter added, "Russia's actions in recent years - with its violations of Ukrainian and Georgian territorial integrity, its unprofessional behavior in the air, in space, and in cyber-space, as well as its nuclear saber-rattling - all have demonstrated that Russia has clear ambition to erode the principled international order."

Carter was speaking at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.

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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled a plan to strengthen the U.S. military by boosting the size of the services and their fleets of ships and aircraft, expanding missile and cyber defenses, and forcing NATO allies to pay more for security.

"We will rebuild our military," he said in a speech to enthusiastic supporters in Philadelphia.

Trump's national security-themed speech came several hours before he was scheduled to attend a veterans forum with his opponent Hillary Clinton in New York City.

While the candidate again echoed former President Ronald Reagan when he called for "peace through strength," his remarks also included more specific details of his plans to increase the size of the armed forces. The proposals, however, would likely cost tens of billions of additional defense dollars, at a minimum, and would face significant hurdles in Congress.

Service Proposals

Trump called for increasing the size of the Army to about 540,000 active-duty soldiers, the Marine Corps to 36 battalions, the Navy to 350 surface ships and submarines, and the Air Force to at least 1,200 fighter aircraft.

By comparison, the Pentagon's $583 billion budget proposal for fiscal 2017, which begins Oct. 1, requests funding for 460,000 active soldiers, 24 Marine infantry battalions, 287 naval ships and roughly 1,170 fighter aircraft (excluding A-10 ground attack aircraft) -- all for the active component. The figures don't take into account additional troops and equipment for the Guard and Reserve.

Trump also said he would seek to develop "a state-of-the-art missile defense system" and "to modernize our nation's naval cruisers to provide ballistic missile defense capabilities."

He pledged to ask generals to present a plan "within 30 days" of taking office to "defeat and destroy" militants affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS; vowed to "enforce all laws related to the handling of classified information;" and review U.S. cyber defenses to identify vulnerabilities in the power grid, communications systems and vital infrastructure.

Spending Caps

In a departure from previous remarks, Trump said he would ask Congress to "fully eliminate" defense spending caps known as sequestration.

The reductions account for about half of the $1.2 trillion in decade-long spending caps mandated by the 2011 Budget Control Act designed to curb the federal budget deficit. While Congress has agreed to partially undo some of those reductions, they remain on the books until 2021.

Trump has previously signaled support for sequestration.

"It's a very small percentage of the cuts that should be made, and I think, really, it's being over exaggerated," Trump told Fox News in a February 2013 interview, Politico has reported.

NATO

Trump reiterated his demand that NATO members spend more on defense and "promptly pay their bills, which many are not now doing."

"Only five NATO countries, including the U.S., are currently meeting their minimum requirement to spend 2 percent of [gross domestic product] on defense," he said. "They understand. They know they have to do it."

Trump has previously questioned the automatic defense of NATO states unless they contribute more funding to defense. The comments have caused a stir on both sides of the Atlantic, but especially among Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania -- the three Baltic states in Eastern Europe near Russia.

In his speech Wednesday, Trump made a point to say the demand holds for allies not only in Europe but also Asia. "I will be respectfully asking countries such as Germany, Japan, South Korea, to pay more for the tremendous security we provide them," he said. "They're economic behemoths. They're tremendously successful countries. But we're subsidizing them for billions and billions of dollars. I think they'll understand."

Attacking Clinton

Trump touted his recent endorsement by 88 retired generals, admirals and defense officials. "I'm proud to have the support of war-fighting generals, active-duty military and top experts who know how to win endless wars ... like the one we're in now that just never, ever ends, our longest war," he said.

The candidate also again attacked Clinton for what he said were her failed policies as secretary of state in such countries as Iraq, Libya and Syria. He also criticized her for failing to use the term "radical Islamic terrorism" to describe the threat. "Unless you're going to say the words, you're never going to solve the problem," he said.

But his arguably sharpest attack came when he called Clinton "reckless" for putting emails on a server that enemies could hack. "Hillary Clinton has taught us, really, how vulnerable we are in cyber hacking," he said. "It's probably our only thing that we've learned from Hillary Clinton."

While FBI Director James Comey said Clinton's use of a private email system to send classified messages was "extremely careless," he said she didn't intend to mishandle and exploit the information and thus concluded she shouldn't be prosecuted.

-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.
Most service members transitioning into their civilian careers focus on preparing a "civilianized" resume, developing a network of influential contacts, setting up online profiles, and initiating discussions with desirable employers. When they actually get a job interview, they might research the company a bit and pull together the necessary documents before heading off to the meeting. At what point is consideration given to what to wear to the job interview? Usually wardrobe is considered too late in the process.

Because first impressions matter, what you wear to a job interview is important. You typically won't get the offer just because you chose a gray suit over a navy one, or because your shoes were polished to a shine, but an inappropriate outfit could sideline the company's favorable impression of you.

Dress the Part

It's been said that you should, "dress for the job you want," when interviewing and striving for advancement. Management wants to see (visually) what you would look like in the role. Appearing too casual or inconsistent with the dress code of the company and the job you are pursuing could make it difficult for managers to envision you serving in that role.

Tips for Dressing for a Job Interview

To make a positive impression on the interviewer, set yourself up for success, and feel most confident, stick to these guidelines:

Understand the dress code of the company. Do your homework before the interview. Ask people who work there what the dress code is. Or, look online at the company's website  what photos do they show of people at work? Look at the manager's profiles online: Do they all dress similarly? Are they wearing suits or t-shirts? Be comfortable. The job interview is not the day to try out a new look. If you've never worn a business suit, starched shirt or high heels (women) today's not the day to practice. You should wear something that is appropriate, but also comfortable. Dressing in something comfortable means you'll avoid pulling at your collar or pants because they are too tight or riding up. Look for fabrics that have a bit of stretch if this is your first experience wearing business clothes. Avoid distractions. Women, be wary of big jewelry (earrings, necklaces, or rings) that could distract the interviewer. Things that make noise (clank, jingle, or chime) or pieces that move as you do (such as big, dangly earrings) can take the focus off of you. Men, avoid wearing too many distinct pieces. For instance, to wear a bold, checked suit, with a colorful, striped tie, significant tie pin, pocket square, and bright, checked socks can overwhelm the interviewer. Your look should be confident and appropriate, not distracting. Dress one notch above. Are you interviewing with someone who might be in a business suit? Then wear a business suit with a tie and pocket square. Will your interviewer be wearing a casual skirt and top? Consider wearing a more professional sheath dress, with polished heels. Dressing one notch above the person you're interviewing with shows respect for the occasion (the interview) and confidence in yourself. Avoid dressing too formally if the company is laid back and casual. For instance, if employees wear jeans and a t-shirt to work, you are appropriate wearing slacks, a dress shirt and a sports coat (no tie) to the interview. A suit might be seen as too formal and could give the impression you wouldn't fit in. Be yourself. Above all else, be sure you feel like yourself in what you're wearing. If you hate the idea of wearing a business suit to work every day, be careful interviewing for a job where that will be protocol. To feel like yourself means you are comfortable, confident, expressive, and genuine in your style. Wardrobe is a big part of how satisfied we are in our work.

The interview is a formal part of the hiring process. Treat the interview and the interviewer with respect by dressing appropriate to the situation.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fires three ballistic missiles into eastern waters on Monday. [Photo: Xinhua]

The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned the recent ballistic missile launches conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

On Monday, DPRK fired three ballistic missiles into eastern waters. These launches are in grave violation of the DPRK's international obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions, said the 15-nation Council in a press statement.

"The members of the Security Council deplore all Democratic People's Republic of Korea ballistic missile activities, including these launches, noting that such activities contribute to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and increase tension," it added.

The missile launches came less than two weeks after Pyongyang test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine off its east coastal town of Sinpo, where a submarine base is known to be located, on Aug. 24.

The submarine-launched ballistic missile test was conducted in an apparent show of force toward the annual U.S.-South Korea military drills, codenamed Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG), which had run from Aug. 22 to Sept. 2.

In the statement, the Security Council members also reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in North-East Asia at large and expressed their commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation.

"The members of the Security Council stress the importance of working to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula and beyond," it said.

"The members of the Security Council agreed that the Security Council would continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures in line with the Council's previously expressed determination," it added.
ANN ARBOR, MI - One major housing development on Nixon Road already is underway, and now another will follow.

The Ann Arbor City Council voted 8-3 Tuesday night, Sept. 6, to approve the Woodbury Club Apartments development.

The plans, which have been in the works for years, include 277 new apartments in four buildings, plus a clubhouse and pool, on vacant land at the southeast corner of M-14 and Nixon Road, immediately north of Barclay Park Condos.

The Birmingham-based Bleznak Real Estate Investment Group is behind the $27.5 million project, which will take shape across Nixon Road from the North Oaks development (formerly known as Nixon Farms), which includes 472 new condos being built by Toll Brothers Inc. on old farm properties.

Some existing northeast area residents continued to voice concerns about potential impacts on traffic, natural areas, wetlands and stormwater management before the council voted to approve the Woodbury Club Apartments plans, which include a total of 554 parking spaces for the 277 apartments.

The three council members who voted against the project are Jack Eaton, Sumi Kailasapathy and Jane Lumm.

The eight who voted for it are Mayor Christopher Taylor, Zachary Ackerman, Sabra Briere, Julie Grand, Graydon Krapohl, Chip Smith, Chuck Warpehoski and Kirk Westphal.

"I don't believe this is a perfect project by any stretch of the imagination, but the two compelling elements of it to me are, No. 1, the preservation of 86.2 percent of that site," Smith said, mentioning new parkland designations that are expected to help provide a link between parks along Traver Creek and Oakwoods and Sugarbush parks. "Completing those linkages and putting that land into permanent parkland is a very compelling reason for me."

Smith also argued that if the city rejected the development and pushed it outside of the city's boundaries, that would just increase commuter traffic.

The City Council voted 8-3 in December 2014 to annex 54 acres of property into the city from Ann Arbor Township.

The overall property includes a 28-acre western parcel fronting Nixon Road where the development is planned, including 6.6 acres to be dedicated as parkland, plus a 26-acre eastern parcel that the developer is selling to the city to be dedicated as parkland. The council made the developer agree to sell the 26 acres to the city before approving the rezoning and site plan Tuesday night.

The council already voted in May to spend $285,000 on the purchase of the 26 acres. Along with the 6.6-acre donation, that amounts to more than 32 acres set to become parkland at the site. Both pieces include wetlands.

Because people owning more than 20 percent of the surrounding properties submitted written opposition to the project, the rezoning required eight votes, so it passed without a vote to spare Tuesday night.

A condition for approval of the project was that 86.2 percent of the property must remain in the form of open space.

Bleznak also has agreed to contribute $200,000 toward the cost of a new roundabout at the intersection of Nixon, Green and Dhu Varren roads. The North Oaks development across the street also is contributing funds.

The city's estimates show $1 million coming from developer contributions, $783,000 coming from a federal grant and $245,000 in city funds.

Construction of the roundabout is expected to begin in spring 2017 and be completed sometime before the end of the year.

Woodbury Club Apartments will not be able to welcome any tenants before Oct. 30, 2017, per terms of the development agreement.

Lumm raised concerns Tuesday night that there is no bus turnaround area included in the Woodbury Club plans, and as a result, people will have to walk a quarter of a mile to get to a bus stop near the Nixon/Green/Dhu Varren intersection. Public sidewalks will lead to the bus stops.

Lumm raised a number of concerns about the project before voting against it. She said it's going to worsen existing traffic problems and the city doesn't have the necessary infrastructure in place to adequately support the added vehicles.

If a Nixon corridor study was completed and the recommendations planned and funded, Lumm said she might feel differently, but that's not the case.

She also argued a $200,000 contribution toward the intersection improvements was inadequate, and she raised stormwater runoff concerns. She also said the project is incompatible with adjacent neighborhoods.

Eaton said council members can pretend that road problems are going to work themselves out, that flooding problems residents experience are not going to be exacerbated, and that all of the new development won't have an impact on natural features, but he said they're mistaken to do so.

"I live in that area, so I live in that reality," Kailasapathy said, attesting to the existing flooding and traffic problems.

Kailasapathy said neighbors experienced flooding during a recent rain storm that left "puddles all over the place."

"I mean, this project is going to put 554 more parking spots," she said. "Imagine the runoff. I just think there is a big disconnect between the projects that we are approving here and the reality lived by the people, and I'm one of them."

As for traffic, Kailasapathy said the problems aren't just at the Nixon/Green/Dhu Varren intersection.

"It is about the corridor," she said. "You can't get out of those roads."

Kailasapathy said it's hypocritical for council members to voice their support for transit and then support an apartment development with 554 parking spaces and no direct transit connection without walking to the Dhu Varren intersection.

Westphal said neighbors for years have been coming to meetings about the new development and changes coming to Nixon Road. He said the area has been put through the ringer and it's been an exhausting process.

If the city didn't approve the Woodbury Club plan, he said, another development proposal that fits the zoning could come along and it might be better or it might be worse. With the agreements put in place with the Woodbury Club project, he said, the city is able to ensure a good portion of the land is protected as parkland, which he called a huge benefit for the community.

Grand said with the new parkland at the Woodbury Club site, there will be a string of at least a dozen parks and natural areas that are connected. She said it's going to be a Traver Creek Greenway of sorts.

"I am excited to see that come to fruition," she said.

Warpehoski said he hasn't run the numbers, but he doubts any of the adjoining areas where residents are raising concerns made the same level of parkland contribution when they were developed.

"There was an allegation of hypocrisy earlier," he said. "To me, the hypocrisy is saying, 'Hey, that thing that was done so I can move here, nobody else can do that thing.'"

Warpehoski said the concerns about the amount of parking and the impact that has on the natural landscape and stormwater runoff are valid.

He said those parking spaces are required under city code and he wonders if the city requires too much parking. He said every space means more impervious surface, which increases the development cost and environmental impact.

Jane Klingsten, president of the Nixon Area Alliance, raised a number of concerns about the project, including potential impacts to a water body and surrounding land where she said there are trumpeter swans and other wildlife.

Her comments at the meeting included urging the city to follow its own rules and a legal threat at one point.

"If you want to see us in court, I guess you can," she said.

James D'Amour relayed concerns on behalf of the local chapter of the Sierra Club, calling for a revised wetland delineation study.

"The previous one was issued in the very dry summer of 2012, drier than this one, and was likely conservative to begin with," he said.

D'Amour said trumpeter swans, including an active nest this year, have been located on the Barclay Park property, with an abutting lake and wetland to the proposed site. He said improper development on the western edge of the Woodbury Club site can affect existing habitat, and it's important for a thorough wetland delineation study and a wildlife inventory study to be considered.

"Demand a lower-density recommendation and zoning for this site, even if clustering is encouraged," he added, addressing council. "We urge you, moving forward, that you revise this portion of the city's Northeast Area Master Plan and the Master Plan Review Element to better reflect new understanding of natural systems since the Northeast Area Master Plan was passed a decade ago, using the best outdated practices a previous decade before."

He added, "Please listen carefully, respectfully and, above all, not dismissively to the concerns of the residents that they have raised regarding flooding issues, and also their observations regarding endangered species and species of concern on the proposed Woodbury and other sites. Consider them as your fellow citizens partners in the process. You have to think of them and the environment."

Read other Ann Arbor City Council stories.

Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com.
BAY CITY, MI -- A new four-way stop in the heart of downtown Bay City that initially sparked some concern is now being looked at more favorably by the Bay City Commission and could become permanent.

At a commission meeting Tuesday, Sept. 6, Ken Feldt, the city's traffic engineer, presented results of a four-month pilot program that turned the intersection of Center and Washington avenues, long governed by a traditional traffic signal, into a blinking red four-way stop. After studying the intersection for four months, Feldt concluded it "improved traffic safety at the intersection."

"It appears that an all-way red flash was a good thing," he said.

The decision to ditch the traditional green-yellow-red signal last year came from a 2012 traffic study that showed nearly half of Bay City's 36 signaled intersections aren't warranted. According to that study, traffic counts were too low to warrant a traditional signal at Center and Washington.

Things have changed in the past four years, the biggest being traffic counts.

Since 2012, it's estimated traffic has increased 60 percent at the intersection, Feldt said. In addition to more business downtown, the option to make a left-turn at the signal -- those turns were prohibited under the traditional signal -- was likely the reason for the increase in traffic, he said.

As a result, the signal has enough traffic to warrant a traditional signal, according to the Michigan Uniform Traffic Code. And now the City Commission must decide if they want to keep it as a four-way stop or return to a traditional signal. A vote is expected in the coming weeks.

"From the beginning, I wasn't crazy about it," said Commissioner Kerice Basmadjian, 7th Ward. "But the biggest thing that changed my mind is that it makes it safer for pedestrians."

Commissioner John Davidson, 6th Ward, also said he's in favor of keeping it as a four-way stop.

"It's safer for pedestrians and left turns are allowed," he said. "I truly believe that an all-way stop sign is the way to go."

Feldt said if the intersection were to return to a traditional signal, left hand turns would likely be prohibited again.

When an initial recommendation to change the intersection came in September 2015, the City Commission didn't have enough votes to approve the policy change. Those opposed to it then had concerns about pedestrian safety.

Some members of the commission still don't agree, or aren't sure with the four-way stop.

Commissioner Jim Irving, 6th Ward, said he doesn't agree with having a four-way stop at the intersection. Commissioner David Terrasi, 2nd Ward, wants to know if there's any cost savings in going with a four-way, as opposed to a traditional signal.

Commissioner Larry Elliott, 9th Ward, said he has no problems with keeping Center and Washington as a four-way stop, but feels intersections along Washington Avenue at Third, Fourth and Fifth streets should also become a four-way stop, per the recommendations in the 2012 traffic study.

"There's no point in having a stop light at an intersection where there is significantly less traffic," he said.

Feldt said there were no traffic collisions during the four-month trial period and that traffic during special events, like the Tall Ship Celebration, the intersection "was able to handle traffic as well as it could."

Bay City Mayor Kathleen Newsham, who works on Washington Avenue near the intersection, said she heard complaints from people who found it difficult at times to pull out of their parking spots along Center and Washington avenues.
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BAY COUNTY - School is back in full swing, and Michigan students are looking sharp to make a great first impression with their classmates.

Other MLive readers are already sending along their photos of students on their way to their first day of school, and you can, too.

If you have a student who attends school in Bay County, send us their back-to-school photo and we'll feature it in the gallery above.

Make sure to give us enough information for the photo's caption. Include full name, grade and what school your student attends.

You can email the photo to Bay City Times photographer Jacob Hamilton at jhamilt3@mlive.com or use the submission form below.
(Global Times) 09:11, September 07, 2016

"Son of a bitch." This is how Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte referred to US President Barack Obama on Monday. This has set a dilemma for Washington. When Obama was asked to respond to the remarks, he said the Philippine president was a "colorful" person, showing a generous response. However, the White House still expressed its anger through diplomatic means by canceling Obama's meeting with Duterte that had been scheduled during the ASEANsummit in Laos.

Although Duterte's spokesperson said he regretted his sharp words, they have spread all over the world. He meant it when he said the Philippines has long ceased to be a colony and that "I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody." The hostility between the US and the Philippines can hardly be settled easily.

During his election campaign, Duterte was dubbed the Philippines' Donald Trump. Still, his big mouth as president has shocked the world, especially the West. The Western media listed the figures he has referred to as "sons of bitches," which included Pope Francis and the US ambassador to the Philippines. Duterte cursed these people when they pointed their fingers at the domestic politics of Manila. After he assumed power, he dealt a heavy blow to drug dealers, while the West accused him of violating human rights.

But Duterte's actions have been welcomed in his country. Although his dirty words have tarnished his international image to some extent, he apparently attaches more importance to domestic support. He is clear which side matters more to him. The latest friction between Washington and Manila seems accidental, but conflicts between Western values and developing countries are common. Duterte, on behalf of developing countries, only showed that he had had enough.

Many people believe it is time for Manila to seek support from the US as the maritime disputes between Manila and Beijing highlighted the importance of the US-Philippines alliance to the latter. But why did Duterte slap Obama in the face? The reason is that the Philippines does not feel insecure even faced with China's "threat." Beijing and Manila do have territorial disputes. But despite US support and a favorable arbitration award to the Philippines, the Philippines gained no real benefits. The alliance with the US is not the only consideration for Manila. The Philippines has shifted the focus back to internal governance. The US needs the Philippines more as it sees this Southeast Asian country as a pawn to counter China.

Chinese netizens applauded Duterte's words about Obama. But the US-Philippine alliance will remain solid. China should not hold too many illusions. From a long-term perspective, it will not necessarily be easy to deal with the Philippines under his rule.

The human rights issue has brought enmity between the US and its two allies of Turkey and the Philippines. We can judge the role of human rights in US diplomacy. The dispute between China and the US over the issue is worth our observation.
WEST BRANCH, MI -- Looking dejected and slumped in stature, a middle school teacher learned how much prison time he'd get for repeatedly having sex with a student. Despite his crime though, the minor's mother insisted her daughter was no victim, but a survivor.

Wearing an orange jumpsuit, shackles and a few days' stubble, 31-year-old Vaughn J. Canamore on Wednesday, Sept. 7, stood before Ogemaw County Circuit Judge Robert W. Bennett for sentencing. The judge sentenced him to concurrent terms of 98 months to 15 years and 210 months to 40 years in prison, with credit for 212 days already served.

Canamore's victim was a student at Charlton Heston Academy in St. Helen, where Canamore was a teacher, police have said. Judge Bennett said the sexual contact began at the school, before Canamore on at least four occasions picked up the girl as she sneaked out of her house and took her to his West Branch home.

Canamore's attorney, William D. Engemann, said there is no doubt his client has caused pain, anguish, sadness and anger to his victim and her family. Regardless of the havoc he wreaked, Canamore was ready to face the music, Engemann said.

"He has been forthcoming," he said. "He stood in front of this court and admitted his actions."

He asked the judge to impose a sentence focusing on rehabilitation as much as punishment.

"His life is a question mark of what he can make of it now," Engemann said.

Given the opportunity to speak, Canamore expressed contrition in a meek voice.

"It was wrong," he said, barely audible. "I was weak. It was extremely inappropriate. It was horrendous. I'm not trying to play games or prolong this procedure. I accept the consequences. I'm going to live this for the rest of my life. Nothing changes that. I wish I could fix the wrong that I've done. I'm truly sorry for what happened."

Ogemaw County Prosecutor LaDonna A. Schultz said Canamore put it best when he described his actions as "horrendous."

"He betrayed the trust of the school, of families, and of the victim," she said. "This woman sent her child to school to learn. She had faith in the system. Instead, every day, her child went in a classroom with a pedophile. It was not just a momentary lapse in his discretion. It was a continuous pattern of child abuse and lasted for a period of time."

Schultz read from a letter written by Canamore's victim's mother. In it, the mother said she hated Canamore for what he did.

"You are a very sick man and I hope you never see outside the walls of where you're going," the mother's letter read. "My family is trying to move on and I think therapy is working, but it's ongoing. My daughter will become a stronger adult. She's not a victim; she's a survivor."

Schultz then read a poem written by the victim, entitled "Betrayal," in which she detailed being misled and taken advantage of by Canamore.

"It's clear to me from listening to her poem that she's a very gifted young woman and hopefully her future is still bright," the judge said. "Hopefully, this hasn't crippled her. You were her teacher, her guide. Her family trusted you and you violated that trust in the worst way possible, short of actually killing her. She is going to live with this the rest of her life."

The mother is not named because MLive-The Bay City Times does not name sexual assault victims, and naming the mother in this case could identify the victim.

Upon release, Canamore must both register as a sex offender and wear an electronic monitoring device for the rest of his life.

Canamore in August pleaded guilty to one count each of first- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 13 and 15. In exchange, the prosecution agreed to dismiss two more counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

In Roscommon County, Canamore in July pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a student.

On Tuesday, Judge Bennett acted as Roscommon County Circuit Court judge in sentencing Canamore to 85 months to 15 years in prison, with credit for 211 days already served.
DETROIT -- Norman Shy, a former Detroit Public Schools vendor, was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday for his role in a bribery scheme that included 13 Detroit principals from 2002 to 2014.

The 74-year-old pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax evasion.

While owner of Allstate Sales, a company he operated out of his home, Shy conspired with DPS principals to submit fraudulent invoices for school supplies he never delivered, according to federal investigators.

Shy served as a vendor for DPS from 1974 to 2014, according to court documents.

"There are no words to express how horrible I feel and how embarrassed and ashamed I am," Shy said in court Tuesday, the Associated Press reports.

A.P. reports U.S. District Judge Victoria Robert said she wanted to send a message with Shy's sentencing.

"Any number of vendors now stand in the shoes of Mr. Shy," Roberts said. "They, too, may be tempted to enrich themselves. Deterrence of others is a laudable goal."

In exchange for fraudulent invoices, Shy paid off bribes and other kickbacks for DPS officials using "a portion of the payments" received from the district. Detroit FBI Special Agent in Charge David Gelios said the scheme robbed students of the "education and services that they count on and deserve."

The fraudulently invoiced supplies items like auditorium chairs, teaching materials and paper, according to federal prosecutors.

Alongside Shy on Tuesday, Clara Flowers, a former DPS assistant superintendent, received a 3-year sentence after pleading guilty to the same crimes.

In the past, Shy pointed the finger at Flowers, a former Henderson Academy principal, as one the scheme's top culprits.

She received more than $300,000 in prepaid gift cards, checks payable to her side travel agency business, and renovation work on her home in exchange approving fraudulent invoices, according to court documents.

Shy paid more than $900,000 in bribes and kickbacks to 13 school officials, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

When entering his plea, Sly said he had already paid the IRS $51,667 for unpaid 2011 income taxes, but not the $2.7 million in restitution to DPS.

In exchange for the admission of guilt, the government dropped additional conspiracy charges while requesting he serve between five and seven years in prison.

"We will hold accountable anyone who steals funds intended for our school children," U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade said in a statement. "If there is a message here, it is that someone is watching, you will get caught and you will go to prison."

The other 12 former school principals accused in the scheme are listed below.
DETROIT -- The Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood on the city's east side has been name Michigan's first "National Treasure" by a group that promotes rehabilitation of historic areas around the country.

This announcement came Wednesday from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has selected 70 other sites as National Treasures across the U.S.

The group is a privately funded nonprofit organization that runs a campaign to work with local officials and community members across the nation to "fill in the gaps where needed and pinpoint the best rehabilitation and reuse strategies."

Jefferson-Chalmers was picked under the group's newfound focus on "ReUrbanism," as the district features a dynamic mix of 20th century-built buildings, mansions and more.

Joshua Elling, executive director of Jefferson East, a neighborhood organization, said that while the National Treasure program will open doors for technical advice, it "really says to people, this is a neighborhood worth investing in and saving."

"They kind of saw the historic brick streets, the houses, the island living, like on a Harbor Island, the parks and, of course, the Vanity Building and all the historic buildings in the historic district," Elling said.

"So, they said, 'we've never done an entire neighborhood before as a national treasure, but I think we can pull this off.'"

One of the pillars of the neighborhood is the Vanity Ballroom, which was built in the 1920s and featured the first-ever floating dance floor with springs under the floor.

Josh Budingon, Jefferson East's development manager, said that when the dance floor was full, "you could feel the bounce under your feet."

The Vanity Ballroom was featured in Eminem's film "8 Mile," which also included shots of the neighborhood, according to the National Trust's website.

In addition to access to the National Trust's "ReUrbanism" strategies, Jefferson-Chalmers received a $25,000 grant to support stabilization and planning work around the ballroom.

Going forward, the National Trust will study its work in other urban areas across the nation to find the best game plan to revitalize and develop the Jefferson-Chalmers District, as well as the other 69 across the nation.

Two of the strategies highlighted by the National Trust are the "Preservation Green Lab's Partnership for Building Reuse" and "National Main Street Center's Main Street Refresh pilot program."

"It brings some sort of technical advice from the National Trust and National Main Street center," said Elling. "(By) training local residents and local craftsmen in how to preserve these historic homes.

"So, they provide more resources to help people stay in their historic houses and really benefit from the revitalization of the neighborhood."

The National Trust recently published a study titled "Unlocking the Potential of Detroit's Neighborhoods: The Partnership for Building Reuse."

Preservation Green Lab found that Detroit's older and smaller buildings "contribute in key ways to the vitality of the city."

The National Trust plans to partner with Green Lab to help move along recommendations that benefit redevelopment in the neighborhood.

The Green Lab report laid out three key findings:

Older, smaller buildings provide the foundation for Detroit's entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Commercial corridors with a mix of old and new buildings are Detroit's new business hubs.

Detroit's best restaurants and bars are in character-rich neighborhoods and commercial districts.

"Preservation projects can create opportunities for residents at all income levels to thrive-- and, as highlighted by our Preservation Green Lab, Jefferson-Chalmers is well-equipped to be an essential part in moving Detroit forward," David J. Brown, a top official with the National Trust, said in a release.

"We're excited to bring our expertise in growing American cities and join the Jefferson-Chalmers community on work that continues to bring new life to this great, truly distinctive district."
Timothy England.jpg

Timothy England

Timothy England

ROYAL OAK, MI -- When an officer tried to arrest a man injecting drugs in a vehicle parked at a Royal Oak McDonald's Friday evening, the man attempted to stab the police officer with his syringe, and ran, Royal Oak police say.

Police eventually used a Taser to shock and subdue the man, who has since been identified as 37-year-old Timothy England who escaped Washington County Jail in Tennessee Aug. 30.

"England was completely uncooperative and had no identification on him at the time of his arrest," Royal Oak police said. "Due to the holiday weekend, it was not until Tuesday that Royal Oak police discovered England was wanted for escaping custody of Tennessee authorities while awaiting trial for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence."

England was in a vehicle stolen in North Carolina Aug. 31 and had a credit card that was stolen out of Virginia several hours later, police say.

"In addition to narcotics, officers found a realistic looking toy handgun and a bank robbery note," Royal Oak police said in a statement.

England has a prior criminal history including convictions for robbery, aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, felony drug possession, auto theft, fleeing and eluding police and possessing contraband in a penal facility.

"There is no doubt in my mind that this dangerous individual was in Royal Oak to commit an act of violence," Royal Oak Police Chief Corrigan O'Donohue said. "Since escaping from Tennessee authorities, he has been on a multi-state crime spree.

"That crime spree came to an end in Royal Oak thanks to outstanding proactive police work,"

Police say an officer approached England in his vehicle after suspecting him of using drugs in the MCDonald's parking lot.

"After a short struggle, he broke free of the officer and started to flee on foot," police say. "The officer gave chase and quickly caught England, and a second struggle ensued.

"During the struggle, England repeatedly attempted to stab the officer with his syringe.

England broke free a second time and was captured as he attempted to squeeze through a narrow gap in a wall.

"Back up officers arrived and deployed a Taser, after which England gave up resisting and was taken into custody."

England was taken to a hospital following his arrest. Police did not reveal the reason for his hospitalization.

He's jailed on charges of felonious assault of a police officer, narcotics possession, possession of a stolen pending and possession of a stolen credit card pending the posting of a $100,000 cash bond.

England is expected back in court Sept. 20. It's unclear if or when he'll be extradited on pending charges in Tennessee or if he'll additionally be charged with auto and credit card theft in North Carolina and Virginia.
VIENTIANE, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived late Tuesday in the Laotian capital of Vientiane, setting in motion his first official visit to the country, where he will also attend the East Asia Summit.

During the visit, Li will also attend the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, and the 19th meeting of the leaders of ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea (10+3).

Upon his arrival at the airport, Li said in a written speech that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue between China and ASEAN, noting that bilateral ties have reached a new historical starting point.

"I would like to join leaders of ASEAN to review the past, draw on our past experiences and look to the future so as to paint a new blueprint for future China-ASEAN cooperation and to promote development under the 10+3 and the East Asia summit mechanisms for regional peace, stability and prosperity," he said,

This year also coincides with the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-Laos diplomatic ties.

Li said Beijing wants to take the anniversary as an opportunity to work with Vientiane in deepening their traditional friendship, mutually-beneficial cooperation, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges in a bid to push forward the two neighbors' comprehensive strategic partnership.

Li's trip, which came on the heels of the Group of 20 summit in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, is widely considered an important diplomatic move to deepen China' s relations with the ASEAN, and promote cooperation among East Asian countries.

Spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry Hua Chunying said the Chinese side stands ready to work with ASEAN to hold a successful summit and to build a closer China-ASEAN community of common destiny.

According to Hua, both sides have maintained frequent high-level exchanges, cemented political mutual trust and witnessed growing trade.

Li's visit will bring the China-Laos comprehensive strategic partnership to a new high and bring more benefits to the two peoples, Hua added.

Guan Huabing, Chinese ambassador to Laos, told Xinhua in a recent interview that Premier Li is going to raise a series of new Chinese initiatives so as to develop new pillars for bilateral ties, upgrade China-ASEAN relations and push East Asian cooperation to a new level.

According to the ambassador, China is now the largest source of foreign investment in Laos, largest donor country and the second largest trading partner.

In Laos, Premier Li is expected to meet with Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith to exchange views on bilateral ties and issues of common concern, and to witness the signing of a series of documents.

On the sidelines of the summits over the coming days, Li is also going to meet with leaders from some ASEAN nations.
(Xinhua) 10:49, September 07, 2016

VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as China, Japan and South Korea meet here Wednesday for the 19th ASEAN Plus Three Summit (10+3).

The ASEAN plus China, Japan, South Korea cooperation mechanism incorporates the ASEAN+3 as well as the ASEAN+1 framework. The latter stands for ASEAN's respective cooperation mechanism with China, Japan and South Korea.

The two frameworks were established in the late 1990s when ASEAN countries decided to enhance cooperation with other major economies of Asia against the backdrop of economic globalization.

The first ASEAN Plus Three summit was held in Malaysia in December 1997, a very important time when all countries in the region were facing an economic setback. The financial crisis was regarded as having provided the impetus for this summit.

The two frameworks, initially focused on economic cooperation, have expanded in recent years to the fields of politics, security and culture. Nowadays, they have developed into mechanisms of great significance in strengthening and deepening East Asia cooperation at various levels and in various areas, particularly in economic, social and political areas.

A total of 66 dialogue mechanisms at various levels have been established in 24 fields within the framework of ASEAN+3, covering diplomacy, economy, finance, agriculture, labor, tourism, environment, the fight against cross-border crime, health care, energy, telecommunications, social welfare and administration innovation.

Within the framework of ASEAN+1, great emphasis has been put on cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, information and communication industry, human resources development, mutual investment and development of the Mekong River Basin.

State leaders, ministers and other high-ranking officials from 10 ASEAN countries, China, Japan and South Korea meet annually to discuss cooperation and major international and regional issues.

Apart from the above-mentioned three countries, ASEAN has also carried out ASEAN+1 dialogue with some countries outside of the region on an aperiodic basis.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Praising the continued growth maintained by Chinas economy, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto pledged that his country is ready to share Chinas successful experience within the G20 mechanism and together contribute to the improvement of global governance.

As todays world is now undergoing a paradigm shift, innovation plays a key role in boosting economic growth and prosperity, Nieto added in a written interview with the Peoples Daily ahead of his attendance at the G20 Hangzhou Summit.

Mexico hosted the G20 Los Cabos Summit in 2012, during which the Los Cabos Action Plan was adopted. Nieto pointed out that as a co-chair of the G20 Investment and Infrastructure Working Group, Mexico has been committed to addressing the challenges facing the 21st century together with the rest of the world.

China and Mexico agreed to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in June, 2013. The president said that the increasingly deepening bilateral exchanges and cooperation also show the huge economic potential of the two countries.

Nieto said that more Mexican products like pork, strawberries and tequila are now exported to Chinese market, while the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Chinas largest bank by total assets and by market capitalization, also opened its first branch in Mexico.

Mexico hoped to boost bilateral trade and investment with China and achieve more balanced trade, he added.

We have fully realized Chinas status as a major global economy and made Mexico-China cooperation a priority, the president said.

Praising Chinas sustained growth amid the complicated global economy, Nieto said that Mexico should learn from Chinas successful experience. Mexico is interested in Chinas economic vitality, scale as well as potential, and will identify and utilize the economic complementarily between the two countries, he added.

Mexico launched energy reforms to open its electric and petrochemical industries wider to the private sectors in both domestic and global markets, and such reforms can bring opportunities to Chinese investment, the president told the Peoples Daily.

Citing the exhibitions of painter Diego Rivera and Mayan artifacts held in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, as well as cultural galas and Chinese opera performances in Mexico, Nieto said that such collaboration can help consolidate mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations.

He stressed that Mexico recently established the first Chinese cultural center in the Latin American region, while China also has a Mexican Studies Center.

These are all witnesses to the great friendship, close ties, mutual understanding and trust between the two countries, he concluded.
This Account has been suspended.
Hong Kong budget airline HK Express started flights to Mandalay this week, but will suspend operations to the new destination in October because of issues with fuel quality at Mandalay airport, Department of Civil Aviation officials told The Myanmar Times.





The firm began flights from Yangon to Hong Kong on September 1, and started a two-month run of flights to Mandalay on September 5. The Mandalay flights will only run until October 28, which an HK Express spokesperson told The Myanmar Times was due to unspecified operational reasons.

However, DCA director of air transport U Ne Win said yesterday that HK Express had informed the DCA it was suspending planned operations to Mandalay because of problems with fuel quality at Mandalay airport.

He added the airline had not made a formal complaint, which would require an official letter, but had simply presented the issue as the reason for suspending operations.

U Ne Win said that the HK Express flights to Yangon were unaffected. But the suspension of Mandalay flights could have implications for the carriers Yangon route. DCA deputy director general U Ye Htut Aung said that the Chinese firm was only allowed to operate a Yangon flight on the understanding that it also provided flights to Mandalay.

We want to promote Mandalay as a direct flight [destination], he told The Myanmar Times. Under the terms of the agreement HK Express would have to continue Mandalay flights in order to retain access to Yangon as a destination, he added.

U Ye Htut Aung said that HK Express managing director Sherman Luk had mentioned the fuel problem at a signing ceremony on September 1, but the DCA official was unable to comment on the specific nature of the problem, only that he understood that it concerned the quality of the fuel.

HK Express declined to comment on either the terms of their Mandalay flight agreement with the DCA, or whether the firm had raised issues about fuel quality.





We will explore any opportunity to operate the Mandalay-Hong Kong route in the future, the spokesperson said.

Officials at other airlines said there had long been issues with both the quality and price of aircraft fuel in Myanmar.

There have always been fuel issues, said Zaw Min Aung, chief operating officer of Air Mandalay. The fuel isnt very clean here; you often get some dirty compounds left over, which are clear when we open the fuel tank for cleaning. Theres also water due to rain or handling issues - this is always an issue.

The dirty compounds do not endanger air travel, he said, but resulting sediment can trigger cockpit warnings that require time-consuming investigation.

Daw Aye Mra Tha, director of marketing for Myanmar Airways International, said she was not aware of fuel quality issues, but said that airline fuel in Myanmar was more expensive than in other countries.

We get ours from other countries like Singapore or Thailand when we can, she said.

U Zaw Min Aung agreed that price was an issue, particularly given problems around quality and delivery.

They charge a lot more in Myanmar, so theres a pricing issue as well as problems with the cleanliness of the fuel.

Airline industry officials said that the only seller of airline fuel in Myanmar is Myanma Petroleum Products Enterprise (MPPE) and a joint venture between MPPE and Puma Energy  National Energy Puma Aviation Services (NEPAS).

NEPAS was launched in July 2015, initially supplying fuel to Yangon airport. The firm plans to begin servicing the remaining airports in Myanmar during 2016, according to a statement on Puma Energys website.

An official at MPPE referred questions to NEPAS, and officials at NEPAS and Puma Energy did not respond to requests for comment.
Mandalay Region government will clean up the gem mining industry in Mogok township, a senior official pledged last week.





U Myo Thit, the minister for resources and environmental conservation said he was meeting with senior officials in Shan State on September 10, to carry out group inspections of mines in Mogok township close to Momeik in neighboring Shan state.

We will have to rein this in, and not have these illegal mines continuously running, he said.

If we attempt to shut down illegal gem mines in Mogok township, we will have to go through from the Momeik side because transportation is not good on the Mogoke side.

As well as closing those without a licence, the government will be seeking to improve the environmental standards of miners operating legally, U Myo Thit added.

He said the ministry had recently spoken to eight legal mine companies in Mogoke, whose operations were affecting farmland near Kin Creek Bridge.

The Union minister came and looked at the destruction at the bottom of the bridge that had occurred because of the sediment flowing along the creek, he said. He told eight official gem mines near the bridge that they had to halt their mines and to replant trees on the land after mining the area to reduce the environmental impact as much as they can.

A follow-up inspection would occur in November, according to U Myo Thit.





Large-scale permits for gem mining are handled by the Union government, while the regional government could issue licences for medium to small-scale mines, the Mandalay minister said, adding that the regional government would prioritise permits for residents within the region.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun
The Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Association will launch its Women Entrepreneurship Development Center (WEDC) this month, with free business training and mentoring opportunities for female business owners.





According to a management at the association, the new business centre will open on Shwedagon Pagoda road in Dagon township later this month, although the exact date is still to be confirmed.

Weekly educational workshops and networking sessions for interested entrepreneurs will be held for free over the next three months, the statement reads.

We invite women who want to start a business can join our center, said Daw Khin Lay, vice president of Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Association.

The association is not in a position to provide business funding, but, after three months of workshops, will be connecting perspective business owners who have continued with the program to banks for potential loan opportunities, said Daw Hnin Wai, general secretary at the Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Association.
Almost a quarter of a million children will gain access to education under a plan that will go into effect in the coming academic year. The children of migrant workers on the Thai-Myanmar border can enrol in either Myanmar or Thai schools through the Welcoming School Program, the Migrant Education Integration Initiative has confirmed. The initiative works with 17 different groups on improving education for the children of migrants.





Myanmar students can be enrolled in the border area where migrant workers live, or in Myanmar, from Grade 1 up to Grade 9. However, many migrant families are not familiar with the schooling options for their children, or the documents that would be required to enrol. The Welcoming Schools Program has been working with the Ministry of Education and the Migrant Education Integration Initiative to help the migrant families complete the administrative steps necessary for their children to attend formal schooling.

In July, the MEII, the education ministry and BEAM, one of the member groups of the MEII, compiled a 15-chapter set of guidelines on how the project would work out in practice.

Our program extends only to Grade 9 because the Myanmar matriculation takes place in Grade 10 across the country, said U Kyaw Kyaw Min Htut, the network coordinator of the Migrant Education Integration Initiative.

While students have been able to take the matriculation exam outside of Myanmar since 2011, very few do so, and even fewer end up passing. Of the 102 Myanmar students living in Thailand who managed to take the matriculation exam this year, only 17 passed.

Were now drawing up detailed guidelines, to be completed by the end of this month in time for next academic year. It will be in use in October as a pilot program, U Kyaw Kyaw Min Htut said.

According to an education foundation report by BEAM, there are nearly 400,000 children under the age of 15 on the Thai-Myanmar border. About 150,000 of them attend Thai schools or undergo informal education in Thailand, and more than 25,000 study in migrant learning centres. The remaining 220,000 do not access any educational program, and may lack the documentation needed for enrolment in Myanmar schools, a barrier the Welcoming School Program helps them overcome.





There must be an accredited system for students, whether they are learning in the migrant region or in Myanmar, said U Kyaw San, the head of the Dawn migrant learning centre.

All migrant families want to eventually return to Myanmar, but it depends on the job opportunities and the families economic situation, he said, adding that education opportunities for migrant children are needed in the meantime.

U Khaing Myal, director general of the Alternative Education Department in the Ministry of Education, said he could not yet confirm that his department would be involved in carrying out the plan.
As the premier global economic forum, the G20 should continue to demonstrate leadership against the challenges in the economy.The Hangzhou Summit will give fresh impetus to the worlds economic recovery and growth.Preparatory work is going smoothly, and I believe that the Hangzhou Summit will be a success, The Turkish Ambassador Ali Murat Ersoy said during an interview with thePeoples Daily.

According to Esroy, although the G20 was created in response to the global financial crisis, it is also a reflection of the need to form a strong, representative group to deal with global governance issues. G20 is a major global economic governing platform with broad representation, reflecting demands of emerging markets and developing countries as well. Leaders of G20 members should focus on making the G20 more relevant to other parts of the world, such as low-income developing countries.

Ersoy explained that the regular engagement of the G20 with non-government sectors is immensely important, such as business (B20), civil society (C20), labor (L20), think tanks (T20) and youth (Y20), and he is proud thatthe Women-20 (W20) was added to this list last year.

The Antalya G20 Summit was centered on the 3 Is  Inclusiveness, Implementation, and Investment. The Hangzhou Summit added innovation with its theme Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy,steering the G20mechanismto become a more effective forum for global governance of growth, trade and investment.

Speaking on the theme of Hangzhou Summit, Ersoy said, The theme is very relevant. An innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy cannot be built without the input of developing countries. Therefore, inclusiveness is immensely important. In fact, inclusiveness was one of the priorities of the Turkish Presidency which was very well received by G20 members and non-members alike last year. We are happy to see that China has chosen to keep inclusiveness as an important priority on the G20 agenda.

However, inclusiveness needs to be supported by invigoration and innovation. Connectivity will be a critical part of the equation, [because] without sufficient infrastructure, [then] inclusiveness, invigoration and innovation cannot be universal.

Ersoy said, We support the Chinese Presidencys proposal to focus on fiscal and monetary policy cooperation and coordination to respond to such risks. We also appreciate the focus on innovation, the new industrial revolution and the digital economy. These are all important topics that the G20 should be working on.

The Chinese Presidency has attached special importance to trade and investment and introduced an ambitious trade and investment agenda as well, and set up a new Working Group on Trade and Investment.Chinas efforts concentrate on strengthening international trade growth and the multilateral trade system, which are in line with Turkeys interests.

Speaking on bilateral relations, Ersoy said that both sides were working closely in many areas and that cooperation is deepening, asleaders of our two countries met twice last year and produced tangible results.As a follow-up to the G20 Antalya Summit, Turkey has a special interest in formulating action plans to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The ambassador also stressed that, Bilateral trade between Turkey and China is around $27 billion. For years now, the trade balance has been in favor of China. Strengthening successful export policies and promoting exports from Turkey to China are among our priorities. Another remedy to this unbalanced trade is to increase direct investments from China to Turkey.

He also mentioned tourism as an important medium to increase contact between people and said that Turkish Airlines is ready to increase its number of flight destinations to China.

Speaking on Chinas global influence, Ersoy said, As China becomes more powerful, it is more and more active in international affairs. TheBelt and Road is also an initiator of ideas that can be a driving power for the global economy and enhance connectivity. Chinas initiatives like the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund, along with its role within the BRICS and hosting the New Development Bank, indicate its capabilities as a key player in global economic issues.

China is already an important economic global actor. Through strengthening global economic governance architecture, the G20 has the potential to help China expand its role in global economic governance,Ersoy concluded.
A decision on the stalled Myitsone hydropower dam has been delayed for several more months, even as the commission tasked with evaluating the project has admitted to having already reviewed the contract.





The temporary suspension of the project came up for renegotiation as the National League for Democracy took office at the end of March, with Chinese officials pressing an urgent restart, and locals demanding a cancellation.

The Chinese-backed mega-project is seen as a pivotal test of Sino-Myanmar relations under the new administration, and analysts anticipated a decision in a six-month time frame.

But after a commission meeting yesterday, one of the members said a yes-or-no decision will not be possible by the first reporting deadline of November 11, or even shortly thereafter.

The first report wont be the final one. The time frame for submitting it is too short, the commission member who spoke on condition of anonymity said. A second and third and probably a lot more reports will be sent to the president.

The commission for reviewing and scrutinising hydropower projects along the Ayeyarwady River held its third meeting in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday. Members said they have finished reviewing the Myitsone contract, but will now need to undertake a field site to discuss the project with local residents.

Long before taking office, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had penned letters against the US$3.6 billion dam. But the state counsellor, who has attempted to cement strong ties with neighbouring China, has more recently hedged on the project, saying a review of the contract was necessary to ensure it will benefit the people.

The Myitsone dam  which would flood a confluence of historic importance to ethnic Kachin  is deplored by the local residents, who say it will cause substantial environmental damage while transmitting 90 percent of the power generated to China.





Families relocated to compounds 8 miles (13 kilometres) from the dam site have said the remote model villages are infertile and the promised food subsidies have fallen far short of the required amount.

But even after then-president U Thein Sein called a halt to the project in 2011 amid public pressure and increased fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Kachin Independence Army, the 500 relocated households were not permitted to return home.

Daw Ja Hkaung, a member of the Mungchying Rawt Jat organisation in Kachin State and a veteran opponent of the Myitsone project, said local residents plan to stage a protest and hold a press conference on September 9 in Myitkyina.

The residents [displaced by the Myitsone dam] want to return to their homes, she said.

They want the government to act courageously on their behalf and to cancel the project. The government already knows this is what the Myanmar people need.

The military government and Chinese developer China Power Investment (CPI) had inked a contract for a 6000 megawatt hydropower project on the confluence of the countrys biggest river, the Ayeyarwady, in 2006.

CPI, which did not return requests for comment yesterday, has pushed for a restart on the grounds that it did not get a fair opportunity to disseminate information about the dams benefits before it was suspended. Should the new government choose to terminate the contract, it would have to reimburse the developer for any investments.
The Myanmar delegation has scheduled a bilateral meeting with India on the sidelines of this weeks ASEAN summits. Establishing closer ties between the neighbouring countries will be on the agenda as a follow-up to President U Htin Kyaws trip to New Delhi last month, according to U Kyaw Zayra, director general of Myanmars ASEAN Affairs Department.





He said India had invited the bilateral talks, scheduled for tomorrow, with both sides eager to strengthen a relationship that analysts say has long played second fiddle to Myanmars other giant neighbour, China.

During the bilateral meeting, the discussion will be about making greater friendship between India and Myanmar, said U Kyaw Zayra.

U Htin Kyaw visited India from August 17 to 20, seeking support in the ongoing rebuilding efforts in Myanmar, Myanmar state media reported.

Though the president did come away with a handful of concrete deliverables  signing four memoranda of understanding on infrastructure development and other matters  a more substantive discussion between the two countries could well play out at the bilateral meeting, given that U Htin Kyaw is understood to hold a largely titular leadership role.

By contrast, the talks on the ASEAN summit sidelines will bring Myanmars de facto leader, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, face to face with Indian officials.

U Min Lwin, Myanmars top ASEAN diplomat at the regional blocs secretariat in Jakarta, declined to speculate on specifics of the bilateral meetings agenda.





Following U Htin Kyaws India trip, historian U Thant Myint-U said, Few relationships are as important for Myanmar as with India. Myanmar-India relations hold tremendous potential in practically all fields, from security to trade to education to culture.

The 28th and 29th ASEAN summits and related meetings began yesterday in Vientiane, Laos, with US President Barack Obama also visiting the country, for the first time.

Reports ahead of his trip suggested that the US president was considering further easing sanctions against Myanmar, possibly as soon as later this month, when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will visit Washington.

U Min Lwin said the Myanmar delegation had no plans for sideline meetings with the United States this week.

We have no other sideline meetings except for with four countries, including India, he told The Myanmar Times, adding that neither the US nor Chinese ASEAN delegations were slated for bilaterals.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visited China last month, her first visit to a major foreign power since installing herself as the nations de facto leader earlier this year. In addition to her upcoming visit to the United States, she plans later this year to attend a regional summit for BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.

U Kyaw Zayra said this weeks sidelines talks might be to lay the groundwork for enhanced relations between India and Myanmar, possibly to be cemented at the BIMSTEC forum.

Tridivesh Singh Maini, an Indian political analyst, said the bilateral meeting would likely focus on connectivity on multiple fronts.

Both in terms of physical connectivity and economic integration is the larger focus. In the India-Myanmar context, its also about greater security cooperation on the borders, he said.

A Myanmar delegation official said the other three countries slated for bilateral meetings this week are Vietnam, New Zealand and Morocco.

Additional reporting by Shoon Naing
Officials have found a third cache of timber on a military research compound in Mandalay.





Another 11 tonnes of illegal timber was confiscated from a former wood factory within a forest area cordoned off for military research on September 1, bringing the total illegal timber found in that area over the past two month to 500 tonnes.

On July 4, officials found 328 tonnes of illegal timber in the area, near Ban Thar village within the Ho Late village tract in Mandalay Regions Pyin Oo Lwin township. Further investigation turned up another 161 tonnes of firewood on August 26.

On September 1, Lieutenant Colonel Naing Win from the Military Academy, Lt Col Soe Aung from the Tatmadaw Science and Technology Research Department, officials from the Forest Department, officials from National League for Democracy and the local administrator searched the area once again.

Their investigation yielded another 11 tonnes, mostly hardwood, after they dug out the ground, Ho Late village tract administrator U Tun Win told The Myanmar Times yesterday.

They found 18 hardwood logs, two hardwood divided sections, three hardwood bars, and another 13 timber logs, he said.

A local resident named U Htay Hlaing had a permit to collect about 60 tonnes a year for kitchen fuel at a forestry school. But both the July and August raids far exceed the number of logs allotted, and the second cache was hidden, and included luxury hardwood varieties such as Shorea obtusa and ironwood, according to residents.





U Htay Hlaing, who got permission to extract timber here, denied that he was responsible for these timber extractions, creating the illusion that the military extracted this timber, U Tun Win said.

The military is suing U Htay Hlaing for the extraction of the first 328 tonnes. We have heard that the Forest [Department] will sue for the second. Whoever is responsible for the illegal extraction of timber, we want effective action taken against them.

Pyin Oo Lwin township Forest Department staff officer U Myint Naing Oo said the local resident should not be held responsible for all three caches without evidence. The owner of first piles of seized firewood is U Htay Hlaing. So, it is assumed that U Htay Hlaing is the owner of the second piles of seized firewood. But we have to do investigations, he said.

We cooperated with the officials from the military and NLD to seize the illegally extracted timber. The military is planning to deploy security.

Under the Forestry Law section 41(a)  with which the military is charging U Htay Hlaing  whoever extracts, moves or keeps unlawful possession of any forest produce will be punished with a fine of up to K10,000 or with imprisonment, which may extend to one year.

Permission for U Htay Hlaing to extract firewood was signed and announced by Myanmar Forest School headmaster U Thein Myint. U Htay Hlaing was also assigned to maintain the natural forests and oversee the extraction of firewood, which was meant to be used to bake brick and lime within the Tatmadaw Science and Technology Research Department area, according to documents.

The Sein Lan Pyin Oo Lwin environmental group says it opposes the illegally extract timber and urges officials to take action.

Our Sein Lan environmental group will hold a meeting on this firewood and timber seizure issue, make a decision and release a statement, chair U Lay Myint Aung said. If we [the local residents] do not protect our Pyin Oo Lwin land, the climate change in Pyin Oo Lwin will worsen.

Translation by Win Thaw Tar
Police outposts will be launched in the capital in an effort to deter crime, a police captain told The Myanmar Times.





The six checkpoints will be set up in wards and villages of Pyinmana township that police have identified as hotbeds for crime, according to Police Captain Tin Htay from the Myo Ma police station.

There will be six police outposts and each guard will be composed of police, ward and village administrators, volunteer civilians from the township who want to cooperate and reserves from the fire brigade, he said.

The posts will be located at the Ywar Thwar Inn, Yan Aung ward administration office, Shwe Chi administration office, Ywar Kaut ward, Kin Pun Tan village and Thit Lay Lone village.

Police recorded 168 criminal cases in Pyinmana in August, the majority involving petty offences. Pol Capt Tin Htay said that the number of offences had dipped slightly compared to Julys figures, but declined to provide the total for that month.

At the beginning of July, the Nay Pyi Taw Regional Police Force announced that it would be increasing the number of officers on patrol, with security heightened at local hangout spots like the Rose Roundabout, the site of a night bazaar that attracts young people  and pickpockets.

Last month, the Ministry of Home Affairs told parliament the police force needs a larger budget in order to expand, as it was falling far below international-standard ratios of police officers to civilians. Myanmars police-to-public ratio sits at around 1:1191, according to the ministry.





Translation by Khine Thazin Han
The Pyithu Hluttaw yesterday voted down an urgent proposal seeking the removal of three foreigners from a recently formed Rakhine State advisory commission that has provoked the ire of nationalists. The failed motion came the same day commission members included former UN secretary general and Ghanaian Kofi Annan travelled to state capital Sittwe for an initial foray into the Rakhines thorny political arena.





A total of 34 lawmakers debated the proposal, with those in favour hewing to a general argument that Rakhine States issues were an internal affair, while those against said there was a clear international component to the border states woes.

Daw Ni Ni May Myi (NLD; Taunggok) spoke against the proposal, pointing to a boat-people crisis last year involving Myanmar, Bangladesh and a handful of other ASEAN nations as proof of the international dimensions to the problems of Rakhine State. At one point the lawmaker even sought to bolster her case by noting that a Google search for Rakhine conflict yields more than 200,000 English-language hits.

Therefore, I think people who have global cachet like Kofi Annan should be included in the commission without raising worries. The commission members have been chosen in accordance with standards such as [adherence to principles of] justice and admiration, experience and renown, she said, while acknowledging that Rakhine States affairs were subtle.

Proposal supporter U Oo Hla Saw (Arakan National Party; Mrauk-U) argued that State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi  whose office announced the creation of the commission on August 23  was not vested with the authority to create such a body.

Search and read the State Counsellor Law, he said. It doesnt include any establishment of commissions in its five points on duties, authority and entitlements of the state counsellor. It means this commission lacks legitimacy, he said.

The advisory commission has been tasked with researching and recommending solutions to alleviate inter-religious tensions that made international headlines after 2012 violence between Buddhists and Muslims. More than 100,000 people, mostly Muslims, remain in squalid displacement camps.

But U Oo Hla Saw yesterday questioned foreigners ability to understand the states complexities.





Our Rakhine State faces terrible Islamisation, which concerns all people in our country. No one can know our Rakhine peoples life like we do. So I would like to say, cooperate with us and resolve problems together, he said.

Supporters of the proposal parroted other arguments put forward by nationalists in recent days, including that the NLD administration should stick to a set of recommendations made by a previous commission under its predecessor government.

Daw Khin Saw Wai (ANP; Rathedaung) said Rakhine States biggest problem was illegal immigration, touching on a core issue for both Buddhist nationalists and international human rights proponents: the fate of persecuted Muslims in the state self-identifying as Rohingya, whom nationalists refer to as Bengali to imply, erroneously in many cases, that they were born in Bangladesh.

The ANP-initiated proposal was defeated via a standing vote, with 250 lawmakers opposed and 148 in favour.

Translation by San Lay,Thiri Min Htun and Zar Zar Soe
As hundreds of protestors gave Kofi Annan a hostile welcome to Sittwe yesterday, the chair of the newly formed Rakhine advisory commission vowed to work with all sections of the community to end the conflict that has blighted the state, and to help build economic prosperity.





Illustrating the challenges lying ahead for the commission, hundreds of people lined the airport road to voice their objections over foreign interference in the states troubles. No Kofi Annan, they shouted.

The government-backed commission, which consists of six Myanmar nationals and three foreign citizens, is on a two-day visit to the state to meet with local political, religious and community leaders, including those from the mainly stateless Muslim Rohingya community.

Addressing commission members and around 100 delegates, commission chair Mr Annan said the body was aware of the great history and culture of Rakhine State and vowed impartiality.

But that was not enough to reassure some local ethnic Rakhine present, who afterward expressed anger they had not been allowed to address Mr Annan directly in the opening session.

They invited us to the meeting and asked us to leave without a chance to have a discussion. It means they have no respect for the Rakhine people, said local resident U Than Tun.

Over 120,000 people, mainly Muslims, remain displaced in Rakhine after communal violence broke out in 2012 between Rakhine Buddhists and the Muslim minority who self- identify as Rohingya but who are referred to as illegal Bengali immigrants by the majority in Myanmar.





State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has faced international condemnation for her failure to address the ongoing human rights abuses inflicted on the Rohingya, who are widely denied freedom of movement and face severely restricted access to medical care.

The commission has been recognised as an attempt by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to address some of those concerns, but the inclusion of foreigners has provoked anger in Rakhine where Buddhist nationalists have accused foreign agencies, including the UN and major INGOs, of preferential treatment of the Muslim population.

If the Union government needed to form an advisory commission on Rakhine State affairs, it should have done so with local ethnic experts, said Daw May Phyu, a resident from Mingan ward. I demonstrated because this is an internal affair and not an international issue.

Mr Annan arrived at the government at around 10am to explain the objectives of the commission. But with speakers set at low levels his words were barely audible at times, as around 100 protesters outside chanted protest slogans.

In his opening remarks, Mr Annan commented on the active and hectic reception he had received upon arrival at Sittwe airport that morning.

At least 400 protesters, including a small number of monks, lined the road from the airport shouting that Mr Annan was not welcome and waving banners objecting to his presence as a kind of foreign intervention.

We do not believe the commission is fair, said Ko Aung Ko Moe, who was assisting protest organisers at the airport.

U Tin Maung Swe, secretary of the Rakhine State government, claimed protesters had been paid to attend, given K5000 each by a political organisation.

They are not from Sittwe, he said, an allegation apparently backed by some protesters themselves who said they had come from surrounding villages after being rallied by local leaders the night before.

However Sittwe local residents also expressed unhappiness about the inclusion of foreigners in the commission.

The most important person in the commission is the chair, and if that is Kofi Annan the problem is that he doesnt know well the feelings of the people of Rakhine State. We are worried that if he makes the wrong decision it will inflict more pain on the people here, said lawyer U Myint Soe Win, as he sat with friends in a local tea shop.

Opening the meeting of about 100 delegates, U Kyaw Tint Swe, minister for the State Counsellors Office and former ambassador to the UN under the military regime, said the commission had been formed in the interest of the entire nation. He also pressed home the message that stability and development go hand in hand.

His address was followed by remarks from the chief minister of Rakhine State, U Nyi Pu, who urged friendly and frank discussions and said, This is not the kind of work that can be completed in one day, or one visit, so I hope this effort will be continued if a solution is to be found.

Mr Annan, a former UN secretary general, also stressed a link between peace and economic development.

He said as chair of the commission he is aware of the great suffering of people in Rakhine, and the challenges ahead.

My experience has shown me that peaceful democracy and peaceful society can be built on three things: sustainable development; peace and security; and respect for rule of law and human rights.

He added, No nation can long remain prosperous without respect for rule of law and human rights.

The former UN chief also called on Myanmars neighbours to play a constructive and positive role.

After the event, Dutch commission member Laetitia van den Assum, a former diplomat and UN adviser, reiterated Mr Annans promise that the body would focus on community consultation We are here to listen and to learn, she said.

The commission members are today due to visit camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and villages around Sittwe before Mr Annan flies to Nay Pyi Taw.

The commission will be based in an office at the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre in Yangon with a satellite base in Sittwe expected to be established in coming weeks.

Additional reporting by Ye Ywal Myint, translation by Zar Zar Soe

This article has been updated to reflect the location of the commission's operating offices
Prison bars are not preventing some inmates from receiving a university education. This years intake at the University of Distance Education will include nine students currently serving terms at Yangons Insein Prison.





This year, 11 of the 19 Insein prisoners who sat the matriculation exam passed and two were subsequently released.

Passing the exam doesnt mean they earn their freedom. But we will give prisoners a chance to join higher education, prison deputy director U Myo Oo told The Myanmar Times in a recent interview.

Last year we launched a program for prisoners who had matriculated to study at the University of Distance Education, he said.

In the 2015 academic year, 17 prisoners at Insein Central Prison took the matriculation exam, and seven passed and were accepted by the University of Distance Education. The prison pass rate was higher than the national average last year.

Six of those seven have now been released. The one remaining inmate is studying Myanmar language at the University of West Yangon, said U Myo Oo.

Since 2006, three prisons  Insein Central, Mandalay Central and Thayawady Central  have been offering educational opportunities to inmates.

The first prisoners to pass matriculation exams, in 2014, were Ko Hein Htet and Ko Myo Nyunt Oo. They were jailed for robbing K164 million (US$135,000) from a house in Insein township and had served more than two years by the time they passed the exam. They later continued their studies at the University of Distance Education.





This year, 101 prisoners at Insein Prison, 31 at Mandalay and 22 from Thayawady are engaged in basic education programs, according to the office of the director general of the Correctional Department.

Of those three institutions, only prisoners at Insein were able to take the matriculation exam last year. But this year Mandalay prisoners will also be able to take the exam, said U Min Tun Soe, deputy director of the office.

Prisoners at Thayawady cannot yet sit the exams. But seven inmates who passed the Grade 9 exam at Thayawady were transferred to Insein Central Prison so they can sit the matriculation exam there this year, he said.

A total of 28 prisoners, including the seven from Thayawady, will sit their matriculation exams at Insein.

Most of the would-be students are serving sentences for drug-related offences, according to U Min Tun Soe. The student with the shortest sentence related to a drug crime is doing four years, with 12 years as the maximum sentence being served by an inmate student. Sixteen of the students are in prison on rape charges, and 11 have been convicted of murder. The other offences include theft, immigration violations, robbery and impersonating a police officer.

According to the Correctional Department, none of the student inmates are political prisoners.
A Japanese-owned garment factory is refusing to rehire workers striking over new daily production requirements, which they said were nearly impossible to meet.





The workers at Sakura factory, located in Hlaing Tharyar townships industrial zone 3, have been protesting their quotas since July 29.

At the end of August, the Yangon Region Arbitration Council ordered the factory to rehire 316 striking workers with compensation for time spent protesting. Instead of following the ruling the factory owners have decided to appeal the decision to a higher council, workers told The Myanmar Times yesterday.

Union leader Ma Cho Cho Latt, who has spent six years at the factory, told The Myanmar Times that their clothing production section learned, in the last week of July, it would have to produce 135 items each day with only 32 workers starting on August 1.

The factory forced us to produce more clothing, said Ma San San Win, a worker with 10 years of service at Sakura. Factory officials added about 10 more items of clothing to the primary target. It is impossible to finish because we do not have enough workers.

On July 29, more than 300 workers protested in the factorys canteen. On August 22, they set up striking camps, blocking the entrance to the factory.

The township Labour Relation Department hosted four negotiation sessions but a settlement was never reached, so the dispute went to the Yangon Region Arbitration Council. In addition to ordering the rehiring, the council also vetoed the increased clothing production quota.





The Myanmar Times went to the factory in an attempt to meet factory officials and also called its office yesterday, but factory officials declined to comment.

Protesting workers have now added a slew of demands to better the factory conditions. They want bonuses for those who are never absent, new sewing machines and a larger staff if they are to be expected to produce more clothing, U Saw Tin, who represented the workers to the Yangon Region Arbitration Council, said yesterday.

Striking workers said their protests have caused most of the workers and their families financial hardship.

Some donors and the Aung Para Heta monastery are providing meals for the workers.

The Japanese factory owner, Ito Kiyokazu, opened the Sakura garment factory in 2006. He owns four other factories in Myanmar.

Sakura garment factory typically operates with about 500 workers, of whom 316 are on strike.
Young people in Yangon Region helping to draft a proposed youth policy say greater coordination is needed as efforts to formulate the plan continue.





The leading member of a regional committee on youth policy formation, Ma Thidar Hlaing, said surveying by activists throughout the country, which began on June 20, was not likely to be completed by the target date, September 30.

At a press conference on September 5, she said lacklustre participation from youths and delayed funding were to blame.

Funding difficulties, time, and participation and ability [of youths] are the main points, because youth are not getting a salary for it [participating] here; they have their other jobs, she said.

Though the government had indicated that the drafting of a youth policy would be among its so-called 100-day initiatives, earmarked as a priority for its early months in office, Ma Thidar Hlaing said activists would like more time to gather information and ideas from young people in Myanmars states and regions.

She cited a recent youth forum in Monywa township, Sagaing Region, at which participants said they were 60 percent of the way to where they wanted to be on policy input.

It is not perfect  it is just starting, Ma Thidar Hlaing said.

Funding has been a particular problem in some parts of the country, such as Ayeyarwady Region, where no money has yet been spent or received on the effort, and rugged Chin State, where transportation costs can run to double what is typical of other areas, Yangon Region youth committee member Ko Htet Arkar Latt said this week.





There are plans to hold youth policy forums in four Yangon Region townships this month  Mayangone, Tarmwe, Thingangyun and Kamaryut  with the Mayangone meet-up scheduled for today.

Recent youth policy awareness campaigning on university campuses in Yangon has sometimes run into difficulties as authorities have denied permission for the activities, and youth activists met yesterday with Yangon Regions social affairs minister, U Naing Ngan Linn, in an attempt to resolve the issue. The minister pledged to assist the campaigners to the best of his ability, Ko Htet Arkar Latt said.

The Yangon Region youth policy committee is encouraging all young people to participate in its consultation process, including marginalised groups such as the LGBTQ community, sex workers and those with disabilities, member Shin Thant said.

Committee leader Ma Thidar Hlaing stressed that any youth policy should not be the product of a rush job.

We can hold the campaigning and workshops during the limited time if we wish, but we dont want slipshod [outcomes], she said.
Since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte took office in late June and declared a war on drugs, more than 1900 people have been killed  756 by police officers and another 1160 by vigilantes, according to police reports as of August 24. Mr Duterte is celebrating the killings and has vowed to continue his anti-drug program so long as he remains president.





The Philippine law enforcement agencies prosecuting the drug war have thrown out the rulebook and ignored fundamental requirements such as collecting evidence, adhering to due process or even holding trials. Philippine Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa has even blamed the victims for their own deaths, claiming that, If they did not fight it out with the police, they would be alive.

This explanation for the high body count defies belief. In scenarios where individuals are shot while resisting arrest, the number of people who are wounded should  as in military conflicts  far exceed the number of people who are killed. If almost everyone who is shot by police or soldiers dies, this suggests that the shooters are executing people they already have in custody.

Moreover, if culprits were fighting the police, one would expect to see a sharp rise in the number of police officers who are wounded or killed. Yet the police have not reported any increase in officer casualties.

It is not surprising that Mr Duterte is encouraging these killings. Previously, as the long-time mayor of Davao City, on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, he carried out a similar campaign of vigilante incitement and made clear that he would continue it nationally if elected president. That promise seems to have contributed to his electoral success, pointing to an unfortunate historical trend in Southeast Asian politics.

In 1983, Suharto, who ruled Indonesia with an iron fist from 1967 to 1998, presided over a series of mysterious deaths, known as the Petrus Killings (for their Indonesian acronym). Over the course of two years, an estimated 3000-10,000 alleged petty criminals  many of them supposedly drug users  were executed without trial. (The reason for such a wide estimate is that Indonesias censors made reporting on human rights all but impossible at the time.)

More recently, in 2003, then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand conducted his own war on drugs. About 2800 people were arbitrarily killed and a subsequent official investigation found that more than half of them had no involvement with drugs.

Both Suharto and Thaksin were eventually overthrown, but not because they orchestrated the killings of suspected petty criminals and drug users. In fact, as with Mr Duterte, inciting mass murder appears to have contributed to their popularity, at least for a while. One explanation for this commonality is that launching a public campaign against a powerless, unpopular group like drug users is an easy way for a leader to mask other shortcomings.





Mr Duterte is riding high right now, but there are instruments available to hold him accountable, such as the International Criminal Court, to which the Philippines became a party in 2011. Under the 2002 Rome Statute, which established the ICC, the court has jurisdiction to prosecute all crimes that Philippine law enforcement agencies are unable or unwilling to pursue themselves. Unless Philippine law enforcement officials pre-empt the ICC by bringing a good-faith prosecution against Mr Duterte in Philippine courts, the ICC can take action.

The Rome Statute defines murder or persecution that is knowingly committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against any civilian population as a crime against humanity. The wide-scale extrajudicial killings carried out under Mr Dutertes drug-war banner already meet that definition.

The Rome Statute also stipulates that official capacity as a Head of State or Government ... shall in no case exempt a person from criminal responsibility under this Statute. So, there is nothing stopping the prosecutor of the ICC from launching an investigation against Mr Duterte  and against police officials and vigilante leaders who have collaborated with him in conducting the killings. Doing so would send a message that the world is watching and demanding justice. If Mr Duterte and his coterie sense they can act with impunity, the killings will only escalate.

One prominent Philippine political figure, Leila de Lima, a senator and former justice minister, is already calling on the ICC to take action. Everyone around the world who is committed to due process and human rights should take up her plea. The fact that a popular head of state is trampling the rule of law in the Philippines makes a fast, decisive response all the more necessary.

 Project Syndicate

Aryeh Neier, president emeritus of the Open Society Foundations and a founder of Human Rights Watch, is author of The International Human Rights Movement: A History.
A brigade from the PLA No. 41 army group conducts a live firing drill from Aug. 28 to 29 in northern China. The goal of the drill was to enhance soldiers' combat ability. (Photo/www.81.cn)
Vientiane will host the 28th and 29th ASEAN summits this week, with the meetings documents rotating around the same themes that ASEAN has been promoting for decades: unity and centrality. The worry, both at the summits and beyond, is that there is little effort to put substance into these goals.





ASEAN faces three challenges that imperil its quest to remain unified and central: external pressure placed on ASEAN unity by rival Chinese and US ambitions, internal tensions as key states question the role of ASEAN and its version of community-building, and the broad question of its legitimacy in the eyes of the people who live within its member countries. On each, ASEAN needs to make substantive progress, rather than produce documents full of admirable goals and minimal commitment to realising them.

Too often discussions of the external threats to ASEAN unity focus on the South China Sea. The rival claims between China and ASEAN members  and, although less often mentioned, between ASEAN members themselves  are of great importance, but they are representative of the challenges ASEAN faces when dealing with great powers, not definitive of them.

Divisions between ASEAN members  some aligning with Washington, others with Beijing and more hedging between both  suggest that great power competition in the region cannot do anything but impede ASEAN unity. This becomes even more threatening considering that neither the United States nor China seem willing to make ASEAN unity a strategic goal in and of itself, preferring instead to harness ASEAN, unified or not, to their own ambitions.

The United States has made clear, as expressed at the February 2016 Sunnylands Summit between US President Barack Obama and ASEAN leaders, that it hopes to bring ASEAN on board as a strategic partner in defence of the rules and norms of international law. China sees this as an act of encirclement that threatens Chinese freedoms. China has close relationships with many ASEAN members, especially Cambodia, which is widely understood to work as a proxy for Chinese interests within ASEAN.

The economic dimension to this great power rivalry needs remembering. On the US side the troubled Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal includes only four ASEAN members: Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. The TPP  the economic component of the US rebalance to Asia  cuts across the still-evolving ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and, of course, excludes China.

ASEAN itself has, on the other hand, led negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which includes all ASEAN members as well as India, China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Notably, the RCEP does not include the United States.





What, in this context of great power rivalry, does ASEAN want to be? What does ASEAN unity mean in a world where ASEAN and its members may have to choose sides? On this there is nothing, not even platitudes.

Internally the challenges are no less severe. ASEAN as a regional enterprise flourishes when it demonstrates its value to political elites. That value lies chiefly in protecting and promoting wealth and sovereignty. Recently it has been adrift of these aims, undercutting the importance of ASEAN to its members. On the South China Sea issue, ASEAN has been unable to back the Philippines in the ruling of the international arbitration tribunal because of its internal divisions, resulting in ASEAN not being willing to protect the sovereign claims of one of its members.

In the economic realm, the AEC project is dogged by delays as member states count the costs of meeting all of its obligations. This is especially the case in Indonesia, where President Joko Widodo has based much of his domestic political agenda on a more powerful assertion of Indonesias interests, which are, as he sees them, contrary to the needs of ASEAN.

The call for a post-ASEAN Indonesian foreign policy made most clearly by Indonesian ambassador to the United Kingdom Rizal Sukma, has seen Indonesia, the largest member of ASEAN, drift away from multilateralism toward a more bilateral and global heavyweight role. Post-ASEAN foreign policies are hardly emblematic of ASEAN unity or its centrality to the ambitions of its members.

Beyond great power machinations and ASEANs failure to meet the interests of its leaders is the third challenge  mass disenchantment. ASEANs regional reforms have, since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, focused in part on becoming caring; that is, taking an active interest in improving the lives of the hundreds of millions of people who live within its borders. From this concern have sprung commitments to human rights, democracy, womens rights, the environment, migrant labour regulations and disaster management.

This edifice is built on shaky foundations  ASEAN retains its overriding commitment to non-intervention and domestic freedoms of its members, resulting in commissions that cannot enforce the standards that they are charged with protecting. This risks provoking the ire of those very people ASEAN claims to want to help. What future is there for ASEAN when it cannot bring itself to enforce its own standards and yet wants to be seen as helping its citizens?

ASEAN has always faced challenges, but the scale, nature and interpenetration of these three issues are unprecedented. What is needed is political leadership willing to make hard decisions that may put some ASEAN members off-side in service of the goals that ASEAN enshrines. If ASEAN fails to act, it is unlikely to fall apart. Without such leadership, ASEAN instead risks being hollowed out as a regional organisation and becoming increasingly irrelevant  a form without a function  as its members look elsewhere to achieve their aims and defend their interests.

 East Asia Forum

Mathew Davies is head of the Department of International Relations, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at Australian National University.
[September 07, 2016] Generali and Progressive Announce Telematics R&D Agreement

The Generali Group and The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, among the world leaders in car insurance telematics, entered into an R&D collaboration to improve their individual data analytics capabilities and foster product offering. Thanks to this agreement the two groups will share knowledge in telematics to benefit from synergies of scope, scale and expertise. Leveraging their experience as the leaders in the markets in which they operate, Generali and Progressive will further innovate their behavioral profiling systems to explore a new generation of customized car telematics solutions which will reward safer drivers, helping them to improve their driving through personalized customer feedback. Valter Trevisani, Chief Insurance Officer of Generali, said: "The collaboration with Progressive allows Generali to accelerate the execution of the strategy in regards to Connected Insurance and advanced analytics. Joining forces with a leading player like Progressive will enable a further step in sophistication of our product offering and data analytics capabilities, to support an additional improvement of our technical performance." Pat Callahan, Personal Lines President of Progressive Insurance, said: "Progressive pioneered telematics usage in the US auto insurance marketplace, and we're constantly striving for customer-centric improvements to those capabilities. Consumers continue to opt into our voluntary Snapshot program with increasing frequency and we know that key driving behaviors - like actual miles driven, braking, and time of day of driving - can carry more than twice the predictive power of traditional insurance rating variables, like a driver's demographic profile, and the year, make and model of the insured vehicle. Collaborating internationally with Generali allows us to further expand and deepen our customer insights in order to help safer drivers save even more money through our Snapshot program."



In Europe Generali has a leading position in car telematics and in Italy, in 2011, it was the forerunner in introducing a pay-how-you-drive solution with Genertel, the Group direct insurance company. Generali has more than 1 million policies concentrated in Italy with a wide range of solutions tailored to serve different customer segments varying from mileage-based to behavioral ones and sold both by agents and direct channels. In mid-2015 Generali acquired full control of MyDrive Solutions, an English start-up founded in 2010, among the leading companies in the use of data analytics tools to profile driving styles with the aim of identifying innovative and tailor-made products for the customers and favorable tariffs for low risk drivers. Progressive is the US leader in usage-based insurance. Since introducing the first wireless telematics device in 2008, more than 4 million drivers have tried Snapshot and during that time Progressive has collected more than 15 billion miles of driving data. Snapshot is a voluntary discount program in which drivers can save money on their car insurance by sharing a picture of their driving habits with Progressive. People who drive less, in safer ways and during safer times of day are most likely to get a discount.

ABOUT THE GENERALI GROUP The Generali Group is one of the largest global insurance providers with 2015 total premium income of more than 74 billion. With above 76,000 employees in the world serving 55 million clients, present in over 60 Countries, the Group has a leading position in Western European Countries and an ever more significant presence in the markets of Central and Eastern Europe and in Asia. In 2015, Generali was the sole insurance company included among the 50 smartest companies in the world by the MIT (News - Alert) Technology Review. ABOUT PROGRESSIVE The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies makes it easy to understand, buy and use auto insurance. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach it whenever, wherever and however it's most convenient-online at progressive.com, by phone at 1.800.PROGRESSIVE, on a mobile device or in-person with a local agent. Progressive provides insurance for personal and commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and homes. Home insurance is underwritten by select carriers, including its majority-owned subsidiary, American Strategic Insurance (ASI). Progressive is the fourth largest auto insurer in the country; a leading seller of motorcycle and the #1 insurer of commercial auto insurance; and through ASI, one of the top 20 homeowners carriers. Progressive also offers car insurance online in Australia at http://www.progressiveonline.com.au. Founded in 1937, Progressive continues its long history of offering shopping tools and services that save customers time and money, like Name Your Price, Snapshot, and Service Centers. The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, trade publicly at (NYSE:PGR). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160907005262/en/

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[September 07, 2016] Meed Signs Definitive Agreement With HDBank, a Top 10 Commercial Bank in Vietnam

Meed, the Santa Monica-based company committed to bringing socially-conscious innovation to the financial sector, today held a signing ceremony at which HDBank (Ho Chi Minh Development Commercial Joint Stock Bank) and Meed both signed a Definitive Agreement to launch a new suite of mobile banking products into the Vietnamese marketplace in November 2016. Meed was established with a vision to create financial health at a worldwide level, with a particular focus upon the Millennial generation, many of whom find themselves outside of formal finance, whether by choice or by circumstance. Around the world, 3.5 billion underbanked people struggle to save formally, build credit, make payments, purchase insurance and build better lives.1 Meed is building a worldwide network of Member Banks, and this agreement with HDBank will see them set out together to redress the current imbalance where those with the least often pay the most for financial services. "The long-term consequences for someone who finds themselves outside of formal finance can be both financially and emotionally costly," said Meed Chairman Jerry Ross after the signing. "This partnership with HDBank means that together, we can offer accessible and affordable banking solutions to those who previously may have felt formal banking was not a viable option for them." Meed's innovative mobile app enables HDBank to provide people with affordable banking services on platforms from desktop to mobile. This new suite of products includes a demand deposit account, a security savings account, a secured line of credit, domestic and international transfers between Meed users, as well as access to the unique income-building SocialBoost rewards program, which gives users the opportunity to earn a new income stream in return for growing the Meed community. For every $1 earned by Meed users through SocialBoost's personal community concept, another $1 is returned by HDBank and other Member Banks to the worldwide Meed community, helping those who need it the most. Meed has spent the past 2 years building up its worldwide infrastructure of Member Banks and Corporate Members, and Vietnam is going to be an important market as it starts to establish a global presence. Its demographic is decidedly youthful, with over half of its population below 30 years of age - representing approximately 47 million people2. Only 52% of urban adults are banked3, yet smartphone adoption is rising dramatically (+57% YoY to 20144) and penetration is already over a third of the entire population5, making this market primed to adopt a compelling, technology-based financial services solution such as Meed. After its Vietnam launch, Meed is expected to roll-out into Canada, Mexico and the U.S. before the end of Q1 2017. Its goal is to establish a global network of Member Banks in 30 countries by 2020. About Meed Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA (News - Alert), Meed provides a new global platform for a community of networked Member Banks, Corporate Members and individual Meed users. The network provides access for users to the Member Banks for their financial services needs, and also provides a solution for financial exclusion and immobility. For more information, visit meed.net. About HDBank HDBank (Ho Chi Minh Development Commercial Joint Stock Bank) is one of the top 10 commercial banks in Vietnam with more than 25 years of experience. The bank employs a staff over 9,000 personnel, has a chartered capital of VND 8100 trillion and manages total assets of over VND 900,000 trillion. Following the acquisition of DaiABank and HDFinance in the year of 2013, HDBank became one of the largest lenders in Vietnam. HDBank has grown into a network of over 220 offices, over 6,200 points of sale of financial services, and internationally has established relations with more than 300 banks and branches in over 150 countries and territories.







1 Accion https://medium.com/@Accion/can-we-measure-the-worlds-financial-health-52345769970 - .gv1gq32sa 2 HKTDC Research "Targeting Vietnam's youth market: opportunities and strategies," August 22, 2013 http://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/1X09UHYN/hktdc-research/Targeting-Vietnam%E2%80%99s-youth-market-opportunities-and-strategies 3 "Vietnam Consumer Landscape 2015." July 24, 2015 http://www.slideshare.net/XunLanNguyn/vietnam-consumer-landscape-2015-50879993 4 IDC (News - Alert). March 12 2015 http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prVN25480615 5 Wall Street Journal. June 12, 2015 http://www.wsj.com/articles/vietnams-mobile-revolution-catapults-millions-into-the-digital-age-1434085300

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(File photo)

A 5-year-old girl recently fell from the 11th floor of a residential building in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

At about 8:30 p.m. on the evening of Sept. 5, many residents of the Jinjiang City Park residential complex were gathered in the courtyard of Building No. 4. About 20 minutes prior, a young girl had fallen from above and landed in a patch of grass. One resident, who was in a teahouse on the first floor at the time of the incident, heard a loud sound. He ran out and quickly spotted the girl.

She wasn't bleeding or crying. She just blinked her eyes, the resident recalled. According to another witness, she attempted to stand up, but bystanders stopped her.

A reporter from Chengdu Commercial Daily noticed that there were several broken tree branches around the area where the girl landed; some of the branches were as thick as two fingers.

The branches were fractured by the girl's fall, explained a witness.

Another witness recalled, She actually talked to us. I am from the 11th floor is what she said.

Mr. Xu, an employee of the complex's property management company, soon arrived and knocked on the door of the girls neighbor.

The neighbor confirmed that the girl lived next door, at which point they called the girls mother. Meanwhile, neighbors and staff from the property management company sent the girl to the hospital.

The reporter talked with the girl's mother at the hospital.

I am so worried. The doctor said my daughter has two broken ribs and pneumothorax," the girl's mother fretted. In the emergency room, the girl lay quietly in her hospital bed. Her face had several scratches. Later, her mother transferred her to another hospital for further examination and treatment.

The girls father told the reporter that he was on a business trip at the time of the accident, and that his wife had briefly left the girl home alone so she could take their son to school. While her mother was gone, the girl climbed through the window and fell to the ground.

I guess she heard the sound of other children playing downstairs, said the girl's father. We are very grateful to our neighbors and the staff of the property management company.

Wei Yun, vice director of the Experimental Physics Center of Southwest Jiaotong University, explained that the tree branches and the grassy area, which was muddy after a recent rainfall, buffered the force of the girl's fall, enabling her to survive.
A team of tourism industry professionals from Ghana and Nigeria have arrived in South Africa for a week-long experience of the country.

The team was sponsored by the tourism authority of South Africa to tour and experience some selected tourism destinations in the southern African country.

The hosting of this group from the West African countries is an effort by South African Tourism to give them first-hand experience of what the country can offer to those who would like to travel to South Africa for tourism purposes.

Predominant in the team are travel and tourism professionals from both countries who went through the SA Specialist online training course and passed.

During the South African Tourisms recently held West Africa Roadshow in Kumasi, Accra, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja some among those who had taken the course and passed were chosen to be part of this trip.

According to the West Africa Trade Relations Manager of South African Tourism, Mr. Mohammed Tanko Kwajaffa, the objective for this hosting is to give the graduates first hand opportunity to experience what they have learnt from the course.

He also added that the graduates through the benefit of this trip will be expected to use the knowledge acquired to contribute immensely to the growth and development of their organization as they continue to promote South Africa as the preferred tourism destination.

Also on the trip are staff and officials respectively from stakeholder organizations from the two countries such as South Africa Highways, South Africa High Commission, VFS Global, national tourism associations and the media.

The seven-day tour which begun on Monday 5th September will continue till Sunday 11th September when the participants will return to their individual countries. During the seven-day tour, the participants will travel across three different provinces namely Gauteng, North West and Western Cape.

Some of the experiences the team will have include quad bike safari, hot air balloon ride, tour of Sun City Resort, visits to Table Mountain and Robben Island, water safari and tour of Zulu cultural village.

Members of the team did not hide their joy at such an opportunity to acquire first-hand knowledge of places they have been selling or will be selling to their clients and thanked SA Tourism for the opportunity given them.
Prince David Osei

07.09.2016 LISTEN

Popular actor Prince David Osei has said industry stakeholders who opine that Ghana's movie industry is dead are not smart people.

He said smart filmmakers ought to change their strategies to adapt to the new changes in the system.

I can say it in capital letters that industry people complaining that the industry is dead are not smart. In every endeavour, you expect harsh conditions because everything will not go rosy. So sometimes you should predict. I saw this coming a long time ago that it will get to a point when producers will not be able to pay me and certain actors because the economy is bad, production budget is low, patronage from fans have gone down.

So as an actor or a movie person, you should be able to adapt to the system. You should be smart. The smart ones are still prevailing. Those ones who are waiting for producers to call them and bring them scripts are the ones suffering. Those that are smart are the ones making it, he told NEWS-ONE.

David was commenting on the current state of Ghana's movie industry.

Previously when we do a movie, we could sell the rights, but now piracy is killing us and aside piracy the enthusiasm of the fans have gone down. We are going through a new phase but I won't say the movie industry is collapsing.

That's why you have to be smart as an actor. For the past two or three years, I have not really been in Ghana. I have been out there doing my stuff. So you have to be innovative. When the harsh weather is going against you, you have to move. As I talk to you, my one cast movie, I'm still premiering in central London on the October 21 and other cities in the UK. Some way somehow, I am busy. Other people like Yvonne Nelson are doing other things. That is the level it has gotten to.

Individually, people are doing stuff because I have been around. I have been all over the place in Canada, UK, US, Germany and Holland promoting my one cast movie and doing other stuffs. Currently, I have a movie deal to shoot in Los Angeles. So individually, people are doing brilliant stuff. Yvonne Nelson is shooting her series, Juliet Ibrahim doing hers, other people are shooting theirs. Even though people say it is collapsing, presently I am on set shooting 'Table of Men' being produced by Ekow Smith. I also just shot a movie with Jackie Appiah titled 'Happily Never After'. So mainly individuals are doing stuff, he disclosed.

David shot to fame through a 2010 British zombie film, 'The Dead', produced by Indelible Productions, in association with Latitude Films and also starring Rob Freeman.

By Francis Addo (Twitter: @fdee50 Email: [email protected] )
The Accra City Hotel (formerly Novotel) will host one of Africa's most celebrated music icons, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, as she visits Ghana for the African Legends Night slated for September 24 at the Banquet Hall, State House.

Global Media Alliance (GMA), organisers of the event, chose the four-star hotel because of its world-class service and trendy facilities available for such a guest of international repute.

General Manager of Accra City Hotel, Roman Krabel, told a cross-section of journalists that the hotel has enjoyed a huge facelift to host such high level celebrated icons.

When the new management took over, we resolved to create a whole new world-class experience for our guests. We're prepared in terms of service and facilities in order to step ahead of the competition; we're fully prepared to give this celebrated African icon and her entourage, an unforgettable treat. It will be our 28th anniversary gift to her, Mr Krabel said.

The management of GMA commended Accra City Hotel for sponsoring the event.

Yvonne Chaka Chaka is expected to take the African Legends Night to another level with her infectious pop melodies, youth-minded lyrics and girlish charm.

Nicknamed the 'Princess of Africa', the powerful alto voice is set to thrill her fans with ever-remembered songs like 'Im Burning Up', 'Thank You Mister DJ', and the ever-popular ' Umqombothi ' which shot her to stardom.

She has performed for HRM Queen Elizabeth II , Ex-US President Bill Clinton , former South African President Thabo Mbeki and a host of other world leaders.

The Vodafone African Legends Night is supported by CDH Savings & Loans, Phoenix Insurance, Phoenix Life, South African Airways, Huawei, Awake Purified Drinking Water, Avis Rental, Alomo Gold and powered by Vodafone.

Media Partners are Citi FM, eTV, YFM, Happy FM, Viasat One, Ameyaw Debrah, DAILY GUIDE, Oman FM and the B&FT.
Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston have split up after three months of dating, according to several reports in the US.

Rumours first started that the couple, nicknamed Hiddleswift, were together after they were seen flirting at the Met Gala in May.

Since then theyve seemingly been inseparable, appearing with each other around the world, including a trip to England to see Toms family.

But they reportedly havent been able to keep that kind of momentum going.

Theres no official word from either Tom or Taylor yet but sources who know the couple added: They get along great and will remain friends, but they just dont see it working romantically right now.

Shortly afterwards, the DJ called out Taylor Swift on Twitter after she claimed she was the sole writer of his single This Is What You Came For.

I figure if youre happy in your new relationship you should focus on that instead of trying to tear your ex bf down for something to do, Harris tweeted.

Its thought hectic work schedules had something to do with the split with Tom being based in Australia working on the new Thor film.

They were set to walk the red carpet together at the Emmy Awards later this month, but thats almost certainly off the cards now.

Both Taylor and Tom seem to be coping well with the split.

Shes been pictured smiling as she left a gym in New York, while the actor was in a good mood when he accepted his best actor TV Choice award from the set of Thor with Idris Elba and Chris Hemsworth.

Some have suggested the split could lead to inspiration for a new album from Taylor, who has a history of writing about ex-boyfriends.


07.09.2016 LISTEN

As part of activities to outdoor his upcoming fourth album, rapper M.anifest (real name Kwame Ametepee Tsikata) was on Accra-based Starr FM to discuss a variety of subjects, specifically the Nowhere Cool record.

The belief is widely held that his controversial June 30 release, god MC was among other things, a publicity stunt. However, the rapper has rubbished any such claims, stressing that it is inimical to art; I dont have time for publicity stunts. If it was that, I would put it on my album and would have released my album the week after that.

The rapper, who has been associated with such acts as Erykah Badu, Sarkodie, and Rocket Juice and The Moon revealed that inspiration informs his actions and stressed that one could be entrapped in that space instead of focusing on the actual purpose of the music; I do things when Im inspired, he said. I dont have time for publicity stunts. Its a very dangerous area to get into.
Libreville (AFP) - Gabon president Ali Bongo has insisted that the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) will go ahead in his crisis-ridden country.

The CAN is due to take place from January 14 to February 5 next year but was thrown into doubt after violence broke out following Bongo's controversial re-election in August.

"As we speak, there is no reason for this Cup not to take place here," said Bongo in an interview with state TV channel Gabon Television, which was reproduced on Monday by Union newspaper.

"The stadiums are ready and we'll have some great matches."

Bongo was speaking following Saturday's decision by Gabon's constitutional court to validate the disputed election results.

Gabon's opposition claimed Bongo's victory on August 27 was obtained through vote fraud.

Four days later, violent clashes erupted as demonstrators set parliament ablaze and clashed with police, who made a thousand arrests.

Opposition figures say more than 50 people were killed. The government has given a toll of three dead.

The draw for the CAN tournament is due to take place in the capital Libreville on October 19.

Champions Ivory Coast are among the 16 nations taking part in a tournament originally awarded to Libya before it was switched to Gabon in the wake of violence and instability breaking out in the north African country following the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
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Attorney Tendai Biti confirmed the case dismissal, blasting the police ban as "an arbitrary infringement of people's rights". By Jekesai Njikizana (AFP/File)

04.10.2016 LISTEN

Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe's High Court on Tuesday upheld a police ban on anti-government street protests in Harare after weeks of demonstrations calling for President Robert Mugabe to step down, a lawyer said.

Tendai Biti, the lawyer for a coalition of opposition parties who were challenging the police order, confirmed the case had been dismissed.

The parties are set to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court.

Biti blasted the police ban, due to run until mid-October, as "an arbitrary infringement of people's rights".

Police in Harare last month ordered a month-long ban on demonstrations in the capital's central business district following a string of anti-government protests.

Dozens of activists were beaten and arrested for participating in those marches.

Mugabe, 92, has often used brutal force to silence his opponents, and has warned the protesters they were "playing a dangerous game".

Opposition to Mugabe's 36-year reign has grown in recent months with a surge of public demonstrations, triggered by an economic crisis that has left banks short of cash and the government struggling to pay its workers.

Soldiers and civil servants have regularly been paid late this year, heightening pressure on Mugabe, who came to power in 1980 and has vowed to stand for re-election in 2018.

A one-day strike in July, called by trade unions and Christian pastor Evan Mawarire, shut down offices, schools and some government departments.
Sudan's president Omar al-Bashir delivers a speech at the airport in the North Darfur state capital El-Fasher during a ceremony to declare an end to 13 years of conflict in the region, on September 7, 2016. By Ashraf Shazly (AFP)

07.09.2016 LISTEN

El Fasher (Sudan) (AFP) - President Omar al-Bashir on Wednesday declared that peace had returned to Sudan's war-torn Darfur despite a deadlock in African Union-brokered ceasefire talks and persistent fighting that has driven thousands from their homes this year.

Bashir made the declaration in the North Darfur state capital El Fasher at a ceremony attended by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Chadian President Idriss Deby.

Qatar has hosted successive rounds of peace talks between the Arab-dominated Khartoum government and the ethnic minority rebels who took up arms in 2003 against Bashir's administration.

Talks in Doha in 2011 led to a peace deal with one small rebel faction -- the Liberation and Justice Movement -- and Wednesday's ceremony marked its implementation.

"We declare to all the people of Darfur and Sudan .. that we have implemented our commitments," Bashir said in a speech attended by crowds of thousands.

"Darfur is better today than yesterday. And tomorrow it will be even better."

Bashir, who vowed to develop the strife-torn region, stopped short of outright declaring an end to a 13-year conflict in Darfur.

"We will build roads and better education, health, water and electricity facilities... We will also undertake reconciliation among all Darfur tribes," Bashir said to supporters' cheers.

Many in the crowd carried pictures of Bashir and the Qatari emir.

Khartoum has repeatedly sought to declare an end to the conflict in Darfur this year, claiming that an April referendum backing the current five-state division of the region turned the page

Khartoum has repeatedly sought to declare an end to the conflict in Darfur this year, claiming that an April referendum backing the current five-state division of the region turned the page.

But the vote, which was boycotted by the rebels, was widely criticised by the international community and in June the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of an 18,000-strong peacekeeping force which the world body runs jointly with the African Union.

New displacements

Khartoum had strongly opposed the extension but the Security Council said that persistent fighting between government forces and the rebels continues to drive thousands of civilians from their homes.

Up to 194,000 civilians have been displaced from the Jebel Marra area since mid-January, the UN said last week, adding to hundreds of thousands of displaced people already living in camps.

Two rebel groups -- the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army faction headed by Minni Minnawi -- have signed an African Union roadmap for a ceasefire but talks on its implementation broke down last month.

A third rebel group, the SLA faction headed by Abdelwahid Nur, has not signed the roadmap.

The JEM announced on Wednesday that it would release all prisoners it had captured during fighting with government forces.

"The movement will coordinate their transfer to Khartoum," it said, without explaining the timing of its announcement.

Bashir too announced a similar initiative at the ceremony.

"I order the authorities to immediately release all those children who have been detained among the rebel groups," he said.

Neighbouring Chad has been a major player in the Darfur conflict.

It was a key supporter of the JEM while Khartoum supported Chadian rebels but, after both countries' capitals came under attack in 2008, the two governments mended fences.

Bashir, who has mounted a brutal counter-insurgency against the rebels, is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges related to Darfur, which he denies.

At least 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to the United Nations.
Paris (AFP) - The son of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea's veteran ruler will go on trial in France on charges of corruption and misusing public money to fund a jet-set lifestyle in Paris, judicial sources told AFP on Wednesday.

Teodorin Obiang, currently vice president, is accused of using the proceeds of corruption and embezzlement to fund an array of eye-popping purchases, from private jets and top properties to pop star Michael Jackson's famous white glove.

His trial in France, whose date has not yet been set, will be the first arising from a series of landmark investigations into the alleged ill-gotten gains of a handful of African leaders.

Prosecutors will show he amassed French assets worth several tens of millions of euros between 2007 and 2011, "either directly or through front men or shell companies", a source close to the investigation said.

Obiang, now 47, was his father Teodoro Obiang Nguema's agriculture minister in the west African nation at the time, earning a government salary of under $100,000 (89,000 euros) a year.

He will be tried on charges of laundering the proceeds of corruption, embezzlement, misuse of public funds and breach of trust.

In 2012, French authorities swooped on the Obiang family's six-storey mansion on Avenue Foch -- one of the poshest addresses in Paris -- seizing it along with several luxury cars.

Teodorin Obiang, the son of Equatorial Guinea's president, arrives at Malabo stadium for ceremonies to celebrate his 41st birthday on June 24, 2013

Police also took away van-loads of valuables, including paintings by famous artists, a $4.2-million clock and wines worth thousands of euros a bottle.

The investigation was launched after Transparency International and Sherpa, an NGO that campaigns against economic crimes, filed a complaint against him.

Obiang has tried unsuccessfully ever since to have the proceedings quashed.

Obiang Nguema, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, seized power in Equatorial Guinea in a 1979 military coup.

He promoted his son to vice president in charge of defence and national security in June.

US authorities have also pursued Obiang junior, accusing him of racking up more than $300 million through embezzlement, extortion and money laundering.

In October 2014, he was forced to turn over more than $30 million in ill-gotten gains -- including a Malibu villa, a Ferrari and Michael Jackson memorabilia.

He managed however to hang onto the white glove Jackson wore during his "Bad" tour.

Other leaders under investigation in France include Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso and Gabon's Omar Bongo. They deny any wrongdoing.
El Fasher (Sudan) (AFP) - Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir declared on Wednesday that peace was returning to war-torn Darfur despite a deadlock in African Union-brokered ceasefire talks and persistent fighting that has driven thousands from their homes this year.

Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur, made the declaration in the North Darfur state capital El Fasher at a ceremony attended by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Chadian President Idriss Deby.

Qatar has hosted successive rounds of peace talks between the Arab-dominated Khartoum government and the ethnic minority rebels who took up arms in 2003 against Bashir's administration.

Talks in Doha in 2011 led to a peace deal with one small rebel faction -- the Liberation and Justice Movement -- and Wednesday's ceremony marked its implementation.

"We declare to all the people of Darfur and Sudan .. that we have implemented our commitments," Bashir said in a speech attended by crowds of thousands.

"Darfur is better today than yesterday. And tomorrow it will be even better."

Bashir, who vowed to develop the strife-torn region, stopped short of outright declaring an end to a 13-year conflict in Darfur as he was expected to announce earlier.

"We will build roads and better education, health, water and electricity facilities... We will also undertake reconciliation among all Darfur tribes," Bashir said to supporters' cheers.

Many in the crowd carried pictures of Bashir and the Qatari emir.

Khartoum has repeatedly sought to declare an end to the conflict in Darfur this year, claiming that an April referendum backing the current five-state division of the region turned the page.

But the vote, which was boycotted by the rebels, was widely criticised by the international community and in June the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of an 18,000-strong peacekeeping force which the world body runs jointly with the African Union.

New displacements

Khartoum has repeatedly sought to declare an end to the conflict in Darfur this year, claiming that an April referendum backing the current five-state division of the region turned the page

Khartoum had strongly opposed the extension but the Security Council said that persistent fighting between government forces and the rebels continues to drive thousands of civilians from their homes.

Up to 194,000 civilians have been displaced from the Jebel Marra area since mid-January, the UN said last week, adding to hundreds of thousands of displaced people already living in camps.

Two rebel groups -- the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army faction headed by Minni Minnawi -- have signed an African Union roadmap for a ceasefire but talks on its implementation broke down last month.

A third rebel group, the SLA faction headed by Abdelwahid Nur, has not signed the roadmap.

The JEM announced on Wednesday that it would release all prisoners it had captured during fighting with government forces.

"The movement will coordinate their transfer to Khartoum," it said, without explaining the timing of its announcement.

Bashir too announced a similar initiative at the ceremony.

"I order the authorities to immediately release all those children who have been detained among the rebel groups," he said.

Bashir also urged Darfur civilians and armed groups to surrender their arms.

"We will collect arms from the civilians," Bashir said, warning that those who refused to surrender their weapons would be firmly dealt with.

Neighbouring Chad has been a major player in the Darfur conflict.

It was a key supporter of the JEM while Khartoum supported Chadian rebels but, after both countries' capitals came under attack in 2008, the two governments mended fences.

Bashir, who has mounted a brutal counter-insurgency against the rebels, is wanted by the ICC on war crimes and genocide charges related to Darfur, which he denies.

At least 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to the United Nations.
Lagos (AFP) - A Nigerian journalist declared wanted by the authorities for alleged links to Boko Haram has been released from custody, the BBC reported him as saying on Wednesday.

The military said last month it wanted to question Ahmad Salkida for allegedly concealing information on the more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by the Islamists more than two years ago.

Nigerian media reported that he was arrested when he arrived in the capital Abuja on a flight from the United Arab Emirates on Monday.

But the BBC said he had since sent a text message to the broadcaster's Hausa-language service saying he was "released in less than 24 hours without any conditions".

He also denied being arrested at the airport, saying he had been given a "pre-arranged lift" by the authorities, whom he said misunderstood the role of journalists in reporting the conflict.

The army, which also denied the arrest, said on August 15 it wanted to speak to the journalist, after he tweeted about a new video of the captured schoolgirls before it was published on YouTube.

The kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in April 2014 provoked global outrage and brought unprecedented attention to Boko Haram

Army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman said at the time there was "no doubt" the reporter and two other individuals "have links with Boko Haram terrorists and have contacts with them".

Salkida has reported extensively on Boko Haram over the last 10 years and is believed to have high-level contacts within the group and previously been involved in talks to free the kidnapped girls.

He has maintained he has done nothing wrong and that he was prepared to return to Nigeria to speak to the authorities.

A total of 218 schoolgirls from the Borno state town of Chibok are still being held by Boko Haram.

The militants have said they will release them in exchange for imprisoned rebel fighters held by the government.
Equatorial Guinea's vice president Teodorin Obiang is accused of using the proceeds of corruption and embezzlement to fund an array of eye-popping purchases. By Abdekhak Senna (AFP/File)

07.09.2016 LISTEN

Paris (AFP) - The son of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea's veteran ruler will go on trial in France on charges of plundering his country to fund a jet-set lifestyle in Paris, judicial sources told AFP on Wednesday.

Teodorin Obiang, currently vice president, is accused of using the proceeds of corruption and embezzlement to fund an array of eye-popping purchases, from private jets and top properties to pop star Michael Jackson's famous white glove.

The trial, whose date has not yet been set, will be the first arising from a series of landmark investigations in France into the alleged ill-gotten gains of a handful of African leaders.

And with Obiang unlikely to attend the proceedings, the trial "may be symbolic more than anything," a source close to the case said.

Prosecutors will show Obiang, now 47, amassed French assets worth several tens of millions of euros between 2007 and 2011, "either directly or through front men or shell companies", a source close to the investigation said.

Obiang was agriculture minister for his father Teodoro Obiang Nguema in the tiny central African nation at the time, earning a government salary of under $100,000 (89,000 euros) a year.

He will face charges of laundering the proceeds of corruption, embezzlement, misuse of public funds and breach of trust.

Dire poverty despite oil

Teodorin Obiang, the son of Equatorial Guinea's president, arrives at Malabo stadium for ceremonies to celebrate his 41st birthday on June 24, 2013

Equatorial Guinea has become sub-Saharan Africa's third-biggest oil producer in recent years, with oil revenues accounting for more than 70 percent of national income.

But the wealth has not trickled down. While per capita national income stands at over $10,000 for a population of less than a million, more than half the people live on less than two dollars a day.

In 2012, French authorities swooped on the Obiang family's six-storey mansion on Avenue Foch -- one of the most upmarket addresses in Paris -- seizing it along with a fleet of luxury cars including two Bugatti Veyrons and a Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Police also took away van loads of valuables, including paintings by famous artists, a $4.2-million clock and wines worth thousands of euros a bottle.

The investigation was launched after Transparency International and Sherpa, an NGO that campaigns against economic crimes, filed a complaint against him.

Obiang, who was charged in 2014, has tried unsuccessfully ever since to have the proceedings quashed, and in June Equatorial Guinea lodged a complaint against France before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

US authorities have also pursued Obiang junior, accusing him of racking up more than $300 million through embezzlement, extortion and money laundering.

In October 2014, he was forced to turn over more than $30 million in ill-gotten gains -- including a Malibu villa, a Ferrari and Michael Jackson memorabilia.

He managed however to hang onto the white glove Jackson wore during his "Bad" tour.

Other leaders under investigation in France include Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso, the late Omar Bongo of Gabon and Francois Bozize, former president of the Central African Republic.

Obiang's father, who has ruled the former Spanish colony with an iron fist since 1979, is Africa's longest-serving leader, extending his rule in April when he was re-elected with 93.7 percent of the vote.

He promoted his son to vice president in charge of defence and national security in June.
Fighting between armed groups across parts of South Sudan continues to drive displacement, including in areas that had been relatively stable since the crisis broke out in December 2013. The dynamic nature of the conflict has resulted in the constant movement of civilians as they attempt to escape shifting locations of insecurity.

Current population movements are fluid in several areas, including Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Unity, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria and Unity. In the past two months, over 80,000 people have been displaced in Wau and 12,000 in Juba alone.

In southern parts of Central Equatoria, which had previously remained fairly stable, an escalating number of security incidents has pushed large numbers of civilians to leave their homes to seek safety. The movements have been particularly significant from Yei, with multiple reports of targeted violence and harassment against civilians and disruptions in the delivery of aid supplies.

At the same time as we see the needs continue to grow, access constraints are making it more difficult for humanitarians to access vulnerable people or even measure the scale of displacement and unfolding needs as violence spreads to new locations, said John McCue, IOM South Sudan Head of Operations.

Many of the recent population movements from Central Equatoria have been across the southern borders to Uganda and Kenya, but increased insecurity in parts of Yei, Morobo and Magwi counties is making it increasingly dangerous for civilians to move and may be preventing people from reaching safer areas.

In Leer, Unity, insecurity has forced civilians to seek protection in nearby islands, while others have reportedly moved south or reached the UN protection of civilians site in Bentiu. These patterns of movement in central Unity may increase as insecurity persists.

On 4 September, IOM joined a UN Security Council delegation to witness first-hand the needs of displaced communities in Wau since heavy fighting in late June. While IOM and humanitarian agencies are providing lifesaving aid at displacement sites across Wau town, access constraints have limited efforts to reach thousands of displaced families in some areas south of town since early July.

IOM recently regained access to Ngisa in southern Wau to deliver essential medicines and evaluate health and water needs. IOM has received reports of people returning to parts of Wau town, which may be a response to improved security in the area or a result of limited access to relief services in areas outside of the town.

More than 1.6 million people are internally displaced across South Sudan, in addition to 786,000 people who have fled to neighbouring countries since December 2013. More than half of the country (6.1 million people) are in need of relief aid.
07.09.2016 LISTEN

President John Dramani Mahama has for the first time spoken about his use of Article 72, to remit the four-month sentence handed the Montie FM trio, saying he acted in the interest of Ghana; and in line with the Constitution.

Speaking to Paul Adom Otchere, Host of Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday, the President said he also believes that the four-month sentence was harsh for the crime in question; and that the contemnors had showed ample remorse for their actions.

I think that the overriding consideration must be that, all arms of government must act constitutionally and I swore an oath on the 7th of January 2013 to abide by the Constitution and so every action I take must be in consonant with the Constitutional provisions. The young men were called before the Supreme Court for scandalizing the court and even before they were called before the court, they had shown remorse; they had apologized for what they said and before the court they apologized again.

When they were sentenced in mitigation they asked for mercy; apologized and retracted everything they said. And even after they were sentenced and left the court and went to prison; they still in written and verbal form expressed absolute regret for what they did. I don't know what benefit it would have been to anybody the three extra months they would have served in prison; I don't know.

The trio, Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, Host of Montie FM's Pampaso political show, were jailed after they were found guilty of contempt charges for threatening to eliminate or harm Supreme Court judges over their handling of a lawsuit on the credibility of the voters' register.

Council of State approved their release

President Mahama revealed that, the Council of State indeed recommended the remission of the sentence after he forwarded the petition to them.

Recently, I abided vigorously by Article 72. I received the petition of the lawyers from the three and they stated all the grounds for which they thought that I should invoke my powers under article 72, narrating every step of the way; the regret they had shown and appealing for mercy; and so I did exactly what the Constitution said I should do.

He noted that I referred it to the Council of State and the Council came back to me and recommended that I exercise my powers under Article 72, not in terms of pardoning them. They remain convicted and that's what a lot of people do not realize. They remain convicted, they paid Ghc30, 000 in fines and that money is in the state coffers. But what I did was that, instead of letting them spend four months in prison, they spent one month in prison. Indeed if you look at the conviction and the sentencing, the general consensus was that, four months was quite a harsh punishment to have been imposed for that kind of crime. And so I believe that I acted constitutionally and it was in the interest of Ghana.

Asked whether he would have done the same if the three were not members of the NDC, the President responded absolutely.

Pushing further, the Host Paul Adom Otchere, asked the President if he would have pardoned his [Paul's] younger brother who found himself in a similar contempt case at Asankragua; and this was his response; It depends on the grounds. I mean if your younger brother went a raped a girl and you come with a petition asking me to mitigate the sentence, I most probably wouldn't.

He explained that, For the spoken word; you are a journalist and I am a journalist; and you can find yourself in the same situation. All of us must walk that fine line of being careful about what we say. But there are times when journalists have found themselves in this situation. Haruna Atta, Kweku Baako is one such case; these things happen; and that's why the Constitution created escape valve.

Our Constitution is that of checks and balances; so you have the Parliament checking the powers of the President, you have the Supreme Court as the arbiter. And the Constitution drafters put in the prerogative of mercy, for the circumstances where even though a conviction may be right, there must be some exonerating power that is able to say that; yes you were convicted properly but we are able to grant you this remission based on certain factors. It must not be arbitrary; and that's why there again; they say it must be in consultation with the Council of State. The Council of State is an elderly body; it's a body above the President; some of the members are elected; others have served in very important positions in their lives and so it says the President must consult the council. And so even though they give the President that power, again they put a check on it so that it's not done with arbitrary discretion Mr. Mahama explained.

Background

The three men, who are sympathizers of the ruling party, walked out of the prison on Friday August 26, after they were imprisoned in July.

Critics of the President's decision to free them have been described the move as a slur on the judiciary.

Generally, the accusation is that, the President only bowed to pressure in the interest of his party considering the upcoming elections, and not in the larger national interest.

Some also believe the act would embolden others to move along the same trajectory in the future, to jeopardize the peace and stability of the country.

But for supporters of the ruling party, the President only acted constitutionally and on compassionate grounds.

 citifmonline
Hell nearly broke loose in the studios of an Accra-based radio station when the founder and leader of the Heavens Gate Ministry, Nicholas Osei popularly known as Kumchacha finally squared up with the all-popular Counselor Luterrodt.

Dressed in his usual black suit with shoes to match, the popular Prophet upon meeting the radio counselor decided to deliver Counselor Lutterodt of demons inhabiting him which according to him are the cause of the bad advise he has been offering on radio and several other platforms.

Kumchacha while speaking on Adom FM's Morning Show, 'Dwaso Nsem' on Friday, 22nd July, 2016 said the now famous Counselor has an agenda which would destabilize many relationships.

Lutterodt has an al Qaeda, Taliban and Osama Bin Laden spirit through which he is on a mission to collapse the marriages and relationships of many peopleI will deliver him of that evil spirit when I meet him one on one, he said.

Counselor Lutterodt is widely known for making controversial statements during his radio talks.

Famous among his controversial statements is a call on women not to marry men who cannot take care of them. He added that it is an offence to marry a man who lives in a single room.

Never allow a poor man to marry you. A poor man's marriage will kill you early. And when you die you will go to hell, he said during one of his numerous counseling sessions.

The controversial counselor further called on women living with their partners in single rooms to quit the relationship immediately claiming their partners are not ready to take care of them.

Lutterodt needs deliverance, he spews negative thoughts and lots of garbagewhen I meet him one on one, I would deliver him massivelyhe is possessed and has a spirit which destroys man, he said at the time.

And the opportunty to deliver the counselor of the demons came when the two met on Accra-based Okay FM.

An attempt by Kumchacha to deliver Counselor Lutterodt nearly resulted into a fight between the two as the latter did not take kindly to the actions of the former.

Stop it, I am losing it, Couselor Lutterodt warned Kumchacha several times after the Prophet has recited several scriptures and made two unsuccessful attempts to lay his hand on the head of an angry Counselor Lutterodt.

You need to click on the video to watch more of the enounter between the two men of God:

 adomonline
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.7

Trend:

The OSCE monitoring held on the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has passed without incidents, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said Sept.7.

The monitoring was held Sept.7 under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the line of contact on the Omar mountain pass of Azerbaijans Goygol district.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative, Jiri Aberle and Peter Svedberg.

On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring was held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Ghenadie Petrica and Simon Tiller.

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.
As Morocco gets busy preparing to host the 22nd session of the UN Climate Change Conference COP22 this year, the Interior Ministry of the country has sent a strong signal indicating that it is on a high alert over likely terrorist threats.

Bab Ighli in Marrakech, is the venue for the UN Climate Change Conference COP22, which is slated for 7th-18th November, 2016.

As a result of this, the Interior Ministry, says it has put in place maximum counter terrorism measures to pave way for smooth coordination and hosting of this landmark event.

"Though this is not the first time Morocco is hosting the event, the Interior Ministry is very much concerned about security and safety and we would do everything possible to protect heads of states and all delegates," the Deputy Interior Minister of Morocco, Charki Draiss has assured.

Mr. Charki Draiss also observed that the Sahel Region has witnessed a lot of security breaches as a result of the activities of ISIS and their other counterparts.

He was addressing a representative sample of the African media in Rabat on Tuesday.

55 African journalists are currently in Morocco participating in the ongoing African Press Trip in Morocco, which was organised by the COP22 Steering Committee.

The aim of the trip is to help journalists better assess the issues linked to the fight against climate change and COP22 in Marrakech.

Mr. Charki Draiss further hinted that Morocco has adopted the 'Anticipatory Approach' in dealing with the threats of Terrorism. This approach he, identified, has been extremely helpful as efforts are made every minute to counter any likely threats.

"Morocco is sufficiently on top of security issues since there is nothing like Zero risk and we must meet all security challenges with the cooperation of other African states, UN Security Council including Moroccan authorities. I can assure you that COP22 will be well organized," the minister said.

He further disclosed that all rooms, conference facilities, specific locations on the agenda at the conference will all be ready by the month of October.

The minister further added that there will be maximum cooperation with African member states in particular at COP22 because Moroccans are Africans and have developed different standpoints of African affairs.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Almost 50 million children throughout the world are "uprooted," forcibly displaced from their home countries by war, violence or persecution, the United Nations children's program said Wednesday.

"Indelible images of individual children -- Aylan Kurdi's small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneesh's stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed -- have shocked the world," United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund Executive Director Anthony Lake said in a statement.

"But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger -- and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children."

In its analysis of global data, UNICEF found that 28 million of those children were displaced by violence and conflict, including 10 million child refugees.

There were also one million asylum seekers whose refugee status is pending and approximately 17 million children displaced within their own countries lacking access to humanitarian aid and critical services.

Some 20 million other children have left their homes for various reasons including gang violence or extreme poverty.

Children at the Mungote Internally Displaced Persons camp in Kitchanga, Democratic Republic of Congo

"Many are at particular risk of abuse and detention because they have no documentation, have uncertain legal status, and there is no systematic tracking and monitoring of their well-being -- children falling through the cracks," UNICEF said.

Children are also increasingly crossing borders on their own: more than 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries last year, tripling 2014's numbers.

UNICEF pointed to children accounting for a "disproportionate and growing proportion" of people seeking refuge outside their birth countries.

Children make up about a third of the world's population but about half of all refugees.

In 2015, about 45 percent of child refugees under the UN refugee agency's care came from Syria and Afghanistan.

A Syrian migrant and her children prepare to board a dinghy to cross the Aegean Sea to the Greek island of Lesbos from the Ayvacik coast in Canakkale in February 2016

UNICEF urged authorities to end the detention of children migrating or seeking refugee status, abstain from separating families, allow child refugees and migrants access to health services and to promote measure that combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization.

The international body will take up the issue of migration in two late-September meetings on the sidelines of this year's UN General Assembly.

"We'd like to see some clear commitments and practical measures," UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Justin Forsyth told journalists in New York.

"The burden sharing of this crisis is not fair: the greatest burden is supported by neighboring countries or the poorest countries."

Forsyth said the upcoming summits are "not enough to solve the problem," but they remain "critical."

"It is a chance to get the world to look at this crisis," he said.
Honolulu (AFP) - Some of the world's leading conservation groups are violating the rights of indigenous people by backing projects that oust them from their ancestral homes in the name of environmental preservation, a top UN expert said this week.

UN special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz's latest report documents killings, evictions and lands being used for resource extraction without native consent -- practices that affect millions of indigenous people across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

"Projects supported by major conservation organizations continue to displace local peoples from their ancestral homes," said Tauli-Corpuz, who gave a series of talks on her findings at the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress in Honolulu, the globe's largest gathering of conservation leaders.

While she refrained from naming names in her report, she told AFP the groups include the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"They know who they are," she said in an interview on the sidelines of the IUCN meeting, which has drawn 9,000 heads of states and environmentalists to Hawaii for a 10-day meeting.

"From the reports I have received, these big conservation groups are some of the main groups that should account for what has happened."

Tigers or people

In the past year, Tauli-Corpuz traveled to Honduras, Brazil, and to the Sami people in the Arctic regions of Finland, Norway and Sweden.

People attend the funeral of murdered indigenous activist Berta Caceres, in La Esperanza, on March 5, 2016, Honduras

In Honduras, she met with an indigenous Lenca activist, Berta Caceres, four months before she was killed in March 2016 "because of her protests against the Agua Zarca dam project, even though she had been awarded precautionary protection measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights," said the report.

In Brazil, Tauli-Corpuz expressed deep concerns about "killings and violent evictions of the Guarani-Kaiowa peoples in Mato Grosso (that) continue to take place."

One of the main threats to the rights of the Sami people is the "increased drive to mineral extraction and the development of renewable energy projects," added the report.

According to the Rights and Resources Initiative, a non-governmental organization that backs indigenous rights, other rights violations remain unresolved too, include the eviction of local people in India's Kanha tiger reserve, even though evidence suggests people and tigers can co-inhabit the same area.

Nepal's Chure region was declared a conservation area in 2014 without consulting the leaders of the indigenous communities, who represent a population of five million people.

Indigenous territory is increasingly being included in protected wildlife conservation areas, which have nearly doubled over the past two decades, from nearly 3.5 million square miles in 1980 to six million square kilometers in 2000

Local people have also been forced from their homes in Cameroon and Kenya.

Native people "are best equipped to protect the world's most threatened forests, and have been doing so for decades," said RRI Coordinator Andy White.

"Yet many conservation organizations and governments still treat them as obstacles to conservation rather than partners."

Expanding problem

Indigenous territory is increasingly being included in "protected areas," which have nearly doubled over the past two decades, from nearly 3.5 million square miles (nine million square kilometers) in 1980 to six million square kilometers in 2000, said the report.

Traditional indigenous lands tend to be particularly precious because they make up less than one quarter of the Earth's land surface but contain 80 percent of the planet's biodiversity, it said.

Certainly, the areas in question are ultimately managed by governments.

But conservation groups "are the ones that facilitate the money," Tauli-Corpuz said.

"They can do much more in terms of putting more pressure on the governments."

'Old story'

Conservation's negative impact on indigenous people is "a constant and recurring theme since the establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples in 2001," said the report.

A Brazilian native from the Guarani Kaiowa ethnic tribe who suffer "killings and violent evictions", according to UN special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz

Indeed, the issue dates even further back, to when the United States violently expelled Native Americans from lands that were designated as Yellowstone National Park in 1872 and Yosemite National Park in 1890.

"That is an old story, and that is not the story that we as conservationists are trying to make happen today," said John Robinson, executive vice president for conservation and science at the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"If you look at the special rapporteur's report, she is mostly just talking about history."

But Tauli-Corpuz, an indigenous leader from the Kankanaey Igorot people of the Cordillera Region in the Philippines, disagreed.

"They say it is an old issue, it is like history. I say of course not," she told AFP.

"That is precisely why I am making the report. Because it continues up until the present."

New challenges

World Wildlife Fund Director General Marco Lambertini called the report an "important contribution to advancing good practice on indigenous rights in conservation."

Some of the world's leading conservation groups are violating the rights of indigenous people by backing projects that oust them from their ancestral homes in the name of environmental preservation, UN special rapporteur says

"WWF is committed to working in collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities for the preservation and sustainable use of the natural resources," he added.

Conservation International's chairman and CEO Peter Seligmann agreed.

"Bottom line -- it is a core basic human right to make the choices and decisions of your own landscapes," he told AFP.

"I don't think there are any exceptions to that."

Tauli-Corpuz plans to present her report at the UN General Assembly later this month, in the hopes of pressuring governments to cease rights abuses.

In the meantime, she said conservation groups "are not doing enough" to support indigenous rights.

"All this talk about conserving nature, sometimes it is just talk," she said.
Staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) say moves by government to involve a private investor in power distribution will do little to change the often cited inefficiency of the process.

National Chairman of ECG Senior Staff Association, Patrick Binyemi, wants government to expend the effort it is using to bring private investors to manage the power company on existing management, since that would be more beneficial.

The private person who is coming is not going to bring anything new. The government should give us the opportunity to put things right. If the government is not giving us that opportunity, but is ready to give that opportunity to somebody else that is where our woes lie, said Mr Binyemi.

Mr Binyemi was speaking on current affairs programme, PM Express on the Joy News channel on Multi TV.

Since a request for proposal for Private Sector Participation (PSP) in the power distribution company was announced by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), staff of the power company have been in arms against the move.

A key concern of the agitated ECG staff is that they may lose their jobs when a private investor takes over the company, a claim government has dispelled countless times.

On Friday and Monday ECG staff who are part of the Public Utility Workers Union (PUWU) refused to serve customers.

Customers hoping to buy pre-paid credit were directed to rely on other vending points. Apart from hospitals and other key installations, workers say they will not resolve faults that would be reported by consumers.

The overt and covert opposition to the privatisation bid by MiDA has gotten so bad the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has warned it may sanction staff and management of the company.

The PURC says failure of the management of the to insulate consumers against the effects of the workers protest is a breach of the law.

Speaking on PM Express Tuesday evening, Mr Binyemi said the opposition against the concessionaire agreement is to force government to look at other options such as listing the Company on the bourse to raise funds and improve efficiency.

We are saying that government, give us the opportunity. If you want to see some level of efficiency, then why dont you list ECG on the stock exchange? he quizzed.

Also speaking on the show, an Engineer, Peter Kofi Fletcher, who is also the Chairman of Senior Staff Union of ECG, said claims of inefficiency by the government is only a hyped deficiency of the Company to serve as basis for the privatisation bid.

Peter Kofi Fletcher

He said if government agencies pay huge debts owed the company, efficiency would improve.

Meanwhile, the move to privatise ECG is ongoing, as six companies out of a total of 60 have been shortlisted to for the concessionaire deal.

Two of the companies are consortiums while the remaining four are bidding individually.

The companies are Manila Electric Company from the Philippines; Ch Group/Edf Sa/Lmi Holdings/Veolia Sa with Ghanaian address; Engie Energie Services, SA; from France, Bxc Company Ghana Ltd /Xiaocheng Technology Stock Company Limited, registered and operating in Ghana; Enel S.P.A.from Italy; and Tata Power Company Limited from India.

Watch the entire show, which was hosted by Malik Abass Daabu, in the video link below.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]
President John Mahama has in a rather audacious response to those claiming that he pardoned the Montie FM trio due to their affiliation to the ruling party, noted that, he would have exercised that power even if the men were not sympathisers of the party.

The President, who was speaking for the first time since the controversial decision, told the Host of Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom-Otchere, that he acted in the interest of Ghana and in line with the Constitution.

I think that the overriding consideration must be that, all arms of government must act constitutionally and I swore an oath on the 7th of January 2013 to abide by the Constitution and so every action I take must be in consonant with the Constitutional provisions. The young men were called before the Supreme Court for scandalizing the court and even before they were called before the court, they had shown remorse; they had apologized for what they said and before the court they apologized again.

When they were sentenced in mitigation they asked for mercy; apologized and retracted everything they said. And even after they were sentenced and left the court and went to prison; they still in written and verbal form expressed absolute regret for what they did. I don't know what benefit it would have been to anybody the three extra months they would have served in prison; I don't know.

Montie trio are still ex-convicts  Mahama

The President also noted that the three remain ex-convicts, except that their sentence was reduced.

They remain convicted, they paid Ghc30, 000 in fines and that money is in the state coffers. But what I did was that, instead of letting them spend four months in prison, they spent one month in prison. Indeed if you look at the conviction and the sentencing, the general consensus was that, four months was quite a harsh punishment to have been imposed for that kind of crime. And so I believe that I acted constitutionally and it was in the interest of Ghana.

Background

Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, Host of the pro-government radio station's political show Pampamso, and the two panelists, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, were jailed four months in July and fined Ghc10, 000 each, after the Supreme Court found them guilty of contempt.

The owners also paid fines in excess of Ghc60, 000.

The men had on the said radio programme issued death threats to the justices of the Court over their handling of a lawsuit that was questioning the credibility of Ghana's voters' register ahead of elections in December.

But on August 26, the men walked out after spending only a month. This was made possible when the President exercised his prerogative of mercy under Article 72, and remitted their sentence.

This was after the lawyers of the three as well as members of the NDC and government officials, had made the request through a petition.

Generally, the critics believe the President only bowed to pressure in the interest of his party considering the upcoming elections, and not in the larger national interest.

However, when he was asked on Good Evening Ghana if he would have exercised that power if the three were not members of the NDC, the President responded; absolutely.

Pushing further, the Host, Paul Adom Otchere, asked the President if he would have pardoned his [Paul's] younger brother who found himself in a similar contempt case at Asankragua; and this was his response; It depends on the grounds. I mean if your younger brother went a raped a girl and you come with a petition asking me to mitigate the sentence, I most probably wouldn't.

He explained that, For the spoken word; you are a journalist and I am a journalist; and you can find yourself in the same situation. All of us must walk that fine line of being careful about what we say. But there are times when journalists have found themselves in this situation. Haruna Atta, Kweku Baako is one such case; these things happen; and that's why the Constitution created escape valve.

My decision wasn't arbitrary  Mahama

The President noted that, he had acted not in isolation, but with inputs from the Council of State as recommended by the Constitution.

Our Constitution is that of checks and balances; so you have the Parliament checking the powers of the President, you have the Supreme Court as the arbiter. And the Constitution drafters put in the prerogative of mercy, for the circumstances where even though a conviction may be right, there must be some exonerating power that is able to say that; yes you were convicted properly but we are able to grant you this remission based on certain factors. It must not be arbitrary; and that's why there again; they say it must be in consultation with the Council of State. The Council of State is an elderly body; it's a body above the President; some of the members are elected; others have served in very important positions in their lives and so it says the President must consult the council. And so even though they give the President that power, again they put a check on it so that it's not done with arbitrary discretion Mr. Mahama explained.



By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AfanyiDadzie

// ]]>
President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaians to give him a second term mandate to among other things enable him complete construction works on some bad roads in the country.

Speaking on Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday, Mr. Mahama explained that, although government has done considerably well in road infrastructure, there is still more that needs to be done.

He noted that his government has allocated an amount of $150 million every year to construct roads in the country.

There are still bad roads and we are going to come to them as we finish these. The thing is to have a programme which is what we have; and I have said that, we are injecting 150 million for five years into the six cocoa growing regions. And so as the contractors finish they are being given other roads to do.

So when I say I have done roads it doesn't mean that you should go and look for a bad road somewhere and say but President Mahama there is a bad road here, yes, we will come to it. That is why I deserve a second term to be able to do those roads you are complaining about, he added.

Demo over bad roads

There have been series of demonstrations staged by some Ghanaians in recent times in protest against bad road networks.

Some areas of these areas include East Ashiyie, in the Adentan Municipality, Ashaiman, Bolgatanga, Hamile in the Lambusie Karni District of the Upper West Region among others.

We've improved roads

President Mahama said his government has improved many roads ever since he took over the administration of the country.

We've improved in the area of roads. We are doing a lot of massive work when it comes to the road network.

He said when he went around campaigning in 2008 and 2012, he observed that a lot of the roads in the country were in very bad shape and any chief I went to complained that the major issue they had was the road network; so I decided that we must do something about it.

So we have three sources of funding; the government of Ghana budget which is approved by parliament every year. And we also introduced the cocoa roads improvement programme of which we take 150 million dollars every year from the cocoa floatation and we dedicate it to improving roads in the six cocoa growing regions. And then the third source of income is the enhanced road fund which was passed as part of the energy levy and under that we have identified strategic roads in the country and we are paying to improve those roads, Mahama added.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and its national partner in Liberia, Centre for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP), will hold a One-Day Media Seminar on ECOWAS and its protocols for 25 influential journalists and editors in Liberia.

The seminar seeks to enhance the knowledge of participants on ECOWAS and its protocols that mandate member states to be accountable to citizens. It also seeks to enhance the skills of the journalists and editors to effectively report on the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. The seminar is expected to result in the setting up of a Network of ECOWAS journalists in Liberia.

The one-day media seminar forms part of activities under the MFWA project Promoting Citizens Awareness on ECOWAS Protocols and Frameworks on Good Governance and Economic Redistribution. The project is being implemented in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Burkina Faso with funding support from Ibis-Oxfam in Ghana under their Democratic Governance (DEGOWA) programme in West Africa.
Inspired by the need to provide sustainable living for her people, including access to sustainable energy, transport and housing; Africa is seen to take up the tech challenge by investing billions of dollars in the development of tech futuristic cities. The continent is surely making a global mark with its avant-garde innovations, from cutting edge cities to mobile money payment technologies; a move that has attracted the attention of global innovators such as Facebooks Founder Mark Zuckerberg.

While almost every sector of the African economy is set to benefit from the innovations, the tourism industry will no doubt have a big share from the developments. Sprouting tech cities will become major tourist attractions; if not for the magnificent beauty, for proof to many that Africa is not about desolation but rather of absolute determination to overcome all odds and stand tall in the face of the world.

Visitors will also be attracted to other destinations in the continent, to experience the beautiful naturalistic existence between man and nature. For instance, during his recent tour of Africa, Zuckerberg not only visited various technology hubs in Nigeria and Kenya, but also got to see amazing natural beauty and wildlife from around Lake Naivasha  as he posted on his Facebook page. Jumia Travel, Africas leading online hotel booking portal, lists 5 budding futuristic cities, that are set to boost the continents tourism industry.

1. Konza Technology City  Kenya

In its official website, Konza is described as a sustainable green city with smart technology that will attract 17,000 jobs, $400 million in annual wages and generate $1.3 billion in GRP in Phase 1. This world class technology hub is considered a major economic driver for Kenya, that will help the country attain middle-income status by 2030. Located on a 5,000 acres of land 60 kilometers South of Nairobi in Machakos , the multi-billion dollar Silicon Savannah will be a software development hub as well as a business process outsourcing (BPO) hub, with a vibrant mix of amenities. Konza is set to complete in a span of 20 years and its ground was broken in March this year.

2 . Hope City  Ghana

Hope to mean Home, Office, People and Environment, Hope City was launched in March 2013 by President John Mahama and is considered Ghanas Technopolis; and will become one of the tallest skyscrapers in Africa at 270 meter high. Located approximately 30 minutes West of Accra in Prampram, Hope City sits on about 1.5 million square meters area and is set to transform Ghana into West Africas tech hub. Once completed, Hope City will provide business, leisure and residential space for about 25,000 inhabitants and aims at creating a whooping 50,000 jobs; including in the hospitality industry.

3. Eko Atlantic City  Lagos, Nigeria

This ambitious project in Lagos Nigeria is built on the reclaimed land from Atlantic Ocean off Ahmadu Bello Way on Victoria Island and will host approximately 250,000 residents while creating job opportunities to about 150,000 others. Eko Atlantic City which is expected to use self-sustaining green energy sources for power, aims at enhancing Nigerias status as a stronger tech and financial hub in Africa. It is set for completion this year.

Image courtesy of ekoatlantic.com

4 . Safari City  Tanzania

This satellite city located in Mateves, Arusha, Tanzania, offers this East African country an opportunity to provide sustainable living to its citizens. As its name implies, Safari City will also give safari tourists a chance to stay in world class accommodation while touring Tanzanias northern parks and the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro .

This will go a long way in boosting the countrys tourism and hospitality industry, gaining more confidence from both local and international tourists.

Image courtesy of thesafaricity.com

5 . Centenary City  Abuja, Nigeria

Another one from Nigeria, Centenary City will boast of an inter-connected urban center with cutting edge technology characterized by various amenities including world-class hotels and resorts. While it is expected to serve as an economic and political tool to secure foreign investment for Abuja and Nigeria as a country, the technopolis will also be a major attraction for both local and foreign visitors; due to its luxurious touch of style. This will boost revenue inflow from the tourists and a ripple effect will be witnessed in the entire tourism and hospitality industry in the country.

Image Courtesy of www.centenarycity.com
President John Dramani Mahama has said he is saddened Parliament was recalled recently to investigate issues surrounding the $100,000 ford vehicle he received from a Burkina contractor.

According to him, the process was a complete waste of taxpayers' money because the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) was already investigating the matter.

The Speaker of Parliament Doe Adjaho, last week threw out a motion filed by the minority in Parliament seeking for a special parliamentary committee to probe the matter.

The minority have since then accused Speaker of being disingenuous.

Speaking on Metro TVs Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday, President Mahama explained that the recall of the 275-legislative House was unnecessary.

As seasoned members of Parliament, they should know that it was untenable. Anytime we call back parliament we had to pay them T&T to come to Parliament, we had to pay them T&T to go back home, while Parliament is in session all the materials that they need and everything, have to be provided; so I think it was a frivolous waste of tax payers' money. I'm not angry, I'm sad. Its petty politicking. It was absolutely unnecessary, he said.

We've reached advance levels in the investigation

Head of Public Relations and Communications at CHRAJ, Akosua Edu told Citi News that their probe into the matter has reached advanced levels and will soon come out with recommendations.

I'm ready for CHRAJ verdict

Meanwhile, President Mahama has said he is ready for any outcome of CHRAJ's probe.

A complaint was made against me by two individuals to CHRAJ and CHRAJ wrote to me and detailed various issues that they wanted answered and together with my lawyers answered those questions. They've been conducting their investigations, they've interviewed several people, and they have visited the transport section of the Flagstaff House. And so once those investigations are ongoing, I've submitted myself to it and I submit myself to any verdict that CHRAJ will come out withI'm confident I did no wrong, he added.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
On September 3, 2016, President Xi Jinping met in Hangzhou with President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, who was in China for the G20 Hangzhou Summit.

Xi Jinping pointed out always viewing China-South Africa relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, China is committed to developing a special bilateral relationship as comrades and brothers. At present, China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership is striding forward along the track established by both sides. Standing at the best period in history, bilateral relations face historic development opportunities. China is willing to join South Africa to promote bilateral relations to constantly reach new levels. The two sides should expand political mutual trust, strengthen exchanges between political parties, governments, legislatures and militaries, and enhance strategic coordination. Practical cooperation between both sides should be advanced in an orderly manner for the sake of more early harvests. Both sides should boost cooperation between local governments, increase investment and employment, and expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges to forge the public opinion foundation for bilateral friendship.

Xi Jinping stressed that China and Africa share unshakable determination for solidarity, cooperation and win-win results, and China will never waver its support for peace and development cause in Africa. He expressed that as both countries are major developing countries and BRICS members, China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with South Africa in bilateral and multilateral affairs, and advance China-South Africa relations and China-Africa relations to make new progress. China is also ready to work together with South Africa to steadily push forward BRICS cooperation agenda and yield more fruitful results from G20 cooperation.

Jacob Zuma noted that South Africa and China enjoy time-honored friendship and South Africa cherishes its comprehensive strategic partnership with China. As bilateral relations are growing deeper, cooperation in various fields is also rapidly developing. South Africa appreciates China's contribution to Africa's development, its role in setting interconnected development, UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other development agendas as topics of the G20 Hangzhou Summit as well as its special attention on Africa's development. The country is willing to reinforce cooperation with China in the UN, the G20, the BRICS, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and other multilateral frameworks.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and others attended the meeting.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.7

Trend:

Azerbaijan stands by Turkey and expresses its unequivocal support for the government of Turkey in all its domestic and international endeavors, said Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

He made the remarks during the meeting of the Ministers' Deputies of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.

From the very beginning, Azerbaijan expressed its serious concern and strongly condemned this crime perpetrated by one group against the constitution and democracy in brotherly Turkey, said Mammadyarov.

By reiterating our solidarity with the people and state of Turkey we expressed our conviction that the situation would fully stabilize through unity of Turkish people and the state, he said. Regretfully, the coup attempt took many lives and by using this opportunity I extend my deep condolences to the families and loved ones of those perished while preventing this crime.

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who organize this meeting and provide us with this opportunity to come together today to display our full solidarity with the people and state of Turkey in the aftermath of an attempted military coup against one of the founding members of the Council of Europe, said Mammadyarov.

The foreign minister pointed out that Turkey plays an important role in enhancing and securing peace and sustainability in and beyond the region and therefore its own stability is of utmost importance for the entire region.

Azerbaijan enjoys strong strategic partnership with Turkey based on the will of our people and state and our shared values, he said. Therefore, naturally the violent coup attempt against the legitimate government of the brotherly nation caused great anxiety in our society.

We commend the Estonian Chairmanship for clear condemnation of the attempted coup and for visiting Turkey in the aftermath of the tragic events to express support for the leadership of Turkey and demonstrate solidarity with the Turkish people, said Mammadyarov.

These acts were not only necessary for supporting the legitimate government in Turkey, but also for defending the common values the organization stands for, he added.

We believe that this very important political support should continue by providing Turkey with any assistance it needs in the post-coup period through the valuable mechanisms and tools the Council of Europe has at its disposal, said the foreign minister.

Council of Europe can, without a doubt, play a constructive and important role in this process, said Mammadyarov, adding that Turkey has to enjoy full and unequivocal support of the members of international community.

We have an obligation to stand with Turkey against the threat to its democracy, said Mammadyarov.

On behalf of my government I wish to stress that Azerbaijan stands by Turkey and expresses its unequivocal support for the government of Turkey in all its domestic and international endeavors, he added.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded.

Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.
On September 4, 2016, President Xi Jinping met in Hangzhou with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt, who was in China to attend the G20 Summit upon invitation.

Xi Jinping pointed out that in recent years, China and Egypt have conducted frequent high-level exchanges, continuously promoted practical cooperation in various fields, carried out close exchanges in people-to-people and cultural engagement as well as local affairs, and maintained sound communication and coordination in international and regional affairs. China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership has continuously been deepened and developed, and China is satisfied with it.

Xi Jinping stressed that China pays high attention to bilateral relationship. We firmly support Egypt to safeguard national stability and independently explore a development path conforming to national conditions. China is willing to continue to share mutual support with Egypt on issues related to each others core concerns. Both countries should earnestly implement bilateral economic and trade cooperation, advance the implementation of major cooperation projects at an early date, enhance cooperation in production capacity, finance, livelihood, environmental protection and infrastructure, and intensify coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs. Both sides should take the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as a new starting point to constantly push China-Egypt relations for new and greater development.

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed that the traditional friendship between the two countries has deeply rooted in hearts of the two peoples. He thanked President Xi Jinping for inviting him to attend the G20 Hangzhou Summit, which further reflects the high level of Egypt-China relations. Egypt devotes itself to continuously promoting bilateral relations, so that it can better meet the expectations of the two peoples. Egypt is willing to enhance communication and cooperation with China in such areas as industry, communication, technology, agriculture, water conservancy, finance, local management and human resource.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and others attended the meeting.
There was no judge at the Accra Central District Magistrate Court yesterday to hear the assault case filed against popular boxer, Briamah Kamoko aka Bukom Banku.

The reason was that the substantive judge scheduled to hear the case is among some five magistrates recently promoted to the circuit court.

Yesterday Bukom Banku, his counsel Jerry Avenorgbor and the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Robert Gyanfi as well as Martha Nelson, the complainant in the case, were in court but the case could not be heard.

The lawyer as a result, suggested September 12, 2016 for the hearing to begin.



Banku Missing

Interestingly, something seems to crop up anytime the case is due for hearing.

On Monday the case was again not heard because state prosecutors claimed they could not find Bukom Banku.

The police had claimed that they had not been able to serve the accused person the criminal summons to appear before the court.

The boxer, who has gained notoriety for misconduct in public, has always received political protection from the powers-that-be, having openly identified himself as an activist of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), making him untouchable.



Charges

The boxer-turned-musician is reported to have slapped Martha, a hairdresser who lives at Chorkor in Accra twice on August 11 before punching her on the right ribs.

The accused is expected to also answer a charge of causing damage to a Nokia mobile phone valued at GH40 belonging to Martha.

Bukom Banku, who allegedly slapped and punched the lady for refusing to kiss him, has also been charged for assault.

In the assault case, the avowed supporter of the John Dramani Mahama 2016 presidential bid, is reported to have at James Town in Accra, slapped and punched Martha.



Woman Beater?

This is not the first time Bukom Banku has been reported for allegedly assaulting women.

In March this year, the Accra Regional Police Command arrested him for assaulting three ladies after one of them had reportedly rejected his request for sex.

He was subsequently granted bail in the sum of GH5,000 with two sureties.

In January last year, Bukom Banku was again arrested for allegedly inflicting physical harm on some persons after a disagreement at the Kpashimo procession at Gbese, also in Accra.

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson

[email protected]
The Coordinator of Youth Speak Up (YSU) Project, Clement Boateng has implored presidential and parliamentary contenders for the 2016 elections to be moderate in their campaign promises to minimize expectations of electorate after the elections.

He noted that the wild promises of politicians is increasingly causing voter apathy among Ghanaian electorate, explaining that unfulfilled campaign promises eventually result to disappointment which serves as breeding ground for voter apathy, especially when the electorate feel they are being taken for a granted.

Campaign promises of politicians remain one of the overriding factors of choices the Ghanaian electorate make during elections, the YSU Coordinator observed. According to him, the Ghanaian voters are discerning and can easily read between realistic and unachievable goals, and thus there is no need promising them heaven on earth.

Mr. Boateng reminded politicians to be mindful of resource constraints and commit to realistic promises that could be fulfilled to strengthen the electorates trust in the electoral system being the mostly accepted democratic exercise to select nations leadership.

The YSU Coordinator said this at the sideline of a civic engagement forum held over the weekend at Wapuli in the Saboba Constituency organized by community journalists trained under the Youth Speak Up project supported by the project implementing team. Youth Speak Up project seeks to develop competences of youth reporters to support active citizenship and engagement of communities in Kumbungu, Karaga and Saboba Districts as well as Savelugu-Nanton Municipality. The project is being implemented jointly by Youth Empowerment for Life (YEfL), Rural Media Network (RUMNET), HOPin Academy with funding support from Danish Ingathering and Danida through Ghana Venskabsgrupperne (GV) in Denmark.

The forum brought together four parliamentary candidates in the Saboba Constituency namely Mr Charles B. Bintin(NPP), Mr Adam Abdullah (PPP), Nkikinah Jalulah and Nakoja K. Samuel, both independent candidates, giving the people of Wapuli a rare opportunity to question the candidates on their development plans for the community.

The parliamentary candidates committed to peace by pledging to conduct decorous campaigns devoid of tendencies that could degenerate into conflict in the constituency. They held their hands up in the air to signify unity in purpose with diverse political ideologies though.

Some of the residents commended the organisers for holding the forum in Wapuli and described the forum as very useful exercise, indicating that such events would help the community members to make informed decision during December elections.

Issues raised by the residents centered deplorable nature of roads, fallen standard of education, and the slow pace of progress on the water project compelling them to drink water from unwholesome sources, among others.
By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA

Accra, Sept. 6, GNA - E-Connect Global Africa, an Information Technology Solutions provider has organised an orientation for about 400 agents of the areashooppers.co, an e-commerce trading platform in Accra.

The orientation dubbed: 'The New 21st Century African Business Workshop,' was meant to train the agents to make them abreast with operations.

Areashoppers is an e-commerce trading platform that provides sellers and suppliers an avenue to display and conveniently sell their products to buyers everywhere.

Nana Akosua Sarpong Kumakuma, the Chief Executive Officer of Areashopper told the Ghana News Agency that with the AreaBoss agents in communities, they have solved a problem that has hitherto confronted the African for centuries by providing Agriculture solution via technology.

She said they have bridged the divide between the farming communities and the urban consumers, thus enhancing the lives of their communities.

'Agro-based industry can now thrive,' she added.

She said with this process in place, it gives the entrepreneurs the confidence and business investors to establish agro-based factors and be able to have raw materials.

She said the platform is efficiently backed by more than 50,000 plus delivery direct-marketing agents, AreaBoss, whose presence in every community, district that one could not ignore.

Reverend Nana Yaa Owusu Prempeh said the systems is to address post-harvest loses to empower farmers.

She said citizens have not taken advantage of the technological opportunities to develop themselves.

GNA
Wa, Sept. 6, GNA - Dr Seidu Alidu, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science of the University of Ghana, says that even though Ghana is noted as a peaceful country, that does not mean it is enjoying absolute peace.

He explained that the relative peace in Ghana has the tendency of sliding into chaos if care is not taken.

He warned that no one should think that Ghana could not go to war by taking peace efforts for granted, Dr Alidu said during a "media engagement on the use of peace messages" in Wa.

The National Media Commission (NMC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organised the workshop for media practitioners and journalists in the Upper West Region to educate them on the use of peace messages in Election 2016.

He said political parties in Ghana are not formed based on ideas and philosophies but largely on ethnicity or identity, a practice he noted could be dangerous in maintaining peace during violence.

He pointed out that the way political parties select their candidates determines how they mobilize votes.

He said such manner of mobilisation may cause the degeneration of a purely partisan conflict into an ethnic, religious or regional conflict.

Another worrying development Dr Alidu identified was the complete bastardisation of the Electoral Commission (EC) by one part of the political divide.

"Let no one be deceived that everybody in Ghana love peace, this is because some people profit when there is war and so will always want the media to set the war agenda," he noted.

He appealed to journalists not to allow anybody to belittle their intelligence, adding that they must also be tolerant of people's views especially when they are critical and constructive.

Dr Alidu urged journalists to develop their knowledge capacity to enable them to effectively educate the public and professionally engage people during discussions.

He said the role of the media is very crucial to the success of the 2016 elections and appealed to journalists and other media practitioners to critically examine whatever content that is being churned out, to ensure that it is public interest.

He said the EC enjoys less space and attention from the media as compared to the political parties, saying this is not helping in the proper education of the electorate who need such information to be able to exercise their voting right.

GNA

By Prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA
Accra, Sept. 6, GNA - AfricaThriving International, dedicated to reducing the impact of poverty on children and families, and Ecobank Foundation are working to enhance the quality of basic education through the model school project.

The model school project, to be cited at underprivileged communities to transform thousands of lives, is to help build impactful relationship among the school, community and government agencies.

In the next five years, AfricaThriving International (ATI) and Ecobank Foundation would help upgrade five basic schools from crAche to junior high school into a model school at the cost of seven million Ghana cedis.

It aims, among other things, to improve science-based and results-oriented education for over 50,000 children in resource poor urban and rural communities and improved educational system with access to Information and Communication Technology, crafts and culture to harness the best abilities of children.

Speaking at a ground breaking ceremony at the Agbogba Anglican Basic School, the first beneficiary school, Mr Alex Asiedu, the Chairman of the Atlantic Trust Holdings and Atlantic Holdings of Dubai, said life was not worth living if wealth gained could not be given back to support society.

'Coming from a humble beginning, it is my way of giving back to society,' Mr. Asiedu said, adding that the commitment was to lead a continental and global transformation at all levels of society.

Mr Asiedu said education provided the first major step to addressing the needs of every community.

Madam Julie Essiam, the CEO of Ecobank Foundation, said enhancing education infrastructure was one of the pivots of the foundation and called on other private institutions to collaborate with them to expand the initiative to all regions in Ghana.

Ecobank Foundation and AfricaThriving International have partnered to construct five model schools

She said the schools would be stocked with computers, laptops and other technological tools to enhance learning.

She called on other private institutions to collaborate with them to expand the initiative to all regions in Ghana.

'Between AfricaThriving and Ecobank Foundation, our contribution will not be limited to needed infrastructure. We will work with schools, the communities and all respective leaders to enhance this process of transformation,' she said.

Mr Morgan Asiedu, the Executive Director of Ecobank Ghana, said the two institutions had joined forces to help reinforce the importance of quality education to sustainable economic development.

He said the model school project would impact the lives of several people and families and generations yet unborn.

He said education held the key to unlocking the potential of the country and 'we will strive to elevate the next generation, one school at a time, so that we may have in our own backyard the engineers for our oil industry, scientists for our agro-industries and agronomists for agricultural revolution and so on.'

'Agbogba is going to be different because we are changing the learning environment of more than 800 pupils and that of generations to come,' Mr Asiedu said.

Regions which will benefit from the initiative aside Greater Accra include; Eastern, Volta, Central and Northern.

The schools are to be ready by the end of 2017. GNA
Accra Sept. 6, GNA - A businessman at Nima who opted to give medication to a 15- year- old girl and ended up defiling her been put before an Accra Circuit Court.

Moses Jorsu aged 42 charged with defilement pleaded not guilty.

The court presided over by Mrs Ruby Naa Akwerley Qauison remanded Jorsu into lawful custody to reappear on September 18.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Grace Bandoh said the victim lives with her paternal uncle at Nima Alaska. Jorsu also resides in the same area.

On August 19, at 1200 pm, Jorsu who is a friend of the victim's uncle visited them in the house and after conversing he asked of the victim and he was told that the she was not well and was in her room.

Chief Inspector Bandoh Jorsu visited the victim in the room and told her to come for some medication in his house.

When her uncle left for work the victim went to Jorsu's house for the medicine and he took advantage of that and he defiled her.

According the victim went home and kept the issue to herself and slept.

Prosecution said Jorsu followed up on the victim and defiled her again in her room.

After the act, the victim raised the alarm and that attracted to female co-tenants in the house. When the tenants went into the room, the victim narrated her ordeal.

When the victim's uncle was informed, he reported the matter to the Police and a medical form was issued to the victim to seek medical care.

Jorsu who was nabbed denied defiling the victim.

GNA
By Elsie Apiah-Osei, GNA

Bole (N/R), Sept. 6, GNA - The Zakat Foundation of America (ZF), an Islamic non-governmental organisation (NGO), on has donated a Gari processing machine and its accessories to a group of women at Bole in the Bole District of the Northern Region.

The equipment included Gari processing machine, presser and three rooms structures for peeling cassava, grinding cassava, frying and processing gari for market.

In addition to the equipment, ZF also presented a seed capital cash of GHE5,700.00 to support the women procure raw materials to start business.

Mr Habib Abubakar, the Country Programme Manager of the Foundation, who made the presentation, said it was part of the livelihood improvement and human development responsibilities of ZF to respond to the needs of the less privileged in the society especially women.

He said the donation formed part of an earlier donation to 40 cassava co-operative group in 2011 at Jugboi to expand their cassava processing business.

'We have done this in 2011, but this particular event taking place today, is the first ever showing concern for persons particularly widows.'

Mr Habib added that the donation was also a way of ZF fulfilling its commitment to support the poor, needy and socially marginalised groups in the society.

'There is the need to make the less affected feel at home and always know that people care for them wherever they find themselves.'

Mr Mahama Abdulai, the District Assembly Business Development Officer, who represented the District Chief Executive, called on other benevolent individuals and organisations to collectively collaborate and bring the challenges that face individuals especially widows to an end.

He said: 'A little donation to widows is a triple donation to their normal life.'

He advised the beneficiaries to take good care of the facilities through continuous maintenance and cleaning of the environment.

Madam Affisatu Wahab, the Chairperson of the group, receiving the donation, thanked ZF for the support and appealed to other groups to emulate the kind gesture.

She noted that the donation was good and it would help the beneficiaries to meet their needs.

Zakat Foundation of America is an Islamic charity organization based in Chicago, United States, and support's community-based groups and organisations including women and socially marginalised groups in the society.

GNA
Paris (AFP) - Gabon's Ali Bongo on Wednesday rejected criticism of his disputed presidential election victory, accusing EU observers of bias towards his rival and insisting that only the country's top court could order a recount.

Oil-rich Gabon has been in turmoil since the August 27 poll, in which Bongo's rival Jean Ping also claimed victory.

Several people have been killed in violence triggered by the results, which showed Bongo winning a second term by a wafer-thin margin of some 6,000 votes.

Presidential elections in Gabon: national results and by region

On Tuesday, an EU election observer team reported a "clear anomaly" in voting in Haut-Ogooue province, Bongo's heartland.

Official results gave turnout in the province at more than 99 percent, with 95 percent backing the incumbent.

Reacting to the criticism, Bongo, 57, told France's RTL radio: "I would also have liked them to have noted some anomalies in the fiefdom of Mr Ping.

"If we're raising anomalies, we have to be clear, balanced and raise all the anomalies that have been noted."

Gabonese opposition leader Jean Ping gives a press conference at his residence in Libreville

The opposition has accused Bongo of rigging the vote and called for a recount -- a call echoed by Manuel Valls, prime minister of Gabon's former colonial power France.

A defiant Bongo ruled out any new tally unless the Constitutional Court ordered one.

"I cannot violate the (electoral) law," he insisted.

"African governments are often accused of not respecting the law. For once we're respecting the law and we're being told to circumvent it, it's strange," he said.

Ping has yet to announce whether he will challenge the election in the Constitutional Court. The deadline for doing so is 1500 GMT on Thursday.

In their analysis, the EU election monitors said the number of non-voters and of blank and disqualified votes revealed a "clear anomaly in the final results in Haut-Ogooue."

Several Gabonese have been killed in post-election violence triggered by the results

In an interview with Europe 1 radio, Bongo accused the EU observers of "overstepping their mandate" and said he too was preparing to challenge some of the results.

'Chaos will not take hold'

Bongo is under increasing pressure at home and abroad after Justice Minister Seraphin Moundounga resigned on Monday demanding a recount "polling station by polling station."

In the chaos following the result, opposition demonstrators clashed with police and the country's parliament was set on fire.

Ping, 73, has called for a general strike but the appeal seems to have gone largely unheeded.

A man holds a placard reading, "Bongo get out!" during a demonstration in support of the Gabonese people in Paris, on September 3, 2016

"Mr Ping's call went unheeded...it failed," Bongo declared, vowing: "Chaos will not take hold."

Bongo accused Ping, a former African Union Commission chairman, of attempting "massive fraud" and said it was difficult to envisage dialogue with "people who ask the Gabonese to go into the street to loot and destroy and burn things."

Several people have died since the violence erupted in the central African nation, which has been ruled by the Bongo family since 1967.

According to an AFP count, the post-election chaos has claimed at least seven lives.

Gabonese authorities have reported three killed and 105 wounded, with the government saying some deaths had previously been incorrectly attributed to the clashes.

Bongo dismissed a toll of between 50 and 100 dead given by Ping's camp as "fanciful" but said that "around 100" had been hurt in the violence.

Some 800 people have been arrested in recent days in the capital Libreville, with the authorities accusing them of looting, while lawyers say they are being held in "deplorable" conditions.

Gabon, a country roughly the size of Britain but with a population of 1.8 million, has only known three presidents since it won independence from France in 1960.

One third of its population lives in poverty, even though the country boasts one of Africa's highest per capita incomes -- $8,300 annually -- thanks to its oil wealth.
The Ghana Gas Company Limited has been given the green light to build a separate pipeline from the Atuabo Gas Plant in the western region to Tema in Greater Accra region.

This is to allow for an independent piping of processed gas from the Aboadze plant to the Tema enclave.

Earlier the BOST was originally given the right to construct and maintain the pipeline.

But the move was met with a strong opposition from the local union of the Ghana Petroleum and Chemical workers union at Ghana Gas who insisted that the mandate for building gas pipelines was that of Ghana gas.

The new line is estimated to cost between 250 million dollars and 500 million dollars.

The gas pipeline, Citi Business News understands will serve as an alternative medium to the West Africa gas pipeline (WAGP) which is being linked to the Atuabo Pipeline to allow for reverse flow of gas.

Currently, the Atuabo Gas processing plant has been temporarily shut down for routine maintenance.

The exercise which commenced on August 31st, 2016, is expected to last for ten calendar days.

According to the company, the decision has become necessary as the plant has operated for over 12,000 hours since pre-commissioning and commissioning activities in 2014.

Ghana Gas is mandated to build, own and operate infrastructure required for the gathering, processing, transporting and marketing of natural gas resources in the country.



By: Norvan Acquah-Hayford/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
Details added (first version posted at 10:46)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

Trend:

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev viewed the conditions at secondary school No. 247 in the capitals Nasimi District, after major overhaul Sept. 7.

Head of Baku City Executive Authority Hajibala Abutalibov informed the president of the work done there.

There are photo stands in the foyer of the school reflecting national leader Heydar Aliyev`s and President Aliyev`s attention to the development of education.

The building was constructed in 1969. The building occupies a total area of 15,600 square meters. The school has a total enrollment of 700 pupils in Azerbaijani and Russian sections, served by 67 teachers.

The president reviewed the classrooms, departments, auditoriums and gym.

President Aliyev wished the school staff success in the new academic year.
President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed assertions that neighbouring Ivory Coast is performing better economically on the West African continent than Ghana.

According to him, Ghana is the second largest economy after Nigeria in West Africa adding that all the human indicators used to measure progress in the sub-region places Ghana ahead of Ivory Coast.

The leader and flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has on several occasions slammed the NDC government stating that Ivory Coast has overtaken Ghana in several aspects of development.

But speaking on Metro TVs Good Evening Ghana Tuesday Evening, Mr. Mahama told host Paul Adom Otchere that claims that Ghana is lagging behind Ivory Coast are untrue.

We are not lagging behind Ivory Coast. I normally dont like to compare but we definitely are not lagging behind the Ivory Coast. If you take the UN Human Development Indicators, aside from Cape Verde, Ghana is second in the whole of West Africa in terms of water, in terms of all the various human indicators.

If you take the size of the economy, Ghana has the largest second economy in West Africa after Nigeria, and Cote dIvoire is third, and so I normally dont like those comparisons because each country is at a different stage in its development and the circumstances in each country are peculiar. Mr. Mahama said.

The President also said comparison that Ivory Coast is performing better in power generation on the continent is untrue stating that Ghana is only second to South Africa in power generation.

Cote dIvoire has gone through its own period where they didnt have light. We had to exchange power. At times when they dont have, we have given them, at times when we dont have, they have given us. And so, its not something new.

Since the 70s, our two power systems have been interconnected with each other. Ghana had Akosombo Dam which we thought would never finish and so we had excess power and so we used to give Togo, Benin, and Cote dIvoire, but the results of climate change have changed things and aside from that, its a sign of our growing economy.

Our economy has grown so fast that demand for power has ballooned and we have not been consistent in putting in enough generation to meet the demand. Aside from that, while demand was increasing, power from our hydro sources was going down because of the low level of the lake, because of climate change, less rainfall and all that.

So, its been a very complex situation but I normally dont want to place blame. I took responsibility to fix it and I believe that we do have some stability in our system now.
Accra, 7TH September, 2016  Vivo Energy Ghana, the company that distributes and markets Shell-branded products and services in Ghana, and the reigning CIMG Petroleum Company of the Year, has organised a fire drill at its Shell service station in Sakasaka in the Northern region.

The main objective of this exercise was to test staff readiness and effectiveness in responding to emergencies that may result in injuries, asset damage and fire outbreak within the service station. The exercise also sought to test the response time and equipment deployment of the Tamale National Fire Service (TNFS) in response to a distress call.

In under six minutes, the fire service was able to reach the site and deploy firefighting compounds to quench the simulated fire.

Speaking after the drill, the Health, Safety, Security and the Environment (HSSE) Implementer of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mrs. Esi Defor praised the team for their quick response.

HSSE is of primary importance to Vivo Energy Ghana, so we took these measures to ensure that site staff would be adequately prepared in the event of emergencies. It is very encouraging to witness such a swift response from the team, but it is equally important that we endeavour to report all potential incidents to prevent them from happening in the first place, said Mrs Defor.

After the drill, a debriefing was done by both the Vivo Energy Ghana HSSE team and the head of the TNFS, Mr. Aiden Badong. This included the need for staff to ensure a safe work place at the service station by engaging with customers to make sure they dont talk on phone while fuelling, smoke on site, keep their engines on, among others.
Denise Ndukwu

07.09.2016 LISTEN

A 38-year-old Nigerian has been arrested by the Osu Police for allegedly posing as a secretary of the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah to defraud a Vietnamese investor to the tune of $105,740.

The suspect, Denise Ndukwu, native of Imo State, Nigeria, according to police reports, allegedly connived with three others, currently at large, to swindle the victim.

One of his accomplices has been identified as Robert Amuzu, a Ghanaian, but the other suspects are yet to be identified.

Briefing DAILY GUIDE, Crime Officer of the Osu District Police Command, ASP Richard Daplah said Ndukwu and his accomplices contacted the victim, Peter Wong Tung-Shung through the internet after they had conducted series of research on him.

Ndukwu and his accomplices, through the search, discovered that the investor was the next of kin of an investor identified as Le Van Khiem, who had invested in a bank in Ghana but died in an earthquake in Vietman.

The suspect and his accomplices sent a message with the letter head of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General to the victim, Tung Shung and informed him that they could help transfer the inheritance payment of $8,500 through the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to his local bank account.

Investigations revealed that Ndukwu and his accomplices demanded some documents and money from the victim to enable them facilitate the transfer of the funds.

The suspects, after obtaining the documents of the victim, used them to withdraw an amount of $100,000 from his private account without his authorization.

The local bank in Ghana became suspicious of the transaction and blocked the accounts after which the suspects demanded $4,740 from the victim to further facilitate the transfer.

The suspects also told the victim that all arrangements had been made to transfer the money into his account but the Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper, who had to sign the final document, was reluctant.

The suspects therefore demanded $1,500 from the victim to facilitate the process and he sent them $1,000 but they claimed that it was not sufficient.

The victim, after receiving numerous calls from the suspects, who asked him to send the remaining $500, contacted a Ghanaian investor for advice.

Through their discussions, the victim realized that he had been dealing with fraudsters and reported the matter to the Osu Police.

With the help of the local bankers, the police finally apprehended Ndukwu when he visited the bank to withdraw money sent to him by the victim at Osu last Monday.

Ndukwu, upon interrogation, admitted the offence and confessed that he was not a secretary to Mr Debrah.

He added that he was acting on the instructions of his accomplice Robbert Amuzu.

The suspect has since been charged with impersonation and forgery.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey

([email protected])
The autopsy report of Daniel K. Sarpong, 52, the driver of the Nkawkaw branch of GCB Bank bullion van who was murdered in the Donkorkrom police robbery operation, is ready.

Although DSP Abraham Annor, the prosecutor, did not drop any hints of the cause of death, he stated that investigation into the case was at an advanced stage.

He said the police would in two weeks' time forward a duplicate docket to Attorney General's (AG's) office for advice.

The two accused policemen  General Lance Corporals Solomon Elvis Mensah and Daniel Kissi Abrokwah  as well as their alleged civilian accomplice, Hafisu Mohammed aka Danjuma, a mechanic, are in court over the death of the driver of the vehicle, with registration number GN 1354-15.

According to the prosecution, the two cops had the intention to rob the vehicle which had always come to Donkorkrom in the Eastern Region to supply money to the bank.

The two accused policemen who were on duty at the GN and GCB Banks respectively decided to exercise their plan of robbing the bullion van of any cash it was carrying, the prosecution's charge sheet stated.

The three accused persons on August 16, this year at Mame Krobo near Tease in the Eastern Region, reportedly conspired and acted together with a common criminal objective to commit crime, to wit, murder.

The two policemen have been slapped with additional charges of attempted robbery and murder. Their pleas have not been taken.

The trial Magistrate, Stephen Owusu, has adjourned the case until September 20, 2016 after DSP Annor had told the court that Solomon was on admission at the hospital.

At the previous sitting, the judge had adjourned sitting until yesterday to offer the police ample time to conduct its intended further investigation into the incident.

DSP Annor said on the said day, the policemen discussed the plan to rob the van with Danjuma, who is their friend taxi driver.

He said the policemen waylaid the van at a spot between Tease and Mame Krobo each armed with an AK 47 assault rifle, at about 10:30 am, stressing that Danjuma drove his vehicle towards Ekye Amanfrom to monitor the arrival of the van.

The prosecutor said about 20 minutes later, Danjuma signaled the cops, who upon seeing the van, opened fire, killing Sarpong while another police guard on board the vehicle got injured but managed to return fire, compelling the accused policemen to flee into the bush.

They (policemen) called Danjuma who picked them in a bid to escape but the people mobilized men who managed to arrest the accused persons on board the taxi, according to the prosecutor.

Two AK 47 rifles, 23 rounds of ammunition, one cutlass and two metal bars were retrieved from the taxi.

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson

[email protected]
A 23-year-old girl has been arrested for allegedly stabbing her lover to death at Taifa, a suburb of Accra.

Akua Oparebea, a mother of two, according to reports, used a kitchen knife to stab Imoro Okai, 36, in the stomach after which she fled to her hometown in the Eastern Region to seek refuge.

Luck eluded her when the police apprehended her with the assistance of some of her relatives at Suhum.

Confirming the story to DAILY GUIDE, Chief Superintendent Edward Kumi-Farkye, Accra Regional Crime Officer, said the incident occurred on Sunday, September 4, 2016 at about 9pm.

Imoro Okai and Akua Oparebea lived in a kiosk at Taifa before the incident occurred. At about 9pm when Imoro returned from work, he realised that his lover was not at home and called her via her mobile phone to enquire about her whereabouts.

Oparebea allegedly told Imoro that she went to Amasaman in the Ga West municipality to inspect a plot of land they had bought.

This explanation, according to the police, did not go down well with Imoro and when Oparebea finally arrived, an argument ensued between the two which later resulted in a fight.

Akua Oparebea, out of annoyance, reportedly rushed to the kiosk, picked the kitchen knife and stabbed her lover in the process.

The victim immediately fell on the ground and bled profusely.

Sensing danger, Akua Oparebea was said to have taken her two children, a few of their belongings and left for her hometown, Suhum.

Patrick Oparebea, elder brother of Oparebea who lived close to the lovers, on hearing the news rushed to the kiosk and took the victim to the 37 Military Hospital for treatment but Imoro was pronounced dead on arrival. The body was deposited at the hospital awaiting autopsy.

A report was made yesterday, leading to the arrest of Akua Oparebea at Suhum.

Meanwhile, she has provisionally been charged for murder and will be sent to court for prosecution after investigation.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey

( [email protected] )


The Ashanti Regional Police have arrested a suspected robber believed to be the most dangerous in the city of Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital.

He is said to have become fabulously rich through his numerous nefarious activities.

Jallo Djani, who is believed to be of a Fulani extraction, owns mansions, flashy cars, hundreds of cattle, suspected to have been acquired through his numerous robberies, most of which reportedly resulted in the deaths of some of his victims.

The deadly suspect and his cohorts allegedly conducted most of the robberies on the highways and people's homes.

Jallo Djani was feeling extreme heat in Kumasi after the regional police command, led by COP Kofi Boakye, declared him wanted, so he relocated to Akatsi in the Volta Region, but luck eluded him as he was arrested and brought back to Kumasi.



Many killings

Surprisingly, the suspected millionaire robber, who owns a latest Rav4 vehicle, admitted killing some people during those robberies but said he could not give the exact number of people that he had killed in his robbery career.

The police have also arrested six other suspected deadly robbers, including one Jallo Mumuni Birigi from Effiduase, who Jallo Djani claimed is the one who trained him on how to rob people at gunpoint.

The others are Abraham Kwaku Sarpong aka Asuo, Ibrahim Abass, Mathew Gyedu aka Zion, Philip Obeng aka Kwaku DD and Abdul Sallam Suba alias Tonka.

When they were arrested they reportedly mentioned Jallo, Toaghtoah, Action and some others as being members of the robbery gang, leading to the arrest of Jallo Djani from his hideout.

The police had managed to retrieve assortments of weapons, including two out of the nine AK 47 assault rifles, which Jallo Mumuni Birigi reportedly rented to other robbers for a fee.

Robberies

Jallo Djani had so far admitted his involvement in seven high-profile robberies in the Ashanti Region in recent times.

COP Kofi Boakye, the regional commander, addressing the media on Tuesday, said Jallo Djani confessed that he was responsible for the robbery at Open Space Guest House at Denchemuoso, where Corporal Frank Essel was shot dead.

He also claimed responsibility for the shooting of the assemblyman at Manso Abore on August 8, 2015, where an unspecified amount of gold and an amount of GH18,000 was taken away by Jallo Djani and his group.

COP Kofi Boakye said the one who bought the gold from the robbers had been arrested and assisting the police in their investigations.

He claimed that Jallo Djani also confessed that he was responsible for the indiscriminate shooting into a moving vehicle at Bokankyi Akropong where several passengers were wounded.

According to him, the millionaire robber also said he led his gang to conduct several robberies at small-scale mining sites such as Dollar Power, near Bole in the Northern Region, adding that the suspect said they usually robbed Chinese miners at Manso.



Wanted

The police are after Jande Abdulai Bayaro of Akate near Afram Plains in the Eastern Region; Abudu Bolaro of Techiman; Toatoa of Adankwame; Sariki, Techiman; Fuseini, Ashiaman in Accra and Ibrahim.

The rest are Saliu Alhaji, Yeji; Diallo Jallo aka Area and Tomatoma, both of who are Fulanis; Baidoo aka Mistalo; Muntalla Mussah, dismissed policeman; Isaac Nyateh Adusei aka Alonso and Emmanuel Adusei aka Tupac.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
07.09.2016 LISTEN

Balancing the needs of petroleum consumers and petroleum service providers is very crucial to the National Petroleum Authority's operations.

Section 2(f) of the NPA Act 2005 (Act 691) mandates the Authority to monitor the standards of performance and quality of service provision rendered by the petroleum service providers (PSPs) to the Consumer.

As a regulator of the petroleum downstream industry, we are concerned about the growing number of calls by consumers concerning poor quality fuel and inaccurate quantity of fuel dispensed at the pumps at various stations.

In order to ensure sanity in the sale and marketing of petroleum products, the NPA has put in place programs such as the Petroleum Product Marking Scheme (PPMS), Bulk Road Vehicle Tracking System (BRV), Inspection and Monitoring and Outreach Programmes. They are briefly explained below:

PPMS

The programme is to ensure that the quality of products is devoid of adulteration and meet the required specification as is loaded from the fuel depots to retail outlets nationwide.

It provides the petroleum consumer quality assurance and offenders are duly sanctioned in accordance with LI 2187.

BRV TRACKING SYSTEM

The project is to enable the Authority to view in real time the actual volumes loaded at each depot and discharged at each retail outlet; LPG filling plant and Bulk customer supply points by the BRVs across the country.

It is evident that almost everything monitored by a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking system can work to reduce costs, provide information and alert on any discrepancies concerned with movement of the systems being monitored; trucks in this case.

Inspection and Monitoring

Sales of petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and kerosene are mostly carried out at the retail stations throughout the country. These products are normally patronized by vehicle users (petrol and diesel) and domestic users (kerosene and LPG) across the length and breadth of the country.

The service providers are expected to offer services that meet the needs of consumers, and the Authority is required to ensure that the products offered to the consumers are of the right quality and quantity.

The Authority does this through inspection and monitoring of the activities of the petroleum services providers. An average of three inspections and monitoring at the over 3,052 retail outlets are undertaken by the Authority throughout the country each year.

There are two kinds of inspections carried out by the NPA, the Programme inspection and Random inspection where inspections of the retail outlets are carried out to ensure that their operations conform with the Authority's standard of performance.

The OMCs are given scheduled inspection dates and checklists which allow them to do their own self compliance tests before visits by the Authority. It also carries out on the spot checks to make sure that the consumer gets the right quality and quantity of petroleum products.

It also does the monitoring of maximum indicative ex-pump prices of petroleum products set by the Oil Marketing Companies to ensure consumers are not cheated at the dispensing outlet.

10 Litre Measuring Can

The quantity of products offered for sale at the pump is assessed to ensure that the consumer is not cheated.

In doing so, the NPA in collaboration with the Ghana Standard Authority developed and introduced the 10 litre measuring Can (Ntease kuruwa) to guide consumers at retail outlets and to give consumers the ability to verify the accuracy of dispensing pumps when they are in doubt.

Dialogue between consumers and forecourt attendants at filling stations often includes the controversial subject Your pump has cheated me, Your pump is delivering below level etc

The consumer might be right, the fuel pump must deliver the right volume or level because levels matter and the consumer deserves value for money. To resolve this misunderstanding between the fuel station and the consumer, the Ghana Standards Board now GSA and the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) jointly launched the 10-Litre measuring can as an instrument to assist consumers ascertain the right volume of fuel being dispensed by the pump. The 10-Litre can is used to determine whether a particular pump is delivering below 1-Litre or above 1-Litre

HOW THE 10 LITRE CAN WORKS.

Per regulations by National Petroleum Authority, this instrument must be found at all filling stations and must be available to the consumer on demand to determine the accurate delivery of the pump

To check the delivery level of the pump;

10-Litres of fuel is dispensed into the Can. Which fills the Can up to the funnel (neck) and displays in the crystal tube. The crystal tube is marked/ Calibrated +0.5 upwards and -0.5 below. This calibration is known as the tolerance level. As illustrated in the diagram attached

This means if the fuel measures +0.5 more or -0.5 lower, the pump has delivered the right volume. If the fuel displays below the calibration then the pump is not delivering the right volume.

In some cases, the fuel dispensed into the 10-Litre can does not show up at all in the crystal tube, this also means that the pump is delivering below 1-Litre.

The Consumer Services Division of the Authority hopes this illustration above (fig.1) would guide the consumer in determining whether the service station is delivering value for money. Where it is established that a particular retail outlet is delivering lower volume than expected, the consumer is encouraged to complain to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and we would collaborate with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) in rectifying the inaccuracy and sanctions applied.

Outreach Programmes

To ensure that consumers know their rights and obligations, the Authority carries out nationwide door-to-door campaigns every year to educate consumers on their rights regarding service quality at the retail level.

The Authority also initiated a research nationwide to ascertain concerns of motorists regarding patronage of petroleum products. These measures are aimed at ensuring customer satisfaction, improve competition and reduce future cost of customer transactions. An assessment of customer satisfaction is in fact an assessment of how customers perceive activities within the downstream industry.

Apart from the outreach programs, the Authority has widely publicized petroleum consumer complaints lines in various news outlets for consumers to report issues relating to cheating at the pumps, bad customer service, safety issues and suspected poor fuel quality.

Once complaints are received by the Complaints Unit of the Authority, a team is dispatched together with the officials from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to the particular station to conduct a measurement and quality test.

The NPA has the mandate to ensure that all players within the industry abide by the set standards and so the GSA becomes a strategic partner in carrying out this task. Officials from both Authorities collaborate from time to time.

Clean Washroom

The National Petroleum Authority, (NPA), has observed that some Filling Stations and Station operators are not maintaining a healthy and tidy urinal facility in their respective stations.

A clean washroom is mandatory. The NPA monitors to ensure that the Consumer gets a clean, hygienic and serviceable washroom for all retail or service stations.

All operators who are guilty of this unholy practice are warned and are liable to sanctions.

Conclusion

Remember that the consumer is NUMBER ONE, hence deserves the following service standards at the filling stations;

Quality fuel

The right to buy fuel at the prescribed price

Receive professional customer service

Clean washroom and

Safe service environment.

The Authority's toll free hotline 080012300 (Vodafone Lines only) or main lines 0302 766193/6, or MTN 0545006111/ 0545006112 are on display to the public for reporting irregularities relating to retail service delivery.

The writer is the Consumer Service Manager at the National Petroleum Authority.

By Eunice Budu Nyarko

Email :[email protected]


FREDDIE BLAY, acting National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has stated that his party will win the presidential election with about 60 percent of the valid votes that will be cast on December 7.

He stated that the citizenry are fed up with the corrupt, incompetent and non-performing National Democratic Congress (NDC) government  which he noted, had worsened the economic situation of the people.

Mr. Blay therefore, stressed that the NPP was ready to snatch political power from the ruling so as to introduce effective programmes to turn the fortunes of the country round.

According to him, Ghanaians are yearning to see the NPP back in government to save them from their misery.

The NPP is winning the presidential and parliamentary elections and we are winning with a bigger margin, the acting National Chairman, who sounded extremely confident, told newsmen after attending a crunch party meeting in Kumasi on Monday.

He stated that the campaign grounds looked fertile as everything indicated that the NPP would secure a one-touch victory.

The partys big shots hatched various strategies aimed at winning the elections.

Nana Akufo-Addo, the NPP presidential candidate; Mac Manu, Campaign Manager; Dan Botwe, MP for Okere; Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Wontumi, Ashanti Regional Chairman, among others, were present.

Regional officers of the party and their counterparts from the constituencies as well as the partys parliamentary candidates, were also there.

Mr. Blay, who would not disclose the topics that were discussed at the closed-door meeting for security reasons, said he was highly satisfied about what transpired.

Ashanti Victory

From what he witnessed at the meeting, he stated, The NPP will win 90 percent of votes in the Ashanti Region and 60 percent of votes across the country to win a landslide victory, this year.

According to him, the NPP is united and stronger than ever in the Ashanti Region, which is the partys strong fortress, stressing that nothing can stop the NPP from securing a landslide victory in the region.

Fairness

The NPP bigwig, who is much adored by the partys supporters especially in the Ashanti Region, appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC) to be fair and transparent in its activities.

He stated that if the elections are held in a free, fair and transparent manner, definitely the NPP will defeat the corrupt and non-performing NDC administration.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
Following the two previous publications on President Mahamas alleged extra marital affairs (see: President Mahama is not a womanizer; My heart bleeds for Mahama), I have received numerous feedbacks from a large number of discussants. Moreover, some discussants have promised to forward the audio recordings of alleged amorous conversations.

Even though President Mahama has morosely disclosed his extra marital affairs to the least reliable Africawatch magazine, the facts about his ceaseless lechery are somewhat unclear.

For example, the ponderous question about the actual number of his biological children has not been answered. Meanwhile, gossipmongers are coming out with different figures, ranging from 19 to 23 children from various women.

This article thus grubs into the divergent views of the various discussants, many of whom are flabbergasted about their presidents alleged philandering.

While some readers hold a view that after all President Mahama is his own man and he does not need to account to anyone about the actual number of his children, other discussants are of the view that he is the president of Ghana and therefore discerning Ghanaians have the right to know his family size.

Yes, I agree with those who demand explanation from President Mahama about his family size. Indeed, if he has come out to tell the public that he had had numerous children outside his marriage, then he should be bold and honest enough and tell discerning Ghanaians the exact number of his biological children.

There is also a school of thought who premised their arguments on biblical narratives and contends that after all, polygamy is from Adams time. They, however, argued that even the biblical King Solomon had more than thousand wives and concubines.

Moreover, President Mahamas apologists contend that after all, the Presidents father, the late Emmanuel Adama Mahama, a former regional minister in the Nkrumah regime had 19 kids by various women.

In fact, I would like to disagree with those who are seeking to buttress their view point with biblical narratives. My disagreement is predicated on the fact that the Presidents father was a devoted Moslem, whose religious beliefs entitled him to marry up to four women.

Conversely, President Mahama has pegged himself off the Islamic principles and sought refuge in Christianity, where polygamy is forbidden.

Yes, President Mahama did not fancy the Islamic principles, hence decided to follow Jesus instead of Mohammad.

As a matter of fact, if President Mahama happened to be a devoted Moslem, he could have married up to four wives and no one would have raised any qualms because it would have been his religious right.

Unfortunately, however, he has missed such a fine opportunity to have four different women as his bona fide wives.

More importantly, if King Solomon had over thousand wives and concubines, I for one, wont support that as discernible decision, contrary to what the religious extremist would want us to believe.

More so I would like to think there were no insidious sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV-AIDS, syphilis and gonorrhea in biblical King Solomons time else he would have probably died from one of those killer diseases.

Given the current conditions, it would be unwise for any man to pursue women lecherously. So I acquiesce with those who insist that a president of the nation should set a good example, for it is never right for the leader of the nation to philander about carelessly.

Of course, we are all sinners before the Almighty God, but the fact of the matter is that we cannot behave as saints, meanwhile we are worse than the Lucifer himself. After all, doesnt the holy book say let your light shine in the dark?

I hate to say this, however, I have no option than to state that the dust will not settle unless President Mahama comes out and tell Ghanaians the total number of his children.

If he fails to come clean on the actual number of his biological children, it will be seen as an irrevocable dishonesty on the part of President Mahama.

K. Badu, UK.
Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - In-fighting has broken out in Boko Haram after the Islamic State group announced a new leader of its Nigerian affiliate, according to reports in the country's remote northeast.

IS said last month that Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram's founder Mohammed Yusuf, had replaced Abubakar Shekau at the head of the designated terrorist organisation.

But Shekau then insisted he was still in charge of the Islamist group, whose insurgency has killed at least 20,000 people since 2009 and forced more than 2.6 million from their homes.

Sources in northeast Nigeria now say there have been deadly skirmishes between the two factions, even as Nigeria's military seeks to finally rout the rebels in a sustained counter-offensive.

Last Thursday, several fighters from Shekau's camp were said to have been killed in two separate gun battles with IS-backed Barnawi gunmen in the Monguno area of Borno state near Lake Chad.

Nigeria's military declined to comment on the reported in-fighting when contacted by AFP.

'True jihad'

Mele Kaka, who lives in the area, told AFP: "The Barnawi faction launched an offensive against the Shekau faction who were camped in the villages of Yele and Arafa.

In an August 8, 2016 video, Abubakar Shekau vows to fight on, shrugging off an apparent split in the hardline jihadist group

"In Yele, the assailants killed three people from the Shekau camp, injured one and took one with them, while several were killed in Arafa," he said by telephone from the state capital, Maiduguri.

The attack prompted residents of Arafa to flee, he added.

Fighters from Barnawi camp had the previous day attacked gunmen loyal to Shekau in Zuwa village in nearby Marte district, killing an unspecified number, Kaka said.

"The Barnawi fighters told villagers after each attack that they were fighting the other camp because they had derailed from the true jihad and were killing innocent people, looting their property and burning their homes," he went on.

"They said such acts contravene the teachings of Islam and true jihad."

Ideological split

Shekau has led Boko Haram since the death of Mohammed Yusuf in police custody in 2009, waging a deadly, indiscriminate guerilla war that has overwhelmingly targeted civilians.

Suicide bombers have repeatedly hit busy mosques, churches, markets and bus stations while hit-and-run raids have destroyed remote villages, killing and maiming residents.

A video purportedly released by Bokom Haram in August 2016 shows what is claimed to be girls allegedly kidnapped from Chibok in April 2014

Thousands of people, many of them women and young girls, have been kidnapped, including more than 200 schoolgirls, who were seized from the Borno town of Chibok more than two years ago.

Shekau has justified the attacks in ranting video and audio monologues against the secular state, those who support it and anyone who does not share his radical interpretation of Islam.

He pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in March last year, changing the group's name to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Experts, however, suggest the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians as well as Shekau's "dictatorial" style, including secret killings of dissenting commanders, have caused a rift.

Shortly after his nomination, Barnawi made a pointed critique of Shekau's leadership, lambasting him for targeting ordinary Muslims.

Gun battle

News of the factional clashes have been slow to emerge because of the destroyed telecommunications infrastructure in northeast Nigeria, and restricted access.

A civilian vigilante assisting the military against Boko Haram said there were sporadic clashes between the opposing fighters.

The three incidents described by Kaka were "very possible", said Babakura Kolo.

A girl looks at photos exhibited in a camp for internally displaced people, home to some 300,000 Nigerian refugees and internally displaced by Boko Haram

"I don't have news of the clashes but it is not surprising if they did occur because there has been similar in-fighting among the two Boko Haram camps," he added.

Two weeks ago, there was a fierce gun battle in the Abadam area of Borno state, near the border with Niger, where Shekau's fighters were routed, he said.

"It was a deadly fight and Shekau's fighters were forced to flee," he said.

Hundreds of residents of the villages and their herds taken hostage by the fleeing fighters were allowed to go about their normal lives by the Barnawi faction, Kolo added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

During a meeting Sept. 7, Azerbaijans Central Election Commission (CEC) reviewed the registration of the organizations that have applied to hold exit polls during the upcoming referendum on making amendments to the countrys constitution.

Deputy head of the CEC Natig Mammadov said that among these organizations, the Citizens Labor Rights Protection League, For Civil Society Independent Assistance and Consultation Center and ELS Independent Research Center have the necessary experience and there are enough grounds for their registration.

The issue was put to voting and these organizations were registered for holding exit polls.

Registration of Rey Monitoring Center will be considered during the next CEC meeting.

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev earlier signed a decree to hold a referendum on making amendments to the countrys constitution Sept. 26, 2016.
The Ashanti Regional Police have arrested a suspected robber believed to be the most dangerous in the city of Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital.

He is said to have become fabulously rich through his numerous nefarious activities.

Jallo Djani, who is believed to be of a Fulani extraction, owns mansions, flashy cars, hundreds of cattle, suspected to have been acquired through his numerous robberies, most of which reportedly resulted in the deaths of some of his victims.

The deadly suspect and his cohorts allegedly conducted most of the robberies on the highways and peoples homes.

Jallo Djani was feeling extreme heat in Kumasi after the regional police command, led by COP Kofi Boakye, declared him wanted, so he relocated to Akatsi in the Volta Region, but luck eluded him as he was arrested and brought back to Kumasi.

Many killings

Surprisingly, the suspected millionaire robber, who owns a latest Rav4 vehicle, admitted killing some people during those robberies but said he could not give the exact number of people that he had killed in his robbery career.

The police have also arrested six other suspected deadly robbers, including one Jallo Mumuni Birigi from Effiduase, who Jallo Djani claimed is the one who trained him on how to rob people at gunpoint.

The others are Abraham Kwaku Sarpong aka Asuo, Ibrahim Abass, Mathew Gyedu aka Zion, Philip Obeng aka Kwaku DD and Abdul Sallam Suba alias Tonka.

When they were arrested they reportedly mentioned Jallo, Toaghtoah, Action and some others as being members of the robbery gang, leading to the arrest of Jallo Djani from his hideout.

The police had managed to retrieve assortments of weapons, including two out of the nine AK 47 assault rifles, which Jallo Mumuni Birigi reportedly rented to other robbers for a fee.

The Rav4 latest car retrieved from Jallo Djani

Robberies

Jallo Djani had so far admitted his involvement in seven high-profile robberies in the Ashanti Region in recent times.

COP Kofi Boakye, the regional commander, addressing the media on Tuesday, said Jallo Djani confessed that he was responsible for the robbery at Open Space Guest House at Denchemuoso, where Corporal Frank Essel was shot dead.

He also claimed responsibility for the shooting of the assemblyman at Manso Abore on August 8, 2015, where an unspecified amount of gold and an amount of GH18,000 was taken away by Jallo Djani and his group.

COP Kofi Boakye said the one who bought the gold from the robbers had been arrested and assisting the police in their investigations.

He claimed that Jallo Djani also confessed that he was responsible for the indiscriminate shooting into a moving vehicle at Bokankyi Akropong where several passengers were wounded.

According to him, the millionaire robber also said he led his gang to conduct several robberies at small-scale mining sites such as Dollar Power, near Bole in the Northern Region, adding that the suspect said they usually robbed Chinese miners at Manso.

Wanted

The police are after Jande Abdulai Bayaro of Akate near Afram Plains in the Eastern Region; Abudu Bolaro of Techiman; Toatoa of Adankwame; Sariki, Techiman; Fuseini, Ashiaman in Accra and Ibrahim.

The rest are Saliu Alhaji, Yeji; Diallo Jallo aka Area and Tomatoma, both of who are Fulanis; Baidoo aka Mistalo; Muntalla Mussah, dismissed policeman; Isaac Nyateh Adusei aka Alonso and Emmanuel Adusei aka Tupac.


The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has held a meeting with stakeholders in the housing industry on the Home Fire Safety Certification Project.

The project, according to GNFS, seeks to create a partnership between government and the private sector in the fight against fires at the domestic level in the country.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO), Kwame Kwarteng, in a presentation at the meeting held at the Coconut Groove Hotel in Accra, disclosed that the number of fire outbreaks in the country, particularly at the domestic level was worrying.

According to him, a total of about 188 persons lost their lives in fire outbreaks.

The deaths, he said, were recorded over the last five years  2011 to 2015 in the country.

On average, the DCFO said, about 38 fire deaths are recorded annually in Ghana, which he said was worrying.

We (fire officers) are doing well but the risk is the people living in homes; they are being careless and ignorant about fire.

During the period under review, he said, GNFS recorded a total of about 24,500 fire outbreaks across the country, out of which 188 reportedly died, with 267 sustaining injuries.

Properties worth GHC59,460,346.23 were damaged during the period.

Out of the 24,500 reported cases, DCFO indicated that 10,051, representing 41 percent, were domestic fires, noting that a lot of vehicles are catching fire which constitute a major challenge for GNFS.

In July, this year, Mr. Kwarteng reported that a total of 12 deaths were recorded in the Ashanti region alone.

According to him, lack of early-warning devices and firefighting gadgets in most homes across the country, as well as an increase in the use of electrical/gas appliances are some of the leading causes of undesirable fires in Ghana.

He said the Home Fire Safety Certification Project was targeted at persons in the housing industry- architects, constructors and contractors, home owners, as well as journalists.

Appeals

He appealed to stakeholders in the private sector to collaborate with government to tackle fires in Ghana.

Mr Kwarteng also urged house owners to use battery detectors at home.

By Melvin Tarlue
The Supreme Court has restrained the Odartey Sro family from dealing or interfering with family lands belonging to another family called Adutso, all from Osu, Accra.

The court unanimously affirmed the Court of Appeal judgement that the Adutso family members who initiated the whole action are the 'beneficial' and 'lawful' owners of the disputed land situated at Abokobi in the Ga East Municipal Assembly.

According to the court, the Statutory Declaration made by the defendant's family (Odartey Sro) covering plaintiff's land and registered as No. 3303/74 was wrongful, null and void and of no effect.

The court said that the Adutso family are entitled to recover possession of the disputed land from the Odartey Sro family, and ordered the Lands Commission and Land Title Registry to expunge the plotting and registration of Plaintiff's family land, which was the subject matter of the litigation in the name of defendant's family (Odartey Sro family of Osu) from its records.

Following the court's judgement, the Adutso families through its legal representatives have drawn the attention of the public to the contents of the said judgment and appealed to them to respect the content therein.

Vivian Aku Brown-Danquah, head of Adutso family said after the ruling that the defendant's family, their agents, servants, assigns, successors, privies or anybody claiming through them are hereby restrained from dealing or interfering with the enjoyment of the said land by the plaintiff's family herein.

In view of the above, members of the general public who desire to acquire interest in the land are advised to contact the Adutso Family for the development of the land.

By William Yaw Owusu
IT was our great song-writer, the late Owura Ephraim Amu, who confessed in his Kente song that:

Akyinkyin akyinyin

Ama mahu nnema aaa;

Akyinkyin akyinkyin

Ama mate nsm aaa,

Asante Bonwere Kente nwene de,

Minhuu bi da oooo!

Asante Bonwere Kente nwene de,

Mentee bi da oooo!...

(My wanderings have enabled me to see all sorts of things.... but as for the way Asante kente is woven at Bonwere, I have never seen the like of it before!.... never heard of anything like it before!)

Now, Owura Amu was of Ewe [precisely, Peki] descent, but many of the lovely songs he wrote were composed in Twi. Thus, many more Ghanaians are fortunate enough to be familiar with his songs than would have been the case if he had only used his native tongue in his artistic creations.

Indeed, his song, Yen ara asaase ni ought to be the national anthem of Ghana. But every time the issue is raised, the bogey of Akan domination is raised by ethnic chauvinists to kick the issue to the touchline. Amu proved that a person of one ethnicity can get so well versed literally  in the language of another ethnicity that he could create magnificent songs in that other language, though it's not his own.

But instead of allowing Amu to inspire us to admire artistic greatness, whatever its source, we bicker and stick to our squalid ethnic prejudices.

I first heard Owura Amu's Yen Ara Asaase ni in junior school many many moons ago. But I still remember almost every word of it, because the words contain so much meaning. In contrast, I doubt whether many people remember the English-language national anthem we currently use. The words of that song are so general and opaque that the Ghana embassy at the Hague, for one, has jumped the gun by providing the words of Yen ara asaaseni as the Twi translation of God bless our homeland Ghana!!

For good measure, Ewe and Ga versions of Yen Ara asaase ni are also given, presumably to be taken as a translation of the English text. Excellent work, our guys at Den Haag! (To see their website, please go to: http://www.ghanaembassy.nl/ index.php/about-ghana/ghana- at-a-glance/71-ghana-national- anthem.html

(By the way, whatever happened to the words I faintly recollect in an earlier version of the national anthem: God lift high the flag of Ghana or something? That would seem to be more in sync with our collective psyche, which wishes to pass on to other people, the tasks that we should be undertaking ourselves!

Jokes aside  my thoughts are dominated by patriotic notions right now because I've been chafing all weekend over a news item I read on the website of CITIFM,

QUOTE:The Kyebi Water Treatment plant has been shut down because the water has been left untreatable. The plant which serves much of the Eastern Region was shut down due to the effects of ... galamsey on the plant.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Water Resources and Works and Housing, Abraham Otabil confirmed the shutdown to Citi News.

' We must all be concerned about galamsey '

Galamsey could force closure of 3 treatment dams  Ministry

Currently the Kyebi water system being run by the Ghana Water Company has been temporarily shut down. This is due to the . rise [in] the water turbidity and also,... the raw water colour which has exceeded the threshold value of 200 mtu, as per the plant design and construction...[This] has rendered the ... fresh water resources untreatable, he added.

Citi News [had earlier] reported that three treatment plants risked closure if galamsey miners [who are destroying the water sources] were not evicted. The plants are Daboase Treatment Plant, the Barekese Dam and the Kyebi Water Treatment Plant. Activities of these [galamsey operators] are affecting the treatment of water, further increasing the cost of water production.

Abraham Otabil said [his company is] currently engaging the stakeholders within the Kyebi area to find a lasting solution to the matter. Kyebi and its immediate surrounding communities are going to be affected, he added.

[Meanwhile] The Executive Director of 5fifty Documentary Limited, Edem Srem, had earlier called on Ghanaians in urban areas to show concern about the effect of galamsey activities in the country. Speaking to Citi News at the viewing of a [new] documentary dubbed, 'Galamsey, the other side' Edem Srem said it is about time stakeholders come together to reach a mutually beneficial conclusion on the matter.

When you visit most of the rivers that have been polluted by the activities of galamsey, you realize that fish caught by fishermen [there] tastes sour and bitter, making it dangerous for consumption. In Accra, we always assume we are safe because we think the... things... brought to Accra are [fresh]. But the question we need to ask is, where are those fresh foods coming from?

I have been chafing at these reports because warnings have not been exactly lacking about the grave and disastrous water situation. I myself have written so much about this galamsey problem that I often have to stop myself from tackling the subject again.

If you are patient enough to read some of the articles listed below, you will appreciate truly, that what is happening today should not come as a surprise to anyone:

THE COLLECTIVE MADNESS THAT HAS STRUCK GHANA  galamsey  STRIKES ... NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST by CAMERON DUODU www.cameronduodu.com ...

Intelligence On Galamsey | Cameron Duodu

cameronduodu.com/tag/ intelligence-on-galamsey

WHAT CAN AKYEM ABUAKWA DO ABOUT GALAMSEY? By CAMERON DUODU The Akyems are among the most democratic people in the world. When a ...

Ghana: The murky world of galamsey - New African Magazine newafricanmagazine.com/ghana- murky-world-galamsey/Cameron Duodu; 3 March 2015;

How can anyone watch this galamsey film and do nothing? | Feature ...

www.ghanaweb.com/.../How-can- anyone-watch-this-galamsey- film-and-...

16 Dec 2014 - I have been crying in my heart for many months over Ghana's galamsey problem. (See my website www.cameronduodu.com)

SAVE US FROM GALAMSEY! - Modernghana.com

https://www.modernghana.com/ news/.../save-us-from- galamsey.html

11 May 2013 - .SAVE US FROM GALAMSEY! By Cameron Duodu ... Indeed, when I first heard of the 'galamsey' phenomenon, I just laughed. It was the language ...

This Galamsey Thing Has Become A War! - Modernghana.com

https://www.modernghana.com/.. ./this-galamsey-thing-has- become-a-wa...

5 Feb 2014 - By Cameron Duodu ... So the galamsey people want to kill this sacred Lake, as well, ... What the

galamsey operators are doing is no different.

Ghana News - I would never have believed that - Cameron Duodu writes

ghana-news.adomonline.com/.../ i-would-never-have-believed- that-david...

. When I stood at the ...

Cameron Duodu | The Guardian

https://plus.google.com/.../ posts/7c7Kz5JB9bo

martin kantaraka

6 Jan 2015 - THE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES OF UNCONCERN ABOUT GALAMSEY | Cameron Duodu

CHINESE FORTUNE-HUNTERS AND GALAMSEY IN GHANA ...https://plus.google.com/... /posts/HPUPsxAVw8v

BACK TO MAIN ARTICLE: It is heartening to hear that OccupyGhana has said it will henceforth throw its full weight behind the battle against galamsey. For unless someone can convince me that Ghanaians have somehow been turned into dumb beasts in the way that Circe turned the crew of Ulysses into swine to whom she fed acorns, we should't sit down and allow anyone to turn our water bodies into mud-pits. For even animals like dogs and horses recognise the value of water. If you watch wild life films on TV, you will be amazed at the distances elephants (for instance) will travel to get to water during a period of drought.

Yet we, proud citizens of Ghana, are sitting down and inviting thirst to come and kill us!

It is beyond my comprehension.

ENDPIECE: I regret to inform my readers that Mr Joseph Mensah, who was my close collaborator when I was editor of Drum Magazine, and who rose from Shorthand Typist to become Editor of the magazine, has been gathered unto his fathers. I shall publish a full obituary of him on my website in due course.

I have also learnt with extreme sadness that Drum's ace photographer, Christian Gbagbo, also departed from us quite some time ago. My heartfelt condolences to the families of these men, without whose artistry and hard work Drum would never have become the magazine it was before economic hardship  and the treachery of some of its own accounting staff  drove it off the streets of Ghana for good in the 1970s.

http://www.cameronduodu.com/
El Fasher (Sudan) (AFP) - Sudan was poised to declare an end to 13 years of conflict in Darfur on Wednesday despite deadlock in African Union-brokered peace talks and persistent fighting that has driven thousands from their homes this year.

President Omar al-Bashir was to make the declaration at a ceremony in the North Darfur state capital El Fasher to be attended by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Chadian President Idriss Deby.

Qatar has hosted successive rounds of peace talks between the Arab-dominated Khartoum government and the ethnic minority rebels who took up arms in 2003.

Talks in the Qatari capital Doha in 2011 led to a peace deal with one small rebel faction -- the Liberation and Justice Movement -- and Wednesday's ceremony was to mark its implementation.

"Today, President Bashir will attend a celebration to declare that the Doha peace accord has been fully implemented in Darfur," the official SUNA news agency quoted North Darfur Governor Abdelwahid Youssef as saying.

Television footage showed crowds of thousands gathering for the ceremony, many of them carrying pictures of Bashir and the Qatari emir.

Khartoum has repeatedly sought to declare an end to the conflict in Darfur this year, claiming that an April referendum backing the current five-state division of the region turned the page.

But the vote, which was boycotted by the rebels, was widely criticised by the international community and in June the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of an 18,000-strong peacekeeping force which the world body runs jointly with the African Union.

President Omar al-Bashir is set to make a declaration marking the end of the conflict at a ceremony in the North Darfur state capital El Fasher

Khartoum had strongly opposed the extension but the Security Council said that persistent fighting between government forces and the rebels had driven 80,000 civilians from their homes in the first five months of the year alone, adding to hundreds of thousands of displaced people already living in camps.

Two rebel groups -- the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army faction headed by Minni Minnawi -- have signed an African Union roadmap for a ceasefire but talks on its implementation broke down last month.

A third rebel group -- the SLA faction headed by Abdelwahid Nur -- has not signed the roadmap.

The JEM announced on Wednesday that it would release all prisoners it had captured during fighting with government forces.

"The movement will coordinate their transfer to Khartoum," it said, without giving any explanation of the timing of its announcement.

Neighbouring Chad has been a major player in the Darfur conflict.

It was a key supporter of the JEM while Khartoum supported Chadian rebels but after both countries' capitals came under attack in 2008, the two governments mended fences.

Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges related to Darfur, which he denies.

His government has mounted a brutal counter-insurgency against the rebels, and in the ensuing conflict at least 300,000 people have been killed, according to the United Nations.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission says political party leaders must responsibility for the actions of their supporters, especially during elections.

Mrs Charlotte Osei says the sanctity of the countrys elections and its security hinge on the conduct political actors.

Party leaders, she said, must therefore, condemn the actions and the bad behaviour their supporters where necessary.

She said the politicians must be reminded that there are no victors in chaos, only victims.

The people of Ghana deserve nothing less than peace in this year's elections, she said.

"Let us not fail our country," she admonished.

More soon...

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Malik Abass Daabu
Spokesperson for 2016 NPP Presidential candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says a story in the Africawatch Magazine claiming the opposition politician is suffering from a litany of life-threatening diseases is so outrageously false it is unbelievable.

Mustapha Abdul Hamid in an interview on Joy FM's Super Morning Show said the story is a complete fabrication and a concoction.

He said the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party is fit and that the report is just a piece of gibberish that is borne out of malice and a figment of somebody's imagination.

The August edition of the Africawatch magazine said the NPP leader had been diagnosed with cancer. The magazine claimed it picked up the information from the medical records of the Wellington Hospital in UK where Nana Addo was said to have received treatment.

Related: Akufo-Addo would be hospitalized if he has acute ailments

The magazine which had an artist impression of Akufo-Addo sitting on a hospital bed, in a hospital gown and wearing a pair of NPP designed socks made emphatic claims that the NPP leader had acute cancer and kidney ailments.

It reported, Nana Akufo-Addo was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June 2013 with a very high Prostrate-Specific Antigen (PSA) count of 89.9, very much above the 3.72 upper range that it should have been, according to his British doctors.

The report added among other things that Internationally, many doctors are now using the following PSA ranges as determinants of possible risk to prostate cancer: 0 to 2.5 ng/mL the risk is low. 2.6 to 10 ng/mL the risk is slightly to moderately elevated. 10 to 19.9 ng/mL the risk is moderately elevated. 20 ng/mL or more the risk is significantly elevated. Remarkably, from several tests done on Akufo-Addo at the Wellington Hospital, the NPP presidential candidate's PSA readings have consistently been around 89.9 or 89.8, which are peculiarly high and are very clear indications of a serious prostate cancer.

Related: Doctor reveals Akufo-Addos medical records; dismisses Africawatch claims

But Mr Hamid disputed the report. He said as far as he is concerned Akufo-Addo has not visited any hospital in the UK.

He said the story is not and cannot be true since the source of their information is not credible.

The fact that it (the story) is all plagiarized material from Wikipedia discredits that report , from the start the foundations of the report do not stand. And any information from there is not accepted.

Akufo-Addo and his running mate Mahamadu Bawumia addressing party supporters at Saboba in the Northern Region.

Mr Hamid cannot understand why anyone would say the man who is upstanding from 8 am to 2 am, addressing people from village to village and talking on top of his voice, is a sick man.

He said the Africawatch report is a non issue and that members of the NPP don't regard it as credible.

-myjoyonline
Obuasi West Member of Parliament (MP), Kwaku Kwarteng, has laughed off President John Mahamas pledge to give a meter to each household in a Central regional town, Abura.

The Minority MP says the President is taking over a job assigned to a public company, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

He expressed disappointment in the lack of candor of the Presidents promise.

I wish we would promise bolder things...provision of meter that should be done by ECG?...provision of meters that should be done by ECG? It is now a campaign promise by the National Democratic Congress (NDC)? he expressed shock.

He said Ghanaians want a leader who can take them out of a crisis and not one who promises to do a routine work done by District Managers of the ECG.

The 2016 campaign is underway and it appears to be shaping up as a campaign of what the New Patriotic Party (NPP) calls it is possible versus what the NDC has criticized as unrealistic.

The NPPs one-district, one-factory has been dismissed as unrealistic. But after president Mahama hit the campaign trail in the Central region, his promise to provide 1,500 meters has been dismissed as timid.

Name-calling or truth-telling

President Mahama has expressed hurt that the 2016 NPP flagbearer Akufo-Addo has been insulting him by a constant reference that he is an incompetent leader.

But responding to Mr Mahamas concern about mud-slinging language from the NPP, Kwaku Kwarteng finds no insult in describing a leader as incompetent.

If I am not doing a job properly for which I am paid and somebody said I am incompetent, I would not take that as an insult, he said.

He said it is for the President to do an introspective search to find out reasons why the NPP calls him incompetent.

Sparing the word incompetent as an insult, Mr Kwarteng suggested that descriptions like Nana Akufo-Addo is too short or he has cancer are the wrong things we think should not happen in a campaign.

This is the second time President Mahama has taken exception to the description.

During his Changing Lives, Transforming Ghana tour in the Greater Accra Region last November, President John Mahama appeared irked by the description.

Ill take that word from Kufuor or from Rawlings because theyve been there before. All of you guys [NPP critics] have never ever come near the presidency. Do you know what it takes to be a president? And you stand and say incompetent Mahama administration, Mahama said.

He also said, I will not allow useless insults to distract me.

Green book distribution evidence of abuse of incumbency

The Obuasi West MP also condemns what he believes is an abuse of incumbency by President Mahama.

He said while the very expensive printing of the Green book to catalogue governments achievements may not be considered an abuse of power, the manner of its distribution confirms the oppositions fears.

These books have been given to NDC communicators, something printed with state money...you go with them to a program and they pull out the green book as though their party gave to them, and you think it is not an abuse of incumbency?

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]
Government has increased the daily minimum wage by 10 percent.

The increase means that the amount which previously was GHc8 has now been pegged at GH8.80 which takes effect from January 2017.

This was announced by the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu on Wednesday.

He charged all institutions and employers to take note of the increase and apply same.

The increase was arrived at after a meeting of the national tripartite committee comprising of representatives from the Ghana employers association, the Trade Union Congress (TUC), other labour unions and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations



By: Franklin Badu Jnr/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The UN Commission of Human Rights in South Sudan today begins a 19-day mission to South Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda, during which it will meet political and community leaders, refugees and internally displaced people as well as members of the international community regarding the human rights situation in South Sudan.

The three Commissioners were mandated by the UN Human Rights Council in March this year to monitor and report on the human rights situation in South Sudan, to establish a factual basis for transitional justice and to provide guidance to the Transitional Government of National Unity of South Sudan on transitional justice.

During their mission to South Sudan, the Commissioners, Yasmin Sooka, Ken Scott and Godfrey Musila, are scheduled to meet a number of ministers, parliamentarians, police, judicial officers, military officials and they have requested a meeting with President Salva Kiir. They will also conduct a number of visits to camps in Juba and Bentiu. Prior to their departure from South Sudan, the Commissioners will hold a press conference on Thursday, 15 September 2016 at 10h00 in the conference room at UNMISS Tomping in Juba.

The Commissioners will then visit Addis Ababa, where they will meet leaders of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) as well as other members of the international community and civil society. They will then proceed to Kampala and Adjumani in Uganda, to visit the refugee settlements there housing South Sudanese refugees.

The Commission is scheduled to present a comprehensive written report to the Human Rights Council at its 34th regular session in March 2017.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Orkhan Guluzade  Trend:

Russia may delay lifting of embargo on Turkish agriculture products for another two months, Turkeys Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Faruk Celik said, Anadolu Agency reported Sept. 7.

Following the imposition of sanctions on Turkish products, Russian consumers have to buy Turkish products at a high price, the minister said.

Turkish products used to reach Russian market through Belarus and the Balkan states, Celik added.

The minister also noted the importance of an early restoration of the Turkish-Russian relations.

The relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated sharply in late 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board. In June 2016, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter of condolences to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the death of a Su-24 pilot and expressed regret over the incident. After that, the two countries relations began to improve.

On Aug. 9, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan had their first meeting after the Su-24 incident. Following the meeting, Putin said Russia is interested in the full restoration of bilateral relations with Turkey.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade
The Electoral Commission (EC) Chair, Madam Charlotte Osei, has said 2016 election will be the most fiercely contested and could lead to violence if not well managed.

According to the chairperson, the proliferation of illegal small arms and the rising levels of drug abuse and joblessness among the youth, is creating a fertile room for violence in this years elections.

Reports conducted by the small arms commission in 2014 informed us that now over 3.2 million weapons are in Ghana and out of this, 1.1million is illegal. Again, statistics from the narcotic control board indicates a steadily high growing drug and alcohol abuse in Ghana. The most affected demographically is our youth population. Now we know that when we talk about conflict in election, the youth are most likely to be used.

Madam Charlotte Osei also bemoaned the high levels of unemployment in the country saying it was a cause for worry.

The World Bank has reported that, over 47% of the active population in Ghana is unemployed. This situates us right in the middle of Africa's statistics of 50% being unemployed. This should be a cause for concern.

The EC chair, who was speaking at a colloquium held in Accra to help reduce electoral violence in the December polls, called for public support.

When we put all this together, it should be a wake up call for all of us.

High probability of political tensions

A Senior Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Kwesi Jonah, has also warned that political tensions in the country could shoot up in an unusual manner in the run-up to the December elections.

According to him, the danger lies in whether or not the eight year power alternation between the NDC and the NPP which has been the norm in the 4th republican dispensation, will be challenged this year.

Speaking at a workshop in Sogakope organised by the Ghana Institute of Journalism with support from the US Embassy, he said these dynamics must be managed in a manner that will not be harmful to the countrys peace.



By: Felicia Osei & Sixtus Dong Ullo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
By Laudia Sawer, GNA

Prampram (GAR), Sept 6, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has urged political party activists to exercise their rights within the confines of the law.

Madam Josephine Nkrumah, Deputy Chairperson of the NCCE, said the temptation for political party activists especially the youth to settle scores outside the law would eventually land the country in chaos.

Madam Nkrumah observed that correcting a wrong outside the law was as bad as the wrong committed.

She gave the advice on Tuesday during a NCCE engagement with youth activists of political parties in the Ningo-Prampram District.

The engagement which was on the theme: "Empowering the youth to stand up for Ghana for a peaceful election 2016", was sponsored by the European Union.

She implored the youth to be circumspect in their actions and think through the effects of their actions and utterances on the general peace of the nation.

"It is better for us to sit down as one people to dialogue and find solutions to problems instead of resorting to violence ways", she added.

Madam Nkrumah reminded the activists that there was a thin line between activism and creating violence therefore urged them to always remember that all political party members were Ghanaians first before joining the parties.

Miss Fifty Agyeiwaa Badu, Ningo-Prampram District NCCE Director, in a welcome address, said the meeting was to equip political party youth activists in the district with basic knowledge and skills on non-violence to enable them participate effectively and ethically in the electoral process.

Miss Badu said the youth play important roles in the country's politics including serving as foot soldiers, party polling agents, among others.

She noted that these roles they played either promote peace or sometimes lead to electoral violence due to ignorance of the various regulations governing the conduct of elections.

Mrs Lucille Hewlett Annan, Greater Accra Regional NCCE Director, asked political parties to abide by the political parties code of conduct and educate their followers on it.

Mrs Annan also urged the youth to desist from posting party posters on people's properties without their permission to avoid the misfortune of those posters been ripped apart or defaced.

She also implored them not to unnecessarily tag NCCE officials with political parties as they work with all political parties.

Superintendent Alex Kumangtani, Prampram District Police Commander, informed the activists that the police would not entertain any violent activities from political parties.

Sup. Kumangtani stressed that they would not allow political parties to unnecessarily put the district in the media landscape for the wrong reasons.

He reminded them to write to the police in accordance with the public order act as well as follow the agreed arrangement between his outfit and the parties before organizing any public political event.

Mr Charles Botchey Junior, Ningo-Prampram District Electoral Officer, asked political parties to use the laid down processes to address their grievances during the elections.

Mr Botchey appealed to the parties to properly educate their agents on the "dos and don'ts" for the elections to ensure a free, fair and violence- free elections.

The EC officer also said voters who have their names in the voter's register but could not be verified by the biometric verification machine would be allowed to vote.

Alhaji Sa-Rahack Nartey, Ningo-Prampram District Chief Executive, reiterated the need for political activists to coexist with others irrespective of their political party affiliation.

Participants watched a post election violence documentary on Kenya and identified factors that contributed to the violence and its effect on the people.

They agreed to eschew violence in all forms and appealed to state institutions involved in the election process for fairness and called on the media to be circumspect and report accurately.

GNA
By Stephen Asante/ Florence Afriyie Mensah, GNA

Kumasi, Sept 07, GNA - The Association of Principals of Technical Institutions (APTI), has called for the establishment of a separate ministry for technical and vocational education.

This, it indicated, was necessary to assist develop a more coherent national policy and programs to significantly raise the quality of technical and vocational education.

Dr. Joseph Abeiku Apprey, President of the Association, said there needed to be a fundamental change in the nation's approach to that education sector.

Addressing the 32nd conference of APTI, in Kumasi, he said efforts at equipping the youth with the relevant knowledge, expertise and skills to become self-employed must be scaled up.

That was the way forward to tackle the growing employment among the nation's young people, to transform their living conditions.

'Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) reforms in the current dispensation and the way forward', was the theme for the four-day conference.

It provided the platform for the technical institution heads to discuss issues affecting the progress of TVET and the general education system.

Dr. Apprey said it was time the people changed the negative perceptions they had about vocational and technical education and enthusiastically embraced it.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. John Alexander Ackon, underlined the government's determination to adequately resource the technical and vocational institutions to enable them to deliver.

TVET, he noted, played vital role in strengthening the middle level industrial man-power base of both developing and developed economies.

GNA
07.09.2016 LISTEN

Professionalism often relates to an individuals conformism to workplace ethics and norms concerning their relationship with colleagues and the workplace. This includes appropriate apparel, sanitisation of the work area, conversation etiquette, appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication with colleagues, refraining from gossiping, washroom etiquettes, etc.

How do you know what to do and the appropriate time for that action?

Join the Barcamp Cape Coast Team this Saturday to learn, network and engage ideas on the theme, The Role Of Effective Professional Values In Productivity.

Find more details in our Press Release Below

Barcamp Cape Coast 2016 is a free networking forum bringing people together for a day of learning, sharing, networking and mentoring. It will take place on September 10, 2016 at the College of Education Lecture Theatre (also known as FELT) 9, of the University of Cape Coast.

The theme for this year is "The Role Of Effective Professional Values In Productivity". This event will be the 6th BarCamp in Cape Coast as it builds a network of young change makers, doers and entrepreneurs in Ghana. The GhanaThink Foundation has successfully organized 61 BarCamps in Ghana.

What to expect?



Mentoring by professionals or entrepreneurs.

Networking with like-minded individuals - you could find your business or project partner

Celebrating some of the best of our community and beyond

Breakout sessions that you can also lead

Cape Coast has been a citadel for education in Ghana and various stakeholders will be participating in Barcamp Cape Coast.

Meet some of our confirmed mentors.

Register/RSVP at the BarCamp Cape Coast eventbrite website .

Contact us via barcamp at www.ghanathink.org for sponsorship or partnership opportunities.

BarCamp Cape Coast 2016 is supported by Tigo Ghana .

Join us to move the Central Region and Ghana forward.

Stay tuned via the #bccapecoast hashtag .

Join our network on social media. Twitter | Facebook | Google+
Tobias Ellwood, Minister for the Middle East and Africa, and Mike Penning, Minister for the Armed Forces, co-hosted a Security Event in London on 7 September to help coordinate international peace-building efforts in Somalia. Participants included a range of Defence Ministers from across the world.

The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to improve security and stability in Somalia, and is the only European country to maintain an embassy there.

Speaking after the event, Mr Ellwood said:

When I visited Somalia last month I saw for myself that without security, the political progress made there may be lost. It is essential that Somalias security forces develop swiftly, work closely and effectively with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and start to take on greater responsibility for Somalias stability.

Key to this is a unified approach by the international community. Both security donors and troop contributors must be aligned to meet the huge challenge of security sector reform in Somalia. I am very pleased with the progress we made today alongside our international partners.

I would again like to pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of AMISOM troops who risk their lives every day to protect the people of Somalia from extremists. Until the Somali security forces are fully operational, their mission to continue liberating territory from al-Shabaab is crucial to peace and stability in Somalia.

Mr Penning said:

Todays conference reiterates the UKs commitment to Somalia. With our international partners we have worked tirelessly to improve the security situation and help provide the stability so necessary for the electoral process. All our soldiers have committed themselves selflessly in the quest for a better Somalia, with some from our international partners having paid the ultimate sacrifice. The unified approach we have demonstrated must now be matched with Somali commitment to rapid security sector reform and we stand ready to help with that process in the coming months.

It is only as part of a comprehensive international effort that we will defeat extremism and create the conditions for Somalias peace, and regional and international stability. That is why the UK maintains its commitment to better coordinated international effort and to our support to the Federal Government of Somalia, AMISOM and United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS).

Somalia has made significant progress since 2012 and the first London Conference and the UK is proud to have played its part.

This includes extensive support towards a secure Somalia, including the deployment of up to 70 British military personnel to support existing UN and African Union missions in the region as well as significant humanitarian and development support.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission says political party leaders must take responsibility for the actions of their supporters, especially during elections.

Mrs Charlotte Osei says the sanctity of the countrys elections and its security hinge on the conduct of political actors.

Party leaders, she said, must, therefore, condemn the actions and the bad behaviour of their supporters where necessary.

She said the politicians must be reminded that there are no victors in chaos, only victims.

Mrs Osei said the country's political actors had "mastered the unique art of tipping public interest so high in the eletoral process that from one election to the other we never even get a break from discussing politics."

The relentless political discourse, she said, appears to have consigned to the back burner, the very essence of elections in a democracy - which is primarily citizens exercising their natural right to choose their leaders.

According to the EC Chair, even though ordinarily the process of choosing leaders should be non-violent, "past experiences have taught us that we need to have a robust electoral security system to ensure the security of the electoral equipment, the voters who take part in the elections, the election officials and increasingly in Ghana, it is almost like we have to prevent war every election year."

This has made security an integral part of the electoral process which has to start way before the main elections, she stressed.

Ghana has had six largely peaceful elections since 1992 with power changing hands twice - incumbent parties losing elections to opposition parties and handing over power peacefully.

Nonetheless, Mrs. Osei warned against complacency "because we seem to have an increasingly volatile political culture...and we are going into elections where one party believes it must win, and the other believes it cannot lose [even though this] is a contest where there is going to be one winner and one loser [or] many losers."

She said whilst free press is essential for deepening the democratic practice, the culture of vigorous and animated political discussions with a string of serial callers yelling at political opponents is beginning to create problems for our democratic culture.

Citing statistics, Mrs Osei said Ghana in 2015 went through a demographic transition with the youth population hitting an estimated 5.3 million, constituting about 20 per cent of the total population.

This has qualified Ghana for the dreaded youth bulge, a phenomenon believed to lead to social unrest, war and terrorism, she stated.

Quoting a World Bank report, she said close to half of the youth  between the ages 18 and 24  is unemployed.

Combined with the proliferation of small arms and increasing incidence of alcohol and drug abuse, chieftaincy conflicts, land disputes and ethnic tensions, the conditions are rife for the proliferation of political and criminal violence, the EC Chair noted.

She said the frighteningly volatile image she painted should jolt all citizens to do a serious reflection on where we are taking this nation to.

The people of Ghana deserve nothing less than peace in this year's elections, she said.

"Let us not fail our country," she admonished.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Malik Abass Daabu
The Government and Hospitals Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) has said it is unaware of any suit from the National Labour Commission (NLC) praying it to call off its strike, according to the GHOSPA General Secretary, Emmanuel Owusu Owiafe.

This is despite the NLC confirming to Citi News it had filed a suit at the Labour Division of the High Court, seeking to compel striking members of the Government and Hospitals Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA), to call off their strike

GHOSPA has not received the suit yet. We also heard it on air and as at now that I am speaking, we have not received a suit, Mr. Owiafe said in a Citi News interview.

Mr. Owiafe said his association would study it appropriately and then we will let our legal team respond to it appropriately, when it receives the suit.

He also pointed out that there was no illegality in GHOSPA's protest noting that we did serve notice to the National Labor Commission. From our end, we don't think any illegal process was initiated.

Mr. Owiafe retorted that the NLC would have done well to instead initiate legal processes to ensure that the Fair wages and Salaries Commission obey its own rulings.

Background

GHOSPA started an indefinite strike on Monday to push for changes to their market premiums.

The association said it was forced to resort to a strike over the breakdown of negotiations with government, spanning six years, over its grade structure and placement in public health facilities.

The Pharmacists have lamented discrepancies in its interim market premiums claiming that the Fair Wages and salaries Commission, has placed pharmacists working in university hospitals on a premium of 1.14, whilst the pharmacists working in the Ghana Health Service are on a premium of 0.58.

Thought the NLC has not described this strike as illegal, it has said GHOSPA's actions are not in the interest of potential patrons hence its decision to resort to the law courts.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Accra - 7th August, 2016: About forty national service personnel from Airtel  The Smartphone Network  have presented educational materials to the Sege Primary and Junior High Schools in Ada as part of the companys employee volunteering programme.

Living up to the values of Ghanas leading CSR Company in education and community relations, the young men and women supported the Schools with books and learning materials covering Science, Mathematics, Social Studies and English. Pupils from the schools also received school bags and mathematical sets. In all over 1,650 items were given to support the teaching and learning in the schools.

The national service personnel identified the needs of the schools and nominated them to benefit from the companys CSR programme which supports education. The team also sought support from the Rotary Club, Tema for the learning materials.

The team took turns to inspire pupils from the beneficiary schools to believe in their dreams and to work towards achieving them.

Accepting the items on behalf of the schools, the Head of Monitoring and Supervision Mr. Amanatey, expressed his profound gratitude for the gesture and his admiration for the young people for carrying out such a worthy cause.

The donation was carried out under Airtels Employee Volunteerism initiative, Make Your Change, which encourages employees to identify and contribute to solving problems in their communities with the companys support.

2016-09-07 170938

2016-09-07 170954
Kusasis in Bawku have levelled strong accusations at the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for what they say could plunge the area back into the ethnic warfare that once tore the municipality and its environs apart.

There is a decades-long power struggle between the Kusasi and the Mamprusi factions over who is the legitimate ruler of Bawku.

The current gazetted paramount chief of the area, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, hails from the Kusasi group. The Mamprusis in the area, for reasons embedded in historical issues, largely do not recognise him as the overlord of Bawku and have persistently referred to a regent of the Mamprusi ancestry in the area as their traditional leader since the early 80s.

A programme drawn for the recent campaign tour of the Upper East Region by the partys flagbearer, which was circulated among media houses and supporters of the party ahead of the tour, got the Kusasis very angry for featuring a regent in Bawku as among the traditional authorities the candidate was to visit.

Pointing at the Paramount Chief of Bawku, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, the furious-looking natives of the area say Bawku already has a chief and, for that matter, any reference to a regent in the area (which means an acting chief in the absence of a substantive chief) is a well-rehearsed mischief aimed at turning Bawku on its head once more.

You are recognising an illegal person as a chief, when there is a chief who has been gazetted, who has become the president of the regional house of chiefs before. You go to him and, then, you say you are going to a regent. How can you go there? You say you are a potential president and you are inciting trouble for the area.

If you say that there is a regent, it means that you dont recognise him (the Paramount Chief of Bawku) as a chief. And the one who is posing as a regent says he is the acting chief of Bawku, a well-known opinion leader in Bawku, Daud James Abang-Gos, told Starr News.

Hold Nana, NPP responsible for new clash  Kusasis

At least 182 people, including women and children, lost their lives with several people critically injured in the area after the conflict exploded in 2007.

More than 80 houses went up in red flames. Countless residents relocated to other municipalities and districts in the region. And prolonged curfews that came intermittently in extremely harsh measures brought trade and civil service delivery to their knees in the municipality and beyond as soldiers patrolled everywhere.

The ailing municipality is on a recovery road from years of unrest to lasting peace today. But the recent controversial reference and recognition accorded the "regent", according to Mr. Abang-Gos, could derail the peace process and return the area to where it restarted late in 2007.

Bawku Naba is scandalised. Hes threatened by that move. Its like paying a courtesy call on President Mahama and, then, saying you are going to pay a courtesy call on acting president, Akufo-Addo. Can you imagine the anger not only from the president but also from his people? That is the scenario.

It can ignite trouble. And if there is trouble in Bawku, Akufo-Addo and the NPP should be blamed. When Kufuor was president, he never did that. That was a responsible leader. You have not become president, you are pouring petrol on fire, meaning we should continue fighting; then, you will come and settle the fight. That is the implication, he said.

Torn between two political parties

The two conflicting ethnic groups are perceived to be politically polarised, with the Kusasis seen to be more comfortable with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in power and the Mamprusis absolutely sure they will enjoy greener pastures of freedoms under any NPP government.

The supposed political affiliations are linked to some alleged deeds of interference in the old ethnic conflict from the two political parties in the remote past. Nonetheless, there are those from the two conflicting sides who devotedly support the same parties which their ethnic groups are perceived to dislike.

Bawku occupies a strategic position in the country such that if there is no peace, it affects a number of people within Bawku, at the regional level and in the country as a whole. If they transfer somebody to Bawku, that person does not want to report. The amount of money we spend on security, to fuel and maintain armoured cars, is huge, the Municipal Chief Executive, Issaku Bukari, once told the youth of the area.

Too many arms in the illegal custody- police

Police say there are "too many" fire arms in illegal possession of civilians in Bawku. Government in 2012 urged residents of the area who had firearms in illegal custody to voluntarily surrender them for a cash amount of Gh3,000. But despite the promised reward, which was backed by an assurance from security agencies to protect the identity of anyone who cooperated, only three people reportedly have turned in their weapons so far.

The Bawku Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee, a board instituted in 2010 to foster peace through dialogue, had until recently seen repeated withdrawal of the Mamprusi representatives from the working group following governments restrictions on the celebration of the Damba Festival in Bawku for security reasons.

NPP sorry for grave error

The reference to a regent in the itinerary printout, for the enraged Kusasis, was meant to spite them and to deliberately contest the overall authority of the Paramount Chief of Bawku.

But, speaking to Starr News, the NPPs leadership in the region says the reference was a slip.

The partys regional executives initially declined to remark when contacted by Starr News for explanations, saying the issue was too sensitive. Afterwards, the partys Upper East Regional Chairman, Murtala Ibrahim Mohammed, who strongly distanced himself from telling how the controversial title of regent managed to creep into the campaign schedule, asked the regional secretary to speak on his behalf.

At Bawku Nabas palace, the Bawku Naba himself complained about it. And the presidential candidate said they [were] things that belonged to history and [that they] who are living today would solve them. As to why that programme was kept there, please, I dont think Im the best person to go into that detail.

You know how delicate that matter is. I beg you; I would not want to comment on that issue. The presidential candidate himself apologised and said we would correct our things as time goes on. So, we want to believe that it was a mistake made and we would correct ourselves, the partys Upper East Regional Secretary, Cletus Ayambire, who also had previously turned away from speaking to the issue, finally said.
Ghanaian revelers have been urged to explore Sao Tome by multiple award-winning travel and tours giants, Kenpong Travel and Tours as they introduce a new tour destination.

Prospective travelers will have the chance to fly to a beautiful island of Sao Tome sited on the Gulf of Guinea for a comprehensive package which includes Visa, air fare, accommodation, food and sight-seeing.

Kenpong Travel and Tours CEO, Mohammed Alhassan said: "it's a complete offer for travelers, especially those who love beaches. It's less than two-hours by flight from Accra. It's a very serene island for a weekend relaxation".

"And as it has been our track record of providing top notch accommodation, prospective travelers will be hosted at the Pestana Hotel, a five-star hotel," he added.

The next trip is scheduled for September 23-25.

"I will be there myself, this time, I invite the business community to come for networking and socialization," Mr Alhassan said.

It will cost US$1,000 for singles and couples/partners will pay US$1,800.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Joy Business
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

In November 2016, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host a regular meeting of the intergovernmental commission on Azerbaijan-UAE trade and economic cooperation, Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev said Sept. 7 at a ceremony dedicated to the signing of an agreement for rendering consulting services for a free trade area creation in the countrys Alat settlement.

Creation of a free trade zone in the Alat settlement will be also discussed during the regular meeting of the intergovernmental commission on Azerbaijan-UAE trade and economic cooperation.

Speaking about the relations between Azerbaijan and the UAE, Mustafayev stressed that the ties in both political and economic, as well as humanitarian spheres are successfully developing between the two countries.

Mustafayev noted that the trade turnover with the UAE has grown by more than 40 percent during the seven months of 2016.

This is a very good indicator, considering the fact that the processes taking place in the world dont contribute to the development of trade turnover between the countries at all, said the minister. Governments of Azerbaijan and the UAE are working to improve these indicators.
Running mate of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Madam Brigitte Dzogbenuku says the party will surprise other contesting political parties by winning the majority of votes in the 2016 presidential elections.

Madam Dzogbenuku who expressed satisfaction about the PPPs campaign trail so far said, the party would not weigh into the promises being made by the NDC and the NPP.

In an interview with Joy News, the former beauty queen said, the PPP has identified opportunities in the regions and will build on it if Ghanaians put them in the Flagstaff House.

"People are very receptive to us as they are tired of the same old way of voting and they want a change so the sight of us makes them happy," she said.

Madam Dzogbenuku said this happens not only in the region but on the streets of Accra, people gather around the car whenever they see PPP number plates car I drive thinking it is Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom and they are excited.

"We are bringing the change, a change in running programmes and policies in a better way for the prosperity of all," she said adding that she won't give the percentage of their winning votes.

She said the considering the reception they are getting on the ground, they will surprise Ghanaians by the votes the PP would win votes and "by winning the votes, we are winning the election."

The Vice-presidential candidate does not believe their plans for Ghana when they win power are ambitious as they are things and policies which are doable.

"Whether the government in power has the political will to do it, that is it. Firstly, having the having the political will and that will spur us to work; two, the funds are already there, it is corruption that is taking the large chunk of our monies away. That will take care of some of the plans and policies we have in place," she said.

Regard jobs, she said the PPP Presidential Candidates is well noted for creating jobs and he will deliver on that to get Ghanaians employment.

She said she does not know how President John Mahama of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are going to deliver on their campaign promises.

President Mahama has promised a meter for each household in Abura while Nana Akufo-Addo has promised one dam for every village in the three Northern Region.

"I am not going to say these are over ambitious or not, they know their plans and how they are going to fund it," she said.

Madam Dzogbenuku said PPP only think about what have said they would do and they know they can do which are doable.

"We are different from the other two, so we won't promise anything like one this one that, what we are promising is jobs for every districts," the PPP running mate said.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim | Email: [email protected]
Government has increased the daily minimum wage for workers by 10 percent, Employment Minister announced.

Haruna Iddrisu made this disclosure after a Tripartite Committee meeting held in Accra, Wednesday.

The Committee is made up of the Ghana Employers Association (GEA), labour groups led by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Ghana Federation of Labour, the Fair Wages and Salary Commission (FWSC) and the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

By the increment which takes effect from January 2017, the current minimum wage of GH8.00 will rise to GH8.80.

Mr Iddrisu says the determination of the national minimum wage is a policy instrument which will affect individuals and organisations.

According to him, the overall aim of the determination is to make life more bearable for Ghanaians.

But GEA says it would have been best if government did not make the increment considering the prevailing harsh business environment in the country.

Executive Secretary of GEA, Alex Frimpong, was argued businesses are going through a lot of challenges due to the cost of living and taxes which have shot up.

The margins, he says are dwindling for businesses hence businesses will fare better without the increment.

Although he admitted the energy situation in the country is relatively better he says the cost of energy has risen up jeopardizing businesses.

Mr Frimpong is urging government to consider reviewing the tax regime that applies to income earners which are high.

We need to do a balancing act to ensure that while government earns revenue, employers are not affected in the long run, he said.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers | Email: [email protected]
By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA

Agogo (Ash), Sept 07, GNA - The Asante-Akim North District Assembly is mired in confusion over the money spent on security officers sent to the area to prevent tension between the people in Agogo and Fulani herdsmen from escalating.

Some assembly members are alleging that GHE90,000.00 was spent monthly on the police and military detachment for five months.

The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. Paul Averu, sharply discounts the figure and insists that averagely GHE70,000.00 was spent and that they had even put in a claim for reimbursement by the National Security Council.

An attempt by more than one-third of the membership of the assembly to pass a resolution, authorizing an investigation into the matter in line with the Standing Orders, on Tuesday, ended in violent clashes - throwing of punches.

The Presiding Member, Mr. Agyemang Prempeh, was forced to call off the meeting.

One of the members, Mr. Derick Amoah, pushing for thorough investigation to determine how much went into the maintenance of the security personnel accused the DCE of not being transparent in the assembly's spending.

Again, he claimed Mr. Averu, had failed to account for the money realized from the commercial use of a tractor bought by the assembly.

Additionally, he was misusing the official vehicle, resulting in frequent breakdown and high repair costs.

Mr. Averu, however, denied any wrong doing and told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that this was an attempt to throw mud at him - a smear campaign, something, which would not work.

He said revenue generated through the hiring out of the tractor was paid to the assembly's account and not to him.

GNA
Damongo (N/R), Sept. 7, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has said there is the need for Ghanaians to conduct themselves in a way that would preserve the peace and stability of the country.

He said the message of peace and stability is most important because it is the foundation for the economic and social development of the country.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the statement when addressed the Gonja Traditional Council at Damongo in the Gonja West District of the Northern Region.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur, who is on a campaign tour of the Northern Region, took advantage of his presence in the area to address the chiefs of the Gonja Traditional Council.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur said without peace and stability no matter the plans government make, nothing would happen because people would be more concerned about their life and security.

He urged traditional rulers in the country ensure peace in their areas as the nation draw close to the December 7 elections.

He called for peace and unity in the Gonja Traditional area and that the people must use the aged-old Gonja systems to resolve their differences.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur appealed to Ghanaians to be patient with President John Mahama as he rolls out his development agenda for the country.

He said development is a systematic process and government has to ensure that every part of the country gets part of the national cake.

He assured the chiefs of the Gonja Traditional area that the government would continue to provide infrastructural development area.

Abudulai Jinapor II, Buipe Wura and Vice President of the Gonja Traditional Council, commended President Mahama for the numerous infrastructural developments in the area.

The other chiefs in the traditional area also praised President Mahama for his development effort and called for a renewal of his mandate.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, announced that government has secured 89 million Euros to build emergency hospitals along Buipe-Tamale highway, Fufulso-Sawla road and Bole-Sawla highway.

He said plans are also underway for government construct a new water project for Damongo and its surrounding communities.

GNA
By Caroline Pomeyie, GNA

Accra, Sept. 7, GNA - Abraham Attah, Hollywood based Ghanaian actor known for his role in the Netflix film, 'Beasts of No Nation', has reached an agreement with AfriGold Impact to embark on a peace campaign for the December polls.

He said 'I will be in US during the election, however, it is important that Ghana remains peaceful before, during and after election. This is my home and my family is here so I support the cause of Afri-Gold Impact in its peace campaign.'

The Abraham Attah Foundation and AfriGold Impact campaign tour dubbed: 'Ghana Peace Drive', is to educate the public on the essence of maintaining peace in this political season.

The project will begin in October and will end after the December elections.

A statement delivered by Mawuko Kuadzi, the manager of Abraham Attah after the signing of the Memorandum of Understand said, 'Even though I will not be here in person, my input will be seen in different ways and this project will contribute greatly in ensuring peace'.

He said the team would tour to various communities to show an infotainment documentary and called on the media and general public to support the effort.

Mr Francis Botchwey, Director AfriGold Impact, said the documentary brings together messages from Emmanuel Bombande (Executive Director of the West African Network for Peace Building), Kofi Asante (Chairman of the National Peace Council), Fred Dogbe (Former Secretary of Christian Council), Bright Kweku Appiah (Executive Director of Child Right International), Sheikh Dr Nuhu Shaributu (National Chief Imam), and Ransford Tetteh (Former President of Ghana Journalists Association) advising the public against violence.

He said over ten thousand T-shirts with peace inscriptions will also be distributed for free as part of the campaign which is aimed at sensitising the public against violence and encouraging peaceful co-existence.

Mr Botchwey said 'not every Ghanaian has access to information and not all Ghanaians are literate. We want to reach out to the deprived communities and make them understand the importance of peace'.

GNA
By Hafsa Obeng, GNA

Accra, Sept. 7, GNA - A Labourer, David Anaba, was on Thursday arraigned for robbing one Rita Dede Nartey of her Nokia Lumia mobile phone worth GH 450.00.

David, who pleaded guilty to the charge, robbed the victim at Oyarifa in Accra.

He has since been remanded by the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh to reappear on September 19, for trial.

The prosecutor, Police Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu told the court that the complainant, Rita is a Fashion Designer, and lives at Oyarifa, while the accused person is a Labourer living at Ashanti Home Touch restaurant.

He said on August 31, at about 2230 hours, the complainant was making a phone call with her phone on the street of Salem a suburb of Oyarifa.

David who happened to be passing by, saw the complainant with the mobile phone, attacked her with a knife and robbed her and took to his heels and managed to remove the Sim card.

Police Chief Inspector Adu said the complainant who identified the accused informed the youth of Salem, and he was traced and arrested. The phone was retrieved from his house after which he was handed over to the Ayi Mensah Police.

He said a formal complainant was lodged and in his caution statement the accused person admitted the offence, stating that he needed money to pay for his rent, hence the act.

GNA
By Joyce Danso, GNA

Accra, Sept. 7, GNA - A man who entered the room of a female co-tenant, smeared pomade in between her buttocks after pulling his erected penis ostensibly to have sex with her, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment.

Oscar Anettey Abbey, a 45-year old fisherman who was charged with causing unlawful damage, unlawful entry and indecent assault pleaded guilty on August 29.

The Circuit Court, however, deferred his sentence to Wednesday.

The court presided by Mrs Rubby Naa Akweley Quaison ordered him to pay for the repairs of the trap door costing GH80 in default go to serve a day's imprisonment.

Sentences are to run concurrently

According to the court in sentencing Abbey it took into consideration his plea for mitigation.

The tenant was sleeping half naked in her room when Abbey broke in and conducted his nefarious act.

Prosecuting Detective Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the complainant was a 25-year old trader Lekia Adjeley residing at James Town.

On August 23, at about 02:30 hours while the complainant was fast asleep in her room, the convict used some implement to cut the net of her trap door entered into the room and saw the complainant half naked on her bed.

Prosecution said Abbey quickly fetched the complainant's Queen Elizabeth Cocoa Butter crAme close to her Television set with his finger and smeared it between complainant's buttocks.

Detective Inspector Atimbire said the complainant felt some sensation and when she woke up she saw accused person standing by her bed with his erected penis.

Complainant raised the alarm and chased him out of her room.

Sympathisers who came to the scene arrested him but he fled on the way to the Police Station at James Town.

Prosecution said the complainant reported the matter to the Police and he was nabbed.

GNA
Ashaiman (GAR), Sept. 7, GNA - Mr Atta Ayetey, the Progressive People's Party (PPP) parliamentary candidate for Ashaiman, has appealed to the people to vote for him to bring changes in their living conditions.

He said when given the nod he would provide the residents with better healthcare, good roads network, recreational centre and supply households with rubbish bins to prevent indiscriminate littering.

Mr Ayetey made the appeal when he embarked on a campaign for votes on the December 7 presidential and parliamentary polls.

He said he would ensure that the free compulsory education for every child is implemented for the children of the poor to also have access to acquisition of knowledge, while creating job opportunities to prevent crimes and drug use at Ashaiman.

GNA
07.09.2016 LISTEN

By A.B. Kafui Kanyi, Notse-Togo, courtesy Asogli State

Notse (Togo), Sept. 7, GNA - Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, has assured the chiefs and people of Notse in the Republic of Togo of a peaceful general election in Ghana, in December.

'I am very confident that we will come out more united,' he said. 'We are a peace loving people and I can assure you that the voice of the people will be respected.'

The assurance by Togbe Afede followed an appeal by Togbui Agokoli IV, Ewefiaga of Notse, asking Ghanaians to be tolerant and conduct the December polls peacefully.

Togbui Agokoli, who is also the President of the Togolese National House of Chiefs, was addressing a grand durbar to climax this year's Agbogboza of Ewes at Notse, which attracted Ewes from across the globe and some tourists and members of the diplomatic corps.

He urged the Ghanaian media, political parties and the Electoral Commission to work towards peace to safeguard Ghana's democratic credentials.

Togbe Afede expressed worry about election disputes and conflicts in the Sub-region, which he noted were aggravating hunger and poverty situations on the continent.

He urged political leaders in Africa to shun greed and use the resources in their countries to create jobs, improve health and education.

Mr Komi Selom Klassou, the Prime Minister of Togo, charged young people on the continent to go into agriculture.

GNA
07.09.2016 LISTEN

Gomoa Achiase (C/R), Sept. 7, GNA - Former President John Agyekum Kufuor says peace is the only weapon that can help the people to live in harmony with one another to ensure socio-economic advancement of the country.

He, therefore, entreated the citizenry to maintain the peace before, during and after the election to move the nation forward.

Former President Kufuor said this in a speech read on his behalf to climax the Annual Akwambo Festival of chiefs and people of Gomoa Achiase in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region.

'We cannot build this community if there is no peace in the country that can help to undertake meaningful development projects to raise the living standards.

'Let us see ourselves as one people with a common destiny trying to achieve a common goal and treat each other fairly regardless of our party affiliation,' he said.

Former President Kufuor, therefore, appealed to the sons and daughters of Gomoa Achiase to take their education seriously since education is the key to success in life.

He said education was the only weapon to eradicate poverty and called on all parents to support their children's education.

'Let us do our best for these children because they are our future and our hope to enable them to become useful adults in future,' he said.

He urged the youth to be extra vigilant in whatever they did in order not mar their future well-being.

Former President Kufuor and the Gomoa Central New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidate, Naana Eyiah, donated money in aid of the construction of a community center.

Naana Eyiah appealed to the electorate change their voting pattern and support Nana Akuffo Addo to make his vision of establishing one district one factory a reality to create jobs and wealth for the youth.

She said Ghanaians were going through terrible economic hardships and it was only the NPP, led by Nana Akuffo-Addo that could reverse the economy back to its former glory.

Nana Ofosu Yamoah, the Omankrado of Gomoa Achiase, expressed concern about the long standing chieftaincy dispute lingering in the town which had retarded the progress for the past five years.

She called on the chief, elders and kingmakers of the town to endeavour to work to end the dispute to make life better.

GNA
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijan can annually earn nearly $2.5 billion on cargo transportation, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Javid Gurbanov told reporters in Baku Sept. 7.

If we can make 50 million tons of cargo annually pass through the territory of Azerbaijan we will annually receive $2.5 billion of revenues by earning nearly $50 per ton, Gurbanov said.

Years are needed for that, since its necessary to attract the worlds attention to Azerbaijan, the head of the company added.

Speaking about the increase in volume of cargo transportation from the neighboring countries, Gurbanov noted in particular that the relevant talks are already underway with Turkmenistan.

The main route [of supplies] to Europe for Turkmenistan lies through Azerbaijan and Georgia, Gurbanov said. Now nearly two million tons of Turkmen oil passes through Azerbaijan, but we have the possibility to increase the transit of Turkmen goods through our territory.

To do this, we are in talks with Turkmenistan, he noted. It is unprofitable for Turkmenistan to supply its products to foreign markets through Iran due to the complex topography of the country, so Turkmenistan is interested to supply oil and oil products through the territory of Azerbaijan. In turn, we can enter the market of Afghanistan through Turkmenistan.

Gurbanov stressed that Azerbaijan is a very safe country.

There is no terrorism in our country, the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan and other state agencies work well, he said. We have stability, and that means one can transport cargo through Azerbaijan safely.

Moreover, Gurbanov noted that the modernization of road infrastructure should continue, the trains upgraded to increase their carrying capacity, or replaced by diesel and electric locomotives for the development of the cargo transportation sphere in Azerbaijan.

It is also necessary to revise the Tax Code of Azerbaijan, he said. We need to broaden the tax base and at the same time put the customs sphere in order and maybe carry out a customs reform.
Accra, Sept 7, GNA - An English-language version of a website operated by China's top court would make it easier for foreigners to learn how the country's courts make judgments.

It would also provide them with information about related judicial documents.

"We need to introduce the verdict website in English, as disputes involving foreign litigants are rising rapidly, and to assist in the preparation of related work," said Li Liang, Director of the Trial Management Department at the Supreme People's Court, on Tuesday.

Although verdicts must be written in Chinese to comply with the law, "We'd like to provide foreigners with a better guide in English on the website if they need to search for verdicts and related judicial documents," Li said.

He said some courts in coastal regions, such as Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, have been looking to provide foreigners with legal services amid an increasing number of foreign-related cases in these regions.

"We hope to ease access to courts for litigants, no matter where they are from," he said, adding that the English-language version would be based on the Chinese website that covers verdicts.

Since July 2013, the Chinese version has attracted more than 2 billion visits, including 500 million from overseas, and has published more than 20 million verdicts, according to the top court.

Liu Xuewen, a member of the court's Judicial Committee, said the website helps users who register to search for and download verdicts.

"This is an effective way to improve judicial transparency," Liu said.

To better regulate disclosure, the top court also issued a revised rule on Monday to clarify how verdicts should be released and the types of judgments that should not be disclosed.

From October 1, when the new rule takes effect, all verdicts should be open to the public online within seven days, and the range of disclosures will be expanded.

"In the past, some courts did not release initial rulings on the website as there was no unified standard on disclosure," Li said. "But starting in October, judgments made at any stage will be released."

The rule makes it clear that verdicts relating to divorces, offenders under age 18 and State secrets are exempt from disclosure.

Litigants' personal information, such as home addresses, bank account details and numbers of car registration plates or identity cards, should be deleted from the verdict, the rule states.

Huang Jin, President of China University of Political Science and Law, praised the new move, but said some courts are too conservative in making administrative and criminal verdicts public.

Of the 20 million verdicts published since July 2013, 3.6 million related to criminal cases, while 680,000 involved administrative cases, Huang said.

The website should also supply a channel for people to report suspected flawed verdicts or improper disclosure promptly, he said.

GNA
The chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs. Charlotte Osei has said that this year's election will be the most fiercely contested, expressing fears it could lead to violence if not well managed.

Mrs Osei has therefore called for public support for the EC to effectively manage the December 7, 2016 polls.

According to her, the proliferation of small illegal arms and the rising levels of drug abuse and joblessness among the youth are creating a fertile room for violence in this year's elections.

The chairperson of the election management body was speaking at a colloquium on reducing electoral violence in the December polls.

The World Bank has reported that over 47% of the active population in Ghana is unemployed. This situates us right in the middle of Africa statistics of 50% being unemployed. This again should be a cause for concern, she noted.

On the proliferating of illegal small arm in Ghana Mrs Osei said A report conducted by the small arms commission in 2014 informs us that now over 3.2 million weapons are in Ghana and out of this 3.2 million, 1.1 million are illegal. The troubling reality is that the proliferation of illegal small arms, create the environment for political related violence.

She added that statistics from the narcotic control board indicates a steadily high growing drug and alcohol abuse in Ghana.

She bemoaned the fact that the most affected demographically by the menace is the youth population.

Now we know that when we talk about conflict in election, the youth are most likely to be used. So when we put all this together it is probably a wakeup call for all of us, Mrs Osei stated.
business Bharat Forge eyes sales of 220,000 class 8 trucks this fiscal Speaking to CNBC-TV18 Baba Kalyani, CMD, Bharat Forge, said that the worst of North America truck orders is behind us. aA part of it is because of inventory correction and holidays are also over."
business It's time NCR diesel issue is put to rest: Tata Motors' Counsel Order passed by the NGT was with respect to private vehicles and not commercial vehicles, says Tata Motors Counsel Gopal Jain, adding it's time diesel issue be put to rest as.
you are here:
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7



By Aygun Badalova - Trend:



OPEC has the responsibility to restore oil market stability, and Iran will continue to support these endeavours and help bring fair prices that are conducive to both producers and consumers, Irans President Hassan Rouhani said at the meeting with OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo.



Rouhani noted that Iran had suffered greatly under sanctions, and it was vital for the country to make up for its lost oil production, said the message from OPEC.



Barkindo in his turn stressed that he will continue to work with all member countries to overcome the challenges and uncertainties facing the current oil market. He called for maximum flexibility and accommodation among member countries to help achieve market stability.



OPEC Secretary General also underlined the key role Iran has played within OPEC to achieve market stability and fair prices in the past.



Irans oil output stood at 3.9 million barrels per day (mbpd) before sanctions brought it down to 2.8 mbpd. The output now stands at 3.7 mbpd.



Saudi Arabia and some other countries used Irans partial absence from the market under sanctions to export beyond their OPEC quotas, with a result that the OPEC output for July stood at 33.69 mbpd while the official ceiling is 30.45 mbpd.



The informal OPEC meeting is expected in late September in Algeria. It is expected that the talks on oil production freeze will be held between OPEC and non-OPEC countries.



The meeting will be held at the fringe of the International Energy Forum in Algiers on 26-28 September.
5 September, 350 years ago

For three days horrific fires sweep through the city of London. All in all it ravages 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, and St Pauls Cathedral. The population of central London (within the city walls) at the time is just 80,000 people.

Estimates are 70,000 are left homeless. No one really knows the death toll. Its assumed not to be as high as expected. But the poor and middle-class arent accounted for. Even still, the fire was so hot there was no way to count bodies; there was nothing left but ashes.

The heat of the blaze was incomprehensible. Archaeologists say it hit 1,250 degrees Celsius.

On Monday 5 September 2016, Laurence Dodds wrote a brilliant piece about The Great Fire in The Telegraph. He steps through the whole event, day-by-day, almost hour-by-hour. His piece opens as he explains,

This is the story of a city on knifes edge, riven by religious and political tensions, made vulnerable to disaster by its own neglect and avarice. It is a story of official blunders which turned a minor, commonplace accident into an all-consuming conflagration. Its a story of chaos, mass hysteria, profiteering and racist violence  but it is also a story of some heroism and charity, from royal and commoner alike.

Sounds incredibly familiar

Dodds continues as he writes about the second day of the fire,

The xenophobic backlash noted yesterday is getting worse. Monday morning, writes the Earl of Clarendon, produced first a jealousy & then a universal conclusion, that this fire came not by chance. The French and the Dutch are primary suspects due to the ongoing war, but it could also be Catholics  perhaps even the Jesuits. The government takes no chances, ordering an embargo on anyone leaving the country via Gravesend or Dover.

Furthermore, a Dutchman was mobbed. His saving grace is the Kings brother, who happens to ride past. The xenophobia continues hour by hour. Random foreigners continue to fill the gaols.

The assumption is one of them started the fire. May as well lock them all up.

The fires continued until Tuesday, when the wind died and firebreaks begin to work. Eventually the fire burnt itself out. But the worst of the xenophobia came after London has burnt to the ground.

In the final parts, Dodds finishes by saying, The domestic refugee crisis and the rebuilding of London dominate politics for the next few years.

Again, sounds incredibly familiar

Is the fire still raging?

Today the chance of a great fire razing London to ashes is remote. In fact its probably impossible. Today the construction of buildings means mass fire would barely jump a street, let alone across a city.

And of course we have firefighters. They didnt even exist in 1666.

But what if there is a fire burning today? Just not a literal one.

I think there is. I think its underway, and theres little we can do to stop it. It will end, it will burn itself out. But it will leave damage. The only question is how much damage will it do to you?

The fire I talk about now is an economic one. The foundations of it are deep in the global financial system. Its actually been going for a while, thanks to poor government planning and bungled fiscal policy.

The economic fire that rages is similar to that of 350 years ago. Its by product is fear, panic and a big dose of xenophobia.

In looking for the arsonists, foreigners are viewed as criminals. The assumption is if theyre not from these parts then theyre a suspect. Guilty until proven innocent.

The parallels between the reactions to The Great Fire of 1666 to The Great Economic Fire of 2016 are uncanny.

Right now its fair to say the current economic fire isnt about to burn itself out just yet. It has some time to run.

Governments are trying to put it out. They are getting everything they can get together, trying to save their house. Unfortunately none of it is working.

Attempts to ring fence the blaze are futile. The ability to use monetary policy is weak. Its like trying to use buckets to put out a 1,250-degree fire.

Will there be anything that can stop this economic fire? Perhaps not. Perhaps this will simply burn. Burn until theres nothing left to burn anymore. At that point the devastation will be obvious.

But you can fight the fire. Dont rely on the government to help you out. They cant protect their own house. What makes you think theyll protect yours?

That involves a few simple rules of engagement.

Control what you can control

First and foremost recognise that some things are out of your control. You dont decide rates, stimulus packages, or when a country decides to run a drone strike on another.

Second, get the basics of investment sorted: diversify, have a plan, set goals, and keep things simple. These basics can go a long way to protecting yourself. Simple rules like managing your allocations to equities, property, cash and fixed interest can help ring fence your own financials.

Look for opportunity to douse any blaze that might get close. This can come in the form of investment opportunities. Typically short term investment opportunities. These can add to your safety net before things get too heated. Read more about that here.

But also think about having a strategy in place in advance to insulate you from a potential crash. My colleague Vern Gowdie is the foremost authority I can recommend for more on that. You can read about his plan to protect you from a raging economic fire here.

Perhaps most important of all, understand your own capabilities and limitations. You have to know your own ability to invest and protect your money.

You dont have to buy in to the fear and uncertainty that slams you on a daily basis. Yes, things arent great. Yes, there might be a global economic fire, but there are pockets of safety. These safe zones that can help you keep things under control, and keep the fire from burning your financials to the ground.

Regards,

Sam
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Vagif Sharifov  Trend:

Seventy-seven percent of the preparatory work for starting the delivery of Azerbaijani gas in 2018 as part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz fields development has been completed, BP Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey Gordon Birrell told reporters Sept. 7.

Gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 via the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and to Europe by 2020 via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), he added.

The contract for development of the Shah Deniz offshore field was signed on June 4, 1996.

The shareholders in the contract are BP (operator - 28.8 percent), AzSD (10 percent), SGC Upstream (6.7 percent), Petronas (15.5 percent), Lukoil (10 percent), NIOC (10 percent) and TPAO (19 percent).

As part of the Stage 2 of development of the Shah Deniz field, 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.

The reserve of Shah Deniz field is estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas and 240 million tons of condensate.

Shah Deniz Stage 2 will add a further 16 billion cubic meters per year (bcma) of gas production to the approximately 9 bcma produced by Shah Deniz Stage 1.
A group of people who found themselves at the center of a controversy have apologized for their comments.

An online media outlet based out of Charlotte, qnotes (goqnotes.com), reported on Monday that Scott Bumgarner Sr. had posted about Burke Pride on his Facebook page, calling the event a faggot fest. Kenny Aytes replied with target practice, and the conversation made headlines as some in the LGBT community felt threatened by the thread. However, the post was taken down by Facebook for displaying hate speech and both Bumgarner and Aytes have since apologized.

It was a conversation between me and my buddy, Mr. Aytes, Bumgarner said. There was never any intent for violence of any kind.

Bumgarner said that his post had been taken out of context and he meant that the event on Saturday would be a good target to protest peacefully. He did say that using derogatory language could have led to the reaction to the post.

I admit it was not worded right. I should have never used that word, he said. But I would never ever hurt another human being unless it was to protect my friends or family.

The post in its entirety was actually an attempt of Bumgarner to witness to a friend of his, a young woman who has affiliations with gays and lesbians, he said, and he actually was testifying to her.

Bumgarner said he couldnt control what Aytes posted in response and hed reprimanded his friend, telling Aytes Lets watch what we post on Facebook.

However, in the original thread, Bumgarners immediate reply is, Yes sir.

He said that comment was meant for another friend whod suggested people in the LGBT community need prayers, but that comment was deleted and so it looked like he was agreeing with Aytes.

What they are doing is wrong but God loves them the same as he loves yall (sic), Janie Presnell says in the thread in response.

Yes but they need to go back to the closet, Bumgarner replies.

Alice Smith responds with "Amen."

Bumgarner said that he does not deny that he opposes the LGBT community, but he never intended to provoke any violence.

I dont condone what went on Saturday, he said. But I dont believe in violence one single bit. If I ever met Mr. Loven (Seth Loven, president of LGBT Burke), Id tell him that I dont agree with what he does, but Id pray for him. God loves him and so do I.

In light of recent events such as the Orlando shooting, The News Herald asked Bumgarner if he could concede that the post could be viewed as a threat.

When the Orlando shooting took place, I wept, he said. Nobody has the right to take someones life. I like to think those 49 people didnt die instantly. I hope they had time to get right with God.

Bumgarner went on to explain that he would actually have defended event-goers, if the need arose.

If I was there and someone tried to shoot anyone, Id do everything I could to shoot them, he said. Id try to protect them people.

Along with an explanation and what-if scenario, Bumgarner also offered up an apology.

I do apologize for the things that was put in there, he said.

Smith also said she was sorry for the post.

"I don't believe in violence," she said. "It's wrong and not right. It's their choice all we can do as Christians is to pray for them."

Bumgarner also said his Facebook activity was going to change based on the backlash.

In the future, therell be no more posts like that. Ill post scripture, but itll be carefully worded.

I regret that I ever made that comment, he said. It wasnt right at all, and I will not ever do it again. My days on social media are numbered.

Aytes said he felt as though he couldnt freely express himself and his beliefs, which include being opposed to events such as Burke Pride.

Im sorry, but Im not gonna bow down to it either, he said.

Like his friend, Aytes also offered an alternative explanation for the post, which he said was taken out of context.

I just casually responded to a post on my friends page, he said. Were both members of the NRA. Maybe I meant we was going to go to target practice at his house.

Aytes also was asked about events such as the recent shooting at Pulse.

That was Orlando, he said. This is North Carolina. I have to worry about somebody being in the bathroom with my wife or my grandkids. And I have the right to defend against that.

Aytes admitted that the fear he has for his family in restrooms is the reaction his post invoked in some people, and what may be viewed as harmless can be terrifying to others.

I see what you're saying, he said. I guess I just didnt give it that much thought.
Sometimes, you stumble upon something that changes your perspective. That happened to me Sunday when I found a bookmark in the bottom of a gift bag. It read, "Love  It's not just a feeling. It's a choice. It's an action." The profound message made me reflect on the divisiveness that exists in our country today, as well as the importance of how we treat one another, and about our humanity.

Currently, there is so much political, racial and moral divide in our country that it is pitting Americans against one another. On social media, we've all probably encountered friends who fill their feeds with satirical, political memes in support or against a political candidate or piece of legislation. We've seen constant insults being posted as to the intelligence of someone who supports a different ideal or candidate than others. In some cases, we've witnessed friends becoming embattled with each other over such posts. We see prejudicial comments against people of different ethnicities, religions, beliefs and sexualities being tossed around as if these words don't contribute to spreading messages of hate and intolerance. Instead of trying to bridge gaps in thought and understanding and respecting each others' right to believe or live as we feel, some choose to feed the hate and widen the divide.

Such was the case on Saturday during the inaugural Burke Pride event held on the historic courthouse lawn. It was meant to be an event to celebrate love and tolerance. It was supposed to be about showing support for a community of people who've been demoralized, ostracized, marginalized and, sometimes victimized, because of their sexual orientation. For those who turned out Saturday to the first Burke Pride event, it was just that  a sign of support of the LGBT community. But for some others, it was an opportunity to spread hate, intolerance, spew vitriol and, for a few, a chance to attempt to threaten and incite violence.

More than 400 people, some donned in their brightest rainbow colors, turned out Saturday to stand with their friends and neighbors who are openly gay, according to LGBT Burke's Facebook page. Gathered on the lawn, event-goers enjoyed live music, snow cones, a variety of vendors and fellowship. What they probably didn't enjoy, but still tolerated peacefully, was the handful of protestors that brought signs with messages such as "God hates pride," and "Repent: Turn to Jesus or burn," and the shouting of condemnation by two self-proclaimed evangelists as well as several others. As reported in The News Herald on Tuesday, even young children engaged in the protests by yelling and throwing sticks in the direction of event-goers.

Even more disturbing was a Facebook post made by a local man saying, "Faggot fest in Morganton," which was followed by a response of "Target practice." The initial poster has since apologized for his words and said he would choose them more carefully in the future. The responder, too, has said he now realizes the fear that his words instilled in others. But, in a time in which gun violence has become a common occurrence, and less than three months after 49 people were killed and 53 wounded in the Orlando nightclub shooting, everyone should think before they speak (or post) as words can be not just painful or threatening, but dangerous. Words have consequences.

While the protestors and social media commenters had the constitutional right to speak their minds, their approach was in stark contrast to the LGBT community and their supporters. On the lawn were those who supported acceptance and empathy, and on the sidelines were those who chose to condemn those who didn't agree with their opinions.

The irony is that while the protestors exercised their constitutional right to protest, they were angered that Burke County LGBT members and their supporters were exercising their own. Those are rights that should be respected by all, despite our diversity of opinions or beliefs. They're rights we should be entitled to as human beings and not just Americans.

In the end, spewing insults, threatening or using violence will solve nothing. It only feeds the divide between us, diminishing humanity with every hateful, judgmental comment or step we make. I'd like to think we're better than that, but more and more I see where people's words and actions paint an ugly picture of who we've become.

I'm saddened for those who chose hate and intolerance of others. No one should use scripture, religion, personal beliefs, or whatever the case, to justify hating or condemning others. It's so easy nowadays to hide behind social media and use it as a way to insult or push our views or values on others. For some, it's become a venue of vitriol.

By contrast, if everyone made an effort to lift up, accept, or at the very least, respect one another despite our differences, the deep-seeded prejudices that exist would not emerge the victor. It is possible to disagree with each other on every subject and still be respectful but only if we refuse to feed hatred and intolerance and instead, choose to feed acceptance, understanding, empathy and, most of all, love.

As the bookmark said, "Love  It's not just a feeling. It's a choice. It's an action."

Let's choose love.

Editor Lisa Wall can be reached at 828-432-8939 or at lwall@morganton.com.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Huseyn Valiyev  Trend:

Azerbaijan exported more than 2.4 million tons of oil from the Turkish port of Ceyhan in August, SOCAR said in a message Sept. 7.

More than 1.27 million tons of this volume accounted for the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan.

In total, Azerbaijan exported 20.1 million tons of oil from the Ceyhan port in January-August 2016.

Azerbaijan has exported 311.3 million tons of oil to global markets from the Ceyhan port since the beginning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipelines operation.

Oil is delivered to Ceyhan port via the BTC pipeline.

The total length of the B is 1,768 kilometers, including a 443-kilometer section running through Azerbaijan, a 249-kilometer section in Georgia and a 1,076-kilometer section in Turkey.

Construction of the pipeline started in 2003. It was filled with oil in 2005.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:

Turkish Stream gas pipeline project is unlikely to join TANAP gas project, says Andreas Marazis, Project Manager and Researcher in European Neighborhood Council think tank based in Brussels.

With [Azerbaijani state oil company] SOCAR being a major stakeholder in TANAP, notably owing 58 percent, it is highly unlikely to approve such a proposal which will undermine its own future prospects to pump more gas to Europe after fully developing the second and third phase of its Shah Deniz gas field, Marazis told Trend by email.

At the same time Brussels will not be enthusiastic about such a possibility given its Energy Security Strategy which prioritizes diversification of supplier countries and routes, the expert noted.

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu proposed to connect the Russia-developed Turkish Stream pipeline which envisages Russian gas supplies to Turkey and further to Europe bypassing Ukraine to the TANAP pipeline, which will pump gas from Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas field to Turkey and to Europe. Cavusoglu said Ankara will buy only 16 billion cubic meters of Russian gas per year via the Turkish Stream. The remaining volume of Russian gas can be exported through Turkey via TANAP by connecting it to the Turkish Stream, he said.

Speaking about the Turkish Stream project, Marazis noted that Turkey will be able to consume gas from just one string of this pipeline, which begs the question of the gas from the second string of the pipeline.

The supplier has not secured a consuming market yet makes the project less important compared to Nord Stream II and the Russian-Chinese project Power of Siberia, he said.

Earlier, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia and Turkey will sign an intergovernmental agreement on "Turkish Stream" in one-two months to ensure construction of the first string of the pipeline by the end of 2019 for gas supplies to Turkey.

Turkish Stream project, which involves the construction of a gas pipeline from Russia to Turkey through the Black Sea, was frozen after the relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated in November 2015. In Aug. 2016 the Presidents of two countries Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to resume the implementation of the Turkish Stream project.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 7

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmenistan and Austria held the eighth meeting of their intergovernmental joint commission in Vienna, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a message Sept. 7.

According to the message, the Austrian side was headed by Deputy Minister for Foreign Economic Policy and European Integration from the Federal Ministry of Economy, Science and Research Bernadette Gierlinger.

The sides discussed the intensification of cooperation in such areas as trade, energy, ecology, processing industry, agriculture, construction, healthcare and pharmaceutics, the message said.

According to the message, a Turkmen-Austrian business forum, organized by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, was also held as part of the meeting.

Over 100 businessmen of the two countries attended the forum.

Following the forum the sides concluded contracts for purchase and supply of raw materials and equipment for food production as well as rendering transport services, the Turkmen ministrys message said.
The B.C. governments decision to implement a 15 per cent tax on foreign home buyers early last month might prove to be foremost on voters minds come the provincial elections next year, observers said.The need for decisive action in what has been deemed as a pressing electoral issuenamely, affordabilityis what prompted B.C. authorities to pass the new levy, University of British Columbia political scientist Max Cameron told The Canadian Press.Their gamble is that it's better to look like you're doing something than to appear indifferent or tone deaf to the issue, Cameron explained. This is a government that is very single-minded about its electoral calculations. That's what drives its policy making.The big fear on the part of the Liberals, to be blunt, is [NDP housing critic] David Eby filling town halls with angry residents saying, I cant afford to live in this place anymore and Im moving out, and the NDP capitalizing on that and carrying it forward as a central part of their campaign, he added.University of the Fraser Valley academic Hamish Telford noted that direct market intervention is the last thing that Liberals would consider, by the very nature of their ideologywhich might possibly lead to a catch-22 for the party.The risk here is that they cool off the housing market too much and they get trapped in a situation where, on the one hand, Liberal voters are losing equity, but (on the other hand) housing doesn't become affordable enough for those who already can't get into the market, Telford stated. One hopes that the 15-per-cent tax was calculated carefully enough that it would cool but not crash the market.University of Victoria political scientist Jamie Lawson agreed that the Liberals hands were ties lest they be seen as anti-free-enterprise, but added that its still too early to determine the final policy and social outcomes of the tax.It's actually quite a delicate thing they have to do and there aren't too many directions that a government with their commitments can go to provide really aggressive solutions.Latest date from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver revealed that home sales volume in the city sharply declined by 26 per cent last month on a year-over-year basis, possibly due to increased apprehension on the demand side.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 7

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmenistans Foreign Ministry, with the support of OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, hosted the fourth meeting of the regional technical working group on confidence-building measures as part of the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan, the OSCE said Sept. 7.



The Istanbul Process was established to provide a platform to discuss regional issues, particularly encouraging security, political and economic cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbors.



The participating states of the process are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates.



According to the OSCE message, the event was attended by representatives of the participating states as well as regional and international organizations, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).



The working group presented countries reports on their activities and plans for future action regarding infrastructure projects, the message said.



According to the message, participants also exchanged views on enhancing the efficiency of interaction between countries and international organizations during the implementation of projects.



Since 2012, Turkmenistan, jointly with Azerbaijan, co-chairs the Regional Infrastructure Confidence-Building Measures (RI-CBM) technical group.



The RI-CBM includes the implementation of a number of major regional projects, such as the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railroad, as well as electricity power lines.



The OSCE sees long-term security and stability in Afghanistan as having a direct impact on security in the OSCE region and undertakes various activities to support regional initiatives that address security and other issues in Afghanistan, said Natalya Drozd, head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.
The New Jersey attorney general says three people carried out an elaborate mortgage fraud and identity theft scheme that allowed them to steal nearly $1 million from various lenders.



Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced last week that Artis Hunter, 49, and Melissa Phillip, 41, had been arrested on charges of money laundering, conspiracy, identity theft and theft by deception. A third person, Laquan Jones, 42, was being sought as a fugitive on the same charges.



Hunter was the alleged ringleader of the group, which the AG says used stolen identities to scam more than $930,000 from lenders through at least eight fraudulent loan transactions  four mortgage loans, three home equity lines of credit and a car loan. The scheme had allegedly been operating since at least 2010.



The trio allegedly obtained the loans by setting up a complex web of phony identities in which practically every person or business involved in the loan was nonexistent, according to the AGs office.



They created all the hallmarks of a legitimate residential loan transaction by using stolen and fictitious identities to fill all of the required roles: seller, attorneys, settlement agent, title agent, homeowners insurance company, notary and other parties, the AGs office said in a release. The loan applications contained many falsified documents, including closing documents, wire transfer documents and title insurance documents, all of which were purportedly witnessed, prepared or reviewed by parties or professionals who, in fact, either did not exist or had no knowledge of the transactions.



The defendants created a convincing enough illusion of legitimacy that lenders processed the fraudulent applications, according to the AG. Once the loan was approved, the lender would disburse the proceeds  for the mortgage loans, those ranged from $196,000 to $230,000  to a bank account under the name of a title company or law firm. Needless to say, these title companies or law firms either didnt exist or had no

knowledge of the account opened in their names, the AG alleged.



At that point, the defendants or other co-conspirators allegedly withdrew the loan proceeds by visiting ATMs and bank branches in New Jersey to make numerous and frequent withdrawals, the AGs office stated. The withdrawals occurred over a period of time ranging from several weeks to several months until the entire amount stolen from the lender was withdrawn. Frequently, participants allegedly withdrew several thousand dollars from various ATMs or bank offices in a single day.



Mortgage loans are a tempting target for con artists because so much money is at stake and because lenders often conduct loan closings remotely, relying on electronic communications and paper, said Director Elie Honig of New Jerseys Division of Criminal Justice. I commend the state and federal investigators who handled this complex case and untangled the web of deception allegedly woven by the defendants.



If convicted, the defendants could face decades in prison. First-degree money laundering carries a 10-20 year sentence and a fine of up to $500,000, while first-degree conspiracy carries a 10-20 year sentence and a fine of up to $250,000. Second-degree crimes carry sentences of 5-10 years and fines of up to $150,000.


While the spotlight was focused on the Delaware Basins Wolfcamp and Bone Spring formations, Apache was taking a look at the Barnett and Woodford in the southern portion of the Delaware.

Now, after two years of work, the corporation announced the Alpine High resource play, where it estimates its acreage holds 75 trillion cubic feet of rich natural gas and 3 billion barrels of oil in the Barnett and Woodford formations alone. The company also sees significant oil potential in the shallower Pennsylvanian, Bone Spring and Wolfcamp formations. The acreage is primarily in Reeves County.

Weve worked this area pretty hard the last two years, John Christmann IV, Apaches chief executive officer and president, told the Reporter-Telegram in a telephone interview. This is very exciting news for Apache and for Reeves County.

He said the genesis of the Alpine High began in the second half of last year, when oil prices began tumbling to 13-year lows. The company moved into areas that were less competitive but that officials thought had promise and began accumulating acreage. Over the past two years, Apache built up a position of 307,000 contiguous net acres at an average cost of $1,300 per acre. The economics of the play is fantastic, Christmann said.

We went off the beaten path, he said. We went to an area we felt had as much merit (as the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring).

He said Apaches technical team recognized that contrary to common perception, the area was a stable paleo high that had very low clay content and held wet gas and oil.

As it performed strategic testing and delineation work, Apache drilled 19 wells; nine of them are now producing. Six are producing from the Woodford, one in the Barnett, and one each in the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring formations. Christmann said all of them were drilled horizontally, with relatively short 4,100-foot laterals, and all but two drilled into the Woodford. None of the wells has been optimized, he said.

To continue developing the Alpine High, Apache has increased its capital spending by $200 million and raised its 2016 capital guidance to about $2 billion, with spending on the Alpine High play representing more than 25 percent of the total spending program. Next year, the company plans to not only increase development activity in the Midland and Delaware basins but run four or five rigs in the Alpine High play.

Apache is also eyeing the Wolfcamp, with successful tests of the vertical No. 1P Redwood and the Third Bone Spring horizontal No. 2H Mont Blanc.

The Alpine High play has 4,000 to 5,000 feet of stacked pay in the Bone Spring, Wolfcamp, Pennsylvanian, Barnett and Woodford, and Apache has identified 2,000 to 3,000 future drilling locations in the Woodford and Barnett alone that can support a six-rig drilling program for 20 years. These formations are in the wet gas window and are expected to deliver a combination of rich gas and oil.

Initial estimates for the Woodford and Barnett zones indicate a pretax, net present value range of $4 million to $20 million per well, at benchmark oil and natural gas prices of $50 per barrel and $3 per thousand cubic feet, respectively. Expected well costs in development mode for a 4,100-foot lateral are estimated to be about $4 million per well in normally pressured settings and $6 million per well in over-pressured settings.

Christmann said the company believes there are multiple landing zones within both the Woodford and Barnett formations and the company will be looking at both stratigraphic tests and spacing tests.

Production has been limited by infrastructure constraints. As Apache brings on gas production from Alpine High in the remainder of the year, the company will be looking at options for building infrastructure. He said it hasnt yet been decided if Apache will build out its own infrastructure or work with midstream companies.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Sept. 7

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Council of Uzbek Parliaments Senate has decided to hold a joint meeting of the Senate and Legislative Chamber on Sept. 8.

This announcement was spread by Uzbekistans National Television.

The meetings agenda will include the discussions on candidacy of the countrys acting president.

Article 96 of the countrys constitution says that if Uzbekistans president is unable to exercise the presidential duties, head of the Senate of Parliament temporarily takes up the presidential duties and powers, and the country holds a presidential election within three months in full compliance with the law On Election of the President of Uzbekistan.

Currently, Nigmatilla Yuldashev is the head of the Senate.

Uzbekistans President Islam Karimov passed away Sept. 2 after suffering a stroke.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Farhad Daneshvar, Emil Ilgar  Trend:

Iranian companies, active in oil, gas, construction, pharmaceutical, car making and other industrial spheres will attend an exhibition in Baku, scheduled for September 19, Irans Trade Attache in Baku Mohammad Ebrahim Naghizadeh said during a press conference in Baku Sep.7.

He added that more than 50 Iranian companies will attend the exhibition.

"In the meantime, a business forum will be held in Baku on Sep.20, which is the largest forum between the two countries ever," he said.

Naghizadeh went on to add that 300 companies from Azerbaijan and more than 150 from Iran will attend the event.

According to Naghizadeh, trade turnover between Iran and Azerbaijan has increased by 70 percent in the first half of 2016.

He didn't mention any figures about the current year, but Hassan Mortajeh, the director of Pars Pegah company, which hosts of the exhibition said that in 1H16, Iran exported $178.5 million commodities to Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, Hassan Motazez, the head of exhibition, also said that the upcoming exhibition and business forum, called "Iran Project 2016", will play a key role in improving ties between the two countries.

"Iran Project 2016" is aimed at studying Azerbaijan's market, he said, adding that Iran aims to have a win-win relation with Azerbaijan.

Iran gives priority to neighbouring countries in boosting economical relations during the post sanctions era. The sanctions over Iran was eliminated in January 2016.

According to The State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the country has increased imports from Iran by 58 percent to $77.347 million during Jan-Aug year-on-year, while it's exports to Iran increased by 113.53 percent to $28.340 million in 7 months.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Farhad Daneshvar, Emil Ilgar  Trend:

Iranian companies, active in oil, gas, construction, pharmaceutical, car making and other industrial spheres will attend an exhibition in Baku, scheduled for September 19, Irans Trade Attache in Baku Mohammad Ebrahim Naghizadeh said during a press conference in Baku Sep.7.

He added that more than 50 Iranian companies will attend the exhibition.

"In the meantime, a business forum will be held in Baku on Sep.20, which is the largest forum between the two countries ever," he said.

Naghizadeh went on to add that 300 companies from Azerbaijan and more than 150 from Iran will attend the event.

According to Naghizadeh, trade turnover between Iran and Azerbaijan has increased by 70 percent in the first half of 2016.

He didn't mention any figures, but Hassan Mortajeh, the director of Pars Pegah company, which hosts of the exhibition said that in 1H16, Iran exported $178.5 million commodities to Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, Hassan Motazez, the head of exhibition, also said that the upcoming exhibition and business forum, called "Iran Project 2016", will play a key role in improving ties between the two countries.

"Iran Project 2016" is aimed at studying Azerbaijan's market, he said, adding that Iran aims to have a win-win relation with Azerbaijan.

Iran gives priority to neighbouring countries in boosting economical relations during the post sanctions era. The sanctions over Iran was eliminated in January 2016.

According to The State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the country has increased imports from Iran by 58 percent to $77.347 million during Jan-Aug year-on-year, while it's exports to Iran increased by 113.53 percent to $28.340 million in 7 months.
We have been cursed with leaders ...
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iran has signed seven memorandums of understanding with Japanese, Chinese and South Korean firms to build, renovate or develop refineries in Iran, the Islamic Republics Deputy Oil Minister Abbas Kazemi said.

Kazemi, who heads the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC), said projects will be implemented under the deals for reducing fuel oil production in various refineries in the country, Mehr news agency reported Sept. 7.

Preliminary agreements have been signed with Japanese firms Marubeni and Chiyoda to carry out the project in the Bandar Abbas refinery, located in southern Iran, he said, adding that South Koreas SK Group also will implement a similar project at the Tabriz Refinery.

He further said that another deal was signed with South Koreas Daelim for developing and improving the production processes in Isfahan refinery as well as elimination of fuel oil output in the refinery.

Kazemi added that talks have been held with Japanese JGC engineering company for decreasing fuel oil production capacity in Tehran Refinery, while a memorandum was signed with Nippon Oil for implementation of an oil refinery project in Tabriz.

The Iranian official also said talks have been held with a Chinese firm for increasing production capacity of Abadan oil refinery.

Kazemi underlined that the Japanese firms have been more active than other Asian companies in implementation of refinery projects in Iran.

Iran plans to decrease the share of fuel oil production from the total refining capacity which is about 27 percent at the moment.

Kazemi said in December 2015 that production of fuel oil in Iran will decrease to 10 percent of the total refining capacity by 2025.

Iran is the world's third major fuel oil producer, which indicates low performance of the country's refineries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Only two countries, Iran and North Korea remain in the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), said Iran's Economy minister Ali Tayebnia.

Cuba was also on the list, but got removed after cooperating with the FATF, Tayebnia said, Irans State TV 2 reported.

Without cooperation with the FATF, international banking transactions will be impossible for Iran, despite removal of sanctions against the country, Tayebnia said.

However he added that no commitment has been given to the FATF.

Earlier in June, a financial action plan was handed to Iran by FATF which needed to become operational, in order for Iran to be removed from the blacklist, Tayebnia said.

He added that Tehran in response to the international body announced its readiness for conditional implementation of the plan within the framework of the Islamic Republic Constitution.

The Iranian Anti-Money Laundering Supreme Council studied the FATFs suggested action plan and realized that the main part of that is in line with domestic regulations.

Only some parts of the action plan need certain changes in the laws, he added.

On June 24, the FATF decided to keep Iran on its blacklist of high-risk countries but welcomed Iranian promises to improve and called for a one-year suspension of some restrictions on Tehran.

The issue of Tehrans cooperation with the FATF raised objections in Iran as critics accused President Hassan Rouhani administration of having plotted with world powers to restrict some military personages and institutes under last years nuclear deal.

The Iranian government has said it is intent upon continuing cooperation with the FATF on anti-terrorism and money laundering actions despite the pressures from domestic critics.

The Supreme Anti-Money Laundering Council, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Economy, issued an announcement Sept. 6, saying the concerns and accusations of the critics are unfounded.
This Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the USA.

Pastor Jay Wynn of Rivers of Life Christian Fellowship in Sonora was Wednesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day.

There will be a special event called the One Voice Worship Celebration this Sunday morning at 10 AM in the Sierra Building at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds.

One Voice is an alliance of churches and organizations in Tuolumne County that include: Sonora Regional Medical Center, Chapel in the Pines, Country Cowboy Church, New Life Lighthouse, Rivers of Life Christian Fellowship, Sonora United Methodist Church, South Hills Community Church and Word of Life Fellowship.

According to Wynn, The theme for this event is An Appeal To Heaven as stated by George Washington, who as commander in chief of the Continental Army in October 1775, commissioned a flag bearing that phrase to be flown by six squadrons. It was a symbol of this nations dependence upon Almighty God to accomplish all that was being planned in the birth of this nation.

Wynn continued, On this fifteenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on our nation and with all that is facing this nation with the elections, economic down turn and trouble, the threat of terror attacks, and the general condition of our nation, we as Pastors deem that it is time to come together as churches and declare our unity in Christ and call our churches to pray for our nation. As a counter to the death and destruction our nation faces, we will be raising funds to help support the new lives coming into this world through the ministry of Foothill Pregnancy Center.

The guest speaker is Pastor Woody Barnett. As a full time pastor and missionary for over 52 years, Pastor Barnett has served parishes in Ohio and Pennsylvania and has served as the Prayer Pastor for Covenant Church of Pittsburgh. He has served as a missionary to many countries throughout the world. From Nigeria to Austria, Berlin to Morocco his emphasis has been in the area of on site intercession. Domestically, Pastor Woody has served as an intercessor with Senator Sam Brownbacks prayer team in Washington, DC.

The public is invited to bring a lunch or buy a fundraiser luau lunch hosted by Sonora United Methodist Church, with the proceeds going to Foothill Pregnancy Center.

The Manzanita building at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds will be set aside for children during the Worship Celebration. Screened adults will supervise the kids. For more information call 209-559-9547.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Emil Ilgar  Trend:

Iran hopes to inaugurate the Khesht field to be able to start light oil export to Hungary, Seyed Mohsen Ghamsari, director for international affairs at the National Iranian Oil Company, told Mehr news agency Sep. 7.

He said Hungarian company MOL wants to purchase 30,000-40,000 barrels per day of light oil from Iran, but that is possible only after commencing the Khesht field.

The Khesht field with 1 billion barrels of in-situ oil reserves, of which 270 million barrels are recoverable, has been developed since 2005. The first phase of the development project, aimed to produce 20,000 barrels per day (b/d) should have been commenced until March 2016, but it was postponed. The second phase of the project also would add further 10,000 b/d to this level.

Mehr reported that Kheshts first phase have been completed by 80 percent.

The API gravity of Kheshts reserves is 30 degree.

Iran announced last October that the first phase of the project was completed by 80 percent, which indicates that the country hasn't developed the project since last October.

Mehr says the project has faced financial problems.
An historic NASA mission embarking Thursday  the first U.S. attempt to sample an asteroid  may point to the origins of the solar system.

NASA launch Thursday for OSIRIS-REx mission

1st US mission to sample an asteroid

Mission will help in search for origins of life

RELATED: Upcoming Space Coast launch schedule



It's a big mission for a small sample, heading three quarters of a million miles into space to one of several thousand near-Earth asteroids, on a seven-year mission.

Asteroid Bennu was chosen because it's not too far from our planet and because it's a big one: 500 meters across, about the size of a small mountain.

Smaller asteroids tend to spin quicker, throwing off any loose debris on the surface.

"About one year after launch, and going around the sun once, we will do a gravity assist and change the plane of the spacecraft, put it in the same plane as the asteroid Bennu," said OSIRIS-REx Project Manager Michael Donnelly.

Two years after launch, in August 2018, the OSIRIS-REx will arrive at Bennu.

But the critical moments won't happen for two more years, when in July 2020, the craft's 10-foot-long arm will dip down, and for just 3 seconds, bounce off the surface to collect just a couple of ounces as a sample.

"We have great science ahead of us. I'm really excited to get to this milestone, launched to its journey to Bennu and back," OSIRIS-REx Principal Investigator Dante Lauretta said.

Then comes the trip home, getting back to Earth in September 2023. The sample will be delivered into the hands of scientists to study.

The Atlas V rocket carrying the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is set to lift off Thursday between 7:05 p.m. and 9 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Right now, there's an 80 percent chance of good weather.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating a shooting that involved police -- and a bank robbery suspect -- in Brevard County.

Suspect in armed bank robbery shot, killed in Titusville, cops say

Police: Officer 'was forced to use deadly force'

Suspect was male Titusville resident, they said



An officer shot and killed Jesse Daniel Joynt, 35, of Titusville, Wednesday morning.

According to Titusville police, Joynt robbed the Bank of America on Barna Avenue around 11 a.m. Police said when they arrived, the robbery suspect -- armed and carrying the stolen cash  was on the run down the street.

The preliminary investigation reveals that our officer did fire his weapon based on the actions of the suspect," said Deputy Chief Todd Hutchinson with Titusville Police Department.

Officers on scene of officer involved shooting of an armed bank robbery suspect @ Harrison & Barna. Suspect deceased. No officers injured.  Titusville Police FL (@TitusvillePD) September 7, 2016

Paramedics took Joynt to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police said they found two handguns on the suspected robber, but would not elaborate on how the robbery -- or subsequent shooting -- took place.

The incident did not injure any officers, but rattled customers of the bank.

I was going up to the bank to get money, and they told me I couldnt get it, because somebody had robbed the bank," said Connie Wilkes. "I walk alone a lot, so it does scare me."

Had the officer not taken action, police said, things could have panned out differently for others in the shopping area.

Were grateful that no innocent people were injured obviously, this is a busy area," Hutchinson said. "Fortunately officers took actions that they felt they had to do. And were fortunate that nobody else was injured."

The officer who was involved in the shooting has been placed on paid administrative leave, per standard policy, as the FDLE investigates.
TEMPLE - U.S. Department of Agricultures Rural Development Under Secretary Lisa Mensah on Sept. 6 announced grants to preserve and repair affordable housing for very-low- and low-income families living in rural areas.

Many rural property owners struggle to afford the upkeep and repairs to their apartments, particularly as the units get older and need more work, Mensah said. These grants will help them make these repairs and upgrades. This funding will go a long way toward preserving the supply of safe, affordable rural housing.
POST -- Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Dean Bohannon is seeking information on the theft of five saddles, four ATVs, a shop welder and assorted tools from the Drew Kirkpatrick Ranch headquarters south of Post on Hwy 669.

According to Bohannon, the theft occurred between 7 p.m. Sunday, July 24 and 7:30 a.m. Monday, July 25.
Assorted hand tools worth $1,000 and a car stereo valued at $100 were taken in the burglary of a vehicle at 11 a.m. Monday in the 200 block of Denver. Entry was gained by breaking a window, causing $100 damage.

--A residential burglary reportedly occurred between 4 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. Friday in the 200 block of Southeast Sixth. A list of missing items was not available.

--A 48-year-old Plainview man was arrested at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 600 block of North I-27 for burglary of a vehicle and possession/delivery of drug paraphernalia. According to jail records, he was being held on $200 bond for the drug paraphernalia charge and a total of $7,500 in bonds on three vehicle burglary charges. A 41-year-old Plainview female was arrested at the same time on a vehicle burglary charge. She was not listed on Tuesdays jail book-in report.

--Police are investigating an incident involving criminal trespass and terroristic threat about 6:50 a.m. Tuesday in the 600 block of North Columbia.

--A 22-year-old Plainview woman was arrested in the 2800 block of Olton Road at 12:53 a.m. Tuesday following a traffic stop. The charge is possession of a controlled substance between 1 and 4 grams. She was being held without bond Tuesday morning at Hale County jail.

--A 58-year-old Tulia man was arrested at 11:18 p.m. Monday in the 3000 block of Edgemere Drive on an outstanding local warrant for violating a promise to appear. He was held on $200 bond at Hale County jail Tuesday.

--A 31-year-old Plainview man was arrested at 9:25 p.m. Monday in the 1800 block of West Ninth for driving while license was invalid with previous conviction. He was held on $1,500 bond at Hale County jail Tuesday.

--An unknown person stole $28 in fuel about 7 p.m. Monday from the 4000 block of Olton Road.

--A 28-year-old Plainview female was arrested about 12:30 a.m. Monday in the 1600 block of North Date on charges of assault causing bodily injury/family violence. She was held on $2,500 bond Tuesday at Hale County jail.

--A 28-year-old Plainview man was arrested at 5:51 p.m. Monday in the 4200 block of Dimmitt Road for outstanding Justice of the Peace warrants for speeding, no valid drivers license and failure to appear. He was held without bond at Hale County jail Tuesday.

--A 27-year-old Hale Center woman was arrested at 11:35 a.m. Monday in the 1400 block of South I-27 for outstanding local and JP warrants for failure to appear/bond jumping, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, failure to maintain financial responsibility, parked in handicap zone and no liability insurance. She was held in Hale County jail Tuesday on bonds totaling $800 for the first four charges. No bond was set on the final charge.

--Police are investigating an incident involving assault causing bodily injury to a child and assault where a common-law spouse suffered injury. That dual incident occurred 2-2:30 p.m. Monday in the 1000 block of Travis.

(Anyone with information on crime in Plainview and Hale County may contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 293-8477 or 293-TIPS.)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has lashed out at Saudi rulers over Mina stampede that claimed hundreds of lives last year during Hajj ritual.

If we do not say Mina stampede was premeditated, this incompetency and lack of prudence is a crime, the official website of the leader quoted him as saying at a gathering of the relatives of Iranian victims of Mina stampede that took place last year near the holy city of Mecca.

Saudi rulers did not even apologize to Muslim nations for Mina stampede, how indecent and shameless they are, he added.

He further criticized those Muslim states that remained silent about the incident and said the Islamic Republic was the only country that slammed the Saudi government.

Silence towards Mina stampede is a great calamity. Muslim nations are suffering and it is a disaster for the world of Islam, Ayatollah Khamenei said.

Islamic Ummah [Arabic word for nation] was bereaved in Mina stampede and about 7,000 people were killed, but no country other than Iran reacted and they remained silent, he noted.

About 500 Iranian Hajj pilgrims were killed in Mina stampede last September.

Although Riyadh says that 770 individuals were killed in the incident, Iran, which had the greatest number of deaths among foreign nationals, has put the death toll at about 4,700.

The Mina tragedy came after, a massive construction crane collapsed onto the Grand Mosque in Mecca, killing more than 100 people, including a number of Iranians.

Ayatollah Khamenei earlier denounced Saudi Arabias management of the Hajj pilgrimage saying Saudi rulers were to blame for the deaths of hundreds of pilgrims in both incidents during last years rituals.

Reacting to Irans critic point, Saudi Arabia's top cleric, Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh, has said Iranians are not Muslims.

In turn, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hit back at Saudi cleric on his Twitter page.
For years Connecticut Republicans have called for policy changes to reduce business burdens. The less you tax a business, the more capital it will have to invest in growing services and jobs. That growth translates to more funding for the state through sales tax revenue, income tax generation, and individuals investing in their local economies.



The Democrats recent publicizing of job growth and potential benefits of the First Five Plus Program actually amplifies the Republican philosophy of reducing burdens to create a more vibrant economy. However, the big difference is that the Democrats have instead pursued a strategy of picking winners and losers, reducing the burdens of a select few through tax credits and grants while increasing burdens on the rest of the state to pay for their choices. In the typical hypocritical style of the Democratic majority, while promoting the First Five program, they also argue that businesses need to pay more in taxes to make up their fair share.



Rather than reducing burdens on all businesses and allowing everyone the same opportunity to grow and keep revenue, Democrats want only those companies that they select to get special treatment. As a result, everyone else pays more for those few. The logic is baffling and boarders on insanity.



Republicans have a different vision. We believe in creating an economy that incentivizes development by reducing burdens for everyone and moving government out of the way. We need to give every business large and small the same advantage. We have to show job creators that our state is dedicated to helping them succeed, not squeezing them for every penny.



To do this, we have to create new opportunities. We need to stimulate the economy by reducing taxes on businesses and individuals. We need to forge partnerships between new businesses and local schools to create the best trained workforces possible with curriculums tailored to local business needs. We must encourage businesses to breathe life into our cities through a tax exemption program open to any business capable of committing to brownfield redevelopment. We need to create a stable and predictable government so that employers dont have to worry about what new taxes they might get hit with in a bad budget year.



While many Republicans initially voted in support of the Democratic majoritys First Five legislation, it has morphed into something we never envisioned, which is why we have demanded more accountability for years. We sought to require legislative approval for each participating company and we opposed the inclusion of certain businesses, such as the worlds largest hedge fund. But our protests were ignored by Democrats, and now the program has added a damaging amount of debt to our state, placing more burdens on our families and children.



The true absurdity is that to defend their oversized program, Democrats are now latching on to the very argument they have shunned for years: in order to grow our economy we have to reduce taxes, infuse capital and encourage businesses to flourish. But this rhetoric clashes with their calls for businesses to pay more, with their burdensome business policies, and with the insults Democrats have lobbed at businesses who dare to question state budgets that starve businesses of much needed capital.



Over the past two years we have seen Democrats call business complaints about being overtaxed overblown and childish. Weve heard them mock GE to the point where they up and left. Weve watched them pass budgets that ignored the concerns of job creators. Thats not how you grow jobs.



Republicans believe that by decreasing the financial and regulatory restraints on employers large and small we can foster sustainable economic growth and job creation. Democrats may finally be seeing the value in that message for those businesses they want to help, but their approach forces more tax increases on all the rest of us. It adds to the problem. Picking winners and losers is no long-term solution.



 The writer serves as Senate Minority Leader and represents the towns of North Haven, East Haven, Wallingford and Durham.






Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7



By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:



Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has accused Saudi Arabia of backing terrorism in the region.



"Saudi government committing crimes in the region and backing terrorism is actually shedding the blood of Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Yemen and savagely bombards the Yemeni women and children on a daily basis," presidents official website quoted him as saying.



Rouhani called on regional and Muslim countries to take coordinated measures aimed at resolving the existing problems and punishing the Saudi government.



The existing problems regarding Saudi Arabia are beyond issues such as Haj, he added.



He further touched upon the mentioned stampede which took hundreds of lives last year in Saudi Arabia.



"The Saudi government should be held accountable for the incident but it has refused to extend even verbal apology to the Muslims and the Islamic countries," he added.



About 500 Iranian Hajj pilgrims were killed in Mina stampede last September near the holy city of Mecca.



Although Riyadh says that 770 individuals were killed in the incident, Iran, which had the greatest number of deaths among foreign nationals, has put the death toll at about 4,700.



The Mina tragedy came after, a massive construction crane collapsed onto the Grand Mosque in Mecca, killing more than 100 people, including a number of Iranians.



Ayatollah Khamenei earlier denounced Saudi Arabias management of the Hajj pilgrimage saying Saudi rulers were to blame for the deaths of hundreds of pilgrims in both incidents during last years rituals.
The states plans to widen Highway 1 in Pacifica have run into a new legal roadblock with a federal judges ruling that Caltrans gave misleading information to federal officials about the projects impact on two imperiled species, the California red-legged frog and the San Francisco garter snake.

The state Department of Transportation assured the federal government that it had agreed to protect 5.14 nearby acres of the creatures habitat from development  without mentioning that the parcel had been already protected from development by a 1996 agreement between Pacifica and the California Coastal Commission, said U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of San Francisco.

He said Caltrans had known about that agreement since at least August 2011 but failed to notify the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which was reviewing the environmental effects of the project. The state agency said it would also improve the creatures habitat on an adjoining 5.46-acre parcel, but provided only a vague description of its plans, Chhabria said.

Caltrans gave bad information to the Fish and Wildlife Service and has only itself to blame for the flaws in the approval process, Chhabria said in a ruling issued Friday. He ordered the state agency to begin a new consultation process with federal wildlife officials on the highway projects likely impact on the two species.

Jeff Miller of the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the environmental groups that filed the suit, said, Caltrans cant continue to ignore conservation and environmental-review laws. Were hoping the agency gets the message that the community doesnt want or need this wasteful and damaging highway-widening project.

Caltrans spokesman Myeast McCauley said the agency will be working with its project partners to discuss and determine options and next steps.

The agency has proposed widening 1.3 miles of the Pacific Coast Highway from four to six lanes to relieve congestion on the route that runs through the San Mateo County community. Formally approved in 2013, the project is budgeted at $52 million.

Its future is uncertain, however. Chhabria quoted Caltrans officials as saying the project is on the shelf, with no funding yet approved, and may never be built.

The judge said Caltrans has acknowledged that the construction would destroy 6.61 acres of habitat for the red-legged frog and garter snake and would displace the creatures from an additional 2.95 acres during construction. To compensate, the state agency told federal officials it would preserve 5.14 acres of habitat owned by the city of Pacifica and improve conditions on another 5.46 acres to make the land more attractive to the two species.

The Fish and Wildlife Service approved the plans, finding that they would not harm the environment. Chhabria said the federal agency had relied heavily on Caltrans assurance of new habitat for the imperiled species, without knowing that Pacifica had already barred development on the 5.14 acres when the city won Coastal Commission approval for a new wastewater treatment plant west of Highway 1 in 1996.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
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San Franciscans  spared from hot, dry weather for most of the summer  faced the sizzling forces of nature Wednesday when temperatures downtown reached the 80-degree mark for the first time since May 17.

That was 113 days ago.

Instruments downtown recorded a reading of 82 degrees sometime between 11 a.m. and noon as a ridge of growing high pressure ushered in dry conditions and forced out clouds, said Brian Mejia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The high pressure should slide out of the region after Wednesday, he said.

All in all, weve got a drier pattern for today, Mejia said. Tomorrow it should be a little bit back to normal.

For downtown San Francisco, normal will mean temperatures will plummet as much as 15 to 20 degrees between Wednesday and Thursday. The milder weather will continue through the weekend, Mejia said.

In San Francisco parks and streets Wednesday, people unaccustomed to the heat shed layers and sought shade to stay cool.

Some, like Enrique Valdivia, a 41-year-old city resident, cut their workouts short after feeling the rising heat. On Wednesday, he jogged for 45 minutes, about half what he normally does.

Its great of course. Nothing beats exercising outside when it feels like this, he said in between doing reps with a resistence band in the Yerba Buena Gardens. But you have to have plenty of water. You have to be prepared.

Nearby, Lily Manuel, 47, a nursing assistant and South San Francisco resident, was meditating in the sun on her day off from work.

This weather sometimes, oftentimes, its not as nice as this, she said. So take advantage of this while it lasts.

Inland, cities Wednesday reported temperatures in the 80s and 90s, with coastal regions in the 60s and 70s.

The highs Wednesday came just a day after San Francisco hit 73 degrees, the first time the city saw temperatures top 70 in 42 days.

This is more usual than unusual, for sure, to see it start getting warmer in September, said Jan Null, the meteorologist of Golden Gate Weather Services.

In a recent blog post, Null tracked the dates various California cities reach their highest temperatures, based on 30-year averages. While most see peaks in July and some in August, San Francisco is consistently last in the pack, reaching its highest temperatures typically in late September.

It all kind of fits in what we expect climatologically, he said.

The combination of heat and light winds prompted the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue a Spare the Air alert for anticipated high levels of smog from car exhaust. It was the 19th alert so far this year.

On top of the alert, the air quality agency Wednesday warned that smoke from the Gap Fire in Siskiyou County near the Oregon border will negatively impact the Bay Area through Thursday.

Michael Bodly and Kimberly Veklerov are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michael_bodley @kveklerov
Digging into the San Francisco Chronicle's digitized ancient archives, it's hard to not get distracted. Various snippets catch the eye. When searching for brothels and bordellos, of all things, I noticed a brief mention of Lunacy Commissioners who examined two persons September 1869, and ordered them to Stockton. I had to look further, so my search shifted to lunacy AND commission.

Below you'll find a sampling of the reporting I found. I felt like I had to share these news briefs because the way people are described as "a soap man" or "unfortunates" or simply "silly" is just so different from how these cases would be reported today. When you see "sent to Stockton" referenced, it likely means they were committed to the state asylum that opened there in the 1850s.

According to Chronicle reporting from 1897, the "examination of lunatics" was the exclusive realm of the Lunacy Commission. At that time the commissioners were appointed by the governor. It's not clear how the commission was formed in prior decades. It appears there was a concerted effort at the state level to improve oversight of mental health facilities at the end of the 1800s, and eventually reporting on mental health problems grew more infrequent.

From the Chronicle Archives:

April 11, 1865. Insane Sailor - Joseph Church a sailor on the ship Lucy E. Ashby was today examined by the Commission of Lunacy, and ordered to be sent to the Asylum at Stockton. Church is a native of New York, aged 37 years, and served as a seaman on the Ashby during her late voyage from Shanghai. His insanity is of the most violent character, he manifesting a disposition to tear up clothing and smash and destroy everything he can lay his hands on. On the voyage he threw all his clothes overboard.

April 13, 1865. Disappointed in Love - Ann Monahan, a widow 25 years of age, was yesterday pronounced insane by the Commission of Lunacy, and committed to the Asylum at Stockton. The cause of her insanity is a disappointment in love which has settled into melancholy. She has been much attached to a young man in this city who had promised to marry her, but broke his promise. She talks of him continually.

May 10, 1865. Insane People - James Murphy and John Lieneban were examined by the Commission of Lunacy today, declared insane and committed to the Asylum at Stockton. Murphy thinks that Dr. Toland mesmerized him some 4 or 5 years ago, from the effects of which he has never recovered. He has repeatedly threatened to kill the doctor. He is a native of Ireland, and aged 45 years. Lienehan is silly. He continually prays to the Chinese doctor, and says his skull has been fractured, but that the Chinese doctor opened it and mended it with wires. He is a native of Ireland, and aged 41 years.

November 8, 1866. Alleged to be insane - Professor J.M. Gilliard, lecturer, was arrested today on the complaint of his wife, who charges that he is insane. The professor says there are two sides to every story; that he and his wife have had frequent family jars, until his home is anything but peaceful or happy. He says that he went home this morning to cook his breakfast, she having refused to cook for him, when she instituted a series of petty annoyances, which ended in his excelling his step-daughter from the house. The neighbors came in and quite a scene ensued, in which a guitar was broken over the Professor's head, his shirt front disarranged, and he was altogether pretty roughly handled. He says his wife previously burnt his lecture manuscripts, due to envy over his "tre-men-dous" success. He stated that his "lectures were in his brain, not on paper." This was the story the professor gave from behind bars. The commission postponed his examination for the next day.

September 7, 1870. A German woman named Marian Wehrlich, aged thirty-eight, married, and the mother of six children, was examined by the Commission of Lunacy yesterday and directed to be sent to Stockton. She has been showing symptoms of insanity for fifteen years, and has become so violent as to require constant attention. She imagines everything is fire and cries "fire" all the time.

John Tobin was also committed to Stockton. He is a native of Ireland, fifty years of age, and has been in this State thirteen years; imagines that people on the streets are constantly shooting at him; that he is able to catch the bullets with is hands; that persons pour buckets full of water on his head from the ceiling; and that the city is soon to be burned down.

July 13, 1871. Nellie E. Butler was yesterday examined by the Lunacy Commission, and found wanting. She is thirty-three years of age, and came to California about five years ago, from Tennessee. She is subject to a variety of delusions; imagines she is very wealthy, and supposes she has an investment of $3,000 in the Bank of California. She is constantly running about among her acquaintances, annoying them by her fantasies. An idea is in possession of her to the effect that she is a spiritual medium. The Commission declared her morally and intellectually insane. She has an unpleasant habit of taking anything she can lay her hands on. Her condition is in some measure a result of a habit of taking opium in considerable quantities. The reason given for this habit is that during the [Civil] war she was wounded in the foot by a rebel soldier, and the opiate relieves her pain.

July 19, 1871. Two more unfortunates sent to Stockton. Louis Greenwald was yesterday examined before the Commission of Lunacy and found to be insane. He is 27 years old, a native of Prussia, and came, three years ago, to California, from Auckland. He talks in a foolish, rambling and incoherent manner, not confining himself to any particular topic, but branching out each moment on some different subject. He has an idea that he can swim back to Aukland. He was not of a violent nature. And, having little property left, the unfortunate was sent to Stockton.

Samuel Hughes, an old gentleman of 60 year of age, and a native of New Jersey, was found to be insane and sent to Stockton. He came to California in 1849. Of poor health, with symptoms of an unsound mental organization, he persisted in visiting the servant girl's room, and behaving very naughtily, with a seeming ignorance of the rights and duties in such cases made and provided. He lately very much annoyed a lady friend by his habit of visiting her incessantly and endeavoring her to become his wife. At one time he had to be bodily carried away by a policemen. Apart from his very sociable habits the man does not appear to be objectionable. He has $1,604.30 invested in the San Francisco Savings and Loan Society.

June 26, 1898. Insane Henderson again taken into custody. In Oakland. Stephen Holliday Henderson, the insane man who was but recently released from the Stockton Insane Asylum, was arrested late this afternoon by Constable Quinlan for creating a disturbance at Harrison's saloon on High Street in Fruitvale. Henderson will be examined by the Lunacy Commission Monday. Since his release from the Stockton Asylum, Henderson has been writing similar letters to those which made him famous before his incarceration. Today Mayor Thomas received the following characteristic epistle from the insane man:

Mr. Mayor, Oakland - Mr. Thomas - Dear Sir: You are hereby asked to pay me the sum of $50,000,000 due me for services rendered while in congress. If you fail to comply with this order I shall have your office taken away from you and your head chopped off, etc. Your humble servant, ex-Mayor Belfast, Ireland, Colonel Stephen L.H.W. Henderson.

February 10, 1899. Dennis Roach was mistaken for a burglar at a bakery at 1126 Harrison Street. He was confined to the tanks at the City Prison pending investigation. He grew violent, shrieking at the top of his voice and butting his head against the cell walls. After two hours of this, it was determined that he was demented. He was sent to the detention hospital for insane persons. The Lunacy Commissioners pronounced him a victim of delerium tremens. Two friends confirmed that he had been intoxicated since he was discharged from the Army. He is still in a padded cell.

January 19, 1902. Madman visits signal tower. In Oakland. As Towerman T.L. Holden of the Southern Pacific Company sat keeping his midair vigil at First and Franklin Streets last night, a stranger came bustling up the stairway. "I am the inspector," said the stranger, and Holden let him in. First the mysterious inspector piled coal into the stove until the metal turned white from the heat. Next he wanted to polish the stove, but Holden convinced him that he had better wait until it cooled a little. Then the inspector announced that he would carry the stove down stairs. this meant the burning of the tower and one death at least, and Holden used all his powers of persuasion before the queer visitor changed his mind. The towerman saw that he was dealing with a madman, so at the first opportunity he signaled to the men on one of the harbor bridges. They sent for the police, and soon afterward the bogus inspector was taken to jail. Today the towerman's visitor was identified as Henry C. Jones, a laborer. A commission in lunacy found that he was demented and Judge Hall ordered that he be committed to the Stockton Asylum.

September 14, 1906. In Oakland. W.B. Wilson was sent to Stockton by Judge Harris. He is possessed with the idea that he is a healer, and he tried to expound his theories to the physicians who examined him. He was for many years a school teacher, and it is believed that overstudy wrecked his mind.

November 7, 1923. Candidate for Mayor put in state hospital. John E. Hines, 70 years old, 445 Fifteenth Avenue, former special policeman and candidate for Mayor at the present election, yesterday was committed to the State Hospital for the Insane at Stockton by the local Lunacy Commission. Hines recently was arrested for making slanderous remarks against Chief of Police Daniel J. O'Brien, but at O'Brien's request was placed in the Detention Hospital for observation. As a result of the observation he was declared insane and committed.

Changes in mental health reporting

In 1906, probably due to the chaos that was San Francisco, which had been decimated by the earthquake and fire, almost all reported cases that appeared before the Commissioners of Lunacy, were held in Oakland. By the very early 1900's, it appears that the papers started printing stories about individuals that appeared to be having some sort of mental episodes much more infrequently.

The last reference to a Lunacy Commission that I could find in the Chronicle's archives was on January 22, 1939. Mrs. Marjorie Montgomery told police that she had drown her two young children in the San Francisco Bay "to give them a home." She was found to be insane by the Lunacy Commission. The bodies of her two children, Marilyn, 2, and Barbara 4, were never found.

My colleague recently wrote more on the dire conditions faced by people suffering from mental health issues in California's early days. I've included the images she found in the slideshow above. Many of those early cases were sad, with no insensitivity to mental illness. But, the language and symptoms were so incredibly dated, in some cases sexist. And, it seemed that on the word of a person or two, off to Stockton you went, whether you wanted to go or not.

Bob Bragman is a producer for SFGATE. His writing reflects his love of the Bay Area, in addition to his passion for vintage pop culture, ephemera and vernacular photographs. To see more of his content, please click here.
AL RENDON /Courtesy photo

San Antonio lawyers filed court papers Wednesday asking a Dallas federal judge to approve a $120 million settlement with a global insurance brokerage over its ties to the $7 billion international fraud scheme orchestrated by convicted Texas financier R. Allen Stanford.

The $120 million settlement with Willis Towers Watson would mark the largest recovery yet in litigation that has been brought on behalf of Stanfords roughly 18,000 victims. A Willis spokesman declined to comment on the settlement. More than $100 million in settlements have been reached with other firms that did business with Stanford.
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Former Gov. Rick Perry appeared on "Good Morning America" Wednesday, not as a Trump surrogate, or to call for the director of the FBI to resign, and he wasnt there to criticize a Gold Star family, no, he was there to dance.

Perry, the longest-serving governor of Texas, joined the cast of "Dancing With the Stars" Wednesday morning to give the world a small sampling of whats to come in five days when the 23rd season of the show premieres.

And, trust us, it was worth it to tune into the show for just five seconds of Perry dancing with his partner, Emma Slater. For a man thats used to leading the state of Texas, he did a pretty decent job leading Slater, his professional counterpart.

RELATED: Ex-Texas Gov. Rick Perry gets laughs, twirls partner on "Good Morning America"

In that five seconds, Perry, who showed up to the show in true gubernatorial fashion donning a suit, tie and his famous glasses, worked the stage twirling his partner and shaking his hips.

He also revealed his strategy: self-deprecation.

"I'm a lump of coal and she's shining on that thing to make a diamond out of it," he said of Slater.

Joined by Olympians Laurie Hernandez and Ryan Lochte, as well as rapper Vanilla Ice of Ice, Ice Baby fame and model Amber Rose, Perry is expected to come in dead last on the show according to a ranking by online sportsbook Bovada. Hernandez, Vanilla Ice and Rose are favorites to win whereas the odds of Perry winning are 33 to 1.

Perry, however, has been trucking along, preparing for the show and giving his partner a full tour of Texas since announcing his candidacy Aug. 30. Slater, 27, is from the United Kingdom and has appeared on the show before teaming up with comedian Bill Engvall.

RELATED: Betting odds predict former Gov. Rick Perry will come in dead last on 'Dancing With the Stars'

The duo managed to come up with a team name during their tour of Texas: #TeamGovernorofDance.

Will it stick the same way longest-serving governor of Texas does? Only time will tell.

Perry did what youd expect from a former agriculture commissioner, lieutenant governor, and governor would do when appearing on a dance show after failing to become the Republican nominee for president twice-- he took his partner to a shooting range, where he taught her to use a Ruger 10-22.

A regular Annie Oakley! he exclaimed on an Instagram photo of Slater posing with the gun.

RELATED: 16 photos that prove Rick Perry has been 'Dancing With the Stars' this whole time

He also took Slater out for barbecue.

When Perry was first contacted to do the show about six weeks ago, he told the Texas Tribune it was way outside of (his) silo of (his) interests, knowledge, experience.

But he eventually meandered to doing the show to use it as a platform for veterans and for his daughter, Sydney.

My daughters getting married in October, and I figured if I did the show, Id at least not embarrass her when we did the father-daughter dance, he told the Tribune.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
Saratoga Springs

In a sweep of four summer concerts in the week leading up to Labor Day, investigators confiscated dozens of fake IDs and made over 50 underage drinking arrests, the state Department of Motor Vehicles said.

The DMV's field investigators partnered with State Police and local law enforcement to discourage underage drinking at summer concerts at Darien Lake in Genesse County, Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs.

Operation Prevent comes after Gov. Andrew Cuomo's August announcement of a coordinated interagency effort to combat underage drinking on college campuses. This is the second summer the state has investigated summer concerts.

Between Aug. 26 and Sept. 3, officers conducted sweeps at three concerts by the musical duo Florida Georgia Line and a Zac Brown Band show.

"Deterring underage drinking and cracking down on the use of fake IDs is a year-round job, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to conduct sweeps at places where young people gather so that we can keep them, and everyone on our roadways, safe," DMV Executive Deputy Commissioner Terri Egan said.

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At SPAC, DMV investigators and State Park Police arrested five people, three for fake IDs from Pennsylvania and two from from Connecticut, at the Aug. 28 Florida Georgia Line show. Officers arrested six people with fake IDs from Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, and Rhode Island at the Sept. 3 Zac Brown Band concert. One person was caught using another person's New York driver license.

State Police and DMV investigators also conducted sweeps at Rochester bars on Sept. 2. Their presence in the area served as a deterrent and no arrests were made, the DMV said. Other concert venues included Nikon at Jones Beach Theater.

Those under 21 found using fake IDs to buy alcohol can be arrested and have their license revoked for 90 days up to one year, the DMV said.

emasters@timesunion.com  518-454-5467  @emilysmasters
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Colonie

Four out-of-state construction workers tortured a co-worker for hours inside a Days Inn, punching, kicking, stabbing and biting him in an attack that left much of his body  including his penis  covered in cuts that required hospitalization, Colonie police said.

The four men were arrested after the Sunday night attack at the hotel on Airport Park Boulevard in Latham.

The victim remains in Albany Medical Center Hospital, police Lt. Robert Winn said Friday.

"He was assaulted by these four, who were using not only their fists and feet  which were clad with construction boots  but also with a knife, and also bite wounds all over his body," said Winn. "The victim sustained lacerations and puncture wounds to his face, head, chest, torso, hands, arms, and back. He also had bite marks on his face, hand, back and penis. He sustained fractures to his face, left forearm, and right ankle."

The accused men and the victim all work for Carlyle Construction Bowersville, Ga. and were working on a mausoleum at the Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery in Niskayuna, which is owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese.

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In a statement, the diocese said the general contractor, Minnesota-based Coldspring Granite Co., brought in Carlyle as a subcontractor, and "Albany Diocesan cemeteries has no contractual, legal or supervisory involvement with this subcontractor."

On Sunday night, police received a call from the victim's girlfriend, who believed her boyfriend was being held captive by four co-workers.

Officers arrived on scene to find the victim severely injured, according to Winn.

Mark Skaggs, 33, of Anstede, W. Va., Shane "Chong" McCallister, 29, of Mount Lookout, W. Va., Dallas Fox, 43, of Hickory, N.C., and Michael Grimmett, 32, of Ansted, Va., were arrested at the Days Inn that night and charged with second-degree assault. On Wednesday, they were charged with felony gang assault.

Winn said that more charges, including kidnapping, are pending.

jlahut@timesunion.com  518-454-5414  @JakeLahut
Tehran, Iran, Sept. 7

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi will visit the City of Brussels early the next week, according to AEOI spokesman Behrooz Kamalvandi.

The visit is going to serve talks with officials from the European Unions Directorate-General for Energy and will pursue Irans nuclear cooperation with the EU within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Kamalvandi said, Etemad newspaper reported Sept. 7.

The spokesman said that Salehi may visit another country as well after Belgium, but did not provide any further details.

Further commenting on follow-ups to the JCPOA, Kamalvandi said the upcoming Joint JCPOA Commission meeting will be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The commission is comprised of a body of representatives from Iran and the group 5+1 (the US, the UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) who monitor the implementation of the JCPOA and hold periodic sessions to review its progress.

He also commented on Iran-Russia cooperation to build two nuclear power plants in Iran and said the bricklaying of the power plants will be held Sept. 10 in Bushehr, southwestern Iran, with Iranian and Russian representatives.

The power plants will take 10 years to build. The construction of one of the plants will begin this week with the bricklaying ceremony. The other plant will undergo construction two years later. The two power plants are provided with $10 billion investment.

According to agreements between Tehran and Moscow, Russia will procure nuclear fuel for the two power plants in their first 10 years of operation.
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NIANTIC  Dozens of supporters let out a collective sigh of relief Wednesday when the states pardon board granted clemency to former Danbury resident Panna Krom, who was convicted in 2008 of drowning her newborn daughter.

This is a miracle and a dream come true, said Chan Krom, the womans mother, tears streaming down her face, shortly after the boards decision was read. Im bringing my daughter home.

Panna Krom, 26, was sentenced in 2008 to 18 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. She had admitted drowning her baby in December 2006, shortly after giving birth in the bathroom at her parents home.

Krom was 16 when she became pregnant. She hid the pregnancy from her parents, who are Cambodian refugees, because she believed they would not approve. She was arrested by police several days after her mother found the baby, posthumously named Angel, wrapped in a sweatshirt in Kroms bedroom closet.

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Her attorney, Vicki Hutchinson, argued during Wednesdays hearing that Kroms sentence was excessive when compared to those of other defendants convicted of similar crimes, who on average received less than two years in prison.

She also noted that Krom has been a model prisoner during nearly 10 years behind bars and has taken advantage of every opportunity available to her, such as telling her story to students at high schools throughout the state.

This young woman has done extraordinary work during her nine years at York (Correctional Institute), Hutchinson said. She can do more outside of prison than she can inside of prison.

Krom said during the hearing that she spent her first two years in prison crying, but eventually decided she had to give herself a second chance.

At my sentencing in 2008, I promised that I would do all I could to help others, she said. Today I can say Ive met that promise.

Krom said it was hard being called a baby killer while in prison and that she wanted to disappear into a corner.

But I decided I couldnt be silent, she said. I needed to stand up and help others. At the very least I owe that to my daughter.

Krom said that at the time of the crime she was not aware of t he Safe Haven law, which allows a mother to anonymously drop off a child at a hospitals or other safe haven with no repercussions or threats of prosecution. She now wants to educate young women on those laws to prevent them from committing the same crime.

Members of the states Safe Haven Committee have already reached out to her, Krom said, and she hopes to become a member of the board to continue her work.

The three-member clemency board heard about an hour of testimony and asked a few questions about Kroms plans before going into a short executive session to decide the case. Board Chairwoman Joy Chance announced the boards decision without comment.

Danbury States Attorney Stephen Sedensky had argued against Kroms release Wednesday, citing the horrendous nature of the crime and noting that Krom was originally charged with murder in the case.

He noted that fifth-grade teachers at Ellsworth Elementary School might not have been aware that a little girl was missing from their lists when school started last week. Angel wasnt in class, he said, because of what Krom did.

This was not a single act, Sedensky said. She repeatedly flushed the toilet so that the water would rise to kill a baby girl. Any discretion was already given to Krom years ago when we came off the murder charge. This was not a miscarriage of justice but an appropriate sentence.

He added that if the clemency were not granted, Krom would have been eligible for parole in January 2019.

Krom is expected to be released from prison on Sept. 30.
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HARTFORD  A judge has given the state six months to fix what has been dubbed an irrational school funding formula. And while it is at it, the judge said, lawmakers and policymakers must also better define just what an adequate education means.

The decision by Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher on Wednesday fell short of telling the state to pay more, but he made clear that how Connecticut spends its money is failing thousands of school children across the state.

The state spends billions of dollars on schools without any binding principle guaranteeing that education aid goes where its needed, the judge ruled. The states latitude to decide how much overall money to spend on schools doesnt mean the state can have a constitutionally adequate school program while spending its money whimsically.

The decision took nearly three hours to read from the bench, and in it the judge also tasked the state with 180 days to come up with a way to determine that students leaving high school have earned their diplomas. Moukawsher wants an overhaul of the special education system and more teeth in a teacher-evaluation system that he called little more than cotton candy in a rainstorm.

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It was, by many accounts, a stunning decision that capped off a seven-month trial known as Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding v. Rell. The judge ruled that the state is not violating the Connecticut Constitution with the amount of money it pours into education annually, but he said it is clearly not meeting its obligation in how the money is distributed.

David Rosen, representing a group of lawyers from Yale Law School who helped bring the case to trial, called the decision thoughtful and complex.

More Information The order The court has ordered the state to do the following within the next six months: Create a more rational education funding formula Define elementary and secondary education Create standards for hiring, firing, evaluating and paying teachers Create funding, identification and educational services standards for special education See More Collapse

Our expectation is that the Legislature and the attorney general are going to look at it closely and intensely, Rosen said. Clearly, they have a lot to say about what happens.

Fodder for Legislature

Municipal and school leaders who stand to benefit from the decision roundly applauded the judges decision.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim called the ruling sweeping and so comprehensive, and said he didn't see how it could be challenged.

It could and should be the central issue of this next legislative session, Ganim said.

The mayor said he would direct Bridgeports legislative delegation to begin work on bills that would address the judges order in time for the new legislative session.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton called the decision fascinating.

I think this goes way beyond the scope of where CCJEF wanted it to go, Boughton said. This judge has taken on the public education system in Connecticut.

Bridgeport and Danbury were held out as examples during a trial, which was brought by a coalition that challenged the level of state support for public education. The state steadfastly countered that it funds public education generously and fairly, exceeding its obligations under the state constitution.

The states official response to Thursdays ruling was brief.

We are reviewing this decision in consultation with our client agencies and decline to comment further at this time, said Samuel Carmody, an assistant in the Office of Attorney General, who defended the state.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who was a Stamford mayor on the other side of the case when it was filed, said he welcomes the conversation this decision brings.

We know that to improve outcomes for all Connecticut students and to close persistent achievement gaps, we need to challenge the status quo and take bold action., Malloy said.

Malloy said his administration has invested hundreds of millions of dollars toward education, focusing largely on students who need it the most.

The judge, meanwhile, offered examples of how state funding is being spent without any guarantee that the aid goes where its needed.

While the plaintiffs were in court complaining of the lack of a principled system, the Legislature started moving money from poor towns to rich ones, the judge noted, reading off a list of municipalities like Ansonia, Bridgeport and Derby that lost funding while communities like Newtown, Shelton and Trumbull got more.

Moukawsher also cited Bridgeport a number of times, noting at one point how high school students in the city this year must not only take city buses to get to school, but also negotiate bus transfers.

Interim Bridgeport Schools Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz, who was called to the stand twice during the trial to describe how the lack of funding impacts the 21,000 students in her district, said she is glad the state has to come up with a plan for funding all of its school districts.

I am not afraid of higher standards, if I have the resources that can get me where I need to be, Rabinowitz said.

More than money

Beyond the money question, the judge tackled several other issues brought up during the trial.

In calling for a new high school graduation standards, Moukawsher said the promise of a free secondary education is meaningless if graduates are functionally illiterate. He pointed to the states high graduation rate in the face of overwhelming evidence presented at the trial that many students in poor districts graduate without the skills they need to succeed in college.

The judge also gave the state 180 days to propose a remedy that creates a rational and substantial definition of elementary schools  perhaps, he said, an eighth-grade test to show that students have learned what they have been taught.

Moukawsher also said the state must tell the courts what powers it needs over local school districts to get the job done.

The court will judge the states solutions, and if they meet the standards describe in this decision, uphold them, the judge said.

"Change must come," Moukawsher told both sides. "The state has to accept that the schools are its blessing and its burden, and if it cannot be wise, it must at least be sensible."

State Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury, said he looked forward as deputy House speaker to leading the Legislature toward correcting a system that for too long has been unfair to students in cities like his.

Daniel Klau, a well-known First Amendment and civil liberties lawyer, was more tempered, calling the decision both a defeat and a victory for the plaintiffs.

It is a defeat in that ... the decision does not require the state to increase the total amount of funding for general education expenditures, Klau said. The decision is a victory for the plaintiffs in that the judge concluded that the way the state distributed education funds to municipalities is irrational.

Like others, he expects that the decision in a case, which was first filed in 2005, will be appealed once again to the state Supreme Court.
Albany

With almost no publicity, the state Office for People With Developmental Disabilities and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office have shut down a large Brooklyn-based center that provides housing, rehabilitation and health care for developmentally disabled people.

While there have been no shortage of stories about publicly- or privately-run disability service centers that have been criticized for poor services and financial problems, the Federation of Multicultural Programs appears to be one of the few such agencies in recent memory that is actually being dissolved.

"In my experience, I haven't seen it," said Robert Santoriella, a lawyer who has launched lawsuits against a number of service agencies that have harmed or abused their disabled clients.

"It's very unusual," added Michael Carey, who has pushed for stronger oversight of facilities for the disabled.

The liabilities FMCP is facing, according to court papers, include a $9.1 million deficit and numerous six-figure bills.

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The agency's debts include more than $778,000 to the pension fund of the SEIU 1199 union, $248,000 to the Cerebral Palsy Association, almost $76,000 to the state insurance fund, which covers workers' compensation, as well as numerous health agencies and utilities.

Additionally, according to court papers ordering the agency's dissolution, there have been alleged instances of insufficient food in some of their branches and notes from utilities warning of impending shut-offs.

OPWDD said in a prepared statement that along with Schneiderman, it "took action to protect the individuals served by FMCP when it became clear that the provider had numerous documented program and fiscal challenges."

An agency spokeswoman added that the Attorney General's office filed for dissolution of FMCP in 2015 and a court order to dissolve the center was issued in state Supreme Court in Albany County in January 2016.

The agency's director, Danny King, was removed and an independent receiver was appointed to direct operations.

OPWDD has been working to transfer the care for all individuals there; the agency is near the end of that process with about 200 people remaining.

FMCP initially filed for bankruptcy in the 1990s, according to a 2011 New York Times series on care for the disabled.

Between 2004 and 2010, it had also been cited for problems with the care for clients, many of whom have autism, Down syndrome or cerebral palsy.

FMCP was deemed to be "not fiscally viable" in a 2006 state audit.

King, the agency's most recent executive director, is a former New York City police officer who was paid annual compensation of $350,000 at FMCP, according to previous reports.

King and other top officials have, according to court documents, been ordered to turn over keys to their buildings and cars and to turn in passwords for their various computers.

King couldn't be reached on Tuesday. His lawyer, Paul Bleifer, didn't return a call for comment.

rkarlin@timesunion.com  518-454-5758  @RickKarlinTU
BRIDGEPORT - A New Haven women who fell over a chair during a crowded funeral service has won a $1 million lawsuit against the East End church.

A six-member Superior Court jury deliberated about two hours before finding the English Chapel Cathedral of Miracles negligently caused the injuries suffered by Glenora King and ordered the Wilmot Avenue church to pay her $51,000 in economic damages and $953,424 in non-economic damages.

It was an extraordinarily attentive jury that listened to all the evidence and the judges instruction before arriving at the appropriate verdict, Kings lawyer, Kevin Walsh, said later.

Church officials did not return calls for comment.

During the trial before Superior Court Judge Edward F. Stodolink, the now 76-year-old King testified that on Dec. 29, 2011, she was attending the funeral mass at the church for the Bishop Walter Joyner when she fell over a chair that had been placed in the church aisle.

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Witnesses said at the time there was standing room only in the church with more than 300 people in attendance well beyond the capacity set by the citys fire marshal.

King, who had only recently retired from Yale University where she worked in food services, suffered a fractured hip in the fall.

She testified she ended up with $50,000 in medical bill and has a permanent limp as a result of her injuries.

She told the jury that before the accident she had been considering going back to work but can no longer do so.
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The deal was done Texas-style, with a handshake.

But as Pennzoil executives celebrated their pending acquisition of Getty Oil Co. in early 1984, another buyer was circling. Texaco, which traces its roots to the 1901 Spindletop gusher, made a sweeter offer. Getty accepted, and one of the ugliest corporate courtroom brawls in U.S. history was about to get underway.

When it was over, a Texas jury determined that Texaco had intentionally interfered with Pennzoil's deal and awarded a jaw-dropping $10.53 billion to Pennzoil. It was the largest civil verdict in the nation's history up to that time and perilously close to Texaco's market value of $13 billion.

"It was a remarkable case that two large oil companies would go head to head like that," said Harry Reasoner, long-time lawyer at Vinson & Elkins.

One of the great mysteries was why Texaco didn't settle the case, said Reasoner, who handled subsequent appeals on behalf of Pennzoil. Companies usually settle disputes before they ever reach a jury - especially when so much is on the line.

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Getty was prized for its extensive crude reserves, and in the early 1980s, as Pennzoil looked to expand its reserves, it eyed the company founded by the legendary oil baron J. Paul Getty. Pennzoil agreed to pay $5.2 billion to acquire just under half the company. Company leaders shook on the deal in New York, celebrated with champagne, and quickly issued press releases announcing the purchase.

Texaco, meanwhile, had recently drilled some dry holes and saw an opportunity to scoop up crude reserves estimated at 1 billion barrels. A couple of days after the Pennzoil deal was announced, Texaco swooped in to offer $10.1 billion. The Getty board quickly cast off Pennzoil, and issued another press release announcing the sale to Texaco.

More Information TIMELINE Jan. 3, 1984 Pennzoil's board agreed to buy Getty Oil for $5.2 billion. A day later, the companies issued news releases announcing the deal. Jan. 5, 1984 Texaco board meets to make counter offer for $10.1 billion. Later that day, Texaco's chairman meets secretly with Getty Oil trustees and offers a higher price than Pennzoil. Texaco agrees to indemnify Getty Oilif Pennzoil bringsa lawsuit. Jan. 6, 1984 Getty board votesto withdraw its Pennzoil deal and sell the company to Texaco instead. Feb. 8, 1984 Pennzoil sues Texaco in Houston, alleging tortuous interference July 9, 1985 Jury trial begins and will last 4 months. Nov. 19, 1985 Jury in Houston awards Pennzoil $10.53 billion in damages, the largest verdict in U.S. history at the time. Dec. 10, 1985 Visiting state District Court Judge Solomon Casseb Jr. enters the jury verdict, adding interest, bringing the total to $11.1 billion. April 12, 1987 Texaco files for bankruptcy protection. Dec. 11, 1987 Texaco agreesto settle with Pennzoil for$3 billion. See More Collapse

Outraged, Pennzoil sent a telex to Texaco telling the company to lay off and asked a Delaware court to block the sale to Texaco. The judge declined, but suggested that Pennzoil might have reason to claim a contract that was already in place when Texaco came around with its checkbook.

Pennzoil chairman J. Hugh Liedtke prepared to fight. A long-time oil man who started his career as a lawyer doing deals in Midland for energy clients, he became partners in 1953 with another oil prospector, George H.W. Bush, to form Zapata Petroleum. Years later, after a series of mergers and splits, the company became Pennzoil, and Liedtke moved to Houston, according to the Petroleum Museum in Midland.

Pennzoil filed suit against Texaco in state court in Houston. Liedtke asked his friend, Houston personal injury lawyer Joe Jamail, to represent the company. By that time, Jamail had developed a national reputation for his fierce representation of grieving widows and injured workers, as well as his colorful language and aggressive style. Jamail was not a corporate lawyer; he usually sued corporations.

Jamail figured the way to win was to "keep it simple," according to his autobiography, "Lawyer: My Trials and Jubilations." At every turn, Jamail tried to transform a complicated and boring contract dispute into a sweeping morality play, by indicting the corporate takeover practices of New York lawyers and investment bankers, according to his book.

"I planned to hammer the point that Texaco stole this oil from Pennzoil and that made the company no better than a thief," wrote Jamail, who died last year.

It was a clash of ethical values between the old-style Good-Ol'-Boys of the oil fields and the new-style Good-Ol'-Boys of Wall Street, according to the book "Oil & Honor: The Texaco-Pennzoil Wars," by Thomas Petzinger, Jr.

The oil men valued friendships and honor and handshake commitments while modern bankers reveled in taking advantage of loopholes and ambiguities if they could get a better deal, explained Petzinger. To the Wall Street crowd, the deal wasn't done until the last "hereas and wherefore and thereupon" was recorded.

Representing Texaco was another Houston legend. Richard B. Miller, a Harvard Law School graduate who never finished high school or college, believed that he, not Jamail, was the nation's best trial lawyer. Texaco's confidence - some legal observers said arrogance - that it would win kept the company from seeking a settlement.

Neither Miller nor Texaco put up any witnesses to refute Pennzoil's claim that it was due damages - billions of dollars. Miller's thinking, according to a case summary from James W. McElhaney at Case Western Reserve University, was that arguing damages would imply Pennzoil had a contract and Texaco had interfered, according to McElhaney. Miller died in 2013.

The trial, which began in 1985, lasted four and one-half months. After two days of deliberations, the jury came back with its verdict, which grew to $11.1 billion with interest.

To appeal, Texaco had to put up an $11.1 billion bond - equivalent to nearly its entire market value. Despite being the nation's fifth largest corporation, Texaco couldn't afford it.

Company officials raised the possibility of bankruptcy, a move that led banks to demand immediate repayment of loans, Texaco's electricity provider to seek weekly payments, and investors to sell, according to "Oil and Honor." Texaco's stock fell hard and fast.

The company and its investors hung their hopes on Judge Solomon Casseb Jr. reducing the jury verdict. In a packed courtroom in December 1985, Casseb kept the jury verdict intact. Texaco ended up filing for bankruptcy and several months later, agreed to settle with Pennzoil for $3 billion.

The verdict and the size of the award had repercussions beyond the future of the two companies. The jury's finding that the handshake agreement in New York essentially amounted to a contract introduced a new caution among executives, undermining the word-is-my-bond style of doing business. After even casual conversations about business over lunch or drinks, executives became reluctant to shake hands immediately following the Texaco-Pennzoil case, according "Oil and Honor." The phenomenon became known as the "Texaco chill."

Today, neither company exists, but their brands live on. In 2001, Chevron Corp. bought Texaco. As for Pennzoil, its exploration and production business was sold to Devon Energy in 1999, while Shell now owns Pennzoil-Quaker motor oil.
I have often disagreed with the political positions of Christopher Shays. On domestic issues he has been generally indistinguishable from Democrats. It is no wonder that conservative groups rated him to the left of all Republican members of the House and Senate but six, two of whom became Democrats. And it is no wonder that he endorsed Hillary Clinton, with whom he has always agreed on major social issues, or that he explained it with his usual confused language. (What he said to Hearst Media Group is quite different from what he said to CNN.)

More troubling than Shays though, is the reaction of Connecticut Republicans. Their angry attempt to strip Shays of the Prescott Bush award, which was given to him when he had exactly the same views as he has today, cant help but remind me of the old Bolshevik books with names and pictures of outcasts blanked out. The anger is the most troubling part, the Trumpian anger.

It is so new, this anger. Donald Trump does not even slightly resemble the Republicans that the Connecticut Party supported just two years ago. He speaks Republican as an unfamiliar foreign language. Yet many of those who were so recently passing out copies of the U.S. Constitution now support a big government strongman, a self-proclaimed political messiah who has ignorance, if not contempt, of the constitution. Those who criticized President Barack Obamas insults to his opponents support a man defined by his insults. Those who the day before yesterday ridiculed the Obama/Clinton reset with Russia now support an open admirer of Vladimir Putin. As Paul Wolfowitz said recently, on American security and world stability Trump would be Obama squared. On issue after issue Trump has mocked positions that were until recently strongly fought for by his new followers. Now they change direction with Trump like a school of mackerel.

My friends who are Trump supporters tell me I just dont get it. Thats certainly true. And none of them have been able to explain it to me. But Im not alone. Some 44 percent of likely voters in a recent poll agreed that both major party candidates are terrible. Trump said that if he were to stand on Fifth Avenue and shoot someone he would lose no followers. Thats true. And if Hillary Clinton were to occupy a well-deserved prison cell she could still be elected president. We have two candidates for whom lying, bullying and manipulation of our system for profit and self-aggrandizement are central to their being. Their core followers follow them come what may, but one of them is going to be president largely because more people hate the other one.

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My thoughts keep coming back to the anger. Is there no space left for reason in our democracy? The Connecticut Republican Party tries to have their former white knight anathematized for heresy; Sir Shays replies that theyre all right-wing extremists. Thats the level of discourse.

I do understand the position of some friends that Hillary Clinton is so corrupt and her policies so dangerous as to make her unqualified to be president, making a vote for Trump necessary. It should be possible to argue that position, as also Shays position, without rancor or threats of excommunication. The daily iteration of Clintons continuing scandal, where her only excuses for corruption and deception are amnesia and incompetence, sometimes convinces me of that position. Then the incoherent ranting persona of Jean Marie le Trump once more rears its head.

Democracy does not demand that we must choose between two detestable candidates or that we must follow party lines; sometimes neither of the above is the best answer. So I will not be voting for president this year. My faint hope is that the winner gets so few votes that he or she can claim no mandate and that Congress will then follow Article I of the Constitution and restrain the presidency. Maybe someone can then tell Trump what Article I is.

I await the hate mail with resigned equanimity.

George Stadel is a member of the Stamford Taxpayers Political Action Committee.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iran and France are capable of putting an end to wars in the region, a senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said.

The two countries, Iran and France, are capable of putting an end to the destructive wars in the region through cooperation, IRNA news agency quoted Ali Akbar Velayati as saying at a meeting with visiting French National Assembly President Claude Bartolone in Tehran.

He added that Iran is against any policies aimed at separation of a country.

Appreciating ties between Iran and France, he called for expansion of cultural cooperation between Tehran and Paris.

Heading a parliamentary delegation, Bartolone arrived in Tehran Sept. 6 to discuss international and regional issues as well as bilateral ties with Iranian officials.
A member of the music scene in Portland took to Facebook to admit to to sexually assaulting a woman at a party.

Joel Magid begins by writing, "I've done something reprehensible that I need to own up to. I realize Facebook may be not the ideal forum, but I am trying to inform as many people as possible."

He goes on to describe the encounter. "I pulled out my penis, and forcibly lifted the woman's skirt," he writes. "A friend intervened and stopped my behavior."

Magid says he was drunk during the incident and doesn't remember anything; a friend told him what happened.

But he says that his inebriated state doesn't excuse what he did. "Nothing excuses what I did," he writes. "Sexual assault is horrific, disgusting, and inexcusable."

Magid is a working musician in Portland whose 2015 album "Pyramids" was described by Portland Mercury as a mix of "shadowy psych," "drowsy garage-rock" and "oddball blues." The indie rocker more recently worked on an album featuring a compilation of unreleased tracks by Portland bands.

More for you Man charged with stalking Black Rifle Coffee employee

His social media post comes at a time when the country is wrapped up in a debate around whether former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner was adequately punished for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman on the Stanford campus. Turner was given what many perceived as a slap-on-the-wrist sentence of six months (and only served three) and never formally apologized for what he did.

In his confession, Magid apologizes for his actions, but in the comments many say this isn't enough.

"This is reprehensible and inexcusable," writes Theo Craig Joel, music director at XRAY.FM and owner/agent at Smoke Signals, on Facebook. "You need to admit that this wasn't the first time. You need to admit that you've dragged at least one past victim's name and reputation through the mud, that you pitted a lot of people against . . . I hope you get the help you need, but more than that I hope your victims get the love, support, and counsel to begin to heal, and I hope they're able to someday feel safe again."

The Portland Police Bureau said in a statement that they are are "aware of the post and Sex Crimes Unit detectives are investigating the veracity of the information. At this point, no victim has been identified or has come forward to file a report."

Magid didn't respond to a request for comment.
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NORWALK  Upward of 200 people rallied outside A.J. Penna & Son Excavating Contractors in East Norwalk on Wednesday morning, urging the state to consider other staging areas and smaller designs for its upcoming replacement of the Walk Bridge.

There are options and alternatives to fixing it much less intrusive than the state DOT has brought forth, said Vincent Penna, co-owner of the excavating and contracting business at 10 Goldstein Place. We ask the politicians, if there are any here today, and we ask DOT to please consider the alternatives. Thats what its all about here. Its the alternatives. We are being displaced and the state is taking our property.

Pennas parcel is one of roughly 16 properties slated for permanent or temporary taking by the Connecticut Department of Transportation as part of the replacement of the 120-year-old rail bridge over the Norwalk Harbor. The state plans to start work in mid-2018.

Penna said relocating his 69-year-old business isnt an option, as it would void the companys contracts with utility companies that require quick response times to water main breaks and other local emergencies.

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Petitioning for reasonable alternatives

Large signs reading Save Jobs, Businesses & Taxpayer $$$ and A Less Wasteful Alternative www.eastnorwalkbusiness.org were draped over the side of two A.J. Penna dump trucks, forming the backdrop to the rally, which included a tent, seating and table where company T-shirts were given out and petition pages circulated.

In the Petition to Save A.J. Penna, A.J. Penna co-owners Vincent and Robin Penna ask the DOT to consider alternatives to its proposed acquisition of 6 and 10 Goldstein Place for use as construction staging areas for the bridge replacement.

We make this petition because the acquisition of this land is not necessary for renovation of the Walk Bridge but will result in the displacement of A.J. Penna operations and the potential loss of 45 jobs, the petition read. There are a number of reasonable alternatives properties that are better suited for a staging area for the Walk Bridge project.

The Pennas have retained Dwight H. Merriam, a Hartford attorney who specializes in eminent domain cases, as their legal counsel in the matter.

We are going to the wall, Merriam said as the rally got underway. We are not going to capitulate.

Winthrop Baum, president of the East Norwalk Business Association, which organized the rally, said he did not believe the DOT has explored all options. Baum said a barge could be used as a staging area and expressed hope that the DOT would consider that and all other options.

Were not dealing with an imperial power, Baum said. This is a democracy still.

Vets Park suggested as staging area

Penna has asked the city and DOT to work together to use the visitors docks parking lot at Veterans Memorial Park as a staging area for the project. Such collaboration, he said, would save the city $2 million in capital dollars earmarked to upgrade that area.

Former Council President Jerry E. Petrini recommended using the park or Department of Public Works property off South Smith Street. Using the latter area, he said, would kill two birds with one stone by saving Pennas property and eliminating Martins Mountain  a hill of dredged material stored on the public works property.

Several rally-goers suggested that the DOT use Manresa Island  site of a recently decommissioned power plant  as a staging area for the bridge replacement.

Robin Penna spoke on behalf of a newly formed citizens group known as Norwalk Harbor Keeper. The groups mission is to sustain the Harbor as a vibrant center for activities on Long Island Sound, safe and accessible to all on an equal basis, and to maintain ecological balance for future generations.

The EA refuses to study the fixed-bridge option, Robin Penna said of the DOTs environmental assessment. If it did, it would almost certainly find that the environmental impact of such an option would be far lower than the movable bridge options.

DOT: Fixed bridge not feasible

DOT spokesman Judd Everhart, in an email later Wednesday, said a multitude of fixed trestles and barges will be in the river to support the construction project. At the same time, he said, navigation must be maintained through the channel. A staging area on land is needed, he said.

The Penna property is required for: access to the railroad tracks, and construction of the new retaining wall and widened track alignment, Everhart said. These activities will affect a significant portion of the property and will last for the duration of the project. A small portion of the Penna property will be used for staging and material storage. We dont believe its feasible to have a work barge in the harbor in place of the planned land acquisitions.

On the feasibility of a new fixed bridge, Everhart referred to the project website.

On the surface, it may seem as if a new fixed bridge or rehabilitating the existing structure would generate the least cost, shortest duration effort resulting in minimal impacts to rail traffic, the DOT concluded. On the contrary, the manner in which this work would need to be implemented will negatively affect both cost and duration of the effort with an increased to the traveling public.

Comment period open

On Tuesday, the DOT made public its Environmental Assessment/Environmental Impact Evaluation for the bridge project. The report identifies impacts and puts forward a long-span vertical lift bridge as the departments preferred design for the new bridge. The release of the report opens a 45-day comment period for the public and local bodies to weigh in. The DOT has scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. at Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Ave.

A long-span vertical lift bridge would provide safe and reliable rail service, improve navigation for marine traffic in Norwalk Harbor, and allow rail service to continue on the existing bridge during construction of the new structure, according to the DOT. To view the report, visit walkbridgect.com.

Tony DAndrea, former Norwalk Harbor Management Commission chairman and co-owner of Select Plastics, a Liberty Square business that until recently also was slated for taking as a staging area, has asked for a third-party review of the report.

It seems to be a common sense approach for the city to immediately retain an independent and expert third party to review ConnDOT's proposals and that the cost of this review should be part of the project cost, DAndrea said in a statement released after the rally.

Elected officials weigh in

A number of elected officials and candidates attended the rally, including state Rep. Bruce V. Morris, D-Norwalk, state Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, Common Council members, as well as John T. Shaban, Republican candidate for the 4th Congressional District, Greg Ehlers, Republican candidate for the 25th State Senate District, and Cathy Walsh, Republican candidate for the 136th Assembly District.

Lavielle said the Walk Bridge needs to be fixed but added the residents and business owners such as the Penna want from the state clear, transparent and complete information about the project.

If we hear reasons why a particular option cant work, thats fine, Lavielle said. But I think what people want to know is that every option has been considered  and if a new one comes up that someone didnt think about, then go consider that, too.

Mayor Harry W. Rilling said he was unable to attend the rally because of two previously scheduled meetings. He said he sent Assistant City Clerk Irene T. Dixon to the event on his behalf.

I sent her with the message that we will work with any of the property owners, Rilling said. Weve been meeting with the state, looking for alternatives, looking at different ways that we can get the state to maybe select other properties. The fact of the matter is, there are a limited number of properties that serve the purpose.

David Brown, Third Taxing District Commission chairman, said the commission will meet next Monday at which time it may take a position on the bridge replacement plan. He indicated that commissioners have formed their own conclusions.

This is a billion dollar project and acquisition of all kinds of properties, including Mr. Pennas, to solve a problem that doesnt exist, Brown said.

rkoch@hearstmediact.com
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

Trend:

A delegation of the North Atlantic Council will visit Georgia on September 7-8 in accordance with the decisions of the Warsaw NATO Summit, Georgia-Online reported.

According to the message, a delegation will be headed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

This will be the fourth visit of the North Atlantic Council to Georgia, the message said.

According to the message, a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission with the participation of Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili will be held as part of the visit.

The delegation members intend to meet with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Speaker David Usupashvili, MPs, Defense Minister Levan Izoria, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, representatives of international organizations and the media, the message said.

Stoltenberg will deliver a speech at the National Library of the Georgian Parliament, the message said.
The delegation of Russia's parliament upper house will start its visit to China on Wednesday, Sputnik International reported.

The delegation of Russia's parliament upper house, headed by its speaker and chairperson Valentina Matvienko will start its visit to china on Wednesday, the press service of the Federation Council said.

"The delegation of the Federation Council, headed by. Valentina Matvienko is heading to China for a working visit. During this trip, the visits of the cities of Wuhan and Beijing are planned," the press service said in a statement.



The delegation includes Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Ilyas Umakhanov, chairman of the Federation Council's International Affairs Committee, Konstantin Kosachev, Vice Chairman of the Federation Council Dmitry Mezentsev.

The visit agenda includes meetings with the Chinese leadership, negotiations with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhang Dejiang. According to the press-service, one of the main topics under discussion will be the development of interparliamentary relations and regional cooperation between China and Russia.

In Wuhan Matvienko will visit the Optical Valley, the new technology development zone, the center of laser and opto-electronic technologies. The delegation also has plans visit the Center of the Russian-Chinese Cultural Exchange, which was opened in Wuhan last year.

"During the visit, we expect to take decisions that will give a new impetus to cooperation of the Federation Council and the National People's Congress in legislation, in the areas of political, economic, scientific, technical and humanitarian cooperation, as well as cooperation at the international parliamentary organizations," Matvienko said, as quoted by the press-service.
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Beaumont City Council soon could add almost 78 acres at the southwest corner of Folsom and Major drives to the city's existing 87 square miles.

The contemplated addition is bounded by Folsom on the north, Dishman Road on the south and Keith Road on the west, parallel with Major.

City Council still must vote to annex the 77.7 acres, but no one spoke against the proposal at public hearings Tuesday.

The only development on the west side of Major Drive at its southwestern corner with Folsom Road is the new Beaumont First Baptist Church and the Providence apartments for senior citizens, plus an under-construction strip center-convenience store.

Although much of the city's growth has been westward in recent years, the new tract isn't likely to touch off an immediate blaze of development, said Ryan Harrington, a Re/Max commercial real estate agent whose office is on Major Drive at Gladys Avenue.

"I think it was more attractive when it was outside the city limits," Harrington said. "City zoning didn't apply."

Once absorbed into Beaumont proper, the area will be under police jurisdiction, and fire and emergency service formally will be extended, even though EMS makes calls at the Providence, which is reserved for lower-income people at least 55 years old.

While the annexation would "square off" the city's limits along the west side of Major, the acquisition doesn't affect agricultural property farther to the south.

The agricultural landowners already have said they intend to file for an exemption that will keep their land out of the city limits for a 15-year period, renewable for at least two more 15-year terms.

In an explanation of the zoning, city staff said an extended Folsom Road is planned, but it isn't a "designated" construction project in "the near future."

An extended Folsom could be built by the city or by a developer, who also could build residential streets in a future subdivision.

The area already is served by water and sewer service, for which users had to pay extra since their properties lay outside the city limits.

Fire service is within the area covered by Fire Station No. 9 on Gladys Avenue.

Even though this would be the city's first annexation since at least the late 1980s, the likeliest area for development would be the corridor where the new Northwest Parkway linking Major to Old Dowlen Road would be built.

A contract for that will be offered to bidders after the city awards a contract for the second phase of the Washington Boulevard reconstruction.

Both projects are financed through the city's oil and gas royalty earnings from the wells at the Beaumont Municipal Airport.

DWallach@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/dwallach
Fears of voter registration hacking by Russians won't affect the Nov. 8 general election in Texas, and votes in Jefferson County will be counted with confidence, officials said.

Recent attempts to infiltrate voter registrations in Arizona and Illinois by Russian hackers were detected and in Arizona, at least, were defeated.

NBC News reported that hackers, identified as Russian, successfully stole information of about 200,000 voters in Illinois.

Alicia Pierce, spokeswoman for the Texas Secretary of State's office, said the FBI notified Texas and all other states about the infiltration attempts.

"There is no reason to believe a hack was attempted on voter registrations in Texas," Pierce said.

She said the contractor that Texas hired to safeguard its voter lists also works with other states, neither of which were Arizona or Illinois. None of the other states with which the contractor works was affected, Pierce said.

More to the point, voter registration has no impact on vote tabulation, Pierce said.

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Voters can cast ballots with confidence in Jefferson County, said Theresa Goodness, supervisor of the county clerk's election division.

"The voting machines at polling places are in a closed system," Goodness said. "That means it's not connected to the internet. There is no modem or Wi-Fi. It is not online."

A central controller in the polling places tabulates all the ballots cast at the individual voting machines and the central controller is taken by hand to the county's central counting station in Mid County where all the votes are tabulated.

The only effect of a hack would be on a voter registration that might have been deleted or altered. Then the voter could cast a provisional ballot and would have six days to provide information confirming the voter's registration, Goodness said.

"The tabulation station is not allowed under state law to be connected to the internet," Goodness said.

On election night, the Texas Secretary of State's website posts updated vote totals until all of the state's voting precincts have reported.

Those updates are not official until each county's Commissioners Court has canvassed the vote the week after the vote and certified it as official.

In ensuring that voter registrations at the county level are accurate, county Tax Assessor-Collector Allison Getz said a technician with the county's Management Information Systems office monitors the voting rolls.

"Recently a dead person tried to re-register," Getz said, referring to an attempt by a living person to register under a deceased person's name. "We were on top of it. We know."

The county also monitors for voters who are on the county's "suspense list," which refers to voters who might have moved from a former address, changed their name or otherwise had a circumstance that altered their previous voter registration.

In such cases, the voter has two years to supply updated information, Getz said. If not, that voter is removed from the county voter registration roll.

"You're always allowed to vote," she said. "Sometimes, it's provisionally. The biggest problem is not voting."

Election Day is Nov. 8. Deadline for voter registration is Oct. 11. Early voting begins Oct. 24 and ends Nov. 4.

DWallach@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/dwallach
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Federal investigators are working with local authorities to untangle the destruction of what prosecutors say could be as many as 21,500 pieces of evidence by the Precinct 4 constable's office that led to erroneous jailing or convictions of more than 150 defendants.

Federal officials have the authority to investigate if they determine the loss of evidence led to wrongful incarcerations  a potential violation of federal civil rights laws.

RELATED: Scope of Precinct 4 problem remains unclear

"We are aware of the allegations, and are coordinating with local authorities," said Shauna Dunlap, an FBI spokesman. "If in the course of the local investigation, additional information arises indicating potential federal criminal violations, the FBI will take appropriate action."

Defense attorney Paul Morgan, whose case first drew public attention to the issue, called Tuesday for outside investigators to handle the probe, saying the Harris County District Attorney's office has a conflict of interest.

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District Attorney Devon Anderson's public integrity section already is investigating problems that have affected both pending and recently prosecuted cases, but would welcome an outside audit and federal agencies' help as the scope of the problem continues to expand, said Jeff McShan, the office spokesman.

Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman, meanwhile, said he believes the agency's evidence problems are smaller than the DA has described and were limited to one "rogue employee"  Corporal Chris Hess.

In a press conference broadcast live from his office in Spring Tuesday, Herman painted a picture of a property room that was stuffed with evidence and a deputy who haphazardly cleaned out drugs, guns and other items over the course of weeks while other officers followed correct evidence destruction procedures.

BACKGROUND: DA's office dismisses 90 cases

Herman left open the possibility that Hess may face criminal charges.

"The problem was one employee and that employee has been fired," Herman said. "Whether it's accidental, negligent or intentional, the DA's office will find out. I assure you."

Calls to Hess' attorney, Burt Springer, were not immediately returned on Tuesday. But Springer said Friday that his client was wrongly singled out and blamed for the actions of an entire team of deputies who were not given clear orders. Springer said the errors were systemic and not Hess' fault.

Hess is a master peace officer who has been with Precinct 4 since June 1991, according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

Herman emphasized that though he, too, is a longtime Precinct 4 employee, he only became constable in May, when former Precinct 4 Constable Ron Hickman was named Harris County sheriff.

Herman said his own internal affairs investigation began in March when the agency discovered evidence had been wrongly destroyed in 26 open drug cases. He said his agency immediately contacted the DA's office and found out only then that the public integrity section already had begun investigating problems affecting three open drug cases.

His office has since reviewed 7,761 items destroyed by Hess, but claimed problems appear limited to 861 items in 470 cases. Much of the rest of the destroyed evidence included stolen property and items related to cases that had been closed, Herman said.

Herman said the DA's larger estimate of 21,500 pieces of evidence relates to the desire to audit Hess' work back to at least 2007. Herman said he has already contacted an outside auditor to assist in that effort and he emphasized that he did not believe other employees participated in inappropriately destroying evidence, though he said others have left the department.

As part of his own review, Herman said he found that Hess had never properly obtained court orders needed to properly destroy weapons or drugs, as required under the Texas penal code.

Springer could not be reached to comment on that allegation.

In two letters sent Tuesday to the U.S. Attorney and various local officials, defense attorney Morgan called for a federal investigation and for Harris County commissioners and other officials to conduct their own independent financial and performance audit so that Harris County leaders  and taxpayers  can determine how much evidence was wrongly tossed since 2007.

CONTROVERSY: Precinct 4 under criminal investigation

"My biggest concern that I have with all of this is that we have an elected DA that's playing politics with other elected officials," Morgan said in an interview with the Chronicle. "We can't trust her to investigate herself. We need to see how big the scandal is  and the right [entity] to get involved is the federal government."

Morgan's client was facing a 25-year sentence for a methamphetamine charge last month when Morgan learned on the eve of trial via an email message from a Precinct 4 lieutenant that the evidence had been destroyed.

Harris County commissioners did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Morgan's request for further audits. The Harris County Attorney's Office declined comment because the loss of evidence is already the subject of a criminal probe.

Herman said he welcomed an investigation by any other agency, but said his internal affairs division has not found wrongdoing by any others at the department.

"We've learned a good valuable lesson," he said. "Unfortunately, this guy was in a position where he could devastate a lot of people and he did it."

He noted that his agency recently passed an inspection in which the county's own auditors asked for officials to account for about 100 pieces of evidence out of the thousands that were in the property room.

Records show that Harris County Auditor Barbara Schott completed a review of Precinct 4 accounts in June  a review that included the evidence room. Among other things, the auditor suggested that large amounts of cash stored in the evidence room should be more closely monitored and perhaps deposited instead of being held. But her report did not reflect any missing evidence or other significant problems.

Auditors visited Precinct 4 in late 2015 to do their review and were not later told of the irregularities that were found in March or of Hess' firing, though they were still compiling their report at the time.

"We had no knowledge of that. I didn't learn about those things until it was in the news," said Mark Ledman, chief assistant of the Harris County audit division.

Staff Writer Gabrielle Banks contributed to this report.
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A former chemical plant in Live Oak has been added to the list of the countrys most polluted sites.

Citing soil and groundwater contamination left behind after nearly 30 years of industrial activity, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday the former Eldorado Chemical Co. site at 14350 Lookout Rd. has been added to the National Priorities List.
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A man accused of fatally shooting another during a drug deal gone bad was arrested Tuesday evening.

Raymond Iruegas, 20, faces a charge of murder in the shooting death of 22-year-old Ricardo Monarez, who was found dead around 2 a.m. Thursday in the 500 block of Ellana Claire Court, according to the San Antonio Police Department.

RELATED: Texas woman allegedly took photos of passed out, naked roommate and sent it to family

Officer Douglas Greene, an SAPD spokesman, said Iruegas was spotted by SAPD and the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force investigators at about 8 p.m. at San Fernando and South Brazos streets.

A traffic stop was conducted, and the suspect was found hiding in the back of a vehicle, Greene said.

Detectives determined both Iruegas and Monarez were in the back seat of a vehicle when they met to exchange narcotics, Greene said.

RELATED: Juggalo allegedly cut off woman's finger, drank her blood in

Wisconsin

When an argument erupted between them, they stepped out of the vehicle and continued until Iruegas pulled out a handgun, Greene said.

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Thats when he fired several rounds at Monarez, Greene said.

At this point, this is case closed when looking for anyone else, Greene said.

Police said after the shooting, they recovered a handgun and several drugs around Monarez.

Greene noted it was unclear who owned the drugs.

jbeltran@express-news.net
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey may expand military operations scope in Syria and Iraq, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Turkiye newspaper reported Sept. 7.

The Turkish president said that the new military operation may start in the Syrian city of Raqqa, which is also the "capital" of the militants of the Islamic State (IS, ISIL, ISIS or Daesh) terrorist group, according to the newspaper.

Erdogan said that Turkish Armed Forces may also participate in the operation for the liberation of the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Turkey has intelligence data that concentration of troops of militants is observed in northern Mosul, as well as in mainly ethnic Turkmen town of Telafer, and these militants plan to kill the Turkmens living in northern Iraq, which is unacceptable for Turkey, Erdogan added.

Being one of the key oil centers of Iraq, the city of Mosul went entirely under the control of the IS terrorists June 10, 2014.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
The Border Patrol says it caught one of Texass most wanted sex offenders, a man sought by authorities in Bexar County, trying to enter the country.

John Albert Glover, 40, is wanted in Bexar County for failing to register as a sex offender after a 2009 conviction of indecency with a child, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
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A stowaway mouse is being blamed for a woman's runaway car veering out of a parking space and into Corpus Christi Bay on Monday.

KRISTV reported an unnamed woman was not injured but "highly embarrassed" after she panicked and accidentally caused her SUV to dive into surrounding waters around 10:30 a.m.
Q. We planted several tropical milkweeds as you recommended to provide egg-laying sites for the Monarch butterflies. They are doing well and have attractive flowers but are loaded with orange aphids. Do we ignore them or is there something we can spray that will control them but wont affect the butterflies?

A. You have several options. You can ignore the aphids and rely on beneficial insects to reduce the numbers enough that the plant can still produce foliage and bloom. The second option is to use your water hose and spray the aphids off once or twice per week. Avoid spraying the blooms if you can because the water spray will reduce nectar levels for a period.

Q. Do you know why all our pomegranates have a brown type of rot on the shell that extends into the fruit? Can we still use them for juice?

A. Pomegranates have been afflicted with a fungus this year, apparently due to all the rain and cool weather we had through May. Cut off the brown rot area before you eat the pulp or attempt to juice the fruit.

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Q.I am getting conflicting advice for my Bermuda grass lawn. It is full of weeds. Should I mow high or low?

A. Bermuda grass does better when mowed at 1.5 inches or less. Any higher than that and you get more stem and less blade. Most weeds also have trouble competing with the grass in a Bermuda lawn when it is mowed frequently (every week) at 1.5 inches or less. Another option is to spray with a contact herbicide. They are formulated for use in Bermuda grass and work well to control weeds.

Q. When is the last time that we can plant fall tomatoes and expect to successfully harvest a crop? Our schedule is too tight to plant right now.

A. The recommended planting time was during the second half of July. If you obtain recommended varieties in 1 gallon containers before mid-September you will probably be successful in beating the cold weather. The fastest maturing varieties are BHN 968, Surefire, Lavaca, and Roma Surprise. Tycoon, Valley Cat, and even Celebrity may make a crop if you can protect them from the first light freeze.

Q. Are there any crape myrtles that will bloom in the shade?

A. Not that I know of! Redbuds bloom for a short period in the spring if they are grown in the shade and Mexican plum will produce some blooms in the shade but most blooming trees and shrubs require sun to bloom.

Horticulturalist Calvin Finch, Ph.D., is retired from the Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources. Send questions to him at calvinrfinch@gmail.com
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An expert hired by Frances Hall's defense team testified at her murder trial Tuesday there was no way she rammed her SUV into a Range Rover driven by her husband's lover, and that Bill Hall Jr. hit Frances Halls Cadillac Escalade with his motorcycle, not the other way around.

The collision caused Hall to crash as all three were involved in a highway chase, authorities have said. Prosecution experts testified last week that the Escalade hit the motorcyle from the side and struck the Range Rover at least twice from behind.

Frances Hall, 53, is accused of killing Bill Hall, 50, by running him off the road. He died after he was flung from his motorcycle on South Loop 410 on Oct. 10, 2013.

She also is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, accused of chasing and ramming the SUV driven by her husbands girlfriend, Bonne Contreras, after the motorcycle crash. The Range Rover belonged to the Halls.

Lawyers for Frances Hall said the motorcycle crash was an accident. Both prosecution and defense experts have contradicted Contreras, who testified last week that that she saw Frances Hall hit her husband's motorcycle from behind and that the Escalade rammed the rear of the Range Rover anywhere from 10 to 16 times.

There's no evidence of this contact that Bonnie (Contreras) referred to, defense witness Charles Ruble, an accident analyst, told the jury Tuesday.

He said there was no damage on the rear of the motorcycle, and no damage on the front of the Escalade. Ruble said the Escalade is taller than the Range Rover and he did not see any evidence of straight-on or angular impact between them.

Ruble used photographs, toy SUVs and a toy motorcycle to recreate the crash. He said the motorcycle was behind the Escalade and if Bill Hall had not moved to the shoulder, he would have rear-ended it.

Once alongside, the motorcycle swerved (left) into the right side of the Escalade, then swerved to the right, Ruble said. Faced with going off the road, he has to react.

When Hall leaned left again, he lost control, Ruble said.

Prosecutors attempted to discredit Rubles analysis because some of his findings came from an eyewitness who has not appeared at the trial but gave a deposition in the $2.5 million lawsuit Contreras filed against Frances Hall.

Asked how much the defense was paying him, Ruble said his rate is $175 per hour, and his in-court rate is $190 per hour.

If convicted, Frances Hall faces up to life in prison.

ezavala@express-news.net
SAN ANTONIO  A 65-year-old man was struck by a stray bullet while he was sleeping Tuesday night during a gunfight between two groups on the East Side, according to police.

Police said two groups were exchanging gunfire at about 11:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Delaware Street when a stray bullet went through a corner house in the 1300 block. That bullet struck a 65-year-old man in the lower calf while he was sleeping, a sergeant said at the scene.
AUSTIN  The Texas Ethics Commission is backing off a long-running battle to force conservative powerbroker Michael Quinn Sullivan to comply with subpoenas as part of an investigation into his nonprofit's political activity.

Attorney General Ken Paxton's office, which is representing the commission, told a state district judge in Travis County on Tuesday that the campaign finance regulator is no longer seeking the court's backing to enforce subpoenas against Sullivan or his 501(c)4 nonprofit, Empower Texans.

The subpoenas are part of a "dark money" investigation launched in 2012 by the ethics commission into the campaign finance activity of Empower Texans. The group is allowed to make independent expenditures without having to disclose donors.

State regulators are investigating whether the nonprofit has coordinated with donors to accept or spend money to influence a state election and if it should have to register as a political action committee, which is required to release donor names.

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The case also presents precarious optics for Paxton: his office has been defending state-issued subpoenas against a politically active nonprofit with vast clout in tea party circles and whose political arm contributed a total of $375,000 and guaranteed a $1 million loan for his attorney general campaign.

Sullivan, a prominent anti-tax and limited-government activist, had unsuccessfully tried to quash the commission's document demand in federal and state courts since first being issued in February of 2014. Accusing Sullivan of stonewalling the state's investigation, the commission filed a lawsuit last year asking a Travis County judge to enforce the subpoenas.

That request for the court to intervene, however, is now "moot," according to the commission's notice of nonsuit. Sullivan and Empower Texans, the attorney general's office says in a filing, made a "judicial admission" last month in a footnote of a related case saying the group raised $375 online during a period when a set of emails were sent that included a donate button. Those emails are the focus of the sworn complaints that prompted the commission's investigation.

The amount falls below the $500 threshold required under state law for a group to register as a PAC, which Sullivan's lawyers wrote in a filing is tantamount to "conclusive evidence that Empower Texans did not violate the Election Code."

"We told them it was less than $500 in 2014," said Trey Trainor, a lawyer for Sullivan and Empower Texans. "The footnote isn't a big revelation. It's an attempt to save face by the ethics commission to say 'we are just discovering this.'"

Natalia Luna Ashley, the commission's executive director, said the investigation into Sullivan and Empower Texans is still pending despite the agency dropping its subpoena lawsuit.

"The commission is going to continue to use the tools that the legislature has given to it to investigate complaints and enforce the laws ... in order to promote the public's trust in government," she said.

The move to dismiss the subpoena lawsuit marks an unexpected twist in the case, as the document demand has become a central issue in the commission's investigation. The commission has argued it cannot move forward without the documents and even accused Sullivan of destroying files after the subpoenas were first released.

And the issue has also continued to play out publicly: it's become somewhat of a ritual at commission meetings for Sullivan's lawyers and regulators to trade tongue lashings about the investigation and subpoenas (that's actually how the commission spent the first 20 minutes of its August meeting  watch here).

At one point, the commission was seeking the release of a wide range of documents from Sullivan and Empower Texans, including communications with donors, lawmakers and members of the state's executive branch, with the redaction of names. They also included "time records, calendars and diaries maintained by or for" Sullivan, along with two other employees of Empower Texans.

A federal judge in 2014 called the subpoenas "absurd," but refused to quash them. Negotiations have followed since then and several different versions of the subpoenas have been crafted, though Empower Texans argues the document demands are still too broad and the commission's investigation amounts to government intimidation.

In court filings, Paxton's office had vigorously defended the commission's power to execute subpoenas to investigate campaign finance matters. Last year, the attorney general's office in a court filing accused Empower Texans and Sullivan of "thwarting TEC's attempts to investigate (and potentially dismiss) the sworn complaints at issue because, ultimately, plaintiffs do not believe they have to comply with TEC's lawful power to investigate sworn complaints."

But Paxton's legal team over that time frame has also continually narrowed the scope of the commission's document demand.

At a court hearing in December, a lawyer for the attorney general's office told a judge in Travis County the scope of the commission's subpoenas had been whittled down to seek only minimal information "to measure how much money came in for a regulated activity."

In June, according to court filings, Paxton's office told Sullivan and Empower Texans in a related case they could satisfy what's being asked for in the subpoenas by simply affirming that there is no additional information to disclose or that the total amount of funds the groups raised was less than $500.

"Either response would preclude further proceedings under the filed complaint," the attorney general's office wrote.

The involvement of the attorney general's office in the subpoena lawsuit involving Sullivan is notable not only because of Paxton's close ties to Empower Texans.

Despite taking an active role in the ethics commission's legal sparring with Sullivan previously, the state campaign finance regulator sidelined the attorney general's office in its legal fights with the conservative activist in a separate case. The commission hired prominent Houston-based law firm Beck Redden for court action stemming from a $10,000 fine issued to Sullivan as part of an investigation that determined he violated state law by failing to register as a lobbyist. Sullivan's appeal is pending.

The attorney general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of Common Cause Texas, which works to strengthen ethics laws, said Paxton's office was right the first time when it argued a year ago that the documents being subpoenaed were needed in order for the TEC to make a final ruling in this case.

"This sudden about-face reeks of impropriety," he said, "and perhaps the worst part is that we may never get to the bottom of it all because the ethics commission lacks the powers it needs to do its job."
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Days after the Australian government nabbed three cruise ship tourists for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country, a man flying into Sydney from Thailand was arrested for similar charges except he swallowed 110 pellets filled with the contraband.

The Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police issued a news release on the apprehension of a 48-year-old Australian resident charged with "drug importation offences for attempting to internally import approximately 1100 grams of cocaine."

RELATED: Social media shows luxurious journey 3 Canadians took before arrest for alleged cocaine smuggling

On Sept. 1, the suspect's luggage was examined at the Sydney International Airport following his arrival from Thailand. Though his bags did not contain anything suspicious, the man indicated to authorities that he was "carrying an illicit substance internally," the release said.

"The man subsequently passed 46 pellets containing approximately 460 grams of cocaine," according to Australian authorities.

He was taken into custody, then to the hospital where 64 more cocaine-filled pellets were found, authorities said.

RELATED: Photos: Vigilantes, police kill 1,800 alleged drug dealers amid 'anarchy' in Philippines

The man was charged with importing marketable quantity of a border controlled drug and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday. The maximum penalty for the charge is 25 years in prison.

On Aug. 28, the agencies arrested three Canadians off a cruise ship docked in the Sydney Harbour when 95 kilograms of cocaine were discovered packed into their luggage. The trio faces "life imprisonment" penalties if convicted.

The arrests are part of the country's ongoing combat of drug importations. In August, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) published their 13th Illicit Drug Data Report (IDDR,) revealing the number of seizures "has reached new highs."

RELATED: 9 nabbed in $1.6 million drug bust in West Texas

"In the 2014-2015 financial year Australian law enforcement agencies made a record 105,862 national illicit drug seizures, weighing a total of 23.5 tonnes, with a record 133,925 national illicit drug arrests," the commission said.

ACIC called the increase in arrests "dramatic," in a release.

"Australian law enforcement is disrupting more criminals and seizing more illicit drugs than ever before," according to the release.

TheGuardian.com reported the mean price for a gram of cocaine Down Under is $302, or about $230 USD. The going price for "premium" cocaine is $400, or about $300 USD, per gram.

Penington Institute, an Australian drugs and health research organization, told the publication cocaine is about 5,000 percent more expensive in the country than it is in places like Colombia.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.7

By Orkhan Guluzade  Trend:

As many as 72,000 Turkish pilgrims have been taken to the hospital in Saudi Arabia since August 2016, the Sabah newspaper quoted the chief physician of Turkeys Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) in Mecca Dogan Akdogan as saying Sept.7.

Reportedly, the Turkish pilgrims were taken to the hospital primarily due to the acute respiratory infection.

More than 6,000 pilgrims attend hospital per day, according to the newspaper.

More than 450,000 Turkish citizens went to minor pilgrimage (Umrah) in 2016.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade
An ultra-rare supercar worth more than $1 million was demolished, annihilated and flattened beyond repair in Mexico when the driver lost control, hit a curb and continued to somersault in the air multiple times before the weekend, according to media reports.

The car, a Koenigsegg CCX, is priced at $1.4 million and only a few dozen exist in the world.
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Mexican authorities say gunmen shot down a police helicopter in western Mexico, killing the pilot and three officers Tuesday.

The governor of the western state of Michoacan wrote on his Twitter account that a fourth officer was wounded.

Gov. Silvano Aureoles said the attack occurred Tuesday in a "hard-to-access" area near the Michoacan city of Apatzingan. The area has been a hotbed of drug cartel activity and was the scene of fights between the gangs and armed vigilante groups.

RELATED: Shootouts in Mexico border city kill 11, including bystander

El Blog del Narco reported Wednesday the gunmen are suspected to be members of the Knights Templar cartel. The helicopter was part of an operation to find Alonso Andrade Renteria who is also known as El Papas, according to the website. His brother, Ignacio El Cenizo Renteria Andrade, is the leader of the Knights Templar cartel.

RELATED: Video shows 'El Chapo's' son kidnapped from by rival cartel gunmen in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

The website reported that members of the cartel shot down the helicopter after a confrontation in Michoacan. After the helicopter crashed, Blog del Narco reported that members of Knights Templar and the Viagras cartel fought for control of Tierra Caliente, a region in southern Mexico.

RELATED: Five dead and six injured after cartel uses social media to warn of imminent violence

It was the worst death toll in an assault on a helicopter in Mexico since a May 2015 attack in the neighboring state of Jalisco. In that incident, cartel gunmen shot down an army helicopter with a rocket launcher, killing 10.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
When Virginia Mary Gini Dowd came to San Antonio as a captain in the Army Reserve Nurse Corps in 1967, she planned to stay only for the six-months required by the assignment.

But after falling in love with the city, she never left.

San Antonio, it gets in your blood, said her nephew Kevin Patrick Dowd. Even if she visited her native Massachusetts, she would rush back here as fast as she could.

Dowd died Sept. 2 at 81.

Raised mostly in Boston, Dowd attended Boston College School of Nursing, graduating cum laude with a bachelor of science degree before going on to receive a masters in education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Joining the Army Reserves in the mid-1960s, Dowd was on active duty when she was sent to San Antonio.

Leaving the reserves with an honorable discharge in 1968, Dowd began teaching first at St. Philips and what was then Incarnate Word College, later spending the bulk of her career at San Antonio College.

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She met her future husband, who lived in the same apartment building, in early 1968.

She loved his Irish face, longtime friend Irene Aguilar said. They had a beautiful relationship.

More Information Virginia Mary "Gini" Dowd Born: Oct. 7, 1934, Quincy, Massachusetts Died: Sept. 2, 2016, San Antonio Preceded by: Husband Patrick J. Dowd; parents Frederick and Gertrude Melea; a sister. Survived by: Sister-in-law Irene Dowd; nephew Kevin Patrick Dowd; friends Irene Aguilar and Patricia Peak; other nieces and nephews. Services: Visitation from 6-7 p.m., followed by a rosary, Monday at Porter Loring Mortuary North, 2102 N. Loop 1604 East; Mass at 9 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1602 Thousand Oaks. See More Collapse

Dowd, of Irish descent herself, immediately became involved in the Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas, an organization her husband had helped establish in 1964.

Serving as the societys first correspondent secretary, Dowd continued to be a part of the group for most of her life.

The four decades she devoted to keeping the  society viable was a large part of what she did for this town, Kevin Dowd said.

At SAC, where she and Aguilar met, Dowd loved her students, had a very good way of handling them, Aguilar said.

Often working with students who were starting new careers, or who were juggling families and school, Dowd had a way of communicating with them.

If students  had a problem, were kind of low, or not doing as well as they thought they should, she could make them feel good about themselves, Aguilar said. She loved to teach, and she was good at it.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
During a recent speech to a largely Hispanic audience in Reno, Nevada, Hillary Clinton skewered Donald Trump for spreading prejudice and paranoia. The Democratic nominee seized upon a popular Mexican refrain that essentially amounts to guilt by association.

Theres an old Mexican proverb that says, Tell me with whom you walk, and I will tell you who you are, she told supporters.

In Spanish: Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres.

Trumps goal, Clinton said, is to make America hate again. After all, she added, look at the Republicans spiteful handling of the immigration issue.

All true. But the problem is that Clinton is the wrong person to judge others by the company they keep  especially on the immigration issue, where her hands are far from clean. Just look at some of her closest associates:

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is a longtime friend, and he was a top adviser to President Bill Clinton. Emanuel endorsed Hillary Clintons presidential campaign back in 2014, before it was even launched. Its no wonder that CNN reported earlier this year that few people are closer to the Clintons than Emanuel.

In the 1990s, while working in the White House, Emanuel urged Bill Clinton to be as tough on immigration enforcement as President Richard Nixon was on crime  with the same objective of attracting white voters. In 2006, while serving in Congress, Emanuel helped Democrats take back the House of Representatives. All Democrats had to do to keep it, he convinced himself, was to push immigration reform so far onto the back burner that it fell off the stove. He told Hispanic lawmakers that the issue was the third rail. You touch it, you die.

One of those lawmakers, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., later endorsed one of Emanuels opponents in Chicagos 2011 mayoral race, and even cut a commercial where he blamed his former colleague for the fact that Congress never achieved immigration reform.

If we were to hand out grades on how one handled the immigration issue, Emanuel would get a D.

Then there is Hillarys husband, the former president who adopted Emanuels cynical advice to ratchet up deportations in order to appeal to white voters.

Bill Clinton also militarized the U.S.-Mexico border by increasing the amount of fencing and Border Patrol agents at three different points  in California, Arizona and Texas. Activists say the crackdown led to countless deaths.

Finally, Clinton signed into law the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. IIRIRA made it easier to deport people and harder for them to come back legally because it bars re-entry for 10 years following a deportation.

Bill Clintons grade: D-.

Finally, there is President Obama, in whose administration Hillary Clinton served as secretary of state. Obama quickly broke his campaign promise to make immigration reform a top priority and, in his two terms, has deported nearly 3 million people, destroyed hundreds of thousands of families, and banished to foster care tens of thousands of U.S.-born children whose parents were deported. He pushed back for three years against immigration reformers who pleaded with him to use executive power to halt deportations by denying that he had such power. Obama miraculously discovered this authority in 2012 when he ran for re-election and needed to re-energize Latino voters, and made a similar discovery in 2014 when he tried to help Democratic members of Congress in the midterms.

Obamas grade: F.

These charlatans are Hillary Clintons peeps. She walks with them. And so  according to that Mexican proverb she likes so much  this should tell us exactly who she is.

ruben@rubennavarrette.com
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Orkhan Guluzade  Trend:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the operations on fighting the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of involvement in a military coup attempt, the Haber 7 newspaper reported Sept. 7.

Erdogan stressed that some media outlets sometimes disseminate false information about officials who have never had any relations with the Gulen movement.

President Erdogan added that there are some confusing cases in the operations against the Gulen movement, the report said.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded.

Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade
Depending on which political prognosticators you listen to, Latinos wont show up at the polls this November either because the presidential candidates arent palatable or because Latinos just dont vote.

Both of these scenarios are plausible and neither is good for democracy in a country where Hispanics represent a steadily increasing percentage of the population.

Its no secret that a lot of Hispanics who are eligible to vote have been turned off by the Republican candidate because of his strident anti-Latino rhetoric and hardline views on curbing illegal immigration. But that doesnt guarantee that those who are eligible will automatically cast a vote for Hillary Clinton when the time comes.

In early August, Chuck Rocha, the founder of Solidarity Strategies, a political consulting firm that focuses on Latinos, re-iterated the issue of underfunded Latino voter-mobilization efforts: We work with a majority of the Latino nonprofits in the country, and everyones budgets and fundraising for registration efforts are significantly less than four years ago. We just got money to register 20,000 Latinos in North Carolina. We got the contract yesterday. We needed it three months ago.

Part of the problem is surely that Democratic-leaning organizations are assuming that Latino voters are so scared of the pain that a Donald Trump presidency might bring on them and their families that they will be highly motivated to vote in November.

Thats not necessarily the case.

Untold numbers of commentators, journalists, data scientists and advocacy groups have, for years, been talking about waking the sleeping giant and unleashing the power of Hispanics in electoral politics. Anyone remember the March 2012 Time magazine cover proclaiming Yo Decido  I decide?

In fact, Latinos did not turn out in as high a number as expected for the last election  their participation dropped from 49.9 percent in 2008 to 48 percent in 2012, according to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).

NALEO recently reported that 27.3 million Hispanics will be eligible to vote this November but projected that only 13.1 million  or less than half  will actually cast ballots.

Leaders from advocacy organizations tell me all the time that this is due to underinvestment in long-term get-out-the-vote efforts and not because of some inborn apathy or the common stereotype that because some Hispanics come from Latin American countries where their ballots truly dont count, voting is not an ingrained activity.

Theres certainly some bit of truth to this. But not enough to dissuade those at the Washington-based Tell Them to Vote campaign, which is aimed at getting Latin Americans to encourage their U.S.-citizen relatives to vote.

Still, it should surprise no one that Latinos wont come out as long as they are not valued as voters, are not courted over the long haul similarly to other special interest groups and are either taken for granted or vilified.

What happens during elections is that organizations come in at the last minute with a lot of money targeting the Latino vote, labor leader Dolores Huerta told me in an interview. Its very hard to get the large organizations to invest in grassroots organizations [that have the most pull with geographically localized voters] because people want to see quick outcomes, and it takes time and patience to build a base.

Huerta said that Latinos have been pivotal in winning lower-ballot elections and in deciding high-profile propositions for decades. But she believes Hispanics impact can grow if they are simply cultivated over the long term and are better informed about the process and their choices.

A lot of our people feel intimidated because they dont know that their vote matters, Huerta said. Then, if they finally get into the voting booth, they feel that they have to vote for everything but they dont want to make a mistake. Its important for people to know that they can vote for just the items theyre comfortable with.

Latinos need to go out and vote on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Even if neither presidential candidate sounds good, there are local offices and issues that are equally important and in need of Latino ballots. And if anyone has the nerve to be disappointed in Latino voter turnout this fall, they should begin making investments for the next election starting on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

estherjcepeda@washpost.com
A recent article in the San Antonio Express-News regarding the safety of vaccines for children has created a stir in our city. Parents naturally want to protect their children and keep them healthy. Vaccines were developed to protect children and adults from diseases that cause great pain and suffering, birth defects and even death. However, when an illness or disability strikes a child, parents want answers and look for causes.

As physicians, we recognize the tremendous importance of vaccines. Vaccines keep our children and families healthy, prevent harmful communicable diseases, and protect our publics safety. We know that vaccines are incredibly effective. Widespread measles vaccination has led to an over 99 percent reduction in cases of this highly infectious and potentially life-threatening disease. Use of the whooping cough vaccine has resulted in a greater than 80 percent decrease in pertussis cases. Polio has nearly been eradicated from our world.
BRITTANY GREESON /San Antonio Express-News

The recent archaeological digs at the Alamo demonstrate why the site is historic for many reasons, beyond the famous 1836 battle. It took the development of a new master plan to spark renewed interest in this history  little of this kind of activity has occurred there since 1995.

The finds leave us hopeful for increased research, if this doesnt disturb the remains of American Indians and others certainly interred there. An Express-News article by Scott Huddleston detailed the archaeology that has occurred and might in the future.
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The vast majority of the worlds humpback whales, famous for putting on spectacular displays of leaping and splashing that this year have extended into San Francisco Bay, are being taken off the endangered species list in what one federal official called a true ecological success story.

But even as the government marks progress that has unfolded over more than four decades, scientists and conservationists said Tuesday that threats remain to humpbacks  including the leviathans that migrate along the California coast every year.

The decision by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to delist nine of the 14 subspecies of humpbacks under the Endangered Species Act was momentous, highlighting how worldwide protection of the blubbery giants has succeeded since whaling was banned in the United States, fisheries experts said.

However, problems persist with the Central American population, with a federal count of only 411 whales prompting the National Marine Fisheries Service to keep that population on the endangered list. Meanwhile, the Mexico population, with 3,200 animals, was downgraded from endangered to threatened after experts determined that a lot of the animals were still dying from entanglements in commercial fishing gear.

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Both the Mexican and Central American populations migrate twice annually along the California coast past San Francisco on their way to and from their breeding grounds. The Central America population feeds off the West Coast, while the Mexico population feeds off the West Coast and Alaska.

Obviously its good news that some humpback populations are rebounding, but we are still very far from the number of whales that existed before the years of commercial exploitation, said Jackie Dragon, who works to protect whales for Greenpeace. Its definitely good to celebrate the successes that weve had, but we should remain vigilant.

The delisting of many humpbacks means, among other things, that federal agencies will no longer have to consult with NOAA when they take action that may affect those whale populations that are no longer on the endangered list. Nevertheless, all humpbacks remain protected in U.S. waters and on the high seas under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, said Angela Somma, chief of the NOAA Fisheries endangered species division.

The worldwide humpback population has been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1970 after the whales were nearly wiped out by commercial hunting. Before 1900, an estimated 15,000 humpbacks lived in the North Pacific. In the 20th century, their numbers dwindled to fewer than 1,000.

The International Whaling Commissions whaling ban, imposed in 1982, played a major role in the comeback. Between 75,000 and 80,000 humpbacks now live in the worlds oceans, and many of those survivors migrate through the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

Todays news is a true ecological success story, said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries. Whales, including the humpback, serve an important role in our marine environment.

The dynamic now is that some humpback populations are doing well and others are still struggling. Thats why the federal government decided to separate the whales into 14 subspecies based on where they breed and their migration patterns.

Dragon said whales are facing a new series of threats, including noise pollution, ocean acidification, ship strikes and climate change.

We hope that governments and business will remain vigilant about protecting these populations, Dragon said. I dont think whales have faced any more pressure any time in history than they do today.

Nowhere is the evidence of success  and the pressure from climate change and other environmental shifts  more apparent than along the California coast. This spring, large numbers of humpbacks were spotted feeding off San Francisco, far more than are normally seen at that time of year.

They were even seen cavorting near Fort Point in San Francisco Bay and under the Golden Gate Bridge. Researchers suspect the giant cetaceans have been feasting on the tiny shrimp-like creatures known as krill and unusual concentrations of anchovies near shore.

Experts, though, say the krill and anchovy populations have been fluctuating wildly in recent years, which may have played a part in the large numbers of dead whales that have been washing ashore.

So far this year, ocean temperatures off Northern California have been near normal, according to marine biologists. Thats a welcome change from last year, when temperatures reached 6 or more degrees above normal. Experts believe the high temperatures contributed to record deaths of seabirds and sea lions, a profusion of alien species and poison-spewing algae blooms.

Vessel collisions have become a major cause of death for whales. Its a chief threat outside the Golden Gate, where 7,300 large vessels pass every year.

Somma, of NOAA Fisheries, said all humpback populations will be studied for the next 10 years under a monitoring plan to look at the health of those populations. She acknowledged the difficulty of the task, with humpback migrations covering thousands of miles.

Humpbacks have had a special place in Bay Area hearts at least since Humphrey, a 40-ton humpback, caused pandemonium in 1985 when he swam through the Carquinez Strait, up the Sacramento River and into a creek near Rio Vista. The Solano County city became the focal point of a whale craze, attracting 10,000 people a day as experts tried desperately to turn around the lost animal  who went back to sea after 25 days.

Humpbacks are unique among whales, known for their complex vocalizations that sound like singing, and for their acrobatic breaching, an apparently playful activity in which they lift nearly their entire bodies out of the water before splashing.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.7

By Orkhan Guluzade - Trend:

The Free Syrian Army has liberated six more settlements from the militants of the Islamic State (IS, aka ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) terrorist group with support of the Turkish armed forces as part of the Shield of the Euphrates operation, the Haber 7 newspaper reported Sept.7.

Reportedly, the Free Syrian Army and Turkish armed forces continue the offensive operation in the direction of Al-Bab city.

The Free Syrian Army and Turkish armed forces have liberated around 100 villages and 620 square kilometers of territories from the IS since the beginning of the Shield of the Euphrates operation.

A total of five Turkish servicemen were killed and seven more were injured during the Shield of the Euphrates operation.

Turkish Air Force launched an operation Aug. 24 with support of the coalition aircraft to liberate Syrias Jarabulus from the IS militants. The operation was dubbed the Shield of the Euphrates.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The IS, the YPG and the PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade
Jerri-Lynn here: This important post discuses choices that Australia faces in deciding what role China should play in its future. I was unaware just how aggressively China is deploying soft power and outright offers of money (or threats to withhold funds) in attempting to sway Australian foreign policy both in the short-term, in pressing Chinas case for control of the South China Sea, and in the longer-term, to reconsider its alliance with the United States.

By David Llewellyn-Smith, founding publisher and former editor-in-chief of The Diplomat magazine, now the Asia Pacifics leading geo-politics website. Originally posted at MacroBusiness

Finally the nation has been shunted into a decent debate about China and its role in Australias future. We know its a debate of substance because the Chinese Communist mouthpiece, The Global Times, was sufficiently exercised to mock it:

A Briefing Book, given to all senators and members by Australias Parliamentary Library recently, warned them of Chinas Belt and Road initiative and expressed concerns toward it. The book called on senators to adopt a prudent mind toward China affairs and to keep alert toward Chinas motives behind its investments. The book is an epitome of some Australians attitude toward China. The news that Labor Senator Sam Dastyari from New South Wales accepted political donations from a Chinese man has caused quite a stir. The Chinese donor was found to have paid his legal bills, and Dastyari reportedly supported Chinas stance in the South China Sea issue. Conservative forces within Australia launched an assault on Dastyari and urged him to resign. I think the Australians need to make a choice, said Colonel Tom Hanson, assistant chief of staff, US Army Pacific. Its very difficult to walk this fine line between balancing the alliance with the United States and the economic engagement with China. Some Australians seem to be deliberately hyping up the alarm toward China, which baffles Chinese society. China and Australia are geographically detached. Like Canada, Australia is an English-speaking country and apt for doing business, study, travel and migration. Canada used to have disputes with China over human rights. It is not difficult to understand as Canada belongs to the Western camp. But what bewilders us is why Australia keeps confronting China over security issues. Southeast Asia is situated between China and Australia. But Australia seems to have more security concerns toward China than Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. It is even difficult to maintain a normal relationship with Australia now. Geographic advantages grant Australia the most security among world countries. Its sense of insecurity comes partly from its own paranoia and partly it is created by itself. As an external nation, it is keen to get involved in Asias political disputes like the US. But its strength is relatively weak. The US wants to be a guard in Asia. Does Australia want to behave like an auxiliary policeman affiliated to the US? Australia does not have to feel unsettled. It can rest easy due to being an ally of the US and stressing its identity as a Western country. At the same time, it needs China as its largest trading partner who is also willing to do business with it. Beijing will not force Canberra to pick a side. As long as Canberra knows what it is doing, Washington can do nothing about it. China does not have to care about Canberras provocative words. But if it resorts to real actions to hurt Chinas security such as sending warships to the South China Sea, it is bound to pay a heavy price. So far, China and Australia have only been engaged in a war of words, and their ties are not really affected. Chinas relations with Canada have been warming up recently. The momentum of China-Europe ties keeps steady. The maritime disputes between China and the Philippines and Vietnam have been put under control. Australia should make reflections on whether it has gone too far in standing up to China.

Thats pretty clear. Beijing is happy to be friends so long as we stay out of any strategic tensions. If not look out, so says US strategic analyst Richard Fontaine, from the AFR:

I did not sense there was a great appreciation for the specific vulnerabilities in the Australian economy, said Mr Fontaine, who is currently the president of the Centre for a New American Security and has just spent two months as the inaugural Alliance 21 fellow at the University of Sydneys US Studies Centre. His writings on salvaging the global order have been widely circulated within Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. If Australia were to do something that China considered provocative and it was going to retaliate what might that actually look like? What areas is it likely to impact and therefore how much risk Australia is willing to assume in order to push back. Mr Fontaine said retaliation was unlikely to be related to the iron ore trade but could take the form of a travel advisory warning or a directive to state-owned enterprises.

Precisely. What is most likely at stake here is the citizenship export sector: education, immigration, property prices and capital imports (sold assets). Pretty much Australias current great hope for future economic development, known around here as the McKibbin Doctrine.

On the other hand, if Australia was to stand aside from any actual China/US tensions what would be the strategic cost? Again Richard Fontaine:

Fontaine argues the global order, an open and rules-based system, is under threat on a number of fronts including Chinas challenge to maritime rules across the South China Sea. Countries like Russia and China were not among the architects 70 years ago, and they have been brought into the house only haphazardly, writes Fontaine, who is now president of the Center for a New American Security in Washington. It remains unclear whether they wish to make major renovations to that house, or to tear it down entirely.

As a middle power the cost to Australia from a collapse of the rules based multilateral system would be extreme. We would need to divert enormous new resources to defense spending, the Great Power tensions we are currently witnessing would morph into a permanent Cold War and the US is quite likely to shift to a policy of China containment, forcing Australia into the very choice it is aiming to avoid.

It is here that we find an old school of Australian strategic thinkers, also at the AFR:

In foreign policy circles this is known as independence within the alliance, a posture favoured by former Labor prime ministers Gough Whitlam and Paul Keating. Australia needs a foreign policy, and it needs it urgently, said Keating, who was prime minister from 1991-96 and now sits on the advisory board of the China Development Bank, at a forum this week. China will once again be a great state in the world. Through its population and GDP, China [economy] will end up being one and a half or twice as big as the US. Keating believes Australia should respond by joining the Association of South East Asian Nations and avoiding any involvement in a potential US-China conflict in the South China Sea. [Hugh] White, for his part, still thinks Turnbull is inclined towards a more independent foreign policy. I just think he is reluctant to open a debate on China, which is a big and scary subject, White says via phone. Thats equally true of the [current Labor opposition]. There is a kind of cartel where both sides agree this issue will stay off the agenda.

Which seems to be the default position for pretty much everything of importance on the Aussie agenda. Anyway, independence within the alliance is what weve been doing for the past decade whether it was spelled out or not. You may be able to palm off the Chinese for a while longer by stating it openly but the Great Power tensions will simply keep rising. Australia may be ready to sell the US out but Japan and Korea sure arent. The three-way enmity there with China is never far below the surface. And if it comes to conflict in the South China Sea (or elsewhere) then the rules based system will be trashed whether we go or not.

The strategic fallout for ANZUS may also be severe. Independence within the alliance that persists with Australias current economic transformation is turning us into a Chinese espionage hot spot, also from the AFR:

The governments top intelligence experts are concerned Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull isnt taking their warnings about the security threat posed by China seriously enough and the former banker is relying on advice from outside experts. Despite vetoing a Chinese bid for Sydneys electricity network this month, Mr Turnbull and some other cabinet ministers are reluctant to act on or receive warnings that China is engaging in spying on an industrial scale and that business secrets are among its top targets, three sources with senior contacts in the security services said. It is far more ambitious and better resourced than ever before, said Paul Monk, an intelligence and foreign affairs expert who headed China analysis for the Defence Intelligence Agency. Its notorious with politicians that they find intelligence to be a new thing when they go into politics. Its things they would prefer not to know or suggest actions that can be embarrassing. There is an unspoken rule that we spy on each other, said Alan Dupont, a former military officer and defence analyst. But to target in a massive way the business community of your trading partners and friends, in a way China has done, is unprecedented.

In case you dont know, these are the top minds in Australian strategic thought and what they are saying is more than a little scary. I mean, check out this bombshell from Peter Hatcher:

It is a polite fiction that donors will give money to politicians without expectation of a return on investment. One of the biggest paymasters of Australian politics, the chairman of the property developer Yuhu Group, laid this out explosively for all to see this week. Huang has paid more than $1 million to both sides of Australian politics since 2012. He is also the financier for Bob Carrs pro-China outfit, giving $1.8 million to set up the Australia China Relations Institute. Carrs outfit is so relentlessly pro-China that Professor John Fitzgerald, of Swinburne University, has written of the monotony of Carrs China-Whatever comments. None of this is happening in a vacuum. The president of China, Xi Jinping, has publicly called on the patriotism of overseas Chinese to advance Beijings interests in foreign countries: As long as the overseas Chinese are united, declared Xi, they can play an irreplaceable role in realising the Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation as they are patriotic and rich in capital, talent, resources and business connections. The Chinese Communist Party even has a department responsible for the co-ordination of Chinese diaspora and international communities  as sinologist Gerry Groot, of Adelaide University, has written: The United Front Work Department (UFWD) is the organisation through which the Party reaches out to many key non-party groups within and outside China in order to achieve important political goals. It also monitors sensitive constituencies and selects representatives from them who they can then incorporate into the political system. There is a group of Chinese Communist Party party-connected influencers in Australia acting not merely for personal or commercial advantage but for Chinas national interest. The ABCs Chris Uhlmann reported that the security warning to party chiefs is another indicator of the growing concern in intelligence agencies about the use of soft power in Australia. That includes donations to politicians and universities, urging community groups to press Beijings cause, increasing control over Chinese language media and buying space in mainstream media. The immediate goal is to push Chinas case for control of the South China Sea and, long-term, to urge a rethink of Australias alliance with the US. Inside the parties, the connection between Chinese money and Australian foreign policy is being made starkly plain. Senior Labor figures have told MPs that Senator Stephen Conroys tough position on Chinas disputed claims in the South China Sea have cost Labor a lot of money, well informed sources tell me. Specifically, theyve said that big Chinese donors withheld $450,000 in payments that otherwise would have been given to Labor, the sources said. By offering, or withholding, money, this is an attempt at deep, strategic corruption, an effort to pay politicians to change Australian foreign policy. Total disclosed payments to the major parties by Chinese corporate and business interests in the two years to June 30 last year was $5.89 million. An informed official tells me: There is very high level concern inside ASIO about the use of donations to purchase access and influence. Its concern about systematic behaviour by people connected to the Chinese state apparatus. Its centrally directed by Chinese intelligence.

The obvious conclusion to draw for the Americans is that under such an espionage assault, little Straya is no longer a trustworthy five eyes intelligence partner. Moreover, if we were to abandon the US in a North Asian skirmish with China, or indicate that we would do so in advance, then why share intelligence with us now? Or, for that matter, spend trillions on policing the Pacific hegemony that enforces the rules-based system? In the simple calculus of real politik whats in it for them?

None of this is really as hard as it appears. Its only hard if we allow the fundamental tension between the economy and our strategic outlook to develop further. That tension is not between Australia as a Chinese trading partner of goods like raw materials on one hand, and the US as the regional hegemon on the other. The supply of raw materials to developing countries and emerging powers supports the international rules-based system because without free access to commodities nobody can grow and invasions for access become a rational choice for governments. The rules-based system polices the sea lanes that keep that trade flowing.

No, the fundamental tension is between where Australias economy is going and the US alliance. The strain is between the McKibbin Doctrine  selling to the Chinese everything that is not bolted down and the citizenship export sector of high immigration, education exports, property prices  and the US alliance. There is no getting around this. If we allow that part of the economy to continue to develop and dominate then we are ipso facto entering an altogether deeper engagement with China that will render us strategically dependent upon the rising Great Power of North Asia and whatever it decides to do with the rules based system of Pacific strategic relations. There is no independence within the alliance that supports the current rules-based system policed by a US hegemon, there is only risking it by backing an unproven new one.

We might choose to back the new kid on the block but if so we should do it with our eyes open. Given it is totalitarian, we do not know to what extent it will at some point rely upon external aggression to support internal power.

On the other hand, the US is still the great Liberal Empire of our time, the greatest democracy on earth by some distance. It has no interest in leading wars of aggression in the Pacific. This is not some glib end of history drivel about democracies never invading one another. The US has been a troubled alliance partner in a decade of global misadventure that was shockingly destructive to itself and others. It might next elect a weirdo to the Oval Office and turn inwards for a while. It is very far from perfect. But its track record of support for an Asian rules-based system of international relations is very good (with some prominent Cold War exceptions) and that benefits Australia in ways so large that it is difficult to measure.

The answer to this strategic dilemma is actually pretty easy. When I was publishing The Diplomat, the then Chinese Ambassador to Australia, the elegant Fu Ying, recounted a story about travelling to far northern Australia where she imagined diggers and US marines fighting side by side on the beaches against Japanese invasion. It was at the moment, she said, that she understood that the strategic links between Australia and the US go deep into history, and exist beyond simple alliance paraphernalia (it may be that knowledge that has the Chinese state working so intensively to disrupt it). So, to manage our strategic tension we simply do what Fu Ying might have expected us to do, we take away Chinese leverage by:

properly policing Australias foreign property buyer rules;

banning Chinese investment in strategic assets while freeing it up in raw materials (including agriculture);

ratcheting down immigration levels;

focusing hard on improving general economic competitiveness so that we rebuild tradable sectors instead of relying on selling everything off to prosper, and

ban political donations.

We do this within a clear foreign policy, strategic, investment and trade framework, communicated through white papers and consistent decision-making so that it is clear to Beijing that we are their loyal partner in their developmental economic journey within the existing rules-base system of regional governance. And we tell the US that we back them all the way as the regional hegemon.
A new way of taming ions can improve future health care (Nanowerk News) A group of researchers at Chalmers University of Technology has discovered a completely new way of using lasers to accelerate ion beams. In time, the new technique could possibly give more people access to advanced cancer treatment. The results were recently published in the high impact journal Physical Review Letters ("Chirped-Standing-Wave Acceleration of Ions with Intense Lasers").

A laser beam (from the right) falls onto a thin foil, with a mirror on the rear side. The beam is reflected, forming a standing wave. Because of the systematical variation in wavelength of the laser pulse, the crests of the wave start to move. This drags the electrons (red) and ions (green) along, accelerating them to high speeds in the direction of the arrows. (Image: Felix Mackenroth)

Advanced ion technology may in some cases be used to treat otherwise inoperable tumors, such as brain tumors. The treatment involves a concentrated beam of ions that knock out the cancer cells, without damaging the healthy surrounding tissue. This is accomplished by the use of a so-called cyclotron accelerator. Today there are only a few facilities in the world that offer this kind of ion treatment.

Only very few patients can receive the treatment today because such a facility is not even available in every European country. Using our method to control the ions, the same technology will hopefully in the future be used in equipment that is compact, inexpensive, and easy to use, says professor Mattias Marklund, Head of the Division of Theoretical Physics at Chalmers University of Technology and one of three researchers behind the discovery.

In just a short time he and his colleagues Felix Mackenroth and Arkady Gonoskov developed a novel technique, called "Chirped-Standing-Wave Acceleration", that could be a paradigm shift. The researchers work is based on a particle accelerator where the ions are accelerated by using a laser, in contrast to conventional accelerators that use electric fields to accelerate ions.

We knew that a laser could trap electrons but did not know how to move the electrons so that they could drag the ions with them. We found an elegant solution to this puzzle by letting the lasers wavelength vary continuously, in such a way that the ions were accelerated, says Arkady Gonoskov, postdoctoral researcher in physics.

A laser beam (purple-red) falls onto a thin foil, with a mirror on the rear side. The beam is reflected, forming a standing wave. Because of the systematical variation in wavelength of the laser pulse, the crests of the wave start to move. This drags the electrons and ions along, accelerating them to high speeds (green beam). (Image: Felix Mackenroth)

So far there have been only a few ways to accelerate ions using lasers, and none of them could control the ions in an organized and efficient manner.

It was more like using a sledgehammer. With our method we can capture, stabilize and organize large numbers of ions with great precision without using a lot of energy. This is a small step towards the ultimate goal of treating cancer tumors in a way that provides enormous benefit to society. But we are still far from the ultimate goal, says Felix Mackenroth, postdoctoral researcher in physics.

So far, the method has only been tested with the help of advanced computer simulations, but experiments are planned in cooperation with Lund University.

This research was conducted within the framework of the Pliona project funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. Umea University is also participating in the project.

More about: Ion acceleration using lasers
Comet lander Philae found

(Nanowerk News) The comet lander Philae has been found. The OSIRIS camera on board the Rosetta orbiter took the revealing images of the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on 2 September 2016. They show the landing craft lying sideways in a crevasse. Two of the three landing legs are clearly visible.

"We finally have a full view of Philae," says Koen Geurts from the Philae Lander Control Center at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) in Cologne. "Even at first glance you can tell that we were fortunate, because Philae would probably never have seen sunlight again had it been just 10 metres further inside the crevasse."

In light of these new images, the scientists at the Philae Lander Control Center have already started to analyse what happened when the landing craft touched down and started operations.

"We are looking forward to finding out exactly how the landing site we have now discovered influenced the lander's operation and radio contact," Geurts continues.

Comet lander Philae on 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

The scientific data acquired thus far can also be analysed more precisely now that Philae's exact landing site is known.

"As we can already see in the images, Philae is hidden in a shadow close to a rock face, explains Ekkehard Kuhrt, planetary researcher at DLR and member of the OSIRIS team. "Now we can use the new OSIRIS images to track the position of the Sun throughout our experiments, which will help improve our interpretation of temperature measurements and other aspects."

Tilman Spohn, head of the DLR Institute of Planetary Research and member of the MUPUS team is equally delighted: "What a magnificent achievement by the OSIRIS team, and a real milestone in space exploration! Now we want to see what exactly we hammered on using MUPUS, and can also improve the interpretation of our infrared measurements."

Detail of the surface of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko with the crevasse where Philae was found.

It had already been assumed that Philae may have come to rest on the rim of a crater, directly on the head of the duck-shaped comet. So far, however, the images had only shown individual pixels that might indicate Philae's presence. The latest images were acquired with a greater resolution of five centimetres per pixel at a close distance of just 2.7 kilometres from the now less active comet. And they clearly show tiny Philae.

"It was extremely difficult to obtain definite confirmation of the landing craft's location in the rugged, murky terrain," adds Kuhrt. "We are thrilled and touched that we were able to locate Philae in the run up to the end of the Rosetta mission, on 30 September."

A cold and dark landing site

It took Philae two hours to drift the approximately one kilometre from its original landing site Agilkia to its current location Abydos after it bounced off the surface of the comet on 12 November 2014.

The harpoons designed to anchor Philae to the surface of the comet failed to deploy  and the ice screws in its feet were unable to sufficiently secure the lander to the surface. But the real work of the team in the DLR control room really only began after this spectacular landing: they kept the landing craft in operation for 60 hours, issuing commands to the 10 instruments on board before finally rotating the craft to face the Sun.

Even then they knew: the landing site is extremely shadowy and cold. Sunlight reached the landing craft for less than 90 minutes over that 12.4-hour comet day. The thermal sensor MUPUS did its best to hammer into the surface of the comet, where it encountered a hard layer of ice and measured temperatures below minus 180 degrees Celsius. Moreover, the images taken by the ROLIS and CIVA cameras showed us the somewhat fissured, shadowy environment that we can now marvel at from a different perspective thanks to the pictures delivered by the OSIRIS camera system.

About the mission

Rosetta is a European Space Agency mission with contributions from its Member States and NASA. Rosetta's Philae lander has been contributed by a consortium led by DLR, MPS, the French space agency, CNES (Centre National dEtudes Spatiales), and the Italian space agency, ASI (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana).
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 7

By Orkhan Guluzade  Trend:

A meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has started in Turkey, Anadolu Agency reports.

According to the report, the Shield of the Euphrates operation and the fight against the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of involvement in the military coup attempt, are being discussed at the meeting in the presidential palace in Ankara.

On Aug. 24 morning, the Turkish Air Force, with the support of the coalition aircraft, launched an operation to liberate the city of Jarabulus from the IS militants in northern Syria, near Aleppo.

The operation was dubbed Shield of the Euphrates.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The Islamic State (IS, ISIL, ISIS or Daesh), the YPG and the PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.7

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Staff changes have been announced in Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS), said the website of the Resmi Gazete newspaper.

The board member of TPAO Selami Incedal and deputy general manager of BOTAS Asim Kafkas have been dismissed, according to the website.

No information has been provided about the reason of the dismissals and new appointments.

TPAO was established in 1954, while BOTAS was founded in 1974.

It was earlier reported that staff changes are expected in Turkeys state companies after the military coup attempt in the country.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded.

Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Izmir, Turkey, Sept. 7

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Eighteen of 31 employees of Turkish petrochemical complex Petkim have already been released, Petkims head Anar Mammadov told reporters in Turkeys Izmir Sept. 7.

They were earlier detained on suspicion of having ties with the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of organizing the July 15 military coup attempt in Turkey.

The decision on the remaining 13 Petkim employees will be made by a court, added Mammadov.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded.

Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Tencent Races to the Top Spot as Biggest Company in Asia

Tencent is Asia's largest company. (Photo : Getty Images)

Reports were released Monday revealing that Tencent is now the largest Asian company and had overtaken Alibaba. Tencent's current market value is at HK$1.99 trillion or $255.8 billion.



Li Chengdong, a Beijing-based independent e-commerce strategy analyst, said, "Tencent's market value is based on its current and previous good financial situation, which is driven by the company's core businesses including advertisements, games, e-commerce and financial services."



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Tencent's rise to first place bumped Alibaba to third as the Internet giant only had $250.2 billion. Samsung is second as their market value totaled to $229.4 billion.



The report also showed that Tencent's revenue jumped to 40 percent.



A Beijing industry analyst, Liu Dingding, said, "Tencent has benefited from China's fast-developing mobile Internet industry, which tops the world with 700 million to 800 million users."



The company's big sales leap is also due to the shift in market demand and revenue that is produced by QQ and WeChat.



JPMorgan Chase & Co. released a similar report that showed Tencent's profits are driven by video, digital reading, music, streaming media and Web ads. Major sales are drawn from the company's mobile games.



Liu said, "Tencent's WeChat business also reported a great performance in recent months. The company will continue to boost such businesses as WeChat, cloud computing and big data."



The top Asian company's interim report stated that WeChat, including Chinese version Weixin, there are 806 million monthly active users in the first half of 2016, up 34 percent year-on-year.



Experts believe that the rapid growth of Tencent will become a threat to Alibaba.



Liu said, "Tencent has become the biggest shareholder of JD.com Inc and will join forces with jd.com to further develop its e-commerce business, posing tougher competition for Alibaba."



An expert believes that Tencent's rise in sales is mainly driven by the county's shift to a consumption-based economy.



"China's economic restructuring is happening faster than many have expected," said Shen Jianguang, chief Asia economist at Mizuho Securities Asia Ltd.


President Xi Jinping shakes the hand of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during their meeting at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou last Sept. 3. (Photo : Getty Images)

China is hoping that Australia can provide foreign investors with a fair and transparent environment, President Xi Jinping expressed on Sunday, Sept. 4, during his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for the first time since Canberra blocked a major deal, according to an article by Fortune.



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Last month, China was enraged when Australia decided to stop the sale of the country's biggest energy grid, worth A$10 billion ($7.57 billion), after Chinese bidders failed to hurdle security concerns.



"China hopes the Australian side continues to dedicate itself to providing foreign investors a fair, transparent and predictable policy environment," Xi said after a meeting on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Hangzhou.



China's Foreign Ministry quoted Xi as telling Turnbull: "This also accords with Australia's own interests."



Australia's decision resulted in a rift between the relations of the two countries as China blamed Australia's protectionism led to the blocking of the bid for Ausgrid and another one by a China-led consortium to buy cattle company Kidman & Co.



According to the report, Turnbull told reporters later that China knew better that it was within Australia's right to determine its investors as well as the terms of investment.



"China has more freedom to invest in Australia, indeed all foreigners have more freedom to invest in Australia, than in almost any other country. We have a very open foreign investment policy," Turnbull said.



"So we mostly say yes, we almost invariably say yes, but from time to time we say no and we make no bones about that and China respects that," the prime minister added.



The Australian leader said that the Ausgrid case was not discussed in the meeting.



China has also criticized Australia, a known U.S. ally, for taking surveillance flights over the disputed South China Sea and supporting freedom of navigation exercises conducted by the U.S. in the area.



The foreign ministry quoted Xi as saying that he urged the two countries to respect each other's "choices in their development paths and each other's core interests and major interests".



Turnbull said he talked to Xi about the South China Sea and the importance of complying with international law.



"We're a good friend of China and good friends are very honest with each other," Turnbull added. "We are consistent and our position is very clear that we expect and encourage all parties to comply with the rule of law, to show restraint and not act in a way that would exacerbate or create tensions."


(As delivered)

Thank you so much, Mr. Prime Minister Kvirikashvili, and thank you for hosting not only me but the whole North Atlantic Council here in Tbilisi today. And we are very much looking forward to the program today and tomorrow; and I think that the presence of the North Atlantic Council representing all 28 Allies and also Montenegro which is now in the process of joining NATO, the presence of all of us here today shows the strong commitment and the strong partnership between NATO and Georgia. We have, as you just said, held a very productive and successful meeting of the NATO- Georgia Commission and we had in-depth and productive discussions on Georgias contributions to our shared security, on your reform process and the process you are making. And on the security situation in the region.

NATO and Georgia have a remarkable, mutually supportive relationship. Our partnership is strong. And our partnership is getting even stronger.

NATO is very grateful for the service of Georgias soldiers:

In Afghanistan.

In the NATO Response Force.

And in our efforts to tackle terrorism in the Mediterranean.

Georgia has made substantial sacrifices in service of our shared Euro-Atlantic security. And while contributing to international security, Georgia has also carried out ambitious defence reforms here at home. You are continuing to strengthen your democracy and civic institutions. And this has helped Georgia move closer to NATO. You are not walking alone on your reform path.

Georgia has all the necessary tools to move towards NATO membership:

The NATO-Georgia Commission.

The Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, which is delivering results.

The Joint Training Centre we inaugurated last year, which is now up and running.

This Training Centre is increasing the modern combat skills of Georgian soldiers, and our ability to work together.

And Allied experts here in Tbilisi, helping bolster defence reform.

All of these tools are important for Georgia, all of them are also important for NATO. And I welcome that you are making progress in all these areas together.

These are key building blocks for Georgia as aspirant to NATO membership.

At the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July, NATO leaders welcomed the impressive progress Georgia has made. And I trust that this progress will continue.

Including on constitutional and electoral reforms. In line with Georgias steady progress, we look forward to the upcoming elections meeting the highest democratic standards and free and fair elections.

This is important for NATO. Because NATO is a community of values, including democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

But reforms are even more important for the people of Georgia. And for your nations security and prosperity.

So Prime Minister,

In Warsaw, NATO leaders expressed strong political and practical support for Georgia. Today, the North Atlantic Council is here in Tbilisi to confirm our commitment to your nation once again.

We will continue to count on Georgia. And we will continue to support you.

So thank you very much for hosting the whole North Atlantic Council. Thank you.

MODERATOR: The Prime Minister and the Secretary General will now take questions from the press. Nino Abruliani, Medi-TV (sp?).

Q: [Interpreted] On the Bucharest Summit it was announced that Georgia will become NATO member in Bucharest. Also we are an inspiring country which was estimated by NATO as a reliable partner. When do you see some reasonable timeframe when Georgia can receive invitation to become NATO member? This goes to Secretary General. And also a question to the Prime Minister, Prime Minister you often times spoke that Georgia stays devoted and committed to Euro-Atlantic course of development. What were the messages that Georgia received from the NATO Secretary General in this regard? Thank you.

JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): We decided in Warsaw at the NATO Summit in Warsaw to reaffirm the decision we made in Bucharest that Georgia will become a member of NATO. But to become a member of NATO Georgia has to meet the standards, the requirements for membership and thats exactly why were working together with Georgia on implementing reforms that enables Georgia to move closer.

I will not give you any exact timetables because this is based on merits, its based on results and its based on the progress Georgia is making. But we have seen a lot of progress, we have seen a lot of reforms both when it comes to institutional reforms, electoral reforms, freedom of press but also of course defence and security reforms. This is important for the efforts of Georgia moving towards NATO membership but its also important in itself.

It is important for Georgia because it makes Georgia a safer, a stronger country and it makes Georgia a stronger democracy and it also creates the best possible framework for prosperity and economic growth. So I think it is important to remember that the reforms are important because they take Georgia towards NATO but they are also important because they are of high value for Georgia regardless of NATO.

You are making progress, we are supporting you. We adopted the substantial package; we have increased and enhanced the substantial package. We are delivering, we have advisors in Georgia. We have inaugurated a training centre, we have opened a new school for defence institution-building; and we are showing again and again our political support for Georgia, for instance with the presence of the North Atlantic Council in Georgia today. Im not able to give you any exact timetables but I can once again recognize the progress you are making and I very much appreciate the close partnership between Georgia and NATO.

GIORGI KVIRIKASHVILI (Prime Minister of Georgia) [Interpreted]: Thank you very much distinguished Secretary General. Allow me to field the question meaning what sort of messages we received from NATO. And allow me to single out the fact that after Warsaw Summit this, for NATO and North Atlantic Council, is the first international summit that, and the fact that it is being held in Georgia it has huge importance in terms of the message of furthering and supporting Georgia.

All the members announced their staunch support of the Georgian territorial integrity and sovereignty and it was very deeply emphasized the importance of the Georgian sovereign will to be the member of the Euro-Atlantic family which is irreversible and every ally announced their support to Georgia in terms of attaining this important aim. We have also conversed on the different aspects of enforcement of the requirements in delivering on the substantial package and the strengthening of defence capabilities will be the centrepiece and we will be emphasizing in this direction. You must be very well aware that in ... back in the past we shifted the accent on preparation of Georgian servicemen to participate in international mission and currently our interoperability with NATO military forces has attained quite higher threshold.

We will be right now shifting the emphasis to the strengthening of Georgian defence capabilities and additional components; were going to ensure that in this field to aim at the directional strengthening Georgias defence capabilities. Allow me to one more time salute the statement by the Secretary General that the military reform, the democratization of the country, economic development, rapprochement with NATO standards - this first and foremost serves the interest of the Georgian population. It is done for ... [inaudible] rating, living conditions in Georgia.

To have more security and better conditions for the general development of the country. Its also very important that the many countries attending summits are providing assistance to Georgia in bilateral formats and we also discussed this bilateral packages of assistance which is of significance for us and also it is important that Georgias involvement in the Black Sea security dialogue which also brings closer with the NATO family which yields additional opportunities to Georgia, thank you.

Q: Thank you Reuters News Agency. Mr. Stoltenberg, my question is very quick, very precise, very short. What role do you think Russia plays in political decision making over Georgias membership in NATO because we know that Russia is opposing NATOs enlargement, and especially to these ex-Soviet countries? And I would appreciate if our Prime Minister will also add a couple of words about that whether the Georgian government feels that Russia, Russias political factor plays role in this process in NATO, in Georgias future membership with NATO? Thank you very much.

JENS STOLTENBERG: For NATO it is a fundamental principle that every nation has the right to decide its own path including, what kind of security arrangements or military alliance it wants to be part of. And this not the only principle that NATO has subscribed to but its actually a principle that also Russia and all other European nations have subscribed to many many times starting with the Helsinki Final Act back in the 1970s and then repeatedly done so in different international treaties. So for every sovereign nation, for every independent nation as Georgia it is a fundamental right to choose whether it wants to be a member of the Alliance or whether it dont want to be a member of the Alliance.

Thats the independent decision of an independent nation. So whether Georgia is going to become member of NATO or not is up to NATO, the 28 allies and Georgia to decide, nobody else has the right to interfere or try to veto or try to intervene in that process. And this has been underlined by NATO again and again and NATOs door remains open and that has been shown many many times despite protests, despite expressions from Russia that they dislike the enlargement of NATO; NATO has continued to enlarge.

And we are now in the process of moving from 28 to 29 members because Montenegro is in the process of becoming the 29th member of NATO, showing that the door is open. NATOs door to enlargement is still open and its still functioning. So, this of course also applies for Georgia and thats the reason why we made a decision we made in Bucharest. I was there myself and thats the reason why we have also reaffirmed that decision as late as at our Summit in Warsaw in July.

GIORGI KVIRIKASHVILI: Thank you. I think speaking about Russias influence upon Georgias potential accession to NATO would not be correct. I think what we need to do is that we need to do our own homework in order to approximate, harmonize Georgias military standards to the NATO standards and I think we need to wait patiently and move consistently towards NATO accession and of course what we are doing right now before, reforming Georgias military, reforming Georgias democratic institutions is exactly what we need for NATO membership.

The fact that Montenegro was attending this very important Summit speaks about open door policy of NATO and this is big encouragement for all of us in order to consistently continue what we are doing. We believe that there will be a window of opportunity for Georgia but we need to be patient and we need to be consistent.

Q: [Interpreted]: Greetings, as you might be aware on Warsaw Summit there was a decision made that the Alliance will get more active in the strengthening of the Black Sea security system. What will be the role of Georgia? This goes to the Secretary General. And the question to the Prime Minister, in a months time we will have the Parliamentary elections and our allies evaluate this forthcoming election as the test of democracy. What anticipations do you have, how do you vision that?

JENS STOLTENBERG: The Black Sea region and the Black Sea itself is of great importance for Euro-Atlantic security and we have seen increased Russian presence in the Black Sea region and we have also seen a substantial military buildup in Crimea by Russia. NATO has decided to increase our presence in the Black Sea, we have already increased our presence in the Black Sea region but we will further step up our presence in the region and also in the Black Sea itself. We made decision - as you referred to - at the Warsaw Summit to enhance our presence in the Black Sea region.

We are working on that with our military planners now to decide exactly how that is going to take place and we also continue to support regional efforts by the Black Sea literal States to ensure security and stability in the region. And for NATO and NATO Allies it is important to have close dialogue, close contact with partner countries like Ukraine and Georgia - being non-NATO members - but NATO partners, and to talk with them, to have dialogue with them regarding our increased presence in the Black Sea.

GIORGI KVIRIKASHVILI [Interpreted]: October elections have a lot of significance. We are trying to retain the high standards which were demonstrated during the Presidential and local governments election. Although proceeding from the fact that Georgia is a Parliamentary Republic the essence of this election are higher, the stakes are higher subsequently and were fully apprehend the responsibility which is put on the government and the ruling party. It goes without saying in terms of the democratic nature of the elections and the transparency. We have input a lot of efforts to have these elections one of the best in the contemporary history of Georgia. We have invited international observers, and their number is unprecedentedly high to observe the run-up to the elections.

It is also worth mentioning that four months prior to the elections the decree, the Presidential decree on the holding of the election was published and it was sort of countersigned by the government. So, meaning that the standard in terms of the, like pre-election standards in Georgia also occurred. We have enforced the legislative changes to further like, strengthen the requirement of the criminal penal code in terms of altercations, in terms of violence, so to curb violence and entertaining all this that we are the incumbent government quite well understand that our responsibility is the highest in the course of the forthcoming elections. And its quite eloquent (sic) and a test to this that we have unprecedentedly free media space which was not the case at all in the course of the previous elections or like the high reputation organizations confirm that and we have all the precursors to have the best elections.

What are my forecasts? My forecast is, my anticipation is that we the ruling party will win, bearing in mind that our political force provided and attained a breakthrough in the Georgian political life, introduced a higher political standard without the pressure on media, pressure on businesses, the index of freedom is a way higher, like actually double and that has been acknowledged by many international organizations. And thats why we reckon that people will evaluate this and will make a good decision and we are waiting for quite strong landslide support.
Residents learn that soil contains dangerous levels of lead

Whom to trust?

(NaturalNews) At the West Calumet Housing Complex in East Chicago, residents (mostly poor African American families) have been living, working and playing in toxic soil, heavily contaminated with lead . Mayor Anthony Copeland recently announced that the housing facilities would be demolished, and that everyone living in the area would have to evacuate. The elementary school has also been shut down, after 19 children younger than the age of 8 were tested and found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood.The community is home to at least 1,100 black residents, including some 670 children, who had no idea that their bodies were taking in exorbitant amounts of lead from the soil. It wasn't until one of the resident's children was tested that the issue was raised. When resident Stephanie King, single mother of five, got the results of her 3-year-old son Josiah's blood tests, questions started being asked. Her toddler had extremely elevated levels of lead in his blood, no doubt impairing his learning ability and overall cognitive function.As the EPA then provided more information, the residents of the community came to find out that they had been living in a toxic area just north of a former U.S.S. lead smelting plant. In 2009, the area was designated a Superfund site in dire need of cleanup and overhaul. The residents are mostly furious, wondering why authorities were not clear about the dangers of the leaded soil until now. Just as in Flint, Michigan, the government kept silent, leaving the residents uninformed about the poisoning taking place around their homes.The amount of lead measured in the top six inches of the soil in the area is 30 times higher than what is considered safe for children to play in. They also found elevated levels of arsenic . According to Robert A. Kaplan, the EPA's acting regional administrator for the Great Lakes region, cleanup and regulatory compliance efforts previously focused strictly on the former lead smelting plant; the neighboring areas have been, for the most part, left untouched. However, in 2011, the EPA did remove some oil from the areas where they felt the lead was of the greatest concern.The companies responsible for the lead contamination were ordered to clean up the neighboring areas in 2012; however, extensive testing of the soil did not begin until late 2014. The EPA , holding these companies accountable, claimed that the contractor that they hired to collect soil samples failed to provide quality data. Now the EPA is going to people's homes offering deep cleaning services to remove lead . They are putting up fliers warning residents not to dig or come into contact with the soil or mulch. The EPA says that they warned the residents about the lead in the soil for nearly a decade, but a contradictory 2011 assessment of the Superfund site concluded that residents were safe to breathe the air, drink the tap water and play in the soil. Who were the residents supposed to trust?Instead of trying to remove the toxic soil and risk displacing more lead, mayor Copeland is ordering an evacuation. "I cannot multiply this enough times, to tell you the irreparable damage that can happen to your child," said Mr. Copeland speaking to residents at an Aug. 3 meeting. Mayor Copeland confirmed in a letter to the EPA in July that "hundreds of children suffer from excessive levels of lead in their blood." Since then, $1.9 million has been granted to the East Chicago Housing Authority to help the residents pay for relocation.
Navajo Nation becoming radiation victims

EPA provides no recourse

(NaturalNews) In August 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) came in with contractors to drain the toxic Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado. When they failed to control the toxic sludge, the dam ruptured uncontrollably.Instantly, millions of gallons of heavily polluted water burst from the mine, spilling into the majestic Animas and San Juan Rivers. The once beautiful waters turned. The chemicals, heavy metals and uranium dispersed, traveling into Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. The water from the river was no longer safe to drink or use for crop irrigation.For the two days that this toxic sludge invaded the Navajo Nation, the EPA failed to call and alert the people. When the EPA did get around to issuing a notification, no details were given on how long the toxic sludge would contaminate their land. The most secluded areas that rely heavily on this water source didn't hear from the EPA for weeks about how the contamination would impact their livelihood. After losing their crops and being poisoned by the EPA's negligence, the Navajo Nation is now coming together and suing the agency for neglect and for providing no true recourse.EPA officials told the Navajo people that the river would restore itself and would be safe to use two weeks after the spill. However, Navajo president Russell Begaye warned residents not to trust the EPA's official story. After conducting their own analysis of the river and finding widespread contamination, the Navajo Nation pressured the EPA into sending non-potable water to their farmers so that they could try to sustain their crops and animals.The effort wasn't enough to sustain the crops, however. An estimated 2,000 Navajo farmers lost their crops over the past year when they stopped using their irrigation pumps. Their produce sales have dropped dramatically, since people are afraid of being poisoned by toxic uranium and other heavy metals . Petuuche Gilbert of the Laguna Acoma Coalition for a Safe Environment says that the uranium mines cause radioactive contamination, and as a result, "All the residents in their vicinity are becoming nuclear radiation victims."The EPA has yet to offer compensation for the farmer's lost crops, which is the reason for the lawsuit. The EPA hasn't even helped with cleanup efforts, or worked to improve health protections for the Navajo Nation.Leona Morgan of the organization Dine NO NUKES confirms this, saying, "A mostly-Navajo community in Sanders, Arizona has been exposed to twice the legal limit allowable for uranium through their tap." At the very least, the EPA could be handing out standalone water filtration devices to the families living in areas of high contamination.The people of the United States continue to wonder if the EPA's purpose is to protect the environment and the people's health, or if it merely exists to control and facilitate industries such as uranium mining.The Gold King Mine Spill is just the beginning of the problems associated with abandoned uranium mines. There are an estimated 15,000 of such abandoned mines throughout the Western United States. About 75 percent of these mines lie on native and tribal lands, which will pose an ongoing threat to the future and health of the people of these regions.
Federal government accuses Monsanto of fudging sales numbers for weed killer

SEC's whistleblower program issues $107 million in five years

Justice Department sues to block Monsanto, John Deere deal

(NaturalNews) The Securities and Exchange Commission has paid out the second largest settlement in U.S. history to a former Monsanto executive who blew the whistle on the biotech giant's shady business dealings involving Roundup, a widely used herbicide containing glyphosate which was labeled a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organization last spring.The whistleblower's identity is being kept secret, according to reports, presumably to protect the individual from the potential backlash of powerful industry groups.The former Monsanto executive, who exposed "accounting improprieties" involving Roundup , has been awarded more than $22 million, according to"The award of $22,437,800 was tied to an $80 million settlement between the SEC and Monsanto in February, according to the lawyer, Stuart Meissner in New York, in a statement."The SEC has accused Monsanto of lying about its earnings for Roundup. The allegations specifically involve a corporate rebate program designed to increase sales of the product.The agency said that the seed giant "lacked sufficient internal controls to account for millions of dollars in rebates that it offered to retailers and distributors. It ultimately booked a sizeable amount of revenue, but then failed to recognize the costs of the rebate programs on its books."Monsanto reportedly "materially" distorted its consolidated earnings over a three-year period. The company is said to have "neither admitted nor denied" the allegations, while stating in the fiscal year 2015 that it was fully prepared to pay the resulting penalties."Company employees are in unique positions behind-the-scenes to unravel complex or deeply buried wrongdoing. Without this whistleblower's courage, information, and assistance, it would have been extremely difficult for law enforcement to discover this securities fraud on its own," said Jane Norberg, acting chief of the SEC's Office of the Whistleblower.The agency was given the power to award whistleblowers under the Dodd Frank financial reform law, signed by President Obama in 2010 to prevent institutions from becoming "too big to fail."The program has so far awarded more than $107 million to 33 whistleblowers since its implementation in 2011. The largest award was issued in 2014, totaling $30 million.Monsanto, of course, is no stranger to the legal system. The company is facing more resistance from the government over its plans to merge with John Deere, which manufactures farming, construction and forestry equipment.Headquartered in Moline, Illinois, John Deere revealed its plans to acquire Monsanto's Precision Planting back in November.The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit to block the deal, arguing that if it goes through, it will give John Deere "a stranglehold on the market for high-speed precision-planting devices,"reports.The two companies together sell 86 percent of all equipment in the precision-planting sector."If this deal were allowed to proceed, Deere would dominate the market for high-speed precision-planting systems and be able to raise prices and slow innovation at the expense of American farmers who rely on these systems," said Renata Hesse, acting assistant attorney general of the Justice's antitrust division.John Deere and Monsanto claim that the merger is necessary to protect farmers, and will fight the lawsuit.Monsanto is also considering an offer by the chemical and pharmaceutical giant Bayer. The German-based company offered $64 billion to purchase its agribusiness rival, Monsanto.
Phony legislation that went nowhere

Principles for sale

(NaturalNews) Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton embodies all that is wrong with American politics today, as she has proven time and again. One example unearthed just recently involves her policy reversal regarding a dangerous chemical, after the company that manufactures it became a benefactor of the Clintons' charities.As reported byin February, at one time Clinton opposed use of an industrial solvent manufactured by Dow Chemical known as Trichloroethylene, or TCE, because it was found to be potentially harmful to pregnant women. But she changed her mind after the nation's largest maker of TCE began partnering with, and eventually contributing to, the Clinton Global Initiative and an advisory group linked to her husband, former President Bill Clinton.Not so ironically, at the time of thereport Clinton was making an issue of the government-created toxic water crisis in Flint, Mich., in which residents were saturated with dangerous levels of lead. Lead poisoning: bad; chemical poisoning: not so much (for donors, anyway).Clinton's personal and financial partnership with Dow Chemical reveals much about the inner workings of her and her husband's growing financial empire, as well as the "pay for play" nature of her political life.On October 5, 2005, then-U.S. Sen. Clinton, D-N.Y., drafted a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency's administrator, Stephen L. Johnson, noting that seniors and children are especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of the chemical, used primarily as a metal degreaser. She then urged the agency to adopt regulatory measures to prevent possible harm from the chemical "Endicott, Hopewell Junction and Ithaca [New York] are known to be contaminated with volatile organic compounds where TCE is also known to be present," Clinton's office said at the time in a statement which highlighted the letter.At the time, there was intense political pressure on Clinton and her New York lawmaker colleagues, after it was found that TCE had leached into an underground water table near Hopewell Junction. In addition, a number of homes had experienced "vapor intrusion" of the chemical into their homes. Both of these incidents caused significant threats to public health, as most residents were likely not purifying their water or cleaning the air in their houses.Also, noted, the EPA reported discovering other toxins in the well water of at least five homes in the Hopewell Junction community while testing was being conducted for the presence of TCE."TCE is a widespread pollutant in the United States and vapor intrusion is known to be a significant pathway of exposure," Clinton, who took the lead, said in her letter, which was signed by other senators and congressmen. "The EPA needs to act now to establish safe, protective 'interim standards' in order to ensure the health and safety of our children and our communities."In 2007, Clinton would introduce legislation that made clear that TCE was potentially harmful to "pregnant women, infants, and children."Shortly after Clinton introduced her measure, Dow began partnering with the Clinton Global Initiative, eventually working up to being a benefactor. The company pledged a $30 million loan guarantee for a clean water projection in India at the Clinton Global Initiative's 2007 annual meeting. Andrew Liveris, Dow's chairman and CEO, announced the loan while appearing at the annual meeting in late September 2007, less than two months after Clinton introduced her TCE Reduction Act.noted that Liveris became a close friend of the Clintons, with Dow donating between $1 and $5 million to the Clinton Global Initiative in 2014. Liveris also gave Bill Clinton the use of a private Dow jet when the former president went to North Korea in 2009 to successfully negotiate the release of two American journalists who were being held in that country.There are other ties as well,noted. But in sum, this is just another example of how the principles of Bill and Hillary Clinton are not hard-and-fast ideological things, but are instead for sale to the highest bidder.
A university defends their research practices after an uproar from a national pet-adoption group regarding an experiment that resulted to euthanizing six female beagles.

According to Fox News, The University of Missourisupported the research published in Journal of Veterinary Opthamology last April a study conducted on a number of one-year-old beagles.

Beagle Freedom Project, a California-based group, discovered the dogs' death when they chanced upon the published study about treatment for damaged corneas. Even though the study gives a lot of useful information, the procedure to get the outcome comes with a price.

According to the published study, the one-year-old beagles' left eyes were purposefully damaged while they were under anesthesia. They were given topical acid treatment to check if this treatment will work. Half of the dogs made it, while those that didn't respond to the treatment were euthanized.

Kevin Chase, vice president of BFP, called the experiment a "colossal failure" and "cruel." He also noted that there are thousands of tiny nerve endings that filled up the cornea's top layer.

"Caging dogs in a laboratory, intentionally damaging their corneas, and then killing them is about as ethical as picking people off the street and hitting them over the head with a pipe in order to test new concussion treatments," Chase said.

Meanwhile, the university issued a statement, saying that their scientists give the research dogs utmost care and respect while doing the procedure. The dogs were anesthised and were given pain medications if there are any signs of concern.

According to their statement, their researchers also treated the animals "humanely" and give "every effort" to make sure that the animals were comfortable during the process. However, the statement didn't mention if their research animals are usually euthanized.

The study aimed to develop painless or non-invasive treatments for corneal injuries to make the quality of life better for both humans and animals. An article published in Washington Post stated that according to animal rights groups, each year, there are 70,000 dogs that are used by almost 400 U.S. research labs. Mostly of these dogs are beagles because they can be easy to handle.
Canada Willing to Change Rules on Foreign Investment to Further Ties, Ready to Join China-led Bank

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. (Photo : Twitter)

Canada has agreed to ease its foreign investment restrictions in an effort to further enhance its economic ties with China, a senior legislator revealed.



According to David Lametti, parliamentary secretary to International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been considering for some time, Reuters reported. Lametti added that, while the government has not yet formally looked into the idea of changing the regulations on foreign investment, it has expressed openness in exploring such proposals.



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The current restrictions imposed on foreign investments came as a result of the move made by the government of Trudeau's predecessor Stephen Harper to control takeover bids made by foreign state-owned companies on Canadian energy firms.



In 2012, China National Offshore Oil Corporation placed a bid for Calgary-based oil and gas company Nexen. While the acquisition was approved by the Canadian government, there were concerns that the country's oil reserves could end up in foreign control, prompting the Harper administration to put in tighter restrictions.



China is the country's second biggest trade partner and has recently become one of its biggest investors.



Meanwhile, Canada also expressed its intent to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the New York Times reported. According to Canadian officials, the decision to join came during Trudeau's five-day visit China on Aug. 30.



Canada has earlier expressed hesitations in joining the new bank saying that it wants to first ensure that the institution's financial and environmental standers meet its own. The concerns mirror that made by the United States, which has advised its allies, like Australia and South Korea, not to join. The two countries nevertheless accepted the invitation to become founding members.



China established the AIIB last year ostensibly to help fund infrastructure projects in Asia as an alternative to the World Bank. However, many experts also consider it as a showing of the country's growing economic and political influence.


The international efforts of animal conservationists have once again paid off as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announces the removal of most of the distinct populations of humpback whales from the federal list of endangered species.

The removal of the nine of the 14 distinct population from the endangered lists was done after the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), an office of NOAA, observed a significant recovery in the humpback whale population in those regions. However, four of the distinct population of humpback whales, including Central America, remained in the endangered lists, while the population in Mexico was downgraded to "threatened".

"Today's news is a true ecological success story," said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries in a report from The Guardian. "Whales, including the humpback, serve an important role in our marine environment."

Despite being remove from the endangered lists, NOAA noted that the populations will still remain under the protection of the Endangered Species Act.

According to the report from Mercury News, commercial whaling was internationally banned in 1966. In the U.S., the ban on whale hunting was strengthened by the Endangered Species Act signed by President Richard Nixon in 1973. In 1986, the International Whaling Commission imposed a whaling moratorium.

Since then, the global population of humpback whales experienced a tremendous recovery. It has bounced back from as few as 5,000 to around 85,000 today. At present, illegal commercial whaling is very few, if not completely gone.

However, there are still two major threats in the life of whales. These are ship collisions and entanglements. The Canadian and the U.S. government agreed to slow ships and move the shipping lanes out of the migratory path of whales to prevent them from colliding with ships. Entanglements now remain the biggest threat of whales in America. NOAA received about 63 reports of whale entanglements off the coast of California, Washington and Oregon last year.

Read:

WATCH: Extremely Rare White Whale Calf Spotted Playing With Mother

Global Right Whale Population Faces Extinction Due to Fish Ropes, Birth Decline

2 Blue Whales Spotted Together Off New England Coast
We can now fight wildlife crimes with the help of these new inventions made by the winners of a global competition. The competition called "the Challenge" is spearheaded by USAID in partnership with National Geographic Society, the Smithsonian Institute and TRAFFIC, an organization that monitors wildlife trade.

According to National Geographic, some of the winning inventions are a tablet-based platform that can inspect if a shipment contained an endangered animal; a system that can analyze DNA; and a computer model that can identify if an animal is put up to sale.

There were 300 participants from 52 countries. Out of these, a panel of nine judges chose 16 winning entries. Four grand prize winners from the 16 winners,will share the combined award of $900,000

It not so easy to notice an illegal trade. It can even hide in plain sight, and may just even pass through your eyes.

"The idea is that if we harness the power of the crowd, if we try to reach non-traditional solution holders, we could solve messy, intractable development problems cheaper, faster, and with greater impact than traditional approaches," says Sara Carlson, Biodiversity and Natural Resources Specialist for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Wildlife Crime Tech reveals that the winners include a database developed by New England Aquarium that will "digitize wildlife trade real-time." From University of Washington, their solution involves DNA analysis, detector dogs and assignment software that will pin point the seized pangolins' geographic origin. Pangolin is one the most trafficked animals.

Meanwhile, the National Whistleblower Center made an online system that will help people to report any illegal wildlife trade anonymously, and will give them information about monetary rewards once they "whistle blow" any illegal wildlife trade, according to another article from National Geographic.

The USAID will help the winners by making introductions to their potential partners that can help build their projects, Carlson said.

The video below is from the website of The Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge that shows one of the four grand prize winners.
The latest instrument to fight off child pornography is none other than a man's bestfriend. Meet URL, pronounced "Earl." The black labrador may look plain at first glance, but what he does to help the community will completely change that impression.

URL is a police dog who is tasked to sniff electronic storage media that possibly contains child pornography files. He is Utah's first Electronic Detection K-9. While there is not any assurance that the device he sniffs has palpable evidence, he can track devices that cannot be tracked by humans themselves.

In a Facebook post, Weber County Sheriff's Office explains that the highly sensitive nose of the labrador can detect unique chemical compounds that are usually found in the electronic devices.

"If there's an investigator that has a belief that there might be evidence concealed on an electronic storage device, then that's where (URL) would come in," Det. Cameron Hartman, URL's handler told CNN in an exclusive interview.

"He actually found a USB that was in this jar that was closed, and the jar was in a box, and the box had stuff in it. The jar itself had stuff in it."

Hartman, according to Inside Edition, was also trained to understand the signals of URL. For example, the meaning of the different types of tail wags URL makes when he is signaling that he found some material.

URL was previously put in a kill shelter before going to Jordan Detection K9 where he underwent six months of training. RT notes URL is just one of the six dogs trained to be an electronic Detection K-9. Adding that Todd Jordan, the man who trained him also schooled Bear, the famous K9 who tracked down evidence against Jared Fogle, who was found in possession of child pornography.

The Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force bought him for $10,000. Aside from helping halt child pornography, URL will also patrol the prison in search for illegal devices such as cellular phones.
The body of an infant has been found after the mother allegedly admitted to wrapping up the boy in blankets and leaving him in an empty lot in Tijuana, Mexico, according to law enforcement officials.

Elliot Villalobos, 7 months, was reported missing last week by relatives in Chula Vista, California. Investigators say they were led to the baby's body by his mother who was found living in San Diego with her new boyfriend.

Miguel Angel Guerrero Castro, with Procseuraduria General de Justicia del Estado de Baja California (PGJE), confirmed the baby was found dead Friday in the Lomas de la Presa neighborhood, approximately 12 miles south of the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

Family members of the boy's mother, 20-year-old Jasmine Villalobos, contacted the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) on August 31, concerned that they had not heard from the young mother since the end of June.

She was considered missing along with her boyfriend Luis Espinoza, 22, of Mexico, according to CVPD. Espinoza is not the boy's biological father.

The next day, San Diego Police Officers found the couple staying in San Diego. The baby was not with them so the couple was interviewed by CVPD.

They told law enforcement officials the baby suffered a fatal fall, they were scared and didnt know what to do so they wrapped up the baby in blankets and left him in an empty lot, Guerrero Castro said.

NBC 7 spoke to Elliot's biological father who arrived in San Diego from the Central Valley on Tuesday.

"It's devastating. It's devastating," Joany Aguirre said. "You know especially the way I heard it. You know, I didn't want to come back to San Diego this way. I wanted to come back to see my baby with my family. I didn't want to come back this way. It's devastating. My heart is broken."

He told NBC 7 that he doesn't believe the story being told by the couple.

"I'm hurt. I'm hurt myself because I never expected this from her. It's crazy," he said. "I feel like I'm in a nightmare still. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I think about it all the time. And I think about my little baby all the time. It's devastating."

Aguirre said he wants justice for Elliot.

A GoFundMe page was started to raise money to get his baby boy's body back to the U.S. for a proper burial.

"He was always smiling. He never did no harm to no one. All he wanted was attention. When he did cry, it's because either he did wanted to be fed or he wanted to be changed and that's all he wanted," he said, adding that his baby boy did not deserve any part of this.

Those who lived near Villalobos' house told NBC 7 that they were shocked to learn of Elliot's death.

"I was like, 'how could someone do that to their baby'," neighbor Jessica Aceves said.

Another neighbor said there had been an argument among family members last week in the front of the house and police officers had been on scene.

She kept saying something about 'You're a murderer, you're a murderer' or 'Your brother is a murderer' or something like that and something about a child, said neighbor Jose Chavez said, speaking of Villalobos.

Villalobos and Espinoza agreed to return to Mexico to explain what happened to Mexican law enforcement authorities.

Officials there initially reported the couple was being detained in Tijuana. NBC 7 has learned no charges have been filed in the case and Villalobos has returned to the U.S.

The baby and his mother are citizens of the U.S.

Guerrero Castro said the baby was abandoned 20 days before he was found.
The Marin Humane Society is grappling with the unexpected and anonymous nocturnal delivery of 34 cats and kittens in cardboard boxes on its doorstep early Sunday morning.

It's the fifth time in four years that a large group of cats and kittens - 130 of them so far - were abandoned at the animal facility on Bel Marin Keys Boulevard in Novato.

"It's cat season; it's the worst time," said Keri Fennell of the Marin Humane Society. "All their nails were pretty long, which makes us believe they weren't outside. But overall, these cats are pretty friendly."

Most of the abandoned cats and kittens have been black and white tuxedo cats, humane society spokeswoman Lisa Bloch said.

Security camera video showed a vehicle pulling up to the shelter Sunday and three people leaving the boxes behind. A note on one box asked the shelter to find homes for the felines, Bloch said.

"They said they feel sorry for bringing the cats, but their friend's great grandmother 'Bonnie' let things get out of control," Bloch said.

Sunday's delivery resembles the others because it happened in the middle of the night, the cats were in boxes and someone rang the doorbell at the shelter and left, Bloch said.

"While we're grateful the kitties are safe with us, we want to find out who's responsible for the over-breeding so we can offer other assistance for any cats remaining and for the people involved," Bloch said.

She said the responsible party won't be held liable or be in trouble.

"If left unattended, cats can be prolific breeders," Bloch said.

The Marin Humane Society has been vaccinating, spaying and neutering, micro-chipping and medically and behaviorally evaluating the 34 cats and kittens.

The Humane Society workers said they aren't interested in getting anyone in trouble; they just want to help stop the cycle.

"This could have been avoided; spaying and neutering could have prevented this," Fennell said. "So that's why we want to know who they are, to make sure all the cats are healthy and to help with spaying and neutering so this doesn't happen again."

Consequently, the organization will waive its $100 adoption fee for all of the adult cats at its shelter until the end of September, Bloch said. She said the shelter already had 135 cats and kittens there before Sunday.

The pre-adoption expenses cost $500 per animal. None of the 34 cats and kittens delivered Sunday appears to have been spayed or neutered, Bloch said.

Anyone who donates more than $500 to the Marin Humane Society shelter will have the chance to name one of the kittens, Bloch said.

The humane society's campus at 171 Bel Marin Keys Blvd. is open Tuesday through Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Wednesdays 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. For more information, people can call (415) 506-6225 or visit MarinHumaneSociety.org.
It was a heartbreaking sight in the East Bay Tuesday when people walked up to their school and realized it is now defunct.

The company that runs ITT Technical Institute announced Tuesday that "with profound regret" it was shutting down academic operations at all of its campuses and thousands of its employees will lose their jobs.

The move comes after the federal government banned the Carmel, Indiana-based for-profit chain last month from enrolling students who use federal loans to pay for classes.

Some students became emotional as they discussed what happens next.

"It's all shot now," Dennis Tomlinson said.

Tomlinson was just one quarter away from earning his degree. However, the Welcome Back sign at ITTs Oakland campus was marked with locked doors and no answers on Tuesday.

Tomlinson, who had been part of the cybersecurity program, said there were "enough teachers" and described ITT as a "good school."

Paul Hansford and Arrow Metcalf also came to the campus Tuesday in disbelief.

They heard the news and saw on the internet that ITT in Oakland has shuttered. The Department of Education said transcripts will be available and students should look into transferring their units to other schools.

But Hansford and Metcalf, who described feeling a little bit of frustration, couldnt access their transcripts Tuesday. Calling the schools phone number didnt lead to answers either, Metcalf said.

All we're trying to do is learn, Hansford said. I work full time, go to school full time.

ITT operates vocational schools at more than 130 campuses in 38 states, often under the ITT Technical Institute name. Last year, it enrolled 45,000 students and reported $850 million in revenue.

Officials with the Department of Education announced on Aug. 25 the ban on enrolling students with federal loans and other measures against the chain, which has been the subject of state and federal investigations focusing on its recruiting and accounting practices.

Among the measures, ITT was ordered to pay $152 million to the department within 30 days to cover student refunds and other liabilities in case the company closed. ITT is still paying another $44 million demanded by the department in June for the same reason.

The Education Department also prohibited ITT from awarding its executives any pay raises or bonuses, and said it must develop "teach-out" plans that would help current students finish their programs at other colleges if the chain shut down.

For her part, a subcontractor with the city of Oakland expressed worry for those who found themselves without jobs Tuesday.

When you lose your job, you wonder, Where will money come for my expenses? said Cheryl Maier of the Oakland Private Industry Council.

Last month, a group that accredits ITT found that the chain failed to meet several basic standards and was unlikely to comply in the future.

One of the biggest for-profit chains in the nation, ITT has been under increasing scrutiny from the Education Department following allegations of misconduct. It has also been sued about the quality of its programs and high-cost private student loans.

Student John Lane, also a quarter away from finishing his training, said his dreams are on hold now.

I wouldve gotten a job somewhere, he said.
A federal judge in San Francisco has rejected state environmental approval of a plan to expand Highway 1 in Pacifica.

U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria said Friday state transportation officials gave a federal wildlife agency incorrect information when seeking the agency's approval for the work.

The California Department of Transportation proposed preserving 5 acres to offset damage the highway expansion would cause to the habitat of two endangered species _ the California red-legged frog and the San Francisco garter snake.

But Chhabria said that land was already slated for preservation and was therefore not a benefit that could be tied directly to the highway expansion. He ordered Caltrans to again seek the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's approval.

Caltrans spokesman Myeast McCauley said the agency was reviewing the decision and would work with its project partners to determine next steps.
Male Polish (Photo : YouTube)

Although many men have been having manicures and pedicures to trim their hand and foot nails, it was only recently that fingernail painting became fashionable among males.



Credit goes to American fashion designer Marc Jacobs who in March posted his image wearing dark purple nail polish and used the hashtag #malepolish which became viral on Instagram and attracted 1,388 posts as of Sept. 5.



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Since then Jacobs had been posting glamorous manicures weekly using different shades and labels it 'Mani Mondays." He usually poses with a lit cigarette.



W Magazine noted that before Jacobs, other men too had painted their fingernails, citing as example Marilyn Manson, Jared Leto and Johnny Depp.



According to Jin Soon Choi, friend of Jacobs and founder of JINsoon, men who color their fingernails tend to select dark colors and stay away from bright and pastel shades.



Andrew Glass, vice president of EvolutionMan, an American skincare line for males, explained the growing popularity of fingernail painting among men to male tendency to create a good impression and to gain more confidence.



I think that men are tired of having to steal their girlfriends' products to look good, said Glass. Men all over the world are starting to be more comfortable and confident to get grooming services done in order to look good.






San Jose police on Tuesday nabbed a convicted sex offender, who is accused of physically assaulting and attempting to kidnap two young women within the last 10 days.

For the past couple of days, police sought the public's help in locating David Lee Russell. On Tuesday, they got the help they needed, as numerous residents reported seeing the 56-year-old near Oakland Road and Charles Avenue, where police eventually arrested him.

"This is an example of the community working together with the police, how we quickly and efficiently take someone off the streets especially someone as dangerous as this guy we were looking for," police spokesman Sgt. Enrique Garcia said.

Russell, who police said is homeless and often stays in San Jose, is accused of attacking two young women and attempting to abduct them. The first incident, dated Aug. 29, occurred near Meridian and Hamilton avenues, and the second, on Sept. 1, was in the area of Hillsdale and Narvaez avenues, according to police.

According to the California Department of Corrections, Rusell is a "second striker" and a "repeat customer" in the prison system, spokesman Bill Sessa said.

He was sentenced in 1992 to four years in prison after being convicted of assault with intent to commit a sexual act and was discharged in August 1995, records show. He was sentenced against in July 2008 to four years on the same charge, along with two years for false imprisonment, three years for sexual battery and failure to register as a sex offender. He was discharged from prison in July 2013, and discharged from parole in March.

Russell had shaved his mustache and goatee, but the public wasn't fooled. Willow Glen resident Jessica Staley did her share to track down Russell.

"I shared the story on Facebook, shared the story on my Instagram, and I had a lot of family members and friends reach out to me because I live in Willow Glen, just making me aware of the situation, showing a picture of the gentleman," Staley said.

In a news release, police described Russell, whose rap sheet includes violent assaults against women, as "extremely dangerous."

Ellie Wronski is pleased the alleged attacker is off the streets of her neighborhood, but what happened near her South San Jose home will stay with her.

"I think this is a safe place," she said. "I live right down the street, but I think that things like that happen and make me scared."

Russell was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on two counts each of attempted kidnapping, attempted kidnapping to commit a sexual offense and assault with intent to commit a felony.

Driving a silver Hyundai Sonata, Russell also faces charges for an outstanding no-bail warrant for driving under the influence, a misdemeanor.

People with information about Russell can contact Detective Michael White at (408) 277-4166. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 408) 947-7867.
A 31-year-old man was shot dead Tuesday night near the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo, and two suspects were arrested in San Francisco after a high-speed chase, according to the San Mateo Police Department.

The shootiing occurred just before 7 p.m. in the 3500 block of El Camino Real in a parking lot, police said. When officers arrived, they found the man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Medical aid was immediately started, but the victim died at the scene, police said.

The suspect vehicle fled the scene and sparked a high-speed chase involving police and California Highway Patrol officers, police said. The pursuit reached speeds of about 90 mph as it traveled north on Interstate 280 to Interstate 380 then north on Highway 101 to San Francisco.

Officers were able to stop the vehicle and safely detain two suspects near Market Street and Octavia, police said.

Police warned the public to avoid the area near the shooting while San Mateo police investigate the scene. They said it appears to be an isolated incident.

Neither the victim not the suspects were identified.

Anyone who has information that may help in the case is asked to contact Detective Nick Ryan at (650) 522-7670 or call the SMPD Secret Witness Line at (650)522-7676. Anonymous online tips can be left at http://tinyurl.com/SMPDTips.
In a rare action, the California Supreme Court voted 6-1 to reinstate the license of a disbarred former San Francisco prosecutor after his attorneys showed evidence he had recovered from the drug addiction that destroyed his career.

Robert Roland, 45, who was disbarred in 2007 following his conviction on federal drug charges, was notified Tuesday that he can now practice law again, according to his attorney, Joanna Sheridan.

In 2006, Roland was convicted of four drug-related charges, including possessing ecstasy (MDMA) with intent to distribute. The last charge led to his disbarment.

Federal prosecutors had originally accused Roland, then an assistant district attorney in San Francisco, of obtaining drugs in reward for assisting defendants, but federal prosecutors dropped those allegations due to lack of evidence.

Roland did admit, however, that he obtained MDMA and distributed it to defendants he also helped prosecute, without alerting the court.

Sheridan told NBC Bay Area that after Roland served his six-month term and spent three years on supervised release, he rebuilt his life.

"To pull yourself up from that low, from the ashes, literally, of your career, of your life, to overcome a drug addiction  its a very difficult and long term process," Sheridan said.

She said after Roland hit "rock bottom" in prison, he went through rehab and upon his release, got a job as a document reviewer for a medical device firm. He later became head of quality control there.

He volunteered monthly at a law clinic in the Bayview for two years and spoke to law school classes about how his addiction led to ethical lapses, she said.

In the fact-gathering hearing earlier this year, 14 witnesses testified on his behalf. State bar officials argued that Roland did not do enough to show he had truly rehabilitated himself and questioned if his teaching and volunteer work proved he was fit again to be a lawyer.

In the end, the hearing judge, Patrice McElroy, found in his favor. The state court agreed, with Justice Carol Corrigan dissenting.

Doug Rappoport, another one of Rolands lawyers, said the original accusations that Roland traded leniency for drugs were baseless and the product of unreliable informants.

"It was unfathomable at the time that anybody who knew Rob could believe that this was true and in fact it turned out not to be true," Rappoport said.

It is not clear what Roland will do with his reinstated attorneys license.

"He knows he cant be a prosecutor anymore," Sheridan said. "I dont know where he will land, but just being able to regain the title of being a lawyer, the confidence of the community, is a privilege, a great privilege. Im sure hell do something wonderful with it."

State Bar officials have not responded to a request for comment.
A woman reported that dog was stolen Tuesday outside a supermarket in San Francisco.

Danielle Russo told NBC Bay Area that a man was seen taking her 6-year-old Dachsund mix named Goose in front of a Whole Foods market on Fourth street sometime between 3:15 and 3:45 p.m.

A concerned Whole Foods customer shot cellphone video of the man unleashing the dog from a lamp post and walking away with her.

Russo said she called the police at about 4 p.m., and the dispatcher told her they put out an alert with a description of the suspect. After searching for Goose on her own, Russo went to the police station on Third Street to file a report.

San Francisco police provided a case number but did not confirm any details about the incident.
Hurricane Newton slammed into the twin resorts of Los Cabos on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula Tuesday morning, knocking out power in some places as stranded tourists huddled in their hotels.

Newton made landfall as a Category 1 storm with winds of 90 mph (150 kph), pelting the area near Cabo San Lucas with heavy rain and blowing down at least half a dozen palm trees along the coastal boulevard. Some windows were also shattered, but there was calm in the city as firefighters cleaned the streets of refuse.

Roberto Dominguez, a customer relations worker at the Fairfield Marriot in Cabo San Lucas said guests hunkered down in their rooms overnight. He said the hotel's windows and balconies had been sufficiently protected from the storm and tourists were fine in the morning, although without cellphone or internet service.

Los Cabos suffered heavy damage to homes, shops and hotels two years ago when it was hammered by Hurricane Odile, which hit land as a Category 3 storm.

After making landfall Newton moved inland and its center was located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of La Paz, the capital of Baja California state. It was moving northeast at around 17 mph (28 kph). Maximum sustained winds had decreased to 80 mph (130 kph).

Mexico extended hurricane warnings for the peninsula and also a stretch of the mainland coast across the Gulf of California, also called the Sea of Cortez. The U.S. National Hurricane Center predicted Newton could cross the peninsula as a hurricane and re-enter the gulf.

Newton was forecast to dump 8 to 12 inches of rain on Baja California Sur state with isolated maximums up to 18 inches, and heavy rains were also expected for five other states. Newton could even reach the U.S. border at Arizona as a tropical storm, according to the latest forecasts.

About 14,000 tourists had remained in Los Cabos as of Monday night as airlines cancelled flights out as the storm approached, said Genaro Ruiz, the state tourism secretary. Ruiz said tourists had been advised to remain in their hotels.

"The most important thing is to stay at home," said Carlos Godinez, a civil defense official for Baja California Sur. "If there is nothing that requires you to be outside, take shelter with your family."

Officials evacuated low-lying areas and opened 18 shelters at schools in the two resorts and 38 more in other parts of the state, while warning people against panic buying.

"There is no need for mass buying," Los Cabos Mayor Arturo de la Rosa Escalante said. "There is enough food and fuel for the next 20 days."

Los Cabos police were stationed at shopping malls to guard against the kind of looting that occurred after Hurricane Odile.

On Monday, torrential rains from then-Tropical Storm Newton prompted some 100 people to evacuate their homes and damaged residences in Uruapan in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan, the city government reported.

Some roads were blocked by flooding and mudslides in the neighboring state of Guerrero, where some people were evacuated by helicopter. No deaths were reported in either state.

Newton was expected to move up the peninsula and enter the Gulf of California by Tuesday night.

The hurricane center said the storm could dump 1 to 3 inches of rain over parts of Arizona and New Mexico through Thursday, threatening flash floods and landslides.
The man who gunned down airport screening officers at Los Angeles International Airport in the 2013 rampage, formally changed his plea Tuesday to guilty to murder and 10 other charges. Paul Ciancia faces multiple, consecutive life terms, but not the death penalty.

The path to the plea agreement had been cleared when US Attorney General Loretta Lynch agreed with the U.S. Attorney's office not to pursue the death penalty. Ciancia signed the agreement last week, but it did not take effect until he entered the plea in the courtroom.

It is expected multiple consecutive life sentences will be imposed when the 26-year-old unemployed motorcycle mechanic returns to court in two months.

Ciancia admitted to killing TSA agent Gerardo Hernandez, and wounding two of Hernandez's colleagues and a traveler.

Evidence the prosecution had intended to present at trial included a text message from Ciancia to a family member in which he described himself as a "pissed off patriot trying to water the tree of liberty."

Still not clear is the origin of Ciancia's rage, why he focused it on TSA personnel, and why he chose to stage the attack at LAX. Ciancia had grown up in New Jersey and had moved to Los Angeles barely a year before his rampage.

All three of the surviving victims were present in court.

Afterwards, TSA Agents Tony Grigsby and James Speer said they were satisfied with the plea agreement, but have no sympathy for Ciancia.

"He caused a lot of pain to a lot people," said Grigsby. "I will never get my friend back."

"More than anything, I empathize with the Gerardo Hernandez family," said Speer.

Ciancia's guilty plea means there will be no need for trial or testimony. But in the courthouse courtyard, Grigsby and Speer for the first time publicly shared details of the accounts to which they would have testified.

After the shots rang out, both Grigsby and Speer evacuated travelers away from the TSA screening station in Terminal 3.

"I refuse to be a victim," said Grigsby, who was wounded in the ankle. "During that ordeal I made decision to help people and run back to help people. And I stand by that decision."

Speer described getting travelers down the terminal, and staying behind to help one man.

"Just as I'm down the hallway, just as I thought we're safe, I actually saw Brian Ludmer to the right of me get shot  he didn't go out the gate  and before, a split second before I could say, 'Oh my God," a split second later I felt 'boom, boom' in the back and left upper arm. I was thrown forward from the blast," Speer recalled.

Ludmer, who was at the airport as a traveler, has also recovered from his injuries and was also present in court for Ciancia's plea.

Speer got into a Hudson's bookstore and prepared to confront the gunman, but the gunman did not come in.

Speer later made his way out of the terminal, and with the airport lockdown, had to wait nearly half an hour before he could get medical care.

Both Speer and Grigsby have recovered and returned to work, Speer in an administrative capacity, Grigsby back working a terminal. His mother and sister also work as TSA agents.

From the ordeal, Grigsby has taken a renewed vigilance for his job and protecting air travelers, he said.
As Chicago Public Schools kicked off a new school year Tuesday, union leaders continued to prepare for a potential strike.

The Chicago Teachers Union has been working without a contract for more than a year. If no agreement is reached, the union is discussing a potential strike in mid-October, or sooner, according to sources close to the decision.

CTU President Karen Lewis wrote a letter to union members Monday.

We will not work another year without a contract, so negotiations with the board are a priority and a major part of the context in which we begin the school year, she added. The other major part is the education of our citys nearly 400,000 public school students.

After the district laid off nearly 1,000 teachers and staff members last month, union leaders directed members to gear up for a possible strike.

The union sees a new contract proposal as a serious sticking point. CPS has proposed phasing in a 7 percent pension payment for teachers that was previously covered by the city. Lewis has said teachers will strike if the payment is imposed on union members. On Tuesday, the union president acknowledged that negotiations were still ongoing, noting that the union has yet to make a decision on the strike.

"We're not close on some issues, we're close on others," Lewis told NBC 5's Mary Ann Ahern Tuesday.

"You know, people want a yes or no answer and, again, it's way more complicated than that," she added.

The CTUs House of Delegates will meet Wednesday to discuss setting a possible strike date. Union leaders would have to file a 10-day strike notice with the State Labor Board if an official date is decided.

Nevertheless, a strike could still be averted. On Monday, CPS CEO Forrest Claypool said the two sides in the teacher contract talks are at the table every day, the Chicago Tribune reports.

"Our teachers do great work, we've seen the results," Claypool said during a press conference Tuesday. "And we want to be as generous as we can. We hope that teachers will say yes to the healthy raise we have on the table."

According to the Tribune, the CTU says the two sides are roughly $300 million apart in their negotiations. The union last staged a strike in 2012.

During a Tuesday press conference at Burke Elementary, Mayor Rahm Emanuel praised CPS commitment to offering students a comprehensive education that incorporates the arts, but failed to comment on a potential CTU strike.
Gov. Bruce Rauners campaign fund, Citizens for Rauner, has donated a substantial $16 million to the Illinois Republican Party this year, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The party has raised $16.4 million this year with the bulk of the donations coming from Rauners fund. The governor has also dumped $4.5 million into super political action committees backing Republican lawmakers in state legislative races.

According to the Tribune, Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno called the donations a a game changer, noting that they have improved the GOPs ground game in the months leading up to the November election.

In past elections, Republican leaders were left to raise money for the Republican State Senate Campaign Committee and House Republican Organization. Now Rauner is funneling millions of dollars into state Senate and House campaigns.

The influx of money from the governor has allowed Illinois Republicans to bolster their campaign operations in the form of television ads and campaign mailers. The GOP has sunk hundreds of thousands of dollars into cable TV ad buys and sent out dozens of direct mail fliers to voters beginning in June.

Rauners donations are serving as a counter-balance to the funds Democratic leaders like House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton have been able to raise from allies in organized labor and among liability attorneys.

Political funds controlled by Madigan and Cullerton totaled more than $14.5 million, the Tribune reports. That total is based on the the cash they had on July 1 plus money thats been raised since. Madigan currently controls over $8.5 million of those funds, while Cullerton controls nearly $6 million.

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown told the Tribune the Republican spending was "unprecedented" and attributed the influx in cash to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump being at the top of a "terrible ticket."

Democratic supermajorities have stopped Rauner from passing the reforms laid out in his beleaguered turnaround agenda. But Novembers election gives Republicans the chance to gain more power in the legislature at an opportune time. The states stopgap funding fix expires at the end of the year and budget negotiations are expected to ramp up after the election.
Sen. Dick Durbin slammed Republican senators for holding up emergency funding to address the Zika virus during a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday.

Congress once again rejected a bill that would have allocated federal money to fight Zika Tuesday. Senate Democrats blocked the bill over restrictions in the legislation to cut funding on Planned Parenthood clinics.

During his speech, Durbin noted that President Barack Obama requested $1.9 billion to develop vaccines to fight the spread of the virus in February. Durbin blamed partisan politics for holding up the emergency funding.

"Here we are almost seven months later, 200 days later, and Congress still has refused to provide the resources necessary to protect American families from the virus, Durbin said. "This is a disgrace. It is an outrage."

In June, Senate Democrats rejected a $1.1 billion proposal to fight the virus, again claiming that the Republican-drafted bill included poison pill provisions that would deny funding for Planned Parenthood and ease rules on pesticide spraying. The measure was presented with an accompanying Veterans Administration spending bill.

Im tired of the partisan games being played with the health of pregnant women and babies. To date, thats exactly whats happened with the partisan response to this Zika crisis, the senator added. Its time for this to stop."

Republican Sen. Mark Kirk called on members of the House Tuesday to approve the funding for Zika and the VA.

Americans have waited too long for Washington to pass the $74.4 billion funding bill for veterans and $1.1 billion to stop the spread of Zika, Kirk said in a statement. The House should drop the poison pill language so we can pass a clean bill immediately.

Kirk signed a conference report on the Zika funding bill that included poison pill provisions in June.

During his speech Wednesday, Durbin noted that as of last week 17,000 people in the United States and its territories have been infected with Zika. This includes 1,595 pregnant women, who are most vulnerable to the virus. In July, there were 3,667 people infected with the virus.

I would say to the Republican majority, youve been warned by the president, by public health experts and others, that your failure to respond to the presidents request would endanger people living in the United States and its territories and especially pregnant women, Durbin said. And yet, the Republican leadership has refused the presidents efforts to provide the resources necessary to fight this deadly Zika virus.

The numbers are devastating but not surprising, Durbin added.
Just one month after denouncing Donald Trump, Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger walked back his comments about the Republican presidential nominee.

"Look, I never said I was a never Trump guy," Kinzinger told NBC News' Andrea Mitchell following Trump's speech on foreign policy Wednesday. "I did say though that he was crossing a lot of lines and I think that still holds true."

"I'm not going to spend my time continually going out and rehashing those, but you know from this speech, yeah I mean, read off a teleprompter, you know it was good," he added.

The GOP congressman said in August that he would not support Trump, and noted that he was considering writing in a candidate on the presidential ballot in November.

"I'm not trying to say to other people that you can't support Donald Trump, I'm saying for me personally, how can I support that?" he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on August 3. "He has crossed so many red lines that a Commander in Chief, or a candidate for Commander in Chief should never cross."

"I mean look, if I ultimately endorse Trump that'll happen," Kinzinger said Wednesday in response to Mitchell's question about who he will support for president. "If I don't, then I won't be endorsing anybody else like a Libertarian or Democrat, because I don't agree with either of their foreign policies, or you know the domestic policies, frankly, of Hillary Clinton as well."

"I'm hoping that Donald Trump tonight off-script is able to articulate a foreign policy that it's agreeable," he added, referring to a national security forum with both Trump and Clinton scheduled for Wednesday night.

Kinzinger is running unopposed in his bid for reelection in Illinois 16th Congressional District.
China's state-owned airlines are seen as key to the success of the emissions deal. (Photo : Getty Images)

China, the United States, and Europe have pledged their support on Saturday for a new deal to cut down carbon dioxide emissions by airlines, which is due to be finalized at a meeting of the U.N.'s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in September and slated to go into effect from 2021.



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Aviation was excluded from the Paris climate accords in December last year forged a multinational agreement to curb the global average rise in temperatures to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.



The proposed new deal, which aims to cap carbon pollution of all international flights at 2020 levels, will be voluntary between 2021 and 2026 and mandatory from 2027 onward for the world's largest contributors of carbon emissions.



Airlines in participating countries would need to limit their emissions or offset them by purchasing carbon credits from designated environment projects around the world.



According to ICAO estimates, carbon offsetting will cost airline operators 0.2-0.6 percent of total revenue from international aviation starting in 2025, and 0.5-1.4 percent from 2035.



"Today, the United States and China are expressing their support for the ICAO Assembly reaching consensus on such a measure," the two countries said in a joint statement on Saturday.



The statement, which was released ahead of the G20 summit in the Chinese coastal city of Hangzhou, said both nations "expect to be early participants in the measure and volunteer to join."



In a separate statement, the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), which counts the EU and 16 other countries as members, said it would participate in the market-based plan from the outset and urged other nations with state-owned airlines to do so.



The inclusion of China, which has traditionally opposed any binding emissions regime for its industries, is considered crucial to the deal, with experts foreseeing it to favor Chinese airlines at least in the initial phase.



"It is not an issue for China to sign up for the ICAO deal, as the mitigation actions are voluntary until 2026," Chai Qimin, a researcher with China's National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC), told Reuters on in a report posted on Saturday.



Chai said the deal could also benefit China by giving it a lower share of all emissions that must be capped beginning from 2020, but its continued participation would still depend on whether other countries could agree on terms of the deal.



Beijing has expressed concern that attempts to force Chinese airlines to buy carbon credits would violate the "common but differentiated responsibility" principle, which states that developed countries should bear the brunt of cutting emissions.



Negotiations are expected to continue until the ICAO meets on Sept. 27.



"There are a lot of details that will determine the level of ambition," said Li Shuo, climate adviser with Greenpeace.



Although China had been more "progressive" when it came to the Montreal protocol and the phasing out of CFCs, it has been less receptive on aviation, Li said.



Annie Petsonk, a consultant at the Washington D.C.-based Environmental Defense Fund, said 80-90 percent of carbon emissions above 2020 levels would need to be covered by the agreement in order for the civil aviation industry to achieve long-term carbon-neutral growth.



As one of the key players in the global aviation sector, China's participation in the deal's initial voluntary phases from 2021 to 2026 would likely be required to achieve the 80-percent target, according to the non-profit International Council on Clean Transportation.



Council spokesman Dan Rutherford told Reuters that China's absence from the first phases "would definitely be a big hole in the coverage."



On Thursday, the transport head of the European Commission urged countries to join the deal.



"Our aim must be also to try to maximize the coverage and to try to have all the key aviation nations opting in," Director-General Henrik Hololei said during an environment committee hearing.



China previously declined to participate in an EU campaign to compel international airlines to buy carbon credits from its emissions trading scheme to cover flights into European airports, forcing the EU to suspend the plan.



European lawmakers also remain skeptical of the draft ICAO resolution, arguing that it fails to meet EU expectations.



Several members of the EU parliament said the draft is not enough to justify extending the exemption for international flights from the EU's own aviation emissions trading scheme beyond 2016.



The EU is expected to make a decision whether to continue its exemption of international flights by the end of the year.



China's Civil Aviation Administration declined Reuter's requests for comment.



Chai Haibo, vice-general-secretary of the China Air Transport Industry Association, said the industry would support any government decision regarding the deal.



"Multinational negotiations under a government framework are more favorable, and we hope it will result in an acceptable deal to all parties," he said.


A nearly full term baby who was delivered shortly after his mother was shot in the abdomen Monday afternoon in the Back of the Yards neighborhood is doing well, family said Tuesday evening.

The baby is doing good, Tyler Thomas, the infants grandfather, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

The mother, Crystal Myers, 23, was listed in critical condition Tuesday night, as was her boyfriend  and the father of the baby  Albert Moore, 24, who was shot in the neck, according to a spokeswoman for Stroger Hospital.

The pair were on the porch of Moores grandparents home in the 5200 block of Sangamon, where they lived, when a gunman sneaked up the gangway, fired about nine shots, and fled, said a female friend who ducked for cover when shots rang out and didnt want to be identified.

Other friends and family members who were on the porch at the time, including an infant, were uninjured.

Myers worked as concession stand cashier at Wrigley Field before going on maternity leave.

The couple planned to move to Iowa at the beginning of September, but Moores girlfriend delayed the trip to attend a traffic court date shed been assigned after she was in a car accident, relatives said.

Police are looking into whether the shooting is connected to a fatal shooting that happened the previous day less than a block away.

The couple wanted to move, in part, to escape the very violence they fell victim to, relatives said.

No arrests had been made in the shooting as of Tuesday evening.
Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos name is being floated as a possible Democratic challenger to Bruce Rauner in the 2018 gubernatorial election, according to Politico.

Sources close to the state Democratic party have started focusing on as a challenger to Gov. Bruce Rauner, Politico reports. Of course, that all depends on whether or not Sen. Dick Durbin decides to run.

However, Bustos campaign said it's too early for the congresswoman to consider a potential bid.

With just 62 days until the election, Congresswoman Bustos is focused on doing three things - serving her constituents, stopping Donald Trump, and electing Democrats up and down the ticket who will fight Governor Rauners failed downturn agenda, Bustos' campaign manager Stacy Raker said in a statement. She is proud of her record of getting real results for working families, veterans, children and seniors, but 2016 is the only election shes thinking about right now.

Bustos will face Republican Patrick Harlan in the November election. Harlan served as a district-level Illinois delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention.

According to Politico, state party insiders are looking to Bustos as a gubernatorial pick because she can draw votes from all around the state. Bustos would also serve as a strong female candidate in a state that has never seen a female governor.

Aside from Bustos and Durbin, businessman Chris Kennedy, state Sen. Kwame Raoul, state Sen. Andy Manar and state Sen. Heather Steans have also been floated as potential Democratic choices for the 2018 gubernatorial race. Former Gov. Pat Quinn, who lost to Rauner in 2014, has also been discussed.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressed regret Tuesday over his "son of a b****" remark while referring to President Barack Obama, in a rare display of contrition by a politician whose wide arc of profanities has unabashedly targeted world figures including the pope and the U.N. chief.

In a statement read out by his spokesman, Duterte said that while his "strong comments" in response to questions by a reporter "elicited concern and distress, we also regret it came across as a personal attack on the U.S. president."

Duterte had made the intemperate remarks Monday before flying to Laos, where he is attending a regional summit. He had been scheduled to meet Obama separately in Laos, but Obama indicated he had second thoughts, and the White House announced that the meeting had been canceled.
A Waterford man reached out to NBC Connecticut Responds after receiving a $692 bill from a home security service he stopped using more than a year ago.

Dick Andriola thought he canceled his old home's service with ADT before moving out. He went through the appropriate channels, returned his equipment and months later, got the charge indicating his account was still open.

He said the customer service agents wouldnt waive the fees, so Andriola had his attorney step in.

"My lawyers sent them a letter stating we didn't owe them money and the reasons why," said Andriola. "And they just ignored that."

Then, ADT sent him to collections.

"Thats what really upset me," said Andriola.

He took ADT to small claims court in June 2015. A judge ruled in his favor, but ADT didnt respond.

When the lingering charge started affecting his credit score, Andriola called NBC Connecticut Responds. He said he felt he had nowhere else to turn.

Shortly after the NBC Connecticut Responds consumer team got involved, an agent resolved the charge, paid his court fees and turned off the collection agency. The company states

"We have resolved the issue with Mr. Andriola and am processing a check in the full amount that will be sent to him shortly. We have also turned off the collection agency. We appreciate NBC News alerting us to this matter and am glad we were able to handle the resolution in a timely manner."

Now, 13 months since his initial complaint, Andriola waits for just one more fix.

"ADT says they will make sure that my credit is restored," said Andriola. "And they have settled with me, thankfully, but Id just like them to follow through to part two. I want to move on."
The financial adviser suspected in two bank robberies in East Granby was apparently buying painkiller prescription from his dentist, according to court documents.

Kevin Baker, 45, of West Hartford, is accused of robbing the First National Bank of Suffield on Turkey Hill Road in East Granby on Jan. 27 and again Feb. 8.

On Tuesday, an arrest document revealed that Baker's dentist, Peter Delaney, has been supplying the financial adviser with oxycodone prescriptions.

According to police, at the time of the robberies, Baker was in debt with the city and stuggled with addiction to painkillers.

Police were able to track down the dentist through Baker's cellphone records, which indicated that the suspect called or message Delaney after each bank robbery.

When police questioned Delaney, he said that he was not aware that Baker had committed the crimes until after his arrest. Delaney told police he had let Baker borrow $1,000 using a business check from his dental practice that he identified as a patient refund, according to court documents.

While be questioned, Delaney admitted to writing oxycodone prescriptions for Baker for recreational use.

Police found the Delaney had written a number of fraudulent prescriptions for painkillers to other friends.

The dentist was charged with more than 40 counts of related to the illegal supplying of a prescription legend drugs.

Delaney's bond was set at $100,000.
Meriden residents flooded into a packed city council meeting Tuesday to voice concerns about increasing violence on city streets and what some called a lack of police transparency.

Several residents spoke during public comment about increases in crime in the city, and some expressed frustration with the police departments communications.

Resident Chris Dingwell spoke about multiple incidents in the city in recent months, including shootings, burglaries, missing firearms, and a homicide. He claimed many of these incidents were directly connected to an increase in gang violence in the city.

Dingwell said he is fed up with the long lead times to get information from police and claimed residents did not have confidence that theyll get information they need from their police department.

Youve got to do something. Its out of control. Were getting our news from Facebook, he said.

The department has acknowledged an increase in violent crime in the inner city. In a letter dated August 30, Chief Jeffry Cossette said the department has been focusing on specific areas of concern and gang activity, and that multiple arrests have been made. The letter also said that in October the department was receiving an additional $25,000 to fund increased foot patrols in certain areas.

It is critical that we continue to work in partnership with neighborhood associations in combating crime and constantly improve the quality of life within our city, Cossette wrote.

But some said the issue isnt necessarily a lack of police action, its a lack of communication with the community.

Nothing from the authorities for weeks, sometimes months later. Were all wondering why  wheres the big secret, said lifelong Meriden resident Allen Carver of various incidents over the past months. We now know that there have been arrests made in a couple of the instances, however. The reports come a little bit late.

Some felt the chief should be held responsible.

Lack of transparency with the police department is extremely troubling and the lack of action by our police chief to hold his employees accountable is bordering on, I feel criminal, said Joseph Vollano.

Cossette, who was in attendance at the meeting Tuesday night, did not respond directly to the comments, but he did discuss the departments staffing issues.

My staffing situation is such that I have 15 positions which Ill be paying salaries to that I cant use out on the street, Cossette said. He went on to explain that some of the officers were in training, some were at the academy, and one was fulfilling military obligations.

We are in a building phase and its not something thats going to be going on forever. I expect us to be out of it probably around July of next year, he added.

Some who were concerned about the violence requested that the department reinstate a school resource officer. After public comment and an explanation of department needs from Cossette, the city council agreed to provide $60,000 in funding to the police department to get an SRO back in the halls. Many also spoke in support of a new hangar at the Meriden Markham Municipal Airport, and the the council approved a bond for that project.

NBC Connecticut has contacted the police department to see if they have an official statement in response to the comments made at Tuesdays meeting.
A civilian employee of the Waterbury Police Department who answered a 911 call about the fatal shooting of a food delivery person has been fired.

Police on Wednesday said seven-year department employee Nicole Scarino was fired.

(This was an) isolated incident  our complaint takers are very well-trained. Unfortunately, this call, she didnt follow protocol, said Waterbury Police Chief Vernon Riddick about Scarino.

Scarino had been suspended shortly after the slaying last month of 59-year-old Helena Vargas

In the call, there is clearly a language barrier between the caller and Scarino. Riddick said for a call like this, Waterbury Police Department's protocol is to transfer the call to a translator in New York.

Vargas and a her coworker, Ronaldo Alvarez, were ambushed while making a delivery. Vargas was shot in the neck and died. Alvarez was beaten and four teenagers face murder charges.

In the 911 call from Alvarez, there appears to be a language barrier between the caller and the person handling the call. The person handling the call shouts and sounds frustrated.

Alvarez told NBC Connecticut, in Spanish, he had been friends with Vargas for years and that he's been traumatized from the incident and barely leaves his home now.

"I never herad the words from her, 'do this or do that'," Alvarez said about the 911 call. He believes more instruction from Scarino could have helped Vargas.

Scarino could not immediately be reached.

Police said Scarino was a clerk, not a dispatcher.

The following is a portion of the 911 recording:

Clerk: 70 Linden Street? Seven, zero Linden Street?

Driver: No, no, no 70. Number 70.

Clerk: 70 is seven, zero, thats what 70 is, seven and a zero

Driver: Yeah, yeah, right away. They rob me and they shot the girl with me.

Clerk: What happened?

The call ended when officers arrived and Scarino is heard saying, I dont care what youre driving I want to know what the people who shot the lady are driving. Oh, they got behind the house. They came from behind the house? The officers are there. You might as well talk to them now. Thank you.

Days after the murder, residents signed a petition for the woman to be fired because of how she handled the 911 call.
Connecticut State Colleges and Universities President Mark Ojakian is encouraging students to debate hot topics like politics, religion and even police interactions with the community.

CSCU is using #ihearyou to spread the word after Ojakian listened to concerns students and faculty members had at the 17 colleges and universities. Ojakian said he saw the diversity at each institution and wants students to accept it and learn from it.

"Listen to one another, show respect for each other's personal beliefs even when they don't coincide with your own," Ojakian said.

Some students said there is a fear of rejection when it comes to sharing personal ideas.

It is a great thing to do, but on the other side, it's like, that's when you get open to getting hurt and being vulnerable," Eric Wesolowski, a junior at Central Connecticut State University, said.

That is why university system leaders want to encourage students to be accepting of other perspectives.

"It is very hard to have a discussion with someone when you fundamentally disagree with them, especially if you're really passionate about it and around other people. But it is possible to do and it's a great skill to have," Maribel La Luz, CSCU communications director, said.

In addition to sharing #ihearyou through social media, CSCU plans to hold town halls for students. The first one is scheduled for Sept. 30 at Manchester Community College.
A suspicious woman wearing a stethoscope in the maternity ward of Stamford Hospital was arrested on Monday for trespassing, according to Stamford Police.

Police responded to the hospital at 11:30 a.m. to investigate and said Susan Drucker, 56, of New York, was allegedly seen wearing a stethoscope around her neck and a jacket that said New York Presbyterian.

Hospital employees told police that they did not know Drucker was not affiliated with the hospital until she went into a restricted area, police said.

Drucker was charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. There is no evidence that she tried to impersonate a medical professional, police said.

Her bond was set at $100,000 and she is expected to appear in court on Sept. 19.

It is not clear if Drucker has an attorney.
Two Connecticut teachers are being honored by the White House Thursday for their work teaching mathematics and science.

Nicole Gilson is one of 213 teachers receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The honor is awarded to teachers across the country and recipients are selected by a panel of scientists, mathematicians and educators after being picked at a state level, according to the White House website.

Gilson has been teaching elementary school for 18 years and currently works at Peck Place School in Orange, according to her finalist profile. Her teaching style stands out for her workshop-style which includes a mini lesson small group targeted instruction, math partners solving problems together, then letting students work independently.

In her profile, Gilson said math was not her strong suit, and that was what inspires her to teach.

Liesl Fressola, who taught at Sandy Hook Elementary and more recently at Danbury Public Schools, is being honored for her work teaching science. Fressola was selected because she teaches in a way that allows students to work like a scientist using technology to support their authentic investigation, according to her profile. She will be teaching in Missouri this year.

In her profile, Fressola said teaching helped her grow personally and professionally and credited other educators who inspired her for the award.

Awardees receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation to be used as they see fit, and they are invited to Washington, DC for the awards ceremony.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May during the G20 Summit on Sept. 4, 2016 in Hangzhou, China. (Photo : Getty Images)

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday that she intends her security advisers to help review a delayed nuclear power investment deal from China--source of diplomatic tension between the two nations--as she arrived in the southern Chinese city of Hangzhou for the G20 summit.



May drew criticism from Beijing earlier in July for delaying a $24 billion project that would see French firm EDF build Britain's first new nuclear power plant in decades with the help of an $8 billion investment from China.



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Speaking during her first official visit to China, May was asked whether she would ask the National Security Council (NSC) to look at the potential security implications of the deal.



"I will be doing exactly as you've said which is--as you know, I'll be looking at all the evidence around this issue," May replied.



Although the NSC is not expected to conduct a formal review process on the nuclear power project, the comment marked the first official acknowledgement that national security advice would be a factor in her decision.



The initial delay caught investors by surprise and has cast doubt over whether May, who assumed office in July following the U.K.'s landmark vote to leave the European Union, will continue to court China as a major source of infrastructure investment.



"This is the way I operate," May earlier told reporters en route to the summit, which will include a personal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.



"I look at the evidence . . . take the advice and consider that and come to my decision."



May said a final decision will be announced later this month,



A former British cabinet official told Reuters that May, a former interior minister, is wary of the risks of allowing China to invest in nuclear projects in the country. The EDF deal is viewed as a precursor to Chinese involvement in another two nuclear plants.



When asked whether she trusted China, May said: "Of course we have a relationship with them... What I want to do is build on that relationship."



She also stressed the need to expand the group of nations that the U.K. can trade with and tap for cash to help rejuvenate its power, transport, and technology infrastructure.



"This is the G20, this is about talking to a number of world leaders. I'm going to give the message that Britain is very much open for business," May said. "I want to be talking about the opportunities for free trade around the world."


A Danbury woman who drowned her newborn daughter in a toilet in 2006 will be released from prison on Sept. 30, eight years early, after the state's parole board commuted her sentence on Wednesday.

Panna Krom, who is now 26 years old, went before the parole board at the York women's prison to ask the members to reduce her 18-year prison sentence and her request was granted.

"It's no fun being called a baby killer. You want to change your name, disappear and move on with your life," Krom said. "I am so sorry for being an irresponsible mother. Accept my sorrow and accept my pledge to work in your memory."

More than two dozen family members were there for the commutation.

"I can't even describe it. I can't even describe it," Krom's mother, Chan Prum, said. "This is the day that I've waiting for forever. It seems like forever for me just to hear that my daughter's coming home."

Prosecutors said Krom, who was then a 17-year-old senior at Danbury High School, hid her pregnancy, delivered the baby in a bathroom of her parents' home in December 2006, then drowned her in a toilet. Krom's mother found the baby in a closet, officials said.

In 2008, Krom reached a plea deal for an 18-year sentence, pleading guilty to manslaughter to avoid a possible life sentence.

Krom's lawyer, Vicki Hutchinson, said her client was afraid because her parents, who are from Cambodia, disapprove of premarital sex.

Hutchinson said Krom is rehabilitated and she is a model prisoner who earned her high school diploma, mentors younger prisoners and speaks to visiting high school students.

Hutchinson said other people who committed similar crimes received far less prison time.

Krom said she plans on helping other young women who are in need of help during their pregnancy.
The company that runs ITT Technical Institute announced Tuesday that "with profound regret" it was shutting down academic operations at all of its campuses and thousands of its employees will lose their jobs.

The move comes after the federal government banned the Carmel, Indiana-based for-profit chain last month from enrolling students who use federal loans to pay for classes.

"It is with profound regret that we must report that ITT Educational Services, Inc. will discontinue academic operations at all of its ITT Technical Institutes permanently after approximately 50 years of continuous service," ITT Educational Services, Inc. said in a release. "With what we believe is a complete disregard by the U.S. Department of Education for due process to the company, hundreds of thousands of current students and alumni and more than 8,000 employees will be negatively affected."

ITT operates vocational schools at more than 130 campuses in 38 states, often under the ITT Technical Institute name. Last year, it enrolled 45,000 students and reported $850 million in revenue.

Officials with the Department of Education announced on Aug. 25 the ban on enrolling students with federal loans and other measures against the chain, which has been the subject of state and federal investigations focusing on its recruiting and accounting practices.

Among the measures, ITT was ordered to pay $152 million to the department within 30 days to cover student refunds and other liabilities in case the company closed. ITT is still paying another $44 million demanded by the department in June for the same reason.

The education department also prohibited ITT from awarding its executives any pay raises or bonuses, and said it must develop "teach-out" plans that would help current students finish their programs at other colleges if the chain shut down.

Under the new measures, current students would have been able to continue receiving federal grants and loans.

"The actions of and sanctions from the U.S. Department of Education have forced us to cease operations of the ITT Technical Institutes, and we will not be offering our September quarter," the company said on Tuesday. "We reached this decision only after having exhausted the exploration of alternatives, including transfer of the schools to a non-profit or public institution."

The firm said its focus and priority with remaining staff was "on helping the tens of thousands of unexpectedly displaced students with their records and future educational options."

Last month, a group that accredits ITT found that the chain failed to meet several basic standards and was unlikely to comply in the future.

One of the biggest for-profit chains in the nation, ITT has been under increasing scrutiny from the education department following allegations of misconduct.

The Massachusetts attorney general sued the company in April, alleging that it misled students about the quality of its programs. The federal government had previously sued the chain, saying that it pushed students into high-cost private student loans knowing they would likely end in default.

Department officials have been closely monitoring ITT's operations since 2014, when the chain was late to submit an annual report of its finances to the government.

Under President Barack Obama, the Education Department has led a crackdown on for-profit colleges that have misled students or failed to deliver the results they promised. In 2014, the department cut off federal aid to the Corinthian Colleges chain amid allegations of fraud, leading it to close or sell all of its schools.

"We were not provided with a hearing or an appeal," ITT Educational Services, Inc. said of the government's actions. "Alternatives that we strongly believe would have better served students, employees, and taxpayers were rejected. The damage done to our students and employees, as well as to our shareholders and the American taxpayers, is irrevocable."
A police officer in Taunton, Massachusetts, has a new approach to locating lost dog's owners.

Patrolman Lavigne was called to Mechanic's Bank on County Street for a loose dog back on August 10.

In order to help locate the dog's owner, Lavigne posted a selfie of himself and the dog in the police cruiser.

Lavigne then notified Animal Control who was able to locate the dog's owners.

A week later, Lavigne was called to Oak Street for another lost dog.

Again he posted a selfie with the dog in his police cruiser to help locate the dog's owner.

Taunton Police Department

However, the second dog's owner hasn't been located yet.
Florida Republican Rep. David Jolly brought a container of mosquitoes onto the House floor Wednesday to criticize Congress for failing to pass legislation to combat the mosquito-borne Zika virus in the Sunshine State.

"I rise with about 100 mosquitoes straight from Florida...mosquitoes capable of carrying the Zika virus," Jolly said, holding the container. "This is the reason for the urgency, this is the reason for the fear."

The bill, providing $1.1 billion to help combat the virus, is stalled in the Senate, where Democrats are blocking it in a dispute over restrictions the bill would place on funding for Planned Parenthood clinics.

Jolly, who represents the 13th District in Pinellas County, said the mosquitoes, still in their larval stage, came from researchers at the University of South Florida and aren't active carriers.

There have been 56 non-travel related Zika cases in Florida, many of them in Miami-Dade's "Zika zones" in Wynwood and Miami Beach, according to the Florida Department of Health. Additionally, some 577 travel-related Zika cases have been reported throughout Florida.

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Jolly said he brought the mosquitoes to the House to convey the fear Floridians are feeling.

"It is our job to respond to the fear and the anxiety and the anger of a population concerned about a pending public health crisis, concerned about mosquitoes," he said. "You see, I brought these mosquitoes here today to convey that fear and that anxiety of millions of Americans and Floridians.

"Can you imagine, colleagues, the fear and anxiety in this chamber if these 100 mosquitoes were outside this jar, not inside this jar? Members of Congress would run down the hall to the physician's office to be tested, they would spray themselves before coming down here. This is the fear of Floridians right here."

Jolly is locked in a tough race in a redrawn congressional district against former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, who has since changed his affiliation to Democrat.

The congressman said Floridians are angry. He said it is too bad that candidates are going to spend money on campaign commercials about Zika, instead of responding together to solve the public health crisis.

"The time for politics of Zika is over. The politics of Zika are garbage right now," he said.

[NATL] Global Health Officials Scramble to Fight Zika Virus
Parkland Memorial Hospital doctors will present findings Wednesday from a first-of-its-kind program pioneered in Dallas to help identify people at risk for suicide.

The presentation before the Joint Commission  which accredits and certifies thousands of healthcare organizations and programs across the United States  could result in Parklands Universal Suicide Screening Program becoming a template for other health systems across the country.

To our knowledge, we are the first big hospital system in the U.S. to implement a universal screening program for suicide risk, said Dr. Kimberly Roaten, Parklands Director of Quality for Safety, Education and Implementation. And the data we are gathering will be significant for other organizations in the future.

The need for a program to better identify people at risk of suicide has perhaps never been higher. The suicide rate in the United States rose by 24 percent from 1999 to 2014, according to a study released by the National Center for Health Statistics released in April.

What Parkland looked at is a statistic that they believed could provide an opportunity to spot warning signs of suicide risk at an early stage.

Patients who later die by suicide are often seen by non-behavioral health providers in the days, weeks and months prior to death, Dr. Roaten noted in a statement released by Parkland. U.S. data shows that 77 percent of people who die by suicide had contact with a primary care provider and 40 percent had contact with an emergency department provider in the year prior to death. We want to use every patient encounter at Parkland as an opportunity to identify those at risk.

Experts at Dallas Countys largest public hospital created a standardized screening program that requires staff in Parklands emergency department and outpatient clinics to ask a series of simple questions to patients to help identify signs of suicidal thoughts.

Among the questions patients will be asked:

In the past month, have you wished you were dead or wished you could go to sleep and not wake up?

Have you ever done anything, started to do anything, or prepared to do anything with any intent to die?

Based upon a patients answers to a series of questions, Parkland staff will categorize them as either High Risk, Moderate Risk or No Risk for suicide. Patients who are deemed to be at high risk are placed under one-to-one supervision, according to a hospital statement, suicide precautions are implemented and an evaluation by a behavioral health clinician is initiated.

Patients who are considered to be moderate risk are automatically referred to a psychiatric social worker and usually are seen during the same visit, the hospital noted. If a patient does not want to speak with the social worker during the visit, they receive a follow-up phone call to provide additional support and resources.

Patients may come in with a sprained ankle or sore throat, but if their suicide risk screening shows that they are at moderate risk, Parklands clinical algorithm immediate alerts a member of the behavioral health team to come and speak with them, said Russell Genzel, the Director of Nursing in Parklands emergency department.

Since 2015, when Parkland began its screening process, staff members have identified 2 percent of emergency department patients as being high risk for suicide, and 4 percent to be at moderate risk.

Those percentages translate into thousands of patients who may have been given access to possibly lifesaving treatment they would not otherwise have received.

Thats 5,000 lives a year. If they intervene in a meaningful way and identify 5,000 people in their emergency department who are high risk and intervene and help them get some help, what would we not do to save 5,000 lives a year in Dallas? And thats just one hospital, said Vanita Halliburton, President of the Grant Halliburton Foundation.

Grant Halliburton, Vanitas son, was a promising artist who struggled with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. And at the age of 19, shortly after a stay in a hospital for mental health treatment, Grant Halliburton took his own life.

Vanita Halliburton formed the foundation, and named it in honor of her son, with the goal of helping to prevent others from making the same decision and providing access to the help they need.

Vanita Halliburton expressed frustration with the otherwise qualified clinicians who treated her son, but failed to relate any of the possible warning signs of suicide, which include a sense of hopelessness about the future, uncontrolled anger, giving away prized possessions, withdrawal from friends and family and a loss of interest in physical appearance.

Had we known what those warning signs were, it couldve been potentially and likely lifesaving in our familys case, she said. Those signs are not intuitive, but they are simple. Once you know what they are anyone can spot those signs inn a person who is thinking about ending his life.

Although she was not previously aware of the Parkland study, Vanita Halliburton is greatly in favor of what is being done.

Its really the beginning of some eye opening information that I hope other hospital and healthcare providers will take note of because we need that kind of meaningful screening, Halliburton said.
San Antonio police say three people were killed, including two children, and four people were critically injured after a sport utility vehicle went off a roadway, hit a center cable barrier and rolled.

Police say the crash happened early Tuesday. Police say a woman who was about 20 and two boys estimated to be 3 and 4 were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say the four people taken to hospitals in critical condition were an adult male and female and two young children, a boy estimated to be 2 and a girl estimated to be 1.

Police haven't yet identified the victims.

Officials say it appears six of the seven were ejected from the vehicle and that it appears there were no seatbelts or child safety seats being used.
Austin police say an armed man was fatally shot by officers at an apartment complex after refusing to drop his weapon.

Police Chief Art Acevedo said officers repeatedly asked the man to drop his weapon Monday, but he didn't comply.

Acevedo says police fired nonlethal rounds, which struck the man, but he continued to run toward officers, leading them to fire lethal rounds.

The incident started when police got a call about a domestic disturbance between a man and a woman at an apartment complex.

Acevedo says that when police arrived, they found the man in the parking lot with a high-powered rifle.

The two officers who fired rounds were expected to be placed on administrative leave per protocol.
Amy Vasquez and her seven kids moved into an apartment complex in Duncanville last year and all was well until a nasty mess came rushing through their home.

On July 13, a plumbing issue caused a wet mess and Vasquez was left to clean it up.

"It was coming up out of the washer drain and the kitchen sink," she said. "We opened up the back door and just started sweeping it all out. There was no stopping it. It just flowed and flowed and flowed until it covered the whole bottom floor."

Vasquez then discovered the mysterious stream flowing throughout her apartment unit wasnt just water.

"We were walking around in sewage," she said. "You could actually see feces in my sink. It was pretty disgusting."

Vasquez said she called the emergency contact for their complex and received no response. She then contacted her apartment management.

"I pretty much went into a crying fit," she said. "I went to the office and asked them, 'Can we move into another unit?' And he says, 'No, not at all.'"

Vasquez' feelings of disgust quickly turned into concerns for her familys health.

"I have a daughter that takes a weekly chemo shot and her immune system is compromised," she said. "Something that we can fight off easily can put her in the hospital."

The next evening, someone was sent out to clean the apartment and fix the plumbing. But weeks later, Vasquez said the leftover damage from the water still lingered throughout her home.

"The drawer fell apart because it was just full of water and sewage," she said.

And the hole in the wall that was made to reach the clogged drain was still there.

"I would feel better if they could just move me to a different unit so they can properly do everything around here," Vasquez said.

Months after the incident, Vasquez said the damage remains with no word from management on repairs. So she called NBC 5 Responds for help.

One of the issues is that the apartment complex was recently sold to new owners. We contacted a manager who said they will fix some of the family's concerns in the kitchen, including the hole in the wall, the broken cabinet and the board underneath the sink. As far as moving the family, the manager said they dont have another open unit.

Vasquez said the repairs just doesnt cut it.

"This is all contaminated," she said.

If this ever happens to you, the Texas Apartment Association says to notify the complex and then send a certified letter. If there is no response, you can repair the issue yourself and deduct the cost from your rent or terminate the lease on your own. However, you may want to consult an attorney first.

Consumers may also consider going to a Justice of the Peace for an order to complete repairs.

One warning for consumers: Do not refuse to pay your rent. Thats a violation of your lease and can lead to eviction.
The FBI has joined the investigation into a deputy constable's destruction of more than 20,000 pieces of evidence in Houston-area cases.

FBI spokeswoman Shauna Dunlap said Tuesday that the federal agency is coordinating with Harris County authorities in a review.

District Attorney Devon Anderson last Friday announced hundreds of criminal cases are in jeopardy after the evidence was destroyed during cleanup of a property room. Anderson said Cpl. Christopher Hess has been fired.

An attorney for Hess has said the deputy constable was following orders when he cleaned out the property room.

Anderson said so far about 150 cases have been dismissed due to the loss of evidence.

A defense attorney, Paul Morgan, requested that federal investigators join the review. Anderson on Tuesday said her office welcomes any outside investigation.
SMU police are investigating a reported sexual assault on its campus in Dallas.

An SMU student told officers she was sexually assaulted by two male acquaintances late Sunday morning at a residence hall on Hillcrest Avenue.

Both males, one of whom is an SMU student, have been identified and contacted by SMU police.

Further details have not been released.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked SMU police at 214-768-3333. Information may also be reported anonymously through the police departments Silent Witness Program by calling 214-SMU-2TIP or online by clicking here.
US President Barack Obama in Laos. (Photo : Getty Images)

With only three months before he steps down, U.S. President Barack Obama has reassured its Asian allies of the United States' commitment to the region, especially militarily, in the face of unwarranted Chinese aggressiveness undiminished by an international court ruling dismissing China's nine-dash line claim.



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Obama said the U.S is "here to stay" in Asia as he emphasized his country's commitment to remain in Asia, which was made inevitable by his "Pivot to East Asia" regional strategy announced in 2012. The pivot encompasses a region identified as East Asia by the U.S. This region includes China, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.



The pivot's key areas of actions include strengthening bilateral security alliances; deepening working relationships with emerging powers (including with China); engaging with regional multilateral institutions; expanding trade and investment; forging a broad-based military presence and advancing democracy and human rights.



Obama made the pledge America's next President will stand with Asia on his final visit to Asia as US President. He was at the Laotian capital of Vientiane to attend a meeting of ASEAN or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Obama is the first American president to ever visit Laos.



"America's interest in the Asia-Pacific is not new," said Obama. "It's not a passing fad. It reflects fundamental national interests."



In his 11th and last trip to the Asia-Pacific, Obama sought to cement the pivot that has been a hallmark of his eight-year administration. He explained the pivot further in his trip to Laos.



"As president, a key priority of my foreign policy has been to deepen our engagement with the nations and peoples of the Asia-Pacific," he said, adding that he remained "confident" the new engagement would last.



Obama noted increased military cooperation with countries such as the Philippines, Singapore and India.



"We are here to stay. In good times and bad, you can count on the United States of America," said Obama.



Obama then noted the elements of his pivot. These included deploying a rotational force of Marines to Australia; the THAAD missile defense system to protect South Korea from North Korean missiles, and a stronger American voice in regional issues like the disputes between China and its neighbors over the East China Sea and the South China Sea.



"The bottom line is this," said Obama. "Today, the United States is more deeply engaged across the Asia Pacific than we have been in decades. Our position is stronger. We've sent a clear message that, as a Pacific nation, we are here to stay."



He said the U.S. "welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful, stable and prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs because we believe that will benefit all of us."



He did, however, say China must abide by international rules and not push its weight around.



"Across the region, including in the East and South China Seas, the United States will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows and support the right of all countries to do the same."


Authorities said a suspected drunk driver crashed into two Dallas police patrol cars in Garland early Wednesday morning.[[392550751,R]]

The crash happened in the westbound lanes of Interstate 635 at Jupiter Road after 1 a.m., officers said.

According to police, two Dallas police units were helping block traffic as Garland officers investigated a crash when an SUV driver collided with the squad cars. No officers were hurt in the collision, police said.

The driver of the SUV was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated, police said.

No further information was released.
A toddler accidentally shot in the neck by her sibling while sitting inside her father's truck Tuesday is expected to be released from the ICU Wednesday, police say.

Terrell police said the 22-month-old toddler was left in her father's truck along with a 2-year-old sibling and an unsecured, loaded weapon under the truck seat.

The father, 25-year-old Elroy Middleton, told police he worked security at Southwest Christian College and, though he was off-duty at the time, responded to a call for a fallen tree.

Middleton told police he left the children in his truck while he worked, but soon after heard a gunshot coming from the direction of his vehicle. Middleton ran to the truck and found younger daughter had been shot.

The girl was taken by CareFlite to Children's Medical Center in Dallas, where she remained in serious but stable condition. Terrell police said Wednesday afternoon that the child's condition had greatly improved and would likely be moved from the ICU later in the day.

It was initially believed the child had been struck in the neck, but police later said the girl was hit in the upper left shoulder near her clavicle. The bullet entered and exited the child before passing through the truck's door.

Police said the older sibling picked up the weapon and inadvertently fired it, hitting her sister. The child is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery.

During their investigation of the shooting, officers found a 9mm handgun inside the truck. Police told The Dallas Morning News that Middleton is not a state-licensed security officer and does not have a license to carry.

Police have not said if Middleton will face charges, but he could be cited for making a firearm accessible to a child.
Steve DeWolf is an attorney by trade.

But when he's not in the courtroom, he's flying over North Texas in one of his two vintage airplanes.

It's an expensive hobby that's morphed into a passion.

"Back in '91 I didn't have a house," DeWolf said. "I just said 'screw it, I'm going to get a plane.'"

It's a way to honor his father, who was a colonel in the United States Air Force. He who flew combat missions in World War II.

"He was a bomber pilot," DeWolf added.

Flying is a form of freedom, an escape; a time when DeWolf can sit back and reflect.

"It's a real rare treat," he said. "I do think of my dad flying in the Stearman, in particular, because I got it just before he died and it's kind of a bond with my dad."

Like a lot kids, DeWolf wanted to be just like his dad.

"When I graduated high school I went to the Naval Academy," DeWolf said. "That was back in the 70s, at the end of Vietnam. I wanted to be a pilot. The problem was my eyes were too bad."

Eventually he found his way into the cockpit, not to fight, just for fun.

Because you never know where a hobby will take you.
A new Washington Post-Survey Monkey poll of registered voters shows the 2016 race for president is tightening and that Texas is in a statistical dead heat between Democrats and Republicans.

"The state is getting bluer by the second," said Anne Holton, wife of Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine.

Holton, who was Virginia Secretary of Education before her husband joined the Clinton ticket, met with a group of educators during a campaign stop Tuesday in Dallas, one of the bluest cities in the state.

During a one-on-one interview, NBC 5s Julie Fine asked Holton whether she thinks Texas can flip.

"I'll leave that to the pundits and the experts. I'll just say that Hillary is working to be president of all of the 50 states, and is eager to help voters understand what she has to offer," Holton said.

Clinton herself has been to Texas several times, for both fundraisers and public events. So has former President Bill Clinton. And Texas Democrats have been working to turn the state blue in state and local races.

The Lone Star State going blue in 2016 is definitely a long shot. Texas has not "gone blue" for a president since the late 1970s.

"Texas is not in play," said SMU political science professor Cal Jillson.

Jillson says while Donald Trump is a weak candidate for the Republicans, he will still win Texas by six to eight points.

The legislature remains controlled by the Republicans as well in Texas.

Former Dallas County Republican Chairman Wade Emmert believes the Republican majority is safe here now.

"I think depending on how the Democrats continue to shift, and how the Republican party both in Texas and nationally continues to evolve, I think there is no reason to believe Texas couldn't be in play someday," said Emmert. "But in the short-term future, I dont think there is any way Texas turns blue."

As for the Washington Post-Survey Monkey Poll, a spokesperson for the Dallas County Republican Party says the next couple of months is a lifetime in politics and the only poll that counts is the one on Election Day.
Depending on how the election turns out, Amy Schumer might be done with America.

The "Inside Amy Schumer" star told BBC Newsnight that she will be leaving the U.S. should Donald Trump win the presidential election in November. An avid Hillary Clinton fan, Schumer told the interviewer she couldn't understand a world in which the real estate magnate would win.

"My act will change because I will need to learn to speak Spanish because I will move to Spain or somewhere," Schumer said. "It's beyond my comprehension if Trump won. It's too crazy."

The "Trainwreck" star most recently made headlines for participating in what has been dubbed a polarizing edition of Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter. The two comediennes dissected the 2016 Met Gala, Odell Beckham Jr. and writer Kurt Metzger's controversial comments about rape, but their harsh stances were met with severe backlash.
The San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department announced a new development in the case of Kristin Smart, a college student reported missing more than 20 years ago.

Authorities will begin excavating several locations of interest near the spot where the California Polytechnic State University student disappeared without a trace in May 1996.

Smart, a Cal Poly student, was 19 when she was returning to her Muir Hall dorm room following an off-campus party, NBC News reported. At the time, officials said, she was with her fellow student and friend, Paul Flores.

She was never seen alive again.

Authorities announced Tuesday they would begin an excavation project on the part of the campus near the P, where Smart was seen last.

Two dozen FBI agents, along with approximately 15 members of the Sheriffs Department, will be working on the project.

They developed the lead after a comprehensive review of the entire case. Officials are also focused on other locations, but are not disclosing at this time.

Were not sure where this is going to take us, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Dean Parkinson said. The excavation site was previously searched as part of a missing person case. Official digging for remains will start Wednesday morning.

Human remains detection dogs were brought in by the FBI from Virginia to the location in January. With the assistance of the dogs, several areas of interest were identified on the hillside.

In the past 5 years, the Sheriffs office has worked with the FBI, the California Department of Justice, the Ventura DNA lab and the DOJ DNA lab.

The Cal Poly president has been supportive of the efforts and has allowed them access to wherever they need.

We did not want to dig during school. This time was picked because of the absence of students on campus, Parkinson said.

Officials say the Smart family has been kept up to date and supports the efforts.

Despite the progression in the case, authorities say they are no closer to making an arrest than they were last week.

Paul Flores remains a person of interest in the case, Parkinson said. Authorities named him a key witness in July 1996, but he has never officially been charged in connection with her disappearance, NBC News reported.

The night of her disappearance, Flores has reportedly just met Smart at the off-campus party and told authorities they separated near his dorm room. Flores said she walked the short distance to her dorm room alone.

However, Smart did not return to her room and has not contacted family or friends since that time, according to a CrimeStoppers release. At the time, she did not have identification, money or extra clothing.

Smart was declared legally dead in 2002.

Anyone with information about Kristin or Paul Flores should contact Detective Nate Paul of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff`s Department at (805) 781-4518 or the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (805) 934-2444. People may also call CrimeStoppers at (805) 549-7867.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
Days after a photo of Florida newborn twins hugging in a hospital went viral, the family is grieving the the loss of one of the boys, born with a rare medical condition.

Twins Mason and Hawk Buchmeyer of St. Lucie County captured many hearts on social media thanks to a photo of the 3-week-old boys posted on Facebook on Sept. 1.

Little Mason is pictured embracing his brother Hawk and smiling.

"This picture was taken 11 days after they were born, it's the first time they have ever touched and as soon as Mason felt Hawk he reached out for his arm and smiled this big," the post reads. "We thought it was time for everyone pulling for our boy to see this picture."

The photo, showing little Hawk on a ventilator, has garnered over 100,000 likes and more than 27,000 shares.

Hawk was born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, which is a defect in the diaphragm. According to the National Institutes of Health, the diaphragm separates the organs in the abdomen from those in the chest.

Hawk had undergone numerous surgeries since his birth and was being treated at Shands Children's Hospital at The University of Florida in Gainesville.

Facebook/Mason & Hawk

On Wednesday morning, the parents, Brandy Guettler and Tommy Buchmeyer, posted a message on their Facebook page: "Our hearts are saddened this morning as our sweet little man was called home to be with Jesus. He went very peacefully and we know he's no longer suffering. Please give us some time to grieve and try to start the healing process."

The parents created the Facebook page for the twin brothers to keep family, friends and now strangers updated on the condition of the newborns.
A small, brown Pomeranian who went missing two weeks ago reunited with his family Tuesday back in Southern California after being taken to several animal rescue shelters -- including one located in Vancouver.

Brownie Bear went missing on Aug. 22, right before his owners, the Van Sant family from Menifee, were leaving for a cruise vacation, according to the Riverside County Animal Services in a news release.

Brian Van Sant, his wife Laverne and his 12-year-old daughter Jackie frantically put up fliers around the area in Menifee. A construction worker called Brian, informing him that he saw Brownie Bear in the area where he was working.

In the meantime, Brownie Bear, who was not microchipped, was spotted by animal control officers who took him to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus.

By the time Brian called the shelter on Sept. 2, Brownie Bear's hold period at San Jacinto already expired -- he was transported the day before to the Big and Small Rescue Society in Vancouver.

Brian was devastated, and he pleaded Riverside County Animal Services employees to see if there was any way that Brownie Bear could be returned. Candy Weil, who took his call, said she would try but couldn't make any promises.

Fortunately, the Vancouver shelter was very understanding and Brownie Bear was able to return to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus on Monday.

Brian and Jackie embraced Brownie Bear, who was renamed "Tomato" at the shelter, when he was returned to them Tuesday wrapped in a fur cape emblazoned with Canadian flags to commemorate his international adventure.

Brownie Bear, who was named for his bear-like face, was greatly missed by his counterpart Foxy, another Pomeranian in the Van Sant family.
Students at a Southern California university moved into on-campus housing that included a new option  dormitories designated for students "interested in issues of concern to the black community."

Cal State's Halisi Scholars Black Living-Learning Community, designated units within the nearly 200-unit campus residential apartments, was offered in time for the new school year after student reports of racially insensitive comments at the school east of downtown Los Angeles. The school's Black Student Union issued a call in November 2015 for changes, including the new living-learning community.

Twenty-four students are living in the dorm space, and the school said there is a wait list to get in. Applications are no longer being accepted for fall 2016.

The plan drew reaction on social media and among others who called it segregation and "black-only" housing. That's not the case, school officials and students said.

"They see something that says black housing, and they automatically equate it with black only," said student Jonathan Thomas. "It can be for anybody."

The apartments at Cal State Los Angeles are among several themed living communities, which are designed for students with common academic goals and interests. Other themed communities include the first-year residential experience for new students, scholars housing for honors college students and gender-neutral inclusive housing, which also has a long wait list, according to the school.

"This is not segregated housing," said CSULA spokesman Jonathan Thomas. "This housing is open to all students. It focuses on programs that are inclusive and non-discriminatory."

Cal State LA is not alone in offering themed housing. UC Berkeley offers African American, Asian Pacific American, Native American, women in science ad engineering and others themed housing.

Stanford University has four themed dorms. UCLA has a diverse list of learning communities, including Afrikan Diaspora, Gender, Sexuality, and Society, Sustainable Living and the Visual and Performing Arts Collective.
Thieves were caught on surveillance video looting a family-owned San Bernardino market while the owner was out getting major heart surgery, and the owner spoke out Thursday, saying he believes this was an inside job.

"They went right to the areas where the money was," said owner Jerome Martinez. They knew exactly where it was. There's no question about it -- they had to have some assistance."

Two thieves stole cigarettes and a safe containing $6,000 at around 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 26 from Green Shack Liquor Store located on West Highland Avenue, according to the San Bernardino Police Department.

The two male thieves broke into the store by removing the security bars at the front entrance, police said. They then fled in a white truck.

Jerome opened the store in 1978 and very rarely misses a day at work. But on that day, his whole family locked up the store to be with him at the hospital as he underwent gastric bypass surgery.

"We have more than one (safe)," said Manal Iskander, Jerome's daughter. "The money was dropped in that one safe that evening. They had to have had some information on which one had money and which one didn't."

Jerome said this ordeal has slowed down his recovery from surgery.

"This kind of a thing drags you down, slows down your improvement and makes you furious," he said.

The family thinks there was a third suspect in the burglary. Anyone with any information is asked to call Det. Alvarez at (909) 384-5650.
U.S. Air Force aerial drone crew. (Photo : USAF)

The U.S. Air Force has taken to recruiting civilian contractors to fly some of its remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) or aerial drones used for reconnaissance but not for combat.



The Air Force took this unusual but highly controversial decision to immediately alleviate a steadily growing shortage of experienced drone pilots as the tempo of U.S. aerial drone operations in Iraq, Syria and Libya continues unabated and might even increase.



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The contractors, whose companies weren't revealed, will fly likely fly the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used primarily by the Air Force and the Central Intelligence Agency for intelligence gathering. These UAVs are today rarely used to attack enemy personnel, equipment or installations using Hellfire missiles or smart bombs.



The hunter-killer job is left to the newer and larger General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper developed primarily for the Air Force. The MQ-9 is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance. Only Air Force teams control the Reaper.



Predators and Reapers armed with Hellfire missiles have flown a third of the Air Force's sorties against Islamic State militants since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve in June 2014, providing intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance. RPAs have attacked ISIS targets on 17 percent of those sorties, said the Air Force.



Air Force sources said the contractor pilots will "have oversight from both a government flight representative and a government ground representative."



The reason to turning to contractors is a lingering inability of the Air Force to meet the demands made on it by the war on terror. It's long been known Air Force drone pilots suffer a high rate of burnout since they work 12 to 13 hour days.



Added to this are the high demands on their health made by sitting on a chair for up to half a day while staring at a bank of monitors all the while being psychologically assaulted by the demand of their job that also includes killing people.



Drone pilots also suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) at rates to similar ground troops that have seen combat.



"Demand for our services is way, way up. But we are meeting those demands today with the smallest Air Force in our history," said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James.



The Air Force recently agreed to increase the salaries of drone pilots, but the pay hikes are nothing close to what their civilian counterparts make. That civilian contractors manning Air Force drones will be paid up to three times the salary of an Air Force pilot is a source of demoralizing resentment for the servicemen.



The Pentagon revealed only six unarmed drones are currently being flown by civilians. That number will later be increased to 10 over the next two years. Air Force pilots fly some 60 drones every day.


Sasheena Reynolds left her 11-month-old daughter, Jada, in her crib and took her older son to her apartment complex laundry room in December 2008 to finish some chores.

After a while, she smelled smoke and, scooping up her son, ran to her apartment.

"I tried to open the door, but the door wouldnt open," she told NBC 6 Investigators. "Apparently, the heat held it shut and Im screaming in the complex, 'Help!'"

Neighbors restrained her, as others covered their heads in removed shirts, trying to get into the apartment to rescue Jada.

But it was too hot, too smoky, too late.

Her husband rushed home and they embraced amid the fire trucks and first responders in the complex parking lot, as the apartment was enveloped in flame.

Jadas body was removed from where she fell onto the floor of her bedroom when her crib collapsed.

Investigators determined the fire started in the dining room, where Reynolds had left candles burning, as the power to the unit had been shut off.

But they also questioned Reynolds as if, she later learned, she was suspected of arson.

"It was just crazy to answer those questions. Why would I?" she said. "It was just an accident."

CLOUD OF SUSPICION

Investigators decided to see if gasoline or another accelerant was involved.

So they sent Reynolds' clothes and slippers, along with heavily burned wood, debris and carpet, to the state fire marshal's lab near Tallahassee.

The results: no ignitable liquid was found on the clothes, slippers, carpet or debris taken from the room where the fire started.

But in wood taken from beneath Jada's body, the lab's analyst reported finding the chemical traces of gasoline.

And when theres no reason for gasoline to be at the scene of a fire, that means one thing to investigators: arson.

"Gasoline is special," said fire investigator John Lentini. "If the laboratory finds kerosene or mineral spirits, that could be from a household product. But theres no good reason to have gasoline in your house."

Not unless you wanted to fuel a fire and, in the process, murder your daughter.

Three weeks after the fire, thats exactly what Reynolds was charged with: first-degree murder.

"It was hell," she said, crying at the memory of being held without bond for 23 days. "It was like a ton of bricks, because first youre dealing with the death of your daughter a few days before her birthday and then a few days later you hear that theyre trying to blame you for the whole thing. Not only are you dealing with grief; now, youre fighting for your life."

A five-year fight that at times looked bleak  especially when what is supposed to be the states foremost arson lab is insisting gasoline was found in Jadas bedroom.

"They were wrong and we were shocked. And were like  gasoline? -- we dont keep gasoline anywhere in our home," Reynolds said. "But like they say: truth always prevails. And thats what Ive just been hoping, truth just prevails."

To prove that truth, Reynolds and attorney Lee Friedland had to hire an expert; in this case, John Lentini, the fire investigator. "We had to  pay quite a bit of money that we didnt have,' Reynolds explained. "We just had to find it and work it out because we knew I was innocent and I had to find just whatever way I could to clear my name."

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

Sure enough, when Lentini double checked the state fire marshal labs work, he reached the opposite conclusion: there was no gasoline.

"Theyre doing bad science. Theyre finding gasoline where it doesnt exist," Lentini told NBC 6 Investigators.

Faced with conflicting expert opinions, prosecutors in 2013 offered Reynolds a deal she said she could not refuse: plead no contest to manslaughter and never serve another day in jail, if she successfully completes 10 years probation. The manslaughter charge was based on Reynolds leaving Jada unattended in an apartment with candles burning, what the state argued was culpable negligence.

For its part, the lab continues to maintain gasoline was indeed detected in the wood in Jadas bedroom  even though the fire started in another room where candles were left burning and all experts agree no gasoline was found in debris collected there or on any other evidence.

Lentini, concerned the lab was making mistakes in other cases, as well, last year reported it to the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors, Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD-LAB), the agency that accredits the lab.

In response, it sent an assessment team into the state lab in January and it ultimately agreed with Lentini: the lab was misreading results from sensitive equipment that determines what chemical compounds are left behind in fires.

Its supposed to work like this:

Fire debris is collected and placed into air tight containers, usually paint cans. A carbon strip is hung inside in the headspace above the debris. The containers are placed in an oven for hours, releasing volatile compounds from the debris and onto the carbon strip hanging above it.

The compounds remnants are removed from the strip by a liquid solvent, and the resulting mixture is then injected into a sensitive apparatus called a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. That combined machine produces graphs which, when read properly, reveal various substances found in the sample.

The fire chemist compares those graphs to those of known substances, such as gasoline and other accelerants, to look for a match.

The state labs problem, according to Lentini and the accreditation agencys assessors: state analysts are improperly interpreting those graphs and concluding gasoline is present, when the results are not that conclusive.

The ASCLD-LAB assessors examined 28 cases where gasoline or a mixture of ignitable liquids was reported by the state lab and disagreed with the labs conclusions in 16 of those cases.

Among them: a boat fire in the Panhandle that resulted in arson charges being dropped and the state paying a nearly $250,000 settlement to the defendant who filed a wrongful arrest lawsuit; and a 2010 kitchen fire in Hialeah that resulted in arson charges after the lab claimed gasoline was found on the stove; that charge was dropped after police contradicted themselves about whether they thought the defendant was to blame.

In six other cases, the ASCLD-LAB assessment team found the data did not support the identification of gasoline And in seven others, it found, the state lab did not support the identification of a mixture of petroleum products. The assessor also found one case where a test sample that was supposed to be negative for ignitable liquids had been contaminated by gasoline.

The team confirmed the state fire marshals determinations of ignitable liquids being present in only 12 of the 28 cases, which originated from 2009 through 2015.

As a result of that and other concerns, ASCLD-LAB suspended the state labs accreditation  a decision the state is appealing.

"INCOMPETENTS AND INCOMPETENCE"

In objecting to the findings, the labs chief, Carl Chasteen, wrote in a May 7 letter to ASCLD/LAB: "The report is full of allegations that make it seem that this is laboratory full of incompetents and incompetence."

Chasteen, whose official title is chief of forensic services for Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, continued: "The report suggests a deliberate attempt on our part to find and justify ignitable liquids in sample where none exists."

He then attempts to refute each of the allegations.

In a statement to NBC 6 Investigators, Atwaters office said:

"The Departments forensic analysis laboratory houses talented, well-trained analysts who apply the highest possible standards to every case they receive. Since 2010, when the lab was first accredited, (ASCLD-LAB) has studied our case files, reviewed our policies, and has repeatedly concluded that the departments lab is operated and maintained according to the highest standards. The lab was fully reaccredited in April 2015, with no adverse findings."

But, after Lentinis complaint in May 2015, the assessment team returned and found the violations.

"It is incredulous to assume that the labs policies and procedures would have degraded so significantly in roughly a month to warrant a sanction," the statement continued. "It also calls into question the legitimacy of ASCLD-LABs accreditation process, that their findings are so tenuous they can be reversed on a third party complaint."

The state paid for another expert to review its lab work, including the specific cases challenged by Lentini and the assessment team, and that review backed up the states findings.

While it appeals, the state continues to produce opinions on the presence of ignitable liquids in fires  opinions that can mean the difference between freedom or life in prison for someone suspected of arson.

GETTING BETTER, NOT BITTER

Reynolds said it could have been easy to let the ordeal break her spirit.

Instead, she is honoring Jadas memory through the Gifts From Jada Foundation, a charity she and her husband set up in 2009 to help other families cope with the grief of losing a loved one.

Recently, the group arranged for free back-to-school haircuts, face-painting and music for children at the Headz Up Hair Studio in Margate.

"Its a bitter sweet feeling," Reynolds said over the joyful din of children celebrating. "Theres a saying that you can either get bitter, or get better. And Ive chosen to be better."

Shes had another daughter and with her husband is trying to put their lives back together, learning an important lesson along the way.

"Life is not always about you," she said. "Its how you handle the grief. And Im just handling it this way by giving back. Seeing a smile on a childs face is very healing for me."

Jada would have turned eight years old last Christmas.
Authorities say a 57-year-old man is accused of fatally shooting another man during an apparent road rage incident in South Florida.

Miami-Dade police say Andres Diaz was arrested and charged with second-degree murder charge on Tuesday.

In a news release, police said Diaz is accused of shooting 43-year-old Ricky Enrique Iglesias during a "traffic dispute" on Aug. 28. Iglesias, who was riding an ATV, died.

Diaz was named a suspect shortly after the shooting, but police say they were working with the State Attorney's Office on formal charges.

Diaz appeared in court Wednesday morning where he was ordered held without bond. His defense attorney and wife joined him in court.

"My only concern if I could, he has significant coronary artery disease, he takes over six medications. He was able to take the medication prior to his entry into the jail yesterday," defense attorney Marisa Alvarez Shapiro said.

The judge sent Diaz to the clinic for proper medical care.
Aerial spraying of Miami Beach where locally-acquired cases of Zika have been confirmed has been delayed for at a least a day, officials said Wednesday.

The spraying, which was scheduled to begin around 5 a.m. Thursday in the 1.5-square mile infection zone, has instead been postponed until 5 a.m. Friday, weather permitting.

The decision was made during an emergency workshop in the City of Miami Beach, where officials asked for more time to prepare residents for the spraying.

Spraying will also be done on Sunday and the following two weekends, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said in a statement.

City of Miami Beach

There have been 56 non-travel related Zika cases in Florida, many of them in Miami-Dade's "Zika zones" in Wynwood and Miami Beach, according to the Florida Department of Health. Additionally, some 577 travel-related Zika cases have been reported throughout Florida.

The proposal to spray South Beach had many residents at Wednesday's workshop irate and some scared over the insecticide to be used, Naled.

"It is very clear that Naled is a neurotoxin that does pose affects to human beings," resident Brandon Burke said. "It is killing off the bee population, butterflies, frogs, the bats."

Wynwood resident Evo Love said recent aerial spraying in her neighborhood made her sick.

"I'm not a scientist, I'm not a doctor, but I know that when I go in my backyard and my tongue is shaking for four hours and I am ready to rush myself to the emergency, something in that chemical is not right," Love said.

Experts from the CDC and the State Department of Health recommend the aerial spraying and consider Naled safe.

Miami Beach resident and pest control expert Andrew Burger said he's for the spraying.

"What the county has done in Wynwood was the most effective way to eliminate the problem," he said. "Here in Miami Beach where I am a resident similar action needs to be taken."
Carnival Cruise Line is going green as the company announced Tuesday that it plans to build two new ships.

Both ships will be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas, the world's cleanest burning fossil fuel, according to Carnival Corp.

The LNG-powered cruise ships will be a first of its kind in North America. The South Florida-based company said the new ships will also be the largest in its fleet.

The first gas-powered ship is scheduled to be completed as early as 2020. The vessels are being constructed by Finnish shipbuilder Meye Turku.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said the ships are being designed for maximum energy efficiency and environmental friendliness.
Authorities were searching off the coast of the Bahamas for a U.S. citizen who reportedly went overboard from a cruise ship early Wednesday.

The U.S. Coast Guard said 32-year-old Rina Patel apparently fell from the 11th deck of the Carnival Ecstasy as the ship passed near the island of Grand Bahama. Carnival Cruise Line reported that she was witnessed jumping overboard around 2:30 a.m.

Patel, from Interlaken, New York, was last seen wearing a white dress with pink flowers.

A statement from the cruise company said it emergency procedures were initiated immediately and the crew began to search for the woman. The U.S. Coast Guard aircraft and two ships to an area about 27 miles (about 43 km) southwest of the island of Grand Bahama to look for her.

The cruise ship had left Nassau, Bahamas and was en route to Charleston, South Carolina, where it is scheduled to dock Thursday.
A Secret Service officer who was fired after being accused of trying to solicit sex from an undercover agent he thought was a 14-year-old girl has been moved to South Florida to face criminal charges.

The Sun-Sentinel reports that 38-year-old Lee Robert Moore appeared Tuesday in federal court in West Palm Beach on charges that he tried to lure a Broward County girl into sexual activity.

Moore, who was based at the White House, has been locked up since he was arrested in November on a related federal charge in Delaware.

Moore's attorneys say their client was recently moved to a Florida jail so he could face the most serious allegations against him first.

Prosecutors in Delaware say Moore sometimes engaged in online sex chats while on duty at the White House.
It's something most people haven't seen in their lifetime: an American Airlines boarding screen with a destination in Cuba at Miami International Airport  and its only the beginning of mass commercial travel between the USA and Cuba.

"Not in my lifetime did I think Id experience this," said Liane Ventura, one of 90 travelers on Flight 903 to Cienfuegos Wednesday. "We haven't had relations in over 50 years and it's time."

"Some of the other family members are, you know, 'Im waiting to see what happens, I don't think things are going to change, said Ventura, who was born in the United States to Cuban parents. "But I think Im very optimistic."

American Airlines is the second U.S.-based airline to launch regularly scheduled commercial flights to the island nation from South Florida  and the first from MIA in more than half a century.

"Im really excited to see the culture there, said Cristal Espejo, a visitor from New York who is making the historic trip with friends. "I don't have any expectations, but Im going into it very open."

Americans are still prohibited from visiting Cuba as tourists, but can book trips that fall under a dozen different categories including visiting family members or an academic trip.

American Airlines says it will eventually have 84 weekly flights to Cuba from Miami, more than any other airline. Miami travelers will be able to go to Havana later this year.

"The embargo really hasn't done anything or made any changes in Cuba so maybe we ought to try something else, Ventura said. This is the something else."
The U.S. Department of Justice is reversing itself less than a week after it appealed a ruling on whether authorities must release hundreds of 911 calls recorded during a massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando.

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday moved to dismiss their appeal of a ruling that sent the case back to state court.

U.S. Attorney's spokesman William Daniels says the records are no longer part of the FBI investigation. The rampage by Omar Mateen killed 49 people at the Pulse nightclub.

About two dozen media groups have gone to court against the city of Orlando and the Justice Department, seeking the release of the calls.
A doctor at Jackson Memorial Hospital confirmed Wednesday a second baby was born with the Zika virus.

Dr. Christine Curry made the revelation at an emergency Zika meeting held at Miami Beach City Hall. She did not disclose when the baby was born or the severity of the symptoms.

Dr. Curry said the mother of the infected baby has declined to talked to the media.

The first time health officials revealed a baby in Miami-Dade County was born with the virus was on Aug. 26th.

A woman who contracted Zika in Venezuela and traveled to South Florida for treatment, gave birth to a baby girl with the virus at Jackson Memorial Hospital on June 28th.

The infant had symptoms which include an eye infection, problems with muscle tone and calcium deposits in her brain.

The baby was not born with microcephaly, which causes the deformation of an infant's head.

Check back with NBC6.com for updates on this developing story.
Police are looking for a man armed with a knife who sexually assaulted an 18-year-old woman as she was walking in Hollywood.

The assault happened around 3 a.m. Tuesday as the woman was walking along the 4900 block of Sheridan Street, Hollywood Police said.

Police said the suspect attacked the woman and forced her into some shrubs, where he sexually assaulted her.

Detectives are also looking for a driver who may have witnessed the attack. He is in his 30s with brown facial hair and was driving a silver 2-door vehicle with dark tinted windows and purple lights.

The incident happened a day after a 60-year-old woman was beaten and sexually battered in Sunrise. Hollywood Police said they've been in contact with Sunrise Police but said it's too early to determine if the two incidents are connected.

In Sunrise Wednesday, detectives were canvassing the area handing out flyers with a sketch of the suspect.

"He approached her from behind, grabbed her in a chokehold and pulled her into the nearby bushes where he struck her several times in the face with a closed fist," Sunrise Police spokesperson Chris Piper said. "During that time he then sexually battered the victim while she struggled to get away."

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
Plainville police have located the driver who fled after crashing through a fence and into a building Tuesday morning.

The driver crashed into Manafort Brothers at 414 New Britain Ave.

Police said they stopped the car about a mile away around 2 a.m. but the driver, who they suspect was drunk, took off.

On Tuesday afternoon, police said they had located the driver and questioned him in the hospital. Police are waiting on a warrant for arrest.

According to police, the driver appeared to lose control and went airborne as he sped over a rock island, then smashed through a fence and hit the building.

When officers arrived, the car was stuck in the building with the back end suspended several feet up.

Police said they told the driver to remain in the car, but he did not listen.

"It's about an 8-foot drop to the ground. The operator was able to jump out of the car. He saw that he was bleeding from his face or his head. Then he fled on foot," Plainville police Lt. Eric Peterson said.

The Manafort Brothers building was empty at the time of the crash and no one else was injured.

Crews had to use a large crane to remove the vehicle from the building and the building inspector was called in to make sure the building is structurally sound.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
What to Know The distribution center burst into flames in Fishkill, about 75 miles north of New York City, Aug. 29

Crews from multiple departments battled the blaze for hours before they were able to get it under control

Authorities have not released details of their investigation beyond saying the fire was intentionally set

The inferno that consumed a 990,000 square-foot Gap distribution center north of New York City last month, destroying an estimated millions in clothing and equipment, was intentionally set, authorities said Tuesday.



State police said the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined the origin of the fire was "incendiary." No other details have been released, and the arson remains under active investigation.



No one was injured in the Aug. 29 fire at the large industrial warehouse in Fishkill, one of two facilities on Merritt Boulevard. All 100 employees who were on site at the time got out safely.

The facility opened in 2000 and expanded a year later. The company announced plans in 2014 to add 1,200 jobs over a five-year period and invest $96 million into the distribution center. The facility had more than 425 employees at the time of that announcement.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said "basically anything you buy" under the Gap umbrella online comes from the torched facility. He said the county plans to work with the company to find a possible alternate location.



Anyone who saw anything around the time at the fire is asked to call police.
What to Know Panna Krom was 17 when she drowned her baby girl in a toilet in 2006

She said she killed her child because she was afraid of her family's reaction

Krom now says she plans on helping other young women who are in need of help during their pregnancies

A Connecticut woman who drowned her newborn daughter in a toilet in 2006 will be released from prison on Sept. 30, eight years early, after the state's parole board granted clemency on Wednesday.

Panna Krom, who is now 26 years old, went before the parole board at the York women's prison to ask the members to reduce her 18-year prison sentence and her request was granted.

More than two dozen family members were there for the commutation.

"I can't even describe it. I can't even describe it," the Danbury woman's mother, Chan Prum, said. "This is the day I've been waiting for forever. It seems like forever for me just to hear that my daughter is coming home."

Prosecutors said Krom, who was then a 17-year-old senior at Danbury High School, hid her pregnancy, delivered the baby in a bathroom of her parents' home in December 2006, then drowned her in a toilet. Krom's mother found the baby in a closet, officials said.

In 2008, Krom reached a plea deal for an 18-year sentence, pleading guilty to manslaughter to avoid a possible life sentence.

Krom's lawyer, Vicki Hutchinson, said her client was afraid because her parents, who are from Cambodia, disapprove of premarital sex.

Hutchinson said Krom is rehabilitated and she is a model prisoner who earned her high school diploma, mentors younger prisoners and speaks to visiting high school students.

Hutchinson said other people who committed similar crimes received far less prison time.

Krom said she plans on helping other young women who are in need of help during their pregnancies.
Police are searching for the boat operator who slammed into another boat on a New Jersey lake Monday evening, hurting the two couples on the vessel.

The victims' 18-foot Bayliner boat was on Greenwood Lake in West Milford Township in Passaic County when another vessel -- possibly a ski boat -- hit the back of it, seriously hurting 72-year-old Edwin Lane of West Milford and 76-year-old Robert Roon of Newfoundland, state police say.

Their wives, 74-year-old Mary Lane and 70-year-old Eileen Roon, were also injured but not as seriously, and were able to help their husbands and navigate back to the dock.

"My husband's unconscious, head back, blood gurgling out. The other gentleman, he's out, unconscious," Maureen Lane recounted to NBC 4 New York Tuesday. "The cowling from the motor is in the middle of the aisle, I had to try to move that, climb over it."

The men were flown to St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson, where they remain in critical condition.

The women were taken by ambulance to the same hospital, where they were treated for their injuries.

Maureen Lane said the night had been tranquil before it took a bloody turn.

"It was a beautiful night, calm. Nobody on the lake," she said.

Authorities say the other boat may have gone airborne before speeding off. But no one's certain what hit them or where it went because of the low visibility.

Police say they believe the boat the couples were in was going the legal limit at 15 mph, with its lights on. Whoever hit them was going much faster than that and never slowed down.

A $5,000 reward is being offered for information in the hit-and-run, police say.
As Seen On

As seen on News 4
Dani Mathers, the Playboy playmate who came under intense fire for posting a gym pic of an unsuspecting naked woman, may face jail time now that the unidentified victim has stepped forward, according to People Magazine.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the woman, in her 70s, has come forward and was inclined to press charges against Mathers.

According to the Los Angeles Times, "State law prohibits recording and photographing someone in a private setting in which they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Such a crime is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail."

But police were unable to proceed with any criminal complaint until a victim stepped forward.

https://twitter.com/DaniMathers/status/753500451899711493

Mathers, the 2015 Playmate of the Year, claimed she meant to forward the post to select friends and not all her followers. She later apologized for the social media post.
A fuel pump explosion at a South Jersey school bus depot sent a fireball 30-feet into the air and left one worker hurt.

The blast shook the Egg Harbor Township School District transportation building along Swift Avenue around 9:30 a.m. The yard is near E.H. Slaybaugh and close to H. Russell Swift Elementary schools.

The blast didn't put any students or school staff in danger, said police and school officials.

"The gasoline tank exploded after it had already been emptied," said interim Egg Harbor Township school superintendent Fred Nicklas.



Workers from DeMaio's Environmental Contracting Consulting and Engineering were in the process of cutting open the tank for environmentally-regulated cleaning when the fumes inside sparked, said Nicklas.

"The worker himself was thrown approximately six feet," said Nicklas.

The worker remained conscious as medics took him to the hospital for treatment for burns to his head and body, said Nicklas.

Egg Harbor Township Police described the incident as a construction accident in the fueling area for school buses.

"Construction is currently being done to the underground fuel tanks," police said on Facebook.

"Those nearby heard the explosion and saw the flame," said Nicklas.

OSHA and police planned to investigate.

"This was an accident that no one anticipated happening but it did," said Nicklas.

The work on removing and cleaning the old tanks continued Wednesday afternoon, said school officials.
A Bucks County barbecue joint is closing up shop as its owner searches for new locations in the area.

The last day for Big Q BBQ at 1140 Bristol-Oxford Valley Road in Levittown, Pennsylvania, will be Wednesday.

Owner Drew Abruzzese said they have "simply outgrown this location," and will immediately begin searching for new locations in Philadelphia and its suburbs.

We had no idea when we opened that so many of our customers would want to dine in, and our site has really limited inside seating, Abruzzese said.

The restaurant opened in July last year as a quick-serve drive-through restaurant specializing in Midwest barbecue, smoked pork, chicken, ribs and more.

To read the full story, click here.

For more business news, visit Philadelphia Business Journal.
Crews resumed their search in a Pennsylvania state park Thursday for a woman who went missing earlier in the week.

Officials with Tyler State Park told NBC10 the woman, later identified by family members as Lindsey Marie Piccone, was reported missing around 8 p.m. Tuesday. Piccone, 21, did not have her cellphone with her at the time and was last seen Sunday, according to investigators.

Family members say Piccones car was found at Tyler State Park yet she still wasn't located after searches were conducted Tuesday night, Wednesday and Thursday.

Family Photo

The park, which is 1,711 acres and located in Newtown and Northampton townships in Bucks County, was set to reopen at 9 a.m. Friday after it had been closed to vehicular traffic Wednesday and Thursday.

Officials asked visitors to be aware of the ongoing search and said some areas may remain secured on Friday.

Searches outside of the park continued as well.

Piccone, who stands around 5-feet, 3-inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds, was wearing a black tank top when she went missing Sunday, said Bensalem Police.

If you have any information on Piccones whereabouts, please call Bucks County Emergency Services at 610-982-5411 or her family at 215-385-0387. You can also can Bensalem Police at 215-633-3719.
A state audit released Tuesday warns that plans for the Pennsylvania Turnpike to raise tolls repeatedly in the coming years may not be sustainable, leaving the 550-mile road network at financial risk.

The study by the state auditor general's office also said the turnpike commission has recently experienced an increase in the number of people who are not paying tolls, and warned the problem will continue unless the agency gets more power to take action against toll payment violators.

State law, the report said, "does not give the commission the authority to suspend the registration of Pennsylvania motorists' vehicles or otherwise impose a penalty on vehicle owners who fail to pay their tolls."

Sean Logan, chairman of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, said the turnpike's debt, which is fueled largely by the payments to PennDOT, is a growing concern.

"We look forward to working with the auditor as well as the Legislature to secure passage of meaningful tolling enforcement legislation that will allow all tolling agencies in the state to make sure motorists pay their fair share," he said. He noted that in about a month turnpike staff is expected to complete a comprehensive study of turnpike capital spending.

The survey said drivers are avoiding tolls by exiting through an E-ZPass lane without an E-ZPass account; because E-ZPass transponders are failing to be picked up, perhaps because of low batteries; and because some drivers don't maintain enough money in their E-ZPass account to cover the cost of their fare.

The turnpike uses a collection agency to track down people who owe then for unpaid fares, along related costs and fees, but those efforts are of limited effectiveness. The report said the number of fare violations that generated invoices increased from 455,000 to 726,000 between 2011 and 2015, while turnpike vehicle usage rose only slightly, from 189 million to 192 million.

The report suggested the turnpike authority be granted the power to suspend vehicle registrations and to set graduated fines for repeat offenders. It also proposed publishing a list of "egregious" toll scofflaws, establishing reciprocal enforcement programs with other states and possibly letting toll collectors accept credit and debit cards.

The report faulted the turnpike for what it said was an insufficient response to previous recommendations that it clamp down on letting its own employees, contractors and others ride for free for personal, non-business trips.

The audit said the turnpike has given about 2,100 badges and 900 transponders to its workers, providing them with about $1.2 million in free trips between June 2014 and February 2016. The agency also provided more than $4 million worth of toll-free travel to some 5,000 consultants, contractors and state government officials.

The auditor general's office recommended the Legislature eliminate or reduce the hundreds of millions of dollars the turnpike is paying to the state Transportation Department under a 2007 state law.

Tolls are currently projected to increase every year through 2044. The auditor general's office said a passenger vehicle's 270-mile trip on the main stem from Valley Forge to Pittsburgh, using E-ZPass, will go up from $23 today to $67 by 2044. A five-axle truck currently pays $124 for that route when using cash, but the same trip will cost $356 in 2044, the study said.

"We believe that at some point, the average turnpike traveler will be deterred by the increased cost and seek alternatives," the auditor general's office concluded.
Charges have been filed in an apparent murder-suicide attempt over a woman that took place in two stores at popular Atlantic City outlets last week.

Luis Maisonet, 55, of Somers Point, is charged with murder, aggravated assault, possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose and other related offenses.

Police say Maisonet entered the Zumiez clothing store at the Tanger Outlets' The Walk at 2010 Christopher Columbus Boulevard in Atlantic City Thursday, September 1. He then allegedly took out a gun and shot store manager Christopher Romero, 26. He then walked across Arkansas Avenue to White House Black Market and turned the gun on himself after being confronted by an off-duty police officer from out of town, law enforcement sources said.

Police arrived at Zumiez at noon after receiving multiple 911 calls. Both Romero and Maisonet were taken to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center - City Division. Romero was pronounced dead at the hospital while Maisonet was in critical condition.

Law enforcement sources told NBC10 Jersey Shore Bureau reporter Ted Greenberg it appears Romero was dating Maisonet's ex-girlfriend.

Family Photo

Romero's co-workers expressed shock over the deadly shooting.

"I immediately started crying," Anthony Acosta, a Zumiez employee said. "We're all a family here so basically one goes down, we all go down. It's very upsetting."

Stores in the area were locked down, leaving shoppers sheltered inside for at least 20 minutes, as police determined the scope of the shooting.

UPDATE. Victim has died from his injuries. A male suspect, who sustained a self inflicted gunshot wound, is in custody. Weapon recovered.  Atlantic City Police (@AtlanticCityPD) September 1, 2016

We currently have one person detained in reference to this incident.  Atlantic City Police (@AtlanticCityPD) September 1, 2016

The incident at the Walk in Atlantic City is not an active shooter situation.  Atlantic City Police (@AtlanticCityPD) September 1, 2016

The shooting happened a few hours before the Zac Brown Band performed a concert on the beach a few blocks away.

Maisonet was arrested at the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center Wednesday where he remains guarded by law enforcement officers. His bail is set at $1,000,000 cash, no 10%.

SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP: The National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.




A public hearing on infrastructure issues including the $80 million sewer problem facing Cheltenham Township -- and possibly other Montgomery County towns -- will be held next week, a Pennsylvania lawmaker said Tuesday.

The hearing Sept. 15 will feature three panels made up of local and state speakers, "all of them experts on water and sewer infrastructure issues," state Rep. Steve McCarter, D-Cheltenham, said on his website.

The panelists were not identified in the release. McCarter's office did not respond to requests for comment.

"[The hearing will] offer an informative look into water and sewer infrastructure issues nationally, the problems we have here in Pennsylvania and potential solutions including a focus on green infrastructure and land use and investment decisions," McCarter said on his site.

Cheltenham faces a major overhaul to its sewer system, which local officials have been ordered to inspect as soon as possible by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Much of the system's two components, the township-owned pipes and sewer laterals on private properties that connect to the larger mains, are failing current state standards because of either age or capacity.

For the last decade, local officials have grappled with the expense of coming into compliance. NBC10.com first reported the massive cost facing taxpayers who will have to pay for the township main replacements and potentially the laterals on their properties.

Twice since May, township officials have delayed the start of inspections of private laterals. Last month, the Board of Supervisors discussed the possibility of selling the township's sewer system and set a meeting Sept. 28 to again discuss inspections.

McCarter, who represents Cheltenham, Jenkintown, and Springfield, told NBC10.com in May that "inner-rim suburbs" -- those bordering metropolitan areas like Philadelphia -- across the state face similarly dire situations.

"Nobody wants to talk about whats underground and out of site," McCarter said at the time. "But its going to cause a lot of consternation and disruption."

He also correctly predicted that the start of inspections, which then were slated to begin later this year in Cheltenham Village and Glenside, would be delayed.

"I think therell be some adjustments in terms of time as we go along," McCarter said.

Cheltenham supervisors have yet to formally approve the state-mandated inspections.

The Sept. 15 meeting will be 10 a.m. at Curtis Hall, 1250 Church Road in the Wyncote neighborhood. McCarter asked that those attending RSVP, though it is not required.
Do you ever have a hankering for corn dogs while you shopped and dined at the Reading Terminal Market? What about fancy ones? You'll soon get a chance to whet your appetite next year when a dedicated stand opens up shop.

Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs will come to the Reading Terminal Market next spring, occupying half of former Italian deli and grocery stand Salumeria, which closed this year after nearly 35 years in operation.

Fox & Son is owned by Chef Rebecca Foxman and Ezekial Ferguson of Reading Terminal's Valley Shepherd Creamery and Meltkraft Grilled Cheese.

News of Fox & Son comes after this year's announcement of Condiment, a made-to-order and made-from-scratch concept offering condiments like mayonnaise, marinades, butter, ketchup mustard, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, dessert toppings and more.

Owned by Elizabeth Halen, who also owns the market's Flying Monkey Bakery, Condiment's products will be cooked and made on site.

To read the full article, click here.

For more business news, visit Philadelphia Business Journal.
A suspect charged with murder in the shooting deaths of two men in a New Jersey motel room last year has been arrested in Maryland.

Prosecutors said Tuesday that 22-year-old Tywan Dixon was arrested at an apartment complex in Glen Burnie, Maryland last month. He is jailed in New Jersey on $750,000 bail on charges including murder and conspiracy.

It wasn't immediately known if Dixon has an attorney.

Police in Absecon, New Jersey say they found 22-year-old Diante Owen and 22-year-old Gerald Alvarez dead at a Red Roof Inn in March 2015.

Prosecutors said the killings were the result of a drug deal, and that both sides fired guns.

Two other suspects charged with murder are in custody. A fourth remained at large Wednesday.
Sergey Tsipenyuk peered at the graying, frail man lying on a stretcher in front of him, bleeding from his face.



"What month are we in?" Tsipenyuk asked, his hands deftly working to prepare an IV in the man's arm as Tsipenyuk's partner, Chris Santillo, hooked him up to a heart monitor.



The man, in his 80s, hurt and confused after apparently losing consciousness and crashing his car in Abington Township, stared for a long moment, then answered. "September," he said slowly.



"Who's the president?" Tsipenyuk pressed.



"Obama," the man responded, quicker this time.



They're questions that Tsipenyuk, a paramedic and pre-hospital nurse, and Santillo, an EMT, ask over and over again throughout their 12-hour shifts working for the Second Alarmer's of Montgomery County. They're two questions among a myriad of inquiries the men calmly pose to patients as they stabilize them in the sterile bed of an orange and white ambulance, where they work to save patients' lives as they determine their level of alertness, figure out what happened to them, and decide how to fix whatever's wrong.

Morgan Zalot | NBC10

Morgan Zalot | NBC10

Morgan Zalot | NBC10

Morgan Zalot | NBC10
A Pennsylvania man shot by Secret Service at a White House gate earlier this year after refusing to drop a gun accepted a plea deal in the case.

Jesse Olivieri, 31, of Ashland, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Monday to resisting or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he likely faces between eight and 14 months in prison and could be fined up to $40,000, prosecutors said in a statement. No sentencing date was set.

Olivieri was shot after approaching the gate May 20. He was hospitalized following the shooting. Tuesday's plea hearing took place at a hospital where he is receiving treatment. An attorney for Olivieri did not immediately return a telephone call.

Surveillance footage from May 20 shows Olivieri walking toward the south entrance of the White House with a gun on his right side. Officers ordered him to stop, but Olivieri ignored those commands.

A Secret Service special officer shot Olivieri and his gun  identified in an affidavit as a loaded .22-caliber semiautomatic  was kicked away from him. Officers surrounded him with their guns drawn, then begin rendering medical aid.

Before Olivieri was taken to a hospital, a Secret Service officer asked him why he went to the White House. "I came here to shoot people," he replied, according to court documents.

A spent .22-caliber shell casing was found near a Camry on Constitution Avenue, and more ammunition was found in the car.

The incident occurred within view of tourists outside the White House, near sidewalks crowded with families, school groups and government workers.

The White House was on lockdown for about an hour after the incident. President Barack Obama was not at the White House at the time, but Vice President Joe Biden was inside the building, administration officials said.
A New Jersey Republican ended his campaign for local office Tuesday following reports that he called online for the rape of a Washington-based reporter for news and opinion website The Daily Beast.

Mike Krawitz, who was running for the township council in West Deptford, sent a handwritten resignation note to the party Tuesday saying he was dropping out.

On Monday, Krawitz told The Philadelphia Inquirer that his account was hacked and that he didn't make the comment on journalist Olivia Nuzzi's Facebook account.

But Nuzzi, a New Jersey native, said she has been harassed on social media by Krawitz since December 2015.

Krawitz's recent comment said: "I. Hope. Somebody. Rapes. You. Today. :).'' Krawitz's account also posted a comment that said: "Hope. You. Get. Raped. By. A. Syrian. Refugee. :).''

Bob Waller, chairman of the West Deptford Republican Committee, said in a statement before Krawitz stepped down that there is "no reasonable reason'' to believe Krawitz was hacked. He had called on Krawitz step down.

"We as a party cannot condone such repulsive, threatening or demeaning rhetoric of this kind being made by any person regardless of party,'' Waller said.

A person answering the phone at a number listed for Krawitz on Tuesday afternoon said he was not home.

West Deptford Police Chief Sam DiSimone said no complaint has been filed with the department, but he condemned the comments.

"It's an embarrassment to the township that this is taking place,'' he said.

The comments came after Nuzzi promoted an article about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's ex-wife Marla Maples.

Nuzzi said in a statement that she has received a lot of colorful hate mail but never from a candidate for office.

"I have faith that most voters in New Jersey and around the country disapprove of hateful rhetoric of this nature,'' Nuzzi said.

The Facebook pages for Krawitz and the West Deptford GOP were down Tuesday.
Egypt is hosting an international conference in March to raise humanitarian aid for Yemen, where an 18-month civil war has killed thousands, a minister in Yemen's government said on Tuesday.

"We are now preparing for a conference ... to be held here in the [Egyptian] city of Sharm El-Sheikh ... We are preparing for this conference fully so we can go to the aid organisations and civil society organisations and many other donors," Abdel-Raqeeb Fateh, Yemen's minister of local administration, told a news conference at the Yemini embassy in Cairo.

The conference will be held next March, he said

The United Nations said last week that at least 10,000 people have been killed in the past 18 months. It said the war displaced three million Yemenis and forced 200,000 to seek refuge abroad. Some 14 million of Yemen's 26 million population needed food aid, it added.

The fighting pits the Iran-backed Houthis and supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh against President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who is backed by a Saudi-led coalition of Arab states.

Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition has waged an air campaign aiming at regaining cities under their control of Houthis, who control the country's northern region.

Egypt, which is part of the Saudi-led coalition and supports the Saudi-backed government, is yet to officially announce the conference.

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School is just back in session but with a heat wave likely, a New Jersey school district is cutting the school day short.

Trenton's public school district said staff and students will be dismissed early every day this week due to expected high temperatures and humidity.

The district announced through a recorded message that students in elementary schools and the Stokes Early Childhood Center will dismiss at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Middle schools will dismiss at 12:45 p.m. those days and high schools will dismiss at 12:30 p.m.

The Daylight/Twilight Alternative High School will end its school days at noon.

The central administrative offices for the district will remain open during normal hours.
Huge versions of classic board games will fill a farmers market Tuesday night as the Chula Vista Public Library hosts a super-sized family game night.

Life Size Family Game Night goes down from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Otay Ranch Town Centers (2015 Birch Rd.) farmers market, right in the food pavilion and Main Street Courtyard.

The library plans to set up giant versions of Uno, Candyland, Connect Four and Kerplunk! for families to play for free during this one-night event.

Families at the event will also have a chance to take park in game-themed story time with the Chula Vista Branch Library.

Good luck.
College campuses in National City and Vista are among more than 130 ITT Technical Institute locations that closed their doors Tuesday.

The closures come amid a U.S. Department of Education investigation and sanctions over recruiting and accounting practices.

Therefore, after evaluating the impact of these new requirements on our institution, we have made the very difficult decision to discontinue our operations effective immediately, the school wrote in an email to students Tuesday morning.

Just found out this morning, just like everyone else that I am no longer a student, Nick Billings said. Hes one of many students who showed up at either the Vista or National City campus to talk to staff, pick up his transcript and just get more information about whats happeningor not happeningat the school.

Some people say its kind of a scammy school, you know they didn't really give you a good education. All the classes I took here I thought were quality. I learned a lot.

Like many others, Billings was expecting to start the fall term on Monday, Sept. 12 and finish up his last term in his associate program.

Just last week the U.S. Department of Education banned the for-profit college from enrolling new students who use federal financial aid. Federal officials also ordered the school to pay $152 million to the government to cover student refunds and other liabilities.

The name stands out, ITT Tech. You know, I never thought they would go out of business, Gabrial Carucci said.

Carucci is a disabled navy veteran who recently dropped out of Southwestern College to study at ITT.

They're more one on one, they have smaller classrooms, smaller and they would pay more attention to me. So that was appealing to me that I would be in a smaller classroom setting and hands on training.

Carucci was pursuing a network administration program at ITT when she learned about the abrupt closure.

Another former student, Jon Arnesto was supposed to finish up his associates program this term.

For now just wait, I have no options right now, he said.

Now the school where he and so many others have put in hours of time and thousands of dollars, no longer offers that "education for the future"

The closures impact more than 8,000 employees and thousands more students at more than 130 campuses across 38 states.

I at least thought I'd be able to finish my program, Billings said. I wasn't expecting it to just, you know the ground to be pulled out from under you that quickly.
Disturbing details emerged Wednesday during a preliminary hearing for a San Diego man accused of beating and strangling his co-worker, and stuffing her body into a suitcase that was thrown out with the trash.

Joshua Palmer, 32, is charged in the grisly slaying of Shauna Haynes, 21.

The Case:

On April 6, the suitcase that held the lifeless body of the young woman was found near trash bins outside The Chadwick, a residential hotel in the 600 block of A Street and 7th Avenue in downtown San Diego, where Palmer lived.

Palmer was arrested in connection with Haynes killing two days later. He pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree murder. He has been jailed for the past five months, awaiting legal proceedings, with bail set at $2 million.

Palmer and Haynes worked together at the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant in downtown San Diego and were platonic friends. According to prosecutors, Palmer and Haynes went out one night in early April and the pair wound up at Palmers apartment.

There, prosecutors said Palmer beat and strangled her, then stuffed her body into a suitcase. He allegedly wiped down his apartment to conceal the crime and sent text messages from the victims cell phone to family members to make it appear as if she was still alive.

Following Palmers arrest, the suspects attorney said Palmer was innocent and said he was Haynes friend, not her killer.

Witnesses Take the Stand:

At Palmer's preliminary hearing on Wednesday, several witnesses took the stand. As witnesses spoke, Palmer stared blankly at the stand, looking down from time to time.

Testimony included Bethann Scheber from the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

Scheber talked about the autopsy performed on Haynes' body. Palmer's defense attorney, Katie Belisle, asked Scheber whether she had considered a drug overdose as the cause of death for Haynes.

No, because generally people who die of a drug overdose are not stuffed in a suitcase and dumped in a garbage can, Scheber said on the stand.

Witnesses Describe Finding Suitcase (Warning: Graphic Details):

Residents who live and work at The Chadwick also testified, including the men who made the gruesome discovery of the suitcase by the trash cans.

One witness, identified as Mr. Moore, testified that he was taking trash cans out to the curb when he spotted the suitcase about two feet away from the bins. At first, he considered it may have belonged to a transient but when he picked it up, it was unusually heavy.

"I went over to the bag, and I was getting ready to pick it up and it had weight to it," Moore said.

Moore said he noticed hair peeking out of the zipper of the suitcase and it scared him. He dropped the luggage, stared at it and then went and got his friend to come and take a second look.

When his friend came out, they looked at the suitcase some more and noticed insects were flying in and out of the bag.

"Thats when we thought, we should call the police," Moore testified.

During cross-examination from Belisle, Moore testified that he lived in the room below Palmer at The Chadwick, and would sometimes see him coming into the residential hotel with Haynes, usually after midnight.

Moore said he sometimes heard noise and voices coming from Palmer's room but testified that he didn't hear any loud yelling, screaming, fighting or banging of any kind the night before he found the suitcase.

After Moore, Eduarado Weddle took the stand. Weddle also lives and works at The Chadwick and was called out by fellow residents on April 6 to take a look at the suitcase by the trash bins. Weddle said he saw body parts and hair sticking out of the luggage.

"On the back-end, it looked like somebodys toes. I went around the front [of the suitcase] and saw hair hanging out of the front," he recalled.

When his friend asked him what he thought about the suitcase, Weddle said he replied, "It looks like there's a body in there."

The men immediately called police.

Weddle said he had seen Palmer in passing at The Chadwick, but did not personally know him. At the time, Weddle lived on the same floor as Palmer, but on the opposite corner.

During cross-examination, Weddle told Palmer's attorney that he also did not hear any screaming or fighting coming from Palmer's room the night before the suitcase was discovered.

San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Officer Thomas McGrath was called to testify at Palmer's preliminary hearing as well.

McGrath was the first officer to respond to the scene at The Chadwick parking lot on April 6. He testified that the dispatcher told him a suitcase had been found near the trash bins, "possibly with a human foot and hair coming out of it."

When McGrath first saw the suitcase, he said he saw toes and black hair peeking out. He put on his gloves and opend the suitcase about 12 to 14 inches to see if there was a body inside.

I saw a right leg and foot with the toes attached. I identified the body as a white or Hispanic female in her early 20s. At that point, I closed the suitcase, McGrath explained.

The officer told his partner they had a crime scene and they secured the area around the trash cans and called for back-up.

Co-Workers Testify on Friendship Between Palmer and Haynes:

Employees who worked with Palmer and Haynes at The Old Spaghetti Factory testified Wednesday that Palmer and Haynes were friends, but Palmer wanted more.

Co-worker Diana Gonzalez said Palmer told her he was romantically interested in Haynes and told Gonzalez that Haynes planned to move in with him.

Soon, however, Gonzalez said Palmer said things werent working out because Haynes was not romantically interested in him.

He said if she [Haynes] didnt put out, shed have to move out, Gonzalez testified.

Gonzalez said Palmer told her that he last time he had seen Haynes was a night when he and Haynes had a sexual encounter. Palmer told Gonzalez that Haynes left afterwards naked in a blanket with bloody nose from doing cocaine all night.

NBC 7 has not obtained a toxicology report to confirm if drugs were found in Haynes' body at the time of her murder.

Gonzalez testified that Palmer cried when he found out about Haynes death.

Christopher Hall, a general manager at the Old Spaghetti Factory, testified that Palmer was flustered when he told Hall about Haynes death.

Hall said Palmer was fired from the restaurant.

Suspect Seemed "Shaken":

Samantha Joyce, who works at an eatery in the Gaslamp Quarter, knew both Palmer and Haynes and testified that she saw them together at the restaurant every so often.

Joyce said Palmer also told her he and Haynes had engaged in sex acts. Joyce said Palmer seemed shaken when he told her about Haynes death and how the body was found in the suitcase.

Evidence on Palmer's Phone:

Details emerged at the preliminary hearing of evidence recovered by investigators from Palmer's phone. A video was discovered that allegedly showed Palmer assaulting Haynes after her death.

SDPD Det. David Spitzer said a text message to Haynes found on the defendant's phone showed Palmer became jealous after Haynes had a sexual encounter with someone else.

"The message reads, 'I'm sorry, I love you. I accepted my place as a friend but I can't watch you make love to someone else. I know it's selfish but I can't take it. I'm not good enough but two total strangers are. It just detroyed me,'" said Spitzer, reading the message on the stand.
The victims of the Silver Spring apartment explosion have partnered with two law firms and say they will file a lawsuit in the coming weeks.

CASA, an advocacy group that has helped the victims since the Aug. 10 blast, announced the partnership during a news conference Wednesday morning.

"I think it's very important that these families are compensated for what happened," said CASA Executive Director Gustavo Torres.

It's not clear who the lawsuit will be filed against or how much compensation will be sought. The announcement comes nearly a month after the overnight explosion killed seven people and left dozens injured.

Investigators have positively identified the residents killed by the explosion as Deibi "David" Samir Lainez Morales, 8; Fernando Josue Hernandez Orellana, 3; Augusto Jimenez, Sr., 62; Maria Auxiliadorai Castellon-Martinez, 53, and Saul Paniagua, 65.

CASA says more than 30 residents were injured and dozens now suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"They were sleeping in the car for a while," one resident told News4 last month. "Now they've returned to the apartments, but they're afraid to turn the gas stove on. They're afraid to cook."

Authorities have said that natural gas was a factor in the blast that involved two buildings at the apartment complex. However, investigators are still trying to determine what caused the gas explosion.

Residents of the apartment complex have told News4 that they had long complained of a smell of gas around the apartments, which each have a natural gas furnace and stove.

"I've been smelling gas for weeks," said Adriene Boye shortly after the explosion. "I called 911, they came and told us it smelled like incense. That's pretty sad. It's like they didn't take us seriously."

Boye said he smelled the gas on the night of the explosion, too -- but he didn't have time to call 911 before the building blew up.

Montgomery County Acting Fire Chief Alan Hinde confirmed the fire department had received one 911 call for the report of a natural gas odor, on July 25.

The fire department went to the area where the odor was reported, and surveyed building with a meter, but found no positive results, Hinde said.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the blast because natural gas and petroleum pipelines are under the board's jurisdiction, he said.

The NTSB aims to have their investigation completed within a year.
A former youth ministries director at a Rockville church is accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a 16-year-old girl during a youth event at the church.

Brian Patrick Werth, who had worked at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church on Montrose Road, was arrested Wednesday morning at his Montgomery Village home.

Montgomery County Police said Child Protective Services notified them late last month that Werth, 32, had inappropriate sexual contact with a teenage parishioner on or about May 20.

Police also said Werth had been texting the girl since summer 2014, and had sent her graphic sexual messages.

Werth is charged with one count of fourth-degree sexual offense, one count of sexual abuse of a minor, and second-degree assault.

He was suspended from his duties at the parish and school when the allegations surfaced and has since been fired, the Archdiocese of Washington said in a statement Wednesday.

"The Archdiocese of Washington takes seriously its responsibility to the children entrusted to its care," the statement continued. "The Child Protection Policy of the Archdiocese of Washington mandates criminal background checks, applications and education for all employees and volunteers who work with young people."

Werth had cleared a background check and other requirements, the statement said.

Police said they believe there may be additional victims. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Special Victims Investigations Division at 240-773-5400.

Complete statement from the Archdiocese of Washington:

Recently, the pastor of St. Elizabeths parish in Rockville received a complaint regarding a case of alleged child sex abuse by Mr. Brian P. Werth, the parishs youth minister. The pastor immediately contacted the Archdiocese of Washingtons Child and Youth Protection Office, which reported the case to Montgomery County law enforcement.

Additionally, in compliance with the Archdiocese of Washingtons Child Protection Policy, Mr. Werth was immediately suspended from his duties at the parish and school; his employment has since been terminated. After an investigation, law enforcement authorities charged Mr. Werth and he was arrested this morning.

Meetings have been scheduled with parish and school staff, and letters are being sent to the parish and school families to brief them on this matter. All have been asked that if anyone has relevant information regarding this matter to please contact the Montgomery County Department of Police Special Victims Investigation Division at 240-773-5400.

The Archdiocese of Washington takes seriously its responsibility to the children entrusted to its care. The Child Protection Policy of the Archdiocese of Washington mandates criminal background checks, applications and education for all employees and volunteers who work with young people. Mr. Werth had cleared the background check and accompanying requirements. The policy also mandates immediate reporting of suspected abuse to the authorities and an employees/volunteers immediate removal from work or ministry following a credible allegation. This requirement was also met in Mr. Werths case.

If at any time you become aware of improper conduct by a person involved in archdiocesan ministry, please contact the director of the archdioceses Office of Child and Youth Protection, Courtney Chase, at 301-853-5302.

The archdioceses Child Protection Policy, which has been in place since 1986, is publicly available online at www.adw.org.
An activist who led weeks-long protests over the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 was found dead inside a burning vehicle, police said, NBC News reported.

The St. Louis County Police Department said the death of Darren Seals, 29, is being investigated as a homicide.

Officers were called to a vehicle fire in the Riverside area of St. Louis just before 2 a.m. Tuesday, police said. When the fire was extinguished, they found a man dead inside with a gunshot wound, the statement added. Police did not name any suspects or suggest a motive in Seals' death.

In a recent Facebook post, Seals said he was "shot up" three years ago but survived.
Residents in Belmont, Massachusetts, are hoping to save a popular bakery that was severely damage after a small explosion in an oven back in March.

Owner Paul Klemm had turned on the gas in his oven at Ohlin's Bakery on Common Street and stepped behind a 400-pound stack of trays. The oven exploded moments later but the trays fortunately shielded him and one of his employees from harm.

"I was quite shocked because I was so close to the oven and I could feel all that heat and energy all around me," Klemm recalls.

A Belmont institution for more than a hundred years, Klemm and his family have owned the bakery since 1951. He and his wife, Marybeth, have vowed to reopen this winter but it's been proving to be difficult since their insurance and the landlord's won't cover all the costs.

Now loyal customers and past employees have stepped in to help raise funds to get the bakery back on its feet.

Jacqueline Davis worked at Ohlin's as a teenager and created a Go Fund Me page.

"I knew as soon as I got it out there, people would rally around it," said Davis.

So far, more than $20,000 has been raised from customers who have left messages on the fundraising page saying how much they miss the award-winning donuts.

"My favorite one thus far is someone who donated a dollar for every day they couldn't come get a donut," said Davis.

The Klemm's say they are grateful for the community's support and hope that everything works out. It's estimated that reopening will cost at least a half million dollars.

"It really make us feel like people care and it makes us happy that they want us to come back," said Marybeth Klemm.
A Lawrence, Massachusetts, firefighter is being held without bail after allegedly opening fire inside his home, according to the Essex County DA's Office.

Police were called to the home of Joseph Carberry Tuesday for a domestic incident and were advised he was intoxciated.

Responding officers were approached by a growling dog and heard shots from inside the building.

Police fired at the dog and told Carberry to get control of it, which he did.

As officers took him into custody, Carberry told them he had shot himself in the leg.

He was arraigned at a hospital for Discharging a Firearm within 500 feet of a Building, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Disorderly Conduct, and Threats to Commit a Crime.

He is expected in court for a dangerousness hearing Friday. It's not clear if he has an attorney.

The Lawrence Fire Department declined to comment pending the investigation.
A Massachusetts high school has been given the all-clear after a threat was reported Wednesday, sources said.

Haverhill High School received a shelter in place order as Massachusetts State Police's bomb squad responded before noon.

Sources inside the school told necn they were told there was no credible threat.

Superintendent James Scully said the school could not provide more specific information.
A traffic accident in the Western Desert governorate of El-Wadi El-Gedid killed 19 people and injured dozens of others, state news agency MENA said.

The accident took place late on Tuesday when a microbus collided with a truck on a highway connecting the El-Farafra and El-Wahat El-Bahariya areas, 350 km southwest of Cairo.

Some of those wounded are in critical condition, a security official told MENA.

The accident is the latest in near-daily road crashes in Egypt that claim thousands of lives every year.

The crashes are often blamed on poorly-enforced traffic regulations and reckless driving.

The World Health Organisation says traffic accidents cause nearly 12,000 deaths annually in Egypt

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Parents of students at a Massachusetts high school are on edge after authorities say someone created a fake Snapchat account targeting sophomore boys looking for compromising photos.

In a letter sent home to parents, Superintendent of Weston Public Schools, Dr. Robert Tremblay, says in part, "It has been reported to me that some sophomore boys may have responded by sending comprising pictures. While I have not seen any pictures or texts, I reported the information to police."

Jim Roan, a father of four, says he appreciated the superintendent sending the letter out.

"Hopefully our kids have gotten the message to not send that stuff out on iPhones, Snapchat whatever," Roan said.

Linda Croteau lives in the town next door, but was still shocked to hear the news just a week into the school year.

"It's frightening because I know my kids are on that all the time," she said. "I sent it to my kids in a group text, want to make them aware of it. I'll talk to them when I get home."

Right now, school officials say they don't know who is behind the fake account or if they're from the community. They also say there's no information that any girls were targeted.

Weston Police Chief, Michael Goulding, told necn it's a challenge to investigate because no victims have come forward, nor have any of the alleged photos surfaced.

The principal and a police sergeant, however, held an all-class assembly Tuesday with the entire sophomore class to explain the ramifications of sending racy photos which can qualify as child pornography.

School officials say they want to teach the kids that deleting a Snapchat or any other photo doesn't mean it goes away completely and that the photos continue to exist on the cell service provider's network.
The family of a man found dead in his apartment at 621 Valley St. in Willimantic yesterday said they believe 73-year-old William Alvarado was viciously murdered and they are asking for help.

State police detectives with major crimes are investigating what they called a suspicious death and have not released the name of the victim, but family members identified him as Alvarado.

"William was just a sweet, generous, kind person who didn't deserve to die the way he died," Melissa Lee, Alvarado's niece, said. "Especially in his own home, where you should feel safe."

Police said the office of the chief medical examiner will conduct an exam to determine the cause of death.

Lee and her family are asking whoever is responsible for Alvarado's death to come forward,

"Do the right thing," Lee said. "If you know anything, please call the police department. He deserves justice."

Family members said three people were brought in for questioning and released.
Police in Hingham, Massachusetts, are searching for the thieves who made off with nearly two dozen iPhones at an Apple Store Monday evening.

Authorities said 12 suspects barged into the store at the Derby Street Shoppes at about 5:30 p.m. and made off with 22 phones.

Customer Andrea Tavares was inside the store when the thieves busted in.

"I was playing with my phone and all of a sudden the alarm went off  it was so loud it was ear piercing," Tavares said. "They quickly ran over to the two front tables. Each one of them grabbed a phone  maybe two at a time. They were out of there in like 3 seconds. They had ripped off the whole front table."

Police said some suspects jumped into a getaway car while others were last seen running across the parking lot toward the Kohls department store. The suspects are all believed to be teenagers.

"They all had hoods on and they had the hoods up," said Hingham Police Sgt. Steven Dearth. "They all had sweatshirts on, some were maroon, some of the others were grey and black, they all fled out the door."

The store was packed with employees and customers at the time, but nobody was hurt.

Surveillance video did capture the crime taking place but police are waiting for Apple to release it.

Lori Tobin, who was inside the store about an hour after the crime, said there were no signs that anything had happened.

"Everybody was very nice and polite, not a problem at all," she said.

Police said they believe the vehicle the thieves used to get away in was a white Ford Taurus with the license plate covered up.

"Some of them fell on their way out," Tavares said. "It looked like a scene out of a 'Dumb and Dumber' movie. They were all running around trying to get into the car. It was crazy stuff."

The value of the stolen phones is estimated at about $14,000.
A Warwick, Rhode Island, teenager will be tried as an adult on charges stemming from a fatal crash in Charlestown that claimed the life of a 21-year-old college student from Rhode Island.

The boy was arraigned Tuesday in Washington County District Court on charges of DUI death resulting, driving to endanger death resulting and possession of alcohol by a minor.

Prosecutors filed a motion for the teen to be waived out of Family Court and tried as an adult. The boy's attorney agreed.

Investigators say the teen was driving drunk along U.S. Route 1 on Aug. 29 when he lost control of his vehicle, crossed over the center island curb and slammed into a motorcycle driven by Thomas Hug.

The boy faces up to 12 years in prison if he's convicted.
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton confronted their key weaknesses in a televised national security forum, with the Republican defending his preparedness to be commander in chief despite vague plans for tackling global challenges and the Democrat arguing that her controversial email practices did not expose questionable judgment.

Trump also renewed his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his disdain for President Barack Obama, saying that the Russian enjoyed an 82 percent approval rating. "The man has very strong control over a country," Trump said. "It's a very different system and I don't happen to like the system, but certainly, in that system, he's been a leader, far more than our president has been a leader."

Speaking to reporters in Laos, Obama said Thursday that Trump confirms his belief that Trump isn't qualified to be president "every time he speaks" and added: "The most important thing for the public and the press is to just listen to what he says and follow up and ask questions to what appear to be either contradictory or uninformed or outright wacky ideas."

Trump and Clinton spoke back-to-back Wednesday night, each fielding 30 minutes of questions. While the candidates never appeared on stage together, the session served as a preview of sorts for their highly-anticipated presidential debates.

By virtue of a coin flip, Clinton took the stage first and quickly found herself responding at length to questions about her years in government. She reiterated that she had made mistakes in relying on a personal email account and private server as secretary of state and in voting for the 2003 invasion of Iraq as a senator. But she defended her support for U.S. military intervention to help oust a dictator in Libya, despite the chaotic aftermath.

"I'm asking to be judged on the totality of my record," said Clinton, who grew visibly irritated at times with the repeated focus on her past actions.

Clinton, who has cast Trump as dangerously ill-prepared to be commander in chief, tried to center the discussion on her foreign policy proposals. She vowed to defeat the Islamic State group "without committing American ground troops" to Iraq or Syria. And she pledged to hold weekly Oval Office meetings with representatives from the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs to stay abreast of health care for veterans.

Trump did little to counter the criticism that he lacks detailed policy proposals, particularly regarding the Islamic State group. He both insisted he has a private blueprint for defeating the extremist group and that he would demand a plan from military leaders within 30 days of taking office.

But he was also harshly critical of the military, saying America's generals have been "reduced to rubble" under Obama. Asked to square his request for military options with that criticism, Trump said simply: "They'll probably be different generals."

Trump stood by a previous comment that appeared to blame military sexual assaults on men and women serving together, but added he would not seek to remove women from the military. And for the first time, he opened the door to granting legal status to people living in the U.S. illegally who join the military.

"I think that when you serve in the armed forces, that's a very special situation," Trump said. "And I could see myself working that out."

The Republican also repeated an incorrect claim that he was opposed to the war with Iraq before the invasion. That assertion is contradicted by an interview Trump did with Howard Stern in September 2002 in which he was asked whether he supported the invasion. He replied, "Yeah, I guess so."

With just two months until Election Day, national security has emerged as a centerpiece issue in the White House race. Both candidates believe they have the upper hand, with Clinton contrasting her experience with Trump's unpredictability and the Republican arguing that Americans worried about their safety will be left with more of the same if they elect Obama's former secretary of state.

While GOP candidates are often seen by voters as having an advantage on military and national security issues, Trump is far from a traditional Republican. He has no military experience and has repeatedly criticized the skill of the armed forces.

A flood of Republican national security experts have instead chosen to back Clinton, helping bolster her case that Trump is broadly unacceptable. Earlier Wednesday, former Defense Secretary William Cohen joined the list of GOP officials supporting Clinton.

Ahead of the forum, Trump rolled out a new plan to boost military spending by tens of billions of dollars, including major increases in the number of active troops, fighter planes, ships and submarines.

His address earlier in the day included plans to eliminate deep spending cuts known as the "sequester" that were enacted when Congress failed to reach a budget compromise in 2011. Republicans and Democrats voted for the automatic, across-the board cuts that affected both military and domestic programs, though the White House has long pressed Congress to lift the spending limits.

Trump expressed support for the sequester in interviews in 2013  even describing them as too small  but seemed to suggest at the time that military spending should be exempt.
Good News for Norwich and Norfolk

The Good News for Norwich & Norfolk tabloid newspaper is published four times a year by an independent editorial team, representing churches across Norwich & Norfolk.

The aim is to give every person in the county the opportunity to respond to the good news of Jesus Christ and to bring the message of Christ to bear on the social, cultural, educational, industrial and professional life of the city and county.

The newspaper is a sister publication to the Network Norwich & Norfolk website.
Anna Price encourages Christians to engage positively with Halloween rather than hide away, on what many see as the darkest night of the year.

Anna Price encourages Christians to engage positively with Halloween rather than hide away, on what many see as the darkest night of the year.

First service takes place at Norwich church site SOUL Church hosted around 400 people for a special service on the site of their new building on Heartsease Lane. Read more

Dereham draws up list of warm places for winter As rising energy prices make it harder to heat homes, churches in Dereham are leading the way in creating warm spaces where people can go. Read more

South Norfolk church scoops national award A medieval Anglican church in a tiny hamlet in South Norfolk has won a national award and a 10,000 boost. Read more

Dereham churches help people to help themselves A group of churches in Dereham have launched an ambitious project which aims to meet needs in the town, including the provision of food and skills training. Read more

Executive assistant and nursery manager jobs SOUL Church is a vibrant, welcoming and growing church in Norwich. They are seeking an organised and versatile Executive Assistant to provide key support to the churchs Senior Pastors, as well as a qualified Nursery Manager to head up SOUL Nursery. Read more

Halloween light in Gorleston church On Halloween this year, St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston will be preparing to welcome around 200 families to experience their Light on a Dark Night event. Read more

An opportunity for Norwich to pray for the nation Rev Nigel Fox, who has served as a Methodist Minister for 15 years in Norwich, shares an open invitation to pray for the nation at a crucial moment. Read more

Norwich church seeks musicians Kingdom Ambassadors International Church is appealing for instrumentlists, keyboardists and guitarists to be part of their worship experience. Read more

Please keep Rishi in your prayers Andy Bryant urges us to pray for our political leaders, especially the new Prime Minister, and avoid unhelpful judgementalism. Read more

Emilys art boosts growing Yarmouth foodbank A pupil at a primary school in Bradwell has been selling her pictures in order to raise money for the Yarmouth and Magdalen Foodbank, which is expanding its capacity and is seeking more volunteers. Read more

Patrick Regan helps Norwich to bounce forwards On Saturday St Stephens in Norwich hosted Bouncing Forwards as part of a national tour by the mental health charity Kintsugi Hope. Read more

Painting and biblical feasting in Overstrand There will be opportunities to improve your painting skills and indulge in some biblical feasting next month at the Pleasaunce in Overstrand in North Norfolk. Read more

Latest Norfolk Christian community events Events of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community happening over the next few weeks are listed. Read more

National award for Dereham Christian bookshop The Green Pastures Christian bookshop in Dereham has won a national award for providing boxes of Christian books to 21 local schools. Read more

Norma's care home jigsaw challenge complete A resident at Norwich-based care home Corton House has completed an incredible 70 jigsaw puzzles in celebration of the homes 70th anniversary this year. Read more

Norwich charity's appeal to support Palestinian students A Norwich educational charity, set up in memory of a Norwich Anglican priest, to support students from a Palestinian refugee camp, is inviting people to support its Christmas appeal  to be launched on November 29. Read more

Norfolk drug and alcohol charity pays tribute to its founder Andy Sexton, CEO of the Matthew Project, introduces a series of tributes from the charity to its founder, Peter Farley. Read more
Grace-fulfilment, not wish-fulfilment



The current Labour leadership contest between Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith is further dividing an already divided Labour Party. At the centre of the partys division is Jeremy Corbyn, with some partisans favouring his brand of hard left socialism, and other partisans being more centre-left. But as things have progressed, there appears to be a third faction of partisans: those who are sympathetic to Corbyns views but who have come to believe that he has very little chance of winning a General Election.



For that group, a leader with what they believe to be attractive beliefs is little use to the party they support if hes going to consign them to electoral defeat. The charge against Corbyn is that even for those with whom hes popular, the likelihood of those policies being part of an elected government is wish-fulfilment.



For some, the Christian faith has also been thought of as being similar to a wish-fulfilment in that the salvation offered to us is a mere comfort blanket. Ive always found this a strange objection, as we also often hear from some sceptics that apparently the God of the Bible is a bloodthirsty tyrant under whose dictatorship a nightmare befalls us.



Given the difficulty in arguing that the Christian faith is both a comfort blanket and yet simultaneously a tyrannical nightmare for those supposedly comforted by it, I think a better explanation can be offered.



I think we should be under no illusion that Christianity offers trivial comforts, strokes our ego, or tells us what we want to hear. While offering hope that transcends all earthly qualities, there is little sense in which the Christian faith tells us things comforting about ourselves.



In fact, the whole basis on which we are offered the free gift of salvation through grace is that Scripture points out some pretty disquieting things about us  even going so far as to declare that all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).



Politicians so often tell us the things they think wed like to hear in order to court popularity. Christianity tells us what we should want to hear  that we are saved not through ourselves but through grace  but with a message that is in no way flattering to ourselves, only worthy of lifting our praise to God. It can be unsettling news for the ego, but its the best news of all.



This article first appeared at http://www.licc.org.uk/resources/grace-fulfilment/ and has been reproduced with permission.



The above image of Jeremy Corbyn is courtesy of Commons.Wikipedia

James Knight is a local government officer based in Norwich, and is a regular columnist for Christian community websites Network Norfolk and Network Ipswich. He also blogs regularly as The Philosophical Muser, and contributes articles to UK think tanks The Adam Smith Institute and The Institute of Economic Affairs, as well as the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC).

The views carried here are those of the author, not of Network Norwich and Norfolk, and are intended to stimulate constructive debate between website users.

j.knight423@btinternet.com


Sandy Millar to speak at Yare Valley Filling Station Sandy Millar to speak at Yare Valley Filling Station

Bishop Sandy Millar, former Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton and initiator of the Alpha course will be the guest speaker at the next meeting of the Yare Valley Filling Station on September 15.
The train was on its way to Assiut from Cairo

Five people were killed and 27 were injured when three train carriages derailed in Gizas El-Ayyat Wednesday morning, according Egypt's health ministry.

Transportation minister Galal Said, along with the head of Railway Authority Medhat Shousha, is inspecting the site of the accident, where the train was on its way to Assiut from Cairo.

El-Ayyat has witnessed a number of train crashes, most recently in January 2016 when a train coming from Upper Egypt crashed into a car that was crossing the railway, killing seven people.

In 2002, a train caught fire in El-Ayyat, killing at least 380 people, the worst railway disaster in Egypt's history.

Egypt's railway system is operated manually, with employees responsible for managing the opening of crossings by communicating with drivers  a practice that is considered potentially unsafe and unreliable.

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Malware infection rates on smartphones have been rapidly escalating, says an endpoint security solutions provider.

Over 1.06 percent of devices in April, were infected by some variant of malware. Thats an all-time high. Nokias twice-a-year report, released last week says its found that infections doubled in the first half of 2016, compared with the second half of 2015.

The Nokia Threat Intelligence lab includes ransomware, spy-phone applications, SMS Trojans, personal information theft and aggressive adware in its malware definition.

Android got pummeled. Three-fourths of all infections were discovered on the Android mobile OS. For comparison Windows/PC Systems attracted 22 percent and Apples iOS only 4 percent.

Games contaminating Android devices

More bad news for Android is that its app ecosphere became significantly more infected over the period, the lab says. Nokia says its seen a 75 percent surge in contaminated apps there. Blighted apps, which it records in a malware database, shot up from 5.1 million in December 2015 to a staggering 8.9 million by July. Games are thought to be the key conduit, the security experts say in their press release.

Nokias data is obtained from networks where its Nokia NetGuard Endpoint Security solution is deployed. Thats a network-based solution that doesnt just cover mobile (as one might imagine based on the name); it also covers fixed setups and looks at Nokia customers subscribers endpoint devices. That includes laptops, phones and Internet of Things (IoT), Nokia explains in its report.

Its solution is deployed in major fixed and mobile networks around the world, monitoring network traffic from more than 100 million devices, it claims.

So, it also sees DDoS attacks, which it believes are hitting mobile Wi-Fi hotspots hard now.

In 2016, DNS DDoS amplification attack activity continues to leverage devices in the mobile network, particularly mobile Wi-Fi hotspots that respond to recursive DNS requests from the internet, Nokia says.

In terms of fixed residential networks, which it also monitors, it saw a slight increase in infections due to adware. That overall monthly infection rate averaged 12 percent in the first half of 2016, compared to 11 percent in the second half of 2015. Malware on Windows machines, including laptops, and infections on smartphones using Wi-Fi networks contributed.

In other observations, high-level threats such as a bots, rootkits, keyloggers and banking trojans remain steady at around 6 percent.

3 Trojans caused the most damage

But it was the Kasandra, SMSTracker and UaPush Android Trojan viruses that infected the smartphones in April, and it was those that contributed to the significant increase in smartphone infections. The three threats made up almost half of all mobile defilements (47 percent).

Brand new malware threats are not slowing either. A number of new villains came on stream in 2016 and jumped into high Top 20 positions, such as Android.BankingTrojan.Marcher.A, coming from nowhere with 8.6 percent of infectionsthrusting it into position five this year. Thats just behind number four positioned Android.Trackware.AndrClicker.D at 11.98 percent.

And although games were the principal miscreants, IoT also transgressed.

Attackers are targeting a broader range of applications and platforms, including popular mobile games and new IoT devices, and developing more sophisticated and destructive forms of malware, says Kevin McNamee, head of the Nokia Threat Intelligence Lab, in the release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations disclosure earlier this month that foreign hackers had infiltrated voter registration systems in Illinois and Arizona came as no surprise to some cybersecurity experts.

Given where cybercrime has gone, its not too surprising to think about how information risks might manifest themselves during the election season to cause some level of either potential disruption, change in voting, or even just political fodder to add the hype cycle, says Malcolm Harkins, chief security and trust officer at network security firm Cylance.

Growing concern that hackers sponsored by Russia or other countries may be attempting to disrupt the presidential election is certainly not far-fetched, given the recent data breach at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. In fact, hacking an election is shockingly easy, according to a report by the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology, a cybersecurity think tank.

In most cases, electronic voting systems are nothing but bare-bone, decade old computer systems that lack even rudimentary endpoint security, according to the report. Security vulnerabilities are discussed every four years, but little attention is given to the problem. Its time for a complete overhaul in the electoral process cyber, technical and physical security, the report concludes.

Earlier this month the FBI reported its most recent findings to election officials across the country and urged them to take new steps to enhance the security of their computer systems.

Illinois Board of Elections officials report that information from almost 200,000 voters were hacked beginning June 23. The breach was discovered two weeks later. No files were erased or modified, nor were voting history information or digital signature images captured, officials said. Hackers did, however, have access to voters drivers license numbers and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. In Arizona, the attack affected fewer voter files, and officials said last week that no data was removed in the attack.

While voter databases are separate from voting systems, cybersecurity pros say the voter database hack speaks to a larger vulnerability. "A hack of state election systems raises the stakes in this battle and is a dangerous sign that traditional defenses aren't cutting it, says Paul Hooper, CEO of Gigamon. These systems must be impenetrable to hackers so that we have complete trust come this fall.

Election systems remain vulnerable, in part, because the system depends on federal, state, and local authorities, who each possess their own systems, software, hardware, and security protocols.

Finding the vulnerabilities

The FBI reported that hackers identified an SQL injection vulnerability and used SQLmap to target the Illinois voter registration website and gain access to data. Seven suspicious IP addresses were used by the hackers, and election boards were urged to check for similar activity to their logs.

In these cases, they were attacked through old Web application vulnerabilities, says Alex Heid, chief research officer at Security Scorecard. Web apps that were written in the early to mid-2000s and are still online and often still have the vulnerabilities that were carried over from that era. States that have an online portal for any type of registration will want to make sure their web apps are up to current [security] standards.

Ray Rothrock, CEO of RedSeal, suggests that those vulnerable assets should be taken offline. Nobody says that the computer in Town Hall needs to be on an internet, he says. Just as outdated IRS systems have already been compromised, You cant keep patching old systems for security, you actually have to architect something and think about it strategically, Rothrock says.

The government has offered to help states protect its voter databases and election systems by dispersing, on request, federal cyber security experts could scan for vulnerabilities in voting systems and provide other resources to help protect them.

I dont think that will necessarily help things, Heid says. If the government is doing an assessment on themselves  theres always the risk of a small group of individuals in the program, even with legitimate intentions, to cause issues.

The lesser of two evils: confidentiality or integrity/availability

Harkins believes that election security risks go far beyond the recent voter database attacks and end-point security solutions.

The confidentiality of your vote is important, but its not going to change the election. Integrity and availability risk [however] could alter the outcome of an election, Harkins says, and not by manipulating votes, but by influencing the ability to vote. For instance, in municipalities with voter databases and no paper backup, cyber thieves possibly could cryptolock files and hold voting rights for Bitcoin ransom, he says.

There are simpler ways to disrupt voting at the height of election day, Harkins adds. Cutting power to a school where electronic voting is taking place, and without paper backup, could halt voting for hours, and many voters would turn away.

There is also the threat of tampering with electronic voting machines themselves. Georgia, Delaware, Louisiana, South Carolina and New Jersey use electronic voting machines that leave no way to audit results after the fact, according to the ICIT report. Swing states, such as Pennsylvania and Virginia, do not rely on machines that generate a paper trail. According to Verified Voting, which advocates for transparency of voting machines, 47 of Pennsylvanias 67 counties rely on digital voting machines without a verifiable paper auditing trail.

You would have to harden those systems from intrusions or attacks that would affect the availability of the system, then you would have to look at the redundancy of those systems, Harkins says.

The integrity of votes must also be examined. Does the name a voter chooses on the ballot match the paper print-out? Does it match the electronic version stored in the voting machine? Even the voting controversies in the Florida election recount of 2000 had rules, processes and oversight of paper voting, Harkins says. Remember the hanging chads? Whats the logical equivalent of that for digital voting?

Optics vs. reality

The optics of the voter database breaches may be worse than the hacks themselves, says Dimitri Sirota, CEO of BigID. Today, a foreign agent can't completely alter elections because of how the vote count is fragmented across states and polls, he says. However, they can certainly subvert confidence in the election. In fact, the discoveries may be a deliberate attempt to get discovered, he adds.

Illinois has perhaps the simplest solution for diverting future election hacking. The states voting machines arent connected to the internet, said Ken Menzel, general counsel for the elections board, in a television interview. By keeping that system off the internet, you go a long way to protect it from internet hackers.

This story, "Can cybersecurity save the November elections?" was originally published by CSO .
I traveled from VMworld to the lab last Wednesday, and during that time, something infected two websites I control.

I suspect the servers were used as part of a Syn Flood attack. The servers, both using WordPress, would come up and serve their web pages, but then they would quickly run out of cache by processes that were difficult to track.

+ Also on Network World: Analyzing real WordPress hacking attempts +

They initially made contact with some IPs located conveniently in Russia, then lots of syn traffic, and interesting session waits and listens. It took about two minutes before the sites cratered from resource drainage, and the errantly injected processes dominated then effectively cratered the servers from their intended use.

In turn, the sites have Debian underneath. I could get to root and Debian for about a minute until the shell performance deteriorated to a total stop.

The first clues were found by using netstat a to see where traffic was going. At first, numerous IPs were connected. I tried to use iptables to drop their connections. Then after reboot, other IPs would show up, until I filled up a decent table of dropped IP addresses.

My guess: Something in the init files phoned home, got instructions, then went to work, chewing through the instances resources until they dominated the instance. After a dozen or so reboots, I had them all, or at least no new IPs started popping up.

The two WordPress servers were using 4.5 and needed to be upgraded to 4.6. Both had the free version of Wordfence, the WordPress security plugin, which in this case was as strong as Kleenex. Is the $8.75/month version of Wordfence worth it to block foreign IPs? Im reconsidering my decision not to get the professional version. Seems like usury to me, but yes, for the time spent doing forensicswhich at this writing are far from completeit may have been worth the money, save that I wouldnt have learned much.

I re-did the servers: one from scratch, the other one from updated snapshots provided by diligent backups. One of the sites needed a fresh face, anyway.

Lessons learned:

These were targeted by because they were either Debian or WordPress, as other assets werent touched.

Itll take me longer than I expected to find the root cause of the crack, and while Im doing that, Im not doing real work in the lab.

Backups saved my bacon (and Im a vegetarian).

Know and document your configurations if you want any hope of forensic success. You cant guess logical configurationsyou have to KNOW them through documenting them AND having the doc accessible.

If you host things yourself rather than a cloud provider, youre on your own but may have a faster time of stanching infections as a direct result of not needing an intermediaryif youre totally savvy with both the platform and the app.

I dont have valuable assets on my sites, but for those who do, documenting those assets can be come instantaneously tremendously important.

WordPress backup doesnt backup host configuration files. You do. I did. Whew!

I wonder when someone like Sophos will look at WordPress and provide an interesting alternative to the freeware version of Wordfence (which I otherwise kind of like).

The sites are up today. Im not looking for click count. Theyre there as my exercise at being on the web. I expect more attempts. Amusingly, they didnt hit my honeypot. Syslog files saved (actually the entire /var/log); Ill meander through it as time permits. Until then, cron is pinging the site with more regularity.
Woodard & Curran is a $200 million integrated engineering, science, and operations company based in Portland, Maine, but has offices scattered across the country. Kenneth Danila, Director of Information Systems, recently helped migrate the company to a cloud based storage system from Panzura to eliminate long delays in sharing huge engineering files, and that shift enabled the company to swap out its expensive MPLS network. Ancillary benefits included a painless way to migrate from one cloud supplier to another (AWS to Azure), and a way to limit the threat of ransomware. Network World Editor in Chief John Dix recently caught up with Danila in his Dedham, MA office.

Kenneth Danila, Director of Information Systems, Woodard & Curran

Lets start with a brief description of your environment and the problem you set out to solve.

We have a dozen corporate offices, four remote offices for one subsidiary, a handful of small project offices, and we operate 50-60 waste water treatment and water supply plants. The problem we had is pretty much the same problem all engineering companies have: We deal with large files and large data sets, and our company is spread out across the East Coast and we have a subsidiary in Montana and other facilities towards the West Coast.

We believe in the concept of one company, so a project team will pull from all geographies and, when youre working with large data sets that CAD and GIS projects bring about, the realities of physics come into play. Its really hard to work on a drawing in one place and then have to pass it on or co-work with somebody who is 1,000 miles away. We were constricted by the size of our WAN pipes and the ability for end users to do productive work from a number of locations. We want people to be able to interact in close to real time. Thats something Ive been chasing my whole career at engineering companies. Its always been a big struggle in this vertical.

What did you have for infrastructure?

When I arrived it was essentially the classic infrastructure -- onsite NAS appliances and a private MPLS network with hardware WAN accelerators to try to reduce the latency between the sites. Specifically, we were using NetApp and Riverbed. Whoever happened to open a project, that that project folder and data would be opened in that location, mainly because of administrative and security roles we had mandated. A project only sits in one site. So, if someone opened a project in Bangor, Maine -- our headquarters is in Portland but our Bangor office does a lot of CAD work -- the data stayed there. Users from outside would access it over the WAN and do their edits and their saves.

How big are the data files youre talking about?

We have projects that have upwards of 50GB of CAD files or orthophotos. Each location probably had 500GB-600GB of project files, and larger sites had multiple terabytes. Our total project store at that time was somewhere around 12TB total, and files are typically hundreds of megabytes. Those are tough to work with.

If someone was doing a straight open across the WAN it would lock it on that filer. If it was too large and too cumbersome to do that they would download it and notify the project team they have a local copy so no one else could work on it because any changes would blow away when they wrote it back. There was a certain amount of that going on, but we discouraged it because we didnt want project data on individual client machines for security reasons and it required an immense amount of coordination.

What types of folks would be in a project team?

We have industrial and construction teams that do site design and plant design, environmental science teams that are working with large map sets for environmental engineering and surveying work, and these folks can be spread all over. All of our business units, for the most part, are spread across our entire organization. One of our philosophies is to hire the best and brightest and we do that regardless of geography and then integrate them into their business unit the best way we can.

What did you first look at when you went to look for a solution for this?

I came from another organization two years ago that had 20-something offices and was dealing with the same thing, and at that point we were trying to figure out if we should just stick with WAN accelerators, stick with a NAS and buy more bandwidth. We were also looking at VDI to try to collapse the desktop compute into the same data center as the storage, and [at cloud storage options] like Panzura.

And when I came here they were just making the decision to move to Panzura, which I felt was a great decision. Compared to replacing NAS and WAN accelerators, or going with VDI, the Panzura approach is the easiest to manage, the easiest to deploy quickly, and it promised to solve the issue with the least amount of disruption to the end user. I was happy to see that when I came aboard and worked immediately on getting those deployed.

What was involved?

We started with Amazon as our back end storage provider and essentially shipped out Panzura appliances to each location and then did a site by site migration of data from the existing NAS to the Panzura system. We had a system we came up with to seed data to Panzura, do one last refresh to make sure we had the most up to date copy, then take the NAS filer offline and bring Panzura up. We went office by office and migrated everything over the course of about four months. We went from twelve project data shares down to just one.

So you end up with a local cache in an appliance at each site and a master copy in the cloud?

Yes. Theres a master copy of everything in cloud storage and each of our sites has a local Panzura controller and that is first-in-first-out cache. As things are used, its downloading the latest bits. As things are aging out of cache because theyre no longer accessed, they go out the back end.

For me, the best part about this is I never have to worry about buying more storage because we have the Panzura sized to a point where, because of the amount of data we store versus the amount of data that is accessed, as long as we have enough cache to cover what end users are working on, the remainder of that cold data can sit in the cloud and be there forever.

Say I never worked on a given project, is that first download just as long as...

Yeah. If you want to open a 200MB CAD file, it does have to seed itself in the cache, but its only that first time. Subsequent saves are instantaneous or at LAN and NAS speed. The beauty of that is, its deduped and compressed before it goes up to the cloud, and then when a partner on my project team opens it from another location, all theyre pulling out is change blocks. If I have a file thats 100MB and I only touched 500K of that file with my last save, they only have to pull that 500K down. We have somewhere between 300GB and 600GB worth of cache in each location.

You had 12TB of data company-wide, but was the total storage capacity in the company before you went this way?

A bit less than 25 terabytes. They were reaching capacity at a number of sites, which is why they had to do a blanket replacement of everything. But we were in a good position to think big and really look at a holistic purchase that was going to take care of the whole organization.

How did moving to this new model change your network needs?

That was one of the big gainers for us. It drove the majority of our WAN traffic from point-to-point to point-to-cloud so we could get rid of our expensive and slow MPLS network. We went to a direct Internet based WAN in all of our locations and doubled our WAN link speeds. Were still running point-to-point VPNs, but over those direct Internet connections, so we do have site-to-site connectivity, but were paying a little bit more than half the price for double the speed and it saved us in the end upwards of a quarter of a million dollars a year. That was one of the biggest gains weve seen from this. We also went to a cloud based telephony system.

Any stipulations on what type of Internet connections?

The bigger the pipe the better. Latency isnt a big problem for the Panzura product. It certainly helps you with some video. But for Panzura were just looking at bandwidth. The bigger the pipe we can get, when somebody opens a file in a location and its not there, the faster we can get that file seeded down to the local controller.

Were on 100MB fiber, direct Internet in every location regardless of size, and this is going up from 45MB MPLS over copper in all locations. Weve doubled the bandwidth of our WAN for almost half the price.

Lets turn back to the cloud data store. Had you been using AWS for anything else before this?

No. Thats actually another interesting thing that we were able to do with Panzura. We started with AWS because, at the time, that was Panzuras tier one cloud provider. But we werent using AWS for anything. We had actually started using Microsoft Azure for more and more cloud services, and mainly for their cloud infrastructure. We still have a data center but we were spinning up virtual servers and really pushing more to Azure.

So we went back to Panzura and said, We would like to use Azure Blob Storage instead of AWS, and they were considering bringing in Azure as one of their providers so the timing was good. We were able to do a dual-fork connection from all of our controllers to both service providers, so we were doing reads and writes in both Amazon and Azure and, in the background, Panzura was migrating our data from Amazon to Azure.

When that was complete, we were able to shut down the connection to AWS and drop that account and we get a ton of benefits by consolidating with a single cloud vendor. With more scale, we can drive pricing down and simplify administration.

Any fear of having all your eggs in one basket?

The big fear is any sort of lock-in when you get to the cloud. If we get down this road and decide thats not the right way to go, how hard is it going to be to go somewhere else? Thats what is so great about Panzura. Switching cloud providers was completely invisible to us. We were getting daily reports about how much data had been migrated, how much was left, when Panzura expected it to be complete. They were even smart enough to build data throttling into the process so we werent paying large ingestion and egress fees for Amazon and Azure. They did a really nice job with that.

You mentioned in passing that you also moved to a cloud based telephony system. What was that?

We use Skype for Business in the cloud and we went to it before it was an offering through Microsoft 365, so were using a third-party, non-Microsoft vendor, and were still on that. Since I have come aboard, the rate of change in IT has been really high so were trying to slow down a bit for the end users, let them get a breath, stay out of their way. If we move away from that vendor, it wont be for a while.

In terms of productivity, how did adoption of Panzura help end users?

Except for a few hiccups, it works exactly the way it should and it has changed the way those workers can work. The best example I can give is, we had a hardware failure in our Bangor office and had to take Panzura offline for a day and a half so everyone was back to reading files over the WAN and they were begging for the Panzura to come back. That shows how well its worked for us and how well it has met end user needs.

The Panzura box failed?

Yeah. The boxes are fully redundant and they have RAID, but the RAID rebuild paused and was slow and we ended up just replacing the entire box. I never want to see that, but two things: One, Panzura was great. They just replaced the entire box. And two, if that had been a standalone NAS that was wasnt backed up in the cloud, that data would have been gone. It would have been painful.

You mentioned the company still has a data center. Where is that?

We have a colocation facility in Portland, and we have a Panzura controller there that sits next to our VPN server, which is nice. In the pre-Panzura days, if Im an Atlanta worker and I want to go home and work and get my files sitting there in Atlanta, I have to connect to the VPN server way up in Portland. So Im reading data from Atlanta that is getting pulled up through the VPN server in Portland and then shipped all the way back to my house in Atlanta. Thats a tough way to work.

At least now weve eliminated half of that route because the Panzura controller sits right next to the VPN server. If Im offsite and have to work over VPN, its reading off the Panzura controller in the same rack.

You shifted all your engineering files to Panzura, your Office stuff to Azure, whats left in the colocation facility?

We had two full racks and were down to about half a rack. Its got a few physical hosts that support virtual servers for different applications, including our ERP system. Were actually looking to move to our ERP vendors cloud-based system. Thats the biggest project we have going on right now. Were in the midst of reconfiguring customizations weve done so we can utilize their cloud service. It is hosted in AWS but they fully manage that relationship. Its not a relationship between us and AWS.
A Cairo criminal court accepted on Wednesday an appeal by four members of satirical performance troupe Atfal Shawaree (Street Children) against their continued detention pending investigation into charges of "publishing videos insulting the state and attempting to overthrow the regime."

The defendants, who were arrested in May, are also being investigated for allegedly "inciting protests that aim to disrupt peace and security and cause violent crimes against state institutions," charges that they deny.

A fifth member of the group, Ezz El-Din Khaled, was also arrested in May and later released on bail pending investigations. The sixth member is being investigated but has not been arrested.

The group first gained popularity earlier this year for videos they published online that mock societal norms as well as the discourse of the regime and its supporters.

Local and international rights groups have repeatedly called on Egypt's government to release the members of the group and drop the case against them.

The troupe's last satirical video is titled El-Sisi is my president.

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Greenham Common Trust launches challenge to coincide with website launch

GREENHAM Common Trust has challenged charities and members of the local community to sign up for an October fundraiser, as the trust gets set to launch a new website today (Thursday).

The trusts Step Up 4 Good family fun event on Sunday, October 16, includes a mini mile  aimed at children and families  alongside 3k, 5k or 10k distances, to either walk, or run around Greenham and Crookham commons.

The trusts chief executive, Chris Boulton, said he hoped Step Up 4 Good would become a popular annual event.

We currently have around 300,000 available in our pot for reactive grant giving and we want to improve this, he said.

We are hoping to generate as much interest as we can and get lots of walkers signed up to these races.

Its a great opportunity for current applicants, as well as new groups, to get out their message and find additional sponsorship.

In addition to raising charitable funds, Step Up 4 Good will also raise awareness of the trusts new fundraising website, The Good Exchange, which, from today, will replace the trusts fundraising website findmeagrant.org.

The new website will feature personal profiles of fundraisers and their charitable projects, complete with photographs and film clips, all of which can be shared on social media.

Eligible projects will automatically be matched with funding schemes and the public and sponsors can continue to donate to favourites, which can be match or grant funded.

The new website also offers a chance to donate to the trusts Reactive Grant scheme, which distributes funds to charities in West Berkshire and Hampshire.

Last year, a total of 290,000 was distributed in Reactive Grants to 113 local organisations.

Entrants to the Step Up 4 Good event can raise funds, or donate to a charity featured on The Good Exchange  which will also claim Gift Aid on eligible donations.

A pre-event challenge, on Saturday, October 15, will involve trust staff members in a challenge called Greenham24  a 24-hour relay around the 10k route, which begins at noon.

Registrations can be made for Step Up 4 Good from today.

The races start with a family fun run at 10am on October 16.

To register, go to https://register.canbook.me/stepup4good and then visit The Good Exchange website https://thegoodexchange.com.

You can then choose your project and create a fundraising profile, donate to your chosen project or support Greenham Common Trusts Reactive Grant scheme.

For more information about Step Up 4 Good, please visit http://www.greenham-common-trust.co.uk/stepup4good and to volunteer on the day, email hello@thegoodexchange.com
MP Ilhami Agina had said that he was opposed to making FGM a felony because 'Egypt's men are sexually weak'

Independent Egyptian MP Ilhami Agina is expected to be investigated by the parliament's ethics committee over comments he made last week about the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and the sexual prowess of Egyptian men.

Agina told parliamentary reporters on 31 August that he was opposed to a new bill raising the practice of FGM from a misdemeanour to a felony.

I rejected this law because if we stop FGM operations we will need sexually strong men," said Agina, claiming that "as we know, most of Egypt's men are sexually weak and Egypt is at the top of countries consuming drugs that enhance sexual performance.

Informed sources say that parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al has received hundreds of complaints from MPs and ordinary citizens demanding that Agina be referred to the ethics committee for investigation.

Many Egyptians believe that women who do not undergo FGM have uncontrollable sexual urges and are prone to promiscuity.

On 31 August, parliament passed a legislative amendment stating that anyone who performs FGM can face a penalty of five to seven years in jail, instead of the previous three months to two years.

The amendment also imposes a penalty of up to 15 years imprisonment if the procedure leads to death or permanent deformity beyond that normally caused by the practice itself.



Those who escort victims to the procedure can face jail sentences ranging from one to three years.

Agina, an MP from the Nile Delta governorate of Daqahliya, defended his comments on Wednesday, telling reporters that his remarks about the sexual prowess of Egypt's men are based on scientific facts.

"I am ready to face any investigation and give them the facts about my remarks, and I will not backtrack on these comments."

The MP also said that "those who directed complaints against me should know that the 2014 Egyptian constitution states that all citizens should respect freedom of speech and different points of view."

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The government's wider plan to develop Egypt's rail system will take two to three years, transport minister says

Egypt's Minister of Transportation Galal Said said Wednesday that Egypt's railway system would take a year to show signs of improvement as it has endured deterioration over a long time.

According to state news agency MENA, Said added that repairing and developing the railway system would take the ministry two to three years.

"The development programme includes improving the existing rail system and carriages and buying new ones," he said.

The minister's statement came after a deadly train accident in Giza's Al-Ayyat Wednesday morning in which five people were killed and 27 injured when three train carriages derailed.

Giza governor Mohamed Al-Dali issued compensation: EGP 5000 for the families of deceased and EGP 2000 for those injured in the train accident.

Egypt's railway system is operated manually, with employees responsible for opening of crossings by communicating with drivers, a practice that is considered potentially unsafe and unreliable.

Al-Ayyat, about 70 km south of Cairo, also witnessed the worst train disaster in Egypt when a train packed to double capacity caught fire, killing 373 in 2002.

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The new governors and supply minister held meetings with President El-Sisi after the swearing-in

Six new Egyptian provincial governors and the new minister of supply were sworn-in by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Wednesday at the Egyptian presidency.

The new minister of supply, Mohamed Ali El-Sheikh, is a retired 64-year-old army general with a long record of experience in commodities supplies in the Egyptian armed forces.



He succeeds Khaled Hanafi, who resigned last month amid corruption allegations over recent wheat procurement, as well as his residence at a five-star hotel in Cairo

The new governors are appointed in the following governorates: Qalyoubiya, Minya, Fayoum and Suez in addition to Alexandria and Cairo.

The new Cairo governor is Atef Abdel-Hamid, Egypts former minister of transportation in the Essam Sharaf government in 2011. Alexandria's new governor is former police general Reda Farahat.

The new Qalyoubiya governor is former military man Amr Abdel-Moneim, who is currently the cabinet's secretary-general.



Former Police general Essam El-Din El-Bedawai was appointed as the governor of Minya in Upper Egypt while former air forces major general Ahmed Mohamed Hamed was appointed governor of Suez.



University professor Gamal Sami was named governor of Fayoum, about 100 kilometres southwest of Cairo.

After the swearing-in ceremony, El-Sisi held a meeting with new supply minister El-Sheikh where the president spoke about the importance of providing Egyptian citizens with staple food commodities at suitable prices, presidency spokesman Alaa Youssef said.

The president also held a meeting with the new governors.

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Egypt banned on Wednesday statues in squares that do not have prior approval from the authorities after public outrage over controversial and unattractive sculptures across the country.



Authorities ordered a statue in the Sohag province be altered this week after it sparked a wave of anger and mockery online over its apparent portrayal of a man sexually harassing a woman.



"It is forbidden to set up or renovate statues, murals or sculptures in Egypt's public squares except after a thorough review by the ministries of antiquities and culture," said Prime Minister Sherif Ismail.



A cabinet official who asked to remain anonymous said the decision came after "the repeated setting up in the country's squares of bad statues that do not conform with Egypt's deep-rooted history".



The controversial statue of a soldier hugging a woman from behind in Sohag's town of Balyana was the latest in a series of statues that have become a laughing stock on social media.



Balyana's town mayor said the statue was intended to portray a "martyred soldier hugging his mother".



"People understood it wrong," Adli Abu Aqeel said, adding its sculptor had been asked to alter the design to a woman on her own holding up Egypt's flag.



Another statue was taken down in recent months in Minya province after it was widely mocked for its distorted depiction of Egypt's legendary 14th-century beauty Queen Nefertiti.

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The Islamic State (IS) militant group has claimed a rocket attack that killed three Turkish soldiers in Syria, its first deadly attack on Turkish forces since they crossed the border two weeks ago.

"Soldiers of the caliphate... targeted two tanks belonging to the apostate Turkish army with guided rockets," the group said in a statement circulated on social media late on Tuesday.

It said the tanks were destroyed and "a number of Turkish soldiers" killed.

A senior Turkish official said three soldiers were killed and four wounded in the attack south of the border town of Al-Rai.

They were the first Turkish losses to IS since Ankara launched its offensive on August 24.

One Turkish soldier was killed in an August 27 rocket attack that Ankara blamed on the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

Ankara has said that its offensive in Syria is aimed against both IS and the YPG, which it regards as an extension of the outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency in southeastern Turkey for three decades.

On Sunday, Turkish forces, supported by pro-Ankara rebels, pushed IS back from the last section of the international border which it controlled.

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Gulf Arab states accused Iran on Wednesday of trying to politicise the hajj after its supreme leader lashed out at Saudi authorities over their management of the annual pilgrimage.

The head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council said that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks accusing Riyadh of "murder" over the deaths of nearly 2,300 pilgrims at last year's hajj were "inappropriate and offensive".

Abdullatif al-Zayani said the comments were "a clear incitement and a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj.

This year for the first time in almost three decades Iranians will not join the annual pilgrimage to the Muslim holy places in Saudi Arabia after talks on logistics and security fell apart in May.

The verbal sparring between the two regional rivals -- who have no diplomatic relations -- has intensified ahead of the start of the pilgrimage on Saturday.

In a scathing open letter published on Monday, Khamenei accused the Saudis of failing to protect pilgrims and called on Muslim countries to strip Saudi Arabia of the right to manage the hajj.

"The hesitation and failure to rescue the half-dead and injured people... is also obvious and incontrovertible. They murdered them," the Iranian leader wrote.

Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, countered that that Iranians were "not Muslims", prompting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to accuse Saudi leaders of "bigoted extremism"..

Zayani said the Gulf Arab states "reject the unjust media campaign and the successive declarations of senior Iranian leaders against the Saudi kingdom".

Such allegations are "totally incompatible with the values and precepts of Islam which extol compassion, love and brotherhood," he added.

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Washington and Ankara are ready to work together to push Islamic State (IS) militants out of their self-declared Syrian capital of Raqqa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published Wednesday.

Erdogan said he had agreed with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in China to do "what is necessary" to drive IS out of Raqqa.

"Raqqa is the most important centre of Daesh," Erdogan told Turkish journalists onboard his plane as he returned from China, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"Obama wants to do something together especially on the issue of Raqa," he said. "I said there would be no problem from our perspective."

"I said 'our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done'," Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet daily.

Without giving further details, he said: "What can be done will become clear after the discussions."

Raqqa, which lies on the Euphrates River, was first taken by Islamists in 2013 with IS declaring the city its capital in 2014. Ousting IS from the city would be a turning point in the conflict.

His comments came two weeks after Turkey launched an ambitious operation inside Syria, sending tanks and special forces to back up Syrian opposition fighters and cleanse its frontier from IS militants and Kurdish militia.

Ankara-backed rebels seized Jarabulus from IS militants within hours on the first day of the operation and Turkey says militants have now been removed from the entire border area.

But it remains unclear if the Syrian rebels backed by Turkey will proceed further south to take Al-Bab from IS militants and then Raqqa itself, or to what extent the operation has US support.

Turkey has been alarmed by US support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a "terrorist" group linked to its own Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has been waging a bloody campaign against the Turkish state.

"We need to show we are present in the region," said Erdogan.

"If we take a step back, terror groups like Daesh, PKK, PYD or YPG will settle there."

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Eight members of the rebel Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) have been killed in clashes with security forces along the Iraqi border, state media reported Wednesday.

Border guards fought the group overnight and into Wednesday morning in the northwestern province of West Azerbaijan, the IRNA news agency said.

The clashes lasted several hours, and the security forces did not sustain any casualties, a local governor told IRNA.

The KDPI, formed in 1945, is the oldest Kurdish political party in Iran.

Now mostly based in Kurdish areas of Iraq, it has fought on-off insurgencies demanding independence from Iran, stepping up its armed rebellion after a crackdown by the Islamic authorities in the wake of the 1979 revolution.

Iran intervened across the border in 2011 following Kurdish rebel attacks on its territory, forcing the insurgents to retreat deeper into Iraq.

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The Syrian government has begun releasing 169 prisoners in exchange for the return of the bodies of five Russian soldiers killed when their helicopter was downed, a lawyer said Wednesday.

"On Tuesday, 50 inmates including seven women were set free from Adra prison and 84 others from Hama prison," Michel Chammas, who represents many of them, told AFP by phone from Germany.

"Another 31 inmates at Homs prison were also informed that they are going to be let go but they still haven't been released. Four others held elsewhere should also be released," he said.

Those being freed had been accused of "terrorism", a term President Bashar al-Assad's government uses to describe all of its armed opponents.

Chammas, who tracks the cases of his clients from abroad, said the releases would take place in exchange for the return of "the bodies of five Russian soldiers that are in rebel hands".

Two officers and three crew were aboard a Russian military helicopter shot down on August 1 in the northwestern province of Idlib, which is almost entirely under the control of a coalition of Islamist militants.

The attack was the single deadliest for Moscow since it intervened in the conflict in September 2015 in support of Assad, taking to 18 the overall number of Russian soldiers killed in the country.

Chammas declined to say which rebel groups were involved in the negotiations with the regime.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said 86 people had been released in the central city of Hama.

They had been accused of "terrorism" or involvement in anti-regime protests at the outbreak of Syria's conflict in 2011, said the Britain-based monitor, which has a network of sources on the ground in Syria.

A spokesman for the rebel forces involved in the exchange said they had charged a "commission" with negotiating the swap.

"The bodies of the Russian pilots are in the hands of the Army of Conquest," said Ahmad Qarra Ali of the Ahrar al-Sham group that forms part of that coalition.

"We take care of our prisoners and the remains of our enemies because that is the only way to secure the release of our men, women and children who are prisoners of the regime," he told AFP.

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Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir declared on Wednesday that peace was returning to war-torn Darfur despite a deadlock in African Union-brokered ceasefire talks and persistent fighting that has driven thousands from their homes this year.

Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur, made the declaration in the North Darfur state capital El Fasher at a ceremony attended by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Chadian President Idriss Deby.

Qatar has hosted successive rounds of peace talks between the Arab-dominated Khartoum government and the ethnic minority rebels who took up arms in 2003 against Bashir's administration.

Talks in Doha in 2011 led to a peace deal with one small rebel faction -- the Liberation and Justice Movement -- and Wednesday's ceremony marked its implementation.

"We declare to all the people of Darfur and Sudan .. that we have implemented our commitments," Bashir said in a speech attended by crowds of thousands.

"Darfur is better today than yesterday. And tomorrow it will be even better."

Bashir, who vowed to develop the strife-torn region, stopped short of outright declaring an end to a 13-year conflict in Darfur as he was expected to announce earlier.

"We will build roads and better education, health, water and electricity facilities... We will also undertake reconciliation among all Darfur tribes," Bashir said to supporters' cheers.

Many in the crowd carried pictures of Bashir and the Qatari emir.

Khartoum has repeatedly sought to declare an end to the conflict in Darfur this year, claiming that an April referendum backing the current five-state division of the region turned the page.

But the vote, which was boycotted by the rebels, was widely criticised by the international community and in June the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of an 18,000-strong peacekeeping force which the world body runs jointly with the African Union.

Khartoum had strongly opposed the extension but the Security Council said that persistent fighting between government forces and the rebels continues to drive thousands of civilians from their homes.

Up to 194,000 civilians have been displaced from the Jebel Marra area since mid-January, the UN said last week, adding to hundreds of thousands of displaced people already living in camps.

Two rebel groups -- the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army faction headed by Minni Minnawi -- have signed an African Union roadmap for a ceasefire but talks on its implementation broke down last month.

A third rebel group, the SLA faction headed by Abdelwahid Nur, has not signed the roadmap.

The JEM announced on Wednesday that it would release all prisoners it had captured during fighting with government forces.

"The movement will coordinate their transfer to Khartoum," it said, without explaining the timing of its announcement.

Bashir too announced a similar initiative at the ceremony.

"I order the authorities to immediately release all those children who have been detained among the rebel groups," he said.

Bashir also urged Darfur civilians and armed groups to surrender their arms.

"We will collect arms from the civilians," Bashir said, warning that those who refused to surrender their weapons would be firmly dealt with.

Neighbouring Chad has been a major player in the Darfur conflict.

It was a key supporter of the JEM while Khartoum supported Chadian rebels but, after both countries' capitals came under attack in 2008, the two governments mended fences.

Bashir, who has mounted a brutal counter-insurgency against the rebels, is wanted by the ICC on war crimes and genocide charges related to Darfur, which he denies.

At least 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to the United Nations.

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Sex robots  discuss. That is precisely what scientists and academics are doing at a British conference also covering all-too-modern issues like digital intimacy and Facebook users older than 58.

The Human Choice & Computers conference in Manchester starting Wednesday is focusing on the "constantly evolving intimate relationships" between humans and technology.

University of Oslo Professor Charles Ess says social robots, such as mechanical dolls, "may well be able to offer good sex on demand." But adds that human virtues need to be cultivated "to avoid becoming identical with the machines that serve us."

Kathleen Richardson from Britain's De Monfort University, who heads a campaign against sex robots, told Sky News that using sex robots would "increase human isolation" as people try to meet their "complex needs" with inanimate objects.

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A Russian fighter jet flew dangerously close to a US spy plane over the Black Sea on Wednesday, coming within just 10 feet of the American aircraft, a US defense official said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of a Pentagon announcement, the official said a Russian SU-27 Flanker jet had initially flown to within 30 feet (9 meters) of the P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine and intelligence plane in international airspace, before getting closer still.

"During the intercept, which lasted approximately 19 minutes, the SU-27 initially maintained a 30-foot separation distance then closed to within 10 feet of the P-8A, which is considered unsafe and unprofessional," the official said.

Moscow, however, said the intercept was conducted "in strict accordance with international rules" because the Americans were trying to snoop on Russian army exercises.

The official said US Navy aircraft and ships routinely interact with Russian craft in the area, and noted that most encounters were safely conducted.

"However, we have deep concerns when there is an unsafe maneuver," the official said.

A similar "unsafe" intercept occurred in May last year over the Black Sea when a Russian Flanker intercepted an American RC-135 reconnaissance plane.

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After a week of studies and analysis, the Ministry of Antiquities has confirmed the authenticity of an Ancient Egyptian Ushabti figurine newly recovered from Mexico.

Shabab Abdel-Gawad, the head of the Antiquities Repatriation Department, told Ahram Online that the statuette was found one month ago by Mexican citizen at his newly purchased house. The citizen handed over the statuette to the Egyptian embassy in Mexico.

After its return to Egypt, the artefact was studied by an archaeological committee of curators and restorers from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.

Abdel-Gawad says that the artefact, which has been dated to the 19th dynasty, was smuggled out of the country following illegal excavation.

The statuette is carved in wood and engraved with hieroglyphic text showing the deceased name Ra-Nes and that "he was honest"

The artefact is currently undergoing restoration at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.

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Cranston East no match for Portsmouth

With their 36-6 victory on Friday night, the Patriots clinched the top seed in their half of Division II.
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The government also announced that it will increase tourism police in the area and will coordinate with the interior ministry to rebuild a nearby police station

Egypt's government has decided to hire private companies to manage, maintain and secure the area around the Pyramids of Giza, the Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported.

A meeting took place on Tuesday between Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and officials from the housing ministry, the tourism ministry and the antiquities ministry, during which the government announced the details of the pyramids development project, stating that a company has already been hired for EGP 5 million a year to maintain cleanliness the area.

Another company has been hired for security, and a third will be chosen for management.

The government also announced that it will increase tourism police in the area and will coordinate with the interior ministry to rebuild a nearby police station, as well as either renovate or relocate a hospital in the area.

Egypt has been struggling to revive its ailing tourism sector, which has suffered greatly after the political instability that followed the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

The number of tourists visiting Egypt dropped by 41.9 percent in July compared with the same month last year, the state's official statistics authority announced last week.

The crash of a Russian flight in Sinai late last year was yet another blow to the tourism industry. The number of tourists coming to Egypt dropped by 50 percent in the first half of 2016 compared to the same period last year, according to Egypt's Tourism Authority.

Russia was among several countries to suspend passenger flights to Egypt after the crash, which killed 224 people on board. The crash was claimed by Islamist militants who said they planted a bomb on flight.

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The term oncology literally means a branch of science that deals with tumours and cancers. The word onco means bulk, mass, or tumor while -logy means study.

What is cancer?

Each of the cells of the body have a tightly regulated system that controls their growth, maturity, reproduction and eventual death. Cancer begins when cells in a part of the body start to grow out of control. There are many kinds of cancer, but they all start because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells.

How common is cancer?

Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. About one-half of all men and one-third of all women in the US will develop cancer during their lifetimes.

How long has cancer existed for?

Some of the earliest evidence of cancer is found among fossilized bone tumors, human mummies in ancient Egypt, and ancient manuscripts. Abnormalities suggestive of the bone cancer called osteosarcoma have been seen in mummies.

Among manuscripts the first known description of cancer is seen in the Edwin Smith Papyrus and is a copy of part of an ancient Egyptian textbook on trauma surgery. It describes 8 cases of tumors or ulcers of the breast that were treated by cauterization with a tool called the fire drill. It dates back to about 3000 BC. The papyrus describes the condition as incurable.

Role of an oncologist

Medical professionals who practice oncology are called Cancer specialists or oncologists. These oncologists have several specific roles. They help in diagnosis of the cancer, help in staging the cancer and grading the aggressive nature of the cancer.

Oncology diagnostic tools

The most important diagnostic tool remains the clinical history of the patient. Common symptoms that point towards cancer include fatigue, weight loss, unexplained anemia, fever of unknown origin etc.

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Oncology depends on diagnostic tools like biopsy or removal of bits of the tumour tissue and examining it under the microscope. Other diagnostic tools include endoscopy for the gastrointestinal tract, imaging studies like X-rays, CT scanning, MRI scanning, ultrasound and other radiological techniques, Scintigraphy, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography, Positron emission tomography and nuclear medicine techniques etc.

Common methods include blood tests for biological or tumor markers. Rise of these markers in blood may be indicative of the cancer.

Cancer therapy

Based on the grade and stage of the cancer, oncologists help plan the therapy that is suitable for each of their patients. This could be by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and other modalities.

Other specialists

Treatment of cancer may involve other specialists as well. This includes a surgeon, a radiation oncologists or a radiotherapist etc. the whole of the cancer therapy however is co-ordinated by the oncologists.

Relapse and remission

Once initial therapy is completed the oncologists is responsible for follow up of the patient to detect relapse and remission. The former means recurrence or return of the cancer while being in remission means remaining cancer-free.

Palliative care

The oncologist is also responsible for palliative or symptomatic care in patients with terminal malignancies. This and other issues of treatment choice have several ethical issues including patient autonomy and choice that the oncologist needs to be concerned about.

Cancer screening

Oncology and cancer research involves screening the general population for cancer and screening the relatives of patients (in types of cancer that are thought to have a hereditary basis. For example, in breast cancer both population screening by regular mammography and familial screening by genetic analysis of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is performed.

Progress in oncology

There is a tremendous amount of research being conducted on all areas of oncology, ranging from cancer cell biology to chemotherapy treatment regimens and optimal palliative care and pain relief. This makes oncology a continuously changing and developing field.

Cancer research is carried out in clinical trials. In the UK, patients are often enrolled in large studies coordinated by Cancer Research UK (CRUK), Medical Research Council (MRC), the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) or the National Cancer Research Network (NCRN).

Further Reading
Scientists have developed an endoscope that uses near-infrared light to spot early warning signs of oesophageal - food pipe - cancer, according to research published in the Journal of Biomedical Optics today.

Researchers at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute sprayed a dye on oesophageal tissue samples taken from people with Barrett's oesophagus - a condition that increases the risk of developing oesophageal cancer. The dye sticks to healthy oesophageal cells but not to pre-cancerous cells.

They then shone near-infrared light on the tissue, which is just beyond the red colours that our eyes can normally see, and used a special camera to detect the near-infrared light the dye gave out.

Researchers had tried this approach before but had used a dye that gave out visible light to spot pre-cancerous cells. Problems arose because when cells are exposed to visible light, they naturally emit visible light themselves - making the distinction between healthy and abnormal cells hard to see.

But, by using a dye that gives out near-infrared light, scientists refined the process so they could make the distinction.

This new technique could be used to monitor people with Barrett's oesophagus who have an increased risk of developing oesophageal cancer, and spot early signs that cancer might be developing before the person has any symptoms.

Dr Sarah Bohndiek, scientist at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, said: "This research gives us hope for developing better techniques to detect the disease early.

"People who are at a high risk of developing oesophageal cancer, such as those with Barrett's oesophagus, could be closely monitored with this technique. And removing patches of pre-cancerous cells could prevent some cases of oesophageal cancer. But we need to do some further testing before clinical trials with patients can be set up to see how effective the approach could be at saving lives."

There are around 7,800 deaths from oesophageal cancer every year in the UK. For men, oesophageal cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death.

Dr Emma Smith, science communication manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "Early detection is crucial if we want to cure more cancers and save more lives. And oesophageal cancer is often caught at an advanced stage, meaning survival rates of the disease have remained stubbornly low.

"We urgently need new ways to detect the disease early. This development could lead to a cheaper, better way of detecting the warning signs of oesophageal cancer and even stop some people developing the disease."

Source: Cancer Research UK
Scientists at Cedars-Sinai have developed a new way to identify which prostate cancer patients are likely to develop aggressive types of the disease even if their tumors at first appear to be lower risk. The new findings could help physicians prescribe the most effective treatments for each patient based on how genes are activated in the individual tumor.

"These findings raise the possibility that by determining the gene expression profile of a patient's tumor, physicians may be able to identify aggressive disease at the outset of diagnosis and start treatment earlier," said Sungyong You, PhD, an instructor in the Cedars-Sinai Department of Surgery and the first author of the study.

Although other studies have used genetic data to identify subtypes of prostate cancer, this is the first large-scale study to link clinical outcomes to subtypes based on the processes by which genes are turned on and off in the cancer cells. The study was published in the journal Cancer Research by the American Association for Cancer Research.

Prostate cancer affects about 1 in 7 men during their lifetimes and is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among U.S. men, according to the American Cancer Society. Most tumors grow slowly and are not life threatening, but certain types of prostate cancer can spread to other organs and be fatal.

The new findings divide prostate tumors into three subtypes based on each tumor's gene activation pathways. When the researchers matched this data with clinical outcomes for more than 4,600 patient specimens in medical databases, they found these subtypes were associated with different levels of disease progression.

The study's conclusions address a major challenge in current standards of care for prostate cancer: Without knowing a tumor's underlying biology, physicians cannot reliably predict which of their patients will develop dangerous forms of the disease.

"About 60 percent of prostate cancer patients we treat won't progress to aggressive cancer. The problem was that we didn't have a way of knowing which patients fall into that 60 percent," said Michael Freeman, PhD, director of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Research in the Cedars-Sinai Department of Biomedical Sciences and the study's principal investigator. "We hope our findings help physicians provide more patients with optimal treatments, resulting in healthier outcomes."

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The new research could lead to a change in the way treatment decisions are made for prostate cancer patients. Currently, physicians rely heavily on a scale called the Gleason grade. The Gleason grade ranks the cancer cells, found by surgical biopsies of the tumor, from 2 to 10 based on how closely the cancerous cells resemble normal prostate cells. The lower the grade, the lower the risk the cancer is judged to pose.

But the Cedars-Sinai research suggests that some prostate cancer patients may not receive needed treatments in a timely way. Others may receive unnecessary treatments, with significant side effects. Among the commonly prescribed therapies are radiation, hormone therapy and surgical removal of the prostate.

Currently, patients with low-grade tumors often receive no treatment and instead are closely monitored, under a strategy known as active surveillance. The new study indicates active surveillance may not be enough for some of these patients.

The study showed that one of the three subtypes of prostate cancer the researchers identified, which they called PCS1, was generally aggressive. In the patients they studied, this subtype showed a high likelihood of spreading and progressing to poor clinical outcomes, including fatalities. Patients experienced poor outcomes even when the tumors had been assigned low Gleason grades. The two other subtypes, PCS2 and PCS3, progressed more slowly.

An additional advantage to the new subtyping is that it can be performed on tumor cells circulating in the blood. This finding has the potential to improve real-time monitoring of tumor evolution during treatment, You said.

Source: Cedars-Sinai
Estimates suggest that among children who try smoking, between one third and one half are likely to become regular smokers within two to three years. However, young people are now more likely to experiment with e-cigarettes than they are with tobacco cigarettes. For example, a 2014 study found that 22% of children aged 11-15 in England had experimented with e-cigarettes, compared to 18% for tobacco cigarettes.

There is concern that the increasing exposure of children to e-cigarette adverts could be contributing to high rates of experimentation; in the US, adolescents' exposure to e-cigarette adverts on TV more than trebled between 2011 to 2013. E-cigarette brands often market themselves as helping people quit smoking and as healthier and cheaper alternatives to tobacco cigarettes.

In this study from researchers at the Behaviour and Health Research Unit, University of Cambridge, and the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, and published today in the journal Tobacco Control, more than 400 English children aged 11-16 who had never smoked or 'vaped' previously were recruited and randomly allocated to one of three groups. One group was shown ten adverts that depicted e-cigarettes as glamorous, a second group was shown ten adverts that portrayed them as healthy, and a third control group was shown no adverts.

The children were then asked a series of questions aimed at determining their attitudes towards smoking and vaping. Children shown the adverts were no more or less likely than the control group to perceive tobacco smoking as appealing and all three groups understood that smoking more than ten cigarettes a day was harmful. However, both groups of children exposed to the e-cigarette adverts, both healthy and glamorous, were less likely to believe that smoking one or two tobacco cigarettes occasionally was harmful.

Dr Milica Vasiljevic from the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge says: "While we can be optimistic that the adverts don't seem to make tobacco smoking more appealing to young people, they do appear to make occasional smoking seem less harmful. This is worrying, as we know that even occasional tobacco smoking is bad for your health, and young people who smoke occasionally believe they are somehow immune to its effects and do not feel the need to quit."

The group of children that were shown adverts depicting e-cigarettes as glamorous also believed e-cigarette vaping to be more prevalent than did the other two groups.

Professor Theresa Marteau, Director of the Behaviour and Health Research Unit and a Fellow of Christ's College, University of Cambridge, adds: "E-cigarette marketing across Europe is regulated under the new EU Tobacco Products Directive, which came into effect on the 20th May this year. The Directive limits the exposure of children to TV and newspaper e-cigarette adverts. However, it does not cover advertising in the form of posters, leaflets, and adverts at point of sale, nor does it cover the content of marketing materials depicting e-cigarettes as glamorous or healthy. The findings from our study suggest these omissions could present a threat to the health of children."
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What is delirium and how frequent is it thought to be in patients with advanced cancer?

Delirium is a terribly distressing syndrome of acute confusion. We often see it in the emergency department in older patients and in those with multiple medical problems. They may be acting strangely at home and concerned loved ones bring them to the emergency department.

 MD Anderson

The difficult thing about delirium is that it's often intermittent. It may be present at one time, but not present at another. This makes it very difficult to detect, particularly for emergency physicians because it may express itself one minute, but be less apparent the next.

That led us in emergency medicine to think about how we can routinely, and in a standard or explicit fashion, recognize delirium when it's occurring.

In terms of how common it is, it really depends on the population one is dealing with. We recognize it most often in older patients.

I think delirium became most apparent to physicians initially in the Intensive Care Unit, where there are many disturbances such as bells ringing, lights being on at all times of day and sleep or wake disturbances that really unmask underlying delirium.

From there, we've come to recognize it in other places, particularly in the emergency department. For the past 10 years, there's been a concerted effort to better understand delirium and how early detection of delirium in the emergency department can help us prevent delirium from lasting a long time and try to correct underlying causes of delirium where we can.

Why have most delirium studies in cancer patients previously been limited to the palliative care setting?

Delirium is a common occurrence at the end of life. Those who practice palliative care see a lot of delirium and come to expect it. Its a matter of being primed.

Palliative care physicians who work in hospice or in palliative care teams, know to expect delirium and, for that reason, they more commonly find it. The palliative care community, particularly those associated with cancer centers, helps oncologists recognize how common delirium is among patients, not only at the end of life but when they are experiencing tremendous disturbances due to cancer related pain that can be a cause of delirium, and in particular, the medications to treat pain can often contribute to delirium.

Palliative care has done a wonderful job of helping educate the oncology community about the importance of recognizing delirium and treating it.

Can you please outline your recent study which looked at the frequency of delirium in patients with cancer presenting to the emergency department?

Having spent my career in general emergency departments, I had a wonderful opportunity at MD Anderson in 2010, to establish the first academic Department of Emergency Medicine in a comprehensive cancer center.

 MD Anderson

One of the early faculty members hired was a physician who'd been trained in palliative care. He ran the inpatient palliative care unit at MD Anderson and was a wonderful addition to our team. I'm speaking of Dr. Ahmed Elsayem, the first author of this paper.

When Ahmed came to join the faculty, we talked about these interests. He had been particularly interested in the distress that delirium causes patients. I got my interest in delirium from the general emergency medicine community and we recognized that no one had done a study of delirium in the emergency department, specifically in cancer patients.

MD Anderson has the largest emergency department dedicated to cancer in the world. We see approximately 24,000 patient visits a year and it was an ideal place to study emergent presentations in cancer. We obtained a small grant from MD Anderson and began planning the study.

As is usually the case, you run into many problems trying to do a study like this. We realized that we were studying a population that is vulnerable and often hard to enroll in clinical trials. Even though this was an observational, low risk study, it required a number of administrative and bureaucratic hurdles to pass in order to begin it.

We intended to examine the presence of delirium in all patients with cancer who were coming to the emergency department, realizing that many of these studies are really only carried out among older patients. It was an ideal place to do the study.

Which methods did you use to assess patients?

We routinely canvassed the emergency department with research assistants after training them in the use of the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) tool.

We used one that had been validated in other emergency departments and, on a routine basis, our research staff visited the emergency department to involve patients.

We enrolled approximately 250 patients and found that if one performs an explicit standardized detection user assessment instrument, about 10% of our patients were actually delirious in the emergency department and that this was pretty much true, regardless of age.

Our younger patients with advanced cancer were presenting with delirium in proportions that were similar to those of older patients, which was a surprising finding.

I will give a caveat here. We could only really enroll those who could consent, or consent by proxy and it's likely that the 10% figure is a low estimate of the true prevalence of delirium in the emergency department for those with advanced cancer. You can imagine the difficult barriers to enrolling patients who are confused.

We also excluded a number of patients who had been in the emergency department a good time before we were able to capture them for an interview, in case those patients had developed delirium after coming to the emergency department. Thus the 10% should therefore be thought of as a minimal estimate of delirium.

Were you surprised by the number of patients with advanced cancer that showed evidence of delirium?

I'm not surprised at the proportion of older patients who presented with delirium, but we were surprised at the prevalence of delirium in younger patients.

Among geriatricians who studied those with cancer, there's an idea that having cancer, particularly advanced cancer, in some senses makes you appear to be an older person. Cancer itself ages one. It takes away a number of the neural safety nets and impacts on so many different body systems. It's easy for one of them to fail.

One can look at a middle aged person with advanced cancer and yet consider them as more of a geriatric patient, in whom many subtle things might be going on such as a disease state, syndrome, or symptoms. That is the result of multiple different parts of the body not working quite as they should.

We're saying that the cause of delirium in this case is really multi-factorial; it's hard to pin down to a single issue. This is a very common issue in older patients, where multiple things may be going wrong that contribute to distress or ills, but the same thing appears to be happening in younger patients with cancer.

What impact do you think your findings will have?

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There are a number of questions here. Certainly, we've demonstrated it's feasible to perform standardized screening for delirium among those with cancer.

One can implement such a screening tool in an emergency department among a general population and among those who you might sense are at a higher risk such as cancer patients or the elderly.

We really did not answer the questions about how identifying delirium specifically allows us to intervene or prevent worsening of delirium.

One of the findings that the press might pick up on is that delirium was often not identified by the treating physician in the emergency department. In our study at MD Anderson, only a little more than half of patients with delirium were actually identified as such by the emergency physicians treating them.

The idea that, had these emergency physicians detected delirium, they may have changed their management strategies in such a way to improve the patient's outcome is really an open question.

It could be that our physicians are doing what they need to do: changing drugs, treating underlying causes, treating infection and achieving the same outcome that they might achieve even if delirium wasn't explicitly defined.

We often make the assumption that making this diagnosis is terribly important, but it may be that we're doing all the things that might improve on the condition, without actually identifying that it exists.

There is one future avenue here: the implementation of standard delirium screening in a given population in the emergency department to determine if making that diagnosis improves outcome.

Simply making a diagnosis doesn't necessarily lead to an improved outcome, and, in fact, if there's no way to improve that outcome or improve on the patient's quality of health, one can ask if it's necessary to make the diagnosis in the first place.

I think most of us in the field think it's important to do that, but we would like the explicit proof that it is the case.

What can be done to reduce delirium in advanced cancer patients?

There are many things that one can identify and treat such as sepsis or underlying electrolyte abnormalities. One of the things we found is that the presence of pain and the use of certain pain medications, opioids, might be contributing to delirium in many cases.

It wasn't uncommon that withdrawing the opioid and replacing one opioid with another opioid would improve delirium. Certainly, once having identified with delirium, one can start looking at certain factors that might contribute and take pains to identify those and correct them.

I think there may be a larger lesson here, which is that the emergency department can serve as an indicator of quality care prior to the patient arriving at the department.

In any health care system, once these patients who are routinely coming to the emergency department with a specific delirium syndrome associated with use of their medications, that is an opportunity for the emergency department to move upstream and educate the oncologists and others who are caring for those patients that this might be a problem.

The emergency department can say You might want to look at this, you might want to be monitoring your patients more carefully before they reach this crisis point of having to come to the emergency department.

That's part of a more system-based approach to oncologic care that incorporates the emergency department as a quality monitoring system to the extent that we can find patterns in treatment or in presentation and then educate our colleagues on how they might have prevented that visit.

No one wants to go to an emergency department. Going to the emergency department is generally a sign that something bad is happening.

I think work like this can be very useful. One of my colleagues, Amy Abernethy, talks about how we can use the data flow to a complex treatment system like this, to understand patient experience and feed back to earlier stages in the progression of a disease and thus prevent downstream complications. That's really our goal.

Having founded this department, I'm very interested in how emergency departments and the oncology community can work together. Early in my career, I was taking care of patients at Emory in the department.

One patient who had come to the department was in tremendous pain. I worked with her and her daughter to understand the cause of her pain from her underlying pelvic malignancy. I talked with her and tried to understand exactly how she got to this point.

One of the things that surprised me is that she had just come from her oncologist's office, which was across the street from the emergency department. I said "What did your oncologist say about the pain you're having?" The woman replied "I didn't tell my oncologist about my pain."

I thought well, why would that be? There's this interesting thing that happens in the clinic, in the office setting. I think patients go well prepared to their sessions with oncologists or another continuity provider, but often, they present themselves in the best light.

When one goes to the oncologist while experiencing a problem such as pain or something else, there's a tendency to cover that up. They cover up anything that might create more awareness that this is not going well and might be a sign that their cancer is progressing.

However, in the emergency department, those things tend to come out. People are driven to the emergency department by something that they can't ignore. There may be symptoms or other issues that lead to patient distress becoming apparent in the emergency department, whereas they might not become apparent in an office setting.

I think those different angles in terms of observing patient experience are one way that emergency medicine can really add to a healthcare system.

We've certainly seen that progress at MD Anderson with a new department within an existing cancer center. I think that's a rich area for discussion and for continued refinement of how we best deliver superior oncology care.

Where can readers find more information?

Ahmed F. Elsayem et al. "Delirium Frequency Among Advanced Cancer Patients Presenting to an Emergency Department: A Prospective Randomized Observational Study." CANCER; Published Online: July 25, 2016 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30133).

Knox H. Todd et al. An Inflection Point in the Evolution of Oncologic Emergency Medicine Annals of Emergency Medicine; Published Online: March 30, 2016 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.03.008

Lawlor, P. G. (2016), Cancer patients with delirium in the emergency department: A frequent and distressing problem that calls for better assessment. Cancer. doi:10.1002/cncr.30132

About Dr Knox Todd

Dr. Todd received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and completed his emergency medicine residency and research fellowship at UCLA.

After serving as Medical Director of the Grady Memorial Hospital Emergency Department and founding Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Emory University, he joined the faculty of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and established the Pain and Emergency Medicine Institute in New York.

In 2010, he became founding Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the first academic department of emergency medicine within a comprehensive cancer center.

He currently resides in Mendoza, Argentina, and directs EMLine.org, a practice improvement initiative targeting pain management and palliative care in emergency medicine.

Dr. Todd conducted the first studies of ethnic disparities in analgesic use and has developed a network of collaborators in emergency medicine, pain medicine and palliative care who work with him to promote practice excellence in these areas.

He has an extensive research funding record and served as Associate Editor for the Annals of Emergency Medicine for 20 years. He has held past Board of Director positions for both the American Pain Society and the American Chronic Pain Association; served on the FDA Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Product Advisory Committee (AADPAC); and is currently a member of the Executive Committee on Acute Pain Taxonomy for the Acute Pain Taxonomy, Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks (ACTTION).

He has edited two textbooks: Culture, Brain and Analgesia, published by Oxford University Press in 2012, and Oncologic Emergency Medicine: Principles and Practice, released by Springer in June, 2016.
Researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology and physicians at Rochester Regional Health are advancing thermal imaging techniques as a potentially safer and less invasive diagnostic tool for the detection of early-stage breast cancer.

A National Science Foundation grant of $99,620 is supporting the two-year project and the multidisciplinary team that represents the strategic collaboration of the RIT & Rochester Regional Health Alliance. Satish Kandlikar, the Gleason Professor of Mechanical Engineering in RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering, is leading the NSF-funded study to establish modern thermal, or infrared, imaging as a viable alternative to other technologies, such as ultrasound and MRI, used in addition to conventional mammograms.

"Modern infrared imaging has the potential to significantly increase the accuracy of screening for breast cancer and could have broad implications for preventive medicine," Kandlikar said.

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer will affect one in eight women in the United States, and higher breast density further increases the risk.

"About 50 percent of women have dense breast tissue, and mammography alone may not be as effective as we need it to be for screening," said Dr. Lori Medeiros, medical director, Rochester Regional Health Breast Center. "Advances in thermal imaging technology would provide a relatively inexpensive, non-invasive approach that doesn't use ionizing radiation and causes minimal discomfort to the patient."

In dense breast tissue, layers of glandular and connective tissue appear white on a mammogram and can make tumors--which also look white--harder to find. Expensive diagnostic procedures may be required to rule out abnormalities.

Kandlikar said existing thermal imaging techniques are not very accurate, are cumbersome and uncomfortable to the patient, requiring cooling of the breast tissue by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius with a blast of air or metal plates, and are not widely used.

New thermal imaging techniques can detect when cancer alters the metabolic behavior of tissues and radiates specific thermal signatures, or localized "hot spots." Kandlikar's method combines thermal imaging with an artificial intelligence system that predicts the location and size of tumors on a thermal map. The algorithms will simulate scenarios based on numerical models of thermal-signature patterns derived from mammography and MRI conducted at Rochester General Hospital.

"We will develop models and a large set of benchmark data sets, which will be validated with clinical data obtained with our Rochester Regional Health partners," Kandlikar said.

"The team isn't interested in replicating the current methods of thermography; we want to improve the technology enough that thermal imaging will be a fully-reliable complement to mammography in breast cancer detection," said Medeiros. "We're looking forward to the development of this new technique as part of our commitment to the community in the screening and treatment of breast cancer."

Kandlikar's research team includes Medeiros and RGH medical personnel Dr. Donnette Dabydeen, diagnostic radiologist, and Dr. Prad Phatak, medical director of the Lipson Cancer Institute and interim chief of medicine at Rochester General Hospital.

RIT engineering Ph.D. students Jose Luis Hernandez and Abigail Clark, respectively, will conduct the numerical simulation and develop the infrared imaging system for obtaining patient data. Clark will work in close supervision with the medical personnel at the hospital.
New research, led by academics at the University of Bristol, has outlined the first validated set of pathological criteria for assessing the likelihood that cognitive impairment was caused by vascular disease.

The term vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) refers to a diverse group of conditions in which memory problems and other impairments of mental function result from inadequate blood flow through the brain. Vascular dementia is a severe form of VCI.

Confirmation of the clinical diagnosis of most diseases that cause dementia depends on post-mortem examination of the brain. The finding of brain tissue damaged by impaired blood supply, or of widespread hardening of the arteries in the brain suggests that the cognitive impairment was caused by vascular disease. However, these pathological abnormalities are also often found in combination with other dementing diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and, until recently, the contribution of different vascular abnormalities to cognitive impairment was difficult to quantify, as there were no validated criteria for determining this.

A large group of UK neuropathologists and other scientists, led by the University of Bristol Dementia Research Group and supported by Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's Research UK, has developed a set of Vascular Cognitive Impairment Neuropathology guidelines (VCING) for assessing vascular pathologies in post-mortem brain tissue. The researchers, using brains that had been donated through a scheme called Brains for Dementia Research (BDR), have identified a set of neuropathological determinants that can reproducibly be used to assign a low, intermediate or high likelihood that vascular disease contributed to cognitive impairment in an individual case.

Seth Love, Professor of Neuropathology in the University of Bristol's School of Clinical Sciences, said: "VCING represent a major advance in our ability to assess the contribution of vascular pathology to cognitive impairment and open the way to a range of studies of the determinants of VCI, including of processes that are potentially preventable or modifiable.

"More accurate determination of the contribution of cerebrovascular disease to cognitive impairment and dementia is likely to inform healthcare policy and prioritisation of resources for patients with VCI, and lead to more funding of VCI-related research. It also opens the way to a range of mechanistic studies of pathophysiological determinants of VCI, with a view to identifying processes that are potentially preventable or modifiable."

Dr Rosa Sancho, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, added: "This collaborative effort has produced a common approach for researchers working to understand the changes that take place in blood vessels that can contribute to cognitive decline. The guidelines developed through this project have the potential to help researchers and clinicians across the globe to streamline their research into dementia, taking a step forward in improving the accuracy and reliability of their work. With a growing international focus on dementia research, it's crucial that researchers are co-ordinated in their approach to studying the condition to ensure we make progress as quickly as possible for the millions affected worldwide."

It is estimated that vascular dementia accounts for around ten to 20 per cent of patients with dementia and it is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease.
China has overhauled its fiscal budgeting process several times since the late 1970s by adjusting how local and central governments share public service cost responsibilities. Now, top policymakers have released new guidelines that reflect a determination to push forward long-overdue government spending reforms.

With the Aug. 24 release of these guidelines by the State Council, China took a big step toward better balancing central and local government fiscal obligations. And it was a crucial step toward streamlining Beijing's budgetary relations with the local governments that oversee provinces, cities and other jurisdictions nationwide.

The previous relationship between the central government and local governments, which had been in place since 1994, contributed a lot to more than two decades of rapid economic growth. But the fiscal process failed to properly balance tax collecting and spending responsibilities. For example, although local governments shouldered public service costs under the former process, significant amounts of revenue were channeled into central government coffers.

Moreover, previous calls for rebalancing central and local government fiscal responsibilities often went unheeded. For example, nothing immediately transpired after the third plenum of the Communist Party's 18th Central Committee in late 2013 called for matching each government's revenue stream and spending responsibilities.

The mismatch led to distortions that obscured the roles of central and local authorities in providing public goods and services. This resulted in overlapped duties and, at times, a failure to adequately satisfy public needs. The former division of responsibilities was also criticized for prompting local governments to rely on shadow banking and raise necessary funds through local government financing platforms.

The latest reform clarifies the public spending process by shifting to the central government all responsibilities related to "state sovereignty, fair market and nationwide public services." These tasks include protecting public security. Meanwhile, spending on basic public services such as health-care services will remain a local government obligation.

Beijing policymakers hope this fiscal process reform serves as a breakthrough for deeper government reforms in the future. The latest guidelines are thus a step in the right direction.

Still awaiting attention, for example, are widely anticipated changes in the way taxes are collected, levied and distributed. That reform step will be indispensable as a way to streamline the distribution of fiscal responsibilities among central and local governments. Moreover, the guidelines gave local government officials more work to do: They must now work out the fiscal reforms necessary to meet local conditions.

Overall, though, the guidelines have opened a way to clearly divide responsibilities among different governments and overcome issues that for years have hindered other government reforms in areas such as education and health services. A clear division is also what a market economy demands.

The guidelines address a wide range of complicated issues revolving around government-market as well as central-local government relations. And they'll reduce central government interference in local government affairs, thus enhancing local autonomy.

There are concerns that the reform may result in giving even more power to the central government at the expense of local authorities. But given the facts of China's developing market economy, the central government must retain its responsibility as a defender of the nation's general interests.

These guidelines are expected to be fully implemented by 2020. By then, each government's spending duties should be evenly matched according to its revenue level.

How well this reform succeeds will depend on government policymakers' strategic dexterity and commitment to reform. It will also require the work of professionals who translate policy into appropriate action. Once fully in place, though, a fiscal budgeting process that balances government responsibilities will pave the way for further reform.

Hu Shuli is the chief editor of Caixin Media.
One Medicine: how human and veterinary medicine can benefit each other

Professor Roberto La Ragione

News-Medical speaks to Professor Roberto La Ragione, Chair of Trustees at Humanimal Trust, about the concept of One Medicine and how human and veterinary medicine can collaborate, share knowledge, and initiate research for the benefit of both humans and animals.
Angry parents protested outside a school in Coimbatore after students complained that they were being forced to use water purifier which had dead rats inside it.



Parents also found dead rats in the drinking water tank. They have demanded that a parents association be formed to address such matters.



"We have found rats in the water purifier. This water is being consumed by the students everyday. We have asked the health department officials so come and conduct and enquiry. The school is refusing to let us form an association. No one from the management have met us so far," a parent said.



Police has been deployed inside the school campus to prevent any untoward incident.




New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Pakistan High commissioner to India, Abdul Basit on Wednesday to express discontent over mistreatment meted out to Indian envoy in Pakistan - Gautam Bambawale on Tuesday.



The Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry summoned Basit and "conveyed the concern of the government of India ... on the discourtesy shown to the Indian High Commissioner".



Basit was told that India hoped its diplomats in Pakistan would be allowed to discharge their duties without hindrance.



Basit's summoning took place after Pakistani authorities cancelled a meeting Bambawale was to address in Karachi.



Bambawale was invited to address the Karachi Chambers of Commerce. He had accepted the invite last week and was already in the port city. But the event was cancelled at the last minute and the Indian envoy was informed only an hour before it would have taken place.



The event organizers cited no reason for the cancellation. But apparently, it was cancelled because Bambawale had made some harsh comments on Monday over Pakistan's alleged involvement in the Kashmir trouble and its attempts to internationalize the Kashmir issue.



The Indian envoy had asked Pakistan to focus on resolving its problems before looking into the problems of other countries.



He had also called for improved commercial ties between Pakistan and India that he said was a "low hanging" fruit for the two countries to benefit from as other issues between them will take time to resolve.



Bilateral ties between India and Pakistan soured after the January 2 terror attack on the Pathankot air base, which India has blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed terrorists. Ties deteriorated further after Pakistan eulogized slain Kashmiri militant commander Burhan Wani as a "martyr" who died fight for "freedom" of Jammu and Kashmir.



Islamabad has openly supported the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley triggered by the July 8 killing of Wani. India has accused Pakistan of stoking the unrest that has claimed the lives of at least 76 people and left thousands injured.



On Tuesday morning Bambawale addressed Karachi Council on Foreign Relations and met Dawoodi Bohra community leaders in Pakistans commercial capital.



(With inputs from IANS)


Islamabad: Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday described Kashmir as Pakistan's "jugular vein" and said Islamabad will continue to support the people of the Valley on the "diplomatic and ethical" fronts.



"We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Kashmir for their right of self-determination. The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts," said the chief of army staff, addressing a ceremony held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi to mark the country's Defence Day.



General Raheel said Kashmir was Pakistan's "jugular vein" and praised people of the Valley for rendering "innumerable sacrifices".



The army chief asserted that "the defence of Pakistan is invincible".



"I want to make it clear to all the enemies that the defence of Pakistan is already strong but now it has become invincible," he was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.



On the challenges the country is facing, he said: "I want to make it clear that we are fully aware of all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of our enemies. Be the challenge military or diplomatic; on the borders or within the cities, we know our friends and foes all too well."



On Pakistan's ties with China, the army chief said the greatest example of a relationship based on mutual respect and principle of equality in the region is the Pak-China friendship.



"China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the paramount evidence of this relationship. I would like to assure that we shall not allow any external force to obstruct it and any such attempt will be dealt with iron hands," he said.



General Raheel said the Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists had achieved its objectives to confront terror, saying the armed forced will go to any limit to ensure Pakistan's security.



He praised the military, police and other law enforcement agencies for their "utmost efforts" to establish law and order in the country.



"There is a need to implement the National Action Plan and break the nexus between corruption and terrorism to fully consolidate the successes of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the entire country," he added.


New Delhi: The all party delegation aimed at finding a solution to the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir will meet in Delhi on Wednesday.



Ahead of the meeting, Home Minister Rajnath Singh met Army Chief Dalbir Suhag to review security in the valley. Singh is also expected to meet Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before the delegation meets. Rajnath is scheduled to meet President Pranab Mukherjee in the evening though the agenda of the meeting is not known.



The Home Minister had on Tuesday, apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the ground situation of the state assessed by the all-party delegation which visited Srinagar and Jammu on September 4 and 5.



General Suhag will on Wednesday visit Jammu and Kashmir to take a stock of situation at the Line of Control (LoC).







The Army chief will be briefed about the security grid along the LoC and anti-militancy operations in the hinterland by senior army officers and local formation commanders, sources said.



Over 70 people have died and more than 10,000 injured in the clashes followed by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July.




Washington/New Delhi: The US has reiterated that it wants accountability from Pakistan on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 people dead, but ruled out sanctions on the South Asian country for failing to weed out terrorists.



"We want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks. There were American citizens who lost their lives in those attacks," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in a daily press briefing on Monday.



Toner made the remarks in response to a question about Secretary of State John Kerry's mentioning about US' efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators behind the attacks in which 10 terrorists targeted numerous sites in Mumbai.



Kerry was in New Delhi to attend the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue on August 30.



According to Toner, the US has "long encouraged and pushed for greater counter-terrorism cooperation and the sharing of intelligence between India and Pakistan" in regards with the attacks, believed to be carried out by Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.



"That continues; those efforts continue. As I said, we want to see full accountability for these terrible attacks."







However, Toner also said the US was not considering sanctions on Islamabad and that Washington had "very frank conversations with Pakistan... about the need to take more efforts on all the terrorist groups... operating from within Pakistani soil".



"Well, again, you're asking me, and the question was whether we're looking at sanctioning Pakistan. No, we're working with Pakistan, we're making our concerns clear that they need to go after all the terrorist groups," he said.



"We have seen some efforts to make progress in that regard. We're going to continue to have those conversations with them as we move forward," Toner said.



Ajmal Kasab, one of the 10 terrorists, who carried out the four-day attacks starting from November 26 in 2008, was captured alive and put to death under the Indian justice system while the other nine were killed by security forces.



Responding to a question regarding the need to impose sanctions on Pakistan, Toner said: "I don't think we're even at that point. We continue to have... conversations with the highest level of the government of Pakistan. And our basic point in all of these conversations is that Pakistan must target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan's neighbours, and eliminate all safe havens."



"But the suggestion of any kind of sanctions, we're not there," he added.



The deputy spokesman was responding to a question about former US Ambassador to the UN and Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad's statement that since Pakistan is not taking enough action against these terrorist network, the US should consider taking some kind of sanctions against Pakistan.



According to Toner, Pakistan had assured the US of their intentions to target all the militant groups on its soil.



"We're going to continue to work with them to increase those efforts and apply more pressure on these groups," he said.



Pakistan, however, maintained that India did not provide sufficient evidence against the terrorists and that any action was possible only after such evidence had been provided "through diplomatic channels".



On April 9, 2015, the foremost ringleader of the attacks, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, was granted bail in Pakistan against surety bonds of 200,000 Pakistan rupees ($2,000).



(With inputs from IANS)










The Pakistan High Commissioner's office here on Wednesday "rejected" the Indian External Affairs Ministry's complaint of "discourtesy" shown to the Indian envoy in Islamabad.



A press official in the Pakistan High Commissioner's office told IANS that "The office categorically rejects the Indian complaint and has conveyed to them that the cancellations of Pakistan High Commission events in India were becoming a routine."



Earlier, on Wednesday, Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned by Secretary (West) Sujata Mehta and "conveyed the concern of Government of India on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale".



Bambawale was scheduled to speak on Tuesday at an event at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce, the invitation for which was received and accepted by him a couple of weeks ago. But the event was cancelled at the last minute, India has maintained.



Rejecting the Indian claim, the Pakistan envoy's spokesperson maintained that the Karachi Chamber of Commerce Institute is an independent organisation and has nothing to do with the government.



He also maintained that Indian authorities had "not allowed" Basit to participate in various events in India.



Diplomatic ties between the two countries have plummeted since the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul militant commander, in Jammu and Kashmir on July 8. Pakistan has declared Wani a "martyr", and has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir problem.




New Delhi: Ahead of his visit to Laos to attend ASEAN and East Asia Summits, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday night said India wishes to enhance physical and digital connectivity with the South East Asian nations and leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit.



"ASEAN is a key partner for our 'Act East' policy, which is vital for the economic development of our Northeastern region, he said in a statement ahead of his two-day visit that begins on Wednesday.



In Vientiane, the capital of Laos, Modi will attend the 14th ASEAN-India Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit.



"Our strategic partnership with ASEAN is also important for safeguarding and promoting our security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region," he wrote in a Facebook post.



He added that East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region.



Noting that India's ties with the countries of South East Asia are "truly historic", he said, "Our engagement and approach can be best encapsulated in just one word - connectivity."



"We wish to enhance our physical and digital connectivity; to see greater people to people links; to strengthen our institutional linkages; and, to leverage the modern interconnected world for the mutual benefit of all our people," the Prime Minister said.



During the visit, he said he will also have the opportunity to interact with the leaders of participating countries to discuss bilateral issues of mutual concern.
(Beijing)  China will adopt a nationwide "negative list", which identifies industries that are closed to overseas investors, on Oct. 1, following a three-year pilot project in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.

Currently, local governments can prevent or limit investments in sectors that have not been specifically cleared. The list aims to relax restrictions for foreign investors and open-up markets further, the State Council, China's cabinet, said on Monday.

Companies who want to tap sectors outside the list no longer need government approval before investing, a statement from the Ministry of Commerce said. Instead, they need only to submit a detailed plan and register with the Ministry of Commerce.

The negative list includes 18 industries such as fisheries and the domestic courier business, which has grown quickly with the rise of online shopping. Other areas barred to foreign investors include exploitation of rare metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, tin and antimony; ivory carving; selling tiger bones; and producing arms and ammunition.

The list will replace a catalogue issued two decades ago to identify industries that rejected foreign capital.

Inbound foreign investment rose at a moderate 5 percent year-on-year in the first half to $70 billion.

Contact reporter Coco Feng (renkefeng@caixin.com); editor Poornima Weerasekara (poornima@caixin.com)
Ludhiana: Students held a protest rally in Punjab's Jagraon town over Dalit-only biometric attendance system in Punjab.



Dalit students at the Lajpat Rai DAV College alleged that authorities have instituted a separate biometric attendance system just for them.



The biometric system has now been removed after protests by Dalit students.



The Punjab government had decided to make biometric attendance mandatory for those students from the socially marginalised communities who avail scholarships.










Just a couple of days after Prime Minister Modi alluded to Pakistan as the source of terror in South Asia. The United States rapped Pakistan asking it to do much more to bring the 26/11 attackers to justice. Pakistan's once staunch ally has sent out regular signals putting pressure on Pakistan to stop rapidly increasing terror from its soil. As Pakistan's isolation in the region rises, the US rebuke strengthens India case on Pakistan's dithering probe on the 26/11 attacks.
Kat Katha: Turning Brothels Into Classrooms

Sep 07, 2016 01:25 PM IST iVideos iVideos Share

In the red light district of Delhi, where most women refrain from even entering, a group of women are slowly turning brothels into classrooms. Theyre not just transforming the lives of sex workers (didis, as they like to address them) kids, but are offering them a safe haven in an area full of dark secrets. Gitanjali Babbar and Ritumoni Das, along with a dedicated group of volunteers, are providing the kids with education and skills-learning classes; dancing, art and craft, theatre and also helping the sex workers to attain a life of quality at Kat Katha.
Islamabad: A Pakistani minister on Wednesday demanded an apology from Bollywood filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker for misleading people through his movie Mohenjo Daro, which was released on August 12.



The minister seems to have taken offence at the movie, which was yet unknown to sections of media.



Apparently, Sindh Minister for Culture and Antiquities Sardar Ali Shah was miffed with the film because the facts portrayed in the film were allegedly distorted. He claimed that the film is a mockery of a culture that is highly respected and is 5,000 years old.



He said the film is merely a "figment of the director's imagination" and that it has absolutely no connection with the civilization.



The minister demanded an apology from the makers of the film, adding that he was really upset with the makers, especially considering that Mohenjo Daro is a Unesco heritage site.
There is no dispute on the fact that Deepika Padukone is the numero uno of Bollywood. The actress was recently in news for featuring in the top ten list of world's highest paid actresses, and now news has it that the actress was paid more that superstar Amitabh Bachchan when they worked together in Piku.The superstar, in an interview to Bollywood Life , confirmed the news. The actor in all modesty said, "I can tell you one thing, in Piku, Deepika Padukone was paid more than me and that says two things  one that she is obviously more important than me and two I have lost my price tag coz I have been working for so long. Maybe I am not so important.Director Shoojit Sircar, who was accompanying Big B for the interview confirmed the news. Sircar is the producer of Bachchan's upcoming film Pink and was the director of Piku. "But I think whats the harm? If the womans character is that then its okay," said the director.The actor is currently busy promoting Pink and has been talking about about women empowerment very publicly, an underlying theme of the film. His letters to his granddaughters, which the actor shared on social media recently, struck a chord with many. In the interview, the actor was all in support of equal wage in the film industry. The actor said he supported actresses demanding equal pay.Adding to Big B's statement, Sircar said that it was unfair to label any film as women-centric just because it has a woman playing string role. "Everybody asked me if its( Piku) is a woman-centric film. I said why? Because a woman has a stronger character thats why its a woman centric film. But there are many films with only heroes but that is not man-centric film. So dont see a film like because theres a womans pic on the poster its a woman-centric film. Its a cinema, a film a story. She maybe is the hero of the film and thats how you should see it.Padukone's rising stardom is for everyone to see. But that fact that she has been paid more than one of the biggest superstar of Bollywood says a lot about her stardom and position in the film industry.Good going , girl!
New Delhi: Actors Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra were offloaded by Air India officials from their scheduled flight to Mumbai after they delayed their boarding and allegedly indulged in promoting their upcoming movie at Indira Gandhi International Airport's terminal area with fans.



Officials said the incident was reported late last night after both the actors reached the airport and got their boarding passes to fly to Mumbai in the Air India flight number AI-317.



Post the security check, the duo were seen mingling with fans in the duty-free area of the airport to promote their upcoming film Baar Baar Dekho, the officials said.



They said both the actors were asked by airport officials to board the flight scheduled for 9:40 PM but they kept delaying the flight.



Finally, sources said, the airline decided to offload them at about 10:45 PM as other passengers complained about the delay in departure.



However, Air India officials said the Bollywood actors were not deplaned, as they were issued boarding passes but "they chose not to travel as part of their own decision".
Karachi: A Pakistani court today lifted the ban on the controversial movie Maalik that annoyed the government for projecting politicians in poor light and glorifying the military.



The Sindh High Court declared the federal government's ban on film Maalik illegal and said it could be screened in the country. The nationwide ban was imposed on Maalik by the government on April 8. At the time of the ban, the film had been running in cinema houses for two weeks and doing good business.



The film focused on the corrupt practices and abuse of power by politicians. The film made by Ashir Azeem also highlighted the role of the military and security agencies against the corrupt system.



Azeem had challenged the ban in court saying only the censor board could take such an action.



Maalik shows the struggle of a man in Pakistan's elite Special Forces whose life gets entangled with politics.



Extensive military hardware were used in the film including multiple helicopters MI-17 and MI-35 Gunships, T-55 Tanks and C-130 Hercules aircraft. Pakistan's Special Forces has provided extensive support including advanced weapons, ammunition and training to the cast and crew.




There's daily trouble in AAP Punjab, theres chaos in AAP Delhi and the AAP brigade in Goa is wondering just where the hard-earned momentum is going. From the mainstream media to the local party volunteer, one question prevails: Just why is Arvind Kejriwal silent?



The Delhi Chief Minister returned from Rome after attending the canonisation ceremony of Mother Teresa on Tuesday. And his reluctance to speak to mainstream media on the chaos that has hit the party units in Punjab and Delhi while he was in Vatican has sparked speculation that the CM has hit the silent mode.



But that may not entirely be true. If anything, it points to his evolving communication strategy. He hasnt had a press conference of late, but is increasingly relying on his Twitter account and video messages to communicate. It seems that whenever the Aam Aadmi Party lunges into a crisis  as it seems prone to, every now and then  he resorts to social networks and video messages, thus avoiding talking to mainstream media.



Crisis or no crisis, Kejriwal will skip heartland Delhi for almost two weeks. He is scheduled to visit Punjab for four days starting September 8. After that he is likely to go for a surgery in Bangalore on September 13, and will spent the next 10 days recuperating in the Karnataka capital.



While the Chief Minister has shied away from the media, he has certainly not disappeared from Delhi. So far, Kejriwal has chaired all cabinet meetings, including one the day before he left for Rome. On the same day, he was also present at the Shramik samvaad in the Talkatora stadium, at a programme organised by the Delhi government on the raising of minimum wages for workers. On August 31, he was at the secretariat at a ceremony to felicitate Olympic champions PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik.



People close to Kejriwal say he also makes it a point to be both seen and heard at the launch of major development initiatives in Delhi.


The All Party Delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir this week asked the Centre on Wednesday to withdraw the use of pellet guns and to initiate talks with "all stakeholders" without compromising on national sovereignty.



It also suggested a crackdown on weekly hartal by Pakistan-supported separatists. Members from the Left parties demanded the removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Jammu & Kashmir to instill confidence in the minds of civilians.



The delegation's eight-page note to the Centre has made several recommendations including giving impetus to tourism, horticulture and local industries to usher economic growth.



Without making any reference to separatists including Hurriyat Conference, the statement asked the Central and state governments "to take steps for a dialogue with all stakeholders".







The State Government and Central Government should come out with their long-term and short-term plans for the Valley. It would be difficult to move ahead without the support of the mainstream political parties and other stakeholders is also important. Some immediate steps need to be taken to bring normalcy in the state," said leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, M Mallikarjuna Kharge.



CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said there should be an unconditional dialogue with all stakeholders. He also said, Confidence-building measures need to be initiated in Kashmir. Indo-Pak dialogue should be restarted if PM Modi is meeting his Pakistan counterpart at the SAARC meeting to be held in Pakistan.



The members of the delegation, headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, met in Delhi and discussed the outcome of their interactions with the civil society,

political parties and government officials during the visit on September 4 and 5.



A unanimous statement of the APD, released after the meeting, appealed to the people of the state to shun the path of violence and resolve all the issues through dialogue and discussion.
Tamil cinema has become a collateral damage in the ongoing Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. People opposing the release of water to Tamil Nadu have forced the theatres in Bengaluru to stop the screening of Tamil films.Nataraj theatre in Sheshadripuram which shows only Tamil movies has stopped the screening of the film 'Kidari'. The movie theatre has downed its shutters and removed posters and cut-outs to prevent any untoward incidents.Many other theatres have also followed a similar strategy to save themselves from the ire of protesters. Some agitators have also attacked a theatre showing a Kannada cinema 'Jaguar' which features JDS state chief and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamys son Nikhil Gowda.Both states have suspended bus services between cities and towns in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu registration buses are only plying till the border town of Hosur which is 40 KM from Bengaluru. Karnataka government-run KSRTC has also suspended its services from Wednesday.After Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the officials of the water resources department to release water to Tamil Nadu, engineers at the KRS dam near Mysore opened the crest gates at 12 oclock in the mid-night releasing 12,913 cusecs of water into the downstream of Cauvery river. The tourism department has suspended boating at the scenic Ranganathittu bird sanctuary due to rising level of water.Water is also being released from Harangi dam in Kodagu district into Cauvery river. About 2000 cusecs of water is being released from the dam. Stringent security arrangements have been made around the KRS dam and Mysore city to avert any untoward incident.Meanwhile, agitators have blocked the BengaluruMysore highway for the second day on Wednesday disrupting the vehicular traffic between the state capital and southern parts of the state. The Cauvery-fed district of Mandya is observing a total bandh even on Wednesday. Angry protesters jumped into Cauvery river near Wellesley bridge in Srirangapatna in protest.Speaking to News18 from Bengaluru over telephone, Karnataka DGP Omprakash said that the police had made elaborate arrangements to maintain law and order. He said, "we have deployed additional forces in Mandya and Mysore. Police are on high alert in Bengaluru and the outskirts. We will not let anyone take law into their own hands.According to irrigation experts, the SC order may affect the standing crops in 10% of the Cauvery basin area. They argue that if the state reduces its drinking water requirements to the minimum, some water can be used for agriculture in the coming days. Government has already requested the farmers not to grow high water intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane.There is an uneasy calm in Bengaluru which gets 70% of its water from Cauvery river. The agitating farmers of Mandya have threatened to disrupt water supply to state capital.The Karnataka bandh on Friday is likely to affect the normal life in the city.
(Beijing) - A golden era that saw foreign banks flock to China in pursuit of riches came to a symbolic end earlier this year, when global giant Citigroup officially dumped its longtime holding in China Guangfa Bank Co., one of China's oldest commercial lenders in the southern city of Guangzhou.

Few details were given at the time, as the two sides announced a divorce that saw Citi end a decadelong partnership with the sale of its 20 percent Guangfa stake to China Life Insurance. But new insider details show the constant discord inside the bank, reflecting conflicts that often exist between commercially minded Western businesses and their more politically focused Chinese partners.

At the center of the conflict were the lender's two top executives, who often butted heads and ultimately resigned. One was Chairman Dong Jianyue, who also served as Guangfa's party secretary  a top role at all state-owned Chinese firms who often commands equal or even more power than the chief executive. The other was Guangfa President Morris Li, a former senior executive for Citi in Taiwan before joining the Chinese bank in 2010.

Neither could dominate daily decision-making, leading to a constant state of gridlock that hobbled the bank and prevented it from realizing its potential. In his farewell letter before leaving, Dong blamed the bank's lackluster performance on "cultural differences" that were never resolved.

Formerly known as Guangdong Development Bank Co., Guangfa was founded in 1988 and made most of its loans during its first decade in its home province of Guangdong. Like many Chinese lenders during that time, it quickly racked up piles of bad loans from its customers, many of them infrastructures builders, and reported a loss of 691 million yuan ($103.4 million) in 2005.

Golden Banking Era

The decade after that was considered a golden era for Chinese banks, as many reformed their ownership and were allowed to clear their books of bad loans and seek new investors beyond their traditional government stakeholders. Many foreign banks bought stakes in their Chinese peers during that period, with names like HSBC, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs all making multibillion-dollar investments in their Chinese peers during that period.

Guangfa was among that group when it sought to woo foreign shareholders in 2006, with the aim of becoming more commercial and profitable. Citigroup ultimate won a heated bidding war, beating Societe Generale SA and Ping An Insurance for the right to purchase 84 percent of Guangfa for just over $3 billion in December that year.

Citi later had to settle for just 20 percent due to Beijing's restrictions on foreign ownership of Chinese banks. China Life, the nation's largest insurer, also became a major stakeholder, purchasing 20 percent of Guangfa at that time.

The partners were traveling in uncharted waters, and ultimately the bank's own Li Ruohong become Guangfa's chairman and party secretary. Meantime, Citi's own Michael Zink, a former senior executive at the bank's South Korean subsidiary, took on the role of president, responsible for Guangfa's daily management.

Zink became an instant media sensation by bringing in an 11-member executive team, taking up six of the 16 seats in Guangfa's board  an unprecedented move at that time. But the fanfare quickly faded, as Citi tried unsuccessfully to transplant its retail-banking-focused business model into Guangfa, amid talk of frequent bickering between the U.S. and Chinse partners.

"After Citi was brought on board, Li Ruohong was not compatible with them, and he tried to meddle in the administrative affairs using his authority as party secretary, something the Citi team felt was very unacceptable," said a senior executive at another commercial bank in China, who was familiar with the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The conflicts only grew when a five-year plan proposed by Zink was resisted by Guangfa's Chinese shareholders, and mediation by the Guangdong provincial government failed to resolve the matter. The constant clashes began to affect the bank's ability to perform its daily business.

Three Factions

Three fractions ultimately emerged, one led by Citi, another by China Life, and the third centered on original Guangfa executives, a midlevel bank executive told Caixin, also on condition of anonymity. The different groups often clashed and thwarted each other's plans, which changed nearly every year.

Li Ruohong finally left in 2009 for "serious violations of party discipline", a term that government watchdogs usually use as a euphemism for corruption. Zink resigned as well a year later, leaving behind a rudderless bank fraught with infighting.

Li's position as chairman and party secretary was soon taken over by Dong Jianyue, who boasted a decade of experience as a senior executive with Bank of China, one of the country's big four national lenders. Citi installed Morris Li around the same time, hoping to launch a new era of better relations.

But new strife followed over the next six years, even though Dong and Li repeatedly dismissed reports of discord behind the scenes. During the pair's brief co-tenure, Guangfa's plan for a dual-listing in China and Hong Kong ultimately collapsed in 2011, and a similar plan for a domestic listing also failed two years later.

To this day, Guangfa has yet to list, even as many of China's other regional commercial lenders have made IPOs both on the mainland and in Hong Kong.

"Some work has not reached my expectation. There are some oversights, as well as some projects that are still under progress, particularly the IPO," Dong said in his farewell letter at the time of his resignation. "We've kept making great efforts and used up our energy to push it forward, but it still has not succeeded," he said, blaming cultural differences and his own limited abilities for the failure.

Guangfa's performance has continued to be lackluster under its latest management. It had total assets of 1.84 trillion yuan at the end of 2015, larger than most of the city commercial banks in China. But its net profit of 9.06 billion yuan was down 24 percent from the previous year.

Following Dong's departure and Citi's stake sale, China Life is now Guangfa's largest shareholder with 43.7 percent of the company, and will be the one to chart its future. The nation's largest insurer has already named its vice president Liu Jiade as Guangfa's vice chairman and interim chairman. Another China Life executive, Zhang Fengming, will be the bank's acting president, as the life insurer tries to succeed where Guangfa and the original Citi management failed.

Contact reporter Dong Tongjian at (tongjiandong@caixin.com) and editor Doug Young at (dougyoung@caixin.com)
New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday accused BJP of "fooling" the people of Kashmir on the issue of holding talks with separatists, saying it had already agreed on talking to Hurriyat under its agenda of governance with PDP.



"PDP and BJP in their Common Minimum Programme clause no 9 said that we will talk to Hurriyat," party spokesman Ajoy Kumar told reporters.



The two parties, which are ideologically opposite, share power in the sensitive border state where the Kashmir valley is witnessing unrest for nearly two months.



Besides, he recalled Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister late Mufti Mohd Sayeed had, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, thanked those "across the border" for peaceful elections in the state.



"But BJP says that we will not talk...So, whom are they fooling?" he said. Kumar also targeted the Prime Minister for "schizophrenic" policy with regard to Pakistan and Kashmir.



He said that this has "harmed" the national interests. This government goes by "self, selfie and self promotion", he said, adding the UPA had taken a consistent stand of not having talks with Pakistan till the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack were brought to book.
New Delhi: Hitting out at Lt Governor Najeeb Jung for seeking details of foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said such visits by his party ministers are comparatively less than that of their counterparts in other parts of the country.



Wondering since when the Lt Governor has started scanning ministers' foreign tours, he dared Jung to also seek such details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits.



Last week, the Lt Governor had directed General Administration Department of the Delhi government to provide details of all foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, their personal staff and other officials in the last 18 months.



Besides the duration of the stay and the expenditure incurred on foreign trips, the Lt Governor's office had also sought details of the "purpose" of the visits.



"Has he (Jung) also asked for details of foreign tours of Prime Minister? Since when has he started checking ministers' foreign tours? Foreign tours are undertaken by AAP ministers for only official purpose after the government's approval. We have travelled very less comparatively in the entire country. If we go abroad for personal purpose, we spend our money," Jain, who is considered close to the Delhi CM, said.



Government officials said Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Jain have travelled abroad four times each on government expenditure. Labour Minister Gopal Rai, along with Jain, had been to Sweden on a five day-knowledge trip.



Officials, however, clarified that sacked minister Sandeep Kumar had travelled to the US with family privately.



Yesterday, Kejriwal and Jain returned from Vatican City, where they had gone to attDelhi min hits out at LG for seeking details of foreign tours "Government's work is not affected if a minister goes for poll campaigning. When I was in Vatican, I was looking after my departments' works through WhatsApp. AAP ministers work all 365 days in a year.



"I work for 10 hours every day. In the previous governments, ministers used to come to office for only two hours once in a week," Jain claimed.



Sisodia is at present on a two-day visit to Goa where AAP is gearing up for Assembly elections. Kejriwal will be away from the national capital for nearly a fortnight for a throat surgery and to take stock of AAP's preparations in poll-bound Punjab.



He will undergo the surgery on September 13 to cure his chronic cough problem and rest there for 10 days.



"Before leaving for Bengaluru, the chief minister (Kejriwal) will embark on a 4-day visit to Punjab starting from September 8. He will meet party leaders and address a public gathering in Punjab," a government official said.


Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday slammed Separatists for rejecting talks with the all party delegation. She also accused them of instigating the children in the Valley to engage in violence while making sure their own studied abroad or outside the state.



"Talks have always been a policy of my party, since days of Mufti Sayeed. If we are ready to talk then we will get anything and everything," Mufti said.



"My colleagues have this (fear) that I may say something. But, I have always spoken truth. The way a mother slaps her child when he tries to touch a hot kangri (firepot), I will do the same to save my people. I will be angry, I will speak truth and warn them not to use children as a shield (during street protests)," she added.



Reacting to this, Union Minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "People of Kashmir are with democracy and peace, and those who are trying to disturb peace will not succeed."



MoS Kiren Rijiju said the government will do whatever is required in the interest of the nation.



Miffed over the cold shoulder treatment given by separatists to the MPs, who were part of the all-party delegation that visited the state, the Centre is considering moves to curb their foreign travel by withdrawing their passports and denying travel documents in some cases.







The Centre will also scrutinise their bank accounts and complete pending investigations in cases against them so a strong message goes around that those provoking youths in Kashmir Valley to create disturbance since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 will not be spared, said the government sources.



Unhappy at the stubborn refusal of Hurriyat leaders to meet some MPs who had literally knocked at their doors in Srinagar, the Home Minister had said that their conduct was against "democracy, humanity or even 'Kashmiriyat'.


Gorakhpur: On the second day of his Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections campaign, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will visit temple town Gorakhpur on Wednesday.



The Gandhi scion will cover Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar and Basti holding roadshows, door-to-door campaign and khat sabha.



Rahul will have another khat sabha at Khalilabad in Sant Kabir Nagar but it remains to be seen whether there is a repeat of Tuesday's khat fight.



Rahul kicked off his 2500 km-long Kisan Yatra in Deoria on Tuesday and is reaching out to farmers in Bharatiya Janata Party stronghold of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Rahul met farmers, promising loan waiver and reduction in power tariff by 50 per cent if voted to power in the 2017 Assembly polls.



The 'Deoria to Dilli yatra' is part of the Congress campaign to end its 27-year exile from power in Uttar Pradesh.







Rahul will hold road shows at various places during the yatra.



The party has made preparations for making the Congress leader's longest yatra in the state a success.



A team of national spokesmen will also be stationed in Lucknow to apprise media of the developments.



During the mahayatra, the Congress leader will cover as many as 233 Assembly constituencies to reach out to people ahead of crucial polls slated early 2017.



The mahayatra comes after the successful road show of Sonia Gandhi earlier in August and the two yatras of state party leaders in various districts of the state.
In strategic discourse it is said while talking is a strategy, not talking is also a part of the strategy," Madhav said at a seminar hosted by FICCI in collaboration with the India Foundation.



Madhav, an RSS pracharak now on deputation to the BJP, is currently in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir and the entire north-east region. He was instrumental in stitching together a post-poll alliance with the PDP in the insurgency-ravaged state.



It does not fit into the Indian mindset which talks about vishva-bandhutva or the world is one family" he added drawing a sharp comparison with the Great Wall, the psychological fortification built by Chinese in the third century BC.





Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM, who was part of the All Party Delegation said:" If not talking is part of the strategy, they should say it in as many words. Why is it then the statement released after the all-party meeting mentioned dialogue."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's key pointsperson for Jammu and Kashmir, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, on Wednesday gave an elusive insight into what could be the governments strategy in the violence-torn valley.Taking a dig at political parties who are seeking a dialogue with the separatists, Madhav said that as a nation we are "romantic people" and as a part of the same romanticism, people ask for dialogue even when doors are shut on them.The reference was obviously in the context of Hurriyat Conference leaders shutting their doors on a group of opposition MPs who had gone to meet the separatist leaders while the all party delegation was in Srinagar earlier this week.Making a strong pitch for a strategic culture and doctrine for homeland security management in India, Madhav rued the fact that no Indian king in the last one millennium ever thought of closing down the Khyber Pass despite all invaders taking the same route to enter the sub-continent."Every leader tirelessly makes a statement that we need to have political solution to the problem of Jammu and Kashmir. The political solution to Kashmir is simple and final.And it is: J&K is an integral part of India. What more political solution can be there after that?" Madhav said.Defence expert Ajay Shukla however disagrees with the BJP leader. "Ram Madhav does not differentiate between doctrine and tactics. Doctrine is a long-term strategy while not talking can only be a short term response," he says.Talking of the dilemma faced by the government in reconciling between security and trade in the globalised world, Madhav dwelt at length on the issue.Cautioning against trade routes being used to pump in money to sustain insurgency, Madhav said that "Five hundred trucks cross over to Pakistan-Occupied- Kashmir every day, and most of the times it becomes a media for hawala transactions."
The brouhaha over the RSS-government coordination committee meetings in the past has forced the ideological fount of the BJP to quietly scale down its annual rendezvous with the political executive.



RSS and its affiliates instead have devised a new mechanism to coordinate with the government to avoid the media limelight.



The first government-RSS coordination committee meeting in the first week of September, 2014 in Delhi had drawn huge media attention.



Attended by more than eighty RSS delegates and top ministers in the union council, and Prime Minister Modi himself, the conclave raised a storm with the Opposition accusing the Government of the day of being accountable to the RSS and not to the people of the country.



"It was decided later that these meetings under the media lens would serve no purpose," says an RSS functionary privy to the changes.



The RSS had at that time vociferously defended the conclave at a press conference held by joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale.



In the new scheme of things, the coordination between RSS and the government has been delinked from that with the party.



The RSS-BJP coordination happens at a different level, often in meetings attended by other Sangh affiliates.



For instance, the meeting slated to be held in Udaipur later this week will be attended by key functionaries of the thirty-odd affiliates.



The BJP here will be represented by general secretary in-charge of organisation, Ram Lal and a few other pracharaks on deputation from the Sangh.



The mechanism to exchange notes with the government has now been scaled down from the grand parleys to small issue-based meetings away from the media spotlight.



For example, a delegation of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh had a session with ministers of Finance, Commerce, Agriculture and Small Scale Industries in Delhi earlier this year.



The concerns of these affiliates including some of FDI in retail were raised in presence of RSS leaders. This was preceded by a similar meeting on education.



The new mechanism also helps RSS to loosely decouple itself from the burgeoning demands of the cadre which look towards it for the implementation of policies and programmes considered close to the core ideology of the party.



High-profile meetings with the entire union council in attendance give rise to the perception that RSS exercises immense clout within the government.



Concomitantly, it helps BJP's ideological mentor maintain an arm's distance from the political executive seen to be sympathetic to the cause of the RSS.



With BJP in power, cadre expect delivery on core ideological issues; and RSS seen to be exercising immense influence over the government is under pressure to ensure just that.
The Karachi Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday snubbed India's High Commissioner to Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale, by cancelling his speech and interaction with the business community at the last minute without any plausible explanation, news agency PTI reported.



The Chamber of Commerce told him just 30 minutes ahead of the event that he wasn't welcome without giving any reason. Bambawale is in Karachi to address a few programmes organised by various bodies and forums.



In the morning he addressed Karachi Council on Foreign Relations and met Dawoodi Bohra community leaders in Pakistans commercial capital.



Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi is yet to react to this humiliation. According to sources the government is angry over the manner in which he was treated by Pakistan's premier trade body.



Earlier in the day he extended an olive branch to Pakistan in what is being seen as a two-pronged strategy by India. While the High Commissioner is reaching out to the neighbouring country, PM Narendra Modi targetted Pakistan as a sponsor of terror in his remarks during the G 20 summit on Monday.



In a speech to Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Bambawale said that in order to improve trade, Pakistan needs to grant India the Most-Favoured Nation status.



"There should be more participation in trade fairs and more Pakistani trade delegations should visit India. There is no option but to do it step by step," Bambawale said.



Interestingly, he also compared the political issues between both the countries to the difficulty in ties with China and how trade had helped normalise ties to a great extent.



The Indian envoy said political issues could take time to resolve, but countries could start by taking up smaller matters.



"We have boundary issues with China but we decided on building other relationships to move forward. Today, they are our biggest trade partners," he said.



"We should start by grabbing the low hanging fruit," Bambawale added.



On Modi raising Balochistan in his I-day speech, Bambawale said, "The Prime Minister, in his August 15 Independence Day speech only referred to the letters he had received."



However, talking about the unrest in Kashmir, the Indian High Commissioner said, It is an internal matter of India. There are problems in both India and Pakistan and you [Pakistan] should focus on resolving your problems before looking into the problems of other countries.



Hoping for better ties with Pakistan, he said that Modi is looking forward to visiting Islamabad for the Saarc summit.



"I cant say about the future but as of today, Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi is looking forward to visiting Islamabad for the SAARC summit in November this year," he said.


Washington: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is disqualified to seek the highest office in the US in the wake of new documents released by FBI in email corruption scandal, her rival Donlad Trump has said.



"The new revelations about Hillary Clinton from the just-released FBI documents make more clear than ever that she fails to meet the minimum standard for running for public office. If she applied for a low-level job at the State Department today she couldn't even get a security clearance," Trump said at an election rally in North Carolina.



"Her conduct is disqualifying," Trump said as he listed out his allegations against Clinton in the wake of the FBI report .



Emboldened by latest poll, which indicates that he has eliminated the popularity gap with the former Secretary of State, Trump said it is clear from the FBI report that Hillary Clinton lied about her handling of confidential information.



She repeatedly told the country that she understood the classified system, then she told the FBI she didn't understand that the letter "C" meant confidential in the documents she emailed, he said.



"On 39 separate occasions she said she couldn't recall details about her mishandling of classified information, and she couldn't even name one step she took to make sure foreign hackers couldn't get into her server. Keep in mind, that her insecure emails included emails about the drone program," Trump said.



"It's also clear from the FBI report that Hillary Clinton and her top aides knowingly destroyed evidence and covered-up their actions. After her private server was revealed last March, her staff deleted all the emails and wiped it clean using a software designed to prevent any recovery, called BleachBit," he said.



"They used hammers to destroy phones so they couldn't be turned over later and by the way, who uses 12 different phones in 4 years? The only people who use that many phones are usually involved in very, very shady activity," Trump said.



"People who have nothing to hide don't smash phones with hammers. People who have nothing to hide dont bleach their emails, or destroy evidence to keep it from being publicly archived as required under federal law," he said.



The billionaire from New York alleged that Clinton failed to turn over thousands of documents, then tried to shield her criminal conduct by having her chief-of-staff declare herself to be Hillary Clinton's private attorney.



"Hillary and her top aides told the FBI and others in related lawsuits that they couldn't recall or remember key facts hundreds of different times and that's in addition to the guy who set up the server pleading the 5th. No one takes all the risks Hillary Clinton took unless they are trying to cover up massive crimes," he said.



"Hillary Clinton was using the State Department to dole out special favours and access to her friends and donors. It's called pay-for-play. One example of pay-for-play is what the Clintons did in Haiti. But while Haiti has suffered, the Clintons and their pals have cashed in," he said.
RUSTBURG  Based on a suggestion from property owners, Campbell County plans to place the new Timberlake emergency medical services crew in the Campbell County Rescue Squad building instead of the Timbrook Library.

The motion made to place six full-time paid EMS personnel in the squad building on Rainbow Forest Road was approved by the Campbell County supervisors 6-0 at their meeting Tuesday evening. Timberlake Supervisor Michael Rousseau was absent.

It is a situation where both can work together, County Administrator Frank Rogers said. As that corridor continues to develop, long-term we will have to be mindful to the best place for these facilities.

In April, the board allocated about $300,000 to create a new paid full-time crew in the Timberlake District of Campbell County to meet the increased demand for service. Money for the crew would come from higher ambulance ride fees and increased revenue projections for the current budget year.

With the support of the county library board, supervisors voted 4-3 in July to house the six-person crew temporarily in the new librarys unfinished basement off Leesville Road starting in January 2017.

At a public hearing in July, some residents spoke against that plan and suggested the county consider other locations or negotiate with nearby volunteer Campbell County Rescue Squad for space.

Since then, Campbell County Public Safety Director Tracy Fairchild, County Administrator Frank Rogers and the Campbell County Rescue Squad discussed renewing a relationship between volunteers and county EMS in August.

The county can use the space at substantial savings compared to renovating the basement of the Timbrook Library or renting commercial space. The rescue squad only requested the volunteers be allowed to ride along with paid crew on emergency calls.

The motion stated if the negotiations with the Rescue Squad were to fall apart, the county can pursue the Timbrook Library project.

Brookneal Supervisor J.D. Puckett said at the meeting, citing a letter to the editor in The News & Advance, Campbell County Rescue Squad received at least 10 volunteer resignation letters.

In other business, the supervisors approved a new policy for when property owners on a certain road would like to contract with the county and the Virginia Department of Transportation for a special assessment to pave roads.

In a revenue sharing application, the state would cover 50 percent of the costs to pave a secondary road and, with the special assessment; the county would front the other half. Property owners along the road would pay the county back in installments.

The policy began after the property owners of Mount Vista Drive in the Holiday Forest subdivision started a petition and received more than the necessary 75 percent support among owners to do the revenue sharing.

The local match for paving Mount Vista Drive is $88,000. All property owners who live on the road will be assessed about $920 per year for five years.

In a public hearing on the special assessment ordinance, the property owners spoke of great cooperation with the county.

Im proud to be in a county where a group of citizens can be engaged with state officials, county officials in [a] collaborative effort to get something positive, Mount Vista resident Doug Bradley said at the public hearing.

Construction is expected to begin in spring 2017.

It would be [a] welcome relief to open my house windows and not face the dust, said Mary Beth Thompson, a Mount Vista Drive resident.

The board also approved:

A rezoning request allowing Slocum Adhesives to take over the former Brentwood Baptist Church for office space on English Tavern Road;

A special use permit allowing a family on Collins Ferry Road to operate an automobile junkyard on their 4.3-acre property; and

A new expanded parking plan for the Greater Lynchburg Islamic Associations location on Airport Road for occasional special events on their property.
Two men were found fatally shot early Sunday in a house under construction in Chesterfield Countys Chesdin Landing subdivision, where people had gathered for a party that was promoted through social media postings, police said.

Police identified the homicide victims as Duval Turner Jr., 22, of Richmond, and Marc Starkes, 24, of Amelia County. A third victim was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.

At 1:50 a.m. Sunday, Chesterfield police received a call of a person being shot in the 15000 block of Chesdin Green Way. When officers arrived, they discovered Turner and Starkes with fatal gunshot wounds, police Capt. Michael Louth said. Police also found numerous shell casings in the roadway.

Louth said people from throughout the area had gathered at the unfinished home after postings on social media stated that the house was being used for a party. He said police dont think anyone from the neighborhood was involved.

Police have investigated other parties thrown in houses under construction, but this was the first in Chesdin Landing, Louth said.

The house was a fair amount of the way to being completed and had drywall installed, Louth said.

Angie Blackham, a nearby resident, said she was surprised to learn of the incident because its a quiet, nothing-happens neighborhood.

Especially I feel like our street is pretty quiet and secluded. ... It kind of shakes you up a little bit, she said.

Blackham, who lives in the 13000 block of River Otter Court, said she heard the party and five or six gunshots. She said she had her window open and heard really loud pops but said she and her husband werent too concerned, because the neighborhood echoes. They thought it likely was neighborhood kids but then drove past the crime-scene tape and police cars on their way to church Sunday, Blackham said.

The family is in the process of selling their home, and Blackham said shes now nervous because she isnt sure how the shooting will affect the sale. The family has lived in the neighborhood for about four years.

Weve not ever had one moments problem, and ... we have people look out for each other here, Blackham said. Weve loved living here, and its been very quiet and very peaceful. This was just random.

Chesdin Landing is a neighborhood on the eastern banks of Lake Chesdin. The community has multiple golf courses and has several homes on the market for more than $800,000. Waterfront lots in the community sell for $200,000 to $300,000.

Police still are investigating and are asking for the publics assistance. Anyone with information should contact Chesterfield police at (804) 748-1251; Crime Solvers at (804) 748-0660; or www.crimesolvers.net.
Hawk Claus spreads Christmas cheer in DC's Grifter Got Run Over By a Reindeer first look

Take a look at two stories from the DC holiday special including the titular chapter and a Hawkwoman and Hawkman tale
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SQUEEZE FOR MP, JUDGES

You have to consider things like economic capacity to pay, the chairman told reporters at Presidents House moments after a new member of the SRC was sworn in. Obviously it is not good. It is difficult to raise salaries in an economy that is not doing well. Asked if the Commission takes economic factors into account when making its recommendations to Parliament, Rudden said, Certainly, I would imagine, not having done the general review before, one of the factors you would consider would be the budgetary impact of any set of increases. Asked if the SRC had any challenges, Rudden said, One of the challenges is nobody is going to like what you say. Its one of the few commissions that all Parliamentarians dont like. However, the chairman said there was no decision yet on any salary conditions.

Rather, international consultants continue to collect feedback from a range of stakeholders.

International consultants Hay and Partners have been commissioned to do a job evaluation exercise for the 300-plus posts the SRC sets the salaries for, including parliamentarians, judges, senior civil servants, a lot of people, he said.

That is expected to finish next year and that is important because its been 15 years of more since people actually evaluated their jobs and thats just one of the pieces of information that will go into recommendations for salary increases or not increases as the case may be. In relation to MPs, he said, Consultants were meeting with Parliamentarians to get their opinions as they met with the judges, commissioners and senior citizens. At another point, he also said, I dont think anybody has ever asked for less money. Former SRC member Monica Clement, who once served as Budget Director at the Ministry of Finance, was yesterday re-appointed by President Anthony Carmona.
Carmona: EBC doing a great job

Continue to do the great work that you are doing, Carmona told members of the Commission gathered at yesterdays ceremony at Presidents House to swear in Kerrigan. He also said unstinting independence was integral, as was fairness.

The EBC has been found to have breached election law last year by unilaterally extending polling hours. However, the matter is subject to appeal by the Opposition UNC on the second question of whether the election was void.

EBC chairman Mark Ramkerrysingh yesterday said the EBC has not yet come to any decision on whether it will challenge the finding that the extension of time was a breach of the law. However, he said the EBC would certainly not challenge the finding that the election was legal because it was substantially in compliance with the law.

Its the subject of an appeal, the chairman said. We have to wait and see what the decision of the Court of Appeal is at which time we will give a fuller view of what our position is. In relation to local government elections due later this year, he said the EBC is ready.

We have already started our election preparedness meetings, Ramkerrysingh said. By this weekend there will be advertisements going out for poll-day staff because as you know we will have to get that done; training of pollday staff; training of returning officers; we have started cleaning ballot boxes and getting things in place and I think we are pretty much ready for it. On whether any errors might occur in the upcoming elections, he said, We always operate within the law. The EBC has historically always operated within the law.

Its difficult to comment on it too much until we hear the views of the Court of Appeal. Anything I say now would be commenting on that decision. On whether the EBC will file a cross-appeal, Ramkerrysingh said, Our lawyers are looking into it now and we will shortly be making a decision as to whether we would want to cross appeal.

The decision has been taking as yet. The EBC has until next Thursday to do so.

Of Kerrigan, Carmona said he felt there was need for the perspective of an anthropologist to examine the EBC in terms of anthropology, culture and class
Kamla questions murder rate stats

I call upon the Minister of National Security and the Commissioner of Police to level with the country as to whether they are covering up and under-reporting the number of murders in Trinidad and Tobago, Persad- Bissessar said .

Because when I read the names I repeat to you this  it is 328 persons murdered, their lives snuffed out because of criminality .

I do not really want (to do) what I am going to do next, she added, but I think it is important for us to be mindful of where we are today after just one year of the government. Persad-Bissessar, who is also the Opposition Leader, then revealed a list that she claimed contained the 328 names of murder victims. When I read these names I am doing it for a reason, because when you speak of murder and the murder rate so high, people become so numb, because it is something distant. She then began, with the permission of the flag-waving audience packed into the hall, to read the names, the dates of their death, and the manner in which they were killed. However, she stopped after having read ten names .

Speaking briefly with Newsday after the forum, Persad-Bissessar said the list was compiled by meticulously sifting through media reports of murders for 2016 .

She then went on the comment on last Fridays bipartisan talks between the Government and the Opposition .

You know what that meeting did? Amongst many things, it clearly pointed to the importance of the Opposition, she said. I think they now understand that they need the Opposition to run this country. The Opposition Leader said that the first thing she did in the meeting was ask Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for ways in which the Opposition could help curb crime. According to her, the Prime Minister presented her with three recommendations .

He asked for Opposition support on appointing a Commissioner of Police, anti-gang legislation, and the Strategic Services Agency Amendment Bill. On the first suggestion, she criticised Rowley for his approach, saying, He is still in the kind of thinking that the Alpha and the Omega to solve crime is the Commissioner of Police. On the anti-gang legislation, which was first passed in 2011 and expired on August 15, Persad- Bissessar blamed Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi for failing to renew the legislation in time. Regarding the SSA Bill, she said she reminded the Prime Minister that though not supported by the Opposition, the Bill was passed in May and simply needed to be proclaimed .

If they bring anything not for the people, anything that tramples the rights and freedoms of people, we will not support it, Persad-Bissessar said .

Six of the partys candidates to contest the eight electoral districts of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation in the upcoming local government elections were later presented .

They are: Felicity/Endeavour, Debideen Manick; Charlieville, Faaiq Mohammed; Enterprise South, Erica Harry Belfon; Cunupia, Vandana Mohit; Munroe Road/Caroni Savannah, Adrian Shazard Ali; Edinburgh, Rana Persad .
Gabriel Faria new Chamber CEO

In a statement, the Chamber said Faria joined the organisation from yesterday with a view to working alongside Kumar. The Chamber praised Kumar for successfully guiding it through several national policy changes since she assumed office in January 2010. The Chamber said Kumar at all times ensured that the perspective and contributions of the business community were always effectively represented across critical sectors.

The Chamber said Faria brings 35 years of leadership and management experience, gained locally and abroad, to the post of CEO. Some of the key posts which Faria has held were in organisations such as Angostura Holdings, Carib Brewery and Neal and Massy Trinidad Limited.

In terms of academic criteria, the Chamber said Faria holds a Masters of Business Administration in International Business from Barry University and is a member of Delta mu Delta International Honour Society for Business Administration.
TT to expand relations with Costa Rica

He made the comments at a function held at the National Library and Information System (NALIS) headquarters in Port of Spain to launch celebrations of the 195th anniversary of Costa Ricas independence.

He assured the Charge dAffaires of the Embassy of Costa Rica in Trinidad and Tobago, Carmen Gil that this country will continue to pursue the partnership with Costa Rica for the prosperity and development of both nations. The Costa Rican Charge dAffaires listed the contacts between Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago.

She said the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1972, and over the last 20 years, their relations have developed in a more meaningful way with official visits by former prime minister Basdeo Panday in 1999 during which he signed a Joint Declaration highlighting the interest in developing economic, commercial and financial exchanges, and defining cooperative actions in the fields of science and technology, agricultural development, education and culture.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez also visited Trinidad in 2009 to attend the Fifth Summit of the Americas and former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her then Foreign Minister Winston Dookeran visited Costa Rica to attend the Third Summit of CELAC in 2015.

She said that this country was Costa Ricas first partner in the English-speaking Caribbean, adding that trade relations between the two countries improved after the establishment of the Free Trade Agreement between Costa Rica and CARICOM in 2005 when an office of Costa Ricas export promotion agency was established in this country.

She said that from 2012 to today, Costa Rica has exported more than US$270 million worth of goods to Trinidad and Tobago, while this country exported more than US$360 million to Costa Rica.

She said Costa Rica believes that it has expertise in several areas including tourism which it can share with Trinidad and Tobago and that there were many other areas of co-operation they could explore.

She said the photo exhibition under the theme, We Are All Costa Rica by the famed photographer Lucas Iturriza, which is the main attraction and main focus of the independence celebrations is intended to generate reflection and information and to highlight the importance of respect for ethnics, origins, beliefs, gender and culture.
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(Newser)  Massachusetts man Felix Reagan is accused of crimes including auto theft, breaking and entering, and assaulting a police officerbut he probably wouldn't be in the news if he hadn't also allegedly painted a puppy purple. Police in Oak Bluffs say they arrested Reagan Saturday afternoon after a Martha's Vineyard crime spree that included cruelty to the pet of a woman whose home he broke into, CBS Boston reports. They say that after Reagan crashed a stolen car, they found him in possession of stolen property, including prescription drugsand discovered purple paint on his pants.

Reagan was earlier arrested in June on charges of breaking and entering and being a minor in possession of alcohol, police said in a Facebook post. Burglary victim Tamara Gemme-Crawford says Reaganwho was also charged with cruelty to animalsis a "cruel low-life animal abuser." She tells the Smoking Gun that her 4-month-old border collie was removed from its crate in a closed room, where he wasn't a threat to anybody. She says Reagan, who apparently also gave the puppy a bag of apple fritters to try to stop it from barking, doused the dog in paint before throwing it out the door. Luckily, the puppy wasn't injured by the paint. (Facebook reunited this lost-at-sea pup with his family.)
(Newser)  Cops in Holmes County, Ohio, took the rum out of a lot of Rumspringas over the weekend with a huge raid on a party packed with Amish teens. Police say around 75 people were arrested for underage drinking after the raid on a field party Saturday night, the Daily Record reports. The sheriff's department in Holmes County, which has the country's largest Amish community, says 45 officers raided the party after an undercover officer observed the underage drinking, WOIO reports.

Police say there had been calls from worried parents about the party, which had been expected to attract around 1,000 young people marking the Rumspringa rite of passage, in which Amish teens are given more freedom than usual. The AP reports that 35 people under 18 were among those arrested for underage consumption of alcohol, and some were also charged with resisting arrest. There were two alcohol-related hospitalizations. (In upstate New York, there was a low-speed chase when cops spotted an Amish teen drinking beer while driving a buggy.)
(Newser)  The Syrian regime has once again been accused of using poison gas on civilians, this time in an attack on a rebel-held area of Aleppo. Reuters reports that the Syrian Civil Defense rescue group says barrel bombs containing chlorine gas were dropped on the shattered city's Sukkari neighborhood, causing at least 80 people to have severe breathing difficulties. Dozens of children are among the injured, and the rescue group has released disturbing footage showing some of them gasping and wheezing as they're given oxygen masks, CNN reports.

"Most of those injured were women and children," a first responder from the rescue group tells the AP. "It is a crowded neighborhood." He says a Syrian government helicopter dropped barrels containing four chlorine cylinders on the neighborhood, and he had to use a mask soaked in salt water to be able to breathe while assisting victims. The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria is already investigating another suspected chlorine gas attack that occurred last month. "Unimaginable crimes are occurring in Aleppo," says Commission Chairman Paulo Pinheiro, per Reuters. "Pro-government aerial bombardments cause mass civilian casualties." (UN aid money ends up going through businesses owned by President Assad's cronies.)
(Newser)  Some 28 million children around the globe have been driven from their homes by violent conflict, with nearly as many abandoning their homes in search of a better life, UNICEF said in a report released Tuesday. Per the AP, the report found that while children make up about a third of the world's population as of 2015, they accounted for nearly half of all refugees, with the number of child refugees having doubled in the last decade. "What's important is that these children on the move are children. And they should be treated as children," says Ted Chaiban, UNICEF's director of programs. "They deserve to be protected. They need access to services, such as education."

Increasingly, these children are traveling alone, with 100,000 unaccompanied minors applying for asylum in 78 countries in 2015, three times the number in 2014, the report found. Because these children often lack documents, they are especially vulnerable. The report estimates another 20 million children are migrants, driven from their homes by poverty and gang violence, among other things. Refugee and migrant children face a host of risks, including drowning during sea crossings, malnourishment, dehydration, kidnapping, rape, and murder. When they arrive in other countries, they often face discrimination and xenophobia, the report stated. (Read more refugees stories.)
(Newser)  The South Carolina police officer who shot and killed Zachary Hammond has been fired more than a year after the unarmed 19-year-old's death. Seneca Police Chief John Covington declined to comment further on the firing of Mark Tiller, a six-year veteran of the force who had been on paid leave since the July 26, 2015, shooting during a drug sting in a Hardee's parking lot, the State reports. In a version of events Hammond family lawyer Eric Bland called "ridiculous," police said Tiller shot Hammond because he "felt threatened" and believed the teen was trying to run him over.

Dashcam video, however, revealed that Tiller shot Hammond through a side window as he tried to drive away. Earlier this year, the teen's family reached a $2.15 million settlement with the city over the incident, which is still being investigated by the FBI and the Justice Department, the Guardian reports. "One of the nagging questions for the Hammond Family was how could Lt. Tiller remain employed after Chief Covington and the City Administration saw the video of Zachary's killing," Bland said in a statement, per the New York Times. "Today, that question was answered." (A witness claimed to have seen cops high-five Hammond's corpse.)
(Newser)  Hillary Clinton's email scandal is "worse than Watergate," according to Donald Trump. At a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday night, he hit his rival hard over the contents of FBI documents released last week, saying "her conduct is disqualifying," the Guardian reports. He accused her of "bleaching her emails" and said the only people who get through as many iPhones as Clinton are "usually involved in very, very, I mean very, shady activity." In other developments:



At a campaign appearance in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Clinton accused Trump of covering up "scams" and noted "the American people deserve to know what was said" between Trump and Florida AG Pam Bondi before he made a $25,000 contribution to her re-election effort while she was considering joining a multistate fraud lawsuit over Trump University in 2013, the Washington Post reports.

With Clinton 2 points behind Trump in a new poll, Politico looks at five ways Clinton has shown that no one"not the bullpen of the New York Mets, not the French army, not Wile E. Coyote, not even Al Gore"is better than Clinton at blowing a commanding lead.

The New York Times reports that Clinton blasted Trump as "temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be president of the United States" on Tuesday, calling his visit to Mexico an "embarrassing international incident." Asked about the 88 retired military figures who endorsed Trump, Clinton said he "is doing worse than any Republican" for military endorsements and noted that John McCain and Mitt Romney had received between 300 and 500 each.

The Hill reports that Trump plans to call for ending the military sequester and boosting spending in a speech in Philadelphia Wednesday. In his Tuesday night speech, he promised to ask Congress to "eliminate the sequester and immediately re-invest in our military." He also slammed Clinton's foreign policy and promised to stop trying to "force democracy down the throats" of countries that don't care about it.

Fox News reports that Julian Assange told Hannity on Tuesday that he has plenty of documents on the Clinton campaign to release, and the first batch could come as soon as next week.

(Read more Election 2016 stories.)
(Newser)  Over eight days in 2013, Edward Snowden leaked NSA documents from a five-star hotel in Hong Kong. But he spent the remainder of his days there, before appearing in Russia, in places far less glamorous. Revealing the path to Snowden's escape for the first time, refugees tell the National Post and New York Times that they took Snowden into their squalid apartments where "open garbage rots in stairwells" in some of Hong Kong's poorest neighborhoods between June 10 and 21, on the request of his lawyer, Robert Tibbo. While applying for refugee status, "we put him in a place where no one would look," like a 150-square-foot apartment home to three others, says Tibbo, who was also helping the refugees at the time.

Disguised, Snowden moved between safe houses at night. He "stayed in the room all the time," says a Sri Lankan refugee who housed him, adding he mostly ate McDonald's and cakes, delivered by lawyers, with USBs hidden inside, allowing Snowden to communicate. He "was using his computer all day, all night," adds a Filipino refugee who only realized she was housing "the most wanted man in the world" when she saw his photo on the front page of a newspaper. "They had a hundred chances to betray me while I was amongst them, and no one could have blamed them, given their precarious situations. But they never did," Snowden, who paid his saviors $1,200, tells the Post. "If not for their compassion, my story could have ended differently." (Read more Edward Snowden stories.)
(Newser)  A Missouri man who became a familiar face in the protests against the Michael Brown police shooting in Ferguson was himself killed Tuesday, St. Louis County police say. The St. Louis American reports that officers discovered the body of 29-year-old Darren Seals (the police are spelling his name as "Daren") while investigating an early morning report of a vehicle fire in St. Louis' Riverview neighborhood. After the fire was put out, cops found Seals' body with a gunshot wound, and police say they're treating his death as a homicide, per NBC News.

Seals was a vocal activist after Michael Brown's fatal shooting, appearing in national media and standing with Brown's family the night it was announced the officer who shot Brown wouldn't face charges. Seals, who described himself as "Unapologetically BLACK" on his Twitter page, most recently took to the social media site to share his thoughts on Brock Turner, Donald Trump, and the Colin Kaepernick controversy, tweeting of the latter Monday: "The @NFL mad about #Kaepernick protest but I bet they don't turn down all the money from them jersey sales." St. Louis cops aren't saying if there's a motive or suspects in Seals' death. (Read more obituary stories.)
(Newser)  Jerika Bolen made it very clear earlier this year that she was going to attend her prom, spend a final summer with her mom, and then end her life. But instead of a "magical" ending for the Wisconsin 14-year-old, who has an incredibly painful incurable illness, she and her mom are now facing serious pushback from disability rights groups, USA Today reports. "A child doesn't have the capacity to make those types of decisions, and under the eyes of the law, this is a child," says Carrie Ann Lucas, director of one of the four advocacy groups asking county and state child protection officials to intervene in Jerika's case. (The Outagamie County children's service department is citing privacy laws and staying mum about any investigation.) Jerika says the pain from her spinal muscular atrophy is so bad that even on her best days, she'd rank it a seven out of 10.

But Lucas says Jerika's SMA is progressive, not "acutely terminal," and adds it's a situation that affects the entire disabled community, which wants to make sure kids with disabilities are protected from decisions perhaps not made in their best interests. And when the decision is to die, "it's never in the child's best interests," Lucas notes, adding Jerika needs mental health services to help her through. Mom Jen Bolen said previously that detractors just don't get the intricacies of Jerika's condition and that she "never thought I'd be on this side of things." But in a July article featuring adults with SMA who think Jerika should stay alive, a 42-year-old with the condition told New Mobility that "I use a ventilator most of the day, a wheelchair, and a lot of services, and my life [even with pain] is pretty fantastic." The Bolens are asking for privacy. (A 24-year-old with depression was granted the right to die.)
(Newser)  Police in San Luis Obispo, Calif., are following the "most promising lead we've had in years" in the hopes of finding some trace of a California Polytechnic State University freshman who vanished 20 years ago. Human decomposition dogs "and other information" led police and the FBI to three sites on the campusincluding one spot marked by the "P" in a giant hillside sign for Cal Polywhich will now be excavated over four days, reports the Los Angeles Times. Without elaborating, police say evidence "strongly suggests" Kristin Smart may be buried at one of the sites, per the San Luis Obispo Tribune. The 19-year-old student disappeared after leaving an off-campus party in the early hours of May 25, 1996.

A witness told police that Paul Flores, 19, offered to walk Smart home after she'd apparently passed out. Floreswho's considered a person of interest but has never been charged due to a lack of evidence, police sayclaims he dropped Smart off near her dorm, though the Tribune notes four cadaver dogs reacted separately to Flores' dorm room, focusing on a mattress and wastebasket, after he moved out in June 1996. The Smart family has sued Flores in civil court, though searches at properties linked to the Flores family have turned up no sign of Smart. "We're not sure where this is going to take us," a sheriff tells CBS News of the new dig. "Obviously, we want to be optimistic as possible." (The FBI is hunting a dormant serial killer.)
(Newser)  Between seven to 10 bald eagles call Staten Island their home, but there may be one who can stake a special residency claim, per NBC New York. Although it's only circumstantial evidence so far, birders have recently spotted a young eagle with two adult birds and chowing down on food from their beaksbehavior the New York City Audubon says suggests it may have been the Big Apple's first eagle birth in over a century, per the New York Times. The president of a local park preservation group notes the sight of the young bird feeding leads him to think there's "probable nesting" going on, with an Audubon conservation biologist calling the possibility "exciting." But not everyone's so sure this eagle can pick up its resident sticker just yet: No nest has been found, and the city's Department of Environmental Conservation speculates the eagles could have ended up on SI from nesting sites in nearby Jersey.

The Times notes that bald eagles, whose numbers were pared down nearly to the point of extinction by post-WWII pesticides, are making a comeback, not only in Manhattan, but in other cities as well. An apparently active nest populated by a pair of eagles named Vito (after Vito Corleone in The Godfather) and Linda was spotted in April 2015 on Staten Island's south shore, per DNAinfo, but the DEC says their breeding efforts failed. Enthusiasts say it's possible the nest of this fowl family may be hidden somewhere deep in the island's woods, which would explain why it hasn't yet been found. "The way I grew up, we knew about the national bird, but we never saw it," a local who's taken thousands of photos of the island's eagles tells the Times. "Now they're here. I mean, they're right here." (Meanwhile, eagles have been dying in Delaware and Maryland.)
(Newser)  Data entry errors are often harmless enough, unless you happen to be an international pilot punching in your longitude before a flight. Then, they get interesting. As Australia's 9News.com reports, an AirAsia flight crew learned this lesson when it attempted to fly from Sydney to Malaysiaonly to end up in Melbourne. It seems the captain errantly plugged in the coordinate of 01519.8 instead of 15109.8 before the flight, which amounts to a difference of nearly 7,000 miles, reports the Guardian. Odd detail: Normally, the first officer handled this chore while the captain went outside to do an external flight check, but the captain's ear muffs weren't working properly, so they switched roles.

As the plane began taxiing on the runway, its navigation system began going a little kablooeyfor instance, flashing "TERRAIN! TERRAIN!but the crew brushed off the various warnings and chimes as minor glitches, according to a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. It was only when they were in air and flying in the wrong direction that they realized something was wrong and tried to override the system. Alas, attempts to troubleshoot and rectify the problem resulted in further degradation of the navigation system," says the ATSB. The pilots requested permission to make a U-turn to Sydney, but by then the weather had turned, so they were instructed to fly on to Melbourne, two hours away in the opposite direction of the intended flight path. They fixed the problems and took off again three hours later. (This famous bridge's name is actually a 52-year-old typo.)
(Newser)  The medical university that awards the Nobel Prize for Medicine was rocked this week after an investigation presented Monday showed negligence in the hiring and handling of a now-disgraced stem-cell surgeon, Reuters and the Independent report. Dr. Paolo Macchiarini was fired from the Karolinska Institute in March after it emerged his resume was falsified, he misrepresented his work, and six "guinea pig" patients had died under his charge, per the Telegraph (prosecutors are looking into involuntary manslaughter charges for two of those cases). Among those now told to pack it in: the institute's entire board, which was dismissed by the Swedish government, and Nobel judges Harriet Wallberg and Anders Hamsten, per the AP. "Scandal is the right word," Sweden's education minister said, noting "people have been harmed because of the actions of the Karolinska Institute."

The Verge reports that an external probe and case study presented over the last two weeks show that experimental trachea transplants Macchiarini performed had major ethical issues, including a methodology that hadn't been adequately tested and patients who weren't sick enough to qualify for the procedure. Plus, investigators say Macchiarini should have never made it past the 2009 recruitment process, with the institute's management showing a "stunning" indifference to bad references and "questionable" data in some of his publications. The former head of Karolinska's ethics committee, who calls this "the biggest scandal we have ever had in Swedish medicine," per the Washington Post, says the Nobel panel shouldn't award the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in October for two years and instead give the money to the families of Macchiarini's patients. (Vanity Fair says Macchiarini used "love, money, and the pope" to scam a news producer.)
(Newser)  "I loved my wife, but she deserved what she had coming," WRAL quotes Earl Valentine as saying in a chilling Facebook Live video early Tuesday. Authorities believe Valentine recorded the video while driving away from his ex-wife's house after shooting her and killing their 15-year-old son, the Washington Post reports. According to WNCN, Valentine allegedly kicked in the back door of Keisha Valentine's North Carolina home around 1:30am Tuesday. Police say he shot her, then their son, who died while on the phone with 911. Keisha Valentine is currently in critical condition. She and her son had moved cities to get away from her ex-husband; a restraining order against him expired in August.

Whats up everybody? I just killed my [expletive] wife, WNCN quotes Valentine as saying in the video. I dont feel no [expletive] remorse for what I did. Norlina police chief Taylor Bartholomew says police are "pretty angry" over Valentine's video. Ive been in law enforcement 20 years and Ive never seen anything like this this guy bragging about it on social media," he says. Valentine and Bartholomew have been speaking over the phone while Valentine is on the run. Bartholomew says Valentine planned to kill his in-laws and then himself, but his main concern has been whether or not Keisha Valentine is dead. Law enforcement is searching for Valentine across multiple states. (Read more murder stories.)
(Newser)  Donald Trump's new "pay to play" trouble continues to generate negative headlines for the candidate. On Wednesday, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway found herself fending off questions from George Stephanopoulos of ABC on whether her boss used a big political donation to sway Florida's attorney general into skipping an investigation into Trump University, reports Politico. Conway dismissed the allegations as a non-story and accused Hillary Clinton of being the real pay-to-play scoundrel. The issue surfaced earlier this week when the Washington Post reported that Trump had paid a $2,500 IRS fine for making an illegal $25,000 contribution to attorney general Pam Bondi's PAC in 2013. The donation violated federal tax regulations because it came from his charitable organization, the Trump Foundation.

The Trump campaign has called it more of a clerical error than anything else, but critics are pouncing at the timing: It came while Bondi was considering whether to join a multi-state investigation of Trump's real-estate program; she ultimately did not do so. It also flips a big narrative of the campaign: Trump has long accused Clinton of pay-to-play politics, and now he's under scrutiny for the same. Both the New York Times and the Miami Herald editorial pages are calling for a deeper investigation into the controversy. And the Times has a separate front-page news story that explores how the IRS fine "is only the latest slap of his wrist in a decades-long record of shattering political donation limits and circumventing the rules governing contributions and lobbying." (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
NASA is engaging the best industries and companies to help create the gear the agency needs to reach the red planet. But in a surprising twist, a teenager got the attention of NASA when his recommendation of the potential landing site for Mars 2020 rover was approved by the premiere space agency.

NASA called out for suggestions as to where their 2020 rover should land on Mars and Alex Longo, a high school student got his recommendation approved. Reports say that Longo's proposal was lauded by experts and is considered a favorite.

Alex Longo is an avid NASA and space enthusiast whose from Raliegh, North Carolina. He dreamt of going to space and on Mars. So it is not surprising that the student is adeptly knowledgeable about NASA's missions in deep space including Mars. Based on Longo's proposal, he said the lander should dock where NASA previously landed on the planet in 2004.

Longo prepared his proposal paper once he came upon the announcement that NASA is calling out for recommendations for the 2020 Mars landing. Not only will Longo's paper be the subject of NASA's planning, he was even invited to join in. "I saw that they were looking for abstracts from scientists to suggest landing sites. I decided, well, I'll write something up. I thought it was a dream or something. Alex Longo said in a statement. "So I just got up, walked away and a while later I came back and that email was still there. And I was like, 'Wow, I actually just got invited to go to a NASA conference!' How cool is that?" Longo added.

Longo identified the next landing site to be the Gusev Crater, the place where NASA's Spirit rover landed in 2004, according to NDTV. Longo already attended an important conference at the Lunar Planetary Institute in Oct. 2015 and he currently belongs to a group of NASA scientists who believe in the same idea, landing the 2020 rover in Gusev Crater.
As the popular TV and movie franchise Star Trek celebrates its 50th year, many are anticipating the involvement of the premiere space agency, NASA that evidently influenced the franchise. During the exhibition in honor of Star Trek's anniversary, NASA showcased some details on actual space exploration missions to Star Trek fans.

The "Star Trek: Mission" was conducted last weekend. The three-day convention commemorates Star Trek's 50th anniversary. Earlier this year, NASA already paid tribute to Star Trek in a press release describing how much Star Trek science is actually true.

NASA revealed that the famous enterprise is a real spacecraft, although it didn't have a chance to be flown. But during the inauguration of Enterprise, Star Trek developers were there together with the then-NASA chief to welcome the spacecraft.

"Generally, Star Trek is pretty intelligently written and more faithful to science than any other science fiction series ever shown on television," David Allen Batchelor of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center said in a statement. "Star Trek also attracts and excites generations of viewers about advanced science and engineering, and it's almost the only show that depicts scientists and engineers positively, as role models. So let's forgive the show for an occasional misconception in the service of an epic adventure," Batchelor added.

During the exhibit, Star Trek stars also commemorated the long-standing popularity of the franchise. "Star Trek' is all about the community and the fans are a real important part of that. I'm a fan and if I wasn't on this side of the table I would probably be on that side," actor LeVar Burton who played Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge said in a statement.

The son of the late and iconic Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy, Adam, was present during the event. Adam shared details about his new documentary "For the Love of Spock" in honor of his father's Star Trek character.

The Comic-con promoter, ReedPop organized the exhibit, according to The Guardian. It was a haven for all things Star Trek from costumes, to cast reunions to demonstrations of virtual reality games and to the real-life space exploration panels conducted by NASA officials.
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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves on Wednesday for Laos on a two-day visit to attend the annual India-ASEAN and East Asia summits. In Vientiane, the capital of Laos, PM Modi will attend the 14th ASEAN-India Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit.

The Summits will be attended by Heads of State of the 10 ASEAN and 18 East Asia Summit Participating Countries.

Asean India Summit will play an important role in boosting India's 'Act-East Policy'. At the 14th ASEAN-India Summit, ASEAN Leaders will review ASEAN-India cooperation and discuss its future direction.

Sharing his visit on social messaging site Facebook, PM Modi said, Our strategic partnership with ASEAN is also important for safeguarding and promoting our security interests and countering traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region,.

He also added that East Asia Summit is the premier forum for discussions on the challenges and opportunities before the Asia Pacific region.

During the visit, he said he will also have the opportunity to interact with the leaders of participating countries to discuss bilateral issues of mutual concern.

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New Delhi :

Delhi Police conducted raids at brothels in GB Road here. After the Crime Branch arrested a couple and six others for running the biggest trafficking and prostitution racket in the area last week, the district police conducted raids at various brothels Tuesday evening, police sources said.

Delhi Police Crime Branch had slapped the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against those who were arrested, the first such case in GB Road.

It was revealed that the girls who were pushed into prostitution were kept in bad condition.

They were starved, locked in while their family members kept searching for them, Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (Crime), had said.

Currently the Crime Branch is making efforts to find places apart from GB Road from where the racket was being operated from, said a senior police officer.

In this regard, they recovered a car, three licensed weapons that were used to threaten girls. The police also found a hostel in Okhla from where the racket was being run, added the officer.

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Islamabad:

Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday described Kashmir as Pakistans jugular vein and said Islamabad will continue to support the people of the Valley on the diplomatic and ethical fronts.



We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Kashmir for their right of self-determination. The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts, said the chief of army staff, addressing a ceremony held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi to mark the countrys Defence Day.



General Raheel said Kashmir was Pakistans jugular vein and praised people of the Valley for rendering innumerable sacrifices.



The army chief asserted that the defence of Pakistan is invincible.



I want to make it clear to all the enemies that the defence of Pakistan already strong but now it has become invincible, he was quoted as saying by a news paper.



On the challenges the country is facing, he said: I want to make it clear that we are fully aware of all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of our enemies. Be the challenge military or diplomatic; on the borders or within the cities, we know our friends and foes all too well.



On Pakistans ties with China, the army chief said the greatest example of a relationship based on mutual respect and principle of equality in the region is the Pak-China friendship.



China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the paramount evidence of this relationship. I would like to assure that we shall not allow any external force to obstruct it and any such attempt will be dealt with iron hands, he said.



General Raheel said the Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists had achieved its objectives to confront terror, saying the armed forced will go to any limit to ensure Pakistans security.



He praised the military, police and other law enforcement agencies for their utmost efforts to establish law and order in the country.



There is a need to implement the National Action Plan and break the nexus between corruption and terrorism to fully consolidate the successes of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the entire country, he added.

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Pune:

A group of inmates from the Yerawada Central Jail in Pune on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to the authorities seeking relaxation in rules which bar those convicted for rape, murder and dacoity from getting regular parole.



There are few prisoners, who are serving jail sentence for rape, rape with murder and today they submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Maharashtra government and sought relaxation in the recent amendment by the state government, said U T Pawar, Superintendent, Yerawada Central Jail.



Pawar, however, rubbished reports of over 100 prisoners going on strike since this morning protesting the new amendment.



They have just submitted a memorandum and sought relaxation in the notification and informed us that if the state government does not blink, they will resort to indefinite hunger strike, he added.



A jail officer said some prisoners refused to have meal, however, they had lunch after the authorities convinced them.



As per the recent notification by Maharashtra government, convicts serving jail sentence for rape, rape and murder and dacoity will not be eligible for regular parole.



The stringent norms were enforced after a convict, in a murder case of Mumbai-based lawyer, who was serving imprisonment in Nashik jail, jumped parole.



As per the amended rules, a person whose appeal of conviction in a higher court or any other cases filed against him either by central or state governments in any of the courts are pending and for which bail has not been granted by the related courts, will not be eligible for furlough.

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New Delhi:

Amid protests across the state, Karnataka on Wednesday started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu after the Supreme Court's directive asking it to release 15,000 cusecs per day to the neighbouring state for ten days.

"Karnataka has started releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu to obey the Supreme Court directive asking the state government to release 15,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for ten days," a state water resources ministry official told PTI in Bengaluru.

(Read More: Cauvery water row: Agitated farmers block Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway)

Meanwhile, protesters have intensified their agitation in Mandya and other parts of the state blocking several roads and forcing schools and colleges to shut down.

Live Coverage of protests in Karnataka-



Cauvery river water issue: Farmer attempts suicide by jumping into a canal in Mandya, rushed to hospital #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/aByASRLYt0  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Cauvery river water issue: Farmer attempts suicide by jumping into a canal in Mandya, rushed to hospital #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/aByASRLYt0  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Cauvery water issue: Karnataka Rakshana Vedike stages protest at Mysore Bank Circle (Bengaluru). pic.twitter.com/bTapxDk0Oe  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Cauvery water issue: Buses and trucks from TN heading to Karnataka stopped at Hosur border. pic.twitter.com/hKyUbvfpqx  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Bengaluru: Karnataka Rakshana Vedike stages protest at Mysore Bank Circle against release of Cauvery water to TN. pic.twitter.com/ohI7rbZ0g8  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Farmers in Mandya (Karnataka) protest against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/Or26lP62CC  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Farmers in Mandya (Karnataka) protest against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/WGuK8yW9xY  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Mandya (Karnataka): Protesters block road near Sanjay Circle, protesting over cauvery river water issue. pic.twitter.com/M9aED8j3Bo  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Mandya (6/9/2016): Karnataka begins release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu; farmers hold protest against the release pic.twitter.com/qpgodpVfbO  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

Complying with the Supreme Court direction, the Karnataka government on Tuesday decided to release water despite "severe hardships."

The court order directed an immediate backlash with agitated farmers and activists belonging to pro-Kannada outfits blocking the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway.

What happened on Tuesday

Mandya district, the nucleus of Cauvery politics, saw a bandh on Tuesday with protesters holding road blockades and dharnas at several places, as hundreds of security personnel -- including central forces -- were deployed in the Cauvery belt to maintain law and order.

"Despite severe hardships faced by the government of Karnataka, the state will release water as directed by the Supreme Court," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had told reporters after nearly a three-hour long all-party meeting convened by him here, on Tuesday.

Siddaramaiah had also said government would approach the Supreme Court with a modification petition, explaining its difficulties in implementing its order.

(Read More: Complying SC order, Karanataka to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu: CM Siddaramaiah)



Noting that the 'samba' crops in Tamil Nadu would be adversely affected, an apex court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit directed Karnataka to ensure supply of water to Tamil Nadu.

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New Delhi:

Apple is all set launch its brand new smartphone on Wednesday. The company will be hosting the event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.



It is expected that the company will come up with three new devices  iPhone 7, iPhone 7 plus and iPhone 7 pro.



A new version of Apple watch is also expected but it is still not clear whether the company will call it Apple Watch 2 or give it another name.



New version of Apple Mac Book is also in the line-up for the event.



The event will be live streamed on Apples official website at 10.00 PDT or Pacific Time, which is around 10.30 pm IST for the fans in India.



All the apple users can watch the event live on their Safari browser automatically if the device is running on iOS 7.0 or later.



According to rumours, Apple is expected to ditch the 16GB iPhone and the 64GB phone; instead the new iPhone will come in 32,128, and 256GB versions. The new devices will be price bracketed between Rs 50,000 to Rs 70,000.

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New York:

World No 1 Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Barbara Strycova were ousted from the womens doubles event after losing to top seeds Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic in straight sets in the quarter-final of the US Open.

The French pair of Garcia and Mladenovic won 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 in only 69 minutes to end the Indian challenge at the Flushing Meadows.

The other Indian starts in the fray, Rohan Bopanna, Leander Paes and Saketh Myneni have all lost their respective matches in the earlier rounds.

Both pairs traded a break each in the first set after which they held their respective serves to take the set to the tie-breaker.

The seventh seeded Indo-Czech pair Mirza and Strycova lost serve in mini-service break as they conceded the first set 7-6 in 45 minutes.

The second set was a virtual cakewalk for the French girls as they broke the opposition serve twice to open up an unassailable 5-0 lead before finishing the match at 6-1.
Jaipur:

In a shocking incident, a Dalit man was stripped and beaten by locals in Dausa city, Rajasthan. He was tied with a rope and was paraded in the village with a shoe garland on him.



The incident got more barbaric when cops refused to file a FIR by the victim man. Both police inspector and ASP ignored his request.



The man has been identified as Mangalram, who has been given such a cruel punishment for indulging in talks with a village girl.



It has been learnt that he was warned several times by the village Panchayat to maintain distance from the girl.

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New Delhi:

In a major jolt to music composer Vishal Dadlani, Supreme Court has refused to protect him from arrest for making derogatory remarks against Jain monk Tarun Sagar.



Supreme Court has asked Vishal Dadlani to approach Bombay High Court for the same.



On Monday, Dadlani was booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with his sarcastic tweet on Jain monk Tarun Sagar.



Ambala Cantt police registered a case against Dadlani even as Jain community members staged a protest outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals residence in the national capital, demanding the immediate arrest of the composer.



Dadlani came under sharp criticism from several quarters including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his sarcastic tweet on Sagars address in the Haryana Assembly. After a barrage of criticism, Dadlani had tendered an apology for his tweet and also deleted it.



He also apologised to the Jain monk on Twitter. Dadlani, a staunch AAP supporter, yesterday also announced quitting all active political work but maintained it was his own decision to quit the party.



I feel some people are doing politics over it, the issue should be ended now. (Congress man) Tehsin Poonawala who commented against Maharaj-ji has not even apologised and none of his partys leaders, including Soniaji and Rahul Gandhi, have expressed regret over it. The matter should be kept away from politics, Jain told reporters in Chandigarh.

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New Delhi :

Hitting out at Lt Governor Najeeb Jung for seeking details of foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said such visits by his party ministers are comparatively less than that of their counterparts in other parts of the country.

Wondering since when the Lt Governor has started scanning ministers foreign tours, he dared Jung to also seek such details of Prime Minister Narendra Modis foreign visits.

Last week, the Lt Governor had directed General Administration Department of the Delhi government to provide details of all foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, their personal staff and other officials in the last 18 months.

Besides the duration of the stay and the expenditure incurred on foreign trips, the Lt Governors office had also sought details of the purpose of the visits.

Has he (Jung) also asked for details of foreign tours of Prime Minister? Since when has he started checking ministers foreign tours?

Foreign tours are undertaken by AAP ministers for only official purpose after the governments approval. We have travelled very less comparatively in the entire country. If we go abroad for personal purpose, we spend our money, Jain, who is considered close to the Delhi CM, said.

Government officials said Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Jain have travelled abroad four times each on government expenditure. Labour Minister Gopal Rai, along with Jain, had been to Sweden on a five day-knowledge trip.

Officials, however, clarified that sacked minister Sandeep Kumar had travelled to the US with family privately.

Yesterday, Kejriwal and Jain returned from Vatican City, where they had gone to attDelhi min hits out at LG for seeking details of foreign tours.

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New Delhi:

India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to lodge a strong protest over the discourtesy shown to Indias envoy to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale.

Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned today to the Ministry of External Affairs and conveyed the concern of Government of India by Secretary (West) (Sujata Mehta) on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Basit was conveyed Indias view on the discourtesy towards Bambawale by Karachi Chamber of Commerce that cancelled an event at the last minute. Bambawale was scheduled to speak at the event, invite for which was received and accepted by him a couple of weeks ago.

He (Basit) was also conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance, Swarup said.

Bambawale, who was on his first visit to Karachi after assuming charge in January this year, was told about the cancellation just half an hour before the event.

The organisers did not give a reason immediately for the cancellation. However, the Indian officials felt that Bambawales comments on Monday on Pakistans interference in Kashmir which was Indias internal matter had rattled the Pakistani authorities, prompting a cancellation.

During an interactive session organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Bambawale had taken a swipe at Pakistan over its interference in Kashmir, saying people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.

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Lucknow:

BJP on Wednesday held protest against controversial minister Azam Khan for his "objectionable" statement against Bhim Rao Ambedkar dubbing the Constitution maker as someone who grabs land.

In his address at the inauguration of Haj House in Ghaziabad on Monday, Khan without naming Ambedkar had said, "All across Uttar Pradesh, there are statues of a person whose finger seems to say that not only does it own the plot of land on which it is standing, but also the plot towards which it is pointing its finger."

"The BJP held protests in the state capital and the similar protests were also stagged across the state," Uttar Pradesh BJP President Keshav Prasad Maurya said. A BJP delegation led by Maurya handed over a memorandum to Governor Ram Naik at Rajbhawan demanding Khan's dismissal from the cabinet for "hurting sentiments" by making "derogatory remarks" against Ambedkar.

"We request to make such an arrangement that those making such statements against great persons should be brought to book irrespective of their stature," he said. Maurya also attacked the Opposition parties for being silent over the remarks.

"The silence of BSP proves that it is hand-in-gloves with the ruling SP and Congress. BSP has not initiated any action against Naseemuddin Siddiqui for derogatory remarks against women and also not sent any representative for Kashmir talks. This shows the way in which the party is running,"

Maurya said. Maurya alleged that BJP district president and other workers were injured in the lathicharge by police on protestors in Lucknow. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena threatened to hold a 'mahapanchayat' on the issue which will be attended by people from 150 villages if Khan does not tender an apology. UPNS chief Amit Jani said if Khan does not apologise for the remarks against Ambedkar, a mahapanchayat will be called on September 25th.

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Bhadohi:

Congress chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday asserted that she is now a Brahmin as she married into a Brahmin family, in a counter to Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh's remark describing her as Punjabi.

She said a woman is known through the family she is married into and she is Brahmin as she married a Brahmin person. "Amar Singh should know this fact. I am now a Brahmin," she said.



Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP, in a statement to a private news channel had stated that Dikshit is not Brahmin but a Punjabi who married into a Brahmin family.



Dikshit, a prominent Brahmin face of Congress, was chief minister of Delhi for three terms and is being projected by the party as the chief ministerial candidate for the Assembly elections in Uttar Padesh slated to be held early next year.



The Congress leader who arrived here for a "27 saal UP Behal" yatra also lashed out at the separatists in Kashmir for "attempting to divide the country" and called upon the government to resolve the situation in the Valley at the earliest.

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Washington:

A search of thousands of emails recovered during the FBIs investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server has produced one previously unreleased message related to the 2012 attack on a US diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.

The message forwarded to Clinton in January 2013 was from Tom Shannon, then US ambassador to Brazil.

The ambassador congratulated Clinton on her testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations committee about the attack, during which four Americans died.

The email was filed in court by the State Department today as part of a lawsuit by a conservative legal advocacy group.

Judicial Watch has filed numerous lawsuits seeking government documents involving the Democratic presidential nominees tenure as secretary of state.

The FBI recovered nearly 15,000 emails as part of its recently closed investigation that it said were not among the 55,000 pages previously provided by Clinton.

She and her lawyers deleted thousands of additional emails that were described as personal and private. Some emails Clinton didnt turn over but were recovered by the FBI from other peoples accounts were work-related.

The State Department said in court last week it had identified about 30 emails from the FBI haul that were potentially responsive to Judicial Watchs request for messages related to the Benghazi attack.

But after further review, the department said in its latest court filing that all but one of those were duplicative of emails already made public.

Shannons email was addressed to Clintons then-chief of staff, Cheryl Mills, who then forwarded it on to Clintons private email address.

I watched with great admiration as she dealt with a tough and personally painful issue in a fair, candid, and determined manner, Shannon wrote of Clintons Senate testimony.

I was especially impressed by her ability to turn aside the obvious efforts to politicize the events in Benghazi, reminding Americans of the tremendous sacrifice made by (US ambassador to Libya) Chris Stevens and his colleagues but also insisting that our ability to play a positive role in the world and protect US interests requires a willingness to take risks.

The innocuous nature of the new Benghazi email is a setback for Republicans in Congress, who have spent years and millions in taxpayer funds on multiple investigations searching for evidence to support their claim that Clinton was negligent in her handling of the Benghazi incident.

The email also does not support the supposition that Clinton and her lawyers deleted emails about Benghazi to hide evidence of wrongdoing.

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Moscow:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart John Kerry will meet on September 8-9 in Geneva to try to hammer out a deal on cooperation in Syria, Moscow said on Wednesday.

The two top diplomats agreed to a personal meeting after working on the remaining details for an agreement on fighting jihadists and pushing forward the peace process in the war-torn country in a phone call, a foreign ministry statement said.

Russia and the US, on opposite sides in the five-year conflict in Syria, have been trying to thrash out a deal in recent weeks to revive a ceasefire on the ground and coordinate strikes against the Islamic State group and other jihadists.

Presidents Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama held talks Monday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China but failed to bridge their differences.

Russia is flying a bombing campaign in support of strongman leader Bashar al-Assad, while the United States backs rebels groups fighting to oust him from power.

Lavrov also slammed new US sanctions slapped on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine insisting that it hampered joint efforts by the two sides including those aimed at resolving regional conflicts, the statement said.

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NEW MILFORD  James Noonan has been working at nursing homes, in one capacity or another, since he was 7 years old.

My grandmother was a cook at a nursing home in the Bronx and I used to help pass out ice cream to residents, Noonan said.

Noonan, now 39, is the new director of Village Crest Center for Health and Rehabilitation in New Milford. He started this summer, having previously worked at Salem Hills and Waterview Hills in Purdys, N.Y.

The new leadership is not the only major change going on at Village Crest, a 95-bed short- and long-term health facility. The facility is also undergoing a $1 million renovation that will include a new roof, windows and elevators.

It will basically be a brand-new building, he said.

Noonan has broader visions for Village Crest beyond the current renovation.

I would like to see the fourth floor more of an Alzheimers unit and the second and third floors more sub-acute care, he said. This should be the next best thing to being home.

It is a new role for Noonan as he started his professional career in health rehabilitation in the kitchen washing dishes and worked his way up to his current position. He said starting in the kitchen gives him a unique perspective on leadership.

My management style is different, he said. I ask employees for their input because they are the ones doing the job every day. We have a great staff here. Im lucky.

Village Crest Center for Health and Rehabilitation is owned by National Health Care, which has 10 centers in Connecticut. Bethel Health Care Center is also part of National Health Care.

While working in Westchester County, Noonan started and is the administrator of the Transitional Care Unit at Northern Westchester Hospital. The unit offers short-term skilled nursing and rehabilitative care to patients after they have been released by Northern Westchester Hospital.

Although he lives in New Milford, he continues to run the transitional unit in Westchester.

Its my baby, he said. I started it and it helps to keep my New York credentials.

Despite his occasional trip to New York, Noonan said he is committed to New Milford and looks forward to making the facility more community-minded.

I live here myself so its important that we reach out more to the community, Noonan said. We get a lot of referrals from the community and we have a big presence here.

Wendy Mutter, Village Crests new director of admissions, agrees.

Well be more visible and more supportive of the community, she said.

cbosak@hearstmediact.com; (203) 731-3338
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DANBURY  The driver of a car that crashed after fleeing from police early Saturday, killing himself and two passengers, was on parole.

Officials with the state Department of Correction confirmed Raymond Rivera, 31, was released from prison in January and was serving his parole at a halfway house when police tried to stop the Nissan Maxima he was driving near the New York line and heading toward Danbury.

A New York State Police officer said he saw the car swerve over the center line about three-quarters of a mile from the state line, near Kass Bar and Restaurant in Brewster, N.Y.

The officer tried to pull the car over, believing the driver was intoxicated.

The officer slowed his vehicle after crossing into Connecticut, but the driver accellerated and slammed into a light post, killing himself and two male passengers. Two women riding in the car were taken to Danbury Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Rivera had been sentenced in 2009 to 13 years in prison on assault charges in connection with a fight a year earlier in front of the Food Bag on Main Street, records show. Police said then Rivera was one of four men who attacked a 20-year-old victim, hitting the man with a 40-ounce beer bottle and beating and kicking him before fleeing in a white SUV.

Rivera had four felony convictions for burglary, larceny, attempted robbery and violation of probation, court records state.

Others killed were Waner Nunez, 29, and Nelson Osegueda, 36. A source familiar with the case said Osegueda met the others at the bar and asked for a ride home.

Liz Squillacote, controller for GDS Contracting, the construction company that employed Osegueda for the past three years, said he was a hard-working man who quickly became a leader among his colleagues. She said he was married with several children and another on the way.

Its just so tragic, knowing that his wife is expecting a baby any day now, Squilllacote said. He was the kind of guy that people would go to when they needed answers.

Rich Machaud, who works with the construction company, said Rivera left work Friday and went out with co-workers.

We dont know too much at this point, except that he went out with some friends from work, but they went their separate ways, he said. They didnt go with him to his last stop.

Machaud said Oseguedas co-workers have been collecting donations for his family.

A GoFundMe account for Riveras family has been established and as of Tuesday afternoon, about $2,000 had been donated.

The two women in the car  Beatriz Grajales, 34 and Elena Albarran, 23, both of Danbury, are recovering.

dperrefort@newstimes.com
WASHINGTON  The states decision to pull funding this year from Region 12s planned Ag-STEM campus at Shepaug Valley High School has emboldened a group of residents who have long opposed the project.

At a recent Board of Education meeting, there wasnt much Ag-STEM on the agenda, just an update planned on the status of architectural tweaks. But Ag-STEM was discussed at length thanks to the boards public comment period.

About a dozen residents of Washington, Bridgewater and Roxbury were on hand to criticize the board for sticking with the project. They had made Freedom of Information Act requests, and armed with emails between board members, the superintendent, and an adviser the region had hired, they made a case that the board had been disingenuous several times in an attempt to keep the Ag-STEM project on track.

They handed out what they said were flawed prospective enrollment numbers, and emails between board members that they said showed conflicts of interest.

Public comment went on for 45 minutes, and it wasnt over even after it had finished. Some members of the audience shouted interruptions as the board meeting proceeded.

On the board, several members appeared to be holding back. They sat, arms crossed, lips pursed, through what turned into a two-hour meeting.

The next step in the Ag-STEM project, was a now-canceled Building Committee meeting that would have decided how to spend up to $30,000 on design firm Kaestle Boos Associates in the hopes of physically shrinking the proposed campus.

The project must be smaller because the states Department of Administrative Services told the board that its initial schematics called for too much space per student, board members have said.

Board members said theyre unsure if the complaint from the state had to do with the actual size of the buildings, or if there was a misunderstanding over the room required to house agricultural operations vs. traditional classrooms.

Kosta Diamantis, who oversees school construction grants for the state, has said his office is fully aware of the needs of an Ag-STEM school.

Spacial needs for agricultural areas have been accounted for, he said. The issue, he added, is likely a projected enrollment discrepancy between when the project started being planned, and now.

Abbe Smith, a spokesperson for the state Department of Education, said the department is currently working with Region 12 to find a more realistic enrollment projection.

The department and the region are engaging in discussions about how to scale back the project to match the lower projected enrollment, Smith said in an email.

At the most recent BOE meeting, though, board members said they are still unsure if the downsizing issue is truly enrollment-related.

Before May, and the states stop-order on funding, the state had no issues with the initial build schematics, board members have said.

Then the state delayed a $29 million bond issue that would have paid for much of the $39.5 million project, which passed by more than a 2-to-1 margin in a November 2015 referendum.

Board Chairman James Hirschfield told the crowd last Monday that, regardless of his position on the board  and regardless of what commenters thought the board had done wrong  those pushing for Ag-STEM arent the enemy. Theyre just trying to help the region, he said.

We are trying to find a way to help it survive, Hirschfield said Monday.

blytton@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3411; @bglytton
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NEW MILFORD  Concerns about the cost to renovate the former John Pettibone School to make it suitable for new occupants and where the money will come from were the focus of Tuesdays Board of Education facilities committee meeting.

Some board members said Mayor David Gronbachs estimate of $100,000 to $200,000 to renovate Pettibone, where he plans to move several town departments and the school districts central office, was too low. Members also worried the money to renovate the building and move the office would come from the school budget, which they said was already bare bones.

Someone has got to pay for it, said board member Angela Chastain. Money is not just going to fall from a tree.

Gronbach told the board the town would research different financing options. Some suggestions were to borrow money, pull from other town funds, use revenue from nonprofits that would rent rooms at the building, or use some of the proceeds from the proposed sale of the East Street building, where the central office is located now.

He said it made sense to move the offices to a central, more accessible location, and sell the East Street building, which is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He said this would also allow the building to rejoin the towns tax rolls under private ownership. He said a condition of the sale would be the preservation of the buildings stained glass and murals, either as part of the building or separate if the buyer decides to demolish it.

Board member Bill Dahl said many towns across the country are trying to find new uses for recently closed schools, and that many are turning them into community schools, which offer adult classes and other youth programs. He said this could be a good use for Pettibone, too.

Board Chairman David Lawson agreed. He said he was worried the idea would be overshadowed by cost discussions.

We havent talked about the benefits, and I think thats an incredibly critical part of the conversation, he said.

The preliminary plan is to move the school offices to the back wing of the building. Members of the facilities committee will meet with the superintendent and the schools facilities manager to create a plan for what they want the wing to look like, security features and cost.

Gronbach is also in the process of determining how much it will cost to move some town departments to the building. He doesnt have a set timeframe, but would like it done sooner rather than later.

Its a process, Gronbach said. No one is going to be evicted.

While Gronbach has shared his plan to relocate several town departments and the schools central office to Pettibone for months, Tuesdays conversation at the Board of Educations facilities committee meeting was the first time he formally presented it to the Board of Education.

Wendy Faulenbach, a board member, said she didnt mind relocating to Pettibone, but disagreed with Gronbachs handling of the situation and asked for more collaboration in the future.

Some members of the public questioned the timing of the plan, and said it was more about Gronbach trying to fulfill a campaign promise than for the good of the town. Several residents said they wanted to have the plan, with costs explained, go to residents for a townwide vote.

kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345; @kkoerting
It goes by different names; brush lots, shrub land, young forest, early succession forest, dog hair lots.

It used to be what covered much of the state, as farmers abandoned cleared fields and let them grow back to woods. But now its going away. Theres some agricultural land left. But most of the state is mature forest, or developed land.

That means a host of living things - birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and amphibians - that depend on that brushy land are going away as well.

There are a lot of species that depend on this habitat, said Patrick Comins, director of bird conservation for Audubon Connecticut.

There is now an ambitious attempt to protect this land in Connecticut and five other states - New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine: the proposed Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge.

If the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approves the plan, it will create refuge land in all six states. The proposals website is at: https://www.fws.gov/northeast/refuges/planning/lpp/greatthicketLPP.html

Much of it is coastal shrub land that run from Maine to Rhode Island and the southeast corner of Connecticut.

But there is an inland parcel that borders Sherman and Kent in New York, then crosses the state line into Sharon - a focus area of more than 35,700 acres. Over the years, the service - which would manage the refuge - hopes to preserve about 2,000 acres of this land.

The majority of it is already mature forest. But the focus area also includes more than 8,000 acres of farmland. If some of it is preserved, and managed, it could grow back to brush.

I think its a great idea, said Rick Jacobson, director of wildlife for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. I think its absolutely wonderful.

Anything that strengthens conservation in this area and brings the public focus on it is a good thing, said Tim Abbott, director of the Housatonic Valley Associations Greenprint initiative.

If created, the refuge would be the third in the state, along with the 1000-acre Stewart McKinney National Wildlife Refuge along the Long Island Sound and the Silvio Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, which involves 36,000 acres along the Connecticut River in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Like the Silvio Conte refuge, the Great Thicket refuge would be a multi-state undertaking. But rather than focusing on a specific geographical feature, like the Connecticut River, this would focus of a specific type of habitat.

It is a little bit of a different concept, said Beth Goldstein, a natural resources planner for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The proposal is an evolution of the work on habitat restoration the six states did to reverse the serious decline in the New England cottontail, the native rabbit species in the region and one that needs brushy land as its breeding ground.

Because of the success of that program, Jacobson said, the federal fish and wildlife service eased off on its plan to have the cottontail listed as a federally threatened or endangered species.

At the same time, Goldstein said, that work increased conservationists concerns that other creatures need this habitat as well.

Theres a whole suite of species, she said.

Comins said there are several birds in the state - blue-winged warblers, golden-winged warblers, yellow-breasted chats _ that specifically need this shrub habitat for nesting. The state is a crucial place for them, he said.

Connecticut is a globally-significant location for blue-winged warblers, he said.

Sean Grace, director of the Sharon Audubon Center - part of Audubon Connecticut - said these brush lots are often called dog hair lots because the young trees grow in them as thick as the hair on the back of a dog.

You cant walk through them, you cant see through them, he said.

But they have lots of insect life, which means lots of food for birds. The dense growth also protects young, recently-fledged birds that havent quite learned their way around.

For birds, the first year of life is very significant, he said.

The national wildlife refuge would also add to the informal, but existing greenway in Northwest Connecticut that runs from Kent up into Sharon and Salisbury.

Abbot of the HVA said if there is this caveat: if people let open land grow back to woods,, they have to manage it to keep it brushy.

They arent static, he said of these evolving fields. They succeed.

Contact Robert Miller at earthmattersrgm@gmail.com
Atlantic universities partner to create Ocean Frontier Institute

HALIFAX, Sept. 6, 2016 /CNW/ - The Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI), led by Dalhousie University, represents a historic partnership with Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of Prince Edward Island. It will be one of the world's most significant international ocean science collaborations. OFI will focus on the globally significant Northwest Atlantic and Canadian Arctic gateway. With this investment, Canada is now a world leader in ocean science.

OFI is built on world-class Canadian university expertise of Dalhousie, Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of Prince Edward Island, together with eight international partners including four of the top five ocean institutes in the world as well as partners in the Government of Canada's federal laboratories, the Royal Canadian Navy, the National Film Board of Canada and national and international industry.

Today, Minister Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board, announced $94 million in funding through the Government of Canada's Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) to support the Ocean Frontier Institute, the largest grant in the history of the three Canadian partner universities. OFI has also attracted an additional $125 million in support from provincial governments and partners, including a gift of $25 million from Mr. John Risley, prominent business leader, entrepreneur and philanthropist. This massive total investment of $220 million dollars is unprecedented in Canada's ocean science sector.

OFI's innovative research program is focused on understanding key aspects of ocean and ecosystem change; delivering ocean data science and technology tools to policy-makers, scientists and industry; and developing safe and sustainable solutions for ocean development. The Northwest Atlantic is one of the few places on earth where ocean changes are happening first and happening fastest, making it an epicenter of international scientific interest.

The OFI will provide the scientific, technological and human capacity to advance Canada's ocean research leadership. OFI research will foster innovations related to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture to support transformation of those industries, as well as the development of disruptive ocean technologies (innovations creating new markets and value markets) and data solutions to support Canada's growing ocean tech industry. OFI's innovative research program is focused on understanding key aspects of ocean and ecosystem change and developing strategic and effective solutions that can apply both locally and globally.

Through linkages with organizations like the National Research Council of Canada's Ocean Technology Enterprise Centre and Memorial University's Marine Institute in St. John's, and the Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship (COVE) in Halifax, OFI will help develop a nexus of high quality marine industries.

The institute will attract and retain world-leading research talent to Canada, and advance the region's position as a center of ocean-related teaching and learning. The research developed through OFI will allow Canada to optimize opportunities and minimize the economic and environmental risks in the expanding ocean economy.

The OFI's headquarters will be located at Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an additional centre located at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Find more on the Ocean Frontier Institute here.

Quotes:

"Today's investment ensures Canadian institutions, experts and researchers are able to compete and excel globally. The projects funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, including the Safe and Sustainable Development of the Ocean Frontier, will transform the post-secondary research conducted on several of our Atlantic campuses and pave the way for exciting new discoveries."

The Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board

"Through the Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI), Dalhousie is bringing together the best in Atlantic Canada and the world to understand and sustain an ocean that is changing at an unprecedented rate. Led by Dal, OFI will be one of the world's most significant international ocean science collaborations, creating opportunities for our students, scholars and partners to advance knowledge on a topic of regional and global importance."

Dr. Richard Florizone, President, Dalhousie University

"Today marks a truly unprecedented era in research innovation at Memorial as our university moves from world class to world leader, engaging with global partners on solutions for safe and sustainable ocean development. This shared federal investment with Dalhousie and the University of Prince Edward Island will boost our partnership's unmatched research strengths relating to oceans, including offshore fisheries, aquaculture and sustainable coastal communities."

Dr. Gary Kachanoski, President and Vice-Chancellor, Memorial University.

"This research comes at a critical time for our planet and its oceans. We're proud that UPEI and the Atlantic Veterinary College can bring our unique expertise in aquaculture and marine disease control and prevention to this unprecedented partnership. Together, we can help ensure healthy fish in a healthy environment, and nurture a sustainable source of quality protein for future generations."

Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President of the University of Prince Edward Island

"Nova Scotia is home to groundbreaking oceans research and some of the world's best ocean technology companies. The Ocean Frontier Institute is a key example of the kind of collaboration we need. This, coupled with the recent investment in COVE, will elevate Nova Scotia's ocean science presence to the world stage and help us capitalize on our ocean advantage."

Minister Kelly Regan, Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education

"I am simply thrilled to be a part of this initiative. I have nothing but praise for Martha Crago, Vice-President of Research at Dalhousie and the whole Dal team, they are heroes for getting us this far. We also owe huge thanks to Minister Brison for convincing his cabinet colleagues this project was worthy of such generous Federal support. It is enormously important the community appreciate the extent to which the Institute has and will bring together so many partners across the Atlantic Canadian scene. I have every confidence the OFI can become an engine for regional economic growth and firmly establish us as global leaders in ocean science."

Mr. John Risley, Business leader, entrepreneur and philanthropist

SOURCE Dalhousie University

Image with caption: "Logo: Ocean Frontier Institute (CNW Group/Dalhousie University)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160906_C4759_PHOTO_EN_765538.jpg

For further information: Janet Bryson, Senior Communications Manager, Dalhousie University, [email protected], 902-494-1269, 902-222-9379 (cell); David Sorensen, Manager, Communications, Memorial University of Newfoundland, [email protected], (709) 864-2143, (709) 685-7134 (cell); Dave Atkinson, Research Communications, University of Prince Edward Island, [email protected], (902) 620-5117, (902) 388-0062 (cell)
Company Reports Fifth Consecutive Quarter of Positive System Sales and Same Restaurant Sales Growth, and Continued Growth in Operating EBITDA of 13%

MONTREAL, Sept. 7, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Imvescor Restaurant Group Inc. ("IRG" or the "Company") (TSX: IRG), a leading franchisor of restaurants operating 223 locations in Eastern Canada, reported financial results today for the 13 weeks ended July 31, 2016 ("Q3 2016"). This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company's management discussion and analysis and financial statements for Q3 2016 which are available on the Company's website at www.imvescor.ca/investor-relations and have been posted on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

"The third quarter of fiscal 2016 was once again demonstrative of the ongoing success of our strategic focus on the four pillars of our business (Quality of Food, Quality of Service, Value and Ambience), " said Frank Hennessey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Imvescor Restaurant Group Inc. "We delivered our fifth consecutive quarter of positive year-over-year growth in System Sales and Same Restaurant Sales at 3.2% and 1.2% respectively, and our highest Operating EBITDA since the initiation of our strategic plan. Our steady progress coupled with top line growth contributed to a 13% year-over-year increase in Operating EBITDA. We achieved this growth in the context of 3% fewer operating weeks, in part due to planned restaurant closures as part of the Restaurant Rejuvenation Plan (the "RRP") and the closure of underperforming locations", added Frank Hennessey.

"Since announcing our strategic plan in April 2015, we have made progress  progress that is having a positive impact on all stakeholders. We increased by 12.5% the return to capital to shareholders by way of dividend in January 2016. Our RRP, which was purposely muted over the busy summer months, has seen 20 renovations completed to date with 15 more planned for this year," commented Frank Hennessey.

Q3 2016 Financial and Operational Highlights

(All comparable figures are to third quarter 2015 ("Q3 2015") unless otherwise specified.

System Sales grew 3.2% to $99.8 million , partly from Same Restaurant Sales (" SRS ") growth of 1.2%, and furthered by the increase in sales from new restaurants and restaurants temporarily closed and reopened under the RRP.

, partly from Same Restaurant Sales (" ") growth of 1.2%, and furthered by the increase in sales from new restaurants and restaurants temporarily closed and reopened under the RRP. SRS grew 1.2% from Q3 2015 which is consistent with the growth achieved in Q3 2015. The positive impact of the RRP on the SRS was offset by the related temporary closures due to the renovations, positive SRS from the third quarter of 2015 and other macro-economic factors in the Atlantic Provinces.

Revenue increased 19%, partly from the Company temporarily taking over the operations of the manufacturer of certain Trattoria di Mikes licensed retail products, as well as the System Sales growth of 3.2% and increased retail promotional activities.

Operating expenses increased 21% versus Q3 2015, of which 12% was due to the temporary manufacture of certain Trattoria di Mikes licensed retail products and 5% due to the additional company-owned restaurant purchased and operated during the quarter. The remaining increase mainly related to increased corporate costs for stock based compensation, largely as a result of the increase in the Company's share price in the quarter, and public company expenses.

EBITDA of $4.6 million increased by 11% over Q3 2015 and stemmed from the 19% increase in revenue, partially offset by the increase in operating expenses.

increased by 11% over Q3 2015 and stemmed from the 19% increase in revenue, partially offset by the increase in operating expenses. Operating EBITDA increased 13% to $4.8 million in Q3 2016 versus $4.3 million in Q3 2015. Notably, Franchising Operating EBITDA increased 21% from increased System Sales, and increased retail promotional activities for Baton Rouge ribs. Franchising Operating EBITDA as a percentage of franchising revenue and System Sales increased 3% and 1% respectively over Q3 2015.

in Q3 2016 versus in Q3 2015. Notably, Franchising Operating EBITDA increased 21% from increased System Sales, and increased retail promotional activities for Baton Rouge ribs. Franchising Operating EBITDA as a percentage of franchising revenue and System Sales increased 3% and 1% respectively over Q3 2015. Net earnings of $3.1 million increased 25% versus Q3 2015.

Capital Allocation Strategy

On April 15, 2015, the Company formally announced a strategic plan and approach to capital allocation that charts a roadmap for the transformation and growth of the Company for the three following years, including an investment by the Company of up to $5.5M over that period of time to rejuvenate its restaurant network under the RRP. The Company has built on its strengths, including a dedicated franchisee network, a solid balance sheet, an experienced and focused management team, a robust regional position for each of its brands and a healthy retail presence. The trading price of the common shares of the Company has increased 72%, from $1.79 to $3.08. Finally, the Company has repaid $10 million on its long-term debt over the past three quarters in fiscal 2016.

On January 13, 2016, the Board approved an increase of 12.5% in the Company's quarterly dividend from $0.02 to $0.0225 per common share. The dividend policy has been designed to allow sufficient flexibility to continue investing in the Company's growth and its franchise network, while providing returns to its shareholders. The Company also instituted a normal course issuer bid, which allows for the repurchase and cancellation of shares, which was approved by the Toronto Stock Exchange on January 18, 2016.

In addition to continuing growing our business through a combination of organic growth, including through the investment in the RRP and other infrastructure areas, we are actively pursuing a strategic acquisition strategy of brands that complements IRG's existing brands and that could either consolidate our solid position in Quebec or expand our geographic footprint outside of Quebec, and broaden our customer base and leverage our platform. We plan on using cash on hand and available capital under our credit facility to finance the cash portion of such acquisitions while using the common shares of the Company as an attractive acquisition currency when appropriate. In evaluating any potential acquisition candidates, the Company will take into account whether such acquisition is accretive for the Company and whether it provides an opportunity for substantive growth while allowing the Company to leverage the fixed cost of its shared services platform. There is no certainty that the Company will be able to identify targets that will fit its objectives or that the Company will be able to complete a transaction.

The Company carefully explores, as it has done from time to time, any commercially reasonable strategic opportunity that could maximize the value of the Company.

Q3 2016 Selected Financial Data







(in thousands of dollars, where applicable) Q3 YTD







July 31,

2016 July 26, 2015 % July 31,

2016 July 26,

2015 % Number of weeks 13 13

40 39















System Sales (i) $ 99,792 $ 96,683 3.2% $ 292,761 $ 275,912 6.1% SRS (i) 1.2% 1.2% - % 1.8% 0.1% 1.7% Number of restaurant operating weeks 2,866 2,953 -2.9% 8,915 8,918 - % Number of restaurants 223 228 -2.2% 223 228 -2.2% Number of Company-owned restaurants 5 4 25.0% 5 4 25.0%













Consolidated results:











Revenue 13,107 11,043 18.7% 41,566 33,417 24.4% Operating expenses 8,690 7,164 21.3% 29,426 23,379 25.9% Results from operating activities 4,417 3,879 13.9% 12,140 10,038 20.9% EBITDA (i) 4,625 4,153 11.4% 12,737 10,854 17.3% EBITDA as a % of Revenue 35.3% 37.6% -2.3% 30.6% 32.5% -1.9% Restaurant rejuvenation plan expense 222 172 29.1% 570 172 331.4% Operating EBITDA (i) 4,833 4,288 12.7% 13,406 11,385 17.8% Operating EBITDA as a % of Revenue 36.9% 38.8% -2.1% 32.3% 34.1% -1.8% Operating EBITDA as a % of System Sales 4.8% 4.4% 0.4% 4.6% 4.1% 0.5% Net earnings and comprehensive income 3,069 2,465 24.5% 8,399 6,591 27.4% Net earnings as a % of Revenue 23.4% 22.3% 1.1% 20.2% 19.7% 0.5%













EPS:













Basic 0.05 0.05 - % 0.15 0.14 7.1%

Diluted 0.05 0.04 25.0% 0.14 0.12 16.7% Cash flow:











Free cash flow (i) 3,473 2,012 72.6% 9,078 5,835 55.6% Free cash flow as a % of Revenue 26.5% 18.2% 8.3% 21.8% 17.5% 4.3% Dividends paid 1,256 1,000 25.6% 3,755 3,876 -3.1%



























(in thousands of dollars, where applicable)

Q3 2016

As at

July 31, 2016 Fiscal 2015

As at

October 25, 2015

% Cash

484

3,624

-86.6% Working capital excluding gift cards liability

(1,494)

962

-255.3% Total debt, including current portion

1,868

11,798

-84.2% Net debt to Operating EBITDA (i)

0.08

0.78

-89.7%

(i) System Sales, SRS, EBITDA, Operating EBITDA, Free cash flow and Net debt to Operating EBITDA are non-IFRS measures. Refer to the "Non-IFRS Measures and Financial Metrics" section of this press release for the definition.

Dividend Declaration

Pursuant to its previously announced dividend policy, the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") today declared a dividend of $0.0225 per common share. The quarterly cash dividend will be paid on October 5, 2016 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 21, 2016.

The declaration and payment of any future dividend remains at the discretion of the Board and will depend on the Company's current and anticipated cash requirements and surplus, capital expenditures requirements, regulatory restrictions, financial results, future prospects, current and future contractual restrictions, such as restrictions under credit or other arrangements, the satisfaction of solvency tests imposed by the Canada Business Corporations Act for the declaration of dividends and other factors deemed relevant by the Board. Any dividend policy established by the Board, including the Company's current dividend policy can be changed at any time and is not binding on the Company. There can be no guarantee that the Company will maintain its current dividend policy or any dividend policy or that any dividend will be declared or paid.

Conference Call Details

Frank Hennessey, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Tania M. Clarke, Chief Financial Officer will host a conference call to discuss Q3 2016 results at 8:30 am E.S.T on Wednesday, September 7, 2016. To access the conference call by telephone, dial 1-888-231-8191 (Toll-Free), 514-807-9895 (Montreal) or 647-427-7450 (Toronto).

A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available at www.imvescor.ca/investor-relations/. A recording of the conference call will be archived for replay by telephone until Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at midnight. To access the archived conference call, dial 1-855-859-2056 (Toll-Free), 514-807-9274 (Montreal) or 416-849-0833 (Toronto) and enter the reservation number 63934548.

About Imvescor Restaurant Group Inc. Imvescor Restaurant Group Inc. is a dynamic and innovative organization in the family and casual dining restaurant industry. The Company is a franchise and licensing business that operates restaurants in Eastern Canada under four banners: Pizza Delight, operating primarily in Atlantic Canada, in the family/mid-scale segment, Trattoria di Mikes and Scores, operating primarily in Quebec in the family and casual dining segments and the take-out and delivery segments, and Baton Rouge, operating in Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia in the casual dining segment. The Company also licenses to third parties the right to manufacture and sell prepared food products under the Pizza Delight, Trattoria di Mikes, Scores and Baton Rouge brands and, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Groupe Commensal Inc., manufactures and sells vegetarian branded food products in grocery stores and retail outlets under the Commensal brand.

Non-IFRS Measures and Financial Metrics: The information contained in this press release includes some figures that are not performance measures consistent with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). Because they do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS, they may not be comparable with similar measures presented by other issuers.

"EBITDA" is defined as earnings or loss before interest income, interest expense, depreciation and amortization and income tax expense.

"Operating EBITDA" is defined as EBITDA adjusted for the following items: impairment or impairment reversal of non-current assets, impairment or impairment reversal of Imvescor rights, gain or losses on sale of property, plant and equipment, change in onerous contract provisions, costs of special committee, shareholder proposal costs, impairment of goodwill, bargain purchase gains, reorganization costs, restaurant rejuvenation plan, gain or loss on derivative financial liability and earnings or loss from discontinued operations. The definition of Operating EBITDA can change from time to time to account for unusual items or items not considered to be consistent with the Company's normal recurring operations.

The Company uses EBITDA and Operating EBITDA because those measures enable management to assess the Company's operational performance and are financial indicators of the Company's ability to service and incur debt. Those measures should not be considered by an investor as an alternative to earnings, an indicator of operating performance or cash flows, or as a measure of liquidity. Refer to the Reconciliations of Non-IFRS Measures section of this MD&A for more details.

"Free cash flow" is defined as cash from operating activities less cash used in the purchases of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets.

"Net debt to Operating EBITDA" is calculated as long-term debt, including the current portion, less cash, divided by Operating EBITDA for the last four fiscal quarters.

"System Sales" is the aggregate sales achieved by all "Pizza Delight", "Trattoria di Mikes", "Scores" and "Baton Rouge" restaurants, whether they are company-owned restaurants or franchises. This performance measure indicates the Company's overall growth and reflects the direct impact of the restaurant openings and closures.

"Same Restaurant Sales" or "SRS" is a metric used in the restaurant industry to compare sales earned in established locations over a certain period of time, such as a fiscal quarter, for the current period against sales in the same period in the previous year. SRS growth helps explain what portion of sales growth can be attributed to growth in established locations. The Company defines SRS as sales generated by stores that have been open for at least one year compared to the sales from the same group of restaurants in the comparable period. The Company believes this is a meaningful measure of operating performance.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including but not limited to, IRG's business objectives, estimates, outlook, strategies and priorities and all other statements other than statements of historical facts. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, intentions, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "may", "should", "would", "will", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "potential, "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "continue", "outlook" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the "safe harbour" provisions of applicable securities laws.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors outside of IRG's control. A number of factors could cause the actual results of IRG to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: risks associated with quality control, food borne illnesses and health concerns, adverse changes to economic conditions, the Company's ability to retain certain key personnel, the Company's ability to identify potential strategic acquisition candidates and/or to complete a transaction, the Company's ability to respond to various competitive factors affecting its operations, franchise development and growth of the retail licensing opportunities, changes in consumer preferences, the Company's retail products dependence on the strength of the Company's restaurant brands, the protection of the Company's intellectual property, the success of the restaurant rejuvenation plan, the Company's dependence on royalty stream, the Company's reliance on suppliers and availability and quality of raw materials, changes in the Company's relationships with its franchisees, the Company's ability to open new restaurants, the closure of restaurants, the impact of an increase in Company-owned restaurants, the Company's ability to renew leases and limit lease exposure, the risks associated with negative publicity and its impact on the Company's reputation, compliance with regulations governing confidentiality of guest information, potential litigation and other complaints, compliance with government regulations, the Company's dependence on third parties, changes in laws concerning employees, changes in the Company's relationships with its employees, the Company's ability to ensure workplace safety, risks associated with franchise regulations, compliance with regulations governing alcoholic beverages, environmental risks and regulations, public safety issues, the Company's dependence on technology, risks of underreporting of sales by franchisees, inherent risks associated with internal control over financing reporting, the indebtedness of the Company and the restrictive covenants to which it is subject, the impact of sales tax upon System Sales, the risk associated with the Company's dividend policy, the impact of seasonality and other factors on quarterly operating results, the risk of uninsured losses, changes in commodity prices and other factors referenced in the Company's Annual Information Form and the Company's other continuous disclosure filings which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect IRG but should, however, be considered carefully.

Further, although the forward-looking statements contained herein are based on information currently available to IRG's management and on the current assumptions, intentions, plans, expectations, estimates, opinions, forecasts, projections and other assumptions made by IRG's management in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments (such as IRG's future growth, results of operations, performance and opportunities as well as the future of the economic environment in which it operates), as well as other factors that IRG's management believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances and on the date of this press release, there can be no assurance that such assumptions, intentions, plans, expectations, estimates, opinions, forecasts, projections and other assumptions will prove to be correct or that actual results will not differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are provided herein for the purpose of giving information about IRG's current strategic priorities, expectations and plans, thereby allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of IRGI's business outlook and operating environment. Readers are cautioned, however, that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes and should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. IRG assumes no obligation to update or revise such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Except as otherwise indicated, forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other special items or of any transactions that may be announced or that may occur after the date of this press release. The financial impact of these transactions and non-recurring and other special items can be complex and depends on the facts particular to each of them. IRG therefore cannot describe the expected impact in a meaningful way or in the same way it presents known risks affecting the business. IRG's forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Our brands:

SOURCE Imvescor Restaurant Group Inc.

For further information: Imvescor: 514.341.5544 http://www.imvescor.ca; Investor Relations: [email protected]; Frank Hennessey, President and Chief Executive Officer; Tania M. Clarke,Chief Financial Offier; Media Relations: ACJ Communication - Daniel Granger 514.840.7990
MONTREAL, Sept. 1, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Transat A.T. Inc., one of the largest integrated tourism companies in the world and Canada's holiday travel leader will release its third quarter 2016 (ended July 31) results on September 8. Jean-Marc Eustache, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and Denis Petrin, Vice-President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer, invite financial analysts to take part in a conference call the same day. Business reporters are welcome to attend the conference call in listen-only mode.

Thursday, September 8 at 10:00 A.M.

Dial 1-800-926-9801

Name of conference: Transat

Webcast on www.transat.com

The archived call will be available at 416-626-4100 or 1-800-558-5253 access code 21806236, until October 7, 2016.

SOURCE Transat A.T. Inc.

For further information: Christophe Hennebelle, Vice-President, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, [email protected], 514-987-1660, 4584
Myanmar's new civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, will visit the U.S. next week as Washington considers lifting or easing more of the sanctions against the Southeast Asian nation.

President Barack Obama announced the visit during a speech in Laos Tuesday, saying the Nobel Laureate will be in Washington on September 14 and 15.

Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to Washington is intended to reinforce her status on the global stage as the de facto leader of the government. Although she won decisively in last November's elections, Aung San Suu Kyi is banned from the presidency by the constitution drafted by the former junta. She instead serves as foreign minister and has created a new position of state counselor.
AMERICA LOST A GREAT PATRIOT

By Chuck Baldwin

September 8, 2016

NewsWithViews.com [ NOTE: The opinion in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the opinion of NewsWithViews.com, it's employees, representatives, or other contributing writers.] Phyllis Schlafly passed away this week at the age of 92. She was the matriarch of the pro-life movement. It might be safe to say that the national Republican Party would not even have a pro-life plank in its platform without the influence of Phyllis Schlafly. Founder of Eagle Forum, Phyllis was possibly the most influential woman of her era. She was a modern-day Abigail Adams. Our paths crossed several times. I never knew her to be anything but the perfect lady. She was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, scholar, freedom fighter, and role model. Sadly, the last few months of her life were enmeshed in betrayal and attack--not from her enemies, but from her so-called friends and even from a family member. They were angry with Phyllis because she publicly supported Donald Trump for President and not Ted Cruz. They were so vindictive and hateful that they attempted to wrestle control of Eagle Forum away from her over it--even to the point of taking Phyllis to court. In my way of thinking, the attacks against Phyllis from her so-called friends--especially at her age--may have directly contributed to her sudden demise. No one but God will ever really know. It is my personal (and I do mean personal) experience that Christian-Zionists--which is what Ted Cruz's campaign mostly attracted--can be among the most mean-spirited, hateful, and vindictive people on the planet. They swarmed on Phyllis like sharks in a feeding frenzy. Of all of Phyllis Schlafly's bravest and most courageous acts (which were very many--including the way she recently urged Wisconsin voters to reject Neocon House Speaker Paul Ryan in his primary election), her decision to NOT support the Christian-Zionist, Ted Cruz, may have been her most heroic. And she may have paid for that decision with her life. Back in April of this year, I wrote this about Phyllis and the attacks against her: The matriarch of the pro-life, pro-family, Christian Right movement is the elegant stateswoman Phyllis Schlafly. She has no peer; there is no close second. At age 91, she remains the icon of Americas pro-life community. Phyllis received her B.A. from Washington University, her J.D. from Washington University Law School, and her Masters in Government from Harvard University. She worked her way through college on the night shift at the St. Louis Ordnance Plant testing .30 and .50 caliber ammunition by firing rifles and machine guns and as a laboratory technician investigating misfires and photographing tracer bullets in flight. Mrs. Schlafly is an attorney admitted to the practice of law in Illinois, Missouri, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Supreme Court. She and her late husband are the parents of 6 children and the grandparents of 14 grandchildren. Phyllis personally taught all of her children to read before they started school. It is no exaggeration to say that Phyllis is the single person most responsible for defeating the Equal Rights Amendment and has been one of the most influential personalities in politics over the last half-century. She founded her Eagle Forum organization in 1972, and today over 80,000 people claim membership. See this Breitbart report on Phyllis: Conservative Legend Phyllis Schlafly Dies At 92 One would think that the pedigree, accomplishments, and lifetime efforts of Mrs. Schlafly would speak so loudly and clearly that no one--not even her political adversaries--could question her sterling character and steadfast convictions. At age 91, and after all of her hard work, Phyllis should be enjoying the most happy fruits of her labor and the most heartfelt appreciation and respect of everyone who knows her--and especially of the Christian conservative community throughout this country. Guess again. As we speak, Phyllis Schlafly is the target of a hostile takeover by people within her own organization. They want Phyllis OUT. After all of these years, after all she has done, after a lifetime of Herculean effort, they want Phyllis Schlafly GONE. What, you ask, could be the awful sin, the horrific iniquity, the egregious act of malfeasance Phyllis could have committed to warrant such an attack? Answer: she endorsed Donald Trump for president. Mind you, these attacks are not coming from the political left. They are coming from Christian conservatives within Eagle Forum. And from a political perspective, the people who mostly want to destroy Mrs. Schlafly are, guess who: the Ted Cruz supporters, thats who. See this report: Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum Torn Apart By Cruz Supporters Ted Cruzs base of support is comprised mostly of Israel-First evangelical Christians. Prophecy preachers from all over America have declared Ted to be Gods anointed presidential candidate. These end-time evangelicals see Ted Cruz as their Elijah or John the Baptist to usher in the Millennial Kingdom. However, the fact that Cruzs supporters are attacking Mrs. Schlafly in such a vile and vicious manner, shows that hell, not heaven, is in their hearts. I am reminded of the words of King David: I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war. (Psalms 120:7 KJV) Whether people agree with Schlaflys decision to endorse Donald Trump is NOT the issue. To target Phyllis as an enemy because of her endorsement is the grossest and most vile attempt at character assassination that I can possibly imagine. Agree with her or not, Phyllis Schlafly is a paragon of integrity. This leads to a very serious and all-too-common current reality: a sizeable percentage of our so-called Christian community is filled with a heart of hatred and war. They like to talk about peace and love, but what they are really about is war and hate. I cant keep from saying I told you so at this point. When G.W. Bush and Dick Cheney began their propaganda war against Iraq and Afghanistan, I told my radio audience, Because G.W. Bush professes to be a Christian, and because he has so much support from within the Christian community, Bush is going to change the definition and character of the word Christian in this country forever. And that is EXACTLY what has happened. And Ted Cruz is picking up right where G.W. Bush left off. The Christian standard used to be Blessed are the peacemakers. Today the standard is Blessed are the warmongers. These Bush/Cruz, Israel-First cultists are prepared to not only blow up the entire Arab world, they are prepared to blow up Eagle Forum or any other organization or personality that does not subscribe to their brand of Israel-First obsession. Believe me, if these divisive, hate-filled Christians could get away with it, they would be as bloodthirsty and violent as any Muslim terrorist. But since they are unable to behead people such as Phyllis Schlafly or Chuck Baldwin (so far), they set out with all malice to destroy our work and reputations. Yes, I am dealing with many of these same hate-filled Christians too. And I know that many of my brethren will recoil when they hear me say what Im going to say, but I have analyzed and studied this phenomenon for many years now, and there is a definite common denominator. Im talking about decades of church splits; pastors being savagely and mercilessly attacked from inside the church; pastors families being destroyed by members of their own congregations; and the most bitter, divisive, backstabbing, meddlesome, tale-bearing, discordant, mean-spirited actions and attitudes on the planet. What is the common denominator? Almost without exception these haters and destroyers are Israel-First, end-time prophecy zealots. I cannot imagine another presidential candidates supporters attacking someone such as Phyllis Schlafly like the Cruz supporters are now doing. It is Ted Cruzs supporters who are engaging in this attempted destruction of Americas First Lady Of The Pro-Life Movement, Phyllis Schlafly. And again, Ted Cruz is Mr. Christian-Zionist. Cruz is to politics what John Hagee is to religion. Ted Cruz claims to be pro-life, but he is allowing his supporters to crucify the most influential pro-life American of the last half-century, Phyllis Schlafly. After over 40 years of labor and leadership in the liberty and Christian movements, and having personally witnessed the massive amount of death and destruction inflicted upon untold thousands of good and honorable men and women at the hands of these calloused and calculating beasts of prey, it is now apparent to me what is behind all of this devastation. It is the same enemy that is trying to destroy Phyllis Schlafly: Israel-First Christian-Zionists. And the thing about it is Phyllis was never Anti-Israel. But she wasnt Israel-First either; she was America-First. For Christian-Zionists, that warrants death. Their loyalty is to the modern Zionist State of Israel, NOT the United States of America. So, Phyllis had to go. Well, now Phyllis is gone. Her epitaph should read: Here Lies Phyllis Schlafly Devoted Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-grandmother Courageous Defender Of Unborn Babies, Champion Of Liberty, Scholar, And Patriot Killed By Christian-Zionists Because She Believed In America-First P.S. I invite readers to obtain my seven-message series on two DVDs entitled The Church And Israel. Titles include:  The Presentation And Rejection of The King

 "An High Priest For Ever After The Order of Melchisedec"

 Jesus: The Seed of David, The Seed of Abraham

 Christs Last Words To Israel

 "Not Of Works"

 "Is He The God Of The Jews Only?"

 "The Children Of Promise" This series of messages will help people understand why the modern Zionist State of Israel can hold no claim to the promise given to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 and why the Israel-First theology of John Hagee, Ted Cruz, and so many others is egregious Biblical error. And readers should also understand that I came to these conclusions after being trained in Israel-First theology and believing and preaching it for most of my life. But the longer I preached it, the more dissatisfied I became with it. I knew something wasnt right. And the more I studied the matter, the more I came to repudiate what I now know is patently false doctrine. To order The Church And Israel, two-DVD combo package, click here. [If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link.] [I also have many books and DVDs available for purchase online. Go to Chuck Baldwin Live Store]  2016 Chuck Baldwin - All Rights Reserved Related Article: 1- Phyllis Schlafly, Founder of Eagle Forum, Dies at 92 Share This Article Click Here For Mass E-mailing

Chuck Baldwin is a syndicated columnist, radio broadcaster, author, and pastor dedicated to preserving the historic principles upon which America was founded. He was the 2008 Presidential candidate for the Constitution Party. He and his wife, Connie, have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. Chuck and his family reside in the Flathead Valley of Montana. See Chuck's complete bio here.



E-mail: chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com Website: ChuckBaldwinLive.com Home

Phyllis Schlafly passed away this week at the age of 92. She was the matriarch of the pro-life movement. It might be safe to say that the national Republican Party would not even have a pro-life plank in its platform without the influence of Phyllis Schlafly.


Hunter Mountain chair lift Catskills

The chair lift ride at Hunter Mountain in the Catskills.

(Courtesy of Hunter Mountain)

With fall right around the corner, it's time to make plans to see impressive fall foliage. If you're in Upstate New York, you don't have to go far: just head to the Catskills.

The region recently made a list by Fodor's Travel of the best fall foliage trips in the United States. Here's what the website had to say about the Catskills:

"The 6,000 square miles in southeastern New York known as the Catskills are home to six major river systems, thirty-five mountain peaks over 3,500 feet, and the famed Woodstock festival. A year-round destination, the Catskills are at their most vibrant in the fall when yellows, oranges, and reds electrify the thickly wooded hillsides. Locals and visitors alike savor the fall harvest, when many of the region's historic villages host festivals and craft fairs alongside the bountiful farmers' markets and pick-your-own orchards."

As the website points out, the best time to see fall foliage in the Catskills is the last two weeks in September through mid- to late-October.

Among the best places to view fall foliage in the Catskills are:

* Mount Utsayantha: Utsayantha, a 3214-foot peak above the Delaware County village of Stamford, is accessible by car or by a one-mile hike to the village park at the top. However you get there, it's worth the steps to climb the popular fire tower for a 360-degree view of colorful mountainsides.

* Hunter Mountain scenic skyride: The six-passenger chairlift takes passengers to the 3,200 foot summit of Hunter Mountain, offering visitors stunning views of the high peaks of the northern Catskills.

* The Five States Lookout: This area is maintained by New York state for public scenic viewing of the Hudson River and five states. On a clear day, visitors may see the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, the Catskill and Helderberg Mountains of New York, and the Connecticut Valley.

The Catskills is also a prime region to enjoy a scenic fall drive through many routes.
Scientists at the University of Rochester have taken a significant step forward in laser fusion research. Experiments using the OMEGA laser at the Universitys Laboratory of Laser Energetics (LLE) have created the conditions capable of producing a fusion yield thats five times higher than the current record laser-fusion energy yield, as long as the relative conditions produced at LLE are reproduced and scaled up at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.

The findings are the result of multiple experiments conducted by LLE scientists Sean Regan, Valeri Goncharov, and collaborators, whose paper was published in Physical Review Letters. Arijit Bose, a doctoral student in physics at Rochester working with Riccardo Betti, a professor of engineering and physics, interpreted those findings in a paper published as Rapid Communications in the journal Physical Review E (R).

Bose reports that the conditions at LLE would produce over 100 kilojoules (kJ) of fusion energy if replicated on the NIF. While that may seem like a tiny flicker in the worlds ever-expanding demand for energy, the new work represents an important advance in a long-standing national research initiative to develop fusion as an energy source. The 100 kJ is the energy output of a 100-watt light for about 20 minutes, but in a fusion experiment at NIF, that energy would be released in less than a billionth of a second and enough to bring the fuel a step closer to the ignition conditions.

We have compressed thermonuclear fuel to about half the pressure required to ignite it. This is the result of a team effort involving many LLE scientists and engineers, said Regan, the leader of the LLE experimental group.

If ignited, thermonuclear fuel would unleash copious amounts of fusion energy, much greater than the input energy to the fuel.

In laser fusion, an ignited target is like a miniature star of about a 10th of a millimeter, which produces the energy equivalent of a few gallons of gasoline over a fraction of a billionth of a second. We are not there yet, but we are making progress said Betti, the Robert L. McCrory Professor at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics.

The OMEGA lasers 20-cm disk amplifiers at the University of Rochesters Laboratory for Laser Energetics. (Photo by Adam Fenster/University of Rochester)



In terms of proximity to the conditions required to ignite the fuel, the two recent LLE papers report that OMEGA experiments match the current NIF record when extrapolated to NIF energies. Igniting a target is the main goal of the laser fusion effort in the United States.

As part of their work, researchers carefully targeted the LLEs 60 laser beams to strike a millimeter-sized pellet of fuelan approach known as the direct-drive method of inertial confinement fusion (ICF).

The results indicate that the direct-drive approach used by LLE, home to the most prolific laser in the world (in terms of number of experiments, publications, and diversity of users) is a promising path to fusion and a viable alternative over other methods, including that used at NIF. There, researchers are working to achieve fusion by using 192 laser beams in an approach known as indirect-drive, in which the laser light is first converted into x-rays in a gold enclosure called a hohlraum. While not yet achieving ignition, scientists at LLNL and colleagues in the ICF Community have made significant progress in understanding the physics and developing innovative approaches to indirect drive fusion.

The results were made possible because of a number of improvements in the direct-method approach.

One involved the aiming of the 60 laser beams, which now strike the target more uniformly.

Its like squeezing a balloon with your hands; there are always parts that pop out where your hands arent, said Campbell. If it were possible to squeeze a balloon from every spot on the surface, there would be a great deal more pressure inside. And thats what happens when the lasers strike a target more symmetrically.

If we can improve the uniformity of the way we compress our targets, we will likely get very close to the conditions that would extrapolate to ignition on NIF. This is what we will be focusing on in the near future says Goncharov, the new director of the LLE theory division.

Two other enhancements were made at LLE: the quality of the target shell was improved to make it more easily compressed, and the diagnostics for measuring whats taking place within the shell have gotten better. Researchers are now able to capture x-ray images of the targets implosion with frame times of 40 trillionths of a second, giving them information on how to more precisely adjust the lasers and understand the physics.

What weve done is show the advantages of a direct-drive laser in the nuclear fusion process, said Campbell. And that should lead to additional research opportunities, as well as continued progress in the field.

Bose says the next step is to develop theoretical estimates of what is taking place in the target shell as its being hit by the laser. That information will help scientists make further enhancements.

SOURCES- University of Rochester
Researchers at the University of Rochester have moved beyond the theoretical in demonstrating that an unbreakable encrypted message can be sent with a key thats far shorter than the messagethe first time that has ever been done.

Until now, unbreakable encrypted messages were transmitted via a system envisioned by American mathematician Claude Shannon, considered the father of information theory. Shannon combined his knowledge of algebra and electrical circuitry to come up with a binary system of transmitting messages that are secure, under three conditions: the key is random, used only once, and is at least as long as the message itself.

The quantum enigma machine developed by researchers at the University of Rochester, MIT, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (Image by Daniel Lum/University of Rochester)

Physical Review A  Quantum enigma machine: Experimentally demonstrating quantum data locking

Daniels research amounts to an important step forward, not just for encryption, but for the field of quantum data locking, said Howell.

Quantum data locking is a method of encryption advanced by Seth Lloyd, a professor of quantum information at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, that uses photonsthe smallest particles associated with lightto carry a message. Quantum data locking was thought to have limitations for securely encrypting messages, but Lloyd figured out how to make additional assumptionsnamely those involving the boundary between light and matterto make it a more secure method of sending data. While a binary system allows for only an on or off position with each bit of information, photon waves can be altered in many more ways: the angle of tilt can be changed, the wavelength can be made longer or shorter, and the size of the amplitude can be modified. Since a photon has more variablesand there are fundamental uncertainties when it comes to quantum measurementsthe quantum key for encrypting and deciphering a message can be shorter that the message itself.

Lloyds system remained theoretical until this year, when Lum and his team developed a devicea quantum enigma machinethat would put the theory into practice. The device takes its name from the encryption machine used by Germany during World War II, which employed a coding method that the British and Polish intelligence agencies were secretly able to crack.

Lets assume that Alice wants to send an encrypted message to Bob. She uses the machine to generate photons that travel through free space and into a spatial light modulator (SLM) that alters the properties of the individual photons (e.g. amplitude, tilt) to properly encode the message into flat but tilted wavefronts that can be focused to unique points dictated by the tilt. But the SLM does one more thing: it distorts the shapes of the photons into random patterns, such that the wavefront is no longer flat which means it no longer has a well-defined focus. Alice and Bob both know the keys which identify the implemented scrambling operations, so Bob is able to use his own SLM to flatten the wavefront, re-focus the photons, and translate the altered properties into the distinct elements of the message.

Along with modifying the shape of the photons, Lum and the team made use of the uncertainty principle, which states that the more we know about one property of a particle, the less we know about another of its properties. Because of that, the researchers were able to securely lock in six bits of classical information using only one bit of an encryption keyan operation called data locking.

While our device is not 100 percent secure, due to photon loss, said Lum, it does show that data locking in message encryption is far more than a theory.

The ultimate goal of the quantum enigma machine is to prevent a third partyfor example, someone named Evefrom intercepting and deciphering the message. A crucial principle of quantum theory is that the mere act of measuring a quantum system changes the system. As a result, Eve has only one shot at obtaining and translating the encrypted messagesomething that is virtually impossible, given the nearly limitless number of patterns that exist for each photon.

The paper by Lum and Howell was one of two papers published simultaneously on the same topic. The other paper, Quantum data locking, was from a team led by Chinese physicist Jian-Wei Pan.

Its highly unlikely that our free-space implementation will be useful through atmospheric conditions, said Lum. Instead, we have identified the use of optic fiber as a more practical route for data locking, a path Pans group actually started with. Regardless, the field is still in its infancy with a great deal more research needed.

Abstract  Quantum enigma machine: Experimentally demonstrating quantum data locking

Shannon proved in 1949 that information-theoretic-secure encryption is possible if the encryption key is used only once, is random, and is at least as long as the message itself. Notwithstanding, when information is encoded in a quantum system, the phenomenon of quantum data locking allows one to encrypt a message with a shorter key and still provide information-theoretic security. We present one of the first feasible experimental demonstrations of quantum data locking for direct communication and propose a scheme for a quantum enigma machine that encrypts 6 bits per photon (containing messages, new encryption keys, and forward error correction bits) with less than 6 bits per photon of encryption key while remaining information-theoretically secure.

SOURCE  University of Rochester, Physical Review A
The World Health Organization says it is changing its Zika virus advice, telling travelers that anyone who has visited a place experiencing an outbreak should practice safe sex or abstinence for six months.

The United Nations health agency released the new guideline Tuesday, revising guidance from June that advised men to practice safe sex or abstain for eight weeks after a trip to a Zika-infected location.

The revision comes as more emerging evidence shows how Zika, a mosquito-borne virus, can be transmitted from person to person.
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A coalition of 22 Christian groups in Nigeria led by National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), yesterday, said the declaration of September...

A coalition of 22 Christian groups in Nigeria led by National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), yesterday, said the declaration of September 12 as public holiday in commemoration of Eid-El-Kabir celebration by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, was the height of impunity.A similar incident took place in July 2016, when Christian organisations criticised the extension of public holiday by the Federal Government over the non-sighting of the moon by the Sultan. A statement issued by the chairman of NCEF, Mr. Solomon Asemota (SAN), on behalf of the coalition and obtained by journalists in Abuja, said it was very improper for the head of the Islamic faith in Nigeria to announce, declare, or extend public holidays. The statement entitled: Is the Federal Government Abdicating Its Responsibility?, reads:We unequivocally wish to state that it is very improper for the head of the Islamic faith in Nigeria to announce, declare, or extend Public Holidays. This is the function of the Federal Government and need not be abdicated. This kind of anomalous development has not been taking place in Nigeria until the advent of the Buhari Administration which has gone to great lengths to deepen religious divide and tension in Nigeria. Again, we have no objection whatsoever to the Muslim Public Holiday but our concern is that in a secular society as enshrined in Section 10 of the Constitution, the responsibility of declaring or announcing a religious Public Holiday is vested in the Federal Government and such responsibility is sacrosanct.We are not unaware of various manipulations and acts of impunity to transform Nigeria from a Liberal Democratic society to an Islamic Theocratic State. As we stated in our previous paper, the full membership of Nigeria in OIC, in 1986, by the Babangida Military Administration is tantamount to making Nigeria an Islamic state. The nation is yet to resolve this unilateral imposition of one religion over the nation by an individual. We also conclude that the present distress in the nation, occasioned by religious intolerance and insurgency, from the development of Boko Haram to the evolving of fanatical Muslim assailants, like the Fulani herdsmen, derive from this unilateral and improper decision of the Babangida Administration.Even the sponsors and actors of the membership of Nigeria in OIC in 1986 were aware of the illegality of their action and as such, kept it out of public knowledge for 10 years until 1996 when Sultan Dasuki confirmed to the Pope that Nigeria was a full member of the OIC. We wish to remind the present Administration that religion is a very sensitive and emotional aspect of Nigerians. The wisdom of the founding fathers of this nation to adopt Liberal Democracy as national ideology to accommodate all the divergent groups in the nation cannot be faulted.Any attempt to distort that delicate balance in the Nigerian society shall produce nothing but destruction and devastation as the nation is currently witnessing. There is still time for religious extremists to desist before they push Nigeria off the brink of the precipice.
Godsday Orubebe A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja has granted bail at N50million to former Minist...

Godsday Orubebe

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja has granted bail at N50million to former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe and two others arraigned before it Wednesday morning.Godsday Orubebe, Oludare Lawrence Alaba an Assistant Director, Ministry of Niger Delta Affiars), Ephraim Tewolde Zeri (Director of Contracts in Gitto Costruzioni Generali Nigeria Limited) and the company were arraigned on a six-count charge marked: CR/265/2016.They are, in the charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), accused among others, of diverting about N2.3b meant for the compensation of property owners to be affected by the Federal Governments dualisation project of Section IV of the East West Road.Orubebe and others pleaded not guilty to the charge, following which Justice Kayode Adeniyi granted the ex-Minister bail at N10m and one surety, who must be a responsible Nigerian, resident in Abuja and must show evidence of regular tax payment.The judge granted Alaba and Zeri bail at N20m and one surety each, who are to be residents in Abuja.He said Alabas surety must be an Assistant Director in any Federal Governments agency, while Zeris surety must own property in Abuja and show evidence of ownership.Justice Adeniyi ordered the defendants to be kept in ICPCs custody pending when they are able to process the bail granted them.He adjourned to November 10 for commencement of trial.
Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of feeding the people with lies while appearing on his monthly...

Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of feeding the people with lies while appearing on his monthly media chat on Monday, describing him as a shameless liar.The party was reacting to Fayoses claim during the media chat, Meet Your Governor, where he claimed that no member of the opposition was attacked or killed since his assumption of office on October 16, 2014.The opposition took a strong exception to Fayoses claim that he built all the structures in the Ado Ekiti Government House, maintaining that his predecessors  Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Chief Segun Oni and Dr. Kayode Fayemi  also erected structures there.In a statement yesterday, APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, explained that most of the structures Fayose claimed to have built were forcefully acquired from their original owners, who are in the opposition, in continuation of the governors alleged vendetta war against opposition members.The APC asked the governor to stop lying and face the reality of public hostility against him over non-performance, lies, alleged fraud and deliberately refusing to pay workers salary.Olatunbosun added that the recent humiliation of the governor by teachers as they booed him as seen on television nationwide was a verdict for a governor that made lies, deceit and greed a deliberate policy of his government.Describing Fayose as unconscionable liar for saying that no member of the opposition was attacked since he assumed office in October 2014, Olatunbosun listed instances of attacks on the opposition.He said the governor only pulled the brakes after President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated in May 2015.Olatunbosun said: What of the shootings in Igbemo by Fayoses thugs for more than three hours with pellets falling on the palace roof and shooting at Ife Arowosoges house at around the same time that the 19 APC Assembly members were not allowed to sit by the governors thugs?What of our members that received machete cuts by his thugs for wearing APC vests or the shooting in front of CNPP chairmans house at Egbewa or the APC members he clamped into jail for crimes they didnt commit?What of the several shootings and burning of APC secretariat, where offices and vehicles, including mine, were destroyed and are still kept in police stations as exhibits or the attack on our members in front of Bisi Egbeyemis house with the latters truck vandalised?What of the forceful seizure of vehicles belonging to Fayemis commissioners and aides or the forceful eviction of Fayemis aides and Commissioners from their houses at Irewolede Estate until the court stopped him?What is the governor doing with his thugs quartered in the Government House over which we have written many petitions to the security agencies and the National Human Right Commission?Other victims, according to Olatunbosun, include Oluwole Jinadu, who was allegedly dealt machete cuts in Aisegba- Ekiti by PDP thugs on the eve of Presidential election, the same period that Oluwafemi was attacked in Ado Ekiti.According to him, APC former state lawmaker, Segun Erinles house was teargassed and his aged mother nearly died of teargas fumes on the eve of State Assembly election in 2015, even as the late Gbenga Olofin was similarly attacked during his senatorial campaign in Igede-Ekiti, among several similar attacks across the state.Olatunbosun wondered whether Fayose was referring to another Ekiti State with the aforementioned cases of attacks.
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the Crown Prince of Benin, Prince Ehenede Erediauwa that he will be attending the coronation of the...





President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the Crown Prince of Benin, Prince Ehenede Erediauwa that he will be attending the coronation of the Crown Prince as the substantive Oba of Benin Kingdom, scheduled for September 26th, 2016.According to the Benin traditional council,the ceremony is billed to take place on September 26th,2016 in Benin City. the Edo State capital. High profile dignitaries expected at the coronation ceremony includes the Zulu king of South Africa; King of Lesotho; King Muswathi of Swaziland; and King Kabaka of Uganda.President Buhari who gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy visit to the Crown Prince of Benin, prior to the APC mega rally at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City, expressed his love for the Benin Kingdom, recalling his days with Oba Erediauwa who joined his ancestors recently, saying the Oba distinguished himself as an impartial leader,especially during his days as a Federal Permanent Secretary in the early 1980s.He was a very courageous King and a visionary leader that will ever be missed. The Edaiken NUselu while making his remarks,revealed that the visiting monarchs from Africa would want to pay the President a courtesy visit in Aso Rock and urged him to accept their request and extend presidential audience to the African kings.
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria will be great again in spite of its current challenges.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria will be great again in spite of its current challenges.Buhari made the statement at the grand finale of the All Progressives Congress Edo governorship election campaign in Benin on Tuesday.He said that just as the country was almost out of its security challenges, it would surmount its current economic difficulties as well.The president urged Nigerian youths to reflect on the statement he made 30 years ago that Nigerians have no other country other than Nigeria.Earlier, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, who is also the Chairman of Edo Election Campaign Council, said the presidents presence in Edo was a pointer to the political and economic success recorded in the state.Ambode said that Edo had witnessed developmental progress in the almost eight years of the administration of Gov. Adams Oshiomhole.He said that the Oshiomhole administration had been responsive and committed to the yearnings of the people of the state.In view of this, it is clear that continuity is the sure way to greater progress, he said.He also said that the APC candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki, had the expertise to turn the state around if elected in the election scheduled for Saturday.
Gen. Rabe Abubakar The Defence Headquarters has raised the alarm that new militant groups sprouting up in the Niger Delta are hiding u...

Gen. Rabe Abubakar

The Defence Headquarters has raised the alarm that new militant groups sprouting up in the Niger Delta are hiding under the cover of regional agitation to commit heinous acts in the region.The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, said this in a statement on Tuesday.He also advised law abiding Nigerians to ignore the order by the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate to people living near oil and gas facilities to vacate the places.Abubakar said the new militant group, NDGJM, which claimed responsibility for the blowing up of the NNPC pipeline had warned residents to vacate the area to avoid being caught in the coming attacks.He stressed that nobody or group had the power to force residents to relocate from any part of the country for whatever reason.Abubakar expressed regrets that some groups were still carrying out destructive acts in spite of the peace moves by the Federal Government.He said the military would remain focused and committed to the provision of adequate security to lives and property in the country.He said, The Defence Headquarters wishes to alert the general public of the disturbing spate with which various militant groups are springing up in the Niger Delta with each of them hiding under regional agitation to commit all manners of crimes and atrocities.The latest being the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate that claimed responsibility for blowing up NNPC oil pipelines few days ago. The same group has come out again, demanding residents living near oil and gas infrastructure to vacate their homes to avoid being caught in its next attacks.
The main reason is that the Gulf carriers have hugely boosted flights to Asia and Europe in recent years.

Emirates and Etihad Airways have also hired around 200 Korean flight attendants between them over the last two years.

Qatar Airways has hired around 200 Korean flight attendants over the last two years, who now make up the third-largest group of foreign flight attendants at the carrier after Britons and Australians.

Young Koreans looking for work as airline cabin staff increasingly set their sights on Persian Gulf airlines.

Given the sparseness of their own population and the Islamic restrictions in force in their own countries, the carriers have had to hire mostly foreign crew if they want to run modern airlines.

Stewardesses typically wear a little token veil attached to their hats, but it is hardly full niqab, and the uniforms are figure-hugging.

An Etihad Airways staffer said, "Korean staff are efficient and punctual, so they're highly sought after by carriers."

Job satisfaction is high as well due to the good pay and comfortable working conditions. Starting pay for flight attendants at Gulf carriers is W50-60 million a year and workers can stay employed anywhere between six to 16 years depending on performance (US$1=W1,108).

Yoo Yeo-keun at Korea Aviation College said, "Gulf carriers tend to respect the life-work balance more than domestic airlines, and young Koreans who work for them have been very satisfied with their working conditions, including provision of their own living quarters."
Femi Fani-Kayode Yet as hard as the Obama/Clinton/Kerry triumvirate may try to cover it up, it appears that the message about the real s...

Femi Fani-Kayode

Yet as hard as the Obama/Clinton/Kerry triumvirate may try to cover it up, it appears that the message about the real situation in Buharis Nigeria is beginning to get across to the world.As a glaring example of this permit me to share the words of a strong Trump supporter, Republican Congressman Tom Marino, which were contained in a letter that he sent to Secretary of State John Kerry a few days ago.Nigerias Thisday newspaper on 4th September 2016 captured the contents of that letter as follows:A member of the United States Congress, Tom Marino, has written a letter to Secretary of State, John Kerry, asking the US government to withhold security assistance to Nigeria until President Muhammadu Buhari demonstrates a commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech.He also asked the State Department to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria until President Buhari establishes a track record of working towards inclusion.In a two-page letter dated September 1, 2016 and addressed to Kerry, a copy of which was exclusively obtained by THISDAY yesterday, Marino, a Republican from Pennsylvania who assumed office on January 3, 2011, said there were a number of warning signs emerging in the Buhari administration that signal the man who once led Nigeria as a military dictator might be sliding towards former autocratic tendencies.The Congressman, who is a member of the Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs, and the Chairman, Sub-committee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, said Nigerian government must hold accountable those members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Military complicit in extra-judicial killings and war crimes.In the six-paragraph letter to Kerry, Marino also expressed concern over Nigerias anti-corruption war, saying of additional concern is President Buharis selective anti-corruption drive, which has focused almost exclusively on members of the opposition party, over-looking corruption amongst some of Buharis closest advisors. Politicizing his anti-corruption efforts has only reinforced hostility among southerners.His letter to Kerry reads: Dear Secretary Kerry, I am encouraged by the personal interest you have taken in aiding Nigeria and its administration as it takes on endemic corruption, multiple insurgent movements, and a faltering economy.However, I believe there are a number of warning signs emerging in the Buhari administration that signal the man who once led Nigeria as a military dictator might be sliding towards former autocratic tendencies.I would urge the U.S. to withhold its security assistance to the nation until President Buhari demonstrates a commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech.A logical start towards this commitment is for the Nigerian government to hold accountable those members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Military complicit in extra-judicial killings and war crimes.Human rights groups like Amnesty International have widely documented torture, inhumane treatment, and extra-judicial killings of defenseless Nigerians since President Buhari took office.Quoting Amnesty International Report, he wrote, in the last six months, Nigerias military has unlawfully killed at least 350 people and allowed more than 168 people, including babies and children, to die in military detention.He further wrote: The Secretary to the Government of Kaduna State even admitted to burying 347 of those killed in a mass grave. And while President Buhari promised swift condemnation, his words rang empty.Instead of swift reforms, Buhari chose to reinstate Major General Ahmadu Mohammed, who Amnesty International revealed was in charge of the Nigerian military unit that executed more than 640 unarmed, former detainees.Also, in separate incidents concerning the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Nigerian Army has killed at least 36  the real number is likely higher  people since December 2015 in an attempt to silence opposition and quell attempts by the group to gather publicly.Describing President Buhari as a former military dictator whose reign (as military head of state) was cut short by a coup, he stated that the President has continually shunned inclusivity in favour of surrounding himself with advisors and ministers from the north of the country and the region he considers home.Of President Buharis 122 appointees, 77 are from the north and control many of the key ministries and positions of power. Distrust is already high in Nigeria and favouring Northerners for key appointments has only antagonized the issue.These appointments are also primarily Muslim in the north and Christian in the south, adding a religious aspect to long-held regional biases.Of additional concern is President Buharis selective anti-corruption drive, which has focused almost exclusively on members of the opposition party, over-looking corruption amongst some of Buharis closest advisors. Politicizing his anti-corruption efforts has only reinforced hostility among southerners, he claimed in the letter.He said the Obama Administration would advance justice by urging the Buhari Administration to act decisively to hold accountable members of the police and military.The congressman said, This is a logical first step in making a demonstrable, sustained commitment to inclusive democracy, with distributed power in Nigeria. Until President Buhari establishes a track record of working towards inclusion, we ask the State Department to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to the country.The State Department should urge President Buhari to form a government that represents the diversity of its citizens and allows dissenting voices to be heard. Democracy can thrive only if people are free to assemble, to express their beliefs, and voice their concerns.Congressman Marino ought to be commended. He has spoken the minds of millions of those who really care about what is going on in Nigeria from all over the world.He has written what the overwhelming majority of Nigerias ruling and political elite believe but dare not say publicly out of fear of persecution and reprisals from their own government.Most importantly Congressman Marino reflects the mind of Mr. Donald Trump, his partys presidential candidate, on this matter and indeed the views of the majority of deeply concerned American Christians.This is welcome support for those of us that are fed up with Buharis pro-north, pro-Hausa Fulani and pro-Muslim agenda.Congressman Marino has rightly observed the sad and shameful events that are unfolding in our country.These are events that many of us warned the Nigerian people would end up happening if they made the mistake of voting Buhari into power during last years presidential election campaign.Though we were ignored, insulted, humiliated, persecuted, falsely accused and treated with contempt and disdain for speaking the truth, our words have proved to be prophetic. Today we are witnessing those ugly events that we warned about unfolding before our very eyes.The bottom line is as follows: if we want Nigeria to stop charting this shameless and utterly dangerous course and if we wish to get off the road to Kigali we must pray alongside our American friends for Donald Trump to win the presidential election in November.Permit me to enrich this intervention with an interesting contribution from Mr. Richard Akinwande Olorunbi. After reading Congressmam Morinos letter he wrote the following on Facebook:A foreigner is now speaking for southerners who are under oppression by Islamist Buhari and his terrorist Fulani group. This reminds of a popular quote : I freed thousands of slaves, I could have freed thousands more if only they knew they were slaves. This is sad because a large number of the oppressed are so dumb that they still believe their oppressors and shout sai Buhari. One thing is certain though, as the political situation in Nigeria deteriorates day by day, Buhari and his Fulani terrorist murderers are now more likely to end up international criminal court in the Hague.How appropiate Mr. Olorunbis words are and I say a big amen to his prayer.In conclusion let us consider the words of Mr. Stephen Asake, an excellent writer, a devout Christian and a man who has earned the respect and affection of many over the years.Mr. Asake is the convenor and administrator of the Christian Information Network (a WhatsApp chat room) and in his latest essay titled Like Cyrus In The Bible, Like Donald Trump he wrote, inter alia, the following:The debate between the Trumpers and Clintoners is getting charged up by the day in Nigeria, rivalling the tempo in America.As a matter of fact, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and all other chat platforms and social media discussion groups, are saturated with TRUMP vs CLINTON debates.I know of not less tha four different Trump vs Clinton WhatsApp chat groups where supporters of both candidates slug it out.Many talented writers and public affairs commentators have also written articles and public commentaries to make their preferences between the two candidates known.One of such is no other person than the Cicero of our time, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, the former minister of Aviation and presidential spokeman during the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency.In one of his articles he revealed his preference for Trump when he quoted the following words by the Republican candidate thus:The rise of ISIS is the direct result of policy decisions made by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton. We cannot let this evil continue. We will defeat Islamic terrorism just like weve defeated every threat before.He ended his article by saying that How right he is. Let us hope that he wins because if he does the world will be a far safer and better place for believers.This thinking is very popular among Nigerian Christians. Though most commentators are of the view that both Trump and Hilary are not known to be committed Christians and so the preference of Trump by Evangelical Christians is misplaced.Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has raised a very crucial issue: the issue of the Christian faith of both candidates. I am a Trumper (Trump supporter) too!Not because I think he is a Christian or not, but because I find in him a man of courage who, in a politically correct world where nobody wants to speak against establishment, Trump will dare to speak it out.In a world where the persecution, dehumanisation and biased treatment against Christians is most rampant, Trump will dare to call a spade by its stark name.At a time when in most countries of the world with a muslim majority they continue to commit genocide against Christians and other minorities, Trump dares to cry out for justice.In an America that was founded on acknowledgement of God and principles of Christianity and where morally bankrupt President Obama is subtly implementing policies that seek to uproot Christianity and Americas cherished Christian heritage, it is only Donald J. Trump that dares to hit the nail, not only on the head but with his head by shouting foul!.I can go on and on but let me turn to some of Trumps critics. Many of them have continued to doubt his Christianity, haba! Whom among those is a better Christian? Who among those avowed critics and holier than thou incurables can cast the first stone? Only God knows who his true followers are. Those criticising Trumps.To my mind even if Trump is not a church going christian, but openly talks about Christians and christianity in a world where many are either ashamed or afraid to do so, he deserves our prayers and support.After all, God can use anybody, Christian or not, born again or not to bring deliverance to His people. In fact there are Biblical passages replete with such stories of how God used pagan rulers to save His people from destruction.In the book of Isaiah, God used a Persian King by the name of Cyrus for the good of the Jewish people, even though Cyrus was a pagan king. Just as Trump is being regarded as non-Christian by his detractors. How in the world could this possibly have happened?Mr. Asake has served us a cerebal contribution which can hardly be faulted. Kudos to him.Permit me to end this contribution by answering the question that he posed in his last sentence. In reference to the rise of Cyrus, the pagan king who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, he asked how could this possibly havework happened?The answer is as follows: it happened because the Holy Spirit is at work and because the Holy Bible tells us that God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. It also says He uses the foolish things of this world to confirm the wisdom of the wise.It follows that the Lord can use anything or anyone, including a loud, rumbustious, colourful and passionate pagan King, to effect His purpose and restore the fortunes of His people.He did it with the Persian King Cyrus and, by His grace and power, He will also do it with Donald J. Trump.
Muhammad Bulama Following efforts to rid the country of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, especially the North East, the Nigeria Army h...

Muhammad Bulama

Following efforts to rid the country of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, especially the North East, the Nigeria Army have arrested one of the group's commanders.This disclosure was made in a statement from Army headquarters signed by Col Sani Usman in Abuja.It reads, The Boko Haram suspect on the wanted list number 105, Muhammed Bulama, has been arrested by troops on Tuesday 6th July 2016 in Yobe State.Bulama was arrested alongside 2 other suspected Boko Haram terrorists; Ardo Abba Muhammed (elder brother to Bulama as claimed) and Muhammadu Kaigama, in Azare community, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, with the help of the local vigilantes in the town.They were arrested riding on horseback and bicycle shepherding some sheep towards market.During preliminary investigation, the suspected terrorist personally confirmed his photograph on the wanted list and further revealed that he specialized on rearing animals for the terrorist group.He further confessed that they came to the village to sell the animals as they had ran out of cash in their hideout and would also get some food items back to for the upcoming Sallah festivity.
The Federal Government on Wednesday described attempts by some individuals on social media to link the government and Dangote group with ...

The Federal Government on Wednesday described attempts by some individuals on social media to link the government and Dangote group with a plan to flood the country with genetically modified rice (GMO) as extremely uncharitable.A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said that the Federal Government in 2014 signed a $1billion Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) for investment in integrated rice project with Dangote Industries Ltd.In line with the agreement, the statement said that Dangote Industries Limited this year cultivated over 8,000 hectares in Hadejia, Jigawa state, creating over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs for farmers who are the major beneficiaries of the scheme.It reads: In consolidation of the rice project of the Federal Government, President Muhammadu Buhari administration is also in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other reputable companies to tap into the vast potentials in the private sector and broadening the economic base of the country.The gains of the diversification drive especially in the Agriculture sector are already yielding dividends as shown by the recent statistics in the sector as published by the National Bureau of Statistics.These engagements will continue until the present administration has laid a solid foundation for the economic development of the nation.It is therefore ridiculous that a government that is wholly devoted to the generation of employment for Nigerians especially through Agriculture will turn around to get involved in an activity that will reverse the gains of the same partnership.President Muhammadu Buhari has said it repeatedly that, we have the capacity to feed ourselves in Nigeria and even export from what we produce in the country.He has also said that through the provision of N200 billion by the CBN for small holder farmers and processors involved in local production of rice and other grains, rice importation will hopefully stop in the next three years. It added.The statement said that it was unfortunate that a few self-serving individuals are bent on distracting the administration while the Buhari administration is working assiduously with well-meaning Nigerians to bring the country out of the current economic situation it has found itself.The government, it said, is focused on reflating the fortunes of the country through the diversification of the economy which will very soon yield results.The Federal Government warns purveyors of such malicious information and those thinking of embarking on the same route to have a rethink and retrace their steps. It stated
The UN Security Council on Tuesday issued a strong condemnation of North Koreas latest missile tests and threatened to take further si...

The UN Security Council on Tuesday issued a strong condemnation of North Koreas latest missile tests and threatened to take further significant measures against Pyongyang.North Korea test-fired three ballistic missiles Monday as world powers gathered for a G20 meeting in China, with leader Kim Jong-Un hailing the tests as perfect, and US President Barack Obama warning it would only up the pressure.These launches are in grave violation of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Koreas international obligations and UN Security Council resolutions, the 15-member Council said in a statement.It called on North Korea to refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions.The council said it would continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures if merited and called on all sides to work to reduce tensions.The document was adopted unanimously, including by Pyongyangs only ally China.Earlier, the envoys from Japan, South Korea and the United States appeared before the press together to slam North Koreas missile programme.With each test, each violation of UN Security Council resolutions  and there have been 22 of them so far this year  the DPRK demonstrates further advancement of its ballistic programme, US envoy Samantha Power said.The Security Council must remain unequivocal and united in its condemnation of these tests.UN resolutions bar North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology.Pyongyang has nevertheless conducted a fourth nuclear test and a series of missile tests this year in defiance of UN sanctions, prompting South Korea to announce plans to deploy a US anti-missile system to counter such threats.North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006.ProvocationsEarlier on Tuesday, Obama held talks with South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye on the sidelines of a regional summit in Laos.North Korea needs to know that provocations will only invite more pressure and further deepen its isolation, he told reporters after meeting Park in Vientiane.Park described the launches as a reckless provocation (that) will lead North Korea down the path of self-destruction.But despite the global chorus of disapproval and tough sanctions, Pyongyang is unrepentant  continuing to ignore the international communitys calls for a halt to its weapons programme.Bolster nuclear forceThe Norths KCNA news agency said Kim personally oversaw Mondays missile firing, which he appreciated as perfect.He stressed the need to continue making miraculous achievements in bolstering up the nuclear force one after another in this historic year, the report added.The Norths top newspaper Rodong Sinmun carried nine photos of the test, including one of a beaming Kim standing in front of a map surrounded by smiling officials.South Koreas defense ministry said the tests were of Rodong missiles with a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). It said they had been fired over the Sea of Japan (East Sea) without warning.The Rodong is a scaled-up Scud variant with a maximum range of around 1,300 kilometers, bringing most of Japan within range.Melissa Hanham, an expert on North Koreas weapons program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, said it was difficult to determine so far if there had been any technical progress.The most obvious difference from the last test is the change in warhead, Hanham said.Last month, North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile from the northeastern port of Sinpo.That flew 500 kilometers towards Japan, far exceeding the range of the countrys previous sub-launched missiles.Kim described the August test as the greatest success and said it put the US mainland within striking range.But the UN Security Council said it regretted that Pyongyang was diverting resources to the pursuit of ballistic missiles while citizens have great unmet needs.The launch was widely condemned by the US and other major powers, but analysts saw it as a clear step forward for North Koreas nuclear strike ambitions.A proven submarine-launched ballistic missile system would allow deployment far beyond the Korean peninsula and a second-strike capability in the event of an attack on the Norths military bases.After his meeting with Park, Obama said if North Korea committed to denuclearization then the opportunities for us to dialogue with them are there.But he added that Pyongyangs current behavior made that impossible.AFP
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said yesterday that the federal government was set to launch the Change Begins...

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said yesterday that the federal government was set to launch the Change Begins With Me campaign to entrench the values of accountability, integrity and positive attitudinal change in Nigerians.The Minister, who disclosed this at a briefing in Abuja, said the campaign, which is billed for launch tomorrow, was aimed at educating and enlightening Nigerians on the need to appreciate the key values needed for national development.He said: About three to five years back now, the role models in the society were people of doubtful character. Money was worshipped; nobody cared where and how one got the money; these are the misplaced values that we are tackling now.He said the campaign would involve every Nigerian and address the shortcomings of every profession and jobs, and was expected to feature slogans that could be easily assimilated by the people. We believe that what is wrong with Nigeria is not limited to the elite, the political class and the civil service; if we want that change, therefore, it must address all the issues and target every strata of the society. The campaign was not a replication of the War Against Indiscipline which the Buhari-led military administration initiated in 1983, but said it would achieve the same goal using a different means.In 1983, they used what they had to achieve what they wanted, which was to correct the decadence in society, tackle corruption and impunity. In the area of enforcement, people alleged infractions and intimidation. But here, we are going to use the media to appeal to people. We are going to use persuasion, instead of coercion and intimidation. Our various platforms will be radio, television, print media, bill boards, social media and the like.Part of our campaign will also be concerts which will be sponsored by people in the private sector, he said. The minister appealed for the support of the private sector towards the success of the campaign, adding that the National Orientation Agency, NOA, would be the flagship body driving the campaign.
Anna Dewdney, an Englewood native whose bestselling series of Baby Llama books delighted young children for more than a decade, died Saturday at her home in Vermont, according to the Associated Press and other published reports.

She was 50 and had been battling brain cancer.

Dewdney, a graduate of the Putney School in Vermont and Wesleyan University, held a series of jobs, including mail carrier and waitress, and broke into the book business illustrating Dian Regan's "The Peppermint Race" in 1994, according to an obituary on Publisher's Weekly.

She provided artwork for other children's books before she wrote and illustrated "Llama, Llama, Red Pajama" in 2005. The story of Baby Llama's difficulties with bedtime launched a series that eventually grew to 10 titles and millions of copies sold. A Netflix series based on the books is due for release next year.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of our cherished author Anna Dewdney. https://t.co/jsaFLznFSC pic.twitter.com/cGOaUoHnl9  Penguin Kids (@penguinkids) September 6, 2016

In a 2013 interview with NJ.com, Dewdney explained how she chose a llama as a character and not another animal more typically seen on U.S. farms. It started out, she said, as a family joke to entertain her own children.

"When the children were small, and I have two girls, they would sit in the back seat. I would drive around to school or wherever. And there were all these cows in the field. I would say, 'Look there are cows.' And I would moo and make sheep noises and chicken noises. Our vet had a field with donkeys and then she got a llama. And I would go "llama-llama-llama,'" she said.

She is survived by her partner, Reed Duncan, and two grown children.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
ELMWOOD PARK - Investigators say a kitchen appliance may be to blame for a fire that tore through a multi-family home Tuesday night, leaving one person dead.

"Preliminary evidence is pointing towards the origin being possibly in the kitchen," said Elmwood Park Police Chief Michael Foligno.

Elmwood Park Fire Chief Michael Pressler the cause of the fire is still undetermined, but that an electrical appliance may be to blame.

The fire started about 11:30 p.m. inside the Miller Avenue house.

Raw video of fatal fire being fought in Elmwood Park. 1 person died in overnight blaze (https://t.co/jIZ787D8F6): pic.twitter.com/dQ468PzAvc  Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) September 7, 2016

A first-floor tenant told police she awoke to the sound of smoke alarms and observed heavy smoke in the common hallway of the building. She told police she ran from the building to safety at a neighbor's house.

"First responding officers discovered the house fully engulfed in flames and thick heavy smoke emanating from the building," Foligno said. "Officers attempted to force entry into the residence but were held back by the intense heat and thick heavy smoke."

Firefighters soon arrived from Elmwood Park, Saddle Brook, Garfield, Fair Lawn and Clifton. After about 30 minutes, the fire was under control.

As they fought the flames, firefighters came across a body on the bedroom floor, next to the bed.

The victim was taken to the Bergen County Medical Examiner's office for autopsy and identification.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Arson Investigation Unit is assisting with the investigation.

No one else was hurt in the fire, the police chief said.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
President Park Geun-hye and her U.S. counterpart Barack Obama affirmed their two countries' military alliance during a meeting in the Lao capital of Vientiane on Tuesday.

They "agreed to maintain a strong deterrence posture by enhancing... combined defense capabilities to include the deployment of the [Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery]," according to a U.S. statement.

"The United States and Korea have agreed to faithfully implement UN Security Council resolutions, and further strengthen our efforts to seal the loopholes and sanctions implementation even more tightly," Park told reporters.
ELMWOOD PARK - A woman died in a fire late Tuesday in an apartment at an Elmwood Park home, according to 7online.com.

The fire started about 11:30 p.m. inside a multi-family home on Miller Avenue, according to the report.

Raw video of fatal fire being fought in Elmwood Park. 1 person died in overnight blaze (https://t.co/jIZ787D8F6): pic.twitter.com/dQ468PzAvc  Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) September 7, 2016

The roof of the home caved in before firefighters could extinguish the blaze. The woman's body was later found inside on the second floor, according to 7online.

CBS2 interviewed a man who said his sister-in-law, who owns the home, escaped from her first-floor apartment.

Tony Ambrogio told the news station that the homeowner, who is his sister-in-law, heard smoke alarms and escaped her first floor apartment.

"By that time, the house was engulfed in flames," Ambrogio said.

The woman who died "got trapped in the fire and she died," Ambrogio said.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Arson Investigation Unit and Bergen County Sheriff will investigate.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
CAMDEN -- The man accused of stabbing a city woman to death in 2013 before torching her body inside an abandoned home was sentenced last month to three decades behind bars, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Charles Sheppard, who was 24 at the time of the Feb. 8, 2013 murder, was accused of stabbing Rhonda Scott, 38, more than 30 times in the back and stomach. Sheppard then allegedly set Scott's body on fire while inside a vacant home along the 1700 block of Tioga Street.

Sheppard, of Camden, was scheduled to be tried back in April, according to the prosecutor's office, but pleaded guilty to one count of murder in a plea agreement prior to trial.

According to previous reports, Camden County Prosecutor's Office detectives found DNA evidence at the scene and later identified Sheppard as the source. He was already being held in the Camden County Jail when the August 2013 connection was made.

The victim's Family First card, an electronic benefits transfer card issued by the state, was later used by a group of five people to purchase items at at a grocery store.

Authorities added that Sheppard later filed a motion in hopes of withdrawing the plea agreement. That motion was denied after an assistant prosecutor presented the case against Sheppard. The state prison sentence was imposed on Aug. 24 by Superior Court Judge Kathleen Delaney in accordance with the negotiated plea agreement.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
BRIDGETON -- Authorities arrested an attempted murder suspect in Delaware after he had been on the run for more than a year.

An anonymous tip led Milford Police Department to find and arrest Terrance T. Thomas, 27, of Bridgeton on Sept. 4. He was picked up while walking out of Mispillion Apartments in Milford, Delaware.

Thomas was wanted for attempted murder and armed robbery after allegedly shooting a man in the shoulder at Bridgeton Villas on July 22, 2015. Bridgeton Police have sought Thomas since the shooting. Due to police pressure, Thomas fled to Delaware, authorities say.

Milford police arrested Thomas without incident and he is being held at Sussex Correctional Institution, awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
groundbreaking ceremony for the Fred Hill Training Complex

Rutgers-New Brunswick Chancellor Richard Edwards is stepping down at the end of the 2016-17 school year. (Saed Hindash | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

(Saed Hindash)

NEW BRUNSWICK -- One of Rutgers University's top administrators is stepping down.

Richard Edwards, chancellor of the university's flagship campus in New Brunswick and former interim university president, will leave his post at the end of this school year, the university announced Wednesday.

Edwards plans to take a one-year sabbatical and return as a faculty member, he said. He has been at Rutgers since 2005 and served as chancellor since 2012.

"There are lot of things that I am proud of," Edwards told NJ Advance Media. "It's been extremely interesting. There has never been a boring day."

Edwards helped guide Rutgers through its merger with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and was instrumental in crafting the long-term strategic plan for the New Brunswick campus.

The university opened its new honors college during Edwards' tenure, and he worked closely with university police to increase student safety by adding more security cameras near off-campus housing.

Edwards also formed a new task force in inclusion and community values, which is expected to release recommendations later this fall.

He serves as Rutgers' representative to the Big Ten Academic Alliance, a consortium that shares academic ideas among the conference's universities.

Edwards was tapped as Rutger's interim president in the time after Richard McCormick's stint ended and prior to current President Robert Barchi's arrival.

"He has been a trusted adviser, an innovative and creative problem solver, and an effective ambassador to our external constituencies," Robert Barchi said.

The university will conduct a national search to find Edward's replacement, Barchi said.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
D.C. and Tennessee have it in the first night of competition at the 2017 Miss America pageant in Atlantic City.

Miss Tennessee, Grace Burgess, impressed the judges with her rousing, twangy rendition of the 1973 Eagles song "Desperado" to take home the first award for talent. Burgess, 22, a Memphis local and senior child development major at the University of Memphis who wants to pursue a master's degree in child studies at Vanderbilt University, receives a $2,000 scholarship for the win.

"It's such an honor to be able to walk on that stage in the first place," Burgess said after her successful performance under the giant Miss America crown that hangs over the stage at Boardwalk Hall.

Miss District of Columbia, Cierra Jackson, who walked the runway in a bright orchid bikini to the sounds of "Me Too" by Meghan Trainor, won a $1,000 scholarship for "Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit."

Miss District of Columbia 2016, Cierra Jackson, competes in the swimwear category during the first preliminary night of the Miss America 2017 competition at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. (Tim Hawk | For NJ.com)

Jackson, 24, an alumna of Spelman College who worked as a communications intern at the White House in the office of the chief of staff, has an interest in environmental law and a bachelor's degree in political science.

"You let your light shine and then other people are able to see that," Jackson said after her win, thanking her pageant trainer, adding that he works with other Miss America contestants, including Miss West Virginia and Miss Maryland.

Miss New Jersey, Brenna Weick, competed in the swimsuit and evening gown portions, wearing a white bikini and striding in a shimmering beige dress with a fluffy fishtail train to the blippy Calvin Harris and Rihanna song "This is What You Came For."

Though she she trained daily for a shot at the swimsuit title, Weick, 22, of Mantua, took home another honor -- the bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The award, bestowed to several other Miss America contestants in a silver and gold variation, is part of an international program founded by the United Kingdom's Prince Philip in 1956 that recognizes young people ages 14 to 24 who have made strides in physical fitness, serving their communities or cultivating skills outside of school.

Falling in line with the usual pageant fare, Miss America 2017's inaugural talent portion saw plenty of vocal performances along with piano, ballet en pointe (to music from "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"), lyrical and jazz dancing and a baton twirling routine. Changing up the pace a bit were a Bollywood fusion dance from Shruti Nagarajan, Miss Rhode Island, and a poem recitation ("Say Yes," by Andrea Gibson) from Rylee Field, Miss Vermont.

Perhaps the greatest change, however, was telegraphed in the state introductions.

Miss Missouri, Erin O'Flaherty, the first openly gay Miss America contestant, opened with this:

"From the Show Me State, I've got a lot to show you, America!"

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.
NEWARK -- A 28-year-old New York man was arrested with heroin, a hypodermic needle, and a 3-year-old child in his car, police said Wednesday.

Jacob Vandijk of Rocky Point, N.Y., was charged Saturday with possession of CDS and paraphernalia, as well as endangering the welfare of a child, Newark Police announced.



It was about 1 p.m., when officers patrolling the area of Lincoln and Mercer streets, at the Oscar Miles Village public housing complex, saw Vandijk in his car with what they later confirmed to be a hypodermic needle, police said.

Upon searching the car, officers found needles and glassine envelopes containing what they believed was heroin, police said.

"A 3-year-old child, seated in a child seat, was also in the vehicle with Vandijk," the announcement stated.



Vandijk was arrested without incident, and the child was taken to University Hospital in Newark to be examined, police said.

Vandijk's relationship to the child was not immediately clear.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
ORANGE -- A lawsuit alleging that the former director of the Orange police department sexually harassed a lieutenant has been dismissed.

In a summary judgment issued Aug. 5, Superior Court Judge Thomas Vena ruled in favor of former Orange Police Director Hakim Sims in the 2015 lawsuit filed against him by veteran city police Lt. Deborah Upchurch.

The decision was based on written materials provided by both sides, and did not go to trial.

"My client is relieved and happy that his good name has been restored," said Gina Mendola, who represented Sims in the suit. Vena found that there was "no legal basis...(and) no proof" for charges to be filed against Sims, Mendola said of the ruling.

"Legally, the judge was right on."

Mendola said Upchurch's related suits against the city and police department were also dismissed.

Eldridge Hawkins, Upchurch's attorney, said the ruling is not the end of the legal battle, as the lieutenant plans to appeal the decision.

"The judge stated his interpretation of the law...of course, we disagree with it," Hawkins said in a phone interview.

Among other allegations, Upchurch claimed Sims repeatedly made suggestive and inappropriate remarks and advances toward her, including saying she "reminds him of a porn star."

Sims has denied the allegations, calling them "patently false." He filed a $2.5 million lawsuit against Upchurch and the city, alleging that the suit filed by the lieutenant was part of a coordinated, politically-motivated campaign to defame him.

That suit is still pending, the attorneys said.

Sims was suspended during an investigation into the allegations, but Mendola said he since retired from the department in good standing.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NUTLEY -- Taking photos of himself dressed up as a police officer and posing with a fake gun has gotten a New Jersey man arrested, authorities said.

Nutley police said they received reports last week that 19-year-old Christopher Ciccone, of Jackson, was impersonating a police officer, and might be in possession of a gun. Police said they were given photos of Ciccone wearing "police attire" and a badge around his neck.

On Sept. 2, police pulled Ciccone over when they saw his silver Ford Crown Victoria near a Nutley home he used to live in. He was found to be in possession of the badge, handcuffs, a dash cam, flashing light, police scanner, and replica 9 mm Beretta, with two magazines filled with blanks, police said.

Ciccone was arrested on charges of impersonating a police officer and possession of prohibited weapons and released pending a court hearing, authorities said.

According to police spokesman Det. Sgt. Anthony Montanari, Ciccone did not attempt to interact with anyone while dressed up as a police officer, or "do anything other than share photographs."

Officers pursued the case in an effort to get the gun, which turned out to be a fake, off the streets, police said.

This "was a young man that took the wrong route in his desire to be a police officer," Police Director and Mayor Alphonse Petracco said in a statement about the incident.

"It could've been possible for Ciccone to actually get into law enforcement, however an arrest like this makes it unlikely now."

Authorities declined to release the photos that prompted the investigation.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Jaunelle McNeal (Newark police)

NEWARK -- Jaunelle McNeal arrived at University Hospital in late July with a gunshot wound, appearing to be yet one more of the city's large annual tally of victims injured by firearms.

But authorities say McNeal wasn't, in fact, shot in Newark, or even in New Jersey, and now he faces a number of charges, including obstruction and filing a false police report.

When officers interviewed McNeal after he turned up at University shortly before midnight July 27, he allegedly identified himself as 27-year-old Curtis Jefferson and told police that he had been the victim of an armed robbery on Stratford Place.

But according to police, further investigation revealed that "Curtis Jefferson" was an alias for McNeal, of Pittsburgh. McNeal had also been shot in Allentown, Pa., on July 27, and was wanted for robbery in Kittanning, Pa., authorities said.

It was not immediately clear Tuesday if McNeal remained in custody.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Kim "stressed the need to continue making miraculous achievements in bolstering up the nuclear force one after another in this historic year," the [North] Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday called for continued nuclear weapons development after watching three ballistic missiles being fired into the East Sea.

The missiles that were fired Monday seem to be an improved version of the Rodong with a slightly differently shaped warhead.

"They had warheads that looked like cones," a military source here said.

The North Korean media published images showing that the three missiles were fired simultaneously.

The missiles were fired as world leaders met for the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China and flew about 1,000 km before dropping into the sea, apparently in a bid for attention just after the leaders of China and South Korea sat down face to face.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council in an emergency meeting on Tuesday discussed a response to the latest missile launch.

The launch came only 10 days after a UNSC press statement condemning the North's frantic missile volleys over the past months.
WEST DEPTFORD TWP. -- Reporter Olivia Nuzzi received national attention this week after West Deptford politician Mike Krawitz allegedly posted on her Facebook that he hoped she would be raped.

The 23-year-old political journalist -- who currently covers Donald Trump for The Daily Beast in Washington, D.C. and has covered other Republican candidates in the past, including Gov. Chris Christie -- is no stranger to harassment.

After a short stint as an intern for Anthony Weiner's New York City mayoral campaign, she wrote a tell-all front-page story in the New York Daily News about her experience. Nuzzi was thrust into the spotlight when Weiner's press secretary reacted to the story in an interview, and called her explicit and sexist names. The press secretary, Barbara Morgan, later apologized and said she thought the conversation was off the record.

Nuzzi -- who grew up in Red Bank, New Jersey -- claimed she wasn't easily offended and didn't let it scare her off. However, it was just the start and, she said on Tuesday that, thanks to Trump, the internet trolls have only gotten worse.

"I couldn't have anticipated how much that episode (in 2013) would set the tone for the ensuing three years and the 2016 election," she wrote Tuesday.

She explained her latest exchange started on Monday after she shared a story on Facebook about Donald Trump's second wife, Marla Maples, written by a colleague. That's when Krawitz commented on her post with a style of grammar and punctuation Nuzzi said he has been using to harass her for nearly two years.

His first comment read "Bill. Clinton. Cheated. On. Hillary. :). With. Multiple. Women." It only intensified from there, with him wishing for her to be raped by a Syrian refugee.

Krawitz told other media outlets and his fellow Republicans that his account was hacked but neither Nuzzi or the GOP believed him.

Gloucester County Republican Executive Committee Chair Jim Philbin and West Deptford GOP leaders called for Krawitz's resignation on Tuesday and he complied.

Not that anything could justify his remarks. But women get this sort of harassment everyday basically just for existing.  Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) September 5, 2016

Nuzzi wrote on Tuesday how she's been called a list of other offensive names in her short career so far: "bimbo troll," "plastic surgery addict," and "probable jewess."

Nuzzi said that bullying has been redefined and it's no longer a question of what a journalist can handle.

"When a former reality TV star can become the Republican nominee while offending and belittling entire genders, races, and religions, why wouldn't a man seeking local office think that encouraging the rape of a woman he hates is OK?" she wrote.

Krawitz has not returned a request for comment and no one answered when a reporter knocked on his door on Wednesday.

Nuzzi said she knows all too well that reporters are in the public eye and their work can invite public criticism, but she feels her recent experience demonstrates a change in the political landscape.

"I don't want to assign too much blame for this to the Republican nominee, but there has been a sort of legitimizing of obscene language and of bullying in the last 16 months that Donald Trump has been running for office," Nuzzi told WNYC.

"As a reporter, bullying of this kind from would-be politicians makes you fear for your First Amendment rights," Nuzzi told 6ABC. "As an American and a woman, it makes you fear for the state of our country and the safety of half the population that inhabits it."

Caitlyn Stulpin may be reached at cstulpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitstulpin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
ValEmmich_HoltzPhotography.jpg

Jersey City's Val Emmich will release his latest album with a performance at Maxwell's Tavern in Hoboken on Saturday, September 17.

(Photo by Holtz Photography)

Val Emmich should just add juggler to his resume, which already includes actor, musician, songwriter, author, husband, and stay-at-home dad. After winning praise for his dramatic role on the controversial HBO series Vinyl, Emmich's focus has returned to music, with the release of a new album, Whatever's Chasing You, and a live appearance at Maxwell's Tavern on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Emmich's been a mainstay in the New Jersey music scene since debuting in the band Ben Trovato while a Rutgers-New Brunswick student back in the late 90s. Since then, he's released a remarkable 17 albums (including a brief stint on a major label,) toured the country, and as an actor, appeared on television, films, and commercials. Nowadays, he and his family live in Jersey City.

"This album has a less distinct origin story than some of my efforts," Emmich said, referring to previous projects that had him sequester himself in a rural cabin or travel to other cities to record. "I think this record just revolves around the reality of my current life as a homebody. I stay at home all day, I take care of my family, and when I have time, I wrote and recorded these songs. Compared to previous projects that were done in a burst, this was done over a longer stretch.

"Sonically, I was having some issues with my throat, and it was hard for me to get over this scratchiness in my voice," he continued. "But I kind of like how it sounds, so instead of fighting it, I went with it. It kind of reminds me of the bands I would listen to in the Nineties, like Pavement or Dinosaur Jr., that sort of slacker approach to vocal delivery. So that set the palette for how I approached the record vocally and it was pretty new for me."

Whatever's Chasing You represents Emmich's first full-length album of new material since 2012's Bulldozzzer, (a few stopgap EP's were released in the interim,) but the collection of earnest love songs, fretful self-doubt, and gently rocking Americana melodies remain very much in his wheelhouse. As noted, it's the vocals that really set the tone hear, more laid back and less urgent than some of his earlier work. One standout track, "Bedtime Regrets," sounds at first like a lullaby.

"It's more of a private lullaby that you sing to yourself, when you're trying to fall asleep and you're thinking back on everything you did wrong during the day," Emmich said. "I'm very proud of that song, it's written in a way I don't usually write. It just came to me without even picking up a guitar. But more important ly than how quickly it was written is the fact that it seems to strike something universal, and a lot of people have since told me that it really hits home.

"I wish I could hit a grand slam with everything I write, but that's not the case obviously," Emmich mused. "But if I can get one every album, that's pretty good, I think."

Another change came when Emmich recorded and mixed the album entirely at his home studio. "I've recorded by myself at home before but it was always handed off to a producer in a studio to mix," he said. "I did this one completely by myself and it nearly drove me insane. Recording is one thing, but fine-tuning and mixing an album so it sounds just right is another. But I think I've finally learned that I was right to take it on.

"It's hard to hand things off after you've spent so long nit-picking about what each instrument does, and then have someone else mix it, which is an art in itself," Emmich added. "I had a friend who produced some of my records who encouraged me and gave me some pointers. I'm happy with the record, but I don't think I'll do it again. It's just too maddening. I don't prefer working alone, but sometimes it's just easier with my schedule. But the next record I do will be another live recording with the band."

That band, the Veeries, will be with Emmich when he performs at Maxwell's Tavern on Saturday, Sept. 17. "This is the band that recorded Aide Memoire with me in 2011," Emmich explained. "And opening up the show is Christina Alessi, who has recorded a bunch of songs with me going all the way back. I played a show recently and it felt like such therapy, we played a really long time and it felt really good, and I put all the songs in that I thought were the most obvious songs people wanted to hear. I realized that if I'm playing out less, I better make every show count, with a feeling of leaving it all out there.

"I've always tried to play with a life or death feeling, but I think that's even intensified from the days when I was performing every night or every week. But I do plan to keep it going, instead of just going back into hibernation. There's something about releasing new music where it doesn't feel complete until you perform it. So we're going to keep playing these songs out until people get tired of hearing them."

And if all that isn't keeping him busy enough, Emmich is adding another facet to his career: Author. "My first novel The Reminders will be coming out in May, and it's been optioned for a film," Emmich said. "I'm so excited about this because I've spent ten years writing novels that never got any further than my desk, and then I finally got an agent and sold the book to Little, Brown, so definitely my next couple of months will be spent setting up this book and then hopefully going out and promoting it. People always say write about what you know, but I never wanted to do that. Well, with this third attempt, with this novel that actually got sold, a lot of it does come from my own life. It takes place in Jersey City and there's a lot of music and acting in it, and I found a way to make it what I know about but not really about it. And there'll be a musical release associated with the book too."



IF YOU GO:

Val Emmich & The Veeries will perform at Maxwell's Tavern (1039 Washington Street, Hoboken) on Saturday, September 17. Also appearing will be Christina Alessi. Doors open at 7:30 pm and admission is $10. Val Emmich's new album is available from all digital retailers and at valemmich.com.
Hanjin Group on Tuesday promised W100 billion in emergency funding to its cash-strapped subsidiary Hanjin Shipping (US$1=W1,108).

Hanjin Group chairman Cho Yang-ho will foot W40 billion from his own money, while the remaining W60 billion will be obtained via bank loans using the conglomerate's overseas terminals as collateral.

Hanjin Group executives made the announcement after talks with main creditor Korea Development Bank. The move is a stopgap measure aimed at enabling the bankrupt shipping line to unload cargo at ports in Long Beach, California, Hamburg, Germany and Singapore, where it is not under threat of seizure from creditors.
'The Witness' movie review: A very personal look at the very public murder of Kitty Genovese
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.
Welcome to non league daily news now - your number one spot for all things relating to the National League System. Our dedicated reporters have come straight from the sidelines to bring you news fresh from the dugout - but not before theyve stopped off at the burger van first!

We know that non league football fans are full of heart, passion, and belief. You trust the manager, you believe in the team, and, for some strange reason, you trust those rickety stands, too! Here at Non League Daily, we hope we can become your trusted non league news resource - a platform thats just as passionate about non league daily news now as you.

Come rain or shine, well be out reporting on the latest non league fixtures. Well also be scouring the news, refreshing social media, and sourcing information from team websites in the hopes of finding the latest breaking non league daily news for our readers.

As youll soon see, weve got exclusive match reports on the Vanarama National League, weve got transfer speculation thatll affect the National League South, weve found great stories thatll spice up the National League North, and weve even got news on the latest giant killers of the FA Cup.

We may not be able to agree on who is going up this year, but we can all agree that any news on the NLS worth knowing will be published here, at Non League Daily.
The Iowa Board of Regents, which oversees the states three public universities, Iowa School for the Deaf and Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired says its plan for a new two-year budget system will bring more predictability to tuition expenses for students and their families, but the unpredictably of available state funding could complicate that effort.

The regents announced recently a plan to fund the budget years that end in 2018 and 2019 with a combination of tuition increases and more state dollars. The board has typically planned one year ahead.

By going to this new model, students and parents will know tuition rates well in advance, and the state will know our thinking on funding for two years, said regents President Bruce Rastetter in a statement.

The nine-member board faces some challenges in delivering on its vision, in part because its become increasingly difficult to figure out how much money the Iowa Legislature will allocate each year to higher education, The Associated Press noted.

Student leaders at the three universities have publicly expressed frustrations about the growing cost of education, including an across-the-board tuition hike approved in July that came just weeks before the start of the new academic year.

University of Iowa student body president Rachel Zuckerman said the boards announcement reflects an effort to listen to students concerns, but now the Legislature and the governor have to play their roles.

In the last legislative session, the regents requested roughly $20 million in additional money for the schools. Gov. Terry Branstad recommended $8 million, and lawmakers eventually approved $6.3 million. They also allocated about $3 million in additional spending for Iowas community colleges, which are not part of the regents system.

Sen. Brian Schoenjahn, D-Arlington, who has worked on higher education funding, said the regents proposal would require a long-term, bipartisan commitment by the Legislature.

After lawmakers approved far less funding than the regents requested, the board approved tuition increases in July that generated about $19 million. The regents also voted to raise tuition last December. Cole Staudt, student body president at Iowa State University, said last-minute tuition increases are too difficult for students.

Its just a struggle to watch students come to me and say, Hey, I really cant afford this. I dont know what Im going to do, he said.

The specifics of the two-year model  2 percent increases to tuition rates each year for in-state undergraduate students and 2 percent increases each year in state funding  is subject to change in the second year, said regents spokesman Josh Lehman.

The plan is dynamic. What happens this year can affect it going forward, he said.

In the end, the board is not formally asking the Legislature to approve two years worth of funding, the AP said. At a Sept. 8 meeting, it plans to vote on its funding request for the first budget year  more than $656 million that includes $12.7 million in new money for the universities.

Branstads spokesman Ben Hammes declined to elaborate on whether the two-year plan is realistic to the AP, though he added in an email that all budget requests are subject to the limitations of state revenue and Gov. Branstad will thoughtfully consider the request.

We encourage both Branstad and the Legislature to work with the regents on a two-year budget plan we hope will leave college tuition both affordable and stable.
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The head of the worlds leading gold-streaming company is making a $10-million donation to Laurentian Universitys Department of Earth Sciences and its Mineral Exploration Research Centre (MERC). David Harquail was in Sudbury on Sept.

The head of the worlds leading gold-streaming company is making a $10-million donation to Laurentian Universitys Department of Earth Sciences and its Mineral Exploration Research Centre (MERC).

David Harquail was in Sudbury on Sept. 6 to announce the donation through his family foundation, the Midas Touch Foundation which supports charities, hospitals, education and the arts.

Its the largest commitment by the foundation to date.

The universitys board of governors decided to rename the department as the Harquail School of Earth Sciences and associate ongoing MERC efforts with the Harquail name.

Laurentian University is already a global leader in mineral exploration research, said Harquail in a news release. This is a step towards making Laurentian the leading centre for mineral exploration research in the world. Laurentian has mining in its DNA with its location next to mines and a cluster of mining related government departments and research agencies on campus. Success will come from the development of new concepts and tools to find the next generation of ore deposits.

An $8.4-million endowment will be created to support new research chairs, lab equipment and supplies, technical support and scholarships for international PhD students. The balance of $1.6 million will allow for the immediate recruitment of a research chair in exploration targeting.

Franco-Nevada has royalty interests on over 260 mineral properties globally, including Northern Ontario. The companys sponsors Laurentians Goodman School of Mines and Harquail serves on its global advisory board.

This research is fundamental because the discovery of ore bodies creates value for all of society, said Harquail. Mining companies deliver that value by building and operating the mines. And that value is shared with all levels of government, the First Nations and the overall economy through the multiplier effect. None of this can happen without that initial discovery.

Canada disproportionately benefits from its entrepreneurial strength in global mineral exploration. Even discoveries outside of Canada contribute to the well-being of Canadians. Canadas resource entrepreneurs have been among the most generous philanthropists in this country benefiting many universities, hospitals and other institutions, added Harquail.

The mining industrys exploration efforts are at a low ebb and are focused on the near term, said Dr. Douglas Tinkham, director of the Harquail School of Earth Sciences. The university is committed to the longer term science that could lead to new discoveries. This investment helps us to build the capacity to do that science.
The Gold Coast Titans have proven a lot of doubters wrong to get to the NRL Finals and this Friday they face the Broncos in an elimination final.

NRL.com analyst Matt Elliott demonstrates how potent the Titans are when in the attacking zone, looking to utilise short balls to big forwards to bulldoze their way over the try-line.

The Broncos meanwhile are one of the busiest teams with ball in hand and will continually look to push up and expect offloads on any play to tear broken defences to shreds.

Who will advance in this Queensland blockbuster? Watch the video below.
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The saints are marching off the signs and stationery at local Franciscan Alliance hospitals.

The hospitals in Crown Point and Michigan City will no longer be identified with St. Anthony, nor those in Hammond and Dyer with St. Margaret. They're among 13 hospitals in the system simplifying their names in a rebranding that takes effect Monday.

St. Francis will retain pride of place: the system's parent organization will remain Franciscan Alliance, while the Region's hospitals will take the names Franciscan Health Crown Point, Franciscan Health Michigan City, Franciscan Health Hammond and Franciscan Health Dyer. Franciscan Health Munster will retain its current name.

Sister Jane Marie Klein, chairwoman of the Franciscan Alliance board, said the new names continue to reflect the Franciscan heritage and identity of the system's founders, the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration.

Franciscan Health, like Franciscan Alliance, creates a unified and memorable name acknowledging our faith-based mission to 'Continue Christs Ministry in our Franciscan Tradition,' Klein said in Wednesday's announcement.

Franciscan Alliance officials also said the rebranding will help emphasize the health care and cost advantages of a larger system, and help attract the best clinicians and staff.

Unified names for each hospital will create broader awareness of our standing as a large, multistate Catholic health care system, said Kevin Leahy, president and CEO of Franciscan Alliance.

Franciscan Health serves more than 1.3 million patients in Indiana and Illinois each year.
VALPARAISO  Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford had a straightforward reply Wednesday when presented with a request to let Thomas Forbes out of prison early after his sentence for a 2001 murder already had been dramatically reduced as a result of a successful appeal.

Enough is enough, Bradford said.

Forbes, of Portage, who is scheduled to be released from prison in December 2017, had asked Bradford to release him now, in part, so he could see his mother before she dies and help care for two of his children in her care.

Bradfords denial pleased Lynn Mundt, sister of Robert Nolan, who Forbes is convicted of helping to murder May 29, 2001, in Portage along with co-defendant Cleatus Paul Furlong, also of Portage.

All I wanted for him was to finish his time out, she said.

Mundt said she believes Forbes manipulated the system to reduce his time behind bars.

Forbes, who is now 45, took the witness stand Wednesday and described the many employment and educational accomplishments he earned while behind bars.

Clearly you took your responsibilities very seriously. Is that accurate? asked his defense attorney John Vouga.

Yes, said Forbes.

The efforts paid off for Forbes in moving up his release date from near the end of 2021, Bradford said. He originally had been sentenced to serve into 2060, but the Indiana Appellate Court threw out his original convictions, saying he did not receive reasonable legal representation and he went on to strike a deal with prosecutors for a reduced term to avoid a second trial.

Forbes said Wednesday his mother, who is caring for two of his three children, was diagnosed with dementia and already has been hospitalized three times. He said his father died while he was locked up.

He told the court he is no longer the person who helped murder Nolan.

I became something I should never have become, he said.

While he apologized to members of Nolans family, who were present in the courtroom, Bradford pointed out that at no time during the hearing did anyone mention the murder victim by name.

Vouga said if Forbes had somewhere to go in Indiana, he would be eligible now to be released on house arrest.

Forbes has said that he met with Furlong to discuss killing Nolan and purchased a handgun in Gary that Furlong used to shoot Nolan, formerly of Lansing, at his home. Forbes said he and Furlong returned to Nolans Portage home in the Vienna Woods subdivision and attempted to hide the crime .by encasing Nolans body in concrete and behind dry wall in the basement.

Furlong, who also had a conspiracy charge thrown out by the appellate court, had his sentence reduced from 118 to 68 years. His earliest possible release date is Aug. 5, 2034, according to the Indiana Department of Correction.
PLEASANT TOWNSHIP  One of two men involved in a violent home invasion Tuesday morning had red hair and a red beard, according to police.

County police also revealed that one of the men had commented about hearing the homeowner on job sites talking about having thousands of dollars.

The two men reportedly fled in a truck.

The 39-year-old homeowner told police he was alone sleeping on a couch at the house in the 400 block of East County Road 1000 South when two men in face masks broke in and forced him outside, said Sgt. Jamie Erow, spokeswoman for the Porter County Sheriff's Department.

The man was shot three times in the leg, Erow said.

The man also was handcuffed, taken to a barn and forced to open a safe containing an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

The man's 36-year-old girlfriend arrived with children, found the home in disarray and blood on the garage floor, and interrupted the crime, police said. She was grabbed by one of the men, held at gunpoint and taken to the barn. There, she saw her boyfriend handcuffed and bleeding, Erow said.

The two suspects ultimately got into the safe, took the cash and left, police said.

Police were dispatched to the home about 12:20 a.m., after the men fled, police said.

The homeowner was taken to Franciscan St. Anthony Health hospital in Crown Point with non-life-threatening wounds, police said. The girlfriend and children were not harmed.

The suspects were described as white, with face masks, bandannas and gloves.

The homeowner told police his property had been burglarized last weekend while he was out of town, Erow said.
LAPORTE  A LaPorte man who allegedly roughed up a boy he claimed was giving drugs to his 16-year-old daughter could face criminal charges.

Charges of strangulation and battery are being sought after a witness verified the victims claims of being physically assaulted, police said.

According to LaPorte police, the 17-year-old boy was in a car Sunday afternoon with two people, including the mans daughter.

After dropped off outside the Civic Auditorium at 1001 Ridge St. the boy was still there a half hour later when the 50-year-old man angrily walked up accusing him of being a druggie who had given illegal drugs to his daughter.

According to police, the man also uttered some profanities, put both of his hands around the boys neck and squeezed hard enough to cut off his airflow then pushed boy into a concrete wall hard enough that he struck his head.

Officers have been called to the mans home before due to problems involving the victim, who used to date his daughter who now is seeing another boy who has earned her fathers approval, police said.

According to police, the father told the boy he associates with bad people and doesnt want him hanging around his daughter anymore.

According to police, the boy had red marks around his neck consistent with being choked and had scrapes and other injuries, but when an ambulance showed up refused medical attention.

A woman living nearby told police she saw the man attack the boy.

Police said a copy of the report is being given to prosecutors to decide whether to pursue charges.
EAST CHICAGO  Charges have been filed against an East Chicago man accused of burglarizing an ice cream shop.

Ceasar Garcia Torres, 45, lives next door to business he reportedly targeted  La Unica 100% Michoacana, 624 W. Chicago Ave., according to East Chicago Police Lt. Marguerite Wilder.

Police were dispatched to the business Aug. 26. The business owner told police he arrived to find the cash register was on the floor, pop and chips taken from the shelves, and a television missing.

It appears Torres gained entry by scaling a wall and making his way into a rear entry door, according to police.

Torres has been charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief, police said.
Two Porter County police departments have reported the passing or attempting passing of counterfeit $100 bills in the last week in unrelated cases.

The Chesterton Police Department reported on Sept. 1 they took complaints from three retailers that a man used fake $100 to pay for or attempt to pay for food.

Police were initially called to AJ's Pizza, 3050 Matson St., where employees told police a man had bought a pizza and used a counterfeit bill, got his change, but did not stay for the food. The employees told police the man may have been with another man and two women.

Minutes later two women were reported paying for food from Culver's, 3000 Matson St., with a fake bill. They received change, but did not stay to collect the food they ordered.

Police also received a report from Speedway Gas Station, 502 Gateway Blvd., that two men attempted to buy food items with a counterfeit $100, but were denied the purchase and left.

The three incidents happened within an hour of each other. The four suspects, who were only described as African American, may have left the area in a silver SUV.

Portage police reported the arrest of a Gary man Tuesday morning for attempting to pass a fake $100 bill at a McDonald's drive-thru, 6075 U.S. 6.

Dennis Jones, 26, allegedly admitted trying to pass the bill. He was charged with felony forgery and transported to Porter County Jail.

A woman in his car, Amber Briggs, 29, of Gary, was also charged with theft after police found items from both nearby Walmart and Meijer. Briggs allegedly admitted to stealing some of the items, according to the report. She was also transported to Porter County Jail.
EAST CHICAGO  Charges have been filed against a man and woman accused of carrying out back-to-back strong-armed robberies last week.

Police responded Aug. 30 to the 4500 block of Magoun Avenue in reference to a robbery, according to East Chicago Police Lt. Marguerite Wilder. A tow truck driver told police he was sent to the area after receiving a request for a vehicle tow.

A man, who gave the name of Dante and claimed to own the pickup, met the tow truck driver and then went inside to retrieve paperwork, according to police.

As the tow truck driver was loading the pickup onto his flatbed, the suspect  later identified as Keith Cleveland, 25  ran up to him and stuck a handgun into his side, police said. The tow truck driver handed over money and his cellphone.

Cleveland allegedly left the area with a woman, later identified as Victoria True, 20.

The next day, a similar strong-armed robbery occurred in the same area, according to Wilder.

"The methods of operation were identical in nature as well as the description of suspects," Wilder stated in an email.

Due to previous contact and detailed victim information, detectives were able to make a positive identification of the suspects.

Cleveland and True  whose last known addresses were not immediately available Tuesday  have been charged each with two counts of armed robbery, a level three felony.
CHICAGO  Thirteen people were shot to death over the Labor Day weekend in Chicago, making it the deadliest holiday weekend of one of the deadliest summers the city has experienced in decades.

The police department also said the 13 were among 43 people who were shot over the weekend. Among those was a pregnant woman who delivered a nearly full-term baby after she was shot in the abdomen. The woman, whom police say was not the intended target, was listed in critical condition Tuesday. The infant's condition has not been released.

The holiday weekend slayings come amid a dramatic spike in homicides. The department also said the weekend slayings pushed to 488 the total of slayings for the year  surpassing the 481 homicides that the police department said were recorded for all of last year. Nearly 230 homicides occurred in June, July and August  during which the city had 90 homicides, making it the deadliest single month in Chicago since June 1996.

The number of shootings and homicides over the Labor Day weekend were both higher than the Memorial Day and July 4 weekends and it was the last of the summer holidays before the school year started Tuesday. The nine homicides that happened on Monday alone was one more for the entire Labor Day weekend last year.

Police have said the reasons for the uptick in homicides are tied to the easy availability of guns and gang violence. And Superintendent Eddie Johnson, as he done in the past, said that much of the gun violence is the result of lax gun laws in Illinois that allow those arrested on gun charges to be released from jail far sooner than in other states.

"I'm frustrated... that despite these weekends we still see repeat offenders get back out on the street far too soon," Johnson told reporters on Tuesday.

Johnson, referring to reports that Chicago had more homicides than the combined total of the larger cities of New York and Los Angeles in August, said that those cities benefit from tougher gun laws. "If we had the gun laws they have we'd see violent crime cut in half," he said.

Johnson also reiterated that most of the killings have been concentrated in neighborhoods on the city's South and West sides that are plagued with high unemployment and poverty and where gang membership is particularly high.
VALPARAISO  Candidates and political parties anxious to get their signs up in the unincorporated areas of Porter County are now going to have wait another month.

The Porter County Board of Commissioners recently shortened the length of time political signs can go up ahead of elections from 60 to 30 days, according to Commissioner Jeff Good, R-Center.

The change brings the county into line with local communities and neighboring Lake County, which was a big part of the reason for the move, Good said.

I think we were looking for some consistency, he said.

This years general election day is Nov. 8, which means signs cannot go up until Oct. 10, instead of Saturday under the old rule.

It has created confusion allowing political signs to go up 60 days ahead of an election in the unincorporated areas of the county when cities and towns have a 30-day limit, Good said.

Portage and Valparaiso are among the local communities with a 30-day limit on signs, according to municipal officials.

Lake County also limits signs in the unincorporated areas to 30 days, as do most of the local communities with some slight variations, said Patrick Gabrione, assistant director at the countys Board of Election and Voter Registration.

There are the occasional violations, he said, mostly involving new candidates.

Good said he has heard some grumbling about the tighter rule, but knows from experience that 30 days is enough time for the signs to do their work. Longer periods of time can lead to signs being damaged by the weather and creating an eyesore.

I just think it will make it a little easier for campaigns too, he said.
GARY  Lake County Assessor Jerome Prince is promising to galvanize this citys Democratic Party precinct organization in advance of the Nov. 8 election.

There are a little over 70 day to the general election. The first order of business is to deliver the optimum vote for our Democratic candidate for governor (John Gregg), Prince said.

Some 104 local precinct committee members voted last week to name Prince their new city chairman.

Sheriff John Buncich, the county Democratic chairman, ordered a special party election last month after receiving a petition from city committeemen unhappy with the leadership under former Chairman Willie Stewart.

Stewart took over Garys precinct organization in early 2015 after the former chairwoman, Elsie Franklin, was convalescing.

The city organization was thrown into turmoil last spring after Darren Washington, chairman of the Calumet Township Board and a critic of Stewart, complained he should have received Garys endorsement for the 3rd District state Senate seat.

Washington said he received support from a majority of Garys committeemen, but was denied endorsement for refusing to pay $9,700 in party assessments. Washington complained to election officials that Gary distributed an improper candidate slate, containing his rival Eddie Melton, who won nomination for the state Senate seat.

Prince said he and Stewart went head to head last week and he won two-thirds of the committee members votes.

Ive been working with John Greggs campaign and the best way to do that is with an organization, which is why I sought to secure the Gary precinct organization. It had nothing to do with Willie Stewart and everything to do with the lack of connection to the potential governors campaign.

Im now prepared to bring Garys resources to that challenge, Prince said.

After the election, the goal is re-establish some credibility for the city organization as a whole. My intention isnt to stir up any more chaos or to demean anyone, but there are some issues there. At the very minimum, that suggests there was some unrest with (past) leadership.

I know exactly what to do to bring people together with resources and get things done. Im going to approach it in a very professional manner. I think in time we will have a very cohesive organization that is respected, not only here, but across the state and country, Prince said.
SPRINGFIELD  When former Gov. Pat Quinn held a news conference last week to announce his new plan for legislative redistricting reform, it raised some questions.

First, is his idea, which would put the Illinois Supreme Court in charge of appointing an 11-member commission once a decade to draw new district boundaries, constitutional? Second, is he wading into one of the most contentious issues in Illinois politics at the moment as a step toward a comeback bid in 2018?

Quinns announcement came just days after the high court blocked from the Nov. 8 ballot a referendum on amending the Illinois Constitution to take the General Assembly out of the redistricting process. In a 4-3 decision that split on party lines, the four justices elected as Democrats ruled that the proposal goes beyond whats allowed for petition-driven initiatives, which are limited to making structural and procedural changes to portion of the state constitution dealing with the Legislature.

Quinn said he believes his proposal would be found constitutional because  unlike the plan from the group Independent Maps, which included the state auditor general in its setup  his only involves the Supreme Court, which has a role under the current process.

In response to skeptics, Quinn points to his bona fides as the only person to have led a voter initiative that succeeded in changing the Illinois Constitution: the 1980 cutback amendment that reduced the size of the General Assembly.

I think people ought to pay attention to what Ive got to say, Quinn said in a telephone interview late last week. This is an area of law I know something about.

As for his future plans, the former Democratic governor wouldnt say definitively whether hes ruled out attempting a rematch with first-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Ive already run for office, Quinn said, adding that hes focused on the redistricting proposal and another referendum on term limits for the mayor of Chicago. Ill let the future take care of itself.

Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, said its clear Quinn doesnt intend to continue keeping a low profile as he did during his first year out of office.

If he wanted to not be in the public eye, he could easily do that, Mooney said. This is an extension of his long career as sort of Illinois political outsider slash gadfly, tilting at  windmills of various types and sometimes finding one that he takes down.

However, Mooney added: If the question is, Does he want to run for governor again? I have no idea. But clearly he wants to be involved; he wants to have an impact. This is his lifes work.  Hes not going to go away and write his memoir, apparently.

Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield, agreed that Quinn is clearly trying to remain in the spotlight.

Now, to what end? Redfield said, offering two possible scenarios: an attempt to rebuild an organization to push for political reform or an effort to lay the groundwork for a future bid for public office.

If its the latter, it seems doubtful that fellow Democrats would rally behind Quinn, Redfield said.

I dont know that a lot of down-ballot Democrats would view him as an asset in terms of being at the top of the Democratic ticket, he said.
GRIFFITH  Thanks to a memo from the Department of Local Government Finance, the Town Council on Tuesday said Griffith is completely justified in its quest to leave Calumet Township.

In the memo, issued hours before the meeting, the DLGF said it is using the true numbers to calculate the statewide average assistance tax rate for the 1,004 Indiana townships involved.

In 2015, the DLGF used a weighted method of calculating the numbers, which allowed Calumet Township to stay under 12 times the state average, as required by the Indiana General Assembly in 2013.

The 2013 law says Griffith can hold a referendum  solely among Griffith voters  on whether to secede if the township went beyond 12 times the state average.

A recent letter from the Indiana attorney generals office concluded that true numbers  instead of weighted numbers  was the Legislatures intent.

Thus, the DLGF switched to the true numbers for the 2016 averages.

The township is over 20 times the state average using the true numbers, said Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd. Thats good news, long awaited.

He noted that the township is still 12.53 times over the average even with the weighted method.

There is no longer any question of the validity of our referendum, Ryfa said. We will be preparing for our election on December 20.

Griffith voters will be asked to vote yes or no on whether to secede from the township and seek to join Ross, St. John or North Township.

Last year the town paid about $1 million to the township and, in previous years, gave as much as $3 million  with assistance of only $10,000 to $15,000 in return.

In other business, the council said the Labor Day weekends Rock N Rail Festival was a huge success.

We estimate that between 40,000 and 50,000 people attended. When Broad Street reopened on Monday it looked fantastic, Ryfa said.
GARY  A 59-year-old woman died early Tuesday and a 5-year-old boy was taken to a hospital after a fire at their home in the citys Glen Park section, officials said.

Lennys Swanson was pulled by family members from her home at 4257 Martin Luther King Drive before firefighters arrived, said Mark Jones, chief of operations for the Gary Fire Department. She suffered severe smoke inhalation, he said.

A 5-year-old boy was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for injuries related to the fire, Jones said. Several other people also lived in the home, he said.

Firefighters were dispatched to the fire about 12:55 a.m. Tuesday, Jones said. All of the residents were out when firefighters arrived.

Swanson was pronounced dead at 1:50 a.m. at the scene, according to the Lake County coroners office. Her cause and manner of death were pending.

A preliminary investigation showed the blaze may have started in a southwest bedroom and may be electrical-related, Jones said. The fires cause remains under investigation.

The Indiana state fire marshal also is investigating.

The blaze marked the second fatal fire within one week in Northwest Indiana.

Layona Dragash, 14, a freshman at Edison Junior-Senior High School, was killed in a fire early Sunday as she slept in her bed.

Lake Station Fire Chief Chuck Fazekas said earlier this week a preliminary investigation showed the fire had something to do with an extension cord on the main floor in the area of the living room, but its cause remained under investigation.
BURNS HARBOR  The town is hosting Yappy Hour, a family-oriented event, including canine family members from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9.

The night will feature an evening of food and treats from Blue Chips King of the Road, Mama's Kitchen, Zuri's Real Mexican Food, Bamboo Grill and Summer Song of Highland.

Beer and wine will be served by Leroys Hot Stuff. Music will be provided by a DJ and for the kids there will be a bounce house.

The BH Food Truck Square is located at 1237 Westport Road. For more information and upcoming events, follow BHFoodTruckSquare on facebook.
OGDEN DUNES  The Historical Society of Ogden Dunes is hosting several programs this fall in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the state of Indiana, the 100th anniversary of the National Parks and the 50th anniversary of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

At 4 p.m. Sept. 18 Tragedy Beneath the Waves will be presented at the Hour Glass, 8 Lupine Lane. Brad Bumgardner, interpretive naturalist at Indiana Dunes State Park, will discuss the JD Marshall sinking and other shipwrecks on Lake Michigan.

Porter County the Next 100 Years will be presented at 4 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Hour Glass by Kevin Pazour, the Porter County historian and director of the Porter County Museum.

The production of Shifting Sands: Path to Sustainability prepared by Tom Desch, Rana Segal, Pat Wisniewski and Lee Botts will be shown and discussed at 4 p.m. Nov. 13, at Ogden Dunes Community Church, 116 Hillcrest Road, as part of the anniversary celebration.
Youve heard about Russian hackers breaking into voter databases, The New York Times and other computer systems. Chances are good that youve been warned that hackers have seen sensitive information about you at some point.

Ted Koppel, the former host of ABCs Nightline program, takes this scenario one step further, and its terrifying.

I spoke with Koppel about his new book, Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath, prior to his appearance at the Sinai Forum on, appropriately enough, the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

Koppel noticed President Barack Obamas passing references to the likelihood of a possible cyberattack that could cripple a large portion of the nation. A speech by Leon Panetta, former CIA director and former defense secretary, warned of a cyber Pearl Harbor.

Think about what hackers shutting down the power grid could mean.

We really only have three major grids in this country. You could be talking about tens of millions of people, Koppel said. There never has been anything that comes that close to that kind of devastating attack.

After Panettas speech, Koppel began calling federal agencies, the American Red Cross and others to see how they have planned for this possibility.

Being a journalist of many, many years, Ive sort of developed a cynicism gland which led to questions about whether the government has done anything to prepare for a possible attack, he said.

The first thing I discovered is you cant get through, even when theres no crisis going on, Koppel said.

When he finally did get through to a human, he would be told to set aside enough food, water and essential prescription drugs for two or three days, and keep fresh batteries for a radio. When he pressed for how the federal government or Red Cross would respond, he got the same answer.

There really is no plan, he concluded.

Koppel knows what a blackout is like. I asked him about the one that hit New York City in 1967.

I was on the air, he said. I was quite literally on the air for hours and hours, keeping people up to date and telling them how to cope without electricity.

But that was an equipment failure, and that was before the internet made power grids more vulnerable.

Planning for a lengthy blackout is difficult. While the federal government has millions of MREs  meals ready to eat  for the troops, those expire after five years. Getting Congress to pay for additional MREs for an attack that might never come would be beyond difficult.

Theres also the option of freeze-dried foods, which could last longer, but gearing up for that would take a few years  and again, thats after getting Congress to agree to pay for them.

I remember throwing out bulging cans while cleaning out a friends basement that was intended to double as a bomb shelter. What a waste of food.

Koppel and I talked about the duck-and-cover drills from the Cold War era, in which children were told to hide under their desks in the event of a nuclear attack. Pointless, right?

Maybe not.

These drills actually helped by showing the folly of expecting we could survive a massive nuclear attack. That led to treaties to stop the nuclear arms race and, later, to efforts by Sens. Sam Nunn and Dick Lugar to round up stray nukes after the Soviet Union broke up, to keep them out of the hands of terrorists. This all happened because of those drills.

They were silly, but they werent pointless, Koppel said.

So now the fear is that our electrical grids are vulnerable, and with rogue nations like North Korea and terrorist groups like ISIS, its hard to predict where an attack might come from.

But as the Cold War drills showed, that doesnt mean failing to plan for that possibility is pointless.
A lost artifact that was part of one of the most iconic photos following the September 11th attacks is headed back to Lower Manhattan.

The photo of three firefighters raising the flag above the rubble at the World Trade Center quickly became a symbol of the city's resilience.

It's widespread use included this postage stamp.

But the flag itself went missing for years and was only recently found when police in Washington State received it anonymously.

9/11 Memorial Museum officials say it was authenticated with forensic testing.

They plan to debut a new exhibit featuring the original flag Wednesday.

Another flag officials thought was the original was kept at the World Trade Center site until they realized its measurements were off.
Schools across New York State are being told to "get the lead out."

Under a new law signed Tuesday by Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York is now the first state to require all schools to test their drinking water for lead contamination.

Elementary schools have until the end of this month to complete the tests.

Schools for older children have until the end of October.

School districts will then report the results to local and state officials, as well as parents.

Any school building with elevated levels of lead will have to come up with a plan to fix the problem.

Exposure to lead can be seriously harmful to children, resulting in brain damage, behavioral problems, and a lowered I.Q.
Prosecutors on Wednesday dropped charges against a Bronx cabbie who beat a man to death after investigators say the man tried to rape his wife.

Mamadou Diallo walked out of court Wednesday a free man.

Diallo, 61, had been facing assault, criminal possession of a weapon and harassment charges in connection with the May 30 attack.

The district attorney's office moved to dismiss all charges after consulting with the family of Earl Nash.

Back in June, Nash forced his way into Diallo's apartment.

Investigators say he beat Diallo's wife and tried to rape her before she called her husband for help.

Diallo called 911 and rushed back to the building.

He found Nash in an elevator and beat him with a tire iron.

Nash died from his injuries, as well as heart disease and cocaine in his system.

His family says he suffered from schizophrenia and never received mental health treatment.

Diallo and his wife Nenegale said they're relieved this ordeal is over.

"I was defending myself and my wife," Mamadou Diallo said. "I was emotional. I know I didn't do something wrong."

"I'm so happy because I said thank you for everybody for the community," Nenegale Diallo said.

"To me, he's a hero to me, because I live with him for a long time, I never see him fighting," said Ibraham Diallo, Mamadou Diallo's brother. "I never see him any problem."

Nash's family released a statement saying, in part, "As a family we pray that Mrs. Diallo and family may recover from the unfortunate trauma theyve experienced. While we cannot undue (sic) the damage that was done that evening, we hope to bring some closure not only to our family but to the Diallo family as well."
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were both in the city Wednesday night for a national security forum. But first, Trump spoke at the New York State Conservative Party convention in Times Square after having picked up the party's nomination. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton won't meet for their first debate until September 26, but on Wednesday night, they came close, appearing back to back at a national security forum at the Intrepid Museum.

"What you want in a president, a commander-in-chief, is someone who listens, who evaluates what is being told to him or her, who is able to sort out the very different options being presented," Clinton said.

"I have great judgement. I have good judgment. I know what's going on. I have called so many of the shots," Trump said. "And I happened to hear Hillary Clinton say I was not against the War in Iraq. I was totally against the war in Iraq."

Trump actually supported invading Iraq in a 2002 interview. Clinton voted to go to war when she was in the Senate. She has said that it was a mistake.

Trump also heaped praise on Russian President Vladmir Putin.

"He's been a leader far more than our president has been a leader," Trump said.

Earlier, Trump was officially nominated for president by the New York State Conservative Party. It means he will appear on the Conservative Party ballot line as well as the Republican one in New York in November.

"If you drive in upstate New York, the signs you are going to see is, House for Sale, No to the Safe Act and Donald Trump for President," said Mike Long, chairman of the New York State Conservative Party. "You don't see Hillary Clinton signs [in] upstate New York."

"And there's no hope. There's no hope other than if I become president," Trump said.

Trump and his backers insist he will be competitive in New York despite the fact that Democrats outnumber Republicans more than two to one.
A new photo exhibit looks at the style and rebellion of punk rock and hip-hop music, captured by a British photographer who was there when both movements began. As Roger Clark tells us, the show is in a space as unique as the musicians in the photos.

Janette Beckman says it was clear in late 1970s London that something new and very different was happening in music and fashion.

"Suddenly there were all of these really exotic looking people wandering around with these amazing styles and I just started photographing them just because I love street style, and that kind of started me off really," Beckman said.

To a career in photography, chronicling the early days of Punk Rock in the UK in the late seventies and early 80s, and then moving to New York to capture the beginnings of the hip-hop movement. You can see a bunch of these images in Beckman's new show called Rebel Culture  starting Friday at Fiorentini and Baker, in of all places, a SoHo shoe store.

"Not everything has to be in a gallery where things are one frame, one frame and one frame, we are trying to mash it up a little bit," the photographer said.

"Boots are lovely, but just boots is a little bit boring," said Debbie Baker, owner and designer at Fiorentini and Baker. "So to have something else going on in the store, it's great."

There are photos from Beckman's album cover shoot with The Police, her visit to Run DMC's Queens neighborhood, and visits with acts about to hit super stardom, like Beastie Boys and Public Enemy. There are also mash-ups of her photos and designs from graffiti artists, developed by friend and well-known artist Cey Adams.

"For me to have photos that I took back in the 80s re-interpreted by really brilliant artists and make them into new pieces of art is a wonderful thing," Beckman said.

Punk Rock and Hip Hop sound a lot different, but what attracted Janette Beckman to take photos of all of these artists, was their attitude.

"I'm just kind of fascinated with people who just do things that are out of the box basically," the photographer said. "Just a little bit off the main track."

It's a great combo for Beckman's friend Misbehaviour, a DJ who spins the music of that time.

"Seeing the photos and the shoes together it just really works," Misbehaviour.

And you can see how it works at Fiorentini and Bake, located at 54 Mercer Street, through October 16.

To learn more about the exhibit, check out janettebeckman.com.
NEW YORK - The new movie about the 'Miracle on the Hudson' had its world premiere Tuesday night in Manhattan.

Director Clint Eastwood and the stars of "Sully" turned out for the premiere at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall.

"Sully" stars Tom Hanks as pilot Chesley Sullenberger, who safely guided U.S. Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River after birds flew into the plane's engines.

The plane was headed from LaGuardia to Charlotte, North Carolina when it splashed down on January 15, 2009.

All 155 passengers and crew on board survived.

The movie focuses on what happened after the rescue - the second guessing of Sullenberger's decisions.

"In some ways, up until the water landing, that's act one out of Shakespeare's five act structure. His life was four other acts that I wanted to play," Hanks said.

"This story found a great home. I mean if I were to have picked several years ago where I hope it would end up I hope I would pick Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney and the others," Sullenberger said.

"Sully" opens in theaters across the country on Friday.
F. SCOTT FITZGERALDS beautiful sinner Jay Gatsby famously drove to perdition past the billboard eyes of the oculist Dr. T. J. Eckleburg, one of American literatures enduring symbols of human fallibility and its messy consequences. In Gatsbys case, his passion-drunk lover, Daisy, caused a fatal hit-and-run crash beneath the omniscient docs gaze.

Now Connecticut offenders  arrested for allegedly driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol can gaze upward for succor to the friendly peepers of Lady D.U.I. She is the 29-year-old lawyer Teresa DiNardi, and she smiles down from giant billboards on the states most car-clotted arteries, Routes 91, 95 and 84. She proffers court and motor vehicle representation starting @ $1,000. Her phone number blazes red: 888-LADYDUI. And in letters the size of six-packs, she warns: Because Hope Is Not a Strategy.

Over the last year, many of the accused have turned to Ms. DiNardi  enough that some judges in Connecticut courts have asked dryly, Will Lady D.U.I. please approach the bench? And callers to the Hartford headquarters of Mothers Against Drunk Driving have expressed outrage at what they feel is a flippant ad pitch involving a deadly serious problem. Letters to the editor bristled with disapproval when Ms. DiNardi, profiled in The Hartford Courant in a series on rising young professionals, declared: Its a crime that has no intent. Some get caught and others dont. I love my job.

And she really does. When I reached Ms. DiNardi by phone, I asked whether she would agree to be interviewed via Skype live Internet chat, a format offered to potential clients on her Web site. And she obligingly popped on my screen, eager to expand upon some of her terse, shoot-from-the-hip quotations that have raised public hackles.
Season 2, Episode 6: Los Pepes

A tale of two scenes:

1. The streets are running red with blood since the arrival of Los Pepes (a close enough acronym for People Persecuted by Pablo Escobar), a mysterious assassination squad thats been making ghoulish displays out of murdered Escobar associates. When word circulates that the Castano brothers are involved in the killings, Colonel Martinez briefs President Gaviria about the dangers of the far-right paramilitary group blasting its way through the streets of Medellin. Martinez, a military veteran, had firsthand knowledge of the Castano brothers vigilante tactics and advises Gaviria to take action.

2. Claudia Messina, whos starting to assert herself as Murphy and Penas D.E.A. boss in Colombia, sits down in the U.S. ambassadors office and reports a bombing at a Cali cartel wedding. Only Escobar would have the audacity to do such a thing, Messina correctly surmises, and she asks to shift some resources to Cali to get a better handle on the escalating war between the two cartels. With Escobar out of the way, the Cali cartels operation stands to expand beyond its already enormous scope.

In both cases, the official answer is an emphatic no. President Gaviria and the U.S. ambassador are focused on the short-term goal of capturing Pablo Escobar, no matter the long-term headache of other criminal organizations gaining footing as a result. Neither of them is going as far as Agent Pena, whos actively feeding tips to Los Pepes before Search Bloc has the chance to pursue them, but they share an understanding that whatever unsavory forces have gathered to kill Escobar, they are doing service to their cause. It doesnt matter anymore that Escobar be brought to justice through legal means. And it doesnt matter what happens to the narco business after hes gone. He is everyones target at present.

Los Pepes finds Narcos sharing the teensiest of melancholy with Escobar over his situation. It opens in more carefree times, with Escobar and his crew speeding customized racecars around his own private track and yukking it up over beers like overgrown children. Then it smash cuts to the present, when all the racecars have been burned to blackened frames, with men burned alive in the trunks. It cannot be said that Escobar wasnt reaping what he sowed, but amid the smoke, he can also whiff the hypocrisy and opportunism of Judy Moncada and the Cali cartel, who are ruthless in running businesses that are poised to grow with him out of the picture. That Los Pepes acronym, too, is mostly a lie, feigning persecution as a cover for acts of abhorrent torture and violence.
Spend the night with Richard Linklaters great romantic epic Before Midnight and its predecessors, Before Sunset and Before Sunrise. Watch Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump respond to veterans questions at the Commander-in-Chief Forum. Or take a Gaycation to Ukraine with Ellen Page.

Whats Streaming

BEFORE MIDNIGHT (2013) on Amazon and iTunes. Nine years after rekindling a romance (Before Sunset) in Paris that began nine years before that (Before Sunrise) in Vienna, Celine and Jesse  Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke  are now in Greece, at the end of a vacation with their daughters and the son he left behind in Chicago. Jesse wonders if they could move from Paris to the United States to spend more time with his boy. Celine sees his question as a demand. And so they will fight about this  and the meaning of love, the nature of time and the difference between men and women  throughout the course of a day. Together, Richard Linklaters trilogy adds up to the great romantic epic of a generation defined, in the popular mind and our therapists offices, by hedged bets, easy ironies and perpetual confusion, A. O. Scott wrote in The New York Times. Before Midnight is a wonderful paradox: a movie passionately committed to the ideal of imperfection that is itself very close to perfect.
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Good morning.

Heres what you need to know:

 Campaigns narrow focus.

Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump will both appear at a televised forum on national security tonight in New York City, although not at the same time (8 p.m. Eastern, NBC and MSNBC). Mrs. Clinton used a speech on Tuesday to criticize Mr. Trumps foreign policy credentials after his endorsement by 88 retired military figures.

Mr. Trump is battling claims that he donated $25,000 to a group supporting Floridas attorney general, Pam Bondi, to influence her review of fraud allegations against Trump University.
William A. Ackmans hunger for fast food just cannot be satiated.

After investing in McDonalds, Burger King and Tim Hortons, Mr. Ackman now wants in on burritos. His Pershing Square Capital Management acquired the option to purchase a 9.9 percent stake in Chipotle, worth about $1.2 billion. Mr. Ackman is now the second-largest shareholder after Fidelity Investments.

A regulatory filing said Pershing Square planned to hold discussions with the company about a number of issues, including Chipotles governance and board makeup. The burrito restaurant chains shares plummeted after hundreds of people got sick from eating at its restaurants.

This is Mr. Ackmans first big investment in 2016, after two years of tough performance and moves to pare back his portfolio.

A Judgment on Elon Musks Solar Vision

Some jeered when Elon Musk proposed creating a solar power juggernaut by having Tesla buy SolarCity. Many saw it as Mr. Musk bailing out his own investment.
Richard Neville, who challenged societal taboos and obscenity standards as a founder of the satirical countercultural magazine Oz in the 1960s, died on Sunday in Byron Bay, Australia. He was 74.

The cause was complications of dementia, his daughter Lucy said.

Mr. Neville would evolve into a futurist who envisioned a race between self-discovery and self-destruction, as he put it. But his greatest legacy was Oz, which was started with two other budding journalists  all barely out of college  from his parents home in suburban Sydney on April Fools Day in 1963.

Four years later, it spawned a more famous and raffish London offspring that sold over 80,000 copies at its peak and became a paradigm of the underground magazine.

With his co-founders  Richard Walsh, editor of a Sydney University student newspaper, and the artist Martin Sharp  Mr. Neville inaugurated Oz with a historical account of the chastity belt and an expose of back-alley abortions. They later peppered it with, among other things, radical feminist essays by Germaine Greer and risque cartoons by R. Crumb.
Throughout this chaotic stretch, Mr. Ailes has remained defiant.

Though he has made no public comment since July 21, the day he parted with Fox News, his lawyers have denied all accusations against him. On Tuesday, they said that Mr. Ailes did not pay any money toward Ms. Carlsons settlement, even though he was named in the suit and Fox News was not. They declined to comment further.

Over the weekend, Mr. Ailes retained the lawyer who successfully represented Hulk Hogan in his invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against Gawker to write a letter to New York magazine suggesting that he might take legal action against the publication for its reporting about him.

And last week, his lawyers publicly went after Gabriel Sherman  who has reported on Mr. Ailes and his downfall extensively for New York  in deeply personal ways in the run-up to the publication of Mr. Shermans latest article on Mr. Ailes. In an interview with The Daily Beast last week, one of Mr. Ailess lawyers, Mark Mukasey, called Mr. Sherman a virus, and Susan Estrich, another of his lawyers, called him the real enemy of women.

As former chairman of the leading cable news station in the country, Mr. Ailes is no stranger to being part of the news cycle, but this summers scandal has provided headlines almost daily. His forced resignation was a stunning and abrupt fall for one of the most powerful figures in the television and media industries. Fox News, which Mr. Ailes founded with Rupert Murdoch, is not just a hugely profitable TV station but also an enormous platform for conservative politics.

His legacy as the founder and creator of Fox News has driven the agenda of the Republican Party in many ways over the last decade and will endure however noxious his own personal behavior his been, said Mark Feldstein, a professor of broadcast journalism at the University of Maryland. You cant underestimate the impact Fox News has had on politics, on TV and on journalism.
The World Health Organization on Tuesday clarified  once again  its advice on sexual transmission of the Zika virus, saying that couples living in areas where it is circulating should be offered contraception and counseling to help decide whether to become pregnant.

A spokeswoman said the agency made the announcement to clear up earlier confusion over whether it was advising women to avoid pregnancy during the epidemic. The W.H.O. is not offering such advice, although, she conceded, officials did appear to have said as much in June.

The W.H.O. also suggested that men and women who visit and return from areas with mosquito-borne Zika transmission practice protected sex or abstinence for six months. The advice to wait that long  instead of eight weeks, the previous limit  is based on new evidence about the persistence of the virus in semen.

Two men in Italy who had visited Haiti in January and February were recently found to have viral RNA in their semen six months later. Researchers were unable to grow live virus from the samples, however, so it remained unclear whether they were infectious for that long.
The gulf war was the first major conflict in which newspapers used portable satellite equipment that could be lugged by correspondents. We rented ours from Manhattan Microwave in Queens, and demand at the time was high. Phone calls cost up to $10 per minute. The new technology of portable satellite phones was particularly coveted by the military, which left relatively few units available for rent to civilians.

John Zelenka, the owner of Manhattan Microwave, recently recalled that in the run-up to the Gulf War he rented other satellite phones to the government, and they ended up on ships and aircraft carriers.

Shortly after we carried the satphone to Kuwait City, the Emir of Kuwait contacted Manhattan Microwave and bought our unit, effectively ending our ability to report by satellite. (For a few days, ours had been the only working civilian telephone in the city, but as other news agencies arrived our options increased.) By the time we lost the phone, however, we had already filed our stories of the liberation of the city, and were thus saved the painful necessity of hauling 130 pounds of gear back to Europe.
In that offer, according to the union, the administration asked for a reduction in salaries for new adjuncts. It also eliminated a clause in place since 2000 that promised parity in pay for Brooklyn faculty members and those at the largest campus within the universitys system, C. W. Post in Brookville, N.Y.

The union added that nearly half of the full-time faculty on the Brooklyn campus make less money, some as much as 20 percent less, than those at C. W. Post. That results in salaries being about $10,000 lower, Mr. Nikolaidis said.

Were the minority campus, Syed Ali, a sociology professor, said. People get the feeling that they dont care about the Brooklyn campus.

Christopher Fevola, the universitys chief financial officer, said the most recent offer addressed this issue, including increases in salary as high as 22 percent over five years. The administration said the disparity in wages between the campuses was because of previous union decisions.

After the union vote, the L.I.U.-Brooklyn faculty senate voted 135 to 10 for no confidence in the L.I.U. president, Kimberly R. Cline, and its vice president for academic affairs, Jeffrey Kane.

Deborah Mutnick, a professor of English for 30 years at L.I.U.-Brooklyn, sits on the executive committee for both the union and senate. They precipitated a crisis, she said of the administrations lockout. Theres no going back.

The university has been preparing to staff its classes with replacement teachers, advertising on job websites and through its alumni network.
Updated, 7:50 a.m.

Good morning on this wishy-washy Wednesday.

The trial in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal begins this week.

Jury selection starts on Thursday, and defense lawyers will make arguments in federal court in Newark about what evidence can be admitted.

While Gov. Chris Christie has not been charged in the case, all eyes will be on him.

Bridgegate was such a wild caper to begin with, our reporter Kate Zernike told us, the trial will finally tell us the backstory.

Details could surface as soon as Sept. 19, when opening arguments are scheduled to begin.

To be revealed: the names on the list of unindicted co-conspirators and the evidence that the star witness says links the governor to the bridges closing.
A group of public school parents has gone to court in hopes of prying from New York State money that they say they were promised for improving their schools.

For a dispute over money, however, there is an unusual amount of consensus.

The New York State Education Department said the schools should get the money. The states Division of Budget said it would like to release it. And the schools would very much like to have it. Yet, the money is not forthcoming.

At issue, as laid out in a lawsuit filed by the parents against the Education Department and the Budget Division in State Supreme Court in Albany on Friday, are grants offered to some of the most poorly performing schools in the state, those classified as persistently failing based on data like test scores.

Schools with that label are part of a receivership program under which they could be taken over by outside entities, like nonprofit groups, if they did not show improvement.
In the HBO series The Night Of, the police think they have solved a murder by arresting a young man from Queens who had a bloody knife in his pocket and was found near the victims house after a night of debauchery with her. But a relentless detective named Box cannot resist digging deeper. In the middle of the murder trial, Box tells the prosecutor that he has discovered circumstantial evidence that points to an entirely different suspect.

The prosecutor blows him off.

We got more on this kid, she replies, then marches on with the trial, not bothering to share this bit of information with the defense lawyers.

She flagrantly violates the law. The lawyers break so many laws in the courtroom of The Night Of that some of them do not even exist yet. But covering up evidence that might help a defendant? There is a real law against that.

Holding back exculpatory evidence is regarded as one of the most serious violations of a prosecutors duty  so much so that when it is discovered, there is a great effort by the prosecutors to pretend it did not actually happen.
Mayor Bill de Blasio needs to wake up and shut down the carnage of Jouvert, the overnight ritual of music, dancing, shootings and stabbings that precedes each years West Indian American Day Parade.

Elected officials in Brooklyn need to demand it, even if it means breaking with the mayor and facing angry constituents. Somebody needs to show courage in defense of innocent lives and challenge a well-loved but chronically violent event in the Caribbean heart of the city.

Mr. de Blasio does not seem up to the fight. He has ruled out canceling Jouvert. Even though four people were shot, two fatally, during Mondays festivities. Even though last week he promised the safest Jouvert ever, and even though the Police Department flooded the neighborhood with 3,400 officers, double last years number, dozens of security cameras and 250 light towers to make the streets blaze with noonday brightness at 4 a.m. Even though the police tried to keep the peace in advance with a gun buyback, a gang takedown and sternly worded fliers that said: Do not shoot anyone. Do not stab anyone.
In light of the suspicions hanging over Donald Trump and Pam Bondi, the Florida attorney general, this opening quote from her Republican National Convention speech is particularly rich. Nov. 8 is a day of reckoning for all those who have abused their power, she said. Winning this election means reclaiming something to which Ive dedicated my entire career: the rule of law.

While it hasnt been proved that Mr. Trump or Ms. Bondi violated bribery law, theres little doubt that they abused the public trust in 2013, when Ms. Bondi received a $25,000 campaign contribution from Mr. Trump four days after her office announced that Florida was reviewing the allegations in a lawsuit filed in New York against his Trump University. Attorneys general in New York and California are pursuing separate class-action suits alleging that Trump University bilked consumers of tens of thousands of dollars they each paid for a worthless real-estate investment course. In the end, Ms. Bondis office did not take any action against Trump University.

Mr. Trumps contribution from his family foundation to Ms. Bondi violated federal tax law barring tax-exempt charities from engaging in political activity. The Washington Post reported last week that Mr. Trump paid a $2,500 penalty to the Internal Revenue Service for the violation.

News of the fine came as Mr. Trump has spent days accusing Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation of similar pay-to-play schemes. Confronted on Monday, Mr. Trump said oddly that he hadnt spoken to Ms. Bondi. The Associated Press reported in June that an adviser to Ms. Bondi confirmed that Ms. Bondi had spoken to Mr. Trump and asked for the contribution.
The new charges could add to the 15 years Mr. Rajab faces in a separate case, based on views he shared on Twitter regarding reports of torture at Bahrains Jaw Prison and civilian deaths in the Saudi military campaign in Yemen, which Bahrain supports. The court handling Mr. Rajabs case stemming from the Twitter postings is expected to announce a verdict in early October.

The United States and other allies of Bahrain could make clear to the countrys rulers that any damage to the states prestige and world standing is a result of their political persecution. The Obama administration has at times spoken out against the crackdown on dissidents, which intensified in 2011. On Tuesday, a State Department spokesman, Mark Toner, called for Mr. Rajabs immediate release. But too often Washington has merely accepted the governments hollow pledges to uphold basic rights, when in fact little changes.

The United States has been reticent to confront Bahrain more forcefully because the tiny island nation hosts roughly 8,000 American military personnel, including those assigned to the Navys Fifth Fleet, which the Pentagon has long regarded as a bulwark against threats from Iran. The American military presence in Bahrain has grown in recent years as the Defense Department has embarked on a $580 million expansion project.

Officials in Washington have also been worried about the prospect of a significantly emboldened Shiite opposition in Bahrain, fearing it could give Iran, which is run by Shiites, a potential ally to undermine American interests in the region.

Last year, Secretary of State John Kerry lifted a partial weapons ban for Bahrain, crediting the government with making meaningful progress on human rights reforms and reconciliation. That was a mistake. It now seems clear that Bahrains leaders interpreted the gesture as a green light to continue abusing citizens who have peacefully pressed the government to adopt democratic political reforms.
HONOLULU  Robert Macfarlane, in his book Landmarks, about the connection between words and landscapes, tells a revealing but stunning story about how recent editions of the Oxford Junior Dictionary (aimed at 7-year-olds) dropped certain nature words that its editors deemed less relevant to the lives of modern children. These included acorn, dandelion, fern, nectar, otter, pasture and willow. The terms introduced in their place, he noted, included broadband, blog, cut-and-paste, MP3 player and voice-mail.

While this news was first disclosed in 2015, reading it in Macfarlanes book still shocks me for what it signifies. But who can blame the Oxford editors for dumping Amazon words for Amazon.com ones? Our natural world is rapidly disappearing. Just how fast was the major topic here last week at the global conference held every four years by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which I participated in along with some 8,000 scientists, nature reserve specialists and environmentalists.

The dominant theme running through the I.U.C.N.s seminars was the fact that we are bumping up against and piercing planetary boundaries  on forests, oceans, ice melt, species extinctions and temperature  from which Mother Nature will not be able to recover. When the coral and elephants are all gone, no 3-D printer will be able to recreate them.

In short, we and our kids are rapidly becoming the Noah generation, charged with saving the last pairs. (This is no time to be electing a climate-change denier like Donald Trump for president.)
It seems that the people who suffer the most end up betting for the party that would hurt them, he goes on. And so I try to understand where theyre coming from. When I suggest that money has a lot to do with it  Belgium supporting Tutsi control over the Hutus, and building resentment, prompted genocide  he agrees. But a recent conversation he had with a scholar from the Brookings Institution, the Washington, D.C. think tank, sparked a different view, one where the cause of strife cant be explained by simple economics. You gotta understand, he says, that its also in our DNA. Most Americans dont have time to watch CNN and Fox and Al Jazeera. Theyre trying to make the rent, get the kids fed, theyre tired when they get home and they want to forget about everything. And so suddenly when this voice comes in  and it doesnt have to be a voice of substance  saying hes fed up with all of this, thats the part that hooks into the DNA.

A fair point to consider, that our social behaviors, prejudices and even the mental process of who we choose to love or hate is rooted in biology, but how does this convince people to actually buy what Trump is selling? What Im most hopeful about is that were a global neighborhood now, and we start to understand each other more and more  and yet, you see this reactionary push for isolation and separation again. Pitt shrugs, and says that he thinks a lot of people feel alone, and on a certain level, again because of his background, he knows what thats like. A Trump supporter is fighting against just about everything, he says. What does he even mean, take our country back? Would someone please explain that to me? Pitt looks at me, impish and totally serious at the same time. Whered it go?

4. Brad Pitt and I agree about Mel Gibson.

Like his friend and Inglourious Basterds director Quentin Tarantino, Pitts scholarship in the craft of the medium has mostly been the medium itself. More than that, film was for him a window into the world. Movies were a way out, he says. If you live in a vacuum and suddenly youre exposed to the world, youre exposed to other cultures. And remember, this was pre-internet. This was the only lens that could show me how a kid in Brooklyn lived, a kid in Ireland, a kid in Africa.

On the topic of exotic worlds, he mentions a film hed like to make about Pontius Pilate, mostly because the script, which focuses on a mediocre Roman official stuck in the middle of nowhere with difficult people he doesnt like, makes him smile. Jesus doesnt get much screen time. It certainly wont be for the Passion crowd, he says, which reminds me that Mel Gibsons torture-porn epic is one of the things that drove me out of the church. Pitt bursts into laughter. I felt like I was just watching an L. Ron Hubbard propaganda film.

Xenu aside, Gibson movies typically do one thing really well: violence. Oh, extremely well, Pitt says.  Apocalypto is a great film.

Image ON THE COVER Brad Pitt is featured in Ts Sept. 11 Mens Style issue. Credit... Photograph by Craig McDean. Styled by Jason Rider

5. Brad Pitts Im getting old joke is better than yours.

Its easy to forget that the man is 52  if anything hes too skinny  but his childrens interest in relics from the past regularly drives home the point. One of his daughters, for example, loves cassette tapes the way someone Pitts age might have a fondness for the gramophone, or making his own daguerreotype. Hes also reminded of his age on set. When I was making a World War II movie called Fury, we did this boot camp for a week, and Logan Lerman, who was the youngest actor of the bunch  I think he was 21  was given grunt detail. We gave him a watch and he had to keep track of how long it took us to eat and get in and out of our gear. One day he came to me and said the watch has stopped, and I said, Youve just got to wind it. He came back literally 15 minutes later and said, Wait, how do you wind it? 
The Jones brothers unintentionally helped matters with the maximalist pediment they had installed when the building was new, but even at four feet high it was not enough to hide a penthouse entirely. Andraos and Wood began playing with computer models, ending up with a sketch of a strange wedge shape, short at the front of the building, much taller toward the back of the roof. That solved one problem, but it left them with a low ceiling at the top of the duplex apartment, so they dropped the floor a couple of feet into the story below. As a literal crowning touch, they added an irregular saw-toothed roof line, jagged like a piece of obsidian, which created the apartments defining design feature, a sharply creased, origami-like ceiling.

One of the Jones brothers most distinctive details  Corinthian capitals on the buildings facade  had been lost long ago, leaving a row of topless columns. Wood and Andraos commissioned the computational architect Michael Hansmeyer to create a set of replacements that would, like the rest of the project, honor the buildings history while subtly radicalizing it. From a distance, the new capitals look traditional; up close, you see that the acanthus leaves and scrolls have been replaced by abstract crinkly forms (mathematically determined, like fractals, Andraos says). Theyre molded not in cast iron, which wouldnt hold the fine lines, but in glass-fiber-reinforced concrete. Its the first time the assiduously conservative Landmarks Preservation Commission has allowed a modern reinterpretation on a historic facade. More surprising still, says Wood, They actually liked it.
With World War II looming, the owners of a little grocery store in Lisbon made two big decisions. First, they decided to specialize in tinned fish, which would be easier to stock and export than a wider range of groceries  and, in a move that was rather rare at the time, they began to register their own brands. A bet they made 86 years ago really paid off, says Tiago Cabral Ferreira, whose grandfather was one of the initial owners of Conserveira de Lisboa, which still, to this day, sells only tinned fish. Without such forward thinking, the shop would likely be long gone.

It took years to get those initial brands registered; today, three of the original five remain. Tricana (legally recognized in 1942) offers fillets of bigger fish, with each one hand-placed in the can. Minor (1955) features small fish and fish pastes, making the line a go-to for appetizers. Prata do Mar (1942) exclusively sells fish from Portuguese waters. Some fish are prepared simply in olive oil, while others are treated to a spicy tomato sauce that emerged from a family recipe. Theres squid in ink, smoked octopus and a variety of fish eggs.

Image Grabbing a rare tin requires climbing on the counter, once the job of the owners children. Credit... Patricia De Melo Moreira

Conserveira de Lisboa has been passed down over three generations, with some additional partners in the mix. While Cabral Ferreira grew up hand-wrapping cans in the shop, he didnt expect to be running it so soon. But after his fathers death in 2008, and the death of the associate hired to help his mother run it, Cabral Ferreira and his sister stepped in.
NORRISTOWN, Pa.  Bill Cosby, the comedian and television star who faces charges that he drugged and molested a woman he once mentored at his suburban Philadelphia home more than a decade ago, will be tried starting June 5, 2017, a Pennsylvania judge ruled on Tuesday.

The long-awaited trial will take place about 18 months after criminal charges of sexual assault were first filed against Mr. Cosby, who is accused of assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee.

Judge Steven T. ONeill of Montgomery County also said that he would consider a motion filed by the prosecution to allow as evidence accounts from 13 other women who say they were drugged and sexually assaulted by Mr. Cosby, in episodes stretching from the 1960s through the 1990s.

In Pennsylvania law, as in most states, there is a general rule against admitting evidence from other cases in which no crime has been charged because it could prejudice a trial. But under Pennsylvanias prior bad acts exemption, the judge can allow such evidence  for instance, if the other behavior demonstrates a common scheme or plan, a kind of unique fingerprint of the defendants behavior.
Good morning.

Welcome to California Today, a morning update on the stories that matter to Californians (and anyone else interested in the state).

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With the new school year underway, California is cracking down on parents who refuse to vaccinate their children.

Since a new law took effect in July, no longer will a child be able to attend class unimmunized on the basis of a parents objections.
Donald J. Trump, who has repeatedly denounced pay-to-play politics during his insurgent campaign, is now defending himself against claims that he donated $25,000 to a group supporting the Florida attorney general, Pam Bondi, to sway her offices review of fraud allegations at Trump University.

Mr. Trumps payment of a $2,500 penalty to the Internal Revenue Service over that 2013 campaign gift amounted to only the latest slap of his wrist in a decades-long record of shattering political donation limits and circumventing the rules governing contributions and lobbying.

In the 1980s, Mr. Trump was compelled to testify under oath before New York State officials after he directed tens of thousands of dollars to the president of the New York City Council through myriad subsidiary companies to evade contribution limits. In the 1990s, the Federal Election Commission fined Mr. Trump for exceeding the annual limit on campaign contributions by $47,050, the largest violation in a single year. And in 2000, the New York State lobbying commission imposed a $250,000 fine for Mr. Trumps failing to disclose the full extent of his lobbying of state legislators.

For the most part, Mr. Trump has seemed unrepentant. Testifying in 1988 about a $50,000 bank loan he had first guaranteed, and then repaid, on behalf of Andrew J. Steins successful campaign for New York City Council president, Mr. Trump made no bones about the move.
Congress has had difficulty accomplishing much in this session, even where a potential health crisis like the Zika virus is concerned. Here are five questions that help explain the debate.

What are they fighting over: money or politics?

Ask Democrats, ask Republicans, and they will tell you the same thing: Its politics  specifically, Planned Parenthood. Republicans inserted new limits on Planned Parenthood into the latest $1.1 billion proposal to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which can also be transmitted sexually. The bill would exclude Planned Parenthood from the list of providers that receive new funding for contraception to combat the spread of the virus.

Both sides accuse each other of blocking much-needed money for women and children in a public health crisis. Democrats regard any restriction on Planned Parenthood as a deliberate Republican effort to doom the bill. Republicans argue that such limits will not hinder efforts to curtail the virus.

How close is the government to running out of money to fight Zika, anyway?

Too close, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last week, the head of the agency, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, told reporters the C.D.C. had spent $194 million of the $222 million allocated to fight Zika.
He got into a Twitter war with the president of Mexico, she added, alluding to Enrique Pena Nieto. He is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be president of the United States.

Mr. Trump, in turn, addressed Mrs. Clintons own qualifications at an event in Virginia Beach. Asked if questions about Mrs. Clintons use of a private email server as secretary of state made her unfit to serve as commander in chief, Mr. Trump replied with a quip.

Its such a long answer to that question, he said to laughter. Could go on for days.

Mr. Trump will also use a speech on Wednesday in Philadelphia to call for the end of the military sequester as a way to increase defense spending, according to a senior adviser who spoke anonymously in order to discuss campaign strategy. The speech is also intended to contrast Mrs. Clintons foreign policy vision  which Mr. Trump described on Tuesday night as military adventurism  with what he says is a more cautious approach.

On Wednesday night, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump will answer questions in a televised forum on national security hosted by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
WASHINGTON  As Congress returned from a seven-week recess on Tuesday, Senate Democrats again stymied a $1.1 billion plan to fight the Zika virus, demanding that Republicans drop an effort to block Planned Parenthood from receiving money to combat the mosquito-borne disease.

Democrats, who had essentially blocked the same legislation in late June, had enough votes Tuesday to prevent Congress from moving emergency funding public health experts say is desperately needed as they prepare for the possibility that Zika will spread to other states along the gulf coast. The vote was 52 to 46, and Republicans needed 60 votes to advance the bill.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican majority leader, said that although efforts to fight the virus had produced encouraging results, the problem was far from over.

Its hard to explain why, despite their own calls for funding, Democrats would block plans to keep women and babies safe from Zika, Mr. McConnell said before the vote.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration effectively banned the antibacterial chemical triclosan from soaps.

But you can you still find it in your toothpaste.

Thats because the best-selling toothpaste brand, Colgate Total, convinced the F.D.A. that the benefit of triclosan in toothpaste outweighs any risks.

Toothpastes that contain triclosan have been demonstrated to be effective at reducing plaque and gingivitis, said Andrea Fischer, an F.D.A. spokeswoman. Before approving the toothpaste in 1997, the agency requested that the Colgate-Palmolive company conduct toxicology studies, and the F.D.A. ultimately decided it was safe and effective.

Based on scientific evidence, the balance of benefit and risk is favorable for these products, Ms. Fischer said on Tuesday.
MEXICO CITY  The Nicaraguan government said Tuesday that it had granted political asylum to Mauricio Funes, the former president of El Salvador, who has been under investigation by the Salvadoran authorities for suspicion of corruption.

Mr. Funes and his family had sought protection, saying that their lives were in danger because of their struggle for democracy, peace, justice and human rights, the Nicaraguan authorities said in their official publication, Daily Gazette. Mr. Funess partner and three children were also granted asylum.

Mr. Funes, a former television journalist who was president from 2009 to 2014, said in a Twitter post that he had evidence that the extreme right was planning to attack him.

Asylum only seeks to guarantee protection from persecution, he said in another Twitter post. I have not given up on facing the judicial process or proving my innocence.
Nearly 50 million children worldwide have migrated across borders or been forcibly displaced by conflicts, the United Nations said on Tuesday in a new report meant to emphasize the trauma children face from war, climate change and poverty.

Distributed by Unicef, the United Nations Childrens agency, the report said more than half of these children, roughly 28 million, have fled violence and insecurity.

Children also represent a disproportionate and growing segment of those who have sought refuge outside their country of birth, the report said. While children make up about a third of the global population, they account for about half of all refugees.

An executive summary of the report, titled Uprooted, described it as the first comprehensive presentation of global data about the affected children: where they are born, where they move and some of the dangers they face along the way.
VIENTIANE, Laos  President Obama has grown accustomed to having his foreign travels overshadowed by terrorist attacks or police shootings. This might be the first time one of his trips has been marred by bad manners.

On his final visit to Asia as president this week, Mr. Obama had intended to confront Americas wartime legacy in Laos and to reaffirm his strategic pivot to the region. Like all presidential trips, it has been meticulously planned to showcase achievements: a climate-change partnership with China and vigorous American engagement with Chinas neighbors.

But in four messy days, the president lost the clear message choreographed by his advance team. There was the chaotic arrival ceremony in China, in which missing aircraft stairs unexpectedly trumped the theme of global warming. And then, an ugly personal outburst that prompted Mr. Obama to cancel a meeting with the new leader of the Philippines, an ally the United States will need in the coming contest with China for regional influence.

On Tuesday, the White House scrambled to limit the fallout from skipping a meeting with Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines president. Mr. Obama pulled the plug after hearing that Mr. Duterte had unleashed a profane diatribe against him, threatening to repeat it to Mr. Obamas face if he dared ask him about recent extrajudicial killings in his country.
HONG KONG  Im very polite. One must be polite, the artist Tsang Kin-wah said in an interview last month at his spare, one-room studio in an industrial area of Hong Kong. I used to never swear in real life, so I did so in my art.

Mr. Tsang, 39, caught the attention of galleries and museums with his work as a student in the early 2000s at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Camberwell College of Arts in London. What appeared from a distance as meticulous illustrations of flowers and paisley patterns were, on closer inspection, angry, vile strings of obscenities in repeating patterns.

It was surprising and not a little unsettling coming from a quiet, bespectacled student from a working-class, Christian background. Since then, Mr. Tsang has been an important part of the art scene, his work appearing at the 2015 Venice Biennale and sought after by museums and collectors.

Mr. Tsang is soft-spoken and almost painfully courteous. To this day, he said, he has a hard time reading out loud the aggressive and offensive words he uses in his art.
Immigration, xenophobia, a refugee surge and a humanitarian crisis are roiling politics across Europe and the United States. Its a fray that M.I.A. is eager to plunge into, once again, on her fifth studio album, AIM. She has said it may be her last album, though shes not planning to stop making music.

From her first single in 2003, Galang, Mathangi (nicknamed Maya) Arulpragasam, a.k.a. M.I.A., has based much of her work  music, video, graphics, public statements  on her frontier-crossing identity as the British-born daughter of Tamil immigrants from Sri Lanka. She grew up in Sri Lanka during its civil war, in India and eventually in London, at first in refugee housing. She went on to attend art school and start recording songs.

In an exhilaratingly fractious career, M.I.A. has been a hitmaker (Paper Planes), a graphic artist, a political activist (particularly concerned with immigration, poverty and the reach of the internet), a fashion model, a video director, a label head, a social-media scrapper and, indelibly, the mass-culture provocateur who raised a middle finger to the camera and the world in her guest spot during Madonnas 2012 Super Bowl show. Its no surprise that AIM retains those ambitions, juggling social consciousness and self-assurance as M.I.A. has from the start.
Anna Dewdney, whose Llama Llama read-aloud picture books amused and comforted millions of preschool children, died on Saturday at her home in Lower Bartonsville, Vt. She was 50.

The cause was brain cancer, her sister the anthropologist T. M. Luhrmann said.

Ms. Dewdney, whom the childrens-book journal The Horn Book once called a rock star to preschoolers, introduced her most famous character in Llama Llama Red Pajama. Published in 2005, it told the rhyming story of a baby-boy llama upset when his mother delays bringing a nighttime glass of water. Mama eventually turns up and the crisis is averted. Baby llama learns that Mama will always be nearby.

Parents and children loved the book. Dewdney gives a wonderfully fresh twist to a familiar nighttime ritual, Booklist wrote.

Booksellers loved it, too. The title flew off the shelves, as did its nearly 20 successors, which sold more than 10 million copies. Netflix plans to offer an animated version of the books next year.
Maybe I am a Luddite. I just dont get the industrial logic behind Verizon Communications recent $9.2 billion foray into the digital media space, especially because the way it has chosen to compete in it is by buying Yahoo and AOL, two companies that have seen much better days.

In late July, Verizon, the telephone and wireless behemoth, agreed to buy Yahoo for $4.8 billion in cash. A year or so earlier, it bought AOL for $4.4 billion in cash. The money Verizon spent is hardly material to its $220 billion market capitalization, although it is still a lot of money. And both businesses combined generate about $7 billion revenue annually.

Given that, David Gelles suggested in The New York Times that Verizon might have acquired the two companies at bargain prices, considering that LinkedIn, with annual revenue of $3 billion, was sold to Microsoft for $26 billion and that Twitter, with revenue of a little more than $2 billion, is valued by the market at $12 billion.

But these acquisitions are material in the sense that they raise legitimate questions about the judgment of Verizons management.
Two notable mergers and acquisitions achievements hang in the balance for 2015, but even with a couple of giant deals on the rocks, 2015 is set to retain the global crown. A year will come someday, though, that surpasses its $4.4 trillion of action. The volume and scale of withdrawn deals in 1999, however, are more likely to stand the test of time.

If, as investment bankers like to say, the best deals are the ones clients dont make, then corporate chieftains have been on a roll. More than $750 billion worth of acquisitions proposed last year have been abandoned, according to Thomson Reuters, whose data include spinoffs and initially double-count competing offers for the same target.

Another $84 billion worth are in jeopardy as American competition authorities seek to block Anthems takeover of Cigna and Aetnas of Humana. Also awaiting various approvals are Anheuser-Busch InBevs $110 billion purchase of SABMiller and Dow Chemicals $68 billion marriage to DuPont. With Dell closing its $66 billion union with EMC on Wednesday, however, even the failure of all four big deals should leave 2015 ahead of 2007.

Last year could still test another, less happy mergers and acquisitions record: The years tally of deals withdrawn could approach $1 trillion.
Taking On Europe

ISAAC MIZRAHI

For years, New York showed after Europe. If you showed anything that was innovative in New York, you got accused of being pretentious. That was really upsetting to me. I was never a designer who wanted to follow trends. The tide turned [in 1990] when we started to show after Labor Day.

CALVIN KLEIN

It was a big deal. Donna Karan, who is my close friend, was furious with me. She said, Youve just now ruined our summer. (We had scheduled the shows for just after Labor Day.) I, on the other hand, felt it was more important that the press saw what American designers were doing before they saw the shows in Europe. At the time, if you were on the same wavelength as the Europeans, you were often accused of imitating what was happening in Europe. So I said, Lets go first, and we can dispel this idea that was always in the air.

ISAAC MIZRAHI

In the late 80s, the French were always right, and if you followed the French, you were you were right on trend, and you would have a huge business at Bloomingdales. For me, it was intensely unpleasant that you were expected to do a Lacroix collection after Lacroix showed it.
It seemed at first like an old-fashioned, only-in-New York murder mystery. On a snowy day in January 2014, the charred remains of Menachem Stark, a Hasidic landlord from Brooklyn, were found in a trash bin at a gas station in Great Neck, on Long Island.

There was tantalizing evidence: surveillance video of a minivan hurrying away from Mr. Starks office in the Orthodox enclave of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and a trail of financial improprieties, including the fact that the landlord and his partner were in bankruptcy and that $2 million had recently vanished from one of their accounts. There was even some classic tabloid news coverage: The New York Post featured the story with a front-page photo of the victim in his traditional fur hat beside a headline that read: Who Didnt Want Him Dead?

On Wednesday, however, as the trial of the man accused of killing Mr. Stark, Kendel Felix, began in State Supreme Court in Brooklyn, what had once appeared to be a puzzling whodunit was presented to a jury as a bungling, if tragic, robbery gone wrong. Prosecutors described how Mr. Felix, a journeyman carpenter who had once done work for Mr. Stark, and a team of kidnappers  many from his own family  had taken part in a plot to abduct Mr. Stark and shake him down for money.

Mr. Felix, 28, is facing life in prison in the case, and the central evidence against him is a videotaped confession. In the confession, parts of which were played during pretrial hearings, Mr. Felix described how he had been approached by his cousin Erskine Felix, another laborer who claimed that Mr. Stark owed him money, and had been persuaded to participate in a scheme to scare the landlord and recover the debt.
The humiliation that Germanys ruling Christian Democrats suffered in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, pushed to third place behind a nationalist, anti-immigrant party, is not good news. The results are a repudiation of Chancellor Angela Merkels liberal refugee policy, and they follow a continentwide rise of far-right parties feeding on fears of terrorism and resentment of refugees. With such a poor showing in a state where Ms. Merkels constituency is based, the chancellor suddenly seems vulnerable as she considers whether to run in next years general election.

But it is far too early to cross off Ms. Merkel, who has been chancellor for 11 years and has earned great respect as a world leader. Her decision a year ago to open Germanys borders to refugees was courageous and just. She has weathered many political crises before with her instinct for pragmatism and compromise. Her approval rating in Germany is at a five-year low but is still 45 percent  a strong showing on a continent in turmoil, when President Francois Hollande of France has been polling under 20 percent this summer.

Sundays vote should be seen in context: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is one of the poorest and least-populated states in Germany. It was formerly part of East Germany, and anti-immigrant sentiments have been strong in the former East Europe. All major parties in the state lost votes to Alternative for Germany, a party that got its start opposing bailouts for Greece and then exploited the refugee crisis. The state will continue to be governed by a coalition of the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats, like the one Ms. Merkel heads at the federal level.

She acknowledged that the refugee issue was a major cause of the drubbing but said the decisions made were right and we have to continue to work on them. They were right, and her government, which has led the European Union in managing the crisis, should continue to do so.
Chinese investment in Australian infrastructure has caused the most controversy. The Australian government rejected the sale of Australias largest private land holding to a Chinese conglomerate and blocked a Chinese bid for a major electricity grid, Ausgrid, on national-security grounds.

The grant of a 99-year lease for control of the port of Darwin to a Chinese company said to have links to the Peoples Liberation Army alarmed many commentators and surprised the United States. President Obama is reported to have asked Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for warning next time Australians make a deal with such strategic implications. The United States regularly rotates Marines through Darwin.

For most of Australias history, the world was run by liberal Western democracies like our own. But now our largest trading partner, China, has become the most serious rival of our principal ally, the United States.

Some Australian strategists argue that we must do more to accommodate Chinas rise. They say we should keep our noses out of Chinas internal affairs and maritime policies. We should accept that the future regional order will be dominated by China, they argue. Some analysts even suggest that we should use our influence in Washington to encourage the United States to share power with Beijing in Asia.

But why should Australians encourage the withdrawal of a longtime ally that remains the global leader, a country that shares our worldview? Why would we tilt toward China, a country that is so different from our own, with a foreign policy that is notably uneven? Would Beijing reciprocate such a gesture? I have never heard an expert on China say that Beijing respects weakness.

It is more sensible for Australia to hedge against the risk of uncertain future behavior from China by deepening our connections with other major Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia and Vietnam, and by keeping the United States deeply engaged in the region.
Marseille, France In late 2010, the Haitian government asked me to investigate a cholera outbreak that struck that autumn following the arrival of a United Nations peacekeeping unit. It quickly became evident that some of the peacekeepers, who had been rotating through Haiti as part of a mission started in 2004 to provide security and stability, had introduced cholera from Nepal, where the disease had been flourishing.

By scrutinizing the most affected areas and using maps to trace the disease, I demonstrated how the epidemic originated with the peacekeepers. I published my findings in a July 2011 article, and an independent scientific team confirmed my conclusions within a few months.

Despite the evidence, the United Nations refused to take responsibility for its role in the spread of the disease. As late as April 2012, a spokesman for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said publicly it was not possible to conclude how cholera arrived in Haiti.

The denials lasted until last month when the United Nations finally admitted that it was involved in the cholera outbreak. A United Nations spokesman said the institution needs to do much more to come clean.
Climate change has increased the likelihood of torrential downpours along the Gulf Coast like those that led to deadly floods in southern Louisiana last month, scientists said Wednesday.

Using historical records of rainfall and computer models that simulate climate, the researchers, including several from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, found that global warming increased the chances of such intense rains in the region by at least 40 percent.

But its probably much closer to a doubling of the probability of such an event, or a 100 percent increase, said Heidi Cullen, chief scientist for Climate Central, the research organization that coordinated the study. Climate change played a very clear and quantifiable role, she added.
Seafood lovers, are you getting catfished at the dinner table?

Its very possible. One in five seafood samples tested worldwide turns out to be completely different from what the menu or packaging says, according to a report on seafood fraud released Wednesday by the ocean conservation group Oceana. Of the more than 25,000 seafood samples the group analyzed, 20 percent were incorrectly labeled.

It is likely that the average consumer has eaten mislabeled fish for sure, said Beth Lowell, the senior campaign director for Oceana and an author of the paper. Youre getting ripped off, while you enjoyed your meal youre paying a high price for a low fish.

The biggest impostor, fittingly, was farmed Asian catfish, a fish with white flesh that is easily disguised when its filleted and drenched in sauce. It was sold in place of 18 types of more expensive fish, including perch, cod and grouper.
SAN FRANCISCO  During a two-hour product showcase held on Wednesday in one of rock musics most storied venues, Apple executives signaled that the company was heading toward a wireless future, where devices would connect without cables.

A big step in that direction is the removal of a headphone jack from the latest version of the iPhone, called the iPhone 7.

What was lacking in Apples presentation, as has been the case for the Silicon Valley giant in recent years, was a new, cant-miss hit like the original iPod. There wasnt even a dramatic change to an old classic, like the bigger iPhones it introduced in 2014.

Image A screenshot of Apples new AirPods, illustrating their built-in wireless technology. Credit... Beck Diefenbach/Reuters

But if you like tweaks to products you may already have, Apple had plenty to offer at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, a cavernous arena named for a famous music promoter that has hosted the likes of the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan. The iPhone 7 includes a better camera and the bigger iPhone 7 Plus has a second high-end camera with a telephoto lens. It also has an improved home button that lets users perform different tasks by varying how hard they press it.
What the city is now deciding is how much latitude  and independence  to give those who would oversee and investigate serious allegations of misconduct by the police. The decision carries significance in the national debate on policing in the aftermath of video of black people being shot in Chicago and other American cities and towns that has spurred investigations and demand for change.

Activists are looking to the proposal for signs of how far Chicago is willing to go to mend the deeply fractured relationship between the police and minority residents, which worsened after the video emerged in November of the police killing of Laquan McDonald, 17.

The Council vote, which includes the plan for the new police inspector general, is Sept. 29.

A mayoral aide who was authorized to speak about the plan only without attribution declined to say whether the mayors proposal might be substantially altered by then, but said nothing had been ruled out. The aide noted that decisions about how to structure the new community oversight board  another task force recommendation  were delayed at the request of community leaders, who sought more time for review. We should wait to see what they come up with, the aide said.

The aide also pointed out that the plan had been released a month early, providing critics with a chance to weigh in. The aide said that many of its details were in line with other recommendation by the task force.

For almost a year, Chicago and its high-profile mayor have been reeling from the fallout of the McDonald slaying. The public reaction to the video drove out the police superintendent and led to an investigation by the Justice Department.

In April, the task force appointed by Mr. Emanuel issued a devastating report that said the citys own data helped substantiate the widely held belief the police have no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color.

The mayor responded by promising changes to the officer discipline process, while warning against demonizing the police in the midst of a crime wave in which the number of killings and shootings in the city grew this year by almost 50 percent over the same period last year.
First there were the reports in Greenville County, S.C., of creepy clowns offering children money to come into the woods. There was also the mysterious late-night sighting of a clown waving under a streetlight.

That caused alarm and prompted the police to increase patrols where the costumed figures had been spotted.

Now, two weeks later and 180 miles away, separate tales of clowns trying to lure children into wooded areas in Winston-Salem, N.C., have set off concerns in that city.

None of this sits well with clowns. Mike Becvar, a professional clown who goes by the name Sir Toony Van Dukes and who runs the website Just For Clowns, said anxiety about the incidents is being needlessly stoked by national news coverage.
President Obama nominated Abid Riaz Qureshi to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, potentially making the Washington lawyer the first Muslim-American federal judge.

Mr. Qureshi is a partner at Latham & Watkins L.L.P. in Washington, where he is the global chairman of its pro bono committee and specializes in the False Claims Act, health care fraud and securities violations. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1997 and a bachelors degree from Cornell University in 1993.

I am confident he will serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice, Mr. Obama said in a statement.

Image Abid Riaz Qureshi is President Obamas nominee to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Credit... Latham & Watkins L.L.P., via Associated Press

The issue of diversity in the judicial landscape received renewed attention this year after Donald J. Trump, the Republican nominee, said in May that Gonzalo P. Curiel, the presiding judge in a lawsuit filed by former Trump University students, would be biased against him because of the judges Mexican-American background. Mr. Trump later said that he did not think that a Muslim judge would be fair to him, either.
WASHINGTON  Donald J. Trump turned his attention to national security and military readiness on Wednesday, saying in a speech that his approach to foreign policy could be summed up in three words: peace through strength.

Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, offered many facts to support his vision and outlined the approach a Trump administration would take on issues related to national security. We found five of his key claims or proposals to be misleading or consistent with current policy.

On Military Spending

As soon as I take office, I will ask Congress to fully eliminate the defense sequester and will submit a new budget to rebuild the military.

The military, Mr. Trump said, needs to be expanded and equipped with a new generation of aircraft and other equipment. The changes he proposed  such as adding about 90,000 soldiers to the Army and expanding the Navy to 350 ships  would require tens of billions of dollars a year in additional military spending (expanding the Army alone could cost more than $10 billion a year). To get the needed money, Mr. Trump said he would call on Congress to reverse the cuts to military spending made as part of the budget sequester in 2013, which was the result of a compromise reached between Democrats and Republicans.
The Presidential Suite is 4,000 square feet of pure opulence, with three bedrooms, a fitness center, a butlers pantry and a bathroom tiled with Calacatta Gold marble from an Italian quarry.

Need a little more space?

Then the hotels Trump Townhouse might be for you, with 6,300 square feet, a private entrance and a dining room that seats 24. The price starts at $18,750 per night. Unless you want it for the presidential inauguration, when the nightly rate is $100,000. With a minimum stay of five nights.

Yes, Donald J. Trump is coming to Pennsylvania Avenue, whether he wins the election or not.

The Trump International Hotel, Washington D.C. will open its doors next week, ensuring that Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, will not only be involved in Januarys inaugural  the hotel is on the path of the parade  but will also be part of the Washington firmament for many years to come. The list of high-end hotel options in the capital, including the Jefferson, the Madison, the Hay-Adams and the Mayflower, will soon include the Trump.
PHILADELPHIA  Donald J. Trump on Wednesday called for a vast expansion of the military, including 90,000 new soldiers for the Army and nearly 75 new ships for the Navy, requiring up to $90 billion a year in additional spending.

But Mr. Trump did not match those numbers with details about how the country would raise the money, other than a promise to take steps like reducing wasteful spending, which military budget analysts said would be insufficient.

Mr. Trump, in a speech at the Union League of Philadelphia, also vowed to order the military to devise a new plan to defeat the Islamic State immediately upon taking office. The plan would come within 30 days from my generals, he added, without mentioning that those generals are the same ones who came up with the current strategy, which they believe is working.

The speech was the latest effort by Mr. Trumps campaign to demonstrate to voters that he can lay out detailed policy prescriptions to problems confronting the nation. It also seemed to be directed at the conservative foreign policy establishment, coming a day after Mr. Trump released a letter from about 90 retired military officials endorsing his campaign.
Obama, Duterte meeting canceled after Duterte's insult

2016-09-07 10:44

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attends a welcome dinner at the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos September 6, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

US President Barack Obama canceled his first meeting with Philippines counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday after the blunt-spoken Duterte described him as a "son of a bitch", casting a shadow over a gathering of Asian leaders in Laos.

Duterte said hours later that he regretted his comments "came across as a personal attack" on the US president.

"President Duterte explained that the press reports that President Obama would 'lecture' him on extrajudicial killings led to his strong comments, which in turn elicited concern," the Philippines government said.

"He regrets that his remarks to the press have caused much controversy," it added in a statement released at the summit in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

The White House had earlier said Obama would not pull any punches on his concerns about human rights abuses in the Philippines, its treaty ally, when meeting Duterte.

Duterte responded to that with his "son of a bitch" comment to reporters on Monday before leaving to join fellow leaders of Southeast Asian and East Asian leaders for the summit.

Obama learned about the insult as he emerged from the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. At a news conference, he said he had told his aides to speak with Philippine officials "to find out is this, in fact, a time where we can have some constructive, productive conversations".

Hours later, his aides said the meeting had been canceled.

Soothing tensions

Moving quickly to soothe the tensions with Washington, Duterte said in a separate statement that he remained committed to Manila's alliance with Washington.

"Our primary intention is to chart an independent foreign policy while promoting ties with all nations, especially the US with which we have had a long-standing partnership," he said.

Reuters - Ap
Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana broke with his running mate, Donald J. Trump, on the issue of President Obamas birthplace on Wednesday, proclaiming that he does not doubt that Mr. Obama was born in the United States.

Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, was one of the leaders of the so-called birther movement in recent years, questioning whether Mr. Obama was born on American soil and was eligible to be commander in chief. Though he has avoided the topic as a candidate, Mr. Trump has not acknowledged that Mr. Obama, who was born in Hawaii, is a natural born citizen and as recently as this week said I dont talk about it when pressed.

But when asked about the issue on his campaign plane on Wednesday, Mr. Pence said he took the president at his word.

I believe Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, Mr. Pence said, according an NBC News report.

Noting that he disagrees with Mr. Obama on matters of policy, he added, I accept his birthplace.
With senators in a standoff over annual spending bills, the chamber is expected as soon as Wednesday to take up a bipartisan, $9 billion measure that would authorize spending on the nations water infrastructure. The bill includes $280 million to address the crisis over contaminated drinking water in Flint, Mich., as well as funding to combat the pollution runoff that has fed the vast bloom of algae in the waterways of southeastern Florida.

The water bill, introduced by Senators Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California, and James M. Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma, is a rare sign of agreement between one of the most liberal and one of the most conservative members of Congress. It has wide bipartisan support, and staff members expect it to receive more than 80 votes.

However, the prospects for combining the bill with a more modest $5 billion House measure, which contains none of the Flint provisions, remain uncertain.

The Water Resources Development Act, which comes around every two years, does not appropriate new taxpayer dollars for spending. Rather, it targets and maps out projects to be addressed when lawmakers appropriate money in the future. A big part of the bill  roughly $5 billion  is intended for the upkeep of ports, dams, locks, levies and canals managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
DENVER  Its nighttime at the Herbal Cure, a south Denver marijuana shop and grow house tucked into a parking lot beside the highway. Inside is a marijuana bounty: thousands of dollars worth of cannabis plants, boxes of marijuana-infused chocolate, jars of $360-an-ounce weed with names like Frankenberry, Lemon Skunk and Purple Cheddar.

Chris Bowyer, a lanky combat veteran turned cannabis security guard, is outside. He has a .40-caliber pistol on his hip and a few extra magazines stored away, and he is talking about his work on the battlefield. Not the one in Iraq  the one in Colorado, where criminals seeking to breach marijuana businesses face veterans trying to stop them.

This is my therapy, Mr. Bowyer said, heading for a place where burglars broke in recently. He checked a fence for signs of a new incursion, then headed to an office to note the nights activities in a rigorously organized logbook. This is what we did in the military.

In Colorado, a curious marriage has formed between the booming retail cannabis industry  legal in the state since 2014, but not in the eyes of the federal government  and young war veterans, more than 200 of whom have taken jobs protecting marijuana businesses across the state. They spend their days and nights in urban marijuana shops and suburban warehouses and on rural farms, warding off the burglars who have become hallmarks of this cash-heavy, high-value business.
WASHINGTON  It would have seemed surprising from any other president, but has become practically routine for President Obama in his final year in office: acknowledging the United States unsavory history in a country he was visiting.

This week, it was the C.I.A.-led bombing and paramilitary campaign that devastated Laos during the Vietnam War. While the president stopped short of apologizing, he was, in his words, acknowledging the suffering and sacrifices on all sides of that conflict.

Mr. Obama had similarly confronted American misdeeds this year in Cuba, Argentina, Vietnam and Japan, each time raising decades-old but still sensitive actions, framed in the language of reconciliation. In comparison, the last Democrat in the White House, President Bill Clinton, did so twice, admitting C.I.A. support for Guatemalas campaign of terror during that countrys civil war and, in a speech delegated to his secretary of state, the United States role in Irans 1953 coup.

Mr. Obamas series of speeches reviewing historical trouble spots highlight several unusual facets of his worldview. They fit within his larger effort to reach out to former adversaries such as Cuba and Myanmar. They assert his belief in introspection and the need to overcome the past. And they highlight his perspective that American power has not always been a force for good.
BEIJING  On Aug. 8, cutesy graphics and laconic messages of blocked content replaced 12 years of flourishing conversation about Chinas intrusive family planning policies on the home pages of Fuxian Yis social media accounts.

Dr. Yi, a Chinese scientist and demographer, is indignant over the concerted act of censorship that struck a month ago. He said the simultaneous shuttering of half a dozen accounts, including on Weibo and his blogs, indicated that the censorship had been ordered at a high level, probably by the countrys powerful internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China, at the request of the Family Planning and Health Commission of China, for whom he has long been an irritant.

The Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Family Planning and Health Commission and leading internet companies including Sina, Tencent and NetEase, which censor on behalf of the government, did not respond to calls and faxed requests for comment.

Still, he is not downcast, Dr. Yi said in an interview.

Of course, Im furious. But not as furious as everyone might think, because whats different today from 10 years ago is that public opinion has shifted, he wrote by email from the United States, where he is a senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
VIENTIANE, Laos  It was brief and it was only pleasantries, but President Obama and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines spoke to each other on Wednesday, just two days after Mr. Dutertes profane outburst prompted Mr. Obama to cancel their first meeting.

The two men spoke while they were waiting with other world leaders to enter a gala dinner at a summit meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations here, according to a White House official. The official did not say what the two men discussed, except to suggest that it was not substantive.

For reporters covering the dinner, the prospect of a meeting or handshake between Mr. Obama and Mr. Duterte was the story of the evening. Publicly, at least, it fizzled: At a photo session with the leaders, Mr. Obama stood several spots to the left of Mr. Duterte. At dinner, they were seated far enough from each other to make a chance encounter unlikely.
HONG KONG  When the 42-year-old Filipino woman opened the door of her tiny Hong Kong apartment three years ago, two lawyers stood outside with a man she had never seen before. They explained that he needed a place to hide, and they introduced him as Edward Snowden.

The first time I see him, I dont know who he is, the woman, Vanessa Mae Bondalian Rodel, recalled in an interview. I dont have any idea.

Ms. Rodel is one of at least four residents of Hong Kong who took in Mr. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor, when he fled the United States in June 2013. Only now have they decided to speak about the experience, revealing a new chapter in the odyssey that riveted the world after Mr. Snowden disclosed that the N.S.A. had been monitoring the calls, emails and web activity of millions of Americans and others.

At the time, governments and news outlets were scrambling to find the source of the leaks, which were published in The Guardian and The Washington Post. In an interview recorded in a hotel room, Mr. Snowden identified himself and revealed that he was in Hong Kong. Then he went into hiding. About two weeks later he turned up in Moscow.
HANGZHOU, China  Human rights barely registered on President Obamas latest visit to China, which ended Monday night with a news conference at which he made only a glancing reference to differences with Beijing over religious freedom.

And as Mr. Obama moved on to Laos for a summit meeting of Asian nations, human rights advocates worried that their concerns were falling off the American agenda not only with China but also across the region, for the same reason: Beijings continuing rise as an economic and geopolitical power.

As China challenges the United States for influence in Asia, the administration is concerned that any criticism of nations like Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Laos for backsliding on human rights could alienate them rather than pulling them closer. At the same time, shining a spotlight on Chinas own rough treatment of dissidents risks losing Beijings cooperation on issues like trade, climate change and nuclear proliferation.

Rights advocates accused the administration of being too timid, arguing that the United States should put as much pressure on governments over how they treat their citizens as they do during trade negotiations.
American intelligence officials say that there is evidence that shows Russian intelligence agencies were behind breaches of the D.N.C.s computer systems, and that the Russians tried to gain access to the servers for other Democratic organizations. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, has drawn a direct line between the suspected Russian activity and her Republican rival, Donald J. Trump.

When pressed during a news conference in London after his speech on Wednesday, Mr. Carter said he was not only talking about Russian breaches of American computer systems. This is a common concern of all the NATO countries, and part of what we call hybrid warfare, he said.

Mr. Carters criticism comes as the United States and Russia have been struggling to keep alive negotiations to end the fighting between American-backed Syrian rebels and the government of President Bashar al-Assad, Russias ally. President Obama expressed skepticism this week that an unlikely alliance between rivals would yield the breakthrough needed to end the five-year-old civil war.

Mr. Obama and Mr. Putin huddled on the sidelines of the Group of 20 economic summit in Hangzhou, China, this week, but were unable to breach what Mr. Obama called gaps of trust.

In his speech at Oxford, his alma mater, Mr. Carter mentioned the lack of trust. Russia entered the Syrian tragedy saying it wanted to counter terrorism and end the civil war  the source of so much suffering  through a political transition, Mr. Carter said. But what it has done is very different from what it said.
Chinese Culture Talk lands in Hawaii

From:chinadaily.com.cn | 2016-09-07 10:45

Hu Qiuping gives her speech in Honolulu on Aug 27. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

At the Chinese Culture Talk debut in Hawaii, famous Chinese calligrapher Hu Qiuping shared her craft in a speech, The Charm of Chinese Calligraphy, in Honolulu on Aug 27.

More than 100 people from cultural, educational and economic circles attended the event. Among the prominent guests were Counselor Gu Jin of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, Chairman Li Zijian of the Hawaii Chinese Republican Coalition (HCRC) and Professor Jiang Song of the University of Hawaii. The speech also attracted much local media attention.

"Chinese Culture Talk is a great platform to show Chinese calligraphy, Gu said. It also offers an opportunity for Americans to know and love Chinese culture. Cultural exchanges have always played a significant role in our bilateral relations and hereby I hope this high-level talk can cement our friendship and strengthen multiculture in Hawaii."

Li and Jiang also weighed in. They both said they hoped there will be more cultural events, so Hawaiians have more chances to appreciate Chinese culture.

Hus speech was informative and entertaining. She introduced Chinese calligraphy from four aspects: its origin and development, its expressive power, its aesthetics and its Chinese female calligraphers. During her presentation, representative works of famous calligraphers were analyzed and assessed. She also shared her experiences as a calligrapher for more than 40 years. Her speech was interrupted from time to time by laughter and applause.

Hu Qiuping demonstrates her calligraphy skills. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

At the interactive session, Hu wrote down Zhu Xi's poem, A Spring Day. Her smooth brush strokes and the harmony created drew a big crowd.

"Attendees of today's speech are all talented people. More important, our speaker, Hu Qiuping, just gave us an impressive presentation. Chinese calligraphy plays an important role in our country's history. It's the one and only in the world. Chinese calligraphy has travelled to Japan and South Korea. Today it lands in America. I hope it doesn't end here," said Luo Jintang, a renowned Chinese scholar, aged 90.

The feedback to the speech was quite positive. Many Americans at the event acknowledged the international influence of Chinese culture. They thanked the organizers and welcomed more cultural events.

In total, Hu gave three speeches in US, with the remaining two happening in Los Angeles.

Counselor Gu Jin is interviewed. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Hu serves as a research fellow of the China National Academy of Painting, is a member of the China Calligraphers Association (CCA) and a member of the Cursive Script Committee of CCA. Shes also a professor at Peking University's Chinese Calligraphy Art Research Institute and the vice-chair of the Poetry Society of Henan province of China. She was voted by Chinese Calligraphy newspaper as one of the 10 Outstanding Modern Female Calligraphers of China in 2016. One of her poetry collections got the second place in the Excellent Books of Henan province.

To increase cultural exchanges between China and the outside world, Chinese Culture Talk was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Culture. More than 40 events have been held in Europe, North America and Southeast Asia, covering philosophy, cultural relics, literature, music and art.
LONDON  A camerawoman who was captured on video kicking and attempting to trip migrants near the Hungary-Serbia border in the fall was charged on Wednesday with breach of peace, Hungarian prosecutors said, adding that her actions had not been motivated by bias or racism.

Footage of the camerawoman, Petra Laszlo, who was filming migrants as they were being chased by police officers, spread quickly on social media, adding to Hungarys reputation for hostility toward the thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Asia.

The charge, breach of peace, is defined in Hungarian law as antisocial, violent behavior capable of inciting indignation or alarm, and it carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison unless there are aggravating circumstances.
BEIRUT, Lebanon  Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, suggested that his country was ready to carry out a joint operation with the United States in northern Syria to fight the Islamic State in its de facto capital, Raqqa, Turkish news media reported on Wednesday.

The move would represent a major escalation in the two countries interventions in Syria. But there was no immediate comment from United States officials. In the past, the United States and Turkey announced ambitious new joint policies concerning Syria that failed to materialize as disagreements emerged over what had been agreed to.

An operation in Raqqa would entail an expansion of cooperation on Syria between Turkey and the United States, NATO allies whose relations have been strained over Syria policy.

Even though both countries nominally oppose the Islamic State and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, the United States places a greater priority on defeating the Islamic State. Turkey, at least until recently, was more intent on ousting Mr. Assad. And the countries sharply disagree over Syrias Kurdish militias, which Turkey sees as its main enemy in Syria, and the United States sees as its most effective ground partner against the Islamic State.
PRIVATE flood insurance options are increasingly available in some states, but consumers should make sure they understand the fine print before choosing one over a federal policy.

Typical homeowner insurance policies do not cover flood damage; consumers must buy special coverage. Most residential flood policies are sold through the National Flood Insurance Program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The program was created in 1968, when it was difficult for private companies to insure flood risk at rates homeowners could afford.

But after disastrous storms like Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the federal program has gone into debt. The government has been taking steps to stabilize the program and raise flood policy rates, notably with legislation in 2012 that reduced subsidies that had kept premiums on some properties unrealistically low. Further action by Congress in 2014 slowed the rate increases, but many policyholders are still seeing costs rise.

As a result, some insurers see a market for private flood policies, and legislation pending in Congress aims to encourage more insurers to sell them. Insurers say updated technology and building practices can help them better assess risk and price policies.
The first big event of New York Fashion Week, which officially begins on Thursday, was not the Tom Ford and Kanye West calendar-breaking shows being held on Wednesday, but a Hillary Clinton fund-raiser Tuesday night that drew a phalanx of fashion heavyweights.

The event, a fashion show held at Spring Studios, a favorite Fashion Week venue, was co-hosted by Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue, and attended by Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Diane von Furstenberg and Joseph Altuzarra, as well as others from fashions A-list.

Also, it should be said, by several hundred members of the public who had paid $100 to $25,000 to see what turned out to be a parade of fancy T-shirts orchestrated not only by Ms. Wintour but also by Chelsea Clinton and Huma Abedin, the top aide to the Democratic presidential candidate who recently separated from her husband, the disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner.

After all, the show was not only a show: It was a fund-raiser for the Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state candidates.
In those miserable, wonderful days when love is new, when your heart pounds and your breath comes short and sharp, the only thing that matters is your beloved. News of the outside world comes as a rumor. Daily life is a melodrama, a musical, a rom-com, an epic.

This is a story of two men in the early phase of romantic love. It begins with Evan Garland, 24, who lives in Los Angeles and works in finance and accounting for the media streaming service Hulu.

On June 2, Mr. Garland stared at his smartphone screen, flipping through the dating app Tinder for what he supposed would be the last time. In roughly 400 dates, he had not come close to anything resembling true love.

He hadnt been on a date in over a month, and none of his friends were in long-term relationships. After years of dating, Mr. Garland felt his heart had grown cold.
One day, the Japanese dancer Takao Kawaguchi had a vision. It suddenly popped into my head: I want to become Kazuo Ohno, he recalled. Ohno, who died in 2010 at 103, was internationally celebrated as a founder of the emotionally intense dance form known as Butoh. Mr. Kawaguchi never saw Ohno perform, although Ohno danced past the age of 100, presenting solos in which he played both female and male roles. Mr. Kawaguchi eventually took vintage films of two of Ohnos most famous solos, My Mother and Admiring La Argentina, which honors a great Spanish dancer, and duplicated them phrase by phrase with his own body.

Mr. Kawaguchis About Kazuo Ohno shares a program with Big Dance Theater, a New York group directed by Annie-B Parson and Paul Lazar, who will offer Resplendent Shimmering Topaz Waterfall, a tribute to Tatsumi Hijikata, a Butoh pioneer. (Friday, Sept. 16, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Japan Society; 212-832-1155, japansociety.org.)
It was like a moment from a Disney movie.

Mike Karas, a tourist from Honolulu, had his camera pointed toward an exquisite view of Yosemite when a bride and her groom stepped onto a rocky ledge high above a valley.

She turned to him as the sun burst into an apricot hue on the horizon.

It was like wow, thats amazing, Mr. Karas, 31, said.

He snapped a photo. But the mystery couple vanished down a trail before he could flag them down.

Later, he posted the image to Instagram, where it spread like crazy and inspired reports as far away as New Zealand.

It also fueled an effort to identify the couple that stretched for days.

Then, late Tuesday, the mystery was solved.
Is this my decision to make, and if so, do I have a duty to advise his children of my actions, either before or after disposal? I fear triggering animosity if I dispose of the documents and tell my stepchildren after the fact. If I lay out the situation beforehand, however, they may ask me to turn everything over to them. If I comply, I feel that I would be an accomplice to the invasion of my husbands privacy. On the other hand, who is to say that he wouldnt be pleased if the end result were to be some closure for his children around issues Im not even aware of? What do you believe is the right answer? Name Withheld

Your husbands papers were his to dispose of, and are now yours, assuming they were left to you. If he had given you clear instructions, it would be your obligation to comply with them. But he didnt. So you should aim to do what you think he would have wanted you to do.

People keep journals for a variety of reasons. In Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest, a character describes hers as simply a very young girls record of her own thoughts and impressions, and consequently meant for publication. Tony Benn, the British politician and man of (many) letters, thought that journals gave you three bites at educating yourself  as something happens, as you write it down and, later, as you reread what you wrote and reckon with your errors. He was happy to share the last of those experiences with a wider audience. But many journals really are meant as a record for the person keeping it, and for nobody else.

You plainly think that your husband falls in the last category and wouldnt have wanted his children to know what is in these documents. If youre sure of that, you dont have to take into account what the children would like or what they would gain or lose from reading them. He had the right to keep these documents private. You inherited that right with them. You can destroy them. And you dont need to tell the children youve done so. That, too, is protected by his right to privacy.

I live in a small apartment complex, and we form a relatively tight little community. In October 2015, one of the two elderly gentlemen who lived next door failed to extinguish his cigarette and started a fire that affected all three units in our building (mine included). Sadly, both men died.
The Miracle happens about halfway through Sully, and it is as suspenseful as it is spoiler proof. We all know what happened in real life, and why its called the Miracle on the Hudson, after all. But that doesnt make getting there any less nerve-racking on the big screen.

A jet with Chesley B. Sullenberger III (Tom Hanks) and his co-pilot (Aaron Eckhart) at the controls has just been struck by a flock of geese, killing both engines and many options for safely landing. But Sully, with a seemingly superhuman reserve of calm and concentration, deftly guides the plane over the Hudson River and executes a perfect water landing that all 155 souls on board will walk away from.

Soon after, having just been ferried to dry land, the co-pilot turns to Sully. Ive never been so happy to be in New York in my life, he deadpans.
The two-hour show is inspired by Petru Popescus Amazon Beaming (1991), a novel based on the 1969 real-life encounter between Loren McIntyre, an American photographer, and the almost unknown Mayoruna tribe living deep in the Amazon rain forest. As well as offering metaphysical considerations, its a kind of a Boys Own adventure for which Mr. McBurney uses little more than his own voice and body, a desk, a few microphones, and plastic bottles of water to create sounds and story layers that take us deep into the Amazon.

His voice and other voices are in the ears of each audience member. So are the sounds of the Amazon rain forest, the shriek of birds, the crackle of leaves underfoot, the chatter of children, the whine of mosquitoes and the roar of a Cessna plane. Interspersed with McIntyres adventures are recorded interruptions from Mr. McBurneys 7-year-old daughter and snippets of testimony from experts on the nature of consciousness, memory and time.

Its not exactly standard Broadway fare. Although Mr. McBurneys production of The Chairs came to Broadway in 1998, Complicite is usually presented by festivals and theaters with an experimental bent. Richard Frankel, one of the producers of The Encounter, said that he and his partners were nonetheless immediately convinced that the show would work. People go to the theater to be moved and engaged and engrossed, and this does it in spades, he said.

Nigel Redden, the director of the Lincoln Center Festival, which has presented Complicite five times since 1996, described Mr. McBurney as one of the great theater-makers in the world today. He added: I think his strength is that he is doing absolutely his own work. He has increasingly become someone who can tell a very complicated story and make it simple and personal and utterly compelling.

Mr. McBurney is a compelling storyteller offstage, too. In an interview over lunch at an Italian restaurant near the rehearsal rooms, he managed to eat, gesture and talk, almost without stopping, about The Encounter, which had its premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2015, had a sold-out season at the Barbican in London and has toured Europe. He is 59 and compactly built, with large, mobile features, an intense stare and thinning hair that stands up in jagged peaks on his head when he runs his hands through it.
Chinese comic strip showcased in Brussels

From:chinadaily.com.cn | 2016-09-07 11:45

Poster for the Chinese comic strip show at the 7th Brussels Comic Strip Festival. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

The opening ceremony of Chinese comic strip show at the 7th Brussels Comic Strip Festival was held on September 2 in Brussels, Belgium. Around 100 guests and representatives attended the ceremony.

It is the first time the Chinese section has been set at the festival, which launched on the same day.

The exhibition featured masterpieces from eleven Chinese cartoonists, covering the classic Sanmao Joins the Army accomplished 70 years ago, and the manuscripts from ten contemporary caricaturists.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Belgium. The event aims to present Chinese classic comic strip and outstanding comic artists to the Europeans.

Zhang Weijun, son of Zhang Leping who created Sanmao series, addressed at the ceremony. He introduced the story of his father's creation on Sanmao and the comic strip's 1984 animation adaptation.

A series of activities were staged on during the day, such as a children's game workshop, young Chinese cartoonists' book-signing ceremony, an exhibition of Chinese animation works and a comic creative products fair.

The three-day Comic Strip Festival was attended by some 100,000 visitors from more than ten countries.

With the support of Chinese Ministry of Culture and the Chinese Embassy to Belgium, the Chinese section at the festival was organized by the China Cultural Center in Brussels and the Center of International Cultural Exchange of China.

A Chinese cartoonist and a visitor pose for a photo at the opening ceremony of Chinese comic strip show at the 7th Brussels Comic Strip Festival, Sept 2, 2016. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Visitors at the opening ceremony of Chinese comic strip show at the 7th Brussels Comic Strip Festival, Sept 2, 2016. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Visitors at the opening ceremony of Chinese comic strip show at the 7th Brussels Comic Strip Festival, Sept 2, 2016. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

[Photo/Chinaculture.org]

[Photo/Chinaculture.org]
New York Universitys Taub Center for Israel Studies will host Tzipi Livni, former foreign minister of Israel and a current opposition member of the Knesset, for a public lecture, Israel in a Changing Middle East, on Tues., Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m. at NYUs Kimmel Center for University Life, Room 914 (60 Washington Square South [at LaGuardia Pl.]).

The event is free and open to the public. RSVP by calling 212.992.9797 or emailing rsvp.taub@nyu.edu. Space limited to availability. Subways: A, B, C, D, E, F, M (West 4th St.).

Livni has held a variety of ministerial positions in the Israeli government. In addition to serving as minister of foreign affairs, she has been acting prime minister, minister of justice, and head of the Israeli team in the peace process negotiations with the Palestinians in 2008 and 2013.

She was a member of the National Security Cabinet and the Senior Security Cabinet during the Second Lebanon War, Operation Cast Lead, and Operation Protective Edge. She served as a lieutenant in the Israel Defense Forces and later in the Mossad. Livni holds a law degree and has practiced law for over a decade. She also served as director general of the Government Companies Authority.



Livni is currently the head of the Hatnua Party and co-leader of the Zionist Union, which heads the opposition in the Knesset. She is a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and head of the Subcommittee for International Legal Warfare, focusing on issues of asymmetrical warfare and Israels national security.

The event is co-sponsored with NYUs Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life and Tamid Group at NYU.

Editors Note:

The Taub Center was established with a gift from the Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation. The gift supports an endowed professorship and two graduate fellowships in Israel Studies, and funds lectures, seminars, scholarly colloquia at the Center, and other special programs for students, faculty, and the community. In addition to offering its own programming, the Taub Center works closely with NYUs departments to create cross-disciplinary programming, serving to broaden NYUs offerings in Judaic and Middle Eastern studies.
Palace Museum shows going to Hong Kong

From:chinadaily.com.cn | 2016-09-07 13:45

The Palace Museum in Beijing announced on Monday that it will hold two major exhibitions in Hong Kong next year to celebrate 20th anniversary of the region's return to China.

The World Rejoices as One: Celebrating Imperial Birthday in the Qing Dynasty, which was on display in the Palace Museum from October 2015 to January 2016, is about celebration items and gifts from former royal families.

The other show will be about the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the residence of the last eight emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The hall in the palace is closed for restoration until 2020; the exhibits in Hong Kong will include cultural relics that were housed there.

The two exhibitions are expected to open in Hong Kong sometime in late June.

The museum has also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television. That will include a series of fine-art exhibitions, forums and cultural creativity development with new technology.

Related:

Palace Museum to transform exhibition layout

Coloring book of Palace Museum now on sale
Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Vientiane, the Lao capital, on Sept 6 for a series of leaders meetings on East Asia cooperation and an official visit to Laos.

During the four-day visit, Premier Li will attend the 19th China-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (10+1) leaders meeting, the 19th ASEAN-China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (10+3) leaders meeting, and the 11th East Asia Summit.

Lao senior officials welcomed the Chinese visitors at the airport. Guan Huabing, Chinese ambassador to Laos and Xu Bu, Chinese ambassador to ASEAN, also came to the airport.

Premier Li said this year marks the 25th anniversary of the China-ASEAN dialogue, adding that China is willing to work with ASEAN countries to reflect on history and draw a new blueprint for bilateral cooperation, based on diplomatic frameworks such as 10+3 and the East Asia Summit.

The Premier said China and Laos are good neighbors with long-lasting friendship and noted this year is also the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. So China is willing to take it as an opportunity to push forward the Sino-Lao strategic partnership by deepening bilateral cooperation and enhancing people to people exchanges.

During the meeting, Premier Li and leaders from ASEAN countries will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Sino-ASEAN dialogue relationship.

Premier Li will hold a meeting with his Lao counterpart, Thongloun Sisoulith, and witness a series of agreements to be signed on bilateral cooperation. And he also will meet with Boungnang Vorachith, general secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and president of Laos, and Pany Yathotou, president of the Laotian National Assembly.
Coffee giant Starbucks is adding a new sweetener option and expanding a partnership with the baker of bite-size, cream-cheese stuffed bagels.

Bantam Bagels, created by a popular New York bagel shop of the same name, will be available at more than 7,000 Starbucks locations. The tiny bagels first rolled out to some 500 locations in 2015.

The shop owners, Nick and Elyse Oleksak, first brought their trendy bagels to the television show Shark Tank, which helped propel the treat to newfound popularity.

Options at Starbucks include a plain Bantam bagel with whipped cream cheese; an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese; and a cinnamon nutmeg egg bagel stuffed with maple butter cream cheese.

The tiny bagels were so popular, the Oleksak also are selling a frozen variety at QVC, Fred Meyer, and select Kroger locations in October. In California, they will be offered at Safeway stores.

Starbucks is also adding the calorie-free sweater Stevia from Whole Earth Sweetener Co. The Nature Sweet branded packets are in almost 9,000 cafes.

Whole Earth Sweetener Co is a subsidiary of the company that makes Equal.

Starbucks move is part of a push by the beverage industry to embrace alternatives to low-calorie sweeteners such as Splenda and Equal, which some consumers view as overly processed and artificial. Stevia is made from plants, giving it a potential marketing edge. But the sweetener has been difficult for soda makers to use in its pure form because of reactions to its aftertaste.

Bloomberg contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
Donald Trumps effort to woo black voters has gotten off to a rocky start. The GOP nominees main argument  that black communities have been poorly served by Democratic leaders  is certainly powerful. But, as recent polls have shown, this strategy has yet to move the needle with African Americans.

Whats missing from Trumps appeal is a positive vision for how he will improve the lives of black Americans. And a Republican proposal for creating stable inner-city jobs is exactly the plan the Trump campaign needs.

From Detroit to Washington, D.C. and Chicago, years of progressive policies have produced black communities plagued by dismally high levels of unemployment and crime.

Look at the West Baltimore neighborhood of Sandtown-Winchester. This is the birthplace of Freddie Gray, the young black man whose death while in police custody sparked the riots that ravaged the city last year. Half of the households in this area earn less than $25,000 a year, and the local murder rate is double the citywide average.

Over the last decade, state and municipal officials have poured $130 million into Sandtown, specifically to spur local business growth and create jobs. Their investments failed horribly. Unemployment didnt budge. The number of black-owned businesses actually fell.

Its precisely these sorts of efforts that have created a sense of despair in many black communities. Trump has a chance to replace that dreary narrative with a hopeful vision that promises to put black Americans back to work. Oddly enough, hed do well to take his cue from the dreaded Carter administration.

Back in 1977, the federal government experimented with a tax credit that rewarded employers for making new hires. Every company that had expanded its workforce by at least 2 percent over the previous year was awarded a tax credit worth up to $2,100 per employee  about $8,400 in todays dollars.

This credit goosed job growth. But since it expired after one year, it didnt make a substantial dent in unemployment.

In 2010, federal lawmakers briefly resuscitated this idea specifically to address the problem of the long-term unemployed. That program offered a $1,000 credit for hiring workers that had been jobless for at least 60 days.

Now imagine a permanent policy that combines elements from both of these initiatives. This new tax credit would cover the long-term unemployed for the first five years after theyve secured a job. It would offset fully 100 percent of wages  up to, say, $24,000  for the first year and gradually taper off over the following four.

To participate, employers would have to provide full company benefits, including health insurance. Management would, of course, retain the right to fire at will.

Such a credit would defray the costs of hiring and encourage companies to expand. It would generate the kinds of long-term employment that can transform the lives of inner-city residents.

Five years of steady, respectable work can be a profound source of pride  especially for Americans who have been left behind by failed progressive policies. A sustained period of employment can easily lay the foundation for a prosperous career and a healthy family life.

Spurring job-creation in black communities would also help combat crime. Consider the effects of the One Summer Chicago Plus program, which connects youth with part-time summer jobs. For young people who participated in the program, violent crime arrests fell by a staggering 43 percent compared to non-participants.

To pay for the tax credit, Trump can propose targeted cuts to progressive programs that arent working.

Its not enough for Trump to criticize the progressive programs holding back black communities. He needs to offer a hopeful vision of his own. A tax credit that grows jobs from the bottom-up would provide inner-city communities with the opportunity and self-respect that Democratic leaders have failed to deliver.

Thomas Tucker is the co-founder of The New Majority. Yuri Vanetik is a Lincoln Fellow at the Claremont Institute and serves on the national board of Gen Next and the Gen Next Foundation.
LOS ANGELES  An unemployed motorcycle mechanic who gunned down airport screening officers at Los Angeles International Airport in a 2013 attack that sent passengers running for their lives pleaded guilty Tuesday to murder and 10 other charges.

Paul Ciancia agreed last week to plead guilty to all 11 charges in the rampage that killed one officer and wounded two others and a teacher who was headed for a flight.

Ciancia, 26, was spared the death penalty by entering the plea but faces a mandatory life term in prison.

The evidence against Ciancia was overwhelming, and included a note he wrote saying he was enraged with the airport security checks that U.S. passengers face.

Security cameras tracked Ciancias movements as he stalked his victims with a semi-automatic rifle in Terminal 3 for 10 minutes during the Nov. 1, 2013 attack.

He first opened fire on officer Gerardo Hernandez at a document screening podium, wounding the 39-year-old married father of two children.

As Ciancia went up an escalator to the main security screening area, he saw Hernandez move and returned to fire several more shots at point-blank range, killing Hernandez.

He then went up the escalator again, through the main screening area and into a secure part of the airport and reloaded before opening fire  shooting officers Tony Grigsby in the ankle and James Speer in the shoulder as they tried to run away. A teacher at the airport for a flight, Brian Ludmer, was hit in the calf.

Police shot and wounded Ciancia in the terminals food court, hitting him four times. He was armed with a Smith & Wesson semi-automatic rifle he had purchased seven months earlier.

Officers found a handwritten note and ammunition in a duffel bag Ciancia had dropped.

Ciancia, who was living in the Los Angeles area after growing up in Pennsville, N.J., said in the note that he wanted to kill at least one TSA officer but hoped to kill more.

If you want to play that game where you pretend that every American is a terrorist, youre going to learn what a self-fulfilling prophecy is, his note said, according to court documents.

The note added, I want to instill fear in your traitorous minds. I want it to always be in the back of your head just how easy it is to take a weapon to the beginning of your Nazi checkpoints.

Ciancia signed the note with his name, adding beneath it, Pissed-off Patriot.

Hernandezs wife, Ana Machuca, told The Associated Press last week that she had wanted a death sentence for Ciancia but understood how lengthy that legal process would have been and now supports his lifetime prison sentence.

No sentence, she said, will bring peace or closure to her family.

My husband died and my children lost their father, she said. There isnt anything anyone can do for us.
AmeriCare MedServices, Inc. filed a lawsuit last week in federal court alleging Huntington Beach has wrongly monopolized the citys emergency ambulance market.

In 1993, the City Council voted to allow the fire department to maintain and operate its own emergency ambulance system. Opponents at the time argued the city would be better served by competition among private companies. Since then, however, the city has been served by a generally well-regarded program which, according to the citys website, transports up to 10,000 patients annually.

Last year, AmeriCare requested permission to operate in the city. City Attorney Michael Gates denied the company, arguing the city has the exclusive right to provide emergency ambulance services within the citys jurisdiction.

Hence, the lawsuit. But for the citys monopolization of the market, AmeriCare and other private ambulance providers would have been placed in rotation and patients would have paid lower prices for faster and better service, attorney Jarod Bona argues in the complaint.

Setting aside the legal merits of this particular lawsuit, at the very least it raises important issues.

In the countys 2011-12 grand jury report, it was suggested that fire departments throughout the county reevaluate their models for providing response for both fire and medical emergencies, further adding that privatizing the emergency medical response should be considered. Huntington Beach responded that such recommendations werent warranted or werent reasonable.

Perhaps it might be worth considering whether competition from private companies could better serve the community, or if the existing system could use reforms.
VIENTIANE, Laos  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte defiantly reaffirmed his controversial campaign against drugs Tuesday and called for a redoubling of crime-fighting efforts across Southeast Asia as he prepared to face two prominent critics of his policy: President Barack Obama and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

We shall not be cowed. We must press on, he declared in a speech at a business and investment conference on the sidelines of a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which he is attending. He called for increased use of intelligence gathering and more arrests.

The summit has been overshadowed by his use of profane language toward Obama. Duterte also threatened earlier to pull the Philippines out of the United Nations over criticism of his crackdown on illegal drug trade that has led to a wave of extrajudicial killings. More than 2,000 people have been killed since June 30, when he took office after winning election on a promise to fight crime and corruption.

On Wednesday he is to attend a gala dinner with both Obama and Ban, as well as join a meeting that the two leaders will have with ASEAN heads of state and government.

Earlier Tuesday, Duterte expressed regret over his son of a bitch remark while referring to Obama, in a rare display of contrition by a politician whose wide arc of profanities has unabashedly targeted world figures including the pope.

In a statement read by his spokesman, Duterte said his strong comments in response to questions by a reporter elicited concern and distress, we also regret it came across as a personal attack on the U.S. president.

Duterte made the intemperate remarks Monday before flying to Laos. He had been scheduled to meet Obama separately on Tuesday, but the White House canceled the meeting.

Even though Dutertes statement did not amount to an apology, the expression of regret is unusual for the tough-talking former mayor, who is unapologetic about his manner of speech and liberally peppers casual statements with profanities.

Dutertes aides are likely to have realized there would be a price to pay for insulting the president of the United States.

The U.S. is one of the Philippines largest trading partners and a key security ally in its fight against Muslim militants in the countrys south. Manila also needs Washingtons help in dealing with a more assertive China in the disputed South China Sea. The U.S. provides hundreds of millions of dollars in annual assistance to the Philippine military.

Duterte likely had realized his folly by the time he arrived in the Laotian capital of Vientiane on Monday night.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, I do not want to quarrel with the most powerful country on the planet, but immediately returned to his typical combative approach, saying: Washington has been so liberal about criticizing human rights (abuses), human rights and human rights. How about you? I have so many questions also about human rights to ask you. So  people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

He said if the White House had problems with him, it could have sent him a diplomatic note and let him respond. Theres a protocol for that, Duterte said. You just cannot shoot a statement against the president of any country.

But by Tuesday, he had done a complete U-turn in the tone of his statement.

We look forward to ironing out differences arising out of national priorities and perceptions, and working in mutually responsible ways for both countries, his statement said.

The flap over Dutertes remarks started when a reporter asked him how he intended to explain the extrajudicial killings of drug dealers to Obama. Duterte responded: I am a president of a sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony. I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. Putang ina, I will swear at you in that forum, he said, using the Tagalog phrase for son of a bitch.

Duterte has previously cursed Pope Francis and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Who is he (Obama) to confront me? Duterte said, adding that the Philippines had not received an apology from the United States for misdeeds committed during its colonization of the country.

He pointed to the killing of Muslim Moros more than a century ago during a U.S. pacification campaign in the southern Philippines, blaming the wounds of the past as the reason why (the south) continues to boil with separatist insurgencies.

Duterte has had a troubled relation with the United States, criticizing its inability to stop violence in the Middle East and Africa, and citing U.S. police shootings of black Americans.

He has also taken a more conciliatory position with U.S. rival China. Philippine-China ties were strained under Dutertes predecessors due to territorial conflicts in the South China Sea. Duterte proclaimed early in his presidency that he would pursue a foreign policy not dependent on the United States.

Former Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, under whose watch U.S.-Philippine relations blossomed, expressed disappointment over the canceled meeting with Obama.

An invaluable occasion to have our leaders meet for the purpose of discussing how to strengthen our comprehensive areas of cooperation would have been a golden opportunity, del Rosario said.
VIENTIANE, Laos  It was brief and it was only pleasantries, but President Barack Obama and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines spoke to each other Wednesday, just two days after Dutertes profane outburst prompted Obama to cancel their first meeting.

The two men spoke while they were waiting with other world leaders to enter a gala dinner at a summit meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations here, according to a White House official. The official did not say what the two men discussed, except to suggest that it was not substantive.

For reporters covering the dinner, the prospect of a meeting or handshake between Obama and Duterte was the story of the evening. Publicly, at least, it fizzled: At a photo session with the leaders, Obama stood several spots to the left of Duterte. At dinner, they were seated far enough from each other to make a chance encounter unlikely.

Duterte chatted with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of Russia during the photo session and later over dinner, where he lifted his wineglass to toast Medvedev. Obama, meanwhile, appeared to be having a sober exchange with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei.

Obama canceled a formal meeting with Duterte after the Philippine leader called him a son of a whore and threatened to repeat it in person, if he raised the issue of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. Duterte later said he regretted the comments, which he described as an overreaction to media reports he had read about Obamas plans to press him on his tactics for combating drug trafficking.
The events of Sept. 11, 2001, affected our nation on a collective scale and became the basis for a plethora of dramatic depictions much needed for the catharsis they can provide.

The trauma to thousands of individuals has had a similar potential: Select one person, then tell their 9/11 story.

Brian Sloans WTC View does exactly that. Its fictional protagonist lives in the SoHo neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, just a few blocks from the World Trade Center.

David C. Carnevales staging at Theatre Out is auspicious as the 2003 plays Orange County premiere, a small-scale drama dealing with issues whose implications far outweigh the storys modest premise.

WTC View opens with the sound of voicemails being left for Eric (Jeffrey Fargo), a gay man who on Sept. 10 placed an ad for a roommate for his SoHo apartment.

The plays outward structure and action relate to his ongoing interviews with various guys seeking a home in Lower Manhattan in the weeks following the disaster.

But Sloans real concern is the gay, 33-year-old photographers mental, emotional and physical state since 9/11. The Twin Towers were visible from his roommates bedroom window, providing a WTC view. Every day since their collapse, he has watched the rescue, recovery and reconnaissance efforts with a growing sense of anxiety.

So, Sloan establishes two parallel dramatic tracks that sometimes converge: Erics ongoing search for a roommate, and his efforts to cope with, or avoid, the jumble of thoughts and feelings caused by the dark days horrific events.

How Erics life was affected is revealed only gradually and includes his separation from longtime boyfriend Will (voiced by the unseen Tito Ortiz) and the fate of most recent roommate Steven, who arrived in May and was packed and ready to move out on Sept. 15 when fate intervened.

As with any black-letter day, the sorrowful events of 9/11 created an instant connection between strangers  so, aptly, Eric and each potential roommate trade Where were you? stories and share memories still new and raw for each.

Sloan knows well, and intimately, the young urban New Yorkers who populate his play. His ear for the realistic cadences of everyday speech gives this slice-of-life drama an off-the-cuff feel  and makes WTC View quietly devastating.

Fargos small stature, hunched shoulders, use of dark humor about his post-9/11 existence, and arms crossed defensively over his chest define Erics anxieties and fragile psyche, and create a suitably frazzled, vulnerable persona.

Following Sloans blueprint, Fargo and Carnevale keep us in suspense  not until late in the play does Sloan allow Eric to unleash the torrent built up inside him over the calamities that befell him.

The suit-and-tie Alex may at first seem the anti-Eric, but Jeff Lowe shows the characters even-handed, matter-of-fact manner. That opens the door for mutual attraction while showing Alexs tender, nurturing nature.

The mutual attraction they feel leads not just to a hookup, but to the plays most compelling scene: Alexs account of making it out of Tower One alive, and how ever since, his view of life has been framed by existentialist questions.

Christi Pedigo shows the watchful concern for Erics well-being of Josie, the best friend and trusted confidant whos the one constant in his life  and she and Fargo nimbly actualize the bond of buddies who serve as each others surrogate siblings.

Notable in what are essentially walk-on roles are Trent Browns lightly comical, sexually casual Kevin, who relishes the freedom of his single, skirt-chasing lifestyle, and Cris Cortezs ultra-courteous, self-effacing Brit, Jeremy.

Sloan deftly provides a fascinating thumbnail history of the seven-building complex, framing it by Erics touchingly personal connection to the Twin Towers and, especially, to Tower Twos observation deck.

That WTC View achieves this is further evidence of the playwrights, and the plays, ability to personalize one of the darkest days in recent memory for millions of Americans.

Contact the writer: emarchesewriter@gmail.com
How do wildfires start? For the recent Southern California fires, the causes have yet to be determined. But in many accidental fires, a vehicle is involved.

Here are some things to be aware of so you can avoid starting the next firestorm with your car.

Q: What part of the car could start a fire?

A: By far, the No. 1 threat is the catalytic converter, said Vance Bloom, who teaches automotive technology at Hemet High School. Bloom, who also served as volunteer firefighter in Pine Cove for 19 years, said the problem is the heat. Temperatures can reach 1,400 degrees inside the catalytic converter, which lies under the car. Brown added that the entire exhaust system, including the muffler and exhaust pipe, can get really hot.

Q: Why is that a concern?

A: The catalytic converter and exhaust system are exposed. If a driver were to pull off the side of a highway into an area with grass or weeds, the converter could easily ignite dry vegetation. The solution? Avoid areas with vegetation. Never pull off in the grass, Bloom said. Youre just about guaranteed to light a fire if you do that.

Q: Are there other points of concern on a car?

A: Yes. The exhaust pipe itself. A backfire could shoot a hot blast out the pipe that could spark a fire. The solution is to keep ones engine properly tuned, and tuneups generally run $200 to $500, Bloom said. He said backfires tend to be more of an issue with older cars, and not so much with newer models.

Q: What if the car itself catches on fire?

A: Car fires often trigger brush fires. One of the most common causes of a vehicle fire is an oil leak, Bloom said. Oil and transmission fluid are highly flammable. If it drips in your driveway, you should probably get it taken care of, he said. For your own safety as well as that of others.

Q: What about big trucks?

A: Very large vehicles such as big rigs and motorhomes can cause fires when their brakes overheat coming down long, steep hills  such as I-15 through the Cajon Pass. Brown said that, if drivers pull over because of the problem, the superheated brakes can set fire to dry vegetation. Or, if they are failing, hot pieces of disintegrating brakes can fall into and ignite brush. So keep brakes in good working order.

Q: What about vehicles towing trailers?

A: That is a big one, Brown said. People who tow boats or trailers carrying off-road vehicles sometimes do not secure towing chains properly, she said, leaving loose chains to bounce off concrete and shower sparks into brush. Make sure those chains are secured.

Q: And what about off-road vehicles?

A: They are a concern, too. Brown said dirt bikes and other off-highway vehicles have started wildfires when sparks flew out through the exhaust. The key is to equip vehicles with spark arresters, which are required by law.
NEW YORK  The nations largest investment bank is barring its top employees from contributing to certain political campaigns  including Donald Trumps White House bid.

The new rules, which went into effect last week, prohibit partners at Goldman Sachs from donating to politicians running for state or local office, or to state officials who are seeking federal office. That applies to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trumps running mate, which means that the Goldman Sachs partners cant contribute to the Republican ticket.

The policy, which was spelled out in a memo obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, is meant to remove any implication of a pay for play scandal. Four years ago, the bank paid $12 million to settle charges that a Boston-based banker had a bond underwriting business in the state while contributing funds to and working for the campaign of Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Tim Cahill.

The memo specifically highlights the Trump-Pence ticket  and Super PACs supporting the Republicans  as a campaign to which the partners at the New York-based firm cant donate. But the rules do not apply to the Democratic ticket, since neither Hillary Clinton nor her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine, are currently state officeholders, though Kaine is a former governor.

A spokeswoman for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Many Goldman employees are not impacted by the new rule: only 467 of the banks 30,000-plus employees around the globe are partners. But many of those partners tend to be extremely wealthy. And both campaigns finance directors  Steven Mnuchin for Trump and Gary Gensler for Clinton  are former Goldman employees who may be inclined to turn to their ex-colleagues for donations.

The policy change is meant to minimize potential reputational damage caused by any false perception that the firm is attempting to circumvent pay-to-play rules, particularly given partners seniority and visibility, the memo reads. All failures to pre-clear political activities as outlined below are taken seriously and violations may result in disciplinary action.

A request for further comment from Goldman Sachs was not immediately returned. The new policy was first reported by Politico.

The Securities Exchange Commission tightened pay-to-play rules in 2010 and Goldman had previously instituted a similar prohibition barring any employee who manages a pension fund for them from making political contributions since they often deal with local officials.

In 2013, soon after leaving the State Department, Clinton delivered three paid speeches to Goldman Sachs. Her political foes, including Trump, have called for her to release the transcripts of those speeches but she has declined.

Clinton hauled in $143 million in August for her presidential bid and the Democratic party, her best fundraising month yet. Trump, who raised more than $80 for his campaign and party in July, is expected to announce his August totals this week.
Water Grill, a premium seafood concept by Costa Mesa-based Kings Seafood Co., is scheduled to open in early October in the old Scotts Restaurant & Bar location, company representative said Wednesday.

Scotts closed in January after a 26-year run in the theater district across from South Coast Plaza. The restaurant was razed to make room for a new building for Water Grill, which is expansive enough to accommodate large private dining options.

Similar to the Santa Monica location, the 17,500-square-foot restaurant will have an outdoor patio and oyster bar. Patio dining is an additional 2,000 square feet of space, according South Coast Plaza.

Its a big meaty powerful space, Chief Executive Sam King told the Register last year.

King and his cousin Jeff King founded their restaurant company in 1984 with the opening of 555 East in Long Beach. Their other restaurant brands include the well-known chain Kings Fish House, Pier Burger in Santa Monica, Lou & Mickeys in San Diego and Fish Camp in Huntington Beach.

Water Grill appears to be their focus lately.

After a well received remodel of the original Water Grill in 2012, the company opened a second Water Grill in 2013 in Santa Monica. In 2014, Kings Seafood opened Water Grill in the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego. A Water Grill in Dallas is set to open later this year.

The fine-dining restaurant changes its menu daily, reflecting its commitment to delivering the freshest seafood catches of the day. Restaurants receive fresh deliveries from Kings Seafood Distribution, a company the cousins founded in Santa Ana. By supplying their own seafood, the Kings can oversee quality control.

Water Grill, 3300 Bristol St., comes as the theater season kicks off, and nearly a year after Amar Santanas wildly popular Spanish tapas and steakhouse concept, Vaca, opened nearby.

Contact the writer: nluna@ocregister.com
South Koreas top economic policymaker said Wednesday he expected Hanjin Shipping vessels marooned offshore of Long Beach will be able to offload cargo this week.

Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said at a government meeting that he expects the cargo crisis caused by Hanjins slide toward bankruptcy will begin to ease this week, according to a ministry statement.

South Koreas biggest ocean shipping line says it is seeking protection from its creditors in dozens of countries. A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday temporarily granted Hanjins request for protection from its creditors and scheduled a hearing for Friday. South Koreas government expects a ruling in Hanjins favor, said Kim Hyun-jung, an official at the foreign affairs ministry.

Hanjins creditors rejected a rescue plan for the shipping company and refused to provide more funds. The move sent retailers and other companies worldwide scrambling to get at cargo on Hanjin vessels that have been stranded outside ports.

Its good news for all the ships that are currently on the water waiting for berth, said Noel Hacegaba, director of operations at the Port of Long Beach, where the company owns a majority stake in its largest terminal. This is a very positive step for our customers. It means the containers on board these vessels will soon be discharged and make the way to the store shelves.

Dozens of giant cargo ships have been drifting at sea around the world, stranding crews and billions of dollars worth of goods, after the financial collapse of the shipping company.

The company filed for U.S. Chapter 15 bankruptcy Friday, asking the court to recognize bankruptcy protections in South Korea, where it filed for receivership last Wednesday.

Days after the Korean government pressured Hanjins parent company to step in, Judge John Sherwood of New Jersey granted the company temporary protection from creditors and ordered the company back into court Friday to help smooth the tangle of issues resulting from the disruption.

The number of people who are providing services as part of a complete logistics chain, it is staggering, said Charles Gale, deputy city attorney in Long Beach.

It is a difficult problem, said Gale, with uncertain solutions.

On Tuesday, the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners met behind closed doors to discuss the terms of the contract at Total Terminal International LLC. Hanjin, part of a huge family-dominated conglomerate that includes Korean Air, owns a majority stake in the terminal, the ports biggest.

The 381-acre former naval property brings in about $81 million for the port, but the lease expires in 2027.

Hanjins international shutdown arrived just as the holiday shipping season got underway. It threw supply lines into chaos, keeping Hanjin cargo off trains, leaving truckers with empty containers and spurring a backlog on docks around the world. Out of the companys 141 ships, 68 were stranded, seized or otherwise idle, as of Sunday.

Three Hanjin ships continued to sit Tuesday off the coast of Southern California, with their crews (normally about 25 workers) languishing.

On two of those ships sat about $38 million worth of Samsung washing machines, refrigerators, microwaves and parts for televisions and monitors, according to documents filed with the court.

If these vessels cannot dock, companies like Samsung, U.S. retailers and U.S. customers will be injured by orders of magnitude greater than the harm Samsung suffers from the delay and increased costs of these two vessels inability to dock at Long Beach, Samsung executive Jung Tae Ahn argued in a statement to the court. The upcoming months are critically important to retailers, particularly ahead of Black Friday and the holiday season.

Hanjins parent company pledged $90 million to help resolve the disruptions. The group will raise the money by providing a stake in overseas terminals, like the one in Long Beach, to secure loans worth about $54 million. The rest, $36 million, will come from Hanjin Chairman Cho Yang-hos personal assets.

The worlds seventh-largest shipping company, Hanjin handles about 8 percent of all goods shipped by container from Asia. Retailers in the United States depend heavily on it to bring such things as shoes and flat-screen televisions from the Pacific Rim, a top trading partner for the U.S. market, especially California. But the shipping business has faced rough seas recently.

We are at a very precarious economic situation, said John Martin, a maritime economist and consultant to ports around the country. Theres been a downturn in the containerized cargo trade since 2014.

A slowdown in Europe and Asias economy, mixed with a push to build increasingly larger ships, has left Hanjin and the rest of the industry with too much capacity for a declining supply of goods. And the industry hasnt really addressed the issue, Martin said.

Meanwhile, ships may soon be moving again, but the full impact of the bankruptcy is only beginning to be felt. Thousands of creditors that work with Hanjin were only beginning to line up as courts around the world sort out the web of employees, contractors and others the company owes money.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
OAKLAND  Matt Shoemaker, who underwent surgery for bleeding caused by a line drive to his head, was released from a Seattle hospital on Tuesday and is expected to travel to Southern California on Wednesday.

Shoemaker was hit in the head by a 105 mph line drive in the second inning of Sundays game. That night, CT scans revealed continued bleeding in his skull, leading to surgery.

Shoemaker remained hospitalized for observation until Tuesday.

The surgery was deemed successful, and Shoemaker is expected to make a full recovery, including pitching again next season.

The Angels still have not announced who will replace him in the rotation on Saturday at home against the Texas Rangers. The candidates are newly claimed right-hander Daniel Wright, Brett Oberholtzer or Jhoulys Chacin.

Contact the writer: jlfletcher@scng.com
Bethany Hamilton is no stranger to the peaky waves at Lower Trestles, spending much of her youth competing at the cobblestone beach south of San Clemente during her amateur days.

As a pro surfer also juggling motherhood and celebrity after the 2011 movie Soul Surfer highlighting her life after a shark attack when she was 13, the Hawaiian surfer doesnt put a competitive jersey on too often. But for the past two years, shes shown up at Trestles for the Swatch Womens Pro to go up against the top 17 women surfers in the world.

Ive spent a lot of time out here, said Hamilton, who entered the event as a wild-card entry. Its a super fun wave and contestable.

It was a slow start to the Swatch Womens Pro on Wednesday, with a hold early morning until conditions improved. Hamiltons heat was a struggle as she went up against current world number one Tyler Wright and fellow Australian Nikki Van Dijk, the surfers having to wait about 10 minutes to put any scores on the board.

When a wave eventually ended up showing, Hamilton headed left as she split the peak with Wright, who took the wave in the other direction. Wright stumbled on her first turn, while Hamilton took four big hacks down the line, her score putting her in the top spot.

Wright wasted no time answering, taking a left-hander with three solid turns. Hamilton returned with a big score of a 7.0, backed by a 5.50 to take the lead.

But both surfers couldnt overtake Van Dijk, who had a buzzer-beater wave that put her in the top spot with a final score of 7.0 and 6.53 (out of 20).

Im really stoked to be back, I love it so much here, Van Dijk said after her heat. I think these waves allows all of us girls to free up. It gives us a good opportunity to show what we got.

Hamilton said it was a stressful heat as the surfers sat out in the water waiting for waves.

I fumbled on a couple, she said. The wave are kind of fun, a little small and a little slow, but contestable. Im really glad to be here.

Hamilton is rooting for friend Wright to take home a world title  but her friendship isnt going to get in the way if the surfers end up matching up together.

I think (Wright) is surfing insane and totally deserving, she said. But I hope to take her down too.

Santa Anas Courtney Conlogue is hoping to do well at this event to put her back atop the world title race. She went into the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach as world number one, but dropped to second.

A last minute flurry put Conlogue in the lead after she posted up a 6.67, but Laura Enever edged her out as the clock ticked down. Conlogue must now surf in round 2, while Enever jumps to round 3.

When the mens action gets underway for the Hurley Pro, Kanoa Igarashi of Huntington Beach goes up in heat 2, followed in heat 4 by San Clementes Tanner Gudauskas, who earned a spot in trials last July.

Huntington Beachs Brett Simpson, a former world tour surfer who also won a spot into the event at the trials, surfs in heat 6. Fan favorite Kelly Slater surfs in heat 8, followed by San Clementes Kolohe Andino in heat 11.

A new swell was expected to show Thursday, but organizers at 7:30 a.m. make a call on whether the contest will run, depending on conditions. More info: worldsurfleague.com

Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com
Re: Rough neighborhood [News, Sept. 4]: I can remember when the Orange County Rescue Mission  which for years lovingly helped the down-and-out in Santa Ana  was invited to move to the old Marine Corps base in Tustin instead. Whew, some politicians exclaimed. Now were rid of the homeless problem. God bless the Mission. It still does a great ministry of long-term rehabilitation and feeding the hungry  those who have transportation out to their new headquarters, that is.

Meanwhile, there has been no place for the homeless in Santa Ana  who keep increasing instead of conveniently disappearing  to stay. The Civic Center has become increasingly dangerous for the employees, for the visitors, and for the homeless themselves.

Enough with just talk. This is not a problem that can be solved simply by hosing down sidewalks, by trashing peoples only belongings in the world, or by political parties blaming each other. We need intelligent, determined planning and action  from the city, from the county, from the state, from the federal government, all working together. We need help for our homeless  help for the mentally ill, for drug addicts, for the disabled, for veterans  all of whom are getting lost in our political shenanigans. Its not just a Santa Ana problem  its a national problem. But we need to start here. And we need to start now.

Bonnie Compton Hanson

Santa Ana

  

As a police officer, I noticed that the homeless by themselves, or in very small groups, tended to act in a fairly civil way.

However, as their numbers grow, they become more like a mob, exhibiting the behaviors consistent with those at the Civic Center. The immediate solution is simple: A no loitering and no public camping ordinance.

You then notify the homeless, place signage and after a short notice period, you begin enforcement and those who refuse to leave go to jail. By dispersing them, the mob mentality is diminished, the immediate health and safety issues are dealt with and, if done correctly, those most in need could be screened for public assistance.

Handling homeless individuals is much easier than handling a mob  and you can stuff any of the politically correct notions about the poor homeless. A mistaken notion of tolerance for a mob mentality that endangers everyone at the Civic Center is an abdication of responsibility by both city and county officials elected to maintain law and order.

Harald G. Martin

Anaheim
BRIDGEPORT, Conn.  An Irvine man has been sentenced in federal court in Connecticut for his role in a mortgage loan modification scheme that defrauded homeowners across the United States.

Connecticut U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly says Mehdi Moarefian, of Irvine, was sentenced Tuesday in Bridgeport to 52 months behind bars followed by three years of probation. Moarefian pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

Prosecutors say Moarefian and others operated a series of California-based companies that falsely purported to provide home mortgage loan modifications and other debt relief services in exchange for upfront fees ranging from approximately $2,500 to $4,300.

Prosecutors say more than 1,000 homeowners suffered losses totaling more than $3 million through the scheme.

Six other California residents were indicted in connection with the scheme.
VIENTIANE, Laos  President Barack Obama, declaring that it was time to pull Americas secret war in Laos from the shadows, told an audience here Tuesday that he stood with them in acknowledging the suffering and sacrifices on all sides of that conflict.

Obama, the first sitting U.S. president to visit Laos, recalled that the United States had dropped more than 2 million tons of bombs on this country during the height of the Vietnam War, more than it dropped on Germany and Japan during World War II. That made Laos, per capita, the most heavily bombed country in human history.

Villages and entire valleys were obliterated, Obama said. Countless civilians were killed. That conflict was another reminder that, whatever the cause, whatever our intentions, war inflicts a wrenching toll, especially on innocent men, women and children.

At the time, the United States did not publicly acknowledge its combat operations in Laos, a CIA-directed expansion of the war against the Communist North Vietnamese. Even now, the president said, many Americans were unaware of their countrys deadly legacy here.

It is important that we remember today, Obama told an audience of 1,075, including a scattering of Buddhist monks in saffron robes. Those gathered listened politely and applauded occasionally.

The president did not formally apologize for the bombing. But in a spirit of reconciliation, he said the United States would double to $30 million a year for three years its aid to Laos to help find and dismantle unexploded bombs. These explosives lie buried under fields and forests, killing and maiming thousands of children, farmers and others who stumble on them.

It was a day that mixed Americas wartime legacy in Southeast Asia with Obamas hopes for a future of deeper engagement with the region. The president put his outreach to Laos in the same category as his overtures to two other formerly closed societies, Cuba and Myanmar. He followed his message of reconciliation to the people of Laos with a fervent restatement of his strategic focus on Asia, often called the pivot.

Obama ticked off the elements of the pivot  the deployment of a rotational force of Marines to Australia, a missile-defense system to protect South Korea from the Norths missiles, and a greater American voice in regional issues, such as the disputes between China and its neighbors over disputed reefs and shoals in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

The bottom line is this, Obama said. Today, the United States is more deeply engaged across the Asia Pacific than we have been in decades. Our position is stronger. Weve sent a clear message that, as a Pacific nation, we are here to stay.

Still, the president acknowledged that the commercial centerpiece of the pivot  the 12-nation trade agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership  was delayed in Congress, a victim of the growing political backlash against free trade in the United States.

Failure to move ahead with TPP wouldnt just have economic consequences, Obama said. It would call into question Americas leadership in this vital region. And so, as difficult as the politics are back home, I will continue to push hard on Congress to approve TPP before I leave office. Its important for this entire region.

Obama, who came to Laos from a Group of 20 meeting in Hangzhou, China, repeated past assurances that the pivot was not intended to check Chinas growing influence in the region. But he made clear that the United States would support Chinas Southeast Asian neighbors in resisting Beijings efforts to colonize the South China Sea.

Every nation matters, he said. Bigger nations should not dictate to smaller ones, and all nations should play by the same rules.

Obama also reiterated the determination of the United States to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, and we will support the right of all countries to do the same.

Obamas outreach to Southeast Asia has been overshadowed somewhat by his abrupt cancellation Monday night of a meeting with the new president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, who had unleashed a profanity-laden diatribe against him.

Duterte expressed regret Tuesday, saying that he had overreacted to news reports that Obama planned to lecture him about extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and lamented that his comments were interpreted as a personal attack on the U.S. president.

In his statement, Duterte said, our primary concern is to chart an independent foreign policy while promoting closer ties with all nations, especially the U.S., with which we have a longstanding partnership.
Pacific City, a shopping destination with seashore views of Huntington Beach, has added a handful of new tenants this summer.

The retail center, which opened last fall, has more than 40 stores and eateries open for business.

The most recent additions are:

Smocking Birds Baby & Childrens Boutique: Mother and daughter duo, and Huntington Beach residents, Becky Pierce and Stephanie Holdridge opened the boutique in January.

Heirlooms and Hardware: The hardware store also opened in January. The store makes custom pieces with salvaged materials.

Sephora: The popular makeup store opened in February.

Francescas: The boutique clothing store opened in March.

Seafolly: The Australian swimwear store opened in April. It offers a variety of suits and cover-ups.

KIN: The accessory store opened in April. It carries handbags, shoes and some apparel.

Molly Browns Swimwear: The swimwear store opened in April. The store carries high-end swimwear. The brand already had a location in Laguna Beach and Newport Beach.

Tankfarm & Co.: The mens apparel store opened in April. The brand is known for its T-shirts with a 1950 photograph of Richard H. Anderson. He is the grandfather of the stores current runners.

Barnabas: The clothing store opened in May. The company donates 10 percent of sales to The Living Room International, a charity in Kenya.

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics: The beauty store opened in June.

Sunglass Resort: The sunglass boutique opened in June.

Philz Coffee: The coffee shop opened in June.

Free People: The store, best known for its bohemian look, opened in June.

Linksoul: The mens lifestyle brand store opened in July.

Surfing Supply: The temporary art installation opened in August.

AT&T: The cell phone store opened in August.

Food hall Lot 579 has added the following eateries recently:

Pie-Not: The Aussie style bakery opened in June. It sells savory pies, desserts and coffee.

Hans Homemade Ice Cream: The ice cream store, which already has a location in Santa Ana, opened in June.

Burnt Crumbs: The artisanal sandwich shop opened in June. It is from the same people behind Burnt Truck and Burntzilla.

PopBar: The shop offers 40 rotating flavors of frozen pops that can be dipped in toppings. It opened in June.

Bear Flag Fish Company: This is its third location, which opened in June. The restaurant is known for its seafood, sushi and fish market.

Petals and Pop: The flower shop opened in June. It is the Seal Beach shops second location.

Portola Coffee Lab: The coffee shop opened in August.

Pacific City debuted in November with just a handful of stores.

TIAA Global Asset Management, a New York-based asset management firm, bought a 70 percent stake from San Jose-based DJM Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount in July.

The $135 million retail development, located a block south of the citys iconic pier, is part of a 31-acre hotel, retail and residential project.

At full capacity, the 191,000-square-foot, open-air center will have roughly 60 stores and restaurants.

Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
SANTA ANA  A 17-year-old man who died after he was found stabbed in the Santa Ana river was identified by Santa Ana police as Jesus Daniel Flores of Tustin on Wednesday.

Flores was discovered by police at 12:51 p.m., near First Street west of Fairview Street in the riverbed with a single stab wound to his upper torso, police said. Officers performed CPR on the boy and he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died shortly after 1 p.m.

Witnesses told police they saw Flores walking along the riverbed when he was approached by two other men. Moments later, the three began fighting.

Flores was a known gang member, police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said, but there is no indication he was robbed or that the stabbing was gang-related.

This was near a homeless encampment, so were looking into that too, Bertagna said.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact Santa Ana police at 714-834-4211cq. Anybody who wants to remain anonymous can call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227).

Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or jsudock@ocregister.com
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria  Excited but fearful, refugees from Boko Haram piled into yellow school buses with their bundles of belongings, returning after two years to homes that have been torched, wells destroyed, livestock looted and fields that still may not be safe from the Islamic insurgents.

On Monday, the largest group yet of such refugees, nearly 2,000, was transported to villages and the town of Konduga. Though they are just 22 miles from Maiduguri, northeast Nigerias biggest city, they are also on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest where the Islamic extremists still have strongholds.

How this group of returnees survives, and whether the military can protect them, could influence other refugees whom the government is keen to resettle. Maiduguri alone is home to about 1 million of the 2.6 million people forced from their homes in Nigeria and neighboring countries during Boko Harams seven-year uprising that has killed some 20,000.

Despite the threat from insurgents, food is the most important issue, said one returnee, Baari Mustapha. If not, there will be serious hunger and starvation.

Food is already a critical issue. Children are dying of starvation in refugee camps like Dalori, where many of the returnees had been living in tattered tents and makeshift huts of straw on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

Dalori residents were among hundreds who protested last week, accusing officials of stealing their food donations. Nigerias government is investigating the charges.

The refugees say the camps are miserable, and they hope life will be better back home.

Life has not been easy in the camp, said Bintu Ganaye, a 32-year-old mother surrounded by her five children, ages 3 to 13. Our major fear is that we dont know what the future holds out for us as we return empty-handed.

Almost all the returnees are children, women and old men. Most women have no idea of the fate of husbands and sons, who may have been killed by Boko Haram or kidnapped to be turned into fighters.

The Borno state government some months ago tried to force refugees to return home, only to meet resistance from people who said it wasnt safe. Smaller groups have voluntarily returned.

On Monday, the refugees waited hours in sweltering heat for the arrival of Borno state Gov. Kashim Shettima, who assured them that food rations would be shipped to them, along with seeds to cultivate a total of 124 acres of land cleared for them.

The villagers said they believe they still could be attacked by Boko Haram on their traditional farming lands, which are located away from their villages.

Hundreds of thousands of peasant farmers have been driven from their lands by Boko Haram.

Konduga town was attacked many times in the past because it serves as a final defense for Maiduguri, the birthplace of the extremist group and headquarters of the military campaign to curb its insurgency.

Even in Dalori camp, the refugees were not safe. In January, Boko Haram sent gunmen and suicide bombers who firebombed huts there and killed at least 86 people, including children.

There has been no major attack on Maiduguri or Konduga in the months since the military and forces from neighboring countries announced they had forced the militants out of most areas except the extreme northern areas around the Lake Chad Basin, where Nigerias borders meet Cameroon, Chad and Niger, and the Sambisa Forest to the west of Konduga.
LAGUNA BEACH  With the arts festivals shut down and traffic on Laguna Canyon Road a bit lighter, crews from Southern California Edison are starting the second phase of a project to underground cables along the roads Big Bend section.

On Tuesday, crews were back at work installing underground cables to carry electricity and communications sources previously connected by overhead wires on utility poles, said Laguna Beach City Engineer Christina Templeton.

Motorists traveling Laguna Canyon Road can expect delays from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Friday until Sept. 23. Templeton said the lanes will not be closed but traffic will be directed into the center lanes at Big Bend.

The project is part of a citywide effort to move utilities underground and remove poles that have repeatedly been been struck by vehicles in single-car spin-outs or multiple-vehicle crashes, sometimes leading to fires in open space along the road and road closures.

In the past five years, Laguna Canyon Road has been shut down 13 times due to downed power lines  four times this year. On Aug. 18, a single car crash into a power pole caused the road to be closed for more than eight hours.

The work this month follows the first part of the project started by SCE in April. Thats when road crews trenched the area near Big Bend to install underground conduits, vaults and boxes and infrastructure to hold the cables now being taken down, Templeton said.

Most of the work in phase two will be done off the roadway, she said. The impacts now should be less than what they were in April and May.

Additional phases of the projects will be done in sections and city officials say all should be completed by spring 2017.

Elliott Williams, who operates Jeeps R Us in the canyon, said Tuesdays start of construction was an indication that things might be frustrating. His business is right in the middle of the construction zone.

The flow of traffic is not as smooth, he said. If it keeps up with that it will be a real problem.

Willimas said he has to wash his trucks more often because of dust from the work area.

Construction cones sitting in the bike lane made it difficult for cyclists to get by.

They kept coming and telling me to move my cones, but theyre not mine, Williams said about the bicyclists. I can see it becoming a nuisance over time.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
Orange County plans to open a temporary homeless shelter in a former Santa Ana bus terminal within 30 days in an effort to address mounting pressure to reduce a large homeless encampment that has engulfed nearby government offices, causing health and safety problems.

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to convert the terminal and directed County CEO Frank Kim to meet with Santa Ana City Manager David Cavazos to find a suitable Santa Ana location for a permanent homeless shelter within 45 days or so.

The action came just hours before the Santa Ana City Council approved a resolution declaring a public health and safety homeless crisis.

The resolution endorses the county bus station plan and directs Cavazos to work with the county on a shared budget to address health and safety through measures like improving lighting in the Civic Center and increasing the number of security guards. These measures are estimated to cost $1.3 million.

Santa Anas resolution calls for a summit on homelessness with the county and the 33 other cities in the county and for other cities to adopt a similar resolution encouraging the county to act to address homelessness.

Mayor Miguel Pulido voted for the resolution, but opposed using the bus station as a temporary shelter because he fears it could become a permanent shelter.

He added the county has more financial resources and Santa Ana shouldnt be left with the brunt of the costs.

If we offer to pay for it, were letting them off the hook and Im not willing to do that, Pulido said.

Once the Santa Ana shelter opens, it will offer beds, restrooms, showers in mobile units, health inspections of how nonprofits prepare food for the homeless, legal aid and access to substance abuse and mental health treatment, said Supervisor Andrew Do, who proposed Tuesdays county action.

Its time that we take action to get people off the streets and onto a productive path, Do said.

The Civic Centers homeless population has grown substantially in recent years, swelling to 461 last month while creating unsafe conditions and generating fear among some employees who work in the area.

Used syringes, feces and urine litter the areas walkways. Disease outbreaks, including the spread of antibiotic-resistant MRSA, have gone mostly unchecked. And from 2011 to 2015, the number of assaults with a deadly weapon in the Civic Center nearly quadrupled and robberies grew almost threefold.

The boards Tuesday action creates a short-term fix for those problems, but supervisors quickly turned their attention to a long-term solution.

This board needs to commit right now that we are going to take ownership and we are going to fix this and we are going to use the word permanent, Supervisor Shawn Nelson said. And if we dont, we fail.

Nelson said it would be difficult to convert the bus terminal into a permanent shelter because of how it was constructed, and said that the county needs to look elsewhere in Santa Ana. He suggested county-owned land near the intersection of Grand and McFadden avenues.

Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett noted that the terminal can accommodate only 40 beds, serving only a small portion of the Civic Center population.

Do disagreed with his colleagues, saying the terminal could be the correct location for a permanent shelter and arguing it could house more than 40 people.

Santa Ana and county officials recently have publicly criticized each other, with both parties accusing the other of taking insufficient action on the homeless issue. Do and Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez, who are running against each other for the county boards 1st District seat, have been particularly vocal.

I dont believe that weve had a working relationship with the county, Martinez said during Tuesdays council meeting. What Im asking here today of my colleagues, of this resolution is to build a better relationship with the county and to hold them accountable because they have the resources.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer said he thinks some of Santa Anas urgency and political will to address homelessness and its problems derives from the looming Nov. 8 election, so he wants to act quickly to find a permanent site and take advantage of this window.

My thought is, grab it, Spitzer said. You finally have an alignment of wills that says you have to do something.

But others on the board are less optimistic about the likelihood of finding a solution in partnerships with Santa Ana officials  noting that in 2014 the City Council opted not to rezone a Normandy Place property to become a homeless shelter, amid outcry from neighbors.

We need to accept that Santa Ana doesnt want to be our partner  to find a legitimate address, Nelson said. (Lets just) find the address. People are going to be mad. Lets just get it over with.

Orange County plans to open its first countywide, year-round homeless shelter in Anaheim by late 2017, renovating the interior of a warehouse at 1000 N. Kraemer Place to become a 200-bed facility.

Orange County purchased the Santa Ana bus terminal for $3.3 million in December and previously used it as temporary homeless shelter during rainy weather.

The countys 2016-17 budget set aside $3.6 million to operate two full-time homeless shelters. That money will fund the bus terminal shelter.

Contact the writer: jgraham@scng.com or 714-796-7960
Vacationers looking to rent short-term lodging in Laguna Beach will have to look for opportunities in the towns commercial and industrial areas.

The City Council took a second and final vote last week to follow a Planning Commission recommendation to allow short-term rentals only in the citys commercial and mixed-use areas.

More than 20 people spoke at the meeting  the majority in opposition to short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods. Most complained about trash, wild parties, street fights and parking issues. But some in support tried a last-ditch effort to stop the council from banning them in residential neighborhoods.

Resident Ganka Brown told the council that long-term rentals can create some of the same problems that short-term rentals are accused of, including parking issues, noise and loud parties. Others said the limits could lead to fewer tourists, less business for the towns merchants and a loss of tax revenue to the city.

The new ordinance that goes into effect Sept. 30 will continue to allow units that already have permits in residential neighborhoods as long as they comply with city laws.

At the Aug. 30 meeting, the council deleted the required responsibilities for online booking sites. Similar provisions in Anaheim and San Francisco are under legal challenge, said City Attorney Phil Kohn. City staff will continue to monitor websites such as Airbnb, but enforcement action will be directed to the property owner, he said.

The short-term rental industry has exploded in popularity in Southern California, prompting homeowners and investors to take advantage. Getaways for Laguna Beach are offered at nightly rates from $300 to $1,500 online.

Laguna Beachs initial ordinance, adopted in 1999, allowed short-term rentals in some residential areas. There are 36 approved short-term rental permits that cover 81 properties in Laguna Beach.

The new ordinance will require property owners to provide the city with the names and contract information of a person who can be at the rental site within an hour in the event of a problem. Overnight guests will be limited to two per bedroom. Renters must also have two designated parking spaces.

Community Development Director Greg Pfost said his staff is looking at how many of the citys short-term rentals are in residential zones.

In the current practice, permits for the short-term rentals are tied to the property. That will continue, though Kohn said there have been at least a dozen homeowners who purchased Laguna Beach properties and have told city officials they dont wish to continue rental options.

With the new ordinance, any new permits would end when the property is sold. If the new owner wants to continue the short-term rentals, they will have to apply for a new permit from the city.

The issue has been a controversial one for Laguna Beach since May 2015, when the council stopped issuing new permits on short-term rental applications following a barrage of resident complaints about the impacts to their quality of life.

In August 2015, the City Council extended its moratorium on new permits until Oct. 1 while it weighed the issue. The council then approved a $90,000 code enforcement position to pursue illegal units by enforcing strict, daily fines of up to $500.

Since then, the city has received 377 complaints about short-term rental properties. The majority were parking issues.

In April, the council directed Councilman Bob Whalen and Mayor Steve Dicterow to work with community members to consider possible solutions to allow short-term rentals in neighborhoods. Two public meetings were held in the last two months.

Councilman Robert Zur Schmiede described at the meeting how his sister, visiting from out-of-town, tried to find a legal short-term rental online with no success.

He also discussed the burden neighbors would face to police what happens at the rental units and the impacts on the police department.

There is no way renters can distinguish between legal and illegal units online, he said. Allowing short-term rentals in Laguna goes against our general plan and would essentially be a policy designed to convert neighborhoods into commercial districts over time.

Our long-term rentals would be reduced and second homes will become year-round mini hotels with the police departments 9-1-1 line serving as the front desk, he said.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
Elections in Ohio are trench warfare, fought by waves of volunteers swarming across hundreds of thousands of front porches to rap on doors.

Candidates open field offices by the dozen and send in hundreds of paid staff members, while a voter in a politically predictable state like New York or Alabama never receives so much as a robocall.

The presidential organizing model has trickled down to officeholders in Ohio, an essential swing state, where no one has built a better voter-mobilization team than the twice-elected governor, John R. Kasich.

But after a sulfurous feud between Kasich and Donald Trump, which boiled over in July at the Republican nominating convention in Cleveland, almost none of the governors seasoned political staff members are helping Trump in his close Ohio battle with Hillary Clinton.

A procession of senior political aides to Kasich spurned overtures to work for the Trump campaign.

The degree to which that will weaken Trumps prospects in Ohio, where both candidates campaigned Monday, is hard to precisely measure. But what is certain is that in Ohio, where Clinton holds one of her narrowest polling leads in any battleground state, Trump cannot afford a ground game that underperforms, as it did in earlier primary contests.

Kasich had the best ground game for the last eight years in Ohio, said Michael Hartley, a Republican consultant in Columbus. If you want to win Ohio, you need the Kasich team.

Hartley opened Ohio field offices for Kasich ahead of his victory in the states presidential primary. But he did not want to work for Trump, citing loyalty as a member of Kasichs team.

Youre a family, and if somebody attacks your family and says awful things about your family, are you inclined to help that person? he asked, alluding to Trump. The answer is no. To be honest, the Trump people did this to themselves.

Kasich, who is seen as already laying the groundwork for a 2020 presidential race, was in New Hampshire late last month to thank supporters, where he had finished second in the February primary.

Members of his close-knit team said the governor never commanded them not to work for Trump.

One Kasich ally, Matt Borges, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, who criticized Trump during the convention, is now supportive of the nominee. You play the hand youre dealt and go out and do the best you can, Borges said.

We will have an effort thats parallel to any other presidential effort weve had in Ohio, he added.

Trumps small paid staff in the state is led by Bob Paduchik, a veteran of President George W. Bushs 2004 re-election race. It is filled out by a handful of operatives from second-tier Ohio Republican officeholders.

The senior staff members, who declined multiple requests for comment, recently announced the opening of 15 Ohio field offices. The sites will be staffed by the workhorses of the ground game: about 70 organizers hired by the state and national Republican parties, some of whom have been in the field for over a year. Forty more organizers will be hired in the final stretch before Election Day, Borges said.

By contrast, Clinton had 180 organizers on the ground in Ohio as of August, also paid through the state and national Democratic parties, according to campaign filings. The Clinton campaign said it had opened more than 35 field offices.

For both the Republican and Democratic campaigns, it is the job of paid organizers to recruit and inspire volunteers to make phone calls and knock on doors  the nuts and bolts of turning out voters.

While Kasich loyalists said many seasoned volunteers were sitting on the sidelines this year, Trumps unconventional candidacy has also inspired a wave of newcomers.

But the growing pains of the effort were suggested by an email from a regional coordinator for the combined campaign, published last month by the Cincinnati Enquirer. It showed the Trump team struggling to distinguish between supporters and opponents on the Republican central committee of Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati. If they are against us, we just need to know, the coordinator wrote.

What is going to be damaging to the Donald Trump campaign, said Betty Montgomery, a former Republican attorney general of Ohio, is the equivocation on the part of regular Republicans, those die-hard Republicans who show up at conventions and work the polls.

Several strategists said Trumps fate in Ohio will turn less on the absence of Kasich operatives than on the fundamentals of the campaign. No candidate since 1964 has made it to the White House without winning Ohio. And while Clinton could afford to lose there given her advantage in other battlegrounds like Virginia and Colorado, Ohio is a must-win for Trump.

He is doing well with white working-class voters in Democratic strongholds like Youngstown, where industrial jobs have vanished, and in rural counties along the Ohio River. President Barack Obama won Youngstowns Mahoning County in 2012, and Trump is expected to convert many voters to his cause.

But the populations in these counties are relatively small. Trumps gains there would be outweighed by the significant losses he is expected to face in the suburbs of major cities, especially Columbus, strategists said.

Franklin County, which includes Columbus, has nearly overtaken Cuyahoga County as the states most populous, fueled by urban revitalization and the growth of jobs in insurance, banking and aviation. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee, lost Franklin County by 130,000 votes. Trump is supported by only about 20 percent of the voters there, according to a Republican strategist briefed on private polling.

The Clinton campaign and outside allies have pounded Trump in the Columbus television market with ads portraying him as rash and lacking in decency toward women and disabled people.

As Borges sees it, Democrats are repeating their 2012 strategy of burying the Republican nominee in an avalanche of negative ads, which, he said, suppressed Republican turnout that year.

What the Obama campaign did to Romney was they worked on the central Ohio counties and kept voters home, he said. It worked.
PHILADELPHIA  Republican Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to boost defense spending and deploy more active troops, fighter planes, Navy ships and submarines as he works to convince skeptics in both parties that hes ready to lead the worlds most powerful military.

The New York businessman, who has struggled at times to demonstrate a command of foreign policy, also seemed to acknowledge he does not currently have a plan to address cyber security or the Islamic State group.

If elected, Trump said he would give military leaders 30 days to formulate a plan to defeat the group, commonly known as ISIS. He also said he would ask the joint chiefs of staff to conduct a review of the nations cyber defenses to determine all vulnerabilities.

Trumps address came hours before his national security acumen is tested at a commander in chief forum on NBC.

We want to deter, avoid and prevent conflict through our unquestioned military strength, Trump declared of his Democratic opponent in his Wednesday speech, delivered inside the exclusive Union League of Philadelphia, which first allowed women in 1986.

The appearances mark an intense, two-day focus on national security by Trump, who has offered tough rhetoric  but few details  on Americas challenges abroad.

Trumps rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton, has tried to paint the billionaire businessman as erratic, making the case that his disposition would be a major liability on the world stage.

They know they can count on me to be the kind of commander in chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Trump, Clinton said Tuesday. They view him as a danger and a risk.

Trumps team has worked aggressively in recent days to turn deflect such criticism back at Clinton.

Shes trigger-happy and very unstable, Trump said of his Democratic opponent, calling her use of a private email server while secretary of state reckless.

While Clinton and Trump will be featured at the Wednesday night forum, they will appear at separate times and will not face each other on stage. The forum could serve as a warm-up to their highly anticipated first presidential debate, scheduled for Sept. 26 in New York.

Trumps Union League address also included his plans to eliminate deep spending cuts, known as the sequester, enacted when Congress failed to reach a budget compromise in 2011. Republicans and Democrats voted for the automatic, across-the board cuts that affected both military and domestic programs.

Military leaders have said that they can live with an active duty Army of 490,000  bolstered by nearly 500,000 soldiers in the National Guard and Reserves  as long as Congress provides enough funding to support that troop level. Gen. Mark Milley, the Army chief of staff, said last month that he is comfortable with a 1 million-soldier Army, and would welcome a larger force, only if Congress provides the money to maintain troop readiness.

Increasing the size without increase other support, he said, will decrease readiness and hollow out the force.

As for how he would pay for it, Trump insisted on Wednesday that he would fully offset the costs of his new spending through savings and new revenue. He said he would make the government leaner, in part by using attrition to shrink the workforce, and said hed bring in new money by asking countries like Germany, Japan and Saudi Arabia to pay more for the security the U.S. provides them.

Even before promising a huge boost in military spending, Trumps plans to cut taxes, expand infrastructure spending and leave untouched entitlement programs such as Social Security already threatened to add trillions of dollars to the federal deficit.

Trying to emphasize his military support, Trumps campaign released a letter on Tuesday from 88 retired generals and admirals citing an urgent need for a course correction in Americas national security policy. It was aimed at rebutting Clintons arguments that she would be best positioned to lead the military and reassuring Republicans who have openly worried that his provocative statements might undermine U.S. alliances.

Trumps proposal to lift the sequester limits on military spending won praise from Republicans on Capitol Hill even as some acknowledged the reality that Democratic opposition might render it difficult to achieve.

Obviously its not something that would get through this Congress, so thats something wed have to look at the election next year. But I agree with him in terms of lifting the sequester on defense, hes absolutely correct about that, said GOP. Rep Tom Cole of Oklahoma, a high-level member of the Appropriations Committee.

But questions remain, even in his party.

Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, repeatedly refused to say directly whether he had confidence in Trump as commander in chief when questioned on MSNBCs Morning Joe on Wednesday.

I do believe that Donald Trump is growing in his understanding of these issues and I think that hes beginning to get more and more people around him that have a depth of understanding as to the complexities and Im watching this evolve, he said.
XENIA, Ohio  A former Stanford University swimmer whose six-month sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman sparked a national outcry registered as a sex offender Tuesday in Ohio, where hes living with his parents.

Brock Turner registered at the Greene County sheriffs office four days after he was released from a California jail for good behavior after serving half his term.

His mother tried to shield the 21-year-old from media cameras as Turner registered under his familys Dayton-area address in Sugarcreek Township, where about a dozen people had protested Friday as police watched.

Sheriff Gene Fischer said Turner is being treated the same as any other sex offender under his offices supervision.

Turner must register as a sex offender for life, checking in every three months, and he faces three years of supervised probation. Deputies will check on him without warning to make sure he hasnt moved without permission.

Turner was convicted of assaulting the woman near a trash bin after they drank heavily at a fraternity party. The woman passed out, and Turner was on top of her when confronted by two graduate students passing by on bicycles. They chased and tackled him when he tried to flee, holding him on the ground until police arrived.

A jury convicted Turner of sexual assault. Santa Clara County Judge Aaron Persky sentenced him to six months in jail, citing the extraordinary circumstances of Turners youth, clean criminal record and other considerations in departing from the minimum sentence of two years in prison. Prosecutors had argued for six years.

Turner plans to appeal.

His case exploded on social media and ignited a debate about campus rape and the criminal justice system after a letter the accuser read at his sentencing was published online.

I want to show people that one night of drinking can ruin two lives, she wrote. You and me. You are the cause, I am the effect.
Bellion Vodka is the worlds first commercially-available alcoholic drink made with NTX technology, which significantly reduces the damage caused by alcohol to our liver and DNA.

While some of us may enjoy frequently consuming high quantities of alcohol, our livers certainly do not. Because our body doesnt have a way of storing alcohol, it must metabolize it quickly, so the liver has to work overtime to filter the alcohol from the bloodstream and detoxify the body. While its being doing that, the liver is not processing anything else (stuff like carbohydrates or fat). According to the Cleveland Clinic, if alcohol is consumed often enough, it can lead to a dangerous condition known as fatty liver, an early stage of alcoholic liver disease which can eventually lead to cirrhosis.

But thanks to the revolutionary NTX technology, we apparently no longer have to worry about the harmful effects of alcohol on our liver and DNA. Developed by Indian entrepreneur Harsha Chigurupati and his team at Chigurupati Technologies, NTX is a proprietary blend of ingredients that works by shielding the liver from the harmful effects of consuming alcohol without affecting the taste of the drink itself. It sounds to be good to be true, but during human trails the technology has managed to reduce the negative effects of alcohol on the liver and DNA by 93%.

Photo: Bellion Vodka

Chigurupati claims his company spent 10 years developing NTX, a process that involved tweaking the proportions of each ingredient used  glycyrrhizin (a natural sweetener found in licorice), mannitol (a sugar alcohol) and potassium sorbate (a preservative) to ensure an almost complete protection of the liver and DNA. Nobody drinks alcohol because they want to damage their liver or their DNA, obviously. Everybody on this planet drinks alcohol because of the tipsy feeling and intoxication they get from it, Chigurupati said. Theres no reason why human beings still choose one or the other. (Now) they can drink alcohol, enjoy it and protect their liver and DNA at the same time.

NTX has apparently been around for a while now, so why is Bellion Vodka the first US brand to make drinking safer? According to Natural News, the technology has enough scientific evidence to back up its claims, but its a government agency thats preventing companies from labeling such affirmations on their products. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has forbidden companies from promoting NTX as what it really is  a safer, smarter way yo drink. The TTB prohibits any mention of health benefits by winemakers, beer brewers and spirits distillers, regardless of any scientific proof that they might present to back up their claims.

Photo: Bellion Vodka

Chigurupati Technologies has challenged the draconian policy in court on First Amendment grounds, but was unsuccessful, leaving it unable to disclose the effect of NTX on the labels of alcoholic drinks. It also restricts the companys ability to expand to other alcoholic drinks, like wine and beer.

The good news is that NTX-infused Bellion Vodka is available for purchase  if only in 15 US states  and that Chigurupati plans to expand globally, so you will at least be able to import smarter alcoholic drinks.

No one had ever done this in the market so far. Other than the fact that I like spirits and I wanted something better for the liver, it was an easy thing to get into because [this] market is the most un-evolved, non-innovative market in the world, Chigurupati said. Science has not been used in any way to benefit real consumer experience.

Michael Levy, founder and medical director of the Las Vegas Center for Addiction Medicine, told The Drinks Business that NTX-infused vodka is indeed safer than regular alcoholic drinks, but also expressed fears that the public might perceive it as completely safe.

We all know that driving has become safer because of seatbelts, and bikes and motorbikes have become safer because of helmets. At the end of the day, when you give a safer alternative to humanity, humanity does benefit, Levy said. However he adds that How this new product might be construed by the public is that you can drink without damage, and thats not true.
62-year-old Zhang Jianxing has been scouring the ancient forests of the Shennongjia National Nature Reserve for over two decades, in search of the mythical Yeren, or Chinese yeti, and says he will not give up until he comes face to face with the creature.

Zhang began living as a hermit in the 3,200-square-kilometer mountain range in 1994, after becoming fascinated with the Yeren, a 6-foot-tall humanoid creature covered in thick red-brown fur. References of the so-called Chinese Wild Man date back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) in the works of classical poet and statesman Qu Yuan, mentions of its existence in the pristine forests of Shennongjia, Chinas Hubei province, have been popping up throughout history ever since.

For 10 months out of every year, for the last 22 years, Zhang Jianxing has been living deep in the Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, hoping to stumble into the Yeren. Dressed in camouflaged military gear and armed with a DSLR camera, he constantly looks for clues of the creatures whereabouts, living off the land and sleeping in abandoned homes and empty caves. To him, the Yeren is more than just an old myth, its a branch of science, one that he has been studying for a very long time.

Jianxing claims he has collected ample evidence of the Wild mans existence  over 100 hair samples and 3,000 photos of large footprints  adding that he even came close to seeing it for himself no less than 19 times. And he is not alone in his beliefs. The Wild Man Research Association  yes, there is such a thing  records show reports of Yeren encounters from over 400 locals.

But with no concrete evidence to verify the existence of the Wild Man, most scientists regard it as nothing more than a legend. There is no Wild Man in this world, Zhou Guoxing, a former director of the Beijing Museum of Natural History and a paleontologist, told the Telegraph, in 2012. Ive visited every place where the Wild Man was reported in China. Ive studied everything related to the Wild Man including hair, skulls and specimens. All of them are dyed human hair or come from monkeys and bears.

Guoxing also added that the local government in Hubei is relying on the Yeren to boost its tourism revenues. In 2012, the Shennongjia Nature Reserve signed an agreement with Beijing to promote holidays for yeti hunters.

But the stubborn Zhang Jianxing is convinced that he will one day prove the scientists wrong and bring forth irrefutable evidence of the Yerens existence. To him its just a matter of time.

Sources: Sina Weibo, China Daily


Jon Schubin

My first job in public relations was only a decade ago, but it was a different world.

As an assistant account executive, I was required to keep a three-inch binder full of materials regarding a client, including a full media list, copies of important emails, printouts of the clients website and a list of editorial calendars. These calendars would be compiled during a three-week rush in the late fall, when every employee below a certain level would be required to call publications and request access to documents.

Editorial calendars fill three roles. First, they direct reporting staff on topics to cover throughout the year, helping ease the weekly or monthly burden of empty pages. They also let advertisers know about special sections, allowing them to reach niche sponsors and place specific ads. And for public relations professionals, the editorial calendar also allowed the chance to know in advance about a feature that might be relevant to the client.

The editorial calendar was comforting to all parties. Every month there would be an opportunity or two in an industry trade publication. It wasnt the entirety of a program, of course, but it was a reliable element. Call an editor a few weeks in advance of an issue hitting the newsstands, tell them why a client would be a worthwhile inclusion, and arrange an interview.

Those days are over.

Like so many relics of the print-dominated age of communication, it was a slow death. Much like the list of stocks in the business section or the faxed press release, every year the editorial calendar hunt slowly brought in fewer results. There would be times in the year  usually slow moments in the middle of the summer  when a boss would suggest to account executives to get a needed client hit through editorial calendars. Wed consult the binder and meekishly shrug our shoulders. The cupboard was empty.

Technology helped facilitate this decline. Many trade publications reduced publication schedules. Online journals were seldom bound by content devised months in advance. Major newspapers pulled back as well, usually to just a few reliable features and pullout sections.

Today the editorial calendar landscape is much like the Byzantine Empire in the thirteenth century: a rapidly declining state merely pretending to carry out tradition. Calendars are now available to nearly everyone with a click, through services like Gorkana and Cision. But the information contained inside them is usually simply a suggestion of what might be happening that particular week.

I remember one conversation with a Financial Times editor who described their publications  still quite robust  calendar as a mere guess at what they might want to do. This makes sense, as its really quite rare that a supplement matches its original time and description.

Replacing editorial calendars underscores something even more old-fashioned: relationships. In order to understand what may interest a particular reporter, its important to get a feel for them. Follow their writing. See the types of experts they quote. Speak to them on the phone. Use individual or more transactional email exchanges to push for a larger conversation. Follow them on Twitter to see their thoughts in near-real time.

Were in an era where figuring out to how participate in the news cycle requires actually reading some news. And thats a good thing.



* * *

Jon Schubin is Vice President at Cognito.
Operation Transformation star Adrian Brereton held his charity walk in Edenderry on Sunday last and a fabulous turn out of over a 100 people braved the cold morning and walked with their local hero to help raise funds for Ofalia House and Irish Autism Action.

Operation Transformation star Adrian Brereton held his charity walk in Edenderry on Sunday last and a fabulous turn out of over a 100 people braved the cold morning and walked with their local hero to help raise funds for Ofalia House and Irish Autism Action.

Adrian was also joined by Grace and Natalie from the Operation Transformation show as the happy crowd of young and not so young enjoyed the beautiful course walk around the town of Edenderry.

Adrians wife Anna and all the rest of TEAM AB which included Josephine, Deirdre, Michael, Wendy and Sally also did the walk and between their combined effort managed to raise approximately 4,000 for the charities.

The walk started from the town hall and continued straight up the town by the church and Ofalia House turning right down to Killane, turning right again at Tommy Walshs house and back down Francis Street. It then proceeded left for Dunnes Stores and back across to the Carrick road and back in towards the town before turning left at PJ Foys and finishing back at the town hall.

It was a lovely, safe event as people jogged, ran, walked with the doggies and pushed the buggies.

There were refreshments served afterwards in Finbarr Cullens who kindly sponsored those and everybody who went in enjoyed the warm cuppa after the cold brisk walk. Adrian was delighted to see as many people taking part and raise funds for these two great causes.

Adrian presented a cheque for 1,000 to Ofalia House while the balance goes to Irish Autism Action which are currently supporting some families in the Edenderry area.

Ofalia House were delighted with Adrians wonderful work and Adrians reply was that he was happy to help two great causes.

Adrian was very grateful to everyone who attended the walk on Sunday, to his TEAM AB of Anna, Natalie, Grace, Josephine, Deirdre, Wendy, Michael and Sally, to Des Farrell who provided power for the inflatable gantry and to Finbar Cullen who very kindly sponsored and provided the refreshments after the walk.
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Agricultural News

Oklahoma Stewardship Council Plans Kick Off Rally in Oklahoma City to Organize Opposition to State Question 777

One of two groups formed to oppose State Question 777, the Right to Farm State Constitutional Amendment proposal that is on the ballot this November, is planning a series of local meetings across Oklahoma to drum up support for a "NO" vote on the measure. The Oklahoma Stewardship Council, funded in part by the Humane Society of the US, has announced a dozen meetings across the state in September. The first of their meetings is planned for tonight, Wednesday, September 7th at St. Paul's Cathedral on NW 7th Street in downtown Oklahoma City. According to the group, "State Question 777 is a dangerous amendment that could devastate Oklahoma's family farms, take away your voting rights and harm animals. We're working to stop this harmful measure. But to be successful, Oklahomans like you need to get involved. Please join us at our Kick-Off rally to help defeat this measure."





The HSUS is promoting the dozen meetings being planned by the Stewardship Council- and in an email to their support base in Oklahoma- the animal rights activist group shows meetings in the following towns this month, all designed to organize opposition to State Question 777. The group says of the amendment- "This dangerous amendment could devastate family farms, take away voting rights and harm animals, including dogs raised in puppy mills and roosters forced to participate in cockfighting."





September 7 Midtown OKC

September 8 Stillwater

September 9 El Reno

September 10 Claremore

September 10 Bartlesville

September 14 Norman

September 15 Tahlequah

September 16 Poteau

September 17 McAlester

September 17 NW OKC

September 18 Tulsa

September 19 Lawton





If you want to learn more about State Question 777, we have several resources that you can go and investigate. To begin with, we would suggest you go and read the actual State Question from the official State of Oklahoma website- click here for the ballot language for 777. The State Legislature passed underlying legislation in spring of 2015 to send the Right to Farm amendment to a vote of the people by votes of 90 to 6 in the State House and 39 to 6 in the State Senate. After the vote, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays sat down with one of the lead authors of the underlying bill, State Representative Scott Biggs, to discuss the measure- click here to review that story and their conversation.





There is one PAC that is registered with the State of Oklahoma that is raising money with the intent of supporting the State Question- Oklahoma Farmers Care. Click here for their website. There are two PACs registered with the State of Oklahoma opposed to the State Question, Click on their names to jump to their respective websites- the Oklahoma Stewardship Council and Oklahomans for Food, Farm and Families. After the Stewardship Council was formed, Hays talked with former Attorney General Drew Edmondson about the efforts to organize a "NO" vote on the measure- click here for that story from November of 2015.











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Chris opened Allium back in 2012, fresh from seven-years as head chef of the Michelin-starred Foliage at the Mandarin Oriental, before which he worked under Marco Pierre White at his three-Michelin-starred Oak Room. He has, he says, always been a fan of Asian cooking , and attributes his love of Eastern-inspired flavours to an event he did with David Thompson, widely touted as the worlds best Thai chef, who earlier this year was given a lifetime achievement by the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants for changing the face and reputation of Thai food globally.

Its not every day you get to eat in an igloo, complete with a stark white arched ceiling, ice-block-effect bar and Northern Lights-inspired lighting. In the vaults beneath the Abbey Hotel in Bath , where executive chef Chris Staines presides over the kitchen in its much-revered Allium restaurant, a new event space is now being put to similarly good use as the venue for Chriss monthly supper club.

The great thing about the supper club, apart from the friendly communal vibe and family-style dining, is that Chris gets to cook the food hes really passionate about, something thats not always apparent on the menus proffered upstairs at Allium. And while Chris has never been a seeker of the limelight, he also gets to talk about the cuisine he loves, and the bin-end wines hes carefully chosen to go with each course.

Sharing starters such as cucur udang (crisp, juicy prawn fritters originally introduced to Chris by his good friend, MasterChef champ and Bath local, Ping Coombes) were served with Sriracha mayo, while soft, pillowy pork and prawn dumplings came with a salty, spiky soy and chilli sauce for dipping.

The Asian noodle salad was the star of the show. The simple, yet totally addictive mix of rice vermicelli noodles with green papaya, baby gem and fist loads of coriander, Thai basil, mint, peanuts for crunch and a nam jim dressing of fish sauce, lime juice, soy, palm sugar and chilli, was so good that digging in for thirds came as a natural reflex. Its also safe to say, that when dining with Chris, that initial fear of there not being enough food, passes quickly.

The main course, which saw us all lining up for a simply-served plateful of steamed sea bream and sticky rice, was only marginally less successful. What it lacked in finesse, though, it more than made up for in incredible flavour, with the preserved and salted umeboshi plums packing serious twang, lifting the delicate fish with its clean-tasting ginger and soy dressing and greens, to smile-inducing culinary heights.

Oenophiles will be very happy too, as Chriss palate and ability to pair wines with his food, has always been a massive strength. As such, theres everything from classics such as a Waipara Springs riesling and Paul Cluver gewurtztraminer, to the odd wild card, such as a chilled Escarpment pinot noir served with the fish.

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Dessert, a light coconut panna cotta, which came with requisite wobble-factor and a brilliantly fresh lychee sorbet, strawberries and honeycomb rubble, was the perfect end note to an incredible meal.

Expect the luck-of-the-draw element with who you get to sit next to at one of Chris supperclubs  bloggers, keen foodies, Allium virgins, Chris Staines super-fans and just those looking for an intriguing new experience or night out. Its a dinner party with a difference, with awesome Asian food and a few celebrity chef collaborations in the pipeline. Its also a steal at just 22 per person (excluding drinks), which means you can  and you probably should  make it an every-month occurrence.

The Igloo, Abbey Hotel, North Parade, Bath

abbeyhotelbath.co.uk

Words by Kate Authers

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First published August 2016
The Mystery Bookstore, a small shop dedicated to crime fiction, is closing its doors after more than 21 years in business.

The store, at 1414 S. 13th St., will close on Sept. 30.

Kate Birkel, the Mystery Bookstores owner, said sales have been plummeting for years. Shes been able to keep the store afloat with her Social Security checks.

Frankly, she said, I have great customers, but unfortunately I dont have enough of them.

Birkel made her decision when she learned that the Bohemian Cafe, the family-owned restaurant next door, was closing (its last day is Sept. 24). The restaurant and bookshop were the last businesses standing on their stretch of 13th Street. Without the Bohemians foot traffic, Birkel said, the book shop wont be able to survive.

Birkel, 67, opened the store in April of 1995 after several years of working at a chain bookstore (she wouldnt reveal which). In some ways it was inevitable that Birkel would own a bookstore. There was the genetic component, she said. I come from a long line of bookaholics.

Opening a bookstore  its something that if I hadnt done it, I would have regretted it the rest of my life.

She feels like shes getting out at a good time. With the rise of ebooks and online shopping, book-selling is an entirely different animal than when Birkel started.

In all honesty, she said, one thing that Ive been telling everybody is that I do not recognize the publishing industry the way it is now. It is not what it was. Its turned into something I do not understand and do not like.

After years of working six- or seven-day weeks, Birkel said shes eager to have more time to herself. But she will miss her customers, all of whom she knows well: their favorite authors, their guilty reading pleasures, whats going on at their jobs and with their families.

Anne Reynolds has been coming to the shop for 15 years. Its where she gets her murder mysteries and romance novels.

Some people smoke, she said. Some people drink. I have a problem with ink.

Reynolds is a nurse in the neurosciences intensive care unit at the Nebraska Medical Center. She sees some cases that are miracles and some that are very, very depressing.

When shes off work, she needs an escape.

When I sit down to read, Reynolds said, I want to go as far away from reality as I can. Thats why I like trashy romance and murder mysteries.

When Reynolds walked into the Mystery Bookstore last week, Birkel had a stack of trashy romances and murder mysteries waiting for her. When the bookstore closes, Reynolds will still try to shop local, preferably at the Bookworm  though she said its a lot farther from her home.

Kate has steered me in the right direction for many years, Reynolds said. Shes always been ordering books for me, and I figured, why order books from Amazon?

Id rather order them from a friend.
Ron Potter remembers summers spent barefoot  his feet, as tough as shoe leather, unharmed by rocks or broken glass.

Jack Owen remembers his older siblings working part-time jobs after school, surrendering paychecks to their mother to help make ends meet, and not because they were told to.

They and others who grew up in East Omaha have fonder memories than old newspaper stories suggest that they should have. To outsiders, the area near Eppley Airfield, sandwiched between Abbott Drive and the Missouri River, was blighted and crime-ridden. To residents, it was home.

So, many were upset when, decades ago, it began to disappear. An airport grew. A school closed. And, house by house, East Omaha ceased to be.

Or maybe not.

Today, many former East Omahans keep in touch using social media and see each other at reunions organized by Potter, 73, a retired printer and karaoke DJ. The next reunion will be noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Carter Lake Improvement Club.

They are a diaspora  a group of people living separately but connected by a shared identity  more than your average neighbors. And to understand why, you must first understand a little about East Omaha.

The Omaha City Council approved the annexation of East Omaha in November 1957. Despite this, many in East Omaha would never feel fully accepted by their neighbors to the west.

Most people who did not live in East Omaha may have believed that we were nothing more than Omahas poor cousins, said Owen, 63, who grew up in East Omaha and now lives in Canada.

There was poor lighting, no paved streets, no sidewalks, no sewers, The World-Herald reported in 1975. It was called a shantytown. Worse than a ghetto.

Nearly a fourth of the 170 families living there in the mid-1970s had incomes at or below poverty level. A third of households werent connected to public sewers. Western Omahans saw children running around barefoot, trawling through the nearby dump.

East Omaha people are worse off than anyone because they dont have the basics, one civic leader told The World-Herald.

If ever there was a blighted and substandard area, East Omaha is it, another said.

But those living there, at least as children, didnt see it that way. An East Omahan would take pride in telling an out-of-towner that he was from East Omaha, local historian Howard Hamilton said.

Bill Lonnie Hardesty, 67, remembers his familys old metal washtub. No showers. No plumbing. As the youngest in the family, he took his bath last, he said.

But when he talks about his childhood, he talks of freedom  of heading outside in the morning and not coming back until dinner, of swimming in the river and playing with packs of stray dogs.

I would never change my childhood to anywhere else in the world, he said. It was trying sometimes, but then when you look back on it, you cant replace it.

The dump, located near Abbott Drive, was a place to find parts to build a bicycle. And every Thursday, Potter wrote in an unpublished autobiography, a truck would leave bags of old potatoes from city stores at the dump. His family would pick them up, rinse off the spuds and enjoy their bounty.

Still, there were rats to avoid. But they were easily handled with a quick boot stomp.

I, for one, enjoyed going dump picking, Potter said.

East Omahans saw themselves as hardworking and tough. They scrapped  It was fistfights in those days, it wasnt gun fights like there is today, said Ron Pruitt, 72, another former East Omahan. And they endured through several devastating Missouri River floods, rebuilding when they had to.

Kids went to Pershing School in kindergarten through eighth grade. Planes taking off from the nearby airport runway roared over playgrounds before the runways were redirected.

Students called themselves river rats, according to one World-Herald story. And they tested their teachers, as did their parents.

Pruitt recalled one story  he doesnt want to name names  in which a classmate of his smashed a banana in a library book. The principal of Pershing at the time punished the boy by slapping his hands with a ruler.

The next day, the boys father and brothers showed up at Pershing, and the offending principal ended up at the bottom of some stairs. He was fine, Pruitt said.

It was kind of a rough, rowdy neighborhood, he said.

But years went by, and things started to change.

In the mid-1960s, the Omaha Airport Authority began purchasing homes and property in East Omaha as part of an expansion project for Eppley Airfield, according to World-Herald archives. Here and there throughout the 1960s and 70s, airport officials began snapping up acres of East Omaha.

In 1974, the federal government began sending funds to cities for Community Development Block Grants to revitalize poor areas. Omaha used some grant money to relocate East Omaha families, aiming to make room for industry.

A lot of people didnt want to move, said Juanita Stewart, 64, another former resident of East Omaha.

The moves were especially hard on the old-timers who had lived in the neighborhood for years.

They didnt know anything else, Owen said.

But with the city offering to buy their property, relocate them and pay the difference in real estate taxes for three years, many did. Some moved to northeast Omaha. Others moved to Carter Lake. In 1976, Pershing School closed its doors.

By 1981, the city had spent $2.7 million relocating East Omaha families. Once home to more than 2,000 people, The World-Herald reported that year, fewer than 75 homes remained.

Today, much of what was once East Omaha is owned by the airport, surrounded by fence and barbed wire. The land purchases were necessary for the airports expansion, said Stan Kathol, director of finance and administration with the airport authority. The land, he said, now is used for runways, taxiways, landing area clear zones, instrument landing systems, a street, the field maintenance complex, rental car service center facilities and parking lots.

There are still buildings, such as the old Omaha Box Factory and the Omaha Correctional Center, in the area, but these days just a single East Omaha home, now owned by Stewart and her husband, remains, standing across from the Open Door Mission. A relative of Stewarts lives there.

So it makes the regular reunions in Carter Lake that much more special, Potter said. Anywhere from a few dozen to more than 100 people usually show up. They bring photo albums and food. They eat and laugh and tell stories about the old days.

And the Facebook group  for former students of Pershing School  is active. Members post old photos and share life updates. Its nice to keep in touch with old friends, Potter said.

But perhaps most importantly, the former children of East Omaha still support each other. Potters wife, Pam, recently died. Struggling with expenses, one day he found a check in the mail from an old neighbor.

Well, maybe not a neighbor.

We were raised together in such a small community, Potter said, we all feel more like family and blood than neighbors.

Correction: A description of East Omaha's history and annexation by Omaha was incorrect in a previous version of this story.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  A coalition of New York-based advocates on Tuesday launched a national campaign to press large retailers, restaurant chains and other companies to end on-call and last-minute scheduling, which allows companies to assign shifts to workers with only a few hours notice.

The campaign follows recent agreements by several large retailers with New Yorks attorney general to end the practice in that state.

The Center for Popular Democracy, the Rockefeller Foundation and the online organization Purpose are calling for scheduling at least two weeks in advance, eliminating on-call assignments that leave employees scrambling for child care, unable to hold second jobs and with uncertain paychecks.

Already major employers are responding to mounting public pressure to deliver more stable work schedules to their front-line employees, said Carrie Gleason, director of the centers Fair Workweek Initiative. This movement is about a greater voice in how much and when we work  predictable and stable hours, more input and the opportunity to work enough hours to make ends meet.

The groups say three in five American workers  about 75 million people  are paid hourly, with recent job growth mainly in low-wage jobs, often part time and subject to last-minute scheduling.

The Workshift campaign, formed by Purpose and the Rockefeller Foundation last year, says employer software aimed at savings and efficiency is behind the growth in last-minute worker scheduling with broad consequences. Those include lower pay, higher job turnover and unhealthy series of changing or extended shifts with little rest.

For too long, hourly workers at retail chains, fast-food companies and other businesses have been squeezed by companies who employ unfair scheduling practices to maximize their profits at the expense of their workers, said Jose Martinez Diaz, Workshift campaign director. The organization is asking people to sign its online petition for predictable scheduling.

In December, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Pier 1 Imports had agreed to end on-call shifts at stores nationally, posting schedules at least 10 to 14 days in advance.

His office had sent letters to 14 retailers questioning the practice and citing possible violations of New Yorks requirement to pay hourly staff for at least four hours when they report for work.

Retailers that have agreed to stop included Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, J. Crew, Urban Outfitters, Bath & Body Works and Victorias Secret.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
ConAgra Foods spinoff of its frozen potato business into a stand-alone company could shape up to be one of the years most lucrative spinoff deals, one analyst told The World-Herald. But others are skeptical about whether the two companies will fare much better on their own than they have together, and about how quickly shareholders could see a gain.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  The European Union will conduct a more extensive review of a proposal to ban lobsters imported from the United States and Canada after a scientific panel concluded that Sweden raised valid points in its request to declare the American lobster an invasive species.

The opinion of the European Unions Scientific Forum on Invasive Alien Species sets in motion a broader review that also will take into account the opinions of North American officials, whove criticized the proposal to ban American lobsters.

The international dispute started when Sweden announced that it had found 32 American lobsters in its waters earlier this year and that they pose a threat to native crustaceans.

Lobstermen in the United States and Canada, which together export $200 million worth of lobster to EU countries each year, had hoped to stop the proposal before it moved any further.

A spokesman for the European Union stressed that the scientific panels conclusion is considered preliminary. The full review wont be completed until at least spring.

The expanded review will include issues raised by scientists in the United States and Canada, and it will consider economic impact and means of protecting native lobsters other than an outright ban, the European Unions executive body said Tuesday.

Swedens Agency for Marine and Water Management contends that the country is right to be cautious about the appearance of a foreign species.

But Robert S. Steneck, a University of Maine scientist, contends that American lobsters dont pose a threat to European lobsters in part because winter ocean temperatures along the coasts of European countries are too warm for American lobsters to reproduce.

Maine lobstermen like Arnie Gamage Jr. question how the lobsters got into Swedish waters. Hes among those who believe that they were illegally released. It seems to me that they have a problem over there with people releasing things into the ocean. Its their problem, not our problem, he said.
Dry weather in New England, including drought conditions in southern reaches, could dull some of the regions famous fall foliage and cut the color short in some spots  but it all depends where the trees are.

Businesses that make money off leaf peepers arent too worried, even if the colors arent as bright or dont stick around very long.

The trees probably wont be as brilliant as usual, but it seems people book vacations well in advance, and area hotels are already booked by now, said Lisa Davol, the marketing and membership manager for the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce in Massachusetts.

New Hampshire Travel and Tourism Director Victoria Cimino said it was too early to speculate.

Theres actually kind of a wide range of possibilities depending on where you are in the region and just how dry it is, said Paul Schaberg, a research plant physiologist with the U.S. Forest Service northern research station in Burlington, Vermont.

In particularly dry areas and those with thin soil, leaves on some trees could turn brown and crispy and fall off. Modest stress  such as dry conditions can also trigger a display of vibrant red in particular trees, boosting the range of color. But that splash wont last long in drought-stricken areas.

Theyre having this burst of colors which wont last as long because its dry and the leaves will drop sooner, said Esperanza Stancioff, of the University of Maine cooperative extension and Maine Sea Grant.

The pigment can also leave drought-stricken leaves quicker, muting the colors, according to Ken Gooch, forest health program director for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, where much of the state is in severe drought conditions and even extreme drought in some spots.

Aside from the drought, this year gypsy moth caterpillars chewed leaves on 350,000 acres of trees, mostly in eastern Massachusetts, he said. Some of the trees arent growing new leaves as well because of the drought.

So a lot of those oak trees probably will not have good color, Gooch said.

But in other areas of the state, such as western Massachusetts  where theres a high concentration of sugar maple and red maple, beech and birch  good color is expected, he said.

Christopher Martin, the director of forestry in Connecticut, said he wouldnt be surprised if trees started changing a little earlier this year because of the drought.

Its a little bit up in the air, but I think it will be good, he said of the states foliage season.

The foliage season hits the higher elevations of northern New England first. For now, its expected to be good in Vermont, which did not have a drought but was abnormally dry.

Except for a couple of minor locations here or there, its looking pretty good so far, Schaberg said of the foliage season, which starts in mid- to late September up north and spreads south through October.
It would be unethical for Nebraskans to try to avoid higher taxes by failing to invest heavily in the states economic future, Omaha businessman Mike Yanney told an audience of business and civic leaders Tuesday.

If government must spend more to create conditions for growth, he said, Im going to pay more taxes and do it happily. ... Weve got to invest in the future of our city and in the future of our state.

Speaking to about 170 people during a meeting of the Omaha Business Ethics Alliance at the Holland Center, Yanney also described ethical conflicts he encountered while serving as a director of WorldCom and during more than 30 years of business dealings in the former Soviet Union and Russia.

Yanney was born and raised in Kearney and started a banking and investment career in Omaha 55 years ago. He is chairman emeritus of the Burlington Capital Group, serves on the boards of several Omaha businesses and has launched several nonprofit groups.

In an interview format with his daughter, Burlington Chairman Lisa Roskens, Yanney said agriculture will remain a vital economic force for Nebraska but will not generate new jobs because technology is increasing farm workers productivity.

Nebraskas No. 1 source for creating new businesses and jobs seems to be research, he said, especially at the University of Nebraskas campuses in Lincoln and Omaha.

Weve really got to be collaborative with the university system, in my estimation, he said in a later interview. And we have to maintain our citys streets and parks to be attractive.

For example, he said, the University of Nebraska Medical Centers research programs are creating top-level jobs for people who are happy to move to Omaha or remain here.

People are coming here because were doing a pretty good job, Yanney said, but Im not sure weve invested enough to take care of the future. To me, its going to take a public-private collaboration to get these jobs going.

We have the ability to do that. If that means we have got to pay more taxes, we should. We shouldnt be cheating future generations by shoving things down the road for somebody else.

At WorldCom, Yanney served on the board of directors committee for executive compensation.

He raised questions about the boards authority to pay more than $50 million in bonuses and stock options to Chief Executive Bernard Ebbers and soon resigned. Ebbers later was sentenced to 25 years in prison for accounting fraud.

Yanneys investment banking ventures include more than 40 business projects in the Soviet Union. At one point his company had investments in businesses there that employed 9,300 people, including the countrys largest producers of chickens and glass bottles, both run by Russian nationals.

Youve got to hire the right people and motivate them and give them responsibility and trust them, he said.

Not all Russians he met were trustworthy. One official demanded an under-the-table Chevrolet Monte Carlo in return for completing a business deal.

Yanney rejected the demand and discovered later that the Russian was working undercover for the FBI to catch violators of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If he had agreed to the bribe, he said, Id still be in prison for a lousy car.

Today, Burlington Capital has only a token representation in Russia.

I think its becoming very corrupt, he said. Yet businesses and governments in the United States and Russia could work together, once corruption is brought under control, because both peoples are highly educated, motivated and ambitious.

Lisa Roskens said she had to fire a high-producing employee on a Russian venture because he violated specific orders against certain unethical actions.

Firing someone involves more than just saying, Get your stuff and depart, she said.

If the fired person wants a certain payment or other severance benefit, its better to allow it rather than creating another conflict, Roskens said.

You never know when the same person might be on the other end of a worthwhile business deal, she said, or even end up running a security checkpoint at the airport when youre running late for a flight.
How good is a companys profit margin? And is it growing or shrinking?

Many investors dont pay much attention to profit margins. They are obsessed with how fast earnings are growing, or whether a company is in a trendy business.

Yet fat and widening margins can be a sign of a great stock. I combed through the Ned David Research database for U.S. stocks that met four criteria:

>> A pretax profit margin of 20 percent or better in the past four quarters.

>> A net (after-tax) profit margin of 15 percent or better.

>> A five-year average of 10 percent or more on the net profit margin.

>> Debt no more than 75 percent of stockholders equity.

Fewer than three dozen stocks met those tough criteria. Ive selected five to recommend here.

Mondelez

Mondelez International Inc. (MDLZ), formerly known as Kraft Foods, spun off many of Krafts operations in 2012. What remains is a powerhouse in candy, snack foods and beverages. Brands include Nabisco, Cadbury and Oreo. Sales run about $26 billion a year.

Since the spinoff, Mondelez has been highly profitable. Its net margin was about 28 percent in the past four quarters. The company failed in its recent efforts to acquire Hershey Co., which would have been quite a coup. But even without Hershey, it looks to me like a company likely to show continued success.

Reynolds American

If you dont have ethical objections to tobacco stocks, Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) deserves a look. It has shown a profit 12 years in a row, and despite high taxes on cigarettes, its profits have been increasing. Its net margin last year was 30 percent, and it has been above 12 percent ever since 2005.

Reynolds has about a third of the U.S. cigarette market, with brands including Camel, Newport and Pall Mall. In a time when bank accounts and bonds have skimpy yields, this stock yields about 3 percent.

Amerisafe

Based in DeRidder, Louisiana, Amerisafe Inc. (AMSF) writes workers compensation insurance policies. It specializes in hazardous occupations such as construction and logging.

Although it has been around for three decades, Amerisafe attracts little press coverage and is covered by only four Wall Street analysts, none of them from big, widely known firms. Its net profit margin waxes and wanes, but has been waxing since 2011 and passed 20 percent in the past 12 months.

Baidu

According to Wikipedia, Baidu Inc. of Beijing (traded as BIDU in the U.S.) is the largest Internet-search company in China, and the sixth-largest Internet company in the world (after Amazon, Google, Facebook, Tencent and Alibaba).

Baidus revenue has grown from $40 million a decade ago to well over $10 billion today. Its net profit margin has been more than 30 percent ever since 2006 and was running about 45 percent recently. From 2008 to late 2014 the stock increased 20-fold to about $250. Today its at $177, not cheap but worthy of consideration.

Electronic Arts

If the following games arent familiar to you, check with your kids: Battlefield, Dragon Age, FIFA, Madden NFL, Mass Effect, Need for Speed, Plants vs. Zombies, Star Wars, the Sims and Titanfall.

The maker of all these games is Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), of Redwood City, California. Yes, its an industry prone to fads. But Electronic Arts has been an industry leader for years now, and has achieved an impressive net profit margin in its past two fiscal years. Recently the margin was about 26 percent.

The column youre reading is the seventh one Ive written on stocks with fat profit margins. The average 12-month gain on the previous six columns was 24.1 percent. That compares nicely with 15.6 percent on the Standard & Poors 500 Index.

But my record isnt quite as good as it looks. The big gains came mostly in one year, 2014-15. And the great performance that year was due mostly to one stock, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ANAC), which rose 481 percent.

My recommendations have been profitable five years out of six, but have beaten the S&P 500 only two years out of six. Last year they scored a 14.3 percent total return, while the S&P 500 returned 16 percent including dividends.

My best pick was Corning Inc. (GLW), up 39.6 percent. BlackRock Inc. (BLK) also did well, returning 29.7 percent. Chemtura Corp. and PacWest Bancorp were up, but less than the index.

My worst pick, which I owned for clients during part of the year, was Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD), down 22.3 percent. I still like the company but dont currently own the stock because I worry that biotechnology companies wont be able to command the handsome prices for their drugs in the next few years that they did in the past few.

Disclosure: One of my family members owns shares in Electronic Arts.

John Dorfman is chairman of Dorfman Value Investments LLC in Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts, and a syndicated columnist.
Its no small feat to make sure the Henry Doorly Zoos rapidly expanding footprint has the insurance it needs, and thats been especially true in 2016, a year in which the zoo opened its largest-ever exhibit.

The $73 million African Grasslands exhibit introduced six African elephants and three new types of animals to Omaha. The zoo also opened a $14 million splash park this year.

Thanks to the Harry A. Koch Co., a local insurance brokerage that turns 100 years old next month, the zoo can rest a little easier knowing it has properly covered creatures like the zoos deer and antelope, as well as where they roam.

Its a continuing process keeping up with the zoos various insurance requirements, said Craig Jacobs, the zoos director of human resources, safety and security programs. Between the zoo and the safari park (in Ashland), there are 70 structures were using. Combining buildings and personal property, thats just over $246 million.

The zoo is just one Koch client, however, and the insurance company that got its start with $100 in personal capital from founder Harry A. Koch Sr. today claims $20 million in annual revenue and has more than 100 employees at its headquarters at 144th Street and West Dodge Road.

Its reach has grown with the companies it has served.

Before, we called ourselves a regional brokerage. Now, were a national brokerage with international capabilities, said Scott Trofholz, president and chief executive of Harry A. Koch Co. Weve had to follow our customers.

Those include operations such as the zoo, large farms across the state, schools, hospitals and heavy industrial clients like custom firetruck manufacturer Smeal Fire Apparatus in Snyder, Nebraska.

Harry A. Koch Co. also has roots in surety bonding, which remains a large part of the business today. A surety bond is used to ensure a contract is completed even if a hired contractor defaults.

After leading the surety bonding department of Martin Brothers and Co. in Omaha, the elder Koch in June 1916 struck out on his own to establish the namesake business in a building at 15th and Farnam Streets.

Koch by then had already developed a business reputation for himself in his early days that is perhaps best described as Pavlovian: When working for Stockyards National Bank before launching his own business, Koch attached steel plates to the heels of his shoes that announced to commission firm bookkeepers he was on his way to collect daily deposits.

Koch told The World-Herald upon his retirement in 1958 that the steel heels tactic reduced a nearly two-hour chore to one that could be completed in about a half-hour.

Harry Koch Jr. took control of the company on his fathers retirement and held the post until turning over control to his sons, Hal and Dan, in 1997. Trofholz was appointed president and chief executive in 2004, the same year that Lauritzen Corp., the Omaha holding company that also counts as an affiliate First National Bank of Omaha, bought out Koch in a successful bid to help expand its own network of insurance agencies.

First Insurance Group, of which Koch became part after the 2004 acquisition, today ranks among the top 100 brokers of business insurance in the U.S. The company had $33 million in revenue in 2015.

Trofholz, who is just the fourth person to hold the top post at Koch, said even though technological advances mean the business moves much faster today than it ever has, the company remains expert in connecting its clients with the right carriers for insurance needs. Accordingly, its daily dealings can include routine construction bonding and catastrophic fires.

One day, were working on Ms Pub and the next day were working on the West Dodge Road overpass. Then the next day were out at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital working on that and also covering a bank robbery from an insurance aspect, Trofholz said. The good and the bad that happens, were there to help and put people back on their feet.
LINCOLN  A federal judge called it laughable for Gage Countys lawyers to contend that a jury went overboard by awarding $28 million to six people wrongly convicted of a 1985 homicide.

Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf used the term Tuesday as he denied the countys motion to overturn the verdict or grant a new trial in the Beatrice Six civil rights lawsuit. Among other things, lawyers for the county argued that the damages were excessive.

For comparison, Kopf cited the $41 million that New York authorities agreed to pay the Central Park Five, who were wrongfully convicted of a brutal rape of a jogger in 1989.

It was, to put it bluntly, laughable to suggest that the jury verdict was excessive, Kopf wrote in Tuesdays order.

The six were convicted in 1989, four years after 68-year-old Helen Wilson was found beaten, raped and suffocated in her Beatrice apartment.

In 2008, court-ordered DNA testing of blood and semen recovered from the crime scene matched none of the six and proved that the crime could not have occurred as prosecutors and investigators had alleged.

A task force that reopened the case was able to match the DNA with Bruce Allen Smith, a former Beatrice resident who died in Oklahoma in 1994.

Joseph E. White, Kathy Gonzalez, Thomas Winslow, Ada JoAnn Taylor, James Dean and Debra Shelden sued Gage County for a reckless investigation and fabrication of evidence. Collectively, they served more than 70 years in prison. White died in a workplace accident in his home state of Alabama before the lawsuit went to trial.

The jury found against Gage County deputies Burt Searcey and Wayne Price. Although the jury did not find against the estate of Jerry DeWitt, the late sheriff who led the department in 1989, it did hold Gage County liable.

In Tuesdays order, Kopf also rejected all other arguments by the countys outside legal team, including a complaint about a comment that the judge made outside the presence of the jury.

In comments reported by two newspapers, Kopf suggested that if the county were to lose the lawsuit, the state should help pay damages.

The countys lawyers argued that jurors may have read the comments and interpreted them to mean that there were deep pockets available to help pay monetary damages.

The jury was instructed not to read anything in the press and there is zero evidence, that the jury violated this injunction, Kopf wrote in his order.
Police said a man and a woman suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening in the cutting, which occurred around 1 a.m. near South 49th Avenue and Dodge Street. Officers were dispatched to the Nebraska Medical Center to interview victims John Lindeman, 21, and Billie Jean Fitzgerald, 26. Officers then reported to the scene, where the 25-year-old man appeared to be a third victim in the cutting. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
A man was fatally shot Tuesday as Douglas County sheriffs deputies tried to apprehend him on a felony warrant.

The man has been identified by Omaha police as David L. Anderson, 25. He was pronounced dead shortly after he arrived Tuesday afternoon at Creighton University Medical Center.

The deputies involved have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is being conducted by the Omaha Police Department. The Sheriffs Office and the Omaha Police Department did not say Tuesday who fired the shots.

The shooting took place near 22nd and Q Streets about 3:40 p.m. as deputies were trying to apprehend the man on a felony warrant charging him with possession of a controlled substance.

Police did not release details of the shooting, but a 911 audio recording indicates that the deputies reported they were being fired upon.

According to the recording, a law enforcement officer called out our cars been hit over the radio.

A help an officer call went out. But no deputies were injured, and the help an officer call was canceled a short time later.

Officers on the scene said the suspect was in a black pickup truck and in need of medical assistance, according to the 911 recording.

A second ambulance was requested for an injured bystander. A 19-year-old woman near the scene was treated for cuts to her leg.

Vivana Puentes, who lives near 23rd and Q Streets, said she watched as a man driving a pickup truck crashed near her mailbox.

She said she watched authorities take the man into custody. The man was hurt, she said, but she didnt know that he had been shot.

Puentes said she was inside her home and didnt hear gunshots.

Police blocked off traffic from P to R Streets between 21st and 24th Streets. The blocked-off area included the normally well-trafficked 24th and Q intersection. Vehicles were rerouted onto residential streets, which backed up as motorists tried to get around the blocked-off area.
LINCOLN  A prosecutor filed felony charges Wednesday against a South Dakota man accused of a weekend break-in at the home of Jordan Foltz, who was attending a tribute to his late brother, Husker punter Sam Foltz.

York County Attorney Candace Dick filed two charges of receiving stolen property against Scott L. Davis, 38, of Lennox, South Dakota. One charge alleges that Davis stole a television and tools from the home and vehicle of Jordan Foltz, while the second alleges that he took global positioning system units from a highway construction company.

Both thefts occurred near Greeley, a central Nebraska farm community where Jordan Foltz lives.

If convicted of stealing the GPS units, Davis faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. The charge involving Foltzs property carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison plus a year of probation because the TV and tools were less valuable.

Davis also was charged with third-offense driving under the influence of alcohol and driving while his license was revoked. He filed court papers saying he is unemployed and unable to afford a lawyer, so a public defender was appointed to represent him.

His next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 14.

Jordan Foltz discovered that his home had been burglarized upon his return from spending the day and night in Lincoln. During the Husker game, the team honored his brother, who died in a July car accident in Wisconsin. Sam Foltz would have been a senior on the team this season.

The break-in stoked outrage among fans who concluded that the Foltz residence was targeted by a burglar who likely knew that the owners were out of town for the tribute.

A probable cause affidavit filed by a sheriffs deputy said Davis was seen at another residence in Greeley on Saturday.

In a separate affidavit, the deputy said he received a report of a suspected drunken driver on Interstate 80. The deputy said he witnessed the vehicle weaving through both lanes of traffic. After the driver was pulled over, a preliminary breath test showed that he had a blood-alcohol level of .109 percent, the deputy stated.

Among the items found in the car was a TV belonging to Foltz and a plastic gas container with Jordan Foltz written on it.

A call to the Greeley County attorney to ask whether Davis will face additional charges there was not returned Wednesday.
The weapons used during a July argument that ended in an Omaha womans death escalated from a watermelon to fists and, finally, a knife.

Carletta Wells-Harris, 25, is charged with second-degree murder and use of a weapon in the death of her mother, 43-year-old Meredith Wells. Meredith Wells was stabbed in the heart July 5.

At a preliminary hearing Tuesday, Omaha Police Detective Wendy Dye testified that Wells-Harris said she had not wanted to stab her mother, only to scare her.

The argument started on the evening of July 5 at 4509 N. 63rd St. when Wells-Harris told her mother she had just fed leftovers to her 2-year-old and 3-year-old children. Wells became upset because she had wanted to eat that food, according to Wells-Harris interview with Dye.

The mother and daughter started yelling curse words at each other, Wells-Harris said in the interview. Wells threw half a watermelon at her daughter and Wells-Harris threw it back at her.

Wells-Harris then picked up a knife to scare her mother into leaving her alone. Wells advanced at her daughter with her hands in fists, at one point cornering her, Wells-Harris told Dye.

Wells boyfriend told police he saw Wells-Harris swinging the knife and attempted to stop the altercation, but feared for his own life.

Wells-Harris told Dye that she stabbed her mother in the chest and went into shock. She grabbed her children and ran into a bedroom, waiting to see if her mother still was coming after her, Wells-Harris said.

Wells was pronounced dead at the Nebraska Medical Center minutes after the attack.

According to an autopsy report, she died of the stab wound to her heart. She also had cut marks on her left biceps, upper lip and chest, Dye said.

Wells was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, according to toxicology reports.

The mother and daughter had had numerous arguments that stemmed from Wells alcoholism, Wells-Harris told Dye.

In the interview with Wells-Harris, Dye observed a small cut above Wells-Harris right eye and on her right wrist. Her shirt was partially torn.

Defense attorney LeAnne Srb asked Douglas County Judge Susan Bazis to find probable cause on a manslaughter charge, meaning the slaying occurred without intent, malice or premeditation.

Bazis ruled that Wells-Harris would stand trial on the initial charges of second-degree murder and use of a knife to commit a felony.

As Wells-Harris left the courtroom, her uncle Levelle Wells said, Love you, Carletta.

Levelle Wells, who is Meredith Wells brother, said the family wants the charges to be dropped because they think the fatal stabbing came from a sudden altercation.

Its hard on everybody, he said.
Two University of Nebraska campuses and the NU system as a whole hit record enrollments this semester, but some campus enrollment goals remain distant.

The University of Nebraska-Lincolns 25,897 set a record, as did the University of Nebraska Medical Centers 3,861.

The University of Nebraska at Omahas freshman class of 2,069 is its biggest ever.

But UNL and UNO have huge goals and a long trek to reach them. New UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green has said he wants to hit 35,000 by about 2025, expanding upon predecessor Harvey Perlmans goal of 30,000 by 2020. At UNO, which enrolled a total of 15,627, the goal  described as a stretch goal  is 20,000 by 2020.

NU President Hank Bounds said he was pleased with the enrollment reports. The NU system is made up of UNL, UNO, UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Kearney. NU also has responsibility for the two-year technical agriculture school in Curtis, Nebraska.

Bounds said enrollment growth is critical.

Its not just important to the university, he said. Its important to the State of Nebraska.

Having an educated workforce is vital to attracting more and better jobs, Bounds said in a telephone interview Wednesday.

As long as NU has capacity to accommodate more students, he said, increasing enrollment also assists the universitys finances. The university system now has 52,215 students. Enrollment refers both to part- and full-time students. Students enrolled online in for-credit courses count toward enrollment.

Amy Goodburn, UNLs interim dean of enrollment management, said her university right now is aiming at the 2020 goal of 30,000. Goodburn said that the 2025 goal is new and that her team hasnt had a chance to point toward it.

She said she was thrilled with the way enrollment came together this year. The 2020 goal can be attained, she said. We think its very realistic.

UNL Chancellor Green said in an interview that both goals are in play. But in time, he said, he will sharpen the 2025 goal. The increases should be in defined areas, he said, such as graduate programs and disciplines and programs that matter to the region, he said. And perhaps the goal of 35,000 will change with sharper focus, he said.

Amber Williams, UNLs director of admissions, said her institution is doing a better job of telling our story. This has helped generate an 18.3 percent increase in out-of-state freshmen this semester, from 1,150 last year to 1,360 this year.

Definitely my staff is spending more time out of state, Williams said.

UNO brought in its largest freshman class for the second year in a row. Omar Correa, UNOs associate vice chancellor for enrollment management, said 45 percent of UNOs 2,069 freshmen are first-generation college students. And one-third of the freshmen are minorities, he said.

It goes back to our mission, Correa said. UNO aims to serve the metro area and the state, he said.

UNO also broke its record for freshman minority students  675 this year, up from 632 last year.

Correa and a UNO spokesman both referred to 20,000 by 2020 as a stretch goal. The spokesman, Sam Petto, said UNO Chancellor John Christensen described the enrollment goal seven years ago as 18,000 to 20,000 by 2020, then set 20,000 five years ago as the stretch goal for 2020.

Petto said a stretch goal represents the upper limits of what may be possible, but we aim for it anyway because there are benefits to the pursuit of the goal. The main thing, he said, is expanding access to students, retaining them and helping them graduate.

UNMC broke an enrollment record for its 16th straight year.

There continues to be strong interest in health-profession programs, said Dr. Dele Davies, vice chancellor for academic affairs. Theres high demand for health care workers.

At UNK, Chancellor Doug Kristensen said he was pleased that enrollment went up, even after it graduated a record 1,496 students in 2015-16 summer, winter and spring commencements. Graduating record numbers brings challenge to you  to make sure you bring that many students back into the pipeline again as freshmen, he said.

Although freshmen didnt replace all of those  UNKs first-time freshmen totaled 1,008, up by 70 from last year  overall enrollment this semester exceeded last years by 41 students.

Highlights from the NU systems enrollment reports for fall 2016:

 UNLs freshman class of 4,860 surpassed the 1979 record of 4,702.

 UNOs freshman class of 2,069 is up from last years record of 2,007.

 UNMCs doctor of nursing practice program increased from 52 students to 114.

 UNKs 1,732 graduate students  up from 1,639  is the largest number of graduate students UNK has enrolled since it joined NU in 1991.

 Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis showed a steep drop, from 512 last fall to 342 this fall. An NU spokeswoman said NCTA has cut back on its classes available to high school students for college credit.

 UNL said its nonresident population now makes up 31.4 percent of all students.

 UNK said it enrolled students from 53 countries, 49 states (but not Rhode Island) and every Nebraska county.
COUNCIL BLUFFS - It probably surprised some people when a 21-year-old won the accordion competition Aug. 15 at the Iowa State Fair.

Nicholas Fischer of Council Bluffs, now 22 and a senior at Creighton University, won first place in the keyboard division, surpassing Dan Steenhard, 60, of Sheffield, Iowa, and Ed Fallon, 58, of Des Moines, Iowa, according to a press release from the State Fair. Steenhard took first in the button division.

Fischer played a medley of The Champagne Polka, Lichtenstein Polka and Clarinet Polka during the four minutes allotted to him.

Fischer had competed in the contest four or five years and had finished in the top five several times, he said.

Im always the youngest person, by far, he said. Theyve all been playing longer than Ive been alive.

Fischer has performed at county fairs, city festivals, church events and nursing homes, he said.

I like polkas and waltzes  mostly German, he said. I always try to play some traditional stuff.

And, Fischer admitted, he occasionally watches The Lawrence Welk Show and enjoys listening to famous accordionist Myron Florin.

So how does a millennial become interested in playing the squeeze box?

It wasnt because of family influence, although his family is supportive, Fischer said.

I started playing piano in first grade, and my teacher also played accordion; and she always had her students try out the accordion, he said. I tried it out, and I liked it. I gave up piano for it, and Ive played it ever since.

Fischer, who also plays clarinet, likes the fact that he can play the keyboard with his right hand and bass notes with his left and vary the volume with the bellows. An accordion can also produce different sounds that mimic certain instruments. These can be changed by using different shifts.

You can kind of mix and match your sounds to get what you want to make your sound, he said.

Despite the instruments obvious kinship with the piano, it is quite different to play, Fischer said. The keys are smaller and offer no resistance  and then there are the bellows, buttons and shifts.

Fischer grew up just outside of Council Bluffs and attended grade school in Underwood, Iowa, middle school at St. Albert in Council Bluffs and high school at Creighton Prep. He is working on a bachelors degree in biology and environmental science at Creighton and plans to apply for dental school.

Another goal of his goals is to hear accordionist Tony Lovello perform, Fischer said.

Tonys still playing, he said. Hes famous for his bellows shakes. Its on my bucket list of things to do.
The yellow sign taped to the window on the brick building reads Danger-Closed.

But neighbors said Tuesday that the building with an awning at 24th and Manderson Streets is the heart of the north Omaha neighborhood. Those neighbors say they want to know why the City of Omaha changed the locks and posted the sign a week ago closing the community meeting space.

I think its very unfair and very heartbreaking as much work that we have done within the neighborhood for them to put us on hold like this, said Ella Willis, president of the Neighborhood Action and Facts Association.

The City of Omaha owns the building at 3802 N. 24th St. City building code inspectors ordered it closed because of significant violations that include threats to health and safety, said Omaha Parks, Recreation and Public Property Director Brook Bench.

Those include plumbing and roof leaks, deteriorated and missing flooring, a broken water heater and inoperable bathroom water faucets, according to city records. Bench said the building also is plagued with mold.

Until those are fixed, for safety issues, the city had to close it, Bench said.

He said that city officials had to change the locks. He said he doesnt know who or how many people had keys to the old locks. Nobody is supposed to be in the building because of its condition, he said, and he is concerned about theft or vandalism.

The problems have been years in the making  and the neighborhood group was aware of them and responsible for making repairs, Bench said.

Im not trying to be the big bad city, Bench said.

The city and Neighborhood Action and Fact had a lease agreement under which the organization could use the building for free but had to maintain it, he said.

You have a deal, Bench said. You dont have to pay any rent, but you do have to maintain the building.

Willis said she has asked for a copy of the lease agreement. The City of Omaha has always fixed the inside and the outside of the building, Willis said. The city fixed the roof about two years ago. So three months ago, Willis called and asked the city to make some repairs, but those were never done, she said.

Bench said the lease agreement expired in 2004. He said he wasnt sure why. He also didnt know how the arrangement came to be in the first place. It appears to date back more than 30 years.

Its common for neighborhood groups to use city community centers for free for meetings and events. But Bench said he knew of no other instance in which a neighborhood group had a city-owned building all to itself.

Its a very unique situation that they should feel very fortunate that they have, Bench said.

Willis, 84, said the neighborhood association hosts game nights out of the building and no one else has occupied it since it opened.

Games, tables, chairs and a kitchen are all inside the building and used for community events. Neighborhood meetings are held there on the second Saturday of each month. And flea markets take place on the first and second Saturdays of the month.

Since it closed last week, Willis said shes been trying to talk to city officials about why the building was closed and be allowed back inside so she can get personal items. She said she has had no luck.

But Bench said his staff had arranged last week to meet Willis at the building so she could collect her personal belongings.

We had it set up to open up Friday morning, Bench said. I dont know where the communication breakdown is, if it was my guys or them, but my guys were there.

Asked Tuesday whether the city would permit Willis to enter the building to retrieve her items, Bench said yes.

All she has to do is call me, he said.

Preston Love Jr., a community activist and adjunct faculty member at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said Willis and her neighborhood association have helped clean up the neighborhood morally and physically.

While its owned by the city, this is Ellas building, Love said.

The buildings closure sparked speculation that the city or another developer has plans for the land.

City Council President Ben Gray, whose district includes the neighborhood, said a redevelopment plan for the neighborhood is in its early stages, as requested by Ella Willis.

But theres no plan, at least that Gray is aware of, that would necessitate the removal of the Neighborhood Action and Facts building, the councilman said.

Theres no attempt to gain the building for any reason that Im aware of, Gray said.

Others in the neighborhood theorized that the Salvation Army, which has a facility at 2424 Pratt St., is looking to expand and wants the land.

Thats not the case, said Major Randall Summit of the Salvation Army. There are plans in the works for a bigger facility in the area, but the Salvation Army is not interested in the land around 24th and Manderson Streets and plans to stay on its side of the street, Summit said. He added that any expansion is two to three years away.

The Salvation Army is trying to be a team player and has been in contact with the citys planning committee and council and talked to community leaders including Willis, Summit said.

No one can be everything to everybody, Summit said. We have to work together.

Preliminary plans for a new facility call for an outdoor meeting area complete with benches, trees, shrubbery and lighting so seniors from Evans Tower and others can gather and meet with friends, Summit said.

Meanwhile, the closed building may survive for neighborhood use, but not exclusively for Neighborhood Action and Facts.

Bench said he is working with Gray to look for an alternative place for the organization to meet and hold events while the building is closed for repairs. He said the repairs would not be inexpensive, but would not be impossible.

If these improvements are made, I would like to see more than one group use the building, Bench said. I would like to see it activated more.
Springfield will file a second lawsuit against Papillion, this time challenging its northern neighbors latest annexation, according to Springfield City Administrator Kathleen Gottsch.

After a closed session during Tuesday nights City Council meeting, members authorized filing a lawsuit that questions the validity of two Papillion ordinances relating to the annexation of 160 acres south of Nebraska Highway 370 between 132nd Street and Nebraska Highway 50. That early August expansion pushed Papillions zoning authority up to the border of Springfields.

The August annexation came as both cities awaited word from the Nebraska Supreme Court on Springfields 2015 lawsuit challenging an earlier annexation by Papillion that included the Prairie Queen Recreation Area. Last years annexation was illegal, the original lawsuit alleges, and Papillions extended zoning control impedes Springfields growth.

On Aug. 26, the Supreme Court ruled that Springfield has standing in that lawsuit. The suit will start over in Sarpy County District Court.

The new lawsuit is building off the first one, said Springfield Mayor Bob Roseland.

If thats not right, then the second one shouldnt be right, he said.

Papillions latest annexation was done to make the approvals process easier for an undisclosed company to build a data center on both sides of Nebraska Highway 50 just north of Capehart Road. Papillions City Council held special meetings to quickly approve the annexation.

One of Papillions attorneys attended Springfields City Council meeting on Tuesday, said Trenton Albers, Papillions spokesman.

The additional lawsuit doesnt come as a surprise, he said, and it doesnt change much for the city.

We still believe our initial annexation as well as this one were both legal, Albers said.

Papillion consulted with the Sarpy County Attorneys Office before both annexations, he said, to make sure they met the legal criteria.

The ongoing legal battles also shouldnt have any effect on the Highway 50 project or any future development, Andrew Rainbolt, executive director of the Sarpy County Economic Development Corp., has said.

Springfield City Attorney Bill Seidler Jr. is drafting the new suit and it should be filed within a few weeks.
WASHINGTON (AP)  It was time to purge the hacker from the U.S. governments computers. After secretly monitoring the hackers online movements for months, officials worried he was getting too close to critical information and devised a plan, dubbed the Big Bang, to expel him.

Trouble was, with all their attention focused in that case, they missed the other hacker entirely.

A new congressional report provides previously undisclosed details and a behind-the-scenes chronology of one of the worst-ever cyberattacks on the United States, laying out missed opportunities before the break-in at the Office of Personnel Management exposed security clearances, background checks and fingerprint records. That attack  widely blamed on Chinas government  compromised personal information of more than 21 million current, former and prospective federal employees, led to the resignation of the OPM director and drew outrage over changing explanations about the hacks seriousness.

The report by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform faulted the personnel agency for failing to secure sensitive data despite warnings for years that it was vulnerable to hackers. It concluded that the hacking revealed last year could have been prevented if OPM had put in place basic, required security controls and recognized from an earlier break-in that it was actually dealing with a sophisticated, persistent enemy.

We have literally tens of millions of Americans whose data was stolen by a nefarious overseas actor, but it was entirely preventable, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican and committee chairman, said in an interview.

With some basic hygiene, some good tools, an awareness and some talent, they really could have prevented this, he added.

OPM Acting Director Beth Cobert said in a statement the agency disagrees with much of the report and it does not fully reflect where this agency stands today. She said the OPM hack provided a catalyst for accelerated change within our organization, including hiring new cybersecurity experts and strengthening its security.

The government discovered the first OPM hacking in March 2014 when a specialized Homeland Security Department team noticed suspicious streams of data leaving its network between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m.  the online equivalent of moving trucks hauling away filing cabinets containing confidential papers in the middle of the night. The governments so-called Einstein intrusion warning system detected the theft.

DHS called us and let us know, hey, we think this is bad, Jeff Wagner, OPMs director of information security operations, told officials investigating the hack, according to the hack.

For two months, the personnel office worked with the FBI, National Security Agency and others to monitor the hacker to better understand his movements. Officials developed a plan to expel the hacker over a three-day weekend in May 2014, dubbed the Big Bang. The effort included resetting administrative accounts, building new accounts for users who had been compromised and taking offline compromised systems.

The risk of kicking them out too early had come and gone, Wagner said, and now the risk was becoming having them in too long, and we didnt want to keep them around any longer than we had to.

The problem was far from solved.

Unknown to the experts focused on expelling the hacker, a second intruder posing as an employee of a federal contractor had infiltrated the system weeks before the Big Bang. That hacker used a contractors credentials to log into the system, install malicious software and create a backdoor to the network, according to the report.

Over the next several months, roaming unchecked through the system, the hacker stole sensitive security clearance background investigation files, personnel files and, ultimately, fingerprint data.

That breach was not detected until April 2015, when an OPM contract employee traced the flow of stolen material back to an Internet address that had been registered to Steve Rogers, the alter ego of Captain America, indicating a spoof account. By then, sensitive information on millions of American workers had already been compromised.

The report also faulted the personnel office for failing to quickly deploy security tools from an outside firm to detect malicious code and other threats. Once deployed, the tool from Cylance Inc. of Irvine, California, lit up like a Christmas tree, indicating it found malware throughout the federal computers, an engineer is quoted as saying in the report.

Could they have done better? Absolutely, said Cylance founder and chief executive Stuart McClure. But once they had been definitively convinced there was a breach, they took it very seriously.

It said OPM officials misled the public about the scope of the breach and also by saying the two breaches were unrelated when, instead, they appear to be connected and possibly coordinated, according to the congressional report.

The two attackers shared the same target, conducted their attacks in a similarly sophisticated manner, and struck with similar timing, the report said.

Though the U.S. suspects the hack was an act of Chinese espionage, the House inquiry did not go into great detail about who was responsible. It mentions that the data breaches discovered in April 2015 were likely perpetrated by the group Deep Panda, which has been linked to the Chinese military.

Copyright 2016, the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  North Dakota authorities are recruiting law enforcement officers from across the state to guard the site of a protest in anticipation of an impending federal ruling on whether to block the construction of the four-state Dakota Access oil pipeline.

The buildup, announced Wednesday, comes after a skirmish between protesters and private security guards Saturday that turned violent; the crowd dispersed when officers arrived, and no one was arrested. Authorities also said they pulled back Tuesday from responding to a report of 150 to 200 protesters, some with hatchets and knives, gathered at a construction area on private land because they determined it wasn't safe to respond.

A ruling is expected by Friday on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's challenge of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' decision to grant permits to the Dallas, Texas-based operators of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline. The pipeline will cross North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois.

The local law enforcement department is bracing for a decision that would allow the project to proceed while a spokesman for Gov. Jack Dalrymple said "the governor has always said the National Guard is an option."

"We are preparing and planning for all scenarios that may occur in response to the federal court ruling," the Morton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement, which didn't detail how many officers were being added or what their plan is should the ruling allow construction to continue.

Standing Rock Sioux Chairman David Archambault II said he is not concerned with the additional law enforcement presence at the site of the protest, where thousands have camped out for weeks, and that the judge's ruling will not stop the protest either way.

"This is not going to be over on this one day, whether he rules in our favor or the company's favor," Archambault said. "Both sides will appeal so this will not be over."

He noted that he saw very few law enforcement personnel near the protest site Wednesday and said he's appealing to protesters to remain "peaceful and prayerful."

The pipeline company, Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding who is providing the private security details, which have been in place since last month, and what they've been told to do when facing protesters.

Already, the Morton County Sheriff's Office estimated it's spending $100,000 a week in overtime costs to monitor the protests, and the North Dakota Highway Patrol is spending $65,000 weekly to do the same.

But no law enforcement personnel were present Saturday, when tribal officials said construction crews on private land destroyed several sites of "significant cultural and historic value."

Energy Transfer Partners said "assailants broke through a fence and attacked our workers," and the sheriff's office said four private security guards and two guard dogs were injured.

The tribe countered that protesters reported six people had been bitten by security dogs, including a young child, and at least 30 people were pepper-sprayed. Archambault said the protesters were "provoked" by the company's actions.

The tribe won some reprieve from construction work Tuesday, when U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered a stop for about 20 miles of the pipeline until he ruled on the tribe's broader challenge.

Dalrymple spokesman Jeff Zent said plans are also in the works to "enhance" patrols in Bismarck and neighboring Mandan, about 40 miles from the protest site, but those coincide with an annual powwow that draws hundreds of dancers from around the country.

Copyright 2016 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
LINCOLN  Activists on Wednesday pointed to the death of a woman last month as further reason to end beer sales in the notorious border town of Whiteclay, Nebraska.

Sherry Wounded Foot, 50, was found beaten and unconscious behind a building in town Aug. 5, said John Maisch, a documentary filmmaker and former liquor regulator.

She died of her injuries Aug. 17 at the Pine Ridge Indian Health Service Hospital.

No arrests have been made in her death, Maisch said.

This isnt an isolated incident, Frank LaMere, a Native American activist from South Sioux City, Nebraska, said at Wednesdays meeting of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. He recalled three other people who died in the late 1990s after suffering apparent beatings in and around Whiteclay. The slayings of Ronald Hard Heart and Wilson Black Elk spurred national attention to Whiteclay.

Their deaths can all be attributed to the sale of alcohol from Whiteclay to the dry Pine Ridge Reservation, LaMere said.

A woman at Sheridan County Sheriff Terry Robbins office referred questions to the county attorney.

Asked about Wounded Foot, Sheridan County Attorney Jamian Simmons said local authorities are investigating a death that may be connected with Whiteclay.

However, Simmons refused to identify the deceased while the investigation was ongoing.

She said the county sheriffs office and the Nebraska State Patrol are leading the investigation, which also involves the Rapid City, South Dakota, police and officials with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Earlier Wednesday, Maisch questioned why officials have not provided any information about Wounded Foots death to the public.

If a lady is beaten within an inch of her life anywhere else in Nebraska, and if a suspect hasnt been arrested, law enforcement would contact the press to warn the public that a suspect is still at large, or to request the publics assistance in acquiring credible information that could lead to the arrest of a suspect, he said.

Maisch, LaMere and others said the situation reinforces the need for the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission to revoke the alcohol licenses of the towns four beer stores.

The stores sell nearly 4 million cans of beer each year, largely to residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation across the border in South Dakota. Whiteclay lies within walking distance of the Lakota reservation, where alcoholism is rampant and fetal alcohol syndrome is estimated to affect one in four babies.

Whiteclay is an unincorporated village of about a dozen residents and has no local police. Law enforcement is provided by the Sheridan County sheriff, based 22 miles away in Rushville, Nebraska.

But Maisch said the lack of adequate law enforcement should be reason to revoke the beer store licenses.

He said Wounded Foots death reinforces our previous assertions that Whiteclay is a lawless place fueled by the unregulated sale of beer.

Commission Executive Director Hobert Rupe said the agency has an investigation pending into the four Whiteclay alcohol licenses.

He said agency staff did an audit of the licenses last fall and concluded that it might show some issues.

Information from the audit was turned over to Attorney General Doug Petersons office for possible enforcement action in late spring.

The office has not filed anything yet.

Suzanne Gage, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, declined to comment on the status of the investigation.

Rupe told members of the activist group that the commission can only act based on evidence of violations provided by law enforcement.

Whiteclay poses an incredible challenge for investigating potential violations, he said. Area residents tend to be wary of outsiders and reluctant to talk with authorities.

Rupe also noted that the commission is charged with enforcing liquor law violations, not other illegal behavior.

Correction: Hobert Rupe's name was misspelled in a previous version of this story.
The state prison at Tecumseh remains in a modified operations status following a partial lockdown Friday after staff members were threatened, officials say.

Thus, there will be no visits today to the prison, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services officials said Tuesday night. Visitors are urged to call the prison before arriving at the facility. All visits were also canceled from 5 p.m. Friday through Tuesday.

Administrators at the prison will evaluate whether the modified operations status is needed beyond today. Officials said the safety of staff members and inmates is a top priority at the prison, and a decision to return to normal operations will be made with safety in mind.

Prison officials said modified operations involve close control of inmates movements due to safety and security needs. The effort can include confinement in cells for some inmates, cancellation of program or work activities, and escorting certain inmates determined.

The Tecumseh prison was the scene of a riot last year that resulted in two inmate deaths and more than $2 million in damage. The facility has reported numerous disturbances since, including an assault on an officer in July.
LINCOLN  The parents of a missing college student from Nebraska have found renewed hope in a recent report that their son may have been abducted by North Korean agents.

The report said David Sneddon is alive and teaching English in the secretive, tightly controlled country.

That account lends credence to what Roy and Kathleen Sneddon have come to believe about their son, who vanished while hiking in Chinas Yunnan province 12 years ago.

The worldwide attention that the report has generated also makes them more optimistic about finding him and possibly bringing him home.

Each day continues to bring us more hope! the family wrote on Facebook last week.

In particular, the Sneddons, who taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln before retiring to Utah, hope that the report will give momentum to a congressional resolution co-sponsored by all the members of the Utah and Nebraska delegations.

The resolution, introduced earlier this year, calls for the U.S. State Department to work with the intelligence community on investigating David Sneddons disappearance, including looking into the possibility that he was taken by North Korea.

The resolution also calls for officials to enlist the help of foreign governments that have influence with North Korea to possibly seek his return.

Davids parents have spent more than a decade searching for their son, and they deserve urgency from Washington as they look for answers, said Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb.

He said there is some reason to believe that North Korea may have taken Sneddon, but a State Department spokesman cast doubt on the report at a press conference last week.

The report came from Choi Sun Yong, president of the Abductees Family Union in South Korea, which works to find South Koreans believed to have been kidnapped by North Korean agents.

Choi told Yahoo News Japan that a North Korean source claimed that Sneddon had indeed been abducted and is now living in Pyongyang, North Koreas capital. He was reportedly married there, has two children and is teaching English. One of Sneddons students, the source claimed, was Kim Jong Un, now the countrys leader.

Roy and Kathleen Sneddon said they dont know if the report is true, but it fits with what they have heard from other sources and with what is known about North Koreas history of abducting foreign citizens.

Were not really surprised because weve had a lot of things like this happen, Kathleen Sneddon said. Added Roy: The positive aspect of it is it reinforces where weve been for several years.

Among the reports from other sources was a call two years ago from a person living in South Korea with connections in the North, who told of an American teaching English.

Another was from a well-known Japanese group that focuses on North Korean abductions. The group reported information from a reliable source saying a U.S. university student generally matching David Sneddons description had been taken from China in 2004.

John Kirby, a State Department spokesman, said he could not speculate on the reasons for Sneddons disappearance. However, I can tell you that we have seen no verifiable evidence to indicate that Mr. Sneddon was abducted by North Korean officials, he said.

Kirby said U.S. officials have been in regular, ongoing contact with Chinese authorities since Sneddon went missing in 2004. He said the United States continues to monitor the case and raise it with China.

Sneddon was 24 when he was last seen on Aug. 14, leaving a Korean restaurant in the city of Shangri-La. The 10th of the Sneddons 11 children, he is a Nebraska native who graduated from Lincoln East High School.

His family said he had spent the summer studying Chinese in Beijing. He was taking a few weeks to hike Tiger Leaping Gorge and see the Chinese countryside before starting another year at Brigham Young University. He already had put a down payment on student housing and had scheduled his law school admission exam.

Initially, Chinese officials said they believed that he had fallen or been hurt on his hike. But no body or other evidence to support that theory has been found.

Family members rejected the idea that he had died after his father and brothers traveled to the area to do their own search. They found people who reported seeing him after he had finished the hike.

Sneddons parents said he spoke fluent Korean after serving as a Mormon missionary in South Korea. He learned Mandarin Chinese because he knew it would be important for his planned career in international law.

The family speculates that his language skills may have caught the interest of North Korean agents, who have been reported to operate in Yunnan in search of North Koreans fleeing their country.

I just dont think that Hes taken him, Kathleen Sneddon said. I think hes still on this Earth.
Adversity strikes just about everyone at one point or another. Health problems, the death of a loved one, the failure of a relationship, financial setbacks, legal problems  those are only some of the forms the challenges can take.

For some people, the weight of their situation can be almost unbearable, yet somehow they find the strength to persevere. Such displays of character can provide inspiration for others.

That was the case last week when several speakers shared their stories during the fourth American Spirit Summit, held at Ralston Arena.

About 4,500 high school and middle school students from at least four area school districts heard from Teri Roberts, who has suffered unimaginable losses. Her daughter, Andrea Kruger, was slain in 2013 in Omaha by Nikko Jenkins as part of his killing spree. A year later, a rare skin bacteria struck Roberts, putting her in a coma for 14 days and culminating in the amputation of her hands and legs.

In the face of such awful events, it would have been understandable for Roberts to surrender to despair. But she did not. She pursued rehabilitation and, with the help of prosthetics, is able to carry out the ordinary tasks of life, including driving. Its a remarkable example of resolve.

On Friday, Roberts stood on prosthetic legs and spoke to the students of how she has moved forward by drawing on her strength and on her faith. I had two choices, she said. I could give up or I could dig deep and give it everything I had.

She added: Theres going to be setbacks and losses in your life. Its how you deal with those losses that I feel is important.

Such words, from a woman who has been struck by such dire circumstances, can have great value for young people, especially given the emotional troughs that affect many teenagers.

Teen suicide is the second-leading cause of death for those 15 to 19 in the Midlands.

A related concern is self-inflicted bodily harm short of being fatal. Nationally, an average of 157,000 young people ages 10 to 24 receive hospital treatment annually for self-caused injuries.

This issue brought grief this year to Mark and Joni Adler of Ralston. In January their son, Reid, took his life in the face of cyber bullying and intimidation that his parents learned about only after the fact.

The Adlers spoke at the American Spirit Summit about their familys situation, emphasizing the need to embrace hope in ones life and to promote respect, not bullying, among students.

Reid had taken his life, and that was one of the hardest days that I will ever remember and it has changed us forever, said Mark Adler, superintendent of Ralston Public Schools.

The students also heard from Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Brad Kasal, one of our militarys exemplars of brave service in the face of extraordinary peril: Kasal, an Iowa native, received the Navy Cross after losing 60 percent of his blood fighting in the second battle of Fallujah in 2004.

The Ralston event was another demonstration of public-mindedness by Bill and Evonne Williams of Patriotic Productions, sponsors of the Honor Flights that have taken World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans from Nebraska and western Iowa to Washington, D.C.

Life can bring great setbacks and sometimes tremendous grief. There is no complete cure, but as these speakers make clear, with the right spirit, there can be hope.
Barack Obama took office in 2009 with two big personal priorities in foreign policy: the limitation of nuclear weapons and the cause of Palestinian statehood.

This summer the president has been weighing a flurry of possible last-minute actions to cement his legacy on nukes, including a U.N. resolution that would ban testing. That raises an obvious question: Will Obama also launch an eleventh-hour Mideast gambit?

The possibility has been debated in and outside the White House ever since Secretary of State John Kerrys quixotic effort to broker an Israeli-Palestinian deal collapsed in 2014.

All along, the assumption has been that Obama might wait to act until after the presidential election, so as to avoid creating problems for Hillary Clinton.

Theres plenty of precedent: Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush all bid for a Middle East legacy during their final months.

Not surprisingly, the prospect of an Obama initiative  which could take the form of a speech, or at its most ambitious, a U.N. resolution  is producing high anxiety in the Netanyahu world, as one former administration official puts it.

That would be Benjamin Bibi Netanyahu, the Israeli leader who has haunted and taunted Obama since he took office  and absorbed in return more White House animus and abuse than any other U.S. ally.

In the end, Obamas final decisions on the Middle East may be driven by another drama: the Barack and Bibi endgame.

For now, the old rivals are cooperating on a deal that could burnish both their legacies. Israeli and U.S. sources say negotiations are essentially complete on a new 10-year bilateral defense pact that would boost annual U.S. military aid to Israel from $3 billion to close to $4 billion.

Israel would get more money for missile defense, while agreeing to gradually redirect to American firms the quarter of U.S. funding it now diverts to domestic contractors.

For both leaders, the deal has a positive political twist. Obama would be able to point to it as proof that he was not, in the end, an anti-Israel president, in spite of his battles with Netanyahu over West Bank settlements and the Iranian nuclear deal.

Netanyahu, who has good reason to worry about eroding support for Israel among U.S. liberals, would be able to describe the bounteous guaranteed funding as a Democratic initiative.

Thats not the only reason Netanyahu has to gloat: For now, he looks like the winner on points in his eight-year bout with this president. Yes, Obama squashed Netanyahus fervent campaign against the Iran accord.

But Netanyahu has not only successfully resisted Obamas pressure to allow a Palestinian state on terms he opposed, he has also continued Israeli settlement building, ignoring harsh criticism from the State Department and the White House.

With years left in his own term in office, he can expect the next president, whether Clinton or Donald Trump, to drop Obamas policy of treating him as a pariah.

Obama, however, still has his potential hole card: an Obama plan for Palestinian statehood. Though he lacks the means to make it happen, the departing president could publicly lay out U.S. terms for a settlement, much as Bill Clinton did before leaving office.

If he sought ratification by the U.N. Security Council, Obama could set them in diplomatic stone. A conflict that for half a century has been defined by U.N. Resolution 242 would henceforth be governed by Obamas.

The terms were largely hashed out by Kerry during his doomed diplomatic offensive. A Palestinian state would be based on Israels 1967 borders, with land swaps that would attach the largest West Bank settlements to Israel.

Jerusalem would be the capital of both states. The return of Palestinian refugees to Israel would depend on a bilateral agreement. And Israel would be recognized as the homeland of the Jewish people.

That formula would be quickly rejected by both sides  just as it was when Obama tried to sell it to Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2014. Arab states might even block its passage by the Security Council, with help from Russia or France.

No matter: Obama would be betting that pressure would slowly mount on Israel to accept the terms, perhaps accompanied by an acceleration of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. Ten or 20 years from now, Obama could find himself heralded as the grandfather of Middle East peace.

Mavens of Middle East diplomacy point out that an Obama plan could do far more harm than good in the short term.

To begin with, it could hamstring any attempt by the new president to rescue the failing U.S. position in the larger Middle East; if thats Hillary Clinton, Obama may be pressed to consult her.

Well learn after Nov. 8 whether such considerations matter more to the 44th president than creating a legacy on a pet issue  and trumping Netanyahu.
A man who had eluded authorities after being charged in a warrant with first-degree murder was arrested Wednesday, Omaha police said.

Rolander Brown, 26, was taken into custody by members of the Metro Fugitive Task Force. He was booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, use of a weapon to commit a felony and possession of a gun by a prohibited person.

Brown twice evaded police following the fatal shooting of Carlos Alonzo, 40, who was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head outside 2019 Lake St. on May 28. Doloma Curtis, a corrections officer, used her position to discover that Brown was wanted in connection with the slaying of Alonzo, law enforcement officials have said.

Curtis, 47, dated both men, officials said. She is charged with being an accessory to a felony and is being held at the Sarpy County Jail.

Curtis had texted Brown before and after the shooting, officials have said.

Sometime after the shooting occurred, Curtis searched in a database accessible only by law enforcement and discovered that homicide detectives had put out a locator on Brown, officials said.

Curtis is accused of helping Brown get from Omaha to Georgia sometime between June 23 and 26. On July 22, Curtis picked up Brown in Georgia and took him to an unknown location, a prosecutor said.

Investigators say they knew she was helping Brown through family members in Georgia and electronic communication between the couple.
Karnataka to survey all Arabic schools to check if on same page as state board

Cauvery row: K'taka to tell SC it will release 10,000 cusecs for 6 days

Bengaluru

oi-Vicky

Bengaluru, Sept 7: Karnataka will file a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to modify the order which ordered the release of 15,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for ten days.

The petition which will be filed on Monday will state that Karnataka will release 10,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for six days.

Karnataka bandh on Sept 9 over Cauvery Water issue

The decision to file a modified petition in the Supreme Court was taken at an all party meeting chaired by Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah on Tuesday. Following a meeting with the legal team of Karnataka it was decided that the petition would seek modification of the original order.

A member of the legal team for Karnataka informed OneIndia that in the original plea the state had offered to release 10,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for six days. However, the Supreme Court ordered the release of 15,000 cusecs for a period of ten days.

Following an all party meet on Tuesday, it was decided that the Supremer Court order had to be followed. A decision to seek a modification was also taken.

When Karnataka goes up before the Supreme Court on Monday, it will state that they have been following the order and released water. However, since there is acute shortage of water the modified petition should be considered.

When Karnataka had stated that it is facing shortage of water, Tamil Nadu had argued that it had received only 33 TMC of water till August 31. It had said that as per the verdict of the Cauvery Waters Tribunal, it ought to have received 94 TMC of water till August 31.

When Karnataka stated that the order cannot be enforced since it is a distress year, Tamil Nadu stated that in such a scenario as per the tribunal it ought to have received 68 TMC of water.

OneIndia News
Karnataka to survey all Arabic schools to check if on same page as state board

Cauvery water to TN: Bengaluru could start to feel thirsty by November

Bengaluru

oi-Shreyas

By H S Shreyas

Bengaluru, Sept. 7: Bengaluru, and the Cauvery basin, could be parched by the end of November, thanks to the Supreme Court order to release water to Tamil Nadu, which the Karnataka government has started to do, combined with a shortfall in monsoon rains over the Cauvery catchment area, experts have told OneIndia.

Cauvery row: K'taka to tell SC it will release 10,000 cusecs for 6 days

The state lifts 50 tmc-ft of water annually from the Krishna Raja Sagara Reservoir (KRS), both for drinking and agriculture, with Bengaluru alone accounting for 20 tmc-ft, and towns and villages in the Cauvery basin consuming some 30 tmc-ft for both drinking and agriculture.

Currently, though, the availability of water in the KRS is only 39 tmc-ft. Out of which, as per the Supreme Court order, Karnataka has to release 15,000 cusecs a day to Tamil Nadu for 10 days, that is 13.63 tmc-ft of water in all, or a full third of the water in the KRS today. The Siddaramaiah government has already released water for two days.

Former Chief Engineer of Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewage Board Krishnappa said the Supreme Court ruling has come as a big blow to the state, which is already water-distressed. "It's alarming that the court has ordered the state to release a third of the water available, scarce as it already is", Krishnappa said, adding that water level in the KRS could dip even further.

Karnataka releases water to TN: Avoid B'luru-Mysuru highway today

Much will depend on the north-east monsoon rains, expected next month. If there's good rain in the catchment area, as much as 20-30 tmc-ft of water could flow into the KRS. Still, even that best case scenario will leave south Karnataka water scarce, with the outflow to Tamil Nadu adding to the problem.

Bengaluru consumes about 1.625 tmc-ft of water every month, adding up to 20 tmc-ft for 12 months, a figure that does not take into account leakage.

The Cauvery basin, including Mysuru, Mandya, Ramanagara, T. Narasipura, etc., need six tmc-ft of water for drinking and 25-30 tmc-ft for agriculture.

"If it does not rain as predicted next month, Bengaluru will start to feel thirsty by the end of November, so will other parts in the Cauvery basin", Krishnappa said. "The next monsoon is 10 months away, and until then, the city will need at least 16.25 tmc-ft of water",

OneIndia News
Karnataka to survey all Arabic schools to check if on same page as state board

Karnataka bandh: Essential services to be hit badly on Sept 9

Bengaluru

oi-Vicky

Bengaluru, Sept 7: On Sept 9, the Bengaluru-Mysuru region will be the worst hit and in these parts bandh would be total, the state intelligence bureau says.

Areas in Northern Karnataka are unlikely to be affected by the bandh called by famers's unions and activists protesting the release of Cauvery Water to Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka releases water to TN: Avoid B'luru-Mysuru highway, Hosur road today

In Mandya, the government has already declared a two-day holiday for schools and colleges. There is, however, no decision yet on whether schools and colleges will be closed in Bengaluru. The protests which are intense in Mandya and the nearby areas are likely to spill into Bengaluru in a bid to create more impact.

In Bengaluru, essential services are likely to be hit. Shop owners and other business establishments will likely keep the shutters down as a precautionary measure for the entire day on Sept 9.

The bandh will impact Mandya, Mysuru, Ramnagar, Srirangapatana and Maddur the most. All schools, colleges and establishments will be shut on that day. The farmers's union will also look to make the bandh a total success in Bengaluru as it will have more impact.

Entry and exit points to Tamil Nadu will remain shut and no vehicular movement will be allowed on Sept 9.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has begun services to Tamil Nadu. A few buses were plying to Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. However, services have not resumed yet on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.

No vehicles with Tamil Nadu registration are being allowed into Karnataka.

OneIndia News
TRS, BJP are two sides of same coin: Rahul Gandhi in Telangana

NABARD to give Telangana Rs 7000 cr for 11 irrigation projects

Hyderabad

oi-PTI

Hyderabad, Sep 7: The Telangana government on Sept 6 said National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has agreed to extend a loan of Rs 7,000 crore for 11 irrigation projects in the state.

According to a statement issued by the government, T Harish Rao minister for Irrigation today met Union Ministers Uma Bharti, Nitin Gadkari, Radha Mohan and Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi and apprised them of the issues related to the respective ministries.

"NABARD has agreed to finance Rs 7,000 crore for 11 ongoing irrigation projects. I sincerely thank the Central government for extending loan through NABARD," Harish Rao said in the statement.

The loan is part of the Memorandum of Agreement signed between Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and NABARD for providing central assistance to 99 prioritised irrigation projects under Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). The minister also raised with Bharti the state's water disputes with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 12:58 [IST]
TRS, BJP are two sides of same coin: Rahul Gandhi in Telangana

Amit Malviya alleges criminal conspiracy by The Wire, says will lodge police complaint

Delhi Police files FIR against The Wire on complaint by Amit Malviya

Attack on BJP leader: Main accused's mother booked

India

oi-PTI

Ghaziabad, Sep 6 Police have booked the mother of the main accused in the attack on senior BJP leader Brijpal Teotia last month.

Superintendent of Police (rural) Rakesh Pandey said Satbiri, mother of the main accused, Manish, has been booked under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC for planning the attack on Teotia "to avenge her husband's murder".

A group of armed gunmen had on August 11 opened fire on Teotia's vehicle, seriously injuring him and five of his associates, when they were on their way back from a function.

So far, eight persons have been arrested in connection with the case.

PTI
TRS, BJP are two sides of same coin: Rahul Gandhi in Telangana

BJP protests against Azam's dig at Bhim Rao Ambedkar

India

oi-PTI

Lucknow, Sep 7 BJP today held protest here against controversial minister Azam Khan for his "objectionable" statement against Bhim Rao Ambedkar dubbing the Constitution maker as someone who grabs land.

In his address at the inauguration of Haj House in Ghaziabad on Monday, Khan without naming Ambedkar had said, "All across Uttar Pradesh, there are statues of a person whose finger seems to say that not only does it own the plot of land on which it is standing, but also the plot towards which it is pointing its finger."

"The BJP held protests in the state capital and the similar protests were also stagged across the state," Uttar Pradesh BJP President Keshav Prasad Maurya said.

A BJP delegation led by Maurya handed over a memorandum to Governor Ram Naik at Rajbhawan demanding Khan's dismissal from the cabinet for "hurting sentiments" by making "derogatory remarks" against Ambedkar.

"We request to make such an arrangement that those making such statements against great persons should be brought to book irrespective of their stature," he said.

Maurya also attacked the Opposition parties for being silent over the remarks.

"The silence of BSP proves that it is hand-in-gloves with the ruling SP and Congress. BSP has not initiated any action against Naseemuddin Siddiqui for derogatory remarks against women and also not sent any representative for Kashmir talks. This shows the way in which the party is running," Maurya said.

Maurya alleged that BJP district president and other workers were injured in the lathicharge by police on protestors in Lucknow.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena threatened to hold a 'mahapanchayat' on the issue which will be attended by people from 150 villages if Khan does not tender an apology.

UPNS chief Amit Jani said if Khan does not apologise for the remarks against Ambedkar, a mahapanchayat will be called on September 25th.

PTI
Nobody can call bandh in the state without permission: Kerala HC slams PFI hartal

Cauvery water issue: Kannada filmstars to back Friday bandh

India

oi-Shreyas

By H S Shreyas

Bengaluru, Sept. 7: The Kannada film fraternity will back the Karnataka bandh on Friday against the Supreme Court order to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water a day for 10 days to Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka bandh: Essential services to be hit badly on Sept 9

Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce chairman Sa Ra Govindu told OneIndia that on Friday, Sandalwood stars and technicians will gather at the Film Chamber of Commerce located at Crescent Road in High Grounds.

Govindu said, "We are unhappy with the court order that favoured Tamil Nadu when the state is facing shortage of rain and scarcity of water." He said the court had neglected the plight of Karnataka farmers relying on Cauvery water.

Karnataka bandh on Sept 9 over Cauvery Water issue

He said many Kannada filmstars will display solidarity with the farmers, but a few would be unable to attend as they are in the US to attend the Kannada AKKA conference there.

Actors Shivrajkumar, Ambareesh, Tara, Ganesh and Darshan are likely to participate in the protest.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 19:33 [IST]
'Dabbang' chief secretary cracks the whip in Uttar Pradesh

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Lucknow, Sep 7 From threatening senior officials with prison if they failed to meet targets to asking policemen to beat up criminals and put them behind bars, Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal is fast turning out to be the state's 'dabbang' bureaucrat.

Appointed barely a month ago, Singhal has sent shivers down the spines of Uttar Pradesh's infamous bureaucracy, widely perceived as lazy and callous. And he seems to be also endearing himself with the people as well as the political class.

When Shivpal Singh Yadav was PWD Minister, Singhal was his "preferred candidate" for the top job; now Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, too, seems to be enamoured of the "quick decision-making abilities" of the official.

"Though his surname (Singhal) may make you think he is 'single', but he is like an army on the roll, doing so much work," Yadav told a gathering recently. He has publicly patted the back of his Chief Secretary on more than three occasions now, setting aside speculation that Singhal was not his first choice for the sensitive posting.

Usha Shanker, an ageing principal of a local school that educates children of poor workers, rickshaw-pullers and maids, told IANS that she was "pleasantly surprised" by the "proactive attitude" of the Chief Secretary.

"I informed him that our school was short of funds and needed some encouragement from the government -- and in no time help came. The Chief Secretary visited along with his wife and told us that the requirements of the 400 school children would be taken care of," she said.

In governance, too, Singhal seems to be leaving his mark. Having held various posts in the past, including a long stint as the Principal Secretary (Irrigation), his access to the top political bosses gives him the added edge.

"He is very grounded, to the extent of being rustic, but works with godsend speed," a senior bureaucrat told IANS. He recently threatened a group of senior officials that he would not hesitate to send them behind bars if the timelines of projects were not met.

A known globe-trotter -- he says he has visited more than 72 countries, some as many as two dozen times -- Singhal's networking skills seem to be working in favour of the state. Earlier this week, he not only settled a long-pending issue -- the widening of a road near Kukrail in the state capital -- with the Indian Army in an hour but also moved ahead positively on at least three other contentious issues with the Defence Ministry.

This issue had been hanging fire for more than three decades but Singhal "activated the state machinery and punched the right numbers in Delhi", said a beaming aide. He is also working relentlessly on getting the much-delayed international airport at Agra and is in talks with his contemporaries in Delhi to "smoothen raw nerves and undo the knots" between two politically-opposed governments.

Known to have a "baniya-buddhi approach" (businessman-like approach) the Chief Secretary is said to have expedited speedy and hassle-free allocation of a 16-acre stretch of land in Greater Noida to mobile manufacturing major Micromax. Officials of the company admitted that they had not expected to see work at such lightening speed, at least in Uttar Pradesh.

Chief Executive officer Rajesh Agarwal, who was handed over the allotment letter by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow last week, says the factory that would come up on this land is billed to manufacture six million mobile phones every year. Singhal's access to political bosses seems to be working both in his favour and in favour of the state, hitherto tarred by question marks over investments.

"Our Chief Minister is young and his ideas of getting the best for the state invigorates our style of working and we are happy that results are flowing in," Singhal says, while pointing out that global Vice-President of mobile company Oppo, Eric (who goes by one name), has shown keen interest in setting up its base in the state due to its investor-friendly IT policy.

Delegates from Oppo mobile have already submitted a proposal to set up a mobile manufacturing unit in Greater Noida or the Yamuna Expressway electronic manufacturing cluster on a 150-acre plot.

Unlike his predecessors -- the suave Javed Usmani or the pragmatic Alok Ranjan -- Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal seems to be emerging as the right choice for the top job, especially as the state goes to polls early next year and the Samajwadi Party (SP) battles anti-incumbency amid hopes of a second coming.

IANS
Bank holidays in November 2022: Here is the full list of non-working days

Delhi min hits out at LG for seeking details of foreign tours

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Sep 7 Hitting out at Lt Governor Najeeb Jung for seeking details of foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain today said such visits by his party ministers are comparatively less than that of their counterparts in other parts of the country.

Wondering since when the Lt Governor has started scanning ministers' foreign tours, he dared Jung to also seek such details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits.

Last week, the Lt Governor had directed General Administration Department of the Delhi government to provide details of all foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, their personal staff and other officials in the last 18 months.

Besides the duration of the stay and the expenditure incurred on foreign trips, the Lt Governor's office had also sought details of the "purpose" of the visits.

"Has he (Jung) also asked for details of foreign tours of Prime Minister? Since when has he started checking ministers' foreign tours?"

"Foreign tours are undertaken by AAP ministers for only official purpose after the government's approval. We have travelled very less comparatively in the entire country. If we go abroad for personal purpose, we spend our money," Jain, who is considered close to the Delhi CM, said.

Government officials said Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Jain have travelled abroad four times each on government expenditure.

Labour Minister Gopal Rai, along with Jain, had been to Sweden on a five day-knowledge trip. Officials, however, clarified that sacked minister Sandeep Kumar had travelled to the US with family privately.

Yesterday, Kejriwal and Jain returned from Vatican City, where they had gone to attthe sainthood ceremony of Mother Teresa.

On Opposition's allegations that public work was getting affected due to the frequent travels by the chief minister and other ministers to poll-bound states like Punjab, Goa and Gujarat, Jain said if any minister goes to these states for campaigning, government's work is not affected.

PTI
CBI on a massive crackdown on drug cartels; 175 arrests and 127 FIRs so far

'No supply in India': Chemist association on drugs by Indian firm flagged by WHO

Foreigner, 3 cops among seven held in drugs racket in Haryana

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Chandigarh, Sep 7 The Haryana Police has arrested seven persons, including a foreign national and three police personnel, in Fatehabad district on charges of involvement in drug trade, an official spokesman said on Wednesday.

The arrested included Nigerian national Eric, who was nabbed from the Janakpuri Metro Station in Delhi following a tip-off by the other arrested accused.

The others arrested in the case include Haryana residents Bansi, Sher Singh and Sanjay, the spokesman said.

"Police personnel Krishan Kumar, Mandeep and Praveen have been arrested for accepting Rs 20,000 each as bribe in lieu of releasing the accused," the spokesman said.

"During interrogation, Eric revealed that he was involved in selling heroin and smack in several states, including Haryana. He had come to India in 2015 and had lost his passport and visa after arriving," the spokesman said.

The police have seized 60 gm heroin from the possession of the accused.

The spokesman said more arrests could be made in the case.

IANS
Bank holidays in November 2022: Here is the full list of non-working days

How Aadhaar is mandatory for minority students scholarships:HC

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Sep 7 Delhi High Court today asked the Centre how it could make Aadhaar card mandatory for students from minority communities to apply for various scholarships meant to benefit them.

The court issued a notice to the Centre and asked it to file a reply to the plea which claimed the policy of making Aadhaar card mandatory for applying for pre-matric, post- matric and merit-cum-means scholarships meant to benefit students from minority communities was "arbitrary".

"Why is this kind of instruction being issued? How can you (Centre) say that Aadhaar is mandatory? You take notice and the concerned officer shall file the reply by September 23," a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said.

The PIL, filed by West Bengal-based Nasimuddin educational and charitable trust, has alleged that the policy was arbitrary and discriminatory as it benefitted only those having Aadhaar cards.

Challenging the constitutional validity of the need for Aadhaar card and applying online for the scholarships, the plea alleged that it was a violation of Supreme Court's judgement which had said that Aadhar would not be mandatory for availing benefits of government's welfare schemes.

The plea said that Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have been notified as minority communities under Section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.

It claimed that the policy of "compelling" students to apply through online process "smacks of non-application of mind since the students most in need of scholarship might not have access to computer, internet or the requisite knowledge of online application".

The petition, filed through advocates Prashant Bhushan and Neha Rathi, referred to the July 14, 2016 communication of the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) which had asked the chief secretary or administrators of the states to advertise for the various national scholarships of the ministry.

It said the letter had asked the states to make Aadhar card mandatory for all students to apply for scholarships and also to apply only through the online process.

"Many students belonging to non-affluent families do not have online facilities or the means to avail the scholarships through online means. Similarly, many students do not have Aadhaar cards," the plea said.

"Such a rule forcing a student to apply only online and compulsorily submitting Aadhaar card is unconstitutional, arbitrary, unjust and violates Article 14 of Constitution," the plea said.

It has sought setting aside of the July 14 communication besides a direction to the government to allow students to apply for national scholarships through offline means.

PTI
Should Kashmir be given to Pakistan: Row erupts after this question appears in MP civil service exam

India spent Rs. 356 crore in 5 years on protection, privileges for Kashmir separatists

India

oi-Vicky

Kashmiri separatist leaders receive about Rs. 100 crore from Pakistan annually to create unrest in Kashmir, chant anti-India slogans and keep the Valley boiling. As if to reward them for these activities, the Indian government rewards them with perks and protection that costs crores of rupees to the Indian taxpayer every year. In fact, just over the last five years, India has spent Rs. 356 crore on these separatists' security, travel and hotel stays!

But given their role in the latest bout of unrest and violence in the Valley, the separatists maybe about to lose these privileges.

OneIndia was the first to report, on September 3, that the Centre had decided to stop five-star treatment for the separatists.

[Centre to Kashmir separatists: No more 5-star treatment, no Indian passport either]

Most ironically, while the separatists speak for, even instigate, militancy and Pakistan's terrorist proxies such as the Hizbul Mujahideen who are responsible for the killing of thousands of people, both security forces and civilians, since 1990, India goes out of its way to protect their lives.

India has spent Rs. 309 crore to provide security to the separatists over the last five years, with some 950 security men guarding them round-the-clock, according to data provided by the J&K government in 2015.

[J&K: Govt wants to put an end to the propaganda]

Travel and hotel bills

The government has also spent Rs 21 crore on putting up these separatists in luxury hotels and Rs. 26.43 crore on fuel for them to travel around -- and spread their anti-India venom!

Ajat Shatru, a BJP legislator in Kashmir, says that the state and Centre have together spent Rs. 560 crore over the past five years on the separatists. Flanked and well-protected by 950 security personnel, the separatists have been instigating young Kashmiri boys to indulge in the stone-pelting protests that have kept Kashmir on the boil for two months now.

Security was provided to the separatists after Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq, the father of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the chairman of the All-Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee, was gunned down in 1990.

No more going soft on separatists

When Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Jammu and Kashmir with an all-party delegation on Sunday, he advised Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to give up her soft stance on separatism and act tough on the separatists.

The Centre made it clear that the separatists are the "ring masters" of the stone-pelting protests.

On Tuesday, Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the visit to J&K and told him how the separatists had snubbed members of the delegation.

Further, during a meeting with the the chiefs of the R&AW and Intelligence Bureau, it was decided that the separatists' wings must be clipped, sources said.

Actions may include withdrawing government-provided security to the separatists. Restrictions may also be placed on their travel and their passports may not be renewed.

The Prime Minister is said to have given his approval for these actions.
India summons Basit over discourtesy to its envoy in Pak

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Sep 7: Indo-Pak ties continued to plummet with India today summoning Pakistan envoy here to lodge a strong protest over "discourtesy" shown to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, whose public engagement was cancelled at the last minute by his host in Karachi yesterday.

Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was called to the South Block by MEA Secretary Sujata Mehta, who conveyed government's concern over discourtesy shown to Bambawale, whose address at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce was called off without any reason being given.

"He (Basit) was also conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

The summoning came on a day Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif fired another salvo at India during a speech in Islamabad when he indirectly accused India of "raining" bullets on the people in Kashmir, which he described as Pakistan's "lifeline".

Backing the demand for self-determination in Kashmir, Sharif said the "oppressed people" of the Valley are once again suffering "worst form of state terrorism" and "repression" for demanding their due rights.

India and Pakistan are engaged in a fierce verbal battle over terrorism and the situation in Kashmir. While India has accused Pakistan of supporting cross border terrorism, Pakistan, on its part, has been trying to internationalise Kashmir, alleging New Delhi of human rights violations.

Incidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a sharp attack on Pakistan at the G20 summit in China on Monday, saying, "one single nation" in South Asia is spreading "agents of terror" and demanded that those who sponsor the menace must be sanctioned and isolated, not rewarded.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 18:46 [IST]
Maharashtra IAS officer under fire shifted

India

oi-PTI

Mumbai, Sep 7 Maharashtra government today shifted a senior IAS officer from agriculture to administrative reforms department, after he faced the ire of Mantralaya staffers for allegedly not an allowing official to leave home early to see to his son who later committed suicide.

Additional Chief Secretary Bhagwan Sahai, who was in the agriculture department before he was asked to go on forced leave, has been shifted as additional chief secretary (administrative reforms), an official said.

Three other IAS officers were also transferred today, including C V Oak, who was transferred as Secretary of State Election Commission.

The Mantralaya employees had last month staged a protest against Sahai and sought his suspension pending an inquiry, for allegedly not letting an official leave for home early. The official's son had later committed suicide.

On August 11, Agriculture Department Joint Secretary Rajesh Ghadge sought permission from Sahai to leave for home early as his wife and son were having a fight and he wanted to sort out the matter. Sahai, reportedly, denied his consent.

Later, Ghadge's son Avadhoot, a Class XII student, committed suicide. Sahai was sent on forced leave and an inquiry was instituted against him for not allowing his junior colleague to go home early on August 11, despite his son threatening to commit suicide.

The Mantralaya employees also alleged that Sahai had insulted officials and employees, including women, and even threatened to place them under suspension.

PTI
Meetings in Delhi, Vijayawada over likely announcement for AP

India

oi-PTI

Vijayawada, Sep 7: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today held a meeting here with his cabinet colleagues over a likely announcement from the Central government on either the grant of special category status to the state or a special economic package for AP.

In New Delhi, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Y Satyanarayana Chowdary and Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh had a meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on the issue.

Chandrababu held the emergency meeting with some of his cabinet colleagues, discussing the happenings in the national capital. Later in the afternoon, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to make an announcement on the things that are likely to be delivered to AP in accordance with the Reorganisation Act, 2014.

It is understood that Chandrababu has been invited to New Delhi this afternoon but there is no word from his office here on whether he will make it for the trip. "Indications are that the Centre may announce a special package to the state. There is no clarity on whether it will grant special status as is being demanded," a CMO official said.

In Delhi, Satyanarayana Chowdary said the Centre wanted to refer the special status issue to the National Development Council.

"But we are insisting on special status without any reference to the NDC as it will only further delay the process," he said. There is also stalemate over the establishment of a new railway zone at Visakhapatnam with the Centre pointing to objections raised by Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

In the event, there are talks now that a new railway zone may be set up with Vijayawada as the headquarters. "The Chief Minister is in constant touch with our people in New Delhi on all issues. There will be some clarity later in the afternoon," the official said.

PTI
Karnataka to survey all Arabic schools to check if on same page as state board

NPS founder: Certificates genuine, CBSE disaffiliation conspiracy, will fight it legally

India

oi-Shreyas

By H S Shreyas

Bengaluru, Sep 7: A day after the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) board disaffiliated six schools of the National Public School (NPS) group, its founder K.P. Gopalakrishna claimed the move by the state Department of Public Instruction in recommending the disaffiliation was a conspiracy against his institution and vowed to challenge the CBSE's action legally.

CBSE disaffiliates NPS, one of Bengaluru's most in-demand schools

"Any problem caused to the schools will leave 10,000 students and 1,300 teachers in the lurch. We will not allow that to happen", Gopalkrishna told OneIndia.

The CBSE board had on Tuesday disaffiliated six schools of the group -- NPS Rajajinagar, Indiranagar, Koramangala and HSR Layout, the National Academy of Learning in Basaveshwarnagar, Bengaluru, and National Public School, Mysuru.

Gopalkrishna asserted, "No parent of our schoolchildren has so far approached us over the disaffiliation issue. They all have full faith and confidence in the institution."

He alleged that the Department of Public Instruction's recommendation to the CBSE board was a conspiracy to defame the NPS group.

He asserted that the NPS schools had not forged the minority institution status certificates to escape having to reserve a quarter of their seats for admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

"The certificates that were submitted were signed by the authorised person in the National Commission for Minority Institutions, and the authenticity of the signatures has been confirmed by the forensic department", Gopalakrishna claimed.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 18:27 [IST]
Targeted killings in Kashmir: Do not react in panic and hurry for quick solutions

Return of Kashmiri Pandits possible if settled at 'separate place': ASKPC

India

oi-PTI

Jammu, Sep 6 All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) today said the return of Kashmiri Pandits was possible only if they are settled at a 'separate place' in the Valley.

"Government of India (GoI) must realise that return of Pandits' to Kashmir shall only be possible if they are settled and rehabilitated at one place in Kashmir where there shall be free flow of Indian constitution," General Secretary, ASKPC, T K Bhat said.

Our president Ravinder Raina, who met all-party delegation headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, raised this point in the meeting and submitted a memorandum which was signed by 16 Kashmiri pandit organisations, he said.

Bhat also demanded reservation in the state Assembly and Parliament for the pandit community.

"Left over properties, including shrines and temples, should be safeguarded from the onslaught of encroachers and destruction at the hands of fascist forces. Security cover should also be given to all renovated and functional temples by deploying Central Reserve Forces (CRF)," he said.

Vijay Bakaya, former chief secretary and advisor to National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said, "The meeting was very successful as the leadership of the community strongly raised the problems and issues of the community before APD".

The issue of the Kashmiri pandit employees serving in the Valley and sitting on a dharna for over 55 days here were also raised, he said.

ASKPC demanded that pandit employees, who migrated from Kashmir Valley after alleged mob attacks on their colonies during the present unrest, should be posted in Jammu in view of the fear psychosis.

PTI
Over 19% prisoners on interim bail or emergency parole yet to return to Delhi jails: RTI

Yerawada prisoners submit memo for relaxation of parole rules

India

oi-PTI

Pune, Sep 6 A group of inmates from the Yerawada Central Jail here today submitted a memorandum to the authorities seeking relaxation in rules which bar those convicted for rape, murder and dacoity from getting "regular" parole.

"There are few prisoners, who are serving jail sentence for rape, rape with murder and today they submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Maharashtra government and sought relaxation in the recent amendment by the state government," said U T Pawar, Superintendent, Yerawada Central Jail.

Pawar, however, rubbished reports of over 100 prisoners going on strike since this morning protesting the new amendment.

"They have just submitted a memorandum and sought relaxation in the notification and informed us that if the state government does not blink, they will resort to indefinite hunger strike," he added.

A jail officer said some prisoners refused to have meal, however, they had lunch after the authorities convinced them. As per the recent notification by Maharashtra government, convicts serving jail sentence for rape, rape and murder and dacoity will not be eligible for "regular" parole.

The stringent norms were enforced after a convict, in a murder case of Mumbai-based lawyer, who was serving imprisonment in Nashik jail, jumped parole.

As per the amended rules, a person whose appeal of conviction in a higher court or any other cases filed against him either by central or state governments in any of the courts are pending and for which bail has not been granted by the related courts, will not be eligible for furlough.

PTI
Iran-Saudi war of words heats up ahead of hajj

International

oi-PTI

Tehran, Sep 7 A bitter war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia intensified today ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage from which Iranians have been excluded for the first time in decades.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blasted the "incompetence" of the Saudi royal family as he met with the families of victims of a deadly stampede during last year's hajj.

"This incident proves once again that this cursed, evil family does not deserve to be in charge and manage the holy sites," Khamenei said.

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia were already at rock bottom before the regional rivals started trading caustic remarks ahead of the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest places in Saudi Arabia, which is due to start on Saturday. Iranians have been blocked from the event after talks on safety and logistics fell apart in May.

"If the existing problems with the Saudi government were merely the issue of the hajj... maybe it would have been possible to find a way to resolve it," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said at a cabinet meeting. "Unfortunately, this government by committing crimes in the region and supporting terrorism in fact shed the blood of Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Yemen," Rouhani said.

The week began with a furious rebuke from Khamenei, published on his website, in which he accused the Saudi royals of "murder" over the deaths of nearly 2,300 pilgrims, including hundreds of Iranians, in last year's stampede.

Saudi Arabia claims the death toll was only 769 -- despite data from more than 30 countries suggesting it was far higher -- and has refused to release the details of its investigation into the disaster.

But the head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council hit back today, calling Khamenei's remarks "inappropriate and offensive... and a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj.

Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, also waded into the dispute, telling the Makkah daily yesterday: "We must understand these are not Muslims, they are children of Magi and their hostility towards Muslims is an old one."

"Magi" is a reference to the Zoroastrian religion that was prevalent in Iran before Islam, and is sometimes used as an insult against Iranians.

Jane Kinninmont, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the Chatham House think tank in London, said the world needed to pay more attention to the "cold conflict" between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

AFP
Sonia chose Manmohan Singh as he posed no threat to her, Rahul Gandhi: Obama

From PM Modi to ex-US Prez Obama, see Cyrus Mistry's rare pics with politicians

Obama, Modi to have bilateral meeting in Laos on Thursday, 8th meeting in 2 years

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Sep 7: US President Barack Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, the White House said today.

"In the afternoon, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India," the White House said in its daily guidance released to the press.

The two leaders are expected to make brief remarks at the top of the meeting. This would be the eighth meeting between Modi and Obama in two years.

They met for the first time at the White House in September 2014 when Modi travelled to Washington DC at the invitation of Obama.

Prime Minister Modi exchanged views with Obama on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China's Hangzhou on Sunday, with the US president praising the "bold policy" move on GST reform in a "difficult" global economic scenario.

Obama is scheduled to address a news conference in Laos immediately after his meeting with Modi. He would depart for the US via Yokota, Japan for fueling, soon after his news conference.

FLASH: PM Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama to meet tomorrow on the sidelines of ASEAN summit in Laos  ANI (@ANI_news) September 7, 2016

PTI
India's steel industry now 2nd biggest, target is to double crude steel output in 10 years: PM Modi

PM Modi to dedicate 2 key rail lines in Gujarat to nation Monday

PM Narendra Modi meets Abe in Laos

International

oi-PTI

Vientiane, Sep 7 Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe after arriving here and discussed ways to strengthen strategic bilateral ties.

"Discussing stronger ties with Japan...PM Narendra Modi meets Japan PM Shinzo Abe," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted as the almost 45 minutes-long bilateral talks began.

Modi will attend the 14th ASEAN India Summit and 11th East Asia summit tomorrow.

He will also have bilaterals with leaders of Myanmar and South Korea. There could be more "pull aside" talks tomorrow with leaders, officials said.

This is Modi's second meeting with Abe in less than six months. They had met on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in April.

Earlier, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that the two leaders are likely to discuss cooperation in the defence sector.

Japan's maritime self-defence force and the Indian and US navies conducted Malabar joint maritime security exercises in June and Japanese and Indian defence ministers agreed in July to repeat the joint drill next year.

The leaders are also expected to discuss investment and other economic cooperation, the report said.

PTI
Fact Check: Is this viral image from the Nepal plane wreckage

Six dead in light plane crash in Macedonia

International

oi-PTI

Skopje, Sept 7: Four Italians and two nationals of Kosovo died in a plane crash near Macedonia's capital Skopje, officials said.

They were aboard a twin-engine German-registered Piper Seneca which crashed near the village of Kojle yesterday, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Skopje, the head of the national public security bureau, Mitko Chavkov, told reporters.

"They departed from the airport Treviso in Italy with destination in Pristina," the capital of Kosovo, Chavkov said. "They intended to land in Skopje for refuelling."

Chavkov confirmed the nationalities of the fatalities, which were also disclosed separately to AFP by police. The causes of the crash are being investigated.

AFP
College regulations irk students in Mangaluru

Mangalore

oi-PTI

Mangaluru, Sep 7: A set of rules introduced by St Aloysius Pre University College here has stirred a controversy, sparking protest by students and on social media against "imposing moral values".

The college had issued the directions to students at an orientation class last week and the rules and regulations were uploaded on social media by a former student. However, Principal Rev Fr Melwyn Mendonca denied discriminatory rules being enforced in the college as mentioned in the post. The post, he said, was "far from true" and the college authorities were contemplating filing a complaint to the cyber crime police.

Some of the rules and regulations mentioned in the post included "no pubs and parties, no girl student could leave the campus for lunch, girls should not visit boys of other classes during breaks, mehndi could be applied only on palm and with prior permission from class guide, no high or low bun and no interaction between a single girl and a group of boys or a single boy and a group of girls".

The Principal said the college had been conducting value education classes for students regularly and in a recent orientation class the students were asked to stick to the rules of the college pertaining to uniform, discipline and decent behaviour.

The parents had been asking the college authorities to keep a strict vigil on students after elopement of a student last year, he claimed. "Even the parents are happy with rules. They have no objection to it.

Admissions were increasing every year and it wouldn't have been possible if they are against the institution," he said. He also claimed that the "restrictions" in his college were less stringent compared to other PU colleges in the district and were aimed at focusing the attention of the students on studies and to inculcate moral values.

St Aloysius College, run by Jesuits priests, is a co-education college functioning for the last 27 years.

PTI
J&K: All party meet divided on talks with separatists

New Delhi

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Sept 7: There were mixed views on whether the separatists of Jammu and Kashmir must be engaged in talks or not. The all party delegation that visited the state recently met at New Delhi to assess the situation and also chalk out a strategy for the future.

While some members of the delegation felt that talks with separatists must be held, others felt the need to isolate them.

NIA watching 12 suspects in J&K over ISIS links

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who chaired the meet on Wednesday will meet President Pranab Mukherjee and will brief him about the meeting and also the visit to J&K.

During the meeting while various suggestions were made, most members felt that the Jammu and Kashmir government had failed to deal with the crisis. They pointed out that some of the leaders were giving contradictory statements and have not done enough to find a solution to the problem.

During the meeting it was also stated that the Hurriyat Conference issues calendar of protests every week. Until and unless this is not stopped normalcy will not return to the Valley, it was also stated.

Further the meeting also discussed the areas in which the violence was most severe. It was pointed out that South of Kashmir and especially the rural areas were the most affected.

The immediate move should be to restore normalcy in the Valley. Schools need to reopen and people need to lead a normal life, members of the delegation also said.

In addition to this the feasibility of relaxing AFSPA was also discussed. However, many part of the meet said that an immediate ban on pellet guns must be issued and the forces must have a more compassionate approach.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 14:47 [IST]
NHRC recommendations on human rights violations by armed forces not binding: Centre tells SC

New Delhi

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Sept 7: The union government on Wednesday opposed tooth and nail a plea by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which said its recommendations of human rights violations by the armed forces must be binding on the Centre.

The Centre made it clear to the Supreme Court that the recommendations by the NHRC of human rights violations cannot be binding.

The NHRC told the Supreme Court that its recommendations on human rights violations by armed forces must be binding on the Centre. The NHRC also said that if the findings are treated as recommendations then the Centre will never act against the erring armed forces personnel.

The Centre, however, opposed it by stating that the law mandates that NHRC findings on human rights violations by armed forces would only be recommendatory. It can be looked into by the NHRC followed by a report to the union government.

The Centre is answerable to the Parliament and court on this issue. But NHRC report on the armed forces cannot be made binding, the Attorney General of India also told the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court had on an earlier date said it would consider the grievance of then NHRC that it had become a toothless tiger.

The court also noted NHRC's submission that "it was helpless in taking any coercive measures since it has no power to take action against people or authorities who do not follow the guidelines laid down by it (NHRC) nor does it have power to give directions or pass orders but can only make recommendations.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 15:03 [IST]
NIA watching 12 suspects in J&K over ISIS links

New Delhi

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Sept 7: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has put 12 people suspected to be linked to the ISIS under watch after some of their activities related to Jammu and Kashmir cropped up.

There is currently no real ISIS threat in the Valley, but there are attempts being made by the dreaded outfit to open shop in the state.

ISIS planning knife attacks in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Rajasthan: IB Alert

NIA has found Indian operatives trying to breathe life into a module in Kashmir at least on two occasions . The ISIS on its inception had prepared a map that it called the Global Islamic Council.

The map that depicted the territory it planned on controlling also included the states of Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir.

In the month of January this year the NIA had arrested Mufti Abdul Sami Ghani, an alleged ideologue of the ISIS. During his questioning it was found that he had made two visits to Kashmir's Kupwara and Banihal.

During the visits he made in 2014, he is said to have delivered speeches to a select group of youth who are now being suspected as part of an activity to set up modules in the state.

Further another arrest made in West Bengal recently in connection with an ISIS related case also led to a Kashmir link.

The operative during his questioning had told the NIA that he had extensively surveyed the Dal Lake in a bid to target foreigners. He also said that they planned on carrying a knife attack at the Dal lake on foreigners so that they get international attention and also it would help set up a module in Kashmir.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 14:20 [IST]
Bihar govt approves Start-Up policy for entrepreneurs

Patna

oi-PTI

Patna, Sept 6: The Bihar government today gave its nod for the launch of a Start-Up venture capital fund, which will encourage young entrepreneurs in the state to start new ventures.

The approval to the Start Up policy, 2016 was given at a meeting of the cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The Start-Up venture capital of Rs 5,000 crore formed part of the CM's 'seven resolves', which the grand secular alliance government has adopted as policy of governance for the next five years.

The cabinet gave its nod to 31 proposals of different departments at the meeting this evening, Principal Secretary Cabinet Coordination department Brajesh Mehrotra told reporters. The state cabinet gave its go ahead to Information and Public Relations Department proposal to revise advertisement rates as part of state Advertisement Policy, 2016.

In another decision pertaining to the Urban Development and Housing department, the cabinet cleared a proposal to dedicate 30 per cent of revenue of urban local bodies for the Chief Minister's drinking water project, 20 per cent for building sewage pipes and others and the rest 50 per cent for spending by the urban local bodies to meet expense of salary, pension and waste management.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 12:41 [IST]
Anna Hazare has said he is very saddened to see that some of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's colleagues have gone to jail, while some others are "indulging in fraud". When Kejriwal was with him, he wrote a book on gram swaraj...Will we call this gram swaraj? To know more watch this video.
Karnataka released Cauvery water for Tamil Nadu amidst bandh in several parts and protest to obey the supreme court's order. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah decided to release 15,000 cuses of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 10 days. Meanwhile the protests have become more lethal. Pro-Karnataka groups have called for a state-wide bandh on 9th Sept.
Cab aggregator OLA charged a businessman Rs 83,395 for a round trip from Mumbai to Pune. According to bill, he had travelled 7,000 km in just 14 hours. He then got in touch with the call centre of Ola and after an intense argument for nearly 30 minutes, they accepted it was a mistake and agreed to revise the bill.
Accession Day: Valley lights up on this day when J&K became part of India

Separatists inciting children to engage in violence: Mehbooba

Srinagar

oi-PTI

Srinagar, Sept 7: Taking separatist leaders head-on, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday accused them of instigating the children in the Valley to engage in violence while making sure their own studied abroad or outside the state.

"My colleagues have this (fear) that I may say something. But, I have always spoken truth. The way a mother slaps her child when he tries to touch a hot kangri (firepot), I will do the same to save my people."

Burhan Wani's death only a trigger- Mehbooba Mufti to all party delegation

"I will be angry, I will speak truth and warn them not to use children as a shield (during street protests)," Mehbooba told a gathering at an official event, invoking motherhood that is devoted to the welfare of the child.

She exuded confidence that the Valley will come out of the "misery" as her intentions were noble. "Majority of the people want an honourable solution to the issue. Nobody wants violence except for those who don't have to face impact of this violence as their own children are studying outside the Valley.

"They ask the children to fight bullets, pellets and teargas, but themselves fear a policeman," she said.

Taking on the separatists, she said they were "exploiting" children in the Valley only after having made sure that their studied outside.

She, however, hoped the situation would get back to normal.

"Time will not remain like this always, but wounds will be there on the hearts of the children which these people have inflicted. Today, people will find my words bitter, but they will later understand what I said because I saw many people roaming the streets at night provoking children to join the protests.

"God is witness, that their (the separatists') own children study in Malaysia, Dubai, Bangalore and Rajasthan. If a single child of these people has been injured in the protests in these days, I am ready to quit politics," she said at the function organised to distribute LED bulbs under the Centre's 'UJALA' scheme.

The function was organized by Union Power Ministry, State Power Development Department and Energy Efficiency Services Limited a joint-venture of PSUs under the Ministry of Power.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 10:20 [IST]
by  Graham Pierrepoint



Facebooks Trending Topics feature has long been a feature of much mystery and discussion, with debate earlier this year having been spurred on as to how accurate such reporting was with relation to what news people were genuinely talking about on the social network  and it is largely seen as a focal point for discussions to be raised and continued via status updates and on community pages alike. Certainly, rival network Twitter originated the idea of a topic aggregator via their ground-breaking hashtag feature, a platform which has since gone on to revolutionize the way in which social media users communicate with each other, discover news and has even had an impact upon language and marketing. The word hashtag is just about everywhere, from informal speech to clothing slogans  and its Twitter that we all have to thank for that.

Facebooks own landing page for trending news has traditionally sat on the right-hand side of a users news feed for some time now, typically advising who or what is trending with a brief explanation as to why  but now, it seems, things have been simplified even further in recent days. While users are still able to easily filter out exactly what they want to read about and what they dont  in a similar fashion to Facebooks own targeted advertising function and Googles News functionality  the ticker is now starkly minimalist, appearing to offer a similar amount of data that Twitters own national trending news tickers that can be swapped and changed around.

Facebooks Trending Topics now advise you purely on what is trending  just a name, a brand, or a topic  with an estimated amount of people that are currently talking about it on the website. For example, at the time of writing, WhatsApp sits at the top of the topics tree with over a million people talking about the chat service, likely due to recent privacy changes made to the software  while Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lewis Hamilton head up the challenging topics in the UK edition of the ticker.

The Trending Topics ticker has its fans and its detractors  but it will remain to be seen how effective it will be in pulling in more discussions and widespread use of the service. Mark Zuckerberg and company are keen to bring Facebook back to its social roots  but at least for now, it is still happy to remain a platform on which people can discuss news and events at length.